And as a bonus, here’s another document, courtesy of Allocine.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
IDW Publishing Godzilla February 2013 Solicitations
Godzilla #10
Duane Swierczynski (w) • Simon Gane (a) • Bob Eggleton (c)
Earth is ravaged by the Space Monsters! With Earth’s kaiju trapped on Monster Island, the planet is seemingly doomed. Until Boxer decides to undo all of his hard work and stage the biggest prison break of all time!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
*Variant cover:
Matt Frank variant cover!
Bullet points:
• More monsters than you can shake a stick at!!
Godzilla: Half-Century War # 5 (of 5)
James Stokoe (w & a & c)
Ota Murakami has fought Godzilla for fifty years. The decades have been hard on Ota, and he is seemingly no closer to his goal. Now, in the frozen wastes of Antarctica, the end of the world beckons. Ota and Ken gear up for a deadly final battle, and only one beast will be left standing at its end! This is the book you’ll be talking about for years! Don’t miss it!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
*Variant cover:
Simon Roy variant cover!
Bullet points:
• The epic conclusion to the critical favorite that IGN calls “a truly wonderful comic book.”
Pacific Rim: The Movie Robot To End All Movie Robots
Move over, Transformers: There's a new movie robot in town, and it's based on real technology.
Visionary director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) is bringing to life the new sci-fi blockbuster Pacific Rim in 2013. In the film, powerful pilot-operated robots called "Jaegers" battle the "Kaiju", giant sea monsters intent on destroying the human race (evil laugh here).
MovieFIX has your first look at the blueprint for the tailor-made Australian Jaeger named "Striker Eureka", stationed at the "Sydney Shatterdome".
The mega-robot is described as "the most advanced battle machine ever assembled: the biggest, fastest and strongest Jaeger ever to walk the earth".
Director del Toro recently admitted on his fan site that the Jaegers are "based on existing robotic / DARPA jet-fighter neural links [DARPA being Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]".
"The very first engines used to create the 'muscle strands' on the Jaeger limbs were Husqvarna engines and the first assembly line was an amalgam between Germany and US. Those were the MARK I," del Toro wrote.
Sound like mumbo jumbo? The Jaeger blueprint below goes deeper. The writing is small, but the highlights appear to be the "Anti-Kaiju missile chest launcher", the "brass knuckles" on the robot's fingers, and the retractable "sting blades" on the arms.
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| The Pan Pacific Defense Corps' "Striker Eureka" Australian Jaeger blueprint. |
At the bottom of the blueprint is a launch date: November 2, 2019. Watch the video below for a Pacific Rim teaser about the Kaiju invasion — it's eerily real.
For more exclusives on Pacific Rim, visit the just-launched Pan Pacific Defense Corps website. Which country will be attacked first?
Pacific Rim stars Prometheus' Idris Elba, Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam, Babel's Rinko Kikuchi and Horrible Bosses' Charlie Day. It's out July 11, 2013.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
CREATURE FEATURE : Titanosaurus
Titanosaurus (チタノザウルス Chitanozaurusu) is a fictional kaiju (Japanese giant monster) featured in the 1975 Showa film Terror of Mechagodzilla, the fifteenth Godzilla film to be produced by Toho.
Origins
An amphibious dinosaur found in the Pacific Ocean, the character appeared only once, as one of two antagonists in the film Terror of Mechagodzilla. Characters in the film state that the Titanosaurus was originally a gentle creature, not aggressive by nature; it was only under mind control that it became hostile. Titanosaurus shares its name with a real dinosaur species, though they do not share much beyond nomenclature. Titanosaurus more closely resembles a Spinosaurus or a Suchomimus than a real Titanosaurus. Toho's Titanosaurus is more like a Japanese version of the British giant movie monster Gorgo, sporting the same webbed ear-like appendages, and has a dorsal sail like that of Spinosaurus. Originally, Titanosaurus was going to be two separate monsters that would eventually form into one, but due to budget restraints, only one Titanosaurus suit was made.
Titanosaurus was found by Doctor Shinji Mafune. He told his colleagues about the creature he found and also told them he found a way to control it. They all thought he was crazy, thus he was shunned by the scientific community. Mafune's daughter, Katsura, was fatally injured so the Black Hole Aliens revived her as a cyborg, in return they asked Mafune to help them take over the world. He agreed so he could take revenge against those who did not believe him.
While the Black Hole Aliens were preparing Mechagodzilla, Mafune released Tiatanosaurus early against the aliens orders. Tiatanaosaurus was released on a costal city and caused massive destruction. Godzilla arrived to fight Titanosaurus. The fight was cut short when a group of interpool agents shot Mafune's daughter off a cliff. Titanosaurus was ordered to go save her leaving the battle. Titanosaurus brought Katsura back to the Black Hole Aliens who saved her life. Mafune swore his allegiance to the aliens and also told them he would send Titanosaurus at there will.
Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla were sent out to destroy Tokyo, but Godzilla stood in there way. Titanosuarus and Mechagodzilla were able to get the upper hand. However he was later defeated by both the human's sonic wave(his one weakness) gun and Godzilla. He knocked off a cliff his fate is unknown.
Abilities
As well as using teeth and claws to fight, Titanosaurus can, by employing his tail as a fan, generate winds strong enough to demolish buildings and hurl debris at great velocities. When used in the water, it creates whirlpools powerful enough to completely immobilize submarines, in addition to its use as a high-powered propeller and rudder.
Titanosaurus is quite hardy as well as a determined combatant, standing toe-to-toe and exchanging blows with Godzilla on a number of occasions, and in addition landing kicks and punches that propel his opponent great distances (seemingly in defiance of conventional physics). Though the latter's atomic ray, superior physical strength and extensive combat experience ultimately give him a decisive edge when facing Titanosaurus one-on-one, Mechagodzilla's timely interventions allow his ally to retain or regain the initiative, as necessary.
Film Appearances
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Godzilla Final Wars
Titanosaurus has also appeared in a number of IDW's Godzilla comics, the first appearance being in Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths #4.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
PACIFIC RIM (2013): FIRST LOOK AT JAEGER FOOTAGE
Next summer in Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim will see humanity under siege by legions of monstrous creatures known as the Kaiju. These humongous beasts are so dangerous that their decomposing bodies melt cities, which is in itself a weapon of mass destruction.
To answer this threat, mankind creates gigantic beasts of their own, massive robots called the Jaegers.
A promotion video for Guillermo Del Toro's production company has landed online which may give us out first look at the Jaegers.
It's also thought that the Pacific Rim trailer will debut on December 14th with The Hobbit.
The Jaeger footage hits around the 1:15 mark.
Pacific Rim opens July 12th, 2013, directed by Guillermo Del Toro, starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, and Ron Perlman.
Synopsis:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes - a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) - who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM: A MONSTER EARTH Bonus Story by Jeff McGinnis
From Jim Beard
G-Fans, here's an online exclusive story to promote the upcoming Giant Monster fiction anthology of mine called MONSTER EARTH. The premise is that every country on the planet has their own kaiju, for better or for worse...
Monster Earth Coming Soon!
Atlanta, GA—James Palmer, editor and publisher of Mechanoid Press, an independent publishing imprint specializing in New Pulp, science fiction, and more, is proud to announce the upcoming release of its first anthology MONSTER EARTH.
MONSTER EARTH harkens back to the classic giant monsters of yesteryear like Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, and King Kong, while focusing on the human element and what it would be like to live in such a world where giant monsters terrorize the Earth.
“There have been a few other giant monster anthologies over the years,” says Palmer. “But our book is going to be a bit different. It has a unifying concept, as well as a solid pulp style of storytelling.”
Developed by MONSTER EARTH co-editor Jim Beard (writer, Captain Action and the Riddle of the Glowing Men), each story in the book takes place in a different decade of the 20th century, which leads to a Cold War fought with giant monsters rather than the threat of nuclear weapons.
“I really wanted all the stories to have an underlying thread that weaves between them all the stories, and Jim really came up with a winner.”
The stories in MONSTER EARTH have a strong human angle as well.
“Focusing in on the human beings living in this world is important to me,” says Palmer. “The monsters are like forces of nature, with the humans trying to control them. But don’t worry, these aren’t just regular human interest stories with a monster thrown in for window dressing. There are plenty of great monster battles and more than enough citywide destruction to please the most discerning kaiju fan – and anyone who loves a good tale.
Palmer and Beard have assembled a great line-up of New Pulp all-stars to give us their visions of a world ruled by giant monsters. MONSTER EARTH will include stories by I.A. Watson (Sherlock Holmes, Blackthorn: Dynasty of Mars), Ed Erdelac (The Merkabah Rider), Nancy Hansen, and newcomer Jeff McGinnis. Beard and Palmer will also provide stories, and there will be a free online bonus tale by Jeff McGinnis coming out shortly before the book’s release.
MONSTER EARTH is slated for a Christmas release, and will be available in print and ebook formats.
The Impossible Dream: Liam Reilly’s Loch Ness Obsession
by Miranda Stein
Reprinted from Rock Law Magazine, May 21, 1974
The man who takes the seat across from me at the Lochend bar on that April night could be my grandfather. Hell, he could be anyone’s grandfather. Kind, giving eyes underneath a curly mane of white hair, and a smile that could take all your worries away. I’ve known him for only a few seconds, but I already like him.
He hadn’t even asked if he could join me before he sat down. He knew I was there for him — in this quaint country pub in the middle of Scotland, I know a Los Angeles-born, New York-seasoned Yank like myself sticks out like a sore thumb, anyway. “Miranda?” he asks in a posh English accent as he settles in.
I nod. “Miranda Stein, Rock Law Magazine.” I hold out my hand, which he takes and shakes vigorously.
“Liam Reilly. It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you. Sorry I’m late.” The longer I get to know Dr. Reilly, the more I learn that he is late for absolutely everything. It isn’t that he’s being inconsiderate or rude, though — at least not deliberately. It’s simply a genuine passion he has for everything in life. Everything. The man is always so focused on what he’s doing on any given moment that consideration for anything else falls by the wayside.
“Have you eaten already?” he asks as he looks around for a server.
I shake my head. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Oh, marvelous! Simply marvelous! You absolutely must try the Drop Scones here. They’re simple, traditional, but I swear, this place, you would think they were infused with the magic of Scotland itself. Utterly marvelous.”
I smile, the first of many that come about during my meal with Dr. Reilly. Conversation flows easily between the two of us, as I imagine it does with most anyone who meets the famous doctor face-to-face. His naturally disarming personality elbows out any intellectual objections you may have toward his life’s work. It’s easy to see how so many have fallen under his spell.
We speak of many issues during that first meeting — his background, the beautiful Scottish countryside, politics, music. In fact, so enthralling is our first conversation that I haven’t even gotten around to discuss the central issue surrounding our meeting, why I’m here to talk to him in the first place. Not until he himself asks the question.
“So, is Rock Law Magazine typically in the business of sending reporters around the globe to interview crackpots?”
I almost gag on my beverage, a laugh caught in my throat. Reilly chuckles at catching me off guard.
“I never said you were…” I respond in between coughs.
“But that’s what you’ll write,” Reilly says, a warm smile still on his face. “That’s what they all write. I understand that. Really, it makes no difference to me, any publicity is good publicity.”
“That’s not my goal,” I say in protest. “I’m not here to condemn or mock you. I am genuinely interested in why…”
I pause. He continues to smile. “Well,” he says. “Why don’t we get started with the obvious questions, then?”
“Let’s,” I respond, finally retrieving my trusty pad and paper from my bag. I regard this kind, interesting man and ask, “Why? In a world filled with so many great and powerful monsters, why spend such effort in a search for one that may not even exist?”
“Because she does,” Reilly says without a moment’s hesitation. “She exists. And, besides, you said it yourself. In a world filled with monsters, a wonderous and beautiful animal like Nessie is exactly what we need right now.”
Since the beginning of the Monster Arms Race in the 1930s, society has rapidly become accustomed to the presence of fantastical creatures as a regular fact of life. As a child I thought of Johnson — the United States’ monster du jour — not only as a protector but a close family friend. I grew up in Los Angeles, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Johnson’s storage facility in Marina del Ray. It was only in the aftermath of his third escape in the Spring of 1955 that my parents were convinced to finally take leave of the City of Angels.
Most people my age have never known a world where giant creatures were not only possible, but were the accepted norm. For those from an earlier time, when such amazing sights were the stuff of legend rather than an everyday reality, how would the idea of a monster hiding in the depths grab a young mind? What impact would such legends make?
For Dr. Liam Reilly, it has blossomed into a lifelong passion for the study and pursuit of a single creature. The Loch Ness Monster — he only ever refers to it as Nessie — has been Reilly’s muse and obsession for decades. After years teaching mathematics at Cambridge, Reilly stunned many of his colleagues with his resignation in 1962, announcing his intention to devote his time to locating and validating the existence of the monster.
“I take a crew onto the Loch at least three times a year,” Reilly says. “We search more frequently if the weather and funding permits. Nessie sightings are at their most frequent in the Spring and early Summer months, so we try to schedule each expedition concurrently with that time of year.”
Of course, Reilly has taken his makeshift crews out practically any time that he can secure the necessary money to do so, no matter what time of year. In the British Television Corporation documentary program where Reilly found international fame — “Tilting at Windmills” — he was famously depicted piloting a boat in the bleakest days of December, resulting in a dangerous trip that nearly cost the entire crew their lives.
“That was an aberration,” Reilly insists. “The funding source delivered its cash much later than expected, and I was instructed by the BTC that if an expedition didn’t hit the water by the first of the year, the documentary would never be filmed. I knew that no matter how much of a hatchet job was done in that release, it would be invaluable in publicity to garner future funding.” (The BTC vehemently denies Reilly’s version of events, insisting that Reilly took the crew out on his own accord and their staff placed no pressure on him to do so.)
Regardless, “Tilting at Windmills” fixed the image of Reilly in the public imagination as the “crackpot scientist” he references — a classification he tries to laugh off, though it’s clear it bothers him. He has no formal training in marine biology, he’s the first to admit, and cheerfully acknowledges a distinct lack of the scientific method in his research. Asked to classify his work, he falls back on the word “cryptozoologist,” though it’s clear he is not enamored of that term, either.
“It makes the whole enterprise sound so…sketchy, doesn’t it?” he asks. “I like to think of it as pioneering biology. Seeking out what is not yet known versus what is already there. You can’t garner a doctorate in what is yet unknown. We are seeking to uncover the undiscovered.”
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Fan Designs For New Godzilla Movie
Interesting one favors classic the other previous american Godzilla. Which shall it be?
We're Back
Yes we are back, due to a number of reasons work, health issues among other things I did not have time unfortunately to keep the site updated but I will be updating the site again, possibly a little slow at first but should be up to full speed so to speak soon. Thanks to everyone who views and supports this blog.
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