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Saturday, August 31, 2013

Bluefin Distribution Announces Bluefin Premium


From Bluefin via Kaiju Planet

Bluefin Distribution is proud to announce the opening of a direct to consumer store specializing in event limited and out of production items!  Designed for consumers who could not attend events that featured product exclusives, this site is intended to benefit those who are geographically disadvantaged from the high profile events like the San Diego Comic-Con.  Bluefin Premium will feature products that were only at events such as San Diego Comic-Con as well occasional items that were previously believed to be no longer available.  All major brands carried by Bluefin Distribution including Tamashii Nations, Bandai Hobby, Bandai Shokugan, Square-Enix will be represented with new items added as additional quantity is found.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Composer Alexandre Desplat Joins Gareth Edwards' Godzilla

Five-time Academy Award nominee Alexandre Desplat is set to provide the score for director Gareth Edwards' upcoming Godzilla, says an update from Film Music Reporter.

Desplat, nominated for his work on Argo, The King's Speech, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Queen, also provided the score for Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty and will next take on George Clooney's The Monuments Men.

Opening in theaters and IMAX on May 16, 2014, the monster film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Bryan Cranston and Sally Hawkins.

The Numbers Say Pacific Rim Is A Success

From ComicBook.com

There’s been a lot of debate over the summer as to if Pacific Rim was a successful movie or not. Pacific Rim did not have a great opening at the U.S. box office, but it has proven to be a hit internationally.
At the domestic box office, Pacific Rim has continued to creep up the box office charts, and the film now ranks in top twenty highest grossing movies of the year at the domestic box office. At $99.3 million, Pacific Rim is also very close to becoming the twentieth movie of the year to cross the $100 million mark at the domestic box office.

Looking at Pacific Rim’s worldwide box office reveals an even better story for the film. Pacific Rim is now in the top ten highest grossing movies worldwide for the year. At $397.4 million, Pacific Rim is also very close to becoming only the tenth movie of the year to cross the $400 million mark at the worldwide box office.
The $400 million worldwide number is a very significant number. Because Pacific Rim cost around $190 million to produce, $400 million worldwide has been the number widely reported that the film needed to do in order to break even.
Now, here’s another interesting, but very important trivia fact about Pacific Rim. Of the nine films ranked ahead of Pacific Rim worldwide, eight of them were either sequels or based on pre-existing books or comic book characters. The Croods was the only brand new intellectual property, and it was an animated film. Pacific Rim was the highest grossing live action movie worldwide based on a brand new intellectual property.
It’s a pretty powerful accomplishment for a film that was branded a failure by many in the media right after it was released. If Pacific Rim doesn’t get a sequel, then Hollywood should probably re-assess whether they even want to continue to do big budget live action movies based on new IP, because it doesn’t get any more successful than Pacific Rim (at least this year so far).


Thursday, August 29, 2013

CLASSIC COMICS : KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND HC

CREATORS
Writer: Joe DeVito & Brad Strickland with John Michlig
Artist: Joe DeVito
Pubisher: Dark Horse
Publication Date: November 24, 2004

The story begins in 1957, twenty five years after King Kong's fall from atop New York City's Empire State Building. Following Kong's death, both Carl Denham and the body of Kong quickly vanished before any investigation could be launched, leaving rumor and speculation in their wake. Carl's son, Vincent, was left behind. He is now a paleontologist facing a spiritual dilemma, which has its seeds in the disappearance of his father. Upon a chance finding of the hidden Skull Island map, Vincent contacts Jack Driscoll, one of Kong's original captors. They piece together a plan and go to Skull Island in search of Carl Denham, King Kong, and answers to questions spanning a quarter century.
During a disastrous landing attempt, Vincent is almost killed and Driscoll sets out to find his stricken friend. Upon waking in a dark cavern, Vincent finds himself being cared for by an enigmatic island elder and her young, exotically beautiful but ominous assistant, Kara. The ancient woman, who asks to be called "Storyteller," seems to possess extraordinary knowledge about Vincent and his father. She relates a story from a century earlier that Vincent half-hears and half-dreams through the haze of narcotic herbs kept burning to aid his recovery. Her tale hints at the true origin of the island's culture and the mystery behind questions such as: Who built the Wall and how? If the Wall was built to keep Kong out, why are its doors big enough to let him in? How could such an island and its monstrous creatures still exist? The answers to those questions and more are all revealed.

Or are they?

While the Storytellerís tale is sometimes confirmed, it is often refuted by the sights and experiences of Jack Driscoll. He stumbles upon pieces to Skull Islandís mysterious history as he struggles to survive the various threats of the island and find his friend. When Driscoll and Vincent reunite, their experiences combine to determine just who the Storyteller and Kara are, what became of Carl Denham, the story behind King Kong and clues to the origins of Skull Island itself. As a result, their lives are all changed forever.

As the story unfolds against a fantastic prehistoric backdrop, woven throughout are themes of personal redemption and reconciliation. All the protagonists have a particular cross to bear: Vincent is on the brink, both emotionally and spiritually; Driscoll comes face to face with past fears and prejudices; in the wake of Kong's death, the lives and culture of the islanders themselves hang in the balance; and we find that Carl Denham's desperate attempt to assuage his conscience decades earlier had very unexpected consequences.

Mysteriously, everyone is inextricably bound to the Storytellerís tale. It tells of two ancient native children, Ishara and Kublai, and their quest to escape a terrible fate which threatens both themselves and their people. That struggle has the power to reach across time and change the destiny of all. If they survive. For at the nexus of every event is the beast-god of Skull Island: KING KONG.


S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2000 Specs And Info


Godzilla 2000: Millennium is a 1999 Japanese science fiction film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura. It was the twenty-third film released in the Godzilla series. It is the only film to feature Orga. The film was released on December 11, 1999. Sony Pictures Entertainment's TriStar division released the film in the United States and Canada in August 2000 as Godzilla 2000, the last in the Godzilla series to make a North American theatrical run. This film effectively begins and sets the tone for the Millennium series: It ignores continuity established by any previous films except the original 1954 film.

Tamashii’s new S.H. MonsterArts line is a new standard in monster figures, representing the state of the art of Bandai's creativity and technology. Designed to showcase both classic and modern Kaiju; these ultimate Toho collectables are sculpted by the world class Yuji Sakai and will utilize the latest materials, engineering and superior articulation. Some releases will contain die-cast and all will be collector-centric with amazing accessories and packaging.

This fantastic new Monsterarts figure is fully articulated and was sculpted by Godzilla-guru, Yuji Sakai! Based on his original maquette design; this is sure to be a fan favorite.

Stands approx. 7 inches tall

Made of PVC/POM

Multiple points of articulation

Ships in December/January

Price $70 - $75 approx.



Monday, August 26, 2013

Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth Duo Matt Frank And Chris Mowry On Why Kaiju Are King


From SciFi Now

Pacific Rim may have had a soft landing at the US box-office, but its thunderous reception in geek means that bigger is most definitely better. Pacific Rim 2 and Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla reboot may be a long way off, but you can get your kaiju-smackdown fix in thrill-packed monthly instalments courtesy of IDW’s ongoing Godzilla comic-book.

Hitting harder than rocket-punch from Gypsy Danger, the first two issues  Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth have struck that perfect balance between engaging human drama and city-stomping spectacle with a cast of rarely seen Toho behemoths. Writer Chris Mowry and artist Matt Frank spoke exclusively to SciFiNow ahead of the release of Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth #3, on sale 28 August 2013…

Heartwarming opening question: What do you guys love about comics?

Matt Frank: Comics, for me, are a playground for creativity. You can get away with stuff in comics that you can’t in other media, and play with storytelling that you can only tell in comics. Something about being able to slow down and appreciate every aspect of a story (the art, the writing, etc.) can only be found in a medium like comics.

Chris Mowry: I guess I’ve always liked the fact that anything can and will happen. Not just in a monthly story, but the artwork. You see things that no budget can restrain like say in a movie, and no matter what book I read, I’m always somehow adding to that panel in my mind. Sounds, the way people move, etc. It’s no wonder that they’re a global form of entertainment for so many.

Destroyah, last seen in 1995 film Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah is coming in Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth #3.
How far back does your own association with Godzilla go? Have you always been fans or did working on the IDW series pull you down a thunder lizard rabbit hole?

Frank: My love for Godzilla began when I was pretty young, and it spiralled out of an obsession with dinosaurs, as it did for many fans. Godzilla was the greatest dinosaur ever – a “natural” evolution of how awesome dinosaurs were (and are). Working with IDW on the Godzilla series has only deepened my adoration of this franchise, as working with Toho on a professional level grants one a newfound appreciation for the creative process.

Mowry: Very clichéd answer, but for as far as I can remember. Working at IDW and helping them get the license was just the icing on the monster-sized cake so to speak. Growing up with the films on television every Saturday as well as having the old Hanna-Barbera cartoon series really helped me appreciate the big guy. But then again, I’ve always loved dinosaurs and monsters, so Godzilla was and still is, my absolute favourite. To say I’m living a dream right now is a huge understatement.

You guys have got a whole ecosystem of Toho critters to bash around, how do you decide where to start?

Frank: For us, we were basing a lot off of the previous ongoing series, especially what had or hadn’t been utilised before. The previous ongoings made good use of the primary cast of Earth-based monsters, and then the space kaiju…and we then noticed that many of the kaiju that were left over were aquatic, and a new story kind of spun out of that.

Mowry: For me, I think it has more to do with what they’d be doing to show up in the story. They’re all characters on their own, but what would they do if they ran across blank monster, or this one? Why would they be there? How would they react? Those things are what Matt and I talked about from the start and we really wanted to not just have them be there just to be there. In Issue #5 you’ll see how some monsters make their appearances and even why they act the way they do.

Has it been difficult creating a cohesive style for all of these Kaiju plucked from different periods in Toho’s history? Finding a way to make Zilla work in the same visual world as Mothra or Rodan, for example?

Frank: As the artist, all of the kaiju go through a certain level of “filtration” when I adapt them into my drawing style. And since Toho’s kaiju are almost all brought to life with suitmation or puppetry, nothing feels too out of place. Heck, Gigan was considered pretty extreme back in the day, but he’s relatively tame compared to the Ultraman kaiju! As for Zilla, he’s not too extreme to stand out all that much. He’s a big, spiky reptile…plenty of those in the Tohoverse!

Mowry: I think it’s been surprisingly easy. Again, it’s really more of a puzzle where instead of forcing them into situations, we try to match up monsters that should or could be in that situation. The rest really just plays out as it should… they’re monsters and they’re going to do what big, mutated animals do.

Godzilla fans have been the fiercest critics of past runs and the loyalist supporters, what’s your technique for keeping them happy?

Frank: Monsters, monsters, monsters! And fights! That seems to be the ticket, after all. We of course like to try and wing some interesting character beats when we have the opportunity, but generally the fans are most excited to see the monsters and what we do with them. This book here was pretty much tailor-made for the fans, so there’s something to that. We’re also trying to add a little more direction and motivation to what’s happening in this universe, which is something fans have also been asking for. It’s a tricky balancing act, no question.

Mowry: I read every review, good and bad and I take them all to heart. But the fans are what really are the most important goal I set for myself. Making them happy is what I feel my job as a writer should be and although Matt and I do have some crazy ideas coming in the next few months, we tend to listen to our “customers” and try to do the best we can. The good thing is that Matt and I are both rabid fans, so we’re just as feisty about our own work as our fans can be. I think that only helps us strive to do the best we can.

In terms of art and story, how do you get that balance right between large scale action and the human element, without one being swamped by the other?

Frank: That’s a tough one. The human element, I believe, is extremely important as a compliment to the kaiju element. And it is difficult to keep everyone happy, especially when the fans are so vocal about wanting more kaiju battles, and kaiju battles are what sell books. Yet sometimes the human story gets swallowed up or tossed aside entirely, which is a problem that many kaiju films also share. If given the opportunity, I’d love to spend whole issues dedicated to our human characters. It was something that was very important to Ishiro Honda, the director of most of Toho’s classic sci-fi films, and we’d like to honour that notion in our own comics.

Mowry: It’s tough on the writing side, and especially with some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that’s happened with the book. We’ve had to rewrite and reshape things numerous times, and all while getting a book out every month. Pretty much the norm for the industry, but I’ll be the first to admit that some things have not gone as planned. However, I always try to get a good mix of both monster action and story in there, but every issue or so, you’ll see one just trumps the other. I mean, come on, if there’s four monsters slugging it out in Vegas, people are going to want to see them destroy things and each other, not a bunch of people reacting to it. So with that streamlined approach, some characters unfortunately just don’t get the screen time they might in a similar book.

Gezora, who first popped up in Toho’s Godzilla-free 1970 monster movie Space Amoeba, will also be returning for Rulers Of Earth
How do you collaborate for the larger set-piece action scenes? Is there a lot of back and forth?

Frank: Chris is pretty darn great in his own right at creating dynamic action. I sometimes come up with certain aspects or actions that I request to be integrated into the book, but nowadays Chris is pretty much on the same wavelength that I am, so I don’t need to sweat that angle.

Mowry: At first, yes. I think Matt and I have a good relationship where I can write something and he’ll give his thoughts on it. Usually he’s happy, but if not, he knows that his input is welcomed and appreciated. I mean, I can be either vague or super-detailed at times, so it’s only fair that the artist should say “hey, man, this is a lot of panels to draw” or something like that. But I trust Matt’s judgement and skill. I mean, he’s without a doubt born to draw this stuff and it shows.

It must be exciting to be doing a Godzilla book at a time when Guillermo del Toro is hitting monsters with boats – did you get emotionally invested in the success/failure/reaction to Pacific Rim?

Frank: It was a heck of a flick, so I definitely enjoyed it and hope for its continued success. I don’t think that the domestic under-performance can be attributed to the kaiju genre, especially considering the buzz surrounding the new Godzilla. It was a combination of laser-focused marketing on the Jaegers, leading many to assume it was “just like Transformers,” and the simple fact that it wasn’t Grown Ups 2. It was an unknown, a brand new franchise, whereas Adam Sandler is a known commodity. There’s so much information out there grasping for your attention that it’s hard to take a risk on something brand new. The international numbers and the rabid fanbase attributed to the film are a testament that it has legs in some capacity, so here’s hoping!

Mowry: I liked the film, but I can see where people loved or disliked it. As fans, we haven’t had anything like that in years and for two genres (giant monster and giant robot) clashing like that, it was great to see that done right. The whole thing was just like I had hoped it would be. Granted, I felt some things were a bit too tame, but then again, it was a movie… budget restraints, remember?

As fans, what’re your hopes for Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla?

Frank: At this point, I’m past hoping for the standard checkboxes on my Godzilla Fan Rulebook. Looks like Godzilla? Check. Nuclear proliferation themes? Check. Other monsters? Check. Good actors? Check. At this point? I just want a good movie. Something that works fundamentally and isn’t just shrieking noise like so many blockbusters. Fingers crossed!

Mowry: I’m really looking forward to it. I was able to meet Max Borenstein (one of the writers for the film) and Gareth Edwards at San Diego Comic-Con. I just ran into Mr Edwards one night, but I gave them both copies of Rulers Of Earth #1 and #2 and told them that we’re all looking forward to it. From all that I’ve heard and seen, it’s going to be done right. From the news that’s been posted, to things I may or may not have seen from other sources, I have absolute faith in the team behind it. I think it’s going to do for Godzilla what Tim Burton’s Batman did for that franchise. I think it’s going to take people back to the origins of the monster and show that he’s not a tail-sliding, self-magnetising, flying-via-breath monster that so many might remember him as. Nothing wrong with the Showa stuff at all (it’s my favourite era), but I think we’ll see the horror and grittiness of the first film, reborn for a new audience. I’m just bummed that they didn’t ask me to play Godzilla… I’ve been auditioning for that role all my life. Hear that, Mr. Edwards? Please?

What should we look out for in issue 3 of Rulers Of Earth?

Frank: The major point of this coming issue is that people often forget that monsters come in all shapes and SIZES. There’s more threats out there…and many of those threats aren’t even monsters, per se. We’re close to revealing our Invaders from Beyond the Moon (that’s a good band name…), so that’s a major aspect we’re going to be having fun with.

Mowry: The plot of the story thickens big time. We’ll see just who might be behind the monster invasions and how Godzilla may have met his match. Just because he’s on the cover to Issue #4 doesn’t mean that he… well, I won’t spoil anything.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

CREATURE FEATURE : Jet Jaguar


Jet Jaguar (ジェットジャガー Jetto Jagā) is a fictional character who appears in the Godzilla film Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).


History
Created from the brilliant mind of Goro Ibuki, Jet Jaguar represented the advancement of technology to its utmost. Working in secret in his lab, the inventor's triumphs didn't go unnoticed. Watching from a distance, agents of Seatopia awaited for their chance to capture the scientist and take hold of the marvelous robot. Lying in shrouding mystery, they awaited to spring their trap at last. Seizing hold of the man and a small boy, they sought to bring him to the undersea kingdom, until the rising Megalon revealed its ghastly face. Unknowingly setting free the humans, the insect raged into its set path, dumbly following the Seatopia controlled Jet Jaguar. Only by using his medallion with its built in override voice command, was Goro able to overthrow Seatopia's control. Witnessing the threat at hand, the inventor immediately ordered the humanoid robot to retrieve Godzilla from the devastated Monster Island. Flying at an unimaginable speed of over mach three, the machine accomplished its mission as it flew ahead of the nuclear saurian that it had summoned.


Instead of obeying the voice override once it returned, though, the metallic warrior dipped into the recesses of its programming and began to operate on its own accord. Seeing the danger that Megalon possessed to life, the machine grew to match the insect's own daunting stature and proceeded to face the creature. Matching and overcoming each tactical move of the Seatopian god, it seemed that the giant would win the day, until another entered the fray. Swooping down from the lisping clouds, the cyborg Gigan stole the victory. Adding its tremendous power to Megalon's, the creatures overtook the robot in a matter of minutes. It wasn't until the summoned Godzilla's arrived did Earth breath a sigh of relief. Fighting back against the duo, Jet Jaguar and Godzilla pushed back the two demons into retreat. Following in an impressive show of intelligence, Godzilla and Jet Jaguar shook hands, the machine showing his gratitude. Watching the dorsal finned behemoth leave, the humanoid robot shrank back down to size, and once again reverted to being controlled through its voice control system. The survival program now lay dormant that Earth is safe.


Origins
Jet Jaguar was the result of a contest Toho had in mid-to-late 1972 for fans to come up with a new hero for them to use (to capitalize on the many tokusatsu and anime superhero and super robot shows that were all the rage at the time). The winner of the contest submitted the drawing of a robot called Red Alone. The robot resembled Ultraman, Spectreman, and Mazinger Z (all of which were very popular at the time). The robot was renamed Jet Jaguar and was set to star in a film vehicle for him, titled Jet Jaguar vs. Megalon, which pitted him against Megalon (a previously unused Godzilla villain). However, Toho figured Jet Jaguar would not be able to carry the film on his own, in screen appearance or marketing value, so during pre-production, even after doing some tests and storyboards, the project was shut down for several weeks, until screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa was called in to rewrite the script to add Godzilla and Gigan to have more marquee value. The resulting film, Godzilla vs. Megalon, paired Godzilla with Jet Jaguar against both Megalon and Gigan.


Film Appearances
Godzilla vs. Megalon


Other appearances
Jet Jaguar appears in the video games Godzilla Trading Battle (1998), Godzilla: Save the Earth (2004), Godzilla: Unleashed (2007), and Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash (2007).