SDCC 2011: Robert Rodriguez Brings Focus Back to Art

Robert Rodriguez is on a mission. A mission he made abundantly clear at Comic-Con's Hall H: He's going to fill in the gaps that Hollywood skips.

For instance, take the first announcement of Rodriguez's news-heavy panel. Where is the movie featuring what Rodriguez called a "badass Mexican in space"? (Sorry, Edward James Olmos, your role in "Battle Star Galactica" doesn't count for being a TV show and not particularly badass.) Rodriguez will rectify that glaring hole in the cinescape with Machete Kills…Again, which will follow the green-lit and Earth-set Machete sequel, Machete Kills.

Second sequel announcement: The next long-awaited installment of Sin City with Frank Miller is closer than ever to starting production. Tentatively titled A Dame to Kill For, the script is in development and could be shot this year. And it might be in 3-D. *cringe*

Rodriguez was just getting warmed up. He's also starting up a new production company called Quick Draw Productions, where he and other like-minded filmmakers can develop, finance and green-light movies all in one place. That sounds great, but want to know what we think the real reason behind creating the new company is? To bust out its new logo – a gold skull on top of two golden pistols.



Now that looks like a company that makes movies I want to see! Which leads us to the two Quick Draw films Rodriguez plans on putting out in the next couple years.

First: A new Heavy Metal film. Rodriguez said he was a big fan growing up, and on a whim asked if the film rights were available. They were, he purchased them, and now he plans on giving it the full "Robert Rodriguez stays true to the source material" treatment. He's even leaving a spot open for a fan to participate (open now at www.amd.com/heavymetal), since the magazine was also based on audience submissions.

Second: A series of films based on the art of Frank Frazetta. Specifically, the first will tackle the 1983 Frazetta-Ralph Bakshi collaboration Fire and Ice, then he'll move on to a film based on "The Death Dealer." Rodriguez promised to bring the paintings to life, creating a film that "looks like it was shot inside Frazetta's paintings." And who better than Rodriguez to take on the task?



This post was written by:
Trey

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Classic Material- Batman: Year One

This is the one book that along with Watchmen-- I evangelize to non-nerd friends on being a must read comicbook.  Why?  Crazy-talk fool.  This is one of the most influential, repeatedly mimicked, flashback noir tale that pits a young Bruce Wayne and Lieutenant Gordon against the savage, relentless underworld of Gotham City.  Batman: Year One was truly the game-changer of all stories on the Dark Knight that could only have been told by the mighty triumvirate of Frank Miller (words), David Mazzucchelli (visuals) and Richmond Lewis (colors).

Let's just jump right into this badboy.  Gordon is transferred to Gotham PD with a somewhat rocky past.  His fellow cops and Commish think he will fit in nicely, well until Gordon presses on of his impeccable "honesty."   Not quite the most impressive trait to have in a room full of douchebag five-Os.  Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham after an 18 year hiatus and looks to start cleaning up the streets of his hometown.

Both men separately wage their own personal crusades on making things "right" and find that everything around them has a different perspective on how Gotham should be. 

While Gordon realizes just how corrupt his brothers of the shield are, he gets a Louisville slugger beatdown with threats to his life if he continues to not follow suit and start being on the take-- like the majority of the GCPD.  Bruce starts to immerse himself in the streets to get full understanding of what he is up against.  Undercover, he comes across a bunch of prostitutes and does a good job of pissing off their pimp.

After slapping him around a bit, Wayne finds himself engaged in a brawl with the whole harem and out of nowhere comes the queen of the whores-- Selina Kyle!

Bruce and Selina do their dance when the GCPD come to break things up and nearly kill Bruce Wayne.  Somehow he is able to break away from the punk cops and in a lucid, near-death trance a huge bat crashes through his window and inspired takes on the totem of the Bat.

In his first outings in costume, Wayne is satisfied with how the striking change in his appearance gives him an edge and though it works for him-- Batman is far from the hand-to-hand tactician we know him as today.  But seeing Batman get knocked silly by mere street-thugs and shot by cops is what makes this story so good.  
Hey, look guys the Batman wasn't always the badass, scary jerk that we love!   Sightings of  

the Batman stirs fear amongst gangs, cops and the rest of Gotham so the corrupt Commish tasks Gordon with taking down the Batman at all costs.  Gordon begins to see that the Batman may not be all that bad for Gotham, but pursues his investigation that brings him to prime suspects-- hotshot, District Attorney- Harvey Dent & playboy, millionaire- Bruce Wayne.

Batman can no longer avoid the crooked power hold over Gotham's supposed finest and in a desperate situation where he has a bullet in his leg, no utility belt and less than a few tranquilizers within his gun-- we see how resourceful he can be facing over a dozen SWAT with an unlimited arsenal.  Batman uses his environment, a loud cat and the superstitious, fear-ridden cops to overcome the ridic odds, oh and he saves the cat-- which is all witnessed by who-- yes, Lt. Gordon.

With Gordon and Batman coming closer and closer on loosening the power-monopoly held over Gotham by the Falcone family and other political figure-heads-- a hit is made out on Gordon, which leads very close to home.  Thanks to his bravery and understanding of  what he is up against, Gordon and his wife overcome the mob, in shock he unknowingly shoots Bruce Wayne who is in civilian clothes, (hello?! the Batman only comes out after midnight!!) but was there to help in the shadows.

Some of the thugs drive off with their son-- who is pursued by Wayne and in a miraculous act-- jumps after Gordon's son, only to save the innocent and keep the promise he made with Jame's wife- Barbara Gordon.

Gordon, who lost his glasses in the scuffle, thanks who he believes (this is up for debate) is Batman for saving his son and tells him to leave before the GCPD arrive.

Miller's simplistic, believable, non-superhero approach in retconning the origins of Batman was ahead of it's time and only amplified by the greatest artwork achievements of David Mazz (yes, Lewis' art color scheme was very Daredevil-esque) with overuse of pink, yellow and purples hues but it worked here.

As we move closer to do release of  the Allstar Superman animated flick in the end of the month that brings us even closer to the next DCU movie--Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (released prior to the film) and then, yes--Batman: Year One.   Gotham Knights Online worked a fab interview directly with the creators of Batman: Year One , the animated film- Bruce Timm and Lauren Montgomery. 


Holysh*t balls Batman!


This post was written by:
big O

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Classic Material- The Death of Elektra

Klaus Janson and Frank Miller are comicbook gods.

In their legendary run on Daredevil in the 80's they brought many innovations to comics, but tops for me is the reinventing of pulp-noir in a never-before-seen cinematic tone that is common-place in stories told today.

The most poignant and representative of their works is the epic Death of  Elektra arc- that IMO is best experienced through Daredevil  #179-181.  Reading through these issues allows you to follow the many threads and breadcrumbs left by the creators.  And how about those iconic covers huh?

So DD is struggling with Elektra's recent turn to the dark-side-- with her taking up the head assassin roll (left vacant by incarcerated Bullseye via DD) to his archnemesis, the Kingpin-- which takes a toll both emotionally and physically for him and is captured best in Miller/Janson's ninja-action-filled paneling that is still in today's standards fresh.



DD's buddy, investigative reporter- Ben Urich is as usual, caught in the middle of a scandal that is masterminded by the Kingpin to expand his corrupt-reach beyond the streets of New York and into the government.

All of this is played out eloquently in the court rooms, televised news briefings (which has also become a staple of Miller's grandiose style), on street-level through the gangs and as expected in action sequences on the rooftops of Hell's kitchen.




DD also rattled by the recent loss of his acute radar-senses (more symbolic to his inability to grip with Elektra) and continually falls prey to her attacks- as he tries to protect Urich from the Kingpin- and fails.

Through all this only the reader knows how many times Elektra has in fact saved his ass (through numerous battles with the Hand) with DD unaware of it.  Elektra finally crosses over completely in a numbing blow to DD, knocking his ass senseless with a ton of bricks.

In scenes to follow, depict DD scaling buildings and ensuing fights with a crutch and cast are almost laughable but faithfully highlight how he has reached even lower states of low.

DD meanwhile finds a way to get Kingpin to have his puppet pulled from his political campaign by providing whereabouts on Fisk's thought to be deceased wife.  The Kingpin doesn't sit well another cat one up him and puts a hit out on DD's other pal Foggy Nelson as revenge.

Will Elektra carry this mission out-- assassinating her ex-boyfriend's BFF and her old schoolmate??

Hmm...


Bullseye, enraged by the news of being replaced by some new ninja chick as the Kingpin's right hand, springs himself out of Riker's Island and sets out to take revenge on DD for destroying his life as the once bad-ass master killer.  While laying low and shadowing DD, Bullseye comes to the conclusion that DD is actually the blind lawyer dood- Matt Murdock and nearly wets his pants thinking that means his rival is in fact a blind-superhero!

Like the elaborate prison-break, Bullseye realizes the Kingpin's planned hit and concocts a trap to bug Foggy so he can kill Matt Murdock/Daredevil's once lover and his current rival.


At the point when Elektra nears her assigned kill-- Foggy utters their shared history and union through Matt/DD-- and in an instant Elektra is hit with how she may be on the wrong side of things, and how she has been setup by Bullseye.


The climactic, brawl between both masters is fluid, all out, panel-by-panel action orgasmica.  Yeah, I know
that makes no sense but you get it.

  We all know how this ends.



Miller's deliberate and disturbing use of Bullseye's narration though most of the final ish comes full circle and ends at the point of the horrific impaling scene.

With disgust you watch on as Bullseye, puts on his disguise to lurk on to finally catch a glimpse of satisfaction, taking in the shock on DD/Matt's face when Elektra- his love- crawls up to his doorsteps and dies in his arms.

The buzzing silence in the images closing in on DD's face then on to see a smirking Bullseye makes you want to say ahh you sick-fuck!!!

This urge repeated when i re-read this flawless book today.




DD plays Bullseye into no longer thinking Matt Murdock and DD is one and the same.  And we finally see a Daredevil that is finally unleashed with no concern for not instilling serious damage on an enemy.

Dialogue through most of the final fight sequences are left out which is damn genius as we are more engaged in the use of colors, intense movements and the KLAK-KLIK-KLIK train sound that hauntingly echos in our heads.

In the end, DD believes he has killed Bullseye, by letting go of his hand to fall to his demise-- yeah Bullseye ends up alive-- but our hero is forever changed.  Daredevil is a hero no more. 



This post was written by:
big O

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thank you Ed! helllooo Andy!

ed brubaker has had an incredible run on everyone's fav legal vigilante. what an oxymoron. i have loyally followed his beginnings of this and it is bittersweet to see him go with all the fab work he has done on reinventing the world of Matt Murdock and his surprisingly vast world in hell's kitchen.

i was more than happy to hear that andy diggle (thunderbolts, losers, hellblazer) will be continuing the scribe work which has such a fabled alumni with the like of frank miller, kevin smith and bendis.

yes, keep me on the saver for this one!!

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