Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2343

THE ROCK’S JUMANJI Film Is NOT a Reboot

The Rock’s social media presence is often times funny, cool, and even inspirational. We can add another adjective to that list: informative. Yesterday, he posted a picture of himself on Instagram getting on a private jet as he wrapped filming his role of Hobbs in Fast and Furious 8. After thanking the cast and crew (well, MOST of the cast), he talked about how he had a two-week break before his next project, Jumanji.

Finished strong and on to the next. That’s an officially wrap on #FastAndFurious8. Thank you to our director @fgarygray for the vision and execution. Thank you UNIVERSAL for being tremendous partners as always, thank you to all my fellow co-stars for the daily effort and grind. Scott Eastwood you handsome sumbitch! Natalie Emmanuel I have a cold Budweiser ready for you and Tyrese Gibson you still have the biggest smile and forehead I’ve ever seen.

This is Some Damn Fine TWIN PEAKS Retro-Style Tattoo Art

The man known as “Sailor Jerry“, whose real name was Norman Keith Collins, was the tattoo artist responsible for what we think of as the typical style of tats worn by most people who had them in the early to mid 20th century, from around the ’30s to the ’60s, give or take. And back then, the only people who tended to have tats at all were members of the military, and maybe “bad boys” in greaser gangs. ¨Proper¨ ladies and gentlemen simply did not exhibit such things on their bodies.

And if anyone did have a tat or two back then, it was highly likely that the Sailor Jerry style is what they had, usually featuring long-legged, sexy women in alluring poses, or sometimes items like anchors, playing cards, and the like. Because of the popularity of the Sailor Jerry style, nowadays when you tell one of your grandparents that you are getting a tattoo, part of the reason they freak out is because when they think of tattoos, they’re not thinking of the elaborate and detailed body art of today–they’re thinking you’re getting a somewhat crass image of a woman lounging in a giant martini glass waving a flag.

Of course, those Sailor Jerry style tats do have their charm, and thanks to One Perfect Shot, we’ve learned that artist Emma Munger has created a series of designs in the Sailor Jerry style featuring the characters from David Lynch’s cult classic series Twin Peaks. Making the connection between the Sailor Jerry tattoos and Twin Peaks makes perfect sense when you think about it; the series was filled with lots of beautiful women. But they weren’t  just beautiful, they were beautiful in a classic, “golden age of Hollywood” kind of way that evoked the ’40s and ’50s–the same era that Sailor Jerry’s tattoos were all the rage.

Of course, to be current with the times, Emma Munger has made these illustrations not just for the women of Twin Peaks, but for the men as well, inlcuding a few featuring the dashing Special Agent Dale Cooper, played by Kyle MacLachlan, posing in his not-so-sexy FBI issue undies. Even the demonic spirit known only as BOB gets a sexy pose, which, if you’re familiar at all with the show, is disturbing as all get out.

You can see a sampling of Munger’s Twin Peaks inspired designs in our gallery below, but be sure to check out her own site for the rest of them, plus more of her amazing pin-up style art.

What do you think of these amazing Twin Peaks illustrations? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Images: Emma Munger

DOCTOR WHO’s War Doctor Gets a High-End Figure

One of the greatest things to come out of Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary was John Hurt‘s War Doctor, a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor who fought in the Time War. Hurt’s performance in The Day of the Doctor gave the War Doctor his own following among Whovians, and now he’s getting his due from Big Chief Studios!

Big Chief Studios has announced a new War Doctor 1:6 scale collector figure that features a fully authorized likeness of Hurt with many of the accessories that he had in Day of the Doctor. So, he’s got his sonic screwdriver, the laser rifle he confiscated from a Gallifreyan soldier, a few interchangeable hands, a light-up display base, and even “the Moment,” the doomsday weapon with a conscience that eventually took the form of Billy Piper‘s Rose Tyler/Bad Wolf. We only get the box here, but we’d love to see the Moment’s Bad Wolf in the future!

As you can see in our gallery below, this is no mere statue. The War Doctor can be posed in several different positions, and it really seems to capture the persona that Hurt gave him onscreen.

The standard edition of the War Doctor figure will be limited to 1,000; and it will run about $248 plus shipping. There is also a signature edition of 300 units that come with an autograph plaque signed by Hurt with a certificate of authenticity. You can preorder it here, and it will be released in April 2017.

What do you think about the War Doctor Collector Figure? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Big Chief Studios

THE BEAUTY OF HORROR Is the World’s Creepiest Adult Coloring Book

Adult coloring books are all the rage at the moment. You can’t walk into a Barnes & Noble or any arts and crafts type store without seeing a table dedicted to them. I’m still not 100% sure what the appeal is, although I suppose it’s cathartic to revisit one of your favorite childhood hobbies, only with the complete command of knowing that now you can totally color within those pesky lines. Maybe the whole cathartic feeling is why so many of these are labeled “art therapy books.” In any case, adult coloring books are currently having their moment.

While a lot of the artwork in these coloring books is licensed (there are currently Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Star Trek, and even Firefly ones) or reproductions of landscape photographs, the best of these are usually ones with original artwork. Now thanks to Bleeding Cool, we’ve learned that musician and comic book creator Alan Robert, best known for books like Wire Hangers and Killogy, has taken his love of all things creepy and created his own adult coloring book called The Beauty of Horror: A GOREgeous Coloring Book, filled with his own original art. The book is coming from publisher IDW Comics, the same company that published three of Robert’s comics series.

Roberts has put together a cool little trailer for The Beauty of Horror, which gives fans a preview of what to expect within its pages. There are zombies of course, not to mention bats, witches, skeletons, and all kinds of exquisitely rendered horror iconography. Even if you aren’t into the whole coloring thing, a lot of the black and white pages within are worthy of framing as is. The Beauty of Horror: A GOREgeous Coloring Book will be available on October 4th, just in time for Halloween. You can view Robert’s full trailer below.

What do you think of this delightfully macabre coloring book? Let us know what you think down below in the comments.

Image: IDW Comics / Alan Robert

This Ashley Wood BLACK WIDOW Figure From ThreeA is Killer

While Hot Toys is the leader in the lifelike representation of our favorite characters, ThreeA is doing a great job with “stylized” versions. With artist Ashley Wood at the helm, they have released sixth scale versions of Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Ultron, and Spider-Man. Each figure has Wood’s own particular spin on the character, while remaining true to its core appearance.

As reported on SpankyStokes.com, now ThreeA has added the world’s greatest spy to their collection with the announcement of Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow.

Based more on the comic book version than the movie with her yellow “Widow’s sting” gauntlets and circular utility belt, this Widow has a look  reminiscent of the Bruce Timm animated universe. She seems like she would fit into the Gotham City landscape perfectly, much to Batman’s chagrin.

The figure comes with two guns and holsters, three different sets of hands, a black overcoat, and a second head adorned with a mask. The mask looks very similar to Bucky’s from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I think it looks cool, but knowing how good the Widow is at being a spy/assassin, I don’t think she really needs it.

Black Widow is the first of three Marvel women characters to get this treatment. Future releases will include Madam Hydra and Spider-Woman.

You can check out more pictures of Black Widow in the gallery below. The figure costs $160, and pre-orders begin on August 31st on Bambalandstore.com.

So what do you think? Will you be picking up this new Black Widow figure? Do you prefer this interpretation or Scarlett Johansson’s? Let me know on Twitter or sound off in the comments below.

Images: ThreeA, Disney/Marvel

Vin Diesel Confirms GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

It’s been an open secret for some time that Thanos‘ imminent arrival in Avengers: Infinity War would be met by Earth’s mightiest heroes and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Infinity War screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely basically confirmed that last May when we interviewed them in the Nerdist studio. Now, Vin Diesel is openly confirming that Marvel’s intergalactic band of misfits will be back for the next Avengers movie.

Via ScreenRant, Diesel posted a live-stream Facebook video where he said “next year you’ve got Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 coming and that whole concept started from you all saying ‘when are you gonna be in a Marvel movie?’ And you remember the first picture after that Marvel meeting that I had where I was standing [with] the Avengers thing in the back.” For the record, this is the picture in question, which Diesel posted in 2013.

“What’s gonna be surreal is that picture is going to come to pass because now the Guardians will be included in Avengers: Infinity War and that’s incredibly exciting,” added Diesel. “Incredibly exciting. Incredibly exciting and something that if you were a part of our page you knew before everybody.”

Diesel’s incarnation of Groot is based on the character’s modern appearances in the Marvel Universe as a member of the Guardians. However, when Groot made his first appearance in 1960, he was an alien invader who was able to say more than three words at a time. It’s the modern Groot that people like, though, and there’s probably a great deal of comedic potential for Groot and the Guardians being treated like invaders by the citizens of Earth before their inevitable team up with the Avengers. We’ll be able to see it play out when Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018.

Are you excited to see Groot and the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel Studios/Vin Diesel

1.51exfiltratiOn Takes You to the Paranoid World of MR. ROBOT (Review)

I’m standing in a strip mall waiting for an order of chicken pho and five-spice chicken wings when Elliot texts me the number for a system administrator whose login credentials I need to get. Smiling faces add srichaha to their soup and sip on boba tea while I’m threatening to tell this man’s young son all his father’s indiscretions if he won’t give me access to his security company’s network. I’m juggling texts between him, the son who accidentally has his work phone, and a bystander in his building while trying to understand how far I need to go to get what I want — all because I’ve given my life over to Mr. Robot: 1.51exfiltratiOn.

The Mr. Robot tie-in moble game from Telltale turns your phone into one of Darlene’s burners, taking over the screen as it takes over your life. Fans of the show will recognize her as the de facto sane leadership of the hacker group fsociety, played by Carly Chaikin, but she’s also your salty-voiced guide into the world of the game. She’s pissed you have her phone, and she needs something off of it, but while she figures out how to make that work, it’s your responsibility to pretend to be her and to carry out any social engineering hacks that the socially-hindered Elliot needs. Hence why I’m lying to a man about his dead wife’s gambling debts while my Vietnamese soup gets cold.

That’s the clever hook of the game. As Jaws twisted the popular hobby of a beach vacation into a nightmare, 1.51exfiltratiOn perverts something we’re all basically addicted to, something that’s probably in your hand right now, making it something dangerous. The game has effectively weaponized texting.

Darlene ominously tells me that I’ll need to be available 24/7, and the game plays out on its own schedule as a constant reminder that you aren’t in control. As a liminal experience, it’s fantastic. The tension is palpable because–even with the gameplay elements–everything feels like you’re sending and receiving texts. It’s a smart way to utilize interactions that most of us have had since the days of AIM that recognizes how real virtual conversations already feel to us. The end result should come with blood pressure medication.

It makes your push notification ding sound like John Williams’ score as the blade of a shark fin emerges from the water. Naturally, the game also fleshes out the world by sending you a ton of texts from Evil Corp-related businesses and spamming you with lewd dating site emails and a text thread between a group of truly annoying friends. It works to break up and maintain the anything-at-anytime tension, but it’s all filler. Unless it’s not. Is it important? Is it part of the game? Am I going to wake up in a coffin across the Mexican border and have to ride next to Michael Douglas on the bus back?

With 1.51exfiltratiOn it’s impossible to tell, which is why, when I got a call from an unknown 213 number, I thought it might be Mr. Robot (it was a credit card solicitation), and when I was expecting a text from my friend, I was spooked to find one from Darlene instead. That’s how totally the game takes over your mindset. You’re either playing it, or waiting for it to allow you to play it, so it’s effectively always on.

To that end, it does move a little slowly, regularly stretching its tension a bit thin as the hours go by. It also runs into the regular Telltale problem of speech gates that feel inevitable, as if you aren’t really steering the game so much as pressing buttons in order to read the next page of a short story, but that’s inherent in an experience that’s less about traditional game goals and more about testing your fictional ethics. At any rate, these negatives are small in the face of a genuinely consuming, creatively deft foray into the world of Mr. Robot.

Beyond a game structure that slips over your psyche as snugly as a cell phone cover, the storytelling and dialogues are written with the same nervousness, sarcasm and irony of the show itself. Darlene and Elliot’s personality are instantly recognizable–quite the feat considering the limitations of the contained text box–and the many, many contacts you collect all feel sufficiently different to maintain the illusion that you’re really helping fsociety pull off their revolution.

As such, it fits in beautifully with current immersive game culture marked by real-world escape rooms and by-mail creep outs like Scary Letter and The Mysterious Package. It’s a Pokemon Go of corporate hacktivism conspiracies — an enthralling winner that’s a paranoid delight.

4.5 burritos for Mr. Robot: 1.51exfiltratiOn. All with secret ingredients.

Images: USA Network/Telltale Games

Cosplay Friday #177 – Sub-Zero, Elsa, and More Cosplay Pics by The Will Box

If the name The Will Box sounds familiar, it’s because his work has been featured at places like Otaku USA magazine, Cosmopolitan, MTV, and more. And if you follow a lot of cosplayers (which I do), you’ve probably seen his signature on photos. He travels to conventions mostly in the pacific northwest and has a particular knack for making cosplay pictures look awesome even if he can’t get away from the convention center. He makes backgrounds work to compliment the cosplay—for example, he has a Judy Hopps cosplayer from Zootopia in front of a parked car. It’s perfect.

Let me stop talking though so you can see his work for yourself. Please admire Mortal Kombat’s Sub-Zero and Frozen’s Elsa:

Cosplayed by Danquish and Deanna Krahn Sarkar

Cosplayed by Bloodraven Cosplay

And we’re not done. The Will Box has shared a handful of his thoughtful photos with me, and you can see them in the gallery below. When you’re ready to take in more, go to the social medias to keep tabs on The Will Box’s latest work. You can find him at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Pro tip: Flipping through a ton of cosplay pictures is a great tactic when you need a dose of costume inspiration.

Are you a cosplayer or cosplay photographer? I’d like to highlight your portfolio in an upcoming edition of Cosplay Friday. If you’re in, please reach out to me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com. Send me the photos you’d like me to feature (with credits for the cosplayers and/or photographers, please), and then I’ll send you back a release form. Easy peasy.

Images: The Will Box

Fan Art Friday #89 – Creepy Doodles by Hannah Webb

I’m a sucker for more or less all things that can be described as cute. When you take that aesthetic and mix it with a touch of gore, I’m even more into it. Designer and illustrator Hannah Webb artfully combines the two with her Creepy Doodle Monday series. She creates a creeped-out version of a character from pop culture every week to share on her website and Instagram, and she’s been doing it for years. I’m into it–so much so that I won’t tell you how long I spent scrolling through her work.

I think this is what Boba Fett would look like after his time vacationing in the sarlacc’s stomach:

Look at Stitch! This gross version of the alien is perfect because if he could pop his eyes out as a party trick and put them back in, you know he’d totally do it.

Dying for more weird and adorable art? Scroll to the gallery below to see gross/rad takes on Batman, the Pokémon Bulbasaur, Link from Legend of Zelda, and Kermit. Keep up with Creepy Doodle Monday (and see the backlog) and all of Hannah’s art by following her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can purchase a coloring book featuring all the creepy Pokémon, tees, and stickers at Hannah’s website.

If you create unique fan art, I want to see it and possibly feature it in a future Fan Art Friday round-ups. Get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com, tell me about your work, and show me some examples.

Images: Hannah Webb

DC Brings Back ’80s SUPER-POWERS Brand As All-Ages Title

Hello and welcome comics fans, to your weekend edition of Comics Relief. To start things off today, we’ve got some news on a beloved ’80s brand from DC getting ready to make a comeback, but this time with an all-ages twist. Read on for the details.

DC revives Super-Powers in new all-ages mini-series

From 1984-87, the Kenner Super Powers toyline, which featured all the classic DC Comics heroes and villains, helped keep the DCU characters relevent in an era when Marvel was totally dominating comics. The toyline was so popular that even the long-running Super Friends cartoon rebranded with the Super Powers logo and name for its final two seasons.

Now DC is bringing the Super Powers name back, with a new mini-series from Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hellboy creators Art Baltazar and Franco. The new mini looks to feature the same iconic DC hereoes that made up the Super Powers line back in the day, but will be geared for a more all-ages audience. You can see some early artwork for the mini-series above. The first issue of Super Powers goes on sale November 23. [Comic Vine]

Penn Jillette to write and appear in Spider-Man/Deadpool

Penn Jillette, one half of “Penn and Teller” and world renowned comedian, magician and author, has announced that he will be writing and appearing in a guest issue of Spider-Man/Deadpool, as revealed in the latest episode of the the This Week In Marvel podcast. He’ll appear in issue #11, along with longtime partner Teller, and the artwork will be from illustrator Scott Koblish.

During the podcast, he joked and said “I had to mull it over for like 2 or 3 seconds. I mean, what book could be more exciting?…Of all the characters in comic books, it doesn’t get better than Deadpool and Spider-Man. It’s a dream come true for a lot of things.” Jillette has written comics before, most notably Detective Comics and Dark Horse Presents. All the wacky fourth-wall breaking action will take place when Spider-Man/Deadpool #11 hits in November. [Newsarama]

Robert Kirkman announces the end of Invincible

Aside from his work on The Walking Dead, creator Robert Kirkman has been writing the superhero comic Invincible for the better part of thirteen years now. Now the celebrated writer has announced that the long running book is coming to an end with issue #144 next year. Invincible co-creator Cory Walker, along with longtime Invincible artist Ryan Ottley, are coming back for the big finale, a 12 part epic that is being called “The End of All Things.” The end is still a year away though, so fans have plenty of time to go through all the stages of grief here before it’s all over. For Robert Kirkman’s full statement on why he’s ending Invincible after all this time, be sure to read our full story by clicking on the following link: [Nerdist]

Masashi Kishimoto teases post-Naruto plans

Creator Masashi Kishimoto just wrapped up a fifteen year run on manga series Naruto, which he followed up with a one-shot sequel, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring, and a supervising role on the film Boruto: The Naruto Movie. But what are his plans for what’s coming next? Last year at New York Comic-Con he that he was working on a science fiction story, and in a recent interview he said he has already begun planning and researching the project and intends to announce before the end of the year. For fans who want more Naruto though, don’t hold your breath — Kishimoto has made it clear he is ready to move on. [Comics AM]

Marvel reveals cover for new Avengers #1

Although the upcoming Marvel NOW! initiative isn’t a line-wide relaunch like last year’s All-New All Different Marvel, or the recent DC Rebirth, there are going to be a handful of new #1 issues, including a new Avengers #1. The relaunch of the title makes sense, as all the younger members of the All-New, All-Different Avengers are leaving the team to start the Champions.

So the new Marvel NOW! Avengers line-up is as follows, at least according to this cover — Captain America (Sam Wilson) Spider-Man (Peter Parker) the Vision, Thor (Jane Foster) the new Wasp, and Hercules. You can see Alex Ross‘ cover for the first issue above. Avengers #1 is from the creative team of writer Mark Waid and artist Mike del Mundo, and is set to hit in November. [CBR]

Original Blue Beetle Ted Kord gets a redesign for Rebirth

Blue Beetle is about to get the Rebirth treatment at DC Comics, with a new #1 issue hitting next week. Although he’ll be the modern, teenage Jaime Reyes version of the character, due to reboots and time manipulations, the formerly dead Blue Beetle Ted Kord is now alive and kicking again, and will serve as a mentor to young Jaime. While he won’t be a Blue Beetle per se, he’ll have nods to his old costume and identity in his new design. You can see artists Scott Kolins’ redesigns for Ted in his Tweets below. [CBR]

And the other half … pic.twitter.com/Y362s5UWoh

— Scott Kolins (@ScottKolins) August 2, 2016

Kord, Ted Kord. pic.twitter.com/m2XcVXarhu — Scott Kolins (@ScottKolins) August 3, 2016

BOOM! Reveals Baltimore Comic-Con Exclusive Covers

Publisher BOOM! Studios have announced their plans for the 2016 Baltimore Comic-Con, which this year includes four exclusive convention covers, which you can see in our gallery down below. The covers are for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #6 and Kong of Skull Island #1, as well as Jim Henson’s Labyrinth 30th Anniversary Special with a cover by Eric Powell, and Skybourne #1 by Frank Cho. The convention takes place September 2nd – 4th at the Baltimore Convention Center. [Bleeding Cool]

Images: DC Comics / Marvel Comics / BOOM! Studios / Image Comics