Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2379

NEIL GAIMAN: DREAM DANGEROUSLY Is Not As Adventurous As Its Subject Deserves

A good biographical documentary can land anywhere between laudatory and damning of its subject—and can be any combination of either or rejection of both—so long as it has something new to teach you. But therein lies the rub: more than any other kind of movie does a documentary attract audiences already in the know. People come to nonfiction films about Alejandro Jodorowsky or Anthony Wiener with at least the rudimentary knowledge of why these subjects have impacted the world to a degree deserving documentation. This truth is likely tenfold the case in regard to Neil Gaiman, the sort of artist who commands a fan base prone to all-out devotion.

The members of this community may be the only elements composing the audience targeted by Dream Dangerously, an assembly of footage from Neil Gaiman’s last ever book signing tour. But they may also be the ones to whom Dream Dangerously can offer the very least. It isn’t as though scant tidbits about young Gaiman’s daydreaming or jokes he tosses to the camera about the toll that signing thousands upon thousands of books a day has taken on his dominant hand won’t prove worthy of a smile or two to the average fan of his work. The same goes for talking heads from friends and colleagues like Terry Pratchett, George R. R. Martin, and Bill Hader.

But a good half hour or so into a feature, that caliber of fan might find him or herself craving more than just amicable validation of the reach and power of Gaiman’s work. Having spent so much time following, talking to, and about Gaiman, you’d think the filmmakers might have mustered a novel vantage point on the breadth of his work, or the relationship between craft and author. But for the span of its run time, Dream Dangerously is content only to applaud the art and literature of Gaiman, without stepping up to the task of saying much in the way of the new about them, nor about their creator, a man ostensibly rich with story and eccentricity.

The principal exception to this rule is the chapter of the film that delves into Gaiman’s marriage to punk rock musician Amanda Palmer, known best for her work as lead singer, pianist, and composer for the Dresden Dolls. If fans of Gaiman’s work are in the dark about any aspect of his psyche, this might be it. What’s more, the proverbial odd couple of artists proves to be more than a harmony of hearts, but a great recipe for creativity. To watch them talk to and about each other, and even to perform together—as we see at one of the film’s high points—is especially exciting.

But by and large, when the film sticks to the topic of Gaiman, his various titles (devoting a good deal of time to Neverwhere and The Sandman especially), and the fan fervor that will forever surround the words, it relegates to a display of niceties. Regularly vindicating and often charming, but never quite as adventurous as the works of Neil Gaiman deserves.

RATING: 2.5 out of 5 burritos

Images: Respect Films

DC Celebrates 75 Years of WONDER WOMAN, Plus Dr. Doom is the New IRON MAN, and More

Hello comics fans, and welcome to your weekend edition of Comics Relief! Today’s edition kicks off with DC Comics’ celebration of seven and half decades of the Amazing Amazon. Read on for all the details…

Watch Wonder Woman’s Year-By-Year Evolution

This December mark 75 years since Wonder Woman made her first appearance in All-Star Comics #8. Now DC All Access has made this handy little video that takes you through all of Princess Diana’s looks year-by-year over the past 75 years, featuring art by illustrators like George Perez, Alex Ross, and more. You can check out the video in full above.

Frank Cho & Greg Rucka Embroiled in Wonder Woman Cover Controversy

Speaking of Wonder Woman, the new DC Rebirth version of her title, written by Greg Rucka, has already run into some controversy. Artist Frank Cho, known for his scantily clad art of buxom women, was assigned to do 24 variant covers over the course of a year for Wonder Woman. It seems the sixth cover will be his last, as Cho has walked off, claiming that writer Greg Rucka ordered changes made to his art, even though he was granted creative freedom (You can read all of Cho’s comments about the matter here).

Apparently the straw that broke the camel’s back was the cover for issue #3, which originally showed a sliver of Diana’s underwear under her skirt while running in an action pose. The cover has been altered to what is is now (you can see a before and after pic above). Although he’s made very cheescakey and arguably sexist covers in the past, the Wonder Woman covers he’s turned in so far have been anything but offensive, and it’s a shame to see him go. Nevertheless, Greg Rucka is the star of Wonder Woman right now and calls the shots, and the book has to fit his vision. Too bad these talented guys couldn’t see eye to eye. [Bleeding Cool]

Ed Wood’s “Classic” Film Gets a Comic Sequel

Edward D. Wood Jr.’s low budget Plan 9 From Outer Space is still widely considered the worst movie ever made…but that hasn’t stopped it from being beloved by lovers of bad taste (it was The Room of its day). Now Ed Wood’s movie is getting a comic book sequel, as Plan 10 From Outer Space. Plan 10 is an upcoming graphic novel planned by James Mascia and Michael Dolce, along with artists Osiris Junior, Soussherpa, and Tony Moy.

Said co-writer Michael Dolce in a statement, “When James approached me with the idea of a sequel to Plan 9, it immediately got the juices flowing. When coming up with Plan 10 we kept coming back to our society’s dependence on cell phones and technology and the story took off from there.” Plan 10 From Outer Space is set to arrive in February. You can see a preview image of the cover above. [Newarama]

Alex Maleev Previews The Infamous Iron Man

As you might have heard, we’re not just getting one new Iron Man in the fall via Marvel NOW!, but two. You’ve probably already heard about Riri Williams, the young, African-American girl who is taking over as Iron Man from Tony Stark, but there’s also Doctor Doom, who is becoming the armored Avengers in the Infamous Iron Man ongoing series.

Series artist Alex Maleev has offered an early look at the armor Victor Von Doom will use as Iron-Man, and unlike Tony Stark, don’t expect any hot rod red and bright yellow on this armor — Doom is sticking to his classic grey. You can see a preview images of the Infamous Iron Man above. [CBR]

Dark Horse Announces Matt Kindt’s Ether

Dark Horse Comics has just announced Ether, a new creator-owned title from the creative team of Matt Kindt and artist David Rubin, which is all about the worlds of science and magic colliding. According to the official description, Ether is “a cross-dimensional story that sees its hero Boone Dias crossing between his own science-based reality and into the Ether, a world where magic is prevalent”.

In a statement, writer Matt Kindt says, “Ether came from my love-hate relationship with the supernatural. It’s not a genre I’m particularly attracted to as a creator, and I really wanted to figure out why. So in a lot of ways, the main character in Ether is a surrogate for the part of me that wants to explore the supernatural but also wants everything to be explained — which can literally ruin the magic of a supernatural story.” Ether #1 is released on November 16th, and will be available digitally and in comic shops. You can see a preview image for the series above. [Comics Alliance]

Early Neil Gaiman Story Being Adapted for Comics

Publisher Dark Horse is also set to bring fans some very early, pre-Sandman work from author Neil Gaiman, with the Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire, a comics adaptation by Shane Oakley of his short story Fragile Things, Forbidden Brides into a hardcover graphic novel.

According to the description, “this haunting example of satirical gothic literature tells the story of a writer struggling to compose nonfiction on a dark, stormy night. Wishing to create serious stories about frail women in white nightgowns, mysterious bumps in the night, and the undead rising to collect old debts, the author is unsuccessful because of his tendency to insert comedy into his dark tales.” Forbidden Brides goes on sale January 25, 2017. [Bleeding Cool]

Archie Is A Punk Rocker

Archie and the Riverdale gang have met the Punisher, Predator, and now, they are  going to be meeting arguably the greatest American punk band of all time, The Ramones. In this special one-shot — written by Alex Segura and Matthew Rosenberg and drawn by Gisele Lagace — The Archies are feeling low after losing a battle of the bands, and decide to travel back in time to 1970s New York City for inspiration from the Ramones. Hopefully 1970s New York isn’t a huge culture shock for them. Time’s Square was a wee bit different then.

Archie Comics has revealed the four covers for the Archie Meets Ramons one-shot by Lagace, Veronica Fish, Francesco Francavilla, and Dan Parent, which you can check out in our gallery below. Archie Meets Ramones hits stands on October 5. [CBR]

Images: DC Comics / Marvel Comics / Dark Horse Comics / Archie Comics / Tony Moy

Marvel’s Women of Power Make Their Tsum Tsum Debut

Fans have long lamented the lack of female characters toy collections. Campaigns for the Avengers‘ lack of Black Widow toys, Star Wars selling so much sans Rey—going girl-free seems to be the norm for toy makers, much to the disappointment of fans. Well, leave it to the Tsum Tsum to help turn that tide and create an adorable collection of female Marvel characters in one whole set.

The all-female Women of Power collection has arrived featuring storied Marvel heroines in adorable plush form. Captain Marvel, Wasp, Elektra, She-Hulk and Spider-Woman will join the Marvel Tsum Tsum universe creating the ultimate power team up.

Tsum Tsum Carol Danvers is represented with her iconic hairstyle, while my personal favorite—Wasp—has her wings on and looks ready for action. Spider-Woman dons her iconic costume, while She-Hulk is a perfect match for the previously released Hulk tsum. The Elektra tsum makes me long for a Daredevil tsum release. Can you imagine the Avocados at Law in tiny Tsum Tsum form? Unstoppable!

Tsums are taking over not only in the toy department, but the game, Tsum Tsum comics and videos are a huge hit with fans. New Disney, Marvel and Star Wars character Tsum Tsums are available on the first and third Tuesday of every month. This special Marvel Tsum Tsum collection will available only at area Disney Stores and DisneyStore.com starting July 19th, and collectors will also get a sneak peek at San Diego Comic Con along with tsum exclusives—like the Han Solo and Greedo tsums and Mickey’s Movie Theater Set.

Check out more images of these new powerful Marvel hero tsums in the gallery below.

Which Marvel tsum heroine is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Disney

“Foo Fighters” Was an Entire JEOPARDY! Category

“What is Nirvana?” That’s a loaded question, but in this instance, it’s a correct response to a Dave Grohl related Jeopardy! question. That’s right, Grohl’s Foo Fighters have achieved Jeopardy! status, and the erudite game show just dedicated an entire category to the band.

“The band’s debut album was written entirely by Dave Grohl, primarily known until then for work with this band” was the “answer” to the Nirvana question. One of the contestants nailed that one, but they did pretty miserably after that. Aside from a question about the name “Foo Fighters” coming from “these mysterious objects known to pester pilots” (UFOs), they failed to get any correct. And let’s be honest, you don’t have to know anything about the band to get that second question.

The contestants didn’t even chime in for the final three spots, which included questions about “My Hero,” Sonic Highways, and the last song ever performed on “The Late Show with David Letterman” (What is “Everlong?”). Alex Trebek was left hanging, over and over again.

The best video that exists right now, courtesy of Pitchfork, is from an apparently ardent Jeopardy! fan who filmed the segment on her home television and then uploaded it to Youtube. It’s not ideal, but at least you’ll get occasional narration and some of her own guesses—though she was completely silent during the Foo Fighters category. Coincidentally, one of the other categories was “Learn to Fly,” which is the lead track from the Foo’s 2000 album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose.

The Foo Fighters section begins around 5:20 mark. Take a watch and let us know if you would have done better!

Image: Roswell Films/Therapy Content

A Closer Look at ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY from Gareth Edwards

Earlier in the day on Friday (much, much earlier if you’re in London), attendees of Star Wars Celebration Europe were treated to a panel about the upcoming first non-saga film in the Star Wars Universe, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. I wrote up what happened at the panel right here and we got a lot of information about all aspects of the film, but afterwards, Nerdist and other media outlets were treated to a brief chat with director Gareth Edwards to give us a deeper look at what happens in Rogue One.

One of the coolest parts of the panel was the introduction (in name) of one of the key planets—Jedha—which is home to several main characters including Bodhi (Riz Ahmed), Chirrut (Donnie Yen), and Baze (Jiang Wen). It was mentioned that this is the planet where the Jedi arts are kept alive despite the order being finished. We asked Edwards to elaborate on that and explain how Jedha plays into his vision for the film. “If you look at what George [Lucas] did so brilliantly,” Edwards said, “you’ve only got a story about one thing, but he’s implying a million other things in the background and ideas much wider than the film and using that and telling a story within it.” And this, he said, is where the idea for Jedha began. “Jedi were the leaders of this spiritual belief system, and so there’s gotta be Mecca or Jerusalem or places like that in the Star Wars universe.”

Edwards also elaborated at what the Empire might do to a planet of people whose culture is to believe the Jedi ways. “It felt very contemporary,” he continued, “to have a situation where the Empire were imposing themselves and what means a lot to them and the spiritual side of Star Wars for their own reasons, their own goals. And within that area, there’s a resistance that’s building that’s trying to fight back, but there are characters that end up having to go to Jedha and we basically end up getting pulled into their story a bit.”

Much has already been made of how Edwards is trying to make a very different Star Wars film, right down to the way it’s filmed—much more handheld and immediate. He told us this extended to the way sets were built and even where the cameramen were positioned. “We built this set at Pinewood that was 360 degrees so you can look wherever you wanted,” Edwards beamed. “We’d say to the extras, ‘Ok, for the next hour you’re going to be this character and you’re cooking food or you’re going and you’re working on this car thing.’ This was all just to keep the realness of the scene as it was being shot. “And the crew were wearing costumes,” continued Edwards, “so if the camera turned around on them, it wouldn’t ruin the shot.” So IMDb’s gaffe section where they talk about crew members visible just got that much more interesting, because very likely, you’ll be seeing crew members and not even know it.

Edwards maintained it’s all part of the verisimilitude that Rogue One is attempting to strike. “We tried to keep it all flowing and the actors were given the freedom to go where they wanted and do the scene in a way that felt right and things like this,” he said. “And so there’s a lot of freedom and had this organic sort of different vibe than you might normally associate with Star Wars. And so that felt really exciting.”

The director—no stranger to joining a franchise, having previously made Godzilla—knows that, in order to make a new version of a beloved thing work, you have to strike a balance. “If you go a little to the left,” Edwards explained, “it’s not Star Wars; it’s some other sci-fi movie and it just doesn’t feel right. If you go slightly to the right, you’re just copying what George did. And so trying to navigate this thing where it’s new, but feels fresh was the dance that was the process of making this film.” He equated it to making a new song in the same musical space rather than simply doing a karaoke version.

“But the film should exist on its own terms,” Edwards concluded. “If all these films are ever just, ‘And here’s that character you love, hooray!’ then you’re not really doing what George did which is try to find stories that were about something, that said something that you keep in your pocket, and 40 years later it’s in the back of your head and it’s still having an effect on you.”

The more we see of it, the more Rogue One: A Star Wars Story definitely seems like it’ll have that effect on us. Let us know your thoughts on the movie in the comments below!

And here’s all the Rogue One details we have so far!

Images: Lucasfilm

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist and will be at Star Wars Celebration all weekend long!Follow him on Twitter!

Felicity Jones Just Revealed Her New STAR WARS Action Figure

Rogue One‘s Jyn Erso is coming to plastic sooner than later, as Felicity Jones just revealed herself as a toy at Star Wars Celebration. And that’s not all: the packaging for it reveals two tidbits about the movie, too…

Okay, it may not be a big deal to learn her rank is Sergeant. But we do now know that Jedha is the name of a location in the movie, and probably a planet. Also, yes, her hood is removable.

Viewed in that light, Jyn very much has the classic Star Wars hero profile, with a battle fashion sense more akin to that of a Han Solo or Poe Dameron than anything specifically gender-coded. The first official Rogue One product to be shown publicly, this 6-inch Black Series figure was revealed at a panel hosted by Gwendoline Christie, who welcomed Jones to the action figure club. (Technically, of course, Christie’s actual facial likeness has not appeared on a toy yet, since Captain Phasma has never been unhelmeted–but we’re not telling her that!)

This also marks the first time a Star Wars movie line has kicked off with a female figure, which is something of a milestone. Both the aforementioned Phasma and protagonist Rey have been among the hardest to find of Black Series figures, as Hasbro misjudged demand in a changing marketplace and assumed Kylo Ren would be the popular one. Judging by the footage we’ve seen so far, Ms. Erso appears to have many different outfits in the movie, so this could be the first of many, provided everyone who wanted more of Rey can get behind this heroine too.

Are you excited to own a blaster-totin’ Felicity Jones in plastic? Jyn up some thoughts and leave them in comments!

Here are some of the details that have us most excited about Rogue One:

Featured image: LucasFilm

Figure images: Hasbro

Watch a Cartoonified The National Sing About Toilets on Bob’s Burgers

You know you’ve made it when you get cartoon-ified on Bob’s Burgers. The National and Lapsley stop by the TV show to sing and chat quickly. If you’re up for more music after that, stick around to hear Katy Perry’s new Olympics anthem, updates about Bonnaroo’s ticket sales, Britney Spears’ slinky return, M.I.A.’s big bangin’ beat, and Parquet Courts’ crazy live TV performance.

In the last four years, The National have appeared on Bob’s Burgers their fair share of times. It looks like 2016 is no exception, though their most recent appearance on the show changed things up a bit. Watch in the clip above as they sing a potty-themed tune alongside Lapsley. It’s cheeky, funny, and oh so goofy. [Consequence of Sound]

Katy Perry is back, and she’s got pop producer extraordinaire Max Martin on her side yet again. Say hello to “Rise.” We’ve got a good feeling you’ll be hearing this one a lot this summer. Her single is the theme for NBC’s broadcast of the Olympics this summer. As such, it’s empowering, moving, and full of great strength, exactly as it should be given it’s been three years since we last heard new music from the pop star. Check it out above and prepare yourself to hear this nonstop the next few months. [Rolling Stone]

It looks like one of the most popular music festivals in the US is in trouble. According to The Tennessean, Bonnaroo 2016 was the least attended edition of the festival in its 15-year history. Only 45,527 tickets were sold. It sounds like a big number, but that’s 28,000 fewer tickets than last year, signifying a 45% drop from its peak in 2011. That adds up to $9.07 million less than last year alone. Either this means they need to diversify their booking, lower ticket prices, or pause for a year. Let’s hope it’s the first two. [Consequence of Sound]

The circus life finally calmed down. Britney Spears makes her return to the scene this week with “Make Me”, a song as sassy as the title suggests. G-Eazy guest stars, offering up a quick rap verse on the ballad, shifting the tone slightly to keep it from staying pure pop. If you’re itching for more, you’re in luck. Spears will release her ninth LP later this year. [Rolling Stone]

At long last, M.I.A. is back. The modern day queen of rap returns on September 9 with AIM, her next album. In an interview on Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show, she said this will be her “cleanest” album and more notably happy than the last one. “There’s another side to me completely,” she said. “I don’t know if people know that.” If they didn’t, they sure will now with “Go Off”, her newest single that sees Skrillex and Blaqstarr handing some of the club production tones. It’s immediately infectious, lending a natural assumption that the rest of the album will be too. [Rolling Stone]

Parquet Courts rarely play live on TV as part of their attempt to avoid indulging in the press world. When they took to Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night, they decided to change things up… drastically. During their performance of “Captive of the Sun” off this year’s phenomenal Human Performance, they had none other than Bun B of UGK come out do rap a surprise verse. We’re not kidding. Watch footage above and let your mind explode at the fact that, yes, this really did happen. [SPIN]

Have a great weekend! We’ll see you back here on Monday for another Music Dispatch!

Image: FOX/Bob’s Burgers

We Have Lots of Questions About E.T. Being in This STAR WARS Wax Museum Display

Let’s cut right to the chase, because we have much more important (and absurd) issues to get to than the “what” of this silliness. We came across this confusing picture at io9, the one Imgur user Yemyself snapped at the Barcelona Wax Museum that shows that the curators there have placed E.T. in their Star Wars exhibit.

Good grief–what in the hell is this monstrosity?

Let’s start with E.T. Why is he there? Because he is from space, and this made the most logical sense for where to place him in the museum? Or is it because he, or at the very least his species, is technically part of the Star Wars universe, having appeared as a tiny Easter egg as one of the members of the Galactic Senate in The Phantom Menace? Could it be someone got lazy and didn’t care where he went? Or has no one at the museum ever seen a “Star War?”

Here’s my guess: they thought he was Yoda. A weird, wrinkly, short alien? Must be this guy. And we all know how much Yoda loved flowers….

But you know what? I don’t care why E.T. is there. I want to know why tiny ninja Larry Bird is holding a lightsaber, and what Bill Maher has to do with any of this. “Leia” looks like an actress whose name I can’t recall right now, I just know it’s definitely not Carrie Fisher I’m thinking of.

What is this display? How did this get made? What is going on in Spain with their wax figures? E.T. is the second most accurate part of this Star Wars display.

Although if we ask the museum about it I bet they say this is their Lost in Space exhibit or something.

Who do you think these wax figures look like? Why is E.T. there? Give us your best theories in the comments below.

Featured Image: Universal Pictures

The Phantom Menace Image: Lucasfilm

Image: Yemyself

Dynamite Will Adapt James Bond’s First Adventure, CASINO ROYALE, For Comics

Last year, Dynamite Entertainment brought 007 out of comic book retirement for a new James Bond series written by Warren Ellis. Now, Dynamite is looking back at Bond’s history by adapting the very first novel by Ian Fleming.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the story that writer Van Jensen and artist Matthew Southworth will adapt Casino Royale as a comic book for Dynamite. This will be only the first in a line of adaptations of Fleming’s books about everyone’s favorite super spy. However, an important distinction has to be made. This project will not be an adaptation of the Casino Royale movie that introduced audiences to Daniel Craig‘s modernized Bond ten years ago.

We probably won’t be seeing a parkour sequence in this comic, and the original story was surprisingly tame by Bond’s later standards. He didn’t even kill anyone his first time out! (This is not to say that the Casino Royale book didn’t have its share of bloodshed.) The novel also featured a more introspective version of Bond who dealt with the psychological issues of his torture as opposed to the more physical wounds that Bond received in the film.

Potentially, the adaptation could keep the early ’50s setting of Fleming’s story, but the core elements will likely remain. Bond will still go undercover to face the man known as Le Chiffre in a high stakes card game alongside Vesper Lynd, the original Bond girl who broke his heart in more ways than one. Vesper’s fate was the same in both the film and the novel, but it played out with more action in the movie.

Dynamite has not yet announced a released date for the Casino Royale adaptation or how many issues it will run. Presumably more information will be revealed during San Diego Comic-Con next week.

Are you eager to see a new adaptation of Casino Royale as a comic? Tell us what you know in the comment section below!

Image: Dynamite Entertainment/Rian Hughes

TRNDLabs Pokédrone Will Solve Some of Your Pokémon GO Problems

By now, pretty much everyone is playing Niantic and The Pokémon Company’s new GPS-based mobile game Pokémon GO. Hilarious stories as well as serious ones (involving crime and even death) continue to make headlines. Aside from the server issues, however, one of the main issues that’s been plaguing players since day one is the fact that Pokémon are appearing in places–whether it be your neighbor’s backyard, or even the ocean–that are unreachable. Enter TRNDLabs Pokédrone. Check it out in the video above.

The official TRNDlabs site explains the process:

Once connected via WiFi to your phone, the Pokémon GO app uses the Pokédrone’s GPS and camera instead of the phone’s GPS and Camera. With the Pokédrone’s auto take-off & land function there is no need to worry about your drone-flying skills. The drone can also hover in one place making it super easy to catch ‘em all for everyone who is more into Pokémon than drones.

According to the same post, the company is serious about the new development that will hopefully save players from finding creative (and likely dangerous) ways to catch ’em all. We’re not entirely sure how well the drone actually works, but as TRNDlabs points out, it’s a lot easier than rigging your phone to your dog or a drone (which people have already been doing).

There is no mention of pricing or availability yet, but we’re assuming something like this will probably be expensive. We’ll be keeping an eye on the company’s website for updates.

Does the Pokédrone look like something you’d want to try? What have you done to catch those unreachable pocket monsters? Let us know in the comments below, join the conversation on Facebook, or start one with me on Twitter: @Samantha_Sofka.

Image Credit: TRNDlabs