Source:
Nerds of the Square Table
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a GEEK OUT! but watching the new AMC reality series Comic Book Men has inspired a return of sorts to all things geek at Power of Pop. What’s Comic Book Men about? According to AMC, it’s an unscripted one hour series, which dives deep into fanboy culture by following the antics in and around master fanboy Kevin Smith’s New Jersey comic shop, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. The series also features features Secret Stash employees Walt, manager and de-facto leader; Mike, a comic book virtuoso; Ming, the store’s technical expert and go-to whipping boy; and Bryan, who doesn’t actually work at the Stash, yet can always be found perched on a stool behind the front counter.
Having worked at a comic book store in the mid-80s (and enjoying every minute) this is like a geek fantasy/reality show and will definitely appeal to all the hardcore geeks out there. So far four episodes have aired and the latest one where Ming pitches his idea of a Zombie-themed store promotion to Walt is probably the one I’ve enjoyed the most. The show intercuts scenes from the store and the round table discussions, which includes Smith as well. Along the way, customers will be featured either buying or selling comics or toys to/from the store. An interesting segment found Walt actually paying top dollar for rare John Buscema Silver Surfer original artwork.
It’s a lot of fun with loads of laughter and even if you’re not a comic book fan, you will appreciate the banter amongst the various characters and of course, Smith is always good for a laugh or three! Only two more episodes before the first season wraps up – hopefully there will be more to come… Check out the trailer below.
THE RESIDENT TOURIST
I featured local cartoonist Troy Chin and his autobio comic, The Resident Tourist, in January 2010 promising at the end to find out more about Troy and his work. Naturally, nothing has happened in that regard until recently when I finally met Troy at Mulan Gallery and truth be told we hit it off immediately!
When we saw each other again at the Loti Gone Case in Wonderland panel discussion, Troy passed me everything that he has published so far – 5 volumes of The Resident Tourist and 3 volumes of Loti. Later on Troy sent me an email saying “In case you somehow feel obligated, you really don’t have to review any of my stuff. I just want you to read them so you know all the shit that I stand for.”
So here I am NOT reviewing The Resident Tourist (Parts 1 to 5)! Seriously. After all, The Resident Tourist is such an important Singaporean work that a mere review would seem disrespectful. In many ways, The Resident Tourist is an academic dissection into Singaporean attitudes, mores and culture hidden within the Trojan (sorry, could not resist) Horse of Troy’s ostensible autobio.
Hot issues such as the meaning of art, money, love and identity within the Singaporean experience are explored in such a creative manner that Singapore readers will probably not even be aware that their very existence is being questioned and challenged. Troy brilliantly utilizes his major relationships with Mint, Kampong Boy and the encounters with friends, acquaintances and enemies in Singapore and in New York to subtlety hammer home Troy’s worldview.
I don’t really want to act as a spoiler or to offer my own critique of Troy’s unique life perspective but suffice to say that if you’re visiting Power of Pop on a regular basis, it behooves you to check out The Resident Tourist (especially if you’re Singaporean). I guarantee that it will at least offer you food for thought as you struggle to make sense of your own Singapore experience.
For me personally, I am thankful to have met Troy and perhaps gotten to know him a little via The Resident Tourist but ultimately wanting to know much more… I am sure you will feel the same way.
Official Site
GONE CASE BOOK 2
The first thing you notice about Book 2 of Gone Case is that the HDB flat has been upgraded with a fresh coat of paint! Talk about progress. Also you will also note that the roof top access is open – a key plot point in the book. And that’s really what Gone Case is about – an attention to detail. This comes across vividly both in Chua’s story and Koh’s art.
Chua never misses a beat. Whether it is with the cleaner squeezing a dirty cloth in front of Yong, or Yong’s mother’s observation that “All the shops look the same” at the new mall or her questioning Yong about growing up to become a popiah seller, Chua sprinkles numerous little barbs about Singapore living, hidden in the plain sight of the narrative.
Koh’s artwork is clean and uncluttered yet ornate in that European-by-way-of-Darrow style that he so revels in. He captures locations and facial expressions equally well and there’s no mistaking Koh’s vision of Singapore (and its inhabitants) for some other Asian city.
Gone Case Book 2 is the concluding portion of this adaptation of Chua’s novel of the same name and by the time we arrive at the perplexing denouement, we are hungry for more stories about Yong and his delights and dilemmas. Enough connection has been made between characters and audience to suggest that a continuation of Yong’s story in the future could surely be a welcome development.
But till then, enjoy both books of Gone Case as a slice of life narrative on par with Eric Khoo’s 12 Storeys. Essential reading.
Official Site
LOTI GONE CASE IN WONDERLAND
Singapore comic books (or graphic novels, whatever) has long been trying to earn artistic recognition in its homeland. Perhaps it is a measure of how far comic books (and its creators) have come since the darkest days of former times, that the Singapore Writers Festival 2011, has dedicated events for our local comic books & creators.
This panel discussion (at 3.30pm this afternoon) brought together Sonny Liew (Malinky Robot), Troy Chin (Resident Tourist, LOTI), Dave Chua and Koh Hong Teng (writer-artist team behind Gone Case). A fairly good crowd awaited them at the Transaction Pavilion as moderator Terence Chua led the four creators through a discussion of personal histories and motivations.
To be truthful, it was all rather genteel and polite. Only when the panel discussion was opened to questions from the floor that matters livened up a little. As usual, there were queries that were astute, unfathomable and painfully irrelevant. For the last one, the person probably had the best intentions in asking a totally academic question but the endeavour fell flat as the panel struggled to make sense of his question. Hurm.
In the final analysis, it was encouraging to see a sizable group of local comic book fans engaged with the creators during the discussion as well as the subsequent signing sessions. If nothing else, it points the way to an increasing awareness and appreciation of local comic books as a genuine artform. And that can only be a good thing…
Singapore comic book artist Troy Chin is launching LOTI (Vol.3) during the Singapore Writers Festival 2011. We caught up with Troy to get some of thoughts about the latest edition of LOTI.
What can fans expect from LOTI Vol. 3?
Expect more shenanigans from our pooch patrol as they navigate the third term of the school year. Loti Vol. 3 expands on the existing story with the chapters Sofie’s Diary and J Takes Flight, two specials not found in the daily strips that will change the way you view the original strips.
Can you describe briefly what LOTI is about for folks who’ve never read it?
Loti is a four-panel comic strip depicting childhood and schooling life in Singapore through the eyes of an eight-year-old. During his adventures, he finds a puppy in the neighbourhood and begins to discover what it means to be happy, and prompts the same question in the people around him.
What inspires you to continue to create comic books like LOTI?
Loti is really special to me. It allows me to write about all the stuff that little kids get to enjoy at that age, something that we as busy adults tend to forget or brush off. Loti is about the joy of waking up in the morning wanting to experience something new. It is a series that I feel if readers give it the time (whether they’re seven or seventy), they will eventually understand why personal happiness is not really that difficult or complicated to achieve.
What are your plans for promoting LOTI Vol. 3?
For the launch, there’s going to be a limited edition paper model kit of the eponymous puppy that will be given away with every book purchased. This is the beginning of a new project that I would like current fans to get involved in and hopefully bring in new readers to the world of Loti.
Can you give us more information about the upcoming book launch at SWF 2011?
Loti Vol. 3 will be launched at SWF 2011 on Sunday, October 30, 11:30am to 12:30pm at the Festival Pavilion, SMU Campus Green. Admission is free!
Official Site
Does comic book art belong in a contemporary fine art gallery? Thankfully, in 2011, the answer is in the affirmative! If like me, you believe that comic book art is fine art in its own right, would do well to head down to the exhibition at Mulan Gallery featuring Sonny Liew and Koh Hong Tong.
Regular PoP visitors would probably be familiar with the work of Sonny Liew (above) but possibly not with Koh Hong Tong (below). Hong Tong is the artist of graphic novel Gone Case (written by Dave Chua) and his style is reminiscent of Geoff Darrow and like Sonny bears strong traces of the European influence.
I visited Mulan Gallery last night for the launch of this exhibition (which will run till 12 November) and I was pleased to see that it was very well attended and patronized. Even within the arts circles, comic book art still has some way to be accepted and the community is rather small and so it was heartening to see a gallery owner – in this case, Patricia Liang – put faith in these works as contemporary fine art. Kudos!
So check out the exhibition while you still can over at 36 Armenian Street #01-07 and tell them Power of Pop sent you along…
Mulan Gallery Official Site
Was an interesting evening at the Singapore Writers Festival launch held on the SMU grounds. The event kicked off with a preview of art installations viz Witness by Donna Ong and Underwriter’s Table by Vertical Submarine. The former’s concept relates to the human response to natural disasters (with special emphasis on the recent Japanese tsunami tragedy) and truly engages the viewer’s senses in a powerful manner. The latter was lighter in tone, being a large than life cartoony replica of a table, with a blank cheque (but no pen!).
The launch itself was nothing remarkable, it must be said, the usual formalities, speeches and a intriguing poem by Dr Lee Tzu Pheng but that was expected. This was followed by dinner and a rendition of a collaboration between poetry and music by Mang, a modern R&B/Hip hop take in fact. Slight but enjoyable.
I will be covering a couple of SWF sessions that relate to my pet pop culture topics viz comic books and scifi. In this respect, I recommend the following: -
MEET THE AUTHOR: Sonny Liew | Sat 22 Oct (today!) 11.30am to 12.30pm | Seminar Room 2-3, School of Information Systems (SMU)
PANEL: Loti Gone Case in Wonderland featuring: Troy Chin, Sonny Liew, Dave Chua | Wed 26 Oct 3.30pm – 4.30pm Transaction Pavilion, Campus Green (SMU)
MEET THE AUTHOR: Joe Haldeman | Sat 29 Oct 11.30am – 12.30pm | Learning Gallery, Singapore Art Museum @ 8Q
BRAND NEW BOOkS: Loti Volume 3 | Sun 30 Oct 11.30am – 12.30pm | Festival Pavilion, Campus Green (SMU)
More information at the Official Website.
I must confess that when comic book artist Sonny Liew (above, left) invited me to play a short set for his Malinky Robot book signing event at Books Kinokuniya, I was not keen. Since the traumatic experiences at Timbre @ The Substation, I was ready to swear off performing live completely. I felt totally out of synch with the local music scene, as a performer. But Sonny was so sincere in his requests and as a fan of his work, I felt obliged to put my reservations aside and just go for it! Also, the additional incentive was to do a duet with the lovely Joyce Sim, Sonny’s editor.
As it turned out, I was blissfully chilled during the event, unfazed even by the fact that Joyce was not comfortable with the proposed duet on the day (it will still happen one of these days, believe me!) and delivered the three-song set comfortably without any mishaps. Part of the thrill was debuting a new song inspired by Sonny’s comic – Malinky Robot Blues – and also covering one of my favourite songs – The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Giant Robots Part I. Along with I ♥ Singapore, these songs made up my brief performance.
I want to thank Sonny (and Joyce) for the tremendous encouragement and the creative lift that I really needed during this fallow time and I really do feel that the way forward for me as a performer is these intimate acoustic showcases, where I can unleashed my personal songs at an fairly appreciative audience.
Look out for the demo recording of Malinky Robot Blues soon and if you haven’t picked up a copy of Malinky Robot, please go down to Books Kinokuniya and buy your copy as soon as possible! Check out my review.
Pic by Dave Chua.
MALINKY ROBOT: COLLECTED STORIES AND OTHER BITS BY SONNY LIEW (IMAGE)
Set in a sprawling Asian-referencing urban landscape (aka the city of San’ya), Sonny Liew’s Malinky Robot chronicles the (mis)adventures of Atari and Oliver, two street urchins. Despite it’s fictitious setting and it’s truncated narratives, the short stories in Malinky Robot reflect Liew’s real-world obsessions with pop culture – superhero comics, anime and the ubiquitous scifi robots.
In the midst of the quaint, almost antiquated steampunk-ish environments, Liew reaches into the guts of his imagination to rip out ideas and emotions that relate to our everyday living – dreams, disappointments, avarice, humour, loneliness, financial realities and so on. Never mind if we’re never quite sure what kind of creature Oliver is or question the existence of Mr Nabisco’s little robot – it all just seems to make sense in the wider scheme of things.
So there are stories here that will make you laugh, cry, look back in awe and sometimes even scratch your head but ultimately will resonate with you for its astute reflections of the human condition. As someone who has lost faith and patience with the superhero comic, it’s heartening to note that the medium itself continues to be a potent source for good storytelling.
Sonny Liew will be signing your copies of Malinky Robot this Saturday, 10th September at Kinokuniya Takashimaya, I will be performing a short set before so come down early will ya, please? RSVP here.
LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN
THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN: CENTURY – 1969 (TOP SHELF)
I must shamefully confess that I have been sitting on this review for some time now. As it is, this comic book has already been released last month. I have read this Alan Moore-written Kevin O’Neill-drawn tome a few times but have had difficulties attempting to describe its dense narrative satisfactorily.
1969 is part two of the third volume of LoEG which covers a 100 year time period, hence the over-arching title. The tale began in 1910 and revolved around a dramatic elaboration of Brecht and Weill’s Threepenny Opera. With 1969, the plot flashes forward to London in the Swinging Sixties as evil wizard Oliver Haddo plans to use a infamous Hyde Park rock concert to create a Moonchild that might well turn out to be the antichrist, with only Mina Harker, Allan Quartermain and Orlando in Haddo’s way.
For those of you whose only exposure to comic book characters is through super hero movies or (heaven forbid) the risible LoEG movie (which starred Sean Connery in his last film role), this comic book will properly mystify you. However, if like me, you are a true blue fan of Alan Moore, then you will thoroughly enjoy the multitude of layers Moore puts into this story. With characters torn from different literary (and other creative) works (e.g. Michael Moorcock’s Jerry Cornelius, Terner from the movie, Performance), Moore fashions a elaborate tale of drugs, magicks and sex intertwined with the obligatory villainous schemes of world domination. Certainly, it’s not a book you can casually glance through within 5 minutes but requires time to study carefully (with frequent visits to Wikipedia) in order to be fully appreciated.
And if that kind of reading experience is your cup of tea, then this book is highly recommended.
(Press release)
Fantagraphics Books President and Co-Publisher Gary Groth announced today at Comic-Con International that it has entered into a publishing agreement with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. to publish the EC Comics Library, be- ginning in Summer 2012. The announcement teams two of the most storied comics publishers in history and aims to reintroduce the timeless work of EC to contemporary readers.
Fantagraphics will re-package the EC Comics (with the exception of MAD, which is now owned by DC Comics/Time Warner) in a series of handsome hardcovers devoted to specific artists and writers. While virtually all previous EC collections have been published by comic book title, Fantagraphics will collect the comics by artist, allowing fans to finally own single-volume tomes collecting the work of their favorite creators.
“It pleases me greatly to be in partnership with such an influential company as Fantagraphics,” said Cathy Gaines Mifsud, President of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. “It’s a pleasure to be working with a company that shares similar values, yet retains unique and distinct creativity. I trust them fully to carry on the iconic EC brand.”
Entertaining Comics may have been the greatest mainstream publisher in comics history, with an attention to quality and consistency that has never been rivaled. Under the stewardship of William Gaines (who took over the company from his father, Max Gaines, in 1947), EC’s “New Trend” line employed a Murderer’s Row of writers and artists including Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Johnny Craig, Al Feldstein, Reed Crandall, Will Elder, Frank Frazetta, Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen, Bernard Krigstein, John Severin, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, and many others.
“EC was the most consistently literate and quality-minded publisher in the history of mainstream comics,” said Groth. “Editors Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman were aware that comics was an artistic medium in a way that few editors did, and publisher Bill Gaines was unique in taking a hands-on approach to his comics line, choosing his editors wisely, giving them such editorial freedom and latitude, and taking such personal pride —and responsibility— in his comics. This was simply unheard of in mainstream comics; if more publishers had had Gaines’ integrity, the history of comics would’ve been vastly different.”
Like most of its contemporaries, EC specialized in genre fiction, specifically horror, crime, science-fiction, war, and satire, with several titles that seeped into the public consciousness long after their demise, including Tales from the Crypt, Two-Fisted Tales, Weird Science, and of course MAD. Unlike most of its contemporaries, Gaines and his staff took great pride in crafting socially aware works that transcended their genres. “At a time when comics were consid- ered sub-literate junk by the reading public, Gaines and the EC creators were impressing people like Ray Bradbury with the aesthetic possibilities of the medium. That was no mean feat,” Groth added.
MASKS by Aaron Rintoul (Septagon Studios)
MASKS is a psychological thriller written and illustrated by Aaron Rintoul.
Well, “illustrated” is an understatement here as the pages within MASKS are a visual buffet for your eyes. You will spend so much time on each page admiring the art which is a combination of photography and digital art, that you’ll forgive him for writing such a short story. This art style isn’t something new but Aaron does it beautifully here.
Follow Sara as she delves into her own mind and discovers she can see through the eyes of a serial killer! Is she losing her mind? Can she stop the killer? Or is she just dreaming?
I read the 3 issue mini series for the purpose of this review and it really didn’t become clear to me what was happening to Sara until I read issue 2. If you read the graphic novel then it should all just flow together.
In the midst of my reading MASKS, a thought did occur to me that this story might have been better served if Aaron had found a way to do the graphic novel with just pictures and no words instead. It would also leave people to make their own interpretations.
As I’ve said I wished the story was longer but as Aaron himself has said, his intention was to create a graphic poem, and he certainly has done that here.
MASKS is a book you’ll want to read more than once simply because of the stunning art but also because story elements become clearer upon a second inspection. I’m definitely looking forward to more work from Aaron Rintoul.
(Kenneth Chaw)
Official Site
MALLEUS MALEFICARUM
Malleus Maleficarum by Mike Rosen (SLG Publishing)
How about this for an idea? Take a 15th Century bestselling Latin book, give it a modern day spin with a generous dose of humour and …Viola!
You have Mike Rosen’s new graphic novel based on an actual book written by Heinrich Kramer, an Inquisitor of the Catholic Church in 1486.
It’s the subject matter that’s gonna get you. It’s a “How to” book on how to identify and prosecute witches! Remember, it was 1486.
A direct translation of this now would probably present it as a misogynistic piece of work. A humorous graphic novel format, on the other hand, is a perfect vehicle to bring Kramer’s book out to the masses.
The first part of the book is for the disbelievers and tries to convince you that witches and witchcraft are real. The second part spells out (heh heh, I couldn’t resist…) how and why, they do what they do. Finally the third part instructs you on the proper way to go about, tracking them down, catching them and then conducting a trial where you can finally mete out justice!
It’s all in good fun and the illustration adds to the hilarity.
Certainly a novel way to adapt this body of work and a totally unexpected joy to read.
(Kenneth Chaw)
Official Site
GINGERBREAD GIRL
GINGERBREAD GIRL Written by Paul Tobin. Art by Colleen Coover (Top Shelf Productions)
If this graphic novel was a movie, it would most certainly be categorized as “arthouse” fare. Whilst the plot and dialogue have been painstakingly put together by writer Paul Tobin to present a story from the perspectives of different narrators and filled with references to medical factoids/myths and mystical mumbo jumbo, the underlying core story is just not compelling enough.
The artwork is cartoony in the old-school Archie style and seems somewhat at odds with the oddball, goofy plotlines although it must be said that the artwork does reflect Annah Bilips’ whacked out deposition perfectly!
26-year-old Annah Bilips is the main protagonist and the story revolves around her quirky character, her lifestyle choices and her obsession with the “Gingerbread Girl” a twin sister allegedly made from parts of her brain! Is the Gingerbread Girl real or the product of Annah Bilips’s fevered imagination? Well, you’d have to find out for yourself…
Wonder-Con Footage
Yes, geeks and geekettes, I must confess that I have been thus far less than impressed by the prospect of the Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds. The first trailer did not do much to allay the fears as the tone of the movie came across as comedy-adventure rather than space epic.
I read a lot of super-hero comic books growing up in the 60s and one of my favorite characters was the X-Man, Cyclops. You know, the guy who could shoot red laser beams from his eyes, functioned as team leader (in the absence of the crippled Professor X), hooked up with the only girl (Marvel Girl, natch aka Jean Grey) in the team and possessed all the qualities that I looked up to as a young pre-teen child.
Of course, in the subsequent years, Cyclops’ life got a whole lot more complicated and his character has been revised to such an unrecognizable extent (as with most comic book super-heroes) that I have lost all interest in him (and super-hero comic books in general).
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER OFFICIAL TRAILER
This is already looking like an AMAZING year for superhero movies. Based on the trailers of Thor and X-Men: First Class, it appears that directors/producers are pulling out all the stops to make superhero movies work on every level – for the geek and casual movie-goer alike. Finally, Captain America is given a proper trailer and it looks like yet another winner. Every comic book geek knows Cap’s origin story and I am hoping that the promise shown here is fulfilled and justice is done to the vision of creators Joe Simon (now in his late 90s!) and Jack “King” Kirby (rest in peace). The movie opens on 22nd July.
THE HOMELAND DIRECTIVE
The Homeland Directive by Robert Venditti & Mike Huddleston (Top Shelf Productions)
Robert Venditti’s previous work was a sci-fi piece, The Surrogates, which was made into a rather watchable movie starring Bruce Willis.
With a title like The Homeland Directive, Venditti’s new graphic novel is quite clear from the beginning about what you’re going to get inside its pages. Rather unpredictably, Robert has chosen to show his versatility by churning out a fast-paced thriller filled with action and plot twists and a believable story worthy of a Jason Bourne installment.
Dr Laura Regan is a research scientist who’s partner is murdered and she’s the prime suspect. Forced to go on the run, she’s caught up in a conspiracy which seems to involve every government agency you can think of. It may sound entirely formulaic, but instead, Venditti’s crisp and witty dialogue strings together each and every scenario in an entirely plausible setting. Throughout all this, Venditti manages to touch on current issues we continue to confront daily such as the loss of personal privacy in the face of modern technology.
Beautifully illustrated by Mike Huddleston, the painted borderless panels give a cinematic feel to the story. Mike’s art conveys perfectly the changing tension and atmosphere as the scene dictates.
All in, an exciting story and a great read, don’t miss it!
CHESTER 5000
Chester 5000 by Jess Fink (Top Shelf Productions)
Chester 5000 comes to you in May from as an adults-only hardcover in glorious black & white.
No newcomer to this genre, Jess Fink’s erotic work has graced many other publications.
The Floundering Time by Katy Weselcouch (SLG Publishing)
Getting your first graphic novel published is a pretty cool achievement.
Having said that, I read The Floundering Times with an open mind, trying to ignore the fact that the subject matter doesn’t interest me at all.
VESHA VALENTINE
A lil while back, we reviewed the Vesha Valentine Story graphic novel and was struck especially by it’s old world glamour motif (the good girl art – think of the late Dave Stevens). So I thought it’d be interesting to share with PoP visitors some pictures sent by Vesha Valentine creator, Des Taylor of a book party he held recently. Enjoy…
AMITY BLAMITY
Amity Blamity Book One By Mike White (SLG Publishing)
Mike White brings you his first book in a planned series of graphic novels about the daily shenanigans on a family farm. Four year old Gretchen, Chester the talking pig(!), Uncle Downey and Grandma make up the cast in this black & white offering about life on the farm.
At first glance it brings to mind Bloom County, Liberty Meadows and a little Calvin & Hobbes. Ok, Calvin & Hobbes may be due to the art. Unlike those examples, Amity Blamity has a storyline which follows a linear path reading like a traditional comic rather than a “comic strip”.
It isn’t laugh out loud funny but it is accessible. Like Jeff Smith’s Bone, Amity Blamity is an easy read to pick up and get right into. What made Bone a success was its ability to work on more than one level hence its appeal to all ages. Unlike Bone, I don’t see any kids finding this an enthralling read anytime soon. I think that the art & story would really pop if only it were in color.
Story wise, you will be rewarded with some interesting and funny situations. Be warned though, you’ll want to know what happens next when you get to the last page but you’ll just have to wait patiently until November for Book Two.
Official Site
[KC]
[amazon-product alink="0000FF" bordercolor="000000" height="240"]1593622090[/amazon-product]
NIGHT ANIMALS
Night Animals by Brecht Evens (Top Shelf Productions)
Brecht Evens’ Top Shelf debut is a true graphic novel in every sense of the word.
Night Animals contains two stories told with absolutely no text at all.
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
Initial images have been released for the upcoming Matthew Vaughn-helmed X-flick (above). The picture shows the early X-Men in costumes resembling the original comic books (although why is Mystique part of the original X-Men is beyond me). Also prominent are Jennifer Jones’ Emma Frost and Kevin Bacon’s Sebastian Shaw (as the Hellfire Club plays a key role). At front of both “sides” are Magneto (Michael Fassbinder, left) and non-bald Prof X (James McAvoy, right). Is that the Beast or Nightcrawler lurking in the middle? Frankly, I am not looking forward to this at the moment. I will need to see the first trailer to allay my fears.