On Uranus (Comics, movies, and stuff)

HI, The Examiner

2009-06-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

So I recently applied to write for the Examiner. Figured I would post my application for the rest of you to read... What do you think should I get the job?

City you live in : Austin
State you live in : Texas
Gender : M
What's the URL? : http://onuranus.blogspot.com/
URL:
Select your edition : Austin
How long? : 2 years
What's your insider knowledge? : The first tip any comic book connoisseur needs to know is where to buy his floppies in town. Answer: Austin Books and Comics. Not just the best in Austin, but dare I say the best in Texas.
Category : Arts & Entertainment
Specific Topic : Austin Comic Books Examiner
What would you like to write about? : Austin's local artists, cover events (signings, shows), comic book reviews, crossover articles (for example; kevin smith came to the paramount to promote his film)

What qualifies you? : I have started a very small blog on the subject. I also was the features editor of The Banner Newspaper in Riverside CA

What makes you different? : I love the subject, and I know I can write entertaining articles.

Article 1: "Marvels" Nostalgic and Depressing
Article 2: Terry Moore signing this weekend
Article 3: Comic book show withdrawl
Preparing, uploading photos : 5
Creating Hyperlinks : 5
Embedding Videos : 5
Online promotion through sites like Digg : 5
Your article : I have felt bad about this for about a week. So I have decided to come clean. I bought new comics online! I have for so long been such a staunch supporter of local comic shops and yet in a moment of weakness I bought Daredevil #118. I justified it. Told myself I would head over to Austin Books and Comics tommorrow and buy more comics, but still I could not shake the guilt.
But why be loyal to the local shops? Easy.
1. Local shops keep our comic community alive. And as socially challenged as a few of us are, what would be without each other? Very sad men waiting at the mailbox for the floppies. We need each other to talk about how Kick -ass "Kick-ass" has become.
2. Events. I for one would be very sad to see the end of the various book signings our local shops make available to us.
3. The Labor Day Sale. My favorite holiday is Labor day because of the phenomenal prices and selection.

But then why did I buy online? I guess it was largely because I a victim of selfishness. I saw the 2.39 price (but forgot about the shipping) and went for it. So next time your sitting at the PC eyeing the new Old Man Logan maybe you should go on down to the comic book shop and talk to a real person.

Your Bio : Cole Lundstrom is currently working as a graphic designer at a local shirt company. He received his BA in Visual Arts and freelances as a writer and artist. He is married to his lovely wife Kimberly, with whom he is raising two cats and a dog.

Marvels: Eye of the camera #4

2009-03-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Oh, poor Phil Sheldon. Marvel heroes are just so complicated. Good and then bad and then framed and then good again. Reading Phil's laments as he lives through silver and copper age comics is great stuff, even if it makes you realize how crazy marvel storylines have been. Phil's cancer has come back, but in this issue we get to come to that great literary moment; the resolved character. The art was once again fantastic (even though I miss alex Ross) and the writing is pitch perfect. I loved Marvels ( I just got a NM #0 to complete my collection) and this follow up has been just as good as the original (even though marvel isn't giving it any high end packaging)

Wolverine: Old man Logan #71

2009-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ok so I dont know when this series will come to a conclusion, but the shit sure seems to have hit the fan in the latest issue. For those not following the series, Wolverine is old and living in a post superhero america that has been split up amongst villians. In order to pay the Hulk's offspring his rent he agrees to go cross country with hawkeye to deliver an undisclosed item. And oh yeah, Logan now refuses to fight.

So back to #71

From the opening with a venomized t rex to the oh shit ending. This is one of the best issues in the series, right up there with the #69. Its great fun finding out whats in the box and exciting to realize how much more potential this series still has.

Wolverine Variant Covers...

2009-03-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

So I officially will be collecting all of these.

Source: MARVEL

"Marvel is proud to announce that in honor of Wolverine's 35th anniversary, numerous Marvel titles will feature Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant Covers in April, as part of Wolverine Art Appreciation Month. In the tradition of Marvel's previous variant cover programs, featuring everything from villains to zombies to monkeys, select Marvel titles will feature variant covers spotlighting the most popular X-Man through a unique lens! Inspired by some of the world's greatest artists, these variant covers depict Wolverine like you've never seen him before, in styles reminiscent of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and more!

"This is a huge year for Wolverine as he proves why he's arguably one of the most popular characters in the world," explained Joe Quesada, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief. "He's not just popular with fans but also with artists, as evidenced by how many of today's top comic artists jockey for a chance to draw him. This got us thinking: what if Wolverine had been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years? What great, classic artists would want a crack at drawing a Wolverine cover?"

Keep checking back with Marvel.com for a complete listing of titles featuring the Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant Covers and a first look at these landmark covers!"

Natalie to Join Thor Cast and potentially the most star studded avengers cast ever!!!!

2009-03-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

After a flood of recent “Thor” movie news that included a potential Josh Hartnett casting as the villain, Loki, and a reshuffled Marvel schedule that gave “Thor” a new release date, it looks like there are more changes afoot for the superhero son of Odin. Along with Alexander Skarsgård joining Hartnett in the potential “Thor” casting mix, a new name has been added to the possible list of “Thor” cast members: Natalie Portman.

“I’m told Natalie Portman is in the lead for the female lead,” reports Deadline Hollywood Daily blogger Nikki Finke .

After first breaking the news that Mickey Rourke and Scarlet Johansson had joined the “Iron Man 2″ cast last week, Finke now reports that the “Star Wars” prequels star could be cast opposite whoever ends up wielding the mighty hammer Mjolnir in Marvel’s much-anticipated Kenneth Branagh-helmed film.

If Portman is indeed leaving Naboo for Asgard, the question remains — who will the actress play in Marvel’s “Thor”? With the film purportedly set in Asgard, might Portman fill the role of Lady Sif, an Asgardian goddess and love interest for Thor? Will Marvel take a cue from J. Michael Straczynski’s current comic book run and cast Portman as a female Loki? Sure, the suggestion sounds ridiculous given rumors that Hartnett is up for the role of Thor’s nemesis, but Finke also reports that Marvel could be courting the “Sin City” actor to play the God of Thunder himself.

“There’s a big push to cast Josh Hartnett either in the winged helmet and/or as nemesis Loki, which is ironic since Warner Bros once upon a time threw an amazing amount of money at him to play Superman but he refused,” wrote Finke.

“But my sources say there’s an equally powerful lobby to cast an unknown [as Thor],” Finke added. According to the report, that potential list of actors includes the oft-mentioned Skarsgård, Charlie Hunnam (”Sons of Anarchy”), Tom Hiddleston (”The Gathering Storm”), Liam Hemsworth (”Knowing”) and Danish actor Joel Kinnaman.

Is Natalie Portman’s interest in the film a good sign or a bad sign, and would you dig a female Loki? Would you rather Josh Hartnett as Loki, Thor or neither? Strike thunder upon thine comments section

John MAlkovich SNL Weekend update

2009-03-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

Crank 2 Red Band

2009-03-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

I love trailers. Especially red band ones that are for awesome jason statham movies...

Breaking: Rourke to replace Don Cheadle

2009-03-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

Mickey Rourke Will be replacing Don Cheadle who is replacing Terrence Howard as Jim Rhodes in Iron Man 2

Photgraphic Evidence below...

Watchmen Review (everybody's doing it)

2009-03-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

The watchmen
directed by Zach snyder

The greatest flaw the film has is its appreciation for the novel. The most successful movies are plot driven, plain and simple. And the Watchmen has never had much of a plot. The graphic novel succeeds because it uses a simple question "who killed the comedian" to recount the entire history of a band of superheroes. The viewer really isnt in it for the plot, the most fascinating parts are the relationships, the characters themselves. And that is why the watchmen will never be a commercial juggernaut.

At almost 3hrs snyder tried to cram as much as he could, but really his best move may have been to do the merciless editing hollywood is accustomed to when adapting comics. Dont get me wrong I really enjoyed the film, mostly because it looked amazing and seeing panels come to life is always fun, but its just not a tidy package. In alot of the ways it feels like the film is a companion to the novel, and one's enjoyment hinges on prior knowledge. Regardless its the best thing in theaters now and really so much better than some of the comic book (fantastic four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) adaptations.

4 stars (if you already know the book) 3.2 stars (if you havent read the book, go buy it so you can see the 4 star version of the film)

Welcome y'all

2009-03-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start this primarily because I have no internet privacy under my other aliases. And so...

First things first,

Today I purchased a NM 1st edition copy of the Killing Joke. I fear I paid a bit of a premium because of the Alan Moore mass hysteria surrounding watchmen, but regardless it is mine.