#IReadsYou TV Review: UZUMAKI EPISODE 1

“Uzumaki” Episode 1 (2024)

Running time:  24 minutes

TV-MA

DIRECTOR:  Hiroshi Nagahama

WRITER:  Aki Iazmi (based upon the manga by Junji Ito)

PRODUCERS:  Jason DeMarco (executive producer) and Maki Terashima-Furuta

COMPOSER: Colin Stetson

ANIMATION/HORROR

Starring:  (English dub voices) Abby Trott, Robbie Daymond, Cristina Valenzuela, Aaron LaPlante, Mona Marshall, Doug Stone, and Max Mittelman

“Uzumaki” is a four-episode, animated, horror television miniseries from director Hiroshi Nagahama.  The series is a joint production between Cartoon Network's “Adult Swim” programming block and Production I.G USA, the American division of the Japanese animation studio, Production I.G.  The first episode of Uzumaki made its debut on Adult Swim Saturday, September 28, 2024 and became available to stream on the Max service Sunday, September 29, 2024.  There is both an English-language and Japanese-language version of this miniseries, and this review is based on the English version.

“Uzumaki” is an adaptation of the manga (Japanese comics), Uzumaki, originally published from 1998 to 1999 and created by Junji Ito.  Uzumaki the anime is set in the coastal Japanese village where a high school couple confronts the spiral pattern that seems to be haunting the village.

“Uzumaki” Episode 1 opens in Kurouzu, a small Japanese coastal village where we meet Kirie Goshima (Abby Trott), a high school girl who is traveling to Kurouzu Station.  There, she plans to meet her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito (Robbie Daymond).  Upon his arrival, Shuichi seems withdrawn, and his moodiness apparently involves his father.  It seems that Mr. Saito (Aaron LaPlante) has become obsessed with the whorled pattern known as the “spiral” (uzumaki).

Initially, Kirie laughs off Shuichi's concerns, but she eventually personally experiences Mr. Saito's weirdness.  Soon, she is noticing strange and horrifying things herself.  The most horrifying may involve her friend, the very popular teen girl, Azami Kurotani (Cristina Valenzuela).

Junji Ito's Uzumaki manga runs well over 600 pages, so the creators of its anime adaptation have streamlined the story in order to fit a narrative that won't be even one hundred minutes long.  That doesn't bother me all that much as long as they capture the existential sense of dread and cosmic horror that is Uzumaki.

Uzumaki's animation is in black and white, not color, and the character and production design mimic Ito's drawing and graphic design style as closely as they can.  In fact, the anime filmmakers' fidelity to Ito's aesthetic adds another layer of uncanny to this already uncanny series.  So I can overlook, the fact that – judging by Episode 1 – this series does not adopt the hauntingly patient, measured, drawn-out pace of Ito's manga.

Much of the body horror that this anime depicts is as disturbing as that found in live-action body horror films.  Combine that with persistently eerie sound design and it makes this one of the most chilling, scary, and troubling animated series every broadcast on American cable television.

The English voice performances are, quite frankly, superb – from the leads to the supporting players.  They make it seem as if all the freaky things they are seeing are real, even surreal, but never fake and contrived.  I won't spoil Uzumaki Episode 1 for those who have not yet seen it, but it ends with some body horror that had me pressed against the back of my couch.

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Sunday, September 29, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Book Review: Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic

MASTERS OF MAKE-UP EFFECTS: A CENTURY OF PRACTICAL MAGIC

WELBECK PUBLISHING

AUTHORS: Howard Berger and Marshall Julius

DESIGN: Russell Knowles; Darren Jordan

EDITORS: Ross Hamilton and Roland Hall

ISBN: 978-0-80279-001-6; hardcover – 9” x 11” (September 20, 2022)

320pp, Color, $39.95 U.S., £30.00 U.K.

Forward by Guillermo Del Toro; Afterword by Seth MacFarlane

Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic is a film history and art book from authors Howard Berger and Marshall Julius.  Berger is a special make-up effects artist with over 800 feature film credits.  With Tami Lane, Berger won the “Best Make-up” Academy Award for their work on the 2005 film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Julius is a London-based film critic, blogger, broadcaster and author, whose previous books include Vintage Geek (September Publishing, 2019) and Action! The Action Movie A-Z (Batsford Film Books, 1996).

Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic is an illustrated oral history of the art form of make-up effects, celebrating the make-up artists and acclaimed make-up effects masters from the world of both film and television  The authors take their readers into that fascinating world via untold stories from the sets of both popular and cult films and television.  Read the tales behind the make-up and effects on such films as An American Werewolf in London, Star Wars, Pan's Labyrinth, and The Thing, to name a few.  Visit the sets of such TV series as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Doctor Who,” “Star Trek,” and “The Walking Dead,” to name a few.

THE LOWDOWN:  In Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic, there are 293 stories over 15 chapters.  I counted.  That made Masters of Make-Up Effects one of my most difficult book reviews – if not the most difficult.  There is just so much good stuff for film fans and movie buffs that reading it can sometimes feels like sensory overload.

First, I'll mention something that absolutely delighted me.  Co-author Marshall Julius pens an introduction that recounts an interview he conducted with his then-future co-author, Howard Berger, in 2006.  It ended with Berger applying his make-up effects magic on Julius, and the result of that magic...  Well, you have to buy Masters of Make-Up Effects to find out what it is.  [If you are a movie fan, you really should already have this book.]

Masters of Make-Up Effects contains hundreds of photographs, a few of which I was familiar.  However, the vast majority were new to me – these photographs of actors, directors, and, of course, the make-up and effects artists who are the stars of this book.  Yes, I have seen make-up special effects legend, Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow), in film and on television for decades.  However, the other photographs put faces on these make-up effects and make-up artists I only knew as names on screen, on the Internet, and in books.  This includes masters such as Rick Baker, Rob Bottin, Greg Nicotero, Dick Smith, David White, Kevin Yagher, and Louis Zakarian, to name a few.

Seeing a photo of Stuart Freeborn and another of the members of his Star Wars “creature crew” was almost a religious experience.  Thank you, Howard and Marshall, for that.  Freeborn and company were the people behind Chewbacca and the creatures of the “Mos Eisley cantina sequence” in the first Star Wars.  In 1982, I saw Star Wars in a pre Return of the Jedi re-release.  That Saturday afternoon, I followed Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi into that “wretched hive of scum and villainy” and movies were never the same for me after that.  So finally seeing the artists behind it is a big deal.

While trying to find a way to talk about all these photos, it was then that I realized that Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic is not only a book of photographs, but it is also a book of stories.  If you like science fiction, fantasy, and horror films and television, this book of stories is for you and the fans in your life.  The storytellers include the great Robert Englund, Rick Baker, Doug Bradley, Bruce Campbell, Nick Dudman, Toni G, Doug Jones, John Landis, James McAvoy, Greg Nicotero, Sarah Rubano, and Tom Savini, to once again name a few.

One does not need to be a fantasy film fan to love this book.  After all, film and TV dramas also require make-up effects and make-up artists.  Chapter 13 is entitled “Reel Lives” and focuses on the make-up work behind films based on real-life figures.  Actors have to be made up to resemble historical figures like Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins in 2012's Hitchcock); Judy Garland (Renée Zellwegger in 2019's Judy); and Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady), to name a few.

I bought this book almost a few months ago, and I find myself repeatedly returning to it.  I can't get enough of the photographs or the stories.  Howard Berger and Marshall Julius have created an important book in Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic, both for what it is and for what it may mean in the future.

As more people discover this book, some because of a second printing, they will realize that it is a gem.  Over time, it will become an important resource for reference and scholarly research.  Movie and television fans, put those unused gift cards from Christmas and the holidays to use and buy Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers who are fans of the magic that is movies will want a copy of Masters of Make-Up Effects: A Century of Practical Magic.

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://www.welbeckpublishing.com/

https://twitter.com/welbeckpublish

https://www.instagram.com/welbeckpublish/?hl=en

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

TRAILER: "The Boys" Season 3 - Redband Teaser

Amazon's hit superhero drama, "The Boys," is back for Season 3 on June 3, 2022.  The series is based on the comic book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson.  Now, there is a "redband" teaser that features a look at the new character, actor Jensen Ackles' "Soldier Boy":

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 12, 2014

DC COMICS

SEP140294     ARROW SEASON 2.5 #2     $2.99
SEP148023     BATGIRL #35 2ND PTG     $2.99
SEP140253     BATGIRL #36     $2.99
SEP140247     BATMAN #36     $3.99
SEP140250     BATMAN #36 COMBO PACK     $4.99
AUG140337     BATMAN ADVENTURES TP VOL 01     $19.99
SEP140286     BATMAN COMPLETE TV SERIES DVD SET     PI
SEP140284     BATMAN COMPLETE TV SERIES EXC LIM ED BLU-RAY & BOOK SET     $284.99
SEP140285     BATMAN COMPLETE TV SERIES LIM ED BLU-RAY     PI
SEP140287     BATMAN COMPLETE TV SERIES SEASON ONE DVD SET     PI
SEP140244     BATMAN ETERNAL #32     $2.99
JUL140238     BATMAN SUPERMAN HC VOL 02 GAME OVER     $24.99
AUG140333     BATMAN SUPERMAN TP VOL 01 CROSS WORLD (N52)     $14.99
SEP140343     COFFIN HILL #13 (MR)     $2.99
SEP140208     CONSTANTINE #19     $2.99
JUL140270     DREAM STATES THE COLLECTED DREAMING COVERS HC (MR)     $49.99
SEP140204     EARTH 2 WORLDS END #6     $2.99
SEP140345     FBP FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS #15 (MR)     $2.99
SEP140276     GREEN LANTERN CORPS #36 (GODHEAD)     $2.99
SEP140189     JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #6     $3.99
SEP140192     JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #6 COMBO PACK     $4.99
SEP140334     KITCHEN #1 (MR)     $2.99
SEP140210     KLARION #2     $2.99
SEP140218     NEW 52 FUTURES END #28 (WEEKLY)     $2.99
SEP140214     NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #4     $2.99
SEP148024     ROBIN RISES OMEGA #1 2ND PTG     $4.99
SEP140333     SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #51     $2.99
SEP140301     SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 CHAOS #4     $3.99
SEP140238     WORLDS FINEST #28     $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

MAY140420     DC COMICS COVER GIRLS MERA STATUE     $99.95
APR140311     DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS HARLEY QUINN BUST     $49.95
MAY140425     WONDER WOMAN ART OF WAR STATUE BY YANICK PAQUETTE     $79.95

Buffy's James Marsters Tops List of Actors at Wizard World Big Apple

James Marsters, Tom Felton, Morena Baccarin, Kristanna Loken Top Celebrity List At Wizard World Big Apple Comic Con 'Spring Edition,' May 21-22 At Manhattan's Penn Plaza Pavilion

Dan Fogler, Bonnie Piesse, "Raab Himself," Chandler Riggs, Rikishi, Christy Carlson Romano Also Set For Longest-running Comic Con in New York

NEW YORK, May 6, 2011 – Stars James Marsters, Tom Felton, Morena Baccarin and Kristanna Loken headline the field of celebrities scheduled to attend Wizard World Big Apple Comic Con 'Spring Edition,' part of North America’s largest pop-culture tour, Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22, at the Penn Plaza Pavilion in Manhattan.

The event, the largest and longest-running Comic Con in New York, will bring together thousands of fans of all ages and plenty of celebrities and industry professionals to celebrate the best in pop culture: movies, comics, toys, video gaming, television, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.

Marsters, who played “Spike” on “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer,” has proven to be one of the most popular guests at Wizard World Comic Con events. Felton, best known for playing the role of “Draco Malfoy” in the HARRY POTTER film series, and Baccarin, who starred as “Inara Serra” in the sci-fi television series “Firefly,” “Adria” in “Stargate SG-1,” and as “Anna” in “V,” will both be making their first appearances at a Wizard World show. Loken, whose credits include TERMINATOR 3, “Painkiller Jane,” and “The L Word,” has also been well-received at previous Comic Cons.

Other celebrities setto be on hand include Tony Award winner Dan Fogler (“Balls of Fury,” “Good Luck Chuck”), Christy Carlson Romano ("Kim Possible," "Beauty and the Beast” [Belle]), Bonnie Piesse (STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH, STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES), “Raab Himself” ("Jackass," "Viva La Bam"), Chandler Riggs (“The Walking Dead”) and Rikishi (WWE, TNA wrestling).

Children and adult attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite villain, superhero or pop culture personality for the chance to win special prizes in costume contests. Event-goers may also try their hand interactive product exhibits and shop for collectible comics, movie and television memorabilia, toys and games at more than 200 dealer booths.

Special events at Big Apple Comic Con include the TCG Gaming tournament, professional photo opportunities (Photo Ops) with celebrities and others to be announced.

The Penn Plaza Pavilion is located at 401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St., in the historic Hotel Pennsylvania. Big Apple Comic Con Spring Edition is the fifth stop on Wizard World's 13-city 2011 North American tour. Hours are Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 22, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets are available in advance online at http://www.wizardworld.com/newyorkcity.html at up to a 15% savings over tickets purchased at the door. Advance adult single-day tickets are $20; two-day weekend tickets are $35, and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult). VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available.


About Wizard World:
Wizard World is a producer of pop culture and multimedia conventions across North America that markets movies, TV shows, video games, technology, toys, social networking/gaming platforms, comic books and graphic novels. It has the rights to the names, marks, domains, customer lists and production rights for a portfolio of pop culture and multimedia conventions.

For the most recent event information please visit www.wizardworld.com and become a Big Apple Comic Con Fan on Facebook.

***** SAVE THE 2011 DATES *****
May 21-22 – Big Apple Comic Con

June 17-19 – Philadelphia Comic Con

August 11-14 – Chicago Comic Con

September 17-18 – New England Comic Con

September 24-25 – Los Angeles Comic Con

October 22-23 – Mid-Ohio Comic Con

October 28-30 – Central Canada Comic Con (C4)

November 11-13 – Austin Comic Con

January 28-29, 2012 – New Orleans Comic Con

March 23-25, 2012 – Toronto Comic Con

April 27-29, 2012 – Anaheim Comic Con

December 8-9, 2012 – Miami Comic Con

Titan Comics to Publish "Family Guy" Comic Book

‘GIGGITY GIGGITY’! Titan Comics Set To Launch All New Family Guy Series!

Titan Comics and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products are pleased to announce the U.S. launch of the Family Guy comic series, based on the award-winning hit animated TV show from the mind of Seth MacFarlane.

The Family Guy comic series will follow the Griffin family in a string of brand new outrageous storylines, along with fellow Quahog residents Cleveland Brown, Joe Swanson and everyone’s favorite ladies man, Glen "giggity" Quagmire.

Family Guy has become one of America’s favorite animated TV shows of all time, and was named one of TV Guide’s “25 Top Cult Shows Ever!”. The show boasts over 27 million fans on Facebook, and has been nominated for 13 Emmy® Awards including Outstanding Comedy Series.

Artwork for the Family Guy comic series is provided by comic artists SL Gallant (G.I. Joe, Torchwood) and Anthony Williams (Judge Dredd, Superman, Batman).

Family Guy comic #1 will be on sale and available on US newsstands and in specialty comic book stores beginning on July 27, 2011.

Follow @FamilyGuyComic on Twitter where news on the comic series will be revealed on a regular basis.


About Titan Comics:
Titan is the largest and most experienced publisher of licensed entertainment properties in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Titan Magazines was established in 1995 as a separate division of Titan Publishing Group Ltd, to produce officially licensed tie-in movie and TV magazines and comics. For more information on our titles, visit http://www.titanmagazines.com/.

About Family Guy:
In 2009, FAMILY GUY earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, making it only the second animated series in television history to be honored with such a distinction. Since its debut in 1999, the animated series has attracted an impressively loyal following of devoted fans and has sold nearly 25 million combined DVD units, making it the largest-selling TV series ever.

The show follows the adventures of lovable oaf PETER GRIFFIN (Seth MacFarlane) and his hilariously odd family of middle-class New Englanders. LOIS (Alex Borstein) is Peter’s loving wife, a former Miss Teen Rhode Island who rules the roost but is one step away from a nervous breakdown. Then there are their kids: frumpy 17-year-old MEG (Mila Kunis), the family’s punching bag; 13-year-old CHRIS (Seth Green), a kid who doesn’t understand girls, much less the evil monkey who recently emerged from his closet; and 1-year-old STEWIE (MacFarlane), a diabolically clever baby whose burgeoning sexuality is very much a work in progress. Rounding out the Griffin household is BRIAN (MacFarlane), the family dog, a member of Mensa with a penchant for dry martinis and dumb blondes.

FAMILY GUY is a 20th Century Fox Television production. Seth MacFarlane is creator/executive producer. Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan serve as executive producers/showrunners, while David A. Goodman, Chris Sheridan and Danny Smith are executive producers.

About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third-party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

First Look at Adrianne Palicki as NBC's New Wonder Woman

EW.COM EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman in NBC’s new fall pilot, exec produced by David E. Kelley

Link to FULL story and FIRST PHOTOS on EW.com: http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/18/wonder-woman-adrianne-palicki-photo/

Steven Yeun of "The Walking Dead" TV Series at Long Beach Comic-Con

THE DEAD WALK AT LBCC 2010

 

Image Comics announces exclusive signing with THE WALKING DEAD's Steven Yeun at Long Beach Comic-Con

 

He plays everyone's favorite THE WALKING DEAD character -- Glenn -- on AMC's new hit series, and Image Comics is pleased to announce that STEVEN YEUN will be joining them for an exclusive appearance during Long Beach Comic-Con 2010!

 

Appearing Sunday, October 31, only, Yeun will be signing at Image Comics booth #218 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The signing is ticketed. Starting at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at booth #218. One ticket per person. Each person in line will get a free copy of THE WALKING DEAD #75!

In THE WALKING DEAD, a comic series created and written by Robert Kirkman (INVINCIBLE, THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN) with art by Charlie Adlard, an epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son.

The AMC TV series based on THE WALKING DEAD comic book debuts October 31, 2010. Yeun plays fan-favorite Glenn, an adaptable and clever young man who has a talent for scavenging supplies from even the most zombie-infested areas.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in the city of Troy, Michigan, Yeun began his foray into acting while studying psychology at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After seeing a performance of the school's improv group, he decided to switch his focus to acting. Following graduation, Yeun moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre, eventually having the opportunity to work in one of the touring companies of famed comedy theatre and improvisational school The Second City. After accomplishing his goals in Chicago, he moved to Los Angeles, where he currently resides. Prior to THE WALKING DEAD, Yeun was most recently seen in a co-starring role on an episode of the popular television series The Big Bang Theory.

"Thanks for having me!" exclaims Yeun. "I'm totally stoked to be signing at the Image booth and to meet all of The Walking Dead fans. It's gonna be a blast!"

Don't miss Steven Yeun, signing exclusively at Image Comics booth #218, on Sunday, October 31, 2010, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. during Long Beach Comic-Con 2010!


Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit http://www.imagecomics.com/.

Sequart Announces Book about 1960s Batman TV Series

PRESS RELEASE:

Sequart Research and Literacy Organization’s Gotham City 14 Miles: 14 Essays on Why the 1960s TV Series Matters is now available for order through comic shops (use Diamond order code OCT101262). The book, edited by Jim Beard, is currently listed in the books section of October’s Previews catalog (page 332) and is set to hit stores in late December.

A sell out at New York Comic Con, Gotham City 14 Miles offers 14 essays that examine the equally celebrated and derided show from varied, sometimes surprising viewpoints:

*Bats in Their Belfries: The Proliferation of Batmania, by Robert Greenberger. (Covers the genesis of the show and explosion of Batmania.)

*Batman: From Comics Page to TV Screen, by Peter Sanderson. (Delves into Batman’s comic-book roots.)

*Such a Character: A Dissection and Examination of Two Sub-Species of Chiroptera homo sapiens, by Jim Beard. (Compares / contrasts the 1939 Batman with Adam West’s.)

*Notes on Bat-Camp, by Tim Callahan. (An effort to answer that age-old question, “Was Batman truly camp?”)

*Aunt Harriet’s Film Decency League, by Becky Beard. (Weighs the caliber of the show’s most significant guest stars.)

*POW!: Batman’s Visual Punch, by Bill Walko. (Looks into the impact of the show’s visual design.)

*Known Super-Criminals Still at Large, by Chuck Dixon. (Compares / contrasts TV versions with comic-book portrayals.)

*May I Have This Batdance? by Michael S. Miller. (Looks at the most famous TV theme and the songs it inspired.)

*The Best Dressed Women in Gotham City, by Jennifer K. Stuller. (A compelling argument for its female denizens and their place in Batman.)

*Holy Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor! by Michael D. Hamersky. (Addresses the topic of youth culture as presented in Batman.)

*Gotham City R&D, by Michael Johnson. (Examines Batman’s gadgetry.)

*Theatre of the Absurd: Batman: The Movie, by Rob Weiner. (Discusses the 1966 feature film.)

*Jumping the Bat-Shark, by Will Murray. (Delves into the third season of Batman.)

*Some Days You Just Can’t Get Rid of a Bomb, by Paul Kupperberg. (The show’s legacy beyond its original broadcast.)

*Afterword, by Jeff Rovin, co-author of Adam West’s Back to the Batcave. (Offers a few personal anecdotes about the show and working with West.)

*Episode Guide, by Joe Berenato. (A rundown of episodes with airdates and fun facts.)

Don’t miss out on this critical discussion of one of the most influential yet misunderstood TV shows of all time. (Softcover, 6”x9”, 300 pgs, B&W, $22.95 cover price, ISBN 9780578064611.)


NOTE: Don’t assume your comics store will order copies – some stores might not even notice it in the catalog. The best thing you can do is tell your local retailer ASAP (they have to place orders before the end of October) that you want them to order you a copy. And because the book is buried in the catalog, it might help to give them the book’s order code, OCT101262.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Batman and related characters are trademarks of DC Comics. This book is not endorsed by DC Comics.

Law and Order SVU's Christopher Meloni at New York Comic-Con

Law & Order SVU Star To Sign At Ape Entertainment Booth

Christopher Meloni on hand at NY Comic Con to support upcoming comic

October 7th, 2010: Christopher Meloni, star of Law & Order: SVU, OZ, and the Harold and Kumar movies, will be signing limited edition posters of his upcoming comic book, AvaTom, at the Ape Entertainment booth (#2105) on Saturday October 9th from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Writer Jason M. Burns will also be on hand.

Due in 2011, AvaTom is a dark and edgy thriller about a young software developer who creates a lifelike avatar system, only to realize that the avatar he created has made the conscious (and deadly) decision to take over the developer’s life. The series is written by Burns and drawn by Ramon Espinoza.

For more information on Ape Entertainment, visit http://www.ape-entertainment.com/.

I Reads You Juniors Extra: The Boondocks Season 3

TV Squad has information about the third season of "The Boondocks" via statements from creator Aaron McGruder.

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Family Guy didn't win... 2009 Emmy Winners

It would have been so cool if FOX animated series, "Family Guy" had won "Outstanding Comedy Series," which "30 Rock" won, again.

61st Annual Emmy Awards (2009)
Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men
Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close - Damages
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Toni Collette - United States of Tara
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Emerson - Lost
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Cherry Jones - 24
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Amazing Race
Outstanding Reality Program: Intervention
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program: Jeff Probst - Survivor
Outstanding Miniseries: Little Dorrit
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie: Brendan Gleeson - Into the Storm
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: Jessica Lange - Grey Gardens
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie: Ken Howard - Grey Gardens
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: Shohreh Aghdashloo - House of Saddam
Outstanding Made for Television Movie: Grey Gardens
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special: The Kennedy Center Honors
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Rod Holcomb, "And in the End" - ER
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: "Meditations in an Emergency" - Mad Men
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Jeff Blitz, "Stress Relief" - The Office
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: "Reunion" - 30 Rock
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Dearbhla Walsh - Little Dorrit (Part 1)
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Little Dorrit
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Bruce Gowers, "Show 833" (The Final Three) - American Idol
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special: Bucky Gunts - Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special: Chris Rock - Kill The Messenger
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Michael J. Fox - Rescue Me
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Justin Timberlake - Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Ellen Burstyn - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey - Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Special Class Program: Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Happy Birthday to The Cosby Show

25 years ago tonight The Cosby Show debuted on NBC (September 20, 1984). To this day, cultural commentators and people who write about television and television history talk about how influential the show was.

For my family, it was a godsend and a revelation. It was a godsend because it was the first show that portrayed a successful upper class black family in which both the husband and the wife were accomplished professionals. And after years of shows depicting all manner of suffering Negroes ("Good Time") and down and dirty colored folk ("Sanford and Son"), we desperately wanted a TV series just like The Cosby Show. It was a revelation because, while we thought the show would be good, we had no idea that it would be so good and that we'd love it so much.

Follow the links to the Wikipedia and IMDB pages on The Cosby Show - Season 1