The Jacked Kirby Podcast: Episode #6 - The King Goes To The Movies

This week on the Jack Kirby podcast your hosts Tommy Lombardozzi and Mike D take a peak into the King's influence over the movies (and maybe TV too...) in the upcoming months. It has been almost a decade since Robert Downey Jr rocked our world as Iron Man and we have seen the level of style/design that could be aligned with Jack skyrocket over that time. Sometimes the movies may not be that good (I'm looking at you FF reboot...) but when you shift more towards the King's style and flow for the films/tv adaptions we believe you are seeing some better results. Enjoy this wonderful episode and all the Kirby Konnections that go along with it after the jump!

The CCD Podcast #115 - "Character Witness" Bill Paxton

The great Bill Paxton departed our mortal coil recently and we are taking a look back at his varied career. Filmmaker Leland James guides us through the big hits and the lesser known gems of this amazing character actor.

Michael Natathanson, one of the stars of the upcoming Netflix original series, Marvel's The Punisher also joins us. Michael offers his Paxton perspective, as well as giving us a little update at the top of the show about what to expect from The Punisher, his visit to Marvel HQ, and being a part of the MCU.

Follow the CCD Podcast Instagram & Facebook... it's tons of nerdy fun!!!

Early Roles:

Crazy Mama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSFyTT-gwWU

Terminator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv0Jc4ziS-U

Near Dark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufcsS9E-JVs&t=31s

Mid Career:

Slipstream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX6r9zXVOk8

Aliens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vstBC4N_tA&t=27s

Tombstone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPUTRyHbKm0

One False Move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP-4dGY2gYc

Leading Man: 

Twister: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCIK_AN8Zn4

Titanic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kqw9w1w7T0

Mighty Joe Young: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPWHp2KZoY

Making his own mark:

Frailty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPUTRyHbKm0

A Simple Plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfJtnfG6EMI&t=31s

Music:

Reach! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkz0Lx6VyxA

Fish Heads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkz0Lx6VyxA

Club Dread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwt4fAMscDE

The CCD Podcast: Episode #63 - Upcoming Comic Movies Through 2020 or "What? 2020 ?!? I Barely Remember Where I Saw Avengers 2 A Few Months Ago!"

We are living in the golden age of comic book movies... that is one thing that can be said with a certainty. On top of the big dogs like Marvel & DC getting their properties green lit to the silver screen, we are noticing a bunch of indy titles also getting adaptions into movies. I never thought I would be alive to see a great Spider Man or Avengers movie in my life.... I certainly didn't ever think we would see indy titles like Kick Ass, Scott Pilgrim, and The Losers made into a full length feature. There are even a whole bunch of movies made in the last 10 years that ARE actual adaptions of comics that most viewers have NO IDEA were originally COMICS! (From Hell, Road To Perdition, A History of Violence just to name a few) So with recent announcements for the upcoming slate of comic movies getting more and more crowded, the CCD gang decided to jump into the mix and discuss some of our thoughts and expectations for all of these films. We are looking toward the future... and man, does the future of comic book movies look bright!

The CCD Podcast: Episode #53 - The Current State of Marvel or "Make Mine Marvel... All Day, Everyday!"

Make Mine Marvel... this was the rallying cry throughout the 70s/80s/90s from the biggest comic company in the game. Before Image shook up the comic world... before DC made a comeback... before all that, Marvel was on top of the world. And then the bad times came. The low book sales. the systematic selling off of the movie rights to their roster of characters. The impending bankruptcy. The leather clad hero outfits of the 90s. It got real bad in ole Marvel-ville. Rock bottom bad. And then... well, and then they got their shit together. They took one of the properties that they still had the rights to, Iron Man (not exactly the biggest tier character) and made a movie, A FANTASTIC MOVIE. This was one of the best comic films ever. And it began... the rebuild. Into the monster franchise money maker that we all know and love. Books sales went up. Making each and every movie work no matter who is in it (and not having their TOP TIER characters back). Being acquired by Disney. Huge... HUGER than everyone could have ever expected. TV shows. Netflix shows. A talking Raccoon and a Tree leading the highest grossing movie of the year. Yup, Marvel is on top of the world. So Jedi Rob & Mike D breakdown the current state of affairs over at the house that Jack Kirby & Stan Lee built. Enjoy our recap on all that has come, and all we have to look forward to... MAKE MINE MARVEL!!!!

Oh, And For The Record 'Cosmo the Russian Astronaut Dog' From Guardians of the Galaxy Is Pulled From The Comic Pages Too...

Cosmo the Russian Astronaut dog that is seen captured in the Collector's collection in Guardians of the Galaxy is not just a wink and a nod to animal manned space flights of the 1960s. Cosmo himself is a frequent guest in the Guardians of the Galaxy comic, and a few other of Marvel's galactic titles as well (think Nova, Nova Corps, the Inhumans, etc). He actually first appeared in Nova #8 (vol 4) when Richard Rider encounters him on Knowhere (the Celestial skull planet from the Guardians movie) and thinks he is a regular dog. Turns out, he is a powerful telekinetic pup that has played major parts in Annihilation, the Thanos Imperative, and many other storylines throughout the last few years of the Marvel Comics universe. He has even been a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy themselves (issues 15 through 19 of Guardians from 2009 as a matter of fact). A cool little Easter Egg thrown in to the film from James Gunn and the Marvel Cinemtaic crew that comes right off the pages of the comics. Check out some panels and pics of Cosmo after the jump...

Guardians of the Galaxy x Tommy Lombardozzi x Erle Tompkins = FUEGO !!!

So I saw Guardians of the Galaxy at the 7 pm Thursday night show... and it was magnificent. Absolutely perfect. On every level. It was just amazing, and words can't do it any justice. So I'm going to let two of my very talented artist friends do the talking with their talent. Tommy Lombardozzi is an amazing artist who is not afraid of any challenge when it comes to character creating. So when he began getting hype for the GOTG movie release, he decided to add his own vintage loving spin to the version of the team that appears in the movie. He has Groot, Rocket, Drax, Gamora, and Star Lord... but it is the retro versions of all the characters instead of the most current inclinations!!! Great idea and execution... can't know where you are headed unless you know where you are going!!! Up second we got our boy Erle Tompkins and his homage to the GOTG. He decided to bust out his own unique Peter Quill... The STAR LORD himself! It is the movie version of Star Lord, complete with the orb and all. Suns out, Guns out... two great pieces, by two great artists. Check out all their work by clicking their names above, and check out these pieces after the jump...

Nova Prime, Rhomann Dey and Yondu Get Character Posters For Guardians of the Galaxy!!!

Any good movie has great starring characters, but it is the strength of the supporting cast that will really cement the property as across-the-board amazing. We have been going wild hearing about the five main characters that will make up the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (Star Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax and Gamora), and we were also intrigued when Ronan the Accuser and The Collector were named as villains. But who else will be making appearances/cameos in this film to fill out the character components of this film and may provide Easter Eggs  for future Marvel Cinematic movie universe films? Well it seems that the Nova Corps will play a huge role in the movie, with characters Nova Prime (played by Glenn Close) and Rhomann Dey (played by John C Reilly) occupying key positions among the intergalactic police force. Will Richard Rider (the full time hero known as Nova in the comics) be one of those cops? Maybe. But theses two alone prove that the Corps will be intricately involved in story lines for future movies to come. Then we have Yondu. Yondu was an original member of the Guardians of the Galaxy back in 1969 when the comic premiered. But in this inclination he will not really occupy that role. It seems he will be the adoptive dad-type for Star Lord, and will start Peter Quill down the path of scoundrel and law breaker before he becomes a hero. After a heist they pull together , Quill vamooses with their goods and Yondu and his gang of outlaws called the Ravagers follow him and the rest of the Guardians across the universe trying to get it back. A dual role of father figure and, later, foil for Yondu, played by director James Gunn's favorite co-contributor Michael Rooker. Can't wait to see all these characters play out on the screen... two more weeks baby! Check out the three posters after the jump....

The Avengers x S.H.I.E.L.D. Invade NYC With The 'Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N' Installation...

Marvel has wowed us on both the big screen and small this year, and its comics still aren't so shabby either... yet these cats still find new and exciting ways to wow us. No, I am not talking about Guardians of the Galaxy, the upcoming Netflix collabs, or the Agent Carter TV show. Nope... I'm talking a real life display museum, right here in the heart of NYC, that shares all the cool props and sets we have fell in love with over the past decade. Marvel's 'Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.' (Science Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network) is set to open at Discovery Time Square soon (it has been delayed... but a press tour was given). You get an interactive museum experience that reminds me of Captain America 2, complete with set reproductions, artifacts and props, and costumes right out of the films. Chris Welch of The Verge got a chance to visit the exhibit, and his camera was poppin off to capture all the highlights. You can see his original story and pics by clicking here.  You can grab tickets and information on the exhibit by clicking here, and see my favorite pics of the bunch after the jump...

Marvel's Netflix/TV Universe Has A Bright Future, And They Are Looking To Get Off To A Good Start Quickly...

So even though this was a tough week for Marvel's cinematic wing (they lost Edgar Wright as a director of 'Ant Man'), things are certainly looking up for the Netflix/TV division and are looking quite promising. The first season of S.H.I.E.L.D. is in the books and although the show started slow it did a fantastic job of meshing the cinematic and TV universes mid-season with Cap 2 (which came out smack in the middle of the season. It was done flawlessly. Now there are rumors of the 'Peggy Carter, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.' spin-off, period show (set back in the 40s and 50s) and the Netflix series that are finally getting cast ...and wow, Marvel doesn't seem to be playing around! First up... 'Daredevil'! We got our Matt Murdock, and also a show runner.

Click after the jump for more info....

Guardians Of The Galaxy Gets A Second Trailer... I Can't Possibly Be More Excited !!!

They are the Guardians... of the Galaxy!!! Wow. I have not really yearned to watch a film for a very long time. Marvel is taking a lot of gambles with this film... using a comic as the basis for a film that almost no one outside the hardcore comic reading world knows, having a living tree and a talking raccoon as two of the five team characters, and taking their whole cinematic universe off of Earth and beyond the stars. I don't know how it is all going to shake out or if the film will be a success, but judging from how good the footage has looked and Marvel's recent track record I am not betting against it. The second trailer has arrived, and in this one we see much more of Star Lord's helmet, and what he is capable of. We also get the famous 'I am Groot' line we have all been waiting for... and a little crotch adjustment from a 3 ft raccoon. Yup, this one will be pretty great. Check out the new trailer after the jump. The movie arrives August 1st!

Guardians of the Galaxy Gets A Trailer... OOOOOOHHHHH, I'M HOOOOKED ON A FEELINNNNNN !!!!

When the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer was scrubbed from the Super Bowl broadcast, I began to gte concerned. How could a 2 minute trailer not be ready for a movie due out this summer? Was Marvel lacking that much confidence in a film meant to carry on the epic run the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on? What the Fuck! But then the actual trailer came out, and... well, I must say that I owe Marvel an apology. I owe them an apology because over the past ten years they have hit film after film out of the park. I owe them an apology because they have weaved together a cohesive universe over multiple films that is constantly moving forward. And most of all I owe them an apology because they have never given me a reason to doubt them, and I started too. But after 2 minutes and 31 seconds, I realized what an idiot I am! Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! The trailer was perfect. The tone of the film seems amazing, James Gunn's style is all over this trailer. All the alien tech and characters look amazing. Drax looks rugged. Gamora sexy and deadly. Starlord... Starlord is hysterical! The highlight of course is Groot & Rocket. Rocket looks and sounds pretty spot on. The spitting also drives home the characters rudeness. Groot looks epic, and him being Rocket's muscle is probably going to lead to some really fun action scenes. I also love the simpleness of the character... its pretty spot on. Can this be any better? I don't know how. You have probably seen it already, but if not have at it after the jump. Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters on August 1st, 2014...

Marvel & Netflix Team Up To Change The Game

Good lord... this is a true game changer! Marvel and Netflix have agreed to team up in one of the most ambitious ventures ever announced. The two industry titans have decided to come together and produce 4 individual 13 episode television shows based on the characters of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Power Man & Iron Fist... and then a Defenders mini series highlighting all four characters!!! Holyyyyyy SHIT!!! Are you kidding me? All four series will be set in Hell's Kitchen, NY and will be based in the same universe as the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well. Good god... the best part is they say "a minimum of four" live action series... could even be more!!! The plan is to unroll the shows in 2015, and given the recent success with Netflix original programming (Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, etc) and everything live action Marvel (movies & the SHIELD TV show) this should go over swimmingly. Plus, I really dig the idea of getting 13 episodes to explore each character in full detail. Than we can bring them all together... wow. This can be so great, and think about how many villains, lesser characters and cameos we can plan on seeing. Check out the full press release after the jump...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Thus Far by One Man Sidekick

One Man Sidekick is a graphic artist who loves that Marvel Cinematic Universe. He decided to show his love for the excellent work that Marvel is doing on the big screen by compiling some pieces of all the major characters from each film, giving them all the proper shine they deserve. These are absolutely great, given the fact that he is using stock images of the characters. The way he arranges them and makes them play off each other, and also chooses specific versions of each character to bring his pieces to life. Check them all out after the jump... he even has a Thor 2: The Dark World one in there, so that he is right up to date!!!

Model Callie Cosplay Takes On Gamora... Sexily, Of Course!!!!

Guardians of the Galaxy will be here sooner rather than later... and while comic geeks are dying to see what they do with Rocket Raccoon & Groot, it is some of the other characters that people should really start to get familiar with. The one that stands out to me is Gamora, the sex appeal of the team as the only woman member. Yup, she is green-skinned and mean... but don't you dare mistake her for She Hulk!!! Gamora has been around since 1975 and has a seriously checkered past in the comics that are sure to play a part in Phase II and Phase III of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gamora is Thanos's step-daughter, and the big cosmic baddie was teased at the end of Avengers. Given that Avengers II will be The Age of Ultron, it seems like Thanos is slated to be the big baddie in Guardians instead... which is AWESOME on so many levels. I am sure that Gamora will start off loyal to her pops and maybe see the light... and she is being brought to life on the screen by the lovely Zoe Saldana. That is sure to be a treat for the eyes at the very least. As we await to Ms. Colombiana in the green body paint, to hold you over here is an excellent gallery of model Callie Cosplay bringing the sexy alien to life. She really captures the essence of the character, and her costume is perfectly close to the original. Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters in 2014... in the meantime, we will always have Callie as Gamora...