Sexy Cosplay of the Week: Lexi Strife

It’s the start of another glorious weekend and time for The Sexy Cosplay of the Week.

This week it’s the land of love and France’s own Lexi Strife.

While still relatively new to cosplay, this French spitfire has the mindset of a pro: it’s all about having fun. It helps to score nerdy points when you’re also going to school for geography, any woman that can explain a location better then Wikipedia can has already won our respect.

Lexi Strife is a cosplayer that anyone could strive to be, just for the sake of being a good person. From her several versions of Gurren Lagann’s Yoko to Final Fantasy’s Rikku and Yuna, Lexi Strife is one talented lady.

Check out more of Lexi Strife at her Deviant Art, World Cosplay,

ABC President Talks S.H.I.E.L.D. And Joss Whedon

Television executives are often asked about shows in development and a single off hand remark can often be blown out of proportion and sink any chance a show might have of gathering an audience and building a fan base. Luckily, for those of us anxiously waiting for Joss Whedon‘s S.H.I.E.L.D., when ABC President Paul Lee talked with TVLine he said:

“It’s very Joss Whedon. We’re optimistic, because Joss is a genius and we love the idea and we love what we’ve seen. But it’s early days, and it’s a long way to go between now and a successful series. But we are very excited about it.”

Although this is the same guy who also said:

“The Neighbors is very important to me. I love The Neighbors. I know there are some issues with the high-concept nature of The Neighbors. But, when you get a chance to talk to Dan Fogelman, he is an incredibly smart writer. I think he will combine, in a way that I think Adam [Horowitz] and Eddie [Kitsis] do on Once Upon a Time, that very broad idea with a very smart piece of storytelling. We are loving the scripts for the show. I did want to protect it and make sure that it's between The Middle and Modern Family. We want to give it that big push because we're very proud of it, and we're going to market it. I wanted to make sure that people started to enjoy the show because I want it to be on the air for a very long time.“

I don’t know about you but I couldn’t even get through the first episode of The Neighbors without nodding off and I quickly took it off my DVR list of shows to record.

The good news is that Paul Lee seems to be the type of person that will back the things he likes. If that gets S.H.I.E.L.D. any extra time or chances to get the show going then I’m all for it. I am not expecting S.H.I.E.L.D. to go through the type of issues of poor scheduling, promotion, and finally cancellation that Firefly went through.

What do you think?

Via: Comicbookmovie

Nerd Art Dump: Darkwing Duck the Sith, The Avengers With Pokemon, Game of Thrones the Videogame & MOAR!

Each and every week we scour the Internet for nothing but the best in nerdy art. We leave no digital stone unturned, we poke and prod every nook and cranny of the Interwebz. Why? Because we love you, and we love to bring you weekly feed of nerd art. On with the dump!

Oh look, a Disney/Star Wars mash-up… This one by Xum Yukinori, features Darkwing Duck joining the dark side of the force, which appears to be more open to purple instead of the customary black. [Geek Tyrant]

Hit the jump for video games, movie posters, Ariel as the Swamp Thing and MOAR!

Movie posters based on comic book story arcs? Genius! Evan DeCiren has made a collection of these beasts based on Deadpool, Captain America and, Daredevil. Using nothing more then his computer and some photoshop, this smart S.O.B. has made the posters for movies Hollywood should be putting into production. [Deviant Art]

I’m sorry, but there are just some moments where you have to go “Aww” no matter how manly and this is one of them. Artist Feriowind decided to pair each member of The Avengers with Pokemon who they thought best suited each hero. And everyone is pretty bang on, but follow the link to see The Hulk’s picture, you’ll laugh till you cry. She even includes Spider-Man and Pepper Potts in the mix. [Comics Alliance]

We can’t quite explain the reasoning behind why Rosy Higgins decided to combine Disney‘s Ariel and DC comic‘s Swamp Thing, but it looks pretty damn cool. Maybe Prince Eric is into scaly chicks with a love of nature and singing? [Geek Tyrant]

In a place like Sunnydale this had to have happened at least once, Buffy and the gang battling the crazed Muppet’s of Sesame Street out for blood and cookies. Justin Hillgrove put together this lovely piece worthy of traumatizing your son or daughter for years to come. [Imps And Monsters]

Welcome to Canada. Two things you need to know: Snow is cold and pissing off a naked, claw wielding mutant that just escaped a a secret government facility is stupid. [Otis Frampton]

He’s a producer, director, screenwriter and the man behind the cult classic Freak and Geeks, but now Judd Apatow can add “subject of an entire gallery” to his body of work. The piece above, called “The Trouble with Rogens (and Hills and Farrells)” by Casey Weldon is one of many at Gallery1988′s upcoming tribute show on Apatow and his work. The opening reception is Tuesday, December 4th from 7 PM to 10 PM and will run through Sunday, December 30th at the Gallery1988 Melrose gallery in Los Angeles. [Laughing Squid]

How despicable! Here’s Black Cat, bathing in a tub of milk and there’s no cookies in sight. Just kidding, this piece on Marvel‘s secret Spider-Man lover was actually tastefully done by Clayton Henry. Now if only we could figure out if Felicia Hardy is rocking skim or 2%, both good for the skin. [Deviant Art]

Now before you get all excited this isn’t concept are for a Game of Thrones fighting game, the world isn’t ready for something that awesome as of yet. This is actually the work of Roberto Flores, aka “Dynamaito”, based on the idea of blending the HBO series with Capcom‘s Street Fighter game play. Turned out pretty well. [Geek-Art]

‘Avengers’ Get Their Own Pinball Machine

Let's face it, The Avengers made a shitton of cash and if Disney has anything to say about it, they'll keep milking the super team until it's dry as a bone. So what's the next step in the process? Well, it's an unconventional one these days, but they decided to give The Avengers their own pinball machine.

The new machine will come in three different flavors – Avengers Pro, Avengers LE (Limited Edition) and a Hulk LE. A fourth flavor, Avengers Premium, will be arriving next year.

But don't take our word for it, check out the press release and pretty pictures below (after the jump).

Stern Pinball Celebrates The Avengers Motion Picture with New Machine

Avengers Pinball Game Joins Stern's Collection of Comic Inspired Games

MELROSE PARK, IL - November 29, 2012 - Stern Pinball Inc., the world's leading maker of real pinball games, announced today the release of The Avengers pinball machine. The newest member of the Stern collection memorializes The Avengers, a franchise that has remained a staple in pop culture since it first appeared as a comic book series in 1963. The Avengers will join Stern's revolutionary line-up of comic inspired machines including X-Men, Spiderman, Iron Man and Batman.

For almost 50 years The Avengers have delighted fans through comic books, television series and movies. Stern is thrilled to bring the franchise to pinball and provide fans with a new medium through which to enjoy The Avengers. The machine features a dynamic setting that incorporates six iconic Avenger heroes: Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, CaptainAmerica, Black Widow and Hawkeye. Players help The Avengers assemble to defeat the notorious villain Loki. The Avengers pinball features an animated twisting and pounding custom molded HULK, drop targets and a spinning cube bonus, in addition to plenty of multiball action.

"Throughout the years The Avengers have cultivated a loyal and energetic fan base," said Gary Stern, founder, CEO and Chairman of Stern Pinball. "Stern is pleased to have the opportunity to give these fans an Avengers pinball game to enjoy for years to come."

The Avengers game continues both the Stern Pinball and the Stern family tradition of producing quality pinball machines for young and old. The company traces its lineage toPhiladelphiain the 1930s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Stern passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary Stern who founded Stern Pinball. Today pinball remains one ofAmerica's favorite pastimes.

Pricing and Availability:

Avengers Pro: $5699 MSRP

Avengers LE: $8099 MSRP

HULK LE: $8099 MSRP

Avengers Premium: Pricing available in 2013

And, as promised, pretty pictures:

Thanks to Collider for the heads-up.

‘Doctor Who’: Is Christopher Eccelston Hinting at a 50th Anniversary Return?

There are a lot of Whovians who like to shit on the 9th Doctor, Christopher Eccelston. You’ll often hear complaints about his short tenure as The Doctor, that his take on The Doctor was too angry, and when he left he burned bridges with “senior people” of Doctor Who‘s production. Personally, I like to remind people that without Eccelston we wouldn’t be enjoying the successful series of Who we are today, but it’s often hard to change a fan’s mind once it’s been made. So maybe this will.

In a recent interview with Red Carpet News, Eccelston made a few comments that have us questioning his earlier denials he’d have nothing do with Doctor Who in the future. In particular this response when asked about wanting to be involved, "Would I like to be involved? If I told you that, I'd have to shoot you.” Hmm. Sure, he was asked if he’d like to be involved as opposed to are you involved but it’s a different response from his earlier, “No. Never bathe in the same river twice,” comment.

Check out the whole interview below,

src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DdU_YxzRjbU" frameborder="0" width="600" height="350">

What are guys thinking? Is he likely to return for the 50th? It seems almost a given David Tennant is returning as he’s almost confirmed it himself, it’d be nice to see Eccelston return, too. Something like a reunion of the reboot Doctors would be nice, don’t you think?

Source: Doctor Who TV

REVIEW: ‘Arrow’ – Episode 7 – “Muse of Fire”

Arrow was back last night after a week hiatus for the stuffin’-your-face-with-turkey holiday, and it came back strong. In an episode without any island flashbacks, though still managed to make the consequences of Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) time there the focus, we were introduced to Helena Bertinelli (Jessica de Gouw), known to most as Huntress, learned the true identity of John Barrowman‘s “Well Dressed Man,” and finally saw Ollie be honest with someone.

“Muse of Fire,” co-written by DC’s wonderboy, Geoff Johns, picks right up with Ollie trying to mend his broken family ties. On his way to meet his mother, Moira (Susanna Thompson), for lunch Ollie sees her narrowly avoid being shot as the man she was speaking with, an “associate” of mobster Frank Bertinelli (Jeffrey Nordling), is gunned down by a mystery motorcyclist. After first suspecting his mother must have been the target, Ollie decides to investigate Bertinelli thanks to a tip from Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne).

While visiting Bertinelli to discuss “business,” Ollie meets Helena, and it’s like a match made in vigilante heaven. All right, maybe not at first but that’s because these two are awkward as hell. They’re forced to get to know each other when Helena’s father pimps her out to Ollie in order seal their business deal, while he goes and has a secret meeting with China White (Kelly Hu) and the Triad. While on their “date,” Ollie actually has a frank and open discussion with someone about how isolated he’s felt since returning from the island. They bond over their mutual suffering, which for her was having her fiance murdered by her father. Of all people to turn to, he’s opening up to the mob boss’ daughter he met like 2o minutes ago.

But that’s because she’s not just a mob boss’ daughter, Helena is pursuing a crusade of her own. All is revealed when after dinner their both back at the restaurant to bust up Bertinelli’s “associates” who came to harass the restaurant owner for protection money. First in is The Hood closely followed by the mysterious motorcyclist. The motorcyclist quickly shoots the mobsters at which point The Hood steps in for some vigilant on mystery killer action. Well, it’s a mystery until Ollie rips off the biker helmet to reveal, dun, dun, DUN – HELENA! Yeah, it’s not that much of a reveal since we, the audience, knew almost from the beginning she was the killer, but it sure surprises the hell outta Oliver.

But if you’re looking for a shocking reveal, I’ve got one for you. First, let’s check in on the other date happening in this episode, Tommy (Colin Donnell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Yup, they’re moving on from friends with benefits towards something more serious. It’s a move which brings out this great line from Ollie, “That’s good. If you hurt her I’ll snap your neck. Just kidding.” Haha. Yeah, real funny bro, says Tommy as he discreetly shits his pants.

Anyway, on their date Tommy’s credit card in denied and it’s a major blow to his wooing of Laurel. It gets worse when he realizes that’s not all he’s being denies, he’s also been cut of completely from any of his family’s money. This guy’s a trust fund baby, everything he has comes from his father. Which is why he goes to confront daddy only to reveal he’s, dun, dun, DUN – JOHN BARROWMAN! That’s right, his mysterious “Well Dressed Man” is Tommy’s father, Mr. Merlyn. Which is such a ridiculous notion I love it all the more. I have to admit I gasped when he removed his fencing helmet – the only acceptable sport for the villainous elite – even if it’s not at all what I was expecting his role to be.

For their second date, since their first was simply smashing, Ollie and Helena are kidnapped by her father’s thugs as lead thug, Nick Salvati (Tahmoh Penikett), has deduced it was Helena at the restaurant who shot up their men. During Helena and Salvati’s war of words we learn her fiance was killed because a laptop was found with incriminating evidence he had been leaking to the FBI about her father’s shady dealings. Turns out that laptop was Helena’s as she’s been the one confiding to the FBI, to which Salvati admits he’s the one who actually killed her fiance and it’s all her fault anyway. Enough soap opera drama, cue the fight scene. Ollie and Helena easily break out of their zip tie bonds and kick the crap outta these guys. Helena kills Salvati by snapping his neck and saying she can’t let anyone learn her secret. Sound familiar?

Yeah, it’s much the same rational Ollie has used for killing guys in the past, but this time he has the audacity to call her out on it. Dude, double standard! In the end though, it’s this mutual thirst for justice – or vengeance, depending on who you ask – that brings them together. Together in the sense that Ollie likely spent the night at her apartment after their end of episode make out scene. Those Ollie/Laurel shippers must be in tears. And usually, I’d count myself among them but I haven’t really felt the connection between Ollie and Laurel the same way I do between Green Arrow and Black Canary. I dig the possibilities of this Ollie/Helena, and in turn The Hood/Huntress, pairing. The script of this episode was literally beating us over the head with how similar they were, of course they’d seek to confide in each other.

Next week Arrow is back with “Vendetta,” preview below, and it looks like Ollie and Helena won’t only lovers but crime-fighting allies. Tune in Wednesdays at 8pm on the CW.

src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HMGTTWv4Ylo" frameborder="0" width="600" height="350">

Disney Taps ‘Safety’ Writers to Fly the New ‘Navigator’

It’s been a while since we heard anything about a Flight of the Navigator remake, although I can’t even think what the last news we heard about such a remake was, or even when that was, but hey, like the old saying goes, no new is good news. Right?

Maybe not, but now there is news. It’s being reported today that Disney has hired Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, the screenwriters behind the Sundance darling Safety Not Guaranteed, to pen a script. They’ll be taking over from Brad Copeland, who was hired to write the script way back in 2009. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman (The Muppets, The Fighter) are producing the project.

The original Flight was directed by Grease filmmaker Randal Kleiser, and it starred Joey Cramer as a boy who disappears in 1978 and is found 8 years later in a crashed flying saucer having not aged a day in those 8 years. The boy and the alien ship, which is a sentient entity named Max (voiced by an uncredited Paul Reubens), then go on the run from nefarious government forces, as they try and find a way to get Max back to his own time. I remember seeing the movie as a kid and being slightly freaked out by the notion of disappearing for 8 years, not aging, and returning home to find that everything’s different. Obviously, as a kid, I didn’t handle change very well.

As for Trevorrow and Connolly, they are very hot right now. Safety Not Guaranteed was a favorite coming out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The critically-acclaimed sci-fi/romance/comedy was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, and the writing duo themselves were just nominated for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards.

More news as it develops.

Source: Variety

Those ‘Star Wars’ Movies Lawrence Kasdan & Simon Kinberg are Writing Might be Spinoffs, Not Episodes VIII and IX

What we don’t know about the upcoming Star Wars movies far outweighs what we do know. For instance, we know Micheal Arndt is writing Episode VII. We don’t who’s directing, though there’s been more rumors today it’s Matthew Vaughn. We also know Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg have been tapped to write for these new Star Wars movies. Up until now most assumed these would be the following movies of the trilogy, Episode VIII and Episode IX. Not the case according to The Hollywood Reporter.

They were the first to confirm Kasdan and Kinberg had been signed to write, and now their reporting those movies could be further “Episodes” down the line, say maybe Episode X or XI. Or possibly spinoff movies set within that galaxy far, far away as this line from the article indicates,

Their scripts could turn into official "Episodes" in the main Skywalker storyline, or they could form the basis for spinoffs focusing on side characters.

By now you might be wondering why I have Lando up there, gracing the top of this post. Spinoffs, guys! We could get movies about the lesser characters of the Star Wars universe! I like this idea that Germain Lussier of /Film proposes,

Then, in 2017, instead of seeing the next film in the trilogy, we get a spin-off film - something like the young Han Solo story. That could feature Solo as a teenager, how he came to smuggling, the card game where he won the Millenium Falcon, the Kessel Run, why Chewbacca has a life debt to him, and it ends as he walks into a cantina in Mos Eisley.

I like how this guy’s thinking. It’s the perfect direction for new Star Wars movies because there’s so much they could explore. Why not a Lando movie? How about a Boba Fett flick? I’m sure that’d drive the fans wild!

What kind of movies do you want see come of this Disney/Lucasfilm partnership?

Source: /Film

Bungie release Destiny screen shot after a leak

Woah! Finally an official thing from Bungie on their new game, Destiny.

Following a massive leak of images and details to IGN gaming site, Bungie responded with an official release of this screen shot stating:

"Go ahead. Take a peek. It's alright. We weren't quite ready, but we will be soon, and we can't wait to finally show you what we've really been up to.
Stick around, we haven't even started yet."

The screenshot shows an awesomely curved tank / battle gun of some kind, foot soldiers bearing arms and a landscape setting that appears to be er... snowbound.

Show Your Star Wars Pride With R2-D2, Boba Fett and AT-AT Jackets

We’ve featured the X-Wing Pilot Hoodie from Ecko X before, but now they’ve added new styles and characters to their product line. There’s a track jacket that turns you into R2-D2 complete with a hood that looks like his domed head, or an AT-AT inspired variation with a visored helmet-style hood. You can also show your team spirit with varsity jackets for R2 in a cotton/polyester blend or Boba Fett in a heavier wool/vicose melton blend with PU sleeves.

See more pictures after the break…

Product Page ($120-$180 via The Awesomer)

SyFy Seeking Rights to ‘Waterworld” for TV or Movie Reboot

Many of you may remember the 1995 film Waterworld, assuming you haven't blocked it out of your mind. This old flick had Kevin Costner (then an actual star) drinking his own pee and doing battle with an evil Dennis Hopper while sailing along on an Earth that was completely flooded. And though the original was less than a masterpiece and did not-so-good at the box office, it looks like SyFy wants to resurrect the property and perhaps make a few bucks.

They're currently in talks with Universal to get a hold of the Waterworld rights. If the deal goes through, they'd be putting something together in either a movie format or possibly even an ongoing television series. So, it looks like we may see more post-apocalypse-on-water action in the near future. Hopefully the end result is better than the last one.

Personally, I think a TV show could work, even if the sets did look pretty much the same from episode to episode. What do you in NerdReader land think? Wanna see some more water being all over the world and stuff? Or let this mediocre movie rest in peace?

Thanks to ComingSoon for the heads-up.

Interview: R.I.P.D. Writer Jeremy Barlow on ‘City of the Damned’, ‘Star Wars’, and More

Jeremy Barlow has written Star Wars comics, Mass Effect comics, Deathlok, and more, but this time he’s taking us out west with R.I.P.D.: City of the Damned, a prequel to the R.I.P.D. movie that will star Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds when it debuts this summer.

I spoke to Barlow about picking up where Peter Lenkov left off with R.I.P.D., what he thinks about the future of Star Wars, the possibility of more Deathlok, going freelance, and what it takes to write a comic book.

For those who aren’t familiar with Peter Lenkov’s original R.I.P.D. story, how does this pivot off of that and how does the film pivot off of City of the Damned?

Jeremy Barlow: Peter Lenkov's first story introduced the Rest in Peace Department through protagonist Nick Cruz' (now Nick Walker) eyes. He was a troubled Boston PD officer killed in the line of duty and recruited into the R.I.P.D. to patrol the afterlife. Nick's senior partner is Roy Pulsipher, a gunfighter from the old west and now 100-year veteran of the force. It's a great story, equally full of horror and heart, and it's the basis for the upcoming film.

City of the Damned takes us back and tells the story of how Roy joined the R.I.P.D., and how the disturbing events of his first case shaped his personality. Through this we expand the R.I.P.D. universe and dig deeper into its mythology, while still keeping the terrifying/sentimental tone that Peter established.

You’ve written for pre-established voices like Star Wars before, but here you sort of get to be out front with it. How involved were the filmmakers and Lenkov in the plotting stage and did you feel like you had to speak with Ryan Reynolds or Jeff Bridges’ voice at times?

Barlow: The movie's production was well underway when we started City of the Damned, but I was given autonomy to build the world. I pitched a prequel to give us some space, and once we had the green light, artist Tony Parker and I just went for it and didn't hold anything back. Peter Lenkov has been involved at every step too, making sure everything lines up. He digs what we're doing.

As for writing the characters, it was less a case of "having" to write to Bridges' and Reynolds' voice than "getting" to. One of the challenges of writing is creating vivid characters that speak to you, whose voices you hear in your head, and whose reactions to any situation you'd know by heart. Having those voices already in place is golden.

That said, Nick Walker (the Ryan Reynolds character appears only in a modern-day bookend sequence in the first and final issues. Otherwise, Roy is teamed up with his own senior partner, an intense Puritan named Crispin Mather, who's a new character. For Roy's voice, I've been leaning toward a younger and more brash, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot era Bridges. Throwing him together with a stoic Solomon Kane type has been fun.

Staying with a “voice” question, we go back 100 years to the old west in City of the Damned, you’ve visited that time in your writing before with They’ll Bury You Where You Stand, what is it about that time that appeals to you as a writer?

Barlow: Hey, thanks for mentioning "TBYWYS!" (my original short story with artist Dustin Weaver, which ran in Image Comics Outlaw Territory vol. 2 anthology). I'm glad someone read it!

I'm not at all interested in traditional westerns, actually. In fact, I grew up hating them — the cheap sets, the overly simplistic morality, the bombastic musical scores — just not for me. The western is a purely American mythology, but by its nature it can't escape the concepts of Manifest Destiny and the John Wayne/good guys wear white fantasy. Which just kills it dead for me.

However, I love, LOVE, European westerns from the 60s and 70s. Respect to Sergio Leone and all, but those Man with No Name" movies don't even scratch the surface of that genre's greatness. The original Django's opening credit sequence opened a trapdoor in my brain the first time I saw it, and I fell right in. Through the European filter, that American mythology becomes something else entirely. Something more honest and true, more brutal and surreal, and the visual language knocks you on your ass.

The short answer to your question is, I use this 'wrong' western genre for the same reasons I like writing science fiction-the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. I love creating wholly unique worlds, going places that couldn't exist otherwise, and using familiar symbols in unfamiliar contexts.

Complete 180, more Dethklok comics or other Metalocalypse projects? Ever?

Barlow: Oh, man — I wish. I really hope so. I haven't heard anything from Dark Horse on that front, but I get the sense that the books didn't do as well as we hoped, so I don't know. That was easily the best and most fun job I've ever had, and I could write 100 more issues of Dethklok, easily. Cut off your fingers and cross them.

You were with Dark Horse for a while and then you went freelance and you aligned with Periscope studios. What kind of advantage does joining with a collective give you in terms of booking work and what are the benefits of working freelance as opposed to having one set home?

Barlow: The networking advantages are indirect, at least for me, and I'm not sure that being a studio member has led to getting hired for something. The true benefit of joining Periscope, though, is simply spending time with like-minded and insanely talented artists and writers. It's having a place to go and having people to interact with when the isolation of working from home is too much. It's been a lifesaver, and Periscope is like a second family.

Writing at the studio can be challenging, depending on what I'm working on, but that's only because the room is full of creative, really wonderful people having a great time, and who'd want to block that out?

In terms of your process, how long does it take you from first letter to last to write a script and how do you avoid distractions?

Barlow: Too long. I used to beat myself up for being a slow writer, but I've accepted that it's not so much that I'm slow as I am extremely thorough. I can write a 22-page script in about ten days, but only after I've already spent at least as much time working out the ideas, breaking down the dramatic beats, and solving all of the logic and consistency problems. I go on long walks daily to work things out in my head (and to convince myself that I'm not terrible at what I do).

I script using a program called Movie Magic Screenwriter, with a personally customized template. While scripting, I also have a Word doc open, which I use for general outlining and problem solving. If I get stuck, I talk it out in the Word doc until the solution presents itself, then I jump back over to the script.

My first drafts are loose and crappy. The pages are paced out with one-sentence panel descriptions and placeholder dialogue. Once that's down I'll expand that draft into a full script, along with reference web links for the artist, and everything. Then I'll print that out, proof it, and use it as a reference to rewrite a third draft from scratch. Which is crazy, I know, but it gets the best results. You can stare at a thing for so long that you lose sight of it, and retyping it finds the blind spots and tightens everything up. This is time consuming, especially when I'm juggling multiple projects, but maintaining quality is worth it. The upside is that because I'm so thorough, I'm very rarely asked to do rewrites. So maybe I save a little time on the backend.

For productivity, I use a variation on the Pomodoro Technique. Which is that I have a pair of timer widgets on my Macbook's dashboard — one set for twenty-five minutes and the other for six. While the longer one runs, I work. I focus on the task and ignore the stress and the urge to web surf. When it goes off, I take a six-minute break-no matter what. I walk around the house, drink some water, do some pushups, anything to refresh the brain. When those six minutes are up, I'm back at the desk for another twenty-five.

Before working like this, I'd lose days to anxiety. Days! I'm easily overwhelmed, and my workload this year has been crazy — if I think about everything ahead of me, I lock up and can't get anything done. It's a bad cycle. Breaking it down into small, timed chunks instead has worked wonders.

Advice for aspiring comic writers on how to get published?

Barlow: Get an Internet connection. Okay, that's the smartass answer — but what I mean is that digital is as viable an option for getting your work out there as is trying to get a publisher to pay attention to you. Get online, meet some artists, and just get your stuff out there. Digital is the future — I don't buy monthly comics anymore, I read everything on my iPad — and there's no barrier to sharing your work with the world. If you're good, people will pay attention. If you're not good, keep at it and eventually you will be.

If the question you're really asking, though, is how does an aspiring writer get to do this for a living? Again, it goes back to becoming really good at what you do — so good that someone will want to pay you to do it — and getting there takes a lot of time working and a lot patience sweating through your amateur phase. I've been at this for ten years, and I feel like I'm only just getting my sea legs under me.

What existing character would you like to get your hands on and what would you do with them?

Barlow: Mad Max. In a heartbeat. That character and his whole world are rich and so much fun, you could go in all kinds of directions with them. I'd put him on a ship and send him around the world, starting with Asia and the Middle East, and dig into how the rest of the world is living in the post-apocalypse. How great would that be? Wow. Okay, I have to do this, if even just for myself.

How do you feel about the upcoming Star Wars film?

Barlow: It’s exciting. I’ve written a handful of all-ages Star Wars graphic novels, and my approach was always ‘what would Pixar do?’ Meaning, how best to find the stories’ meaning and heart, and to make them ‘all-ages’ in the truest sense of the word — enjoyable to everyone, regardless of how old the reader was.

I have no inside information, but the rumors are pointing toward Disney and Lucasfilm actually kicking it over to some of the Pixar guys, and that’s fantastic. As a fan, I’m stoked, and I’m looking forward to Star Wars again in a way I haven’t been in a long, long time.

Is there a Star Wars story or character you worked on that you think would be fantastic on the big screen? Would you sell your soul to work on that movie? Keep in mind I am not the devil or an agent of, so any affirmation does not constitute a binding agreement.

Barlow: As a professional, I’m not interested in working on the movie, to be honest. I’ve said what I had to say about Star Wars, and I haven’t written anything for them in quite a while. I’m looking forward to just being a fan again, no longer seeing behind the curtain, and doing my best to stay on media blackout until the movie hits, because I like to be surprised.

That said, if I could have one of my characters built into their future plans, it’d have to be BoShek — the pilot with the sideburns who refers Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi to Han Solo in the Mos Eisley cantina. He gets three seconds of screen time, but I wrote a story setting him up as the Star Wars version of The Transporter, which was a blast. So either him, or Shon-Ju — a failed Jedi padawan turned martial artist who creates his own system of hand-to-hand Force-powered combat, and who has an enormous chip on his shoulder toward his former teachers. He has a lot of depth and potential. I say humbly.

Otherwise, yeah. I’m right in line with you guys on opening night 2015!

R.I.P.D.: City of the Damned from Barlow, Peter Lenkov, and Tony Parker debuts tomorrow (11/28). You can pick up a copy online or at your local comic book shop. For more information on Jeremy Barlow, check out his website.

Marvel Phase 2 News: Feige On Iron Man 3, Hemsworth And Hiddleston Talk ‘Thor 2′

With the stage now set and almost half a dozen movies on the way, Marvel Studios seems to have firm grasp on where their cinematic universe is headed. The sheer weight of planning all those Stan Lee cameos alone must tie up a lot of resources. Over the next few months we are sure to get hints and teasers of what is to come, in fact over the next few paragraphs we get that.

Next up for the Marvel Universe it’s Iron Man 3 May 3, 2013); Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013) and after the jump we have Marvel movie head honcho Kevin Feige talking about Tony Stark’s third outing and a few words Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston talk about what is in store for the Asgardian step-brothers. But first, a fresh scan from the latest Empire Magazine.

Pictured above, yes it’s Iron War Patriot Machine! While we’re not any closer to figuring out the name of Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes’ (Don Cheadle) star spangled robot pants in Iron Man 3, we are treated to a clearer picture of it. Oh and speaking of costumes…

In the same issue, Empire bombarded Feige with questions about Shane Black‘s forth coming threequel. Foremost (for me) is the new more beige Iron Man armor, identified as Mk XLVII, placing it about 39 suits of armor since the last one we saw.

Logic would dictate that it would be the Mark VIII, but we’ve already talked about taking risks, so logic may not apply!!"

One thing we have gleaned early on is that the third Iron Man movie would borrow heavily from Warren Ellis‘ Extremis comic arc from the comics, What does Feige have to say about we comic book nerds cluing in early?

Comic fans are at an advantage and a disadvantage. They know the source material inside and out and believe they can connect clues that lead back to that. And they’re at a disadvantage because don’t always connect those clues correctly!"

Well then… Here’s another scan!

It is easy to say that Iron Man 3 is already a highly anticipated movie. With the teaser trailer looking rather dark Feige still came out earlier stating the movie ‘It's not a serious movie, but we seriously dig into exploring more of Tony.’ - Hey Stark, remember that time your house blew up and you were dragged into the ocean? Funny times, funny times.

Now on to the man Empire magazine has named ”Man of the Year”, Chris Hemsworth!

I am guessing no one at the Empire offices saw Red Dawn… It’s ok though, ’cause by the sounds of it Thor: Dark World will more than make up for a terrible movie or two. Here’s what he had to say to Empire:

On Returning To Asgard For Thor: The Dark World:

“We’ve known since Thor 1 that we were gonna do a Thor 2, so we’ve been talking about possibilities, and then once The Avengers worked, there were things where we’d go, ‘Cool, we can continue this and this is where we go from them with the story.’ It’s been a long time. But you always need this period, the rehearsal prep, and we’ve got some good stuff down. I just saw some of the sets in the last few days and it looks incredible. There’s a lot more of an organic kind of feel to Asgard now. And that Viking element of the Asgardian people, of Thor’s history, is much more present.”

On What Director Alan Taylor Brings To The Sequel:

“It’s less science fiction. I mean, if you look at Game Of Thrones, what I love about it is that it has that mythical element but you’re always grounded in such an organic world. I think that’s the goal scored second time round.”

YES! Don’t get me wrong, I found the first one surprisingly good but moments after walking out of the theater I was already wondering how they’d carry on past it. The ‘fish out of water’ bit only works once (see Crocodile Dundee 2, tell me I’m wrong.) The vague possibility of an all out Asgardian battle royale already had me excited.

Granted, what good is Thor with out a little Loki? A surprising strong point of the first one (as well the team up movie Avengers) was Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of the Norse trickster god. Yes, he is in the sequel and yes he’s been doing his share of talking about it too. In a recent interview with the Huffington Post, Hiddleston gave a little insight on the difference between Kenneth Branagh (who directed the first one) and the sequels new helm, Taylor.

“Ken established the tone, so we’ve taken the baton and kept running. Alan Taylor is fantastic, one of the men responsible for ‘Game of Thrones’ which is so of that world, a very grounded, gritty, earthy world where warriors and swords and monsters and magic all meet, so his experience of that has given him a fantastic take on the whole world of Thor.

He was refashioning those archetypes in space. We talked about King Lear and that kind of dynastic drama, about succession, with somebody at the top of the tree, and somebody else due to succeed the throne, there’s always a wrestling if it's father and son... it’s all very dynastic.”

Ya, I let out a girlish squeal when I read that.

One last comment. I know it is really way to earlier to start speculating about what Marvel’s Phase 3 will be like, but Feige if you’re reading this, I’m going to do you a solid. Base it all off this piece of art by Ulises Farinas.

Stan Lee can cameo as a puppy!

Source: CBM, 2, 3, Superhero Hype

Oh Hey There Official Synopsis for ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’

With J.J. Abrams still tight lipped about any but the most minute details about his second Star Trek movie, Star Trek Into Darkness, it’s nice to get a small slice of info to speculate wildly over. The Film Stage scoured the official Paramount website and uncovered the sequels synopsis.

In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

A manhunt for a ‘one man weapon of mass destruction.’ Kirk having a personal score to settle. Is anyone out there still thinking Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t playing Gary Mitchell?

While its safe to say it won’t contain to much in the way of revealing information, maybe we’ll get a clearer view of the next voyage of the starship Enterprise when the first nine minutes is shown in front of special IMAX 3D screenings of Peter Jackson‘s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, so get your ass-cam handy to leak the footage on December 14th.

(note: I, nor the owners of this website condone or promote sneaking cameras into theaters to leak footage. You’re going to do it anyway, just try not to drink so much coffee before hand. All that shaking is unsettling.)

Source: The Film Stage

Dream Station JOL – A Girl’s Paradise in Harajuku

After WCS we visited several places in Tokyo and will be reporting on them shortly. I went to JOL in Harajuku with my translator Anna and we were lucky enough to be shown around by the staff there. We found out how recently Harajuku has changed from our sterotypical image of the area. Read on to find out more!

Immortalised in Gwen Stephanie's 2004 song "Harajuku Girls", for many the Harajuku area of Tokyo epitomises the colourful street fashion which Tokyo is famous for. However times have changed, and although many Lolita and alternative brands still have their flagship stores in Harajuku, current visitors to the area may be surprised to see more tourists than goths hanging out there on weekends.

It seems Harajuku's alternative fashion scene peaked about five years ago, and the face of the area has been gradually changing eversince. Does this mean that Harajuku is no longer the place to go for the latest trends in Tokyo? In fact, the opposite! We visited Dream Station JOL, one place where youth culture is well and truly booming.

A popular after-school hang out for teens, JOL stands for "Joy of Life" and is located on Harajuku's famous shopping street, Takeshita-dori. One of five stores located across the country, Dream Station JOL is a mini mall housing everything from clothing brands to food outlets – and even the JOL Studio - a place where girls can change clothes after school and try out the latest make-up products and hair straighteners.

So if punk rock fashion is gradually going out of style with Tokyo teens, what's replacing it? According to JOL Harajuku staff, Koichi Ogawa, Harajuku is becoming more like Akihabara. Harajuku's unique teen culture has a new focus, based around a love for idol groups and anime. Usually associated with anime characters, the latest hot fashion accessory is cat ears, while the popularity of idol groups like AKB48 has seen a revival of school uniform (seifuku) fashion. Many school students choose to change into a more fashionable version of their school uniform after school or on weekends, and Harajuku teens are no exception. Phantasian store in JOL sells a range of affordable uniforms similar to the "western" style sported by AKB and other groups.

"The most popular stores here are WE GO, which sells affordable street fashion, and Repipi Armano which stocks more girly styles", says JOL Harajuku’s manager, Mika Ando. Accessories are available at Pink Latte (famous for its themed store, decorated in the style of a large pink aeroplane) and US brand Claire's. It seems the Harajuku punk style still has some influence, with "creepy cute" accessories such as hair clips with eyeballs on being as popular as ever. Even Claire's stocks a range of gothic and fairy-kei style accessories which are exclusive to their Harajuku store. Other popular brands are Dollywink eyelashes and Korean footwear Bubbleflop – flip flops emblazoned with bubbles, plastic sweets, dolphins and other decorations.

Unsurprisingly, character goods are as popular as ever and Harajuku has its own take on classic characters. Vintage character Monchichi has seen a recent revival, with JOL selling original versions of the little monkey designed by their customers. Another popular character is Mameshiba (a cross between a small dog and a talking bean), with JOL carrying a new pink version in the style of Harajuku celebrity Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

Upstairs, JOL has a stage where they host regular shows and talent competitions. When we arrived, local idol group AmoYamo were performing their new single and they seemed to have a lot of fans! It's no surprise that local singers are becoming more popular after the success of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (Kyary was spotted by local fashion magazines in Harajuku before going on to launch her own singing career). Here's yet another example of Akihabara's influence in Harajuku - once upon a time, wannabe idols would perform on the streets of Akihabara, hoping to attract fans. Nowadays JOL gives teens a platform to perform in a safe environment, on a real stage in front of their peers.

Behind the audience area lies a range of food and drink stands - so teenagers can relax with a hot curry or cool bubble tea while checking out the latest acts. We tried a kind of giant takoyaki (fried octopus ball), except the octopus had been replaced with cheese, shrimp and other ingredients - it was delicious!

The best thing about JOL is that it's much more than just a consumer experience - they have a very active local and online community. There are over 20,000 registered JOL members across Japan, who can sign up to review products or model for the JOL magazine, which is given out free at stores across the country. JOL Harajuku even runs a monthly in-store meet-up for members where they can talk about problems at home, get careers advice and give their opinion on the latest fashions and trends. All the food and drink at these meetings is provided free of charge by the store, which shows how much they value their young customers.

If you are visiting Japan and would like to witness the blossoming of new trends, or if you're a young person who would like to experience Japanese youth culture first hand, we recommend checking out what Joy Of Life is all about.

Visit the Harajuku store at Dream Station JOL, Takeshita-Dori, Tokyo, Japan
(nearest station is Harajuku or Meiji Jingu-Mae)

For more information, please visit the Dream Station: JOL website.