Archive for March, 2009
26 items.
Last week Cami and I watched No Reservations starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart when I noticed that Eckhart has fabulous hair and I hate him for it.
Later, we watched an episode of 30 Rock we had recorded guest-starring Mad Men’s Jon Hamm when I noticed that his hair is also fabulous and that I hate him just as much.
Clearly these two should team up so they can flaunt their fabulous hair and I can hate them equally at the same time.
Think of it as the W.A.S.P. version of Bandidas starring Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek from a few years back. Maybe Eckhart and Hamm can be investment bankers who run out of mousse, or something.
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I wish I had a little more room in the comic to really capture the epic-ness of a Monster versus Alien versus Robot versus Ninja versus Monkey beat down. I hope the ASPCA doesn’t mind that I put a shuriken between the eyes of Bobo there.
I’m still pretty pumped to see Monsters vs. Aliens this weekend even though some reviews are starting to come back negative. I guess some are complaining that it’s kind of short on laughs and not very innovative. Some people are saying it’s the Bad Old Days of Dreamworks Animation and not the blockbuster Kung-Fu Panda was.
I suppose maybe some of that is to be expected. After all, the director is the same guy who wrote and directed Shark Tale. But I don’t care. I just want to watch something fun, bright and colorful. MVA fits the bill. Heck, I think I’m even going to shell out a few extra bucks to see it in 3D! Why not? What else am I going to see A Haunting in Connecticut? I think not. I’ll report back later with my findings.
I don’t have very much to talk about today. So, instead, I’ll take this opportunity to point you to my good friend Joe Dunn’s web comic Joe Loves Crappy Movies. Joe recently made a big announcement. His first book Joe Loves Crappy Movies: Volume One is now available from his site.
You guys really gotta check this out. Odds are, if you’re reading Theater Hopper, you’re probably already reading JCLM. But if you’re not, you’re gonna love it. Joe put a lot of work into this book to really add value beyond what you get on his site for free.
Most impressively, he’s selling “Artist Editions” of the book featuring kick-ass original sketches inside. People who order before Sunday get upgraded for free! You gotta look at the work he’s doing with these sketches. Check out this thread in his forum. They’re amazing.
Joe’s a great guy and I really want him to have a lot of success with his first book. So maybe you can take some of your tax return and invest it in something you’re really going to enjoy. Take my word for it.
That’s all I have for today. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you guys next week!
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It’s been kind of interesting to read the reaction to today’s strip. People have been leaving comments here and over at my Twitter account about what mythical or pop culture combatants they’d like to see in the free-for-all.
Vikings, pirates, astronauts, zombies, cavemen, vampires, Chuck Norris, The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man… I’ve heard ’em all!
The idea was floated around that I draw it and sell a print. I think it sounds like a good idea, but I keep thinking I’ve seen something like that before. In fact, after rummaging through the ol’ memory banks, I remember Young American Comics produced an anthology a few years ago called The Big Ol’ Book of BIZMAR – 75 stories combining Bunnies, Insects, Zombies, Monkeys, Aliens and Robots. I remember because a few of my friends contributed to it.
Certainly no one owns the rights to these kind of mash-ups. But I don’t want to pour a lot of effort into something that’s already been done.
What do you think? Would you like to see an original art piece from me featuring all of your favorite pop culture heroes and villains duking it out?
Leave your comments and suggestions for additional fighters below!
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Wanna know the best way to start your week? MONSTER SQUAD REFERENCES!
You’re welcome.
Speaking of monsters, I saw Monsters vs. Aliens this weekend and, unfortunately, was NOT bowled over. I’m not exactly sure what went wrong other than it fell into that same trap of pop culture references and soullessness that other Dreamworks animated movies seem to fall into.
Maybe I went in with my expectations too high after the success of Kung-Fu Panda last year. But Monsters vs. Aliens is just more of the same.
There are a few laughs to be had. Great line delivery from Stephen Colbert as The President and Will Arnett as The Missing Link. But, unbelievably, it’s Seth Rogen who steals the show as the indestructible blob, B.O.B.
Much like B.O.B., Rogen has crafted an indestructible slacker/stoner/moron persona that brings the biggest laughs in this film. He’s pretty much the only character having a good time while the rest of the world is falling down around him and his cluelessness and confusion makes him instantly endearing.
The rest of the movie is a cheap girl-power parable wrapped up in a few action pieces that have been strung together. Pretty much the best thing it had going for it was the 3D. But even that was a little annoying when they were pulling cheap moves like a guy hitting a paddle-ball toward the screen.
Really, Dreamworks? Why not shoot a scene at a kids birthday party so someone can blow a party noisemaker that uncurls into in our faces.
Should you see Monsters vs. Aliens. If you’re a fan of animation, 3D movies and cheesy sci-fi from the 50’s and 60’s, I’d say “yes.” If you’re a fan of laughing or have laundry to fold, I’d say “no.” I don’t really regret going. But it could have been executed much better.
Switching topics, I wanted to let everyone know that I will be at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle this Saturday and Sunday, April 4 – 5. I’m going to have a table on Artist Alley and you can find me at H-05.
I’m a little nervous about going because this will be the first convention I’ve flown out of state to attend. Typically I only go to conventions I can drive to so I can save on cost. But I found a cheap flight to Seattle and Emerald City was too good to pass up (they have an excellent reputation and are very welcoming to web comics).
Part of my nervousness stems from not knowing anyone at the convention. Sure, there will be a lot of web comics people there like Scott Kurtz, Jeph Jacques and the guys from Penny Arcade. But these guys operate WAY out of my league and they aren’t people I’ve really had an opportunity to interact with socially before.
When I go to Wizard World Chicago ever year, I get to hang out with Gordon McAlpin, Joe Dunn and the rest of the Digital Pimp crew. We set up shop next to each other and goof off for 8 hours while we try to sell our wares. In Seattle, I’ll kind of be own my own.
Well, that’s not entirely true. To take the sting out of travel expenses, I’m splitting a room with Indigo Kelleigh from The Adventures of Ellie Connelly. So at least there is someone I can hang out with after being on the show floor all day. Or, if he has better places to be, I could always go see Fast and Furious the weekend.
Oh! I should probably mention that I was invited to speak on a panel at the convention! Yeah – it’s the Business of Webcomics panel at 1:00 PM, Sunday, April 5 in panel room 3AB.
I’ll be in a room, talkin’ web comics with Robert Khoo from Penny Arcade, Danielle Corsetto from Girls With Slingshots and Jeph Jacques from Questionable Content, doing my best not to sound like an idiot. It’s an amazing opportunity and I want to say thanks to the show organizers for including me! If you’re coming to the show that day, check it out!
Is anyone reading this planning on going to the convention this weekend? If so, can you talk about it a little bit in the comments section? I just want to get a general sense of what to expect. I’m sure everything will be fine, it’s just the unknown that’s eating at me a little bit.
If nothing else, it’ll be a real treat to meet fans from the West coast. This will be my first trip to your neck in the woods and I’m eager to meet you!
Thanks again for reading and I’ll talk to you soon
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Two things that I couldn’t fit contextually with the giant blog post that preceded it, but I have more I need to talk about.
First, don’t forget to check out the podcast I host with Gordon McAlpin from Multiplex and Joe Dunn from Joe Loves Crappy Movies called The Triple Feature tonight at 9:00 PM over at TalkShoe.com.
For SURE we will be talking about Monsters vs. Aliens because I know this is one of the rare movies that all three of us have seen before recording the show. So you know we’re going to firing on all cylinders tonight!
We also gotten in the habit of reading listener questions on-air. We have a bunch of good questions for this week show and I’m really looking forward to answering them. If you’d like to have your question answered (it can be about movies, comics, whatever!) sent it to group@thetriplefeature.com. We WILL answer it!
The next thing I need to do is point your attention to another movie-themed web comic, Brian Carroll’s Instant Classic. Specifically, his latest strip, titled “The Last Seven Hours.” This comic is nothing short of brilliant. It’s basically a musical number in web comic form.
44 panels in length, plotted and written within an inch of it’s life, the comic is accompanied by a piano number written by Carroll and performed by three of his friends and the song is excellent.
I’ve known Brian for a few years. Our comics kind of came up around the same time. Stuff like this is where he really shines. It is unique, endearing and puts me to shame as a fellow artist.
I’ve always felt Brian’s efforts were the classier affair between our two comics. If Theater Hopper were Milk Duds, Instant Classic would be a chocolate covered truffle.
You owe it to yourself to check it out. Tell ‘im Milk Dud sentcha!
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Nothing ruins a joke like over-explaining it, but there’s been an equal amount of confusion and adoration for the soft punchline in Monday’s comic.
To that end, I thought I would post the clip from the movie that the comic references. For those of you in on the joke, this may serve as a fun trip down memory lane.
For the rest of you, just go ahead and buy Monster Squad already
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