Geek of Oz

Marvel are introducing a new initiative in an attempt to increase readership without having to reboot all of their most popular and established series. I personally welcome this move! The "point one" initiative will contain a number of ongoing series sitted with the ".1" suffix to indicate that the issue will be a suitable jumping on point for new readers.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is the seventh in the "DC Universe Original Animated Movie" series. It sees the usual JLA crew of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Martian Manhunter travel to a parallel Earth in order to help out an alternate Lex Luthor. The latest in the DCU:OAM is by far the best of a good bunch. The film is somewhat loosely based on "Crisis on Earth Three" from Justice League of America #29–30 published in 1964 and Grant Morrison's JLA: Earth 2. The story begins on a parallel world in which Lex Luthor and The Joker, alternatively named The Jester, are heroic figures on the run from the "Crime Syndicate". The Syndicate are a Bizarro version of the Justice League led by Ultraman (Brian Bloom), an evil doppelganger of Superman. Lex makes his way to the DCU to plead with the JLA to assist in removing the Crime Syndicate from their position of power as overlords on his home world. I won't go anymore into the st...

Ghosts and Ghouls, it's nearly time for Hallows Eve! What better way to celebrate than by sending a Megamind E-Card to your nearest and dearest. Complete with snippets from the film and animated sequences it has everything necessary to make you scream (or laugh) Head over to the Megamind Website to get sending! Feel free to send me one!

I sat down yesterday and read issue one of Kick Ass 2 by Mr Mark Millar and John "The Tank" Romita Jr. I honestly don't know how Millar is doing it. He is really in the zone at the moment, with Kick Ass 2, Nemesis and Superior off and running it's quite obvious that the Millarworld brutality has hit overdrive.

Hey there True Believers, here's your official list of comic books, collections and posters arriving in comic stores on October 27 th , 2010. For more information on any of these titles, and on upcoming mighty Marvel releases, please visit http://marvel.com/catalog/?date=2010-10-27 or contact your local comic book retailer at 1-888-comicbook. Stay tuned each week for a brand new list of Marvel releases so that you'll never miss your favorite heroes in action!

Read on, good people, for part 2 of my recollection from my most recent trip to Japan. In Part 1 my lovely wife and I arrived at Kansai Airport before making our way to our hotel in Osaka. 

The house of ideas have supplied us with a sneak peak at November's issue of Hulk. This issue sees Rulk team up with Steve Rogers, Thor, Bruce Banner and old grumble-bum, Namor in an effort to thwart Intelligencia's evil plan. 

The good folks at Marvel have supplied us with a preview of November's X-Men #5 by the crazy-awesome team of Victor Gischler and Paco Medina. Every issue of this run has been sold out and it's easy to see why. Issue #4 was yet another sell out so, as usual, Marvel are gracing us with a second printing variant with an all-new cover by the one and only Adi Granov.

Issue 2 Cover The good folks at Marvel have supplied us with a sneak peek at next months Uncanny X-Force #2 by the incredibly talented team of Rick Remender and  Jerome Opeña. Their "first" mission has all but failed and has lead to the imminent return of the blue meanie himself, Apocalypse. Could this be the end of X-Force? Somehow I don't think so...

The good folks at Paramount Pictures have supplied us with a couple of clips from the upcoming Megamind animated feature by Dreamworks SKG. To say that I'm looking forward to this movie would be an understatement. I just watched How to Train Your Dragon on Blu Ray and if Megamind lives up to that animation standard it is bound to be mind boggling. I hate to say it but Dreamworks has really hit it's stride, so much so that I'd have to say that they are seriously in contention to knock Pixar off their throne as the kings of CG (I'm sure Katzenberg would love to hear that!)

The Madman have advised me that Ben 10 returns in December! Ben 10 is in incredibly popular series which airs on Cartoon Network and Channel 9 here in Australia. Everywhere you look there are kids with Ben 10 shoes, hats, shirts and Omnitrix's's's.  I have to be honest, I really dig it myself too! Ben 10: Ultimate Alien volume 1 of 7 is getting a December release here in Australia, just in time for Christmas. The perfect stocking stuffer! I'm also a big fan of Madman. They are the premiere source of anime here in Australia and thankfully they have also branched out into traditional anime and Adult Swim titles. I have an absolute load of Madman anime DVD's in my collection! They seem to be one of those companies that is run for fans by fans... it shows.

Hack Slash was one of those titles that I felt as though I was missing out on. Thankfully Image Comics have released the current Hack/Slash: My First Maniac mini which will be followed by Hack/Slash: Me Without You, the origin story of Cassie's macabre sidekick Vlad.

Read on as I regale you with stories of my most recent trip to Japan. I'll include some pictures and such. I'm sure that you will realise that I have a love affair with the beautiful country of juxtaposition.

The good folks at Walt Disney Pictures have supplied us with a look at their upcoming 3D CGI feature Tangled, which is due to be released here in Oz on January the 6th 2010. This movie really looks the goods and there's no doubt that judging by Toy Story 3, Disney Digital 3D have really nailed the 3D treatment. I'm a massive Disney fan and needless to say, I'm really looking forward to this one.

Great News for those of you in the states with The Super Hero Squad Show returning to air on the 23rd of October on the Cartoon Network US. This time Doom returns but the squaddies main problem this time around is old squiggle chin, Thanos. I seriously love this show! Unfortunately it only aired sporadically over here but thankfully the DVD's came out quick smart.

Image comics have announced that Morning Glories #2 and #3 have sold out at a distribution level. That makes all three issues sell outs! This has been a great read with my non-comic reading wife and I both digging it.

I think everyone is pretty jazzed about the release of Tron: Legacy and it seems so too are the good folks at Marvel who will be releasing a number of Tron inspired variant covers for a bunch of different titles throughout November and December.

Well, I'm home. Begrudgingly might I add. Over the next couple of days I'll post some pictures and stories from my travels. Boy did I have a great trip! I spent a bit more than I should have, and a bit more than my wife! Good times.

My wife and I are having such a great time here in Japan. I'm writing this in the lobby of my hotel in Kyoto saddened by the fact that I only have 2 more days until I have to go home! Stupid home! Stay tuned for some photos from my trip including Cookie Monster, Bert & Ernie, deer, Engrish signs and some other tidbits from my all too short holiday.

Yep, that`s right... a Madonna reference and I don`t even care because I`m on holiday. I`m in Japan at the moment so there will be a distinct lack of updates until about the 16th of October. But when I get back prepare to have the socks blown off your mind. Your mind socks! Highlights so far, the Okonomiyaki in Osaka, photos with Popeye, getting sick on the Back to the Future ride and the glorious, glorious food! Sayonara suckah!

The good folks at the house of ideas have been so kind as to supply us with a preview of the upcoming Captain America #611 by the incomparable team of Ed Brubaker and Daniel Acuna. I don't mean to speak ill of anyone who came before but nobody writes Cap like Brubaker.

The greatest love story ever told, starring...garden gnomes?  I watched this trailer and thought, this movie is going to be a hoot! And then I thought, hark! What cockney from yonder YouTube breaks? Tis Michael "don't throw those bloody spears at me" Caine and I'm even more bloody excited! The voice cast in this film is a seriously stellar ensemble of just about every Brit entertainer known to man! Even better, it has a soundtrack by Sir Elton himself!

I AM NUMBER FOUR Walt Disney Studios have supplied us with a trailer for DreamWorks Pictures' "I am Number Four" directed by D.J Caruso of Eagle Eye and Disturbia fame. I hadn't really heard to much about this flick until it reached my inbox but based on the teaser I have really high hopes. Magic, mystery and pretty girls on motor bikes! All I can hope for now is a good story and we have a winner!

Tomorrow when the War Began has well and truly broken the $10 million mark in Australia and New Zealand and secured further international distribution. The film is based on a novel by best selling author John Marsden, a novel which has been enjoyed by just about every Australian school kid! This is great news for not only Paramount Pictures and the film makers but for the entire Australian Film Industry. Congrats to all involved, you've really done us proud!

There have been numerous occasions that I've been stuck in an elevator, convinced that one of the other occupants is the Devil. Mainly because it would take something otherworldly to produce such an unholy stench... All that aside, the good folks at Universal have supplied us with a trailer for the upcoming "Devil", written by M. Night Shyamalan and directed by John Erick Dowdle the film will be released in most Australian cinemas on the 2nd of December and has received a rating of M for horror themes and violence.

Image Comics have sent us a press release with details on The art of Todd McFarlane: The Devil's in the Details. Which is, believe or not, Todd McFarlane's first art book! If you're game enough, shell out the extra $35 bucks for the special signed copy which is limited to only 300!

Greetings True Believers! This report is of absolutely no interest to us Australian geeks. In fact, it just might make us feel a little deflated... COME DOWN UNDER GOOD SIR! It's quite a nice place when you get used to it! But for all of our readers who are planning to go to the New York Comic Con read on for details on how to meet THE Stan Lee. EXCELSIOR!

The good folks at Marvel have supplied us with a preview of the upcoming Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #15 written by superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis with art by Ultimate Comics débutante Sara Pichelli. I have the entire run of Ultimate Comics but jumped off at the time of the relaunch. Needless to say,  I'm kicking myself now...