Matt Fraction: A comic book writer's secret identity revealed

In the L.A. Times' business section, there is a handy feature run called 'How I Made It.'  This week, reporter Alex Pham talked to comics writer extraordinare Matt Fraction.

The gig: Professional comic book writer.

Matt Fraction, the 33-year-old author of "Invincible Iron Man" and "Uncanny X-Men" comics for Marvel Entertainment, has a job that's coveted by thousands of boys, not to mention grown men who daydream at their desks.

Lately, Fraction's ratcheted his career up a notch by landing a gig to write the script for the upcoming Iron Man 2 video game. It will be published next year by Sega Corp. alongside the debut of the movie sequel. That means his dialogue is very likely to be read by Robert Downey Jr., who plays the title character in the upcoming movie and who also provided the voice talent for Sega's first Iron Man game, released in May 2008.

Now that Marvel will be purchased by Walt Disney Co. in Burbank, Fraction is about to go from college dropout to one of the star writers for the House of Mouse.

We asked Fraction about his unorthodox career path at July's Comic-Con convention in San Diego, where he has earned his minor cult status among comic fans for his graphic novel, "Last of the Independents." His work with Marvel artist Salvador Larocca for "Invincible Iron Man" won the 2009 Eisner Award for best new series...

THERE'S MORE, READ THE REST

-- Alex Pham

Photo: Alex Pham / Los Angeles Times

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'Iron Man 2' takes flight at Comic-Con

“It all started here,” director Jon Favreau told the packed house during Saturday’s “Iron Man 2” session at Comic-Con International. “Nobody cared before you guys did.”

It was just two years ago that “Iron Man” descended on the San Diego Convention Center and went on to make a staggering $318 million in the U.S. (and nearly $600 million worldwide) for a film about industrialist playboy-turned-fully armed superhero Tony Stark -- previously one of Marvel’s lesser-known crime fighters.

Anticipation for the sequel’s panel was so high that even Marvel executives and studio guests had a tough time getting in -- and some didn’t.

Though Favreau said production on "Iron Man 2" wrapped just a week and a half ago, the director brought five minutes of footage from the film, which -- if the reaction from the extra-packed Hall H is any indication -- could top the first. Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is working alone at the outset of the sequel. He rejects another offer to join forces with the group of heroes being assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and is being ordered by the government to turn in his super-powered suit, which has been branded too dangerous a weapon.

The special preview also introduced the new cast members Garry Shandling as the senator demanding Stark’s suit, Don Cheadle as Jim Rhodes (War Machine), Mickey Rourke as bad guy Ivan Vanko (a.k.a. Whiplash), Scarlett Johannson as Natasha Romanoff (aka Black Widow) and Sam Rockwell as arms merchant Justin Hammer.

Cheadle’s replacement of actor Terrence Howard, who played Rhodes in the first movie,  is dealt with quickly during an introductory exchange between Stark and Rhodes: "It's me. I'm here. Deal with it. Let's move on," Rhodes says. (Howard reportedly exited the sequel after a salary dispute.)

Later, during the Q&A portion of the panel, Cheadle was asked if his performance was informed by Howard’s. The actor said he stuck to what the script dictated, “but I will say, being the vampire that I am, I siphoned off everything I could from Terrence's performance and then modernized it for 2009."

The audience also got its first look at Whiplash’s electrically charged whips and Cheadle donning his own high-tech get-up as War Machine.

"I can't believe your rig was heavier than my rig," Downey joked.

"It was a contractual thing," Cheadle replied.

When asked by a fan what she did to get the part of Black Widow, Johansson said, “I did a couple of knee bends, some lunges -- that came out wrong.” Downey jumped in, addressing the fan, “Did you bump your head? Her audition was her body of work.” Favreau said he liked that Johanssen showed up to their initial meeting having already dyed her hair red for the job. To prepare for the physical nature of the role itself, the actress said she trained in mixed-martial arts and ate a “a lot of egg-white omelets.”

Rourke wasn’t able to attend the panel, but in his absence, his co-stars talked up his commitment to the film. Favreau revealed that, to get into character, Rourke spent some quality time in a Russian prison.

“And I thought I was eccentric,” Downey said. “He’s something else.”

“You know, after perestroika, the first film to arrive in Russia was '9 1/2 Weeks,' " Favreau said. “Mickey’s a sex god in Russia.”  

As for the planned movie "The Avengers," a film that would team up a smorgasbord of Marvel heroes including Iron Man, one fan asked Favreau point-blank: Are you going to direct that film?

"I still have another year on ['Iron Man 2'] to go and they're getting ready to make 'Thor' with Kenneth Branagh directing," Favreau said. "'Avengers' doesn't shoot until we're done with 'Iron Man 2...Hopefully the movies will continue to cross-pollinate with each other and be involved with each other."

How's that for a non-answer?

“Iron Man” is set for a May 2010 release.

-- Denise Martin

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Downey and Favreau on board for the Avengers movie

 

Photo: Robert Downey Jr., left, and Jon Favreau pump up the crowd at Comic-Con during Saturday's "Iron Man 2" panel. Credit: Getty Images

Comic-Con: To Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes is no mystery

It’s official: Robert Downey Jr. is still the king of Comic-Con.

The actor bounded into the San Diego Convention Center's Hall H on Friday morning, his second trip to massive weekend fest. This time, he was here to promote “Sherlock Holmes” and was welcomed with an even more breathless and deafening response than “Twilight’s” own Robert Pattinson.

“I love you guys so much,” he told the raucous crowd. 

Clearly enjoying the attention, Downey was in a playful mood and joked about starring as the latest interpretation of the classic British sleuth. “I kept asking myself, ‘Why haven’t they figured out how to reinvigorate Sherlock Holmes yet?’ Casting.”

After debuting a super-sized trailer for the Guy Ritchie-directed “Holmes,“ starring Downey, Jude Law and Rachel McAdams, Downey explained the timing of the super detective’s comeback more seriously.

Holmes, he said, has been misrepresented in previous film projects. “The more we all looked into the original lexicon of the four novels and dozens and dozens of short stories, the more you realize that,” Downey said.

“We pretty much went back to the source. That’s how we reinvigorated it, by changing it less than it has been.”

The work that went into playing Holmes reminded him of the prep to play Charlie Chaplin, a part that earned him an Oscar nomination. "This movie was all about the prep -- martial arts and dialect. I get grumpy when I actually have to work, but I do love the challenge."

"Robert was so committed -- and ripped in this movie," McAdams added.

Downey will be back in Hall H on Saturday to promote “Iron Man 2.”

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Robert Downey Jr. Credit: Getty Images

Comic-Con: Paul Bettany talks 'Legion' and 'Priest' [video update]

Paul Bettany comes into Comic-Con sporting a trifecta of movies that fanboys are looking forward to seeing at midnight screenings when they're released: "Iron Man 2," "Legion" and "Priest."

We spoke with him at the WIRED Cafe as he prepared to be announced at the huge Hall H for "Legion." It's cheating a bit to say "Iron Man 2" is among his films with Bettany only doing minor voice-over work as Jarvis, Tony Stark's snarky home computer (meaning his home is the computer), but we had to get "trifecta" in there somehow. 

"I really have no idea [what I do in 'Iron Man 2']  Last time I got called in, I came for really about two hours and laughed all the time," says Bettany. "I kind of forgot about it. When the last movie came out, I was making 'Legion' and everybody called me and said, 'Paul, are you in "Iron Man"?'  I said, 'No, I don't think so.' They said, 'Really, 'cause it sounds like you.'  I said, 'No ... oooo yeah, yeah I am!' "

So, he moves on quickly. Bettany's other two films, "Legion" and the filming-in-the-future "Priest," deal with exploring extreme versions of religious figures -- as a fallen priest who kills vampires and other supernatural beasties, and the angel Michael, battling for humanity's right to live. Bettany talks about weapons in "Legion" and battling other angels.

This will be the first time Bettany has seen any footage from "Legion," but not his first time at Comic-Con. Bettany came to San Diego two years ago when his wife (Jennifer Connelly, as if you didn't know!) was launching a film at the Con with Keanu Reeves.  He says that the fervor surrounding that was "extraordinary. Keanu Reeves was like a god had arrive here."

"My youngest, who was at the time 3 or 4, was meeting Stormtroopers for the first time. So for him, it was really meeting actual Stormtroopers. It was actually a really great time."

-- Jevon Phillips

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Comic-Con: James Cameron gives fans a lengthy look at ‘Avatar’

Comic-Con: To Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes is no mystery

FIRST LOOK: 'Black Widow: Deadly Origin'

  

You may have seen the first photo of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow (at right, first published by Entertainment Weekly) from next summer's "Iron Man 2," now take a look at how closely it matches up with the upcoming Marvel Comics series "Black Widow: Deadly Origin.'

Johansson will be in San Diego for Comic-Con International, and though many comics fans have known the Widow for decades (she first showed up 45 years ago in "Tales of Suspense" No. 52), there's going to be a big push in the months to come to reframe her history and fill in her back-story for relative newcomers to the Cold War character.

The limited series "Black Widow: Deadly Origin" is due in November and features art by Tom Raney, who drew the striking image you see above. I called the writer, Paul Cornell, over in the U.K. Thursday and he said the challenge of the four-issue miniseries is "gathering up all the history of the character, making sense of it all while presenting a high-powered techno-thriller -- but that's the fun part too."

Cornell said this story presents the Widow as "the most experienced intelligence agent in the world," a forever-young super-spy (she doesn't age like normal people, not unlike old crony Wolverine) who has been honing her martial arts skills "for 50 years while at peak physical condition."

The Widow spent years as an elite spy for Soviet-era Moscow and then battling and/or romancing heroes such as Hawkeye, Daredevil, Hercules and Iron Man; she has to revisit all that in "Deadly Origin" after learning that (thanks to a mysterious figure from her past) there's some sort of toxic "technological curse" that is endangering the life of every man she's ever kissed.

"And, yes," Cornell noted, "that is a long list."

-- Geoff Boucher

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Photos and images: Marvel

UPDATE: I got an email from Marvel that there was a title change on this book, which was called "Year One" and is now called "Deadly Origin." This post has been changed to reflect the new title.

Bruce Lee vs. Iron Man

It's on...!

 

-- Geoff Boucher

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Marvel movies update: 'Avengers' delayed -- will Jon Favreau direct?

There's ongoing speculation that Jon Favreau might direct the "Avengers" film and perhaps a "Fantastic Four" reboot as well. The same rumor roundup story, over at Ain't It Cool, says that Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") is a candidate to wield the hammer of Thor and that Josh Harnett is a contender for the role of the mendacious Loki.

For more on Marvel, here's an AP story that came over yesterday...

Fans of "The Avengers" will have to wait a little longer to see their favorite superheroes on the big screen. Marvel Entertainment Inc. said Thursday that it will debut the flick on May 4, 2012, nearly a year after its previous launch date of July 15, 2011.

"The Avengers," which features a team of comic book characters, will be the culmination of a series of movies based on individual Marvel characters that will be released leading up to it.

"Iron Man 2" will launch on May 7, 2010, as scheduled. It will be followed by "Thor" on June 17, 2011, instead of its previously planned release date of July 16, 2010. "The First Avenger: Captain America" is now coming out on July 22, 2011, instead of May 6, 2011.

Separately, Marvel confirmed that "Spider-Man 4" from Sony Pictures Entertainment is slated to hit theaters on May 6, 2011.

So I have this theory that Arnold Schwarzenegger would be great as Odin in the "Thor" movie. That's nutty, right?

--Geoff Boucher

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Exclusive images: Marvel's 'Dark Reign'

Out of the ashes of Marvel's "Secret Invasion" storyline rose the Dark Reign.  Norman Osborn, old crazy Green Goblin himself, set things in motion to dethrone Tony Stark as head of SHIELD (actually getting it decommissioned), and taking over as one of the most powerful men in the world.  Legally!  To make sure that he holds on to that power, he enlisted the help of Dr. Doom, Namor, Emma Frost, Loki and the Hood to consolidate his hold over the rest of the superhero community.

Marvel has sent over some exclusive covers as the company gets into high gear with their villain-themed "He lost. They won." ad campaign.  The 'accept change' part on the bottom of the images seems to tie it in to the Secret Invasion plot, but maybe it's just coincidental.

Iron Man is on the run, and will Emma really go back to her dark ways and stab the X-Men in the back? Many more images after the jump.

Iron Man's armor from the inside out

EXCLUSIVE

Check out this fun Flash program sent over by the folks at Industrial Light & Magic. They're in a tough Oscars race for effects this year ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Dark Knight" are also up in the category), but even if they don't win the trophy they say there was something special about working on "Iron Man."

The storied shop doesn't traditionally "audition" for jobs, but they did work up spec presentations for "Iron Man" because there were so many in-house fans of the armored Avenger and such enthusiasm for Jon Favreau's plans to bring the hero to the screen.

"This one was special for us all the way through," says ILM's Bruce Holcomb, the model supervisor on the film. "There's a lot of love for 'Iron Man' and what was accomplished ... and what will be accomplished." "Iron Man 2" is due in theaters in 2010.

FOR A LARGER VIEW CLICK HERE (Internet Explorer).

-- Geoff Boucher

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Barack Obama comics, 'Iron Man 2' and 'Battlestar Galactica' all in Everyday Hero headlines

PRESIDENTIAL PRICES: Everyone knows that President-elect Barack Obama is showing up on the pages of Spider-Man comics, but Troy Brownfield has a look at the resulting collectible stir: "Surveying the scene today, we see that there are presently approximately 1,117 listings for 'Amazing Spider-Man' No. 583. After you get past some of the insanely inflated Buy It Now listings, which includes a $10,000 listing for a SpidermanObama domain name, you’ll see that bidding seems to be topping out at around $86 for a single, ungraded, unsigned, variant copy.  One can find signed copies fetching over $125, or cleverly pre-sold packages of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd variant printings together for more. It seems that while the number of high-priced Buy It Nows have grown, they aren’t moving for, say, $500 a pop.  At this point, the $80 to $90 seems to be the top end. The top sales prices will probably cool off by next week, as people who just want any copy as a 'historical document' of sorts will likely just be happy to own a 2nd or 3rd printing. The speculators have already been in, and, based on Buy It Nows, a number of them will seemingly just be holding the bag. Let’s hope they won’t need a bailout." [Newsarama]

GEEK GIFT ALERT: OK, here's what I want as a gift for my 40th birthday later this year, will someone tell my wife? And also tell her to stop laughing when you mention that it costs $315. This from a website called Red Hot Phones: In the Batman TV show, when Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were in the library in stately Wayne Manor and needed to go into the Batcave, Bruce would tilt back the head of a bust of William Shakespeare. Hidden under the head was a remote control switch that would cause book shelves to move aside, revealing the Batpoles that Bruce and Dick would use to slide down into the Batcave. Once in the cave, they'd change into their Batman and Robin gear, climb into the Batmobile and speed away to save Gotham City. Now every Batfan can have a full-size working replica of the Shakespeare statuette that Bruce used on the show. One of these was used as a prop in the TV movie 'Return to the Batcave.' It was also featured in WIRED Magazine's 'Top 100 Gifts.' The hidden switch can be used to control a door, lights, music -- anything that works on electricity. An industrial-style pilot light shows when power is being fed to the remote power outlet. 16 Gauge wire, 1625 watts maximum, indoor use only. Components are UL approved. The antique bronze-color 'Bard of Avon' is about 20 inches tall and about 12 inches wide at the shoulders." [Red Hot PHones]

SAM ROCKWELL AND "IRON MAN 2": Filming could start as soon as April on "Iron Man 2" and casting is firming up now. Here's the story by Brian Warmoth on actor Sam Rockwell's addition to the Marvel Studios project and the actor mentions that at one point a few years ago he was in contention to be the title character in the franchise: "'We had a phone conversation about it, and then I didn’t hear anything and that was it,' Rockwell told MTV of early conversations regarding the part that eventually went to Robert Downey Jr. One blockbuster film later, the phone conversation was accompanied by an offer to play Hammer, and Rockwell accepted. 'They were like, we don’t have a script but this is the deal and this is the character,' the actor told MTV. Rockwell had plenty of reason to follow the events in Favreau’s film, even if he wasn't cast the first time around. 'I was a fan of the movie,' he explained. 'My girlfriend was in the first 'Iron Man,' Leslie Bibb.' (Bibb played reporter and Tony Stark’s quick fling Christine Everheart.) Mixed signals flew around about Rockwell’s place in the new script when his involvement was first announced, but he acknowledged that he will be playing the part of straight-from-the-comics businessman and all-around bad guy Justin Hammer. 'Yeah, he’s a rival,' Rockwell nodded. 'He takes over all the weapons stuff after Tony’s left.'  However, the 'Choke' and 'Frost/Nixon' actor shied when pressed for any more story details. 'I don’t know if he takes over Stark Industries,' he said. 'I'm not really sure yet. He’s a money dude. That’s about all I can say.' [MTV]

"BATTLESTAR" MEMORIES: Fire up the FTL, it's almost time to jump away from "Battlestar Galactica." Check back here this evening as the credits roll on tonight's episode, which resumes the series and brings us into the final 10 epsiodes. We'll have a big story right here at 11: 05 p.m. West Coast (UPDATED TIME) time but I have to warn you it will be a MAJOR SPOILER. Also, Variety has a big package of reflections on the series with the thoughts of people from various walks of life, among them an astronaut, a U.S Marine, a rabbi and an archaeologist. (And no, they didn't get a toaster repairman.) You can read it here.

JUST ONE MORE "THING": Remember John Carpenter's "The Thing"? There may be a prequel coming: "Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. is in talks to direct 'The Thing' prequel for Strike and Universal Pictures, although we don't have official confirmation. Heijningen has already been attached to direct 'Army of the Dead' for Zack Snyder's Strike Entertainment. Something else we found interesting is that we're told that Van Heijningen is pushing to make the lead character none other than R.J. Macready's brother! As you all know, R.J. Macready was played by the awesome Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's remake from 1982. As of right now this should be taken as rumor as nothing is set in stone. Just some food for thought ... Here's the synopsis: 'In the screenplay by Ronald D. Moore, the prequel takes place from the Norwegian camps point of view. An American scientific expedition to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic is interrupted by a group of seemingly mad Norwegians pursuing and shooting a dog. The helicopter pursuing the dog crashes leaving no explanation for the chase. During the night, the dog mutates and attacks other dogs in the cage and members of the team that investigate. The team soon realize that an alien life-form with the ability to take over bodies is on the loose and they don't know who may already have been taken over.'" [Bloody Disgusting] Want to read about other Hollywood sci-fi remakes and revivals? Check out this list.

ON THIS DATE: Best wishes today to gifted comics writer Garth Ennis who is celebrating his 39th birthday. Ennis, born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, is hoping to make a stir in the other Hollywood with the oft-discussed adaptation of "The Preacher," his hell-kissed epic about religion and violence. To celebrate his birthday, let's all engage in some blood-drenched blasphemy today.

CREDIT: Sam Rockwell photo by Louis Lanzano / Associated Press

Mickey Rourke for 'Iron Man 2,' 'Twilight' and The Force all in Everyday Hero headlines

MICKEY ROURKE IN "IRON MAN 2"?: In a testimony to the benefits of clean, good living, Mickey Rourke may join Robert Downey Jr. in the armor-plated 2010 blockbuster "Iron Man 2." At least that's the rumor that Michael Fleming is floating in the trades, a tidbit timed to land right before the Golden Globes this weekend, where Rourke might put a headlock on the best actor trophy after his career-reviving turn in "The Wrestler." Even if the casting decision is a myth, it's a fact for the next few days and will be repeated a million times. Here's what Fleming writes: "In what would mark his first studio film since resurrecting his career with 'The Wrestler,' Mickey Rourke is in talks to play the heavy in 'Iron Man 2,' the Marvel Entertainment sequel that director Jon Favreau begins shooting this spring. Rourke is in discussions to play a villain described as Tony Stark's Russian alter ego, a heavily tattooed bruiser who is in the arms trade and battles Iron Man in his own nuclear-powered armored suit. The script -- which is still being written -- is a guarded secret, but speculation is that villain is likely comic-book nemesis Crimson Dynamo." (NOTE: I think we should assume that when Fleming wrote "alter ego" he actually meant "counterpart," but he works hard so let's all let it slide.) [Variety]

GEORGE LUCAS PERFECTS MIND CONTROL: In a startling development, George Lucas has apparently figured out a way to harness The Force in everyday settings, a development that may signal the end of the world's energy crisis. But first, of course, Lucas is using the breakthrough to make an expensive toy. Mike Snider has the story: "The Force Trainer (expected to be priced at $90 to $100) comes with a headset that uses brain waves to allow players to manipulate a sphere within a clear 10-inch-tall training tower, analogous to Yoda and Luke Skywalker's abilities in the 'Star Wars' films. No, you're not tapping into some 'all-powerful force controlling everything,' as Han Solo said in the movies. But you are reaching out with mind power via one of the first mass-market brain-to-computer products. 'It's been a fantasy everyone has had, using The Force,' says Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing.  Mind-control games may be the coming thing: Mattel plans to demonstrate a Mind Flex game (also due this fall), which uses brain-wave activity to move a ball through a tabletop obstacle course, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Thursday. In the Force Trainer, a wireless headset reads your brain activity, in a simplified version of EEG medical tests, and the circuitry translates it to physical action. If you focus well enough, the training sphere, which looks like a ping-pong ball, will rise in the tower." [USA Today]

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF: (UPDATED) Congrats to Taylor Lautner (who will forever be Shark Boy to me). He had been angling to stay aboard the "Twilight" box-office express by reprising his role as Jacob Black in the second film, "New Moon," but there was some doubt because of a rather hairy situation -- the baby-faced Jacob of the first movie becomes big-scary-werewolf Jacob in the second film. But "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer posted this announcement today quoting "New Moon" director Chris Weitz saying that Lautner, who has bulked up for the role, will indeed be back: "I'm very happy to announce that Taylor Lautner will be playing Jacob Black in 'New Moon' and that he's doing so with the enthusiastic support of Summit Entertainment, the producers, and Stephenie Meyer. The characters in Stephenie's books go through extraordinary changes of circumstance and also appearance; so it is not surprising that there has been speculation about whether the same actor would portray a character who changes in so many surprising ways throughout the series. But it was my first instinct that Taylor was, is, and should be Jacob, and that the books would be best served by the actor who is emotionally right for the part. I think that fans of Twilight the book and the movie will be surprised by the Jacob Black that Taylor will bring to the screen in New Moon; and I'm looking forward to working with him and the rest of the cast in realizing the film." [Stephenie Meyer's website]

THE ECONOMY IS MY FOE!: I buy many of my comics (and a lot of my son's "Star Wars" toys) at Amazing Comics in Long Beach and I was distressed when, on a recent visit, I found the huge store had been reduced to half its previous size and learned that its stock of back issues is now in storage. I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner but I assume that's not a positive sign of the store's health. Then I read this story by business journalist Muhammed El-Hasan about another Southern California store: "Not even Superman could rescue Third Planet Comics & Games from this recession. The popular Torrance comic book and gaming store at 3631 Pacific Coast Highway will shut its doors Monday after about 13 years in business. 'The deciding factor in this decision is that sales have fallen to a level where we can no longer meet our obligations,' owner Robert North wrote to customers in an e-mail the day after Christmas. In the message, North said his employees 'fought valiantly over this past year' to keep the shop in business." [The Daily Breeze] (Sad stuff. Are you folks hearing about similar situations out there?)

CLINT EASTWOOD, MY FAVORITE: OK, he's never played a superhero and I guess the closest he ever came to making a sci-fi movie was (gulp) "Firefox," but anybody who loves movies has to love Clint Eastwood. And even though we journalists must forever keep our impartiality about the people we write about, I have to say he might be my all-time favorite person to interview. In today's Los Angeles Times, we have a special issue of The Envelope on the Golden Globes this Sunday and I'm happy to say I wrote the cover story, an interview with Eastwood about his great new film, "Gran Torino," and if you have a moment to read it, I think you might enjoy it. I also did a big story with Eastwood on the enduring impact of the "Dirty Harry" films and the misunderstood legacy of the first film, if (like me) you can't get enough when it comes to the most thoughtful tough guy in Hollywood history.

ON THIS DATE: Oh, what a golden day it was in Honolulu on this day in 1950 when Erin Gray was born. The vivacious actress was perfect as the strong, smart and brave Col. Wilma Deering on "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and, sorry Lynda Carter, she replaced a certain star-spangled amazon as my childhood ideal of heroic womanhood. Oh, if only she had been given a chance to play Lois Lane! To celebrate her 59th birthday today, let's all watch out for space vampires. (To see some video of Erin Gray as Wilma Deering and during a Hero Complex interview this past summer, keep reading to the bottom of this post)

Fanboy gift guide for 2008

In December of 1977, all I really wanted for Christmas was a lightsaber, just like the ones that the Jedi Knights used in "Star Wars." I did find one waiting for me under the tinsel-covered tree that year but, sadly, instead a fearsome weapon, it was a black flashlight with a flimsy plastic tube stuck on top. The disappointment, even for an 8-year-old, was a bitter one.

I'm guessing that the person who spent $240,000 at a Calabasas Hills auction last week to take home the lightsaber prop used by actor Mark Hamill in "Star Wars" possesses a similar childhood memory... and a much bigger bank account. But you don't need to be a millionaire these days to get your hands on quality fanboy treasures; we live in the golden era of gadgets and geeky totems and if you need the perfect gift for a fan of sci-fi or comics, well, I have the droids you're looking for.

R2-D2 aquarium: You have to ask yourself: What took someone so long to think of putting tropical fish inside of a sleek, 20-inch tall replica of everyone's favorite astromech droid from "Star Wars"? Hammacher Schlemmer has this beautiful bleeping fish tank for a mere $129.95, and it's more than just a barrel-shaped novelty: The domed head rotates upon verbal command, there's a built-in periscope to spy on your gourami and the LED lights morph change from red to blue to green. Now if they would just make a Boba Fett birdcage...

Captain Kirk's chair: Want to add command presence to your living room? Worried that the world doesn't know how passionate you are about Starfleet? Then this is the chance to take your home decor where no reasonable man has gone before. This $2,700 replica of Capt. Kirk's chair from the bridge of the USS Enterprise is part of a big push by CBS Consumer Products to sell more items related to the original show, from Enterprise-shaped golf putters to Mr. Spock PEZ dispensers. They say the chair will be on sale any day now, ready for any mission you or your green girlfriend can dream up. It will be on sale through Diamond Select Toys and, according to its makers, the deluxe swivel chair is built to last, makes numerous sound effects and even recites William Shatner's entire monologue from the original series. Put it in your den and set your neighbors on "stunned"...

"Battlestar Galactica" toaster: You can worry about the future of humanity but with this sleek ebony kitchen appliance you won't have to worry about burning your bread! The $65 toaster available at the Sci Fi store burns two messages into your breakfast slice: "Cylon" or the ever-delicate "Frak Off!" The toast tastes especially good with, ahem, Starbucks coffee.

Graphic novels: If you want to buy something a little less gimmicky, there are some great graphic novels on sale all major booksellers this holiday. For someone who enjoyed "The Dark Knight" film, try Brian Azzarello's grim and gruesome "Joker" (it's not for kids) or one of the many new re-issues of "Watchmen," which will be arriving in theaters in March, the nicest being the $75 "Absolute Edition Watchmen," which has be re-colored and comes with lavish packaging that pays homage to the 1986 landmark book. For something really unexpected, get "The Happy Warrior," ($38) on sale through Levenger, which collects the 1950s biography of Winston Churchill that ran in the weekly issues of Eagle Comics in the U.K., or "The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics," ($18) a hefty anthology with gritty gangster tales both vintage and modern.

Hugh Hefner and his lady friends on their favorite super heroes

You might recall last week we asked various Playboy Playmates which super powers they would love to have. Strangely some of the women wanted to have the power to read men's minds (as if one would need magical skills for that).

While we were at the mansion, we used our valuable time to probe even deeper, for you, the Hero Complex reader. We asked several  several folks including Hugh Hefner, his (now former-) girlfriends Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkerson, as well as the current Playmate of the Year (Jayde Nicole), and the former Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood who their favorite superhero was. Sorry Greatest American Hero, most of the responses were the traditional DC types you'd expect.

-- Tony Pierce

MORE RANDOM SILLINESS

An interview with the Rancor from "Return of the Jedi"

         VIDEO Superhero party from "Saturday Night Live," circa 1979

                    VIDEO  Mr. T talks smack to Superman

The fanboy vote: Presidential politics with a pop-culture spin

               VIDEO  Even Adolf Hitler is mad about the "Harry Potter" postponement

  VIDEO Batman's bad day        VIDEO Lando Calrissian wants your vote

Mutant movies, 'Twilight' and Mortal Kombat vs. DC, all in Everyday Hero headlines

Today's Everyday Hero report, your handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe ...

Mutant possibilities: Remember the "X-Men" films? They sure seem like a looong time ago to Marc Graser, apparently, because he suggests that Fox is dragging its feet in getting its valuable mutant brigade back in theaters. To my mind, after Brett Ratner's lurching, messy finale to the X-trilogy, a bit of a break seemed like a good idea. Anyway, here's an excerpt from Graser's piece: "Studios have turned summer into a playground for superheroes at the box office. But the X-Men have quietly been waiting on the Fox lot for their turn to have some fun at the megaplex again. When the studio releases 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' next May, it will be three years since its comicbook franchise last appeared in theaters. Fox is looking to change that, reducing the number of years between appearances of its power-possessing mutants by developing spinoffs that lead to a new series of sequels. Those include [1] 'X-Men: First Class': Josh Schwartz, who created the teen-friendly TV shows "Gossip Girl" and "The O.C.," is penning a script, based around the conceit of the 2006 comic of the same name, that focuses on the young mutants enrolled at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. Books revolved around the Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Iceman and Beast characters, which already have been featured in the three previous "X-Men" films. [2] "Magneto": "Batman Begins" co-scribe David S. Goyer is attached to direct the origins story of the "X-Men" arch-villain (played by Ian McKellen in the previous pics) and his relationship with Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). Both characters would be played by younger actors, given the earlier timeline in which the plot takes place. And [3] "Deadpool," which would revolve around the sarcastic mercenary played by Ryan Reynolds in "Wolverine," should the character in that pic prove popular with auds." [Daily Variety]

Funny books? Funny how?: Here's the latest snapshot of the comics marketplace, pulled from the quite thorough sales report over at ICV2: "Event books remained the bestsellers at the top of the chart, with 'Secret Invasion' #7 (154,675 copies) and 'Final Crisis' #4 (115,666 copies) taking the top two spots. There seemed to be an unusually high percentage of late books among the top sellers, with no September issues for nine of the top 25 titles (six DC and three Marvel). Marvel had a fairly typical seven out of the top ten titles, and 17 of the top 25.  There were no titles not published by the Big Two in the top 25 comics list.  In fact, to find a non-Big Two title you have to look all the way down to #65 and #66, where IDW’s new 'G.I. Joe' comic (two covers, 50/50) and 'Angel: After the Fall' landed, to find anything from another publisher." [ICV2]

Gleaming "Twilight": The young, female moviegoers of America have spoken: "Twilight" is, like, to die for. The numbers from Carl DiOrio: "Preliminary estimates show the youthful vampire romance rang up a huge first-day tally of $35.7 million from Friday. The big first day gross — which included a multi-million-dollar haul from midnight Thursday performances — makes a $70 million-plus opening likely for the PG-13 pic. In a highly unusual move, Summit itself on Saturday morning projected a possible three-day tally of $74.3 million. The fledgling producer/distributor also said in a separate press release Saturday that it already has greenlighted a 'Twilight' sequel, 'New Moon.' 'Moon' will be based on the second of a series of best-selling 'Twilight' books by Stephenie Meyer. 'I don't think any other author has had a more positive experience with the makers of her movie adaptation than I have had with Summit Entertainment,' Meyer said. 'I'm thrilled to have the chance to work with them again.' " [Hollywood Reporter]

Spineless, but fun: Gamer Ben Fritz tried out the high-concept "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" and comes away with a smirk and that suspicion that, despite unpolished gameplay, Midway could have a much-needed hit with the rock 'em, sock 'em holiday season release. Here's his smartly written review: "Though the game features 11 of the most popular 'Mortal Kombat' characters, players will likely care more about the equal number of superheroes and villains who have never been in an arcade-style fighter before. Whether it's Superman's freeze breath, Wonder Woman spinning her enemies in a lasso, Green Lantern conjuring a giant hammer or the Joker's electric hand-buzzer, "MK vs. DC" does them right by giving each dozens of satisfying, character-specific moves. Some longtime franchise fans may be disappointed, though, that 'Mortal Kombat's' signature bloody 'fatalities' — the most infamous of which featured a spine ripped out of someone's body — are distinctly less gory here and have been downgraded to heroic brutalities for the DC heroes. (And it's annoying that learning these requires either guesswork or looking them up on the Web.)" [Daily Variety]

More "Twilight" ... Edward, onward: I read that Robert Pattison doesn't own a cellphone, which is probably a good thing because 12-year-old girls get so nervous when they work up the nerve to crank call that they usually just giggle, hang up and text the phone number to their friends. Pattison, who seems charmingly bewildered by the "Twilight" sensation, will be talking to his fans from space this morning: "Robert Pattinson, star of 'Twilight' will sit down for an interview with The Morning Mash Up crew on SIRIUS Hits 1/SIRIUS channel 1 on Monday, November 24.  The 7a.m. ET interview will be rebroadcast on Monday, November 24 at 8:00 am, 9:00 am and 10:00 am ET. For more information and video highlights of the interview (available at 11:00 am ET), please visit:  www.sirius.com/hits1."  [Sirius press release]

"Iron Man 2," the writer's view: Movie blogger Jenna Busch chatted with Justin Theroux the actor (remember him as Evil DJ in "Zoolander"?) turned screenwiter ("Tropic Thunder") who is just back from London where he was working with Marvel Studio's exec Kevin Feige and Robert Downey Jr. on the protean early draft of an "Iron Man 2" script. "We were talking with Robert, who’s out there doing 'Sherlock Holmes,' he was giving his input and his notes. We’re sort of there. It’s just sort of chugging along. The crews, I think, are now starting to see what they need to make, and the places that we might be going and all the rest within the story. That’s sort of one of the more exciting times." The Busch post is mostly about the "Tropic Thunder" release on DVD/BluRay, but Theroux also touched on the arrival of Don Cheadle to the "Iron Man" cast: "I haven’t met Don, and I think I’m going to in a little bit and I think once I get a better sense of his voice and also hear what he has to say about what he likes about the character and just pick his brain a little bit, then we’ll obviously start to tailor it to him. Once he sort of gets more involved in the process then we’ll start tapering the length of his character ... making it fit just right." And who will the villian be in the "Iron Man" sequel? "I think it’s Evil DJ.  He could be the villain in this movie. I don’t know. I mean, I do know but I’m not going to let that cat out." [Ugo]

-- Geoff Boucher

"X-Men First Class" art courtesy of Marvel Comics. "Twlight" photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment. Robert Pattison photo from Getty Images. "Iron Man" image from Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures.

'X-Men' stage reunion, 'Iron Man' gossip, Steven Spielberg's 'Tintin' and 'Goosebumps' in Everyday Hero headlines

Today's handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe...

"Waiting for Godot," mutant-style? Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, who so memorably led the opposing forces of mutantkind in the "X-Men" films, will reunite on stage next year in a new production of Samuel Beckett's 1952 masterpiece which, by many appraisals, ranks as the most important English-language play of 20th century. The BBC has the story: "The production, which will be directed by Sean Mathias, will tour the UK before opening in London in April at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Stewart will play the tramp Vladimir, while Sir Ian will play Estragon. The actors previously played comic book adversaries Professor X and Magneto in the three films in the 'X-Men' series. The pair first worked together at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977 in Tom Stoppard's 'Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.' Stewart is currently playing Claudius and the Ghost in the RSC's Stratford-upon-Avon production of 'Hamlet,' which transfers to the West End later this year.  McKellen -- also known for his role as Gandalf in the 'Lord of the Rings' films -- made his last stage appearance in the RSC's acclaimed staging of 'King Lear.' The actor said he 'couldn't be happier...there are no more juicy parts amongst modern classics than Didi and Gogo,' he wrote on his official website." [BBC]

Howard's End: What's the real explaination behind the bouncing of Terrence Howard from the "Iron Man" franchise? Everyone at Marvel Studios and in Jon Favreau's camp has been tight-lipped about the real reasons for Howard's indelicate exit from the cast, but now Nicole Sperling has a report that sounds pretty plausible (but with no sources named): "Hollywood insiders believe the exit stems from Terrence Howard's difficult behavior on the set of 'Iron Man'. But those with intimate knowledge of the situation suggest a far more dramatic backstory: Howard was the first actor signed to the film and, on top of that, was the highest-paid. That's right, more than Gwyneth Paltrow. More than Jeff Bridges. More than Robert Downey Jr. And once the project fully came together, it was too late to renegotiate his deal. It didn't help that, according to one source, Favreau and his producers were ultimately unhappy with Howard's performance and spent a lot of time cutting and reshooting his scenes ... As such, when Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux went to map out the sequel they found themselves minimizing Howard's story line. Once Marvel learned that Favreau was thinking of curtailing the role, the studio went to the actor's agents with a new and drastically reduced offer..." [Entertainment Weekly]

Recycling "Tintin": Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been flirting with a "Tintin" film adaptation for 25 years now but after plenty of fits and starts, it may finally be moving foward. Anne Thompson has a thorough report on the business twists, including news that Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures are now in talks to co-finance the digital 3-D version of the classic Belgian comics hero. The plan is for Spielberg to direct one film while "Lord of the Rings" autuer Peter Jackson will direct the second one. Thompson writes: "Spielberg had hoped to be in production by this fall. However, when financing fell apart at Universal on the eve of DreamWorks/Paramount divorce, he lost the participation of his lead actor Thomas Sangster. Nonetheless, 'Tintin' is expected to be complete in time for a 2010 release. Jackson will direct the sequel ... Spielberg and Jackson were originally teaming to direct and produce three back-to-back features based on Georges Remi's beloved comic-strip hero 'Tintin.' Spielberg and Jackson selected three stories from Remi's 'The Adventures of Tintin' series, which encompassed 23 books published between 1929 and 1976 about an intrepid junior reporter and his dog, Snowy, who track down stories to the ends of the earth." [Variety]

"Goosebumps," feeling it again? There were massive lines waiting for the autograph of R.L. Stine at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., and Lynn Neary reports that there are high hopes for a revival of the 1990s fan-passion for the author's "Goosebumps" brand-name: 'The author thinks kids are reading more than ever now and his publisher, Scholastic, certainly hopes he's right. Scholastic also published the Harry Potter series, and with no new Potter book in sight, revenues are down sharply and the company is cutting back. Scholastic hopes that magic will strike again with Stine's new Goosebumps HorrorLand series. As for Stine, he's just happy to be doing what he loves -- and what his fans want. 'It's very exciting for me to be back doing it. ... Somehow the Goosebumps audience never really went away. ... It was a world-wide craze, and that can never last. But the books have sold all this time even when there were no new ones coming out,' says Stine. 'I'm just very lucky.' [National Public Radio]

-- Geoff Boucher

It's official: Robert Downey Jr. will suit up for 'The Avengers,' Jon Favreau on board as an executive producer

 

Marvel Studios announced Tuesday that the "Iron Man" tandem of star Robert Downey Jr. and filmmaker Jon Favreau will assemble for the "Avengers" film, although the role announced for Favreau is that of executive producer, not director.

It's no surprise that Downey will reprise his role for the "Avengers "movie, but the official word is part of the ongoing campaign to stir excitement for the first major motion picture that will bring together superheroes from separate franchises. You can see all of this leading up to some future Comic-Con International panel that will have Downey sitting next to at least two other Oscar-nominated actors: Edward Norton, who played the Hulk this summer and is, by all appearances, on board for more action, as well as Don Cheadle, who will pick up the role of Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes in the "Iron Man" franchise. The Marvel announcement today made his addition to the cast official and made a point to announce that he would be in the "Avengers" film as well.

It's not clear yet who will be playing Thor, the Wasp or Ant-Man in the film, the other founding members from the Marvel Comics hero team that began in 1963 in the classic issue shown here on the left. There's also the question of who will play Captain America (the most famous Avenger, but one who didn't show up until issue No. 4 in the comics) in the hero's solo film as well as the Avengers project that will follow it into theaters in 2011, if all goes as planned. No substantive word yet on the director for either the Cap movie or the Avengers project. Favreau, of course, will direct "Iron Man 2," which is slated for 2010.

Zombies, 'Iron Man 2,' Geoff Johns and 'Twilight' in Everyday Hero headlines

My all-time favorite zombie movie? That would have to be "I Walked with a Zombie," the darkly stylish and disturbing 1943 film directed Jacques Tourneur and produced by horrrormeister Val Lewton.  The photo below, which I found in the Los Angeles Times archives, shows star Frances Dee in a typically shadowy scene...

It turns out that "Zombie" is being involuntarily brought back from the cinema dead (how appropriate is that?). That's the top story today in the Everyday Hero roundup of handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe...

Andy Fickman (director of the upcoming Disney film "Return to Witch Mountain") is a key figure in a plan to remake four creepy films from the RKO Pictures vault -- “I Walked With a Zombie,”  “The Body Snatcher,”  “Bedlam" and “Five Came Back.” Michael Fleming reports that Fickman, a former Universal Studios tour guide, has long been intrigued by Lewton. “After Frankenstein and the Wolfman came Lewton and RKO, and what they lacked in budgets they made up for with atmosphere, imagination and great directors making horror with psychological flair. It was on the heels of WWII, when Nazi Germany showed that the scariest enemy might be the person who looked like your next door neighbor.” [Variety]

The Stark realities of Hollywood: Terrence Howard says that he learned about his ouster from "Iron man 2" by reading about it in the trades and he rebuked the Marvel Studios party line that the casting decision was made due to a salary dispute. He told interviewer Scott Simon: "I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes." So what's the real story? [NPR]

The "Twilight" zone: More pictures from the set of "Twilight" have popped up and our favorite is this one, which suggests that Bella apparently does some of her clothes shopping at the Army & Navy surplus shop.

Set phasers on petulant: George Takei doesn't like William Shatner. William Shatner doesn't like George Takei. In a new interview, the man who used to play Captain Kirk says he pities the man who used to play Sulu. "The poor man. There's such a sickness there. It's so painfully obvious that there's a psychosis there. I don't know what his original thing about me was. I have no idea."

Light reading: Rob Reiner will direct an action-adventure called "Book of Shadows" for Castle Rock. The premise: "The story follows a young man who must embark on the perilous journey of first love and face many trials of maturity while on the dangerous quest to close a mythical tome called 'Book of Shadows' in order to restore balance to the world." [The Hollywood Reporter]

Geoff Johns talks about "New Krypton," the three-month story that will cross over throughout the Superman comics titles and follow the Man of Steel's emotional trauma as a city of 100,000 Kryptonians arrive on Earth even as the hero deals with the death of his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent. Johns tells Vanetta Rogers: "Superman's trapped, Clark Kent's trapped between his Kryptonian roots and his human roots. He's really a man of both worlds. He grew up believing he was human and then discovered he had been sent to our world. So just as he's gotten this amazing, unbelievable touchstone to a planet that was long dead, a world he never thought he'd see again, and even his family -- I mean, literally his family, with his uncle and aunt and his cousin -- just as he receives the greatest gift that he could ever dream of, he loses one of the most important people in his life, Jonathan Kent."  [Newsarama]

Credits: Iron Man image courtesy of Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures. The photo of William Shatner as Captain Kirk is from the Los Angeles Times archives. Superman image courtesy of DC Comics.

Stan Winston and the tricky business of Legacy

(Note: There's also a tidbit here about the "Green Lantern" film project, check after the jump.)

The creature creators at Stan Winston Studio specialize in Hollywood miracles -- they brought dinosaurs to life for "Jurassic Park" and turned metal men into movie history with "Iron Man" and "The Terminator" -- but their next trick will be their toughest. The illustrious special-effects shop will try to hold on to its history even as it sheds its late founder's name and abandons his storied workshop.

Stan Winston, (at right) a four-time Oscar winner, died in June in Malibu at age 62 after a seven-year battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. He was universally eulogized as one of the true wizards of Hollywood. "The entertainment industry has lost a genius," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said at the time, "and I lost one of my best friends." Steven Spielberg and James Cameron spoke at the funeral, and across Hollywood there was reflection on what made Winston and his shop so special. "He came to special effects from a background of acting, which informed everything," director Jon Favreau said. "It was always about performance, not just puppetry."

Winston became a brand name in Hollywood decades ago (he won his first Emmy in 1973) and his namesake studio in Van Nuys became an industry landmark with its collection of aliens, robots and magical beasties. But now, just months after his death, neither Winston's name nor his workshop will be part of the day-to-day life of the company he left behind. All the latex masks and robotic critters have been crated up or already moved to a new facility in San Fernando that is much more modern but also far less charming. 

Stan Winston Studio will also give up the ghost by changing its name to Legacy Effects, a somewhat ironic moniker for a company that seems to be pushing away so much of its history. I recently dropped by Winston's maze-like old workshop, which sits on a gritty industrial stretch of Valjean Avenue in Van Nuys, and got a tour before most of its treasures were boxed up. Everywhere you looked there was movie history, both famous (there's a mottled, undead version of Tom Cruise from "Interview With the Vampire" standing in one corner) and nearly forgotten (it took me a long minute to recognize one of the robots from the 1981 Andy Kaufman movie "Heartbeeps" -- but that film did earn Winston his first Oscar nomination).

The real treasure of the company, though, is its talent, not its heirlooms. That's the main reason behind the name change. John Rosengrant, who started working with Winston on the set of "The Terminator" (1984), said that he and the three other partners who will lead the company forward all value the studio's towering tradition, but have decided it would be best to take a step out of its considerable shadow.

"This was not an easy decision," Rosengrant told me. "When Stan died we lost a friend, a mentor, a teacher, an inspiration -- the whole gamut. Everything he did and everything he represented, it's ingrained in us. It would be hard to do anything but 'the Stan way.' "

That's why no one was surprised when, in the days after the company's founder's death, one of Rosengrant's partners told Ain't it Cool News, the popular fanboy website, that the business would be renamed the Winston Effects Group. It seemed fitting and natural. But that name didn't stick for long. Instead, the partners informed the Winston family that they would rename the company. "We did receive the blessing of Stan's widow, Karen, but I'm sure there was mixed emotions for the family. I know there was mixed emotions for us."   

Live chat with Jon Favreau today at 11am Pacific Time

Hero Complex live chat: Jon Favreau will take your questions here next Wednesday

Here's your chance to get the latest scoop on the "Iron Man" sequel straight from director Jon Favreau or, if you prefer, this is a golden opportunity to spook him with your encyclopedic knowledge of his screen work in "Swingers" and "Rudy."

Either way, the filmmaker who brought you the summer's most fun super-hero movie (as well as the sublime "Elf" and the grieviously underrated "Zathura") will join us here for a live chat on Wednesday (Oct. 1), the day after the release of "Iron Man" on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment. The chat will start at 11 a.m. local time here in Los Angeles.

If you can't join us Tuesday, feel free to post a question here in the comments section and we'll try to ask some from there as well.

-- Geoff Boucher

April 2008 photo of Jon Favreau by Ringo H. W. Chu\Los Angeles Times