The book this film is based on is the next on my to-read-list as I continue to further my education in the comic book world and move away from the Marvel blinkers I've had on for most of my geeky life. Only problem is I can't find a copy of the trade anywhere for love nor money so I may just have to wait until the film comes out, looks bloody good and funny though. Oh and is that a possible future Judge Dredd I see there, I think it is.

Link: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=62262

It's all go in Hollywood at the moment when it comes to hiring and firing on several comic book flicks. According to Ainitcool Stuart Townsend is off Thor and being replaced by Joshua Dallas in the role of Fandral. The official line is this was due to 'creative differences' but there is a rumour circulating that it was because he turned up 6 hours late to a screen test. He's not one of the Warriors Three, he's a very naughty boy.

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Link: http://www.avatarpress.com/titles/warren-ellis-frankensteins-womb/

I need to preface this review with 'this is not the book I thought I was getting when it was recommended to me by my local comic shop owner'; The Comic Guru. I was thinking Warren Ellis and Frankenstein, we're clearly in for some good old steam punk craziness mixed with extreme violence and some well timed smutty language. What I got was an almost existential journey through the modern age through the eyes of a monster.

The story begins with Mary Wollestencraft (soon to be Shelley), Percy Shelley, and Claire Clairmont (Mary's step-sister) travelling through Germany on their way to Switzerland to visit Lord Byron. They make a brief stop on the way to pay a visit to Castle Frankenstein; the home of Johan Dippel an 18th century alchemist obsessed with the philosophers stone and it's legendary abilities to grant eternal life. Mary enters the castle alone and it is here that she is confronted with Frankenstein's monster, who takes her eliquently on a journey through time and space.

The book reads more like a history of Shelley's life starting as it does with her birth which then in turn caused her mother's death. Ellis draw's parallels here between Shelley and the monster claiming they were both born of death and killed their creators. This is a theme that follows throughout the story; anlaysing the possible inspiration for her original novel with comparison to the way the world has developed since it's publication. The story is less of a story in the conventional sense and more of an examination of the human condition and how we have crafted the world we live in touching on the broad concepts of life, death and virtue.

One word describes the art in the this book; beautiful. Marek Oleksicki is a true master, working in black and white he manages to get more depth and atmosphere than most would hope to achieve with all the colours of the rainbow. If anything the book is much better suited in black and white focusing your attention on the fantastic detail in the gothic architecture and raw emotion of the protagonists.

Overall although the book wasn't what I expected and I would probably gain more from it if I were more well read, it has inspired me to find out more about the great writers it focuses upon. More than that though it has challenged me to think beyond my traditional view of the world and how we came to this point in our development and for that I am trully grateful. 4 out of 5.

Cover: Felipe Massafera
Writer: Warren Ellis
Art: Marek Oleksicki
Readership: Mature
Format: B&W, 48 pages, OGN

Link: http://www.warrenellis.com/?p=6147

So who's been watching G I Joe: Resolute? 'What's that?' I hear you shout, well if you're sitting comfortably I'll tell you all about it. G I Joe: Resolute is an animated G I Joe webseries penned by none other than that crazy asshole and Sidekick favourite Warren Ellis. If you check out his blog you can read how the writer of Transmetropolitan, Next Wave and Freak Angels amongst many others came to be involved in working on a G I Joe cartoon. In a nutshell though it seems Hasbro were looking for something different with this latest miniseries, they wanted a writer that wasn't looking at the Joe characters through nostalgia infected rose tinted glasses.

Sometimes you really should be careful what you wish for as with Ellis he has no regard for these much beloved characters, killing off two pretty prominent figures in the Joe-verse within the first 5 minutes. And as far as I'm concerned the story is so much better for it. Don't get me wrong it's not that I think the characters in question deserved their untimely demise but the sense that nobody is safe and at any moment one of your favourite childhood heroes be it 'goodie' or 'baddie' could end up with a bullet in the brain adds much needed tension.

Not only could anybody die but if it does happen it's sure to be a pretty gruesome death for this isn't the same cartoon I watched as a kid, this version is strictly a mature affair. The level of violence isn't excessive, not by my standards at least, but it does take a little while to get used to; you'd never see Cobra Commander decapitate a loyal Viper soldier just for a little backchat in the original saturday morning faire. It's not just Cobra that's gone all John Woo on us, the Joes themselves don't mind putting a few bullets in the back of their enemies heads. The whole tone of the production is far more adult and is definitely aimed at those like myself who grew up with G I Joe but whose tastes have matured to something just a little more sophisticated (not that I think extreme violence can be equated with maturity or sophistication...it's about reading the Daily Mail right?).

The action is not the only area that's undergone a modern upgrade, the animation style is far superior to the orignal series encorporating a glorious anime look. The people at Warner Bros Animation have certainly taken this mini series seriously assigning big hitters Sam Register and Joaquim Dos Santos the task of updating the Joe-verse. Their resumes speak for themselves, between them they've worked on Justice League Unlimited, Ben 10, Teen Titans and Avatar The Last Airbender all quality shows that reach the highest standards in animation be it for kids or adults. In fact they've done such a good job I'm actually looking forward to the August release of the live action G I Joe, something that I really wasn't interested to until Resolute. So I guess this cartoon has done it's job, it's easily one of the best pieces of movie promotion I've seen and it's free. It was aired in the States on the Adult Swim show and website, hopefully there will be a dvd release soon but until then you can enjoy this entire series via youtube, episode one is posted here so what are you waiting for? Go Joe!

Link: http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?date=2009-01-21

Here are the Marvel Comics that will be out next week, thought I'd let you guys know which of these I'm gonna be reading for Sidekickcast Episode #10.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 584
The Story: CHARACTER ASSASSINATION BEGINS!
The climax to the last year’s worth of Spider-man stories starts with a bang as questions are answered and Spidey’s new world is rocked to its core.
Who's the person terrorizing people as Menace? Who's behind the Spider-Tracer Killings? Who's going to be the Mayor of New York City? After more than 365 (Brand New) Days, Marc Guggenheim and John Romita Jr. have all the answers in the first chapter of "Character Assassination" -- a story over a year in the making!
Rated A …$2.99
I've heard so many good things but I'm just not a big Spidey fan and I'm not into getting weekly books

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Link: http://www.freakangels.com/

Anyone that has been reading the Sidekick Comics blogs will know that I'm not one for getting on my soapbox and going all militant on your asses...until now. Freak Angels, published by Avatar Press, written by Warren Ellis, with art duties handled by Paul Duffield is a steam punk-esque story, set in a dystopian future and even better than that, it's free to view on the web. The story is now on episode 34 but has just been released as a collected edition available in stores now.

I started reading this series online and was enjoying it greatly but with all my other comics to read and the podcast to work on, it fell (as many things do) by the wayside. I do however support this project 100% and will be ordering the collected edition this week and I urge you fellow sidekicks to do the same, you'll get a great story with fine art and you could be helping to save and move the comic industry in a new and exciting direction.

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