Link: http://www.secretstashcasting.com/

Would you like to be in AMC's (The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Mad Men) reality TV show based around Kevin Smith's comic book shop Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash? If the answer is yes and you live anywhere near Redbank, New Jersey here is your chance. All you need to do is go here, fill out an application, upload a photo and a youtube video and you're on your way to geek heaven. The show seems to be based around the staff and the customers who visit the store to buy and sell geeky collectibles, kind of like Cash in the Attic/Antiques Roadshow for fanboys. No doubt much of the hilarity will come from the staff in the store which includes sometimes Batman artist, co-host of Tell 'Em Steve-Dave and lifelong friend of Smith, Walt Flanagan.

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Link: http://www.witchdoctorcomic.com/

Every now and again something happens to each and every one of us that stirs a passion inside, something that has perhaps lapsed or maybe we never knew was there.

Let me tell you a little story about a guy who had collected comics for eleven years up until the age of twenty three.

When he was twenty three his girlfriend at the time was pregnant with his first child and they had just recently moved in together after dating for around three years.

Money being low and a new house on the go with a baby due soon too, he took the adult decision (pushed and prompted by his partner at the time) to sell all his comic books and graphic novels. And that was that, he was not to even step foot into a comic book store for another decade, let alone buy a comic.

In case you haven’t already guessed, the guy I am telling you about is me; those were my comics and my fallen passion.

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Link: http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/nominations/

First order of business, the above cartoon, nothing to do with the Eagle awards I just thought it was funny ok? - You can find Hope 'n' Change by clicking on the cartoon strip.

You may disagree with some of my nominations for The Eagle Awards this year but choices had to be made, mine were made based on what I have personally read and experienced in 2010. Fundamentally The Eagles are beautifully flawed as they allow those nominating to add to the list, this is both to it's credit and it's curse as you will see:

Some of these selections are bound to be disqualified mostly due to ineligibility, those that I feel may be marked as such will have the word FAIL written after them.

Q1: Favourite Newcomer Writer

Kieron Gillen

Newcomer writer? Really? The guy has been around longer than Old Spice but I thought, hey, why not? If Gillen hadn't been in this category the nod would've gone to Nick Spencer, I think.

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After last week's Comic Book News Poem, I thought I'd try another, hope you like it:

New Thundercats
Giving it some Hoooo!
It looks close enough
Not to scream out Noooo!

We got Panthro, Cheetara
Tygra and Lion-O
But where on Third Earth
Did stinky ol' Snarf go?

Then there's that death
Of a Fantastic guy
Was it spoiled for you?
A tearful goodbye?

I could tell you his name
I could give you a clue
But just by this poem
You know it's not Sue

It was a great comic
Even better tv show
Just how far will
The Walking Dead go?

Now there's a game
On the horizon
Would you be a zombie
Or a man with a gun?

So here comes the end
Of another little rhyme
It may not be too good
But it takes me some time

Please let us know
If you just could
What you are thinking
Whether it's bad or it's good?

As you know, here on the Sidekick blog we try to keep abreast of all the latest news and gossip in the comic book and geek world but being locked into good ol’ Blighty means sometimes it takes a little while to filter through and also I only tend to put the shit that I find interesting. I honestly can’t remember where each piece of information came from as a lot of it was through Twitter and related sources at the con but I know some of it definitely came from Bleeding Cool, MTV Splash Page and CBR. So here you go, the shit I find interesting from NYCC 2010:

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Link: http://www.thecomicsshow.co.uk

Damn it Lord why have you forsaken me?! The couple of cons that I was going to go to NYCC and BICS but have had to pull out are both showing stuff from The Walking Dead. You win some, you lose some

British International Comics Show 2010 – Press Release: 2010-10-06

ZOMBIE FANS IN FOR A TREAT AT BICS 2010

Fans of the Walking Dead will be chomping at the bit this year as the organisers of The British International Comics Show and FX TV join forces to bring them a special sneak peek screening of scenes from the first episode of the forthcoming TV series based on the hit comic book series created by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard.

The multi award winning book is being brought to life by American production company AMC the US channel that gave us the Emmy award-winning dramas Mad Men and Breaking Bad and acclaimed Director Frank Darabont of Shawshank Redemption acclaim.
Fans attending this year’s BICS in Birmingham on the 17th October will have the chance to meet artist Charlie Adlard and other special guests as he hosts a special screening that includes behind the scenes footage and scenes from the pilot episode.

There will also be a chance to win rare Walking Dead merchandise and to get copies of the comics and graphic novels signed by the artist.

For more information about the show and to book tickets go to: www.thecomicsshow.co.uk

Thanks to @Neon_Lynx for pointing out this fan made opening title sequence for the upcoming Walking Dead tv show. I thought it was so good, as soon as I watched it I felt I had to put it up here. Well done to Daniel Kanemoto, who is actually a bit of a pro and should be signed up by Frank Darabont immeadiately, you listening Frankie? Incidentally the music track is 'Fresh Blood' by Eels, which was also the track that closed out a recent episode (also called 'Fresh Blood') from season three of True Blood.

THE WALKING DEAD "Opening Titles" from Daniel Kanemoto on Vimeo.

Link: http://livefeed.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/09/fox-picks-locke-key-gives-series-order.html

It seems strange that Warner Bros. TV would be looking to replace their teen angst ridden Superman TV show; Smallville which is just about to go into it's final season with another show based on a comic book; Sandman. It's not starnge that they're based on comic boks but rather that they're so far apart in terms of style, content and approach but according to THR's heatvision blog that's exactly what they're doing.

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Link: http://livefeed.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/08/the-walking-dead-trailer-video.html?

Ok so we're two days in from my last TWD post in which I clearly declared that I wasn't going to spoil it for myself and I suggested y'all did the same. I'm surprised I lasted this long to be honest. In my defence I had already seen the dodgy comic con footage of this trailer so I think we're on safe ground. It's looking good though, what do you think? Please let us know in the comments section.

In a brilliant move of scheduling and opportunism, AMC are taking full advantage of the U.S. obsession with Halloween by premiering the first episode on the 31st October. Perfect.

Link: http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/08/10/the-walking-dead-score-bear-mccreary-tv-music/

We are now merely months away from the debut of The Walking Dead (TWD) TV adaptation, the show is set to launch in both the states and the UK sometime in October. It's something we've covered quite extensively on the Sidekickcast and blog, and for good reason. From the moment I started reading TWD I knew that I had found something special and also something that could cross from comic book gold into the mainstream with very little effort at all. The story is essentially a soap opera with zombies in it, you really care about all the people you meet but you truly have no idea how long they are going to survive. So a compelling story about interesting characters with an ever changing cast and zombies? How could it fail?

Currently this is my biggest problem with TWD, the expectation is just so high I'm worried that it won't be able to live up to the hype. I've done this many times before, seen so many photos/clips/teasers/trailers/behind the scenes features of a movie/TV show before release by the time it actually hits I'm kind 'meh' and I couldn't bear it if this happened with TWD.

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