Joystiq got tipped yesterday that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is testing the waters on a major new addition to their online store: a dedicated section for Comics. The selection process, seen in the video below, shows a system remarkably similar to Apple’s “cover flow” used in iTunes, OSX.5, and the iPod/iPhone family. They also remark on a panel by panel system, similar to how many comics have been presented on the iPhone already, which gives an easier way for readers to view the comic on such a small screen. Sony has been touting that they have big plans for the struggling handheld this year. Would an “iTunes for comics” that’s limited to the PSP be appealing to you? How about if you could also view them on your PS3? It sure seems like the technology world is certainly interested in being the first to mainstream-ize comics on e-devices.

The library is a great place for readers to discover comics, and it’s a great place for comics readers to check out things that they want to try without spending their hard-earned cash. I’m looking at comics that I find in the New York Public Library system.

Gary Panter’s something of a legend in this field, so I felt it long past time to finally immerse myself in some of his work. Fortunately, the library had a copy of this over-sized hardcover collection, bringing together an entire epic (in only 40 pages!) of Panter’s most famous character.  And man, is it over-sized.  You can really dive into the huge artwork in this book, which probably has the largest pages of any comic I’ve ever read.

Without much idea of what to expect – Panter’s the “punk master of comics,” so I’ve gathered – I dove in and did my best to roll with the waves. Artistically, the book is great. Panter’s loose and scratchy, very cartoony, yet still full of solid details that ground the scenes and add palpable reality to the characters, settings and world of this Inferno.  Great designs and scratchy, kinetic action fill every single panel.

Sticking mostly to six-panel grids, and entirely to a three-tier layout, Panter constructs each page around a visual motif. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a static view of the scene, with the characters moving into and across a consistent background for all six panels. Other times, a trip on a river, for example, finds Panter moving images across both panels of each tier, adding an illusion of travel and time. Using strong visual lines, Panter moves readers’ eyes around the page very effectively as well, keeping every single page lively and totally engrossing.

So yeah, Jimbo’s Inferno is a truly beautiful comic book.  I just wish I understood anything that happened in it, because it was a totally baffling experience.  But maybe if you take it out of the library, you can help me figure it out.

Opening dates for hundred million dollar-plus films are very important things, and studios must take many, many things into consideration when it comes to scheduling their opening dates. Production schedules and actor availability must be checked and rechecked.

And, apparently, in the case of Paramount scheduling Transformers 3, triple-checking with your director.

Yesterday, Newsarama reported that Paramount had scheduled the release of Transformers 3 for July 1, 2011.

It’s starting to look like the guy who was supposed to triple check that date with director Michael Bay was out as the news from the studio was being finalized. According to Michael Bay, posting on his official website, he agreed to Transformers 3 hitting July of 2012, not 2011.

Bay wrote:

“I said I was taking off a year from Transformers. Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 – they asked me on the phone – I said yes to July 4 – but for 2012 – whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots.

Michael”

Caleb was apparently right on cue to bring up the topic of video game movies a short week ago. Gaming powerhouse EA revealed through Variety last night that their in-development game due out this fall, Dante’s Inferno, is now also an in-development movie. Dan Harris, one of the writers responsible for Superman Returns and X-Men 2 (so that makes him 1-1, right?) is writing the movie’s screenplay, basing it off the game which is apparently very loosely based on the book. The movie will be a live-action film from Universal Pictures, and produced by folks from both Universal and EA, with some help from the game’s “creator” (as it is listed by Variety), Jonathan Knight.

Variety reminded readers as well that EA also has Army of Two, The Sims, and Mass Effect in development as game-to-movie translations.

While video game movies have at best seen moderate success financially and less so critically, this seems to indicate a new movement by studios to look at games, like comics, as an IP farm. This particular game was optioned not just before the game was released, but before the game even had a proper title. While the team producing it proved themselves admirably last fall with the survival horror (and multi-media bonanza with comics, motion comics, and a direct-to-dvd movie) Dead Space, it still seems like an odd choice to immediately throw money and a decently “name” writer at. I imagine we’ll start seeing this happen at an increasing rate, and hopefully we’ll start seeing game-to-movies of a much higher caliber.

Preview!!! I know, I know, we’ve all been waiting too long.

*Edited for distortion–click through to the full-size.

Top Shelf Comix has released a music video for their series SUPERF*CKERS!

(Obviously, this is for mature audiences. More after the cut!)

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Is Dora doing too much exploring?

The new iteration of the kid’s cartoon has some parents up in arms, according to the New York Daily News.

Gasp! A long shirt! Leggings! The humanity! Here’s a highlight from one mom:

“What next? Dora the Cheerleader? Dora the fashionista with stylish purse and stilettos? Dora the Pop Star with Hoppin’ Dance Club and “Juice” Bar?”

A petition against the new Dora — for her new leggings and heathen ways — reads as follows: “If the Dora we knew grew up, she wouldn’t be a fashion icon or a shopaholic. She’d develop her map reading skills and imagine the places she could go… it’s such a sell out of Dora, of all girls.”

At least Diego is happy, right? (And Troy Brownfield, for coming up with that joke.)

This week brings a few things on my list. Air and Hellblazer (and might I suggest that those of you not reading Air at the moment pick up the first trade this week? Ms. G. Willow Wilson brings the goods, I promise), but I’m starting to feel like there aren’t enough monthlies with my name on them.

I know there are a ton of comics out there that I’m not reading, and I’m sure I’d like a good number of ‘em, but until some of those new Vertigo books they teased us with at NYCC come out, I need new suggestions. Help me out.

I read Blankets this week. It made me cry. It deserves its own post, and shall get one when I have a spare moment.

This week DC launches a new Azrael miniseries, either as a public acknowledgement that they know they’re recycling Bat-event plot points from the ‘90s or because Azrael is meant to be a red herring for the gun-toting evil Batman seen in last week’s Battle For the Cowl. Azrael: Death’s Dark Knight will be a three-issue miniseries written by Fabian Nicieza, who seems to be writing every other Batman tie-in these days, with art by Frazer Irving and a cover by Guillem March, two creators who are very welcome in Gotham City, as far as I’m concerned.

If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea though, don’t worry! There are plenty of other comic books coming out this week, too.

Such as…? Well, you’ll just have to click on “Read the rest of this entry” to find out!

(Well, honestly, I suppose there are lots of other places you could find out, but click on “Read the rest of this entry” anyway, won’t you?)

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The Xbox 360 and PS3 each already have some very strong multimedia capabilities. The 360 has that wonderful Netflix streaming, allowing Gold members to stream their “Watch Now” playlist directly to their TV, even with some shows and movies in HD. The PS3 is famously a blu ray player, and one of the best on the market. If you’ve seen blu ray in action, you know that it really is a substantial difference. Both have various applications available for both PC and Mac that allow you to stream video that’s on your computer to your system of choice, moving you away from the computer screen and back to the living room, and can play most divx files off your computer or a burned disc.

But what about that wonder of wonders, Hulu? Hulu, for the uninitiated, is a website that streams video from several sources like Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, and many many more. Missed your favorite show? Forgot to Tivo it? Hulu to the rescue. However, the limitation has been that you have to watch it on the computer. This is something a lot of people have gotten used to and really don’t mind too much, but it’s still not the optimum way to watch video when you have that big widescreen in front of your couch.

Enter PlayOn. From MediaMall Technologies, PlayOn solves the Hulu problem (and much more) for Xbox360 and PS3 owners. The program is remarkably easy to use. Download the server onto your PC (XP and Vista only for now), and there’s virtually no setup. On most computers, the automatic settings are perfect (it even auto-detects your firewalls) and you’re literally good to go the moment you start the program and turn on your console. You can also input your Hulu username and password to access your queue. Varying quality settings allow the streaming to work no matter how fast your system and internet connection, provided you meet the relatively low minimum requirements. Now, this is still internet streaming, so this is not high definition quality, but it’s good enough to have in the background or to watch that missed episode. Videophiles will complain, but the general public should love it.

Hulu is actually only the tip of the iceberg, as well. Youtube (including user queues) streams nicely through PlayOn, as does CBS, ESPN, Amazon Video On Demand, and even Netflix. That last one is quite the boon for PS3 owners jealous of their 360 counterparts. Again, since it’s through an extra server, you’re not going to get quite the same quality. HD is not yet available through this extra software, but the quality is passable; think pre-digital cable and you have a pretty good idea of how things will look on your TV.

PlayOn is not free beyond the two week trial. The $39.99 price tag is the only downside to the story. This is considerably steeper than most media servers, but it also does a lot more than just stream your saved video. They have also recently launched an affiliate program, allowing you to get the software for free by signing up for a number of other services. If the program were $20 or even $30, this would be an absolute must-own for 360 or PS3 owners. At $40, I can still give it the highest recommendation for PS3 owners, as it equalizes the Netflix issue, plus adds the bonuses of an easy-to-use interface for Hulu and Youtube. For 360 owners, only tv/movie addicts need apply, but it certainly does expand the options for them in a major way. Easy to use from start (on your PC) to finish (on your 360 or PS3), MediaMall Technologies has put together an amazing product, updates it on a regular basis, and has turned two great multimedia hubs in the living room into something even more special.

If you like what’s you’ve read so far totally check out more super cute comics at:www.sosuperduper.com!

You’re welcome.

Jose “Pepe” Gonzalez, the horror artist who made his mark on Harris Comics’ Vampirella in the 1970s, passed away this week. According to reports, Gonzalez passed away in his sleep after a prolonged illness.

The following is a statement from Harris:

It is with great sadness that Harris Comics has learned of the passing of Jose “Pepe” Gonzalez. He was 70 years old.

Gonzalez is best known for his work on Vampirella. Starting with Vampirella #12 in 1971 and together with Archive Goodwin, Gonzalez created horror classics that have stood the test of time as some of the finest examples of the comics medium. His work was thrilling, sensuous and beautiful. He brought the character to life, elevated her to an icon and, most deservedly, won over a legion of fans who have never forgotten him. To this day, many would say his was the definitive rendition of the character.

He was one of the greatest artists comics has ever seen. He will never be replaced and he will be sorely missed.

Joe Jusko had this to say: “I can honestly say that my life long affinity for Vampirella was born due to the discovery of Jose Gonzalez’ breathtaking work. From the splash page of Vampirella #21 through the very last panel, my 12 year old eyes had never seen a woman drawn in comics as Gonzalez drew them; beautiful, mysterious, sexy (but never slutty). I have forever tried to capture the glamour and sensuality that he brought to the character, but as all who have tried since have always come up tragically short. There will always be only one definitive Vampi artist in most readers’ eyes and he will always be the great Jose ‘Pepe’ Gonzalez.”

As far as casting for Marvel’s big-screen version of Thor (directed by Kenneth Branagh) goes, it’s still wide open.

Or is it?

Last week, we reported that True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård was spotted having lunch with Branagh, and since, Josh Harnett has been bandied about as a possibility for either Loki or Thor.

Now, Nikki Finke, who has a pretty respectable batting average for the Hollywood rumor scene, says that there’s a strong push to cast an unknown as Thor, but that a handful of actors – along with Hartnett – are being tested for the role. The actors named by Finke include: Charlie Hunnam (Sons Of Anarchy), Tom Hiddleston (HBO’s The Gathering Storm), Skarsgard, Liam Hemsworth and a Swedish-American actor, Joel Kinnaman.

And a highlight of Finke’s casting rumors – Natalie Portman being cast as the female lead. Whether that means Sif or someone else is unknown.

Related: Blog@’s Asgardians Casting Call

Newsarama readers, sound off!

Entertainment Weekly has opened up a poll for the best pop culture characters of all time! Vote now, and the top 20 will be released in an upcoming feature!

(When I asked Troy Brownfield, his answer was: “Easy. The Goddamn Batman.”)

Slow Storm

Written and Drawn by Danica Novgorodoff

First Second, 176 pages, $17.95 US

Slow Storm is the story of a modest young woman yearning for more from life. From this starting point, Danica Novgorodoff goes about fashioning a graphic novel that reads like an expression of a dream, complete with uneven pacing and leaps in dramatic storytelling, which is actually what gives it its vitality.

As the dark skies grow more menacing over the Kentucky hinterland during tornado season, Ursa Crain, a female firefighter, finds herself in a fire truck with a crew answering a call. Just prior to this scene, we’ve been introduced to the struggles of Rafi, a Mexican illegal immigrant. As if through telepathy, Ursa begins to muse and speak lyrically about what it would be like to have to leave behind your country and all that you knew. Completely out of left field, she goes on: “Do you think then – if you couldn’t ever see this countryside again – then would you remember driving through Oldham County like it was some kinda…like a…beautiful fantasy?” Pretty trippy stuff. Well, it works fine with me. Welcome to Danica Novgorodoff’s world and feel free to dream along.

I say read this more like you would poetry or something on the unconventional side. There are fantasies within fantasies to be found here. One of the most interesting is when it appears that Ursa has intentionally trapped her brother in a raging fire and assured his death. This is all played out in a very deadpan way leaving you to wonder what exactly happened.

Both Ursa and Rafi, from the first time they meet to their only moment of intimacy when their hands touch, remain totally deadpan cool. No one ever expresses anything in this book with just a facial expression. That’s not what you need in a book like Slow Storm.

And while my cable is out, too. That’s just not fair.

Neil Gaiman, according to his blog and Twitter, will be on the Colbert Report tonight. I guess I’ll have to hit the Colbert Nation tomorrow.  You people who have functioning cable–don’t talk to me.

What could possibly make my inner fourteen-year-old squeal more than the Twilight DVD?

SciFiWire reports that the DVD bonus features (which they are ruining for me, per my planned Twilight DVD party on Saturday) include the mention of a possible anime flick in Japan:

During the final sequence of the film, in which Stewart’s Bella and Pattinson’s Edward Cullen discuss transforming her into a vampire so the two of them can be together forever, Pattinson notices that he looks different from previous scenes. “I look Asian in this scene,” Pattinson says. “I do, I look like an anime character.”

Hardwicke responds, “Hey, I think there’s going to be an anime version of this in Japan. So you will be an anime character.”

I’ve fallen out of my anime-watching habits over the years, but I have to say that I’d watch an anime Twilight.

And now that your opinion of me is thoroughly ruined, I’m off to finish reading Blankets. Also, in srs bizness, my interview with Brian Wood is up on the main page here today. /shameless self-promotion.

After reading this article at Ain’t It Cool News, I realized I should do a follow-up on the Avengers reshuffling you may have read about (and I commented on) last week.

For those of you who don’t remember, the Marvel film slate got a bit of a change last week, with the Avengers film being pushed back to 2012, and Spider-Man 4 taking the time slot of the upcoming Thor film.

Part of the reason, I speculated in my last Dial H column, was due to the fact that (A) Sony has a lot of leverage to put the gigantic Spider-Man franchise wherever they feel like it, and Marvel and Paramount need to play musical chairs with the other films to accommodate, and (B) the entire slate needed to readjust their stance considering the final Harry Potter film is set to come out the summer of 2011.

But after reading this article, I think there are two other considerations which are just as — if not more — important.

Money and talent.

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By Raven (and Jaylon) Gregory

It was some nineteen years ago, sixth or seven grade, I stumbled upon Watchmen at my local public library and I have to say the first time I read it I absolutely hated it. It was a drag to read but somehow I made my way through this immense piece of fiction and got to the end not really getting it at all but getting the sense that I indeed did not “get it” which explained the lack of enjoyment at the time.

Some many years passed in which I was introduced to X-Men, Hulk, EC Comics, and indie books of all different flavors and eventually Watchmen found its way back into my hands and upon a second reading I was absolutely blown away and have been in each of the eight subsequent readings over the years.

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