Photo courtesy Gary Miereanu

[The following is a pre-prepared interview provided by Warner Home Video.]

Whether as River Tam in Joss Whedon’s cult classic series and follow-up film, Firefly and Serenity, or as the indestructible android-from-the-future, Cameron, in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Glau has cornered the market on playing attractive, demure young females with the controlled homicidal power to destroy an opposing legion of trained warriors.

So it was only natural that as her first-ever animated voiceover role, Glau would fit neatly into the role of an uber-powered Kryptonian who falls under the spell of one of Superman’s greatest foes. Glau finds the perfect mix of youthful curiosity, teen angst and alien-turned-Earth-girl aggression as the voice of Kara, cousin of Superman (and ultimately destined to become Supergirl) in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, the ninth entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe animated movies.

Based on the DC Comics series/graphic novel “Superman/Batman: Supergirl” by Jeph Loeb, the late Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is produced by animation legend Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Wonder Woman) from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist).

Glau’s career has been populated with frequent visits to the fanboy realm, adding regular roles on The 4400 and Dollhouse to her featured gigs on Firefly/Serenity and The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The professionally trained ballerina had a seven-episode run on The Unit, and will appear in the upcoming NBC series, The Cape, as well as in the film, Knights of Badassdom.

Following her recording session, Glau freely discussed a number of subjects – from the acting strengths of the Whedon alumni association to her consistent on-set nerves to a strong desire to land more adult roles. Interview after the jump.

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If you like what you’ve read so far (c’mon, how can you not?) totally check out more super cute comics at:www.sosuperduper.com!

Hidekaz Himaruya’s Hetalia: Axis Powers finds its inspiration in two rather unlikely sources of humor (Or at least unlikely source of humor for the modern, Western mass media): The events of World War II and ethnic/national stereotyping.

In fact, it’s not hard to imagine many readers stopping cold at the cover, which depicts a winking Italy and his ever-present white flag of surrender along with cute manga characters representing Japan and Germany.

Stopping there would probably be a mistake, since as provocative as the work might sometimes be, it is strongly rooted in the tradition of political cartooning, particularly in its anthropomorphizing entire nations into individual cartoon characters whose personalities and relationships are meant to represent those countries’ places in the world. Hetlaia is political cartoon as comic strip and, now, political cartoon as graphic novel (It began as an online comic strip and was later published as tankobon  in Japan; Tokyopop is releasing the volumes in the U.S.).

The title is itself something of an insult to Italy, as it’s a Japanese portmanteau pun blending hetare (weak, cowardly or incompetent) with Italia. Our title character is first encountered in this volume at a UN-like “Meeting of the World,” where, when given the floor, he shouts: “Pasta!!!” In the narrative, dour, business-like Germany finds Hetalia cowering in a tomato crate.
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Chris Samnee put his contribution to the Wonder Woman Day art auction on his site today, and Great Hera it’s wondrous.

Also on the entry is Samnee’s pencils for the piece, which with an artist like him and his style, I always find interesting to see. It’s solid work and Samnee is quickly becoming one of THE artists in comics today.

Another problem with variant covers: Don’t they sort of make the argument to comics readers that you should probably just wait for the trade, as that’s the most likely way to ensure you get all the covers? Why on earth would you want to buy a single issue of, say, DC Universe: Legacies or Action Comics and risk not getting this gorgeously busy George Perez cover or P. Craig Russell drawing Lex freakin’ Luthor cover?

“‘Family Circus’ is my favorite cartoon … to lampoon”: That’s cartoonist Ward Sutton talking to The Boston Globe about those weird “What If Your Favorite Daily Comic Strips Suddenly Reflected the Politics of The Tea Party” parody strips I linked to in the previous installment of this feature…as well as the comics page in general.

“If you are going to be in this business of making dreams come true, you need a high threshold for frustration”: That’s movie producer and comics writer Michael Uslan to students at his old college in this local boy-makes-good feature from the Evansville Courier and Press.

I knew the comics audience was graying, but I didn’t realize it was that gray: “One in Four Comic Readers Over the Age of 65″

So, which publisher currently holds the rights to make comics based on Nintendo games?: Because after seeing these sketches from Colleen Coover, I kinda have an urge to read a Coover-drawn Super Mario Bros. comic…

“Troy, troy again”: Bully, The Little Stuffed Bull presents “the complete and unexpurgated history of Wonder Woman’s sidekick, sister, younger self and wife of Terry Long” Donna Troy…or at least a fashion history, as trying to make sense out of her fictional biography would drive anyone mad. In the process, he shares a lot of great covers from a lot of great artists, including those great Silver Age covers of Wondy teaming up with her past selves at various ages. (I love those). Speaking of Wonder Girls and their costumes, isn’t it kind of weird that the current Wonder Girl Cassandra Sandsmark seems like she’s had at least as many costume changes as Donna Troy already, even though she’s only been around about 15 years?

“The defenses are old and threadbare, but they still hold some truth: nobody has paid for comics news in years, and when free is the price, an audience’s complaints are heard on kindness alone”: Writing for Comixology, Tucker Stone addresses the recent concerns expressed by at least one extremely prominent mainstream super-comic writer’s concerns with the failings of comics journalism and criticism as it currently exists. I have nothing to add, other than to provide this link. (Well, nothing to add to what Stone says, anyway. Regarding Cebulski’s tweet about not enough coverage of an announcement that Anthony Bourdain is going ot do a comic, I saw about a dozen items in my Google News alerts about that the week it was announced, but didn’t think it even merited a link here, because at this point, “Celebrity to dabble in comics” seems about as newsworthy as “Batman to fight crime in next Batman comic”)

Excalibur Visionaries: Alan Davis v.1
Written & Penciled by Alan Davis
Inked by Mark Farmer
Published by Marvel Comics

I haven’t been going to the library for comics lately – with all the comps piling up, there just isn’t time to read many of the books I buy for myself, much less stuff I’m halfway interested in but don’t want cluttered my shelves forever.  (I know, boohoo for me, having too many free comics.)  But I was at the library the other day to pick up some CDs I’d been curious to hear and there was a graphic novel shelf displaying a very nice variety of books, including manga, a Dash Shaw book, a Walking Dead, and a couple superhero titles.  This particular book, collecting Alan Davis’ run on X-Men spinoff Excalibur from issues 42 to 50 from the early 1990s jumped out.  I’d read the comics years and years ago, recalled them fondly, but long ago lost them in one of my many purges.

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Ted Naifeh, like most artists, loves drawing Batman. Much like how almost every artist has that one character they get sheer joy out of drawing, Naifeh’s is definitely Gotham’s Dark Knight. Recently, on his website, he displayed some mock covers of Bat-books. Now, he’s already done some redesigns of Bats’ rogues gallery and other miscellaneous Gothamites, but what he’s done here is completely different, and truly amazing. Naifeh spoke exclusively to Blog@ about Batman and his thoughts on the character’s legacy.

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The Beat reported today three DC Comics editorial personnel laid off as a result of the publisher’s “bi-coastal realignment,” all from the company’s Vertigo imprint — Pornsak Pichetshote, Jonathan Vankin, and Joan Hilty.

Pichetshote edited current hit The Unwritten; Vankin’s Vertigo credits included writing Vertigo Pop! Tokyo, illustrated by the late Seth Fisher; Hilty had been with the company for 15 years.

A filing last week by DC Entertainment showed 80 employees are planned to be laid off or moved as a result of the ongoing reorganization.

What would Barney Google google upon encountering Google? Perhaps “Barney Google” and “IDW,” at which point he’d get plenty of results regarding Barney Google, the $40, 225-page hardcover designed and edited by Craig Yoe and featuring a foreword by Richard Thompson.

Or perhaps he just wants to see what other comics are coming out this week, in order to check out the competition. If that’s the case, here are some of the things the collection of Billy DeBec’s classic strip will be sharing shelf-space with this week…

Action Comics #893: The most fascinating thing about this month’s issue of Action Comics is, I think, that in an issue about Lex Luthor battling Gorilla Grodd, an issue whose solicitation specifically mentions the possibility of Luthor becoming Grodd’s next meal, is that cover artist David Finch appears to have drawn a spoon in Gorilla Grodd’s hand.

A spoon. If you were going to eat Lex Luthor, is a spoon the utensil you would use? I appreciate a comic book cover that begs consideration of such questions. Too bad the logo seems to cover the spoon up entirely, at least based on this preview.

American Vampire Vol. 1: Attention, librarians! You’re going to want a copy of this in your collection! This  $25, 190-page hardcover collects the first five issues of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s popular, pretty well-regarded vampire series, featuring stories by whatshisface. Stephen King. Yeah, that’s it—Stephen King, who writes about vampires in the Old West, while Snyder writes a storyline set in the 1920s. Stephen King! Vampires! Graphic novel! It’s a perfect storm of popular publishing elements!

Baseball Heaven: I hope a well-meaning relative of George Will’s accidentally buys this and gives it to him as a Christmas present this year.

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If you like what you’ve read so far (c’mon, how can you not?) totally check out more super cute comics at:www.sosuperduper.com!

Time to celebrate Banned Books Week, since the ALA (American Library Association) has put out the list of the most challenged graphic novels. Some were understandable, others, I’m scratching my head here. Example: Maus has been challenged as being “Anti-Ethnic”. I don’t get where that’s coming from since it teaches of the horrors of the Holocaust. Now, Sandman, I understand, it’s not age-appropriate, but why would that be in a school anyways? Or Watchmen, which was “unsuited to age group”? What age are we talking about here?

“Not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same,” said ALA President Roberta Stevens. “How can we live in a free society and develop our own opinions if our right to choose reading materials for ourselves and our families is taken away? We must remain diligent and protect our freedom to read.”

Again, I think it’s silly for other people (read: strangers) to decide what is suitable for other people to read. Other than the fact it’s cost people their librarian positions for making that decision, it’s just morally wrong.

So go out there and enjoy these fine, banned books.

Holy mackerel!

This is the first picture of Chris Evans on set of Captain America: The First Avenger, and I am blown away by his transformation. Even in the face he doesn’t look like himself. However, I have to say, he sure put the confidence on his dedication to the role back in me. The set pics I’ve seen so far are interesting, but this certainly has me wanting to see this movie now.

So readers, what do you think of Evan’s look?

I’m not sure I understand what the point of this is or where it came from, but I liked looking at it: Longtime alternative cartoonist Ward Sutton (Sutton Impact/Schlock ‘n Roll) has created a suite of strips from The Boston Globe, premised on making the funnies page conform to the Tea Party brand of conservative politics. The results are…interesting, to say the least, and I loved seeing Sutton homage eighteen different cartoonists in what amounts to a bonus Sunday comics page. Check it out here. (Via Wonkette)

I hate when classic superheroes update their costumes: Especially the superheroes that are also muppets, like Super Grover…who insists Jimmy Fallon call him Super Grover 2.0 in the clip embedded in that post.

“4 Comic Books That Deserve the TV Treatment”: I agree with #1  on TV Squad‘s list here, and #4, which I think the animated scene that ran on Cartoon Network to promote the movie proved would work quite well as an animated series.

As long as they get Sir Anthony Hopkins to play The Turtle it will be worthwhile: “New Flash Movie to be Like Silence of the Lambs & Seven And Other Horrible News”

I thought there was just one, and that it was to make sure it’s a cartoon?: “The rules for small-screen superheroes”

Don’t worry Family Security Matters editor; kids don’t read comics: “Meet the Muslim Superheros who are Ready To Indoctrinate American Kids”

This is my favorite headline to a story about Hit Girl playing Emily The Strange: “Chloe Moretz to Play Famous Sticker”

The worst part is that it’s not even a very nice looking image of someone projectile-vomiting blood: Richard Bruton shakes his head sadly at the cover of an upcoming issue of Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors (That particular book, by the way, is the third Green Lantern ongoing, and the one going for $4-per-22 pages).

Red Movie Prequels
Published by DC/Wildstorm

So there’s this film coming out, called Red, and it’s based on a 2003 miniseries of the same title by writer Warren Ellis and artist Cully Hamner.  I haven’t read it.  I tell you this only because Wildstorm is now publishing four one-shot comics that serve as prequels to the film and if you’re expecting me to cast these books against the comics that originated the concept … I can’t.  I can only judge them on their own merits.

And on those merits, they’re okay.  Don’t run out and buy them if you’re unsure about the material, but if the concept – ex-CIA spooks targeted for assassination to cover up their wetworks past – sounds interesting or if the movie trailer really rocked your world, yeah, go for it.  Each issue is plotted by the movie’s writers, Jon and Erich Hoeber, so these four little vignettes should dovetail nicely into what appears onscreen.  Telling an effective little black ops yarn in 24 or so pages, each one-shot focuses on one of the movie’s four protagonists, giving some insight into their methods and their relationships with each other and the agency.  It’s solid thriller stuff, with largely professional artwork.

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Rashida Jones, of NBC’s frequently hilarious Parks and Recreation, was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night promoting her role in The Social Network, and they also found time to talk a good deal about Frenemy of the State, the Oni Press comic book she’s co-writing with Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis.

Pretty great exposure for Oni, getting the covers of both issues out thus far on camera. Issue #3 is in stores Oct. 13.

The last time I remember a comic book being promoted on a late night talk show was when Kevin Smith was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2002 and was supposed to air a trailer for Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do, but from what I remember the trailer wasn’t approved by the FCC and I don’t know if they ended up talking about the comic or not. So yeah, this is better. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another eight years!

Superman may be taking a crucial step towards liftoff, as helmer Chris Nolan has reportedly narrowed down his directorial options to a select few.

Deadline has reported that Nolan is looking at five directors to spearhead the film, including: Zack Snyder, of 300 and Watchmen fame; Moon director Duncan Jones; Cloverfield and Let Me In’s Matt Reeves; Tony Scott, director of Top Gun and Enemy of the State; and Jonathan Liebesman, who worked on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot.

That said, the report also says that this list isn’t rock-solid just yet, as many of these directors may have scheduling conflicts that would knock them out of the running. /Film has a cool reaction piece to all of this,  weighing the pros and cons of each director (and only snubbing Scott).

Me, I’d go with Jones — if you’re looking for an Iron Man-style success, you need to be able to give the movie its own voice, and Moon had that in spades. That said, if the script is any good, don’t you think Snyder would be a sure-bet, with his visually-striking style? Let’s duke it out, Rama readers, what say you?

By Filip Sablik
Publisher, Top Cow Productions, Inc.

It’s Autumn again. Where did 2010 go, friends? Seriously it seems like only yesterday I was playing video poker at the Hard Rock Café Casino to finish out 2009. I swear it was only minutes ago I was finalizing plans for San Diego Comic-Con and feeling the cold sweat inducing panic of hard printing deadlines rushing headlong at my deer-in-the-headlights expression.

Autumn 2010 means cooler weather (for you poor suckers who live in four seasons), mid-term elections, the return of pumpkin as the flavor-du-jour on everything from your latte to your ice cream, and a new crop of TV pilots hoping for at least one good season in the sun. For us at Top Cow it also means its time for a new crop of Pilot Season comics.

This year we have five different new concepts by five unique creative teams. A mix of season pros and wet-behind-the-ears newcomers fighting for your attention and trying to create something you haven’t seen before. So much of the comics released in recent years have been about nostalgia. I get it. Nostalgia is a warm blanket, a comforting hot cup of cocoa. It reminds us of better, bygone days in troubled times. We know what we’re going to get and what to expect. But I’m here to challenge you take a chance on the new. Stretch past your comfort zone and reach to discover a different genre or an undiscovered creator.

On Wednesday, Pilot Season: 39 Minutes #1 hit stands. It’s by Impaler writer and creator William Harms, who is a seriously under-exposed talent. Harms hits you hard with a twist on a classic genre – the bank heist. A group of bank robbers is hitting small towns in the Midwest and pulling off daring bank heists by treating each job like a military mission. Meanwhile, John Clayton is rotting in Leavenworth for killing a group of military contractors in a friendly fire incident in Iraq. Clayton’s approached by a government agent who tells him they believe the bank robbers are men previously under Clayton’s command. Bank robberies, rocket launchers, and a story about what our brave men and women go through overseas. That’s an original combo. The art team of newcomer Jerry Lando and veterans Jay Leisten and Brian Buccellato is pretty darn compelling too. Check it out; you won’t be able to miss the striking Rafael Albuquerque cover.

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The city of St. Canard has long been a focus for crime and super-powered villains. Fortunately, it is also home to a mysterious vigilante who fights crime with the help of advanced technology, martial arts training, natural detective skills, an uncanny talent for stealth, and a trusted gas-gun. He is the terror that flaps in the night, the winged scourge who pecks at your nightmares, the awkward good-bye that lasts way too long. He is… Darkwing Duck!

Much of Darkwing’s past is shrouded in mystery, even from his own friends. Some have said that this masked avenger is one of the last survivors of the planet Zipton. Another account claims he is the descendant of a masked pirate hunter. The truth is that this costumed hero is Drake Mallard, a guy who discovered he had a talent for crime-fighting during an incident at his senior prom. Traveling to the East, Drake underwent intensive combat training. He later learned how to work as a detective and then, after amassing tons of high-tech equipment and setting up a secret lair, Drake returned to his home of St. Canard as his masked alter ego, hunting down criminals while announcing his presence at any given opportunity. Some consider him a hero, some a menace, others simply don’t know why he keeps offering them his autograph. And though he is sometimes distracted by a desire for fame, his primary focus (or so he insists) is justice.

Not only does Darkwing fight criminals and super-villains in his home town, he also travels the world to fight evil, often while working as a freelance agent for the super-secret organization known as S.H.U.S.H. Though he claims to be a loner, the Duck Knight is usually accompanied on his adventures by his sidekick/pilot Launchpad McQuack, his adopted daughter Gosalyn, and her best friend Honker Muddlefoot.

Although his cartoon has been over now for years, DW has never left the hearts and minds of his fans. And now, he has returned to a career of defying dastardly deeds of deviltry and disaster thanks to a new, fantastic comic book series published by BOOM! (and if you’re not reading it, you should be beaten with sticks because it’s just great). But enough back story! Time to examine the wardrobe of this masked mallard of might, this controversial and clandestine caped crusader, a hero who truly means it when he says, “Let’s Get Dangerous!”

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But Justice Los Angeles is a terrible name for a superhero team!: “PUTTING THE ‘L.A.’ in ‘JLA’: How might DC superheroes fare in their new Calfiornia digs?”

Eh, I’ve read stranger: “Read the strangest superhero origin of them all! Enter… The Fly!”

Why not? Jennifer Garner’s Elektra turned out great!: “Scarlett Johansson to get Black Widow spinoff?”

Well, sure…they have to wait and see if it works first: “DC Entertainment Won’t Copy ‘Avengers’ Model, No Immediate Plans To Reveal Superhero Strategy”

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography
Written by Sid Jacobson
Illustrated by Ernie Colón
Published by Hill & Wang

After collaborating on a comic book adaptation of the 9-11 Commission’s report, and then issuing a book of journalism that followed up on the report’s findings and follow-through, Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón have turned their attention to creating comic book biographies.  After targeting Che Guevara initially, the tandem digs into the life of a much less controversial figure, famed journal-keeper and Holocaust victim Annelies Marie Frank.

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