Remember when I told you Nicolas Cage was a vampire. Would you believe this? John Travolta is a time traveler! This explains so much.

Yup, another Victorian-era individual bears a striking resemblence to a Hollywood star has surfaced and is being sold on Ebay. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, the woman selling this photo and the man who was attempting to sell the one of “Nicolas Cage” are friends. “The woman, who prefers to go only by Fawn, says she and Jack Mord, the man behind the Cage ‘vampire’ photo are both collectors of Victorian era post-mortem photography,” said THR.

The asking price for the Cage/vampire photo was $1 million, Fawn was asking for only $50,000 for the Travolta/time traveler. The Face/Off jokes are too numerous.

“Earlier this summer, Jack was joking about his Nicolas Cage vampire photograph and that he was listing it on eBay and I told him about my John Travolta time traveler ambrotype and he said list it because they were a good match,” she told THR. ”We were just having a good time.”

Fawn told THR the most she was offered for the photo was $35,000 but has not heard from Travolta himself. ”Most people were curious and just thought the photo was fake or that I was weird. It’s a really cool photograph but I never thought it would cause this sort of hoopla… funny.”

We here at Newsarama have found corroborating evidence that Travolta is indeed, a time traveler.

Have a great weekend kids…

Get your fatalities ready folks, Mortal Kombat is making it’s way back to theaters.

The Hollywood Reporter says New Line cinema has tapped the creators of the Mortal Kombat digital series, made earlier this year.

“The movie deal marks the end of a journey for Kevin Tancharoen, who will direct the new movie,” says THR, “Tancharoen, a choreographer for Madonna and Britney Spears who directed the 2009 remake of Fame and more recently the Glee concert movie, directed a short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth as a proof of concept for a Kombat movie he tried to pitch.”

Released by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Mortal Kombat: Legacy proved very popular in part to stars like Star Trek: Voyager’s Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade and Spawn star Michael Jai White as Jax.

“The short was viewed more than 10 million times on YouTube, and although no movie deal materialized, he was asked to direct the 10-episode web series, which debuted in April, attracting more than 15 million unique visitors,” writes THR.

The original Mortal Kombat movie, based on the popular video game franchise, was directed in 1995 by the now well-known Paul W.S. Anderson. It did fairly well at the box office but its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, directed by John R. Leonetti 1997, flopped.

THR says writer of the digital series Oren Uziel will write the new movie but that there is no actor attached and the story will not be a continuation of the video game or series.

You probably have thought that a few times in your life but now it’s literal thanks to British artist Ben Turnbull and his project, “Supermen- An Exhibition of Heroes.”

“Supermen,” now showing through October at Eleven in London, was created by Turnbull for the recent anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. Look closely at the images (click to view a bit larger) and you’ll notice that they are a collage made up of old comics books. Turnbull’s own comic books to be exact.

Comic heroes like Batman, Captain America, the Flash, Spider-Man and yes, tons of thought and speech bubbles were painstakingly placed onto wood to create images of firemen, a few logos and an American flag.

From Eleven’s website, “Turnbull celebrates the real heroic strength which exists outside the pages of comic books and examines who we look to for protection from an early age to adulthood. He comments, ‘the life changing events of 9/11 led us all to believe in the need for real life superheroes. Superman didn’t fly down to save the falling buildings, there was no Caped Crusader ready to do battle with the arch-enemy and Spidey didn’t spin his web. Without the need of a phone-booth or a revolving door these true patriots donned their iconic costumes and sacrificed life and limb for what they believed in. With every cut-comic hero and dialogue I hope to bring out the true merits of the Brave and the Bold in their fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way.’”

Turnbull has been collecting comics since age 11 they said and this series “is made from fragments of over 1000 pre-1990s comics, the ones that Turnbull read as a child, and created by his own heroes including Jack Kirby, Sal Buscema and Steve Ditko.”

The artist spoke with Yatzer about the art. “Inside all the works I do there is an undeniable truth which I feel has to be taught. I would hope that like me, when I was taken to museums/galleries as a kid, today’s generation of children will be able look at works and learn from them,” he said, “The biggest thrill I had recently was when a Brooklyn school came to see one of the Fireman pieces in a show in New York. It was a real buzz getting their reactions, their realization that hard work can produce results. They totally went for it! For me, that’s the reason I get up in the morning.”

In addition to the collages, Turnbull also has a few other superhero/real hero mashups in the exhibition.

Who wouldn’t want their portfolio reviewed by the legendary Neal Adams? Well, this year, in order to have more time at the New York Comic Con for signing books or chatting with fans, Adams is hosting a special event just for those wishing to have the artist look at their work.

The Adams’ family sent Newsarama the following press release:

Neal Adams Portfolio Review Comic Con Breakfast

Comics Legend and artist on Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Deadman, Dark Horse Presents: Blood, and New Avengers 16.1 is giving a unique opportunity to aspiring comic artists looking for guidance from one of the industry’s greatest. On Saturday, October 15th at 7:00AM, three hours before doors open at the con, Adams is inviting artists to come to the historic Continuity Studios for a pre-convention breakfast and one-on-one professional portfolio review and lecture.

Adams, who won’t be doing portfolio reviews during the New York Comic Con, is offering limited spots for the price $300 per spot in an effort to gather a more focused group of aspiring artists from all levels while also creating a good atmosphere and unique experience in his own famed Continuity Studios.
For years Continuity had been the starting place that many of the comic industry’s most renowned talents. Now hopeful comic creators looking to make their break in the comic industry get to follow the path that many of the greats did before them.

While aspiring artists can get reviews from most any artist at a comic convention, Adams is well known for his portfolio reviews and such reviews have themselves been the launching pad for the careers of many artists and offer insight and techniques that are unparalleled in the comic book industry. Spots for the event are limited but if the demand is high enough a second day will be scheduled for Sunday.

To reserve your spot please contact Erica at Continuity (212) 869-4170 or email Kris at Kris@nealadams.com. Spaces are limited so reserve now.

A last minute casting change has happened on Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Actress Julia Ormond will no longer be playing Superman’s birth mother, Lara. The role will now be played by Ayelet Zurer.

You’re probably saying, “Who?” but you may have seen her before. She played opposite Eric Bana in Munich and Tom Hanks in Angels & Demons. ”I was unable to find out why director Zack Snyder made the last-minute change, but I’ve confirmed that Zurer will start filming this week,” wrote Deadline in their report. Ormond was never officially cast but she was the only person named to be in talks for the role before now.

Production is already underway on Man of Steel and Zurer will be starring alongside Russel Crow as Suprman’s biological father, Jor-El

We’ve had plenty of photos showing The Dark Knight Rises actress Anne Hathaway in costume, just not in costume. We’ve only really seen one shot of the actress in her Catwoman garb and most of us assumed it wasn’t the finished product. Well now we know it wasn’t. Here’s Hathaway with what everyone was waiting for…cat ears.

So…I don’t know what the hell is going on anymore. The previous costumed shot we saw of Hathaway had her wearing technologically advanced goggles closer to her recent look in the comics rather than the 1960s Batman television series and this look screams Lee Meriwether to me. Not that I don’t love Meriwether and the other 60s Catwoman looks but this feels too cartoony to me, especially for the Nolan-verse.

The shots were taken over the weekend in Los Angeles where the actress was filming a scene with both Christian Bale and Gary Oldman. It’s extremely hard to tell in these shots but the ears are definitely attached to the mask and look, to me at least, like they could potentially pull down to form that goggle look we saw previously. Most people assumed that would be the case.

Now that we’ve seen more shots of the Catwoman costume I think one of my biggest complaints are the boots. For a director who likes to keep things realistic, over-the-knee stilettos (with silver heels no less) are not the best way to burgle/fight crime.

My other issue with the look is Hathaway’s hair flowing free. I don’t know if I’d necessarily push for an entire head covering but it’s seems a little secret identity counter-productive not to mention the whole issue of it getting grabbed/stuck in something while working.

So ladies and gents, now that we’ve seen what is most likely the final Catwoman look for The Dark Knight Rises, what do you think? Too much? Too little? Perfect or go back to the drawing board bad?

Via GeekTyrant and JustJared

With the release of this week’s New 52 titles from DC, we’ve seen an explosion of contempt from readers in response to two titles – Judd Winick and Guillem March’s Catwoman #1 and Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort’s Red Hood and the Outlaws #1. If for some reason you’ve managed to avoid the controversy thus far, Blog@’s Graeme McMillan covered it here, Comic Alliance’s Laura Hudson very eloquently here and we also posted a response from Judd Winick here. That being said, while these two titles caused a great deal of anger, there were others that proved you can still make superheroines sexy without sexually degrading them.

This image shows our introduction to two members of the new Birds of Prey, Starling and Black Canary. Starling has cleavage showing but her breasts are an appropriate size and her top fits her correctly. Saiz gave both characters very feminine curves and form-fitting costumes yet neither are depicted as overt sex objects. On the other hand…

…this is the first impression we get of Catwoman and Starfire, the ones getting the most negative attention. And with good reason. Catwoman’s breasts are the center of attention in her introduction while Starfire’s entire body is on display. Neither woman is really getting the support they’d need for breasts that size either. Regardless, their bodies are the point of focus, not the characters themselves.

While some may still question why Wonder Woman needs to sleep naked, Cliff Chiang’s art in her first issue gives us a titilating image but not one that puts the character in an overt sexual situation. This panel is actually the second frame of Wonder Woman, the first is showing her back in bed, but neither has the sheets forming to her body in such a way that you can see her body parts. Wonder Woman may be needlessly sexualized here but in my opinion, this image is not being used to degrade the character.

Another image that stands out positively to me in Birds of Prey is this one of Black Canary fighting a villain. Another artist could have easily changed her position to be straddling the bad guy (something we’ve seen quite often) but instead, Saiz merely shows her apprehending him.

I’m far from a prude and I love the Batman/Catwoman relationship a great deal but this final image of the characters from Catwoman #1 is, as many have suggested, closer to fan fiction than mainstream comics.

Is art subjective? Absolutely. Some are arguing Batman and Catwoman are literally having sex in this last image but I’d argue they aren’t because both of their costume bottoms are still on (and I have yet to see a crotch zipper in any art [dear god help us they may not be far off]). But is it graphic and implied? Yes, without a doubt. I don’t have a problem with these characters having sex, in fact, I don’t have as big a problem with the last page of Catwoman as I have with the first or the entirety of Red Hood, but knowing that the same point can be made in a less overt way just makes the exploitive art scream exploitive.

Men already buy your books, DC. You don’t have to put giant breasts in their face to get them to pick them up but you will get more women to buy your comics if you don’t. So what is it you’re actually trying to tell us?

This story couldn’t be anymore ridiculous, thus I had to share. A seller on Ebay was offering a photo which he claims proves Nicolas Cage is a vampire. The listing has since disappeared.

The Hollywood Reporter caught it and says a Seattle-based man was asking $1 million for what he says was a photo taken in 1870 of a Tennessee man. A man he believes resembles Cage far too much to be a coincidence. “Personally, I believe it’s him,” wrote the seller, “and that he is some sort of walking undead / vampire, et cetera, who quickens / reinvents himself once every 75 years or so. 150 years from now, he might be a politician, the leader of a cult, or a talk show host.”

Nothing has ever made more sense in this crazy world we live in.

The seller insisted it was for real and that the photo was taken around the time of the Civil war. There were 76 offers on the photo before the listing was removed, all were declined by the seller. He did however have several inquiries which he answered:

“Do I get a discount if I AM Nicolas Cage?” (yes, 25 percent)  and “Nick Cage has aged terribly in the past 10 years, he’s obviously not been drinking his daily amount of blood to stay young.” The answer to the second question is “My theory is that he allows himself to age to a certain point, maybe 70, 80 or so, then the actor ‘Nicolas Cage’ will ‘die’… but in reality, the undead vampire ‘Nicolas Cage’ will have rejuvenated himself and appeared in some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over. From time to time somebody might mention to him that he bears a slight resemblance to the young version that dead American actor, whose name they can’t recall, but eventually, those occurrences will stop altogether.”

THR writes, “As of Sept. 22, eBay had a message that read, ‘This listing (260821098271) has been removed, or this item is not available’ and advised those seeking the photo to ‘Please check that you’ve entered the correct item number’ and ‘Listings that have ended 90 or more days ago will not be available for viewing.’”

I think we can safely assume Cage TOTALLY bought the photo to keep his secret. I always knew there was something strange about him…

Evangeline Lilly, best known for her role as Kate on ABC’s Lost, hasn’t done a whole lot since the hit series went off the air. Her followup is set to hit theaters next month but she’s already stepping out onto shaky ground with her next job – the newly created elf Tauriel in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. The actress herself is quite concerned how she’ll be perceived by fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic.

“I am very concerned to this day that people will watch the film and I’ll be the black mark on the film. I know how adamant the purists are and I’m one of them,” the actress told SFX. Lily will play a character named Tauriel in the films, an elf that Tolkien did not create.

“When the original came out in theatres, I swore up and down that I would not see them because I thought it was sacrilege that anyone would adapt Tolkien’s work. I didn’t think anyone would justify films by making them as good as they should be. Then my entire family when I was visiting went to see the movie and so I relented and went. We were all fans of the books and we were all blown away! It was a little piece of magic what Peter Jackson accomplished because it was truly a homage to the books rather than an offense,” she said.

Lilly told the magazine she’s been a fan of the literary tale since she was thirteen. “That said, upon reading The Hobbit again, as an adult, I can see why additional characters were needed to round out the story as an adaptation – especially female characters,” she said, “The Hobbit didn’t include female characters at all and was a very linear story, a book for children, really. What Peter, Fran (Walsh) and Philippa (Boyens) have done is all in perfect keeping with Tolkien’s world, while adding a third dimension to an otherwise very two-dimensional story.”

The actress is currently in New Zealand filming and will be for at least a year. “For a lot of actors, being that tied down would be problematic for their careers because they wouldn’t have the freedom to take any other part in the meantime. For me it’s perfect because I want to have time to spend with my family and relax and focus on my writing. This role gives me a framework within which to do that because I’m not working all the time but I’m working enough.”

With most roles there is a certain amount of training that goes on and for Lily, The Hobbit quite unlike her past experiences. “With every film, you have to educate yourself on the material and it’s often things you don’t know a lot about. Right now I’m studying Elvish and having conversations with people about learning how to be an archer, a swordsperson and how to fight like an elf instead of a gritty convict.”

The actress can next be seen starring opposite Hugh Jackman in Real Steel. The first half of Jackson’s Hobbit films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, hits theaters in 2012.

Digital comics distributor Graphicly has joined forces with Facebook to make instant access to comics even easier.

“Who isn’t on Facebook?” Graphicly asked via their blog.  ”At Graphicly, as we built out the social features of our application, we realized that there is an amazing amount of conversations occurring on Facebook around comics and creators. What was missing? The comic books themselves!”

With that, the company has launched Graphicly on Facebook. The application allows creators and publishers to embed a comic book or graphic novel onto any Facebook Page. “This simple application can enable any creator or publisher to provide their comics (either the complete book, or just a preview) and make it even easier to buy and read comics, all from their Facebook Page,” says Graphicly.

Graphicly is already integrated into sites like Newsarama, ComicVine and iFanboy but this is a huge step towards spreading comics more easily to the masses since people share everything else on Facebook already.  Graphically says the app is now being used by Archaia, Top Cow, Red5 Comics and more than 50 other creators and publishers across the web. Here’s what it looks like on Archaia’s Facebook page.

What are your thoughts about being able to purchase your digital comics while surfing on Facebook? Or, if you don’t buy digital, do you think you might be tempted now that it will likely be right in front of you?

This news broke over the weekend but I wasn’t near a computer to update until now. I have to say though, this did make my weekend shine a bit brighter. The man accused of stealing around $5,000 worth of Superman comics and other collectibles from Illinois man Mike Meyer has been arrested.

Newsarama was one of the first to spread the news about the theft in the hopes that those in the comic reading/collecting world might be able to keep an eye out for the stolen items. Now, the same St. Louis newspaper who reported the story thanks to Meyer’s friend Bill Smith, has written 37-year-old Gerry A. Armbruster was arrested and charged on Thursday. He was caught attempting to rob an elderly man of jewelry and money. The paper writes, “Police said their investigation of that more recent incident allowed them to link Armbruster to the Superman theft.”

Meyer, a 48-year-old mentally disabled man, was robbed of over 1800 items in his collection by an old co-worker he only knew as “Gary.” Granite City police were investigating the crime when Smith brought it to the attention of the paper and from there, the world. Sympathizers from all over immediately offered to donate items from their own collection as well as countless other items to Meyer in case the thief was never caught. The Superfriends of Metropolis organized quickly to help as well as many on a specially created Save Superman facebook page and a local comic book shop. Folks went so far as to list the items they were planning to donate on a Collectors Society message board in order to prevent duplicates being sent. One of the Superfriends members is actually going to hand-deliver a chunk of the donations to Meyer in person dressed as George Reeves era Superman.

“Celebrities and publicists associated with Superman films past and future have expressed interest in reaching out to him,” writes the paper, “Cleveland, Ohio officials have offered to pay Meyer’s way to the city for a grand tour of the house where Joe Shuster created Superman. The Chamber of Commerce in Metropolis, Ill., the official ‘Hometown of Superman,’ also reportedly has a plan in the works.”

Since Armbruster was apprehended, the police returned Meyer’s stolen collectibles. The paper writes, “As for his Superman collection, Meyer now has close to double what he had lost. Smith has about 40 more items ready to be delivered, and dozens more have been promised. Meyer said he wants to take the donations and give them to charity, possibly delivering them to a children’s hospital.”

Meyer spoke briefly with the newspaper and told them, “I felt very happy and felt justice was served…People were generous to me; this is how I can be generous in return.”

Thank you to everyone who helped, whether it was donating to Meyer or spreading the word. It’s nice to see a happy ending for a change.

The animated adaptation of Eric Powell’s The Goon may not be anywhere near theaters yet but the creator tweeted yet another video of what it will look like when it eventually gets there. The video warns, “This is early rough test animation for the David Fincher / Blur Studios / Dark Horse Entertainment produced film THE GOON. Based on the Dark Horse Comic’s series by Eric Powell. THIS IS NOT INDICATIVE OF THE FINAL PRODUCT.” The action finally starts 30-seconds in.

Clancy Brown, who voiced Lex Luthor in several DC animated properties and Paul Giamatti voice The Goon and Franky respectively and are planned to take on the full-length roles whenever the film actually happens. As the videos preamble states, this is test footage and while it looks great, isn’t nearly as polished as Blur’s proof of concept trailer. The film, originally announced in 2008, is apparently still looking for funding. With stuff like this floating around I’m surprised it’s taking so long. Director Fincher has said it’s difficult because it’s “adult animation.” Powell lamented that he wished he sold as many comics as this video got views and also said, “Even though there’s probably no way in hell to raise 50 million, I might start a Goon film Kickstarter just for shits & giggles.”

Writer John Rozum has resigned from writing the new DC comic series Static Shock.

CBR reported Rozum made a post first on his Facebook page and then followed it up with a statement on his blog about the decision. Via the Facebook post,  ”Just so everyone knows, I have resigned from ‘Static Shock.’ Before any speculation starts the decision was entirely mine. My issues for leaving had nothing to do with the character or with DC Comics. I plan to continue working for DC long into the future and am developing new projects for them at this time. I’m also open to any other offers, so if you are in the position to give me work, please let me know.”

The first issue of the new series was released just last week. The writer was paired with artist Scott McDaniel, who was also co-writing the series with him. Rozum made it clear on his website that the decision was his and his alone and that he was not fired by DC. “I’m not giving any details at this time, but before speculation begins I’d like to say a few things which I hope will curtail a lot of unwarranted hostility and placing of blame where it shouldn’t be placed,” he wrote. He also said his choice had nothing to do with the character himself. “I think Static is a great character with loads of potential, which I hope will get exploited.”

It’s been a long road getting the Milestone character to this point. Created in 1993 by the late Dwayne McDuffie, Static Shock (aka Virgil Hawkins) was primarily a Milestone Media character until he got his own Warner Bros. animated television series in 2000. He made his first canonical DC appearance in Terror Titans then officially joined the Teen Titans. DC announced he’d be getting a solo series with writer Felicia Henderson and McDaniel on art which instead turned into a one-shot in honor of McDuffie following his passing. With the relaunch, it was announced Rozum and McDaniel were on a new Static Shock series.

“Given a lot of people’s suspicious feelings regarding the relationship between DC Comics and Milestone Media, I will also warn not to read into this that my decision was based on any decisions regarding the handling of the character by DC Comics. This is not true,” wrote Rozum on his website. “I maintain a belief that the folks at DC also share a belief that Static has a lot of potential as part of the DCnU and that they would like the character to remain true to his origins, and established nature.”

He reiterated, “My decision had nothing to do with DC Comics. I’ve been very happy overall with my time at DC over the roughly 15 years that I’ve worked for them and I plan to continue working with them into the future. The feeling is mutual. I’m developing new material for them even as I write this. DC Comics is in no way responsible for my decision to leave Static Shock, and have been very supportive of this decision. For now, this is all I’m going to say on the matter.”

DC Comics Editor-In-Chief Bob Harras gave CBR this statement which reflected Rozum’s sentiments, “John Rozum called me today to tell me that he’s leaving ‘Static Shock.’ DC Comics has had a great relationship with John for 15 years and he and I had a great conversation about new ideas, new concepts and moving forward. We’re all excited to see what comes next.”

No word yet on whether Rozum’s decision will affect the release dates of the following issues, how many he’s completed or who will take over for him.

Founder of Atlanta’s Dragon*Con was arrested Tuesday for violating conditions of his bond from previous child molestation charge. Edward Kramer was taken into custody after he was discovered alone in a motel room with a 14-year-old boy.

The Gwinnett County News of Atlanta reported Kramer, who launched the popular convention in 1987 but claims no association with it now, was arrested in Connecticut after Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter received a tip Tuesday from someone in Florida whose daughter was filming a movie in the town he was staying. “The woman alleged that Kramer was claiming to be the guardian of a 14-year-old boy who was acting in the film and that he was staying in a motel room with the boy, ‘which is exactly like the allegations in our case,’ Porter said.” He is not accused of molesting the boy, but child endangerment in this particular arrest.

Eleven years ago, Kramer was charged with multiple counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation. The paper writes, “Three teenage boys asserted that he sexually abused them after dazzling them with action figures, sci-fi memorabilia and celebrity connections.” He had long claimed he was too ill to stand trial for the alleged crimes and was under house arrest for some time until a judge lifted that order in 2008. But accounts from several witnesses in Connecticut say he isn’t as ill as he’s appeared in the past. “The movie is being filmed in a campground, in a fairly rural area,” Porter said. “Mr. Kramer was hiking on the trails, didn’t require a cane, didn’t have his breathing apparatus and didn’t ride in his wheelchair.”

His defense attorney Edwin Marger made this statement to the paper: ”I am more than surprised, I am flabbergasted. As I told the judge today, I don’t know if this was a 14-year-old child or a 41-year-old midget, so until I speak to my client, I’m not taking anything for granted.” The paper says, “Conditions of his bond stipulated that he report his whereabouts on a weekly basis to the Gwinnett County district attorney’s office and that he have no unsupervised contact with anyone under age 16.”

In his latest report to the district attorney’s office,” writes the paper, “Kramer claimed to be staying in Brooklyn, N.Y., so that he could be near his mother in her ‘last days,’ Porter said. However, authorities have since learned that Kramer’s mother died in March.”

Kramer is currently being extradited back to Georgia.

UPDATE: Dragon*Con chairman Pat Henry has issued this statement via Facebook:

Edward Kramer resigned from the Dragon Con Convention in 2000 after legal issues. He has not had any role in Dragon Con planning or activities since that time.

Since 2000 the convention has been managed by three of the other founders. These men have been involved with the convention since the beginning. In that time the convention attendance has grown from less than 10,000 to over 46,000 this past Labor Day.

I’m sure the current convention runners and fans of the show find the connection to Kramer unfortunate but him being the founder of Dragon*Con is part of his persona and therefor part of the story.

Once a week I sift through the millions of Etsy listings to find the best in geek chic for Blog@ readers. Last time I had a little something for everyone by showcasing an item for each member of the new Justice League but I’m going in a different direction this week. Princess Peach used to be relegated to the end of each Super Mario Bros. level but she’s come a long way since then, even starring in her own titles. Here’s a few fun items I found on the craft website.

Princess Peach is known for her trademark pink dress, bouncy hair and of course, her crown. Here’s an 8-Bit Princess Gold Mirror Laser Cut Necklace from user neighborhoodstory. It’s almost big enough to wear on your head and sells for $12.

The famous Princess has had a starring role in video games but none quite like this. It’s a piece of art titled “Princess Peach escapes the Castle” by user ArtbyMcKenzie. The piece was created for a Nintendo-themed art show and is being sold for $315.

Need to light some torches to see your way in that grubby castle? Why not use this Princess Peach Perler Bead Lighter Case/Sleeve on your favorite lighter and scare all the ghosts away? From user J3S13, $5.

Princesses Peach and Daisy are looking absolutely fabu in this print from user the Gorgonist, except here, they are Princes! Also check out the Mario Monster Girls, both $7 each.

And just because I can’t resist a puppster in a costume, here is a PRINCESS PEACH NINTENDO Dress Dog Costume. User YoungUrbanPuppy has will make it custom to fit your pup for $24.50. And yes, Mario, Luigi, Daisy and Bowzer costumes are also available should you wish to inflict them on your best friend.

As always, bear in mind, since Etsy is a craft website and not a commercial, mass-market dealer, items are almost always one-of-a-kind or in very limited availability. When you see something you like, buy it. It may not be there the next time you surf round. (Yes, it’s a very dangerous site for your wallet.) Also, since most items are created individually, many sellers are willing to customize something specifically to suit your needs. Just ask!

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel lately thanks to some on-set shots of Superman himself, Henry Cavill, but what of his nemesis General Zod? Well the actor playing him, Michael Shannon, has a few words on what we can expect from one of our favorite villains, including a possible hint at the plot of the film.

Recently, a questionable shot made it’s way around the web showing what looked like Shannon in a motion capture suit on set. He confirmed to MovieFone that that was indeed him in the suit, “It’s one of the most humiliating garments that exists in the known universe, yes.” Shannon also mentioned he felt like a court jester in the getup. “It’s funny because when I met with Zack [Snyder] we were talking about it before it started and he mentioned that there was going to be a lot of CGI, or whatever. I said, ‘Just don’t make me wear one of those silly suits,’ he told the site, “Then I showed up and he’s like, ‘Dude, I swear to God, it’s going to be so bad ass when we’re done. Trust me, it’s going to be wicked.’”

The Boardwalk Empire actor told IndieWire Man of Steel is going to have a different look to it visually than the Richard Donner films and that, in turn, affects his approach to the classic role Terrance Stamp made famous in Superman II. “I found his performance so powerful that I would be overwhelmed by it if I tried to incorporate it into what I’m doing. There’s no reason to try and replicate it cos it’s perfect the way it is. I’m just trying to go down a different road with it, the script’s a little bit different than the original script.”

On a press junket for his latest film, Take Shelter, he also spoke to MTV about the comparisons or lack thereof in the role. ”I’m not going to impersonate Terence Stamp. I’m not going to have a British accent or anything. All I can say is it’s very well written and there’s a lot of great opportunities to reinvent it for myself. The challenge is for me to do that. There’s nothing holding me back. I think they’re counting on me to give my interpretation. I’ll do the best I can.”

Shannon of course couldn’t give any details as to the plot of Man of Steel but did perhaps hint at what we’ll be seeing of the good General. ”Being a general, to me, that’s a fascinating, iconoclastic character. I can’t imagine being a sergeant, let alone a general,” he said, “He’s in charge of the entire military of Krypton. That’s going to take every little shred of imagination that I have. It’s a good challenge because it’s a big distance to have to go.”

A CGI costume, different visually from the past Superman films and a mention of actually leading a Kryptonian army. Hmm, could we be getting a film that takes place partially in space, pre-Krypton demise?

We still only have one official shot of The Dark Knight Rises actress Anne Hathaway in her Catwoman costume for the film yet tons of other regular costume shots have been showing up recently.

These first two images come from a few Celebuzz.com caught. I’m definitely getting a Catwoman: When In Rome vibe off of them as well as an Adam Hughes/Audrey Hepburn style Catwoman feeling.

The next two come via JustJared.com who caught both Hathaway and Christian Bale filming at night in Los Angeles. She’s in black again (will she wear anything but in the film?) but still not the Catwoman costume.

Looks like Mr. Wayne made Ms. Kyle angry.

She was also seen filming a fight scene earlier this week as well. I’m beginning to wonder if all the rest of her “Catwoman” scenes are being shot on closed sets. Sigh.

This may be the single greatest thing to happen to my generation. I’ve been waiting since 1989 for Nike to come through with the power lacing high-tops Marty McFly wore in Back to the Future II. It’s been teased a lot over the years but…the future is now. Sorta.

I give you the Nike MAG, a replica of the sneakers from Back to the Future II. One catch, they don’t actually power-lace, they only look like the real deal and light up. They also aren’t designed or intended for normal wear and use as footwear. Still interested? If you aren’t rich, you probably aren’t going to get a pair. Not because they are so expensive to produce but because these babies are incredibly limited in quantity and are being auctioned off on Ebay instead of sold in stores. Don’t yell foul just yet – the proceeds from the sales of the Nike Mags are going entirely to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

“It’s about time,” reads the Foundations’ website. “For 22 years they have existed only in the year 2015 on Marty McFly’s feet. Today they finally become a reality. Famed Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and footwear innovator Tiffany Beers have returned to recreate the footwear legend. Based on an original movie prop used in Back to the Future Part II, the 2011 Nike MAG shoes have been rebuilt to the exact specifications of the originals. It features an electroluminescent outsole, space-age materials and a rechargeable internal battery good for 3,000 hours.”

Starting today, 150 pairs of 2011 Nike MAG shoes will be auctioned on eBay and the fact that they aren’t quite the futuristic item we’d like them to be hasn’t dampened anyones mood. As of publishing this piece, a pair of size 11s are going for $75,100. Holy. Crap. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these shoes went upwards of $100,000 when all is said and done. (See the full list here) UPDATE: Those size 11s have now been bumped down to $8,200 and a size 10 is in the lead with $11,100. I wonder if those bidders didn’t initially read the fine print of them not actually being power laces and they let them out of the bids.Bidding is still restricted to pre-qualified bidders only.

The Foundation is also using the Back to the Future auction to help meet the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge. “Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and his wife Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of personal genetics company 23andMe, are matching up to $50 million in funds raised by the Foundation between now and December 31, 2012. Net proceeds from the 2011 MAG auctions on eBay will be matched, so please bid generously,” asks the Foundation. Indeed they are.

Even if the shoes won’t tie by themselves, this was still a great idea to raise money. My only problem is there aren’t any women’s sizes. Not that I could afford a pair anyway but my tiny feet aren’t fitting in a men’s 7, which is the smallest they’re offering, 13 is the largest. Guess I’ll just wait for my hoverboard. The real one Mattel.

Christopher Lloyd never ages, I swear to god.

FanExpo took place in Canada late last month. I’ve never attended myself but I know a lot of folks who have and although it takes place not too long after San Diego Comic-Con and right between Baltimore Comic Con and Dragon*Con, seems to be a pretty popular show. That being said,  Jenn, Emmy and Christine who make up The Dangerous Ladies had some interesting comments about DC’s marketing at that show via their Tumblr.

The post that sparked the thoughts on marketing was one titled “Didio & Me” where Jenn, a big DC fan, had this to say, “I had been at the DC table earlier and seen how sparse it was –– practically nothing. Just the big New 52 posters seen previously at SDCC, some white tables, the odd signing and freebies. Not even new freebies, mind, these were the same leftovers from SDCC 2009, things that actually said ‘coming in 2009, Batman and Robin!’ and stuff like that. Promotion-wise, the DC booth was a total bust. They had TV screens playing commercials for the Supernatural anime, for some reason, and the 52 commercial popped up on a cycle, but otherwise there was nothing.”

Bear in mind, this event took place on August 25, right before the relaunch and release of Justice League #1. The convention may not be a top priority for DC, especially just after SDCC, but freebies from 2009? Jenn and the others (who are the Bat-ladies above) actually spoke with Dan DiDio about this. “Last year, we had kind of ribbed Dan for the boring booth. He had promised us something really spectacular this year, so I teased him about the lackluster booth. Dan looked surprised — he hadn’t been in there yet, and didn’t know what was going on at the booth. So I told him, and expressed my surprise that DC wouldn’t capitalize on this weekend to really get people going for this new 52 thing. His response was that “Well, this is the last week of the old DCU. We’ll let it have its last hurrah before we start the new stuff next week.’” (more…)

UPDATED BELOW! Comic retailers and collectors in the general St. Louis area should keep their eyes open for anyone selling Superman memorabilia and comics.  A mentally disabled fan from Granite City, Illinois has been robbed of thousands of dollars worth of his personal collection.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that 48-year-old Mike Meyer was robbed by a co-worker two weeks ago. The website says Meyers has been on Social Security for a mental disability since age 23 but has worked part time to supplement that aid.

According to the paper, “Meyer was tricked out of about 1,800 of his favorite Superman comic books, some dating to the 1950s. He also lost many of his favorite collector’s items: lunch boxes, an old-time radio, a Monopoly game and television set — all Superman-themed. The loot is worth about $4,000 to $5,000 in total, according to a friend who also collects.” They recount the story of how the theft occurred:

Meyer said mostly only his friends and family knew of his collection, but he also made the mistake once of telling someone less trustworthy: a guy named Gary whom he worked with at the Hardee’s on Madison Avenue in 1991.

Meyer said he ran into Gary recently while at Kyle’s Baseball Cards and Comics in Granite City. Gary asked Meyer whether he still collected Superman items and asked to see the collection. Meyer first gave an excuse, but then Gary called him later saying he was in the neighborhood and hoped to stop by.

“He just kept talking like a salesman,” Meyer said. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Meyer said he let Gary into the house that day and gave him a quick tour. Gary asked to see “my most precious comics,” Meyer said.

The next night, Gary was back again, asking whether Meyer would let Gary’s girlfriend watch some of his Superman movies. Meyer said while he and the girlfriend watched, Gary disappeared for a while.

Meyer noticed the theft two days later, on the morning of Aug. 24, and called police. All he knows is that Gary has dark hair, a goatee, is about 35 and drives a silver or gray car.

Meyer said a lot of what Gary stole from him was sentimental, “He invaded my privacy, and he took away my peace of mind.”

“He uses his powers not to benefit himself, but to help others,” Meyer told the paper when speaking about his favorite character, “He’s the champion of the oppressed.” Here’s hoping someone can help Meyer. Granite City police are investigating but if anyone receives any offers to buy Superman comics (Meyer says he owned #99 – the present) or the other items mentioned or sees them online please contact the police immediately with any information.

Update #1 – I’ve been in contact with a friend of Meyer’s and he’s given me the following information of what was taken from him to the best of his knowledge:

Here is what I know is missing: A 1960s Captain Action costume (on a generic doll, ha), a Seinfeld statue (I know these are expensive now), several recent Superman statutes (not sure which ones), most of his Superman Returns action figures and other bubble wrap figures and his complete collection of Superman and Action Comics… mostly 1950s to current and many in not particularly great condition. Also there is a Superman TV set, a Spinball Pinball Game, a Superman clock, and assorted other items. He still has a good part of his collection remaining, but most of his prizes are gone, alas. I am pretty sure none of the Superman statues will be in boxes. he had the boxes in a separate location in his house.

UPDATE #2 – Meyer’s friend has given me permission to post his address. Anyone willing to make donations to Meyer can send them here:

Mike Meyer c/o Bill Smith
7041 Kingsbury Blvd.
St. Louis, Mo. 63130