CLUELESS INSIDER

MEGAN FOX IN AN NC-17 RED SONJA, PLEASE?

2010-04-11T14:14:00.007-04:00

It would appear that Rose McGowan is out of Robert Rodriguez' upcoming Red Sonja feature film and Megan Fox is in. Although only a deranged Republican evangelist would have something against the idea of Megan Fox running around in a barbarian costume (preferably very close to the original) and fanboys have been fantasizing about her in all kinds of comic book roles, from Wonder Woman to Witchblade, the jury is still out on her abilities as an action star. A self-confessed wannabe comic book artist currently attached to a future big screen adaptation of Michael Turner's Fathom, the Fox has also disclosed numerous times her allergy to strenuous physical activity. Then, there is the issue of political correctness in Hollywood, which turns potentially edgy films into fodder for toddlers, as illustrated by the diluted adaptation of Wanted, a film that deleted all the bite of the original book. But the guiding hand of Robert Rodriguez, the only man ever to make a comic book film without deviation from the source material (Sin City) and with the balls to quit the Director's Guild to do so, may yet surprise us and give us an "R" picture or, better yet, an NC-17. That would be sheer fun.

MILO MANARA DOES THE X-MEN WOMEN

2009-12-03T18:45:00.004-05:00

In November 2009, Italian publisher Panini Comics released a 64-page, black & white, hard bound X-MEN comic book, entitled Ragazze in Fuga (Women on the Run or Mujeres en Peligro, Spanish edition), written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Milo Manara. All the VFX in Hollywood, Hugh Jackman humping a donkey and Halle Berry doing an African mating dance together could not deliver a sexier X-MEN tale than Manara, Italy's master of erotic comics. For obvious puritan reasons, the project had to be conceived in Italy and Marvel has given no hint as to whether it will ever be released in America. Until then, fans will have to search for copies online and hope that Chris Claremont, the writer responsible for some of the most iconic X-MEN books in the past 25 years, but not known for his erotic plots, has delivered a hot script to showcase the sensual, clean, yet hardcore style of Manara. To be continued.

BOND GIRLS BETTER IN ST-TRINIAN'S

2009-12-02T13:09:00.000-05:00

In the late 40s, English cartoonist Ronald Searle came up with the wonderful idea of stories set in a fictional boarding school for girls named St-Trinian's. The irreverent, politically-incorrect and sometimes hilariously violent adventures of its student body of social misfits, anarchists and rejects, along with a cast of outrageous educators, have been told in books, comics and films. The latest entry in the series, of which we can expect a sequel soon, is St-Trinian's, one of the funniest and campiest sexy private school films in recent memory, featuring Rupert Everett in the dual role of Miss Camilla Fritton (the school's principal) and her brother, and the stunning Gemma Arterton. Most of us had the pleasure of discovering Gemma through her role of agent Strawberry Fields, in Bond's Quantum of Solace. In St-Trinian's, she displays a gift for comedy and scorching sex appeal as the dominatrix-looking head girl. The Bond connection continues with the brief, but stunning presence of Italian bombshell Caterina Murino (Casino Royale) as the also dominatrix-inspired Spanish teacher. The DVD, a thrill for fans of British comedy and really short skirts, can be found here.

SPIDER-WOMAN THRILLER

2009-12-01T23:43:00.000-05:00

Writer Brian Michael Bendis, who is about to become Marvel's most influential scribe since Stan Lee (OK, OK, you don't agree, but he comes up with fun stuff), and artist Alex Maleev, the rising master of moody photorealistic comic art, are following their Eisner-Award winning Daredevil tour de force with a new Spider-Woman monthly book. One of my favorite techniques to elevate a generic costumed superhero comic to an addictive series is the old spy conspiracy thriller twist. Few can pull this off better than Bendis and Maleev. In issue one, Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman's alter-ego, is recruited by a secret agency (S.W.O.R.D.) to hunt down Skrull aliens and put a serious damper on their earth-invading aspirations. Her first mission takes her to the seedy Southeast Asian island of Madripoor, home to the worst of humanity, where she's immediately targeted for execution by the loving green space invaders. I found out Madripoor was fictional when I tried to buy a chalet in that den of depravity and the real estate agent laughed me out of the office. The damn place sounded so real. The series had a pleasantly intriguing beginning and, if the art below is any indication, it's bound to get sexier, unless Maleev is just messing with us. The origins of the current Spider-Woman were re-imagined in 2007 by Bendis, Brian Reed and the Luna brothers in the series appropriately entitled Origins. And any hard fiction fan (notice I didn't say just comic book fan) unfamiliar with the previous collaborations of Bendis and Maleev has to get a copy of their Daredevil Omnibus.

RE-DISCOVERING ROBERT MAGUIRE

2009-11-26T14:00:00.009-05:00

To celebrate Jim Silke's book tribute to the art of master pulp cover painter Robert Maguire, Dames, Dolls and Gun Molls, you will find below an excerpt from an interview with Maguire, published at the American Art Archives. The full article is a must-read:

"Why did I leave the paperback business? I got out ’98, ’99. They wanted the paintings to look just like photographs -- couldn’t even tell from the brush strokes. They didn’t want me to paint like me anymore. Can you imagine? By that time I was supposed to be well known, but these people (publishers) had no clue. Basically, the sales force became the most powerful element. If a book sold well, the next 4 or 5 books had to be just like it. There’s no future in that. Not every artist has a great new idea all the time, but frequently they do! And they fired the good art directors (too much money) and hired second-string art directors who didn’t have any real clout with the publisher. The good art directors could take a young artist and help mold him."

It’s impossible to imagine that publishers didn’t want Robert Maguire to paint like Robert Maguire. From the late 40s, sporadically through the sixties, and back with a vengeance from the 70s on, Maguire’s paperback covers sold books far more than the books’ authors or titles. His ability to capture a sexy girl, often holding a gun, a knife, or even a voodoo doll, is instantly obvious. His women were always intriguing, whether the world was crashing around them or whether they were in decisive control. Each is glamour-page gorgeous. But talent for curvy dames was bolstered by a knack for dramatic action, bold and exotic colors, and striking throws of hues and shadows; these enticed millions of readers to do what they were supposed to do: buy the books.

Maguire often set his women against some muted slab-gray background or low-key pattern of jagged screens, but just as often he stood them out against deathly greens, bloody reds, or morguish blues. Of course, basic black also served him well, as for what has become a signature piece, Black Opium (C.I. note: This painting is considered by many as the definitive crime noir paperback cover):

RED SONJA WALLPAPER & SKETCH GALLERY

2009-11-24T20:14:00.009-05:00

With the rumormill spinning around an upcoming Red Sonja film, starring Rose McGowan and produced by Robert Rodriguez, Clueless Insider celebrates everyone's favorite female barbarian with her first wallpaper gallery, with a mix of vintage and new, featuring some of the horniest artists in the business. For print lovers, outstanding Red Sonja illustrations can be found in the gorgeous hard cover volume, The Art of Red Sonja. All wallpapers 1024 x 768.

GIA MADE JOLIE

2009-11-23T20:39:00.006-05:00

Angelina Jolie's breakthrough (and damn hottest) role arrived in the 1998 HBO TV film Gia. Jolie received a Golden Globe award for her interpretation of Gia Marie Carangi (above, right), a woman considered by many as the first supermodel of the 80s, infamous for her drug experiments, torrid lesbian love affairs and short tragic life. Jolie took a massive bite into the role and went full out, guns blazing, giving his estranged father, Jon Voight, numerous reasons to have cardiac arrests during the 90-or-so minutes of the film. Those who love Jolie and missed this little gem are in for a sweet treat. Those who don't, stay away. The rest of the world feels sorry for you. There are still DVD copies running around.

BRUCE TIMM WALLPAPER & SKETCH GALLERY

2009-11-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

Character designer, animator and cartoonist, Bruce Timm is more respected in the world of comics and film than a schizophrenic pitbull. The man reinvented superhero animated shows and propelled them into the 21st century with a distinct retro flavor. The first Batman: The Animated Series (1992), co-created by Timm, started it all and became a fan favorite with kids and adults alike. If anyone can illustrate sex appeal with two lines or less, it's Timm. All wallpapers 1024 x 768.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS JOANNA LUMLEY

2009-11-23T20:05:00.008-05:00

Absolutely Fabulous is an irreverent British comedy series about two self-indulgent, image-obsessed, drug-guzzling, fame-starved, chain-smoking, alcoholic and prosperous over-40 women, created by Jennifer Saunders. In a nutshell, not your standard prime-time fare, but funnier than the Pope playing bongos on a nudist beach. One has to see it to believe it, since there isn't one single show on American TV to which it may be compared. Saunders, who also plays the lead role of the utterly immature Edina Monsoon, had the wisdom to cast 70s bombshell Joanna Lumley as Patsy Stone, Edina's best friend, wing woman and constant encourager of deviant behavior. Lumley, who achieved cult figure status portraying sexy hi-kicking agent Purdey in the 70s spy-action series The New Avengers, truly shines in her role, revealing an uncanny gift for comedy and self-deprecation. Lovers of irreverent comedy cannot go another day without discovering Absolutely Fabulous. It's like loving Italian food, but never having tried pasta.

Frank Cho wallpaper & sketch gallery 2

2009-11-13T12:28:00.014-05:00

Time for another gorgeous wallpaper gallery by the master of cheesecake fantasy, Frank Cho. Frank should've been born in 1901. His pulp fiction illustration work in the 1930s would've been astonishing. But, lucky for us, he's part of our generation and we can expect a lot more from him, especially if he gets out of his Marvel deal and starts doing some censorable material again. But I don't blame Frank. Paying bills is fine. All wallpapers 1024 x 768. Clueless Insider strongly recommends Frank Cho's stunning art books, Apes & Babes and Women.

Vanity Fair's "Vanities"

2008-10-27T11:45:00.009-04:00

Since Vanity Fair's rebirth 25 years ago, the magazine has delivered one of the most stimulating cocktails of style, politics and investigative journalism available on the printed market. In a recent issue, the mag revealed the identity of Deep Throat, the until-then secret Watergate whistle-blower, beating even Bob Woodward to his own scoop! But we digress. Vanity Fair continues to publish outstanding, sexy pictures and portraits of celebrities from all walks of fame. My dear readers will certainly appreciate the Vanities Girls feature, a showcase of impeccable retro pin-up style photos of hot young rising starlets by the magazine's top photographers. We have seen countless attempts at reproducing the vibe of those classic pin-ups, with various degrees of (mostly) failure, but the style artists at Vanity Fair are doing an impressive job. You may browse through the selected photos published here or visit the online home of Vanities to read about the subjects of the images.

Modesty Blaise was anything but

2008-10-27T09:27:00.011-04:00

The delightfully grrrroovy comic strip Modesty Blaise was created way back in 1963 by writer Peter O'Donnell and artists Jim Holdaway, and debuted in the London Evening Star. It ran until 2001 and spun off novels and three movies. Far from modest, the lead character is the quintessential bad girl, a reformed criminal mastermind who uses his skills and underworld contacts to pull off capers for the British secret services or to help complete strangers. Modesty's sexy adventures are loaded with elaborate conspiracies, exotic locations, abundant scenes of hand-to-hand combat and unusual weapons, not to mention fabulous outfits. In the US, the strip had erratic distribution due to its... guess... sexual content! Aside from the occasional nudity, Modesty would sometimes use a technique she called the "nailer", whereby she would appear topless in front of an enemy to cause a much needed distraction and allow for her partner or herself to dismantle the threat. As it is the case for most American fiction, one panel of partial nudity would drive censors up the wall and make them forget the hard-hitting writing and fantastic art of one of the best works of adventure fiction of the sixties and the inspiration of many female heroes to follow. In these times of political correctness and rampant puritanism, it is a sheer pleasure to dive into an old-school irreverent adventure trip. Thanks to Titan Books, the reprints are now available. Check out the collection here.

Sky Captain should've flown higher

2008-10-17T23:03:00.010-04:00

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) is probably one of the most underrated sci-fi movies of this decade. The picture is a labor of love and a passionate homage to matinee films and pulp fiction adventures of the 30s and 40s. Set in an alternative 1938, it features the most creative production design and art direction since the original Star Wars, Alien and The Matrix. The picture is, simply put, gorgeous, and finds its inspiration in all those classic sci-fi elements that sparked the imagination of Americans in the 1930s: Mad scientists, dangerous dames, a manly hero, airplane dog fights, giant robots, secret bases in the Himalayas, underwater adventure, a giant "helicarrier" above the clouds, a lost King-Kong-type island with dinosaurs AND ANGELINA JOLIE, as a one-eyed amphibian squadron commander! One of my favorite nods to the period is the use of air ships for intercontinental travel, with a docking bay on top of the Empire State building, which was the real reason why the iconic mast was built in the first place. The whole show was shot against green screen and the sets were painted digitally, a couple of years before Sin City. The artistry is breathtaking. And there is a good old Hollywood story behind it, described in detail on the DVD. First-time director Kerry Conran, who, inexplicably, has not been given another film since, got the movie made based on a short he crafted single-handily for years and then peddled around town until a producer had enough vision to bring it to Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina. Sky Captain is now a cult gem to be discovered and appreciated by sci-fi lovers in the decades to come. Someone should start a petition to get Kerry another film soon, although there were rumors circulating about his involvement in a possible adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter of Mars.

When will the L Word get an award?

2008-10-17T21:55:00.014-04:00

Only priests and Christian Coalition members are not supposed to watch the L Word, the Showtime TV series that follows the lives of a close group of lesbians, bisexuals and transgender women, their families and entourage in West Hollywood-land. Without going into a deep review, let it be said that the writing is superb, the drama high, the sex-factor hot, cleverly staged and just a few frames short of avoiding an outright ban from television. And the whole thing is performed by one of the best female casts ever assembled (yes, a lot stronger than Sex in the City and Desperate Housewives). After Flashdance, those who forgot how great Jennifer Beals could be, will be reminded. The magnificent Pam Grier (Foxy Brown) is in the house, along with Mia Kirshner, Rachel Shelley, Katherine Moenning, as the tom-boyish heartbreaker, and Sarah Shahi, as Carmen, the curvaceous good-girl Hispanic lesbian that would make a straight woman regret her genetic orientation. A-list stars pop up left and right and viewers are left constantly wondering how the producers manage to get away with some scenes and situations. The L Word is landmark TV into its 6th season. And what about that weird theme song by Betty? Check it out:

CHÉ, ¿Qué pasa?

2008-10-17T21:28:00.002-04:00

Steven Soderbergh and Benicio del Toro made an epic film about Che Guevara. Obviously, this posting has nothing to do with that. The reference to the film is just a ploy to squeeze some of their traffic out of search engines. It's called marketing. And when it comes to marketing, few companies beat the Belgian men's mangazine, CHÉ. Think Maxim and FHM, but Belgian and in Flemmish (that's a language, not a bodily expectoration). The target, of course, is male readers. Not only do they have extremely eye-catching ads, such as the Let Us Keep On Dreaming of a Better World campaign above, but they also come up with some extremely original merchandising, as attested by the pics below. As a branding fan, all I can say is congrats for sticking out in a highly competitive and cluttered indusry. Does anybody realize how difficult it is to come up with original sexy advertising? As a bonus, keep on scrolling down to check out one of their infamous TV ads.

D.E.B.S.: Lesbian camp

2008-10-17T21:27:00.016-04:00

"Camp" as in "campy film", not as in a camp where you can actually go and see...oh, never mind. Angela Robinson is a fine director and one of those rare creative minds who enjoys tongue-in-cheek sexy B-movies as much as tongue-in-other-places hardcore drama. Angela has directed some of the finest episodes of the L-Word, that fabulous TV show about the life of lesbians in L.A., while giving us such brain-candy as Herby Fully Loaded and D.E.B.S. The latter, a film based on her award-winning short of the same name, is a guilty pleasure that only made $97,446 at the U.S. box office. Lovers of camp and school girl comic books will appreciate D.E.B.S., Angela's low-budget escapist ride about an espionage school for nubile young ladies, in very, very short plaid skirts. The cast is just lovely, including Jordana Brewster in the role of the evil (and lesbian) Lucy Diamond, Sara Foster as the lead good agent who falls for Lucy and Devon Aeoki (Miho, in Sin City), in a great turn as a French spy nymph. Michael Clarke Duncan is their Bosley equivalent. Readers should know that Angela is a legit lesbian and, therefore, has the the finesse to handle the topic with gusto. I just remember something: Lindsay Lohan was in Herbie.

Here's the D.E.B.S. trailer and a link to acquire the DVD if you get the urge. You'll know right away if it's your cup of tea:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2008-10-15T01:07:00.002-04:00

The Woody Allen/Scarlett Johansson pairing is about to go down as one of the most iconic writer-director/star relationships since Billy Wilder and Marilyn Monroe. He's the master filmmaker that even his most loyal NY critics had started to write off as no-longer-capable of connecting with his audience. She's the hot young star with the velvety voice and looks that redefine photogeny. Together, they have reminded us that when a genius meets a muse, magic happens. Their first two pictures, Match Point and Scoop, were just a warm-up leading up to Vicky Cristina Barcelona, one of the sexiest and most thought-provoking films about relationships to hit American theaters in who-knows-how-many years. It tells the tale of two young female American students with opposing views on love, who get involved with an intense, horny and older Spanish painter while spending a few soul-searching days in Barcelona. Suffice to say that the script is phenomenal, the directing smooth as an Exxon oil spill and Scarlett is... well... Scarlett is....Scratlet si...shrikpfxssss...................... Sorry. I drifted. Woody, at age 72, has silenced his critics. He remains a loud and original voice in American cinema, a species in serious danger of extinction. Whatever ideas Scarlett triggers in him, one can only hope they will keep on coming.

Milo Manara and branded entertainment

2008-10-15T01:06:00.004-04:00

Imagine your beloved girlfriend leaves you suddenly. In the depths of your despair, you accidentally encounter a 70-year old playboy, member of an ancient secret sect dedicated to the art of seducing women. The handsome guru sees something special in you, decides you've got the sacred fire and proceeds to mentor you in the fine art of infallible seduction. Sounds like fun? Well, this is the actual premise of City Hunters (not the Japanese manga), an animated show from Argentina inspired by character designs created by Italian erotic artist Milo Manara. The show is produced by Unilever, the makers of Axe Body Spray, and is a fine example of branded entertainment. The web site is loaded with sexy features and slick navigation, but, for some reason, I couldn't get the videos to play in Canada (it may be a regional restriction or my Commodore 64). The clips are available on YouTube under City Hunters Axe. While the web site is in Spanish, the show was produced in English to satisfy the international aspirations of partner Fox and sub-titled for the Hispanic market. Online branded entertainment is in its infancy and it almost feels like the early days of cinema, where anything that moved was a movie subject. But, while concepts are still a little rough around the edges, expect to see some great shows emerge as strong creators and cutting-edge companies gang up to produce original content (remember those BMW short films?)

The Vinyl Underground: spooky society

2008-10-15T01:05:00.002-04:00

The Vinyl Underground is a creepy, sexy, hip and, sadly, recently canceled comic book series written by Si Spencer, with pencils by Simon Gane and inks by brush master Cameron Stewart. Living in an abandoned London underground station, a four-member group investigates occult crimes, providing anonymous tips to the police. The group is led by minor celebrity DJ Morrison Shepherd, the son of an ex-footballer freshly released from prison. Shepherd is aided by Perv, an ex-con clairvoyant whose seizures give him early clues to crimes; Leah King, a morgue assistant who moonlights as an internet model/pornstar; and Shepherd's ex-girlfriend Kim "Abi" Abiola, an African tribal Princess in exile, whose witchdoctor father is accused of the murder that becomes the group's first mystery. The debut story arc, now available on trade paperback, pulls our odd heroes into the nasty world of urban mutti magic, a no-nonsense African practice that consists in making medicine out of fresh body parts. The younger the better. Crazy thing is, mutti is still practiced today. In Vinyl Underground, the X-Files meets TMZ. Recommended reading: The Vinyl Underground Vol. 1: Watching the Detectives.

Italians advertise it better

2008-10-15T01:04:00.002-04:00

In places like Italy, the success of an advertising campaign is measured by the number of national erections. Sex is used to sell anything. It's so outrageous, I've posted some examples. Oh, the scandal...

The ad above sells underwear. Makes sense. I want it, especially if it can make my derriere look so silky. This one below features Federica Ridolfi, an Italian model closer to sainthood than Pope Benedict, advertising cheese. No, really. Cheese:

This one brings to life the work of erotic comic book artist Milo Manara and insinuates that cartoon girls are indeed attracted to older men, but only if they sleep on certain mattresses:

And here's Charlize Theron, peddling Campari:

Lastly, another Campari ad without Charlize. I think they could've saved themselves the star fee:

Michael Turner's greatest feat

2008-10-15T01:03:00.003-04:00

(A Michael Turner wallpaper and sketches gallery awaits here!)

In spite of what the contents of this blog may lead some to believe, the comic book universe remains largely dominated by male characters in colorful tights. Good monthly titles starring female heroes are as rare as an anorexic person in Louisiana. While it seems like every week a new femme fatale or bad girl title hits the shelves, it usually vanishes after a few issues. Only Wonder Woman (1942), Catwoman (1993), Red Sonja (1977), Witchblade (1995) and Fathom (1998) can claim the distinction of having starred in their own books for more than 10 years. The late Michael Turner, an extraordinary artist who lost his battle with cancer in June 2008, was directly responsible for the success and the longevity of the last two. He not only had a devilish gift for drawing torrid women, but Witchblade and Fathom were and still are truly original characters, inhabiting rich worlds filled with magic, sci-fi and a bizarre supporting cast. Most astonishingly, they appeal to female readers, a feat comparable to climbing the Everest backwards. In the 90s, where the only women found in a comic book store were printed characters, girls started walking in and purchasing Michael's books, scaring the living daylights out of clerks everywhere. His disciples are many, but none of them have yet given us a lasting heroine. Essential reading: Witchblade Compendium Vol. 1 and Fathom - The Definitive Edition Vol. 1.

Action girl Gina Carano

2008-10-15T01:02:00.003-04:00

In a room of 1,000 people, men and women, it's probably safe to say that Gina Carano could probably pound into submission about 800 of them. A bad MMA fighter with a record of 7 wins, 0 losses at the time of writing, with 3 KOs and one submission, Gina is also known to viewers-who-don't-watch-Gossip Girl as Crush, on American Gladiators. Weighing in at 141 pounds and standing 5'8", Gina was one of the main attractions of the first Elite XC cage fighting event ever televised on CBS. She traumatized folks watching free primetime TV by destroying her opponent in a most un-girly fashion. Soon thereafter, Gina achieved the distinction of becoming the most searched-for person on Google for the month of May 2008, waaay ahead of Obama. If you didn't know, now you know. Since Gina can look deceivingly cute and sweet in pictures and a few parents reading this may now be inspired to switch their daughters from ballet to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay-thai, I've posted the clip below to showcase her grace in the octagon and the poetry of the sport:

Stars & Spandex (and leather, and PVC...)

2008-10-15T01:01:00.000-04:00

What deep emotional need drives the world's biggest movie stars to play comic book, anime and video game characters? Is it just to put food on the table and pay the rent? Or is there something about the outfits and the buttock-booting role play? The issue is better left to the experts. For now, enjoy this little gallery of our favorite leading ladies and their corresponding alter-egos.

The Megan Fox gambit

2008-09-24T22:07:00.008-04:00

I don't know what to make of Megan Fox, yet. The girl is as photogenic as the pyramids. She loves comic books and video games. At the time of this writing, she's only been in one feature film about giant robots that turn into stuff, with two more about to be released (Diablo Cody's Jennifer's Body and How to Lose Friends & Alienate People). In her wildly popular GQ interview (October 2008), shamelessly entitled Megan Fox was a Teenage Lesbian, she dishes out such career-building quotes as "Yeah. Fuck Disney", "Olivia Wilde is so sexy she makes me want to strangle a mountain ox with my bare hands" and "I went out of my way to create a relationship with this girl, a stripper named Nikita." At the wise age of 23, she seems game to keep feeding the fantasies inspired by her sacrilegious looks and, so far, much against the puritan attitudes so pervasive in Hollywood, has decided not to excommunicate her sexual nature. Fans are lighting candles in churches across the nation, praying that she proves herself a worthy actress and goes on to a long career, loaded with controversial roles. The world needs at least one truly unapologetic bad girl. In the meantime, I've posted a wallpaper gallery here and a little video from her last GQ photo shoot. Envious actresses, please, forgive me, but the clip has a really catchy tune.

Terry Dodson's French erotic adventure

2008-09-24T22:06:00.003-04:00

(Visit the lovely Terry Dodson Songes wallpaper and art gallery here!)
(Then, find Terry Dodson super heroine wallpapers and pin-ups here!)

Comic book artist Terry Dodson has a way of drawing that makes even sidewalks look horny. Understandably, he has become one of the go-to guys for books featuring curvaceous heroines, such as Harley Quinn (where he got to draw some of the hottest gals in the Batman universe) and Wonder Woman. Looking at his work over the years, one can tell that Dodson was itching to pencil something a little more edgy and with as few male characters as possible. Unfortunately, the opportunities to create adult (see erotic) material when laboring for Marvel and DC come as often as the 31st of February. So, Dodson set his sights on France, where he was invited by the publishing house Les Humanoïdes Associés to illustrate Songes, a gorgeous graphic novel released in 2006, written by D.P. Filippi. "Songes translates roughly as 'Dreams' or 'Daydreams', a very apt title for a book about the imaginative fantasies of its heroine, Coraline, as she explores the mysteries of an elaborate mansion and its inhabitants in the French countryside. Applying for the position of governess, Coraline finds herself charged with the care of the temperamental young master Vernère, who owns the château. As she discovers more about the prodigiously talented and precocious inventor, she begins to find herself drawn into a world of mystery, romanticism and sensuality, which expresses itself through her vivid dreams." (See the full review by Dave Wallace here.) It's Jules Verne meets soft Milo Manara, with Dodson's best art to date.

Hammer is back!

2008-09-24T22:05:00.001-04:00

Not MC. The other Hammer. That British film production house that spawned an impressive list of cult pictures from the 50s to the 70s and gave us all the Christopher Lee Dracula features, along with such classics as The Curse of Frankestein, The Hound of the Baskerville, The Mummy, Curse of the Werewolf, Shadow of the Cat, One Million Years B.C., When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Countess Dracula and dozens and dozens more "Curses" and Frankensteins and mummies and barbarian girls and gothic tales of horror and lust. On September 22, 2008, the re-born Hammer launched principal photography on The Wake Wood, a horror flick about a couple who decides to go through with a pagan ritual to have three more days with their dead 9-year-old daughter. David Keating is at the helm, directing a screenplay he co-wrote with Brendan McCarthy. Let's wish them success and a long and prosperous new start. Thanks to author and blog sensei extraordinaire Stefan Hammond for the tip. And while the quality of many good old Hammer films remains questionable, no one can deny the grooviness of their poster collection, some of which you will find below for your nostalgic enjoyment, including the never-produced Mistress of the Seas (it's the intention that counts):

It's good to get Scalped

2008-09-24T22:04:00.004-04:00

The best way to describe the comic book Scalped is The Sopranos set in an Indian reservation, without the glamour. This book hits harder than Tyson in the 80s. After a few years of absence, a fellow named Dashiell Bad Horse returns to his native (and fictional) Prairie Rose Indian Reservation, in South Dakota. He finds a town still run by the ruthless local mob and the owners of a shiny new casino. Bad Horse is a man with a very huge chip on his shoulder, a mean streak and the skills to back it up. He makes any Tarantino gun slinger look like the Supernanny. Bad Horse raises so much hell that he's eventually hired by Red Crow, the big boss. Unbeknown to all, the readers soon learn that Bad Horse is an undercover FBI agent out to get Red Crow, setting the stage for some very ugly stuff to hit a big fan. And if that wasn't touchy enough, he gets involved in a nasty affair with Red Crow's married daughter, the very naughty Carol. Realistically written by Jason Aaron and grittily illustrated by R.M. Guéra, this is the book your momma warned you about when she told you to stay away from comics. One of the best current pieces of crime fiction, in any medium. Scalped Vol 1 - Indian Country will get you addicted.

The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics

2008-09-24T22:03:00.002-04:00

Straight from Paul Gravett's insightful website: "Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury have put together The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics, a 480-page collection of 24 mean, moody masterpieces, many painstakingly restored by Stanbury. They range from classic newspaper strips and notorious uncensored pre-Code comic books to the finest in American, British and European graphic novels. The line-up includes: Dashiell Hammett & Alex Raymond, Will Eisner, Johnny Craig, Mickey Spillane, Bernie Krigstein, Alan Moore, Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, Neil Gaiman, Alex Toth, Jacques Tardi, Jordi Bernet, Paul Grist, Jack Cole, Charles Burns, Max Allan Collins, and José Muñoz & Carlos Sampayo. Highlights include the first comic book appearance by Mike Hammer's prototype, written by Spillane and shot from the original comic book artwork, and the never-before-reprinted last ever comic book by EC genius Bernie Krigstein, a bizarre 87th Precinct tie-in to Ed McBain's famous characters." Check out the editor's web site for interviews and a wealth of information about the pieces in the collection and crime comics in general. It is an outstanding labor of love, available here.

Tiny grave for a giant

2008-09-24T22:02:00.005-04:00

Allison Hayes, a Hollywood B-movie starlet of the 50s, became famous for his portrayal of the "monstrous" vixen in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Since roles like that have a way of type-casting stars, and that the next giant woman attack film was made decades after her death (a remake, with Darryl Hannah), Allison never went on to further glory, although she did achieve cult status. Very few people are aware that Allison fought her toughest battle off-screen. She passed away in 1977 as a result of lead blood poisoning from the consumption of a daily calcium food supplement prescribed by a doctor in 1962. In the years between 1964 and her death, Allison fought tooth-and-nails against the medical establishment to prove the cause of her poisoning and to get the substance banned. The FDA, which had always considered food supplements a "gray area", was finally moved by Allison's battle to incorporate health food issues into its 1977-78 compliance programs. For a concise bio, please, click here to read the wonderful article by Jackrandall Earles. To echo Mr. Earles, if you enjoyed Allison's films and happen to be in L.A., do drop by her tiny grave in Holy Cross Cemetery and leave a flower.

Here's the original trailer of her most memorable picture...

A word from Laetitia Casta

2008-09-24T22:01:00.006-04:00

Mes chers amis,

You might remember me as a former Victoria Secret's and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. I was chosen in 1999 by the Mayors Association of France to be the model for a bust of Marianne, a symbol of the French Republic, which stands proudly in every city hall in the nation. Shortly thereafter, I took up residence in London to save a few Euros in taxes, making some of my fellow French countrymen very upset. Since, I've pretty much retired from print and I've been busy making movies (check out my imdb!). I am proud to announce that I was recently cast for a lead role in Visages (Faces), the upcoming film by Taiwanese director Ming-liang Tsai, scheduled for a 2009 release. As you probably know, Tsai won a Berlin Silver Bear in 2005 for A Wayward Cloud and a Venice Golden Lion in 1994 for Vive l’amour. Visages is set and shot in the Louvre. Unfortunately, most of my films tend to be in French and not available in North America. So, just so you don't forget me, I've posted below a saucy music video I shot a while back with my good pal Chris Isaak.

Je vous aime,

Laetitia.

Thaila Zucchi's Balls of Steel

2008-09-14T15:50:00.008-04:00

I don't care how many hidden camera pranks you've seen, you've got to see these ones. Thaila Zucchi is a British-Italian actress and singer. She was a member of the band allSTARS and became infamous for her appearance on the U.K. version of Big Brother 8, where she portrayed a fake Australian housemate. The naughty segments of the British game show Balls of Steel have an uncomfortable and often hilarious charm. Contestants play street pranks on the unsuspecting public by pretending to be incredibly annoying characters that test the tolerance of their victims. Thaila was one of the winners thanks to her segment entitled the Bunny Boiler, in which she blatantly hits on men in front of their girlfriends.

Vincenzo Cucca's campy erotica

2008-09-14T15:49:00.004-04:00

This is really a teaser posting, because the soft-erotic graphic novel La Route des Maisons Rouges (The Road of the Red Houses), illustrated by Italian artist Vincenzo Cucca, is not available in North America, in as far as I know. To tell the truth, the book is just a nice excuse to showcase the titillating pin-up drawing skills of Cucca, a man with a style that shall thrill followers of Marini, J. Scott Campbell, Adam Hughes and Terry Dodson. The script was written so neigh a single panel would be deprived of lusty and curvaceous dames: In a place reminiscent of early 19th century Paris, six houses of debauchery compete to attract clients to their respective sexual paradises. Each house is run by thematic groups of women: DarkLadies (S&M), Cybersex, Chinadolls, Icequeens, Sexysqaw (Native Americans) and Western Pleasures. When the mayor announces that the least profitable house will be shut down to make room for a casino, a creative race to increase business begins. Although the whole thing sounds quite raunchy, it's innocent fun, modest by some standards, and certainly not pornographic. Discover more at GG Studio.

Jessica Lange and King Kong forever

2008-09-14T15:48:00.005-04:00

It's nice to remember how superstars got their break. Producer Dino De Laurentiis plucked an unknown Jessica Lange out of the fashion world and tossed her into his 1976 epic remake of King Kong. Director John Guillermin became mesmerized by the first-time actress and gave her one of the most ludicrous, yet shockingly attractive, screen intros in the history of film, imprinting Jessica in the libidos of males (and some females) across the planet. Her debut scene and the following sequence will leave modern viewers in absolute disbelief: Jessica (named "Dwan") is discovered by the crew of a merchant ship drifting unconscious on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Being a castaway, she's naturally wearing an extremely revealing and wet cocktail dress. Her limp body is carried by crew members to a berth, where they proceed to study her physique as if dissecting a frog. Eventually, she comes to her senses and explains, in a most Marilyn-like manner, something about having survived the sinking of a movie producer's yacht. The all-male crew provides her with some spare clothes and, in an ensuing montage, Jessica adapts to life on a cargo boat, becomes a seamstress and cuts and sews the ill-fitting garments until she creates a minuscule costume, consisting of a cut-off slinky top and cheek-revealing shorts. Guillermin's camera takes advantage of every angle, while the ship's rugged crew and co-stars struggle to stare at anything other than the obvious. From here on, we move to Skull Island, where Guillermin finds numerous opportunities to further "fetishize" our dear Jessica, including the bizarre blow job waterfall scene posted below. No director could get away with the same stunts these days, but the film did propel Jessica to fame. She made no excuses for it, took other roles and showed the world her solid acting skills. Film fans will be forever grateful for the classic production photos left behind of a painfully beautiful starlet in the hands (and fingers) of a horny giant ape. Other films have tried, but none have succeeded, although Guillermin attempted to give Tanya Roberts a similar treatment in Sheena (1984).

Sophia: Da Vinci Code without the clothes

2008-09-14T15:43:00.008-04:00

OK. Maybe Sophia, a graphic novel written by Massimo Visavi and illustrated by Adriano De Vincentiis, is not quite The Da Vinci Code. But somewhere in between the historical mysteries of Dan Brown and the erotic comics of Milo Manara lies this curious story. Originally in Italian, its 54-page first installment was published in English in the 2008 Summer issue of Heavy Metal magazine. Sophia Dellamore is a gorgeous supermodel and the heir to one of the world's largest fortunes. While one would think she'd have a ball traveling around the globe and enjoying her jet-set lifestyle, Sophia is deeply troubled by her past and embarks on a quest to recover her grandfather's will, locked inside a mysterious box, engraved with arcane symbols. But other sinister forces are interested in the object, magic comes into play and we're thrown into an esoteric thriller. The erotica comes courtesy of De Vincentiis' detailed art and his sensual portrayal of Sophia in all her states of dress and undress (even characters inside the book comment on the impracticality of some of her outfits). While a premise with so many campy elements could've easily turned into a ridiculous read, the competent scripting by Visavia and the gorgeous art keep fans eagerly awaiting volume 2. The authors have a hi-tech web site, with possibly the most awkward navigation I've ever encountered: sophiabd.com.

James Bond hardboiled vintage comics

2008-09-14T15:42:00.002-04:00

The lead-up to the release of Quantum of Solace is a perfect excuse to revisit an important piece of James Bond fiction. In the decades between the first two Sean Connery films and Daniel Craig's Casino Royale, James Bond pictures, although hugely popular, were highly sanitized, campy and devoid of any compelling plots, sex and violence for mature audiences. Unbeknown to the general public, the only place where fans could turn for a dose of adult James Bond material, aside from the Ian Flemming novels, was the comic strips published by various British newspapers between 1958 and 1983. There, gifted writers like Jim Lawrence and great artists like Yaroslav Horak (my absolute favorite), delivered faithful adaptations of the books and created new original material, true to the source. The comics were certainly not for children and, even under the scrutiny of newspaper editors and censors, they still managed to deliver a wallop of edgy adult spy adventures, far more graphic in their violent and sexual content than any of the films. Thankfully, Titan Books has reprinted most of the Daily Express strips, dating back to the 50s. Fans of Cold War nostalgia can head to specialized comic book stores or visit the Titan web site for a complete list of the books, covers and synopsis. Get into the rugged art of Horak with James Bond: Shark Bait and other selected titles.

Gipsy: Marini's sexy trucking tales

2008-09-14T15:41:00.002-04:00

(Get an eyeful at the Marini wallpaper and sketch gallery here! WARNING: Some nudity, some violence, etc, etc, but gorgeous comic art!)

Swiss artist Enrico Marini is the master draftsman behind the French language Rapaces (Raptors, in English), possibly the sexiest and best drawn vampire graphic novel in the world. As if that wasn't enough, he's also the pencil behind Gipsy, possibly the sexiest trucking graphic novel in the world. Gipsy, as his name implies, is a gipsy truck driver who pilots his massive rig on various assignments across a worldwide super-highway in the not-so-distant future. Along the way, he encounters dictators, rebels, terrorists and some of the most hardboiled and sultry dames in sequential art. Marini's art has it all: gorgeous ink lines, spectacular watercolors, breathtaking backgrounds, excellent paneling and cinematic composition. The original version is French, written by Thierry Smolderen, but the kind people of Heavy Metal have published an English compilation of the 3-volume Siberian saga for our reading pleasure. Note: Somehow, Amazon messed up the product description and reviews. Pay no attention.

A nod to Valerie Leon

2008-09-14T05:21:00.010-04:00

It was in the late hours of one summer night, while looking for boxing on TV, that I stumbled upon Blood from the Mummy's Tomb, one of those classic British horror flicks produced by Hammer in 1971. Based on the Bram Stoker novel, Jewel of the Seven Stars, this bizarre film of questionable merit, made me discover the statuesque Valerie Leon, in her role of a woman possessed by the spirit of an ancient Egyptian queen with magical powers, in present-day London (for fun movie trivia and an honest review, go here). Hammer was famous for stretching their minuscule budgets and making every effort to inject production values into their pictures. Here, some of that effort obviously went into the groovy stylings of Valerie. The woman steals every scene with her game performance and amazing outfits, each more or less revealing, reminiscent of a Robert McGinnis pin-up. Standing 5'11" and with a generous figure custom-made for B-fiction, Valerie played small roles in such 60s and 70s classics as The Spy Who Loved Me, The Avengers, Queen Kong, Space 1999, The Revenge of the Pink Panther and Never Say Never Again, her last credited major picture in 1983. She returned to the small screen with a couple of TV episodes in 2006-07. I discovered that, at age 62, she still has many fans and a charming web site, in which she expresses her wish of one day appearing again in a feature film. Why not, Valerie, why the hell not, I say?

The sensual books of Brandstudio Press

2008-09-13T15:42:00.008-04:00

Time for another blatant, yet extremely well deserved plug. The fellows at Brandstudio Press, founded by our good friend Alberto Ruiz, have been doing a smashing job publishing some of the nicest illustration books available in the U.S. market today. Fans of pin-up art, fantasy comics and sexy animation will be tempted to blow their life savings collecting each hardbound volume. Their books are available at selected comic book stores and online, but the most popular ones tend to sell out faster than a Nigerian politician. To check out whatever stock they might have available, visit them at Brandstudiopress.com. In the meantime, check out some selected pictures straight out of their glossy pages here.

Rosario Dawson hunts creepy creatures

2008-09-04T02:30:00.006-04:00

Just when we though Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Grindhouse) couldn't get any cooler, she goes and gets involved in a comic book project: "After narrowly surviving an encounter with a supernatural serial killer, N.Y.P.D. officer Sophia Ortiz is drafted into Manhattan's clandestine police unit: the Occult Crimes Taskforce. Versed in the black arts and armed with mystical weaponry, the O.C.T. keeps the streets of New York safe from the unholy creatures of the night." (From 12 GAUGE COMICS). Rosario is a co-writer of the series, along with David Achison, and the lead character is modeled after her likeness, saving gifted artist Tony Shasteen the effort of having to imagine a very hot heroine. This choice infuses Sophia Ortiz with a distinct personality, a welcome idea considering how much female comic book characters tend to look alike (many comic book artists in the 70s used movie and TV stars as reference for that same reason). The O.C.T. web site is nicely put together, with abundant art samples and a store. Considering the quality of this project, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing other A-list leading ladies taking a shot at the medium. If Jenna Jameson can do it (Shadow Hunter), why not Jessica Biel, I say? Occult Crimes Taskforce Vol. 1 (TBC) is available here.

Dean Yeagle and Mandy

2008-09-04T02:29:00.007-04:00

(Check out the Dean Yeagle sketches and Mandy wallpaper gallery here!)

Dean Yeagle is a wonderful cartoonist and animator, famous for his sexy Playboy gags and pin-up art. His most treasured creation is Mandy, an innocent and care-free young girl, seemingly oblivious to her sexual impact. Dean has published six books, filled with sketches and scenes capturing intimate and sensual everyday moments of Mandy's simple life: Scribblings 1, 2, and 3, One Mandy Morning, Mandy's Shorts, and The Mandy Portrait Gallery. He has even produced an instructional DVD on Designing Mandy for budding artists. Fans can drop Dean a line or order his books directly from him at dabeagle@aol.com. He will be glad to provide a list of available titles and prices.

Merciless Torpedo

2008-09-04T02:28:00.006-04:00

Many comic book artists and writers strive to capture the vibe of noir crime novels and films of the 30s and 40s, or rather, to re-imagine the genre for contemporary audiences. Few succeed in the manner of Torpedo, "a Spanish comic series written by Enrique Sánchez Abulí and drawn by Jordi Bernet, which depicts the adventures of the antagonistic character Luca Torelli, a heartless hit man, and his sidekick Rascal, in the context of the violent organized crime culture of New York during the Great Depression era (Wikipedia)." The books manage to be brutal, merciless, erotic and romantic. The writing is incisive and the art as rugged as the tales. Every Torpedo adventure guarantees a thrilling time for mature audiences. Unfortunately, you will have to read either Spanish or French to get into the title. Torpedo has only been published in those languages, in countries where comics are truly respected as serious adult fiction. As a footnote, in France, beautiful hardbound comic book albums sell twice as many copies as the average novel, with first printings in the hundreds of thousands.

Harold Lloyd and the 3D pin-ups

2008-09-04T01:33:00.007-04:00

Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are the most recognized comedic geniuses of the silent era. For some reason, their contemporary funny man, Harold Lloyd, is not as widely remembered today, even though he was probably the most popular of the three at the height of his career in the 1920s. Even less remembered is the fact that Lloyd was also an accomplished pin-up photographer, whose models in the 50s included Marilyn Monroe and the notorious Bettie Page. Lloyd experimented quite a bit with 3D photography and those funky red & blue paper glasses, in a tireless effort to better capture the topography of his subjects. In 2004, his granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd, published Hollywood Nudes in 3D!, a collection of some of his best images. Vanity Fair praised the book and the pictures at the time of its release, celebrating this hidden talent of one of the greatest movie stars of all-time. The still above (left) was taken from Lloyd's Safety Last. The film inspired one of Jackie Chan's most dangerous stunts: the clock tower drop in Project A. While we are on the subject, why not take a look at Jackie's top 10 stunts, courtesy of YouTube's LovMachine? The clock tower is number two:

Aria Giovanni and Bill Ward make cartoons

2008-09-04T01:02:00.006-04:00

Bill Ward, who passed away in 1998, was one of America's favorite erotic cartoonists, known for his "good girl" comics since the early 1940s. Aria Giovanni is an actress and nude model, who was Penthouse Pet for the month of September 2000 and is still very much alive today. The wonderful editors of Femme Fatales magazine had the brilliant idea of bringing together the talents of both for a 6-page spread (Volume 15, number 3, 2006). The concept turned out so cute that many mainstream magazines took notice and reprinted the images. I thought I post this in the hope that more cartoonists and editors may be inspired by the idea and bring us similar pictorials... Wait... Scratch that... I want to do that myself! Other cartoonist and editors: Forget what you just read... How the hell do I delete this posting?

The Ride to take

2008-09-04T00:14:00.007-04:00

"Featuring a diverse and dynamic body of creators, THE RIDE showcases the tales of a 1968 Camaro and the many lives it alters. The Volume 1 Trade Paperback contains five amazing stories featuring bullets, babes, murder & mayhem, all from the driver’s seat of a car that exudes muscle and power. Exclusive bonus material includes: a new color cover gallery, character designs, pin-ups, plus a foreword from industry legend Howard Chaykin!" I took this straight out of the 12 GAUGE COMICS web site. Since 2004, their hard-hitting series has showcased the work of some of the best artists in the business. It's the second time I plug their books this week because they deserve it, damn it. 12 GAUGE has even showed its support for new talent by publishing THE RIDE: SAVANNAH, a very sexy 40-page issue drawn entirely by students of the Savannah College of Art and Design. This issue, as well as all the others, can be ordered directly from their site.

Going CAMP-ing

2008-09-02T23:53:00.009-04:00

I live in Montreal. People say it's a wonderful town, but they are consistently complaining about the weather and the winter cold. So, I decided to take a peek at international weather reports to see if things were a bit hotter elsewhere. I've posted below reports from Mexico and Hungary. You be the judge. By the way, I hear there is some kind of hit film series in Japan called Weather Woman, about the hijinks of a lusty weather girl. Little did I know there was some truth to their campy concept... (DISCLAIMER: This posting is in no way an endorsement of the film Weather Woman. I haven't seen it and I don't plan to. If it's your bag, I'm happy. Have a ball.)

MEXICO (Mayte Carranco)

HUNGARY (Gaál Noémi) (I actually enjoyed the graphics of this one)

Angel-A, a Luc Besson fantasy

2008-08-27T23:07:00.001-04:00

French filmmaker, Luc Besson, has produced over 91 films, written 37 and directed 15 of them, including The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, The Professional and The Fifth Element. He's become known for his clever action yarns with atypical memorable characters. Angel-A (2005) takes his fans in a new direction, with a sexy urban fantasy set in Paris, featuring a very unusual pair of actors. Jamel Debouzze plays a scoundrel at the end of his rope, who encounters an angelic woman, portrayed by Rie Rasmussen, and starts off on the road to redemption. I don't think you will ever find another film in which a 5'5", one-handed Moroccan male plays the romantic lead to a 5'10" Dannish female blonde co-star (6'3", with the heels that she keeps on throughout the entire pic). I'd love to see Cruise or Gibson try that (not the heels). Besson keeps the plot simple and innocent. The black & white cinematography is stunning and Paris has never looked better. The original version is in French. Jamel is a comedic genius and Rie, who had to master French in a very short time, compensates for her novice acting skills with her physical presence. The making-of documentary on the North American DVD is actually insightful and fun to watch.

Robert Valley: Comics on X

2008-08-27T23:06:00.003-04:00

(Robert Valley wallpaper and sketches gallery!)

Robert Valley is comics on extasy. Hard-hitting urban sequential art. His books, Massive Swerve 1 & 2, are sexy, rugged, violent and utterly unique. His short animation film (also entitled Massive Swerve) is as close as you will get to experiencing an Ibiza rave, unless, of course, you've been to an Ibiza rave. Check out the selected art gallery here, stop by his web site and discover this insane artist. Then, go to Ibiza and see if you can come back drawing like Robert. (DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this posting shall be interpreted as implying that Mr. Valley produces art under the influence of substances other than those considered legal by both the Canadian and U.S. governments)

Blacksad: R-Rated Disney

2008-08-27T23:05:00.001-04:00

Imagine a lavishly illustrated comic book starring human-looking animals (cats, dogs, crocodiles, weasels...) in film noir-inspired crime yarns set in the 50s and you get Blacksad. Created by Spanish authors Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist), this award-winning book chronicles the dirty cases of John Blacksad, a tough black cat private investigator. The stories are like a very adult Raymond Chandler novel, cinematically drawn by a renegade Disney animator. It is, without any doubts, one of the best all-around graphic novels on the market today. The buzz is that a big budget film adaptation is planned for 2009, but don't hold your breath. Every comic book in the world is currently in development and the real edgy stuff usually stays on the printed pages anyhow. Blacksad's first three volumes appeared in French, with the Spanish version following shortly thereafter. Last time I looked, only the first two were available in English.

COMICS MUST SURVIVE!

2008-08-27T23:04:00.001-04:00

Allow me a little editorial. The year is 2008 and comic book-based theatrical films, video games, direct-to-DVD animated pictures and toys are all the rage. Veteran comic book fans beam with pride, seeing their beloved characters achieve glory outside of their original medium, after decades of paper confinement. But what about comics themselves? How many of those who purchased tickets to see the latest Iron Man, Batman, X-Men or Spiderman flicks have actually READ Demon in a Bottle, The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Phoenix Saga or any Spidey tales by Stan Lee and Romita? Road to Perdition, A History of Violence, Men in Black? How many will actually go out and pick up any of the new outstanding comics published this week? People read less than ever. Consequently, all readable fiction suffers. Comic readership continues to decline, even during these times of fame. The industry must face the fact that audiences are not lining up to see comic book-based films because they are comic book-based films. They are going because the movies are exciting and the characters are fun. Hollywood finally figured out there was a lot of great source material in comics, which is a wonderful thing, since it had completely given up trying to create its own original pictures. But where will this current feeding frenzy leave comics and its creators? During the 80s and 90s, Hong Kong produced over 160 pictures per year. Until Hollywood discovered it. The former colony's top talent was lured to the studios and, for a short period of time, martial arts films took over the box-office. Then, Sony unleashed Spiderman. Today, the kicks and yells are quiet. Hong Kong icons like John Woo, Ringo Lam and Corey Yuen have been sent home packing. But to what? Last year, Hong Kong cranked out less than 50 pictures. Its legendary action films are a thing of the past. Dead. There is no next Jackie Chan or Jet Li. I can't help but look at the so-called current comic book craze with uneasiness. Comics are the original American art form, a unique marriage of pictures and words. They continue to give us innovative, bold and exciting works of fiction, but they need to reach the next generation, not through films, video games or toys that do not feature the artistry of its creators, but as comic books. They are in bad need of their Harry Potter.

Miller, Sienkiewicz and Elektra

2008-08-27T23:03:00.001-04:00

(Check out the Elektra: Assassin original covers gallery!)

Frank Miller created his fascinating character Elektra back in 1981 while working for Marvel Comics as an artist-for-hire. Elektra first appeared in Daredevil #168 and instantly became the property of Marvel. Thus, Mr. Miller has not had a say in the direction of the character since terminating his contract, which would explain the disastrous feature film, starring Jennifer Garner, and many other subsequent aberrations of the original creation. Fortunately, fans can always return to the great comic book stories crafted by Miller. His outstanding collaboration with artist Bill Sienkiewicz on the eight-issue miniseries Elektra: Assassin remains one of the best. Since Miller's adult plot would not meet the rating approval of the Comic Code back in 1986-87, the series had to be released through Marvel's Epic imprint and sold exclusively in specialty stores to keep it away from children. Sienkiewicz' watercolor art went beyond form to reveal the extreme psychology of the characters and capture the violence of the tale. It was one big step forward in the evolution of the medium towards more mature content in American mainstream comics. WARNING: First-time comic book readers might get hurt and confused.

Robert McGinnis, poster master

2008-08-27T23:02:00.003-04:00

I will not entertain you with a bio of Robert McGinnis, one of the masters of poster and cover art of our times. Wikipedia was created for that purpose. Just glad to introduce you to his work, in case you were not familiar with it. Do not miss the McGinnis wallpaper gallery here.

Remembering Russia's sexiest bodyguard

2008-08-27T23:01:00.001-04:00

Anna Loginova was known as Russia's most glamorous bodyguard. She was the founder of the Moscow-based Stilet Private Security agency, which employs women exclusively. Anna's clients included wealthy and shady individuals, and their mistresses and wives, who preferred the protection of an attractive and discreet female killer to bulky goons whose presence could be a real eye sore at fine social occasions. Sadly, Anna was killed back in January 2008 while trying to prevent the carjacking of her own Porsche Cheyenne. She was 29. I thought I should re-run the story in this place devoted to fantasy, as a reminder that some women do lead a very real life of danger, where death is daily possibility (spies, soldiers, special agents...). I tip my hat to their figurative cojones. You can read Anna's full story here.

Scarlett Johansson wants to be an Amazon

2008-08-17T21:07:00.002-04:00

Back in November 2005, the film industry trades were buzzing with the announcement that Scarlett Johansson was set to co-produce and star in a feature film about an Amazon warrior (a la Gladiator). A famous producer was involved, writers were hired to pen the script, then, silence. Three years have gone by and it looks like the ball is rolling again, with the script in the hands of Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain, the writers of Lionsgate's upcoming Conan. Blackman wrote recently in his blog: "We seem to tackle subjects like that - we wrote a script about Amazons for Scarlett Johansson. Before they read it, everyone heard about it and thought - “Amazons… girls in skimpy outfits playing at swords. Sounds dumb.” But we played it straight and wrote something along the lines of Seven Samurai. Changed a lot of minds. In fact, Lionsgate just picked up the script and are moving forward on it aggressively." Note that this project was Scarlett's idea. I wonder if her fantasy of Amazons is similar to artist Luis Royo's (painting above)...

Heroes' artist Tim Sale

2008-08-17T21:06:00.003-04:00

All those moody paintings featured in the TV show Heroes are the work of comic book great Tim Sale. Tim was already known to fans worldwide for his landmark collaborations with writer (and Heroes co-executive producer) Jeph Loeb. Their partnership thrives in the exploration of the mythology of some of the most iconic super heroes of Marvel and DC, creating out-of-continuity tales, often set in the characters' early years. Tim's style is unmistakable and definitely a throw-back to romantic pulp-fiction and film noir, with bold brush strokes, shadows, large cinematic panels and fluid renditions of wicked, sultry female characters. Two books, the lavishly illustrated and insightful Tim Sale Black and White, covering his life and work, and the sexy Tim Sale Pin-ups, featuring fabulous sketches of obvious nature, are now available. His best graphic novels with Jeph Loeb include Batman's The Long Halloween and Dark Victory, Catwoman's When in Rome, Spiderman Blue and Daredevil Yellow. Tim's web site is worth a long visit.

The return of Creepy

2008-08-17T21:05:00.003-04:00

Oh, joy! Dark Horse is reprinting the original issues of Warren Publishing's legendary Creepy magazine! If you've never heard of it, the Wikipedia entry will bring you up to speed. In a nutshell, from 1964 until 1983, Creepy unleashed macabre tales of horror created by the best comic book artists of its time. Creepy was published in black & white in a magazine format to avoid the seal of the Comics Code Authority, the self-imposed industry body that rates the content of comics. The Dark Horse collection preserves this original format. This is a collector's wish come true and a great opportunity for new comic book fans to discover the work of masters like Al Williamson, Archie Goodwin, Wally Wood, Richard Corben, Berni Wrighston, Alex Toth, Fernando Fernandez, Esteban Maroto, Bruce Jones, Frank Frazetta, Alfredo Alcala and Neal Adams. If some or most of these names don't ring any bells, well, my friends, I'm thrilled for you: A world of beautiful gore awaits you.

Jenna Jameson is a Virgin gal

2008-08-17T21:04:00.006-04:00

Sir Richard Branson launched recently Virgin Comics, a company that brings together artists from India and North America to produce epic fantasy comics. In an odd pairing of brand names, Virgin signed up porn mogul Jenna Jameson and hooked her up with former Image writer Chritina Z. (Witchblade) and artist Mukesh Singh. This is not the first time that a clever publisher tries to "attach" a sultry starlet (even Rosario Dawson had a book) to a comic. In most attempts, the projects have been unreadable. But in the case of Virgin, the result was the surprisingly engaging and marvelously drawn Jenna Jameson's Shadow Hunter. It is said that dear Jenna is heavily involved in the plotting of the stories. Now, I don't go out of my way to buy series where empowered babes battle nasty demons, but I must confess the preview issue of this one had me at hello. Mukesh is an incredibly gifted artist and I'm looking forward to seeing more from him.

Zoë Bell and Ed Brubaker make a nice couple

2008-08-17T21:03:00.003-04:00

Zoë Bell, stuntwoman extraordinaire and co-star of Tarantino's Death Proof, will finally star in her own show. The gig is called Angel of Death, an online series set to premiere in 2009, exclusively on Sony Pictures' Crackle.com. Zoë doubled Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and Lucy Lawless in Xena: Warrior Princess. Not coincidentally, both Kill Bill and Xena featured some of the best female fights on film and TV respectively. More exciting, however, is the fact that Angel of Death is the brain child of Ed Brubaker, one of the greatest comic book writers pounding a keyboard today. His series Criminal, Sleeper and Catwoman, to only name a few, have been heavily influenced by those old noir films and novels of the 30s, 40s and 50s, which Brubaker admires, but does not copy. One can only hope that Crackle.com, with its lower budgets and Internet distribution, will grant Brubaker and others far more creative freedom than studio feature films. This venture could herald, although at a smaller scale, the end of the 13 re-writes by 13 writers, plus notes from studio execs, lawyers and marketing gurus. That would be exciting and truly innovative. Will a successful, brilliant writer like Brubaker finally be allowed to create a story and get it made the way he intended it? Or, and this is a question for Sony, do you still believe the execs, lawyers and advertisers are the best people to craft compelling fiction?

Black Lagoon: Those crazy Japanese

2008-08-17T21:02:00.004-04:00

"Black Lagoon combines the dark and cynical nature of Fight Club with the non-stop action of a John Woo film. This anime series is rife with cigarette smoking, foul language and significant bloodshed. It is, however, startlingly accurate in the portrayal of the life of a soldier of fortune immersed in the criminal underworld of the China South Seas." (Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, July 2007). I must admit many manga and Japanese animation series go over my head like an Olympic pole vault jumper. I'm not a devoted fan and only engage in cosplay on special dates. My favorite is still the 7,000-page saga Lone Wolf and Cub. Black Lagoon, though, is a world of shameless fun. Filled with sexy, bad-ass characters, exotic locations and awe-inspiring action sequences. The anime series, based on the original graphic novel by Rei Hiroe, has legions of fans and countless YouTube uploads. To get your fresh DVDs, go to the official U.S. web site.

Arturo Pérez-Reverte's Queen of the South

2008-08-17T21:00:00.003-04:00

Arturo Pérez-Reverte is one of the best selling Spanish writers in the world. He's a master of historical mysteries set in modern times (The Nautical Chart, The Seville Communion, The Flanders Panel) and of period adventure novels (Captain Alatriste, The Fencing Master). A complete list of his translated books, with synopsis, can be found here. His captivating novel, The Club Dumas, about the hunt for a rare book that allegedly reveals the secret to open the gates of Hell, was adapted to the screen in 1999 by Roman Polanski under the title The Ninth Gate, starring Johnny Depp. The Queen of the South (La Reina del Sur) is Perez-Reverte's foray into the world of smugglers, drug runners and cartels, as seen through the eyes of a shrewd, beautiful young woman forced to survive, rise up and claim her place in a world of ruthless drug lords and underlings. The action travels from Mexico to Morocco and Spain. Many North American readers may be deceived by the English book cover, which visually makes us think of another historical mystery. I guess the publishers were trying to ride the Da Vinci Code wave. For your reference, I've posted the much more accurate original Spanish cover next to it.

ClaraDarko's snazzy video tributes

2008-08-12T21:07:00.003-04:00

I've seen plenty of YouTube videos and YouTube channels. But I had never encountered anyone so dedicated to her passion for movies and video tributes as the mad editor / video uploader known as ClaraDarko. She (and I can only assume she's a she) hails from Spain, which might explain a lot considering recent Spanish successes born from sheer sweat and commitment: EuroCup, Tour de France, Wimbledon... Someone must be messing with genetically manipulated paellas. I've posted here ClaraDarko's impressive Femmes Fatales: Bad is Better edit. In her YouTube playlists, you'll find the astonishingly long list of movies she used for it, along with video tributes to Star Wars, classic movies, super heroes, Indiana Jones, movie monsters... She wields her Final Pro editing software like a... well... pro, and her music selections are pretty decent. A fun pit-stop for all movie lovers. She even makes Jennifer Garner look pretty damn cool.

Dinosaurs and Cadillacs

2008-08-12T21:06:00.006-04:00

Xenozoic Tales is an 80s comic book created by Mark Schultz that truly belongs in the 30s. Driven by the spirit of pulp fiction and fantasy adventure stories from a more innocent time, Xenozoic Tales (AKA Dinosaurs and Cadillacs) takes us to a post-apocalyptic near-future, where major cities lie under water and dinosaurs rule the earth. Its heroes, armed solely with shotguns (no ray guns) and riding cars rescued from the 50s, are beautifully drawn with a romanticism reminiscent of Alex Raymond's best strips (1934's Flash Gordon). The men are tough, the women trouble and the dinosaurs in a constant state of murderous hunger. Fans of "retro sci-fi", The Land that Time Forgot, King Kong and Journey to the Center of the Earth (the good one) will be thrilled.

The Descent: Creeeepy!

2008-08-12T21:05:00.003-04:00

"You gotta see The Descent!" This was my sister's weekly reminder, following her discovery of this gem at the Fantasia Film Festival, in Montreal. For some unexplainable reason, it took me more than a year to buy it on DVD. Brilliantly directed by Neil Marshall, The Descent (2005) tells the story of six girlfriends who set out on a leisurely caving expedition. Things go terribly wrong when they realize that 1) They have been misled into a treacherous, previously unexplored cave system, and 2) They are not alone in the dark. The picture is a little masterpiece of suspense and horror, with rock solid performances by the all-female, then-unkown cast (with the exception of a hideous... oh, well, you better see it). Most importantly, The Descent reminds us of the power of pure cinematic storytelling and that excitement is born from the creation of real, tense situations, no matter how small or confined the stage, and not from epic CGI festivals. With all the respect I have for Spielberg, there are more thrills in a single claustrophobic scene here than in his entire Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Many established directors and producers in Hollywood would benefit from a screening of The Descent, to bring them back to basics and to help them realize they are using CGI as a wooden crutch, when the patients are ill with cancer. (By the way, the movie is not German. I just posted the picture above because it's a cool shot of the cast. The official U.S. poster is available here).

Happy 10th anniversary, Danger Girl!

2008-08-12T21:04:00.005-04:00

(See some of my favorite J. Scott Campbell wallpapers & sketches here!)

What do you get when you cross a goat with a lizard? I have no idea. Don't care. But when you cross James Bond, Charlie's Angels, Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider, you get Danger Girl. Andy Hartnell (story) and J. Scott Campbell, an artist renowned for his curvaceous female characters and dynamic action sequences, published in 1998 their finest work to date. No one since has created a more fun, over-the-top and campy comic book in this genre. The original series ran for seven issues, followed by a number of one-shots and mini-series by other artists, along with some special editions and a gorgeous sketchbook. All the stories have been reprinted in convenient trade paperbacks, which is a good thing, considering that at this past Comicon in San Diego some 9.8, 9.9 cgc-graded* issues of the original series sold for well over $1000 (original cover price: $2,50). Beat that, Google stock.

*Sorry for the comic lingo. That means the issues were never breathed upon, nor exposed to the earth's atmosphere or sunlight by the collector who bought them.

The Long Kiss Goodnight

2008-08-12T21:03:00.005-04:00

Mainstream critics aside, The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) remains one of the best female action films of the 90s. It's a precursor to The Bourne Identity, in which an average suburban wife, played by Geena Davis, starts remembering erased memories of her past as a government assassin. The six-foot Geena, an Olympic-level archer and a member of Mensa in real life, delivers one of the most physical, credible action performances by an actress in a Hollywood film, well before the Hong Kong rip-off craze. And I really don't care what people say about her ex-husband director Renny Harlin's talent, she's also fun to watch in Cutthroat Island (1995), the box-office flop that scared studios off pirate films for a decade. After all, everyone knew pirate films couldn't make any money.

Bêlit, Queen of the Black Coast

2008-08-12T21:02:00.012-04:00

Conan the Barbarian's first great love was Bêlit, the pirate Queen of the Black Coast. For a thousand days, Conan and Bêlit plundered merchant ships and seaside towns, at the command of her devoted crew of black corsairs, until her tragic death. Her name became legendary. Their story is one of the most interesting and well-crafted sagas in sword-and-sorcery comics. Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by John Buscema, the iconic Conan master, their adventures can be found in the original Conan the Barbarian series (issues 58 to 100), published by Marvel, and in more recent trade paperback compilations (Chronicles of Conan, vols. 8-12). Pure rugged adventure and romance, and one of the best female characters ever created by the "House of Ideas." Hopefully, the producers of the new Conan film (I know there will be another one*) will do their homework.

*What did I tell you? This just in: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain have been hired to rework the Conan script for Lionsgate.

Going CAMP-ing: Part II

2008-08-12T21:00:00.003-04:00

So I was out there, searching for images of a certain comic book artist, when our trusty Google led me to a site called Super Sexy Heroines. Someone, somewhere in the U.S. of A, hires models, dresses them up in originally designed super hero costumes and produces photo-comics with their pictures. The site offers access to the comics and various features for a monthly membership fee. And I thought I was nuts writing a blog. On a serious note, the site does contain detailed bios of many of your favorite female comic book characters, including history, origins and list of appearances. I guess you can turn any hobby into a career. Thank you, Sexy Super Heroines dot com for showing us that "if you can conceive it, you can achieve it."

Tara Moss' life of crime

2008-08-01T17:44:00.008-04:00

Some facts from Tara Moss' web site:

"Tara Moss began modelling at 15 and worked as an international top model for over ten years before turning her hand to full-time crime writing."

"According to the latest ACNielsen BookScan sales figures, Tara is officially Australia's number one selling crime writer."

"In September (2008) crime writer Tara will be the first person inducted into the Australian Walk of Fame for services to literature. More info to follow."

"Tara has just graduated from the Australian Security Academy with her Certificate III in private investigation, and will become a licenced PI."

Something tells me Tara would rather spend an evening with former FBI profiler John Douglas, one of the founders of the Behavioral Science Unit, than strutting her stuff down a Victoria's Secret runway. Coincidentally, me, too.

What happened to Talia?

2008-08-01T17:40:00.007-04:00

In his 2005 re-launch of the Batman film franchise, Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan introduced movie audiences to Ra's al Ghul, one of the most interesting villains of the comic book series. But, for some mysterious reason, he, or the producers or the writers or any of the hundreds of people involved in the final script, decided not to introduce Ra's' daughter, Talia. Hardcore Batman fans know that it is the sexually charged and morally conflicted relationship between Batman and Talia, with whom he had an illegitimate son (yes, Batman had sex!), that produced the best Ra's al Ghul stories. The stage was set back in June 1971, in Denny O'Neal's and Neal Adams' landmark Batman Vol. 1, #232, with Talia torn between her loyalty for her father and her thing for men in leather masks with pointy ears. The tension was finally released in the graphic ("graphic", get it?) novel Batman: Son of the Demon, in which Talia finally beds Bruce Wayne. In a nutshell, the absence of Talia was my big tibia to pick with that movie. Could it be that American films have turned puritan on us? Remember when sex was more common on the big screen than gruesome deaths? No? Me, neither. That's why we still have comics.

Bound: Pre-Matrix scorching opus

2008-08-01T17:36:00.005-04:00

Erotic thrillers don't get better than this. Bound (1996), the Wachowski Bros' pre-Matrix brilliant crime yarn, showcases Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly at their seductive and manipulative best, in their respective roles of Corky and Violet. Two leading ladies at the top of their game, who never got the huge shot they deserved in Hollywood. There is time, yet. This is not a movie review. It's an order to rent it and see it. Go! Now!

Going CAMP-ing: Part I

2008-07-30T18:45:00.007-04:00

Time for a bit of camp. No, no. This is not about Elektra, nor Jennifer Gardner. Stick around. It's about who is/was the best female action star in Hollywood, regardless of the quality of her movies. The question rages on. James Lipton and Roger Ebert have come to blows over it and may never agree. If you want to put in your two-cents, check out the list posted at afterellen.com (don't ask how I ended up there). You can duke it out with the other girls (yes, girls) posting their opinions. I must say that, regardless of a couple of exclusions, their top 10 is OK. And once you're done with that, go to Mighty Hotties, one of the campiest pages online, to browse through pictures of actresses who have dared to put on leather and spandex costumes to play comic book and video game-based characters. Innocent fun, unless you're into... What the hell? People can't be into... Really? Boy, I'll never look at those movies the same way again. And, for all it's worth, I do believe that if Elektra, the feature film, would've had a script true to the complex comic book character created by Frank Miller and a director with an intimate knowledge of pain and vengeance, Jennifer might've ranked much higher on the list.

The mindscape of Saira Mohan

2008-07-30T04:28:00.004-04:00

Saira Mohan is a 5'10" (and-a-half), Montreal-born, international model, whose face has appeared on the cover of numerous magazines. Now that I got your attention, go discover what sets her apart: saira.com. Take a slow tour. Click on every tiny button. Explore and read. Saira has exposed her mind in one of the most engaging and inspiring personal pages I've seen online. At a time when even millionaire superstars settle for confusing MySpace pages that look like a tie-dye scrambled egg in an alphabet soup, Saira's effort made me stand up and take notes.

Pin-up's romance with the past

2008-07-28T18:54:00.012-04:00

For those of us fascinated by the history of American pop culture, World War II, the Cold War and the birth of Las Vegas, Pin-up, the French graphic novel created by Yann Leppentier (story) and Philippe Berthet (art) is a romantic trip down a winding memory lane, in which facts and fantasy merge seamlessly. Set in the 40s and 50s, Pin-up follows the saga of Dottie, a bright and magnetic Bettie Page-like model, struggling to carve a living out of her wits and beauty. Along the way, she comes in contact with some of the period's most iconic figures: Pilot Gary Powers, Hugh Hefner, JFK, Milton Caniff, Nixon, Sinatra, Howard Hughes... We root for Dottie to find a life of ease, or even success, while hoping she won't be found one evening in a back alley, with a bullet between her green eyes. English hard cover books edited by Blasé Publishing and available through online retailers. The French web site is worth a visit.

Martial Arts Superproduction

2008-07-28T12:53:00.009-04:00

I just found this lost blockbuster video that I shot many years ago in an underground parking lot. It was me, a cheap miniDV camera and two friends, who still bear the bruises of our home movie. Budget: $20 (cost of tapes). We had a blast and the "lead actor" got many kicks out of it, courtesy of Patricia Parchas, a Tae Kwon-Do black belt with a natural talent for martial arts choreography. Watch out, Yuen Woo-ping! I want the director gig for Master of Kung-Fu.

Hard movies, tougher dames (IV)

2008-07-28T03:14:00.009-04:00

C.O. SALEM: What I resent, Lieutenant, is some politician using my base as a test tube for her grand social experiment. What I resent, is the sensitivity training that is now mandatory for all of my men. The ob-gyn I now have to keep on staff just to keep track of your personal pap smears. But most of all what I resent, is your perfume, however subtle, interfering with the scent of my fine three-dollar-and-seventy-nine-cent cigar, which I will put out this instant if the phallic nature of it happens to offend your GODDAMN FRAGILE SENSIBILITIES! Does it?

Lt. JORDAN O'NEIL: No, sir.

C.O. SALEM: "No, sir" WHAT?

Lt. JORDAN O'NEIL: The shape doesn't bother me. Just the goddamn sweet stench.

Scott Wilson and Demi Moore, G.I. Jane (1997)

Y: The Last Man - Alone in a world run by women

2008-07-28T02:03:00.008-04:00

"When a plague of unknown origin instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome, unemployed and unmotivated slacker Yorick Brown suddenly discovers that he is the only male left in a world inhabited solely by women." The premise of Y: The Last Man sounds like a B-movie. It isn't. Creators Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra have weaved an adult sci-fi tale with insightful social commentary, existential questions, pure action and dramatic sexual situations, populated by some of the most interesting female characters ever put on paper: Secret agents, Israeli commandos, mad scientists, ninjas, pirates, post-apocalyptic Amazons, politicians, astronauts... A movie, of course, is in the works, but you can be sure that no studio will have the guts to shoot the most controversial and best moments of this graphic novel. If you don't read it, you'll never know what the hype was all about. The series came to a conclusive end in issue #60 (Feb. 2008), so start from the beginning to avoid spoilers and enjoy the build-up.

Red Sonja: New movie!

2008-07-26T00:22:00.011-04:00

More than twenty years ago, not one of my favorite comic book characters could get herself/himself made into a movie, even if they offered to sleep with the producer, alone or as a trio. Now, it seems there is one coming out every week: Sin City (excellent), The Spirit (coming soon), Elektra (awful), Catwoman (atrocious), 300 (stunning), Wanted, Watchmen... Am I happy about it? Hell, no! I didn't want to watch those films. I wanted to make them. Just one. There will be nothing left for me once I'm in a position of REAL POWER, except sequels. Next in line is Red Sonja, my dear she-devil barbarian of the fiery red hair. Robert Rodriguez just announced it at Comicon 2008, with Rose McGowan in the leading role and director Douglas Aarniokoski behind the wheel (Conan has to be next). Rodriguez was the only producer with enough vision to trust and empower Frank Miller, going as far as quitting the Directors' Guild when they wouldn't allow Frank to co-direct Sin City. That took cojones, Roberto. For that reason alone, I'm not that mad. As for the source material, unfortunately I haven't been following the current comic book series, published by Dynamite. And I'm ashamed, because it looks like the publishers have been doing an outstanding job, judging by the popularity of the series, the web site and some of the art-gallery-worthy covers, including a few by Gabriele Dell'Otto (pictured above). I strongly recommend checking out some classic Red Sonja comics by John Buscema, Frank Thorne, Neal Adams and Barry Windsor-Smith. The folks at Dynamite have been kind enough to compile them for you in The Adventures of Red Sonja: Volume I. PS: Remember when Brigitte Nielsen was still cute and sober? If you don't, rent that other Red Sonja picture, released in 1985. Brigitte might be the only good thing in it.

Pherone: Cutting-edge femme fatale

2008-07-25T03:22:00.015-04:00

I applaud Kevin Eastman, the editor of Heavy Metal magazine, for his continuous efforts to find and publish outstanding adult comics. I discovered Pherone, the graphic novel by Patrick Baggatta (script) and Viktor Kalvachev (art), while browsing through the mag, in search of the occasional gem. Kalvachev's explosive pictures sparkled like diamonds. Pherone is the story of Eve, an extremely lethal femme fatale on a quest to find her identity. It weaves espionage, mystery, sex, violence and a touch of sci-fi into a hardcore, captivating tale. Imagine a very sexy female Jason Bourne lost in Frank Miller's Sin City and you start to get the picture. Although influenced by Miller's style (which is not a negative at all), Kalvachev's art has a definite strength and flair of its own. It grabs you by the eyes and punches you in the gut. In a much appreciated effort, Kalvachev and Baggatta "choreographed" the action scenes of their rugged Eve by researching efficient and deadly fighting techniques. They chose some pretty good ones, which I tried on unsuspecting subway travelers. They worked wonderfully. Thanks, guys. The series was published in the January, March, May and November 2007 issues of Heavy Metal.

Ellen Von Unwerth's cinematic fashion

2008-07-24T17:28:00.006-04:00

Ellen Von Unwerth, a former model, makes love with her camera to the world's most beautiful women. Her images are neither obscene, nor pornographic in any way, and her subjects tend to be clothed for the most part. But, man, Ellen is a photographic sorceress, empowered with some kind of witchcraft that draws out and captures the sexual energy of her models like no other. Each photo shoot is practically a mini-movie, telling a story with impeccable art direction, in which her "actresses" play roles instead of just modelling (I'm particularly fond of the campy cat burglar theme she concocted for Monica Bellucci - see it all here). Her concepts are often inspired by an odd, but extremely sensual mix of classic films, dolce vita, erotica and a little S&M. Her retro influences have produced images that stand the test of time, decades after their first publication. She continues to be an inspiration to artists everywhere, in any medium. The hyperlinks in this blurb will bring you to a web site that contains an impressive collection of Elle Von Unwerth's best photographs. WARNING: Some images may contain nudity and adult situations. Oh, so now you're clicking...

Bone-breaking Hong Kong film history

2008-07-24T12:53:00.008-04:00

Since the release of The Matrix, hardcore Hong Kong film fans have been bragging about how they used to watch Chinese kung-fu flicks and wire-gag extravaganzas, decades before Jet Li had his first hit in the U.S. It has become chic and de rigueur among film connoisseurs to display their knowledge of pre-Rush Hour Jackie Chan history, going back to his Snake in the Eagle's Shadow landmark kung-fu comedy. Well... Me, too! Me, too! I grew up in a town where 70s Hong Kong films were a HUGE draw at the local theatres. As little kids, we used to line up to be the first to buy tickets for things like The Blind Fist of Bruce (who the hell was in that picture, anyhow?). Then, we would beat the living daylights out of each other on the way home, in an attempt to replicate the oh-so-realistic martial arts we had just witnessed. I grew up heavily influenced by the stuff. Two decades later, I discovered that somewhere on the other side of the world lived Stefan Hammond, the estranged son of my grandmother's brother, who was a deep fountain of Hong Kong film knowledge and a legit industry insider, even though he's American and as Chinese as Cheddar cheese. Stefan has written two of the most insightful books about Hong Kong cinema published to date, Sex & Zen and a Bullet to the Head and Hollywood East. They are highly entertaining and filled with pictures and amazing anecdotes. You want to know where Tarantino and many other Hollywood boys got a bunch of their most famous ideas? It's all here, baby. Forewords to both books were written respectively by Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. I'm glad I found Stefan. Now, I have a place to crash in Hong Kong.

See what Michelle Yeoh is all about

2008-07-24T03:45:00.010-04:00

Michelle Yeoh became known to Western audiences thanks to her role as James Bond's Chinese counterpart in Tomorrow Never Dies. Critics praised her for her beauty and toughness, but, for Michelle, born Yeoh Chu-Kheng, doing the stunts in Bond was about as challenging as doing her laundry. You see, Michelle, a former Miss Malaysia and a ballerina, learned her destructive craft toiling in Hong Kong films, under the tutelage of such un-safety-conscious boys as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. She almost died jumping off a bridge while shooting the film Ah Kam (The Stunt Woman, 1996), smashing the concrete face first and bending her spine backwards so much that her feet folded over her head and touched the asphalt. Only her physical condition saved her life. After that horrendous incident, she was forced to take it easy, appearing in peaceful films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the aforementioned Bond. To understand what Michelle Yeoh is really made off, you need to rent her Hong Kong flicks. In the meantime, I invite you to see a little compilation I found on YouTube. If you look closely, you will recognize a set copied... sorry... "homaged" by Tarantino in Kill Bill. Thanks to whoever took the time to edit and post this video:

100 Bullets: Retribution, sex and conspiracy

2008-07-24T03:05:00.008-04:00

Difficult to sum up 100 Bullets, the outstanding hard-core comic book saga by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso, but I'll give it a shot: Agent Graves is a man on a sinister mission, who provides complete strangers with an untraceable gun and 100 bullets and the opportunity to seek revenge on people responsible for ruining their lives. While initially unrelated, we soon learn the strangers were all members of a group called The Minutemen, enforcers and assassins at the service of The Trust, a secret society of 13 powerful families that control the world. The former Minutemen had their memories erased following a mass assassination attempt by their own employers. As Agent Graves reawakens them one by one, a brutal tale of revenge, violence, conspiracy, power, lust and sex unfolds. The dialog is sharp and slicing, the art is violent and moody and the dames are amongst the sexiest and most devious in comicland. The covers by Dave Johnson deserve framing. The series is about to reach its 100th issue. Most of it is available on trade paperback. If you haven't read it, get it. Now.

Summer Glau in Serenity

2008-07-23T00:19:00.006-04:00

Summer Glau's star is quickly rising thanks to her good Terminatrix role in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a series that doesn't even begin to scratch her potential as an action woman. For that, I would strongly suggest a prompt rental of Serenity, Josh Weddon's fun and dirty sci-fi western, where Summer plays a living weapon with some impressive hand-to-hand fighting abilities. And, for the record, she got to perform most of her stunts. Which brings me to a little footnote for all you budding Yuen Woo-Pings out there: When auditioning actresses for a fighting flick, you will be much better off with those who have professional dancing training, than with real hard-core martial artists. Film fighting is all about artistry, timing and choreography, skills that dancers have in spades. Even Jackie Chan, who trained former dancer Michele Yeoh, will share with you his frustrations with top caliber fighters unable to master a choreography. Coincidentally, Summer Glau is a gifted ballerina with the screen attitude of a bull fighter. I want her in my next film, Lord of the Necklaces ('cuz they're bigger than the rings!).

Paul Gulacy does James Bond

2008-07-22T19:33:00.007-04:00

Artist Paul Gulacy and writer Doug Moench have a long history of collaborations, crafting epic tales of espionage, mysticism, martial arts and adventure. Here, as we're about to be assaulted by the marketing campaign trumping up the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace, which we all hope will be as good as the last, I would like to call your attention to the Serpent's Tooth, a fabulous original James Bond comic book mini-series created in 1995 by the two artists at the top of their game. It takes all those retro elements that had made the series famous, before becoming laughable (deformed villains, mega-hidden fortresses, exotic jungles, gadgets and, of course, more action women than trees), and uses them to great effect. It's now collected in trade paperback, so you can save on gas, ticket planes and credit card fees trying to gather all the issues.

Maryse and the WWE

2008-07-22T18:27:00.008-04:00

While most actresses have the privilege of pretending to be action women, my friend Maryse earns a good living stepping into a ring and performing painful wrestling stunts for the viewing pleasure of WWE's live SmackDown audiences. Professional wrestling may be scripted, but, trust me, one must be one tough sonofabitch to survive in the WWE, where crippling injuries are all too common. Maryse came second at the 2004 Hawaiian Tropic International pageant and appeared in a few Playboy specials. I met her in 2006, when she came to my Montreal office seeking opportunities in the film world. Guillermo Grispo, a fantastic fight coordinator, and I were impressed by her physical abilities and her cheerful can-do attitute. She was a sweetheart. Shortly thereafter, Maryse took a chance, packed her bags and headed to NY to audition for the WWE Diva Search. She was picked from a mob of thousands and soon was on TV as one of the finalists. Unable to speak English fluently, she was quickly eliminated, but received an offer to train at the WWE farm in Ohio, with no other guarantees. Again, she leaped at the chance. We stayed in regular contact by phone and text messages throughout her adventures. Less than a year later, she made her official debut on SmackDown. Today, she's bruised and famous. Good for her. It's always a thrill to see someone take risks and make it. Without her guts, she could've remained another pretty barmaid in a city full of them. Stop by her official web site and say hello. She has promised me she will bodyslam and pile-drive on concrete anyone who has been mean to me next time she comes to town. You know who you are.

All hail Charlie's Angels

2008-07-22T17:13:00.008-04:00

A trip down memory lane, lest we forget our pioneers. We think now that Charlie's Angels was all fun and games. Sure, it's not quite Law & Order, but, people, this show was an important historical landmark. See what Wikipedia says about it: "Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men. The series was broadcast on the ABC Television Network from 1976 to 1981 and was one of the most successful series of the 1970s. Charlie's Angels was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg." The DVDs of the original series are available and you will find many clips on YouTube. Check out the opening title sequence of the fifth season, featuring Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Tanya Roberts.

Hard movies, tougher dames (III)

2008-07-22T16:33:00.008-04:00

- I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.

Jessica Rabbit, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Ed Benes' sultry pencil

2008-07-22T16:00:00.009-04:00

(Ed Benes wallpaper and sketches gallery available here!)

Ed Benes is Brazilian. That explains a lot. This slick comic book artist has overloaded hardrives of fans around the world thanks to the excessive download of his gorgeous drawings of super babes. His latest gig on Justice League of America injected some much needed sizzle into one of the most sterile books around. When it comes to female-driven comics, Benes is one of the top masters of the craft. Of particular note are his celebrated runs on Gen 13, Birds of Prey and the campy, adults only, Codename: Knockout. I have kindly provided a link to his extensive gallery at the Comic Art Community. WARNING: Once you go in there, you will be trapped, like a grave robber in the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Besides Benes, you will find amazing art by hundreds of the best artists in the business. NOTE: Some original black & white Benes sketches were colored pretty badly by eager fans before uploading them. Stick to the originals.

Victoria Sanchez voted Best Actress

2008-07-22T14:38:00.009-04:00

Victoria Sanchez was once again voted by readers of The Mirror, Montreal's top alternative newspaper, as one of the city's Best Actresses in 2008. She ranked third, after someone called Elisha Cuthbert, who plays a role in some unknown show that has something to do with the number 24. The reason I'm not writing about Elisha, is because Victoria has been in more films, is a helluva of an actress and hasn't had her big break yet. She's a beloved figure in the Montreal sci-fi and genre scene and can be found nightly at the screenings of the Fantasia Film Festival. She just shared the screen in two made-for-TV movies with fan-faves Charisma Carpenter and Shannon Elizabeth, with whom we had a grand time in Montreal (don't worry, Shannon, the photos will stay locked away in the Swiss vault I told you about). Victoria acquired recently the film adaptation rights of Wait Till Helen Comes, the famous ghost novel for children, written by Mary Downing Hahn, and penned a captivating screenplay. She's out there husslin' to get it made and producers are starting to take notice. Expect to see it soon at a theatre near you. And yes, I can pass along serious enquiries from producers and directors to Victoria in exchange of vintage comics.

Frank Cho's Jungle Queens

2008-07-22T14:00:00.008-04:00

(See Frank Cho wallpapers & sketches here!)

Frank Cho is the creator of the often-censored strip Liberty Meadows, which chronicles the hijinks of a veterinarian, Looney Tunes-like talking animals and two of the most curvaceous women in comics. Don't ask. The damn thing just works. Frank's obvious gift for rendering the female figure in a way that should grant him the job of God's assistant in heaven, has led him to numerous gigs at Marvel and others. A fan of old matinee adventure pictures and pulp fiction, with a soft spot for giant monkeys and dinosaurs, Frank is at his finest drawing stories of prehistoric and barbarian ultra-women from a time where Wal-Mart hadn't made clothes so affordable and semi-nudity was the norm. His Shanna mini-series made even velociraptors look sassy. Now, our friends at Brandstudio Press have released a magnificent compilation of his best women & dinosaurs illustrations, Frank Cho's Jungle Queens, but it would appear this limited edition sold out before hitting the stands. Go to Brandstudio or Google the book and see if you can trade your first born to get your hands on a copy.

Tanya Roberts, queen of the wild

2008-07-22T03:42:00.011-04:00

Tanya Roberts, the feline pictured above on the left, out staged the entire African continent and its wildlife as the sight to behold in the adventure film Sheena (1984), directed by John Guillermin, which is now available on DVD to be paused and played in slo-mo at will. With all due apologies to Geena Lee Nolin, Tanya Roberts is the reincarnation of a mythical Amazon riding a zebra and remains the ultimate celluloid queen of the savanna. I don't recall much of the plot, but even if there were none, it wouldn't matter in this case. If you seek sophisticated African films go rent Out of Africa and leave me alone. You can also check out Tanya's screen-chomping turn in The Beastmaster, a 1982 cult classic of barbarian fantasy, not to be confused at any price with the TV series of the same name. I think she might even be more scorching here than in Sheena. Watch both and let me know.

Denise Richards hit and ran

2008-07-21T22:58:00.010-04:00

Dear Denise,

Although your name wasn't on the poster, in 1998 you certainly starred in John McNaughton's ultra-sexy, smart crime thriller Wild Things, along with Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon and Neve Campbell. It was the movie that made you famous. You were at your sexiest and devilish best. I fell in love with you and was eagerly looking forward to wilder things to come. Your performance was so memorable, that its mystique has carried your career for the last 10 years. Sadly, and not unike many other stars who had break-through erotic roles (Sharon Stone, Kim Basinger, Jessica Lange, Jaime Pressly...), you have spent most of your time avoiding sexual roles in a bizarre effort to be considered a "legitimate actress." The point you missed (and you're not alone among your peers) is that your ability to be outrageously and enjoyably erotic took nothing away from your talent. Anyone can show flesh. It takes much more than that to make an impression. There are very few actresses in Hollywood who can deliver truly sexy performances. Who has taken the mantle from Marilyn? Who needs one more Ellen Page? Denise, you took your fame and ran. We gave it to you. We trusted you. You owe us one more role. Give up your bland choices and bring on the controversy. We need it. It's not too late.

Catwoman at her best

2008-07-21T21:32:00.007-04:00

We are still visiting our shrink years after seeing that traumatizing Catwoman film, with Halle Berry. Why in the world would any studio license a character, then do a picture that has absolutely nothing in common with the property, not even the title character? Where were Gotham City and Selina Kyle? Can anyone tell me if there were unresolved legal issues related to the rights or just an injunction against a good film? And, if so, why didn't they simply call the film Feline Girl and spare us the pain? Luckily for us lovers of the cat, we can always turn to two fabulous series of comics, both very different in tone and style. First, Jim Balent's 1993 marathon tenure. This artist was known as the iron man of comics for drawing over 70 issues of Catwoman and several annuals without missing a deadline. Oh, and for making Selina Kyle look obscenely hot. The Balent issues, with various writers, are sexy and campy, filled with over-the-top situations and villains. A world of sheer fun. Second, the 2001 run by writer Ed Brubaker, with art mainly by Darwyn Cooke and Cameron Stewart. The masters of retro-noir rebooted the series with a gritty hard crime approach, targeted at an adult audience. Catwoman tales have not been written better, nor drawn with such draftsmanship since.

Savage Sword of Conan is back

2008-07-21T20:31:00.008-04:00

Although the current Conan comic book series is pretty cute, it's cotton candy in comparison to the hard edge of the legendary Savage Sword of Conan magazine, published by Marvel in 1974. In Savage Sword, we are transported to the merciless Hyborean age by the fantastic scripts of Roy Thomas and the powerful lines of such masters of the craft as John Buscema, Alfredo Alcala and Neal Adams, in all their black and white glory. Many times, I've heard comic book fans state they dislike black and white books. Years ago, I met a famous Spanish editor who taught me that color is very often used to hide mediocre art (he wasn't this polite). That statement has proven to be especially true in the age of Photoshop, where kids can make a bird dropping look like a splash page with a little software wizardry. Therefore, congrats to Dark Horse for reprinting those hard-to-find issues of Savage Sword without giving in to the temptation to color them. The first volume is available now, loaded with muscle-bound savages, monsters and curvaceous amazons. If you're into rugged barbarian art, I invite you to visit the gallery of brilliant original covers available at Cover Browser.

Vanities Girls Gallery

2008-07-21T18:32:00.001-04:00

Hard Case Crime novels

2008-07-21T13:48:00.009-04:00

In the own words of the publishers, "Hard Case Crime brings you the best in hardboiled crime fiction, ranging from lost noir masterpieces to new novels by today’s most powerful writers, featuring stunning original cover art in the grand pulp style." This is a magnificent collection, a throwback to the days of sharp-tongued rugged men and the devilish damsels who knew how to manipulate them. At their web site, you will find blurbs about each book and a glorious gallery of cover art. Congratulations to the creators of the line, Charles Ardai and Max Phillips.

Amber Smith: Supermodel web pioneer

2008-07-21T12:36:00.010-04:00

The temperature of the Internet rose many degrees and servers had to be stored in cooled facilities when Amber Smith became the first mainstream supermodel in the 90s to make the leap from the runway to the web (trust me, before that servers could be stored anywhere). Amber is one of the finest specimens of the human species and will probably be promptly abducted by aliens after the publication of this item. Amber has appeared in numerous films and T.V series, including L.A. Confidential. Her magazine appearances are too many to track. I have arrived to the conclusion that she feeds on the blood of virgins, because this woman keeps getting more breathtaking as the years go by. Picking a picture for this piece was harder than splitting atoms, because she just never takes a bad one.

The erotic eye of Milo Manara

2008-07-21T03:29:00.011-04:00

(NEW! By popular request, a great Manara wallpaper gallery is now available here!)

Milo Manara is, simply put, the best erotic artist working in comics today. Born in Italy, Manara created countless graphic novels, short stories and illustrations around the theme of female sexual fantasies. His women tend to be allergic to clothing and spend most of the tales nude or in various states of undress. Manara captures their sensuality with pure, cleans lines and an unparalleled mastery of the female figure. Amongst those seduced by his art, we can count cinema maestro Federico Fellini, with whom Manara co-created the graphic novel Viaggio a Tulum (Trip to Tulum). Their collaboration brings us as close as one can get to an epic and mystic erotic dream through fabulous lands while being awake. You won't find Manara's gorgeous comics in most North American comic book shops due to the abundance of human nudity, the most offensive thing since the invention of nuclear weapons and smart bombs. Actually, according to Bush & Co., nuclear weapons and smart bombs are still preferable to nudity when it comes to the moral well-being of our society. Rush to discover Manara online and place a few orders, before a naked Sports Illustrated model streaks across the White House, materializing the fears of the administration and banning exposed flesh forever, along with all the other civil liberties already supressed by the Patriot Act.

The Spirit

2008-07-21T01:19:00.009-04:00

Frank Miller loves The Spirit. The comic book, that is. He acknowledges the work of legendary comic book artist Will Eisner as one of the fundamental influences of his career. During his famous 1980s run on Daredevil, Miller occasionally drew billboards featuring The Spirit into his NY backgrounds. The Spirit was originally published as a 7-page feature in Sunday newspaper supplements, between 1940 and 1952. Eisner introduced cinematic storytelling and lighting devices into his pages, effectively breaking new ground. Walk into a good comic book store and ask for any of the countless reprints still in circulation today (I love the "noir" mood of black & white issues, if you can get them). After you read as many of those as possible and discover why Frank Miller was so taken by this unique comic, proceed briskly to purchase Darwyn Cooke's wonderful and "true-to-the-spirit" 2007-2008 revamping of the character (issues 1-13). Darwyn, as befits his name, cooked the evolution of The Spirit to perfection.

Hard movies, tougher dames (II)

2008-07-21T00:41:00.008-04:00

- Were you ever engaged in any sadomasochistic activity?
- Exactly what did you have in mind, Mr. Correli?

Wayne Knight and Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct (1992)

Hard movies, tougher dames (I)

2008-07-21T00:21:00.012-04:00

- Gilda, are you decent?
- Me?

George Macready & Rita Hayworth, Gilda (1946)