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 Bruce Lee - High Kick
Bruce Lee - High Kick
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 Bruce Lee - Martial
Bruce Lee - Martial
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 Lost - Charlie (Advance)
Lost - Charlie (Advance)
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 Lost - Kate (Advance)
Lost - Kate (Advance)
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 Lost - Jack (Advance)
Lost - Jack (Advance)
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A Decade Later, Your Words Still Sting
Sunday, August 14, 2005 9:00 AM

Mike Hoffman is an artist who has strong opinions. Unfortunately most of what he posts are attacks on other artists that he considers hacks, no-talents, etc. Hoffman has been ranting about many of the biggest name artists in the comic business for several months now. Not only does he denegrate their talents, but at the same time he puffs up his own.

And it's not that Hoffman lacks talent. He's very good at what he does. And what he does is paint and draw in the style of Frazetta. That in and of itself is not a bad thing. Like anything, it is what it is.

Hoffman's style has stirred up a lot of debate among fans and pros alike. Some love it, some hate it. At any rate, everyone has an opinion. And you know how opinionated Big Beatty is. Well, it seems that at some point in the last ten or fifteen years, Beatty said something that got under Hoffman's skin. Well... it finally worked its way out in a a recent rant posted on his website:

And then there's "Big" John Beatty, who went into a blind fury over my artwork way back in the 1990s. I'd post a pic of this moron here, but a Google search turns up almost nothing on this clown. Great career as an "inker" ya got going there, John!

John got wind of Hoffman's comments and responded:

I've had a great career as an "inker" and enjoyed it for many years...now I've moved on to doing other work, which is of no interest to you, or many others so, I'll leave it at that.

You're a scary talent that comics and illustration will lose, but I'm sure your life, as mine, will continue on and hopefully for the better, as I can see staying in the business you are in is making your life practically unbearable...according to what I read in your weblog.

Your a great humorist and I enjoy your rants very much...really...I figure you are working towards a new career goal in commentary, instead of art for your future?

Anyway...big "ups" for the mention and for the memory that I must have left on you since you've been stewing about it since 1990. Finally got the balls to come out and say something in 2005?

I know that someone must scan all of your email due to the fact that you must have thin skin or something, so if this never does reach you, that's fine too.

Have a great life outside of the USA and I hope this means that there really will be a "Hoffman International" once you and the family are outside of the country?

That is if you ever really leave instead of just talking a lot about it?

Best wishes-
-John

I wonder what Beatty said that's been bugging Hoffman for all these years...

I wonder if this is the last we've heard from the two of them...

But most of all I wonder if this means that I'll never get a Hoffman Stallone sketch for my gallery.


Maybe 2005 Just Got A Little Better
Wednesday, August 10, 2005 5:21 PM

2005 has NOT been the greatest year for movies.

Sure there was Sin City, and War of the Worlds. And yeah, King Kong is coming. Heck, even The Transporter 2 and The New World might be good... but the year overall has been pretty blah.

So in a year like this, when a movie comes in under the radar and looks to be a winner, ya just gotta love it.

A History of Violence could be THAT movie. Take a look at the one sheet that was just released. Check out the trailer and clip -- heck look all over the official site.

Maybe 2005 just got a little better.


This Fall, Kong Will Be King
Sunday, August 7, 2005 11:35 AM

Without a doubt,this fall Kong will be King

Pretty much every movie fan in the world knows that Peter Jackson's King Kong will be released on December 14th. What many of us didn't know until just recently was that Warner Brothers had finally decided to release the orginal King Kong to dvd on November 22nd.

What makes this release even cooler is that Peter Jackson is also contributing to the dvd release. Jackson has created a two hour, seven part documentary titled: "RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World." What will really get Kong fans going is that "part of the documentary focuses on the mysterious 'spider pit' sequence deleted from the film before its theatrical premiere." The dvd will also contain a recreation of it as well as features on director Merian C. Cooper, and commentary tracks by legendary stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen and others.

Of course to maximize their profits, Warners is releasing Kong in not one, not two, but THREE, that's right - THREE editions. You can read about what's in each edition HERE.

I don't know which version, I'm going to get, but you can be sure that one will find it's way into my collection!


A Story About a Valuable Stolen Property
Saturday, August 6, 2005 8:12 PM

If you're like me or any of the other 36 million people who've
read Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code, then you probably love a
good conspiracy story.

If that's the case, then whoo-boy, do I have a doosey for ya.

Lewis Perdue has not only accused Dan Brown of plagiarizing
from Perdue's books The DaVinci Legacy [published in 1983 ]
and Daughter of God [published in 2000], but he has taken his
case to court and the Internet.

A recent court ruling by Judge George Daniels of U.S. District Court in New York
says that "Any slightly similar elements are on the level of generalized or otherwise unprotectable ideas."

Still, Perdue plans to appeal this decision and argues that
there are over 300 significant similarities between his book and
The DaVinci Code. Perdue further argues that "in an analysis of
more than 50 pivotal plot events, sixty-five percent of these – 65%
occur in the same order."

In his latest blog post, Perdue says despite Judge Daniels' ruling, Perdue's battle to show that Brown plagiarized his work isn't over,
in fact, "It's hardly begun."

 

You can find more of Perdue's thoughts HERE.

I've read and enjoyed Brown's The DaVinci Code.

I haven't yet read Perdue's The DaVinci Legacy or Daughter of God, but I should since they sound like good conspiracy stories.

Then again, maybe I should just follow Perdue's Battle Against Brown.


Who Needs Five Different Sin City Covers?
Saturday, August 6, 2005 9:41 AM

I've been on quite the dvd kick of late, recommending Lost: Season One and Superman: Season One.

Now comes along one of my favorite movies of the year
and my all-time favorite comic book movie and I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to by the initial release.

Sin City [aka The Barebones Edition] hits the street on August 16th. It's already been announced that next year a deluxe edition [with tons of extras] will be available. So, I'm thinking that I ought to just wait for it. It'll only be a few more months -- and it'll have everything that the August 16th release has and more.

Studios release various editions of dvds to maximize their profits and I can understand that. They're in business to make money. What irks me is when they do gimmicks like 5 different covers for the same edition. I guess some people will buy all five.

Me, I'm still trying to decide if I should buy just one.


You Won't Believe a Man Can Fly
Wednesday, August 3, 2005 6:22 PM

Yesterday, I said that I usually don't buy tv
series dvds
for my collection. Then I talked up
one. Any guess what I'm about to do today?

Yep, today I'm recommending the first season
dvd of Superman
.

If you're anywhere near my age [46], then George Reeves WAS Superman. And sure, the effects
were low budget [ok, no budget], but man, did we
love the show.

I can't wait to get the chance to love it again!


What Would I Have to Lose?
Tuesday, August 2, 2005 6:25 PM

I usually don't purchase tv series for my dvd collection.

I may make an exception though when Lost comes to dvd
on September 6th.

Lost was on my "Must See TV" list from its premiere and
it continued to gain momentum with each new episode.
What was not to like? Great characters. A great mystery. And just enough info to REALLY wonder what the heck is going on.

The dvd extras and price [$38.99] also add to the appeal
for making Lost a dvd addition to my collection.


Treat Your Mother Right
Monday, August 1, 2005 7:50 PM

You may remember the sage advice of The Mayor of Carter Country... No, not "Handle it, handle it, Roy." His words of wisdom were, "Always be kind to your mother."

Mr. T agrees. So Treat Your Mother Right and quit yer jibber-jabberin'.

And don't give me no backtalk!


Snake Plissken Lives!
Sunday, July 31, 2005 9:30 AM

It was a running joke in Escape from New
York
that almost everyone Snake Plissken ran
into thought he was dead. Escape from New York was released in 1981 and although it was a fan favorite, it wasn't a block buster.

Everyone pretty much thought that was it for Snake... that he was dead.

Then 15 years later, Escape from LA was released. It also developed a cult following,
but wasn't a block buster.

Everyone pretty much thought that was it for Snake... that he was dead.

In 2002 CrossGen published the first two issues of John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles. CrossGen then folded... but Snake wasn't dead. Hurricane Entertainment published the last two issues.

Everyone pretty much thought that was it for Snake... that he was dead.

Alias Comics and Hurricane Entertainment are teaming to bring back John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles this November when a collection of the original four-issue miniseries
will be published.

Movie and comic fans will love this news since
the original mini-series sold "strong from start
to finish." For most comic art fans, the cover
alone will be worth the price of admission since
it'll be by Drew Struzan [and as an added treat don't forget that Tone Rodriguez provided the pencils for the series].

Snake Plissken is my favorite John Carpenter character and translates easily to
comics. Who knows, maybe if this collection sells well, we'll see more of Snake's adventures.

Anyone here think that Snake Plissken is dead?


Charlotte Over Atlanta
Friday, July 29, 2005 9:31 PM

Last Saturday I started hyping Shelton Drum's Heroes Con for 2006. I did this partly because Wizard had announced that their Atlanta Convention would be held the same weekend, but mainly because I love Heroes Con.

This isn't news to anyone who's been reading the ZONE for any length of time. What may be news though, is the fact that Wizard has announced that they will not have the Atlanta Show in 2006, and when they do schedule it, it won't be the same weekend as Heroes.

And if you think that's great news [and it is -- I want to be able to support both shows, but if I have to choose, there is no choice for I will be at Heroes!] then wait till you see the guests who've already signed up for Heroes 2006!

Man, I can't wait!

If you're still not sold on the idea of attending, then check out these pictures and con report from 2005 [some provided by yours truly].

Hopefully, I'll see you there!