OLD STAR TREK "NEW" - PT3

Here's another installment of "Old Star Trek 'New'", showing before and after pics of the "new" Star Trek episodes where they are replacing some of the FX shots with new stuff. Here are some pics from the latest aired episode, "Journey To Babel".

In this episode, the Enterprise plays taxi to a bunch of delegates, including Spock's parents no less, taking them to a conference on Babel. Of course, shit happens when you're on Kirk's ship, like say Murder, spys and being attacked by an alien ship!

Personally, I'm not impressed. Not enough to warrant changing out the scenes. The hangar scenes look too much like the CG I see on Sci-Fi channel or WB's now-cancelled "Enterprise". Sure, it doesn't look like dated 60s FX any longer.... it just looks like dated 2007 FX. And again, using the top image as reference, I feel the new stuff lacks that imaginative charm of the old series. Would it have killed them to keep the planet blood red? You know, something DIFFERENT than what we're used to seeing in our own tiny galaxy? I guess I just prefer my Trek to be more imagination-based.

-----
Old Star Trek "New" - Part 2

Old Star Trek "New" - Part 1

PAPER OPTIMUS PRIME !

PRINT AND MAKE YOUR OWN!
Click HERE!

--------------------------------
*thanks, Sheila D.!!!

GREEN LANTERNS RULE

Man, I'm really digging the GREEN LANTERN books right now! I've always thought the premise was cool, but the characters, art and stories either bored me and/or came off as too silly. But right now, for the first time, they're fun, cool and interesting; still not quite where I'd like em, but no complaints!

Above are my favorite Green Lanterns. Sure, they're pretty much all the main players, but there are a few I left out that I don't dig (*coughG'Mortcough*). I will say, that alot of my current geeky enjoyment of the characters and books rely heavily on the ART. Above: Clockwise, starting Top-Left: Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Alan Scott, Kilowog, Soranik Natu, John Stewart and Salaak. I'm also starting to like rookie R’Amey Holl (pic right) who made her first appearance 2 issues ago in GLC#7.

Recommended GL Reading:
Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight & New Dawn eh/ok - but sets up "Rebirth" - Hal's city gets nuked by a villain & he goes crazy, fighting his way through the Corps to get more power with their rings to bring the city back! The Corps are destroyed! - then the intro of Kyle Rayner's character.
Green Lantern: Rebirth The Return & Redemption of Hal Jordan! Soooo many cool moments in this one!
Green Lantern Corps: Recharge The Corps are brought back! Guy Gardner becomes a great character!
Green Lantern: Revenge of the Green Lanterns Some of Hal's past comes back to haunt him!
Green Lantern Vs ALIENS Simply "What If?" fun. Its Green Lantern mooshed into the first 2 ALIEN movies.

Here's a big group shot of the Corps from years past:

JAWS' ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW

JAWS, the German Metal band devoted to the film ALIENS, has at last released their album!

Click here to listen & buy.

Tell em JimSmash sent ya!

JIMSMASHED

UPDATE: Back to normal! The Girl Scout Cookie Voting was the culprit. Thanks, Scott & Jen!!!
---
You may have notice JIMSMASH looks a bit peakish; the side links, etc are at the bottom and the webcounter is now at the top. Well, last night it went haywire on me. I have no idea why and I'm not an Html guy. So please bare with. Hopefully it will either rectify itself or I'll find someone nearby who can take a look at the code.

KLINGON COMIC. . . IN KLINGON

IDW Comics is coming out with a new STAR TREK limited series, focusing on the Klingons entitled "ST: KLINGONS: BLOOD WILL TELL." And it will be in KLINGON. That's right, a variant edition will be available that is printed in the Klingon language. Leave it to the Star Trek folks to up the geek anty!!

The series will show 5 historic Federation-Klingon incidents revisited through the eyes of the Klingon people (like "Trouble With Tribbles"). Look for it in April.

Get your Kligon Dictionary here.
Watch "Trekkies" here!

ALIEN WAR RETURNS ! ! !

ALIEN WAR is coming BACK!

Willie over at AliensCollection says, "Specific details are scarce, as everything is in the early planning stages now, but the plan is it to open this Summer back where it all started, and then take the travelling experience down to London, France, Germany, Europe, Japan and then a full tour of the USA starting in West and working it's way across the country."

Oh man oh man oh man!!!
I just got a chubby.

Click here for more info.
Click here for info on what ALIEN WAR is.

WHAT TOYS ? ?

Er, who's bright idea was it to name their online toy store this???

I feel kinda bad bashing them, so here's a link to their store. Buy something! I suggest using a credit card so you have a record that you bought an item from a place called "Donkey Punch Toys". Explain that one to the Mrs! Be sure to buy your Halloween Mask this year at their sister store, "Bukkake Costumes!"

LITTLE GREEN ANGELS

Ah, crap!

It's freaking GIRL SCOUT COOKIE time again!

My favs are Samoas and obviously Thin Mints.
What're yours?
--------------------------
*(voting system removed because it was freaking out the blogger layout)

BEST. HULK. EVER.

WOWZA!!! Yes, I said "WOWZA!!"

Gaze upon SideShow Collectibles HULK statue! This bad boy is 20" tall and 30lbs, and is the absolute coolest Hulk statue I have ever seen! It's freaking perfect!! I saw this at a comic store this past weekend and was drooling like an ALIEN!! It retails for a mere $300, too! Pretty "cheap" in comparison to other comic statues. Hmmmm, its almost "affordable".... Someone distract TRex for me!!! Seriously, I think I NEED this. Remember, with every neat geek item addition, I'm that much close to Happiness. And isn't Happiness what Life's REALLY about? Yeah.....

Oh, and just when I thought the Hulk statue couldn't get any cooler, they go ahead and bust out a variant GREY HULK statue. Um, thanks alot, now I will need to buy BOTH. *sigh*

20. Inches. Tall.

NATALIE PORTMAN ON SIMPSONS

NATALIE PORTMAN

is going to be on the Simpsons
in an episode called "Little Big Girl"

Here's how Fox describes the episode :
"When Lisa struggles to find excitement and intrigue in her family heritage for a school presentation, she decides to take creative license in crafting her heritage as a Native American, since it's only for a school project. What begins as an innocent embellishment quickly turns into a web of lies when Lisa is chosen to represent the school, and 'her people,' at City Hall, and then as a keynote speaker for the National Native American Tribal Council. As a reward for a heroic act, Bart is granted a driver's license, and in an attempt to escape endless family errands and chauffeuring, he flees to a faraway town where he is romanced by Darcy (guest voice Portman), an older teenage girl whose expectations may prove to be too much for Bart."

Is it wrong to be jealous of a cartoon boy?

"Little Big Girl" will air on Feb. 11.

Y: THE LAST MAN

As I was driving into work this morning, I saw a woman waiting to cross the street holding a Y: THE LAST MAN trade paperback! She was totally "normal" looking and not someone who I'd label as a comic reader. I love seeing regular folk reading comics!! I took it as a sign from the Comic Gods to promote the book here.

Y: THE LAST MAN - WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
"Yorick Brown is an escape artist and possesses a genetic make-up that's allowed him to survive a plague that killed every male being on the planet except for him and his pet monkey. Yorick is the last man on earth, and in the resulting chaos, he must find a way to help save the human race. At least that's what the (now all-female) government thinks. The entire social fabric has gone to hell, with gun-wielding wives of Republican representatives insisting on getting their husbands' seats and tribes of latter-day Amazons claiming males were meant to die...."

This title seems to be the "New Sandman", meaning the lastest Vertigo book that girlfriends will read and actually like! heh.

There's currently 8 collected volumes available now (Vol 9 coming out in April). Or you can pick up the monthly single issues! Check it out at your local comic store, Lisa's Store or here on Amazon.

BARBARELLA REMAKE

File this one under "Why?", "WTF?" and "Not Another Remake!"

Yes, they are remaking BARBARELLA, the classic, psycedelic, campy story of the 41st century space traveler who discovers the joys of celestial sex and experiences kinky misadventures with a mélange of bizarre characters.

Repent, for the End is Near!

STAR WARS ORAGAMI

More here!

(including "lifesize" oragami Jabba)





*thanks, m!

PRESIDENTS IN DRAG

I posted more over HERE.

WHAT IF... MARVEL HAD ORIGINAL IDEAS ?

To continue ranting and smashing from my previous post about WHAT IF...?, we have guest co-writer Maker to drive it home the fact that current Marvel writers are ripping of ideas/premises from old "What If...?" comics from years ago!
-------------------------
WHAT IF.....
1) Hulk had become a Barbarian....1/2 check; Planet Hulk
(Jim's Note: he's currently a "space gladiator")
2)Pheonix had not died... 3 checks
3)Spider-Man's clone lived.... Big Fucking check
4)Wolverine had killed the Hulk... so far hasn't happened,..but I'm willing to bet someone is pitching it as we speak.
(Jim's note: Ultimate Wolverine/Hulk isn't over yet....)
5)Elektra had lived..... check
6)Beast and Thing continue to mutate. Check and 1/2 check (The 90s Thing)
7)Conan were stranded in the 20th century-no thank god
(Jim's Note: Thank god Marvel no longer has the rights to the character.... Dark Horse Comics do)
8)Capatain America were revived today..Check (Ultimate universe-or as I call it,.The "What If Universe")
9)Hulk went berserk- check
10) Daredevil killed Kingpin- Technecally not a check, since DD didn't "kill" him,..but they did try and pass him off as dead
11) Alien Symbiote possessed Spidey- no,..BUT they did open up the "symbiote madness", with no end in sight
12) Wolverine was an agent of Shield- and we got 2 checks there..(House of M counts as one also...)
-------------------------
Nice, man! You beat me to it! haha
I think we've stumbled upon how current Marvel writers "come up" with "their" ideas (besides watching Gilmore Girls and The O.C. that is).

In addtion, here are some classic What If's that have come true, being pulled into the normal Marvel Universe:VOLUME I:
* What If... Spider-Man Joined the Fantastic Four? (#1)
* What If... The Hulk Had the Brain of Bruce Banner (#2)
* What If... Rick Jones Had Become The Hulk? (#12)
VOLUME II:
* What If... The Vision Had Destroyed the Avengers? (#5)
* What If... The X-Men Died On Their First Mission (#9) - (sort of w/Deadly Genesis)
* What If... Captain Marvel Had Not Died? (#14)
* What If... What If the FF's Second Child Had Lived (#30)

Attention Marvel Writers. Here is a batch of ideas for you to use (please do not miss the heavy juvenile sarcasm of bitter frustration):* What If... The Original Marvel Bullpen Had Become The Fantastic Four?
* What If... Daredevil Became An Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.? (#28)
* What If... Captain America Had Been Elected President? (#26)
* What If... The Punisher Became Captain America? (#51)
* What If... Rogue Possessed The Power of Thor? (#66)
* What If... No One Was Watching The Watcher? (#34)

SAM RAIMI HOBBIT ?

There's some heavy rumors that Sony is considering hiring SAM RAIMI to direct THE HOBBIT. Sounds fucking awful to me. I mean, if they're not going to hire Peter Jackson (dumbdumbdumb idea) then don't even make the movie to begin with. BUT, if they simply must make the movie without him (what-ever), then hire someone more fitting to the material. My vote would go towards GUILLERMO DEL TORO. If you've seen PAN'S LABYRINTH, then you know what I mean. If you haven't seen it, go see it!

WHAT IF IMAGINATION STILL EXISTED ?

"What if the slipper didn't fit?"

is the question asked in the new Cinderella direct-to-dvd sequel "Cindereall III: A Twist In Time." I like how Disney is whoring out another classic beloved story... for the 2nd time and approaching the "What If...?" approach. I'm looking forward to the next outing:

"What if Disney didn't suck?"

This made me think fondly back to Marvel's "WHAT IF...?" series.
Here are some of my favorite issues:

VOLUME I:
#23: What if... The Hulk Had Become A Barbarian?
#27: What if... Phoenix Had Not Died?
#30: What if... Spider-Man's Clone Lived?
#31: What if... Wolverine Had Killed The Hulk?
#35: What if... Elektra Had Lived?
#37: What if... The Beast And The Thing Continued To Mutate?
#43: What if... Conan The Barbarian Were Stranded In The 20th Century?
#44: What if... Captain America Were Revived Today?
#45: What if... The Hulk Went -- BERSERK?!

VOLUME II:
#2: What if... Daredevil Killed the Kingpin?
#4: What if... the Alien Symbiote Costume Had Possessed Spiderman?
#7: What if... Wolverine Was An Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

BUNNY SUICIDES

This book cracks me up! As the title tells you, it depicts various hilarious scenarios how Bunnies can commit suicide.

Below are some of my favorites.
Enjoy!

Book 1 and Book 2 available now.

-------------------------------------
*thanks, Dylan & Erin!

BATMAN 2: NO KATIE

YAY!!! There were rumors flying last week, but Variety has confirmed that KATIE HOLMES will NOT be in BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT (Batman Begins 2)!! Depending on who you ask, she was either dropped from the picture, or she decided herself to bail out of the movie to instead be in "Mad Money", the new Queen Latifah movie. Er, ok. Anyway, I'm stoked!!! She was the weak link in that movie. Besides hating her as an actress, I thought her character was weak and annoying as batshit.

Personally, I hate the "love story" element in Batman movies. I prefer the Batman version that does not have a girlfriend. Instead, he's devoted his entire life to being Batman and trying to save Gotham. He's borderline obsessed and just on the other side of the line of the villains he's fighting. He knows he'll never win his war on crime, but he still puts on the costume every night and will not stop until he's no longer breathing. He's a tragic character that way. The only eye-candy you need is when he's out in public keeping up the "Bruce Wayne Playboy" act, with 2 bimbos on his arm.

I still wish they had replaced her character in the movie with a young HARVEY DENT. Except for the lame love story plot, Dent could fit into the story perfectly replacing Holmes: A young Harvey and Bruce are best friends. After the Waynes' murders, Bruce steps onto a path of self destruction, while Harvey goes into Law and eventually finds himself working for Gotham's DA. At the end of the movie, Dent's boss is killed and ends up being promoted to fill the void, one step closer to becoming DA. In the sequel, Dent is now DA and is secretly working with Batman and Gordon to battle the influx of "freaks" that are taking over the mafia in Gotham (ala "The Long Halloween"). Then, at the end of 2, Dent gets acid on his face and becomes Two-Face. Batman 3 then has Batman/Bruce frantically trying to save his friend.

If you liked BATMAN BEGINS...
RECOMMENDED BATMAN STORIES:
Batman: Year One
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Cult
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND

OLD STAR TREK "NEW" - PT2

I've posted before on the "new" Star Trek episodes where they are replacing some of the FX shots with new stuff. Here are 2 pics from the latest aired episode.The episode is "For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky", in which the Enterprise encounters an asteroid that is actuality a multi-generational ship...conveying a populace that has long since forgotten they're actually on a space vessel.

The LEFT is the original from the 60s and the RIGHT pic is the new "remastered" shot. The newly rendered "asteroid" is based on NASA photographs of real asteroids. While the new version is more "accurate" in terms of depth and perspective, its boring as shit. The original one was colorful and funky and imaginative. This new one makes it seem like no matter where you explore in space, everything looks the fucking same. I think they could have updated the shot while still maintaining that "bold new worlds" theme of the original series. Look at what we've been able to see thus far with the Hubble Telescope (click here) - There's some funky shit out there in space! And even if we didn't know that, its called using your Imagination to Imagine "strange, new worlds". Again, I'd like to voice my frustration with the lack of Imagination in our Culture right now.

WAR EAGLE, BEACH HEAD !

Remember BEACH HEAD from GIJOE? He's a lesser known/remembered character, I find. But he was one of my favorite figures; half Commando (Ranger), half Ninja (um, the ski mask... I was 10yrs old people). He was like Rambo and Snake-Eyes rolled into one badass American Hero (but obviously not as cool as Snake-Eyes... I mean, come on.). I'd always have him go off on missions with Snake-Eyes, either fighting-against or teaming-up-with Storm Shadow and Firefly. In fact, in the awesome Marvel comics (pick em up, they rule!), his first appearance (#47), was assisting Hawk during the rescue of Snake-Eyes from Cobra Island.

*Beach Head's Bio Card, found on the back of the figure card, circa 1986*

Later, during my college years, I happened along his file card in the parents' attic and discovered his character's bio has his hometown as AUBURN, AL. Yeah, baby!

WAR EAGLE, BEACH HEAD!!!

Check out this pretty cool CUSTOM Beach Head by Lance838!
(thanks, Melchy!)

HERO OF THE DAY: NELL HAMM

Today's "HERO OF THE DAY" goes to 65 yr old NELL HAMM who single-handedly saved her husband's life by fighting off a Mountain Lion with her bare, warrior hands! The couple, who celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary next month, were hiking in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (SF) when the lion pounced on ole Jim! "He didn't scream," she said, "It was a different, horrible plea for help, and I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground." Nell, invoking the Warrior Princess Spirit, grabbed a 4-inch-wide log and unleashed hell upon the beast! Unfortunately, the lion wouldn't budge or release Jim's head from its jaws! "Jim was talking to me all through this, and he said, 'I've got a pen in my pocket and get the pen and jab him in the eye,'" she said. "So I got the pen and tried to put it in his eye, but it didn't want to go in as easy as I thought it would." When the pen bent and became useless, Nell went back to using the Log of Crom. The lion eventually let go and, with blood on its snout, stood staring at the woman. She screamed and waved the log until the animal walked away. Jim suffered from a torn scalp, puncture wounds and other injuries, but is recovering nicely.

(article)

*Damn, Nell was 15 when she got married! Jim was 20! Naughty Jim!

JIMSMASH DISNEYPARKS AD

DisneyParks.com currently has an animated banner ad on various sites (I saw it on yahoo.com). The ad consists of 3 images of classic Disney fairytales but using celebrities in the roles of the characters; Scarlett Johanson as Cinderella, David Beckham as Prince Whoever and fucking Beyonce as Alice. Obviously this rubbed me the wrong way
(ie pissed me off), but it was the Beyonce as Alice that sent me crashing over the edge in a fiery ball of rampaging anger.

JIM SMASH!!!!

--------------------------
*thanks, TRex!

VOLTRON TEE

When putting on this t-shirt,
as your head comes up and out from the neck hole,
the wearer must exclaim,
"...AND I'LL FORM THE HEAD!"

------------------------------------------------------
*this joke stolen from Melchy!

BOGLINS

Anyone remember BOGLINS

from back in '82?

I had one!



More here.

KOTOBUKIYA MCQUARRIE ! ! !

One of my all-time favorite Star Wars images is Ralph McQuarrie's classic 1975 pre-viz painting of Darth Vader dueling with Luke Starkiller. The energy, mood and stylistic design were amazing and had a huge impact on me as a child. I still want an animated series that looks like McQuarrie's artwork.

According to McQuarrie, early versions of the script implied that the Rebel starship's hull was breached by the Imperials to board it, releasing the pressurized atmosphere into space. As a result, both Luke and Vader were required to wear breath masks for a duel sequence that was later revised & delayed until Empire. While Luke no longer required the mask after script rewrites, Vader kept his since it was fucking awesome.

Now, Kotobukiya is turning the painting into 2 amazingly kickass statues!! Check em out!! Vader stands about 11-inches tall, to give you an idea of scale. And dig the yellow lightsaber!! Sweet!! Oh man, I am definitely buying these mofos!!

*Click on images to enlarge!*

Previous post about Kotobukiya's SW statues.
Kotobukiya website.

-------------------------
*thanks, Melchy!