More WGA Strike Stuff

As usual, Mr. Evanier interprets the latest machinations between the WGA and the studios better than I ever could...

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_10_31.html#014277

Various WGA Strike Related Sites Of Interest

As I write this, it's still a "potential" strike, but even playing the eternal optimist, I have to say things ain't looking good. Here are a couple places I go to keep up with the latest:

http://unitedhollywood.com/ This is a blog formed by WGA strike captains, I believe, to discuss the latest state of the state.

http://newsfromme.com Mark Evanier's site, where he has been doing a running commentary on the situation from the perspective who someone who was intimately involved in the 1985/'88 negotiations and strike.

My Niece Makes THE DAILY SHOW!

My niece Jenny Hamel is a reporter on the Fox affiliate in San Diego. In this DAILY SHOW clip, she's one of the reporters Stewart cites during his riff on reporter chic. Jenny's the one in "goggles and fire jacket!"

www.thedailyshow.com/index.jhtml

It's the "Californincineration" clip from 10/29. I'm so proud!

Razor Screenings...

FYI, barring disaster, I hope to join the fine folks who make it to Ventura California for the Los Angeles "Razor" screenings, Monday Nov. 12. Check the Sci-Fi website for more info on getting tix to these events, which sound very cool. See you there!

My Latest Thoughts On The (Possible) Strike...

Actually, I've been so busy I haven't had time to consider it that much. That said, if stress and tension and general atmosphere means anything, it feels like we went on strike three weeks ago.

The problem is, nothing's really changed. The producers took the rollback of residuals off the table, but it never should have been there in the first place. As I told a friend, I guess now the writers can pull back on their "one million dollars a day" salary demands.

I think what baffles me a little is the reluctance (a kind word) of the studios to even entertain formulas for sharing the wealth on the internet, i-tunes, downloads, webisodes, mobisodes and whatever-a-sodes. It's not like the WGA's demanding advance payments on money that hasn't been collected yet via these new distribution systems. We just want a (small) piece of whatever DOES come in. And yet somehow this is all too complicated, possibly requiring a three year study (gee, what a coincidence, three years until the next contract negotiations!) to figure out just how much money the networks are making from the new technologies that they can't share because it's all too heady... or something.

Jeff Zucker said today that NBC made "only" made $15 million from i-tunes. Okay. All we want is a percentage of that $15 million, then...

That said, it remains to be reiterated that the last thing ANY working writer wants is a strike. This is a tough, time sensitive, mercurial business, and work stoppages can have ramifications beyond the checkbook. And writers, especially in television, are not blind to the downside of what happens when shows go out of production. Besides the damage done to the production staff, when the shows stop coming it's possible audience eyeballs will go with them. So I'm still crossing my fingers that wisdom trumps... something... and next week finds us all busy at our keyboards.

That said, if I had to lay odds, I'd be hoping for nice weather Friday, because picket signs don't hold together very well in the rain...

MY NAME IS BRUCE: Summer 2008

We're starting to get definitive about the MY NAME IS BRUCE release. Check out the piece on the FANGORIA website for the details...

http://www.fangoria.com/news_article.php?id=5249

Free Nick Lowe!

No, he's not in prison, but Nick Lowe the singer/songwriter/famed producer of Elvis Costello has been touring this year, and NPR has one of his concerts up on their website, for listening and/or download. Lowe's style has shifted with the years, from New Wave pop to country to laid-back swing, but it's all worth a listen.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14324500

EVIL DEAD The Comic - AT LAST!

It's COMING! The book that's been two years in the making! An expansion/adaptation of the first EVIL DEAD movie, written by yours truly and painted by the astonishing John Bolton. Four issues, all in the can, so start saving your $$$.

More details at the link, and some lovely art from this month's Diamond Previews backcover.

http://wizarduniverse.stores.yahoo.net/nov070021.html

Skidoo The Movie is Coming...

I posted about Otto Preminger's astounding film SKIDOO some pages ago... suffice to say, the 1968 production is one of the strangest and most confounding big budget Hollywood movies ever unspooled. Rumor has it that Otto's estate has been keeping the movie under lock and key, but those fine folks at Turner Classic Movies have scheduled a run on January 4, 2008. Viewers will have to decide if this is a sign of the coming apocalypse or a wonderful New Year's treat...

Jackie Gleason goes on an LSD trip that includes, as a hallucination, Mickey Rooney. Carol Channing strips and sings. An elderly Groucho Marx plays "God." And when the thing's finaly over, you'll have the lyrics "Skidoo, skidoo!" implanted in your brain. See what all the hub-bub is about!

Strike News? Here's Strike News...

Battlestar Sitrep pointed the way, and they're right -- Nikke Finke's column in the L.A. Weekly has some good info on the ongoing WGA labor negotiations. (And a lot of other interesting Hollywood gossip, but hey, who's interested in that?)

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

24 - Season 7 Trailer

Soul patch is back (umm, but he's dead!), Chloe gets a cameo and evil Senators wanna know why mean ol' Jack keeps torturing people. Sounds like another politically messed up but gloriously insane season to me!

The U.K. preview trailer can be viewed at:

http://tinyurl.com/2lxz4s

Hello "Blogs Of Note" Folks...

If my sitemeter is to be believed, I've got a lot of new folks checking out my blog this week. As a quick look will tell, it's an eclectic mix of personal ramblings along with information on my professional projects. Look for updates on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, TEEN TITANS the movie and MY NAME IS BRUCE starring Bruce Campbell, along with my personal pop culture obsessions -- Elvis Costello, Smithereens, Swamp Pop and whatever else piques my interest.

The impulse to blog comes out of my life-long self-publishing jones; I've been writing small personal 'zines for (gasp) over thirty years, and I guess I just can't shake the impulse. I'm not big on design, just the facts, ma'am. (Did I mention I also love DRAGNET?)

Anyway, welcome!

Swamp Pop? Yes. Swamp Pop!

I've been a devoted fan of "swamp pop", an upbeat style of Cajun music, since coming across a compilation of Tommy McLain's best tunes a few years ago. McLain's big hit was a version of "Sweet Dreams", which has sold over three million copies since 1966 and continues to get air play.

Well, it seems Tommy and fellow swamp masters Warren Storm, CC Adcock and many others got together for a live show back in 2005, the results of which are available on an official release from the fine folks at the link below. If you're even vaguely familiar with the genre, you're going to know some of these songs.

1. Shirley (3:48)
2. Prisoner's Song (2:38)
3. Lonely Nights (3:19)
4. Cindy Lou (2:07)
5. Irene (3:49)
6. Life Problem (2:45)
7. Jukebox Songs (3:19)
8. Before I Grow Too Old (3:23)
9. Baby Doll (3:22)
10. First You Cry (5:06)
11. Mama, Mama, Mama Guess What Your Little Boy's Done (3:09)
12. This Should Go On Forever (3:58)
13. I Hear You Knockin' (2:11)
14. Sweet Dreams Of You (5:17)
15. Seven Letter (4:42)
16. Sea Of Love (3:25)
17. Verdi Mae (2:28)
18. Sea Of Love - Reprise (2:42)
19. Mathilda (3:22)

PERSONNEL
Swamp Pop Review:
Warren Storm
Tommy McLain
Phil Phillips
King Carl
David Egan
C.C. Adcock & His Band
AND MORE!

I'm a firm believer that it's important to support the music (and television shows and films and comic books) we like with more than praise and/or criticism... a little $$ helps ensure that these artists can continue to perform and small labels like the JazzFest folks can continue to record and release their music. Check out this release and a whole bunch more at:

http://www.louisianamusicfactory.com/showoneprod.asp?ProductID=4824

More WGA Strike Thoughts... by someone else

My friend Mark Evanier continues to write some of the best and most thoughtful pieces on the looming possibility of a WGA strike. This piece, which includes a link to Nikki Finke's story on the current mindset of the studio bosses, does not paint the warmest picture of future events. But for those interested, it's definitely worth a read...

http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2007_10_21.html#014224

MY NAME IS BRUCE - More Updatin'

From the 10/20/07 Portland OREGONIAN, a long, interesting interview with Bruce Campbell and Mike Richardson about the long developing saga that is MY NAME IS BRUCE. And no spoilers, not that you could EVER spoil MNIB...

http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/stories/
index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1192832733299910.xml&coll=7

Battlestar Galactica - Season Three Soundtrack!

Okay, so the DVDs are still a ways off, but you can still savor the musical genius of Bear McCreary with this new release, which includes the wonderful, controversial but musically exquisite version of "All Along The Watchtower." BUY BEAR!

Steeee-RIKE! Or not...

Seems to be some confusion about the announcement that the Writer's Guild membership has overwhelmingly approved giving our negotiating team authorization to strike. That does NOT necessarily mean there will be a strike, or that it's going to happen exactly on Nov. 1. It DOES mean that our negotiators go into their next work session knowing that 90+% of the membership will back them if they decide a work stoppage is the only way to be heard.

Also, it should be made clear that the vote does not mean that 90% of the membership WANTS to strike. I certainly don't! We're fully aware that a strike not only hurts our bottom line, but rolls through the rest of the entertainment community as well. Still, after being a member of the WGA for many years now, I also don't want to settle for rollbacks, or even the status quo.

I was on the periphery for the 1988 strike, which lasted four months, and it was devastating to far too many people, not to mention the business in general. Let's hope that cooler heads prevail and we can make a deal that's fair to both sides.

30 Days Of Night... THE PREMIERE!

My buddy Mike Richardson at Dark Horse Comics/Productions got me into the premiere, and a good, scary time was had by all. After a hug from my pal D'Anna The Boxed Cylon (AKA Lucy Lawless, married to Rob Tapert, one of the producers on 30 DAYS, is that enough Kevin Bacon-ness?), we enjoyed two hours of vampire intensity. The story is in the title; when 30 days of night fall on Barrow, Alaska, a crew of vampires decide to "take advantage." Danny Huston is especially nasty as the lead vampire, who speaks a very bizarre Hungarian-ish dialect while chewing up every human in sight. Indeed, the vampire designs are fun, and clearly napkins are in short supply up North because they guys NEVER wipe up after a meal...

I've seen plenty of horror pictures so I'm pretty sanguine when it comes to gore, but 30 DAYS revs it up into high gear, with many spectacular "kills" and one especially spectacular/grueling on-camera whacking.

Vampires, blood, TWO giant mulching/grinding machines, and if that's really what Barrow Alaska looks like, I'm giving up on my plans to develop my "Alaskan Hideaway" vacation resort. Opens Oct. 19!

Elvis Costello & Clover - LIVE

That's right. Clover! The back-up band from Elvis Costello's seminal record MY AIM IS TRUE will be performing the entire album, with Elvis, live for the first time ever this November in San Francisco. It's a charity event and if I can possibly find my way North that night, I'll see you there!

http://www.gamh.com/artist_pages/
elvis_costello_clover_110807.htm

WGA Strike Heats Up! Ooo, boy, it's hot!

Not sure who wrote this, but it's been flying around in various e-mails. And I resent the comment about "surly, over-paid, bearded nerds." I shaved my beard YEARS ago...

WGA SETS STRIKE RULES

Writers Guild drafts really hardline regulations this round!

By DAVE MCNUNOVITCH

The WGA clearly wants to send a signal. The guild has formulated strike rules that would impose an exceptionally aggressive stance on its 12,000 members.

In addition to a ban on any guild-covered work in features and TV, a draft recap of the WGA rules said the guild plans to prohibit any writing for new media and declare that writers can't do animated features -- even though that realm is not under WGA jurisdiction. Included in non-guild covered restrictions, writers are further prohibited from writing personal letters, emails, texts, greeting cards and even from writing personal checks. Signing one's signature is not considered a violation, but writers are absolutely barred from filling out the amount of a check, who it's made out to, and from filling in the memo section. "Writing is writing," said guild Executive Director David Young, "that's our stand!" Many writers are understandably confused as to how they will be able to pay their mortgages and utility bills in light of this oppressive mandate. "Just fill out all your checks and holiday greeting cards through '08 before November first", suggests Young, "I did, now all I have to do is sign them."

The WGA didn't specify what the penalties would be for violating the rules, but would only somewhat ominously state that punishment would be swift and severe. When asked to elaborate, the guild would only respond with a sinister chuckle. It's also asserting that non-members who perform banned work during a strike will be barred from joining the guild in the future.

News of the rules began circulating Wednesday as the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers met in the afternoon in their eighth face-to-face session; they plan to resume talks next week. The two sides have achieved no progress during the previous sessions and have simply blamed each other for taking untenable stances. Violence broke out at the most recent sit-down when WGA West prexy Patric Verrone leaped over the negotiating table and tackled AMPTP head Nick Counter in a headlock, after Counter threw his beer in Verrone's face. Security had to break up the melee and the session was cut short as a result. While being escorted form the premises, Verrone and Counter continued to hurl insults at one another, Verrone was heard calling Counter a "parsimonious Philistine!" While Counter was overheard shouting, "You're all a bunch of surly, over paid, bearded nerds!" In light of such unprofessionalism, the industry was left scratching their heads Wednesday, wondering why drinking has been allowed to occur during such tenuous and heated debates.

In preparation for a strike, the WGA suggests that all members start Netflixing "Norma Rae", as it is the most famous movie in recent years to be about a strike. Also check out, "The Empire Strikes Back", though not about union striking, it does have the word "strike" prominently featured in the title and is widely regarded by many "Star Wars" geeks as the best of the six "Star Wars" films.

More Smithereens! Christmas! Solo Pat DiNizio!

The New Year opened with an album of Beatles covers by Mssr. DiNizio and his cohorts, and now we're ringing it out with a CD-full of Xmas standards (and not so standards). CHRISTMAS WITH THE SMITHEREENS is exactly what you would expect from the boys, which means it is defacto great and deserving of your monetary support. Some pretty insane stuff here, ranging from "Christmas" (from the Who's TOMMY) to a rendition of "The Night Before Christmas" that sounds like a knock-off of Napoleon IV doing "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha Ha." If that sounds like something you absolutely, definitely must have, check out the link.



And if that weren't enough, Pat's just issued a solo record that's also tops on the MV hit parade. A little harder rocking than the Christmas CD, it's ten glorious slabs of DiNizio. Only a hard-hearted MONSTER would refuse to support Pat and the Smithereens as they enjoy one of their most prolific years ever!

My Name Is Bruce - Smallish UPDATE

It's coming. Honest. Final version is almost locked and right now we're looking at a release in 2008, hopefully earlier rather than later. Lucky folks at this year's AFM (American Film Market) may actually get a peek at the final product...

Bruce Campbell. Guan-Di the monster. A cast of tens. Hillbilly singers. Dance numbers. The blacksmith guy from ARMY OF DARKNESS. You'll laugh, you'll cry (well, you probably won't cry), but forget that, because I'm telling you THIS MOVIE HAS IT ALL.

Enough Strike Talk, How About Something Positive?!

With all the doom and gloom enveloping Hollywood, sometimes you need to pull back and smell more than a few roses.

For instance, it's always interesting to watch BATTLESTAR dailies. For those outside the film-jargon loop, dailies are essentially compilations of all the raw scenes done each day, slapped on DVD and sent to the producers to evaluate. What's fun about watching OUR dailies is a); they're almost always amazing and b), sometimes you get to a moment that just throws you back in your chair and forces you to go "wow."

We've had a bunch of those moments as season four rolls on, but recently we saw the dailies on a scene that was especially heart-wrenching. In my patented "no spoiler" mode, I will not disclose any info, except to say the scene involves one of our main characters in a very bad place (what else is new?), who then sings, to themselves, an acapella lament to help ease their pain. I got chills (and no, I didn't write the episode!), and it's the special moments like that that remind me, as all this other stuff is swirling around, why this is a pretty amazing job on a pretty amazing show...

Battlestar Galactica - Season Four Promo

I am, of course, biased, but there's a very cool promo for what's coming in season four over at the Galactica Sitrep site (see my blog list, "Battlestar News Site", and click to get over there).

Roslin with a gun, CHECK. Tigh with a gun, CHECK. Kara on the deck, CHECK. Ahh, that's my Battlestar...

BSG and the WGA Strike...

If you've been paying any attention to the on-going machinations between the Writer's Guild and the Producers, then you probably have the idea that things aren't going so well and there may be a writer's strike. Of course, there is inevitably posturing on both sides as we come down to the wire, but this year's negotiations have a harder edge to them than I've seen before (I joined the WGA just after the long strike in 1988, so I missed what must have been considerable drama then).

My friend Mark Evanier has been active in WGA politics for quite some time and he's been posting informative articles re: his view of things over on his newsfromme.com website. If you're interested in some background on the whole strike issue and a seasoned perspective, give his pieces a look...

In terms of what a November strike would mean for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, well, I'm not exactly sure, except there would be nobody writing scripts if a strike is called, and there are still several episodes left to be written. I'm hoping that the waters calm and a deal can be made, of course, but if there is a strike, then a lot depends on just how long it goes. A few weeks is one thing, six months is quite another... and nobody can predict anything.

Greatest Elvis Costello Album EVER

If your idea of a rollicking good time is listening to bizarre, inexplicable orchestrations of somewhat familiar Elvis Costello songs sung in heavily accented English by Japanese disco bands, have you got a treat in store! TRIBUTE TO ELVIS COSTELLO is a brand new and really quite amazing collection of E.C. songs (well, technically, "She" was a cover), "updated" in often unintelligible but fascinating style. I've probably heard the original version of "Oliver's Army" five hundred times, but even I had trouble figuring out the lyrics in this version, where the Oliver's Army refrain is mangled into "Olipert's Allami." And I swear to God, "Only Flame In Town" really does become "The Only Frame In Town."

It's an unfortunately pricey Japanese import only, but hopefully some enterprising America company will pick it up and give it the full U.S. release it deserves.

Apa Nostalgia...

Paul Chadwick (of CONCRETE the comic book and MATRIX THE ONLINE GAME renown) gave a power-point presentation of his work during our talk at the VidFest in Vancouver last Monday, and it brought back memories of our time in Apa-Five, a fan group I organized when I was (*gulp*) 15. Apa stands for amateur press association, and that's pretty much covers it. Like-minded folks would write and publish their own small magazines every month or two, and a Central Mailer would collate them all into one nice book and send the package to all the members. Paul described it as an early, postal based version of the internet, and that's pretty much right. These magazines would comment on current events, offer reviews, and (here's the internet part) comment on other people's comments.

By odd coincidence some early issues of Apa-Five went up for sale on eBay a couple weeks ago, and I picked up a random issue. (I still have my copies, but they are buried in a complex that makes the warehouse at the end of CITIZEN KANE look like a Rubbermaid tool shed). It brought back a lot of memories, most specifically the difficulty involved in printing our little mags back in those pre-computer, pre-laser printer days. The cover of this particular issue (#38, December 1974) is a photo-offset Frank Miller drawing, but photo-copying wasn't that accessible and way too expensive for most members, so the magazines themselves were mostly a wonderful mish-mash of ditto printing/spirit duplication (a crude, chemical process that involved typing onto "ditto masters," attaching those to a roller that transferred purple ink to paper) and mimeograph.

Mimeo was process that involved typing on a blue-wax stencil and literally punching holes through the wax. (Reading this old copy of Apa-Five, I had forgotten that mimeo stencils came in quanities called "quires", 24 to a pack.) You would lay this stencil over a roller barrel filled with a tar-like black ink, which would be squeezed through the stencil holes and onto your paper. This process was an artform unto itself. If you made a mistake on the stencil, you corrected it by smearing a pungent correction fluid (we called it "corflu") over the wax and trying to retype your sentence. Suffice to say, the one thing you learned with both of these processes was how to write on the fly without making a lot of mistakes.

My father picked up a used mimeograph from his office (for $25) and that became my main printing press. I must have cranked out thousands of pages of material on that thing, though "printing day" was often accompanied by much cursing and cleaning and dealing with paper jams. Even the selection of the brand of paper was important, since too thin would allow the ink to soak right through to the other side. I finally settled on an incredibly absorbant type of stock called Fibertone that literally released puffs of paper dust as it went through the mimeo. Fibertone came in all colors and even there, some colors went through the machine better than others. After much trial and error, I settled on green and goldenrod...

In time, I actually got fancier and bought myself a used "thermo-fax", which wasn't a fax machine as we know it today but was a crude, heat-sensitive early copying process. The copying part wasn't so hot (the paper was orange, as I recall, and faded very quickly) but you could buy special heat-sensitive mimeo stencils that would allow you to "burn" images and print them with your high-tech tar machine. There were also all sorts of special mimeo graphics tools designed to help you draw directly on the stencils. Mimeography was an entire industry, supported mostly by the Gestetner company.

Anyway... I still belong to one apa, and I self-publish a small magazine every few months, and I suppose this is where I would say that I miss the old school mimeo process, but actually, I don't. It was awful. Nowadays I can print full color, text-justified small run material for pennies, and that's just fine with me. But it's fun to look back...

Crowded House Live-er Than Ever!

Kufala.com continues to offer a gloriously wide selection of live, authorized, straight from the soundboard shows from the current CROWDED HOUSE tour, and for a mere $420 you can get all 27 shows in a nifty box. Definitely only for the truly obsessed, but then I suspect most of the people reading this understand obsessive behavior. Sound is superb and the shows do vary from night to night, so buying all 27 isn't COMPLETELY insane. Just mostly.

A Week Without Posting...

...is like a day without... something. But I've been busy, honest. Just got back from a visit with our glorious neighbor to the North, no, not Alaska, where shooting has resumed on the season-the-last of BSG. Meanwhile, I'm busy putting together the story for my next script on BSG, episode #15, currently titled "Untitled", as in I haven't figured out a title yet. And we're careening toward breaking the last few episodes and the big finale. It's all very exciting, and a little weird that we'll probably have the entire season close to written before viewers see the first regular season episode... but welcome to the wacky world of television.

Incidentally, I've been getting a few e-mails re: the proposed plan to split season four between 2008 and 2009. Here is my absolutely definitive response to these queries: I have no idea what the plan is and have no ability to affect it if I did. These decisions are made by Sci-Fi channel folks. All I can do is help make the best shows possible; the rest is up to others...

Battlestar Galactica: The Writer's Room!

Talking about process... ever wonder how the writing staff of BSG works out the story for an episode? Even through we're careening toward the end of the series and have a well defined road-map generated via story meetings with Ron Moore and the staff, each individual episode still requires much care and feeding to get off the ground. Here's how it (generally) works in the BSG --

WRITER'S ROOM.

First, a physical description of our space. Start with long, oak conference table in a big, comfortable room. Laz-e-Boy recliners. Smoked glass windows, a view of the ocean, masseuse in the corner to crack "writer's block," humidor for our cigars, a wet bar to break the tension and... no, wait, sorry, I think I just described the writer's room on HEROES. Our room is a small office with some couchs, white boards and the occasional outbreak of ants. And we love it all the same...

STAGE ONE: Staring at the blank cork board. This is depressing. If it's mid-season, moments earlier the cork-board was a colorful conpendium of scenes from the previous episode, all worked out, a masterpiece of hopefully searing drama, and best of all, it's finished! (Well, at least that PART of the process is finished.) Now the board is an arid wasteland, the episode number leering at us, begging for attention. This is usually the time when the hard-working professionals at BSG fasten our seat-belts, gird our loins... and discuss our favorite movies, last night's television, politics, lunch, practice our Walter Brennen and "Sling Blade" impressions, anything BUT the story. Because getting started is always the hardest part...

STAGE TWO: Ideas. Spit-balling. Okay, where are we going? This process changes depending on the type of story we're telling. If it's a two parter, the answers generally come a bit easier. If there's a gap in the timeline ("okay. It's one year later."), the field is a bit more open. This is when we start throwing up general benchmarks, and yes, these are benchmarks we actually intend to hit! What is the story we're trying to tell? Where are our characters in this moment of BSG history? What are we hoping to reveal about our people, about the BSG world, and about the uber-plot?

STAGE THREE: More. Staring. And. Frustration. Okay, there are some ideas up there, it's looking good -- now how do we make it better? What are the emotional linchpins, what are the revelations, and finally, what are we doing in this episode that we haven't done before? This can mean anything from revealing a surprising nuance in a previously established relationship to coming up with a new twist on the action sequense. The best room moments come when there's an idea that turns everything on its head, but still makes sense within the context of the show. Story traditionalist that I am, I find these ideas incredibly scary and hence always worth more discussion. Discussions like these lead to interesting (*ahem*) plot twists like "Tigh is forced to take drastic action with Ellen", or "four of the final five Cylons are...", or, coming soon, "the fifth Cylon is..." There are a lot of these "holy mackeral!" moments coming in season four, incidentally...

STAGE FOUR: Okay, now we've got a sense of the show. It's starting to come together. Now it's the nitty gritty of going through the story scene by scene, making sure we're getting the most out of the drama. Scene cards are swapped, moved, discarded (writer Bradley Thompson, aka "the card ninja", is the master of ripping dead cards off the board with a disdainful and powerful swoop), until the story feels like it's working. Deal with everyone's notes, tweaks, improvements, and then...

STAGE FIVE: Let's see how it flies with Ron...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Predator Omnibus!

It's been out for a month or so now, but it's never too late to catch up with the Predator! This Omnibus features all three of my Predator mini-series, published by Dark Horse "back in the day." All full color! The first series, with artwork by Chris Warner, is one of my personal favorites, a straight-ahead action story with all the subtly of a Mack truck. (When it comes to Predator, that's a good thing.)

The first arc was also the series that caught the eye of producer Joel Silver and became the basis (sorta) for the PREDATOR 2 movie. My later mini-series, "Cold War" and "Dark River" are also included, along with some other Predator-iana by other writers/artists.

Predator Omnibus. Available at Amazon and fine comic shops almost everywhere.

I Didn't See THIS One Coming...

2007 Beirut Film Festival Cancelled!

Fest was set to unspool Oct. 3-10, but worries over potential violence brought about by disputes between pro- and anti-government forces over the upcoming presidential elections have led to the event's shelving.

"We like to say the show must go on, but if there's a physical war, we cannot stage the festival this year. We have to be practical," said fest director Colette Naufal.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - Shock Cinema Magazine

The new issue is out (#33) and as usual, SHOCK CINEMA is chock full of fascinating stuff for lovers of oddball and obscure film. Besides lengthy interviews with actor Michael Ironside, exploitation producer Arthur Marx and others, this issue features the usual wealth of utterly obscure movie reviews. Not the usual "Grindhouse" junk you might see name-checked in mainstream mags, but movies totally off the beaten track. "The Night Dracula Saved The World." "Little Red Riding Hood And The Monsters." "The Removalists." Still only $5.00, this is the best film mag on the market (especially since the demise of the much lamented PSYCHOTRONIC VIDEO) and can be found at most bookstores, or check with editor Steven Puchalski at ShockCin@aol.com.

The Battlestar Red Carpet...

With one win (for VFX) already in our pocket, the hale and hearty Battlestar staff will be attending the Emmy's Sunday night with fingers crossed, hoping to see Ron Moore and/or Felix Alcala take home some gold. Ron's up for writing the first two episodes of season three, "Occupation" and "Precipice", while Mr. Alcala has been nominated for best director for his work on "Exodus Part 2." Some show called the "Profundos" or the "Castratos" or something has been getting a lot of buzz, but we'll see...

Meanwhile, the march toward the epic conclusion of the BSG saga continues... production resumes in a couple of weeks (Vancouver has been on a long-planned six week hiatus) and then it's straight through to the end, wrapping in March of 2008. It's the RAZOR two-parter, then 20 episodes of BSG gold, "said the jokerman to the thief."

SUPERMAN/BATMAN "Enemies" Review...

A nice review of my Superman/Batman "ENEMIES AMONG US" collection...

http://collectededitions.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-supermanbatman-enemies-among-us.html

I could try to explain what I wanted to accomplish with the series, but this reviewer gets the drift right off and says it better!

The same reviewer also tackles the SUPERGIRL "Candor" trade collection, featuring my out of continuity story from Superman/Batman #27...

http://collectededitions.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-supergirl-candor-trade-paperback_10.html

Battlestar Galactica Wins SFX Emmy!

And the winner is --

For BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, "Exodus Part 2" --

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES

Gary Hutzel, Visual Effects Supervisor
Michael Gibson, Senior VFX Coordinator
Doug Drexler, CG Supervisor
Adam “Mojo” Lebowitz, CGI Sequence Designer
Jeremy Hoey, Lead Matte Painter
Tom Archer, Lead Compositor
Andrew Karr, CGI Supervisor
Alec McClymont, Lead CGI Artist/ Animator
Brenda Campbell, Lead Compositor

The best SFX team in television, and an award well deserved!

As The World Turns, BSG style...

A few updates --

Work on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA continues at a fever pitch. The two part RAZOR episode is almost locked and loaded (still a few FX to finish, this thing is HUGE!), and it looks great. Hard to believe we're only three months away from the air date, then DVD release. The FX guys have out done themselves on this one, adding some truly harrowing perspective to the original Cylon blitzkrieg.

Meanwhile, the rest of the season is screaming along. The hearty BSG staff is continuing on the rocket ride to the finish, with half the final season scripted and more episodes in varying degrees of progress. There are lots and lots of jolts and surprises coming your way, so don't fall prey to the endless spoilers on line, many of which are totally, sometimes jaw-droppingly wrong. (In answer to so many queries, no, David Eick is NOT the fifth Cylon...) It may be the final season, but we're trying hard to make sure it's also the best...

What Makes BSG Writers Laugh

...because we're also Peckinpah fans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOMzVDo9wVA

More Crowded House News...

For those who missed this current Crowded House tour or can't make a show, fear not. Kufala.com is selling authorized CDs of every show on the current tour, 2 CDs set going for $20 postpaid, or downloads for $9.95 a pop. Liam Finn's live CD is also available at the same site. Well worth checking out... sound quality is superb.

Bruce Campbell -- ON THE RECORD

The Man himself discusses EVIL DEAD, MY NAME IS BRUCE and more. Check out the audio interview at:

http://bruce-campbell.blogspot.com/

CROWDED HOUSE Live

Finally managed to catch my first ever CROWDED HOUSE show, after years of being a fan, and they did not disappoint. The new album, "Time On Earth", definitely catches fire in concert, and the old favorites ("Fall At Your Feet", "Mean To Me," "Don't Dream It's Over", etc., etc.) were given their full due. They're cruising the country so if you get a chance, this is a highly recommended tour. I almost said "reunion" tour, but this isn't some empty nostalgia exercise, they're a real band and I'm looking forward to whatever comes next!

Also, Crowdie front man Neil Finn's son Liam opens for the band on this leg of the tour, and his set is definitely worth catching. He does a wild one-man-band thing with guitar, bass, thermin and drums that's a lot of ear-splitting fun. At the show I attended (Green Theater L.A. 9/28), L. Finn was selling a limited edition live CD that features some of the same set, and it's worth checking out too.

Battlestar Galactica Frakkin' Sharkin' Jarkin' Video

Courtesy the Galactica sitrep site and Adult Swim: this is short and really funny.

http://galacticasitrep.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-frak-is-deal-with-bsg.html

TERROR SQUAD is back!

To my astonishment, someone just reviewed my first produced credit, TERROR SQUAD, on a site devoted to rare movies. TERROR SQUAD's never been released on DVD and is long out of print in video, so it was quite a surprise to find someone reviewing the movie in the here and now. The link will take you to the review and to the discussion I've been having with the review's writer.

http://madeoutofmouth.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/terror-squad-1987/#comment-610

More Law and more Order!

After posting yesterday about LAW AND ORDER's occasion flirtation with character arc type stories, I was moved to do actual research (i.e., I went to a couple sites that do episode breakdowns) and discovered that the show tried to break the strict "only business" mold a couple of times. The biggest change of pace episode was the season ender where Jill Hennessy's character Clair (SPOILER ALERT for a fifteen year old show!) was surprise killed in a car accident. According to one website, none of the personal stories left open at the end of that season were actually continued into the next year. Restart button, ahoy!

It's still a great show. According to what I just read on AOL's news blurb (where I get 90% of my news these days, *sob*), L & O is coming back in midseason on NBC with new cast and stuff. I'll be there!

Law And Order

Not the concept, the television show. I'm a long time fan and love catching up with an episode (or two or three) on TNT. It's especially interesting to find an episode from the season (1998-ish, I believe) where they tried to run "personal stories" along with the procedural stuff. Because the shows get so WEIRD. It's like LAW AND ORDER from another universe, with Briscoe worried about his kid's drug habit, Benjamin Bratt's family troubles, etc., etc.

The strange thing is, I love personal stories. It's what makes BSG such a joy to write and develop. But the framework of L & O just isn't designed to carry the weight of "my ex is taking my son." There's barely enough time to do the "Law" and the "Order," let alone the extraneous runners.

On the other hand, I applaud the folks on the show for giving it a shot. Sometimes (to quote another fine program) you gotta roll the hard six. But as all gamblers know, sometimes you lose. Extra kudos to those responsible for backing off when it was clear the classic version worked best.

I understand changes are coming to next season's LAW AND ORDER... good for them, I'll check it out! But classic is classic is classic...

That is all...

My Name Is Bruce, that's right, BRUCE

It's been awhile since I had an update on our little epic, so here goes. Imagine old-style typewriters tap-tapping in the background as this news bulletin explodes across the internets...

Work continues apace on finishing MY NAME IS BRUCE the motion picture. Trust me, we're all itching to get 'er threaded up and throbbing inside your eager brain-pans. I've heard some of composer Joe (EVIL DEAD 2) LoDuca's soundtrack music, and it's pitch perfect. The terrifying Guan-Di monster is getting more monsterous by the day and the sound more soundariffic, but like fine wine, MNIB will not be released before its time. This is not because of any second thoughts, and in fact we (Bruce Campbell, Dark Horse honcho Mike Richardson and moi) are still gathering to palaver over a sequel. Nope. This post production stuff just takes time...

Okay, turn off the clickety-clack and return to your regularly scheduled blog...

8-30-07 ADDENDUM (and I mean DUM) -- corrected to fix the spelling of composer Joe LoDuca's name. I worked with a guy named Deluca once, sorry!

BSG Update The NEXT!

Our super double-secret BATTLESTAR writing summit is over and I'm sitting in an airport a couple hundred miles from our undisclosed location waiting for my flight. If I left the summit with any overall feeling, it's that I work with the best writers and producers in television, bar none. There were laughs, hard work, even a few tears, and in the end we generated a lot of material for the rest of the series. We knew where we were going, now we have a pretty good idea how we're going to get there. So if you're into BSG, you've got a lot of surprises coming your way. Think you know "the plan?" Think again!

Finally, there seems to be some small confusion about the number of episodes we're making for season four. In production terms, we're making 22 episodes total, with the RAZOR two parter being shows 401 and 402. We'll pick up the storyline off the end of season four in episode 403, written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, and roll on from there to show 422. And that, as they say, will be that...

The Next Phase of BSG...

Posting may be a tad sparse over the next few days, as yours truly and the staff of BATTLESTAR go to an undisclosed location to recharge our story batteries and take dead aim on the big finale of the series. Eight episodes (counting the two part RAZOR) are in the can and others are well in process, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. Or are those uneasy shadows? Guess that depends on your attitude re: the end of the show.

The question is, who will live? Who will die? And how much will be left of them? (Thanks to the original TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE poster for the great tag-line, which actually may fit some upcoming BSG machinations more than you might imagine!). Obviously, there are a lot MORE questions to be answered than just that, and it's been fun and challenging as we plow forward to explore so much fertile ground...

Me? I gotta pack!

VidFest Keynote

My good friend Paul Chadwick (creator of the comic book CONCRETE, and designer of the online MATRIX game) and I will be giving a co-keynote address at this year's VIDFEST (Vancouver International Digital Festival) in Vancouver B.C. on Sept. 24. We'll be discussing science fiction in the digital age, BATTLESTAR and chatting with attendees afterward. We're hoping that a good time will be had by all!

For more info on the Festival just check out their website at http://2007.vidfest.com

More BURN NOTICE = More BRUCE

Bruce Campbell's new show on USA, BURN NOTICE, has been picked up for another 13 episodes. Something to whet the appetite while waiting for our hardcore slice o'Campbelliana, MY NAME IS BRUCE... which, by the way, is still getting its hair done by various CGI wizards. In the immortal words of Orson Welles, slightly amended, "we will serve no Bruce before it's time!"

Burn Notice and BRUCE CAMPBELL...

According to Variety and the people who deal with ratings, Bruce Campbell's new show on USA, BURN NOTICE, is a hit. The highest rated episode landed it at #41 among ALL shows, quite an impressive achievment for a cable program. Even better, it's a genuinely fun show. Well written and fun, and Bruce is great as disheveled ex-spy Sam Axe. New episodes run Thursdays at 10:00PM on USA...

Rocketbelts... this weekend!

If I wasn't stuck writing various scripts, you can bet I'd be trying to get to this:


http://www.rocketbelt.nl/


Well... not really. But it's still cool. (Thanx to the "This Modern World" site for the heads-up).

POPEYE! (The Sailor!)

The long awaited, remastered collection of the early and best Popeye cartoons is finally out, and it's pretty amazing. As someone who has bought the color "Ali Baba" featurette at least ten times on video, laser disc and public domain DVD, this set is a revelation. The color bursts out of the screen with a vibrancy I suspect no one's seen since the very first release, and maybe not even then!

The black and white cartoons have also been cleaned up and remastered, and they're equally awesome. These are some of the wildest, funniest cartoons ever made, with a fluid animation style that reminds us just how much we've lost as the cheaper Saturday morning animation style has taken over.

I believe a Vol. 2 is due out in November... plenty of time to get through these dozens of cartoons AND the five hours (!) of commentary and extra features.

Assorted Thoughts...

BATTLESTAR

There are a bunch of rumors floating around about season four, nothing surprising about that, except some of the more recent "spoilers" I've seen are flat out wrong. So take a lot of what you're seeing out there with a grain o'salt. (And I'm not going to confirm or deny any of them, which I'm sure makes it all even MORE maddening...)

ROBERT GORDON

My favorite rockabilly stylist has a brand new album out, "It's Now Or Never", a collection of Elvis Presley covers. As with all things Gordon, this comes highly recommended. His pipes are just getting sweeter with age...

FLETCHER HANKS

The first edition of "I Will Destroy All The Civilized Planets", a collection of comic book work by the incomparable Fletcher Hanks, has completely sold out and a second printing is on the way. Much like Ed Wood, Mr. Hanks appears to be finding more fame in the afterlife than ever before.

POWER POP/RASPBERRIES

The reformed Raspberries have just released a two CD live set from Oct. 2005, "Live On The Sunset Strip." I haven't had a chance to sample the tunes yet, but it's the original line-up, including Eric Carmen, so I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it's great. All the hits and more...

Battlestar Battlestar BATTLESTAR

Now it's getting exciting. We're getting the cuts on the first season-four episodes and seeing our plans and schemes finally come together. There are some whopping surprises on the way, and some of the meatiest, most emotional turns yet for our hardy band of rag-tag survivors and their Cylon adversaries. Plus -- hellacious space battle action!

One of the joys of being ON the show is that I don't have to wait until January to see this stuff, but trust me, the wait will be worth it...

And, as the 6000+ fans at the San Diego Con event heard, Lucy Lawless will be back at D'Anna, tossing assorted Cylon monkey-wrenches into the proceedings. Good stuff is coming, I promise!

San Diego ComicCon 2007 - Aftermath

So San Diego 2007 was the usual exhausting but invigorating whirl of parties, panels and bumping into old and new friends. Highlights for yours truly:

I scored an invite to the world premiere of SHOOT 'EM UP, the upcoming Clive Owen action picture, and sat directly in front of Mr. Owen during the screening. SHOOT 'EM UP was produced by my pals Don Murphy and Susan Montford, and here's my early pre-review: WOW. Just when you think there isn't a new action scene under the sun, SHOOT comes up with five or six insane set pieces, along with a bodycount that rivals 300.

Each of my panels were fun in their own way, but most touching was the "Spotlight" panel, when the San Diego folks gave me an Inkpot Award for Lifetime Achievement. It was a total surprise, totally unexpected and greatly appreciated.

I wasn't on it, for obvious reasons, but the Women Of BSG panel wound up packing the convention's biggest hall and was a lot of fun. Yes, Lucy Lawless is coming back to BSG and her Cylon character, D'Anna, will play a pivotal role as we careen toward the conclusion...

I only came home with one box of old comics, but I found the usual slew of interesting/oddball books, including three issues of "Sue And Sally Smith - Flying Nurses!" (a nutty Charlton title from 1960), some in-your-face 40's era Fox Publishing Tarzan ripoffs like JO-JO and ZAGO, and many others.

And I guess I was lucky, too. The gaslamp district in downtown San Diego was a total zoo in the wee hours... follow the link for one man's unfortunate experience...

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/comiccon/2007/07/pow-bam.html

San Diego Con...

Got in last night, got our badges and goodie bag, then braved the preview night crowd... and it was, indeed, pretty crowded. As my friend Randy Stradley at Dark Horse said, "Welcome to Preview night, Saturday morning." (Saturday is traditionally the busiest day of the show.) I've heard that the show is totally sold out at this point, another first...

More reporting as the day(s) wear on... see below for my post re: times and places for my panels!

On The Battlestar Front...

Blogging has taken a back-seat to duty the last week, as I've been in lovely Canada attending to my Battlestar Galactica production duties. We're well into season four now, with more twists and turns coming than whatever snake metaphor you care to employ. Edward James Olmos thinks its the best run of shows yet, and I'm not going to argue with him.

As always, I stand in awe of the cast and crew. One example: when you call for a new location in a show like Battlestar, you don't just drive around Vancouver looking for the right garage or steel mill. In space, location almost always means "new set," and our guys come through for us time after time with remarkable work. That's true of almost every design decision. The writers can suggest, but the designers and craftsmen who put this stuff together inevitably create something far better and more interesting.

One big "oh no" is realizing that when all is said and done, the CIC and sickbay and Adama's Quarters are all going to the great scrap-heap in the sky, recycled for other projects. The Galactica CIC especially is an amazing set, two levels, a myriad of gauges and handsets and switches that looks fully functional. You walk on that set and you're ready to start plugging in Jump calculations yourself...

Don't look for spoilers from me, BTW, but remember there are a couple of BSG panels at the big San Diego show next week, including one panel with Richard Hatch and another with the "woman of Galactica." Maybe they'll spill some beans...

MY NAME IS BRUCE IS #1

If you check the ratings over at the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com), you'll discover that MY NAME IS BRUCE is the highest rated horror film AND comedy EVER, going by viewer ratings. There is something truly disturbing about seeing MY NAME IS BRUCE towering over DR. STRANGELOVE (!). Considering the movie hasn't been released yet, and has only been seen by a few hundred people in unfinished form, I guess there's nowhere to go but up from here!

Speaking of "the release", work continues on the special FX and other post-production stuff. Last I heard, we're still hoping for an October release.

Speaking of BRUCE, as in Bruce Campbell, interested folks should check out BURN NOTICE, his new series over on the USA Network. Bruce plays Sam Axe, a burned out, acerbic ex-spy who reluctantly helps the hero solve various cases. If you take the Axe character and double the sleaze/wise-ass factor, you'll have some idea of the "Bruce Campbell" character that Bruce Campbell plays in MY NAME IS BRUCE. If that makes any sense...

Contribute to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

If the following story causes you as much head-scratching as it does me, then do what you can to support the defense fund. I've seen the comic book in question, and as the article notes, there's nothing sexual about Mr. Picasso's nudity... he's just, well, nude. There is more to the story (I don't think the retailer meant to hand that comic to a minor, it was an accident) but the point is, does the guy deserve to be persecuted and run out of business? Me, I say no.

Gordon Lee Trial Date Set – CBLDF Needs Your Help!

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund urgently needs your help. This August, the long-running case of Georgia v. Gordon Lee will finally go to trial, with court costs expected to hit $20,000.

For nearly three years the Fund has defended Georgia retailer Gordon Lee, seeing him through multiple arraignments and procedures, and racking up $80,000 in legal bills. The charges stem from a Halloween 2004 incident in which Lee handed out, among other free comics, an anthology featuring an excerpt from the critically acclaimed graphic novel The Salon. The segment depicted a historically accurate meeting between 20th Century art icons Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, the latter depicted in the nude. It was a harmless sequence, no more explicit than the nudity displayed in the award winning Watchmen. Yet because the title found its way into the hands of a minor, Floyd County prosecutors hit Lee with two felony counts and five misdemeanors. The Fund eventually knocked out most of the charges, but must now defeat the two remaining misdemeanor counts of Distribution of Harmful to Minors Material, each carrying a penalty of up to one year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.

The case is slated to go to trial the week of August 13. We urgently need your support in order to wage the best defense possible against these remaining charges, and that means raising the $20,000 that the trial is expected to cost. Here’s how you can help:

Make A Monetary Donation: Every dollar counts, so please make a tax-deductible contribution today. As a thank-you for making a donation of $30 or more, the Fund will give you a brand new t-shirt displaying the text of the First Amendment in the shape of an American flag. Show your commitment to free speech, and your support for this very important case.

Join The CBLDF: Now is the time to join or renew your membership in the Fund. Your member dollars provide the baseline of support that we need to perform our casework, and defend your right to buy whatever comics you wish. If you join now with a basic membership of $25 you will receive a CBLDF Member Card, featuring new Groo art by the one-and-only Sergio Aragones, as well as a subscription to our news publication Busted!, and special admission to CBLDF events across the country. If you join at a level of $100 or more, you will also receive one of the new
First Amendment t-shirts.

Donate Original Art & Collectibles: With summer conventions upon us, the Fund needs original art, high-grade comics, and other collectible items to make the most of our summer auctions. Please e-mail cbldf1@gmail.com for more information about how to donate to our auctions, or with a description of your intended donation. If your donation is accepted for our summer auctions, you will receive a letter of acknowledgment and a 2007 membership. To ensure that your donation is received safely, please do not send physical items until accepted by the CBLDF.
With Gordon Lee's freedom in the balance, the CBLDF needs everyone who values Free Expression in comic books to do his or her part to support this very important case. Please make your contribution today.

My San Diego Comicon Schedule: ENHANCED!

Here's the official dope, straight from the convention website...

11:30-12:30 Writing with Mark Verheiden—Comic-Con special guest Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of Battlestar Galactica and writer of the upcoming live-action Teen Titans movie, offers advice to aspiring writers in a lively Q&A session. Want to write for television? Features? Comic books? Bring your best nuts-and-bolts questions! Room 4

10:30-11:30 The Art of Adapting Comics to the Screen—As the cinematic renaissance of comic book–based films continues, here's your chance to learn what it takes to adapt these dream projects to the screen. Moderator Jeff Goldsmith (senior editor, Creative Screenwriting magazine) hosts a panel featuring Stan Lee (Fantastic Four), Don Payne (co-writer, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer), Mark Fergus (co-writer, Iron Man), Kevin Feige (president of production, Marvel Studios), and Mark Verheiden (Teen Titans). Room 6A

6:00-7:00 Spotlight on Mark Verheiden—The popular writer of movies (The Mask, Timecop), television (Smallville, Battlestar Galactica), and comics (Superman Batman, The American) comes to Comic-Con as a special guest. Mark Verheiden talks to writer and friend Jeff Gelb about his career storytelling on the big screen, the small screen, and the printed page. Room 2

I understand some very lovely actresses and swell executive producers will be plugging a show called BATTLESTAR GALACTICA on Saturday, too. Jeez, is that thing still on?

BATTLESTAR IS NUMBER 12!!

Apparently a bunch o' TV critics got together and picked their favorite shows from Jan to June 2007. BATTLESTAR came in #12, tied with those wacky kids at ENTOURAGE. We're actually in some pretty esteemed company...

Go to...

http://tvweek.com/news/

...and look for the 2007 Best Critics Poll!

New Release: ALIENS OMNIBUS

Long before I was involved with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, SMALLVILLE or PERVERSIONS OF SCIENCE (look it up on the IMBD.com database), I wrote a bunch of comics spinning off from the second, James Cameron ALIENS movie. Dark Horse Comics has just reissued all 14 issues of the three mini-series I did, along with the very first short story from DARK HORSE PRESENTS, in a nice, full color collection called ALIENS OMNIBUS. These were some of the most successful comics I ever wrote, with the 14 issues collectively selling several million copies.

These are the "remastered" versions, with the names of the characters changed from the original release. "Billie" was originally "Newt", etc. Unfortunately, after ALIENS 3 came out, some of the story points in my tales were, umm, mooted by the deaths of several main characters from the Cameron ALIENS movie, so Dark Horse re-lettered the stories in the 90's to put the books back into continuity with the movie franchise. Doesn't really change the story, just a piece of trivia for you ALIENS buffs...

I also did three PREDATOR comic series "in the day" that I'm hopeful will also get the OMNIBUS treatment. There's quite a story behind that bunch of comics, too, but I'll save that for if and when they're released...

Here's a link if you have a mind to pick a copy up...

Things I've Seen In L.A...

I've been down in Southern California for a lot of years now, and in that time I've seen some "things." Some fun, some not so fun. Here are a couple:

FUN: Driving home from the studio the other day, I passed Jay Leno into some 1930-ish classic car, and Ed Begley Jr. behind the wheel of an all electric Rav. It's a weird world when you have more star sightings sitting in traffic than you do at a movie studio. Aaron Douglas popped by the BSG offices the other day, but kibitzing with the cast of your own show doesn't really count as a sighting...

NOT SO FUN: I was waiting in traffic on La Brea Avenue awhile back (going South toward the 10 freeway, to place the scene for L.A. natives) when I noticed the tell-tale flash of police lights up ahead. Usually this means an accident and a still longer wait, but this time it was evidentally a police action involving some sort of "problem" Because as I sat in the crush of cars, an African American man charged down the middle of the street, weaving between cars, laughing and swinging a Samurai sword as a couple of LAPD officers (toting shotguns) made chase. The odd thing is how L.A. motorists more or less took the event in stride. I watched the guy approach, bounce off my side mirror, then continued to follow his progressio in the rear view as he continued down the street, swinging and laughing that sword as the cops and their shotguns made chase...

So You Wanna Be A Writer...

The fine folks at the San Diego Comicon asked if I'd be up for a seminar-ish sort of session on the wonderful world of writing, and fool-heartedly, I agreed. The session is scheduled for 11:30AM on Thursday 7/26...

I've done this sort of thing before, but this time I want to try something a little different. Rather than pontificate on topics that intrigue me (Fletcher Hanks? Elvis Costello? SEP/IRAs?), I want this session to address your writing questions and concerns.

So, umm -- what are they? Do you want tips on how to get a job in television? Are you curious what a BATTLESTAR outline looks like? Want a rundown on the process involved in taking a TV script from idea to production to what finally goes on air? Are you curious about agents? Managers? Want to discuss the typical structure of a TV episode VS a feature? We can talk comics, too. Would you like to see samples of comic scripts, TV scripts, movie scripts?

Or rather than nuts and bolts, do you want to talk about scene construction? How to develop a story? "Where do you get your ideas?"

Pick your poison!

So talk to me. I'll publish the best suggestions in comments and take your thoughts into account when facing the music down San Diego way...

ADDED 7/7 -- thanks for the suggestions, both in comments and via e-mail!

My San Diego ComiCon Schedule

I suppose things can change, but at the moment I'm scheduled for three appearances at this year's big San Diego convention. They are:

Thursday, I'll be discussing all things "writing," answering questions about breaking into the business, breaking out of the business (infinitely easier, trust me), pencil VS pen, Final Draft VS Scriptware, Thor VS Hulk, whatever.

Friday, I'll be on a panel with Stan Lee and various other luminaries discussing writing movies based on comic books. I know Stan has been waiting to hear my thoughts on the process, maybe he'll finally be able to make the leap and get one of his characters on the silver screen...

Saturday, it's "Spotlight On" -- ME. Hosted by my pal Jeff Gelb, you will learn more than you ever needed to know about my bumpy career ride through Tinseltown and comics.

That's what I've got scheduled at the moment, I will add additional details (times, room #'s, etc.) as they become available...

Battlestar Galactica/Crossroads 2: Fan Reaction

Looks like we blew somebody's mind...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBORpafKkgI

My Aim Is True - Costello Redux Redux Redux...

I think I've purchased MY AIM IS TRUE 20 times since it first came out, in every media from vinyl (domestic and import) to 8 track to cassette to multiple CD reissues, but this next bite of the apple sounds pretty cool. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of MY AIM IS TRUE, Elvis Costello's reissuing the album yet again, but this time it's a 2 CD set with a ton of previously unreleased demos (not even available on the Rhino reissues), and a complete live show from 1977. Here's hoping he reissues his entire catalog yet again and gives us a choice live show from each era, especially "Trust" and "Imperial Bedroom."

Check out the Billboard article for a complete track listing. The CDs will be out in September...

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/
article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003601084

Stephen King Hearts Battlestar Galactica

And we heart him right back. Discussing "pop dope" in his latest Entertainment Weekly column, as in the pop culture fix you just gotta have, Mr. King says BSG is the "good stuff." Check out the full quote in the magazine, or head over to Galactica Sitrep for an excerpt.

http://galacticasitrep.blogspot.com/2007/06/
quarter-pounder-of-soul.html

Elvis Costello Item Of Interest

Haven't posted for awhile, mostly because I've been up to my eyeballs in deadlines, but the world just keeps on turning regardless... and in turning, the world has spit up:

Elvis Costello. He has a new "album" available only via i-tunes, a combo of album tracks, interview segments and at least six new versions of old songs, including "Motel Matches." I downloaded it and checked out a couple tracks, but haven't had time to fully sample the wares. But new Elvis is almost always good Elvis.

Superman/Batman - Enemies Among Us

My first six-issue Superman/Batman arc has been collected in a nifty hardback edition that is either out now, or due out Wednesday. Scheduling issues led to some, err, "gaps" in the release of the regular book, but here's the whole shebang in one easy-to-read package. Complete with an ALL NEW afterword by, well, me. Available at fine comic shops everywhere, or through the link below...

Superman/Batman Vol. 5: The Enemies Among Us

Fletcher Hanks - The Interview

Not with Hanks himself, he's long dead, but with Paul Karasik, the editor/compiler of "I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets." Yes, yet another post about this nifty collection of Fletcher Hanks masterworks, but it's JUST THAT DARN GOOD.

Incidentally, the Comics Reporter site offers a lot of interesting coverage of the funny book world, it's well worth checking out the whole place...

http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/
cr_sunday_interview_paul_karasik/

My Name Is Bruce -- Ain't It Cool?

A nice review of MY NAME IS BRUCE from someone who attended last week's Cinevegas screening...

Just to note, the "Guan-Di" monster is still a work in progress (there will be FX, though not enough to destroy his cheesy grandeur).

http://www.aintitcool.com/talkback_display/
33023#comment_1571145

Top Ten TV Drama Moments - BSG #1!

Variety's just listed their top ten dramatic moments of the last season, and the pulse-pounding finale to CROSSROADS PART 2, written by yours truly, topped the list. Who I am to argue? For the full list, check out the link --

http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117966878.html?nav=edrama07

Star Trek Vanguard: Agent Verheiden, Reporting!

I just got a copy of a new Star Trek novel, "Star Trek Vanguard: Reap The Whirlwind" from the author, David Mack. Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but David very kindly name-checked me and former BSG writer Anne Cofell-Saunders, making us agents on a mission to smuggle someone off Starbase 47. Hopefully I die a horrible and unfortunate death, like the character named after me in the ALIEN VS PREDATOR movie.

Anyhow, you name a character after me and that's worth a link! A tip of the Verheiden lid to Mr. Mack, and if anyone would care to post a review, the comments section awaits!

Star Trek: Vanguard #3: Reap the Whirlwind (Star Trek)

I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets!

Just got my comp copy of the book of the year, a full color collection of comics by the incredible (and long dead) Fletcher Hanks. Fifteen of the best F.H. masterpieces, all from the late 30's/early 40's, plus a comic strip "afterword" by compiler Paul Karasik that details the ultimate fate of the rather tragic (and nasty) Mr. Hanks. Best find is a black and white nature study by Hanks, which shows the guy might actually have had some tiny amount of talent.

If you're in the mood for some thoroughly surreal primitive comic book work, run, don't walk to the link and order you up some Fletcher Hanks goodness. You've got science fiction, jungle adventures, and a logging (!) thriller starring Big Red McLane. Find out why idiots like me and Paul K. killed themselves to collect every single Hanks tale, scanning them for this volume!

I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets: The Comics of Fletcher Hanks

My Name Is Bruce Gets Palmed

I made a quick dash to Las Vegas Saturday night (6/9) to check out the sold out screening of MY NAME IS BRUCE at the Cinevegas Film Festival, over at the Palms Casino. The movie is still a work in progress (temp score, temp sound, no FX yet) but I think the audience still got it. Bruce DA MAN Campbell himself was there to introduce the epic and to conduct a Q & A post screening. Other MNIB luminaries on hand included Mike Richardson (head honcho from Dark Horse Entertainment) and our Director of Photography Gary Kout. We're still looking at trying to get this baby together and into theaters around October, then out on DVD.

Oddest question of the night came from a woman in the audience who was surprised to discover Bruce was making movies; she only knew him from his "cowboy show" (BRISCO COUNTY). One wiseacre wondered why there wasn't any full frontal nudity in MNIB, and there were a couple questions about the budget. Bruce was in full D.I.Y. mode, though, when it came to questions about diving into the film biz. With digital video cheap to shoot and You Tube as a distribution portal, there's no reason a fledgling filmmaker can't just go out there and do their thing...

Battlestar Galactica - Cinerama Style

There was a wonderful BSG panel/party/get-together at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood last night (Wednesday), hosted by Lucy Lawless. Lots of fans and journalists braved the... uhh... well, very nice weather to attend. So I'm not sure much bravery was actually involved! After a panel and some clips from the upcoming RAZOR movie, there was excellent conversation in the Arclight's upstairs bar area.

As always, I was impressed with the passion of the BSG fans, who asked some great questions. I also started to get a little blue when people kept noting that this season would be BSG's last hurrah. We have such a great cast and crew it's just a little sad to think this too must end. But so it goes in television, life and "etc."

Hopefully there will be more events as we plow ahead with season four, meanwhile, David Eick is right, the next season is really going to kick butt. Prepare yourselves!

Varied and Sundry

There are a few events on the horizon, so here's a quick recap:

Wednesday 6/6, the Cinerama Dome will host a special Battlestar Galactica event, featuring a panel discussion and some scenes from our upcoming (and now officially final) season. I'll be next door at Amoeba Records looking for new CDs and... ha ha, just kidding, I'll be there with many/most of the other writers. Looking forward to a fun evening!

MY NAME IS BRUCE is being screened at 11:00PM Saturday 6/9 at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, part of their Cinevegas Film Festival. As mentioned before, I'm frankly not sure where we're at, completion-wise, but hey -- Bruce Campbell. Monsters. The project reached a Zen level of completion right there.

Finally, and so totally unrelated it hurts, thanks to the internets I discovered an audience recording of the Elvis Costello/House Of Blues show from 5/2/07 (of course, I wholly frown on such activities and if anyone dares to send me Mp3s of other shows on the tour, I will listen to them with a stern look on my face), which just confirms my opinion that he did the best live version of the song "Riot Act" ever...

More Teen Titans

Just a couple more comments, after getting a few e-mails and digesting some comments elsewhere:

1) I'm not sure why so many folks are assuming we won't be using the "top tier" Titans. I'm not ready to list the characters we ARE using (other than Nightwing), but you won't be disappointed. There's also a lot of discussion about possible "rights issues." There were internal conversations re: which characters we'll be using, but last time I checked, Time/Warner still owned DC Comics, meaning it's all in the family.

2) The Hollywood Reporter article says I wrote the TIMECOP and MASK comics. I did do some TIMECOP comic book stories, but also wrote the movie and created the television series. I did not, however, write any MASK comics, just worked on the movie. I realize these details are insignificant to most readers, but what the heck, it's my blog.

More as news develops...

Teen Titans - The Movie

As pointed out in today's Hollywood Reporter, yours truly will be writing a live action Teen Titans movie for Warner Brothers and Aviva Goldsman's company, Weed Road. And I wish there were an emoticon big enough to express how thrilled I am to be involved in the project! I'm not a fan of super-early spoilers, but I will say the script involves the Nightwing character and will be exploring the Titans at an interesting (and universal) crossroads in their lives...

Sorry for the brevity, things are (as might be expected) pretty busy at the moment, but I'll keep posting as developments ensue...

My Name Is Bruce - Las Vegas Style

Cinevegas, a Las Vegas based film festival, will be showing a cut (probably not final) of MY NAME IS BRUCE. Chances are I'll be there, incognito, checking out the audience reaction. It's all happening at the Palms Casino in Vegas, and Bruce plays June 9 at 11:00 PM. Google Cinevegas for the details -- be there or be not there...

San Diego ComiCon And Me

The annual San Diego ComicCon/pop culture blow out is coming up fast (7/26-7/29), and as I mentioned a few months ago on this very blog, I'm a guest of the convention this year. Not quite sure what that entails yet, though I suspect I'll be doing a few panels, buying some old comics and saying hello to a lot of friends.

Tom Spurgeon at http://www.comicsreporter.com has an exhaustive guide to attending the show, and it's worth a quick look. Last year's attendance was well over 100,000, so simply getting into the hall can be an experience. I can recall seeing a line at least a half-mile long of people trying to buy tickets on a Saturday. Also, virtually every hotel in the city is sold out (though rooms do pop up as people cancel/change plans), so casually driving down for the weekend sans reservations is pretty much no longer an option.

Some ask if the show is more exhausting that enthralling these days. I think it depends on your expectations. If you're looking for a sedate four days to relax and rejuvenate, then you have come to exactly the WRONG place. But if you have an interest in pop culture, then prepare to be overwhelmed. Me, I still enjoy it. I've been to every show since 1983 and there have been a LOT of changes, but for fans of comics/anime/science fiction/television/movies/toys and much much more, it's mecca...

Paul Chadwick, Apa Five, Talent

My friend Paul Chadwick, creator of the comic character CONCRETE and erstwhile roommate back in the 80's, has posted a great cover from an early issue of Apa-Five. "Apa" stands for amatuer press association, and A-5 was a group I started when I was... in Junior High School. A demonstration that Paul "had it" way back when...

http://concrete.blogs.com/paul_chadwicks_weblog/
2007/05/humble_beginnin.html#comment-70865440

Misery Love Comedy - Ivan Brunetti

MISERY LOVE COMEDY is a beautifully designed hardcover collecting the first three issues of Ivan Brunetti's legendary SCHIZO comic book, with some extra added bonus material tossed in. For those requiring an introduction to the wonderful world of Brunetti, this is the place.

But if you're the type who hears "comic book" and thinks ARCHIE or SUPERMAN, then this is definitely NOT for you. Brunetti's compiled some of the darkest, nastiest and yet somehow funny semi-biographical material to ever come out of the independent comic movement. This guy makes Robert Crumb look like a puritan prude. The cruel self-annihilation is punctuated with pages of scatalogical comic strip "parodies" that will either make you choke with laughter or seek psychological help. And when I say "nasty," I don't mean in the "poo-poo" potty mouth sense. We're talking heavy duty, raunchy, busted-at-the-Canadian-border type material. The indicia says the book should be filed under "erotica/hate literature", and I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a joke or a genuine recommendation.

Now SCHIZO #4, released a few months ago, is a whole 'nother story. Published in giant Life Magazine size, the long awaited next chapter in Ivan's comics ouvre is practically family friendly (well, practically...), and offers some beautifully illustrated strips owing more to PEANUTS than DeSade. It's also worth seeking out...

Both are available from Fantagraphics Books, or at liberated comic shops...

Cartoons? Who Doesn't Like Cartoons?

Just added another blog to my recommended list. Jerry Beck's informational and entertaining cartoon page is an amazing resource, packed with obscure (and not so obscure) info on cartoons far and wide. Beck is involved in the upcoming, long waited POPEYE release (the early, wonderful, black and white Fleischer cartoons), a noble effort if there ever was one! Check it out --

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/

Who Woulda Thought?

Headline from "The Programming Insider", an online newsletter that appraises television ratings:

"Slow Start for National Bingo Night"

I understand viewership is down on the "Watching Paint Dry" channel as well...

The Last Ten Seconds Of Every Star Trek TNG

Looks like somebody had a little time on their hands. Here's a compendium of the last ten seconds of every episode of Star Trek The Next Generation.

Copy, paste and "engage." (You'll get it after you watch a few of these.)

http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/05/18/last-10-seconds-of-every-sttng-episode

Thanks to Heidi at PW's "The Beat."

More New Stuff... Pat DiNizio & The Knack!

Pat DiNizio, lead singer of the Smithereens and a friend, has just put out a limited edition, 2 CD + 1 DVD set called REVOLUTIONS. This long (long!) in the making solo effort is another great rocker from Pat, with one CD of full band songs, a second with acoustic versions of the same tunes, and finally a DVD on the entire music-making process.

Unfortunately, this baby's limited to 300 signed copies and I believe Pat sold out the run months ago, but check out Pat's site (www.patdinizio.com) for more info and insights. I'm hoping that an enterprising label steps up and put out the full-band tracks anyhow, like what happened with Pat's last 3CD self-produced effort, "This Is Pat DiNizio". The limited edition 3 CD set was cut down to one disc and released by the fine folks at Fuel Records...

For that matter, it would be nice if some enterprising label culled the best tracks from Pat's self-released 21 CD (that's right, twenty-one CDs!) Smithereens box set from a few years back. Featuring demos, live shows and acoustic tracks, now THAT was a compilation for you!

In other news, THE KNACK has a new live performance DVD out, part of a series of DVDs from the World Cafe Live folks. This one's a recent show with great sound and a nice, if limited, selection of songs. There's also an interview with the band. Coming up from World Cafe is a DVD performance by another MV fave, Marshall Crenshaw. Always great to have more of this stuff find its way to market...

No News Is...

Haven't posted for awhile, I've been in hunker-down mode writing "my" first BSG ep for season four, along with attending all the varied/sundry other duties that erupt when prodution kicks in.

CD and DVD wise, there's nothing much to report. Jason Falkner, of JELLYFISH renown, has a new CD out in Japan (!) called "I'm Okay, You're Okay" that on first sampling appears to be in the garoovy power pop mode of previous Falkner ventures. (Incidentally, the tunes he produced for PUFFY AMIYUMI are well worth seeking out, especially "Planet Tokyo").

And on the SQUEEZE front, there is yet another single-disc greatest hits CD collection, "Essential Squeeze", this time with a couple of previously unreleased tracks. And (just in the UK so far, so it's region 2) there's a new Squeeze DVD, also "Essential", with 24 videos and a complete concert from the early 80's. I'd offer a review, but I haven't had a chance to sample the wares quite yet...

Also, I'm told somebody threw a bottle at Neil Finn (!) during CROWDED HOUSE'S first concert since reuniting, this at the Coachilla festival in California. Wow. Nice crowd. As a lifetime member of the CROWDED HOUSE fanclub I have it on good authority that a series of less volatile venues have been chosen for the rest of the tour, coming this Summer.

Finally, umm, wassup with Elvis Costello doing Lexus ads?!

BSG Season Four - The Last?

Here's some official reaction to the hurly-burly over whether or not season four will be the end of Battlestar Galactica. Straight from executive producer David Eick:

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=2&id=41457

Bruce Campbell's Next Old Spice Ad - "Hungry Like The Wolf!"

Thanks to "anonymous" for the link, here's a sneak preview of Bruce Campbell's next Old Spice ad, which evidently debuts this weekend. It's just as insane as the last one!

http://bruce-campbell.blogspot.com/2007/05/
site-exclusive-new-bruce-campbell-old.html

Rrrrowf!

Battlestar Galactica - Season Four

Couple of people have written asking me to comment on Edward James Olmos' interview at last night's Saturn Awards re: this being BSG's last season.

First, I'm presently in Vancouver B.C. attending to the pre-production on the first episodes of next season, so as far as I'm concerned, we're just gearing UP. And the stories we have so far for the season are really, really interesting/fun/dark/exciting/cool. As far as anything else goes, I'm just trying to make the best show(s) possible and I'll leave it to others discuss "the future." I got enough on my hands with the present!

MY NAME IS BRUCE - New Review!

A nice piece from the Corvallis (Oregon) Gazette Times on the movie, with a new interview with Mr. Campbell himself. The piece includes a fresh photo of Bruce slugging down hooch in his dilapidated trailer. Poor guy, you'd think a big movie star like him would have swankier digs!

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2007/05/10/entertainment/
cover/cov04_bruce.txt

Squeeze The Demos

As in, demo recordings by the British pop band Squeeze. Lead singer/songwriter Glenn Tilbrook's website (www.glenntilbrook.com) is offering the first of five promised CDs featuring the original four-track demos for their best albums. First up, 18 songs that were pared down and eventually became "East Side Story", Squeeze's best effort in my opinion.

In his liner notes, Tilbrook says "wanna hear my demos?" is one of the scariest phrases in the musical lexicon, but these are actually pretty good, and for fans, it's intriguing to hear how a song like "Someone Else's Bed" morphed from a semi-acoustic tune into the much harder version on the studio release.

Tilbrook and his writing partner Chris Difford have both released several solo CDs since Squeeze broke up, and they're all worth getting. In better news, the band has reunited for some dates this Summer, which I hope implies a new Squeeze release "soon."

Battlestar Only SECOND Best?!

Nice piece in this week's Entertainment Weekly ranking the 25 best sci-fi movies/TV shows of the last 25 years. BSG comes in second only to the first MATRIX movie. Me, I would have swapped THE MATRIX with BLADERUNNER, but they're both great and either way, it's nice to see BSG get a hat tip three seasons in!

EW's cover features HEROES, another great show. Check it out!

ELVIS COSTELLO - Live! And Not Live!

If you get a chance to catch Elvis Costello and the Imposters on their current tour, and you're a fan of his earlier work, prepare yourself for two hours of bliss. Touring to promote a couple of greatest hits compilations on Universal, Elvis has dipped back into the catalog and is delivering a hardcore rock and roll show that reminds me of seeing him in 1979... except he's got a lot more songs now. With virtually no between-song patter, his 5/2 show at the L.A. House Of Blues was a non-stop onslaught of hits, semi-hits and fantastic album tracks. High points: one of the best versions of "Riot Act" ever, a great "Uncomplicated", and a funky rendition of "Alison" (the one acoustic performance in the whole show) where he obviously forgot the words and sang the same section twice.

The two new comps are nicely put together, but with the exception of a couple alternate/live tracks, if you have his albums, you've got all this music. FWIW, Amazon is selling a boxed brick with every Costello album from "My Aim Is True" through "Blood and Chocolate", with the "Rock And Roll Music" comp tossed in as an extra bonus. No new music, but the packaging is nice and it's supposedly a "limited to Amazon" edition, whatever that means. My ears are shot so I have no idea if these are remastered yet again.

Let's see, how many times have I bought these albums? Just on CD, I have the original Columbia releases, then Rykodisc, then Rhino's double CD editions, the Japanese "mini-LP sleeve" discs, and now Universal's release. That doesn't count oddball stuff (audiophile gold discs, anyone?), all the vinyl versions (domestic + import), 100 + vinyl/cassette/CD singles, cassette tapes for the car, DVDs and that eight-track of "My Aim Is True." I'm sure I'll be buying the direct download to the brain that's coming in the year 2525... because he's JUST THAT GOOD.

ARK the motion picture

Well, it's out in a official press release, so I guess I can finally start talking about this. The fine folks at Columbia, along with producers Neal Moritz and Mike Richardson, have picked up the rights to my comic series ARK, which did indeed see print (you cynics!) in four consecutive issues of DARK HORSE PRESENTS. Don't bother to dig up those issues, though, if you're looking for some clue toward the project itself, since it's morphed a bit since those early days. I've been asked to keep a lid on the details, but suffice to say it's a big science fiction story.

There are more MV surprises to come, but this one is big enough for the time being, I think. Check out the article for more info!

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964154.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

New Stuff? Keep Watching The Trades!

Keep your eyes peeled on the trades (i.e., Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Cat Lover, High Times) over the next couple days for word of a new, exciting MV project. That has NOTHING to do with Bruce Campbell, Fletcher Hanks or the Rubinoos, but it's still pretty cool in my obviously biased opinion. Since I don't intend to scoop myself, there will be more info blog-wise once word hits the streets...

Vince Colletta - Inker Not So Extraordinary

This is real inside baseball stuff for only the most devoted of comic book fans, but... Vince Colletta was a fairly famous inker who worked mostly for Marvel from the 60's to the late 80's. Colletta did occasional good work, mostly (to my eye) on THOR and some romance titles, but he was far better known for being... not so good. In fact, there are many cases where Colletta erased or skipped over some of the detail provided by the penciller (often the great Jack Kirby) to make his life easier.

He was also an "interesting" (those quotes are intentional) guy. For those curious about the legendary Jim Shooter years at Marvel Comics and Mr. Colletta's view on Shooter's dismissal, check out the piece below...

http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2007/04/vinnie-collettas-exit-interview.html