Éowyn and the Nazgûl
John Howe’s incredibly dynamic and exquisitely detailed sculpture by Daniel Cockersell is now available for pre-order in faux bronze. The edition size for this fine art collectible is a mere 300, just like the first sculpture in the range, Smaug the Golden which opened for pre-order in August. You can ask John Howe questions about his new range of sculptural art from Middle-earth on the Weta Forum at the Shadow and Flame. Leave your questions there, and John will join us for a Q&A session soon.
The Red Eye of Sauron Pin
Designed by John Howe for Weta Workshop’s crew clothing, the Red Eye of Sauron became an unofficial emblem for Weta during the filming of the trilogy. When in need of a Weta technician, the film crew and cast would look for the symbol of the Red Eye. Our first batch sold out on the first day, but we now have fresh new stock, so please get your orders in!
VICTORY! Bigger, Bolder, Better, Brighter! By Broadmore!
The year’s foremost journal of progressive armaments and weaponry! Behold the latest line of defense captured in action! The second book to emerge from the printshop at Grordbort Industries, Victory follows in the footsteps of the trans-galactically successful Dr. Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory that was released last year. Victory will be available at the end of this month! Get your pre-order in so you get the art card signed by Greg Broadmore as well! This art card only comes with pre-orders placed on the Weta website!
Home, Sweet Hobbit Hole!
We have received many requests from fans, friends, customers and staff to create a collectible sculpture of Bag End, from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Today we are pleased to confirm this project has started. Read More!
Silent Night, Halo Night? Master Chief Sterling Silver Ring — the ultimate collectible for the hardcore Halo fan. The weightiest piece of bling you’ll ever own. And of course the perfect gift for the Halo fan in your family. The first production run sold out in a couple of months. And over half of them went to the glorious state of Texas! We’re curious — is Texas a Halo stronghold? Or a state fascinated by chunky jewellery? Drop us a line and tell us!
Strider’s Sword, Glamdring, Sting? What Next?
The next sword in our Lord of the Rings collection will be made available for order before Christmas. But which one will it be? We haven’t actually made the final decision yet, so why not hop onto The Shadow and Flame and discuss in the Weta Forum. We’ll be listening as usual! Andúril sold out within the first few weeks, so whichever blade is next in line, it’s likely to be very sought-after.
The hours are crawling by as we wait for the premiere of the new Steampunk and Mythology inspired Riese the Series. Being three hours ahead of the folks out in Vancouver, BC (where series creator Ryan Copple and team are located), I can’t help but wonder what time of day they plan on launching. Is Episode 1 of Chapter 1 already uploaded and just waiting for the clock to roll past midnight and officially be November 2nd so they can post the episode? Or will they wait until later in the day, when most people are awake and in the grip of their daily routines? Regardless of when it actually launches, the day has arrived, or as the tagline goes: THE HUNT IS ON! I’ve made it through months of waiting, I think I might servive a few more hours if I absolutely have to.
If you haven’t already checked out the Riese the Series website, they’ve just re-launched with an awesome new look. According to the Episodes link, the Chapter 1 episode list is as follows:
I know Chapter 2 filming will be underway in a few weeks so hopefully there won’t be too much of a break between Chapter 1 ending and Chapter 2 premiering. While you wait for the first episode to premiere, re-watch the above trailer, join the forum and bookmark the Riese websites listed here:
This honorable bovine could be the horn in the side of your most bothersome foe! It’s true! The Righteous Bison can bore a fist-sized hole through 17 yards of cheese, on tight beam, or put a zeppelin-girthed aperture in your uncle’s munitions factory (should he choose not to drop those charges). And all this without permanently damaging the family trust!
This latest collector’s model is a first for Weta in that it’s made of plastic rather than the metal normally used in its high-end line of rayguns. When Weta was asked why they chose to make this raygun model out of plastic instead of the usual material, they answered:
It wasn’t an easy decision to make a gun out of plastic, but we did it with one very specific purpose — to give cosplayers and other fans a gun they wouldn’t be too terrified to stick in a holster and take to conventions or Halloween parties or… you name it. We will definitely continue our range of high-end, limited edition guns — this is in parallel to the high-end guns and the miniatures.
ÜberSciFiGeek recently received an e-mail from Weta that proclaimed, “Guess what? Our first ever Righteous Bison review sample goes to you!” Huzzah, what luck! Practice targets were immediately picked for “review purposes”, then given a sporting head start before the zapping commenced.
Packaging:
The Righteous Bison doesn’t come in collectible packaging, like the miniature and full-size edition rayguns cast in metal. Since it’s meant to be handled, not left on a shelf, fancy packaging isn’t really necessary. The packaging still does its job admirably, though, with typical Dr. Grordbort style and humour: the cardboard box is covered in glossy, full-colour artwork, and a seal on the box’s cover reads “Kicking Protons in the Groin Since 1887”. For collectors obsessed with keeping things in mint condition, the top of the box, a flap held in place by velcro tabs, opens up to reveal a Righteous Bison-shaped, clear acetate window that allows the raygun to be displayed without removing it from its packaging. The inside of the flip-up lid features a poster-style catalogue of the entire Dr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators collection to date. For raygun enthusiasts more interested in playing than displaying, the box opens at either end to allow the liner tray to slide out. The cardboard liner has a second, moulded plastic tray on it that the raygun rests in, the whole lot secured together with wire twist ties which are wrapped in a thin foam to ensure that they don’t leave any unwanted marks on the raygun’s plastic surface.
Sculpting:
Despite a massive bulk that would give the more compact Star Trek phasers “size envy”, the Righteous Bison weighs only 2.6 pounds — less than half of the comparably sized metal rayguns’ weight — light enough to comfortably tote around on lengthy convention days. A tactile work of art, it’s just as intricately designed as the metal rayguns, save for the lack of wire-thin protrusions which malleable metal makes possible but would likely snap off a hard plastic casting. Like any plastic model, the Righteous Bison has seams running its length, but they’re so cleverly incorporated into the design of the raygun that they’re barely noticable. Scratches and dents, which at first appear to be manufacturing flaws, are actually subtle additions that enhance the raygun’s “distressed” look. Given Weta’s history of creating props for films such as The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, it’s no wonder that the Righteous Bison looks like it comes straight from a movie set. Safety Note: Prey… er, friends and family… tend to startle violently when they find themselves at the convincing business end of the Righteous Bison, so proceed with caution. “Firing” from a distance greater than arm’s reach is highly recommended for your protection and, more importantly, the preservation of your precious raygun.
Paint:
It’s the paint job that really makes this piece shine. The raygun’s gunmetal grey, copper, and black painted finish is exceptionally clean and looks very much like real metal, so much so that it wasn’t at all evident from the pictures on the Weta website that the Righteous Bison was plastic until that info was revealed in the product description. Not only has the expertly applied paint captured the look of metal, it has managed to recreate the weathered, slightly rusted look that the metal rayguns are known for. Even the red and white pressure gauges on the sides of the barrel look aged. No self-respecting steampunker would want to be seen brandishing a spotless, fresh-from-the-factory weapon (or anything else that looked like it was under fifty years old, for that matter), so kudos to Weta for retaining the antique aesthetic for its new style of raygun!
Articulation:
The Righteous Bison’s one moving part is the trigger, a delightfully unexpected detail that gives the raygun an added touch of realism and functionality.
Accessories:
Being a one-piece design and play piece, the Righteous Bison comes with no attachments or accessories, and doesn’t include a stand or case like the metal rayguns. If you really want to display it out of the box, though, Weta offers an attractive Universal Gun Stand for pre-order which ships at the beginning of next year. There’s a small, square hole at the bottom of the Righteous Bison’s handle that fits a matching rod on the metal stand, and the stand’s circular base is stamped with the Grordbort Industries logo, the same design that the Righteous Bison is based on. Another Weta item that complements the Righteous Bison is the Dr. Grordbort’s Satchel. This roomy, hand-made canvas bag with multiple pockets holds an impressive amount of gear and swag at conventions and cosplay events.
An open-ended edition priced at $99.00 US, the Righteous Bison is a steal, especially considering that the full-size metal rayguns run several hundred dollars each. If you have any steampunkers and retro sci-fi fans on your holiday shopping list, this unique gift will light up their brass goggles.
The Righteous Bison and the Dr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators collection are distributed by Weta, in partnership with Dark Horse Comics. For more information, please visit the official Dr. Grordbort’s website.
“He wanted to change the world. But the world changed him.”
Joss Whedon is one of the coolest filmmakers around. Not only does he keep churning out great shows like Firefly, Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog, but he encourages fan involvement. Firefly fans were thrilled to hear that production had begun on a fan-made Firefly film when Browncoats: Redemption was announced. It will be premiered at next summer’s DragonCon in Atlanta and takes place shortly after the events of Serenity. Now, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog fans are getting a prequel.
Premiering on November 10th, Horrible Turn takes a look at the teenage Billy and the events that led to his evil ways. Links were posted on Whedonesque.com and Twitter, where fan reactions are now pouring in. Be sure to check out the website (and read the fine print). This will be a great treat for fans who can’t wait for more Dr. Horrible.
Earlier this month, we asked you for geeky pumpkin templates. Now that All Hallow’s Eve is upon us, we thought you’d like to see the scores of entries along with all the winners.
We also spent a little time filling up your treat bag with some more Halloween fun.
We hope you’ll excuse our indulgence. We get a little excited about Halloween. Maybe you do too? After all, how often do you get to take off your mask and parade about?
Then we were buried alive — er, undead — in a pile of awesome.
Timmy’s currently clawing his way out from under your collective genius and he’s promised to hand over the encrypted golden envelope this afternoon.
We’re dance-in-our-pants excited to announce the winners — and show off our handiwork, some of which required power tools — during our 4pm EDT live Justin.tv show today!
HALLOWEEN SHOW O’ DOOM!!
At 4pm EDT this afternoon we’re beaming a live Halloween Show o’ Doom straight into your brain via the very conductive Justin.tv. It won’t hurt a bit, but you may be traumatized by:
How to make icky curdled brain drinks
The fiendish template contest winners
Our slaughtered pumpkin specimens
G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate (just kidding)
Our costume* contest with audience judging & prizes, oh no!
* You might be surprised to learn that we wear costumes — human costumes, ew — 364 days of the year. We’ve fooled senior management and the UPS guy for years, but today we appear as our real selves.
Not sure you’ll remember to fire up your browser of webs at 4pm to watch? Follow @thinkgeek and you’ll get a friendly pre-show elbow in your side.
Emilie Ullerup, best known for her roles on jPod and Sanctuary, guest stars on this week's Smallville episode, "Crossfire"
While Emilie Ullerup has won a Leo Award for Best Actress in the acclaimed show jPod, she is probably best known for the role of Ashley Magnus on Syfy’s Sanctuary. Having already guest-starred in such sci-fi and fantasy shows as Battlestar Galactica, Blood Ties and the film Paradox, she’s about to dive into another with a guest spot on this week’s Smallville. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, either.
With recent events on this season of Sanctuary, Emilie has gotten a lot of attention over the past few weeks. IMDb.com searches have gone up over 95% and a Google search of the past three weeks of posts regarding Emilie turned up almost 32,000 hits! With growing interest like that, a lot of Emilie fans may be tuning in to Smallville for the first time this week.
If you haven’t watched the first three episodes of Sanctuary this season and have avoided spoilers as of yet, don’t read any further until you’ve gone to Syfy.com and watched those episodes.
ÜberSciFiGeek (ÜSFG) I know you had surgery this summer. I’m sorry to hear you had complications! How are you recovering?
Emilie Ullerup (EU) Yeah… thank you. It was quite the process. Basically, it was a tumor that had grown out of my sacrum, wrapped itself around a couple of spinal nerves, and was causing me some grief. So, the only way to get rid of it was to surgically remove it, leaving large margins to make sure it wouldn’t spread. They took my tailbone, the nerves that were involved and (I think) some of my sacrum.
(ÜSFG) Ouch.
(EU) Ouch is right. Cool scar though! It’s easy to say that now that I’m on the other side of it. It was a life changing experience, wouldn’t do it again, but also wouldn’t take it back. I haven’t actually given the official statement until now! I know people have been wondering, so it’s time I let them know.
(ÜSFG) Yes, they have been wondering why you’ve been so quiet about it. I realize part of that would have to be because some of that time period overlapped with the Sanctuary shooting schedule and you can’t give away too many spoilers for the season. Are you expecting a full recovery? Will it affect your ability to do most of your own stunts in future projects?
(EU) It shouldn’t affect anything. It’s just a reaaalllyyy slow recovery. I’m not good at being patient but I’ve been forced to be in this case. I definitely count on being able to kick ass again some time in the future!
(ÜSFG) Good to hear!
(EU) Thanks and also thank you to everyone who has been thinking of me.
(ÜSFG) It did give you lots of time to spend with family though, right?
(EU) My mom came to Vancouver a couple of times throughout. Because there were a few unexpected bumps along the way, she felt best being here at times. It was scary and when it gets scary, the best one to have along with you is your mom… so we spent lots of time together in the hospital, talking, talking and talking.
(ÜSFG) Moms do have a knack with providing comfort in scary times.
(EU) They do indeed.
(ÜSFG) Are you pretty close to back to normal now or will it take a few more months?
(EU) I can do almost everything. I wasn’t allowed to sit for about four months, so that is still new to me. I can’t drive yet because of that but I’m going to the gym, core strengthening, trying to get back in shape, but at least I can be on my own now. I can do all the daily things. It’s crazy how much you can all of a sudden appreciate being able to put your own socks on!
(ÜSFG) When we spoke back in February about Season 2, you said you hoped the Sanctuary team would give you “some juicy, juicy stuff for us all to sink our teeth into” and “I would love some sort of head to head conflict with mom.” It seems you got what you wished for but not exactly in the way you were expecting. After being turned into a super-mutant vampire warrior and sent to destroy her mother and the rest of the Sanctuary network, Ashley apparently dies at the end of Episode 2 after being disintegrated by an electromagnetic field.
(EU) Yeaaaah… not exactly what I was expecting, you’re right.
(ÜSFG) Did your surgery have any effect on that or was this something they had already scripted before you found out about it?
(EU) No, my surgery had nothing to do with this. Killing off Ashley was a network decision made before I knew I had to have surgery but I have faith that there are no real deaths in sci-fi… There will be storylines in the future where I’m sure Ashley could be worked in…
(ÜSFG) What was your reaction to the death of Ashley when you first found out about it?
(EU) I was of course sad. I’ve had a blast on the show and I felt Ashley had so much story to explore still.
(ÜSFG) Yes, she did. And with the turning evil bit, there was so much to explore with her and through her interactions with her friends and family.
(EU) At the same time though, I am excited for what lays ahead. I am excited to get into new projects and hopefully remain busy with lots of colorful characters to explore.
(ÜSFG) I’m looking forward to it, too. I’m certain you have big things in store!
(EU) I believe that there is a reason for me to be out in the world of unemployed actors again and I can’t wait to see what happens next in my career.
(ÜSFG) Was it hard to keep the secret after reading the script?
(EU) At times it was hard. Being at Haven 1 was hard.
(ÜSFG) Oh? Lots of fan questions, I imagine.
(EU) Yeah… They were good though. They knew I couldn’t reveal too much.
(ÜSFG) You didn’t have a lot of dialog in your final three episodes so most of your acting was non-verbal. The final look Ashley gave Magnus broke a lot of fans’ hearts. What was the feel on set while filming that emotional final scene with Amanda Tapping?
(EU) Tough day for sure. Amanda and I were both really feeling the heaviness of the situation; gave way to some true organic moments. There were a few of the tough guys who had to clear their throats here and there. It was really sweet.
(ÜSFG) There’s been a lot of anguish over that final scene. That final glance, you looked 100% sincere.
(EU) Yeah, that was all real and the final scene of Eulogy was almost impossible to do. It was the final scene for me, and throughout rehearsals I was in tears. The director had to remind me that I couldn’t be in tears, that Ashley was supposed to be at peace, so I really had to pull myself together. Ryan, Robin, Chris and Amanda were all there, all so sad, and I was like “REALLY?!? I have to pull it together as the only one?!?!” There was so much love though… it felt really nice.
(ÜSFG) It’s good to know everyone was there for you though, feeling the pain of losing you to a network decision. I know you said you’ve seen some of the comments from fans over killing Ashley. Many fans, especially those who’ve been watching since the web series days, are saying they are done with the show and don’t plan to watch anymore unless she is brought back. Were you expecting this kind of backlash from fans and how do you feel about it, knowing that you’ve got such a strong, supportive fan-base? I imagine it’s a mixed feeling, appreciating the support but wanting something you put so much of yourself into to continue to thrive even without you.
(EU) I have been completely overwhelmed with the outpouring of support. I am so grateful to have so many people that care so much! And hopefully that will mean that there will be a place for Ashley in the future.
(ÜSFG) You’ve been so genuine and available to fans and that makes a huge difference in the sci-fi community.
(EU) Well, they’re all so genuine and available to me, so really, it’s a two-way street. Aw shucks… so much love everywhere…
(ÜSFG) Whether or not you return to Sanctuary, I’m certain it will continue to have a lasting influence on you as an actor and on your career. What do you think is the most important thing you have learned while working on Sanctuary?
(EU) I will be eternally grateful to Sanctuary. Were it not for Sanctuary, I would not have this huge fan-base who (I hope) will continue to follow me as I venture into new projects.
(ÜSFG) I’m sure they will!
(EU) I think the most important thing I have learned is to never take anything for granted. Things can change in a heartbeat… and also to try to not take things too personally.
(ÜSFG) Difficult but good lessons to learn.
(EU) Invaluable in this business I think.
(ÜSFG) Well, you’ve proven to be a tough cookie so I’m sure you are going to do just fine, whatever comes your way. Many fans are hoping this is a marketing ploy to stir up the fans and drive stronger interest in the show. With the body absent, it does leave lots of room for Ashley’s return at some point in the future. A lot of fans want to know what you will do until we all know if Ashley really is dead or just being manipulated by Dana and the Cabal. There are tons of independent film projects in Vancouver as well as a dozen TV shows. Have you had any auditions lately?
(EU) Oh yes, I have been very busy lately. There are still projects that I am not able to do physically, but I try to get out for as much as possible. I have been incredibly close on almost everything, which feels great. And I did an episode of Smallville but I also have to remember to heal first, work later; so, one day at a time.
(ÜSFG) You’re playing Catherine “Cat” Grant in the episode “Crossfire” which airs tomorrow night on the CW. There are a couple of leaked shots of the episode and I have to say, you are looking great! That dress suit is quite a departure from the dark outfits Ashley wore on Sanctuary or the casual wardrobe Kaitlyn wore on jPod.
(EU) Ha, yeah it sure is.
(ÜSFG) Did you like getting to play a sunny, feminine role again?
(EU) I had a lot of fun with Catherine Grant. I got to be light and bright and bumbling and a bit dorky. Bumbling and dorky are two of my own strong traits. It would be a great character to further explore but I had a blast with what I was given on the one episode.
(ÜSFG) Did you do any research into Catherine’s TV and comic book history before shooting the role?
(EU) Yeah, but they went in a bit of a different direction with the TV version.
(ÜSFG) If Smallville follows previous storylines in the Superman mythology, Catherine could very well become the third corner of a Lois/Clark/Cat love triangle. Did you and Tom (Welling) have the kind of on-screen chemistry that you think could lead to Cat Grant becoming a recurring role for you?
(EU) I guess we’ll see tomorrow! I had a blast shooting with Tom. He’s so relaxed and fun, and I know Erica (Durance) because Kyle (Cassie) worked with her earlier this year… so it would be a blast getting to muck things up for the two of them.
(ÜSFG) I think adding Cat to the mix would certainly be a great monkey-wrench in the Clark/Lois relationship that is developing this season. Hopefully the producers feel the same and invite you back a few times.
(EU) Yeah! Let’s hope!
(ÜSFG) You did a cameo in Steph Song‘s upcoming film, Paradox. Do you have any plans or have there been any talks of projects with other Podsters in the future?
(EU) Wouldn’t that be absolutely amazing?!! I think we would all LOVE to work together again. Hopefully it’ll be in the cards at some point. We are all still such close friends. It’s wonderful. That was just the dream cast, for me anyway.
(ÜSFG) I think it was for all of you. As a fan of the show, it’s great to know your onscreen chemistry extended to real life.
(EU) Yeah, we just had FUN on that set. It was nonstop silliness. And it extended well beyond the cast as well. Kyle and I are headed to J.B. Sugar‘s Halloween party tomorrow actually. We all try to see each other as often as possible. Steph just drove me to an audition earlier this week. It’s really wonderful!
(ÜSFG) That was sweet of her. She is pretty awesome.
(EU) Yup!
(ÜSFG) I personally find it an interesting coincidence that Steph’s episode and your episode of Smallville are airing back to back. 🙂
(EU) Ha! Yeah, we laughed at that too. We are continuously intertwined, her and I…
(ÜSFG) I talked to her last week and had such a blast. I can just imagine the two of you hanging out and what fun it is.
(EU) We get pretty silly. And we can lean on each other for career advice which is just invaluable.
(ÜSFG) Hopefully you’ll get to work together again in the future. 🙂 Would you consider doing another web series?
(EU) I would most certainly be interested in another web series. I have full faith in what that can do after my Sanctuary experience.
(ÜSFG) You mentioned doing a music video with Caleb’s Hope. Do you have any musical talents and aspirations for fans to look forward to? You mentioned wanting to work in New York. Is Broadway in your possible future?
(EU) Oooh… eh hehe… I can actually sing. I am shy though.
(ÜSFG) Awesome!
(EU) It’s not something I’ve worked a lot on, and therefore don’t feel super confident, but the dream is there, for sure. A musical would be a blast, like what Glee is doing right now — SO great!
(ÜSFG) Very cool! So what is your vocal range?
(EU) This is getting technical now.
(ÜSFG) Lol. Um, okay, what singers do you find it easier to sing along with or what musicals and parts do you like best and feel more comfortable belting out?
(EU) When I was driving, I would sing along to Adele. Now Kyle has to drive me everywhere, so I’ve toned down the belting. Chris (Heyerdahl) and I sang along to “Summer Nights” from Grease at the convention (Wolf Haven One), that was quite a sight…
(ÜSFG) Oh, I would have loved to have heard that.
(EU) Hehe… I bet you would…
(ÜSFG) I’m listening to Adele’s To Make You Feel My Love at the moment. How does your voice compare? Do you have that Joplin sound or just more comfortable hitting those notes?
(EU) I’m comfortable in the midrange and can relatively easily go into my falsetto… but I’m sure I’d need some fine tuning. My mom is big on music, so we always played and sang together, weddings and such…
(ÜSFG) You mentioned last night that the theatre scene isn’t that big in Vancouver but have you been to any shows?
(EU) I’ve been to a couple. It’s hit and miss here…
(ÜSFG) Awesome. I have been known to belt out “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” more than once. 😀
(EU) Me too!
(ÜSFG) You really have tons of freedom at the moment so it must be just as scary as it is exciting for you. Are you planning on sticking around Vancouver for a while longer or are you looking at making a move or spending the summer in some place like LA or New York?
(EU) I’m actually planning to do this LA thing in the New Year. It’s time to try and swim in the big pond. I feel like I’ve got enough under my belt to make it worthwhile.
(ÜSFG) You definitely have accomplished a lot in a fairly short amount of time. And you’ve covered quite a spectrum of characters in that time.
(EU) Yeah, I’ve been so lucky. There’s still so much more to learn, but at some point you have to take the leap, right?
(ÜSFG) Yes, you do. Hmm. Steph said she was going to LA this summer, too. Are you going on that adventure together?
(EU) We might very well be down there at the same time and so might Ben (Ayres); David (Copp) is already there and I think actually Torrance (Coombs) is going too! How great is THAT?!
(ÜSFG) That is awesome! Maybe you can do a cheesy horror together? I know Torrance just worked with Kody Zimmermann on the Familiar so maybe some indie project like that awaits you all.
(EU) I’m in!
(ÜSFG) You know, Steph has the production side of things (because of Island Films) and you all have such great chemistry. Ever thought of doing an indie project together, as in you all write it and produce it together? Look at films like The Brothers McMullen and Paranormal Activity. Friends got together and produced something they loved for about $10,000-$15,000 and made more then $10,000,000 at the box office.
(EU) We all have dreams of getting our own stuff made. Kyle and I have several projects that we are working on. The dream is to get to work with your friends. So when we can fit characters in that work for people we want to work with, we try to make that happen. Right now though, Kyle and I are all about developing. We’d like to sit on a bunch of creative property so that when the right connections are made, we have several different genres to lure people in with… That sounds evil… it wasn’t meant to.
(ÜSFG) No, it doesn’t sound evil. It sounds like a smart business plan. When you do get that break and produce some amazing content, you want to make sure you have another ace up your sleeve for the follow-up.
(EU) Precisely… It’s exciting to be on this side, too; to feel like you’ve got some say in your career. When the phone goes silent, it’s all about making it happen for yourself.
(ÜSFG) Yes, exactly. That’s why so many talented people are taking advantage of the Internet to directly produce their own projects, cutting out the middleman and taking control of their lives and careers.
(EU) I think that extends so much further than our profession. We have to take responsibility for our own destinies.
(ÜSFG) Yes, we do. Is there anything else you want to say to fans?
(EU) I actually have a question for the fans.
(ÜSFG) Oh?
(EU) If Ashley ever came back to the show, how could it be done in a manner where viewers aren’t like, “Oh, what a boring way to bring her back”? How to not make it “cheap”, and in what capacity would they want to see her back?
(ÜSFG) Oooh. Good question. I’ll make sure to plaster that all over the message boards, if that’s okay with you?
(EU) Yeah…
(ÜSFG) Well, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me and for being so candid. Thank you!
(EU) You’re welcome! Always a pleasure.
In science fiction, even when there’s a body, dead isn’t always dead. A perfect example would be Daniel Jackson of Stargate SG-1 who died and came back several times throughout the show and Carson Beckett of Stargate Atlantis who was brought back in the form of a clone after much backlash and an unyielding fan campaign finally overwhelmed the producer’s decision. On Battlestar Galactica, actress Katee Sackhoff and the producers of the show staged a huge blowup over the death of her character Starbuck that even the other actors of the show weren’t aware of. As part of a super-secret plot and marketing strategy, she and the producers had a very public falling out that turned out to be a ruse and Starbuck came back in a season finale surprise that completely steered the direction of the remainder of the show. Sometimes, though, favorite characters are killed off permanently, as was the case with Stargate SG-1‘s Dr. Janet Frasier.
While her future seems grim, there is some cause for hope. In a promo for interactive fan experience, Sanctuary and Beyond, we see Will Zimmerman speaking with a mystery woman in the infirmary. She asks, “Will my blood be of any use to Dr. Magnus’ daughter? Will she be able to save her?” Zimmerman replies “I don’t know” before getting interrupted by our eavesdropping.
Season 2 is already filmed and in post-production so we fans will just have to wait out the season to find out if Ashley is Daniel-Dead or Janet-Dead. In the meantime, get your Emilie Ullerup fix by watching her tomorrow night on Smallville and by picking up the DVD of the wonderful series jPod. Paradox is still in post-production but should be out sometime in 2010 so don’t forget to keep watching for that as well.
Thanks to Emilie for taking the time to speak with us today and a special thank-you to 2Shy, ljscott, PlayItGrand, WR_Systems, Missreepicheep, Aaron and Victoria for sending in questions for her.
From the depths of the sea (or the shelves of the bookstore, as the case may be) comes Quirk Classics’ newest addition to the Jane Austen bookshelf: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Following in the blood-strewn footsteps of Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, author Ben H. Winters joins forces with Jane Austen to produce a “tale of romance, heartbreak, and tentacled mayhem,” as the back cover informs us. As the narratives of these two authors join together readers find themselves immersed in a world in which the mysterious Alteration has caused all manner of sea critters to fight against man, the ocean one big steaming soup pot of ill-tempered bouillabaisse.
Significantly more extended from the original Austen text than Zombies, Sea Monsters achieves a type of Gilligan’s Island-meets-the-English-countryside, as Norton Park, estate of Sir John Middleton, is transformed into a windswept archipelago off the Devonshire coast, with Norton Cottage situated on the charmingly named Pestilent Isle. The rolling English hills, woody forests, and pastoral views of the original text are replaced with a smoldering steam-venting mountain, hostile plantlife, mysterious chanting Island natives, and tiki torches. Oh, and let’s not forget the chowder of sea life waiting in the softly lapping waves to sting, maim, and eat their corseted enemies.
Sir John Middleton gets a boost of interest as a middle-aged adventurer, a daring world traveller with a collection of sea treasures, which includes his wife Lady Middleton, her coldness and aloofness quite logically explained by the fact that John Middleton stole her away from her native island in a sack. Likewise her mother, Mrs. Jennings, and sister, Mrs. Palmer, were taken back to England like so many souvenirs. One could, if one were inclined to analyze Sea Monsters in a literary way, interpret this as a dig against the English way of colonizing. Just saying.
At the invitation of John Middleton comes the family Dashwood — mother and three sisters — to live at Barton Cottage, where they are soon swept up in a sea of social activities, games, pirate-themed parties, and romantic confusion. Staid Elinor hides her feelings from the proper Edward Ferrars when the news of his engagement to Lucy Steele hits her like a rogue wave, while passionate Marianne finds herself between the gold-digging Willoughby (his insignia in Sea Monsters is comprised of shovels in the formation of a “W”) and the fish-faced Colonel Brandon, who, by a sea witch curse, seems to have found himself sporting a full beard of tentacles. Which only plays up that “judging by appearances” thing. And Margaret? Well, she’s gone a bit cocoloco in the jungle of Pestilent Isle.
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters employs a similar formula to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. But instead of zombies, ninjas, and katana swords, Sea Monsters is liberally watered with sea monsters, pirates, and driftwood sculptures. And all those social dinners and good eating of the original text become an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, as the Dashwoods and their friends attempt to eat their enemies whole, filleted, and with a dab of butter.
But why sea monsters? Well, why not? There’s a fair bit of gloomy English rain in the original novel anyways, so it’s not that much of stretch to have Marianne saved by the dashing Willoughby from a malevolent octopus instead of saved from the rain and a bit of a turned ankle. And it’s all in good fun when a jellyfish of ogre proportions suddenly launches itself out of the ocean and puts a bit of a damper on the beach party by swallowing and dissolving one of the party guests.
Furthermore, the cantankerous sea serves as one big aquatic metaphor for the delicate social fabric of Jane Austen’s England. When Elinor and Marianne go to town, they go not to some mundane English city, but to an Atlantis-type world known as Sub-Marine Station Beta. Here, as the action of the novel heats up, our heroines are literally trapped by social convention; not just surrounded by gaping mouths as on Pestilent Isle, but fully and completely submersed into the stew of social stings and bites in a glass-domed underwater city. Floundering to keep the gossips and the vengeful circus lobsters at bay, Elinor and Marianne are nevertheless swept into a tidal pool of deceit and misunderstandings.
The army of ire-filled water beasts are also a perfect foil for the unmentionable aspects of English society. It is no accident that aquatic attacks occur at the most socially awkward moments. While Lucy Steele blethers on in her typical ignorantly blissful fashion of her secret engagement to Edward Ferrars, the lovesick and mortified Elinor fights off the two-headed Devonshire Fang-Beast. And when Elinor, Lucy, and Edward are later trapped together in the same room, forced to make pleasantries in a most awkward way, their writhing emotions are mirrored by the death thrashes of a servant outside the glass dome who is eaten by a particularly toothsome anglerfish while trying to fix a filtration unit. While Lucy prattles and Edward and Elinor blush, the servant’s pleas for help become “a rather embarrassing violation of decorum; Elinor and her guests studiously ignored him, and his increasingly insistent thrashing became the background to the ensuing uncomfortable exchange.”
As the visit to Sub-Marine Station Beta lengthens into weeks, the flurry of intricately hidden truths slowly comes undone, just as the dome itself is undone by the persistent tappings of a posse of swordfish. The spiderweb of cracks spreads throughout the dome like the whispery echoes of repeated gossip, the dome glass finally shattering in one spectacular explosion of truth by a particularly mythic narwhal and a gruesome bull walrus.
But the adventure isn’t over yet! Escaping from the dome, our heroines and their party must sail across the dangerous seas, outrunning the Pirate Dreadbeard and his cronies. And then there is the big catalyst of the story: the part where Marianne sits in wet grass, gets sick, and finally has a change of heart towards Colonel Brandon. Only it’s so much better when she goes to a swamp to ruminate, gets eaten alive by malarial mosquitoes, and is left in a delirium of pecking parakeets… oh, and finally has a change of heart towards Colonel Brandon.
In fact, everyone’s happiness is much grander with sea monsters. Elinor’s standoff with Willoughby is at gun point when she mistakes him for the Pirate Dreadbeard, Colonel Brandon retrieves Mrs. Dashwood for the ailing Marianne and slays the pirate, Edward is released from his engagement to Lucy, who is actually a sea witch, and Pestilent Isle is actually one giant, cranky sea monster!
Like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters concludes with a Reader’s Discussion Guide, meant to make one ponder the deeper meaning of Sea Monsters as well as snort with laughter. In fact, these questions really emphasize what this literary marriage of Austen and crotchety tunas is all about. One can take the novel to a new level, as outlined in question 2, and ponder the metaphorical link between monster attacks and painful personal setbacks, or one can, as outlined in question 10, try to name other works of Western literature that feature orangutan valets who are slain by pirates. Really, it’s all in how you read the book.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters are distributed by Quirk Books (International/US) and Raincoast Books (Canada).
Fifteen-year-old Nya is an orphan struggling for survival in a city crippled by war. She is also a Taker — with her touch, she can heal injuries, pulling pain from another person into her own body. But unlike her sister Tali and the other Takers who become Healers’ League apprentices, Nya’s skill is flawed: She can’t push that pain into pynvium, the enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it from person to person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from forces occupying her city. If discovered, she could be used as a human weapon against her own people.
Rumours of another war make Nya’s life harder, forcing her to take desperate risks just to find work and food. She pushes her luck too far and exposes her secret to a pain merchant eager to use her shifting ability for his own sinister purposes. At first Nya refuses, but when Tali and other League Healers mysteriously disappear, she’s faced with some difficult choices. As her father used to say, principles are a bargain at any price, but how many will Nya have to sell to get Tali back alive?
A longtime fantasy reader, Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. She tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. She lives in Georgia with her husband, four cats, and one nervous fresh-water eel.
For many comic book fanatics it was Stan Lee or Jack Kirby who stole their hearts and made them life-long fans. For artists, the likes of Georgia O’Keeffe or Salvidor Dali influenced their love of art. For me, my comic book and artistic muse was one and the same: Mike Grell.
Like any other kid, I read any comic I could get my hands on but my favorites were always the high fantasy stories like Turok, Son of Stone and Conan the Barbarian. When Mike Grell introduced The Warlord, it brought about a resurgence of fantasy when the rest of the comic world was being over-run by mutants. Arion, Lord of Atlantis, Arak, Son of Thunder and other fantasy titles became mainstream finally, rather than relegated to independent publishers like Richard and Wendy Pini’s ElfQuest.
Mike wasn’t just drawing loincloth clad men wielding swords though. He was drawing incredibly detailed human figures at a time when other characters were becoming more loosely drawn. When other comics began relying on flashy ink, his comics would still look great in black and white. He wasn’t just drawing comics, he was creating art. As well as being a wonderful artist, Mike Grell was a great storyteller. The Warlord didn’t rely on just his fantastic art but compelling stories set in an Edgar Rice Burroughs or H. Rider Haggard-like other world. A blend of classic science fiction and fantasy, The Warlord followed the adventures of Lt. Col. Travis Morgan, an Air Force pilot shot down while on recon over icebound Russia. As he brings down his aircraft, he crashes in a land of eternal sunlight where magic and monsters still exist.
Based on the Hollow Earth theory (and Grell did his homework on it), Skartaris exists at the center of the Earth. The theory is that most planets are actually donut shaped with holes at the poles and a molten sun-like core at the center. The opening at the poles is gradual, spanning some 500 miles and thus is undetectable as one enters the center of the earth. This theory explains freshwater flows that should have been salty and grassy plains that should have been icebound that were found by Admiral Bird on one of his journeys to the poles. It also explains the phenomenon of Water Sky where the sky at the poles seems to mirror the surface of water and broken ice. It also explains why so many planets that are devoid of water appear to have polar ice caps: It’s the glow of the inner sun showing through the polar openings. Whether you think the theory is hogwash or potentially true, when you enter the lost world of Skartaris, it is a fact that Morgan deals with every day.
Introduced in a D.C.’s 1st Issue Special #8 in 1975, The Warlord premiered in its own series by DC Comics in 1976 and ran through 1989 with 133 issues. Grell prolifically worked on other titles such as Green Arrow: Longbow Hunters, Aquaman and his original series Shaman’s Tears and Jon Sable (which was published as a novel, was a short lived TV series and is still in development for a film adaptation). 1992 saw the brief return of The Warlord in a 6 issue mini-series. Continuing to be popular, a new series began in 2006 sans Grell. This new story was “reinvisioned” and upon opening the first issue, I literally cried, I was so horrified. Everything I loved about Grell’s Warlord was sorely absent. I guess I’m not the only one who felt that way as the new series was short-lived. It ended after only 10 issues and is largely regarded by fans as a bad dream that never really happened.
At 2008’s San Diego Comic-Con, while talking to Glenn Hauman over at the ComicMix booth (whose SABLE poster caught my eye), I was informed that Grell was coming back to the series as writer and cover artist. I was so thrilled, I ended up talking about how Grell had influenced my drawing style growing up, that his artwork inspired me and taught me how to draw, etc. For as long as I can remember, Mike Grell has been influencing me artistically, especially when trying to learn to draw again after a car accident robbed me of the ability. After hearing my story, Grell’s assistant (who had been sitting at the table listening to the discussion) sent me straight over to meet Mike, whom I had been unable to see all week due to other obligations. I had my first truly fan-girl moments as I stood teary-eyed and silent, looking through his portfolio (original hand-drawn art!) while listening to him tell the story of how The Warlord came to be published. After meeting him and his wife (and getting my First Issue Special #8 signed), I think my head was spinning. It was the perfect ending to my Comic-Con experience. Not only had I gotten to meet my hero, but I had learned that The Warlord was coming back.
Finally, it’s here. Issue #1 of the new The Warlord premiered in April with Mike Grell writing and doing the covers. Artists Joe Prado, Walden Wong, Chad Hardin and Wayne Faucher did a fine job with the artwork in issues 1 through 6. While not as beautiful as the work done by Grell himself, it did a much better job of capturing the essence of his work than previous artists did with the original series after Grell’s departure or in the 10-issue nightmare from 2006. With Issue #7, which is currently at your local newsstand or comic book shop, Grell returns as writer and illustrator. You can see some fabulous samples of his un-inked pages at his website to get a taste of what I mean about how amazing his art looks in black and white.
Unlike the 2006 relaunch of the series, this story doesn’t try to reinvent the character but rather picks up today and revisits the world we left behind in 1992. While some long-time fans will still have questions lingering about secrets and events from the past, new readers will not feel like they are on the outside looking in. The story picks up from the point of view of Alysha, a paleontologist who discovers a frozen dinosaur in a cave at The Roof of the World in Tibet. After bringing a special team in to secretly study the specimen, they discover something else in the cave: a portal to the lost world of Skartaris. Through the events that unfold after this discovery, Alysha gets a brief recap of the original storyline and Grell very craftily eases the reader into the history and events that shaped the success of the original run of the series.
The introductory storyline wraps up neatly at the end of the first 6 issues and a new storyline begins in issue 7 with Grell completely at the helm. The storyline is, as always, well told and intriguing. Grell has a knack for exploring moral ambiguities and flaws in his creations and his characters are not the polished and perfect heroes you see in many other publications. As a result, his stories are more interesting, his characters more compelling and real. While the wonderful storytelling makes me read through the story quickly to devour every moment, the artwork and layout gives me pause and sends me back through the issue to study each panel for details and imagery that tell the story even more completely.
I’m absolutely thrilled by the new The Warlord and hope this new series has the longevity of the original run. You don’t have to have read the original series to be able to get into this, but for those of you who missed The Warlord first time around, you can check out Showcase Presents: Warlord Vol. 1. This new, quality paperback includes reprints of the 1st Issue Special #8 and issues 1-28 of the original series.
