BSR’s resident Ghostbusters nerd (yours truly) received an e-mail from ZOMBIEcarrol about IDW’s Ghostbusters: The Other Side. Newsarama has a sneak preview of the first 5 pages. Go check it out!

Egon Spengler! Ray Stantz! Winston Zeddemore! Peter Venkman! The original Ghostbusters return in an all-new, four-part Ghostbusters story from IDW! Writer Keith Champagne (Green Lantern Corp, The Flash) is joined by artist Tom Nguyen in this new Ghostbusters saga. When the Ghostbusters capture a group of ghostly crooks, they unknowingly run afoul of a gang comprised of the spirits of some of America’s most legendary gangsters. Dead or alive, the mafia knows exactly how to deal with a problem like the Ghostbusters: rub ‘em out!

According to the LA Times, it seems as though George Lucas is cooking on an idea for the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise.

Harrison Ford said Friday that momentum is building for a fifth movie in the “Indiana Jones“  franchise and that George Lucas is already cooking up a suitable plot for a heroic senior citizen with a penchant for whips and fedoras.

“It’s crazy but great,” the 66-year-old Ford said. “George is in think mode right now.”

Now, though, the latest success and the fact that the franchise’s old machinery was revived has Ford thinking a fifth movie is not only a viable idea, but an attractive one.

“It’s automatic, really, we did well with the last one and with that having done well and been a positive experience, it’s not surprising that some people want to do it again,” Ford said.

I think the only stipulation should be that Frank Darabont writes the script.  I read his version of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (back when it was called Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods) and it was leaps and bounds better than David Koepp’s script which was ultimately the one that was shot.

But you all know me and you know I’m never opposed to George Lucas giving us more of the characters I love to watch.

At the end of the day, I think this is good news.

Then you got it! Jones Soda and Dark Horse comics are teaming up and selling Jones Soda with 6 different Limited Edition Labels featuring your favorite Dark Horse Comic Characters! Here’s what they had to say in the officialy press release:

Dark Horse Comics, known for breaking tradition and bucking trends, is excited to announce the company’s participation in the Jones Limited program at www.myjones.com with the like-minded soda maker, Jones Soda Co.

As part of this program, fans of comics and soda alike will be able to purchase collectible-themed bottles featuring some of their favorite Dark Horse characters and art. One hundred numbered and limited six-pack bottles will be available just in time for Halloween on October 7th. The program will launch with Eric Powell’s The Goon, and the iconic thirteen-year-old Emily the Strange, and will only be available at www.myjones.com. The Goon will be available on October 7 and Emily the Strange limited-edition bottles will arrive on October 14th.

MyJones was developed to create a unique and personal connection with Jones consumers by allowing them to customize their own bottles. 

In 2002, Jones Soda received the patent for the unique MyJones process, and the service continues to be one of the most popular features that Jones Soda offers today.

“This is a really fun way to expose our characters to a whole new market,” says Dark Horse President and founder Mike Richardson. “We have a lot of great ideas on how to make this partnership an exciting one and the flexibility and creativity of the Jones staff make them the perfect company for us to work with. Most importantly, we love the soda!”

“We are excited to work with such an iconic company like Dark Horse Comics that has always inspired the imagination and challenged the status quo,” says Jones Soda COO, Joth Ricci. “The spirit of these two brands will be an exciting partnership combining our premium soda and their epic characters.”

Then you got it!

Here’s the official Press Release. The awesomely amazing Robert Kirkman is guaranteeing that all of his titles, Walking Dead, Invincible, Brit, and Astounding Wolf-Man will be shipped by their solicited date!

PRESS RELEASE - ROBERT KIRKMAN GUARANTEES: ON-TIME IN ‘09!

All Robert Kirkman penned titles now featuring guaranteed ship dates!

2 October 2008 (Berkeley, CA) - Starting this January, Robert Kirkman gives his books the one thing fans have demanded for years - guaranteed ship dates!

“That’s right, kids, this time it’s for real,” said Kirkman. “Every single one of my titles - WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN and BRIT - will now be guaranteed to ship by their solicited date. This isn’t an empty promise and I’ve taken that extra step of hiring Aubrey Sitterson, an editor for my entire line, a guy you may know from his days at Marvel.”

Aubrey Sitterson, who first worked with Kirkman on titles such as THE IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN and MARVEL TEAM-UP, has been quietly working with Kirkman for the last several months, ensuring the upcoming resolicited books hit their target date.

Sitterson said, “I spent years wrangling Robert at the House of Ideas. Now, I’m champing at the bit to crack the whip and mix whatever metaphors necessary to get every last one of his books out on time - no exceptions and no excuses!”

The guaranteed ship dates will begin this January, with ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #12, BRIT #12, INVINCIBLE #58 and THE WALKING DEAD #57.

Image Comics is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists.  Since that time, Image has gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. There are currently five partners in Image Comics (Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino), and Image is currently divided into four major houses (Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, and Image Central). Image comics and graphic novels cover nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable, offering science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. Visit www.imagecomics.com.

Joe Keatinge

PR & Marketing Coordinator

Image Comics

On Wednesday, Iron Man director Jon Favreau was the center of attention as he answered questions about Iron Man and Iron Man 2 at the Los Angeles Times. You can still read the entire transcript at the LA Times website, but Super Hero Hype! was kind enough to pull out Favreau’s answers to the questions that covered the sequel:

We’re playing with who the villain should be and what we should incorporate from the comic book. And how it will lead into the Avengers.

I’m working with Justin a writer. He’s writing the first draft of the script. I’m working with a story board artist. As well as designing the costumes for good guys and bad guys.

I think its important for all filmmakers working for Marvel to collaborate so there is a consistency in the films, so yes they should keep in touch. I had not been in touch really with Louis during”Hulk” and I think that would have been helpful. I hope to be in contact with directors in the future.

No Dresden, but Marty and Elayne would make good supervillians.

Mandarin is still an important figure in the Iron Man universe. We have an interesting take on him that allows us to incorporate the whole pantheon of villains. The whole 10 Rings thing in IM 1 was a good tease for it.

The sequel is shaping up to incorporate Tony’s vision for the future. What happens after he says “I am Iron Man?”

I focus mostly on story and character. I put a great value on emotion, humor and natural dialogue. The effects are fun to explore in original ways, but without a strong story, they mean nothing.

An earlier answer that scrambled: Now that marvel is making its own movies, every movie has to fit into the Marvel universe. the Avengers incorporates not just Iron Man, but Thor, possibly the Hulk and traditionally Captain America as well. As it is, it’s scheduled Thor will come out the same summer as “Iron Man2″ and Captain America will come out a few months before Avengers. All the films have to come together to create a consistent universe.That’s very important to everyone involved.

Robert brought him to life “for real.” I found a guy that embodied enough of the qualities of Tony Stark to imbue him with an emotional reality. Fergus and Ostby and Markum and Holloway added much to the equation as writers as well.

Happy Hogan can no longer be a wall flower. I must marry Pepper someday. And let’s not rule out the Freak! I have tremendous leverage to make such demands! Stay tuned.

Shield is imortant to the franchise, and what is Shield without Fury?

The only other comic character I would do is Groo.

The “connection” you ask about relates directly to the Mythic “rise of the hero” or hero’s journey. The character must grow or change over the course of the film. If not, the movie goes emotionally flat and relies on tittilation.

We need War Machine. Agreed. Shoulder cannons and all.

Stark has issues with booze. That’s part of who he is. I don’t think we’ll ever do the Leaving Las Vegas version, but it will be dealt with.

The date is daunting. We are making much faster progress than the first time around and have much less to design and fewer casting issues. I am confident that 2010 is achievable if we continue working together as we have for tha past few months. It has to be great, though. It has to be great.

My seven year old son said Iron Man was the second best movie of the year. #1 was Panda.

The new Fraction books are pretty great. We flew him out to LA to discuss story. He’s a great comic writer. Also, love Adi’s art. He will work on the movie’s designs.

There’s always room for improv on my sets. I set up multiple cameras and let them rip.

I think we need some version of “classic villains” in these movies. Many don’t hold up well to time and to the big screen, but their essence should inspire the characters.

Female villain… Now there’s an interesting notion.

Tough to actually shoot in IMAX when you have a CG hero much of the time. The effects becaome very expensive and may not look as good in the higher resolution. Worked very well for DK, though.

Iron Man is indeed a celebrity. He announced who he was and we have now officially departed from the standard secret ID superhero. Tony was already famous before the announcement. What would really happen if this went down? Fun to explore.

It would seem so.

According to IMDb, McG and the CW have teamed up for a show about Dick “DJ” Grayson’s pre-Robin days in the circus:

Batman’s sidekick Robin has landed his own TV show.

The Graysons will explore Robin’s alter-ego Dick ‘DJ’ Grayson before he paired up with the caped crusader.

The show is being made by Warner Bros. and director McG’s Wonderland Sound and Vision - and will appear on U.S. network The CW.

Knowing how unreliable Batman news on IMDb can be, I checked Variety.  Unfortunately the story’s solid.

They’re eyeing this as a replacement to Smallville, which I was never terribly interested in.  But, at least with a young Clark Kent, he’s exhibiting his powers and the like.  Dick’s (or “DJ” in this case) character really isn’t really there until his parents are killed.  How long can they spread it out before they have to bring Bruce into it?  Will a show about a kid acrobat in a travelling circus be that interesting?  Will it be interesting enough for comics fans?

I wonder.

Happy Halloween month. Everyone should be making some rocking costumes this year. Let’s talk about the lack of awesome comics this week.

• Invincible #53 When exactly is Omni-Boy going to turn into one of Invincible’s rogues?
• Alcoholic Hardcover You can read Swank’s review here.
• Beyond Wonderland #2 Imagine that, another review from Swank. This book is great.

MTv broke the following yesterday evening:

Well, now that the news has broken that both Raimi and Maguire have signed back on for a fourth and fifth installment – with a hefty paycheck attached as well — MTV News posed the big question to Dunst while she was promoting her upcoming film, “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” with Simon Pegg. Is she in or is she out?

“I’m in,” said the actress matter of factly. However, when pressed to make the announcement official, Dunst quickly changed her tone, and rather cryptically added, “I’m not saying anything, I know there’s rumors…”

Now, this robot is probably one of the more forgiving of the short comings of Spider-Man 3 than the rest of my fellow bots, but I was kind of hoping they would use Dunst’s lack of commitment to take a break from her really bad portrayal of Mary Jane. I haven’t liked her MJ from the beginning, and I was really hoping they would write her out of the script, or at least give her a very limited part in 4 and 5, send her off to Hollywood to go after her acting/modeling career and allow some sparks to fly between Peter and Bryce Dallas Howard’s much better portrayal of Gwen Stacy; develop that relationship a little more since they decided to do things a little ass-backwards with her character.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m glad they are moving forward with the franchise. I hope they start a brand new story arch and don’t take a whole hell of a lot from the previous one. The mistakes of the past movie are not irredeemable and there is still some good stuff to explore in these movies with the current cast, director, and direction. But as far as Dunst returning… really don’t care.

Variety announced that none other than Kenneth Branagh will be directing Thor.

Here’s the scoop:

Kenneth Branagh is negotiating to direct “Thor,” the next Marvel Comics property that will be turned into a live-action film by Marvel Studios. Pic will be released in 2010.

Can’t get much cooler than that in my opinion. Branagh has directed a few great movies (Henry V, Dead Again, Frankenstein) and the man is a genius when it comes to the sort of Shakespearian dialogue required of the Norse God Thor.

So… Chew on that.

The Feel good directing choice of the year!-Slugtron

Welcome back to another week and another addition to our top 100 of the last 25 years list.  (Check out last weeks list here.)  It’s odd that some years just have greatness concentrated into them, like 1997, at the bottom.

Be sure to leave your comments about how bad we’re screwing this up at the bottom. (recaps written by Swank-mo-tron and Dr. Cyborg.)

1990:

28. Goodfellas (IMDb) -”Go home and get your fuckin’ shine box!” ‘Nuff said. (Trailer)

29. Millers Crossing (IMDb) - Joel and Ethan Coen have created the third “Swiss Watch” screenplay on the Big Shiny Robot! list. This film is so wonderfully written and with a cast in perfect form (Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, John Turturro, among others) that it’s hard to believe. This film is also an exercise in opposites: Funny and Noir, Sentimental and Cold, Loyalty and Betrayal. And the whole time, the Coens are one step ahead of the rest of us. (Trailer)

1991:

30. JFK (IMDb) - Oliver Stone crafted a masterpiece of American cinema that casts further suspicion on one of the most questioned events in the history of the United States. A striking note about this film is that it keeps you on the edge of your seat, even though all you’re really doing is listening to people sit around a table (literally) and talk about what happened. And the film is so thrilling that you can easily watch it (it clocks in over 3 hours) and then spend that much time and more discussing it afterwards, it’s that full of revelation. And this movie is so good that it earns Kevin Costner a pass on Waterworld and the Postman. (Trailer)

1992:

31. Reservoir Dogs (IMDb) - An unsuccessful independent filmmaker once asked Quentin Tarantino at a comic-con appearance, “How do I make an independent film as successful as Reservoir Dogs?” Quintin Tarantino replied, “You need to make a movie that kicks ass, you need to drop nitroglycerin on the audience’s lap, you need to blow them away. Reservoir Dogs did that, it kicks ass. So what I am saying is, if your movie isn’t popular it’s because it doesn’t kick enough ass!” Well said Mr. Tarantino. (Trailer)

32. Glengarry Glen Ross (IMDb) - If you were to tell us to watch a movie about a bunch of guys trying to sell real estate, we would probably tell you to take a flying fuck at a rolling donut. But this movie not only makes Dr. Cyborg regret ever telling that to his robot mother, but it also tells him that he was completely wrong. This is a terrific screen play by David Mamet, with lots of good characters, played by dynamite actors (including Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey.) (Trailer)

1993:

33. Jurassic Park (IMDb) - Although this movie is ridiculed amongst us robots for it’s blatant disregard of what the “Jurassic Period” even is, (Tyrannosaurus didn’t even live until the late Cretaceous, Duh!!!) we still love it all the same. A healthy mix of suspense and horror, This movie is fun for the whole family. And you have got to appreciate the fact that they made this movie look amazing, without going all out CG, although when they did use it, it was still breathtaking. (Remember the moment they first see the Brachiosaur?) It’s ridiculous that this movie actually made a dinosaur cool I.E. school children talking about Velociraptors, etc. (True Story: this movie is where most of us robots picked up the skills to hack a Linux machine.) (Trailer)

34. Schindlers List (IMDb) - It’s downright unbelieveable to think that one man could get two films on this list in the same year and deserve both slots equally, but Steven Spielberg figured out how to do it and we can’t think of a more mismatched pair of movies for a director to crank out in the same year. If theres one thing that makes a robot want to cry and kill all humans, it’s watching a barbaric group of humans kill other humans. All kidding aside, this movie is heartbreaking and deserves every accolade it received. It should also be required viewing for everyone. Period. (Trailer)

35. True Romance (IMDb) - We didn’t think Tony Scott would make it on the list, but here we are, and with a movie that actually belongs on the list, maybe not for the direction but for the witty screenplay, and memorable supporting roles. Were not just talking about Gary Oldman the pimp either, although that mother fucker surely demonstrated how well he can transform, but also Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and Brad Pitt. If we were going to do this list in order, this one might be at the bottom, but a really fun movie none the less. (Trailer)

1994:

36. Leon (aka The Professional) (IMDb) - This film is Luc Beeson’s masterpiece. A perfect blend of drama and action, every film involving gun-play and a showdown owes everything to this film. It’s rare to see an action film of this caliber that has an emotional climax equal to or exceeding the action one, but this film has a heart to it that is unparalleled in this genre. (Trailer)

37. Pulp Fiction (IMDb) - Not only one of the best movies in the last 25 years, one of the best movies ever made. Not just entertaining, but also brilliant. To prove it’s brilliance I have designed a fool proof way to demonstrate it’s brilliance. How I intend to do this? By asking a question. Could a movie that wasn’t brilliant bring John Trovolta back? I didn’t think so. This movie changed the way that people watch movies, and is one of the most influential movies ever made. Mixing raw witticism, great character, brutal reality, and genius story telling. This movie has it all. (Trailer)

38. Ed Wood (IMDb) - A film about the worst filmmaker to ever live is somehow inspirational. A feat in and of itself, but then being utterly brilliant and funny wasn’t enough either, they had to get some of the best actors giving the best performances of their lives as well. It’s about a transvestite that was born to be something that he just couldn’t understand, and not only could he not understand it, but his every instinct, mathematically wrong. If Johnny Depp was going to be nominated for an Academy Award, I wish it were for this and not Pirates of the Caribbean. (Trailer)

39. Quiz Show (IMDb) - This understated Robert Redford film is considered one of the best films of all time by a few of the Robot’s on the staff and deserves many more accolades than it’s received. Quiz Show tells the true story of the rigging of television quiz shows in the fifties and the witch hunt that ensued. Many people will point to John Turturro and Ralph Fiennes as the outstanding performance in the film, but all the credit belongs to Rob Morrow, who needs to act in more movies. This film should also get some type of Best Cameo award for Redford’s use of Martin Scorsese as a sleazy Geritol executive. (Trailer)

40. Shawshank Redemption (IMDb) - Although this film, to some degree, is vastly overrated (#1 of all time according to IMDb users, seriously?), it is a great film and deserving of it’s place on lists like this. Frank Darabont took a Stephen King short story and turned it into a fantastic film that each and everyone of you has seen. (Trailer)

1995:

41. Se7en (IMDb) - David Fincher’s breakout film (though in some circles Alien 3 is considered his first masterpiece, Se7en redefined the genre of serial killer investigation films in a way that is mimicked (though nowhere near as capably) to this day. The performances all stand out, but Kevin Spacey’s most of all in the sort of role that Orson Welles made famous with The Third Man. (Trailer)

42. Twelve Monkeys (IMDb) - (This was a good year for Brad Pitt) This movie is truly brilliant science fiction. Telling the story of a dying future that sends a psychotic convict into the past to hopefully save them, this movie is extremely well constructed creating most of it’s own mythos. It was indeed a perfect fit for director Terry Gilliam who really gets across his own unique vision and isn’t afraid to tell an epic story without pandering to the lowest common denominator. (Trailer)

43. Dead Man (IMDb) - Another Jim Jarmusch film, that follows William Blake (Johnny Depp) to a boomtown in the old west where he thinks he has a job. Things quickly take a turn for the worst when he ends up sleeping with a woman and she ends up being shot while in bed with him. He is then pursued by assassins as he makes a getaway through some pretty weird shit. Definitely one of the best Jarmusch films, and definitely the best Iggy Pop cameo that we can think of. Extremely well made and told at an extremely odd pace all we can say about it is that we love this movie. (Trailer)

1996:

44. Hard Eight (aka Sydney) (IMDb) - PT Anderson is a filmmaker that we all hold dear to our hearts and his first film is something out of a dream. Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make scenes that seem as though they shouldn’t work sizzle and then Anderson throws Samuel L. Jackson and Gwyenth Paltrow into the pot and you’ve got something truly special. If you haven’t seen this film, you owe it to yourself to see it as quickly as possible. (Trailer)

44. Mother Night (IMDb) - Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s work ever put to film, Mother Night is a smart spy thriller that keeps you alternating between laughing and tense at the edge of your seat. Nick Nolte, Alan Arkin and Sheryl Lee prop up a cast that make this film perfect in every way. If you watch only one trailer from this entire list of movies, however, make it this one. It’s perhaps the best trailer ever cut in the history of cinema. (Trailer)

46. Fargo (IMDb) - There is no question that the Coen brothers know how to make a good movie, this isn’t there first masterpiece, and it certainly isn’t their last, but even still this movie stands out in the crowd. Funny as any comedy that comes into my recollection, but also shocking and serious. This is based on a true story and won two well deserved Academy Awards. (Trailer)

1997:

47. L.A. Confidential (IMDb) - Easily one of the best modern noirs ever made, Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland adapted an unfilmable novel into a cohesive screenplay that keeps you on the edge of your seat for it’s entire running time. Solid all the way through, this is, quite possibly, Hanson’s greatest achievement as a director. The tone of the film and the feel of the locations and time are echoed in casting choices, the music and the look of the actual film, turing this into one of the few actual tour de force sort of films in cinema history. (Trailer)

48. Live Flesh (IMDb) - Pedro Almodovar delivers what many claim to be a masterpiece in this small and subtle relationship drama. With Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz toplining this film, it’s an almost fairy-tale look at infidelity and human nature. (Trailer)

49. As Good As It Gets (IMDb) - It’s hard to get a robot to watch any movie about human interaction, unless that interaction is killing. This is one of those delightful exceptions. Telling the story of Melvin Udall, an obsessive compulsive writer, whom is forced to change for the good of the human race. It is witty, funny, and somehow romantic. (Trailer)

50. Wag the Dog (IMDb) - Written by David Mamet and Directed by Barry Levinson, this film was shot in just a few weeks while Levinson was waiting for special effects to be completed on his failure, Sphere. With an all-star cast led by Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman, this is one of the funniest and most relevant comedies every to grace the genre of biting social commentary. (Trailer)

51. Life is Beautiful (IMDb) - This film is gloomy and hard to watch but equally funny, and romantic. Of course us robots don’t cry, but our optical receptors were certainly a little soggy when we watched this movie. Guido (Benigni) turns out to be quite a good director (when he isn’t trying to play Pinocchio.) We certainly think this movie has a spot on the top 100, although we’re not sure how much re-watchability it has, just because it’s so damn sad. (Trailer)

52. The Sweet Hereafter (IMDb) - Atom Egoyan’s film follows Ian Holm as an ambulance chasing lawyer going door to door soliciting his services to parents of children who died in a horrible bus crash, this film is the personification of understated beauty. It also captures a wonderful ambiguity in the filmmaking that forces you to put your logic circuits to good use. (Trailer)

So, join us next week for Part 3.  And if you missed it last week, here’s Part 1.