Monday, May 30, 2011

Casting Game of Thrones - Season 2: Balon Greyjoy

HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday, April 17th to rave reviews and decent ratings. That combination was enough for the network to officially greenlight a second season. We'll be getting at least 10 more episodes in the spring of 2012, covering the events of the second book, A Clash of Kings.


If you've read the series, you know that means we'll be seeing a host of new characters, in addition to the favorites who managed to survive season 1. I've always been a huge fan of casting speculation, so I'm channeling my excitement for season 2 into a series of posts where I cast the major roles. And don't forget, Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage were the fan favorites to play Ned & Tyrion, so who knows, maybe I'll actually get one right along the way.

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Balon Greyjoy
Art by Amok
 Balon is the Lord of the Iron Islands, and Theon Greyjoy's father. Several years after Robert Baratheon's rise to power, Balon decided to test the power of the new dynasty by declaring himself King. Greyjoy's Rebellion was put down, and Balon two oldest sons were killed in the fighting, leaving him with his daughter Asha and his young son Theon.  Theon was taken by Ned Stark as a ward/hostage to keep the Greyjoys in line, and Westeros has known relative peace since. However, the Greyjoys thrive on chaos, so who knows what might happen if things in King's Landing were to fall into confusion.  Balon is described as "small and gaunt with black eyes and long gray hair." - (from Tower of the Hand)















Ian McShane
Ian McShane needs to be in GoT, and this would be a great part for him.  He's in the movie theater right now playing Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  He was Al Swearengen on HBO's Deadwood, and he played Silas Benjamin on NBC's Kings.  


He's British, and he's worked for HBO. He's got the right look, and he has the acting chops.  He's a little bit older than Balon probably is in the books (he'll turn 69 in September), but if you consider the TV Theon will soon turn 25, it's not out of the question that Balon could have had his last kid when he was 54.  Besides, it's called acting.  Ian McShane doesn't have to be Balon, but he better make a visit to Westeros in some capacity before the TV series is over.










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NEXT TIME:  It's going to keep getting tougher to know which direction I'll go with my next casting speculation.  We'll probably start to get actual casting news any time now, and once that happens I won't need to guess for those characters.  For now let's go with the wildling woman Ygritte.


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PREVIOUS GoT S2 CASTING SPECULATION:
Stannis Baratheon
Melisandre
Edmure Tully
Asha Greyjoy
Davos Seaworth
Margaery Tyrell

Saturday, May 28, 2011

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 3

In part 3, we discuss chapters eleven through thirteen of Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle.  Our FIGclub episodes are always full of spoilers, so don't click the link if you don't know what happens in the book.  You can find pretty cheap copies on Amazon if you want to start reading with us.

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 3



Thursday, May 26, 2011

FIGcast - Episode 19 - "Best Friend Hug"

Darren and Trey are back, and we're doing this thing up right.

FIGcast - Episode 19 - "Best Friend Hug"

Shownotes:

We're back on schedule with the FIGclub, look for that post later on today or tomorrow.

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

GoT Primer - Episode 5 - "The Greyjoys & the Iron Islands"

There's been a lot of excitement for the new TV series on HBO, and we here at Fully Integrated Geeks have been trying to think of content we can provide new fans of the franchise. We're going to record mini-podcasts that provide some of the depth and details that can't or won't make it into the TV show. These are bits of history, geography, and legend that careful readers of the books have been able to pick up over the last 15 years. One final, very important note: these Primers are not full of spoilers. We won't be discussing anything that happens once the books begin, and we won't be discussing any "secrets" that are revealed during the course of the books. We're only interested in helping you fill-out your knowledge of the lush world George R.R. Martin has created for the Game of Thrones.

--------

In Episode 5, we cover House Greyjoy and their domain, the Iron Islands.  How long have the Greyjoys ruled the Ironborn, and how have they influenced the history of Westeros?  Who is Theon Greyjoy, and why does he live with the Starks at Winterfell?


GoT Primer - Episode 5 - "The Greyjoys & the Iron Islands"

Monday, May 23, 2011

Casting Game of Thrones - Season 2: Margaery Tyrell

HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday, April 17th to rave reviews and decent ratings. That combination was enough for the network to officially greenlight a second season. We'll be getting at least 10 more episodes in the spring of 2012, covering the events of the second book, A Clash of Kings.


If you've read the series, you know that means we'll be seeing a host of new characters, in addition to the favorites who managed to survive season 1. I've always been a huge fan of casting speculation, so I'm channeling my excitement for season 2 into a series of posts where I cast the major roles. And don't forget, Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage were the fan favorites to play Ned & Tyrion, so who knows, maybe I'll actually get one right along the way.


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UPDATE 6.23.11:   HBO has cast this part, you can click here for my post on it, or keep reading to see who I picked.



Margaery Tyrell
Art by Amok
Margaery is the only daughter of Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden and the Reach. She is slightly younger than her brother Loras, the Knight of Flowers. The Tyrells are the second wealthiest family in Westeros, behind only the Lannisters.  As the only daughter, Margaery's access to that fortune will make her an enticing pawn as the game of thrones gains steam. Margaery is described as "doe-eyed and pretty with long, curly brown hair." - (from Tower of the Hand)


P.S. - I acknowledge that this is a character who could get bumped to S3, but I had a good pick for her so I went with it.













Sarah Bolger
Sarah was born in Dublin.  She just turned 20, which makes her three years younger than the actor playing her brother Loras.  She's best known for playing Princess Mary Tudor in The Tudors, and Mallory Grace in The Spiderwick Chronicles.  She was cast in the pilot of FOX's Locke & Key, but that show didn't make it to series, so she should be available.  I thought she was great in The Tudors, and she would definitely get to put a different spin on a young noble woman if she stepped into GRRM's world.














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NEXT TIME:  No idea what I'll do next week, we may have some actual casting by then, which could start to limit my options.

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PREVIOUS GoT S2 CASTING SPECULATION:
Stannis Baratheon
Melisandre
Edmure Tully
Asha Greyjoy
Davos Seaworth

Friday, May 20, 2011

GoT Primer - Episode 4 - "The Baratheons & the Stormlands"

There's been a lot of excitement for the new TV series on HBO, and we here at Fully Integrated Geeks have been trying to think of content we can provide new fans of the franchise. We're going to record mini-podcasts that provide some of the depth and details that can't or won't make it into the TV show. These are bits of history, geography, and legend that careful readers of the books have been able to pick up over the last 15 years. One final, very important note: these Primers are not full of spoilers. We won't be discussing anything that happens once the books begin, and we won't be discussing any "secrets" that are revealed during the course of the books. We're only interested in helping you fill-out your knowledge of the lush world George R.R. Martin has created for the Game of Thrones.

----------

In Episode 4, we cover House Baratheon and their domain, the Stormlands.  What gave Robert the right to the throne?  How did he come to power?  Why is his family referred to as the Storm Lords?

GoT Primer - Episode 4 - "The Baratheons & the Stormlands"

Thursday, May 19, 2011

FIGcast - Episode 18 - "Now Back To The Good Part"

Darren was busy running sound for a play, and Trey had technical difficulties in Tullahoma, so my brother-in-law Ryan stepped in to help me record a very special episode of...The FIGcast.

FIGcast - Episode 18 - "Now Back To The Good Part"

Shownotes

We would normally have a FIGclub episode coming out as well, but since Darren and Trey weren't available this week we're just going to wrap up the book next week, and have that podcast out on the 27th.

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Casting Game of Thrones - Season 2: Davos Seaworth

HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday, April 17th to rave reviews and decent ratings. That combination was enough for the network to officially greenlight a second season. We'll be getting at least 10 more episodes in the spring of 2012, covering the events of the second book, A Clash of Kings.


If you've read the series, you know that means we'll be seeing a host of new characters, in addition to the favorites who managed to survive season 1. I've always been a huge fan of casting speculation, so I'm channeling my excitement for season 2 into a series of posts where I cast the major roles. And don't forget, Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage were the fan favorites to play Ned & Tyrion, so who knows, maybe I'll actually get one right along the way.


----------

Davos Seaworth
Art by Amok
Originally a smuggler, Davos' actions during Robert's Rebellion won him a title, land, and a position of responsibility under Stannis Baratheon, the new Lord of Dragonstone.  He is known (mockingly) as the Onion Knight, but he is really a ship captain.  He will be a very important new character next season, but he needs to appear unremarkable when surrounded by great kings, lords and ladies. He is described as "slight with a common face and brown eyes and hair with a beard peppered with gray." - (from Tower of the Hand)


















Mark Sheppard
Now that it can't happen, I'll admit it...I was 100% on the "Robert Carlyle for Davos" bandwagon.  I think he was brilliant on the two seasons of Stargate Universe, and really wanted him to make his way to Westeros following that show's cancellation.  Unfortunately, he was cast in a new pilot for ABC, Once Upon A Time, and that show has now been picked up for a full season.  That means Carlyle is out for S2 of GoT.  Maybe S3.  Anyway, it's time to move on.

If we can't have Carlyle, give us Mark Sheppard.  He's a brilliant actor, and if you're reading this you've seen him in one of his amazing guest spots on EVERY SINGLE GENRE TELEVISION SHOW EVER.  He's Crowley on Supernatural, Canton Delaware on Doctor Who, Tanaka on Dollhouse, Romo Lampkin on Battlestar Galactica, Manservant Neville on The Middleman, Anthony Anthros on Bionic Woman, and Badger on Firefly.  He's done single episodes of The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Sliders, Star Trek: Voyager, and Charmed.  He can do just about anything, and I think he'd have a blast playing the honorable thief in service to the lord with an inferiority complex.

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NEXT TIME:  I'm leaning towards Margaery Tyrell for next week's installment, but I might let that slide if some other inspiration grabs me.

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PREVIOUS GoT S2 CASTING SPECULATION:
Stannis Baratheon
Melisandre
Edmure Tully
Asha Greyjoy

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Hastily Gathered Thoughts on the State of Wonder Woman Adaptations.

Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and DC Comics

In the hours that followed NBC's rejection of David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman pilot, reactions on Twitter and comic book forums were mixed. Though leaked plot details and an ugly costume had been panned by some fans, others were looking forward to seeing a live action Wonder Woman for the first time in over thirty years. Gail Simone, a fan-favorite writer of the Amazing Amazon, tweeted that "not-great Wonder Woman show could be improved. A non-existent Wonder Woman show cannot." This is a fair assessment that was echoed by some Wonder Woman fans. It should also be pointed out that drastic changes can be enacted between a show's pilot and airing. All of the elements from the leaked script that made fans cringe could have been ironed out and, perhaps, replaced with a Wonder Woman that was truer to form. It looks like we'll never know now since NBC has sent the Kelley pilot back to Themyscira.

As a Wonder Woman fan, I have to admit that I am of two minds about the entire situation. On the one hand, I was definitely one of the people who read the details of the pilot and cringed. By now, the point has been belabored, but, if the leaks were accurate, Kelley's Diana Prince was going to be hard to swallow. On the other hand, Wonder Woman is due a splashy spotlight in a big way. While sitting through press interviews for Sucker Punch, Zack Snyder discussed how strange it was for there to be a high-profile, true to form Thor movie before such a movie was made about Superman (an opinion, I admit, I agree with). If that is true for the Man of Steel, who has had six movies in the last thirty-five years, then it is even more pertinent for Wonder Woman. We comic book fans, specifically DC Zombies, love to include Wondie in the Big Three, but when compared to the treatment her Trinity cohorts have received, Diana lags far behind. Batman and Superman have starred in twelve movies since Lynda Carter's The New Adventures of Wonder Woman series was canceled in 1979. Wonder Woman is due a return to her place of prominence.

If anything, the failed Kelley pilot at least indicated that there is interest in a Wonder Woman series. The potential show was one of the most talked about pilots being filmed by the major networks this season. Interest may have been inflated by knee-jerk reactions to Diana scarfing down Häagen-Dazs and the shiny plastic of her suit, but regardless of the reason, people were talking about her. If Warner Brothers and DC immediately started work on a new Wonder Woman live action property of some sort, they might be able to ride a wave of good will just by making a product that looked better than Kelley's! Really, all they have to do to keep interest high is make the costume look less like a cheap Halloween getup and return Diana to a truer interpretation, then remind people of how much better and truer it is. It's not like the character is boring. She's one of the DC Universe's fiercest warriors, most powerful heroes, and smartest tacticians. She also happens to be a strong, sexy woman with a penchant for fighting crime in skimpy clothing. (Hey, look, I don't need "the skimpy outfit" angle to buy into Wonder Woman, but it would not hurt for that beloved 18-35 demographic.)

Personally, I would be happy with a carefully crafted, loving adaptation of Wonder Woman on any screen. For example, I am of the opinion that DC's 2009 direct-to-DVD Wonder Woman movie was one of the best animated features they have made. Having said that, I believe Wonder Woman deserves a big time, Hollywood movie. If anything, Thor showed us that people would go see a superhero movie based loosely on adaptations of mythology and fish-out-of-water plots if the trailers were well crafted. (Man, that was hard for this DC Zombie to type.) Wonder Woman may not have the cache she used to command, but she's still more famous than Thor. (Ah, I feel better now.)

So, if Diana deserves a movie what would it look like? What would it be based on? Though I am on record as an advocate of limiting origin story comic book movies, I have to admit that Wonder Woman is the kind of character that might need some exploration. I just do not think enough people know their Wondie canon for it to be left out. Yesterday, Tripp suggested to me that an adaptation based on Gail Simone's story “The Circle” might make a good movie. I have to agree with him.  With flashbacks to Wonder Woman's creation and a physical threat she could smack around, it would give the movie all the story beats it needs. You get to see her in her Diana Prince identity, you get to see her interacting with the “man's world” and then you get to see her beat up on an awesomely anachronistic villain named Captain Nazi. Wonder Woman gets to play all the roles you would want her to play in a movie. She could even have a love interest. Use the master of disguise Nemesis (or, heck, if you're a stickler, just replace him with Steve Trevor).

If the interest in a Wonder Woman television show persists, I have some ideas about that as well. Start the series from the moment Wonder Woman arrives in America. Like in the comics, she has come as an ambassador to the “man's world.” She barges into the United Nations or the White House and immediately becomes an international celebrity. The state department decides they need to protect and keep an eye on her, so she is given an entourage of supporting characters. Etta Candy and Steve Trevor are assigned to “Princess” detail, showing her around the world and making sure she does not get into too much trouble. Story arcs could include an attempt at giving her a secret identity (Diana Prince, of course), the U.S. could employ her as a negotiator for a few episodes, or Ares could infiltrate the Defense Department. Wonder Woman could be strong willed, maybe a little naive, surprisingly diplomatic and tough-as-nails in a fight. She might be perplexed by the world she is in, but she discusses it confidently with Etta. (Please, for the love of everything holy...no crying into a tub of ice cream!)

The thing is, I have rambled. I did not mean to go so long in discussing this. Wonder Woman deserves a careful, loving adaptation. While I was glad to see the idea of a TV show bandied about, ultimately, I would rather a studio get it right than suffer through a show that was Wonder Woman in name only. I think Wonder Woman, done correctly, could be a successful property. She does not need a major re-imagining or a significant revamp. She has existed, thanks to a mostly unchanged formula, for 70 plus years. It is about time that Hollywood got reacquainted with the “real” her.

Friday, May 13, 2011

NBC puts Kelley's Wonder Woman Pilot out of our Misery.

Everyone is reporting that NBC has passed on David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman.  Even though I'm a big fan of the Amazing Amazon, I have to admit I am relieved that Kelley's vision is not making it to the small screen. Wonder Woman does, indeed, deserve to make the transition to live action but only in the hands of someone who truly understands and cares for the character.  If the information about the pilot can be trusted, it was anything but loving to the source material.  The Wonder Woman mythos had been stretched and warped until the character was almost something entirely different from what we are used to.  There's nothing inherently wrong with reboots or re-imaginings but, at a certain point, only so much can be replaced before you are left with a new character in vaguely familiar trappings.

Hopefully, the pilot's failure will open the doors to better attempts down the road. We can only hope.


[Yes, I have used this image before.]

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 2















In part two, we discuss the next five chapters of Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, an alternate history novel where the Axis powers won World War II. FIGclub episodes are always full of spoilers, so don't listen if you don't want to hear us discuss all the happenings of chapters 6-10. You can find pretty cheap copies on Amazon if you want to start reading with us.

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 2



Thursday, May 12, 2011

GoT Primer - Episode 3 - "Ancient History"

There's been a lot of excitement for the new TV series on HBO, and we here at Fully Integrated Geeks have been trying to think of content we can provide new fans of the franchise. We're going to record mini-podcasts that provide some of the depth and details that can't or won't make it into the TV show. These are bits of history, geography, and legend that careful readers of the books have been able to pick up over the last 15 years. One final, very important note: these Primers are not full of spoilers. We won't be discussing anything that happens once the books begin, and we won't be discussing any "secrets" that are revealed during the course of the books. We're only interested in helping you fill-out your knowledge of the lush world George R.R. Martin has created for the Game of Thrones.

----------

In Episode 3, we cover the origins and ancient history of Westeros and Essos. Who are the First Men and the Andals? Where did the dragons come from? What is the Faith of the Seven, and why don't the Starks follow it?

GoT Primer - Episode 3 - "Ancient History"

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

FIGcast - Episode 17 - "The Kremlin Colonel"

Find out why Trey bought a pretty pretty new hat...

FIGcast - Episode 17 - "The Kremlin Colonel"

Shownotes:


We also have the FIGclub again this week. We're reading The Man In The High Castle by Phillip K. Dick. But that's for another post.

Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

GoT Primer - Episode 2 - "The Rise of the Targaryens"


There's been a lot of excitement for the new TV series on HBO, and we here at Fully Integrated Geeks have been trying to think of content we can provide new fans of the franchise. We're going to record mini-podcasts that provide some of the depth and details that can't or won't make it into the TV show. These are bits of history, geography, and legend that careful readers of the books have been able to pick up over the last 15 years. One final, very important note: these Primers are not full of spoilers. We won't be discussing anything that happens once the books begin, and we won't be discussing any "secrets" that are revealed during the course of the books. We're only interested in helping you fill-out your knowledge of the lush world George R.R. Martin has created for the Game of Thrones.

----------

In Episode 2, we cover the Rise of the Targaryens, a noble family from the Valyrian Empire. Where did the Iron Throne come from? What makes the Targaryens special? How were they able to conquer an entire continent?


GoT Primer - Episode 2 - "The Rise of the Targaryens"

Monday, May 9, 2011

Casting Game of Thrones - Season 2: Asha Greyjoy

HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday, April 17th to rave reviews and decent ratings. That combination was enough for the network to officially greenlight a second season. We'll be getting at least 10 more episodes in the spring of 2012, covering the events of the second book, A Clash of Kings.


If you've read the series, you know that means we'll be seeing a host of new characters, in addition to the favorites who managed to survive season 1. I've always been a huge fan of casting speculation, so I'm channeling my excitement for season 2 into a series of posts where I cast the major roles. And don't forget, Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage were the fan favorites to play Ned & Tyrion, so who knows, maybe I'll actually get one right along the way.


----------

Asha Greyjoy
Art by Amok
Asha is the older sister of Theon Greyjoy, and the only other surviving child of Balon Greyjoy, the Lord of the Iron Islands.  Rumor has it she captains her own ship, the Black Wind.  She is described as "lean and long-legged with short black hair and a sharp nose in a thin face." - (from Tower of the Hand)























Kerry Condon
This is one of my favorite picks so far.  Kerry is perfect for the role, and I think she has a real shot at being in the series at some point.  She's Irish.  She's most famous in the US for her role as Octavia in HBO's Rome.  She worked with James McAvoy in The Last Station.  Some readers might remember her from the Heath Ledger/Orlando Bloom Australian outlaw movie Ned Kelly.  The one thing that might keep this from happening is another upcoming HBO series, Luck.  Kerry's IMDB page has her appearing in three episodes, but her character doesn't even have a name, so she probably won't be tied up with that by the time GoT resumes filming.  Asha isn't a huge part in the second book, but I think it's important enough that you can't bump her to the third season.  I think Kerry would be great acting opposite Alfie Allen.






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NEXT TIME:  I'm totally going to do Davos, I promise.  The truth is, the guy at the top of my list is in a network pilot, so I'm trying to stall and see if that show gets picked up.

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PREVIOUS GoT S2 CASTING SPECULATION:
Stannis Baratheon
Melisandre
Edmure Tully

Friday, May 6, 2011

DC ZOMBIE EAT MARVEL: Grant Morrison's New X-men


Join me, a lifelong DC Zombie, as I attempt to remedy my woefully limited exposure to the Marvel Universe. Be prepared for opinions forged in the depths of a mind that is completely dedicated to the DCU. I promise to be as objective and honest as I can be--even if that leads to contradictory opinions. Updates will be rare, considering I have limited money for buying new comics (and the fact that I would rather spend my limited funds on DC Comics).
I tell myself I can't help it. I've tried, believe me, I've tried. In spite of my overwhelming love for the DC Universe, I have tried to venture out and explore the other rich worlds of comic book fiction. My adventures in the worlds of Wildstorm, Image, Boom!, and others have led to some exceptional reads, but Marvel....Marvel always leaves me cold. The stories might be good, the heroes might be heroic, and the concepts might be brilliant, but, in the end, I would rather see Wally West or Bruce Wayne triumph over adversity than Peter Parker or Tony Stark. It's nothing against those characters, I just have no history with them. Until recently, even when I have followed my favorite comic book creators when they wrote for Marvel, I still struggled to enjoy their work. Brian K Vaughn's Y: The Last Man is one of my favorite stories ever. As such, during the heyday of his work on it and Ex Machina I decided to give his Marvel series Runaways a try. Sadly, the first Omnibus failed to really pique my interest (There's a good chance it may have just been over-hyped).
So it is with this history that I recently decided to give Morrison's New X-men a try. I had just finished collecting his run on DC's Doom Patrol and Flex Mentallo and I needed a new Morrisonian project to read. Since he's my favorite writer, I had pretty much exhausted my DC options, and I was forced to give his Marvel works a try. In the end, I chose to trade one group of misfits lead by a genius in a wheelchair for another and picked up a copy of New X-men Volume 1. After having read through it twice, I think I have finally synthesized a reaction. Keep in mind that this is my opinion after having read only the first collection, and as I collect the rest I may have to reassess.
Unfortunately, my timing almost doomed the entire exercise from the very beginning. I went from two of his most cerebral works in Doom Patrol and Flex Mentallo to a comic that is on a very different level. That's not to say that his work on X-men was unintelligent, but that it was rather simple in comparison. To be sure, New X-men is layered and full of Morisson's usual brilliant ideas, but it is a very different book from his Doom Patrol. Scattered throughout the first twelve issues are tons of clever ideas and plot devices. John Sublime, The Third Species, the U-men, the Stepford Cuckoso, Casandra Nova and the “evolved” Sentinels are pure Morrisonian brilliance. Yet, compared to some of his other works, New X-men (so far) feels kind of subdued. So while there are plenty of ideas that reach his normal brilliance, there is only one issue that could be called, without a doubt, pure Morrison. (Issue 121, by the way, really is phenomenal—best issue of the run so far.)
When taking a wider view of Morrison's entire body of work, the closest I can come in comparison to his run on X-men is his run on JLA. Of course, this makes sense considering they are from relatively the same era of his work. This is certainly not a slight. I am of the opinion that his work on JLA will go down in history as one of the most epic, pitch perfect runs in the comic's history. It was also my introduction to Morrison, and therefore will always hold a special place in my heart. When I think back to JLA I remember fondly about how awesome it was to see the Big 7 acting like the Big 7 should. It may not seem like a big deal*, but to me that was the brilliance of his run on JLA. It was deeper than many other mainstream comics on the stands, but its real strength was in the characterization and storytelling. Morrison was not trying to open the doors of perception in JLA and New X-men like he was in The Invisibles or The Filth. He was just trying to tell a great story with the comic book industry's greatest A-list characters. Therein lies my problem with New X-men. I have no idea if it is pitch perfect because I am not familiar enough with the characters. Everything I know about the X-men comes from the first two X-men movies, which is a problem because Beast and Emma Frost are not even in them. So, I am left to trust that Morrison is putting the same care into his crop of X-men that he put into his JLA roster.
Sadly, the weakest aspect of New X-men Volume 1 was the art. I am a HUGE Frank Quitely fan, and his issues were generally beautiful. After all, he penciled the standout issue number 121. Ethan Van Sciver filled in admirably for several issues. I am not generally a fan of his work, but these are some of the best issues I've seen him pencil. Igor Kordey drew a couple of issues. His early work on the run is solid, but his later issues are a complete mess. This is particularly sad considering that these later issues come at a pretty climactic time in the story.
New X-men is a solid comic book. At it's best, it is good superheroics but it cannot hope to touch the brilliance of Doom Patrol, Flex Mentallo, or even Morrison's recent run on Batman. In the end, even with Morrison's guidance, New X-men falls prey to the same problems I've felt with other Marvel comics. It was a fun read, but I still would have rather seen the JLA or the Teen Titans experience the same story. It's just because I literally do not care about any of the X-men. They could die, go evil, or change drastically and it would not effect me in the slightest. Yet, for the first time, I am thinking about adding to my Marvel collection. I want to see what happens in the next volume. I guess that means I am expanding my comic book horizons. Maybe I am more willing to venture deeper into the Marvel Universe than I was two months ago. Perhaps the toughened exterior of this DC Zombie is starting to crack slightly.
Next time: Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man Omnibus 1.

*The brilliance of Morrison and his immediate successors on JLA is even more apparent recently thanks to the book's current writer.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

GoT Primer - Episode 1 - "Recent History of Westeros"













Welcome to the first installment of our Game of Thrones Primer. There's been a lot of excitement for the new TV series on HBO, and we here at Fully Integrated Geeks have been trying to think of content we can provide new fans of the franchise. Here's what we've come up with. We're going to record mini-podcasts that provide some of the depth and details that can't or won't make it into the TV show. These are bits of history, geography, and legend that careful readers of the books have been able to pick up over the last 15 years. One final, very important note: these Primers are not full of spoilers. We won't be discussing anything that happens once the books begin, and we won't be discussing any "secrets" that are revealed during the course of the books. We're only interested in helping you fill-out your knowledge of the lush world George R.R. Martin has created for the Game of Thrones.

----------

In Episode 1, we cover the recent history of Westeros. Who are the Targaryens? If they were in charge before, why aren't they on the throne anymore? Why does King Robert hate them so much? And how did he become King Robert in the first place?

GoT Primer - Episode 1 - "Recent History of Westeros"

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 1
















In part one, we discuss the first five chapters of Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, an alternate history novel where the Axis powers won World War II. FIGclub episodes are always full of spoilers, so don't listen if you don't want to hear us discuss all the happenings of chapters 1-5. You can find pretty cheap copies on Amazon if you want to start reading with us.

FIGclub - The Man In The High Castle - Part 1


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

FIGcast - Episode 16 - "That's What She Said?"

Darren has been training a computer to write this part of the post...

FIGcast - Episode 16 - "That's What She Said?"

Shownotes:
  • (02:12) Darren went to Nashville to watch people run
  • (09:26) Trey <3s Thwipster
  • (15:51) Tripp got the last part of Y: The Last Man
  • (18:32) We go off on a bit of a Fringe tangent
  • (26:07) Blu Rays
  • (30:09) Coming Attractions
  • (39:02) Box Office
  • (44:33) Game of Thrones
  • (58:32) Green Lantern trailer, with more Blake Lively

    We also have the FIGclub starting up again this week. We're reading The Man In The High Castle by Phillip K. Dick. But that's for another post.

    Don't forget, you can email us at FullyIntegratedGeeks@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter with @theFIGcast, or you can look for us on Facebook or the iTunes Store.

    6 Glimpses of New Footage From the New Green Lantern Trailer

    A brand new Green Lantern Trailer hit the tubes today. While most of trailer is old news, there are several glimpses of some new and pretty exciting footage. I'm sorry about the quality, our host is not great with pictures. Also, I guess some of this is spoilery spoiler-ish spoiler-esque. If you plan on reading a bunch of Green Lantern comics between now and the movie's premiere and you do not want anything spoiled then read with care.

    The Sinestro Corp Symbol:

    Though, since Sinestro is a good guy at this point, I guess it is more aptly the Parallax symbol.

    Hal and Sinestro sparring:
    Hal and Sinestro's relationship starts out like a buddy cop movie. You know, they hate each other at first, but then they work together. Then one of them goes crazy and creates his own police force and...am I stretching this metaphor too far?

    Sinestro creating ring constructs:

    Unless I am mistaken, we have not seen Sinestro light up in any of the earlier trailers.

    Hal getting punched in the face by Kilowog:
    Look...I am a Green Lantern fan, but I will be the first to admit Hal is not my favorite Corpsmen. I confess I smiled watching Reynolds get punched.

    This is also our first footage of Kilowog accompanied by the voice of Michael Clarke Duncan:
    "Take that GIGANTIC fist to the face, Poozer."

    Unless I am completely mistaken, also making their first appearances in this trailer are the Green Lantern Corps' bosses, The Guardians:
    They're like Yoda...but blue...and more manipulative...and kind of morally ambiguous....and they shun all emotion. So scratch that, they're not like Yoda at all.

    and Tim Robbins as Hector Hammond's father:
    I have nothing to say here.

    I think all of that was new with this trailer. If I missed anything or if pointing out stuff that has already been seen in other trailers, let me know!


    [Original footage credit: yahoo.com, warner brothers pictures]

    Monday, May 2, 2011

    Casting Game of Thrones - Season 2: Edmure Tully

    HBO's Game of Thrones premiered Sunday, April 17th to rave reviews and decent ratings. That combination was enough for the network to officially greenlight a second season. We'll be getting at least 10 more episodes in the spring of 2012, covering the events of the second book, A Clash of Kings.


    If you've read the series, you know that means we'll be seeing a host of new characters, in addition to the favorites who managed to survive season 1. I've always been a huge fan of casting speculation, so I'm channeling my excitement for season 2 into a series of posts where I cast the major roles. And don't forget, Sean Bean and Peter Dinklage were the fan favorites to play Ned & Tyrion, so who knows, maybe I'll actually get one right along the way.

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    Edmure Tully
    Art by Amoka
    Edmure is the younger brother of Catelyn (Tully) Stark and Lysa (Tully) Arryn. He is, as Hoster Tully's only son, the heir to Riverrun. Though Edmure, his father, and his uncle all appear in the first novel, their television debut has been pushed back to the second season. Edmure is hot-headed, but has a good heart. He has never married.  He is described as "stocky with shaggy auburn hair and beard and blue eyes." - (from Tower of the Hand)





















    Tony Curran
    I'm going to be honest, and tell you that I really wanted to work Damien Lewis or Kevin McKidd into Game of Thrones.  In my perfect world, McKidd would play Brynden Tully.  Unfortunately, that's impossible.  For starters, the aging up of the characters makes both of them far too young to play Michelle Fairley's uncle.  Second, McKidd is busy on Grey's Anatomy, and Lewis has a new show filming right now for Showtime. So, let's examine Mr. Curran.  He's from Glasgow, Scotland.  A year ago, he was probably best known as the Invisible Man from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, or maybe from the second Underworld movie.  Then he played Vincent van Gogh on Doctor Who, and now he's on my good list forever. If he can bring the same kind of awesome to the character of Edmure, Tony will be a great addition to our cast.

    P.S. - Mr. Curran apparently told some fans this weekend that he's in talks to appear in GoT, but that's all we know.  I already had him pegged as my choice for Edmure, but I'm sure some people will think I'm jumping on a band wagon with this one.

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    NEXT TIME:  I'll probably go back to Davos, but I wanted to get my Edmure recommendation out ASAP just in case they actually start announcing casting decisions.

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    PREVIOUS GoT S2 CASTING SPECULATION:
    Stannis Baratheon
    Melisandre

    Sunday, May 1, 2011

    The Movie Casting Idea that Broke Trey's Brain. (Or "Come on, feel the Age of Yorick")

    So I was sitting here rereading Brian K Vaughan's brilliant Y: The Last Man and listening to Sufjan Stevens' similarly brilliant Age of Adz and a weird thought occurred to me.

    Sufjan could play Yorick.

    I know it's strange. I'm not even sure if he can act. It is completely unrealistic, but a fun thought nonetheless--one of my favorite musicians playing one of my favorite fictional characters.