Nerdgasm alert!

It just gets better and better! With the success of Ironman we get news this week that Robert Downey Jr. has a four picture deal with Marvel that will now include appearances in the soon to start filming "Avengers" movies.
Now that's not a surprise considering the movie starring our favorite shellhead portrayed by Mr. Downey Jr has grossed over $578 million worldwide to date (that number grows everyday with DVD sales). The sequel got a green light and will start shooting soon with the new addition of Don Cheadle in the role of LTC "Rhodey" Rhodes. Who by the way Marvel Studios said will also appear in the "Avengers" movie. Luckily for us we continue to get John Favreau at the directing helm for the the Ironman sequel and although he won't direct, he'll executive produce the "Avengers" movie. That should bode well for continuity and the artistic vision of our beloved comic book heroes.

The plot for the Ironman sequel has yet to be released but Marvel did say that the "Avengers" movie "...will bring together the super hero team of Marvel Comics characters for the first time ever, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk and more, as they are forced to band together to battle the biggest foe they've ever faced". Considering how big the Marvel Universe is that could mean anyone in the 40+ years of the comic book!

Mark your calendars kids 'cause the sequel to "Iron Man" will be released in theatres on May 7, 2010 and "The Avengers" will be released July 15, 2011. I can't wait!

A terrible loss...

I've been wanting to post about this since it happened but just couldn't bring myself to do it until now. It is with great sadness that I have to say one of my favorite comic book artists of all time, Michael Turner, lost his battle with cancer on the 27th of June.
Believe it or not he singlehandedly got me back to reading comics when I passed by a local comic shop and noticed a poster for his cover to "Civil War #3" hanging in the window. That image to me was just iconic. There's the well known Spidey with Ironman/Tony Stark upgrades "standing" on Captain America's shield. To me that piece of art summarized the whole story arc that was "Civil War". If you haven't read it or know what I'm talking about, stop by your local book store and pick up or ask for the "Civil War: Trade Paperback". Its so worth the $20.

A short 14 years ago Michael first got into the comic book industry by working for Top Cow comics. He started as background artist and then moved up to create and launch the Witchblade comic. Yes, there was a show on TBS of the same name and it was based on the comic. The show was alright at best but the comic was great. He then created another new title named "Fathom" about a beautiful marine biologist who comes into contact with an underwater species of people. That artwork is stunning and Fathom could be one of the sexiest comic chracters ever. In 2002 Turner went on to start Aspen Comics, his own comic book company. One of the titles in their "portfolio" of books is "Iron and the Maiden" which I absoutely love.
Although I never got a chance to meet him in person, I was lucky enough to pick up a certified signed comic book of his and its one of the prizes of my collection. His art was fantastic. The women are gorgeous and powerful and the men…well they look like what comic book heroes are supposed to look like. His artwork and vision were so distinctive. Once you see some of his work, you'll be able to pick out from 100 other artists on the comic book stand. I, as am sure the whole industry, will truly miss his work.

Buffy, Angel and Firefly didn't go away. They're in the same 'verse but now in drawy form.

Yes, we here at the Digital Blast normally focus on gadgets and tech but its good to ensure coverage of all facets of geekery. If the there was ever a Sage for us geeks then its Joss Whedon. He gave us Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which got cancelled after 7 seasons), then Angel (which got cancelled after 5 seasons) and then Firefly (which yes, you guessed it also got cancelled but after its first season). Now those of you not familiar with the shows are probably saying how good could they have been if they got cancelled? But quite the contrary, their success had nothing to do with the networks abandoning the shows but rather with the short sighted, stupid network execs. Of course after the shows were cancelled and the networks realized what kind of content and talent got away it was too late. Those people all moved on to other great roles/jobs. And just to prove how successful those shows still are, the movie Serenity based on the Firefly shoe made big money in the theaters and continues to make money in DVD sales (as do all the Season DVD sets of the TV shows too). Pretty good for a show the networks thought people wouldn't like. By the by, there's also talks of a Buffy and Angel movie in the works and a Wonder Woman movie that will feature a number of Whedon alum.

And for those of you who didn't think the shows were any good. Buffy has been ranked in the top 25 TV shows of all time and featured talent the likes of: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, James Marsters, Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Amber Benson, Daniel Dae Kim, Laurel Holloman, Eliza Dushku, Alexa Davalos, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and David Boreanaz. THey all got their start or popularity while on Whedon shows. So he didn't just write/direct great shows, he also had a great eye for talent.
Okay, all that aside I'm here to tell you that our favorite shows live on now but in comic book form. Whedon has hemled to pen and ink adaptation of his shows. Buffy "Season Eight"(by Darkhorse Comics)takes place after the Scooby's leave Sunnydale and all the new Slayers and has been going for over a year now. Angel "After the Fall" (by IDW publishing) takes place after that fateful scence of the show in the alley after Angel decides to kill everything evil and Serenity: Better Days (by Darkhorse Comics also) will bridge the time from the end of the TV show and the beginning of the movie. You can find them at your local comic book store or even in trade paperback form at Barnes and Noble (and online too of course). So check them out and continue to enjoy the stake-y, brown-coat goodness.