Watchmen Character Movie Posters

Now that the summer onslaught of comic book themed movies has finally subsided we can start focusing on this winter’s offering, which includes The Spirit, Punisher: War Zone and the highly anticipated Watchmen.



Released last week at San Diego Comic-Con by Warner Brothers, the new Watchmen character movie posters have finally hit the internet. Each poster focuses on a different main character from the award winning graphic novel and has the same layout as the covers of the Watchmen comic book limited series.




Similar to The Spirit’s marketing campaign, each Watchmen character movie poster features a famous quote by that character from the graphic novel/feature film.



Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder, premieres on March 6th, 2009 in theaters around the U.S.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Teaser Trailer and Movie Poster

One of the biggest surprises at San Diego Comic-Con 2008 was an appearance by the star of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, and he didn’t come empty handed. Fans in attendance were treated with a never before seen trailer for the upcoming X-Men prequel.


There are two trailers in the YouTube clip below, the first shows Wolverine’s bones being fitted with his adamantium exoskeleton. The second trailer, a bootleg version from the Wolverine SDCC panel, sets up the plot of the movie and gives us a first look at many of the characters in the film including Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Will.I.Am as Wraith, Kevin Durand as The Blob and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit.



X-Men Origins: Wolverine will premiere in theaters on May 1st, 2009.

BET’s The Black Panther Animated Series Teaser Trailer

The BET Network announced earlier in the month that they have picked up The Black Panther, a new primetime cartoon from Marvel Animation. This animated television show is set to air on BET early in 2009 and will be based, at least initially, on the first six issues of the 2006 Marvel comic book Black Panther, which was written by writer/director/producer Reginald Hudlin. (link) The coolest part of this new television series is that the look and feel of the cartoon is based on the artwork of superstar comic book artist John Romita, Jr.

At BET’s SDCC panel this past weekend fans were treated to a two minute sneak preview of The Black Panther and now The Blot is excited to bring that teaser trailer to the readers of The Blot Says... But I have to warn you, this is no children’s cartoon. The teaser trailer is pretty bloody and a lot more violent than I expected it to be. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself:

Red Sonja Teaser Movie Posters - SDCC

First it was announced that Conan would be re-imagined in a new film next year and now we have news from San Diego Comic-Con 2008 that the Red Sonja remake Robert Rodriguez has been shopping around to star Rose McGowan is finally a go. Who could have guessed in 2009 we’d have two different movies based in Cimmeria? Unfortunately, I think this movie has disaster written all over it. While the teaser movie posters of the She-Devil with a sword look awesome, something tells me the drama surrounding the film will kill it before it even hits theaters.


I love Rodriguez’s films, especially his El Mariachi trilogy, but the on again/off again nature of Rodriguez and McGowan’s relationship spells doom. If you don’t know their back story, let me give you a quick breakdown. The two met while filming Rodriguez’s Planet Terror, his part in the flop Grindhouse. The two started having an affair on set, which ended his 16 year marriage to Elizabeth Avellan, the mother of his five children and the producer of many of his films. Since then Rodriguez has been shopping a series of films to star his new muse, including Red Sonja, a remake of Barbarella and Woman in Chains! The only problem is numerous news outlets reported last month that McGowan had ended her engagement with the director. (link)

Now from all the SDCC reports I’ve read the two were overly friendly with each other, to the point of many referring to them as being romantic during their promotion of the movie. While the two evidently said all of the right things while at the Con, this doesn’t put my mind at ease for the success of Red Sonja. If their engagement really is over I just don’t see how this movie can be successfully made, especially if the media turns on either one of them for the drama their affair created.


It is too bad all of Rodriguez’s creative energies have gone into finding movie vehicles for McGowan, because the director is such an amazing filmmaker that he doesn’t need the hype surrounding their relationship overshadowing his work and he definitely doesn’t need her to make a successful movie. Secretly I hope Red Sonja is good, if nothing else because both of their careers need a hit badly after Planet Terror.

The original Red Sonja film by director Richard Fleischer debuted in 1985 and stared Brigitte Nielsen as Red Sonja and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Kalidor.

SDCC - Future Marvel Legends Mighty Muggs

Leaking out of one of the many Marvel panels at San Diego Comic-Con 2008 was a quick note that the Marvel Legends Mighty Muggs line would be continued on into 2009. While a definite date wasn’t given to the line’s fourth wave of figures, a slide was shown at one of the presentations of four upcoming pictures. It appears that Marvel Legends Mighty Muggs Wave 5 will include Vision, Ultimate Captain America, Iron Man Version 1 and a Skrull.


Thanks to Marvelous News for the above photo of the slide from the SDCC Marvel panel.

Marvel Legends Toys R Us Exclusive The Punisher and Jigsaw Mighty Muggs

Here is the latest update on the previously mentioned new Punisher Mighty Mugg, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend. The vinyl figure isn’t part of Marvel Legends Mighty Muggs Wave 4 as I previously thought, but instead is going to be released along with a Jigsaw Mighty Mugg as Toys R Us exclusives.


This seems even more inline with what I originally presumed, that these Toys R Us exclusive Mighty Muggs are being released to coincide with Punisher: War Zone’s release in theaters this winter…especially when you consider Jigsaw is the movie’s central villain. Look for The Punisher and Jigsaw Mighty Muggs figures in Toys R Us stores around the country this November 2008 and Punisher: War Zone in theaters on December 5th, 2008.

Previews Exclusive Marvel Legends Mighty Muggs - Red Skull and Thanos

Following on the heels of the popular Star Wars Previews Exclusive Admiral Ackbar Mighty Mugg and Shadow Trooper Mighty Mugg comes news from San Diego Comic Con 2008 that Hasbro and Previews will be teaming up once again to release a second “Previews Exclusive” wave of Mighty Muggs. This time around the two Previews Exclusive Mighty Muggs will be two of the most notorious villains in the Marvel Universe, Captain America’s archenemy the Red Skull and the mad titan Thanos.


Thanks to Action-Figure.com for these awesome photos from San Diego Comic-Con 2008. Click here for more photos and information about the Red Skull and Thanos Mighty Muggs.

BONUS: Here is a first look at an all new Punisher Mighty Mugg. The figure will be included in an upcoming 2 figure wave as Toys R Us exclusives in November 2008. I am guessing this Punisher themed set is being released to coincide with the debut of the movie Punisher: War Zone this winter. Click here for more information and a new photo of the Marvel Legends Toys R Us exclusive The Punisher and Jigsaw Mighty Muggs.

G.I. Joe and Transformers Mighty Muggs - Officially Coming Soon!

All of this San Diego Comic-Con 2008 coverage is making my head spin and the first day of the four day convention is just beginning. But what really caught my eye were pictures from last night’s SDCC preview night. Both Toy News International and Action-Figure.com captured some amazing photos of Hasbro’s upcoming lines of G.I. Joe Mighty Muggs and Transformers Mighty Muggs vinyl figures. The Blot knew it was only a matter of time until Hasbro expanded their Mighty Muggs vinyl platform into their other properties and the results look awesome. According to the photos, G.I. Joe Mighty Muggs Wave 1 will include Duke, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and Cobra Commander. While Transformers Mighty Muggs Wave 1 Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and Soundwave (thanks for the update Scott). You can check out additional SDCC Mighty Muggs photos at TNI here and at Action-Figure.com here. Look for official pictures of these designer vinyl toys to be posted on The Blot Says... as they become available!

Webcomic Artists at San Diego Comic-Con

The 2008 San Diego Comic-Con starts tomorrow so today will probably be my last day to highlight any SDCC exclusives or booths convention goers should check out. So in this post I wanted to shine a spotlight on two of my favorite webcomics whose artists will be selling their goods on the convention floor.

First artist/webcomic I’d like to recommend is Dave Willis’ Shortpacked! I know I’ve mentioned Willis’s comic before, but in a nut shell it’s a M-W-F webcomic, which follows the crazy exploits of Ethan, Amber, Robin, Mike, Ninja Rick, Faz, Ultra Car and Ronald Reagan as employees at Shortpacked!, a toy “store run by Glasso with plans for global conquest.” (link) The strip is hilarious, even if the idea of a webcomic about a toy store seems restrictive. Willis also typically throws in gag “strips that take place outside of the regular setting and continuity, in particular one-shots lampooning pop culture and comic figures such as Batman or Transformers.” (link) If you’d like to find out more about Shortpacked! check out this recent interview with Willis at ComicMix.com.


Willis can be found at the Blank Label Comics SDCC booth #1330 selling two different books collecting his Shortpacked! webcomics and limited edition prints.

The second webcomic I want to recommend is Matt Moylan’s weekly strip, Lil Formers. Lil Formers started out as a parody of all things Transformers, but after a year of Transformers comics Moylan decided it was time to expand the comic’s focus to now parody all things pop culture including cartoons, comics, toys and video games. (link) It’s a great walk down memory lane, especially if you grew up on Transformers like The Blot did.


Moyland has worked in the comic book industry since 2002 and currently serves as Marketing Manager for UDON Entertainment, the publisher of the aforementioned Street Fighter Tribute book. Moylan will be signing autographs at the Capcom SDCC booth #5113 on Saturday, July 26th from 12:00pm-1:00pm. While there he will be selling this very cool Street Fight Tribute book print, which you can see below, for $20 at the signing. If you can’t make it to the signing, you can also pick up his Street Fighter print at the UDON SDCC booth #5368 all weekend long.

Kidorobot Tokidoki 8 Inch Dunny

Tomorrow, Thursday July 24th, sees the SDCC Release of Kidrobot’s Tokidoki 8 inch Dunny. This figure’s description is really a scam though because the figure is not a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive at all, it is just being launched at SDCC. The $50.00 figure will also be available tomorrow online at the Kidrobot.com store and possibly brick and mortar stores around the country.


I really don’t care for Tokidoki’s style, but it is hard to argue against the brand’s huge popularity. Tokidoki products seem to be eveywhere these days and the brand keeps expanding from toys, plushes and clothing to now including things such as soccer balls and skate decks. This 8” Tokidoki Dunny is a “pizza-adoring Dunny with a Moofia face and ADIOS’s Italians alter ego on the back.” (link) If you’re at SDCC 2008 this weekend you can stop by the Tokidoki booth all weekend or the Kidrobot booth #4529 on Sunday, July 27th from 11am-2pm and have Kidrobot’s latest 8” Dunny autographed by Tokidoki’s own Simone Legno.

Star Trek Teaser Character Movie Posters

This is a quasi San Diego Comic-Con 2008 post because these new teaser character movie posters for J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Trek movie will be making their official debut at the convention.


If you're making your way to San Diego in time for the convention's opening day on Thursday, you should be able to snag one of these Star Trek teaser character movie posters for free from the good folks at Paramount. The four posters combine to form the official Starfleet insignia and features Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura and Eric Bana as the movie’s villain, Nero.


I don’t know much about this prequel Star Trek movie other than it chronicles the early days of the USS Enterprise’s crew, including their time at the Starfleet Academy, but with J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) at the helm I’m sure it will be really good, even if you’re not a Trekkie. Star Trek will be bolding going into theaters on May 8th, 2009.

Erick Scarecrow - Kissaki SDCC Sandstorm Exclusive

While I’ve never really collected any of Erick Scarecrow’s work, I’ve really enjoyed the last few pieces to come from his company ESC Toy, including his designer vinyl figures Liberty, Soopa Coin-Up Bros. and Dizign from his new Old Skool Kajiu series. But my favorite figure of his, hands down, is his latest release Kissaki (Point of the Blade) vinyl figure. While Kissaki debuted at the 2008 New York Comic-Con with an exclusive Avenger colorway, it is the San Diego Comic-Con 2008 Sandstorm Edition that blew me away. There is just something about this blue on brown Kissaki colorway that I find stunning and the little details blow me away.


You can find the Kissaki SDCC Sandstorm Exclusive at the Toy Tokyo booth #5237. The figure is limited to 300 pieces and will be sold for $69.99. Erick will also be making his first appearance ever at San Diego Comic-Con doing an exclusive signing at the Toy Tokyo booth Friday, July 25th, and Saturday, July 26th, from 10am-1pm.

Capcom San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive Street Fighter IV Items

Here’s a new San Diego Comic Con exclusive that is sure to be popular with the video game aficionados in attendance this year. Capcom is releasing their very first Street Fighter IV product to promote the video game’s upcoming debut. It is a 10 inch Chun Li Resin Statue and is limited to a production run of only 700 pieces. You can find this beautiful statue at Capcom's SDCC Booth #5113 for $100 each.


Also making its debut at San Diego Comic Con 2008 is a new limited edition hardcover Street Fighter Tribute book by UDON, SDCC Booth #5368, “commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Street Fighter franchise.” (link) This $80 hardcover book contains over 200 all new pieces of artwork by some of the hottest artists in the comic book industry, including J. Scott Campbell, Adam Hughes and Gabe from Penny Arcade.

I always enjoy checking out different artists’ interpretations of classic video game and comic book characters, and from the look of some of the book’s sample art this title delivers some stunning reinterpretations of the now classic 90’s Street Fighter characters. A softcover edition of the Street Fighter Tribute book is also available for pre-order at amazon.com.

The Maxx Limited Edition SDCC Vinyl Mini Action Figure

At the height of the comic book craze of the early to mid 90’s, Sam Kieth’s The Maxx was one of the best comics published by the newly created Image Comics. The bizarre world of The Maxx grew when Kieth joined forces with MTV to create the now classic The Maxx cartoon in 1995. Shocker Toys, which recently started producing a line of indie comic book character action figures, has produced an all new limited edition San Diego Comic Con 2008 exclusive mini Maxx vinyl action figure with 4 points of articulation.


The limited edition SDCC ’08 mini Maxx vinyl action figure is limited to 500 pieces and can be purchased at Shocker Toys’ San Diego Comic Con booth #3948 for $30.00. If you can’t make it to California for the big convention, a limited amount of mini Maxx figures are available now at the Shocker Toys online store.

Paul Pope's SDCC Exclusive The Masked Karimbah Vinyl Figure Set by Kidrobot

Busting out of the pages of Paul Pope’s THB comic book comes Kidrobot’s San Diego Comic Con 2008 exclusive Masked Karimbah, a 2 piece vinyl toy set. This amazingly detailed vinyl figure is “cast in Pope’s signature manga-meets-fine-art style” and includes two vinyl figures, an original 16 page comic and a secret vinyl throw in. (link) I’m hoping it’s not the Masked Karimbah’s signature fork, which I know he comes with.


Pope has described The Masked Karimbah as a cross between a Care Bear and a pro wrestler and his mighty steed Busyphillys as a magenta dog the size of a little Boston Terrier. These ridiculously detailed vinyl figures really bring Pope’s unique comic book characters to life and makes me a little bummed I’ll be missing out on all the fun at this year’s SDCC.


There are only 300 sets available, and each box set is $150. You can purchase these highly collectible designer vinyl toys at Kidrobot’s San Diego Comic Con booth #4529. As an added incentive, Kidrobot will be having an exclusive Paul Pole signing at their booth on July 26th from 1-4pm. This is Pole’s only appearance at SDCC 2008 so if you want to get any sketches or autographs on your vinyl figure set or THB comics make plans to stop by booth #4529 on the 26th.

Tofu, the Vegan Zombie - All White SDCC Exclusive Vinyl Figure

Here’s another great exclusive for San Diego Comic Con 2008. Coming from Applehead Factory, the creators of Teddy Scares, is the newest PVC vinyl figure to hit the market, Tofu, the Vegan Zombie. The SDCC 2008 exclusive Tofu, the Vegan Zombie is an all white version of the undead action figure and has a limited run of only 150. This limited edition Tofu has 5 points of articulation, a fully sculpted detachable base, and a removable tofu block for a brain. You can find Tofu, the Vegan Zombie at booth #4923 at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con and he can be yours for only $35.00.

Movie Version Iron Man - 2008 SDCC Exclusive Marvel Mighty Muggs

New pictures have surfaced of the 2008 San Diego Comic Con Exclusive Movie Version Iron Man Mighty Mugg. It actually looks even better in the pictures and will be a great addition to your Mighty Muggs collection. From the pictures it appears that the Movie Version Iron Man Mighty Muggs figure is packaged in a new shiny updated box with reflective Mighty Muggs tissue paper surrounding the figure.


One new tidbit of information on the three 2008 HasbroToyShop.com SDCC Mighty Muggs vinyl figures (Marvel’s Movie Version Iron Man, Indiana Jones’ Fertility Idol, and Star Wars’ Commander Gree) is that they are only being “exclusively launched” at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con. (link) I take from this that these three HasbroToyShop.com Exclusives should be available online sometime after their SDCC launch at the HasbroToyShop.com store. I've gone ahead and included updated pictures of the SDCC Exclusive Indiana Jones Fertility Idol Mighty Mugg and the Star Wars Commander Gree Mighty Mugg below.



If you’re not lucky enough to be traveling to San Diego later in the month, have no fear! I am guessing that a limited number of these high collectible Mighty Muggs should be available online for face value. I recommend checking Hasbro.com often though, because if these designer vinyl figures are released to the public they are sure to sell out quickly.

Wonder Women of America

Wonder Women of America is an interesting new book coming out this month from Amos Toys (in the UK) and STRANGEco (in the US) that I had to write about since San Diego Comic Con 2008 is almost upon us. The book was “shot entirely during 2007’s San Diego Comic Con,” and “is a celebration of the women who come dressed in costume – the super heroes and super villains, the warrior women and pirates, the queens and princesses, the sea nymphs and fairies.” (link) It’s a pretty interesting topic and I’m a little surprised it’s never been written before.


If you’ve never been to a comic book/fantasy/sci-fi convention before then you can’t imagine the number of people that attend the conventions dressed up in costume. I think it takes equal parts creativity, devotion and guts to pull off what many of these fans dress up as and while I could never do it, it is interesting to see who people chose to dress up as. None of the women photographed in the book are “professional models and none were hired to promote a brand or booth” at the convention, they are just normal people who decided to dress up for SDCC 2007. (link) You can see more pictures from the book here or at the Wonder Women of America MySpace page.


Wonder Women of America was created by Amos Toys co-founder Russell Waterman and photographer Ruth Wiggins, is 192 pages long and contains 185 photos of more than 100 women. The book can be purchased at San Diego Comic Con 2008 exclusively at the STRANGEco booth (#4629), online at STRANGEco.com and at select retailers worldwide.