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01/22/15 @ 9:27 pm EST
Mark Rahner, writer of The Twilight Zone: Shadow and Substance #1, talks with Eric Trautmann about Vampirella Feary Tales #4, both on sale now.  MARK RAHNER: You had a nice, long run on the monthly Vampirella series, and I’m glad to see you back. Did you miss her? And what do you like about writing her?ERIC TRAUTMANN: I did miss her, as it happens. I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the property when I first wrote it—horror/supernatural fare wasn’t a genre I had played around in much. Joe Rybandt, the series’ editor, just wouldn’t take no for an answer. I felt like I’d done some good work building a fairly accessible and stable status quo for her by the time I left the book, and didn’t have any serious plans to come back, but when I was asked to contribute a story for Vampirella #100, I was surprised at how much it felt like a homecoming. MR: Tell me about your story in Vampirella Feary Tales #4. It’s for kids, right?ET: Sure. It’s a wholesome tale of axe murder and eating too many sweets. MR: When you think about it, fairy tales are pretty disturbing on their own. What was your approach? ET: I was given a list of fairy tales that had been spoken for by other writers, and the one I most wanted to do was not on that list, so it was simply a matter of extrapolating out from the end of the fairy tale in question (and I’m not immediately naming it to avoid spoilers), and just adding Vampirella to the mix to make sure there was plenty of murder-ness.In terms of approach, I wanted to take the general level of weirdness and amp it up just a little; there’s always a hint of whimsy and humor in fairy tales, and as you’re already quite aware, humorous Vampirella stories work very well.  MR: Related: “Just Add Vampi” seems like a winning strategy in all sorts of areas.ET: It actually does, doesn’t it? MR: Your story in Vampirella #100 is called “The Vodnik.” I was excited because I thought it had to do with vodka. Can you please explain yourself? ET: Sadly, no, it isn’t about vodka. It’s about murder, tobacco, gambling and other vices, though. Your continuing disappointment in me is just one more cross I have to bear, I suppose. MR: What can you say about the folklore without spoiling too much?ET: When I sat down to write my chapter of Vampirella #100, I knew that space was an obvious consideration, so I wanted to do something atmospheric, character-driven—there wasn’t a lot of room to develop a big conspiracy plot or some such. An excerpt from a book of folklore being run over Vampirella dealing with a minor monster infestation seemed to fit the bill.And, as often happens, I started researching weird monsters and ran across the Vodnik—a Czech water troll. There’s actually a statue of one near the Charles River bridge in Prague, and it just felt right. Then I started looking for a U.S. location to have a Vodnik hole up, and the bridge I chose (in Chicago) is actually being torn down. The story just sort of wrote itself from there. Like you said: Just add Vampi. MR: I grew up loving short stories – Matheson, Ellison, Fredric Brown. It’s a dying art, and I think it’s harder to write short than long. What do you think?ET: Sometimes it’s alarming just how similar our influences are, especially Richard Matheson and — in my personal “canon” — most especially Harlan Ellison.That said, I’m much more comfortable working long form; my first comics work was 32 pages, no ads, and that spoiled me for life. It’s challenging to stretch my long-dormant short fiction muscles. I had the good fortune to be asked to contribute to Vampirella Feary Tales #4, Vampirella #100 and Red Sonja #100 at roughly the same time, so it was a pretty effective refresher course.  MR: Would you care to say a few words about Vampi’s costume? Just briefly, of course … since it’s a subject no one has anything to say about … and I wouldn’t want to waste the time of people who don’t feel strongly about it.ET: I had been accused of “hating” Vampirella and her costume when I kicked off the Dynamite “era,” which isn’t true. There were specific reasons I chose to downplay it (despite it showing up on every cover, and later, re-appearing in the course of the story), in part to make it easier to adapt to film or television. I have fondness for the costume, but the tone of my roughly twenty issues was darker, more “realistic” (for lack of a better term) and it made it tougher to justify someone running around not really wearing clothes. People wear costumes for special occasions, not everyday walking around town. Some people loved it, some people hated it.The irony here is that, after the pseudo-“controversy” of redesigning Vampirella’s costume in “my” run on the main title, I wrote “The Vodnik” from her point-of-view; we see the story almost totally through Vampirella’s eyes until the last page. I fully expected her to appear in her traditional “costume” rather than the street clothes, and didn’t specify a costume in the script.So Dave Acosta — who did a magnificent job illustrating both this and the Red Sonja #100 piece — drew her in the Armani anyway. MR: What’s next for you? Is it vodka?ET: I’m more of a scotch guy.The next comic project from Dynamite I contributed to is Red Sonja #100, which comes out in February (and is more of a horror/weird tale than anything I’d written for her before).
11/15/25 @ 12:49 pm EST
A new Star Trek film is in the works and Paramount is tapping the team of Jonathan Goldstein and John Frances Daley to write, produce and direct. This news comes shortly after David Ellison, founder of Skydance who recently purchased the studio, told investors that the next Star Trek film would not be a sequel to the Chris Pine/ Zachary Quinto lead series of films. While this hasn’t been 100% confirmed, word is that the new film will be focused on new characters and not directly tied to any previous film or television series. Goldstein and Daley have a good track record when it comes to revitalizing franchises having written Spider-Man: Homecoming for Marvel Studios and wrote and directed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves which was very well received by fans and critics.  11/15/25 @ 12:32 pm EST
With The Fantastic Four: First Steps having moved to Disney+, the Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby lead team is now first in fans minds. But one person still thinks about the First Family of Marvel presented a decade ago and what went wrong. Miles Teller, who played Reed Richards in Josh Trank’s 2015 version of the property, still thinks about the project and how he believes the problems all came down to one person. Teller was on Sirius XM’s Radio Andy show said, “You saw the movie, right? Your eyes were working during that time? I think it’s unfortunate because so many people worked so hard on that movie. And, honestly, maybe there was one really important person who kind of f***ed it all up.” While Teller didn’t say who that was, he was referring to the person who made the final cut on the film, which was not director Trank. Teller said that he wanted a superhero film on his resume to help show him as a serious leading man, but after seeing the final cut recalled, “I remember talking to one of the studio heads, and I was like, ‘I think we’re in trouble.'” The 2015 version made $167 million worldwide compared to this year’s version which made $521 million. He stopped short of calling for a director’s cut of the film.  11/09/25 @ 2:03 pm EST
The Creeper is a unique character from DC Comics, first introduced in "Showcase #73" in 1968. Created by Steve Ditko, The Creeper’s real name is Jack Ryder, a former television talk show host and investigative journalist in Gotham City. After being attacked during an undercover operation at a costume party, Ryder is injected with a serum by Dr. Yatz and gains superhuman abilities, including enhanced strength, agility, rapid healing, and a pain tolerance bordering on the supernatural. The serum, combined with a bizarre costume, transforms him into The Creeper, a vigilante known for his wild laughter, erratic behavior, and flamboyant appearance—a shock of green hair, yellow skin, and a red mane-like cape. The Creeper remains largely untouched by mainstream media, providing an opportunity to introduce audiences to a fresh face and break away from more established archetypes. His blend of horror, humor, and psychological complexity could create a film that stands out from traditional superhero fare. The Creeper’s unsettling persona and visual style lend themselves well to a film that could blend genres—horror, black comedy, and superhero action. His maniacal laugh and unpredictable methods could inject dark humor and psychological thrills, appealing to fans of films like "Joker" and "Deadpool" while carving out a distinctive identity in the DCU. Jack Ryder’s journey from cynical journalist to bizarre vigilante offers rich storytelling potential. Exploring themes of identity, sanity, and the nature of heroism, a Creeper film could delve into Ryder’s internal struggles and the impact of his dual life, making for a character-driven narrative that resonates with audiences seeking depth and complexity. And with being set in Gotham City, The Creeper’s adventures naturally intersect with the city’s gritty underworld, providing opportunities for noir-style detective storytelling. His background in journalism and investigation can be leveraged to create suspenseful plots involving corruption, criminal conspiracies, and moral ambiguity—making him an ideal protagonist for a film that explores the darker aspects of the DC Universe. The Creeper stands as one of DC Comics’ most unconventional and intriguing characters. His untapped potential, distinctive personality, and ability to straddle multiple genres make him a perfect candidate to lead a film in the new DCU.  ... 11/09/25 @ 1:37 pm EST
Predator: Badlands is doing very well, thanks for asking. The latest film in the long-running franchise set a few high franchise marks including domestic opening with $40M, best worldwide opening with $80M and best Cinemascore with an A-. The film also sits a the top of this week’s box office beating out the 2nd place film, Regretting You, by $32.9M… though that film is in its 3rd week. Other new films opening this week, Sarah’s Oil and Nuremberg, opened in 4th and 5th with just over $4M each. Badlands is the third Predator project for director Dan Trachtenberg, the first Prey showed how he could handle the franchise but then he wanted to follow it up with an animated film, Killer of Killers and then for the first time Badlands make the Predator the protagonist. 
11/08/25 @ 4:21 pm EST
Recent reports about problems on the set of Stranger Things may not have been what they seemed. There were stories being published that Millie Bobby Brown had filed a report against co-star David Habour, accusing the older actor of bullying. But the validity of those reports are now in question as both Brown and Harbour joined their Stranger Things cast members at the red=carpet premiere of the show’s fifth and final season. Brown and Harbour were seen joking together and even hugging. Brown has also spoke of Habour to Extra, saying: “It’s been amazing. We’re so lucky to have each other. The show means so much to the both of us, and to everyone here. This has been the last 10 years of our lives.” Brown stars as the psych-powered Eleven and Harbour plays Sherriff Jim Hopper who ends up adopting her. The fifth and final season will release on Netflix in three sets with Volume 1 on November 26 (four episodes), Volume 2 on Christmas (three episodes), and The Finale on New Year’s Eve.  11/01/25 @ 2:53 pm EST
There is a major movie franchise out there that is not going by its original name and it’s thanks to the star. When screenwriter Derek Kolstad finished what would become is most popular film, he was inspired by revenge-thrillers with one-word titles like Payback and Shooter. He dubbed his film, Scorn. The problem came when the star of the film went out and talked about it, he always referred to it by the lead character’s name rather than the title. After a while, the studio realized that their star, Keanu Reeves, had done millions of dollars worth of brand recognition for the name John Wick… they decided to go with it and renamed the film. Why Reeves did this is unknown, but Kolstad has since admitted that John Wick is a better franchise name, saying, “I can’t imagine it being Scorn now.” Was this an intentional thing on Reeves’ part or just a happy coincidence? We may never know.  11/01/25 @ 2:38 pm EST
If you check the major Hollywood sites like Deadline and Variety, they’ll tell you that October 2025 has been the lowest box office take in almost 30 years. It sits currently at $440 million with a few days left to add. In 1998 the box office did $455 million, which this month should just creep past. By comparison October 2018 did $832 million with just three films: Venom, A Star is Born and Halloween, taking in $481 million. But last year, October only took in $478 million showing the decreasing trend. Adding to the decline is the fact that no major releases were scheduled for this weekend because of the Halloween holiday. And what was put into theaters the whole month really didn’t get people’s attention. Tron: Ares was the highest profile film and that hasn’t even broken $70 million in its four weeks in theaters. When you look at numbers like that, it’s hard not to think about what might have been. There was a big budget film slated for release this month, a film that got delayed and delayed and hasn’t even started filming. A film that finally has a finished script and is set to release in October of 2027… that of course is Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part 2. One of the most anticipated films currently in production, the sequel to the 2022 hit, bolstered also by the fan favorite HBO series The Penguin, would easily match and likely succeed the success of the first film. The Batman opened on March 4, 2022 and ended that month with $338 million domestically. It was originally scheduled to be released October 3rd, looking at that release date, this year there really wasn’t any big film put in its place. The film would’ve done better than the first and that amount would’ve driven 2025 towards the top of the list, maybe even surpassing 2018. Ah, what could’ve been.  ... 10/26/25 @ 12:25 pm EST
DC Studios has potentially taken a significant step by filing for a trademark for a film titled "Salvation Run." A move that isn’t too surprising since the Salvation planet and the idea of using it as a prison for meta humans was introduced in the season finale of Peacemaker season 2. But the filing does indicate just how big this idea could be for the DCU. "Salvation Run" is a storyline from DC Comics that originally ran in the late 2000s. The story centers on the mass exile of some of DC's most notorious villains to a hostile alien world, forcing them to band together for survival. It was a concept originally pitched to DC by Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin. The trademark filing by DC Studios suggests that the company is considering developing "Salvation Run" into a feature film. While trademark filings do not guarantee that a film will be produced, they often indicate serious intent or early-stage development. The filing protects the title and concept, ensuring that DC Studios retains exclusive rights as plans evolve. Should "Salvation Run" move forward, it could introduce a fresh dynamic to DC's film slate. Instead of focusing on heroes, this story would shine a spotlight on villains, possibly expanding character development and offering audiences new perspectives on well-known antagonists. It also opens opportunities for ensemble casting, complex storytelling, and connections to other DC properties.  10/26/25 @ 11:56 am EST
For many MCU fans, there has been concerns about when or even if Jeremy Renner would be returning to the role of Clint Barton aka the Avenger Hawkeye. Renner first portrayed the archer in 2011’s Thor and returned in 2012’s The Avengers. He has been popping up as the character in various films and even his own Disney+ series that had been rumored to be getting a second season. And then came New Year’s Day 2023 and a horrific snowplow accident where the actor sustained over 30 broken bones, including a shattered leg, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a punctured lung. Renner has made a miraculous recovery and has returned to working on projects like Mayor of Kingstown and Wake Up Dead Man… but his future in the MCU is still unclear. Earlier this year Renner gave fans a disappointing update when he revealed that Marvel had talked to him about returning for season two but only offered him half of what he made for season one, which he turned down. None of this was looking good, even with two Avengers movies on the horizon. Shift to now where Renner is out doing various interviews and talking about the character again. He spoke of how Clint Barton has repeatedly tried to retire but keeps coming back and how he believes that it will continue that way until the character is killed off. He also said of the Hawkeye series specifically, "We got to where we’re trying to do the second season. And I think I’ll get strong enough to be able to do it. And we’ll work it out. It’s gonna be great." He was also asked by another Avenger actor, Brie Larson, if he would be returning for Avengers: Doomsday, to which he said “no” and then turned it back on her asking, “Are you?” The whole thing was done very playfully. And even if he doesn’t return for Doomsday, there’s always Secret Wars a year later.  ... 10/25/25 @ 12:37 pm EST
The highly anticipated Marvel series, Fantastic Four: First Steps, is set to make its debut on Disney+. Fans of Marvel’s first family have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this new adaptation, which promises to bring fresh storytelling and exciting action to the beloved characters of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. The film, which was directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, will be available for streaming starting November 5th. The Fantastic Four have long been favorites among comic book readers, and with Marvel Studios now handling the property after the luke-warm reception of the first two Fox films and the universally hated reboot. First Steps is not a retelling of the origin story but rather moves on to the team having been well established after four years and dealing with their greatest threat, the world-devourer Galactus. The new cast includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as the quartet of heroes along with Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatis and Natasha Lyonne. The film did moderately well in theaters, taking in a worldwide box office total of $521M and an 86% critic’s score on Rotten Tomatoes.  |
