BuzzSugar

Comic Book and Graphic Novel Costume Inspiration

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:17:30 PDT

Have you picked out your Halloween costume yet? If you're stalling or completely out of ideas, I can help - here are a few ideas for you to try on for size that come straight from comic books and graphic novels. Let your geek flag fly!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Spotlight On: Cancer Vixen

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:30:00 PDT

In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'll be featuring people and products from pop culture that have to do with the disease - those who have beaten it, have been touched by it, or are working toward finding a cure.

Today's spotlight is on Cancer Vixen, the alternately hilarious and horrifying memoir by Marisa Acocella Marchetto, a cartoonist for Glamour and The New Yorker. She was leading a decidedly fabulous life - hot fiancé, successful artistic career, kicky shoes - when a breast cancer diagnosis cast doubt on everything.

Acocella Marchetto holds nothing back in this memoir, depicting her "everything's fine" face as a dopey smile, her mother ("(s)mother") as a lovable but annoying hypochondriac, her friends as well-meaning gossips who wanted nothing but the best for their friend, and her cancer cells as little green blobs giving her the finger. Cancer Vixen focuses on surviving a scary diagnosis, but it's also a story about love, friendship, success, and what happens when life suddenly throws up a roadblock you never saw coming. Like Kris Carr, the filmmaker behind the documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer, Acocella Marchetto has created something creative, entertaining, and wickedly funny out of a very dark experience - and that's truly an inspiration.

Want to check out Cancer Vixen for yourself? Amazon has a great price on the hardcover book, but you can also scroll through a digital version of the story over here.

Source

Comic Book Cardboard Cutout? 8 Bags That Keep You Guessing

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:17:00 PDT

Real or not real? JumpFromPaper handbags look like they've literally jumped out of a graphic novel or comic book. It may look 2D from the front, but that's all optical illusion! The bags are no cardboard cutout - it's a roomy haven for laptops, tablets, headphones, or just, you know, your everyday needs. The bags are currently preorder only, but the company promises a shipment to the US in June. Prepare to be wowed with the crazy, cool designs.

DC Comics Graphic Novels Exclusive on Kindle Fire

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:43:06 PDT

Synergy's in the air for tech early adopters and comic fans, as DC Entertainment will release 100 of its classic graphic novels exclusively to the new Kindle Fire.

Some of DC's most popular graphic novels like Watchmen, Batman: Arkham City, and Superman: Earth One are among the titles that will make their digital debut to readers. The entire 100 title library includes all the Batman classics, along with V For Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Fables, Green Lantern, and more.

Pre-order select novels in the Kindle Store now and stay tuned for other titles to roll out soon. So, even if you're a digital convert you can maintain a committed comic book collection. Marvel fans can still look to the iPad for digital editions of their favorite reads.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Fincher's Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Film

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:55:26 PST

It's hard to describe The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo without giving away major plot points that would spoil twists and turns to audiences that haven't already devoured Stieg Larsson's novel of the same name. To those who already know the story, I can tell you that David Fincher's adaptation is (mostly) loyal, with a couple of changes that actually function as surprise treats for those who have read the novel. To those who aren't familiar with the story, I can tell you to buckle your seatbelt. The imagery that unfolds over the opening credits of the film, set to Trent Reznor's take on "Immigrant Song," is intense, and edgy, and strangely intriguing - which is perfectly fitting for the film.

Daniel Craig plays Mikael Blomkvist, a charismatic journalist who's been commissioned by an elderly man named Henrik Vanger (an excellent Christopher Plummer) to solve a seemingly impossible mystery: to find out who murdered his great-niece over 40 years ago. Once Blomkvist accepts the challenge against his better judgment, he unwittingly starts digging up old family secrets that prove to be much more dangerous than what he'd expected.

When Blomkvist hits a roadblock in his digging, he enlists the help of a research assistant, the titular girl with the dragon tattoo. She's better known as Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a leather-clad, skinny girl who is as brilliant as she is brusque. She's guarded (for a very good reason), but she can't say no to Blomkvist's offer to track down "a killer of women." The unlikely chemistry between Craig and Mara is surprising, fun, and manages to eke out a few light moments (particularly when Salander is scoffing at Blomkvist's computer skills).

To find out more about why the film is great, just

With that said, there's a reason why Fincher has been touting his film as the "feel bad movie of Christmas." Larsson's novel takes sadistic, often jaw-dropping turns, and Fincher ensures that his film will have the same unsettling effect. He doesn't hold back, as certain scenes will have you squirming in your seat. Though it's even more graphic than what I was prepared for, the emotional toil only makes you want the hero and heroine of the film to triumph all the more.

And triumph they do: Mara is mesmerizing as Salander, from her accent to her facial expressions to her few moments of comedic timing. She is fully immersed in the pierced, antisocial hacker: you won't find any traces of the fresh-faced girl we met in The Social Network. Mara brings a tiny bit more emotion to the film than the Salander in the novel, which proves to be an important device as we no longer have the luxury of seeing inside the psyche of such a complex character.

What makes The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo such a satisfying thriller are the additional touches: the unsettling, snow-covered setting in Hedeby island off the Swedish mainland is creepy for its isolation and howling winds alone. The score plays to your emotions without hitting you over the head with an overly haunting soundtrack. But ultimately, it's Mara's performance that will keep your knuckles white and your eyes glued to the screen.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Breaking Dawn Part 1: Horrifying on Multiple Levels

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:33:23 PST

Let's be honest: the standards for Breaking Dawn Part 1 are not high. All we want as fans is a satisfying conclusion to an addictive guilty pleasure, and considering the titillating content of the fourth book (Wedding! Sex! Hybrid vampire baby!), the film version has to do very little to please its audience. Sadly, it feels like Part 1 is grossly imbalanced; certain aspects are lazy while other scenes are over the top. Though Breaking Dawn has the most theatrical elements of all the movies, the film is disappointing - and often, just plain bad.

The movie begins with Edward and Bella's wedding, and then we follow them on a honeymoon full of passion - and problems. The couple manages to have sex for the first time, but Edward's vampiric strength leaves bruises all over Bella's body. After they overcome that hurdle, Bella faces another one when she makes the classic mistake of eschewing birth control because she's assumed her vampire mate is shooting blanks. He's not, though, and Bella's suddenly pregnant, but no one is quite sure what's growing inside her. Science and legend have no explanation, but everyone can see that Bella is getting weaker by the second. Unless Edward can turn her into a vampire during childbirth, she may be gone forever. It's a pretty wild premise that was shocking to read, and even crazier to see - and not in a good way. To read about my issues with the film, just keep reading.

5 Geeky Facts About Natalie Portman

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:37:40 PDT

Today is Natalie Portman's 30th birthday, and while she didn't get a Google Doodle in her honor, she remains one of our favorite actresses with some serious geek cred. In celebration, we're rounding up five facts you may not have known about the mom-to-be that show off her geeky nature. Read on and geek out!

She's a science nerd - Natalie was named a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search in 1998 thanks to her high school research paper, "A Simple Method to Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar." Science is sexy.
She loves her gadgets - Natalie keeps a Kindle on her at all times, and totes an iPad 3G to stay connected.
But she's also a vintage tech lover - Natalie says she still owns the first iPod, which first hit the scene in 2001. Let's face it - in tech terms, that's basically vintage.
She's into graphic novels - Natalie told last year's Comic-Con audience that she's been really into graphic novels since filming V For Vendetta. I wonder what her favorite adaptation would be?
She's Queen Amidala, hello!? - ICYMI, Natalie played Queen Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which basically makes her queen geek.

Tom Cruise Is Prepped and Ready For His Latest Shot at Acting

Katie Henry — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:29:26 PDT

Tom Cruise arrived on the One Shot set in Pittsburgh today carrying a script and wearing a fitted leather jacket. He's been busy filming stunts and hopping behind the wheel while his girls, Katie Holmes and Suri, explore the city's local coffee shops, museums, and milkshake establishments. Yesterday Katie and Suri visited Tom, who was all smiles upon their arrival. Tom's roles have taken the threesome around the globe for the last year. His next project, an untitled movie based on a graphic novel, pairs Tom with The Help's Jessica Chastain. Production for Tom and Jessica is schedule to start later this year, which means a busy rest of 2011 for Tom with Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol arriving in theaters Dec. 21.

Prince Harry Is a Comic Book Star

GeekSugar — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 06:21:54 PDT

Save the date, comic and royal fans (the two aren't mutually exclusive, right?), because on Aug. 24, Prince Harry will make his comic book debut in The Royals: Prince Harry.

Jumping on the recent wave of public interest in the younger royal brother, Bluewater Productions will publish a standard 32-page comic book for $4 and a more extensive $8 graphic novel detailing the prince's history. Both editions will look at Prince Harry's early life, and then follow him through his notorious party days and current military service. We're guessing there will be plenty of portraits of the luxurious life of a royal as well.

Would you read the Prince Harry comic book?