Dorkgasm - News

Warriors coming to the iPhone | Comics News

MRiedlinger — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:02:02 +0000

Dabel Bros Publishing and iVerse announced today that they are teaming up to bring comics to the iPhone. First up is our friend David Atchison's The Warriors. What's even better is that the first issue will be free to download, with subsequent issues running only ninety-nine cents!

A joint press release stated, “iVerse is excited to be working with Dabel Brothers,” said iVerse founder Michael Murphey. “THE WARRIORS comics they have created are fantastic, and will make for a great entry point for people that may love the film, but maybe haven’t read a comic in years…or ever. There is a lot of potential to reach new comic readers with this and other Dabel digital releases.”

With publishing costs increasing, and the smart phone becoming more and more pervasive, this seems to be the next logical step in the format's evolution. Frankly, there isn't a better writer that Dabel could have chosen to for their first digital offering than Atchison. The self-proclaimed popculturalist is widely followed via electronic forums such as Twitter and Facebook, so it fits well to have his work featured in their inaugural digital comic.

You can find more info on the project here: http://www.dabelbrothers.com
Read a review of the first issue of The Warriors here: http://dorkgasm.com/node/844
and we have an interview with David Atchison here: http://dorkgasm.com/node/845

IRAN: Why I keep posting updates from Iran on Twitter and Facebook

MRiedlinger — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:49:46 +0000

I am a journalist. I am a proud member of the Milwaukee Press Club, and I've been writing and self publishing articles for the last two years. I haven't made a single dime doing it, but I AM doing it. There are a lot of people out there in my position who are just as broke and have no job, but they've chosen to take retail positions, technical writing jobs, and other various career paths because they do not want to starve. I can't fault them for that. I've been trying to do the same. Until I do, however, I feel I have a responsibility to spread information. News is like that, and usually, to be honest, I don't have much to do because the main stream media outlets pretty much have it covered. This is especially true in my chosen field of journalism: entertainment. Hell, even CNN has it's own version of Access Hollywood. But then the elections in Iran went wrong, and I found myself in a pretty weird place.

I've always been politically active, fighting Nazi propaganda on Myspace, protesting injustice vocally when I see it, and I'm always down for a debate on the meaning and purpose of equality. When reports starting coming out of Iran about what was going on, I heard about it on Twitter first. This was the first day or so, before the government crackdowns started to really get intense. The Iranians faced government opposition to their freedoms from the beginning. They had to deal with phones, text messaging, and the internet being shut down or blocked before they really had a chance to organize. Most of the Iranians protesting were students, people like me. I remember a panel discussion I went to about the movie "Persepolis", and there was a recurring theme: That Iran was getting to be more and more free these days, but under constant threat that the regime in charge could pull those freedoms at any minute. Now, it was happening.

My first instinct upon hearing about it was to turn on the news. CNN, FOX, and even my beloved MSNBC had all tuned out. Nancy Grace kept yapping about the latest "crime of the century" and her crackpot ideas, and in Iran, people started to die for their freedoms. There were mentions of "something" going on in Iran - protests and the such - and they talked about how Twitter was one of the only avenues Iranians had to get the word out. Mind you, the media here didn't really start watching Twitter so much as they tried to keep using it as a tool for their own marketing, encouraging users to follow them for "breaking news". As millions of people took to the streets of Tehran, that breaking news was "The Lakers Won!". I was disheartened.

The students I was following on Twitter were very careful not to use real names, and they always tried to confirm the information they posted. The news here could have been following them too, reporting on the violence at protests by the Iranian Republican Guard, or how proxy servers were being set up around the world to help Iranians access the internet, but they didn't. At one point, CNN sat down with pundits who wanted to compare the Iranian Election to the US Presidential race between Bush and Gore. Never mind that the events weren't really similar at all, but they needed to do what they knew, and that's present entertainment. You see, in this economy, in order to stay in business, the mainstream news has to keep providing the latest updates on John and Kate, Brad and Angelina, etc. There isn't really room for an event that could change the face of the world, like an uprising in a country that WANTS to be free, but is being held down by the boot of tyranny.

So I started posting re-tweets. That's what "RT" stands for, "Re-Tweet". It's like hitting forward on an email. At first, I retweeted the reports I recieved verbatim and cited the sources "RT @Change_for_Iran" was one of them, and it means that my source was someone with the username "Change_for_Iran". I soon learned, however, that the Iranian government was tracking these people down, beating, and sometimes killing these sources. I stopped. Now, most of the RTs I post are "from Iran", nice and anonymous. Change_from_Iran has since stated that he wants his name used in Re Tweets because the government is trying to post disinformation and attribute it to him, and this will make it easier to track what is and isn't his. That is bravery like no other, and I hope that it doesn't get him killed.

I've seen a lot of misinformation come out. There is antisemitic stuff coming out, false reports of Pro-Government rallies, the like. Of course, CNN and the rest, in the interest of "balanced coverage" are reporting this garbage just as much as the real stuff. It's like watching two mentally handicapped kids try to figure out a Rubik's Cube with half the stickers missing by candlelight. The mainstream media hasn't a clue. Meanwhile, the internet has proven to be the voice of freedom that newspapers where to Ben Franklin.

Perennial internet bad guys like The Pirate Bay and Anonymous have stepped up to the plate to help. Yes, the people that invented "Rick-Rolling" and who outed the secrets of Scientology for fun have been doing more than any government to help Iranian protesters. There's no profit to be made, but just like me, they seem to feel a sense of duty when it comes to the free exchange of information and ideas. Not that any government really COULD do much right now. The Iranian government has tried to pin the protests on the US, the UK, and Israel, but so far, President Obama has stayed, rather intelligently, out of this fight because he knows that getting involved would only make it harder for the Iranians to be heard. That takes a brain and a pair made of brass. We elected the right man.

I wake up every morning and log onto Tweedeck to see what my sources have posted. I don't know how I'll feel if they suddenly go silent, but my heart breaks just thinking about the possibility. Unlike other resistance efforts in the past, this one is happening in the public eye, if only the public knew where to look. Because our journalists aren't spreading the news, I am. When I post a message, over 500 people on Facebook see it, and thousands on Twitter following the #iranelection hash-tag. Those stories, made up of 140 characters or less, are then Re-Tweeted and re-posted by more and more people. I know some of those people are you. Thank you. This is the first time that the average citizen has been able to help others fight for their freedom, simply by aiding in their efforts to be heard. Below are some links. If you want to help, then follow the links and follow their advice. In the meantime, me, my laptop, and my iPhone will keep an eye on the news coming out of Iran, and will try to keep you up to date. Thank you all for the support, and for giving a damn when many might not.

Gonzo is God,
Michael C. Riedlinger
6/19/2009

http://iran.whyweprotest.net/
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/16/cyberwar-guide-for-i.html

Watching The Watchmen | News

kenneth.holm — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:19:16 +0000

A Look at the Stars of the Upcoming Movie
By
Kenneth Holm
Senior Staff Writer

Well, I cannot believe that I am saying this, but it is only about a week until we see Watchmen on the silver screen. This has been a long road for comic book fans, and an even longer road for the studios that have been involved with it. Consider this: there have been plans to do a Watchmen movie since the lat eighties. Now, however, not even frivolous lawsuits can stop the juggernaut that this movie has become. You see the trailers everywhere you look and there's always a story online about it. Hell, even the soundtrack is awesome! However, there is always one thing that can make or break a movie... Actors.

This is Dorkgasm's way of trying to predict how the movie will turn out. Now, I have read no reviews, spoilers, or anything else about the movie proper other than who the actors are. Knowing this, and having gone through a rather large amount of film backlog, I can bring you an honest opinion about the way things are going to work out. First, we'll start with the best team in the movie: Rorschach and Nite Owl (or Nite Owl II, as some will properly point out).

Rorschach
Played by Jackie Earle Haley

Honestly, there is not a whole lot on which to judge this one. Haley's big role was Kelly Leak, the foul-mouthed obnoxious Little League player in The Bad News Bears and its sequels. So, we know that he has got the mouth and attitude down pat, right? Sure. Come on, he was a kid! Still, though, he has done a lot of other work to back this up, including stints on The Love Boat and Murder She Wrote. Seriously, he has done some bit parts in MacGyver and one of my favorite Chris Elliot shows ever, Get A Life. I mean, this guy was Braxton Red in Dollman, fer Chrissakes! Then, there was thirteen years where he dropped off the radar, which is where I feel he really got the chops for Rorschach. He did regular Joe jobs, like chauffeur, deliveries, salt of the earth type stuff. Not because he was researching a role or whatever stars do nowadays, but because he was biding his time and searching for that vehicle to launch him back into the big game. Right about 2006, he got it. Big time.

In 2006, Haley starred in the exceptional film Little Children. Playing the part of registered sex offender Ronnie McGorvey, Haley dominates every scene he is in, filling the screen with contempt, depression, and a slight sense of the sinister. In other words, he is perfect for good old Walter Kovacs. The Rorschach of the comic is bitter, hateful, and more than a little insane. He is not above breaking fingers to make a point, and is quick to improvise weaponry. You know, like MacGyver. Hey! Another connection! This is one of the characters that I have absolutely no beef with whatsoever. Perfect casting except for one thing. Haley's ears are a bit big and he's balding. So, break out that double-sided tape and a red curly wig, because this is going to be perfect casting. Well, maybe not the red wig, but still awesome.

Moving on...

Nite Owl II
Played by Patrick Wilson

Wrong. All wrong. That is what I am feeling right now. In the book, Dan Dreiberg a.k.a. Nite Owl is a bit paunchy, wore glasses, and looks like a total schlub. Patrick Wilson, however, is in good shape and reasonably attractive. If he does not look the part, though, he certainly could play the part exceptionally well, judging by past efforts. Not so much with The Alamo, but more along the lines of “Too Fab” Schumacher's version of The Phantom Of The Opera. Wilson played supposedly foxy Raoul with longish hair and a penchant for women. Nothing to do with Nite Owl, but it proves that he can handle his action sequences with some aplomb. Probably my favorite role of his was that of Jeff Kohlver, the errant photographer in 2005's Hard Candy. That was a solid movie. He played a sociopath quite well, and I think that a quality like that would be good to have in a guy who dresses up in tights and flies a big owl ship around the city after dark. However, there's one role that convinces me that he will actually be good in mannerisms as Nite Owl. We turn, one again, to Little Children.

How is it that the best team in Watchmen have already been in a movie with each other? I would say that this version of Dreiberg has a potential to be the show stealer if handled correctly. In Little Children, Wilson played Brad, who lived a life where he was the prototypical henpecked husband. I would happily be henpecked by Jennifer Connelly, but whatever. He meets Sarah (Kate Winslet), and immediately knows that he loves her. They have their thing, but he does not run away with her because he busts his shit on a skateboard. There's a lot more to it, but I feel it’s right to summarize. Throughout the movie, he is a wishy-washy type whose powerful wife has run all over him. He finally meets someone who invigorates him and he is all set to leave his evil and heartless wife behind... or not. The character schlubs it out and plays the chickenshit, all of which Wilson portrays perfectly. This could be a great Nite Owl, just not in appearance. You know, as I wrote this, I think I just convinced myself that Patrick Wilson will make a good Nite Owl. Hell, I'll even forgive Lakeview Terrace this once… and only once.

Join me next installment as we take a look at the female characters of Sally Jupiter, her daughter Laurie Jupiter, and cancerous Janey Slater. See you soon! Don't forget to check back later this week for the next one!

The Official Death of HD-DVD

angelknight32 — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:00:10 +0000

Toshiba held a press conference on Tuesday Night and officially announced to all that they would no longer be manufactoring, marketing or developing any HD-DVD players or recorders. The good news for anyone who supported the format before its death is that Toshiba will still provide full support and after-sales services to you. It's like getting a really crappy parting gift from a game show after you lost $25,000 dollars and have to go back home.
Toshiba also announced that they will be cutting back shipments of players of the now defunct format to all retail outlets. They want it officially buried by the end of March 2008. They also aim to eliminate all HD-DVD disk drives for applications such as games and for the PC as well and in the same timeframe. The other sad news is that in the press release there is no mention of any type of format swapping for any of you owners of Beta 2.0. This means that if you have a Beta 2.0 player or adapter for the X-Box 360 it is now a very large desk decoration or if your truly frustrated by the move then feel free to use it to film your very own spoof of the scene from Office Space where they destroy the copier whilst gangster music plays in the background. I wonder if someone has enough creative chops out there to that scene with Cyndi Lauper or Sined O' Connor playing.
My apologizes to all those out there that tried to support the format but with this news you will have to eat the cost and stick with regular DVD's or if you truly want the high definion experience then either a Blu-ray player or the PS3 are your only options.

Harlan Ellison and the new Star Trek remake

angelknight32 — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:16:13 +0000

As you all know J.J. Abrams is currently working on a reinvention of the Star Trek universe, well according news around the internet the man who wrote "The City on the Edge of Forever", the one and only Harlan Ellison is very upset that some of his story is ending up in the new Star Trek film and is said that a lawsuit may happen in the immediate future. Also producer James Cawley has seen the newly redesigned Starship Enterprise is has been quoted online that he is not happy with the look.

Bring It On: ZOMBIES!!!!!

Sysop — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:14:30 +0000

They say it causes nausea and headaches but we all know what these classic signs lead to:

A fireball fell from the sky and slammed into southern Peru over the weekend, creating a huge crater that emitted a sickeningly smelly gas, local authorities said. More than 600 villagers fell ill, the Peruvian radio network RPP reported Tuesday.

Zombies! In an effort to embarrass the killer bees, it will take only (by my expert calculations) six months for their insatiable desire for human flesh to lead them to the U.S. border. I hope everyone is ready! (h/t: Instapundit)