I was surfing facebook earlier this evening when I saw a photo of a MOTU Classics Mantenna shared on the Masters of the Universe Classics facebook group and I did a double take. It sure looked like an official photo and legitimate photograph, but who can tell these days. We live in a world of Photoshop mockups. I put all the images from there into a gallery for everyone to see after the jump.

Can anyone verify if these are real?

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Mattel has hosted their annual Mattypalooza panel at SDCC 2012. We got a look at whats left for the year on MattyCollector.com, along with several sneak peaks of what is on the horizon for next year. See a pretty extensive summary with images after the jump, in addition to video of the panel itself!

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‘Before Watchmen‘ has already shaken the comics community and a lot of opinions have been raised as to whether the books will be good or bad, or if it is right on wrong to continue the stories.

But something you can’t argue with is seeing some talented artists try their hand at these classic characters. Amanda Conner is a personal favorite of mine, and a fan at Megacon a couple weeks ago commissioned a Silk Spectre piece from her. The fan recorded the whole thing and posted this time lapse of her sketch, ink, and color of the Watchmen character.

If this is indicative of her work on the final book, a collaboration with Darwyn Cooke, then I’m going to buy at least one of these Before Watchmen titles and enjoy it.

In a related news, IDW publishing is releasing a hard cover Art Of Amanda Conner book, taking preorders now.

DC Entertainment has just officially announced 7 miniseries that take place in the Watchmen universe, prior to the events in the original series. The comics will start being released this summer all under the “Before Watchmen” banner. The miniseries being released are as follows:

RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo
MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones
DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes
NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert
OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee
SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

Read the full press release after the jump. [Read the rest of this entry…]

Zack Snyder, director of comic adaptations 300 and Watchmen will take on Superman as soon as he’s done Sucker Punch. Exclusive report came in tonight from Deadline.

Christopher Nolan, successful director of the last two Batman films will produce with a script by Batman Begins and Blade writer David Goyer.

If the selection of the next director of Superman isn’t enough, Snyder’s direction is slowly being revealed. He told Variety that Brandon Routh “isn’t likely” for the lead role, which is described as a reboot.

THR casually mentions that General Zod, the protagonist from Superman II, will be the primary villain. In the same sentence they call it a “connection” to Richard Donner’s 2 Superman movies staring Christopher Reeve.

Get the whiskey, because if we’re buckling in for another redo of the Donner years, we might as well have kept Routh and Bryan Singer as director. I fully support all the stuff they talk about in these interviews about “Modernizing” and “Staying true to the character” but that does not include remaking a movie from the 70s. Superman is a classic, but its a product of the era and duplicating it is as silly as remaking the Tim Burton Batman from 1989.

When people bring up Zod in articles about another Superman movie, they always act like he’s some classic villain. Well he’s not, and stop fooling people into thinking so if you’re one of those bloggers. He’s a b-level Silver Age threat popularized in Superman II. He’s largely absent from the DC canon since, with more reboots and history changes than Power Girl. I still hope that Superman can face a worthy villain in either Lex Luthor who can fight in a powersuit or Metallo who can match Superman’s power. You don’t have to go to Doomsday or Darkseid, in fact Superman alone is enough aliens for one movie. Skip Zod, give us a human who works.

Snyder is a highly skilled director, who can and will deliver a stylized action epic. I just hope its right for Superman and not a disaster all over again.

The aughts are over with 2009. Did we make the best of it? Did our predictions for the year turn out the way we hoped back in our inaugural Powetcast? Regardless, what were the best and worst entertainment items of the year? Find out in this special two-part season finale of the Powetcast!

Direct Link: Powetcast Episode 25: Aught to Enjoy

Direct Link: Powetcast Episode 25.5: The Coolest Beans of 2009

Audio Netcast Details
Subscribe to the Powetcast on iTunes

(What were your favorite games, comics, tv, movies, and toys from 2009? Leave your comment below!)

Show notes after the jump!

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