Written by Kevin Smith
Art by Walt J. Flanagan & Sandra Hope
Cover by Adam Kubert
Variant cover by Andy Kubert
Sketch cover by Andy Kubert
Best-selling comic book writer/director Kevin Smith (GREEN ARROW, Daredevil, Clerks) steps into Gotham City to write this 3-part miniseries event! Practically from out of nowhere, the mysterious masked killer known as
Onomatopoeia returns and sets his sights – and sounds – against The Caped Crusader!

Retailers please note: This issue will ship with three covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Adam Kubert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Andy Kubert). For every 50 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Adam Kubert), retailers may order one copy of the Sketch Edition (with a cover by Andy Kubert). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.


On sale November 12 • 1 of 3 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

We really dig Kev’s villain and can’t wait to see him face off against Bats. The saddest news of the whole thing is probably the confirmation that it’s just 3 short issues, though we’re betting the story will be packed. The variant cover details are also interesting to see, at the rate they’re being issued, it certainly seems they’ll be rare (so if any kind comic shop owners out there can get us a hookup on the rare books, let us know, lest our View Askew comics collections be incomplete). We’ll of course keep on top of this story, a great Fall followup to “Zack & Miri” will be the new Batman book, just two weeks after we see the film!

1. Clerks, film, available on DVD. Perhaps the most eloquent Star Wars geek on record, director Kevin Smith crafted dialogue about the issue of contract labor on the second Death Star in Star Wars: Episode VI–Return of the Jedi. Collateral damage or deserving collaborators? The debate rages on.

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
Oct. 31
Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks

Roommates Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) are broke. If only there were something they could do to make some extra cash, something quick and easy and highly profitable that requires no real skills besides just doing what comes naturally…. Hmmm. Well, I’m stumped. Guess we’ll just have to see Kevin Smith’s movie to find out what they come up with!

You can see the mention both on-line as we linked it here, or the same write-up in this week’s print magazine.

• Crazy 4 Cult 2 happens next week – This gives fans the chance to view and purchse some of the coolest art that you’ve ever seen. All of the art has ties to the world of film, television, and multimedia. Kevin gives examples of some absolutely amazing stuff that we’d die to own, so be sure to surf over and check them out. Last year, Kevin bought quite a few of the View Askew pieces for himself, but there’s lots more this year and some other coolness. The show takes place on August 22nd at Gallery 1988 on Melrose. A party in the parking lot follows. 1,000 people showed up last year. This year, expect even MORE.
• You can e-mail donkey@viewaskew.com if you’d like to get involved in a card game with Kevin on August 23rd, the day after the art show.
• Kevin confirms the Toronto Film Festival screening of “Zack And Miri” as the first, and that tickets will be available online starting September 3rd. Be ready as we are sure they’ll go REAL fast. The film itself unspools on Sunday September 7th.
• Kevin reminds us that tickets are available for the November 7th Q&A in Red Bank. It’s a Friday, at it WILL sell out. Thse Q&A sessions are always great, but Red Bank’s are EXTRA special. You don’t wanna miss it.

Brian co-hosted in support of his new film “Brutal Massacre” in July and has been asked back, which is way cool. Brian will join hosts Debbie Rochon (horror film star) andand Tony Timpone (Editor in Chief of Fangoria Magazine). He’ll be joined by Trevor Matthews and Jon Knautz, star and director, of “JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER”, Mick Garris (“Masters of Horror”), David Zayas and Lauren Velez (stars of one of the best programs on TV right now, “Dexter”), and one of the best FX guys in the viz, Greg Nicotero, who worked on “Mirrors”, opening this weekend.

Clerks/Mallrats – Actually, you can probably insert any and all of Kevin Smith’s view askewniverse movies. The fact that the dude has created an entire universe upon which his two main characters Jay and Silent Bob and countless others mingle makes Kevin Smith like the creator of Sims, but for funny movies. Whether it’s a chance encounter in a bedroom leading to an alternative lifestyle or watching Smokey finally “give it” to the Bandit, John K throws the best parties and we desperately want an invite.

Canada’s National Post went as far to include the film’s title in their headline on today’s group of announcements:

Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Che among 20 films added to TIFF

Twenty films were added to the Toronto International Film Festival’s Special Presentations programme on Tuesday.

The announced films include the World Premiere of Rian Johnson’s The Brothers Bloom, starring Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as a pair of con men who try and swindle a beautiful heiress played by Rachel Weisz; Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles, which stars Claire Danes and High School Musical’s poster boy Zac Efron; Kevin Smith’s already controversial Zack and Miri Make a Porno, which stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as friends who turn to porn to make money; The Burning Plain, the latest from Guillermo Arriaga, who wrote 21 Grams and Babel; both parts of Steven Soderbergh’s epic retelling of the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevera; Synecdoche, New York, the directorial debut of of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, which features an all-star cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Dianne Wiest, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Emily Watson and Hope Davis; and The Wrestler from director Darren Aronofsky, whose last film was The Fountain.

TheStar runs a similar story this evening.

No further details on the screening venue, day, or time are yet available, but if this is anything like the “Dogma” screening, you can expect a few things – This will be the hottest ticket in town. It’ll be REALLY tough to get a seat. And finally, some or all of the film’s stars will arrive for the screening (along with heaps of paparazzi). We’re betting a bunch of you would LOVE to attend this thing, so we’ll do our best to let you know how to get in, when tickets become available.

Typically, seats at events like this first go to those who have festival tickets purchased well in advance, so we recommend you visit the TIFF official ticket site and look into a ticket package – Note that the film has not YET been classified as a “Gala screening”, but there are restrictions. Your best bet is to call the ticket office and ask for details. And of course, keep it tuned to News Askew where we’ll do our best to let you know the latest. We hope some of you can get in there!

Kevin Smith: 2008 Vision Award Recipient

Kevin Smith is, quite simply, an indie film icon – having helped spawn an entire generation of DIY filmmakers with his first feature, Clerks. And although its success has brought him uncomfortably close to Hollywood’s orbit, he has always maintained a defiant individuality and endearing unconventionality. However, his contribution to independent film extends beyond his own filmmaking work, including Executive Producing the documentaries, Reel Paradise and Small Town Gay Bar, as well as four $40,000 features, A Better Place, Drawing Flies, Big Helium Dog, and Vulgar.

Filmmakers Alliance is proud to recognize this outspoken iconoclast for his singular body of work and his commitment and contribution to truly independent filmmaking.

And we are very proud to send our heartiest congrats to Kevin for this outstanding honor.

SModcast 61: “Bridge Beach!”

In which our heroes dream of private tutoring, catalogue questionable laws, survive a star cros’t love affair, rally against lawn art, and unwittingly seduce a funny-book merchant.

Always a FREE DOWNLOAD from Quick Stop Entertainment, the exclusive home of SModcast. And while you listen, go buy something at ThinkGeek. Promotion code “SILENTBOB” saves you up to $10.