- It’s a big day to celebrate when a new comic from Kevin hits shelves — Today, Kevin & Walt return to the world of Batman, as “Widening Gyre” issue #1 is now on shelves everywhere. Get your copy before the firsting printing becomes extinct. MTV’s digging the new book , too:
“BATMAN: THE WIDENING GYRE” #1 (DC): Back in May, Kevin Smith told Splash Page that this could be the last Batman story he ever writes–which should be reason enough to pick it up. Having previously authored “Batman: Cacophony” (which featured my favorite new villain, Onomatopoeia, created by Smith during his “Green Arrow” run), Smith promises to introduce a brand new character in “Widening Gyre,” which he’s writing alongside his frequent collaborator in both comics and film, artist/actor Walt Flanagan.
With the combined comics cred of Smith and Flanagan and a new character in the wings, this one’s a can’t-miss pickup for readers this week.
Can’t sleep or wait until you local comic shop opens? How’s about a nice look at some finished pages from the new series, eh? DC’s Source presents the two covers for issue #1 and some colorful looks at key moments. Click the pages here for a bigger look, or visit DC Source. Enjoy issue #1!
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View Askew NewsBites™
- JoBlo confirms that the 2 new features on the “Clerks” Blu-ray will be a new introduction from Kevin, and the “Lovely Tea Party” documentary from Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. If you’ve never experienced Tea Party, you’re in for a nice treat, a look back many years ago to the filming of this Askewniverse classic. This disc also has everything on “Clerks X”, so buy yourself a nice Bluray and ship your Clerks X off to a pal who’s still slumming it with the previous generation of DVD player. The disc streets along with the new “Amy” on November 17th.
- More Mewes comedy? Comedian Barry Taylor is listing Jason along with his touring schedule – If you wanna catch Jay live, this is a good page to watch for upcoming dates (as well as News Askew, of course). At a recent event, Mewes announced that he announced that he will be direct and star in a music video for the band ‘The Artist Life’.
- The Philly Examiner takes a look back at the developments surrounding “Red State”, and asks, “When is Kevin Smith gonna make his darn horror movie?”. Recent tweets from Kevin do confirm he’s still interested, and just wants to find the right financier for the job.
- Winding up the day — Wired covers the annual Lego Brickfair along with a shot of one of the coolest (yet simplest) Lego creations we’ve ever laid eyes on. Folks, we bring you, Lego Quick Stop. Catch ya next time.
The “Kevin” Report…
- Kevin’s back on the west coast, having taken the “A Couple of Dicks” footage he just spent the summer shooting back into his home editing suite to cut it all together. Yes, we’re extremely thankful that Kevin not only got to direct the flick, but that he’s the guy who’s piecing it together as well.
Now that he’s off the set, he’s found a lot more time to be online as well. In past years, Kevin’s been spotted frequently at his WWWBoard at the official View Askew website, where he perused posts and randomly answered questions from the fans. Now, it seems, Twitter is the place to be if you’d like a shot at some interaction. In recent days, Kevin’s not only been posting his own random news and thoughts via the service, but also responding to followers who have direct tweeted some messages to him.
Now, we’re not going to repost every tweet here at the site for ya, we figure, if you’re into Kevin’s stuff, you’re either following him via your own Twitter account, or can just read Kevin’s twitter page even if you’re not a subscriber. Still, some quite newsworthy information and statements have come across, which we’ll now run down for you straight ahead, in no particular order:
- No details just yet, but Kevin announces that, on 10/23 at Gallery1988 on Melrose, the day before the L.A. Q&A show at Orpheum, they’ll present… A SMOD ART SHOW! 25 artists painting the weirdest SModcast moments, all up for sale. If you’re coming in for the Q&A, change those plans and get into town a day earlier. More details to come.
- Tickets for the live show in London have already allegedly SOLD OUT (as we warned), so Kevin’s added a second show at O2, as well as inviting Mosier over for a live UK SModcast. If it happens, there will be only 300 seats, so you better be ready with those credit cards. We’ll have details on all of this soon.
- Via this post, Kevin reveals he’s splitting his official Facebook into two. You’re going to be removed from his official account, most likely, but can rejoin at his new “fan” account that he links there. He’s wisely decided to use the main Facebook account for close friends & family only. Find the new one here.
- On the possibility of Jersey Girl’s director’s cut coming to an extended Blu-ray: ” I suggested giving JG extended BD, but it was as if I’d suggested blumpkin.”
- On the possiblity for more overseas Q&As: “Oz dates being looked at. Also trying for Scotland and Ireland post-10/10.”
- Details on the Forbidden Planet signing in the UK are confirmed. This is a great spot to hit if you missed get seats at the Q&A.
- Kevin’s not forgotten about “Red State”, but still wants to find funding before he makes it. Will some wise investor cough up the dough, already..Please? Maybe we should see what we can come up with collectively as fans, huh?
- If you’re missing SModcast for whatever crazy reason, take a peek at this hilarious 2 minute bite than was animated courtesy of Stark Toons. Kevin tweets: “STARKUS! This made me cry hysterically, the (limited) animation is so good”.
- Last, certainly not least – Kevin points out the first, and also by luck quite positive, review of the SModcast book.
Batman: Widening Gyre #1 In 3 Days!
- This Wednesday, you can grab yourself a copy of the highly anticipated “Batman: Widening Gyre” in comic shops everywhere. Kevin’s gifted us with the first look at some of Walt’s line art from issue #2, which you’ll see here. If you’re a fan and a collector, we highly recommend hitting up the Stash online and ordering what is sure to be a sold-out first printing, signed by the writer AND the artist themselves. Very well worth your $10.
The series will run 12 issues, made up of 2, six-part arcs. There will be a break between the two arcs. A new DC universe hero is introduced in book two. MTV ran a nice story and interview with Kevin earlier this year that you might want to take a look back on as well. Hurry up, Wednesday.
FULL “Chasing Amy” Blu-ray Deets…
- The HD Room has scored a few more concrete details on what we’re going to see when the new “Chasing Amy” Bluray hits this fall. One of the BIG new confirmations we have here is that there is indeed a brand new commentary track that will included on the disc. This will be the first time that Kevin and Scott have talked about the film since the original commentary got recorded for the Criterion laserdisc way back in 1997. Also confirmed are the BRAND NEW documentary, the never before seen Q&A, and a new conversation between Kevin & Joey that’s a nice surprise. Here’s the full rundown:
The November 17 release of Chasing Amy on Blu-ray will be offered in 1.85:1 1080p video and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio 48kHz/24.bit.
Bonus features are a mix of what was included on the previously released Criterion Collection DVD and newly produced extras. What will not be ported from DVD is the Kevin Smith DVD introduction (naturally), screen specific audio commentaries with the cast and crew (replaced with new commentary and a q/a), and The Askewniverse Legend guide. At the end of the day this new Blu-ray edition’s supplements are on par with the Criterion DVD, only more relevant in retrospect to where the cast and crew’s minds are today.
All of the new bonus features on Blu-ray are marked as such in this comprehensive list.
* NEW: Commentary with Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier
* NEW: Tracing Amy: The Chasing Amy doc
* NEW: Was It Something I Said? A conversation with Kevin and Joey
* NEW: 10 Years Later Q/A with Kevin and the cast
* Deleted scenes
* Outtakes
* TrailerWe’re stoked for this release, as Amy is one of our all-time faves. It’ll be great to watch the film again and take in all of this new material. Seeing what Kevin & Scott have to say about the film with all this time passing should prove for an interesting new commentary. As soon as the Stash has pre-orders out there, we’ll let ya know.
Watch Kevin & Jay As “Degrassi Goes Hollywood”!
- The N in the U.S. is now airing “Degrassi Goes Hollywood”, a new feature-length Degrassi flick where Kevin and Jay play frequent roles. In fact, both Smith and Mewes are mentioned and seen before the opening credits are done running, and you’ll catch Kevin doing a Q&A right up front. In fact, the main plot is about Mewes directing a new musical flick called “Musical High” that he’s casting at Degrassi.
Wanna see it? Check your local listings to catch it on the tube. OR…Even better, view it RIGHT NOW at the N’s official website!!!
Click Here for the 90-minute “Degrassi Goes Hollywood” movie, free!
Looks like the entire Degrassi cast is back, so if you haven’t checked the show out in a while, here’s a chance to catch up. Enjoy.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Right on schedule, Den of Geek has caught up with “Clerks II” this week, as part of their ongoing Kevin Smith retrospective. Once again, they’ve got a nice review followed by some commentary afterwards, which we’ve got a sampling of here:
“…O’Halloran and Anderson pick up the characters of Dante and Randal so easily it is like they are putting back on their favourite old shirts, making the audience feel as if two old friends have just popped in to let you know what they have been up to recently. The flow of their dialogue is seamless and totally in line with the previous film, something which really could have unravelled the entire movie if it had not been done right.
As always, Jay and Silent Bob add their own personal brand of comic relief throughout the movie and special mention goes out to the two new main additions to this Askewniverse, Rosario Dawson’s Becky and Trevor Fehrman’s Elias, who both slot into this world so brilliantly it is hard to believe this is the first we have seen of them.
…
Clerks II is a sequel that really works and should be made as essential viewing for any Hollywood writer/producer/director who is even thinking of putting a number 2 next to a movie.”
The retrospective will conclude next week with “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”. We’ll then run a post with links to the entire series in case you might have missed any.
- Lots more Mewes in the news today – First up, the Bloor Street Cinema in Toronto has announced “An Intimate Evening with Jason Mewes”, which will take place on September 3rd. A new Mewes film is screening as part of the show, though since he’s got quite a few roles in the can right now, we can’t confirm which one. You can get tix online for the bargain price of $12.50 with no service charge. And also…
- Jason Mewes: Stand up comedian? We received this news late so you’ll likely miss this show, but is this a sign of things to come? Mewes is apparently trying out a set of stand up material TONIGHT Chatham, Ontario (spending a lot of time in Canada these days, looks like, probably due to filming up there):
CHATHAM — Movie funnyman Jason Mewes is returning here this weekend. The New Jersey-based actor, best known as Jay — as in Jay and Silent Bob — in Clerks and other Kevin Smith films, will perform a stand-up set at the Encore Bar & Nightspot tomorrow night. He filmed a horror film, Silent But Deadly, in Chatham-Kent last year, though he says the film has been “put on hold.” Chatham-Kent, though, is an “interesting place,” he recalled.
Encore Bar is charging $12 at the door for the show tonight. If anyone happened to make it, drop us a line and let us know how the guy fared up there. It’s possible this is just a Q&A that they got mixed up. We’ve heard that some bar-hosted appearances can get a little dicey as far as acoustics and logistics, so tread carefully.
View Askew NewsBites™
- Den of Geek does it AGAIN, right on schedule — Their weekly Kevin Smith retrospective is back with the “Jersey Girl” installment, kicking in with a plot summary and then a short review, as always. Here are some highlights:
“…there are more than a few stand out scenes, although my personal favourite is Ollie’s conversation with Will Smith. The scene is seamless and so well written when it could really have turned into a giant joke.
Like most movies with children included in the cast, it does sometimes fall into its own sugary sweetness and you can’t help but notice the influence of the late, great John Hughes’ She’s Having a Baby running throughout. Both director/writers were influenced by their own families.
As this genre of movie goes, you could, in fact, do a lot worse and if the critics put you off watching this movie first time round then take a look at it when it’s next on TV. And if you haven’t watched it in a while, wait until the next rainy afternoon and put it in your DVD player, you’ll feel better after.
This is one of those flicks we hope that many folks, including critics, take a look at again with a lot of the Bennifer stuff now in the distance. And we’re really hopeful that many of you can one day see Kevin’s extended cut of the film, which we feel gives it an even stronger emotional connection and impact with the viewer. Kevin’s stated it’s a possibility for an eventual special edition Bluray, so keep your fingers crossed.
- The memorable Loki and Bartleby topline Empire’s article on “Avenging Angels: Which Seraphs Can Kick Ass” :
Dogma (1999)
Being an angel is a cushy job. You mooch around Heaven, taking time out to fluff your feathers, attend celestial choir practice and pose for the odd Renaissance painting. Unless, of course, like Loki and Bartleby, you get the Almighty heave-ho and find yourself exiled to Wisconsin. The smart-mouthed seraphs don’t take rejection lying down, though. Exploiting a Biblical loophole, they set off on a cunning quest for forgiveness that threatens to invalidate God. Considering God turns out to be Alanis Morissette, their failure is ours too.
Angelic retribution level (out of 10): 7
Chances against massed armies of Heaven: High. Well, one of them’s the Angel of Death and the other’s Jason Bourne.
- Empire also used the “Zack and Miri” theatrical poster to make an alcohol-themed “mash up”, though we assume a “Pernod” is something quite British, haven’t even come across the term here in the U.S.
- Jason Mewes is one of the many great guests announced thus far for this years “Horrorfind” convention in Towson, Maryland. The show runs from Sept 25 through the 27th. More info on the con is at the official site where you can find the full guest list and tons of details. This is one of the bigger, more well-attended genre cons on the east coast, and worth a trip — Especially if you’d like to meet the legendary Mewes. Other small Mewes news: The actor gets mentioned briefly in this article regarding his role in the new revenge flick “Vengeance”.
- Apparently there’s a few View Askew/Smith mentions in the new film “Funny Books” which follows the lives of 3 comic book store employees. Check out the review, and if it strikes your interest after reading, the film as well, which is screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX this monmth.
- Tech fansite io9.com cities Brodie’s comic book collection from “Mallrats” among their list of “The Greatest Nerdware We’d Steal From Our Favorite Fanboys”:
You just know Jason Lee’s stash has some serious classics hidden in there. Plus, this is the collection that stated the rules we all try to follow: “Touch not, lest ye be touched.”
- Kevin’s made a lot of movies with Miramax and The Weinstein Company over the years, so we thought some of you might be interested in this detailed story on their upcoming projects and challenges – Next weekend’s “Inglorious Basterds” is a big one. By the way, first the awesome and original “District 9”, and a new Tarantino flick next week? It’s sure been some August for movies. See ya next time…
Kevin’s Coming to Dallas…And A Lot More!
- Hellloooo Dallas! This is it, your big chance to see Kevin SMith LIVE in person, on stage, for a hilarious show where he takes your questions and runs with ’em! No Kevin Smith show is ever the same as the last, and they are all full of the best laughs you’ll have all year. We’re now happy to report that the man will take the stage of the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 8:00 PM. Head over to LiveNation and grab yourself some PreSale tix now! Yep, before the public can buy ’em!
If you wanna see this show, we highly recommend you don’t delay, as we’re positive this will sell out. Right now is your big chance, as the show has not been announced to the general public. Whether you’ve seen Kevin do a Q&A before or not, this is not a show or venue you will want to miss. If you wanna buy them officially through the House of Blues you will have to wait a bit, though they DO offer their members some specials. If you’re in with the crew there, give them a call.
In another part of the US? Never fear. 2009 is shaping up to be the biggest tour year EVER for Kevin. We can’t tell you the cities JUST yet, but we can say there are FOUR of them — One very near and dear to us at News Askew, two of them in a really warm place, and one of them up north. You’re gonna love it, seriously. Great cities, some of which we have NEVER seen Kevin appear in before. What a cool year. We know we say this all the time, but we really mean it — If you have the means to see Kevin when he comes to your area, do NOT miss it. His shows are the best. Stay tuned for more info. And get booking those seats, Dallas!
View Askew NewsBites™
- Let’s kick this off with our favorite Newsbite of the day here — Wanna make yourself your own paper Silent Bob? Sure ya do. CubeCraft offers free printable models that are easy to print, cut, and create via your own color printer. We really dig this Silent Bob which looks to be based on his inaction figure. They’ve got a lot more too. Great, fun idea, and a nice weekend project for ya. Enjoy!
- Congrats to Kevin on his official “verified” Twitter status , the badge that indicates he is the one and only. Not many out there get this honor, and we gotta say, a dude with over a million followers sure deserves it. Way to go.
In a recent tweet, Kevin reveals that he’ll record a long-awaited new SModcast with Mosier this weekend, in town to celebrate Kev’s birthday. Also, he’s shooting nights as “A Couple of Dicks” hits the home stretch, right on schedule. Don’t forget, the new SModocast-based book hits shelves this Fall.
And finally, our favorite tweet of the week:
Landed safe at Newark Airport. Shocking, considering I sat behind LOST’s Ben Linus. Plane did not go to The Island, but Jacob hogged toilet.
Would you NOT be freaked out to see Ben on the plane with ya? Great stuff.
- The great Jason Lee scores a mention today in the Bill Simmons “Sports Guy” column on ESPN.com. He uses ‘Almost Famous’ to review the NBA offseason happenings and says:
As for the above quote, we can’t gloss over Jason Lee’s performance as lead singer Jeff Bebe, just the right mix of jealousy, overconfidence, sarcasm, stringy hair and mellowed-out, super-cool, ’70s onstage enthusiasm, as this deleted concert scene proves. Not an easy role. Lee pulled off three distinctly different characters over the years — Bebe, Earl Hickey and Banky from “Chasing Amy” — and remains severely underrated.
Speaking of Mr. Lee, he also joined the ranks of Kevin as a recent guest of the always enjoyable Kevin Pollak Chat Show.
- And while we’re looking back at the “Chasing Amy” stars, what’s that Affleck guy up to? Why, he’s starring and directing “The Town”, a new romantic crime thriller. This will be Affleck’s first directing gig since his debut of “Gone Baby Gone”. Shooting starts this September in Boston.
- Scooper and fan JD sends in his take on the “A Couple of Dicks” one sheet today. While we imagine this won’t become official or anything, we certainly admire his effort and find it worthy of a spot in the ‘ol Bites today.
- Dread Central reveals that Jason Mewes will play a “gamer nerd” in the upcoming horror flick “Breath of Hate”. This is the first we’ve heard of the project, though you can learn more on this and their other horror films at their official site.
- And, let’s end today’s newsbites with some more pics — Though we hear that the showrunners in San Diego were pretty strict with photographers this year, our scooper Jeff did manage to score some exclusive shots of the man doing his thing in high-res, up at the mic. Check ’em out, and our thanks to Jeff for grabbing what he could at the risk of being chased out by security. We’re figuring they do this to keep the panel distractions as minimal as possible. (Photos above by Jeff Zimmerman.)
See ya next time!
