SIGGRAPH 2019 Keynote Speaker Victoria Alonso from Marvel Studios

First rumblings of Siggraph, which will be in L.A. this summer.

Being a comic book geek, I'm kind of anxious to hear one of the keynote speakers, Victoria Alonso, Executive Vice President of Production for Marvel Studios.

 

(photo copyright Siggraph)

From her bio in the first link below, Alonso started at Digital Domain, then joined Marvel as Executive Vice President of Visual Effects. She has won awards from the Visual Effects Society (VES), and the Harold Lloyd Award from the Advanced Imaging Society.

No info yet on the time or date of her talk.

The main dates for Siggraph I've found are from Sun, Jul 28, 2019 to Thu, Aug 1, 2019.

Will try to update more asap.
 

UPDATE: Victoria Alonso is scheduled to speak Monday, July 29, 2:00 - 3:15 PM.

Special thanks to Ginger Alford for the info!

https://s2019.siggraph.org/conference/programs-events/keynote-session/?fbclid=IwAR3z1lhDp0cOmGdTezMNUmKfVlfRqOzE9lLN3cfAXMUTWN7nXh3ZVEEQJC0

https://s2019.siggraph.org/ 

https://blog.siggraph.org/

Director James Gunn Reinstated For ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy 3’

 After the political hit job, and much clutching of pearls over past sins, and past payments for sins, Guardians Of The Galaxy Director James Gunn is reinstated by Disney. We may finally get proper introduction of Adam Warlock in the MCU.

 (artwork copyright Marvel/Disney)

https://deadline.com/2019/03/james-gunn-reinstated-guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-disney-suicide-squad-2-indefensible-social-media-messages-1202576444/?fbclid=IwAR1c4alcrxcBsdLozrWMmLmg-k9S7NYUt0LWQW3tStjBvcxj09pcp8d8G40

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Sneak Peek

Here it comes, Rocket rules!

Rocket Racoon for President

This fall, put some REAL crooks in the White House!

(copyright Marvel/Disney)

Hey, you could do worse.

Quick sketch, will try to do more.

How Thanos stole Christmas (Not the Grinch) - Part I

Another guilty pleasure. This scene was set up by my friend Trell at the Animation Guild in Burbank. You can check out his cool goodies at 

http://www.jupeykrusho.com

http://jupeykrusho.blogspot.com

Trell deserves the credit. But this scenario could be totally insane: It would take the Avengers, Warlock, Captain Mar-Vell, the Defenders and Spider-Man to handle this crisis. Okay, and the X-Men and S.H.I.E.L.D. too.

(And it would probably have a cameo by Stan Lee as well.)

(Thanos created by Jim Starlin, copyright Marvel/Disney, scene set up by Trell, photo by me, Christmas copyright of Jesus)

Thanos would have no little dog Max to serve as a moral compass, or as a witness to his Holiday perfidy. Instead, Pip the Troll would probably be his unwilling servant. (Pip would be perfect as second banana with his smart remarks and stinky cigars.)

Will Thanos destroy Whoville? Would he incinerate little Cindy-Lou Who? Does he even enjoy "roast beast"? Hey, I'm just trying to get in the Holiday spirit here. It's been so hot and dry in southern Cal. Stay tuned!

Click button for Spoiler

In the end, it's Santa who gains the Infinity Gauntlet, and puts everything back to normal.

Guardians of the Galaxy - Animated Series

(Updated 10-12-14)
Hope this is a real scoop, it looks good.

First, via email from a friend,
Then, a post on Facebook,
Now, through the Animation Guild blog,

 http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/newer-marvel-animation.html

Next, the Hollywood Reporter...

 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/guardians-galaxy-animated-tv-series-739981

So don't tell anybody!

 "Bigger blasters?"

(copyright Marvel/Disney)

Sorry about the small size, had trouble with the embed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLAU6jF0qwY#t=10

Green Lantern vs. Tweety Bird

Green Lantern vs. Tweety Bird: I'm surprised that no one has done this mashup before. I must have too much time on my hands.

(All artwork copyright Time/Warner)

Lately, I've sort of been competing with Ross over at http://braveandboldlost.blogspot.com/

Ross does marvelous comic covers with different superheroes who would not normally get together. This is usually due to copyright issues between Marvel, DC and other comic book publishers. My mashups have a more humorous bent, and I feel like picking on Green Lantern this morning.

Most comic fans will know the back story of the Green Lanterns, and the limits imposed on them by the Guardians of the Universe. If you dig this cover, then I don't need to belabor the point. 

I'll admit that I enjoyed the Darkest Night series, but I always think twice when I pick up a GL comic. Looking back on Hal Jordan's rough past, I can see him taking the place of Star-Lord in "Guardians".
 I'm still skeptical of most super hero movies. Phantom Menace really let me down, and I saw Green Lantern on the plane once(and tried to walk out.)

(rimshot! sorry.)

 After a bunch of lerpy Silver Age adventures where a character like Tweety could cause as much trouble as Mr. Mxyzptlk or Batmite, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams put Green Lantern on a much more dramatic course in 1970.

No more mustard, lemons or banana peels now folks.

Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. 2

Just my suggestions for the next movie's Awesome Mix Vol. 2:

(copyright Marvel/Disney)

1. Motherlode - When I Die
2. The Stampeders - Sweet City Woman
3. Pure Prairie League -Amie
4. Rick Derringer - Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo
5. Edgar Winter Group- Free Ride
6. ELO - Twilight

7. David Bowie - Look back in Anger (1979, might be too late in their timeline) or, Suffragette city 1972

8. Looking glass - Brandi you're a fine girl

9. Sugarloaf - Green Eyed Lady - How's that for Gamora?

10. Steely Dan - ?
11. Marshall Tucker Band? Heard it in a love song
12...

We have to remember that this tape was put together by Star-Lord's mother, so the songs would stay on the fun and light side. I'm still up in the air about these:

The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone (referring to Star Lord's real father)
The O'Jays - Back Stabbers
The Allman Brothers Band?
Queen?
Led Zepplin?
Kiss?

Guardians of the Galaxy - Film References Part 1

Guardians of the Galaxy was a nice treat for a busy summer this year. I almost felt like I was watching the original Star Wars for the first time. Nice balance between action and humor. And experience helped me notice quite a few references to other classic movies. These were deliberate tributes, I believe. Such as the classic prison line-up shot:

(All images copyright Marvel/Disney, unless otherwise noted.)

"The Usual Suspects"...

...which comes from classic Film Noir.

(original copyright Bad Hat Harry Productions, Blue Parrot, 
Spelling Films International, Gramercy Pictures, and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment)

Star-Lord, played by Chris Platt, gives us a misfit, wise-guy hero who is still lovable. He's sort of a jerk, but he grows on you the way Han Solo did. Peter Quill/ Star-Lord has the same identity/disrespect issues that Mister Furious (Ben Stiller) had in Mystery Men. His first opponents respond with "You're who?" or the "I don't care” attitude.

The Raiders of the Lost Ark homage didn't register with me. The scene went by too quickly. Star-Lord didn't have too much trouble getting the Orb out of it's force field container, and then he seemed to give up to easily when confronted by Korath The Pursuer.

(copyright Universal)

Neither guy gets the respect he demands. Rodney Dangerfield, look out!

Another movie reference in Guardians gives us the classic "Walk" shot...

Mystery Men had theirs...

(copyright Universal)

Which was a play off of The Magnificent Seven...

(original copyright The Mirisch Company/Alpha Production)

Which in turn was inspired by Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai.

(original copyright Toho Productions)


The bigger theme was the oddball, rag-tag fighters coming together for a common cause. The obvious example was the original Star Wars:

(original copyright 20th Century Fox)

Nothing new under the sun, or the galaxy for that matter.

I don't mean to be critical here, but they may have been trying to squeeze in too much.

In Independence Day we have the giant starship descending on the planet, and the high-tech fighters engaged in a frantic dog fight over the city...

(copyright 20th Century Fox)

 And the similar scenes with Ronan's ship.



The Abyss: Maybe I'm reaching here, but the way Star-Lord rescues Gamora seems like a switch on Ed Harris' Bud Brigman's decision to let his ex-wife Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) deliberately drown in hopes that she can be revived later:

(copyright 20th Century Fox)

In Guardians it's sort of the reverse: Peter Quill/ Star-Lord puts his space helmet/ mask on Gamora to save her life, without regard as to how long he can withstand the lack of air in space.

Korath The Pursuer

Korath The Pursuer

Coming up next: Vin Diesel's Groot as compared to his Iron Giant, alien abduction themes, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the Dirty Dozen - misfits sent on suicide mission.