Have You Seen The Trailer For “Kick Ass” Yet?

Studio Synopsis:
Kick-Ass tells the story of average teenager Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a comic-book fanboy who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name — Kick-Ass — assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There’s only one problem standing in his way: Kick-Ass has absolutely no superpowers.

His life is forever changed as he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including an 11-year-old sword-wielding dynamo, Hit Girl (Chole Moretz) and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage).

Kick-Ass is based on the groundbreaking, best-selling comic by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

Although Kick-Ass is the star of the movie by the looks of this teaser Moretz’s character Hit Girl might steal the show. Beware, there are naughty words and raunchy acts of violence in this one.

Click here to watch an exclusive scene from Kick Ass starring Hit Girl and Big Daddy.

Kick Ass will be in theaters April 16, 2010. More info here

posted by: Harold Johns III

Guitar Lessons Ilustration by Maxim Dalton

Buenos Aires-based illustrator Maxim Dalton created this great piece which includes, “all my rock guitar heroes of all time and some other that I don’t like that much but I thought they deserve at least to appear on the list.”

Featuring: Frank Zappa, George Harrison, Slash, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Brian May, Johnny Ramone, Jack White, The Edge, Chuck Berry, Angus Young, Pete Townshend, Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmour, Ace Frehley, Ritchie Blackmore, Duane Allman, Kirk Hammett, Carlos Santana, John Frusciante, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kurt Cobain, Mike Bloomfield, Jerry Garcia, Ry Cooder, Bo Diddley, Jeff Beck, Tom Morello, Brian Setzer and Peter Green.

It will be available as a print very soon, more info here

posted by: Harold Johns III

Read: The Art of Osamu Tezuka, God of Manga

Synopsis:
Osamu Tezuka has often been called “the god of manga” and “the Walt Disney of Japan,” but he was far more than that. Tezuka was Walt Disney, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Tim Burton, and Carl Sagan all rolled into one incredibly prolific creator, changing the face of Japanese culture forever. Best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, Tezuka was instrumental in developing Japanese animation and modern manga comics.

The Art of Osamu Tezuka is the first authorized biography celebrating his work and life and featuring over 300 images—many of which have never been seen outside of Japan. With text by respected manga expert Helen McCarthy, The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga pays tribute to the work of an artist, writer, animator, doctor, entrepreneur, and traveler whose curious mind spawned dozens of animated films, and over 170,000 pages of comics art in one astonishingly creative lifetime.

The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga also includes an exclusive 45-minute DVD documentary covering Tezuka’s prolific career, from his early manga characters to his later animation work. The package is out of the ordinary as well. It is a hardcover with an onlay and a vinyl jacket.

272 pages, hardcover, published by: Abrams ComicArts

The 1966 poster for the Japanese theatrical release of the first Kimba The White Lion movie entitled Jungle Emperor.

posted by: Brent Carter

Photo File: Ami Vitale

Relatives of Naz Banu, who was killed during an attack on leading politician Sakina Yatoo, mourn over her body during her funeral in the northern Kashmir town of Mirhama.

Vitale’s Bio:
Best known for her cultural documentation, Ami Vitale has received recognition from World Press Photos, Photographer of the Year International, The Lucie Awards and the South Asian Journalists Association presented her with the Daniel Pearl Award for outstanding reporting. She has been named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association, and Photo District News recognized her as one of 30 image makers of the future. Her stories have been awarded grants including the first-ever Inge Morath grant by the prestigious Magnum Photos, The Canon female photojournalist award for her work in Kashmir, and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace. Vitale’s photographs have been exhibited around the world and published in prestigious international magazines. Now based in Miami, Florida, Vitale is a contract photographer with National Geographic and Adventure magazine.

Villagers fetch water from a polluted hole in the village of Dambas, 80 kilometers outside of Wajir, in northern Kenya May 10, 2006. Many people are suffering from diarrhoea, cholera, malaria and are even more vulnerable to diseases because of their weakened state.

Villagers mourn the death of five people who were killed along with 48 who were injured, when a grenade exploded in the hands of a man who was seeking to extort money from a family in Badgam district of Kashmir, March 10, 2004.

The Pacific islands and Micronesia in particular have to deal with the constantly rising sea levels and many fear their small atolls and islands will be washed away in the near future. This images was taken  for an exhibit titled ” Design for a Living World” on show at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in NY.

Budapest, Hungary has long been renowned for its health spas and thermal springs but recently it has been discovered that many of these springs are connected underground by a huge “thermal lake.”

See more of Vitale’s work here

posted by: Brent Carter

In WTF News: Colombia to Hugo Chavez, Maybe “Spy Plane” Was Santa

According to the Associated Press:
“Colombia’s defense chief joked Monday that Venezuelan troops might have mistaken Santa’s sleigh for a spy plane, dismissing accusations by President Hugo Chavez about drones flying over Venezuela.

“Chavez on Sunday accused the United States of violating Venezuela’s airspace with an unmanned spy plane and ordered his military to be on alert and shoot down any such aircraft.

“The Pentagon has declined to comment on Chavez’s accusations.

“Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva and armed forces commander Freddy Padilla told reporters Monday that Colombian aircraft couldn’t fly the kind of espionage mission described by Chavez.

“‘Colombia doesn’t have that capability’, said Silva. He quipped that perhaps ‘Venezuelan soldiers mistook Father Christmas’ sleigh for a spy plane.’”

Read the rest of the story here

Tensions between the South American neighbors have worsened since Colombia and the US signed a deal earlier this year giving US troops greater access to seven Colombian military bases for the next ten years. A WTF move in its own right that has been universally criticized by South American leadership and clearly undermines the Obama administration’s efforts to clean up America’s image abroad. Chavez claims Colombia is allowing the United States to use its military bases to plan for an attack on Venezuela and is preparing his country for that very scenario.

The two countries insist US troops are in Colombia only for the purpose of helping anti-drug efforts.

Last week, Colombia activated seven new army battalions, including two along its border with Venezuela, according to Columbia Reports website. Colombia’s defense minister said his country was preparing defenses against a military attack, according to the same website.

Why would we help Colombia spy on Venezuela? Well, besides Chavez being a Marxist thorn in the side of capitalists everywhere and calling Obama an “ignoramus,” I would say it  has something to do with the fact Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in South America.

posted by: Harold Johns III