Bernie opens Friday, May 18th at the Landmark Mayan Theater and is rated PG-13. The official movie website is at bernie-the-movie.com

In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.

Play for tickets.

Milton Bradley’s enduringly popular strategic board game makes the leap to the big screen in Hancock director Peter Berg’s epic sci-fi adventure pitting an international naval fleet against an army of invading aliens. When the two forces find themselves evenly matched, each must rely on strategy and cunning in order to emerge the victor.

Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard head-up a cast also featuring Liam Neeson, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, and Tadanobu Asano.

The battle for Earth begins at sea. There are additional details about the movie at http://battleshipmovie.com/

Play for tickets!

Play our online quiz for a chance to win tickets to a special advance screening of the film, which opens in theaters on May 11th.

Director Tim Burton brings the cult classic series Dark Shadows to the big screen in a film featuring an all-star cast, led by Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter.

In the year 1750, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from England to start a new life in America, where they build a fishing empire in the coastal Maine town that comes to carry their name: Collinsport. Two decades pass and Barnabas has the world at his feet. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of falling in love with a beauty named Josette DuPres and breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard. A witch in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death—turning him into a vampire, and then burying him…alive.

Nearly two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972, a stranger in an even stranger time. Returning to Collinwood Manor, he finds that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin, and the dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets.

Family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard is the one person Barnabas entrusts with the truth of his identity. But his rather odd and anachronistic behavior immediately raises the suspicions of the live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman, who has no idea what kind of problems she’s really digging up.

As Barnabas sets out to restore his family name to its former glory, one thing stands in his way: Collinsport’s leading denizen, who goes by the name Angie – and who bears a striking resemblance to a very old acquaintance of Barnabas Collins.

Also residing in Collinwood Manor are Elizabeth’s ne’er-do-well brother, Roger Collins; her rebellious teenage daughter Carolyn Stoddard; and Roger’s precocious 10-year-old son, David Collins. The longsuffering caretaker of Collinwood is Willie Loomis, and new to the Collins’ employ is David’s nanny, Victoria Winters, who is, mysteriously, the mirror image of Barnabas’ one true love, Josette.

This film is rated PG-13. Play for tickets.

A carefully assembled examination of the professional and personal aspects of Foster’s life, Kane’s work doesn’t simply present historical facts pertaining to the business end of Prince Valiant.  It also gives a tender look into the creator’s role as husband, father, and friend, and shares a bit about how who Foster was affected the work he did.

Besides giving visual detail as to how the artist changed the adventure strip landscape when he took over the Tarzan strip, the book contains plenty of Hal Foster’s work related to Prince Valiant, including promotional and personal illustrations, as well as some of the best examples from his work as a commercial illustrator.  Kane does a wonderful job of letting the quality of Foster’s work vouch for the superiority of his skill.

Additionally, readers are treated to many photographs from throughout Foster’s life, including those relating to family, friends, work, and leisure.

One of the facets of this book I found most interesting was the collection of testimonials of professionals from the world of comic strips and comic books, pertaining to what Foster’s work meant to them.  There is always something inspirational and even touching about hearing some of the best in the field reminisce about one of the “greats” of the same profession.  The respect, admiration and wonder expressed by peers can help fans understand exactly what kind of talent they are privy to.  This fan is grateful.

Brian Kane’s Hal Foster is recommended to anyone who appreciates great comics art, or simply great art.  It’s also recommended to everyone else, so they can LEARN to appreciate it.

Mark Allen

 Also don’t miss out on the chance to get Todd McFarlane signed merchandise.   Several Comic vendors  (Time Warp, I Want More Comics, and Craig Duster) in our dealer’s room will have Todd McFarlane signed comics available exclusively for the signing. 

 Join one of the most renowned artists of the last 25 years live via video feed Sunday at 3pm at Comicfest.

Todd McFarlane (born March 16, 1961) is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, McFarlane became a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man franchise. In 1992, he helped form Image Comics, pulling the occult anti-hero character Spawn from his high school portfolio and updating him for the 1990s. Spawn was a popular hero in the 1990s and encouraged a trend in creator-owned comic book properties.

Since leaving inking duties on Spawn with issue #70 (February 1998), McFarlane has illustrated comic books less often, focusing on entrepreneurial efforts, such as McFarlane Toys and Todd McFarlane Entertainment, a film  and animation studio. In September, 2006, it was announced that McFarlane will be the Art Director of the newly formed 38 Studios, formerly Green Monster Games, founded by major league baseball pitcher Curt Schilling. He is also a high-profile collector of history-making baseballs.

The Zombie Apocalypse Game sheet is there too. If you want to print it out and bring it to the convention, you’ll be special, because the ones we’ll be giving out won’t be in color.

We just heard that Cinnebarre is giving us a few thousand tickets to give away to everyone coming to the convention. They will be placed in your goodie bag for the convention – that is if the staff members making up the goodie bags don’t pocket them…

Karl will be in the Model Show room on Saturday from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm to chat about his collection.

The United States branch of the International Plastic Modelers Society sponsors contests and educational programs designed to help people start in the hobby and improve their skills. If you are interested in finding out more about IPMS or you are a member of the Society and would like to meed other members, please stop by the Model Show room on Saturday at 3pm for our meet ‘n’ greet.

We look forward to seeing you!