Today, “Supergirl” #34 hits the stands. The issue is a great jumping on point for new readers as DC Comics takes the girl of steel in a new direction and ties her firmly into the Superman titles.  The issue was written by Sterling Gates, with pencils by Jamal Igle and inking by Keith Champagne.  Check out these three preview images that DC released for the new issue.

“Trinity #17”, from DC Comics, is written by Kurt Busiek with art from Mark Bagley. DC Comics’ official description for the issue: “Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman lead the heroes of the DCU against the machinations of their malevolent counterparts, resulting in a cataclysmic event that will change the world – but not like anyone involved expects. Plus, Hawkman and Gangbuster make their move to rescue Tarot, and Konvikt breaks loose.”

Check out these three preview pages released by DC Comics:

Also coming out today is “Captain America #42” from Marvel comics.

Ed Brubaker’s epic “Death of Captain America” storyline, which began with the assassination of Steve Rogers (the classic Captain America), reaches its conclusion this Wednesday. “The New Captain America, the Falcon, the Black Widow, Sharon Carter – all in a final showdown with the Red Skull and his minions for the future of America!”

Marvel has released a couple of pages for the new issue.  Click the images below to enlarge:

This weekend Ed Harris’ adaptation of “Appaloosa” hits theaters in limited release.  The western is based on a 2005 Robert B. Parker novel.

The film is centered around Virgil Cole (Harris), a lawman, and his sidekick Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen). Cole and Hitch are hired to defend a 1880s lawless town from a murderous rancher, Randall Bragg (Irons). Their efforts are disrupted and their friendship is tested by the arrival of Allie French (Zellweger), an attractive widow.

“Appaloosa” is one of many adaptations that are being released in the fall/early winder season. We’ll be seeing the film this weekend at the ArcLight Hollywood, which will also feature a Q and A with Ed Harris, the film’s director/star. Phasekitty will be writing a book to film comparison early next week.

Currently I’m plowing through the 2005 Robert B. Parker novel which inspired the Ed Harris western due out September 17th. So far, I’m bowled over by how much this book reads like a classic western. When I settle down with this novel, I feel like I’m being transported to Monument Valley and reliving a John Ford film. I was astounded to find that this book was written just 3 years ago and not 50. It’s refreshing to see that it’s not just modern films that are reinventing the western (such as last year’s excellent 3:10 to Yuma), but novels as well.

I try not to let what I know about the film influence me while I read, but even without watching the trailer it’s sometimes hard to do. I picture Ed Harris while I read about the stoic Virgil Cole, while Everett, who tells the story, continually brings to mind Viggo Mortensen’s face. The only cast member I have yet to place is Jeremy Irons as the villain Bragg. For some reason, I can’t get the image of Lee Marvin out of my head, though I know that’s just from watching too many Ford westerns.

I’m excited to see Harris back behind the camera again, though the last film he helmed was not without its flaws. Pollock was superbly acted, but the story was inconsistent. Here Harris has great source material with a straight forward narrative and a very visual style. I can’t wait to see how he translates it to the screen.

For a full list of fall/early winter film adaptations, click here.

Tonight on Fox, from the mind of J.J. Abrams (“Alias”/”Lost”), Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the writers team behind “Transformers”) comes a new series starring Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, and Lance Reddick, that is a cross between “X-Files” and “Alias”.

The official show description: When an international flight lands at Boston’s Logan Airport with no signs of life, FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham (Torv) is called in to investigate as part of an inter-agency task force. After her partner, Special Agent John Scott (Mark Valley), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to Dr. Walter Bishop (Noble), our generation’s Einstein. There’s only one catch: he’s been institutionalized for the last 17 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son Peter (Jackson) in to help.

When Olivia’s investigation leads to multi-billion dollar corporation Massive Dynamic and its manipulative corporate executive, Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), our unlikely trio, along with Department of Homeland Security Agent Phillip Broyles (Reddick) and FBI Agents Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo) and Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole), will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

Click the images below to enlarge, and for more images and videos, check out the show’s official webpage.

I’m assuming everyone’s seen this and if you haven’t, you should watch it at least 3 times. Watchmen is more than just a graphic novel, it changed the face of comics by proving that something mind blowing, intelligent, and meaningful can come out of the medium. Until Watchmen, the general population assumed comic books were for children; exclusive to tales of super heroes and monsters. Then Alan Moore came along with his critically acclaimed, award winning graphic novel that changed everything.

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