Orla Brady on “Fringe”

I’m usually the last one to find these things out, though since the episode(s?) in question hasn’t aired, I guess that’s not actually the case this time. Orla Brady. Brilliant Irish actress. You might remember her from the BBC’s version of “Wuthering Heights” back in the 90’s. She was on an episode of “Wallander.” She was also one of the stars of “Mistresses” which is one of my British TV guilty pleasures – an American soap opera about career women would be beneath me but if they’re hot British women…whole other story.

Anyway fabulous actress (who also happens to be truly stunning) is going to be on one of my favorite shows, “Fringe.” Star Anna Torv was on a few episodes of “Mistresses” but I don’t think she and Brady ever had a scene together? I could be wrong, but if they did it was brief. Anyway she’ll be playing John Noble’s wife and Joshua Jackson’s mom, who I thought was dead. It’s “Fringe” so I know not to expect, because whatever I think is going on, usually is not. Regardless, it should be interesting.

Thomas Hall and Daniel Bradford discuss “Robot 13”

Every few years a great new indie comic emerges. One of the aspects of the comics industry and the comics community that I love is the fact that every year people create new projects whole cloth and put them up on the web, run off minicomics at kinko’s, create new comics on their own.

“Robot 13” is a fabulous new project that draws a lot from Mike Mignola, the comparisons have been made, but it’s a robot battling monsters comics with a lot going on.  It’s fun. It’s gorgeous to look at and I can’t wait for the third issue to come out next year.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23960

David Small interview

David Small is an incredibly successful illustrator and picture book writer. The man has won the Caldecott, the Christopher Medal and just about every other award. This year his new book was nominated for the National Book Award. “Stitches” is an amazing memoir and one of the year’s best books. Setting up a time to talk took forever but we had a great conversation with Small, who’s a true artist and has crafted what years from now will be called one of the great graphic memoirs right up there with Maus, Persepolis and Fun Home.

Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Jules Feiffer, Stan Lee and Robert Crumb who thought the book was brilliant.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23932

Berkeley Breathed interview

I think “Bloom County” was a truly brilliant strip and Opus is one of the great cartoon characters of recent decades. The new hardcover editions of the strip from IDW Press are not just incredibly well-designed and well-produced hardcover volumes, but it’s one of the great comic strips.

Breathed has also written a novel which is just out. Ostensibly for young readers, it’s a love story between a girl and a dog and speaking as an incredibly unsentimental person, it’s a brutal book but also deeply touching.

http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Berkeley+Breathed/