Secret Identity--What's New?

Wyrd Sisters Make Plush Doctor Who

11/18/2013

by Matman

Recently, Chris Giarrusso came back from a con appearance with some gifts he wanted to share with me... Doctor Who sketches by a young artist named Aris. Chris thought they would look great in my book and he is right. But as I found out more about this artist, I found out about her families business, 'Wyrd Sisters Photography and Crafts."

"My sister, Anna, and I were raised nerds and have fully embraced our Geek Flags our whole lives and we're equally raising our children the same way," said Christa. "A little over a year ago, my sister started making Doctor Who crafts at her home, not realizing that I had been knitting Who crafts in my home for awhile also."

And from that (along with a bunch of other amazing circumstances and events), a business was born! Wyrd Sisters makes handmade and customized Tardis', Daleks, and superheroes that are unique, real cool looking and make awesome gifts!

You can see by the pictures how amazing these toys look! And in a few weeks, Brian and I will be discussing them on the show because we are getting some sent to us!

To find out more, go to their Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/WyrdSistersCrafts and be ready to be impressed!

Lady Action... What A Doll!

11/6/2013

Press Release

Captain Action Enterprises is pleased to announce that Tonner Doll Company, Inc., world-renowned in the high-end collectibles industry, is developing a new Lady Action 16” inch collectible doll.The new Lady Action doll will be shown in February at New York Toyfair and will be introduced at the Tonner Collectors Convention, May 2014.

“For a long time, we’ve been in awe of the gorgeous collectibles from Tonner, “ said Joe Ahearn, co-founder of Captain Action Enterprises. “We’re so excited to partner with them to bring Lady Action to the marketplace.”

Lady Action was introduced in 2007 as part of the Captain Action line. The British super-spy is in reality Niki Sinclair, daughter of an adventurer and now part of the A.C.T.I.O.N. Directorate international spy organization. She is scheduled to appear in the upcoming Captain Action comic series, Codename:Action, published by Dynamite Entertainment and Captain Action: The Animated Series, currently in development with Gang of Seven Animation.

“I’m a fan of Captain Action and then, of course, Lady Action and I’m delighted to be working on this project,” said Robert Tonner, CEO of Tonner Doll Company, Inc. “I believe our collectors will love this version of Lady Action and I hope this will be just the start of a long relationship with Captain Action Enterprises.”

While this collectible doll is not part of the current Captain Action line of 1/6 scale figures and costumes, plans do call for a Lady Action 11 1⁄2” figure in the future.

Tonner’s Lady Action doll recently debuted at the New York Comic Convention in New York’s Javits Center. The doll will be made available to fans and collectors in comic shops nationwide, online retailers and www.tonnerdoll.com in May, 2014.

Five Takeaways From NYCC 2013

10/15/2013

by Brian LeTendre

Secret Identity was out in full force at New York Comic Con 2013 last weekend. And while we’ll be talking about the new show and the news that came out of it for weeks, I wanted to put together some quick impressions that I got from this year’s show. So, in no particular order, these are five things I took away from NYCC:

Holy Cow, The People
Saturday and Sunday are always jam packed at NYCC, but this year, Thursday was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it, and Friday felt like Saturday. Sure enough, when ReedPOP revealed the attendance numbers, they were record-setting: more than 130,000 people attended NYCC this year, putting the show on par with San Diego in terms of numbers. And it’s only going to get bigger.

Marvel and DC Take a Step Back
While I mentioned both of the big two, the real shocker here was DC--they had no booth at NYCC. Let that sink in. The second biggest comic publisher at the second biggest show in the country, and no booth. Worse, I attended the DC All-Access panel and the lack of enthusiasm on DC’s part was very concerning. DC barely showed up this year.

Marvel had a markedly bigger presence than DC, but their booth was pretty unimpressive as well. They had a small stage, a signing area, and an exhibit featuring the car (Lola) from the new S.H.I.E.L.D series. In contrast, Marvel had props from Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: Winter Soldier at San Diego this year. Very disappointing to see they didn’t bring the same enthusiasm to NYCC.

Everyone Else Stepped Forward
While Marvel and DC were dropping the ball, every other publisher at NYCC took a step forward this year. Archie, Oni, Image, BOOM!/Archaia, Valiant and Dark Horse not only showed up, but they had great booths, tons of signings and interacted with fans throughout the show.

The Oni panel I attended was packed with talent and the books being announced were exciting (Keep an eye out for Letter 44 and The Auteur in particular).

Archie killed it with their Afterlife with Archie display, and that book was the talk of the show.

To me, the message was clear: the rest of the publishers out there are no longer looking for Marvel or DC to set the pace for the industry. Each of those companies are aggressively coming after the big two, and we as readers are going to benefit from it.

Artist Alley was the Best It’s Ever Been
Without a doubt, the most inspiring thing about NYCC 2013 for me was the level of talent and diversity to be found in Artist Alley. From industry vets to first-time exhibitors, Artist Alley was lined with amazing artwork and original comics. I spent more money on comics and art this week than at any previous NYCC. Anyone who walked the aisles of Artist Alley was reminded that there is plenty of originality and diversity in comics if you just take a little time to seek it out. There was truly something for everyone.

ReedPOP Runs a Tight Ship
Despite the record numbers that attended the show this year, I actually felt like the show floor was more navigable than it had been in years past, particularly on Saturday. ReedPOP implemented a new badge policy this year, where you had to check in and out of the show. It could have been a disaster in terms of delays, but things flowed very smoothly for the most part. The army of volunteers and show staff really worked hard to ensure people got to experience as much as much as possible, and they deserve a lot of credit for that.

All in all, we had an absolute blast at NYCC this year. Thanks so much to ReedPOP for their continued support in allowing us to cover the show each year. We’ll be featuring the interviews we did for the next year, and as I mentioned, we’ll be talking a lot more about NYCC on future episodes of Secret Identity.

See You At NYCC!

10/9/2013

This morning we're heading down to New York to help our pal Vin Ferrante set up the Monarch Comics booth (2018). We'll be hanging out and selling books there all weekend, as well as grabbing tons of interviews for SI. So, if you are at the show, stop by and say hi!

--Brian and Matt

The Doctor Who Store At NYCC

10/6/2013

Every year at New York Comic Con, The Doctor Who Store (and Alien Entertainment) provide all con goers with not only the biggest selection of Doctor Who merchandise everywhere, but guests from the world of Doctor Who!

This year you are going to be getting a Doctor and his biggest enemy!

Appearing at the Doctor Who store booth (# 3138) will be the 6th Doctor, Colin Baker and the voice of the Daleks, Nicholas Briggs.

The Doctor Who Store has been so good to Secret Identity by providing access to Colin Baker, Kaitlin Blackwood and Daphne Ashbrook for interviews.

Check at the store to see scheduled signing times for both!

Voltron And Robotech Team-Up At NYCC!

9/24/2013

Press Release

Fresh off the blockbuster comic series team up announcement this summer from Dynamite Entertainment, New York Comic Con will host a joint panel of two of anime's greatest legends--Voltron® and Robotech—for the first time on Friday October 11th at 11:00 a.m. in Room 1A14 ! This historic event will be the first time representatives of both properties will be together discussing the much buzzed about Robotech / Voltron crossover from Dynamite Comics.

To give fans the latest news, sneak peeks, and insights into the creation of this historic crossover, World Events Productions (WEP,LLC) and Harmony Gold U.S.A. can confirm the following members of the creative team will be attending the New York Comic Con:

Jeremy Corray – Voltron Creative Director
Tommy Yune – Robotech Creative Director
Bob Koplar – Vice President, World Events Productions
Kevin McKeever – Vice President of Marketing for Robotech
Joseph Rybandt – Senior Editor, Dynamite Comics

Tommy Yune is co-writing the story with Dynamite Comics who will produce and distribute the comics. The first issue of the Robotech / Voltron Crossover is expected to be released in December 2013.

“Voltron fans at New York Comic Con have always shown us tremendous amount of love and enthusiasm,” commented WEP’s Jeremy Corray. “This opportunity to form up with our friends at Harmony Gold for the first ever Robotech / Voltron crossover panel has been a pop-culture event years in the making that fans of classic ‘80s cartoons, anime, and giant robots won’t want to miss. Fans planning their panel hits should mark it down now.”

"Robotech and Voltron share many common roots as two of the best known series in anime history,” said Tommy Yune, Creative Director, Harmony Gold. “We're thrilled to be a part of this exciting project with our colleagues from World Events Productions."

“The New York Comic-Con is the perfect venue for the inaugural Robotech / Voltron teamup panel! I think fans are really going to enjoy it!,” said Kevin McKeever, Vice President of Marketing for Robotech.

In addition to the Robotech / Voltron Crossover panel on Friday, fans can also catch the annual Robotech Industry Panel that Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Room 1A15 and the Voltron 30th Anniversary Sneak Peek panel Sunday, October 13th at 2:30 PM Room 1A06 for prizes, previews and more.

When In Albany Visit 'Earthworld'

8/18/2013

by Matman

On a recent trip to Albany (so recent, it was last Friday) I made a little detour to a real cool comic shop...'Earthworld'.

'Earthworld' is located on 537 Central Avenue in Albany, New York and is an amazing store. From the second you walk in you know you are in a real 'comic shop' run by folks who really love comics and all thing geek!

When you first walk in and look to your left there are boxes and boxes... and boxes of fifty cent books. I didn't have the time to dig thru them, but next time I'm so in!

As far as new comics go they have everything you may want and need! Even getting comp books, DCBS, and books from my local comic shop (that I do work at), i still was able to find a few things I needed.

Trades, toys, cards and supplies all over the store give you one stop shopping. But the biggest thing I noticed is that 'Earthworld' is spacious and incredibly clean!

So when you are in Albany, New York... or just passing through, you need to stop off at 'Earthworld'!

To find out more, go to www.earthworldcomics.com

And... friend them on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/earthworld.comics?fref=ts

Come To Springfield On August 25th For Bing Con!

8/15/2013

We are extremely excited to announce that our home city of Springfield is having a convention this month! Even better, it's at a local arts theater that has been under renovation for years, and has once again become a cultural staple of our community.

The first annual Bing Con will feature artists, writers, vendors, fan organizations, podcasters, filmmakers and more. Here's a quick list of some of the guests and vendors, of which you'll not a few Secret Identity pals:

Chuck Mayo (Dealer comics new and old)
Philip Owen (Keepers, creator, artist & writer)
Aaron Wood (Artist, posters, books & prints)
Leah Urbano Crafters
Steve Murphy (Writer TNMT, Puma Blues, Umbra and Contains Traces)
Michael Valade (Artist of Into Darkness)
Jonathon Podolsky (Dr Who Fan Club)
Katherine Chartier (Chain Mail Jewelry)
Michael Murray (Dealer, new comics)
Dansbooksnsuch (Dealer, old comics)
Dave Barsalou (Artist, Deconstructing Roy Lichenstein)
Modern Myths (Dealer/Podcast)
Andi Boulanger (Village Designs, Artist)
Casey Coller (IDW Transformers Cover and interior artist)
Estevan Vega (Novelist, Arson Trilogy)
Marc Lapierre (Superfogeys, artist)
Lisa Cavalear (Project Poppets, artist and crafter)
Jason Casey (Illustrator/Muralist)
Hector E. Rodriguez (Hell's Blood, artist)
Susan Alston (CBLDF)
Marty Langford (DOOMED documentary, producer and writer)
Elle de Valois (Illustrations/Prints)
Marshall Couture Comics (Art and custom toys)

Secret Identity will have a table at Bing con, and we'll be hanging out, doing interviews and selling books. The show is only $5 to get in, so bring the whole family down and help celebrate the Bing and arts in the Pioneer Valley!

For more info, head over to the Bing Con Facebook page.

KRE-O Sucks Brian Back Into Toy Collecting

6/3/2013

by Brian LeTendre

Something happened yesterday. After a 25-plus year hiatus, I think I may be collecting toys again.

I’ve never been a huge toy collector. Even doing a podcast about comics, toys and games for the last seven and a half years has not brought me back into the fold. My show partner Matt is a huge collector, but it never rubbed off on me. I even tried to get into Transformers again a few years ago, but it didn’t stick.

But on a random trip to the toy store with my son yesterday, I found the one thing that has the power to suck me back into caring about toys.

MacArthur S. Ito--Quick Kick.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though--allow me to explain. In 2011, Hasbro decided to create their own line of LEGO-like building blocks called KRE-O. They’re compatible with LEGO, and much like building blocks we all grew up with, there are all kinds of figures, vehicles and building sets to collect and construct.

But, the main reason Hasbro created their own bloks was to sell their properties, specifically Transformers and GI Joe.

So, when I was in the store with my son yesterday,. I was admiring some of the figures and sets in the KRE-O GI Joe collection when I saw the random packs of mini figures and flipped one over. And there he was--Quick Kick, my favorite GI Joe of all time was part of the first wave of figures. Complete with sword, nunchucks, and a Frozen Fudgee bar, which is an amazing nod to the cartoon episode he was first introduced in.

So, I bought two figure packs. They’re random, and not surprisingly, I did not get Quick Kick in either of the two I picked up. But, that transaction awakened the dormant toy collecting gene inside of me, as well as my nostalgia for all things GI Joe.

And now, I think I’m collecting toys again. And by toys, I mean every KRE-O GI Joe figure and set. But whether or not this becomes a full-fledged addiction, one thing's for sure--I will have my Quick Kick.

Stay tuned.

Get Ready For Saturday Morning!

5/22/2013

Press Release

What is the Saturday Morning Special? It’s the brainchild of a couple of immature guys; Brian LeTendre and Matt (Matman) Herring who are the creators and hosts of the all ages Secret Identity Podcast.

Secret Identity has been providing ‘solid gold ear candy’ for comic book fans, gamers, and other members of geek culture for over 7 years.

In that time Brian and Matman have interviewed hundreds of creators from the worlds of comic books, gaming, movies, television and music. Included in that list are comic book creator Todd McFarlane (Spawn), actors George Lazenby (James Bond) & Dean Haglund (X –Files), musician John Wetton (Asia / King Crimson), author Alana Jolie Abbott (Into The Reach), game developer Glenn Gamble (Walking Dead: Survival Instinct) and some of the biggest current comic book creators like Dan Slott (Spider-Man), Joe Kelly (Ben 10), Jeff Lemire (Animal Man) and Scott Snyder (Batman). Even wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Piper got into the act by putting Matman and Brian in headlocks at the same time.

So what is the Saturday Morning Special? In reverence to the days of our youth where Saturday was all about cereal, cartoons and pajamas til noon, it’s a show that celebrates all these things in a fun way.

Joining the duo in this little adventure is Keith Gleason and John Cimino from Reckless Sidekick Productions! If the names seem a little familiar it’s because John and Keith are the stars of the ‘Swass Cast’ and were the driving force behind the electrified web series ‘Hero Envy’!

What we hope to do with ‘Saturday Morning Special’ is provide viewers with a visual compendium to the Secret Identity Podcast; a show that has the same charm, positive energy and all ages fun that we provide each week.

Members of the Secret identity Facebook Page will get a sneak preview of our debut episode! Everyone else will be able to see it on Saturday, May 25th.

Enjoy The Show!!!

To find out more and listen to episodes of Secret Identity just go to www.secretidentitypodcast.com

Secret Identity can be heard on the radio Saturday's at 10 AM in Albany, New York on 1410 WENU CBS Sports

Matman can be reached at matmancomics@yahoo.com or (413) 433 - 9746

Brian can be reached at brian.letendre@gmail.com

The Secret Identity Posdcast is sponsored by Archie Comics, 80'sTees.com, Discount Comic Book Services, Boston Comic Con, New York Comic Con, ComicConn, Most Excellent Comics and Collectibles (Enfield, CT), Archaia Press and the Albany Comic Con

For information about Reckless Sidekick Productions go to www.heroenvy.com

<<Previous

Forward>>

Wyrd Sisters Make Plush Doctor Who

Lady Action... What A Doll!

Five Takeaways From NYCC 2013

See You At NYCC!

The Doctor Who Store At NYCC

Voltron And Robotech Team-Up At NYCC!

When In Albany Visit 'Earthworld'

Come To Springfield On August 25th For Bing Con!

KRE-O Sucks Brian Back Into Toy Collecting

Get Ready For Saturday Morning!

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