Comics Inside Out...

Cracking The Comics Code

That tiny box that was plastered onto the front of all mainstream comic books since the mid-'50s, Approved by the Comics Code Authority, was created as a tool to see comics tamed or banned for youngsters.  The three main makers of comics, Marvel, DC and Archie finance the CCA, and they retain the power to hire and fire the Code administrator.  With direct market and distributors specializing in comic books, the threat of not being carried on the newsstand was diluted somewhat, which helped bring in the comic market we see today, filled with independent publishers who do not belong to the CMAA.

At The Movies...

Double Jeopardy

Ashley Judd plays Elizabeth Parsons, a woman who appears to have it all, she's gorgeous, her husband is successful, she has a lively small child and the kind of sweet nanny to stir envy in any parent.  This idyllic life comes crashing down one fateful vacation weekend when Elizabeth suddenly becomes the prime suspect when her husband disappears and she is found covered in blood.  Tommy Lee Jones plays Elizabeth's feisty parole officer, who eventually becomes her ally in unraveling the mysterious events.  This is a suspense movie with the added oomph of solid character exploration.

On Video...

The Mummy

A delightfully entertaining horror-adventure-thriller about a beautiful librarian who searches for the Egyptian City of the Dead with a reluctant hero and ex-Legionnaire (Brendan Fraser), inadvertently setting loose on the world the 3,000 year-old mummy of high priest Imhotep, whose resurrected power will destroy the world.  It's up to them to stop the invincible menace. Great special effects, with a thrill-every-minute.

The Buzz...

Sarah Donahue, a stunt woman in the new James Bond film The World is not Enough is in intensive care after an accident during a power boat race.

Tom Baker, perhaps the most internationally famous Doctor Who, doesn't have high hopes for the planned new film version of the time-traveling doctor.  "I wish the BBC all the best, but will be praying to St Jude, the patron saint of lost causes,"

Real estate billionaire Leonard Stern is putting his stable of seven alternative weekly  newspapers, including The Village Voice, up for sale. Bill Nye the Science Guy has been hired as head sparkologist at Noggin, a new cable channel for children.

Carrie Fisher took a small part in the third Scream movie despite not really being into acting these days.

Rachel Singer joined the cast of Robert Zemeckis' supernatural thriller What Lies Beneath, a Dreamworks film starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfieffer.

In celebration of the release of The Mummy on VHS and DVD, Universal Studios has planned an array of exciting public relations events.  Universal will throw what it is calling The Mummy Wrap Party.  The bash, held on one of the back lots, will give guests a chance to party with classic Universal monsters Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and more.

Fans of Wes Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street series will be able to purchase the special 15th anniversary platinum DVD box set of the movie series.  The set will include all seven films as well as a specially created disc Nightmare Series Encyclopedia.  Also included are a pair of 3-D glasses for viewing a sequence in Freddy’s Dead and a 36-page booklet containing production notes, essays, photos and more.

Sony has bought the rights to the CD-ROM video game Redneck Rampage as a potential comedy film for director Betty Thomas.

Jerry Seinfeld will help kick off Saturday Night Live’s 25th season as he takes on hosting duties for the premiere October 2.

Rock stars Aerosmith recently turned down a $2 million offer to play a one-night gig for a Saudi Arabian prince.

Miss America, the world's most famous beauty pageant is greeting the new millennium by lifting its ban on women who have been married or had abortions.

NBC's Today show has a new royal reporter, the Duchess of York. The former Sarah Ferguson has been hired as a London-based correspondent for the top-rated morning news show. She'll contribute human-interest stories, features and interviews.

Professor Xavier’s School For Gifted Children will be the 55-room Parkwood Estate previously seen as home to Adam Sandler in his film Billy Madison. Also in X-Men News, Dark Horizons has reported that James Marsden has been cast to play the role of Cyclops.

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