The viral marketing for Hellboy II: The Golden Army is very much an ARG (Alternate Reality Game). A web address - hetfet.org - was seen throughout the movie trailer, which at the time lead to a simple page with a mysterious logo for something called… HETFET (shocker, no). Fast forward to this weekend and now it’s a full-blown site for the fictitious organization Humans for the Ethical Treatment of Fairies, Elves and Trolls. The site is filled with PETA-like content, making for a fun game filled with photos, forums (need to join to access) and another link to add to the list - thesecretdevice.com, which is a simple Flash based puzzle that when solved offers yet another set of links to delve deeper into the game.
Also of note, The Underwire reports that some media outlets received a press release from a mysterious and untraceable Shera Vellotts about a HETFET protest that was held in New York City:
“Dozens of protesters armed with ‘Save The Trolls’ signs disrupted a gathering at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center this past weekend, intent on raising awareness for…HETFET, but after a short time, police arrived on the scenes to disperse them, forcibly removing several of the protestors in the process.”
And yes, there was an actual protest, signs and all.
I also took a look-see at Unfiction.com, a community forum for ARGs, for more information. Seems to be quite a bit, which if you’re a sucker for these games will be very helpful.
So yeah, yet another ARG to sap your time away from you, your family and friends. Guillermo, Guillermo, Guillermo… you clever marketing whore. God bless you.
Below is the trailer for the upcoming Frank Miller film The Spirit, based on the pulp comic classic by legendary Will Eisner. Notice the use of the words “classic” and “legendary”, both of which are used appropriately when speaking of Mr. Eisner, who’s name graces the most sought after award in the comic industry. So it’ll come as no surprise that even though Miller is helming this I’m just a bit apprehensive. I love Miller’s work and his ability to literally bring comics to life but this is a venerated character he’s tackling. One that helped create the hardboiled detective archetype in the comic world. The Spirit will probably be his biggest test in adaptation.
But enough of me being all wordy and stuff. Take a look-see at the trailer, which is followed up by some interviews with Miller and some others involved in the project.
In keeping with the somewhat LEGO theme today, we give you a clever use of LEGOS, Eddie Izzard and Star Wars. Somewhat NSFW due to the use of the f-bomb here and there, so put on your headphones.
Look at this ya goons, two fanboy greats rolled into one! LEGOS and Batman!
Following in the steps of LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Batman looks to be just a fun and silly with better game-play. From the sounds of it you get the same options to play hero or villain and the chance to utilize all sorts of gadgets - like the Batarang.
The game will be available to pretty much all platforms and will be released sometime this September.
Hammer Films is teaming up with MySpaceTV to bring the first long-form Hammer film in over thirty years, Beyond The Rave. Launching today the 20 part serial follows the last hours of freedom of British soldier Ed, who is flying out to Iraq in the morning. With the help of his best friend Necro, he spends his last night in the UK tracking down his missing girlfriend Jen, last seen partying with a bizarre group of night time ravers led by the enigmatic Melech. As he catches up with Jen at a rave deep in a remote forest, Ed discovers that Melechs crowd, who are throwing the event, are looking for more than a night of hedonistic abandon, and that not everyone will make it through to dawn.
Sounds sexy-spooky, no? Yeah you’re right… probably not. But I’m guessing that there’ll be plenty of blood and boobs, it is Hammer and MySpace after all.
The Batman franchise is jumping into the world of manga styled films with Batman: Gotham Knight, an anthology of sorts in the same lines as The Animatrix. The premise of the film is that we follow the transition of Batman from his beginnings to the moment he flowers into the full blown bad-assdom we know and love. It will be broken down into six episodes, each written and directed by some big names in Japanese animation film making.
The Batman asskickery is to be released straight to DVD.
Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, says that Michael Bay and his posse will be rolling into the “City Of Brotherly Love” to film the sequel to his 2007 live-action robot smack-down, Transformers. Apparently Mr. Bay, as well as many other filmmakers, have been choosing Philadelphia as a filming location due to the tax breaks that came into action last summer.
Bay had reportedly been scouting Philadelphia around March, specifically poking around the campuses of the University of Pennsylvania and Girard College, as well as the Masonic Temple (one of the largest in the country).
Other reported filming locations include Michigan and Egypt.
The nominees for the 2008 Eisner Awards have been listed. It’s pretty damned pack with talent in all aspects of the comic industry. Included are some who are well overdue for their kudos, in particular ZMP fave Barry Windsor-Smith, who is up for a nomination into the Hall of Fame. Long overdue in our opinion.
Some other ZMP favorites nominated are:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, by Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan, Georges Jeanty, and Andy Owens for Best Continuing Series and Best New Series. Also for Joss Whedon and Brian K. Vaughan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer for Best Writer.
Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan, Jr. for Best Continuing Series.
And ZMP’s all time favorite comic of all, The Goon has another strong representation…
Dwight T. Albatross’s The Goon Noir, edited by Matt Dryer for Best Humor Publication, and Eric Powell, The Goon for Best Writer/Artist—Humor… and Eric Powell, The Goon: Chinatown for Best Painter or Multimedia Artist (interior art).
The viral marketing for Hellboy II: The Golden Army is very much an ARG (Alternate Reality Game). A web address - hetfet.org - was seen throughout the movie trailer, which at the time lead to a simple page with a mysterious logo for something called… HETFET (shocker, no). Fast forward to this weekend and now it’s a full-blown site for the fictitious organization Humans for the Ethical Treatment of Fairies, Elves and Trolls. The site is filled with PETA-like content, making for a fun game filled with photos, forums (need to join to access) and another link to add to the list - thesecretdevice.com, which is a simple Flash based puzzle that when solved offers yet another set of links to delve deeper into the game.
Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of the 
The nominees for the 2008 
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