Misplaced Pages

#364635

21-570: Premiering on February 7, 2006, at WonderCon , Ultimate Avengers was released direct-to-video in the United States on February 21. A sequel to the film, titled Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther , premiered at San-Diego Comic Con on July 22, 2006, five months after the first film was released. In 1945, Captain America , a U.S. soldier that was injected with a Super-Soldier serum,

42-646: Is fighting the Nazis during World War II . After averting a nuclear disaster, he falls into the icy waters of the North Atlantic and becomes frozen, only to be revived in the twenty-first century by the American military, who are hoping they can recreate the serum in his blood in order to create more super-soldiers. However, an evil alien race named the Chitauri is determined to destroy America. Captain America

63-457: Is recruited by Nick Fury and joins the other Avengers to defeat the race. In July 2004, Marvel Entertainment , Marvel Comics ' new parent corporation, announced they had struck a deal with Lionsgate Entertainment to produce a series of eight to ten direct-to-video animated film under the name of Marvel Animated Features (MAF). These were to be produced in conjunction with Marvel Studios , Marvel's direct film subsidiary. Ultimate Avengers

84-956: The Anaheim Convention Center in 2017 after a one-year stint in Los Angeles due to construction at the Anaheim Convention Center. The convention was conceived by retailer John Barrett (a founder of the retail chain Comics and Comix ) and originally held in the Oakland Convention Center. In 2003, it moved to San Francisco's Moscone Center . The show's original name was the Wonderful World of Comics Convention . Retailer Joe Field (of Flying Colors Comics and Other Cool Stuff) and his partner Mike Friedrich owned and operated

105-784: The Moscone Center renovations were complete; however, the convention ultimately stayed in Southern California. In 2016, a new convention started in the Bay Area, called the Silicon Valley Comic Con . WonderCon relocated from Anaheim to Los Angeles in 2016, and is now called WonderCon Los Angeles and was held March 25–27, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center . The 2017 edition of the convention returned to Anaheim and

126-592: The Panther , was already planned alongside the first film. It premiered at San Diego Comic-Con on July 22, 2006, and was released on August 8. WonderCon WonderCon is an annual comic book , science fiction , and film convention held in the San Francisco Bay Area (1987–2011), then—under the name WonderCon Anaheim —in Anaheim, California (2012–2015, 2017–present), and WonderCon Los Angeles in 2016. The convention returned to

147-878: The Pauley Ballroom in the ASUC Building on the University of California, Berkeley campus. At that show, C&C acquired over 4,000 Golden Age comic books owned by Tom Reilly. The phenomenal sales of the Reilly collection enabled Comics & Comix to open more retail locations, first in San Francisco (May 1973), on Columbus Avenue (down from the North Beach area on the way to Fisherman's Wharf ), and later in San Jose and Sacramento , making it

168-482: The Ultimate anything remains an overstatement that has yet to be proven true." Chris Hewitt of Empire gave the film a mixed review, criticizing the "non-atmospheric animation, weak voice acting and a dumbed-down plot," but calling the interplay between the characters "spot-on" and praising the characterization. Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media also criticized the animation and plot while also loathing

189-564: The United States. Ultimate Avengers grossed $ 6.7 million in home video sales in the United States. In its first week of release, the film ranked fourth in DVD sales in the United States, grossing $ 3.5 million. In its second weekend, the film dropped to 21st, grossing $ 1 million. Todd Gilchrist of IGN gave the film a mostly positive review, calling the plot "well-executed if perfunctory." However, he stated that "in terms of storytelling, emotional content or universal appeal, considering this film

210-603: The West Coast. In 1987, Barrett founded the Wonderful World of Comics Convention (later known as WonderCon ), which was first held at the Oakland Convention Center. In 1988, Plant sold Comics & Comix to the company's comptroller ; who ran it successfully until c. 1996. Retailer Ross Rojek acquired the chain of stores in 1996, during the speculation downturn, and by 2004 only two Comics & Comix stores remained open, in Berkeley and Sacramento. In April 2004, Rojek

231-533: The convention closes. Awards are given to those with the most creative performances, though anyone can participate. Comics and Comix Comics and Comix Co. (C&C) was a comic book retailer based in Berkeley, California , that for a short time also had a publishing division. The company was founded by Bud Plant , Robert Beerbohm , and John Barrett . Comics & Comix operated from 1972 to 2004. At its peak, C&C had nine retail locations, making it

SECTION 10

#1732786908365

252-660: The convention for fifteen years. In 2001, they brokered a deal with the management team that runs San Diego Comic-Con to make it part of the Comic-Con International convention family. This gave the San Francisco show a wider audience and has made it a venue for previews and early screenings of major motion pictures, in particular ones based on comic books. These have included Spider-Man 2 in 2004, Batman Begins and Fantastic Four in 2005, Superman Returns in 2006, 300 in 2007, Watchmen in 2009, and Kick-Ass in 2010. All of these events featured

273-765: The exhibitor list has grown to include retailers of specialty DVDs. There is also an "Artists Alley" featuring mainly comic book artists selling artwork, signing books, and doing sketches; and mainstream celebrities signing autographed pictures. WonderCon hosted the Harvey Award ceremonies from 1997 to 1999. Since 2007, academicians and comic industry professionals have held the Comics Arts Conference in conjunction with WonderCon. In addition, WonderCon features an event called "Trailer Park", where trailers for upcoming films are shown. The WonderCon masquerade competition usually takes place on Saturday after

294-424: The first comic book chain store in America. In late August 1972, while still an undergraduate at San Jose State University , Bud Plant co-founded Comics & Comix with John Barrett (1950–2001) and Plant's housemate Robert Beerbohm. The store's first location was on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. In 1973 Comics & Comix helped organize the first Bay Area comics convention , Berkeleycon 73, in

315-702: The first comic book chain store in America. In 1974, Comics & Comix organized Berkeleycon 74 , also held at Berkeley's Pauley Ballroom. A 48-page comic called Tales from the Berkeley Con , co-published by local underground comics publishers Rip Off Press and Last Gasp , was produced to promote the convention. Founding partner Beerbohm left the company in 1975, soon opening his own store, Best of Two Worlds, in San Francisco. As part of his distribution business, Plant supplied Comics & Comix with product while also handling distribution for much of

336-403: The short 72-minute runtime; however, he praised Captain America's extended screen time and the film "telling a good story as quickly and economically as possible." David Cornelius of eFilmCritic.com stated, "It's too violent for younger viewers, but not mature enough for older ones. It's a movie trapped in between target audiences." A direct sequel to the film, titled Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of

357-454: The stars of the films fielding questions from the audience. WonderCon had 34,000 attendees in 2009, 39,000 in 2010, and 49,500 in 2011. The show left the Bay Area after the 2011 con, because San Francisco's Moscone Center was being remodeled. The convention moved to Anaheim in 2012, and was rebranded WonderCon Anaheim. When the move to Anaheim was first announced, Comic-Con International said they would be returning to San Francisco after

378-473: Was continued under various publishing names by Plant until 1986. Comics & Comix also published comics by Jim Pinkoski, Dan O'Neill , and Alfredo Alcala . From 1980 to 1985, Comics & Comix also published the industry trade journal the Telegraph Wire (named after the street of their flagship location). Under store employee Diana Schutz starting circa 1981, the Telegraph Wire blossomed into

399-504: Was held March 31 – April 2, 2017. The WonderCon logo was designed by Richard Bruning and Tim Zach. The 2020 edition of the show, scheduled for April 10–12, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The 2021 edition of the show, scheduled for March 26–27, was cancelled again due to the COVID-19 pandemic . While the main attraction of WonderCon has always been various retailers selling back issues of comic books and action figures,

420-649: Was indicted on eight counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering, and was accused of cheating 112 investors out of $ 2.5 million. At that point, the two remaining Comics & Comics locations closed down; Rojek was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison in November 2004. Comics & Comix operated as a comics publisher from 1974 to 1978. The company ventured into publishing with Jack Katz 's underground / sword and sorcery hybrid The First Kingdom . The company published 6 issues of that title until 1977, at which point it

441-466: Was planned as the first film in the series. The film's soundtrack was released alongside the film. It was released on iTunes on December 15, 2006. Ultimate Avengers was slated for a February 2006 release. It premiered on February 7, 2006, at WonderCon . It was released in the United States on February 21, 2006, by Lionsgate Films Home Entertainment . On April 24, 2007, the two Ultimate Avengers films were paired together and released on Blu-ray in

SECTION 20

#1732786908365
#364635