Transformers DOTM Theatrical Trailer (3D Edit)

"DARK KNIGHT" VIRAL GAME REVEALS HARDY'S BANE

While principal photography for Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. incoming DC Comics adaptation "The Dark Knight Rises" just started yesterday, it appears the studio is already on top of promoting the next Batman movie. Today, a number of fan sites including SuperHeroHype played along with a new viral game launched along with the film's official website at TheDarkKnightRises.com. The audio file of chanting men on the official site contained a phrase hidden in its computer coding which let fans to the Twitter account @thefirerises which in turn pointed viewers to the first official image of actor Tom Hardy as the villain Bane:

These moves fall well in line with Warners campaign for "The Dark Knight" which offered fans sneak peeks and advanced screenings for playing along with games centered on Harvey Dent's District Attorney campaign and the Joker's "Why So Serious?" rein of terror.

IDW Announces 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Creative Team

From Comics Alliance by Caleb Goellner
What kind of gig could make a writer shout "Shell yeah!"? I think you know what kind. The all-new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from IDW and Nickelodeon. Debuting in August, the new series by original Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman, co-writer Tom Waltz and artist Dan Duncan sets out to reimagine the original TMNT in a contemporary setting. Rather than serve as a port for Nickelodeon's upcoming animated continuity, the 32-page, full-color comics will establish a fresh universe populated by both new and classic characters. What's more, in addition to co-writing, Eastman will contribute page layouts and variant covers alongside artists such as Sam Keith and Walt Simonson. We talked to Waltz to learn about the on the upcoming series. Read our full interview and see loads of new series art by Duncan and Eastman after the jump.

ComicsAlliance: Congrats on the new series, Tom. Can you tell us a little about how you came onboard Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and what it's been like co-writing with Kevin Eastman?

Tom Waltz: Thanks! Bribes-that's how I get all my gigs. That, and blackmail (never underestimate the benefits of knowing your Editor-in- Chief's dirty little secrets).

Seriously, this gig came about in a strange way. TMNT editor Scott Dunbier had been soliciting proposals from other writers and early on I wasn't really involved with TMNT at all, other than the fact that I kept poking my nose into things at the office because I'm a huge TMNT fan. But, honestly, beyond being excited about new TMNT comics as a fan, I didn't expect to be directly involved creatively. Then, in an editorial meeting one day, Scott announced that Kevin was ready to jump back into the TMNT saddle, both as an artist and story co-plotter, and wanted to work with a co-writer who would handle initial story scripts, etc. I was absolutely surprised (and flattered) when EiC Chris Ryall (who-along with IDW CEO Ted Adams and COO Greg Goldstein - has always been very supportive of my writing endeavors) asked me in that same meeting if I had any interest in working with Kevin. In true Turtle fashion, I said, "Shell yeah!"

As it turned out, I had been privately thinking of a way to re-launch the property, one I felt was true to Kevin and Peter's Laird's original spirit, but with some new and modern twists added to the mix. I put a proposal together immediately following the meeting and passed it along to Scott, who in turn forwarded it to Kevin. A few days later, Kevin came down to San Diego for a lunch meeting and, corny as it sounds, I knew right away that things were gonna happen in a good way. We've all been in tune from the start, and Kevin's been fantastic at letting me know what he likes, as well as providing kick-butt input into the plot (and he tells some great stories about the history of the franchise!). Thing is, I'm a huge Turtle fan, but the Turtles are in Kevin's blood (I'll bet it's green blood!), and it's both an honor and a thrill to be working alongside him on this-he's a cool dude who still cares immensely about the property he helped create with Peter. This comic book series will be getting plenty of TLC-turtle lovin' care-I guarantee!

CA: You've written for many iconic properties with enduring fanbases like Ghostbusters, The A-Team, Duke Nukem, Silent Hill and now the TMNT. What do you enjoy most about getting to put your own spin on -- and add something to the canon of -- these kind of cultural mainstays?

TW: Before I tell you what I enjoy, I'll be completely frank - it always terrifies me when I jump into something like this! When I dive into a beloved property like TMNT, as well as the others you listed in your question, the first thing I always ask myself is: Am I a masochistic glutton for fanboy and fangirl punishment? As it turns out, the answer is always, yes, yes I am. Then, I sit down and consider what the property means to me as a fan because that's really what I was before I ever thought about being a creator. I truly believe that if I always remember I'm a fan first, a creator second, then I'll be approaching the property with honesty and love and not with cold, calculated commercial intent.

Look, I know that not everyone is going to like what I do, but I'm at least confident that what I am doing is from my true fan's heart, and that I do it humbly and respectfully. As long as I can look at myself in the mirror and know I've done what I felt was best for the property and characters, then I can deal with the inevitable hate e-mails and forum flame wars to come.

Like I said, I'm positive what Kevin and I are doing-along with uber-talented artist Dan Duncan- will be something many old and new fans will embrace, just as I'm certain many other long-time fans will not. That's just how it goes and I can live with that because I know how important this is to me - and to Kevin and Dan and to all of IDW - and that we are all working our shells off to create new TMNT stories that are genuinely respectful of the stories that have come before, not to mention to the millions of loyal fans who have been a part of the TMNT family from the start.

As for what I enjoy most, I ain't gonna lie: it's an immeasurable rush to know I've been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity in my creative career to put words into the mouths of characters I've adored for so many years - or to inject scenarios and situations I've personally created into long-running canon. I feel it's a privilege to even have the chance to do it - whether it's TMNT or Silent Hill... or any of the awesome franchises I've worked on in the past or may be a part of in the future - and I never take the privilege for granted. I've been very lucky and I'm thankful for that... and I can't wait for my fellow TMNT fans to join me on this ride!

CA: IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been billed as a kind of brand new take on the TMNT in the spirit of the original comics. What kind of research did you do to get in the vibe for this mix of new and more classic TMNT motifs?

TW: Really, I looked at all the variations of the Turtles throughout the years, focusing on the things I liked best about each version, while paying particular attention to the ideas and characters that have endured through each iteration. For the most part, we are building this latest version atop a solid foundation of all the best and beloved ingredients of TMNT lore, which includes the grittier Mirage run, as well components from the lighter-hearted TV shows and feature films (I'm a huge fan of the 2007 CGI movie). Fans are going to find a lot of things they recognize-but they will also be seeing and reading new additions and new twists along the way, though nothing that strays from the underlying spirit of what has made this such a beloved franchise for so many years.

CA: How would you describe the upcoming comics series to fans who have sampled from all the various versions of the Turtles over the years? Are there any particular incarnations from TV, film, comics or games in particular that might serve as good touchstones for what this new series is about?

TW: Hmm... I guess if I were going to describe it, I'd say what we are doing with the Turtles is very similar to what Marvel did with the Avengers in the Ultimates. We are striving to tell beloved classic tales in new and exciting ways, while never losing sight of what's come before. I would never dare speak for Kevin, but I have to think that this is his opportunity to do what might be called a Director's Cut - a chance to go back and re-explore his creations from the start. As a fan, I'm excited as all get-out to watch him work because it doesn't get more authentic than having one of the original creators on board.

CA: What can you tell us about Dan Duncan's art? How do you think his style meshes with the kinds of stories you and Kevin will be telling?

TW: I was first introduced to Dan by Scott Lobdell, who was writing our Jennifer Love Hewitt's Music Box anthology series at the time. Scott suggested Dan as an artist for the fifth and final issue of the series, and Dan's art came into my email inbox shortly thereafter and I fell instantly in love with his understated, yet electrifying, stylistic pages. He did wonderful work for us on Music Box and, as an editor, I'd been looking for another project for him since. When the TMNT license came to IDW, I immediately asked Dan to send us samples-I really felt his style might be an interesting compliment to the early Eastman/Laird comics. I'm happy to say that I was right, because Dan turned in three or four pages of awesome samples, which all of us, including Nickelodeon, absolutely adored. It was an easy decision from there to bring Dan on as the artist, and we've since had the added bonus of having Kevin do the layouts that Dan is drawing from. C'mon... if that ain't about as authentic and exciting as it gets, I don't know what is.

Click to enlarge preliminary variant cover art by Kevin Eastman

CA: New villain Old Hob is said to be a mutant alley cat. Aside from a devilish name, what makes Old Hob a compelling antagonist for the Turtles?

TW: Although I picked Old Hob's name, all credit for the character's creation goes to IDW EiC Chris Ryall. When I first turned in my proposal, it was Chris who suggested we bring in a new baddy in the first arc- someone (or something) that Master Splinter and the boys are knocking heads with from the start. As for Hob's origin, it was also Chris who said something like, "What if an old alley cat..." WAIT! To tell you more would be too much of a spoiler. Suffice it to say, Old Hob is in the mix from the start and he's got a very personal grudge against our heroes, particularly Splinter. Fans can expect to see Hob up to plenty of bad boy hi-jinks from very early on in the series-as well as other evil doings from some far more recognizable villains, too.

From The Brightest Day The Blackest Night

SHELF LIFE : Greatest Hits, Ron Marz

From Comic Book Resources by Ron Marz

I was in high school in the '80s (that's right, I was a few years too old to give a damn about "G.I. Joe" or "Transformers" or any of those other '80s animated shows). Back then, just like now, the summer season meant, among other things, bands would hit the summer shed concert circuit. The closest one to me was Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. I spent a fair amount of time there in my high school and college years, saw a lot of acts. Among them, Journey and Def Leppard, who were kind of big deals back then.

And now all these years later, you know who's on the bill at SPAC this summer? That's right, Journey and Def Leppard. Nobody would confuse either of them with the biggest band in the land anymore, but they're still out there, plugging away, churning out what amounts to a greatest-hits set. Night after night, it's "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me," because that's what most of the audience came to hear. That's why they paid their money. Play a new song, and that's when everybody heads to the bathroom, or goes to get another beer. So you'd better give the people what they want, right?

Creatively, no one wants to become a greatest-hits act. It's the equivalent of the high-school pitcher reliving his "Glory Days" in the Springsteen song, the sense that your best days are behind you. Any creative person worth a damn -- musician, writer, artist -- wants to believe their best work is ahead of them, not already in the rear-view mirror.

Which brings us to the "Green Lantern Retroactive" issue I'm writing, to be published in August. I wrote "Green Lantern" for almost seven years, a pretty sizable chunk of my career. I realize it's always going to follow me. I'm unlikely to ever do a convention signing or store appearance that a stack of GL issues doesn't land in front of me. And I'm more than fine with that. I co-created a new Green Lantern, one who seems to resonate with a segment of the comic-reading audience. For some people, mostly because of when they started reading the book, Kyle Rayner is "their" Green Lantern. I'm happy that the work I did with Darryl Banks, Paul Pelletier and a number of other artists resonated with people.

"Green Lantern" #51, Kyle Rayner's first cover appearance

But it's also a book I stepped away from a decade ago, at least in terms of a monthly assignment. Yes, I've written Kyle a few times in the ensuing years, but in small doses. It's not what I'm doing now. It's not "Artifacts" or "Witchblade," or "Magdalena" or "Shinku." So why go back at all? Why take on a gig that, by its very nature, looks backwards rather than ahead?

It wasn't a no-brainer decision when I got the offer, honestly. I was very aware of the drawbacks, of being perceived as a greatest-hits band, retreading former glories. But ultimately it came down to a simple choice: was it a story I wanted to write, or not? The answer, obviously, was yes, for two reasons.

Number one: if there was going to be a Green Lantern story set in that era, I wanted it to be mine. I do feel a certain, I dunno, paternal interest, I guess, in Kyle. That's not logical, certainly. Kyle isn't "mine," in any real sense. Neither Darryl nor I were awarded any creator stake in Kyle, as we were with some other characters we created, like Effigy and Fatality. Despite that, I'll admit to having an emotional attachment to Kyle that I simply don't have for other work-for-hire characters. He didn't exist before we built him from the ground up. There's always going to be an allure, like an old girlfriend you never quite forget.

Number two: if Darryl was coming back to comics, I wanted to be the guy who got to work with him. Darryl hasn't done much comic work for a while, concentrating more on commercial-art jobs (that, frankly, pay better than the monthly comics grind). But he's one of my favorite collaborators, and the chance to work together again was too much to pass up.

Jim Cheung spread from the Hal Foster-inspired "Scion" #39

So Darryl and I are immersed in the first Green Lantern story we've done since 2000. And I have to admit, I'm enjoying the hell out of it. While I was finishing up this column, a splash page from Darryl appeared in my inbox, and it's just glorious. Some of his best work ever, I think.

Superhero comics are a business built in large part on nostalgia. It's a genre that tends to wallow in where it's been, rather than embrace the possibilities of where it might go. Maybe it's human nature overall to cling to what's familiar, rather than seeking out something new and different. I know more people will buy the GL Retro issue than will pick up "Magdalena" or "Shinku," but it is what it is.

It's an interesting line to walk, acknowledging your past while striving to move forward and bring the audience with you. Now that Marvel is bringing back some of the CrossGen titles, I've been asked fairly often if I'd go back to something like "Scion" or "Sojourn" should the opportunity arise. It's much the same dilemma as returning to Kyle and "Green Lantern." On one hand, it's more looking in the rear-view mirror, when something new and different might be more creatively exciting. But on the other hand, there's a certain sense of unfinished business.

I had a role in creating those books, particularly "Sojourn," which was the result of me locking myself in an office and emerging a few days later with the complete series bible. Except for the dog, which wasn't my idea. The boss insisted on the dog because "people like dogs."

Marz left "Sojourn" more because of office politics rather than creative reasons

I loved the cast and setting of "Scion." I loved working with Jim Cheung. That's why, when Jim departed the book, I stepped away with him, despite having more stories to tell. We drew the curtain on our run with one of my favorite issues of anything I've ever worked on, "Scion" #39. The story hinted at future directions the series might take, and served as our homage to Hal Foster's "Prince Valiant" Sunday pages.

My departure from "Sojourn" was the opposite. Rather than walking away from that world with a sense of satisfaction, after two years I was booted from the title because of ugly office politics, not creative decisions. So like I said, unfinished business.

One of the amazing aspects of comics is you can create something out of thin air. At one point, Kyle Rayner was new. The characters and world of "Sojourn" were new. Where you've been as a creator often dictates where you go, for good or ill. I don't mind looking back, as long as it doesn't stop me from moving forward.

Maybe Def Leppard feels the same way. Maybe they enjoy playing "Pour Some Sugar on Me" every night. I guess I'll find out. I've got tickets to see them July 10 in Saratoga.

Ron Marz has been writing comics for two decades, and thinks it's pretty much the best job ever. His current work includes "Artifacts," "Witchblade" and "Magdalena" for Top Cow, and his upcoming creator-owned title, "Shinku," for Image, set to debut in June, 2011. Follow him on Twitter (@ronmarz) and his website, ronmarz.com

PREVIEW 'PLANET OF THE APES #2'

From Comic Book Resources

Get your hands on these damn dirty Apes! The not-to-be-missed pulse-pounding second issue of the all-new series that takes place before the original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie and in the continuity of the first five films! An assassination tears through the fabric of both Ape and Human societies. In the chaotic aftermath, Ape forces begin arming themselves. Prepare yourself for the explosive results as Ape and Human forces clash!

From The Brightest Day The Blackest Night

ON THE SET OF "GREEN LANTERN"

From Comic Book Resources by Erik Amaya

Set visits often follow the same basic routine -- arrive at the location, watch a bit of filming and between shots, the director, an actor or a crew member will take the time to chat before the next call of "Action!" Sometimes, the chats become more formal interviews, but the most important thing from the filmmakers' standpoint is getting the day's shots finished. When CBR News visited the New Orleans set of "Green Lantern" in August, that familiar format was rocked by a missing element -- actual filming.

The Warner Bros. film, which stars Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, the cocky test pilot who gets drafted into an intergalactic police force, was, until recently, a secret contained on computer hard drives and CGI render farms. At the time of our visit, precious little was known other than its principal leads, which include Blake Lively as Carol Ferris and Mark Strong as Sinestro. The look, scope and feel of the project were all mysteries the crew gave us special access to in lieu of watching a scene being shot.

The day began with a tour of the art department, set up in one of the adjacent stages. Inside, a large-scale model of the Guardians' Citadel -- a circular platform surrounded by nine seats -- greeted us as production designer Grant Major said hello. Flanking him were cardboard cut-outs of fan-favorite Lanterns Kilowog and Tomar-Re. Major discussed the movie with the aid of many production art pieces, concept drawings and photos.

He started with a group of designs marked "Coast City," Hal Jordan's hometown. Pointing to a photo of a composite cityscape, Major talked about the environments used to create the fictional aerospace town. "There are some key locations [here in New Orleans] that we've incorporated into Coast City. We're also using some of the west coast of California. The character of Coast City is very West Coast Californian," he said. Shots of Long Beach, California, will supply some of that Pacific feel. "There are also some testing grounds [on the edge of New Orleans] like California has inland in the desert area." In the composite photo, the coastline, airfield and desert-like proving grounds were clearly visible. It was a convincing sight.

He gestured to several illustrations of the changes that Hector Hammond will undergo throughout the film. Starting with an untouched photo of actor Peter Sarsgaard, each picture adds volume to his forehead, achieved through practical effects. "We're fortunate to have the prosthetic designers and the manufacturing area within the same building," Major explained. That proximity allowed them to tweak Hammond's appearance throughout shooting.

The presentation was reminiscent of a DVD special feature, but live and with more depth than could be encoded onto a disc. Major moved on to a wall dedicated to the design of the planet Oa, the Green Lantern Corps' headquarters. "[Hal] sees these shafts of light or energy coming up from it," he said, pointing to a full-color drawing that reveals the world to be honeycombed from eons of exposure to the Power Battery. The concept was impressive and unlike any other seen in comics or animation. It was a bold departure, but one that honored the purpose of Oa. "It's an extremely old place," Major said. "It must have a lot of influence on a lot of different cultures over time. So, what we tried to do was introduce a plethora of different types of architectural styles and a feeling that over the millennia, there's just been this building up and building up and this whole sort of huge history."

Asked about how the film's eventual conversion to 3D enters into designing the world, power ring constructs and the rest of the film, Major responded, "Film design is a 3D job anyway. Even though it's projected in 2D, we design it in such a way that you've got to get a feeling of the geography and the way that spacial systems work. Obviously, we've been thinking, 'How do we make 3D moments eye-popping?'" He added, "It's storytelling, first and foremost." Without getting too specific, he mentioned space scenes will utilize the deep-field of the 3D environment, while certain shots of the Lanterns using their powers will reach out into the audience.

The next set of photos detailed members of the Corps: Boodikka, Medphyll, the Green Man and Salaak, to name a few. "We've had the task of designing about 25 of them, which we'll see as featured extras," Major explained. "We've been putting a lot of work into making them exotic, but the top of the evolutionary chain of their own planets." The list went deep into GL mythology with one new addition: N'gila Grnt. The production designer smiled when that design was mentioned. "Other than N'gila Grnt, they're all quoted from the comics," he said. Sadly, G'Nort wasn't present.

Concept art of Oa, as seen on the set visit

Along for the tour were producer Donald De Line and co-producer Geoff Johns, who at the time had only recently been named DC Entertainment's chief creative officer. "The creation of DC Entertainment shows that Warner Bros. knows they want to do DC properties, characters and stories," Johns said of the company's restructuring.

Every so often, he and De Line added to Major's hour-long presentation. When the issue of the superhero mask came up, Johns offered, "Green Man has his mask on his world. He's obviously protecting whatever crazy identity he has. The uniform comes from the ring and reacts to whatever the wearer needs."

De Line added, "When the Lanterns [other than the Green Man] are on Oa, they don't need to be masked because they're not protecting their identities from each other."

When Major's presentation concluded, costume designer Ngila Dickson took center stage in a nearby screening room to discuss the most hotly contested aspect of the film up to that point: the costume. Known for the elaborate, but fully realized clothes seen in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the designer was presented with a unique learning curve when it came to the computer-realized uniforms of the Green Lantern Corps. She approached the challenge from the Guardians' point of view, explaining, "I wanted to explore the costumes from a DNA/cellular level. The costume is grown over the body -- being true to the nature of where that [Lantern has] come from. The idea is that the Guardians recognize what the ring has chosen about each individual and highlight that."

Using a slide of a naked Abin Sur as an example, she illustrated how that thinking went into the unique variation of his costume. "I wanted to bring out in him this sort of beauty," she said. His finished uniform highlighted the curious texture of his skin. Dickson presented slides of other Lanterns. Each uniform reflected the characters' differences, from the slight frame of Tomar-Re to the mass of green across Kilowog's chest. Along the way, she revealed that her favorite Lantern is Bzzd.

With an understanding of the uniform firmly in place, she talked about Hal's costume. "The very first thing [the Guardians] are going to look at is this human's anatomy," she began. Her research took her to medical diagrams from the 1500s. She called those early explorations of the human form "quite beautiful as renderings." Following on the thought that Hal's new bosses would also explore his psyche, she looked at the eventual costume as an extension of the character's first love: flying. "I wanted to take the concept of him as a pilot and create this extraordinary flying machine," she explained as a slide of Reynolds in the finished costume appeared on the screen. She admitted designing costumes no one would ever wear was "weird," but that CGI is just a new tool to use as readily as needle and thread.

Johns and De Line took over the show to present an early effects test of Salaak. The movements looked uniquely like the alien, with his four hands furiously typing away at various keyboard and monitor constructs. Though it was only an unfinished animation test, Salaak showed off plenty of character. "They got his personality perfectly -- he's kind of anal about everything," Johns said. "Everyone [on the film] is doing their research and really being diligent about it, but they bring a whole other layer to it which you can't do on a comic book page."

De Line credited Johns with crystallizing the connections between the film and the DC Universe. "All along the way, with every draft, Geoff would look at it," he said. "We really wanted to stay true to the comics and the mythology and he was always our touchstone." In addition to Lanterns like Salaak and Isamot Kol, Johns also suggested bringing the emotional spectrum and Dr. Amanda Waller into the story.

Another interesting fact about our visit: it was Mark Strong's birthday. The crew celebrated by getting him a cake adorned with a portrait of his character decked out in Sinestro Corps gear. When asked later about that costume, the actor gave no indication that Sinestro's fall from grace was scheduled for the next film -- should a sequel happen -- but his eventual turn to evil was never far from Strong's thoughts. "Knowing what happens to Sinestro defines the way he behaves in this film," he said.

"He carries around 'Secret Origin' with him," Johns added, noting the actor got his copy of the story signed when artist Ivan Reis visited the set a few days earlier. "Mark really did his research and embraced that character."

Sinestro: Fated to fall.

Due on the green-screen stage, Strong was unsure whether his theatrical background gave him an advantage in that environment. "It doesn't faze me," he admitted. "I'm sure some of the reason is that if you grow up doing 10 or 15 years of theater, you know it's not real. You can see the front row of the audience." Whether in live theater or playing an alien, he believes it is all about the power of imagination.

That sentiment was shared by Reynolds, who also faced the blankness of the stage. "You see the concept drawings and you find it that way," he said of working in the featureless green studio.

Coming to talk to the press group in between camera set-ups, Reynolds still wore the grey motion-tracking suit under his robe, and his neck was still dotted with tracking markers. "I had a tussle with the black-and-white fairy," he quipped. The dots would eventually help the special effects people track the collar-line of the costume. The actor admitted that he initially worried about the tracking suit, but, "You gotta get over the 'feeling stupid in a grey unitard' thing pretty quickly if you're going to do a hundred and four days of shooting in it.

"I think once I got behind the idea and the reasons why it wasn't an actual suit -- that it's actually kind of a bio-weapon -- I was all for it," he added.

Although filming would wrap the next day, director Martin Campbell looked forward to the months of post-production work, where the world shown in stills would become a living, 3D reality. "The tests have been very encouraging," he said. The director was also confident in the story and the way his team handled the material. "You just treat it like any other drama," he explained.

"We always go back to character and story," De Line added."What are we relating to and what are we caring about? That's something that Martin is always very focused on."

Asked whether the film will raise the profile of the "Green Lantern" comic book, Johns replied, "I hope so -- the hope is that this stuff always feeds back into [the comics]." At the same time, the push to get the DC properties into film, television, and games is important to their survival; whether they are the "big guns" like The Flash and Wonder Woman or lesser known characters like Sgt. Rock. Johns also expressed an eagerness to see Vertigo titles like "100 Bullets" find their way off the page and into other formats.

Just when the day appeared to be wrapping up, we were presented with was one more surprise -- prop master Andrew Petrotta brought in a battery and ring. The battery is different from its comic book counterpart, more alien, ancient and mysterious than the familiar design. "It's a type of resin," he said of the lantern. "Originally, it's grown with lasers in a resin bath, then there's a bit of sculpting afterwards." CBR News had the opportunity to try on the ring prop; it had plenty of weight, with the same alien stone texture as the battery. Oddly enough, the only rings Petrotta made were a set for Reynolds and his stunt double. "The others are computer generated," he said.

In course of a few short hours, the cast and crew of "Green Lantern" offered a special glimpse at the film, showing off the things fans of the comic will appreciate and the summer movie aspects that general moviegoers will hopefully enjoy. "'Green Lantern' has this mythology, this epic scope," said Johns, a scope everyone involved in the making of the movie plans to introduce the world.