[Press] STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Returns – With a Closer Look at the Malevolent Count Dooku

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS gives audiences a different look at Separatist leader Count Dooku, and also introduces a new set of villains in “Dooku Captured,” an all-new episode of the hit animated series directed by Jesse Yeh, premiering at 9 p.m. ET/PT Friday, Jan. 2, on Cartoon Network.

The episode finds Anakin and Obi-Wan attempting to capture Dooku, only to discover the Sith Lord has already been kidnapped by intergalactic pirates.

Yeh says the episode reveals more insight into Count Dooku’s descent from Jedi Knight to his lofty place within the ranks of those wielding the dark side of the Force.

“I have always been interested in the drama behind this particular character,” Yeh explains. “He thinks realistically, and has a solid mind. The actions he takes are always so direct and straight forward.

“I sense that deep down, Dooku holds a sort of emotional connection with the Jedi,” Yeh says. “I’ve always been interested in the drama behind him. Dooku thinks realistically, he has a solid mind, and the actions he takes are very direct and straightforward.

“In a way, he’s almost pathetic. His mind is constantly being twisted by his pride, which is what originally led him to the dark side. Because of his pride, he doesn’t realize he has turned into exactly the sort of monster that he once fought against. From his perspective, he is not doing anything different from what he did when he was still a Jedi. He’s just trying to save the universe – but this time from what he sees as a corrupt Republic. In the end, he’s become just another expendable pawn of the true evil.”

Yeh said Dooku’s position as a prisoner in “Dooku Captured” provided a dramatic and animation challenge. “Dooku is no longer in control of the situation, do we had to spend some time trying to figure out how to animate this ‘tamed’ Dooku.”

In addition to working with Dooku, Yeh said it was particularly exciting directing an episode that introduces new characters.

“The pirates have a gangster-like society. The fact that they were actually capable of capturing the legendary Dooku took me by surprise,” Yeh says. “Since the pirate chief is a new character, there were really no limitations on how to bring him to the screen. As a director, I got to determine who this new character would be – how to bring out the combative and greedy nature of this particular species, and put those characteristics onto the very surface of his performance.”

I am Batman too…

I haven’t been a big fan of how they ended Batman: R.I.P. (though Last Rites has offered some redemption), but I have to say I really like the teaser image that DC released and the commentary from Didio and Tony Daniels about it.

However, they did forget to put me in the picture…?

[Press] Atlanta comic book writer creates the new Atlanta Comics Creators networking group

Atlanta comic book writer creates the new Atlanta Comics Creators networking group

Contact:
Sean Taylor
mail@taylorverse.com
http://atlcomix.ning.com/

Atlanta, GA; December 4, 2008 — Gene Simons Dominatrix writer Sean Taylor, a local boy who was able to beat the odds and break into the comic book industry, has created a brand new group on the networking site Ning just for other locals who are currently in the industry or operating on the fringes in the indie field.

The group is open to all comics creators, including pencilers, inkers, colorists, writers, letterers, editors, publishers, involved in mainstream, indie, manga, or web comics. Membership is also open to pop art and low brow artists who include comic style art or influences in their toy and exhibition work.

The Atlanta Comics Creators group’s goals include:

* breaking the isolation the comics industry tends to foster of creators sitting in their studios and offices and seldom seeing other creators
* building effective networks branching locals to national and international markets
* fostering creative partnerships among locals
* mentoring up-and-comers
* promoting occasional real-life events to get local creators together in a relaxing, non-work atmosphere,? ? both in small “lunch groups” or larger “membership-wide” get-togethers
* and more to come as the group decides

With so many existing networking groups from Facebook to MySpace to ComicSpace, another group like the Atlanta Comics Creators might seem superfluous, but according to Taylor, the idea for the group grew out of the camaraderie he felt after joining a small group of local comics folks from time to time for lunch.

“As I went about my day-to-day job of scripting and putting together pitches, I realized how much working in this industry tends to keep us away from each other instead of pulling us together. Some folks have the luxury of working in studios, but others don’t and we all need those occasional opportunities to sharpen each others’ iron and to just hang out and shoot the breeze.

“Also,” he adds, “the industry is changing so much so quickly with the inclusion of webcomics, digital techniques, new book formats, pop art, low brow, the growth of manga in the U.S., etc., that it seems to me we need each other more than ever to stay on top of our game.”

For more information, visit http://atlcomix.ning.com/

For more information about Sean Taylor, visit http://www.taylorverse.com