In promoting edgy 'Joker,' Warner Bros. steers clear of brands

"Joker" dominated U.S. theaters this weekend, bringing in $93.5 million and setting a box office record for October. Warner Bros. Pictures pulled off its record-setting weekend without using many of the marketing tools that come standard with comic book movies.  While other superhero rollouts have leaned on splashy Super Bowl ads and big brand partnerships with companies like Geico and Coca-Cola, Warner Bros. is treating its R-rated Batman prequel more like an arthouse film with a smaller $55 million budget, fall release, film festival debut and no brand partners. The movie's promotional push began last year with a pair of Instagram posts in September 2018 from director and co-writer, Scott Phillips, sparking a two-week spike in internet searches for the word "joker" according to Google Trends data. Phillips later unveiled the film's first trailer at CinemaCon in April 2019. Warner Bros. has been running traditional TV spots and posted billboards in Times Square and on the Sunset Strip, but the studio has no plans to work with brands to promote the movie. The studio also blocked print and broadcast journalists from its red carpet premieres in Hollywood and New York.  The film won the highest prize at the Venice Film Festival last month, and there's already Oscars buzz about Joaquin Phoenix's lead performance. But "Joker" remains controversial, with some critics saying the movie is too violent and promotes a sympathetic view of its homicidal protagonist.  Police have... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'

[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-07 17:33:36 UTC ]

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What if the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol had succeeded? A graphic novel is uniquely placed to answer

Comic book creators with a history of galvanising social action on America’s streets have created a graphic novel about the US Capitol attacks. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2023-01-06 13:12:06 UTC ]
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Artists accuse Adobe of tracking their design process to power its AI

A curious setting in Adobe Photoshop’s privacy preferences has the artistic community on edge this week. A recent viral moment highlights just how nervous the artist community is about artificial intelligence (AI). It started earlier this week, when French comic book author Claire Wendling... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-01-06 09:45:00 UTC ]
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100 years of Stan Lee: how the comic book king challenged prejudice

Stan Lee deserves his place in the pantheon of great pop culture architects, but his Marvel characters did more than just entertain – they actively fought against prejudice. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2022-12-27 09:02:59 UTC ]
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My Least Favorite Comic Book Trope

Writing a comic with the moral of “Hey, you know who sucks? Comic book readers.” seems like a strange way to address your audience! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-12-20 11:32:00 UTC ]
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French comic book author Fabcaro to pen next Asterix

Author says he will remain faithful to the characters in 40th volume of series, due out next yearThe French comic book series Asterix will turn a new page for its forthcoming 40th volume, with a new writer chosen to pen next year’s instalment, the publisher has said.The French novelist and comic... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-20 08:21:03 UTC ]
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'Hellboy: Web of Wyrd' is a stylish brawler that takes its cues from the comic

One of the least expected announcements at The Game Award creator Mike Mignola and Dark Horse helped pen the story, and the cel-shaded look is more than a little reminiscent of what you saw on paper. b of Wyrd, a roguelite (read: purposefully brutal and repetitive) brawler that revolves around... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-09 01:42:13 UTC ]
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'Any means necessary': the police who adopt the skull symbol of the ultra-violent comic book vigilante the Punisher

The classic Marvel comic book anti-hero is known for ultra-violence and vigilante justice: why is he so appealing to law enforcement? Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2022-12-06 03:38:55 UTC ]
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Test Your Comics Knowledge: Real Captain or Fake Captain?

There are a lot of "captains" in comics, but did any of these comic book captains actually earn the rank? Let’s put them to the test! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-21 11:32:00 UTC ]
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Heartstopper author Alice Oseman: ‘If you don’t have sex and romance, you feel like you haven’t achieved’

The writer and illustrator on turning her ‘weird hobby’ into a bestselling YA series and Netflix hit, the importance of asexual representation and lessons from her fans on love bitesAt 28, the author and illustrator Alice Oseman recently achieved what so many of her peers cannot: she bought a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-19 09:00:53 UTC ]
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Ideas for Running a Comic Book Club in Your School Library

If you haven't considered running a comic book club in your school library, here are reasons why you should (& activities to do!). Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-11 11:37:00 UTC ]
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The King is Dead. Long Live the Kingdom.

Beyond Wakanda Forever, comic book writers like Evan Narcisse are extending the reach of the Black Panther’s story. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2022-11-11 10:00:00 UTC ]
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'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Alters How Superhero Stories Handle Death

Comic book saviors get resurrected all the time. Chadwick Boseman’s 2020 death made that impossible for Black Panther’s sequel. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2022-11-10 12:00:00 UTC ]
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11 New Comics to Devour in November

Check this list and call your local comic book shop, because you need these new comics in November on your pull list. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-04 10:38:00 UTC ]
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What the Creator of ‘Watchmen’ Gets Right About Superhero Fans

Comic book writer Alan Moore has been saying for years that fans need to critique their dark heroes. He has a point—but only kinda. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2022-10-29 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Is That Black Enough For You?!?: inside the Black cinema revolution of the 70s

Historian and critic Elvis Mitchell talks about his revealing Netflix documentary that focuses on an often forgotten eraI’m worried about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The original, released to great fanfare in 2018, was such a hit across the board – with critics, at the box office, as a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-29 06:17:49 UTC ]
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DoorDash and Marvel turn delivery people into superheroes

The latest campaign from the delivery company revolves around a comic book starring four superpowered DoorDash delivery people, or “Dashers.” Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2022-10-06 21:20:53 UTC ]
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Tom Hanks announces ‘wildly ambitious’ first novel

The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece spans 80 years and is said to be ‘thoughtful, poignant and hugely entertaining’Oscar winner Tom Hanks’s debut novel has been announced, and is due out next year. The book, Hanks’s second foray into fiction – he published a short story collection... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-09-27 14:01:40 UTC ]
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NI comic book artist's Marvel-lous dream job

Ruairí Coleman, from County Armagh, has worked on everything from Thor to Iron Man. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2022-09-24 05:42:24 UTC ]
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Harvey Awards to Induct New Hall of Fame Members

Neil Gaiman, Marjorie Henderson Buell, Gilbert Shelton and Roy Thomas will be honored for their comic book work at New York Comic Con on Oct. 7. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-09-23 13:00:07 UTC ]
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Lily Renée Phillips, Pioneering Comic Book Artist, Dies at 101

A refugee from Nazi-annexed Austria, she started a new life in New York drawing powerful, glamorous heroines and broke barriers in a male-dominated field. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-09-14 17:51:10 UTC ]
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