EVIL PUPPET MASTERS

For those of you who didn’t already know, I have spent the better part of the past nine months co-writing a book about the LOST fandom with blogger extraordinaire DocArzt. The book is called “LOST Ate My Life!” and as of TODAY it is available for pre-order on Amazon!! w00t! Click on the piccie below or in the sidebar to check it out:

If you want a more detailed description of the book, you can find it HERE on our publisher’s site.

The support I have had during the writing of this book has been EPIC. Whether it was agreeing to interviews (Bryan, Gregg, William, Javi), writing the foreword (Javi), joining my fanclub (MONGERS), listening to my rants and/or holding me up as I was falling down (Bryan, Javi, Gregg, Rick, Denise and the rest of the Mongers) - I can’t imagine going through this without any of these people. I hope everyone will be pleased with the results.

The book is due to be published November 1, 2008. If you are REALLY curious as to how this whole thing came about and how I have dealt with the highs and lows - go check out my author’s blog: Fandom Life.

The press release from ABC Family for The Middleman, the TV show based on the comics by former Lost scribe Javier Grillo-Marxuach is below. Javi is the showrunner for the show, which premieres on June 16th at 8/7 Central.

EVIL MEETS ITS MATCH ON JUNE 16!

ABC FAMILY’S NEW ORIGINAL SERIES “THE MIDDLEMAN” IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!

Burbank, CA (May 6, 2008) There are the strange occurrences that can never be explainedincidents with creatures that couldn’t possibly be realevil forces lurking in the dark, out of the sight of ordinary peoplebut there is one man out there who fights such evil every day so you don’t have to: The Middleman. The wild and weird adventures of “The Middleman” begin Monday, June 16 (8:00 9:00 PM ET/PT) on ABC Family with the premiere of the new original series based on the graphic novels written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach (”Lost,” “Medium”). The thirteen-one hour episodes star Matt Keeslar (”Snowglobe”), Natalie Morales (”CSI: Miami”), Mary Pat Gleason (”I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”), Brit Morgan (”Buried Alive”) and Jake Smollett (”Eve’s Bayou”).

Wendy Watson (Morales) is a 22 year-old art school graduate struggling to stay afloat at a series of dead-end temp jobs. Living with her best friend Lacey (Morgan) in an illegal sublet, she bounces from one temp job to another while putting off her mother’s daily inquiries to what she is going to do with her life.

Wendy’s situation takes a drastic turn during a routine temp assignment at a local laboratory, when she is thrown into the middle of a science experiment gone very wrong. If that weren’t bizarre enough, who should show up to save the day, but a mysterious, handsome, gun-wielding stranger who introduces himself only asThe Middleman (Keeslar).

A covert hero who neutralizes any and all danger humanity isn’t prepared to face, the milk-drinking, ruggedly wholesome Middleman is in need of a new colleague in the fight against otherworldly evil and thinks Wendy fits the bill. After a series of tests that would make grown astronauts weep and Navy Seals beg for mercy, Wendy is quickly recruited into the Middleman ranks.

Now fighting comic book-esque criminals under the guidance of her new boss, Wendy tries to wrap her head around the new and definitely weird situation. But the Middleman is sure she can do the job, even though his cranky robot assistant Ida (Gleason) questions his choice every step of the way.

Soon Wendy learns that there will always be another unfathomable peril to contain and focusing on her painting will be easier said than done. Now living a double life, can Wendy balance an undercover Middleman mission with “normal” life in her offbeat circle of artist friends?

“The Middleman” is created and executive produced by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, based on his Viper Comics Graphic Novels (illustrated by Les McClaine). The series is also executive produced by John Ziffren and co-executive produced by Hans Beimler. Director Jeremiah Chechik acts as supervising producer, with producer Jon Pare, co-producer Sarah Watson and supervising producer Tracey Stern…

For all your Middleman needs, check out the following sites (all of which are either by Javi or his #1 minion Speaker):

The Middle Blog on LiveJournal
The Middleman Official Site
Marxwatch - Your Source for all things Javi

If you have read this blog for awhile, then you know that speaker and I both are never-ending fans of former LOST writer, Javier Grillo-Marxuach. The insanely talented Javi’s television series adaptation of his comic book series “The Middleman” has been officially picked up by ABC Family. w00t!

A well deserved feather in the cap of my good friend Javi. Congratulations, buddy!

 Standard Podcast [76:00m]: Download (529)

hijinx and speaker discuss LOST Episode 3.15 Left Behind and tell tales of LOST Weekend 2007

From this Hollywood Reporter article:

Rogue Pictures and Intrepid Pictures have picked up the movie rights to “Couriers,” a series of action graphic novels, and have set writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach to adapt.

Written by Brian Wood and illustrated by Rob G, the series follows the adventures of two gun-toting mercenary couriers named Moustafa and Special who take on jobs other couriers do not, such as intelligence, large cash transfers, protection, assassinations and blockade-running.

Awesome news for the Javiminions

Former Lost scribe and current writer for Medium, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, has penned a comic book mini-series for Dynamite Entertainment based on the original Battlestar Galactica television show. Comic Book Resources posted this review for Issue #1: Cylon Apocalypse, that includes an interview with Javi (which is ALWAYS good fun to read).

The writers of Lost have also garnered a couple of award nominations, these from the Writers’ Guild of America. The entire writing staff are nominated for Television Dramatic Series, and Christina Kim and Liz Sarnoff are nominated for writing the Season 2 episode “Two for the Road.” The WGA award winners will be announced on February 11th.

 EPM Podcast 1x02 [75:59m]: Download (338)

Discussion of LOST Ep 3.02 The Glass Ballerina, What About Brian S2 premiere, and where Six Degrees is going, as well as JJ’s interview in Star Trek Magazine and recent EPM article entitled Too Much of a Good Thing?

Word travels fast obviously ComicBookResources has a great interview with Javier Grillo-Marxuach about the upcoming Classic Battlestar Galactica comic book mini-series that he is writing. In true Javi-fashion, it is both entertaining and informative. What a guy

Oops! I almost forgot. It was finally officially announced that Javi won’t just be writing The Middle Man comics — he has been signed on to write a “new miniseries of comic books based on the classic 1970s Battlestar Galactica show.” Can you say…*SQUEE*?

I should note that Sci Fi Wire did get one part of his resume wrong — he never wrote or produced for Alias. But the quote they posted from him is 100% Javi.

*sigh* I miss him

According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC’s Medium will be returning to the schedule mid-November, rather than in January. Though still not confirmed by NBC, HR says it will occupy the 10 pm Wednesday night that Kidnapped (which has had poor ratings) has been airing in.

And WHY, you may ask yourself, do I care about the return of Medium? Well, cuz we love our BR alumni here at the EPM blog, and one of my FAVORITE PEOPLE (PERIOD) has penned the season opener for Medium — Javier Grillo-Marxuach (aka former LOST writer and revealed recently to be the elusive “DJ Dan” of The Lost Experience).

The guys over at CinemaBlend put up a Dragon*Con edition of their WeeklyBlend podcast.  In this installment, they talk about one of the Lost panels that former Lost Labs scribe, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, held.  They also talk about the Mira Firlan panels, which were usually both Lost and Babylon 5-related.

You can listen to the podcast on the site, or download it.  The Lost stuff is just past the halfway point of the podcast.