The live-action remake of the 1983 animated fantasy-adventure Fire & Ice that filmmaker Robert Rodriguez has been developing for years has finally found a home at Sony Pictures, according to Mike Fleming Jr. at Deadline.

Rodriguez will direct the film based upon his own screenplay and the production company Bold Films, which in the past has brought us such features as Drive and Nightcrawler, will take an important role behind the scenes.

Conan the Phenomenon
Written by Paul M. Sammon
Foreward by Michael Moorcock
Art by Various
Edited by Philip Simon
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

The title of this compendium sounds like the third Ahnuld Conan movie if Joel Schumacher had directed it.

All kidding aside, Conan The Phenomenon, by Paul M. Sammon, is a chronological examination of Conan the Barbarian, starting at the beginning, and going right up to 2007 “” and as expected, it contains a lot of Frank Frazetta art, and a detailed look at the making of the Conan films.

But this book is also loaded with little-seen material “” my interest in Conan runs fairly deep, and I found plenty of material that was new to me. Beyond the informative biographical material and comprehensive list of all the published novels, I loved the relatively clean-cut Conan, illustrated by Wally Wood, and clearly bearing the likeness of popular actor Victor Mature. And I almost laughed out loud at British publisher T.V. Boardman‘s cover to Conan the Conqueror. I want a poster of that cover.

Forbidden Worlds, the bizarre fantasy anthology comic series that ran for 145 issues from July/August 1951 to August 1967, and corralled some of Comicdom’s most celebrated visualists of the strange and unusual, is returning in a mighty big way. Next month Dark Horse Comics will release Forbidden Worlds Archives Vol. 1, a hardcover collection of the first four pre-Comics Code issues of the series.

You can check out a 7-page story from the inaugural volume, “The Doom of the Moonlings” with artwork by George Wilhelms, here below.

Thun’Da #1
Written by Robert Place Napton
Art by Cliff Richards
Colored by Esther Sanz
Letters by Marshall Dillion
Cover by Jae Lee
Thun’Da Created by Frank Frazetta
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 8, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

I have to admit, I don’t know anything about the main character of this book, and I’m guessing, neither do you. But, that’s a GOOD THING. Because Thun’Da #1 is ALL intro, and believe me, it’s one heck of a ride.

Writer Robert Place Napton does a really good job here of writing this first issue as almost a silent issue, but there’s a purpose for that, unlike so many comics that are just trying to copy the infamous GI Joe #21. First, we’re introduced to our hero under extreme circumstances. VERY extreme. From there, it only gets worse. It’s safe to say that he’s thrust into a world that even he doesn’t believe exists. Someplace where he’s got to survive on barely his wits alone. What’s even more entertaining is that he has no memory of who he is, where he’s from, or what he can do. So, he’s basically coming at this whole story from the audience’s point of view, which is really refreshing. I found this comic to be a very fun read.

I know I’m not alone when I say that the late Frank Frazetta will forever be the greatest fantasy artist who ever lived. His illustrations gave new life to marginalized icons of pulp fiction like Conan the Barbarian and John Carter of Mars and inspired countless writers, artists, and filmmakers. Frazetta’s artwork stands out from the rest of the pack for its merging of grungy realism and fantastic visuals; his iconic drawings and paintings depicting brawny warriors and chesty maidens battling horrific mutants and monsters made him a legend in the realm of genre storytelling.

When Frank Frazetta died of a stroke more than two years ago his passing left a great hole in the hearts of geeks the world over, but he left behind a legacy of awe-inspiring visions of the fantastic and the frightening that will continue to influence generations of imaginative storytellers until the end of time. Yeah, Frazetta was that damn good an artist.

Frazetta composed a set of seven illustrations inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy. These drawings offer an unique perspective of a beloved fantasy classic from a legendary artist you wouldn’t typically associate with hobbits and wizards. You can check out Frazetta’s artwork here below.