Music

In just one week we’ll finally get to see who will win in the fight between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel, when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters. But you don’t have to wait that long to get a new look at Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, which you can gaze upon while you listen to Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL’s complete score for Zack Snyder’s DC superhero epic.

Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker’s Dark Horse biography of The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, The Fifth Beatle, is being adapted as an event TV series by Sonar Entertainment. According to Deadline, the adaptation will be the first Beatles biopic to have full access to John Lennon & Paul McCartney’s song catalog, which Tiwary also had access to during production of the graphic novel.

Actual music that purports to be by a band from a comic book? There's no way that's going to be good, right? I mean, the one really successful example is Sugar Sugar by The Archies, and that doesn't particularly stand the test of time. So when I heard DC had put out an official Black Canary EP, timed with this week's release of the first trade paperback, I was understandably skeptical. I think about music a lot, and already associate particular artists and sounds with characters and comics, even the ones that aren't about bands. In my head, I'd always imagined Black Canary sounded like Savages crossed with Shady Hawkins. But there's no way DC Comics would ever authorize anything that raw and authentic, right? I figured anything that was officially released as Black Canary's music would sound safe and boring, and not at all what the band portrayed in the comic should sound like.

Fan films have been on the rise over the last few years, with characters from Black Panther to Power Rangers receiving gritty reboots courtesy of aspiring filmmakers. Director Arvin Bautista has managed to stand out from the crowd, first with his glittery and glamorous music video "Sight of the Sound," starring Gentry Ross as the brightest star in the Marvel Universe, Dazzler, and now with his follow-up, "I Will Steal Your Heart," which puts Marvel punk-pop-rocker supreme Lila Cheney at center-stage, as played with flair by Sage Montclair. Lila is joined by a whole cast of New Mutants (and several other surprise cameos), and Ross reprises her role as Dazzler for an 80s-tastic foray into the underground club scene, which surely must be driving those poor Morlocks insane by now. The videos are fantastic fun, so ComicsAllaince took the time to chat with Bautista, Ross (Dazzler), and Montclair (Lila Cheney) about the experience, with Dazzler's eternal advice to "go for it!" ringing always in our ears.

If you're anything like me, you're probably trying to sort through your feelings about Disney's Gravity Falls airing its last episode this week. As many of you will understand, Gravity Falls holds a special place in my heart. The show is funny, charming, subversive, wholesome, and amazing, and I think I can speak without hyperbole when I say that it is one of the best things that has ever happened to television. If you've never seen it, you've got some catching up to do. Now that we're perfectly clear on how I feel about the show, it should come as no surprise that when I was presented with the opportunity to interview the show's composer Brad Breeck, I jumped at it. Breeck is the man responsible for not just the iconic theme, but all the other music on the show as well --- as well as music for Star Vs. The Forces of Evil and We Bare Bears. To mark the sad occasion of the show's final episode, ComicsAlliance is delighted to put a spotlight on one of the people that helped make it so great.

Over the years, Batman has had some highly iconic themes. From the opening song of the classic 1960s ABC series to Danny Elfman’s instantly recognizable theme from the Tim Burton films, the many Batman adaptations have always included memorable music. With Batman vs. Superman fast approaching, we’re about to get a new addition from composer Junkie XL, who partnered with composer Hans Zimmer for the film’s score. Today, you can listen to the new Batman theme from Batman vs. Superman and see how it stacks up against some of the old classics.

Junkie XL was tapped to drum up a score (music humor!) for Deadpool, currently approaching its release a week from tomorrow. The full score has already been made available for physical-media purchase through Milan Records, but today, curious parties can get a little taste of what this Junkie’s slinging with a few samples from the upcoming soundtrack.

The world was stunned and saddened when news broke late Sunday night that iconic rock star David Bowie had passed away at the age of 69 after an 18 month secret battle with cancer. Coming just two days after his birthday, and the release of what would be his final album, Blackstar, the news of his passing seemed especially shocking. It has since been confirmed that the timing of the release was very intentional on Bowie’s part, with the album being his final parting gift to his fans. In admiration of David Bowie's boundless inspiration, we've showcased just a small sample of the countless creative works made in his honor.

Frequent thorn in my wallet's side, Mondo, which also happens to make some outstanding posters, limited run vinyls and toys, has just put the final nail in my bank account's coffin. To celebrate Batman Day, Mondo has announced (via IGN) an eight-record box set featuring the soundtrack to Batman: The Animated Series. Unlike Mondo's previously released Batman: TAS vinyls, these aren't going to be just the opening and ending themes on a cleverly-cut record. This box set will include the full scores to 16 different episodes, hand-picked by Mondo as favorites. What's more, each vinyl will have a unique sleeve with art from Phantom City Creative spotlighting the episodes featured on each side. There will also be six different 4x6 handbills for each of the villains from the fan-favorite episode, "Almost Got 'Im." The whole shebang comes in a black and yellow slipcase featuring the Gotham City skyline in the shape of the bat-symbol. It's probably the most beautiful collection Mondo's crafted to date, which means it's going to be one of the most sought after items of the holiday season.

Earlier this month, Dark Horse released the first issue of This Damned Band, a new series from writer Paul Cornell and artist Tony Parker that tells the story of the seminal early '70s band Motherfather --- a group that attempts to enjoy the trappings of rock stardom, but at the same time become mixed up in forces far beyond their control. In advance of issue #2 hitting stands next week, ComicsAlliance had the opportunity to sit down with Cornell and Parker to talk about the series.