Superman gets a new modern look.

First Wonder Woman got a makeover, and now the Man of Steel is debuting a new look of his own.

The redrawing will appear in“Superman: Earth One," a new graphic novel retelling of the origin of the super hero which DC Comics says is “Superman for the 21st century."

Does the modern Superman look a little familiar to you Twi-hards? As the New York Post points out,  he bears “more of a resemblance to Robert Pattinsonfrom the ‘Twilight’ movies than Christopher Reeve from the Superman films.”

The new Superman still has the inky black hair and buff bod – six pack and all – but features more of a brooding look than the super hero's past clean-cut appearance.

The book is written by J. Michael Straczynski, known for writing Superman, Wonder Woman and  Babylon 5 and drawn by artist Shane Davis who has previously worked on Green Lantern and the Superman/Batman series.

The new graphic novel series does not replace the original Superman comics, but is merely a reinterpretation of his younger years. The book goes on sale next Tuesday.

What do you think of the new Superman?

PAUL THE OCTOPUS IS DEAD.

The oracle octopus who slithered to stardom this summer by predicting the results of World Cup games has succumbed to something he didn't predict -- his death.


From inside his tank in Germany, Paul the Octopus became the surprise star of the 2010 World Cup in faraway South Africa, for choosing a mussel from two boxes bearing the flags of competing nations' teams. He had a 100 percent success rate in predicting the games' winners. 


Paul found a special place in the hearts of Spanish soccer fans, whose team he successfully predicted as the tournament's winner. His gangly image was printed on Spanish fans' T-shirts and painted on faces. 




Paul the Octopus, the surprise star of the 2010 World Cup for his prediction powers, has died. He had a 100 percent success rate in predicting the games' winners.


Paul the Octopus died overnight in his aquarium in Germany. He was 2. 


"Management and staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre were devastated to discover that oracle octopus Paul, who achieved global renown during the recent World Cup, had passed away overnight," the aquarium said in a somber statement excerpted by Agence France-Presse. 


Veterinarians say octopuses rarely live past age 2.


Paul's body is now in cold storage while the aquarium decides "how best to mark his passing," the facility's manager, Stefan Porwoll, told The Daily Nation of Kenya. "We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine," he said.


"We are consoled by the knowledge that he enjoyed a good life here," Porwoll also told ESPN.


Before he died, Paul's final prediction was that England would win the rights to host the 2018 World Cup.

Munya waits on Mugabe for political career

BIG Brother star Munyaradzi Chidzonga has set his eyes on a career in politics, telling the BBC: “If the President invited me, I would feel much obliged.”
Munya, 24, met President Robert Mugabe on October 20 after narrowly losing out on the US$200,000 top prize in the Big Brother All Stars TV show held in South Africa and beamed across Africa.
Asked by the BBC’s Brian Hungwe if he would do political work for Mugabe if asked, Munya replied: “If President Mugabe invited you into politics would you say no?“He’s a great man, yes he has had his ups and downs, but if he invited me I would feel much obliged. I would be much obliged. I think that anything the President asks me to do, I will do.”
Munya expressed a wish to meet Mugabe on the M-Net show, and got to meet his 86-year-old hero as soon as he arrived back in Zimbabw
Mugabe handed him a cheque for US$300,000 – which trumps the US$200,000 won by Nigeria’s Uti Nwachukwu on the show. The money was raised by local businessmen, including the flamboyant Phillip Chiyangwa and Zanu PF official, David Chapfika.
The President told Munya: "I didn't think you would survive because you looked so young, perhaps the youngest of them all."It was Nigeria versus Zimbabwe and Nigeria is a very big country, so you deferred to Nigeria. But both of you won and from our point of view, for us, you were the winner."
Talking of his meeting with Mugabe, Munya said: “One thing I admire the most about him honestly 
is his sense of humour, I mean he’s just a man at the end of the day.“It’s his sense of humour and intellect, that’s something that I have never met in another man.”Munya, who dubbed himself a ‘Diamond Boy’ on Big Brother after surviving one of nine nominations in 15 weeks, confirmed a view held by most of his fans that he had been cheated.

He told the BBC: “I’m a diamond boy, I will shine whether I’m in the darkest of darkest areas, even if they rob me of everything, I’m still a diamond boy.“I was a diamond boy when I walked into the [Big Brother] house, and I was a diamond boy when I walked out without the US$200,000 … people still believed in me.”Political analyst Takura Zhangazha said Munya’s backing for Mugabe presented Zanu PF with an opportunity to reach out to young voters.

 “I think Zanu PF intends to milk Munya’s statements that he supports President Robert Mugabe. For what it’s worth, it’s in the context of an electoral campaign process, whether elections are held next year or any other time, they want to definitely reach out to a young generation of Zimbabweans that are mainly middle class or upper middle class and get them on their side.”

IDOLS TRAIN MOVES TO LAGOS.

The Nigerian Idol train is headed for the coastal city of Lagos. Final set of auditions comes up on October 29^th, 30^th and 31^st.  A prospective contestant said “Lagos is where the main action is.” And true talk it is, the city is buzzing with news about the Lagos auditions. Be a part of the Nigerian Idol byregistering for the Lagos auditions. Place is Within D Box Studios, 1 Bamako Street, opposite Omole Phase 1 Gate. Etisalat is ready to entertain fans and contestants at the Lagos auditions with a spectacular show and cool gift items are up for giveaway. Why not come and see for yourself.

Fresh from the Calabar auditions, Nigerian Idol fans in Lagos hope the contestants will bring soul and rhythm alive in the show. This will be a clear U-turn from the hapless and toneless renditions by some of the contestants from previous auditions. Some people don’t actually get it, or they are in it for the wrong reasons. Jeffery Daniel had a tough time with one of the contestants during one of the auditions. The contestant who according to him works in the insurance industry got Daniel telling him “I think that was a very difficult song to sing and I also think that you should insure your voice”. The judge was only being modest because the contestant sang completely off key.

Denrele denies being Charley Boy gay lover .

Area Fada, Charley Boy, has been associated with a lot of negative – and positive – things, but never before has he been called a homosexual. That is up until now.


A romantic picture of Charley Boy kissing Denrele has been circulating on the Internet for a while, and it has made many believe that both of them are involved in a sexual relationship.


Denrele said that he  owe nobody any explanation.


“If not that I know you, I would have told you I don’t owe you any explanation. I just think that some people are out to tarnish my image. Call it Photoshop, call it publicity stunt or whatever the picture is, people just want to tarnish my image.”

But to those who he feels are out to tarnish his image, Denrele said, “I’m not bothered in anyway. They are just making me popular. The story is not affecting me in anyway. I have been receiving calls from all over the world about this same picture. I’m not gay, but I don‘t think I owe anybody any explanation.”

Darey drops drops two new singles

SOUL Muzik announced recently that Africa’s R&B sensation, Dare Art Alade, popularly known as Darey, will release two  new singles from his forthcoming album.

Darey, who suspended the release of his US album following the death of his label chairman, Dick Griffey of SOLAR Records has been busy working with his producer-collaborator, Cobhams Asuquo on a new album- his third, planned for Nigeria and international release.

With the full album nearing completion, the singer-songwriter has said that he is ready and happy to bless fans with the first cuts off his yet-to-be-titled album.

Rlearnt that the two singles, ‘Don’t let me know’ and ‘The way you are,’ will be released online early this week, with an official radio release scheduled for Monday, 25 October  and will also be available on Darey’s website and iTunes.

Both singles lean towards  distinct directions, with the first being a slow, smooth and sensitive ballad, while the other is more upbeat, groovy and yet still soulful with enough BPM that’ll earn generous rotation in the clubs and dance halls.

There had been rumours earlier this year that Darey’s new materials will show the two different sides of the man, Dare Art Alade, with ‘Don’t let me know’ and ‘The way you are’ suggesting the direction of the new album.

“Our friends should expect to get a feel of world class Soul, R&B and a few pleasant surprises!” Darey, who co-produced the songs with Cobhams Asuquo said.

Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade prepare for historic concert

Juju music icons, Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade (KSA), have disclosed that they are game for the forthcoming ‘One Nite Stand’ featuring them with the same band on a stage for the first time ever. The show, scheduled for the New Eko Expo Hall, Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos from 4pm on Sunday, November 7 is being packaged by GrandFaaji Concepts Limited.

Obey and Sunny spoke about the concert at a press conference held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Tuesday, October 19. Welcoming reporters to the event, chief executive of GrandFaaji Concepts Limited, Azuka Jebose Molokwu, said the Juju legends were there “to imprint on our minds the essence of this concert.”

The show, he added, “is unlike any other in the history of Nigerian music. Many may have thought that the so-called rivalry that existed between the two musicians would never have made this possible. But, as it is evident here: these are two brothers and friends. And, they are gearing up to show what two will do, when they are agreed.” The former entertainment journalist now based in the US noted that “It is also going to be an evening of soul-gratifying melodies.”

President, Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Dele Abiodun, thanked organisers of the concert for coming up with the idea. Abiodun, who recalled the duo’s efforts to popularise Juju music, reiterated that nobody would have believed the two role models would ever perform together. “Thank you sirs, we are very proud of you and will continue to be proud of you,” he ended.

We are brothers

Obey expressed happiness at the opportunity to talk about the show. Baba Commander, as some of his fans call him, said Abiodun and others saw him and KSA as role models because God made it so. “What happened is not coincidental; God brought us together to come into the music scene. We both prayed to be successful musicians and God answered,” Obey said of their musical beginnings. The duo, he added, have their strengths but “God brought us to release messages to the world, to calm people. Both of us were there and became a source of encouragement to each other.” Continuing on their early years, Obey said it was a rarity in the history of Nigerian music for two icons to reign together but that they did until he became a minister of God nearly 20 years ago.

But he almost backed out of the show. Though he had agreed with the organisers and even concurred on KSA’s behalf, elders of his church saw the concert in a different light. They thought people would perceive it as rekindling the perceived rivalry between them. Obey said Molokwu explained the whole concept again but he wasn’t ready to go against the wishes of the elders. Molokwu eventually contacted Obey’s son, Folarin, who persuaded the elders.

Obey said the concert which is keyed into the 50th Independence anniversary, couldn’t have come at a better time because God has helped them to contribute their quota to the nation. Though he confessed he wouldn’t have ever imagined the two of them on the stage, he noted that “With God all things are possible. We are not enemies as people are thinking. We are brothers.”

Who is fooling who?

Also dispelling notions of a rivalry, KSA said even at the height of the so-called enmity, he used to visit Obey in his house for discussions. “We have cause to thank God because we are blessed. I am lucky to have him as a brother who understood, understands and continues to understand,” KSA said before narrating an incidentinvolving the late celebrity journalist, Olabisi Ajala.

He disclosed that Ajala happened on him and Obey in his house and demanded that they open the door. They had agreed to do so when Ajala’s next comment stopped them. Ajala said, “You guys are sitting together and we are fighting for you. You better open the door now or you will find your story in the Evening Times today.” The journalist was true to his word as he wrote a story titled ‘Who is fooling who?’ that same evening. Ajala, he disclosed, always knew whenever Obey came to his house and was always lying in wait for them.

KSA reiterated that there was never any rivalry between them even when people assumed so. He recalled why they had to change the day of their gigs when they both had their joints on Olonade Street, Yaba, Lagos. KSA said there was no problem when they started playing on Wednesdays until they started having crowd trouble at their respective joints. He disclosed that they amicably resolved the problem by tossing a coin with Obey settling for Thursdays, even though his fans didn’t like it. That was not the only measure they devised to manage their feuding fans; KSA said they both agreed and instructed their managers not to book them for the same event.

“Both of us are working together to make this project what you think it will be. Nigeria is 50 and this is the first time ever that the two of us are meeting on the stage. We intentionally agreed not to meet together on the stage but I want to assure you, we are going to have a good show, a remarkable show. It will be even difficult for you to allow anybody stand in front of you while you are watching the stage,” KSA promised.

Rare privilege

Veteran producer, Laolu Akins, who is also involved the show, highlighted its uniqueness. He said though it has never been attempted before, the organisers will do “everything possible to ensure people have a wonderful time.” Apart from Akins, the renowned Eddie Lawani is involved as the stage manager while US-based broadcaster, Olusesan Ekisola, will anchor the show. All female singing group, Nefeetiti and singer, Stella Monye, will also perform as part of the bill. “It is a rare privilege to be playing with these two giants. The opportunity just fell on my laps and I will be the help to these two giants,” Monye said at the briefing.

Commenting on the show, photographer and NEXT columnist, Tam Fiofori described Obey and KSA as role models and trail blazers. He disclosed that Obey bought beetle cars for all his band members and succeeded in raising their social status at a time musicians were disparaged, while KSA was equally benevolent and innovative.

Tickets for the show which comes at N10, 000, N25, 000 and N100, 000 are already on sale at various points across Lagos, emcee, Taiwo Obe, informed the gathering.

Responding to whether they will produce an album together after the show, KSA said it is under consideration but that they will discuss further with the organisers in that regard.

Asked to disclose the strengths of each other, Obey described KSA as a master guitarist and excellent showman; KSA said it is Obey’s melodious voice and perseverance on stage. The duo gave an insight to what to expect at the concert when they sang ‘Ara mi e se pelepele’ by Obey and KSA’s ‘Aimasiko’. “E fi yen le (leave that), e don dey sweet una. Wait for the concert,” KSA said as photographers jostled to capture the scene and reporters sang along.