(The following is an opinion piece from long-time staffer Quickbeam aka Clifford Broadway)

This year at San Diego Comic-Con 2011 we brought tons of Hobbity goodness to all the fans who joined us to celebrate our shared love of Tolkien. It was a huge success by all accounts. Our Hobbit panel launched the weekend with wonderful buzz. We got a nice interview with Bard (Luke Evans) before he even stepped foot in New Zealand for his first day of filming! I got a brief, single question in to the legendary Francis Ford Coppola. I was delighted to feature WETA’s own Daniel Falconer and Greg Broadmore in our live feed. Here’s the big kick in the pants: overall viewership of our innovative live streaming video beat G4’s audience; proving that Ringer fans know how to bring it better than anyone! Way to go TORn!

But I look back with a bittersweet reflection on how SDCC has evolved over time. Because “much that once was… is now lost.”

At first blush any newcomer attending the mega-event titled San Diego Comic-Con International (mind you, I’m talking about the truly virginal), would expect to walk into the main hall and they would ostensibly find: comic books. Continue reading “A Look Back: Has Comic-Con Really Jumped The Shark?”

The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature is given to the fantasy novel, multi-volume, or single-author story collection for adults published during 2010 that best exemplifies “the spirit of the Inklings.” Books are eligible for two years after publication if not selected as a finalist during the first year of eligibility. Books from a series are eligible if they stand on their own; otherwise, the series becomes eligible the year its final volume appears. The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature honors books for younger readers (from “Young Adults” to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia. Rules for eligibility are otherwise the same as for the Adult Literature award. The question of which award a borderline book is best suited for will be decided by consensus of the committees. Continue reading “2011 Mythopoeic Award Winners Announced”

TheOneRing.net will be streaming LIVE from San Diego Comic-Con 2011 and we hope you will join us! Starting at 10AM PT on Thursday, we’ll broadcast (or attempt to!) our entire ‘The Hobbit’ panel live from San Diego. Staffers MrCere and Quickbeam will be taking us behind the scenes of the latest news and information about Peter Jackson’s upcoming films and you’ll get to react along with the audience at the convention. Then, throughout the rest of the weekend, TORn staffers will be showing up on the stream live with special guests, other panels, interviews and more! If its Tolkien related and it’s at Comic-Con 2011, we’ll have it covered! Visit the following link for the complete experience all in one place: Barlimans Chat, the LIVE stream, and a giveaway opportunity. And, if you are feeling like you want to support our efforts, you can purchase a Lake town Archery Club t-shirt! [LIVE at Comic-Con] [Facebook Event Page – Invite your Friends!]

Starting this fall, Tolkien fans will have an exciting new opportunity to learn more about the works that they love at the Mythgard Institute (www.mythgard.org).

Mythgard is a new center for Tolkien studies, offering fully interactive courses online with world-class professors. The Institute is founded by Professor Corey Olsen, host of the celebrated Tolkien Professor podcast, in partnership with founders of Middle-Earth Network. Mythgard will be offering classes on Tolkien, the Inklings, and other fantasy authors which students can either audit or take for credit towards an MA in English. Continue reading “Mythgard Institite: Offering Tolkien Studies”

For a week or so, we have been treated to an unprecedented look at the Dwarves from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Today, TheOneRing.net is both honored and humbled to be given the worldwide exclusive reveal of Thorin Oakenshield! (and Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver!)

As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. After slaughtering many of Thorin’s kin, the great serpent, Smaug, entered The Lonely Mountain and took possession of its vast store of gold and jewels. No-one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, and thus, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people. So when fate offers him an unusual ally, he seizes the chance for revenge.

We’d like to wholeheartedly thank the production for giving the Tolkien fan community this final reveal! And now, we have seen the full representation of Thorin and Company! Read TheOneRing.net Staff Talk Dwarvesfor our thoughts and analysis on Thorin & Co., plus view a high resolution picture of each dwarf.

After the break you’ll see a great compilation photo of the entire company. This particular compilation is from our friend Ringer lotroel (Thanks to all the Ringers sending in their masterpieces!). Please share your thoughts and opinions in our comments, forum, chat room, and Facebook!

Continue reading “TheOneRing.net Exclusive: Behold! Thorin Oakenshield and Orcrist!”

Now that the whole Company has been revealed, TheOneRing.net’s staff have put their heads together and we offer our thoughts and analysis on Thorin & Co — and what the look, feel and background of each might mean for the movies. Continue reading for our insights, and to view a high resolution picture of each dwarf.

Please share your thoughts and opinions in our comments, forum, chat room and Facebook!

 

Continue reading “Analysis: TheOneRing.net Staff Talk Dwarves”