Who likes the term 'dolls' anyway? I prefer poseable action figures, ahem. Anyway Indy3 sent along these images of 12" 'Dolls' from Return of the King, they are Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn. [More] [Shop]

Pavel writes: Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) visited a special screening of her "Veronica Guerin" at 23rd Cambridge Film Festival. [More]

Ringer Irascian is back with a wrap of all the LoTR action from Comic Con Day 4! Not so many spoilers, they'll come later, but New Line's presentation still takes centre stage, and there's some fabulous pictures to look at. Rohirrim and Elven armour ... Sala Baker in full orc regalia. Oh my! [More] Minor Spoilers!

Shirebound has thrown together a very good Comic Con 2003 report over on his/her Livejournal that has some excellent information about the New Line presentation that happened this afternoon. I daren't link directly - TORn's has a notorious ability to crush other sites into tiny pieces - so the entire article is reproduced here for you all. [More] Major Spoilers!

First of the RoTK cards for the Decipher TCG, this image of Denethor was released just the other day at Comic Con 2003. If you haven't already seen it floating around, take a look! [More] Minor Spoilers!

We've heard through the grapevine that Sean Astin will be signing autographs all day at the 'Showmasters' booth at Comic Con 2003, in San Diego California. For more information on where to find the Showmasters booth, check your Comic Con 2003 program guide.

SAN DIEGO - Like a locomotive, when Comic-Con builds up a head of steam, it is powerful, moving and even dangerous. Day Four of Con - when the lime-light of Hollywood shines south from Los Angeles to San Diego and movie studios crank up their promotional machines trying to bury their hooks into the largest single gathering of genre fans in the United States if not the world - is over. [More]

The folks in Barliman's have been avidly watching TORn's ComicCon webcam these last few days. Things reached a fever pitch when Andy Serkis and Sala Baker made quick appearances. Check the pictures out here. Thanks to TayaFoxburr for sending them in!

From ComingSoon.net: "A host of hobbits, goblins and warriors dropped in on the San Diego Comic Convention today to premiere three minutes of a 12-minute preview of the third and final Lord of the Rings movie "The Return of the King". The full 12-minute sneak peek will be featured on the August 26 release of "The Two Towers" DVD." [More]

Check back as reports from our own Comic Con crew and friends begin to filter in!

Today is the day to chat with Alessio Cavatore about Games Workshop's upcoming Shadow and Flame! Come into #Havens in Barliman's chatroom at 1:00 pm EST (6:00 pm GMT, 10:00 am PST, and 3:00 am AEST). For more information, click [Here]

And for those of you at ComicCon, the chat will be broadcast on webcam from TORn's booth. Stop by to say hello to Flinch and join in the conversation for awhile. Hope to see all of you soon!

Ringer Irascian has again put in a huge overnight effort to complete yet another daily report on all the happenings over at Comic Con 2003. Check it out! [More]

Also, if you have a few hours to waste, join the TORn Staffers that aren't in San Diego in their favorite past-time: checking out the live web-cam from the Convention floor. [Comic Con Coverage]

The Tooks and the Brandybucks were the two most influential families in the Shire. Both families contained a strong Fallohide strain, a fact that might account for why they were more adventurous than most hobbits. Some would even claim great reknown in the far away realms of Rohan and Gondor. Join us this weekend in #thehallofire as we explore the Took and Brandybuck families. [More]

SAN DIEGO - It turns out Jay and Silent Bob are big Legolas and Gimli fans (See Today's Gallery). One of the joys of Comic Con is the load of pop culture icons peppered throughout the event. New Line brings Freddy Kruger sweaters for its booth workers and Warner Bros Pictures turns up with a fully dressed Terminator. [More] [Day 3 Gallery] [Comic Con 2003 Section]

Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark struck the first 'The Lord of The Rings' coin, which will be released by New Zealand Post later this year, during a visit to the Royal Mint in Wales last week. [More]

Today, July the 18th is Sarah Mcleod's (Rosie Cotton) birthday! Sarah was born on July the 18th 1971 in Putaruru, New Zealand. That makes her 32 today! Happy Birthday Sarah!

Robert writes: John Howe will be the special guest of the 10th edition of Hobbiton (which will occur between 5th and 7th of September in Udine, in the north of Italy), the most important event organised every year by the Italian Tolkien Society. Howe will be honoured for his work in the movie trilogy as a conceptual designer and a special panel will focus on his collaboration with Peter Jackson. [More]

The August issue of Esquire Magazine features our very own Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) on the cover. [More]

Anyone with scans of the article inside, send them along!

John writes: Are you familiar with Dr. Fun? He has a daily comic strip on the Internet. Today, he featured Sauron. [More]

Irascian must've worked throughout the night to finish his report on Thurday's happenings at Comic Con. This time it deals about TORn's first panel and it features a lot of terrific pictures, so be sure to check it out! [Irascian's Web Logs - Comic Con]

Also, if you have a few hours to waste join the TORn Staffers that aren't in San Diego in their favorite past-time: checking out the live web-cam from the Convention floor! [Comic Con Coverage]

Kate writes: As well as an outdoors screening of TTT in Mechelen, Belgium, there'll be one in Brussels too, on August 22 (hey, that's my birthday! -leo), at the spectacular Cinquantenaire monument. Tickets are 15 euro per car. [More]

Apart from all the ComicCon madness there are some other newstidbits to report. Eleanor dropped us a line to tell us about two upcoming events in Geneva, Switzerland. [More]

MrCere has written a report and we have posted a load of new images for activities that took place on Thursday at Comic Con 2003. Featured in the gallery are a first look at the Gollum life-sized statue, Gollum Bust, Treebeard Bust, Theoden Statue and much more! [Gallery] [Comic Con Coverage]

Calisuri writes: Thursday at Comic Con 2003 started with a bang as Sideshow/Weta and WETA Workshop premiered a life-sized Gollum statue and some great Gollum busts. Our good friend from Houghton Mifflin also stopped by and said hello. More pictures will be posted later. [More]

SAN DIEGO - On-line Tolkien fans already know that TheOneRing.net is the center of all things LOTR, but on Comic-Con 2003 Day One, that reality became literal instead of just figurative. Inside the giant expanse that is the Comic-Con's exhibit floor, the Lord of The Rings pavilion sits in the heart of it all. TORn has taken up residence in the middle of the middle, flanked by Sideshow Toys, New Line Cinema and EA Games. [more]

Irascian is front and center at Comic-Con 2003 in San Diego, take a look at his report and pics on his site! [More]

WeeTanya writes: According to the NZ Herald, Craig Parker (Haldir) has been nominated for New Zealand's AFTA award. [More]

From theage.com.au: As the new face of Donna Karan, Oscar-nominated Australian actress Cate Blanchett has become the latest screen star to cross over into the world of fashion, reports Hello! magazine. "There's an exoticism about her. She's intriguing and modern at the same time," says designer Karan. "She represents a sense of modernity and a timelessness."

Guy Incognito sends along these great pictures of action figures from 'Return of the King', Eomer, Frodo and Sam! [More]

Calisuri and the TORN team at Comic-Con have snapped a few photos from day one and last night's 'preview night'. Take a look at the Rohirrim-styled canopy! [More]

Ananova is reporting how Orlando Bloom (Legolas) is to star in Blue's new music video. [More] Thanks to Solinas for the link.

Christopher writes: The Perry brothers are sculptors for Games Workshop. They have their own side business making historical miniatures. They went to NZ to spend a few weeks with PJ (can I come next PJ? -Xo). Turns out he is a big miniatures fan and he commisioned some really nice WWI figures from them. The site has a section showing the models they made as well as a short video of PJ and the Perry Bros doing some sculpting. If you look closely, they are in some sort of prop/prosthetic room- surrounded by orc faces. Not any mentions of LOTR other than a nice bit where PJ remarks how he ought to be editting but is having too much fun sculpting. [More]

DB writes: I have an incredible account from Susuanne who was not just able to attend the recent Viggo poetry reading in Denmark, but also the invitation only art exhibit opening, the day before! Susanne's account is very uplifting & funny. It includes over 100 photos & 3 large film clips from the poetry reading. [More]

Greetings to all speakers of the fair tongues! Tonight we are going to finish up Quenya Nouns, touch upon Sindarin Nouns, and begin to discuss Quenya and Sindarin Pronouns. Our quest for complete sentences is not far from complete now... To participate at 8pm EST tonight, join us in #TheHallofFire. To review last week's transcript, click [Elvish lesson #3].

TheOneRing.net has arrived in San Diego for the 2003 Comic Con! The set-up process has begun and will continue tomorrow with the raising of a Rohirrim-styled canopy. We will be setting up a few computers for Con visitors to surf TheOneRing.net and chat in our Barlimans chatroom as well as have fans confess their love for The Lord of the Rings in our Tolkien Confessional. If work is a bore, watch the live webcam, updated every 10 seconds, as we construct TheOneRing.net booth. We'll be sure to wave hello! [More]

After the news broke that Viggo Mortensen's 'Hidalgo' has been pushed back 6 months, fans have been speculating as to the reason why. Here is a rather informative and logical look at the situation. Thanks to Kathleen [More]

Justin writes: Over at fark.com there is a photoshop contest featuring the Viggo poster...some of the entries are truly hilarious (Warning: many are of an adult nature). [More]

Marianne writes: The Irish Web site www.unison.ie, has an interview from Joel Schumacher about Veronica Guerin. He praises Cate Blanchett, as have done all the reviews of the film I have read. Her Irish accent has been widely acclaimed. (Registration required) [More]

Westlake Village, CA�July 15, 2003: Sideshow / Weta Collectibles is pleased to announce that it return to the enormously successful Lord of the Rings Pavilion at this year�s International Comic Convention in San Diego, California. The Comic Convention, held at the San Diego Convention Center will run from July 17- 20, 2003, with a special Preview Night on July 16, for pre-registered professionals, press and four day attendees. [More]

The website for the Tolkien fan documentary "Ringers: Lord of the Fans" is now live!

[Ringers: Lord of the Fans Website]

The crew of Ringers is ready to take on the Comic-Con International 2003 in San Diego, which opens Thursday, July 17, 2003. In August we will also be filming LOTR fans at the amazing Dragon*Con in Atlanta.

If you've never been to one of these events, put on your furry feet and hurry on down.... you will surely experience the rush of Fandom at its height! [More]

Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) fans will have to wait a little longer to see him in the Disney film 'Hidalgo'. The production company, which recently released a rather impressive trailer for the film, has decided to move it back almost 6 months from October 2003 to March 2004.

Summertime Greens--Green Books, That Is!

July brings a firecracker update from the Green Books Staff, including:

-Turgon's Q&A with Tolkien scholar Jane Chance
-Anwyn fires back at some of the flames raised by last month's Counterpoint
-A Tribute by Elizabeth Chadwick, author of historical novels set in the Medieval period
-A Special Guest article by Olog-hai, the start of a new series on "The Science of Middle-earth"
-A large new batch of Tookish's Ticklers
-Some new prose and poetry in Moon Letters
-More of the perenially popular Q&A, including such queries as "Why is Sauron more powerful than the other Maiar?" "Why was the forbidden pool of Ithilien forbidden?" and "Why didn't Gandalf use the Elven ring to escape from the Balrog?"

Stay tuned, as well, for hasty news from Quickbeam when he returns from the Moot ... er, Comic-Con!

Pavel sends along these 2 stories about our own Cate Blanchett (Galadriel). First up is a review of Cate's "Veronica Guerin" (contains spoilers). The second is a note about excellent box office of "Veronica Guerin". [Review] [Box Office]

Ian McKellen (Gandalf) has updated his 'White Book' section of his website. There are some great pictures from the battlefield in 'Return of the King'! [More]

Clay writes: Houghton Mifflin is pleased to announce the ten winners of The Lord of the Rings Book and Bookends Gift Set, chosen randomly from 4,942 qualified entries received. A clear majority of the nearly 14,000 fans who voted chose an image of Rivendell for the cover of the book within the set. [More]

Lilo writes: The BBCi website are sponsoring a contest to win one of three autographed pictures from PotC of Orlando Bloom (Legolas). You have to answer one question about Orlando and then give them your e-mail for contact. [More]

Ostadan writes: One of J.R.R. Tolkien's seminal works, the Qenyaqetsa, or Qenya Lexicon, is being reprinted. This is the first documented version of the language that eventually became Quenya, and dates from around 1917, and although it is expensive, I consider it indispensible for those interested in tracing the development of Tolkien's languages. Be warned, though, if you think you can 'learn Elvish' from it -- it is *not* a "Quenya Dictionary"; the language changed considerably by the time Lord of the Rings saw print. [More] [Shop]

Media Watch: Face UK Magazine Talks Bloom

No, we haven't become the Offical Swooning Orlando site of the moment, but the sexiest tomboy beanpole on the planet Orlando Bloom (Legolas) has certainly gotten a ton of press lately. Here are some scans from 'The Face' magazine thanks to Trueogre. [More]

A while back we reported that Italy would be getting ROTK in December 2003 (See Italy Gets ROTK in December -Xo). Well now it seems that the date has been pushed back to January 23rd, 2004. Sorry folks.

Paul writes: The review went up tonight for the battering ram. You also may have missed the rohan warriors and siege ballista sets. Next up is the ringwraiths 3 pack. Also of interest, I think adrian scored some ROTK toy images. [More] [Shop]

Kris writes: Just to let you know that there will be a drive-in showing of the Two Towers in Mechelen's Utopolis (near CineCity) on Saturday, 19 July. [More]

Helen writes: Since you're doing movie listings, as part of the Cinema in the Park/Park Concerts series, there will be a free showing of "The Fellowship of the Ring" on 27 August and :The Two Towers" on 31st August. Both movies will shown at 9:15pm on Flagstaff Hill in Schlenley Park in Pittsburgh, preceded by a concert which starts at 8pm. [More]

Ringers in Wellington will be pleased to know that Save the Children's charity auction "A Great Night Out," includes autographed LOTR memorabilia, among other things. They don't say what, exactly. $40 gets you in and it's on August 3rd at the Wellington Town Hall. [More] Thanks to Lila Sandybanks for the news.