Mixed earnings news leaves stocks little changed

Mixed earnings from a large number of U.S. companies left the stock market without direction early Thursday, despite positive results from a handful of names including Apple and Caterpillar. 3M was among those whose results disappointed investors. 

KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose less than a point to 1,876 as of 10:24 a.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 13 points to 16,462 and the Nasdaq composite edged up four points to 4,131. All three indexes were moving between small gains and losses in early trading. 

APPLE SOARS: Apple rose $36.78, or 7 percent, to $561.89. The company reported a profit late Wednesday of $10.2 billion, or $11.62 a share, beating forecasts. Apple also announced it would increase its share buyback program from $60 billion to $90 billion, raise its quarterly dividend, and split its stock seven-for-one. 

BIG TRUCKS, BIG PROFITS: Dow member Caterpillar rose $2.69, or 2.6 percent, to $106.03. The construction equipment manufacturer said its quarterly earnings rose 5 percent from a year ago. Caterpillar also raised is 2014 profit forecast. The company earned an adjusted profit of $1.61 a share, well ahead of the $1.21 per share expected by analysts. 

NEED MORE POST-ITS: Another Dow member, 3M, wasn't as fortunate. The maker of industrial coatings and Post-it notes fell $1.88, or 1.4 percent, to $136.11 after the company's results missed analysts' expectations. The Minnesota-based conglomerate earned $1.79 a share, a penny shy of forecasts. Revenue also came in short of expectations. 

ANOTHER HEALTH INDUSTRY DEAL: Zimmer Holdings soared $14.03, or 15 percent, to $105.48 after announcing it would buy the privately held orthopedic device company Biomet for $13.35 billion in cash and stock. Biomet was taken private in 2007 by a group of private equity companies, and was looking to go public later this year. 

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Fandango signs deal to buy Movieclips network

Fandango, the Los Angeles-based online ticketing service owned by NBCUniversal, said it signed a deal to acquire Movieclips, an operator of film-related channels on YouTube.

The acquisition will enable Fandango to significantly expand its audience reach with broader product offerings in video, content and movie discovery, the company said Thursday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

ON LOCATION: Where the cameras roll

The Movieclips network, operated by Venice-based Zefr Inc., consists of 25 YouTube channels with a catalog of 45,000 curated film clips, trailers, and original video productions. The network has more than 7 million subscribers and averages 200 million viewers a month.

"The Movieclips acquisition will further serve our fans, enhancing the Fandango experience with amazing video content available at one definitive destination," Paul Yanover, president of Fandango, said in a statement. "This deal, along with the launch of our redesigned website and mobile apps, will provide consumers an even better way to explore and share their passion for the movies."

Launched in 2009, Movieclips has partnered with major Hollywood studios and licensed their content to create and distribute bite-sized clips from popular feature films. The site has generated more than 5.2 billion video views across its YouTube network to date.

The Movieclips business and its team will transfer to Fandango, while Zeft will expand its core offerings in brand, rights and content management solutions, the companies said.

PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies

"This is a tremendous opportunity for everyone involved to be part of building the ultimate destination for moviegoers and fans alike," said Rich Raddon, co-founder of Zefr. "When we created Movieclips five years ago, we saw the huge potential of YouTube as a place for fans to connect with content. Movieclips played a key role in helping develop Zefr and we're thrilled to be sending it to Fandango, where it will continue to be utilized and enjoyed on such a large scale."
 
Fandango sells movie tickets to more than 23,000 screens nationwide. Its website provides reviews, commentary, celebrity interviews and trailers, and offers the ability to select a film, plan where and when to see it, and buy tickets in advance.

ALSO:

William Hurt pulls out of 'Midnight Rider'

'Last Comic Standing' editors return to work

FX Network brews up sponsorship deal with MillerCoors

richard.verrier@latimes.com

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Friedkin early, Friedkin later: Kenneth Turan's DVD pick

By Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times Film Critic

April 24, 2014, 8:00 a.m.

By the luck of the draw, two significant films by director William Friedkin are about to be released for home viewing almost simultaneously.

Just out from Warner Bros. for the first time on Blu-ray is Friedkin's 1977 existential thriller "Sorcerer," inspired by Henri-George Clouzot's classic 1953 "The Wages of Fear" and a film that the director feels was both under-appreciated and one of his best.

Coming to DVD for the first time on May 27 from Facets is Friedkin's first film, an almost-never-seen documentary called "The People vs. Paul Crump," made for television but never aired.

Take your choice, or see them both.

Follow Kenneth Turan on Twitter at @kennethturan. And like our Classic Hollywood Facebook page to get more Times coverage iconic Hollywood.

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Pitcher Grant Hockin got life lessons from Hall of Fame kin

One of the greatest gifts for a teenager is when a grandfather is able to live long enough to offer life lessons that can be cherished forever.

Grant Hockin, a standout senior pitcher at La Verne Damien, was the recipient of such influential advice from the man he called "grandpa," Harmon Killebrew, a baseball Hall of Famer from the Minnesota Twins who hit 573 home runs in 22 major-league seasons.

"He always told me to treat everyone with respect and don't take anything for granted," Hockin said. "He never acted like he was bigger than anyone. He was very humble. He was known as a man of great character."

Killebrew died in 2011 at age 74 when Hockin was a freshman at Damien. If only Killebrew could see Hockin now.

He's 7-2 with a 1.35 ERA and a fastball in the low 90s. Every game he pitches, scouts come out armed with their radar guns and pencils to see and write down not only how he performs but his reactions to good and bad moments.

Hockin's level of consistency is making his senior season very special.

"He's just a workhorse," Coach Al Leyva said. "Besides the talent, he's just smart. Mentally, he gets it done. The ability is there. If he can stay healthy, you're going to see that guy pitching in the big leagues."

Hockin, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander, has signed with UCLA, so he has lots of good options for the future. What's clear is that he knows how to perform in front of a crowd. Nothing seems to faze him, particularly the scrutiny he receives from scouts trying to figure out just how good he might become.

"It's really exciting, kind of fun," he said. "I've always been used to that, because they were coming when I was a freshman. I've always thrown in front of scouts, so it's second-nature. It doesn't really bother me."

During games, Hockin's composure comes straight out of his grandfather's lessons.

"I was always taught to have an even-keel attitude," he said. "Don't really go crazy, because you don't want to have an emotional high, then come back and have an emotional low."

Last season, he got to play with his brother, Chad, now at Cal State Fullerton.

There are only weeks left in his high school career, but Hockin has done a lot of growing up over the last four years. What has he learned?

"Take everything in and don't take anything for granted," he said. "The friendships I've had here are probably going to last forever."

His grandfather hit 40 or more home runs eight times in the major leagues. No one knows what would have happened if Hockin had gotten to pitch to his grandfather in his prime, but the way the youngster goes about his daily routine, Killebrew's presence is still being felt.

It's the gift that never goes away.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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L.A. theater openings, April 27-May 4: 'What You Will' and more

Roger Rees brings his Bard-centric one-man show "What You Will" back to San Diego's Old Globe, for one night only. Plus, 3-D Theatricals ventures "Into the Woods" with that Sondheim musical, and Sarah Ruhl's "Passion Play" plays in Orange County.

Pinter Bookends Classical Theatre Lab presents staged readings of Harold Pinter's "The Room" and "Celebration." Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Sunday, 2 p.m. Free. (323) 960-5691.

The Blue Moon Dancing Reading of Ed Graczyk's new play set in a dance hall. The Production Company Workspace, 14731 Oxnard St., Van Nuys. Sunday, 7 p.m.; Mon., 8 p.m. Free. (310) 869-7546.

Hooked: My Journey From Hooker to Healer Writer-performer Bailey Mason shares her story in this solo show. SpiritWorks! Center for Spiritual Living, 260 N. Pass Ave., Burbank. Sunday, next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends June 29. $20. (818) 623-7408.

What You Will Tony winner Roger Rees takes a romp through world of Shakespeare. The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. Mon., 7 p.m. $33 and up. (619) 234-5623.

PHOTOS: Arts and culture in pictures by The Times

Cardboard Capital Workshop production of Gabriel Rivas Gomez's new drama about homelessness, unemployment, immigration, etc. Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends May 18. $15, $25. (323) 655-7679.

40 Is the New Groundlings The improv school's 40th-anniversary celebration features current troupe members and appearances by famous alumni. The Groundlings Theatre, 7307 Melrose Ave., L.A. Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 8 and 10 p.m.; ends July 12. $10-$25. (323) 934-4747.

The Capitol Steps The comedy-and-music troupe returns with more song parodies inspired by current events. Beckman Auditorium, Caltech, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. $10-$38. (626) 395-4652.

Do Not Disturb A selection of Joshua Fardon's darkly comic one-acts includes two world premieres. Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends May 31. $20, $25. (323) 856-8611.

Thinking Shakespeare Live! Old Globe artistic director Barry Edelstein and three actors explore the works of the Bard. The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. Sat., 11 a.m. $10, $15. (619) 234-5623.

CRITICS' PICKS: What to watch, where to go, what to eat

The Wind in the Willows Family-friendly adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's book about four animal friends. The Santa Monica Little Theater, 12420 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. Sat.-next Sun., 11 a.m.; ends June 1. $10. (310) 622-4482.

Vivien Percy Granger's one-act drama about a father and son reunited after almost four decades. Acting Artists Theatre, 7313 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Sat.-next Sun., 3 and 8 p.m.; ends May 25. $10, $15. (323) 960-7770.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Leslie Caron stars in Richard Alfieri's drama about a widow who forms an unlikely bond with a dance instructor. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Sat., 7:30 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends June 8. $35-$76. (949) 497-2787.

A Delicate Balance Edward Albee's Pulitzer-winning comedy about a suburban couple and their unexpected houseguests; with Susan Sullivan and David Selby. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends June 15. $10-$45. (310) 477-2055.

Into the Woods 3-D Theatricals stages Stephen Sondheim's musical based on the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Plummer Auditorium, 201 E. Chapman Ave., Fullerton. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends May 18. $28-$60. (714) 589-2770.

GRAPHIC: Faces to watch 2014 | Entertainment

L.A. Views — Traffic Jam Company of Angels Playwrights Group presents its annual short-play festival. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 3 p.m.; ends May 25. $12-$20. (213) 489-0994.

Passion Play O.C. premiere of Sarah Ruhl's drama about acting troupes staging the religious pageant in three historical eras. Chance Theater, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends May 25. $25-$35. (714) 777-3033.

Songs in Blue: A Celebration of the Great American Songbook Stacy Sullivan sings classics by Cole Porter, the Gershwins, et al. Boston Court Performing Arts Center, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. Sat., 8 p.m. $20, $25. (626) 683-6883.

The Underpants Actor-comic Steve Martin's adaptation of a classic German satire about a couple's life upended by a public humiliation. Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends May 25. $18-$20. (310) 828-7519.

Coming Out Kinky: A Grown-Up Story Writer-performer Jean Franzblau recalls her sexual awakening in this solo show; for mature audiences. Promenade Playhouse, 1404 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica. Sat., 8:30 p.m.; next Sun., 7:30 p.m.; ends June 8. $25. (800) 838-3006.

Vaudeville in the Park Independent Shakespeare Co. presents a variety show to benefit the annual Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival. Griffith Park (Old Zoo), 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, L.A. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $35 and up. (818) 710-6306.

PHOTOS: Hollywood stars on stage

CHEAT SHEET: Spring arts preview 2014

PHOTOS: Arts and culture in pictures

   

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Aereo tries to make case to Supreme Court. HBO sells to Amazon

After the coffee. Before analyzing the Redskins' 2014 schedule.

The Skinny: Sorry we are a little late today. Had to jump on the HBO/Amazon story and make sure that was in our roundup. Other stories include recaps of Aereo's big day at the Supreme Court and Comcast and Charter are trying to work on a deal to swap and sell some cable systems.

Daily Dose: The NFL will unveil its fall schedule this evening. Things to watch for will be what games CBS gets for its new Thursday package. When all the Thursday night games were on the NFL Network, the matchups were not always the most exciting. The NFL is likely to give CBS sexier games in the hopes of increasing the value of the package down the road.

The defense rests. Aereo, the start-up that streams local TV stations via the Internet, defended its service before the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Broadcasters, which get no compensation for Aereo's service, which costs consumers between $8 and $12 a month, argued alongside government lawyers that the company is violating copyright laws. One should never try to figure out which way the court is leaning based on what questions were asked. Some questions seemed to favor broadcasters but at the same time the court also had concerns about a ruling that could have unintended consequence of affecting cloud technology. Coverage and analysis from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Re/Code.

ON LOCATION: Where the cameras roll

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. HBO, which in the past has said it wouldn't sell episodes of its shows to a subscription service such as Netflix, did an about face. No, it's not selling reruns to Netflix. It's selling reruns to Netflix rival Amazon Prime Instant Video. Shows that Amazon will have include "The Sopranos" and "The Wire" as well as "Girls" and "Veep." HBO already had a business relationship with Amazon, which sells HBO DVDs. Also, the traditional rerun market for HBO content is drying up and streaming services are hungry for shows. Details from the Los Angeles Times.

Charting a new course. As expected, it is looking like Charter Communications will get something out of Comcast's proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable. Comcast has already said it will spinoff cable systems reaching about 3 million subscribers to appease concerns about the potential size of the merged company. Charter could swap some of its systems as well, including its Los Angeles holdings. If that happens it is good news for Dodger fans because Comcast would then carry SportsNet LA. More from the Wall Street Journal.

Dish without a satellite dish. Satellite broadcaster Dish Network hopes to have a new low-cost, Internet-delivered programming service ready to offer consumers this summer, according to Bloomberg. Dish already reached a deal to offer Disney-owned networks. The challenge for this service will be to be cheap enough to appeal to folks who otherwise wouldn't subscribe to pay-TV while at the same time having enough compelling programming to make it worthwhile. No one has figured out how to do this yet.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: If you live in Santa Clarita and see Clint Eastwood, resist the urge to tell him to get off your lawn. He's just directing his new movie "American Sniper" starring Bradley Cooper.

Follow me on Twitter to get to the bottom of it all. @JBFlint.

ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen

PHOTOS: Biggest box office flops of 2013

PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies

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USA Network unveils summer premiere dates

Tom Ellis stars in USA Network's newest drama, "Rush," as a rebellious doctor. (USA Network)

By Yvonne Villarreal

April 23, 2014, 8:03 a.m.

USA Network has its eye on summer, unveiling its summer slate of premieres -- including the launch of two new dramas.

June is to be the month of returns, with "Royal Pains" making its sixth-season rollout on Tuesday, June 10. The following night will see the return of "Suits" and "Graceland." "Covert Affairs" will be waiting a bit longer, getting its start on June 24.

Once the veterans warm things up, USA plans to unveil a pair of new dramas on July 17. "Rush," a medical drama with a hard-partying, bad-boy doc (Tom Ellis) at its center, is set to begin its 10-episode turn at 9 p.m. ET/PT.  It's to be followed by the marriage drama "Satisfaction,"  the network's attempt to play outside the blue-skies line. The drama, previewed below, stars Matt Passmore ("The Glades") and Stephanie Szostak as a married couple at their midpoint.

PHOTOS: Behind the scenes of movies and TV

The cable network is also looking at a late-2014 debut for its event series "Dig," from executive producers Tim Kring ("Heroes") and Gideon Raff ("Homeland"). The thriller is set in Jersusalem and stars Jason Isaacs as an FBI agent who uncovers a conspiracy while investigating the murder of an archaeologist. It also stars Anne Heche.

ALSO:

Aaron Sorkin apologizes for 'The Newsroom'

'Boondocks' is back -- but without Aaron McGruder

George R.R. Martin weighs in on 'Game of Thrones' rape controversy

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Stock rally falters as company earnings disappoint

The stock market slipped Wednesday after rallying for six straight days as investors worked through another round of quarterly earnings reports from U.S. companies. Intuitive Surgical was among those reporting disappointed results. A worse-than-expected report on the housing market also weighed on the broader market. 

KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell two points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,878 as of 11:10 a.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 10 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,504 and the Nasdaq composite lost 19 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,142. 

ROBOT REPAIR: Surgical robot make Intuitive Surgical dropped $39.90, or 10 percent, to $382.37. The company reported a 77 percent drop in first-quarter earnings. Intuitive Surgical sold only half has many robots in the last quarter as it did in the same period a year ago. The company warned two weeks ago that earnings would come in far below expectations, causing its stock to fall sharply from a recent high of $540.63 reached April 3. 

FLYING HIGHER: Airline stocks were among the biggest advancers. Delta Air Lines rose $1.80, or 5 percent, to $36.68. Delta's first-quarter earnings climbed after the company filled more seats on its planes and paid less for fuel. Boeing rose $3.25, or 2.5 percent, to $130.80. The company's quarterly earnings beat expectations as it boosted airplane production. 

THE $84,000 PILL: Gilead Sciences rose $2.16, or 3 percent, to $75.12 after the company reported a surge in first-quarter earnings. Gilead's drug Sovaldi, a new treatment for Hepatitis C, had $2.3 billion in sales in the first quarter alone, which beat the record for any drug in its first whole year on the market. While Sovaldi has a 90 percent success rate in curing Hepatitis C, the drug has a price of $1,000 per pill, or around $84,000 for a typical course of treatment. 

HOUSING STALL: The Commerce Department said that new home sales fell 15 percent in March, their worst level in nearly a year. The number of home sold slowed to an annual rate of 384,000, well below economists' forecasts of 450,000. The news hit homebuilder stocks hard. KB Home fell 51 cents, or 3 percent, to $16.02 and Ryland Group fell 89 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $37.30. 

GAME OF SHOWS: Netflix fell $13.60, or 3.5 percent, to $359.99. Time Warner and Amazon.com announced that HBO's award-winning shows such as "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under" would be available exclusively for Amazon Prime subscribers, a big loss for Netflix. HBO had been one of the biggest holdouts in bringing its content to streaming video services. Time Warner rose $1.17, or 2 percent, to $66.12. 

 

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Dancer's death in Rio triggers clashes between police, residents

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- The mysterious death of a young dancer during a police operation led to violent clashes between slum residents and police in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday night that left one man dead.

Residents set fires and put up barricades, shutting down parts of the Copacabana and Ipanema neighborhoods into the night. One 30-year-old man died, reportedly shot in the head, and a 12-year old boy was injured.

The incident was the latest in which the efforts of Rio's often-criticized Military Police to occupy and "pacify" Rio's hundreds of favelas, or slums, have been set back amid resurgent violence, pushback from communities and accusations of human rights abuses.

On Tuesday, the body of Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, known on television by his dancer stage name DG, was found in a nursery in the Pavao-Pavaozinho favela adjacent to Rio's tourist beach neighborhoods after a police operation. His mother and many residents blamed the police.

"He was tortured to death," Maria de Fátima da Silva, his mother, told local radio CBN on Wednesday. "If he hadn't been well-known here, he would have would have been just another body buried in the mud."

A preliminary police report said the dancer's death was consistent with a fall. Neither the mother nor many residents believe this version, leading to the clashes on Tuesday.

Human rights groups routinely accuse military police in Rio of carrying out extrajudicial executions, and previous cases have only come to light after protests from residents and media attention.

The former commanding officer of the largest pacification effort to date is behind bars along with 12 other officers awaiting trial for the alleged torture and murder of a resident of the nearby Rocinha favela. Authorities accuse them of disposing of the resident's body somewhere in Rio de Janeiro, and arrests were only made after the case of missing "Amarildo" became a protest chant last year.

Residents routinely complain of police abuse in favelas, often saying the state has done little more than bring in military presence, rather than providing much-needed infrastructure, safety, health and education services.

Da Silva danced on the Globo network's "Esquenta!" program, and his death prompted an outpouring of sympathy from celebrities on Brazil's social networks.

The pacification effort is the main government program to integrate favelas into Rio's infrastructure and improve safety in the city ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament, which starts June 12, and the 2016 Olympic Games.

ALSO:

Ferry disaster fills South Korea with shame

Dancer's death in Rio triggers clashes between police, residents

Japanese officials' visits to shrine for war dead put Obama in a bind

Bevins is a special correspondent.

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'24: Underground' writer Ed Brisson sends Jack Bauer to Ukraine

Mary Lynn Rajskub and Kiefer Sutherland in "24: Live Another Day." (Kelsey McNeal / Fox)

Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer doesn't return to the screen until May 5, whcn "24: Live Another Day" premieres with a two-hour kickoff event marking the series' ninth season on Fox. But this week, writer Ed Brisson takes Bauer to Ukraine in IDW's five-issue miniseries "24: Underground," which tracks the character's experiences between seasons.

Brisson, 39, is no stranger to putting his own stamp on well-established fictional universes, having made his name on such titles as Marvel's "Secret Avengers," as well as "Sons of Anarchy" and "RoboCop" comics adaptations. For many fans, though, the Vancouver-based letterer-turned-writer is best known for his original titles, including his Image series "Sheltered," "Comeback" and "The Field," the latter of which debuted earlier this month.

Brisson, who self-published his own work for more than 17 years before his recent breakthroughs, has already had a banner year. In addition to the release of "24: Underground" and "The Field," "Sheltered" was optioned by "Walking Dead" producers Circle of Confusion earlier this year.

Hero Complex caught up with Brisson to chat about true crime, classic Canadian television and Twitter pranks.

Hero Complex: As a storyteller and a fan of "24," what do you find so appealing about the show?

Ed Brisson: There's something about that adrenaline rush that I really dig. There's not a wasted minute, you know? I like the deadline. Which is odd, because in most of my film watching, I'm more of a fan of films like "Paris, Texas," where it's completely the opposite.

HC: How much will you be adhering to the structure of the series, which tracks the course of one day's events?

EB: The story still takes place around the same amount of time, we just don't have the ticking clock. It takes place over 24 hours, but because it's a five-issue miniseries, to break it down into those sort of chunks would be difficult. I think that it would feel more forced and it wouldn't add to the story. IDW's done a few "24″ comics before that didn't have that ticking clock.

HC: How explicit were the parameters you were given? Was it the sort of thing where you had to get Jack to London?

EB: There's still the possibility that there may be more, so we didn't want to bring him right up to where the next season may start. We want to explain where he is during that time and do things that would make sense. I was describing it as a "Littlest Hobo" story. It's a Canadian show from the early '80s with the saddest theme song in the world and it's basically about a dog that arrives in a town, sorts out whatever that town's problem is and at the end he wanders off down the road. With this story, Jack is like that. He arrives and even though he's trying to stay off the radar, he can't. A problem presents itself, but he's on the run still so he can't draw too much attention to himself. I like this idea of telling stories where he sort of gets dragged into things and always has to move on at the end of the day from any sort of normalcy that he's tried to achieve.

Jack Bauer goes underground in Ukraine, in the latest installment of the "24″ saga. (IDW)

HC: What are some of the differences between inheriting this type of established universe and working on your own creations?

EB: That's always the big thing, how to insert your own voice into something where it's somebody else's creation? I think I just tried to find a way that felt real to me. I thought it was a good way to explore things that had sort of been touched on in the show that makes more sense with a guy on the run. It didn't make sense that Jack Bauer would be running around diffusing bombs and terror threats while he's in hiding. They had touched on his interaction with the Russian Mafia a lot with the show and so I kind of wanted to explore that and see what happens when he runs up against them. To my mind, it's an interesting expansion on things. There's still lives on the line, but it's not necessarily a whole nation that's going to be blown up, It's much more of a crime thing, which is still natural to Jack Bauer and who he is, but it brings it into my own wheelhouse. Writing on someone else's creation is about finding my own way that still seems natural to the overall story.

HC: The guy on the run, trying to keep out of trouble is definitely a classic noir, crime kind of story. Those sorts of themes have long been a staple of your work. Where does that interest in true crime come from?

EB: My dad is a retired cop and my mom worked in victims' services when I was growing up, so there was always that sort of stuff around the house. I was always aware of it. I was raised in Oshawa, just outside of Toronto, which is a town that was totally devastated by the failing auto industry. So I sort of grew up around it. And I was not the best kid. I was a chronic shoplifter and I got in all sorts of fights growing up. Even when I got older and smartened up, I was always a fan of crime fiction. Elmore Leonard's probably one of my biggest influences in terms of writing. In high school, the two career goals I had were either to be a cop or a comic book artist.

HC: Does it ever feel intimidating to write for such an established fan base?

EB: Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. For "Secret Avengers," that was at the forefront of my mind. That was completely nerve-racking to work on that. Because there's 50 years of history and countless reboots, continuities discarded and new continuities; it's a little bit nightmarish at times. I think continuity in comics is such a double-edged sword. I get why it's important but it's such an albatross for telling stories. With "24," I think I'm such a fan that when I'm writing it, I'm serving that fan within me as well.

HC: Your latest story, "The Field," came out earlier this month. Apparently the idea was born out of a Twitter prank?

EB: I had been out drinking at a bar with some friends and the next day, one of them started tweeting that I had gone missing the night before, that I'd drunkenly stumbled off into the night and hadn't been seen since. The Comics Bulletin picked it up and ran it as sort of a news item, knowing that it was a joke. But when I saw that, I thought, I'm going to keep rolling with it. I started tweeting about waking up in the middle of a wheat field completely naked, not knowing how I'd gotten there or where I was. It started out really silly. I was walking around this field with no clothes and then I fashioned a skirt out of wheat stalks and ended up hitchhiking and getting picked up by this guy and then all of a sudden was in the middle of this crime spree. It went on for about a day and a half. I started planning out tweets ahead of time and I didn't break the fourth wall at all while I was doing it. My mom called my wife to find out if everything was OK, that it sounded like I was in trouble. I found out that I was planning it so far ahead that I started to think that it would make a good comic. So I sort of stopped tweeting and went off and fashioned it into this four issue miniseries.

HC: 2014 has already been a big year for you. What's on tap for the rest of the year?

EB: The eighth issue of "Sheltered," which is me and [artist] Johnnie Christmas, is just about to hit stands and it just got optioned earlier this year for a film so that's pretty exciting stuff. I'm keeping pretty busy. I might say too busy, but it's been a good year. I'd been hustling for years trying to break into comics so I feel like now that I've got a foot in, I'm not going to give up on this. I going to try to force the door all the way open.

– Justin Sullivan | @LATHeroComplex

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