By Joe Gross

A few months ago, an Austin writer named Chris Roberson received a phone call for which, in some ways, he had been waiting his entire life.

An editor from DC Comics asked him to write the comic book “Superman,” the one that has been published continuously (monthly, these days) since June 1939, about a year after the game-changing character’s first appearance in Action Comics No. 1. The current story line by big-name writer J. Michael Straczynski — “Grounded,” in which our hero is, uh, walking across the United States — was proving unpopular. Read the full story

Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360.

By OMAR GALLAGA

New video game releases this week:

Xbox 360 Kinect — Microsoft’s big push this holiday season will be the Kinect, a motion-detecting camera/microphone array sensor that enables the kinds of game experiences on the Nintendo Wii, sans controllers. Kinect uses facial recognition and maps out the bodies of users, allowing players to use gestures, dance and other kinds of movement to control a new “Kinect Hub” dashboard and a slew of launch games. It works with multiple players at a time and comes with the mini-games collection “Kinect Adventures” (Rated E for Everyone). $150 for the basic package, also comes bundled with Xbox 360 consoles for $299 (4 GB model) and $399 (250 GB hard drive model).
Read the full story

By JOSHUNDA SANDERS

Sometimes, cartoons are about more than just fun for the kids – a fact that Pixar has taught us with its eleven films. What Pixar has contributed to computer-generated films has been both uplifting and inspiring, and to Robert Velarde, author of “The Wisdom of Pixar” it has also brilliantly infused virtue in its movies.

To read the rest of Joshunda Sanders’ interview with Robert Velarde, author of “The Wisdom of Pixar,” go to the Post’s partner site statesman.com.

Image via Wikipedia

By SARAH COPPOLA

Part of Second Street in Austin, Texas, will now bear the honorary name Willie Nelson Boulevard.

The Austin City Council approved the change this morning as a tribute to the singer, who has lived in the Austin area nearly 40 years and sold more than 50 million records.

See more of this story at statesman.com.

By STEVEN KRAYTAK

After a jury in Waco, Texas, found Billy Joe Shaver not guilty of aggravated assault on Friday, the country music singer/songwriter struck a conciliatory tone when asked about Billy Coker, the man he shot in the face behind a bar in 2007.

“I am very sorry about the incident,” Shaver said while standing in front of the McLennan County Courthouse. “Hopefully things will work out where we become friends.”

Hours later, at a gig at the Firehouse Saloon in Houston, Shaver had a different message for Coker, according to a video taken that night and posted on Youtube by TotalEBitchinNetwork.

“They said what are you going to do about that boy you shot,” Shaver told a jovial crowd. “I said I’m getting the damn bullet back.”

Click here for more on this story from Statesman.com.

By MICHAEL CORCORAN

The forensic evidence and police report testimonies of witnesses called by the prosecution made the wooden seats of the McLennan County Courthouse grow harder by the hour Thursday. But it was the courtroom gallery, not the witness stand, that drew the most attention on the third day of songwriter Billy Joe Shaver’s aggravated assault trial.

Click to read full story from our partner statesman.com.