"Animan," is a Funny Slice-of-Life Styled Take on Superheroes

Anouk Ricard is a French comic-maker, and her work is often translated into English. She's done the fun all-ages books about, "Anna and Froga," and created the stellar, "Benson's Cuckoos," some time ago. Her latest work is, "Animan," which is a bit of a superhero story...except not really. Published by Drawn & Quarterly, this book is loosely inspired by the 1980's show, "Manimal." The idea is that as a baby, Francis was bitten by a radioactive mosquito that had absorbed a lot of animals' blood at a zoo. He can now turn into various animals and uses this to be a pet therapist who can (secretly) talk with the animals when he becomes one too. He also helps stop crimes, but doesn't really seek them out. If he's made aware of wrongdoing, he'll make an effort, but he mostly just enjoys his job and living with his girlfriend, a talking frog named Fabienne. Interestingly enough, others can hear her talk, and she is unaware that Francis has powers and only ever sees him as a human. The complexities of that aren't exactly explored, because the focus is more on just following Francis as he goes about everyday life and occasionally uses his animal powers.

This isn't to say, "Animan," is boring or lacks suspense. At one point, Francis proves the owner of a dog he treats murdered her husband (with an assist from the pet) and when a man who can turn into objects and hates Francis for initially unclear reasons (named Objecto) continues to try and hurt Francis or those he loves, things get a bit violent! That said, Ricard has a wonderfully cartoony style of illustration that helps give even the darker or slightly morbid elements of the story ( like chatting with maggots eating a dead body) a nice, chill vibe. Even when there's thriller danger, it all feels like it's all in good fun.

As a fan of Ricard, I was excited to read, "Animan," and it delivered plenty of enjoyment! If you like off-kilter stories, unique takes on superheroics, or just want a great original graphic novel to check out, you should give, "Animan," a look! I rate it... 

5 out of 5 Stars.

Three Random Magazines I've Been Enjoying Lately

I enjoy reading print media. I mean, this blog has always had a heavy comic-book focus, and you know my preference for those to be in a physical format 99% of the time! One thing that has struggled at times but refuses to go away is magazines. There may not be as many on the stands these days as decades ago, but periodicals persist! With that in mind, I wanted to talk about three quite different magazines I've been enjoying lately, from newest to oldest...

The Comics Staple

I've written before about how I am fond of, "The Comics Courier," with its in-depth examination of the comic artform. A bit ago, the folks behind it did a Kickstarter for, "The Comics Staple." This is more of a 'zine-format publication that goes out monthly. It is loaded with reviews and shorter (but still great) think pieces than the (literally) bigger Courier. I adored the debut issue and eagerly await the next one. You can subscribe to get future issues, and I'd recommend doing so!

Camp Out Magazine

Orderable online here (be aware the site is not exactly safe for work) or now on shelves at a variety of Barnes and Noble locations, "Camp Out Magazine," is a throwback-styled mix of sexy and funny. As the site explains, the magazine, "is a modern day, 50's style camp, nudie pin-up magazine!" Created and run by Christine Fury, it doesn't offer subscriptions or digital copies, with the focus being on print! The photo sets are saucy but tasteful, and the whole vibe is laid-back and fun. 31 issues have been produced, and I look forward to (hopefully) many more.

The Atlantic

Considering its started in 1857, "The Atlantic," is indeed quite an older publication! Full of great long-form journalism, I'd been aware of, "The Atlantic," but until recently had never read it much outside of this one time when they did a big piece on Marvel. I have read "Time Magazine," at various points in my life, so I enjoy news magazines--I am unsure why, "The Atalntic," had been missed by me for so long. In the past handful of months, however, I would see an article that looked interesting and find out it was published by, "The Atlantic." This has resulted in me becoming a good deal interested in this newspaper-magazine hybrid. I appreciate the superb, fact-checked writing. Yes, it is a bit alarming when saying how a publication is factual is an accolade instead of a statement of expectation, but that's 2026 for ya. 169 years since, "The Atlantic," began and skilled journalism remains as important as ever (if not more so).

I Read an Advance copy of "Embers," and I'm Excited for its Kickstarter Campaign

"Embers," is an upcoming graphic novel written and illustrated by Lyndon White. It is set in the same World as a previous comic by the author, "Candles." You do not need to have read that story to enjoy this one. I can say that as I had a great time with, "Embers," despite not having had the pleasure of taking in, "Candles," yet. At 144 pages, this was a brisk but stellar read, throwing us readers into a fantasy World full of magic, amazing creatures, and Idris. Idris is a younger wizard with a massive chip on his shoulder (which makes sense, as his whole town banished him when he was but a child), but he may need to help save his former home from a Fire Demon that's turning everybody into little more than ash.

I usually read more sci-fi than fantasy, but I really enjoyed, "Embers," as it balances the usual magical stuff with very human stories (and some good jokes). White is a fantastic artist as well, with the Fire Demon looking quite imposing. A Kickstarter will be starting on October 1st to help pay the printing costs of, "Embers," and that will be a great way to order yourself a copy as well once it goes live! In the meantime, you can check out Lyndon White's website and follow any news specifically about, "Embers," as well!

Mountain Dew's Trolli Mango Pineapple Punch is an Insult to Taste Buds

I always enjoy trying exotic new flavors of soda. I seem to often deal with unique variations of Coca-Cola or Mountain Dew. Today is a, "Dew," day, as I sampled the zero sugar iteration of, "Mountain Dew: Trolli Mango Pineapple Punch." Yes, like the candy. Also, yes, it was pretty gross.

Having a beverage that is themed for candy isn't automatically bad. A Snickers latte can be absolutely delicious, after all. Trolli is a chewy and gummy sweet treat, however. When I think of soda, I prefer it to be in liquid form, as opposed to being chewy or gummy (Dr. Pepper gummy candy aside). With the texture of Trolli removed from the equation, you're basically just left with a beverage that is quite sweet and fruity...like almost any other Mountain Dew flavor, right? No, because this being Trolli-flavored means it tastes like you shoved a bunch of them in your mouth at once and got a weird tropical mix of pineapple, mango, and one flavor I could swear I taste but don't see mentioned anywhere--coconut.

From my use of Google and some annoyingly-eager-to-"Help," AI chatbots, I saw no mention of a coconut flavor, but in my opinion, it is in there! Samii tried a sip too and agreed with me that something about it had a coconut vibe. Whether it is coconut or not, that weird taste (and aftertaste) ruins any promise I felt at first when I sipped the Zero Sugar Mountain Dew: Trolli Pineapple Punch. I love a good tropical punch-styled drink, but coconut only works for me in certain contexts (with even the smallest amount of it going a long way, too). In the end, this flavor is another misfire for me. Perhaps the Trolli Cherry Lemon is better? I'll try to find some of it. That said, as of now, the only Mountain Dew flavor I've ever truly been into--even more than the OG--is Code Red (in regular or sugar-free forms). The only sodas I can think of ever tasting worse would be Coke's Georgia Peach and California Raspberry. "Yuck," all around.

1 out of 5 Stars.

Dark Horse Comics Launching Their Own Compact Comics Line

One of the hot new trends I've noticed with Marvel and DC is re-releasing some of the most popular/beloved/hottest comics in these slightly smaller trade paperbacks AKA compact editions. They are relatively inexpensive compared to bigger graphic novels (especially hardcover ones). They work great for collecting a six or twelve-issue story arc (or mini/maxi-series) and have been pretty popular. A cheap way to sell more comics has been appealing to many, and now Dark Horse Comics is getting in the game as well with their own Compact line of books.

The initial offerings will include the earlier issues of, "Black Hammer," a Cyberpunk 2077 mini-series, an introductory mix of content from Eric Powell's cult hit, "The Goon," and more! I know there are sometimes complaints about how these kinds of compact editions shrink-down art or have iffy paper quality, but people who want a giant collection of stories often have that option, so why not offer an inexpensive way for someone to try out a particular comic as well?

25 Years Ago

9/11/2001 was 25 years ago. Unlike some days in the past that are pretty unremarkable, it remains starkly remembered by pretty much any U.S. citizen who lived through it. Terrorists struck multiple major landmarks to make a statement (spare me any conspiracy theories; it was our nation's incompetence that got us attacked, as opposed to some ingenious inside-job plan), resulting in damage to the Pentagon as well as the total destruction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and Tower 7, with the others suffering catastrophic damage. I was in 8th grade, and we watched everything unfold on the televisions in our classrooms after it became apparent this was no singular accident (when the first Tower was struck, it was assumed to be some kind of mistake).

 9/11/2001 was a messy, weird day, followed by weeks of confusion from citizens and our Government itself. It provided the George W. Bush administration with enough support to not just go after the Taliban in Afghanistan, but to engage in a separate war built upon lies with Iraq, whilst also implementing the Patriot Act, one of the first small steps taken to chip away at individual liberties and put in place various kinds of mass surveillance programs that have only grown in size and scope since then. I'll often see folks look back at that day as tragic, but then have a weird nostalgia for 9/12/2001, discussing how we came together as a Nation and realized we needed to help and be kind to each other. Ya'll, that is some revisionist bullshit (as many will tell you).

In the days after 9/11, there were people who did good deeds; that is true. People in New York City tried to help with rescue efforts and clean-up; millions donated blood (even though much of it expired and went to waste). Lots of folks bought American flags to proudly fly from their porch. There was a swell of patriotism, but also Xenophobia and rage. People were talking about bombing various countries with weapons up to and even including nuclear weapons. Anyone who looked/sounded/seemed Arabic was viewed with suspicion and hatred, regardless of whether they were any form of Muslim or instead Sikh, Hindu, etc. Parts of America came together, yes, united in fury and bloodlust. It wasn't some magical time of unity--it was a time of trauma and anger. A time of pain as our Nation came to terms with how it was viewed by the rest of the World (not always favorably), and proceeded to use any International goodwill it could to wage all kinds of battles that at first made sense but then became increasingly questionable. I mean, remember the Axis of Evil and how it lumped a bunch of random, unrelated countries together like some video-game-esque ranking of boss battles? 

9/11/2001 was a tragedy, and the way many used it for political purposes or to make a buck was a travesty. I'm not so cynical as to ask, "Did the Terrorists Win?" as Rolling Stone just did. I will agree that America is more divided than ever, personal liberties keep getting eroded, efforts continue to be made to make voting harder (or votes simply not count), and so forth. America and its concept of freedom is an idea, however, and you can't kill an idea. You can try to twist and manipulate what America is into something unrecognizable that furthers your own goals. You can try to placate the populace with half-truths and outright lies, acting like everything is great when it really isn't. You can try to shut down any dissent or those who would question the people in power in America. You can do all that, but the idea persists that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Nobody can stop that, whether they be terrorists trying to instill fear, or people within our own Nation working on implementing laws and policies that are counter to the idea of, "Liberty and justice and for all." 

I've always said if I ran for political office (I have zero intent to do so, but if I did) I would ask Lee Greenwood for permission to play, "God Bless the USA," at events because even though the GOP has tried to claim it as some kind of anthem, it is a beautiful tune that rings true. I am proud to be an American and love this country and all it could accomplish. I don't want our country to suffer from forces outside or within. I won't forget 9/11/2001, because it was a day of shock, pain, and serves as a prime example of how, anytime there is something devastating that occurs--no matter how awful--there will be people ready to take advantage of the situation for their own means. It's been 25 years since 9/11/2001, and we have illustrated that America, the idea, cannot be extinguished. America, the country, remains as messy and troubled as ever, though.

September 2026 is Moving Along with Some News and Links

We are in the swing of September, and a variety of interesting things have already occurred as of late. Let's discuss some...

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo yesterday. It seems cool and is a potentially big metaphorical swing for the company. There is an outer screen that looks like a more standard iPhone, but then it folds open like a little book to reveal a bigger screen--it has been compared to popping open a passport. Other (new) folding phones have been around for a bit in the Android sphere of tech, but this is Apple's first foray into a folding phone. This seems to be a bit of a bridge between an iPhone and an iPad Mini. I'm intrigued, but upon hearing that it will cost a dollar less than 2 grand, I'll pass for now. The first generation of Apple products tends to be quite pricey, and later versions that eventually come out are a bit less exorbitant.

Also in tech news, Hideo Kojima is a game developer who has worked closely with Sony for decades, but now he's jumping over to Microsoft--their Xbox console, specifically. A tweet from Sony made it appear as if everyone is on good terms, while Kojima discussed on social media how Sony pulled the plug on his studio's game, "Physint," back in June. He described how everyone had scrambled to find a new partner up until now. Sony says any parting of ways was mutual; Kojima's version sounds more like a bitter breakup where Sony did him wrong. Between this, Sony dropping physical discs from their new console, and just recently arguing in court that gamers don't, "Own," digital purchases, I'd say Sony is having a rough 2026 in terms of optics.

The upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," has a lot riding on it for Marvel (and owner Disney). It simultaneously looks kind of cool and as if everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown out there in the hopes of a big hit flick. One encouraging sign of success is that it has already made about 50 million dollars in pre-sale tickets, with three-ish months still to go until the premiere on December 18th. Considering how much was spent making the movie (and will continue to be spent to promote it), that's probably a drop in the bucket, but a promising one.

"The Fury of Firestorm," was solicited as a six-issue mini-series by Jeff Lemire and Rafael de Latorre. It was really good and a hit. Hence, it grew to eight, nine, and now 15 total planned issues! It is interesting, in a time when Marvel seems to cancel stuff before it can really get going, that DC chooses to expand certain series.

In WTF-styled political news, Donald Trump recently claimed that if Republicans can take the House and the Senate in November, he'll make sure every American gets $5,000. Putting aside how it sounds like a weird bribe, the question of where this money would come from, and how we're all still waiting on our DOGE checks and Tariff refunds...what? I mean, if someone were a Republican or Democrat and made the statement that if I vote for their party and the candidates they like, I'll be given money, I'd be incredibly disturbed by the implication that someone thinks they can outright buy my vote--whether the way they're going about it is legal or not.

Finally, I continue to miss The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was canceled for purely financial reasons--right? I kind of recall fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said he felt concerned when The Late Show went off the air--alluding to it feeling like the first domino of many falling, or such. Well, now there are ample rumors swirling that, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" could be canceled and end in May of 2027. ABC released a statement that carefully avoided actually stating that the reports were incorrect. At this rate, anyone who dares to question the Trump administration via jokes that point out how much of a buffon he is seems to be in danger of losing their platform--lest the big companies who broadcast the shows suffer any financial strain from a vengeful and idiotic White House. It makes me worry Seth Meyers' show could be in trouble as well, sooner rather than later. Jimmy Fallon will probably be fine, as over the years he's become increasingly spineless and boring to watch.

"Star Fox," for the Switch 2 is a Surreal Trip Down Memory Lane; Now We've Got a Zelda Remake Coming Soon Too!

I had a chance to rent/check-out a copy of, "Star Fox," for the Switch 2. I was excited for the official announcement, even if it was revealed that this was more of a remake of the Nintendo 64 Classic than it was something truly new. Having played this new/old game, I can conclude that it is good fun--just like the original! Plus, the fact that it is a much fancier remake, but still a remake at heart, resulted in a bunch of surreal feelings of Deja Vu. So much is different in terms of gameplay and graphics, but many pieces were quite familiar or just like the original (albeit with gorgeous visuals). 

It was strange to experience something, "New," that I simultaneously remembered much of, even if I played it on my N64 decades ago--although I did play it a lot! Seriously, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, but I was eager to take the secret route through the waterfall for the, "First," time after I saved Falco when he was in danger during that initial mission (and, of course, went through the arches). This isn't really a review of the game so much as an observation of just how potent one concept I've discussed before can be. Yep, weaponized nostalgia.

I first talked about the idea of an item designed to appeal to our nostalgia over a decade ago, but it remains topical. I've mentioned it in the context of music quite often, but it can apply to anything, from Robert Downey Junior coming back to the MCU to all the video-game re-releases, remasters, remakes, and so forth we've been witnessing. I mean, Nintendo just spent yesterday revealing a whole bunch about their new, "Zelda: Ocarina of Time," game because I guess the Nintendo 64 really did have a lot of masterpieces worth bringing back! As it stands, "Star Fox," is a hoot in its mix of new and old, so if companies can take something, "Old," and make it new again, I'm all for it. I just want to make sure we still get plenty of things that are simply, "New," too, however. If all we ever do is engage in nostalgic navel-gazing, I feel like eventually we'll turn into one of those snakes metaphorically eating their own tail.

I'm Glad Daniel Way is Happy. That Said, I Wouldn't Mind if He Wrote Comics Again

Daniel Way wrote a lot of comics in a short-ish period of time. From 2000 through 2013 or so, he did a ton of writing, especially for Marvel. Some of the bigger books included but were not limited to, 'Wolverine: Origins," "Deadpool," "Venom," "Ghost Rider," and one of my favorite works of his, "Supreme Power: Nighthawk." Toward the end of his tenure with Marvel, he did a chunk of a, "Thunderbolts," run and then shifted into works for other publishers at a much slower rate. He wrote for, "Crossed," from Avatar Press and some other stuff in 2014, scripted a, "Hit-Girl," mini-series in 2019, and did a little Deadpool yarn in a 30th anniversary special comic in 2021. That was it. He basically disappeared from comics in terms of writing any after that. He was practically everywhere for a decade and some change, then once we hit 2015...little to nothing (zero comics after 2021). I was curious if he was alright, and thankfully he is, and seems pretty happy!

In 2024, Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnston was also wondering, "Whatever happened to...Daniel Way?" It turns out in 2016 he cofounded Geekcraft Expo, a comic-con-styled take on craft fairs. He is also the frontman for the band, "Gamma Gamma Ray," which plays at many of the Geekcraft Expos. He seems to (intentionally) have almost zero social media presence outside of a semi-official Facebook fan page that hasn't been updated since 2018, except for now linking to Geekcraft Expo.

To Way's credit, the Geekcraft Expo events remain popular,  happening in a mix of cities in varying months, with one having occurred in Saint Louis this past July, of all places! I actually was aware we had a geek-centric craft show held in our city on occasion, but had zero idea it was the one that Way founded! From the little I can find specifically about him on the internet, he's grown a family that he lives with in Hawaii when not doing the Geekcraft Expos. I wonder if a comic writing opportunity came along that was just right, if he'd be interested in scripting something? For now, he seems semi-retired from that particular part of, "Geekdom," even if he's quite active in other aspects.

Labor Day 2026

This Labor Day, remember what Unions fought for. Keep it in mind while considering how the current President of the United States once posted (not actually recently, but still) on social media that he feels people get too many holidays. Remember that as businesses attempt to pay employees low wages, cut benefits, and otherwise screw over workers so the CEO can be a billionaire with a yacht that costs more than some countries' GDP. Remember all that if you're kicking back on this Labor Day. Keep it in mind, because as soon as we forget, those whose greed is greater than their desire to help their fellow man/woman will work their hardest to take away anything that people fought for (some even lost their lives). Remember why we have Labor Day, before they try to casually rewrite it or outright erase it from history.