Postcards Are Fun, as USA Today Discussed

George Petras of USA Today created an article about postcards and why they are fun even now in an era with lots of digital messaging and such. The piece discusses how when you're on vacation you should still send postcards and I agree with that but would add postcards are fun even when you're just sending snazzy/funny/interesting ones from your house. I always like to buy postcards whether they are new or vintage and it is exciting to send them to friends and/or family members. There is just a unique charm to postcards. Whether you're young or old, send somebody a postcard if you want to brighten their day, that's my suggestion at least!

Flashback Friday: "Batman: Arkham Asylum," Arrived on Consoles 15 Years Ago and Made a Major Impact

It used to be a bit of a running gag that video-games based on comic-books were, for some reason, generally mediocre or outright terrible. One of the worst video-games of all time, "Superman," for the Nintendo 64, comes to mind. Then, "Batman: Arkham Asylum," hit the scene 15 years ago, seemingly out of nowhere, and it hit us all like a ton of bricks. A small game studio named Rocksteady had made a single game before tackling Batman. Titled, "Urban Chaos: Riot Response," it was a mostly forgettable first-person game where you play a cop smacking criminals with your big riot shield. Then, they made something incredible. An amazing Batman game arrived on our consoles with stellar graphics, inventive gameplay, a superb plot, and a bunch of the original voice actors from the beloved Animated series. The Asylum's areas weren't huge (we got a whole city in the sequel) and more creative gameplay elements appeared in the later games, but it nailed the atmosphere right from the start. Since then, more awesome games dealing with comics have been released, and knowing a game is related to comics has become more encouraging than discouraging to hear.

"Batman: Arkham Asylum," is a lesson in how to make a stellar video-game. Rocksteady has had some rough times lately with the messy release of, "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," but I hope they find their way back to creating some more awesome games as they helped start something special with, "Batman: Arkham Asylum."

"Jenny Sparks," #1 is an Odd but Engrossing First Issue

For the first 2/3 of this comic, I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. We seemed to jump between Jenny Sparks, a superhero running amock, and a number of random people who didn't appear to relate to the story much (at first). Tom King is a stellar writer, however, so by the issue's end it started to click into place. Plus, it helps that Jeff Spokes is a great artist so the issue looked fantastic throughout even while it was a bit (initially) confusing.

This comic seems to be loosely related to earlier, "Authority," stories but doesn't require we have knowledge of them to follow along with this story well. The gist of things is that when a hero goes off the rails the other heroic folks call Jenny Sparks. Perhaps this is because it would look bad if Batman or Superman were spotted taking down one of their own--it isn't quite made clear--but Captain Atom is killing people randomly and seems to have gone quite mad, so Jenny Sparks is on the case. The comic cuts between Jenny, Captain Atom, and brief moments with the assorted folks who don't seem to tie in with the main story at all, but then as we reach the conclusion of the issue it all syncs up wonderfully--you just have got to be patient as you read this debut issue.

Why Jenny Sparks is alive in 2024, what exactly her arrangement is with the other heroes, and why Captian Atom is killing people are all still a mystery, but with Tom King and Jeff Spokes at the wheel, I'm excited to see where this metaphorical story-bus takes us for this mini-series.

4 out of 5 Stars.

"Wolverine: Revenge," #1 is a Showcase for Capullo's Amazing Art and Little Else--But That's Okay!

Johnathan Hickman is a fantastic writer who at times seems to overshadow his artists in terms of billing. He'll have big dialogues, crazy charts he made, and all kinds of wild concepts. He wrote, "Wolverine: Revenge," but it seems like he didn't do any of his usual stylistic stuff, instead giving us a really bare-bones plot so that the artist involved can shine. That artist? Greg Capullo.

Greg Capullo is a modern master. He spent years doing, "Spawn," before giving us some utterly amazing, "Batman," comics as well as other fun DC works. Now, he's doing a Wolverine comic. The plot is out-of-continuity and is designed to serve as an excuse for him to draw what he wants, and I don't mind because this is Greg Capullo. Why does the debut issue of this comic open with Wolverine fighting Dinosaurs? He's on vacation, shut your brain up and enjoy it. Why is there the particular random line-up of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants we see? Because Omega Red and Deadpool look snazzy when Capullo draws them, so again, shut your brain up and have fun. The plot is nonsensical and serves as an excuse to draw dinos, snowy avalanches, and big explosions, but this is no place for logic, this is Hickman giving Capullo the space he needs to have all the fun he wants.

Wolverine and friends jumping out of an exploding Helicarrier for...reasons.

I am annoyed by the whole thing with the comic having a, "Regular," and, "Red Band," version as if Marvel expects me to buy both versions to enjoy all the possible Capullo artwork with some being a bit bloodier. Marvel started this trend with, "Blood Hunt," and has kept it going. Still, I previously said this seemed like a comic I would like, and besides the whole Red Band-version silliness I had a good time with this. The story was serviceable, and that's the point. Hickman knows even though we usually show up for him, this time we bought our metaphorical tickets to this show because of Capullo, and man did he deliver. Don't expect a masterpiece of scripting, but know your eyes will be pleased by the gorgeous illustrations. Four more issues are incoming and I'm sure they'll be lovely to witness as well!

4 out of 5 stars.

Haunted Apple Fanta Unfortunately Disappoints

The original, "Beetlejuice," is a classic of creepy and dark horror. Many people seem excited about the return of a bunch of the original cast (and some new folks) as we approach the release of the long-gestating sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Tim Burton is a hit-or-miss Director, but if this can recapture even a fraction of the wild weirdness in the first movie it should be a good time--I mean, Michael Keaton clearly is game. As makes sense for a big movie, there are various tie-in products. I saw one that caught my eye, a Fanta beverage. Titled, "Haunted Apple," and sporting a mysterious green color within the bottle, I bought it to try. Sadly, it was bad.

I don't drink sugary sodas 99% of the time now, having switched more to zero-sugar options, seltzer, etc. That said, every once in a while you want a Coke from Mexico (made with real sugar) or to try a new drink that isn't going to be around forever. I've had apple-flavored sodas before and thought a green apple soda from Fanta could be delightful! I took a swig and liked the apple sensation on my tastebuds...and then the weird spiced element hit me. Yes, this is like a cold spiced apple cider. I like a green apple flavor or a hot spiced cider, but a cold green apple cider? Pick a lane, Fanta, because you're swerving all over the metaphorical road right now, and it's nasty. I was extremely let down by this Haunted Apple soda, but at least we still have Jones for when you want a good fizzy apple drink.

1 out of 5 stars.

"Mounties VS Werewolves," Looks Like It'll Be Good Fun!

Friend of the blog Larry Hama is a creator with a list of accomplishments too long to go into but the fellow has done a ton of amazing work--possibly his most well-known accomplishment is his work on the, "G.I. Joe," series across a number of publishers. That said, he has done tons of other comics and is currently Kickstarting a new one with his collaborator, Guy Dorian Sr. Titled, "Mounties VS Werewolves," it looks absurdly entertaining.

Hama will be writing and doing layouts with Dorian on the pencils, designs, and edits. Sal Buscema is another fantastic talent and he's on inks with Kevin Conrad and Scott Hanna. Candice Han is the colorist and other great creators are contributing covers a well. As for the plot, "In 1922, David Lawrence, a veteran of the Great War in France, and a Deputy Inspector in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is assigned to a remote outpost in northern Alberta. The quiet posting he had been expecting turns out to be anything but. The small rag-tag unit he commands is actually a top secret sub-agency whose mission is to kill werewolves and prevent them from spreading south to prey on larger settlements and population centers." I enjoy any good tales involving werewolves and with the pros involved, this is bound to be quite fun! You can back, "Mounties Vs Werewolves," on Kickstarter. It has 18-ish days to go and is efficently nearing its funding goal!

August 2024's ToyMan Show Was a Blast!

I had some other obligations later in the morning (a friend's birthday party), but I was able to swing by the ToyMan Show earlier on today as it was kicking off. I always have a great time at the ToyMan show because it is practically a law that anyone who attends will find something they want/need. There is just so much stuff from so many vendors, how could you not locate a new treasure for yourself? Plus, a lot of my awesome friends go to the show so I'm always excited to see my chums!

I started this ToyMan show off by talking with John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics. I also enjoyed catching up with my buddies Tim Metzger and Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. I was able to say hello to other friendly faces such as Bruce Reynolds and my pal Tom from Alliance Comics, Toys, and Games. As I was browsing through comics at various vendors' tables I randomly came across an awesome variant cover to an issue of, "Uncanny Avengers," #1. Featuring artwork by Adi Granov where he depicts the Scarlet Witch, I bought it quickly! Have a look:

I also went upstairs where I saw other stellar folks such as Lindsay Hornsby and the folks behind Heroes for Kids. Plus, I was able to chat with Jessica Mathews about all of her exciting books she has in the works--as well as one that was just released! Titled, "The Lazy Monster Party," I bought a copy to enjoy with Clarkson and Gibson. Observe:

The latest ToyMan Show was chock-full of great wares as usual. Between the toys, Funko Pops, comics, DVDs, video-games, posters, and almost anything else in-between you're bound to have the best time at ToyMan finding something to add to your collection. If you couldn't make it to this show I'd highly recommend making time for the next one, September 29th--I'll (potentially) see you there!

Film Friday on a Saturday: “Alien: Romulus,” is a Satisfying Return to Horror for the Franchise

I'm a day later than I intended with this review, but I just saw the flick yesterday and needed a bit to gather my thoughts, but here we go! Anyway, the latest alien movie is an interesting beast for a variety of reasons. It’s both a sequel and a prequel that slots into a specific part of the, "Alien," timeline. The continuity of it takes place smack-dab between the first, "Alien," movie and, "Aliens" with it incorporating some continuity from the prequels that were made more recently such as, "Prometheus," and, "Alien: Covenant," as well. Yeah, it’s a messy timeline. Another fact of note is that this takes the series back to the scary vibe of the original 1979 movie, especially going all-in on the body horror of the Xenomorphs. There is some extremely disturbing imagery that will make you think of vulvas and phalluses--but in a creepy way. Amping up the scary aspects of the Xenomorphs works pretty well, with, "Alien: Romulus,"  being quite an entertaining time.

One thing I have noticed in positive and negative reviews would be agreement that this is an absolutely gorgeous flick. The cinematography is impressive! Early scenes set in a space colony have a barren and wide-open feel that gets countered wonderfully when the action shifts to a cramped, tight spaceship. I also must compliment how this World definitely feels lived-in. Everything has the grime and futuristic yet low-tech feel of the original, "Alien," movie that the prequels weirdly lacked with the clean sheen of the professional spaceships piloted by scientists and investors. The focus here is on miners trying to eke out some form of survival on a rock-covered and sunless planet, with visuals to match.

The plot itself is mostly straightforward with these miners noticing an abandoned Spaceship/base in orbit that they can, "Borrow," enough cryostasis fuel from so as to escape their dreary existence with a flight to a much better planet. Of course, What they encounter on the station turns out to be another example of why you never try to contain or study the Xenomorphs. Speaking of strange things on the ship, if I may go into spoiler territory for a minute I will discuss how there has been some controversy. It stems from the appearance of Ash (now called Rook as it is a different character, kinda) from the original, "Alien," movie. Ash was revealed to actually be a synthetic/robot in the original, "Alien," and was left in pretty bad shape by Ripley and friends. In, "Romulus," this model has had a rather nasty encounter with the Xenomorphs and is mostly wrecked. However, even in damaged condition it still is clearly that character which is complicated by the fact that the man who played him died in 2020.

 Yes, Sir Ian Holm has been dead in real life for nearly half a decade. Director Fede Alvarez has stated Holm's family was enthusiastic about the idea by all accounts (I read somewhere Ridley Scott possibly even suggested the inclusion) and one would assume the aforementioned family received proper financial compensation for the use of Holm's likeness. Still, it has made reviewers and fans uncomfortable to witness this use of technology to bring someone who is truly dead back to life for a movie. I, personally, don’t have a big issue with this as long as everyone involved signs off on it, But this definitely is a bit of a genie that cannot be put back in the bottle when it comes to technology being used in this manner for everything from bringing back dead actors to potential deepfakes in our everyday life. 

Reviews have been mixed for, "Romulus," as I mentioned. While everyone loves the imagery some reviews have complained that Romulus seems more focused on bringing all the various pieces of alien continuity together and engaging in nostalgic throwbacks than it does on telling its own standalone story. I enjoyed it and feel it’s a solid entry to the franchise, but I do see where those more critical are coming from. I would conclude that, "Alien: Romulus," is not as good as the original, "Alien," its sequel, "Aliens," but it is without a doubt better than, "Alien 3," "Alien: Resurrection," and a bit more fun than "Prometheus," or, "Alien: Covenant," thanks to how scary it is--and I'm saying that as someone who really dug, "Covenant," mind you! I had a good time and based on how well it’s done at the box office I’m sure we’ll be getting more even alien movies before too long. Where they will slot into the messy lore will be the big question!

4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Flashback Friday: "The Drew Carey Show," Can Be Streamed Now For Free, Legally!

I debated if this should be, a "Television Tuesday," post or a, "Flashback Friday," article and I decided on the latter as the subject is definitely from the past. "The Drew Carey Show," ran from 1995 to 2004 and had 9 seasons. It starred a killer cast of Drew Carey, Craig Ferguson (before the talk show) Ryan Stiles (known for a variety of shows now including, "Whose Line is it Anyway?"), Diedrich Bader (who was also awesome on, "American Housewife,") Christa Miller (also awesome on, "Scrubs,") and Kathy Kinney played Drew's nemesis, Mimi. I didn't even mention Drew's brother played by none other than John Carroll Lynch and plenty of other talents who appeared on the show could be named too, but I'll spare you further names being listed. 

The show followed a character named Drew Carey who worked in the office of a fictional Cleveland department store called Winfred-Louder. He and his friends would get up to shenanigans when he wasn't working and it was a hilarious program (admittedly, the later seasons are a bit weaker as with many sitcoms). The tone wasn't quite as sarcastic/pessimistic as, "Seinfeld," or as earnest and good-natured as, "Friends," so there was a good balance. I dug the show but to actually watch it once it went off the air (legally, at least) was surprisingly difficult. There were copyright issues with music used in the show so besides a, "TV Favorites," DVD that had a handful of episodes and a Season 1 DVD...that was it. No other home releases, no streaming, nada. Until now.

As of this August, every single episode of, "The Drew Carey Show," can be streamed for totally free via Plex. If you had never heard of Plex until this news, then you are just like me. Apparently, it is another one of those free streaming services with ads along the lines of Tubi, Pluto TV, Freevee, and the like. Those styles of streaming services are really growing in popularity. I looked at Plex via the Roku on our television and was able to play any episode I wanted with ease--I just had to sit through a handful of ads at various points. One could argue that, "The Drew Carey Show," not being easy to access has made it harder for a new generation to get into it the way young folks seem to be rediscovering other old sitcoms/dramas/etc. Thanks to Plex, however, anybody can watch, "The Drew Carey," show now without resorting to bootleg copies/pirating/whatever and that is good news!

I Tried and Greatly Enjoyed Simply Delightful Popcorn

Simply Delightful is from Michigan and has many products they sell at their physical store. Other shops can sell their stuff, and one local place near us had a display full of Simply Delightful's popcorn! There are a lot of novelty popcorn flavors, but of the ones for sale, I bought three that looked really appealing. I sampled, "Java," "Blue Monster," and, "Birthday Cake."

I was most excited to try the, "Java," flavor as a lover of coffee, and it was good but not my favorite. There is an element of toffee mixed with the coffee flavor and it is yummy but I honestly would have liked more coffee flavoring as someone who enjoys a strong brew. The, "Blue Monster," popcorn was themed for a famous blue puppet who loves cookies and features blueberry-flavored popcorn with little chocolate chip cookies mixed in too. It is the strangest mix you can think of, but it works! The blueberry popcorn was really tasty and the mini-cookies complimented it well. My favorite of the three had to be, "Birthday Cake," as it tastes just like cake mixed into the popcorn. It is astounding and delicious. I cannot get enough of the, "Birthday Cake," flavor and if I were to buy one of the three again, it would without a doubt be this one.

Simply Deligthful's popcorn I tried was really good. There are even more flavors than what I tasted and if I ever get a chance to eat other tasty options then I will be sure and report back to you all on them!

My, "Elephantmen," Kickstarter Comic Arrived!

I don't back too many Kickstarter campaigns as it can get expensive, but when I saw there was one for a special, "Elephantmen," comic I was quite intrigued! I've enjoyed a number of stories set in that Universe so I was interested! I did the cheapest level of support I could choose to still get a physical comic as I wanted to get something I could enjoy holding and reading--with some fun mini-posters--but not break the metaphorical bank. My comic arrived just the other day and I was quite pleased! You can see it above and here are some pictures of the snazzy mini-posters:

Those who backed at higher levels have even more cool rewards incoming and I appreciate the creator of Elephantmen, Richard Starkings, for putting together this awesome campaign with other great contributors! I look forward to more campaigns from him in the future!

The First Issue of, "Paranoid Gardens," is Surreal and Eerie

Gerard Way is the writer behind a number of comics, the most famous probably being his wild, "The Umbrella Academy." Chris Weston has worked on a ton of comics too, having been part of my absolute favorite graphic novel tale, "The Filth." That's a winning combination if there ever were one, so I was eager to pick up the debut issue of their new Dark Horse series together, "Paranoid Gardens." I would be remiss if I didn't mention Shaun Simon is also involved in the scripting with everyone giving us a stellar debut!

Set in a nursing home/care center (or is it more of a prison) known as Paradise Gardens, it is full of odd creatures/aliens, it has helpful staff (or are they stuck there too?), and the strange building everyone lives in might be alive. Much of the series follows a young woman named Loo who seems normal but clearly has her own stuff going on as well. Between a cult dedicated to a theme park, a freaked-out superhero, strange aliens, and the most boring ventriloquist show in the common room possible, a lot is going on and much of it carries a weird foreboding vibe. 

This extraterrestrial ER/retirement home/whatever it is looks amazing thanks to Chris Weston, who honestly deserves to be on a metaphorical Mount Rushmore of best comic artists ever. Thanks to him, Paradise Gardens is astounding to witness. Gerard Way and Shaun Simon give us a plot that mixes humorous and freaky tones with ease and Weston excels as always. I loved this first issue of, "Paranoid Gardens," and can't wait to read more and see just how crazy everything gets.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Mad Cave Announces its New Manga Imprint, Nakama Press

I am fond of the publisher Mad Cave. They put out a wide range of stuff from Dick Tracy to robot love stories, and plenty of other fun reads. Now, they've announced the formation of a new imprint within the company, Nakama Press. This expansion will focus on Japanese manga but intriguingly won't be limited to just that, with, "...a significant space for Chinese manhua, French manfra, and Korean manhwa," as the Comicsbeat article on this new imprint discusses. I am eager to see what projects Mad Cave/Nakama Press puts out and imagine it'll be as entertaining as previous works from the company!

Music Mondays (Another Short Entry): Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars Make a Good Team!

Bruno Mars makes good music by himself, that much is obvious. When he teams up with other talented folks something really special seems to happen though. "Silk Sonic," is a project with him and Anderson .Paak, for example, that I love. Now, Mars and Lady Gaga have teamed up and given us the duet, "Die with a Smile." It's got everyone wanting more of them as a duo. It's a laid-back ballad with the song's cover art and the music video featuring country-inspired outfits that look straight out of decades ago. Between Silk Sonic's jams and now this, Bruno Mars seems to have invented a sonic time machine he enjoys sharing with his friends. Give the video a look and listen:

Yeah, I'd be down for more of Mars and Lady Gaga, or as the internet has taken to calling it, "Lady Mars." As long as Bruno wants to keep teaming up with folks to make cool music that sounds as if it is strangely from the past yet has a modern sheen I'm here for it!

(A Quick) Music Mondays: I Agree With #1 on This Ranking of the 50 Best Rappers From Atlanta

Complex has released a list titled, "50 Best Atlanta Rappers of All Time, Ranked." Whenever someone makes a ranked list there is bound to be a lot of agreement, disagreement, and confused head-scratching at some of the choices. For example, how Future is ranked #2 baffles me as the man has talent, but you put Ludacris below him at #7 and Big Boi at #8? Still, at least #1 is 100% on the money, giving the top spot to none other than Andre 3000. He's barely rapped for years, but the work he has created is so astounding that ranking him anything than numero uno would have been offensive. Andre 3000 is arguably the greatest rapper of all time from the best music group of all time--OutKast--so it is obvious he's the best from Atlanta! For now, we just need to wait for the day OutKast puts out a new record. We can dream, I literally have on previous occasions. Sometimes dreams come true?

Two New DC Series Are Launching With Characters I Like a Lot

I generally enjoy when DC does series focused on its characters who get less love but are interesting and worthy of some love/the spotlight. Sometimes these yarns are in continuity and other times Elseworlds/Black Label/etc. Two new series are incoming and both sound pretty snazzy while also taking place in the, "Official," DC Universe.

We've got a new, "Black Lightning," which will feature Jefferson Pierce (our titular hero) working with his daughter, Anissa Pierce/Thunder, to try and keep the peace between metahumans and non-powered folks for a five-issue mini-series. This comes in the wake of, "Absolute Power," where in the fallout of that event a lot of new metahumans are apparently going to appear. When he's written well, I love a good Black Lightning story, with his creator, Tony Isabella (with Trevor Von Eeden) having given us some of the absolute best yarns and other folks having made some solid tales too. I hope the newest series by writer Brandon Thomas and artist Fico Ossio is awesome too! The first issue is out this November.

Also spinning out of recent DC events is, "The Question: All Along the Watchtower #1," which will follow the newer iteration of The Question, Renee Montoya (who assumed the mantle back in the amazing, "52," series), as she tries to solve a murder on the Justice League's famous space-satellite AKA The Watchtower. Set to run six issues, it will be written by Alex Segura and illustrated by Cian Tormey. I always love a good, "The Question," story whether it is the original Vic Sage/Charles Victor Szasz Ditko created, the amazing reinterpretation of the character that Denny O'Neil did with a slew of great artists, or Renee Montoya of, "Gotham Central," who assumed the mantle in the aforementioned, "52," series. If we get a good mystery I'm all for this new series and am excited for when it starts up, also this November!

Who Wants to Offer to Buy Paramount Now? Roku? Sure, Why Not?

Paramount has been in flux. Everyone has considered buying it at this point from Warner Brothers Discovery (which then decided to split itself up) to Sony (who backed out) to Skydance which has inked a deal but could still have a shakeup at the last minute. Now Fubo and Roku have considered teaming up and putting in a bid to buy Paramount even though Skydance is already plotting changes for once it (supposedly) acquires Paramount. So many people have considered buying Paramount before changing their minds I'm half-convinced if enough of us pooled our money and threw in a couple bucks here and there we could all offer to buy Paramount! Eventually, the company will have a new owner, and it is likely it will be Skydance. At this moment though, maybe we should pool some dollars as if we were purchasing a pizza and get us a media company!

Film Friday: The Latest, "Kraven," Movie Trailer Looks Legitimately Entertaining, Wildly Enough

The movies Sony has made kinda-sorta set in the same Universe as Spider-Man have been incredibly hit-or-miss. The, "Venom," flicks were good fun and have made lots of money. "Morbius," was decent enough but underperformed. Then, "Madame Web," bombed harder than even the biggest pessimists would have predicted. Now, we've got, "Kraven," on the way this December after being delayed back during all the entertainment industry strikes. The trailers don't really make it look connected to Spider-Man at all besides one villain (The Rhino) but it actually does look kind of fun, surprisingly enough? Observe the newest trailer below:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson was Quicksilver in the MCU, but here he is Kraven, a hunter of sorts who goes after bad guys. It's a bit of a tweak from the comic origin but workable. The new trailer is incredibly bloody and makes it clear this is an R-rated event. That doesn't sell me on the movie any more or less, but the extreme gore and general plot (A hunter who hunts the other hunters) does give this the vibe of a late-80s/early 90's action film but with modern-age special effects, which again, sounds genuinely like it could be entertaining.

If it weren't for Sony shoehorning in the Spider-Man-adjacent ideas this may very well have stood on its own as a decent action and adventure movie, but due to its orbit around Spidey that could impact how much this thing succeeds or fails in theaters. If it is as good and over-the-top a time as it appears, I hope it can find its audience niche. We'll see what happens this December.

The Hot Comics Revue 18--These Comics May One Per Store, But There is No Limit to My Love

We've got two comics getting a lot of attention these past couple of weeks, with them both being surprise, "One-Per-Store," variant covers that retailers get with minimal warning from distributors. A surprise bonus comic is always fun and the fact these covers are (ostensibly) limited to one per store means they are limited in quantity--a bit like ratio variants. When a comic store gets these limited issues some will just throw them out on the salesfloor for regular cover price and some shops will mark the price up due to the rarity (again, a bit like ratio variants). There are one-per-store covers that barely get noticed and then there are ones that get a lot of heat. These past couple of weeks two titles have caught the attention of collectors/speculators/etc. Let's discuss...

The Power Fantasy #1

I recently discussed how this was a really fun first issue. Apparently, there are two versions of the A cover, which is fascinating, but there was also a one-per-store cover (it is by the series' artist, Caspar Wijngaar)  that basically nobody anticipated or realized was limited to one-per-store at first. Once that became apparent this thing started selling quite well, with copies going for $90-$110 with ease. The success of this one-per-store variant probably can be attributed to how this is the debut of the series an it has been getting good buzz.

Transformers #11

The, "Energon Universe," has been pretty popular over at Skybound (an imprint of Image), with one entity in that Universe being, "Transformers." For the 11th issue, a one-per-store cover appeared by James Harren. On this cover he homages his popular series, 'Ultramega," which is due to return from a hiatus soon, I recall. Between people who love the work of Harren and those who adore the Transformers, it has lit a fire under this book with it going online for anywhere from $75 up to $120. As this and, "The Power Fantasy," above go to show, sometimes a limited cover really gets folks excited!

"Hellverine," To Get an Ongoing Series

It seems that we will usually see Marvel launch a comic as if it is an ongoing series, but then end up canceling it after six or so issues and acting like the plan was for it to be a mini-series all along. Hence, it is always interesting when the opposite happens--a mini-series seems to strike such a nerve it expands into an ongoing or gets an ongoing sequel-series. That's what has happened with, "Hellverine," as the four-issue mini-series now has an ongoing title coming in its wake, due to arrive in December.

I am pleased by this news as when I reviewed the first issue I said how it did a stellar job taking an absurd idea and making it work (it has continued being fun with the later issues too). I mean, first Wolverine was kind of like the Ghost Rider then his recently-deceased son Daken took up the mantle? It's silly, but writer Benjamin Percy knows how to tell a good story--with artist Julius Ohta doing stellar work too. Percy is back for the ongoing and Raffaele Ienco will be illustrating the latest series, so it should continue to entertain and also will still look snazzy. Considering how many comics with slightly or very new takes on characters seem to fail lately (that attempt at a different Punisher got canceled fast), it is nice when something quirky that mashes up a bunch of concepts to make something weird succeeds. I look forward to the ongoing, "Hellverine," and will be sure to check it out!

I Applaud Colin Farrell for Starting a Foundation to Assist Adults with Disabilities

In the latest issue of, "People," actor Colin Farrell discusses the creation of the Colin Farrell Foundation which, "...will provide support for adult children who have an intellectual disability through advocacy, education, and innovative programs." Farrell has a son named James who has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. He has worked hard for his son to achieve all that he can--as a good parent does--but noted a big concern. "Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own. All the safeguards that are put in place, special ed classes, that all goes away, so you’re left with a young adult who should be an integrated part of our modern society and more often than not is left behind." He wants to help bridge that gap so he has launched his foundation so that adults who have intellectual disabilities and their family members who care for them can get assistance in various ways.

I'm all for this as it is depressingly true that while many resources are (generally/hopefully) present for children with disabilities (although, our Nation could still do more as I've discussed), adults with disabilities and those who care for them can face a ton of obstacles. It's disgusting to think that there is so much red tape to assist adults with having a quality of life as if fighting for that as a bare minimum is asking too much from the World. We are all human beings with rights whether we are neurotypical, neurodivergent, "able-bodied," or disabled in some fashion, and so forth. Just because someone has any kind of disability that shouldn't disqualify them from being able to live a happy life--or be forced to fight through tons of paperwork to get needed care. I wish the Colin Farrell Foundation were not necessary, but I'm incredibly happy that it now exists along with other agencies that help adults with needs. As my own child, Clarkson, grows it remains to be seen how much assistance he will need with living day-to-day, but I hope he can accomplish anything he wants to set his mind to--with Samii, myself, and any agencies that can assist us too cheering him on.

Silver Sprocket Just Announced a, "Jenn Woodall Postcard Box Set," and I Want One!

Silver Sprocket is one of my favorite indie publishers of comics and cool stuff around. They also have a retail shop and gallery in San Francisco which I'd love to visit sometime (if I ever get out that way). They just announced how they'll be releasing, "30 full-color postcards celebrating the feminist artwork of Jenn Woodall, author of Magical Beatdown, GIRLS, and Space Trash, in a keepsake box set." As someone who loves to send friends weird and quirky postcards I find (old or new), this sounds fantastic!

For 20 bucks you get 30 postcards in a cool little box set that you can send to chums, folks you hate, or anybody else. I'm a fan of Woodall's work, dig anything Silver Sprocket puts out, and adore postcards, so this is practically tailor-made for me! I look forward to the release of this Jenn Woodall postcard box set this November!

I'm More Excited Than Ever for, ""Streets of Rogue 2," After Revisiting the Original

"Streets of Rogue," is an incredibly fun game you can play right now on a variety of devices. Levels and quests are randomly generated and you can play as all kinds of characters to tackle quests. It's zany, sometimes easier and sometimes harder, and just plain fun. The old-school graphics disguise a surprisingly in-depth and detailed simulation. The sequel, "Streets of Rogue 2," plans to give us a whole city and tons more options for a wild game in an open World. The public being able to play an, "Early Access," version was going to happen this August, but it got pushed back a little bit to October. That is relatively close and I'm excited so I replayed the original game the other day. I had an absolute ball/gas/it was a hoot.

If, "Streets of Rogue 2," were mostly more of the same I'd still be pumped, but considering how intricate the new version is looking, I'm very eager to give it a try even in a rougher early-access state if that becomes an option on consoles. Here's hoping it is ready for us all to try soon!

I've Been Blurbed Again--This Time by Bad Idea!

I am always flattered when a publication uses a review of mine on their comic/book/etc. To think that a publisher appreciates my review enough to quote me is snazzy. It happened with a, "Grumpy Cat," collection and the, "Dash," trade paperback. Now, Bad Idea has a little blurb of me on their, "The Hero Trade: The Complete Hardcover," book. It was available via a Kickstarter campaign and is a gorgeous oversized collection of the snazzy tales that made up various pieces of, "The Hero Trade." You can see where I was quoted above (from my review of the initial issue), but here is a look at the whole book itself:

I have been honest about running hot and cold on Bad Idea at points. I feel like they put out some genuinely great comics but sometimes the gimmicks they run that make it tricky to actually buy the darn things irritate me. That said, the company makes quality reads and I'm honored to have been quoted for this collection of stories that make up, "The Hero Trade." Interestingly enough, Bad Idea is now running a Kickstarter for their, "Tankers," comics and I'd encourage you to check that out as well!

Marvel Masterpieces XL: Gorgeous, but the Size is a Blessing and Curse

UPDATE 8/15/24:

It seems there is some controversy with this new line as illustrator Joe Jusko was not compensated to the degree he generally is for a Marvel project. How much this will impact the popularity of, "Marvel Masterpieces XL," remains to be seen.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

I enjoy purchasing cards now and then. Whether it is for the NHL or Marvel comics, they are fun. I was intrigued when I heard about, "Marvel Masterpieces XL," as it features large cards of Joe Jusko's artwork. I do mean large, these things are five inches by seven inches, looking more like gorgeous postcards than true trading cards. This ends up being a positive and a negative because how the heck do you store these things? You need to get special card sleeves and toploaders and you aren't going to be able store them in the usual card boxes. It's a bit of an annoyance, but the gorgeous huge pieces of art make up for it. I was able to acquire a handful of cards for a good price and here is a picture of a snazzy Nightcrawler XL piece with a standard trading card atop it for reference: 

See what I mean? These things are big! The cardstock is a standard thickness so I really do think of them almost like postcards. There is the usual mix of base, inserts, and so forth, so that is like a regular release, but the size will get everyone talking and either help this thing end up being a huge hit or a massive misfire. Whether this strikes a nerve with card collectors or ends up being dismissed due to the unique sizing, I think it is a cool concept even if the actual, "Cards," themselves end up being a bit unwieldy. Now to see how the fanbase/market/etc. reacts!

"The Power Fantasy," #1 is an Explosive Start to an Inventive New Series

Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard have given us an interesting new comic with, "The Power Fantasy," #1. It imagines a World where there are people with powers, but six key folks are, "Superpowers," in the sense that they have the ability to basically destroy planet Earth if they ever come into conflict with each other. Just as some nations are Superpowers, these folks are walking atomic weapons in some form or another, essentially. The survival of everyone on Earth depends on these folks being content enough they don't want to utterly destroy everything due to being in a bad mood. The first issue spends most of its time introducing us to three of the six superpowers, and towards the end of the issue gives us a minor taste of just how mighty these individuals can be.

There is a surreal mix of, "The Wicked and the Divine," and, "Uber," in here--both comics Gillen wrote. We have the element of some of these Superpowers being celebrities (in a fashion), and a dash of complex World politics. It's the Cold War but with bombs that have their own personal agendas and followers--a terrifying concept. Caspar Wijngaard illustrates our Superpowers and their going-ons with extreme skill, not a surprise considering he's been fantastic on other projects with other creators and with Gillen ("Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt," was a real treat some years ago). Wijngaard can draw a chat between two characters over coffee just as well as someone using their psychic powers to instantly kill hundreds of people in retaliation for an assassination attempt (some elements are weirdly topical, as Bleeding Cool notes). The comic is beautiful and bright in its visuals, but has an extremely dark tonal undercurrent. I dig what I've seen so far.

"The Power Fantasy," bursts out the metaphorical gate at full speed. I greatly enjoyed this debut issue and am curious to see just how the Superpowers manage to keep the peace between themselves...and for how long. Go find yourself a copy of, "The Power Fantasy," as quickly as you can at a comic shop, a (legal) internet site, or so forth. It's only going to get crazier.

5 out of 5 Stars.

"Ready America," by Anna Haifisch is a Unique and Fascinating Take on the Travelogue!

Anna Haifisch came to Los Angeles and as a result made, "Ready America." At first glance, it seems like a bunch of sketches of signs, buildings, shelves, and the occasional landscape. As you flip through the book you begin to see a story form, however, resulting in readers being able to piece together quite the tale from this uniquely styled travelogue. To see what I mean, look at this page where Haifisch illustrates a bar and right afterward has drawings of medicine for headaches and other pains. One can easily conclude that a good time was had at the bar--possibly too good- and help with a hangover is needed. Observe:

There are little illustrated sections just like that that give us the story of Haifisch exploring, enjoying, and otherwise absorbing America in all its weird glory within a big ol' city like L.A. This book manages to inject a lot of personality into what initially seems like random vignettes. Without actually saying a word (until some text at the end, at least) Haifisch tells us a ton about her journey in quite a witty manner. I would recommend, "Ready America," to anyone who appreciates quirky comics and it can be bought from either Rotopol (who kindly provided me with a review copy) or their co-publisher, Fantagraphics and it's Underground imprint. Give, "Ready America," a read, ASAP!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The, 54th, "Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide," is Out!

I always enjoy buying the latest, "Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide," when it releases in the Summer as it serves as a great tome of information. Prices can change overnight but it makes a nice solid reference, has fun articles, and I appreciate the many pages of discussion of the comic-book market from experts. The 54th edition is out now and I'm pumped! Even with the internet and a number of useful apps, having a nice chunky book to refer to about your comics can be quite useful on occasion, and for that reason, I always enjoy flipping through the newest guide every Summer. Go get yourself a copy and enjoy absorbing all the knowledge contained within.

I Know It's Rumored Every Couple of Years, but Could, "Half-Life 3," Actually Be Happening?

Think back to 2004 with me--assuming you were alive. Video-games being delivered via the internet was more of a novelty than the norm, but, "Half-Life 2," was that video-game you had to install something called, "Steam," to play and could even get via Steam if you wanted. Now, Steam is a huge entity in computer gaming and the company behind it and, "Half-Life 2," Valve, don't put out games so much as deliver other people's games. Valve did make some expansions/episodes and a fun VR game set in the World of Half-Life to try and sell some products, but for 20 years now people have been waiting for a true, "Half-Life 3," whilst Valve has kept mum. We get the occasional false start, but could, "Half-Life 3," or some form of it actually be in the works?

"Half-Life 2," had little episode expansions--1 and 2, with, "Episode 2," coming out in 2007 and the aforementioned VR game, "Half-Life Alyx," dropping in 2020. That's been pretty much it. There are leaks that hint at something being in the works for a while, however. A voice actor has listed on their resume something called, "Project White Sands," which is with Valve. Dataminers have noticed bits of code in various places too. Something is in the works from Valve, could it be, "Half-Life 3," or whatever Valve would call it? Somebody at Valve wasn't happy to see that on a resume as it's been removed, meaning that something wasn't supposed to be exposed...yet. One can hope we get more answers in the near future.