Go Read a Fascinating Bill Jemas Article in the Latest, "The Comics Journal," Issue!

The Comics Journal used to come out monthly but some time ago shifted to having short website articles and fascinating pieces of long-form journalism in a yearly-ish edition the size of a hefty novel. The 310th issue recently came out and contains a fascinating examination of how Bill Jemas arguably saved Marvel from going utterly insolvent in the 2000s through all kinds of wild and weird ideas before being let go because the company regained stability and no longer had any space for the wild and weird ideas. The TCJ website has a preview of the big piece you can read, but I'd frankly say you should just get yourself a copy of the latest issue and delve into the fascinating character that is Jemas. 

Is Bill Jemas a man with passion or a bully? Someone who takes calculated risks or a foolhardy gambler who managed to strike it lucky just often enough to keep going? A hero to those he helped like Mark Millar and someone to be compared to Darth Vader by others he enraged like Tom Breevort. I have to confess I have a fondness for the era of Marvel under Jemas' tenure as it brought us the wildly inventive Ultimate Universe, the Marvel Max line, Morales and Bakers' "Truth," Grant Morrison's amazing, "New X-Men," (although that ended after a number of screaming matches via the phone between Morrison and Jemas) and other inventive stuff like a superb run on, "Cable," that morphed into the surreal, "Soldier X." This isn't to say the time Jemas spent at Marvel only put out bangers, there were plenty of flops and outright bizarre misfires--remember, "Marville," my friends? That said, the TCJ article points out it was the last time Marvel seemed to really be trying something new and different as opposed to, "Safe," content that wouldn't rock any corporate boats too much (Disney, after all, did buy Marvel back at the end of 2009).

It's a great article that paints a complex and at times contradictory picture of Bill Jemas, a man who at the end of the day feels he is right, and sometimes he is! In my own dealings with Jemas he once wrote me when I posted negative initial impressions of the comics from one of the publishing lines he was a part of post-Marvel, Double Take comics. He sent me an email stating how he felt if I read more than the first issues of various series I would get a better feel for everything and like a lot more the line's output. Jemas sent me in the mail a bunch more stuff to read. He was, in fact, correct, and I liked the Double Take stuff before the line folded and Jemas went on to some other endeavors. Jemas is an interesting person and, "The Comics Journal," gives us a fascinating and juicy article about the fellow. Go get a copy from your store of choice or the publisher Fantagraphics itself. The rest of the issue is full of great reading too!

Oreo Flavored Coke...Tastes Good?

I tried some Coke Zero that tastes like Oreos because I saw it at the store and figured, "Why not give it a chance?" It is a part of the, "Creations," line Coke has done where random temporary taste sensations hit the market. I expected the worst, but it actually tasted pretty good--I know, I'm shocked too! This is another one of those temporary flavors that Coke does sometimes and apparently, there are Coke-flavored Oreos you can buy too (I haven't tried those yet). I enjoyed the soda as it hits your taste buds at first just like some standard Coke, but then you get a pleasant aftertaste of Oreos. 

This new flavor isn't overpowering, but the taste is there. I like a nice simple little taste of Oreo as opposed to some overly complex mix of flavors as we've seen before from some other Coke, "Creations," they have done. This isn't a new favorite alternate flavor of mine, but I quite liked it. If you see this available in the standard or zero option, give it a try--you might just be surprised in the same manner I was!

"Star Trucker," Early Impressions

I tried the new game, "Star Trucker," via Xbox's Game Pass. I found it both fun and infuriating during the bit of time I've had to sample the simulator of sorts. In, "Star Trucker," you have a big space rig you fly around via the stars. It's a mix between wild sci-fi and at times focusing on the minutia of taking care of your vehicle. One minute you're admiring a space station the next you're replacing your cabin's air filters and making sure the gravity doesn't shut off in your rig. There are lots of little buttons and things to fiddle with in your truck and it gives everything a nice tactile feel even though we obviously can't truly, "Touch," our levers or buttons. "Star Trucker," takes great pains to really make you feel like you're inside a hefty spaceship, however, whether it's cycling your cabin's cameras or pulling the horn. It is quite charming. Then the issue arises that I'm not good at flight simulators.

Yes, you're in a truck, but you are flying through space. Up is down and down is up, but as this is space even that doesn't always hold true. I'm not the best at games with your flying or floating around and I found myself getting incredibly irritated when I'd try to dock myself with a space station or pick up some cargo. I attempted to be as precise as I could lining my truck up with things, but often would just smash into a wall and damage my poor rig. I'd get really annoyed, but then I'd also have fun once I finally got to cruising. Once everything was hitched, I could enjoy some tunes on the space radio and kick-back..before hitting some space debris and having to do a spacewalk to fix my hull.

"Star Trucker," requires patience. You need to watch all the life support systems in your truck at the same time you're flying through space avoiding debris and then slowing down to a crawl and carefully lining-up for cargo. Even on the easiest setting, there is much to manage. It's a very endearing game one minute and has you feeling like throwing your controller across the room in a rage the next. I've had some fun with it when I'm not cursing under my breath, and if you have Game Pass there really is nothing to lose if you give, "Star Trucker," a try. I haven't played enough of the game to feel I could offer an earnest review, but my early impressions are that this is a good time...when it's not enraging you.

Film Friday/Flashback Friday: The Best Movies in the, "Friday the 13th," Franchise For a Newbie to Watch

Today is a Friday. It is also the 13th of the month. Hence, we have the day many consider bad luck or such for...reasons. Friday the 13th is not a day I worry about having bad luck, however. It is a day that reminds me of a sometimes fantastic and sometimes awful franchise. Yes, I'm talking about Jason Vorhees, the big scary baddie in (most) of the famous, "Friday the 13th," flicks. I've previously discussed how the movies can vary a lot in tone but if somebody wanted to dip their toe into the franchise, where should they start? Honestly, Part IV and Part VI.

"Friday the 13th Part IV," was supposed to be the, "The Final Friday." It obviously wasn't, but that's okay. It picks up right at the end of the 3rd movie and sort of recaps everything before then to a degree where even if you're going into the franchise with the bare minimum of knowledge, you can follow along. In a remarkable twist for this movie, we get characters we kind of care about, especially a young boy named Tommy Javis. It's a real treat of a flick and ends with Jason seemingly, "Dead," for real.

Skip Part V. It has zero impact on the franchise and it is revealed the killer isn't even Jason. It sucks.

Now then, after Part IV we get into, "Friday the 13 Part VI: Jason Lives." This entry brings Jason back from the dead and makes it clear he's some sort of supernatural force, dropping any pretense of him being human. This is my favorite entry of the franchise as it expertly mixes horror, humor, and even some explosive action as Tommy Jarvis returns (with a new actor portraying him) to try and get rid of Jason for good.

There are, of course, three entries before Part IV and plenty of films after VI, including a crossover with Freddy Kruger which is more entertaining than it had any right to be. Besides a shoddy remake/reboot we haven't had much Jason lately due to the rights for, "Friday the 13th," being messy for some years. A prequel series focused on the camp AKA Crystal Lake itself has had some rocky development but seems to be in the works for Peacock. Whether it will be as good as some parts or make me as annoyed as Part V will remain to be seen. Whatever the case, have a good Friday the 13th, and remember that as long as you stay away from Camp Crystal Lake Jason will (generally) not start any trouble.

Upper Deck Has Officially Lost the Marvel License to Topps

Upper Deck had the license to produce (physical) Marvel trading cards in America for quite some time. They've released a ton of various themed sets you could buy in stores or via ePack (a digital platform that is physical too as you can have any cards from ePack mailed to your home). However, as was rumored for a bit, Topps has acquired the Marvel license starting in 2025. Topps has had, "Star Wars," for decades and worked with other Disney properties. Heck, Topps has done special physical Marvel cards in the UK, even, so they will surely make some fun sets too. Upper Deck is by no means hurting either, having acquired the DC license recently.

There are still a number of Marvel-themed sets coming out from Upper Deck in the remainder of 2024 and Topps will kick off 2025 with, "Topps Finest X-Men ’97, marking the first-ever global release of Marvel cards under the Topps banner." It should be an interesting 2025 in regards to non-sports cards.

"Widow Unleashed," #13 and #14 Are Live on Kickstarter!

I've been a fan of Mike Wolfer's work for years now and have greatly enjoyed the process he has been doing of taking his old, "Widow," comics and rereleasing them with a number of updates (thanks to funding via Kickstarter). Fully colorized, tweaked art, and re-lettered in spots by Wolfer's collaborator, Natalie Jane--these new versions of the cult-classic, "Widow," comic are fantastic. We're all the way up to the remasters of issues #13 and #14 with this latest Kickstarter campaign (find it right here), but never fear, you still can easily get all the previous issues via this campaign. "Widow," is a great series full of action, some risque scenes, body-horror, and is always good fun. Go back it (here's that link again) and get ready to be entertained by all the previous 12 issues and these latest ones!

John Cassaday Died at Age 52

Earlier this week John Cassaday died of heart complications at the shockingly young age of 52. He was dealing with assorted health issues but this still came as a surprise to many comic fans. He worked on a ton of fantastic series and is especially well-known for, "Planetary," but I always most loved his art on, "Astonishing X-Men." He was a fantastic creator, simply put. Many people shared stories of how awesome a person and creator Cassaday had been. A great talent is gone and it sucks.

9/11/2001 Was 23 Years Ago

9/11/2001 was a day 23 years ago full of shock, terror, and disbelief. Terrorists were able to attack the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon via hijacked planes. One plane was retaken by passengers and crashed in Pennsylvania.  It led to wars, numerous political/social/economic changes, and impacted our Nation and the World in so many ways. We have a significant chunk of the population that wasn't even born then and learns about the day in history books. I remember being in 8th grade that morning and how confusing it all was thinking some accident had occurred before it became quite apparent the nation was under attack once the second plane hit the other tower. A dark day in history that saddens me to remember.

Some of My Takeaways From the Harris and Trump Debate Last Night

There will be countless people with more credibility/accreditation/knowledge than me who will share thoughts about last night's debate. That said, I have my own observations, which I'll post here because that's just how I roll. Frankly though, if you didn't watch the entire 90-ish minutes you could get the main takeaway from the final statements Kamala Harris and Donald Trump made at the conclusion of the broadcast. Harris offered a message of optimism and unity before Trump took his turn and spent his time insulting Harris and otherwise using vitriol and fear to state that you better vote for him, or else. 

Vote for Trum[p or else you're in danger from immigrants--throughout the debate Trump discussed how, "Illegal immigrants," are supposedly stealing everyone's jobs, committing crimes, and eating other people's pets, seriously. Vote for him or else Israel will be destroyed. Vote for him or else abortion will be legal to the point that somehow killing an already born baby will be legal. Vote for him or else Democrats will make sure your kid will go to school and be forced to have a sex change operation and be transgender before heading back home later that day. Trump made up a bunch of lies and said to vote for him or else they will somehow be things that happen under the Presidency of Kamala Harris. Harris told us to look forward, and Trump told us to, "Look out!" for all the terrifying things he and the Republican party have dreamed up.

Harris was by no means perfect at the debate, trying to gracefully avoid being called out on her shifting views regarding fracking, but hey, she didn't outright lie about us supposedly giving migrant workers locked up in prisons sex change operations for...reasons like Trump did. Harris repeatedly left little bits of verbal bait out for Trump, and he always came running into the traps. A seemingly off-the-cuff comment about Trump's rallies being boring clearly was a sore point for Trump as he launched into a long diatribe about how amazing his rallies are and that Harris must somehow pay people to attend her dull events. She kept verbally poking at the bear and the bear (Trump) responded with roars of nonsense gibberish.

The debate between Trump and Biden was a mess that left me pretty upset at the prospect of Trump easily trouncing Biden come election day. However, once Biden gave the, "Baton," to Harris so she could run for President she clearly was ready as this debate unquestionably made Harris look quite Presidential whilst Trump rambled about immigrants eating cats and dogs when they weren't busy being given involuntary sex changes or killing freshly-born babies for shits and giggles. One person looked competent and the other looked crazy. I would hope anyone who somehow against all logic is still undecided about who to vote for in November for President drew the logical conclusion from this debate that Harris is ready to lead and Trump is ready for a nice nap (hopefully in a prison cell someday) after shouting his conspiracy theories.

Television Tuesday: "Chimp Crazy," Makes for Wild Viewing

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of us watched the, "Tiger King," documentary made by Eric Goode. It featured a variety of wild folks with none more strange than Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage AKA Joe Exotic, the titular Tiger King. We've now got a four-party documentary on domestic ownership of chimpanzees titled, "Chimp Crazy," and it is engrossing and at times somewhat tabloidy viewing just as Goode's previous work was.

The reason, "Tiger King," caught everyone's attention was because of how bizarre and interesting the, "Cast," was. "Chimp Crazy," isn't quite as loaded with characters but if you had to pick a, "Face," for it you would need to use Tonia Haddix. Many people interviewed discuss their love of chimps and why they adore them despite how dangerous they can become when older, but Tonia is obsessed. At one point it is discussed by the production crew how in some ways this documentary is a love story about Tonia and chimps--particularly one named Tonka. That's quite accurate, but it also should be pointed out that sometimes love stories have tragic endings.

Besides Tonia, several incidents where people had pet chimps and it ended badly are discussed in, "Chimp Crazy." When they're young chimps are relatively easy to handle as if they were young children, but after they turn five or six they get bigger, stronger, and don't always follow directions. These are highly intelligent--but still wild--animals. Much of, "Chimp Crazy," follows Tonia Haddix as she tries to figure out how to keep a chimp named Tonka, "Safe," from the efforts of PETA to get him put in a sanctuary. 

The docuseries takes multiple bizarre twists thanks to Tonia and her numerous questionable choices. Without Tonia, we would have an interesting documentary about the dangers of private chimpanzee ownership. that said, with Tonia, we get a wild ride of a series that keeps you glued to your seat. "Chimp Crazy," raises a lot of questions about chimpanzee ownership that still haven't been answered (there are still no Federal laws regarding chimp ownership, just certain states). If you were into, "Tiger King," however, then you should find that, "Chimp Crazy," scratches a similar itch. All four episodes have aired on HBO and it can now be streamed/binged on MAX. Give it a viewing!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The PlayStation 5 Pro Sounds Fancy but I Don't Need One

I have a PlayStation 5. It is a lovely console and I have a great time using it. Sony announced today that there will be a PlayStation 5 Pro (kind of like how they did back with the PlayStation 4 and its pro iteration); it will cost 700 dollars. If you don't have a PS5 and have lots of money I suppose this mid-generation upgrade could make sense for you to purchase. Still, in a presentation where the PS5 Pro and its power got shown off...you can't really tell much of a difference between it and the standard PS5. Oh, besides it doesn't even come with a disc drive--that costs extra on top of the 700 smackers.

Again, if you have a bunch of extra cash and want your consoles and computers to have the best tech possible, you could buy a PS5 Pro before too long and have a great time using it with your 4K television or such. However, many people commenting online seem underwhelmed by what this new iteration does and what it costs. Plus, so much for any PS5 games you have on discs unless you shell out even more money for the optional disc drive (but then again, if you're buying this PS5 Pro with little hesitation you must have a lot of liquidity available). Long story short, I'm good with my, "Standard," PS5 for the foreseeable future.

James Earl Jones Has Passed at the Age of 93

James Earl Jones has passed at the age of 93. The news came out today. The man was a legend. He was a fabled EGOT (someone who has won at least a  single Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award) and had been involved in so, so many roles. He is the voice we associate with, "Satr Wars," thanks to his work as Darth Vader and he did tons of live-action acting parts as well from the stage to screen. He'll be missed.

Kendrick Lamar to Headline the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show

It is well-known I've been a fan of Kendrick Lamar for some time. When he had beef with Drake recently I knew it would end badly for Drake, and it sure did ruin Drake's 2024. Now, Kendrick Lamar is set to return to the Super Bowl stage (he was a part of the 56th game's show), this time as the headliner. I am both surprised and pleased. Lamar has never been afraid to broach difficult topics in his music and while he has had immense commercial success at times with his work, he isn't exactly a bubblegum pop artist who just makes tunes for dancing. I'm quite excited to see what Lamar has planned on February 9th, 2025 and look forward to what will doubtlessly be a wild event.

Tacos 4 Life is Quite Tasty

A new restaurant opened not too far from us recently called Tacos 4 Life. Apparently part of a chain of eateries, the company donates a chunk of money from any sale to the nonprofit FMSC (Feed my Starving Children) to assist in helping children suffering from food insecurity in various nations. An admirable goal, but does it taste good? Well, having tried Tacos 4 Life I am pleased to say it was quite yummy.

My wife, a family friend of ours, and I all tried various items from Tacos 4 Life and we each observed it was delicious. I especially enjoyed the Fried Chicken taco with its hint of honey and a slightly spicy aioli. Samii really liked the nachos she got and found everything fresh and tasty--the veggies and toppings were on point! If you happen to have a Tacos 4 Life in your area I would recommend giving it a try--I'll be back for more in the future!

"Plastic Man No More!" #1 Mixes Humor and Horror to Stellar Results

Back in June, I wrote about being excited about a newly announced Black Label mini-series titled, "Plastic Man No More!" Having read the first issue, it was as delightfully twisted as I hoped it would be. Plastic Man is often treated as a joker by the Justice League, to the point that once he is hit by a mysterious death ray and seems to be breaking apart it still seems of little worry to his fellow heroes. Writer Christopher Cantwell excels at balancing the seeming humor of our hero with some very dreary and gruesome scenes of his body quite literally falling apart. Alex Lins and Jacob Edgar both supply art, for the, "Happy," and, "Serious," moments, creating a great (intentional) tonal clash.

The first issue of "Plastic Man No More," is fantastic. It has jokes, it has pathos, and all the art is superb. This has the makings to become quite the wild little mini-series as it continues. I especially am curious about one little excerpt hinting at the body-part-goo Plastic Man is losing seeming to have its own volition--quite creepy. If you're into weirder-styled superhero comics, definitely check out this comic!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Flashback Friday: "World of Warcraft," Turns 20 This Year, For Real?

I remember back in my high school days playing the bejeezus out of, "World of Warcraft," when it was new and the hottest thing on the scene in 2004. Created by the company then known as Blizzard (before a bunch of mergers and such), it was a fun game set in a huge World full of other folks you could party with or fight. I still dabbled a bit during my college years with the game but fell off sometime after the, "Cataclysm," expansion back in 2010. I remember playing WoW, but it didn't occur to me the game was 20 years old this year until I saw an article on Polygon about how this November, yep, it's 20. 

Two decades of an online game still going strong is quite impressive in a time when some online games launch and die in under two weeks (sorry, "Concord," I know you tried). If I even tried to play, "World of Warcraft," again all this time later I'd be hopelessly confused, but it is nice to know that is an option and my Tauren Shaman named Shine could someday return to Azeroth. Not anytime soon, mind you, but someday!

"Universal Monsters: Frankenstein" #1 is off to a Spooky Start

I really was into Image/Skybound's recent take on The Creature From the Black Lagoon as a part of their retelling/remixing of classic horror monsters with Universal. This got me interested in checking out the latest creature to get the comic treatment from the classic Universal flicks, Frankenstein (or Frankenstein's Monster if you want to be pedantic). In the pages of of, "Universal Monsters: Frankenstein," #1 Michael Walsh writes and illustrates a comic that seems to lean heavily into the 1931 film but shows major events from that movie via a new character's point of view. How this tweak to the mythology will impact the overall story will remain to be seen, but it is a clever addition of someone who would have mixed feelings about their deceased loved one being used for spare parts.

Walsh is an amazing writer and artist, giving the story a suitably grim and creepy vibe. Once we entered the Professor's castle, I was impressed by how you can practically see the strange technology he utilizes glowing and hear it whirring--it's all quite visceral. Our short glimpses of the titular reanimated creation are intense as well, imparting both a sense of horror and giving us a feeling of pity towards Frankenstein. It's a gorgeous comic, in other words.

"Universal Monsters: Frankenstein," #1 is another stellar result of Skybound and Universals' collaboration. It will be four total issues and I am eager to see how the story of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster will be tweaked and twisted in clever ways. A stupendous debut issue for sure.

5 out of 5 Stars.

I Would Not Have Predicted Check Fraud as a TikTok Trend

When you deposit a check it has to clear, but a certain small amount is (generally) immediately available to withdraw. In the olden days, this meant scammers would write bad checks that, “Bounced,” while at a business to get some cashback and could leave someone who took those checks in a bad place when the bank wanted its money back. I guess some young folks don’t understand how checking works because there have been TikTok videos of people writing checks with wild sums of money, depositing those checks at a Chase Bank ATM, and immediately taking out a bunch of, “Free money,” as these ATMs oddly didn’t limit how much cash you could have right away from a check. Oh, you sweet naive children, that’s textbook check fraud. 

There is no such thing as free money—well, unless you’re already a rich corporation and get bailed out by a Government due to being, “Too big to fail,” even if you did commit some form of fraud. That said, your average Agnus, Agatha, Jermaine, or Jack isn’t going to get much sympathy for giving themselves a negative account balance due to writing checks to themselves or friends. Are these TikTok videos meant more as satire of how stupid people can behave as opposed to being a legitimate, “Hack,” however? Consider we once had an internet trend where people broke their bones running up stacks of milk crates and you have your depressing answer.

The Video-Game, "Concord," Flopped and it Flopped HARD

Sometimes a game comes out and it really struggles for a while. Eventually, with patches and fixes, it becomes a fantastic and beloved title (look at, "No Man's Sky," or, "Cyberpunk 2077," for two great examples). Other times, a game is pretty mediocre but is, "Too big to fail," or to be allowed to flounder due to live-service ambitions and it keep chugging along despite relative player disinterest ("Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League," is a recent incident of this). There are times a game does so poorly that a studio quits offering much support for it, but keeps it running to at least salvage some money ("Exoprimal," wasn't even bad but suffered this fate). For a relatively big (in terms of development team size and money invested) game to come out and be shut down after barely two weeks, however? That's not something you usually hear about, but it is what's happening with, "Concord."

"Concord," was a 5 vs 5 team-shooter/hero-shooter game that you either have never heard of or maybe saw people mocking when it was first unveiled some months ago because it looked kind of hokey. Everyone is doing these team-shooter games these days and if you don't have a good gameplay hook or even characters people like you're in trouble. "Concord," had basically nothing going for outside of only costing $40 to buy for your PlayStation 5 or PC as opposed to how most games are at least $60 and sometimes lately even $70. Worldwide, the number of players engaged with, "Concord," was usually between 100-300 people. Yes, in the entire World. 

"Concord," apparently made all of one million dollars off of an investment of maybe 100 million bucks when it comes to sales--and everyone who did buy a copy is getting refunded because they're shutting this down within 2 weeks of launch. Perhaps it will come back as a free-to-play game with little cosmetic upgrades you could buy to show off to the other dozen people playing the game? That could happen, but right now it looks like, "Concord," is just a catastrophic loss, more of a money pit for Sony than an actual game. I feel bad for the team that worked years on this title and hope some degree of retooling can save it from total failure and obscurity.

Jen Bartel Spoke Honestly About How Comic Companies Treat Creators and, "Fans," Got Mad as a Result

I don't understand how comic fans sometimes seem to be so hateful towards the people who actually make their comics. Whenever a creator dares to point out that Marvel or DC at times treats their creators in a manner that is questionable, a bunch of men (it is always men) will emerge online to act like they are contract lawyers/ethical experts/etc. Jen Bartel was asked some questions about her treatment by Marvel and answered honestly. She quit working for Marvel because they took advantage of contracts to not have to pay her for using her art in stuff like Marvel Snap, plus the pay was crappy and she was eventually able to find better opportunities elsewhere--but she appreciated how working for Marvel opened those doors. Still, the fact she didn't toe the line about how working for Marvel is some sort of dream come true with zero downsides got fanboys frothing at the mouth.

Jen Bartel is a fantastic creator and if she had a shitty contract with Marvel she chose not to renew then that just means she knows her worth. Marvel (and their owner, Disney) doesn't need a bunch of people typing tweets in their defense. They're a huge corporation taking advantage of creatives to make as much money as possible off an IP that the creators want to make good stories/art out of--the company doesn't care about quality, just dollar signs. Why comic fans seem to be this one demographic that treats the people who make the comics with such vitriol whilst worshipping the abstract concept of the Godly Marvel Comics/DC Comics escapes me. Then again, for decades the people who made concepts into million or billion-dollar properties have suffered in poverty from medical issues with little help from fans or the corporations that profited off them, so I guess that's how it goes.

Marvel Comics to Re-Re-Re-Confirm Kitty Pryde is Bisexual

You ever read a headline and go, "Didn't that already happen?" That was me today when I saw on good ol' tabloid site Bleeding Cool that they had the, "SCOOP," how, "Marvel To Make Kitty Pryde Canonically Bisexual This Week." This left me scratching my head as this would be one of many times it's been made pretty clear Kitty Pryde is bi. We have multiple instances of subtext in Chris Claremont's X-Men run, other occurrences where it was vaguely discussed, and that time Kitty outright kissed a girl on the lips in 2020. Outside of Kitty flatly stating, "Hey everyone, I'm bisexual," it has been quite apparent she is attracted to men and women. Now, in the debut issue of, "Exceptional X-Men," she attempts to go on a date with a woman, resulting in us getting the, "Bombshell," of her sexuality that we all knew about already.

This is great as I welcome diversity in comics, but it is annoying to think that some people are so dense reading a story we have to make a character declare their sexual orientation for it to be clear to some folks. It is like when you read about historical figures who lived with their, "Friends," for their entire life and never married anyone of the opposite sex but were really close with that, "Friend," to the degree they shared a bed, and left them everything in the will. Such good chums/gal-pals, eh? Anyways, for the 30th or so time it will be noted that Kitty Pryde is attracted to men and women, this time in the pages of, "Exceptional X-Men #1," due to how she gets stood up for a date by another woman.

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!