IDW Shifting It's Focus, Hopefully to Survive!

IDW as a company has been through a lot (I've made posts covering that news). Now, it seems there is at least a plan to keep them chugging along. That plan as it were is a shift towards a horror-heavy focus via new imprints with creator-owned series as well as non-licensed content such as superhero, mafia, serial killer, and (interestingly enough) biblical stories--as opposed to mostly relying on the licensed stuff to keep the lights on as they've done for some time such as with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which they still hold) and other brands they lost such as G.I. Joe or Transformers (over at Skybound in the Energon Universe now). I generally enjoy a good spooky comic and letting creators own the rights can attract some notable talent (look at Image over the years or Vertigo when they let creators own the rights versus when they stopped doing that). Plus, unique takes on everything from heroes to the mob to even the bible could be fun. I mean, why not try to fill the hole left with when Vertigo died that other publishers have attempted to get into as well (but with nobody truly succeeding yet)? More will apparently be revealed in October at New York Comic-Con. I look forward to hearing further details then.

Television Tuesday: Any Show With Kaitlin Olson is Bound to be Good

Give Kaitlin Olson her metaphorical flowers, damn it. For real, the woman is hilarious in any comedic role she tackles yet the recognition she receives from others seems criminally minimal. Those of us, "In the know," about how amazing she is on, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," have adored her work for years, as do those who remember the sadly-canceled-too-soon, "The Mick." That said, Olson has been in lots of stuff and is currently killing it on, "Hacks," which I really need to watch based on all the recommendations I've gotten about it. At least Manuel Betancourt over at the AV Club has a piece about how, "Kaitlin Olson is the queen of chaotic comedy." I could not agree more with that assessment. I encourage everyone to watch a television show starring or to some degree featuring Kaitlin Olson, you're going to have fun.

Costco Has an, "Apocalypse," Food Kit, but There is One Thing that Bugs Me

Costco is known for having lots of stuff, some of it random. Over the Summer they revealed an emergency food bucket colloquially known as the, "Apocalypse Kit," or other monikers online. It has enough grub to last you 25 years or so and you just have to add water. The thing is...in an actual apocalypse won't one of the biggest issues probably be having potable water? It reminds me of an old, "Far Side," cartoon where a couple made it to an underground bunker in time before a bunch of nuclear bombs went off but an issue arises in that they have a lot of cans and no can opener. You have one problem you've solved (food) but still have another issue relating to it (water is needed/you forgot the can opener). 

Having enough servings of food to be able to survive for a number of years sounds lovely, but without enough water to make the food or even drink so you stay alive then the issue arises where all the freeze-dried food you can handle will be of little use. I suppose if you do prepare for a potential big nationwide/worldwide emergency you would know to have lots of water so that these food kits are helpful. That said, anyone who just buys an apocalypse kit and thinks their work is done would need to be corrected.

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.