Ending September 2024 With a Lovely ToyMan Show

There was another ToyMan show yesterday, an event I always look forward to attending! I got there earlier in the day and spent some time browsing the countless fantastic wares and chatting with the awesome vendors as I always enjoy doing. There was a cool special guest today, Warren Proulx. He's an actor who has been involved in a number of, "Star Wars," roles and was eager to chat with fans of the franchise. It is awesome when ToyMan has guests, but you know I'm always there looking for deals--and boy did I find some great ones today!

The view from the upper level before it got too busy!

I started the show off by saying hello to my friend John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics and looking at all the neat stuff he brought. I saw my friend Tim Metzger too and he was doing well. Tom from Alliance, Comics, Toys, and Games was busy at the show and Bruce Reynolds was there making sales too! Brian Lan was there and we talked about other Superman comics I need to read— he is an encyclopedia of knowledge about Superman! I spoke with Spike from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, and I was impressed with a fun WALL-E toy he had. By putting in some batteries it can be controlled by a remote and I figured Clarkson and Gibson might find it fun. The price was good so I bought it and once I was home later in the day Gibson loved it as this picture illustrates:

Gibson and WALL-E

Rewinding back to my time at the show, I enjoyed going to the upstairs area when I saw author and my friend, Jessica Mathews. We chatted about how life had been and it was great to see her! I also saw my chum Lindsay Hornsby who was doing well and bought a fun card game from the always-lovely Debbie Manbe Kupfer themed for her book, "Adana the Earth Dragon." In addition, when I returned to the downstairs area I saw my friends Dustin and Tammy set up at their table. They had a bunch of shortboxes of comics for only $3 each so I scooped up some goodies, including a lower-grade (but still awesome) copy of, "Wolverine #8! Give it a look:

Thanks to Dustin and Tammy!

The ToyMan show today showed how you can always rely on the event to be jam-packed with everything from toys, to Funko, Legos, die-cast cars, video-games, DVDs, trading cards, old movie posters, and comic-books (in addition to more things I didn't think to name). I'm already excited for the next show on November 3rd, 2024. It'll be where it always is, the Machinist Hall at 12365 St. Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton, Missouri. 

Another ToyMan-associated show!

In the meantime, however, there is another show ToyMan is actually assisting with too! There is a ToyMan-associated show at the Moolah Shrine Center on Sunday, October 27th. That sounds like it will be really fun too so if you can, go to that then the next official ToyMan show a week later--you'll be busy but surely have a good time!

The, "ILLuminati," Kickstarter Has Some Superb Talent Involved!

I've talked about a number of Kickstarters this week, but I guess there have just been some really snazzy ones lately. That said, there is a new Kickstarter campaign for, "ILLuminati: A Thriller Where Hip-Hop & Comics Collide." It is an original comic being made in a partnership between the publisher AWA and radio personality/author/all-around cool guy Charlamagne Tha God. A number of fantastic talents are involved in bringing this comic to life, including Sanford Greene, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bryan Edward Hill, Denys Cowan, and more! The story focuses on, "When a rising hip-hop star dies under mysterious circumstances, her twin sister, a young woman with psychic abilities, journeys to the City of Angels for answers and becomes enmeshed in a dark conspiracy that snakes its way through the pillars of power, fame, and pop culture."

Charlamagne has talked plenty of times about his fondness for comic books so this isn't a case where a celebrity pretends to be involved in a book, he really worked hard with a team to create this 128-page original graphic novel and it looks really cool. I'd encourage folks to check out the campaign on Kickstarter whether they want to back at a lower level and get a digital copy, or go for the notable variant covers and other cool rewards! I've already backed it and I'm excited that's it already well past its goal!

Film Friday: Will the Discourse Around "Megalopolis," Overshadow the Zany Film Itself?

Francis Ford Coppola has created some of the most revered films of all time. I'm talking, "Godfather," "Apocalypse Now," and the like. He's 85 now and still making movies, with, "Megalopolis," getting lots of attention, but not for reasons relating to the movie itself--which is a weird alternate-history sci-fi epic kind of thing, from what I understand of the plot.

All the talk about, "Megalopolis," has focused on the massive budget Coppola sold some of his own winery to secure funds for, how the movie couldn't even find a distributor for a bit because it seemed so strange, and allegations about Coppola being inappropriate plus a trailer that made-up mean quotes about his previous movies to show critics don't, "Get it," when it comes to his work. In regards to that, reviews have ranged from loving the flick to thinking it is an utter disaster. Some folks think it is a bit of both. I mean, the movie is supposed to somehow have a live-action element where a person in the audience asks the character played by Adam Driver a question that he responds to within the movie. How that can work for viewers at home when this hits streaming is something I cannot fathom. 

All the discourse around, "Megalopolis" has overshadowed the question of whether it is worth seeing. It sounds like it isn't going to make much money at all but it could become a cult classic once all the hype dissipates and people look at it as a movie and not a weird media spectacle because it does sound intriguingly strange. I'd watch it if no other reason than there are some solid members of the cast including the aforementioned Adam Driver as well as Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, and more. I don't think it'll take too long for, "Megalopolis," to move from theatres to streaming if it bombs as hard as some have predicted. Time will tell what the overall critical and popular consensus ends up being once the metaphorical dust has settled.

Hoda Kotb to Leave the, “Today Show,” in 2025

Hoda Kotb is a skilled journalist. Whether she’s been covering serious, “Hard news,” or getting drunk on wine with Kathie Lee at 10AM, she can do it all. Seeing Hoda in recent years spending three to four hours or so a day on our television for most segments of the, “Today Show,” has been entertaining for us at home, but she’s ready to move on for a new gig.

Yes, Hoda Kotb is leaving, “Today,” but don’t panic as she will still be at NBC handling other news-type-stuff at a time of day where she’ll get to sleep in (one hopes) as I would think being up so early for, “Today,” must get old/exhausting. I mean, unless you are Al Roker who besides some surgeries (both planned or emergency) that required some months of rest at a time seems to be more machine than man. Seriously, Roker appears capable of broadcasting the weather to us at a moment’s notice no matter the time of day.

I always enjoy watching the, “Today Show,” and Hoda has been a major element of that enjoyment. I understand if she wants to pursue other opportunities, however, and imagine the three or so people it will take to replace her (she seriously does a ton) will do a great job as well when she shifts positions at NBC in the future.

"Doggyland," is Further Proof Snoop Dogg Loves to Try Anything

If you ask Snoop Dogg to try something out the odds seem to be good he will say, "Yes." He might co-host a cooking show with his friend Martha Stewart. He might hang out at the Olympics. Perhaps he will be the voice for a GPS program. He could release a cookbook (with a foreword by the aforementioned Stewart), open a cannabis coffee shop, narrate a show on Animal Planet, or run a youth football league for teenagers. He's also still making music when he's not busy being a Grandfather and some of that music is actually geared towards little kids via, "Doggyland."

"Doggyland," is a 3D show for younger kiddos designed to be educational. As the website explains, the creators are,  "Snoop Dogg, October London, and Claude Brooks--Executive Producer of Hip Hop Harry." The show itself, "...features a colorful cast of dogs in a vibrant world where they sing, rap and dance to fun and educational songs that teach learning and cognitive fundamentals for kids all around the world." "Doggyland," can be watched for free online and has a variety of toys/merch/party supplies that relate to the show. It is, in fact, quite fun and I appreciate the, "Affirmations," song as it focuses on the importance of believing in yourself and how you're constantly improving as a person. Give it a look:

Snoop Dogg, children's entertainment mogul in addition to everything else, I suppose! I appreciate the focus on loving oneself and others while having fun learning--all good things to instill in children. I guess the only thing limiting Snoop Dogg from trying something out is if somebody hasn't asked him to do something yet!

"One More Year," is an Intriguing Mix of the Supernatural and Slice-of-Life

Every year, in March, a woman named Ophelia has a strange man visit her farm with an offer from a mysterious boss. If she sells her soul she gets 5 million dollars. She always says no and, "One More Year," passes. Ophelia has been getting this offer for decades (for reasons the story slowly reveals) and has her own plans to deal with this mysterious force that sends the offer her way. In this story written by Simon Birks with art by Pietro, we witness an interesting blending of a quiet life on a farm mixed with this strangely supernatural gentleman with his clipboard full of notes about souls that have been sold. It gives the story a quirky little vibe that isn't spooky so much as showing how even selling your soul can be as mundane as filling out a questionnaire.

Throughout this 50-ish page original graphic novel the truth slowly unveils itself about why Ophelia keeps getting such a strange offer and how she intends to get what she truly wants from the unknown boss (whom one assumes is devilish in some manner). I quite enjoyed the little mystery at the heart of, "One More Year," and would encourage folks to back the upcoming Kickstarter campaign for the book from publisher Blue Fox Comics. I quite enjoyed the story and think others will too!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The, "Thunderbolts*," Teaser Trailer Has it Looking Mighty Fun

I noted two things as I watched the teaser trailer for, "Thunderbolts*," which was put online today. The first was that it looks quite fun with its random assemblage of not-heroes-not-quite-villains to create Marvel's version of a Suicide Squad. The second thing was being relatively surprised it doesn't give away the entire plot of the movie as more and more trailers seem to do lately (the AV Club noted that too). Check the teaser trailer out below:

We have until May of 2025 to know what exactly is happening in, "Thunderbolts*," and why it has that random asterisk in the name. I don't mind not knowing everything about a movie in advance, for once, and imagine people who get real uptight about spoilers-inserted-in-the-preview-itself are happy too. Plus, we get Bob! I assume that is Bob Reynolds AKA the Sentry, but time will tell. For now, I love him just saying how he's Bob in the trailer. Between how this looks entertaining and the upcoming, "Captain America: Brave New World," seems exciting, Marvel has some interesting-sounding stuff on the way!

The 11th Annual RRParks Cards Halloween Set is on Kickstarter!

Since last year I've enjoyed dabbling in hockey cards, Marvel trading cards, and have read about all kinds of non-sports cards that are fun. The folks behind RRParks make all kinds of interesting non-sports cards and every year do a fun Halloween assortment. I know some folks look at trading cards more as an investment where they spend huge sums of money on various athletes, but there is something to be said for trading cards that are--simply put--just good fun! Hence, when I read about the, "RRParksCARDS 11th HALLOWEEN & PIRATES TRADING CARDS Event," being on Kickstarter I thought it sounded really cool. The folks at RRParks said they would love for me to blog about the Kickstarter campaign, so I'm doing so to encourage folks to check out the various pledge levels of exciting and cool cards! Give the Kickstarter campaign a look and join in on the fun.

Metamorpho to Get His Own Ongoing Comic-Book

Metamorpho is a strange character whose stories I've always enjoyed. Sometimes a solo hero, sometimes part of various DC comic-book teams, his real name is Rex Mason and this December he's getting an ongoing comic written by the amazingly talented Al Ewing featuring art by the stupendous Steve Lieber. Now, that sounds like quite a fantastic team!

Metamorpho can transform into various elements we know from the periodic table and uses this ability to fight all kinds of crime. He's had some zany tales and it sounds like Ewing intends to do more, "100% fun comics," featuring Metamorpho with a, "Done-in-one," style for the issues where each one tells a complete, self-contained tale as opposed to dragging a dull story out issue-after-issue. With the character set to appear in the upcoming, "Superman," movie James Gunn is making there is no better time to help folks get familiar with Metamorpho. Hence, I'm glad he's getting a cool new series for us all to enjoy!

Happy Batman Day 2024

It's Batman Day 2024. It generally falls on the 3rd or 4th Saturday of September. We celebrate Batman today, as you'd expect. Why this month or day? I tried to Google it and couldn't get an exact answer. The first Batman Day was in July of 2024, and then it was shifted to September for unclear reasons, where it has continued to occur. I mean, I don't really need a reason to celebrate a fun comic character such as Batman, so I'm not too picky about when his day occurs during the year. The important thing is that comic shops have free Batman comics to give away so go and get some of them!

Flashback Friday: Phil Dunphy on, "Modern Family," Could Have a Sharp Edge When the Situation Called for It

I'm talking about a television show but it wrapped some years ago so I decided to count this as a Flashback Friday. I posted in June how those ads for Whatsapp featuring the cast of, "Modern Family," reprising their roles made me want the show to come back. That hankering for, "Modern Family," resulted in me re-watching a bunch of episodes, and during that process, one new thing stuck out to me--Phil Dunphy can actually be quite dangerous and incredibly smart when a situation calls for it. Dare I say that the character played by actor Ty Burell should be ranked among other T.V. villains? Yes, I do dare.

Phil Dunphy is a sweet man, a kind realtor who wants to help folks find a home and is generally the more light-spirited member of the Dunphy household as Claire (played by Julie Bowen) is a bit more strict/a fan of rules. That said, if you push Phil too far he pushes back to a degree that is kind of scary. For an early example of this look to the 13th episode of Season 4, "Fulgencio." The episode features Phil trying to solve some problems for his kids through kindness as Claire usually handles things more aggressively. Then, Phil's efforts to be nice fail and it results in him enlisting the help of his son Luke to get revenge we witness via a montage that homages the classic film, "The Godfather." Balloons that were blocking Phil's billboard get shot out, a birthday party one child got disinvited to has rats released at it, a lemon tree that caused issues with snapped limb is outright run-over, and one kid who picked on Luke (and who has a fear of Zebras) wakes up to find the head of a stuffed Zebra in his bed. Loveable Phil Dunphy orchestrated all of that.

Episode 11 of the sixth season is titled, "The Day We Almost Died," and is about the Dunphy family processing how they narrowly avoided getting in a grisly car accident. Phil responds by becoming shockingly aggressive to a fellow realtor he usually lets pick on him (he tells the man, named Gil, how he will kill him if he ever makes a rude remark about Claire again) and manages to talk an appliance store into fixing a problem for an in-law after being vaguely threatening. Eventually, Phil realizes he's in a state of shock from almost dying and being mean to others...but it goes to show yet again what Phil is capable of doing.

In the 11th season (the final one) of, "Modern Family," the 5th episode is titled, "The Last Halloween." It features Phil spending months on a prank of sorts so that he can scare Claire for Halloween--something she likes to do to everyone else and says Phil could never do to her as he lacks the skill. It involves an elaborate, "Haunted house," a fake skeleton, and Phil pulling a, "Psycho," and pretending to be an old woman with a sharp weapon. It's both funny and impressive to witness Phil, yet again, being a bit of an evil genius throughout the series.

Perhaps it goes to show even the kindest people have a dark edge, as besides these episodes viewers of, "Modern Family," will generally see Phil being his sweet and goofy self. Push him too far though, and he's up there with other television baddies. God, I really wish they would bring back, "Modern Family," even if it isn't as great as the earlier seasons and more like the weaker later ones.

Aaron Rodgers: Fun & Quirky Guy With Eccentric Beliefs or Dangerous Conspiracy Zealot? Both?

The most dangerous thing about Aaron Rodgers is he's someone who feels easy to like. He has an easy-going and fun air about him that resulted in folks enjoying him temporarily hosting, "Jeaporady," when the show needed a new host and was trying people out. He's an amazing quarterback who will end up in the Hall of Fame when he retires and he is the best chance The New York Jets have to get anywhere near a Super Bowl in the foreseeable future. Aaron Rodgers also seems to believe in conspiracy theories about mass shootings and has a distrust of vaccines that is less based in science than utter nonsense--the kind of  views that can get people killed when they get sick with easily prevented illnesses. We know these things because Aaron Rodgers likes to talk. 

Aaron Rodgers enjoys discussing fun things even if they are a bit out there (he has a UFO story) with folks on television or podcasts just as much as he likes to ramble about things that make him sound like he stepped well over the line of, "Eccentric," into, "Unhinged," awhile ago---saying that the COVID-19 vaccine alters your genes, for example. He gets away with a lot because he's weirdly charming and because the Jets need him. This leads to, as Nora Princiotti of The Ringer puts it, "The Curious Case of Aaron Rodgers." If he's, "Just," a quarterback he is allowed to have any beliefs he would like. After all, we as humans can think whatever we want and tell our friends or even strangers those views. When does he go from a guy with some eccentric beliefs to dangerous, however? If he runs for political office (RFK Jr. apparently considered Rodgers for his Vice President pick during his ill-fated run)? If people take him as some kind of expert on vaccines even though he clearly is not? 

One must also ask if the, "Step too far," goes back a couple steps the better he is at football? Meaning, can an Aaron Rodgers who somehow helps the Jets win a Super Bowl (hey, it could theoretically happen) get away with a lot more than an Aaron Rodgers who can't even get them to the playoffs? I don't think anyone can say for sure what's too much until Rodgers does make that one statement that breaks everything.

Rodgers does know people listen. He does regret some things he says. Is an affable personality and playing football really, really well going to be enough to keep Rodgers out of hot water, however, or will this metaphorical pot eventually boil over? We've just started this NFL season, so we've got a ways to go to find out.

IDW Shifting Its 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.

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.