Regardless of Misleading Reports the Dire Wolf is NOT Back From Extinction

Do you know how sometimes the media will latch onto a story that sounds exciting even if it isn't true? For example, your Disney VHS tapes are not worth a fortune, they're worth 50 cents each. A new incidence of, "Hey, this wild story isn't what it seems," has occurred with the so-called announcement that the Dire Wolf is no longer extinct. Two things have resulted from this...

1. Every single damn person in the comments on Facebook for any articles about this is saying, "This sounds like Jurassic Park."

2. People are ignoring these aren't actually dire wolves, like, at all.

The biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences says they've made new Dire Wolves thanks to genetic engineering but this is false. "What Colossal has produced is a gray wolf with dire wolf-like characteristics," Nic Rawlence, an associate professor and co-director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory at the University of Otago has said. They continue, "This is not a de-extincted dire wolf, rather it's a 'hybrid.'" This is a regular wolf that has some dire wolf genetics inserted into it, in other words. If doing some genetic engineering counts as making something no longer extinct, then I suppose if we make a bird with 1% T-Rex DNA we can claim we brought a T-Rex back?

Colossal Biosciences has engaged in very carefully managing the media to hype up how they altered a handful of genetics in regular wolves to make them look a bit more like the extinct Dire Wolf. Basically, these pups “...seem optimistically 1/100,000th dire wolf.” This is an interesting example of using genetic modification and it could help with a variety of species that are at risk of going extinct. To say we brought back the extinct Dire Wolf is easily, easily disputed, however. So please, quit quoting, "Jurassic Park," in the comment section anytime you see a piece about these so-called Dire Wolves.

The Director of the, "Werewolf by Night," Special is Writing a Comic Now Too

I loved the, "Werewolf by Night," Special that hit streaming in 2022. The director of that awesome mini-movie, Michael Giacchino, will now be writing a one-shot comic starring none other than our beloved Jack Russel (his civilian name) in the new comic, "Werewolf by Night: Blood Moon Rise," which will feature him going up against Dracula. David Messina will be providing artwork and the vibe is meant to evoke the classic run from the 1970s. That sounds fun to me and I do hope we get more WWBN in the Marvel Multiverse of movies/shows as well at some point. One can dream.

Update: Diamond Comic Distributors Wants to Accept a Different Bid, Alliance is Suing; it's Madness!

It all seemed so straightforward. Diamond Comic Distributors was selling all of its assets as a part of its bankruptcy. It was thought various parties might scoop up an assortment of the company's pieces, but Alliance Entertainment was ready to buy almost everything (minus Diamond UK), submitted a hefty bid, and looked to be the new owner of Diamond in the near future. AEnt was more interested in the opportunities the direct market provided for a variety of entertainment items besides comics, but was happy to handle that too and everything was going to be a smooth transfer of power...until it wasn't.

Diamond wants to accept a combined bid from Universal Distribution and Ad Populum. They are two companies who want all of the assets and will split it up amongst themselves, with possibly more cash upfront but a smaller bid. AEnt says it is the rightful bidding winner and is now suing Diamond. It is a huge old mess with lots of lawyers. As Heidi MacDonald at Comicsbeat observed, all Hell has broken loose. Nobody liked Diamond when it was solvent but now in bankruptcy, everybody wants a piece--or all the pieces but at a good price. Multiple hearings are planned in the future so eventually, we'll see if Alliance Entertainment comes out on top or if Universal Distribution and Ad Populum scoop Diamond up.

The, "Santos Sisters," Volume 1 Collection is Joyful, Undiluted Fun

The, "Santos Sisters," are a clever pastiche. The art style is reminiscent of vintage Archie/Sabrina/etc. strips but the jokes carry a much more modern sensibility, plus there is a bunch of gentle prodding and joking about superhero comic conceits. Created by the duo of Greg & Fake, "Santos Sisters," has been self-published, had issues released by Floating World Comics, and much of their adventures (so far) have now been collected in a snazzy hardcover printed by Fantagraphics (who sent me a copy for the purposes of review when I reached out and asked for one). I greatly enjoyed reading the adventures of sisters Ambar and Alana, that's for sure!

One reason, "Santos Sisters," works so well is the clever mish-mash of nostalgic and modern vibes. There are riffs on classic comedy tropes (for example, one unveiled villain complains about the, "Meddling," sisters in a homage to Scooby-Doo), the art looks straight out of vintage funny books but with a nice modern sheen, and the problems of today are tackled but always with a nice lighthearted and fun tone--a stalker ex-girlfriend is more hilarious than scary with her 8-ball themed explosives in one strip. "Santos Sisters," works as its own standalone piece, but is even more superb when examined as a comic for those who love comics and silly fun. 

Little in-jokes, such as a newscaster named "Rob Liefeldteeth," bump up against anthropomorphic robbers riding jet skis straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon or a character quite similar to Conan the Barbian. That isn't to say the comic is at all childish or only dedicated to gazing in the past. The grown-up story beats cleverly contrast with the other elements. A lot of raunchy jokes take place, for sure! As I said, there is a mix of old-school vintage style melting into some edgy and sharp humor.  This comic is perfect for GenX or Millenial readers, in essence, so I ate it up.

"Santos Sisters," is a fantastic comic and I am very pleased to have this hardcover collection that I can revisit and enjoy whenever I need a strong shot of fun with no downer, "Ironic," chaser. This comic is intentionally joyful, fun, sex-positive, wacky, and full of clever homages and in-jokes. It's a real treat to read and I hope we get plenty more, "Santos Sisters," comics in the years to come!

5 out of 5 Stars.

We Saw the Easter Bunny Today!

Clarkson and I always love visiting the Saint Louis Carousel at Faust Park. We often go so he can enjoy a ride and they know us pretty well there. The other day an employee mentioned a fun event with the Easter Bunny that was free to attend so we went and had a great time thanks to the event's sponsor/organizer, Gallia Wealth Management Group. It was really fun!

There were doughnuts, coffee, candy, goodie bags, activities, a big Easter Bunny, and unlimited free carousel rides. The event was geared towards families with children or adults with special needs so Gallia had headphones/earmuffs ready for anyone with sensory sensitivities as well--a smart example of planning ahead! We had some family friends join us too and everyone loved getting pictures with the Easter Bunny and riding the carousel. Clarkson gave the Easter Bunny big hugs and was eager to take a picture as can be seen above--a great time was had by all! Thanks to GWMG for holding this event!

The Next Saint Charles Quad Con is Only a Week Away!

I always have a lot of fun at Quad Con when it takes place in Saint Charles. Located at the Steel Shop Event Center, it is always jam-packed with comics, collectibles, toys, unique art creations, games, cosplay, and more! Every time I go to Quad Con I see people I enjoy running into and I always meet someone new and really cool too. I've got my calendar marked for a week from now as April 13th is the next Quad Con that occurs locally! Running from 10AM to 4PM at the aforementioned Steel Shop Event Center (49 Lawrence Street), this latest Quad Con is sure to be as fun (or it could even be more fun) as the previous events I've had the pleasure of attending.

Clarkson and I Attended a Fun Autism Awareness Event!

Autism Awareness Day was this recent April 2nd, but many places held events this weekend in honor of the occasion. I took Clarkson to one today and it was lovely! Held by, "Simply Delightful Events by Kay," this Autism Awareness Day event was in the event center space of Renaissance Saint Louis Airport Hotel and completely free--they just requested folks register in advance. It ran from Noon to 4PM. Clarkson and I arrived a bit after 1PM and didn't stay too long as after a bit he requested on his talker to visit his Aunt who lived nearby, but while we were there it was really fun!

There was free food ranging from hotdogs and meatballs with plenty of chip selections to some sweet treats like cupcakes. A number of local resources had set up tables--many we were familiar with such as First Steps, Easter Seals Midwest, and some others that were great to meet such as Blueprint4 and Team Central Gymnastics Academy with their, "HUGS," classes. We also met AB Spectrum, who offer Autism diagnosis services and ABA therapy for kiddos ages 1 through 6. A DJ was spinning a lot of popular songs and a number of people present were enjoying dancing around. There was a sensory area with a lot of fun toys and tables with chairs to sit and eat your food or just relax at. I got a picture of Clarkson in front of a lovely balloon display too:

This Autism Awareness Day event was really neat and I appreciate that the company known as Simply Delightful Events by Kay put it on! They can create and run all kinds of fun parties/events ranging in theme so I'll keep them in mind if we ever need to throw a big party!

“Robocop is America's Godzilla,” Makes Sense the More You Think About It

A friend of mine named Sarah Diaz posted on Facebook, "RoboCop is America's Godzilla franchise. Discuss." It immediately got me thinking about how she had a point. I mean, at the most basic level they represent the hubris of humankind--Godzilla is born from our nuclear weaponry and Robocop is a corporation thinking they can build the perfect law enforcement officer out of machinery and a tiny bit of humanity. It works at multiple levels, however. Both alternatively protect and terrify their home regions (Japan/America--specifically Detroit) and both are looked at as monstrous to a degree but have a kind heart buried within their off-putting demeanor. Each franchise is deeply rooted in its home nation's worries and fears (Godzilla is a physical representation of the impact of WWII on Japan, in essence, and Robocop's movies showcase capitalism and law enforcement with no checks or balances). It all makes a shocking amount of sense.

The metaphor isn't perfect as Robocop has never gone to a Robocop Island/Monster Island but just as Godzilla has had crossovers with other characters (King Kong is a big example) Robocop has done so as well--at least in comic-books (Robocop/Terminator is notable and wacky). Godzilla and Robocop are looked at with a mix of awe and trepidation. They represent each nation's anxieties about just how bad things could get. One is a big more horror-leaning (Godzilla) and Robocop definitely has satirical and self-aware elements, but the tones aren't that different in the end--they both are worst-case scenarios that we pray turn out better than our country's history would indicate. I want to thank my friend Sarah for inspiring all these thoughts and giving me material for my blog--it is definitely a lot to chew on.

Film Friday: "The Naked Gun," Has a Sequel on the Way

"The Naked Gun," and its sequels were a spoof of serious police movies. For some time parody movies were all the rage with older ones like, "Airplane," eventually giving us, "Scary Movie," and all of its spin-offs. Some satirical flicks have been great and some were little more than derivative, "Let's reference a bunch of movies at once," experiences. The, "Naked Gun," franchise hasn't had a movie in decades and the original star, Leslie Nielsen, has passed. However, it is back with a new legacy sequel featuring none other than Liam Neeson and directed by Akiva Schaffer--a solid choice too. The movie is simply titled, "The Naked Gun."

Neeson being our new star is a clever joke, as Neeson started out in drama, did action movies later in his career, and now is making a flick that will joke about it. There is a teaser for the new movie that doesn't reveal too much beyond a silly action scene and a pretty sharp joke about one unfortunate former casting choice in the series (O.J. Simpson as Nordberg before all the legal troubles).  Here's the teaser trailer:

This newest iteration of, "The Naked Gun," will be in theaters on August 1st. I look forward to it (hopefully) being a good time.

Val Kimer Has Passed

Val Kilmer died this most recent Tuesday at the age of 65 due to complications from pneumonia. He was a fantastic actor. He is one of a small number of folks to portray Batman, he was a hoot in, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," amazed folks in, "Tombstone," and the original, "Top Gun." Whether in, "Heat," or doing voice-over work for animated properties, Kilmer was a great talent. 

Kilmer developed throat cancer in 2015 and treatment rendered it difficult for him to eat or speak, but that didn't stop him from making a fascinating autobio film, "Val," in 2020. His last film appearance was a brief but impactful role in, "Top Gun: Maverick," in 2022, which had his voice digitally fine-tuned. He was a superb actor and by many accounts a lovely person in general (although at times it was rumored he was hard to work with on films, hence him kinda-quitting/kinda-being-fired from portraying Batman again back when George Clooney replaced him, to give one example).

My favorite role with Kilmer has to be the absurd aforementioned comedy, "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." Pitch black in tone while also being hilarious, it features Robert Downey Junior as well and it is a treat to see Kilmer and Junior on screen together being uproarious. It's a strange little flick that shows off how much range Kilmer could have when allowed to let loose. Val Kilmer was a great talent. He will be missed.

Switch 2 Details Have Been Announced--The Good, Bad, and Pricey

The Switch 2 was announced earlier this year, but we were informed that more details would be forthcoming. Today, we learned a lot more. Due for release on June 5th, the Switch 2 has some cool elements! It will feature an open-world Mario Kart game at launch ("Mario Kart World,") plus a number of 3rd-party titles as it'll have a lot more tech. It will also have a degree of backward compatibility with original Switch games (some will even be enhanced). Plus, there is a camera you can use to video-chat with friends you're playing online with! There are issues already, however. You see, the battery life will be sucky, a number of games will not work on the new console, and then there is the price of the Switch 2 and its games. 

A Switch 2 is going to cost $450 (it could even be more with inflation from tariffs), and some games will be $70-$80 for digital copies, and up to $90 for a physical one. The backward compatibility will have games cost extra if you want any enhancements. The camera will cost extra too. Nintendo is, in essence, squeezing fans for every dollar that they can. In the old days, Nintendo could say, "We're known for slightly cheaper and less powerful but very fun consoles!" Now, they can state, "Screw you, pay me for this tech!" There are pluses and minuses to the Switch 2 news, clearly.

It is exciting that the Switch 2 is coming out soon, but is also discouraging how it will be expensive. Then again, I think that is a trend that will continue with future consoles due to general inflation and how unsteady the economic and political landscape can be. I do wonder if the Switch 2 is different enough that folks will feel it is worth the cost. Will people look at their somewhat similar Switch and say, "Eh, this is good enough," and pass on the Switch 2 until the price drops? Will it be a big hit and sell like hotcakes even if it is slightly more of the same--but with more power and features? I don't know, but I'll be watching what happens with great interest.

The Saint Louis Blues Are On An Amazing Winning Streak

The one sport I follow (like, at all) is NHL hockey, and I am quite fond of our city's team, The Saint Louis Blues. The Blues last won the Stanley Cup during the 2018-2019 season and in that year they had their longest winning streak ever at one point of 11 games. Currently, after a shaky start to the season, they've been on fire as of late and hopefully have earned a wildcard sport in the playoffs whilst currently having a winning streak of 10 games! The Blues managed to beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime for a score of 2-1, yesterday, and it was an intense game to watch! 

The game was scoreless until late in the 3rd period when Detroit got a goal, the Blues managed to squeak a puck into the net with barely 30 seconds left in regulation, and then Cam Fowler sunk an overtime goal with an assist from Robert Thomas and the whole stadium went wild--besides a handful of Detroit fans who were present and looked a bit despondent.

It is always fun when our town has a team doing well as it gives the city something to be proud of and celebrate. When the Blues won the Stanley cup for the first time back in 2019 it made Saint Louis so proud and that celebration parade was a hoot to see. the Blues play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. I know many people around here (and fans nationwide) will be rooting for an 11th straight win!

Television Tuesday: "Doctor Odyssey," is a Wild Cruise Worth Booking!

Two people seem to work on a ton of shows. Taylor Sheridan ("Yellowstone," "Landman," "Special Ops: Lioness," and more) and then Ryan Murphy ("Nip/Tuck," "Glee," "American Horror Story," "911," "Feud," and so much more). Murphy makes weird shows and I generally quite enjoy them, with a newer production he is involved in being, "Doctor Odyssey." This is a show that has a mix of medical drama, relationship drama, is quite quirky, and everyone involved is generally super horny...which makes sense for a Ryan Murphy show.

"Doctor Odyssey," follows Doctor Max Bankman as he starts working on a massive and impressive cruise ship known as The Odyssey. Played be Joshua Jackson, as he's new to the boat in the first episode it is a clever way for the show to ease us into everything as we're, of course, new too. Max is assisted by two nurses during cruises--Avery and Tristian (Phillipa Soo and Sean Teale) and the boat's captain, Robert Massey is often important to the plot too (expertly portrayed by the always delightful Don Johnson). All of the main characters are intriguingly complex in their mix of hang-ups, interests, and nobody comes across as too one-dimensional. The cruise format allows weeks to have different themes and a variety of special guests too, which allows a lot of fun actors to swing by. There are lots of medical maladies to keep things intense as well.

As Johnson makes apparent in the first episode, people on a cruise want to live in a happy fantasy World so Max and his team need to keep everyone as safe as possible. As strange as it sounds, "Doctor Odyssey," really reminds me in some ways of a show that Ryan Murphy had nothing to do with (which is rare, I know). There is a bit of a vibe of the first season of, "Westworld," of all things to this show. It's a specially controlled environment where everything is perfectly designed and calibrated to make guests happy...so things obviously have to keep going wrong despite the, "Programming." 

There aren't any human-like robots on, "Doctor Odyssey," of course, but cruise ships are big floating theme parks, in essence, and no matter how hard we try to make a theme park flawless, cracks will show eventually. "Doctor Odyssey," is a fascinating exploration of how a ship's crew tries to fix or at least temporarily remedy said metaphorical cracks. Is it realistic in some of its wild medical cases? Hell, no, it is exaggerated to the extreme. Is it fun to see what crazy medical cases occur or watch as a zany love triangle forms between the medical crew? You know it is!

"Doctor Odyssey," is weird, sexy, clever, and quite often funny too. I've greatly enjoyed this debut season and hope it gets picked up for another. You can view new episodes of the show by watching ABC on Thursdays or catch up on everything via Hulu.

5 out of 5 Stars (for this season so far).

Tonia Haddix, of, "Chimp Crazy," Fame has Plead Guilty to Perjury and Obstruction of Justice

Tonia Haddix is a local-ish celebrity, living in Missouri and gaining notoriety for her role in faking the death of celebrity chimp Tonka--all of which was chronicled in the documentary, "Chimp Crazy." She admitted in court today she committed crimes when she had claimed Tonka was deceased while under oath and he was actually living in her basement. The whole story is bizarre and I'd encourage you to check out, "Chimp Crazy," on MAX for a wild ride. Having pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, Tonia will be sentenced in July. 

Tonia Haddix could face years in person for her actions and some hefty fines too. I don't condone her actions at all and personally feel Tonka is served better living in a safe and big habitat with other chimps--but all of that said, I am somewhat impressed that someone could love a chimp that much. I don't know about you, but I would not be willing to face decades in prison for chimp, no matter how charming/adorable/lovable he or she is. We'll see what the future holds for Haddix this July.

Mary Jane Watson is the New Venom...Okay?

Venom was originally Eddie Brock (after Peter Parker rejected the alien suit and it sought revenge). However, at this point, so many people have been Venom or shared their body with a symbiote that it might be easier to make a list of who hasn't even bonded with one. Eddie Brock is currently working with the Carnage symbiote so as to keep its bloodthirsty urges in check and for a while his son, Dylan, was bonded with the Venom symbiote but after some assorted comic events, it became a mystery who the newest Venom was. That's been the plot of the latest ongoing series, "All-New Venom," which introduced a variety of, "Suspects," but within the fifth issue this week, it will be revealed it wasn't anybody on our radar. Nope, it's Mary Jane Watson, because why not?

I'm a little befuddled why Mary Jane would want to bond with Venom considering when he first emerged on the scene (bonded with Eddie Brock back in his earliest appearances) he harassed/terrified/otherwise was pretty awful towards her and Peter Parker. I guess she's come around on the idea of sharing a body with a symbiote, however, as it has been confirmed that, "All-New Venom," #5 is coming out this week and will confirm she is the latest iteration of the anti-hero (he quit being a baddie a good number of decades ago). I'm not mad at this reveal or particularly excited. I'm fine with it. I read the news and said, "Okay," with a bit more confusion than anything else. If it serves the story well (and writer Al Ewing is a fantastic storyteller) I'm all good with this latest, "Host," for Venom.

A Combination IHOP and Applebee's Exists--How Did I Just Learn About This?

Apparently, back in late 2024, it was announced that there were going to be a restaurant that served as a combination of IHOP and Applebee's. It would be one big space that featured the decor of each brand on either side, but you could order from both menus regardless of where you sat. I did not know about this, but in February of this year, the first combo spot opened in Texas. It reminds me of those Pizza Hut/Taco Bell locations that used to be very popular and which inspired the infamous song, "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell." I am a fan of both IHOP and Applebee's so being able to get a mix of items all in one place sounds appealing to me. I don't intend to take a road trip just for this purpose anytime soon, but if they wanted to open one of these franchises in the Saint Louis region I'd gladly visit.

Film Friday: "Moana 2," is a Fun and Serviceable Sequel

"Moana," is a fantastic movie. The plot is great, the songs are superb, and the animation is a treat with the water effects being a feast for the eyes. The sequel, "Moana 2," looks just as beautiful...and has a solid enough plot with forgettable tunes. It's fun and serviceable as a sequel, in other words. It has an amazing foundation with the first flick and gives us something pleasant even if it isn't amazing.

The biggest element missing in, "Moana 2," is without a doubt Lin-Manuel Miranda. He made a number of insanely catchy tunes for the first flick and does not return for this one. Instead, we get Barlow and Bear who have on offer songs that are by no means bad, but besides maybe, "We're Back," I struggle to remember any songs in, "Moana 2," as compared to the original film with a number of great tunes. Miranda is a tough act to follow, without a doubt. The plot is intriguing, with more Gods involved and the idea of finding other cultures out on the ocean. The movie also introduces a younger sister to Moana, Simea, who seems to serve almost no purpose within the story and was created for little reason other than to sell toys (or maybe serve a bigger role in the inevitable, "Moana 3," I imagine we'll be getting).

Everything in, "Moana 2," continues to look gorgeous. From the wave effects to an imposing sea monster, and more. Even if you find yourself zoning out a bit during some of the songs you'll snap back once an assortment of exciting set pieces occur. There are some good zingers as well, with Dwayne Johnson (Maui) well-versed in telling one-liners at this point in his career and Auli'i Cravalho's return as Moana being most welcome as she excels in her portrayal of the character's mix of grit, determination, and a dash of self-doubt (as we all have to some degree). Everyone is doing a stellar job acting and the visuals match, making this an enjoyable sequel overall even if it doesn't amaze as much as the debut film. In summary, if you adored, "Moana," you'll like, "Moana 2."

3.5 out of 5 Stars.

"Batman," #158 Kicks off, "Hush 2." Time for my Thoughts on this Sequel's Debut

DC has been excitedly promoting a new story arc in, "Batman," that kicked off with this week's issue (#158). Titled, "Hush 2," it is a big sequel-of-sorts to the original, "Hush," storyline that introduced the villain, a former childhood, "Friend," of Bruce Wayne actually named Tommy Elliot (he was secretly quite crazy). The original, "Hush," featured the writing of Jeph Loeb and art by Jim Lee. They've reunited for this new arc years later and what I've read so far is good, but not great.

I have a mix of feelings. I don't know what the point is of a, "Hush 2," storyline as since the original one a lot has changed for the main characters of Tommy and Bruce. The comic acknowledges this, however, and even makes some meta-comments by having Batman's internal monologue express surprise when the Joker tries to recycle an old gag/crime and it throws our hero off as the Joker isn't generally that lazy in his capers. It's almost like Loeb and Lee know we're going to question, "Why Hush 2 and why now?" and they want to head us off. Lee, to his credit, is as skilled an artist as ever when he isn't busy running comic companies and his artwork is a beauty to behold. 

The plot eventually has Hush abduct Joker and possibly plan to kill him to prove a point about Batman's refusal to let even a monster like the Joker die--this is, again, a reused story idea and the comic makes it clear it is aware it is retreading old ground. Does pointing out that you are doing repetitive plotting with a meta-wink at the reader excuse the fact you are still being lazy, however? Your own personal answer to that question may influence how much you enjoy issue #158 of, "Batman," as it kicks off this new Hush 2 story. I myself loved the art and thought the story so far was alright if not amazing. Then again, even the original Hush was more of an excuse to have Batman face a bunch of his villains as they were drawn impressively well with the plot more in place to give Jim Lee an excuse to draw cool stuff. That is a bit of the vibe I'm getting we'll receive with Hush 2 as well so I guess the more things change the more they stay the same, as the saying goes.

3 out of 5 Stars.

I'm Not a Fan of Beef Tallow For a Simple Reason

There has been a lot of talk lately about how we should cook or fry foods at certain restaurants and whether said establishments should be using seed oil or beef tallow. It has become a whole politicized debate regarding what’s healthy or not, natural or artificial, etc. There is much discussion on whether we should eat more meat, less meat, or focus on meat substitutes, and I know everyone has their own reasons for how they feel. I am personally opposed to beef tallow for reasons that are not political, ecological, or anything too high-concept. As longtime readers know, I am allergic to beef and anything fried with beef tallow will send me running to, “Blow up,” the nearest restroom, if we’re being blunt.

I do not know where this beef allergy came from as while other members of my family have certain allergies nobody is allergic to beef. I can tell you that it is not due to a tick bite as people who suffer from that cannot eat a variety of meats which I am capable of ingesting. It is easy for me to have a buffalo burger as long as it’s not prepared anywhere by beef— It’s something specific with cows. If food that does not normally contain beef is prepared via frying in beef tallow I will get a miserable stomachache. This isn’t me hypothesizing either. I have experience with this problem. 

In the past, I would eat at Buffalo Wild Wings and then usually get pretty bad stomach cramps, diarrhea, and otherwise find myself feeling miserable after eating a bunch of boneless chicken wings and french fries. I was confused about what the problem could be. Eventually, I looked into it and discovered Buffalo Wild Wings was an establishment that fries their food in beef tallow. At that moment everything kind of clicked into place and I realized what the problem was.

It is annoying to see beef tallow versus seed oil become a thing that’s being debated because if a restaurant is going to make a loud proclamation about how they’re going to use beef tallow from this point forward, kind of like how Steak and Shake did, I’m going to plan not to eat there. I don’t have any moral issue with what people fry food in, I just simply cannot eat beef products. Feel free to fry your food in seed oil, chicken fat, or anything else— I just request if you’re going to use beef tallow you make it readily apparent so I know I need to avoid your restaurant. It’s nothing personal, I just would prefer to avoid a stomachache. I’m sure anyone who has to use the bathroom after me will appreciate it too.

Alliance Entertainment Plans to Buy Diamond Comic Distributors

As we entered into 2025, Diamond Comic Distributors went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company supposedly planned to restructure and survive. It quickly became apparent that things were bad, however, and all the various entities that were a part of Diamond were to go to auction. One compay has swooped in to claim much of Diamond, interestingly enough. That operation is Alliance Entertainment.

Alliance Entertainment does a lot with music, movies, video-games, purchased a toy company called, "Handmade by Robots," and does a lot with, "Entertainment," as its name would suggest...except for comics. It seems AEnt is happy to work in the field of comics but the main aspect of Diamond's infastructure/remants that appealed appears to be that Direct Market for toys, games, and so forth. As Heidi MacDonald of Comicsbeat discusses in this article, we don't know much for sure as this is the early days and a court has to approve the sale, but there is some cautious optimism as well as folks not knowing what to make of AEnt. There will be a lot of questions these next few weeks, but at least we now know who will be the company where the answers all come from.

Music Monday: "Nokia," Shows Drake Can Still Make Good Music When He's Not Busy Losing Feuds

Kendrick Lamar and Drake had a big rap feud. Unless you live under a rock that is under another rock you probably heard about it. Kendrick beat Drake, handily, to the point Drake literally sued due to disliking being called pedophilic in some of Kendrick's verses on, "Not Like Us." I have commented on multiple occasions about Drake's problematic behavior toward minor girls so my opinion on that is known. Still, when Drake isn't making questionable choices about who he texts or losing a rap beef so badly he tries suing...he does still make music that bumps suitably well. This is shown by a recent release, "Nokia," done in partnership with PARTYNEXTDOOR.

The song, "Give Me a Hug," has gotten a lot of attention with its wild jumping between beats, melodies, and samples, but for my money, "Nokia," is a much more focused and tighter song. It does switch up its sound and tempo a bit halfway through but is a lot less over-the-top than, "Give Me Hug," and so darn catchy. Give it a listen:

It makes you want to dance around a bit, doesn't it? If Drake focused on making good hits like this he wouldn't even need to acknowledge how badly Kendrick spanked him in their rap battles, he could just live with the fact he lost and go on to make some hot tunes. Instead, everyone keeps dunking on him for being a sore loser even though he's got some heat with this track, among others--just let it go, Drake! If you'd focus on making fun tracks and not a finished feud we'd all be happier that way.

Squishmallows Cereal is Impressively Tasty

Oftentimes when I try a cereal associated with a popular brand it is either the same as a normal cereal with the tiniest of changes or absolute garbage. This isn't always the case (Toy Story 4's cereal was legit yummy) but I always am guarded when I try a corporate tie-in cereal. I saw one for Squishmallows at Target, however, and was intrigued. We love those wild little plushes in our household and the cereal looked like it could be decent. I've tried it, and I was impressed with the taste!

Squishmallow cereal is a bit like Cheerios in shape & Lucky Charms in flavor with a slightly sweeter and vanilla taste to the grain part and, of course, some marshmallows. The marshmallows in this case are themed for various Squishmallows. I tried a handful of the cereal, "Dry," and liked it before making a bowl with some milk (lactose-free to spare my tummy) and enjoying what I ate a great deal. This wasn't the best cereal I'd ever tasted, but it was pretty darn good. Others online agree with me, too. Considering this was made to tie in with a random plush line, I am pleased with the effort that went into crafting Squishmallow cereal. I plan to eat the whole box and seek some more out.

5 out of 5 Stars.

New Printings of, "Transformers," and, "Void Rivals," Will Come With Sound Chips, an Interesting Promotion

I enjoy a good gimmick cover with my comic-books. From holofoil to die-cut, and everything in-between it can seem silly, but a little fun doesn't hurt either (when gimmick covers become the whole selling point and the comic is lame that can be unfortunate, however). One interesting new promotion is that Skybound (an imprint of Image) will have some comics with little sound chips that, "Talk." This fall there will be reprints of, "Void Rivals," #1 and, "Transformers," #1, featuring "...the iconic Transformers Signature Sound of the bots shifting from robot to alt mode – or vice versa," with different sounds for each comic.

This kind of thing has been done before--one humorous example is the low-budget horror movie, "Frankenhooker," with a button that plays the audio, "Want a date?" from the flick on the VHS box. In regards to comics, there was the recent, "Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong," which had, "Roar," variants as well. Even if this isn't exactly a brand-new novelty, I like seeing it!

Flashback Friday: Remember That Zany Occasion Where Beast and Dark Beast Teamed Up?

"X-Men: Endangered Species," could have been a mostly forgettable series of backup strips that explained a chunk of plot holes before a big X-Men event, but it managed to be pretty darn cool. It kicked off with a one-shot before being a series of strips in the back of X-titles. The comic followed Beast of the X-Men as he tried to explore any avenue he could to undo how Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch) had turned most mutants into humans at the end of, "House of M." 

This all led to what was called, "M-Day," and various comics that spun out of the event. "Endangered Species," essentially set up, the "Messiah Complex," event which slowly began reintroducing mutants to the Marvel Universe and a thankless task of answering why the X-Men hadn't undone Wanda's spell. The series followed Beast stopping by various old hangouts of mutants only to find nobody could help him with science, magic, or anything else. Old mutant blood samples had turned human, even most dead mutants had reverted to human, and so forth. Then, right as Beast is about to give up he discovers how someone else has been working trying to figure everything out--him, sorta.

Dark Beast was an evil version of Henry McCoy from the, "Apocalypse," Universe. He ended up in the main Marvel Universe and was in some series off and on but hadn't been heard from for a bit, until, "Endangered Species," which midway through turns into a twisted and dark buddy-comedy with the two beasts trying various avenues to figure out what can be done. Eventually, the evil McCoy's more extreme methods result in them going their separate ways and we reach a conclusion-of-sorts where Beast sees he's out of options (right before, "Messiah Complex," begins and changes the so-called, "Rules," of everything). Still, for the period of time Beast and Dark Beast are together it is a hoot witnessing the little metaphorical devil on Beast's shoulder (who is literally a twisted version of him) suggesting how extreme they could be to save mutants.

After, "Messiah Complex," Beast kept getting increasingly questionable in his actions. During the whole, "Krakoan," era of X-Men we essentially saw Henry become enough of a villain that towards the end of the arc a bunch of messy plot trickery was done to erase how much of a baddie he'd become (clones were involved) As for Dark Beast, he died, came back, and died again, with Mister Sinister preserving his head because that's how that zany character rolls. 

The most recent years have been pretty rough for fans of any version of Beast with him being so dishonorable in any reality, but at least back in 2007 the, "Main," Beast wasn't yet too morally corrupt and it was fun to see him struggle with right-and-wrong alongside a more mischievous form. I also am glad the, "Endangered Species," one-shot and back-up strips were all collected as well so that the other handful of fans of this comic can read it without having to track down various assorted comics.

2 Random Notable Things Are Occurring--Diamond's Auction and March Madness

March 19th was the deadline for bids on Diamond Comic Distributors' various sub-companies. March Madness has started this week as well. Both things are very different but both are also big and notable events for sure. I honestly only care much about one, however (Diamond). Bids protected by NDAs have been submitted. Come Monday the 24th, a lot more will be revealed as Diamond finds itself broken and sold into various parts. Various rumors have spread about Diamond and what the future holds, and nobody can be sure what is going to happen. That's a lot like March Madness, which often finds people making brackets that have one-in-a-120 billion odds of being perfect. Seriously, your odds are a lot better to win the lottery than they are to create a slam-dunk bracket. We've all got theories about Diamond and March Madness but until everything is said and done it is just a lot of (most likely incorrect) guesswork.

I am incredibly curious how things shake out with Diamond and know a ton of people are pumped about March Madness. Even if I don't follow basketball much (pro or collegiate) it still is always great to see how excited people get. Plus, that bulldog mascot from Drake University (Griff II), is a real cutie. As April arrives a lot will be figured out regarding Diamond and on April 7th March Madness will have its National Championship to determine a winner. In other words, by mid-April, we'll know a lot more than we do now about both of these subjects.

We Tried Dutch Bros!

The first Dutch Bros Coffee in our region had its grand opening yesterday! A decent-ish drive away in O'Fallon, Missouri, I was around there today and figured I'd pick some goodies up for Samii and myself to try. I was surprised (but shouldn't have been) by the long line. I imagine other folks in the area are excited to try Dutch Bros too, after all. The line moved along briskly enough and all the employees were quite friendly throughout the ordering process. After I got everything we headed home to sample the drinks and snacks.

I ordered a cold brew coffee and a strawberry-flavored soda. I found both quite tasty, with the cold brew going down smoothly and the soda's syrups were just right too (not overly sweet or anything). Samii got a tea with some flavors and found it decent, but we think they might have used green tea as the base instead of black tea--as we requested. She was still pleased overall though. As for the snacks, the granola bar was a big and chunky piece of deliciousness,s and the muffin tops/muffies were solid if not as good compared to the granola bar (it was legit yummers). We either liked or loved everything today from Dutch Bros and I can see why it has a lot of hardcore fans. That said, I still think Scooters is my absolute favorite coffee joint, currently. Still, anytime I happen to be in O'Fallon I will eagerly stop by Dutch Bros for something scrumptious.

4.5 out of 5 Stars overall.

Christopher Priest and Joe Quesada Are Teaming Up for, "Marvel Knights: The World to Come," This June

Two fantastic creators are returning to Marvel for an intriguing mini-series. I am pleased. The gentlemen in question are Christopher Priest and Joe Quesada. The comic is, "Marvel Knights: The World to Come," and it will be a six-issue series set in a possible future of Marvel and Wakanda in particular. I like the sounds of all of this.

Christopher Priest has been writing comics for longer than I've been alive--and pretty much anything he does is excellent. Priest has the ability to take a character I don't care about and make me excited or take characters I love and get me even more pumped. It would take forever to list all he's written, so I'll just shout out his recent work on, "Deathstroke," and his current, 'Vampirella," comics as being worth checking out. Joe Quesada is a skilled artist who also co-founded the Marvel Knights imprint and eventually rose to the position of editor-in-chief at Marvel before moving on to some other projects and positions--his time at Marvel was extremely productive and is fondly remembered though (occasional misfire aside like, "One More Day," which he heavily pushed for). Both men have a history with Marvel (Priest's run on, "Black Panther," was beloved) and I am a fan of their work so seeing they'll be teaming up is quite cool.

I enjoy alternate universe stories in the Marvel Universe because the story can do things that can't happen in the, "Regular," World. I love Priest's work and I am a big fan of Quesada's art. This makes, "Marvel Knights: The World to Come," sound like something I'm going to adore. I mean, it could be bad, but the odds are my excitement is warranted. We'll see in June!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day 2025!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Clarkson and Gibson are clearly in the spirit with some fun matching shirts (featuring a green Spider-Man). My Grandma Burton always eagerly celebrated Saint Patrick's Day as she had a ton of Irish heritage. I often think of her on this holiday and hope everyone else has a good (and responsible) time today too!

Marvel (and DC) Continue to Treat Creators Quite Poorly and They Are Speaking Out

When it comes to comic books if you own your property that's really important. Your comic might not be that popular, but you still own it. It could become a huge hit that gets adapted into a movie or game, and you own that and get money for it. If you work for Marvel or DC you get the thrill of writing well-known properties, but the pay will suck and if something you created is used for an epic storyline, the best you can hope for is a small check (maybe) and a little, "Thank you," spot in the credits of the multimillion/billion dollar film from the big conglomerate that otherwise could give a damn you contributed the key foundation to that flick. Creators normally are hesitant to outright bash Marvel or DC, but more are coming forward realizing they can burn that bridge if they have zero intent to ever use it again.

Marvel is especially getting slammed lately, although DC is still catching some smoke, so to speak. Multiple creators have talked about the crappy pay, questionable business practices, or simply pointed out they don't see the point in putting in a bunch of work to have little to show for it (Rob Guillory revealed what he legally could about the chance to revamp a character for little in the way of money/thanks and how he passed). You might not get rich working with an independent publisher who lets you keep the rights to everything you do (like Image). That said, if whatever you make takes off you won't still be broke as you would with Marvel or DC. Creator rights in comics is always been a topic that comes up, and gets addressed a little, but then a lot of problematic stuff stays the same. It is a damn shame because anyone who created characters or stories that are making tons upon tons of money shouldn't be struggling to pay medical bills. This reminds me, please contribute to the GoFundMe for Peter David if you can. The man has written some amazing stuff and he is currently in crisis.

I Had a Vasectomy Yesterday

I had a Vasectomy yesterday. It was something Samii and I had discussed for a bit as we know we are done having children. I would not want another kiddo with anyone but her and due to various medical concerns she cannot safely be pregnant again or easily go through any procedures to reduce/eliminate her fertility. Therefore, it made sense for me to do the (comparably) simple procedure of getting a vasectomy. There were a few more steps involved than I expected.

Mercy and its hospitals are great for lots of stuff. There are, however, Catholic-affiliated. This leads to complications regarding anything that has to do with any kind of birth control from a pill to a procedure. I asked the doctor who had served as my primary physician for a bit (the previous one had retired and this one was okay so I didn't change anything in the office) for a referral for a vasectomy, having explained everything and was told he couldn't do that kind of referral as he's (I guess very) Catholic. I wrote back it would be helpful to have a doctor who could make such a referral so my wife and I don't have to practice abstinence or get an abortion (even with all the attempts to make it hard legally she has enough medical issues it would theoretically be easier than in some cases) if she gets pregnant as her body simply can't handle another pregnancy. I was tempted to make a joke about how we could use condoms but that would make Jesus cry, but I felt I'd already made enough of a point.

I must have pissed my primary doctor off as someone else in the office called about how I could get in touch with Mercy Urology and they'd be able to help me with no problem. Plus, I was going to be assigned a new Primary Care doctor and they mentioned one I'd worked with before when my other was out sick and as he seemed cool I said that was fine. So yes, wanting to get a vasectomy and being mouthy about it got me a new primary care doctor in the process. Anyway, I got in touch with Urology and scheduled an appointment to consult for a vasectomy, easy as that once I knew what needed to be done.

On the day of my consult, I went to the Mercy office and reviewed why I was getting a vasectomy, the steps to be ready for one, how it is permanent (.01% of cases aside), and got one scheduled. The doctor was nice and when I asked about all the rules with Mercy he said they can discuss it on-site and schedule stuff, but I'm off-site at another office he and other doctors work at because the, "Hallowed ground," of Mercy won't allow a vasectomy on their grounds much in the same way in emergency cases where an abortion is necessary to save a woman's life they'll allow a transfer to another hospital but not do it on their grounds. I suppose it is good Mercy will transfer people somewhere for needed help, but it is odd that having a religious affiliation lets a hospital outright deny care (or let some of their doctors deny care) because it is felt to be, "Wrong/sinful." I think if you're in a medical profession you should be able to do your damn job without your personal feelings causing an issue. 

Let's do a metaphor. If I take my car to a mechanic I would like to know they'll give me the best oil in my oil change possible even if they have strong feelings against synthetic in the same way I'd hope my doctors tell me all the options regarding my reproductive health even if they don't like the idea of a vasectomy. Plus, I'm saying this as a man, imagine all the Hell (no pun intended) women go through trying to get any kind of reproductive care ranging from birth control pills to choosing sterilization or if they need an abortion (for any reason from medical to personal choice).

Yesterday, I went to the office where my vasectomy was scheduled. My wife joked because of Mercy's rules we'd be out back at a dumpster behind one of the various cookie stores in Saint Louis. That wasn't the case, it was a very nice office--just clearly not one affiliated directly with Mercy for the procedures it did. The vasectomy itself wasn't awful in terms of pain but I'm glad it is done. Without getting too visceral, there are numbing injections that feel a bit like a bee stinging your testicles and then the strangest sensation as the anesthetic takes effect. After that, you're good, however. I was extremely sore later in the day when numbing wore off but I took some prescribed pain stuff a bit stronger than what you get at the store so I could get to sleep at night. As of today, I'm just doing Tylenol and Motrin. I'm still pretty tender but it is bearable. 

I'm glad I had my vasectomy done and was surprised at how it was a bit harder to get it plotted out than I expected. I mean, I'm a man and I encountered obstacles to being responsible for my reproductive health. I faced maybe 1/10th of what a woman would face, and it goes to illustrate just how messed up our nation can be regarding sexuality. Our country needs to be less weird about people trying to exercise options regarding reproductive health, simple as that. I did get a fun koozie too, as seen above. I didn't want to name any doctors in this post to respect their privacy, but if anyone in the Saint Louis region needs a recommendation for a good vasectomy doctor don't hesitate to holler at me!

Film Friday: I Would NOT Back This Stan Lee Documentary

When we remember people we tend to try to picture them in a happy way. We don't want to think about when a person was sick with an illness, or fragile and weak from age. We like to remember everyone from loved ones to celebrities when they were in their prime. Stan Lee's physical health has been cataloged as being very poor in his last handful of years, with basically everyone in his orbit taking as much advantage as possible to wring any money from him they could. "Stan Lee: The Final Chapter," contains a bunch of footage regarding Lee's last days and how bad things got. The person behind it is himself surrounded by controversy too, even with the questionable taste of the film aside. I'm not linking to the Kickstarter itself as I do not support it.

I'm not sure I'd want to see Lee in a way besides his energetic, spritely self we all remember. Jon Bolerjack is making a movie all about the terrible ways Lee was milked for money (and sometimes literally blood) but seems to be misrepresenting how important he was to the Stan Lee estate or how much of an effort he made to try to, "Help," Lee as opposed to being with all the handlers, Lee's daughter, and so forth in taking him for everything he was worth. Look, Stan Lee was not a perfect person and screwed plenty of people over, but that doesn't excuse what happened to him in the last years of his life. We should be allowed to live with dignity when we're older and be cared for as opposed to having all the wealth we worked for taken for a ride--specifically out of our pockets. Having this movie as a way to gawk at all the terrible things that happened to Lee as he was in a physical and mental decline already sounds gross, and reading that Bolerjack is by no means the saint he claims to be is making things even worse. I won't be backing this Kickstarter campaign and would advise others to do the same.

Assorted News and Links for March 2025

It's March. The weather doesn't know whether it wants to feel like a nice and warm spring day...or be brutally cold and snowy. We alternate between needing a coat, enjoying the sunshine, facing storms with hail, and so forth. That's March for ya, though. Besides my musings about the weather, I thought I would share some interesting links and news. Read on and learn something new, perhaps!

I used to live in Cortland, New York, and my folks still are there. I was saddened to learn the town's only newspaper, "The Cortland Standard," has declared bankruptcy, with today being their last edition. One of NY's oldest papers, the town of Cortland is now in a news desert to a degree, which sucks.

Cartoonist R.E. Burke is from Britain and has been backpacking around America and Canada. A Visa issue landed her in detention and treated horrifically because I.C.E. has become a modern-day fascistic wet dream under President Trump. A GoFundMe has been established to assist with legal fees, advisory support, and so forth.

DC's new, "Absolute," comics have been quite good and clearly are building up to the eventual formation of a new Justice League or such. There have been rumblings of a big event for the Absolute Universe at the end of 2025 and I look forward to such a thing.

"Moana 2," became available to stream on Disney+ yesterday. I've heard it isn't as good as the original, but solid. Our eldest (Clarkson) loved the first flick and our youngest (Gibson) adores this talking Maui toy we have, so I'm thinking we'll give the sequel a viewing sometime soon and see what our household thinks!

"Who do you think you are? I am!" is a famous phrase spouted by Pete Weber when he won a major bowling championship for a record fifth time. It was on February 26th, 2012 that he won the U.S. Open by a single pin and said--to give the entire phrase--"“Yes, goddamn it, yes! That is right, I did it! Number five! Are you kidding me?! That’s right! Who do you think you are? I am! Damn it right!” There is now an extensive oral history of how such a random statement became enmeshed in popular culture courtesy of Alan Siegel with The Ringer. Whether you know a lot about the sport of bowling or not (I know very little) it is a fascinating read.

A new videogame called, "Wanderstop," has as one big element of the game being brewing tea. There is a whole plot and characters and such, but you get to make tea with fancy contraptions and that sounds fun.

There is going to be a new, "Thunderbolts," comic coming out right in time to sync up with the new movie. It has a random assortment of members, including...Carnage? I get the idea that the comic is nowadays a bit like, "Suicide Squad," with baddies trying to do good (originally it was about villains as posing as heroes and the focus shifted), but Carnage is a psychotic monster who can't be redeemed. Wait, Eddie Brock (the original Venom) is now Carnage? Man, comic-books keep getting weirder and weirder. I'm not mad at it.

Lastly, there is a lot of fancy and high-concept talk regarding colonizing Mars. It is, quite frankly, improbable to the point of being impossible, as this humorous article by Albert Burneko discusses. Thanks to Kieron Gilllen for sharing it in his newsletter.