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Who Knows What Evil Lurks in The Hearts of Nostalgia?

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Before super heroes came into my life, there were pulp heroes.

My dad had reprints of old Robert Howard Conan the Barbarian stories and some Doc Savage collections lying around the house. Meanwhile, my grandmother, for as long as I could remember, was a fan of The Shadow.

So while I was devouring my dad’s books, grandma was simultaneously picking up old cassette tapes of The Shadow radio drama, the same one she listened to weekly when she was a child. The pulp heroes of yore were a vital part of my life long before I knew of The Fantastic Four, The X-Men or The Justice League of America.

Still, the pulp heroes did give way to the super heroes, and it would take years for me to rediscover my geek roots.

But rediscover them I did and this rediscovery led to a harsh, stark realization. It happened when I was on a long car ride, listening to an episode of The Shadow I’d loaded onto my iPod, and it rocked my world more than a little: The Shadow (one of the inspirations for Batman, no less) is much cooler on almost every level than Batman.

I say it shook me because as a comic geek, we’re pretty much conditioned from the moment we venture to the DC side of the comic rack that while he may not be your favorite, there’s no denying Batman is the coolest.

And not just in DC. Batman, we’re taught, is number one on any list of cool heroes, super or otherwise.

But listening to that old drama (The Death House, I believe it was) I realized that I’d gotten wrong.

We’d all gotten it wrong.

As pro-Batman as I am, he plays second fiddle to the one man who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.



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Among The Panels: WILD'S END #1, COPPERHEAD #1, ANNIHILATOR #1 & More!

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A world of four color magic arrives every Wednesday.

Stories and adventures of heroes and villains, good versus evil.

Tales that entertain and excite by talented writers and artists.

Here are my thoughts Among The Panels.


Teen Dog #1

Writer: Jake Lawrence 

Artist: Jake Lawrence

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Price: $3.99


Teen Dog #1 was, how do we say, “amazeballs”?

That really is the only word that came to mind when I got to the end of issue number one. Jake Lawrence gets me and I’m, now, so happy to know that Teen Dog exists! I feel like me and Jake Lawrence might be kindred spirits.

While reading the first issue you will notice that it feels like a web comic. The reason that is, is because it was birthed in one. The pages are broken up into micro stories with heading names for each one. They are consecutive and there is a narrative but it still very much feels like a web comic. I am not saying this is a bad thing, I actually think it’s a great transition and it works wonderfully in print.

The bulk of the story here revolves around our titular character Teen Dog, whose name is just Teen Dog and everyone is okay with that. He is a high school student who doesn’t really care; he’d rather eat pizza and play video games than study! This guy is my hero. He also carries around a skateboard and wears a sleeveless denim jacket. Jake Lawrence has crafted a character that everyone wishes they could have been in high school.

Don’t let me forget that there is a character called Thug Pug. Man, I love pugs and to see one as a not so smart bully of the high school is just rad. Punk Rock pugs for the win. It made me nostalgic for the 90’s TMNT cartoon.

Lawrence has a particular sense of humor that I don’t think everyone will get but it is very hip; it feels like Adventure Time meets Scott Pilgrim. He hits a market that is not really represented too well in the comic world; the teens that don’t want sex and violence. There are so many one liners that will make you happier to be in this world and he is not afraid of callbacks.

Coming from a web comic has it’s hardships but the coloring and art on this book is really professional. It’s lighthearted and the color pallet fits really well with the pop styling. The difference between the Teen Dog of the internet and the Teen Dog of the comic world is actually pretty diverse. Lawrence really upped his artistic talent to bring Teen Dog to print and it looks great.

I can tell that Jake Lawrence has a pretty solid future ahead of him as long as he keeps on this track. He has won me over and I will be a fan for a long time to come. I have already spent over 2 hours reading his blog where Teen Dog was born and I will not stop any time soon.

Score: 5, slices of pizza, out of 5


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Win THE LION KING: THE LEGACY COLLECTION Soundtrack!

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Walt Disney Records' newly created line of collectible CDs, Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection, will celebrate the anniversaries of Disney's most cherished and classic properties that have been enchanting audiences for generations.

To honor these musical landmarks, Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection will feature the beloved original soundtracks, plus valuable documentary content that tells the story behind the music.

Each album will feature newly created artwork from Lorelay Bove, a visual development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios ('Tangled,' 'Winnie the Pooh,' 'Wreck-It Ralph').

The first release in the series is The Lion King, a two-disc set bound in high quality packaging featuring the original motion picture soundtrack, 30 minutes of previously unreleased score, plus liner notes by Don Hahn (producer) and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
Our friends at Walt Disney Records were also kind enough to share a roundtable discussion featuring Hans Zimmer, Chris Montan, Mark Mancina, Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, and Don Hahn as they discuss the journey of making The Lion King.


After the jump, find out how you can win one of the three copies of The Lion Kind: The Legacy Collection we're giving away to FOG! readers!

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ADORABLE PUPPIES DREAMING: Let's Ease Into This Monday, Shall We?

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I don't know about you, but waking up and knowing that this is Monday kind of pissed me off. Maybe it's because the warmth of summer is leaving and now I have to wear a jacket in the morning, or maybe it's because I'm kind of an asshole, but either way, fuck, it's Monday.

So perhaps the best way to deal with it is to start off by watching a compilation of adorable puppies dreaming. I know it's not the same as slipping a airline-size bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream into your coffee but at least you can't be fired for getting drunk on cuteness.

Video after the break.

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MVM: Coil- The Anal Staircase

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Look, I'm not going to tell you that you will enjoy the experimental music of Coil, what I am going to tell you is that Coil is one of those bands that stick with you for a long time. The music is complex, layered and, after listening to it for a while (preferably in a dark room where you can lie undisturbed), melodic.

Think of Coil as the musical partner to Tom Waits (who, let's face it, is difficult to listen to the first time out but grows on you).

The Anal Staircase (off Coil's 1986 album Horse Rotovator) is going to be weird the first time you listen to it (especially the creepy sound of a child laughing) but trust me, after listening to it a few times, you will be downloading Coil's complete discography and thanking me profusely.

And if not, well, that's your loss.

Video after the break.

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FOG! Chats WYTCHES With SCOTT SNYDER!

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Interview conducted by Stefan Blitz

Scott Snyder is one of the busiest and most popular writers working in comics.  Among his current projects are Batman, Superman Unchained, American Vampire, overseeing the contributing writers of the weekly series Batman Eternal and his new project, Wytches, a horror series coming from Image Comics on October 8th.

The series also marks a reunion with artist Jock, who Snyder previously collaborated together on Detective ComicsLast Friday, we teased this interview and ran a preview of the new book and are happy to present the interview in full after the jump.

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Watch Isabella Rossellini Get It On With A Bunch Of Ducks...Because, You Know, Nature

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Yesterday I got sucked into a YouTube cyclone, you know the experience, you find one interesting video and then the next thing you know it's been six hours and your brain is filled with the images of people dressed as cuttlefish fucking.

It's horrifying.

Unfortunately what I ended up binge-watching was Isabella Rossellini's seriesGreen Porno (and her sub-series Mammas and Seduce Me) which, if you aren't familiar with it, revolves around the sexual lives of animals. While most of us have, at one time or another, viewed a nature video in which an animal or two copulates, what Rossellini does is a bit different, she dresses up like various animals and then shows what happens to said animal during the moment of penetration via a puppet, or someone dressed as another fuck-worthy animal.

Sadly, it is weirdly erotic, which makes you feel all gross inside.

Personally I blame my now prominent puppet bestiality fetish on the fact that not only is Rossellini kind of hot, but that she really gets into the whole animal sex thing leading you to experience a down-low tickle which will cause you to seek psychological counseling.

To be honest with you, it was difficult to choose which episode really encapsulated animals getting it on, but after some rather confusing soul searching I decided to show the duck episode from her Seduce Me series. It basically has everything one could want in a puppet-based porno: corkscrew shaped penises, multiple vaginal canals, a gang bang and a lot of odd, sexualized breathing.

So enjoy...and then question everything about yourself.

Video after the break.

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The Pull List: SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #8, THE BUNKER #6, PROMETHEUS: FIRE AND STONE #1 & More!

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Check out what I checked out this week.

Whether the comics are inspiring or disappointing, I read them all.

Welcome to The Pull List.

And, as always...Spoilers ahead!


Terminal Hero #2
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Cover: Jae Lee
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $2.99


Things have gone from bad to worse for Dr. Rory Fletcher as Treatment Q saved his life from an inoperable brain tumor.

However, it came at the cost of terrible side effects that has given him horrifying powers. Now he is being blackmailed into using his “gifts” to murder people. One of the things that stands out about Terminal Hero is how it conveys the unique emotion of an individual who has been trained to prevent death, but is now being forced to administer it.

If that wasn't enough, being made to use his medical knowledge to execute someone in a precise manner pains Rory because it’s a perversion of a science he dedicated his life to.

Piotr Kowalski illustrated these moments with an feeling of “Why am I doing this?”, which added a delicate sense of uncertainty for the character.

At one end, Rory might find solace in his new found occupation; on the other end, consolation might be outside the realm of possibility. The character development was a lot better this time around with more motivation and consequence brought to the forefront. Everyone would have a different reaction to being stuck in this particular predicament and as a reader, experiencing how Rory answers everything makes you either agree with or question his choices. Do you use your illness to get laid or abstain from natural urges?

Make no mistake about it though, Rory isn't a role model by any means. He is a drug addict who often looks for the easy way out. None of the characters are particularly likable, or interesting for that matter. That sounds like a real downer, but it’s the no-nonsense narrative that ultimately shines above most in this book, making the reader vested in an abnormal situation.

Sometimes, it is the state of affairs that is more interesting than the players involved.

Score: 3 out of 5


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French Bookstore in NYC, Forbes Top Earning Authors, The Return of Indie Bookstores & More!

SCIENCE GEEK: How Does Deodorant Work? You Might Want To Check This Out Stinky Pits

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Have you ever slathered your pits with a stick of deodorant and wondered, "How does this shit actually work?" If so then great, you're the target audience for this little post. If you have never pondered this question, then you're probably far more well-adjusted than those of us who do and I congratulate you (while at the same time quietly hating your guts).

But back to that stick of deodorant, for those of you who are interested, the answer to the question about armpit maintenance can be found after the break via episode three of Mental Floss' newest web-series, The Big Question (their other two shows wax philosophically about Who Invented the Hot Dog and How Do They Make Decaf Coffee).

Enjoy the knowledge you smelly bastard.

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Rabid Bat Does Not Appreciate Your Jamming Session

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Warning: Bats Will Swarm If You Try And Sing 'Fancy' Near Them

 When spending time out in nature there are a few things that you should probably know:

1. Always bring plenty of water, sunscreen and trail mix (the only time that food product actually tastes good).
 2. Tell people where you're going so that when you inevitably get lost people can find you.
 3. Don't clumsily jam on your guitar with your friends because rabid bats have absolutely no patience for that kind of thing.

If you do happen to experience number three (like the gentleman in the video after the break) try and look at your impending rabies treatment as constructive criticism so that the next time you feel the need to funkify the forest with your bad-ass guitar riffs, you'll play better.

And, you know, not get attacked by flying diseased rodents.

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Charlie Goes To Burning Man

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If you've ever thought about experiencing the beautiful oddity that is the Burning Man festival but kept coming up with reasons against doing so (like, "I'm a responsible human being with a job and a mortgage") you should probably watch this short documentary about Charlie, an 81 year-old guy who decided to go to the festival and find himself.

Charlie has had to deal with a lot of scary issues in his life (bone cancer, heart issues, diabetes) but he didn't let that stop him from traveling out into the desert and having a ball. There's a lesson here folks: Do what you want, because life is never set in stone.

Documentary after the break (and yes, there are some NSFW parts...this is Burning Man after all)

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SERIAL MOM: 20 Years Later

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The Film Society of Lincoln Center just completed an incredible complete retrospective of the films of John Waters, celebrating 50 years of his contribution to cinema.

I'm a pretty big fan of Waters, having been arguably too young to have experienced Pink Flamingos on VHS as a kid.  I mean, it was in the horror section.

Hairspray was a definite favorite of mine pre-musical mainstream madness took that away from me. Polyester was a must see every time it played on the campus of U of M, which I dragged many an aghast date to.

I even had several of his books in college and would refer to his warped take on film history to save me from the dullest homework assignment on John Ford.

But it wasn't until this recent retrospective that it occurred to me that his most perfectly realized film is the 1994 comedy shocker Serial Mom.

Serial Mom was not a massive box office hit.

It never made its $13 Million budget back, and hardly had a wide release.  It also didn't help that it received the usual split review reaction from the critics.

Luckily it came to my hometown in Michigan, where nice people don't laugh at jokes about cold-blooded murder, anti-hero fame, and wearing white shoes after labor day.

That is, of course, with the exception of sickos that get Waters' sense of humor and brand of satire.

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Building a Better Brotherhood – Three Lessons I Learned Cosplaying as Magneto at the Baltimore Comic Con

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It’s that time of year again when the kids are back to school (or in my daughter, Anastasia’s, case, beginning Kindergarten), leaves are starting to change, the baseball playoff matchups are taking shape, football is gearing up to dominate Sundays (and Monday and Thursday nights!), and Baltimore calls my name.


For the fourth consecutive year, I rounded up the family and headed north into enemy Oriole territory to attend the Baltimore Comic Con and, as always, I had a blast.  Only ever able to attend on the Saturday, it’s nevertheless a delight, full of top notch creators, fun things to do for the whole family, plenty of panels, and scores of costumes as far as the eye can see.

Every year so far, I’ve gone in costume, forcing my poor and patient wife, Melony, to do the same, while loving the enthusiasm my daughter shows in the hobby.  Usually, I go simple.  A shaving of the head, and I become Lex Luthor.  Grow out my hair and talk sweetly to my prodigious mutton chops, and I’m Wolverine.

But this year I decided to go bigger and actually try my hand at making a costume in its entirety, choosing none other than my favorite mutant, the master of magnetism himself, Magneto.

After all, how hard could it be, right?!

I pulled this one off with no problem…


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THAT TIME OF THE WEEK - DVD/Blu-ray Reviews For 9/9/14!

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Bet you didn't see this coming so quick!  This installment features the latest offerings from Marvel Studios, the latest take on the King of Monsters, the most exhaustive release of the modern Star Trek mythos, several tv series, a found footage Bigfoot movie and more!

 Fire up that queue and prep that shopping cart. It's that time of the week.


Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Disney/Marvel / Released 9/9/14
Following the battle of New York, Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to modern life. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague is attacked, Steve is caught in a web of intrigue that threatens the entire world. Now Captain America, Black Widow and the Falcon must join forces to overthrow their insidious enemy's most mysterious and powerful "weapon" yet - The Winter Soldier. Extras include featurettes, commentary, gag reel and deleted scenes.

Last Word: The First Avenger is back in his blockbuster sequel, joining Iron Man and Thor for in-between The Avengers movies solo ventures. Chris Evans is back as Captain America Steve Rogers, and in contrast to the introduction of the character, the movie is set in present day, after the events in New York in The Avengers.  Flashbacks occur to move the story along, and are welcome callbacks to the WWII story of Cap and Bucky vs. Hydra, but there is much more going on with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and introducing Sam Wilson as Falcon (Anthony Mackie) as the Scooby Gang of espionage S.H.I.E.L.D. is on watch.

Former Community/Arrested Development producer and director team Anthony and Joe Russo add humor to the mix in a subtle way, but more importantly pack so much action and tension into this chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that we hope to see more from them with Cap 3. While closest to Iron Man conceptually, the flavor of this Marvel Movie is all espionage Cap and Secret Avengers—a combination sure to make comics fans as well as Avengers fans excited, intrigued and headed to the theatre more than once for a taste of this non-stop action. This is certainly the most meaty of stories and filled with the most Avengers since the franchise took off.

Nick Fury and Black Widow have a lot of screen time, and introduction of Stan Lee and Gene Colan’s Falcon as Captain America’s wingman makes for a great team. While this is still a superhero movie, we are taken to the world that Ed Brubaker established in his run on Cap. Throw in the main, practically unavoidable spoiler that Winter Soldier is in fact Cap’s erstwhile partner in justice Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and you have a complicated past mixed with a technologically advanced future. The Capsicle humor is kept to a minimum, as in these past months Rogers has been catching up on the Internet, music, and even 1983’s War Games. In fact, he carries around a list of things he needs to catch up on (including Star Wars/Trek, Nirvana, I Love Lucy).

I probably don’t need to mention this but the cast is in amazing shape and looks sexy all around, making the two girls next to me titter every time Mackie was on screen as Falcon and Stan revealed himself behind his Winter Soldier mask. Yes, Evans kept the pecs from the Super Soldier serum. Are they selling that at Walgreens yet? ScarJo, Smulders, Emily VanCamp (Agent 13) are not only knockout gorgeous but also kick ass as well, transforming these ladies from bombshells to real action heroes! Robert Redford plays Alexander Pierce, a S.H.I.E.L.D. higher up at the head of a Helicarrier program INSIGHT, meant to keep the world safe. As they say with absolute power, he is somehow corrupted and the plans go astray.

Counting in some other notable Marvel 616 cameos are S.H.I.E.L.D. S.T.R.I.K.E. team head Jack Rollins (Callan Mulvey) as well as opening sequence bad dude Georges Batroc (Georges St. Pierre). The expert in savate, a French form of kickboxing, Batroc the Leaper gives Cap one of the coolest choreographed fight scenes we’ve seen on screen in a while (on par with TV’s Arrow) and great service to the Marvel fanbase. Keep an eye out for Easter Eggs and clues about the other movies (no, not the post-credit sequence, but if I need to tell you to stick around you are headed to the wrong movie!). For the first time, Marvel’s goal seems to be working, to have these properties all intertwine and exist on the same plane. From Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to the big screen, we have certain elements and familiar looking structures. Though we won’t likely see the Triskelion on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., you may see some agents with familiar faces, or at least uniforms.

A subtle note tying Black Widow to Hawkeye is a diamond arrow pendant around her neck. There has to be more so keep those peepers glued open for this flick, you won’t want to miss a thing!  The action was real, explosions and hand to hand combat as opposed to sci-fi or magic. And finally, it just looked great and felt like the comic book movie we’ve been waiting for as fans since the beginning of time. (– Clay N Ferno)

Godzilla

Warner Bros. / Released 9/16/14
In this gritty, realistic sci-fi action epic, Godzilla returns to its roots as one of the world's most recognized monsters. Directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring an all-star international cast, this spectacular adventure pits Godzilla against malevolent creatures that, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence. Extras include featurettes.

Last Word: With fans screaming in anticipation for the kaiju as equally as for the return of Bryan Cranston since the end of Breaking Bad, 2014’s Godzilla delivers all of that and more. Is it time to relegate the 1998 film to the archives and stop complaining about it like oh so much Burton’s Planet of the Apes?  The answer is yes!

Let Pacific Rim be your ersatz prequel for this summer giant monster movie that digs deep into the Toho Co. archives for meaning behind Godzilla’s motivations and where he ranks on the good monster vs. bad monster scale. Is he better thank Neutral Good? You will need to get out and see Godzilla vs. M.U.T.O. to judge for yourself! Bryan Cranston stars as Joe Brody, an American scientist living in Japan with his wife and young son Ford (CJ Adams). When testing seismic readings, he discovers an anomaly and heads to the nuclear power plant where he works with his wife, Sandra (Juliette Binoche).

An accident befalls the plant, with tragic loss of life, and then the scene jumps to ten years later. Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has joined the Navy as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist and has just returned to his wife Ellie (Elizabeth Olsen) and son Sam. A call from Japanese police confirm that his dad Joe has been arrested for trespassing. On a recon mission, we discover that Joe’s suspicions about a resurgence of the same readings from that fateful day have occurred. It is not too long after we discover that our new monster, the first to appear in the film, M.U.T.O. (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) is feeding off of the radiation on in the plant to gain power. Many policemen in hardhats scurry as M.U.T.O. rips through high tension wires meant to contain the creature! And we’re off!

Masterful actor Ken Watanabe plays the esteemed Dr. Serizawa, a callback to the original 1954 film. From here on out, the movie takes off. An origin of sorts for the monsters are revealed, and it appears that all of our Pacific atomic bomb testing in the 50s was really attempts to kill Godzilla! The monster is a force of nature, to be sure, and acts as a metaphor for environmental concerns of our day. The action moves from one side of the Pacific to the other, as monsters converge near the final theatre for the battle. In San Francisco Bay, our military heroes, including Ford strategize how to take care of an inhuman threat causing tsunami’s, power outages and of course massive city-wide destruction rivaling only that of Transformers 3 or Man of Steel.

Man of course turns to ‘The Nuclear Option’ with the aid of Lt. Ford Brody, EOD specialist. As teased in the trailer, a C-4 plane of paratroopers drops in as a last ditch human effort. Director Gareth Edwards (Monsters) takes us on a fun ride here, an effects man himself has taken care to give fans what they want from Godzilla’s roar to M.U.T.O.’s scream all the way to how the monster acts in key points of the film. Is Godzilla an ally to the people of Earth, or is he a monster to be feared as his crushing claw feet squish Hilton Hotels like juice-boxes? One thing is for sure, the acting is top notch, the story teases monsters straight out of the gate but patiently waits to get there in time. And when it is time to smash and roar you get plenty of it. Some genuinely scary moments have you wishing our heroes were not in so much danger but in one Jurassic Park homage, they duck out of sight of our M.U.T.O.!  The bottom line is that the movie has everything from train fights to monsters to someone heroically saving a school bus full of kids. Oh, and tanks and explosions. (– Clay N Ferno)


Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 1

Disney/Marvel / Released 9/9/14
In the wake of The Battle of New York, the world has changed forever. An extraordinary landscape of wonders has been revealed! In response, mysteriously resurrected Agent Phil Coulson assembles an elite team of skilled agents and operatives: Melinda May, Grant Ward, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons and new recruit/hacker Skye. Together, they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. But every answer unearths even more tantalizing questions that reverberate across the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe: Who is "The Clairvoyant"? What is Hydra's sinister master plan; what dark secret lies behind Skye's puzzling origins, and, most importantly of all, who can be trusted? Extras include featurettes, commentaries, bloopers and deleted scenes.

Last Word:  Whether or not it was the plan from the very beginning, but the Marvel took a risk with the first half of the season.  Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. came across as little more than a franchise series, a NCIS: Marvel.  The characters were "types", the storylines unengaging and the overall feel for the series was uninspired.  That was until the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which changed the status quo of the cinematic Marvel Universe, and was immediately reflected in a series, which for the first time felt like an essential part of the Marvel storyline.  Characters suddenly had purpose, threads suddenly came together and several new characters (Bill Paxton's Agent John Garrett, B.J. Britt as Agent Antoine Triplett and Adrian Pasdar as Glenn Talbot in particular) established strong ties to the greater Marvel universe.  By the time the first season ends, some questions have been answered ("Tahiti, it's a magical place", "Who is the Clairvoyant?") and others (The fate of several characters, the rebuilding of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Coulson's blackboard writings) are still yet to be resolved.  If you had asked me if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was worth watching, you would have gotten two different answers between mid-season and after the season finale.  Slug through the first dozen episodes, then settle in for some fun.  Highly recommended.


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BOXTROLLS (review)

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Review by Sharon Knolle
Produced by Travis Knight, David Ichioka
Written by Irena Brignull, Adam Pava
Based on Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow
Directed by Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi
Starring Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Elle Fanning, 
Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Simon Pegg, 
Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan


From the creators of Coraline and ParaNorman comes the stop-motion family film The Boxtrolls, based on the book Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. In this rather macabre fantasy, a town is terrorized by boxtrolls, creatures who steal everything that isn't nailed down, even a baby!

Lead animator Travis Knight calls the film, “like Charles Dickens entwined with Roald Dahl and Monty Python” and it certainly mines some of the rude and dark humor of those classics.  Like Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride, it's a tale of the haughty haves and the wretched have-nots, a balance upset by some unlikely underground dwellers.

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The World's Greatest Flying Aces

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In order to become a Flying Ace, a pilot must have at least five air combat victories against other pilots.

Air-to-air victories are incredibly difficult to achieve, which is why fewer than 6,000 Flying Aces have been named since the world was introduced to single-seat fighter aircrafts in 1916.

The following are some of the world’s greatest Ace pilots, beginning with the most decorated Flying Ace, Erich Hartmann.


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WHY I COSPLAY: Adorable Mini Documentary Dives Deep Into Why People Enjoy Dressing Up For Cons

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I have never attended a con as anything but myself. Sure, I'd throw on my tightest nerd tee and walk around hoping for a thumbs up, but I never dared to become a character that I loved. I guess I felt that becoming Dana Scully, or Claire Redfield, or Wonder Woman crossed a line somehow, that I would be looked at as "That Nerd". The one who couldn't tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a Charlie-come-Lately to nerdom, my childhood and teen years (the 80s and early 90s) were mostly spent discussing comic books, and playing Dungeons and Dragons with fellow dorks who got beat up or harassed on a daily basis by people who would, years later, wear a brand-new Wolverine T-shirt to a comic-con and pretend that they were always "Geeks", but actually designing a costume and wearing it out for people to see?

Not a chance.

Then I turned 40, and as the Mid-Life Crisis is wont to do, I am now seriously considering the idea thanks to this little Mini Doc (Why I Cosplay) which kind of tugs at the heartstrings and puts the whole "dressing up as a character"-thing in an adorable light.

So spend a few minutes watching it after the break and, if you too are sort of thinking about slapping on some cardboard and Halloween make-up and heading to a con, let me know.

Maybe we can nerd it up hard together.

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Win VICTIM on Blu-ray!

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Tyson (Ashley Chin), an east Londoner in his 20s, looks after his sister by day, and robs luxury flats at night. But his sister’s classroom encounters with an inspirational teacher (David Harewood) suggest that even very difficult lives can be turned around. Meanwhile, Tia (Ashley Madekwe), a girl from the other side of the tracks, enters Tyson’s life and allows him to glimpse another way of life.


And we're giving away three copies!

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THE SILLY BASTARD NEXT TO THE BED: Listen To A Royally Pissed-Off JFK Get A Bit Salty Over the Phone...Ahhh, History

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In July of 1963 a very pregnant Jackie O. was vacationing with her hubby in Hyannis, Massachusetts, spending the last month of her high-risk incubation period in a state of relaxation. Due to her previous miscarriages, the U.S. Air Force set up an emergency hospital room for Jackie at the near by Otis Air Force Base just in case something went wrong.

And that's where this little historical tid-bit gets really interesting.

Because JFK's presidency was filled with as just as much hostility and bullshit as President Obama's, news leaked out that the Air Force spent around $5000 for the room (which included a HGTV-like revamp) and caused a shit storm of epic proportions. JFK was not happy to say the least and thus began one of the greatest telephone calls captured on tape.

Oh, and The Silly Bastard Next To The Bed? Well, he has some stuff to say as well.

So watch a little piece of history that you never learned at school after the break...it'll make you appreciate JFK a little more.

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