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Mannish vs. Boyish: the Traits Women Really Like

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This article can be a horrible disappointment for some guys and, at the same time, blessing for others. We have noticed this strange phenomenon: men often misunderstand the entire concept of manliness and start acting like frat boys to attract women. Well, however strange it might sound, but girls are not really into boyish behavior. Immaturity is probably the most repulsive characteristics of all. You may be depressive, sullen, emotionless – but childish acts will remain that one feature that repels women.

So what should you do to change this pitiful situation? We cannot prescribe the perfect plan to make yourself attractive. What we can help you with is to list a set of attractive mannish features. You can later check if our bits of advice help here: http://godatenow.com/ladies/.  Go on reading!

1. Know what you want in life. Do you remember your days in school and college? You probably weren’t fully aware of what you are going to devote your life to. Deciding on what you want in life, what kind of goals you pursue, what are your aspirations – indeed, this is a number of the most horrifying assignments in life. A man who knows his goals and diligently follows his dreams becomes overly attractive because of his solid attitude and adequate actions. Note: it also means that you know exactly what kind of relationships you look for. Men with ambiguous intentions are creepy and decent girls rarely focus their attention on such individuals. You should not shove your ideas of a perfect partnership right in her face. Try to carefully explain what you really look for in advance.

 

2. Look sharp. Another strange phenomenon of the modern society. Men are somehow assured that taking care of their physical appearance means to spend six hours a day in the gym and a lot of money on clothes and cosmetics, which is a horrific exaggeration. Looking good does not require that much of a struggle. Stay fit, fight your weight issues (or avoid gaining weight), dress nicely, and don’t forget about grooming and facial hair. Does not sound complicated, eh?

 

3. Respectful attitude. Yes, evil misogynists, we are talking to you (but, unfortunately, not only to you). Modern guys have forgotten what chivalry is. Men also try to blame girls for seeking only money and positions. But what girls should look for if men have nothing else to offer? Sorry for this emancipated excerpt. We just want you to understand that your attention and respect are the traits that women really need. Without doubts, you will meet numerous gold-diggers, but we don’t take those representatives into consideration.

 

4. Faithfulness. Social media exaggerate the buzz around sexual infidelity. Aside from literal cheating, we are talking about emotional betrayals (which somehow remain unknown). You should always be on the same page about important things. It does not matter if you like different foods and music! Likewise, girls have strong serendipity – that is why you should not lie. All the aforementioned statements form the concept of faithfulness that women appreciate so much.


Win a Copy of the ‘DC Comics Coloring Book’!

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9781608878291

Featuring the most iconic artwork by DC’s renowned artists, DC Comics Coloring Book includes stunning line art from the Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman comic series.

This action-packed adult coloring book is filled with ready-to-color illustrations of the most iconic characters from DC’s history. From the bright red and blue of Superman soaring over Earth to the rich greens and yellows of Wonder Woman’s homeland, Themyscira, the heraldry of the Super Heroes is yours to design and color.

Featuring many of the greatest artists in DC’s history and their interpretations of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and more, this incredible coloring book offers hours of creative fun and relaxation.

And we’re giving away a copy to a Forces of Geek reader!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “DC COLORING BOOK” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Who is the Eisner Award Winning colorist for Frank Miller and Klaus Janson’s seminal Batman: The Dark Knight Returns?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on August 21st, 2016.

As Seen at Comic-Con: New DC, Marvel, Ghostbusters, Predator and More Coming from Diamond Select Toys!

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By now we trust everyone has recovered from Comic-Con International in San Diego – even if you weren’t there, the deluge of information you’ve been slapped with is likely only now beginning to sink in. But now some of the items that made their debut at the Diamond Select Toys booth are open for pre-order through your local comic shop or favorite online retailer!

Read on for the details on new DC Animated items, new Marvel Comics items, new Muppets items, and new movie items from Predator, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice and National Lampoon’s Vacation!

Batman The Animated Series Man-Bat Resin Bust

ManBatBust

A Diamond Select Toys release! Beware the Man-Bat! The newest resin bust in the epic line based on Batman: The Animated Series depicts scientist Kirk Langstrom as his monstrous alter-ego, the Man-Bat! Measuring over 6 inches tall and approximately 8 inches in diameter, this detailed bust is set on top of an art-deco base inspired by the show’s distinctive architecture. Limited to only 3000 pieces, it comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color box. Sculpted by Varner Studios! (Item #AUG162554, SRP: $59.99)

Batman Animated Series Premier Collection Nurse Harley Quinn 12” Resin Statue

HarleyQuinnNurse

A Diamond Select Toys release! Hello, nurse! On the TV classic Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn played dress-up almost as often as she wore her now-iconic jumpsuit. And this all-new 12-inch resin statue depicts one of her most memorable clothing swaps – a nurse’s disguise! Nurse Harley blows a kiss to her next patient while wearing a short, white mini-dress and standing on a logo disk base. Limited to only 3,000 pieces, this statue comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color window box. Sculpted by Clayburn Moore! (Item #AUG162553, SRP$ 149.99)

 

Beetlejuice Movie Reelware Pint Glass

BeetleJuiceGlass

A Diamond Select Toys release! Troubled by the living? Is death a problem, and not the solution? Unhappy with eternity? Then pour yourself a drink in this movie-inspired pint glass, kick back and call Beetlejuice! This pint glass features the original advertisement that prompted Barbara and Adam Maitland to call the revered bio-exorcist in an attempt to reclaim their home, and kicks off a new line of merchandise based on the classic Tim Burton film Beetlejuice. Packaged in a full-color window box. (Item #AUG162571, SRP: $10.99)

 

DC Gallery Justice League Black Canary PVC Figure

BlackCanaryGallery

A Diamond Select Toys release! The heroines of the DC Animated Universe are expanding their roster! As seen on Justice League Unlimited, this 9-inch scale PVC figure of the Black Canary depicts Dinah Lance unleashing a sonic scream at her opponent, wearing her classic, comic-inspired leather jacket and tights. Figure is in scale to all Gallery and Femme Fatales PVC figures, and comes packaged in a full-color window box. Sculpted by Varner Studios! (Item #AUG162555, SRP: $45.00)

 

Ghostbusters Slimer Cookie Jar

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A Diamond Select Toys release! Looking for cookies? Check inside Slimer! The food-loving ghost made famous by the Ghostbusters feature films and animated series is now a ceramic cookie jar! Measuring approximately 12” tall, this class 5 apparition is quite solid, so you can’t just stick your hand into his stomach and grab what you want, but a removable lid will grant you access to whatever Slimer recently ate. Packaged in a full-color box. (Item #AUG162572, SRP $150.00)

 

Marvel Gallery Hulk PVC Figure

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A Diamond Select Toys release! The Marvel Gallery just raised the roof! Clocking in at approximately 11 inches tall, the Incredible Hulk is the biggest Marvel Gallery PVC figure so far! Based on his comic-book appearance, the Hulk flexes his muscles in a show of strength, with one foot on a heap of rubble, in a Sam Greenwell sculpt that features a high level of detail and exacting paint applications. It is in scale to all Gallery and Femme Fatales PVC figures, and comes packaged in a full-color window box. (Item #AUG162570, $45.00)

Muppets Muppet Show Glass Tumblers

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A Diamond Select Toys release! It’s time to get things started! It’s time to pour the drinks! You can’t help but smile when you’re drinking a tasty beverage out of these nostalgic glass tumblers featuring the cast of The Muppet Show. Inspired by fast-food glassware of yesteryear, these tumblers sport all-new original artwork spotlighting main Muppets Kermit, Fozzie, Bunsen, Beaker and the Swedish Chef, as well as their supporting casts! Each glass comes packaged separately, in a full-color window box.

  • Muppets Kermit Tumbler (Item #AUG162573, SRP: $9.99)
  • Muppets Fozzie Tumbler (Item #AUG162574, SRP: $9.99)
  • Muppets Bunsen & Beaker Tumbler (Item #AUG162575, SRP: $9.99)
  • Muppets Swedish Chef Tumbler (Item #AUG162576, SRP: $9.99)

 

National Lampoon’s Vacation Movie Reelware Pint Glasses

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A Diamond Select Toys release! Who’s the moosiest moose we know? Marty Moose! Who’s the star of our favorite show? Marty Moose! Relive the craziest road trip you never went on with these two pint glasses that are straight outta Walley World! With one depicting Roy Walley’s famous creation Marty Moose, and the other showing the full cast of Walley World characters, both glasses are the ultimate in cinematic souvenirs, inspired by the movie National Lampoon’s Vacation. Be the first in your neighborhood to drink like a Griswold! Each glass comes packaged in a full-color window box.

  • Walley World Pint Glass (Item #AUG162556, SRP: $10.99)
  • Marty Moose Pint Glass (Item #AUG162557, SRP: $10.99)

 

SantaSally

Santa Sally

Nightmare Before Christmas Santa Sally Unlimited Coffin Doll

A Diamond Select Toys release! The leading lady of the stop-motion animation holiday classic Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is back, and Christmas will never be the same!

With an all-new head sculpt, this unlimited, single-packed 14” doll of Sally the Rag Doll in her Santa Claus outfit features a real cloth costume over a fully poseable body, with hidden internal articulation at the knees and elbows.

Packaged in a coffin-shaped window box. (Item #AUG162564, SRP: $99.99)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Predator Minimates 2-Packs Series 3 Asst.

A Diamond Select Toys release! The hunt continues! The Predator Minimates series returns with another assortment of figures based on the classic action films Predator, Predator 2 and Predators.

In this series, Thermal Dutch faces off with the classic Predator, Muddy Royce faces off with a Cloaked Berserker, the Falconer Predator teams up with the Warrior Predator, and a rare, one-per-case 2-pack features a Cloaked Falconer!

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Each 2-inch Minimates mini-figure features 14 points of articulation as well as fully interchangeable parts and accessories. Each 2-pack is packaged on a full-color blister card! (Item #AUG162565, $9.99/ea.)

 

Offered Again: Marvel Select Cable Action Figure

 

MarvelSelectCableA Diamond Select Toys release! Because you demanded it, the return of the man called CABLE! The founder of X-Force, Cable always comes ready for battle, with big guns and even bigger ammo, and since his debut he has loomed large in the Marvel Universe. Now, he’s traveled from the past to rejoin the 7″ Marvel Select action figure line! Wielding multiple weapons, including one that can be mounted on his shoulder, Cable comes with a detailed display base, referencing his most famous foe, Stryfe, and features multiple points of articulation. Figure and base come packaged in display-ready Select packaging, with spine artwork for shelf reference. (Item #OCT142189, SRP: $24.99)

 

Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!

 

Boston Cinegeeks! We’ve Got Passes For ‘Mechanic: Resurrection’ Starring Jason Statham!

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youMECHANIC teaser poster

Arthur Bishop [Jason Statham] returns as the Mechanic in the sequel to the 2011 action thriller. When the deceitful actions of a cunning but beautiful woman [Jessica Alba] force him to return to the life he left behind, Bishop’s life is once again in danger as he has to complete an impossible list of assassinations of the most dangerous men in the world.

For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of Mechanic: Resurrection on Wednesday, August 24th  at 7pm at AMC Loews Boston Common click here:

http://www.lionsgatescreenings.com/buScY36467

Seating is first come, first served and not guaranteed so please arrive early!

Bring Home All of The Disney Princesses For a Limited Time!

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In honor of the 25th anniversary of the beloved animated classic “Beauty and the Beast,” Disney fans are gaining unprecedented access to Disney’s Princess films. On Sept. 6, the beloved animated classic featuring Belle and Beast will be released as part of The Walt Disney Signature Collection and in celebration of the event, for the first time ever, all 11 Disney Princess films are being made available to bring home at the same time, Sept. 6 – Oct. 17.

 

Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Edition

Releases Sept. 6 on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere and Sept. 20 on Blu-ray and DVD

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Twenty-five years ago, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” broke ground as the first animated feature film to receive an Academy Award® nomination for best picture. The beloved classic won two Oscars®, including best song and best original score, as well as a Golden Globe Award® for best comedy/musical. Now a whole new generation of viewers will follow the magical journey of Belle, an independent and intelligent, modern-day heroine who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.

The Walt Disney Signature Collection edition features four versions of “Beauty and the Beast,” including a never-before-released on home entertainment, sing-along version. A host of all-new bonus extras include a rare opportunity to gather around the piano with some of Disney’s greatest composers, as they sing and share how they’ve personally been inspired by the film’s award-winning music; a look at how Walt Disney himself sought to adapt this famous fairytale; a nostalgic look back with Paige O’Hara, the voice of Belle; behind-the-scenes access into the recording booth with the cast; and a sneak peek at Disney’s upcoming live-action re-telling of “Beauty and the Beast,” arriving in theaters in 2017.

For nearly 80 years, audiences have followed the dreams and magical adventures of Disney Princesses including Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel and Merida. The timeless tales that introduced the world to these inspirational heroines include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Tangled,” “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Brave,” “Pocahontas,” and “Mulan.” And now, for the first time ever, all 11 of these timeless family favorites will be available to purchase during the same six-week window.

 

Aladdin

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

Soar away on a magic carpet ride of non-stop laughs, thrills and Academy Award-winning music. In the heart of an enchanted city, a commoner named Aladdin and his mischievous monkey Abu battle to save the free-spirited Princess Jasmine from the schemes of the evil sorcerer Jafar. Aladdin’s whole life changes with one rub of a magic lamp as a fun-loving, shape-shifting Genie appears and grants him three wishes, setting him on an incredible journey of discovery.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

Forever enchanting and inspiring, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs launched The Walt Disney Signature Collection. In this epic story of love and friendship, the kind and beautiful princess Snow White wins the hearts of the Seven Dwarfs and triumphs over the evil plans of a wicked Queen. Discover the movie called “The Greatest Animated Film Of All Time”!

Tangled

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Digital 3D, HD/SD, DVD

When the kingdom’s most wanted – and most charming – bandit Flynn Rider hides in a mysterious tower, he’s taken hostage by Rapunzel, a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Together, the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an overprotective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. Tangled is a story of adventure, heart, humor and hair—lots of hair.

Cinderella

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

With a wave of her wand and some “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother transforms an ordinary pumpkin into a magnificent coach and Cinderella’s rags into a gorgeous gown, then sends her off to the Royal Ball. But Cinderella’s enchanted evening must end when the spell is broken at midnight. It will take the help of her daring animal friends, Jaq and Gus, and a perfect fit into a glass slipper to create the ultimate fairy tale ending.

The Little Mermaid

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Digital 3D, HD/SD, DVD

This highly celebrated winner of two Academy Awards follows Ariel, a fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, who is off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian at her side. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true—and save her father’s beloved kingdom from the sneaky witch Ursula.

Sleeping Beauty

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

When an enchanted kingdom and the fairest princess in the land fall prey to the ultimate mistress of evil, the fate of the empire rests in the hands of three small fairies and a courageous prince’s magic kiss. Their quest is fraught with peril as the spirited group must battle the evil witch and a fire-breathing dragon, if they are to set the Beauty free.

The Princess and the Frog

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

Enter Princess Tiana’s world of talking frogs, singing alligators and lovesick fireflies as she embarks on an incredible journey through the mystical bayous of Louisiana. Spurred on by a little bit of courage and a great big dream, these new friends come to realize what’s truly important in life … love, family and friendship.

Brave

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Digital 3D, HD/SD, DVD

The recipient of the 2012 Oscar for best animated feature, Brave features the heroic journey of Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom that inadvertently unleashes chaos in the kingdom. She must harness all of her skills and resources – including her clever and mischievous triplet brothers – to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late, and discover the meaning of true bravery.

Pocahontas

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

“Pocahontas,” winner of two Academy-Awards®, tells the story of a free-spirited girl who wonders what adventures wait “Just Around the River Bend.” Pocahontas – along with her playful pals Meeko the raccoon and Flit the hummingbird – relies on the guidance of her loving and wise Grandmother Willow when English settlers arrive on the shores of her village. Her meeting with the courageous Captain John Smith leads to a friendship that bridges the gap between two cultures and changes history.

Mulan

Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-ray, Digital HD/SD, DVD

Witness true courage as Mulan breaks tradition by joining the Imperial Army – accompanied by her hilarious guardian dragon, Mushu. Relive the wonder and excitement when Mulan’s adventures lead to a climactic battle in which her family’s honor and the fate of the entire country rest in her hands!

Facebook.com/DisneyPrincess

Go Patty! One Way the New ‘Ghostbusters’ Improves on the Original

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After the bad trailer, the nerd world hue and cry, the girl power signs and all, I finally got to see the new Ghostbusters movie.

Guess what, kids? It’s pretty funny, and pretty good. I had a good time, which is considerable given the fact that I long ago said we don’t need a new Ghostbusters movie. Well, I said we didn’t need Ghostbusters 3. The second movie was bad enough.

BV125-1Lucky for me, this movie wasn’t Ghostbusters 3. They did their own thing, thanks be to the Tobin’s Spirit Guide.

I don’t even really care much to compare the two films. They’re just different.

Even though the new movie pays many homages to the old, it still is confident in its own voice of director Paul Feig and the comic talents of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. The 1984 movie is of its time regarding action-comedies in the nascent age of blockbusters, while 2016’s version ladles on the action setpieces, superheroic action and 3D-ready spectacle.

BV125-2Sure, there are ways in which Ghostbusters 2016 is not as good a film as Ghostbusters 1984 somehow figured out to be.

For one, nerdy misfit Rowan (Neil Casey) is not as compelling a villain as Zuul and Gozer.

On the page, Rowan shares the same space as Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens, as a malevolent geek in a franchise reboot hellbent on violently telling a female protagonist what the franchise really means. In the film, however, his motivation as aggrieved misanthropic weirdo lacks punch for wanting to destroy all of humanity, despite having known people on the brink of that myself.

ghostbusters-2016However, this construction of the Rowan character works best when he takes over the body of dimwit assistant Kevin (Chris Hemsworth). Some of the film’s best jokes come from Rowan living out his male power fantasy by becoming the actual Thor.

But if there’s one thing that the new Ghostbusters improves on, it’s definitely the treatment of our black Ghostbuster, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones).

Patty gets funny lines.

I was watching an episode of The Golden Girls the week before Ghostbusters was released, and Sophia had some topical (in 1990) jokes regarding her dislike of the original films. “I mean, they couldn’t give the black guy one funny line?”

Alas, poor Winston Zeddemore’s lack of jokes. The rumors of Dan Aykroyd wanting Eddie Murphy, and his presumed bevy of improvised jokes, persist to this day. Ernie Hudson, not exactly a comic actor, had the role, and played him as a layman to the nonsense/weirdness of Peter, Ray and Egon. He was the first normal person to believe the Ghostbusters. But we knew little about him.

Patty gets a backstory and interests.

Egon Spengler and Ray Stantz are dedicated paranormal scientists at Columbia University. Peter Venkman is their cynical parapsychologist buddy scamming women. Winston Zeddemore is a dude answering a want ad.

Hudson has spoken about how this wasn’t always the case when he signed on for the movie. In the original script, Zeddemore had a backstory as a Marine with multiple degrees and a doctorate, but all of that was cut.

ernie-hudson-as-winston-zeddmore-in-ghostbustersBecause he shows up as a man off the street, not a scientist, Winston is a step down from his co-workers even though he wears the same uniform and straps on the same proton pack.

What a shame. Because then the joke of Winston would have been that he was best suited to be a Ghostbuster – better than Peter, Ray and Egon combined. At the very least, the Marine part could have stayed to showcase Winston as a tactician. Instead, he’s a hired hand.

Patty offers a specific contribution to the team.

That characterization of Winston led many folks, especially black nerds (myself included), to be wary of the new film when it was revealed that Patty Tolan (Jones) would be an MTA subway worker while Abby Yates (McCarthy), Erin Gilbert (Wiig) and Jillian Holtzmann (McKinnon) were scientists.

Oh no, not again.

But then I saw the movie. Each actor plays to her comic persona: McCarthy as the overlooked wild child, Wiig as the uptight neurotic, McKinnon as the unhinged wacko, and Jones as her ‘round-the-way, keeps-it-real extended version of herself.

While I think Patty could have been a scientist like the others, I thought the movie did a good job of outlining her value to the team as an expert of New York’s layout and history. Her knowledge is crucial to the Ghostbusters solving the mystery.

Patty quickly jumps into the Ghostbusters’ world, conducting paranormal research and investing in the team. She procures the ECTO-1 and the jumpsuits. She kicks ghostly butt. She made me bust a gut yelling “The devil is a liar!” of course, but her quiet reading of “Oh no, corner full of nightmares” at the pile of manikins was just as good.

So, go Patty. And go Leslie.

BV125-5We’re living in some pretty interesting times as many Americans are consciously confronting ideas of identity and diversity.

And our pop culture and nerd world is feeling it to a heretofore unseen degree.

On one hand, it’s incredibly disheartening to see the racial bigotry and misogyny laid bare over comic books, movies and TV shows. The saga of Ghostbusters being caught up in the hate of angry white male nerds, dubbed the Ghostbros, turned an action-comedy with a feminist interest into an actual cause.

And this was before Leslie Jones got the worst of that mistreatment, as Breitbart reporter Milo Yiannopoulos called upon his nitwit horde to harrass Jones off Twitter. Mistreatment so awful that even a nerdy friend of mine who was very vocal about not wanting this movie now wanted to see it in support of Jones.

On the other hand, it’s really special to be in a time when people other than Spike Lee and women’s studies critics are noticing these dynamics, issues, problems, triumphs regarding identity and diversity as it plays out in our pop culture.

BV125-6In these times, I can read about Marvel touting that the Iron Man mantle will shift to a teenaged black girl, Marvel get questioned on how it never hired a single black female writer, and then weeks later for Marvel to announce hiring two black female writers – Roxane Gay and Yona Harvey – for a Black Panther spinoff book starring female soldiers and lovers Ayo and Aneka.

In these times, Simon Pegg and Justin Lin write Sulu as gay in Star Trek Beyond, only for George Takei to object to it because it’s not canon (aka, “that’s not my Sulu”), seemingly not anticipating the most Star Trek-ian response that it’s precisely not the original Sulu because alternate timeline. Amazing!

We can discuss how actors of color, and especially black actors, keep finding their way into blockbuster movies, but only as voices or with their faces covered in makeup and special effects or motion-capture CGI to make them into some other kind of other.

Star Trek Beyond, which I saw this week and enjoyed a lot, did this with Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella. (Boutella, who is Algerian, is already busy being covered in makeup again as the new Mummy against Tom Cruise.) They were damn good in the movie, but eesh.

Still, better than Warcraft casting Paula Patton as a half-human/half-ogre, which basically makes a real-life biracial woman into a fantasy tragic mulatto. Double-eesh.

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We can talk about genre films increasingly pitting white heroes against black or female villains, as a sign of progress or not.

We increasingly bring up the wide differences between male and female leads regarding age, as well as their pay. We can talk about how ageism affects something as benign as who gets to play Spider-Man’s Aunt May. (Marisa Tomei? Sure. Because 51 is a perfectly average age for the aunt of a 16-year-old kid, so – gasp – maybe the comics depicting a septagenarian was a bit uncommon.)

In these times, I get to talk these issues right here in this column. What a time to be alive!

Or to be undead. Because then Patty is coming to bust you, screaming bloody murder all the way.

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Flame Con, NYC’s Queer Comic Con Returns Even Bigger This Year

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flameYears ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Joey Stern, the President of the LGBT non-profit Geeks OUT.   At that time, they were a rapidly growing group of queer geeks with monthly meet ups centered around some pretty fantastic themed events. The first one I attended was called Takei Back The Night, which was a silent auction of great independent artists tributes to the actor/activist.

Full transparency here, I’m a board member now of Geeks OUT, and a founding member of our annual Flame Con, but I need to shout this from the mountaintops…

FLAME CON 2 is going to be EPIC!

Last year’s first ever LGBT comic con in New York City really exceeded our expectations. The sold out event had a few limitations, mainly due to the size. So we’ve expanded the event to two days, and this year we’re at the beautiful (and air-conditioned) Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn!

You can check out the full line-up of over 100 exhibitors, two days of full panels, special guests and more planned for the event at FlameCon.org where you’ll also find a link to purchase tickets. We encourage everyone and anyone to come check out the event

Everyone and anyone is invited to attend, plus it’s in Brooklyn, baby, and will tie you over until New York Comic Con, and just after your wallet recovers from Boston Comic Con.

Here are just some of the highlights:

Special guests on the FLAME CON 2 roster include:

  • Chris Claremont, legendary X-Men writer
  • Dax ExclamationPoint, the Queen of all Nerds from Rupaul’s Drag Race
  • Cecil Baldwin, voice of the hit podcast Welcome to Night Vale
  • Terry Blas, creator of the You Say Latino mini comic, the Briar Hollow webcomic, and cover artist on Bravest Warriors, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball and Adventure Time
  • Aimee Fleck, Lumberjanes artist, Adventure Time: Banana Guard Academy cover artist, and creator of the fashion comic Damn, Girl That Style Is Fat
  • Matthew Waterhouse, Actor and Writer (Doctor Who’s Adric!)
  • Phil Jimenez, superstar writer-artist on Wonder Woman, Justice League, New X-Men, Fairest, The Invisibles, and numerous other comics
  • Jay Justice, costumer, cosplayer, gamer, writer, actress and activist
  • James Tynion IV, writer of Constantine: The Hellblazer, The Woods, and Mimetic
  • Kevin Wada, comics couture sensation and cover illustrator on She-Hulk and Catwoman
  • Steve Orlando, DC comic author of Midnighter and Supergirl
  • Kate Leth, writer of The Bravest Warriors and Marvel’s Hellcat
  • Jennie Wood, creator of the graphic novel series Flutter and the YA novel A Boy Like Me

For more details, visit flamecon.org

Talking ‘Geeks & Greeks’ with Steve Altes & Andy Fish

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11201001_341905279341085_6727212380358318341_oJust what the heck is a ‘Smoot‘?

Visitors traveling over the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge from Boston to Cambridge, MA MIT area have been asking themselves that for years since a pledge from Lambda Chi Alpha MIT frat measured the bridge in body length and painted the increments.

These pranks, or ‘hacks’ as the MIT community calls them are a tradition that has transformed the campus and the community in some oddball ways, from the famous dome being painted like R2-D2 and a whole police car placed at the top of the thing.

Writer and MIT alum Steve Altes teamed with cartoonist Andy Fish to bring these stories to life with a Kickstarted funded graphic novel called Geeks & Greeks.

The team is here to tell us about the hacks and reminisce about more local legends like the Quincy, MA Quarries!

FOG!: Hi Steve and Andy, thanks for joining us to discuss Geeks & Greeks on Forces of Geek!

Andy Fish: Thanks for having us.

Steve Altes: The pleasure is all ours.

Steve, how did the idea come about for this book? I remember being in college myself in Boston for the infamous Police Car hack!

police

SA: When I was an MIT student in the 1980s I would tell my friends back home about the pranks and hazing that happened at MIT and they were always shocked and amazed and alarmed.

It got me thinking that if I could find a coherent through-line and emotional journey to hang these incidents on, I’d have a pretty decent story.

What can you tell the readers about MIT hacks if they are unfamiliar?

SA: At MIT a hack is a clever, humorous, technically sophisticated prank. Hacks showcase a combination of engineering prowess and anti-authoritarian whimsy, two key aspects of MIT’s DNA. A hack can help people see something in a different way, like “I wonder if I could turn this tall building into a giant playable game of Tetris?”

Steve, you mention in your intro that this exists on a ‘timey-wimey’ timeline. Meaning some of the hacks were brought into the modern age. How did it go, updating these pranks?

SA: True, our booky-wooky’s timey-wimey is sort of loosey-goosey.

* Andy slaps Steve *

Sorry.

Yes, I’ve taken certain liberties. Timelines have been altered. Hacks that occurred decades apart in real life happen in the span of one month in this story. And, of course, some incidents have been fabricated or embellished. To separate fact from fiction I included 120 endnotes that document the real-life origins of nearly every event in the book. In the end about 90% of this story was inspired by actual events that I, my friends, and fellow MIT students lived through.

I had to make some adjustments. For example, in Geeks & Greeks the Quincy Quarries are still full of water, not dirt from Boston’s “Big Dig,” because that’s how things were when I was an MIT student. On the other hand, this story is clearly set in the present since it features things like smartphones and the MIT Stata Center, which weren’t around in the 1980s.

If you’re knowledgeable enough about MIT or Boston and notice such temporal disconnects, just tell yourself that this story takes place in an alternative universe MIT/Boston, where some things are the same as today, some things are the way they were in the past, and some things are a little bit different.

I should be clear, there is more to Geeks & Greeks than pranks and hacks. You’ve got a bit of romance, lots of humor and lots of local Boston/MIT/Cambridge references. What was most interesting in doing your research for the book?

SA: It’s been really interesting talking with today’s students. The atmosphere at MIT has changed completely since I was a student. In the 70s and 80s many MIT living groups had a real Animal House mentality. That era is gone. While the playful spirit of hacking continues to thrive at MIT, many of the more abusive impulses of it’s living groups have toned down. Fraternities in particular have been forced to adapt to changing societal norms.

The worst offenders have had their charters suspended or revoked and, across the board, a more mature attitude has taken hold. Today’s MIT student is more concerned with inventing the Next Big Thing, starting a company, and changing the world than engaging in some of the more destructive hijinks recounted in Geeks & Greeks.

gg-cover-webYou’ve been hatching this idea for a long time. Care to tell us about the history of how Geeks & Greeks came to be, from a screenplay to a Kickstarter project years later?

SA: Geeks & Greeks started as a screenplay because the events were so visual I felt they had to be seen not just imagined. It’s a kinetic story with lots of chasing, smashing, exploding, climbing, rappelling, and plummeting. It just felt like a movie, rather than a novel.

But I didn’t start writing it right away. The ideas needed time to marinate, plus I didn’t really find my voice as a writer until the late-90s. Around that time I started getting bit parts in movies and I viewed that experience as a form of film school.

I started the script in 2001 and had a solid draft by 2003.

Of course, it’s really tough to get read as an unknown screenwriter, but I was lucky and got the script in the hands of Dottie Zicklin, the most successful MIT alum in Hollywood.

She produced a bunch of hit sitcoms like Grace Under Fire, Cybill, Caroline in the City, and she co-created Dharma and Greg. Being an MIT grad, she immediately got what I was trying to do with Geeks and optioned the script.

Dottie got the script read by a couple of literary agents at UTA in Beverly Hills. They said casting directors “were doing backflips over the screenplay.” Next thing you know I’m on the Warner Bros. lot meeting with producers from Heyday Films, the production company behind the Harry Potter movies.

Those were exciting times. Heyday has more money than God. They could have made Geeks & Greeks into a movie for less than they earn each year from Harry Potter Hedwig the owl action figures.

I spent a year rewriting the script for Heyday. Tighten this. Change that. Give this character more of an arc. The downside was all these rewrites were unpaid. That’s the nature of the Hollywood game when you’re a noob trying to break in. But the good thing to come out of this phase was the script got a lot better. And not just because I rewrote it dozens of times. A bunch of really smart story development execs read the script and offered their insight. Their critiques helped make the script faster, funnier, and more focused.

I got acquainted with a Hollywood term known as “development hell.” Time passed and a key person at Heyday left to start his own production company, so the script lost its champion. The option expired and Hollywood moved on to the next bright shiny object. Happens all the time.

Then in 2013 I was browsing graphic novels in a bookstore and it finally dawned on me… Geeks really ought to be a graphic novel. Like film, graphic novels are a visual medium. A graphic novel is a movie shot with ink and paper. So I pivoted. I believe in being persistent about your goals but flexible about your methods.

I turned to Kickstarter to raise funds because illustrating Geeks & Greeks was going to be a huge undertaking for Andy. Location research, character design, pencils, ink, lettering, and coloring 184 pages takes time. I couldn’t ask Andy to work full-time for a year and a half for nothing.

We were amazed at enthusiastic reception Geeks & Greeks got. People really embraced it. In June 2014 our Kickstarter raised $43,000, which at the time was a Kickstarter record for a first-time graphic novelist.

Question for Andy, we love your cartooning in the book. How did you go about sourcing references for these things? Did MIT give you some access or did Steve?

AF:  Steve arranged to get me an extended tour of the campus with a great student guide who took me to the nooks and crannies of the campus.  I spent two days there, eating meals and interacting with students. I found the place artistically inspiring and a far cry from the industrial grey I expected.  I wanted to get some of that fun and color into the book.

SA:  Andy also explored my old fraternity at 518 Beacon Street. This brownstone was the site of a lot of the mischief recounted in the book. You can tell Andy did his homework.  If you look at his panoramas of the MIT campus, the aerial shots, the Esplanade, and the Back Bay, they have an almost photo-realistic quality to them. His illustrations are like time-traveling for me.

Andy’s attention to detail is insane. If you look on page 26 there is a scene in MIT’s Killian Court, the college’s quad. On the frieze, barely visible between the trees, you can just barely make out the letters “ARC,” which is hella accurate because ARCHIMEDES really is inscribed on the actual building in that spot. Its like that throughout the book.

What is your favorite MIT hack (in the book or not)?

melonAF: Okay this isn’t technically a hack. It’s more of a high-tech fraternity shenanigan. But I’m a fan of the Watermelon launch. I like things that make a statement and having a highly pressurized watermelon slingshot into your room and explode is certainly something you’d notice.  The ratsicles is a close second.

SA: My favorite MIT hack has always been Alpha Tau Omega commandeering the SHERATON sign in downtown Boston to make it read “ATO” during Rush Week. It was so creative and gutsy and terrific advertising for them. That hack features prominently in Geeks & Greeks.

mit

What does the future have in store for MIT hacks? Have they jumped the shark or are there infinite possibilities?

AF: I hope for the sake of our society that the hacks continue. Brainiacs need pressure-releasing outlets and opportunities to challenge authority and express themselves creatively. It’s a training ground for the next generation of techno-rebels.

SA: I have faith that future generations of MIT hackers will continue the tradition. Our country’s hair-trigger terrorist alert status does present some challenges for hackers.  In 1982 MIT hackers installed a giant weather balloon underground in Harvard Stadium and deployed in the middle of the Harvard-Yale football game. Imagine the reaction today if that happened. A SWAT team would have mobilized and the hackers probably would spend a couple days being interrogated by Homeland Security.

mit2

Geeks & Greeks is available now.
For more details, or to purchase, Click HERE.

For your chance to win a digital copy of the book, please send an email with the subject header “Gimme that thing” to SteveAltes@gmail.com.

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.  Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on September 30, 2016.


FOG! Chats With david j. moore , Author of ‘The Good, The Tough, & The Deadly’

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Every cinegeek that I know not only has an expansive home video library, but also a print one as well. 

It makes perfect sense.  Although we live in the digital age, true cinegeeks understand the value and importance of physical media. 

And every once in a while a book comes out that serves as a reminder why print should never die.  david j. moore’s book, The Good, The Tough & The Deadly is not the kind of book that you pick up and read straight through (although you can), but it belongs on your coffee table or next to your bed to pick up and peruse frequently.  It’s packed with not only reviews, but also interviews and additional information about some of the most important actors and filmmakers of the genre.  It’s something that deserves to be read again and again.  That’s still something that in my opinion, digital has yet to conquer. 

Like his previous book also from Schiffer Books, World Gone Wild: A Survivor’s Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Movies, moore has crafted an essential volume for every movie lover.

moore took some time to chat with FOG! about the new book, the future of the genre and which former-Moonlighting star is not an action star.

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FOG: What was the genesis of the book?

WORLD-GONE-WILD-cover-artdavid j. moore: I’d written a book called World Gone Wild: A Survivor’s Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Movies, which had over 800 reviews in it, and after writing reviews for stuff like The Terminator, Futurekick, Cyborg, and Hell Comes to Frogtown, I realized those specific movies had a common denominator, which was what I would consider or define as an action star.

It occurred to me that no one had written a massive, all-encompassing book about action stars, and since I’m probably the world’s biggest fan of movies starring action stars, it was the obvious next project for me. I just had to define what an action star is so that the book didn’t get any more out of control than what you see it became. It’s massive.

There’s a reason guys like Bruce Willis, Kurt Russell, and John Wayne had to be eliminated. If you don’t have rules and slack on sticking to your guns, your book and your effort loses integrity.

I made very few exceptions to my own rule – like including Charles Bronson and Sylvester Stallone – because, for example, without those two guys in the book, the whole concept falls apart. Stallone is 100% an action star even though he didn’t come from competitive sports. He was a competitor in life, and as far as I’m concerned he’s a champion. Same thing with Bronson.

You set some ground rules as to which films were excluded, primarily science fiction modern superhero, sword and sorcery and historical movies.  Was this simply a matter of narrowing the number of titles or do you feel that since they are cross genre they shouldn’t be included?

Yes, this was a decision to limit the content covered. Rules are vital to keeping a reign on what you’re covering for a project this large. Something like this takes years to accomplish, and if there’s something you’re looking for that isn’t reviewed in the book, the decision to exclude it was completely mine. I know exactly what I omitted, and I can give you a completely rational explanation why the review isn’t there. I’m totally aware that I reviewed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, but no other Turtles film; same thing with Lethal Weapon 4, and not the previous Lethal Weapon movies. There’s a reason. My introduction explains everything, even if you don’t agree with my assessment of what an action star is and what I should be covering instead.

The book also features a number of interviews with stars and filmmakers.  Who do you feel are the most important stars and filmmakers today making action movies?

david with Mark Dacascos

david with Mark Dacascos

I tried to interview and engage subjects for this project that I felt were best representing the genre right now, or who have represented it really well in the past.

I tried to get a good mix of people you know and love and people you’ve never heard of, but who are on my radar and deserve to be noticed.

On the indie front, you should be paying attention to Jino Kang, who made Blade Warrior and Weapon of Choice, and in the “B” market, you should definitely be paying attention to Scott Adkins and director John Hyams and Isaac Florentine. Jason Statham is important in that he’s pretty much the last action star you’re going to see making “B” action films that get released theatrically.

Not sure how much longer he can keep that up before he starts doing movies that are relegated directly to video.

Enjoy these guys while you can. Support them. Pay to see these guys in theaters and pay for your rentals or your home video releases. Don’t stream or illegally download your entertainment. Pay for it. The consequences of not paying or supporting your entertainers goes all the way to the top and extends to the very bottom. Believe me.

Do you think that the genre has been negatively impacted by both the elimination of video stores and the evolution of CGI technology?

Yes, and yes. It also ties into what I just said. Netflix and the internet murdered an entire commerce of the movie market. CGI technology had something to do with that as well, but CGI, more than anything else, has put stuntmen, coordinators, and riggers out of jobs. When guys like Keanu Reeves, Liam Neeson, and Matt Damon started doing movies that Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme used to do, that was a big turning point as well. Why get a guy who can’t really act all that well when you can get Oscar nominated actors or whatever to do the exact same thing, only using stuntmen and clever editing techniques to disguise the fact that they can’t accomplish any real martial arts?

The guide is amazing and an obvious love letter to the genre.  Any plans to do another book or a companion to this one?

Absolutely, but now that I’ve done two in a row, I’ve shifted my focus on writing fiction. I’m almost done with a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel, and I have my next two novels mapped out. On the side, I’m slowly working on three huge movie review books concurrently. All while raising a family and making a living as a journalist and a PR specialist. I’m kind of living my dream. Sort of. So far.

 What do you think are the ten action films that everyone should see?

If you mean ten action movies with ACTION STARS, then you should see Enter the Dragon, Invasion USA, Lionheart, Above the Law, The Perfect Weapon, Supercop, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Commando, Blood and Bone, and Stone Cold.

 What are you currently geeking out over (books, movies, music, tv, comics, etc)?

Hard to geek out about anything these days, but I’m loving all of the Humanoids comic books. I like Star Wars: Rebels (but was massively angered by The Force Awakens). My favorite movie of 2016 is Sing Street. It’s also a great time to be a hardcore soundtrack collector. Everything from the last 40 years is being released onto CD for the first time these days. It’s incredible. I’m also really digging this synth wave movement.

Finally, please explain how is Die Hard not in the book?

 I think I explained that pretty well in my introduction. Die Hard doesn’t have an action star in the center of it. Bruce Willis, by the definition I had to create to keep the book containable, is absolutely not an action star. That said, in the early stages of writing the book, I did desperately want to include the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies in the book – and I even wrote the reviews to prove it – but when I’d defined the concept of what an action star is, I eliminated all but Stallone and Bronson from the actor pool who had not crossed over from the world of sports, wrestling, and other avenues where physicality didn’t play a major role in their careers before becoming actors.

Look, I realize some people are picking this book up, expecting to find reviews of Die Hard, Dirty Harry, and Escape From New York, but this isn’t that book. My original title for it was much more specific: The Good, the Tough, and the Deadly: The Complete Guide to Action Stars on Film. My publisher didn’t believe that my original title was as marketable as the one the book has now, so I get your frustration. But seriously: How many more reviews of Die Hard do we really need?

I could have included it because Al Leong is in it, but his part is so small that that would have been cheating. So there’s your answer. Read my friend Vern’s book Yippee Kai Yay Moviegoer! – he wrote a great review of Die Hard.

Bruce Willis is not an action star. Quote me.

The Good, The Tough, & The Deadly is available now
Follow david j. moore @videovalhalla85

Graphic Breakdown: ‘All-Star Batman #1’, ‘Empress #5’, ‘Superwoman #1’ & More!

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Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

The DC Rebirth is trucking along and we finally get some books that made me sit up and pay attention.

3106744-asbm_cv1_dsAll Star Batman #1 

Written by Scott Snyder and Illustrated by John Romita Jr. and Declan Shalvey
Published by DC Comics

Scott Snyder is crazy. And I love it. It shows on every page the writes. It shows on every panel even. He’s crazy all right…about making a good story we haven’t seen before and having it be the best quality he can make it.

All Star Batman fuels his craziness even more. It’s an ambitious tale and Snyder dives into it with two top notch talents in Romita Jr. and Shalvey. The price tag is $4.99 and it’s worth every penny. Snyder packs the book with narrative punch.

Snyder is finally tackling Two-Face in this book and it’s almost has the feel of a road movie. Batman is transporting Two-Face out of Gotham but a mysterious villain wants Two-Face.

Snyder crafts a great story here and it’s worth sitting up for. Romita Jr. is at the top of his game as is Shalvey. This is the best book DC Rebirth has put out. The best. If they can keep the art team and Snyder keeps the story of this quality, I daresay it’s going to be a tough book to beat. This is the book they should model the rest of the Rebirth line on. This is how it’s done.

RATING: A

1470814271_43f12144fba5b9a68d6cd016729ca2a2Action Comics #961 

Written by Dan Jurgens and Illustrated by Stephen Segovia
Published by DC Comics

Maybe Scott Snyder can try doing Superman again. It certainly would be better than this.

It’s hard to blame Jurgens or anyone really. It’s just hard to get into.

This is part five of Superman’s battle with Doomsday and it gets more dull.

That’s about all I can really say. I wish it had more spark to it. Sadly, there is very little to grab onto. I’ll bump this up in rating because Segovia handles the art very well, but not enough to elevate it.

I really want a good Superman tale. I wish someone would create one. This okay at best.  I want better than ok.

RATING: C


NSM-Cv2-ds-8581aNew Super-Man #2

Written by Gene Luen Yang and Illustrated by Viktor Bogdanovic
Published by DC Comics

This book was extremely tough for the first issue but I do believe there is an audience for it. It’s just not me.

Yang is a good writer especially for younger fans. I do believe some of them might gravitate towards this book with a different take on Superman. For me, however it’s just more of the same.

This book shows the Chinese version of Superman. And again, for young readers, it might be great. For me, it is at once hard to get into and hard to hold onto anything.

Yang writes in a very simple way. So simple, in fact I feel like I just want to bypass a few pages to get to the end.

The art is fairly decent but again, it has been done for a younger sensibility and not really me.

For the younger crowd I’d recommend this. For the rest of us, I just want to be reading a better comic book. Like immediately.

RATING: C

The-Flash-4-666x1024The Flash #4 

Written by Joshua Williamson and Illustrated by Neil Googe
Published by DC Comics

Just like that, a better comic book comes along. This book is really great, has been really great, and will continue to be really great.

The Speed Force has activated new speedsters and chaos is following. Williamson has crafted one hell of a tale and I am involved and interested to see where it goes. Issue in, and issue out this has been the most consistent, wonderful book on the stands. I love what he has crafted. I wish only Wally West was in it, but hey there’s still time.

The art by Googe is his first issue on the series. It fits and is congruent to the issues before. I loved the way it worked. This is a good solid book on a wavy line. Pick it up and follow it. You will be rewarded on a regular basis.

RATING: B+

WW+Cv4_dsWonder Woman #4 

Written by Greg Rucka and Illustrated by Nicola Scott
Published by DC Comics

This is part two of Wonder Woman Year One in the most confusing numbering of any title on the market. This is the better part of Rucka’s run. It’s actually accessible and for the most part it works.

We didn’t really need another Wonder Woman origin. But here we are and it’s not half bad. Rucka writes a good tale here. His characters are spot on. His work with Scott is much better than with Liam Sharp. It’s actually well paced and has a nice style to it. Scott does a great job of bringing the characters to life. The characters are nicely drawn and it has good, concise storytelling.

I like this storyline better than the other one going one. They should publish one at a time or perhaps as separate books. But this is good. Keep it going.

RATING: B

Deathstroke-Rebirth-1-CVDeathstroke: Rebirth #1

Written by Christopher Priest and Illustrated by Carlo Pagulayan
Published by DC Comics

Hey! I liked this book! Miracle of miracles. It’s actually hard not to like it. Deathstroke was always a favorite character growing up and I have enjoyed his solo adventures in the past.

Recently, not so much. But DC did something smart: They hired Priest as the writer.

Priest really knows how to write a good comic book.

Ever since I was a teenager, if I saw his name on a book, I knew I would be in for a solid book. He doesn’t disappoint. This is more than a solid book with tight plotting, and mart execution. I’m glad Priest is still out there.

The art is something else too. It moves the story, and is fresh and exciting. This is DC doing something right and people should pick this up… It’s a nice addition to the line. The only drawback is if you don’t really know Deathstroke you may be a little lost…but you’ll catch up. It’s worth it.

RATING: A-

swm_cv1_dsSuperwoman #1 

Written and Illustrated by Phil Jiminez
Published by DC Comics

A superpowered Lois Lane takes the stage in this book. It’s pretty bananas. It kinda reminds me of a book from the 50s…written by Grant Morrison. Oh wait. It has one of Morrison’s old mates doing the writing and art? Here we go!

Jiminez is a talent. I’m not so sure about his writing yet, but he is a talent for sure. His art is gorgeous. I kind of wish he was doing another book but I’ll take what I can get. Like a lot of DC books where the artist writes…it’s just that as good as I feel it could be. This is fun enough but it could be better. Maybe some of these artists should just focus on one of the other. Not everyone can be Frank Miller…hell, even Frank Miller isn’t even Frank Miller anymore. I would rather a stronger book rather than a throwaway.

That’s not to say everything is bad in the book. It’s fun, moves, and has some great sequences. I just think something is missing from it. a bigger point, and a stronger story.

RATING: B-

1470830505_54a65e118307c44b1933049595e38afaRed Hood and The Outlaws #1  

Written by Scott Lobdell and Illustrated by Dexter Soy
Published by DC Comics

Speaking of things that I wish has more of a point, comes the first issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws. I’m not sure why this book exists but it does. It isn’t half bad. But I just would like to know the answer of why is this book necessary?

Well, it may not be necessary, but Lobdell is a good writer and keeps things moving. Maybe they should give him the Superman titles. He takes a book of no real importance as far as I can tell and makes something of it. He keeps things interesting and it’s a cut above a lot of the other flagship titles.

Soy is a decent artist too and the two work in tandem to create a solid book. Maybe Soy is the Superman artist we have been waiting for. Rather way, this book is fun, through and through. And hey! It’s great someone found a use for Artemis again! it was great to see her!

RATING: B

1-1Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #2 

Written by Robert Venditti and Illustrated by Rafa Sandoval
Published By DC Comics

This is just another dull book on the market right now. I don’t blame Venditti. He’s a good writer. The direction is pretty unfocused.

Green Lantern is a hard book to write and an even harder book to get right. Venditti had a solid run before the Rebirth. Now, he seems to be running on fumes. It just seems I have seen this story before but done better. Hal is looking for the Green Lantern Corps for they are lost and…I already lost interest.

The art is pretty okay but the book seems to be coasting. I hope they clean it up.

Otherwise, I fear Parallax is around the corner and that guy is a dickhead.

RATING: C-

DTC-Cv938-open-order-var-2cb78Detective Comics #938 

Written By James Tynion Iv and Illustrated by Alvaro Martinez
Published by DC Comics

No writer in the history of comic book has taken as much abuse from me than James Tynion IV. Why? He’s a decent writer. A good guy. The reason? He’s my hope. We need him to step up and write better comics. So I aim to push him. Because he’s got more in him than he sometimes gives us.

Take his latest issue of Detective Comics. Part five of a story I gave up on three issues ago. Yet, here he is. Writing til the bitter end. It’s certainly a creative storyline. He writes the characters very well. It just fizzles.
Why the fizzle? The story just goes on too long and wears out it’s welcome. But I still have hope. Tynion may be the writer Batman has been waiting for. He’s not there yet.

He needs a better artist though. The art in these issues aren’t helping his cause (the first two issues were by Eddy Barrows who is very good and kept my attention.)

But come on Tynion. I know you have it in you. You have some great moments. Now write your masterpiece. I know you have it in you.

RATING: B-

Empress-5-final-1Empress #5 

Written by Mark Millar and Illustrated by Stuart Immonen
Published by Image Comics

Well, here we are. Another issue of Empress hits the stands. And it’s another fabulous issue from Millar and Immonen. I have to say, when I first heard about it I was afraid it might be something like Saga by Vaughan and Staples. But no. Millar does what he does and makes a genre his own.

This book is about Emporia who takes her kids away from their evil father. It is science fiction, and it’s pretty out there. But the design work, the characters, and the pacing are just awesome and well though out. Millar loves the genres he writes in and it’s apparent. Everything he touches shows that love, yet examines a new aspect of said genre we may not have even considered.

The art is the best of Immonen’s career hands down. In fact, it makes me a bit mad to see how good he is here and then in some other titles previous, he is just okay. This is the kind of work I want to see from him. Keep it up.

Empress is a strong book. It’s story is awesome, funny and emotional. Millar has done it again, and I can’t wait to read them all again, collected.

RATING: A

1470828741_6cf2a4e222821aae45151758d5970f2aThe Flintstones #2 

Written by Mark Russell and Illustrated by Steve Pugh
Published by DC Comics

What the living hell is going on with these Hanna Barbera characters over at DC Comics? In perhaps the strangest move any comic company has done, DC has tried to update these classic characters in brand new comics. Updated! New! Edgier! With very few exceptions they have failed miserably on this.

The title for this book is “Buyer Beware!’ and never before has a comic reader be forewarned by the book itself they are about to read. It’s is dull lifeless and kind of icky. The story is pointless. The biggest crime of this book is also the biggest crime of the entire line. You have a talent like Steve Pugh drawing the book! Pugh is an excellent artist. For gods sake put him on Superman! This silly line has fantastic people working on it such as Steve Rude, Howard Porter, Keith Giffen…put these creators on books that matter not this!

Again, this line feels kind of icky. They should really take a cue from the Archie line if that is what they wanted to do or were trying to do. You can update and be creative. Or be bold. These books are neither. In fact, they all just make me feel kind of weird overall.

RATING: D-

‘Thelma & Louise’ Return To Cinemas on 8/21 & 8/24 and We’re Giving Away Passes!

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Twenty-five years ago, in one of the greatest road movies of all time, Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon rode to everlasting fame as two women who embark on a crime spree across the American southwest in Thelma & Louise – and on Aug. 21 and 24, they’re journeying back to more than 500 movie theaters across the country.

For two days only at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time, audiences can take the wild ride with Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) all over again in a special Thelma & Louise 25th Anniversary celebration, presented by Fathom Events, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Park Circus. This special two-day-only event also includes an exclusive all-new introduction from movie critic Ben Lyons.

Tickets for the Thelma & Louise 25th Anniversary can be purchased online  by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy this event in more than 500 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website. (Note that theaters and participants are subject to change.)

Directed by action master Ridley Scott (The Martian, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator) from an Oscar-winning screenplay by Callie Khouri, Thelma & Louise is an exhilarating, full-throttle adventure hailed as one of the best road movies of all time. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis star as accidental outlaws on a desperate flight across the Southwest after a tragic incident at a roadside bar. With a determined detective (Harvey Keitel) on their trail, a sweet-talking hitchhiker (Brad Pitt) in their path and a string of crimes in their wake, their journey alternates between hilarious, high-speed thrill ride and empowering personal odyssey … even as the law closes in.

“There’s never been an on-screen pair quite like Thelma and Louise, and there’s never been a movie as fearless, exciting and provocative. Thelma & Louise is as stunning, powerful and downright entertaining as it was when it was released 25 years ago,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said.

Originally released on May 24, 1991, Thelma & Louise received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director (Ridley Scott); Best Actress in a Leading Role for both Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis; Best Cinematography (Adrian Biddle); and Best Editing (Thom Noble), with Callie Khouri winning an Oscar for her memorable screenplay.

To celebrate this momentous anniversary, we’re giving away 5 pairs of passes to FOG! readers.  To enter, send an email to with the subject header “THELMA & LOUISE” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Director Ridley Scott received an Oscar nomination for Thelma & Louise.  Although he’s never won, he’s been nominated how many times for ‘Best Director’?

Please include your name and preferred time, date and location for the winners (you can  find the locations where the film is playing so you can be sure it’s playing near you by clicking HERE.)

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on August 16th, 2016.

Movie fans also have the chance to win the Ultimate Road Trip adventure by posting a selfie with Thelma & Louise using the hashtag #ThelmaAndLouise25. Visit the Thelma & Louise “selfie-standee” in select movie theaters, and read the full contest details HERE.

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ 3D Collector’s Edition Arrives on Blu-ray in the US and Canada on 11/15

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sw3dThis fall, Star Wars fans around the world, will experience a galaxy far, far away—up close and in eye-popping 3D—through the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Collector’s Edition, rolling out beginning Oct. 31 and arriving in the United States and Canada on Nov 15.

For the first time—and just in time for the holidays—viewers can bring home Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 3D, encased in stunning, collectible packaging. The exclusive four-disc 3D Collector’s Edition contains the original theatrical release on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, Digital HD and DVD, along with originally released bonus features and brand-new bonus material, including additional deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes conversations with cast and crew and revealing, never-before released audio commentary by director J.J. Abrams*.

*Collector’s Edition configuration may vary by territory

Upon its debut last December, Star Wars: The Force Awakens received rave reviews from both critics and audiences, and shattered box office records with over $936 million domestic and $2 billion worldwide. The film has since been nominated for five Academy Awards and took home the BAFTA Award for Special Visual Effects. The Force Awakens re-ignited the Star Wars franchise and fans eagerly await the next installment, arriving in theaters Dec. 2017, as well as the first in a series of standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, premiering on Dec. 16, 2016.

Bonus features include*:

3D COLLECTOR’S EDITION BONUS FEATURES:

  • Audio Commentary with J.J. Abrams – Enter the mind of visionary director J.J. Abrams as he reveals the creative and complex choices made while developing the first film in the new Star Wars trilogy.
  • Foley: A Sonic Tale – Foley artists, consisting of old pros and new talent, unite to bring the world of Star Wars: The Force Awakens alive through the matching of sound to action.
  • Sounds of the Resistance – Hear how the epic sound design of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” moves the Star Wars legacy forward.
  • Deleted Scenes – View never-before-shared scenes that didn’t make the film’s final cut.
  • Dressing the Galaxy – Costume Designer Michael Kaplan reveals how the costumes of the original Star Wars movies were re-envisioned for a new generation.
  • The Scavenger and the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – The two new stars share the thrill of working together on the adventure of a lifetime and becoming part of the Star Wars legacy.
  • Inside the Armory – Take a fascinating tour through the design and creation of the weaponry in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
  • Classic Bonus Features – These offerings from the April release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, include the complete story behind the making of the film, an unforgettable cast table read, insights from legendary composer John Williams and deleted scenes, as well as features that dig deeper into the creation of new characters such as BB-8, the design of the climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren, the film’s remarkable digital artistry and the Star Wars: Force for Change global aid initiative.

Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer. New bonus content is available in the 3D Collector’s Edition package only.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the eagerly anticipated reteaming of original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels, the only actor to have been in all seven Star Wars films, and Peter Mayhew. The returning cast was joined by newcomer Daisy Ridley, who beat out fierce competition to take the principal role of Rey; BAFTA Rising Star Award winner John Boyega (Attack the Block, Imperial Dreams) as reluctant stormtrooper Finn; Emmy nominee Adam Driver (Lincoln, Girls) as the villainous Kylo Ren, and Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, The Bourne Legacy) as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt. Lucasfilm president and eight-time Academy Award nominee Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams, along with his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, are the film’s producers.

Having established a musical legacy with his iconic scores for the previous six films in the Star Wars saga, acclaimed composer John Williams returned to score Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ultimately garnering his 50th Oscar nomination for it.

Original Hellboy GN, ‘Into the Silent Sea’ Arrives in 2017 From Mike Mignola, Gary Gianni and Dave Stewart

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unnamed(10)Next spring, Dark Horse Comics will publish an original graphic novel, Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, co-written by legendary Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, co-written and illustrated by Eisner Award-winning artist Gary Gianni and colored by award-winning colorist Dave Stewart. Following the events of the classic story “The Island,” Hellboy sets sail from the wreckage of a deserted island only to cross paths with a ghost ship. Taken captive by the phantom crew that plans to sell him to the circus, Hellboy is dragged along by a captain who will stop at nothing in pursuit of a powerful sea creature.

Gary Gianni has previously collaborated with iconic writers including George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury and Michael Chabon and teamed up with Michael Kaluta to work on the classic pulp hero, The Shadow. Gianni is best known the creator of the Monstermen series, which appeared as a back-up feature in Hellboy. He also illustrated Prince Valiant, the syndicated newspaper comic strip, for 8 years. Gianni will illustrate Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, with colors by Dave Stewart; Mignola will provide a cover, with colors by Stewart.

“I imagine if Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea were a movie, the Hollywood hyperbole would describe it as Hellboy’s greatest adventure,” said Gary Gianni. “Yes… it’s Hellboy as you’ve never seen him before, laughing , loving and battling his way across the stormy seas! You’ll be thrilled as he faces cosmic forces terrorizing a haunted ship manned by a desperate crew! Be sure not to miss Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, the biggest comic book event of the year!”

Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea is the third Hellboy original graphic novel, following the classics, Hellboy: House of the Living Dead by Mignola, Richard Corben and Stewart (2011) and Hellboy: The Midnight Circus by Mignola, Duncan Fegredo and Stewart.

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Pre-order Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea on Amazon and Penguin Random House.

 

‘The Prequels Strike Back’ Doc Gets a Trailer, Screening Info

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The Star Wars Prequels Trilogy is the most debated chapter in cinema’s greatest franchise. But what if moviegoers were only examining the films from a certain point of view? Filled with commentary from passionate fans and scholars of cinema, The Prequels Strike Back follows the travels of a bewildered fan (Bradley Weatherholt) as he attempts to unlock the method behind cinema’s most controversial trilogy and George Lucas, the even more controversial man behind them. He must unlearn what he has learned and look at the polarizing saga like never before.

Also appearing in the film is Kevin Smith, Matt Singer, Bob Clark, and Doug Adams.

The Prequels Strike Back will celebrate its theatrical premiere at the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas on October 6 at 7:30 p.m, with a pre-show at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available now and will include a Q&A session with Bradley Weatherholt and appearances from the famed 501st Legion. A ticket purchase comes with a digital download of the film and other goodies, depending on the time the ticket is bought.

For more details visit
Site | Facebook | Twitter
#UnlearnthePrequels

‘Pete’s Dragon’ (2016) review

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Produced by James Whitaker
Screenplay by David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks
Based on Pete’s Dragon by Malcolm Marmorstein
Directed by David Lowery
Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley,
Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence,
and Robert Redford

Pete’s Dragon is a work of art, and when I say this, I literally mean Pete’s dragon—the green, giant, winged creature named Elliot that plays such an obvious and important role in the grand context of Disney’s latest family film.

A reimagining of the same studio’s 1977 live-action/animation hybrid, Disney breathes excellent new life into this story in all the right ways—beginning with, of course, the dragon.

Elliot is a product of remarkable visual CGI fabrication and even more astounding sound design, which combine to create a fantastical being who feels undeniably real, personable and rich. Close-ups of Elliot’s expressive eyes bring a perfect duality of spines chills and hearth warmth, as do his equally communicative cadences of growly purrs from deep down in his belly.

Just these efforts alone deserve recognition. Luckily, they exist in a film that consistently matches these qualities in nearly every way.

Directed by David Lowery (2013’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) from a debut screenplay by Toby Halbrooks, the film follows the adventure of a 10-year-old boy named Pete (fantastic newcomer Oakes Fegley, playing his take on a less-annoying version of the kid from last year’s Room).  Six years after a car crash claimed the lives of his parents (tastefully and uniquely filmed, by the way), Pete is discovered in the woods and taken in by small town forest ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), her fiancé Jack (Wes Bentley) and his daughter Natalie (Oona Laurence).

Only problem? Pete’s been living the past six years in the woods with his best friend, Elliot—an entity who until now was known only as the “Millhaven Dragon,” a fiction promoted through the yarns spun to neighborhood children by Grace’s father, Meacham (Robert Redford).

The trajectory of conflict occurs when Elliot is discovered by Jack’s brother, Gavin (Karl Urban), and his motley crew of construction workers currently tearing down trees in the forest for redevelopment. Gavin is a pretty thinly written villain, spewing cliché lines like “Boys, let’s go hunting!” and “That’s my dragon!” all while Urban delivers a scowl better suited to his role as Bones in the newest Star Trek films.

Thankfully, the movie doesn’t lose itself too much in this conflict, nor does it get wrapped up in some shoehorned environmental message (a worry I had early on as Bryce Dallas Howard walked around the forest, sadly shaking her head at all the trees marked with red spray paint). No, Pete’s Dragon is far more focused on elements of love, bonding, family and community—and these target zones accumulate into something truly grand. Lowery directs the film with a folksy, intimate vibe that turns the small town of Millhaven into a character in and of itself, while you can detect an almost Altman-esque capturing of all the townsfolk, even those without lines.

But this is Pete and Elliot’s story, through and through, as well as what this boy and beast (or, dog, if you will, considering Elliot’s canine-like personality traits) bring to the family of Grace, Jack and Natalie.

Here is where Pete’s Dragon finds its raw emotional power, and it’s all encapsulated in my very favorite scene from the movie, and one of my most cherished cinematic moments so far this year. It follows an action sequence of peril where lives were at risk, and the aftermath pinpoints exactly what this movie is all about—love.

When the major characters are reunited, Grace runs to her father. Jack runs to his daughter. And Pete runs to his dragon. All embraced in hugs while the score swelled and I wept softly in my seat.

 


Olive Signature Collection Announces ‘The Quiet Man’ and ‘Night of The Grizzly’

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Olive Signature is a new series of DVD/Blu-ray titles for the loyal Olive Films fan. Highlighting cult favorites, time-honored classics, and under-appreciated gems, each Olive Signature edition boasts a pristine audio and video transfer, newly designed cover art, and an abundance of exciting bonus material.

 

THE QUIET MAN – OLIVE SIGNATURE
Available on DVD & Blu-ray

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JOHN WAYNE  (Rio Grande, True Grit, Sands of Iwo Jima)
MAUREEN O’HARA  (Rio Grande, Miracle on 34th Street, McLintock!)
BARRY FITZGERALD  (Going My Way, Union Station, Silver City)
WARD BOND  (Johnny Guitar, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Maltese Falcon)
VICTOR MCLAGLEN  (The Informer, Rio Grande, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)

Directed by
JOHN FORD (Rio Grande, The Searchers, How Green Was My Valley)

YEAR: 1952
GENRE: ROMANCE, DRAMA
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with Optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME:  129 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO:  1.37:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO
OLIVE SIGNATURE FEATURES

  • Mastered from 4K scan of original camera negative
  • Audio commentary with John Ford biographer Joseph McBride
  • Tribute to Maureen O’Hara with Ally Sheedy, Hayley Mills, and Juliet Mills
  • “Don’t You Remember It, Seánín?: John Ford’s The Quiet Man” – a visual essay by historian and John Ford expert Tag Gallagher
  • “Free Republic: The Story of Herbert J. Yates and Republic Pictures”
  • “The Old Man: Remembering John Ford” – an appreciation of the director with Peter Bogdanovich
  • “The Making of The Quiet Man” – Written and hosted by Leonard Maltin

Sean Thornton (John Wayne, Sands of Iwo Jima), an American boxer with a tragic past, returns to the Irish town of his youth. There, he purchases his childhood home and falls in love with the fiery local lass, Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara, Rio Grande). But Kate’s insistence that Sean conduct his courtship in a proper Irish manner with matchmaker Michaleen Oge Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald, Going My Way) along for the ride as chaperone is but one obstacle to their future together; the other is her brother, “Red” Danaher (Victor McLaglen, Rio Grande), who spitefully refuses to give his consent to their marriage, or to honor the tradition of paying a dowry to the husband. Sean couldn’t care less about dowries or any other tradition that might stand in the way of his happiness. But when Mary Kate accuses him of being a coward, Sean is finally ready to take matters into his own hands. The Quiet Man would go on to win two Academy Awards in 1953, including Best Director (John Ford) and Best Cinematography and received five more nominations including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (McLaglen).

 

THE NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY – OLIVE SIGNATURE
Available on DVD & Blu-ray

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CLINT WALKER (The Dirty Dozen, The White Buffalo, The Great Bank Robbery)
MARTHA HYER (Sabrina, Houseboat, The Sons of Katie Elder)
KEENAN WYNN (Once Upon a Time in the West, Shack Out on 101, Nashville)
NANCY CULP (Shane, Sabrina, TV’s The Beverly Hillbillies)

Directed by
JOSEPH PEVNEY (Tammy and the Bachelor, Cash McCall, TV’s Wagon Train)

YEAR: 1966
GENRE: WESTERN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with Optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME:  102 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO:  2.35:1 Aspect Ratio; COLOR
AUDIO: MONO

OLIVE SIGNATURE FEATURES

  • New High-Definition digital restoration
  • Audio Commentary by film historian Toby Roan
  • “Blood on the Claw: How Cheyenne Bodie Became a Movie Star” – an essay by C. Courtney Joyner
  • “The Legend of Big Jim Cole” –  interview with Clint Walker
  • The Night of the Grizzly World Premiere archival footage
  • “At Home with Clint Walker and His Home Gymnasium” – archival interview

Adventure is the name of the game in the action-packed, western-tinged The Night of the Grizzly. Clint Walker (The Dirty Dozen) stars as “Big Jim” Cole, a former lawman who trades his badge for rancher duds when he inherits land in Wyoming. But no sooner has the Cole family begun settling into their new life when nature — in the form of a blood-thirsty grizzly bear — rears its ugly head. Adding to the terror and tension are a group of envious neighbors who want the Cole property for themselves, and the unwelcome return of an outlaw from Big Jim’s past who’s out for revenge. Directed by Joseph Pevney (Man of a Thousand Faces), The Night of the Grizzly features a who’s-who of great character actors including Keenan Wynn (Once Upon a Time in the West), Jack Elam (Hannie Caulder), Leo Gordon (Hondo) and Ron Ely (TV’s Tarzan).

‘Dark Horse Comics/DC: Superman’ TPB (review)

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Dark Horse Comics/DC: Superman
Written by Chuck Dixon, Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Jon Bogdanove, Mike Allred,
Kevin Nowlan,Carlos Meglia
Colored by Dave Stewart,
Greg Wright, Laura Allred
Cover by Kevin Nowlan, Jon Bogdanove
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: August 3, 2016
EAN 978-1-50670-214-8
Price: $24.99

The year is 1995 and like many teenagers entering high school, football practice, parties, social status, pro wrestling, (which didn’t bode well for my social status) and that pesky thing called homework occupied my time and took me out of the comic book game.

That didn’t stop me from noticing the onslaught of promotional material, whenever I would walk by my local comic book shop for the first DC/Dark Horse crossover featuring the Man of Steel and the Alien Xenomorphs from the film series.

For the first time, the Dark Horse Comics/DC: Superman, a 400-page trade paperback version of this intergalactic smackdown as well as other cross company collaborations featuring Superman, has been released just in time for the 30th anniversary of the sci-fi blockbuster Aliens.

Featuring a cover promoting Superman fighting Aliens seems a little misleading, as I was surprised that the second half of the book has nothing to do with the Alien franchise. The stories of Superman/Tarzan: Son of the Jungle and Superman/Madman Hullabaloo do little to augment the event advertised on the cover. Superman vs. Aliens and the 2002 sequel Superman vs. Aliens: God War spearheads this collection.

Part one sees Superman intercept a Kryptonian distress call from Lexcorp. This leads to an investigation in space where Superman discovers a floating city, believed to be Argo City, and far away from a yellow sun. He also finds a lone survivor named Kara who fills him in on the horrific state of affairs. Before you know it, Xenomorphs come out of the woodwork forcing the Last Son of Krypton to endure his own horror-filled nightmare of survival.

Superman is portrayed here to have discovered Argo City and Kara, aka Supergirl, for the first time. These two items are deeply entrenched in Superman mythology so any die-hard fan knows that something doesn’t quite add up.

It would have been better to have some mystery surrounding why there is this blonde girl claiming to be Superman’s cousin, however, it might have diluted the narrative of this non-continuity story that is designed to appeal equally to fans of both franchises. Casual Superman fans might know about Krypton’s off-shoot of a city, while casual Alien buffs know all they need to know about these scary, acid-bleeding creatures.

Dan Jurgens knows Superman better than most primarily because, well…he killed him. So, he was the perfect choice to create a tension-filled situation where the world’s most powerful superhero is mostly depowered and trapped like a rodent hiding from a python. Superman’s fear of death and failure ultimately strengthens his resolve to survive.

While he would like to do it without compromising his no kill rule, you can feel Superman’s anxiety rising with each turn of the page as the raw ruthlessness of the Xenomorphs brings him closer and closer to making an exception and ripping their heads off.

I found myself begging Supes to break his rule, just once, and wipe out the whole lot of them because I’ve seen the movies and know that these creatures can’t be bargained with or co-exist with another species.

Spoiler Alert: Superman wins in the end, but the lasting impression that the Alien’s left on his soul can be considered a moral victory because they lived up to their horror icon status by putting another icon through sheer terror. Superman/Aliens: God War is the less interesting sequel that was released in 2002. Superman is chilling with the New Gods on New Genesis. Meanwhile, Darkseid happens to come into possession of some Alien eggs and unleashes an attack using his Paradeamons as Xenomorph carriers to slaughter his immortal foes.

Chuck Dixon failed to provide any balance that put DC Comics and the Alien franchise on equal footing. The script felt rushed and the Xenomorphs were nothing more than Darkseid’s mindless pawns. The emotional payoff for those who read the first book was perfectly executed as the dialogue and illustration showed a mortified Superman realizing that his friends from the fake Argo city are back.

He rages into “never again” mode as he destroys every Alien in sight. Orion accompanies Superman to face the Xenomorph queen where the morality of his no kill rule suddenly comes into play after he used his heat vision to burn up quite a few Aliens five pages earlier. Darkseid plays a role in the book’s finale, which sets up for another sequel that never came to fruition.

The second half of this collection, Superman/Tarzan: Son of the Jungle along with Madman Hullabaloo are generic yarns that are predictable and carry no engaging narrative content. Madman fans might enjoy the zany story and artwork, but it didn’t gel for this Superman fan.  Dark Horse should have just released the two Superman/Aliens stories as a separate volume because it would have felt like more of a cohesive collection. The book also omitted the 2000 release, Superman vs. Predator, which makes this “collection” instantly incomplete.

The first chapter was a fun read and God War produced a couple of good moments but the overall package fails to excite and adequately compensate Superman and Alien aficionados to their desired result.

Diamond Select Toys In Stores This Week: Batman, Captain America, Muppets & TMNT!

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It’s a new week of new releases at your local comic shop, and Diamond Select Toys has delivered some of our most highly anticipated products of the year! Not only is this the first day you can buy the second series of Muppets action figures and the last two figures from Captain America: Civil War, it’s also the launch date for new PVC dioramas of Batman and Spider-Gwen, plus Minimates from Gotham and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the return of the Jack Skellington Coffin Doll!

Read on for details, then reserve yours at your local comic shop, of order them online!

 

Batman The Animated Series Gallery Batman 9” PVC Figure

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A Diamond Select Toys release! He is vengeance! He is the night! He is Batman, the first Batman: The Animated Series Gallery figure from DST! Based on his appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, this 9-inch scale static PVC figure of Batman depicts him alighting on a rooftop, with a Batarang at the ready. Batman is in scale to previously released Femme Fatales PVC figures, including Batgirl and Catwoman, and is sculpted with a high level of detail with exacting paint applications. Packaged in a full-color window box. Sculpted by Varner Studios! (Item #FEB162458, SRP: $45.00)

 

Gotham Minimates Series 3 Rise of the Villains Box Set

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A Diamond Select Toys release! It’s time for some bad guys, as this all-new Minimates box set brings you three villains (and one hero) from the latest season of the hit Fox TV show, Gotham! Former mayor and cultist Theo Galavan, his assassin sister Tabitha (a.k.a. The Tigress), and Tabitha’s partner-in-crime Barbara Kean face off with new Gotham City police chief Nathaniel Barnes! Each 2-inch Minimates mini-figure features 14 points of articulation, as well as character-appropriate accessories and fully interchangeable parts. Designed by Art Asylum! (Item #MAR162253, SRP: $24.99)

 

Marvel Gallery Spider-Gwen 9” PVC Figure

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A Diamond Select Toys release! One of the most exciting new characters in the Marvel Universe is now part of one of its most exciting new collectible lines! The Amazing Spider-Gwen, a spider-powered, hard-rocking Gwen Stacy from a parallel universe, gets the Gallery treatment with this 9-inch scale static PVC figure! Posed on the side of a New York brownstone, Spider-Gwen is sculpted with a high level of detail and exacting paint applications. Packaged in a full-color window box, she is in scale to other Gallery and Femme Fatales PVC figures. Sculpted by Jean St. Jean! (Item #MAR162236, SRP: $45.00)

 

Marvel Select Civil War Movie Captain America Action Figure

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A Diamond Select Toys Release! Whose side are you on? In Captain America: Civil War, the Sentinel of Liberty comes down on the opposite side of the law, pitting him against Tony Stark’s Iron Man in a superhero battle for the ages! This 7-inch action figure of Cap features him in his newest uniform, as seen in Civil War, and features 16 points of articulation, as well as a detachable shield and an Avengers Base diorama section. Collect all three Civil War figures to build the full diorama! Packaged in display-ready Select figure packaging, with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. Sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! (Item #JAN162253, SRP: $24.99)

 

Marvel Select Civil War Movie Winter Soldier Action Figure

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A Diamond Select Toys Release! Whose side are you on? In Captain America: Civil War, Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, joins his old friend Steve Rogers in opposition to Iron Man and other Avengers, leading to a superhero battle for the ages! This 7-inch action figure of the Winter Soldier features him in his newest look, as seen in Civil War, and features 16 points of articulation, as well as a rifle accessory and an Avengers Base diorama section. Collect all three Civil War figures to build the full diorama! Packaged in display-ready Select figure packaging, with side-panel artwork for shelf reference. Sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! (Item #JAN162252, SRP: $24.99)

 

Muppets Select Action Figures Series 2 Asst.

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A Diamond Select Toys release! Time to take another bow! The second series of Muppets action figures is even more exciting than the first, with new characters, new accessories and drums, drums drums! Electric Mayhem drummer Animal comes with his drum kit, scientist Bunsen Honeydew comes with his assistant Beaker, and hecklers Statler and Waldorf come with chairs and a balcony! Muppets are in scale to other Select action figures, and range from 3-5 inches tall. Each set comes packaged in display-ready Select figure packaging, with side panel artwork for shelf reference. Sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! (Item #MAR162246, SRP: $24.99)

 

Nightmare Before Christmas Unlimited Jack Skellington Coffin Doll

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A Diamond Select Toys release! Jack is back! The original, limited-edition Jack Skellington Coffin Doll is sold out, but this new version of the Nightmare Before Christmas star brings him back to the stores with a new facial expression, a new coffin, and the same real clothes and poseable skeleton body! Measuring approximately 16 inches tall, this doll looks like it just stepped off the big screen – and into a coffin! Packaged in a quality cardstock coffin, this doll includes a display stand. (Item #MAR162254, SRP: $49.99)

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Minimates Series 5 Foil Bag Counter Display

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A Diamond Select Toys release! The Ninja Turtles are trapped in space, and the toys are out of this world! Blast off with a new assortment of Minimates mini-figures based on the latest season of Nickelodeon’s hit cartoon series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Eighteen foil bags each contain one of nine different Minimates: Space Raphael, Space Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Space Casey Jones, a Kraang, a Salamandrian and rare, one-per-case figures of Hamoto Yoshi and Space April O’Neil! Each Minimates mini-figure features up to 14 points of articulation and fully interchangeable parts, as well as character-appropriate accessories. Designed by Art Asylum! (Item #MAR162249, SRP: $5.99/ea)

Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!

 

FOG! Chats With A. Lee Martinez, Author of ‘The Last Adventure of Constance Verity’

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There’s a new pulp heroine in town, debuting in The Last Adventure of Constance Verity, the newest book from A. Lee Martinez, the acclaimed author of Gil’s All Fright Diner and Monster.

Ever since she was granted a wish by her fairy godmother on her seventh birthday, Constance Verity has become the world’s great adventurer. She is a master of martial arts, a keen detective, and possesses a collection of strange artifacts. Constance has spent the past twenty-eight years saving the world, and she’s tired of it.

She sets off on one last adventure to reset her destiny and become the one thing she’s never been: ordinary.

The only thing standing in her way is her destiny to have a glorious death.

A. Lee Martinez took some time from his busy schedule to discuss the book, his influences, the nature of sidekicks and more.

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FOG!: Your new book, The Last Adventure of Constance Verity feels like a love letter to pulp heroes. What was the genesis of the character?

A. Lee Martinez: I love taking ideas that have been rejected and working with them. I also love hyper-competent pulp heroes, which have fallen out of favor. It makes sense since it’s hard to make “perfect” characters relatable, but I think we’ve settled into the opposite problem with characters that are so flawed that they’re hard to root for. Constance was born of a desire to defy all those expectations. She’s extremely competent, extremely skilled, but still relatable while being someone to root for. She isn’t perfect, but she’s also not so deeply flawed that you would have trouble considering her a “good guy”. I think of her as a logical evolution of the pulp hero archetype, updated but not deconstructed.

Verity was blessed/cursed with an adventurous life, granted by her fairy godmother during a birthday wish on her seventh birthday. The book references years of adventures. Did you plot out a timeline of these events for reference before or while writing the book?

The premise behind the book is that Constance has been having near constant adventures since the age of seven. She’s thirty-five when the book begins, and if you do the math, that’s a lot of stuff to keep track of.

Too much. I kept track of the references sprinkled throughout the story of her previous adventures, but even then, I didn’t sweat the details. Connie’s life was so crammed with awesome experiences that there’s a lot of repetition. She’s been to outer space dozens of times, fought every conceivable version of Cthulhu, done every variation of time travel. Her past is a jumble of adventure tropes. If it sounds overwhelming and confusing, that’s exactly how it’s meant to sound.

The Last Adventure is the first part of a trilogy of novels. Is this the first time you’ve written a character in more than one book and what about Constance inspired you to continue her story?

It’s my first series. My previous ten novels were all standalone stories set in separate (often incompatible) universes. There’s some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it crossover stuff with cosmic monsters, but that’s more for my enjoyment than anyone else. I wanted to write a trilogy because it was a new experience for me, and also, I thought this was an idea worth exploring beyond more than one book.

Most of my books could have sequels, but they weren’t designed with it in mind. Constance and her world was deliberately considered with a trilogy in mind. Each book is meant to stand on its own, but also ties into a larger character arc for Connie and her supporting cast.

Verity has been both a hero and a sidekick. What does a hero know that a sidekick doesn’t and vice versa?

The line between hero and sidekick isn’t always clear. Traditionally, sidekicks were often there just as a plot device, someone for the hero to explain the plot to, someone to look up to the hero, someone to be taken hostage so that the hero doesn’t look incompetent. We’ve come a long way since then, and characters like Robin and Lois Lane have become more capable, more equal to their heroic counterparts.

Now a sidekick tends not to be so much of a plot device as a necessary acknowledgement that it’s nice to have backup, even if your hero is practically invincible. A big part of the ongoing arc of the trilogy isn’t just about Constance finding her balance as a hero and a regular person, but about her best friend Tia evolving from plot device to full-fledged sidekick.

What authors or books have had the biggest influence on your work?

For the Constance Verity, all the classics of pulp are obvious influences. Everything ranging from weird science to two-fisted tales and horror tales. I love Edgar Rice Burroughs and his tales of adventure. I love Walt Simonson’s classic run on Marvel’s Thor. Beyond that, I love classic monster movies, cartoons, and so many things I grew up with. If I would say there’s anything that defines my writing, it’s that I never really grew out of those things. I love them with the same passion I had as a kid. My goal is always to bring that passion while making them interesting to a more adult audience without losing the charm.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can discuss?

Some stuff I’m not sure I’m supposed to talk about. Maybe some TV stuff, maybe some movie stuff. Emphasis on the “maybe” because it’s a weird business. Beyond that, I’m working on the next Constance Verity books. After that, I don’t know. One day a time, right?

What are you currently geeking out over?

The new Voltron on Netflix is pretty awesome. Not crazy about the cliffhanger ending of the season, but otherwise, I ended up enjoying it immensely. I’ll always give a shout out to Atomic Robo by Red 5 Comics, which remains one of the steady pleasures in my dwindling comic buying habit. And Overwatch. So so much love for Overwatch. It’s even hit my productivity a little bit, but I find I don’t care. I should, but I don’t.

The Last Adventure of Constance Verity is available now
For more details, visit aleemartinez.com

Shout! Factory TV Presents ‘Power Morphicon LIVE’ Sunday August 14

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image003It’s Morphin Time! Shout! Factory TV presents Power Morphicon LIVE, a live streaming event from the 5th bi-annual Power Morphicon fan-run convention. Hosted by Brian Ward of Shout! Factory, Power Morphicon LIVE will offer fans of the iconic series an insider’s view of the event, featuring live interviews with cast and crew from the convention floor, bonus features from Shout! Factory Power Rangers releases, and other highlights from Power Morphicon 2016. Viewers can tune in to this special marathon event on Sunday, August 14th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT, on PowerMorphiconLive.com.

The live stream will originate from the Power Morphicon floor at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA. Fans of Power Rangers can join the conversation using the hashtag #PowerMorphicon while they watch.

Tune in and participate in the fandom on:

Twitter: @ShoutFactoryTV

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoutfactorytv

Following the live event, the stream of Power Morphicon 2016 will be available for evergreen viewing on Shout! Factory TV, alongside the complete stream of Power Morphicon 2014.

Saban’s Power Rangers franchise is the brainchild of Haim Saban, creator and producer of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers hit series that launched in 1993. Following its introduction, Power Rangers quickly became the most-watched children’s television program in the United States and remains one of the top-rated and longest running boys live-action series in television history. The series follows the adventures of a group of ordinary teens who “morph” into superheroes and save the world from evil. It is seen in more than 150 markets, translated into numerous languages and a favorite on many key international children’s programming blocks around the world. For more information, visit www.powerrangers.com.

Shout! Factory TV’s Power Morphicon LIVE will be streaming from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (PST) on Sunday August 14th at PowerMorphiconLive.com and on Pluto TV, CH 515. For mobile, tablet and connected TV devices the marathon is accessible via the Pluto TV app. The marathon is also available via Pluto TV in the living room (Roku players, Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Android TV devices, Chromecast and Apple Airplay), on the go (apps for iOS, Android and Amazon) and at your fingertips on PC’s, Mac’s or on the web.

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