THE LIES Part 4

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Liam Sharp
Cover: Liam Sharp & Laura Martin
Variant: Jenny Frison

The prisoners pray for rescue and their prayers are answered as Wonder Woman and Cheetah fight off the canine beasts. Diana questions Christopher about the ARGUS soldier presence. They explain they are hunting for a warlord called Andres Cadulo.

Cadulo had been kidnapping girls across the region in an effort to free Urzkartaga and give him a human form. Commander Candy has sent through intel that he is capable of doing it. Cheetah reveals Steve Trevor has been taken to be a ritual sacrifice to Urzkartaga.

Diana decides to delegate a team, the men with stay behind to return the girls home while the women with deal with Cadulo.

Diana questions the ritual and Cheetah fills in the gaps. Urzkartaga was always tended to by women slaves and one subject to the Cheetah curse to be his bride. He was angry that Barbara wasn’t a virgin but the curse was already in place so he had no choice but to follow it through. Diana thinks something in the story doesn’t ring true but waits to see if it plays out.

Meanwhile Cadulo recites an anciant spell and the vine and moss covered figure of Urzkartaga slowly growls and returns to life much to a captive Steve’s horror. Cadulo offers his body as a host for the creature to become human and the two begin to merge.

Wonder Woman meanwhile has other ideas ands smashes through Urzkartaga seemingly killing it and mortally wounding Cadulo. Diana and Steve share a rare moment of affection before Cadulo instructs the canines to attack. This is the moment Cheetah attacks and incapacitates the entire army and straddles Cadulo ready to administer a killing blow. Diana reaches out to her to knock out the warlord instead of killing him but even as she does Urzkartaga has reformed and attacks Wonder Woman.

The creature fights Wonder Woman and during the fight she realises that it is frightened of the women, and that Cheetah isn’t his protector… but theirs!

The girls weren’t his worshipers they were his wardens. Urzkartaga had lied to Cheetah all along.

Diana hurls her lasso to Cheetah and so she and the remaining girls bind the creature killing it instantly with the magic of its protection.

The magic does one final thing, now that Urzkartaga is dead Barbara is human once more. The lies however cannot be erased and Barbara is devastated by what she did under the monsters influence.

Diana comforts her friend, it is finally…

The End.

STORY: 4/5

The finale of this particular arc is a satisfying one but didn’t do much in the way of story progression to the overall narrative Rucka has been building over the past few months. It was all about tying up lose ends and with that modus operandi it really delivered a great payoff and put yet another spin on the lie theme. It made Cheetah a tragic figure once more, and she has always been at her deadliest when conflicted.

I would have liked Steve and Diana to have had more than a few panels interaction but as mentioned this was more about ending this particular story thread.

I am loving what Rucka is doing with the series. Wonder Woman is soaring to new heights!

ART: 4/5

The format of panels makes the pages overly complicated. The art feels more restricted in those bamboo bars than is possibly the intent. This is a real shame as there are some spectacular panels of art that  just feels like it need to breathe.

COVER: 4/5

Long time readers know how much film poster style covers really appeal to me. So though I would prefer Diana to be more of a focal point this is one cool scenario that looks like once of those 1930’s serials, just with better production values.

VARIANT: 5/5

YIKES! You’re a Wonder, Wonder Woman!

Jenny Frison delivers a fantastic interpretation of the Amazonian Princess!

I can’t say anything bad about it. It’s a full 5/5 from me!

THE POISON TRUTH Part 2

Writer: Simon Oliver
Artist: Moritat
Cover: Moritat
Variant: John Cassaday with Paul Mounts

Mercury and Swamp Thing confide in one another, discussing how John Constantine, the search for Abby, how John could help them and how their journey will take them to The Rot…

Elsewhere John is reading the daily tabloid rag on the toilet.

Chas tells John that Renee wont return home till he leaves.

John hands Chas a roll of money to put a bet on as no bookie will allow him to bet these days and just like that Chas is John’s dogsbody once more.

Chas’ black cab drops him off in the centre of London and John reminds him to place a bet on ‘Boris Johnson’s knob’ but to avoid suspicions on placing a winning bet he shouldn’t do it at his local.

Skulking in the shadows John comments on recent times, for some reason his return to London has either gone unnoticed or something much bigger was in the pipeline. Considering his recent supernatural battles on an epic scale, the latter sent chills through him.

John sneaks into the Tate Club to meet Clarice Sackville. A woman of status and power in London’s supernatural hierarchy and hopefully some answers.

Clarice instead tells him that someone that was intending to banish Nybbas but had been denied the act because of Constantine wants to thank him.

Sackville refuses to reveal her new business partners identity but tells John that they want a meeting.

John refuses the invite with his usual flair leaving a sneering Clarice behind. From the shadows a man named Marid appears. Marid is angered at Constantine’s refusal to meet him. Clarice advises him to make John believe he has the upper hand and use John’s arrogance against him. She proceeds to question him about Marid wanting to find Swamp Thing too. Marid snaps and swears to punish her is she is lying.

John stops into a pub and sups a pint but notice that some odd looking twins have been following him everywhere he goes. He sneaks off to the toilets only for them to follow but gives them the slip by hiding in the barrel cellar then through a busy street market.

Satisfied he’d given them the slip he is shocked to see them now in Leicester Square then into a busy underground station. Everywhere he looks there they are so John decides to find his old friend Map.

Sneaking into a service area he finds a secret passage to a hideout, only upon opening the door, a spiral staircase that wasn’t there in years past greets him. The stairs begin to fade and John plummets into darkness…

To Be Continued…

STORY: 4/5

It is a nice change of pace, having John back in London.

John Constantine is really at his best when he is in England and his best stories have always reflected that.
The sleeper style of this story add intrigue and a longer mystery to unfurl, for those familiar with John’s past its comes as a great change of pace. Many of the mainstream stories watered down John and his history, It is nice to be able to see him getting some ways back towards familiar territory.

Not having him face a might foe right off the bat might be off putting to many. It is against the mainstream comics mantra after all, but I’m glad that they haven’t gone in that direction. I honestly believe John never should have been migrated to the DCU proper as it distilled the character to a shadow of his former self and amped up the demon factor. That really wasn’t what he was all about.

Hellblazer was always for the darker audience and though there is a dash too much humour it feels like he is on track for some great stories once more.

ART: 4/5

Moritat’s art is an odd duck – in a good way. It certainly fits the book with an original style and a kooky creepiness in some of its deliberately detail lacking panels. It certainly isn’t the norm, the art feels suited to the book and I really like that it gives it a feel very separate to the average book in the DCU.

COVER: 3/5

Considering the artist on the inside is the same as that on this exterior, I just can’t see a relationship between them. I know it illustrates aspects of the book, it just feels divorced from it.

VARIANT: 4/5

I love this cover.

Just like I mentioned with the shift in storytelling, this cover is really symbiotic with that change of pace and style.

DEJA BLUE

Writers: Keith Giffen & Scott Kolins
Script: Keith Giffen
Artist: Scott Kolins
Cover: Scott Kolins
Variant: Cully Hamner

Jaime is skimming over his origin to Brenda. How in his dream he had witnessed an attack on a strange psychic plane with a giant blue beetle and its fight with Doctor Fate.

The dream has been plaguing Jaime for a week and always ends in the destruction of both the beetle and Fate. Brenda urges him to brush it off, the only Blue Beetle is Jaime in the suit and he has never even met Doctor Fate.

As they enter the school they remember it is Career Day and the first speaker is Ted Kord.

He gives the students an inspiring talk and offers them a potential place at Kord Industries in the future.

Jaime watches from the crowd, unimpressed.

At the end of the school day Brenda, Paco and Jaime are all bickering over who to apply to from all the potential career paths presented to them. They are so busy they don’t notice that a girl in their class has been left all alone after trying to attract their attention all day.

The trio also don’t notice till it is too late that Ted Kord is blocking their path home talking to a street gang called The Posse. The kids about turn and bump directly into Teri Magnus, an assistant of Kord’s and Jaime is led away in Ted’s buggy while Brenda and Paco watch helplessly.

Ms. Magnus expresses an interest in testing Jaime’s friends for exposure effects to the Scarab embedded in Jaime but the teen cuts her off and asks why Kord has ‘abducted’ him. As they pull into a garage Ted promises to reveal all once they get to their destination.

They climb into the Bug, Ted’s technological super vehicle and soar skyward.

Ted reveals that the street gang The Posse are secretly meta human and had divulged that several ex students of Rio Grande High School have vanished.

Jaime transforns and jumps out of the Bug to investigate the possible location they are being held.

Jaime is reluctant to believe a tip from The Posse but as he nears the location he finds the front door smashed in. Ted taps into the suit tech and asks Jaime to try activating a scanner to search for the missing. Jaime is angry that Ted is continually holding back on information.

A shadowy creature emerges clad in armour and rags. It proceeds to attack Beetle and accuse him of stealing the missing people. Ted reveals the creature is called Nightshade, an old foe from when he was the Blue Beetle. Nightshade can somehow move in and out of shadows as if they were doorways.

Ted tells Jaime Doctor Fate has been invading his dreams. Jaime is so angry he doesn’t notice Nightshade swallow him up whole till it is too late. The two struggle in the shadows with his foe expressing worry for his family but ultimately Blue Beetle is able to break free and knock the now normal boy Alex out for the count.

The Posse appear transformed to their meta personas and thank Jaime for capturing Alex but renege on the deal they’ve made with Kord.

Jaime and a weakened Alex could be in major trouble!

To Be Continued…

STORY: 5/5

I’ve always been a fan of Batman Beyond. The dynamic in the show (not the book sadly- thought that might change now?) was pure brilliance. The formula with Ted quipping and sniping in Jaime’s ear is a fun twist on that. Much like it is with Firestorm but this is far more playful and far from teacher and student. Perhaps it’s unfair to draw comparisons but as this is the newest take it definitely draws from those sources but offers up a comedic twist to  it.

Their constant bickering keeps the story flowing despite there honestly being not a lot of it. The fun is the characterisations and I hope as the issues go on they find a happy medium to grow into a team and that the stories become more in depth. Right now I’m happy to see where this goes and am confident in Giffen and Kolins, I hope the momentum continues!

ART: 5/5

There is a definite flavour of Jack Kirby sprinkled into the book. The art practically screams the influence but at the same time it is unmistakeably Kolins at the helm with the stunning art chores. At times the art looks like screen grabs from a cartoon series. I like that, it gives you an immersive feel to the book…

COVER: 3/5

I know I’m not the core demographic and this cover makes it feel like more of a Young Animal imprint. It does burst with fun and energy, as a first issue should but at the same time it feels more childish and with less attention to it than the interior art. In my mind it’s the inking but I could be wrong.

VARIANT: 4/5

The Cully Hamner variant also bursts with similar energy but there is a significant amount of detail comparing the two covers. I find this once more appealing and more in tonal synchronicity with the interior.

SUPERMAN, MEET CLARK KENT – part 2

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Pat Zircher
Cover: Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey & Dan Jurgens
Variant: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson

Clark is freezing, Superman has brought his double to the Arctic, to the Fortress of Solitude. Superman knows he is Clark White, previously Kent, this double however seems human and unaware of who Superman really is.

Superman leads Clark inside what his double deems a ’glorified man cave’.

This Fortress is the former property of the New 52 Superman, during his final year his dual identity  was exposed and Clark reappearing led Superman to believe that perhaps he had come back to life.

This Clark is bewildered by the Kryptonian legacy represented in the Fortress and the AI speaking to Superman. The Man Of Steel instructs Kelex to retrieve the ‘Globe Of Revelation’ but this angers Clark, who was brought to the Fortress under the pretence of a talk.

Clark tells Superman that Geneticron is out to get him and that the Superman he has replaced knew that they were up to no good and that’s why he had stayed hidden for so long. Superman is adamant that the Globe will reveal the truth and Clark is frustrated that Superman wont listen to his story.

Superman admits to Clark his story seems shaky and Clark retorts that he finds t equally bizarre that one Superman dies and a seemingly older brother takes his place. Doing a scan of Clark physically he sees that Clark really broke his arm and that the icy cold is really getting to him… could it be that this Clark is really a human? Clark realises that the unusually stern Superman believes he is the dead Superman come back from the dead an reluctantly allows the Globe to probe his mind.

Meanwhile in Metropolis a guard at Geneticron is watching for Clark at the loading bay. After signing off from his radio he is attacked by a mystery assailant who places a strange device to the side of the loading bay doors and activates it.

Superman is astounded that Clark has a history close to his own with only slight differences. His parents were killed in a gas explosion but as the sole survivor he was adopted by The Kents. He lives a loving and full childhood with his closest friends Lana Lang, Pete Ross and Kenny Braverman.

He joined The Daily Planet, grew to team up with Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, but during an investigation into Geneticron. The previous Superman offered to trade places with him as they shared a resemblance so they could take down the company but then he lost most of his powers and died not long after, Clark came out of hiding too late to say goodbye to his friend…

Superman asks Kelex to verify the Globe’s findings and to his shock Clark is shown not only to be telling what he believes to be the truth but he is also not kryptonian or a meta human.

Clark asks why Superman conducted such an invasive procedure and why him being Clark Kent frightens the Man of Steel. Clark decides to flip the investigation back onto Superman and questions who he really is.

Superman tells him that he IS Superman, just another from another time and place that wants to continue the mission of his namesake on this Earth. He asks that Clark spread the message that he is someone they can count on to fight for truth and justice.

As a final gift Superman hands Clark a signal watch identical to Jimmy Olsen’s.Kelex interrupts with news he was able to access Geneticron’s data network and reveals that they were holding Doomsday and one other prisoner. They deliberately released Doomsday to attack Superman and Metropolis.

Clark is glad that Kelex has backed up his story so Superman and the intrepid reporter return to Metropolis to get the answers they need from the shady corporation. They are too late it seems as the device seems to have completely ‘stolen toe entire facility down to the foundations.

Superman swears to Clark and Jimmy that he will find the answers  they seek and find out exactly what Geneticron were up to.

The next morning Clark Kent publishes his story “My Day With Superman” and in it reveals that Superman had placed him in hiding and falsely revealed himself as Clark Kent to protect him from a dangerous story he was working on. He points out a dual identity, living two parallel lives is absurd and that he has a broken arm and high blood pressure to prove he is definitely not Superman.

He goes on to reveal that this Superman isn’t the same as the one who died but is just as courageous and heroic as the one they lost. He ends the story telling the world that he may be a mystery but Superman is someone they are fortunate to have.

While the world reads on, Superman returns home to show Lois and Jon he has built a secret passage with a hidden Supermobile to get them a mile away from the house at super speed, ensuring they can come and go from the Smith Farm in Hamilton County without being seen.

Elsewhere a man enters a hotel, he is the same one that attached the mysterious device to Geneticron and as he shuts the door what appears to be Apokolips appears in a glowing portal, however upon its surface is the shield of the House of El.

To Be Continued…

Not sure what to make of it.

The Globe of Revelation? He had a device to rival Diana’s Lasso but never ever made use of it? I don’t buy that, but its part of a larger scheme to repair the damage built up in storylines such as H’el, Doomed & Truth.

I found myself really disliking Clark and even more when I read his irresponsible article. The story not only reveals to the public that this is not Superman but a new ‘imposter’ and one with secrets, therefore making him a focus for prying eyes and curiosity. If he believed half of what he published , the story would never have been published beyond admitting he wasn’t Superman – which was already dealt with last issue.

Both Superman and Clark were way off kilter character wise, even wth the internal monologue something felt off. Until the short scene with Lois and Jon I really wasn’t sure the issue was worth it.

It seemed to cause more problems for Superman than it solved and that was before the Geneticron side story then moves the overall arc along.

ART:4/5

It is a really beautifully illustrated issue. I always love scenes in the Fortress and the mysterious goings on lead to some really well illustrated pages.

However… pages 16,17,18 & 19 stunted the flow. I can see what they were trying to do but the news article overlaying the art just felt like a rush job that could have been better thought out at least in my mind. Overall it is still a great issue in the art stakes but since there are a lot of monologues it seems odd that they didn’t continue that throughout.

COVER: 5/5

What a cool symbolic cover, unravelling the mysteries for Clark, Kal El and the general public in a three pronged series of revelations.

It’s an eye catching cover that has just the right amount of mystery to it.

VARIANT: 3/5

A strange riff on the Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo Da Vinci. Not entirely sure it works, not as strongly symbolic as the main cover and a rare misstep for this titles variant covers. It is illustrated well, coloured well, but just feels like an odd interpretation of the story inside.

Dean Haspiel’s latest original comics creation lands on the scrolling pages of the Line Webtoon (browser and app) and introduces a new superhero universe in New Brooklyn. The Red Hook takes elements of Silver and Golden Age heroes, borrows from modern art and takes cues from Scott McCloud’s Reinventing Comics. 

By releasing content weekly, the webcomic is not like anything you may have seen before. The pages tell their story by scrolling continuously from top to bottom on your screen (tablet/phone/computer screen), stopping at the chapter markers.

The setting is New Brooklyn, a borough seceding from the rest of the world that is not unlike Batman’s No Man’s Land storyline. The American flag has been replaced by a white flag, not of surrender but independence.

The Red Hook himself, our titular hero has a checkered past, a thief who redeems himself after being blessed with special powers. His female partner, The Possum first face off against Benson Hurst in a great art heist. One concession that New Brooklyn begs for your to grasp is that the only currency in this new world is art. Finally, art has value in the world!

At this point, Hook and Possum are criminals facing off against criminals like the luchador clad Benson Hurst, but that soon changes as Red Hook gets a change of heart, quite literally.

Stan and Jack would be proud of the names of the characters and plot points in the story. You don’t need to be a New York native to get the jokes, you have probably seen enough television to cover the main neighborhoods in Brooklyn referenced.

What Dino has done here is made a complete but not complex story, establishing a world of comic book heroes that can expand into a larger world, and will with the help of offshoot New Brooklyn stories from Vito Delsante & Ricardo Venacio (The Purple Heart) and Shamus Beyale & the late Seth Kushner (The Brooklynite).

The Red Hook comic is the catalyst to our brave New Brooklyn.

There are a total of 26 chapters, and since the pages are so tall, it’s hard to give the comic a page count. Eschewing traditions of both the comic book page and the web comic model, The Red Hook sets itself apart in both format and tone. The author doesn’t know this, but my favorite CBR and PDF readers allow for this continual scroll from the top of one page to the next, so obviously I enjoyed reading the book.

Why is that important? Perhaps it isn’t, but the pacing of the pages works in such a different way, a novel way, an expressive way that fits with the art and lettering.

With lots of negative space to allow words to breathe and fade away like true sound, and moving top to bottom rather than left to right, and not being surprised by a page flip and final page reveal is really quite a different comic book reading experience that McCloud addressed in his academic distillation of a comic book future.

Online or device pages or virtual pages for the well informed can go up/down/left/right/deep into a third dimension or so on. I’m not here to rehash the work of Scott McCloud, but I can say that this is the distillation of this idea and the best execution I have seen in years.

Back to the story of Red Hook himself, who gains a superpower and a powerful sword in the story. Going from Bad Guy to Good, he also mimics part of Daredevil’s origin story (or Battlin’ Jack’s!). The Red Hook isn’t a rehash of old Marvel or Dean’s work on Archie’s The Fox. While there are similarities and some Kirby-as-Genre stylistic choices, this is the most unique to market independently published comic since the pay to play model of Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin’s The Private Eye.

The artist was able to provide us with today’s installment, the final chapter in advance of publication if we were sworn to secrecy. And of course, after retina eye scans and pints of blood samples we saw today’s conclusion. All we can say is ‘wow’. The end of the story opens up to a larger world (it is comics after all) and sets up New Brooklyn heroes in a relatively clean sandbox to play in. Art is currency. Thieves are now heroes. New Brooklyn has been born, and I for one can’t wait to see what else is hiding in that particular Borough.

Cheers to Dean Haspiel for this accomplishment, and stay tuned to WebToons for more.

To read The Red Hook from the very beginning, click HERE!

Follow Dean on Twitter @deanhaspiel

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown! It’s Wednesday so lets celebrate and talk about comic books.

Batgirl #3 

Written by Hope Larson
Illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque
Published by DC Comics

The Beyond Burnside storyline continues in this issue. Batgirl sets off to Korea for some hijinks. There is a second villain with the mark of “The Student.”

But what does it all mean?

It means this issue and the previous two issue were quite enjoyable if somewhat slight. Larson is a fine writer. She has a good handle on the Batgirl character and surrounding characters.

The art by Albuquerque is the real draw here. He almost seems too good for this book. The storytelling is wonderful don’t get me wrong. But maybe he should be on a more high profile title?

This is a solid book. It doesn’t do anything new, but sometimes that’s okay. I enjoyed it and it is worth the cover price.

RATING: B

Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1 

Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Ryan Sook
Published by DC Comics

This book was one I was looking forward to. I am glad they are keeping the adventures of Terry McGuinness going as I loved the animated series. This is a great jumping on point, too.

Jurgens actually impressed me as a writer on this title.

It is appropriately nuts and has a bunch of imagination. The ending may have pushed it a bit far (I won’t spoil it) but sure, why not? I appreciate this issue.

The art by Sook is great, and he’s got this world down perfectly. Sook is one of those creators who you wish would have a solid run on something. I hope he comes back often to drawn on this title(I think Bernard Chang takes over next issue)

So a good start. Let’s keep it up. I’ll be cheering this title on.

RATING: B+

Deathstroke # 3 

Written by Christopher Priest
Illustrated by Joe Bennett
Published by DC Comics    

I just love this title. Priest makes the further adventures of Slade Wilson something I haven’t seen before. He makes him relatable. Yet, he is still a fierce killer, not to be messed with.
This is Priest’s fourth issue and I can honestly say this is the best run on Deathstroke ever. The writing is crisp, sharp, and just feels NEW. This issue is a story with Deathstroke and the Ravager. It’s super.

The art by Bennett is capable but nowhere as well done as previous issues. Still, these issues are coming out so fast it would be hard to draw every issue.

This is one of the top titles in DC Rebirth. Check it out now.

RATING: A-

Detective Comics #941

Story by James Tynion IV and Steve Orlando
Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Andy Macdonald
Published By DC Comics

Steve Orlando. Where did this guy come from? Well, wherever it is, he’s taking DC by storm. His latest is a crossover with all the Bat titles. How is it?

Well, it’s crazy. And I love it. Night of the Monster Men is a nice crossover that’s is full of energy and spark. Orlando really understands these characters and seems to be having a ball putting them through their paces.

The art is pretty bold and fit’s the story like a glove. This is a nice slight Batman tale that, while it won’t be classic, still is a joy and that’s what comics so desperately needs these days.

Good stuff.

RATING: B+

Frostbite #1  

Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander
Published by DC Comics

Being a Vertigo title used to mean something. Nowadays, not so much. Vertigo used to be a house of amazing writers and artists that created cutting edge comic books. It’s been years since we’ve had that.

Now, it may be a Rebirth of that with this title.

With Frostbite, the Earth has entered into it’s second Ice Age.

Humanity has learned to cope with the frozen landscape. Heat is power, and gangs are looking for it. On top of that, a terrible disease called Frostbite that freezes people instantly.

Once you catch it, there is no immunity, no cure.

Dr. Henry Bonham has found a cure with his daughter.

And they have to travel the landscape to Mexico City to save humanity.

The writing is awesome. It’s intense. And the art is fantastic. This is the Vertigo of old. Full of ideas and passion. This could be be a great start. It’s have more like this.

RATING: A

The Flash #7  

Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine Di Giandomenico
Published by DC Comics

So let me start by saying the cover to this issue is one of the best I have seen in years. I want a poster of it. It’s friggen awesome.

So I started off on a high note. I felt like a kid again. And then I read it. And once again, Williamson did it. This book is great. Well crafted and written. He’s shaping one hell of a Flash run…and on Barry Allen no less!

The Flash fights Godspeed and it’s exciting! This is how the Flash should be! Fast, crazy. That last page though? That’s a stunner.

If you read this Flash run you’re missing out. Come see what I’m fussing about.

RATING: A-

Suicide Squad #3 

Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Jim Lee and Phillip Tan
Published by DC Comics

The biggest waste of comic book space is Suicide Squad presently. Let’s just reboot the whole thing. This is the third issue and I’m so bored with the main story (The Jim Lee one) that I can’t even focus on it. It’s dreadfully dull and the 12 pages in this issue he gives us are a snooze.

The Suicide Squad fight Vandal Savage. Yay. It’s boring. The end of the segment evens ends EXACTLY like the previous issue but with a new villain. Zzzz.

The Phillip Tan portion fares much better. It’s a story of Katana. The story is okay but the art is really good.

Still the Jim Lee portion is so poor I have no choice but to give it this rating:



RATING: D+

AND THE REST:

Titans # 3  
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Brett Booth
This was actually great. Booth keeps the energy up on this issue and it’s a good story. The Titans run is enjoyable as hell and this one ups the ante. Recommended.
RATING: B+

Hal Jordan and The Green Lantern Corps #5   
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver
Let’s hope they wrap this up soon. Or that Venditti and Van Sciver move on soon to other things. They are both past their expiration date on Green Lantern and it shows. Two talents, both just going through the paces.
RATING: C-

Six Pack and Dog Welder #2 
Written by Garth Ennis
Illustrated by Russ Braun
Garth Ennis continues to tell a wacky tale. I like the title of this book is called “Heckblazer.” I laughed out loud for this. And this was fun. Pick it up.
RATING: B

Wacky Races #4 
Written by Max Pontac
Illustrated by Leonardo Manco
This is like Mad Max Fury Road…you know without any invention, charm or wit. Pity poor Manco, a talented artist who does good work here…with nothing else to inspire it.
RATING: D

Split Lip is an anthology of short horror comics written by Sam Costello and drawn by artists from around the world. All stories are self-contained, so you can start reading anywhere. Fans of The Twilight Zone and weird fiction will enjoy these stories, but beware—keeping the lights on can’t keep you safe from dangerous ideas.

And to celebrate Split Lip‘s 1oth anniversary, Sam is Kickstarting a limited edition hardcover, What Lies inside, which includes 13 stories (5 remastered), 50+ pages of new material, interviews, and more.

Sam took some time to discuss the award winning web series, the Kickstarter and his influences with FOG!

###

FOG!: It’s the 10th Anniversary of Split Lip. For readers unfamiliar with Split Lip, what is is?

Sam Costello: Split Lip is an anthology of dark comics written by me and drawn by artists from around the world. All the stories are totally self-contained, so there’s no order to the books or stories. Readers are free to discover the stories they like the best in any order. The stories range from 5 to about 30 pages and cover all kinds of dark topics: cannibalism, cancer, ghosts, monsters, bugs, new gods, and more.

You’re launching a Kickstarter campaign to produce a hardcover collection including 13 stories. So far you’ve published 45 stories. What made you select the ones included in the book?

When planning the book, I wanted to give a good overview of these first 10 years of Split Lip. My partner, who is very smart about these issues and has been right so many times that I try to adopt almost all of her ideas now, suggested I should pick out the key themes of the series and then pick the stories that best represented them. With that idea in hand, I broke the book down into 4 sections: Supernatural, Monsters and Creatures, Tragedies, and Hell Is Other People. Each of those represents one facet of the kind of horror I’m interested in and the kind of stories I like to tell at Split Lip. With those themes in place, it wasn’t too hard to come up with the 13 stories.

What was the original genesis of Split Lip?

There’s a good reason I reference The Twilight Zone a lot when talking about Split Lip: the original idea for the series came to me when watching that show. A couple of years before I started writing Split Lip, I was watching one of the 24-hour TheTwilight Zone marathons they have on the SyFy Channel at the holidays.

As I watched episode after episode, I became really taken with the idea of a single voice, Rod Serling, being the driving force behind such a rich, diverse, and expansive series (I know now, of course, that Serling wrote maybe 60% of the series, not all of it, but I think the idea stands. There’s no questioning that The Twilight Zone speaks with Serling’s voice no matter who wrote an individual script).

My first thought was, “I should adapt Twilight Zone stories to comics!” But then I thought it would be better to try to tell new stories in the same format and tradition. I put the idea aside for a few years and worked on publishing minicomics and getting short comics accepted to anthologies with not that much success. After enough frustration, I decided to stop waiting for others to publish my work and decided to start a webcomic. The old Twilight Zone idea popped back into my mind and I was off and running.

The Kickstarter describes Split Lip as Twilight Zone style comics. Are you a fan of the series and what writers have influenced your work?

I think we know the answer to the first question! As to influences, they range across media, including: Shirley Jackson, Clive Barker, Brian Evenson, Joyce Carol Oates, and Dan Chaon in fiction; Emily Carroll, Josh Simmons, Grant Morrison, EC Comics, and many others in comics; all kinds of directors and movies, from Wes Craven to John Carpenter to J-horror like The Ring, The Grudge, and Audition to some of the New French Extremity films to recent American indies like Resolution and At The Devil’s Door; in TV, Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal; elsewhere, these days I like thinking along with Andrea Subissati and Alex West of The Faculty of Horror podcast.

The stories have all previously appeared online; have you ever had interest in developing a longer narrative?

I do and hope to work on those in the relatively near future. Trevor Denham and I have had discussions about expanding the story we worked on for this book, “See No Evil,” into a miniseries. I also some stories set in the same world that I’ve been tinkering with for years. I don’t know when it will come, but I expect much longer Split Lip stories someday.

Can you tell me about some of the collaborators you’ve worked with over the years? Do you write the story first and find an artist to match the story or do you write with a particular artist in mind?

I usually write the story first. Generally, when writing the story I have an idea of the kind of art I want to bring the script to life and write with that in mind, but it’s relatively rare that I have a specific artist already in place. In a few cases, usually with people I’ve collaborated with before, we’ll discuss the story before I write, or a least finish, the script. I often take ideas for scenes, character designs, dialogue, etc. from artists and incorporate them into the stories.

In one or two cases, such as “The Tree of Remembrance” (which isn’t in this book), I wrote the script closer to Marvel-style and let artist Nelson Evergreen decide on the panels, pagebreaks, etc.

Do you have any favorite stories that you’ve written?

That’s so tough. I don’t think I have a single favorite, but I do have ones that I’m particularly proud of. Some of the recent stories—Doll’s House, See No Evil, Victims, Unsub; all of which are in the anniversary book—are good examples. I feel like I challenged myself in those and succeeded in what I set out to do.

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

I find myself listening to a lot of Emily Jane White these days. I always listen to a ton of Mountain Goats, Willie Nelson, and some Gillian Welch.

The TV show I can’t get out of my head right now, and that I always look forward to finding the time for, is The Kettering Incident. It’s an Australian show a lot like Twin Peaks—sometimes uncomfortably so. I don’t quite know how good it is yet, but I do know that it’s captivating and there are vanishingly few TV shows that can be so tense and menacing in their quiet, subtle scenes. I’m hoping to get some time to see the new Blair Witch soon; I loved the first one.

In comics, I’m geeking out over the new Split Lip stories I’m writing. I’ve been really busy over the last year or so and haven’t had much time to write. I’ve been making a lot of notes, though. Now I finally have the time to do something with those notes and it’s so much fun. I can’t wait to get those stories out into the world.

OOn the heels of its strong summer theatrical release, RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) is set to release the acclaimed Black Label Media/SeeThink Films documentary,  BREAKING A MONSTER exclusively on iTunes on Sept. 27, 2016, two weeks ahead of its release on other platforms. Directed by Luke Meyer (Darkon), BREAKING A MONSTER chronicles the breakout year of the band, Unlocking the Truth.  It follows 14-year-old members Alec Atkins, Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins as they first encounter stardom and the music industry, transcending childhood to become the rock stars they always dreamed of being.

BREAKING A MONSTER on iTunes will include never-before-seen deleted scenes that give an intimate look at life on the road with Malcolm, Jarad and Alec and a behind-the-scenes photo gallery of the band Unlocking the Truth as they take the heavy metal world by storm.

Unlocking the Truth was the youngest group in history to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The group also performed at the AFROPUNK FEST, SxSW, and was the youngest band to play at the 2014 Vans Warped Tour. The trio has opened up concerts for Guns N’ Roses, Motorhead, Queens of the Stone Age, Living Colour and more, while also earning spots in commercials for AT&T, Beats by Dre, Maybelline and Verizon.

This beautifully illustrated book revisits the classic Warner Bros. film The Iron Giant, with unprecedented access to rarely seen development art and storyboards from the Warner Bros. archives.

When the film arrived in theaters, it was hailed as an instant classic.  The Iron Giant is the tale of an unlikely friendship between a rebellious boy named Hogarth and a giant robot.

Featuring the voices of Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel, James Gammon, Cloris Leachman, Christopher McDonald, John Mahoney, Eli Marienthal, and M. Emmet Walsh, The Iron Giant is considered one of the classic animated gems of the era, offering a beautiful mix of hand-drawn and CG animation.

The Art of The Iron Giant takes an in-depth look at the making of this modern classic, featuring interviews with the director and talented members of the creative team who worked tirelessly to bring their vision to the big screen. Including never-before-seen images, concept art, backgrounds, and storyboards, this deluxe volume provides fascinating insight into the creative process in addition to offering a sneak peek at some of the alternative images and plotlines the filmmakers considered throughout the process. The book also highlights the development of the two new scenes that were remastered and finished for inclusion into the Signature Edition released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on September 6, 2016.

The book showcases the brilliant work of Brad Bird and his expert team of masterful artists, The Art of The Iron Giant is a must-have companion to the movie and a wonderful testament to the enduring magic of this animated classic.

For more details visit insighteditions.com

Produced by Pamela Lubell
Written and Directed by Brendan Toller
Starring Danny Fields, Alice Cooper,
Iggy Pop, Tommy Ramone,
Jonathan Richman, Jac Holzman,
Judy Collins, John Cameron Mitchell

It is very likely that the first time I encountered the name ‘Danny Fields’ was while reading No One Here Gets Out Alive, the seedy biography of Jim Morrison.

Danny Fields had been the ‘company freak’ at Elektra Records, and convinced the promotions department to release ‘Light My Fire’ as a single.

Soon, The Doors were on their way to success. Danny Fields was on his way to something simultaneously more vague and more interesting.

Danny Fields, a powerfully intelligent child born in Queens, NY in 1939, grew up to be one of the quiet taste makers of the The 20th Century.

His resume is intimidating: in addition to breaking The Doors in America, he worked with Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground; he signed and The MC5 and The Stooges to Elektra Records during his hitch at the company; he introduced Iggy Pop to David Bowie; he hung around with The Beatles, despite not being a huge fan of theirs; he managed The Ramones.

He was America’s top secret barometer of cool for about 40 years.

Danny Says is the much-anticipated documentary film about our hero. Mr. Fields comes across as low-key and hilarious, deadpanning his way through anecdotes about having to hide an inebriated Jim Morrison’s car keys. The film is charming and fun, and never depends on nostalgia.

In fact, Mr. Fields is a man who has spent his entire life looking towards the future.

The scene in which Danny plays a tape recording of him playing The Ramones’ debut for an ecstatic Lou Reed is worth the price of admission, by itself.

Rating: A+

Danny Says is now playing in theaters and On Demand

Netflix in October offers a small sampling of the creeps and critters we have come to expect in the Halloween month, but instead focuses on iconic films and more original programming than you can shake a stick at.

If you are tired of monster movies and sudden scares, you have Holly Golightly, Ferris Bueller and General George S. Patton to keep you company on this round. So while we are sad to see the Back to the Future franchise go, we welcome Oscar winners galore and a heaps of original goodies to take its place.

OCTOBER 1

Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)

Ice Cube and the hair cutting crew take on gentrification while continuing to destroy his early street cred with mediocre family friendly fare.

Blue Streak (1999)

Martin Lawrence is a convict who hides out as a cop in an effort to find a diamond he hid at a former construction site/current police station. Hijinks ensue.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Blake Edward’s iconic classic starring Audrey Hepburn as the original manic pixie dream girl Holly Golightly. Also perhaps the best single movie tie-in in the history of the world.

A Cinderella Story (2004)

Hilary Duff. Need I say more?

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age opus that introduced the world to Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Joey Lauren Adams, Anthony Rapp as high school students in the ‘70s looking for a place to party.

Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief (2008)

A young vet help the president with her ability to talk to animals.

Yeah. I didn’t know about this one either.

Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997)

A not-really true story of the two Brit cousins who claimed to meet fairies. Great little family flick with Peter O’Toole, Harvey Keitel and blink-or-you’ll-miss-him Mel Gibson.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

The greatest teen movie ever made.

AKA: A kids’ introduction to John Hughes by parents who suddenly remembered that there is bad language and possible boobies in all of this other pics. Or who don’t want to explain the plot of Weird Science to a 10-year-old.

Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

Gregory Peck plays a reporter who goes undercover as a Jewish man to get a first-hand account of the antisemitism in the big city. Drama took home three Oscars.

Ghost Town (2008)

Ricky Gervais plays a dentist who can see ghosts.

Grizzly Man (2005)

Werner Herzog’s astounding doc on conservationist and animal activist Timothy Treadwell, who was killed by the Alaskan grizzly bears he dedicated his life to protect.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Prior to the McConaissance, moviegoers had their patience tested with frivolous rom-coms starring the future Oscar winner.

Millennium (1989)

Kris Kristofferson investigates the mysterious crash of two jetliners that was caused by time travelers who kidnapped the passengers. Also has Cheryl Ladd plays a futuristic warrior. Written by disenchanted sci-fi scribe who now hates Hollywood (completely true statement).

If this movie was any more ‘80s it would come with shoulder pads.

Murder Maps (Season 2)  

A docudrama series that explorers the darker parts of London where serial killers and mass murders used to lurk.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree (2016)

Congratulations Deviant Artists on this windfall.

I weep for the future.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Sergio Leone’s classic Spaghetti Western that pits Charles Bronson against Henry Fonda, with Fonda playing the black hat this time. A masterpiece.

Oriented (2015)

Documentary that focuses on a trio of Palestinians who examine their cultural identities.

Patton (1970)

Biographical epic about the WWII war hero General George S. Patton that earned Oscars for everyone involved.

Picture This! (2008)

High school girl disobeys dad to go to party. Starring former stars from the Disney Channel and actors you forgot about as their parents.

Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997)

It’s Winnie the Pooh. Another bounty from that Disney-Netflix deal.

The Queen of the Damned (2002)

Awful adaptation of Anne Rice’s How-To-Goth manual that left fans angry, upset and confused. Featuring the final performance of the late, great Aaliyah, who should not be remembered for this drek.

Quiz Show (1994)

Robert Redford’s opus about the 1950s quiz show scandal, in which winners and losers were provided with the answers to create better ratings.

Robotech (1985)

Anime TV show that was a major part of any childhood for those on the tail end of Generation X.

RV (2006)

Robin Williams goes Griswold.

Saving Mr. Wu (2015)

Criminals kidnap a movie star in hopes of a big payday. Based on the true story of cast member Wu Ruofu.

Snake Eyes (1998)

Before he saw the bottom portion of the deep end, Nick Cage starred in a series of decent thrillers. In this one, he’s a shady copy in Atlantic City.

Snow Day (2000)

Kiddie movie about..um, a snow day.

Sphere (1998)

Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah star in this thriller about a futuristic spaceship that is discovered at the bottom on the ocean. Just a weird little sci-fi movie with no suspense and a batshit insane cast.

Three Kings (1999)

David O. Russell’s black comedy about American soldiers (George Clooney, Ice Cube and Mark Wahlberg) on the hunt for Saddam Hussein’s hidden gold.

Titanic (1997)

Jack. Rose. Giant sinking ship. The meme that launched a thousand parodies.

Unforgiven (1992)

Perhaps one of the best Westerns ever made. Clint Eastwood faces off against Gene Hackman as an aging gunslinger who signs up for one last job.

The Uninvited (2009)

Horror pic about two sisters who find themselves at odds with their unpleasant stepmother and the ghost of their beloved mother.

Without a Paddle (2004)

Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Shepard go camping to honor a dead friend. Spoiler: They suck at it.

OCTOBER 3

Dheepan (2015)

A trio of Sri Lankan refugees flee to France in search of a better life.

OCTOBER 4

American Horror Story: Hotel  (Season 5)

The very best of the AHS, featuring Lady Gaga-Angela Bassett make-out scenes, kiddie vampires, a veritable who’s who of serial killers and crossover galore.

Chevalier (2015)

Drinking buddies take things a wee bit too far while on a boating trip in this Greek comedy.

Dartmoor Killing (2015)

Twisted thriller about two BFFs whose deep seeded issues come to the surface after they both go after the same hunky dude.

The Flash (Season 2)

Crime scene investigator-turned-caped crusader Barry Allen returns for a second outing in this entertaining series.

The Grinder (Season 1)

Rob Lowe plays a TV actor who decides to practice lawyer along with his brother Fred Savage in the only season of this Fox comedy.

OCTOBER 5

Arrow (Season 4)

Another example of the WB hitting it out of the park with superhero TV shows.

OCTOBER 6

iZombie (Season 2)

Liv returns with more zombie hijinks including taking on conglomerate Max Rager, hiding her eating habits from her cop coworkers and her ex, who is also a zombie…sometimes.

OCTOBER 7

13TH (Netflix Original)

“In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.”

Dinotrux (Season 3, Netflix Original)

“Half dinosaur, half construction truck, full-on fun! Watch giant Ty Rux, his little buddy Revvit and the crew come face-to-face with evil D-Structs.”

The Ranch­  (Season 1, Part 2; Netflix Original)

“Being a pro athlete didn’t pan out for Colt. Now he’s helping his dad and brother keep the ranch afloat, and figuring out how he fits into the family.”

Russell Peters: Almost Famous ­ ­ (Netflix Original)

“The comic comes home to Toronto to sound off on cultural quirks, furniture building and bathroom visits, reveling in all things ridiculously human.”

The Siege of Jadotville (Netflix Original)

“Besieged by overwhelming enemy forces, Irish soldiers on a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Africa valiantly defend their outpost in this true story.”

Supernatural (Season 11)

The Winchester brothers continue to save the world, humanity and each other.

OCTOBER 8

The Originals (Season 3)

Vampire Diaries (Season 7)

The CW Vampire franchises continue…

OCTOBER 10

Kuromukuro ­ ­ (Season 2, Netflix Original)

“When mecha attack a research center, its students, pilots, and researchers must fight back with the help of mysterious artifacts and a young samurai.”

Love Between the Covers (2015)

A look at the women who love cheesy romance novels (AKA Safeway housewife hump books)

OCTOBER 12

Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids (Netflix Original)

“On the final nights of a world tour, director Jonathan Demme captures what makes the show soar: gifted musicians, deft dancers and a magnetic star.”

OCTOBER 13

Mascots (Netflix Original)

“Eager contestants don big heads and furry suits to vie for the title of World’s Best Mascot in this offbeat, comic romp from Christopher Guest.”

OCTOBER 15

Haters Back Off! (Season 1, Netflix Original)

“Dive into the oddball family life of Miranda Sings, a confident yet untalented star who believes she was born famous — it’s just no one knows it yet.”

Project MC2 ­   (Season 3, Netflix Original)

“Teenage spy McKeyla teams up with three other super-smart girls to become secret agents who use their science and tech skills to save the day.”

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo­ Qiang (Netflix Original)

“His signature works of art use gunpowder and explosives. Now Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang creates an ambitious display in the sky above his hometown.”

OCTOBER 15

Being George Clooney (2016)

The Kickstarter doc that explores the many men behind the voice of George Clooney in international movies.

Glitch (Season 1, Netflix Original)

OCTOBER 16

Dark Matter (Season 2)

Syfy show that follows a handful of people with no memory who wake up on a starship.

OCTOBER 21

Black Mirror (Season 3, part 1; Netflix Original)

Charlie Brooker’s brilliant series returns with the first 3 episodes of Season 3 starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mackenzie Davis, Alex Lawther, Jerome Flynn.

Containment (Season 1)

Epidemic as entertainment.

Joe Rogan: Triggered ­ (Netflix Original)

“Unleashing his inquisitive, intense comedic style, Rogan explores everything from raising kids and Santa Claus to pot gummies and talking to dolphins.”

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories ­  (Netflix Original)

“Patrons of an otherwise mundane Japanese diner find simple yet profound connections with one another based on the shared love of a particular dish.”

The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show ­ (Season 3, Netflix Original)

“In their new show, Mr. Peabody and Sherman host a zany late-night comedy show from a swanky penthouse, with time-traveling guests and a live audience!”

Word Party ­ (Season 2, Netflix Original)

“Meet Bailey, Franny, Kip and Lulu. They’re adorable baby animals, and they want you to join the party and help them learn!”

OCTOBER 24

Doctor Foster (Season 1)

Brit TV drama about a doctor who believes her hubby is in love with another woman.

OCTOBER 25

Big Eyes (2014)

Tim Burton’s take on the Keanes, the artists behind the Big Eye painting craze of the ‘70s. Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz star.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Po returns in the third outing that has him reunited with his biological father.

OCTOBER 28

7 años (2016)  (Netflix Original)

“Loyalties are tested and cruelties revealed when four business partners spend a tense evening debating who will pay for the crime they committed.”

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016) ­ (Netflix Original)

“A nervous nurse who scares easily finds herself caring for an ailing horror novelist while living in a house with hidden secrets.”

Into the Inferno (2016) ­ (Netflix Original)

“Capturing stunning views of volcanoes around the world, director Werner Herzog examines volcanoes’ impact on geology, society and our imaginations.”

Skylanders Academy (Netflix Original series)

“Travel the vast Skyland universe in this animated action-comedy as a ragtag group of Academy cadets build trust and heart in their fight against Kaos.”

Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park: Europe ­ (Netflix Original)

“Follow the booze-fueled misadventures of three longtime pals and petty serial criminals who run scams…”

OCTOBER 29

The Fall (Season 3, Netflix Original series)

“When the Belfast police are stalled in their investigation of a spate of murders, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson is drafted to investigate.”

The scare is everywhere during Syfy’s 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN! All October, the network will unleash a mix of spooky Syfy originals and nightmare-inducing horror movies, in a cross-platform celebration of the most wickedly wonderful time of the year.

31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN highlights include the premiere of Syfy’s original anthology series CHANNEL ZERO: CANDLE COVE, on Tuesday, October 11 at 9/8c. Based on a popular “creepypasta” story shared on the internet, viewers will want to keep their nightlights on for this chilling tale. The spook-a-thon also features the Syfy movie premieres of horror favorites “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Zombieland,” “The Strangers,” “Cabin in the Woods,” “Wrong Turn,” “Maleficent,” “I, Frankenstein” and “Drag Me to Hell.”

Additionally, audiences will discover new scares with five original Syfy fright films airing Saturday nights, including THE CROOKED MAN, STAKE LAND 2 and THE NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN. New episodes of VAN HELSING, AFTERMATH and Z NATION will also continue to air throughout the month.

To accompany this terrifying cache of programming, Syfy will feature blood-curdling Halloween lore, as well as horror movie trivia on air throughout the month. The network will also plunge viewers into the middle of the action at Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights” with on-the-ground fan interviews. Syfy.com and its editorial arm, Blastr.com, will offer a veritable Halloween editorial graveyard, with daily Top 13 lists, party tips to make your guests scream and horror trope bingo cards, along with interviews with genre insiders.

On the network’s social channels, viewers will be asked to submit their best costumes, screams and holiday décor – and the most frightening entries will be featured on-air and on Syfy’s official Snapchat and Instagram Stories of the Week. On Monday, October 31 at 7/6c fans can celebrate Halloween with Syfy’s social team as they take them inside the New York City Greenwich Village Halloween Parade on Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter.

Original programming airing as part of 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN includes:

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 at 9/8c

THE CROOKED MAN

Original Syfy Movie Starring Michael Jai White (“Spawn”) and Amber Benson (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”)

Singing a nursery rhyme summons a demonic figure known as Crooked Man. Once you sing the rhyme, everyone in the house is cursed to die by his hands.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 at 9/8c – DAY OF RECKONING

Original Syfy Movie — Some years ago, the world experienced a “day of reckoning” when creatures came up from below and purged humanity of evil…now, it is happening again.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 at 9/8c

CHANNEL ZERO: CANDLE COVE

Syfy Original Anthology Series — CANDLE COVE centers on one man’s obsessive recollections of a mysterious children’s television program from the 1980s and his ever-growing suspicions about the role it might have played in a series of nightmarish and deadly events. From Universal Cable Productions (UCP), CHANNEL ZERO: CANDLE COVE is from showrunner and executive producer Nick Antosca (“Hannibal,” “Teen Wolf”), who wrote the CHANNEL ZERO pilot, and Max Landis (“Chronicle,” “American Ultra”). The six-part anthology series will continue on Tuesdays at 9/8c through November 22.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 at 9/8c

STAKE LAND 2

Original Syfy Movie Starring Nick Damici (STAKE LAND) and Connor Paolo (“Gossip Girl”)

Vampires have evolved, and Mister must save a young woman from an evil brotherhood.

SHADOWS OF THE DEAD

Original Syfy Movie — A group of teenagers try to escape a creature that lives among the shadows and is hunting them down one by one.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 at 9/8c

THE NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN

Original Syfy Movie Starring Bailee Madison (“The Fosters,” “Good Witch”) and Anthony Lemke (DARK MATTER, “American Psycho”)

When a Halloween prank goes wrong, it unleashes a creature that will hunt each of the participants down and kill them, unless they can figure out how to transfer the curse to someone else.

Time travel.  It is something that has fascinated humans from as far back as one can remember.

From H.G Wells’ The Time Machine to the Back to the Future trilogy to Quantum Leap, that fascination has also translated itself into popular entertainment.  A desire to go back and meet those no longer with us, to see what the world was like or will be like after we’re gone.  Nostalgia rules the world these days and so therefore it is not surprising to me that the new 2016-2017 television season happens to hold a slew of time travel programs across all television platforms … and beyond.

I’ve always loved time travel. I don’t know if is due to my love of history, or my curiosity as to what will come after me or to what has come before. It dawned on me while writing this column that the idea of changing my past isn’t something that has ever crossed my mind.

Sure I have tons of regrets, we all do.

Sure, Back to the Future’s Marty McFly got the car he always wanted and made his parents happier (and more successful), and Somewhere in Time’s protagonists find love across a gulf in time , but there is still this unwritten & consistent rule across time travel narratives. Last year’s 11/22/63 on Hulu is a perfect example of what can happen when one messes with time too much – it pushes back.

Popular entertainment always has trends. These trends can often be linked to what is going on in society and TV, from the comedy and westerns of the 1950s to the sci-fi of the 1990s – today’s trend of reboots and revivals is no different. As I mentioned in a previous column, I believe superhero films and reboots are popular for their familiarity and fantasy fulfillment in troubled times; so it is no surprise that time travel is also getting a reboot, so to speak.

What at first seemed like a fear of losing money on unknown properties in the broken economy of the early 2000s, has grown into an industry of reboots. The reboot trend is still about fear of risk-taking (especially after the 2008 stock market crash), but – like all trends –is mostly about giving the audience what they want. As times and politics get scarier, people long for a time of comfort, of maybe even blissful ignorance, when the future seemed bright and the weight of responsibly didn’t weigh heavy … and for many people, that is childhood.

A time before 9/11 – before we were shaken into the adulthood the rest of the world had already been experiencing for generations. The same reasoning lies behind why the movement “Make America Great again” resonates with so many people. We’re scared. And so from the Star Wars franchise’s Han Solo and Princess Leia to the family from Full House, they remind us of a time of a time gone by. It is, in a way, a form of time travel – even the Duffer Brothers with their spectacular Stranger Things are using the same concept – whether you remember the 1980s or not. With shows like Outlander and Legends of Tomorrow paving the way, the 2016-2017 season is now lousy with period costumes and paradoxes.

And since Doctor Who is on hiatus this fall, let’s break down the new time travel shows you’ll be watching this year to get that fix.

Timeless

NBC – Oct 3, 2017 10/9pm Central
Stars: Goran Visnjic, Malcolm Barrett, Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Sakina Jaffrey, Paterson Joseph

“You’d think someone who loved History would want to save it.”

Timeless is the story of a time traveling terrorist who, after stealing a time machine, uses it to change the course of American history, and of the band of heroes –  a history teacher, a scientist and a soldier –  brought together to stop him. Created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural), Timeless is considered one of NBC’s hottest and most anticipated pilots.

The trailer does a good job at establishing the story, but also at throwing in mystery and some intrigue. For example, a haunting moment in the trailer comes when the history teacher (Abigail Spencer) is confronted by the villain (Goran Visnjic), with a notebook in her handwriting, followed by him telling her how important she is to history. A nice little nugget that hopefully will be peppered throughout the series or season. There’s also a great moment when the African American scientist (Malcolm Barrett), who has no interest in going back in time to any place in American History, confronts a racist cop in the past by telling him about the future he hopes the man lives to see.

Pros: The glossy TV ads and trailer do a good job at giving out just enough information to understand the premise without spoiling too much.  I can see why Timeless could be one of NBC’s most promising pilots with the potential to be one of the most interesting offers of time travel this season.

Since Timeless is the first one out of the gate, the network’s fall season machine is already in full gear, and Timeless has had the most coverage.  Also in its favor is a cast of actors who veer more towards what I would call “interesting-pretty” and farther from the model-pretty trend prevalent in television.  Meaning, it isn’t just about looks – I see character in their eyes and demeanor.  But I’ll let creator Kripke have the final word on what could make Timeless great:

 “So much of history, as we know, is the history of rich white dudes, and yet there is so much untold history from a minority perspective and from a female perspective,” he said. “Because we’re really looking for a door in — not just telling the history that everyone has heard before but to tell exciting fresh history that isn’t dusty and isn’t a school lesson but is violent and exciting and very current … It allows us to make commentary on issues that are happening today.”

Cons: A network trend to play it safe could hurt the series; additionally, playing tentative with time travel mythology in fear of confusing the audience could weaken the choices made. Game of Thrones doesn’t have any issues with the concept of new words and ideas and does very well for itself on HBO where creators are left alone. There’s also the above-mentioned general network tendency to cast looks over talent in future supporting roles. Interesting characters become beautiful because we care about them.

Frequency

CW –  Oct 5, 2016  8/9pm Central
Stars: Peyton List, Riley Smith, Mekhi Phifer, Anthony Ruivivar, Lenny Jacobson, Devin Kelley

“My father wasn’t murdered. I remember it both ways. Life when he was murdered. Life when he wasn’t…”

– Raimy Sullivan

Inspired by the 2000 Gregory Hoblit film of the same name, Frequency, created by Jeremy Carver (Being Human; Supernatural), is the first of two time travel shows this year that has a film as its source material.

Frequency uses the film as a jumping-off point, making changes as the need arises. For example, changing the father/son tale into a father/daughter one. My family was always a big fan of the film about an NYPD Detective who is able to speak with his dead father, a FDNY Firefighter, through his father’s old ham radio.

In the 2016 version, the father is now a cop like his daughter Raimy (Peyton List), and much like the original, the plot revolves around the idea of the “butterfly effect” –  how one small change can snowball into catastrophic changes in the future – and how, as mentioned above, changing the past almost never works out well for the heroes of the story.

Mostly a procedural drama, with a cosmic addition of a lighting strike turning a seemingly normal ham radio into a time travel vocal porter, Raimy in present and her father Frank (Riley Smith) in the past will work together to fix the past, her father’s good name, save her mother, and find a serial killer.

Pros: If done well, it could be a cross between The Following and the underpinnings of Quantum Leap. Also, the change to a female lead makes it very promising in my book. Again, loved the movie. The addition of an underlying mystery as whether her father was a bad man or a good one is a great addition to help build this as an episodic story and increase the mystery over time.

Cons: I worry the serial killer angle may grow old. An issue that happens often when a movie property is  transferred to episodic is that the core mystery, which was built for a shorter format, is either played out too soon or resolved to early,  leaving the story nowhere to go. Also, the old age makeup of Raimy’s mother made her look like her younger sister, and not her mother, and it really took me out of the reality.

Time After Time

ABC – Mid Season 2017
Stars: Josh Bowman, Freddie Storma, Will Chase, Genesis Rodriguez

“In our time I was a freak, today I am an amateur.”

– Jack The Ripper

Time travel in popular entertainment has a tradition that goes back even farther than Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, yet it was the novel The Time Machine, by Mr. H.G Wells, that first popularized the concept of using a machine to do so.

Therefore, in this time travel-heavy season of television, it seems only appropriate that the lead of one of these offerings is H.G Wells himself –  well, a fictional version. Based on the 1979 book by Karl Alexander and film (optioned after only the first manuscript and so written in tandem), Time After Time is a series that comes to us from Kevin Williamson of The Following, Vampire Diaries & Scream franchise – a pedigree that appears perfect to take on the tale of a novelist from the 1890s who travels through time after a serial killer.

Time After Time the film holds a very nostalgic place in my heart, far more than Frequency, along with the similar 80s time travel dramas such as Somewhere in Time (due to massive reruns on cable). For this reason  I’ve had high hopes about the pilot since the project was announced.

The basic plot of Time After Time is the fictionalized story of H.G Wells, who, before writing his most famous novel The Time Machine, just happened to have built one himself.  But when his friend John Stevenson is discovered to be Jack The Ripper and steals the time machine, H.G travels to our “Present” to bring him to justice.

Already the story has important elements for a great episodic transfer –  a mission to stop the villain, a love story, and ground work for the typical fish out of water adventures.  Jane, his love interest, is no longer a bank teller but works in the museum where the time machine is on display –  a smart fix, I assume to hurry the action of the pilot along.  Also, the location has gone from San Francisco to New York (always positive in this New Yorker’s mind).

Pros: The story already lends itself easily to an episodic nature. First, the show adds a more obvious internal struggle for Wells to deal with –  fear.  In the pilot, H.G  is confronted by his friend John (aka The Ripper), suggesting Wells is too fearful to live life.  This gives Wells a chance for growth and the potential for an overall arc throughout the series.

In addition, Wells has yet to write The Time Machine, his most influential and popular novel – a concept that gives the story what George Lucas would call a “Time Lock” – a sense of urgency that can be easily lost when a time machine is central to a plot. H.G not only must stop John from killing again and overcome his own fears, but he must return to his own time alive or create a paradox.

This also adds the element of conflict to his future affair with his love interest Jane.  After all, without conflict, a story can’t exist.  And what TV romances need far more than film love is a large enough central conflict that can last more than two hours. (I won’t mention the great surprise at the end; but watch the trailer)

Cons: Based on the press release I am  unsure just what exactly the format of the show is.  Knowing the film so well and based on the trailer I surmise the action takes place exclusively in modern times, with a procedural layer built in.  However, ABC calls it a “cat and mouse” adventure over time.  My only worry is that the show could fall victim to last seasons canceled ABC show Forever.

Although not about time travel, Forever a half procedural/ half probing timeline of an immortal, dealt with a character from a bygone age dealing with and living in a modern society (and solving crimes with his potential love interest). What I liked the most about Forever wasn’t the procedural quality of the program,  but the personal connection between two of the leads played by Ioan Gruffudd (The above mentioned immortal) and his much older adopted son played by Judd Hirsch. My worry is the show could suffer a similar fate as last season’s (canceled) Forever – a show that struggled to straddle two genres.  If Time After Time suffers the same fate I suspect no matter how good aspects of the show are, the an audience may be left in the dark.

Travelers

Netflix  – Oct 17, 2016
Stars: Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Jared Abrahamson, J. Alex Brinson, Nesta Cooper

“My old friend Brad Wright has created a fantastic, complex story with some very rich and complicated characters, and I’m awfully happy to be one of them.”

– Eric McCormack

Since Netflix is known for not marketing their shows until they are already live for viewing, little is known about this Eric McCormack-led TV series co-produced by Netflix and Canadian Showcase (a joint production similar to Hulu’s deal with BBC shows like Thick of it and The Wrong Mans).

The first season will contain 12 episodes. To semi-quote Josh Lyman, You’ve been briefed.  To me, Travelers almost sounds like a reboot of Quantum Leap, only instead of god or destiny, it is the last of the human race, led by an FBI agent (McCormack), who are able time travel into people’s consciousness in an effort to save humanity.

It even sounds like a possible sequel to Quantum Leap where the government finally figures out their time travel project wasn’t a dud and use Sam Beckett’s discovery to their advantage … to save the world. (note to self: write a QL reboot spec)

Pros: The idea of trading consciousness is obviously not new but if Quantum Leap proved anything, a show with this concept is a great platform to focus on more personal stories and perhaps less on high action and mythology.  Netflix’s choices lately have been stellar and if Stranger Things is any indication of their genre mojo – this could be just what time travel junkies like me are looking for.  And it’s Canadian, so here’s hoping it is high on the hope for humanity and less on doom and gloom.

Cons: Too little is known about this show (no trailer was available to watch) for me to have any cons really.  The only con for a time travel show is being too niche, and in the 90s nothing was more niche than Quantum Leap…

PS Pro: …That being said, even if that is the case niche sounds perfect for a Netflix audience.

Making History

Fox – Mid Season 2017
Stars:  Adam Pally, Leighton Meester  & Yassir Lester

“It’s a time machine. I go to the past every weekend, sometimes Tuesdays.”

Stephen Hawking once said “If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future?’ But what if it possible, now in our own present, and one tourist has already been visiting the past … say, 1775.

Billed as two shows in one – part historical adventure, part commentary buddy comedy about fitting in, Making History features Dan (Adam Pally, Happy Endings; The Mindy Project), a computer science professor who, through a duffle bag, is able to travel back in time to colonial America.  Where, unlike the present, he has a hot girlfriend (Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl) and a suave life.

Of course, again, meddling in the past – you guessed it…may mess with the future… and with America as a country.  As in, GF Deborah’s daddy is Paul Revere.  So Dan enlists the help of a history teacher from the college where he works, Chris (Yassir Lester, Key and Peele), to help.

Pros: Produced by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, the same people who brought you The Lego Movie and Last Man On Earth (Which I recommended in my first column) sure have a handle on spotting comedy.  And also, as I mentioned in that column, an eye for spotting and mentoring those who can take what seems like a silly idea and execute it uniquely.

And the man doing that execution this time is creator and writer Julius “Goldy” Sharpe, known for late night comedy and Family Guy.  Add in Pally’s talent for this kind of comedy and what from the trailer looks like great chemistry between him and Lester, I’m excited.

And although Timeless also plays with a similar idea that a modern black man is not safe in the past, since nowadays a large percentage of the population get the bulk of the political news via comedy platforms, Modern History, if successful, could have more of an impact with the zeitgeist of today that of the previous mentioned drama. (Also, I’m a sucker for good anachronistic humor)

Cons: Already in the vein of films like Hot Tub Time Machine, Making History is already on that precarious line that comedy of this nature toes. It may look easy, but comedy – even that of the surreal, satirical or silly – is carefully crafted.  I don’t feel Making History will miss the mark, but this is the only possible and likely con for the show – having no purpose … and the obvious one of just not being funny. (grasping at straws here, guys, I love me some Adam Pally and the Lord and Miller)

Recommended Time Travel Movies:

• Back To The Future trilogy
• 12 Monkeys (1995)
• The Terminator (1984)
• Looper (2012)
• Time After Time
• Time Machine (1960)
• Hot Tub Time Machine
• Time Bandits
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Peggy Sue Got Married
• Donnie Darko
• About Time

Recommended Time Travel Television:

• Doctor Who
• Outlander
• 11/22/63
• Quantum Leap
• Journeyman

Last time we looked at an obscure as hell HBO pilot (series)… now lets move to their stepchild with two Cinemax ones.

In 1986 Pay Cable (now called “Premium Cable”) was desperate for original programming as a way to offset losing part of their market (uncut movies all day every day) to the burgeoning video store. HBO had hits like The Hitchhiker, First and 10 and Not Necessarily the News. Showtime was catching up to them with It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and Brothers. The Movie Channel had Drive In Theater with Joe Bob Briggs and Cinemax only had SCTV and the short lived The Original Max Talking Headroom Show.

1986 was the year that birthed the Pay Cable revolution and Cinemax wanted in so they gave way to “The Cinemax Comedy Experiment”. This was a loose banner under which comedians could make a pilot for Cinemax and pretty much do WHATEVER THEY WANTED. This opened the door to just about any mid-level stand up comic there was at the time; and most of these were downright terrible… proving that good stand up does not necessarily translate to good comedy.

I will be looking at two of these such experiments, one that is far more clever than could be contained and another that sounds clever and yet failed in every conceivable way.

Lets start off with Chris Elliott’s Action Family.

A 70’s cop show mixed with an 80’s sitcom.

Chris Elliott played a hard nosed cop on the streets and then when he got home he lived an idealistic sitcom life. The idea being that everything shot outside the home was a parody of a 70’s cop show such as Kojak or Starsky and Hutch while everything inside was straight out the worst most formulaic sitcom crapped out by network hacks.

In theory this is BRILLIANT… in execution this is excruciating.

Not a single joke lands where it should and this entire thing is predicated on 70’s cop shows are dumb and sitcoms are even dumber as a mentality. Seriously, the sitcom scenes are played so over the top even the producers of Small Wonder would be telling Chris Elliott to crank down the canned laughter and absurd situations for something more down to earth and the outside cop scenes are played for laughs in an SNL sketch manner.

This is 22 minutes of some of the most unfunny jokes I have ever sat through to the point that I wonder if that was somehow an obtuse gag that got out of control.

Why is this unique and imaginative idea so bungled up? That would be because it was made by hacks. Chris Elliott can be funny and in truth this was his idea which as I stated is a great one, but he hired Gary Weis to direct this disaster and Sandy Frank (no, not that one) to write this out.

Gary Weis’s claim to fame is being a director for Saturday Night Live and Sandy Frank actually IS a crappy formulaic writer of sitcoms as well as 80’s David Letterman. These were 2 guys who just did NOT understand they had a prime material in front of them when all they wanted to do was make lame gags and poopie jokes. These were the absolute worst people to attempt something this smart and out there.

Honestly I think Action Family is due for a reboot but make sure it has good writers and producers this time. Have the outside cop stuff played completely straight and shot on 16mm and then have the interiors shot on video like a sitcom. The 1986 Action Family was completely shot on video so there was no visual difference between the cop story and the family story. Also have the 2 worlds clash so much even the characters can’t understand why everything keeps changing. You can not play the outside scenes as comedy lest the interior scenes being comedy serve no purpose.

I am seriously pissed off this was screwed up this bad. Lets end then on one of the most astute and subversive pilots ever to go over the heads of it’s potential audience.

Shadoe Stevens might be known for Hollywood Squares and for his awesome voice but in 1986 he also made ShadoeVision for Cinemax.

This one might take some explaining so strap in as I am going to run this through as fast as possible and still miss %70 of it… here goes:

Okay, so all over the world television sets are being interrupted by a signal that warps the minds of viewers and it’s all due to a doofus named Norman Jones who somehow is the key to an intergalactic talk show host losing control of reality all the while a rival network kidnaps Norman’s wife Faith to find out what she knows (she knows nothing as in their relationship as Norman puts it “I do the thinking you do the feeling, okay?”) so she gets shaved and tortured while Norman and the host (Shadoe Stevens) battle sandworms of anxiety in an effort for Norman to close the door to reality and stop said reality from eating itself all the while the channel keeps changing as does reality because the aforementioned intergalactic talk show broadcasts to your specific evolutionary level and no one sees the same thing.

That only scratches the surface of the “plot” (so to speak) of ShadoeVision as the show was so packed with gags and images and insanity that it literally takes multiple viewings to catch everything… intentionally so.

Shadoe Stevens became famous 30 seconds at a time when he was a pitchman for Federated electronics stores.

He created 3 unique and original commercials for The Federated Group every week for a decade.

These commercials are amazing in their ingenuity and gifted way of selling you something and being psychotic at the same time (not to mention funny) they also need to be seen to be believed.

ShadoeVision is that same concept as a show. Stevens packed the show with 3 second gags with the intention of “while you were laughing at one thing, you missed 3 more”. Imagine in 1986 catching this and missing most of it even though you watched the whole thing.

Now, ShadoeVision actually is more than a pilot though, it had a second episode shot (“The Brainworms Of Bimbo-Limbo”) but this was never aired (it was eventually put on Stevens website though).

ShadoeVision is something I can’t recommend enough as it was undeniably subversive and quite far ahead of it’s time I still think most people won’t get it.

And yes, Shadoe told me that it was kind of conceived on “illegal substances” so that might explain it somewhat.

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Friday and man, I’m loving two of the titles on this list I read this week. Let’s take a look!

Wonder Woman: The True Amazon

Written and Illustrated by Jill Thompson
Published by DC Comics

I really enjoyed Grant Morrison’s Wonder Woman: Earth One graphic novel earlier in the year.

So much so, when I saw this story, about Wonder Woman’s early years, I thought “do we really need this?”

I can assure you after reading this my tune changed to “Yes! Wes! We really need this!”

Thompson’s fully painted graphic novel is beyond excellent. This may be her best work pretty much ever. The character of Diana is well rendered and the art is gorgeous. Just gorgeous.

Then, there’s the story. It’s well written, emotional, and fluid. Thompson excels as a cartoonist who can still do both (very few can) and impresses.

What’s even more amazing is that she makes a tale of legend. It’s a classic.

I’m glad this graphic novel exists. Not just because it’s one of the best of the year. And not just because it’s so dang good. Both those points are certainly true. Mostly because this is a book I plan to read to my seven year old this weekend. Because she needs a hero she can look up to. And Jill Thompson has succeeded in giving us just that.

RATING: A+

Empress #6 

Written by Mark Millar 
Illustrated by Stuart Immonen
Published by Icon

Speaking of one of the best comics of the year, Empress is awesome! A space epic from the crazy Mark Millar! What more can you ask for?

I had read the previous five issues, but this one amps up the drama. What I love about this series is that the emotions are played so well, and there is never a false note.

The Empress in question takes her kids away from their father, who is an evil despot. It shows her past, the wrong choices she made, the people she left behind.

Yet, besides the characters it is damn action packed to the hilt.

This is the second to last issue of the title and it’s been a fun ride (sequel, please?)

Millar writes so damn good. And Immonen should only be doing space comics from now one. The imagination on this is amazing. More please.

RATING: A

Teen Titans #3

Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Brett Booth.
Published by DC Comics

I love Brett Booth. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again! Loud and proud. He’s damn good. And /i‘m not ashamed to admit it: The Titans are a pleasure to read. It’s kind of like eating candy, but high quality candy.

This is part of the “Return of Wally West” storyline. It’s fun watching the Titans face off with Abracadabra. It’s a very light read. Fast paced and enjoyable. I have to say Abnett grew on me as a writer on this title. He’s solidified himself on here.

So, a fun issue. I’m still hoping for more nods to Watchmen as this is the title most likely to tell us what the hell is going on with that whole ordeal. But there is a reference to it in the book. Here’s hoping we see more nods like that.

RATING: B+

Harley Quinn and her Gang of Harleys #6

Written by Frank Tieri and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by Mauricet
Published by DC Comics

As part of Dc’s new initiative to flood the market with Harley Quinn title’s comes this issue. I have to be honest: I can’t follow what the hell is going in in this title.

But I enjoyed it as much as one can!

This issue has Harley and her gang of Harley’s facing off against their captors. It’s rather nutty but I guess that’s’ the point. I laughed a few times for sure. Not my type of comic book by I appreciated it enough.

The art and writing are both strong. So if you’re a fan, you’ll love it. I mentioned before Harley Quinn is DC’s answer to Deadpool. So expect a lot more on the way. Here we go!

RATING: B

Teen Titans: Rebirth #1 

Written by Benjamin Percy
Illustrated by Jonboy Meyers
Published by DC Comics

This issue starts up a new Teen Titans title with the Damian Robin taking the lead. It’s not half bad either. I wish it just didn’t feel so damn disposable.

I think that has to do with the fact that Percy likes to write characters and focus on them. He’s very good at that. What he doesn’t focus on is telling a deep and meaningful tale.

That being said, Meyers does a great job on art. He has a youthful strong style. I fear we may be going too close to animation rather than comic art in some of DC titles (and comic books in general).

Either way though, the enthusiasm of this title won me over.

It’ll be interesting to see where this goes…and I plead again, lets see more of the Watchmen connection already. Not a bad book overall.

RATING: B

Hey! Ho! Let’s go! America’s favorite teens cross paths with the original NYC punks in this extra-sized one-shot spectacular that is not to be missed!

When the Archies tank at the Riverdale High Battle of the Bands, a magical twist of fate sends them hurtling into the past—and face-to-face with none other than the Ramones! Can the legendary punks get the Archies to realize their own rock ‘n’ roll potential and find their way home? Probably not—but it’ll be a blitzkrieg bop of a journey, as the two bands bounce from 53rd and 3rd to Rockaway Beach in this must-read crossover from the writers of the best-selling ARCHIE MEETS KISS and WE CAN NEVER GO HOME with jaw-droppingly beautiful art from Gisele Lagace (“Occupy Riverdale”)!

Script: Alex Segura and Matthew Rosenberg
Art: Gisele Lagace, Ma. Victoria Robado, Digikore Studios
Cover: Gisele Lagace
Variant Covers: Veronica Fish, Francesco Francavilla, Dan Parent
On Sale Date: 10/5
48-page, full color comic
$4.99 U.S.

The following is an excerpt from my October side blog EVERYDAY IS HALLOWEEN, in which I’ll be offering daily tidbits, observations and praise of John Carpenter’s classic 1978 film HALLOWEEN.  Click the link below and bookmark, check back daily for updates.

The novelizations of movies.

Woody Allen blasted them in Manhattan, his on-screen character calling them “another contemporary American phenomenon that’s truly moronic.”

For a kid in the early 80s without a VCR or Pay TV (what they called HBO and Showtime back in the day), they were my salvation.

The only way to experience movies again, or even for the first time (sort of), was to read the book based on the screenplay.

Yes, that’s a devolution of format, but many of these book versions of the films were written and ghost-written by really talented people.  One that stands out in particular, and maybe the best of the novelizations I read back in the day, is Halloween.

Credited to Curtis Richards (a pseudonym of Horror author Dennis Etchison), this novelization doesn’t start with the murder of Judith Myers.  That doesn’t happen until chapter 2.

Instead, Richards starts the book with a prologue explaining the Halloween related origins of the curse of “Samhain.”

From there, the book deviates to a first chapter containing a scene between a young Michael Myers and his grandmother.  The chapter works to humanize the young Michael, setting up a sort of alibi one could argue in the form of Schizophrenia.  Some of the dialogue is flat out chilling. Focusing on the pre-pubescent/pre-boogyman years of Michael Myers is what critics tore apart in Rob Zombie’s take on Halloween, but I loved it (more on that later).  He may have been inspired by this novelization’s attempt to back-story Michael, if not the television version of the film’s additional scenes (more on that later).

Halloween the novelization is long out of print from Bantam Books (ISBN 0-553-26296-3), but you can snatch up a copy on eBay for a hefty price.  There are two editions, but I love the original book cover pictured below.

There are more invented side-bars to the screenplay that you can read about on this fantastic Halloween wiki here.  If you’re a true fan of the film, this one is worth investing in or somehow getting your hands on.

Incidentally, there are novelizations of Halloween II, III, 4, and 5, but as with the films, they don’t live up to this original one.

Visit Everyday is Halloween HERE!

Superstar writer James Robinson (Squadron Supreme, Scarlet Witch, Starman) steps into the world of James Bond in an all-new miniseries, authorized by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, centering around the character’s CIA ally and friend Felix Leiter. Robinson will be teaming with artist Aaron Campbell (Harley Quinn, Uncanny, Sherlock Holmes) for Felix Leiter’s first-ever comic book series!

In the new series, Felix Leiter — now operating as an independent investigator — finds himself in Japan, tracking down a beautiful Russian spy from his past. But when the mission takes a turn for the worse, he will discover that there are more deadly schemes taking shape in Tokyo… and beyond!

“Felix Leiter is a fantastically interesting character,” says writer James Robinson. “He combines the best elements of the James Bond universe with the dark alleys and darker deeds of crime fiction. A private detective, done with a life of spying, who is constantly dragged back into that world, like it or not. I’m excited for readers to see the tale of intrigue and big action that I’ve dreamed up for Felix.”

“We are incredibly fortunate to be working with such talented creators and great properties. When it comes to James Bond, the character is both an icon and a great property, and we’ve worked with very talented creators, including Warren Ellis and Andy Diggle, to capture the very essence of literature’s greatest spy on the comic page. Now, to work with James Robinson on an immediate follow-up to his current original Dynamite series, Grand Passion, is extremely rewarding,” says CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. “When we approached him about writing this particular Bond series, we knew he was the perfect writer to bring this character to comics in Fleming’s original voice. This is a must-read series for any James Bond fan.”

“I’ve been a lifelong fan of James’ writing and it’s beyond a thrill to be working with him on not one, but two comic book projects this year,” says Joseph Rybandt, Executive Editor at Dynamite. “The expansion of the 007 comic book world this time out focuses on his American counter-part, Felix Leiter, and sends him into Japan. It’s a trip all Bond fans are going to want to take this January!”

James Robinson is a multiple Eisner-winning writer perhaps best known for the 1994 reimagining of DC’s Starman, reimagining a Golden Age character to find a new widespread audience and take home an Eisner for Best Serialized Series. An expert at revitalizing classic concepts with a fresh new look and perspective, Robinson has also had celebrated runs on Justice Society of America, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Hawkman, and more. His creator-owned series Leave It to Chance for Image Comics won two more Eisner Awards in 1997, for both Best New Series and Best Title for Younger Readers. Additionally, he was nominated for an Eisner Award for Justice League: Cry for Justice, and also wrote the screenplay for the 2003 theatrical version of Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Aaron Campbell has worked as an interior artist on some of Dynamite’s most well-known characters, including The Shadow and Green Hornet. He was also the series artist on Andy Diggle’s Uncanny, which shares many of the same sensibilities as James Bond.

Felix Leiter first appeared alongside James Bond in Ian Fleming’s very first novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953. He would later make appearances in Live and Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and The Man with the Golden Gun, making him one of Bond’s most frequent allies throughout the books. Originally a CIA operative, Leiter has begun to work for Pinkertons as a private detective when Bond encounters him in Diamonds Are Forever, although he is hired by the Agency for specific missions in the later books. In Live and Let Die, Felix is the victim of a shark attack in which he loses part of his right arm and left leg, sporting prosthetic limbs during his subsequent appearances. In this new miniseries, we meet Leiter post-injuries, and working independently from the CIA at his own detective agency.

James Bond: Felix Leiter #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ November 2016 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in January. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. James Bond: Felix Leiter will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

Hollywood Authors
Hollywood’s 25 most power and influential authors for your perusal.

Pirated Book
Michael Koryta tells the unbelievable tale of someone pirating his book and selling it on Amazon.

NYPL Train System
The New York Public Library has a new transportation system in place . . . for its books and files!

F*CK Portlandia
The unique bookstore featured on the popular show has severed all ties for some very important reasons.

It’s Never Too Soon
Publisher’s Weekly has released their holiday gift guide, so you can start planning now!

#firstvote16
A group of young adult authors are getting together to get people more interested in getting registered to vote and actually voting.

A Rather Haunted Life
With Halloween just around the corner, there’s a new biography on this renowned horror writer.

First Fillory, Now Camelot
The Magicians Author, Lev Grossman’s next book, The Bright Sword, tackles King Arthur after Camelot has fallen.

Foes of evil! Enemies of injustice! As it began in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, for the mighty heroes of the Justice League of America, all wrongdoing is a menace to be stamped out! Whether it comes from outer space, from the watery depths of the seven seas, or springs from the minds of men, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is back—just when we need it most!

In January 2017, kicking off JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (hitting shelves twice monthly starting February 2017) are four DC Rebirth one-shots. They make four bold statements that form the foundation of a team that will bring justice to places that have given up on hope; places that thought heroism would never find them. The Justice League of America goes there! They explore the Microverse, the Hidden Cities, the worlds within worlds; they go to the other side of the map and explode forward with the new face of Heroism.

This is a Justice League that looks like America, that proves Heroism can look like ANYTHING and ANYONE.

From February 1960 to February 2017. The mission hasn’t changed. It’s just evolved.

Who’s on the roster so far?

THE ATOM

Meet Ryan Choi, prodigious theoretical physics student, hyper-allergic, and crippling social anxiety sufferer. But little does young Ryan know, his first day at Ivy University will begin an epic journey that will take the all-new Atom into the very heart of the DC Universe.

VIXEN

She’s one of the country’s most successful businesswomen, an iconic fashion pioneer, a crusader for social justice, and an incredibly powerful member of the Justice League of America. But Mari McCabe life wasn’t always this way. Follow her path to becoming the heroic Vixen in this crucial special!

THE RAY

Locked indoors, raised in the dark, and told his medical condition could be fatal to himself and anyone he meets, Ray Terrill is dangerous. A freak. Broken. Or is he…? Witness the amazing power of realizing your true self and stepping into the light in this moving DC Rebirth of a long lost hero for a new generation.

KILLER FROST

What happens to a supervillain on their last day in Belle Reve Prison? Against all odds, Killer Frost is up for parole from the Suicide Squad, but you can bet Amanda Waller isn’t going to make it easy for Frost to take her place on the new JLA.

These four will be joined by more team members! DC isn’t done stocking the JLA roster. More heroic DC leaders, more of the characters you love, and maybe a few out-of-this-world surprises will follow these four to the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA in February. Stay tuned!

January 2017’s JLA: REBIRTH publishing schedule:

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE ATOM #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
*Artist to be revealed!
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO
One shot • On sale JANUARY 4
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: VIXEN #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER
Art by JAMAL CAMPBELL
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO
One shot • On sale JANUARY 11
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by STEPHEN BYRNE
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO
One shot • On sale JANUARY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: KILLER FROST #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER
Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO
One shot • On sale JANUARY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

*More JLA information will be revealed on the “DC ALL ACCESS” panel at New York Comic Con on Thursday, October 6 from 1:45-2:45PM Eastern time. Additionally, Steve Orlando, Jody Houser, Jamal Campbell, and Stephen Byrne will be at NYCC – please track them down! For all of the latest updates from New York Comic Con, download the new DC All Access mobile app for a complete list of panels and talent signings, behind the scenes coverage and in–depth interviews directly from DC’s web series, “DC All Access.” The app is available for free at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA will debut in February 2017 following the JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD crossover and the January JLA: REBIRTH one shots on a twice monthly schedule, written by Steve Orlando (SUPERGIRL, MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO) with art by Ivan Reis (DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, THE MULTIVERSITY).