Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s Friday! Let’s talk more comics! I for one cannot wait!!

Violent Love #1 

Written by Frank J. Barbiere
Illustrated by Victor Santos
Published by Image Comics

Man, I love a book that has Frank J. Barbiere as the writer. He just has such a great way of writing that I find incredibly appealing and accessible.

Such is the case of Violent Love. It’s a great debut for  new and I’m kinda violently in love with it.

Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest. And then they fell in love.

That is the synopsis for the series.

But it is so much more than that. Daisy and Rock are such well drawn characters, you can tell how much thought went into it. The two couldn’t be any more different but Barbiere makes their contrast work.

Opposites attract and we are off and running!

Victor Santos does a hell of a job illustrating this series. The look is super cool. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens here. A great debut for a fascinating book!

RATING: A

Harbinger: Renegades  #1 

Written by Rafer Roberts
Illustrated by Darick Robertson
Published by Valiant Comics

This is another great book that came out this week! This picks up where we left off with the story of everyone’s favorite Valiant team. I was sad that Josh Dysart wasn’t writing….but Roberts does a great job picking up where he left off.

Six months ago, a secret team of renegade whistleblowers leaked the existence of these extraordinarily dangerous individuals to a stunned world.

Today, all across the country, crude, DIY psiot activation attempts have left hundreds brain damaged…or worse. The emergence of a new psiot in a community often leads to riots and mass violence.Gun sales are through the roof. America is terrified of what could happen next.

With this revolutionary upheaval now in motion, Kris Hathaway, John “Torque” Torkelson, Faith “Zephyr” Herbert, and Peter Stanchek are about to discover their calling. Together, the HARBINGER RENEGADES are moving from town to town, building their ranks, and subverting authority one mind at a time…and setting out to prove once and for all that behind their power, there has always been a purpose.

This book was awesome. I liked the story. And Robertson kills it on any book he’s drawing. This book deserves a bigger audience. Make it happen by buying this title.

RATING: A

Josie and the Pussycats #2 

Written by Marguerite Bennett and Cameron Deordio
Illustrated by Audrey Mok
Published by Archie Comics

Those of you who have been reading this column regularly know I just love the direction Archie Comics has taken. It’s super cool watching and reading what they are doing.

This is no exception as I just love this comic. It’s fast, full of pop, and just plain fun. I just thoroughly enjoy this line of books.

As the girls look to play their first gig outside Riverdale, they run into some unexpected complications. Can they bust up a crime ring, help the criminals see the error of their ways, and jump-start the band’s music career, all through the power of rock, friendship, and, Melody assures us, entirely legitimate comic book science?

The writing is great and the art by Mok is truly full of energy. I feel happy when reading these books.

And why not? That’s what a good comic book is supposed to do. Again, I praise the people at Archie for making me read and enjoy Josie and the Pussycats.

And I praise them for making me wanting to read the next issue as soon as I put this one down.

RATING: A

BURIED TREASURE

Eddy Current: The Complete Series & Lost Tales

Written and Illustrated by Ted McKeever
Published by Image Comics

This was one of those books I picked up in floppy black and white format in the late 80s in a quarter bin. I loved it.

When Image decided to collect it years later, I almost cried. (They collected this and McKeever’s other books in the same  universe: Transit and Metropol, both are completely brilliant)

This book was one of my favorites.

What’s it about?

Eddy Current is insane. At least that’s what the world deems him to be. The very same world he intends to save.

A window of opportunity opens, literally, allowing our hero to escape the asylum he calls home.

Bed-check isn’t until 6am, giving him 12 hours of freedom to accomplish his hero-given quest.

Joined by a massive wall-of-a-woman called Nun, Eddy will live an adventure filled with the depths of humanities darkest crevices, as well as the heights and power of friendship and redemption.

This series had 12 issues initially. Each issue was supposed to represent one hour. The writing is deep and the art is wonderfully stylized and great. This is brilliant. This is one of the great lost independent books and if you haven’t read it you are doing yourself a disservice. Buy it now. And thank me after.

RATING: A

We’re giving away a double feature thanks to our friends at Anchor Bay Entertainment!

Included are the following two films:

Reign of Assassins

Produced by John Woo and Terence Chang, this epic martial arts action thriller promises to be FACE/OFF meets MR. AND MRS. SMITH. Set in ancient China, the film stars Michelle Yeoh as a skilled assassin who is on a mission to return the remains of a mystical Buddhist monk to their resting place. The remains are believed to hold a powerful secret. Along the way, she falls in love with a man named Jiang, whose father was killed by her gang. Unaware that he also is a trained martial artist, their love blossoms but tensions arise as the truth of her past unravels. Soon, a lethal triangle surfaces between her, Jiang and the team of assassins that are after the monk’s remains.

The Lost Bladesman

During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country, General Cao Cao (Wen Jiang), the real power behind the emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land Guan Yu (Donnie Yen). However, Guan Yu is a loyal friend of Cao Cao’s enemy Liu Bei (Alex Fong). To persuade the peerless warrior to fight, Cao Cao takes his beloved Qi Lan (Betty Sun) hostage.

After leading Cao Cao’s forces to victory, Guan Yu sets out with Qi Lan to rejoin Liu Bei. But now Cao Cao has deemed him too great a threat to live, and on the journey he must face all the forces at the emperor’s command sent to destroy him.

And we’re giving away three sets!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “ANCHOR BAY DOUBLE FEATURE” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen previously co-starred in this Oscar nominated film from director Ang Lee?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on November 20th, 2016.

Witness the dramatic and heroic story behind the Miracle on the Hudson—and the previously untold events that followed—when “Sully” arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2 Disc Special Edition DVD and Digital HD. From Oscar-winning director Clint Eastwood (“American Sniper,” “Million Dollar Baby”) Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Sully” stars Oscar winner Tom Hanks (“Bridge of Spies,” “Forrest Gump”) as Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

On Thursday, January 15th, 2009, the world witnessed the “Miracle on the Hudson” when Captain Chesley Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

“Sully” also stars Aaron Eckhart (“Olympus Has Fallen,” “The Dark Knight”) as co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, and Oscar nominee Laura Linney (“The Savages,” “Kinsey,” Showtime’s “The Big C”) as Sully’s wife, Lorraine Sullenberger.

Eastwood directed the film from a screenplay by Todd Komarnicki, based on the book Highest Duty by Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow. The project was produced by Eastwood, Frank Marshall, Allyn Stewart and Tim Moore, with Kipp Nelson and Bruce Berman serving as executive producers.

“Sully” will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray for $44.95 and Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99.  The Ultra HD Blu-ray features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the film in 4K with HDR and a Blu-ray disc with the film in hi-definition.  The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray; and the 2-disc Special Edition DVD features the film in standard definition. All Blu-ray products include a digital version of the movie in Digital HD with UltraViolet.* Fans can also own “Sully” via purchase from digital retailers beginning on December 6.

The Blu-ray discs of “Sully” will feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

BLU-RAY AND 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD ELEMENTS

“Sully” Blu-ray and 2 Disc Special Edition DVD contain the following special features:

• Sully Sullenberger: The Man Behind the Miracle
  The “Miracle on the Hudson” didn’t happen by chance.  The difference between disaster and deliverance rested on the character of the man with his hands on the controls.
• Moment by Moment: Averting Disaster on the Hudson
  Captain Sullenberger, Co-Pilot Jeff Skiles and air traffic controller Patrick Harten take us step-by-step through the 208 harrowing seconds of Flight 1549, revealing how the wrong decision at any point would have resulted in disaster.
• Neck Deep in the Hudson: Shooting Sully
  Director Clint Eastwood and producers Frank Marshall and Allyn Stewart reveal how Flight 1549’s terrifying splashdown in the Hudson River was captured on film, shooting on the Hudson itself as well as in Universal’s historic Fall’s Lake, where parts of “Jaws” were filmed.

sullymovie.com
#Sully    

After a disappointing second installment, the Trek franchise bounced back with the very entertaining Star Trek Beyond. 

Now available on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD, Paramount commissioned a new poster via the amazing folks at Mondo.  Artist Matt Taylor brought the cast together in a pretty spectacular poster that’s not available for sale.

And we’re giving away a copy!

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

What is the name of the training exercise designed to test Starfleet Academy cadets how to react in a no-win scenario?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on November 13th, 2016.

In this interplanetary adventure, a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet – never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot – an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa. When he finally gets a chance to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars – from the most simple to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere.  Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be, and where he belongs in the universe.

For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of THE SPACE BETWEEN US on Thursday, November 10th at 7:00PM at Regal Fenway click here:

http://stxtickets.com/YJHiB43956

Remember, seating is first come, first serve and not guaranteed.

The world of Game Of Thrones appeared to shrink considerably toward the end of season six. Major combatants in the struggle for Westeros are effectively circling King’s Landing—and with only two, shortened seasons left we can probably expect to see the lines being drawn for the final showdowns. But in Game Of Thrones, very few characters ever actually accomplish anything.

To that point, there seems to be potential for a lot of the remaining action to consist of battles between power couples—not even necessarily romantic ones, but simply duos of powerful people working together to seize the Iron Throne. With that said, let’s take a look at five potential power couples that could define the remainder of HBO’s sensational drama.

Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen

We may as well begin with the one everyone is excited about. In case you haven’t heard, a platform known for occasionally revealing interesting news and leaks regarding major Hollywood projects revealed photos from the set of season seven that indicate that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen will soon finally meet each other. The photos, though fuzzy, specifically show Jon and Daenerys meeting on what appears to be some kind of balcony overlooking the sea. Previously, we’d seen photos of Kit Harrington on a beach at a filming location expected to serve as Daenerys’s landing spot in Westeros. Many are hoping to see these two tied together, by marriage, alliance, or both, and naturally they fulfill the “Song of Ice and Fire” title of the book series rather well. It’s hard to imagine these two failing to seize control together.

Jon Snow & Sansa Stark

It could also be that even if Jon and Daenerys wind up in some kind of alliance, the true protagonists moving forward are the same ones we started with years ago: the Stark children (provided you still count Jon as one of the family). One news site points out that there’s actually a fairly popular theory that Jon and Sansa will marry, given that we learned in season six that they aren’t brother and sister. Either way, they certainly appear to be on the same page, as well as on the verge of uniting the North against King’s Landing, the White Walkers, or both.

Cersei & Jaime Lannister

This is the last “obvious” pair on the list, and probably represents the longest running alliance in the show. In fact, this site typically devoted to online lottery gaming and predictions wrote up a fascinating analysis of Game Of Thrones “odds” that approached the show as if characters were in the Hunger Games. It’s a silly idea but made for a pretty interesting take on the action. And Cersei and Jaime, even back when this was written, were among the strongest pairings. Whether that strength remains is questionable. Cersei holds the Iron Throne but appears to be about out of allies, and an uncomfortable glance from Jaime at the very end of season six has caused many to speculate whether he might be about ready to be rid of her. For now, however, they may still be the most powerful “couple” in the show.

Ellaria Sand & Olenna Tyrell

Unless George R.R. Martin and HBO really want to stun their audience, these two women—relatively minor characters compared to the others on this list—aren’t going to “win” the Game of Thrones. But it’s pretty fascinating that they’re together. Ellaria and Queen of Thorns have proven to be among the cleverest and most devious people in Westeros. Both are without their families, and yet both still control powerful houses. To forget about their budding alliance and the potential strength of Dorne and High Garden in the conflicts to come would probably be a mistake.

Tyrion Lannister & Jon Snow

Finally, there’s another unlikely pairing that nobody is talking about. Pretend for a moment that the Targaryen blood of Daenerys and somewhat dictatorial tendencies get the better of her and she goes power hungry. Let’s say Tyrion sees her dragons wreaking havoc on King’s Landing and burning civilians in their mother’s name. Would it be so surprising to see him on her and instead link up with one of the few other decent men in Westeros? This page noted that a line Tyrion spoke to Jon in season one is still one of the most popular quotes in six season’s worth of this show—that all sons are bastards in their fathers’ eyes—and it linked these two characters early on. Seeing them fighting together in the end, with their family rivalry having crumbled around them, would be a pretty thrilling twist.

About Dylan Time
Bob Dylan finally acknowledges his Nobel prize award.

Occult Bookstores
A look at some amazing occult bookstores in cinema.

The Reading Law
The United Arab Emirates has established a law giving people time to read at work, however it must be work-related reading.

The Audiobook Newbie
A handy and helpful article for people delving into the world of audiobooks for the first time.

It Pays to be Prime
If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, you don’t get a discount when shopping at the Amazon physical bookstore.

Free Audiobooks
Apparently if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get up to 50 free audiobooks to enjoy.

One Way to Get Fired
The ex-CEO of Barnes & Noble is walking away with millions of dollars, so not such a bad deal, at least for him.

The latest hit New Riverdale series continues to defy expectations with some major surprises: including besties turning into enemies! The battle no one expected hits its peak as Betty and Veronica declare all-out war on each other! It’s a battle of benefits as Betty tries to raise money to save Pop’s, while Ronnie’s staging her own competing fundraisers in move destroy Betty’s efforts. All bets are off as the girls go from best pals to cutthroat competitors. You’ve never seen a car wash like this! Will the two icons find their way back to friendship, or is this the end of one of the longest-running partnerships in history?

Script: Adam Hughes
Art: Adam Hughes, José Villarrubia, Jack Morelli
Cover: Adam Hughes
Variant Covers: David Mack, Allison Sohn, Rachael Stott, Kevin Wada
32-page, full color comic
$3.99 U.S.

Betty & Veronica #2 is available in comic book stores and via digital this Wednesday, 11/9!

As we hold our collective breath for the current Presidential Election circus cycle to finally yield a winner result, let’s recall some of the more memorable movie presidents—some actual, some fictitious, but most of them far more “presidential” than the slim pickings from which we voters must now choose.

Real Presidents

Daniel Day Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln, 2012)

Mr. Day Lewis snagged his third Best Actor Oscar for his noble portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s exquisitely produced but endlessly chatty period piece.

Bruce Greenwood as President John F. Kennedy (Thirteen Days, 2000)

Greenwood’s JFK isn’t the lead character (that would be the guy played by Kevin Costner), but his stoic portrayal of the president during the tense Cuban Missile Crisis makes the CIC come off as a wizened and contemplative strategist. Cliff Robertson also delivered a fine turn as a heroic JFK in the biographical war film PT-109 (1963).

Anthony Hopkins as President Richard M. Nixon (Nixon, 1995)

Hopkins conjures the essence of Richard Nixon with droopy body language and peculiar verbal rhythms, without relying too much on facial prosthetics. Hopkins towers over the movie in a performance as massive and complex as director Oliver Stone’s sprawling three-hours-plus film. Honorable mentions for memorable turns as Nixon also go to Dan Hedaya in Andrew Fleming’s 1999 comedy Dick and Frank Langella in Ron Howard’s 2008 drama Frost/Nixon.

For a veritable archive of historical reenactments of American presidents, check out Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2012), featuring supporting performances by the likes of Alan Rickman (as President Ronald Reagan), John Cusack (as President Richard Nixon), Liev Schreiber (as President Lyndon B. Johnson), James Marsden (as President John F. Kennedy), and Robin Williams (as President Dwight D. Eisenhower).

The late Robin Williams also did triple duty portraying President Theodore Roosevelt in the Night at the Museum trilogy.

Fictitious Presidents

Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffley (Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

Sellers portrays three major characters in Kubrick’s cold war satire, and even though his President Merkin Muffley is his least comical (and, thusly, the least showy) role, Sellers creates one of the most memorable fictitious American presidents in the movies. During a crucial phone call to Soviet premier Kissoff to inform him of impending air strikes on his country, Muffley shows great diplomacy while tiptoeing around his Russian counterpart’s late night drunken belligerence. He keeps a (mostly) even temper in the face of horrific events as they are unfolding. But lest the military hawks gathered around the table think of Muffley as a feckless twerp, he shows he has the gumption to be Commander in Chief when he stands up to and shouts down a fanatical general in the War Room.

Gene Hackman as President Allen Richmond (Absolute Power, 1997)

In Clint Eastwood’s gripping political potboiler, Hackman is appropriately snaky as a Commander in Chief who kills his mistress and, as president, is in the most advantageous position to orchestrate a cover-up. (Eastwood is a thief who witnesses the crime, gets chased by assassins, etcetera.) Hackman played a similar scumbag politician a decade earlier in the Pentagon spy thriller No Way Out, so he was well-rehearsed at portraying such a frightful creature.

Martin Sheen as Greg Stillson (The Dead Zone, 1983)

This one’s on the list by mere technicality, because in the current-day timeline of the plot, Stillson never actually lives to become President. It’s only through one of Christopher Walken’s jerky premonition episodes that we see Stillson as a warmonger Commander in Chief who will instigate a nuclear holocaust.

Though Sheen was lauded for his portrayal of JFK that same year in a TV miniseries, his Greg Stillson is clearly a nightmare exaggeration of then-President Ronald Reagan.

Donald Moffat as President Bennett (Clear and Present Danger, 1994)

Another scary fear-monger in the Reagan mold, President Bennett suggests to his most trusted advisors a course of action that he cannot legally suggest: he tacitly authorizes a private war to retaliate against a South American drug czar who murdered the president’s friend (more likely, he was also a hefty campaign donor). Harrison Ford’s Jack Ryan finds out about it and tries to make it right, first with some covert field action, then with a tense tête-à-tête with his boss in the Oval Office, then ultimately by testifying before a Senate subcommittee.

The most satisfying dialogue exchange happens as Bennett smugly assures Ryan that he’s truly a Teflon president and will indeed escape blame: “Sorry, Jack … the old Nixon two-step.”

Ryan retorts with a snort: “Sorry, Mr. President, I don’t dance.” (Mic drop.)

Donald Moffat as Lyndon B. Johnson (The Right Stuff, 1983)

Donald Moffat isn’t the only actor who has portrayed multiple Presidents (real or unreal), but his gangbusters turn as an uppity Lyndon B. Johnson while he was still a Senator and heading up NASA is among the best impersonations of the egomaniacal Texan ever put to film.

E.G. Marshall as The President (Superman II, 1981)

Even as he’s humiliated and kneels before Zod, we trust he does so reluctantly, and only for the better safety of the people of the world.

Kevin Kline as President Bill Mitchell (Dave, 1993)

Directed by the ghost of Frank Capra via Ivan Reitman, this charming political comedy of mistaken identity tells a tale of what could happen if a genuine nice guy who wanted to help others was somehow put in charge of the West Wing.

Kevin Kline plays two roles: a not-so-nice President who has a severe stroke during an infidelity, and “Dave,” a doppelganger who is convinced to impersonate the comatose President for the good of the country, protecting the office from scandal and for sake of the public eye. Sigourney Weaver is the estranged First Lady, who has her own private ways of knowing Dave is not her real husband (wink, nudge).

Jamie Foxx as President Sawyer (White House Down, 2013)

He’s not the first African American president in the movies—he’s preceded in this regard by both Morgan Freeman (Deep Impact, 1998) and Danny Glover (2012, 2012)—but he’s the one most clearly modeled on President Barack Obama, even if the story (terrorists lay siege to the White House) requires this fictitious Commander in Chief to wield a firearm.

John Travolta as Jack Stanton (Primary Colors, 1998)

At the time of the book’s publishing, the author’s name was credited as “Anonymous” (since revealed to be Time magazine political columnist Joe Klein), but it was no secret the character Jack Stanton is not-so-loosely based on Bill Clinton.

Consequently, Emma Thompson’s portrayal of Mrs. Stanton makes her a far more congenial character than her real-life counterpart.

Harrison Ford as President James Marshall (Air Force One, 1997)

When dastardly terrorists hijack Air Force One, John McClane the president (in the guise of Harrison Ford) springs into action. Clint Eastwood gets a lot of credit for the “Get off my lawn!” bit from Gran Torino, but Ford’s final dispatch of the villain while growling “Get off my plane!” is as close to “Yippie ki yay, motherfucker!” as it gets for him.

Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd (The American President, 1995)

Rob Reiner’s innocuous romantic comedy stars Michael Douglas—perhaps never before this likable—as a fine and decent president who is also a widower with a daughter. Enter Annette Bening, who helps to warm up the lonely CIC’s heart. Like Ivan Reitman’s comic trifle Dave, this upbeat comedy is the very definition of “Capraesque.”

Jack Nicholson as President James Dale (Mars Attacks!, 1996)

If slimy, giant-brained, green-blooded Martians ever do land on Earth and pretend that they come in peace, let’s hope whoever occupies the Oval Office is far more clever and has a sturdier spine than wimpy President James Dale, all-too-easily fooled and felled by a lethally prankish Martian ambassador.

Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore (Independence Day, 1996)

Aliens have arrived, decimated our cities, and now threaten to wipe out the remainder of the human race.

Or is it enslave us? I honestly cannot recall.

Either way, there’s no better way to prove oneself as a President of words and deeds than by rallying the global defense force with a rousing speech, and then slipping into the cockpit of a fighter jet to assist in the desperate final assault on the alien mothership.

Tomorrow is Election Day. Too many men and women have laid down their lives for, among other liberties, our right to vote and have a say in this crucial election.

Please don’t sit this one out. Use your voice.

Produced by Jerry Kolber, Adam “Tex” Davis
Written by Adam “Tex” Davis, Trey Nelson,
Erich Sturm, Jerry Kolber
Directed by Jerry Kolber, Adam “Tex” Davis,
Trey Nelson, Erich Sturm
Starring Alan Eustace, Jared Leidich,
Taber MacCallum, Jane Poynter,
Sebastian Padilla, Kathy Kwan

Many people likely remember when daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumped to Earth from a helium balloon in 2012. It was all over the news.

But when Senior Vice President of Knowledge at Google, 57-year-old Alan Eustace, made a stratosphere jump a few years later, it went mostly under the radar.

For Eustace’s team this was a deliberate choice. They figured all the testing, research and the final jump itself would be difficult enough without constant media scrutiny.

14 Minutes To Earth documents the 18 month journey of Eustace’s incredibly ballsy idea, from a concept drawn on a napkin to a fall to Earth from 135,000 feet. It’s far from a great film, and a little frustrating in that it could have been one.

Still, the film remains a fascinating look at trial and error, scientific innovation, and methodical teamwork to achieve a landmark goal. In that it has the feel of a far lesser but still effective Apollo 13.

The first decision made was for Eustace to make the jump in a space suit. Because of the specific nature of the jump, and the extreme temperatures and changes in pressure, a new type of suit needed to be developed. To the team’s surprise, NASA hadn’t changed the design of spacesuits in 40 years, so the team went to work and created a suit that would keep Eustace alive.

One of the scarier aspects of Baumgartner’s jump was when he began spinning uncontrollably. Eustace and his team needed to find a way to prevent that, as spinning at that altitude and speed could prove disastrous.

Other problems included what to do with the balloon once Eustace dropped. By the time Eustace reached his goal height and jumped, gas will have expanded the balloon to the size of a football stadium, so obviously an object of that size can’t be allowed to just drift around and eventually drop as is.

The solutions to these dilemmas as well as the test jumps are consistently interesting and even tense.

However, it’s unfortunate the filmmaking more often resembles reality TV than Frederick Wiseman. The music, photography, editing and especially narration will more likely remind one of an episode of Master Chef than a stellar documentary.

Even so, the film never drags and the final jump is truly dramatic and tense even though, as with Apollo 13, the end result is never in doubt.

14 Minutes To Earth  arrives on Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes, Microsoft Movies & TV, Sony PlayStation, and Vudu tomorrow, November 8th

Director Antoine Fuqua, alongside an all-star ensemble cast, delivers a modern take on the classic Western genre in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, debuting on Digital December 6 and on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack; Blu-ray and DVD December 20 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and MGM Studios.

In Director Antoine Fuqua’s modern vision to a classic story, the desperate townspeople of Rose Creek employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns after the town falls under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue. As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.

The “perfectly assembled” (Brian Tallerico, ROGER EBERT) cast includes two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington as Sam Chisolm, Chris Pratt as Josh Farraday, two-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke as Goodnight Robicheaux, Vincent D’Onofrio as Jack Horne, Byung-Hun Lee as Billy Rocks , Martin Sensmeier as Red Harvest, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Vasquez and Peter Sarsgaard as Bartholomew Bogue.

Exclusive to THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Blu-ray is the interactive “Vengeance Mode,” where Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and the other members of the cast sat down together with director Antoine Fuqua to breakdown key scenes, share their best memories from the set and reflect on the extraordinary experience of making a classic western. “Vengeance Mode” combines behind the scenes footage with the group’s lively conversation to give viewers an all-access look at the process of bringing The Magnificent Seven to the screen. Also available exclusively on the Blu-ray are deleted scenes and two featurettes. “Gunslingers” shows the extensive firearms training the cast went through with the trainer to prepare for the film, while “The Taking of Rose Creek” is a breakdown of the first big shootout.

Four additional featurettes included on THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Blu-ray are also available on the DVD. “Magnificent Music” highlights the moving story of composer James Horner’s final score before his untimely death; Antoine Fuqua is profiled in “Directing the Seven;” “Rogue Bogue” profiles the chilling villain played masterfully by Peter Sarsgaard; and “The Seven” features stylized character profiles with behind-the-scenes footage, cast and director interviews.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, released theatrically by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Columbia Pictures, in association with LStar Capital and Village Roadshow Pictures, was directed by Antoine Fuqua from a screenplay by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk. The film is produced by Roger Birnbaum and Todd Black, and executive produced by Walter Mirisch, Antoine Fuqua, Bruce Berman and Ben Waisbren.

4K Ultra HD

• Feature film in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR)
• Dolby Atmos soundtrack (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible)*
• Also includes the film and special features on high-def Blu-ray

* To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

Blu-ray Bonus Materials Include:

• “Vengeance Mode”
• Deleted Scenes
• Six Featurettes:
  • “Gunslingers”
  • “The Taking of Rose Creek”
  • “Magnificent Music”
  • “Directing the Seven”
  • “The Seven”
  • “Rogue Bogue”

DVD Bonus Materials Include:

• Four Featurettes:
  • “Magnificent Music”
  • “Directing the Seven”
  • “The Seven”
  • “Rogue Bogue”

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN has a run time of approximately 132 minutes and is rated PG-13 for extended and intense sequences of Western violence, and for historical smoking, some language and suggestive material.

Facebook.com/Mag7Movie

Do you remember when Santa asked Rudolph to guide his sleigh, Frosty magically came to life on Christmas Eve, and Kris Kringle became Santa Claus?  Share the wonder and joy of The Original Christmas Classics with your children and grandchildren, creating new memories and holiday traditions that you’ll cherish through the years.

This year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer joins Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town for the first time on Digital HD. As the leaves start to fall, the temperature drops and the holiday spirit fills the air, gather your loved ones and relive the magic of The Original Christmas Classics at home or away.

Available Tuesday, Nov. 8

• The Original Christmas Classics Bundle (includes Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and The Little Drummer Boy)
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (available for the first time on Digital HD)
• Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town
• Frosty the Snowman 
• Frosty the Snowman Holiday Collection (includes Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns & The Legend of Frosty the Snowman; available on Digital HD only)
• The Little Drummer Boy
• Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol
• VeggieTales: Merry Larry & the True Light of Christmas 

Comet TV November Guide to the Films Only Available on Comet TV and not available for streaming anywhere else!

COMET has an incredible array of movies that you simply can’t get with a subscription to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu. From wild adventures on Mars to critically acclaimed classics, COMET is the ultimate home of sci-fi and horror… and it’s all totally free, no subscriptions needed.

YOU DON’T NEED A SUBSCRIPTION TO WATCH THESE GREAT MOVIES… THEY’RE AIRING FOR FREE ON COMET!

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Saturday November 26 at 2/1C
Tuesday November 29 at 4/3C

Angry Red Planet (1960)
RED PLANET DAY: Monday November 28 at Noon/11C

Babylon 5: The Lost Tales (2007)
Friday November 11 at 8/7C
Saturday November 12 at 8/7C

Blood and Lace (1977)
Friday November 18 at 10/9C

Cry for the Strangers (1982)
Monday November 14 at 2am/1C

Die, Monster, Die! (1965)
Friday November 25 at Noon/11C

Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972)
Saturday November 26 at 4/3C
Tuesday November 29 at 6/5C

Encounter at Raven’s Gate (1990)
Saturday November 26 at 6/5C

Gog (1954)
Monday November 21 at 4/3C

Haunted Honeymoon (1986)
Thursday November 3 at 4/3C

High Spirits (1988)
Sunday November 6 at Noon/11C

Highway to Hell (1991)
Sunday November 6 at 6/5C

Impostor (2003)
Saturday November 12 at 6/5C
Sunday November 27 at 6/5C

J.D.’s Revenge (1976)
Sunday November 20 at 10am/9C

Love Bites (1993)
Tuesday November 15 at 4/3C

Mac and Me (1988)
Monday November 7 at MIDNIGHT/11C
Sunday November 20 at 2am/1C

Master of the World (1961)
Friday November 25 at 10am/9C

Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear (1988)
Sunday November 13 at 6/5C

Planet of the Vampires (1965)
Monday November 7 at 4/3C

Prison (1987)
Saturday November at 12 at 10/9C

Red Planet (2000)
RED PLANET DAY: Monday November 28 at 6/5C

Red Planet Mars (1952)
RED PLANET DAY: Monday November 28 2/1C

Return of Dracula (1958)
Friday November 25 at 10/9C

The Shout (1978)
Friday November 18 at MIDNIGHT/11C

Space Probe Taurus (1965)
Saturday November 5 at 10/9C

Static (1986)
Thursday November 24 at MIDNIGHT/11C

Sugar Hill (1974)
Thursday November 10 at 2am/1C

The Twonky (1953)
Thursday November 24 at 2am/1C

VooDoo Island (1957)
Sunday November 13 Noon/11C

Witchboard (1987)
Saturday November 19 at 10/9C

X (1963)
Saturday November 26 at 2am/1C

WANT TO BE COOLER THAN YOUR FRIENDS?  COMET HAS SHOWS YOU SHOULD WATCH!

Mystery Science Theater 3000
Sundays in November at 8/7C

Dead Like Me
DAY OF THE DEAD LIKE ME MARATHON: Tuesday November 1 starts at 10am/9C
Tuesdays in November at 8/7C

Original Outer Limits (1963)
Wednesdays in November at 8/7C

Jeremiah
Thursdays in November at 8/7C

Poltergeist: The Legacy
Mondays in November at 8/7C

Stargate Atlantis (Starting in December)

Stargate SG-1 (Returns Early 2017)

Stargate Universe (Returns Early 2017)

Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot
Sundays in November at 12:30am/11:30C

Men into Space
Sundays in November at 1:30am/12:30C

BEAMING INTO THEIR FIRST SCREEN APPEARANCE!

Jim Broadbent (Film Debut)
The Shout airs Sunday, November 18 at MIDNIGHT/11C

Jennifer Aniston (Film Debut)
Mac and Me airs Tuesday, November 22 at MIDNIGHT/11C

Mel Gibson (Early Appearance)
Mad Max airs Friday, November 18 at 8/7C

Martin Sheen (Early Appearance)
Outer Limits airs Wednesday, November 30 at 11/10C

For more details, visit CometTV.com

Legendary pirates face off in the thrilling STARZ Original series BLACK SAILS: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON arriving on Blu-ray + Digital HD with Ultraviolet and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment on November 8, 2016. The notorious raider Blackbeard arrives on the scene in the third season of “Black Sails,” as Captain Flint, Charles Vane, John Silver, and Jack Rackham vie for control of Nassau.  The Emmy Award-winning series, executive produced by Michael Bay (the Transformers franchise, 13 Hours, Pearl Harbor), and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Purge, and Ouija franchises) along with executive producers Jonathan E. Steinberg (“Human Target”), Chris Symes (Hellboy II), Robert Levine (“Touch”) and Dan Shotz (“Jericho”), explores the drama and adventure in the lives of some of the most famous fictional and historical pirates about twenty years prior to the events in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Treasure Island.”

Season Three of Black Sails begins in the wake of the burning of Charles Town. All the New World lives in fear of Captain Flint. When his campaign of terror crosses over into madness, and new threats emerge to challenge his supremacy, it falls to John Silver to locate the man within the monster, before Flint’s war against the world consumes them all.  Meanwhile, on the pirate island of Nassau, it’s a new day.  With Eleanor Guthrie facing judgment in London, Jack Rackham sits atop a fortune in Spanish gold, hoping to secure his legacy as a king among thieves. To do so, he’ll have to compete with the return of one of history’s most notorious captains, who holds a different vision for their home, as well as a complicated past with Rackham’s chief ally, Captain Charles Vane. All will be tested when a new opponent arrives to claim Nassau, one the pirates could never have anticipated. It knows them. It understands them. And in the blink of an eye, it will do the one thing they never thought possible…turn them against each other.

And we’re giving away a copy!

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

Black Sails was intended as a prequel to this Robert Louis Stevenson book?

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

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

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on November 20th, 2016.

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

The home entertainment release of Mechanic: Resurrection includes five behind-the-scenes featurettes looking at the development of the sequel, scoring the film, a breakdown of the Malaysian prison break sequence, and in-depth interviews with Michelle Yeoh and Jason Statham.

Check out an exclusive special feature from the home entertainment release of Mechanic: Resurrection.

The clip shows Jason Statham discussing and performing his own stunts and how they need to make sure everything is new as well as some commentary from legendary stuntman, Vic Armstrong.

Mechanic: Resurrection arrives on Digital HD tomorrow, November 8 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD on November 22 

This December, buckle up because a double dose of Human Rocket is coming to Marvel NOW! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside NOVA #1 – the highly anticipated new ongoing series from creators Jeff Loveness (Groot) and Ramon Perez (All-New Hawkeye). For years, he stood as one of Earth’s greatest heroes. He fought alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers, stopped the Annihilation Wave from eradicating all life in the galaxy, among other great deeds. In the end, he sacrificed his life to save everyone. But now, Richard Rider has returned from the brink, unsure of his place in a universe that has moved on without him. In his absence, a new Nova has stepped up to fill the void he left behind. Can Sam Alexander remind Rich what it means to be the Human Rocket? You better believe it! Sam just has to finish his homework first. Strap in True Believer, this is NOVA like you’ve never seen it before! Be there for liftoff when NOVA #1 comes to comic shops and digital devices everywhere on December 7^th!

NOVA #1 (OCT160811)
Written by JEFF LOVENESS & RAMON PEREZ
Art & Cover by RAMON PEREZ
Teaser Variant by FRANCESCO MATTINA (OCT160812)
Action Figure Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER (OCT160813)
ICX Variant by KHOI PHAM (OCT160815)
Hip-Hop Variant by CHRISTIAN WARD (OCT160814)
FOC – 11/14/16, On-Sale – 12/07/16

To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.

OK, who’s a more “prestigious,” creatively-awesome character to write: Batman or Bugs Bunny? The answer to that burning question in a little later in the article.

Right now, however, I want to talk about writing comics featuring other people’s characters and properties.

Part of the work I do is helping clients bring their ideas and properties to life via the comic book format, as a writer and script-adapter.

My mission is: I want to understand what it is the client wants to say, learn who it is they want to say it to, and then make that happen in a professional-looking, fun-to-read comic book.

The question might then be asked: what do I get out of it? (Other than the paycheck, of course!) Isn’t this uncreative work—dealing with other people’s ideas, stories, characters, etc.?

Working as a comic book editor years ago, the “other people’s characters” books—the “licensed” stuff like from toys and movies and cartoons—were sometimes seen as “inferior” to bravura turns writing the latest hot superhero book like a true comic book auteur. Batman was seen, in some circles, as being more important a character to write about than Bugs Bunny. The “children’s comics”—the cartoon stuff—was sort of considered less creative writing work.

Of course…tell that to people like Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man) and Mark Millar (Kick-Ass), who both started out writing children’s comics. Slott, who I worked with, did not think of writing Looney Tunes as just “uncreative kid’s stuff.” He took it very seriously. His challenge, which he happily accepted, was to make the comic entertaining to the projected audience and to himself…while at the same time working within the licensor’s parameters (how they, Warner Bros., choose to express the character to the public).

We may then break down into three tasks what the successful writer of other people’s characters must do:

1) Entertain the audience.

2) Entertain oneself; making the book something fun he or she would want to read.

3) Working within the parameters set by the owner of the property. These parameters can include the owner’s personal preferences (maintaining the essence of their story), legal stuff, story bible stuff, etc.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a custom comic for Razorfish called Ella The Engineer, designed to get more girls interested in coding. The questions I asked myself when taking on this assignment were:

1) How do I write something that the desired audience (young teens) would find entertaining?

2) How can I write this so I would find it entertaining?

3) How do I write this in such a way as to communicate the essence of what the creator of the property is trying to say?

One super-important thing to point out here: when you’re hired to write/develop a project like this, #3 on this list trumps your #2. It has to. You have to leave your ego at the door.

I think of one of the very first scripts I adapted for a freelance client who was brand-new to storytelling. On my first pass, I thought I’d add all this “extra cool” stuff that wasn’t there in the original script or treatment. I thought: “I’m going to make this BETTER! I’m going to give my client 150%!”

But what I actually did was: I didn’t listen to the client. I didn’t take the time to fully absorb and appreciate his story. And so when I turned in that first draft, he didn’t even recognize it. As a script adapter—as someone working with essentially a “licensed” property—I screwed up!

And so on the second draft I started fresh by really immersing myself in the client’s story. Not just the details of the plot, but even things like speech patterns in dialogue, larger philosophical issues his story brought up, and so on. And what I produced was, in essence, his story. There might have been little things I added here and there that might be more “me”—but basically, it was all about bringing his narrative to life. Because that was my job.

And so we have the question again: isn’t this uncreative work?

I don’t think it is…or at least, it didn’t feel that way to me.

The crucial point to understand is, a lot of the creativity is in the art of translating that client’s idea into an effective comic book narrative. Much of the creativity is to be found in working within parameters that other people may find restrictive.

As for the Batman vs. Bugs Bunny thing…when you think of it, they’re both licensed comic books. Unless it’s a creator-owned book, it’s all licensed material. And in some cases it might be even harder to satisfactorily write that issue of Batman than Looney Tunes for your editor (and, in turn, for his or her own boss). Even a comic written by a “hot” writer which seems like the biggest ground-breaking thing in the world will probably need to go through a “committee” of editors, especially if it features a Batman or Spider-Man.

That’s why, unless you are completely not interested in ever writing another person’s character (and that is completely OK), you really should study and try your hand at licensed comic books and the like. It may be the stepping-stone to other things…and you might really enjoy it for its own sake!

A sinister tale of haunting and murder starring Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger, “Suits”) and Jodell Ferland (The Cabin in the Woods, “Dark Matter”), The Unspoken shocks on DVD December 6 from Anchor Bay Entertainment. From the producers of top horror franchises, Insidious and Paranormal Activity, as well as Blair Witch and The Devil Inside, the frighteningly twisted story also stars Chanelle Peloso (Zapped), Lochlyn Munro (Scary Movie, “Charmed”), Matt Bellefleur (In Their Skin, “Falling Skies”) and Pascale Hutton (“Flashpoint,” “Sanctuary”).

In 1997 the close-knit Anderson family vanished from their country home without a trace, without an explanation. No bodies were found and the house has remained undisturbed for 17 years…until now. When a mother and her mute son move into the mysterious place, a local teen reluctantly accepts a job as the son’s caretaker to help her financially struggling father. She immediately finds herself trying to make sense of the supernatural activities taking place in the house, all of which seem eerily similar to the past.

A creepy thrill ride into the terror that lurks in an unsuspecting small town, The Unspoken will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $22.98.

To learn more about the film, please visit www.anchorbayentertainment.com.

Whether you’re a magical pony, a Colonial Marine, or a member of the Justice League, this week is all about friendship! Diamond Select Toys is shipping five new items to their friends at comic shops across North America, and those items include the first-ever Aliens Minimates vehicle (perfect for you and four of your fellow Marines), the first bust in the Justice League series, and three highly anticipated vinyl banks from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic!

Read on for details, find a store at comicshoplocator.com, and reserve yours today!

Aliens Deluxe Minimates APC Mini-Vehicle

A Diamond Select Toys release! Get your Colonial Marines ready to roll out with this all-new Minimates-scale mini-vehicle of the Armored Personnel Carrier from Aliens! Based on the classic 1986 movie, this approximately 7” APC vehicle seats five Marines, and includes an exclusive Minimates mini-figure of Lt. Gorman, with an alternate bandaged head. The APC has a roof that opens up so you can control the bug hunt from the command center, plus a real sliding door, rolling wheels, moving cannon and a rack for assault rifles in the back! Packaged on a full-color blister card. (Item #MAY162381, SRP: $29.99)

Justice League Animated Hawkgirl Resin Bust

A Diamond Select Toys release! It’s the dawn of the Justice League! DST’s line of resin busts based on the DC Animated Universe has been expanding rapidly, and now Hawkgirl is the first bust to be based on the classic Justice League cartoon! Swinging her mace, Shayera flies into action as an approximately 6” resin bust, set atop a pedestal inspired by the Justice League’s Watchtower satellite. Hawkgirl is in scale to other busts from Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and is limited to only 3,000 pieces! Sculpted by Varner Studios, she comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color box. (Item #MAY162404, SRP: $59.99)

My Little Pony Vinyl Coin Banks

A Diamond Select Toys release! Three new ponies are joining the My Little Pony vinyl bank series by DST! Based on their appearances in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, these sculptures of Pinkie Pie, Dr. Whooves and Rainbow Dash each measure approximately 7 inches tall, and are sure to delight any fan of the popular animated series. But while they look like high-end statues, each 7” vinyl bank has a coin slot in the base for storing your spare change, and an access door for getting it out again! Each comes packaged in a clear polybag.

• My Little Pony Pinkie Pie Vinyl Bank (Item #MAR152064, SRP: $22.99)
• My Little Pony Dr. Whooves Vinyl Bank (Item #JUN152103, SRP: $22.99)
• My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Vinyl Bank (Item #APR152305, SRP: $22.99)

Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!

While we won’t be hearing Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Don’t Stop’ (reprise) this week, but Rumours can still act as the soundtrack to your comics reading experience. Heartthrob Vol. 1 is a throwback Fight Club crime story about a transplant survivor with a special part of the donor left behind.

The creative team of Christopher Sebela and Robert Wilson IV joined us today to talk about this throwback book that goes well with a scotch and some polyester blends!

FOG!: Thanks for joining us today! As Heartthrob Vol. 1 is about to hit shelves, what can you tell us about fan response so far?

Christopher Sebela: It’s kind of weird, honestly. Everyone who’s talked to me about it loves it. And the notes we get online are way more than I ever expected. I’ve talked to a couple people who passed along messages from friends of theirs who actually had heart transplants and thanked us for making a book that spoke so much to their experiences. Which I wasn’t expecting.

I tried to do my homework and write what felt true, but to have people in this rare group you’re talking about tell you you’re doing a good job of talking about it is more than I hoped for in my wildest dreams.

How did this art team and whole collaboration come together for this project?

CS: I had the story and our editor, Charlie Chu, suggested Robert for it right before Emerald City in 2015. Robert and I were already friends by then and I’d cast a kind of magic spell by putting his name on a notebook as “THE ROBERT WILSON IV BOOK” and when Charlie said it, it all made complete sense, I could totally see Robert on this book and I was even more excited about it.

We talked to Robert during that weekend and he was onboard not long after it. Nick was someone Charlie had worked with on other Oni books and as soon as I saw how well he and Robert worked together and I talked with him once or twice I knew he was a perfect fit. So basically this whole book owes its existence to our editor and a little bit of fate and good luck.

Robert, as a fan of period pieces in fiction, I was wondering what your favorite piece of research was for this book? The costumes? The cars? The rockstars?

Robert Wilson IV: A lot of my research was stuff I was already into like mid to late 70’s David Bowie, the music, the outfits, the presentation, all of it. I do my due diligence when it comes to research, but I also try not to fall down rabbit holes. The thing I reference the most is a series of books of Sears catalog ads.

I know how Bowie, or Stevie Nicks, dressed. You see costume design in movies like Boogie Nights, but Sears is such a grounded, everyday look at what people were actually wearing. It’s easy to lean into period hyperbole and I don’t want that to define the book.

As a graduate of The College of Classic Rock Knowledge, I commend you for the Fleetwood Mac theme of the book, and in general the musical cues in Heartthrob. What made you place the setting of the story in the ’70s?

CS: It was a necessity at first. I wanted to do a crime story that didn’t have to deal with all our modern inventions that make bank robberies and criminal escapades much harder. The 70s had no cell phones, not much in the way of closed circuit cameras, no internet to pass information across the planet with a news report and news was on twice, maybe 3 times a day, there wasn’t the kind of coverage we see in a post-cable-news society.

I’ve always been drawn to the 70s because so many movies and albums I love came out of that time, and it was a weird time where our President was a crook and had to quit his job. Once I stumbled onto the heart transplant idea, then it put it somewhere in the later 70s and figuring out that Fleetwood Mac released Rumours in 1977 was the last piece of the puzzle.

Are crime stories set in the ’70s just cooler than setting them in the current day?

CS: I think so, but that’s my natural urges at work. I feel like so much of storytelling in the modern age has to account for all these different ways that things wouldn’t work, and how to outsmart those circumstances. The crime stuff felt like we had to go back in time a bit.

The 70s was just a weird period for the world, and America especially, so that stuff adds a lot of charge to what we’re working on and we’ve taken a lot of direct inspiration from things that were going on then, all the fallout from the 60s and all the stuff that predicted the rise of the Me-centric 1980s. The 70s still feels cool.

What is the most difficult part about writing a character like Callie that has, for lack of better words, ‘voices from Mercer’ in her head?

CS: The hardest part for me is to keep Callie from repeating herself. She just naturally perseverates about everything and especially when it comes to love, where she’s gotten burned so many times, and now crime, which is a brand new life where she’s still trying to find her sea legs. I felt like I got Callie right away, or I thought I did. The more I write her, the more she shows off of herself that I’d never considered before and it’s strange.

Maybe I don’t have much problem writing the girl with voices in her head because I have Callie in my head. She’s always hanging out, always ready for me to run scenarios with her in them that she’ll either fit like a glove with or tell me no, this isn’t something she’d really do. It sounds like pretentious pinky extended fancypants writerspeak but it’s my ideal state with any book I do, that the characters come into their own and I’m less of a creator and more of a wrangler at that point.

Callie mostly trusts Mercer, at least at first, why is she so trusting? Or is it that she is truly in love?

CS: I think Callie is definitely in love. Or that she recognizes all the signs that she’s in love. The sweaty palms and heart beating too fast and stomach flip flopping all show up when Mercer does.

Throw in his confidence and knowledge and smooth talk and he feels like the complete package to her, even if he does lack things like a body.

But maybe those physical reactions are the reactions of a heart meeting its old owner and Callie mistakes them for love.

Callie starts out as too trusting. Her boyfriend when we open is cheating on her with the head of HR and trying to beat out Callie for a promotion and she doesn’t realize at all.

Callie falls in love too easily, there’s a reason her past is a highway lined with burning wrecks of the dudes she loved before, because Callie is not cautious in love and when she falls for Mercer, it’s 100% commitment to the idea that drags any hesitations she might have about becoming part of a nationwide crime spree over the cliff with it.

RWIV: To an extent, I feel like she’s so trusting because she’s has pretty pure intent, despite the whole crime thing and even that she is at least a more ethical criminal than most.

What’s next for the Heartthrob team?

CS: We’re working on the second season now. Robert’s deep into drawing, Nick is coloring and I’m writing. Robert and I are collaborating a lot closer on this arc, breaking down story stuff together on the rest of this season, so that’s a fun new wrinkle that we’ve just kinda danced around up until now.

This is a lot more of an official thing and we’re cooking up some fun stuff for this season to make it bigger in all sorts of ways compared to the first season, while still keeping this one long story of a guy and a girl in love and everything that goes wrong as a result of it.

We all love Stevie, but Lindsey Buckingham is really Fleetwood Mac, right? Who is everyone’s favorite band member?

CS: Stevie for me. She’s been a huge inspiration not just on the story we’re telling or on Callie as a character, but as a way for me to see the bigger picture of what I want this story to be when we reach the end. Lindsay and Christine are both neck and neck for 2nd and third places, but Stevie contains multitudes.

RWIV: I totally get the argument for Lindsey. He’s an amazing songwriter and musician. However, my heart still belongs to Stevie.

Heartthrob TPB Vol.1 Never Going Back Again arrives in stores on December 7, 2016
Final Order Cutoff is 11/14/16