Four months after New York Comic-Con, Diamond Select Toys is returning to the Jacob Javits Center in New York City for the annual International Toy Fair. Once again, DST will unveil new items to retailers and press, and DST is known for surprising people!

Below, you’ll see some of the upcoming items that will be on display at the show, including new licenses Dark Tower, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales!

More new licenses and products will be revealed on-site!

Back to the Future

One of DST’s most venerable licenses meets its newest brand when DST expands their Vinimates vinyl figure line to include Marty McFly and Doc Brown! Plus, they’re also bringing back their sold-out Electronic Hover Time Machine from Back to the Future II!

• Back to the Future 2 Hover Time Machine Electronic Vehicle (Item # FEB172621, SRP: $59.99)
• Back to the Future Vinimates Doc Brown Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172602, SRP: $9.99)
• Back to the Future Vinimates Marty McFly Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172603, SRP: $9.99)

Batman Classic TV Series

The epic bust series based on the original Gotham-based TV series continues with another classic villain and legendary actor from the 1960s TV show – Roddy McDowall as the Bookworm!

• Batman Classic TV Series Bookworm Resin Bust (Item #JAN172651, SRP: $59.99)

Batman: The Animated Series

More busts and statues capturing the iconic 1990s animated series continue to roll out, including a bust celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Harley Quinn, a full-size statue of Catwoman, and two characters are revisited in new PVC dioramas — New Adventures Batgirl and Laughing Fish Joker! Plus, the Justice League Unlimited bust series continues with Shazam!

• Batman Animated Series Premier Collection Catwoman Resin Statue (Item #JAN172650, SRP: $150.00)
• Batman The Animated Series Harley Quinn 25th Ann. Bust (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $59.99)
• Batman The Animated Series Mr. Freeze Resin Bust (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $59.99)
• Batman Animated Series Riddler Resin Bust (Item # FEB172600, SRP: $59.99
• DC Gallery Batman The Animated Series HARDAC PVC Diorama (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $45.00)
• DC Gallery Batman The Animated Series Laughing Fish Joker PVC Diorama (Item #JAN172652, SRP: $45.00)
• DC Gallery New Batman Adventures Batgirl PVC Diorama (Item # FEB172601, SRP: $45.00)
• Justice League Unlimited Animated Series Shazam Resin Bust (Item # JAN172653, SRP: $59.99)

Caddyshack

The beloved golf comedy has never gotten collectible toys before now, and two more Vinimates vinyl figures are joining the line! Articulated necks allow you to customize each iconic pose!

• Caddyshack Vinimates Ty Webb Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172606, SRP: $9.99)
• Caddyshack Vinimates Gopher Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172607, SRP: $9.99)

The Dark Tower

Anticipation for the film adaptation of Stephen Kings Dark Tower is at an all-time high, and DST is tackling the new film with Vinimates vinyl figures, Minimates mini-figures and Select action figures!

• Dark Tower Vinimates Gunslinger Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172604, SRP: $9.99)
• Dark Tower Vinimates Man in Black Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172605, SRP: $9.99)

Forbidden Planet

The classic sci-fi film Forbidden Planet is now the latest Minimates 2-pack, and work has begun on a larger-scale electronic Robby!

• Forbidden Planet Minimates Robby the Robot & Crewman 2-Pack (Item #JAN172655, SRP: $9.99)

Ghostbusters

All-new Ghostbusters action figures will make their debut at the show, plus a highly anticipated variant figure, and two new Vinimates vinyl figures!

• Ghostbusters Marshmallow Winston Action Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, $19.99)
• Ghostbusters Vinimates Slimed Egon Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)
• Ghostbusters Vinimates Slimed Winston Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)

The Iron Giant

The heartwarming tale of a boy and his giant robot is now the newest set of Minimates mini-figures! This 2-pack includes fully poseable 2” mini-figures of young boy Hogarth Hughes and the alien automaton he grows to love, with even more Iron Giant merch in the works!

• Iron Giant Minimates Iron Giant and Hogarth 2-Pack (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)

Marvel Comics, Movies and Television

The Marvel Gallery OVC Diorama line is one of DST’s most popular launches in years, and the response has been phenomenal. Five new PVCs were recently revealed, with more scheduled to be on display at the show. New Marvel Select figures from Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios films and Marvel television will be on display, as well as new Minimates mini-figures, and Milestones and Premier Collection collectible statues!

• Marvel Gallery Classic Iron Man PVC Diorama (Item #JAN172648, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Gallery Ironheart PVC Diorama (Item #TBD, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Gallery Jean Grey PVC Diorama (Item # FEB172612, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Gallery Luke Cage Netflix TV Series PVC Diorama (Item #JAN172647, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Gallery Old Man Logan PVC Diorama (Item #OCT160011, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Gallery Punisher Netflix TV PVC Diorama (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $45.00)
• Marvel Milestones Armored Thor Resin Statue (Item #JAN172646, SRP: $225.00)
• Marvel Milestones Civil War Movie Iron Man Resin Statue (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $199.99)
• Marvel Minimates Series 73 Spider-Man Homecoming Movie Asst. (Item #JAN172661, SRP: $9.99/ea.)
• Marvel Premier Collection Classic Iron Man Resin Statue (Item # FEB172611, SRP: $150.00)
• Marvel Premier Collection Wolverine Resin Statue (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, $150.00)
• Marvel Select Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Movie Drax Action Figure (Item #JAN172662, SRP: $24.99)
• Marvel Select Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Movie Star-Lord Action Figure (Item #JAN172663, SRP: $24.99)
• Marvel Select Spider-Man Homecoming Movie Action Figure (Item # FEB172613, SRP: $24.99)

The Muppets

The hit Muppets Select action figure line continues with a new assortment of America’s favorite Muppets!

• Muppets Select Action Figures Series 4 Asst.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Nightmare Before Christmas Select action figure line continues with new assortments of characters, plus new Vinimates vinyl figures and Minimates mini-figures!

• Nightmare Before Christmas Vinimates Pumpkin King Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)
• Nightmare Before Christmas Vinimates Santa Claus Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)
• Nightmare Before Christmas Vinimates Zero Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

This year, pirates are back, savvy? Based on the highly anticipated new film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, new assortments of Minimates mini-figures, Vinimates vinyl figures, Select action figures and Gallery PVCs capture all of the heroes and villains of the movie!

• Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Minimates 2-Pack Asst. (Item # FEB172623, SRP: $9.99/ea.)
• Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Vinimates Jack Sparrow Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172608, SRP: $9.99)
• Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Vinimates Barbossa Vinyl Figure (Item # FEB172609, SRP: $9.99)
• Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Vinimates Salazar Vinyl Figure (Item #FEB172610, SRP: $9.99)

Predator

The hunt is back on! The epic fourth series of Predator Minimates is based on films from across the popular movie franchise, including Predator, Predator 2 and Predators!

• Predator Minimates Series 4 2-Packs Asst. (Item # FEB172624, SRP: $9.99/ea.)

Watchmen Movie Minimates Box Set

We still may not know who watches the Watchmen, but now fans of the epic superhero film can watch the Watchmen join their Minimates mini-figure collection! Plus, three more Vinimates vinyl figures!

• Watchmen Movie Minimates Box Set (Item # FEB172622, SRP: $24.99)
• Watchmen Vinimates Silk Spectre Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)
• Watchmen Vinimates Dr. Manhattan Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)
• Watchmen Vinimates Ozymandias Vinyl Figure (SEE IT AT TOY FAIR, SRP: $9.99)

Karen Berger, the legendary, award-winning comic book editor and founder of DC Comics’ influential imprint Vertigo, will acquire, edit, and oversee Berger Books, a new line of creator-owned comic books and graphic novels to be published by Dark Horse Comics. The announcement of Berger Books was made at ComicsPRO, the comic book industry retailer event, where Berger was named the winner of the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award earlier today.

“Karen is someone I’ve always respected and admired. She’s a visionary thinker and one of the most highly regarded individuals in the comic book industry,” said Dark Horse President and Publisher Mike Richardson. “Her fiercely independent streak and forward-looking storytelling instincts are a perfect match for Dark Horse Comics. We’ll have more news in the near future, but today we’re thrilled to announce that Karen Berger and Berger Books have found the perfect home at Dark Horse Comics.”

“Dark Horse has been at the frontline of independent, creator-owned comics for decades,” said Berger. “It’s great to be working with a company that has such a rich history of publishing scores of many incredible books by some of the best writers and artists in comics. I’m very fired up about being back in the game in a big way, and to be producing this new line with top, diverse creative talent and exciting, original new voices.”

Berger founded Vertigo in 1993 and led the line for twenty years, during which time she oversaw over three hundred properties, including Sandman, V for Vendetta, Preacher, Swamp Thing, Fables, Hellblazer, Y: The Last Man, and 100 Bullets.

“Karen was instrumental in launching the careers of many comic book writers and artists who have gone on to become some of the industry’s biggest stars,” said Richardson. “Karen has a keen ability to nurture creative voices and I’m personally excited to see the names of new talent alongside the names of the best-selling creators who will launch Berger Books.”

As the editor of Berger Books, Berger will continue to work from her home on the East Coast. Berger Books will be branded with both the Berger Books and the Dark Horse Comics logos. Like all Dark Horse books, Berger Books will be distributed by Penguin Random House.

About Karen Berger
Karen Berger is an award-winning editor and founder of Vertigo, the renowned and influential imprint of DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros. Karen led Vertigo for 20 years, publishing over 300 properties including the acclaimed and bestselling series: Sandman, V for Vendetta, Preacher, Swamp Thing, Fables, Hellblazer, Y: The Last Man and 100 Bullets. Since leaving DC, she’s been story editing and consulting in a variety of fields, including the recent Surgeon X series from Image Comics.

About Dark Horse
For over thirty years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.

Dynamite has published the comic book, The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat, featuring “The World’s Grumpiest Cat” and her brother Pokey since 2015, selling over one half million copies and winning the hearts of readers of all ages! With her ever-present pout and sassy disposition, Grumpy Cat has become one of the world’s most famous felines. Now, her unbearable cuteness and infectious sourpuss comes face to face with the original cartoon cat, Garfield!

An exclusive partnership between Dynamite Entertainment and BOOM! Studios’ award-winning imprint, KaBOOM!, will bring Jim Davis’ iconic comic strip cat Garfield together with internet sensation Grumpy Cat in a limited series, with a story written by Jim Davis himself!

“Teaming up with Garfield for a comic series is a real honor,” says Grumpy Cat. “I hate it.”

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite says, “Working with the fine folks at Grumpy Cat has been absolutely wonderful.  We’ve had tremendous success bringing Grumpy to our fans, and helped to grow the comics market with record breaking sales through the comics industry’s direct market, book stores, Scholastic, and our Free Comic Book Day Sales giveaways where tens of thousands of new fans went to comic stores for the firs time.  Meeting Mr. Davis has been a highlight of my career and working with him and our friends Ross, Filip and everyone at Boom! Studios to bring her into the world of Jim Davis’ beloved comic strip is a once in a lifetime opportunity. These are the two most famous felines in the world.  I can’t wait to see what trouble these two get into!”

“Jim Davis approached us years ago asking us to publish the Garfield comic books and it’s been a tremendous honor to work with one of the greatest cartoonists of all time and the entire team at PAWS,” said Ross Richie, Founder and CEO of BOOM! Studios. “When I met with him at San Diego Comic-Con International this year to discuss this crossover, he was brimming with delight at the idea of these two felines getting together. His enthusiasm and affection for this crossover is infectious! This is going to be terrific fun!

Look for more news about the comic book crossover event of the year in the coming months, with a release targeted for summer 2017!

Delve into the world of high-stakes espionage with the “tense, multi-layered drama” (David Hinckley, Huffington Post) “Berlin Station” Season One, arriving on Digital HD February 21, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  “An intriguing spy-thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat” (K.L. Connie Wang, Parade.com), Berlin Station depicts the activity of a CIA office on a global stage in the midst of an investigation into a now-famous whistleblower.

The series follows Daniel Miller (Richard Armitage, “Hannibal”), a new arrival at Berlin’s CIA station who is on a clandestine mission to uncover the source of the Thomas Shaw leaks.  Richard Jenkins (“Olive Kitteridge”) stars as Steven Frost, the head of the station, who carries the burden of his own secrets;  Michelle Forbes (“The Killing”) stars as Valerie Edwards, the no-nonsense Internal Branch Chief; Rhys Ifans (Snowden) stars as Hector DeJean, a dark, charming and tenacious case officer and old friend of Daniel; Leland Orser (“Ray Donovan”) stars as Robert Kirsch, a devoted and successful deputy chief; and Tamlyn Tomita (“Resurrection”) stars as Sandra Abe, the assistant to Frost and a quiet presence lording over the efficient operation of the station.

“Berlin Station” Season One aired on premium TV network EPIX beginning in October 2016 and has already been renewed for a second season that is set to air in 2017.  The show is produced by Paramount Television and Anonymous Content and created by New York Times best-selling author Olen Steinhauer (The Tourist, All The Old Knives, The Cairo Affair) who also serves as executive producer.  Bradford Winters (“The Americans,” “Boss,” “Oz”) is the showrunner and an executive producer.  Academy Award winner Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, “House of Cards”) and Steve Golin, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Keith Redmon and Luke Rivett from Anonymous Content (Spotlight, The Revenant, “Mr. Robot,” “True Detective”) also serve as executive producers.

Whether it’s a Middle East oil crisis in the 1970s or the London Blitz during WWII, world events have a way of breeding trouble on the home front, too. That’s how Toby Rinaldi, son of a U.N. Ambassador, wound up kidnapped on his way to a California amusement park, and how Robby Burnes, orphaned son of British nobility, wound up snatched on the snowy streets of New York City. But as Robby’s famous namesake taught us, the best laid plans don’t always work out as intended. Especially not when you’re a kidnapper in the hands of Gregory Mcdonald.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

Author Mcdonald also wrote this series centered around an investigative journalist?

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 February 26th, 2017.

As a huge electrical storm sweeps towards Texas, lineman Beau (John Travolta) is haunted by memories of his brother’s death by lightning years earlier. Bailey (Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns), the niece he helped raise, has a secret she needs to share with her boyfriend Duncan. But he and Beau’s brave team are racing to replace miles of power cables before the tempest strikes. Also starring Sharon Stone, Life on the Line is a tribute to the heroes who risk it all to keep us safe.

And we’re giving away 5 copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “LIFE ON THE LINE” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Life on the Line director David Hackl made his directing debut with the fifth film in what horror franchise?

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 March 5th, 2017.

What if a fascist, autocratic President took over the United States? And what if that President lost California, the sixth largest economy on Earth, by nearly 2-to-1…a margin of almost 3 1/2 million votes? What if the day after that President took power, the largest mass demonstration in history occurred, and the state with the largest turnout was California. And then, the following week, two of the largest international airports in the world, California’s LAX and SFO, were blockaded by protesters? What if California refused to be ruled?

This is the world of CALEXIT, the new ongoing comic book series launching this May from Black Mask Studios, the Los Angeles based indie publisher of acclaimed titles including SPACE RIDERS, WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, KIM & KIM and BLACK. Together writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, the creators of YOUNG TERRORISTS, have created a timely title about resisting oppression, punching Nazis, protecting each other, kicking ass, and demanding liberty for all.

“This is a special moment in the history of comics. We’re experiencing a real renaissance of progressive and political comic books and graphic novels,” said Matteo Pizzolo, co-founder of Black Mask Studios and the writer of CALEXIT. “It’s not by accident that the first comic to win a National Book Award is the incredible MARCH by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, or that images of anti-fascist superheroes are capturing the imaginations of people around the world right now. There’s never been a more diverse range of comics that speak to our politics here at home or to the unrest around the world.”

In CALEXIT, the citizens of California will struggle to seize power back from an autocratic government. The ongoing series tells the story of Jamil, a 25-year old courier (aka smuggler), and Zora, a 27-year old leader in the Pacific Coast Sister Cities Resistance, who escape together from a prison camp in Occupied Los Angeles, where martial law has been in place for the past year —  ever since America’s demagogue President signed an executive order to deport all immigrants, and California responded by proclaiming itself a Sanctuary State. Each issue of CALEXIT will also include non-fiction material about local sustainability and grassroots campaigning for 2018 elections.

 
“I can’t think of a time when confronting the status quo with progressive, political art has been more important,” said Brett Gurewitz, co-founder Black Mask. “Black Mask Studios has consistently focused on stories that are both entertaining and have a real message driving them. With OCCUPY COMICS, we published stories devoted to the goals and themes of the Occupy movement. Since then, we published stories about living under a fascist state (GODKILLER), about fighting celebrity politicians (YOUNG TERRORISTS) and gentrification (THE DREGS). We’ve published the 2017 GLAAD nominee KIM & KIM, and the creators of the breakout hit BLACK have donated proceeds to Black Lives Matter. The fact that the comic market is supporting brave voices like these is a real testament to comics’ crucial role in our national and international cultural dialogue.”

The first issue of CALEXIT will be available from Black Mask Studios in May 2017.

Blind man and apple pie connoisseur Walter Cooke (Eric Jacobus) ventures to his neighborhood corner store to buy milk and apples. When mafia thugs try to shake down the store owner (played by action film veteran Roger Yuan, “Jason Bourne”), Walter shows them what a blind martial artist is capable of!

After producing Rope-A-Dope, producer Clayton Barber (fight coordinator on Creed and the upcoming Marvel actioner Black Panther), returns to collaborate with Jacobus, this time as director. Another action filmmaker and producer of Korean content, David William No (Matrix Reloaded, Jackie Chan’s Mr. Nice Guy) steps in to produce. Using Long Beach as the backdrop, Blindsided brings the audience into a quirky world with stylistic influences from the ’80s and a storyline inspired by films such as Zatoichi and Blind Fury. The cast of Blindsided features talented stunt performers capable of performing their own action, and the team behind the camera have also worked extensively in all aspects of the action film genre.

“As fans of the Zatoichi series and Blind Fury with Rutger Hauer,” says Jacobus, “we set out to tell the story of the blind swordsman using influences from Hong Kong, Japanese, Korean, and Indonesian cinema, all within the framework of a classic American film.” In discussing the stylish and eye-popping choreography, Jacobus offers: “Rather than choreographing the short with a bias toward a particular style of action or certain moves we wanted to do, we let the story dictate the action design. The Walter character is a blind, grounded fighter armed with a blind cane and a hidden blade, fighting against three knife-wielding opponents. This gave us a rulebook for designing the choreography. The entire action team prepped the fight over multiple sessions and everyone chipped in.”

Blindsided serves as the first title under the banner of Jacobus Barber (JB) Productions, which is dedicated to delivering strong storytelling and first-rate action, created by people who truly understand action. Clayton Barber, who directed Blindsided, says this in regards to JB Productions and how it’s evolving: “We created JB Productions as a new approach to indie action filmmaking, and the Rope A Dope series was our first effort in combining that high-energy, indie-style action design with great storytelling. Having been in the producing world for years, I wanted to step into the director’s chair for the next project, and Eric wanted to get away from directing so he could focus on action design and performing. So Blindsided became the perfect collaboration for us, and we hired stunt performers to play the lead roles and even work behind the camera because we wanted to work with folks who knew action. That’s the brand people are buying into, and we’re always looking to build that brand by collaborating with talent both in America and overseas.”

Jacobus concludes by assuring that fans of martial arts and action aficionados can expect “Blindsided to maintain our signature style of action with a focus on strong storytelling. It’s a classic action film that will please fans of the genre!”

Blindsided will be free to stream on YouTube on March 1st.

KIERON GILLEN WRITES SPY THRILLER TOUR DE FORCE
IN ALL-NEW, OVERSIZED JAMES BOND SPECIAL!

DYNAMITE WELCOMES GILLEN AND ARTIST ANTONIO FUSO FOR
JAMES BOND: SERVICE, COMING THIS MAY!

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE FIRST ATARI COMIC BOOK SERIES IN OVER 30 YEARS!

Swordquest Launches in May with a Special 25-Cent #0 Issue

Dynamite Entertainment continues its partnership with Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, to create a new comics line based on beloved Atari titles. In the early 1980’s, as video games lit up living rooms across the country and licensed comic books saw prominence in the industry, Atari released their own based on their popular line of titles. Now, Dynamite Entertainment, the modern leader in licensed comics, brings fans Swordquest comic we’ve been waiting for since 1983!

Peter Case was a boy on a quest… the quest to win the prizes from Atari’s Swordquest challenge! He was counting down the days to the release of the final game, AirWorld, only to be shattered when the news surfaced that it would never be released. Now Peter is an adult… and things aren’t going well. The bad news is he has to move back in with his mother. The good news is she still has all of his old Atari stuff. With nothing else to look forward to, his obsession with Swordquest is reignited, in a more daring — and fantastic — way!

Written by Chad Bowers and Chris Sims (X-Men ’92, Down Set Fight) and art by Scott Kowalchuk (Batman ’66, Down Set Fight), Swordquest makes its triumphant return to the printed page at a special introductory price of just 25 cents!

“Most anyone who remembers Atari’s heyday, remembers Swordquest. It was one of the crown jewels of their line of games, complete with its own real world prizes,” says Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. “When we announced our intention to publish a new line of Atari comics back in 2014, Swordquest was one of the titles everyone inquired about most. What Chris and Chad have come up with will delight every kid who dreamed of winning that gold goblet! Also, we wanted to have fun with this series, so we’re releasing the #0 issue at the same price as an arcade game cost to play back in the ’80’s: only 25 cents. Sure, Swordquest was a console game, but if it was an arcade game, it would have been two bits for the 8 bits. Not only do we get to have fun with this cool pricing, but this also allows fans to try out the series at the lowest cost possible, and retailers can stock the shelves to get readers with minimal risk.”

Swordquest #0 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ March 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in May. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. Swordquest will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND RED RISING: SONS OF ARES

The Official Comic Book Prequel to Pierce Brown’s Bestselling and Award-Winning Red Rising Novel Trilogy Premieres in May

From the world of the bestselling YA series Red Rising comes an original story of love, loss and rage: Pierce Brown’s Red Rising: Sons of Ares!

In the future, when mankind has spread across the stars, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one’s caste. The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares!

Written by author Pierce Brown (the Red Rising novel trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the story of revolution and Red Rising!

“It’s a dream come true to bring the world of Red Rising to comic books, and a real pleasure Jedi-mind melding with Rik in the writing process,” says Pierce Brown. “Sons of Ares is a story made for new and veteran readers alike.”

“Sons of Ares in a new story set within the brutal world of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising books. I’ve worked closely with Pierce to create something that’s true to those books, but also feels unique and new,” says Rik Hoskin. “Like the books, ours is a fast-moving story set right across the vast canvas of the freshly-colonized solar system. We’re exploring the effects that the inflexible regime has on an individual who’s a key figure from the books, looking at the limits of humanity in a dehumanizing system. For me, that’s the key to the books — the very human characters striving against a system geared to beating them down. It’s harsh, cruel, unfair and — occasionally — uplifting.”

“When Pierce Brown debuted the first Red Rising novel in 2014, the zeitgeist was immediate… and it wasn’t long before copies were being passed around the Dynamite office. It’s got everything we love about modern sci-fi: pulse-pounding action, intrigue, and fantastic settings,”says Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. “Dynamite has had great critical and commercial success by inviting beloved literary authors to expand their novel universes with original tales exclusive to the comic book format, with prime examples being Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files and, most recently, Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand. We’re proud to team Pierce with White Sand co-writer Rik Hoskin and artist Eli Powell to pull back the curtains on a secret chapter of Red Rising history for all his fans to enjoy.”

“The Red Rising trilogy contains the most imaginative and inventive science fiction I’ve read in many, many years,” says Joe Rybandt, Executive Editor. “It’s a post-modern Lord of the Flies with lyrical language reminiscent of the great Anthony Burgess. I was a massive fan of the books and delighted to be working directly with Pierce to bring his vision to life in comic book form.”

Pierce Brown’s Red Rising: Sons of Ares #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ March 2017 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in May. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers. Red Rising: Sons of Ares will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.

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

For art and more information, please visit www.dynamite.com

The pop phenomenon that gave audiences some of the most iconic catchphrases and dance sequences in film history stars Patrick Swayze (Ghost), Jennifer Grey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Jerry Orbach ( TV’s “Law & Order”), Cynthia Rhodes (Flashdance), Kelly Bishop (TV’s “Gilmore Girls”), and Jack Weston (The Thomas Crown Affair). The timeless classic was written by Eleanor Bergstein (Let It Be Me) and directed by Emile Ardolino (Sister Act) with choreography by Kenny Ortega (High School Musical franchise).

In the summer of 1963, innocent 17-year-old Baby (Jennifer Grey) vacations with her parents at a Catskills resort. One evening she is drawn to the staff quarters by stirring music. There she meets Johnny (Patrick Swayze), the hotel dance instructor, who is as experienced as Baby is naive. Baby soon becomes Johnny’s pupil in dance and love.

And we’re giving away 5 copies!

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

Which Gilmore Girl actress portrayed Frances “Baby” Houseman’s mother?

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 March 5th, 2017.

TITAN COMICS

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO FRONTS TITAN COMICS’ NEW HARD CASE CRIME WAVE!

TITAN COMICS EXPLORES CRIME AND CORRUPTION WITH NEW TITLES INCLUDING MILLENNIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, NORMANDY GOLD FROM MEGAN ABBOTT AND ALLISON GAYLIN, AND MAX ALLAN COLLINS’ QUARRY!

The first shots fired in Titan Comics’ Hard Case Crime comics line were PEEPLAND, TRIGGERMAN and THE ASSIGNMENT, bringing Hard Case Crime’s gritty, sexy and violent world to life on the comic page. Now, the publishers reload to release three new titles – QUARRY, NORMANDY GOLD and MILLENIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.

Hard Case Crime is the leading publisher of hardboiled crime novels, publishing the giants in the genre, including Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Mickey Spillane, Lawrence Block, Ed McBain, Donald E. Westlake, James M. Cain and Max Allan Collins, whose best-selling QUARRY series was adapted for TV by Cinemax in 2016 to rave reviews. This year, QUARRY makes the leap to comics for the first time ever in an all-new series titled “Quarry’s War,” penned by Collins, whose other work includes Batman, Dick Tracy, Ms. Tree, and the groundbreaking graphic novel Road to Perdition, which inspired the Academy Award-winning film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman.

Set in the 1970s, “Quarry’s War” will give readers their first detailed look at Quarry’s time as a sniper in Vietnam – and the deadly crisis he faces when figures from his past reappear after he comes home.

Presenting a new vision of the worldwide bestselling Millennium novels by Stieg Larsson, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is the first comic book adaptation of Lisbeth Salander’s harrowing story ever to appear in English. Written by Sylvain Runberg (Orbital) and illustrated by José Homs (L’Angélus) and Man, with an all-new translation by Rachel Zerner, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO tells a story of violence and cruelty, family secrets and international intrigue, with deception and betrayal coiling around each corner.

Facing prison time for slander, discredited journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired by a reclusive industrialist to investigate a decades-old family disappearance. Aided by the mysterious computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, the two soon discover a brutal trail of murder and deception leading right up to the present day.

Sex, violence and corruption collide in NORMANDY GOLD, a gritty thriller set in 1970s Washington D.C., written by acclaimed author Megan Abbott (You Will Know Me, TV writer on HBO’s The Deuce), and bestselling crime novelist Alison Gaylin (What Remains Of Me), with art by industry legend Steve Scott (Triggerman, JLA).

When her younger sister is found murdered in a D.C. hotel, relentless Sheriff Normandy Gold dives headfirst into the seedy world of prostitution and politics, soon discovering a twisted conspiracy that could lead right to the White House.

NORMANDY GOLD #1 (on-sale June 14, 2017) and MILLENNIUM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO #1 (on-sale June 28, 2017) are both available to order from the April edition of PREVIEWS. QUARRY is scheduled for a November 2017 launch, and will be available to order from an upcoming edition of PREVIEWS.

 TITAN TO PUBLISH “THE DEATH OF STALIN” – THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE UPCOMING ARMANDO IANNUCCI MOVIE!

Titan Comics are excited to announce THE DEATH OF STALIN in Fall 2017; the original graphic novel that inspired the upcoming Armando Iannucci  (Veep, In The Loop) movie!

THE DEATH OF STALIN will bring Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin’s graphic novel to a brand-new audience in 2017! THE DEATH OF STALIN inspired the upcoming Armando Iannucci movie which includes an all-star cast – Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Simon Russell Beale (Into the Woods), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter), Michael Palin (A Fish Called Wanda), and Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development).

THE DEATH OF STALIN is the story of a dictatorship plunged into madness. And it’s all based on truth. Joseph Stalin, the “Father of the People,” the man who reigned in absolute power over the people of Russia, had a stroke in the middle of the night on March 2nd 1953. He was declared dead two days later. Two days of fierce competition for the supreme power, two days that encapsulated all the insanity, the perversity and the inhumanity of totalitarianism.

Coming to printed editions for the first time, THE DEATH OF STALIN hits comic stores and bookstores in Fall 2017.

TITAN COMICS REVEALS CREATIVE TEAM FOR NEW TEKKEN SERIES!

New original comic adventures based in the world of the best-selling fighting video game!

Titan Comics are thrilled to announce the phenomenal creative team of writer Cavan Scott (Doctor Who, Vikings: Uprising) and artist Andie Tong (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) who kick-off the exciting new TEKKEN comic series in May, 2017!

Based on the smash hit video game series, Titan is working closely with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment to deliver exciting in-universe tales. Hitting stores in May 2017, sensational new comic series will tap into TEKKEN’s rich history, and will feature memorable characters from the celebrated video game canon including Jin Kazama, Heihachi Mishima, Yoshimitsu, Nina Williams and Paul Phoenix.

“I’m so excited to be bringing the explosive world of TEKKEN back to comics.” said writer Cavan Scott, “I’ve been a fan of the series ever since I slipped the first game into my PlayStation back in 1995. We’re having great fun delving into the series’ history to bring back some familiar faces, along with all the fan-favorite fighters you’d expect. There’s going to be intrigue, danger and, of course, knock-out battles galore!”

This hotly anticipated debut issue comes with five art covers to collect by artists Alex Ronald (Mycroft Holmes), Andie Tong, Anton Kokarev (Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead By Dawn), Jimbo Salgado (Assassin’s Creed Uprising), and Nick Percival (Dark Souls).

Titan Comics’ TEKKEN #1 hits stores and digital platforms in May, 2017 and is available for order from the March edition of PREVIEWS.

MARVEL COMICS

“The Osborn Identity” Begins – Your New Look at AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25!
Superstar Artist Stuart Immonen Joins Massive Oversized Issue!

Strap in, hold on and get ready, True Believers – because your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is rocketing out of The Clone Conspiracy and into a brand-new story arc! Today – Marvel is pleased to present your latest look inside the mammoth 96-page AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25! Chart topping writer Dan Slott kicks off the next thrilling story– “The Osborn Identity” – and he’s bringing superstar artist Stuart Immonen along for the ride! Norman Osborn is back and he’s deadlier than ever! But with the might of his multinational corporation at his back, Peter Parker is ready to take the fight to his old foe. Will it be enough to stop the former Green Goblin? Or has the power Norman has amassed in secret be enough to destroy the wallcrawler once and for all?

But that’s just the beginning! After a 40-page main story, fans will be treated to a cavalcade of can’t-miss creators! Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli bring you a top secret story that will have fans everywhere talking! Hannah Blumenreich makes hers Marvel with her Spider-Debut! Cale Atkinson brings you another installment of the A-May-Zing Spider Aunt! The villainous Clash returns courtesy of Christos Gage and Todd Nauck! Jacob Chabot and Ray Anthony Height bring you an all-new Marvel Tsum Tsum tale. And finally, James Asmus and Tana Ford take the webslinging wonder back to Shanghai for a sneak peek at some cutting edge Spider-Tech!

You won’t want to miss this blockbuster jumping on point when the colossal AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25 comes to comic shops and digital devices everywhere on March 15^th!

SECRET EMPIRE #0 Kicks Off The Next Great Marvel Epic This April!

What if your greatest ally was secretly your greatest enemy? What if the most trustworthy, stalwart hero history has ever known has been planning in secret a massive betrayal? That time is now. And you won’t be ready for…SECRET EMPIRE! Before the premier comic launch of 2017, superstar creators Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña toss the every hero of the Marvel Universe into a fiery crucible as Captain America’s master plan is cast into action with April’s SECRET EMPIRE #0!

The Marvel Universe is under siege from within! Captain America, secretly a true believer in the cause of Hydra, has turned his back on the Super Hero community. Using the trust and respect he has gained over the years he has ascended to a position where he can enacts Hydra’s ideals. The death of Jack Flag, the trial of Maria Hill, the second Civil War, the alien Chitauri Queen. All of the dominos of Captain America’s plan have been laid out – and it will take only the slightest push to set them into action!

“Wherever you find favor within the Marvel Universe, SECRET EMPIRE is a story for you,” says Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso.  “When the world’s most respected and trusted super hero, Captain America, assumes ultimate power and goes bad, it serves as a rallying cry for all the heroes.  Avengers, X-Men, Guardians, Inhumans and street-level heroes unite to fight for the fate – and soul – of the Marvel Universe.”

Now, the Avengers, the Champions, the Defenders, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the X-Men and more will be tested. As Hydra’s grip tightens around the Marvel Universe, the heroes stand at the precipice of an unprecedented challenge. How will they Marvel Universe cope with this shattering betrayal by the most trusted among them? The secret is out this April in SECRET EMPIRE #0!

PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN –
The New Ongoing Series Debuting This June!
Zdarsky & Kubert Bring Peter Parker Back to NYC!

This summer, the one-and-only Spider-Man returns to his friendly neighborhood! Today, Marvel is pleased to announce PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, the new ongoing series from superstar writer Chip Zdarsky (Star-Lord, Howard the Duck) and legendary artist Adam Kubert (Avengers, X-Men)! A companion to the best-selling Amazing Spider-Man series, these two blockbuster creators are taking Peter Parker back-to-basics in a new series bursting at the seams with heart, humor and over-the-top action!

“With [Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man] we’re using the same Spider-Man continuity, but shifting the spotlight back to his NYC environment and supporting cast,” says series writer Chip Zdarsky speaking with Entertainment Weekly. “But even though we’re pushing to make it a more personal book, we’re still going to have big adventures with ramifications that’ll be felt in other books. If I had a true mission statement for the book it would be: ‘Have fun, have heart, have stakes.’”

He’s a webslinging, wallcrawling wonder. He’s the world’s greatest super hero. He’s the unluckiest guy on the planet. He’s Spider-Man! Following his globetrotting adventures, it’s big heroics in the Big Apple as Peter Parker returns to the city that never sleeps! Be there as he swings between giant skyscrapers, squares off against his iconic rogues gallery and still manages to be late for that date he had planned!

Fans can swing into action this June when Zdarsky and Kubert bring you PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1 – available wherever comics are sold. Can’t wait that long? Don’t’ miss your first taste of this highly anticipated series on Free Comic Book Day (May 6th) with a special 10-page story from Chip Zdarsky and Paulo Siqueira!

GENERATIONS – Coming Summer 2017

DC COMICS

DC/Looney Tunes Specials.  Stay tuned.

Jonah Hex. Yosemite Sam.

Martian Manhunter. Marvin the Martian.

Lobo. The Road Runner.

Batman. Elmer Fudd.

BOOM! STUDIOS

THE WRITER OF “LEGALLY BLONDE” AND “10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU” TAKES YOU TO MISFIT CITY AT BOOM! STUDIOS

Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, Kurt Lustgarten, and Naomi Franquiz Launch New Original Series with BOOM! Box

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce MISFIT CITY, an all-new monthly comic book series from screenwriter Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith (”Legally Blonde,” “10 Things I Hate About You”) and Kurt Lustgarten, along with artist Naomi Franquiz, debuting in May 2017 from the groundbreaking BOOM! Box imprint.

Nothing’s happened in Wilder’s hometown since they filmed that cult kids’ adventure movie there in the ’80s…but that’s ancient history. Until one day, she and her friends come upon a centuries-old treasure map drawn by the infamous pirate Black Mary…and they find themselves on a real-life adventure in the town they dreamed of escaping.

“Much like our heroines, I grew up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, yearning to have a life-changing experience,” says Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith.

“Everyone wishes their town harbored a deep dark secret, and for the girls of Cannon Cove, it does,” adds co-creator Kurt Lustgarten, who also spoke about the particular tone of the book. “We wanted to evoke the feel of every great 1980s kids classic adventure movie with a riot grrrl twist.”

“We’re telling a treasure hunting story through a unique female lens,” says Kiwi Smith.  “Girls need their version of The Goonies—and with Misfit City, we’re giving it to them.”

“Other than the guaranteed shenanigans I’m excited to draw in Misfit City, I mostly look forward to drawing a diverse and body-positive cast of characters that I hope young readers can really see themselves in. Plus, all faces of the cutest dog ever, Pippin!” remarks Franquiz. “Out of our main characters, I relate to Wilder most. I’m from a small-town city with a population that fluctuates every football season, so the urge to escape and do more is strong. I love her ambition and drive, and I think the internal conflict she’s setting herself up for is something I see reflected in many people (including myself).”

Misfit City #1 will feature a main cover by Franquiz, along with a variant cover by Ester Zejn and a treasure map variant by Paulina Ganucheau (Zodiac Starforce, Another Castle).

This series is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ critically acclaimed BOOM! Box imprint, home to popular original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooke A. Allen, and Noelle Stevenson; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; The Backstagers by James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh; SLAM! by Pamela Ribon and Veronica Fish; and Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams.

“Kiwi’s work has been a huge creative influence on me, and a massive influence on BOOM! Box,” says Shannon Watters, Editor, BOOM! Studios. “We’re so pleased to be shepherding this awesome team’s first comic book project!”

VICTOR LAVALLE’S DESTROYER BRINGS A  NEW HORROR TO BOOM! STUDIOS
All-New Original Comic Series from Award-Winning Novelist Premieres May 2017

BOOM! Studios is proud to announce VICTOR LAVALLE’S DESTROYER, an all-new monthly comic book series debuting in May 2017 from best-selling horror novelist Victor LaValle (The Ecstatic, The Devil in Silver, Big Machine) and artist Dietrich Smith (Shaft, Incredible Hercules). The recipient of prestigious honors including a Whiting Writers’ Award, a United States Artists Ford Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shirley Jackson Award, and an American Book Award, LaValle makes his full-length comic book debut with an intense original series exploring the legacy of the greatest family in horror fiction.

DARK HORSE COMICS

Today you can do a lot to enhance your online experience by adding on extensions to your favorite browsers. Using add-ons you can extend the basic functionality of the web browser and get special features that you need on a daily basis. Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are some of the most popular browsers and therefore you will find many add-ons that are made to fit them both. If you think you need more than 2 browsers on your computer you can read reviews of different types to make sure that you get the best quality and custom fit for your online use.

Add-ons that make your online experience better

Some of the add-ons are made to give you a smoother time browsing the net. Google Chrome has a popular AdBlocker that many people use. There are similar options for Firefox as well. By avoiding unnecessary ads it becomes smoother to use webpages as well as social network services. Something we all like to avoid, are sites that pose a danger to us. With Web of Trust you can stay clear of dangerous and illegal sites by tapping into the wealth of information coming from millions of other users.

Depending on how you use your computer you might want to install extensions that let you take notes or save quotes that you find on websites. This can save time when you only need this bit of information and don’t want to return to the actual site to look for it again.

The idea with most add-ons for Chrome and Mozilla is to give you a safer, easier user experience and to make it faster to carry out ordinary tasks like sending emails and finding information. There are also extensions built to manage extensions which might be a good idea, in case you get hooked. Once you experience the benefits of add-ons, and discover that many are free, you might want help organizing your different extensions.

Be aware of risks with add-ons

While the Chrome and Firefox extensions are a great help they can also pose a threat. This is important to understand. There are certain risks using Google extensions but if you are aware of those threats and understand how to manage your add-ons in a proper way they should not pose a problem. Choose wisely and consider the benefits and the potential risks before you click on that install button.

Produced by Jason Blum,
Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick
Written and Directed by Jordan Peele
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams,
Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford,
Caleb Landry Jones, Lil Rel Howery,
Keith Stanfield, Stephen Root

“You know we don’t do that.”

The woman to my right is talking at the screen as Chris’s hand reaches for a slightly ajar door to investigate what lies in the dark. And I have to say, I was thinking the exact same thing.
But therein lies one of the many unique aspects of this film. It has immense relatability for an audience usually bypassed by the horror genre: people of color.

The racially-charged fears touched upon in Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out are commonplace to millions of people that find themselves trapped in another person’s world.

Getting ready to go away to meet his girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) parents for the weekend, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) wonders if she has shared that he is black. Assured of their liberal and accepting nature, Chris embarks on a trip to their idyllic suburban home. Missy and Dean (Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford) are pleasant enough and he settles in for the weekend.

During a party, he meets more of their similar-minded white friends and starts to wonder about their intense curiosity in him. As the motives of their interest become clear, Chris is thrown into a sinister plot with a sharp social commentary twist.

If you hear of this movie simply by word of mouth, you are in luck as the trailer gives away far too much. The first third of the movie is light in its set up of the themes. There is the predictable Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner arc along with assurances that her family will not be a problem. This includes the fact her father “would have voted for Barack Obama a third time if he had the chance,” which drew audible moans from the crowd.

Indeed, it is awkward fun to watch Rose and her family bend over backwards to hammer the idea of their accepting white liberalism into Chris’s head. Peele did an excellent job capturing the kind of mannerisms and statements that can be made in the clumsiest ways with the best intentions. At a party happening later that weekend the blunt comments and questions of the guests double down on the way that compliments on physique or qualities can easily stray into something more akin to property assessments.

Throughout all of this Chris never sees another face that looks like his outside of the quiet and eerily pleasant maid Georgina (Betty Gabriel) and groundskeeper Walter (Marcus Henderson) who each give off a half Stepford Wife, half Steppin’ Fetchit vibe.

When he finally meets another black man at the party, Chris feels relief for a brief moment before he realizes that something is terribly wrong with this man. Anyone simply reading the script may not understand the impact of the performances as so much is conveyed between tone and eye contact. From lilts and carefully measured pronunciation to protracted staredowns and fearful darting glances, there is a subtlety and familiarity to the underlying terror of acting in a polar opposite way to how you are feeling at that moment.

More than a Stepford situation, it brings to mind movies like Birth of a Nation and Django Unchained, where the haunted look in a slave’s eyes exists in tandem with a pleasant smile and manner.

What is unsaid is a better hint at foreboding than many of the clever verbal hints the audience remembers with an “aha!” in the bloody but satisfying second half.

Luckily, there is one person who exists to share what everyone wishes they could say. Peele is a comedy veteran and he brings a popular trope to life in the character of Chris’s best friend played by comedian Lil Rel Howery. He bluntly says what the audience is thinking and relentlessly asks why his friend has not left this questionable situation yet. Every phone call between the two garners roars of laughter from the audience, breaking some of the racial tension.

Daniel Kaluuya is excellent as Chris, cracking jokes as easily as he turns fearful and stone-faced while Allison Williams is almost a duplicate of her serviceable character on Girls. Standout as the Democratic and demonic parents, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford command all of their scenes regardless of who else is onscreen. They are indistinguishable from any “coastal elite” mid-to-late 50s upper middle class that you may meet at yoga or on the golf course. Pitting this class as the villain, those who are best known to the underrepresented as allies, makes the chilling suggestion that there is no level of wealth, education, or love of Obama that would make it safe to engage with white people if you are black.

The movie works well as both social commentary and an addition to the horror shelves, but it is the first kind of fear that will stick with you when you leave the theater. Some of the greatest in the genre come from the idea that the scariest thing onscreen is what could happen in real life. Jaws plays off of the fear of what lurks beneath the waves. Silence of the Lambs is terrifying because it could be any of us abducted and thrown into the hole in the basement. What is merely awkwardness and discomfort to one population watching this movie is a well-known terror to the other.

The horror genre has always been sparse on diverse main characters that make it to the end of the movie. To fold in the tropes, the commentary, and the real fear that is constant to minorities told they are in a safe and “post-racial society” makes this a movie that will divide the theater in the ways it is enjoyed, and in the way it is discussed long after the lights come up.

Produced by Ed Gass-Donnelly, David Valleau
Written by Colin Frizzell, Ed Gass-Donnelly
Directed by Colin Frizzell
Starring Abbie Cornish, Dermot Mulroney,
Justin Long, Diego Klattenhoff, Peyton Kennedy,
Lola Flanery, Sarah Abbott, Mackenzie Muldoon

A farmer is informed that his brother’s family has been slaughtered save for his young niece, who remembers nothing of the incident.

Cut to 25 years later and said niece has a family of her own, with husband Alan and her young daughter Alice.

The grown woman, Jane, has her seemingly normal life disrupted by unexplained visions and half-glimpsed memories, culminating in a life-changing car wreck which leaves her with partial amnesia.

Upon the advice of her therapist, well-played by Justin Long, she goes back to her old family home and reconnects with her uncle in an attempt to remember that horrible night from her childhood and begin healing.

Fairly routine mindbender certainly has its moments, with some creepy WTF scenes and shots and some extremely stylish direction.

Unfortunately, the script is sluggish and the payoff, while satisfying, is far from earth-shattering or even surprising.

The big plus here is the acting. Dermot Mulroney is his usual professional self as the affable uncle, and the child actors are excellent.

But Abbie Cornish as the grown-up Jane really stands out. She captures the frustration, rage, fear and confusion of her character seemingly effortlessly.

It’s a compelling performance that smooths over the rough spots.  We really want to find out what happens to her, even when she’s acting like a lunatic or a maniac.

There’s nice location work here, which helps a lot as well.  From the hay bale maze to the old houses with wrap-around porches to the huge fields and small roads, Lavender does a fine job of realizing a rural atmosphere.

The climax is interesting and suspenseful, but as mentioned earlier, nothing to write home about.  I was hoping for a shocking, out-of-left-field revelation, but twas not to be.

There’s not much new here for fans of uncanny thrillers, but the film has nice production value, good-to-great acting, some suspenseful scenes and style to spare.

It’s perfect viewing on a slow night with lowered expectations.  I know, hardly a rave, but one could certainly do far worse.

Lavender is currently airing exclusively on DISH
and arrives in theaters and VOD on March 3, 2017

Produced by Suli McCullough,
Lloyd Stanton, Paul Toogood
Directed by Lloyd Stanton, Paul Toogood
Featuring Kevin Hart, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock,
Garry Shandling,  Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman,
Frankie Boyle, Sandra Bernhard, Jamie Foxx,
Paul Provenza, Gilbert Gottfried, Mike Epps,
Jim Jefferies, Billy Connolly, Jerry Lewis

Full disclosure: I love all things stand-up. I devour the WTF with Marc Maron podcasts and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee episodes, I’ve read more than a few books on the subject, and I’ve loved docs on stand-up, such as Jerry Seinfeld: Comedian.

The new documentary, Dying Laughing, from directors Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood, is a genuine gift to fans and students of stand-up comedy.

Yes, it’s 90% talking heads. No, there aren’t any Earth-shattering revelations or insights.

That said, there is much to savor here. First of all – big shock – it’s frequently very funny. Chris Rock and Seinfeld are on-target, as usual, and many of the other numerous comedians have some great lines and observations. Billy Connolly has some especially hysterical stories.

Also, there are a slew of hilarious, painful, humiliating and triumphant anecdotes about memorable gigs. There’s a particularly enjoyable and illuminating section on how many of these people dealt with – and deal with – hecklers.  Some of these stories are priceless.

Much is also made of what a lonely profession stand-up can be, and the serious toll it can take on relationships. Refreshingly, several comics admit fully that, right or wrong, comedy is more important to them than their families.

The film also serves as a wealth of advice for up and coming stand-ups. Several comics make a good case for honesty in their humor being a key element in their success, for example, and there are many other words of wisdom from the many seasoned vets interviewed here.

There are even some emotional moments; Royale Watkins breaks down while talking about bombing badly while one of his idols, Michael Jordan, was in the audience. And Tiffany Haddish is quite moving in relating how stand-up pretty much saved her life.

It’s also touching to see the late, great Garry Shandling here, and the film is in fact dedicated to him.
There’s so much more here for anyone interested in stand-up or showbiz in general. It may cover a well-worn subject, but Dying Laughing is a vital addition to documents about comedy.  A real gem.

Dying Laughing opens in theaters and On Demand February 24th.

The producers of Godzilla reimagine the origins of one the most powerful monster myths of all in “Kong: Skull Island.”  This compelling, original adventure tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful.  Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature.  As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

BOSTON
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of KONG: SKULL ISLAND in IMAX 3D on Tuesday, March 7 at 7pm at AMC Loews Boston Common click HERE!

HARTFORD
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of KONG: SKULL ISLAND on Tuesday, March 7 at 7pm at Bow Tie Palace in Hartford click HERE!

Remember seating is first come, first served so arrive early!

KONG: SKULL ISLAND opens on March 10th
KongSkullIslandMovie.com

While composing my previous Spasm, little did I know how many hypothetical responses I’d receive about overlooking this or that particular beloved football film, but my not mentioning The Blind Side seemed too egregious an oversight for some. I was challenged on this title more than any other.

It’s an obvious omission in hindsight. In defense, I had considered it early on because clearly it’s a “football” movie, and Sandra Bullock’s Best Actress Oscar win is well deserved, but for me The Blind Side has always been one of those “football” movies that aren’t really about football—not in the same way that Any Given Sunday or Friday Night Lights put us on the field and inside the huddles.

I confess I’m a tough cookie with it comes to tearjerkers, and don’t like people seeing me cry, so it’s likely because I blubbered my eyes out at the end of The Blind Side that I clicked “delete” on my unfinished paragraph at the eleventh hour. Better not to confess to bawling like a baby.

Upon reflection, there are other obvious movies that warrant mention.

Some of my favorite “football” movies use the game as a metaphor for life but aren’t really about football.

Jerry Maguire is one of them. It is often cited among the best “football” movies because its characters exist in the world of the NFL, but I removed it from my list because the plot’s dual romantic/bromantic crux feels even less about the game than, say, Heaven Can Wait or The Last Boy Scout.

The James Caan/Billy Dee Williams buddy flick-slash-tearjerker Brian’s Song pops up on many sentimental football favorites lists, but jerked tears or not, I disqualified it because it was produced for television.

Then there’s The Waterboy. I confess, Adam Sandler just doesn’t work on me.

Knute Rockne All-American is perhaps the greatest “classic” on this list that I’ve never seen.

Maybe it’s fear of the tear-jerker, or that the script’s most crucial passage of dialogue has been spoofed and pre-spoiled in Airplane! and that I’ll snicker when I ought to sob. Or, perhaps, it’s an aversion to anything Ronald Reagan ever appeared in when he was merely a stock actor.

I’m looking at you, too, Bedtime for Bonzo.

Which, to clarify, I realize isn’t a football or “football” movie.

Hailed by critics as “brilliant” (Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times), “powerful” (Brian Truitt, USA Today), “stunning” (Helen O Hara, GQ), and “gorgeous” (Stephanie Zacharek, Time), visionary director Martin Scorsese’s entrancing epic SILENCE makes its home entertainment debut on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand March 28, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD March 14.

A 28-year passion project that reinforces Scorsese’s place in the pantheon of great directors, SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield) who travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) at a time when Christianity was outlawed. When they are captured and imprisoned, both men are plunged into an odyssey that will test their faith, challenge their sanity and, perhaps, risk their very lives. Called “essential filmmaking from a modern master” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), SILENCE is “a film for the ages” (Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times).

The SILENCE Blu-ray Combo Pack includes “Martin Scorsese’s Journey into Silence,” an in-depth exploration of the director’s quest to make this extraordinary film, which is packed with in-depth interviews and behind the scenes footage. In addition, the film’s stars, Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver, discuss how they prepared for their roles, as well as their favorite moments on set.

SILENCE Blu-ray Combo Pack

The SILENCE Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

• Feature film in high definition
• Bonus Content: Martin Scorsese’s Journey into Silence

The Blu-ray Combo Pack available for purchase includes a Digital HD Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.

SILENCE Single-Disc DVD

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, and Spanish subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

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With a spotlight on Superman, John Constantine, Blue Beetle, Wonder Woman and a whole new Justice League line up.

Is it a week worth reading? for sure. Are there ups and downs? absolutely. The Hellblazer and Blue Beetle continue their arcs at their frustratingly slow pace while Wonder Woman looks at sacrifices of mind and body for two of its greatest characters. Superman has built up to this moment for weeks so I urge you to check it out and of course the Justice League of America kicked off in an unusual character based issue that promises big things ahead in the future.

This is my look into the best of the DC Universe this week!

ACTION COMICS # 974
Mild Mannered Part 2

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Patch Zircher & Stephen Segovia
Inkers: Patch Zircher & Art Thibert
Cover: Clay Mann & Tomeu Morey
Variant: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson

Superwoman is dying and in a last ditch attempt to save her Steel and Lana have sought out Superman and his Fortress.

As Lana drifts in and out of consciousness she mentions seeing another Clark in his alternate Fortress but fades back to sleep before she can explain.

Steel worries that because Lois of this Earth died from superpower burnout that Lana will also die.
At the other Fortress Kelex notes that it is being infiltrated by unknown assailants, but Clark swears to Steel that Lana is his priority.

Elsewhere Lois is browsing through the evidence gathered on ‘Other Clark’ and how, every test they put him through only reinforces that he IS Clark Kent, despite the fact they know he isn’t. Clark surprises Lois with a dinner date and she is shocked that he has sprung for a Limousine and changed the dinner venue from Bibbo’s to the chic ‘Le Cinq’.

Lois grows more uncomfortable by the second while back in the Arctic nothing Kelex and the team try seems to be helping Lana.

When Kelex makes a comment it sparks a plan in Clarks mind and he swiftly exits the lab with Lana’s stricken body and places her inside his Kryptonian Battle Armour. Kelex notes minor improvements as the suit uses its healing matrix to steady her.

Lois meanwhile is shocked at the extravagance Other Clark has gone to in the restaurant and is completely thrown when he drops to one knee and proposes to her! Over in the Himalayas Hank Henshaw and his team have broken into the other Fortress and fallen under Blanque’s spell. They realise too late that they’ve made a terrible mistake releasing the criminal as the Fortress explodes and is subsequently buried under tons of rubble and Hanshaw and his crew barely escape with their lives. A false report is sent to Kelex deeming the raid as a false alarm.

Lois storms out of the restaurant and into a cab, breaking Other Clark’s heart and inadvertently spurring him on to investigate who has stolen the heart of his perceived soulmate.

He follows her all the way to Hamilton County and watching from the shadows realises that there is another Clark Kent and that Jon is really her son. Realising Lois lied to him all along Other Clark swears a terrible revenge.

To Be Continued…

ART: 5/5
Some great layouts but there was a distinct lack of action this issue. It was needed to be honest as this Other Clark has been brewing for a while now. The mix of art styles is remarkably noticeable when you flick through. The book doesn’t suffer but a keen eye can see who did what and for me that pull me out of the story at times.

The first and last pages were simply brilliant.

COVER: 5/5
This is the stuff fanboy dreams are made of.

I think this is perhaps THE best cover from Patch Zircher I’ve ever seen.

It obviously echoes Superman III but thats a good thing (Superman vs Clark was the best part of the movie) I love it so much I wish I had a copy without all the text.

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

Other Clark is going off the deep end.

I love reading his descent into madness, he was beginning to get increasingly bizarre and it was interesting to see Superman wrestling with the three dilemmas. Lana, the other Fortress and Other Clark. I see also how this links into the recent issue of Superman with Jon’s stalker and with Superman: Reborn starting next week. This is certainly an exciting time for a Super fan!

BLUE BEETLE #6
Fury!
Writers: Keith Giffen & Scott Kolins
Artist: Scott Kolins
Cover: Scott Kolins
Variant: Cully Hamner

Jaime is furious. He demands answers from Ted and backed up by his mother after the Mordecai attack they are more than a force to be reckoned with.

Together they piece together clues as to the links with the missing kids, The Posse and the giant coffin in Jaime’s dream. Ted ponders Mordecai’s links to everything and then reveals that Dan Garrett the original Blue Beetle might be linked to everything.

Dr. Reyes and Jaime are understandably angry when they realise Ted knew more about the Scarab than he every revealed to them and that it is mutating to be part of Jaime permanently. Jaime suits up and in anger flies out of the Kord base into the dark night and decides to go after Mordecai himself.

The villain fights Beetle and pulls out his mortal essence, leaving the suit only a physical shell. Thinking he has won the villain lets his guard down and is taken aback when the suit activates itself and fights on to the point it is about to kill if not for the intervention of Dr. Fate.

With Jaime not in control of the suit, it is now a no holds barred fight to the death with the master of magic!

To Be Continued….

ART: 5/5
Energetic layouts aplenty. There is a lot of dramatic banter and its only in the second half of the issue that Kolins really gets to exercise his creativity. I thoroughly enjoy the art in the book mainly because there is a real sense of fun and life to the art that many books don’t have.

COVER: 5/5
There is a strange feeling of nostalgia when looking at this cover. It is most definitely a deliberate nod to comics of yesteryear, appropriate I guess when you consider they are bringing Dan Garrett into the mix at least in spirit. Very eye catching and certainly delivers on the excitement scale of things.

OVERALL RATING: 3/5
I’m happy we are moving forward but still breadcrumbs don’t add up to a great sandwich. I don’t want more teasing or new threads about uninteresting side characters. I want a full blown concise, up front, full on story that is finished. six issues in and we’ve moved at such a snail’s pace only Kolins’ art is keeping me as a reader.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1
The Extremists Part 1
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Ivan Reis
Inkers: Joe Prado, Oclair Albert & Julio Ferreira
Cover: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado & Marcelo Maiolo

Batman realises that the Justice League monitoring from ‘on high’ has made them weaker and a team on the ground will be needed.

Vixen points out that their team is a volatile one but Batman also counters that people need to see heroes are human beings, that they can be heroes too.

While they thrash out ideas, Black Canary aids The Ray in stopping a dangerous fire in Vanity and she asks the young hero to join the team.

While over in Happy Harbour, Frost and Choi realise they are more alike than they realised in intelligence and new careers.

A portal opens in Saratogo, New York and Lord Havok and his band of warriors step through into our world, an activity that Atom’s new software picks up thanks to Frost’s tinkering. With Batman’s insistence the team reluctantly have their first mission.

The team teleport in and are forced into action but their lack of teamwork and experience leads to them each being beaten and Lord Havok decides to kill The Atom as an example of his power. Batman steps in and offers himself up in place of Ryan. A life for a life.

To Be Continued….

ART: 5/5
Against all odds with not one but three inkers adding their own personal touches to the art, we get a thoroughly well thought out book with me putting aside my issues with art teams consistency and admitting that on this occasion the artwork was without fault. Pages seven, ten, thirteen, fourteen, seventeen, eighteen and twenty one had me picking my jaw off the floor.

COVER: 3/5
You know when you see a movie poster initially it has impact and you either love it or hate it?
Well I wanted that feeling with this cover, especially after the JL vs SS & tie in covers were so brilliant… what I got was something that felt a little like a stock photo.

I just didn’t get the wow factor I was hoping for. It was nicely illustrated but there was no dynamism in it.

OVERALL RATING: 5/5
What this issue boils down to is a whole lot of nothing. I don’t mean that in a cruel way but if you really examine the bare bones, nothing really happens except for the arrival and fight of The Extremists. That doesn’t mean that the issue is a dud, far from it, the slow boil is the right move for the book. The short scenes that build upon the characters and the formation of bonds really make the team grow on you fast.

This issue is neck and neck with Action #974 for best of the week!

THE HELLBLAZER #7
The Smokeless Fire: Part 1
Writer: Simon Oliver
Artist: Philip Tan
Cover: John Cassaday & Paul Mounts
Variant: Yasmin Putri

John and Mercury are in Paris seeking aid to learn more about the Djinn.

But while there, a gang of thugs hear of the old man and his apartment packed full of priceless antiques and rare paintings.

They want the treasures he holds for himself, a reluctant member and young father had decorated there, and the thugs are insistent that he tag along.

The thugs knock Mercury over and she catches a glimpse of their thoughts and realise that John’s friend is who they intend to rob.

The thugs get in and search for money quizzing the weak old man.

With his dying breath he tells the reluctant thief about a book that contains his every memory and that he has been chosen to guard it with his life.

John and Mercury arrive too late and the thief escapes. John is confronted by the authorities, while Mercury has vanished.

The young thief book in hand returns home to tuck in his young daughter, unknowingly holding the secrets to the Djinn in his hands.

To Be Continued….

ART: 5/5
I was thrown by the shift in art. It caught me by surprise having had grown accustomed to the style the book had been growing into the past few issues.

Once over that hurdle the animated feel really begins to grow on you. By the end you’d be forgiven for thinking these were stills from an anime.

Beautifully rendered and given that Constantine is very minimal in action stakes it definitely added to the ambience.

COVER: 3/5
Initially I loved it but after seeing the interior art, suddenly the cover felt a little lacklustre in theme. The art is solid but it just doesn’t feel like a good fit this issue.

OVERALL RATING: 3/5
When you start a story, you ought to finish it. We’ve jumped directly into a new arc with no resolution to the last one. I understand it is a change in direction and that the Djinn are part of a larger arc that isn’t constrained by these shorter arcs but leaving things unresolved and moving forward without closure is rather annoying. A niggle for me was that far too much time was spent on the gang and robbery and far too little on John and Mercury.

WONDER WOMAN #17
The Truth: Part 2
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Liam Sharp
Cover: Liam Sharp & Laura Martin
Variant: Jenny Frison

Queen Hippolyta fears the tree is symbolic of her intuition and that Diana has been killed or is fallen in battle.

Castalia shatters an axe on the tree trunk to show that Diana is not yet defeated.

In London Diana listens and interacts more and more with the snake that is probing her shattered psyche.

The snake tries a test to awaken Diana, but she fails it and he promises to return to try again soon.

In New York, Ferdinand the minotaur, Etta and Steve are discussing the need for his assistance. Steve notices that Maru’s spies have spotted them.

Steve wonders if Cheetah sold them out even if Barbara would never do so.

At that moment Veronica Cale is trying to convince Barbara to become Cheetah to lead them to Themyscira and if she doesn’t Cale would have no choice but to go after Wonder Woman and kill everyone she loves to force her to guide them.

A video shows Ferdinand, Etta and Steve being showered by gunfire narrowly missing them and Barbara realises the only way to save them is to become Cheetah once more.

Cale injects Dr Minerva with sap from the plant seedling and almost immediately transforms into the ferocious Cheetah while Steve takes Ferdinand to see Diana.

The minotaur hands her the magic lasso in hopes of it awakening her.

To Be Continued….

ART: 5/5
Liam Sharp is crafting an amazing portfolio of the amazing amazon with each issue of Wonder Woman better than the last.

The scene which splits between Diana and Ferdinand reuniting and Barbara sacrificing her life for her friends was exceptional.

I would have liked some bigger splashes instead of constrained panels but I really am clutching at straws there.

COVER: 4/5
Noooo!

It seems like only a short few weeks since Dr Minerva was cured and now she is cursed once more! It hardly seems fair that she didn’t get a chance to live a little more before her freedom was taken away. The convulsing, the tears and the indescribable pain she must be feeling are brilliantly illustrated, I almost feel bad for enjoying the artwork!

OVERALL RATING: 4/5
I understand Diana is broken but I’m not really buying into the snake psychiatrist or her losing herself to the shock.

I’m not well versed in mental illness and I can only appreciate what I’m being told in the story, I feel so much sorrow for Diana and her predicament. I also don’t see a way out for her at the moment and I guess that is the beauty of the story, shining a light on mental illnesses. The flipside to the story, with Steve and Etta reaching out to Ferdinand and Veronica Cale’s vile plot to curse Barbara Ann was much easier to get to grips with but no less emotional.

I am emotionally exhausted by The Truth so far…

Announced today on The Star Wars Show and StarWars.com, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” will be coming home on Digital HD on March 24th and Blu-ray on April 4th.  This news comes on the heels of the start of production announcement of the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story.  “Rogue One” has established its place within the Star Wars universe and the hearts of moviegoers, becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S.

In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Arriving early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on March 24, and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on April 4, the release includes never-before-seen “Rogue One” bonus material that will take fans behind the scenes with the movie’s diverse, dynamic cast and inspired team of filmmakers. An intimate collection of stories reveals how the film came to life, as well as hidden Easter Eggs and film facts that audiences may have missed in the theater.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opened in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.

Bonus features include*:

• A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars stand-alone films.
• Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know Rogue One’s defiant, resourceful survivor, and hear what it was like for Felicity Jones to bring her to life onscreen.
• Cassian: The Spy – Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who becomes a hero through selflessness, perseverance and passion.
• K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial droid, from initial pitch and character design through Alan Tudyk’s performance.
• Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.
• Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary – Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed reflect on Saw Gerrera, the broken Rebel leader, and Bodhi Rook, the Imperial pilot who defects.
• The Empire – Meet a dangerous new Imperial adversary…and cross paths once more with the most iconic villain of all time.
• Visions of Hope: The Look of “Rogue One” – The filmmakers describe the challenges and thrills of developing a bold new look for the movie that can fit within the world of the original trilogy.
• The Princess & The Governor – See what it took to bring the vibrant young princess of “Star Wars: A New Hope” – as well as one of her most memorable foes– – back to the screen.
• Epilogue: The Story Continues – Filmmakers and cast celebrate Rogue One’s premiere and look forward into the future, to the Star Wars stories yet to be told.
• Rogue Connections – Uncover Easter eggs and film facts hidden throughout the movie that connect “Rogue One” to the Star Wars universe.

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.