This May, Netflix loads up on originals and PBS offerings as the streaming service slows down on big budget pics and prime time premiums.

In lieu of big ticket items like blockbuster movies and must-see TV, Netflix will be offering many, many originals, including the return of Sense8, Master of None, and House of Cards. There are also a handful of comedy specials from greats such as Sarah Silverman, Tracy Morgan and Norm McDonald.

All in all, there’s a lot to binge, but not a lot to savor if your taste leans into the big budget blockbusters.

MAY 1

American Experience: The Big Burn (2014)
“Inspired by Timothy Egan’s best-selling book, The Big Burn provides a cautionary tale of heroism and sacrifice, arrogance and greed, hubris and, ultimately, humility, in the face of nature’s frightening power.”

American Experience: The Boys of ’36 (2017)
“Inspired by Daniel James Brown’s critically acclaimed nonfiction book The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, The Boys of ’36 is the thrilling story of the American Olympic rowing team that triumphed against all odds in Nazi Germany.”

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
One of the greatest rockumentaries ever made, the story of Canadian rockers Anvil, a promising group of metal enthusiasts who never quite made it but whose continue to rock. Considering this pic boasts a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, I’m not alone in thinking it’s on of the greatest rock ‘n roll pics of all time.

Blood on the Mountain (2016)
“Blood on the Mountain is a searing investigation into the economic and environmental injustices that have resulted from industrial control in West Virginia.”

Chaahat (1996)
Bollywood musical about an overly complicated scheme to get two good looking people to fall in love. So…a Bollywood musical.

Chocolat (2000)
Before his addiction to bangles and round sunglasses began to take hold, Johnny Depp starred in this adorable little modern day fairy tale about a restless woman and her daughter bringing joy and dessert to a town with religion.

Decanted (2016)
“Look inside one of the most intimate  regions in the world, Napa Valley, as we follow several of the most prominent winemakers on their journey to master their craft.”

Don’t Think Twice (2016)
A member of NY improv group in on the brink of stardom in this comedy featuring Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs and Kate Micucci.

Drifter (2017)
Outlaw brothers seek refuge in a small town made up of cannibals. So, sort of like From Dust Til Dawn, but without the clever dialogue, great actors or awesome bikini dance.

Forrest Gump (1994)
Oscar winner that is pretty much referenced every day in a every part of pop culture. Starring Tom Hanks, JFK, Nixon, John Lennon and Tom Snyder.

Happy Feet (2006)
Animated penguins tap dance of modern music to bring home an environmental message about global warming.

In the Shadow of Iris (Netflix original movie)
A kidnapping plot goes terribly wrong in this murder mystery about a bank exec’s wife who goes missing as a mechanic who is pulled into a scheme that goes awry.

Love (2015)
Gaspar Noé’s erotic drama about an American who falls for an unstable beauty while living in Paris.

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Losing Sight of Shore (2017)
“Losing Sight of Shore follows the extraordinary journey of four brave women known as the Coxless Crew that set out to row the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia unsupported.” –

Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003)
Jamie Kennedy stars as a wannabe rapper B-Rad…you know what? Don’t.

You’re fine as you are. You don’t need to see this.

Nerdland (2016)
“Nerdland is an R-rated cartoon comedy about celebrity, excess, and two showbiz nobodies, John (Paul Rudd) and Elliott (Patton Oswalt), with a plan to become famous—or even infamous—by the end of the night.”

Raja Hindustani (1996)
Hindi blockbuster about a rich girl who falls in love with a cab driver. This was India’s biggest box office hit of 1996.

Richard Pryor: Icon (2014)
“…Delve into the life and legacy of Richard Pryor — how he came up through the brothels of Peoria, Illinois, performed on the Ed Sullivan Show, got banned by the networks, and became embroiled in a pattern of self-destruction that threatened his life.”

MAY 2

Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower (2016)
Documentary on the world of bodyguards, those heroes in black who risk their lives to make sure that Miley Cyrus can get to a nearby Jamba Juice.

Hija De La Laguna (2015)
A woman bonds with water spirits and together they fight off a corporation looking to exploit the natural resources of Peruvian lake.

Maria Bamford: Old Baby (Netflix special)
“Maria Bamford performs a rapid-fire, playful stand-up set for crowds at park benches, bowling alleys and LA theaters in this roving comedy special.”

Two Lovers and a Bear (2016)
Surprisingly, not a gay porn, or a gay comedy, but I feel that someone should have tipped off the filmmakers on the name.

A boy and girl in the North Pole find love. And a bear.

MAY 5

Chelsea (Netflix original series)
“It’s not her first talk show, but it is a first of its kind. Ideas, people and places that fascinate her, all in her unique style.”

Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie (Netflix original movie)
“Homicide detective Gene Handsome sets out to solve a woman’s murder while searching for clues about what’s missing from his personal life.”

Kazoops! (Season 3, Netflix original series)
“Music meets imagination in this inventive animated series about thinking outside the box and having fun.”

Sense8 (Season 2, Netflix original series)
“From the creators of The Matrix and Babylon 5 comes this tense series in which eight people can telepathically experience each other’s lives.”

Note: Get ready for the hottest 8-way sex scenes on TV as the adorable group returns.

Spirit: Riding Free (Season 1, Netflix original series)

“In a small Western town, spunky ex-city girl Lucky forms a tight bond with wild horse Spirit while having adventures with best pals Pru and Abigail.”

The Last Kingdom (Season 2, Netflix original series)
“As Alfred the Great defends his kingdom from Norse invaders, Uhtred — born a Saxon but raised by Vikings — seeks to claim his ancestral birthright.”

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The Mars Generation (Season 1; Netflix original series)
“Self-professed teenage “space nerds” at Space Camp chase their dreams of traveling to Mars, while experts reflect on NASA’s history and future.”

MAY 6

Cold War 2 (2016)
Sequel to the Hong Kong crime thriller that was the box office hit of China in 2012. Pic follows the drama of rival police squads and the fighting that breaks out after a murderer escapes custody.

When the Bough Breaks (2017)
“When The Bough Breaks is a feature length documentary about postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Narrated and Executive Produced by Brooke Shields, this shocking film uncovers this very public health issue which affects one in five new mothers after childbirth.”

MAY 7

LoveTrue (2016)
“This genre-bending documentary brings (Alma) Har’el’s signature poetic imagery and fascination with performance in nonfiction to three complimentary stories that seek to demystify the fantasy of true love.”

Stake Land 2: The Stakelander (2016)

MAY 8

Beyond the Gates (2016)
Two brothers find themselves sucked through a portal of an alternative reality through a VHS board game.

Hunter Gatherer (2016)
After a three-year stint in prison, a 40-something man must rebuild his life after his friends and girlfriend move on while he was behind bars.

MAY 9

All We Had (2016)
Katie Holmes stars as a struggling mom who moves to a small town to make a better life for her small family.

Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (Netflix special)
“In this new stand-up special, Norm Macdonald delivers sly, deadpan observations from an older — and perhaps even wiser — point of view.”

Queen of the South (Season 1)
“Queen of the South tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza, a woman who is forced to run and seek refuge in America after her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico.”

MAY 10

The Adventure Club (2016)
Kids find a puzzle box and unlock adventure. Not Pinhead.

Might have been better with Pinhead.

MAY 12

All Hail King Julien: Exiled (Season 1, Netflix original series)
“In this Emmy winner for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program, Madagascar booty-shaker King Julien takes on the jungle’s craziest adventures.”

Anne with an E (Season 1, Netflix original series)
“Based on the classic novels, this new series revolves around the fiery Anne, an imaginative orphan, and the effect she has on her small town.”

Get Me Roger Stone (Netflix original)
“The whole world was shocked by the rise Donald Trump, but there was one man who had been plotting it for years: Roger Stone. Diving deep into the mind of the master manipulator, Get Me Roger Stone provides a raw perspective on the transformation of American politics”

Master of None (Season 2, Netflix original series)
“New Yorker Dev takes on such pillars of maturity as the first big job, a serious relationship, and busting sex offenders on the subway.”

Mindhorn (Netflix original movie)
“When a twisted killer tells the police he’ll only speak to a fictional 1980s TV detective, the washed-up actor who played him takes the gig.”

MAY 15

Command and Control (2016)
“From the director of the groundbreaking film Food, Inc., comes Command and Control, the long-hidden story of a deadly accident at a Titan II missile complex in Damascus, Arkansas in 1980. Based on the critically-acclaimed book by Eric Schlosser, this chilling documentary exposes the terrifying truth about the management of America’s nuclear arsenal and shows what can happen when the weapons built to protect us threaten to destroy us.”

Cave (2016)
Military folks explore underwater cave to discover new horrors looking to combine your fear of monsters, the dark and drowning.

Lovesong (2016)

Two close friends find their friendship destroyed about their attraction to each other comes to a head during a road trip.

Sherlock (Season  4)

“The world’s only consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch, Star Trek Into Darkness, Dr. Strange), teams up with his long-suffering, faithful friend, Dr. John Watson (The Hobbit, Fargo), to solve a dizzying array of crimes and battle diabolical villains with his signature deductive reasoning and his stunning lack of social grace.”

MAY 16

Tracy Morgan: Staying Alive (Netflix special)
“Eccentric comic Tracy Morgan makes his stand-up return with a set that deals with his Brooklyn roots and his recovery from a serious car accident.”

The Break-Up (2006)
Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn stay together for the sake of condo in this comedy.

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper star in this crime indie drama about stunt man turned bank robber who goes head to head with a cop looking to make a name for himself.

MAY 18

Royal Pains (Season 8)
“Royal Pains centers on young doctor Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein, “What  Want”) who seems to have it all … thriving career, beautiful girlfriend, and swank NYC apartment. With one fateful and principled decision in the ER, Hank loses it all…” (final season)

Riverdale (Season 1)
Archie Andrews and the gang make their way into the modern century in this brilliant update that takes twists the teens into a drama that’s part Twin Peaks and part Gossip Girl.

There is nothing about this that isn’t completely entertaining.

MAY 19

BLAME! (Netflix original)

“When his search for the Net Terminal Gene brings him to a desperate village, mysterious loner Kirii agrees to cooperate on a scheme to save them.”

Laerte-se (Netflix original)

“After living as a man for nearly 60 years, Laerte Coutinho, one of Brazil’s most brilliant cartoonists, introduced herself to the world as a woman.”

The Keepers (Season 1, Netflix original series)
“From director Ryan White (The Case Against 8, Good Ol’ Freda) comes The Keepers, a riveting seven-part documentary series about the unsolved murder of a Baltimore nun and the horrific secrets and pain that linger nearly five decades after her death.”

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3, Netflix original series)
“When a woman is rescued from a doomsday cult and lands in New York City, she must navigate a world she didn’t think even existed anymore.”

MAY 21

What’s With Wheat (2017)
Add wheat to the growing list of items that can harm you.

MAY 22

Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus featuring alternative timeline in which David Bowie enthusiasts kill Hitler in a blaze of glory.

They Call Us Monsters (2017)
“The Compound is a jail within a jail—a high-security facility in the middle of Sylmar Juvenile Hall…Inside the Compound, the kids look the same—almost entirely Hispanic and African-American boys dressed in county grays—only they’re not allowed on the grass. They won’t be going home anytime soon. They are LA County’s high-risk juvenile offenders, tried as adults for violent crimes and facing decades, if not hundreds of years in adult prison.”

MAY 23

Dig Two Graves (2014)
Backwoods ghost chiller about a tween who makes a deal with a trio of moonshiners to bring back her deceased brother. For a price.

Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King (Netflix special)

“Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King, is the theatrical debut of humorist and The Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj. It is currently touring North America. It originally opened Off Broadway as a limited engagement at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City in the fall of 2015. Homecoming King, the story of the “New Brown America,” is based on true events from Minhaj’s first generation Indian-American experience.”

MAY 24

Southpaw (2015)
Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker and Rachel McAdams star in Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama about a contender hitting rock bottom.

MAY 26

Believe (2016)
Can a small town business man find enough heart to fund a local Christmas pageant? With the help of a plucky orphan, you bet he can! Brought you to by the Christians.

Bloodline (Season 3, Netflix original series)
“When the black sheep son of a respected family threatens to expose dark secrets from their past, sibling loyalties are put to the test.”

I Am Jane Doe (2017)
“I Am Jane Doe chronicles the epic battle that several American mothers are waging on behalf of their middle-school daughters, victims of sex trafficking on Backpage.com, the adult classifieds section that for years was part of the iconic Village Voice.”

Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower (Netflix original movie)
“When the Chinese Communist Party threatens Hong Kong’s autonomy, teenager Joshua Wong rallies to save his homeland in this inspiring documentary.”

War Machine (Netflix original movie)
“A rock star general bent on winning the “impossible” war in Afghanistan takes us inside the complex machinery of modern war. Inspired by a true story.”

MAY 28

Bunk’d (Season 2)
Good looking teens go to summer camp

MAY 29

Forever Pure (2016)
“January, 2013. A secretive transfer deal transported two Muslim players into the heart of Israel and the Jewish oriented Beitar Jerusalem F.C., leading to the most racist campaign in Israeli sport. One season and one football team in crisis, as power, money and politics fuel a club spiraling out of control.”

MAY 30

F is for Family (Season 2, Netflix original series)
“Follow the Murphy family back to the 1970s, when kids roamed wild, beer flowed freely and nothing came between a man and his TV.”

House of Cards (Season 5, Netflix original series)
“A ruthless politician will stop at nothing to conquer Washington, D.C., in this Emmy and Golden Globe-winning political drama.”

Kevin Spacey returns to scare the hell out of Americans who are already in a shaky mental state.

Marvel’s Doctor Strange (2016)
Thanks, Disney Netflix deal!

The magical mystical Doctor Strange finally makes his way to the big screen in this phrase of the Disney/Marvel take, much to the delight of Cumberbitches everywhere.

Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust (Netflix special)
The lady comic continues to serve up laugh, much to dismay of anti-semitics, people who hate women and every shithead who chooses to comment on IMDb.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings Hugh Jackman’s celebrated seventeen-year run as Wolverine to a close when the box office phenomenon Logan arrives on Digital HD on May 16 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD May 23. Sir Patrick Stewart (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Star Trek: The Next Generation), Stephen Merchant (Hello Ladies, The Office), Boyd Holbrook (Narcos) and newcomer Dafne Keen join Jackman in the iconic character’s final chapter, directed by James Mangold (The Wolverine, Walk the Line).

Touting an R-rating, allowing fans to finally see Logan’s legendary berserk rage unleashed, Mangold brings a visceral and gritty realism to the story, based on one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters. In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant (Dafne Keen) arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

In addition to nearly 90 minutes of original content, including deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes documentary, the Blu-ray^™ will also include Logan Noir, a black and white version of the film that gives the acclaimed story an all-new look.

“During production of LOGAN I took many black and white photographs and noticed how striking and dramatic our gritty settings and characters appeared in monochrome,” said Mangold. “The western and noir vibes of the film seemed to shine in the format and there was not a trace of modern comic hero movie sheen. Then, while editing, Fox and I started posting some of the black and white stills online and fans also began to respond enthusiastically, many hoping that they would get a chance to see the finished film in carefully timed, high contrast black and white. Well. Sometimes hope becomes reality.”

To celebrate the release of Logan Noir, Alamo Drafthouse will be bringing the film to the big screen in all of its monochromatic glory for one night only starting at 8 PM EST on Tuesday, May 16th. The event screenings will also be accompanied by an exclusive, live streaming Q&A featuring director James Mangold. Attendees in every location of the screening will be able to participate in the live discussion with Mangold via Twitter using the hashtag #askalamo.  Los Angeles fans will also get the chance to see Logan slash through the big screen as Alamo Drafthouse and Fox co-present LOGAN NOIR with American Cinematheque for a screening at the Egyptian Theatre. Tickets for all screenings are available now at drafthouse.com/logannoir.

LOGAN 4K ULTRA HD AND BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• Logan Noir – black and white version of the film
• Audio commentary by Director James Mangold
• Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by James Mangold (Blu-ray only)
• Making Logan – behind-the-scenes documentary (Blu-ray only)

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

Whenever I’m asked for a book recommendation, my immediate “go to” is Christopher Farnsworth’s Nathaniel Cade series. It’s a fun series of three novels (Blood Oath, The President’s Vampire, and Red, White, and Blood) and one novella (The Burning Men) so far.

Turned into a blood-drinking abomination in 1867, Nathaniel Cade was offered a choice by President Andrew Johnson: serve the United States, or end his unnatural existence. Cade has served every president since, he is the most closely guarded of White House secrets: a superhuman covert agent who is the last line of defense against the nightmares that threaten the American dream.

There hasn’t been a Cade book in a few years, but Chris hasn’t slowed down.  He wrote The Eternal World, a novel about the Fountain of Youth and launched a new series about a former psychic spy named John Smith with the book, Killfile.  Last month his first comic book, 24: Legacy – Rules of Engagement was published by IDW Entertainment.

This week, Chris sent out an email offering a free new Cade story.  The catch is you have to pre-order his newest John Smith book, Flashmob.  Between you and me, order all of his books and have a perfect stack for summer reading.

Take it away, Chris….

About once a day, I get an email or a message over social media from someone I’ve never met before. It’s always the same question, phrased in different ways.

“Hey, when are you going to write another book about Nathaniel Cade?”
“When are you going to tell us what happened to Cade and Zach?”
“When are you going to do the next book in the President’s Vampire series?”

And I’ve always had the same answer: Eventually.

It’s incredibly flattering that so many people like my vampire so much. And I’ve wanted to write more about him. But Cade was stranded several years ago when I switched publishers, and I’ve been busy writing other books since then. I always intended to get back to him, but I didn’t know when it would happen.

Lately, however, I’ve been getting a lot more questions about Cade. For some reason, the last election inspired a lot of people to start thinking about monsters in the White House again.

It’s inspired me, too. I’ve written a new short novella about Nathaniel Cade: DEEP STATE.

It’s been four years since a new president ascended to the White House. Zach Barrows has not seen Nathaniel Cade, the President’s Vampire, since being fired from his position as Cade’s handler and sent to a small, cramped office in a government building in Nebraska.

Once, he and Cade fought a shadow war against the monsters, spies, and demons that threatened the United States. Now Zach pushes papers and listens to conspiracy theories from people who have no idea how dark the real world can get.

Then Zach is summoned to the Situation Room by President Lester Wyman, who is both the commander-in-chief and a possible traitor.

But he and Cade are bound to follow Wyman’s orders. They are told to find out why a top-secret missile silo has gone offline. If they fail, a nuclear warhead will launch, and the world will die in a hail of fire.

In other words, it’s just another night on the job.

After a long absence, Cade and Zach are back in action together — for what might be the last time.

So, everyone who wanted Cade back? Well, he’s back.

HERE’S HOW YOU GET HIM.

DEEP STATE is not available in stores or on Amazon. There’s only one way to get this ebook: it’s free to anyone who pre-orders my next John Smith novel, FLASHMOB.

FLASHMOB is the sequel to KILLFILE, and in this one, John Smith must use his psychic talent to track down a shadowy computer genius who has weaponized the Internet.

Arriving at the wedding of Kira Sadeghi, a reality television celebrity he recently saved from kidnappers, Smith witnesses a group of gunmen open fire, hitting the bride and others. Though he’s unarmed, Smith cripples one of the killers and is able to pry one word from his mind: “Downvote.”

Eager to learn more, Smith hacks into the brain of an FBI agent to discover the Bureau has been investigating a nefarious new threat called “Downvote,” an encrypted site on the dark net that lists the names of celebrities and offers a hefty bounty for anyone who can kill them—unleashing an anonymous and deadly flashmob with a keystroke.

Finding a mastermind on the internet is like trying to catch air—unless you’re John Smith. Motivated by money and revenge, he traces a series of electronic signatures to a reclusive billionaire living at sea, accompanied by a scary-smart female bodyguard who becomes Smith’s partner in his quest. The hunt for their prey will lead from Hong Kong to Reykjavik to a luxury gambling resort deep in the Laotian jungle. Yet always this criminal mastermind remains one step ahead.

The only way Downvote’s creator can stop Smith is to kill him . . . because while this diabolical genius can run, there’s no hiding from a man who can read minds.

All you have to do is email me a copy of your receipt at flashmobpreorder@gmail.com, and you will be on the list for DEEP STATE. On June 27, when FLASHMOB is released, I will email you a copy of the ebook in PDF format, which is readable on any device or computer. You can even print it out on actual paper if you want to go old-school.

But wait, there’s more. You’ll also get excerpts from the CODENAME: NIGHTMARE PET briefing book, a historical timeline of the secret history of the United States, and “Cade vs. the Bloody Benders,” a deleted scene from Red, White, and Blood where Cade battles an infamous family of serial killers in the Old West.

You can pre-order FLASHMOB from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, iBooks, Kobo, and from your local independent bookstore through IndieBound. A receipt from any one of those sent to flashmobpreorder@gmail.com will qualify you to get the free ebook of DEEP STATE.

To my UK readers — the same offer applies to you, but for a different book. Over there, FLASHMOB is titled HUNT YOU DOWN. Pre-order HUNT YOU DOWN and I will send you the free ebook of DEEP STATE. Again, send your receipt to flashmobpreorder@gmail.com.

This free ebook giveaway lasts until June 27, 2017 in the United States, and until November 2, 2017 in the United Kingdom.

For more details, visit chrisfarnsworth.com
Pre-order Flashmob HERE!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

I Am Not Your Negro was based on this unfinished manuscript by Baldwin?

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 May 14th, 2017.

Back in my day, comic book columns were real, we had to fact check our opinions and tear through stacks of books to opine on not only the floppies themselves but the state of the industry.

Nowadays with your ComiXology and your new fangled iPads, it can be hard to find something eye-catching in the digital store, not matter what the price point. This week’s Triple Shot takes aim at three independent books from some well known creators, taking a stab at comics free from corporate oversight.

Blackhand Ironhead #1

By David López
panelsyndicate.com
Blackhand Ironhead is the latest from Panel Syndicate, a pay-what-you-think-it-is-worth digital comics publisher co-founded by Marcos Martín and Brian K. Vaughan. This book is written and drawn by the incredible David López (Catwoman, All-New Wolverine) and stars our hero Alexia and her superfamily in a post-superhero world. When her dad, superhero name Iron Head dies suddenly, the family business of maintaining a cadre of supervillian weapons in a museum falls to her. In this world, the super-powered are relegated to fighting in the cages, and superpowers ray-guns and weapons of world domination are in this museum.

What Alexia doesn’t know it that there is more of her family out there, and that a resurgence of the Old Way is knocking on her back door.

This book is funny, and builds on the kinds of stories most recently retold in Jupiter’s Legacy et. al. This is a superhero book with powers, set in a world familiar to us and using tropes of old Marvel and DC characters while establishing a new universe with funny, likable and human characters.

If this is David López’ first writing work, well done! I am on board for this series, paying a Marvel cover price of $3.99 as my donation. I figure that’s the right price as it continues to support the artists directly and the catalog at Panel Syndicate is accessible and growing.

Copra #1

by Michel Fiffe
Bergen Street Comics Press/ ComiXology
Admittedly, I’m a bit late to the game with Copra from Cuban-American artist Michele Fiffe (All-New Ultimates). The book is up to issue #29 now, with #1 being released all the way back in 2012.

This is a well-rounded superhero team book for the art school crowd, blending Kirby wackiness and mysterious cosmic heads with a boots on the ground ridiculous looking (in a good way) rag-tag group of heroes that reads more like a Hama G.I.Joe book than it does an Avengers book.

Although it’s an homage to John Ostrander’s legendary Suicide Squad run, I would say this book also has a lot in common with another G.I.Joe property, Tom Scioli’s Transformers vs. G.I. Joe meets X-Force?

Copra has plenty of action, bizarre costumes, a weird villain, a flying robot and team in-fighting to make me want more. The art style is uniquely Fiffe’s, and looks more like an indie book than a superhero book but don’t let that stop you. This is a cool new world to immerse yourself in.

Lucky for me, I have nearly 30 issues to get caught up with.

Snipe

By Kathryn and Stuart Immonen
ComiXology

Kathryn Immonen & Stuart Immonen’s Snipe is a different type of comic altogether. Snipe includes two stories about snipers. On is a wildlife photographer, the other is the story of Finnish marksman Simo Häyhä, aka “White Death,” credited with 505 sniper kills.

Juxtaposing the photographer’s four-color non-violent story about finding birds to shoot with his camera in the modern day against the stark, graphic design layout story of “White Death” is something that can wash over you like a painting. The message doesn’t hit you immediately, it does what good art does and burrows in to your mind and seeps there for a bit. Simo’s story is told in black and white with red highlights, as he is fighting the Red Army in The Winter War. Random facts unrelated to the story are added for commentary. Stuart illustrates by mixing charts and symbols with the character work.

On a total lark, for this assignment I took a chance on Snipe and I’m glad I did. It is a very different kind of story than I am used to reading but one that may stay with me for a while. The Immonens created this book to explore the medium of comics, and I’m happy to say I think they have broken new ground, or at least left some fresh prints in the snow.

The Scum & Villainy Cantina, the popular pop-up intergalactic experience that has been virtually sold out for its initial two-month run, is extending its inaugural activation through June 2017, proprietor J.C. Reifenberg announced Monday night at the Hollywood establishment.

Starting on the beloved celebratory date of May the Fourth, fans can purchase tickets and reservations for the entire month of June. In addition, Reifenberg announced that all ticket purchases/reservations made on May 4, 2017 would be at the discounted rate of $40 (a $10 savings).

For the price of admission, guests receive two drinks of their choice from the Cantina’s specialty menu, a souvenir pint glass, an exclusive Scum & Villainy challenge coin, and nightly surprises around each corner. Themed food items are also available for purchase.

The June ticket and reservation sales will be available start May 4, 2017 at 10:00am PST via a new URL: https://scumandvillainycantina.eventbrite.com

New ticket reservations are limited, and admissions will be handled out on a first come, first served basis. In June, the Scum & Villainy Cantina will revise its days/hours of operation to Thursdays (one admission from 7:00-10:30pm), Fridays (two two-hour admissions), and Saturdays & Sundays (three two-hour admissions on each day). Fans should reference the Scum & Villainy Cantina Facebook page for walk-in availability.

In its first 26 days, the Scum & Villainy Cantina has transported thousands of fans into an immersive environment filled with food, drink, friends and some questionable characters from throughout the galaxy.

“We had a simple concept from the start – to provide devoted fans, like myself, the opportunity to gather in an environment that would inspire and delight. And the wonderfully positive reception for the Scum & Villainy Cantina has been very gratifying,” says Reifenberg. “Every night, it’s such fun to set the ball in motion, and then watch this amazing, enthusiastic clientele elevate the experience to new heights with great cosplay, crazy trivia competitions, impromptu conga lines and silly fanboy fun. We’re so happy we were able to extend our lease and continue this experience into summer.”

The Scum & Villainy Cantina will now also offer discounted ticket-and-merchandise packages. The admission-and-collectible-shirt ($55) and an admission-plus-collectible-shirt-and-hat ($65) are now available, and an all-new “June Scum Pass” ($200) entitles purchasers automatic entry, plus one guest, throughout the month of June during regular evening hours, Thursday through Sunday, even during sold out nights. The “June Scum Pass” also includes four souvenir glasses, but sales will be limited to a total of 40 for June.

Located at 6377 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA (near the corner of Hollywood Blvd. & Cahuenga Blvd.), the Scum & Villainy Cantina offers open seating to encourage patrons to meet new friends, strike up conversation, and maybe even find them a pilot to fly them off world.

Since the initial announcement, online speculation has led to many observations that have been quoted as fact. Everyone is encouraged to access the Scum & Villainy Cantina official website and to “like” the official Facebook page for valid, up-to-date information.

Wow. I read Injustice 2. What can I say? Read it. Stop what you are doing and download it, buy it, then bag it and frame it.

That is how you make a comic book. That, my friends, is how you kill the competition and tell a good story, hitting all the narrative and artwork highs.

A close second is Green Arrow, a book I don’t think can do any wrong – except maybe change this creative team.

Jessica Cruz introduces us to the world of the Green Lantern Corps, so if you haven’t read their team book, Green Lanterns is a perfect jumping on point to the world of the ring slingers.  The humour injected in here is a welcome addition after the dark story arc with Dr. Polaris.

Continuity swirls down the drain in Justice League as the Timeless and Molly are seemingly forgotten along with their warning but this 12:01 inspired storyline has a lot going for it forcing Barry to face up to his continual repeated screwing up of the timestream.

Harley Quinn takes down a gang of cannibals and saves the city escaping with her life instead of fortune and glory, its quite a read, especially when coupled with the nostalgic Harley loves Joker back up story.

Cyborg continues on it’s long journey and I’m about ready for a toilet break its that long – that isn’t to say it isn’t a creatively strong journey, it’s just… long.

The Flintstones remains a bitter pill for me. I don’t know what it is but I haven’t read a story in it yet that justifies its existence.

Finally in closing, an unexpected diamond in the rough is Savage Things.  So if no tights, no flights is your thing and you want something a bit grim and gritty, give this a try…

Agree? Disagree? Tell me about it!

In the meantime, here is my look into the DC Universe this week!

CYBORG #12
Danger in Detroit Part 3: Ratattack
Writer: John Semper Jr.
Artists: Will Conrad & Cliff Richards
Cover: Will Conrad & Ivan Nunes
Variant: Carlos D’Anda

In Cyborg’s absence Exxy has become a celebrity rapper, unbeknownst to him Anomaly has been secretly monitoring his career in hopes of drawing Vic out of hiding.

So when Vic boom tubes in and seeks out his friend. The villainous Anomaly sends his newest creation Ratattack, the former drug trafficker turned OTAC mutation after the hero. Sarah secretly uploads the programming codes to Vic so he can take down the ferocious hybrid before sneaking back to S.T.A.R. but even with their mole on the inside can Exxy and Cyborg hope to defeat Anomaly?

Yes this story arc is still going on, and no there is no end in sight. That said it was nice seeing Vic in human form and however goofy, Ratattack was a pretty formidable foe.

The art in this title continues to impress, the story is getting sluggish and overlong now so having fantastic art is a definite saving grace but very soon this has to be resolved… I hope. John Semper Jr. has written some great stuff in this title so I hope Cyborg triumphs soon and gets back to superheroing.

RATING: 4/5

GREEN ARROW #22
The Rise of Star City: Part 2
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Cover: Juan Ferreyra
Variant: Mike Grell & Lovern Kindzierski

Victoria Much reports on the multiple plane crash that killed 537 people, devastating Star City, and the world.

Team Arrow are monitoring the mass technology hack spreading across the city as Ollie and Dinah are busy aiding the emergency services and evacuating compromised buildings.

When Green Arrow attempts to stop a rogue gunman he is shocked to be attacked by a group of villains hailing themselves as The Four Horsemen, shocked by their anarchic attack on Seattle and unable to match them in combat, Ollie escapes and rendezvous with Much later that night.

Sharing intel Ollie is shocked to discover that Queen Industries is somehow linked to all of this.

Henry tries to convince Arsenal to aid Team Arrow and while distracted fails to realise the Horsemen have located Team Arrows base and torched it – with Henry still inside!

Now if you were going to tear a hero apart to the very foundations of what makes him tick, expand upon his backstory and work at rebuilding him this is how you do it. Percy expertly maneuvers Ollie and his team through disaster after disaster, like pieces on a chess board.

As each issue progresses everything escalates. DC has attempted this kind of treatment on its heroes before but to my mind never as successfully as done here. Amid all the action there is still some time for character drama too and Green Arrow’s relationships have always been a tad rocky but even I didn’t see the graveside scene playing out like that.

RATING: 5/5

GREEN LANTERNS #22
Lost in Space
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Ronan Cliquet
Cover: Mike McKone & Jason Wright

As Jessica and Simon are torn from sector 2814 and forced on a journey to Mogo, Jessica panics and forces her ring to emergency stop.  Lost in outer space she meets Kyle Rayner who takes her under his wing and leds her to Mogo and to meet the Green Lantern Corps.

Once there she learns of the alliance of the Green & Yellow Lanterns and struggles to fit in with the others.

John Stewart arrives to greet them and tells them they must undergo training to be the best Green Lanterns they can be. To that end they are assigned two former 2814 Lanterns as their mentors, Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner. Hope they are up for the challenge!

A great jumping on point for anyone new to Green Lantern stories and anyone unfamiliar to the new status quo of the alliance.

The art is clear and bold with a leaning slightly towards comedy, but if you are a new reader Humphries and Cliquet serve up exactly what you need.

I love that Jessica’s ring has a sarcastic side and that despite Baz and Cruz’ lack of experience they are welcomed by their brethren. I look forward to seeing how this story related to the one in Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps and seeing how these ‘cadets’ will cope in such an alien environment.

RATING: 4/5

HARLEY QUINN #19
Red Meat – Part 3: Sucking The Marrow Out of The Party
Writers: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: John Timms
Cover: Amanda Conner & Alex Sinclair
Variant: Frank Cho & Laura Martin

Red Tool botches his rescue attempt, but luckily a captive Harley is a resourceful one and she manages to escape on her own taking on the army of cannibals singlehandedly. After a bloody and violent battle Harley triumphs but is unable to convince the authorities of Mayor Berkowitz’ plotting.

Cutting her losses, Harley reunites with Red Tool and Eggy ready for the next challenge.

Harley Loves Joker – Back Up Feature
Writers: Paul Dini & Jimmy Palmiotti
Artist: Bret Blevins

Batman attempts to capture Joker and Harley and they haphazardly manage to escape the caped crusader and leap into the waiting Jokermobile while Batman is left to fend off Harley’s pets. As the criminal comedians take refuge in a hotel they blow up the building hoping to take out Batman in the process but luckily the caped crusader escapes to fight another day.

A fitting end to the cannibal story, with a suitably violent end to the story. We often only see a Harley that is full of one liners, quips and jokes so it is full however fleeting to explore her psyche. The scene in the room of dead bodies was quite funny and I’d been actively resisting the Harley Quinn craze that Margot Robbie started but I have to say that Conner and Palmiotti have slowly but surely won me over.

The back up feature was more fan service and entertaining than anything else. I look forward to reading the entire story but as short pieces they are more nostalgic than anything else.

RATING 4/5

JUSTICE LEAGUE #20
Endless: Part 1
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Inkers: Daniel Henriques, Andrew Currie & Paul Neary
Cover: Bryan Hitch & Alex Sinclair
Variant: Nick Bradshaw & Alex Sinclair

Barry is reliving the same day over and over, each time he meets Jessica Cruz for breakfast a man wielding an energy spike sobs that the Justice League killed his family and stabbing the spike into the ground causes a colossal explosion that kills Jessica and hurls The Flash further backwards in time each time he gets near the grieving man.

Calculating the repeats he manages to travel back far enough to before the event the man tells him killed his family and so Barry seeks out the Justice League.

With their aid they arrive in to to stop the man activating his spike during a corporate presentation. The spike is a scientific marvel that will be beneficial to mankind but the League arrive and warn the man activating it will kill millions of people. As The Flash nears the spike his speed force somehow corrupts the spike and it explodes along with half the city…

I was expecting the conclusion to Timeless but whatever, this time we have a riff on Groundhog Day or 12:01 and it is a Flash-centric tale. At first I’ll be honest I thought it was a misprinted issue and as it rolls through, the story plays out well, though I thought Barry was less impulsive than this he really did live up to his name and in the end caused the entire event to happen – I did notice he was quick to share out the blame even though he was the culprit.

Nice art throughout the issue though inking could have been a little heavier. As for the cover, can we have a bold, triumphant cover? They always seem to get the stuffing kicked out of them (or in this case, falling to their doom) on the covers these days!

RATING: 4/5

THE FLINTSTONES #11
The Neighborhood Association
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Steve Pugh
Cover: Jill Thompson
Variant: Chris Burnham & Nathan Fairbairn

When Barney wants to show how much Fred means to him what better way is there than to erect the biggest most ugly statue in the entire world in his backyard?

Of course this quickly draws the attention of the the neighbourhood association who want it taken down immediately. Fred finds the statue as hideous as the rest of the world but everytime he wants to take action all he can see is his friend’s doe eyed face.

I’ve been told I’m misjudging this title, that it is a political satire marvel, that I’m looking at it with rose tinted spectacles remembering The Flintstones as they were. Well I think I liked the charm, the comedy and the fun of the original, Riverdale this isn’t I’m afraid.

At least the terrible movies tried to maintain a little of the spirit. For some this might be amazing, sadly not for me.

RATING: 3/5

SAVAGE THINGS #3
Chapter 3
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Ibrahim Moustafa
Cover: John Paul Leon

The city is at its knees, chaos reigns in the streets. Everything is going according to Cain’s plan and only two people stand in his way.

Abel guesses that cutting the power to the city would be the next logical step so they sneak into the power plant to find a slaughterhouse and Cain waiting for their arrival with a bomb at the ready.

Cain bests Abel in combat then offers his former brother an impossible choice.

Savage Things is a unique and interesting book; no continuity to adhere to, no limits to its language or violence.

In some ways it reminds me of that amazing James Cameron show Dark Angel and the dark training Max and the other transgenics endured, that however is where the similarities end as the two soldier brothers bring years of psychological and tactical warfare to modern day America.

To bring another parallel to the fore, Universal Soldier comes to mind. The fact it evokes memories of pop culture is a positive thing it gives the book a feeling that it could go beyond a comic book, for those that came in late it would have been nice to name check a few of the characters, for example, I forgot the name of Abel’s teammate but she hasn’t been named since issue #1.

RATING 5/5

INJUSTICE 2 #1
Two Speeding Bullets
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Bruno Redondo
Cover: Jim Lee, Scott Williams & Alex Sinclair
Variant: Bruno Redondo & Alejandro Sanchez

Clark is imprisoned in a reinforced cell surrounded by red sun lamps. He has a heart to heart with his once best friend Bruce Wayne and by the end of their talk they are strangers.

Batman has struck an unlikely friendship with Harley Quinn and when she is attacked by the Suicide Squad he mounts a rescue mission.

Elsewhere in the multiverse Green Arrow and Black Canary have built a new life for themselves since escaping Superman’s wrath. Doctor Fate arrives with news that Superman has been defeated and it is safe for them to return.

Back on Earth, Batman has discovered Amanda Waller’s secret base and he rescues the Harley base but what follows is something nobody would expect and it changes things forever…

I hear you, you weren’t a fan of Injustice, you hate tie in comics, you hate video games. Hear me out, this comic might just be for you.  If you did like the game and you followed the frankly, stunning comic book series that accompanied it this is definitely for you.

Put aside the video game link and you still have a superb book. A look into a world where Superman lost literally everything that he lived for and became everything he hated. I urge you to pick up the collected trades if you can find them because they really do some amazing things in that book and just the opening scene here, where the World’s Finest crumble to dust. That two hander (with Harley earwigging outside) is some jaw dropping stuff and then there was the finale where Batman, this Earth’s symbol of hope does something so off the wall you have to read it to believe it.

Taylor & Redondo deserve an award and in fact they get one – right here with the Book Of The Week!

RATING: 5/5

FIST 2 FIST 2: WEAPON OF CHOICE, (a sequel by name only to 2011′s FIST 2 FIST), follows retired assassin Jack Lee (Kang) who is forced to use his skills once again in order to rescue his “daughter” (Kelly Lou Dennis) from his former boss, the notorious gangster Banducci (Douglas Olsson). With a little help from a rogue cop (Katherine Celio), Jack becomes a one-man killing squad determined to get his daughter back by any means necessary.

From martial arts Master Jino Kang, who stars, co-directs, writes and produces, the 100-minute action-thriller earned critical and industry attention after winning the coveted ‘Action Film of the Year’ award and receiving nominations for ‘Best Fight Choreography’ and ‘Breakout Action Star’ at the 2014 Action on Film Festival (AOFFest).

The film is also receiving rave reviews from genre experts, with City On Fire stating: “If you’re willing to take a break from all the mundane action movies playing in theaters, look no further than Jino Kang’s latest revenge thriller, Weapon of Choice”; and The Action Elite declares: “excellent fight scenes and a badass hero.”

Kang is excited with the overwhelmingly positive reception of the film, adding “Fist 2 Fist 2: Weapon of Choice’ features world-class martial arts action, a compelling story, a dash of romance, an amazing hero (and two heroines!) and a despicable villain or two (or three, or four…). The audience will have an entertaining action ride, from beginning to end.”

Kang, the son of Hapkido Grand Master, Myung S. Kang, emigrated with his family from South Korea to San Francisco during his teen years. He quickly adapted and followed in traditions of his father, opening his first Korean Martial Arts school in the 1980’s. Today, he holds a 7th Degree Black Belt in Hapkido and a Black Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Kyokoshin-Kai Karate and Tae Kwon do. In 2009, Kang had the honor of being inducted into the Master’s Hall of Fame.

Kang’s passion for filmmaking also began at a young age, which took him to the College of Marin where he elevated his skills and appreciation for the craft. He went on to star-in, direct and produce his first feature film, BLADE WARRIOR, in the 90’s and FIST 2 FIST (aka HAND 2 HAND), which earned numerous festival awards and critical acclaim before releasing in 2011.

FIST 2 FIST 2: WEAPON OF CHOICE is available on DVD/Digital release available on Amazon, iTunes, Google, Vudu and XBox, and will be premiering on The Fight Channel in the UK summer of 2017.

For further info about FIST 2 FIST 2: WEAPON OF CHOICE visit:
The Official Site and Facebook Page

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

This week things heat up over at DC. Let’s take a peak at some of the new releases!

Aquaman #22
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Philippe Briones

Man, the Brad Walker cover is amazing. Month after month, I wait for Walker to do a four issue storyline on this title. It just hasn’t happened yet. The art by Briones isn’t bad by any means, it’s just that Walker has a true flair for Aquaman. It’d be memorable.

This is the finale of the H20 storyline. Aquaman fights Dead Water! His friends are in danger! Chaos is raining down on the base! It’s a very good, action packed finale to this storyline.

Abnett has been keeping the stories engaging. This is a fast, but exciting read.

Pick it up. It’s very good. A solid book to start off the week!

RATING: B

Deathstroke #18
Written by Christopher Priest
Illustrated by Joe Bennett

Speaking of covers, Deathstroke currently has two great cover artists in Bill Sienkiewicz and Shane Davis. Both bring a great energy to this book. Again, the art by Joe Bennett is very good. However, the covers on this book have all just been complete gems.

This is the finale of the Twilight storyline. It’s Jericho versus Deathstroke! Jericho wants revenge against his father for killing his lover. Then, Jericho starts to realize that perhaps his father didn’t kill her.

But if he didn’t? Who did?

The whole book is very exciting. Priest writes a killer book here again. I love it. It’s a fantastic finale for a fantastic storyline. I can’t wait until the next issue.

RATING: A

Nightwing #20
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Javi Fernandez

At least the covers were both nice on this issue.

I have to be honest: I have competently lost interest in Seeley’s writing on this title. I just find it increasingly predictable and not very fun or engaging. Maybe it’ll improve! Sadly, I’m not hopeful at this point.

This is the finale of the “Nightwing Must Die!” Storyline. You’d think it’d be better with such a cool title. Alas, it really isn’t. I didn’t care about the “surprise villain” nor his motivations.

The art is pretty good at least. It brings up the book a notch or two. Still, this should have been more entertaining.

RATING: C+

Batman #22
Written by Tom King and Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Jason Fabok

This is another fine installment of “The Button” storyline. It’s great, truly great.

I don’t want to give anything away except to say that this issue has the Flashpoint Batman in it and it’s damn exciting.

It also has Batman and The Flash trying to solve the mystery of the Button. The ticking clock towards the Watchmen crossover is coming and it’s truly spectacular what DC is doing.

The writing is good…but the Jason Fabok art is tops. Fabok is killing it like you wouldn’t believe in this title. It makes for a truly excellent comic.

Pick this up or you will regret it!

RATING: A

Bane: Conquest #1
Written by Chuck Dixon
Illustrated by Graham Nolan

Holy Hannah!! Bane is back! This time he is going solo! That doesn’t seem too interesting….but wait!

This book is by Bane’s creators Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan! How bad could it be?

Actually, it’s pretty good overall. Leave it to Dixon to write a tale that isn’t “I AM BANE” every five seconds. What a relief. It’s been awhile since I’ve read anything by Dixon and it’s quite refreshing to see that he still has it as a writer.

And Nolan? Well, Nolan is one of my favorite artists who isn’t doing a monthly book. I’m glad this series exists if only to see his art. This book may not be necessary but it’s great to have a book by this creative team out for the next twelve months.

RATING: B+

The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #5
Written by Cary Bates
Illustrated by Will Conrad

This was fairly awesome!

The writing on this book is great! It’s fast, sharp, and exciting! I wasn’t expecting to like this but now I can’t wait to read it every month.

In this issue, Captain Atom faces off against a super powered villain who has powers.

These powers? They rival Captain Atom’s powers.

Then, after that, chaos ensues!

Will Conrad kills it again on the art. The illustrations are fantastically good. Pick this up. This comic will surprise you!

RATING: B+

Ever After #9
Written by Matthew Sturges
Illustrated by Travis Moore

I’ve been liking this title as well these past few months. I wasn’t the biggest Fables fan but this spinoff is fairly cool.

This issue takes place at a high school.  A hostage situation is going on.

Meanwhile across town there is an escape going on.

What do the two have to do with each other? Find out in this issue!

The story by Sturges is pretty good As is the art by Moore. I wish they worked a little more closely together as sometimes the storytelling got muddy for me. Still, a solid issue in a solid run of books.

RATING: B

Superman #22
Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Illustrated by Doug Mahnke

Why is this title so damn good?

It’s because the stories are consistently well crafted and the art is truly awesome. I look forward to reading this each time it comes out and it’s at the top of my pile.

This is the first chapter of “Black Dawn!” It’s such a damn good read. Superman in this issue goes up against a strange evil. This evil pushes Superman’s morals to the limits. Will Superman survive? Well, of course he will.

The trick though is that the writers make you care about Superman. You may know he is going to survive no matter what. They make it fascinating. The art by Mahnke is great too. A good package overall.

RATING: A

Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, from director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad – Frozen, Angry Birds) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. A narrative with “genuine heart, humor and a real message of love” (Michael Heaton, The Plain Dealer), the family film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland, The Longest Ride), KJ Apa (“Riverdale”), John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook, American Gangster), Juliet Rylance (Sinister, “The Knick”), Luke Kirby (“The Astronaut Wives Club”), Peggy Lipton (When in Rome, Twin Peaks), Pooch Hall (“The Game,” “Ray Donovan”) and Dennis Quaid (Far From Heaven, The Rookie).      

And we’re giving away 15 copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “A DOG’S PURPOSE” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Who is your favorite dog in pop culture?

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 May 14th, 2017.

Not only does this year mark the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars, but also today marks the unofficial Star Wars holiday of May 4th (as in “May The Fourth Be With You”).

To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with our friends at TV Store Online to give away T-shirts to Forces of Geek readers.

One reader will win one grand prize containing two shirts, a Welcome To Tatooine and a Darth Vader Retro Boombox.

Both officially licensed shirts are 100% cotton and are must haves for any fan of the Saga.  One reader will win a runner’s up prize of one Welcome to Tatooine shirt.

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

Where on Tatooine did Luke regularly shop for Power Converters?

Please include your name, T-shirt size (SM-2XL) 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 May 14th, 2017.

Star Wars: Thrawn

Author: Timothy Zahn
Reader: Marc Thompso
Publisher: Random House Audio
ISBN: 978-045148624
Release Date: April 11, 2017

“Even when false, legends can be more informative.”
– Mitth’raw’nuruod (Thrawn)

Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror when the Mouse officially declared that the stories in the Star Wars expanded universe as non-canon.

There was a glimmer of hope when Lucasfilm stated that aspects of what is now deemed “Legends” could be brought into the new canon.

At that moment, fans in unison, all wanted one character more than anyone… Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Famed author Timothy Zahn brought this character into our consciousness in 1991 with the novel Heir to the Empire, the first installment of what would become known as the “Thrawn Trilogy.”

Thrawn’s reputation as a master military tactician is legendary. Now, the character’s creator Zahn returns to the Star Wars universe and gets reacquainted with an old friend.

Thrawn serves as an origin story of the blue-skinned, red-eyed Chiss warrior, while detailing his rise to power in the Empire. Most of what we know about Thrawn is pretty much intact. Various characters that served under Thrawn in “Legends” become canon, except for Captain Pellaeon. Instead, a new character named Eli Vanto is introduced and carries the essence of Pellaeon in a younger form.

Vanto is an imperial cadet from the outer rim who talks with what could be a southern accent and is considered a “wild space yokel.” He vies for simplicity until fate brings Thrawn into his life and changes it forever. Zahn sets up Vannto as the listener’s window into how he helps Thrawn adjust to a career as an Imperial while marveling at his cunning and reserved disposition.

It’s revealed that Thrawn can see in infrared, which strengthens the narrative tremendously as it serves as the ultimate lie detector. True intentions become ulterior motives. This helps Thrawn cleverly navigate the political waters that are rife with jealousy, classism, and racism.

Speaking of racism, The Emperor’s contempt towards non-humans came about in “Legends” but was never given any basis. Here in the new canon, a reason was given and it made perfect sense, calling back to the Clone Wars where most of the Separatists were aliens. This caused a groundswell of anti-alien sentiment post-war.

Star Wars Rebels enthusiasts will appreciate the novel’s inclusions of Governor Arihnda Pryce. Pryce holds Thrawn in high esteem in the animated series, and the genesis of their relationship is revealed, creating a wonderful connection between the two mediums.

The area of the galaxy designated as the Unknown Regions has become an increasingly important plot point in the new canon novels and plays a role here. The First Order and Supreme Snoke are rumored to have taken up some sort of residence in that particular area of space, which brings about a lot of interesting possibilities and connections.

Timothy Zahn superbly balances the narrative between the journey of Thrawn and Pryce upon an intersection. New canon Star Wars novels often go back and forth between plots with one being more interesting than the other. It’s necessary to put up with it because the less interesting of the two eventually pays off. In this case, Pryce’s rise in power is nearly as fascinating as Thrawn’s ascension.

The remarkable intelligence that is a hallmark of Thrawn’s character is brought to the forefront as his inner monologue is a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Sun Tzu when assessing situations. This creates intrigue and mystery throughout the book and makes the listener wonder if Thrawn is merely a quick study or the smartest person in the galaxy.

Moments make up the fabric of Star Wars, and the moments in Thrawn are no exception, with each serving a different and exciting purpose. One, in particular, shows the first meeting between Thrawn and The Emperor, which was filled with tension and a big name drop. Each exchange between the two made me wonder who was truly working who to their advantage.

Marc Thompson is the quintessential voice of Star Wars audio books. His narration brings the words of Timothy Zahn to life with great insight and excellent character work. Thompson’s Emperor is no mere impression and channels the Sith Lord’s on screen vessel, Ian McDiarmid. I had to search IMDB to see if Thompson voiced Thrawn on Rebels. He doesn’t, but the voice is that good.

Timothy Zahn’s talents as an author are on full display as he successfully crafted Thrawn as a novel that equally serves as an introduction, continuation, and reunion, which ensures every fan will enjoy. There was no Luke, Han, Leia and Mara Jade for Zahn to play with this time around, however, his injection of new characters such as Eli Vanto while incorporating elements of his original stories works very well.

Grand Admiral Thrawn is as intelligent as ever and fans new and old alike will marvel at his brilliance within this well-crafted tale.

Imported from France. He was once Anakin Skywalker. But that Jedi Knight has died, and in his place stands the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. Attakus begins their new Elite Collection, a limited edition 1/10-scale Star Wars statue line, with the fallen Jedi Darth Vader. Based on his costume from The Empire Strikes Back, this 8 1/4″ tall statue is made of resin, hand-painted, and limited to 3,000 pieces worldwide.

And to celebrate May The Fourth, our friends at Fun.com have sponsored a giveaway, allowing The Dark Lord of the Sith to find a home far away from the sands of Tattooine or that unusually named “Lando System”.

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

How tall is David Prowse?

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 May 7th, 2017.

Produced by Kevin Feige
Written and Directed by James Gunn
Based on Guardians of the Galaxy
by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista,
Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker,
Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki,
Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone,
and Kurt Russell

BEWARE!  SPOILERS BELOW!

The lovable bunch of a-holes are back in Vol. 2, the much anticipated sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) leads and ends up expanding the team who have garnered a galactic reputation as true Guardians in the months since the last film.

So much so, that  Peter’s father, a comic book favorite Ego (The Living Planet) played by Kurt Russell sprouts up to reunite with his son.

Much like the first film, James Gunn uses humor and a thick goopy layer of ’70s and ’80s nostalgia to gel the team together. Dave Bautista performance as Drax  the Destroyer induces belly laughs, but is given space to breathe in the expanse of space.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana) kicks plenty of ass and we are given more insight into the shared childhood experience of her and her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan). Gillen gives more to her blue alter-ego than she did with her debut in the first film, this Nebula is sympathetic, and grows on you but we find out this time around what her motivation is to go toe to metallic toe against Gamora.

It turns out their father Thanos wasn’t such a great guy. Who would have guessed?

Is there anyone else on the team? Who might I be missing? Oh yeah, right! The adorable dancing Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) and his furry bio-engineered friend Rocket (Bradley Cooper). The movie opening credit sequence puts Baby Groot front and center as the team rages against a space beast in the background as Groot dances to the retro tunes playing on a boom box. Rocket is there to support the team in battle because he has the best inventions, but still can’t seem to get along with everyone all of the time.

You won’t think that you will laugh when Baby Groot says, “I am Groot” again…but you will. Oh you will!

When the team is brought to the golden High Priestess Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) we see a side of Quill we haven’t seen before! In a nod to Captain Kirk, Star-Lord proposes the idea of teaching her the old way of breeding, as her people the Sovereign have all been genetically engineered. And when I say Kirk, I mean full on Shatner! Well played.

With a nice callback to the ‘Galaga’ line in The Avengers, The Sovereign control their space armada remotely in a room of pods, while classic video game noises ping and ding. James Gunn must have played a lot of the full sized After Burner in his childhood!

Yondu (Michael Rooker) and his sideman Kraglin (Sean Gunn) appear as we are introduced to a whole slew of Reavers, the space pirates that Quill was raised among. Yondu is disavowed by Stakar Ogord (Sylvester Stallone) for breaking a Reaver code not to deal with children as assets, and when Yondu stole the young Quill that was grounds for dismissal. Even with a tiny bit of screen time, Stallone’s appearance is awesome.

I started out with a warning about spoilers, some might be offended by mentions of Stallone’s character without such a warning, but I will not reveal the biggest moments of the film. By the time you read this you may have gone to a Star Wars Day Guardians double feature! That’s a great way to celebrate, and I did prep for the thing myself by rewatching Vol.1.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe really is expanding like the Big Bang, as evidenced by scenes in Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the upcoming Thor:Ragnarok.

GOTG VOL.2 is a large scale space movie that separates itself from Star Wars and Star Trek by including Stan, Jack and Jim Starlin’s ideas about Celestials and Eternals, the concepts of ‘gods’ — lowercase ‘g’. Much to be said for the respect toward Bill Mantlo and the Abnett and Lanning runs on the Guardians comics as well.

Starting from a virtually unknown property to the general public to being a blockbuster movie of the summer is really something else. Who else did that? Oh yeah, it was Iron Man, the keystone to Marvel Studios success.

Come for the Groot, stay for the emotions, and have a great time laughing and slapping your knee at this over-the-top GOTG movie experience. James Gunn and Company, you have done it again.

This year, the 2017 Etheria Film Festival will feature the femme future of sci-fi and horror, spotlighting pics that highlight the terror of technology, doctors making difficult decisions, jingles from hell and a honeymoon gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Do No Harm

The annual showcase of female genre helmers announced its short film lineup, an array of sci-fi, horror and action films from burgeoning female directors with a unique vision in the industry.

“Etheria’s reputation precedes itself with its solid showcase of films and classic Hollywood venue,” said filmmaker Tara Price. “I’m so proud they chose ‘Earworm’ to be a part of this year’s line-up!

Real Artists

Co-presented by the American Cinematheque, the Etheria Film Fest partners includes Alliance of Women Directors, Seeking Our Story, Women in Media, MUFF Society, Horrible Imaginings, Slaughter Movie House, Midsummer Scream, and Days of the Dead, among many others.

The Etheria Film Festival is set for June 3.

Do No Harm

Directed by Roseanne Liang (New Zealand)

“In an aging private hospital, a surgeon is forced to break her physician’s oath when violent gangsters storm in to stop a crucial operation.”

Einstein-Rosen

Directed by Olga Osorio  (Spain)

“Summer of 1982. Teo claims he has found a wormhole. His brother Óscar does not believe him…at least not for now.”

Earworm

Directed by Tara Price (USA)

“When a reclusive man is repeatedly woken up over the course of a night by severe headaches, accompanied by musical repetition from an unknown source, his sanity begins to swiftly unravel.”

Swell

Directed by Bridget Savage Cole (10:00) (Science Fiction) (USA)

Swell is an app that allows users to change their mood or emotion through sound. When a young couple tries to control each other’s settings, their relationship is tested by a cacophony of emotions.

Jules D.

Directed by Norma Vila  (Spain)

“Dreams die, blood is eternal.”

The Honeymoon

Directed by Ruth Pickett (UK)

“A newlywed Christian couple go on their honeymoon to what they believe to be a quaint B&B in the Welsh countryside. But the cottage turns out to be a sex den, and events go horribly wrong.”

Real Artists

Directed by Cameo Wood (USA)

“In the near future, a young animator is offered what should be her dream job, but, when she discovers the truth of the modern ‘creative’ process, she must make a hard choice about her passion for film.”

Kumal

Directed by Thirati Kulyingwattanavit  (USA)

“An ancient Thai legend says that if an unborn child is sacrificed to the darkness, eternal life can be attained – at the risk of the restless mother’s spirit exacting her revenge.”

After last season’s shocking ending, which found Pied Piper celebrating legal victory just as Richard (Thomas Middleditch) was ousted as CEO, Season 3 picks up where we left off, with Richard offered the diminished role of CTO and the rest of his team – Erlich (T.J. Miller), Jared (Zach Woods), Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) and Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) – facing the question of just how far their loyalty extends. With a new no-nonsense CEO hell-bent on transforming everything from Pied Piper’s offices to its business agenda, the guys must find a way to triumph in the war of Art vs. Commerce, maneuvering the many competing interests along the way. Meanwhile, as Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) works to rehabilitate Hooli’s image following his blunders, Big Head (Josh Brener) finds himself in a new partnership, while at Raviga, Laurie (Suzanne Cryer) holds her cards close to the vest, as Monica (Amanda Crew) tries to look out for Pied Piper’s best interests. With its patented brand of silly and satirical humor, this season of Silicon Valley continues to probe the ripe-for-comedy world of tech, as our heroes grow bolder, if not always wiser.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

Silicon Valley co-star Chris Diamantopoulos (who plays Russ Hanneman), has played a number of  real life celebrities on-screen.  Who hasn’t he played?

• Robin Williams
• Moe Howard
• Frank Sinatra
• Jimmy Fallon

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 May 14th, 2017.

Meet the squad when “CHIPS” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD. Dax Shepard (“Hit & Run,” TV’s “Parenthood”) and Michael Peña (“Ant-Man”) star in the action comedy “CHIPS,” directed by Shepard from his own script.

Jon Baker (Shepard) and Frank “Ponch” Poncherello (Peña) have just joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Los Angeles, but for very different reasons. Baker is a beaten-up former pro motorbiker trying to put his life and marriage back together. Poncherello is a cocky undercover Federal agent investigating a multi-million-dollarheist that may be an inside job—inside the CHP.

The inexperienced rookie and the hardened pro are teamed together, but clash more than click, so kick-starting a real partnership is easier said than done. But with Baker’s unique bike skills and Ponch’s street savvy it might just work…if they don’t drive each other crazy first.

“CHIPS” also stars Rosa Salazar (“Insurgent”), Adam Brody (“Think Like a Man Too”), Kristen Bell (“Bad Moms”), and Vincent D’Onofrio (“Jurassic World”).

“CHIPS” was produced by Andrew Panay (“Earth to Echo,” “Wedding Crashers”), who previously produced Shepard’s “Hit & Run,” and Ravi Mehta (“Get Hard”), and is based on the popular television series created by Rick Rosner. Robert J. Dohrmann, Nate Tuck, Rick Rosner, Michael Peña and Dax Shepard served as executive producers.

“CHIPS” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 on June 27, and includes the film in high definition on Blu-ray disc, a DVD and a digital version of the movie in Digital HD with UltraViolet*. Fans can also own “CHIPS” via purchase from digital retailers beginning June 13.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“CHIPS” Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

• This Is Not Your Dad’s CHIPS
• Practical Pursuit
• Ducati: The Perfect Bike
• Director’s Commentary
• Deleted Scenes

“CHIPS” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special features:

• This Is Not Your Dad’s CHIPS

Facebook.com/chipsmovie

#ChipsMovie

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, an annual event by the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. With participation of both retailers and publishers, Free Comic Book Day has become a wonderful event and a chance for fans new and old to meet and celebrate the medium.

With over four dozen titles available, we took a look as a bunch of them.

2000 AD SPECIAL

(2000 AD)

If you’re looking for a ton of story for no money, 2000 AD is once again for you. This year’s offering features five stories, three of which are set in the world of Judge Dredd. Dredd tracks down a serial killer murdering doppelgangers of the judge, Anderson tracks down escaped convicts but is forced to face her greatest fear, and Judge Death seeks, well, a murderer. The second feature, Blackblood, is a fun robot battle, while the Mallory Hope story seems more like a prologue than a complete tale. Still, it’s a fun read front to back, dripping with dark humor and featuring some great art. Definitely worth picking up. (– Andre Bennett)

ANIMAL JAM

(Dynamite Entertainment)

This is a great book for the kids! Pick this up for your child! My daughter loved it! Not my cup of tea but comic books are meant for kids! I’m glad they produced this. If you don’t pick this up for your kid, I’ll judge you. Quietly. But I’ll judge you. (– Lenny Schwartz)

MIRACULOUS ILLUSTRATED TALES LADYBUG & CAT NOIR

(Action Planet)

The first story in this trinity of tales has the Miraculous team from the animated series, out of costume, cheering on Adrien as he plays a la Crosse match. When Adam on the opposing team gets a foul for unsportsmanlike behavior, his rage attracts the attention of a mysterious super villain who grants him the ability to rewind a bit of time. The second story features a preview story segment from Kid Sherlock where he meets adorable dog John Watson for the first time. Watson is the new pup, er, kid in school and has a difficult time making friends with the human students in the school. It’s short, sweet and a bit sad so let’s hope the full book is a bit more upbeat. The final story is an introduction to the world of Toyetica where tiny people – apparently called Bittles – are fighting for equal rights with the much larger humans. They’ve finally come to an agreement, with toy companies only creating dolls based on actual tiny people. The story abruptly ends in the classroom of teenagers, tossing a tease to the larger book. This appears to be jockeying to become the next video-toy franchise so parents will want this in had as reference. (– PJ Hruschak)

FCBD 2017 ALL NEW GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #1 / THE DEFENDERS

(Marvel Entertainment)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 hit theaters yesterday…check. The Defenders trailer debuted this week…check. Yep, two releases to coincide with the release of a couple of MCU properties is a good way to keep the marketing message flowing. Guardians’ on-going series has been renumbered so many times that it’s hard to keep track. This version, however, completely resembles the films. The Defenders preview was a nice touch and complements the Guardians offering while having the look and feel we see in the trailer for the upcoming series.

Often times, fans who watch the Marvel films get a little disappointed when they pick up a particular comic book counterpart and it’s vastly different due to years of mythology. You won’t have to worry about that here. This book also went on sale this week, so leave it if your options are limited, but grab it if you can get every book being offered. (– Atlee Greene)

DOCTOR WHO

(Titan Comics)

Titan has released a new Doctor Who story for this year’s Free Comic Book Day, starring Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor and introducing the latest TV companion, Pearl Mackey’s Bill Potts, to the comic. The story sees the Doctor investigating the whereabouts of an old friend, which leads him to reminisce over past encounters, all under old faces. In other words, Nine, Ten, and Eleven also appear here. It’s a fine introduction to Bill if you haven’t seen the new series yet, but mostly slight overall. (– Andre Bennett)

BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL

(Bongo Comics)

In what has become an annual tradition for FCBD, Bongo has once again released an all Simpsons book. In the first story, “Leader of the Backpack Pack,” Bart has finally thrown out his back – after all these years of crazy death-defying pranks – and is forced to abandon his back-wrenching backpack for a wheelie cart bag. In typical Bart fashion, he manages to turn things his way, eventually forming his own wheelie posse. “Nights of the Dinner Table” is a father-son bonding story with Bart and Homer pulling a shenanigans-filled all-nighter when Homer wanders in late and Bart sneaks downstairs. “The Todd & Rodyssey” is a little unique in that it features Ned’s kids getting lost in the shadiest – at least in their eyes – parts of Springfield. Naturally, hilarity ensues. There’s also a quick Radioacative Man two-pager (“A Nose for Adventure”) and, at the end, a one-pager that is drawn to look like Bart made it. (– PJ Hruschak)

TMNT PRELUDE TO DIMENSION X

(IDW Publishing)

This prelude to the upcoming Dimension X event is the blueprint of what kind of comic book a publisher should release on FCBD. Tom Waltz crafts a simple and entertaining narrative that catches up with our “heroes in a half -shell” as they traverse the sewers. Michelangelo’s shenanigans bring about a stroll down memory lane that makes one think of the pivotal moments that have occurred in the series. Dialogue boxes are color coordinated with each turtle’s mask making it easy to keep track of who’s filling in the blanks. This flowed naturally with the story being told and didn’t feel like an intrusive sales pitch saying “Now that you’re caught up, buy our books.” The artwork is what you’ve come to expect from the series, dark and detailed and with some humorous undertones. The idea of Krang eliminating witnesses who might testify against him brings a Law & Order aspect and is the opposite of anything you will see or read with Nickelodeon’s contemporary incarnation of the turtles. Children at FCBD who are only allowed to pick a couple of books at their store will probably find other books to be a better choice. Teens and up, however, will enjoy this prelude to what looks to be an intriguing space adventure. (– Atlee Greene)

FCBD 2017 KID SAVAGE

(Image Comics)

You know? This is not my cup of tea. Still, it’s a full on comic book and they are just giving it away! Joe Kelly is a decent enough writer. I just couldn’t get into it. A shame really. Nice art at least. (– Lenny Schwartz)

SECRET EMPIRE #1/PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN

(Marvel Entertainment)

Dark storytelling coupled with some questionable plot devices makes up the first issue of Marvel’s big event of 2017. If you don’t know by now, Captain America is a member of Hydra. Yep, you read that right. In fact, he’s always been a member of Hydra and the last several months of Cap titles have revealed his grand plan to take over the United States. Well, this book shows the country ruled by a Captain America led Hydra. Spencer’s script does a decent enough job of conveying the gravity of the situation. Dramatic illustrations and coloring augments Spencer’s narration for the most part, but the more stylish depictions hamper the script to a degree.

The sneak peek at the new Spider-Man series goes back to the status quo while failing to capture the charm of good ol’ Spidey. The Vulture is here, which is appropriate considering he’s the baddie in the upcoming film Spider-Man: Homecoming. The thing is, Peter spends the entire fight ripping on the foe’s advanced age. Just when you think he’s about to throw out some of those classic Parker zingers, well, nope. More “You’re so old” jokes. I know the book says it’s for teens, but the material is garbage and is annoying instead of funny. My advice is to skip this particular offering if your store only allows you to pick up a handful of free books. Try something new and pick up the book if you absolutely need the entire run of Secret Empire. (– Atlee Greene)

FANTAGRAPHICS WORLDS GREATEST CARTOONISTS

(Fantagraphics Books)

This is a smattering of books available from Fantagraphics or upcoming books. You should pick this up to expand your comic book mind. Find out just what Dash Shaw does. Of these, I’m most excited about Ed Piskor’s Mudfish coming up in November.

Pick this up! You can always throw it out! (– Lenny Schwartz)

BRIGGS LAND / JAMES CAMERON’S AVATAR

(Dark Horse Comics)

Not a lot happens in the Avatar story that leads off this twofer. Sherri L. Smith’s script is heavy on the narration, as movie hero Jake Sully tries to channel memories of his brother into bonding with one of Pandora’s great flying creatures. The plot is almost nonexistent, but Doug Wheatley knows how to draw an exciting action sequence, so it’s a brisk read.

The other feature, Brian Wood’s Briggs Land, may be a little hard to grasp at first if you’re not already familiar with the book. Fortunately, on its own, it is a gripping sequence once you connect, a tense standoff over the right to authority. It might entice you to pick up the series. (– Andre Bennett)

STREET FIGHTER V WRESTLING SPECIAL

(Udon)

As someone who grew up on professional wrestling and Street Fighter II, this comic book is right up my alley. Our first of two stories start with the franchise’s arrogant and lovable loser, Dan, who finds himself competing for a wrestling promotion. The catch is, he doesn’t know that it’s not real, which doesn’t stop him from getting beaten from pillar to post. The second story takes up the notion that wrestling is very real and stars Zangief. The switch from wrestling being fake to being real didn’t bother me due to their video game mythos. Dan is a traditional martial artist while Zangief is a pro wrestler. If the Russian’s fighting style was spectacle instead of sport, well, you wouldn’t be able to call him a true “world warrior.”

Ken Siu-Choung blends these two worlds together rather nicely, which will make the book appeal to die-hard fans of both genres. Overall the story is fun, but don’t grab it unless you’re allowed to grab more than three books on FCBD. (– Atlee Greene)

X-O MANOWAR SPECIAL

(Valiant Entertainment)

Holy Hannah! I read all of the Free Conic Book Day comic books and this is certainly the best of the bunch. You get three, count them, THREE short stories leading in to upcoming comics. They are awesome, every one of them. Grab this one and grab it quick. It’s damn good. (– Lenny Schwartz)

BUFFY: THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS / PLANTS VS ZOMBIES

(Dark Horse Comics)

Buffy and Xander take a trip to the comic shop. What could go wrong? Apparently, quite a bit in this short spinoff from Dark Horse’s Buffy: The High School Years graphic novels. Kel McDonald’s script is a quick, appealing read, while Yishan Li’s manga-style rendering of Sarah Michelle Gellar is satisfyingly close to the real deal. On the other hand, the Plants vs. Zombies story by Paul Tobin and Rachel Downing is stuffed to the gills, featuring the title characters stuck in the Old West and having to cooperate to get home. It’s a bit much to take in if you aren’t already reading the book (or playing the game), but still a lot of goofy fun. (– Andre Bennett)

STAR TREK: TNG MIRROR BROKEN

(IDW Publishing)

If you are a Star Trek fan, pick this one up. Especially if you haven’t read any of the comics. They’re really good and IDW does a bang up job. If you’re not a Star Trek fan, well, you may want to pick up something else. The story is great and the art is great as well. (– Lenny Schwartz)

LOUD HOUSE

(Papercutz)

Nickelodeon’s Loud House animated TV series is a family fun affair, featuring seven stories intended to promote both the show and the new Loud House graphic novels being published by Papercutz. The show’s creator, Chris Savino, penned and drew two of the stories and is also featured in an interview at the end of the book. The Loud family is made up of 11 kids with unique personalities and are nearly always at odds with each other. The first two stories each feature comic book genres – manga and caped heroes – with the many family members taking on the look and actions of those comics to comically deal with rather common family problems.

The remaining stories are shorter gags, beckoning back to the early days of family-friendlier comics, each finishing with a zinger. In the final interview with Savino, we learn that he comes from a family with ten kids and was greatly influenced by the Sunday comics of his childhood. There are also a few scans of character sketches which are rather fun, as well as revealing that the family was originally going to be a more animalistic. (– PJ Hruschak)

I HATE IMAGE

(Image Comics)

It’s free! It’s Skottie Young, writing and illustrating this tale. It’s sick as hell! I won’t pick this up on a monthly basis for sure. Still? For free? Why not? The writing is a blast and the art is just insane. Pick it up. It’s a good time. (– Lenny Schwartz)

SPONGEBOB FREESTYLE FUNNIES

(United Plankton Pictures)

When my editor assigned me this book to review, I have to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to it. I have nothing against a yellow sponge who wears square pants. The thing is, I’ve never watched a single episode of the cartoon. So, obviously, I’m not going to like it. Well, SpongeBob, you had me at “No Charge Funny Book Day!”

The gang from Bikini Bottom go on a dangerous adventure to a comic book store and try to get there before it closes. Even the most cynical comic book fan will get a chuckle or two out of Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob discussing the industry’s lack of variety and the monopolization of a “lethal” distribution system. The narrative educates folks on the true essence of Free Comic Book Day while using some the stereotypical nuances that avid collectors are known for. Salivating over how much a book is going to be worth instead of sharing and getting to know new stories as opposed to sticking with what you know are informative and comical.

I will be picking this up tomorrow and I recommend it to anyone looking for something different. Hey, if you’re concerned about the cashier judging you for picking a SpongeBob comic, you look them right in the eye and tell them that you’re getting it for your kid who is at home with the flu. (– Atlee Greene)

KEYSER SOZE: SCORCHED EARTH / THE RIFT

(Red 5 Comics)

One of the more confusing entries, Red 5’s offering is a prequel to The Usual Suspects, with Keyser Soze running afoul of drug dealers. There’s nothing that stands out about the lead story. The story is kind of boring and the art is fine but indistinct.

The backup story, however, is The Rift, a strange time-travel story “presented” by Jeremy Renner, whatever that means. It’s a backwards-moving story, literally. A mother and son happen upon a WWII-era fighter jet crashing in front of them, and pull out the confused, time-lost pilot. Why the pages are in backwards chronological order, I don’t know. Why this book exists, I don’t know either. (– Andre Bennett)

BOOM! STUDIOS SUMMER BLAST

(BOOM! Studios)

Boom!’s 2017 Summer Blast book brings Mouse Guard back to FCBD (although, sadly, not in hardcover form) along with stories from two new books, Brave Chef Brianna and Coadie and the Creepies.

“The Tale of the Wild Wolf” has the mice learning a new cautionary lesson – this time mostly monochromatic – from a rather wise, old and war-torn Hunter mouse. In “Welcome to Monster City,” the friendly human Briana meets a super unqualified monster who is willing to work at her new restaurant. After montage-style prep, they finally get one customer who lets them know he may be their only customer. It’s a cliffhanger intentionally teasing the book Brave Brianna #1.

In the next story, teen girl band The Creepies have become quite popular after an accident that injures one of the sisters, kills their manager and leaves Coadie permanently scarred. They then run into rival band the Boneheads – all guys, of course – and then exit to a tease of the first issue in stores. (– PJ Hruschak)

CATALYST PRIME:  THE EVENT

(Lion Force Comics)

This is a really good comic book! Christopher Priest is involved so I was automatically in. A good read overall. The art is spectacular. This is a nice book for those looking for something well crafted and just different. Recommended. (– Lenny Schwartz)

UNDERDOG

(American Mythology Productions)

With childhood nostalgia running wild, I wondered why Underdog doesn’t get much love. He doesn’t even have a Funko Pop. Boo Berry has a Funko Pop and he just appears on a cereal box. Underdog saves lives. Then, as I read this book I remembered how little I cared for the character or the show. In fact, I only watched it when there was nothing else to on television.

American Mythology is a publisher looking to bring the classics to today’s children. There is nothing wrong with that, but Underdog is only going to appeal to the youngest of the young. The book includes four coloring pages so parents looking for a full-on activity book will be served well. Those looking for an interesting story that might get them to read future issues will not be impressed. I got a little sleepy reading this thing, which hasn’t happened since I tried to read War & Peace. (– Atlee Greene)

THE INCAL

(Humanoids)

So apparently Humanoids decided to use Free Comic Book Day to give away the first 28 pages or so of The Incal. WHAT? You’ve never heard of The Incal? You’ve never heard of Jodorowsky and Moebius? Get on that! It’s awesome. I didn’t need to read this as I read it years ago. If YOU haven’t? Pick up this issue. And then read it. And then buy The Incal. (– Lenny Schwartz)

WONDER WOMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION

(DC Entertainment)

DC’s offering is a reprint of Wonder Woman #2, the first part of Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott’s “Year One” arc. While fans may groan that Wonder Woman is getting yet another canonical origin story, making this about the third or fourth in the last decade, it’s a smart move to push this book to fans and casuals alike for free. Rucka is adept at establishing Diana’s relationship to her fellow Amazons, as well as establishing a hint of mystery as to the true nature of women of Themyscira. Nicola Scott’s art is gorgeous, more so with Romulo Fajardo, Jr’s colors. Steve Trevor’s life paralleling Diana’s is somewhat trite, but fortunately doesn’t detract too much. Recommended for lapsed fans or curious new readers. (– Andre Bennett)

BALLAD OF FRANKLIN BONISTEEL

(Z2 Comics)

This was a great surprise! I hadn’t heard of Z2 Comics nor this comic book series. It’s great, however through and through. This book has a nice smorgasbord of excellence. Pick this up. It certainly got me interested in this comic book line. (– Lenny Schwartz)

BOOM! FRESH OFF THE BOAT

(BOOM! Studios)If you have not seen the TV series, Fresh Off the Boat features an Asian-American (Taiwanese) family that recently moved from Chinatown in Washington, DC, to Orlando, Florida. In this comic, based on the episode that aired May 2, 2017, the whole family becomes a team of superheroes, each taking on powers that match their main character traits. For example, the super controlling mom becomes The Persuader and Eddie rides a super flying chair with a super TV remote as Lazy Boy. After saving the Cattleman Ranch Restaurant from cranky customers, they battle a giant purple kaiju controlled by the mysterious Dr. Octogenarian. It’s quite silly, fun and certainly ideal for young fans of the show. (– PJ Hruschak)

DC SUPER HERO GIRLS SUMMER OLYMPUS PREVIEW

(DC Entertainment)

This FCBD book grabs a chapter from the Summer of Olympus graphic novel, “Gimme a Summer Break,” featuring the teenage version of DC’s teen girl heroes (and a few villians). Wonder Woman and Bumblebee begin the book catching the purse snatching Double Dare Twins. With that and Batgirl’s paddy wagon filled with baddies, the girls are finally able to go on spring break from Super Hero High.

Soon, Wonder Woman’s half-brother Hermes delivers a speedy invite from Zeus to visit the family on Mount Olympus. When she takes too long to invite others to join her, nearly every other super teen – prepare for a lot of super brief cameos – is busy with travel plans of their own. Left with only Bumblebee, they make it to Olympus just in time to… tease the complete graphic novel.

The rest of the book features pinup info pages of the entire DC Super Hero Girls team. This book skews very young, clearly targets girls and barely develops the main plot of the larger book. It’s a bit of a letdown but possibly worth picking up for the splashy bio pages in the back. (– PJ Hruschak)

BETTY & VERONICA #1

(Archie Comics)

This is the first full issue of Betty and Veronica! It’s written and Illustrated by Adam Hughes! I read this last year. It’s a hell of a good time. If you haven’t read it, no matter what? Pick it up. It’s fantastic. Recommended to all! (– Lenny Schwartz)

For more details, visit FreeComicBookDay.com

Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with ALIEN: COVENANT, a new chapter in his groundbreaking ALIEN franchise.  The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world.  When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of
ALIEN: COVENANT on Wednesday, May 10th at 7pm
at AMC Loews Boston Common 19, click HERE!

Remember seating is first come, first served and not guaranteed so arrive early! 

ALIEN: COVENANT Arrives in Theaters on May 19th
AlienCovenant.com