Moviegoers and DC superhero fans are currently celebrating the release of Wonder Woman, a shining example of how to successfully translate one of DC’s most iconic characters to the big screen. But let’s pause the celebration and take a look back at one of the all-time worst attempts that will forever live in infamy.

This year, Batman & Robin celebrates 20 years of exceptional awfulness. I remember seeing this movie in theaters and, as a devoted Batman fan, I can tell you I was beyond embarrassed to be a Bat fan walking out of that theater.

Actual scene from the film

Not only is Batman & Robin the worst BATMAN movie ever made, the worst SUPERHERO movie ever made, (which is saying something because Catwoman and Spider-Man 3 exist), but is arguably the WORST MOVIE of all time.

So how bad is B&R, for those of you who haven’t suffered through it?

Well, this two hour toy commercial is so awful, the director, Joel Schumacher spent a good chunk of his DVD commentary apologizing for the movie. This is where I first learned the word “toyetic” was a marketing term in regards to these types of tentpole movies.

Batman doesn’t even get top billing in his own movie. No, that honor goes to Schwarzenegger, who is Mr. Freeze in name and appearance only. Let’s be real, it’s just Arnold in a Freeze suit, complete with all his Arnoldisms.

Freeze spends all his screen time spouting off one-liners including such gems as “Khool Pah-tee”, “You’re not putting me in ze coolah!” and “let’s kick some eye-ce!”

Last I checked Mr. Freeze didn’t have an Austrian accent, but ok.

So while the ice puns may have left me cold, B&R is such a mess, it put the Batman franchise into hibernation for nearly a decade.

While Batman did survive this catastrophe, there were some casualties. Chris O’Donnell, Alicia Silverstone, and, with the the exception of Kill Bill, Uma Thurman. None of their once promising careers ever fully recovered and they were all sentenced to movie jail.

There was talk of a Nightwing spinoff before this movie came out, but the sour reception to this movie put the kibosh on that. Both Nightwing and Batgirl are finally getting a second chance at the silver screen more than two decades later.

Remember Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero? That was the direct-to-video animated tie-in to B&R and was deemed so much better by the studio, that it was delayed by a whole year so as not to upstage the live action movie.

The Golden Raspberry Awards recognized the movie’s awfulness by nominating it for 11 Razzies, more than any other movie that year (Speed 2: Cruise Control came in second with 8). It was nominated for Worst Picture, Worst Remake or Sequel, Worst Screen Couple (for Clooney and O’Donnell), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Original Song, Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property, and Worst Supporting Actor nods for O’Donnell, Schwarzenegger, Thurman, and Silverstone (Winner!).

If nothing else I’ve said has convinced you that B&R is the worst, let me remind you that this movie gave us nipples on the bat suit, gratuitous batt butt and crotch shots when suiting up, and features Batman bidding on Poison Ivy using his BAT credit card. I only wish I were making that up.

So there you have it.

Superhero movies have come a long way since Batman & Robin, and like any good hero, survived this crushing blow, to live and fight another day. I feel like this movie could have been the downfall of superhero movies, but perhaps it ultimately helped to save the genre, as it necessitated cleansing the palette and bringing Batman back to his roots in the cinemas years later in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. It also serves as a warning to teach future filmmakers how NOT to make a superhero movie.

Would I erase it from existence? Probably not, just because it’s a bizarre footnote in Batman’s cinematic history that makes for fun musings over just how badly they screwed it up. Let’s just all agree not to do that again, ok?

In recent years, writer Brian Lynch has made his mark in both comics and film, writing such properties as Bill and Ted for BOOM! Studios, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spike, and Angel (with Joss Whedon) and and creating his own Monster Motors for IDW Publishing, as well as the animated films Hop, Puss in Boots, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets and it’s upcoming sequel.

His next project, Toy Academy: Some Assembly Required, arrives next January, the first book in a new, fully-illustrated chapter book series which he will be writing with art by Edwardian Taylor.

Brian took a few minutes to give us the skinny on the upcoming series.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: Congratulations! Scholastic announced your upcoming book, Toy Academy, last week. What’s the book about and what was the genesis of the project?

Brian Lynch: Thanks so much!

The book is about Grumbolt, a tiny handmade doll that is new to the world and wants to learn how to be a toy. He finds out about Toy Academy, a secret school for toys that is only accessible via an old thrown away playset. At Toy Academy, the teachers show a younger generation of toys how to be the best toy they can be. Action figures learn how to be heroes, stuffed animals learn how to hug and sooth their kid, collectables learn how to retain their value, that kind of thing. It was founded by a very popular action figure from the 80s that wanted to give something back to to the toy community.

Grumbolt thinks it’s going to be a piece of cake, after all, how hard can it be to learn how to play? But it’s not as easy as it looks. He’s not even sure what kind of toy he’s supposed to be to begin with. His room-mate is a paper doll who is very fragile and very worried about ripping. The school bully, who is loaded with accessories and action features, has Grumbolt in his sights. And there’s a rival school, that teaches any villain in a toyline how to be bad, that’s amping up their rivalry with Toy Academy just as Grumbolt gets there.

It’s basically everyone’s elementary/junior high/high school experience but funnier and populated with your favorite toys.

As someone who has written both comics and films, what inspired you to write this as a book?

I had the story and characters in my head, they were kind of itching to get out and live.

Writing it as a book just felt right. It’s a very general answer, but that’s the truth. I knew it was going to be a continuing story. We begin with a group of toys and, if people like the first book, we can meet up with them a little later and follow them through their time at the school and eventually out in the real world after they get jobs (as a kid’s toy). A book seemed the way to do it.

Certainly the Harry Potter books were an inspiration, it was so fun to check in with that class and see how they’ve changed. But even before that, I was such a fan of Judy Blume’s Fudge books and Beverly Cleary’s Ramona universe. I loved seeing those characters grow up and face new challenges every couple of years.

You and I are approximately the same age, and it seems like toys don’t resonate today like they did for us. Do you think that toys are less important to kids, or do you think that kids don’t utilize their imagination like we did when growing up?

I have a four year old and the toys he REALLY loves are the ones that don’t talk, don’t beep, don’t fire stuff, they’re just there, just like our toys, our old action figures, our dolls. The best toys are the ones that let you play. Action features, sound chips, they get old after a while, but a good action figure that you can build stories around, that will last you until you’re too old to play with toys. I had a GI Joe Shipwreck figure that was the lead in my action figure stories for years. He’d team up with Storm Shadow against Super Powers figures, Secret Wars, Transformers. If my action figure stories were movies, Shipwreck and Storm Shadow would have more episodes than Star Wars.

One of the aspects that I find so appealing is that Grumbolt is a homemade doll. Is it based on a doll you had growing up?

You know, I didn’t, but it felt correct for this story. In elementary school, no one knows what they are, or who they’re supposed to be. What better way to reflect that than with this badly sewn together mess of a doll who’s unsure of what kind of animal his creator was even going for? Every one of Grumbolt’s classmates comes in a box that says who they are, what they do, who their friends are. His best friend at school is so valuable she’s in a mylar bag all the time. Grumbolt was made quickly and then thrown away. He’s got a lot to overcome and a lot to figure out about himself.

How did you find artist Edwardian Taylor and what does he bring to the project?

Edwardian Taylor was suggested to me by my editor, Emily Siefe. The MOMENT I saw his stuff I fell in love. It felt so right. His stuff is so warm, and so dynamic, so smart and so beautiful to look at. Edwardian had to design like 80 toylines that before this book didn’t exist. That takes a lot of imagination, and Edwardian tackles it like it’s no problem whatsoever. Plus he’s just a great collaborator, and fun to talk to. I am so beyond lucky that he is my partner on this.

What were you favorite toys when you were a kid and what was the one toy that you always wanted but never received?

I loved Adventure People, who were basically nameless figures that didn’t have names, just “Daredevil Man” or “Robot Girl”. It let me come up with all sorts of stories for them.

I was crazy about Star Wars figures, loved Transformers and Secret Wars a lot. He-Man had an incredible run, so many great, weird characters. Super Powers were great. They were beautiful, perfect replicas of the characters. And then they started going into the supporting players like Red Tornado and Firestorm and Mister Miracle, oh, I loved them.

But the greatest toyline ever was GI Joe. So many great characters, Larry Hama was a genius. Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Shipwreck, Duke, Destro, man, there were hundreds of great characters. Plus the figures themselves were so poseable, great accessories, vehicles. Now I wanna go on eBay and find a few.

I always wanted GI Joe‘s Aircraft Carrier but I never got it. That’s for the best, we didn’t have room for it anyway.

Are you prepared if the book is a hit for your own line of Toy Academy toys?

That would be a dream come true. Holy cow. I remember when I went to a store and saw a character I created for the movie Hop had his own stuffed animal. I picked it up and my hand was shaking. It was a weird moment. Since then, writing Minions and co-writing The Secret Life of Pets, I’d been lucky enough to see lots of characters I created turned into toys. That said, Toy Academy actually getting toys would be a whole other level. I would love to have a Grumbolt. That was be incredible.

Toy Academy arrives in bookstores and e-tailers on January 30, 2018

Nostalgia plays a big part this week across the board.  In actual fact, there isn’t one title this week I’ve reviewed that doesn’t in some way, shape or form aim straight for the fanboy’s heart.

From Diana and Steve reuniting to Scooby and Shaggy taking on two mysterious foes, to Hank Henshaw returning to his roots. Then of course two classic movie villains make their presence known against the El family. There is more still,  but that’s for you to discover as you read the column.

This is my look into the DC Universe this week!

ACTION COMICS #981
Revenge – Part 3
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Jack Herbert
Cover by Patch Zircher & HiFi
Variant by Gary Frank & Brad Anderson

Rick Flag rescues Superman from the Black Vault and chases down Zod, Cyborg Superman and Eradicator.  Superman fights valiantly, while Supergirl, New Super-Man Lois & Jon watch the news of the epic battle in the skies.

Superman takes a beating and uncharacteristically flees the scene leaving the villains triumphant. Returning to Hamilton County Clark, reveals to Lois and Jon that The Black Vault has taken away something from him…

Yes I know Doctor Who just spoiled this by doing the same storyline, but I think the writing team here handled the shocking reveal in a much better way.

It was such a thrill to see Superman and Zod battling one another. They’ve tried reviving Zod several times ,but this time felt like they have finally got it right.

There were a few nods to Superman II there and there was a chill when he realised Superman has had a child.

The artwork was fantastic and like the writing didn’t spoil the ending. I still want the Cyborg Superman mess fixed as this Henshaw clearly mentions he is the one we were always familiar with, and not Zor El reborn.

Aside from that story point, this was a brilliant issue; Revenge is proving to be a compulsive reading.

SUPERGIRL #10
Escape From The Phantom Zone: Part 2
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Brian Ching
Cover by Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques & Michael Atiyeh
Variant by Bengal

While Selena, the mistress of the Power Of Shadow, is rescued from her prison, Supergirl, Ben Rubel & Batgirl are trapped in the Phantom Zone.

In Aethyropolis, they are imprisoned and their only way out is to make a bargain with The Phantom King.

They realise Psi, aka Gayle Marsh (See Batgirl Annual #1), is trapped in the Zone too; but that she has to power to travel back and forth to the Zone and could rescue them in turn.

When they hatch an escape plan Phantom King is quick to put a halt to it. Psi awakens from her prison and transforms into a giant beast. 

To rescue her friends Supergirl makes the ultimate sacrifice, but is it all in vain?

I’m old and because of this when a villainess uttered the phrase ‘Power Of Shadow’ I leapt out of my chair and cheered with glee like I was in the cinema again watching the now cult classic Supergirl movie of 1984.

The rest of the issue tied into the Batgirl Annual and neatly carried forward the storyline with Psi and Phantom King. It was great that the relationship that Batgirl and Supergirl had many moons ago has been reborn, it shows that Orlando has a deep understanding of the character and I can’t wait for Selena to show up once they escape the Zone.

SUPERWOMAN #11
Rediscovery Part 2
Written by K. Perkins
Art by José Luis
Inks by Ray McCarthy
Cover by Ken Lashley & HiFi
Variant by Renato Guedes

In the past, Zeke is kidnapped by Skyhook after Natasha’s father Crash, does dealings with the monster and unwittingly leads him to the child.

In the present, Lana is visiting the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit, trying to track down the escapees from Stryker.

Atomic Skull, it seems, recently visited Skyhook in person and revealed to Sawyer that Crash is aiming to hunt down Skyhook for revenge.

Natasha and John feel betrayed that Lana visited Maggie without them and worried that they’d follow Crash’s path.

Lana dons the armour and reaches Skyhook first.  She takes on the monster in a battle that brings them face to face with an oncoming train but despite her determination Lana fails Zeke and the Irons family.
Perhaps Lana really isn’t a Superwoman after all…

The story is now moving forward in a direction that is far different to the original set-up of the title. Though I miss the psychological banter and multi layers, K Perkins has me intrigued with how she is handling the follow up and new direction.

Right now, the storyline is a little all over the place, but that can be attributed to the jumping on point being the tail end of a big epic for Lana. I’ll reserve my judgement for another issue and see how this works as it figures out how it will progress.

WONDER WOMAN #24
Godwatch: Epilogue
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Bilquis Evely
Cover by Bilquis Evely & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Variant by Jenny Frison

Steve waits nervously for Diana to return and is first greeted by a grieving Veronica Cale and then his beloved Diana.
Diana explains their recent journey and as they leave Cheetah tries to get to Themyscira herself, but is rejected by its magic.

Heartbroken about her life’s quest being denied and Diana leaving her behind, her lust for revenge is born.

When Diana visits Etta she gets far from a warm welcome for leaving Barbara Ann alone.  Diana decides that to make things right she must see Veronica Cale once more, but little does she know Barbara Ann has hunted her down for revenge.

Arriving just in time to prevent a vicious killing, Wonder Woman must battle her close friend to the death to protect a deadly enemy. whoever wins the fight they all lose something tonight.

This wasn’t so much an epilogue as an origin for Cheetah. I’ll be honest with you and admit I don’t buy it. After everything Barbara Ann, Diana and Veronica have been through, I just couldn’t buy into where each of the characters has now ended up. Barbara especially seems to embrace her new villainy with aplomb, I just can’t believe she’d turn away from Etta, Steve and the ARGUS team so easily.

Elsewhere the scene where Diana and Steve reunite stole the show – it was, pardon the pun… wonderful.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #8
The Man From Monster Valley Part 1
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Felipe Watanabe
Inks by Scott Hanna
Cover by Felipe Watanabe & HiFi
Variant by Doug Mahnke & Wil Quintana

The evil organisation S.K.U.L.L. is has discovered a secret valley hidden deep in the Russian Tundra, hot on the trail of these nefarious tech brokers are the Justice League.

While stopping their hunt they discover Makson, a young man raised by the animals, and bring him back to America.

Days later, the JLA has helped Makson rediscover his family and reintegrate into society. 

Batman and Black Canary are suspicious of Makson, S.K.U.L.L. are obsessed with tech, so why would they be hunting the fantastic beasts in the valley?

While the League searches for answers, Atom investigates Maksons apartment and discovers that there are more mysteries afoot than they ever thought.

This was a great story, a twist on Tarzan with a little Kamandi thrown in along the way.  The only problem is that as creative as the storyline is, everything happens too fast. If they’d let it breath a little, I could really get to enjoy it, but Makson goes from grunting caveman raised by animals to a slick suited business man in literally a matter of pages. I really like the story and where it is headed but jeez the pacing is way, way off.

GOTHAM ACADEMY SECOND SEMESTER #10
The Ballad Of Olive Silverlock – part 2
Written by Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan & Karl Kerschl
Art by Adam Archer
Inks by Sandra Hope
Cover by Karl Kerschl

As Olive loses control and hunts down Oswald Cobblepot, Kyle chases her down in hopes of reaching out to her.

Meanwhile the rest of the gang are hot on the trail of a mystery.

When both parties reunite they discover Kyle has suffered a terrible fate, is this the end of Olive and her friends?

The art is nothing short of spectacular. The story is compelling.

The end product so far? Heartbreaking to be honest.

This book is pretty close to perfection and I really hope this isn’t really the last we’ll see of the Gotham Academy students. I’m not a big fan of Batman to be honest, and this title offers such a diverse and unique look into Gotham that his titles do not. I urge you to go back to the beginning and read all the Gotham Academy books.

HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #22
Fracture – Part 1: Unified
Written by Robert Vendetti
Art by Ethan Van Sciver
Cover by Ethan Van Sciver & Jason Wright
Variant by Kevin Nowlan

The alliance is fragile at best and during a hunt for outlaw Sinestro Corps members and a fight with the Raiders their relationship reaches fever pitch.

They agree to capturing the Raiders but once in custody their leader reveals a truth they find difficult to swallow. Jon and Hal are shocked by the revelations and if it got out it would spell the end of all they have worked for.

The current storyline has been, in my mind, far fetched.  From a creative standpoint it has ensured some great stories but realistically (as as real as a comic can be), I can’t shift the feeling that the Yellow Lanterns would never forge and alliance with the Greens.

How then does Vendetti address that? Head on of course! A bombshell dropped by the Raiders rocks the scales a bit and means that we are in for a bumpy journey ahead. The art by Van Sciver is breathtaking, I only wish the battle with the Raiders was bigger so he had a better playing field to work with.

BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #11
Source Code
Written by Julie Benson & Shawna Benson
Art by Roge Antonio
Cover by Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn
Variant by Kamome Shirahama

The Calculator is back but considering their long dark history with them (including Barbara’s history as the original Oracle), the team are more than a little surprised when he turns to them begging for help. Can he be trusted?

The team are split and when a plot to rob Terracare surfaces and a certain feline femme fatale is revealed it can only mean trouble for them all.

Back during the Birds of Prey days by Gail Simone The Calculator was both irritating and deadly; his battles with Oracle were some of the best stories of the Birds history.

To see this story and their reluctant team up, my head is spinning, you couldn’t predict this story and right now I can’t even begin to fathom how it will continue.

I felt the artwork, though beautifully rendered wasn’t dark enough to build upon the story and the colour palette could have been darker too.

SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #14
Collision Course
Written by J.M De Matteis & Keith Giffen
Art by Ron Wagner, Andy Owens, Jan Duursema & Tom Mandrake
Cover by Howard Porter
Variant by Cully Hamner

Velma’s vile brother has had his plot revealed but being the ruler of monsters is proving difficult and they are more interested in killing him than serving him right now.

Meanwhile, the monsters are all migrating with an almost uncontrollable urge with the Mystery, Inc. gang intent on stopping them they are shocked to come face to face with Scrappy Doo and his pack.

It isn’t a happy reunion as Scooby and Scrappy are forced to fight but they will need to put their differences aside if they want to survive as the horde of monsters increases more than anyone ever imagined.

As the storyline progresses this story gets darker and darker. It is bordering on a Vertigo storyline or somewhere in the Young Animal line.

The fight between Scooby and Scrappy is the stuff dreams are made of and merging the back-up feature with the main storyline only accentuates the storyline further. I’m quite enjoying the take but the ‘faceless’ monsters somehow lessen the threat. After all, Scooby has always centered around a villain and right now aside from Velma’s brother, these monstrosities don’t seem to be much of a threat.

SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU? #82
Written by Sholly Fisch, Jack Briglio,
Art by Roberto Barrids, Scott Jeralds
Inks by Sebastian Bartolucci
Cover by Scott Gross

Keep On Truckin
The Truck Stop Terror, is a red devil monster terrorising a motorway diner and all who call there.Cue the Mystery, Inc. gang eager to a put an end to his shenanigans in a Mystery Inc trailer truck no less! Fred, Daphne and Velma go undercover as truck stop staff while Shaggy and Scooby arrive as hungry truckers.

What the gang discover is a plot to steal truckers valuable cargo as the mystery of the ‘Terror’ is revealed.

Secrets Unlimited
The gang are watching the taping of a show when a large clay monster attacks.

Before the gang can spring into action a new team ‘Secrets Unlimited’ and their dog Snooky Loo save the day driving the monster into hiding with their impressive skills.

A better team than Mystery, Inc., the TV ratings seem to say so but Velma is suspicious of the reality tv team. When the monster returns it tries taking out Scooby and the gang once and for all but who will triumph? Snooky Loo and friends or Scooby and the gang?

I can’t get over how brilliant this title is. The series is iconic and the book delivers nothing less. J Torres & Sholly Fisch handle their respective stories with such respect for the characters and history without being bogged down with it as they tell stories that a wide audience can get into. Nostalgia aplenty but that is this titles greatest strength (aside from great artwork).

Still #1 at the box office, the Rotten Tomatoes “Certified Fresh” film Wonder Woman continues to win audiences over with it’s charm, excitement and thrills.

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Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 25th, 2017.

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

A nice week for comics over at the DC line…let’s start talking about them!

The Flash #24
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine di Giandomenico

The Flash teams up with the Hal Jordan Green Lantern in this issue as part of a crossover. I generally don’t like crossovers lately between titles but I did enjoy this issue. Why? Because, we haven’t really seen these two characters team up in the Rebirth line yet. It’s enjoyable and reminds me of old school DC.

Green Lantern finds the Flash and recruits him for a task only he can accomplish. The interactions between the two are the selling point of this issue. Williamson has the characters down pat. The dialogue between the two is written very well…almost like coming home. I almost wish Williamson would write an ongoing team up comic starring the two.

This issue also has the return of di Giandomenico on art. Nobody does the Flash like him. He also draws Green Lantern pretty good as well. He’s a star.

This is a good issue overall, and the crossover, if they keep up the quality, could be stellar.

RATING: B+

Bug: The Adventures of the Forager #2
Written by Lee Allred and James Harvey
Illustrated by Mike Allred

This is an enjoyable read. I’ve been reading it as I’m a huge fan of Mike Allred. Every so often he takes these odd DC characters and creates a cool comic book out of it. This is the case here. I almost hate reading these in chapters because I want to read the whole thing. It’s that cool.

Bug goes back in time here to fight against the villain General Electric. General Electric has his army of robots there and Bug is looking for a way to stop him. Sandman, Sandy, Blue Beetle and The Losers are already out in the snow trying to fight the robots. Then, things get even more crazy.

This is a wild comic. There is nothing else like this. The writing is crazy but it’s compelling. The art is awesome as always. I love Allred’s take on every character he draws. This is a good comic and I’m looking forward to reading the whole thing.

RATING: B+

Detective Comics #958
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Alvaro Martinez

Oh boy. Azrael is back in comics. Now he has made Gotham City his home again. Azrael is one of my least favorite characters in the DC Universe. There’s really not much of a reason for his existence. That’s what makes Tynion’s writing so exceptional.

In just a few pages, Tynion makes Azrael a real character.

I’m in admiration for what he does here. The Order of St. Dumas have found him again, and hey have decided to unleash a crazy new evil he must combat.

Like I said, the writing is excellent here.

The art isn’t as good as what we’ve had (I miss Eddy Barrows) but it’s decent enough. This is the start of the “Intelligence” storyline. I look forward to seeing where it goes.

RATING: B+

Dark Days: The Forge #1
Written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV 
Illustrated by Jim Lee, John Romita Jr. and Andy Kubert

This is the start of James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder’s epic new series over at DC! Let me just get it out of the way and say it’s completely awesome! I’m never sure what to expect from Snyder alone but this is something completely excellent. Kudos to Mr. Snyder and Mr. Tynion for knocking it out of the park yet again!

The DC heroes are suspected that Batman hasn’t been that upfront with them. What has Batman done?

Well, it’s got to be pretty nuts. This storyline will span generations and go through the entire multiverse.

This is a dark title. Snyder and Tynion waste no time showing us the grime. The characters and their motivations are clearly defined.

From Batman to Flash to Mister Miracle, the writers have a clear sense of each character. It’s awesome.

The art is pretty cool too. The three artists really have a handle on things. It’s dynamic. The last page of this gave me chills. More please.

RATING: A-

Titans #12
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Ken Rocafort

The Titans have been going strong for 11 issues. The 12th issue is no different. Dan Abnett writes this comic book with passion and I loved this issue.

I love it when a supergroup questions a traitor in the midst. That’s what happens in this issue and it’s super cool. Omen gets word there will be a traitor in the team in the Titans roster. It’s a looming threat it seems. The tension is certainly palpable and it’s great.

The interactions of the groups though is where Abnett excels. I especially love how he handles Roy Harper. He has a very emotional scene in this issue that hits home.

The art by Rocafort is stunning. I think he is so underrated. I love this book month in and month out. Pick it up and catch up if you haven’t already!

RATING: A-

Suicide Squad #19
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Neil Edwards

Suicide Squad is one the most schizophrenic comics out there. One month it’s pretty good. Other months, it’s a complete disaster. This month is one of the better ones.

This is the finale of the “Earthlings On Fire!” Storyline. It’s out of its mind crazy. I loved every second of it. General Zod has broken free of Amanda Waller’s command! He aims to control the dimension of the Black Vault! The Suicide Squad has to bring him down. But can they?

Folks, this issue is bananas. Maybe the most crazy issue of anything this year. It’s not Shakespeare but it’s damn fun. Williams does a great job writing this. Edwards excels on the art. I enjoyed every second of it.

Williams should just write the book like this all the time: Out of its mind and full of ideas.

RATING: A

Red Hood and the Outlaws #11
Written by Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Dexter Soy

The storyline “Who is Artemis?” Comes to its raging conclusion here. It’s a good overall issue. Red Hood and the Outlaws has been a solid title in the Rebirth line.  That’s because of the quality writing of Scott Lobdell, as well as the consistently great artwork of Dexter Soy.

Artemis, in this issue, is given a choice. Lead an army to destroy or country or side with Red Hood and his gang.

This issue is full of emotion. I love when you can feel something for the characters, and Lobdell makes it happen. The characters and their emotions read true.

The art by Soy is great. He’s one of the more underrated artists DC has. This is a good read. It’s one of the better books that features an array of great, well developed characters.

RATING: B+

Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian Special #1
Written by Steve Orlando and Various
Illustrated by Aaron Lopresti and Various

This is fantastically funny. So, in this issue, the Martian Manhunter is the hero trying to stop the Looney Tunes character Marvin the Martian from his plans of world domination.

Apparently, Marvin the Martian wants to blow up the Earth like he always does in the cartoon. Yes, he wants a clear view of Venus. So, it’s up to J’onn J’onzz to stop this cretin. Along the way, J’onn has questions about his identity, and his personal Martian heritage.

Folks, this is a hell of a comic book. It’s funny without being annoying, and it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Orlando writes one heck of a story and it’s some of his top work. Lopresti isn’t my favorite artists but he does a capable job here. Overall, the main story and the backups are very good. Worth picking up for sure.

RATING: A-

Legion of Superheroes/Bugs Bunny Special #1
Written by San Humphries and Juan Ortiz
Illustrated by Tom Grummett and Various

So, this was a pretty stupid comic book. It was funny, but completely stupid. Apparently, the Legion Of Superheroes always thought they took their inspiration from Superboy. But what if they made a mistake?

What if they took their inspiration instead….from Bugs Bunny?

This is the premise of this book. It’s a good time. There are some scenes I was rolling laughing from. This may be Humphries best work as well. I’m not a big fan of his but he does well here.

The art is decent enough. Grummett is an industry vet and he does a good job. Pick this up if you can. It’s worth it.

RATING: B+

New Super-Man #12
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Illustrated by Phillip Tan

New Super-Man has picked up in the last few issues. It’s been a heck of a ride. It’s not a book at the top of my reading list but I’m enjoying it nonetheless. Yang writes likable characters that a comic fan of any age can relate to.

In this issue, New Super-Man teams up with the Justice League of China to face off against a looming threat of Dr. Omen. They team up to take Shanghai back from his villainous plans. It’s a light breezy read, and Yang does a nice job keeping it interesting.

The art by Tan is fantastic. He has a nice visual flair that grabs you. It’s full of energy and excitement.

Overall, another good issue in a book I wrote off ten issues back.

RATING: B

Evil just can’t catch a break as the hilarious, critically acclaimed horror series “Ash vs Evil Dead”: Season 2 arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD August 22 from Lionsgate. Locked and loaded with the same twisted humor and gory kill scenes groovy fans of the franchise are used to, “Ash vs Evil Dead”: Season 2 continues the chainsaw-slicing, shotgun-blasting fun from the first season. “Ash vs Evil Dead”: Season 2 stars Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead franchise), Lucy Lawless (TV’s “Spartacus: War of the Damned”), Ray Santiago (In Time), and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas), as well as this season’s introduction of Lee Majors (TV’s “The Six Million Dollar Man”) as Ash’s father.

This season roars back into action with Ash leaving his beloved Jacksonville and returning to his home town of Elk Grove. There, he confronts Ruby, only to find that she too is now a victim of evil and in need of Ash’s help. The former enemies have to form an uneasy alliance to give them a chance of success as Elk Grove soon becomes the nucleus of evil.

The home entertainment release of “Ash vs Evil Dead”: Season 2 includes audio commentaries, eight behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a “Fatality Mash-Up.” “Ash vs Evil Dead”: Season 2 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $43.99 and $34.98, respectively.

BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Audio Commentaries
• Season 2 First look
• “Inside the World of Ash vs Evil Dead” Featurette
• “Up Your Ash” Featurette
• “Women Who Kick Ash” Featurette
• “Puppets Are Cute” Featurette
• “Dawn of the Spawn” Featurette
• “Bringing Henrietta Back” Featurette
• “The Delta” Featurette
• “How to Kill a Deadite” Featurette
• Fatality Mash-Up

Facebook.com/AshVsEvilDead

Evil versions of the Dark Knight are coming to terrorize Earth this September, as DC teased early details on a series of seven one-shot comics that tie into the upcoming DARK NIGHTS: METAL event. Each one-shot story spotlights a different, corrupted version of Batman spawned from the Dark Multiverse to wreak havoc on Earth.

“With names like The Red Death, The Murder Machine, The Dawnbreaker, The Drowned, The Merciless, The Devastator and The Batman Who Laughs, it’s pretty clear that these creatures mean business and prove just how dangerous the Dark Multiverse will be for DC’s heroes,” said Patrick McCallum, DC Entertainment Executive Editor.

The terror begins on September 20 with BATMAN: THE RED DEATH #1, by Joshua Williamson (writer) Carmine Di Giandomenico (artist), followed by BATMAN: THE MURDER MACHINE #1, written by Frank Tieri with art by Ricardo Federici on September 27. Writer Sam Humphries and artist Ethan Van Sciver will team up on BATMAN: THE DAWNBREAKER #1, on sale October 4, with Dan Abnett and artist Philip Tan collaborating on BATMAN: THE DROWNED #1 October 18. The month concludes with Peter J. Tomasi and Francis Manapul on BATMAN: THE MERCILESS #1, on sale October 25.

November features two additional one-shot titles, BATMAN: THE DEVASTATOR #1 (on sale November 1) and THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1 (on sale November 15).

The presence of these malevolent characters infects some of DC’s deadliest Super-Villains, who are ready to take down Gotham City once and for all. But rest assured, DC’s bravest heroes aren’t rolling over for anybody and are ready to fight for the city’s very soul in “Gotham Resistance,” a series of crossover stories beginning with TEEN TITANS #12 written by Benjamin Percy with art by Mirka Andolfo (on sale September 13), NIGHTWING #29 by Tim Seeley and Paul Pelletier (on sale September 20) and SUICIDE SQUAD #26 by Rob Williams and Stjepan Sejic (on sale September 27).

”With the combination of an event comic helmed by two of the most talented creators in comic history a legion of evil Batmen and crossover titles that show just how deeply this event impacts the DCU, fans will know now more than ever that DARK NIGHTS: METAL is something not to be missed,” said McCallum.

Each $3.99 BATMAN one-shot ships with a special foil stamped cover featuring a protective UV coating, with art by fan-favorite creator Jason Fabok (JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARKSEID WAR, SUICIDE SQUAD: THE BLACK VAULT, BATMAN ETERNAL). Issue #1 of DARK NIGHTS: METAL hits comic book stores and digital retailers on Wednesday, August 16. For more information on DC, visit the DC website, www.dcomics.com, or download the DC All Access app, available for both Apple and Android devices.

Produced by James Harris, Mark Lane
Written by Johannes Roberts, Ernest Riera
Directed by Johannes Roberts
Starring Mandy Moore, Claire Holt,
Matthew Modine, Santiago Segura

In most shark-centric motion pictures, filmmakers feel the need to up the stakes by giving the sharks an agenda; killing one victim after another for revenge, hate or the very simple love of the kill.

Rarely are cinematic sharks are depicted with their real purpose, as explained by Richard Dreyfuss’ shark expert Matt Hooper in Jaws, “(a shark is a) perfect engine, an eating machine. It’s really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks, and that’s all.”

Which brings us to 47 Meters Down, a terrifically entertaining thriller that sets the haunted house genre at the bottom of the ocean.

Jilted from a break-up, Lisa (Mandy Moore) and her sister Kate (Claire Holt) are vacationing together in Mexico. A night out leads to the opportunity to go cage diving with Great White sharks; although Kate is excited, Lisa requires more convincing. Lisa agrees to go, and soon they find themselves two hours off the coast of Huatulco, where they take their turn in the cage and are descended into the depths surrounded by Great Whites, when suddenly their cable snaps sending Lisa and Kate plummeting in the cage 47 meters down to the floor of the ocean.

With limited oxygen, and only able to communicate with the surface by leaving the cage and swim unprotected in dark, 47 Meters Down works with the very best thrillers, depicting although an unlikely scenario, a very possible one.

Much of the film was filmed underwater and the script does an admirable job maintaining the verisimilitude.

Although the end cribs a bit from Neil Miller’s The Descent, 47 Meters Down is a captivating thriller with solid performances from Moore and Holt.

And the sharks.

This film was originally reviewed on 7/8/16 under the title In The Deep

Written and Directed by Kurando Mitsutake
Produced by Chiaki Yanagimoto,
Mitsuhiro Okazaki
Starring Hayate, Asami, Kirk Geiger,
Mana Sakura, Noriaki Kamata,
David Sakurai, Katarina Leigh Waters,
Carlee Baker, Kirk Geiger, Tomm Voss,

When Kenji, a highly trained master of karate, arrives in Los Angeles looking for his sister Mayumi, any obstacle that stands before him will be beaten into submission. After tracking down Mayumi’s place of employment, Kenji finds out that his sister has been kidnapped by a crazed cult calling themselves Capital Messiah who fund their efforts through online streaming snuff films.

Luckily, Kenji meets up with the mysterious Keiko and together they take on Capital Messiah’s leader Vendenski and his dangerous group of crazed followers.

Karate Kill is a fantastic mishmash of 70’s and 80’s action and the transgressive nature of the low budget Japanese straight to VHS action and pink films along with heavy doses of sleazy 70’s exploitation sprinkled throughout. When it comes to the great number of “grindhouse throwback” films (or “80’s VHS era throwback” it works as both) we’ve gotten over the last ten years, Karate Kill is a film that feels authentically as absurd, naïve, and sleazy as any 70’s drive in gem without having to resort to the story clichés and fake film filters that plague the sub-genre.

Director Kurando Mitsutake, whose 2014 film Gun Woman is also worth a look, has crafted a wonderfully riotous action exploitation romp. Karate Kill provides the viewer with a number of excellently choreographed fight scenes along with some fantastic gore effects sure to satisfy both the exploitation and horror crowds.

Karate Kill also features a great cast including newcomer Hayate as Kenji, an internationally recognized martial artist and parkour master. I believe that this is Hayate’s first starring role and expect to see him appear in a lot more movies. The film also stars Asami as the mysterious Keiko and fans of over the top Japanese cinema will certainly recognize her from starring roles in Gun Woman (2014) and Machine Girl (2008) among many others.

So my typing has rambled on enough here, if you are a fan of crazy action, martial arts, exploitation films then you absolutely must see Karate Kill immediately, then again with friends!

Karate Kill arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and On Demand July 18th.

Produced by Jon Finn, Richard Holmes,
Ricky Margolis, Simon Graham-Clare,
Hannah Thomas, Alison Sterling 
Written and Directed by Joe Ahearne
Starring Tom Bateman, Paul McGann,
Sean Teale, Callum Woodhouse, James Tratas

A newly married gay couple arrive at a remote bed and breakfast to spend the weekend. Their choice of locale is curious, as they successfully sued said Bed & Breakfast for having been refused a double bed the previous year because of their sexual orientation.

Marc is gung-ho about rubbing their victory in the owner’s face, while Fred is far less enthusiastic about revisiting the scene of the crime. He especially feels bad for the owner’s 16 year old son.

The owner, Josh (veteran character actor Paul McGann), while obviously irritated and rather incredulous by the reappearance of these sinners, initially handles the situation with surprising serenity and professionalism.

The already tense situation is amped up considerably by the arrival of another guest: a mysterious and forbidding young Russian who apparently only speaks his native tongue.

Is this young man here thanks to Josh wishing to torment the couple? Is he a “queer basher” who saw the couple’s post on Facebook, here of his own accord? Or is something else afoot?

It’s to writer/director Joe Ahearne’s great credit that B & B does not go into an obvious direction. I truly thought I knew what I was in for after reading the synopsis and I was wrong.

The twisty yet organic script kept me on my toes, as did Ahearne’s sinewy, stylish direction. The initial tension never lets up until the end credits; Ahearne chooses just the right camera angle and placement to wring the maximum suspense out of even the slightest moments, such as stealing a glance at the guestbook or a map.

The editing and score are tops as well; also, Nick Dance’s cinematography gives the film a welcome sheen. I watch a lot of low-budget thrillers and horror films and few look as good as this one.

Acting is also across-the-board excellent. McGann strikes the perfect note in a difficult role, and he’s matched by Tom Bateman and Sean Teale as the couple. Mention must also be made of the fine performance by Callum Woodhouse as Josh’s sixteen-year-old son.

I quite appreciated the effort to not paint anyone here as a complete monster. I certainly disagree with Josh’s refusing the bed to the young men, but Marc’s vindictive, arrogant behavior is off-putting as well.

The four leads are fleshed-out, realistic characters.

Fans of unpredictable thrillers should absolutely check out B & B, one of the more pleasant surprises of the year so far.

For screening information visit bnbfilm.co.uk

Produced by Houston King,
Sam Bisbee, Erik Rommesmo
Written by Marc Basch, Brett Haley
Directed by Brett Haley
Starring Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon,
Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman,
Katharine Ross, Doug Cox, Max Gail

Excellent character actors are a gift to any film. Their ability to seamlessly slip into a role and take on that particular persona allows for a richer story than your average cast member. But what of the actor who is so identified with that role that he is typecast for an entire career?

This is what happened to Sam Elliott, the mustachioed silver-haired lead of Brett Haley’s The Hero.

Audiences know him as the perennially deep-voiced cowboy in everything from The Big Lebowski to Thank You For Smoking.

This series of history of single-focus casting led to Haley writing a feature vehicle for the actor where he shines as the man behind the trope.

The Hero looks at the life of Lee Hayden (Elliott), an actor whose glory days of starring in Westerns are behind him, replaced by collecting checks for barbecue sauce voiceover work. He spends his empty days smoking heavily with his weed dealer (Nick Offerman). When a health scare comes his way, he is left to address the way he has been spending his years, and how he wants to be remembered for what he has left.

Sam Elliott is currently enjoying a wave of newfound and diverse popularity with roles in several projects, but his work in this film will solidify the idea that Hollywood has been missing out in not casting him in more creative lead roles sooner. Though the character of Lee Hayden shares some career trajectory similarities (and should, as it was written after Haley become friends with Elliott), there is nothing that yells “cowboy” in the way Elliot displays his range of talent. He draws out the anger from lost relationships, cheerful aloofness in spur-of-the-moment druggy euphoria, and remains empathetic even at his darker moments.

He is especially a joy to watch as the audience is “in” on the parallel nature of aspects of the story. It makes for a unique movie that could only be led by someone who had been typecast in the industry for a significant amount of time but has also obtained a fair amount of notoriety for playing that role to a T. It is the intimate entwined nature of the casting and storytelling that gives the movie more depth than it would have on its own.

Without the additional layers added by Elliott’s own career, the movie would be significantly less enjoyable. There are few real surprises in the movie; no twists and turns to take away from his personal journey. Even the supporting cast plays typical roles, which is a shame as the casting was very apt.

Offerman was more believable running lines before an audition than as the snarky drug dealer, but Laura Prepon was excellent as the beautiful younger love interest who addresses their age gap from several angles. Unfortunately, as the distant and bitter daughter Krysten Ritter was not used to her full potential. But because we already have a relationship with the lead it almost does not matter as much that this time it is everyone else fulfilling a trope. Almost.

There is a particular scene where Lee Hayden accepts a lifetime achievement award and turns it into an opportunity to acknowledge who really drives fame and longevity in Hollywood. In fact, at several points the movie shares a lesson, but never in a way that feels too preachy.

There are inevitably more roles that will utilize Elliott’s cowboy drawl and stern gaze. But The Hero proves that he is not only destined for greater things; he is also absolutely deserving of the opportunity.

Brett Haley’s newest feature The Hero tells the story of a Western movie icon who, due to a health scare, has to come to terms with the way he has spent the time since his most famous role. In doing so he better values the time and relationships he has left.

FOG! spoke with the writer/director about creating a starring role for his close friend Sam Elliott, the never-discussed age gap scenario, and why we need to stop putting actors in boxes.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: You have become quite close to Sam Elliott since I’ll See You In My Dreams. How did it feel when you knew it was confirmed, that you could personally give him one of the greatest gifts an actor could receive (their first leading feature)?

Brett Haley: Well I felt great because I was a huge fan of Sam’s and Marc (Basch, my writing partner) and I wrote this script specifically for him. It certainly wouldn’t have felt good if he would have said “thanks but no thanks,” but he said “yes” and loved the material and jumped right in and of course, I felt extremely lucky that I was going to be the filmmaker to put Sam in a big, lead role in which he was in every scene, so it felt really great.

The awards show scene was one of my favorites, and brings up a great point about placing stars on pedestals. Was this more of a reminder to actors or audiences about who really holds the power as gatekeepers of success?

It’s about both. It’s about an actor coming to terms with the thing that made him/her famous. It’s Lee coming to terms with his Western fans, and that what he is most going to be known for. But I also think it’s about audiences and the way that we do sort of want to keep certain actors in certain boxes and that that’s more comfortable for us.

The movie is about embracing and accepting the impact that you’ve had, and I think that the awards scene that Lee definitely embraces the impact that he’s had on these folks.

So many times nothing is said to address the age gap between a young attractive woman in a film and her older male partner, but you included multiple scenes unpacking that fact. What did you hope to illuminate?

I definitely wanted to change the narrative on the tropes and clichés surrounding older men and younger women in movies in Hollywood. I think that you have to acknowledge it and that it’s the specificity between the characters. The specific one of Charlotte, played by Laura Prepon and then Lee, played by Sam – she is mysterious, we’re not sure what she’s after or what she wants from him or if we can trust her, and I think it’s really fun to play with that and then call out the obvious which is the age difference. I wanted to keep that relationship fresh and surprising and honest and true and not just have it be a given that the young, beautiful woman ends up with the older guy, but rather earns it, and make it specific.

This is the second film you co-wrote with Marc Basch. Were there any key differences in this second time out, especially as you were writing specifically for someone you both know?

Marc and I work the same way, most of the time. We have a system that we write back and forth and pass pages between each other. We obviously both know Sam well and were thinking of him, but we weren’t thinking of pleasing him or anybody else. We were just writing from the gut and working together so it was a similar experience. I do enjoy writing with Marc a lot.

The film feels like a love letter to not just Elliott but to all the stars who have more left to give than they may get chances to offer. What would you say if you could talk to this group directly?

I would say “I’m sorry” in some way. I would say that I think that we as a society and a film-going public like to keep actors in boxes and keep them in the roles that made them famous, or in roles similar to the ones that made them famous. Most actors do have more to give and can do other things. I think it’s always nice when you see a dramatic actor do a funny role or vice-versa.

I try as a director to give roles to actors that maybe they normally wouldn’t get. I think it brings out the best in actors.

The Hero is now playing in limited release.

This week all of the shitcoms are 1987 CBS cast offs.

Why 1987 CBS shows? Because I happened to pick these out of my collection (seriously I did NOT plan this… it just kind of happened).

Sirens

This is not the 1993 movie titled Sirens nor is it the unrelated but also 1993 TV series titled Sirens, also not the 2002 TV movie titled Sirens, also also not the 2011 TV series titled Sirens, also also also not the 2014 TV series titled Sirens (have we worn out that title yet)? No this is the faulted pilot titled Sirens that predates all of them (for the record though I LOVE the 1993 series with Liza Snyder, Sirens).

This Sirens stars Dinah Manoff (Empty Nest), Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy) and Shannon freaking Tweed! I want to note that Devine would later appear now and then on the completely unrelated 2014 series Sirens. That must have been weird. Alan Oppenheimer (SKELETOR) even shows up at one point because why not.

Anyway this Sirens is a non-laugh track comedy (technically not a Shitcom) produced by Stephen J. Cannell which makes it even more surprising it was not picked up (that man was kind of a TV series machine in the 80’s). Directed by Michael Pressman who has much experience having directed dozens and dozens of TV movies over the years.

There really is no plot, sure there is a running gag of a couple of thugs trying to get revenge on the main characters while they attempt to prove that just because they are women they can do the same job the boys can but even that is barely there.

The pilot is mainly character stuff and lame gags. With the opening shot of the show being an obvious parody of the Hill Street Blues intro I think this was meant to be some kind of satire on cop shows but if it was it failed on every level. The characters are not funny, not enduring and most of all not people I would want to spend time with week after week. Now, Tweed does look amazing in this but that’s it.

Honestly, I normally like Manoff but here she is essentially playing a manic neurotic and she does not sell it well yet on Empty Nest she played a very similar character who was far more likeable.

Dr. Paradise

Dr. Paradise somehow convinced Frank Langella (!!!!) to try his hand at a shitcom. It’s daunting to say the least as Langella gives the same great performance he always does but here it’s with such… substandard material. Frank Langella is joined by Sally Kellerman (Star Trek), Tommy Hinkley (about one episode of every show ever), Xander Berkeley (The Walking Dead) and Barry Gordon (Donatello from the TMNT Cartoon).

In Jamaica, Langella is the arrogant and super snooty head MD at the Dr. Paradise clinic. He is joined by his sister (Kellerman), his gambling addict nephew (Hinkley), hippy shrink (Berkley) as well as a snippy receptionist, a 50’s style comic pediatrician and the wacky locals and visitors to the island. Oh and there is a running gag about a talking bird that won’t talk in front of humans. There is also a deep discussion about Myra Breckenridge because… yeah.

The “comedy” is inane and tedious but I have to say at least that in this case a very strong cast really sell a very underwhelming script. The show would not have worked but at least there was an impressive display of talent on display plus that all of them looked like they were having fun… too bad it was not a better script.

Another veteran shitcom director in Peter Baldwin shoots this as average as possible (although I did notice he had trouble keeping everything framed at times). Produced by Neal Israel (creator of the Police Academy movie series).

The real odd credit here is that of writer Ron Zimmerman. Zimmerman is a writer who’s career is odd (and wildly uneven) to say the least. He would write for garbage such as Charles in Charge, the Married with Children spin off of a spin off Vinnie & Bobby and 7th Heaven. Then he would write for the amazingly underrated FOX series Action, The Simpsons and even the terrible yet fun V.I.P. with Pamela Anderson.

I simply lament that all the talent in front of and behind the camera had it not coalesced into a giant turd.

King of the Building

King of the Building was meant to be a 1987 shitcom starring Richard Lewis.

Yeah, you can already see why this was not picked up. Richard Lewis has never been funny and it has always baffled me that he has a career at all. His overly jewish “why me” neurotic shtick has always been grating on the nerves and was NEVER funny. NEVER. So with that CBS decided to let him have a shitcom… well an attempt at a shitcom.

Yes, I know he has had many over the years, but this is awful.

Lewis stars as Joey the kind-hearted doorman to a prestigious apartment building in lower Manhattan and he generally runs the place (while avoiding the ire of the actual manager, played by snooty Simon Jones, who has disdain for all of the tenants). Joey has help with all the shenanigans by bellboy Eddie (comic Bobby Slayton) and janitor Leon (Tiger Haynes). Billie Bird (Home Alone and Max Headroom) looks like she would have been a regular as well.

I guess every week we would have been privy to the wacky people who live in the building and Richard Lewis’ attempts to keep order. No one missed a damn thing.

Here is the thing… this is just bland. It’s not offensively unfunny, it’s just “meh”. Not outrageous enough to stand out and not horrid enough that it shows contempt for it’s audience King of the Building is just bland and forgettable. Directed by shitcom hack James Komack, a veteran of TV shitcoms such as The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Chico and the Man and Welcome Back, Kotter. Directing over 300 episodes of just those 3 shows not to mention all the rest of his forgettable resume. Written by Barry Vigon (another shitcom hack) who is best known for his Martin work. There is a sure label of quality right there.

The closing question here is… why?

Why were so many dull, monotonous shitcoms made? I mean isn’t the COM part of Shitcom for Comedy?

Shouldn’t you at least TRY to be funny?

I hope this look Shitcoms over the past months has made you question the ethics of TV production in that someone thought these might be hits. Someone put money into these and worse yet, someone like me has copies of them.

Next time I will try to get back to Sci-Fi stuff. I will try, I make no guarantees.

3 Generations tells the stirring and touching story of three generations of a family living under one roof in New York as they deal with the life-changing transformation by one that ultimately affects them all. Ray (Elle Fanning) is a teenager who has struggled with the body assigned to him at birth and is determined to start transitioning. His single mother, Maggie (Naomi Watts), must track down Ray’s biological father (Tate Donovan) to get his legal consent to allow Ray’s transition. Dolly (Susan Sarandon), Ray’s lesbian grandmother is having a hard time accepting that she now has a grandson. They must each confront their own identities and learn to embrace change and their strength as a family in order to ultimately find acceptance and understanding.

And we’re giving away 5 copies.

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “3 GENERATIONS” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Elle Fanning made her feature film debut as the younger version of
her sister’s character in this 2001 film opposite Sean Penn?

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 June 25th, 2017.

Caught in the crosshairs of a wrongful-death civil suit and facing a betrayal of two of his closest allies, Sheriff Walt Longmire is back for the fifth season of the contemporary crime thriller Longmire. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release all 10 episodes of the Western drama, Longmire: The Complete Fifth Season on September 26, 2017 on DVD for $24.98.

Longmire: The Complete Fifth Season will also be available to own on Digital HD via purchase from digital retailers on September 26, 2017.

Due to overwhelming fan demand, Longmire: The Complete Fifth Season also arrives September 26, 2017 on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Archive Collection. The Blu-ray can be found via Amazon.com and all online retailers.

The fifth season finds the stubborn Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) where the fourth left off – with an unknown threat at Walt’s front door. Unsure who the intruder is, we find Walt shot and bleeding on the floor of his Wyoming cabin; his daughter Cady (Cassidy Freeman) weeping over his body and praying for his life. Although Walt recovers quickly from the casualty, he is left with questions surrounding the night of the shooting and sets out to discover who it is that was looking to take his life. With his best friend, Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), and Cady now working for his arch-rival Jacob Nighthorse (recurring guest star A. Martinez), Longmire stands alone in his mission to clean the streets of Absaroka County. All the while, Walt continues to question the idea of a romantic relationship with Victoria “Vic” Moretti (Katee Sackoff) his right-hand deputy.  Faced with a wrongful-death civil suit by Barlow Connally’s estate, a confusing love life and new cases weighing down on his team, Walt pushes himself to the edge – putting more pressure on himself than ever to solve Absaroka County’s most-challenging mysteries. His loved ones question whether he can handle the stress – both mentally and physically in the wake of his attack. The question remains… will Walt be able to handle the pressure? Or, could his work be his ultimate downfall?

From executive producers Michael M. Robin (Dallas, Rizzoli & Isles, NYPD Blue), Greer Shephard (Major Crimes, Nip Tuck), Hunt Baldwin (The Closer), and John Coveny (The Closer), the thrilling fifth season stars Robert Taylor (Focus), Katee Sackhoff (Riddick), Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville) and Adam Bartley (NCIS: Los Angeles) in the roles fans fought to be brought to Netflix. Based on the “Walt Longmire” series of mystery novels written by best-selling author Craig Johnson, Longmire: The Complete Fifth Season marks the series’ second season on Netflix after the 2014 move from A&E.

“We are thrilled to bring Longmire: The Complete Fifth Season to DVD, Blu-ray and Digital for the show’s passionate fans to continue to add to their collections” said Rosemary Markson, WBHE Senior Vice President, Television Marketing. “With this release fans will have a chance to re-experience every harrowing moment of family drama, unrequited desire and continue to question where true loyalties lie.”

In this driving, non-stop action thriller, the chief security officer at a top-secret medical facility finds himself caught in an explosive battle when a young thief and his accomplices steal a groundbreaking curative medicine. After discovering the true origins of the medicine, the officer must decide whom he can trust to protect the cure from falling into the wrong hands and prevent an all-out war from bringing the city to its knees.

Famous for his dedication to realism and his use of practical effects, Ringo Lam is known as one of the most acclaimed action directors of all time. Now, teaming up with emerging superstar Daniel Wu (AMC’s Into the Badlands), Lam’s latest opus Sky on Fire promises to take the filmmaker’s craft to a whole new level, with operatic gunfights and a twisting plot that will be immediately familiar and immensely satisfying to any fan of Hong Kong action cinema.

And we’re giving away 3 copies!

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

How many films did Sky on Fire director Ringo Lam make with Jean-Claude Van Damme?

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 June 25th, 2017.

Depending on your religious beliefs, last year’s Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice was either perfectly-competent popcorn fluff or the worst, most sacrilegious film ever to plague humanity. Choose your side. There is no middle ground.

Many filmgoers were underwhelmed by the central conflict of the film and wished there had been a more drawn-out fight between the rich playboy and the god-like alien from beyond the stars. Side note: There’s no way in hell Batman would win that fight in real life. Superman was clearly paid to throw the fight or something.

Also, concluding the battle because their moms shared a first name felt… odd.

But all of that aside, the actual conflict the movie tries to raise is an interesting one. Should humanity trust Superman because he’s clearly good and does everything he can to save people, or is he—like some goober spray painted on his statue—a “false god?” That is, should Superman be allowed to continue to protect us just because he’s so good at his job, or is he too powerful?

On the other side, Superman (and apparently nobody else) wonders whether Batman should be allowed to continue to operate given his increasingly-brutal tactics. Once a promoter of non-lethal methods, Batman now literally shoots rocket launchers at villains’ vehicles and Bat-brands the ones who survive, ensuring their death in prison.

How that works, we’re not sure. Maybe all the other prisoners makes fun of the branded villain’s silly little bat tattoo to the point that they die of shame?

Weirder things have happened in the DC universe.

For all the hate that Zack Snyder gets for his movies, he should be commended for his pursuit of truly thought-provoking themes and undeniably-unique visual styles. His execution often leaves something to be desired, but, again, the man’s willingness to swing for the fences is damn admirable in a world where every movie looks and feels exactly the same.

Sorry if I’m on a rant defending the man. I recently wrote about Synder and his daughter and it made me want to defend a man that I legitimately respect especially in the face of such undeserved loathing from moronic comic book fans.

All that to say, Batman V. Superman attempts to paint a scenario where maybe both Batman and Superman are right. They go about pursuing justice in different ways, but they come to respect each other and work together. The only problem I see is that, no, Batman was right to want to kill Superman all along.

To jog your memory, here’s Bruce Wayne explaining to his butler (Bruce is a very fancy man) why Bruce thinks he should stab Superman to death with a magic trident.

Scary stuff, right? Bruce is angry about all the damage that was caused in Man of Steel when Superman and Zod flew around Metropolis causing more collateral damage than any single event in history that didn’t involve an actual nuke. He has reason to be upset, but, thankfully, the two resolve their differences and become the best of friends. They join forces to kick the poop out of Lex Luthor and Doomsday and save the world. Superman then gets his ass nuked to death so it all sort of comes out in the wash anyway. No harm, no foul.

Except… Bruce was totally right. Like 100% unequivocally so. Superman is way, way too powerful. If there is even a 1% chance that he’s evil, it’s too much. Superman can kill everybody. He can blow up the whole planet just by sneezing too hard. Whatever protection Superman brings the planet isn’t worth the possibility of him ending all life on Earth.

And, honestly, even the protection isn’t really all that awesome. A lot of the villains Superman ends up protecting us from are only here because of Superman. If Superman had ended up on some other planet, Zod would likely have just gone there.

Doomsday also only exists because of Krypton technology being spread across Earth. If Superman just buggered off to space somewhere the problem could be solved, but he won’t because he’s got the hots for this reporter chick and he thinks of himself as a Kansan.

It may seem harsh to do kill or banish Superman, but there’s really no way around it.

The movie avoids the question by killing Superman, but as soon as he inevitably returns in Justice League—or some other forthcoming DC movie—there won’t be any choice to be made. Batman and whoever else will be forced to kill the guy that’s almost literally a god. They’ve already shown flashes of “evil Superman” having taken over the world in the future. That’s something that can’t be allowed to happen.

Of course, the movies will let it happen because it will make for an awesome storyline most likely, but if Batman had any common sense he’d dig up Superman’s grave and stab him a couple hundred times with that Kryptonite spear and fill the casket up with Kryptonite gravel. It’s the only way to ensure the thing stays dead.

It’s the only way to save humanity.

Go find your woobie, put on your favorite flannel shirt, and crack open a can of chili, because Mr. Mom [Collector’s Edition] is coming to Blu-ray from Shout! Factory on September 5 (or September 6, whatever it takes), and is available for pre-order now through Shout! and Amazon.

Featuring an all-new cover illustration, brand-new interviews with producer Lauren Shuler Donner and co-stars Ann Jillian, Frederick Koehler, Taliesin Jaffe and Miriam Flynn; as well as the original theatrical trailer, the beloved classic starring Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Martin Mull, Ann Jillian, and Christopher Lloyd, is getting the Shout Select treatment.

While Caroline Butler (Teri Garr, Tootsie) re-enters the workforce and becomes the rising star of her advertising agency, her newly unemployed husband Jack (Michael Keaton, Night Shift) finds himself a new job … as a stay-at-home dad! But if Jack thinks his old career in the automotive industry was tough, he has no idea what’s waiting for him at home: the ins and outs of dropping the kids off at school, soap operas, woobies, babies with chili, a clean-up on aisle seven and a vacuum cleaner named “Jaws.” Not to mention the seedy neighborhood drama!

Inspired, in part, by writer John Hughes’ (Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles) own life lessons as a clueless stay-at-home father, Mr. Mom [Collector’s Edition] is a standout release in Shout Select, a line of movie releases shining a spotlight on special films, including Blake Edwards’ The Pink Panther Film Collection Starring Peter Sellers, Colors [Collector’s Edition], Bill & Ted’s Most Excellent Collection, Red Dawn [Collector’s Edition], The Handmaid’s Tale, and many more.

Bonus Features:

• *NEW* An Interview With Producer Lauren Shuler Donner
• Mr. Mom – Rare TV Movie Starring Barry Van Dyke And Rebecca York
• Original Theatrical Trailer

The original G.I. Joe, Joe Coulton, takes his fight to Transformers home world of Cybertron, tying together the Hasbro Comic Universe event of 2017, First Strike!

Today we spoke with writer Mairghread Scott and editor David Hedgecock to talk about Hasbro post-Revolution and how Micronauts, M.A.S.K. and ROM fit into this epic story.

Earth formally joins the Cybertronian Council of Worlds but there can’t be universal peace with Dire Wraiths and Cobra out there for the Joes and Transformers to take on!

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: For those not caught up in the Hasbro shared universe, where is a good place to start to get caught up on Revolution that can carry you to the events of First Strike?

Mairghread Scott: Well let’s start with what First Strike is. Cybertron and Earth are having their first joint diplomatic event. Explosions, fighting, no one knows what’s going on and before anyone on Earth can figure it out the feed cuts out. All we know is that it looks like Cobra is laying waste to Cybertron and there’s seemingly no way to get there.

But a little thing like interstellar travel isn’t gonna stop Scarlett and her team of G.I. Joes, who gather all the help they can to make it to Cybertron and try to save day. Unfortunately, the Cybertronians they’re trying to defend are often as much of a threat to them as the people they’re fighting.

We’ve got Optimus vs. Destro. Storm Shadow and her ninjas cutting down Decepticons. This is the story where you get to see the world’s most elite soldiers riding and dying with the universe’s most powerful warriors.

So what do you need to read get onboard?

Nothing.

G.I. Joe are the good guys, Cobra are the bad guys and the Transformers are everything in between (literally). But of course, if you want to go back and read our previous issues, they’re totally worth it and available on Comixology now.

David Hedgecock: If you aren’t caught up with the continuity of the Hasbro line, don’t worry! First Strike may be built on all that history, but we’ve made sure that it will also stand-alone nicely for a first-time reader who doesn’t know much of anything about G.I. Joe, Transformers, M.A.S.K. or the other books and is just in it for an action-packed robot beat-down!

That said, if you want to catch up, John Barber, Fico Ossio, Sebastian Cheng and the team on Revolutionaries has been tracing the story from Revolution to First Strike with all the little key details you could ask for! It’s a real deep-dive into the history of the line for those who want a little extra knowledge going into First Strike.

The Hasbro shared universe seems to be crashing into each other, after the events of Revolution and current status quo across the books. Tell me, what can fans expect in First Strike?

MS: Big action, big personalities and big heart. With Scarlett as our main character; we’re aiming to show you a new side of her as a leader and soldier against the backdrop of a fast-paced action film with all your favorite brands. Roadblock and Lady Jaye really shine on the Joe team, while Optimus struggles against the increasingly powerful Starscream.

For those of you who love seeing Elita One be terrible; she cements her rep as “Megatron in pink” while Shazraella becomes the deadliest character I’ve written in a while. And she’s partnering with Lady Storm Shadow; so that should say a lot. M.A.S.K. brings in their heaviest tech and while ROM isn’t a huge presence, those Space Knights are definitely going to throw a wrench in the works for everyone.

First Strike is a chance for us to show fans who are reading these books a new way of looking at them and to show readers new to our stories why they’re definitely worth picking up.

Mairghread, you and David Rodriguez have teamed up for issue #0 with art by Max Dunbar. Who assembled this incredible team?

MS: That would be the fabulous David Hedgecock. I like to think the thing that we all have in common are fun, fast-paced sensibilities but we also have differences that strengthen us. David Rodriguez is a master of dialogue. Max can draw…well everything. Which is good because this book has everything – robots, cars, soldiers, flying cars, cyborgs, aliens in cars, ninjas, you name it. And me? It’s gonna be awesome.

DH: It was a group decision by our editorial team here. I love David Rodriguez’s stuff and his work on the M.A.S.K. Annual—which also featured G.I. Joe—was great! Meanwhile, Max and our colorist, Ander Zarate had been the team on Micronauts and when the opportunity came up, I knew they had to be a part of this!

Meanwhile, Carlos, our long-time Transformers editor, and former-editor John Barber, currently writing Optimus Prime, both suggested that if this story was going to take place on Cybertron, no one fit the bill better than Mairghread! Till All Are One has been a great addition to the canon and no one gets those bots better!

Longtime fans of G.I. Joe and Transformers have seen the two properties line up for decades now, but how do these properties plus M.A.S.K., ROM, and Micronauts fit together?

MS: Really well actually. They’re all working with tech and aliens on various levels so bringing them together doesn’t feel as hodge-podge as you think and the entire theme of our book is “us vs. them” so we play into the differences of our characters (viewpoints, ages, races, etc.) instead of trying to ignore them.

Not every Hasbro hero (or villain) thinks the same way so their alliances and betrayals are things we build out of the natural friction you get when combining brands. Our diversity is our strength and, in many ways, makes our story feel more real, not less.

DH: For properties that sometimes seem like they’d be at odds, they have a lot in common. G.I. Joe and M.A.S.K. are both military-derived units that use extraordinary tech against incredible threats. ROM and the Micronauts fight in space with fantastic armor against villains who can change their shape. It’s the little story connections we’ve made that really bring everyone together—and that will bring them together in First Strike and beyond in the new limited series coming out of the event!

Are ROM‘s enemies the Dire Wraiths acting as the catalyst for this epic team-up?

MS: That would be telling. But I would say in First Strike, your friends can be just a dangerous as your enemies.

In First Strike #0, Roadblock speculates that change is the only constant, something his teammate Skywarp can certainly relate to. Looking at the checklist for First Strike, it looks like current seasons of some books may be coming to an end. What will become of the regular G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K., Micronauts: Wrath of Karza, and ROM titles?

DH: We’ve got fresh Seasons starting for all these projects in one way or another. It’s going to be a fantastic way for new readers to be introduced to these properties. If you’ve never tried a G.I. Joe book before, this is the time. Aubrey Sitterson has created something bright and fun and relevant with G.I. Joe that any fan of good comics is going to want to read.

Similarly, if you’ve never read ROM, Christos Gage and the rest of the team are putting together something truly special that people aren’t going to want to miss. For our existing readers and fans this is a chance for you to continue to enjoy these characters in totally different ways with unique storylines that are guaranteed to thrill! Rest assured, the next wave of the Hasbro action universe is on the way and it is going to be filled to bursting with excitement!

Any other big surprises you’d like to tease?

MS: A surprise for me was how diverse this book became. We were going through our roster of characters and found we’re far more diverse than I think anyone expected, which is awesome. I never thought I’d get to write so many heroic, funny, vicious, deadly, scheming and selfless women all in one book.

In terms of teasing events you might not expect, I’d say anyone who still ships Elita and Optimus is in for a really rude awakening.

First Strike #0 is available now for free from your local retailer,
or you can read it in it’s entirety below!

A complete checklist of the entire event can also
be found below so you don’t miss a single issue!

What if California refused to be ruled by a tyrannical President? Comic book readers will discover the answer to that question starting on July 12, 2017, when Black Mask Studios publishes the first issue of the eagerly anticipated comic book series CALEXIT a week before San Diego Comic Con 2017. The Los Angeles based indie publisher Black Mask is promoting the sure-to-be-controversial ongoing series by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Amancay Nahuelpan with The “CALEXIT: Comics Change The World Tour” of comic stores to promote the new series, the publisher announced today.

“Given the level of conversation we’re already hearing around CALEXIT, it made sense to debut the series timed to California’s own San Diego Comic Con where we can directly engage with readers and discuss the intentions behind the book,” said Matteo Pizzolo, co-founder of Black Mask Studios and the writer of CALEXIT. “We’re looking to spark a dialogue with fans, press and retailers about what’s happening, both in the real world and in the fictional world of CALEXIT. There’s no better way to do that then hit the road on the ‘CALEXIT: Comics Change The World Tour’ signing tour.’”

Pizzolo and Nahuelpan will be joined by other Black Mask Studios creators at CALEXIT: Comics Change The World Tour events throughout the year:

CALEXIT: Comics Change The World Tour Wave 1

• 4 Color Fantasies, Rancho Cucamonga

• Alakazam Comics, Irvine

• Brian’s Comics, Petaluma

• Cape & Cowl Comics, Oakland

• Comickaze, San Diego

• Comics Conspiracy, Sunnyvale

• Comics Factory, Pasadena

• Comix Experience, San Francisco

• Escapist Comics, Berkeley

• Golden Apple Comics, Hollywood

• Hypno Comics, Ventura

• Meltdown Comics, West Hollywood

• Mission: Comics & Art, San Francisco

• Njoy Comics & Games, Northridge

• POP Comics, Anaheim

• Pulp Fiction Comics, Long Beach

• Pulp Fiction Comics, Culver City

• A Shop Called Quest, Claremont

• A Shop Called Quest, Downtown LA

• A Shop Called Quest, Redding

• Southern California Comics, San Diego

• More locations to come

Wave 2 will be in Pacific Coast Sister Cities this summer, with signings in Tijuana, Oregon, and Washington State. Wave 3 will be a Red State Tour in the Fall.

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

For updates, follow Black Mask Studios on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.