Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s a hell of a week for Comics! Let’s get started with one of the best new releases of the year!

Mister Miracle #1
Written by Tom King 
Illustrated by Mitch Gerads
Published by DC Comics

I’ll come right out and say it: I’ve never been a fan of the New Gods. It just never appealed to me on any level. I HAVE enjoyed some of the Mister Miracle comic books.

The character of Scott Free is great. The concept of him being the greatest escape artist who ever lived is very appealing. Nobody has ever really done anything with that concept that’s been amazing.

Until now.

King has written a comic book for our times. The high concept is that Scott Free has pulled off every trick except one: Escape death. Can he pull this off?

The opening few pages ask that question in a very unique and fascinating way. Then things really take off.

There are also hints about Darkseid doing something here that is strangely compelling.

King and Gerads work so well in this comic. They have the perfect collaboration. Gerads especially has a fantastic art style that just works extremely well here. Its fun. Its weird. The only downside of this book is that we won’t be getting the second volume of the Sheriff of Babylon sooner. A small price to pay. This is excellent.

RATING: A

Detective Comics #962
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Alvaro Martinez
Published by DC Comics

Man, the art on this issue was very good.

The first few pages hooked me instantly. Martinez has never been a top tier comic artist in my eyes but here he soars. He cuts loose and makes the story eye popping visually. The story isn’t half bad either.

This is the final chapter of the “Intelligence” storyline. Tynion does a great job writing a satisfying conclusion.

The Order of St. Dumas are replacing Azrael and are about to purify the sick city of Gotham. Only one hero can stop them. You guessed it: Batman. Tynion keeps the plot running and it’s an action packed conclusion.

The ending left me a little cold. I felt it was done before. Not only that, I felt it was stronger when it was done before. Still, this is a good issue overall and worthy to be in your collection.

RATING: B+

The Flash #28
Written by Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by Carmine Di Giandomenico
Published by DC Comics

“If you wanna race, Flash, all you have to do is ask!”

That’s a bit of dialogue that starts the plot going on this book. It’s said by a guy on a super powered motorcycle.

Of course, from that very instant, I was hooked. The rest of the book was pretty damn awesome as well.

Barry is back in Central City as the Negative Flash! This is pretty entertaining and nuts. He’s got powers that aren’t working well and his attitude just sucks. He goes around doing what the Flash usually does but in a new stupid way. I loved it. I hope the Negative Flash never goes away.

Carmine Di Giandomenico kills it on art. I’m glad he’s back on this title. His work really makes the Flash soar and I love it. I hope he sticks with this title for years to come.

RATING: B+

Teen Titans #14
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Brett Booth
Published by DC Comics

This is a solid book from month to month as well. I wasn’t sure at the beginning how it would hold up, but it’s actually a nice read. Abnett writes truly accessible scripts and Booth’s art is quite fetching.

This issue, however, things get shaken up.

There is a traitor in the Titans’ midst!

Nightwing thinks he knows who it is. Some of the others do not agree with him. This leads to some internal conflict. (I especially liked the little confrontation being Nightwing and Aqualad in the beginning.)

The revelation was a bit of surprise for me. I didn’t see it coming. That’s a testament to the strength of Abnett’s writing.

Give this a shot if you haven’t read it. Its exciting where it’s going.

RATING: B+

Jack Kirby 100: The Newsboy Legion / Boy Commandos Special #1
Written and Illustrated by Howard Chaykin
Published by DC Comics

Howard Chaykin has been making the rounds lately.

First is his controversial Image book, The Divided States of America, and now this wonderful title. He’s amazing. One is a hard adult book. This is more fun and light, and he makes it a joy.

Chaykin takes two of Jack Kirby’s goofiest creations and makes something really wonderful with them.

The Boy Commandos end up in New York City chasing a secret Nazi Axis Agent. Who do they meet while they are there? The Newsboy Legion! It’s their turf after all.

Chaykin takes these two creations and makes them relevant and viable.

The writing and art are both fantastic. It’s amazing. Chaykin has been around for years in this business. Yet, he is at the top of his game. Kudos to him and make sure to pick up this excellent book!

RATING: A

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #13
Written by Julie and Shawna Benson
Illustrated by Roge Antonio
Published by DC Comics

This book goes along at its usual mundane pace. I read this book every month hoping it gets more exciting.

It never does, but it’s solid enough to justify its existence. I just wish it was more interesting than this.

This is the finale of the “Source Code” storyline. Oracle’s past has caught up with the rest of the Birds of Prey. They all spend the issue dealing with the fallout.

What a pal.

The question they all have to deal with how ever is if Oracle will have a place on the team when it’s all over.

Antonio handles the art in his usual standard way. This was overall an okay presentation. Yet again. Let’s hope the Bensons ratchet it up a notch. It certainly could stand a little more excitement.

RATING: C+

New Superman #14
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Illustrated by Billy Tan
Published by DC Comics

Shanghai is under siege in the second part of the “Shanghai Under Siege” storyline. It’s a wacky and wild time and I can’t get enough.

Yang started off this title with a whimper but now it’s damn exciting.

Emperor Superman is destroying the city of Shanghai! It’s up to Kenan to stop him! He has help from the Justice League of China but will it be too little, too late?

There is also a victim of the fighting, one you wouldn’t expect.

The writing is wacky. The art is especially good. What more do you need? Pick this title up and give it a chance!

RATING: B

Suicide Squad #23
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Gus Vasquez
Published by DC Comics

Suicide Squad continues its nutty run with this issue, the third part of the “Kill Your Darlings” storyline.

How is it? It’s perfectly nuts and that’s how I love my Suicide Squad for sure!

Amanda Waller has gone rogue! She put an order in for Task Force X to take out the Justice League. It leads to an issue full of fighting. It’s awesome.

The whole thing leads to one of the funniest Batman moments not the last page. Maybe we weren’t supposed to laugh. I found it funny.

The art by Vasquez is perfectly fine. It’s not the most dynamic but it does he job.

The whole thing works well enough. It’s another bananas issue. I love those.

RATING: B

Red Hood and the Outlaws #13
Written by Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Dexter Soy
Published by DC Comics

Speaking of bananas, here comes the latest issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws! I

t’s a storyline that stars Bizarro so you just know it’s going to be nuts. And it is for sure.

But it’s entertaining as hell. The first four pages are especially great featuring a cartoony, almost “Muppet Babies” versions of the JLA.

Bizarro’s life is in jeopardy! So Red Hood and Artemis turn to the only person who can possibly help him.

That person is the crazy Lex Luthor who is also Bizarro’s creator. But does Luthor have an ulterior motive?

Of course he does! He’s Lex Luthor!

Lobdell keeps the writing tight. You may know where it’s going but it’s never boring. The art by Soy is excellent. This is the most underrated DC book on the stands. Pick it up. Well worth your time.

RATING: B+

Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #5
Written by Tom Taylor
Illusrated by Stephen Byrne
Published by DC Comics and BOOM! Studios

This is another issue of this crossover. I’m not the biggest fan of it but I can see how it is appealing to some. The Justice League and the Power Rangers meet up and a semi good time ensues!

In this issue, the two teams arrive in the Power Rangers home dimension. There, they try to save Angel Grove. They are also trying to save the Earth. Can they do both in time?

The writing is okay. It’s pretty silly. The art by Byrne is the real star. He should work on other titles besides this. This is a good time for those interested. Pick it up if you are. If not? Wait until Byrne gets to be a superstar on another book.

RATING: B

Black #1-6
Written by Kwanza Osajyefo
Illustrated by Jamal Igle
Published by Black Mask Studios

Black Mask Studios continues with their excellent comic book line with this new title.

I loved this right off the bat. It has strong writing with sharp art and storytelling that all make this a worthwhile read.

The star of the book is Kareem Jenkins who is racially profiled by police and then gunned down. Instead of dying, Kareem gets up. He then learns he is one of the black people with superpowers.

He has to decide to keep it secret or just blow the whole thing wide open. The answers are surprising.

Black asks a lot of questions that are racially charged. Osajyefo does a great job with the writing. He makes it topical but not pretentious. The story moves and it’s not too on the nose.

The art by Igle is great as well. This was a Kickstarter book that hit its goal and got picked up by Black Mask. That’s a good thing. Every comic book fan…heck, any fan of a good story should read this book!

RATING: A

God County TPB
Written by Donny Cates
Illustrated by Geoff Shaw
Published by Image Comics

God Country is a book I’ve been hearing about but never had a chance to pick up until now.

I’ve read some of the other books by Donny Cates. It was okay at best. Here, he really soars as a writer and has found a heck of an outlet for his talent.

The book follows Emmett Quinlan, an elder man who has lost his wife. Emmett is also suffering from dementia. He is a burden on his family and even the police who have to deal with him regularly. Then, one day, a tornado ravages the entire town. Emmett is then reborn by grabbing the sword at the center of the storm. He is then forced to fight the demons with the sword and defend the universe.

This is an enjoyable book. Cates knows this book is his shot and he takes it and runs with glee. Shaw is one of the most underrated artists out there. He excels in the art department here. I waited awhile to pick this up and I’m glad I did. This was awesome.

RATING: A

The Namesake TPB
Written by Steve Orlando
Illustrated by Jakub Rebelka
Published by BOOM! Studios

Steve Orlando is quite a name in comics these days. He deserves it. He’s a good writer with a lot of flair.

This book is no different. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s a real page turner. Orlando keeps it lively with every page and every panel.

Every seven years, a supernatural parallel world called Ektae aligns itself with Earth, bringing magic and mayhem. Jordan Molossus was born on Ektae but he was abandoned on earth. He wants nothing to do with Ektae either.

One day, two magical Urns end up on his doorstep. He then has one week to take the Urns to Ektae and spread the ashes.

Along the way, Jordan has to uncover the mystery of why his parents orphaned him. Orlando keeps the story based in emotions and it’s wonderful. The art compliments the writing perfectly. This is a great package. Pick it up.

RATING: A

Surfside Girls: The Secret of Danger Point TPB
Written and Illustrated by Kim Dwinell
Published Top Shelf Productions

This is quite a wonderful all ages book. Writer and artist Kim Dwinell has created something unique in the marketplace. She is a former surfer and this is her first book. It’s also incredibly wonderful and a perfect summer read.

Dwinell takes us to the town of Surfside. Things are getting weird in this town. Samantha and her friend Jade are coming of age and discovering boys. They are growing apart.

Then, Samantha swims into underwater cave. She starts to see ghosts and strange creatures. She then needs Jade’s help to solve the mystery and save their town.

Dwinell has a breezy writing style that you can’t help but love. The art is simple yet effective. This is a book anyone of any age can read at anytime.

It does something not a lot of Graphic Novels can do: it’s smart, funny and it’s timeless.

RATING: A

Produced by Elizabeth A. Bell, Peter Berg,
Matthew George, Basil Iwanyk, Wayne Rogers
Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Starring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen,
Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, Julia Jones,
Kelsey Chow, Graham Greene

Hot on the heels of Sicario and Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan completes his thematic trilogy on the American Frontier with Wind River.

A gritty piece of crime cinema that features a terrific central performance from Jeremy Renner, but ultimately fails to litter the proceedings with enough smaller moments to add up to a truly memorable experience.

When a young Native American woman is found raped and frozen to death miles from her home on a decaying Wyoming reservation the size of Rhode Island, tribal police call the FBI for help in solving the crime.

Enter the closest available agent, fish-out-of-water rookie Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) fresh from Vegas. She enlists fellow Avenger…err…U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunter Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) to act as her guide and tracker. For Lambert it’s an opportunity to deal vicariously with a past trauma that shattered his world.

Stepping behind the camera this go around, Taylor Sheridan does a fantastic job of creating a mood and sense of place. A certain bleakness that threatens to swallow everything in its path. Desolate stretches of white pocked with houses in disrepair, unforgiving terrain, and schizophrenic weather conditions that demand to be respected, unless survival isn’t your thing.

But whereas Sicario suffered from the seeming lack of a third act, Wind River nails it. Yet feels shallow in its second. While competently hitting the major beats that advance the story, the nuances that elevated his previous efforts, especially Hell or High Water, are sorely absent. And in return makes the whole affair seem rather routine in its delivery.

That’s not to say there aren’t powerful moments. There are. And when they hit, they hit hard and resonate. Highlighted by a heartbreaking scene between Renner and Gil Birmingham (as terrific here as he was as Jeff Bridge’s partner in Hell or High Water) as two parents at opposite stages in the grieving process.

As a father whose steadfast composure masks an emotional pain that cuts deep, Jeremy Renner thrives in what could be his best performance to date. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Olsen doesn’t fair nearly as well with a thinly drawn character that plays like a deer in constant headlights and an FBI skill set that is second to everyone. And it’s that contrast in characterization that prevents it from becoming as captivating as it had the potential to be.

With Wind River, Sheridan once again proves he is a man of the people and places they go, while almost treating plot as a necessary evil. He’s a more than capable director that falls shy of making it over the high bar he’s set for himself, but I look forward to his next effort.

Produced by Peter Safran, James Wan
Written by Gary Dauberman
Directed by David F. Sandberg
Starring Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Philippa Coulthard, Anthony LaPaglia,
Miranda Otto, Lulu Wilson, Samara Lee

If I recall correctly, I was about six years old when my mother was given a small, antique porcelain doll by our neighbors after they had gone through a bunch of stuff to declutter their storage space. What made this doll so special was that it seemingly kick-started my parents’ collection of vintage toys and antique knick-knacks.

Once they began collecting, my parents would routinely go to flea markets and thrift stores with me in tow to hunt for new treasures, which would not only teach me how to haggle, but also how to estimate the value and age of old toys.

Eventually, my parents ended up having one of the largest private collections of vintage and antique toys in Denmark, and my mother actually ended up losing track of exactly how many dolls she had. All I knew was that she probably had over a thousand dolls, and that they really freaked out my friends. Thus, whenever I had friends over for movie nights in my teens, they would at some point start daring each other to see who could stay locked up in the doll room the longest before wanting out. Having grown up around the dolls, I never found them creepy, and I thought my friends were being silly, just as I never thought horror movies centering around dolls were particularly scary.

While films like the first Child’s Play definitely deserves its status as a horror classic and the sequels that followed had varying degrees of entertainment value, personally, I never found the idea of an evil, sentient doll all that scary, and 2014’s Annabelle certainly did not manage to impress me either.

The two The Conjuring films have shown that the horror genre is still alive and well, as they have largely managed to both scare the average moviegoer as well as delight many long-suffering horror fans due to the high production value of the films, which is showcased by the good acting, the atmospheric set design and cinematography, and of course the highly effective editing and sound design.

However, when the first of the inevitable spin-off films hit the big screen with the release of Annabelle in 2014, it got a less than stellar reception. The film about the demonic doll not only failed to impress critics, it also left many fans of The Conjuring disappointed, as Annabelle did not live up to the solid standard set by the first film about the supernatural misadventures of Ed and Lorraine Warren. It is therefore understandable that people would feel apprehensive about the prequel Annabelle: Creation, as the new film not only concerns the possessed plaything, but also focuses on the evil entity from the point of view of two young girls in particular.

As most horror fans can confirm, child actors in horror films can either be unbearably cringe-worthy or increase the eeriness of a film substantially, and the performances of Talitha Bateman and Lulu Wilson thankfully fall into the latter category. By putting these two girls – who have no idea who the eponymous Annabelle is or how the doll fits into it all – at the forefront of the film, their perspective is on the same page as that of the audience, since the girls know just as little as we do.

While Bateman and Wilson are the standouts, the rest of the cast also does well to serve as contrasts to the main girls and their experiences; Miranda Otto and Anthony LaPaglia work well as the mysterious Mullins couple, Stephanie Sigman steers clear of the worst cliches in her portrayal of the caretaker nun, and the varied ages of the orphan girls she looks after further help to give the audience a somewhat varied group of characters to invest in.

Additionally, having the film play out on a remote farm in the 1950’s makes for a naturally eerie setting, just as the sense of being isolated from the outside world and thereby being unable to easily get help also looms in the subconsciousness of the characters – and by proxy the viewer – throughout the film.

However, the film is pretty straightforward in terms of its structure and style, but the overall production value manages to make the film an efficient slice of horror cinema. The obligatory exposition scene is also present, of course, but it is placed so late in the film and at a time where the audience will have been pulled far enough into the story that wanting an explanation and a conclusion to the story feels equally natural and necessary after the many well-executed moments of tension throughout the film.

As such, the only significant drawback of the film comes at the very end, where the frustrating choice to link Annabelle: Creation up to the events of the first Annabelle somewhat detracts from an otherwise solid effort from David F. Sandberg.

The story of the doll’s creation and what made it into a conduit for a demonic presence is not only remarkably better than the first Annabelle film, it also manages to showcase a style and atmosphere that both emphasizes its stylistic and tonal connection with The Conjuring, all the while avoiding becoming too derivative of its source material. Instead, Annabelle: Creation feels like a natural companion piece to the other films in this horror franchise, and while it hardly reinvents the horror genre, the film ultimately shows that good craftsmanship goes a long way in creating an effective horror film.

As a result, Annabelle: Creation not only delivers the tension and scares it should, it also made me begin to understand why my mother’s doll collection freaked out my childhood friends, just as it also left me rather relieved that she stopped collecting old dolls altogether.

To celebrate the grand season opening, we’re giving away five pairs of passes that can be used during Labor Day weekend, September 2, 3 and 4th!

Once again, Forces of Geek is excited to be involved with the judging of one of the upcoming themed weekend costumed contests, which we’ll be announcing details at a later date!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “KING RICHARD 2017” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

What 2001 film which shared a title with one of the The Canterbury Tales,
starred Heath Ledger as a peasant who posed as a knight?

Please include your name and mailing address (New England Residents only. You must be 18 years old. Travel and Lodging not included).

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

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

For more details, visit kingrichardsfaire.net

Nostalgia can be fickle.

It only takes a slight shift in age difference, or strictly regional relevance to make any piece of your nostalgiac past to seem as if it never happened at all.

Case in point, the 1975 television special/album Really Rosie, in which Carole King and Maurice Sendak joined music and lyrics to the latter’s 1962 mini-books known as The Nutshell Library.

As a Jewish kid growing up in the Midwest, I was completely in awe of both King and Sendak, in sound and vision. I would say I was obsessed with that television special and album.

This past week’s City Center Encore production of the 1980 Off-Broadway adaptation in New York helped me relive the exploration of emotions that haunted me as a kid. From chicken soup to nuts, it was a revival with only a few modern enhancements, and a whole lot of heart.

For fans of today’s Broadway, the cast was a roll-call of top kid talent including School of Rock star Taylor Caldwell as Rosie, Eduardo Hernandez (On Your Feet!), Zell Steele Morrow (Fun Home), Charlie Pollock (The Wild Party), and Anthony Rosenthal (Falsettos) to name a few.

Though the show was well attended by a balance of adults and kids, I spent the weeks before the show shocked how many friends my age had never heard of Really Rosie.

With the exception of one, who claimed it was required viewing in Hebrew school, I couldn’t find a single person who had heard of, let alone saw the original animated half-hour TV special.

Had I possibly grown up in some Bizarro universe in which Really Rosie didn’t also shape the childhoods of Generation X and those thereafter?

If it wasn’t for YouTube, Spotify or Wikipedia, I’d probably be running around the city like a mad man claiming “Really Rosie’s Real, Really!”

I mean, the Really Rosie special was a ratings success, the album made its way to 20 on the Billboard Top 200 list, and the books are still well stocked at any respectable bookstore still stocked with books. It’s not a niche, obscure local thing, because, um, it’s Carole King and Maurice Sendak for crying out loud. It’s not really a regional thing because as far as I can tell, the broadcast was nationwide and its album considered part of King’s post-Troubadour discography.

Really Rosie, if it did happen to be a part of your formative years, taught lessons as basic as the alphabet and as broached topics as intensely adult as mortality. Even as a kid, I remember thinking it was heavy stuff that most of the special dealt with the possible death Rosie’s brother, only to end in an absurd song called “Chicken Soup with Rice” teaching kids the months of the year.

Watching the revival last week, I was surprised how well it actually holds up. If anything, it’s a throwback to the less cautious tales for tots that flowed from the pen of Dr. Seuss, Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter and Shel Silverstein.

At this performance, there were no warnings, nor apologies to the audience for the lead children’s sometimes brash behavior and occasional insults towards one another. Like the television special its based on, Really Rosie isn’t always rose-tinted. This was probably the secret to its success in 1975, and certainly its continued legacy in 2017.

Celebrate the wonder when “Wonder Woman” arrives onto Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital. Gal Gadot returns as the DC Super Hero in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins (“Monster,” AMC’s “The Killing”).

The Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, and Blu-ray Combo Pack will include an all-new bonus scene never before seen in theaters.

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior.  Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

Joining Gadot in the international cast are Chris Pine (the “Star Trek” films), Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Netflix’s “House of Cards”), Danny Huston (“Clash of the Titans,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), David Thewlis (the “Harry Potter” films, “The Theory of Everything”), Connie Nielsen (Fox’s “The Following,” “Gladiator”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In”), Ewen Bremner (“Exodus: Gods and Kings,” “Snowpiercer”), Lucy Davis (“Shaun of the Dead,” FX’s “Better Things”), Lisa Loven Kongsli (upcoming “Ashes in the Snow”), Eugene Brave Rock (AMC’s “Hell on Wheels”) and Saïd Taghmaoui (“American Hustle”).

“Wonder Woman” will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray for $44.95, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $44.95, Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Ultra HD Blu-ray features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the theatrical version in 4K with HDR and a Blu-ray disc also featuring the theatrical version. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition and hi-definition; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray; and the DVD features the theatrical version in standard definition. The Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack will include a digital version of the movie with UltraViolet.  Fans can also own “Wonder Woman” via purchase from digital retailers beginning August 29.

Additionally, all of the special features, including an all-new bonus scene, interviews with filmmakers, featurettes, and extended scenes, can be experienced in an entirely new, dynamic and immersive manner on tablets and mobile phones using the Warner Bros. Movies All Access App, available for both iOS and Android devices. When purchased digitally and redeemed on UltraViolet, the Warner Bros. Movies All Access App allows users to watch the movie and simultaneously experience synchronized content related to any scene, simply by rotating their device. Synchronized content is presented on the same screen while the movie is playing, thus enabling users to quickly learn more about any scene, such as actor biographies, scene locations, fun trivia, or image galleries. Also, users can share movie clips with friends on social media and experience other immersive content. The Movies All Access app is available for download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

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

The film was produced by Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Richard Suckle, with Stephen Jones, Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, Wesley Coller and Rebecca Steel Roven serving as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Tencent Pictures and Wanda Pictures, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, “Wonder Woman.”  The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content.

“Wonder Woman” Ultra HD Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and Blu-ray Combo Pack contain the following special features:

• Epilogue: Etta’s Mission – Etta Candy gets the boys back together for a secret mission that could impact humanity’s future.
• Crafting the Wonder – Wonder Woman finally comes to life in her first, breathtaking solo film. Explore the journey to create an adventure worthy of DC’s greatest warrior.
• A Director’s Vision: Themyscira: The Hidden Island
• A Director’s Vision: Beach Battle
• A Director’s Vision: A Photograph Through Time
• A Director’s Vision: Diana in the Modern World
• A Director’s Vision: Wonder Woman at War
  • Join director Patty Jenkins as she takes you on an exclusive journey through “Wonder Woman’s” most pivotal and exciting moments

• Warriors of Wonder Woman – Witness the creation of the Amazon army as the women of “Wonder Woman” transform emotionally and physically into the world’s most powerful and heroic warriors.
• The Trinity – Filmmakers and comic book creators explore the legend of Wonder Woman and how she stands shoulder to shoulder with Superman and Batman to create the pillars of the DC Universe.
• The Wonder Behind the Camera – Meet the women behind the wonder as they welcome a group of aspiring filmmakers on set for an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Finding the Wonder Woman Within – Feel the power of Wonder Woman as award-winning poets and inspiring public figures reveal the impact and importance of DC’s greatest heroine.
• Extended Scenes
• Blooper Reel

“Wonder Woman” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special features:

• Crafting the Wonder
• A Director’s Vision: Themyscira: The Hidden Island
• A Director’s Vision: Beach Battle
• A Director’s Vision: A Photograph Through Time
• A Director’s Vision: Diana in the Modern World
• A Director’s Vision: Wonder Woman at War
• Warriors of Wonder Woman –
• The Trinity
• The Wonder Behind the Camera
• Finding the Wonder Woman Within
• Extended Scenes
• Blooper Reel

WonderWomanFilm.com

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After the adaptation of long-awaited The Dark Tower landing with a thud, we still have the chilling remake of Stephen King’s It arriving to cineplexes in just a few weeks.

This one-two punch from the Master of Horror has every blogger in town pulling together lists of all sorts counting down the best, the worst, the scariest, the goriest and the weirdest of King’s adaptations.

In truth, King’s work can be very hit or miss, and those are are hits, are very much a matter of opinion as to which is the best. Can the genius of Stanley Kubrick compare with Brian De Palma’s masterful camerawork in a Shining vs. Carrie showdown? Is 1408 really better that The Green Mile? (Hint: Yeah, it’s not. I’m looking at you, Vulture.)

But in all honesty, it all depends on the reader and that person’s relationship to the material. It’s really not for anyone else to say.

So, rather than squabble on the internet the merits of the cocaine-fuel joyride that is Maximum Overdrive, let’s just take a look back at all the full-length feature film adaptations of Kings work, trailer by trailer.

(To keep my sanity, this list will not include made-for-TV movies, miniseries, sequels to movies that were not originally King novels, anything written exclusively for the screen or any of King’s Dollar Babies.)

Carrie (1976)
Tagline: Take Carrie to the prom. I dare you!
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, John Travolta, Nancy Allen
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: The character of Margaret White was based on a woman King once worked with.

The Shining (1980)
Tagline: Stanley Kubrick’s epic nightmare of horror
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, Danny Lloyd, Danny Lloyd’s finger
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: King got the title from John Lennon‘s “Instant Karma” and the lyric “We all shine on.”

Creepshow (1982)
(NOTE: Two of the stories, Weeds and The Crate, are based on King stories. The others were written for the screen.)
Tagline: The Most Fun You’ll Ever Have… BEING SCARED!
Director: George A. Romero
Starring: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Leslie Nielsen, Ed Harris, Ted Danson, Stephen King
Small, Random Bit of Trivia:  In “The Lonesome Death Of Jordy Verrill,” you can spot a sign post that points to the infamous Castle Rock and to King’s hometown of Portland.

Cujo (1983)
Tagline: Unleash the terror.
Director: Lewis Teague
Starring: Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, five big friggin’ dogs
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Former alcoholic King admitted that he has no memory of writing Cujo

The Dead Zone (1983)
Tagline: He can see the future. But can he escape it?
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Christopher Walken, Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen, Brooke Adams
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Helmer Cronenberg originally filmed a scene in which Walken’s Johnny suffers a head injury while ice-skating as a young boy, showing the origins of his powers.

Christine (1983)
Tagline: Hell hath no Fury…like a 1958 Plymouth.
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Harry Dean Stanton, Alexandra Paul
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role of Arnie, but opted to star in Footloose.

Children of the Corn (1984)
Tagline: And a child shall lead them…
Director: Fritz Kiersch
Starring: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, a bunch of creepy, ass kids
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: The story originally appeared in King’s short story collection Night Shift, which appears in the film on the dashboard of Vicki and Burt’s car in the beginning of the film.

Firestarter (1984)
Tagline: She has the power . . . an evil destructive force.
Director: Mark L. Lester
Starring: Drew Barrymore, David Keith, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Barrymore beat out Jennifer Connelly for the role of Charlie.

Cat’s Eye (1985)
(NOTE: Only “Quitters, Inc.“ and “The Ledge,“ both from Night Shift, are adapted from King stories. The third segment was written for the screen.)
Tagline: Follow the newest cat-and-creature game as played through
Director: Lewis Teague
Starring: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Robert Hays, probably several cats
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: In the movie, James Woods watches The Dead Zone and makes the snide remark, “Who writes this crap?”

Silver Bullet  (1985)
Based on the novella: Cycle of the Werewolf
Tagline: Part human. Part wolf. Total terror.
Director: Daniel Attias
Starring: Corey Haim, Megan Follows, Gary Busey, Everett McGill
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Steven Segal killed both Busey and McGill in the Under Siege franchise.

Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Based on the short story “Trucks”
Tagline: Stephen King’s masterpiece of terror directed by the master himself.
Director: Stephen King
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Yeardley Smith
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: During the time of filming, King’s body was actually 80% cocaine. Including his clothes.

Stand by Me (1986)
Based on the novella The Body
Tagline: For some, it’s the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it’s the time that memories are made of.
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: To get into the character of bully Ace, Kiefer Sutherland often picked on Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell. Also, Kiefer Sutherland is a dick.

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Creepshow 2 (1987)
(NOTE: Only “The Raft” from Skeleton Crew is an adapted King story. The other two were written specifically for the film)
Tagline: 3 bloodcurdling tales of horror!
Director: Michael Gornick
Starring: Tom Savini, George Kennedy
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: In “The Raft”, one of the characters is wearing a shirt from ‘Horlicks University’, the same university stenciled on the crate from the original Creepshow.

The Running Man (1987)
Tagline: A game nobody survives. But Schwarzenegger has yet to play.
Director: Paul Michael Glaser
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson, Jesse Ventura, Mick Fleetwood, Maria Conchita Alonso, Dweezil Zappa
(NOTE: This casting director is the my spirit animal)
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Paula Abdul choreographed the dance scenes in the film

Pet Sematary (1989)
Tagline: Iconic terror from the No 1 bestselling writer.
Director: Mary Lambert
Starring: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Prior to Lambert taking the helm, George A. Romero and FX guru Tom Savini were approached to direct.

Graveyard Shift (1990)
Tagline: Stephen King took you to the edge with The Shining and Pet Sematary. This time……he pushes you over.
Director: Ralph S. Singleton
Starring: Brad Dourif, David Andrews, David Andrews
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: The name of the mill in the pic is Bachman Mills, which is a clever little shout out to King’s pseudonym

Misery (1990)
Tagline: Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he’s writing to stay alive.
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall, a sledgehammer
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: The only Stephen King adaptation to win an Oscar…so far.

The Lawnmower Man (1992)
NOTE: This is not King’s short story. New Line owned the rights to King’s original short story, but just used the title and the author’s name on this lesser, shitty sci-fi script an a desperate money-grab. King was none-to-pleased about the turn of events and sued the studio. Successfully.
Tagline: God made him simple. Science made him a god.
Director: James Gonis
Starring: Andy Clark, Helen Hanft, E.D. Phillips
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Story features Big Brother-esque baddies The Shop, the outfit from Firestarter.

The Dark Half (1993)
Tagline: Serious writer or serial killer? George is in two minds.
Director: George A. Romero
Starring: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Release was delayed for two years due to the bankruptcy of Orion Pictures

Needful Things (1993)
Tagline: Buy now. Pay later.
Director: Fraser C. Heston
Starring: Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Amanda Plummer, JT Walsh
Small, Random Bit of Trivia:  Set in Castle Rock, Maine, same as The Dead Zone, Cujo, Stand By Me and The Dark Half.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tagline: Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Helmer Darabont was once one of King’s Dollar Babies with his adaptation of “The Woman in the Room” in 1979.

The Mangler (1995)
Tagline: Escape is not an option.
Director: Tobe Hooper
Starring: Robert Englund
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Despite a dismal box office, it’s got two sequels.

Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Tagline:  They were separated by a death…and reunited by a murder.
Director: Taylor Hackford
Starring: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, John C. Reilly
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Kathy Bates has stated that this is her favorite performance

Thinner (1996)
Tagline: More terror. Less filling
Director: Tom Holland
Starring: Robert John Burke, Joe Mantegna, Lucinda Jenney
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: During filming, King gave Burke one note on how to play Billy: “Eat.”

The Night Flier (1997)
Tagline: Never believe what you publish…Never publish what you believe.
Director: Mark Pavia
Starring: Miguel Ferrer
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Reporter Richard Dees also appears in The Dead Zone.

Apt Pupil (1998)
Tagline: If you don’t believe in the existence of evil, you’ve got a lot to learn.
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Brad Renfro, Ian McKellen, Joshua Jackson
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: McKellan’s perf in Cold Comfort Farm convinced Singer to cast the 57-year-old as the 75-year-old former Nazi.

The Green Mile (1999)
Tagline: This is a story about a miracle where I work… The Green Mile.
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, David Morse, Sam Rockwell, Harry Dean Stanton
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: On the DVD, Stephen King stated that this film with the single most faithful adaptation of his work yet.

Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
Tagline: What if one of life’s great mysteries moved in upstairs?
Director: Scott Hicks
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis, David Morse
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Hope Davis and Anton Yelchin (RIP) also play mother and son in the movie Charlie Bartlett

Dreamcatcher (2003)
Tagline: Catch The Nightmare.
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Tom Sizemore
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Stephen King wrote the novel while recovering from a near-fatal accident in which he was hit by a van while walking.

Secret Window (2004)
Tagline: Some windows should never be opened.
Director: David Koepp
Starring: Johnny Depp, Maria Bello, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Movie’s debut was moved up to cash in on the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Riding the Bullet (2004)
Tagline: The dead travel fast
Director: Mick Garris
Starring: David Arquette, Jonathan Jackson, Barbara Hershey
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: The nurse that cares for Mrs. Parker is named Annie Wilkes.

1408 (2007)
Tagline: The Dolphin Hotel invites you to stay in any of its stunning rooms. Except one.
Director: Mikael Håfström
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: DVD runtime:  104 minutes, 8 seconds

The Mist (2007)
Tagline: Belief divides them, mystery surrounds Them, but fear changes everything
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Toby Jones
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Pic features Jeffrey DeMunn, Melissa McBride, Laurie Holden, Juan Gabriel Pareja, Cheri Dvorak, Sam Witwer, and Tiffany Morgan, who would go on to work with Darabont on The Walking Dead.

No Smoking (2007)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Starring: John Abraham, Ayesha Takia, Paresh Rawal
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: A Bollywood adaptation of a King short story

Dolan’s Cadillac (2009)
Director: Jeff Beesley
Starring: Christian Slater, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Wes Bentley
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Slater replaced Sylvester Stallone in the production

Carrie (2013)
Tagline: Know her name. Fear her power.
Director: Kimberly Peirce
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: First time the character of Carrie White was played by an actual teenager.

A Good Marriage (2014)
Tagline: Two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead.
Director: Peter Askin
Starring: Joan Allen, Anthony LaPaglia
Small, Random Bit of Trivia:  King’s first self-adapted screenplay since Pet Sematary.

Mercy (2014)
Director: Peter Cornwell
Starring: Frances O’Connor, Dylan McDermott, Mark Duplass, Shirley Knight, Chandler Riggs
Small, Random Bit of Trivia:  R L Flag Home for the Aged is a reference to Randall Flagg, an often used big bad from King work (The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon)

Cell (2016)
Tagline:  When everyone is connected no one is safe
Director: Tod Williams
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Stacy Keach
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Movie travels with a curse. Anyone who attempt to program it for a festival or market it will never be heard of again. True story.

The Dark Tower (2017)
Tagline: There are other worlds than these
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor
Small, Random Bit of Trivia: Actor in consideration for the Gunslinger included Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Christian Bale and Viggo Mortensen.

Produced by Dave Fong
Written and Directed by Jino Kang
Starring Jino Kang, Timmy Mah

In the first installment of what we can only hope becomes a serial, Kid Fury starts off quickly and to the point with its setup, main characters and, above all, fast paced action.

A mysterious box comes into the possession of a well dressed and menacing gangster (Jino Kang, Weapon of Choice) and a young man (Timmy Mah) confronts him at his dojo to reclaim it.

Well choreographed action ensues for the remainder of the short, with henchmen of similar age to the boy coming at him left and right.

The bulk of the feature is filmed in black and white, which adds an artistic touch to the action.

Kang is brilliant here. Channeling “Beat” Takeshi and combining a few other classic yakuza movie elements to his character, Kang carries this feature more with his mannerisms and demeanor than with his martial arts choreography, which is incredible in its own right.

Mah’s athletic prowess is immediately apparent within minutes, carrying the choreography load with attrition and athleticism you might not even get from most of the typical acting veterans. Like a ’90s era Image comic book, there is far more action than story here, which is perfect for something of this short length. The camera work and action is not as dynamic or high impact as you’ll see in Weapon of Choice, but the actors here are very young and full of potential, hopefully featured in recurring roles and even perhaps built up as characters themselves.

There is enough mystery and even revelation thrown into this short that the audience should be very curious to see what happens in potential future installments. The very decision to go with a short story format is very fresh in comparison to what else is out there, and it is exciting to think of what might be next for Jino Kang and his Kid Fury.

Written and directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Azazel Jacobs, and starring three-time Academy Award nominee Debra Winger (Best Actress, An Officer and a Gentleman, 1982), The Lovers arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital HD) and DVD August 1 from Lionsgate. Theatrically released by A24, The Lovers is a refreshing, funny look at love, fidelity, and family. The critically acclaimed film features a standout ensemble cast, including Tony Award winner Tracy Letts (The Big Short, Indignation), Aidan Gillen (Sing Street, “Game of Thrones”), Melora Walters (The Butterfly Effect), Tyler Ross (Zombieland), and Jessica Sula (Split), and is Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh.

A husband and wife (Tracy Letts and Debra Winger), each embroiled in a secret, extramarital affair, are sent reeling when they suddenly fall for the least likely person imaginable – one another – in this scalpel-sharp, deliciously grown-up comedy.

Featuring all-new bonus content, including audio commentary with writer and director Azazel Jacobs and two behind-the-scenes featurettes.

And we’re giving away five copies!

Produced by David Lawson Jr.,
Bob Portal, Travis Stevens
Based on the novel by Bryan Smith
Written and Directed Trent Haaga
Starring Matthew Gray Gubler,
AnnaLynne McCord, Alisha Boe,
Sheila Vand, Sam Eidson,
Michael Beasley, James Moses Black
A Fantasia Film Festival Selection

This movie seemed like it was a pretty standard low-budget heist movie with two young stupid people stealing from a criminal and then running and fighting and killing the rest of the film; kind of like True Romance without the big budget.

But Trent Haaga, a regular actor in many grind-core films, had something else entirely in store.

There was a dorky guy Chip, Matthew Gray Gubler of Criminal Minds, and a hot girl Liza, AnnaLynne McCord of 90210 who pulled in extra money having sex with sleazy local businessman. He showed her $68,000 dollars to show off and she decided to rip him off.

But when she and Chip arrived to steal the money, she went full psycho and killed the guy: this was in the trailer so I don’t consider it a spoiler. Chip freaked out. And Violet freaked out. Chip and Liza quickly subdued Violet, Alisha Boe of 13 Reasons Why, and threw her in the trunk of their car. So when Chip freaked out further and fled with the car the real plot of the movie kicked in. Chip and Violet ran from the psycho Liza and straight into bad and worse situations.

Chip was a marshmallow who thought with his penis. Between Liza, Violet, and an unfortunate encounter with Monica, Shiela Vand of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, he was bounced and beaten and chased and stripped and drugged and just treated in an all around bad way.

An interesting side note was that this movie had three strong female characters whose power came from their relationship to sex. Two of them used sex as a weapon and the third was victimized by it. But even then the power of sex was an easily pierced facade that showed how empty and violent their lives were.

Another good character by an underrated actor was Liza’s brother Dwayne played by Sam Eidson of Zero Charisma. He sold the creepy, snuff-loving brother who was more psycho than Liza.

This film was a wild ride. But with all of the chaos it was Chip’s story and what his severe beatings taught him that made this film more than just another grind-core blood bath.

Produced by Lyle Kanouse, Lisa Long,
Graham Skipper, Audrey Wasilewski
Written and Directed by Graham Skipper
Starring Chase Williamson, Lyle Kanouse
Fabianne Therese, Audrey Wasilewski,
Johnny Dinan

Sequence Break: “Performing actions or obtaining items out of the linear order intended by the game’s designers, either as a challenge or in order to skip certain sections of the game.”

That definition is integral to this film.

Sequence Break is a film that not everyone will get, but then again this is a film not made for everyone. This is a film for fans of 80’s body horror and rubber reality movies.

Sequence Break is very much an 80’s throwback film but not in a kitschy way… this is a more earnest attempt to actually make a film as if it were made in the 80’s but with a current perspective.

Unlike other throwback films, Sequence Break knows what it is setting out to do and does not allow itself to get trapped in nostalgia. The effects all being practical also help considerably. The movie is very much attempting to be an 80’s Cronenberg homage but it goes well out of it’s way to forge it’s own identity as well.

That all said it is really the modern heir to Videodrome. I say that with no snark. Sequence Break is an obvious homage to Videodrome without ever really copying the movie save for a few similar themes and ideas.

Sequence Break is the story of an awkward and shy coin-op video game repairman named Oz who finds a strange circuit-board for an unknown video game. This video game soon begins to strangle and entangle Oz into madness and obsession. At this same time Oz is starting to break out of his shell with a video game girl named Tess who is also getting entrapped by the game. With the “aid” of a vagrant who knows far more than he lets on things take a turn for the weird and I will leave it there. The rest you can see for yourself.

“Don’t look into the void… force the void to look into you!”

Bathed in rich blues, reds and greens, Sequence Break utilizes color not only to create the appropriate atmosphere, but also the colors are important to the story… even if you don’t realize this at the time you first see them. There is hardly a scene in which the stylized lighting is not present to some degree. The use of color gives everything a visual depth which dovetails into aspects of the story.

Directed by Graham Skipper (Gordon from the similarly unique throwback film, Beyond the Gates) in such a manner that a distinct style is evident from a (relative) newcomer is refreshing and welcomed. Starring Chase Williamson (John Dies At The End and Beyond The Gates) and Fabianne Therese (also from John Dies At The End) Sequence Break feels like a strange reunion of John Dies At The End. Hell, the movie could almost be a side story for David Wong from that movie.

Vast swathes of Sequence Break go by without dialog and are effectively told by the visuals even if the cause of the film’s events are left vague at best (the circuit-board that is the center of the movie is never really explained) but even without dialog the acting is fantastic and that makes this movie work. I mean this is a film where a man has sex with a video game cabinet and a bio-mechanical video game has orgasms. The acting and direction never allow the material to seem goofy.

The parallels with Videodrome are inevitable and since Videodrome was an obvious inspiration I would argue they are not only welcomed, but encouraged. I will say this though… Sequence Break is far more hopeful than Videodrome with Oz and Max Renn (from Videodrome) taking very different paths if you allow that they are arguably playing out the same scenario.

In the end Sequence Break asks the question – Who a person is at their source code? What happens if you break the sequence and rearrange the 1’s and 0′?

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment returns to the roots of DC’s greatest Super Heroes – and their unifying moment – with the celebratory release of Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Steelbook, and DVD on October 3, 2017.

For the new Commemorative Edition of the popular 2008 PG-13 animated film, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has produced an all-new featurette spotlighting the late Darwyn Cooke. The comic book author and artist’s seminal work, DC: The New Frontier, received an Eisner, Harvey and Shuster Award, and that six-issue comic book limited series served as the key source material from which the film was adapted. Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition also features box art from Cooke’s canon of dazzling New Frontier imagery.

Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition is the epic tale of the founding of the Justice League. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the animated film is directed by David Bullock from a script by Stan Berkowitz. Sander Schwartz and Bruce Timm are Executive Producers.  Michael Goguen is Supervising Producer

The action-packed adventure features iconic DC Super Heroes Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman alongside Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and The Flash as they band together to form the legendary team. Strangers at first, these very different heroes must overcome fear and suspicion to forge an alliance against a monster so formidable, even the mighty Superman cannot stop it alone. If they fail, the entire planet will be “cleansed” of humanity.

Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition features an impressive roll call of celebrity voice performances, including Golden Globe Award winner Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) as Superman, Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order) as Batman, Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess) as Wonder Woman, Emmy and Tony Award winner Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Barry Allen/The Flash, David Boreanaz (Bones) as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) as Carol Ferris, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) as Lois Lane, Phil Morris (Seinfeld) as King Faraday, and the late Miguel Ferrer (NCIS: Los Angeles) as Martian Manhunter. The cast also boasts the voices of Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds), Keith David (Platoon), Vicki Lewis (NewsRadio) and the late John Heard (Big).

Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition includes incredible bonus features on both the Blu-ray Combo Pack and the DVD:

• Featurette – “Retro Action Cool: The Story of Darwyn Cooke” – A revealing look into the life and times of one of comics’ most brilliant figures, the late Darwyn Cooke.
• Featurette – “Super Heroes United! The Complete Justice League History” – A comprehensive look at nearly a half-century of Justice League chronology from the inception in the comics to vivid animated renditions in the late 2000s. The story is told with a myriad of interviews tracing the early days of DC Super Hero team ups during the Golden Age to the Silver Age rendition where the established heroes emerged and beyond. Interviews include such notables as Dan DiDio, Michael Uslan, Paul Levitz, Mark Waid, Denny O’Neil, Stan Lee and Marv Wolfman.
• Featurette – “The Legion of Doom: The Pathology of the DC Super Villain” – This 10-minute piece examines the early mythological archetypes of nemesis characters from a historical perspective and reveals how the tenants of this rich history were adapted and woven into the Justice League stories.
• Featurette – “Comic Book Commentary: Homage to the New Frontier” – This mini-documentary is a nod to the fans of the New Frontier comics, further expanding the themes contained in the source material and how these elements were truncated or evolved for inclusion in the film. It features vivid imagery culled from the pages of DC: The New Frontier, mixed with the commentary of Darwyn Cooke. This featurette is a treat for both fans and scholars of the medium.
• Sneak Peak: Gotham by Gaslight – A behind-the-scenes look at the next DC Universe Original Movie, inspired by the 1989 Elseworlds tale of Batman – at the turn of the 20th century – as first created as a graphic novel by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola, with inks by P. Craig Russell.
• Audio Commentary I/The Filmmakers – Featuring Justice League: The New Frontier filmmakers Bruce Timm, Michael Goguen, David Bullock, Stan Berkowitz, Andrea Romano and Gregory Noveck.
• Audio Commentary II/Darwyn Cooke – Featuring award-winning writer/artist Darwyn Cooke

“Justice League: The New Frontier – Commemorative Edition gives fans the opportunity to savor the unique genius of such a legendary comic talent as Darwyn Cooke in a thrilling, animated adaptation of a modern classic,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “The addition of an all-new Darwyn Cooke mini-documentary adds to the special celebration of his work. And his story serves as a keen reminder of the history of these cherished DC Super Heroes, in perfect timing with the theatrical release of the Justice League film.”

Produced by Adam Carl, Julian Fort
Written and Directed by Julian Fort
Starring Leon Russom, Gregory Sims,
John Wesley, Costa Ronin, Stuart McLean,
Eve Mauro, Karry Cedar, Charles Dierkop

I am a big fan of the, “where do I know that guy from?” game. It’s always a good time when you are watching something and an actor creates such an itch at the back of your head you have to hit pause and spin up IMDB, just so you can get relief. Is there anything more satisfying than the relief you feel when you can say, “That’s where I know that guy from!”

The Midnighters is full of “that guys” and it makes it a lot of fun to watch. The plot is not a new one. Aged ex-con bank robber gets pulled into one last job by his estranged son. Unsurprisingly the son isn’t completely transparent and the plot goes sideways. It doesn’t matter that it’s a movie you’ve seen before. It has enough nuances and twists you can really enjoy it anyway.

There is also something special about “that guys” that have been stage actors for 100 years and been on 1 episode of a 100 shows or have been long time supporting characters on other shows. They are professionals from top to bottom. It’s a skill that only comes with years of clawing your way in the entertainment industry. You hit your mark, because if you don’t, that production company won’t cast you again. You deliver your lines, exactly as written, because if you don’t, that director won’t want to work with you again. You master your facial expressions, body language and other subtleties that get you cast in small speaking rolls for over 40 years. The star of this movie is Leon Russom and he defines, that guy. This movie is worth watching for him alone.

Julian Fort wrote and directed The Midnighters and as writing and directing debuts go, it was a pretty decent effort. The dialogue is human and natural. The conflicts, while not particularly original are believable. The movie isn’t particularly long and I think it could have been really interesting if he had fleshed out the script a little more. There were a couple of side plots that got glossed over. I don’t think he really spent enough time on the father/son relationship either. However, if you have 90 minutes to kill and you like heist movies, this won’t disappoint you. Leon Russom wouldn’t allow it. He’s too much of a pro.

3.5 out 5 stars

For screening information, visit Facebook.com/TheMidnighters

I must confess.

I didn’t see Girls Trip until its second weekend in theaters. Yes, I have sinned, and I paid the penance –of kicking myself for not seeing this movie as soon as it hit a theater.

My wife and I missed out on Girls Trip’s opening weekend because every screening sold out before we looked for tickets.

(Yes, this current age of all reserved seats takes the pain out of waiting in lines, but increases the anxiety of an impromptu time at the movies. That’s how my mom and I saw True Lies back in 1994. Wow, that movie doesn’t age well, what with the gaslighting Jamie Lee Curtis for laughs and all, but I swear Tom Arnold was a perfect second banana.)

Check your ticket app now! Maybe there’s still a seat. Go see it. I enjoyed myself, and chances are, so will you.

I loved the overall for-us-by-us nature of the film, taking place at the Essence Festival, a mecca of black femininity! There’s an entire joke built around self-help expert Iyanla Vanzant! Sean “Puffy” Combs plays himself and puts his Ciroc vodka on the screen! We see concerts of Maxwell and Babyface! A main villain in the film is an Instagram ho, and a major joke revolves around a black-famous viral video involving creative use of a grapefruit! Like, they knewwww what they were doing.

Watching Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah and Tiffany Haddish tear up the screen made me furious with how generally underemployed they all are. If no one else was going to give these four black actresses a movie in which they got to be funny in the context of other black people, then leave it to director Malcolm D. Lee and producer Will Packer, both black, to do it. If the majority of the industry would not produce a script, leave it to Kenya Barris (black-ish) and Tracy Oliver (The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl) to write it and keep it 100.

The movie flies when it focuses on those four women and their relationships to each other. And among the many things Girls Trip got me thinking about is black women and emotional labor.

What is emotional labor? It’s a process of managing feelings and expressions to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job, and how workers are expected to regulate their emotions during interactions with customers, co-workers and superiors. This process is particularly strong in service-based industries.

The concept of emotional labor has gained more traction in feminist discussions because service-based work is often gendered female, and so-called women’s jobs are paid less and held in lower regard. Emotional labor also has gained traction in discussions of sexism through personal relationships, in which patriarchy assumes that women must accommodate men’s attitudes and behaviors while women suppress their own feelings. To submit to their own oppression and abuse in a dialectic of inequitable power.

This concept comes through even harder for black women and women of color, for whom the “double whammy” of belonging to two less-powerful social classes simultaneously.

From Girls Trip to Issa Rae’s HBO comedy Insecure to TNT crime drama Claws, emotional labor through the life of a black female central character is a common thread throughout them all.

From a workforce perspective, several of these characters are in “feminized” work in which people are expected to manage others’ feelings and expressions. Insecure’s Issa works at a nonprofit afterschool program, Desna is a nail technician with her own salon on Claws, and Ryan is a self-help relationship expert in Girls Trip.

Issa spends most of Insecure’s first season swallowing her disaffection for her layabout boyfriend, Lawrence. He’s too busy sitting on the couch for two years, plotting his tech empire, while not accepting any other work to get him off that furniture.

Issa wants to break up with Lawrence, but swallows her unhappiness to the point of sleeping with an old crush. Bad decision that it was, why wouldn’t Issa?

Such emotional labor creates a heavy load to bear, maybe too heavy. Given the stereotype of the strong black woman, she is expected to bear it. That myth is all emotional labor, isn’t it?

On Claws, Desna Simms spends much of the series beset on all sides while having to mama-bear her way through holding everything together. In the nail salon, she looks after Polly, a grifter fresh from prison; she drops everything when her BFF Jennifer is in trouble; she tries to help Virginia leave behind a life of selling her body and getting by on her looks; she gives a safe harbor to the enigmatic Quiet Ann (Judy Reyes – yes, Carla from Scrubs – in a revelatory role).

Desna’s gender and race figure into what pushes her over the edge in an attempted murder that sets the entire season’s plot in motion. Desperate for money to afford a better life for herself and her autistic brother, Desna agrees to launder money from Uncle Daddy’s drug dealing operation. She plans to buy a bigger, better nail salon in a moneyed part of Miami with said money, and live that American dream.

Desna is the black woman doing “the wash” for a bunch of white men – Uncle Daddy, Roller, and Dr. Ken. Uncle Daddy, the show’s ostensible villain, runs the Dixie Mafia. In one episode he has Desna organize a Gone with the Wind-themed party. And he even calls her “Miss Desna,” like she’s the maid or something. When Desna wants out of the money laundering and her fair share of the profit as promised, the white men in charge laugh her off. She has to manage her reactions and their feelings lest they kill her.

As each move Desna makes comes back to haunt her, and the trap tightens, the viewer is left wondering if Desna ever can get out. Whether Desna ever can win.

So maybe that’s part of what made this past week’s episode of Insecure, “Hella Open,” so refreshing, because at least one black woman on the show rejected performing emotional labor. Thank you, Tasha.

Since Insecure began and focused on the relationship of Issa and Lawrence, a lot of attention has been paid to audiences on Black Twitter using the show as some referendum on relationships and black love. Thus, we’ve gotten Team Issa and Team Lawrence. But while Team Issa is generally about supporting women’s wants and emotions in the face of their particular struggles, Team Lawrence has been a misogynoir-fueled hellscape of ashy fools!

When Issa cheated on Lawrence after he did what she wanted him to do by motivating himself into a job and getting his act together, and Lawrence rebounded his way to bank teller Tasha with the backshots heard ‘round the world, Team Lawrence rejoiced. As if they have Lawrence’s abs, intellect, or have their own Tasha – full of pillowy cleavage, long hair and slim-thick curves – that they “earned.”

Never mind that Lawrence was a feckless wonder who attended to none of Issa’s needs or wants, until it was too late, then wanted to act like he was the good guy.

Ugh.

All of this is so frustrating. I don’t think the show itself sets you up to root for either Issa or Lawrence. They both do some pretty trash stuff, because they’re people, and people do trash stuff. Even people you like!

Insecure is about how the simplest, smallest things get so muddled and complicated, which is a lived-in experience from Issa Rae, the self-proclaimed awkward black girl.

If anyone’s been straight-up on this show, it’s Tasha, and people acted like she’s an awful homewrecker, because they got swept up in what formula would tell you should happen. Tasha didn’t do anything except be a rebound that she didn’t even know she was. Tasha was always honest, even as Issa jealously chided Tasha for being basic on her Instagram, and Lawrence bristled at her presumably lower-class family. (A twerking flute player counts as low class, right?)

When Tasha tried to turn her relationship with Lawrence into something more than weekend sexing, Lawrence had sex with his ex. When he told her about it, Tasha didn’t fight, said they never established being exclusive, and gave him another shot. But when Lawrence ghosted on her family cookout after a few minutes (!) to attend a tech-biz party, Tasha told him off and bounced. Tasha gave Lawrence her real emotions, hiding nothing, and read him proper as “a fuck-nigga who thinks he’s a good dude.”

Yes, Tasha. She saw Lawrence’s emotional labor and said, “I quit.”

Emotional labor as a form of lying – by swallowing the true emotions – figures into Girls Trip as well. Ryan spends most of the movie caught between keeping her friendships alive with her Flossy Posse girlfriends, and fueling her self-help and relationship empire with her philandering husband, Stewart.

The Flossy Posse represents keeping it real – they’re the girlfriends down to clown since their college days at FAMU. And Stewart is part of a career in which she upholds the lie of “having it all.” Stewart cautions Ryan that, on the eve of closing a giant deal with a Walmart-style retailer, it only works if they remain together.

Notice that Ryan, in her business world, is a black woman caught between a black man (her husband), and two white women – her agent, and the CEO of the “family company” bidding eight figures. Ryan becomes a stand-in for how black women are expected to swallow their emotions amid the dynamics of racism and sexism. The movie even speaks, albeit very problematically, on femininity as expressed through pregnancy.

It all comes to a head at Ryan’s keynote speech, in which she begins by parroting the prepared denials of Stewart’s infidelity as written by her agent, whom we see mouthing the words as Ryan speaks. In an only-in-the-movies moment, the Flossy Posse burst into the auditorium and disrupt the entire speech, and Ryan then begins to speak from the heart about no longer swallowing pain.

Through sisterhood, Ryan throws off her own emotional labor and embraces realness. And unapologetically embracing that realness – from sexuality to dance battles to throwing punches and getting ripshit on absinthe – is what Girls Trip was all about.

I can’t wait for the sequel. But in the meantime, give these ladies a lot more work, OK?

Capturing the phenomenon of today’s social media and the consequences of being permanently checked in, the gripping modern thriller is directed and co-written for the screen by James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now) and Dave Eggers (A Hologram for the King), and features an all-star cast, including Emma Watson (Beauty and the Beast), Oscar winner Tom Hanks (Best Actor, Forrest Gump, 1994), John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy), Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood), Emmy winner Patton Oswalt (Writing for Variety Special, “Talking for Clapping,” 2016), Glenne Headly (“The Night Of”), and Golden Globe nominee Bill Paxton (Best Actor, Television – Drama, “Big Love,” 2010) in his final role.

When Mae (Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics, and ultimately, her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family, and all of humanity.

And we’re giving away five copies!

Bedside Press publisher Hope Nicholson has built a reputation as not only a comics historian, but also as the curator of the Dark Horse collections The Secret Loves of Geek Girls & The Secret Loves of Geeks, the organizer of the Margaret Atwood Angel Catbird series, and the writer of the feminist comics history The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen.

Her latest project is currently live on Kickstarter, a new book, Gothic Tales of Haunted Love, an anthology of gothic romance comics (an homage to the short-lived 1970s genre!). It’s a new take, with creators from different genders, sexualities, and cultures telling stories that take the characters into whole new plots.

Featuring 22 original stories from some of modern comics’ finest talent, Gothic Tales of Haunted Love collects fragments of lovers torn apart, ghostly revenge, and horrific deeds, in the vein of 1970s gothic romance comics such as Haunted Love, Ghostly Tales, Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love, and Gothic Romances. Discover a diverse range of heroes and villains, spirits and monsters, in a modern reimagining that will leave your heart pounding and broken in the same seductive breath.

Hope took some time to discuss the project with FOG!

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: So, you’re currently running a Kickstarter for Gothic Tales of Haunted Love, a new anthology of gothic romance short stories. What was the genesis of this project?

Hope Nicholson: When I was researching comic trends for a history book I wrote called The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen, I came across the gothic romance genre that was popular and short-lived in the 1970s. It was a bit of a mix between the emergence of the surge in horror comics, and the end of the popularity of romance comics. And to me, it blended the best of both genres!

They were overly dramatic, and had more plot twists and drama than in the traditional romance comics, but still with the same emotional connection. The limitation being that they were mostly only starring white women and straight romances. By hiring creators with a wide variety of experiences, I was able to create a book that captured the same drama and intensity of these comics, but with a much more global scope and variety of romantic interests.

Gothic Tales of Haunted Love pays homage to the gothic romance comics in the seventies. Why do you think this genre disappeared from the medium and why do you think now is the time to resurrect it?

Romance comics as a whole was definitely running on its last legs. This was largely due to two factors: the fading of the newstand market and rise of the direct market system which pushed a lot of casual female readers out of reading comics, and also the fact that they were incredibly formulaic and people were craving grittier content.

So even though gothic romance was a list ditch attempt to boost the popularity, spurred by the popularity of shows like Dark Shadows, it wasn’t enough.

I think people are gravitating back towards romance comics now, or at least I hope so!

You’re not only an editor, but a writer, journalist and publisher. Your earliest work focused on researching and republishing some forgotten work from the Canadian comic book industry. What got you interested in comics and what inspired you to focus on the history of the Canadian comic industry?

I never had anything that got me interested in comics, I just always read them.

For me, I first heard of the Canadian comics of the 1940s in university and I waited for years for someone to bring them back! But when no one did, and I had already helped make a film about them I thought, well I guess I will.

You’ve also edited two volumes of The Secret Loves of Geek Girls and wrote The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen. Do you think that the industry is better for women than it used to be?

It’s still tough. If it’s better, it’s only marginally so and needs to improve.

There seems to be more female comic readers than ever before.

Do you think that female readers found it more socially acceptable to read comics, or do you think that it’s a combination of female creators creating material that are appealing to readers of both genders?

Well it’s really about accessibility! Male readership was at par with female readership during the newstand era of comics. But when they went into the direct market, underground comic shops, head shops, conventions, etc. it preserved the industry but it also made male readership dominate (though it’s never been the case where female readership was totally extinguished!).

When webcomics were created, suddenly male readership and female readership was at par again for this medium, with many titles dominated by female readers, because the accessibility was there for everyone! and with the domination of trade and graphic novels and digital comics today, suddenly, while we’re not quite at newstand accessibility, it’s getting pretty close, and so is female readership.

Who or what have been the biggest influences on your work?

Definitely for The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen, Trina Robbins was the biggest inspiration. She did all of the heavy work digging up proof that women have been reading and making comics since the beginning of comic’s existence. I just basically cleaned up and tried to find a few things she might have missed (not much!).

Assuming that the campaign for Gothic Tales of Haunted Love is a success, what else do you have coming up? Are there plans to do a second volume?

Well, I have a graphic novel adaptation of Window Horses, a NFB film, coming out shortly, and The Secret Loves of Geeks, an all-gender sequel to The Secret Loves of Geek Girls is coming out in February!

I have signed a deal for a new book as well, but I can’t talk about it yet.

What are you currently geeking out over?

Like everyone else probably Game of Thrones! I hope everyone dies in it and the White-Walkers win.

In regard to books, probably one of the most powerful, funny, and heartwarming comics I’ve read in a very long time is My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Kabi Nagata and I highly recommend everyone to read it!

To support the Kickstarter, click HERE!

From the Clone Wars and the Rebellion to the clashes with the First Order, the galaxy is defined by war. Star Wars: On the Front Lines chronicles the tactics, weapons, and armor used in pivotal battles along with profiling acts of valor achieved during the campaign. By focusing on elements of the battles that occurred “off screen,” this collection brings the struggles faced by ground soldiers and starfighter pilots to life like never before and places the reader on the battle lines.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

In The Battle of Hoth, what was the name of Luke Skywalker’s Gunner?

Please include your name, and address (U.S. 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 August 27th, 2017.

It hurts to say so, but Alien: Covenant is being called a dud.

There have been a handful of high-profile sequels and reboots this summer that have considerably underperformed or flat-out bombed—from the insanely expensive new Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean flicks to reboots of The Mummy and King Arthur—but the failure of Alien: Covenant to launch is simply baffling. Comparing Covenant to the rest of the duds of the season isn’t completely fair, given that its tighter production budget (reportedly $97 million) is a fraction of what was spent for those loud and over-bloated Transformer/Pirate thingies (and darned if Ridley Scott doesn’t take that $97 million and produce a movie that looks as though it cost twice that much).

Further, reviews for Covenant weren’t exactly ecstatic but the film’s critical aggregate (71%) is stratospheres above those other movies’ respective 15%, 29%, 16%, and 28% scores. And, finally, with its big, bad, no-holds-barred “R” rating, Covenant is the only film on this list aimed squarely at an adult audience.

Anticipation for Alien: Covenant was high, even if fans and critics remain divided over the previous film Prometheus, which largely ignores the Alien mythology and its plot tropes in favor of a headier quest to find our creator. Some fans admire Prometheus for its ambitions despite its flaws; others decry its abundance of stupid characters and its utter lack of recognizable facehuggers, chestbursters, and drooling acid-blooded monsters.

Covenant aims to right the wrongs of Prometheus by skewing closer to the Alien formula, and the movie’s terrific red-band trailer promised plenty of blood, viscera, cussing, and even a little skin. Alas, Covenant opened to those less-than-enthusiastic reviews and grossed a measly $34 million on its first weekend. By the time word got around that Covenant is light years better than Prometheus, the film had already darted out of cinemas quicker than a scuttling xenomorph.

That’s too bad, because Covenant accomplishes a splendid course-correction for the franchise, and doubles down on all the series staples fans expect: nightmarish images, Giger-esque production design, icky facehuggers, gory bits of body-bursting, skittering xenomorphs with acid for blood, a sinister android, a tough female hero, the obligatory fake ending, and even a little gratuitous T&A. Then the story finishes off with a devious plot twist that will have fans begging for Scott to do at least one more movie to tidy up the prequel story and finally achieve what he’s been promising to do from the get-go: link up to the events of the original 1979 Alien.

Maybe I’m biased because I’ve seen Alien: Covenant (twice, in fact) and therefore know how good it is, but the film deserved to be a bigger hit.

Not since Dredd in 2012 has a gritty, hard-R-rated futuristic sci-fi thriller satisfied fanboy lust so efficiently and thoroughly and yet—somehow—failed to generate any sparks at the box office.

Maybe audience apathy for franchises in general is beginning to take its toll, but I fear it will become a regular occurrence that a solid adult-oriented movie worthy of being a blockbuster will slip through the cracks and get lost among the shuffle of generic PG-13 formula garbage and competing shared universe episodes.

There’s no denying the sharp drop in box office gross for Alien: Covenant ($232M global) as compared to Prometheus ($403M global), but the comparison isn’t entirely fair because the films’ release patterns were different—Prometheus benefited from higher 3D/IMAX ticket prices whereas the filmmakers (wisely) abandoned the 3D format entirely for Covenant and so its gross was not inflated by 3D upcharges; IMAX was also a non-factor this time, thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hogging up most available large format screens. Since Covenant was produced on a tighter budget than its predecessor, it will be easier for the movie to turn a profit. All this to suggest a big splash on home video for Covenant could be the deciding factor in whether 20th Century Fox will trust (indulge) Ridley Scott and gamble another hundred million dollars on a third and final Alien prequel.

Alien: Covenant arrives on DVD and Blu-ray August 15 and, if you’re a fan of the series, is worth a purchase. I rank it at number three on the list of best Alien movies, right behind the first two films.

Soon fans will discover this movie at home, watch it over and over and, I suspect, mentally kick themselves each time for not having seen it in a giant theater.

Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment bring together two of pop culture’s all-time heroes – TV’s original Batman and Captain Kirk, Adam West and William Shatner, respectively – to voice the title characters in the full-length, animated feature film, Batman vs. Two-Face. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will make the all-new movie available October 10, 2017 on Digital and October 17, 2017 on Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98 SRP) and DVD ($19.98 SRP).

As the sequel to the 2016 hit animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, the all-new Batman vs. Two-Face finds Batman and Robin back in classic 1960s action, protecting Gotham City from some of the most nefarious villains in comics history. But when the mutilated master of multiplicity, Two-Face, begins staging a daring crime wave across Gotham, the Caped Crusaders must work double-time to discover his mysterious secret identity before they can halt his evil-doing – all the while combating the likes of Catwoman, Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Bookworm, Hugo Strange and King Tut!

The late Adam West leads the star-studded cast in his final performance as Batman. The beloved actor delivers an inspired turn opposite fellow pop culture icon William Shatner (Star Trek) as the criminally conflicted Harvey Dent/Two-Face. This is only the second production of any kind to feature the two titans of the fanboy realm together. West and Shatner first teamed in the 1963 “Alexander The Great” television series that never made it past the pilot.

The cast also boasts two more pop culture icons of the 1960s. Burt Ward is back for more “holy” fun as the Boy Wonder himself, Robin, and Tony Award winner Julie Newmar reprises her role as the fiendish feline, Catwoman.

The voice cast includes Jeff Bergman (Joker, Bookworm, Desmond Dumas), Sirena Irwin (Dr. Quinzel), Thomas Lennon (Chief O’Hara), Lee Meriwether (Lucilee Diamond), William Salyers (Penguin), Lynne Marie Stewart (Aunt Harriet), Jim Ward (Hugo Strange, Commissioner Gordon), Steven Weber (Alfred, Two-Face henchmen) and Wally Wingert (Riddler, King Tut).

The core Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders filmmaking team reprises their roles for Batman vs. Two-Face. Rick Morales (LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes – Justice League: Cosmic Clash) directs from a script by Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!) and James Tucker (Teen Titans: The Judas Contract). Tucker and Jelenic and also Supervising Producer and Producer, respectively. Sam Register is Executive Producer. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.

“Batman vs. Two-Face is a must-have for all Batman fans featuring a cavalcade of his foes, and an amazing cast including two giants of pop culture, Adam West and William Shatner,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is excited to bring these beloved characters to animated life, and proud to have been associated with an actor as impressive, gracious and entertaining as Adam West. We salute his extensive contributions to the legacy of the character, and we are greatly appreciative of his cooperation and support in bringing this animated film to fruition. He will be greatly missed.”

Special Features for Batman vs. Two-Face include:

• “The Wonderful World of Burt Ward” (featurette) – Spotlighting Burt Ward’s life away from acting – particularly his many benevolent activities, and his lifelong devotion to the health and welfare of dogs.
• Adam West Tribute Panel/2017 Comic-Con International 2017 – At the 2017 Comic-Con International in San Diego, a panel celebrated the life and times of the late Adam West, the legendary “Bright Knight.” Fans laughed, cried and cheered as actress Lee Meriwether (Catwoman from the 1966 Batman movie), director/writer/actor Kevin Smith, actor/radio personality Ralph Garman, producer James Tucker and moderator Gary Miereanu captivated the audience with anecdotes and tales about Adam West.
• Actors Burt Ward and Julie Newmar discussing various aspects of their lives, ambitions and inspirations.

Only one team is brave enough to answer the call of the Great Cosmic Algorithm and defend Earth against the Evil Overlordess Rutina in “Mystic Cosmic Patrol,” a Super Sentai Tokusatsu parody debuting August 24 on FunnyOrDie.com from Loners & Rebels Motion Pictures.

“Mystic Cosmic Patrol,” an interstellar spoof with exciting Kaiju action, features a special blend of comedy, martial arts and Sci-fi adventure where spandex clad heroes fight ridiculous rubber monsters. The pilot episode features “Malcolm in the Middle” star Chris Masterson as Jack the Blue Patrolman, leading a team consisting of Leo the Red Patrolman (Tim Jo from Fox’s “Pitch”), Emily the Green Patrolman (Chelsea Tavares from Freeform’s “Unfabulous”), Carl the Pink Patrolman (Chris Candy), Candy the Yellow Patrolman (Laura Monaco) and Micky the Black Patrolman (Gavin Hignight). With the wisdom of Gorgon (Tim Russ of “Star Trek Voyager”) and their trusty Martini-Bot (John Kassir of “Tales from the Crypt”), only the Mystic Cosmic Patrol can put an end to Rutina’s devious plots to destroy Earth.

The series is created and written by Hignight (Nickelodeon’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”). Executive produced by Tom Meyer-Klipsch (Out of Print; Back in Time) and Hignight. Chris Wyatt (Napoleon Dynamite, Marvel’s “Ultimate Spider-Man”), Laura Monaco and Masterson are producers. Special effects makeup was developed by “Face Off: All Stars” Season 11 winner Cig Neutron.

“Mystic Cosmic Patrol” cast and creators will have a panel at Japan World Heroes Convention in Pasadena California on August 27th at 12 noon. Japan World Heroes, a Kaiju and Tokusatsu Convention held in Pasadena California August 26th-27th celebrates the larger world of Japanese Kaiju and Tokusatsu culture with Special guests, Artists, Vendors, Screenings, and Panels.  https://japanworldheroes.com/

For more details, visit:

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