Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

October is trucking along! Here are some reviews of the comics that came out this week!

Aquaman #29
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Stjepan Sejic

Man, Stjepan Sejic breathed a new life into this title. The art is so fresh and well done you can’t take your eyes off of it. This was a bold move to put him as the artist on this title and it shows. The writing is pretty damn good as well.

Mera is trying to break into the dome surrounding Atlantis. She brings in somebody who may be able to help her. That person?

The Titan known as Tempest! But he’s sworn off doing magic!

While this is going on Aquaman and Dolphin are fighting against the army of the Drift as well as Krush’s criminal gang!

The story by Abnett is on overdrive. He has never been on fire this much. The action and drama in this book are quite intense.

I want a hardcover of this story immediately. It’s that good. Pick it up now.

RATING: A

Batman #33
Written By Tom King 
Illustrated by Joelle Jones

Tom King had been knocking it out of the park with this title. Joelle Jones has been doing the same on other titles. Here they work together!

So what does that mean? You guessed it! This issue is quite excellent.

Quite excellent indeed.

So Batman and Catwoman are engaged! Who would have thought!

Batman leaves Gotham and goes on a spiritual quest hoping to get himself whole. Batman wants to be more than a superhero.

Yet, there are forces at work that won’t let him. Therefore he must fight back! This is a new way of looking at Batman that I’m quite enjoying. It’s by two of the best creators in comic books. Pick it up. You won’t regret it.

RATING: A

Batman: The Drowned #1
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Phillip Tan

This is a Metal tie in! Which means I immediately love it!

Metal is one of the wackiest storylines I have read in recent years and I can’t stop gushing about it.

This is another feather in the Metal cap!

This is the Batman version of Aquaman and it’s the origin storyline. This is a kind of nightmarish mix of Batman and the Atlantean and it’s bold and awesome. This issue explains more aspects of the Metal universe and it’s damn good.

They even got Aquaman‘s writer Dan Abnett on board to write this. He’s killing it here too. Add on the art by Tan and you’ve got one hell of a book.

Pick this up. It’s truly just some amazingly good comic books.

RATING: A

The Wild Storm #8
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Jon Davis-Hunt

Warren Ellis is something else.

He writes original stories each time out that you haven’t you seen before. He’s constantly pushing the limits of what can be accomplished in a comic book. I just love his writing. He’s great in his own unique way and has been for years.

Jacob Marlowe has told Angela Spica that he is not of this Earth. Then he informs her of just where he is from.

How did he get to this planet?

And there is also another question….why is everyone trying to kill Angela Spica?

The story is tops and the art by Davis-Hunt is amazing. His art is just awesome. This is another top tier book. Pick this up. It’s one of the best books of the new year!

RATING: A

Astro City #48
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Mike Norton

Astro City is still trucking along and this is a decent enough issue of the series.

The story is pretty well written. Busiek is still a solid writer. He has lost a bit of his luster over the years but he still has some strong points.

G-Dog learns the secret of where he comes from in this issue. He has to process that.

Busiek makes him a compelling character. This issue shows where he comes from and where he is going. It may surprise you indeed.

The art by Mike Norton isn’t my favorite. It’s a little more cartoony than what we are used to.

Still, the story is decent enough to read and it did move me in one spot. Pick it up. This is a decent series still.

RATING: B

Wonder Woman/Conan #2
Written by Gail Simone
Illustrated By Aaron Lopresti

This meeting of the two iconic characters rages on here! It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure watching the two meet. This issue was highly entertaining and I wasn’t expecting it to be as cool as it was.

Wonder Woman has escaped the gladiator arena!

Thank the Lord! But things are now worse!

How can they be worse?

She is chained to Conan who is now refusing to fight. They are sold to a pirate ship. Then, when there is a storm, they fling themselves from the ship. And what is waiting for them?

You guessed it! Sharks!

Simone writes a very enjoyable issue overall. I had a nice time reading it. The art by Lopresti still didn’t amaze me, but it’s okay. A fun issue.

RATING: B+

Harley Quinn #30
Written by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by John Timms

This funny storyline where Harley Quinn has decided to run for mayor continues on in this issue.

The writing is typically kooky. With these books you know what you are getting and the writers deliver that here.

Harley Quinn is running for mayor. And lo and behold, she might actually win! This issue shows us how Mayor Deperto is going against her and is trying to find a way to take her out!

John Timms is a good artist and here he struts his stuff. This book is a book where you know what to expect and they deliver it time and time again.

RATING: B-

Injustice 2 #12
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by Daniel Sampere

This has not been a half bad series. I may have to go back and read the previous ones.

Tom Taylor takes the classic DC characters and turns them on their head a bit.

The heroes fight against Ra’s Al Ghul in this issue. Batman may have made a mistake in his plans, however.

Will this destroy everything? Can Ra’s be stopped? And will the Presidential Inauguration be destroyed?

The story is decent and the art is decent as well. Injustice has a big following and it has an audience for sure due to the video game. Not a bad issue overall.

RATING: B

Future Quest Showcase #3
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Ariel Olivetti

Jeff Parker writing on Future Quest is always a treat. This is a fine issue indeed. It’s a well structured issue for sure and Parker writes with passion.

This issue tells the tale of why Metallus looks so horrible. It turns out the Space Force are the ones responsible!

Space Ghost must stop Metallus and his team from taking their revenge and destroying the universe. It’s a wild tense tale with tons of action and character.

The art by Olivetti is wonderful. It flows beautifully and works with Parker’s writing perfectly.

Pick this up. It’s always a good time indeed!

RATING: B+

Bombshells United #4
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Illustrated by Marguerite Sauvage

This has been a wonderful surprise. The Marguerite’s have been doing some great work on this title and it’s been very good to read. It’s been an unexpected good time month in and month out.

Clayface is on the loose!

This issue shows Wonder Woman trying to protect the Bombshells. The problem is Clayface could be anyone and nobody can be trusted!

Bennett does a good job setting up a tense, crazy story.

The art is dang good too. These two women make for a great team. Pick this up. They have found their groove.

RATING: B+

And in the end, the laughs you take are equal to the jokes they make. On November 21^st, 2017, Shout! Factory will release the almost certainly, probably definitely, maybe unquestionably final collection of never-before-released classic episodes of our favorite cowtown puppet show, Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The slings and arrows of outrageous licenses have resulted in only three episodes, so Vol. XXXIX also includes Satellite Dishes, a disc featuring the host segments of all the remaining unreleased episodes. The collection also includes a bevy of bonus features, including Chuck Love and the Anatomy of a Theme, Beyond Transparency, a new featurette about The Amazing Transparent Man, Showdown In Eden Prairie: Their Final Experiment, The Last Dance, a documentary special that  chronicles the final days shooting the last episode of the original run of MST3K, Diabolik, Behind the Scream: Daniel Griffith on Ballyhoo, mini posters from artist Steve Vance, and theatrical trailers. But final has a way of not being final, and one need only turn to Netflix to appreciate that. So take one plausibly last ride of the classic series with our heroes on the Satellite of Love, and keep circulating the tapes!

Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com. The first 1,500 fans who order directly from Shout! Factory will also receive the exclusive bonus disc The Complete Poopie, a collection of MST3K bloopers and outtakes.

MGM’s 1959 film Girls Town is not a feminist follow up to MGM’s 1938 Boys Town, though to be fair, both are set in towns.  B-movie siren Mamie Van Doren stars as a juvenile delinquent trying to survive in the eponymous nun-run reform school after she is wrongly accused of murder. It’s a feast of drag races, catfights, sexy dresses and Mel Tormé, who turns in a Blue Velvet Fog performance as the blackmailing troublemaker. The oddly child-of-star studded cast includes the offspring of Charlie Chaplin, Robert Mitchum and Harold Lloyd. Paul Anka makes his feature debut, and this may be one of his regrets that does bear mentioning. Fortunately for us, those very juvenile delinquents aboard the SoL upgrade a B movie into A+ television and reform us all.

In The Amazing Transparent Man, an ex-military sociopath plans to raise an army of invisible soldiers, but first he needs to perfect his captive scientist’s invisibilizing device by stealing necessary nuclear materials from a government vault. He engineers the prison break of a notorious thief, leveraging his wanted status to force him to do the heist. This amazing transparent tax shelter provides no dearth of fodder for Mike, Tom and Crow, who see right through the film to the riffs that ultimately make it a joy to behold.

The celebrated Italian filmmaker Mario Bava must have needed his bathroom redone. In the 1968 spy spoof Diabolik, he takes John Philip Law into his own hands and delivers an exploitation schlock-fest replete with super-criminals, underground lairs, and gadgets that would have Q scratching his head. It’s supposed to be a comedy, but it only turns into one after Mike and the bots riff it good. This film was, of course, the last one Mike and the bots were forced to endure. We thank them for their service!

Satellite Dishes

The best laid plans of mice and licensees often go astray. Despite best efforts to include the remaining unreleased episodes, the hard truth is that they may never see the legitimate light of day. So here is the next best thing: all their host segments. What these delectable dishes from the Satellite of Love lack in riffs, they make up for in irreverent, silly and delightfully nerdy sketch comedy. It’s the best we can do, so we are doing it!

Includes:
Ep #201 Rocketship X-M

Ep #213 Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster

Ep #309 The Amazing Colossal Man

Ep #311 It Conquered the World

Ep #416 Fire Maidens from Outer Space

Ep #418 The Eye Creatures

Ep #807 Terror from the Year 5000

Ep #809 I Was A Teenage Werewolf

Ep #905 The Deadly Bees

Ep #906 The Space Children

Ep #913 Quest of the Delta Knights

MST3K: Volume XXXIX Bonus Features

• Chuck Love and the Anatomy of a Theme
• Beyond Transparency–new featurette about The Amazing Transparent Man
• Showdown In Eden Prairie: Their Final Experiment
• The Last Dance— a documentary special that  chronicles the final days shooting the last episode of the original run of MST3K, Diabolik.
• Behind the Scream: Daniel Griffith on Ballyhoo
• Theatrical Trailers
• Four Exclusive Mini-Posters by artist Steve Vance

The dark, dangerous, Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh twisted thriller, Lady Macbeth, arrives on Digital HD October 3 and on DVD and On Demand October 17 from Lionsgate.

Lust, power, and murder meet in this sexy, critically acclaimed thriller. Rural England, 1865. Katherine (Florence Pugh) is stifled by her loveless marriage to a bitter man twice her age, whose family is cold and unforgiving. When she embarks on a passionate affair with a young worker on her husband’s estate, a force is unleashed inside her, so powerful that she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

The “jaw-dropping debut” (Rolling Stone) of theater director William Oldroyd, and written by Alice Birch, Lady Macbeth is adapted from Nikolai Leskov’s 1865 novel “Lady Macbeth of Mtsenk” and is what Indiewire compares to “Alfred Hitchcock directing Wuthering Heights.”

And we’re giving away 5 copies!

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

The film is an adaptation of the book, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.  What year was that originally published?

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 October 29th, 2017.

Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner,
Robyn Slovo, Peter Gustafsson
Screenplay by Hossein Amini,
Peter Straughan, Søren Sveistrup
Based on The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Starring Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson,
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, J. K. Simmons,
Toby Jones, Chloë Sevigny, James D’Arcy

So-called Nordic Noir has been all the rage in recent years, with crime drama shows such as The Killing and The Bridge thrilling and chilling audiences across the globe with that specifically Scandinavian brand of incredibly dark, but highly realistic mystery.  Aside from the popular TV shows, books by authors such as Jo Nesbø have been equally successful, and it was therefore only a question of time before one of Nesbø’s stories about detective Harry Hole would be adapted for either the small or the big screen.

In the cinematic adaptation of The Snowman, Michael Fassbender portrays Harry Hole, the protagonist of several of Nesbø’s books, and Rebecca Ferguson plays his crime-solving counterpart as Katrine Bratt in a production lead by director Tomas Alfredson, effectively marrying talent of both Hollywood and Scandinavia alike.

Since the film features a cast of competent actors and is directed by the man who has previously helmed critically acclaimed features such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Let The Right One In, it should therefore be easy to hit the mark and satisfy fans of this particular type of thriller. However, aside from the icy scenery of Norway during winter time serving as a beautiful backdrop, The Snowman is an incredibly tedious affair, suffering from a severe case of cinematic frostbite. The performances are unengaging, with the cast looking either bored or lost, as if they either knew they were underutilized or that they did not receive sufficient direction.

The biggest culprit, however, is undoubtedly the editing, which is what truly puts the film’s chances of succeeding on ice. Throughout its nearly two hour runtime, the editing serves no other purpose than to ensure that The Snowman is an incoherent, bland mess that is criminally lacking in the suspense department.

It should also be noted that as good as the source material is, even in the case of something as intriguing as The Snowman, there is always that issue of lifting imagery that is unnerving on the page and making in unnerving on the screen as well. Much like the hedge animals that spring to life in Stephen King’s The Shining are very eerie on the page, I think we can all agree that it was one of the better omissions Kubrick made when he took significant creative liberties for his adaptation of King’s book. Likewise, where the appearance of the killer’s snowmen outside his victims’ homes are ominous on the page, they entirely lack any unsettling punch in the film.

Arguably, yours truly does find an unhealthy amount of enjoyment in the ridiculousness vessel that is Jack Frost: The Mutant Killer Snowman, however, while my connotations are undoubtedly tainted by a 1997 cheese fest, the plentiful chuckles several of the snowman scenes generated from the audience would suggest that the snowman imagery was simply not handled well enough to have the desired effect on the audience.

Considering how much success Nordic crime drama productions and penmanship has had outside Scandinavia in recent years, the film adaptation of The Snowman is an avalanche of tonal and narrative letdowns that serves as a reminder that all good things must inevitably come to an end.

Thus, while winter may be coming in terms of the seasons, should you against better judgment decide to go see The Snowman, the only thing you should brace yourself for is an overwhelming sense of disappointment.

Verdict: 3 out of 10.

Written by Jody Leheup and Sebastian Girner
Illustrated by Nil Vendrell and Mike Spicer
Published by Image Comics
ISBN-13: 978-1534305304
Collected Edition available 12/12/17 | $16.99

Many years ago now, when Image Comics debuted and quickly dominated the comic book market in spite of numerous controversies, I was not a fan. I had a respect for the work of most of the original Image creators but I didn’t care much for their Image creations, nor the heinous art style that became ubiquitous for such a long time.

But that was back in the last century. Things change. One that’s definitely changed is that Image Comics has, in recent years, become known for the high-quality series they’ve been putting out including The Wicked and the Divine, Satellite Sam, Saga, Bitch Planet, and many others.

Add to that list Shirtless Bear Fighter.

At first it looked like another violent, no-name (to me, anyway) mini-series but then I actually got into it and had THE most enjoyable time I’ve had with a comic lately. Unlike other recent comics—some of which I’ve reviewed here and elsewhere—the creators seem to have a clear-cut understanding of how to do mindless mayhem and make it genuinely fun and funny.

They also have a good sense of the fact that comics ideally are a marriage between the words and pictures, with both as equal partners. Throughout the various chapters, we see the images expand on the text rather than repeat it but we also see the text—amusing sound effects included—enhance the understanding of the images when needed.

I read online that Jody Lehup is a former editor for Marvel and Valiant and a Harvey Award nominee. His co-creator, Sebastian Girner, is also a former Marvel editor while co-creator/artist Nil Vendrell seems to be from Spain. To me, they are all new and give me hope for an industry I’ve been ready to give up on more than once.

The title character of their creation is Shirtless Bear-Fighter—actually his name. When we first meet him, he’s pantsless as well, with certain areas amusingly digitally obscured. He’s recruited by the government from his home in the woods to fight bears who have been terrorizing large cities in scaled down Godzilla fashion.

Turns out the bears are working for a vain, narcissistic crook whose goal is to corner the market on toilet paper. As you might suspect from that, scatological humor appears regularly throughout—no pun intended.

Somewhat surprising twists and turns pop up amidst consistently amusing dialogue throughout and the gore is wisely kept to a manageable minimum. Characterization takes a back seat to cartoon violence but Vendrell handles it all with gusto and aplomb. Shirtless reminded me of the late, great Italian film star Bud Spencer, with a dash of Popeye thrown in.

Buried underneath all the pounding and wanton destruction, there may be an underlying message about protecting the environment from corporate greed or protecting animals or even a political dig at someone. But I don’t really think any of those involved put that much thought into it. What’s obvious is that they were all on the same page with making a comic book that’s perhaps purposely a little juvenile but a LOT of fun to read!

Booksteve Recommends.

Produced by Kevin Feige
Written by Eric Pearson,
Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Based on Thor by Jack Kirby,
Stan Lee, Larry Lieber,
Directed by Taika Waititi
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston,
Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum,
Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban,
Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins

Considering the amount of superhero movies we have been bombarded with in recent years, the times where such films were a rarity seems like a distant memory.

Looking back at those films, some of them have become classics that remain enjoyable, but some of them have also rightfully placed themselves on many lists of the worst movies of all time.

It is therefore impressive that contemporary superhero films have maintained as high a standard as they have, which is largely due to a formula that was perfected with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man a decade and a half ago.

However, as good as that standard is, it does get rather repetitive with time. Even the mighty Marvel – which has continuously received praise for the offerings of their MCU – has to some extent become predictable, and while this summer’s Spider-Man: Homecoming was one of their better films, the final fight in particular felt painfully formulaic.

Instead, what made the newest version of the web-slinger worthwhile was the relatability of the characters and the refreshing meta approach the film took. Another Marvel property that benefited greatly from the meta approach was the non-MCU adaptation of Deadpool, and while Thor: Ragnarok may not be led by an R-rated motormouth like Ryan Reynolds, the latest film about the mighty Thor is an incredibly enjoyable meta adventure, not least thanks to eclectic Kiwi director Taika Waititi being at the helm.

Much can be said and was indeed said about last year’s Ghostbusters reboot, but something that was quite clear was that Chris Hemsworth has funny bones. As such, while Hemsworth certainly gets to show off his literal muscles in the numerous action-packed sequences featured in Thor: Ragnarok, he also gets to flex his comedic talent, continuously landing plenty of laughs that show just how good of a fit Hemsworth’s talent is for Waititi’s trademark, oddball Kiwi humor.

Likewise, Tom Hiddleston also gets to take a different approach to the character of Loki, as he is also the cause for much amusement as his devious ways become particularly meta, allowing Hiddleston to play around with a different emotional and comedic register compared to previous MCU outings featuring the God of Mischief. The meta aspect is further emphasized by the numerous callbacks to previous MCU films, and while this sort of self-referential in-joking can often become forced, Waititi once again proves that he is the perfect man for the job, as the myriad of references overwhelmingly work, ensuring that both longtime MCU fans as well as the casual viewer will be thoroughly entertained throughout the proceedings.

Cate Blanchett makes for a delightfully dark villain, however, since we are continuously jumping back and forth between Asgard and Sakaar, Blanchett’s Hela is unfortunately left a little too much to her own evil devices, resulting in a somewhat lackluster character arc. What detracts substantially from her potential impact as a villain is that the film is so focused on the humor that the drama feels like an afterthought, leaving preciously little space for any sense of genuine peril.

Ironically, the opposite problem was the case with with Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, where the almost Shakespearean drama that took place in Asgard was the superior contrast to the inferior and occasionally forced humor that took place on Midgard in the God of Thunder’s introduction to the MCU. Thus, while Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok is by far the best solo adventure of the Asgardian hero to date, one does wish that the humor and drama had been balanced better to make this colorful fun fest a truly exquisite cinematic experience.

Time and time again, the seemingly never-ending maelstrom of Marvel movies has given rise to cries about superhero fatigue, and there is definitely a lot of truth to those allegations. However, as audiences have settled into the habit of witnessing a new superhero adventure on the big screen every few months, the MCU has also been responsible for some of the most enjoyable action-adventure films of recent years.

Being unapologetically true to Waititi’s wonderfully humorous and heartfelt style, Thor: Ragnarok is a fantastically wacky, colorful ride that not only makes for one of the more memorable laugh fests of 2017, but also places itself firmly alongside the best of the MCU’s offerings, drawing particularly fun-filled parallels to James Gunn’s two Guardians of the Galaxy films because of its playfulness and heart. 

Verdict: 8 out of 10

Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner,
Robyn Slovo, Peter Gustafsson
Screenplay by Hossein Amini,
Peter Straughan, Søren Sveistrup
Based on The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Starring Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson,
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, J. K. Simmons,
Toby Jones, Chloë Sevigny, James D’Arcy

The Snowman is a thriller about a serial killer targeting women in the safe/low-crime rate city of Oslo, Norway.

His calling card is an seemingly harmless, yet melancholy snowman.

Based on the novel by Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø, The Snowman follows detective Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender, Alien:Covenant), a talented detective who’s career is threatened by his alcoholism.

A modern day Sherlock Holmes, Harry only has his addiction under control when there is a challenging case to solve.

Harry receives a strangely written letter that seems to have little importance and dismisses it. Harry’s interest is peaked when he sees new detective, Katrine Bratt (Rebecca Ferguson, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation) smuggling sensitive files. Feeding his addiction for mystery, he inserts himself into her daily routine to get a look at the files and becomes entangled in her investigation. While accompanying Bratt in her investigations, it becomes clear to Harry that his mysterious letter is not so random.

If you are not a viewer who has much experience with James Patterson type thrillers or Agatha Christie-esque mysteries, you will probably enjoy The Snowman. If you are you have had exposure to either of these two genres, you will see the “who done it?” a mile away. There is very little mystery to this mystery. The red herrings and misdirection are so ham-fisted that it makes for weak storytelling. I have no idea how close to the original novel the screenplay is, and I am of the opinion that it shouldn’t matter. A film should be able to stand on it’s own without the use of supplementary material. The story is disjointed and goes in pointless directions in an effort to misdirect the audience, but when it is simple to figure out the bad guy ⅓ of the way through the film, the misdirection feel like a waste of time.

The disjointed storytelling maybe the result of three screenwriters with distinct styles working on the script. Each of the writers have some excellent projects under their belts. Søren Sveistrup is in familiar territory after working on the TV series The Killing. Hossein Amini is best now for the Ryan Gosling breakthrough Drive. And finally, Peter Straughan did the screenplay adaptation for the 2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It could be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen. What should have been a script honed by professionals at the top of their game felt like a first draft or 2nd draft script.

Some plotlines and side characters were completely underdeveloped, leaving me wondering why they were brought up at all. The timeline jumps back jarringly to a previous investigation that gives little meat to the present-time case. It introduces characters that are one dimensional, who when it’s revealed is linked to the present-time protagonist, it falls flat because it is neither a surprise nor did I have any emotional investment in the connection.

While not having much to work with story wise, the team of director Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Let the Right One In) and his actors do bring out some performance that save the film. Michael Fassbender’s is a solid performance. While not having much to work with in the crime story, the side plot dealing with his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Rakel (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melancholia) and her son feels authentic and goes a long way to give his character of Harry Hole a soul. A bullpen of British character actors give the world of The Snowman some grounding, from Ronan Vibert as Harry’s supportive superior to James D’Arcy as one of the missing woman’s grieving husband.

Another saving grace of the film is the cinematography. Dion Beebe, who won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Memoirs for a Geisha contrasts beautiful, sweeping nordic vista with the grotesqueness of the murders. Although, it seems some of Beebe’s camera work is hampered by uneven editing of the film.

Again, two masters are given a job, and it seems each editor’s style is at odds with the other. Thelma Schoonmaker is a longtime editor of Martin Scorsese (who is also one of the executive producers of The Snowman), and Claire Simpson has worked on some of Oliver Stone’s films. It would be interesting to know if one editor started the project and the other was brought in for a second cut. The film definite feels like that was the case. In a few of the film’s action scenes, one editing rhythm would be interrupted mid scene with a different series of cuts disrupting the cadence of the action. The editing coupled with the uneven script made a jumbled mess of a story.

Instead of The Snowman keeping me on the edge of my seat, it left me wondering if I should of skipped the movie and just read the book.

Produced by Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch,
Kevin Chinoy, Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks,
Francesca Silvestri, Shih-Ching Tsou
Written by Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Directed by Sean Baker
Starring Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Kimberly Prince,
Caleb Landry Jones, Bria Vinaite, Macon Blair 
Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, Sandy Kane

On the outskirts of Orlando, Florida, just past the parks, lies the oddball roadside world of Kissimmee. Even those that don’t lodge at one of its cheaper-than-Disney resort options might encounter the town’s barrage roadside kitsch on the way to meet The Mouse.

The Florida Project, the latest achievement from director/co-writer/producer/editor Sean Baker puts you directly in a lesser-seen side of the town.

Told through the eyes of an outrageously charismatic six-year-old named Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), Baker takes inspiration out of the Depression-era Our Gang shorts from Hal Roach to tell the story of a gang of ragtag kids living week to week at “The Magic Castle” motel. That this Magic Castle is a real place down there, with weekly residents not unlike this film’s characers, only scratches the surface of the movie’s scripted vérité style.

Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration,” leads us into the everyday antics of Moonee and her friends—a song perfectly drenched in the same auto-pilot optimism they posses. The kids, often let loose to wander their universe without adults by their side, speak in sometimes shockingly frank profanity, while getting into varying degrees of trouble on their adventures.

The kids come off, in the film’s early scenes, as extremely obnoxious, with a care-free brazen tone towards newcomers or tourists. With this first glance, it’s easy to pass judgement on not only the foul-mouthed kids, but on their adult guardians as well. Thankfully, this is a film that establishes early on its characters are not here for you to pass judgement on. They’re just trying to get by.

Amidst the colorful 35mm cinematography and production design, lives a huge heart-felt relationship between Moonee and her mother Halley. Bria Vinaite, in a breakout performance that compliments Prince, fearlessly creates a very real, very compelling anti-hero. Baker’s past films have featured similar undaunted leading characters, but Halley is something of a wonder.

By the incredibly heart-breaking ending, our sympathy for Halley is earned despite the unethical decisions we’ve watched her make. I suspect audiences will have a varying range of that sympathetic acceptance, but I know the exact moment I was ready to crown her “mom of the year.”

At the Magic Castle, there’s a surrogate dad in the form of Magic Castle manager Bobby, and he’s played subtly by Wilem Dafoe. He’s both perfectly cast in the role, and yet not the first obvious choice. Again, going against a safer, sappy stereotype, Bobby is a character with most of his dimension off-screen. We get piece of his backstory courtesy of a handful of scenes with Caleb Landry Jones (Get Out), but not too much is explained, all providing a deeper emotional connection for audiences to develop on their own. It’s refreshingly honest storytelling in a refreshingly real movie.

The Florida Project expands to additional cities today. Check here for local showtimes.

For information and details on how you can make a difference
in the lives of Central Florida homeless, please visit  RethinkHomelessness.org.

With Halloween’s spectral presence looming once again, we thought we’d take a look at some of the movie releases that are going to be terrifying us this spooky season….

There’s something quite nice about matching your movie choices to the season, isn’t there? Christmas is the most obvious time of the year to do this, with Kevin McCallister’s annual triumph against Harry and Marv in Home Alone marking the beginning of the festive season for many. Halloween is equally suited to this practice though, with hundreds of beloved classics to choose from and a good many new titles released each year to give us all nightmares.

It: Chapter One is perhaps the must-see horror of 2017. It was actually released in September, so slightly ahead of the Halloween build-up, but it takes that tried and tested malicious clown figure and gives it a new lease of unpleasant life. This time the dark force is a shape-shifting entity that tends to favour the clown form. Based on Steven King’s novel on 1986, this is some good solid horror that’s just perfect for Halloween.

Incidentally, the evil clown is practically an archetype in the horror and fantasy genre. The Joker in Batman is a great example that springs (shockingly) to mind. It’s not clear quite why this perverse twist on the innocent entertainer is so prevalent but it’s even made its way into online slots! Games such as The Dark Joker Rizes from InterCasino offer the kind of experience you just can’t tear yourself away from (however much you might try!!!)

Breaking away from classic forms, a really novel movie for this year is Happy Death Day. Directed by Christopher B. Landon of Disturbia fame and written by Scott Lobdell, if you think of Groundhog Day and combine it with the horror genre then you’ve pretty much got the premise of this one. A girl in college finds she keeps reliving the same day (like a younger, hotter version of Bill Murray) except in her case rather than trying to find love she has to try and solve her own murder to break the spell. There are plenty of horrific murder scenarios to keep us all guessing, as well as another freaky mask that you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry.

Finally we have Jigsaw, the eighth movie in the Saw series. Although the Jigsaw killer was thought to be dead, all the clues nonetheless point to him. There is another selection of really very unpleasant situations this time around for his victims to try and wriggle out of. Without revealing too much of the story, let us just say that if you thought having your head stuck in a metal bucket was bad, then try adding a chain that draws you slowly but surely towards a whirring circular saw and see how you like it!

Halloween is the perfect time to frighten yourself silly, so take a few deep breaths, steady your nerves and keep those eyes wide shut!

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown, the Friday edition!

Here are some titles to get your weekend started off right.

Narcopolis Continuum TPB
Written by Scott Duvall
Illustrated by Ralf Singh
Published by Heavy Metal

This is a fairly interesting comic book that has just been collected. You’re in luck as this is quite a solid read.

Scott Duvall writes a tale about a man (Ben) looking for his father. He is trying to find out what happened 20 years ago. Since this is set in a science fiction setting, something wild should happen. So something does.

Ben is also an inventor. He comes up with a drug that allows him to travel through time. Thus begins the mystery of the book. There are twists and turns throughout.

I love that Duvall takes risks. He is not afraid to be brutal to his main character. Ben literally goes through hell on this journey and I freaking love it.

The story starts off a little slow for me. Then it builds and becomes incredibly unnerving.

The art accompanies the writing very nicely. There are a few nice flourishes too. ( I did enjoy the H.G. Wells references as well as the Harold Lloyd inspired cover.)

Give this a shot. It’s a very creative , well paced book that is a true original.

Rating: A-

Jughead: The Hunger #1
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Tim And Pat Kennedy
Published by Archie Comics

My favorite comics lately have been coming from the Archie line.

This is no different. This new ongoing series shows what happens when Jughead becomes a werewolf. It’s funny, irreverent and more than a little terrifying.

Picking up where the one-shot left off, Jughead is now a full fledged werewolf. When the full moon happens, Riverdale is under siege. He is on the run from Betty Cooper: Werewolf Hunter and Archie Andrews. They are after him for sure. But did he commit this atrocious acts? And if he didn’t, who did?

Tieri is writing some of the best comics of his career here. This book is funny, and fast. It’s also thrilling. The art is excellent as well.

Pick this up. It’s one of the best releases of the year.

RATING: A

Fighting American #1
Written by Gordon Rennie
Illustrated by Duke Mighten
Published by Titan Comics

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s superhero is back in his own series! Who’s excited? Probably not too many people sadly. He’s never been a top tier character. Sadly, this new series won’t make much of a difference in making this character desirable to read.

Fighting America has been frozen since the 50s and just wakes up in modern day. Now he must deal with the hot topics of the day. Topics such as gay marriage come up. Civil rights. It sounds like it could be interesting. Yet, Rennie never makes this better. He writes a very standard tale that also makes you a little sick.

The art by Mighten is rather unexciting too. It’s the first issue and I already want a new creative team. This could have be fun. Instead, it’s a real slog, man.

RATING: D+

Dan Dare #1
Written by Peter Milligan
Illustrated by. Alberto Foche
Published by Titan Comics

Peter Milligan is a very underrated writer.

His new take on Dan Dare is quite good. Milligan knows how to take a character from the 50s and turn this British hero into something good. This is worth paying attention to.

This four issue series finds Dare in space with Digby and the Space Fleet. They come across a force that may indeed destroy all life in the entire universe.

What is the team to do? Can they win? Let’s hope!

Milligan keeps the pacing good and fun. The art by Foche isn’t my favorite. It could stand to be a little more exciting.

Still, the story is strong and the concept is good. Pick it up. It’s a good read.

RATING: B

Brilliant Trash #1 and #2
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Priscilla Petraites
Published by Aftershock Comics

This has to be the strangest title I have come across this year in comics. Not that the book is all that strange…the title itself is just wacky.

It’s a science fiction tale that I thought was quite enjoyable. Tim Seeley steps up his writing game here.

It’s the future! A very mad teenage girl with super powers wipes the city of Jerusalem from the planet! Now in America, there is a journalist stumbles upon a conspiracy about a something that makes people into gods in trade for just a few days of their lives.

Its an interesting first and second issue to say the least. The story is better than all of Seeley’s recent output. The art by newcomer Petraites is quite nice. Pick this up. It could be the start of a grand new series.

Spiral #1
Written by Magnus Aspli
Illustrated by Emerson Dimaya
Published by Krakenprint

This is one of those Kickstarter comics come to life. And man, it’s damn good. Like really good. These creators aren’t just emerging creators. They are fully formed talents right out of the gate.

I love a good crime noir comic book. This book is just that.

Two families spiral out of control both outside and inside the law. Even better this comic takes place in London. Aspli give the book it’s writing flavor with clear and concise characters and high drama in every panel.

The art by Dimaya is superb. I can’t get enough of it. He reminds me of Francavilla but with his own flair. Pick this up. This is quite excellent.

RATING: A-

The Wall is a deadly psychological thriller that follows two soldiers pinned down by an Iraqi sniper, with nothing but a crumbling wall between them. Their fight becomes as much a battle of will and wits as it is of lethally accurate marksmanship.

Directed by Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Ultimatum, Edge of Tomorrow), The Wall stars Aaron Taylor Johnson (Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Savages Godzilla, Avengers: Age of Ultron) and WWE star John Cena (Trainwreck, Sisters, Daddy’s Home), and is written by first-time screenwriter Dwain Worrell from his Black List script. The Wall is produced by Amazon Studios. 

And to celebrate the film’s release on Amazon Prime, we’re giving away a poster signed by director Doug Liman and actors Aaron Taylor-Johnson and John Cena!

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

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster played these music icons in this 2009 film?

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 October 29th, 2017.

Mike Mignola, the legendary creator of Hellboy has teamed with the acclaimed artist, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, to create an original graphic novel about vampire hunters, the undead, and the importance of avoiding the crime scene of your wife’s death. Mr. Higgins Comes Home is an unexpected and unusual stand alone story, featuring all new characters in a send-up of classic vampire stories.

In Mr. Higgins Comes Home, preparations begin at Castle Golga for the annual festival of the undead, as a pair of fearless vampire killers question a man hidden away in a monastery on the Baltic Sea. The mysterious Mr. Higgins wants nothing more than to avoid the scene of his wife’s death, and the truth about what happened to him in that castle. However, these heroic men, sworn to rid the world of the vampire scourge, inspire Higgins to venture out and to end the only suffering he really cares about–his own.

Warwick spoke to Forces of Geek about his influences, collaborating with Mignola and his upcoming projects.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: American audiences might be familiar with your work through Samurai Jack: Quantum Jack, Tank Girl and Helena Crash, but you initially started out as a book illustrator with The No 1 Car Spotter series written by Atinuke. What is your background and did you set out to be an illustrator or was comics one of your objective?

Warwick Johnson-Cadwell: I have always been mad keen on drawing and particularly interested in drawing stories and narratives so going between story illustration and comics seems a healthy way to go. After an illustration degree I found work in editorial illustration, some bookwork and some animation and really only began making comics a few years ago.

Congratulations on the new book. I read Mr. Higgins Comes Home this week and loved it. How did you hook up with Mike Mignola?

Thanks very much, it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to have been part of. I am a massive fan of Mike Mignola’s work and met him last year at the UK’s Thought Bubble comic festival. We were part of a sketch panel and had a brief chat and he suggested we work on something together. I was overwhelmed by the whole experience and I think there’s still an element of disbelief about it all.

The art is absolutely beautiful, but the storytelling itself is really fantastic. Who or what are the biggest influences on your art?

Mike Mignola, first and foremost. I was in awe of his style from the Topps Dracula series. I have a French copy of the Marvel Comic Savage Lands (Wolverine) story which I have never read it in English but have read it a million times through the images. But there are many MANY other influences, including artists like Mick McMahon, Kevin O’Neill, Mobeius, Genndy Tartakovsky. Jack Kirby, of course.

You also colored the book and I really found that you used a very unique palate. I think coloring often is overlooked in comics and I think it really made the story that much more special. For you, what does coloring your own work bring to a project?

A massive nightmarish headache! Colouring is such a mighty skill and can transform pages utterly. I draw and I like it, I can enjoy it even when it’s going wrong as that’s a challenge on a journey of sorts. I find colouring a difficult process and have much less confidence in it’s finish. Despite that I have coloured all the comics I have done so far but now with IDW’s Samurai Jack, Hannah Fisher is doing superb work transforming my pages.

The characters in the book are all so distinctive and charming. Have you and Mike discussed revisiting the characters again?

No, not yet, he’s a pretty busy guy. But I would love to revisit Mr Higgins and see how things turn out for him. More adventures with The Professor and Knox would be great, they are a great pair. Mike Mignola’s writing is so much fun to work from.

What do you have coming up?

I’m currently on Samurai Jack: Quantum Jack for IDW written by the dangerously talented Fabian Rangel Jr and coloured by the aforementioned Hannah Fisher. A movie too next year, all very quiet still but I had some drawing input into an upcoming animated feature.

What are you currently geeking out over?

Redlands, Space Riders, Headlopper, Extremity for comics. Eager to see Wes Craig and Toby Cypress’ The Gravedigger’s Union for Image. Mike Mignola has been posting a lot of movie favourites lately and there’s enough on that list to keep me busy for the rest of the year (while drawing!)

Mr. Higgins Comes Home is available in comic book
stores on 10/25, and in bookstores on 10/31

Can I dare say I’m a little bit excited about this Justice League movie? It’s coming out on my birthday weekend, so that’s good, right?

Sure, it still looks too dark and overwrought. Yes, the jokes in the promos are fine, even though many of them have the defensive air of “We do humor now, SEE?!?”

Ben Affleck looks zaftig and uninterested in playing Batman. The talk of Superman as a global inspiration doesn’t match up to what we got of him in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman. Will he enjoy performing superheroics this time?

I’ll even grant you that Flash’s suit looks too extra with all the plates and cords.

Or that Cyborg’s body looks too complicated and the CGI unconvincing. Also, why make an entirely CG body for Cyborg, when Ray Fisher looks like this?!?

Wonder Woman continues to look great, of course. This retooled Aquaman looks like a riot, and I’m actually psyched to watch Parademons and Steppenwolf on the big screen regardless.

So at least I’m gonna get some dope action figures out of this, yes?

But I was filled with a great disappointment when I spied Cyborg on the shelf at a big box store. This version, packaged with Mother Boxes, had Cyborg’s head encased in armor like we saw in an early trailer. You know, Iron Man-style.

There was no alternate head. The armor doesn’t fold back, or anything.

Why aren’t they showing Cyborg’s face?

Oh no, I thought. Bump that!

See, this holds special significance for me and many other black nerds out there. Because blerds are the only folks I know who make a habit of collecting action figures of black characters.

Our genres of choice often have little or no black characters to begin with, which affects how popular characters become. White boys gain the most consideration in the market for these toys, and toymakers presume those boys won’t choose a figure of a person of color, or of a woman of any color.

Then those black characters’ figures are not produced on an equal scale. You also see this with figures of female characters. So for every one Storm figure, there are 17 Wolverine ones. In the case of The Force Awakens, it was difficult to find a Rey, and she was the front-and-center hero. And I saw 10 Kylo Rens for every Finn. Several figures in the Marvel Legends line based on the Netflix shows are out now, and there’s no Luke Cage (yet).

For Captain America: Civil War, I never saw Black Panther in the store, that’s how rare that figure was packed. So what the hell is Disney going to do for the Black Panther movie? How prominent will those toys be? I hope they do more than Mattel did for Wonder Woman, which was this past summer’s only blockbuster hit. (Though the 12-inch dolls were dope. The Amazons had horses. Horses!)

So, with Justice League coming out, I have been looking forward to adding a Cyborg to my collection of black action figures. He could hang with Misty Knight, who has a cybernetic arm. They’d make a good team. They can meet Earth-23 Superman and Patty from the new Ghostbusters at the clubhouse. Mace Windu is cutting the cake with his purple lightsaber, ‘cause that magical dude be showin’ off allatime.

But Cyborg can’t eat the cake with that armor covering his entire head, one red eye glowing. This ain’t a Lady Gaga concert, bro.

OK, enough jokes: What’s the point of having an action figure of a black character, one who shows his face as part of the design, if I can’t see his face? Is he black at all then when his face is covered?

This brings up a bunch of issues for me, because of how often black characters in superhero comics have the obvious blackness taken away or downplayed. I wouldn’t say it’s on purpose, yet it fits patterns of white creators and majority-white publishers putting out black characters in a way that may be more palatable to majority-white readers.

Sometimes it’s facial, such as Shadowhawk, Night Thrasher. Steel is encased in metal head to toe. To its credit, Astro City had face-covered Jack-in-the-Box but also had Cleopatra and Black Badge (though they weren’t as prominent as Jack).

Many times, black characters lose their bodies or control of them: Cloak literally doesn’t have a body anymore under his namesake garment. Deathlok is a reanimated corpse, his face necrotic.

Generally speaking, Victor Stone’s head and upper torso are all that remain of his body after an explosion, when he is integrated with the tech that made him Cyborg. Furthermore, there have been many storylines in which Cyborg has taken on new bodies, both mechanical and organic. He doesn’t have a body, but the body he makes can be replaced.

Often in the comics, Cyborg’s machine nature drives his stories. On Teen Titans Go!, the voice work and jokes lean hard on making him obviously black. Usually it’s really funny, but sometimes it’s problematic Grandmama Cyborg complete with neck rolls and finger snaps.

Like, why?

This inevitably has brought up, time and time again, how Cyborg is emasculated, because fanboys can’t help but ask, “How does he have sex?” (Thanks, dummies.) But add this to how the character never has a love interest, and it falls into the pattern of avoiding the sexuality of black people. That avoidance or dismissal exists in relation to fears/anxieties surrounding the dehumanized, animalistic, oversexuality of black people.

Geordi La Forge never had a romance plot on Star Trek: The Next Generation, for example. Picard? Yes. Riker? Plenty. Deanna Troi? Half her character was built on such. Even Data got some love stories.

It was telling that David Walker, a black comics writer, gave the New 52-era Cyborg his body back by creating a nanite-type ability that appears to regenerate flesh.

All of these things came back to me when I saw that fully dehumanized Cyborg, his face gone. It didn’t matter that this is going to be in the movie, at least for a moment. I just saw a black character reduced to a bunch of metal parts, sitting on a Walmart shelf. They really couldn’t have just added a second head?

Lucky for me, at least I could then scan Amazon and find another line of Justice League figures that would show Cyborg’s face. At my neighborhood comic book shop, this entire, separate line had come in. Making a giant Steppenwolf as the build-a-fig was standard, but they did give Superman and Batman old-school fabric capes.

As for Cyborg, I still don’t dig the Michael Bay Transformers body.

But he’s still a looker.

I knew as soon as I read the preview for Daniel Warren Johnson’s comic Extremity that I was going to have to own it in book form.

In just the first few pages, Johnson paints a haunting picture of the loss of innocence along with one of the gorier plot devices in recent memory.

The first volume not only to create compelling characters who make the plot believable enough to hurt, but also an fantastical setting that looks like a cross between the world of Avatar and Marvel’s Weirdworld.

The main characters in this story are brother and sister Rollo and Thea, and their father Jerome, leader of the Roto clan.

The comic starts with a flashback to the events that drive the events of the story: an attack by the rival Paznina clan that kills Rollo and Thea’s mother, and robs artist Thea of her dominant drawing hand. Johnson used this initial tragedy to explore not just loss and grief, but the perpetual cycle of tragedy and revenge that plays out as the Roto clan seeks to repay the Paznina in kind.

Although Thea is undeniably the central character, the comic devotes sufficient time to explore how Rollo and his father adjust to their respective roles within the clan in light of their losses. As more characters are introduced in the story, the more nuance and shades of grey become apparent, making it difficult to find a moral high ground to hold the protagonists to.

As raw as the story that Johnson writes, it is his artwork (colored by Mike Spicer) that does most of the emotional heavy lifting.

There is gore to be found within, but the shot of Thea attempting to redraw an earlier sketch with her non-dominant hand cuts me deeper than any of the violence depicted within. Watching Jerome mask his mourning for his wife with righteous anger or Rollo at a loss for how to comfort his sister is made no less real by the floating castles and speeder bikes in the background. Although this is not Daniel Warren Johnson’s first comic, Image’s decision to give him his own title has been validated, giving fans of Image Comic another original story to support.

Hopefully this comic is given the chance to expand the world we’ve been shown so far, because the first volume is one of 2017’s best.

It’s New Toy Day at comic shops across North America, and this week, Diamond Select Toys is shipping in a plethora of new products, all of which are exclusively available at comic shops and specialty retailers!

Read on for info about products from Alien: Covenant, Wonder Woman, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice and Spider-Man Homecoming, and reserve your favorites at your local comic shop!

Or order through your favorite online retailer!

Alien: Covenant Movie Vinimates Xenomorph Vinyl Figure

A Diamond Select Toys Release! Witness the creation of fear! As the whole world braces itself for Alien: Covenant, DST prepares to unleash the top-secret new Xenomorph on their Vinimates vinyl figure line! This 4-inch vinyl figure is based on the new creature design in the new prequel film, and features an articulated neck for further posing options. Packaged in a full-color window box. (Item #MAY172518, SRP: $9.99)

Beetlejuice Movie Minimates Box Set

A Diamond Select Toys Release! It’s a box set for the recently deceased! The four main characters of Tim Burton’s hit comedy Beetlejuice — Lydia Dietz, Adam and Barbara Maitland, and Beetlejuice himself — gather together for this four-pack of Minimates mini-figures! Each 2-inch figure features 14 points of articulation and fully interchangeable parts, including bonus parts for Beetle, Barbara and Adam to transform them into their scariest house-haunting looks. The set comes packaged in a full-color blister card. (Item #JUN172635, SRP: $24.99)

Ghostbusters Movie Vinimates Vinyl Figures

A Diamond Select Toys Release! Anyone seen a ghost? The Ghostbusters Vinimates line continues with three new 4-inch vinyl figures, featuring the creatures of the classic 1984 movie! Blocky renditions of Mr. Stay-Puft, Slimer and Gozer will expand your Vinimates collection and give the Boys in Beige someone to battle! Sculpted in poses straight from the movie, Mr. Stay-Puft and Gozer each feature articulated necks for further customization. Each comes packaged in a full-color window box.

•  Ghostbusters Movie Vinimates Mr. Stay-Puft Vinyl Figure (Item #MAY172515, SRP: $9.99)
• Ghostbusters Movie Vinimates Slimer Vinyl Figure (Item #MAY172516, SRP: $9.99)
• Ghostbusters Movie Vinimates Gozer Vinyl Figure (Item #MAY172517, SRP: $9.99)

Marvel Gallery Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Movie Gamora and Rocket PVC Diorama

A Diamond Select Toys release! The Marvel Gallery line is blasting off into outer space! Three new PVC Dioramas capture the space-faring cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the latest blockbuster entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Star-Lord with his jet-pack, Gamora with Rocket, and Drax with Groot each measure approximately 9-11 inches tall with highly detailed sculpting and paint applications. Each comes packaged in a full-color window box. Sculpted by Rocco Tartamella!Coming soon: Star-Lord and Drax/Groot! (Item #MAY172525, SRP: $45.00)

Marvel Select Spider-Man Homecoming Movie Action Figure

The most highly anticipated Spider-Man film of all time is here, and this new Marvel Select action figure captures the excitement of the new movie! After his eye-opening appearance in Captain America: Civil War, making a figure of Spidey for Spider-Man: Homecoming was a no-brainer, and this 7” figure features 16 points of articulation as well as interchangeable parts. Packaged in the display-ready Select figure packaging, with side panel artwork for shelf reference. Sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! (Item # FEB172613, SRP: $24.99)

Wonder Woman Movie Vinimates Wonder Woman Vinyl Figure

A Diamond Select Toys Release! The Vinimates vinyl figure line explodes into the DC Comics cinematic universe with two vinyl figures based on the Wonder Woman movie! With one figure depicting Diana in her training gear, and one in her full Wonder Woman outfit, these two figures will kick off a line that will eventually unite the entire Justice League! Each 4-inch vinyl figure is sculpted in a pose straight from the movies, with an articulated neck to customize each pose. Each comes packaged in a full-color window box. (Item # APR172646, SRP: $9.99)
Also Available: Themiscyra Wonder Woman Vinyl Figure (Item # APR172647, SRP: $9.99)

Reserve your favorites at your local comic shop!
Or order through your favorite online retailer!

Produced by Todd Hughes, P. David Ebersole,
Larra Anderson, Alison Martino
Written and Directed by
Todd Hughes, P. David Ebersole
Starring Jayne Mansfield, Anton LaVey,
Ann Magnuson, John Waters, Tippi Hedren,
Mamie Van Doren, Kenneth Anger, A.J. Benza,
Mary Woronov, Richmond Arquette 

Growing up all I remember about Jayne Mansfield was that she was decapitated in a car accident.  Of course this information came mainly from old-style sideshow barkers trying to get me to see a living severed head at a State Fair; when they still had that kind of thing at State Fairs.

But there was more to the story than her tragic and tragically exaggerated end.  Mansfield 66/67 looks at the end of her career and the behind the scenes search for attention that played out in this reality theater well before reality TV came into being.

P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes, the team behind the excellent documentary Hit So Hard about Hole drummer Patty Schemel, bring you the last two years in the fabulously extravagant – you can’t make this up – world of Jane Mansfield. The centerpiece of the story revolves around the relationship between Mansfield and Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey.

By 1966 her film career was winding down and her nightclub act was sustaining her need for adoration and money. She had fallen under the spell of attorney Sam Brody after three marriages, five children, and an ongoing battle with alcoholism. It was during this time in her life that she formed an association with LaVey. Was this relationship all that the documentary makes it out to be? Probably not. But it does illustrate how Mansfield’s and LaVey’s craving for the spotlight made them good fodder for the tabloid fan magazines of the day.

The story in Mansfield 66/67 (the title is cleverly chosen to highlight the 666 incidental to the years covered) is told in seven parts and gives a short summary of her early career to hurry up and get to the years of focus for the film. Many good interviews with people like Mamie Van Doren, Tippi Hedren, John Waters, Kenneth Anger, and gossip columnist A.J. Benza both shed light on the times and bask in the memories of her outsized persona.

Many historic documentaries rely upon recreations of scenes to liven up the talking head interviews. Mansfield 66/67 goes one step beyond and has most of the recreations done through an interpretive dance troupe. It was somewhat confusing at first but was used to good effect. And if that wasn’t enough there was a segment of recreation using animation that reminded me of Ralph Bakshi’s Heavy Traffic with Mansfield being voiced by performance artist Ann Magnuson.

There is no surprise ending; it is revealed early and the film careens toward the end very much like the life of Jayne Mansfield. But this isn’t the documentary you want if you’re really interested in finding out about who she was and how she became the personality she is by 1966. This film cuts to the chase and gives you the outrageous ending; somewhat daring you to watch and enjoy the guilty pleasure Jayne Mansfield gave until the very end.

Mansfield 66/67 Opens in Los Angeles on October 27th
For more screening information, visit mansfield6667.com

Because Halloween is every day, I’m always on the look out for spooky, melancholy, or just plain crazy tunes to add to my ULTIMATE HALLOWEEN MIX on Spotify.

This year, I’ve selected some of my recent discoveries, along with some great classics for our all-new A VERY FORCES OF GEEK HALLOWEEN mix.

You can listen to the mix here, or click here to launch it in Spotify.

I have Elvira, Mistress of the Dark to thank for introducing me to The Cramps.  This track was highlighted on one of her Halloween mixes from back in the day, which possessed me to explore their catalogue of horror-themed tunes.

THE MEPHISTOPHELES OF LOS ANGELES
Marilyn Manson

From his 2015 album The Pale Emperor, which plays as a sort of dark tribute to David Bowie, by way of hell.  I’m moving to Los Angeles in January, so this one sits in my heavy rotation playlist until then.

LUCRETIA MY REFLECTION
Sisters of Mercy

Soon, you’ll start to get the goth vibe in this mix, starting with a classic from the Leeds band with a lead singer I’m still convinced moonlighted as the lead singer of Men Without Hats.

DEVIL COMES ROUND
Men Without Hats

A safe-for-dancing newer song from the band with a lead singer I’m still convinced moonlighted as the lead singer of Sisters Of Mercy.

DRUGS
Talking Heads

One of my favorite songs from the band, and best experienced with headphones or other controlled substances.

THE GHOST IN YOU
Robyn Hitchcock

Trailers have ruined slow covers of popular songs, but this great cover of the Psychedelic Furs classic hasn’t been used in a trailer to my knowledge. Yet.

BLUE MOON
Chromatics

Another beautiful, slower, creepier cover to turn into a bad-ass Rob Bottin werewolf to.

HULLS
Loney Dear

I don’t know if this is necessarily was meant to be a spooky song, but it creeps me out big time.

TROUBLEMAKER
Beach House

The background organs, the reverb vocals, and the causal guitar all fit together perfectly in this shoegaze symphony.

CREEKING DOOR
Itself

I didn’t want to go too crazy with the sound effects, but I had to break things up here with the ever so slow and impossibly creaky creaking door.

MONSTER JERK
Don Hinson & The Rigamorticians

“Monster Mash” gave way to way too many doppelgangers, but the sarcasm in this one works.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN WALTZ
George Winston

New Age pianist George Winston replaced the eerie jazz flute from the original Vince Guaraldi arrangement, but it still works.  One of my favorite Halloween compositions.

SATAN TAKES A HOLIDAY
John Cali

This is a great Jazz guitar version of a kooky tune I wish I had a 78rpm of.

MY LITTLE DEMON
Fleetwood Mac

From their concert album “The Dance” comes this crazy Lindsey Buckingham track.  Of course it’s really about drugs, in the same way George Michael’s “Monkey” is, but the playfulness with demon sounds and vocal stylings ramps up the horror factor.

GOOD MAN IN A BAD TIME
Ian Hunter

Yes, from the dance sequence in the original Fright Night.  Still one of my all time favorite 80s soundtracks (which has been reissued on vinyl at last by Night Fever Music.

VAMPIRES
The Midnight

I mean, who doesn’t love a great sax backing riff to go with their synth chords?

HAUNTED (WHEN THE MINUTES DRAG)
Love and Rockets

Not necessarily about actual, literal haunting, but still a very creepy song with haunting lyrics.

SATAN IS REAL
The Louvin Brothers

This 1959 country track from The Louvin Brothers is soaked in evangelism, but that might make it more suitable for Halloween. And you must check out this Capitol Records cover art.

GHOST GOES TO TOWN
The Five Jones Boys

Fans of the Don Knotts comedy The Ghost and Mr Chicken will recognize this as the source song for the film’s soundtrack.  The tongue clicking percussions, phoney horns, and bass bumblings are better than actual instruments.

NIGHTMARE
Artie Shaw

This is Big Band during last call in a crummy, skid row bar after the brawls have settled and you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay there.

MAGIC
Mick Smiley

The key horror montage where the ghosts take Manhattan in Ghostbusters wouldn’t work without the purple haze of ILM, nor this track from someone named “Mick Smiley.”  Read more about why he only released this one song before performing a disappearing act here.

THE MONKEY TIME
Major Lance

In Halloween of 1982, Paramount Pictures gathered together Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Gilda Radner, and Cheech and Chong for a celebration of crazy B-movie moments.  The monkey montage was done to this obscure song by Major Lance.  I figured it might get stuck in your head long after listening to the mix, so we end with that.

One of the year’s most acclaimed films, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Dunkirk,” arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital this December. From filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“Interstellar,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy) comes the epic action thriller “Dunkirk.”

Nolan directed “Dunkirk” from his own original screenplay, utilizing a mixture of IMAX^® and 65mm film to bring the story to the screen. The film was partially shot on location on the beaches of Dunkirk, France, where the actual events unfolded.

“Dunkirk” opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces.  Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in. The story unfolds on land, sea and air. RAF Spitfires engage the enemy in the skies above the Channel, trying to protect the defenseless men below. Meanwhile, hundreds of small boats manned by both military and civilians are mounting a desperate rescue effort, risking their lives in a race against time to save even a fraction of their army.

Said director Christopher Nolan, “I’m excited to be releasing ‘Dunkirk’ on 4K UHD with HDR. The film was shot entirely on the highest definition IMAX and 65mm film and this fantastic new format, with its increased resolution and superior colour reproduction is able to maximize Dunkirk’s impact in the home.”

The film’s ensemble cast includes Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy and Barry Keoghan, with Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy.

“Dunkirk” was produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, with Jake Myers serving as executive producer. The behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Lee Smith, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher.  The music was composed by Hans Zimmer.

On December 19, “Dunkirk” will be available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack for $44.95. The 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack will include a 4K Ultra HD disc with the feature film in 4K resolution with HDR, a Blu-ray disc with the feature film in hi-definition, a Blu-ray disc with the special features in hi-definition, and a Digital version of the feature film.

4K Ultra HD showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before.

Also on December 19, “Dunkirk” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features a Blu-ray disc with the film in hi-definition, a Blu-ray disc with the special features in hi-definition, a DVD with the film in standard definition, and a Digital version of the movie.

Fans can also own “Dunkirk” via purchase from digital retailers beginning December 12.

“Dunkirk” 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and Standard Definition DVD contain the following special features:

• Creation: Revisiting the Miracle
• Creation: Dunkerque
• Creation: Expanding the Frame
• Creation: The In-Camera Approach
• Land: Rebuilding the Mole
• Land: The Army On the Beach
• Land: Uniform Approach
• Air: Taking to the Air
• Air: Inside the Cockpit
• Sea: Assembling the Naval Fleet
• Sea: Launching the Moonstone
• Sea: Taking to the Sea
• Sea: Sinking the Ships
• Sea: The Little Ships
• Conclusion: Turning Up the Tension
• Conclusion: The Dunkirk Spirit

For more details visit Facebook.com/DunkirkMovie
#DunkirkMovie

With a new year lingering in the background, Hulu seems to want to do nothing more than to look back as it stocks up on fluff from the ‘80s, no-brainers of the ‘90s and handfuls of forgetful films from the ‘90s.

While there are a few classics in the midst (Airplane!, The Purple Rose of Cairo, the entirety of the Bond catalog), most of the streaming giant’s feature film offerings seem to rely on pure drivel and comedies that you can play in the background as you clean the house.

Except for Teen Wolf. That’s awesome.

Hulu is also prepping for the holiday season with enough holiday-themed drivel to shake a yule log at. Keep in mind, this is just the beginning of the eventual tidal wave of Lifetime movies and ABC Family (Freeform?) chaos set to come our way this December, featuring folks in their early 30s looking for love in time for the holidays. Or a miracle. Or both.

On the TV front, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia brings its 12th season to the streaming even though the new season is still not set for production. FX is also bringing the genius Baskets to the streaming net. And before she was giving bad advice, Mayim Bialik was wearing goofy hats and waiting all night in line for C&C Music Factory on Blossom.

NOVEMBER 1

• 13 Going on 30 (2004)
• 25th Hour (2002)
• 5th Kind (2017)
• The 13th Warrior (1999)
• The Air up There (1994)

• A View to Kill (1985)
• Air Bud 2: Golden Receiver (1998)
• Airplane! (1980)
• Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
• Alfie (2004)
• The Aristocats (1970)
• Arizona Bushwhackers (1967)
• Ashby (2015)
• The Associate (1996)
• Bad Boys (1983)
• Bad Santa (2003)

• Barbarella (1968)
• Barbershop (2002)
• Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)
• Beowulf (2007)
• Blown Away (1994)
• Bound (1996)
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
• Brother Bear (2003)
• Celtic Pride (1996)
• Christmas Classics: Jingle Bells (2010)
• Christmas Classics: O’Christmas Tree (1999)
• Christmas Classics: Santa’s Christmas Crash (1998)
• Christmas Classics: Santa’s Christmas Snooze (1995)
• Christmas Classics: We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1999)
• Christmas with the Cranks (2004)
• Chuck Jones Collection: A Very Merry Cricket (2016)
• Corky Romano (2001)
• Cougars, Inc. (2011)

• Crocodile Dundee (1986)
• Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
• D3: the Mighty Ducks (1996)
• Dances with Wolves (1990)
• Dead Hands Dig Deep (2016)
• Dead Man on Campus (1998)
• Delta Farce (2007)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• Dirty Work (1998)
• Double Take (2001)
• Doug’s First Movie (1999)

• Dr. No (1963)
• Ella Enchanted (2004)
• Flesh + Blood (1985)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• From Russia with Love (1964)
• Goldeneye (1995)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Grumpy Old Men (1993)
• Grumpier Old Men (1995)
• Home for the Holidays (1995)
• How to Build a Time Machine (2016)
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)
• Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
• Journey to Space (2015)
• The Joy Luck Club (1993)
• Jungle to Jungle (1997)
• Jungle Book – Live Action (1994)
• K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
• Kazaam (1996)

• Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
• Larger than Life (1996)
• Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006)
• Legally Blondes (2009)
• License to Kill (1989)
• Little Man (2006)
• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• Maid in Manhattan (2002)
• Man of the House (2005)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Marrying Man (1991)
• Mean Creek (2004)

• Men in Black (1997)
• The Mighty Quinn (1989)
• Moonlight Mile (2002)
• Moonraker (1979)
• The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
• Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
• Never Say Never Again (1983)
• Nixon (1995)
• Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
• Octopussy (1983)
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
• Open Range (2003)
• Out Cold (2001)
• Outside Providence (1999)
• The Peacemaker (1997)
• Permanent Midnight (1998)
• Pinocchio (2002)
• Proof (2005)
• Pumpkin (2002)
• Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994)

• The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
• The Quiet American (2002)
• The Rescuers (1977)
• Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
• The Saint (1997)
• Saved! (2004)
• Scream (1996)
• Shaolin Soccer (2001)
• She’s All That (1999)
• Shopgirl (2005)
• Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th (2001)
• Six Days, Seven Nights (1998)
• Split Decisions (1988)
• The Spy who Loved Me (1977)
• Summer’s Moon (2009)
• The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure (1998)
• The Swan Princess Christmas (2012)
• The Sweetest Thing (2002)
• The Sword in the Stone (1963)

• Teen Wolf (1985)
• Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
• Thunderball (1965)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• Treasure Planet (2002)
• Unforgettable (1996)
• Up in the Air (2009)

• The Usual Suspects (1995)
• What’s the Worst that Could Happen? (2001)
• Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
• Winter’s Bone (2010)
• The World is not Enough (1999)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)

NOVEMBER 2

• Total Divas: Season 7 Premiere (E!)
• The Penguin King (2012)

NOVEMBER 3

• Player vs. Player: Season 1 Premiere (ESL)

NOVEMBER 4

• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Complete Season 12 (FX)
• Man Seeking Woman: Complete Season 3 (FXX)
• Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

NOVEMBER 5

• ESL Replay: Season 1 Premiere (ESL)
• Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
• Life on the Line (2016)
• Zero Days (2016)

NOVEMBER 7

• Vanderpump Rules: Complete Season 5 (Bravo)

NOVEMBER 8

• Gadget Gang in Outerspace (2017)
• Much Ado About Nothing (2013)
• Oddball (2015)
• White Haired Witch (2014)

NOVEMBER 10

• Bootcamp: Immortals: Season 1 Premiere (ESL)
• Taboo: Complete Season 1 (FX)
• Allied (2016)
• Austin Found (2017)
• The Song (2014)

NOVEMBER 11

• Citizen Jane (2017)

• Obey Giant: Hulu Original Documentary (2017)
• Their Finest (2016)

NOVEMBER 14

• Future Man: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)
• Guidance: Complete Season 2 (Awesomeness TV)

NOVEMBER 15

• Uncontrollably Fond: Complete Season 1 (DramaFever)
• Extract (2009)
• Iron Sky (2012)
• Parkland (2013)
• Still Breathing (1997)

NOVEMBER 16

• Gameface: Complete Season 1 (All3Media)
• There’s…Johnny!: Complete Season 1 (Seeso)
• Whose Streets? (2017)

NOVEMBER 19

• Baskets: Complete Season 2 (FX)
• Man Down (2016)

NOVEMBER 20

• Whitey (1980)

NOVEMBER 21

• Blossom: Complete Series (ABC)
• Marvel’s Runaways: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)

NOVEMBER 22

• Chicago Med: Season 3 Premiere (NBC)
• The Assassin Next Door (2009)
• Stander (2003)

NOVEMBER 23

• Prison Break: Complete Seasons 1-5 (FOX)
• Happy Christmas (2014)

NOVEMBER 24

• Fences (2016)

NOVEMBER 30

• Monkey Business (2017)
• Person to Person (2017)

Last Chance – What’s Leaving Hulu On November 30

• A River Runs Through It (1992)
• American Loser (2007)
• America’s Sweethearts (2001)
• The Amityville Horror (1979)
• An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
• And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird (1991)
• Best Seller (1987)
• Black Hawk Down (2001)
• The Dark Half (1993)
• Disturbing Behavior (1998)
• Dr. Strange (2007)
• Dying Breed (2009)
• Fargo (1996)
• The Final Cut (2004)
• The Fog (2005)
• The Golden Child (1986)
• High Tension (2003)
• Home Sweet Hell (2015)
• Indecent Proposal (1993)
• The Invincible Iron Man (2007)
• Kalifornia (1993)
• Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1997)
• Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
• Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)
• The Monster Squad (1987)
• Nacho Libre (2006)
• Princess Kaiulani (2009)
• River’s Edge (1987)
• Something to Talk About (1995)
• Switchback (1997)
• Thor: Tales of Asgard (2001)
• Ultimate Avengers 2 (2006)
• Ultimate Avengers: The Movie (2006)
• Ultraviolet (2006)