Photo by Bill Smith/via Flickr

A Bingo Caller is the person that is responsible for randomly selecting and calling out the selected numbers during each game, they are also responsible for keeping the players entertained so they really do need good communication skills.

This job has recently come under threat with the evolution of online bingo and hundreds of bingo sites launching in the UK since 2005.

Work is varied and Bingo Callers need to have great organisational skills as well as a good knowledge of the rules of the game, especially as there can be numerous different games running in a short space of time.

Bingo Callers can work at an independent bingo club, at a holiday camp, on a cruise ship or for one of the well-known, large bingo chains.

The Bingo Caller usually works shifts either in the afternoon or in the evening, so being able to work flexible hours are a definite feature of the job. Clubs are open each day expect on a Christmas day so Callers need to be able to work during the weekends and on bank holidays.

Today you will find Bingo Callers in casinos too as they offer this ever-popular game at their venues, and this means that opportunities will exist throughout the country for Bingo Callers.

There is no upper age limit for the job, but people must be reliable, have people skills and of course be willing to work those odd hours.

However, when you play the game online there is no Bingo Caller, but there is a Random Number Generator or RNG that acts as the Caller.

This is the software that calls the virtual bingo balls, rolls the virtual dice, spins the virtual reels and wheels, and also deals the virtual cards at any online site.

Online casinos are under strict regulations and to keep their gambling license they must have the RNG independently audited. Once the software has gone through rigorous testing it will be certified as ‘true and fair’ which means that every person that plays on the site has an equal chance of a win.

Some people might think that not having the ‘human touch’ makes online bingo less sociable, but really that idea is quite wrong and online bingo sites are well aware of what players want and so they provide chat features and chat mods and hosts that help the games fly by with a lot of fun and laughter.

Bingo in all its forms is a fun and exciting game to play, and the latest studies have shown that those that play the game have quicker reactions on some tests than those that do not play bingo.

So ‘Eyes Down’ in all its forms is good for you!

Written by Richard Gray
Foreword by Phil Hester
Includes Interviews with Neal Adams,
Mike Grell, Chuck Dixon, Phil Hester,
Brad Meltzer, Jeff Lemire
Cover by Louie Joyce
Published by Sequart Organization
ISBN 9781940589169
Released Aug 2017 / $17.99 / $5.99 Kindle

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover.

In point of fact my PDF review copy of Moving Target: the History and Evolution of Green Arrow, by Richard Gray, didn’t even HAVE a cover for me to judge if I wanted to but I found the cover on Amazon.

It’s perfect! Arrows and targets always make for great design work and this image of the encircled, silhouetted Robin Hood being chased off the cover by giant arrows formed out of the negative space between city skyscrapers?

Brilliant! A perfect metaphor for a comic book superhero who has been there almost from the beginning and yet who has been reinvented so many times no one really can pin him down!

Well, Richard Gray does. More or less. His 300+ page book reads like a well-written, well researched, if perhaps overlong “Hero History” from the old Amazing Heroes mag of the ‘80s! Gray’s semi-scholarly approach, complete with numerous footnotes, is regrettable as it adds a somewhat pretentious, vaguely elitist, feel to a subject that almost by definition is pretty down to earth.

Let me just say up front that I don’t watch Arrow on the CW. I’ve seen a few episodes. Just not a big fan. That said, it is, of course, the undeniable popularity of Arrow that has given this book a reason and a chance to exist. But TV’s live-action Oliver Queen is just the latest in a long line of variant Oliver Queens that started in 1941.

Created by later Superman guru Mort Weisinger with artist George Papp, he was originally a millionaire archer with trick arrows, an Arrow-Cave, an Arrow Plane, an Arrow Car, etc. He fought gangsters and costumed villains alike, one of his biggest enemies being an evil clown!

The author goes into more depth than necessary in detailing the relatively bland, obviously Batman-inspired and already contradictory early adventures with boy sidekick Speedy in DC’s More Fun Comics and Leading Comics of the Golden Age.

Switching to Adventure Comics after World War II, the Emerald Archers quietly continued on in its back pages as most of the rest of the four-color heroes from DC and every other publisher fell by the wayside going into the 1950s. Jack Kirby even did a brief but memorable run on the character that was more sci-fi oriented than before!

I first discovered Green Arrow in mid-sixties issues of Justice League of America and The Brave and the Bold where, in both, he usually appeared opposite his inspiration, Batman, and tended to seem superfluous to pre-teen me.

All that changed when Neal Adams came along and gave ol’ G.A. a new suit, a new beard, and a new attitude. And be assured that Neal deserves the lion’s share of the credit, as he himself tells you in a long, in-depth interview contained herein. As always with Neal’s interviews in recent years—a man who really did revolutionize the industry, no question—one finds themselves wondering just how much of his claims to take seriously. To hear him tell it, even new to the industry, he was convincing DC veterans to do things his way every single time behind the scenes.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a fascinating interview, although it typically comes across as more about Neal than Green Arrow. Other in-depth interviews in the book include the controversial Chuck Dixon, novelist and comics writer Brad Meltzer, recent GA custodians Jeff Lemire and Phil Hester and, my favorite, Mike Grell.

After Adams and writer Denny O’Neil almost literally reinvented Green Arrow from scratch in the late sixties, there was a huge burst of popularity and awards for the socially conscious stories that followed. But after a while, that version, too, became a cliché and was relegated once again to short story backups. Another radical retooling needed to be done for the character to survive. That was where Grell came in with his mini-series, The Longbow Hunters, and beyond.

It’s Grell’s dark, violent, urban version more than Adams’ socially conscious vigilante who has kept the character—albeit not always as Oliver Queen—in the public eye in recent decades and inspired the current TV series.

All of this history and background is meticulously laid out in loving detail by the author who, while he ultimately fails to succeed in the thankless task of trying to have it all make sense in the end, his efforts are so informative and entertaining, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes in comics, as in life, the pieces simply don’t all fit together neatly.

There are also some well-chosen color illustrations throughout the untangling of convoluted continuity that leads us more or less up to today.

Overall verdict?

A bit more involved than the casual comics fan who watches the TV series will like but a frustrating joy for those of us who consider Ollie—all the different versions of Ollie—to be an old friend.

Now if someone can just interest Richard Gray in trying to sort out Hawkman’s history! Please!

Booksteve Recommends!

In the brand new adventure Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the tables are turned as four teenagers in detention are sucked into the world of Jumanji.  When they discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of, they are immediately thrust into the game’s jungle setting, into the bodies of their avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.  What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji –Jumanji plays you.  They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever…

BOSTON
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of Monday, December 18 at 7pm at AMC Boston Common, click HERE.

HARTFORD
For your chance to download passes to the advance screening of JUMANJI on Monday, December 18 at 7pm at the Buckland Hill, click HERE.

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

SonyPictures.com/movies/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle

It’s Twinsie Day here!

2 Scoobys and 2 Super Ladies all for the same price!

Trust me there are no boring books on this list, hold on and dive in.

Action Comics #993
Words – Dan Jurgens
Pictures – Dan Jurgens, Joe Prado, Cam Smith, Hi-Fi

Minutes(?), seconds(?) after Superman shoots himself back in time to find answers, Booster Gold and Skeets appears to stop the fabric of time unraveling as a result of that. They investigate Flash’s Cosmic Treadmill for clues and get pummeled by it’s owner for their troubles. (It almost never pays to be Booster Gold)

Skeets gets him out of that, and then posts the pics on Facebook and Twitter to help his social presence… sigh. (I know we’ve all agreed not to talk about elements no longer in continuity, but I miss when the “do anything for fame or a buck” Booster persona was a put-on so no one would suspect he was seriously helping the timeline, and I miss it as a character deepening element)

Superman currently witnesses the last moments of Krypton – or does he?

Strange Chronal energy strikes and he’s not sure where/when he’s found himself in. There’s few certainties except – Krypton is whole, his people are alive, he’s on the ground and being attacked (and completely powerless!), and his only help is Booster!

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #17
Words – Julie Benson, Shawna Benson
Pictures – Roge Antonio, Marcelo Maiolo

Enough slights can leave a person blind and callous to the offending party, even if that’s half the fricking world!

Our cure-seeking crimefighters (Batgirl, Batwoman, and Harley Quinn) have been captured, it’s the perfect time to learn their foe’s extensive backstory. (Hey Harley, pay attention! These spiels are great for readers, but only give the good guys time to regroup.)

Our mastermind Patient Zero was born a reverse Typhoid Mary, she not only never got sick but her chemistry could be used for cures.

If only it hadn’t been 1918 and science was incredibly barbarically simple back then. She even went into science herself and turned to her own cells to help humanity.

But Patient Zero was so disappointed when the gift of well-being wasn’t enough to stop people from harming each other. It was such a short leap to – restore peace and order by killing all men.

It’s the conclusion to an event story that brings out all the known ladies both heroic and felonious to save the day, some I’ve never met but now I’m intrigued to keep an eye out for (Gotham Girl what IS your story?).

After this they’ll go back to their familiar sides, but in fighting a villain blind with rage and singular of purpose (Patient Zero is sure she’s bettering the world on her way out), it’s nice to see all other parties involved left with a better understanding of their fellow costumed ladies.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #34
Words – Robert Venditti
Pictures – Tom Derenick, Jack Herbert, Jason Wright

Somar-Le’s questioned by Hal and Guy who want to rush off and save the the Guardians, it’s only Kyle who remembers she’s a little girl and you have to have some patience and tact (this pays off immediately).

Meanwhile, Controllers are draining the Guardians like batteries, and monologuing… sooo much (these are villains who abuse the flashback button).

After research and beating up rough types the four Green Lanterns (Hal, Kyle, Guy and John) have a clue, but is it enough to be in time to save the little eternal blue dudes?

Justice League of America #20
Words – Steve Orlando
Pictures – Hugo Petrus, Hi-Fi

Prometheus is being his “everyone else is wrong and I am the HERO!” self as the explosion he set with his compatriot Afterthought goes off. The difficult choice is re-stated to Vixen and – it’s answered with a random woman’s taser to the ear.

Apparently he misread the audience and they don’t accept his sanctimonious show, giving Vixen the opening she needed and the rest of the team a good pause to leap on into this battle (you didn’t think they died in an all ages book did ya?).

The normal person’s heroism is cheered, friendship is appreciated and the bad guys go to jail. The rest of the book is the fallout from the tears in their team their battlefield decisions have wrought.

Hugo Petrus takes his time with the faces in this book, and it’s appreciated but especially the non-photorealistic ones. “Beat to hell” Lobo’s face has more life and heart to it than ones that appear more reference reliant and I hope to see more of these character filled mugs as the story goes along.

Scooby Apocalypse #20
Words – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Ron Wagner
Pictures – Andy Owens, Hi-Fi
Back-Up Story:  Secret Squirrel in “Deadly Reunion”
Words – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis
Pictures – Howard Chaykin

The main story is titled “A Scooby Doo Christmas” as the gang pulls up in a Mystery Machine that could take incoming fire, (this is a post apocalyptical take) and they break into nondescript facility #453 (It says paper mill but I’m making a point through humor). Dr. Velma and a very Green Arrow looking Shaggy hope the key to cure a nanite plague lies inside.

Daphne and Fred work on their respective anger and feelings of helplessness. The children Cliffy and Daisy deal with their sense of loss with Scooby, and Fred tries to tie it all together by Jerry-rigging a Christmas tree together just in time to hear Velma’s results at chapter’s end.

Then, there is Secret Squirrel in “Deadly Reunion.”

This has two of the three writers from the first story, and it feels tighter and funnier for it. When Agent Bea takes the incapacitated Squirrel by the tail to their meeting and all they do is fight over how ungrateful the rodent is for her, it put a smile on my face. It was good dialogue that felt fitting in a discussion between close colleagues. But for what it gains in storytelling it… (sigh) there are some times when it looks like the artist was having a bad time.

I’ve seen much better work come from Chaykin. Pencils were darkened/recolored and used as inks, panels (especially ones involving Morocco Mole) look unfinished, the last splash page throws all anatomy to the wind. I hold hope for a better next issue, those involved can do so much better.

Scooby Doo! Where Are You? #88
Words – Derek Friddlfs
Pictures – Randy Elliott, Silvana Brys
Back-Up story: Fright Ride
Words – John Rozum
Pictures – Fabio Laguna, Heroic Age

This comic book is a really good representation of the cartoon. If you like the cartoon you’ll like this comic book – end of review

Just kidding (that would have been true but unfair), it also has the most frightening object to not get it’s own horror franchise – the wiggly waving car dealership balloon guy!! Even when they don’t talk or have fangs I don’t trust em’.

After racking up decades of miles on their van, they look into trading it in. The first place is big clean shiny and waaaaay too expensive.

The second seems scammy (scamish?) but they’re chased into the dealer’s trailer by said wiggle monster.

Our best bait (Shaggy and Scooby) get chased around the lot and the trap springs as the dealer makes peace with the truth that there’s no sale to be found here.

The Mystery Machine will stay their main means of locomotion for at least decades to come.

The second story follows a reporter looking for an exciting story to jumpstart his career. A ride-along with Mystery Inc., how could that go wrong? But the quietest week in news remains unbroken even in a van full of monster prone kids. What’s there for a desperate reporter to do?

Supergirl #316
Words – Jody Houser, Steve Orlando
Pictures – Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Michael Atiyeh

Supergirl’s got so many problems.

She wants to help people, but the D.E.O. is ready to jump on her as soon as they spot her blonde tresses. And now, a former friend (Sharon Vance) comes back from the dead ripping off her cousin’s style from 98′ (don’t worry, no one will ask for it back).

Sharon’s smashing up the place demanding Supergirl pays for bringing her back to life – badly.

Kara’s family wants her to remain safe, but when a former criminal she turned around goes to face the threat in her stead, can she justify sitting on her hands?

How is the D.E.O. involved?

They’re on the scene too damn fast, for regular humans or just coincidence.

But maybe I’m wrong to distrust the skull headed shadow commander named Mister Bones – yeah I’m sure I’m being unfair.

Superwoman #17
Words – K. Perkins
Pictures – Federico Dallocchio, Hi-Fi

Superwoman (Lana Lang) fights the robot Midnight created by Lena Luthor. (I will never, never describe a Superman story with just character’s initials, it’d be cruel.)

Lana’s been offered the return of everything it’s stolen in return for Lana.

At this time Lana’s completely spent, and before she can respond her friends (Natasha and Maxima) save her.

She can’t appreciate their heroic efforts, having swooned into hallucination. She talks to Clark in that unconscious vision, and is solidly sure of her decision at waking.

For a story with such high stakes and physically powerful characters, this is the unexpectedly surprisingly well made quiet and thoughtful interlude.

It’s the story of one person being willing to die for larger reasons, and one doing anything necessary for the chance to live. It’s delightfully more frightening for it.

Wonder Woman #36
Words – James Robinson
Pictures – Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Sara 11/22: “I’m so glad her brother didn’t turn out to be a creep.”

That was my quote, from reading the last issue, how did we get here?

Jason went from a little too reliant on his money and looks but an honest hard working young man to such a tool!

Jason’s leans on lifting all his answers from Grail so much, you wonder why she’s not taking point.

Wondy takes it for longer than I could have before breaking her restraints and bringing the fight to the two of them.

Giganta is interviewed in prison by Waller and Steve Trevor, learning the name of her employer at the same time Wonder Woman does (helpful there!).

It was young adult Darkseid! Jason isn’t the most helpful (I know he’s confused, questioning character but still!).

Darkseid’s tapping her life essence like a juice box, Jason objects – finally (find patience for character arc baby steps) and at the last minute, coming to the rescue is Mr. Hooper, Jason’s lawyer!

It’s a strange issue, you won’t be bored and I swear I read #35 last month but it still feels like I missed an issue. Hopefully the next one rebalances us.

Welcome to the fourth Precursor to Dystopia column.

Usually I start these with some weird-but-intriguing analogous relationship between something innocuous, and the inevitable dystopian future we all face. Today, I only have one word: Facebook. I want to start with a few quotes. You may or may not recognize the names attributed, but you will surely understand their titles:

“The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops we’ve created are destroying how society works…. Hearts, likes, thumbs-up, no civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And it’s not an American problem, this is not about Russians ads. This is a global problem.

 –Chamath Palihapitiya, former Vice President of User Growth, Facebook

“It’s a social-validation feedback loop … exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology. The inventors, creators, it’s me, it’s Mark [Zuckerberg], it’s Kevin Systrom on Instagram, it’s all of these people understood this consciously. And we did it anyway. God knows what it’s doing to the brains of our kids.”

–Sean Parker, Former Facebook Exec, Facebook
(and the guy who inspired Justin Timberlake to say “You know what’s cool? A BILLION Dollars”)

“They’re bright bings of pseudo pleasure…It is very common for humans to develop things with the best of intentions and for them to have unintended, negative consequences”

–Justin Rosenstein, inventor of the “Like” button, on his creation for Facebook

My thesis:

I don’t think Facebook started out evil, nor do I think they intended to be evil. But they have become evil, by sheer virtue that they refuse to stop doing evil things.

They have put profit above responsibility. They have put user engagement above user health. They have refused to reign in systems that are continually abused by bad actors to manipulate and control people, because Facebook depends on widespread public use to work — and shutting even one door affects their bottom line.

Chances are, you found this Forces of Geek exclusive column via a link shared there, either by Stefan or by a friend, or just because you happen to have liked an article from this site in the past. Or any article related to “geek culture” or “dystopia” or even “precursors.”

Or maybe you were searching for “Dystopian furniture and lighting” for your new cyberpunk-themed smoking lounge in your brand new house, and amongst the links to wall clings for loading bars and cool circuitboard patterns and LED lighting was a link to this, because Machine Learning.

No, really. That’s why.

Facebook is a gigantic machine, learning everything about you based on what you tell it, and even what you don’t. Every click, every comment, every photo, every link — even on sites you visit that AREN’T Facebook and weren’t visited via Facebook — and even if you actually aren’t on Facebook (when it asks to see contacts by your friends, if you’re in that contact list, you’re ingested too)… You’re in the Facebook machine.

When you use Facebook, Facebook uses your interactions to learn how you’re using it, and then begins presenting achievements and asks you to use it more.

Of course, Forces of Geek is certainly not evil.

Stefan Blitz is not evil.

I am not evil.

The post on Facebook you may have followed to read this article is not evil.

Even the system itself is not evil.

It’s just a robot, after all. It can’t know good from bad. It only knows what makes you tick so you will click, and it gets smarter on that fact every day. Because without that data, Facebook can’t be nearly as engaging. But the problem is, they’re ONLY focused on engagement, to an extreme degree that is harmful to the 3 billion people using the platform.

Think about it for a moment. THREE BILLION people use Facebook. That’s a little under half the planet, and includes children and senior adults unable to use computers. The statistic becomes far more stunning once you eliminate those two ends of the use spectrum: 72% of all teens and adults on the planet use Facebook. And all they care about is that you use it. It’s how they’ve built their robots, which is also how they’ve built there billions upon billions of dollars of cash in reserve.

The fact is, it is in Facebook’s best interest to get you engaged, even if it gets you angry, sad, depressed, and otherwise miserable. Because if misery gets you to use the machine, the machine regards it the same as happiness. And let’s not forget, Zuckerberg is TOTALLY not going to run for president in 2020.

With a platform he owns which holds half the planet’s attention for more than half their day, which has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to have influenced Presidential, Senate, Congress, Gubernatorial, and City Council seats… why would he? What makes Facebook evil is that it doesn’t stop us — the collective us — from using it to hurt ourselves, because to do so would destroy what makes it so powerful. Facebook — the people who make up the company — have decided that they care more about maintaining the control and power they have than they do about the health, welfare, safety, and freedom of the people they have in their grasp.

Mark Zuckerberg / Photo by JD Lasica

• Even after being caught allowing advertisers to exclude ads for housing and financing based on race (which is completely illegal) and being called out on it very publicly, and promising to change… They still allow it.

Facebook allows white supremacist groups to operate freely, but blocks ads for marches against them. UNICORNS!

• They knowingly allowed Russia to buy ads, form groups, and disseminate misinformation about the United States Presidential Election (and other matters, like Black Lives Matter, womens’ rights, and other bullshit). Russian propaganda:
• This is likely because a large stake of their venture capital comes from Russian and Saudi sources… Undisclosed, of course.
• They knowingly manipulated the emotional states of users to evaluate what the effect of depression would be on engagement, and continue to do so.
• Their “People you may know” feature has put people who never signed up for Facebook in proximity of abusers, ex-lovers, and other people that one would reasonably rather never know — including revealing the real identities of sex workers to their clients
• They provided a detailed electoral strategy and map for advertisers — including Russians — to reach and manipulate voters in the 2016 election… And then tried to hide it.
• When they were forced to testify to Congress, they fibbed. Twice.
• Oh, and by the way… coming soon, they’re going to demand a clear photo of your face. And likely your junk (no seriously).
• Their attempt to police “fake news” backfired completely.

We absolutely cannot trust Facebook to regulate itself. Every system can be hacked. And when you open the doors to the masses, the nefarious among them — even the computer illiterate ones — will learn how to use the system and abuse it to their own gain, especially when that gain is controlling the actions and thoughts of THREE BILLION people. Usually, when you realize you have a vulnerability, you work to patch it for the safety and security of your users. But what happens when your vulnerabilities are some of your most profitable features? What happens?

As Rob Beschizza said: “The thing Facebook will never understand is that their smartest algorithm is still dumber than the dumbest Nazi.” And as my friend James likes to say, “Facts are merely an inconvenience when your livelihood depends on ignoring them.”

So what can you do? Simple: Leave Facebook.

“But come on, really Joe?” you may ask. “Is it that drastic? I mean, it’s just a website!”

If it’s really “just a website” then leaving shouldn’t be hard, should it? But it is.

In my post about “Why I Left Facebook”, I explain how it affected me and how the process went a month into the experiment.

It’s not easy. Hell, I’m still not off it (although my relationship with it, as well as all of social media, is vastly different these days). I have a “stealth” account that I use to manage my author page and the page for my novel series. The account has only a few friends, who are real-life people I know and talk to daily, who can update my pages for me when I’m not able to. I don’t hang out there (or Twitter). I don’t post things for likes. I don’t argue with people all day. I don’t shout into the void for the dual benefit of feeling right and getting little dopamine hits of validation. I have not experienced any of the negative issues I used to, because I don’t actually use Facebook how Facebook wants me to use it. I post articles I write, updates about my books, and photos of my cats to it through other apps and hope that people check things out.

As a result, my traffic and engagement has fallen by an order of magnitude. And you know what? I’m good with that. Because I don’t wake up angry every day, and I don’t delude myself into thinking I’m doing anything meaningful when I espouse nonsense to people who simply ingest it as yet more stimulus to either be entertained by or react to.

If you don’t want to quit Facebook, at the very least, check out this guide to a healthier digital life. The main goal for me isn’t to get people to outright leave a platform, as much as it is to point out that these systems benefit to great profit by manipulating you, and you very likely have no idea exactly how they do it.

But there are very real consequences to this blindness of your own motivations. The trick to every great con is to make the victim believe it was their idea to do what you want them to do. And that’s precisely how large-scale social networks are engineered.

If you haven’t been paying attention, the five largest corporations in the country are all technology companies who offer you “free” platforms to spend your time all day. They read your messages. They study you and find new ways to get you to engage with them, because they can sell that engagement promise to advertisers who then track every move you make themselves.

If we’re not careful, it’ll be a Brave New World before we realize it.

Produced by Bernie Hernando,
Deborah Marks, Hugh Patterson
Written and Directed by Lowell Dean
Starring Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio,
Jonathan Cherry, Yannick Bisson,
Devery Jacobs. Serena Miller

Do you like the horror comedy genre? If the answer is no, stop reading immediately and go on with your life. If the answer is yes, stick with me for a few minutes.

Another WolfCop is now playing.  For more details, visit WolfCop.com

Molly’s Game is based on the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey, who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led us to believe.

For your chance to win passes to the advance screening of MOLLY’S GAME on
Wednesday, December 20th at 6:30pm at AMC Boston Common, click HERE.

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

Buckle up for a high-stakes crime adventure as co-writers Alex Segura and Michael Moreci along with artist Thomas Pitilli and colorist Dee Cunniffe bring DICK TRACY back to comic books in April 2018!

The earliest investigations of one of pop culture’s most iconic detectives will be explored in the new ongoing series that promises to blend the classic Dick Tracy style that readers know and love with a modern and dark noir feel.

“Dick Tracy has always been a character that stands shoulder to shoulder amongst the best–Superman, The Shadow, Conan the Barbarian, Spider-Man, you name it,” said co-writer Michael Moreci. “There’s been so many great Dick Tracy stories over the past 75 years, and that’s such a testament to his versatility, his amazing–unbeatable–rogues gallery, and what he represents.”

“The first arc of the series is going back to square one – as we explore the very early days of Dick Tracy’s time in The City, soon after the second World War,” said co-writer Alex Segura. “While everyone is familiar with the established, confident and heroic Tracy, we wanted to give readers a chance to see how all that came to be, and how his Rogues first reared their ugly mugs.”

Segura and Moreci will co-write the new series and are joined by artist Thomas Pitilli (RIVERDALE), colorist Dee Cunniffe and letterer Jack Morelli.

“I’m so psyched to be working on such an iconic character,” said Pitilli. “Alex and Mike have dreamed up a version of Dick Tracy that will surely excite new readers and life long fans alike! This gritty crime drama is a new genre for me and I’m already having fun stretching my artistic abilities.”

Dick Tracy’s new adventures begin April 11, 2018 when the world famous detective investigates a deadly shooting that bears the fingerprints of a menacing killer known only as Flattop. Are you ready to join Dick Tracy on his newest case?

DICK TRACY #1 launches in comic shops and on digital platforms April 11, 2018 and features variant covers by Francesco Francavilla, Kyle Baker, Cat Staggs, and Michael Walsh.

All The Money in The World follows the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother Gail (Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom.  When Getty Sr. refuses, Gail attempts to sway him as her son’s captors become increasingly volatile and brutal.  With her son’s life in the balance, Gail and Getty’s advisor (Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in the race against time that ultimately reveals the true and lasting value of love over money.

For your chance to win passes to the advance screening of ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD on Tuesday, December 19th at 7:00pm at Providence Place, click HERE.

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

Uncover the world’s biggest conspiracy when “Geostorm” arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital. Dean Devlin (writer/producer, “Independence Day”) makes his feature film directorial debut with suspense thriller “Geostorm,”

After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world’s leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe.  But now, something has gone wrong—the system built to protect the Earth is attacking it, and it’s a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything…and everyone along with it.

The film stars Gerard Butler (“Olympus Has Fallen,” “300”), Jim Sturgess (“Cloud Atlas”), Abbie Cornish (“Limitless”), Alexandra Maria Lara (“Rush”), Daniel Wu (“The Man with the Iron Fists,” “Warcraft: The Beginning”), Eugenio Derbez (“How to Be a Latin Lover”), with Oscar nominees Ed Harris (“The Hours,” “Apollo 13”) and Andy Garcia (“The Godfather: Part III”).

Butler stars as Jake, a scientist who, along with his brother, Max, played by Sturgess, is tasked with solving the satellite program’s malfunction. Cornish stars as Secret Service agent Sarah Wilson; Lara as Ute Fassbinder, the ISS astronaut who runs the space station; Wu as Cheng, the Hong Kong-based supervisor for the Dutch Boy Program; Derbez as space station crew member Hernandez; with Garcia as U.S. President Andrew Palma; and Harris as Secretary of State Leonard Dekkom. The film also stars Zazie Beetz (upcoming “Deadpool 2,” TV’s “Atlanta”), Adepero Oduye (“The Big Short,” “12 Years a Slave”), Amr Waked (“Lucy,” “Syriana”), Robert Sheehan (“The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones,” “Season of the Witch”) and Eugenio Derbez (“Instructions Not Included”).

The film, written by Dean Devlin & Paul Guyot, is produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Devlin, and Skydance’s Dana Goldberg. Herbert W. Gains, Electric Entertainment’s Marc Roskin and Skydance’s Don Granger are the executive producers. Rachel Olschan of Electric Entertainment and Cliff Lanning co-produce.

“Geostorm” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. 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 Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a digital version of the movie. Fans can also own “Geostorm” via purchase from digital retailers beginning January 16.

Additionally, all the special features, including interviews with filmmakers, featurettes and deleted 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 a Combo Pack is purchased and the digital movie is redeemed or the digital movie is purchased from an UltraViolet retailer, 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 “Geostorm” 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. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

“Geostorm” will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“Geostorm” Blu-ray Combo Pack contain the following special features:

• “Wreaking Havoc: Cutting edge visual effects, research and technology create the world of Geostorm.
• Search for Answers: Inspired by his daughter’s question of why can’t global warming be stopped, Director Dean Devlin retraces the creative journey that led to Geostorm.
• An International Event: A global cast opens up about the secrets behind Geostorm.

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

• Search for Answers: Inspired by his daughter’s question of why can’t global warming be stopped, Director Dean Devlin retraces the creative journey that led to Geostorm.

Facebook.com/GeostormMovie

Grammy Award-Winning DJ and platinum selling artist Paul Oakenfold is telling the “not quite true” story of his life as one of the progenitors of electronic music and one the greatest DJ’s of all time with his first ever book, a graphic novel which features an original soundtrack by Oakenfold.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PERFECTO: WITH PAUL OAKENFOLD AND FRIENDS spans the entirety of Oakenfold’s career — from his residency at Cream to drinking absinthe and shooting guns with Hunter S Thompson; from touring with U2, Madonna and Calvin Harris to performing on Mt Everest. The graphic novel, on sale now in bookstores and comic stores everywhere from Z2 Comics, features Oakenfold collaborating with renowned indie graphic novel artists, with interior art by Tyler Boss (4 Kids Walk Into a Bank), Chris Hunt (Carver), Ian McGinty (Welcome to Showside) and Koren Shadmi (The Abaddon) and a cover by WOODnLeG.

Oakenfold is making select book related appearances in New York and Los Angeles in 2017, timed to the book’s release:

December 15th
Forbidden Planet NY
5:30 – 6:00 PM
832 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

December 19th
Barnes & Noble The Grove
7:00-8:00 PM
189 The Grove Dr,
Los Angeles, CA 90036

2017 marks the 30 year anniversary of Paul Oakenfold’s famed trip to the white island of Ibiza, sparked the creation of club culture as it is known today as well as his legendary DJ’ing career. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PERFECTO: WITH PAUL OAKENFOLD AND FRIENDS charts his historic career rise to fame, fortune and musical nirvana and each of the artists collaborating with Oakenfold illustrate a different time period in the DJ’s life. Throughout his career, Paul Oakenfold has been nominated for 3 GRAMMYs, sold millions of records and has been named DJ Mag’s #1 DJ twice.  Oakenfold has collaborated with Pharrell Williams, Grandmaster Flash, Ryan Tedder, Perry Farrell, Nelly Furtado, Ice Cube, Tricky, Hunter S. Thompson and the list goes on. He’s officially remixed U2, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Massive Attack and Maroon 5 among others.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PERFECTO: WITH PAUL OAKENFOLD AND FRIENDS is part of a new initiative by Z2 Comics to publish graphic novels about music, with each book accompanied by an original soundtrack. Earlier this year, the publisher published MURDER BALLADS, the acclaimed rock’n’roll noir graphic novel about the music industry and redemption by writer Gabe Soria and artists Paul Reinwand and Chris Hunt, and and the MURDER BALLADS original soundtrack, featuring music by bluesman Robert Finley and Grammy-Award winner Dan Auerbach.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PERFECTO: WITH PAUL OAKENFOLD AND FRIENDS is on sale in comic book stores and bookstore and retails for $24.99. For more updates on the book, follow Z2 Comics on Twitter and Facebook and follow Paul Oakenfold on Twitter,  Facebook, YouTube, Google+, and Instagram.

Produced by Kathleen Kennedy,
Ram Bergman
Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Based on Characters by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver,
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac,
Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson,
Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie,
Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro,

Let me begin by saying my review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be completely spoiler free which will be hard as we are entering territory we’ve never been before with the Star Wars franchise.

This movie should actually be titled Star Wars: All Your Fan Theories Are Wrong.

Whatever you think this film is going to be, it isn’t.

Rian Johnson picks up the reins of the Star Wars franchise from J.J. Abrams, and for the first time ever this film picks up almost immediately where the last one leaves off, moments after Rey holds out Luke’s saber to him at the end of The Force Awakens.

Johnson also steers the franchise into new and excitingly fresh territory with only a smattering of callbacks and neo-nostalgia to support this next chapter.

In the trailer Luke tells someone, “This is not going to go the way you think.” This may be the battle cry for this, the eighth episode of the Saga. Johnson takes the story in a bold direction and though his script and direction we finally get a new Star Wars film. I love The Force Awakens. I saw it 20 times in the theater. I also acknowledge that it is very much a “remakequel” ushering in an entirely new generation of fans awhile nostalgically holding on to the older original fans of the galaxy far, far away.

I went into The Last Jedi with what I thought was going to be enough of a blank slate. I was open to whatever was presented to me. I quickly realized that I held onto past ideas, recent rumors, and hopes for what the future would bring. I was pleasantly and wondrously surprised. Not only did NONE of my subconscious preconceived notions come to fruition, but what actually did happen and why, was almost better then I could have hoped for.

Some very interesting things happened at the screening for me. I laughed and I cried more then I have ever done in the entire seven previous films combined. Sure, A LOT of it has to do with the fact that our Princess, our General, is with us no more. But there is so much heart in this film that calling this film an emotional rollercoaster is to sell it short. I genuinely laughed my ass off. I actually cheered out loud and clapped, and audibly gasped more then once, and I cried so much it could have filled a space cruiser with my tears.

It actually depresses me a little that the directing and writing rings are being handed back to J.J. Abrams, who’s love of cliche, deus ex machina, and what South Park refers to as “‘member berries”. He did a great job with Episode VII, I think. However, the bar has been raised to a new level and it is a level I don’t think Abrams will be able to reach.

I can’t even really divulge the basic plot of this film other then what you may already know fit you have watched The Force Awakens as I will inevitably reveal some vague spoiler that, while won’t ruin the film for you, will definitely detract from you theater going experience. Lets just say that my original statement that You have no idea what you are about to experience, you are unprepared or this film if you have kept yourself in even a slightly strict media blackout.

Writer/director, Johnson is able to pull beautifully nuanced performances from both old and new actors to the series. Most notably were the two performances by Mark Hamill as Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa in her final film performance.

Both actors truly live the characters and breathe new life into their roles as twin siblings. You truly feel the weight of the lifelong war they have fought, first against the Empire and now against the First Order. Both actors are unbelievably good and make you believe in the Force all over again.

The ensemble from The Force Awakens returns and bring with them new cast members Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Holdo, Benicio Del Toro as DJ, and Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico.

I loved The Last Jedi. It was exactly what I wanted from a new Star Wars film.

At just over two and half hours, it is the longest in the franchise so far, beating Revenge of the Sith by 11 minutes. Unlike Revenge of the Sith though it never felt long, The Last Jedi moves at a brisk pace and only lags once or twice. There were some definite things I would have trimmed out and some subplots that could have been tightened up. Almost all the jokes are hilarious and perfectly timed, though a few of the jokes didn’t work as well as others. We aren’t talking Jar-Jar stepping in poodoo bad, just not as solid as some of the others which left me in stitches. I was thankfully completely wrong about the Porgs, but I still don’t like them and I also know they were not made for me.

The Last Jedi is an entertaining, unpredicable hell-of-a-ride that left me exhausted and as emotionally spent as I was at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Maybe even more so.

I am sure It will piss off a lot of people.

More importantly it will thrill most people to no end.

I for one can’t wait to go back and experience this film again. By the time you read this I will have seen it another two times.

Produced by Aleksi Bardy,
Miia Haavisto, Annika Sucksdorff
Screenplay By Aleksi Bardy
Directed By Dome Karukoski
Starring Pekka Strang, Lauri Tilkanen,
Jessica Grabowsky, Taisto Oksanen,
Seumas Sargent, Niklas Hogner,
Jakob Oftebro, Kari Hietalahti

The main goal of a biopic is the ability to educate its audience, whether you agree with the topic, it’s to force you to have better understanding of that person’s way of life.

In Tom of Finland, Dome Karukoski’s biopic questions “what is art”?

For many people it could be the art held in the Vatican or Claude Monet; however to the gay community it’s the provocative works of Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen, aka Tom of Finland.

Unlike paintings of angels or flowers or even a girl with a pearl earring, he portrays hyper-muscular well endowed men of the gay lifestyle.

Despite appealing to a small crowd, he would go on to international fame within the gay community which sparks debates about depictions of hyper fetishized men in drag so popular it would inspired the artistic look of The Village People, Queen and the gay club scene.

Despite the many avenues Tom of Finland could have taken, it to this a very paint-by-numbers biopic that follows Laaksonen’s journey from his service in World War II to his rise in the art world. explores the many years of discrimination, his artwork which influenced many but shamed his hometown in Finland, where homosexuality was illegal.

Played by Pekka Strang, he used art as therapy, Laaksonen’s drawings consists of midnight encounters in parks and bathrooms, that are often filled with intensity while his depictions of police raids were time stamps in gay history and reflective of time when Laaksonen’s life was a cycle of police persecution, gay-bashing, repression, family rejection and lost love.

It isn’t until Laaksonen’s artwork comes to America that he finds fame and acceptance with young men who felt Laaksonen’s artwork created an entire lifestyle for those who felt lost and rejected by their friends and family.

Unlike Tom of Finland‘s promising beginning the second half falls apart and fails to educate its audience on how Laaksonen’s artwork affected the gay community and his inner struggle with contributing to a culture of raw sex he felt contributed to the AIDS crisis in the 80’s and unrealistic beauty standards of men.

Despite superb acting from Strang, the script is flimsy at best and comparable to a simple Google search. Completely forgettable, it does a disservice to the many lives Laaksonen’s artwork touched. Full of one-dimensional characters, director Dome Karukoski plays it safe and generic.

Laaksonen is reduced to a shock artist who draws dirty pictures for his own amusement instead of someone constantly filled with loneliness due to a life lead in crippling fear of being injured or murdered because of his lifestyle and art. Lacking substance and heart, Tom of Finland is an unforntuate disappointment that fails on all levels.

Produced by Kathleen Kennedy,
Ram Bergman
Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Based on Characters by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver,
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac,
Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson,
Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie,
Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro,

When The Force Awakens was released in 2015, it was met with overwhelmingly favorable reviews, just as the fans for the most part seemed thoroughly pleased by the continuation of the beloved saga.

The cause for the success was largely attributed to J.J. Abrams having managed to bring the franchise back to its roots in terms of tone and atmosphere, just as many of the new additions to the cast were also commended for being highly compelling.

However, with a change of director and the untimely death of the inimitable Carrie Fisher, people have been wondering where director Rian Johnson would take the Saga, as the ominous episode title The Last Jedi and the secretive marketing campaign seemed to suggest that the latest installment would be a much darker outing than its predecessor.

Picking up where The Force Awakens left off, The Last Jedi builds on the playfulness of the highly retrospective seventh installment in the episodic film saga. That being said, director Rian Johnson quickly establishes his own distinct tone and style for The Last Jedi, which in part means that the nostalgic callbacks to the original trilogy have been dialed down significantly. Offering a fresh perspective and story line, Johnson instead presents the audience with a Star Wars film that looks to the future of the franchise rather than dwelling on the past, both in terms of the story itself as well as the narrative structure in more general terms.

The visuals are stunning, often presenting the viewer with breathtaking cinematography that makes a seemingly endless number of frames stand out almost like paintings on a gallery wall. The composition of the action sequences is also exquisite, drawing many parallels to the Japanese samurai films that inspired the original Star Wars trilogy. As for the execution of the fight choreography, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver bring a fierce energy to the fight sequences, which makes the scenes they are involved in thoroughly exhilarating action set pieces.

However, what truly shines in The Last Jedi is the character development. The arcs of Driver’s Kylo Ren and Ridley’s Rey develop and intensify brilliantly, enhancing the main story line of the film, which is brimming with mystery and intrigue. The complexity of this story line may alienate the casual viewer, but the long-suffering fans of the film franchise will likely find that the lore of the saga is being expanded upon in a deeply satisfying manner.

In terms of the supporting characters, on the First Order side of things, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux is allowed more screentime this time around, giving the versatile actor the opportunity to further flesh out his character and thereby effectively join the menacing ranks of the dastardly officers that served the masters of the dark side in the original trilogy. Supreme Leader Snoke also becomes a more sinister presence, with Andy Serkis once again doing a great job with a fully animated character.

For the Resistance, Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose makes for a compelling new addition, who spars well with John Boyega’s Finn as the two characters find common ground. Oscar Isaac gets to command the screen and more superb space battles as the reprise of his role in The Last Jedi is much more substantial than it was in The Force Awakens, thus properly showcasing Isaac’s intensity as he channels this into conveying the thoroughly rebellious nature of Poe Dameron.

Mark Hamill delivers a remarkable performance, making the exiled and aging Luke Skywalker not only his most captivating turn as the powerful Jedi since the character was introduced, but also one of the best efforts of his career in general. Lastly, Carrie Fisher’s somber performance serves as a bittersweet, but powerful swansong for the actress, as she portrays the iconic princess-turned-general with a renewed depth that does both the actress and the character the utmost of justice.

Unfortunately, as excellent as The Last Jedi largely is, it is not flawless. During the first act in particular, the drama and tension is continuously undercut by the use of bathos, where there is a sudden shift from the serious to the trivial for comedic effect. This does detract somewhat from the film, much in the same way that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is also increasingly let down by its over-reliance on bathos.

The biggest issue, however, is a side mission during the second act; not only running overly long and thereby slowing down the pacing of the film significantly, this mission also serves as an unwelcome reminder of the prequel trilogy in terms of narrative, tone and style. Thankfully, the last part of the second act and the entire third act is perfectly balanced and nail-bittingly intense, which deservedly makes the film a genuinely enthralling piece of cinema.

All in all, the Force is well and truly strong with this one.

Verdict: 9 out of 10.

Five medical students, hoping to gain insight into the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring and dangerous experiment. By stopping their hearts for short periods of time, each triggers a near-death experience. As the investigation becomes more and more perilous, they are forced to confront the sins of their pasts, as well as contend with the supernatural consequences of trespassing to the other side.

And we’re giving away three copies!

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

Who is the only cast member from the original Flatliners to appear in this remake?

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 December 31st, 2017.

The Further Adventures Of Nick Wilson #1 (of 5)
Story by Eddie Gorodetsky & Marc Andreyko
Art by Steve Sadowski
Cover by Pete Woods
Variant Cover by Ian Churchill
Published by Image Comics
Diamond ID: NOV170648
In Stores: January 17, 2018 / $3.99

We are all obsessed with the idea of celebrity.

We are even more obsessed when a celebrity crashes and burns.

Now imagine if there were superheroes in the real world. They’d be famous, right?

What would happen if one of them lost their powers?

That is the case with our protagonist Nick Wilson. Let the crash and burn begin!

Wilson at the start of the book is lacing up his boots and getting into his superhero outfit.

Then, by the second page somebody is throwing up on him. We find out we are at a children’s birthday party. Nick has to dress up as the person he once was for entertainment. It’s humiliating. But it doesn’t stop there.

Nick has also become a joke in the public eye. He was a superhero in his 20s and now is a has-been in his 30s. How does one reconcile that? Marc Andreyko and Eddie Gorodetsky aim to answer that question in this five part series.

How did they do in this first issue?

Surprisingly well. The writing is funny and fast. It’s also human. They make Nick Wilson an identifiable and tragic character. They also keep him away from being gloomy or making the character too dark. It’s a great read overall for a first issue.

Sadowski is one of the most underrated artists ever to be in this field. I love his work and I hope this brings him to greater acclaim. His storytelling is great and his figure drawing is tops. He excels here as he always does.

The issue ends with a nice cliffhanger. I definitely can’t wait until the next issue. This is a cut above some of the other books out there. Pick it up when it hits the stands. It’s truly excellent.

RATING: A

The Further Adventures Of Nick Wilson #1 arrives
in comic stores and via digital on January 17th, 2018.

FOC is 12/18/2017.

Following the events of the DC/Young Animal crossover event “Milk Wars” this winter, the main titles of the DC’s Young Animal line will get a mix-up of their own, with new series titles and story directions. The pop-up imprint, curated by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way, continues to set the bar for innovation in comics, using the five-part event beginning January 31 to send each title back to #1, with strange and crazy new stories.

“Young Animal is back to bringing the weird, with all your favorite characters going in drastically new directions not even they could expect,” says Way. “Find out what these characters are up to now, and how they’ve hit their next level of evolution.”

Beginning March 7, Shade has shed her alien identity, stepping out of her original Earth body into a new one. SHADE, THE CHANGING WOMAN begins as Loma, now free of the burdens of her past life, sets out to see more of her new home. But how will she cope when the madness she was forced to confront in the Milk Wars is now a mass of memory and confusion? To make things even more challenging, she’ll come face to face with the original Changing Man. Writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Marley Zarcone will continue to helm Loma’s adventures.

Shade, The Changing Woman

Then on March 21, after a year of multiverse-hopping, Cave Carson returns to a normal life of digging and cave-diving, but it just isn’t the same for the explorer. Time fast-forwards as Cave and his daughter Chloe are sucked into an all-new adventure—literally—when they go spelunking in a black hole! CAVE CARSON HAS AN INTERSTELLAR EYE continues with writer Jon Rivera and artist Michael Avon Oeming.

Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye

Then on March 28, follow Violet Paige as she finds herself in a Gotham City unlike anything she’s known before. MOTHER PANIC: GOTHAM A.D. begins ten years into the future, in a world without a Batman, with Gotham City now in the hands of a Collective. In a high-tech town with zero tolerance toward caped crusaders, what’s a woman who has vowed vengeance to do? The series is written by Jody Houser with art by Tommy Lee Edwards and Ibrahim Moustafa (SAVAGE THINGS).

Mother Panic: Gotham A.D.

Launching from the backup story in “Milk Wars” is ETERNITY GIRL, a new miniseries from GLAAD Award-nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio (Kim & Kim) and Eisner Award-winning artist Sonny Liew (The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye). The series follows the tragedy of Caroline Sharp, a former superhero and super-spy whose cursed powers have left her hideously deformed and unable to die! Her only solution? Destroy the universe. This new series begins March 7.

Eternity Girl

The “Milk Wars” event kicks off in JLA/DOOM PATROL SPECIAL #1 on January 31. The epically weird crossover adventure featuring characters from the JLA and DC’s Young Animal will continue throughout February.

Well, Golden Globe nominations are out, and yet again, there is a very clear list of misses, snubs and WTF situations that seem to mark the Globes each year.

Remember the year that James Franco missed out on a nomination for Milk, but got one for Pineapple Express? How about the year Red got a nom for comedy? Remember that laugh riot? Wait, do you remember the year The Tourist got nominated…for anything?

And as strange as those noms might have been, what the Globes are really known for are the shutouts.

The fact that great actors, great shows and great movies are so often overlooked by the Hollywood Foreign Press is a common occurrence by the kudocast that now it’s just a fact of Hollywood life.

Shows such as The Bob Newhart Show never took home a nomination, while its star never nabbed a nom for any turn in any series by the HFPA.

Want another example?

How about that Robert De Niro was never nommed for his prize-winning work in Godfather II?

Surprised? Don’t be. That’s the way the Globes crumble.

And now with this latest batch of nominees, or rather lack thereof, the Globes has again cemented its reputation as the odd duck of awards shows.

Here are this year’s big misses…

FILM

Mr. Peele? Paging Mr. Peele…

Photo by Kevin Edwards

While everyone is attempting to get their heads around how the year’s best horror movie is either  the laugh riot of the year or the songfest of 2017, we can all agree that the true horror of the situation was  the shut out of Jordan Peele as best helmer for Get Out.

There is no question that Get Out was one of the best movies of the year, which is a great achievement considering this is a year of great movies. For a horror movie to stand out  among the many great, albeit goofball, movies with a commentary toward today’s social and political standings is a credit to its director.

But yet, here we are.

More Bad News…

Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot / Photo by Gage Skidmore

Oh yeah, a lot of female directors were also told the “Get out.” From indie darling Greta Gerwig to the savior of the DCU Patty Jenkins. So, if you helmed a movie starring an independent female thinker or a minority, well, maybe next time. But probably not.

Feeling A Bit Big Sick

The Big Sick co-writers Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani / Photo by PunkToad

Kumail Nanjiani’s quasi-autobiographical dark comedy went ignored by Globes, who apparently can handle only clearly marked comedy and musicals, but nothing in between. Also, it needs to re-label horror as either a comedy or a musical because Globes.

Detroit 

John Boyega in Detroit

One of the best reviewed movies of the year, and a movie that was once considered a cinch for the best Oscar race was completely missing from the Globes list.

Logan’s Shun

Not even a nomination, bub.

Sorry, Logan. The Hollywood Foreign Press are apparently anti-mutant.

Sorry, Jen

Darren Aronofsky’s polarizing mother! and it’s star Jennifer Lawrence is nowhere to be found, an awkward moment between the Globes and J.Law considering she’s been a favorite of their for a past few years. Granted, one you have a baby-eating scene in your movie, it becomes a hard sell for the octogenarian voters of the Foreign Press, but Jenn’s sparkling personality was always good for the hard sell in the past.

The Lego Batman Movie

The funniest animated film of the year, and just one of the funniest films of the year was knocked off the list in favor of Boss Baby.

Monkey Business

Nothing for War For The Planet Of The Apes, which was one of the best movies of the year. The acting, writing and effects on this film were mind blowing and it

TV

No Love For Twin Peaks

Kyle MacLachlan / Photo by Gage Skidmore

Seriously. Yes, it was a bit confusing at times, but holy hell, it was a confusing masterpiece.

Moments of true genius mixed on pure bemusement. And from The Return, David Lynch managed to produce not only astonishing moments of television, but pull inspirational turns from all those involved. From the three-tiered performance of Agent/ Dougie/ Evil Cooper to the angry confusion of a trapped Audrey. We were once again visiting old friends, who entertained us with their usual flair.

And the Globes refused the acknowledge their presence. Or the prowess of their creator.

Shame on you.

A Prayer To The American Gods

It is a shame that Hollywood Foreign Press opted to ignore this dazzling Starz take modern Gods, for a little recognition who have helped the future of the Bryan Fuller and Michael Green production, which looks a little hazy at best. Several weeks ago, the showrunners took leave of the show, leaving the drama in flux for a second season.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus Is MIA

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss / Photo by Stephanie Moreno for The Peabody Awards

I swear I thought she recused herself, much like John Larroquette did after his four consecutive wins.

In other news, I miss John Larroquette.

No Love For The Good Place

I think the HFPA needs to get in touch with its Dark Side.

By only recognizing happy musicals, cheerful comedies and clearly marked dramas, the associations is missing out on recognizing some of the best comedic writing of the year.

It’s a super-heroic week at your local comic shop! Flying out of the Diamond Select Toys warehouse, six new superhero products are shipping this week, and each one is a mini-masterpiece! From the Batman Classic TV Series to Superman: The Animated Series to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s like an avenging league of awesome!

Find a store near you at ComicShopLocator.com, or order online at your favorite retailers, including Shop.DiamondSelectToys.com!

Batman Classic TV Series Premier Collection Robin Resin Statue

A Diamond Select Toys release! The Boy Wonder is ready for battle! The newest entry in the Premier Collection of statues based on the Batman Classic TV Series, this highly detailed resin statue depicts actor Burt Ward as Batman’s partner-in-crimefighting, Robin! Measuring approximately 10 inches tall and standing atop a sound-effect base inspired by the Batman Classic TV Show, this statue is in scale to the other statues in the series – pair it with Batman to throw a double punch at an opponent! Limited to only 3,000 pieces, it comes packaged in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Jean St. Jean! (Item #JUN172631, SRP: $150.00)

Marvel Gallery Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Movie Drax & Groot PVC Diorama

A Diamond Select Toys release! The Marvel Gallery line is blasting off into outer space! This new PVC Diorama captures two of the funniest members of the space-faring 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, and all three are available now! Sculpted by Rocco Tartamella!

• Drax and Groot PVC Diorama (Item #MAY172524, SRP: $45.00)
• Gamora and Rocket PVC Diorama (Item #MAY172525, SRP: $45.00)
• Starlord PVC Diorama (Item #MAY172526, SRP: $45.00)

Marvel Gallery Thor: Ragnarok Movie Hulk PVC Diorama

A Diamond Select Toys release! The highly anticipated Thor: Ragnarok movie is bringing us one of the most exciting Hulk looks ever, and this Marvel Gallery PVC Diorama captures him at his most enraged! Measuring approximately 12 inches tall, this sculpture of a fully armored Hulk wielding twin weapons is the must-have collectable from Thor: Ragnarok. Featuring detailed sculpting and paint applications, this 9-inch scale diorama comes packaged in a full-color window box and is in scale to all other Gallery and Femme Fatales figures. Sculpted by Rocco Tartamella! (Item # AUG172642, SRP: $50.00)

Marvel Milestones Civil War Movie Iron Man Resin Statue

The second statue in the relaunched Marvel Milestones series is of Iron Man, as he appears in Captain America: Civil War! Rising into the sky on his bootjets out of a cloud of smoke and rubble, the Mark 46 armor unleashes a repulsor blast at a target! Pair it with the upcoming Captain America statue (shipping next week) to form a larger scene! This approximately 20” resin statue is limited to only 1,000 pieces, and comes packaged in a full-color box with a certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios! (Item #MAY172528, SRP: $199.99)

Superman Animated Series Brainiac Resin Bust

A Diamond Select Toys release! The DC Animated Universe bust series continues with one of Superman’s greatest villains! Brainiac, the Kryptonian supercomputer without compassion, is now the latest 6” resin bust to be offered, posed atop a pedestal inspired by the architecture of Metropolis. Packaged in a full-color box, this bust is limited to only 3,000 pieces and comes with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Varner Studios! (Item #JUN172645, SRP: $59.99)

Superman The Animated Series Vinyl Bust Bank

A Diamond Select Toys Release! It’s a bust, it’s a bank, it’s Superman! The Man of Steel joins DST’s line of vinyl banks based on the DC Animated Universe, with this approximately 7-inch-tall portrait of Superman as he appeared in Superman: The Animated Series! With a coin slot on the back and an access door in the base, you’ll be able to save some dough even as you save the day! Packaged in a clear polybag. Sculpted by Varner Studios. (Item # JUL172791, SRP: $22.99)

Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!

It’s a Saturday in December, and the snow is falling as I drive down I-95 in a U-Haul truck. The day grows colder, the roads slushier, and I’m in a 15-foot truck with my household belongings inside.

Seriously, folks. Where am I?

This is the question of my life right now, as it is for anyone’s life when they are in the process of moving to a new home. I’m currently living in the new place, while still clearing out the old place.

I have most of my clothes, but no hangers to put them on. And a homecooked meal? What’s that?

My dog is completely confused, as her routine has been completely upended. All she has are the constants of her owners, her kibble, her toys, and that goshdarn crate.

As any geek knows, the bear of moving comes from having to move your ever-increasing collection of, well, collections. More toys, more comic books, more movies and music. Even when I get rid of stuff or digitize media, inevitably this just means I can get more stuff!

Photo by Michael Sherrin

But it’s OK. Eventually it all got packed or junked, and now it’s

all arranged like a Q*bert level in the new apartment.

The new place sits a mile from my job, so I brought most of the boxes with me day by day on my way to work. That left mostly furniture to be moved when my friends showed up to load the truck – a vehicle I have no experience driving, at all, but I will today.

So, of course the first snow of the Connecticut winter came on the scheduled day of the move. It wasn’t enough for me to pilot a 15-foot truck, and to plot a route that would allow the 11 feet of clearance necessary.

But hey, people do that every day. Gimme a challenge, why doncha? Here comes 3-6 inches of snow.

Even with power steering and brakes, I really have to muscle the truck. My arms are burning, and I have to remember not to grip the wheel too tightly. My quads hum every time I push the pedals to speed up or stop. And this is on top of all the lifting of furniture and boxes that day, plus weeks of moving boxes.

This isn’t as easy at 37.

But I take my time, take the right and middle lanes, and get there when I get there.

Photo via Penticton Herald

I have to fight nerves on two fronts: nerves from never driving a vehicle this large, and nerves from having to do so in snow. With the snow, I’m extra cautious about not overdoing the speed, and I’m concerned about how other drivers will behave around me.

Lucky for me, it’s Christmas season. I put on the all-Christmas-music radio stations, and I crooned my heart out to Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Mel Torme, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Nat “King” Cole, Brenda Lee, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and the endless hordes of Christmas music.

When else do you regularly hear mature adult voices singing pop hits on the radio? Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy are both 38 damn years old. They are grown men. Do they sound like it? (Conversely, Adele is 29 and sings like she’s a bitter 48.)

The familiarity of the Christmas music, and the parental nature of the voices, help me focus and keep my nerves in check as I muscle this truck and stay on the defensive for jerks doing too much in the snow. I had to lay on the horn only once, when an SUV driver wanted to merge onto the highway by just sliding across lanes in one motion, nearly sliding into me.

“You can try if you want to,” I said over the roar of the truck, “but I’m gonna win! If I hit you, you may mess my day up, but I’ll mess your life up with this thing.”

I laughed to myself, because I sounded like my father, now three years gone. During my college years, when I would move twice a year, my dad would rent a giant SUV and we’d stuff it to the gills with my dorm room. He’d always joke about smaller cars losing to him because he’s “king of the road.”

Dad also had a habit of going all-in the first time he did something. He learned to drive in the Air Force, and when he got his civilian license he immediately went and bought a car. He’d never driven an actual car before, only military vehicles.

When I first got my drivers’ license, I rented a car and drove 200 miles to Philadelphia, with next to no experience driving on the highway. And now, here I was, driving a cargo truck for first time, across half of Connecticut in the snow.

And doing so while singing “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” one of Dad’s favorites.

Unpacking and settling into the new house is going swimmingly. After all that toil in the snow, I woke up to a New England Christmas card, living on the first floor of a farmhouse near the water.

Oh, and after shifting all my collections to the new location, I wound up adding to the toys already. I found a comic book-accurate Black Panther from the Marvel Legends series (with a spear and everything!), and a General Leia Organa figure from the Star Wars Black Series.

Leia is my favorite, after all. And when else do you see action figures of old women? It has wrinkles and all. Damn skippy, she was coming home with me.

Ah. This is home now!