Marvel Might Actually Destroy the Latest Ultimate Universe At the Height of its Popularity

In June, it was rumored that the current Ultimate Universe could very well end after two or so years, as it counted down in real-time to the return of its creator, The Maker (currently locked in a time-bubble). It sounded a little outlandish as this newest Ultimate Unvierse is a hit (Ultimate Spider-Man in particular), but during CCI/SDCC, Marvel revealed, "Ultimate Endgame," and how it spins out of all the current Ultimate books as they conclude. 

Will, "Ultimate Endgame," bring us a surprising conclusion to this Ultimate Universe, with some elements perhaps spinning off into the regular Marvel Universe? Could it not be an end so much as a leading into a relaunch of books as the heroes (possibly) prevail over The Maker and enter a new era of Ultimate books? I don't know, but we'll start getting answers at the end of December when all the other Ultimate books end and, "Ultimate Endgame," #1 brings us the beginning of the end of the beginning...or something like that.

The St. Louis Comic Book & Collectible Show by the Spector Club Was Full of Fun Today!

I missed the last St. Louis Comic Book & Collectible Show the Spector Club put on due to Clarkson being sick, but I was able to go today and had a gas/swell time/other phrase for enjoying myself. There were vendors with expensive comics and plenty with cheaper books--I got myself a nice stack of inexpensive Spider-Man, New X-Men, and a bit of Deadpool! I began the show having a lovely conversation with Dave and browsing his wares from All-American Collectibles. Then I saw my good friends Spike (of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles) and John (of Bigfoot Comics). It was great catching up with them and browsing their wares. I hadn't seen David from Callisto Comics in some time, and he was at the show too--a superb guy as always.

Drew Stewart of CoMo Comics had a ton of goodies for sale and my chum Bruce Reynolds was present too. The incredibly friendly Dan Yezbick had some awesome vintage books that were outside my price range but lovely to look at. Tons of other vendors were present as well and I spent a good deal of time digging in shortboxes and eyeballing collectibles. The next show will be September 14th, followed by one on November 23rd, with the dates announced for 2026 as well! Check those out below in this handy picture of the flyer:

I'm excited for the next show on September 14th and am eager to visit 7300 Lansdowne Ave for early bird entry at 9AM for just $6 (regular entry for only $3 from 10AM on, with kiddos under 13 free)! If you can attend, I'll, hopefully, see you there!

"Battlefield 6," Announced, Has Many Explosions

I've enjoyed the, "Battlefield," series of games since the first one (not the one set in WWI, I mean the literal initial game, although that one is great too). In real life, war is a terrible and painful thing. In video-games, however, it is full of impressive visuals and ample explosions. The latest game in the franchise is set to be, "Battlefield 6," it looks to be packed full of things going, "Boom." It will have an over-the-top single-player campaign, and the immensely popular multiplayer mode/modes will be revealed further on July 31st. Give the initial trailer a look below:

No specific release date or price has been given to the public, but the scuttlebutt is that we'll be getting, "Battlefield 6," in October. The exact single-player mode's story is a bit of a mystery outside of it featuring NATO going against a rogue private military company known as Pax Armata. The trailer is quite the technical showcase, however, as many agree. I guess come July 31st we'll know a bit more!

Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea is Dead and Leaves a Messy Legacy

Hulk Hogan was the character. Terry Bollea was the real person. Hogan was an over-the-top hero-turned-villain-turned hero who got a lot of people into wrestling. Bollea was the man who betrayed Jesse Ventura when he was discreetly trying ot unionize wrestlers by going to the head of the then-WWF, Vince McMahon, and ratting out Ventura and his plan. Bollea got caught saying racial slurs, and Hogan barely apologized for it. The whole fiasco of the sex tape lawsuit that killed Gawker famously involved the question of how Hogan and Bollea had differently sized members if they're the same person--it was a big, stupid trial. Hogan spent a lot of his life beloved by many; Bollea was, by all accounts, a terrible human being. Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea leaves a complicated legacy, clearly.

As Hogan would've said, "Let me tell you something, brother." When I was a kiddo and got into wrestling, Hulk Hogan was the first big name I knew and loved watching. I got into the other guys and gals over time, too, as I enjoyed the sport/art, but he was a gateway for many folks, myself included. He was a huge name. The problem is Hulk Hogan seemed invincible, and Terry Bollea made it clear--by the accounts of many--that he was not. I was a big fan of the Hulkster, then the more I learned about him, the more I realized there were some real problems with the person behind the character. Some people will deeply miss Hogan/Bollea, and I extend my sympathies to those folks (friends, families, and so forth). Other people seem to have said nothing or basically stated, "Good riddance," due to how much bad blood there was. I wish them healing energy for the hurt Hogan/Bollea caused them. 

Hulkamania once ran rampant through the nation, for better or worse. Now, we quietly observe the good and bad of Hulk Hogan/Terry Bollea. We owe him a great deal of thanks, but also, he passed having owed many folks a lot of apologies they never got (and now never will). Hogan's impact on wrestling will probably render him immortalized in the form, even if Bollea was clearly human. No matter how big the character gets, there is always someone behind the mask. It seems Bollea preferred the metaphorical mask, and wished it got more attention than who was wearing it. Sadly, once you die, that's the end of you controlling your story--you can only hope that when everyone else gets a turn, there are more accolades than insults.

Industry Coffee is Scrumptious!

I've discussed, "Grow a Garden," before and have it to thank for discovering a new coffee, funnily enough. Samii was playing with someone who mentioned being a part of, "Industry Coffee," and as we love a brewed cup of joe, that caught our attention. We looked into the Pennsylvania-based company, and ordered some of the, "Gold Standard Medium Roast." The darker roast sounded interesting, but we worried an espresso blend would be a bit too strong for us. The medium roast arrived quickly via UPS, and I've now brewed it two mornings in a row. My thoughts? It is lovely!

This blend is delightfully smooth, whether you pair it with a bit of sweetener and milk (Samii does that) or drink it black (that's my style). There is a nice earthy tone to every sip, but it never feels too harsh. It reminds me of the nice cozy vibe of other breakfast blend/blonde roast coffees I enjoy, but a bit darker--just extra enough. I also want to offer props to the bag's design--it is resealable and that keeps the freshness intact, unlike some bags you fold over and which can get stale. I really enjoyed the medium roast I bought from Industry Coffee and will be sure to order more as soon as my bag gets low. They do Keurig-compatible cups as well if that's your thing, as well as whole bean and ground coffee.. I'd recommend trying them out!

"South Park," Still Has Bite 27(!) Seasons In

"South Park," has never given a hoot. It insults everyone. If it holds anything dear, it would be a love of dark cynicism. When it happens to land some blows on liberals, the right-wing chuckles and says they can't take a joke. On occasions, it puts conservatives in its crosshairs, with lefties cheering and the right saying, "Eh, it hasn't been relevant for awhile." It is a show that wants to offend and go as far as possible. Sometimes it seems to struggle with a clear message, and other times it offers incredibly sharp satire. It's been a chunk of time (two and half years or so) since an actual season, with some scattered specials but little more. As of yesterday, however, season 27 premiered, and the show didn't shy away from anything.

Donald Trump was relentlessly mocked on, "South Park," last night. He was portrayed as a thin-skinned, sue-happy, narcissist with a tiny penis who regularly seduces the Devil. No longer was Mr. Garrison used as a Trump stand-in (which the show commented upon), it's Donald Trump in all his so-called glory. The town had shifts too. "South Park," riffed on how Cartman is despondent now that the fact he used to be offensive barely ruffles any feathers due to how everyone around him says slurs with nary a fear of consequences. The PC Principal, who used to pride himself on being, "Woke," is now the, "Power Christian Principal," who has embraced the New Testament and espouses a love Jesus. Jesus himself appears, warning the town that Trump sued the supposed Son of God, and they ought to be careful if they don't want to get canceled, "Like Colbert." This leads to the most insane conclusion I recall in a, "South Park," episode since that time Cartman tricked a kid into eating his parents as chili. A faux pro-Trump PSA.

The Pro-Trump PSA that ends this episode of, "South Park," is a work of twisted genius. An actor with Trump's face somehow deep-faked on stumbles in a desert, gets naked, and has a tiny penis with googly eyes appear endorsing the segment of how, "He Gets Us/He Trumped Us," like in those Christian TV ads. It's wild. I was giggling at it but the, "He Gets Us/Trumped Us," had me cracking up. The White House has made its displeasure with the latest episode quite apparent. Considering Paramount just paid 1.5 billion for, "South Park," to keep making new episodes (and hold the streaming rights), I guess they figured it was worth any ire/lawsuits they get from Trump.

I don't always agree with, "South Park," because sometimes it targets topics I hold differing views about--but that's the point. It jokes at the expense of everyone, and sometimes you take your licks because before too long, the other guy/gal is gonna get some damage too (and it'll be your turn to laugh). I was laughing last night for sure, with a mix of shock, delight, and because some jokes are simply clever (a gag about carbon monoxide and electric cars not producing it gave me a solid chuckle). It's going to be a wild season 27 with, "South Park," bursting out of the gate full-speed in terms of being ready to offend. I wouldn't have it any other way.

5 out of 5 Stars (for the debut episode of Season 27).

"Avengers: Secret Wars," Will Indeed Lead to a Cinematic Reboot

I believe I have written on this ol' blog before about how I felt Marvel's cinematic universe was leading up to a big reboot. It would epically wrap up everything that had happened since 2008 and bring us a singular fresh Universe with elements of the past stories, but still totally new. That would make it easier for anybody to get into Marvel flicks who doesn't want to spend over a hundred hours watching movies or shows, and have a new starting point. Even though, "Reboot," is a loaded term, that has basically been confirmed by Marvel's movie head, Kevin Feige, as the plan. We could get a new universe with a recast Tony Stark,  Captain America, teenage X-Men, and so forth. It'll all happen after, "Avengers: Secret Wars."

I'm all for Marvel wiping the slate (mostly) clean and giving us a brand new continuity to play with. Even hardcore fans will admit the current MCU can be a messy and bloated now with all the universes, shows that didn't seem to matter a ton (I did adore, "Wandavision," however, for what it was), and so forth. A fresh-ish start couldn't hurt, I'd imagine. I mean, starting over seems to have served DC well with the latest, "Superman," flick being a hit. In the end, it is a little funny to think just as how the comics often seem to resort to reboots, now the films are too.

Ozzy Osbourne Has Passed

Ozzy Osbourne has passed at the age of 76. He had been battling Parkinson's among other health concerns. What's interesting about Osbourne is that he was extremely famous for different reasons with varying folks. Many called him the Godfather of Heavy Metal thanks to his time with Black Sabbath and revered his musical skills. Other people discovered Ozzy thanks to his family's reality show, "The Osbournes," which premiered in 2002. It gave him a whole new fanbase who adored him as a reality star, yet could not name a single song he'd sung. Talk about a mix of fandoms.

With, "The Osbournes," Ozzy went from a scary and edgy rocker to a warped version of Ward Cleaver, who was strangely cuddly and endearing (but still a bit scary and edgy). After all, he spent a lot of his life dealing with drug addiction with family, friends, and Ozzy himself discussing how bad it could get. He got clean in 2006 with some relapses before achieving total sobriety with no backslides (according to articles I read) from 2013 onward. No matter how you felt about Ozzy, you undoubtedly at least knew of him due to how enmeshed in culture he'd become, whether via his music, television work, or just being Ozzy freaking Osbourne! His impact on our popular culture cannot be understated, and now he is indeed, "Coming home," now.

Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con is This Week

The biggest comic show of the year runs a chunk of this week and into the weekend. Yes, Comic-Con International AKA San Diego Comic-Con has the press night on Wednesday and officially runs the 24th-27th. There are sure to be many movie, television, and comic-book related announcements. Some news will barely garner notice, while other reveals could get big ol' headlines. Diamond Comic Distributors still has a big booth reserved that could very well be desolate. Publishers/movie-makers Marvel, as well as DC have panels and will probably do cool giveaways that flip for absurd amounts of money online. Heck, even if you can't make it inside the show, there is plenty of fun to be had in San Diego.

I won't be there as even if I could get a press pass (don't laugh, some decent-sized shows have been willing to give me one in the past) I lack time/ability/hotel reservations. I'll be following updates, however! I hope anyone who does attend CCI/SDCC has a great time and picks up some cool swag.

Is it a Comic? Is it a Card Game? It is, "Ice Cream Man: The Mortal Coil Shuffle!"

Let's talk about something vaguely related to ice cream, as it is National Ice Cream Day. "Ice Cream Man," is an anthology comic series published by Image, which comes out somewhat sporadically. It has a strong horror focus and was at one time going to be a Quibi show (remember Quibi) before later getting a film option. Issues can be hit-or-miss because it is anthology style, but overall it is a fun and weird comic. Well, there is going to be a special, "Issue," of sorts that intentionally pushes the boundaries of what could be a comic. Called, "Ice Cream Man: The Mortal Coil Shuffle," it features 55, "Playing," cards, including narrative cards that tell a story along with, "Spell," cards. It's a one-shot experiment that will supposedly have no second printings or be collected in comic form/a collection, "When it's gone, it's gone."

I am a fan of anything that pushes the comic-book form, and this sounds fun. You put the cards in a narrative order but with the, "Spells," and other wild things, you can tweak how the story plays out/your understanding of it. It's a comic and a card game all at once, reminding me a bit of those, "Choose Your Own Adventure," stories of old, as well. Assuming it isn't too pricey, I'd love to, "Read," this latest Ice Cream Man-related yarn with its unique format--the comic/deck hits shops on October 1st.

Labubus Are Incredibly Popular, Kind of Ugly

Labubu is the brand name of a new collectible toy.  A bit of a plush doll, a smidgen of a bag charm, they're in the news more and more. Depending on who you ask, they are so ugly they're cute, or they're just ugly. People do agree they are popular, very popular. People are spending absurd amounts of money on these, with comparisons being made to the Beanie Baby craze as folks wonder if Labubus are heading for a similar crash or will be more like Funko Pops and stabilize a bit in the market, sticking around.

Based on storybook characters, they really started taking off around 2019, and one big selling point is that they come in blind boxes, AKA you buy a box and don't know if you'll get a more common or rarer Labubu. This has resulted in a healthy resale market like you see with Pokémon cards (you never know what could be in those packs, after all) and the rise of counterfeits. Kids and adults love them, and I'll admit there is a weird charm. Will they have long-term success or crater? Nobody knows, but I'll suggest that as with any hobby, people should view them as something fun to enjoy as opposed to an investment. That way, whether they explode or implode, at least you can love what you own.

"The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," is Cancelled and that Sucks. Plus, the Optics Look Bad

Paramount owns CBS (as well as being behind the streamer Paramount+, of course) and just recently announced that as of May 2026, "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," would be no more. He isn't being replaced with another host; it is just being shuttered. Paramount stressed this decision was purely financial and had nothing to do with anything else...which itself looks like an admission of something everyone has observed--the optics for this are terrible. Colbert is a vocal critic of the Trump administration and how CBS just settled a lawsuit with Trump. Paramount also wants to merge with Skydance, and the FCC needs to approve that--something Trump could screw-up as he's a petty narcissist with thin skin who hates Colbert. Paramount can say the Late Show is ending because there isn't much money to be made in late-night talk shows (which has some truth), but the timing is so, so bad. Donald Trump already took some form of credit for the cancellation and claimed Jimmy Kimmel would be next over at ABC, somehow.

Colbert is #1 in late-night rankings and was just nominated for another Emmy. Besides maybe John Oliver (on HBO) and John Stewart (who does the "Daily Show," part-time on a Cable channel), he goes the hardest at Trump of shows on late in the day, and he definitely is the staunchest critic on network television. Trump is no fan of Kimmel, either, or even Fallon (he did not recently name Fallon so much as saying he was, "That moron," on NBC). Right now, however, he's been patting himself on the back about Colbert and probably feels emboldened, regardless of if this was just a money-matters issue or something politically driven. If Kamala Harris were President now, would Colbert still be canceled? I don't have a magical dimension-hopping machine because if I did, I'd get rich selling folks tickets to happier realities, but one wonders.

I'm upset Colbert will no longer have, "The Late Show," but do imagine other entities will be eager to hire him--that may be a silver lining to this big old shitstorm cloud that is Donald Trump. I do imagine Colbert will refuse to tone down any rhetoric before the last episode in May because he has nothing to lose in terms of his CBS gig. This news sucks for fans of the program, Colbert, and anyone who works on, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," regardless of the reasons behind the show's cancellation.

Missouri is the Midwest, Why Say Otherwise?

Missouri is a part of the Midwest, right? Why do some say otherwise? We're smack-dab in the heart of America. We border some Southern states and Northern states. Back in the Civil War, Missouri sided with the Union and was important beforehand with the Missouri Compromise (which obviously failed, hence the war). We have the Saint Louis Arch, which we know as the gateway to the West. Now, the Bootheel has some Southern flavor to it, but the overall State isn't the South. Politically, Missouri has, at times, been a bit of a mish-mash of politics. The rise of Trump and MAGA resulted in the overall state skewing more to the right-wing, but it still has shifted left at times, like voting for abortion rights and workers' rights as recently as the 2024 election (with our GOP-led Congress and Governor working hard to undo the people's will). 

We have some unique food items that aren't, "North," or, "South," so much as, "Interesting." Gooey butter cake, Provel cheese on pizza, and toasted ravioli are all beloved around Missouri (and in the case of Provel cheese, hated most other places). We aren't the South, although when I took my now-wife and then-girlfriend, Samii, to upstate New York to meet family and friends years ago, everyone did ask her where her Southern accent was. Then again, New York is so far North I've heard people there claim Ohio is Southern...so yeah. In closing, Missouri is in the Midwest, obviously. Also, it is pronounced, "Missour-E and not Missour-Uh," although in the aforementioned Bootheel, you will hear the latter more than the former.

I Accidentally Spoiled a Comic to Someone and Feel Bad

I was on Reddit and in a comic group, saw someone asking if, "Kraven's Last Hunt," was a story worth checking out, and if they needed to read anything else to understand it. I commented it was a fantastic story and Marvel should have let Kraven stay dead afterward instead of bringing him back (he dies by suicide at the end, having defeated Spider-Man in a fight and thinking he accomplished his goal of being the best hunter ever). They commented something along the lines of, "Oh, thanks for the spoiler, I guess," and I suddenly realized, despite the title and the fact that the story is decades old, they didn't realize what happened, and I'd wrecked any surprise. I felt bad, even though one could argue that when a movie/comic/show has existed for years, folks shouldn't be surprised to stumble upon spoilers. The thing is, I kind of made them trip over the spoiler by putting it right in their way--to stick to the metaphor. 

I apologized, and they said it was okay. They still plan to read the popular Spider-Man versus Kraven story from the 1980s, which I would argue is the best Kraven storyline ever--they should've let him stay dead after it for real. Still, I do feel guilty for destroying any element of surprise. It reminds me of a film class where we all were assigned a popular movie to view and report upon. I picked, "Citizen Kane," as it was incredibly ahead of its time and still an impressive piece of cinema. I was going to discuss at the end of my report how the flick reveals what the mysterious, "Rosebud," mentioned at the start of the movie by Orson Welles' character is, but the whole class erupted in people yelling, "Don't spoil it!" Really? You all are going to run out and watch a movie from 1941, now, because my report got you so interested? 

In that situation, I was a bit amused by how reticent people were to have anything revealed as if they were going to go see, "Citizen Kane," right away. That said, the situation with, "Kraven's Last Hunt,' is clearly a bit different, and I am somewhat the bad guy in this case. I'm sorry, fellow Reddit user, I didn't mean to spoil it. "Kraven's Last Hunt," or, "Citizen Kane," are both worth checking out, however.

Philbo Distribution Has Launched With an Independent Publisher Focus

Diamond Comic Distributors is being broken down into nothing and has enraged everyone with plans to liquidate consigned inventory without paying the owners of said inventory (lawsuits have resulted). That has put a lot of indie publishers in a rough spot as they aren't always meaty enough to interest PRH or Lunar. Massive is a publisher at Lunar that has a sub-distribution option for indies, which is one option. A new distributor with an indie focus and some decent-sized (but still pretty independent-level) clients has emerged. As was previously announced, Phillip Russertt has taken Philbo Publishing and expanded to Philbo Distribution.

Philbo Distro--as I like to call it for short--has an online catalog for July that has an FOC (final order cutoff) of September 1st to receive product in October. Notable indies such as Zenescope, Fairsuqare, Antarctic Press, Devil's Due, and Advent are represented, along with smaller publishers I'm not as familiar with, but whose books look fun. Considering Diamond will most likely have completely folded by the end of this year, having three solid distributors of monthly comics (and Universal is entering the scene, but with more of a trade paperback focus) sounds pretty good to me. I wish Philbo Distro great success!

Music Monday: "Let God Sort Em Out," Shows Clipse is Still at the Top of Their Game All These Years Later

Clipse has not had an album come out with the brotherly duo of Pusha-T and No Malice since 2009. They've both done some solo projects (and No Malice outright quit rapping for a while) but outside of a featured track here and there, nothing. Hence, I was extremely excited when I heard that Clipse was reuniting for a new LP with production by Pharrell and some guest appearances. On Friday, July 11th, "Let God Sort Em Out," dropped, and I have listened to it now multiple times. It is great, to put it simply.

Outside of those who love the LP like myself and many others, I have seen a review here and there observing that Pharrell's production sounds almost a little too finished and glossy for the at-times grimy style of Clipse. I think enough tracks still hit just right and hard enough that I wasn't thinking Pharrell hindered the album at all. Oh, and this album starts hard. "The Birds Don't Sing," kicks things off forcefully but balances it all out with John Legend adding some vocals too. Then, "Chains & Whips," is straight fire with Kendrick Lamar's verse already a, "Lyrics of the Year," contender. It is funny to think Lamar having a guest spot was so controversial for the original record label Clipse was signed to (Def Jam) for Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Jumping ship and keeping the song intact was a good choice, clearly. "P.O.V." with its beat-shifs and Tyler the Creator joining in on the fun is a hoot as well, and as the album continues with such bangers as, "Ace Trumpets," and, "M.T.B.T.T.F." it all flows so well from track to track. The final two tunes, "Let God Sort Em Out / Chandeliers," and "By the Grace of God," close everything out wonderfully as well, with Nas and Pharrell appearing on each track, respectively, and helping bring it all home.

"Let God Sort Em Out," shows that Clipse ages like fine wine, and despite it being over 15 years since their last LP they haven't lost a step. We're all a bit older and wiser, and that makes this album all the better. Everyone had to wait quite some time for Clipse to return, but if we get an album like this, that's perfectly okay with me!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The July 2025 ToyMan Was Such a Blast!

Today, I attended one of my favorite shows, ToyMan! It was a delight where I saw a bunch of friends, and I picked up some fun comics. I started the show chatting with my friend Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. I also enjoyed seeing John from Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles as well as Tim Metzger, whom I bought a couple of inexpensive comics from (I have a soft spot for Death's Head 3.0 and the Marvel Illuminati):

I continued walking around the show, where I saw a ton of toys, Lego, Funko Pops, and some sellers with cool paper ephemera. You really can find almost anything at ToyMan! I caught up with Tom Millister and had a lovely chat wth my chum, Brian Lan, as well. I was pleased to run into Bruce Reynolds and look over his comics. We did some trading, and I acquired a fun, "Batgirl," comic as a result. Observe:

As I continued exploring the show, I went to the upstairs section to browse more wares and see such awesome individuals as authors Jessica Mathews and Lindsay Hornsby. They are both always a treat to speak with and buy items from! I interacted with the stellar people of Heroes for Kids and discussed their own upcoming show next weekend in Perryville. I'm unsure if I'll be able to make it out there due to some assorted obligations, but I hope it goes extremely well! I also ran into Dustin and Tammy, who sold me a gorgeous copy of, "Detective Comics, "#880 for a stellar price. Here it is:

Yet another superb ToyMan show has wrapped, and I look forward to the next one on August 24th at the Machinist Hall--12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044. You know I plan on being there as long as I'm able to make it over!

Happy Second Birthday to Gibson!

Two years ago, today, I blogged about the birth of Gibson. Then, I wished him a happy first birthday last year. Now, here he is, a big two-year-old boy! It is wild how quickly he went from a little wrinkly and sometimes-stinky lump to a peppy and often-stinky wildman. Gibson loves to run around, climb on things, play pretend with kitchen toys, and adores anything related to Daniel Tiger--books, the show, toys, etc. It is funny to think how particular of an eater Clarkson is because Gibson eats/drinks almost anything food-related he's offered. He seems to dislike green olives and raisins, but will eagerly devour anything else. He's working on his words, and he has a great time dancing around to music. Having people blow bubbles for him to pop is a favorite activity, too!

I love both my boys so much, and it makes me happy how they (generally) get along quite well and clearly love each other! Samii and I are thankful we get to celebrate Gibson turning two today; he's already celebrated his birthday with one of his favorite treats--some doughnuts! Happy second birthday to Gibson!

Publishers Are Teaming Up to Sue Diamond Comic Distributors. Good!

The saga of Diamond Comic Distributors is decades long, but the tale of its rapid decline officially starts in January of this year, when bankruptcy was announced (apparently, trouble started some year ago, but things weren't really bad until 2024). From that point, Diamond attempted to survive, find a buyer, told that potetial buyer to shove off, got new buyers, and around May the company that took over the comic-book aspects of Diamond (Ad Populum) made the, "New," Diamond awful to work with to the point anyone who hadn't already fled the company quickly did as Ad Populum seemed to be trying to sink the corporation and sell its parts/assets for pennies on the dollar. 

It only got worse when it was revealed that over 100 publishers with stock on consignment could have that inventory liquidated, with Diamond using the money to pay debts--zero profits would go to the publishers who had those books there on consignment with the understanding it was their property. It's incredibly scuzzy, and now a number of publishers are teaming up to fight Diamond in the courts and stop all the B.S. being pulled. I say this is good to see publishers working as a group against the remnants of Diamond. When it was the, "Old," Diamond it was anything but perfect, with plenty of people griping. The, "New," Diamond that Ad Populum has created is a travesty, however, and I'd be shocked if any comic stores still are using Diamond in any capacity for comics considering almost everyone has left Diamond or plans to for other distribtuion methods (PRH, Lunar, direct-to-store, rumored new distributors, and so forth). To see Diamond is now little more than a shell/husk being stripped for metaphorical parts by Ad Populum is sad to witness--at least comic companies are going to fight against being screwed over further by Diamond!

"Grow a Garden," is Popular, Fun, and Infested With Thieves

"Grow a Garden," is a massively popular game within Roblox. For those unaware, Roblox is an app that lets you design and play games for free. Developers of games usually have ways to monetize what they've created in Roblox and this results in Roblox and the developer getting a cut. When a game is a hit and makes money the developer can be happy and Roblox is pleased with its income, too. "Grow a Garden," is completely free if you're willing to take the time to--as the title says--grow your garden. I played it a bit and found it quite charming. My wife has played it a lot and loves it. Either style of playing works as you can dabble in it or grind away at making some amazing plots of land. There is one huge problem, however, that the developers have zero incentive to fix: stealing.

If you are willing to use the Roblox currency of Robux that works in any game, and which you buy portions of with real cash, then, "Grow a Garden," allows you to steal items from other gardens. Someone could spend a week growing an impressive and magical plant only to have some jerk on a public server come and snatch their work. Even if you're on a private server (which are thankfully free) you could have someone pose as a friend for a bit, steal from you, and then block you from trying to get revenge. The developers of, "Grow a Garden," have no reason to fix any of this because, as I mentioned, it costs real money to steal. Whenever someone drops a stack of cash to steal, the developers and Roblox get paid. Either you play completely by yourself or run the risk that at some point you could be a victim of theft. My garden is awful because I don't play a ton and have little risk of a thief, but my wife has had people she thought were her friends steal some impressive items and then vanish with her garden's wares. She loves growing her garden, but hates folks she thought were nice stealing from her.

It isn't like there is a lack of ways, "Grow a Garden," could make money without the constant risk of stealing. It could be as easy as having a monthly subscription for hardcore players that makes it impossible to steal from them. That, or you could let people pay a small fee to, "Steal back," an item once and then that original person can't steal it again ever or for at least 24 hours. A number of options exist that would allow, "Grow a Garden," to make plenty of cash, but the system right now--if anything--encourages stealing to be a big thing so the developers and Roblox can make bank. If you look on social media sites, you will find that at least half the posts regarding, "Grow a Garden," are from players distraught about having something special to them stolen by a jerk. Something has got to give, or eventually a lot of people could quit until only the theives are left--and if there is nobody to steal from, then they'll quit in the end as well. I hope players like Samii, who are actually honest and work at growing their garden, can do so around other folks in a server without constant fear of theft, someday. For now, I'll keep my garden unimpressive so that there is nothing worth stealing!

"Chuck's Arcade," Sounds Enjoyable, But the Original Locations Have my Heart

 

"Chuck's Arcade," is a new interpretation of Chuck E. Cheese. It is designed for grown-ups as a sort of Dave and Busters with a huge slice of nostalgia. It has classic Chuck E. Cheese animatronics you don't see in the regular locations anymore on display, features cocktails, a bunch of arcade games, and has zero food at most locations. I suppose I get the appeal if you're a childless GenX or Millennial who would feel awkward at a regular Chuck E. Cheese, but why would you go otherwise? The regular Chuck E. Cheese has the food that I will continue to defend as delicious. A normal Chuck E. Cheese (in most states) does have alcohol available if you need to drink whilst your kids run wild. The general locations have tons of arcade games too, and while the animatronics are gone, there is plenty to enjoy. 

I have zero problem with Chuck's Arcade opening as I want the Chuck E. Cheese brand to succeed--I'm a fan! That said, I can always just take one of my kiddos to a regular Chuck E. Cheese anytime I want to play some games, eat some pizza, pick out a prize, and dance with my zero rhythm alongside Chuck E. Cheese when he emerges to greet everyone every hour or two. I'd check out Chuck's Arcade if one opens in Saint Louis (to my knowledge, the only one in this state is currently found around Kansas City which does have food), but at the end of the day a visit to a Charles Entertainment Cheese just doesn't feel authetnic without at least one child screaming in terror at the sight of Chuck's umoving, grinning face.

Television Tuesday: "Doctor Odyssey," is Cancelled and I'm Disappointed

Jeez, we really can't have nice things, can we? "Doctor Odyssey," was a show with solid ratings, a dedicated fanbase, and even John Oliver did a segment on his show about how silly and fun it was. Plus, I loved it. Still, it was not renewed for a second season--without officially being canned. However, the contracts of everyone involved with the show have now been allowed to expire, so the show is good and truly cancelled, even if ABC wants to insist otherwise for an unclear reason. 

Perhaps ABC wants to combat the risk of another network or streamer picking up the show and signing everyone to new contracts--it was popular, after all, regardless of a behind-the-scenes issue with staff resulting in a lawsuit. I would love it if we got more, "Doctor Odyssey," somehow, but for now it will just be a single-season fever dream--kind of like one popular theory about the program that refused to quit (sadly, unlike the show itself). I'm sorry, "Doctor Odyssey," your beautiful big deck energy was wasted on us.

"A Minecraft Movie," is a Lot of Fun

My family streamed, "A Minecraft Movie," on HBO MAX over the weekend while we were trying to relax in the awful heat permeating the Midwest region. I'd seen reviews that veered more towards negative and expected something mediocre. I actually found it quite delightful. I'm a fan of Jack Black and he turned his Jack Black-ness up to the max for this movie (so, I understand those who dislike him hating this), Jason Momoa is an absolute treat as a washed-up video-gamer, and the three other cast members don't get as much to do but still are fun--Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks (she has a mobile animal farm that is a hoot). The secondary cast has some winners too (Jennifer Coolidge is a treasure, haters be damned). 

The plot isn't exactly complicated, with a bunch of folks ending up in the world of Minecraft due to a magic item that gets broken and needs to be replaced while dealing with an evil sorceress. The main selling point is that there are lots of silly jokes that make this movie work, even though you wouldn't necessarily expect a tie-in to a video-game with nary a plot to be good. As one review that does like the movie describes it--"Mindlessly dumb and incredibly fun," with a lot of credit due to how quirky and absurd it gets. One-liners get fired off fast enough that even though some miss, enough hit for a giggle. The town's potato chip factory hiring a social media influencer to get their follower count, "Above 75." A gigantic warrior pig who is supposed to look imposing, but is actually quite polite, even as he tries to squish you (voiced by the Director, Jared Hess, no less). Jermaine Clement in a cameo-ish role as a storage unit auctioneer desperate for a friend to help him pick up ladies while they go out wearing, "Matching unisex turquoise blouses." Some jokes fall flat, but some really had me chuckling.

Momoa is fantastic as a washed-up celebrity video-gamer with a failing retail store.

What of the, "Minecraft," world itself, however? Well, I've only barely ever actually played the game, but the movie sure does make it look beautiful in its blocky strangeness. Tons of references are present that die-hard aficionados are sure to appreciate, but even if you've never played the game, the whole flick is enjoyable. "A Minecraft Movie," made a ton of money and became a bit of a GenZ, "Rocky Horror Picture Show," with fans bringing props (even a real chicken) and shouting memes, so I'm sure a sequel will be on the way soon. I look forward to it, as this was a wacky good time!

5 out of 5 Stars.

"The Nobody," to be Republished by Dark Horse

"The Nobody," is a fantastic original graphic novel by Jeff Lemire (a favorite creator of mine) that has been out of print for some time. Originally released by Veritgo (when it existed) as a hardcover in 2009 and a paperback in 2010, it is a bit of a retelling of that horror classic, "The Invisible Man," but reimagined in a number of ways. It's a bit sci-fi, a bit horror, and features Lemire's gorgeous art along with his writing.

Taking place in a small fishing village in 1994, the town finds itself intrigued by the arrival of a man covered in bandages who claims he was a burn victim in the past, but seems to be hiding a lot of secrets. Some of my favorite work by Lemire marries everyday life with strange and surreal elements, so "The Nobody," was a book I loved way back before I even had this blog to write about it. Now, however, I have the blog and the book is coming back into print via Dark Horse. So yeah, preorder your copy of, "The Nobody," for its re-release in February of 2026!

"Tsunami," is a Sharp Examination of Adolescence

Being a preteen and teenager is often difficult. To be frank, it usually sucks. Your body is changing in weird ways, you both think you know everything, while the World reveals how little you truly grasp. Cliques and friendships seem like they matter more than anything in the microcosm of school and such--it is all a lot. "Tsunami," from Pow Pow Press, is a fantastic coming-of-age graphic novel by Ned Wenlock that examines how tricky teenage-dom can be. It isn't some grim-and-gritty yarn or overly schmaltzy. It instead focuses on a handful of characters and the highs and lows they experience over a chunk of the year. We have 12-year-old Peter, who is a misfit and headstrong, Gus, who acts tough to the point it could be his downfall, and Charlie, a new girl from the UK who puts up a badass front but has her own insecurities. By the end of, "Tsunami," they all find they've impacted each other's lives in a drastic fashion.

Set in New Zealand, Wenlock illustrates everything in a fascinatingly minimalist style that imparts exactly what is going on in the story but eliminates much extraneous visual information. It results in a vaguely cartoony style that at the same time allows a reader's brain to absorb a scene quickly and directly. I like it. Throughout the book, we get a lot of slice-of-life scenes that show how hard adolescence can be. One character's parents are clearly in an unhappy marriage (Peter), another hates having to move all the time and adjust to new settings (Charlie), and one isn't sure if they're tough and edgy or just miserable and putting up a front (Gus). Nobody is a villain or hero in this story--they're all just messed-up kids with little adult support.

"Tsunami," is charming with its unique art style despite some heavy thematic content. It has some funny moments interspersed with the heavy stuff too, and revisits the highs and lows of pubescence quite expertly. I'd highly recommend acquiring a copy directly from the website of Pow Pow Press or from your preferred bookseller/library/etc.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Flashback Friday: "Captain Atom: Armageddon," Was a Random Little Fun Comic

I like Captain Atom when he is written well. He most recently had a big role in the Black Label, "Jenny Sparks," comic where he was portrayed as a psychotic villain. I didn't like how he was written per se but did like that series. For a fun Captain Atom comic that isn't too old, however, you can always read, "Captain Atom: Armageddon." Originally published in 2005-2006 with writing by Will Pfeifer and pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli, it is random, but enjoyable.

The gist of the comic is that even though Captain Atom thought he died saving Earth from a kryptonite meteor in, "Superman/Batman," he wakes up on Earth..but not his Earth! That's right, it is a fun alternate-universe yarn where Captain Atom finds himself in the Wildstorm Universe...you know, back when it still existed as a separate-ish entity from the main DCU. Captain Atom sees how things are done quite differently in the Wildstorm Universe, gets in some fights, has some fun adventruing, and eventually ends up back in the regular DC Universe just in time for, "Infinite Crisis," and then the, "Countdown to Final Crisis," comics that kinda-sorta led into, "Final Crisis," even though it (confusingly enough) disregarded parts of those series--comics, they're a gas!

Captain Atom attempts to get help from the President and fails.

When I went browsing around the internet, I found some old posts by other folks who really enjoyed, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," with one from 2007 and another from 2012. The series wasn't exactly consequential to either the then-"Regular," DC Universe or the Wildstorm one--although it did lead to a minor reset and some new series as a part of a, "Worldstorm," event. Then, Wildstorm itself would not last too much longer before a series of mini-series that led to its Earth literally being destroyed in 2008, some series following the ruined Earth, and then it got folded into the DC Universe in general with the, "New 52," in 2011. So yeah, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," is a minor footnote in the publishing history of DC/Wildstorm, but it is also a good time with nine issues that a review from 2017 (the most recent I can find) concludes makes it a bit overlong, but they still liked it too. You can probably find a paperback collection of it dirt cheap. Go give it a read, and have some universe-traveling adventures!

July 4th 2025/I'm Sorry, America, We've Let You Down

July 4th is a day of celebration, but with our nation a hot dumpster fire of narcissists, hucksters, and liars working to destroy our country, I feel little reason to celebrate. Between migrant workers being put in concentration camps, so-called, "Big beautiful bills," stripping people of resources so as to provide the top 1% of the top 1% a tax cut, wars we don't need, and more...it is a big mess. I want to apologize to the concept and dream of America for what has become of it. 

This isn't the nation people pictured when they would, "Pledge allegiance to the flag." No, we are quickly becoming a fascist regime that plots to strip people of citizenship and lock them up/ship them away for going against whatever the GOP has morphed into. It isn't a political party so much as a cult of personality for Donald Trump and his personal Gestapo, ICE. Things are bad and I can only hope enough people continue to rise up, fight back, or simply survive so that eventually, when the metaphorical dust clears, there is something left to fix. I'm sorry, America, we've let you down.

Comic Publisher Dynamite/Dynamic Forces in Dire Straits Due to Diamond Comic Distributors

Diamond Comic Distributors acquired a new owner after tons of drama in the form of Ad Populum. As soon as Ad Populum took over in May they proceeded to work their hardest to find the absolute best way to screw over comic publishers. Seriously, from ignoring communication, not paying people, and trying to liquidate stock on consignment to pay their own bills (so, basically theft), the new Diamond is so bad it makes the old Diamond look like a gem (no pun intended). Dynamite did join Lunar just recently, but is owed a lot of money by new Diamond (the old Diamond money that people were due is understood to probably never be paid back). One publisher, Dynamite/Dynamic Forces, did some emergency motions to get some money, but that was just denied. Diamond Comic Distributors was trying to do things right/ethically enough, up until mid-May, when Ad Populum acquired them. Everything quickly went to Hell in a handbasket after that. 

Consider how, if a sizeable publisher such as Dynamite/DF could be in big trouble due to the new Diamond's shenanigans, you can imagine smaller publishers could especially be at risk right now or in the near future. Diamond declared bankruptcy in January, just the start of this year. We're only halfway through 2025, and so much has developed since then. I can only imagine just how insane things are going to get before the year wraps.

Jim Shooter Has Passed at 73

Jim Shooter has recently passed at 73 from esophageal cancer. He started writing comics professionally at 14 (yes, really) and had a long career in comics that included serving as Marvel's Editor-in-Chief during its crazy-busy time period of the 1980s. He was invovled in the creation of a lot of great comics in some form or another, and many folks have a lot of stories. Some folks liked him on a personal level, some did not, with the phrases, "Strong personality/he was complicated," thrown around a lot online to describe Shooter. Tons of people give him a lot of credit--credit he is due--for his contributions to comics, however, and he is clearly going to be missed by a number of folks

"Hero Cave," is an Upcoming Clever Comic!

"Hero Cave," is a new upcoming comic by Syd Madia. It is to be published later this month by Silver Sprocket, which is currently feuding with TCJ, I should mention, as it is in the news, but that's besides the point of this review--I'll revisit that in the future as needed/newsworthy. I had a chance to read an advance digital copy of this comic, however, and loved this clever story! The comic is about a skeleton with no name--everyone just calls them skeleton. This skeleton is on the first floor of a dungeon and basically exists to be an easy challenge for all adventurers going into the dungeon. They meet the skeleton, defeat it easily, and proceed on their journey. Between quickly losing fights, skeleton hangs out with other dungeon-dwellers for meals, parties, and the like. Life is okay, but skeleton finds themselves having a bit of an existential crisis when given a so-so performance review by the Dungeon Master.

"Hero Cave," is very clever in how it focuses on an aspect of a dungeon people would rarely worry about--the easy baddie you kill early on in your heroic campaign. Madia's artwork is lovely too, a bit cartoony and loose, getting especially experimental later on when skeleton has a vaguely erotic experience with a candle that allows it to imagine what it would be like to have other body elements besides just bones. Plus, despite the comic being humorous, we never feel like the jokes are at the skeleton's expense. Yes, they lose easily, but that is their job, and they're arguably good at it! I really enjoyed, "Hero Cave," and would encourage folks to ask their comic shop to order the comic for them--that or they can preorder it from Silver Sprocket here!

5 out of 5 Stars.

That New, "Jurassic World: Rebirth," Continues to Look Intriguingly Weird

I have previously commented that the new, "Jurassic World: Rebirth," movie seems to be leaning more into body-horror and the scary aspects of dinosaurs--especially the failed experiments from when the park was first working at making dinos come back from the dead. A friend of mine saw an advanced showing via the surprise/secret movie thing AMC theaters do, and they confirmed that the flick brings a lot of scary elements to the forefront. It makes sense, as even the first, "Jurassic Park," could be argued as a bit of a horror movie with dinosaurs instead of monsters. 

If you really think about it, as this fantastic article by Martin Kessler points out, there are no dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, even. After all, as early as the first movie, these creatures are a mess of fragmented DNA mixed wth amphibians (and in later films, Indominus Rex has a bunch of various stuff blended in). It gives the movies a clever, "Out," if the dinosaurs aren't exactly realistic, the more scientists figure out regarding dinos--these aren't real dinosaurs! The latest movie emphasizes that, and it has me quite interested in checking the flick out--even if reviews are quite mixed. I mean, it can't be any worse than, "Jurassic Park III," I'd imagine.