Happy Ninth Birthday, Clarkson!

Our first child, Clarkson, is nine years old! He was born today, all those years ago, and has grown into quite the smart, curious, and sweet boy. Plus, it is astonishing how tall he seems compared to a few years ago! Lately, he has really been into books, often requesting to have stories about Pete the Cat or the David character from the, "No David!" books read to him. He still is pretty picky about food, preferring a steady diet of McDonald's, pizza, noodles, waffles, bacon, apples, and bananas, but has expanded his palate a bit lately, being willing to try the occasional vegetable, some ice cream, or licking on a lollipop! 

I love it when Clarkson and his little brother, Gibson, are sweet with each other and cuddle or tickle one another--it is definitely a great deal more fun to witness than when they argue over a toy! I also am so happy when he wants to give his mommy or me hugs and kisses--he can be quite affectionate! Clarkson has continued growing in his use of his talker device, and after we noticed he seemed to understand letters, it was confirmed by his school that he can tell every letter apart in uppercase and lowercase, along with being able to read a good deal of words! I am so proud of everything Clarkson has accomplished and continues to learn and grow into. He is a wonderful boy, and I'm excited to celebrate his turning nine!

Paramount to Buy Warner Brothers Discovery After All?

It was early December when we learned how Netflix was tentatively set to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. Then, Paramount and its owner, David Ellison, threw a fit. The son of the sixth-richest man in the World (Larry Ellison), he utilized various resources and launched a hostile takeover. It seemed doomed, but Paramount kept chipping away at the seeming all-but-assured victory of Netflix with big offers, whining to Trump's administration (the Ellisons are friendly with Trump due to giving him lots of money at various points), and otherwise being a pain. Like a toxic lovebomber that WBD knew it should avoid but couldn't help but listen to, WBD ended up being won over by all the promises. Paramount was confirmed to have a superior offer, with Netflix given four days to make its own new-and-improved bid for WBD. Well, Netflix said, "Nope," and left, awaiting the guaranteed 2.8 billion that was promised if it didn't acquire WBD-Paramount will foot that hefty bill to Netflix if everything goes through.

The mood at Warner Bros. Discovery is less than jovial. I mean, this is really a case of one super-big company simply losing to another, but there seemed to be more optimism with Netflix involved. There was definitely a lot less political/ethical/moral baggage than with Ellison and all the B.S. pulled with CBS lately (from the hiring of Bari Weiss to the supposedly purely financial firing of Stephen Colbert). Plus, DC's movies and comics are owned by WBD. How will all this impact them? I mean, we don't know, but we imagine not in a good way. It looks silly to be cheering for one megacorporation while booing the other, but things really did appear to be on a better track for Warner Bros. Discovery with Netflix acquiring it as opposed to Paramount. Nothing is set in stone yet, and someone else could very well try to swoop in and snatch victory from Paramount's hands in the same manner they did to Netflix. For now, however, this looks kind of sucky, to put it in a blunt manner.

Violent Ends and Beginnings--"The Power Fantasy," #16 and, "The Punisher," #1 (2026)

Two comics came out this week. One isn't completely ending so much as taking a break for a bit after an epic 16-issue run (so far). It is the superb series known as, "The Power Fantasy," which I have often expressed fondness for on this blog (Image publishes it). Another series is a fresh-ish start, "The Punisher," #1--the latest relaunch of Frank Castle's vigilante identity. Both comics show the impetus and downfalls brought about by violence--either on a worldwide or relatively small and personal scale. One features people where the idea of having a superpower means they could single-handedly destroy the planet, with the fact a handful of individuals more powerful than 100 atomic bombs hold each other in check being the only reason our planet as survivied. The other comic features a single man who exists in a World of powered beings, overshadowed by metal claws, flying, laser beams, and so forth, but he still persists in his compulsory urge to, "Fight," crime in a brutally violent manner. Both comics examine the hollow reward of violence, just with differing stakes. Let's discuss.

"The Power Fantasy," has been quite the read. The World as we know it was the same until the first atomic bomb test gave birth to a literal angel on Earth. From there, other beings with powers that could utterly wreck our planet emerged, with only the risk of Mutually Assured Destruction keeping things from getting out of hand. That said, with the last handful of issues...things really got out of hand. Some characters died, the balance was thrown off, and this issue opens with Earth barely escaping ruin...before (spoiler alert) it all blows up anyway, and the one surviving being who witnesses it from the Moon goes back to early in the story to try and fix things. It almost should feel like a cheat to say, "Hey, let's have a re-do," but from the very start, writer Kieron Gillen told us if any of these characters ever did let loose, it would literally end Earth...and he and artist Caspar Wijngaard made good on that promise this issue. 

Gillen admits in some backmatter of the comic that he debated ending things here, with a sad-yet-kinda-hopeful note, but it was decided to take a little break and come back with more later in 2026. I, personally, am glad he and Wijngaard want to do more, because this is such a great comic. A series where the whole point is, "Nobody can fight or everybody dies," sounds dull, but this book has been anything but, and hey, we got some fighting finally, and the end result of, "Everybody dies," did indeed occur. 

People with the ability to end all life on Earth if they decided to resort to fisticuffs is a scary thought to the degree that the idea of one man roaming around New York City killing criminals he deems, "Dangerous," sounds a lot less frightening, yet the latest relaunch of, "The Punisher," manages to fill the reader with dread and comment on how in some ways Frank Castle being a mere mortal who manages to make an impact in a World full of gods, mutants, and so forth is itself astonishing. Yes, the, "The Punisher: Red Band," mini-series was a hit that brought Frank Castle back to our reality after his last, "The Punisher," series, where he led the Hand (for some reason) was critically panned, hated by readers, and ended with him going to another dimension. In the five-issue mini, it is addressed how he came back (the reason isn't given and can probably be glossed over anyway) and found himself under the influence of the Kingpin due to a mind control chip that really messed him up. 

Anything you need to know about Frank Castle/the Punisher is covered in this issue, so don't worry if you skipped the, "The Punisher: Red Band," mini, even though with this having the same creative team of Benjamin Percy and José Luis Soares Pinto, it flows into this new ongoing well. Frank's returned, and it is back-to-basics as he tears through the criminal underground. We see one reporter trying to cover it, but she's told he's of little interest when the news should focus on superheroes. The idea of Frank being, "Just," a human despite everything he's been through in the Marvel Universe (and depending on what stories you think count, there were times he's been fighting literal demons or turned into a Frankenstein's monster-style creature) is examined heavily in this debut. After all these years and attempts at continuity tweaks, the heart remains the same--he keeps persisting due to a single-minded mission of killing the killers. Castle even knows it's a lost cause and brings no reward, but he just can't stop because there is nothing else for him.

We had a comic this week where the main characters could not be violent without mass death, and a comic where the protagonist knows only violence. Both books illustrate the pointlessness of brutality while reveling in it for readers to enjoy the snazzy artwork of Earth going, "Boom," or anyone who gets in Frank's way exploding into a pile of bloody viscera due to his bullets. A story scolding us for enjoying the very thing it provides is not a new concept, of course, but it is fun to compare and contrast these two comics and their approach to, "Might makes right, or wrong. Very, very wrong." That both comics are fantastic reads helps too. This week, we read a comic where Earth ends savagely in, 'The Power Fantasy," #16, before a hopeful reboot/rebirth. Within this week, we also got the debut of the latest volume of the story of a man who will never know happiness as long as Marvel keeps putting out comics about the fellow, as his being at peace would defy the foundation of his characterization. Just as one violence ends, another begins--so goes the entirety of human existence.

The New, "Wolverine," Game is Due This Fall

For quite some time (announced in 2021 and then there was a 2023 hack/leak of early game elements), we've been aware of a, "Marvel's Wolverine,' video-game in development from Insomniac Games. Well, it is finally ready to be released on September 15th, 2026. That gives it just enough breathing room from another big title due in November (GTA VI), and if the officially released material is to be believed, this could be a fun romp! 

Going right for that, "Mature," rating, you can expect plenty of blood from Wolverine ripping up enemies but there is also an intriguing plot taking advantage of how Wolverine/Logan's gaps in his memory result in his being an unreliable narrator of the game's story, to a degree. Exclusive to the PlaytStation 5, I look forward to trying, "Marvel's Wolverine," out for myself via checking it out from the library or renting it from Vintage Stock (I almost always sample games before ever committing to buying them due to how expensive they are). Between this and GTA VI, it should be a fun Fall for gamers!

The Cherry Float Coke Zero Flavor is Pleasant but Overly Familiar

I love Coca-Cola. I switched to the zero-sugar version to reduce my calories a bit, but thankfully, many of the specialty flavors are available in regular and diet/zero/etc. There is a new cherry float Coke Zero, and it is good! That said, it isn't that different from if you had mixed cherry Coke and vanilla Coke together--do they still do Vanilla Coke? There is the crispness of Coke and a dash of cherry and vanilla--it is nice, but has a vibe like, "Well, we've been here before." That isn't a bad thing, as sometimes Coke has tried some very esoteric flavors that were, simply put, bad. If you enjoy Coke, like its most popular flavor variations, and think mixing the two together sounds appealing...then the cherry float Coke/Coke Zero is for you! Just don't expect anything too exciting or different.

3 out of 5 Stars.

Music Mondays: "Choosin' Texas," is a Country Song...and I Really Like it!

I can generally count on one hand the number of (modern) country music artists I enjoy. You've got Garth Brooks, the Chicks (formerly Dixie), Trace Adkins, Kacey Musgraves, and I guess my pinky finger can now be used to signify an affinity for Ella Langley's jams. I was listening to a radio station that plays various genres of popular music, and I heard, "Choosin' Texas." I was about to change the dial due to not being big on country, but...I liked it! Give it a listen:

Yes, "Choosin' Texas," is the first single off of Langley's second LP, and it is really catchy. The tune basically is about how Langley has a man who seems to like her, but now he's apparently finding himself attracted to a woman from Texas. There are lots of metaphors about cowboys, and it is peppy in its sound, but it has a clear tinge of sadness about everything going on. I really dig it and will be exploring Langley's discography further now!

"1490 Doom," Looks Like a Fun Tabletop Game

I have friends who play tabletop games like, "Warhammer," or such. They spend hours painting miniatures, designing massive and complex battlefields, and then engaging in big ol' fights full of rules. It sounds fun, but it is also insanely imposing to consider trying to learn/play/etc. Hence, I was intrigued by this article at the AV Club from Cameron Kunzelman discussing, "1490 Doom." It involves just a few minatures, does not require too large a space to play with (and you can be as detailed or laid-back in preparing the landscape as you want), and the games go by quickly as opposed to taking an eon. 

Minimal setup and easy rules that allow people to just dive in and play make for an appealing prospect. I also like reading how, "What takes the game over the top is that it is pretty specifically geared toward getting you, the player, to engage in some creation yourself. There are official 3D printable miniatures for the game, but it seems like the vast majority of players will source their own miniatures by either crafting them or grabbing what they like from other games. This creates a strong baseline for creativity," and being able to experiment and be creative always is more fun with any kind of game than boring and rigid rules. Seriously, raise your hand if you've ever tweaked even the most old-school board game like, "Monopoly," in various ways to spice things up. I haven't really ever played a tabletop game with minatures, despite the insistence of my friends that I should try them. That said, something like, "1490 Doom," sounds, in fact, doable compared to the more intricate games out there. I may try to explore it further in the future, that's for sure! Oh, and here is a link to the game's official website for those wanting to learn more as well.

What's Up with the Xbox?

Hey, you know the Xbox? It is pretty popular in all its forms, but lately has struggled to succeed as much. Well, the Xbox division of Microsoft is having a huge shake-up. To summarize, "Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer's retiring, his assumed replacement and Xbox president Sarah Bond has resigned, and the suit now being tapped to take over Spenny's gig currently has the following job title: president of Microsoft’s CoreAI product." Well, that's interesting. It is a new era with Microsoft Gaming's new CEO, Asha Sharma, assuming control with the promise that Microsoft isn't giving up on the Xbox as a brand or has plans to force, "AI Slop," upon us. The Xbox isn't dead, although some have called it as much.

To return to my headline, "What's up with the Xbox?" Do you need one, really, anymore? A lot of Xbox games are going over to Nintendo and Sony devices, as well. Rebranded PCs are little handheld Xboxes, and so forth. You don't need an Xbox to play so-called, "Xbox," games...so, why? I mean, if you love the exceedingly expensive Game Pass, I can see how that can be handy for trying out games you don't get to ever actually, "Own," without plopping down more cash. I did enjoy the Game Pass, but I gave up on it with the wild price increases.  Will Sharma be able to bring us a bright new era of Xbox, or is this the first bell ringing out in the cemetery to mark the funeral procession? That's a messy metaphor, but its fitting considering how much of a mess this all seems to be. The people expected to take over Xbox in the near future are out, some random AI exec, few seem to have heard of in regard to video-games is in, and I haven't even mentioned the new AI head will be working quite closely with Sharma (a bit worrisome for promises of avoiding AI slop), and is named Matt Booty. Yes, I giggled the first time I read his name.

New CEO, Asha Sharma

The Xbox has an unclear future despite claims otherwise. I see a lot of buzzwords and flowery language, but bragging about AI integration or promising a bright new future with a, "Reinvention of play," can end up ringing hollow if not backed up by clearly evident action--and hopefully action with a positive impact. Clearly, 2026 is going to be an interesting year for the Xbox as we know it, and that's an understatement!

Robert Kirman and Friends Announce, "Terminal," from Skybound

Robert Kirkman is a notable name at Image and the head of its imprint, Skybound. When he announces a new comic it tends to be a big deal because while some have gotten barely any buzz ("Firepower"), others have been huge hits that spawned multimedia empires ("The Walking Dead," "Invincible," and such). Therefore, it is newsworthy that Kirkman and a number of talents are bringing us, "Terminal," this Summer. It involves, "There is a secret war being waged across the world by two violent forces with superhuman abilities who blur the lines between good and evil. When Marilyn Howe’s search for her missing sister Alessandra puts her in the center of this conflict, she’ll learn that the power to save the world comes from unlocking your genetic code and giving up everything you thought you knew about yourself…if you survive the experience." Sounds fun!

Kirman and Joe Casey will be co-writing this new series with Andy Kubert, David Finch, and Arthur Adams on art, plus colorist Dave McCaig, and letterer Rus Wooten.  That's an impressive lineup, and the first issue is set to hit shops this July with this mash-up of ideas evoking, "Invincible," and, "X-Men," in a new Universe. Oh, and yes, there will be blind bag variant covers because you know that trend has turned into a metaphorical dead horse the industry can't stop beating. Kirkman knows how to write a good comic, blind bag or not, and Joe Casey does too. Plus, with such artistic talent involved, I imagine whether this becomes a hit or is, "Just," a lovely read, it'll be fun.

The ComicsPro Annual Meeting for 2026 Had Oni Doing a Clever Promotion for the, "MIND MGMT," Series

Matt Kindt is a great comic creator and a friend of the blog. He was behind the popular and cool series, "MIND MGMT," and it  seems a, "New & Improved," version/series is coming soon. This was promoted at the big ComicsPro 2026 annual event in a clever way. As opposed to being announced at a panel as some upcoming comics were, attendees woke up to notice a flyer slide into the room via their hotel doors--not unlike how hotels used to slide a little bill under there before the rise of the internet. It had a phone number you could call for a, "Test," that then sent you a text with a link to a promotional website. 

Eventually, visitors will find the promotion for, "MIND MGMT: New & Improved," due to be released in June via Oni (it used to be published by Dark Horse). To add to the intrigue, a bunch if billboard trucks were driving around outside the event with little animated signs about calling the number. It is a quirky and clever way to promote the new comic! ComicsPro's annual meeting has grown into quite the affair for comic retailers that brings in publishers, distributors, and more. It's not a convention so much as an industry event, but it clearly has an impact and shows how ComicsPro is itself an important organization.

Advance Review: "Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact," Volume 1 Presents a Intricate Mix of Mythologies in an Original Fashion

Mohsen Ashraf is the writer behind, "Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact." He reached out to me about how the collected first volume will be for sale this March, and he was hoping I'd check out the comic he created with Willi Roberts on art. Having given it a read, I really enjoyed the book! It cleverly takes a variety of real-life myths from Norse, Greco-Roman, and Mesopotamian cultures and gives us a story of people in modern times grappling with these past tales-made-manifest. From secret offspring of Odin to beasts of fable fighting, a lot of wild stuff occurs.

Volume 1 has a number of powerful archaeological objects that play a big role--along with the people wanting to acquire them. Willi Roberts is a great artist, whether he's drawing everyday life in the modern day or more surreal creations, such as a hideously creepy mermaid. Ashraf and Roberts make a stellar team, and it keeps the entire first volume engaging and exciting.

I'd encourage anyone who enjoys new spins on old tales to check out this first volume of, "Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact." You can preorder a copy and give it a read this March! I am excited for future volumes as well, and thank Mohsen Ashraf for reaching out and making me aware of his book! I eagerly rate this 5 out of 5 stars.

Television Tuesday: Stephen Colbert Has More of a Metaphorical Spine Than All of the GOP

Some Republican politicians seem to say off the record they're disgusted with Trump and don't approve of a number of his methods/the things he says/etc. Almost none ever are public with feeling he is a fascist idiot, however. The man successfully hijacked the GOP and turned it into the cult of Trump while alienating or eliminating anyone who dared to question him. Stephen Colbert is not a politician, but Trump has cost him a lot (despite what CBS claims, his show's upcoming cancellation is most assuredly related to how Colbert upsets Trump with his pointed criticism). That hasn't stopped Colbert from repeatedly speaking truth to power, and he just did so again. CBS told him he could not air an interview with James Talarico--a man running for the Senate in Texas, due to concerns about, "Equal time," rules that don't even impact talk shows...although with the FCC  and its head, Brendan Carr, doing whatever Trump pleases, suddenly anyone who earns his scorn gets extra, extra scurtunity. 

Colbert was told to not talk about all this, so of course he discussed it on his show, and made it clear that, "Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV, okay? He’s like a toddler with too much screen time; he gets cranky and drops a load in his diaper. So, it’s no surprise that two of the people most affected by this threat are me and my friend Jimmy Kimmel." CBS claims it only offered legal guidance, but I know who I believe in this situation. It continues to be alarming how the Trump administration wants to silence any dissent, from anyone. Trump's own party won't put him in check, and many Democrats are hapless, so here we are. A talk show host has bigger metaphorical balls than the entirety of the Republican party.

Music Mondays: Flowers on the Grave for the Mashup--Or Not Yet?

We are here today to lay flowers upon the grave of the mashup. It existed quietly for decades, was insanely popular for a bit, then found itself mostly forgotten and ignored. Is it too early to truly declare the mashup, "Dead," however? Hell, what even truly is a mashup? Let's discuss.

A mashup is hard to define. You can make a song by sampling something else, but it isn't necessarily a mashup. They aren't illegal or truly covered by fair use as something new made from other items (like how some parody artwork combining two different IPs is protected). They aren't gone, exactly. Mashups still get made, but they are not nearly as big in popular culture. A mashup is just something you know when you hear it. It could be the epic hour-long mixes full of songs Girl Talk made, those ones that looked at the hottest songs in a year and condense them down by folks such as DJEarworm and Daniel Kim with his Danthology, or--Hell--how Glee would take two songs and combine them in a clever way the faux-teens sang. Danger Mouse with his combination of Jay-Z and the Beatles to make, "The Gray Album," is a cornerstone of the legacy of the Mash-Up. Hell, The KLF was making mash-ups in the 1980's by splicing tape together. As a new and quite large article by Casey Epstein-Gross for the AV Club covers, the mashup is a bit of a lost art.

"Feed the Animals," by Girl Talk cover art.

As someone who was a teenager in the 2000's, I am quite familiar with mashups. They were just a big thing. With the rise of various technology programs/websites/etc. it became easier for regular folks to fiddle with the tech to make a mash-up. I had fun using an old version of a program that still exists called ACID Pro to alter songs and make my own mashup of, "Ms. Jackson," by OutKast with, "I Just Don't Give a Fuck," by Eminem. I worked on it long enough that it was decent, and the .wav file for it is buried somewhere in my folks' computer back home. Mashups were ubiqutious with the early 2000s, and then by the time we hit 2020, they had mostly vanished as a big part of culture, at least.

As the above article discusses, a mix of lawsuits, computers identifying things as copyright violations that technically weren't, and how music just changed all impacted the mashup and made it fade away. We don't have as many songs everyone agrees are a hit to feature, we have many mini-hits, after all. Mashups still get created, but society at large cares very little about them now compared to how they were everywhere a good decade and change ago. Plus, there is an elephant in the room, AI.

DJ Earworm still makes mixes but gets less press than in years past.

AI makes, "Art," but it is soulless junk. This applies to music as well because you can have an AI mash-up songs for you, but it puts aside any artistry, skill, or, "Flavor," and is just cold and calculated slop. When the DJ isn't even mixing songs anymore or putting forth any effort into their mashup...they aren't a DJ, they're just a shoddy programmer telling a PC to make them a, "Good," mashup of hit songs. I want technology to make it easier for people to create things, and if an AI can assist you in your goal that is great, but when a person just prompts an AI to take some songs and mash them together however the computer sees fit...yeesh.

The mashup may not be truly dead and in need of flowers on its grave. People still make them and share them on a smaller-scale to avoid copyright/legal issues or such. There aren't the big-name mashup makers anymore, but the format persists. That said, if it becomes only something fiddled with by AI, then that will be a fate worse than death. Time will tell.

"Marc Spector: Moon Knight," #1 is a Great Comic With an Unnecessary Renumbering

Jed MacKay has been writing the character of Moon Knight for a number of years and has created one of the best runs ever. However, because Marvel cannot help but relaunch books with new #1's next to a different title, his epic take on Moon Knight and his crew has been split up across various series, despite arguably being one big story. We had, "Moon Knight," followed by, "Vengeance of the Moon Knight," then, "Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu," which ended with Marc Spector apparently kidnapped and leads us into, "Marc Spector: Moon Knight," picking up in a manner that is friendly to new readers but clearly could have just been a new issues of the previous series. 

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful that in this era of Marvel killing off books barely ten issues in, MacKay has been able to keep telling us superb stories with Moon Knight with minimal interference from editorial outside of when the book heavily linked to the vampire event, "Blood Hunt," but it made sense as MacKay also wrote that (and there was a brief tie-in with, "Devil's Reign," in the form of a one-shot that was good too). Here we are, though, with, "Marc Spector: Moon Knight," #1, giving us a heavily-drugged and confused Spector put into a strange fake life to trick him into revealing various secrets--until a former foe-turned-temporary-ally (Zodiac) appears at the end of the issue to, "Help." It's good stuff, and  Devmalya Pramanik is amazing, as many artists on these series have been. Paramanik keeps the feeling claustrophobic and tight with his art, making us feel uneasy and confused just like Spector/Moon Knight.

It is clear how I really enjoyed this issue, just as I have with anything Moon Knight-related created by MacKay and the assorted skilled artists he's worked with. The question remains, why is this a #1 issue? It is, at best, a new story arc. At least when, "Moon Knight," ended Marc Spector was temporarily dead with an imposter fighting his friends for much of, "Vengeance of the Moon Knight," until the Blood Hunt event brought Spector back. This new series just feels odd to give a new numbering, even if the series title, "Marc Spector: Moon Knight," is a fun throwback to the long-running 90's series many recall the later issues of fondly thanks to Stephen Platt's wild covers and artwork. Quibbles with renumbering aside, this is another amazing issue of a Moon Knight comic, whatever the official title may be. Whether you're starting with the series here or have read all of MacKay's work on the character, it remains stupendous stuff.

Valentine's Day 2026!

Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you have a partner/s or are currently single (by choice or otherwise), I hope you have a good day. Go out, stay in, and remember that starting tomorrow, a lot of chocolate and candy will be dramatically marked-down at stores (great for anyone with a sweet tooth and a bit of patience). I am happy to be able to celebrate this occasion with my wife, Samii, and continue to be deeply thankful for having her in my life. Now then, let us observe the occasion with the best song related to this holiday, "Happy Valentine's Day," by Andre 3000 of OutKast...

Enjoy yourselves, everyone.

Flashback/Film Friday: Discussing the Forgotten, "Friday the 13th," Reboot/Remake

It is Friday the 13th. As I don't find the number 13 unlucky or anything, this day doesn't feel scary to me, but it does remind me of the fun and scary franchise, "Friday the 13th." I have talked about the best and worst of those movies on multiple occasions, but what about the mostly ignored/forgotten/overlooked remake?

In 2009, a remake/reboot of, "Friday the 13th," hit theaters. It was wholly unremarkable. Outside of an absurdly silly scene where Jason murders someone in a sleeping bag, it has little of note beyond, "Hey, we have a hockey mask a guy named Jason killing teens!" It just lacks...something. There is no spark. Some of the, "Friday the 13th," flicks were a bit snarky and funny. Some were serious and scary, some were hilariously awful. This remake commits the ultimate sin of just being boring. So little sticks out in viewers' minds that is awesome or terrible that I've mentioned the remake to people before who then go, "Oh, I totally forgot that even happened," and we're talking horror-movie afficinados saying this!

Unless you're a huge fan of Jared Padalecki (this movie came out early-ish in the run of, "Supernatural," and would've honestly been better if his character of Sam Winchester fought Jason), or a, "Friday the 13th," completionist, there is little reason to watch the 2009 iteration of, "Friday the 13th." It just comes across as a drab attempt at a slasher film with nothing to say that the over ten or so films featuring Jason in some capacity had said before (it makes the time he fought Freddy Kruger look award-worthy, and that movie was just passably silly). I do hope that upcoming, "Crystal Lake," show which has had development issues but does appear to actually be happening, does the legacy of Jason and, "Friday the 13th," right. Have it be amazing, have it be a wretched, but just, please, don't have it be dull.

I Love This Weekly Planner From Sugar Bunny Shop!

I'm friends with comic creator Lindsay Hornsby and subscribe to her Substack newsletter. In one email, she discussed how she was fond of planners from Sugar Bunny Shop. I looked into them, and besides being adorable, they are perfectly designed for my needs. I, actually, had designed my own little weekly sheet, which I printed that was quite minimalistic but similar in design, starting on Monday and going to Sunday, with it easy to note what week it was. This is just like that, but a lot more professional. The section for weekly goals and little notes looked handy as well. I ordered the frog-themed weekly planner and have been loving using it. Sugar Bunny Shop itself makes more than planners, doing everything from clothes to towels, cards to pins, and more. Based on the quality of their weekly planner, I am definitely a fan and will test out their other wares too. I thank Lindsay Hornsby for the recommendation, too!

IDW Has Plans...Will They Pan Out?

IDW, as a company, has had a number of very public ups and downs because it is, in fact, a publicly traded option on the stock market. They've lost some juicy licenses but have managed to hold onto other ones for dear life (TMNT), plus there have been some hit comics they've put out lately. "Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees," is a weird serial killer comic with cute anthropomorphic critters and, "The Exorcism at 1600 Penn," was just optioned and has a sequel on the way. Things could be worse, but they could also get better, hence IDW recently discussed on an investors' call various plans from having a company-owned imprint where all creations are owned by IDW to...just hoping to get lucky with some more hit books.

I have enjoyed a number of series released by IDW over the decades and hope the company keeps chugging along. DC's Vertigo tried to take away the creators' rights to their comics, and that led to the imprint eventually ending as more creators fled en masse for Image and such (it just came back because nothing stays dead in comics, but yeah). Plus, companies can make their own luck, but it can be hard to predict what might get popular--obviously! I suppose we'll see what 2026 holds for IDW, and I wish them well.

Hot Comics Revue 22--All About That Orc, No Treble

At the moment, if you have an earlier issue of one of the, "Absolute," books from DC you've got something that is basically guaranteed to sell for above cover price. What about stuff outside of DC, however? There are some indie books that have, "Popped," a bit including, "Assorted Crisis Events," and now the first issue of a comic that just emerged last week, "D'Orc." Outside of a promotional ashcan from the publisher, Image, and getting spotlit as an interesting book on Comics Heating Up during the Final Order Cutoff, "D'Orc," lacked much anticipation from the comic-buying public. However, once it hit shelves, positive word of mouth and (I'd presume) the FOMO people had from being late to the party on some of the assorted Absolute books resulted in a rush to acquire copies of, "D'Orc," #1. It was a four-dollar comic, suddenly selling online for $35-$40, and then it just kept climbing. The standard cover A is now trending for eighty bucks or so!

I imagine the heat will die down and the book will settle to a respectable number above its cover price, but not quite as high. For now, however, "D'Orc," is as hot as molten lava. A second printing with many more copies than the first printing has been announced and some sites/apps like Key Collector threw a hissy fit about not being able to predict and pump the book, putting out a rare, "Buyer beware," about how it had zero hype before it dropped, and that makes Key Collector feel the popularity is suspicious. Look, I like Key Collector and often use it to find old key issues of stuff, but this sounds like sour grapes for not getting to take credit for, "Calling," a book would be hot--CHU gets credit, though (and remains a great site and forum)! Yes, "D'Orc," #1 is a sought-after book. Now, we just need to see if it maintains the heat or has a cooldown.

Scattered Super Bowl LX Thoughts the Day After

The Super Bowl happened yesterday, as you may have heard. I don't have a concrete article about it so much as a chunk of scattered thoughts. Observe:

From the tiny bit of opinions I'd heard before the game on the radio or television, Seattle's Seahawks were heavily favored to beat the New England Patriots. That is exactly what happened, with the Patriots pretty much never putting the Seahawks in danger of losing their lead. A fun game for Seatttle fans, a painful one for lovers of the Patriots, and a bit of a defense-heavy bore for everyone else watching.

Many advertisements this year were quite bland. Lots of AI promotion, some Cryptocurrency, and the occasional fun piece. The Liquid Death energy drink was cute with the missing heads and Dunkin riffed on 90's sitcoms in a star-packed piece, but little else stood out. Oh, that Ring camera, "Search Party," was creepy though. It basically bragged if you let them access the 10 million or so cameras in use they can find a grand total of 365 pets. How long until such a tech is used to identify, "Enemies of the State," on the run who spoke out against a government in a foreign country--or, Hell, America at this rate?

I have zero problem with sports gambling and voted for Missouri to allow it, but my God, did that permeate the broadcast today. Betting on sports used to be this taboo thing, and now it's integrated into the whole sports experience as if the idea of enjoying a game without betting a five-spot on who wins is impossible. I mean, knowing you could win ten bucks from Seattle demolishing the spread can be entertaining, but gambling on a sport shouldn't be the sole reason people tune in!

That Halftime show with Bad Bunny was fun! I am not going to pretend I understood most of what was said with my single semester of, "Spanish 101," in college, but there was a clear message of love and unity. Plus, it felt like it was a big and wild party. There was nothing anti-American or offensive to anyone's sensibilities. I mean, unless men and women dancing and eagerly shaking their butts to the beat made you clutch your pearls. Plus, there was a real wedding!

Lastly, there was a burger for sale at the game itself that cost $180 dollars. Even putting aside my allergy to beef, it honestly did not look at all appetizing. That said, those of us who stayed home and watched on television could enjoy our own more reasonably priced snacks. Between food and friends, not a bad way to spend a few hours--regardless of how dull the game itself was!

A Local Pokemon Card Show/Convention Was Apparently Quite the Mess

There are occasions when conventions do not go well. Case in point, I had seen ads for, "PokeKon-Fest," and heard about it, but was unfamiliar with who was behind the show ("Our Cons,") even though they apparently do an assortment of events. This show happened yesterday, however, and was apparently the definition of a shit-show. Overcrowded showfloor, extremely long wait to get in, disorganized in terms of programming, and while (by all accounts) the vendors were nice, many attendees were upset and posted online it put the, "Con," in, "Convention."

I'm not here to pass judgment. I am friends with a number of people who put on comic conventions and pop culture shows. They work hard to make sure things go well. When you hold a show, you want it to draw a good crowd, but you need to be prepared for an underwhelming or overwhelming number of people. Apparently, PokeKon-Fest was woefully underprepared for the sheer folks of people excited for a Pokémon-centric show, and as a result, much of the populace is displeased. Some people did have fun, but if the majority of posts about a show are negative, well, that's not good. I've even helped with conventions in the past and hope to assist with others in the future; I just know I'll work hard to ensure any show I'm involved in will (hopefully) be remembered fondly. At the end of the day, that's what a convention is about--having fun and enjoying a community of fans. If it is treated as little more than a cash-grab, as some suggest about this, "Fest," that's just sad to witness. After all, you are supposed to, "Catch them all," not, "Con them all!"

Why Does it Remain so Hard For Comic Creators to Make a Decent Living?

A handful of notable exceptions aside, most of those who make comic-books are doing it for the love of the art form and won't get rich at it. That said, you would hope those who are making comics we enjoy could at least get a livable wage. In the span of a couple of days, two incidents occured First, we learned that Frazer Irving was literally homeless due to a lease issue and needed food--a man who has worked on huge comic-book properties and is an amazing creator. Next, Kevin Maguire went public about how he would no longer be working on covers for DC, as they hadn't increased his pay in 20 years. He has plans to do his own comics via Kickstarter and such--I hope he makes plenty of funds. 

As for Irving, he got support from fans who bought some of his work from his website and assistance from fellow creators, so he's doing okay for now. That said, why would Irving or Maguire need help or have to walk away due to not being paid their worth? That shouldn't happen. I would like it not to be a struggle for people who help create content that becomes multi-million dollar properties to afford housing and a meal. Only your name in the credits as a, "Thanks," for the latest billion-dollar superhero flick doesn't help pay the bills, after all.

DSTLRY to Pause Publishing

DSTLRY is taking a break. They're not shutting down or going bankrupt, they're just, "Pausing." Yes, the publisher of assorted fun comics that are generally magazine-sized is going to take a break and plot out hte best way to market, print, and distribute their comics for a maximum impact, as DSTLRY tells it. I understand the desire for a publisher to not only survive, but thrive. I mean, DSTLRY has been through the wringer. They were with Lunar, went exclusive with Diamond two months before they declared bankruptcy and proceeded to screw everyone over, then shift to Penguin Random House. That's a lot for a year or so for a known publisher, and DSTLRY had only splashed onto the scene in 2023.

The plan for DSTLRY is to, "..regroup, reset, and return with a more stable, consistent publishing rhythm.” I wish them the best and really hope we eventually get the third and final issue of, "White Boat," someday. That comic was really good.

Neil Gaiman Picked NOW to Address Allegations?

A little more than a year ago, there was a big article in, "New York Magazine," that laid out how Neil Gaiman had allegedly sexually assaulted a number of women. I wrote about how it might take a bit for the whole truth to be figured out, but things looked bad. Thought of as a literary hero for quite some time, the allegations were extremely upsetting for big fans of Gaiman, and he denied any wrongdoing before he went radio silent. Various legal cases have been occuring but Gaiman posted nothing. However, now, Gaiman has made a new blog post, "...again denying the allegations, before hyping up his untitled next novel, and thanking fans who have supported him." 

Look, whether everything is true, some of it is true, or somehow nothing is true, the timing is awful. It is almost as if Gaiman saw all the Epstein files being released and thought, "Hey, maybe I'll remind everyone about my fiasco while sex predators are a trending topic!" I guess he really wants to promote upcoming work and link to a random Substack newsletter named TechnoPathology, which is heavily focused on discussing how its author believes Neil Gaiman is innocent (Gaiman claims no direct involvement). Again, regardless of Gaiman's guilt or innocence, he picked a Hell of a time to contribute to the dialogue going on about famous people and sexual assault.

Diamond Comic Distributors Screwed Over Everybody One Last Time

Diamond Comic Distributors is dead. It ceased any form of operations on December 31st, 2025. That said, they have managed to screw over everybody one last time from the metaphorical grave. Folks may recall that Diamond was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy at first and supposedly planned to pay back everyone what they were owed. This led to some fiascos as they tried to liquidate inventory in their warehouses that did not belong to them from publishers...who they needed to sell the stuff to pay back--talk about borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, as the expression goes! Eventually, everything shifted to Chapter 7--meaning there would be no reorganization as opposed to totally shutting down and being stripped for parts. This led to some hope that there would be a bit of money for the many parties owed funds. Well, as Bleeding Cool posted, " It appears that the millions raised from selling parts of the company to Ad Populum, Universal Distribution, and the managers of Diamond UK, will be wiped out by legal fees and bank fees, which have been mounting up over the past year." 

So much was spent on all the lawsuits and bank fees that there are zero dollars for the people Diamond entered bankruptcy in the first place to supposedly pay back. That means,"...looking at the detailed individual listings, no one is getting anything in those Final Allowed Amount columns. Whether you are Penguin Random House, owed $8,941,467.05, or a former employee, Chris Powell, owed $11,900. The legal case continues through the courts, especially over the consigned inventory, but it seems the courts have already found against comic book publishers Valiant, Netcomics, and Digital Manga." 

Yep, everyone gets nothing, nada--to quote Willy Wonka, "You lose! Good day, Sir!" This is the equivalent of going to a reading of a will and finding out your dear departed Granny left all her money to the pool boy/girl, and all your books you had at her house were being used as collateral for her gambling debts. I joke...but not really? It remains wild to think how Diamond spent 2025 declaring bankruptcy in January and being dead and gone by December. Now, it's both depressing and a bit impressive that it managed one final, "Up yours," to everyone. 

Dynamite and Coffin Comics to Co-Publish

Coffin Comics is the indie publisher owned by Brian Pulido that has pubished a number of series, with the big one being, "Lady Death," since he got the rights back some years ago following some nasty lawsuits with Avatar Press. That said, Lady Death used to be a part of the Chaos! Comics publishing line, along with other characters including Evil Ernie, Purgatori, Chastity, and more. The rights to those characters ended up with Dynamite, making it quite interesting that the Chaos! Comics line, in a sense, is reunited now that it has been announced Coffin Comics is going to partner with Dynamite and co-publish.

When Diamond Comic Distributors went under it was hard for Coffin as they were bigger than a micro-publisher but not large enough to interest Lunar/PRH, it would appear. By partnering with Dynamite, they can do more than direct to consumer and Kickstarter (although they've had immense success with those methods), and it makes the rights a bit less messy to republish a bunch of old Chaos! Comics--which is already planned via an, "Evil Ernie," three-volume set of his earliest adventures that haven't been collected in years, or ever. Diamond going under made things hard for lots of publishers, but many have--thankfully--found a way to survive and even thrive!

Groundhog Day, Politics, and the Power of Belief

It is Groundhog Day. The day ties into one of the funniest movies around--"Groundhog Day," with Bill Murray--and features multiple cities with rodents supposedly predicting how much winter we will or will not be having this year. I could be snarky about how people ignore climate scientists and listen to a groundhog, but you know what, in 2026, I'll take someone who believes a groundhog over anyone who still supports Donald Trump. I have forgiven people who admitted voting for Trump in 2016 and then not supporting him again after the travesty that was his first term. If someone told me they voted for him in the most recent election, even, but didn't know things would get so bad and regretted it, okay. If, in 2026, seeing how awful things are, someone still supports Trump, though? That's more delusional than believing with 100% certainty that a rodent predicts and/or controls the weather.

Between the silencing of journalists, using ICE as a personal Gestapo, lying about things we outright see with our eyes (people being murdered in the street and painted as domestic terrorists), having it illustrated in the smidgen of Epstein files released Trump is a rapist (we all knew that already), and shutting down programs that educate people and keep the populace healthy...just, how can anyone in their right mind support this? Five-year-olds getting arrested and detained, citizens killed with it claimed they are terrorists, concrete proof that Trump was sexually assaulting children on a rape island, and so forth. The first term was dumb, the second term is pure fascism. We had a breather between Trump terms with Joe Biden, but now we live in a surreal Hell of America's own making. So yeah, it isn't that crazy to think some people take a perfectly innocent groundhog seriously when there are people out there still excusing Trump instead of calling for him to be behind bars. In other words, Punxsutawney Phil for President in 2028--at least he isn't the Epstein files.

Do You Enjoy the, "Fallout," Show? Pay a Bunch for Some DLC in a, "Fallout 76," Cash Grab!

The, "Fallout," television show will be wrapping up its second season soon--there is just one episode left. There are no, "Fallout," games currently in the works that we know of (despite rumors of remasters), so the most recent one would be, "Fallout 76," which is an online multiplayer affair that launched as a buggy mess in 2018 but has, apparently, become quite fun and workable. Without spoiling too much, the penultimate episode of the show's season featured a really snazzy Power Armor from the Northern California Republic being taken out of storage to fight some Deathclaws. This event was celebrated in, "Fallout 76," with some tie-in downloadable content...that costs thirty bucks.

To put all this in perspective, when, "Fallout 76," launched it was sixty dollars at the time. For half of the initial cost of the game, you can get an admittedly cool power armor design, a handful of items, and little else. Right now, the game is eight bucks! Fans are understandably perturbed that they can't even use in-game currency they could have accumulated via playing the game for a while to buy this Power Armor; it is cash money or bust. I love some of the single-player, "Fallout," games, but didn't really vibe with, "Fallout 76," as outside of when I used to play, "World of Warcraft," I don't do big ol' Multiplayer worlds much. If I were playing this game though, I'd refuse to drop thirty smackers on even the coolest Power Armor. Bethesda can charge what they want, but I support fans saying, "Nah," too.