Lindsay Graham Died, Sam Neill Died, and People Think the GOP is Faking Mitch McConnell's Alive ? What a Week!

This week marked the sudden passing of Senator Lindsay Graham, and not too long later, the unexpected passing of Sam Neill. Graham's passing resulted in a ton of jokes and vitriol. Everyone pointed out how much he hated Donald Trump and seemed to have principles...before suddenly becoming one of Trump's biggest cheerleaders and excusers when it served him to keep his political power. Also, the supposedly open secret that he was gay in his personal life, whilst in his political career, pushing an extremely anti-LGBTQ agenda, has been covered extensively. 

Few seemed to mourn him, while Sam Neill's passing had a ton of folk upset. He had shared a cancer diagnosis some years ago, but was in remission. He'd discussed how he wasn't afraid of dying but it would, "Annoy," him. Neill was, by all accounts, a really nice person and skilled actor who wasn't afraid to lean into the humor about how he was, "The Jurassic Park guy," with that being one of his most beloved roles. I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, but I will say I'd hope that when I die, people react more in a manner like with Neill than Graham.

While all of this has been going on, the internet has, for a handful of weeks, been debating if Mitch McConnell is alive and healthy, on life support, brain-dead, or simply dead, period. He had a mystery health scare and didn't appear in public or say anything for weeks. Fellow members of the GOP, friends, and aides claimed they had chatted with him on the phone for 20 minutes or more, and he was perfectly fine...but then freaked out when asked to give Mitch a ring. Rumors swirled this was to stop a special election or such, and once we hit August, then it would be revealed Mitch had, "Suddenly," died. With Graham's passing the jokes got even crazier about it being a conspiracy/distraction or proof that Mitch must be fine because how could his death be hidden if Graham's went public so fast? From riffs on, "Weekend at Bernie's" and more, everyone has been cracking wise, with a supposedly, "Casual," photo of McConnel feeling perfectly fine after needing some hospitalization due to a simple fall (with a recent newspaper just happening to be nearby), only inadvertently egging the jests on more.

The one thing I, personally, find hilarious is anyone in the GOP acting offended at these, "Mean liberals," stating hurtful things about Graham or McConnell. Anytime someone Donald Trump disliked has died he wastes no time in saying despicable things about them. Rob Reiner was mocked and Robert Mueller's death was greeted with the statement that it was, "Good," that it happened. When your party's poster child says worse things online than even the meanest high school bullies, you can't exactly clutch your pearls when people quip about Graham's funeral being, "Open closet," or put an AI video of a zombie McConnell dancing to, "Thriller," on TikTok. 

It goes to show just how bad the reputation of Republicans has become when people don't even believe the party stating one of their Senators is recovering just fine and chilling in a hospital bed as opposed to a slab in the morgue. I mean, Trump tells more lies than truths while at the same time having no filter, so maybe ask him about it so he can say, "Oh yeah, Mitch is doing fine, such a shame he's dead though. Oh, did I tell you about my latest cognitive test?" and that'll settle the mystery. For now, we know Graham and Neill are dead, and the public had very different reactions. As for McConnell...stay tuned?

Check Out My Friend's Doctor Who Club

I'm friends with Wayne Judge and his son, Victor. They are both big fans of, "Doctor Who," and have taught me a bit about the franchise, as I know very little about it compared to other fun sci-fi. A club dedicated to, "The Doctor," will be meeting this coming Sunday, July 19th, at the Saint Louis City Library Buder Branch from 1:30 PM-4:00 PM--at no cost to attend! If you have any questions, you can send an email to vhjudge@gmail.com and learn more!

The July 2026 ToyMan Show Was Stellar!

Today was another superb ToyMan Show, and they are always incredible fun and full of cool stuff. I started the show by chatting with my friend Jack Thomas of Fortress Comics and then checking out the snazzy comics for sale by Tim Metzger. 

I caught up with Spike from Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles, then looked at some of Nate Nauert's awesome comics! I also saw Larry from Bug's Comics, who had an, "Absolute Batman," comic for a solid price I picked up. Check it out:

As the show went on, I stopped by the table of my friend Tom Millister, and we talked about how life had been. Tatertot Comics and Collectibles was selling a bunch of interesting items, Jacqueline James had her fun books in the upstairs area, and 573 Collectibles had a mix of comics I enjoyed digging through, too. My friend Bruce Reynolds had a whole bunch of cool books for sale, and talented author Jessica Mathews had a new book for sale, which I excitedly got to give Gibson for his birthday, "Ninjas the Beach." Here it is:

Whenever I go to a ToyMan Show I'm astounded by the sheer volume of interesting items for sale. Trading cards, Funko Pops, Legos, die-cast cars, comics, Funko Pops, movies (in all formats), retro toys, newer gadgets, and viny/cassettes/CDs are present and keep the crowd busy admiring all the awesome wares. At this show, there were some vendors with tents outside near the entrance, as well, for the crowd to check out. That was neat! I'd encourage anyone close enough to make sure they visit the next ToyMan Show on August 23rd. It'll be a cool way to conclude a hot Summer!

Gibson Turns Three!

Today is Gibson's third birthday. He has really grown a lot in the past 12 months, having quite a burst of speech starting back in January of this year, and since then getting more and more verbal. He loves to identify colors, talk about the weather, ask questions about the tiny bugs he sees outside, point at the wild rabbits in our yard to talk about the, "Bunnies," declare when he needs a snack, ask for milk (his favorite drink), and otherwise is a sweet little guy. 

Gibson continues to love eating almost any food item he's offered and eagerly will discuss the Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, or Bluey with folks. He's extremely friendly and gets excited to say, "Hello," to other kiddos. We're working on toilet training even though the big potty can, "Be scary," and he's getting skilled at brushing his teeth. Gibson loves his mom, dad, and big brother Clarkson, whom he calls, "C," very much. Happy birthday to Gibson, he's an awesome little dude!

The Latest Roku Update is Atrocious

Roku updated its design from being relatively minimalist and simple to a weird mess full of, "Helpful," AI slop features, tiny squares for the features/apps you actually want, and a lot more invasive advertisements. It's hideous, and I hate it, along with many others. There is ample discussion about how to try to make things look like they used to on Roku televisions/devices, but we shouldn't suffer Roku forcing these buggy and ugly updates on us. Change can be good, but this seems intentionally designed to be worse in the name of forcing random alterations nobody asked for down our throats and putting more ads on the page. I'm displeased.

"White Boat," #3 Finally Was Released and is a Stellar Finale

The first issue of, "White Boat," came out from DSTLRY back in mid-2024. It took some time, but the second issue was released as well, and a hoot. Then...delays. It got to the point DSTLRY announced a temporary shutdown/pause, and it had me worried there wouldn't be a third and final issue. Thankfully, they got back up and running, with, "White Boat," #3 finally hitting stands this week. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Francesco Francavilla have crafted a masterful tale of surreal genetic experiments, ancient secret technologies, and a big ol' superyacht. 

Considering how long it took for all these issues to come out, it did take me a minute to remember a few plot details, but by the issue's end, I was just as engaged as back in 2024 with the first issue, and this tale that, at its heart, is about the love one has for their sibling/s through good and bad. Plus, the magazine-size format lets Francavilla's art truly sing. There will be a full collection of, "White Boat" before long, and I'd highly encourage folks to pick it up so they can enjoy it without any extensive waits between chapters.

5 out of 5 Stars.

"Big Brother," Season 28 Starts Today

Today will mark the premiere of the 28th season of, "Big Brother." There have been some amazing seasons, some pretty awful ones, and plenty that were hit-or-miss. The theme this season looks to be a mix of time travel and roadtripping with, "Time Trip." Whenever a new season kicks off, you honestly can't predict what we're getting with much certainty, as the show is, essentially, happening mostly live. The episodes show events from within the past 48-72 hours and if you've got a Paramount+ subscription, you can watch live feeds of the house (whenever they don't black it out to keep certain things a surprise). 

The cast has been mostly announced, and at least one person is a returnee--Angela Murray--and some folks have been on other reality shows as well. Plus, we've got a batch of new people from many walks of life, which always results in a lot of fun moments, drama, and so forth. I'll be excited to tune in at 8PM Eastern/7PM Central tonight for the extra-length 90-minute special premiere!

Pepsi Wild Cherry Had a PR Fiasco, but Did People Read Too Much Into a Post?

I don't like the taste of Pepsi. Whether it is regular, diet, or any of the various flavors. Therefore, it feels weird when you've got me defending the brand and saying people are reading way too much into a social media post Pepsi did. A chunk of days ago, on Threads, Pepsi/whoever works for social media there wrote, "Pepsi Wild Cherry is what happens when regular cherry stops asking permission." It's a cute little joke about being spontaneous and throwing caution to the wind, right? Well, a number of people thought it sounded like it endorsed sexual assault. I suppose from a certain angle I could see that interpretation. If someone has suffered any kind of sexual assault, harassment, abuse, or so forth, then such a phrase could be triggering. Why would that be the first thing that pops into the heads of other folks, though? I'm surprised someone would read that and immediately think it was, "Rapey," as opposed to a bland statement about seeking out fun and adventure.

Suffering any form of abuse or assault is horrible. If Pepsi had intended to make light of SA, then it would make sense to drag them online relentlessly. The drastic interpretations of this post, however, seem very extreme. I don't think a billion-dollar corporation is going to think there is anything humorous about rape...well, a company with Elon Musk as the head might have him crack such a joke, but he's an asshole. As for how Pepsi handled this, they took the post down and apologized for how it, "...landed in a way we never intended." That's probably the best way to handle things, as opposed to ignoring the outcry or doubling down the way some brands desperate to go viral might--remember when Radioshack was on the way out and started making graphic tweets about sex toys? So yes, this was a fiasco, but in 2026 terms and the garbage fire that the internet has become, this will probably all be forgotten within a week when something even crazier happens, like Dwayne Johnson accidentally harpoons a manatee during a promotional stunt-gone-wrong for the new live-action, "Moana," or something else outlandish but fitting for what this World has become in the past half-decade. On the bright side, at least Pepsi didn't have to buy anybody a fighter jet.

Television Tuesday: Are We Even Supposed to Root for the Couples on, "90 Day Fiancé," Anymore?

"90 Day Fiancé," is a franchise that rivals the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its size and scope. The first season of the original series launched in January of 2014. The idea was to follow a couple where one lived in America and the other in a foreign country. Through the K-1 Visa process, the (potentially) future spouse was coming to the U.S., and they had 90 days (per the Visa) to either get married or leave the country voluntarily if the planned marriage did not happen. The show was a hit and spawned so, so many spin-offs. Over twelve years later, and you've got folks who are basically celebrities thanks to the show. Some couples appeared, and everyone forgot them, but other folks became fan favorites and famous (or infamous) for their behavior. We've got couples meeting before the 90-day process, those going, "The Other Way," people from the show who are currently without a spouse and living, "The Single Life," and the list goes on. Some couples are being followed on, "Happy Ever After?" and others are about ready to break up and at, "The Last Resort." Certain individuals got their own show, such as Darcy and Stacy or, "The Family Chantel." There was a short-lived cooking show, for goodness sake! It enjoy much of the franchise, but one little thing has been bugging me. I feel like there is this nagging question of whether, somewhere along the way, we weren't supposed to actually root for the couples anymore?

The earlier years of the 90 Day behemoth had some real characters, yes, but there were plenty of couples who seemed to deeply love each other and be relatively well-adjusted adults. Plenty of those, "Early," cast members are still together. Some couples have had children and are living their best lives. Even people who appeared on the show some years later often seem dedicated to trying to make their love work through patience, conversations, empathy, and otherwise being decent human beings--Kenny and Armondo are one of the first LGBTQ couples who first appeared on, "The Other Way," show (in 2020) and care about each other so much. Yet, as time has gone on, I would say that if we put it bluntly, shit's gone crazy. Yes, we've always had people like Angela Deem or good ol' Colt Johnson popping up in the 90-day Universe, but there were stable or at least stable-ish people too. Now, whenever a new couple enters the franchise on their own K-1 Visa journey, at least one person seems extremely problematic in some way, if not both individuals. 

Kobe and Emily, a rare later-series couple (debuted season 9) who are still happy.
Plus, BOTH seem like cool folks.

This latest season of the OG show (we're now in the middle of season 12) we have someone blaming OCD for a clear case of alcoholism (Catie), a business exec (Marrisa) who can't stop belittling the supposed new love of her life, a serial cheater (Shea), an amateur actor (Mido) who seems to be conning his future wife, someone whose dedication to Christinaity seems to give them their own God complex (Ashia), a couple who like to just constantly be petty at each other (Thomas & Paula), and Mallorie and Rașit who argue a ton about a guy friend she has as well as some money she's got in a trust. In previous seasons, that last couple would be considered rocky, but now, they seem the most stable and reasonable out of all the madness. If I'm watching a show about international love but screaming at the screen that almost everyone needs to break up, that's a problem. 

To the show's credit, sometimes the American is awful, and sometimes the foreign love is a monster...so hooray for proving terrible guys and gals can be found anywhere in the World? Seriously, though, the message of this show has morphed from, "Love knows no borders," to, "Look at these jerks from all around the World!" All of that said, I'm still watching a number of the shows and do enjoy both the happy couples and the messy ones. We just seem to get a lot more disasters of relationships to rubberneck than ones to support and cheer about. I mean, drama is going to get more attention than stability, so there ya go.

Daniel Warren Johnson's New Comic, "Chainkata," Looks Exciting

I'm a fan of Daniel Warren Johnson's work. He's done a number of stellar comics at Image, did a superb mini about Beta Ray Bill at Marvel, killed it on, "Wonder Woman: Dead Earth," and his, "Absolute Batman," works have been stellar. This November, DWJ is launching a new series titled, "Chainkata," and it features a lady with a chainsaw sword. In space. I mean, yeah, sold! Others think it looks cool, too.

As a chunk of the announcement today from Image Comics reads, "In Chainkata, Luma is a chainsaw-wielding warrior queen, seeking out an unknown power in the vastness of space. All she wants is to find peace, but violence and terror follow her through every black hole. The story will blend the epic, high-stakes sci-fi of Beta Ray Bill and Space-Mullet and with the character-building depth of Extremity and Do A Powerbomb. It is the culmination, and maximization, of Johnson's craft and the perfect read for fans of action-packed comics with art that leaps from the page." This sounds like it was designed to be an absolute hoot, and I can't wait to learn more as Image rolls out the promo for it during CCI/SDCC later this month. DWJ is a superb artist, storyteller, and creator of cool comics, so this is bound to be pretty snazzy.

Fun News: You Could Technically Hire Adam Sandler to Officiate Your Wedding

Popular singer Taylor Swift and pro footballer Travis Kelce got married in a private (but big) ceremony on July 3rd at Madison Square Garden, and you know what? Good for them. Some people are ecstatic for the couple and pleased that they also donated money to a bunch of charities. Other folks dislike Taylor and/or Travis and have complained that they wasted time/space/energy...as if the whole concept of a wedding isn't already self-indulgent to a degree. I mean, you're having people come out to essentially watch ya'll agree to a contract, you can make it as extravagant and magical or informal and official as you want, so ignore haters! In all of this hubbub about T&T, one thing stuck out to me the most--technically, anyone could ask Adam Sandler to marry them, and he can.

Yes, the Sandman officiated the marriage of Taylor and Travis, as he is legally certified to do, interestingly! He also sang them a song, which reminds me of the tunes he used to do on SNL. As for how this happened, Sandler knows Travis (who had a bit of a role in, "Happy Gilmore 2," in fact) and has only ever had good things to say about Taylor as well. Still, it is kind of wild to think all the paperwork will show Adam Sandler as the officiant. I suppose if he ever gets tired of alternating between making surprisingly good and then shockingly bad flicks (and then back to good, then bad, etc.), he could start a business marrying folks.

July 4th, 2026. America at a Critical Juncture

Last July 4th, I apologized to America, or at least the concept of what America could be, for what had become of the nation under Donald Trump and the GOP. Things most definitely have not become better, but the fight continues to save some shred of America's soul. America will be 250 years old, and keeps suffering as those in power keep telling outright lies whilst blaming minorities/immigrants/LGBTQ folks/etc. for any problems. Demonizing others and stoking the flames of hatred...all in the name of making a bunch of money via a massive grift. Seriously, it is disgusting the amount of money Trump and his family have raked in whilst destroying the nation piece-by-piece--sometimes literally in the case of D.C.'s reflecting pool-turned-alage-ridden-swamp. That said, the fight goes on. Whether on a smaller scale with cities, on a larger scale in states, or at the Federal level. 

It, of course, is not just Republicans/conservatives trying to wreck things. Plenty of Democrats lately seem to like declaring how they are, "Centrists," who would rather just go with the flow of the Nation and avoid rocking any metaphorical boat even if that, "Flow," is more of a tidal wave that will doom us all. It shocks me how a lot of supposed moderate Democrats seem eager to viciously fight against anyone a bit too liberal for their liking in primaries, while offering barely any resistance towards a surreally fascistic right-wing. The one compliment I'll pay conservatives is that even when certain elements of the party will hold various views on certain things, they quite often all stick together and unify behind whatever/whoever becomes the party's focus...even if for the past decade or so that, "Focus," has been a hateful excuse for a human being. Whether it's in-fighting or focusing energy where it belongs, the battle for America keeps going. It can be discouraging, exhausting, and otherwise seem pointless, but giving in to despair or outright giving up will stop things from ever getting better. America is 250 years old and finds itself at a crossroads. Whether the country ends up rushing towards destruction or a bright future will quite likely be determined in the next handful of years or even months.

"Heaven," by Katie Skelly is a Sexy and Scary Delight

"Heaven," is the latest comic by the extremely talented Katie Skelly. I've discussed in previous posts how much I enjoyed her horror story, "Maids," and the extremely raunchy adult comic collection, "The Agency." An interesting thing about, "Heaven," is that it is both quite sexy and has a lot of eerie elements as well. The setup of the story is that four high school seniors learn about a mysterious strip club on the edge of town called, "Heaven," that sometimes seems to exist and other times appears to have vanished without a trace. Dolores is the eldest at 18 and, due to a mix of disinterest in her Catholic school, a stressful home-life (she lives with her mother, who is going through a messy divorce), and general curiosity, gets a job at the club. Obviously, everything is not as it seems with Heaven.

Throughout the chapters/"Scenes," of the book, there is a palpable sense of dread. There is something eerie about Heaven, from its owner, "Lover," seeming a bit off to customers going missing, Dolores having nightmares every night after work, and so forth. Tensions increase with every turn of the page, and Skelly's superb art manages to both titillate and disturb. Brief moments of violence punctuate the slow unfurling of just how many secrets Heaven holds, and there are many! Skelly knows how to concoct a stellar tale, and "Heaven," is further proof of how she is a modern master of the comic art form. "Heaven," hits stores next week and is published by Fantagraphics, which was kind enough to supply me with an advance copy of the book upon my request for the purpose of review. If you enjoy stories that are as alluring as they are creepy, you definitely should seek a copy out for yourself!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Nope, Too Hot

It is too hot. I sat and read some random assorted comics that I enjoyed today, but couldn't put words together in my head to describe much about them other than, "Matt Fraction's take on the original Batman deserves more love, along with how Absolute Batman is getting so much press." A single sentence does not make for a particularly good article, however. I read that some members of Gen Z are apparently more prudish and dislike all the kissing and sex-talk on, "Love Island," which made me laugh, but results in little to say besides, "Oh, those younger generations." Even in our air-conditioned house, it is still quite warm (AC can only do so much), and as I said, it is too hot. 

Every Summer seems a bit hotter for longer (probably because climate scientists will warn you that it is, in fact, happening), and I am not a fan of extreme heat. I want to share some hot takes on various subjects (no pun intended), but nope. I just need to try and stay as cool as possible and relax. Some weekend storms are on the way, and in my best old-man tone, I will probably declare, "We needed this rain," when it hits and--I pray--lowers the temperature too. For now, I'm simply trying to avoid sweating so much that I resemble the Wicked Witch of the West (or Elphaba, for you, "Wicked," fans) when she melted into a steaming pile of goo. You all try to take it easy and stay hydrated as well. I care about you, my readers!

Sony is Killing Disc-Based Games, Physical Media Continues to Disappear

Sony has announced that, come 2028, games will no longer have physical disc releases. Everything will be digital on the PlayStation store or those little download codes in boxes at retailers. This will, in essence, kill the resale market for any new video-games games and really makes it look like the PlayStation 6 could be coming in 2028, and will be digital-only. We've had the option of digital-only consoles for some time (Xbox Series S springs to mind), but that being the sole option is worrisome for reasons I have outlined in various posts. You don't truly own that digital content, after all, and it could get harder to access at any point in the future. As if to drive this point home, Sony also announced it was shutting down the virtual stores for the PS3 and Vita--so download any games or updates while you still can! The internet is, to put it simply, enraged/pissed/big mad. 

In this day and age, even if a ton of sales are digital, having physical options makes it easier to rent a game, check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, or otherwise do things that save consumers money. Then again, I suppose that costs companies some extra bucks they want to squeeze from people. Between AI chatbots that almost seem eerily self-aware and spew misinformation, the rise of science denial or political faelshoods (an alarming number of people insist the Earth is flat, vaccines cause autism, and any election their candidate didn't win was rigged), everything becoming a subscription service, and basic human rights being under attack (marriage equality, the right to an abortion, trans rights, and the list goes on), this future we're rapidly speeding towards seems more like a brick wall of destruction than an open road of progress. You know, Marion Stokes spent decades operating many VCRS so that she could tape hundreds of hours of television. She was a librarian, T.V. producer, and activist who was concerned that if we didn't have a record of what really happened in history, lies and falsehoods would be easy to spread with zero proof to counter them. Now, everything may end up digital and easy to alter without anyone noticing. My point is, she had a pretty solid argument.