Sunday, July 27, 2025

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!

Saturday, July 26, 2025

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.

Friday, July 25, 2025

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!

Thursday, July 24, 2025

"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).

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

"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.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

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.

Monday, July 21, 2025

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.

Sunday, July 20, 2025

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.

Saturday, July 19, 2025

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.