Happy 41st Birthday, Samii

My wife, Samii, is turning 41 today! She is an amazing woman, a fantastic wife, and a stupendous mom! I am so happy to have her in my life and hope she has a lovely day. Happy birthday, Samii!

Flashback Friday: Thinking Back to Times When the Trailer is Better Than the Final Product

I was thinking the other day about certain movies, games, and other stuff I would get excited for thanks to enticing trailers, only to end up a bit dismayed with the final product not at all nearly living up to what I expected. I understand a trailer/ad/etc. is supposed to build hype/interest, but it can paradoxically harm the result when it is little like what was initially promised. 

One big example of this would be, "Watch Dogs." That surprise first trailer years ago was insane. Moody, gorgeous graphics, and just cool. It piqued everyone's interest, and the resulting game was fun but not Earth-shattering. Many fans were annoyed the graphics didn't match the trailers in quality (even on PC) and the gameplay had more busy-work and mini-games than badass hacking. Sometimes, a trailer totally misrepresents the tone of something. The movie, "Home Sweet Hell," was advertised as an over-the-top comedy with Katherine Heigl and Patrick Wilson. It ain't that at all, instead being pitch-black in tone with some twisted humor, but you're laughing more because you're uncomfortable with how gruesome the story gets as opposed to having your funny bone tickled. The flick was ravaged by critics and seen by few.

Lots of people compared and contrasted the, "Watch Dogs," trailer versus the game.

I imagine anyone reading this article has had an example pop into their head of a trailer that was much better and/or different from the final product. I don't begrudge anyone for trying to make an awesome trailer--you want to sell your product, whether it's a movie, game, television show, or anything else! Just be aware that when you give people the wrong impression about what they're getting or truly show, "All the good parts," in your trailer with nothing left to surprise the consumer, you might have a problem on your hands.

"Grand Theft Auto VI," is Delayed, Again!

Back in 2022, a bunch of leaks made it apparent that the developer Rockstar was hard at work on, "Grand Theft Auto VI." It was December of 2023 when the official announcement was made that GTAVI was indeed due in 2025. Then, in May of 2025, we learned that, "Grant Theft Auto VI," had been delayed a year to May 2026. It would surely come out right around my birthday. Well, today it was announced the game isn't six months away, it is, again, a year away. Yes, GTAVI has been delayed, once more, to November of 2026. I mean, at least it is still coming out in 2026, ostensibly, right?

In all honesty, it has been a bad couple of weeks for Rockstar. They fired 30 UK-based developers under the accusation that they were leaking trade secrets, but most have countered that it looks strongly like attempts at union-busting. Protests have resulted. Much of the internet has expressed displeasure/how pissed they are at this delay (seriously, they're mad), and the stock for the publisher of GTA VI, Take-Two, sank a meaty 7% upon the announcement, so I'm sure they aren't panicking either. The last time a delay was announced, a surprise trailer was dropped to help stem the flow of Take-Two hemorrhaging cash. I wonder if we will get another taste of the game to hopefully tide us over now that it is a year away, yet again?

A silly joke, but one wonders.

I truly wonder if this is the absolute last delay, or if another will be needed. I personally prefer games to launch in a playable state without a ton of bugs, even if that means a longer wait. That said, it is annoying when a release date for something as highly anticipated as, "Grand Theft Auto VI," is given and then changed, twice! Let's just hope it does, in fact, come out in 2026.

Playing "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater," Results in a Mix of Emotions

"Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater," was originally released on November 17th, 2004. I played the original game 20 years ago, as I was a huge fan of the franchise from the first, "Solid," up through the fifth and final to have Hideo Kojima involved in the franchise (he was the director/guiding force and left the company, Konami, to make his own games). The third game was possibly my favorite, a prequel to the first two games focused on the original, "Snake," who later games have you play as a clone of (the games had lots of weird sci-fi concepts and interesting ideas about militarism, patriotism, and so forth). It is now 2025 and a special remaster/re-release is out and titled, "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater." It is the same game in its DNA, but the graphics are improved (and amazing), and some gameplay elements have been tweaked, but much remains the same. Revisiting MGS3 all these years later in such a format brings mixed emotions.

Playing this game again, but now on a PlayStation 5 instead of 2,  feels like eating a meal I adored long ago and missed, but now it's back with much of the original recipe followed, yet it is even more savory to chew on and admire. Think of putting on an old blanket that has had some of the rips and tears fixed to be even more comfy. That said, this recipe has a new chef, and the blanket had somebody new sew everything up. That's right, even though Hideo's original vision is closely followed, he had zero involvement in this remaster. The original bones are there but this Frankenstein's monster has a bunch of new flesh that lacks the original Dr. Frankenstein/mad scientist at the helm, for better or worse. A masterpiece being redone without the auteur who made it feels a little wrong and gives me a slight icky feeling as I play. Still, I can admire how much has held up 20 years later in MGS3. They made it pretty and tweaked some gameplay, but it is still MGS3 and fun as Hell to play, watch the long cinema scenes of, and absorb the weird geo-political plot whilst you sneak in the grass and shoot tranq darts at Soviet soldiers.

"Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater," reminds me of when the original, "Star Wars," trilogy was remastered (although George Lucas himself was behind that so the comparison doesn't fully work). It has the classic in there, but things are different to a degree that old fans may love or hate, and new fans will simply admire as being cool due to knowing no difference. I mean, not to age everyone who remembers the OG game too much, but I must emphasize this came out 20 years ago, and besides being prettier and changing some gameplay, it still is fully MGS3, quirks and all--that's how damn amazing it was then and now. Is it wrong to even tweak a masterpiece a little for modern audiences, however? Should we rebel the same way fans did when Lucas dropped his own new version of, "Star Wars," to the chagrin of some die-hards? At least the main man behind the movies chose to have the updates happen; Kojima hasn't touched this remake at all, just the suits at Konami making an extra buck off the amazing work of him and his original team (not to dismiss how hard the new team worked to modernize MGS3, of course).

At the end of the day, you'd have to ask yourself if you'd go back to a restaurant and order your favorite dish even if you know a new chef is cooking it whilst trying to hew closely to the original notes? You need to look inside and consider if you'd be okay with someone altering your beloved blanket to make it better in practice, but still changed. These metaphors are a bit strained at points, but they illustrate how it feels to play, "Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater." It is just as fantastic a game as it was over two decades ago, but when the lynchpin that made the original so great is excluded, we might struggle with emotions over a new iteration. If more remakes get made, things will only get hairier, too, so prepare yourselves for that--we do have four other games theoretically ripe for the picking, after all! As it stands, this game remains 5 out of 5 Stars all these years later, with or without the ease-of-use changes and pretty graphics. "Metal Gear Solid," is/was a fantastic franchise without a doubt--I can say that with zero hesitation, at least!

Early November 2025 Links, News, and the Like

It's the start of November. We, "Fell back," as Daylight Savings ended, so now it is pitch black outside by 5PM, but what can ya do? To brighten up your day I've got some fun news, links, and so forth to share. Enjoy!

"A Nightmare on Elm Street 2," can be viewed through a lens of being about general teenage anxiety or considered a gay classic well ahead of its time in the queering of horror we've seen more of as time has gone on. The movie is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and remains a stellar flick with lots of subtext that can be unpacked!

Summit Comics is, "...a new comics collective featuring some of the hottest names in comics crowdfunding circles, is set to launch a new shared comics universe after the first of the year." A bit like Image in the early days, everyone owns their creations, but they will appear together in each other's different books. The sneak peek digital and physical comic is now available.

We're about to be in the longest Government shutdown ever, having tied the record today. This is not a record you really want to break.

The NarTick E-Ink Calendar is a cool new device I read about. It is offering preorders through an Indiegogo campaign. It is a small little smart calendar powered with ChatGPT AI (a technology I've been critcal of but admit has uses) to help you plot out your schedule, make to-do lists, ask questions (you can talk with it), and more!

The Predator prequel flick, "Prey," was fantastic, and we are nearing the release of, "Predator: Badlands," which is the latest film in the franchise. Early reviews indicate it is okay, but weirdly enough makes the Predator more of an adorable protagonist than a scary force of nature. If you want a lot of Predator-related lore, however, I guess you're in luck!

"Arc Raiders," is a new extraction-shooter game, but to the surprise of many who play that genre, it isn't too insanely hard even though it can be tough, and the community is...nice? Considering how much toxicity we see in some online gaming communities, that is a bit wild.

Tokyopop is expanding its e-commerce strategy into Canada, according to a new press release. This essentially means, "Canadian fans are now able to order a broad array of manga, light novels, and branded merchandise directly from the Tokyopop website," as well as taking part in promotions and contests. If you live in Canada, I imagine it is exciting to be able to order Tokyopop stuff directly to your home, now!

"Absolute Batman Annual," #1 was a stellar comic in my own opinion, and others have found it great as well. It has been heating up in the comic market thanks to all the buzz.

Finally, as fun an idea as it can be to hand out comics when it is Halloween, make sure to check the content as plenty of funnybooks aren't that, "Funny," or for kids. A retailer in North Carolina was, in fact, arrested due to inadvertently handing out a, "Grendel," comic geared toward older readers. Past cases with arrests have ended up being dismissed or ruled in favor of the person giving out comics, but save yourself any trouble and double-check what you're giving away if you choose to chuck comics into a trick-or-treaters' bucket next year.

"Better Not Burn Your Toast: The Science of Food and Health," is an Fun Read Full of Information

Dr. Joe Schwarcz writes early in, "Better Not Burn Your Toast: The Science of Food and Health," how absolute certainty in science is rare as it is constnatly evolving. Health advice he notes in this book, full of fun mini-chapters, could shift. That said, some things we can be pretty sure of include that cutting back on sugar is a good idea, exercise helps our health, autism is not caused by vaccines, smoking is bad, crystals can't magically heal us, we are unable to bend spoons with our mind, and homeopathic remedies are as effective as a placebo. That mix of serious-and-funny facts makes up much of, "Better Not Burn Your Toast," as it goes in-depth on everything from controversies about preservatives to memory supplements, red dyes, the potentail and issues of weight-loss shots, to how effective chicken noodle soup is at helping us feel better from a cold, and much more. Oh, and yes, it covers pretty early why burning food isn't the best idea (carcinogens) but the hype about smoking food as dangerous might be overstating risks.

Dr. Schwarcz presents all the information he covers in a very straightforward manner that makes it easy for those of us who don't have a medical degree to follow along and understand--when I was studying for my MPH back in the day, and read various medical journals, I often found my eyes glazed over, and that thankfully does not happen here. He writes with a bit of whimsy and humor that helps even the driest and most serious subjects have a fun vibe to learn about. This latest book of his is published by ECW Press, and it just officially released today. I'd encourage you to request a copy at your local bookshop or library, as it is a stellar read!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Note:

An advance copy was provided by ECW Press for the purposes of review.

I Have an Article in, "Undie Comix," #3!

"Undie Comix," is a fanzine that combines a love of the old edgy underground, "Comix," as well as today's independent comics to be, well, Undie Comix! They post regularly on Instagram, have a Patreon you can support, and sell issues of the mini magazine on their website. Issues of, "Undie Comix," feature edgy comics as well as articles/reviews about comics. Now, in the third issue, there is a written piece by yours truly! Titled, "Examining What, 'The Filth,' Say About Identity and Personality,'" it features me discussing how one of my favorite comics ever, "The Filth," considers our sense of identity and how it can be tweaked via injectable personalities within the story (Morrison and Weston made an amazing read). Here is a glimpse at some of my article:

I am honored to have made a contribution to this issue of, "Undie Comix," and would encourage you to get a digital or physical copy to enjoy my piece and the hard work of everyone else within the pages!

A "Southern Bastards," Pilot is in the Works for Hulu

"Southern Bastards," was a fantastic comic. It debuted in 2014, and then the issues eventually started releasing so sporadically that I fell off the series. I later learned it kind of just stopped in 2018 without much of an ending. Created by Jason Aaron (writing) and Jason Latour (illustrating), it probably won't ever be finished due to Latour facing numerous sexual harassment allegations that resulted in his and Aaron's professional relationship ceasing (it is unclear if they remained on decent personal terms or had a falling-out). Controversy aside, "Southern Bastards," was an unfilching and unabashed view of the South--the good and bad. A mix of, "Friday Night Lights," and, "The Sopranos," in its discussion of football, organized crime, and more, I could see it being a decent show--and that may now happen.

Hulu has ordered a, "Southern Bastards," pilot with Bill Dubuque and Nia DaCosta at the helm. Matt Olmstead will be the showrunner, and I'm quite interested to see if this gets picked up for a full series--one that hopefully does eventually reach a true conclusion. I suppose we will see if Hulu goes all-in on the show, passes and it ends up somewhere else, or, "Southern Bastards," ends up in development Hell as many superb comics sadly do. Still, at least a pilot order shows a modicum of promise!

Three Great Comics and Collectibles Shows Are Happening Locally This November

It is early in the month of November. We no longer cut our pumpkins up to make them look scary; we now cut them up to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner! It is only going to get colder, but why not warm up by going indoors for a fun comic convention? Three exciting ones are happening locally this November, and I'm going to discuss them in chronological order.

ToyMan Show, November 9th

The ToyMan Show is one I've been going to for years now. It is absolutely stuffed with everything and anything people collect, be that toys, comics, DVDs, Lego, die-cast cards, Funko, trading cards, video-games, and so forth. It is always fun to attend ToyMan and I plan to be there at the Machinist Hall (12365 St. Charles Rock Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044) on Sunday, November 9th!

Shriner's Collector Fest, November 15th

The newest show on the list, I've been to one Shriner's Collector Fest before, and I loved it. Full of exciting collectibles, you can find a great mix of items for sale from a bunch of awesome vendors. Plus, various notable guests attend with some highlights this upcoming show, including comic creators Bill Reinhold and Linda Lessman, as well as voice actress Emily Bauer. I'm quite excited to attend the Shriner's Collector Fest again at 12545 Fee Fee Road, Saint Louis, MO, 63146. It should be a fun Saturday!

Spector Club Show, November 23rd

One of the longest-running comic shows around, the Spector Club show has its last event of 2025 on the Sunday before Thanksgiving week. Spector Club always has a huge assortment of comics to browse and buy, making it a must-attend for those who love to collect them. Held at 7300 Lansdowne in Shrewsbury, Missouri, 63119, future shows will be at an exciting new location in 2026, so I look forward to that as well!

Gayle King is Leaving, "CBS Mornings," Incredibly Soon...Unless She's Not?

I'm a fan of Gayle King. She's a fantastic journalist and skilled interviewer. Just watch a clip of when she interviewed R. Kelly shortly before he went to jail and was incredibly on edge for an example of her abilities--he's screaming and pacing around whilst she calmly asks him to sit down and talk. Hence, I was bummed to hear that with CBS having continuous shake-ups (I'm still mad about Colbert's cancellation) that King could be leaving, "CBS Mornings," imminently, unless she's not?

"Variety," reported she could be out from the morning show as soon as next week or maybe next year, but could stay around for other programming (evening news stuff and the like). However, King claimed she hadn't heard anything about her leaving, "CBS Mornings," and insisted everyone is pleased right now. Much of CBS is in flux, with layoffs aplenty, folks leaving (John Dickerson, for example), and a lot of this is due to Bari Weiss, the new and conservative-leaning head of CBS' News division. Her arrival has resulted in a, "Bloodbath," of sorts. From overhauls of shows to cutting people from the network, Weiss isn't exactly liked by many folks right now, especially the many people that she's fired. I hope Gayle King doesn't get axed from any programs due to Weiss' rampage, but depending on whom you ask, King could be gone within days, months, or everything is perfectly hunky-dory. I just know I have concerns.