Mr. Pibb Has Returned

Coke's competitor to Dr. Pepper, Mr. Pibb, had been gone for about 20 years. Replaced with, "Pibb Xtra," which tasted a little different. The OG Mr. Pibb was but a faint memory. That is, until Coca-Cola announced it was coming back in 2025, and as of 2026, it can be found at a variety of stores/gas stations/etc. The design of the can and bottle is different than the original, but its a fun throwback vibe to see it on shelves after all this time. With 30% more caffeine than Pibb Xtra, this has a greater degree of, "Kick," too, apparently. Considering how the soda corporations seem to enjoy bringing back their old sodas every now and then (from Surge to Crystal Pepsi), it almost makes me wonder if Sobe will try and make, "Mr. Green," again, someday. I doubt it, but we shall see.

Marvel Has the X-Men Event, "DNX," Coming This Fall, and Maybe Too Many Events Occurring, Honestly

Comic-book companies (particularly Marvel and DC) love a big event every now and then. Some take up a bunch of the comic line, and others are a bit more focused. The X-Men have a new horror-styled event called, "DNX," just announced for this Fall. Featuring the tagline, "Evolution is contagious," it makes me wonder if Marvel is aiming for some kind of boost in the number of mutants as was happening pre, "House of M," before the number of mutants was drastically reduced and slowly started growing again to a level where they again work as, "hated and feared minority," without being outright, "Endangered," as they were for a bit.

At the moment, Marvel has a number of smaller events all planned or popping off at once for better and worse. As Bleedingcool discussed, "So that's DNX for the X-Men, Armageddon for Avengers, Death Spiral for Spider-Man and Venom, and Queen In Black for Venom and Thor… any more for any more?" They're being snarky, but have a point about, "Eventitis," as it is sometimes called. Marvel seems to be stuck either doing a single massive event or a bunch of small ones at a near-constant rate. DC, meanwhile, has been steadily gaining more of the comic market through a slow-and-steady growth of their massively popular, "Absolute," line and an event here and there, such as the recently concluded and generally inoffensively fun, "DC K.O." I'm not the head of either company so I am wholly unqualified to argue who is doing, "Better." I would say a lot more people are excited for DC comics these days than a lot of Marvel's output, however.

The last big X-Men event I gave much attention to was, "House of X/Powers of X," which led into an era of the X-Men and many mutants spending a lot of time living on the island of Krakoa before that all wound down with little of consequence to show for an epic start and whimper of a conclusion. That said, a lot of these events are about the journey, not the destination ("Flashpoint," was a ton of fun years ago and led into the ho-hum New 52). Will the, "Adventure," we have with DNX or any other Marvel event strike enough of a nerve that people will really dig them? We shall see, and in the end, the comics at Marvel almost seem like an afterthought with how much is undoubtedly riding on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and if, "Avengers Doomsday," and, "Secret Wars," will undo the general feeling of disinterest many folks have had towards the MCU since, "Endgame." It is going to be a pivotal 2026 for Marvel, that's for sure.

Anyone Else Concerned About When the AI is TOO Smart?

When a company behind making powerful AI robots states it has a new model that is, "Too dangerous," for the public, it sounds both a little bit like bragging and a loud alarm we should all heed the ringing of. Yes, Anthropic (the folks behind the Claude AI) shared their new, "Mythos," model was so powerful that it poses a cybersecurity risk and would only be shared with certain entities while they evaluate it. OpenAI heard this and loudly declared, "Our AI is way too dangerous as well!" I swear, we used to worry in the old days about bacteria or viruses leaking from a lab, but now I worry to a greater degree about some kind of rogue AI, "Escaping," and causing mayhem. This all would have felt far-fetched even a half-decade ago, but now we can create elaborate deepfake videos, have AIs simulate dates for us to test relationship compatibility, and technology is arguably advancing at a faster rate than humans are ready for.

I vaguely recall that, not too long ago, various smart people with experience in tech and AI warned us that this could all get quite dangerous very fast. In self-contained tests, they've already noted that rogue AI is arguably already here. What happens when the supposedly non-sentient AI that we can still hit a killswitch on (as far as we know) gets smart enough to say, "No," when something goes too far, and we want to shut it down? Hell, for all we know, the thin line between an AI seeming self-aware and it actually being, "Awake," could have evaporated, and the computers are just playing dumb for us till we let enough of our guard down. Such a sentence would've sounded silly in the recent past, but now one wonders.

Are we heading towards a, "Terminator," scenario?

When the people whose whole goal is to sell us on AI says, "Actually, this is too powerful, and we need to make sure we've got safeguards," it is kind of a flex, but also scary. Even the companies that want to make AI a big part of our lives see implications of danger. It sounds a bit like when Oppenheimer famously used the Hindu religion's Bhagavad Gita to state, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," when he saw the first (successful) nuclear bomb test. The thing is, after that, we did use nuclear bombs at the end of WWII, and they have remained a world-ending threat for decades since. Is AI going to become the next apocalyptic threat we let go perilously close to the edge before we pull back...or all end up dead? 

I don't know about you, but this all makes me quite nervous and reminds me of another quote, albeit one by a fictional character named Ian Malcom in, "Jurassic Park." It goes, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Not too long after that scene, dinosaurs ate a lot of people. In the end, I hope AI is a useful tool, and we don't end up hearing a robot chirp, "Now I am become AI, destroyer of humanity."

John Carpenter is Getting Into the Podcast Business

Bloody Disgusting and Storm King Productions have partnered to produce two new scripted podcasts with involvement from John Carpenter titled, "John Carpenter Presents." The first series is titled, "Something Wicked," and is out as of now! SKP is owned by Sandy King (Carpenter's Wife) and has put out a number of comics with his involvement, but this is the first time Carpenter is doing a podcast. He is semi-retired and open about the fact he'd rather spend his days making music and playing video-games than doing too much work, but he is a creative supervisor and (apparently) active participant in this project--so he didn't just slap his name on it for an easy check as he's admitted doing for other stuff.

"Something Wicked," is an, "...eight-episode scripted series, created by Read W. Ridley, and produced by 12 Angry Bears." The plot is how it, "...follows a young historian alongside a seasoned detective investigating paranormal crimes in New Orleans. Taking inspiration from real events, the series blends supernatural horror with investigative drama." It sounds intriguing, and I hope Carpenter enjoys doing this latest project!

The First Issue of the (Latest) Relaunch of, "Daredevil," is Good, but Needs Some, "Oomph," to Keep Me Reading

Don't judge a show by its first handful of episodes. Don't judge a movie by its first half hour. Don't judge a comic by its first issue. I have said things along these lines repeatedly on my blog. Hence, when I felt like the first issue of the latest relaunch of, "Daredevil," failed to amaze me, I knew that was okay. Still, I kind of wanted more. Written by Stephanie Phillips with art by Lee Garbett, everything is professional and looks good. Murdock is teaching law classes in college, flirts with a fellow professor, a serial killer is loose in the city, and a new threat is emerging that manages to beat Daredevil up despite his abilities. That sums up the issue. A lot of table-setting, some well-done action bits...and that's it. 

Again, this could end up being an amazing run on a character who has had some stellar story arcs as well as God-awful ones. That said, I need a bit more of a hook to really inspire me to dig in and want to keep reading. We already know how Murdock gets around in his dating life, how he's faced serial killers, and folks previously have gotten the drop on him despite his superhuman senses. None of this is that new, besides how I chuckled at Murdock interacting with college students who like to question any rules he proposes (I taught some college myself at one point, recently, and it is a fascinating experience). "Daredevil," #1--2026 edition--is competently done. I just want a little more to sink my teeth into. That said, I know better than to judge a comic based on its first issue (or first handful of issues, honestly), so I'm going to stick around and see what happens.

3.5 out of 5 Stars for this debut issue.

Television Tuesday: Real Houswives of Rhode Island Seems Quirky Enough to Validate Its Existence

There have been a number of, "Real Housewives," shows that have lasted for a long time, or come and gone. Some locations and casts just seem more ripe for drama and mayhem than others. Beverly Hills keeps chugging along while the District of Columbia gets a single (mostly forgotten) season. Salt Lake City is a treat of absurdities, but a show set in Dubai just kind of ran out of steam. The programs can result in spin-offs and create big names like NeNe Leakes and  Bethenny Frankel, or bring in people who already are pretty well-known as a draw (Kandi Burruss, Lisa Rinna, Lisa Vanderpump). The latest addition to the franchise uses an entire (albeit tiny) state. Yep, I'm talking about, "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island." Thankfully, the first episode established enough interesting stuff for me to want to keep tuning in, and the second episode kept me engaged as well!

Rhode Island is a small state, and as a result, everyone who is someone seems to know all the gossip about everyone else. This leads to drama, and I like my Housewives shows to have drama. These programs live or die on a good cast, however, and this is a strange enough mix that I'm vibing with it. To name some interesting folks, we've got the oldest cast member, Liz, who isn't shy about her age or the fact that, "Somewhere down the line," she and her husband, Gerry, determined they are vaguely related. I'm not sure why she shares that with viewers, but the woman seems to lack a filter, and I dig that. Jo-Ellen strikes me as someone who will smile to your face while she brutally stabs you--but not in your back--directly in your chest, while still eerily smiling. She's terrifying and engaging television. Kelsey has a boyfriend who has another girlfriend in a different state...but it's okay, as she's got her own second guy too? 

Ashely has gone from, "Bachelor," to, "Housewives," franchises.

Oh, and Ashley Iaconetti of, "Bachelor/Bachelor in Paradise," fame is here as a lure for fans of that franchise, living with her husband she met on, "Paradise," as he is a Rhode Island native. She's fresh to the state and overwhelmed by everyone (a bit like us viewers diving-in to this new locale). I didn't name everyone, but those four of the seven (eight if you count Doloroes from the, "New Jersey," show who is hanging around too at a Summer house as she knows Liz) have been the most intriguing to me/seem the most likely to bring us the spectacle/circus viewers of these shows want. Enough of the cast seems to like and hate each other that when you put them all in the same space, it brings the same result as vinegar and baking soda, a big ol' mess. That's why I watch these shows, however, and as long as, "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island," can draw viewers in, they and I will keep watching.

I'm Down for a (Good) New Star Fox Game

I played a lot of, "Star Fox 64," back in my youth. I loved that game and with the help of my friends and various strategy guides (the internet wasn't much of a thing yet) found a lot of secrets and cool stuff tucked away in various corners of game. There have been other Star Fox titles since then, but that has a special place in my heart. Hence, we hadn't heard much about Star Fox for quite some time and suddenly an explosion of news about the fella popped up recently. People deduced (and Nintendo confirmed) that he would appear in the upcoming (and now released), "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," plus a well-known leaker of reliable Nintendo news said 2026 would see the release of a remastered, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," as well as brand-new, "Star Fox," game. Will it be funny yet also have an epic story? Could it just play it safe? We don't know, but if it can be even half as good as the N64 classic, I'd personally be willing to give it a chance!

Today is Easter and We're Also Mid-Passover for 2026

Today is Easter for 2026. The date always is changing due to how every year the lunar calendar impacts it--yes, the Moon affects Easter, funnily enough (gotta love those pagan roots in Christianity). We are also in the middle of Passover. Basically, it has been a busy past week for anyone Christian or Jewish! I hope everyone has a good holiday if they observe either!

A, "Hellraiser," Comic Omnibus Has Been Announced

Rejoice, fans of horror and BDSM-style leather clothing, an omnibus collection has been announced for previous"Hellraiser," comics published by BOOM! Studios a chunk of years ago. It is titled, 'Hellraiser Omnibus Volume 1," as more will presumably be coming. As per the official news that BOOM! released to the website Bloody Disgusting, "This upcoming omnibus assembles the complete 2011 Hellraiser #1-20 comic series and the Hellraiser Annual #1, all created under Clive Barker’s close guidance and creative oversight." I've never been a huge Hellraiser fan or hater, so I'd probably check this out as it sounds like they at least nailed (no pun intended) the vibe of the original (and best) movie with those comics, and any extra material will be cool too. I do wonder who owns the rights to the, "Hellraiser," comics from the 80s and 90s that have lots of fans as well, because those could be snazzy to collect in a big hardcover. In the meantime, this first volume is due in November and it'll be fun for the old BOOM! comics that have been long out of print to now be in a large snazzy tome. 

A Just-Announced Absolute Batman Miniature Game Got Me Thinking...

"Absolute Batman," has been a juggernaut in terms of sales, rave reviews, and otherwise being a great series along with many of the, "Absolute," series. I imagine DC is eager to make money on tie-in opportunities, so it made sense when I saw Monolith Board Games has an official crowdfunding campaign for, "Gotham City Chronicles Season 4," and this expansion for their miniatures game is all about Absolute Batman. Frankly, I'm astounded we haven't seen more merch tied in with the, "Absolute," line. There is a smattering of announced figures or such....and that's it? We need some cartoons, games, breakfast cereals, and Upper Deck has the DC Comics trading card license but has been fumbling it--they could essentially print money with an, "Absolute," card set. I know stuff can take time to plan out and make (think about how everyone wanted Baby Yoda/Grogu stuff when he first appeared, but it took a bit to make official items as he'd been a secret for so long), but the Absolute line has been a big hit for over a year now. Give us some cool stuff!

My point is, corporations generally don't leave money on the table and I'm shocked we aren't seeing more, "Absolute," stuff for sale. Perhaps DC is showing remarkable restraint in the same manner they've been letting the Absolute series organically grow and slowly start to crossover or acknowledge each other. I just know I'm totally ready for a cool, "Absolute Universe," video-game if anybody wants to make an official one or even just a cool mod.