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.

"The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," is Cancelled and that Sucks. Plus, the Optics Look Bad

Paramount owns CBS (as well as being behind the streamer Paramount+, of course) and just recently announced that as of May 2026, "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," would be no more. He isn't being replaced with another host; it is just being shuttered. Paramount stressed this decision was purely financial and had nothing to do with anything else...which itself looks like an admission of something everyone has observed--the optics for this are terrible. Colbert is a vocal critic of the Trump administration and how CBS just settled a lawsuit with Trump. Paramount also wants to merge with Skydance, and the FCC needs to approve that--something Trump could screw-up as he's a petty narcissist with thin skin who hates Colbert. Paramount can say the Late Show is ending because there isn't much money to be made in late-night talk shows (which has some truth), but the timing is so, so bad. Donald Trump already took some form of credit for the cancellation and claimed Jimmy Kimmel would be next over at ABC, somehow.

Colbert is #1 in late-night rankings and was just nominated for another Emmy. Besides maybe John Oliver (on HBO) and John Stewart (who does the "Daily Show," part-time on a Cable channel), he goes the hardest at Trump of shows on late in the day, and he definitely is the staunchest critic on network television. Trump is no fan of Kimmel, either, or even Fallon (he did not recently name Fallon so much as saying he was, "That moron," on NBC). Right now, however, he's been patting himself on the back about Colbert and probably feels emboldened, regardless of if this was just a money-matters issue or something politically driven. If Kamala Harris were President now, would Colbert still be canceled? I don't have a magical dimension-hopping machine because if I did, I'd get rich selling folks tickets to happier realities, but one wonders.

I'm upset Colbert will no longer have, "The Late Show," but do imagine other entities will be eager to hire him--that may be a silver lining to this big old shitstorm cloud that is Donald Trump. I do imagine Colbert will refuse to tone down any rhetoric before the last episode in May because he has nothing to lose in terms of his CBS gig. This news sucks for fans of the program, Colbert, and anyone who works on, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," regardless of the reasons behind the show's cancellation.

Missouri is the Midwest, Why Say Otherwise?

Missouri is a part of the Midwest, right? Why do some say otherwise? We're smack-dab in the heart of America. We border some Southern states and Northern states. Back in the Civil War, Missouri sided with the Union and was important beforehand with the Missouri Compromise (which obviously failed, hence the war). We have the Saint Louis Arch, which we know as the gateway to the West. Now, the Bootheel has some Southern flavor to it, but the overall State isn't the South. Politically, Missouri has, at times, been a bit of a mish-mash of politics. The rise of Trump and MAGA resulted in the overall state skewing more to the right-wing, but it still has shifted left at times, like voting for abortion rights and workers' rights as recently as the 2024 election (with our GOP-led Congress and Governor working hard to undo the people's will). 

We have some unique food items that aren't, "North," or, "South," so much as, "Interesting." Gooey butter cake, Provel cheese on pizza, and toasted ravioli are all beloved around Missouri (and in the case of Provel cheese, hated most other places). We aren't the South, although when I took my now-wife and then-girlfriend, Samii, to upstate New York to meet family and friends years ago, everyone did ask her where her Southern accent was. Then again, New York is so far North I've heard people there claim Ohio is Southern...so yeah. In closing, Missouri is in the Midwest, obviously. Also, it is pronounced, "Missour-E and not Missour-Uh," although in the aforementioned Bootheel, you will hear the latter more than the former.

I Accidentally Spoiled a Comic to Someone and Feel Bad

I was on Reddit and in a comic group, saw someone asking if, "Kraven's Last Hunt," was a story worth checking out, and if they needed to read anything else to understand it. I commented it was a fantastic story and Marvel should have let Kraven stay dead afterward instead of bringing him back (he dies by suicide at the end, having defeated Spider-Man in a fight and thinking he accomplished his goal of being the best hunter ever). They commented something along the lines of, "Oh, thanks for the spoiler, I guess," and I suddenly realized, despite the title and the fact that the story is decades old, they didn't realize what happened, and I'd wrecked any surprise. I felt bad, even though one could argue that when a movie/comic/show has existed for years, folks shouldn't be surprised to stumble upon spoilers. The thing is, I kind of made them trip over the spoiler by putting it right in their way--to stick to the metaphor. 

I apologized, and they said it was okay. They still plan to read the popular Spider-Man versus Kraven story from the 1980s, which I would argue is the best Kraven storyline ever--they should've let him stay dead after it for real. Still, I do feel guilty for destroying any element of surprise. It reminds me of a film class where we all were assigned a popular movie to view and report upon. I picked, "Citizen Kane," as it was incredibly ahead of its time and still an impressive piece of cinema. I was going to discuss at the end of my report how the flick reveals what the mysterious, "Rosebud," mentioned at the start of the movie by Orson Welles' character is, but the whole class erupted in people yelling, "Don't spoil it!" Really? You all are going to run out and watch a movie from 1941, now, because my report got you so interested? 

In that situation, I was a bit amused by how reticent people were to have anything revealed as if they were going to go see, "Citizen Kane," right away. That said, the situation with, "Kraven's Last Hunt,' is clearly a bit different, and I am somewhat the bad guy in this case. I'm sorry, fellow Reddit user, I didn't mean to spoil it. "Kraven's Last Hunt," or, "Citizen Kane," are both worth checking out, however.

Philbo Distribution Has Launched With an Independent Publisher Focus

Diamond Comic Distributors is being broken down into nothing and has enraged everyone with plans to liquidate consigned inventory without paying the owners of said inventory (lawsuits have resulted). That has put a lot of indie publishers in a rough spot as they aren't always meaty enough to interest PRH or Lunar. Massive is a publisher at Lunar that has a sub-distribution option for indies, which is one option. A new distributor with an indie focus and some decent-sized (but still pretty independent-level) clients has emerged. As was previously announced, Phillip Russertt has taken Philbo Publishing and expanded to Philbo Distribution.

Philbo Distro--as I like to call it for short--has an online catalog for July that has an FOC (final order cutoff) of September 1st to receive product in October. Notable indies such as Zenescope, Fairsuqare, Antarctic Press, Devil's Due, and Advent are represented, along with smaller publishers I'm not as familiar with, but whose books look fun. Considering Diamond will most likely have completely folded by the end of this year, having three solid distributors of monthly comics (and Universal is entering the scene, but with more of a trade paperback focus) sounds pretty good to me. I wish Philbo Distro great success!

Music Monday: "Let God Sort Em Out," Shows Clipse is Still at the Top of Their Game All These Years Later

Clipse has not had an album come out with the brotherly duo of Pusha-T and No Malice since 2009. They've both done some solo projects (and No Malice outright quit rapping for a while) but outside of a featured track here and there, nothing. Hence, I was extremely excited when I heard that Clipse was reuniting for a new LP with production by Pharrell and some guest appearances. On Friday, July 11th, "Let God Sort Em Out," dropped, and I have listened to it now multiple times. It is great, to put it simply.

Outside of those who love the LP like myself and many others, I have seen a review here and there observing that Pharrell's production sounds almost a little too finished and glossy for the at-times grimy style of Clipse. I think enough tracks still hit just right and hard enough that I wasn't thinking Pharrell hindered the album at all. Oh, and this album starts hard. "The Birds Don't Sing," kicks things off forcefully but balances it all out with John Legend adding some vocals too. Then, "Chains & Whips," is straight fire with Kendrick Lamar's verse already a, "Lyrics of the Year," contender. It is funny to think Lamar having a guest spot was so controversial for the original record label Clipse was signed to (Def Jam) for Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Jumping ship and keeping the song intact was a good choice, clearly. "P.O.V." with its beat-shifs and Tyler the Creator joining in on the fun is a hoot as well, and as the album continues with such bangers as, "Ace Trumpets," and, "M.T.B.T.T.F." it all flows so well from track to track. The final two tunes, "Let God Sort Em Out / Chandeliers," and "By the Grace of God," close everything out wonderfully as well, with Nas and Pharrell appearing on each track, respectively, and helping bring it all home.

"Let God Sort Em Out," shows that Clipse ages like fine wine, and despite it being over 15 years since their last LP they haven't lost a step. We're all a bit older and wiser, and that makes this album all the better. Everyone had to wait quite some time for Clipse to return, but if we get an album like this, that's perfectly okay with me!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The July 2025 ToyMan Was Such a Blast!

Today, I attended one of my favorite shows, ToyMan! It was a delight where I saw a bunch of friends, and I picked up some fun comics. I started the show chatting with my friend Spike of Lost in Space Toys and Collectibles. I also enjoyed seeing John from Bigfoot Comics and Collectibles as well as Tim Metzger, whom I bought a couple of inexpensive comics from (I have a soft spot for Death's Head 3.0 and the Marvel Illuminati):

I continued walking around the show, where I saw a ton of toys, Lego, Funko Pops, and some sellers with cool paper ephemera. You really can find almost anything at ToyMan! I caught up with Tom Millister and had a lovely chat wth my chum, Brian Lan, as well. I was pleased to run into Bruce Reynolds and look over his comics. We did some trading, and I acquired a fun, "Batgirl," comic as a result. Observe:

As I continued exploring the show, I went to the upstairs section to browse more wares and see such awesome individuals as authors Jessica Mathews and Lindsay Hornsby. They are both always a treat to speak with and buy items from! I interacted with the stellar people of Heroes for Kids and discussed their own upcoming show next weekend in Perryville. I'm unsure if I'll be able to make it out there due to some assorted obligations, but I hope it goes extremely well! I also ran into Dustin and Tammy, who sold me a gorgeous copy of, "Detective Comics, "#880 for a stellar price. Here it is:

Yet another superb ToyMan show has wrapped, and I look forward to the next one on August 24th at the Machinist Hall--12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044. You know I plan on being there as long as I'm able to make it over!

Happy Second Birthday to Gibson!

Two years ago, today, I blogged about the birth of Gibson. Then, I wished him a happy first birthday last year. Now, here he is, a big two-year-old boy! It is wild how quickly he went from a little wrinkly and sometimes-stinky lump to a peppy and often-stinky wildman. Gibson loves to run around, climb on things, play pretend with kitchen toys, and adores anything related to Daniel Tiger--books, the show, toys, etc. It is funny to think how particular of an eater Clarkson is because Gibson eats/drinks almost anything food-related he's offered. He seems to dislike green olives and raisins, but will eagerly devour anything else. He's working on his words, and he has a great time dancing around to music. Having people blow bubbles for him to pop is a favorite activity, too!

I love both my boys so much, and it makes me happy how they (generally) get along quite well and clearly love each other! Samii and I are thankful we get to celebrate Gibson turning two today; he's already celebrated his birthday with one of his favorite treats--some doughnuts! Happy second birthday to Gibson!

Publishers Are Teaming Up to Sue Diamond Comic Distributors. Good!

The saga of Diamond Comic Distributors is decades long, but the tale of its rapid decline officially starts in January of this year, when bankruptcy was announced (apparently, trouble started some year ago, but things weren't really bad until 2024). From that point, Diamond attempted to survive, find a buyer, told that potetial buyer to shove off, got new buyers, and around May the company that took over the comic-book aspects of Diamond (Ad Populum) made the, "New," Diamond awful to work with to the point anyone who hadn't already fled the company quickly did as Ad Populum seemed to be trying to sink the corporation and sell its parts/assets for pennies on the dollar. 

It only got worse when it was revealed that over 100 publishers with stock on consignment could have that inventory liquidated, with Diamond using the money to pay debts--zero profits would go to the publishers who had those books there on consignment with the understanding it was their property. It's incredibly scuzzy, and now a number of publishers are teaming up to fight Diamond in the courts and stop all the B.S. being pulled. I say this is good to see publishers working as a group against the remnants of Diamond. When it was the, "Old," Diamond it was anything but perfect, with plenty of people griping. The, "New," Diamond that Ad Populum has created is a travesty, however, and I'd be shocked if any comic stores still are using Diamond in any capacity for comics considering almost everyone has left Diamond or plans to for other distribtuion methods (PRH, Lunar, direct-to-store, rumored new distributors, and so forth). To see Diamond is now little more than a shell/husk being stripped for metaphorical parts by Ad Populum is sad to witness--at least comic companies are going to fight against being screwed over further by Diamond!

"Grow a Garden," is Popular, Fun, and Infested With Thieves

"Grow a Garden," is a massively popular game within Roblox. For those unaware, Roblox is an app that lets you design and play games for free. Developers of games usually have ways to monetize what they've created in Roblox and this results in Roblox and the developer getting a cut. When a game is a hit and makes money the developer can be happy and Roblox is pleased with its income, too. "Grow a Garden," is completely free if you're willing to take the time to--as the title says--grow your garden. I played it a bit and found it quite charming. My wife has played it a lot and loves it. Either style of playing works as you can dabble in it or grind away at making some amazing plots of land. There is one huge problem, however, that the developers have zero incentive to fix: stealing.

If you are willing to use the Roblox currency of Robux that works in any game, and which you buy portions of with real cash, then, "Grow a Garden," allows you to steal items from other gardens. Someone could spend a week growing an impressive and magical plant only to have some jerk on a public server come and snatch their work. Even if you're on a private server (which are thankfully free) you could have someone pose as a friend for a bit, steal from you, and then block you from trying to get revenge. The developers of, "Grow a Garden," have no reason to fix any of this because, as I mentioned, it costs real money to steal. Whenever someone drops a stack of cash to steal, the developers and Roblox get paid. Either you play completely by yourself or run the risk that at some point you could be a victim of theft. My garden is awful because I don't play a ton and have little risk of a thief, but my wife has had people she thought were her friends steal some impressive items and then vanish with her garden's wares. She loves growing her garden, but hates folks she thought were nice stealing from her.

It isn't like there is a lack of ways, "Grow a Garden," could make money without the constant risk of stealing. It could be as easy as having a monthly subscription for hardcore players that makes it impossible to steal from them. That, or you could let people pay a small fee to, "Steal back," an item once and then that original person can't steal it again ever or for at least 24 hours. A number of options exist that would allow, "Grow a Garden," to make plenty of cash, but the system right now--if anything--encourages stealing to be a big thing so the developers and Roblox can make bank. If you look on social media sites, you will find that at least half the posts regarding, "Grow a Garden," are from players distraught about having something special to them stolen by a jerk. Something has got to give, or eventually a lot of people could quit until only the theives are left--and if there is nobody to steal from, then they'll quit in the end as well. I hope players like Samii, who are actually honest and work at growing their garden, can do so around other folks in a server without constant fear of theft, someday. For now, I'll keep my garden unimpressive so that there is nothing worth stealing!

"Chuck's Arcade," Sounds Enjoyable, But the Original Locations Have my Heart

 

"Chuck's Arcade," is a new interpretation of Chuck E. Cheese. It is designed for grown-ups as a sort of Dave and Busters with a huge slice of nostalgia. It has classic Chuck E. Cheese animatronics you don't see in the regular locations anymore on display, features cocktails, a bunch of arcade games, and has zero food at most locations. I suppose I get the appeal if you're a childless GenX or Millennial who would feel awkward at a regular Chuck E. Cheese, but why would you go otherwise? The regular Chuck E. Cheese has the food that I will continue to defend as delicious. A normal Chuck E. Cheese (in most states) does have alcohol available if you need to drink whilst your kids run wild. The general locations have tons of arcade games too, and while the animatronics are gone, there is plenty to enjoy. 

I have zero problem with Chuck's Arcade opening as I want the Chuck E. Cheese brand to succeed--I'm a fan! That said, I can always just take one of my kiddos to a regular Chuck E. Cheese anytime I want to play some games, eat some pizza, pick out a prize, and dance with my zero rhythm alongside Chuck E. Cheese when he emerges to greet everyone every hour or two. I'd check out Chuck's Arcade if one opens in Saint Louis (to my knowledge, the only one in this state is currently found around Kansas City which does have food), but at the end of the day a visit to a Charles Entertainment Cheese just doesn't feel authetnic without at least one child screaming in terror at the sight of Chuck's umoving, grinning face.

Television Tuesday: "Doctor Odyssey," is Cancelled and I'm Disappointed

Jeez, we really can't have nice things, can we? "Doctor Odyssey," was a show with solid ratings, a dedicated fanbase, and even John Oliver did a segment on his show about how silly and fun it was. Plus, I loved it. Still, it was not renewed for a second season--without officially being canned. However, the contracts of everyone involved with the show have now been allowed to expire, so the show is good and truly cancelled, even if ABC wants to insist otherwise for an unclear reason. 

Perhaps ABC wants to combat the risk of another network or streamer picking up the show and signing everyone to new contracts--it was popular, after all, regardless of a behind-the-scenes issue with staff resulting in a lawsuit. I would love it if we got more, "Doctor Odyssey," somehow, but for now it will just be a single-season fever dream--kind of like one popular theory about the program that refused to quit (sadly, unlike the show itself). I'm sorry, "Doctor Odyssey," your beautiful big deck energy was wasted on us.

"A Minecraft Movie," is a Lot of Fun

My family streamed, "A Minecraft Movie," on HBO MAX over the weekend while we were trying to relax in the awful heat permeating the Midwest region. I'd seen reviews that veered more towards negative and expected something mediocre. I actually found it quite delightful. I'm a fan of Jack Black and he turned his Jack Black-ness up to the max for this movie (so, I understand those who dislike him hating this), Jason Momoa is an absolute treat as a washed-up video-gamer, and the three other cast members don't get as much to do but still are fun--Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks (she has a mobile animal farm that is a hoot). The secondary cast has some winners too (Jennifer Coolidge is a treasure, haters be damned). 

The plot isn't exactly complicated, with a bunch of folks ending up in the world of Minecraft due to a magic item that gets broken and needs to be replaced while dealing with an evil sorceress. The main selling point is that there are lots of silly jokes that make this movie work, even though you wouldn't necessarily expect a tie-in to a video-game with nary a plot to be good. As one review that does like the movie describes it--"Mindlessly dumb and incredibly fun," with a lot of credit due to how quirky and absurd it gets. One-liners get fired off fast enough that even though some miss, enough hit for a giggle. The town's potato chip factory hiring a social media influencer to get their follower count, "Above 75." A gigantic warrior pig who is supposed to look imposing, but is actually quite polite, even as he tries to squish you (voiced by the Director, Jared Hess, no less). Jermaine Clement in a cameo-ish role as a storage unit auctioneer desperate for a friend to help him pick up ladies while they go out wearing, "Matching unisex turquoise blouses." Some jokes fall flat, but some really had me chuckling.

Momoa is fantastic as a washed-up celebrity video-gamer with a failing retail store.

What of the, "Minecraft," world itself, however? Well, I've only barely ever actually played the game, but the movie sure does make it look beautiful in its blocky strangeness. Tons of references are present that die-hard aficionados are sure to appreciate, but even if you've never played the game, the whole flick is enjoyable. "A Minecraft Movie," made a ton of money and became a bit of a GenZ, "Rocky Horror Picture Show," with fans bringing props (even a real chicken) and shouting memes, so I'm sure a sequel will be on the way soon. I look forward to it, as this was a wacky good time!

5 out of 5 Stars.

"The Nobody," to be Republished by Dark Horse

"The Nobody," is a fantastic original graphic novel by Jeff Lemire (a favorite creator of mine) that has been out of print for some time. Originally released by Veritgo (when it existed) as a hardcover in 2009 and a paperback in 2010, it is a bit of a retelling of that horror classic, "The Invisible Man," but reimagined in a number of ways. It's a bit sci-fi, a bit horror, and features Lemire's gorgeous art along with his writing.

Taking place in a small fishing village in 1994, the town finds itself intrigued by the arrival of a man covered in bandages who claims he was a burn victim in the past, but seems to be hiding a lot of secrets. Some of my favorite work by Lemire marries everyday life with strange and surreal elements, so "The Nobody," was a book I loved way back before I even had this blog to write about it. Now, however, I have the blog and the book is coming back into print via Dark Horse. So yeah, preorder your copy of, "The Nobody," for its re-release in February of 2026!

"Tsunami," is a Sharp Examination of Adolescence

Being a preteen and teenager is often difficult. To be frank, it usually sucks. Your body is changing in weird ways, you both think you know everything, while the World reveals how little you truly grasp. Cliques and friendships seem like they matter more than anything in the microcosm of school and such--it is all a lot. "Tsunami," from Pow Pow Press, is a fantastic coming-of-age graphic novel by Ned Wenlock that examines how tricky teenage-dom can be. It isn't some grim-and-gritty yarn or overly schmaltzy. It instead focuses on a handful of characters and the highs and lows they experience over a chunk of the year. We have 12-year-old Peter, who is a misfit and headstrong, Gus, who acts tough to the point it could be his downfall, and Charlie, a new girl from the UK who puts up a badass front but has her own insecurities. By the end of, "Tsunami," they all find they've impacted each other's lives in a drastic fashion.

Set in New Zealand, Wenlock illustrates everything in a fascinatingly minimalist style that imparts exactly what is going on in the story but eliminates much extraneous visual information. It results in a vaguely cartoony style that at the same time allows a reader's brain to absorb a scene quickly and directly. I like it. Throughout the book, we get a lot of slice-of-life scenes that show how hard adolescence can be. One character's parents are clearly in an unhappy marriage (Peter), another hates having to move all the time and adjust to new settings (Charlie), and one isn't sure if they're tough and edgy or just miserable and putting up a front (Gus). Nobody is a villain or hero in this story--they're all just messed-up kids with little adult support.

"Tsunami," is charming with its unique art style despite some heavy thematic content. It has some funny moments interspersed with the heavy stuff too, and revisits the highs and lows of pubescence quite expertly. I'd highly recommend acquiring a copy directly from the website of Pow Pow Press or from your preferred bookseller/library/etc.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Flashback Friday: "Captain Atom: Armageddon," Was a Random Little Fun Comic

I like Captain Atom when he is written well. He most recently had a big role in the Black Label, "Jenny Sparks," comic where he was portrayed as a psychotic villain. I didn't like how he was written per se but did like that series. For a fun Captain Atom comic that isn't too old, however, you can always read, "Captain Atom: Armageddon." Originally published in 2005-2006 with writing by Will Pfeifer and pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli, it is random, but enjoyable.

The gist of the comic is that even though Captain Atom thought he died saving Earth from a kryptonite meteor in, "Superman/Batman," he wakes up on Earth..but not his Earth! That's right, it is a fun alternate-universe yarn where Captain Atom finds himself in the Wildstorm Universe...you know, back when it still existed as a separate-ish entity from the main DCU. Captain Atom sees how things are done quite differently in the Wildstorm Universe, gets in some fights, has some fun adventruing, and eventually ends up back in the regular DC Universe just in time for, "Infinite Crisis," and then the, "Countdown to Final Crisis," comics that kinda-sorta led into, "Final Crisis," even though it (confusingly enough) disregarded parts of those series--comics, they're a gas!

Captain Atom attempts to get help from the President and fails.

When I went browsing around the internet, I found some old posts by other folks who really enjoyed, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," with one from 2007 and another from 2012. The series wasn't exactly consequential to either the then-"Regular," DC Universe or the Wildstorm one--although it did lead to a minor reset and some new series as a part of a, "Worldstorm," event. Then, Wildstorm itself would not last too much longer before a series of mini-series that led to its Earth literally being destroyed in 2008, some series following the ruined Earth, and then it got folded into the DC Universe in general with the, "New 52," in 2011. So yeah, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," is a minor footnote in the publishing history of DC/Wildstorm, but it is also a good time with nine issues that a review from 2017 (the most recent I can find) concludes makes it a bit overlong, but they still liked it too. You can probably find a paperback collection of it dirt cheap. Go give it a read, and have some universe-traveling adventures!

July 4th 2025/I'm Sorry, America, We've Let You Down

July 4th is a day of celebration, but with our nation a hot dumpster fire of narcissists, hucksters, and liars working to destroy our country, I feel little reason to celebrate. Between migrant workers being put in concentration camps, so-called, "Big beautiful bills," stripping people of resources so as to provide the top 1% of the top 1% a tax cut, wars we don't need, and more...it is a big mess. I want to apologize to the concept and dream of America for what has become of it. 

This isn't the nation people pictured when they would, "Pledge allegiance to the flag." No, we are quickly becoming a fascist regime that plots to strip people of citizenship and lock them up/ship them away for going against whatever the GOP has morphed into. It isn't a political party so much as a cult of personality for Donald Trump and his personal Gestapo, ICE. Things are bad and I can only hope enough people continue to rise up, fight back, or simply survive so that eventually, when the metaphorical dust clears, there is something left to fix. I'm sorry, America, we've let you down.

Comic Publisher Dynamite/Dynamic Forces in Dire Straits Due to Diamond Comic Distributors

Diamond Comic Distributors acquired a new owner after tons of drama in the form of Ad Populum. As soon as Ad Populum took over in May they proceeded to work their hardest to find the absolute best way to screw over comic publishers. Seriously, from ignoring communication, not paying people, and trying to liquidate stock on consignment to pay their own bills (so, basically theft), the new Diamond is so bad it makes the old Diamond look like a gem (no pun intended). Dynamite did join Lunar just recently, but is owed a lot of money by new Diamond (the old Diamond money that people were due is understood to probably never be paid back). One publisher, Dynamite/Dynamic Forces, did some emergency motions to get some money, but that was just denied. Diamond Comic Distributors was trying to do things right/ethically enough, up until mid-May, when Ad Populum acquired them. Everything quickly went to Hell in a handbasket after that. 

Consider how, if a sizeable publisher such as Dynamite/DF could be in big trouble due to the new Diamond's shenanigans, you can imagine smaller publishers could especially be at risk right now or in the near future. Diamond declared bankruptcy in January, just the start of this year. We're only halfway through 2025, and so much has developed since then. I can only imagine just how insane things are going to get before the year wraps.

Jim Shooter Has Passed at 73

Jim Shooter has recently passed at 73 from esophageal cancer. He started writing comics professionally at 14 (yes, really) and had a long career in comics that included serving as Marvel's Editor-in-Chief during its crazy-busy time period of the 1980s. He was invovled in the creation of a lot of great comics in some form or another, and many folks have a lot of stories. Some folks liked him on a personal level, some did not, with the phrases, "Strong personality/he was complicated," thrown around a lot online to describe Shooter. Tons of people give him a lot of credit--credit he is due--for his contributions to comics, however, and he is clearly going to be missed by a number of folks

"Hero Cave," is an Upcoming Clever Comic!

"Hero Cave," is a new upcoming comic by Syd Madia. It is to be published later this month by Silver Sprocket, which is currently feuding with TCJ, I should mention, as it is in the news, but that's besides the point of this review--I'll revisit that in the future as needed/newsworthy. I had a chance to read an advance digital copy of this comic, however, and loved this clever story! The comic is about a skeleton with no name--everyone just calls them skeleton. This skeleton is on the first floor of a dungeon and basically exists to be an easy challenge for all adventurers going into the dungeon. They meet the skeleton, defeat it easily, and proceed on their journey. Between quickly losing fights, skeleton hangs out with other dungeon-dwellers for meals, parties, and the like. Life is okay, but skeleton finds themselves having a bit of an existential crisis when given a so-so performance review by the Dungeon Master.

"Hero Cave," is very clever in how it focuses on an aspect of a dungeon people would rarely worry about--the easy baddie you kill early on in your heroic campaign. Madia's artwork is lovely too, a bit cartoony and loose, getting especially experimental later on when skeleton has a vaguely erotic experience with a candle that allows it to imagine what it would be like to have other body elements besides just bones. Plus, despite the comic being humorous, we never feel like the jokes are at the skeleton's expense. Yes, they lose easily, but that is their job, and they're arguably good at it! I really enjoyed, "Hero Cave," and would encourage folks to ask their comic shop to order the comic for them--that or they can preorder it from Silver Sprocket here!

5 out of 5 Stars.

That New, "Jurassic World: Rebirth," Continues to Look Intriguingly Weird

I have previously commented that the new, "Jurassic World: Rebirth," movie seems to be leaning more into body-horror and the scary aspects of dinosaurs--especially the failed experiments from when the park was first working at making dinos come back from the dead. A friend of mine saw an advanced showing via the surprise/secret movie thing AMC theaters do, and they confirmed that the flick brings a lot of scary elements to the forefront. It makes sense, as even the first, "Jurassic Park," could be argued as a bit of a horror movie with dinosaurs instead of monsters. 

If you really think about it, as this fantastic article by Martin Kessler points out, there are no dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, even. After all, as early as the first movie, these creatures are a mess of fragmented DNA mixed wth amphibians (and in later films, Indominus Rex has a bunch of various stuff blended in). It gives the movies a clever, "Out," if the dinosaurs aren't exactly realistic, the more scientists figure out regarding dinos--these aren't real dinosaurs! The latest movie emphasizes that, and it has me quite interested in checking the flick out--even if reviews are quite mixed. I mean, it can't be any worse than, "Jurassic Park III," I'd imagine.

Music Mondays: Countless Folks Took the Bait Sabrina Carpenter Left With Her New Album Cover

Sabrina Carpenter is a music artist who makes energetic and often silly pop songs. As I am an old, cynical whiner, I shouldn't like her music and regard her in the same way as many new and younger singers I despise. That said, so much of her stuff is just plain good that I am a fan. Plus, she's crafty with her marketing--a recent controversy illustrates this. You see, Carpenter announced she has a new LP coming this August titled, "Man's Best Friend," with the cover art featuring her on her knees with an unseen man grabbing her hair, somewhat roughly. Clearly, between the imagery and title, it is a bit of a joke about BDSM, and considering she's fully clothed on the cover, not especially racy or extreme. Still, it was just enough over the edge for many folks to ignite some controversy. Obviously, this was Carpenter's plan all along and folks have merely played into her hands. Observe the cover:

Countless times, those who create art have done something controversial to get attention. It helps if the controversial art itself is good, because empty controversy/pushing the envelope simply to upset people just comes across as lazy. Carpenter is a great musician, and I would imagine, "Man's Best Friend," will have multiple bangers on it. She's managed to get a ton of press for her LP simply through the cover art and has outright goaded critics to comment--such as with an Instagram post sharing alternative cover artwork she sarcastically added was, "Approved by God." Some people have complained they are tired of the controversy...but Carpenter just put the artwork out there and let the hubbub happen. As I already said, Carpenter makes solid jams, so I'm quite sure there will be substance to back up her playful prodding of the public (say that three times fast). For now, however, she already has many people's attention!

The Shriner's Collector Fest Was Great Fun!

The show as it kicked off.

I wrote a week ago about how I was excited to attend the Shriners' Collector Fest, which just happened today! I met a variety of new folks, saw some old friends, and had a ton of fun. Let's discuss how it went!

I began the show by trading some stuff I brought for a really cool Punisher comic, you can see it above. I was then lucky enough to run into my friend, author Jessica Mathews. We talked about some new books she had in the works, and I can't wait to read her new series! The always-awesome John Chaffee of Bigfoot Comics had an assortment of wares, too. I made the acquaintance of a group of friends who sell new and vintage video-games--Go Getter Gamez--as well! I met a video-game streamer Minz, who was really friendly and fun to chat with. She can be found on Tiktok, Youtube, Twitch, and more! Here she is at the show:

I continued to enjoy wandering around the show floor, where there was a wide range of cool stuff for sale. Everything from sports cards, to vinyl records, old model kits, and other vintage toys were all on offer. I also saw my old friend and creator, Lorenzo Lizana. We had fun catching up! Here he is:

As I kept exploring, I had fun conversing with various vendors--it was fun to see new folks at this show as well, younger and older, who love collectibles. Creator Brian Atikins was showcasing his superb comic too, and I also saw the awesome individuals behind Heroes for Kids raising funds/awareness. Plus, The Hero Initiative was present as well. I traded some cards with a nice fellow named Mike, whom I told about the best Moon Knight comics to read when I expressed interest in checking the character out. I met William, "Andy," Bove, a gothic horror author, who chatted with me about our love of horror-themed stuff. He was kind enough to pose for a photo as well:

Between the creators/authors, an ample number of vendors, and an energetic crowd, this Shriners' Collector Fest was a great deal of fun! I want to thank the Arab Patrol Unit of the Moolah Shriners for putting on such a great event, and the main event planner, Jason Shell, for allowing me to attend as press. I hope they plan another event in the near future, as I'll be sure to go to it as well!

Film Friday (on Saturday): M3GAN 2.0

The original, "M3GAN," was a mix of horror and comedy, as I noted in my review back in 2023. I just today saw the latest film, "M3GAN 2.0," which drops almost all the horror vibes and instead is more of an action comedy that is heavy on the sci-fi with some hints of gruesome kills (this is a PG-13 flick, still). It is a bit of a tonal whiplash to go from M3GAN being a creepy murder-doll to a wingsuit-wielding hero who is fighting to save humankind from a new and especially vengeful robot. The closest comparison I and others have had is the lean pseudo-horror of, "The Terminator," and how that led into the scaled-up and action-packed "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," which also, funnily enough, featured the original baddie turning good.

That said, the movie is self-aware and tongue-in-cheek enough it manages to make all the changes work--even as the plot slowly shifts from pushing the realms of reasonable to outright absurd and nonsensical. We're not here for the plot, though. We want to watch M3GAN and the new robot, AMELIA, kill people, fight, and dance. We get that, just in a weird new genre packaging that I still dug, but understand others feeling more soured upon this new entry. I went into, "M3GAN 2.0," expecting something silly but entertaining, and that was delivered to me. Is this a bit of a step-down from the lean horror-meets-dark-humor of the first flick? Slightly. Is it still a good time? Yes, undoubtedly. Go in with reasonable expectations and you'll have fun too.

3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Advance Review: "Bats in the Attic," #1

"Bats in the Attic," is set to be a three-part comic series from Blue Fox Comics, a publisher I am partial to as they have put out a number of great works. Set in 1898, it follows a maid named May who is tasked with maintaining the estate of a mysterious (and unnamed) owner and his deceased wife. The husband/master has moved out but keeps the house in great condition as he misses his wife/the mistress, and this requires a maid to live there solo and maintain everything. The comic is advertised as a Sapphic Gothic Vampire Noir story, so you already know that throughout the comic, there are hints that the mistress is not as deceased as she seems. 

As this is only the first part of the tale, a lot of time is spent foreshadowing the danger/possible excitement May faces. Writer and artist Nina Poulston does a fantastic job building up the intensity; the art especially imparts this as it is a stark black-and-white except for some splashes of red on various objects or the glimpses we see of the Mistress in paintings...or darting around within the house. Thanks the visuals, I could sense how lonely and claustrophobic May felt in the house, seemingly stuck by herself--and the terror that maybe she isn't alone.

"Bats in the Attic," has a fantastic first issue, and I look forward to reading parts two and three. A Kickstarter is launching soon, and you can follow any updates/back the comic at this link. I hope it is quickly funded!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The (Latest) Ultimate Universe Could be Heading to a Conclusion and/or Relaunch

Could these be among the last isssues of the latest Ultimate Universe?

The latest line of Ultimate books have been following an interesting trend where they almost all each take place within a month (putting aside flashbacks or how Ultimate X-Men is the worst of the books and seems quite trashy with its timeline). This has made sense as at the end of the mini-series that kicked off this latest Ultimate Universe ("Ultimate Invasion") the Maker--who altered this dimension--was locked away in a time-bubble of sorts for 24 months. 

It has been apparent a timer is ticking down so-to-speak, but these new Ultimate books have been a surprise big hit--with, "Ultimate Spider-Man," especially getting rave reviews (and selling numerous copies). Some talents at Marvel have said everything ends when that 24 months is up, and other creators have disputed that. Could Marvel actually shut down this latest Ultimate Universe against all logic and financial sense, or is it more likely that we will have a big event followed by a bunch of relaunches and renumberings? Probably the latter is more likely than the former, but it would be a legit shock if Marvel counted down, did a big event, and blew it all up like the first Ultimate Universe that the Maker hails from. It is extremely unlikely, but whatever happens when the Maker emerges back into this latest Ultimate Universe, we will have had a solid two years of some snazzy storytelling across a bunch of series and one-shots...plus the, "Ultimate X-Men," book too. We shall see.

Whadda Ya Want Eclectic Kitchen is a Great New Place for Grub!

I stopped by The Dark Side Comics and Games yesterday (as I always enjoy swinging by various comic shops in the region), and noticed a new food spot had opened nearby. Named, "Whadda Ya Want Eclectic Kitchen," it lived up to its name with a wide-ranging menu! You can eat there, get carry out, or they can be found on basically all the delivery apps, and they've got a lot to offer! You can enjoy all-day breakfast, steakburgers, loaded spuds, grilled sandwiches/salads/wraps, fried chicken/wings, or Mexican food. Plus, they've got a ton of sides, and sweet treats such as officially being licensed to carry Hot Box Cookies! Oh, and they've got coffee and espresso drinks--a ton of goodies!

I enjoyed chatting with the employees when I checked the place out and was impressed by the food I got--a fried chicken sandwich with their tasty sauce and some crisp and delicious fries. Oh, and I (obviously) got some Hot Box Cookies too! I'd encourage you to visit Whadda Ya Want at 40 Clarkson Wilson Center, Chesterfield, MO, 63017--or to have their good stuff brought to you via the food delivery app of your choice. I know I'll be swinging by again to try some more grub in the near future!

Marvel's Stealth-Canceling of Series Continues to be Annoying

I have previously written about Marvel and how they seem to basically enjoy acting like a new comic series is an ongoing (no set endpoint) before suddenly acting like it was meant as a mini-series all along (despite zero warning) and canceling it with issue 5/6/8/10/whatever. It is basically stealth-canceling a comic by attempting to gaslight us with claims of, "Oh, the latest run of, 'West Coast Avengers,' truly was meant to just be 10 issues," or, "That latest, 'Iron Man,' book was intended as just 10 issues, too. Oh, and shut up about, 'New Champions,' seeming to end after issue eight." It's irritating, tacky, and plays us all for fools. Oh, and yes, DC has done this too, but quite a bit less.

I guess getting eight or ten issues of a book is better than not even five (sympathy for Joe Garrison AKA the knock-off Punisher) or so, but it is still a bummer. I don't like getting excited for a comic and thinking I'll be enjoying reading it for a while, only to be told, "Gotcha! We're shutting it down and might relaunch things again with a fresh #1 in a handful of months or a couple o' years!" I mean, seriously, the, "Hellverine," mini-series was popular, so it got an ongoing, only to appear it is canceled as if it were another mini? Someone on Reddit has a handy list illustrating how this is not an isolated incident in the least, with merely, "Spiderboy," and, "Daredevil," getting out of at least the teens of numbering. They achieved 20 (Spider-Boy) and 25 (Daredevil) issues before being canceled. I am unsure what the future holds for Spider-Boy, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that we'll have a new Daredevil series on the stands before 2025 wraps. I guess Marvel gets to celebrate a milestone 25th issue and then will most likely attempt to get more juiced-up sales with a fresh #1 not too much later. I'm annoyed, clearly, but I guess Marvel doesn't want to be upfront about a book either being planned as a mini-series or simply admitting a book is getting canceled due to bad sales.

"Second Shift," is a Beautifully Sad Tale of the Future, AI, and Boredom

"Second Shift," is a new original graphic novel by Kit Anderson and due to be published by Avery Hill in early July (I was provided an advance copy to review). It is an intriguing sci-fi story set in the future and focused on a TERRACORP outpost manned by a small crew who work to terraform a planet. They take turns entering an AI-powered dreamscape (Dropping-in), or, when it is time for their shifts, Dropping-out to do work on the colony moss farm (provides oxygen) or service equipment that is working to make the strange planet they live on habitable, someday? Thankfully (maybe) it isn't too boring as the AI, "Algo," is with everyone when they are awake too, providing training as well as theoretically fun stories, visuals, and otherwise keeping things interesting/engaging. 

The comic mainly follows a crewmember named Birdie Doran and her brother, Heck, as they go about life in their base before (relatively early on in the story) finding an old abandoned one--resulting in them wondering if there is much of an Earth or Terracorp left or if they're just adrfit in space with little guidance beyond a buggy AI. Anderson's art is fantastic, showing us a lush and detailed, "World," when the AI is generating things, and a sparse and barren space during the times the crew lacks its algo. The comic clearly is against using artificial intelligence for art/entertainment (there is a big tongue-in-cheek disclaimer that Anderson did not use AI for this comic), as everything the algo produces is vaguely pretty and entertaining, but lacking in much of any substance. 

The crew doesn't have much in the way of human interaction as much of the crew is generally floating in their computer-"enriched," sleep so they rely on a corporate-driven AI to entertain them, socialize with them, or otherwise stop them from being so depressed or bored they can't bother to help with the terraforming process. There is no sudden shocking reveal that the AI is self-aware, evil, or anything like that (I wondered if the book would go in that direction). It's just there to entertain and educate, but never push any boundaries or distract from the main goal--keeping employees happy enough to be productive. It's an empty existence, as Birdie and Heck slowly realize throughout the book as anything out of the oridnary (like a random forgotten base) seems outright exciting and mysterious compared to a miserably cyclical life of dropping-in, having computer-faciliated dreams, dropping-out, working, dropping back in, and so forth for God knows how long.

"Second Shift," is a beautifully sad yarn that doesn't outright condemn AI or the rush of corporations to embrace it as some kind of amazing tool, but it clearly isn't a fan of what's happening in our present day. Hence, the use of this sci-fi tale as a bit of a metaphor (a lot of sci-fi is a metaphor, after all). I applaud Kit Anderson's amazing storytelling, lovely art, and rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars.

Check out the Shriner's Collector Fest Next Week!

A week from today, on June 29th, a cool event will be happening--Collector Fest! Held by the, "Arab Patrol," Unit of the Moolah Shriners (a popular organization known for their children's hospitals and other charity programs), this show will be held at  12545 Fee Fee Road here in St. Louis (63146 zip code). There will be comics, movies, sports cards, trading cards, video-games, Funko Pops, toys, and anything else fun and collectible. 

Guests will be in attendance, including talented comic creators Brian Atkins and Lorenzo Lizana. Plus, there will be attractions to make this fun for the whole family, such as Shriners' clowns, the famous mini-cars that Shriners drive, and more! I'm excited to attend next week and would encourage anyone in the area (or who will be in the area) to attend as well! Tickets are only $10 for early bird entry (at 8AM) and $5 for the main show (9AM-2PM), with kids 10 and under free. I'll see you all there!