It's Free Comic Book Day and, "Star Wars," Day

Today is a double-whammy of fun because it is both Free Comic Book Day and due to it being May 4th is, "Star Wars," day. FCBD always falls on the first Saturday of May and the reason we celebrate the war in the stars on May 4th is a bit of a pun--"May the force be with you/may the fourth be with you." It was an unofficial thing for quite some time but like any popular thing fans come up with it has been co-opted by corporations and is now a way to hype stuff and sell products (not to say it lacks fun still, however).

I'd encourage you to go to your local comic shop and get some special free comics (maybe buy something too so as to show some support) and then commemorate, "Star Wars," day however you like for that holiday. Just don't party too hard because tomorrow is yet another notable occasion--Cinco De Mayo! Yes, it is quite a busy weekend!

Funko Friday: Is it Wrong to Think, "Funko Fusion," Looks Kind of Fun?

This September will see the release of, "Funko Fusion." It looks to be a good deal like various Lego-themed games where you go into a popular IP, smack enemies around, solve a puzzle or two, and have a generally entertaining time. I really liked, "Lego Dimensions," and how it let various franchises, "Interact," in cute ways. I was iffy on how people had to keep buying various figures to use in the game, but the concept was neat in my opinion. Hence, here comes, "Funko Fusion," where a wide range of IP will interact in Funko form as you play varying levels. 

When the game was officially announced I wondered if it could work and as the actual release date nears I am legitimately curious. I know some might be critical of the idea of smashing together everything from ,"The Thing," to, "Jurassic World," to, "Umbrella Academy," "Jaws," and even, "M3gan," but it could make for some clever little moments! I've seen some critical views of this endeavor, but I want to play the game and give it the benefit of the doubt before I poo-poo the whole thing. I mean, years ago people maybe wondered if a Lego-themed version of, "Star Wars," would work--or superheroes--and those games were (generally) a blast! If I can enjoy a mash-up of, "Back to the Future," "Voltron," and, "Knight Rider," all in one game, why not give it a shot? We'll see in September whether its a fun mish-mash or just a sludgy mess, I suppose!

More, "Widow," Kickstarter Goodness Has Launched!

My friends of the blog (and friends in general) Mike Wolfer and Natalie Jane have launched the latest Kickstarter for more, "Widow," comics! Titled, "Widow Unleashed," this campaign will fund the ninth and tenth issues coming out. Mike is the writer/artist and Natalie is the letterer of these new comics remastering and representing classic horror-filled, "Widow," stories as we eventually move towards new, "Widow," content! Backers can easily get physical or digital copies of previous issues--so don't feel like it is too late to jump on the, "Widow," bandwagon by any means! 

I already have backed the latest campaign for, "Widow Unleashed," and would obviously encourage everyone else to do the same thing as Mike is a talented storyteller and Natalie is a fantastic letterer. "Widow Unleashed," has been a wild ride of a comic and I imagine it'll only get crazier as the series continues!

Cannabis to be Reclassified by the DEA

Cannabis AKA Marijuana AKA Pot and countless other nicknames has been in a legal gray area for some years. Classified as a Schedule 1 Drug for decades, that means it has no medical benefit in the eyes of the law and is at the same level of danger as stuff like Heroin. That's at the Federal level, but a number of States have taken steps to allow medicinal and recreational use of Cannabis to the point where more than half the states in America allow some form of cannabis to be smoked/vaped/ingested. There is ample evidence Cannabis has medical uses and is a lot less dangerous than other Schedule I drugs (or even Schedule II stuff that can be prescribed but is heavily controlled such as Oxycodone, Ritalin, and so forth). Hence, in a move a long time coming the DEA (with approval from the Biden administration) is looking to reclassify Cannabis as a Schedule III substance, easing a multitude of restrictions regarding the substance and helping make the aforementioned muddy legal rules a lot more clear.

This wouldn't especially impact states with cannabis but would help make the way we tax it and handle the finances of the substance a lot more streamlined. It would also assist with legal matters as Cannabis right now is something that the police wouldn't blink twice at if they saw it in your home in some states but could arrest you and get you serious jail time in others. Making Cannabis a Schedule III drug won't fix everything--it will still be illegal in States that forbid it (with less severe consequences) but more research will be possible and doctors will be able to discuss more openly with patients about Cannabis too without technically violating any laws. Considering how laws regarding Cannabis unfairly often target and impact those who are less wealthy or a person of color this is a step towards more social justice as well. It isn't decriminalization and it won't free people unfairly spending long sentences in prison for marijuana of all things, but it is a step in the right direction.

Note to Self: Don't Ever Make Kendrick Lamar Angry/"Euphoria" Song Review

I previously wrote about how it seemed a lot of rappers were feuding, with the biggest, "Attraction," being Kendrick Lamar and Drake's beef. One big metaphorical volley of ammunition happened on April 19th. That date marked Drake releasing the diss track aimed at Lamrar, "Push-Ups." Then we all waited and waited...and waited for Lamar to respond. Usually, these lyrical fights move at a quick pace. Lamar did nothing, however. The clock was ticking for him to respond--would he let Drake have the last word? Well, as of today, April 30th, it is clear he would not.

Clocking in at just over six minutes, the track, "Euphoria," is Kendrick Lamar focusing all his rage onto Drake in a manner that with Lamar's skill results in something I don't think Drake can ever effectively counter. Lamar's response was worth the wait and feels less like faux-feud posturing than Lamar earnestly being pissed and outright declaring a hatred for Drake that is all-encompassing. With his rapid-fire delivery (over multiple beat-change ups, no less) Lamar gives us a scathing critique of Drake that paints him as a manipulative scam artist who needs to go back to acting and spend some time raising his son whom he denied for a period of time even existed. Give it a listen:

When Jay-Z and Nas had their big feud it ended with them coming together to collaborate. After, "Euphoria," I don't think Lamar and Drake will ever want to be in the same room together, let alone give us another team-up like, "Poetic Justice." Aside from seeming to accidentally confuse Haley Joel Osmet and Joel Osteen on his track, it is pure fire. I have made a note to myself to never make Kendrick Lamar angry, lest he unleash his vitriol on me in a musical manner I can never recover from.

5 out of 5 stars.

"Hexes: Four Breaths," is a Thoughtful Comic

"Hexes: Fourth Breaths," is an upcoming title from Blue Fox Comics with a big supernatural element and a bit of a psychological horror edge. A woman named Barbara has the ambulance taking her to the hospital get in an accident and as she and the paramedic, Tim, find themselves stuck she discusses the concept of, "Breaths," as they exist in a manner a bit different than our traditional understanding of breathing. 

Fantastically written by Simon Birks with gorgeous artwork by Majory Yokomizo--plus stellar letting by  Rob Jones, I really enjoyed my digital preview copy of, "Hexes: Foruth Breaths," as it will in the future have a crowdfunding campaign on Backerkit (a competitor of sorts to Kickstarter that has become quite popular these last few years). The metaphysical discussion of, "Breaths," and the lush artwork all synch up beautifully to tell a tale that's a bit sad, a tiny bit spooky, and very thoughtful.

Blue Fox Comics consistently puts out great books and has had a ton of successful crowdfunding campaigns with happy backers. I'd encourage you to keep an eye out for when, "Hexes: Four Breaths," launches and to back it so that you can have your own fantastic copy to read!

5 out of 5 stars.

I Visited the Saint Charles Location of Endless Comics, Games & Cards!

I always like to check out a comic-book-related store when I hear of one opening in the Saint Louis/Saint Charles/South County/etc. region. I became aware of how Endless Comics, Games & Cards had opened a location in Saint Charles, so I drove over there yesterday with Clarkson after we got in some rides at the Saint Louis Carousel (Gibson was at home chilling with Samii). It was a nice large space with a bunch of new-release comics, some back-issues, and a bit of sports & pop-culture cards. There was a large space for playing tabletop games. A number of folks were doing so at the shop as they had a ton of those for sale too.

A well-organized comic area.

I was impressed with how well-organized all the comics were as I've been to shops before in my life that were hot messes to try and find anything within. All the comics at Endless were easy to locate, however, between the newest releases, recent issues, and backstock.

The front of the store.

Everyone within the shop was friendly too, from the store's manager to the patrons playing games. It made the store feel warm and inviting, like a spot you could spend some time at for a hang-out with friends. I'd recommend visiting the Saint Charles location of Endless Comics, Games & Cards if you have a chance to get out there Tuesday-Saturday, 11AM-7PM. They are located at, "10 Triad South Dr suite b, St Charles, MO 63304," and are a fun place to visit!

"City of Heroes," is (Officially) Back

Back in 2019, it was revealed that an online game thought dead/discontinued had been operating in secret for six years. That was both impressive in an era where almost nothing stays secret online and a bit infuriating for fans of the game who missed it. That game was, "City of Heroes," and through a variety of agreements and manuverings it now is, in fact, playable online without any legal gray areas. Since it first was released 20 years ago, "City of Heroes," has died, been revealed secretly alive, and now has risen like a phoenix for anyone to enjoy in an official capacity. If it were a human celebrity it would make for quite the biopic.

Powered solely by donations and totally free-to-play, "City of Heroes," has defied the odds regarding the majority of online games that end up canceled. It's back, and despite any bumps along the way to its true (legal) return, now we can all enjoy it. That's a win in my book.

Flashback Friday: "Superman: The City of Tomorrow Volume 1," AKA I Suppose Superman Can Be Entertaining After All!

I made a Facebook post once where I don't remember exactly what I said, but it was along the lines of: Superman as a character generally bores me and I usually only like stories with him that are out-of-continuity and have a great writer ("All-Star Superman," by Grant Morrison) or involve him acting out-of-character ("Red Son," and, "Injustice," come to mind). My statement was how the DC comic Universe Superman generally just doesn't have yarns that interest me. One of my friends, Brian Lan (who also does great work with the Hero Initiative) saw this and didn't so much take offense as he wanted to school me on how, "Superman," can actually give us some good stories. He recommended a number of books to me and I made a request to my library so I could try them out.

One of the books Brian told me to try out was the collection, "Superman: The City of Tomorrow, Volume 1." It featured a number of Superman stories from the early 2000s that he told me didn't require too much knowledge of Supes to follow along with. Having read the collection, I will admit I was entertained. If one goes into stories keeping one big thing in mind, they can work well. the main thing to remember is that Superman is inextricably good and wants to help. If you hold onto that as a focal point you can enjoy many tales of Superman (or sometimes his civilian identity, Clark Kent). 

The concept with Superman is he faces an obstacle and finds a way to overcome it.  The obstacles can be big or small, but Superman's good heart and caring nature help him find a way. He has no ulterior motive, he just wants to help, and there is a kindness and purity to that which I mistook for boring at points but can see isn't boring so much as a starting point. It is a launchpad for stories about how someone who wants to be the best they can be towards others deals with a World where essentially nobody else thinks that way. Superman isn't cynical. Superman isn't spiteful. He's Superman, and the fellow has everyone's best interest at heart, against all odds.

Superman might try to help a man keep his house from being demolished by greedy building developers or he could end up having an epic fight in space with an interplanetary tyrant. He'll always try his and best and attempt to see the best in others. Garth Ennis, of all people (the man generally seems to hate superheroes and writes them as terrible people) wrote one of the best summaries of how Superman views, "Us," as Earth years ago in a comic that wasn't even about Superman--it was focused on a creation of Ennis named Hitman in a different comic than what I read but it bears sharing. Observe...

So yes, when you get some skilled writers (Joe Kelly plus Jeph Loeb and Mark Millar before those two went downhill in storytelling) and great artists (Doug Mahnke and Ed McGuinness to name a couple) you can create some solid Superman tales if you go into the tales knowing what to expect. I suppose my friend Brian had a good point and I thank him for turning me onto some solid Superman tales. I plan to pick up a book chronicling the recent, "Warworld," stuff as he told me that was excellent as well. I look forward to reading that too now!

OutKast's First LP Came Out Today 30 Years Ago

Three decades ago, to the day, OutKast's debut LP was released. With the lengthy one-word title, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik," it became available on vinyl, cassette, and those newfangled CDs on April 26th, 1994. It is a great OutKast album even if it isn't my favorite--but it shows glimpses of the amazing group Big Boi and Andre 3000 (then just going by Andre or Dre) would grow into. I've written at length about all of OutKast's LPs and would encourage you to read my thoughts on their premiere album. All these years later it holds up as a great listen.

When OutKast was awarded Best New Rap Group at the 1995 Source Awards following the release of, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik," it was at a time when the East Coast versus West Coast feud was at a fever pitch. Here came these two young guys from Atlanta and Andre made it clear they were just getting started with the statement, "The South got something to say!" which he declared even as the crowd booed. As the decades since have shown with OutKast's amazing work along with tons of other Southern artists, the South had a lot to say--and made a big impression saying it.