"Reanimator Incorporated." is Kickstarting the Latest Issue!

I was quite fond of both the first and the second issues of, "Reanimator Incorporated." Well, the creative team of Andrew Perry and  Lyndon White is back at it with a Kickstarter campaign for chapter/book three! Backers can receive physical or digital copies of this latest part of the wild horror and sci-fi yarn that re-imagines the original H.P. Lovecraft, "Herbert West: Reanimator," story in a fascinating (and beautifully illustrated) manner. If you've missed the first two chapters, there is no reason to worry as there are options backers can select to get all three entries of the comic.

I've had a chance to read a chunk of this third issue and continue to be impressed by Perry and White's series. I'd encourage anyone with a fondness for the concepts of cosmic horror, fans of great (and creepy artwork), or anyone who just enjoys a good scary tale to check out this latest Kickstarter!

"Fiasco," Would Be an Understatement--Further Updates Regarding Diamond Comic Distributors

Diamond Comic Distributors declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They were going to be bought by Alliance Entertainment. Until they said they wanted a different buyer and AEnt. sued for the first time (more on that clarifier in a second). Then, AEnt. suddenly terminated any plans to be the buyer. Now, it appears that termination stems from Diamond (allegedly) outright lying about a contract with Wizards of the Coast (who supplied Diamond with trading cards like Magic) that was set to end at the conclusion of April and not continue into the future--thereby drastically cutting Diamond's value. Then, moves were being made to possibly liquidate the company into Chapter 7 and a previously interested party has reemerged that just hours ago was approved to get Diamond--whilst the company deals with a new lawsuit from AEnt. among other parties. To call all this a, "Fiasco," would be an understatement.

It seems--barring any further twists--Universal Distribution and Ad Populum will split various pieces of Diamond Comic Distributors. This transaction is by no means closed and could contain further zigs, zags, swerves, and surprises. This isn't over; instead, "The long National nightmare seems to be entering another phase," as Heidi MacDonald over at ComicsBeat put it. At this point, I don't think anyone could predict what is going to happen. When all is said and done, will there even be enough left of Diamond for it to be worth all this fighting and lawsuits? At this point, it has become a soap opera, and I'm half expecting someone to declare they have amnesia or are a long-lost twin.

I Sampled Bold Spoon Creamery and Loved it!

As you all are aware, I love ice cream and I enjoy foods with unique flavors. Hence, I get excited anytime I can try some ice cream featuring flavors that you don't usually see. This is how I happened upon Bold Spoon Creamery and gave some of their pints a taste. I was out with Clarkson and saw the cooler with some intriguing-sounding tastes. I got three pints and over a period of days (I'm trying to not eat too many sweets at once, after all) tried Bold Spoon Creamery out. Let's discuss what I ate...

Brown Butter with Miso Caramel

This one was lovely. A sweet and warm brown butter is calmly complemented by a more salty miso to create a beautiful balance. The contrast reminded me of how I enjoy chocolate-covered potato chips, to give an example of another nice yin-and-yang in flavors. I'd rate this a 4 out of 5 Stars.

Brie with Spiced Honey

The brie flavor was heavenly, and I enjoyed the honey mixed with it, but I will admit the spice definitely had more of a kick than I expected. I don't usually plan to have my ice cream be spicy, but the base of the brie worked well with the acidic heat in the honey. I quite liked it, even if I didn't love it. This rates a still-very-tasty 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Lavender Vanilla

Now, here's one I did love. The floral lavender was just light enough to leave an impression without overpowering the vanilla bean. As soon as I took my first bite, I knew I'd be finishing the whole pint in one sitting. Out of the three flavors I tried (and there are many more that look superb), this was my favorite. Easily 5 out of 5 Stars.

Bold Spoon Creamery can be found at multiple locations or purchased wholesale. I know I want to go buy some more and try the other flavors--I'm sure they're incredibly tasty too!

OutKast to Be Inducted Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

OutKast was nominated/put on the ballot for the first time to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has officially been selected/voted in! Yes, I know at this point it should be the, "Music Hall of Fame," as multiple genres are represented, but putting aside that quibble people always bring up, this is a big honor and one OutKast definitely deserves. They are my favorite music group ever, and Ron Funches agrees with me that they're even better than the Beatles (an amazing band too, of course, but yeah).

We haven't had a new OutKast LP since, "Idlewild," back in 2006, but hope springs eternal that Big Boi and Andre 3000 will give us at least one more album together, someday. A person can dream--as I literally did one time. For now, I'm just happy for the guys and their induction.

Alliance Entertainment, "Terminates," Their Plan to Purchase Diamond Comic Distributors! What Now?

I had previously stated that although the question of who would assume ownership of Diamond Comic Distributors had become quite messy, the so-called dust was settling, and Alliance Entertainment would assume control of Diamond, after all was said and done. Well, I guess it is time to kick up a whole new mess of dirt because baby, we're living in a metaphorical dust bowl. Yep, at the last minute AEnt. has terminated their purchase agreement of Diamond, with Diamond trying to reassure everyone they should remain calm as it will be, "Business as usual with new partners," even though this is anything but, "The usual." Anytime I see the weird, "Terminate/termination/etc." I picture that killer robot just blowing stuff up--not a calm situation at all.

Why did this happen? Does this mean the earlier joint partnership that Diamond wanted to sell to, instead of Alliance Entertainment--Universal Distribution and Ad Populum--is back in the mix? Keep in mind this is even though AEnt. went and sued Diamond to make sure they assumed ownership (before this sudden swerve). Did AEnt. stumble upon something buried in the paperwork when all was seemingly said and done, and that, "Something," made them nervous? Is it a simple case of buyer's remorse, exacerbated by the seller appearing to have a bit of their own remorse as well? This was all so cut-and-dry, then a hot mess, then settled, and now even more confusing. I would not have predicted Diamond's bankruptcy would be as dramatic and full of as many twists and turns as the comics they distribute, I'll tell you that much? I will, undoubtedly, have more to report as this catastrophe further develops.

2 Upcoming Marvel Crossovers That Sound Promising

Marvel recently announced two crossovers. One is intra-compnay as Marvel's parent corp. (Disney) owns the rights via Fox and the other is an inter-company deal with Marvel and Dynmaite. What are these crossovers? Let's discuss...

In a crossover that continues a trend, this August, the Predator will appear again in, "Predator Kills the Marvel Universe." The comics featuring various Predators going up against Wolverine and Black Panther have been shockingly great (a Spider-Man one just started too), hence, it all culminating in a Predator (or Predators) trying to kill all the Marvel heroes should be quite a wild ride. Between this and the upcoming, "Predator: Badlands," movie due in November, we've got a lot of Predator goodness this year!

Another crossover that comes a bit more out of left field is how, "Gargoyles," will be having a crossover with the Fantastic Four in a special comic due this October (with a preview for Free Comic Book Day). Simply titled, "Gargoyles/Fantastic Four," it will be a one-shot special created in a partnership between Dynamite (who currently has the publishing rights to, "Gargoyles," comics) and Marvel (who, obviously, owns the Fantastic Four). I don't think anyone would have predicted such a random grouping but it could be fun! I mean, between the Predator further attacking Marvel's characters and the Gargoyles meeting the Fantastic Four, 2025 is shaping up to have some intriguing crossovers!

McCrispy Strips and Creamy Chili Dipping Sauce--A Review

McDonald's is in the process of rolling-out their release of McCrispy Chicken Strips and a new, "Creamy Chili Dipping Sauce." It has already launched in multiple locations and should be available everywhere by April 29th. I saw a big sign about how it was available now here in Saint Louis when I pulled up to McDonald's yesterday, so I got a pack of four to try and the new dipping sauce. I liked it!

The tenders were quite good. They aren't that crispy despite the name, funnily enough. They are pretty delicious, however. These don't just taste like big nuggets, but have a good flavor profile with a bit of seasoning I was pretty into. As for the Creamy Chili, I've got to be honest and tell you it tastes almost exactly like Freddy's Fry Sauce. This, however, is not a bad thing as I am extremely fond of Freddy's Fry Sauce. The tenders dipped in the Creamy Chili is a real treat for the tastebuds. These tenders mixed with the chili sauce might be my favorite, "Temporary," menu item since the Sweet and Spicy Jam. If your McDonald's is selling these now, go try some! Otherwise, if you have to wait until the 29th, go get some then!

5 out of 5 Stars (for the tenders and sauce).

eBay Now Offers, "Seamless," Grading by PSA

PSA is a big grading company who are making major moves in 2025. They plan to start grading comics (as I've discussed) and now have an intriguing partnership with eBay. If you buy a, "Raw," card for $250 or more from someone, you can have it shipped directly to PSA--as long as it is not autographed. You don't need a PSA account or anything, as it can all happen within eBay for you, the buyer of the card. Your ungraded card that you bought goes to PSA, gets graded, and then is shipped to you.

One interesting wrinkle is that any card that passes PSA grading will be considered a final sale and not eligible for return. What happens if you buy a card that the seller promises is going to grade wonderfully if you send it to PSA, and once graded, it receives a mediocre score? That would be a bit messy, for sure. That concern aside, this is a snazzy feature that makes it easier for folks who are buying an expensive card with the intention of getting it graded to have it just go directly to PSA without a bunch of steps in between. 

The price point of $250 means only the most notable cards will have this service utilized, but one wonders, with successful results, will that number go down? Will other companies try to partner with eBay as well--CGC with grading comics, for example, in an effort to combat PSA? It will be interesting to see how this all develops.

The Official, "Oblivion," Remaster Was Announced and Released Today

Elder Scrolls Games have a lot of fans. Many folks (myself included) adored the 3rd in the series back in 2002, "Morrowind," while the fourth, "Oblivion," came out in 2006 and has numerous fans and the most recent came out in 2011--"Skyrim," and was pretty popular as well. In what was technically a massive surprise if it hadn't been such a badly kept secret, a total remaster/reworking of, "Oblivion," was announced and promptly released today by Bethesda on PS5, Xbox, and PC. There is still that mod in the works too, so you could basically play two totally different and, "New," versions of, "Oblivion," this year if you wanted.

Early buzz for this remake is positive. It looks good, even if a little muddy and muted. I'm going to be honest and let you all know that while I loved, "Morrowind," and quite liked what I played of, "Skyrim," I randomly enough never played, "Oblivion." I'm not sure why, I was perhaps a bit busy in 2006, seeing as I graduated high school and went off to college that year. I did play video-games somewhat during my initial collegiate time, however, but while I dabbled in, "Dead Rising," and, "Hitman: Blood Money," a good deal, I just never tried, "Oblivion," and therefore can't offer any opinions on the original's quality or if this remaster compares favorably. It is available for, "Free," on Xbox's Gamepass, however, so perhaps I should give it a try sometime in the near future? The question is what other game from my backlog I've been meaning to play that I'll need to delete first to have the memory space, however!

Earth Day 2025

It's April 22nd, 2025. Hence, today is Earth Day. Originating in 1970 as a nationwide demonstration, the goal was to raise awareness about environmental issues and to mobilize public support for environmental protection. Earth Day started as a protest for our planet and its health, in other words. A lot has changed since 1970 for the better and lately for the worse. With efforts being made in the United States to gut the EPA, quit tracking climate change, loosen regulations, and so forth, our Earth continues to be mistreated. Plus, ever since we developed the ability to outright destroy our planet within a day's span of time, thanks to Nuclear Missiles, we've been on the edge of disaster perpetually, if you think about it.

Earth Day is about celebrating our planet and recognizing we need to protect it--generally from ourselves. Whether it is something as simple as not littering and conserving water or something as complex as a major corporation trying to have a zero (or negative) carbon footprint, we all can do our part for Earth. Everybody we know of lives here (besides a handful of astronauts in space), after all, so I'd say we owe Earth some respect.