Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for May 12, 2021

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

MAR210983    ACROSS THE TRACKS GN    $15.99
MAR211458    AGGRETSUKO MEET HER WORLD #2 CVR A STARLING    $3.99
MAR211459    AGGRETSUKO MEET HER WORLD #2 CVR B BREAULT    $3.99
MAR211412    BALONEY & FRIENDS GN GOING UP    $12.99
MAR211535    BLACK COTTON #2 (OF 6)    $3.99
MAR211328    BRONTE GN    $14.99
MAR211902    BY THE GRACE OF GODS GN VOL 02 (RES)    $10.99
OCT200992    CAGASTER GN VOL 06    $12.99
FEB211399    CELERY STALKS TP (MR)    $14.99
FEB211338    CHASING THE DRAGON #3 (OF 5) CVR A MENTON3    $3.99
FEB211490    CONCRETE JUNGLE TP VOL 01    $14.99
JAN211289    CYCLOPEDIA EXOTICA TP (MR)    $24.95
DEC201435    DF AMAZING SPIDERMAN #48 KIRKHAM EXC SET    $59.99
DEC201436    DF AMAZING SPIDERMAN #49 LIM HOMAGE EXC    $29.99
DEC201446    DF BATMAN #100 BERMJEO EXC    $39.99
DEC201444    DF BATMAN CATWOMAN #1 PARRILLO EXC    $29.99
DEC201445    DF PUNCHLINE #1 CHEW EXC    $39.99
DEC201437    DF VENOM #29 SLINEY EXC    $29.99
MAR211780    DICK FIGHT ISLAND GN (MR) VOL 01 (MR)    $12.99
FEB211805    DIDNT I SAY AVERAGE EVERYDAY MISADVENTURES GN VOL 02    $12.99
JAN211577    DOCTOR WHO ALTERNATING CURRENT TP    $16.99
MAR211603    DOCTOR WHO MISSY #2 CVR A BUISAN    $3.99
MAR211604    DOCTOR WHO MISSY #2 CVR B PHOTO    $3.99
MAR211605    DOCTOR WHO MISSY #2 CVR C CARANFA    $3.99
MAR211781    DONT BE CRUEL PLUS GN (MR) VOL 02 (MR)    $12.99
MAR211766    DONT TOY WITH ME MISS NAGATORO GN VOL 07    $12.95
FEB211808    DUNGEON TOILET GN VOL 01 (MR)    $12.99
JAN211033    FEMFORCE #192    $5.95
OCT200998    FIRST DEFENSE #3 CVR A BURGOS    $4.99
OCT200999    FIRST DEFENSE #3 CVR B GENZOMAN LENTICULAR    $19.99
MAR211218    FLUTIST OF ARNHEM STORY OF OPERATION MARKET GARDEN GN    $24.95
MAR211818    FLY ME TO THE MOON GN VOL 05    $9.99
MAR211811    FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST FULLMETAL EDITION HC VOL 13    $19.99
FEB211635    GRIMM FAIRY TALES #48 CVR A GEEBO VIGONTE    $3.99
FEB211636    GRIMM FAIRY TALES #48 CVR B IGOR VITORINO    $3.99
FEB211637    GRIMM FAIRY TALES #48 CVR C KEITH GARVEY    $3.99
FEB211638    GRIMM FAIRY TALES #48 CVR D COCCOLO    $3.99
FEB211384    GRUBBS #2    $4.99
MAR211387    GRUBBS TP VOL 01    $9.99
FEB211614    HEAVY #6 CVR A DONOVAN    $3.99
FEB211615    HEAVY #6 CVR B DANIEL    $3.99
FEB211363    HOLLER #3 CVR A MASSIE    $5.99
FEB211364    HOLLER #3 CVR B MASSIE    $5.99
FEB211810    HOW NOT TO SUMMON DEMON LORD GN VOL 11 (MR)    $12.99
MAR211904    I THINK OUR SON IS GAY GN (MR)    $12.99
MAR211338    INCREDIBLE DOOM GN    $16.99
MAR211339    INCREDIBLE DOOM HC GN    $24.99
MAR211146    JUNKY CABLE #1    $3.99
MAR211074    KING IN BLACK #2 CVR A & D TURNER SET    $49.99
MAR211073    KING IN BLACK #2 CVR A TURNER    $19.99
FEB211812    KING OF FIGHTERS NEW BEGINNING GN VOL 05    $12.99
MAR211427    KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #12    $3.99
MAR211011    MANIAC OF NEW YORK #4    $3.99
MAR210968    MARIA LLOVETS EROS PSYCHE #3 CVR A  FRANY (MR)    $3.99
MAR210969    MARIA LLOVETS EROS PSYCHE #3 CVR B MARIA LLOVET (MR)    $3.99
MAR210970    MARIA LLOVETS EROS PSYCHE #3 CVR C JOHN ROYLE (MR)    $3.99
MAR210971    MARIA LLOVETS EROS PSYCHE #3 CVR D SABINE RICH (MR)    $3.99
FEB211356    MASK OF FUDO HC VOL 02    $24.99
JAN211079    MONSTER MEN 4 ISSUE COMPLETE PACK    $14.99
MAR211386    NATAN SHARANSKY FREEDOM FIGHTER FOR SOVIET JEWS GN    $8.99
JAN211064    OGGY & THE COCKROACHES LTD ED CGC GRADED 9.8 VAR    $125.00
FEB211702    OSSAN IDOL EVEN 36 NEVER TOO LATE MANGA GN VOL 03    $12.99
MAR211148    PARANORMAL HITMEN #4 (OF 4) (MR)    $3.99
MAR211016    PENULTIMAN TP    $16.99
MAR211810    POKEMON SUN & MOON GN VOL 10    $4.99
MAR211005    PROJECT PATRON #2    $3.99
FEB211495    RECOUNT #4    $3.99
MAR211137    RESISTANCE UPRISING #2    $3.99
MAR211820    RIN-NE GN VOL 39 (MR)    $9.99
DEC201376    RUSTY RILEY DAILIES HC VOL 02 1949-1951    $49.95
MAR211651    SAVAGE (2020) #4 CVR A TO    $3.99
MAR211652    SAVAGE (2020) #4 CVR B GANUCHEAU    $3.99
MAR211013    SCOUTS HONOR #5    $3.99
MAR211000    SILVER CITY #1    $4.99
FEB211357    SIRENS OF THE NORSE SEA TP (MR)    $19.99
MAR211368    SPACE BASTARDS #5 (MR)    $4.99
MAR211812    SPLATOON GN VOL 12    $9.99
MAR211550    STAKE #3 CVR A FANTINI (MR)    $3.99
MAR211291    STONE FRUIT HC    $24.99
FEB210959    SWORDS OF CEREBUS IN HELL TP VOL 01    $19.95
FEB211140    THE ORPHAN KING PREMIER ED    $3.99
MAR211813    TROPICAL FISH YEARNS FOR SNOW GN VOL 07    $9.99
FEB211825    WONDERCAT KYUU-CHAN GN VOL 02    $14.99
MAR211070    WORLD OF ARCHIE JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #109    $7.99
DEC201801    WORLDS END HAREM FANTASIA GN VOL 04 (MR)    $13.99
MAR211136    YEAR ZERO TP VOL 02    $9.99
MAR211808    YO-KAI WATCH GN VOL 17    $9.99
MAR211509    YORICK AND BONES GN FRIENDS BY ANY OTHER NAME    $9.99
MAR211510    YORICK AND BONES HC GN FRIENDS BY ANY OTHER NAME    $16.99
MAR211150    YOU PROMISED ME DARKNESS #2 CVR A CONNELLY    $3.99
MAR211151    YOU PROMISED ME DARKNESS #2 CVR B CONNELLY    $3.99
MAR211152    YOU PROMISED ME DARKNESS #2 CVR C CONNELLY    $3.99
FEB211646    YUUNA & HAUNTED HOT SPRINGS GN VOL 14    $12.99

MAGAZINES

MAR211211    COMIC SHOP NEWS [90CT BUNDLE] #1760    $PI
JAN211381    HEAVY METAL #306 CVR A LURK (MR)    $13.99
JAN211382    HEAVY METAL #306 CVR B CARPENTER (MR)    $13.99
FEB211360    ILLUSTRATION MAGAZINE #72    $15.00
MAR211423    LOCUS #724    $8.99

BOOKS

MAR211374    ART OF GODZILLA VS KONG HC    $45.00
MAR211055    DUCKSCARES NIGHTMARE FORMULA HC NOVEL    $12.99
MAR211056    GARBAGE PAIL KIDS HC VOL 02 THRILLS AND CHILLS    $14.99
MAR211286    GORE SHRIEKS DELECTUS SC GN VOL 01 STANDARD CVR ROLF STARK (    $29.99
FEB211827    I HAVE A SECRET LIGHT NOVEL SC    $14.99
MAR211534    KIDS GUIDE TO FANDOM SC    $17.99
JAN211882    LEARN TO DRAW MANGA WOMEN SC    $16.99
MAR211289    MOONLIGHTING AN ORAL HISTORY SC (MR)    $29.99
MAR211319    SHANG CHI LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK (RES)    $5.99
MAR211325    STAR WARS LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK I AM CLONE TROOPER    $5.99

DC Comics New Releases from Lunar Distributors for May 11, 2021

DC COMICS:

American Vampire 1976 #8 (Of 10)(Cover A Rafael Albuquerque), $3.99
American Vampire 1976 #8 (Of 10)(Cover B Dani Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #2 (Of 12)(Cover A Randy Elliott), $2.99
Batman The Detective #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Andy Kubert), $3.99
Batman The Detective #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Andy Kubert Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Universe TP, $17.99
Batman Urban Legends #3 (Cover A John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson), $7.99
Batman Urban Legends #3 (Cover B David Marquez), AR
Batman Urban Legends #3 (Cover C Simone Bianchi), AR
Challenge Of The Super Sons #2 (Of 7)(Cover A Simone Di Meo), $3.99
Challenge Of The Super Sons #2 (Of 7)(Cover B Nick Bradshaw Card Stock Variant), AR
DC Festival Of Heroes The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Jim Lee), $9.99
DC Festival Of Heroes The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Stanley Artgerm Lau), AR
DC Festival Of Heroes The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Bernard Chang), AR
Dreaming Waking Hours #10 (Of 12)(Cover A Marguerite Sauvage), $3.99
Fables Compendium 2 TP, $59.99
Flash Volume 14 The Flash Age TP, $19.99
Future State Gotham #1 (Cover A Yasmine Putri), $3.99
Future State Gotham #1 (Cover B James Stokoe Card Stock Variant), AR
Joker #3 (Cover A Guillem March), $5.99
Joker #3 (Cover B David Finch), AR
Joker #3 (Cover C Gary Frank), AR
Joker #3 (Cover D Riccardo Federici Card Stock Variant), AR
Justice League Last Ride #1 (Cover A Darick Robertson), $3.99
Justice League Last Ride #1 (Cover B Miguel Mendonca Card Stock Variant), AR
Rorschach #8 (Of 12)(Cover A Jorge Fornes), $4.99
Rorschach #8 (Of 12)(Cover B Jim Cheung), AR
Superman #31 (Cover A John Timms), $4.99
Superman #31 (Cover B InHyuk Lee Card Stock Variant), AR
Superman Action Comics Volume 4 Metropolis Burning TP, $16.99
Wonder Woman #772 (Cover A Travis Moore), $4.99
Wonder Woman #772 (Cover B Joshua Middleton Card Stock Variant), AR

 

Review: "JUSTICE LEAGUE" Sucks, Yet the Republic Survives

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 32 of 2021 (No. 1770) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Justice League (2017)
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action
DIRECTORS:  Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon
WRITERS:  Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon; from a story by Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and Deborah Snyder
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Fabian Wagner (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Martin Walsh, David Brenner, and Richard Pearson
COMPOSER:  Danny Elfman

SUPERHERO/FANTASY

Starring:  Ray Fisher, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, Amber Heard, Joe Morton, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Anthony Wise, and Ciarán Hinds (voice)

Justice League is a 2017 superhero film officially directed by Zack Snyder, but completed by director Joss Whedon.  The film is based on the DC Comics superhero team, the Justice League of America, that first appeared as a group in the comic book, The Brave and the Bold #28 (cover dated: March 1960).  Justice League is the fourth film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) film series.  Justice League the film sees a group of allies slowly come together to face a threat to Earth.

Justice League introduces a being named “Steppenwolf” (voice of Ciarán Hinds).  Thousands of years ago, Steppenwolf and his legions of “Parademons” tried to take over the earth using the combined energies of three “Mother Boxes,” but he was defeated.  In the present, it is two years after the death of Superman (as seen in the film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), and his death has apparently triggered the reactivation of the Mother Boxes.

Now, Steppenwolf has returned to Earth, and although he is unaware of Steppenwolf, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) knows that something is wrong because he has been battling the scattered Parademons that have been appearing in Gotham City and elsewhere.  Batman also knows that what is happening is too big for him to fight alone, so he has begun the difficult task of finding and recruiting other “metahumans” (superheroes) into a team that can take on the biggest threats to Earth.

Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is familiar with Steppenwolf and is ready to unite.  The new young hero, Flash/Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), is more than happy to be part of a team.  However, the mysterious undersea metahuman, The Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), brushes off Batman.  Woman Woman approaches the techno-organic metahuman, Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher), whose powers and abilities are constantly evolving, but he also brushes off the idea of joining Batman and Wonder Woman's cause.

Even if Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash can convince Aquaman and Cyborg to join, their powers may not be enough to stop Steppenwolf and the Parademons.  They need Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill), but he is dead.  So can this “Justice League” change that?

Zack Snyder's first two films in the DCEU film series, Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), are interesting films.  Man of Steel contains moments of true beauty and is an imaginative and poignant retake on the story of Superman.  Batman v Superman is filled with great moments and has several brilliantly-staged action set pieces.  However, both films are at time foolishly bombastic and bombastically foolish.

Zack Snyder began production on what was to be his third DCEU film, Justice League, in early 2016, but left the film in May 2017 in order to deal with the aftermath of the death of his daughter.  Warner Bros. Pictures brought in Joss Whedon to finish the film.  Whedon is beloved in fandom because he is the creator of the long-running “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” television series.  He also wrote and directed two films for Marvel Studios, Marvel's The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), each of which grossed over a billion dollars in worldwide box office.

Whedon apparently changed the story that Zack Snyder's version of Justice League would have told – to some extent.  I have read that as much as seventy-five percent of the Justice League film that reached movie theaters in late 2017 is the result of Whedon's reshoots of the film.

The result is a film that does not move or sound like either Man of Steel or Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, nor does it have the genuine sense of superhero team dynamics, conflict, and melodrama that Whedon's Avengers films have.  Whedon's Justice League is neither bombastic nor foolish.  It is a collection of crescendos that fade away.  Justice League seems like a collection of loosely connected subplots and action scenes taken from another movie and stuck together to make a new blasé movie.

In Justice League, the dialogue is mostly awful.  All the emotions (grief, exhalation, anger, etc.) seem forced or outright phony.  The actors struggle with the mediocre character writing; sometimes, it gets so bad that it seems as if they are struggling to act.  Steppenwolf is a scary villain that is played as comically histrionic.  Also, the film treats the obviously dangerous Paramdemons as nothing more than props to be destroyed by the powers of the members of the Justice League.

There are a few good moments in Justice League.  The revival of Superman and the subsequent battle between the League and the Man of Steel is genuinely intense.  Every time I watch it, my attention is glued to the screen.

Justice League is not a bad movie; it doesn't have the gumption to be good or bad.  It is a movie that is without a heart, and it comes across as nothing more than an assembly line product put out to benefit a movie studio financially.  It certainly was not put out to truly entertain the audiences that wanted to be entertained by it.  Zack Snyder's version of Justice League will make its debut as Zack Snyder's Justice League on the HBO Max streaming service soon (as of this writing).  Perhaps, it would have been better that Justice League been delayed than it be released in 2017 as a mostly flavorless misfire.

4 of 10
C

Friday, March 4, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Cinemark Theaters to Screen Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead"

Cinemark To Show Army of the Dead in Theatres Across the U.S. Prior to Release on Netflix

The Zack Snyder film will have the widest release of its kind between the two companies

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cinemark Holdings, Inc., one of the world’s largest and most influential movie theatre companies, announced today that it will be showing Netflix’s Army of the Dead in both Cinemark XD and Digital Cinema auditoriums across its domestic circuit beginning May 14, 2021. Tickets are on sale now at Cinemark.com and on the Cinemark mobile app to watch the much-anticipated Zack Snyder film in theatres before it is available on Netflix on May 21, 2021.

    “Following the success of our limited-run in-theatre tests with Cinemark for films like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Midnight Sky and The Christmas Chronicles 2, we are looking forward to the wider theatrical release of Army of the Dead”

“Cinemark is excited to work with Netflix on our first wide release and provide movie lovers the opportunity to see Army of the Dead in our theatres across the U.S.,” said Justin McDaniel, Cinemark SVP of global content strategy. “Zack Snyder fans will love seeing the action in an immersive, cinematic environment with larger-than-life sight and sound technology.”

“Following the success of our limited-run in-theatre tests with Cinemark for films like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Midnight Sky, and The Christmas Chronicles 2, we are looking forward to the wider theatrical release of Army of the Dead,” said Spencer Klein, Head of Distribution at Netflix. “We are thrilled to offer consumers the opportunity to watch this highly anticipated film in theaters and on Netflix.”

Army of the Dead, starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi and Samantha Win, follows a group of mercenaries who travel to Las Vegas to pull off a casino heist during a zombie apocalypse. The film will hit Cinemark theatres on Friday, May 14, across the exhibitor’s domestic circuit prior to being available on Netflix beginning Friday, May 21. Cinemark and Netflix have worked together on limited releases that put multiple films on the big screen. While this is the first wide release of a Netflix film at Cinemark theatres, the companies anticipate there will be more to come.

Cinemark XD is the world’s No. 1 exhibitor Premium Large Format brand, and each auditorium boasts the theatre’s biggest screen, a projector capable of 35 trillion colors and custom surround sound that makes moviegoers feel part of the on-screen action.

The Cinemark Standard:

The health and safety of employees, guests and communities is a top priority. All Cinemark theatres have The Cinemark Standard, greatly enhanced cleanliness, sanitizing and safety measures at every step of the moviegoing experience. Each theatre also has a designated Chief Clean and Safety Monitor on duty to ensure the highest standards of safety, physical distancing, cleanliness and sanitization.

Since beginning its phased reopening of U.S. theatres in June 2020, the exhibitor has consistently received 96 percent guest satisfaction with Cinemark protecting their health and safety. Moreover, a resounding number of those moviegoers polled stated they would return and would also recommend visiting Cinemark to a friend.

Employees undergo extensive training on all new protocols and wear face masks while working, in addition to completing a wellness check-in prior to every shift.

•     Each auditorium is extensively disinfected with products identified by the EPA to be effective in eliminating COVID-19.
•     Theatres have staggered showtimes and limited capacities to maximize physical distancing.
•     Seat-Buffering Technology automatically blocks seats adjacent to a party upon ticket purchase.
•     Face masks are mandatory for all guests within the theatre and may only be removed for eating and drinking in the auditoriums. Face masks are required for all employees.
•     All public and high-touch spaces are thoroughly sanitized frequently.
•     Ample supplies of seat wipes and hand sanitizer are available for customer use.
•     Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online and use contactless payment methods for a more contact-free experience.
•     Cinemark’s advanced, three-point air quality standard is designed to deliver an abundant supply of fresh outdoor air, maintain optimal circulation and eliminate pollutants.
•         Increased fresh-air rate. Cinemark is substantially raising the fresh-air rate of building HVAC systems by constantly utilizing supply fans to increase the total volume of fresh, outside air flowing into theatres.
•         Smart-flow air circulation design. Each auditorium within the theatre has its own HVAC system, which consistently diffuses fresh air from the ceiling down toward the floor where it is then returned to the filtration equipment, constantly refreshing the air.
•         Elimination of pollutants. Cinemark utilizes MERV filters in its HVAC systems to capture the majority of particles and pollutants.
  

About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.:

Headquartered in Plano, TX, Cinemark (NYSE: CNK) is one of the largest and most influential movie theatre companies in the world. Cinemark’s circuit, comprised of various brands that also include Century, Tinseltown and Rave, operates 531 theatres (331 U.S., 200 South and Central America) with 5,958 screens (4,507 U.S., 1,451 South and Central America) in 42 states domestically and 15 countries throughout South and Central America. Cinemark consistently provides an extraordinary guest experience from the initial ticket purchase to the closing credits, including Movie Club, the first U.S. exhibitor-launched subscription program; the highest Luxury Lounger recliner seat penetration among the major players; XD - the No. 1 exhibitor-brand premium large format; and expansive food and beverage options to further enhance the moviegoing experience. For more information go to https://investors.cinemark.com/ 

 

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 1st to 8th, 2021 - Update #20

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

MUSIC - From NYDailyNews:   The rapper "Pop Smoke" (birth name: Bashar Barakah Jackson) was killed last year, Feb. 2020, in Los Angeles.  The "New York Daily News" is reporting that the Brooklyn rapper was allegedly murdered by a 15-year-old who wanted Pop Smoke's diamond studded Rolex watch.

MOVIES - From THR:   Legendary Entertainment is developing a remake of the 1978 fake documentary, "Faces of Death," which spawned a grisly franchise.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From THR:   The membership of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the organization that puts on the "Golden Globes" awards, have approved sweeping reforms in order to address the demographic and ethics questions that have riled Hollywood.

From THR:  The Time’s Up organization and a coalition of more than 100 PR firms released separate letters on Friday afternoon indicating that they are not satisfied with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association plans to address demographic and ethics problems.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  After 12 seasons as a cast member of ABC's long-running hospital drama, "Grey's Anatomy," actor Jessie Williams is leaving the series after this season, the series' 17th.

MOVIES - From VanityFair:   In this "Vanity Fair" video, Sacha Baron Cohen breaks down the Oscar-nominated film, "The Trial of the Chicago 7" with writer-director Aaron Sorkin

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Mark Wahlberg and director Antoine Fuqua's sci-fi film, "Infinite," will debut on Paramount+ and skip movie theaters.

MOVIES - From VogueUK:   British "Vogue" gets you up to date about the early production of the film, "My Policeman," starring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   HBO releases the first images (three of them) from its "Game of Thrones" prequel, "House of the Dragon."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Ben Mendelsohn joins Daisy Ridley in Neil Burger's psychological thriller, "The Marsh King's Daughter."

TELEVISION - From Truthout:   Director Raoul Peck talks to Amy Goodman of "Democracy Now" about his epic new documentary series, "Exterminate All the Brutes," which exposes the worldwide brutality of European colonialism.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   TBS has set a date for the final episode of "Conan," comic Conan O'Brien's talk show for the cable network.  The final episode will air June 24, 2021.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Apple Original Films has picked up "Finch," starring Tom Hanks.  The film, from Amblin Entertainment, is a science fiction movie originally called "Bios" and originally was to be released by Universal Pictures.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   NBC has given a straight-to-series order for a new "Law & Order" series, "Law & Order: For the Defense."

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 4/30 to 5/2/21 weekend box office is "Demon Slayer" with an estimated 6.4 million at the box office.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:   British film and TV actor, Noel Clarke, is in serious trouble.  Multiple women are alleging sexual harassment, bullying, and now, sexual offenses against him.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  A long-lost prototype for the "Xenomorph" from the director Ridley Scott's film, "Alien" (1979) has been found and will go on auction.  It was created by the late artist H.R. Giger, who was part of the team that won an Oscar for the film's visual effects.

SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Former reality TV star, Josh Duggar ("19 Kids and Counting"), was recently arrested by federal authorities.  Now, disturbing details about Duggar's receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children have emerged.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:    Actors Joana Ribeiro ("The Man Who Killed Don Quixote") and Annelle Olayele ("Doctors") are set as series regulars opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in Showtime's "The Man Who Fell to Earth."  The drama series is based on Walter Tevis' 1963 novel and the 1976 film adaptation starring the late David Bowie.

OBITS:

From Variety:   Actress and media personality, Tawny Kitaen, has died at the age of 59, Friday, May 8, 2021.  Kitaen was a "video vixen" in the 1980s.  She was known for her association with the rock band, Whitesnake, appearing in several of the band's music videos, including "Here I Go Again" (1987 version) and "Is This Love" (1987).  She also appeared as a cover model on the band, Ratt's EP, "Ratt" (1983), and on its debut studio LP, "Out of the Cellar" (1984).  Her best known film role as actress was playing the bride-to-be of Tom Hank's character in "Bachelor Party" (1984).

From Deadline:   Former NFL player and actor, Frank McRae, has died at the age of 77 , Thursday, April 29, 2021.  McRae was a defensive tackle for the NFL's Chicago Bears and played one season for them, appearing in six games.  After football, he became a character actor and appeared in in more than 40 movies, including a number of TV movies.  His most memorable appearances includes roles in "Red Dawn," "Last Action Hero," "F.I.S.T." and a James Bond movie - 1989's "License to Kill."

From Deadline:  The film, television, and stage actress, Olympia Dukakis, has died at the age of 89, Saturday, May 1, 2021.  She won a "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar for her performance in the film, "Moonstruck" (1987).  Dukakis was also a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee.  Her other films include "Look Who's Talking" (1989), "Steel Magnolias" (1989), and "Mr. Holland's Opus" (1995).

From Deadline:  Co-stars Cher, Viola Davis, and Paul Reiser and others in Hollywood mourn the passing of Academy Award-winning actress, Olympia Dukakis.

Comics Review: HEY KIDS! COMICS! Vol. 2: Prophets & Loss #1

HEY KIDS! COMICS! VOL. 2: PROPHETS & LOSS No. 1 (OF 6)
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

WRITER/ARTIST: Howard Chaykin
COLORS: Gustavo Yen
LETTERS: Ken Bruzenak
EDITOR: Thomas K
COVER: Howard Chaykin with Gustavo Yen
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2021)

Rated “M / Mature”

Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss is a new six-issue comic book miniseries from writer-artist, Howard Chaykin.  Published by Image Comics, it is a sequel to Chaykin's 2018 five-issue miniseries, Hey Kids! Comics!, which was described as depicting “nearly a century of turbulence and and drama in the American comic book industry” and also telling “the stories of the men and women that created it (with names changed, of course).”  Chaykin returns to his history of comics, and the creative team on this new series includes colorist Gustavo Yen and letterer Ken Bruzenak, a longtime Chaykin collaborator.

Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1 opens in 1970.  Here, Tommy has a fateful encounter with the comic book collection of his pal Ronnie's older brother, Ira, who is currently stationed in Vietnam (along with his father).  The story moves back to 1951, an important year in American comic books.  Comic book sales have dipped because the enlisted men market of World War II has faded, and the children of these formerly enlisted men are more interested in television than in comic books.

Meanwhile, in the offices of Graham Woods Publications (GW Publications), owner Paul Gertz is about to risk everything on a new line of comics books, if he can keep his two editors, Arnold Grossberg and Dick Altman, from each other's throat.  However, copycats and a self-serving trio could take GW and comics down for the count.

THE LOWDOWN:  Hey Kids! Comics! #1 is told in scenes that take place in five different years (1945, 1955, 1965, 1967, and 2001).  Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1 opens in 1971, but focuses on the events of 1951 and on events connected to that year.

Like the first issue of original, Prophets and & Loss #1 offers a story that involves several characters, multiple employers, and lots of job changes.  In the first series, the shifts in time are jarring, as Chaykin introduces characters, plots, and settings without really focusing in on developing characters.  Thus, the first issue of the original series seems to be more about introductions than it is about examining the nitty gritty details of character, storytelling, and drama.

The shifts in Prophets and & Loss #1 are not about time, but do take the readers to different comic book publishing offices and studios.  These shifts are not as jarring as the ones in the original series, especially if you, dear readers, are somewhat familiar with American comic book history.  The places in Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1 are obvious stand-ins for EC Comics and National Periodicals (DC Comics).  This time, Chaykin is all about examining the nitty gritty details of character, storytelling, and drama

Several EC Comics creators, from Harvey Kurtzman and Al Feldstein to Wally Wood and William Gaines, make appearances under the guise of new characters.  Even Joe Simon and Jack Kirby make a cameo.  And my beloved trio of Ray Clarke, Benita Heindel, and Ted Whitman from the first series are also in Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1.

Hey Kids! Comics! #1 starts slow, although it tells an engrossing story.  Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1 is also engrossing, but does not have a slow start; it seems a lot more intense.  To me, after reading Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss #1, it feels like Chaykin has planted an improvised explosive device somewhere inside this series.  It makes me eager to read more.

I heartily recommend that readers get the trade paperback collection of the first issue, and then, enjoy Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss.  I already am, and I can't wait for more.  The Hey Kids! Comics! series is among Howard Chaykin's best work, and, though I revere American Flagg!, this sly and shameless history of American comic books might be his best work.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Howard Chaykin will want to read Hey Kids! Comics! Vol. 2: Prophets and & Loss.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: NOCTERRA #3 is Good - Damn Good

NOCTERRA #3
IMAGE COMICS/Best Jacket Press

STORY: Scott Snyder
ART: Tony S. Daniels
COLORS: Tomeu Morey
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Will Dennis
COVER: Tony S. Daniels with Tomeu Morey
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Szymon Kudranski
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (May 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

“Full Throttle Dark” Part Three

Nocterra is a recently launched comic book series from writer Scott Snyder and artist Tony S. Daniels.  Published by Image Comics, Nocterra is set on an Earth that has been experiencing an everlasting night, the “Big PM,” since the sky went dark and the world was plunged into an everlasting night over a decade.  Colorist Tomeu Morey and letterer Andworld Design complete the series' creative team.

Nocterra introduces Valentina “Val” Riggs – call sign “Sundog.”  She was in the fifth grade the day the “Big PM” occurred.  Any living organism left unlit in the dark for more than 10 hours starts undergoing a biological transformation and changes into a monstrous version of itself, becoming something called a “Shade.”  This is happening to her brother, Emory “Em” Riggs.

Thirteen years later (“13 PM”), Val drives a big rig hauler, a heavily-illuminated 18-wheeler known as the “Sundog Convoy.”  A skilled “ferryman” Val transports people and goods along deadly unlit roads between the few remaining human outposts, and now she has her most dangerous haul – a mysterious man and his granddaughter.

Nocterra #3 opens in Val's memories, as she recalls the time when people changed … when her parents became something else.  In the present, the notorious “Blacktop Bill” and his band of highwaymen (of a sort) are hounding the Sundog Convoy.  He wanted Val to surrender her passengers, Dr. Augustus McCray and his granddaughter, Bailey.  Now, he is out for all their blood, and to escape him, someone inside the big rig will have to make a sacrifice.

Meanwhile, black gums, gnarled bones, and haunting yellow eyes are the signs of someone transforming into a human shade.  Someone is showing at least one sign.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I said in my review of Nocterra #2, I enjoy Scott Snyder's creator-owned series more than I enjoy his recent work for DC Comics.  I also wrote that I am usually happy to read a comic book drawn by Tony S. Daniels, going back to his early days writing and drawing creator-owned titles at Image, such as The Tenth.

Well, I am having a blast reading Nocterra.  It reads like an old-fashioned pulp serial with its haunting settings, crazy monsters, bad-ass villains, questionable supporting characters, and one against-all-odds female hero.  In Nocterra #3, Val proves that she can drive the fury road as furiously as Furiosa.

Nocterra #3, like the previous issue, makes me confident that this series is one worth following.  If you are budgeting, dear readers, drop something else to make sure you enter the world of Nocterra every chance you get.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniels will want to sample Nocterra.

A

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the original graphic novel, “Kane & Able,” by Shaky Kane and Krent Able.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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https://twitter.com/deronbennett
https://twitter.com/andworlddesign
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https://imagecomics.com/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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