TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews

Monday, September 9, 2024

Dynamite Entertainment Shipping from Diamond Distributors for September 11, 2024

DYNAMITE

FEB240265 DISNEY VILLAINS CRUELLA DE VIL #5 CVR A BOO (C: 1-0-0) $3.99

FEB240266 DISNEY VILLAINS CRUELLA DE VIL #5 CVR B FORBES (C: 1-0-0) $3.99

FEB240267 DISNEY VILLAINS CRUELLA DE VIL #5 CVR C LUSKY (C: 1-0-0) $3.99

FEB240268 DISNEY VILLAINS CRUELLA DE VIL #5 CVR D ACTION FIGURE $3.99

JUL240159 JONNY QUEST #2 CVR A HARDIN $4.99

JUL240160 JONNY QUEST #2 CVR B LEE $4.99

JUL240161 JONNY QUEST #2 CVR C RANEY $4.99

JUL240162 JONNY QUEST #2 CVR D PACE $4.99

JUN240223 POWERPUFF GIRLS #2 CVR E GANUCHEAU LTD VIRGIN (C: 0-1-2) $50.00

JUL240140 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR A LINSNER $4.99

JUL240141 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR B CELINA $4.99

JUL240142 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR C MORITAT $4.99

JUL240143 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR D COSPLAY $4.99

JUL240144 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR E LINSNER FOIL (C: 0-1- $9.99

JUL240145 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR F LINSNER FOIL VIRGIN ( $29.99

JUL240146 RED SONJA DEATH AND THE DEVIL #1 CVR G BLANK AUTHENTIX $4.99

JUL240278 SPACE GHOST #5 CVR A MATTINA $4.99

JUL240279 SPACE GHOST #5 CVR B LEE & CHUNG $4.99

JUL240280 SPACE GHOST #5 CVR C BARENDS $4.99

JUL240281 SPACE GHOST #5 CVR D CHO $4.99

JUL247319 SPACE GHOST #5 CVR N FOC HAESER HOMAGE $4.99

JUN240300 THUNDERCATS #7 CVR I NAKAYAMA LTD VIRGIN (C: 1-1-2) $50.00

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Image Comics Publishing Shipping from Diamond and Lunar for September 11, 2024

IMAGE COMICS

DIAMOND DISTRIBUTORS:

JUL240457 KING SPAWN TP VOL 05 $16.99

JUL240464 SEA SERPENTS HEIR GN BOOK 03 $14.99

JUL240465 SUPERSTAR AS SEEN ON TV TP NEW EDITION $9.99

LUNAR DISTRIBUTORS:

Ain't No Grave #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Jorge Corona), $3.99

Ain't No Grave #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Skottie Young), AR

Dead Eyes The Empty Frames #1 (Of 5)(Cover A John McCrea), $3.99

Dead Eyes The Empty Frames #1 (Of 5)(Cover B Dave Johnson), $3.99

Dead Eyes The Empty Frames #1 (Of 5)(Cover C Scott Koblish), $3.99

Department Of Truth #25 (Cover A Martin Simmonds), $4.99

Department Of Truth #25 (Cover B Blank Variant), $4.99

Department Of Truth #25 (Cover C Martin Simmonds), $4.99

Department Of Truth #25 (Cover D W. Scott Forbes), $4.99

Department Of Truth #25 (Cover E Puppeteer Lee), $4.99

Domain #3 (Of 5)(Cover A Rachael Stott), $3.99

Domain #3 (Of 5)(Cover B Eren Angiolini), $4.99

Geiger #6 (Cover A Gary Frank & Brad Anderson), $3.99

Geiger #6 (Cover B Francis Manapul), $3.99

Geiger #6 (Cover C German Peralta), $3.99

Invincible Complete Library Volume 6 HC (Signed & Numbered Edition)(per Diamond Distribution), $175.00

Invincible Volume 5 TP (New Edition)(per Diamond Distribution), $14.99

King Spawn Volume 5 TP, $16.99

Misery #4 (Of 4)(Cover A Don Aguillo), $2.99

Misery #4 (Of 4)(Cover B Blank Variant), $2.99

Precious Metal #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Ian Bertram), $5.99

Precious Metal #4 (Of 6)(Cover B James Harren), AR

Scorched #33 (Cover A Don Aguillo), $2.99

Scorched #33 (Cover B Von Randal), $2.99

Sea Serpent's Heir Volume 3 Queen Of Mercy GN (per Diamond Distribution), $14.99

Superstar As Seen On T.V. TP (New Edition), $9.99

Transformers #12 (Cover A Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer), $3.99

Transformers #12 (Cover B Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer), $3.99

Transformers #12 (Cover C Karen S. Darboe Connecting Variant), AR

Transformers #12 (Cover D Chris Stevens), AR

Transformers #12 (Cover E Cory Walker), AR

Void Rivals Volume 2 TP (Lorenzo De Felici Decepticon Direct Market Cover)(per Diamond Distribution), $16.99

Witchblade #1 (2024)(Cover I Marc Silvestri Black & White Virgin Signed Variant), AR

Witchblade #1 (2024)(Cover J Marc Silvestri Original Art Sketch Variant), AR

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Marvel Comics Shipping from Diamond Distributors for September 11, 2024

MARVEL COMICS

JUL240758 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #57 $4.99

JUL240761 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #57 CHRIS CAMPANA VAR $4.99

JUL240759 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #57 CLAUDIO SCIARRONE DISNEY WHAT IF VAR $4.99

JUL240763 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #57 RYAN MEINERDING MARVEL STUDIOS VAR $4.99

JUL240692 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (OF 5) $4.99

JUL240693 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (OF 5) CORY SMITH AVENGERS JACKET VAR $4.99

JUL240694 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (OF 5) EMILIO LAISO VAR $4.99

JUL240697 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (OF 5) RAMCHERON DISCO DAZZLER VAR $4.99

JUL240696 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 (OF 5) WRAPAROUND MARVEL STUDIOS VAR $4.99

MAR240895 AVENGERS BUSIEK PEREZ OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 DAVIS NEW PTG DM VAR $125.00

MAR240894 AVENGERS BUSIEK PEREZ OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 NEW PTG $125.00

MAR240896 AVENGERS BUSIEK PEREZ OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 PEREZ NEW PTG DM VAR $125.00

JUL240657 BLOOD HUNTERS #2 (OF 5) $3.99

JUL240659 BLOOD HUNTERS #2 (OF 5) GEOFF SHAW VAR $3.99

JUL240810 CAPTAIN AMERICA #13 $4.99

JUL240811 CAPTAIN AMERICA #13 DAVID YARDIN VAR $4.99

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MAY240851 DAREDEVIL BY SALADIN AHMED TP VOL 02 HELL TO PAY $24.99

APR240866 DAREDEVIL GANG WAR TP $15.99

JUL240813 FANTASTIC FOUR #25 $4.99

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MAY240880 MARVEL GRAPHIC COMIC BOX EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN #1 (BUNDLES OF 5) $60.00

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Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for September 11, 2024

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JUN242244 100 GIRLFRIENDS WHO REALLY LOVE YOU GN VOL 11 (MR) (C: 0-1-2 $13.99

FEB241663 2000 AD PROG PACK (APRIL 2024 SHIPPING) (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $25.50

JAN241898 2000 AD PROG PACK (MARCH 2024 SHIPPING) (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $24.50

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JUL241223 ADDICTION DEATH OF YOUR LIFE #2 (OF 3) CVR B AMANDA CONNER $4.99

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JUL241225 ADDICTION DEATH OF YOUR LIFE #2 (OF 3) CVR D LABRADA $4.99

JUL240472 AINT NO GRAVE #5 (OF 5) CVR A CORONA (MR) $3.99

JUL241364 ALL OUR ORDINARY STORIES GN (C: 0-1-0) $21.95

JUL241946 ANGORA NAPKIN THE GOLDEN MCGUFFIN HC (C: 0-1-2) $19.99

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JAN248724 BRUCE DICKINSONS THE MANDRAKE PROJECT #3 (OF 10) (MR) $10.00

JUL242224 CALL OF THE NIGHT GN VOL 17 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99

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Sunday, September 8, 2024

Comics Review: "BATMAN: EARTH ONE Volume 2" Has "The Batman" as a Young Warrior

BATMAN: EARTH ONE VOLUME TWO

DC COMICS

STORY: Geoff Johns

PENCILS: Gary Frank

INKS: Jonathan Sibal

COLORS: Brad Anderson

LETTERS: Rob Leigh

COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson

ISBN: 978-1-4012-6251-8; paperback (June 21, 2016)

144pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Batman: Earth One Volume 2 is 2015 hardcover original graphic novel (OGN) published by DC Comics. It is written by Geoff Johns; drawn by Gary Frank (pencils) and Jonathan Sibal (inks); colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Rob Leigh. Set in a reality that is different from the flagship Batman titles, Earth One Vol. 2 pits Batman against The Riddler for the first time.

In 2009, DC Comics announced plans to publish new graphic novels that would retell or re-imagine the beginnings of Batman and Superman. Each character would have his own ongoing series of original graphic novels depicting his earliest moments as a superhero and crime fighter. Each graphic novel would be a stand-alone story set on a new Earth with an all-new continuity. Superman: Earth One Volume One arrived in October 2010 and Batman: Earth One Volume One arrived in 2012, both released as hardcover original graphic novels. To date (2024), there have been three releases each featuring Superman and Batman, and some releases featuring other DC Comics characters. [My review is based on the 2016 paperback edition of this graphic novel.]

Batman: Earth One Volume Two opens in the gritty, contemporary metropolis of Gotham City in the wake of the murder of Mayor Osward Cobblepot (as seen in Vol. 1). The police and the public believe that Batman murdered the mayor, but the actual killer is Alfred Pennyworth. The former Royal Marine and friend of Bruce Wayne's late father, Thomas Wayne, Alfred is now Bruce's head of security and partner in Bruce's war on crime and corruption as the costumed-wearing vigilante, The Batman.

Something else, however, is also troubling Gotham City. It has been plunged into terror by an enigmatic anarchist, terrorist, and killer calling himself “The Riddler.” He begins with a bang with the murder of five people who plunge to their deaths in an elevator. Batman is determined to stop him, but he finds himself caught in the conflicting ideologies of Detective Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) and of Alfred. Gordon is also dealing with the troubles of his partner, Harvey Bullock. Once flashy and overconfident, Bullock is now traumatized by the discovery he made in a serial killer's basement (as seen in Vol. 1).

If that weren't enough melodrama, Gotham Mayor Jessica Dent wants Bruce to help her discover the identities of the five VIP Gotham residents who have taken over the late Mayor Cobblepot's criminal empire. However, her brother, District Attorney Harvey Dent, has hated Bruce since they were children, and he has his own secret agenda. Meanwhile, there are reports of a bizarre creature, called “Killer Croc, prowling the sewers of the city, treating human and animal as meat for the beast.

THE LOWDOWN: I was crazy about Batman: Earth One Volume One. It is like a “Batman Family” story because Johns writes it as if it were an ensemble crime drama. Batman is obviously the lead, but Vol. 1 seems to treat Bruce Wayne as one of several supporting characters in the story. I rather like that.

In Batman: Earth One Volume Two, John makes Bruce Wayne the lead, with the Batman being only one part of a complicate life of purposes. The story seems to be about Bruce Wayne working out who he is. Is Bruce just the Batman, or is Bruce a civilian with a mission that is just as important as Batman's mission as a costumed vigilante? It is an interesting take, one that is more interesting than anything to do with The Riddler angle of the story.

Speaking of the Riddler: I have not yet read Batman: Earth One Volume Three, but I believe the first two volumes had a big influence on director Matt Reeves' 2022 Batman film, The Batman, especially Vol. 2. Reading this graphic novel, over two years after first seeing The Batman, I find that Vol. 2 seems quite familiar. It wasn't long into reading this that I was making connections to the 2022 Batman film, which also has The Riddler as a terrorist-like villain.

British comic book artist, Gary Frank, has displayed his muscular compositions and forceful graphical storytelling to readers for the better part of four decades – three decades in the U.S. I don't think Geoff John's edgy, retooling of Batman, which owes a lot to Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and to Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's Batman: The Killing Joke, would work quite as well without Frank's brawny storytelling and pencils. Inker Jon Sibal captures that strength with a balance of sinewy precision and consistent and deft grace in his inking.

Colorist Brad Anderson makes the art both bright and dark – bright to reveal the emotional moments and dark to hide the danger. Another strong contributor is Rob Leigh; his lettering is what gives the story a balance of sound and effect.

I don't know if there is going to be more Batman: Earth One. Truthfully, Earth One should have been the direction taken by the “Rebirth” launch of the flagship Batman in 2016. But what do I know? I'm not a comics publisher selling comic books in a stagnate market for American comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Batman comic books will want to read Batman: Earth One Volume Two.

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

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Saturday, September 7, 2024

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 7th, 2024 - UPDATE #10

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From PBS: Geoff Bennett of PBS interviews Meg James of "The Los Angeles Times" about the Disney/DirectTV carriage dispute.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline: Director Tim Burton's new film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, earns 12 million dollars in Thursday preview showing.

TELEVISION - From Deadline: Fox is cancelling the "9-1-1," spinoff, "9-1-1, Lone Star," at the end of this, it's fifth season, for which there will be 12 episodes. The original, "9-1-1," moved to ABC and has been renewed for an eighth season.

STREAMING - From Deadline: Peacock has ordered a contemperoary television series adaptation of the 1989 horror-comedy, "The 'Burbs," which starred Tom Hanks and the late Carrie Fisher. Keke Palmer will star and executive produce. Seth MacFarlane ("Family Guy") is also one of the executive producers.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Glenn Close's portrayal as the character "Alberta" in Lee Daniel's Netflix film, "Deliverance," has people talking.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/30 to 9/1 Labor Day weekend box office (3-day totals) is Disney/Marvel's Deadpool & Wolverine with an estimated take of 15.2 million dollars.

MOVIES - From THR: "The Hollywood Reporter" profiles actress Naomi Ackie who is hot right now, including for her turn in Zoe Kravitz's Blink Twice.

NETFLIX - From Variety: Star couple, Daneel and Jensen Ackles are producing a sequel/reboot of the former The WB/The CW series, "One Tree Hill" (2003-12), for Netflix.

THE APPRENTICE:

MOVIES - From Deadline: Kinematics, the film financier backed by disgraced former Washington Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, has exited the Donald Trump biopic, "The Apprentice." James Shani, one of the film's executive producers, has bought Kinematics interest in the film via his Rich Spirit.

MOVIES - From Deadline: The Donald Trump movie, "The Apprentice," is still headed for a Fall release. Starring Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Trump's mentor, the late Roy Cohn, the already controversial film is slated for an October 11th release... maybe.

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL:

From THR: Actor Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult say the both went to a "dark place" for the neo-Nazi crime thriller, "The Order" (based on a true story). The film is due Dec. 2024.

Friday, September 6, 2024

Review: "BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE" is Morbidly Wonderful and Wonderfully Morbid

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 of 2024 (No. 1986) by Leroy Douresseaux

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use.

DIRECTOR: Tim Burton

WRITERS: Alfred Gough & Miles Millar; from a story by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (based on characters created by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson)

PRODUCERS: Tim Burton, Dede Gardner, Tommy Harper, Jeremy Kleiner, and Marc Toberoff

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Haris Zambarloukos (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Jay Prychidny

COMPOSER: Danny Elfman

COMEDY/FANTASY/HORROR

Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, Nick Kellington, Santiago Cabrera, Burn Gorman, Sami Slimane, Amy Nuttall, and Danny DeVito

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is that rare sequel that is as weird and as wonderful as its weird and wonderful predecessor

Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara are so good at reprising their original roles that it is hard to believe that it has been 36 years since they first played them

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is director Tim Burton's most crowd-pleasing film since 1999's “Sleepy Hollow”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a 2024 American dark fantasy and comic-horror film from director Tim Burton. It is a direct sequel to Burton's 1988 film, Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice finds three generations gathering after a family tragedy only to discover that the latest generation's actions have lead to a new encounter with the Afterlife and also has drawn the attentions of a certain bio-exorcist.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens over three decades after the events depicted in Beetlejuice. Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is now a “psychic mediator” who hosts a supernaturally themed talk show, “Ghost House,” produced by her current boyfriend, Rory (Justin Theroux). Lydia is estranged from her daughter, Astrid Deetz (Jenna Ortega), who is resentful that Lydia had a falling out with Astrid's father, Richard (Santiago Cabrera), who died during an expedition to the Amazon.

Lydia is stressed of late because she has been seeing visions of Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), the “bio-exorcist” from the Afterlife who tried to force her to marry him over thirty years ago. Meanwhile, in the Afterlife, Betelgeuse (pronounced “Beetlejuice”) is having his own relationship problems as he has learned that his former wife, Delores (Monica Bellucci), a soul-sucking witch, has been revived and is hunting him in order to avenge the wrong she believes he did to her.

Back in the world of the living, Lydia's stepmother, Delia Deetz (Catherine O'Hara), informs her that her husband, Lydia's father, Charles Deetz, has died. Lydia, Astrid, and Delia return to Winter River (the setting of the original film) for Charles' funeral. The three women suddenly find their worlds turned upside down when the Afterlife intrudes and Betelgeuse plots to turn this series of unfortunate events in his favor.

Because of the decades long wait for this sequel, I wondered about the quality of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. After seeing it, I am pleased and happy to say that I enjoyed it as much as I have any film I've seen this year (2024). I saw Beetlejuice Beetlejuice during a Thursday night preview showing, and there were several children present. The children were restless and acted up a bit, especially early on. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is not a children's film, or it is, at least, not as child-friendly as the first film. Beetlejuice had a darkly humorous and macabre sensibility that was similar to the work of the late Charles Addams (1912-1988), the cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine who was best known for his recurring characters that became known as “The Addams Family.”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a darker film with a morbid rather than a macabre sensibility. The specter of death – especially sudden, violent, accidental death – hangs over this film. Yet it all seems like ghoulish fun and games, thanks in part to director Tim Burton's creative cohorts. The costume design, production design, film editing, cinematography, lighting, visual effects (practical and CGI), and musical score (by frequent Burton collaborator, Danny Elfman), recall the creative and intense inventiveness of the original film They make Beetlejuice Beetlejuice more grand theater than “Grand Guignol.” Still, I don't think elementary school age children, in general, will really enjoy this new film.

I'd call Beetlejuice Beetlejuice perfect except I do take exception with the film's writing. Although the overall plot is very interesting, the screenplay has some extraneous threads and inessential characters. I won't mention them just in case they end up being spoilers.

I will say that Tim Burton is fortunate to have the trio of Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara carrying the load for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. When I first saw Beetlejuice, I didn’t care for Michael Keaton’s performance as Betelgeuse. I thought his manic energy seemed forced and phony and that the late Robin Williams, who was really coming into his own as a movie star at the time, would have been a better choice. Sixteen years later (2004), I watched Beetlejuice again, and that time I thought Keaton was perfect. Go figure! How wrong I was. With Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton proves that no one can be the “ghostest with the mostest” like him.

As Lydia Deetz, Winona Ryder truly evolves the character in interesting and genuinely human ways. Ryder could easily pull off a third film if one were to be made in the next decade (hopefully earlier). Given chance, Catherine O'Hara always proves that she is a giant among comedic actors, and does so again. What she offered in the original film, she offers in comedic droves here.

I had a thoroughly great time at the movies last night, and even the restless kids could not ruin the very funny “Soul Train” references. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is that rare sequel that matches the original film in many ways and surpasses it in others. As a movie fan, I feel blessed to have it.

8 of 10

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, September 6, 2024

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