Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 8th to 14th, 2024 - UPDATE #11

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

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

DISNEY - From THR:  This is the story of Scott and Diana Anderson, the couple expelled from the ultra-exclusive and secretive Disneyland club, "Club 66."

STREAMING - From Deadline:  New cast members have been announced for Paramount+'s "Jon Benet Ramsey" series, based on the infamous murder case from Christmas 1996 in Boulder, Colorado.  The new cast includes Garrett Hedlund and Emily Mitchell..

2024 CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS:

From THR:  A list of "Night 2" winners (Sun., Sept. 8th)

From THR:  A list of "Night 1" winners (Sat., Sept. 7th)

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL - From THR:  At the 2024 Venice Film Festival, Spanish film director, Pedro Almodovar wins the top prize, the "Golden Lion," for his film, "The Room Next Door."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 9/6 to 9/8/2024 weekend box office is Warner Bros.' Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with an estimated take of 110 million dollars.

AMAZON - From Variety:  Amazon Studios is developing a spinoff of its popular "Reacher" series. Details are still being kept secret.

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

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American actor, film producer, and race car driver, Chad McQueen, has died at the age of 63, Wednesday, September 11, 2024.  McQueen was the only son of the iconic late actor, Steve McQueen.  He is best known for playing the character, "Dutch," in two of the 1980s "The Karate Kid" movies.

From Deadline:  American actor, James Earl Jones, has died at the age of 93, Monday, September 9, 2024.  Earl was known for his iconic voice and for his work in theatre.  He famously provided the voice of iconic villain, "Darth Vader," in the original "Star Wars" films.  He made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964).  He would go on to make memorable turns in such films as "Conan the Barbarian" (1982), "Matewan" (1987), "Coming to America" (1988), and "The Lion King" (1994, 2019).  One of his most famous film roles was as the reclusive writer, "Terence Mann," in the 1989 film, "Field of Dreams."  In 2011, he received an Honorary Academy Award for "Lifetime Achievement."  He won two Primetime Emmy Awards from eight nominations. He won a Daytime Emmy Awards and nominated one other time.  He won the "Best Actor in a Play" Tony Award twice and was nominated two other times. He also one a "Special Tony Award" for lifetime achievement.

From Deadline:  James Earl Jones: a life and career in photos.

From Variety:  Denzel Washington pays tribute to James Earl Jones, saying "He is who I wanted to be."

From THR:  Kevin Costner pens a tribute to his "Field of Dreams" co-star, the late James Earl Jones who died today, Mon., Sept. 9th.

Comics Review: "SPACE GHOST #4" is Only for People Who REALLY Like Good Comics

SPACE GHOST VOL. 1 #4

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Pepose

ART: Jonathan Lau

COLORS: Andrew Dalhouse

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Francesco Mattina

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jae Lee with June Chung; Michael Cho; Bob Layton

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2024)

Rated “Teen”

“The Cult of Zorak!”

Space Ghost is a superhero character created by the American animation studio and production company, Hanna-Barbera Productions.  The character first appeared in the Saturday morning cartoon series, “Space Ghost,” which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1966 to September 1967 for 20 episodes.

In his original incarnation, Space Ghost was a superhero whose base of operations was a small world known as “Ghost Planet.”  He fought super-villains in outer space with his teen sidekicks, Jan and Jace, and their monkey, Blip.  His main weapons were power bands he wore around his wrists and lower arms; the bands fired off multiple energy beam-based attacks, including heat, cold, and force, to name a few.  Space Ghost could also fly, survive in space, and turn invisible (his “Inviso Power”).  He also had a space ship known as “the Phantom Cruiser.”

Space Ghost sporadically appeared in various comic book publications over a fifty year period.  Dynamite Entertainment has just launched a new Space Ghost comic book as part of its licensing agreement with Warner Bros.  Entitled Space Ghost Volume 1, it is written by David Pepose; drawn by Jonathan Lau; colored by Andrew Dalhouse; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In the new series, twins Jan and Jace Keplar and their pet monkey, Blip, meet that legendary cosmic vigilante known as “the Space Ghost.”

Space Ghost Volume 1 #4 (“The Cult of Zorak!”) opens at the specially designed Omegan Prison, where Zorak and his army of fanatical Zorathian warriors have broken free.  Space Ghost knows that Zorak will seek revenge against him, so he travels to Zorak's most recent base of operations, the planet Bellerophon.  It isn't Zorak awaiting the “Guardian of the Spaceways,” however; it is the mighty Titanor!

Meanwhile, Zorak, a prophet and worshiper of Lorak, the Locust of the Apocalypse, plots to bring his mythical god to life.  And Jan, Jace, and Blip are about to enter this game of fanaticism.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Space Ghost Volume 1 #4 is the latest, but it is not the first Space Ghost comic book that I have read.

The first four issues of Dynamite's Space Ghost revival comic book are a pure delight.  Writer David Pepose is making me rapidly run out of good things to say about his storytelling.  Pepose retains the traditional Space Ghost, but he also rockets the character into a modern sensibility.  The Saturday morning pop sci-fi/fantasy is now darker and more menacing.  Still, the tone of this comic book series can appeal to readers young and old.  Pepose did not forsake a timeless appeal for the temporary thrills of grim and gritty “mature themes.”

I think this series really works because of Jonathan Lau's art and graphical storytelling.  Lau captures the edge in Pepose's scripts and turns it into pure rage against evil and into pure passion for justice.  Like Pepose, Lau retains the classic appeal of Space Ghost. Andrew Dalhouse's colors make for a gritty narrative, but they keep the classic comic book cool.  Letterer Taylor Esposito captures all the emotion that swirls in and out of this story.

I highly recommend Space Ghost Volume 1.  It is easily one of the best comic book media adaptations that I have read in years, dear readers.  It is almost too good to be true, but true, y'all, it is really good.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite Entertainment's Warner Bros. comic book series will want to read Space Ghost Volume 1.

A

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

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The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "HEAD OF STATE" was Ahead of its Time

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 157 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Head of State (2003)

Running time:  95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug references

DIRECTOR:  Chris Rock

WRITERS:  Ali LeRoi and Chris Rock

PRODUCERS:  Ali LeRoi, Chris Rock, and Michael Rotenberg

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Donald E. Thorin (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Stephen A. Rotter

COMPOSER:  DJ Quik and Marcus Miller

COMEDY

Starring:  Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Dylan Baker, Nick Searcy, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens, Tamala Jones, James Rebhorn, Keith David, Tracy Morgan, and Nate Dogg

Head of State is a 2003 political comedy from director Chris Rock.  The film is Rock's feature film debut as a director, as he had previously mainly been an actor, writer, and producer.  Head of State focuses on a minor politician who steps into the void left after the death of a presidential candidate and enters the 2004 U.S. Presidential race.

Chris Rock’s first directorial effort, Head of State, plays to his strengths as a comedian and (and although many people seem to have forgotten this) as a political commentator.  Although Rock and his co-writer Ali LeRoi (“The Chris Rock Show”) take the political and social commentary to the extreme and even to farcical levels, they certainly make their point, and what they have to say is actually dead on and funny.

The story begins late in a presidential race.  When the opposition party’s (ostensibly the Democrats) ticket dies in a double plane crash, the party leaders need to throw a candidate to the wolves, someone who will lose this race and allow the party powers-that-be to get ready for the next race in four years.  Party leader, Senator Bill Arnett, (James Rebhorn) who wants to run in the next election, picks a defrocked Washington D.C. alderman Mays Gilliam (Rock) to run against incumbent Vice-President Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy).  Arnett assigns Mays two handlers (Dylan Baker, Lynn Whitfield) and sends him on the campaign trail.  When Mays popularity begins to grow, the Washington establishment moves to destroy him.  They’re doing a good job until Mays calls in a ringer as his running mate, his brother Mitch (Bernie Mac).

More than anything else, Head of State is very funny, and quite often hilarious.  Rock is himself, sharp as ever, and he doesn’t shy away from being himself.  It’s his act, his shtick that sells, and he’s smart to know that his act is the axis upon which the film turns.  Being a directorial novice, he wasn’t able to make the film seamlessly flow from one scene to another, but established directors have done far worse.  He makes up for the bumps and stops by letting his cast of excellent character actors (Rebhorn, Baker, Searcy, and Ms. Whitfield clearly stand out) play the roles to their utmost ability.  He’s smart enough not to force them into being straight the entire time, and all of them have at least a few bright comedic moments, even the usually dour Rebhorn.

Head of State is probably Bernie Mac’s best and funniest turn as an actor.  He seems comfortable, and the character is a natural fit in that it seems so much like his public and professional persona, especially the one he uses on the comedy stage.  In fact, Mac’s performance here is light years ahead of his crippled turn in Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle, where he seemed to be forcing his act and presence and where the filmmakers clearly didn’t know how to use him.  HOS doesn’t treat him like a token, and Angels seem to go out of its way not to treat him thusly, which only made it more obvious that he was.

People who like Chris Rock should like this film.  Its take on politics is so funny, and much of it has a grain of truth.  That Rock’s take on how to fix our government is unrealistic in the real world is actually the saddest thing about the movie.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Edited: Saturday, September 7, 2024

NOTES:

2004 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 nomination: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Bernie Mac)

2004 Black Reel Awards:  1 nomination: “Film: Best Screenplay-Original or Adapted (Chris Rock and Ali LeRoi)

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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BOOM! Studios Shipping from Diamond Distributors for September 11, 2024

BOOM! STUDIOS

JUL240105 AMORY WARS NO WORLD TOMORROW #5 (OF 12) CVR A GUGLIOTTA (MR) $4.99

JUL240106 AMORY WARS NO WORLD TOMORROW #5 (OF 12) CVR B WAYSHAK (MR) $4.99

JUL240117 GARFIELD #2 (OF 4) CVR A HARRISON $4.99

JUL240118 GARFIELD #2 (OF 4) CVR B STEPHENS $4.99

JUL240097 PROFANE #4 (OF 5) CVR A RODRIGUEZ (MR) $4.99

JUL240098 PROFANE #4 (OF 5) CVR B PHILLIPS & MARTIN (MR) $4.99

JUL240089 RED BEFORE BLACK #2 (OF 6) CVR A SUDZUKA (MR) $4.99

JUL240090 RED BEFORE BLACK #2 (OF 6) CVR B JOHNSON (MR) $4.99

JUL240031 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN ARCHIVE EDITION #1 $3.99

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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for September 11, 2024

DC COMICS:

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover A Pete Woods), $3.99

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover B Lesley Leirix Li Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover C Khary Randolph Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover D Stephen Platt Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover E John Timms Connecting Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Absolute Power Task Force VII #6 (Of 7)(Cover F Dan Mora Foil Variant), $6.99

All-Star Batman By Scott Snyder The Deluxe Edition HC, $49.99

Batman '66 Omnibus HC (2024 Edition), $125.00

Batman '89 Echoes #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Joe Quinones), $3.99

Batman '89 Echoes #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Sebastian Fiumara Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman '89 Echoes #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Jahnoy Lindsay Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman And Robin #13 (Cover A Simone Di Meo), $4.99

Batman And Robin #13 (Cover B Juan Ferreyra Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman And Robin #13 (Cover C Travis Mercer Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman And Robin #13 (Cover D Chris Samnee Batman 85th Anniversary Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman And Robin #13 (Cover E Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Dylan Dog TP, $19.99

Batman Gotham By Gaslight The Kryptonian Age #4 (Of 12)(Cover A Leandro Fernandez), $4.99

Batman Gotham By Gaslight The Kryptonian Age #4 (Of 12)(Cover B Francesco Francavilla Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman Gotham By Gaslight The Kryptonian Age #4 (Of 12)(Cover C Felipe Massafera Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman Superman World's Finest Volume 4 Return To Kingdom Come HC, $24.99

Batman Superman World's Finest Volume 4 Return To Kingdom Come TP, $17.99

Batman Volume 3 The Joker Year One HC (2022), $29.99

Batman Volume 3 The Joker Year One TP (2022), $19.99

Brave And The Bold Volume 1 Lords Of Luck TP (2024 Edition), $17.99

DC Vs. Vampires World War V #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Otto Schmidt), $4.99

DC Vs. Vampires World War V #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Caspar Wijngaard Card Stock Variant), $5.99

DC Vs. Vampires World War V #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Lucio Parrillo Card Stock Variant), $5.99

DC Vs. Vampires World War V #2 (Of 6)(Cover D Daniele Di Nicuolo Card Stock Variant), AR

From The DC Vault Death In The Family Robin Lives #3 (Of 4)(Cover A Rick Leonardi), $4.99

From The DC Vault Death In The Family Robin Lives #3 (Of 4)(Cover B InHyuk Lee Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover A Ariel Colon)(Absolute Power), $4.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover B Chris Samnee Card Stock Variant)(Absolute Power), $5.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover C Simone Di Meo Card Stock Variant)(Absolute Power), $5.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover D Nicola Scott Artist Spotlight Card Stock Variant)(Absolute Power), $5.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover E Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez & Joe Prado Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant)(Absolute Power), $5.99

Green Lantern #15 (Cover F Crystal Kung Card Stock Variant)(Absolute Power), AR

Joker By James Tynion IV Compendium TP, $59.99

Looney Tunes #280 (Cover A Derek Fridolfs), $2.99

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Dexter Soy), $5.99

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Salvador Larroca), $5.99

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Giuseppe Camuncoli), $5.99

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Bruno Redondo Lenticular Variant), $9.99

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Vasco Georgiev), AR

Nightwing Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Dexter Soy), AR

Nightwing Volume 5 Time Of The Titans HC (2021) , $24.99

Nightwing Volume 5 Time Of The Titans TP (2021), $17.99

Primer Clashing Colors #3 (Of 3)(Cover A Gretel Lusky), $4.99

Shazam #15 (Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $3.99

Shazam #15 (Cover B Daniel Bayliss Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Shazam #15 (Cover C Gavin Guidry Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Shazam #15 (Cover D Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez & Joe Prado Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Superman Action Comics Volume 2 To Hell And Back TP (2023), $19.99

Wesley Dodds The Sandman TP, $16.99

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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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