Category: Books

Star Trek: Dammit Jim, I’m a part-time blogger, not a novelist!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, TelevisionLeave a comment

Hailing frequencies open.

I was trying to think of a phenomenal way to introduce this blog, but as usual, like my mum has always said, “If there’s a complicated or confusing way of doing something, then I’ll do it.” So, instead of doing something inspiring and meaningful, I’ve done this. Wow. Not at all confusing.

Moving on, I contacted the department heads of Some Geek Told Me and finally got them into the same room for a brainstorming session on this week’s topic. As usual, the director of marketing and the head of HR started clashing; like always. The Social Media consultant started waffling on about We Didn’t Start the Fire, while the head of sports trivia did not want to discuss the All Blacks and Springboks. That one is still raw.

However, in most cases, the man-child who sits in the corner and tries to look busy suggested Star Trek. And since the others were too busy bickering, the deadline passed, and Star Trek was selected. Cool.

I can only imagine that if this were written by a professional writer, the lead-in would have been better, but sadly, Horatio, this fellow has only finite jest. This badly drawn-out and ill-conceived beginning is now at an end, so let us begin the ode to Star Trek.

Image by Adam Evertsson from Pixabay

So why is Star Trek the topic of today’s rant? Apart from our resident man-child’s suggestion, it’s the 60th anniversary of the first US broadcast of Star Trek: The Original Series, on 8th September 1966, so what better time to discuss my love of Star Trek? Although it is pretty obvious, I love science fiction. This covers books, comics, movies, computer games, and television shows. And with science fiction franchises, there are many that I like, but I have three main ones: Star Wars, Doctor Who and Star Trek.

It’s funny how society likes to divide us up, as you need to be on one side or the other. In that regard, for personal principles and values, it’s important to take a side. However, there are times when not taking a side is exactly the winning move, like DC vs Marvel, Aliens vs Predator, Coke vs Pepsi, or Star Wars vs Star Trek. For me, I love Star Wars, as unlucky readers of this popular blog will attest to, but I love Star Trek as well. Granted, it’s for different reasons, but the love is still there.

So, why do I love Star Trek? Difficult answer, but I’m up for the challenge. I think it boils down to the scope of it: that hundreds of years into the future, humanity has pulled its socks up and solved many global problems, resulting in an explosion of technology and understanding, as well as meeting our stellar neighbours.

In truth, it’s a nice notion that many of the social barriers we have constructed for ourselves have been/will be torn down to usher in a new age. The world of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet Academy seems so far removed from 2026, it’s almost laughable. But the intent is there.

I love how the uniforms change for each show and era, yet they remain the same. To demonstrate my love for the uniform, I carried a Star Trek Science Officer badge in the breast pocket of my wedding suit.1

Image by blueprint2015 from Pixabay

I have mentioned this before, but the TV shows Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have reawakened my love for the franchise. I know Season 4 of Strange New Worlds has started, but me being me, I will need to watch the previous season again.

Discovery was a gateway back into the franchise, and I loved the way the USS Discovery used the spore drive to travel, which, at least to me, was highly creative. Picard was great for seeing old friends, while Strange New Worlds has been a chance to meet new friends and villains. It’s been interesting to have the Gorn as the main antagonists, since they’re an alien species that I haven’t seen a lot of, much like the Orion.

Because I’m on this Star Trek wave, I want to start at the beginning and watch Star Trek: Enterprise again. Though, to be fair, I did watch a lot of episodes, but I never got to watch the entire series from start to finish because comics and football got in the way. Not girls, though; I was living my peak-geek life then, so girls were nowhere to be seen.

In saying that, I’ve never seen every single episode of The Original Series, The Next Generation, or Deep Space Nine. There are massive gaps in all the shows that I want to be filled. One of the biggest connections I’ve had to a Star Trek show, prior to Discovery’s launch, was Voyager. It was another show I never completed, but I gave it a damn good try.

It was on Channel Four, and I thought the premise of the show was awesome and simple; they were transported to the other side of the galaxy, so they were just trying to get home. I was at the right age when it was broadcast, and my love for it spilt over into university. I was extremely cool. And by cool, I mean the biggest geek/dork/nerd. I am still in some ways.

As for the films, I’ve loved them too. I can’t remember the first Star Trek film I ever saw, but I can remember the first one I saw at the cinema. Now, back in the day, my dad loved movies; he still does, but his favourites were westerns, war, action, or cop movies. Science fiction movies were not his cup of tea, but James Bond was. He once took me to The Living Daylights, though I was underage. Mum was not happy, but I was.

I remember Mum and my sister went on holiday early, so Dad and I were going to join them, but I think it was going to be nearly a week later, because Dad had trouble getting away from work. I think it was for a wedding; I can’t remember exactly, but it will do for the story. Anyway, I stayed behind to keep him company until he was free to leave, so we got to spend time together, just as boys.

At the time, and where we lived, we received cinematic releases a lot later than the rest of the country, let alone the whole world. I saw that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was playing, and I asked Dad if we could both go. As I said before, Dad didn’t like science fiction movies or Star Trek, but he still took his geeky son to watch something he personally didn’t want to see. I appreciated that, because every time I watch The Final Frontier, I think of Dad.

Because he took me to the cinema to see that Star Trek movie, I have seen every Star Trek movie since then: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: Nemesis, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond at the cinema.2

Another lesson I learnt from that experience was something that I now do as a parent: I take my boys to the cinema each school holidays, where they agree on a movie to watch, even if I have no desire to see it, but we all still go.

Image by Iris,Helen,silvy from Pixabay

I’ve never been one for reading Star Trek novels; I’ve only ever read two Doctor Who novels, compared to the library of Star Wars books at my command. I can’t really explain the division over that, except I’ve started reading some IDW Star Trek comics. I recently read Star Trek: Red Shirts, which was pretty gnarly. I’m waiting for Star Trek: Red Shirts – Ghost of the 21st Century #1 to arrive now.

I love the vehicles, weapons, and technology, but most of all, I love the aliens and alien planets. Vulcans, Betazoids, Klingons, Romulans, Ferengi, Cardassians, Andorians, El-Aurians, Bajorans, and the Borg; but we also can’t forget the Q, or is it just Q? Its one of the greatest aspects to Star Trek and science fiction in general, the ability of creators to dream of bad-arse aliens, with their cultures, vehicles, appearances, and languages. The mind is a fertile place.

I’m not familiar with every single Star Trek character to have ever graced the small screen, as I’m just a middle-aged geek, not the God of Pop Culture. However, there is one character I know well enough, and that’s the OG miracle worker himself, Montgomery Scott. I say this because…well…if your first or last name is Scott, then at some point in your life, some highly unoriginal person, whether they are meeting you for the first time or not, would have said unto you, “Beam me up, Scotty!” When that phrase is spoken to me, I have to suppress the Klingon in me and embrace the Vulcan.

So, to bring this long and pointless exercise to a close, I just want to state that I love Star Trek, and this wannabe science officer is so grateful for it. And that’s it for another week. Did you like Star Trek? As always, please let me know. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Up the Wahs, and I’ll see you next week because we’re off to 1964.

Hailing frequencies closed.

1 I did wear Superman cufflinks as well. Total class act.

2 I haven’t seen Star Trek: Section 31, but that’s a television movie, plus its on Paramount+, so I don’t know if I’ll ever see it.

San Diego Comic-Con 2026: So, what happened?

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

The staff here at Some Geek Told Me have been working around the clock to bring you the latest news from around the globe.1 And when I say news, I don’t mean politics, sport, crime, or the economy. I know you have no room in your life for such frivolous subjects, so that’s why we thought it was time to bring some much-needed logic and reason to the table.

This is why we pulled out all the stops and spared no expense to bring you our annual San Diego Comic-Con wrap-up!

I do realise some of you amazing people may not have any idea what I’m talking about, and that’s ok; nobody is perfect. Well… nobody living anyway. The point is that San Diego Comic-Con is one of the biggest dates on any geek’s calendar, whether they attend the event or not.

If I can break down the event, it would be this, even though I’m cheating from last year:

San Diego Comic-Con is an opportunity for some of the world’s leading entertainment companies to showcase their upcoming products, including toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, and TV shows, to the ticket-paying fans and the rest of the world.

Once again, the event has been and gone without me attending; however, one fine day, I will win the lottery, and then I’m going there. The queues, the overpriced food, the fans, the creators, the trailers, the back issues- it sounds amazing! Over the course of the event, information trickles out from all sections of the entertainment industry, covering everything you wanted to know, plus stuff you didn’t even know existed! Because of that, it’s my self-appointed job to wade through the content to discover the gems.

However, as with anything on this scantily information-clad blog, there are rules. There are always rules.

1.) I have not read or seen every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. I can only discuss the things I know about and the things I’m interested in.
2.) Just because a product is on my list doesn’t mean I’ll get to see or purchase it. Quite simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention, regardless of whether I watch or purchase it.
3.) I have included some information and trailers that were released just before San Diego Comic-Con. This is because I’m the lead writer on this venture, so what I say goes.

Since I know you’ve been waiting harder than Michael Meyers for Laurie Strode, let’s look at the announcements that were made only for me!

Credit: San Diego Comic-Con

Literature: (Books and Comics)

It’s slim pickings this year, to be honest. There was extra information about Marvel’s Midnight Universe (which I already knew about and had pre-ordered the first issues of the three series a few weeks ago) and some content about some of DC’s new titles, but there were only two comics that were a complete surprise to me.

Batman Day 2026: Batman of Two Worlds #1 (One-shot)

Credit: DC Comics

Indiana Jones and the Sword of Pandemonium #1-5

Credit: Marvel

Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss (Reign of the Empire)

Credit: Random House Worlds

Movies:

A lot of movies were announced at San Diego Comic-Con that will be released between 2027 and 2028, but there were only a few that I cared about that were still being released in 2026.

Coyote vs. Acme

I heard a while ago that this project was shelved, but it seems that the universe has not finished it, and it’s going to see the light of day. To me, the Coyote is one of the world’s greatest optimists. I understand the film is based on Coyote suing Acme because of their faulty products and the damage it has had on Coyote’s physical, financial, mental, and emotional health.

In one of the trailers, it looks like Coyote manages to actually touch Road Runner, after 76 years of trying, along with a shower of cameos. It looks stupid, crazy, and bonkers, so naturally, I want to see it, with or without the boys.

Ebenezer

I know what you’re thinking, seriously, I do. Not another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. There have been so many versions of it over the decades, though you can’t go wrong with The Muppet Christmas Carol or Scrooged. Having said that, like a new Shakespeare adaptation, I’m ready and down for another version of A Christmas Carol.

From what I gather, Ebenezer Scrooge is being played by Johnny Depp, the go-to man for quirky or weird characters. Supposedly, the film will flesh out more of the story about Ebenezer, but I’m not 100% sure. I also saw the reference in the trailer to Depp’s first movie role in A Nightmare on Elm Street with the bed. Nice touch.

Whatever the case, Ebenezer Scrooge has one of the greatest, if not the most powerful, redemption arcs in literature, so it will be terrific to see him again.

Clayface

The DCU is still trying to establish itself, since it started with its first movie entries in the form of Superman and Supergirl. Both films have been great, but I would say their box office returns have disappointed the studios. Enter their 3rd entry, Clayface, a member of Batman’s rogues’ gallery, who is one of the few who have legitimate superpowers.

It was a bold move to give Matt Hagen his own movie, and it seems the movie is the offspring of John Wick and The Substance; and for the record, that’s not a bad thing. Whether it’s the right time to bring a bit of horror into the DCU, I can’t say; however, I will be watching this odd nugget in the cinema. Count on it.

Avengers: Doomsday

If you’ve been a follower, supporter, or subscriber of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website, then this one pretty much speaks for itself. If it’s possible, I want to go to the opening screening at our only cinema this December. I’ll even try to take the day off work, if I have to.

Not counting 1994’s The Fantastic Four, Fox had three cinematic attempts at portraying Latveria’s most beloved ruler and sorcerer correctly, but has failed three times. It’s now Marvel, Disney, and Robert Downey Jr.’s turn, and they really need to get Victor right.

Television shows:

Unlike the movie announcements, there are a lot of TV shows I would like to see. Now, whether that’s a positive or negative thing, I am not smart enough to answer that.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4

Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have reignited my love for all things Star Trek, to the point that I’m trying to track down and watch Star Trek: Enterprise, so I can work my way from the beginning. I’ve also been reading some Star Trek comics, which is quite rare for me.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, so Season 4 should be awesome. Having the Gorn as the main antagonists throughout the series has been, in my humble opinion, a stroke of genius. I love the show and cast, along with the diverse storylines. With Star Trek’s 60th anniversary just around the corner, the future of Star Trek seems solid.

Lanterns

I realise Lanterns has already started on HBO Max, and it’s part of the DCU, via its television arm. Currently, I’ve just started on Season Three of The Greatest American Hero; it’s a long story. I also realise Lanterns is gathering a lot of backlash, but I have faith in the showrunners; I mean, you have to, right?

Anyway, I will start on Lanterns soon. I have no idea how much of the series will be set off-Earth, but it’s certainly great to see John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) in a live-action role, along with Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and hopefully other notable characters. I have learned that Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner and Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro. Seriously, I’m looking forward to this show, and maybe Kyle Rayner.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3

Before I go back to this show, I’ll rewatch the first and second seasons, and I think the series is getting better. It ended with devastation, but also laced with hope, which I believe is a good place for a cliffhanger. 19 rings of power have been forged over the two seasons, but that just leaves one ring to be created. The One Ring. The Master Ring. The Ruling Ring.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Where the Shadows lie.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

To my understanding, Sauron, the Dark Lord, does in fact forge the final power ring in the season and sit on his dark throne. Will we see more of the various rings’ abilities? Only time will tell.

Avatar: Seven Havens

We are going back to the world of Avatar. No, not James Cameron’s Avatar; I mean the OG, Avatar: The Last Airbender. I actually discussed this TV show in last year’s San Diego Comic-Con wrap-up, but we only had one image; now we have a trailer. I believe the story is set after the events of The Legend of Korra, with Avatar Korra obviously having passed away, though I don’t know the time jump.

Korra’s world was different from Ang’s because of the march of technology, so I do wonder what the world’s technology will look like now. Having said that, again, to the best of my understanding, some sort of disaster or apocalypse has hit the world, and somehow regressed or devolved civilisation.

I have high hopes for Avatar Pavi, though I have no idea how I’ll ever see it.

Reacher Season 4

Like Lanterns, the new season of Reacher has already started, and I’m going to be there for it. As a character, I like Jack Reacher- sorry, Reacher, my bad; he’s like James Bond, Jack Ryan, Sherlock Holmes and Batman, all rolled into one. My wife has started reading the books, and I will also. One day.

Reacher Season 4 will be on my list for late 2026, if not sometime in 2027. Not that it matters in the scheme of things, of course.

And speaking of the scheme of things, I know there’s a massive amount of things going wrong in the world, but there’s also a lot of positive. I fear sometimes the negative can drown out the positive, and it can convince you that the world is broken because of A, B and C. That could be the case, but D, E and F are fighting to rebalance it. The world’s not a lost cause, because you and me, well, we’re still here, and that counts for something.

Yes, reviewing the announcements from a pop culture event is petty and vain, but it’s not ignoring the pain of the world; it’s there to humble it.

There was probably a vital piece of information that I missed from San Diego Comic-Con, so as always, please let me know.

That delightful transition brings us to the end of another blog for another week. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Up the Wahs, and I’ll see you next week for the return of the least recommended tour in the Solar System.

1 Flat Earthers, it sucks to be you.

Happy Star Wars Day 2026!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

I find your lack of celebrating Star Wars disturbing. I’m kidding, but today is the best day to celebrate Star Wars, because it’s 4th May, or for my North American friends, May 4th, Star Wars Day! Once more, we can revel in the adventures of our favourite characters, set a long time ago, in a galaxy, far, far away.

You could be a fan of Star Wars movies, television shows, books, toys, comics, video games, cosplay, board games, and everything in between, but today’s the day you can wear your Star Wars t-shirt with pride. To be honest, you could treat every day like Star Wars Day if you really wanted to.

Credit: Disney

May The 4th Be With You has taken on new meaning this year, because only a few weeks from now, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu opens in cinemas, as well as new TV shows, books, and comics to be consumed. One day, I’ll get Disney +, so I’ll be able to catch up on all the television shows. Again, maybe.

I’m still waiting for the last five Star Wars: The High Republic books to arrive at our local book shop, so that will keep me off the dark and cold streets when I finally get to read them.

Credit: Dark Horse Comics, now Marvel. I’m not sure!

I’ve mentioned this before, but Star Wars is quite big in our house. My wife and UMC1 enjoy the vehicles, UMC2 is all about the droids, and as for me, I love the aliens. Star Wars has been a massive part of my life, especially now with boxes of Marvel (Canon) and Dark Horse (Non-canon or Legends) Star Wars comics. I could bore with a retelling of my love for Star Wars comics, but I’ll save that for another day.

We also play Star Wars: Risk on Star Wars Day, but only if it lands on the weekend, purely because the game takes hours. It usually ends up with UMC1 (The Rebels) teaming up with UMC2 (The Hutts), against The Empire (me). Oh, the fun and the arguments, I love it.

Image by Bruno from Pixabay

Anyway, it’s rare for Star Wars Day to fall on a Monday, because this is blog day for me. However, I always release a Star Wars blog post on 4th May, and this year is no different.

So, whatever kind of fan you are, and whatever kind of activity you do today, I hope this Star Wars Day is the one you’re looking for. This is short and sharp this week, but I’ll be returning to Star Wars very soon, for my Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu Preview blog post. Two geek events in three days, it’s great to be a geek. Enjoy today, and I’ll see you on Friday for yet another special blog post.

My wife’s reading habits are changing, and it’s becoming hilarious

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, People

This title sounds awful, but I have my wife’s permission to write about this. To take a step back, I have written several blog posts about my wife, particularly on the topic of reading, so the idea of me doing this is not new. See here for a reference.

For a condensed version, my wife enjoys reading, but usually only a series she already owns and has read multiple times.

She generally only starts a new series if all of the books have been published; therefore, the story has finished. She likes to read Book one of a series, and work her way through them, until she reaches the final book. She does this by reading them one after another, either through the library or from her own collection. In her mind, reading 3-4 books in a row of a particular series is like reading one very long book.

If she likes a certain series enough after reading them through the library, she will buy them second-hand to complete the set. She often rereads a great deal of content—I’m talking about a significant amount. Some of the series she has deemed worthy of her collection include the Twilight saga, the Harry Potter series, the Fifty Shades of Grey saga, and The Hunger Games series, among others.

This makes her cautious to branch out and try an unknown series, because what would happen if she tried a new book and she didn’t like it? She would have wasted her time, so it’s easier to stick with books and characters that she knows and loves; but also, a completed series has a beginning and an end, so she doesn’t need to wait for future instalments.

This is also because, and this is important, my wife hates waiting for things, as she can be very impatient. Seriously, you don’t know what it’s like. We once read the Image comic series, Saga, together, but she gave up reading it, because…can you guess? Yes, she had to wait a whole month for a new issue, which was far too long for her, let alone when the creative teams went on their 6-18 month hiatus. She didn’t cope well with that.

Ultimately, she would make a terrible comic book reader, as she only wants to read a story that is finished, so waiting a whole month, just so you could read the next chapter, was torture for her. With me so far? Great. So here is where my wife is showing some growth and development. I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but I believe it’s because her friend works at a local book shop and would recommend various book series.

Enter a new genre, at least to me: fairy smut and or fantasy smut. Upon advice from her friend, my wife stepped out of her comfort zone of beloved books and tried a new series, from scratch. She started reading a new series, The Plated Prisoner, but it was still a completed series, with all six books already published. To my amazement, she started looking for more series in that genre, but only completed series. It’s so important to remember that point.

This had led her to devour various completed series in the genre, as well as giving me a detailed update on each story, when I’ve been stupid enough to ask. She’ll describe some physically impossible sex scenes and positions, but since these characters have magical abilities, nothing is off the table. Or on the table, under it, against the wall, flying, and the list goes on.

Books containing plots where sex is a major driving force in the story aren’t something that I look for. I mean, the book with the greatest amount of sex that I have actually read could be The Time Traveler’s Wife, Brave New World, or anything about Greek Mythology, like Mythos.

I don’t know how to interpret that. Is that a positive or negative thing? Am I normal or abnormal? Though, to be fair, what is normal? Whatever it is, I’m properly not it.

Now, here, my wife’s reading habits can relate to mine, to a point. Reading One-Punch Man opened my eyes to the world of manga, and my bookshelf has never been the same. The same can be said with my wife and The Plated Prisoner, because after that series, the veil has been lifted, and she’s reading other completed series now, which are fairy smut or fantasy smut related.

Image by Ana Paula Feriani from Pixabay

Her reading habits have changed so much that it’s now hilarious to see what she’s become.

She now tries new series, not stand-alone books, of course, that’s just crazy. However, these series have a catch: some of them are incomplete, as in, they are not finished. There are still more books to be published in the different series, and she has now become someone she tried in vain to avoid, but fate had a plan for her. My impatient wife now has to wait for books to be published and released, and the consequences of this are far too funny to describe.

She has preordered certain books from the local book shop and checks in once a week, just in case her books have arrived. She follows particular authors on Instagram and Facebook for updates, as well as receiving monthly newsletters from the publishers, in a desperate attempt to gain new information about future books. She has even taken to making requests through the library to persuade them to purchase the upcoming books, just to get her hands on them faster.

She has multiple series on the go now, and my support and empathy for her can only go so far. When a much-anticipated book finally arrives, she is stoked and so happy, and I’m happy for her. In saying that, when she discovers a book from a series that will be released in 2027 or even 2028, she does not take the news well. When this happens, I play the nice and supportive role of her loving spouse, but internally, I’m doing everything I can, not to laugh.

She usually goes through the five stages of grief when receiving bad news about the publication of her desired upcoming books.

  • The first stage is that she will deny the information as real, believing the publishers have just gotten the titles confused. It couldn’t possibly be my title they are discussing! It can’t be coming out in 2027, it’s not true!
  • Anger is the second stage. She’ll point out that she can’t wait that long, and that she wishes she had never started reading that series in the first place. She may suggest that the series wasn’t that great to begin with.
  • The next stage is all about bargaining. This takes the form of rereading all of the current series, several times, as well as any spin-offs and prequels, before the new book is released.
  • Depression sets in now, when the publication date has been worked out in years, months, weeks, or days. She will mention how old she’ll be when she gets to read it, in addition to the ages of the boys, for some unknown reason.
  • This, of course, brings us to acceptance, where she knows that nothing that she can do, absolutely nothing, will alter the timeline of the publication of the book.

As a monthly comic book reader, I understand that delays can happen for various reasons. However, the common practice seen with titles like Saga, where creators go on hiatus to regroup, teaches you patience. Additionally, I can’t help but be frustrated by the release schedules for manga titles, but that’s life.

But considering that, I’m the Patron Saint of Patience compared to my impatient wife.

And that’s it for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, and go and watch some of the Women’s Six Nations Championship. I’ll see you at the weekend for a rare Saturday post. See you then.

Finally, my Star Wars: The High Republic post is here

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Television

Well, this blog post has been years in the making. I’ve hinted at this for some time, and now that my sponsorships are under control and I’ve completed the press tours, I feel it’s the right moment to write a blog post about the Star Wars: The High Republic series. I’m now rich and famous for running New Zealand’s fifth least favourite website, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to share my thoughts on this important subject.

Let’s establish an ugly truth before we begin: not every person on this planet has seen a Star Wars movie or TV show, or read a Star Wars novel or comic book; while some people, for some strange and unexplained reason, don’t like Star Wars. I know, it’s difficult to believe, but it’s true.

It’s been well and truly documented that I’m a geek and a fan of the world’s most famous space opera. This shouldn’t be a surprise to any of you. Seriously, it shouldn’t.

In terms of my Star Wars diet, I’ve been reading Star Wars literature in the form of novels and comic books for decades. Yes, I enjoyed the films, and since I won’t dive into that today, they left a void in me. I wanted more from that fictional universe, especially learning about the Jedi and events before A New Hope.

Enter Tales of the Jedi from Dark Horse Comics, and my prayers were answered. I think I discovered Tales of the Jedi at a library, and I was instantly hooked. Stories about the Jedi, set thousands of years before the Battle of Yavin? Sign me up.

It was a chance to tell new and exciting tales about the Star Wars universe, without being bogged down with continuity problems, since they were set thousands of years ago. I read the trades, then sourced all of the single issues, because I felt the entire series was made for me. I loved it.

Dark Horse later released Star Wars: Knights of the Republic, Star Wars: The Lost Tribe of the Sith-Spiral, Star Wars: Knight Errant, Star Wars: Jedi vs Sith, Star Wars: Republic, Star Wars: Dark Times, and one of my favourites, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, among others.

Since then, various novels have been released, detailing thousands of years of Jedi and Sith, as well as the years leading up to The Phantom Menace and The Clone Wars. This also does not take away from the Canon stories exploring everything after A New Hope, either. I’ve enjoyed the Star Wars books I have read, but my love for Tales of the Jedi was enduring.

I felt I was starved for new Canon Star Wars content that was set hundreds or thousands of years before the Battle of Yavin. Legends’ stories were all over that, but the new stories seemed to be focused elsewhere. However, that changed with Star Wars: The High Republic.

My Star Wars: The High Republic novels

Essentially, The High Republic was1 a massive multi-media project, spanning novels (adult, young adult, middle-grade, young readers) comic books, audio drama, web series, manga, reference books, and short stories, with one animated TV show (Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures), and one live action TV show (Star Wars: The Acolyte). The creators were a mix of seasoned Star Wars writers and new writers, not including the multiple artists.

The High Republic was set about 150 years before A New Hope, with both the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order being at their prime. This is a time when thousands of Jedi patrol the galaxy, and new worlds are being discovered, and are invited to join the Republic. It’s an era of potential and exportation, when relative peace and security are a steady theme within the galaxy.

That sounds amazing, but would people want to read stories about Jedi travelling to distant worlds to mediate, or just enjoy having easy and stress-free lives? No, the Jedi needed a challenge to push them to become better. The Sith are still hiding throughout this time, so if the Sith aren’t the villains, the Jedi need someone else to fight!

This beautiful transition brings us the Drengir and the Nihil. The best way to explain the Drengir is that they are a sentient carnivorous plant species who have a connection to the Dark Side of the Force. They also have a hive-mind that is controlled by the Great Progenitor, who acts like the Borg Queen.

They had tentacles, thorns, various poisons, huge mouths, and an unending appetite for meat, which came in the form of whatever organisms they could find. During the series, the Drengir were wiping out villages, settlements, and colonies scattered across the galaxy.

The main villains of the series were the Nihil, who were described as space vikings. The creators put in a lot of effort in fleshing them out, since they were led by Marchion Ro, an Evereni who had an all-consuming hatred of the Republic and the Jedi.

The Nihil had a caste system, and they terrorised worlds and spaceships with raids, killing anyone that got in their way and taking whatever they wanted. Their spaceships had Path Engines, which were an engineering masterpiece and a secret weapon.

As I understood it, a normal spaceship that had a hyperdrive could make jumps through hyperspace across massive distances. However, Path engines allowed the Nihil to make micro-jumps through hyperspace, or even within a planet’s atmosphere. It meant the Nihil could make micro-jumps within a space battle and destroy or conquer spaceships with ease.

Throughout the series, they executed various gigantic plans across the galaxy to spread fear, terror, and to lay claim to new territories, as well as humiliating the Republic and destroying the Jedi Order. They did this through the aforementioned plans, but they also had an ace up their sleeve.

Marchion Ro used unique creatures. Called by several names, like The Shrikarai, the Nameless, and Shrii-ka-rai, these creatures were Force Eaters, which meant they survived and consumed the Living Force. As you can guess, their Force-sensitive victims were drained of the Living Force, and their bodies were converted to husks. And if their victims were Force-sensitive, it meant that their greatest strength became their greatest weakness.

Having a Nameless approach someone who was Force-sensitive would distort reality for that person, and affect them emotionally, physically, and mentally; but the main reason the Nameless were deadly was that Jedi were supposed to be mindful of their feelings and be able to suppress fear, but the Nameless made the Jedi afraid. They made the Jedi feel fear.

It’s an interesting take to see the brave Jedi being reduced to crying and screaming messes on the ground, when a non-Force-sensitive lifeform would be unaffected.

And speaking of Force-sensitive people, the creators have, in my opinion, been courageous in presenting other organisations that are connected to the Force, other than the Jedi and the Sith. Just because you are sensitive to the Force does not automatically mean you are destined to fall into the two camps of Jedi or Sith. It was great to see other organisms using the Force and helping communities, by not using a lightsabre.2

Phase III Star Wars: The High Republic Comics. Credit: Marvel & Dark Horse

Across the series, we have been introduced to many new and different Jedi. This relates to their species, type of lightsabre they use, and rank in the Jedi order, which is nothing new, since we were exposed to this with The Phantom Menace. However, the creators introduced something I believe I have never seen or heard of before: the way organisms feel, experience, and perceive the Force is different.

Albert Einstein explained with his theory of special relativity that there is no universal clock, so nobody experiences time the same way; we all experience time differently. This is much the same as how a lifeform experiences and perceives the Force, which will be different from everybody else. One Jedi experiences the Force as an ocean, another as music, and another as a forest. It was a cool concept.

We met new Jedi like OrbaLin, Burryaga Agaburry, Lily Tora-Asi, Sav Malagán, Ram Jomaram, Qort, Lula Talisola, Vernestra Rwoh, and Porter Engle, to name but a few. It was interesting to read about them in a novel, then discover them in a comic book, and vice versa. Star Wars: The High Republic also introduced lots of non-Jedi characters like Chancellor Lina Soh, Sevran Tarkin, Alys “Crash” Ongwa, Ty Yorrick, Tey Sirrek, Zeen Mrala, and Geode, along with many more.

The series was released in phases, which included the various media from January 2021 to June 2025. The main focus was the novels, with the comics, manga, and audio dramas still accessible to stand alone. The web series was released before the launch, so readers could understand the characters better and the time period.

With each phase, new content would slowly be released across, roughly 18 months, then go into hiatus, to reset for the new phase. Each phase was divided into Waves (1-3), which would include a novel, a young adult novel, and a middle-grade novel, so three books per wave meant nine books per phase.

Through the different phases, two main comic books were running, Star Wars: The High Republic from Marvel, and Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, first released from IDW, then Dark Horse took over publication with Phase II.

Multiple comic book mini-series were also released through the three phases, along with one-shots, six manga, and three audio dramas (also available as scripts). The picture, art, and reference books were published near the end of each phase, but I could be wrong about that.

Phase I: Light of the Jedi was the first entry into the series, with nine novels. They set up the scene for the golden era of the Republic and the Jedi, which was about 150 years before A New Hope, where Jedi numbers were in their thousands. The Nihil, Drengir and their mischief-making were introduced across the phase.

Phase II: Quest of the Jedi was different for two reasons. The first reason was that the time period shifted, because we journeyed back another 100 years, before Phase I, to where the Outer Rim was still being explored. I think it was done to allow the readers to process the events of Phase I and to answer some questions that were raised. The other reason was that, instead of nine novels being released like in Phase I, only six were published in Phase II.

Phase III: Trials of the Jedi had another time jump and picked up the story one year after the events of Phase I. Some characters had died, and others grew through character development. I would like to add extra information to Phase III, but I can’t.

The thing is, even though Star Wars: The High Republic has finished, I have not finished reading Phase III. Nine books were published in this phase, and not counting the comic books and manga, I have only read the first four: Escape from Valo, The Eye of Darkness, Defy the Storm, and Temptation of the Force.

My local bookstore is still waiting for the paperback editions of Beware the Nameless, Tears of the Nameless, Into the Light, A Valiant Vow, and Trials of the Jedi, along with the script of the Tempest Breaker audio drama.

I have the final chapter in the series, the Marvel one-shot, Star Wars: The High Republic: Finale, waiting patiently to be read, only after the other six books have been located and read. It’s difficult because I really want to read it, but I’ve waited this long, so I can wait some more.

I’ve really enjoyed reading Star Wars: The High Republic. Meeting both old3 and new characters and travelling to new planets has been a thrilling experience. I’ve been eagerly waiting for a massive Star Wars project like this for over half my life.

The motivations behind the actions of characters, along with their visual designs, have been quite beneficial in the different media, which have allowed the creators to explore and showcase various characters in new ways.

A lot of them were complex, because as children, we were taught a person is either good or bad, but life isn’t as binary as that, with people having the potential for both good and bad. I thought it was a mature choice from the creators to reflect that.

As for reflection, I know a lot of people complained about the inclusion of many LGBTQIA+ characters in the stories. Personally, I found their complaints to be hilarious, because it’s a fact that not every Star Wars fan is a middle-aged straight white male.

As a business model, if you’re selling products involving fictional characters, you want any person, of any background, to be able to pick one of your products and to be able to see themselves in it. You want to cater to as many people as possible. Star Wars should be for anybody, not just the die-hard fans, because you want the next generation to fall in love with it, just like you did.

It’s also been clever not to have the Sith as the antagonists, because other factions hate the Jedi as well. They were hiding at the time, so why expose themselves? Because they do that in The Phantom Menace, after thousands of years of waiting, planning, and killing themselves.

I loved this series, but I have only two small disadvantages with it. The first is the cost, though that depends on how far you want to dive into the project. If you’re only interested in the novels, then the story will make sense. And if only comic books float your boat, then you can still enjoy the story as well.

However, if you’re anything like me, you would want to read as much as you can, to fully explore this time period, with novels and comic books, so it’s going to cost you. Though in saying that, you can take your time with the collection, so there’s no hurry.

The other point is probably criticism towards me rather than the series. Because there were so many characters, I sometimes found myself reading about a character that I couldn’t remember. I would have to stop, quickly research that character, curse myself for being stupid for forgetting them, then continue reading.

I hope the Star Wars franchise creates another multi-media project like The High Republic, because if they do, I’m there. When UMC1 and UMC2 are interested, the novels are waiting for them. Not the comics, though, that’s another discussion.

And with that, this overly bloated blog post is finished. Have you read any of the Star Wars: The High Republic or have any thoughts about it? As always, please let me know.

Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, try to close a revolving door, and I’ll see you next week.

1 I believe the main High Republic story has finished, but some comics from Phase II are being released to expand upon this time period.

2 Yes, I know I have used “lightsabre” rather than “lightsaber.” I use British/New Zealand English, not American English, so I’m sorry, but not sorry.

3 I’m looking at you, Yoda.

San Diego Comic-Con 2025: What did we discover?

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

So this is San Diego
And what have you done?
Another Comic-Con over
And a new one just begun
And so this is San Diego
I hope you had fun
The geek and the nerdy ones
The boomers and your mum.

Can you believe that San Diego Comic-Con has already checked into the hotel, trashed the bed, glued the furniture to the ceiling, drank all of the mini-bottles, and left again?! It’s amazing that the largest geek-laden event on the planet has been and gone for another year, but this means we get to discuss it!

Before we push on further, with what will be another pulsating lecture by yours truly, let’s establish what in the Nine Circles of Dante’s Hell I’m talking about. I’ve mentioned this before, so why mess with success!

San Diego Comic-Con is an opportunity for some of the world’s leading entertainment companies to showcase their upcoming products, including toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, and TV shows, to the ticket-paying fans and the rest of the world.

One day I’ll get to go there. I’ll probably have to sell a kidney and take out a second mortgage, but I’ll get there one day.

I can only imagine that you can get anything you need at San Diego Comic-Con: t-shirts, back issues, DVDs, action figures, books, and information. A lot of information. After reviewing the numerous announcements that I could find, I have selected a few that caught my interest. Even George Lucas made an appearance!

Sadly, just like a mogwai, there are some rules with something that I have written.

1.) I have not read or seen every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. I can only discuss the things I know of, but also things I’m interested in.
2.) Just because a product is on my list doesn’t mean I’ll get to see or purchase it. Quite simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention, regardless of whether I watch or purchase it.
3.) I have included some information and trailers that were released just before San Diego Comic-Con. This is because I’m the lead writer on this venture, so what I say goes.
And with that, let us be entertained by franchises and companies fighting each other for our hard-earned money!

Credit: San Diego Comic-Con

Literature: (Books and Comics)

This year, this section is quite sparse for me. All of the Star Wars: The High Republic books have been released, but I have not read all of them yet. As for the comics, there were a lot of interesting announcements, namely Ultimate Endgame, but also that Absolute Wonder Woman won the Eisner award for the Best New Series, by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman.

The four main announcements that I am definitely going to find are:

Deadpool/Batman #1 (From Marvel)

Credit: Marvel/DC

Batman/Deadpool #1 (From DC)

Credit: DC/Marvel

Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1

Credit: DC

Absolute Evil #1

Credit: DC

(Yes, I’m still a sucker for the Absolute Universe. The titles are nailing the characters, they are superb.)

Movies:

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

This is Spinal Tap is one of my favourite films, as it’s chock-full of comedy gold and gems. It came out in 1984, so I thought the time for a sequel to the film was dead and gone. Imagine my surprise when I saw the trailer for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues!

I never knew about the existence of this film, so I will definitely be watching that. It’s made me search for the original to watch it again. The premise of the film is that the band had broken up, but they are reuniting for a one-night-only show. You can dial that to 11.

Predator: Badlands

I’ve seen Prey, and I thought it was a positive chapter in the Predator franchise. As for Predator: Killer of Killers, I have not seen it, so I can’t comment about it. In saying that, Predator: Badlands looks intriguing for two major reasons.

The first reason is that the writer and director of Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, Dan Trachtenberg, is back behind the camera for the next Predator instalment. Like I said before, even though I haven’t seen Predator: Killer of Killers, Prey was enough for me to respect Trachtenberg’s vision for the films.

The second reason is that it appears Predator: Badlands is blending Predator with Aliens concepts, namely a synthetic created by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Is Predator: Badlands offering us a soft reboot of Aliens vs. Predator, or is it going somewhere else? I don’t know, but I want to find out.

The Long Walk

I’ve read a lot of Stephen King books, but I have not read all of them, and The Long Walk is one of them, I’m ashamed to admit. I understand that The Long Walk is based on the book, though how faithful it is to the source material, I can’t answer that question.

The concept seems simple. Wikipedia states that, “In a dystopian United States ruled by a totalitarian regime, a group of young men enter an annual walking contest in which they must maintain a speed of at least three miles per hour or risk execution. The contest ends when only one walker remains alive.”

I’ve been a King fan since before Pennywise and Maturin emerged from the Void, or Roland Deschain’s first turning of the wheel. At some point, I will be watching The Long Walk.

Television shows:

Peacemaker: Season 2

I’ve said this before, but Peacemaker had no reason or right to be as good as it was. It was brutal, hilarious, and creative, all at the same time. Essentially, what I’m saying is that I thoroughly enjoyed it. So, my expectations for the second season have increased.

John Cena had a cameo as Peacemaker in Superman, and from what I understand, the show is set after the events of the film. It will also explore the ramifications of Christopher Smith (Cena) killing Colonel Rick Flag Jr in The Suicide Squad. If the new season is as funny as the first, it will be great!

Alien: Earth

Alien: Romulus was a hit last year, but this is the first time the Alien franchise has dipped its toes into the world of television. On paper, Alien: Earth sounds and looks interesting; a spaceship crashes on Earth, carrying some nasty human-killing creatures, including the Xenomorphs.

It looks creepy as hell, and the set designs are impressive. I could be wrong about this, but this is the first time in canon that Xenomorphs have reached Earth, and it’s going to be horrific, but only in a good way. If only I’m brave enough to watch it.

IT: Welcome to Derry

I’ve been fortunate enough to have read the novel, seen the mini-series, and both movies, so IT: Welcome to Derry will not be an unknown concept to me. From what I understand, Bill Skarsgård is back as everybody’s favourite human-eating clown-entity, Pennywise, as well as having Andy Muschietti attached to the project.

Apparently, the show is set in 1962, which makes it a prequel to the two movies. Since it’s based on work from Stephen King, we can only imagine we may have cameos from other characters. I’ll watch with one eye open.

The Legend of Vox Machina: Season 4 

My wife got me into Critical Role’s The Legend of Vox Machina, as it was something we both enjoyed watching together. I know next to nothing about the upcoming season, so I’m happy for it to be a surprise. Though it wouldn’t be nice for Grog to have a love interest! Imagine the carnage!

The Mighty Nein

And speaking of Critical Role, the Mighty Nein (or The Sensual Seven?) will be released later this year. I believe the show is set 20 years after The Legend of Vox Machina, as it’s on the same world, just a different continent.

If The Legend of Vox Machina is any gauge, then my wife and I will have to watch The Mighty Nein together.

Avatar: Seven Havens

To the best of my knowledge, there was no trailer for Avatar: Seven Havens, but Nickelodeon released an image from the show. The story is set after The Legend of Korra, with the new Avatar, who is an earthbender.

The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender still has some surprises and adventures for us to explore, and I can’t wait for UMC1 and UMC2 to experience them as well.

Courtesy of Nickelodeon

Like I said previously, I didn’t catch all of the news, so maybe I missed some important news. What announcements from San Diego Comic-Con were you interested in? As always, please let me know.

Alright, that’s another blog, for another week. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, speak out against the Palestinian genocide, and I’ll see you next week for the overdue return of the Solar System’s worst tour!

Happy Star Wars Day 2025!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

This is the day you’re looking for! Yes, today is 4th May, Star Wars Day! May The 4th Be With You has become a day set aside to celebrate everything about Star Wars, whether it’s movies, books, comics, toys, board games, cosplay, TV shows, and everything else!

It’s also amazing to see the 20th-anniversary Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith re-release has been outselling new movie releases with pre-sales tickets! That’s crazy because it’s not like they will give Anakin and Padmé a happy ending. Right? Right?

Image by Filip Vaněk from Pixabay

As always, Star Wars Day is important to our family, so my wife, UMC1 and UMC2 decided to celebrate by creating art, but this time, it was on the kitchen blackboards.

On the left-hand side, we have my wife’s art. It’s filled with Star Wars quotes and sound effects, along with a Power Droid speaking Aurebesh saying, “Gonks Rule!”

On the centre blackboard, we have UMC2’s artwork which depicts a Rancor fighting some Gamorrean guards, at Jabba’s Palace. There’s a lot of blaster fire and explosions, because some stupid person built a blaster large enough for a Rancor to use, and gave it to them!

On the right-hand side blackboard, we have UMC1’s offering, which displays A New Hope’s Death Star battle scene, with X-wings and Y-wings attacking the Death Star, which is defended by TIE fighters.

As for me, I’m just showcasing my Star Wars: The High Republic novel collection. This does not include the comics and manga series, which are kept separately. Escape from Valo is there, it’s just been pushed to the back.

I’ve been enjoying The High Republic series, and I’m sad to see it end. I’m just waiting for the last five books to be published as paperbacks so I can finish the saga. This reminds me that I STILL have not written that High Republic blog post, I keep saying I’m going to do. I need to get on to that.

For Star Wars Day, we will probably wear our Star Wars t-shirts, read some Star Wars books or comics, play Star Wars: Risk, or watch some Star Wars content, or maybe all of it!

How are you celebrating Star Wars Day? Please let me know. Ok, that’s it for me. Enjoy this wizard day and I’ll see you on Monday.

San Diego Comic-Con 2024: What projects are coming to a screen or store near you?

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

This is the third year I’ve done this, but I like making fun mistakes. It’s that time of the year to discuss one of the biggest geek events on the planet: no, it’s not me wearing my Batman socks and my Iron Man t-shirt, at the same time. However cool and brave that event is, it pales compared to San Diego Comic-Con.

I’ve never been to it, mainly because it’s over 10,000 km away and I can’t afford to go; like ever. But that doesn’t mean I still can’t enjoy it, right? Right?!

San Diego Comic-Con is the opportunity for some of the world’s leading entertainment companies to showcase their upcoming products, whether toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, or TV shows, to the ticket-paying fans, and the rest of the world.

Standing in line for hours to meet an idol, overpriced food, cool tote bags, and cosplaying, what’s more to love?! Information, that’s what; specifically trailers, panels, and media statements.

After going through the list of upcoming projects, like a dog bin-diving, who is searching for a disgusting tissue, I have found some things that interest me. I have said this before about San Diego Comic-Con, but I haven’t read or watched every single scrap of information that was released. Tragic, but true.

So, what projects are coming to a cinema or store near you? Well, it’s a concoction, stranger than Dr Jekyll’s elixir. As always, with nearly every one of my posts, there are some rules. Of course, there are.

1.) I have not read or seen, every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. I can only discuss the things I know of, but also things I’m interested in. However, I will not be picking up a copy of The Bloody Beetroot #1, thank you very much.

2.) Just because a product is on my list, doesn’t mean I’ll get to see, or purchase it. Quite simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention; regardless if I watch or purchase it.

3.) I have included some information and trailers that were released, just before San Diego Comic-Con. This is because I’m the chief shareholder in the company. That sounds very fair.

Before I go on, I realise the world is a crazy place, and not everything that happens is positive. I’m aware of this, which is why this nonsense blog exists. Cool bananas?

Ok, I’m not here to shag spiders, so let’s do this!

Image: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

Literature: (Books and Comics)

With the comics selection, the biggest projects that sparked my interest were from DC and Marvel. I’m not saying other companies have nothing of interest to me, but as I have said before, I can only talk about projects that I know of.

Absolute Universe

Yes, Marvel already did this with the Ultimate Universe, so over 20 years later, it’s DC’s turn. I don’t know all the details, but it seems they have reimagined key heroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in a new universe.

Bruce has no money or Batcave, Clark has no family, and Diana is the last of the Amazons. The concept is simple, but the designs for the characters are impressive. There are more Absolute titles coming, like The Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter.

I don’t know if I’ll buy any of these titles, but they look interesting, and sometimes that’s half the battle.

Credit: DC Comics

Star Wars

I need to remember to write about Star Wars: The High Republic. It’s been another year, and I still haven’t done it, so I’m sorry about that. We’re approaching the halfway point of the third and final phase of the project, but my love for Star Wars remains strong.

Information concerning Star Wars literature include:

Star Wars: The Acolyte: Wayseeker (novel)

Star Wars: The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi (limited series-Marvel)

Star Wars: Battle of Jakku: Insurgency Rising (limited series-Marvel)

Star Wars: The High Republic: Edge of Balance: Premonition (manga-Viz Media)

Credit: Marvel Comics

Here’s a quick update about the project that I discussed about last year’s Comic-Con. Knights Vs Samurai, is finally getting released in September, and I’m looking forward to it.

Credit: Image Comics

Movies:

Star Trek: Section 31

Technically, this is a television movie, but let’s not split hairs too much.1 Like any geek, I love Star Trek, and this spin-off from Star Trek: Discovery seems intriguing. Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou was a stand-out character in the series, who eventually went on her own growth and development arc. Granted, I’m not entirely sure when the film is set in the timeline, but it’s enough to grab my attention.

It’s going to be on a streaming service, like nearly everything else, so I just hope I’ll be able to see it. Maybe finding a magic lamp will help.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man

Any long-time followers of this vanity project will know my love for Anung un Rama, aka Hellboy. I’ve been slowly going bankrupt for years, reading and collecting Hellboy comics; which led me to read the classic Hellboy: The Crooked Man mini-series, when it came out in 2008.

I knew a fourth Hellboy movie was being produced, but when I understood it was going to be about The Crooked Man, well, I did my infamous Daddy-Dance in front of my wife; and she just rolled her eyes.

After watching the trailer, I danced again, because the film looks immaculate. Leaning into the horror aspect of Hellboy’s world, goes in step with the ghouls and demons that live there. This is a film I am 100% going to see.

Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brace New World is the MCU’s first film for 2025, wait..2025? Really? I remember going to see Iron Man only a few years ago…oh. Damn.

Anyway, I want to see this film, but just like Loki and the TVA in Deadpool & Wolverine, I haven’t seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, surprise, surprise. So basically, will people understand the progression of events in the movie, if they haven’t seen the mini-series?

I have no idea, but I’m keen as a bean to see whether Red Hulk will be intelligent or not. I’ll have to visit The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Wikipedia page before visiting my local cinema, to get myself up to speed. Will this be enough? Again, I have no idea, but I still would like to see it.

Alien: Romulus

I want to see Alien: Romulus because I’m a fan of the Alien movies. The trailer makes it look dark, claustrophobic, and intense, just like any Alien movie should be.

However, after watching an army of face huggers running around a space station in the trailer, I’ve decided I’m going to watch the movie at home. I don’t want to be scared in public, so I’ll save the pants-peeing and pants-shitting for my living room. I still haven’t had the courage to watch Alien: Covenant yet!

Television shows:

The Penguin

Colin Farrell was unrecognisable as Oswald Cobblepot, aka Penguin in 2022’s The Batman; which was an amazing film. He was fantastic as Cobblepot, and if I understand the plot correctly, the show is set after the first film, but before the second, which is in preproduction.

After Carmine Falcone died in The Batman, Cobblepot is attempting to take over Gotham’s underworld and install himself as the new crime lord. That being the case, I think Batman will only be used in conversations, and not actually appear.

Maybe more of Batman’s Rogue’s gallery will turn up in the mini-series, because Sofia and Alberto Falcone are involved, so they could be setting up a live-action version of The Long Halloween. Who knows? Whatever the case, Farrell looks like he’s bringing the heat and it’s a show that my wife and I will watch together. And who said romance is dead?!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 3

Like I said about Star Trek: Section 31, I’ve been enjoying Star Trek: Discovery, but my admiration of the saga, also includes Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I have to be honest, this show keeps surprising me, and that’s a good thing.

Witnessing these familiar, but also unfamiliar characters has been great, and the cliffhanger for Season 2 was unexpected. Strange New Worlds has helped me to fall in love with Star Trek, all over again. Isn’t that cute and nice?

Superman & Lois: Season 4

Superman & Lois has been a TV show that destroyed my expectations of it. Seriously. These versions of Clark and Lois are wonderful, and I fully believe that Clark and Lois are better together on screen. This show brings out their strengths and highlights that Clark can’t be Superman, without the support of his family; which to me, makes him only stronger.

Add in Season 3’s cliffhanger fight with Doomsday, and I’ve reserved my ticket for the final season. I’m going to miss this show.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was quite divisive among fans for several reasons. I did watch the first season, so I can understand some of the criticisms, which I’ve discussed before on this magnificent blog.

However, unlike the hundreds, if not thousands of fans that have distanced themselves from the project, I am more than willing to give this show another shot at greatness. Have things improved on the show? I don’t know, but I promise I’m going to watch it. I see that Tom Bombadil is in the show, but I still want Melkor to have a cameo!

Also, this is a special mention about Batman: Caped Crusader. I’m going to write my first preview/review about a television show, and Batman: Caped Crusader gets to be the lucky winner. I’ll talk more about this closer to the time, but I’m optimistic about the show.

Anyway, that’s it for another week. What announcements from San Diego Comic-Con were you interested in? As always, please let me know. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, keep watching the Olympics, and I’ll see you next week for the return of the Solar System’s worst tour!

1 Like Vulcans, I embrace technicalities; but not for this section. The double pun is very much intended.

Happy Star Wars and Free Comic Book Day!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

As you can tell, today is not a Monday; so why is there a short blog post from me? That’s a simple answer, because not only is today Star Wars Day, but it’s also Free Comic Book Day!

Star Wars Day is always held on the 4th of May, regardless of what day it is, just so people can say, May The 4th Be With You. Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), however, is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May. 

I feel they are two of the largest pop culture dates on the geek calendar, so it’s not often that Star Wars Day coincides with FCBD, but I think it just gives people twice the reason to celebrate the day.

I have mentioned it before, but Star Wars has a special place in my family. We enjoy it through movies, books, toys, board games, TV shows1 and cosplay. This also includes comics. Throughout the years, I have gathered a collection of Star Wars comics, so FCBD holds significant importance for me.

Credit: Disney/Lucasfilm & DC/Marvel/FCBD

So, what’s the point of this post? Easy, if you’re a fan of the adventures of characters from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, then today is your day to watch the movies or TV shows, read that book, play that computer game, or simply wear that Darth Vader t-shirt to the supermarket. Own this day, own it!

If you’re a fan of comic books, you need to get yourself down to your local comic book store; if possible, so you can support them by picking up some free comic books, cosplaying as your favourite characters, and buying some items. These stores are the lifeblood of the industry, so please support them.

And if you’re a fan of both Star Wars and Comics, well…today’s the day you can live your best life! My family recently made their own fantastic Stormtrooper helmets, which UMC1 and UMC2 will be wearing somewhere today.

How are you celebrating Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day? Please let me know. Ok, that’s it for me. Enjoy this amazing day and I’ll see you on Monday.

1.) One day I’m going to get Disney +. It’s not today, but one day.

San Diego Comic-Con 2023: Did anything good happen?

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television

If you inhabit any of the plethora of areas that count as geek culture, then you would have known one of the largest geek culture events in the world, took place last week. No, I’m not talking about Barbenheimer; though I feel that could be a blog all on its own.

What I’m really talking about, is the 2023 edition of the San Diego Comic-Con. As I’ve stated before, I’m still over 10,000 km away from the event, but one day I’m going to go to it. One day. Now for those of you that don’t know what the San Diego Comic-Con actually is, firstly how is that possible?! I’m joking, nobody is perfect so its fine.

The San Diego Comic-Con is a mega event; if not the mega event that celebrates popular culture. It’s where creators and companies gather to promote and advertise their products to the public, like toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, tv shows, and anything else I haven’t thought of.

We also can’t forget to mention, it’s an amazing opportunity for cosplayers to shine! If I ever went, I would cosplay as a tired broke father, wearing tracksuit pants, a witty t-shirt, and rocking the same haircut he’s had for 20 years. I would clean up with the cosplay awards, so look out!

Apart from the products available for sale at the event, San Diego Comic-Con is famous for the many releases, trailers, and announcements, from companies across genres. I’ll be honest here, I haven’t read or watched every single scrap of information that was released at San Diego Comic-Con. I love popular culture, but I’m not that committed.

In saying that, here’s a question: Did anything good happen? Was there any information about an upcoming product, that I found to be interesting?

You’re in luck, because I’m going to answer that great question! And as I stated last year, let’s establish a few things first:

1.) I have not read or seen, every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. I can only discuss the things I have knowledge of, but also things I’m actually interested in. I’m still waiting for the release of the Salt and Vinegar biography movie, damn that would be good!

2.) Just because a product is on my list, doesn’t mean I’ll actually get to see it or purchase it. Quite simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention; regardless if I watch and purchase it.

Clear as a spider drink? Great, once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

Comic-Con in San Diego. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Literature: (Books and Comics)

Giant Robot Hellboy

One of these days, I’m going to write a blog about Big Red, because I’m an enormous Hellboy fan. I’ve been reading and collecting Mike Mignola’s creation for years, so I’m always ready to hear about new content.

So imagine my utter shock, following the announcement of the Giant Robot Hellboy mini-series. I’m not smart enough to even begin to explain how insane this series sounds and looks. Mignola is writing the mini-series, with Duncan Fegredo adding the art. I find it amazing that the duo that gave us some important Hellboy stories like Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt, The Storm, and The Fury, are giving us another one?!

The first issue is released in October by Dark Horse, and I have already subscribed to it. The covers look phenomenal, so let’s have some good ole Hellboy shenanigans! Can’t wait.

Star Wars: The High Republic

I know I keep saying this, but I really do need to write a Star Wars: The High Republic blog. Phase II of the story finished recently, though I’m still waiting for my copies of Quest for Planet X, Path of Vengeance, and The Edge of Balance: Precedent to finally arrive in my tiny letterbox.

At San Diego Comic-Con information was released concerning the final section, Phase III. These include:

  • Star Wars: The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight (mini-series-Marvel)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic (Marvel)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (Dark Horse)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic: Escape from Valo (written by Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic: Defy the Storm (written by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness (written by George Mann)

I’m really enjoying this Star Wars project, so I’m looking forward to reading all of those products.

Knights Vs Samurai

If I understand it correctly, during the Todd McFarlane panel, some new titles were announced through Image Comics. One was a title called Knights Vs Samurai, written by actor David Dastmalchian, and the artist is Federico “Fede” Mele. Apart from the concept of knights and samurai fighting each other, I know little else about it, other than it looks quite interesting.

Movies

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

The classic story of four mutant turtles growing up to be teenage ninjas is as old as 1984. I had already heard of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, but when I saw the clip, I also watched it with UMC1. He told me it looked crazy and fun, but more importantly, he wanted to go and watch it with me! High praise indeed, that an eight year old boy wants to be seen in public with his father!

The Marvels

I feel terrible for saying this, but I still haven’t seen Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 yet. I know, I suck. Having said that, The Marvels is a film I do want to see, but I need to watch the other four films first.

Television shows

Invincible: Season Two

To save myself some time and effort, I’ll direct you to a previous blog, so you can understand my feelings about Invincible. I’ve seen Season One, and I loved it. I’m curious to see how they handle Angstrom Levy, and how far will they take the story? Will we see Nolan on Thraxa, or at least Oliver?

The first season was released in March 2021, so just like everybody else, I’ve been waiting very patiently for the second season. It should be awesome, especially since fellow Kiwi, Cliff Curtis is involved.

Special Mention

Everything Star Trek

I’m currently riding a Star Trek wave, and I don’t really want to get off it. Announcements and information about Star Trek: Discovery-Season Five, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds-Season Two, and Star Trek: Lower Decks-Season Four were all very welcome. I’ve just finished Star Trek: Picard-Season Three, so I’m ready for some more.

Also, the news of some sort of crossover between the shows seems quite….fascinating.

A ton of other stuff was announced, but these were the main ones that I found interesting. This blog about San Diego Comic Con is smaller than last year, though I’m not sure why. Maybe I’m getting too old, or I’m watching my money more. Who knows?

Anyway, that’s it for today. What announcements from San Diego Comic-Con were you interested in? Please let me know. I’m off to watch the second episode of Good Omens 2, so don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, go watch some FIFA Women’s World Cup football, and I’ll see you next week.