Category: Comics

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.

Legend now and forever: John Romita Sr.

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics, People

This week’s blog is sadly becoming a depressing trend on Some Geek Told Me; yet another titan of the comic book industry has fallen. On the 12th of June, John Romita Sr. passed away in his sleep at his home in New York, aged 93. 

Far better writers have already crafted beautiful tributes about Romita Sr. and his art, so I feel strange addressing this topic, however, I’m going to talk about what John Romita Sr. meant to this awkward, comic-loving Kiwi geek. 

John Romita Sr. (Image by Marc Stamas)

I have explained this before, but I like comic books. I enjoy them for many different reasons, but one of them is that they helped me to learn how to read when I was young.

There was a tatty old cardboard box under my bed, that was filled with old comics, that I think were donated by various family members and people in the community. The true origin of the box is a mystery to me, to be honest, and I like it that way.

The stories were exciting and outrageous, but it was the art that drew you into the story. The characters had colourful costumes, the backgrounds were detailed, and the drama, oh the drama! I remember reading some shabby, coverless comics with Spider-Man and various other Marvel characters, and I was enthralled with them.

One day I observed that some of the amazing characters looked very similar, like they were drawn by the same person. I discovered later on, that the artist’s name was John Romita Sr. That name didn’t hold any gravity with me, because I didn’t know comic history; I just knew I liked his work.

Time moved on and I learnt more about comics, but also about the people creating them. To me, that Romita guy’s art seemed to be everywhere! I knew that wasn’t the case, it just seemed that way.

And of course, much like millions of other people over the planet, I slowly fell in love with John’s art. It was always so gorgeous. Eventually, I started to understand what a powerhouse John Romita Sr. was for comics.

Even as the somewhat adult that I am, I still get surprised. I’ll be looking at some comic art from whatever decade, and I’ll start to think, “Wait, did Romita Sr. draw this?” I’ll check, and yes, yes he did. My next thought would always be, “How much art did he draw? It’s everywhere! Did he not sleep?!”

The stupid thing is that I’m crying as I’m writing this. I’m grieving about the death of a man that I never met, but has been in my life nonetheless. He created and co-created Wolverine, Mary Jane Watson, Brother Voodoo, Nova, and Luke Cage; along with Bullseye, Hobgoblin, Kingpin, and the Punisher, and many other characters. Who would Daredevil be without Bullseye and the Kingpin? Or Peter without Mary Jane? I have no idea, but it wouldn’t be what we have now.

The only thing left to say about John Romita Sr., is thank you. Your passion and dedication to your art, helped me to love a medium that has possessed my heart and soul. I send condolences to your family, but also gratitude, because you made this big old crazy world, a little bit brighter.

And with that, I’ll leave you. What’s your favourite art drawn by John Romita Sr.? Please let me know. 

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I’m also on Twitter and Mastodon, where I ramble on about whatever my social media consultant tells me to write about. 

Don’t forget to walk your dog; watch a banned movie; go and buy a comic book, and I’ll see you next week.

The Flash: Movie Review

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics, Movies

Carrying on from last week, I’d still like to talk about The Flash. Why? Well, last week I created a non-amusing preview of The Flash movie, which can be found here.

On Wednesday 16th June, I managed to secure a ticket to view an advanced screening of the film. I brought the ticket online; which is something I rarely do. This was strange, because when I arrived at the cinema, I walked inside and brought some food I didn’t really need, then walked straight into the theatre. But get this…not one person stopped me, or asked to see my ticket.

I was sitting in my seat waiting for the trailers, when it occurred to me that I had basically just walked in off the street and sat down in a theatre, without ANYBODY asking about my ticket. My town only has one cinema, so it can be quite lax. It’s truly strange.

The Flash movie poster outside my local cinema

Anyway, you haven’t come here to learn about my local cinema’s protocols; you’re here for the review. Unless you’re lost, and I’m terribly sorry, but I have no idea how to help you.

Three things you need to know before you go on any further:

1.) Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.

2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch or read it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.

3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be. Hopefully.

Sweet? Ok maybe the best place to start, is by stating whether I liked the film or not, which I did. I really did. Also, I’ll be referring to Barry Allen as two different people; Barry-1 (Barry Allen from 2023) and Barry-2 (Barry Allen from 2013).

Let’s discuss some of the things I liked. The first thing was actually something that had appeared in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In this film, Barry-1 saves Iris West from a car accident. From this interaction, the viewer could possibly think that Barry-1 and Iris are complete strangers. It’s a cool scene, but it has Barry-1 creepily touching Iris’ hair.

Fast forward1 to The Flash, you learn that Barry and Iris actually know each other from university, and Iris says that she thought she saw Barry-1 a few years ago; obviously referencing the car accident. For the sake of continuity, I thought that was a subtle, but clever move.

I know I’m about to go off-topic here, but please stay with me. Like any superhero or supervillain, The Flash has a few weaknesses. One of them is food; or more precisely, his metabolism. Since he runs at ridiculous speeds, his body burns through thousands of calories, because his body is working harder and faster.

To compensate for this, Barry-1, or any Flash, has an extremely fast metabolism. This requires him to eat a huge amount of food, to get the calories he needs to feed his metabolism. Superman needs sunlight, Aquaman needs water, and The Flash needs food.

Because of this, it made me smile watching Barry-1 and Barry-2, trying to eat as much as they could, whenever they could throughout the movie. The vendor machine scene was so on point, it made me laugh. Actually, the whole “baby shower” scene was exactly what I would expect to see in a Flash movie.

And speaking of Barry-1 and Barry-2, I thought Ezra Miller did a phenomenal job at playing two different versions of Barry Allen. Yes, the special effects and editing played their own part to be sure, but Miller really sold the viewer the idea that there were two Barrys. Barry-1 and Barry-2 were similar, but they were still different. I loved how Barry-2’s laugh reinforced the concept that he was younger than Barry-1.

The interactions and dialogue between Barry-1 and Barry-2 were impressive, especially during their training sequences and in the Batman cave.

Barry-1’s costume and lightning were great; especially the scene with the Flash Ring. I only noticed the ring, when Barry-1 was having breakfast with his parents; if he was wearing it before that, I didn’t notice it. Though to be fair, my wife has mentioned that I’m not very observant, so I’m not surprised.

Time travel is part of The Flash’s mythos, along with phasing through objects. Seeing both Barry-1 and Barry-2 phase was unexpected but quite welcome. That also reminded me, I thought the film was really funny. Because Barry (any version) is a little awkward, it provided some hilarious material, that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

Moving onto Batman, we got maybe 15 minutes with Ben Affleck in three-four scenes, so he’s only in the first act. However, the big drawcard was, of course, Michael Keaton. My theory of him being Thomas Wayne was of course destroyed, after one scene.

The fight scene at the prison was impressive, but I was thinking, “This guy would be in his mid 60’s to early 70’s, could he really be doing this fighting without some type of super-armored suit?” Though in fairness, he is Batman. I think the trope of a retired warrior, coming back for one more fight has been done before, but never with a Batwing. It was nostalgic to have Keaton back as Batman, whether for good or for ill.

As for Sasha Calle’s Kara Zor-El, I feel just like everybody else in saying that we needed more screen time for her. I really hope that’s not the last we see of her.

There’s other stuff that I liked as well, like the soundtrack, casting, and practical effects, among others. However, I do need to discuss the things that I didn’t like.

I was approaching this movie with the idea that linear time travel was the standard model for time travel in the movie; but not only did Barry-1 travel back in time and alter the past, which of course changed the future; but Barry-1 was also in another universe, because of multiverse mischief. To me, it sort of made Barry-1’s action worse, because he was screwing up other universes as well.

I thought the CGI was great throughout the film, but there were three scenes where the CGI looked odd. I realise the baby shower scene and Kara Zor-El’s first fight were mainly viewed in slow motion, to really emphasise how speedsters view and experience the world. I get that and understand it, but the babies looked quite strange, and the Russian guards looked even stranger, as Kara was kicking their collective arses.

The other scene was within the Speed Force, where Barry-1 and Barry-2 could run to and insert themselves into the timeline. The concept was cool, but I feel that it looked weird, with CGI characters moving and changing.

This of course brings us to the cameos. I know the backlash Rogue One: A Star Wars Story received for bringing back 1977’s Carrie Fisher, but also that Fisher died the same month the movie was released. Having said that, the amount of people discussing the wisdom about Christopher Reeve’s resurrection is important. Do film companies have the legal right to resurrect a deceased actor’s appearance? Do they have to consult with the actor’s family? I have no idea.

I have to admit, it was amazing to see Reeve and Supergirl (Helen Slater) standing next to each other, which was something that never happened in the films.

Also the Jay Garrick (the original Flash) cameo was interesting, which was Teddy Sears, from The Flash tv series. The problem is when Sears was playing Jay Garrick, he was doing it in disguise, because his real identity was Hunter Zolomon, a supervillain speedster.

Tangled up with all of the cameos, there was the multiverse collapsing, which birthed a new timeline (I think). This has resulted in the DCEU ending, and paving the way for the DCU.

I have a lot of questions because of this:

  • Where does Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom fit into the ongoing story?
  • Is the world Barry-1 returned to the new rebooted world, or some sort of bubble universe?
  • Is Supergirl dead in all realities?
  • Is George Clooney the new (old) Batman?
  • Will Ezra Miller stay on as the Flash, or will he recast?
  • Do Heatwave, Captain Cold, Mirror Master, and the Reverse Flash exist?

To be honest, I could bring a lot of shame to myself by continuing to list questions, so I’ll stop.

All and all, I liked The Flash. It’s not perfect, but I was happy with what I saw; even if it’s $17.00 a ticket. Thanks, inflation and GST2, you suck.

I’ve said this before, but if you want to read a new book, listen to new music, or possibly watch a new tv show or movie, just do it. That way, you can make your own mind up about it, then you’ll know.

I enjoy writing reviews, but I’m terrible at them. Sorry!

Have you seen The Flash? Please let me know what you thought of it.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog; read a banned book; avoid destroying the space-time continuum, and I’ll see you next week.

1 That’s a very deliberate pun.

2 One day I’ll write about GST, if I’m feeling angry enough.

The Flash: Movie Preview

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics, Movies1 Comment

I want to talk about the Flash. Why? I’ve reviewed a few things on this dysfunctional blog before; though not as many as I should. I’m looking at you Star Trek! However, as any attentive geek knows, The Flash opens this week in cinemas, and I’m planning on watching it.

I decided to talk to the different staff that work here at Some Geek Told Me, about possibly writing a movie preview. Upon having a meeting with the scriptwriter, editor, social media consultant, freelance fashion writer1, marketing director, finance officer2, and chief good ideas officer3; a vote was taken, with the winning result being 1-0. Hence this is my first preview.

Captain Cold and The Flash in another classic fight.

So why preview The Flash? This could be a shock to some of you, so please make sure you’re sitting down, but…I’m a geek. And just like I Fight Dragons said, the Geeks will inherit the Earth. Maybe.

I’ve always liked The Flash, the fastest man alive! I mean, he’s not called The Slow, is he? Whether it’s Jay, Barry, Wally, Bart, and many others, the Flash is so iconic. The costume, the lightning, the speed. I know the physics behind the Speed Force and the Flash’s abilities are bonkers, but he’s such a cool character.

Also how good are Flash Facts?!

Do you remember the movie, Daddy Day Care, with the kid that wore a Flash costume? One of the best scenes of the movie was the discussion of The Flash’s rogues gallery.4 It’s still funny as hell to me.

I’m going to stop gushing about the Scarlet Speedster, so I won’t even mention the amazing Flash hoodie that I have. Anyway, all of this blubbering brings us to the hot topic of today’s blog: The Flash movie.

Before I begin, there are two things I wouldn’t be discussing: 1.) Grant Gustin’s Flash or 2.) Ezra Miller’s shenanigans off the screen. These things are for other people to debate about, and I don’t get paid enough to discuss them.

So how do you write a preview?

Ironically, I’ve decided the best way is to propose a question and create an answer.

Am I looking forward to watching The Flash?

Well yes, obviously. I’ve purchased my ticket for an advanced screening on Wednesday 15th June at 6pm. Right in the centre at the back row, with all of the other extremely cool people.

What is the movie about?

Easy, the Flash. Next question. Seriously though, to the best of my understanding, the movie is based on the now-famous 2011 mini-series Flashpoint, by Geoff Johns, Andy Kubert, and others. This has Barry Allen travelling back through time to save his mother, but by doing this…I’ll let the Reverse Flash explain it better.

” You were like a bullet through a windshield. You shattered history. The lives of the people closest to you were put on a broken path. You changed time like an amateur! This is your fault, Barry. This hell is your creation. You traded the life of your mother for the rest of the world!”

Of course, they’re making some changes, namely swapping the role of Subject One, which was Kal-El, to Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle).

What can we expect?

To be honest, I really don’t know; though we are allowed to speculate. How much time will Ben Affleck, either as Bruce Wayne or Batman, have on the screen? 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or 50 minutes?

It’s the same for Michael Keaton’s Batman because they are billing him as one of the main characters. How much screen time will he have? This also begs the question, will Keaton be playing someone safe like Bruce Wayne, or will we have a twist with him playing Thomas Wayne instead, like in Flashpoint? I personally think it would be great if he’s Thomas Wayne.

I also know Miller is playing two versions of Barry Allen; one with super speed and one without. But just like in the comics, Barry doesn’t have his super speed in the new timeline, so he needs to get some, in the most painful way possible. Maybe the second Barry will gain super speed that same way, because in the various trailers, both versions of Barry have super speed.

With the cameos (if any), will Grant Gustin, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, or Diana Gadot, make an appearance? I have no idea, that information is above my paygrade. In saying that, I read that Nicholas Cage is appearing as Superman from the Multiverse, though that could be a red herring or a red speedster?!

Of the antagonists, Barry is the chief villain, because going back in time to save his mother, is an act of an unselfish man, making a selfish choice, that has brutal consequences for everybody. Obviously, Barry tries to correct this mistake, but I think he runs into two very fast problems: Michael Shannon and Antje Traue have returned from Man of Steel, in the forms of General Zod and Faora-Ul, respectably.

There’s also the theory the geek community is presenting, which is that the second Barry Allen; the one that potentially gains super speed in the movie, will become some sort of Dark Flash. Possibly developing into the Reverse Flash?5

Do I have have concerns?

Of course, I do; I have concerns with every comic book movie.

  • Will the plot make sense?
  • Will they be trying to pack too much content into the 144 minute runtime?
  • Will Barry be rebooting the DCEU, the same way he rebooted the DC timeline in Flashpoint?
  • Will they try to make Supergirl the new Superman, or let her have her own identity?
  • What if there are some continuity errors?
  • Will Supergirl’s introduction be rushed?
  • Do we believe the hype about the film, or is it over blown?
  • Will the dialogue be witty or corny, or both?
  • How will the CGI hold up?
  • How large of a role will Iris West (Kiersey Clemons) and Barry’s parents play?
  • Will we get a Flash Fact?

Ultimately I don’t know what the movie will be like. I’ve tried harder than a dog bin-diving for food, to avoid reading reviews about the movie. However, as I said before, I’m going to an advanced screening on Wednesday. My plan is to write a review of it, but I’m not sure what to do about, you know…spoilers!

I forgot to mention, did you like the photo? The Flash and Captain Cold belong to UMC2, and he was not impressed that the Flash spent some time in the freezer.

Anyway, I’ll be back next week for The Flash review. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog; read a banned book; stay away from hyper-intelligent telepathic gorillas, and I’ll see you next week, because I’ll be back in a flash.

1 Just between us, that guy is useless.

2 He’s worse than the freelance fashion writer.

3 Forget the other two, it’s a miracle this guy still has a job.

4 Apart from Spider-Man and Batman, I think The Flash has the best rogues gallery.

5 On a side note, the Reverse Flash has one of the best names in all of comicdom.

Happy Free Comic Book Day 2023!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics1 Comment

Welcome to the second special geek blog for the week! It’s Free Comic Book Day aka FCBD!

Some major things are happening today. Thousands of retailers around the world will open their doors and celebrate comics’ biggest day of the year. They will be giving away free comics across three age ratings: All ages (green logo), Teen (blue logo), and Mature (red logo), which can be identified on the covers.

These comics cover nearly every possible genre you can think of, so there’s something for everybody. I’ll like to point out, that even though the FCBD comics are purposely created for the day, and are given away for free to the public; actually cost the retailer, something like 25 cents per issue. It actually costs them a lot of money to host the event.

Full line up of FCBD Comics

A cool thing about FCBD is cosplaying. Many stores have cosplay competitions to celebrate the day, but others just encourage people to dress up, because they want to. I live 200 km from a comic book store, so I won’t be cosplaying; but if I did, I would cosplay as a tired father, wearing a t-shirt featuring science jokes, and carrying a wallet where my money used to be.

Another place that could be celebrating FCBD, could be your local library. A lot of them will be promoting the graphic novels in their collection, as well as holding cosplay events.

Image by Tania Van den Berghen from Pixabay

If you’re thinking of attending FCBD, so please do it and support your local comic book store. I’ve said this before, but they are the life blood of the industry, so while you’re receiving free comic books, maybe you could have a thorough look around the store. You could find something you didn’t know you needed!

How are you celebrating FCBD? Please let me know. Ok, that’s it for me. Enjoy FCBD and I’ll see you on Monday.

Happy Star Wars Day 2023!

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Movies, Television1 Comment

It’s time to celebrate one of the most important days on the Geek calendar. Today is the 4th May; Star Wars Day! Now to say Star Wars Day isn’t a big deal to our family, is a massive understatement. The love for Star Wars in strong in my family. I have it, my wife has it, and our children have it.

From movies, books, comics, toys, board games, cosplay, and tv shows, we love Star Wars. I mean I did get married on Star Wars Day, as well as give UMC2, a Star Wars name. That is next level commitment.

Image by tookapic from Pixabay

Because of this special day, I’d like to share two of our favourite Star Wars books. First is UMC2’s pride and joy; Star Wars: The Secret Life of Droids. He loves this book, and quite often retells information about IG-88, Pit droids, Crab droids, Probe droids, and every other droid, to some unfortunate people at the supermarket.

The second book is Star Wars: Alien Archive. This was given to me as a birthday gift, which contains information and illustrations about the various alien species in the Star Wars universe. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but this book has been quite helpful with reading other Star Wars content. Nice.

And to end this short and zealous blog, I’d like to talk about Power droids, aka Gonk droids. All four of us love Power droids. I mean, who wouldn’t? Anyway, some very creative people, produced a fan film about everybody’s favourite walking battery; it’s awesome. If Disney actually made a real movie or tv show about Power droids, we would all watch it.

Do you celebrate Star Wars Day? Please let me know what you do. That’s it for this special blog, and I’ll see you on Saturday for the second special geek blog. May the Force be with you. Always.

Are there things to look forward to in 2023?

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

I want to talk about 2023. Why? Um…let’s see. It’s nice to see the back of 2022 and usher in 2023, so Happy New Year! Because we have a brand new year, filled with fear and disappointment, I thought it might be optimistic of me for a change, to discuss what I’m looking forward to this year.

This is not a New Years Resolutions List, because you know, they don’t work. No, these are special events that are happening in 2023. It could be the release of a new movie, tv show, book, sporting event, of just about anything, as long as it is happening in 2023. They are five notes that go with the list.

1.) Just because an event is on the list, does not mean I will get to experience that event in 2023. A book might be released in May, a movie might come out in December, or a tv show will be released on a streaming platform that I don’t currently subscribe to, so I may not read and watch them until 2024. Also I can’t watch every single World Cup match or sports game either; I wish.

2.) Annual events like birthdays, anniversaries, Free Comic Book Day, or annual sporting competitions are special, but they don’t count, because they happen every year.

3.) Sour Cream and Chives being banned is very hopeful, but severely unlikely, so I can’t really put it on the list.

4.) Some dates could be confusing because of time zones differences, but they are subject to change,

5.) Against popular belief, I don’t know everything. There will be information about an event that hasn’t be released yet, that I could be interested in; but if I don’t know about it, I can’t add it to the list.

Right, I’m not here to shag spiders, so let’s do this.

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

Sport

Cricket

  • ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: 11th February-27th February
  • New Zealand Tour of India: 18th January-1st February
  • England Tour of New Zealand: 16th February-28th February
  • Sri Lanka Tour of New Zealand: 9th March-8th April
  • New Zealand Tour of Pakistan: 13th April-7th May
  • New Zealand Tour of England: 25th August-15th September
  • ICC Men’s World Cup: 10th October-26th November

Football

  • FIFA Women’s World Cup: 20th July-20th August
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup: 24th June-16th July

Side note: The 2023 AFC Asian Cup and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, have been pushed back to late 2023 to early 2024, with no confirmed dates. Thanks COVID-19 and climate change.

Rugby Union

  • 2023 Rugby World Cup: 8th September-28th October
  • I have no idea about international fixtures, other than the Six Nations and the World Cup.

Rugby League

  • I have no idea about international fixtures or tournaments.

I live in New Zealand, so these are my favourite sports. I’m very sorry.

Movies

  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February)
  • Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March)
  • John Wick: Chapter 4 (March)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May)
  • The Flash (June)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June)
  • Oppenheimer (July)
  • The Marvels (July)
  • Blue Beetle (August)
  • Dune: Part Two (November)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (November)
  • Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December)

And for various reasons, I’m a little nervous for this one:

  • Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June)

I’m painfully aware that out of all of these movies I want to see, only one is not a some type of sequel. Damn you Hollywood!

Television

  • The Mandalorian (March)
  • Superman & Lois (March)
  • Loki (Unknown)
  • Secret Invasion (Unknown)
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender (Unknown)
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Unknown)
  • Invincible (Unknown)
  • Doctor Who (Unknown)
  • Star Trek: Discovery (Unknown)
  • House of the Dragon (Unknown)
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Unknown)

Wow, what a list of superheroes, fantasy and science fiction shows! I’m embarrassed now.

Music

  • I have no idea, I have to start listening to more music created after 2005.

Literature

Manga

  • Sadly, I read six different titles and they’re published sporadically; so I don’t know when they would be released in 2023.

Comics

  • Saga is back in January with #61.
  • Any Locke & Key or The Umbrella Academy mini-series.

Fiction

  • The Nature of Middle-earth (February-paperback)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic – The Battle of Jedha (February)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic – Quest for Planet X (April))
  • Star Wars: The High Republic – Cataclysm (April)
  • Star Wars: The High Republic – Path of Vengeance (May)
  • The Fall of Númenor (Unknown-paperback)

Non-Fiction

  • Starry Messenger : Cosmic Perspectives on Civilisation (June)
  • A Brief History of Black Holes : And why nearly everything you know about them is wrong (Present)
  • The Men Who Destroyed Africa (Unknown)

Let’s be honest, shall we? One day I will talk about Star Wars: The High Republic; I purchase too many books; but also, my to-read pile is not getting any smaller. It has grown to three piles now. Because of that, I could continue listing books, but you’re probably already bored with my ramblings anyway, so I won’t add any more.

Random

  • New Zealand General Election (Sometime in mid-late 2023)
  • More news of nuclear fusion discoveries.
  • Any new SpaceX , ESA or NASA launches.
  • New images from the James Webb Space Telescope.
  • Any new species discovered.
  • Any new Count Binface election campaigns.
  • New content from my favourite bloggers and YouTube channels.
  • UMC1 and UMC2 could be playing sport this year, so I’m looking forward to that.

The problem is that I’ll publish this blog and then realise I’ve missed something; as usual. Anyway, is there anything that you think that I’ve missed? What are you looking forward to in 2023? Please let me know.

That’s it for me. Read some banned books, walk your dog, and I’ll see you next week. Thanks for reading!

Kevin O’Neill, Carlos Pacheco and Kevin Conroy: Three more Tōtaras lost

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

At the moment 2022 feels less like a year, but rather like a twisted Pokémon trainer that runs around and collecting comic icons, instead of Pokémon. Not only did we lose Neal Adams, George Perez, and Tim Sale this year, but quite recently, Kevin O’Neill, Carlos Pacheco, and Kevin Conroy, also died.

I don’t know what I can say about these three icons, that has not already been said before, by far better writers and journalists over the last few weeks. In saying that, I’d still like to say something.

Image by Emilie Farris from Pixabay

I can’t be sure, and it won’t come as a surprise; but I think the first time I saw Kevin’s art was with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I do realise he had created a lot of art through 2000AD content, Marshal Law, and other material, but the League stands out to me.

I loved his attention to background detail, body proportions and facial expressions; so it meant that Kevin’s art was very recognisable. Have you ever seen a drawing of Daredevil, Green Lantern, Zorro, or any other character, and just by glancing at the art work, you could name the artist? Kevin’s art was like that for me, I could stare at a picture and realise, “Kevin O’Neill drew that, that’s Kevin’s.” I loved his art.

Kevin O’Neill, 2009. © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

Speaking of loving art, I loved Carlos’ work for different reasons. His work grew on me, because I’d sometimes see his art ranging from Fantastic Four, Captain America, X-Men, Avengers, Inhumans, Excalibur, Green Lantern, The Flash, Superman, Arrowsmith, and so many more.

After discovering that the art I’m looking at belonged to Carlos, I would often comment about how he could draw anything, because it seemed like he was drawing everything on the shelf. I loved his range, but also his commitment to getting each panel to almost sing with positivity and direction.

Both Kevin and Carlos were masters of their beloved trade, and it showed through in the volumes of their work. They helped me to learn and discover new ways to appreciate stories, as well as being gobsmacked with stellar art work.

Carlos Pacheco, 2013. Abbyarcane/Wikimedia Commons

As for Kevin Conroy, well he was Batman’s voice, wasn’t he? I’m old enough to remember when Batman: The Animated Series was released, but young enough to have watched it. It was amazing and so was Kevin. Over the years, if I was watching an animated version of Batman voiced by Kevin, then I knew it was legit.

Through two decades and countless animated series and movies, coupled with his video game work and his live-action performance, Kevin was the definitive Batman. He brought more depth and range to the character than anyone beforehand, but also shone a spotlight on Bruce Wayne’s pain and compassion. He helped to flesh out Batman’s 2-D existence and dragged him by the cape, into our 3-D world. Damn it was glorious and it still is.

Kevin Conroy, 2021. Super Festivals/Wikimedia Commons

Thank you Kevin; Thank you Carlos; Thank you Kevin. I don’t know what else to say about three people that I never met, other than their work has brought a lot of happiness into millions of people’s lives and including my own; and will continue to do so.

This was another strange post to do, so I’m sorry about that. I’ll return to our regular weekly blog about nonsense next week. Thanks for following, go walk your dog, buy a banned book and I’ll see you next week.

San Diego Comic-Con 2022: Was there anything interesting?

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

I want to talk about San Diego Comic-Con, in particular, the 2022 edition. Why? Well for starters I’ve never been. I live over 10,730 km away, so I’m practically next door, but I have yet to drag my broke arse there.

Another thing is that this year was the first one to be held in person, since the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled, because of everybody’s least favourite virus, COVID-19.

For those of you that already know about the San Diego Comic-Con, congratulations! For those of you that don’t know about it; I’m very sorry, but I’ll give you a quick summary. Don’t panic.

The San Diego Comic-Con is arguably, one of the the largest events; if not the largest, celebrating popular culture on the planet. The event is designed for creators and companies to advertise new products coming up like toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, tv shows and anything else; as well as being able to sell their existing products to the public.

Because of this, it attracts people from all over the world, to help celebrate everything that is pop culture. Oh, I forgot to mention the cosplayers. So many cosplayers!

I think San Diego Comic-Con is usually held over 3-4 days in July, and even though I’m thousands of kilometres away, I can still get excited. This is because of the important reveals, trailers, and announcements.

This year has been no exception, with an avalanche of information released to the public. But is any of it interesting? Being the writer of this blog; and the person to blame for anything that happens here, I’ve decided to breakdown the most interesting things I have discovered from the event.

Let’s establish a few things first:

1.) I have not read or seen, every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. There’s probably a ton of information I have missed, but I’m only one man against the odds. I can only discuss the things I have knowledge on, but also things I’m actually interested in. Any news about a Sour Cream and Chives themed computer game, will not be mentioned.

2.) Just because a product is on my list, does not mean I’ll actually get to see it or purchase it. There are so many different streaming services, I can’t subscribe to all of them; I would need a higher paying job for that. Simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention.

Let’s do it!

Image by Tania Van den Berghen from Pixabay

Literature

Star Wars: The High Republic

I know the High Republic is not for everybody and that some people don’t like it. Having said that, no one is perfect, and I fall in the other camp, because I enjoy this series!

I loved learning about the Phase II reveals, new characters and stories, listening to the creators, but also looking at the amazing novel and comic book covers for the series. I’m invested with this for the long haul, so I was pretty happy to learn new things about Phase II. One day soon, I’ll write a blog about the High Republic and explain it better. Anyway, we are off to a good start!

Batman/Spawn

There was news that DC and Image will be getting together for another Batman/Spawn crossover. I understand that Batman and Spawn alumni artist, Greg Capullo, will have the art duties, with Todd McFarlane as the writer.

Apparently it will be released this December, and I thought these characters would never met again, after their two 1994 meetings. I didn’t see this one coming at all. I’m not sure what to expect from this, apart from the stellar art. I’m quite interested, to be honest.

As for other comic news, um…..nope. I have to admit, nothing else that I’ve heard from Marvel, DC, Image or anybody else, released from Comic-Con actually has me interested in their upcoming comic book projects. It’s quite strange. Just Star Wars: The High Republic and Batman/Spawn. Maybe I’m getting too picky in my old age.

Movies

DCEU: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The first film, Shazam! was cool. I mean I thought the film makers did a great job balancing Billy’s personal and superhero life. It was also refreshing to see the villain actually survive. What mischief will Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind get up to?!

It was fun, which is why I’ve been looking forward to the sequel. Bringing more mythology into the franchise with Hespera and Kalypso, will be entertaining. Will it be predictable and a bit corny with Billy’s family? Yes and yes, again, however it will be a lot of fun.

It just makes you want to stand up and shout, “SHAZAM!” Damn, I want to watch the first film again now. How good is bullet immunity?!

Black Adam

Speaking of Shazam!, how about we discuss the Big Red Cheese’s antithesis villain. I have always thought that Teth-Adam is similar to Magneto, Namor, or Ronan the Accuser; a leader or symbol to his people, which means he can and will fight alongside the heroes, as easily as against them. A classic anti-hero.

I’m nervous, but I have high hopes for this film. Having the Rock play Black Adam is a master stroke, and it will also be interesting how the Justice Society will connect with audiences. Doctor Fate was my first introduction to a superhero magician, so hopefully this film will not disappoint. How far will they push things? I have no idea.

We do need to see the Shazam!/Black Adam or Superman/Black Adam fight somewhere in the future. Pretty please? Teth-Adam is the last person on Earth that should have these powers, so let the smackdown begin!

MCU

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

I liked Black Panther, because at least to me, it brought a lot of political and social issues of living in a superhuman world into the light. Plus I thought Chadwick Boseman was phenomenal as T’Challa. He’s one of the greatest characters Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, ever created together. I’ve always liked T’Challa.

So because of that, I’m nervous about the sequel for three reasons. Firstly, since the original film was such a massive success, there could be a lot pressure to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time. An example of this is Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984. The sequel did not quite hit the mark.

Secondly, I feel it was a mistake not to recast T’Challa. I know they did it to honour Boseman’s memory, but I feel allowing T’Challa to exist in the MCU, would have been a better tribute. Allowing another excellent actor to step into T’Challa’s sneakers, is not something uncommon in superhero films.

And lastly, Namor. I’m always concerned when great villains are not adapted in the best way. Doctor Doom is the best example, with three films behind him, the film makers got it wrong, three times over.

Namor just like Black Adam, he is an anti-hero. His arrogance is only equal to Batman’s, so it will be interesting to see how the film makers translate this; but also for his culture. Obviously there will be some tension/conflict between Wakanda and Atlantis, just like T’Challa and Namor in the comics.

I want this film to work, which is precisely the reason why I’m interested in it. And the Dora Milaje kicking arse helps.

Phase 5 and Phase 6: The Multiverse Saga

This covers Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels, Blade, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Avengers: Secret Wars (February 2023-November 2025).

I’m interested in all of these films, but I’ll wait to receive more information about them as the wheel turns, as the world moves on.1 I also do realise there are some MCU tv shows as well, but I’ll talk about them below.

Television shows (streaming)

Disney +

I don’t have Disney +, but if I did, I think my family wouldn’t see me for a few weeks. Without discussing the shows already on the platform, the reveals and trailers from Comic-Con include Andor, She-Hulk, Secret Invasion, Echo, Loki Season 2, Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and I am Groot, sound quite fantastic.

These announcements are awesome and I’m interested in watching all of them…one day I guess. However, there was one reveal that was jaw dropping: Daredevil: Born Again.

I’ve seen Netflix’s Daredevil Season 1 and 2 on DVD, and that show was astounding. I loved it, but I haven’t seen the third season. I’m very impressed that Charlie Cox and the rest of the crew (I think) will be coming back.

Whether the show will be based on the famous Born Again storyline, or a play on words like Spider-Man: Homecoming, I don’t know…but Daredevil is back! I’ve always thought Daredevil was a very underrated character, so I’m stoked that he’s getting more camera time.

The Sandman

If you’re a follower of my blog, you will understand how special this show is to me. I’m actually not going to discuss it too much, other than stating that The Sandman trailer was mind blowing; but also this was the most interesting reveal/trailer/announcement to come out of San Diego Comic-Con.

Meeting the Endless will bring me a lot of happiness, but I also can’t wait for people to meet Desire, because they were woke, before woke was a concept.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

I understand the Rings of Power are getting some flak from Tolkien super fans over changes to characters, the timeline, and other things. As a Tolkien fan myself, not every fan has to agree on a product’s direction; however, I am ready for this show.

I’m not sure how much of the plot will be taken from The Silmarillion, The Fall of Númenor, The Nature of Middle-Earth or Unfinished Tales, but it looks great. I know it’s set during the Second Age of the Sun, and….I’m so excited for this.

Will we see the Silmarils? Will we see the rise of Sauron? Will we see Angband? Will we see the War of the Last Alliance? Or even better, will Morgoth have a cameo, even in a flashback or prologue? I have no idea!

There are many things that can go right or wrong with this show, but I’m choosing to be positive; I have to. I’m just stunned that the show exists at all. I love the genres of superheroes and science fiction, but throw fantasy in there also, and I’m going to be immersed in geekdom.

I’m not a subscriber to Amazon Prime, but this show is tempting me.

Can I also mention House of the Dragon? This show is one I can actually watch on my streaming platform, so I have to research the Targaryen family tree a lot more, before it starts in a few weeks. Things to do.

Ok that’s it. What reveals from San Diego Comic-Con were you interested in? Please let me know. My dog needs his belly rubbed, so look both ways before you cross the street and I’ll see you next week.

1 Anybody for some Ka?

Saying Goodbye to a Series: Are You a Quitter?

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

I want to talk about saying goodbye to a series. Why? Over the many times I have travelled around the Sun, this strange event has happened repeatedly. To understand this subject better, you won’t need Herb Powell to build a translator for you, I’ll just try to do a better job at explaining it.

You don’t have to be a geek or nerd to enjoy a series. This could be in the form of comics, novels, television shows, movies, video games, music, or just about anything that is created for people’s enjoyment and entertainment.1

Now for whatever reason, you love that series. Maybe you have grown up listening to a special artist or band, read all of the books in a saga, played all of the games in a franchise, watched every episode in a tv show, or seen every movie in a series.

Whatever it is, there is something you like watching, listening to, or reading, that…well, makes you happy; like lying in bed, listening to the rain fall on the roof, or eating some some Salt and Vinegar chips, while watching your favourite team win.

Whatever the case, you have a relationship with…and I’m doing to use the word, product, for the purposes of context. You have a relationship with that product; whether it is positive, negative and everything in between.

But here’s the problem: just like the relationships you have with other homo sapiens, every relationship has a beginning and an ending. Just the same as the relationship you have with your product.2

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The way I see it, I can think of three different ways the relationship with the product will end.

1.) The product stops creating

The band could split up; the singer retires; the monthly comic book finishes; the tv show screens the final season; the final movie in a trilogy or series is released; the makers of the video game, have discontinued the line; or the last and final book in a saga, is finally released.

It doesn’t matter what the reason is, but the product that you enjoy, will no longer be creating any new content going forward, on a regular basis. Yes, it’s possible that tv shows and movies, could have spin offs; the monthly comic book could come back as a mini-series; the band members could join or create new bands; or the author may decide to explore prequel eras of the saga; but it’s not the same, is it?

Basically what I’m saying, is that the product broke up with you. It hurts, but it’s out of your hands. There will be no new book, album, movie, tv show, or comic book; whatever story the creators of that medium were telling, that story has been told and now, it’s finished.

You also know, if it was up to you, the product and yourself would still be together. All you can do now, is listen to the songs again, reread the saga, play the games again, or binge watch the tv shows and movies; compounded by the blessing and the curse, that you know what happens.

2.) The product is high maintenance

As the stale, old, bread winner of our one income family, this reason is a no-brainer: money. ABBBA and Pink Floyd warned us about this in the 70’s, to various degrees. The loss of a job, extra bills, crossovers, multi-media projects, dwindling savings, or just the slow and steady rise of the product’s cost, could result in you declaring that the product is now, high maintenance; therefore, you can’t afford it anymore.

It sucks, because you love the product, but the product is out of your league now. You could try to figure out a way to keep it: buy less food, give up the gym, or decrease on using electricity.

However when there are children or UMCs involved, you have to admit that you’re the adult, and you need to give up the product for their sake. Bread vs the new book? Electricity vs the new video game?

You’re a parent and you’re doing the best that you can for your kids, so you quit the product to help them. Or until you can afford it again!

3.) You and the product want different things

So we have finally arrived at the most strangest and personal reason, you and your product are no longer together: you’ve lost that loving feeling.

There are so many various situations about why this happens. It can cover the product receiving a new artist, new writer, new direction, new singer, death or return of major characters, new music video, new songs, games becoming easier/harder, storylines getting repeated, bad dialogue, or maybe just the fact that you have moved on from the product.

Whatever it is, the love and the passion you once had for the product, has slowly faded away. It could have been your family’s influence, or your friends, spouse, partner, work mates, or quite honestly, it was you realising that you and the product are travelling down different roads now, and you want something else.

There is no shame in this. I think about my own life and the products that I have quit for different reasons, is probably more than Chuck Norris has executed a roundhouse kick. Wait…that’s physically impossible. You can’t beat Chuck Norris at anything, except receiving roundhouse kicks to the face.

And you’re back in the room. This may sound quite odd, but hey, a geek’s going to do, what a geek’s going to. Every time I have quit a product; whether it involves movies, novels, comics, bands, or tv shows, I feel the need to explain myself.

By this I mean writing an email or letter to the director, author, or whomever it would be, to apologise for leaving the product, and explain why I have done it. I never have though, but the desire is there.

Sometimes it’s extremely easy for me to identify, the reason(s) why I’m not interested in a product anymore, but there are times when it’s the opposite. I’ll know that I’d like to quit the product, however I’m unable to explain why.

I may start second guessing myself over the decision, but if I start doing that, I know it’s over. Throughout my life, my love of music, books, comics, movies, and tv shows has not changed, but the genres have.

My tastes in popular culture have changed, just like me. I’m definitely a work in progress, but I’m still evolving, which means the products that I spend my hard earned money on, have to reflect what makes me happy. Though my taste for Sour Cream and Chives will never, ever change. Ever.

We have now arrived at the point of the conversation where I ask you the question: Are you a quitter? What products were you interested in, but have now left behind? What caused the break up? Please let me know.

Sorry, this was a long one. As usual I have a bad idea, then it spirals out of control. Alright, thanks for reading, walk your dog, and I’ll see you next Monday.

1 Alliteration much?

2 Am I the only one that has Closing Time, by Semisonic, as an earworm now?