Category: Television

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.

The Renaissance of the Last Son of Krypton

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

Today’s blog post is a bit unusual, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Longtime followers of my wayward account know that I have enjoyed reading comics for most of my life. As a result, I’ve encountered a variety of characters over the years. Some characters hold significant importance to me, while others are favourites for different reasons, and I have a few that I just have a soft spot for.

I’ve previously stumbled my way through posts about Invincible, Saga, The Sandman, Hellboy, and One-Punch Man, but today, as you can tell from the title, I’m going to be talking about Superman, or at least, how I describe it, his recent renaissance.

Superman was co-created by writer Jerry Siegel, and artist Joe Shuster, having made his first appearance in Action Comics #1, in 1938. Over the last 87 years, Superman has become very much beloved the world over and has transitioned to every medium imaginable, as well as conquering the retail market, covering his name and face over all manner of items.

The thing is, I’m not here to detail what Superman means to me, because that can be another blog for another time. No, today I’m talking about his recent resurgence in the media and how the public understands and relates to him.

Before we continue, let’s be clear: Superman is a fictional character and not a real person. However, due to the various strategies that creators and actors have used to portray him, many people feel a personal connection to him. They understand and know him as if he were a friend, even though we don’t get to spend much time with him.

I also need to point out some strong talking points about him, that I feel many people have forgotten, or quite simply, just don’t realise. The character has three names; Superman, Kal-El, and Clark Kent, and although they are all the same person, they are different, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

To start with, he was born as Kal-El, a refugee from the now destroyed planet called Krypton. His backstory has been changed and altered over the last eight decades, but what has not changed was that he was an alien baby that landed on Earth. Kal-El is his Kryptonian name, his birth name.

When a storyline requires a cosmic perspective or involves Kal interacting with other Kryptonians, such as Zod, Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), or his parents, the name Kal-El is frequently used. Other characters in his inner circle can also refer to him by this name, as it is a trusted secret name that he shares with them.

So, going back to his arrival on Earth, he is discovered and adopted by an American couple, Martha and Jonathan Kent, who give him the name, Clark Kent. This is his human or Earth name, the name people call him as he interacts with the world, like with his family and friends, whether they are superheroes or not.

The final name is Superman. This is the name the public at large, as in the world calls him; coined famously by Lois Lane. This is his superhero name.

The small, but technical point is this; he responds to all three names, but there is a difference between Clark and Superman.

Clark is the person, no matter what clothes he is wearing, but Superman is something that Clark can do and be. Superman is the mask that Clark wears to the world, not the other way around. His loved ones (family and friends) call him Clark, whether he’s in costume or not. Clark is the person, while Superman is the disguise.

Sweet? Excellent, let’s move on. Going back to the recent Superman renaissance, we are very lucky to be living in this amazing period of Superman content. If there is some other project that I’ve missed, I’m sorry; especially to the ongoing comics featuring or starring Superman being published. I’ll try to keep this short because my introduction was far too long.

Image by Solihin Kentjana from Pixabay

Superman & Lois (2021-2024)

I think this live-action TV show was at first set in the Arrowverse world, then shifted to its own separate continuity. I was nervous about the show, from the point that I thought I needed to have watched all of the Arrowverse shows, especially Supergirl and The Flash, to understand the characters and past events, because I hadn’t been keeping up with them.

The irony was that there was no reason to feel nervous about understanding the show because the first episode explained it all, and from that point, I was on board. I feel that Clark and Lois are stronger characters, both physically and emotionally when they are together. I liked this iteration because it hammered home this point. This was because they took the time to explain that Clark loved Lois, but Lois fell in love with Clark and not Superman.

I would also like to establish that Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal of Clark and Superman was awesome. Added into the mix having Clark and Lois as parents, brought a new side to their relationship, that you don’t see in live-action.

I loved this show for a lot of different reasons including the special effects, the twins, Smallville, the Department of Defence, Clark and Lois being parents, the supporting cast, but mainly, driving the distinction between Clark and Superman, with Clark walking around his house wearing his glasses; even though he doesn’t need to.

Also having Superman racing off to save people not just in the United States, but in other countries as well, was important, at least to me, because I’ve always thought of Superman as a superhero for the world, not just protecting and serving one country.

It was a great show and that final episode made me cry since it reinforced how important Superman is to the public’s psyche, along with installing hope to a negative and cynical world.

My Adventures with Superman (2023-Current)

I’ve only seen the first season of this animated TV show, and I liked it, which surprised me. Set in it’s own continuity, this series sees Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen working at the Daily Planet as interns, with Lois Lane being the senior reporter.

It features the three characters becoming friends and dealing with villains from the Superman mythos. Additionally, Clark discovers more about himself and his abilities.

This series starts with Clark and Lois meeting for the first time and slowly developing feelings for each other. The animation is inspired by anime, which bleeds through and, at least to me, offers a new perspective on the classic story.

I also have to acknowledge that making Lois Lane half-Korean, has brought positive and negative attention to the show, and how its been handled.

I think this series is interesting, quirky, and charming, and I like it so much, I’m going to let UMC1 watch it. I’d have to think about UMC2 watching it though, but I think it’s off to a strong start as a modern retelling of Superman. The potential for My Adventures with Superman is huge.

Absolute Superman (2024-Current)

Multiverse stories have existed in comics for decades, because it gives creators freedom to have characters living different, but crazy lives, by not being part of the main continuity.

In the early 2000s, Marvel launched the Ultimate line of comics, which reimagined Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and other characters in a different universe set in contemporary times. This new setting represented their version of the age of superheroes. The Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are based on the Ultimates, which is the version of the Avengers from that alternate world.

DC Comics has done a similar idea by creating the Absolute line of comics. On this world, the superheroes are not as respected, or privileged as their counter-selves, since they are missing vital elements and advantages that go with their story.

The line started with Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, with Absolute Flash, Absolute Green Lantern and Absolute Martian Manhunter making their first appearances soon. With this new publishing initiative, Superman is involved in the form of Absolute Superman.

Absolute Superman #1 was released in November 2024, by writer Jason Aaron, and artist, Rafa Sandoval, and features some radical differences between Absolute Superman and the main continuity Superman.

Firstly, Absolute Kal-El did not arrive on Earth as a baby, but as a teenager, so the majority of his life was on Krypton. His mother, Lara-El, is some type of mechanical engineer, while his father, Jor-El, is a mining engineer.

Krypton is ruled by a caste system, with the El’s being part of the Labour Guild, which Kal-El refers to as the People of Steel. Members of the Labour Guild also wear the “S” shield on their chests, to identify themselves as part of the Labour Guild, like caste groups too.

The Absolute Kal-El does not appear to be as strong as the main continuity Superman, because he needs to recharge his cells (which act like solar batteries) at night, in addition to wearing an AI suit called Sol, which guides and protects Kal-El. Sol can create a cape made of a Kryptonian rock named sunstone, which can materialise and dematerialise.

Because Absolute Kal-El’s heritage is connected with labourers and workers, he identifies with the workers from Earth, who are being used and exploited by large greedy corporations, who he is railing against, as well as saving people.

We have also been exposed to the backstory of what happened with the tragedy of Krypton, via environmental disasters. The creators seem to be tapping into the current trend of supporting the working classes, while fighting against the ruling and elite classes, but also discussing climate change.

People have come out to decry the title for numerous reasons, including presenting Superman as a supporter of woke ideology. However, other people are equally loving it. Whether the series is a success remains to be seen, though sales have been quite strong, because Superman remains a hero of the people.

I’ve read Absolute Superman #1-3, and from what I’ve seen, I want to continue this journey, because I find it fascinating. To me, the creators have hit their respected Absolute titles out of the park, especially Absolute Superman. The greatest compliment I can give them is that I want to read the next issue, I love it.

Main covers for Absolute Superman #1-6. Credit: DC Comics

Superman (2025)

11th July 2025 is the release date for Superman, though I don’t know if that’s worldwide, or just for the United States. For New Zealand, I have no idea.

Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first film in the new DCU (DC Universe), and armed with a budget of at least US$200 million, there is a lot of pressure for the film to resonate with audiences.

Some of the film’s cast includes David Corenswet (Clark Kent / Superman), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), Edi Gathegi (Michael Holt / Mister Terrific), Anthony Carrigan (Rex Mason / Metamorpho), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner / Green Lantern), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), María Gabriela de Faría (Angela Spica / The Engineer), and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

When the teaser trailer was released, social media was flooded with people’s reactions and comments about the trailer, mainly gushing about how good it looks, and that they can’t wait to see it. They were comparing it to Henry Cavill’s Superman, and trashing Cavill and Zack Snyder’s DC films.

Fast forward one month to a TV spot advertising the film, the social media backlash over David Corenswet flying was surprising. They were comparing it to Cavill’s Superman, and praising Cavill and Zack Snyder’s DC films. Sadly, some fans are never happy.

I’m looking forward to this film, especially if it’s good enough to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it. I’ll watch it first, then make that decision, unless it somehow becomes age-appropriate for children aged at least 7 years old. My father took me to the cinema to see Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, so I want to do this for my boys.

I’m looking forward to seeing the movie, so I’ll write one of my famous previews/reviews in July. I’m especially excited about Krypto making his live-action movie debut; so I have high hopes for the film. When the trailer dropped, I mentioned how Krypto resembled a larger version of my dog, Indy. The moment when Krypto saved Clark hit me hard, but in a good way. When Clark started whistling, I couldn’t help but cry.

For the actual movie, I will probably cry watching Krypto run and fly around, being a good boy. Nothing, and I mean nothing, better happen to Krypto. Don’t do it, James; don’t do it.

What are your thoughts about Superman & Lois, and My Adventures with Superman? Have you read Absolute Superman, or going to watch Superman? As always, please let me know.

That’s another blog 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, say no to kryptonite, visit the Gulf of Mexico, and I’ll see you next week because we’re going back to 1956!

BTW, New Zealanders are regarded as generous and polite people, but we have nothing on Canada. So imagine what it would feel like to piss off the entire population of the politest nation on Earth? Damn, grab the popcorn, because angry Canadians were not on my 2025 bingo card.

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.

My wife likes to quit TV shows

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn People, Television

I noticed that I haven’t written about my wife recently. Since she’s the main person I try to impress, I thought I’d better rectify that small oversight. Some of my previous posts involving her are her favourite books, our age gap, Les Misérables, King Charles III, and the entertainment differences between us.

For those of you who have read about our entertainment differences, you know how brave my wife would have to be to try out a new TV show; especially if she knows next to nothing about it. Having said that, my wife is like any other person because she has books, music, and movies that she enjoys, along with some TV shows.

The opposite is also true because just like other people, there are books, music and movies that she dislikes, as well as TV shows. And this darling little cupcake of displeasure is what we will be discussing today.

My wife will watch a new TV show for several reasons. It could be because the show has been recommended to her by myself, friends, or the internet community. Another is that it’s connected or linked to something that she is familiar with; like an adaption of something she already likes, or similar to an already existing TV show.

The reasons for her to start watching a TV show are small, and yet, they can actually be measured against the TV shows she doesn’t like. This is because she has quit them, and once that’s done, they don’t get to come back. Ever.

Image by Tomasz Mikołajczyk from Pixabay

To be fair to her, she never sets out to dislike a TV show. She always has the intention of liking and following the show, through season after season. But yet, and just like relationships, not all of them can last.

When I start watching a new TV show, there would need to be some major problems with it, for me to quit watching. Whether this is a positive or negative trait, I’m not smart enough or cool enough to answer that foreboding question.

With my wife on the other hand, the reason to stop watching a TV show doesn’t have to be complicated, because she has a lot of reasons to quit watching a TV show. Some are very fair, honest and reasonable, while others make me ask, “You can’t be serious?!”

Having discussed this blog post with her, I’ve created a list of 12 TV shows that my wife started watching, but quit for multiple reasons; though some are quite similar. A TV show doesn’t have to do much to lose my wife’s interest, so I had better take close and personal attention to this.

Anyway, let’s see what these poor TV shows did, for my wife to leave them. I’ve also added the episode that made her quit. Enjoy!

The Tick (Remake): Episode 3

When Arthur was being interrogated by the police, it gave her the “ick”, which to her is second-hand embarrassment. She hates watching people embarrass themselves.

The Tudors: Episode 1

She just thought it was really boring, and she said, “Life is too short for this.”

Ghosts (American remake): Episode 4

She saw clips of the British show on YouTube, and she thought it seemed funny. She couldn’t find it on any streaming service, so she tried the American version instead. She said, “It just wasn’t funny and I was super disappointed.”

Supergirl: Episode 4

She really wanted to like Supergirl, but I’ll let my wife explain this one: “Calista Flockhart was too distracting for me. I can only see her as Ally McBeal.“

I Hate Suzie: Episode 1

She loves Billie Piper, but she couldn’t stand the second-hand embarrassment. Please see the Tick.

The Office (American remake): Episode 2

She thought the show wasn’t funny and kind of boring. Similar to The Tudors, she mentioned that, “Life is too short to wait around for it to get good.”

The Tourist: Episode 3

This is a weird one, even for her. Since we live in New Zealand, we receive a lot of Australian TV shows. However, she believed that actors having Australian accents in a drama situation like The Tourist was just wrong; very, very wrong.

Supernatural: Episode 2

She really wanted to like it, because she thought the memes were funny. After watching two episodes, she just wasn’t interested anymore.

Invincible: Episode 3

I’m a fan of Invincible, having read and collected the comics, so I thought she might have liked it. She didn’t, because whenever J. K. Simmons was talking as Nolan Grayson, aka Omni-Man, she could only hear J. K. Simmons’ Tenzin from The Legend of Korra.

Battlestar Galactica (Remake): First episode of the Mini-series

I had seen the remake before, and I had loved it. I missed the final season, so I talked my wife into watching the entire series with me. She lasted until Number Six killed a baby, by snapping their neck in the first episode. Once that was done, she was out of the show. She said that she wasn’t prepared to watch a TV show, that murdered babies.

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

My wife watched it with me because we are both fans of Middle-earth. Like many other people, she thought the dialogue sounded like a school play, so she just couldn’t get into it.

House of the Dragon: Episode 3

Even though she was a fan of Game of Thrones, and we watched that show together, she wasn’t too interested in House of the Dragon. This was because she knew what was going to happen to the main characters. She used the “Life is too short” quote again for this show.

Do you agree with any of my wife’s TV-watching decisions? As always, please let me know.

This list will be updated, but in the meantime, I’ll have to make a list of movies that my wife has quit; and I promise you there are many.

That’s it for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, call for a ceasefire in Palestine, and I’ll see you next week, for the return of the Tour of the Solar System!

Where would we be without Akira Toriyama?

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

I had a completely different blog lined up for this week, but after the media announcement on Friday, I changed my mind and wrote this instead. Akira Toriyama, the legendary manga creator, died on 1st March from an acute subdural hematoma, aged 68 years old.

Toriyama had created and worked on many different projects and video games over the years, like Dr. Slump, the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon. However, his most famous creation was Dragon Ball, which showcased his talents to Japan and the world.

 So what’s the point of this blog?

I’m crying about the death of a man I had never met.

Akira Toriyama. Credit: Dragon Ball Wiki

It won’t come as a shock, but I’m a fan of Dragon Ball because I’m a fan of Toriyama’s work. His art was outrageous, explosive, and detailed, whether it was manga or anime. It was unreal. I mentioned this before, but I loved the way he drew ears, for some strange reason. You could see a character and judging by their ears, you could tell whether they belonged to Toriyama or not.

As for his vehicles, they were so well designed, that you could see yourself driving one of them, whether they travelled by air, land, or sea. They were so good!

The plots were just as fantastic. People will talk about his art, but Toriyama was an amazing storyteller. His characters went on huge quests, and fought powerful foes, but also went through massive personal growth, so his characters were always evolving.

I’m sad about his passing for many reasons. Even not personally, Toriyama introduced me to manga, anime, and other parts of Japanese culture. For a geek living in New Zealand, his characters and art were extraordinary. My love of manga and anime can be traced back to him.

It’s been astonishing to see the outpouring of tributes to Toriyama from fans around the world. He was beloved by so many people. It made me think of all of the hundreds of artists, writers, singers, actors, directors, scientists, athletes, and anybody else, whose work has indirectly shaped our lives. They’re in the background of our subconscious.

It’s not until one of them dies, that you reflect and realise how influential they were to you and your life. That’s how I feel about Toriyama. His influence on pop culture has changed the world; the word Saiyan, is now part of the world’s lexicon, regardless of language or culture.

I read how many different manga and anime creators have come out and cited Toriyama as their source of inspiration. I find this amazing because even Toriyama was inspired to pursue a career in illustration. I find the creation and history of entertainment, similar to the history of science, where all creators are standing on the shoulders of giants. And make no mistake, Toriyama was a giant.

Imagine if Toriyama was never inspired to draw and create? It’s in the realms of possibility that maybe someone down the road would have drawn characters with energy beams, have awesome names for attack styles, teleportation, explosive fights, cities being destroyed, and badass vehicles.

But where would we be without Toriyama and powering/levelling-up sequences? Think about it. We would be lost in the abyss. For me, the powering/levelling-up sequences in Dragon Ball represented the brilliance and glorious scope of Toriyama’s skills.

I don’t know what Toriyama’s legacy will be for the world, but I feel it will be eternal. As for me, the biggest praise I can give Toriyama is that when UMC1 and UMC2 are ready, I’ll be showing them Dragon Ball. I can’t wait to sit down with them both, and let them experience the crazy and beautiful nature of Toriyama’s work; along with practising their own Kamehameha waves.

Like I said before, I can never thank Toriyama enough for his work, so all I can do is let the next generation live it and breathe it. Right, I need to control my crying, so that’s it for this week. What’s your favourite art drawn by Akira Toriyama? Please let me know. 

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog; watch a banned movie; go read some manga, and I’ll see you next week because we’re going to check in on the Coalition of Chaos.

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.

The Entertainment differences between my Wife and I

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

I want to talk about my wife. Why? Considering she’s the only other adult in my house, we do have a lot in common. I mean, we did get married, so we must actually like each other. We both enjoy various pop culture franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the list could go on and on.

We both love reading and eating pizza, as well as sharing a hatred of housework. We’re also in agreement that something very strange is happening with our local corner shop, because the hours they’re open are truly bizarre.

There are many other similarities between us, but they are not as interesting as the differences concerning entertainment.

If you can break it all down, there are two major differences between us. The first is…it’s still difficult to acknowledge this publicly, but my wife enjoys Sour Cream and Chives. I know what you’re thinking; how did a Salt and Vinegar-loving and Sour Cream and Chives-hating guy like myself, end up being married to a Sour Cream and Chives-loving and Salt and Vinegar-hating woman? No one is perfect or infallible; except God, Chuck Norris, and Sir David Attenborough.

One day I’ll write about a pair of star-crossed lovers, meeting over a packet of Chicken chips, but today is not this day.

Image by JayMantri from Pixabay

The second major difference is the consumption of entertainment; such as novels, movies, and tv shows. Let’s start with movies, shall we? I enjoy movies, either watching them at home or at the cinema; because everybody loves watching a movie in the dark with 100 other random people, while eating overpriced food.

The way I view movies can easily fall into two groups: movies I’ve seen before and movies I’ve never seen. There are a lot of movies that I would love to see again, whether they are one of my favourites, or if they are part of a series with a new addition coming out, so I want to familiarise myself with the plot and characters again. That sounds fair, right?

On the other hand that is not holding a lightsabre, there are new movies that I want to see; which to be honest is the majority of the two. Do I want to see every new movie that’s released? No, that’s insane, plus I would be broke. I just want to see some particular new movies, for whatever particular odd reason.

Ok, but what about my wife? She’s like me, that she can enjoy rewatching a favourite movie. This is something that she likes and is comfortable with. She knows the actors, the director, the plot, and the genre, so she knows what to expect. Again, that sounds fair, right?

With new movies, we do have a problem though. My wife does not like watching new movies; mainly ones she knows next to nothing about. She will happily watch a new movie at the cinema or at home, with pre-existing characters that she knows and loves. But ask her to watch a movie where she doesn’t know the characters or the plot? Hell, no. She will not watch it.

There is a loophole to this law: my wife will watch a new movie with characters she has never seen before, if…and only if, she has read the book that the movie is based on. That way, she is guaranteed to know various things about the plot and characters. You can’t expect her to watch a movie that she knows nothing about, can you?

So when it comes time for the two of us to sit and actually watch a movie together, there is a lot of discussion and negotiating involved.

Books are also treated the same way for both of us; to a point. I will reread my favourite books, but my main focus is reading new material. I have said this before, but my reading pile is reproducing asexually because it’s grown to five piles which are now sitting on my set of drawers. I have to apologise to them daily for not reading them fast enough; I have a Star Wars book that’s been sitting there for three years and counting.

Would you like to know where my wife’s reading pile lives? Those books are sitting next to the other books on the shelves, that she has already read! When my wife finishes reading a series, “What should I read next?” would be the next question. If you’re thinking, “You should read a book you’ve never read before”, then you don’t know my wife.

She will simply look through the shelves and select a book series that she has already read 100 times before, and start reading. Why you ask? It’s the same reason as the movies; she already knows the plot and characters; it’s familiar and that means the books are something that she is going to like, because…she has already liked and read them before!

I feel she’s my own personal mogwai, that comes with pop culture rules. There are exceptions to her book law: my wife does not like reading a stand-alone book, that is not part of any series. The biggest reason for this is that if she ever reads and likes the book, where does she go from there? There’s no sequel or prequel, it’s just the end. So would my wife commit her time and energy to a single book? It could go either way.

“Hang on, Scott. If your wife only ever reads books she has already read, then how does she read anything new?” That’s a great question. My wife will only read a new book if it’s based on a movie that she has already seen, or it’s a series of books that has been entirely published; like Twilight, Fifty Shades of Gray, or Harry Potter. This way, she can read the first book right through to the final book, without having to wait for the next book to be published. That’s torture for her, waiting for something to be published or released.

Also if it’s similar to something she already enjoys, like The Hunger Games, then reading the Divergent series is in the same wheelhouse, and it also fits in with her book reading criteria. I’ve known her for 10.5 years, so I understand her logic.

With television shows, you can pretty well guess where this is headed, and you are sort of right. TV shows are divided into four groups; shows that we both watch together, shows that I watch by myself, shows that she watches by herself, and shows neither of us watches.

We both tend to watch tv shows that are based on things that we have already seen, or at least read about; whether it’s a book or a comic. There are exceptions to this of course, like comedies or science-fiction. We’ve learned that if we want to watch a new tv show, we need to mention it to the other person. 90% of the time, the other spouse doesn’t want to watch it and that’s ok; however, with the other 10%, the answer is yes, which is strange, to say the least.

So what can we make of this? If anything, I like reading and watching new material, whereas my wife enjoys immersing herself in familiar content. We are both living with the opposite version of ourselves in terms of entertainment consumption, but nobody is perfect. Except God, Chuck Norris, and Sir David Attenborough.

That’s it for another rant and another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog; read a banned book; remember the answer is 42; and I’ll see you next week.