April is just about over, as we are less than six hours away from May 1st. That also means that we are just a few days from Free Comic Book Day, which is May 2nd. Make sure that if you are partaking for some of the free comics, you are indulging in some of the specials your local comic shop are offering. Free Comic Book Day is not free for the comic shops so they need your patronage.
Lots of good covers this week. This week, it is all variants.
Also-Rans: Giant-Sized Savage Tales #1, The Punisher #3, Dust to Dust #8, Exploit #2, Is Ted Ok? #3, Feral #22 (A Cover), Ripcord #3, White Sky #3, and Planet She-Hulk #6 (C cover variant).
Bronze Medalist
I Hate Fairyland #50
Variant cover C
Cover art by Skottie Young
Skottie Young has a variant cover for the 50th issue of I Hate Fairyland. I have not collected this book, but I have always enjoyed Skottie Young’s work and Todd made me buy it. I am curious to see what this is going to be like when I read it, but congrats to Skottie Young.
Silver Medalist
Uncanny X-Men #27
Variant Cover D
Cover art by Juan Ferreyra
I saw this on the shelf today and, while I had the A cover already, I had to have it. The beautiful red and yellow cover with the team of the Uncanny X-Men heading into action. This is a lovely piece of art.
Gold Medalist
Feral #22
Variant Cover B
Cover art by Tony Fleecs & Trish Forstner
The horror variants for Feral continue to be exceptional. This one is based on the movie Weapons. It also has a flip cover with the Stray Dogs on the other side. Always great work from Feral.
Writers: Al Yankovic / Lee Oskar / Wayne Anthony Hector / Armando Christian Perez / Nile Rodgers / Lukasz Gottwald / Guy Manuel Homem Christo / Thomas Bangalter / Pharrell L. Williams / Jean Baptiste Kouame / Sacha Skarbek / Luiz Floriano Bonfa / William Adams / Julian C. Bunetta / Greg Errico / Jai Sang Park / Breyan Stanley Isaac / Stephan Moccio / Priscilla Renea Hamilton / Mark Foster / Kenny Oliver / Jef Martens / Edward James Drewett / Stefan Kendal Gordy / David Jamahl Listenbee / John Henry Ryan / Skyler Husten Gordy / Carly Rae Jepsen / Arthur Richardson / Ross Mac Lean / Ben Haggerty / Ryan S. Lewis / Jamie Michael Robert Sanderson / Joshua Keeler Ramsay / Maureen Anne Mcdonald / Henry Russell Walter / Erin Beck / Tavish Joseph Crowe / Walter Andre E. De Backer / Keon Yoo / George Matthew Robertson / Kesha Serbert / Keri Oscar
Album: Mandatory Fun
Released: 2014
Genre: Polka/Comedy
Medley Songs: “Wrecking Ball,” “Pumped Up Kicks,” “Best Song Ever,” “Gangham Style,” “Call Me Maybe,” “Scream & Shout,” “Somebody That I Used to Know,” “Timber,” “Sexy and I Know It,” “Thrift Shop,” “Get Lucky,” and “W.A.Y. Moby Polka.”
This polka’s title is a parody of the album series NOW That’s What I Call Music, a compilation of popular music of the past year.
Lyrics
We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain We jumped never asking why We kissed, I fell under your spell A love no one could deny
Don’t you ever say I just walked away I will always want you I can’t live a life, running for my life I will always want you
I came in like a wrecking ball I never hit so hard in love All I wanted was to break your walls All you ever did was wreck me Yeah, you wreck me
All the other kids with the pumped up picture You better run, better run, outrun my gun All the other kids with the pumped up picture You better run, better run faster than my bullet
And we danced all night to the best song ever We knew every line, now I can’t remember I think it went ooh eh ooh I think it went oohla eh ooh I think it goes eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh
Eh, sexy lady Po, po, po, po Polka Gangnam Style Eh, sexy lady Po, po, po, po Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh, eh
Hey, I just met you And this is crazy But here’s my number So call me, maybe And all the other boys Try to chase me But here’s my number So call me, maybe
I wanna scream and shout (hey!) And let it all out And scream and shout (hey!) And let it out We sayin’, “Ohh, wee ohh, wee oh wee oh” We sayin’, “Ohh, wee ohh, wee oh wee oh wee ohh, wee oh wee oh”
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
It’s going down (hey!), I’m yelling timber You better move, you better dance Let’s make a night you won’t remember I’ll be the one you won’t forget (Timber! Timber!)
I’m sexy and I know it Girl look at that body (He’s sexy and he knows it)
I wear your grandad’s clothes I look incredible I’m in this big old coat From that thrift shop down the road (Hey!)
That’s right! (He looks incredible) I do! (He’s in that big old coat) It’s large! (From that thrift shop down the road) Hey, let’s go!
I’m gonna pop some tags Only got twenty dollars in my pocket I’m hunting, looking for a come-up This is super awesome
She’s up all night ’til the sun I’m up all night to get some She’s up all night for good fun I’m up all night to get lucky
We’re up all night ’til the sun We’re up all night to get some We’re up all night for good fun We’re up all night to get lucky
We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky We’re up all night to get lucky Up all night to get lucky
Yes, we’re up all night to get Lucky (we’re gonna get lucky) Lucky (we’re gonna get lucky) Lucky (Let’s all get lucky) We’re up all night to get lucky! (Hey!)
What seemed like it started out as another filler episode turned out to be one of the most significant episodes of the year.
The episode is split into sections featuring different characters including Firecracker, Sister Sage, Black Noir, Soldier Boy, and… Terror, Butcher’s dog?
Each of these sections focus in on these characters, seeing their real thoughts and their struggles.
And what a bloodbath…
We lose Adam Bourke to eels going up his butt while sitting on the toilet.
We lose Malchemical, Mr. Marathon are killed by Soldier Boy. The Supernatural reunion of these characters did not last long.
Then we lose Seth Rogan, Kumail Ali Nanjiani, Will Forte, Christopher Mintz-Plasse… all brutally killed as Mr. Marathon runs through them all… set up by Soldier Boy.
And… most shocking… Firecracker, as Homelander stabs her head with the eagle statue’s wing.
This was way better than it should have been. The different POV’s of the episode were truly amazing. It went from unbelievably hilarious moments to horrendous dramatic moments.
We get Sister Sage’s master plan. We get further trouble between Black Noir and The Deep. We get Stan Edgar broken, thanks to a threat to his granddaughter. Terror ate some chocolate and dreams of humping Homelander.
The show is rushing toward the finale. No one is safe.
The epic song shows that Al can be a storyteller like Chapin’s 30,000 Pounds of Bananas or Gordon Lightfoot’s Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald.
I was unaware when the song came out that the Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota was a legitimate location. Places listed in the song such as Elvis-A-Rama, the Tupperware Museum, the Boll Weevil Monument, Cranberry World, the Shuffleboard Hall of Fame, and Poodle Dog Rock are all actual attractions.
My friend and co-EYG brother Darin used the phrase “albino squirrels” from this song as his fantasy baseball team name for years.
Lyrics
Well, I had two weeks of vacation time coming After workin’ all year down at Big Roy’s Heating and Plumbing So one night, when my family and I were gathered ’round the dinner table I said, “Kids, if you could go anywhere in this great big world now Wwhere’d you like to go to?” They said, “Dad, we wanna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota” They picked the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
So the very next day we loaded up the car With potato skins and pickled weiners Crossword puzzles, Spiderman comics And mama’s homemade rhubarb pie Pulled out of the driveway And the neighbors, they all waved goodbye And so began our three-day journey We picked up a guy holdin’ a sign That said “Twine Ball or Bust” He smelled real bad, and he said his name was Bernie
I put in a Slim Whitman tape My wife put on a brand new hair net The kids were in the back seat jumpin’ up and down Yellin’, “Are we there yet?” And all of us were joined together in one common thought As we rolled down the long and winding Interstate in our ’53 DeSota We’re gonna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota We’re headin’ for the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
Oh, we couldn’t wait to get there So we drove straight through for three whole days and nights Of course, we stopped for more pickled weiners now and then The scenery was just so pretty Boy, I wish the kids could’ve seen it But you can’t see out of the side of the car Because the windows are completely covered With the decals from all the places where we’ve already been
Like Elvis-a-Rama, the Tupperware Museum The Boll Weevil Monument, and Cranberry World The Shuffleboard Hall of Fame, Poodle Dog Rock And the Mecca of Albino Squirrels We’ve been to ghost towns, steam parks, wax museums And a place where you can drive through the middle of a tree Seen alligator farms and tarantula ranches But there’s still one thing we’ve gotta see
Well, we crossed the state line about 6:39 And we saw the sign that said “Twine Ball exit, 50 miles” Oh, the kids were so happy, they started singing “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” for the 27th time that day
So we pulled off the road at the last chance gas station Got a few more pickled weiners and a diet chocolate soda On our way to see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota We’re gonna see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
Finally at 7:37 early Wednesday evening As the sun was setting in the Minnesota sky Out in the distance, on the horizon It appeared to me like a vision before my unbelieving eyes We parked the car and walked with awe-filled reverence Toward that glorious, huge, majestic sphere I was just so overwhelmed by its sheer immensity I had to pop myself a beer
Yes, on these hallowed grounds Open ten to eight on weekdays In a little shrine under a makeshift pagoda There sits the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota I tell you, it’s the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
Oh, what on Earth would make a man Decide to do that kind of thing? Oh, windin’ up 21, 140 pounds of string What was he tryin’ to prove? Who was he tryin’ to impress? Why did he build it? How did he do it? It’s anybody’s guess Where did he get the twine? What was goin’ through his mind? Did it just seem like a good idea at the time?
Well, we walked up beside it and I warned the kids “Now you better not touch it, those ropes are there for a reason” I said, “Maybe if you’re good, I’ll tie it to the back of our car And we can take it home, ” but I was only teasin’
Then we went to the gift shop and stood in line Bought a souvenir miniature ball of twine Some window decals, and anything else they’d sell us And I bought a couple postcards “Greetings from the Twine Ball, wish you were here” Won’t the folks back home be jealous?
I gave our camera to Bernie and we stood by the ball And we all gathered around and said, “Cheese!” Then Bernie ran away with my brand new Instamatic But at least we’ve got our memories
So we all just stared at the ball for a while And my eyes got moist, but I said with a smile “Kids, this here’s what America’s all about” Then I started feelin’ kinda gooey inside And I fell on my knees and I cried and cried And that’s when those security guards threw us out
You know, I bet if we unraveled that sucker It’d roll all the way down to Fargo, North Dakota ‘Cause it’s the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota I’m talkin’ ’bout the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
Well, we stayed that night at the Twine Ball Inn In the morning we were on our way home again But we didn’t really wanna leave, that was perfectly clear I said, “Folks, I can tell you’re all sad to go” Then I winked my eye and I said, “You know I got a funny kinda feeling we’ll be coming back again next year”
‘Cause I’ve been all around this great big world And I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather go to Than the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota I said the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota
The penultimate episode of season two of Daredevil: Born Again dropped on Disney + tonight and, oh was an ending.
Prior to that ending, I legitimately pumped my fist when Matt Murdock walked into the courtroom to be a co-defense attorney for the trial of Karen Page.
Last week when Karen was at the gunpoint of AVTF goon Officer Powell, I worried about how she was going to escape that predicament without being killed. Imagine my surprise when she is walked into the cop precinct and fingerprinted, booked and placed in jail. I actually said, “They arrested her?”
It made a lot of sense when they talked about it. Fisk wanted to do everything by the book, above board, so they could put her on trial with their vigilante court… which, again led to Matt Murdock strolling into the court displaying his gigantic balls.
When Matt spoke with Karen, I had the move figured out, especially when the “previously on” segment reminded us that Matt Murdock as a “hero” according to Wilson Fisk. Even though I had it figured out, I still popped like crazy.
I wish Matt had more to do in the court. I wanted extended scenes of Matt cross-examining Powell or any other AVTF agent on the stand ( I see you Cole). Even with the limited time we got in court, I loved the Matt Murdock stuff.
Meanwhile, Daniel was preparing to deliver BB to Buck. BB figured out what he was doing and was able to convince him to let her go. Daniel went to approach Buck without BB and Buck brutally beat him to try and get him to reveal where she was. Daniel honestly did not know and he spoke to Buck, trying to get him to turn away from Fisk. It looked like he was going to convince him of it.
And then Buck shot him.
Screen to black. I sat here with my mouth agape for a good thirty seconds. I couldn’t believe what had happened. Watching Buck coldly readjust his suit and step over Daniel’s body was shocking. I suppose Daniel might not be dead, but it sure seemed as if it were a final blow to the young Gandolfini.
RIP Daniel.
Jessica Jones approaching Mr. Charles at the beginning was awesome. It is so great to see Krysten Ritter again. She is such a perfect casting of the role. Charles also dropped the name “Luke” during this conversation. Jessica told Matt about what she discovered (and met Cherry… who looks great after his recent heart attack. Great to see Cherry). Jessica is still basically out, needing to stay with her daughter Danielle.
Bullseye was given one good deed to do from Daredevil, and he took it. Bullseye saved the Governor from being strangled to death by an assassin sent by Fisk. However, he looked as if he left the assassin alive, which might be a great thing for getting Fisk. Prior to the attack, the Governor had decided it was time to get Fisk out of the New York mayor’s office. Here is something to help with that, perhaps.
Karen and Heather’s confrontation in the prison was epic. Karen showed how much of a bad ass she really was, not succumbing to Heather’s old true or false questionnaire that she screwed the Swordsman with. Karen got under Heather’s skin big time as Heather slapped Karen multiple times as Karen laughed at her. The image of Muse peering through the window was scary and certainly seems to be foreshadowing Heather’s own mental illness.
Next week’s finale is going to be huge. I hope the people who apparently aren’t watching this show come to their senses because this is wonderful.
I had heard a lot of positive things about the film, The Plague earlier in the year, but it never came around to the theaters in my area. So when I spotted it on AMC + on Prime, I decided to give this a watch.
The film is a psychological thriller/horror film directed by Charlie Polinger and starring Joel Edgerton and a cast of teenagers.
I think the theme of this movie is that middle school aged boys are horrible, cruel and just disgusting people.
According to IMDB, “A socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, his anxiety spiraling into psychological turmoil over the summer.”
This was not what I expected this film to be about. It was a rough watch, especially since I am a middle school teacher and seeing how cruel these kids were to each other, it is something I can relate to in my own life.
There were some questions I had, but I think those all require spoilers, so I will just have to say that I am not sure what I saw was really what I saw during a chunk of the movie.
The main protagonist of the film was Ben, played by Everett Blunck. The young teen Blunck does a really good job dealing with the pressures of trying to fit in with the crowd, while still feeling empathy for those that were being ostracized. It was a strong performance with plenty of layers for this young boy to play. The main antagonist for Ben was Jake, played by Kayo Martin. I swear that every time I saw Kayo Martin, I pictured Justin Shenkarow from Picket Fences. Kayo Martin could easily be his brother, though Shenkarow is much older now. I really disliked the character of Jake, so Kayo Martin did an excellent job of providing the conflict within this group of children. He felt real.
The film is a slow build and does feel longer than its 1:38 run time. Still, the performances are all great and the tension is top notch. There are things that are happening that I am confused by, which kept me on my toes. Maybe I was looking too deeply into it (the Wikipedia page did not make any references to my concepts), but I was glad it was a film I finally was able to see.
Episode two may not have been as creepy as the premiere, but it was still very disturbing and unsettling as this bizarre family comes together for a wedding. But who knows if the wedding will ever come to pass.
It is four days before the wedding and Rachel discovered that her wedding dress was missing. She was sure it had been brought, but it all felt like some kind of machinations among this family.
As Nicky went to Cleveland to see if he could find the dress, Rachel was involved in a fitting using Victoria’s old dress. This degenerated into a weird and wild event. Rachel wound up wandering through the house, hearing all kinds of strange whispers and discussions between the others about her and the situation. It was very creepy.
Rachel found the dress hung up in the woods over an effigy. Meanwhile, Dr. Cunningham was digging a grave. This, understandably freaked Rachel out and she started running from them. Nicky was returning as she was running away and she wanted to leave immediately, but, also understandably, Nicky wanted to speak with his family.
Turned out this all had to do with a tumor in Victoria’s brain that is killing her. The wedding came up as a surprise and they were going use it as a way to bring all the family together for one last celebration.
Jude, Jules’ son, apparently took the dress and put it on the effigy as a way to confuse the Sorry Man. Jude had discovered blood that Rachel had dripped on the floor the night before when she had her bloody nose, and he was trying to keep the Sorry Man from coming and killing Rachel. His father made Jude repeat that the Sorry Man was not real.
Of course, the silhouette in the woods that showed up at the end of the episode told a different story.
Two episodes in and there are so many weird things going on that I sure hope pay off. I am invested in the story so far and these characters are all so sus that I can not imagine what the real situation is. Good stuff on Netflix.
Style pastiche: Beach Boys (Specifically Pet Sounds and Smile albums)
I got a question right while watching Jeopardy once because of this song. I had never heard of the Islets of Langerhans until this song came along. Weird Al educating us one style pastiche at a time!
I’m always thinkin’ ’bout it I don’t know what I’d do without it I love, I really love My pancreas
My spleen just doesn’t matter Don’t really care about my bladder But I don’t leave home without My pancreas
My pancreas is always There for me Ahh-oooh
Secreting those enzymes (bap bap bap) Secreting those hormones too Metabolizing carbohydrates Just for me
Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba ba My pancreas Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba My pancreas Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba ba My pancreas Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba My pancreas
Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba ba My pancreas Ba-ba ba ba-ba ba ba ba-ba ba My pancreas Ooooooh
My pancreas attracts every other Pancreas in the universe With a force proportional To the product of their masses And inversely proportional To the distance between them
Woo woo woo woo
Don’tcha you know you gotta Flow, flow, flow, pancreatic juice Flow, flow, into the deuodenum
Won’tcha Flow, flow, flow, pancreatic juice Flow, flow, into the deuodenum
Insulin, glucagon (Won’tcha flow, flow, flow, pancreatic juice) Comin’ from the islets of Langerhans… (Flow flow, into the deuodenum)
Insulin, glucagon (Won’tcha flow flow flow, pancreatic juice) Comin’ from the islets of Langerhans… (Flow flow, into the deuodenum)
Lipase, amylase, and tripsin
They gonna help with our digestion
Lipase, amylase, and tripsin
They gonna help with our digestion
Can’t you see I love my pancreas (Lipase, amylase, and tripsin)
Golly-gee I love my pancreas (They gonna help with our digestion)
Can’t you see I love my pancreas (Lipase, amylase, and tripsin)
Golly-gee I love my pancreas {They gonna help with our digestion}
Can’t you see I love my pancreas (Lipase, amylase, and tripsin)
Golly-gee I love my pancreas (They gonna help with our digestion})
I have had this limited series, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen, on my Netflix queue for several weeks now. I had heard positives about the series that I wanted to watch it, but with the load of other TV and movies, not to mention comics and school, I was not sure when I could squeeze it into. However, I have gotten to a point where The Pitt, Invincible, Paradise, Shrinking were all done and Monarch is on its last episode. I only currently have Daredevil: Born Again and The Boys as active TV shows that I was watching, so I thought this was a good opportunity to start this show.
Man, what a creepy first episode.
It grabs you right away with a somewhat disturbing wedding and the reaction of the bride was unexpected. We then flash back five days prior to the wedding and things get even creepier.
The podcast they listened to in the car was unnerving too as it gave the story of Larry Poole, a man who sold custard and was a serial killer.
As this podcast was telling the story, we were suddenly at a rest stop and the story switched gears. Rachel and Nicky, who were the couple getting married, were driving to Nicky’s family cabin. Stopping at the rest stop, they find a baby inside a car, apparently deserted.
There were some real disturbing images at this rest stop including a dead fox in the women’s restroom. Rachel chose to go back and find a phone to call for help and Nicky would stay with the baby. This felt like a poor choice, but it is what happened.
Rachel found a bar that was mostly deserted, but the woman working there “Benjamin” was creepy and there was another man there who was apparently stalking Rachel. She ran off to her car after stabbing the man in the hand with her keys.
When she returned, the baby was gone and Nicky had been punched by the baby’s father, who thought Nicky was trying to steal the baby. The whole encounter with the parents happened off screen and something about it felt odd. There was a scream that Rachel had heard in the woods before Nicky came back.
They headed to the cabin, which is humongous. Rachel meets part of Nicky’s family when she was looking for ice for his head. Nicky’s sister, Portia, tells Rachel a story about when their brother Jules wound up lost in the woods as a child and supposedly saw the Sorry Man.
According to Jules, the Sorry Man came from Hell and murdered women by slitting them open and turning them inside out, trying to find his lost wife inside them. Rachel also mentioned a scream from the woods, which made me think about that rest stop and how the parents of that deserted baby had taken a stroll in the woods.
Things only got creepier as Rachel woke up with a bloody nose and wandered off to find Nicky’s mother who said that they would not be seeing each other very much. Rachel found a returned wedding invitation on the floor with the words “Don’t marry him” scribbled on the back.
There are so many weird and bizarre things happening that it truly did a great job of making me anxious as I watched it. The music was excellent in that manner too. I was full of suspense and I was feeling scared. Most of the time, scary things do not bother me that much, but I have to say that this really kept me on edge. I am excited to continue this limited series later in the week.
Weasel Stomping Day parodied the bizarre, oftentimes cruel, traditions associated with some holiday/special occassions. The animated video was done by the Robot Chicken crew.
Lyrics
Faces filled with joy and cheer What a magical time of year Howdy Ho! It’s Weasel Stomping Day
Put your Viking helmet on Spread that mayonnaise on the lawn Don’t you know it’s Weasel Stomping Day?
All the little girls and boys Love that wonderful crunching noise You’ll know what this day’s about When you stomp a weasel’s guts right out
So, come along and have a laugh Snap their weasely spines in half Grab your boots and stomp your cares away Hip hip hooray, it’s Weasel Stomping Day
People up and down the street Crushing weasels beneath their feet Why we do it, who can say? But it’s such a festive holiday
So let the stomping fun begin Bash their weasely skulls right in It’s tradition, that makes it okay
Hey everyone, it’s Weasel Stomping We’ll have some fun on Weasel Stomping Put down your gun, it’s Weasel Stomping Day Hip Hip Hooray, it’s Weasel Stomping Day Weasel Stomping Day
So it seemed that Kentaro has caught the stupidity gene from his sister Cate. Maybe it is genetic after all.
Kentaro has come up with a hairbrained idea that they can go back in time and save their father, and that is why he is doing everything that he has done with Isabel. Honestly, these two deserve each other. I used to not mind Kentaro that much and I was hating Cate, but now the roles have switched completely.
I’m not 100% sure what the motives of Isabel are. Why are they manipulating poor Titan X who just wants to take care of her egg baby? Is she planning on using her to open a rift to use as her personal time machine? That plan feels as if there are a few holes in it. Like gigantic, titan filled holes.
Lee and Keiko have come back together and found the rift on Skull Island where Billy had been sending messages to for years before his death. It kind of reminded me of LOST when messages were being sent in the tubes that wound up in one of the hatches. However, Billy was using the rifts to send a message to Keiko, making Billy’s remaining years really sad and maybe even a little pathetic. Romantic too , I guess.
We got both Godzilla and Kong cameos. Godzilla wrangled Titan X to Skull Island and was happy. Kong- not so much. Kong does not like people around his island. It sure seems that Kong is going to bring the hurt to the invaders in the finale next week.
The penultimate episode of this show brought some good action and some tense moments. It went back into the past once again with flashbacks which are always welcome. This show has consistently been more entertaining in the past than it has been in the present. It seemed that Kurt Russell’s Lee has come to his senses after a couple of episodes of lunacy. I guess it is understandable that you go a little cuckoo when you have spent time talking to past self.
I hope the finale next week brings it hard, because the second season has been up and down for me and I would love to end on a strong note.
It feels like we just started the EYG Comic Cavalcade a little bit ago, but we have reached the golden #200. I never thought about reaching this milestone when I switched it over from EYG Comic Catch-Up back in March 2023. It has been three + years with this column. It has changed a bit, but it has remained a consistent post every week, if not more.
I am planning on continuing the EYG Comic Cavalcade with #201 next week. There is no need to restart the numbering. I love the high number count on the Comic Cavalcade, which is the highest number we have at EYG.
One of the new additions to the EYG Comic Cavalcade column is the Comic of the Week. It was birthed out of the EYG Favorite Comic Cover of the Week and I have enjoyed picking a book each week and highlighting it. This week’s Comic of the Week is a big one…
Comic of the Week
Spider-Man/ Superman #1
The big book of the week was Marvel’s turn for the team-up between Spider-Man and Superman. There are multiple covers for this book, of course.
Most of the stories of this book were very meh. However, the first story, written by best selling author Brad Meltzer, was absolutely tremendous. I loved this first story with the interactions between Superman and Spider-Man. I feel as if Brad Meltzer had a fabulous grasp on the character of Peter Parker.
I loved the situation they put Peter and Clark in and the resolution of the story was such an excellent tale.
The foil variant was the Gold Medalist of the week too.
Books This Week:
Amazing Spider-Man #27. Written by Joe Kelly with pencils by Ed McGuinness & Carlos Gomez with Francesco Manna. Cover art was done by Ed McGuinness & Marte Gracia. The Death Spiral storyline ends with this issue, having Mary Jane/Venom come to a dramatic and fatal confrontation with Torment. Spider-Carnage did not last very long as Peter Parker kicked the symbiotes butt with his empathy and caring.
Infernal Hulk #6. “Siege.” Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Adam Gorham. Cover art was done by Nic Klein. Iron Man heads in to take on the Infernal Hulk and practically tear the literal planet apart. The brutality of the Hulk right now is off the chart and it is amazing to what extent Tony Stark will go to kill the Hulk.
Captain America #9. “Doom’s Shadow” Part 4. Written by Chip Zdarsky and art by Ton Lima. Cover art was done by Valerio Schiti & Romulo Fajardo Jr. Captain America and Alina Von Doom are trying to get everyone to work together to face off against Salvation.
The Sentry #2. Written by Paul Jenkins and art by Christian Rosado. Cover art was done by Alex Maleev. This was a tough issue for Bob, as he is struggling through the events of the issue. Bob is trying to make sure that the Void does not come out… unless he is already out. The final page of the issue was a little scary.
Rafael Garcia: Henchman #2. Written by Peter Murrieta & D.E. Schrader with art by Ben Herrera. Cover art was done by Flops. The second issue of the new Titan book is very entertaining. Rafe is now in charge of his group and things do not go as well as he hoped it would. I found this to be a funny book and an easy book to read.
Justice League Unlimited #18. “Aftermath: Part Two” Written Mark Waid with art by Clayton Henry. Cover art was done by Dan Mora. The Justice League has initiated its new Super-Villain Amnesty Pilot Program and Lex Luthor seems to be taking full advantage of it. Can he be trusted? Come on… we know that he has a plan besides being a new heroic JLU member.
The Flash #32. “The Speed was Power, and the Speed was Joy- Part II” Written by Ryan North and illustrated by Gavin Guidry. Cover art was done by Gavin Guidry & Giovanni Niro. The second issue of Ryan North’s new run on The Flash was awesome. Flash has been one of my favorite DC characters even though I was not buying his book. North brought me in and he immediately has me invested in the new storyline.
Rogue #4. Written by Erica Schultz and art by Jim Towe. Cover art was done by David Nakayama. Rogue has been having trouble with her powers and her memories. Some of those are coming back and it has to do with a time when she absorbed Sabretooth’s personality and she did some horrible things. This has been a really strong solo series for Rogue.
Cyclops #3. “Seeing Red” Part 3. Written by Alex Paknadel with art by Rogê Antonio. Cover art was done by Federico Vicentini & Marcio Menyz. Speaking of a really strong solo series, Cyclops has been sensational so far. The whole thing with his lack of ruby quartz glasses has been cool and it has brought some real drama in the storyline. This might be my favorite new X-Men solo books since the end of Age of Revelation.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #3. “Agency” Part Three. Written by Jed MacKay with art by Devmalya Pramanik. Moon Knight vs. Bushman. Marc Spector goes through his own problems as the battle with Bushman rages on. Meanwhile, Zodiac is in the background egging Marc on in the battle.
Absolute Flash #14. “Mirror Master Part Two” Written by Jeff Lemire and art was done by Haining. Cover art was done by Nick Robles. Wally is trying to get back to his father, but he and Linda are trapped inside the mirrors. Mirror Master has a deal to make for Wally.
Wolverine #19. “Wisdom and War” Written by Saladin Ahmed with art by Martin Coccolo. Cover art was done by Dan Panosian. Logan and Hercules is brought out of their savage battle by Athena. She is looking to recruit Logan to battle the Adamantine. Then, Wolvie’s claws wound up being broken, which felt both amazing and something I have seen before. I am curious about what is going to happen next.
Spider-Versity #1. “Most School Spirit.” Written by Jordan Morris & Joe Kelly with art by Pere Perez. Norman Osborn has recruited a group of Spiders and is wanting to train them. Norman is not a known teacher and his method of training may not have been the way you should go about it. Miles, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Spider-Boy, Ghost-Spider, Silk and Arana are the Spiders.
Detective Comics #1108. “Flight Part Two.” Written by Tom Taylor and art was done by Pete Woods & Bruno Ardias. Cover art was done by Mikel Janin. Batman, Black Canary and Green Arrow are out to try and move about Gotham City inside the Hatchbat. Yes, I said Hatchbat. Thanks Barbara!
Corpse Knight #1. Written by Michael Chavez and art by Matthew Roberts. Cover art was done by Matthew Roberts & Rico Renzi. I also picked up the die cut variant cover by Matthew Roberts (Silver Medalist). This was one of my favorite books of the week. It was probably the runner-up to Spider-Man/Superman #1. This was a kick ass book and I really enjoyed this story with the little girl whose father came back from the dead… kind of.
Exquisite Corpses #12. Written by James Tynion IV and art by Michael Walsh. Cover art was done by Michael Walsh. I picked up the D cover Anandre. It was the penultimate issue of this awesome series. And we have a winner… or do we? There is some last minute manipulation going on in the tournament and setting up the finale next issue. Exquisite Corpses has been a fabulous series.
Phantom of the Opera #3. Written by Tyler Boss and art and cover art by Martin Simmonds. The latest Universal Monsters book at Image has been quite solid so far. The Phantom makes his move for Christine while Raolo and the police are trying to catch him.
The Phantom vs. the Sky Band #1. Written by Ray Fawkes and art and cover art by Federico Sabbatini. The Phantom returned again with some brutal damage in the jungle. This one shot was a fun issue that looks like there will be some other Phantom one shots coming soon.
The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #3. “Broken Glass & Spilled Beer.” Written by Chris Condon and art and cover by Jacob Phillips. The mystery of this noir Vertigo series continues to deepen as Ezra gets his butt kicked. This might have been my favorite issue of this series so far.
Strength and Ash #1. Written by Evan K. Pozios and pencils by Stefano Cardoselli. Cover art was done by Stefano Cardoselli & Francesca Perillo. This is a new Keenspot comic about a super hero who is killed and his child is perhaps a legacy. This was a different looking book that I really enjoyed. It was a number one that I just pulled off the stand. I found the Stefano Cardoselli art very unlike anything else on the market right now.
OtherBooks this week: American Caper #6, The Beauty #5, Spirit of the Shadows #4, Void Rivals #29, No Place #5, and Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #3.
Quick Hits: Absolute Wonder Woman #19 came out this week with a new power for Diana, and it is not a good one. Hello Body Horror #1 is a one shot that had a black bag variant cover as well. Black bags are the new in thing, and I picked up one, giving me the C cover. The bronze medalist winner this week is a new book from Image called In Your Skin #1. There is a new Mad Cave sci-fi book called Planet Atmos: Exordium #1. It is an interesting new book. Mad Cave is always providing excellence, it seems. I was given a group of Superman books for Superman Day this past weekend. These include Supergirl: The World, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1, Supergirl #1, Superman: Time and Time Again, Supergirl’s Zoo-Per Heroes and Superman #1. I grabbed a big book called Head Lopper #1, but I did not get into that very much. Wanda is taking on Dormammu in the Sorcerer Supreme #5. The second issue of The Other/Half #2 from Ignition Press came out this week too and it was a lot of fun. Barbarian Behind Bars #3 saw some more behind bars action as our barbarian loses his special jewel.
There are times when I hate the format of the Sunday Morning Sidewalk. Today is one of those times. Episode four was a great build to the Trial of Seven and the ending was a dramatic cliffhanger. I wanted desperately to go on to the next episode, available right now on HBO Max, but that is not what the Sunday Morning Sidewalk says, so I wait until next week.
As Duncan faced his punishment for his taking up arms against Aerion in an attempt to protect Tanselle, Aerion looked to more than a trial by combat. His claim for Trial by Seven fits beautifully in the cowardly persona of Aerion and placed the emphasis on Duncan to find six more knights willing to fight by his side… a task truly difficult.
Dunk and Egg reunited after Dunk was angry at the young boy’s lies. Despite it being his own family, Egg (short for Aegon) supports Duncan and stays as his squire.
The dramatic conclusion saw Duncan begging for one more knight to join him so he could get seven. This was after Ser Steffon Fossoway betrayed Duncan by turning away from him and joining Aerion’s side just prior to the battle’s start. He was bought off by a Lordship.
Duncan’s pleas fell on deaf ears, although one man appeared to stand to help, only to cut an obnoxious fart to a chorus of laughs. This set up the dramatic arrival of Baelor, uncle to Aerion, to take up arms beside Duncan.
This episode sets up a dramatic battle that I can assume comes next episode. I have truly liked this Game of Thrones spin off so far, making me wonder if I should finally watch GoT.
The song is fun as a satirical look at the paparazzi and entertainment news outlets like TMZ, but also take the other side of the fence with celebrities aren’t always great either.
Lyrics
You’re sort of famous A minor celebrity And so it only makes sense The world would be obsessed with every single thing you do
They’re running ’round With their camcorders in the night They lurk impatiently In hope in that they just might See something real embarrassing you do
The bad hair day and sweat-stained t-shirt That’s the story that They’re gonna feature With exclusive pics Of your flabby behind You think you’re all alone But that’s right when you’ll find
A bunch of paparazzi Popping out of nowhere Cameras in your face And then suddenly You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ
Following you When you’re walking down the street And asking stupid questions While you’re trying to eat So you cover your face Thinking to yourself “Hey, isn’t this creepy?”
And they’re out there praying You’ll have a big meltdown And take ’em on a little car chase Through this whole town They’ll be there with you When you’re going to jail First on the scene For every wardrobe fail
You just picked up some transvestite Seconds later It’s up on the website Get a vegas wedding A quickie divorce And they’ll be sneaking in Snapping pictures, of course
And if they ever catch you Picking your nose Or stumbling down the street On a drunken spree You’re on TMZ Stalking you, just waiting by your front door Trailing you through airport security They’re with TMZ They’re with TMZ
Oh, let me tell you It’s getting to the point Where a famous person can’t Even get a D.U.I Or go on a racist rant Those guys are all around So you really shouldn’t dare Go to every club in town If you’ve lost your underwear
Seems that every single time A star decides to shave her head Or ram their car into a tree They’re on TMZ If they catch you peeing in the bushes Later on, that night Well, I guarantee You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ You’re on TMZ Every single celebrity Knows they’re gonna be There on TMZ
EYG- Embrace Your Geekness 