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Shrinking S3 E9

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Spoilers

“Daddy Issues”

There was a feeling of finality in this episode of Shrinking.

Paul convinces Gabby to come back to work and then offers her the practice once again. However, he did not call her out on ditching her dream of setting up a trauma center. Something that Liz came to yell at him about.

Paul kept talking about having one more week before his retirement and spoke about moving. That was not something I remember as a chance and I don’t know how I would feel about Shrinking without Harrison Ford. I am assuming that it is just storyline, but I am not sure.

Jeff Daniels returned as Jimmy’s father, bringing up plenty of conflict from Jimmy’s childhood. When Jimmy found out that his dad was not going to go to the actual graduation ceremony in order to go on a fishing trip, Jimmy was even more down than he was before.

Worse yet, when his father told Jimmy that he really liked Sofi, way more than Tia (who apparently always saw him in the same light as Jimmy did), Jimmy broke up with Sofi, and he did it in a very cold manner. I would not blame Sofi if, when he invariably comes begging back, she dismisses it and kicks him to the curb. Jimmy letting his daddy issues interfere with something that was potentially great is more immature than I thought Jimmy could be. You could see that his father’s presence was not bringing out the best side of him.

Sean got the job as a a sous chef. He hesitated to accept it because of his friendship with Jorge, who worked with him in the food truck, and would cost him that job. Jorge did not take the news well, but Sean did not react with animosity or anger as he would have before, showing his own growth with his mental health.

It was nice to see the softer side of Paul in this episode. I hope he is not leaving at the end of this season, which has only two more to go.

Daily Countdown: Weird Al Songs #95

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#95

Buy Me a Condo

Title: “Gonna Buy Me a Condo”

Written: Al Yankovic

Album: Weird Al Yankovic In 3D

Released: 1984

Style: This is a style parody of Bob Marley and other reggae music

One of the wonderful hidden gems on the In 3D album. Buy Me a Condo satires the American lifestyle.

Lyrics

Gonna buy me a condo
Gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
Get a wallet full ‘o credit cards
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I gonna get me da T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

Wo, used to live in Jamaica But I don’t live dere no more
Had to change me lifestyle
Do t’ings I never done before
So now I’m just a lonely Rastaman
Living in dis American town
Gonna sell me Bob Marley records
Gonna get me some Jackson Browne

I gonna buy me a condo
Gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
And get a wallet full ‘o credit cards, eh
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I gonna get me da T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

Wo, gonna cut off me dreadlocks
T’row away all me ganja
I’ll have a Tupperware party
Maybe join me a health spa
I’ll get a bowl of plastic fruits
And a microwave oven, too
Then I’ll have the neighbors over for a weenie barbecue

Gonna buy me a condo
Gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
Get a wallet full ‘o credit cards, oh
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I get a funny little T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

Ain’t gonna work in de field no more
Gonna be Amway distributor
Ain’t gonna work in de field no more (no, no)
Gonna be Amway distributor

Ja, ja, ja, life is so very hard
I need a (ja) ja, ja, ja jacuzzi in me back yard

Oh, I gonna buy me a condo
Gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
Get a wallet full ‘o credit cards, eh
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I gonna get me da T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

What’d you say?

I gonna buy me a condo
I gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
Get a wallet full ‘o credit cards, oh
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I gonna get me da T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

What’d you say?

I gonna buy me a condo
Gonna buy me a Cuisinart
Get a wall-to-wall carpeting
And get a wallet full ‘o credit cards, oh
I gonna buy me a condo, never have to mow de lawn
I gonna get me da T-shirt wit’ de alligator on

Source: LyricFind

Paradise S2 E7

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Spoilers

“The Final Countdown”

Sadly, this is the penultimate episode of season 2 of Paradise on Hulu. It has been so great that I don’t want to see it end. We get some major events occurring in episode 7.

Xavier & Teri are reunited and are on their way back to Colorado. Of course, first things first… they had to get Bean, who was being held by Gary the Mailman. Xavier wanted to just blow him away, but Teri had a more diplomatic path. She talked to Gary and dealt with the emotions he was revealing, and confronted him over the murder of Enos. Gary cried and accepted the fate, and never got his head blown off. Bonus for Gary.

Meanwhile, we were seeing how Sinatra was continually manipulating everyone. She meets with Link and they have a tense back and forth. However, Sinatra makes a shocking discovery… or at least a possible discovery… is Link her supposedly dead son Dylan? Could that be? Could this be the variable that brings Sinatra down?

The outside forces are preparing for their attack… maybe cause Link enjoyed that apple pie so much.

It sure seemed as if Gabriela stabbed Jane in a shower, and left her bleeding out and dead. Now, there is no confirmation that Jane is dead and she feels like that type of supervillain that you can’t just expect to be killed by a stab wound or two. You have got to finish her off when you have a chance. So while she could be gone now, I would not be surprised if she crawled her way out of that shower.

We got a flashback to see more of President Cal Bradford before his murder. It is always great to see James Marsden in Paradise, so every flashback with him is thoroughly welcome. Cal was inspecting everything with Sinatra and making like a prophet and calling that the bunker would go down one day. Surely this is meant as some foreshadowing for what is to come.

This finale should be full of surprises and action. Maybe we will finally find out who the mysterious “Alex” is, as Sinatra arrived at a location, put on a jacket, and greeted Alex. This was after Link had told her that he was after Alex. I have no idea who or what Alex is, but I can’t wait to find out.

Daily Countdown: Weird Al Songs #98

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#98

Jackson Park Express

Title: Jackson Park Express

Written: Al Yankovic

Album: Mandatory Fun

Style Pastiche: Cat Stevens; Harry Chapin

Release: 2013

Jackson Park Express is one of the longer songs Weird Al has done. It runs 9 minutes and 4 seconds. It is an epic love story between two people who see each other on a bus for the first time. The romance lasts until the woman gets off the bus, without ever speaking to the man.

Ah, love.

Lyrics

Tuesday morning, 8:15
I was riding to work on the
Jackson Park Express
Seemed like any other day
Then my whole world changed
In a way I never could have guessed
‘Cause she walked in
Took the seat right across the aisle
I knew we had a special connection
The second I saw her smile

She smiled as if to say
“Hello, haven’t seen you on this bus before”
I gave her a look that said
“Huh, life is funny, you never know what’s in store
By the way, your hair is beautiful
I bet it smells like raisins”

She looked at me in a way that asked
“Did you have a nose job or something?
I’m only asking, cause your nose looks slightly better
Than the rest of your face”
I arched my eyebrow, ever so slightly
Which was my way of asking
“Do you want my old Hewlett-Packard printer?
It still works, kinda
And I got a bunch of ink cartridges left”

Then, she let out a long sigh
Which, I took to mean, “Uh”
“Mama, what is that deodorant you’re wearing?
It’s intoxicating
Why don’t we drive out to the country sometime?
And collect deer ticks in a zip-lock baggie”, oh yeah

I gave her a penetrating stare
Which could only mean
“You are my answer, my answer to everything
Which is why, I’ll probably do very poorly
On the written part of my driver’s test”

Yes, it all happened
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express

I knew she was starting to fall for me
‘Cause she crinkled her nose, which unmistakably meant
“Baby, lets wear each other’s clothes
And speak in a thick German accent
And, maybe someday we can own and operate
Our own mobile pet-grooming service”
I couldn’t hold back my feelings
I gave her a look, that said
“I would make any sacrifice for your love
Goat, chicken, whatever
I could never hold you close enough
Let’s have our bodies surgically grafted together
Oh, surgically grafted together”

She picked up a newspaper, and started reading to herself
Which I’m sure, was a way of telling me
“When you’re cold, I will warm you
When you’re shivering, I will hold you
When your nauseous, I will give you Pepto-Bismol every hour
For as long as the symptoms persist”
Oh, I, I never, ever want to see you cry
So, please let me cauterize your tear ducts with an arc welder
Then, I glanced down, at her shirt, for a second
In a way that clearly implied
“I like your boobs”

Yes, it all happened
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express

I cleared my throat quietly, and then, I looked away
And I’m sure it was obvious to her, just what I was trying to say
I was trying to say, “Hey
I’d like to make a wall-sized mural out of all the dead skin cells
That you slough off while you sleep at night”
Whoa-o-Oh, “I’d like to rip you wide open
And french-kiss every single one of your internal organs
Oh, I’d like to remove all your skin, and wear your skin, over my own skin
But not in a creepy way”

Then, I’m pretty sure, she looked at me, out of the corner of her good eye
And, though, she never spoke a word, this is exactly what I heard
She was saying, “Oh!
I wanna make out with you, in an abandoned toll-booth, in the middle of a monsoon
I wanna ride dolphins with you, in the moonlight
Until the staff at Sea World kicks us out
I want you inside me, oh, like a tapeworm”

I pointed to the side of my mouth, as a way of indicating
“Hey, I think you got something on the side of your mouth”
She licked the corner of her lips, as if to say
“Here?”, I nodded, implying, “Yeah, you got it”

And, then the bus stopped, at 53rd Street, and she got up suddenly
“Where are you going?”, pleaded my eyes, “Baby, don’t you do this to me
Think of the beautiful children we could have someday
We could school them at home, raise them up the right way
And protect them from the evils of the world
Like Trigonometry and Prime Numbers, oh no
Baby, please don’t go”

She brushed my leg, as she left the bus
I’m sure that was her way of saying
“I’m sorry this just isn’t working out
You’re suffocating me
I need some space to find out what life’s all about
So, goodbye forever, my love”

And deep inside, I knew she was right
It was time for us both to move on
And no, I never got her number, oh no no
She never bothered to leave her address, oh
But, as long as I live, I’ll never forget
Those precious moments we shared together

On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express
On the Jackson Park Express

Source: LyricFind

Sunday Morning Sidewalk #61

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Spoilers

“Episode Five”

Whoa. Big episode. Major reveals leading into the finale. This was the first week that I really wanted to keep watching instead of waiting until next Sunday.

However, I am not sure how I feel about the reveal that it appeared that we got. I can’t see them doing this as a huge red herring at this point in the series. There really feels like there are some gaps in this potential solution that are very coincidental. It makes me think that there is something major missing yet.

Jack’s sister Zoe was murdered this week in a shocking moment. This was after she went to Jack and begged him to listen to her. As always, Jack was just too buried in his own crap to pay any attention to her. Zoe was worried about being the next victim and she wanted to tell Jack something about Anna. The show does a tremendous job of pointing the finger of suspicion at Anna until the last bit of the episode.

How much guilt will Jack have since his sister showed up practically begging for help and he blew her off?

That is until we see that the hotel rooms for Anna and Richard had been canceled and they had no where to go. Richard took Anna to his in-laws place, through the most dense forest around. The tension of that trip was tight as Anna recalled a memory of a time when the five of the friends, including the heavy-set girl named Kathryn (who we saw a few episodes ago in a flashback), who wound up getting raped at this get together.

We find out that Kathryn is dead as well. Zoe had told Priya while she was at the police station about Kathryn. Priya has been focused on the four friends, two of which were murdered. Priya was looking closely at Anna as a suspect.

When Anna and Richard arrived at the lake house, Anna discovered that Richard’s wife and her rival at the station, Lexy, was there too. Anna saw some pictures on the wall of Lexy’s family, her parents and … there was pictures of Kathryn too.

Could Kathryn be related to Lexy? Were they sisters?

Does that mean that Lexy is the killer? Does Richard know or is she just stringing him along. And if that is the case, there is one big thread that bothers me. When the murder of Rachel first takes place and Anna wants to follow the story, she specifically requested Richard as her cameraman. Isn’t that a huge coincidence that makes me unsure about the entire situation.

There is also the fact that Rachel was blackmailing somebody, and her husband, in a taunting scene with Jack, implied that it was not him she was blackmailing. Could it have been Lexy? Richard? Was this all a big revenge scheme to get back at the girls who were so mean to Kathryn when they were in school together? Why would it take so long? Is it connected to Kathryn’s death?

There feels like there are a piece or two that will connect everything together to make it all make sense… or at least I hope it does. Next Sunday I will watch the finale of the limited series and I hope it ties together well.

Blackwood

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Blackwood

Chapter 1

The Beginning

The royal family of Rosewood longed for children, but for many years they had none. Then at last, they were blessed with twins—a boy and a girl.

The boy was named Adrian Rosewood, and the girl was named Emma Rosewood.

The king and queen were overjoyed. They spoiled their children with love and riches. But as the years passed, Adrian grew rude and selfish, often mistreating the people of Rosewood.

Emma, however, was the complete opposite. She was kind and gentle, always helping the poor and giving from her own allowance. The people of the kingdom adored her.

The king and queen noticed the difference between their children and were proud of Emma.Adrian noticed it too.

And he hated it.Jealousy filled his heart. For years he treated Emma cruelly. Once, he even placed a snake in her bed just to frighten her. But their mother and father did nothing about it they said boys will be boys

When they turned seventeen, everything changed.To strengthen an alliance during a growing threat of war, Emma was arranged to marry Prince Sebastian Blackwood of the Dark Kingdom.

Chapter 2

The Wedding

Emma stood in her chamber, preparing to walk down the aisle to meet her future husband. She wore a beautiful black gown, and her hair was styled neatly in a delicate bun.

Across the palace, Sebastian adjusted his suit and pushed his dark hair back.In only ten minutes, he would be married. Sebastian had loved Emma for years.But Emma did not love him.

Her heart once belonged to Prince James of Silverwood.When they were children, while the other boys practiced sword fighting, James would walk beside her in the gardens and talk with her. He had been her first true friend.

But when Emma confessed her feelings to him, James revealed a painful truth. He had only spent time with her because his father hoped to gain land from Rosewood through her.

When the King of Rosewood refused, James’s father declared war.The war ended with defeat for Silverbrook, and James was imprisoned for years.

Until the day of Emma’s wedding.Just after Emma kissed Sebastian, the grand doors of the hall suddenly burst open.

Standing there was James, covered in dirt, fury burning in his eyes.He rushed forward, gripping what looked like a dagger.Before he could reach Emma, Sebastian struck him hard, knocking him to the ground. Guards quickly grabbed him.The newly married couple hurried into their carriage and left the palace.

Inside the carriage, silence filled the air.Finally, Sebastian spoke quietly.“If you don’t want this… I understand,” he said. “We’ve only just met. This is a lot.”

Chapter 3

The Carriage Ride

The carriage wheels rolled over the stone roads of Rosewood, echoing through the heavy silence.

Emma stared out the window, her wedding veil resting in her lap. The kingdom she had known her entire life slowly disappeared behind her.

Sebastian sat across from her, watching her carefully.“You still love him,” he said quietly.It wasn’t a question.

Emma swallowed.“I don’t know what I feel anymore.”

Sebastian leaned back slightly. “He tried to ruin our wedding.”“He was in prison for years,” Emma whispered. “What do you think that does to someone?”Sebastian’s jaw tightened, though his voice remained calm.“It doesn’t excuse showing up with a blade.”

Silence returned.

After a few minutes, Sebastian spoke more gently.“I never wanted you forced into this marriage. I agreed to the alliance because I thought… maybe one day you might care for me.”

Emma looked at him for the first time since they left the palace.“You’ve loved me for years,” she said softly. “Why?”Sebastian gave a small smile.

“When I visited Rosewood as a child, you were the only one who spoke to me like I was normal. Not like I was the prince of the Dark Kingdom.”

Something in Emma’s heart shifted.Suddenly the carriage jerked to a stop.Voices shouted outside.Sebastian’s calm expression instantly turned alert.

“Stay inside,” he said.Before Emma could answer, the carriage door burst open.

A guard stumbled backward—and behind him stood James.His eyes looked different now.Almost wild.“Emma,” he said quietly. “You’re coming with me.”

Sebastian stepped in front of her.“She’s my wife now.”James glared at him.“Not by choice.”

Emma’s heart pounded.“No!” she shouted. “Go home! You shouldn’t be here!”James looked at her with a strangely gentle expression.

“Come with me, Emma. We can be together like we always wanted.”Emma’s face hardened.“No,” she said firmly. “I love Sebastian. Now go home and leave us alone.”

Sebastian looked surprised. He had never seen her so angry before.They climbed back into the carriage and continued their journey.

Four hours later, they arrived at their new home.The castle stood tall and beautiful in the moonlight, flowers climbing along its stone walls.“It’s beautiful,” Emma whispered.Sebastian looked slightly nervous.

“I had it designed to feel like both of our homes,” he said. “I thought it might help you feel comfortable.”Emma smiled.“It’s perfect,” she said softly.

Chapter 4

Years Together

As the years passed, Emma and Sebastian grew very close.But on December 12, Sebastian seemed strangely angry.Emma tried to talk to him, but he yelled at her to leave.

Emma left the room in tears. She put on her coat and walked outside into the cold night air.She had wanted to tell him something important.She was going to have a baby.

As she walked through the woods, she practiced how she would tell him.Suddenly a branch snapped.Emma turned quickly, but she saw nothing.Another branch cracked.

Fear rushed through her chest.She ran back toward the castle. Just as she reached the door, a voice stopped her.“Emma.”Slowly, she turned around.

James stood behind her, covered in dirt—just like the last time she had seen him.“You need to leave,” Emma said nervously.James smiled slightly.“Don’t you miss me?” he asked. “I was your first love.” Emma shook her head.“Not anymore.”Then James said something that made her blood run cold.“The baby,” he said quietly. “How do you think your husband will react knowing I knew first?”Emma’s eyes widened.“You need to go,” she said. “You can’t be here.”

Chapter 5

Secrets in the Dark

Emma stood frozen as the cold wind moved through the trees.“I told you to leave,” she said.James stepped closer.“Why are you so scared?” he asked softly.Emma’s hand rested on her stomach without thinking.James noticed.“So it’s true,” he said quietly.

Before Emma could respond, the castle doors opened.Sebastian stepped outside.“What’s going on?” he asked.Emma hesitated.Then she told the truth.“It was James.”Sebastian’s face went still.“He came here?”

Emma nodded.“I needed to tell you something,” she whispered.“What is it?”Emma took his hands.“We’re having a baby.”For a moment Sebastian didn’t move.

Then he pulled her into a warm embrace.“We’ll get through everything together,” he said softly. “You, me… and our child.”But far beyond the castle walls, James watched from the forest.“This is only the beginning,” he whispered.

Chapter 6

Shadows Over Blackwood

The next morning snow covered the gardens of Blackwood Castle.Emma stood by the window, her hands resting on her stomach.Behind her, Sebastian entered the room.“You didn’t sleep,” she said.

“Not much.”“I keep thinking about the baby… and James,” he admitted.Emma sighed.“He won’t stop, will he?”

Sebastian shook his head.“I’ve doubled the guards.”Just then a guard arrived with a letter from the border.Sebastian read it slowly.“What is it?” Emma asked.“Three guards were attacked last night.”

Emma’s heart raced.

Were they killed?No. Sebastian looked up.“But they said the man fought like someone who had nothing left to lose.”

They both knew the answer.James was back.

Chapter 7

A Promise in the Snow

Emma stood in Sebastian’s arms as the winter wind howled outside.“I’m scared,” she whispered.

Sebastian gently brushed her hair away.“He won’t take anything from us.”“Promise me something,” Emma said.

“What?”

“Please don’t hurt him.”Sebastian looked surprised.“He attacked our guards.”“I know… but he used to be my friend.”

Sebastian sighed.

“You really are too kind.”He lifted her chin gently.“I will protect you and our child. That comes first.”Emma nodded.

“I promise I won’t kill him,” Sebastian said quietly, “unless he gives me no other choice.”Later that night, in the war council room, Sebastian studied a map with his advisors.

A silver pendant lay on the table.The symbol of Silverbrook was engraved on it.A message was carved into the back.Sebastian read it silently.

“What does it say?” one advisor asked.Sebastian’s eyes darkened.

“It’s a message for me.”“What kind of message?”Sebastian spoke coldly.

“It says…”

He paused.

“Tell Emma I’m coming for what was always mine.”Far away in the frozen forest, James sat beside a small fire.In his hand he held an old ribbon.

Emma’s ribbon.

“She belongs with me,” he muttered.He stood and looked toward the distant lights of Blackwood Castle.

A dangerous smile crossed his face.“They think those walls can protect her.”

He stepped into the darkness.“Let’s see how long that lasts.” I will get her back she is MY love 

Chapter 8

The Baby

Winter had slowly begun to fade from the lands surrounding Blackwood Castle. The snow that once covered the gardens had melted into small shining streams that ran along the stone pathways. Early flowers had begun to push through the earth again, their colors bright against the dark soil.Inside the castle, the halls were peaceful.Emma walked slowly through the castle library, her hand resting gently on her stomach. The tall windows beside her let warm sunlight pour across the polished wooden floor. Dust floated lazily through the golden light.

She had spent most of the morning reading, though she hadn’t truly been paying attention to the pages in front of her. Her mind had been somewhere else entirely.The baby was due very soon.Sebastian had become more protective with each passing week. Guards now stood at nearly every entrance of the castle, and patrols had doubled along the outer walls.James had not appeared again since the night Emma had seen him in the forest.

But none of them believed he was gone.Emma slowly walked between the shelves of books, trying to calm the nervous feeling in her chest. She had never been more excited in her life—but she had also never been more afraid.Suddenly she felt something strange.A sharp pain moved through her stomach.Emma froze.Then another pain followed, stronger than the first.She inhaled sharply and gripped the edge of a nearby table.For a moment she thought it might pass.

But then she felt warm liquid run down her legs.Her eyes widened.“My water…”The pain came again, stronger this time, and Emma gasped.“Help!” she cried out.Her voice echoed through the tall library walls.Footsteps came running down the hallway almost instantly.

The door burst open and Sebastian rushed inside.The moment he saw her, his face went pale.“Emma!”He hurried across the room and caught her just as another contraction made her knees buckle.“My water broke,” Emma whispered breathlessly.

Sebastian didn’t hesitate.Without another word, he carefully lifted her into his arms.“We’re having this baby now,” he said.Emma clutched the front of his shirt as he hurried through the castle corridors.Servants and guards jumped out of the way as the king rushed past them.“Send for the midwife!” Sebastian shouted.“Now!”

The castle erupted into motion.Doors opened.Servants ran down the halls.Someone rang the small bell that called the castle healers.

Sebastian carried Emma into their chamber and gently placed her on the large bed.Emma tried to breathe slowly, but another contraction made her cry out.Sebastian took her hand.“I’m here,” he said softly. “You’re going to be alright.”Emma squeezed his hand tightly.“You better not leave this room,” she warned weakly.Sebastian almost laughed despite the fear racing through him.“I wouldn’t dare.”Moments later the midwife arrived, followed by two castle healers and several attendants carrying warm water and clean cloths.The room quickly filled with quiet but urgent activity.

Candles were lit.Curtains were drawn closed.The midwife gently helped Emma sit up against several pillows.“It’s time,” she said calmly.Emma nodded, though sweat already covered her forehead.Sebastian stayed beside her the entire time.

Hours passed slowly.The sun set outside the windows, and night settled across the castle.Emma cried out again as another wave of pain moved through her body.Sebastian held her hand through every moment.You’re doing amazing,” he told her.Emma glared at him.“If you ever say that again,” she said between breaths, “I might throw something at you.”One of the healers tried to hide a smile.Sebastian squeezed her hand.“Fair enough.”Seven long hours passed before the midwife suddenly spoke.“I can see the baby,” she said.Emma gathered the last of her strength and pushed.The room filled with tense silence.

Then—

A cry.A small, strong cry filled the chamber.The midwife carefully lifted the newborn child and wrapped her in a soft blanket.Sebastian felt his chest tighten as he watched.“A healthy baby girl,” the midwife announced.

Emma let out a long breath of relief.The baby was placed gently into her arms.Emma stared down at the tiny face looking back at her.The child had soft dark hair and bright curious eyes.Emma felt tears fill her own.“She’s beautiful,” she whispered.Sebastian sat beside her, completely speechless.Emma looked up at him.“Do you want to hold her?”Sebastian hesitated for a moment.He had faced battles.He had commanded armies.

But this tiny child somehow made him more nervous than anything else.Carefully, he took the baby into his arms.She looked impossibly small.Sebastian stared down at her, completely amazed.“What’s her name?” the midwife asked.Emma looked at Sebastian.They had discussed names many times before.Sebastian smiled softly.“Stella,” he said.

Emma nodded.“Stella Neal Blackwood.”The room grew quiet as everyone looked at the tiny princess.The first daughter born in generations to unite the Dark Kingdom and the Flower Kingdom.

Years passed quickly.
The castle gardens that Stella once crawled through soon became the place where she ran freely, with laughter echoing through the walls.She grew into a bright and curious child.
Like her mother, Stella was kind and compassionate. She spent hours speaking with the castle servants, listening to their stories and helping in small ways whenever she could.But like her father, she had a fierce temper.
If someone treated others unfairly, Stella never stayed quiet.Once, when a young noble boy mocked a servant girl, Stella had shoved him straight into the fountain. Sebastian had tried to appear stern when he heard about it. But Emma had caught him smiling afterward.

Stella had inherited both of their spirits by the time she reached sixteen, she had grown into a confident young woman. Her dark hair flowed past her shoulders, and her eyes held the same warmth Emma had always carried. But there was also something else in them—strength.the kind that came from being raised by two powerful rulers.On a bright spring afternoon, Stella walked through the castle gardens with someone she trusted more than anyone else—Sindey of Blackwood.Sindey was the daughter of James. Though few people in the kingdom knew it, James had eventually disappeared from the conflict years ago. Rumors said he had wandered far into the northern lands.

But somehow, long after the wars had faded, his daughter had arrived at the kingdom’s borders.Emma had chosen to take her in, despite Sebastian’s hesitation.Sidney of Blackwood had grown up inside Blackwood Castle. She and Stella had been inseparable since childhood.They studied together.
Trained together.
Explored the forests surrounding the castle together.Now they sat beneath a large flowering tree, sunlight shining through the branches above them.Sindey leaned back against the trunk while Stella rested beside her.“You’re quiet today,” Sindey said.Stella looked down at her hands.
“I’ve been thinking.”That sounds dangerous.”Stella laughed slightly, then grew serious again.

“Sindey… can I tell you something?”Sindey turned toward her.
“You can tell me anything.”Stella hesitated. Her heart pounded in her chest.“I think…”
She paused.“I think I’m in love with you.”The words hung in the air between them.For a moment, Sindey said nothing.Then she smiled softly.“I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out.”Stella blinked.
“You knew?”

Sindey laughed.“You’ve been staring at me like that for three years.”Stella felt her face turn red.“Well… when you say it like that…”Sindey gently took her hand. I like you too,” she said quietly

Shrinking S3 E7

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Spoilers

“I Will Be Grape”

It is the birthday of Tia so Jimmy and Alice are celebrating in their own way. The whole group of characters are circling around, lending their help and support. Alice is very worried that her father will be alone and be completely lonely when she went to college.

Jimmy definitely showed how much he still missed his wife, as we see a sweet scene with them singing “A Thousand Years” and Tia messing up the lyrics to sing “I Will Be Grape.”

Alice called Louis to come to Tia’s grave so Jimmy can see how good his life has become. Alice tells Jimmy that he was the reason why Louis was able to move on, and she worried that Jimmy would never be able to move on.

New epic guest star this week. Shrinking has amazing actors in secondary and supporting roles, and Candace Bergen is here as Constance, Derek’s mother, who has had a very contemptuous relationship with Liz over the years.

I love Candace Bergen and having her on Shrinking is fabulous. What was even better was the all-too-short scene between Candace Bergen and Harrison Ford. What a wonderfully written moment and I loved every second of it.

Michael J. Fox also returned this week in a session with Paul.

Then, we get Cobie Smulders back as Sofie, who gets invited to the final sing-a-long with Jimmy and his whole family/friends at the celebration of Tia’s birthday. A little awkward, but fitting right in with the way Shrinking goes.

Then, it ends with a brutal thud as Gaby gets a phone call telling her that “We lost Maya.” I assumed that she died, as she did seem like she had made a decision at the end of last episode.

Strong episode again as this show is just so awesome. So many amazing actors with such excellent writing.

EYG Favorite Comic Covers of the Week

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March 5

I had a tough choice this week that I wussed out of. I was down to four covers for the three medals and, once again, I decided to have there be a tie. Oh well…

Last week we did not have any variants in our medalists. This week, there are two of the four covers.

Also-Rans: Narco #1, Avengers #36, Batman #7, Moonstar #1, The Twilight Zone #5, Bloodland #2,

Bronze Medalist

(TIE)

Disney Villains: Gaston #1

Cover art by Milena Ciccarello

Variant Cover C

I loved this cover, helping me decide to pick this Dynamite Comics book up. I love how we get Gaston and LeFou running inside the outline of Gaston’s body. The black background makes this standout all the more.

Hello Darkness #19

Cover art by Jenny Frison

Variant Cover B

Another variant that I saw on the shelf and decided to pick it up. I have been enjoying Jenny Frison’s work on the Clean Room Vertigo series that I have been reading on the Daily Read and I think her touch really helps make these horror comic covers effective.

Silver Medalist

Sleep #8

Cover art by Zander Cannon

I have been waiting for the finale of this series for quite awhile now and I was excited to see the book come out this week. The covers of Sleep have been consistently excellent and this one is no exception. The black and white background with the blood red running down creates an exceptional contrast for the cover and really makes me want to see what the finale has in store for me.

Gold Medalist

Nectar #1

Cover art by Chris Shehan

Another new hot book has a beautiful cover featuring butterflies. How does that fit into the story? I am very curious about this book. The orange color of the butterflies and the title jump off the page, especially with that big white moon behind them.

Clean Room #12

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Written by Gail Simone

Art by Jon Davis-Hunt

Cover art by Jenny Frison

“The Damned Lay Dying”

I love this issue. We get a couple of major face offs and sets our two main protagonists on a course for each other.

Astrid video called into the board meeting, revealing that she was very much alive. The confrontation with Mr. Wenuka was like the worst Zoom call ever. Astrid sure showed that even on a mountain top, she had everything under control. I loved how she dealt with Todd, who was the assassin who attempted to kill her on the mountain. She treated him way better than I expected.

Meanwhile, inside the Clean Room, Chloe embraced her ability to control the Clean Room and to show Spark his past… something Spark did not want to see. There were some horrible scenes with Spark possessing a little girl and the tragedy around it. Chloe seemed to be in control as much as Astrid was during the video conference. Killian was shocked since she only knew of one person, Astrid, who could activate the Clean Room.

Both of the assassins, Todd and Duncan, were shown to have been hypnotized and the people around them forgave them quickly. I like that very much. It also seems as if Spark may have taken a step back from the evil that it had looked to reclaim last issue.

Astrid’s brother’s baby was discovered by Astrid’s people. They told her the baby was normal. Of course, Astrid is able to see things differently as the last shot shows the baby with the monstrous head.

Every issue has a twist that I did not see coming. I love how this series feels like a roller coaster that is just flying without me knowing where it was going.

Paradise S2 E4

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“A Holy Charge”

What a fabulously emotional and powerful episode. The first three episodes were strong, but this episode of Paradise was tremendous. It was surprising, engaging, emotional. I found myself tearing up at a specific spot in the episode.

One of my favorite things was that as Xavier and Annie were on their way to Atlanta, they came across some people in another wagon. If The Walking Dead and The Last of Us have taught us one thing, it is that the real monsters in any sort of post-apocalyptic world are other humans. Annie begged Xavier not to look at these people, just to ignore them, and not speak to them. Xavier greeted them anyhow.

Later, Annie goes into labor, and Xavier ran for help from them. I swear I have seen this scene before on one of the aforementioned dramas. However, Xavier returned with a group of these people who went right into helping with the situation. I loved the fact that this show led with the message that not everyone has become monsters. There are good people still around.

The show did a juxtaposition between two births: Annie’s baby birth, and the first birth of a baby in the Colorado bunker (it was great to see James Marsden, once again). I was so on edge the whole time expecting something to happen to one of the babies, and they both survived. I was so happy.

Then, the show threw a twist that fit right with those other shows. Annie died from the birth. I couldn’t believe it. It was such a major shock. This was where I was nearly crying. The scene where the horse would not leave her graveside was so great.

Excellent episode. Next week looks like the story will be taking off, big time.

Clean Room #10

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Spoilers

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Jon Davis-Hunt

Cover Art by Jenny Frison

“The Last Breath of an Exile”

So, what I wrote about last issue is a touch different now.

It appeared that Spark is not dead. The electricity that was sent through him last issue did not turn him into a pile of ashes. That is what I thought happened, but we see Spark this issue, still alive, still in the Clean Room and being tortured for information. The panel where Spark spoke for Chloe Clim Clam, begging for her to help him, made me worry that Spark is going to resent her for leaving him.

In fact, Chloe knows Spark is alive and I wonder why she left him in the first place. We see her investigating Mueller holdings, and she called Astrid all kinds of nasty names, but why did she leave in the first place?

We return to the scene several days later and Astrid has left the Clean Room and gone to a mountain retreat. Killian sent Capone to retrieve Astrid, but Astrid does not seem to be planning on coming back. Suddenly, there is some feeling for Astrid, a character who I called cold and sent straight t team bad guy last issue. I had some pity for her as she dealt with the idea that her brother shot her through the heart. I am such a manipulated mark.

We also have a new pair of horrendous individuals to fill that villain role. Wenuka and Pete are Jesus-loving corporate businessmen who are looking for a takeover of Astrid Mueller’s followers. We met them earlier, but this issue, we discover that they are darker than we imagined. They had their own “Dark Room,” which made me think it was similar to the Clean Room, and they seem to be ready to torture a poor couple. Weirdos.

I was sure of how I felt about these characters after issue #9 and then #10 flipped it over again. I love that this series is able to play with my emotions. I just hope Spark does not turn angry after his suffering, blaming Chloe.

EYG Comic Cavalcade #193

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March 1

Up to Issue #8 in the Daily Read of Clean Room by Gail Simone. It is truly epic so far. I really am enjoying that Vertigo series from 2016.

I bought the first appearance of Mockingbird in Marvel Team-Up #95. I am down to six more of the volume 1 run of Marvel Team-Up to complete my collection. That’s fun.

Comic of the Week:

Amazing Spider-Man/Venom: Death Spiral #1

What a massive list of Comic Book writing royalty working on this book. #1 is listed as written by Joe Kelly, Al Ewing & Charles Soule. That is three pretty solid writers for this series. Then the whole thing is drawn by Jesus Saiz. The book started off strong as Symbie (Peter’s little symbiote friend) gnawing of Johnny Storm’s head. I almost fell over. I will say that one thing could ruin it all and that would be a romantic pairing of Mary Jane and Flash Thompson. NO THANK YOU, PLEASE!

Books this week:

Is Ted Okay? #1. Written, drawn and cover art by Dave Chisholm (Silver Medalist). The runner of for Comic of the Week this week is Is Ted Ok? #1 from Mad Cave. It was a very intriguing and interesting idea that I am excited to see expand even more. What is up with Ted and why are we needing to keep an eye on him? Ted is isolated and antisocial, and Sarah, who has been assigned to watch him, starts to wish there was something she could do to help him. It’s complex and different and those are always welcomed.

Murder Drones #1. Written by Wyatt Kennedy and illustrated by Jo Mi-Gyeong. Cover art was done by Alessio Zonno. I was surprised to see this book in my pull list, because I did not think I had it on my list. I had planned on picking #1 up so I was happy I had it. I noticed that I was missing Murder Podcast #5, so I assume the wrong “Murder” book got pulled. As for moving ahead, this one will not be on my pull list. I did not enjoy Murder Drones much at all.

Murder Podcast #5. Written by Jeremy Haun and illustrated by Mike Tisserand. Cover art was done by Jeremy Haun. Unlike the Drones, Murder Podcast is a great story that has that ongoing mystery that is easily filling this story. There are so many brutal kills (some of which were hilarious) that it engages the reader. The issue ended with some military intervention that seemed important (?).

Bat-Man: Second Knight #3. Written by Dan Jurgens and art and cover art by Mike Perkins. The noir style Batman Elseworlds story comes to an exciting close as Batman and Superman learn how to work together and to stop the poisonous fear gas of the Scarecrow. The Black Label book was a lot of fun and reminded me some of Spider-Man Noir.

Universal Monsters: Phantom of the Opera #1. Written by Tyler Boss and art and cover art by Martin Simmonds. I also grabbed the die-cut cover by Andrea Milana. The next installment of Image Comics reboots of the Universal Monsters is up and it is Phantom of the Opera. The well-known saga of the man with the scarred face but beautiful voice. I have enjoyed all of these Universal Monster books and I am looking forward to more Phantom of the Opera.

Iron Man #2. “Under Pressure” Written by Joshua Williamson and art by Carmen Carnero. Cover art was done by Ryan Stegman & Frank Martin. Tony Stark is trying to figure out what Madame Masque is up to… that is, when she is not sharing his bed. Ooooh Tony. Also, who would guess that Iron Man would have to fight side by side with MODOK?

The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery#1. Written by Chris Condon and art and cover art by Jacob Phillips. This is the newest Vertigo book from DC and this is the standout one for me so far. The other two were fine, but this noir detective thriller is the one I am most interested in. I have been a fan of Chris Condon over the years with That Texas Blood, The Enfield Gang and News from the Fallout, so his name on this helps to sell the book even more.

Detective Comics #1106. “The Courage that Kills” Finale. Written by Tom Taylor and art and cover art by Mikel Janin. The virus storyline comes to a close this issue as Batman is able to find the antidote to save the day from the Lion.

Infernal Hulk #4. “Alone” Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art and cover art by Nic Klein. How many Hulks are too many Hulks? Well, when you are banished into the Hulkscape, that answer may not be an easy one

The Punisher #1. Written by Benjamin Percy with are by Jose Luis Soares. Cover art was done by David Marquez & GURU-eFX. Picking up right after the end of Punisher: Red Band, Frank Castle is back and out for vengeance. His rogues gallery got a return too as Jigsaw made another return from the dead. I also picked up a virgin variant cover by John Tyler Christopher..

Spider-Man & Wolverine #10. “Reunions and Partings” Written by Marc Guggenheim and penciled by Gerardo Sandoval. Cover art was done by Kaare Andrews. This brought the team-up series to a close this week. I have enjoyed this second half of the series more than I did the first arc and it is fun to see these two characters matched up.

Mortal Thor #7. “The Accelerationist” Written by Al Ewing and art by Pasqual Terry. Cover art was done by Alex Ross. The world around Sigurd Jarlson is just getting crazier. Mister Hyde is after him. People are starting to realize that he is pretty decent with a hammer. Then, that he may have a connection that they can exploit. Sigurd has some trouble coming.

Red Book #4. Written by James Tynion IV and art and cover art by Michael Avon Oeming (Gold Medalist). UFO stories out of China continue to affect the world and the way the US looks to the skies. This is the final issue of this volume of this UFO book, where Tynion IV provides us with some real world incidents and how they may be conceived. I have enjoyed these Blue/Red Book series and I will look forward to the next one in the future.

Disney Villains: Ursula #1. Written by Sherri L. Smith and art by Gabriele Bagnoli. Cover art was done by Mirka Andolfo. I grabbed this one off the shelf for the heck of it. Dynamite Comics has surprised me before with some characters that I did not think would interest me only to be enthralled by their series. Honestly, picking up Ursula #1 was just the collector in me. Let me tell you, I thought this was a great book and a fascinating story of Ursula and her missing sister. Damned if Dynamite didn’t do it again.

Maid Cafe #1. “Welcome Home, Master: Chapter One” Written by Aimee DeLong & Kazue Watanabe and adapted & illustrated by Remy “Eisu” Mikhtar. Cover art by Mark Spears. This one surprised me too, but not in the positive way. I thought this was another Mark Spears book like Monsters or Monsters and the Wolf, but it was more of a manga type, black and white book with a killer maid. Honestly, I passed on reading it so it may be more entertaining than I thought, but it did not appeal to me at first glance. There are fun trading cards inside the polybagged book.

Save Now #3. Written by Matt Kinot and art and cover art by Tomas Giorello. There is a lot of pain and anguish in this time travel series. There is a lot of loss too. Saver sticks around with Jan for awhile, watching the young girl grow into a young woman. Is his time traveling over? This is the penultimate issue of this series.

Wrestle Heist #3. Written, drawn and cover art by Kyle Starks. Our team of pro wrestlers, both active and retired, get together for Thanksgiving dinner to continue to discuss their plan on stealing from the evil promoter Buddy Hansen ( who looks a lot like Paul Heyman). Little do they know that there is a traitor in their midst. As a pro wrestling fan, there are a lot of insider things in this book that make me giddy. It is fun connecting these characters to the real life versions out there.

Absolute Wonder Woman #17. “Season of the Witch” Part 2 of 5. Written by Kelly Thompson and art and cover art by Hayden Sherman. Diana is able to free Zatanna from the control that was forcing her to take Diana’s magic and then she winds up facing a crew of her villains including Absolute Cheetah and Absolute Giganta.

Hyde Street #10. Written by Geoff Johns with art by Francis Portela. Cover art was done by Ivan Reis, Danny Miki with Brad Anderson. Sisters Hood are the newest pair arriving in Hyde Street. I do not think they are tied to the Sisterhood series we just got as they seem to be fortune tellers. Hyde Street has a lot of fun, weird horror going on.

Final Boss #4. “Stage Four: Forgotten Desert” Written by Tyler Kirkham with art by Tyler Kirkham and David Miller. Cover art was done by Tyler Kirkham (Bronze Medalist). The battles rage on as the tournament continues. The video game-like comic continues to have fun moments throughout.

Other books this week: Void Rivals #27, New History of the DC Universe: Dakota Incident #1, Nights #18, The Author Immortal #5, Be Not Afraid #5, Alice Forever After #2, Power Fantasy #16, Absolute Martian Manhunter #9, Liquidator #4, Return to Sleepy Hallow #4, Conan the Barbarian #29, and 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun #3.

Quick Hits: The Ultimates universe’s story is coming to a close as we get The Ultimates #21 this week with more Luke Cage. Escape #6 dropped the last issue of the series for a while. There will be a break for this series by Rick Remender, but it is not finished. Wiccan: Witches’ Road #3 is back with more magical shenanigans in the Marvel Universe. Wiccan’s mother, Wanda is still at it in the new Sorcerer Supreme #3 book. Rogue is after the truth from her past in Rogue #2. Cable and the members of X-Force are here in Inglorious X-Force #2 as they continue to try and prevent the future murder of Kamala Khan. The second series comes to a close with the new Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong 2 #7. Lots of DC heroes/Titans action. I grabbed two covers of the Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One (Facsimile Edition) that came out this week. The first cover is one of the most iconic covers of all time. More boobs and sexual chicanery going down in Voyeur #4 from Ignition Press. Malevolent #2 had me thinking a lot of Leeloo from Fifth Element. The art from Oni Press’s new book Spirit of the Shadows #2 reminded me of Jack Kirby. The story of the heroes out of time came to a brutal end in Justice League Unlimited #16 this week. I was not a huge fan of the start of this group, but I did like what they did with them over the last several issues. Keenspot sent me the Pecos Bill and the Guns of Oz #2 this week. It was a fun book.

Shrinking S3 E5

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“Hold Your Horsies”

Another funny episode of Shrinking dropped on Apple TV + this week.

Maybe the scene of the season so far was Jimmy and Brian singing the song, “The Confrontation” from Les Misérables as they were driving to pick up Paul’s daughter Meg. I had seen Jason Segal do this before with Neil Patrick Harris and it was tremendous. This was every bit as awesome, but I spent much of the time watching Harrison Ford reacting in the back seat. Paul’s comment at the end of their song, “Did you guys make that up?” nearly knocked me out of my chair.

We looked at the relationship between Derrick and Gabby as well as the relationship between Sean and Marisol.

I suppose it is more about the individuals in Gabby and Sean than it is in their relationships. They have wonderful significant others at the moment, but both are dealing with their own issues to overcome.

The episode ended with the surprising kiss between Meg and Jimmy, although, to be honest, it did not seem to be a surprise kiss to me. I saw some flickers between them, at least with Meg, earlier this year, that made me think that there might be something here.

Jimmy is struggling to move on, clearly. He wanted one uncomplicated kiss to help kick him into the next level, but, of course, that is not from Meg, who is like a sister to him and is the daughter of his best friend and mentor Paul. Maybe it was me, but it felt like Paul was pushing for Meg and Jimmy to go get the files together. Was he playing matchmaker? That does not seem like Paul, but that is how I took those scenes.

Shrinking continues to be one of the most entertaining shows of TV, with the best dialogue you will find anywhere. This talented cast never fails to fill the show with laughs as well as true feels.

Sunday Morning Sidewalk #58

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His & Hers

“Episode 2”

What a fascinating episode of His & Hers this week. It feels like this is one of those TV show that none of the characters are meant to be liked by the audience. Jack slept with the victim, Rachel, on the night of her murder, in his truck. Anna revealed info about the murder victim on TV claiming “It’s my job.” Rachel herself is being shown as a cruel individual whose husband is a piece of crap.

We met Clyde Duffie, Rachel’s husband, and it was revealed that he knew about Rachel’s extra-marital affairs. They had an apparent agreement since Clyde had heart problems. Clyde knows more than he is letting on though and he had some kind of connection to Rachel’s friend, Helen Wang. It did seem as if Rachel and Hellen were blackmailing Clyde.

Jack discovered Rachel’s phone in his truck. That was because it rang when Clyde was calling the phone to try and run out the battery- after Jack had told him to not call the phone nay more. There is something ont he phone that Clyde did not want people to see.

Of course, there turned out to be things on the phone that Jack did not want people to see as well… including some dirty pics on a text thread. Jack was having trouble unlocking the phone so he went to the morgue to use the face of Rachel to open the phone.

He deleted the text thread which won’t remove that totally from the phone. He as a detective should know that.

He also found, in a text conversation, that Helen knew of the affair Jack was having with Rachel.

Other details we learned:

  • The cameraman that Anna slept with last episode is the husband of her rival at the TV station who had taken the anchor job from her. Felt very purposeful
  • We got a flashback to when Anna told jack she was pregnant. This was back before the world made them such a-holes.
  • My favorite line of the episode was when Jack told Anna to stay out of the way or he would arrest her. Anna asked on what charge and Jack responded, “For being an asshole.” LOL.
  • Helen had been ignoring Jack’s calls all episode, but she wound up calling the Sheriff’s Department and asking to speak to the Sheriff, not Jack specifically. Is she revealing Jack’s connection?
  • Anna’s mother Alice is a sweetheart. She seems like the one person untainted by the world, even though she has been struggling with her mental health.
  • We learn that Anna’s year long disappearance had to do with a baby that she lost, probably the same one we saw her telling Jack about. I think we had inferred this already, but this confirmed it.
  • Anna gets called back to the station in Atlanta. Her rival Lexy has not shown up and they need Anna to fill in on the broadcast last minute. How much did this have to do with the cameraman/Anna?
  • Jack got his niece Meg to give him a DNA sample, which he then turned in as his own to prevent any identification from the body.

At this point, I think any of these people could be the killer. They all have motives. I wonder if we have met the killer yet? Could it turn out to be someone unexpected like Alice? She has been having trouble wandering recently. I hope it is not Alice, cause that would feel too soap opera-y.

I am fully engaged in the mystery at this point and I am looking forward to seeing next week’s Sunday Morning Sidewalk.

EYG Favorite Comic Cover of the Week

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February 26

I’m so very tired right now. I went back to work after being sick for three days and it was a long afternoon. Thankfully, the classes were pretty good today. Still, my eyes are drooping.

Good number of covers this week. There was a battle for the Bronze this week, and last year’s champion came up short. In fact, both of the last champions in cover artist of the year wound up in the Also Rans this week.

No variants in the medalists this week. That is becoming more uncommon every week.

Also Rans: Maid Cafe #1, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One (facsimile edition) Cover A, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One (facsimile edition) Cover D, The Punisher #1 (Virgin Cover F), Phantom of the Opera #1 (Die Cut Cover I), Justice League Unlimited #16, Spider-Man/Venom: Death Spiral #1, The Mortal Thor #7, The Power Fantasy #16, and Murder Podcast # 5.

Bronze Medalist

Final Boss #4

Cover art by Tyler Kirkman

The cover with the fire creature in the background is all contained in the title of the book. While it may not be the most original idea I have ever seen, it is executed beautifully.

Silver Medalist

Is Ted Ok? #1

Cover art by Dave Chisholm

More fire this week with this new Mad Cave book having someone consumed by fire. Is this something like the Human Torch or something more sinister. Is that Ted? I like how “Ted’s” eyes are rolled back in his skull.

Gold Medalist

Red Book #4

Cover art by Michael Avon Oeming

The James Tynion IV book about UFOs in Communist countries takes the gold medal this week with the fun star design and the UFO at the center. The whole week has a red theme to it as we got fire on the other two and the red coloring on thisone.