Comic Nation

Comic Conventions in 2018 I Have Covered

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

2018 was a great year for the comic convention and entertainment industry as a whole and I am happy that I got to witness many of the events. Raging from the big movies such as Avengers: Infinity War and A Quiet Place to the great seasons of our favorite television shows, and the headlines that made the majority of the audience react on social media and on a platform such as YouTube, we are in an age of information that can be shared and watched by millions. In that same time, the comic convention scene has become bigger in a larger scale and it has drawn many attendees of different fandoms all packed into one giant building. I have covered many of them over the years and last year was the most I have covered in one year as part of the media. Here are five that I will write about on my experience in the convention scene.

C2E2

The biggest show in Chicago every year and they do not disappoint at all. C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) takes place at the McCormick Center in Chicago and you will have to take a bus to go to the center. When I went there in 2017, It was very warm the day that I went there. In 2018, the weather was a little cold and I would recommend to wear a jacket when you go there because the convention center itself is near a body of ocean. The show is great and there are two floors of the show and they are very large and it is filled up by different vendors and artists and gaming areas. Of all the conventions I have went to, this one is floor friendly the most as you would not feel lost or cramped in areas at all. The panels I have attended that week featured Guardians of the Galaxy, Tom Kenny of Spongebob Squarepants, and Khary Payton of The Walking Dead. I have also interviewed the cast of Daphne and Velma as well and we all had a blast talking. Call me weird, but as a guy from New York, I prefer Chicago style pizza and I love it!

Wizard World Philadelphia

Up next, is Philadelphia and Wizard World’s biggest show is in Philadelphia and the best part of the location is that it is right across the street from the Reading Terminal Market. You would not have to scatter around the convention center to figure out what food that you want to get since the market has a huge amount of options that you can choose. Wizard World itself is usually a great show with a great amount of celebrities that you can meet. I wanted to meet Natalie Dormer of Game of Thrones, but I did not have the time at all since I was covering the show. I did got the chance to interview Erica Schroeder in which we talked about her role in Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon and The panels I have attended featured Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher of Justice League, Sebastain Stan, and the voices of Overwatch. The cosplay over there was actually great too with some mind blowing ones that caught my attention that I still do remember to this day.

San Diego Comic Con

I have not been to SDCC since 2012 and when I went there to cover it in 2018, It has changed  and I was amazed with the huge presence over there. This was not like other conventions where only parts of the city were comic con themed, The ENTIRE area of San Diego was comic con themed from the minute you walk out of the airport and onward. I even seen it on taxi cabs, buildings, The Trolleys and theaters, and even the line of the Conan tapings that week. It was massive to see how big it has become since I was last there and there are also offsite events related to comic con for the press and attendees for everyone to enjoy such as the Jack Ryan escape room experience, Amazon TV’s museum, The Walking Dead’s showcase, South Park escape room, and much more. This is all outside of the convention center and they are at different parts of San Diego even though a few of the events are across the street of the convention center. Speaking of the convention center, you cannot even go to the sidewalk of the convention center unless you have a badge and that is a great move to prevent scalpers from trying to rip people off. The building itself is very huge and when I was there on preview night when there were a small amount of people there, It took me a whole fifteen minutes to walk from one side of the building to another. Imagine being there when there is a huge amount of attendees. The show itself was great and the media interviews I have been part of was The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Better Call Saul, and much more. I did however seen the dreaded Hall H line and I was stunned to see how many people were on the line that camped out for a few days. Hall H is where the bigger panels take place for television and movies and even surviving the line is a task. I have never went inside Hall H and I do not think I can put my body through it. All in all, SDCC I highly recommend for you to go once in your life.

Keystone Comic Con

The newest one of the convention scene is Keystone Comic Con and it is also in Philadelphia as well. Every convention has something unique and this one is the first comic con to have a wrestling ring with wrestling matches from Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore. I was not surprised to see that there was a large crowd each day of the matches that took place there and it actually turned out very well. There were wrestling legends there such as Tommy Dreamer, Bully Ray, Jim Cornette, and Jerry Lawler with a few new faces such as Lance Anaoi. Speaking of wrestling, Me and my girlfriend got the chance to not only meet WWE Superstar Nikki Bella, but we spoken to her for nearly ten minutes about different topics. There was also a large gaming area in one of the rooms and there were set up by different eras of gaming consoles. There was also a costume contest that I enjoyed and different vendors of comics as well. I hope in 2019 I can cover it again!

New York Comic Con

I have covered NYCC every year since 2012 and each year I love it more than the previous year. New York is a flooded city where it does not sleep but what did sleep this year, was the MTA as the 7 Train was not running the entire time during NYCC weekend and that frustrated me a lot. Other than that, I bought a large amount of comics at this show this year other than interviewing celebrities.But the day before NYCC began, I was invited to attend the red carpet event of DC’s Titans along with a screening of the first two episodes. Also, E! Network had a truck outside where they were giving away free donuts to attendees after they place their vote on the upcoming awards show at the time. I have went to that truck at least five times per day during that week. Celebrities I have interviewed ranged from shows such as Batman:The Animated Series, The Gifted, Legacies, Lore, and The Man in The High Castle. I also did my 200th episode of my podcast there with guests Jason Solomon of The Solomonster Sound’s Off, Jon Draper of Wrestling Soup, and Ray Flook of BleedingCool.com. I also ran into Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com and Kirsten of Insider many times during the week as we talked about various news about the show. If you are in New York, NYCC is the place to be during the fall.

My first show that I will cover will be C2E2 2019 so I will report from there

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Double-Double! The Death of Superman/Reign of the Supermen Double Feature!

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Fans will soon have two options to watch the two-part DC UNIVERSE feature-length animated films, “The Death of Superman” & “Reign of the Supermen” TOGETHER!

First, Superman’s greatest adventure – his death and rebirth – will be unveiled in a special two-day exclusive theatrical event as Warner Bros. and DC join forces with Fathom Events for a double feature presentation of the previously released “The Death of Superman” and the first in-theater screening of the all-new “Reign of the Supermen” nationwide. The films will screen in more than 500 select movie theaters on Sunday, January 13 at 12:55 p.m. and Monday, January 14 at 8:00 p.m. (all local times) through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). Tickets for The Death of Superman/ Reign of the SupermenDouble Feature can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.comand participating theater box offices. 
And later this year, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release the two movies as a single, full-length film with never-before-seen extended footage and a collectible item within the box set. Details will be released in the coming months.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content and subscribe to The Wrestling Court as we talk about the latest in pro wrestling, pop culture, and comics along with our live watch reactions to past matches.

Bi-Coastal Premieres for “Reign of the Supermen” in January 2019

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Announces Bi-Coastal Premieres of

REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN

in Los Angeles & New York

Latest DC Universe Movie to Debut in LA (1/10/19) and NYC (1/28/19);

Limited Free Tickets Available to Fans on First Come, First Served Basis

 

 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment proudly presents the bi-coastal premieres of Reign of the Supermen, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Movies, at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills on January 10, 2019 and at the Directors Guild of America in New York on January 28, 2019. Filmmakers and members of the voice cast will attend the events for red carpet media interviews and a post-screening panel discussion.

 

Executive producer James Tucker, director/producer Sam Liu, character designer Phil Bourassa, writers Jim Krieg & Tim Sheridan and members of the all-star voice cast will attend the World Premiere festivities in Los Angeles and East Coast Premiere in New York. Additional talent participating at the two premieres will be announced as confirmed.

Both screenings will begin at 7:00 pm. The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles is located at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. The Director’s Guild of America is located at 110 West 57th Street in New York City.

 

A limited number of free tickets are available to the general public.

Fans wishing to receive free tickets to the Los Angeles event on Thursday, January 10 must RSVP via email to ReignSupermenLA@gmail.com.

Fans wishing to receive free tickets to the New York event on Monday, January 28 must RSVP via email to ReignSupermenNY@gmail.com.

The subject of all fan email entries should include which location (LA or NY) they wish to attend. The body of all fan RSVP emails need ONLY include the (1) name of the entrant, (2) number of tickets requested (limit four per entry), and (3) valid email address (again, within the body of the email text). Fans should keep their entry simple – here’s an example of exactly how the body of the RSVP email should appear:

 

Bruce Wayne

2 tickets

Batman@gmail.com

 

Tickets to the event will be distributed on a “first come, first served” basis, and fans will be notified via email.

 

Reign of the Supermen finds Earth’s citizens – and the Man of Steel’s heroic contemporaries – dealing with a world without Superman. But the aftermath of Superman’s death, and the subsequent disappearance of his body, leads to a new mystery – is Superman still alive? The question is further complicated when four new super-powered individuals – Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and the Eradicator – emerge to proclaim themselves as the ultimate hero. In the end, only one will be able to proclaim himself the world’s true Superman.

 

Reign of the Supermen is the second half of a two-part DC Universe Movies experience that began in August 2018 with The Death of Superman – the two films telling a more faithful animated version of “The Death of Superman,” DC’s landmark 1992-93 comic phenomenon. Superman Doomsday, the inaugural film in the DC Universe Movies series, told an abridged version of that comics story, but with a runtime of 75 minutes, the film was only able to focus on a core, singular storyline. The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen restore many of the moments and characters that fans hold dear to their hearts.

 

The Reign of the Supermen all-star cast is led by Jerry O’Connell (Carter, Bravo’s Play by Play, Stand by Me), Rebecca Romijn (X-Men, The Librarians) and Rainn Wilson (The Office, The Meg) as the voices of Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively. The potent trio is joined by the DC Universe Movies’ returning voices of the Justice League: Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle, Terra Nova) as Batman, Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent, Daredevil) as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore (S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds) as Cyborg, Nathan Fillion (Castle, The Rookie) as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs, Insatiable, Ugly Betty) as The Flash, and Nyambi Nyambi (Mike & Molly, The Good Fight) as Martian Manhunter.

 

Newly featured cast members include Cress Williams (Black Lightning) as Steel, Cameron Monaghan (Gotham) as Superboy, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Hank Henshaw, and Tony Todd (Candyman) as Darkseid. In addition, the cast includes Charles Halford (Constantine) as Bibbo Bibbowski and The Eradicator, Rocky Carroll (NCIS) as Perry White, Toks Olagundoye (Castle) as Cat Grant, Max Mittleman (Justice League Action) as Jimmy Olsen, Paul Eiding (Ben 10: Omniverse) as Jonathan Kent, Jennifer Hale (Green Lantern: The Animated Series) as Martha Kent, Trevor Devall (Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) as Dabney Donovan and Erica Luttrell (Salvation) as Mercy.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the feature-length animated Reign of the Supermen arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting January 15, 2019, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack on January 29, 2019.

Julian’s Thoughts: Aquaman Review

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

The DC Extended Universe has had a few more issues than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not for nothing, but Man of Steel was two thirds of a great take of the original superhero that turned into a CGI 9/11 mess, Batman v Superman was a dull, overlong, muddled mess that crammed six films worth of story into a single film with only fleeting moments of brilliance, Suicide Squad was a compromised but fun enough mess with enough ideas to warrant a second viewing. Then came Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins’ game-changing story of love conquering all troubles and being the greatest thing in the world; it smashed records and was a fun ride that called to mind Richard Donner’s Superman (the granddaddy of the genre). Justice League was a mess,  but now with a slate of intriguing films on the horizon, the DC universe can do anything, which leads us to James Wan’s Aquaman.

Aquaman is the first post-Justice League film from DC, and it shows that the lessons from previous DC adaptations have been learnt. Gone is the dark colour pallette, the reluctance to have fun, the overstuffing of storylines and the dour tone. Welcome a bright, epic adventure film with plenty of things going boom, and laughs to be had along the way. James Wan has had an extraordinary fourteen year career. Having made Saw and then moving on to lesser seen films like Dead Silence and Death Sentence (the latter being a great little revenge flick) he made films like The Conjuring 1 & 2, Insidious 1 & 2 and then out of nowhere directed Furious 7, the best of the Fast and Furious franchise even with a sad loss of Paul Walker during filming. Here, Wan crams everything into the film like a child playing with action figures.

Jason Momoa returns as Arthur Curry, half human half Atlantean, the first born child of Queen Atlanna and heir to the throne. His destiny is forced upon him when his half-brother King Orm begins manipulating the seven underwater kingdoms into attacking the surface world, and things go bonkers.

From the off, Wan might as well be handing out copies of his favorite 80s movies. It’s no secret that most superhero directors want to show you the movies they’re inspired by, but here it shows more than ever. For people who like old-school adventure films like Romancing the Stone (brilliant), Raiders of the Lost Ark (brilliant) and The Goonies (brilliant) you’re in for a fun ride. There are moments that look like throwbacks to Stephen Sommers original The Mummy (brilliant but less so), and the film is all the better for it.

Momoa plays his superhero like a slightly hungover bouncer, reluctant to get involved in a world he has no real stake in, his only tether to the human world being his father (a very well used Temuera Morrison), and his claim to the throne of the ocean holds no interest. Having rocked up to the party in Justice League like a absolute dudebro and yelled things like “my man” and “i dig it”, this time around he has a bit more heavy lifting to do. Given his frame, his eyebrow scar and his voice like gravel there is so much to relish in his performance here – he stands confidently with other heroes of the DC universe as being distinct but of that world.

The film also has that old-fashioned feel, thanks to a great supporting cast – Morrison along with Nicole Kidman play Curry’s parents well, in a well-done prologue showing the quick romance between the two that leads to young Arthur being born. Patrick Wilson decides to chew his scenery as the villainous Orm, deciding that other royal sibling-relation superheroes are OTT enough, with none of the charm of Loki, the nuance of Killmonger or even the manipulation of Ares, this time around we get a shouting Wilson, going for absolute broke and clearly having an absolute blast. Willem Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren aren’t used to their full potential, but they flesh out the world, and are convincing even as they pretend to swim in the underwater world.

It’s actually the secondary villain of the revenge-driven Black Manta played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II that gets some of the best sequences, he has a cool suit and the guy looks like he means business, laying waste to a small Sicilian village in his revenge quest against Curry.

There are some fun cameos along the way (Julie Andrews voices a giant sea monster for one), and the score by Rupert Greyson-Williams flips between a superhero score and something resembling Tron’s soundtrack, but it works. This is a love letter to those swashbuckling adventures of days gone by, and the film doesn’t mind being silly.

There are some awkward issues: a lot of action sequences begin with someone being blindsided by an explosion, and the underwater hair effects seem a little uneasy, but even so, neither undo the film because Wan knows not to do the same old action sequence. There’s a fun Tron/Star Wars style escape from Atlantis, there are sword fights, parkour rooftop running, and good old-fashioned fisticuffs.

By no means does this make for a perfect viewing, and at two and a half hours the film does sometimes go into overlong time, but even as the CGI heavy third act begins to weigh hard, there’s another bizarre sea monster ready to show up, including giant angry sharks, big crab people, a CGI Djimon Hounsou, seahorses big enough to ride and enough jokes to keep you going.

In the end, this is a movie that doesn’t want to upset or bore, it wants to entertain, offering good old-fashioned thrills without being too tethered to the movies before it, taking a leaf from Wonder Woman’s book and like that film heralding a brighter future for the DC Universe. If Shazam! and Birds of Prey can keep up this momentum, DC might have a future after all, and as for Aquaman, if there was ever a reason to go see a big movie it might be the sight of an octopus playing the drums.

Final Grade: A

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julianexcalibur for more content and subscribe to The Wrestling Court as we talk about the latest in pro wrestling, pop culture, and comics along with our live watch reactions to past matches.

SYNERGY: A HASBRO CREATORS SHOWCASE Celebrates the Amazing Artistry and Storytelling of Women in the Comics Industry

Rob Leave a Comment

IDW Publishing and Hasbro Inc.(NASDAQ: HAS) have teamed up to create Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase, a 48-page celebration anthology of fan-favorite creators and new talent working with many of the most beloved Hasbro characters.

The Synergyanthology features five brand-new stories: autobiographical works written by Mairghread Scott (drawn by Sara Pitre-Durocher, reuniting the creative team behind the Transformers: Till All Are Oneseries) and Katie Cook (of the hit My Little Pony comic), plus original tales inspired by G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Jem and the Holograms.

Mairghread Scott says, “Transformers is a brand that shaped both my childhood and adult life. I’m grateful for the chance to talk about what these amazing robots have meant to me, and others, over the years.”

Katie Cook says, “Hasbro was such an integral part of my upbringing. My Little Pony inspired a youth full of pastel imaginings and became a huge part of my cartooning career as I got the chance to make those imaginings real. I bonded with childhood friends over ponies in the 1980s, and as an adult, I crafted stories for My Little Ponyalongside creators who have become the friends of a lifetime.”

In addition to storytelling, Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase includes four new pin-ups, as well as a gallery of thirteen fabulous images from the IDW archives – dynamic illustrations that celebrate the women who have already made, or will soon make, an impact on the world of Hasbro for many years to come.

Synergy editor Megan Brown says, “This is a great coming together of creative talent and an amazing showcase for a host of wonderful authors, artists, and colorists — both old and new. I am beyond thrilled to be editing this compilation, and to be given the chance to highlight the amazing work of women in the comics industry.”W Publishing
and Hasbro Inc.(NASDAQ: HAS) have teamed up to create Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase, a 48-page celebration anthology of fan-favorite creators and new talent working with many of the most beloved Hasbro characters.


The Synergyanthology features five brand-new stories: autobiographical works written by Mairghread Scott (drawn by Sara Pitre-Durocher, reuniting the creative team behind the Transformers: Till All Are Oneseries) and Katie Cook (of the hit My Little Pony comic), plus original tales inspired by G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Jem and the Holograms.

Mairghread Scott says, “Transformers is a brand that shaped both my childhood and adult life. I’m grateful for the chance to talk about what these amazing robots have meant to me, and others, over the years.”

Katie Cook says, “Hasbro was such an integral part of my upbringing. My Little Pony inspired a youth full of pastel imaginings and became a huge part of my cartooning career as I got the chance to make those imaginings real. I bonded with childhood friends over ponies in the 1980s, and as an adult, I crafted stories for My Little Ponyalongside creators who have become the friends of a lifetime.”

In addition to storytelling, Synergy: A Hasbro Creators Showcase includes four new pin-ups, as well as a gallery of thirteen fabulous images from the IDW archives – dynamic illustrations that celebrate the women who have already made, or will soon make, an impact on the world of Hasbro for many years to come.

Synergy editor Megan Brown says, “This is a great coming together of creative talent and an amazing showcase for a host of wonderful authors, artists, and colorists — both old and new. I am beyond thrilled to be editing this compilation, and to be given the chance to highlight the amazing work of women in the comics industry.”

Top 15 The Walking Dead Comic Book Moments of 2018

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

It is the near end of the year and  the comic book series of The Walking Dead has reached new levels of storytelling. From the introduction to The Commonwealth which holds about 50,000 survivors, to the different philosophies between Rick and Pamela, to Michonne finding her daughter, and to Rick and Dwight’s conflicts. This year there were moments that divided the opinions of readers and fans that have been talked about all year and I put together a list of the top 15 moments of the comic series of The Walking Dead of 2018. This list also has some spoilers so if you are not caught up, Read the issues before reading the list.

Before I do, take a look at what made the list last year right here.

15. The Princess has had enough (#178: New World Order 4/6)

After Sebastian tried to make a move on Yumiko, Magna jumped in and tried to stop it. But that did not work since Sebastian pushed her down. Then The Princess points her spear to him as Sebastian orders the Commonwealth soldiers to arrest her. That was not working either as she fought every single one of them. This was a cool scene and by this point, I warmed up to her character much more than her debut last year. The scene stopped when Mercer threw his hatchet towards her hand for her to drop her spear.

14. First look at The Oceanside (#181: Together Strong)

The Oceanside has been first mentioned way back in issue #139 which was about almost four years ago. It has never been seen before until Rick took Pamela over there in this issue. The full two page spread shows a beautiful sight of the ocean with a sunset along with a few houses. While there is a dark setting of the world of The Walking Dead, there are a few high points of scenery and this is one of them.

13. The planning of a trial (#183: And Michonne Without Her Sword)

Politics is something I would have not ever encountered in this series, but it is a reminder that the old ways can still happen even in a post-apocalypse world. Michonne used to be a lawyer before this all happened and Lance thought that it was a good idea to give her a job as a lawyer. When Michonne arrived to another section of The Commonwealth, she and her daughter sees that the soldiers are beating down Anthony who also had an argument with the soldiers before the beat down. It was also here where Michonne realizes that one of the soldiers was Jerome who she has meet earlier in the issue. It is also here that Lance tells her that she has to defend the soldier’s actions in the trial and we have seen the early stages of the trial as of now.

12. Introduction of Sebastian and Mercer (#177: New World Order 3/6)

Sebastian is the son of the leader of The Commonwealth Pamela. He seems to get away with anything and tries to abuse his status to people who are under him and we got a pure example of that when he lashes out at Mercer for not keeping a closer eye on him while he was with Kayla. But little did he know, Mercer already killed the lurking walkers before he even opened his mouth. I so far, am mixed about the character, but there is room to see where his story goes.

11. Maggie and Dante (#177: New World Order 3/6)

After sparing Negan’s life way back in issue #174, Maggie and Dante gets closer and while they were kissing in the barn at the Hilltop, Sophia walks in to see it happen. I will talk more about that in a moment, but to see Maggie finally moving on and wanting to be happy is a good feeling even though she said it herself that she is ashamed about it.

10. The Princess and Mercer are together (#181: Together Strong)

As soon as the cover of this issue was shown three months before it’s release, I had a feeling that these two would get together. Mercer and The Princess were clearing walkers until they realize that they are boxed in and surrounded by more of them. After the rest were killed, Princess suddenly kisses Mercer as the thought that they were having a moment. A few issues after this, they become a couple. Sure it’s odd for a visual standpoint, but love is love.

9. Rick Introduces Pamela to the communities (#182: The Commonwealth Grows)

The comment Pamela made upon arriving Alexandria about how much of a “dump” the outside gates were to what she is used to is eye catching. She has it so good at The Commonwealth that she wants to look down on Rick. But not only that Rick’s vision of a “New World Order” is different than hers, but she sees how the communities survive without too much of a law and order. Rick introduced her to The Hilltop, The Sanctuary, The Oceanside, and The Kingdom with stories about past characters that used to be there. This was very nice to see.

8. Dwight gets arrested (#185: On Guard)

Dwight who has been on Rick’s radar since Issue #169 has gotten arrested by the Commonwealth soldiers. He intentionally did this so he can send a message to Rick that the entire community needs help and that they are just smoke and mirrors. Dwight who has been second in command for Negan for years, sees the same in him as he does to The Commonwealth as he thinks that it is a lust for power and that their leader Pamela is doing this all for show. Dwight and Rick had a few moments talking about their different views of the place, but what is coming for Dwight will prove otherwise.

7. Maggie and Sophia (#178: New World Order 4/6)

Right after Sophia caught Dante and Maggie together, they had a talk and she was upset that Maggie did not tell her about their relationship. Maggie also insisted that she wanted to feel happy and loved again and although she will never forget Glenn, he would have wanted her to move on as well. Timeline wise, it has been almost fou years since Negan killed him and she has not healed from that day until they first spoken a few issues prior. This felt like a mom to daughter talk after the husband dies and it was an emotional one.

6. First look inside The Commonwealth (#176: New World Order 2/6)

This very large area which is made up of communities together in one is a sight to see on The Walking Dead. It feels like a normal day over there to see a football game, people eating out at restaurants, people eating ice cream etc. The survivors that went there were stunned to see all of this and they wanted to know if it was too good to be true. Seeing Lance say to them that there was over 50,000 residents over there made my jaw drop.

5. Michonne giving up her sword (#179: New World Order 5/6)

This is the second time that Michonne gave up her sword and it looks like it is for good this time as she decided to stay at The Commonwealth since her daughter is now there and that she has a job there as a lawyer. Eugene was puzzled by this but he understood her. Michonne gives Eugene her sword right before Pamela and a few others along with Eugene, Magna, siddiq, Yumiko, and The Princess go back to take Pamela to Alexandria.

4. The riot (#183: And Michonne Without Her Sword/#184: Eugene Tinkers)

A riot is something I wanted to see on The Walking Dead for years and we finally got it. Once the news about Michonne having to defend Jerome and the Commonwealth soldiers for killing Anthony come out, the residents did not like that at all. A full fledged riot escalated as the soldiers had to use riot shields and nightsticks to stop the residents from rioting. But that only worked for a while until Pamela arrived to see the riot along with Rick and his group that is seeing this for the first time. Part of the riot mob beat up Michonne and Jerome until it was broken up by Dwight, Mercer, and the soldiers. At the court hearing, Michonne defended the soldiers but asked the judge to drop all charges and the judge will consider it. Talking about this as I am reading it is mindbending for The Walking Dead as never in a million years would I think that a riot and a court trial would take place in this series.

3. Michonne and her daughter reunite (#176: New World Order 2/6)

After Michonne found a missing poster of herself that was written by her daughter Elodie, she did not waste any time to go look for her. Lance thought that she could be dead, but Michonne knew in her heart that she is alive. After the meeting between Pamela and the survivors, Michonne asked her if she can see her daughter. We find out that she works at the bakery and once they seen each other, Elodie dropped her cake and hugged Michonne. This reunion is one of the best moments of the comic series and I loved it.

2. Dwight’s death (#186: The Powder Keg)

I did not see this coming as it was a shocking moment for the last issue of 2018. Dwight who was about to kill Pamela so he can show Rick the way the community should be run was shot in the head by Rick. This whole thing happened because Michonne asked Pamela to come talk to Rick and Dwight without letting the two of them know that she was coming. Pamela overheard the conversation before she and two soldiers entered the room and she asks Dwight to leave the place. Dwight refuses and after some talking, BAM. Dwight was one of my favorite characters since his debut back in issue #98 and to see him go was very unexpected. Rick also blames Michonne for this because Rick could have handled it and he will now never forgive her for this at all.

1. Michonne finds out that her daughter is still alive (#175: New World Order 1/6)

I told myself that this is one of the biggest non death cliffhangers I have ever seen on The Walking Dead and I also said that no moment for the rest of this year will top this. As the group are introduced to Lance, he leads them to The Commonwealth. But on their way there, they stop by “the wall of the lost” as many residents place missing people posters of their friends and families. Of those posters, one of them was written by Elodie This made Michonne cry as she thought that she was dead the entire time and that she wants to look for her right now. The poster also featured a pre-apoclapyse Michonne when she used to be a lawyer and that symbolizes that no matter how long you have moved forward, your past will come right back to hit you. This is an amazing moment and I would love to know how they will pull this off on the television series.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julianexcalibur

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH WALMART, DC AND THE WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES!

Rob Leave a Comment

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH WALMART, DC

AND THE WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES!

The 100-Page Walmart Exclusive Arrives in Stores by Sunday, November 11

THE WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES! HOLIDAY SPECIAL Includes an Original Story Featuring THE FLASH, Plus Popular Holiday-Themed Stories from the DC Vault, Including the Eisner-Nominated BATMAN Short Story “Good Boy,” By Tom King and David Finch

With the holidays rapidly approaching, DC and Walmart are adding to their lineup of 100-page “Giant” comics with a new one-shot to ring in the holiday season! Following the success of their horror-themed SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN HORROR SPECIAL, DC’s WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES! HOLIDAY SPECIAL is headed to participating Walmart stores in the U.S. today and should reach stores by Sunday.

The fan-favorite creative trio of THE FLASH—Scott Lobdell (writer), Brett Booth (artist) and Norm Rapmund (inker)—have reunited for an original tale featuring the Scarlet Speedster, “Twas the Riot Before Christmas.” Barry Allen’s holiday tradition of giving gifts to the kids at the Central City Home for Wayward Children gets interrupted by a riot at Iron Heights penitentiary featuring some of the Flash’s deadliest foes. In restoring order, he receives help from an unexpected source, but will it be in time to spend Christmas with the kids at the home?

This Walmart exclusive also reprints a host of holiday-themed stories from throughout DC’s history: Tom King and David Finch’s “Good Boy,” from the 2016 BATMAN ANNUAL tells the painful (certainly for the Dark Knight) story of how Batman and Alfred brought Ace the Bat-Hound into the family.

Originally featured in the 2014 HARLEY QUINN HOLIDAY SPECIAL #1, “K!llin’ Time,” written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti with art by Darwyn Cooke, shows how Harley Quinn decides to deal with aging and finding her first gray hair—by killing Father Time!

Written by Joe Kelly with art by Ale Garza, “All I Want for Christmas” from the 2006 DC INFINITE HOLIDAY SPECIAL spotlights Supergirl in a tale of making a little girl’s Christmas wish come true by reuniting her with her father after the Maid of Might shows him the importance of not being an absentee parent and gives him a second chance to be a father to his child.

The anthology also features two stories from the 2016 DC REBIRTH HOLIDAY SPECIAL. In “A Light in the Dark,” Kate Perkins (writer) and Paolo Pantalena (artist) featured Batwoman in a holiday rescue story involving pie and the story of Hanukkah, while Green Lanterns Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are subjected to a series of trials by a mysterious alien race where the prize is not just the fate of the world, but something that Earth will always need: Hope. “The Epiphany” was co-written by Steve Orlando and Vita Ayala, with art by V. Ken Marion.

1992’s SUPERMAN #22 rounds out the lineup with the story “Metropolis Mailbag,” written by Dan Jurgens with art by Jackson “Butch” Guice. As the holidays approach, the Man of Steel finds out that even he has limits when he reads some letters that are addressed to him in the Daily Planet’s “Superman room.”

The WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES! HOLIDAY SPECIAL sells for $4.99 and arrives in participating Walmart stores throughout North America by Sunday, November 11. To find your nearest Walmart location, check out the store finder page at www.walmart.com.

New York Comic Con 2018 Recap of the Week

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

This year for the 7th year in a row, I covered New York Comic Con as part of the media. The show has grown very large over the years and it will keep getting bigger for years to come. Everything on the show was flooded with attendees going to different vendors to get their favorite comic book or piece of exclusive merchandise. It was massive and the crowds are as huge as a group of zombies on The Walking Dead. The Funko booth has been the busiest line all week from what I have seen and i can see why since that is the hottest brand of the entire show. You however, needed to enter a lottery and win in order to even get in the line of the booth. I have also seen various lines at the booth of writers, artists, and various celebrities and professional wrestlers such as Sting, Lita, Trish Stratus, Finn Balor, Bayley, and much more. There is a fandom for everything at this show every year and I love seeing it being showcased. My experience as press this year has been at the level of San Diego Comic Con as i went from one place to another inside the convention center and I connected with different writers and journalists that I have meet previously and for the first time such as Brandon Davis of Comicbook.com, Kirsten of INSIDER, and Linda Marie of Fan Fest. We have all connected during different times of the show to talk about various things about the show.

My press days started on Day 0 (I would like to call it) at the Titans red carpet event and screening. The red carpet event featured the cast of the show as they were there for flash photography and interviews. I liked that this was done outside because it would have been very hot and muggy if it was done inside. There were big white couches on the floor for press members and they were much more comfortable than the hard chairs at the Hammerstein Ballroom (I have been there before for wrestling events. Trust me, those seats are painful). We were shown the first two episodes of the show and It is largely watchable for the most part. The SDCC trailer received a huge amount of backlash from fans, but for the screening, the reception was mostly positive. There was also a Q and A panel afterwards along with a teaser of the Doom Patrol series. We also were shown another teaser of the Harley Quinn animated show as well and then it was announced that Titans will be renewed for a second season. I had my worries of the show (and I still do), but I think that it can be better on the long run in the future.

Day one was Thursday and the show felt like a Saturday with all of the people there in different areas of the convention center. I meet with Ray Flook of Bleedingcool.com to discuss the podcast plans as I was also recording the 200th episode of my show. I also seen that the E! Network had a small truck outside the convention center as they were giving away free donuts to everyone as long as you voted on the selected category of the People’s Choice Awards. I came back there about 3-4 times per day to get some donuts. TruTV also had an area inside one of their panels where they were giving away free bagels as well. These two networks really wanted to have all of the attendees fed very well.

I ran into Kasey Pierce at her booth at Source Point Press as we talked about the show and the stuff that was going on at SDCC since I planned on stopping by her booth at that show originally but it was way too busy for me over there. I picked up a few of her comics that she and her team has produced (also if you are reading this, thank you for signing them). I wanted to stop by more booths during the show but my time at the press rooms overlapped too much so I could not see them along with a few panels I missed out on.

I meet up with my friends and also fellow podcasters Jason Solomon of the Solomonster Sounds Off, John Draper of Wrestling Soup, and Shaheen of THT (The Hot Tag) as I also recorded part of my 200th episode with them one by one. It was Jason’s first time and I gave him most of the rundown on what to avoid during the show. It was great seeing all of them including Fred Richani of The Sports Courier as we talked about our predictions of the UFC 229 show.

My first press room of the week was at The Man in the High Castle as the cast talked about the show in roundtable interviews. My second press room was TruTV’s Jon Glaser Loves Gear as I interviewed Jon Glaser himself as he talked about the upcoming season with me and a funny story about working with Amy Schumer.

My final press room of the day was at Crackle’s Supermansion. I interviewed the creator and producers of the show back in C2E2 earlier this year so it was great to see the entire cast talk about the show at the press conference including Bryan Cranston himself.

Friday’s press rooms featured the Amazon Prime exclusive TV series Lore as I was part of the Roundtable interviews with Alicia Witt. This show is developed by the creator of the podcast of the same name, Aaron Mahnkle. I also spoken to Gale Anne Hurd who is also a producer of The Walking Dead and other movies such as The Incredible Hulk, Armageddon, and The Terminator. I asked her about when she found out about Andrew Lincoln’s departure of the show. My next press room interviews was the 25th Anniversary of Batman: The Animated Series as I spoken to Kevin Conroy and Tara Strong about the Blu-Ray release of the show and their memories of the show.

Saturday, my time was mostly away from convention center after i covered the Legacies press room. I spoken with Danielle Ross Russell, Matthew Davis, and Jenny Boyd and they talked about the upcoming show and it’s ties to The Vampire Diaries. After that, I attended the Paleyfest red carpet event of The Walking Dead. Cast members Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Melissa McBribe, and Norman Reedus were therefor photos and interviews along with show runner Angela Kang. I was very surprised that Jeffrey remembered me as he looked at my direction and said “Hey I remember you from San Diego, how are you doing man” as we shook hands. This followed by a screening of the first episode of the 9th season of The Walking Dead with a discussion panel after the episode finished screening. I did not go to the Madison Square Garden panel later that night, but the news of the passing of Scott Wilson happened while the event was going on. It was sad for everyone to find out that this happened especially if you are in that building where other people in the same room are talking about it.

On Sunday, Me and Ray Flook recorded part of the podcast as we talked about the show in general and this was after I covered the press room of FOX’s The Gifted. The cast only had a few minutes at a time for interviews since they all had to go to the panel right after it but i was happy to meet the entire cast!

Overall, it has been a great show for press coverage this year. I am always looking forward to the show every year. Next year, I will return again to bring you more coverage of the show. With that, check out some of the photos I have taken of cosplayers.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @julianexcalibur

There’s a New Geek in Town in the new Geek-Girl Kickstarter!

Rob Leave a Comment

There’s a New Geek in Town in the new Geek-Girl Kickstarter!

Created and written by Sam Johnson (The Almighties, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman) and illustrated by Carlos Granda (Pirouette Grimm Fairy Tales), the first Geek-Girl Mini-Series & Kickstarter introduced the world to attractive, popular Maine college co-ed Ruby Kaye – a girl used to getting whatever she wants…

On a drunken whim, Ruby landed a pair of power-inducing super-tech glasses from her college’s resident brainiac; but rather than impressing her friends, Ruby alienated the majority of her clique while klutzily trying to demonstrate her new-found abilities – accidentally knocking drinks over their expensive designer dresses. Her BFF Summer James was into what Ruby could do now, though – and pushed her into trying to be a super-hero – which climaxed with Ruby stopping super-villain Lightning Storm from taking over their city of Maine but, electrocuted by Lightning Storm in the process, getting left in a coma!

Johnson brings us up to speed for the new Kickstarter: “Summer’s feeling a bit responsible for what happened to Ruby, and has got the super-tech glasses and is trying to fill in for her as ‘Geek-Girl’. Jock super-hero Pit Bull has taken her under his wing with the intention of training her up to go solo – but Summer is having a hard time of it.” Johnson continues, “Lightning Storm did a lot of damage to law enforcement in Maine, which is now badly undermanned, and there’s a crime wave going on.”

And things are about to escalate into a crime war, as a new bunch of villains have entered the scene, looking to make a name for themselves and clean up. Johnson continues, “The League of Larcenists are a quirky bunch of villains lead by Pig Head – a guy whose brain has been fused with a pig’s. The crew are packing serious tech, including blasters and a teleporter, and are pulling bank jobs, with the intention of gaining a reputation and growing in number.

“Meanwhile, Ruby’s previously-estranged clique are looking to ingratiate themselves back in with Ruby, now that she’s popular again after saving their city – and they perceive Summer as trying to ride on Ruby’s coat-tails now she’s doing the ‘Geek-Girl thing;’ and as result, they’ve now put her out in the cold. As if that wasn’t enough for the rookie super-heroine to do deal with [Johnson concludes]: enter super-villain The Cad – who has the power to mess with girls’ heads!”

Written by Johnson, illustrated by Carlos Granda and colored by Chunlin Zhao, the Geek-Girl Kickstarter is live now, running up to the end of October. All 4 issues of the Crime War arc are available there, along with the previous Mini-Series and Kickstarter Exclusives, and you can link to it at www.geekgirlcomics.com

Praise for Geek-Girl:

“The new Geek-Girl series is off to the right start; the action, events, characterization, and all other elements about this comic book are balanced nicely, and I highly recommend reading this issue.” -Jose J. Becerra, Anything Geek Culture.

“A great series to get into if you’re looking for something super-hero related but original and interesting in its own right.” –Jay Brown, Comic Sleuth.

“A charming comic, the dialogue displays a witty back and forth that would make Kevin Smith proud.” -Kris Bather, Broken Frontier.

“This comic book is something special.” -Donna-Lyn Washington, Review Fix.

“A brilliant premise, an interesting character, and intriguing prospects for the future.”

-Chris Orr, Dress Like The Hulk.

Anky S, cover by Neal Adams

Rob Leave a Comment

Anky S by artist Amikael is showcasing the Franky Zapata (www.zapata.com) technology and with a Neal Adams cover, debuting at NYCC this year, in collaboration with Sourcepoint press.
Anky S is just a humble everyday UN agent, dealing with wildlife issues, who gets recruited for a mission by the mysterious ‘The Agency’ in an attempt to take out the international supervillain Nimrod. She soon realizes that she is in over her head, and that ‘The Agency’ haven’t been completely honest with her – about anything.
Gaia, the planet as a living being, is real. Nimrod have proof, and thus he has identified the ultimate trophy kill. Insane as he is, he will collect it and go down in history as the greatest hunter of all time. And the last.