This Nerd's Life: Thor, Man of Steel and More

Egad! A whole week without a blog update and still don't have a full one for tonight!

But it's been a busy week.  I started a new day job (#RealWorldQuest) and am just going 90 to nothing with that...   We went to see Thor 2 last weekend and bought Man of Steel this weekend so I've seen both of those now... hope to put up reviews of both in the next little bit... I also bought and read Valiant's Unity 1 - the first Valiant book I've picked up in awhile - it was ok but not award winning...

That's all for now, lots more in the days to come... and we will be starting our Christmas Countdown pretty soon...

If you haven't already go and like us on Facebook Nerd Is the New Cool and as always follow us on twitter @NerdIsNewCool

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off

Strange Tales/Marvel Monsters Fan Cast

I had really wanted to get this out for last month’s Countdown to Halloween, but a couple of the characters just refused to be cast.  There is even still a couple that I’m skipping because I couldn’t come up with anyone. 

I’m focusing on 70s/Bronze Age monsters but to tie the story together I’ve brought in more recent character Elsa Bloodstone – daughter of the immortal Ulysses Bloodstone – to be our constant throughout the overarching storyline.

Laura Prepon as Elsa Bloodstone

I’m not sure if this could work as one movie even with Elsa tying all the stories together.  It might be better if it were several movies – Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, etc. – with Elsa playing the Nick Fury/Agent Coleson role.  Or it could be an anthology film – call it Savage Tales or Haunt of Horror – with Elsa researching the monsters of the world in a wrap around story. 

Regardless of which path the film(s) take the central villain would of course be Dracula.

Timothy Dalton as Dracula

 

Emma Caulfield as Rachel van Helsing 

In addition to Rachel, we would need at least Quincy Harker and Frank Drake – probably Taj Nital as well.  I’m also tempted to include Hannibal King, but Blade was been a little too over done and I think I’d skip him at least for the first little bit (maybe we could bring him in early in Strange Tales phase two.  I’m also sure I want Dracula’s Duaghter Lilith and it is probably in Tomb of Dracula that we will first meet the devil’s daughter, Satana (as she originated in Marvel’s Vampire Tales magazine). 

Stana Katic as Lilith, Dracula’s Daughter

  

Allison Scagliotti as Satana Hellstrom

...and while we're on the subject of Scags: #AllisonScag4Cassie

It also might be here that Frankenstein’s Monster appears.  I’d like to see him in his own movie or segment, but I’m willing to settle for him being a supporting character here. 

Ron Perlman as Adam the Monster of Frankenstein

Next up on our slate of Marvel horrors is The Man-Thing.  My faithful readers will know my feelings on the previous “Man-Thing” movie – there wasn’t one.  But now that Marvel has the muck monster back in hand, I think we could get a good one. 

Josh Brolin as Man-Thing/Dr. Ted Sallis

Amber Benson as Jennifer Kale

Marvel’s even been kind enough to already cast Ted’s girl-friend/wife for us thanks to Ellen Brandt’s Iron Man 3 appearance. 

Stephanie Szostak as Ellen Brandt-Sallis

Ted’s supporting cast will also call for at least Richard Rory, Dakimh the Enchanter, and the demonic Thog the Nether-Spawn.   Of course, there are others I’d love to see such as F.A. Schist, Korrek the Barbarian, and Bobbi Morse (the future Mrs. Hawkeye).  It’s probably here alongside Man-Thing, that we will first get Howard the Duck as well – another of Marvel’s oddballs that has had less than stellar luck on film. 

Joe Pesci as Howard the Duck

Molly Quinn as Beverly Switzler

 

Lastly, we have Werewolf by Night. 

Christian Kane as Werewolf (By Night)/Jacob Russoff/Jack Russell 

Amy Acker as Lissa Russell Price

Janina Gavankar as Topaz

Russell has a number of enemies – mostly members of the evil Committee – such as Baron Thunder, Carruthers, and Professor Mako.  As well as having ties to minor Marvel heroes Tigra and Moon Knight who could also appear here. 

Of course, this is only the tip of the Marvel Monster iceberg.  Still MIA from our little film family are N’Kantu the Living Mummy, Simon Garth the Marvel Zombie, Gabriel the Devil-Hunter, The Straw Man, and the Darkhold Redeemers. 

Add to that any number of main stream heroes like Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, Morbius, Hellstrom, Hellcat, and Brother Voodoo; not to mention the various monster hunters, demon lords, and giant Kirby-esque Monsters and the number of films that could make it into this series is incalculable. 

But we can hope…

Now what do you think?  Like my casting choices?  Hate them?  Wondering where the obligatory Nathan Fillon casting is?  Comment below or message me on facebook or twitter – and don’t forget to like and follow while you’re there. 

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.  

New Comic Day 10R: Painkiller Jane The Price of Freedom Part 1 Review

OK, so I’ll admit it.  If I didn’t have a crush on Kristanna Loken this book would have stayed on the shelf.  Divided into two stories, the art in the first by Juan Santacruz is passable and in the second by Sam Lotfi subpar.  The front cover by Amanda Conner is somewhere in between the two.  Sticking with the art, main character Jane is – in the first story – two parts butch cute (think Starbuck) and one part girl next door cute (think Amy Pond).  In the second story, she’s all hard lines and cartoonish – and not the good cartoonish like Batman: The Animated Series, the (almost) Popeye’s forearms kind of crappy cartoonish. 

Before I go on to the story itself, I want to point out something else that is kinda the art and kinda the story.  In the first one – the passable art one – Jane’s nipple is viable in at least six panels across 7 of 20 pages of story.  I point this out because this issue contains not one but two text pieces expounding how Jane is not just a “scantily clad female” like her “bad girl” contemporaries.  But rather a strong female character.  Yet there in all its off pink glory is Jane’s nipple for no other reason than for it to be there.  I’m not whole against nudity – not even in comics and not even gratuitously – Heavy Metal has always been a major supplier of gratuitous nudity and I thoroughly enjoy that title.  My problem is in an issue that features not only nudity for nudity’s sake but also a scene where another character’s face is accidentally forced between Jane’s breasts, we are told she isn’t just another comic book sex symbol.  Seems like bad timing to me.

As for the story itself, I was very happy with it.  Concerning a kidnapping attempt on a Saudi princess – who will likely be executed when she gets back home due to the American Heiress inspired wardrobe she sports – the first story, by Jimmy Palmiotti, is very engaging and Jane does come off as a strong female character – though in several places she could use some more pathos.  My biggest complaint is the dialogue – which at times can be a bit contrived – too much the writer’s creation rather than a naturally flowing thing – ironically a disease the TV series suffered often.  Story two – “From the Beginning” – is a standalone piece also by Palmiotti.  Not as compelling as the main story, this one – as with its art – is cartoonish in feel.  The opening scene makes little since unless Jane has some previously unmentioned speed powers as she is chasing down a speeding getaway car.  The sexuality in this story – while still taking a place at the forefront – is better played and feels more like a fluid part of the story than the gratuitous stuff from the first story. 

Overall this was a very enjoyable comic.  And my minor complaints – dialogue, out of place nudity, cartoonish art in the back up – do not greatly detract from the issue as a whole. 

4/5 stars                       Excellent Jumping On Point

Teen or Mature for Violence, Brief Nudity, and some Language

Batman Year Zero, Ultimate Cataclysm and Christmas Comics Already!? (New Comic Day)

Archie Comics released two titles today - Archie Double Digest 245 and Betty & Veronica Double Digest 217 – which are both already Christmas Issues. 

Dark Horse is still publishing the travesty that is Catalyst Comix (issue 5 hit stands today).  Also from DH is Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight 2 – normally I wouldn’t praise this poor quality of art, but it definitely adds a raw Grindhouse feel to the title so it’s working for me.  Finally from DH, we have The Star Wars 3 continuing the adaptation of George Lucas’s original rough-draft screenplay. 

At DC, Batman Year Zero month is in full swing with Batman 25, Detective Comics 25, Batwing 25, Green Arrow 25, and Action Comics 25 all crossing into the storyline which as a whole is putting me off – though some of the art is top notch.  Also at DC, the ongoing mini-series Forever Evil has its third issue today – but I have given up on that story myself. 

Dynamite graces us with the third issue of its six issue mini-series Army of Darkness Vs Hack/Slash – presenting me with an excuse to mention that #AllisonScags4Cassie Your Argument is Invalid! Also on shelves we have Lords of Mars 4 (of 6) – a stunning Alex Ross cover that makes me question the need for the variant covers also released – Vampirella 36, and Gail Simone’s Legends of Red Sonja 1 (of 5) – featuring both a beautiful regular cover and a classic Marvel throwback variant. 

The Starbase 21 Pick of the Week is Marvel’s Cataclysm The Ultimates’ Last Stand 1 part of the November Ultimate Universe crossover featuring Galactus. Also gracing shelves from The House of Ideas this month are Fantomex MAX 2 (of 4) – which I almost picked up but was able to resist – Painkiller Jane: The Price of Freedom 1 (of 4)

Finally, Zenescope – which is always at least good for a cover if not always the stories inside gives us Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Wonderland Through the Looking Glass 2 (of 5) – I recommend Cover B by Ivan Nunes featuring the Queen of Spades – and Tyler Kirkham’s Screwed 6 (of 6).   

I’m changing up the way I do New Comic Day from now on.  As you see I’ve given a very brief highlight of some of the top comics and a few underdogs that are our this week, but no Feature Issue review like I’ve done in the past.  But come back tomorrow for our indepth review of Painkiller Jane: The Price of Freedom 1. 

Until then, let me know what you’re picking up this week in the comments or on our facebook page or twitter @nerdisnewcool – and be sure to like and follow to let us know you like what you’re seeing here at Nerd Is The New Cool. 

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off

This Nerd's Life: Halloween Weekend

I know, I know.  I said I'd post something Thursday for Halloween but that day was a huge headache.

I don't mind the company, but my dad came over Thursday morning and spent a couple hours hanging out. Which was cool, but it really put me behind on getting ready for that Evening's Trick 'r Treaters.

But I was able to get the house in order.  And low and behold, 2 kids all night.  A super-tough red Power Ranger and a cute little Minnie Mouse.

My wife and I settled in for the evening with Halloween 4 and after she headed to bed for the night I watched my favorite modern Halloween based film, Trick 'r Treat - which I watched right after Season's Greetings the cartoon short it spins out off.  I also hopped onto YouTube and was able to check out FEARnet's Trick 'r Treat shorts.  I highly recommend them.

Then, Friday Dad and I ran by a couple of Vintage Stocks to check out the big sale they had going on.  I was able to pick up DVD's of Friday the 13th Parts 3 and 4, Zorro's Black Whip Volume One (the first six episodes of a serial featuring "Zorrita, the one and only 'female' Zorro!"), and Star Odyssey (an old sci-fi flick I've never heard of.  Included on the DVD are four shorts: a Fleischer Superman cartoon, a Felix the Cat, a The New 3 Stooges cartoon, and an episode of Rocky Jones, Space Ranger).  I was also able to add a couple of early Man-Things to my collection Adventures into Fear 17 and Daredevil 113, the latter of which is part of the Sallis Papers story arc staring Daredevil, Man-Thing, and Foggy Nelson's sister Candace.

Over the weekend, my wife and I - along with our faithful companion the Nerd-Hound - went to my parent's for a horror movie marathon.  I can't remember the exact order of things, but we were able to squeeze in It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, World War Z - not as bad as I'd feared but still not as great as I'd hoped - Jack the Giant Slayer, Sharknado, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Twins of Evil, Hands of the Ripper, The Incredible Melting Man, Godzilla vs. Megalon, and The Town that Dreaded Sundown.  

Overall, a very fun and entertaining weekend.

Hope your's was as much of a blast!

I'll be back on Wednesday, with a new New Comic Day.  In the meantime, I'd love to hear how you spent Halloween or your weekend down below in the comments or over on twitter @nerdisnewcool and you can share any pics of your Halloween costumes on our new facebook page located here:  https://www.facebook.com/NerdTheNewCool

Until next time,

This is Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.

P.S. Since it's the Spooky Season and cause I haven't in awhile:

#AllisonScag4Cassie

Witchblade, Poe's Raven and Red Death, and the Return of Gaiman's Sandman (New Comic Day)

DC and Marvel both greatly disappointed me this week.  Last month, I praised the art in Captain America: Living Legend 1 and this week’s second issue with a new artist doesn’t live up to the first issue’s legend.  While at DC, most of the titles are “Summer Annuals” – a bit late as it is late October – of which Nightwing Annual 1 stands out.  DC’s most notable non-Annual is Damian Son of Batman 1 – but that notability is in its sub-par art – shockingly from the usually more reliable Andy Kubert.  Also, Damian seems to be printed on a lower than usual quality of paper. 

Better picks from the big two include DC’s Sandman Overture 1 by Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams (Williams’s art can’t actually be called “good” but it has a gritty character that works well with Gaiman’s writing style) and Marvel’s Kick Ass 3 4 and Guardians of the Galaxy 8 (featuring an alternate Thor vs. Thanos cover).  Also from Marvel comes the release of the Thor vs. Thanos TPB.

I should probably also mention Marvel’s Cataclysm 0.1 – I really have nothing to say about it but if you’ve been looking forward to it, there you go…

Over in the rest of comicdom, this week is the week for covers.  IDW’s Danger Girl 2 is out sporting an awesome alternate cosplay photo cover (for subscribers only, but availability may very).  Also, out this week Zenescope – the company were the covers are always the best part of the book – has issues from two Grimm Fairy Tales Presents… mini-series: No Tomorrow and Realm Knights both on issue three, but better still is their non-Grimm title Hit List 2 featuring a femme fatale cover – if possible I recommend variant cover C by Oracle. 

But my favorite cover this week appearing on Witchblade 170 is a retro throwback to 80s Marvel covers.  Very rough and with hard lines even the logo and title information are in that classic Marvel style.  Inside the art is much sharper – a little cartoonish but still lovely to look at.  The story is typical second tier fair.  Looking at lead character Sara Pezzini’s outfit and appearance one could easily dismiss her as another uber-hot but shallow and artistically bankrupt Image heroine but writer Ron Marz and artist Laura Braga bring a much more developed character to the page than one comes to expect from an Image title.  I highly recommend this issue and despite the rather high issue number this is an excellent jumping on point. 

Finally, if a Halloween read is more what you’re looking for this week, Dark Horse provides with Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven and the Masque of the Red Death by Richard Corben who previously adapted works by Poe for Marvel’s Haunt of Horror line.  Corben’s art leaves something to be desired but can lend personality when applied to the right story as was the case with Haunt of Horror. 

But what are you reading this week?  Leave a comment or message me on twitter @nerdisnewcool to let me know. 

Due to Technical Difficulties Today's New Comic Day will Publish Early Tomorrow

Due to Technical Difficulties Today's New Comic Day will Publish Early Tomorrow

This Nerds Life: Countdown to Halloween - 2 Days to Go

Halloween is just days away and here at Nerd Is The New Cool, we couldn’t be more excited.  The candy has been bought, the decorations are up, and we have been binge watching horror movies (we spent all day yesterday watching Stephen King’s Rose Red). 

I was originally going to do another 3 Top Tens set for today, but felt a bit more personal This Nerd’s Life style blogging might be a better way to go tonight instead. 

There is so much more I want to get done between now and Thursday. My wife has seen the first 2 Halloween films, so I’m thinking Halloween night will have to feature a viewing of Halloween 4 (as III isn’t part of the main series, we will probably go ahead and skip it).   But do I want to rewatch the first two before then or hit some other films instead (Trick or Treat springs to mind, as do Plan 9 from Outer Space and any number of classic Universal and Hammer films).  There is also The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but the wife loves that and will want to be in on that viewing so we’ll save that for her.  Netflix was a few good films, but the selection is limited and both HuluPlus and Crackle seems to mostly have the same limited selection with each of the three having a few films the others don’t have, but most of those don’t look that interesting.

I was planning on making some caramels if not go all the way and make caramel apples or even popcorn balls but I keep putting it off.  I also bought some fresh veggies with the plan of making salsa but haven’t got around to it yet.  If I don’t hurry up and get to it, we might have some quality issues pretty soon.   

We don’t plan on hitting any Halloween parties, so the wife and I probably won’t be dressing up this year – especially with her working late on Thursday and us going out of town over the weekend.

I might try to put up an extra post tomorrow, a Nerdy Top Ten or one of a couple of other things I’ve been working on so check back tomorrow night to see.  I will be putting up a New Comic Day Wednesday and if I get a fire going under myself I will put up an early post on Thursday for Halloween. 

Well, that’s all for now, I’ll be back either tomorrow or the next day – I’ll be in checking for comments tomorrow whether I post or not.  In the meantime, to make up for only having this wimpy blog post, here is a pic of our good friend Liz Katz dressed as an Elvian Theif

You should go follow her on twitter here, like her on facebook here, and subscribe to her YouTube channel here.  She’s awesome.  (And tell her your old buddy Nerd Is The New Cool sent ya, to score me some brownie points).  Also, she’ll be at Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo in LA Novemeber 1-3 booth 1049 selling posters and hanging with her fans.  She’s pretty cool and one of the nerdiest girls on the Interweb, so go say hi. 

And while we are on the subject of Comikaze Expo, if any of our readers are going and would like to act as the official Nerd Is The New Cool correspondent at the event, send me a DM on twitter. 

This is Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.  

Army of Darkness/Reanimator, Daredevil, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and More (New Comic Day #7)

This Nerds Life: Sad Times

Those of you paying attention, all both of you, will know that there was no New Comic Day last week.  For that I am sorry, but last week was an emotional time for us here at Nerd Is The New Cool.  Our beloved comic shop Starbase 21 – which will celebrate its 29^th Birthday next month – announced last Wednesday that it will be shutting its doors as of December 31^st of this year. 

It has been a long time coming – the owner is sick and hasn’t been able to take an active hand in running the store for quite some time and with the state of comics in this day and age – most casual readers and many collectors using national chains – keeping the store going is unfortunately not feasible. 

This will mark the end of a beloved Tulsa landmark and the loss of a major part of my week. 

But worry not, Fan Boys and Geek Girls, your good buddy Nerd Is The New Cool will soldier on and continue to bring you the best of what’s gracing this week’s shelves. 

New Comic Day Presents: Countdown to Halloween (8 Days)

What with the Scary Season in full swing, I focused this week’s shelf searching on Halloween issues and didn’t come up too shabby.  Daredevil 32 features a crossover with a number of Marvel’s Mighty Monsters – including a stylish cover featuring Satana, The Marvel Zombie, Werewolf by Night, The Monster of Frankenstein, and the Living Mummy facing off with a mob of angry torch and pitchfork totting villagers.  Be warned, fair readers, the three dread works appear at the climax of this issue “to be continued.” 

Marvel’s other entries this week include the special Marvel Now What?! a humor title in the vein of What The..?!  Written by a host of TV comedy writers, the book doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that is somewhat refreshing against Marvel’s often blotted lineup of titles. 

DC isn’t doing quite as well in the Halloween department.  But a $1 reprint of the first issue of  Neil Gaiman’s seminal title Sandman is a passable offering to the ghost and goblin crowd. 

Also at DC, is – and Starbase 21’s Pick of the Week – is Beware the Batman 1 a comic adaptation of Cartoon Network’s (already cancelled?) Batman series of the same name. 

Leaving the big two behind up, over at Dynamite a true Halloween offering appears in the form of the Army of Darkness/ReAnimator one-shot.  As is so often the case with comics nowadays, the cover art – by Randy Valiente – far surpasses its interior art – also by Valiente.  The story by Mark Rahner – featuring a time lost Ash (though he only uses that name in a single panel of this book) finds himself in H.P. Lovecraft’s New England of the 1920s, butting heads with a fairly true to Lovecraft Herbert West and battling both AoD’s Deadites and ReA’s Re-Animates – though far from great is fun and engaging and does lead me to forgive the art.  The issue also reprints 2005’s Reanimator 0, featuring a more detailed retelling of Herbert West’s origin.  The story is by Jim Kuhoric with art – that makes me remember the main story’s art fondly – by Nick Bradshaw. 

Also of note this month, Rocketeer/Spirit 2 finally graces us with its presence – the first issue of this mini-series, my long ‘memberin’ readers will recall, I reviewed back in July.

Tell us what you thought of these titles or if you read something else you think is worthy of getting picked up let us know in the comments below or on twitter @nerdisnewcool. 

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.

Three More Halloween Top Tens (Countdown to Halloween 2)

Our countdown to Halloween continues, with just 10 Days Left!  

As with last week’s post, I’m giving you quantity rather than quality here.  You get three top ten lists, but very little fluff text.  Hope you enjoy it anyway. 

Ten Christmas Films It’s OK to Watch at Halloween;

or, Ten Halloween Films Set at Christmas

(In No Particular Order)

Note: I have intentionally excluded some films that are set at Christmas but not so much that I remember they are set at Christmas (notably Jaws: The Revenge and Psycho – which would have been the worst and best movies on the list had I included them). 

      1.      Black Christmas (1974 version is preferred to the 2006 version)

      2.      Child’s Play

      3.      Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

      4.      Gremlins

      5.      Jack Frost (the 1997 horror film, not the 1998 family comedy)

      6.      Silent Night, Deadly Night

      7.      Tales from the Crypt (…And All Through the House – First movie segment or TV series episode 1.01)

      8.      The Nightmare Before Christmas

      9.      Wind Chill

      10.  Any Super-Hero movie set at Christmas (ex: Batman Returns, Iron Man 3)

While we are on the topic of movies, I had a request for a follow up to last week’s Top Ten Halloween Family Movies.  So, for the open-minded youngsters out there, may I present:

Top Ten Classic Halloween Family Movies

10.       House of Frankenstein

9.         King Kong (1933 version) or better still its sequel Son of Kong

8.         War of the Worlds (1953 version)

7.         Godzilla vs. Megalon

6.         13 Ghosts (1960 version)

5.         Dinosaurus!

4.         Jason and the Argonauts (1963 version)

3.         King Kong Vs. Godzilla

2.         Seven Faces of Dr. Lao

1.         Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Top Ten Works of Short Fiction to Read for Halloween

10.       Sherlock Holmes “The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

9.         “The Crystal Egg” by H.G. Wells (sort of a prequel to The War of the Worlds)

8.         “The Vampyre” by John Polidori

7.         “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce (For something a bit more traditionally horror also by Bierce try “The Damned Thing”)

6.         “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

5.         “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs

4.         The Mist by Stephen King

3.         “The Statement of Randolph Carter” by H.P. Lovecraft (For something a bit longer – but still short – also by Lovecraft try “The Call of Cthulhu” or “Herbert West: Re-Animator”)

2.         “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

1.         The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Until next time, 

Nerd is the New Cool, signing off.

Three Halloween Top Tens (Countdown to Halloween)

Halloween Top Tens

Ok, I’m not going to go into a lot of details on this but to make up for it you’re getting several lists instead of just one. 

Top Thirteen Halloween Songs

13.       Witch Doctor – David Seville (pre-Alvin and the Chipmunks version)

12.       Tie: Love Potion Number 9 – The Clovers/Love Potion Number 9 – The Searchers

11.       I Put a Spell on You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (or Bette Midler)

10.       Little Red Riding Hood – Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

9.         The Hearse Song (aka The Worms Crawl In) – this version is my favorite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czja6XI_s5k

8.         Science Fiction Double Feature – Cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show 

7.         Ghostbusters – Ray Parker, Jr.

6.         Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley

5.         Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon

4.         The Time Warp – Cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show  

3.         Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell (feat. Michael Jackson)

2.         Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Picket

1.         Thriller – Michael Jackson (feat. Vincent Price)

Top Ten Trick or Treat Treats

10.       Full-Sized Candy Bars – not strictly Halloween centric – thus it’s low ranking – but come on, cheapskates.  It’s Halloween, forget the “Fun Sized” and – Great Pumpkin forbid – Minis.   

9.         Tie: Mary Jane/Bit-‘o-Honey

8.         Tie: Pumpkin Shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups/Orange Kit-Kats

7.         Caramels (such as Brach’s Milk Maids or better yet Homemade)

6.         Tie: Dum Dum Pops (especially Root Beer)/Root Beer Barrels

5.         Monster Cereals (Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Boo Berry) – ok, not candy but still a favorite Halloween treat.

4.         Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses (aka Black and Orange Candy) – amusingly I found this on a list of the worst Halloween Candies!

3.         Candy Corn

2.         Caramel Apples

1.         Homemade Popcorn Balls

Top Ten Halloween Family Movies - Updated

This list assumes your kids automatically think a movie is bad if in black and white, so only relatively recent movies are list here.  This list also excludes cartoons (you can find some of my favorites here: http://nerdthenewcool.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-10-halloween-cartoons.html)  Due to several people calling me out I have changed up this list a bit I have removed Tremors (1990, PG-13) which I had always included with some reservation, due to language and violence.  I have kicked it off and mention it here as a recommendation for families with older kids.  

10.       Scooby-Doo (2002, PG)

9.         Willow (1988, PG)

8.         Transylvania 6-5000 (1985, PG)

7.         The Princess Bride (1987, PG)

6.         Casper (1995, PG)

5.         The NeverEnding Story (1984, PG)

4.         Poltergeist (1982, PG) - Warning: Gets pretty scary, plan to watch something else after it, especially
            with very little kids.  

3.         Ghostbusters (1984, PG-13)

2.         Hocus Pocus (1993, PG)

1.         The Monster Squad (1987, PG-13) - Warning: Language and slight suggestive dialogue

There you have them, three terrifying lists to tantalize you and get you ready for the upcoming holiday. 

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.  

Superman/Wonder Woman Hulk and the Agents of SMASH and the 10th Anniversary of The Walking Dead (New Comic Day)

It’s another big week of comics, nerds and geekettes.  DC has began a new Forever Evil tie-in series in the form of Arkham War, I imagine you can guess where in the greater DCU that focuses. 

Also starting this week is DC’s new ongoing mash-up title Superman/Wonder Woman which features a wonderful trifold cover by Tony S. Daniels (pencils), Batt (inks) and Tomeu Morey (colors).  The cover’s central image of the titular heroes is a little weak but the surrounding imagery of their supporting characters and villains is awe-worthy.  However, the interior art by the same art team is weaker even than the worst elements of the cover.  Flipping through the book before reading it, I thought I liked the art, but as I read I realized I didn’t.  The story itself – by Charles Soule – I initially didn’t like but it grew on me as I went – I actually stopped reading about 6 pages in but picked it back up later in the day and gave it a second chance – which it proved it deserved.  I’m still not behind the Superman/Wonder Woman romantic relationship – I’m squarely behind the classic Lois and Clark relationship in the present and like the SM/WW relationships to be in set in the future stories – nor am I sure we needed a Superman/Wonder Woman team-up title.  But for what it is, it’s good. 

Finally, from DC this week, we have Astro City #5 and Batman # 24 (which is part of Batman Year Zero).  Batman is a little longer than usual but not really enough to justify the 7.99 price tag DC has on it – I might have been a little more forgiving on a giant-sized 25^th issue, but 24^th seems like they are just money grabbing. 

Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead TV series or of the comic that spawned it, might want to pick up some of its 10^th Anniversary issues – including a special feature featuring The Walking Dead 10^th Anniversary Edition of issue 1 and Tyreese Special 1. 

Over at Marvel comics, a comic adaptation of the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. cartoon series started up this week featuring typical cartoon-turned-comic art (alas only a 4 issue mini-series).

Also hitting the stands this week is my all time favorite Dark Horse character X, with issue 6 of his new eponymous title, which is much more promising than last week’s Catalyst Comics. 

Finally, Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales line has several issues out this week, notably Halloween Special 2013 and – just in time to coincide with ABC’s Once Upon a Time spinoff Once Upon a Time in Wonderland – a new 5-issue Alice-inspired mini-series Wonderland Through the Looking-Glass. 

Let us know what you’re reading in the comments or on twitter @nerdisnewcool. 

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.  

This Nerd's Life: Babysitting

There will be no new Nerdy Top Ten today.  I had a long day babysitting my niece and am just too warn out to come up with anything interesting/witty/wise/funny/entertaining.  How is this different than every other week you ask?  I don't know, but I will contemplate that in the meanwhile.

I will be back Wednesday with an all new New Comic Day.  

Until then, stay nerdy my friends...

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.

Fantomex, Joker’s Daughter, and More (New Comic Day #6)

It’s an interesting week for comics.  Last week, I discussed in detail DC’s Villains Month crossover.  This is the first post VM week and DC’s titles are mostly back to normal.  I mentioned, Joker’s Daughter as being in short supply and DC has been kind enough to send out more copies of the 2D cover version as a reshipment.  I picked it up and it definitely was not worth the wait.  The issues writing by Ann Nocenti – the current writer on Catwoman and co-creator of Marvel character’s Longshot, Mojo, and Typhoid Mary – and art by Georges Jeanty were both minimally acceptable but lacking and parts of the story are pretty far out there. 

Also from DC, Forever Evil 2 hit shelves this week.  Same quality of art and general writing, but remember all that stuff I said about Lex Luthor’s pathos.  Yeah, scratch that, this issue shot it right out the window.  However, a nod to the old Christopher Reeves Superman series in the form of LexCorp Employee Otis was a nice touch, though in the end a bit of a letdown.  One more DC title of note is Scooby Doo 38 for its Elvira homage cover and story.   

Over at Marvel this week are the high recommended Captain America: Living Legend 1 (check me out posing with it on Starbase 21 Tulsa’s facebook page as customer of the week – because awesome) and Fantomex Max 1.  Fantomex is a minor X-Men character (first appearing in New X-Men 128 in 2002), a background of little or no importance to this issue.  Probably the worst four bucks I’ve spent in a comic book shop in awhile. Fantomex Max features atrocious art by Shawn Crystal (best known for his work on Deadpool, Crystal has done better work before and occasionally reaches an expectable passable level here, but rarely) and nearly unreadable dialog and narration by Andrew Hope (who drew two comics and wrote one for a small UK publisher in 1990 before disappearing from the comic world until last year when he popped up at Marvel).  The highlights of this issue include gratuitous shots of heroine Special Agent Rhona Flemyng’s panties on page 9, Fantomex’s sadomasochist/fetish holographic assistant, and an unrealistic and hackneyed story with copious amounts of hyper-unrealistic violence. 

Captain America: Living Legend, however, (which I haven’t read yet, sorry) seems to feature a much more cohesive storyline and the best interior artwork – by Adi Granov  – I saw this week.  Granov is best known for his work on Iron Man, both the series, where he was the artist on the Extremis storyline and the movies, he provided conceptual designs for all three Iron Man films as well as Marvel’s The Avengers.  Originally intended for a 2010 release, the title was delayed due to Granov’s involvement with the Marvel movies and he will not be returning for issues 2-4 of the mini-series. 

I should also mention that Dark Horse Comics recently resurrected their Comics Greatest World title Catalyst: Agents of Change as Catalyst Comix of which issue four is on stands this week.  I’m a huge fan of the CGW line from way back and Catalyst lead character Grace is among my favorite characters (right after X, Ghost, Barb Wire, and Vortex).  I somehow missed this return to the stands until last week, when I noticed the solicitation in Previews for the December issue.  Flipping through the week’s installment, makes me wish I could go back to having overlooked this unfortunate relaunch. 

One last title worth discussing this week, Archie 648 featuring a super-hero parody by legendary comic writer Tom DeFalco with a variant cover by longtime Thor artist Walt Simonson. 

Also, recommended this week are Dynamite’s Lady Rawhide 2 and Dark Horse’s The Star Wars 2 and whatever it was the Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole 5 (which – admittedly – I primarily like for the covers).

So, that’s what we’re reading here at Nerd Is The New Cool.  What’s on your pull list this week?  Let us know in the comments or hit us up on twitter @nerdisnewcool. 

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.

My Top Ten Picks for TableTop Guest-Players

So, my favorite show over on Geek and Sundry is Wil Wheaton’s TableTop.  If you haven’t seen it or at least heard of it, you are either not enough of a nerd to be reading my blog or you have been hiding under the preverbal rock.  Either way, it is a webseries in which Wil Wheaton level Celebrates play nerdy table top games (usually Euro style board games, but dice, card, roll playing, and Ameritrash games as well).  Here’s a sample episode (this episode runs about 25 minutes):

This list is my picks for Guest-Players who need to appear on the show. 

10.       Lisa Foiles – a quasi-famous former TV star turned internet phenomenon (like Wil Wheaton).  Lisa is probably best remembered for appearing on Nickelodeon’s All That, but is now better known as a video game journalist and web-star – previously hosting The Game Station’s Remag and currently hosting Top Five with Lisa Foiles.  Plus, we already know she’ll win, cause she’s a redhead, and redheads always win on TableTop. 

9.         Katee Sackhoff and Tricia Helfer – probably not the biggest celebs to ever appear on TableTop (Jeri Ryan is at least as big, right? And Seth Green?).  This duo of BSG stars are no stranger to YouTube nerdom appearances.  Katee appears in Team Unicorn’s “Geek and Gamer Girls” music video and Tricia is in The Nerd Machine’s miniseries Trailer Park Heroes. 

8.         Adrianne Curry – this is either a stroke of genius or a recipe for disaster.  Should be fun to watch either way.  Not only is Adrianne a self admitted nerd and video gamer, but she also has a show Super Fans on Stan Lee’s World of Heroes YouTube channel and let’s face it, you can’t have more nerd cred than Stan Lee.  She is, however, a bit scandalous…and naughty…and nsfw.

7.         Joss Whedon – a god in the greater nerd pantheon, Whedon is responsible for Buffy, Firefly, Dr. Horrible, Dollhouse, and Marvel’s The Avengers.  He’s also responsible for Felicia Day (who first rose to nerd prominence in Buffy, Dr. Horrible, and Dollhouse) and he’s already made an appearance on Geek and Sundry starring in “Scary Smash,” the inaugural episode of Written By a Kid. 

6.         Dr. Drea Letamendi (@ArkhamAsylumDoc) – Fangirl, cosplayer, psychologist.  Drea is, in fact, Barbara “Batgirl” Gordon’s shrink in Gail Simone’s Batgirl.  Drea is also an expert on the psychology of “fandom.”

5.         Jim Parsons  – there is this one show, you may have heard of it.  It’s called something like The Big Bang Theory maybe, does that sound right?  Anyway, there’s this one character on the show named Dr. Sheldon Cooper and this Sheldon has an arch-nemesis named Wil Wheaton (played by Wil Wheaton, the host of TableTop).  Their rivalry is often expressed in friendly games of competition, such as bowling and the fictional trading card game Mystic Warlords of Ka’a.  Bringing Parsons onto TableTop – a show were Wil almost always looses – would finally allow Sheldon to pull one over on his mortal enemy.  Or maybe he’ll just yell “Wheeeeatoooon!”  Either way. 

4.         Liz Katz – or as my mom calls her: the naughty aerobics instructor (look for Super-Hero Boot Camp on YouTube to make that make more since).  Liz is a hard to classify girl.  She’s smart and funny and nerdy.  But she’s hot and dingy and hot, too.  Some of her videos are a little lame (I’m looking at you “I Don’t Wanna Be a Turtle”), but overall she’s pretty entertaining, if a little ADHD at times (to check her out better, head over to YouTube and take a look at her channel or watch my playlist “The Best of LizKatz.”

3.         Katie Wilson – let’s let Katie speak for herself:

A fan movement to get Katie onto TableTop is in the works and hopefully this one at least can come true.   On a side note: Chad and Angie from Screen Team Show would be another similarly ideal group to appear on the show, either in the same episode as Katie or in a separate one. 

2.         Nathan Fillion – ok, probably way out of Geek and Sundry’s budget, but we can always hope.  I mean, come on!  The Geek God himself on the Geek show!  Possibly in a themed episode with John Barrowman and Anne Wheaton.  And if you don’t know why you should definitely google image search “Nathan Fillion Wil Wheaton.”  It was the first two pics when I tried. 

1.         Me – I think that one is pretty self explanatory. 

So that’s my list.  Who would you like to see on TableTop?  Leave a comment or let me know on my twitter @nerdisnewcool.

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.

New Comic Day Special DC’s Villain Month Edition

To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what to put here, or at least how to start.  The problem is, this last month DC has been doing what DC and Marvel do best:  a companywide money-grabbing no real point crossover event.  Every title in DC’s New 52 line has been preempted by Villain Month, in which instead of, for example, Batman 23 we get The Joker #1, The Riddler #1, Penguin #1, and Bane #1.  Actually, that’s not exactly correct either.  They are actually The Joker #1 23.1 and The Riddler #1 23.2 … you get the idea. 

This is all kicked off by Forever Evil 1, the first in a 7 issue limited series.  The issue establishes the Crime Syndicate (Earth-3’s villainous alternate versions of the Justice League of America) as the crossover’s main antagonists and sets up Lex Luthor (yes, that Lex Luthor) as a protagonist. 

For a companywide crossover mini-series, the story here is top notch and very acceptable (an acceptable version of an unacceptable thing?).  Luthor remains true to his villainous self while displaying pathos and working as the issues protagonist.  The issues other protagonist, however, an actual hero this time in the form of Nightwing (Richard Grayson, the former Robin, for the uninitiated among us) takes a firm second fiddle to Luthor and in many ways seems a pale imitation to the characters usual portrayal. 

The art in Forever Evil, provided by penciller David Finch and inker Richard Friend, is among the best I’ve seen in the crossover, but the centerpiece a four page wide single panel depicting dozens of DC’s top villains is uninspired and such a letdown as to have been a waste of space in the book.  What should have been a poster worthy entry would have been served just as well by taking up at most (and I’m being generous here) a two page spread.  It is so far beneath the quality level of the rest of the issue as to be jarring, taking me out of the wonder it should have impressed upon me. 

Other week one titles, where to me, largely a waste of paper.  I leafed through several, including The Joker, a title that left me with a bad taste in my mouth and my money still firmly in my wallet.  The art in Joker, was by and large subpar – even in comparison to the above mentioned four page spread – and far undeserving of so pivotal a DC character.  The story itself was of such an awkward nature, that I couldn’t even bring myself to read more than the occasional snippet.   

I have not picked up Darkseid or Ventriloquist preventing me from giving an honest review of either, but I have heard the former was of an enjoyable read and the Gail Simone byline on the latter gives me hope for it. 

Week two presented few titles that caught my eye, of them I picked up Harley Quinn for no other reason than brand loyalty to a classic character of my youth – I did grow up on Batman: The Animated Series after all firmly planting both Quinn and Montoya in my list of favorite Batman characters.  Oh, but had I pasted this train wreck by.  The story – largely a sketchy and convoluted origin – was unimaginative at best.  Harley’s origin was confusing, primarily due to her somewhat unreliable narrator status, with the narrative of it sometimes at odds with the images but more often just not synced up with them, like a badly dubbed Godzilla movie.  Worst was the complete lack of any of the character’s customary psychotic pathos.  Like Hannibal Lector, one usually finds it hard to dislike Harley.  Even when killing people, Quinn is usually a fun yet tragic anti-heroine, never more than one more beating and betrayal by the Joker away from rehabilitation and a life of quiet solace for her past evils.  But always pulled back by a well timed kindness by her puddin’.  This Harley, however, while looking the part of the lost little girl, is presented as unredeemingly evil. The art on this issue’s cover, by Chris Burnham & Nathan Fairbairn, far outshines its interiors by the abysmal Neil Googe. 

Week three brought us several notable titles including Lex Luthor, which in retrospect I really should have picked up instead of the horrendous Eclipso, and The Cheetah, another book I didn’t pick up myself but have heard good things about. 

I have to admit, as much as I hate CWCOs (companywide crossovers), I kinda love CWCOs.  And Eclipso: The Darkness Within will always have a special place in my heart (right next to Marvel’s Infinity Gauntlet and Dark Horse’s not quite companywide Comic’s Greatest World).  Eclipso is among my favorite DC villains.  Over the years, I have forgave DC a lot when it comes to Eclipso: the ongoing series, cancelling the ongoing series, completely forgetting Bruce Gordon in later appearances, Jean Loring.  But this travesty, somehow written by the usually inspired Dan Didio and scribbled by Philip Tan and Jason Paz, is too much.  Bruce Gordon is back-ish.  He is apparently in the witness protection program though cause they’ve mostly changed his name to Gordon Jacobs, otherwise he’s still Bruce…love interest named Mona, solar energy expert, supporting character named Dr. Bennett.  DC appears to have just wanted to bring Gordon back but thought it would be too confusing what with Commish Gordon over in the Batman books.  That irks me.  Either create a new character or use the old one…don’t both while neither.  Add to that terrible art and a lame character redesign and we have the low point of my Villains Month experience. 

 Which brings us to week four, this week.  I had originally planned on grabbing Joker’s Daughter, but it vanished from shelves far too quickly (we’ll talk a bit about that down below in a moment), so instead I was left with Ocean Master.  Oddly, in a week that also included Doomsday, Bane, Killer Croc, and Sinistro, I pick up a book focusing on a character I care little about.  Perhaps this should have been my strategy the whole time. 

This issue, with so-so art by Geraldo Borges and Ruy Jose, was by far the best book I picked up all month.  The character was dark and cold, unmistakably a villain, yet he had the pathos Harley was lacking in her book.  The story was inspired.  It was maybe a little familiar (I’m thinking of the Silver Age Sub-Mariner over at Marvel as a classic example), but still remaining a worthy read in a sea of issues that seemed to be more interested in murdering trees and making money than they were ever interested in entertaining loyal readers and fans. 

Now back to that vanishing from the shelves thing.  As far as I can tell, as a whole, DC drastically under printed these issues.  While I was at my regular comic shop today, at least four sold out, not counting several that were already MIA when I arrived.  I visited another shop to try to pick up the afore mentioned Joker’s Daughter and not a single Villains Month issue was still to be had. I’ve been told the shops are also under stocked as well.  Perhaps this was simple under ordering on the shops’ part, but every shop in the city?  Or perhaps it is merely an accident on the publisher’s part.  But is that an excuse?  To under publish a minor villain would be one thing, but Bane? Joker’s Daughter? Darkseid?  Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I know of several people with pull lists who didn’t get issues they should have.  Anyway, moving on…

Perhaps this crossover’s biggest sin is the covers: 3D lenticular motion covers.  My main question is why?  The speculator boom of the 90s was full of foil covers, dicut covers, hologram covers, popup centerfolds, and a million other gimmicky wastes of time.  Why restart a trend that only caused its own bust, when collectors – in it for the gimmicks and the hope of turning a profit investing in comics the way you would invest in stocks – realized the new comics were never going to be worth the money old comics are. 

I can understand the business behind a CWCO, trying to get fans to pick up extra issues that month, but this kind of gimmick is insulting to fans – at least this fan – and is self-detrimental to future sales, in my humble opinion. 

But I’m just me.  I don’t speak for the whole world.  So I ask you, Fanboys, what do you think of the motion covers, of CWCOs in general and in Forever Evil/Villains Month in particular? 

Feel free to give me your humble opinion, or even hit your caps lock and yell at me, in the comments below or on my twitter @nerdisnewcool

Until next time,

Nerd Is The New Cool, signing off.  

Top Ten Super-Hero Films That Should Get Made (But Never Will)

So over on the Black Nerd Comedy Channel on YouTube, Andre Meadows asked his viewers what Super-Hero they would like to see get their own movie (You can watch his video here: 

Be sure to give him a thumbs up and subscribe to his channel.  He’s a pretty funny guy.  Tell him Nerd Is the New Cool sent you). 

So in honor of Black Nerd, here is my list of 10 Super-Heroes (and Teams) that deserve their own feature length film... but aren't going to get one...

10.       Chase (DC Comics) – Chase is kinda DC comics Nick Fury – only young, hot, blonde, female, and sporting a full set of eyes.  Cameron Chase is a DEO (that’s Department of Extranormal Operations for the Newbies) Agent operating primarily in New York, though several of her adventures are in Gotham City and Metropolis (homes of Batman and Superman). Chase is the daughter of murdered Super-Hero Acro-Bat (think the Adam West incarnation of Batman if Eli Roth wrote the final two parter), a former teammate of the Martian Manhunter (then using the name Bronze Wraith).  Her title only lasted about 10 issues, not leaving a lot of source material, but giving a fairly in-depth mythology that could be mined. 

Chase Fan Casting: Jennifer Morrison as Chase, Hugo Weaving as Dr. Trap

9.         Eclipso (DC Comics) – ok, I know what you’re going to say.  Eclipso isn’t a hero, he’s a villain and thus not even eligible by my own title to be given this spot.  My heartfelt and thoroughly thought out response to this honest and constructive criticism on your part:  shut up, it’s my fraking list.  But in all seriousness, Eclipso both in his early lame villain self and as his more resent awesome godlike villainious glory, is a pretty cool villain and one of the better ones to ever headline their own title (he had both a feature in House of Secrets and a self titled book, not to mention helming a couple of miniseries).  He’s cool, he’s inexcusably evil, he’s kinda funny at times, and he’s down right demented at others.  Plus, he’s got a pretty decent supporting cast: Dr. Bruce Gordon, who had a long time Jekyll-and-Hyde connection to Eclipso; Gordon’s fiancé Mona; the Atom’s ex-wife Jean Loring, gone insane and serving as Eclipso’s host; heroes Creeper, Starman, and Lar Gand (Mon-El) all have significant dealings with him.  He could easily be featured as a villain in someone else’s movie, say Green Lantern or even Superman, but to be true to this classic character, he needs to be taken back to his roots and given the reins of his own project. 

Eclipso Fan Casting: Andy Serkis or Michael Emerson would make interesting choices for the Bruce Gordon Eclipso.  Claudia Black as the Jean Loring incarnation

8.         Valiant Heroes (Valiant Comics – some now at Dark Horse) – I’m not sure if I’m calling this a series of individual movies – of which I think X-O, Shadowman, and Rai are all especially good choices for, with Turok and Bloodshot being secondary contenders  – or an ensemble film – my first choices there would be the Malev War or the initial Spider-Alien invasion with Unity being a distant third for an initial outing.  More than anything else on this list, I can’t ever have this film/series.  Magnus, Solar, and Turok aren’t Valiant anymore, the others are drastically different in the “Summer of Valiant” universe.  Aww…but if only…

Valiant Heroes Fan Casting: Chris Hemsworth as X-O (too obvious?), George Takei or Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Harada

7.         Werewolf by Night (Marvel Comics) – ok, Disney, listen up and listen close…non-Super-Hero comics do exist and are cool and should be mined for movie ideas.  Marvel’s titular lycanthrope is just one of several great Marvel Monster titles ripe for the big screen adaptation picking.  The story of Jack Russell – initially told in Marvel Spotlight 2-4, Werewolf by Night 1-43, and five Giant-Sized issues – if full of recognizable Marvel characters including Topez, Moon Knight, Dracula, and Tigra all of whom could be introduced and spun off into their own movies… ok maybe not Topez, but you get my meaning. 

Werewolf by Night Fan Casting: Christian Kane (though I also thought about Taylor Kitsch) as Jack/Werewolf, Amy Aker as Lissa Russell, Timothy Dalton as Dracula

6.         Astro City (currently at DC/Vertigo) – another almost impossible to make film.  A good Astro City film would be on par with Watchmen and The Avengers, but possibly with a bigger cast and more special effects.  Individual films could focus on Samaritan and/or Honor Guard, The Confessor (the “Confession” alien invasion storyline would be a great second or third film), Steeljack’s “Tarnished Angel” storyline, or any of the sundry other unique and familiar characters in the AC universe. 

Astro City Fan Casting: Neal McDonough as The Confessor, Dean Cain as Samaritan, Harry Dean Stanton as Steeljack, Eli Wallach as Mr. Bridwell

5.         X (Dark Horse Comics) – X my personal favorite Dark Horse hero is sorta a cross between Batman and Punisher.  In recent years, his (dare I say) frienemy Ghost has greatly overshadowed him as the ultimate representative of the Comics Greatest World line of comics from Dark Horse – and I would gladly accept a Ghost film as well or instead of an X one – but X remains my favorite.  Of all the ultra violent Batman clones in comics, X has the most grit and the most flair.  Of all the Punisher clones, X is the only, in my humble opinion, to outshine the original.  I would love to see a scuffle between a big screen X and the Pit Bulls – his still violent but much more “good guys” vigilante antagonists – as well as appearances by Monster (with well done Hulk-like CGI or equally good practical Thing-like prosthetics/makeup) and Ghost.  But the main thrust of the film would have to be the gangster Carmine Tango, hitman Gamble, and my favorite X-villain Gretchen the corrupt mayor’s secretary – what can I say, I like bad girls.  Also, success with this film could open up more CGW films: Vortex, Barb Wire (they did? When? Pam Anderson? I don’t recall that…and you say it was a Casablanca rip off? Doesn’t sound like Barb Wire at all…), Titan, Golden City/Catalyst, spin offs for Ghost or Pit Bulls, even a full adaptation of the original Comics Great World mini.

X Fan Casting: Karl Urban as X, Eliza Dushku as Ghost

4          Micronauts (Marvel Comics) – ok, this movie would be a logistics nightmare, mostly because Marvel doesn’t have license for the Micronauts anymore…some of the characters, but not the team or the main villain… So that’s a big strike against it.  But a big screen adaptation of these little guys would be monumentally big…err… small, I mean.  An adaptation could be made of the Image (or Devil’s Due or Kinetic Underground) title or of the franchise without using any comic company as source material, but Marvel is the classic incarnation and everyone who would flock to this is fans of the Marvel version…add in the Marvel Cinematic Universe non-comic fans and a good cast and this could be a blockbuster.  Done right it could be a holiday season family film money maker or a summer action flick, either way. 

Micronauts Fan Casting: Patrick Warburton as Rann, Adrien Brody as Bug, Colin Salmon as Acroyear

3.         Metal Men (DC Comics) – there are a number of ways that this could be played out.  As a straight action/super-hero movie, as a sci-fi movie, or as a comedy.  It’s very rare that a serious comic works as a comedy on film, but this one might be able to pull it off.  However, I think the best way to go would be as a serious Sci-fi movie.  The Metal Men lend themselves to it so well. They are after all robots, they fight Tohoesque giant monsters, and they are led by a mad scientist.  Don’t even emphasize the comic book source material in the trailers, just treat it like a sci-fi film.  You’re not listening are you Warner Bros.?  You’re going to either not do it or do what you did with Jonah Hex and make it a super-hero movie aren’t you.  I give up…

Metal Men Fan Cast: Pierce Brosnan as Doc Magnus, Charisma Carpenter as Platinum

2.         Man-Thing (Marvel Comics) – No, they haven’t!  But the reason you think they have is the reason they never will.  There was a few years ago a God awful movie called Man-Thing, a terrible horror movie with nothing to do with this comic yet somehow baring its name and the worst application of “based on” ever.  The real Man-Thing is an anti-heroic monster dripping with pathos.  With the right script, a decent FX budget, and the backing of the Marvel Cinematic Universe label, a good film adaptation could be achieved. 

Man-Thing Fan Cast: Josh Brolin as Ted Sallis, Amber Benson as Jennifer Kale, and Stephanie Szostak reprising her role as Ellen Brandt from Iron Man 3

1.         Adam Strange (DC Comics) – the ultimate comic book, sci-fi hero.  He’s been an honorary member of the Justice League and a member of the Forgotten Heroes.  In the Silver Age, he was an A-lister, then he dropped down to the C-list, but since the 52 mini-series, he has had a strong showing as a B-lister.  Kinda like a certain Metal Guy over at Marvel, you know, the one who is the central driving force in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Kinda what DC needs to start its own Cinematic Universe, a strong B-list character who can become a box office A-lister.  DiCaprio has had this project in Development Hell since at least ’09. 

Adam Strange Fan Cast: since DC seems insistent on not casting him as Green Lantern, how about having Nathan Fillon don a red space suit instead as Adam Strange

So there you have it, my Top Ten Comic Book movies we ain’t never gonna see, but should. 

What comic books (whether Super-Hero or elsewise) would you like to see make it to the big screen?  Let me know in the comments or on twitter @NerdIsNewCool

Oh, and by the way #AllisonScag4Cassie (not on the list cause it's still gonna happen!)

Nerd Is the New Cool Blog Returning

We will be returning from our extended hiatus starting tomorrow, Monday September 23, 2013. There will be a few changes to our schedule of posts, beginning with Nerdy Top 10s move to Mondays and also including a format change for New Comic Day in which we will now be discussing the overall new release schedule rather than reviewing a single issue as we have in the past.

More new developments are also in the work so keep an eye out here and on my twitter @nerdisnewcool

I will see you tomorrow with The Top Ten Super-Hero Films That Should Get Made (But Never Will).  

In the meantime, to keep you occupied here is a cool new video by our friends at ScreenTeam:



Nerd is the New Cool, signing off

Format Changes Coming Soon

I'm working on some changes to the blog but will be back up and running very shortly.

Be sure to check back here at nerdthenewcool.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @nerdisnewcool for the latest updates and the new schedule.

Until then, Nerd Is the New Cool, signing off.

Lady Rawhide #1 (New Comic Day #4)

Admittedly, I was never a fan of Topps’s Zorro or its spinoff Lady Rawhide.  Though the latter did have a couple of visuals that improved it over the former, so I was reluctant to pick this first issue/reboot up.  And I should have gone with my gut. 

I did manage to read it all, which is saying something, as the writer Eric Trautmann was a bit long winded and boring in his narrative and his dialog was a cross between hackneyed and cliché. 

But let’s start with the art.  The internals by Milton Estevam were so-so.  Foreground characters, especially Lady Rawhide, are very crisp and clean – except in a flashback sequence, which still looks good and stands as a valid choice thematically – but background characters and scenery are almost added in as an afterthought.  In most cases, they do more to detract from the issue than add to it – many images would look better had Estevam not even bothered. 

Added to this is an almost complete lack of visual differentiation between minor characters, and all the points Estevam earns with his depictions of Lady Rawhide.  Ditko detractors will offer comparison to his inability to draw more than four or five standard character appearances, while his fans will counter with Estevam’s lack of the charm and nostalgia in Ditko’s work.

Worse still, an early establishing image of a train which is treated almost as a character – and a main character at that – is so poorly executed as to be insulting to the art of comic book art. 

Better is the wonderful cover by Joseph Michael Linsner – the color version is good, but the Black and White version is much more stunning.  Linsner’s Lady Rawhide is much different than Estevam’s – most noticeably in her lack of certain super exaggerated, gravity defying assets, in a time long before the necessary advancements had been made in silicone technology to support them. 

My favorite image of the book however is on the inside front cover – a partial picture of Rawhide in gray, white, and red, which is very invocative of what can only be (to my eye at least) a heavy influence from Marvel’s Electra to Lady Rawhide’s character/costume design. 

You may have noticed I’ve spend an inordinate amount of time on the art of this book, this is not by accident, but by design.  As mentioned above, Trautmann’s writing leaves much to be desired.  The pacing is off, things happen more to be and look cool than for a coherent reason, certain actions by our heroine make her seem foolish if not downright stupid, and many other characters behave in incomprehensible ways.  Add to this a page six shocking revel that is so easily seen coming as to be an affront to the reader’s intelligence, especially when it was a neat enough thing stand on its own without the wanted “OMG!” factor. 

Some of Lady Rawhide’s internal dialogue and banter shows the promise of possibly developing into something interesting or at least entertaining, but Trautmann does not quiet hit that mark here. 

2/5 Stars (3/5 if just considering the art)         Excellent Jumping on Point

Rated T for Teen (Western and Adventure Violence, some Language but in Spanish)