Thursday Morning Superhero

It is officially October and horror season has arrived. In addition to some amazing spooky comic adaptations hitting Netflix in the near future (Locke and Key season 2 and Sandman), ComiXology is celebrating with exclusive Scott Snyder books for Scottober! If you are a horror fan, I wanted to share some recent comics that I have really been enjoying that are well worth your time. If you are looking for some older classics you can do no wrong with Locke and Key, The Sixth Gun, Harrow County, Nailbiter, and Baby Teeth.

I can't help myself.  I am far too excited about the second season of Locke and Key and wanted to share the new trailer here before delving into some new books.

We Have Demons - Only available on ComiXology from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

I was introduced to the dynamic duo of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo when the New 52 launched with their incredible Court of Owls run.  Scottober features eight exclusive, creator owned books from Snyder in a partnership with ComiXology.  This book features Lam, a pastor's daughter, discovering that there is more to her father, and the world she lives in, then she previously understood. This includes a secret society that I cannot wait to learn more about and of course it also involves demons given the title.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and cannot wait to read more.

Silver Coin - From Michael Walsh and an amazing cast of collaborators

Michael Walsh has teamed up with a variety of a-list creators in this shared universe that revolves around the mysterious silver coin and stories associated with it throughout the ages.  The first book was set in the 70's and focused on the impact the silver coin had as a guitar pick for one of the band members, and others have included tales of summer camp, home invasions, and future scavengers.  The only spoiler is that things don't tend to end well for those who are connected with this cursed item, but I have loved the range and depth of stories that have been featured thus far. They connect, but each can be enjoyed on its own and the trade just dropped this week!

The Lot - from Marguerite Bennet and Renato Guedes and the good folk with Bad Idea 

Centered around a cursed soundstage, Aviva Copeland makes the grave mistake of unlocking the door of this studio asset for the first time in 50 years.  She is unaware of its violent and satanic past and unleashes an unknown horror that grown restless in all of these years locked away.  This book might be a bit tricky to track down, as it is only in print and sold at certain retailers, but you should be able to find it online. The art from Guedes is stunning and this book is horrifying and a lot of fun. 

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero: When your favorite books become shows

I have been blessed to share some of my favorite comics with my family as two series that are in my top five of all-time have graced the small screen recently.  While sharing Locke and Key and Sweet Tooth with my family has been an absolute delight, it has been an interesting experience removing myself from my comic fandom to a show marketed to a mass audience. I want to be clear that I really did enjoy both shows despite the editorial changes that make sense given the new target audience.  Not all adaptations can be Invincible and deliver the over-the-top cartoonish gore with one of the best casts assembled.  Having said that, I think I prefer the adaptations to the direct translation from page to screen.

How can you not immediately fall in love with Gus

Moving from an R rating to PG-13:

Given the content of both Sweet Tooth and Locke and Key, these were shows that I wanted to screen prior to sharing them with my kids. After reading more about the Sweet Tooth adaption and seeing the tone of the trailer prior to its launch, we actually gave that one the green light even though my daughter never gained interest.  Both series have scenes related to sexual assault and have moments that are extremely violent. The decision to tone these down might not have resonated from the hardcore horror fans, but I think it is savvy decisions like this that allowed Locke and Key to get renewed for a second season.  In addition, the call to make Gus' dad more likeable and less crazy than his comic book counterpart also maintained the more lighthearted feel to this series, minding that it does take place after millions have died to an incurable virus, children are being born as human/animal hybrids, and you can't trust anyone.  When I first started watching these shows I felt a little disappointed, but as the series progressed and my family was able to share in these stories that had such a huge impact in my life it made sense and I was able to enjoy them in the medium these changes were made for.

I cannot wait for season 2!

Leaving out a lot of detail:

With any adaptation, there are going to be moments from the pages that have to be cut.  There is no avoiding it for a multitude of reasons. I am not one to cry foul if a scene I enjoyed in a book doesn't make it to the screen, but the amount that it occurred in Locke and Key compared to Sweet Tooth took some reflection for me to understand.  There are moments from almost the entire Locke and Key series in one season of the show.  This was jarring, but it did a nice job of providing closure in case the series wasn't renewed, and allows for those scenes to be incorporated in future seasons. This is less of an issue with Sweet Tooth, but it did impact the character development of certain characters in Locke and Key.  Prior the the show launching I also remember reading an interview with Joe Hill where he talked about the need to maintain some relatively strong differences between television shows and comic books, as it allows for the reach of a larger audience and keeps those who enjoyed the comics on their toes.

The end credits:

It is easy to get reactionary when an adaptation is different than what you expect, but valuable to reflect on the differences and to appreciate it as a separate entity from the material it was derived from.  There are times where the adaptation falls flat and leaves you disappointed (NOS4A2), but at least it encouraged me to reread the book and that was a positive experience.  Despite the editorial changes that are necessary and the varying levels of influence from the original creator, there is value in trying to judge each work of art separately and I hope that other comics that I have enjoyed find their way to the small or big screen in the near future, particularly the Sixth Gun and the Underwater Welder.  I cannot recommend both of these series enough (and Invincible to the right audience), but will hold off on sharing the books with my son until he is a bit older.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero: Good News Edition

 As we get closer and closer to the end of 2020, we can all use some good news.  I wanted to share some good comic book news in my second to last TMS post this year. 

Good News #1 - Beef Bros on Kickstarter!

Aubrey Sitterson has team up with Tyrell Cannon and with colors from Fico Ossio to deliver the feel good book of the decade!  Dubbed as an aspirational leftist superhero comic featuring a pair of himbos who take on sketchy cops and landlords.  The colors and art are bodacious and Sitterson is challenging his supporters with a variety of beefer challenges to spread the positivity that is enveloped in this book.  I thoroughly enjoyed Sitterson's "The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling" and "No One Left to Fight" which also featured Ossio on colors.  Join me as a fellow Beefer!

Good News #2 - The return of Sweet Tooth and Netflix news!

Earlier this year I mentioned that Sweet Tooth was optioned by Netflix, but now production has started in New Zealand and I am hopeful that this will translate well to the small screen. In potentially more exciting news, Sweet Tooth: The Return dropped yesterday and I cannot wait to explore the world that Lemire created again. I will admit that due to the distraction of the news cycle I did not make it to my LCS to pick up a copy, but I cannot wait to read it later this week.  

Good News #3 - SDCC Holiday Merchandise!

Even though the conventions to 2020 went online, I still find joy every time I see the SDCC logo or Toucan. My son's virtual background on Zoom is the San Diego Convention Center so when I saw that SDCC was offering holiday merchandise I started immediately planning some Christmas gifts. I particularly like the denim jacket, the Hall H pin, and Holiday Ornament.  The "Front of the Line" pin is a bit of a taunt, but I thought that was also a nice touch.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

 The summer is winding down, the kids are going back to remote learning next week, and it was a pretty eventful August in comic book terms.  In addition to the return of Locke and Key, more on that in a minute, we are inching closer to the next gem from Derf Backderf and Keanu Reeves made his comic book Kickstarter debut!

Locke and Key:

Locke and Key: Pale Battalions  #1 dropped last week and it feels so good to be back within the halls of Keyhouse. The story is set in 1915 and centers around John Locke's desire to use the keys to positively impact the war.  His father, Chamberlin, wants to protect the keys but a momentary lapse from John's mother allows for an opportunity to secure the more powerful keys.  It struck me as odd that the adults were aware of the magic of the keys and it makes me wonder if we will finally learn why the magic wears off when you become an adult.  Joe Hill has mentioned how excited he is for this story to develop and Gabriel Rodriguez, who is only getting stronger as a comic book artist, said that the next issue is one of the best Locke and Key books to date.  Throw in the Sandman crossover that is happening later this year and it is clear that everything is coming up Milhouse.

Kent State:

Derf Backderf, who I was introduced to via My Friend Dahmer, is back with another graphic novel that takes on a complicated social issue.  Releasing later this week, Kent State focuses on a shooting that took place in 1970 when the Ohio National Guard responded to a situation on the campus of Kent State. Given our current political climate this book is releasing with almost prescient timing and I cannot wait to read this book.  Backderf is extremely effective in tackling difficult topics with a grace and ease that doesn't seem fair. 

Keanu:

When I first learned that Keanu Reeves was hitting Kickstarter for a new comic book project, I was skeptical.  This is coming from someone who is a big Reeves fan and is often the subject of teasing due from his wife due to his love of Keanu. When I navigated over to the BRZRKR Kickstarter page I was immediately impressed with the talent he was partnering with. Matt Kindt is one of my all-time favorite creators and Boom! Studios knows a thing or two about comics.  BRZRKR focuses on a half-mortal, half-God character who is seeking peace after roaming the world for hundreds of years.  The plan is to work for the government in exchange for information that can help him finally find peace.  Boom! is upfront that this is a preorder, but the Keanu buzz is strong and the campaign has already raised over $400,000 at the time of this writing.  I am looking forward to checking this out.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero: Locke and Key

I will do my best to minimize spoilers, but if you have not seen Locke and Key on Netflix and are concerned about spoilers you may want to pass on this article.  The series is intentionally very different from the comics and it was difficult at times not to want to compare the two, but there is no avoiding it.  While I enjoyed the comics a lot more than the show, it is really well done in its own right and I really hope it is renewed for a second season. They did a good job of capturing the magic of the comics, while creating a compelling show for an audience as young as pre-teens.  I definitely would not recommend the comic to the younger Locke and Key fans.

What the show does well:
The show features impressive production quality, set design, special effects, and has an amazing cast.  There was great chemistry among the actors and given the weight of the story was an effective tool in drawing the viewer in. I really can't stress enough how well this show was cast and how impressive the performances were. I had major reservations about the show's ability to bring Keyhouse to life, but they built it digitally from scratch and it really felt like a unique character in the show.

In addition to the production quality and the casting, the way the show brought the keys to life on the small screen worked incredibly well.  The head key had to be the most difficult of all of the keys to pull off.  It is central to the comic and show and possibly the most important key in the series.  The show was not able to pull off the magic of an empty head full of memories like the comic, but the creators found a solution that worked amazingly well. For the show you appeared behind your person with a doorway into your memories.  For Bode, this was represented with an arcade and the effect was incredible. The show introduced some new keys and hinted at some that might appear in future seasons (fingers crossed). We just need Skelton Crew Studio to give us some new keys to purchase!!

Another element that the show really shined a spotlight on was the special relationship that Rendell Locke (RIP) had with his family. The flashbacks, particularly involving the bedtime story, were heartfelt and enabled the show to really highlight the relationships in the story and make you genuinely care about the characters.  The focus on Rendell as the cornerstone of the family was an effective way to really advance the storytelling in a brief window.

What the comics do better:
Everything!  Just kidding, the show really does a good job standing as its own entry into Locke and Key lore. Despite the success of the show, there were some elements from the comics that would have really added to the show.  One element that was severely lacking was Duncan's story.  Rendell's brother played a huge role in the comics and I felt his representation on the show was sorely lacking.  I am hopeful that if another season occurs we will get to meet his partner Brian and allow him time to shine.

As much as I loved seeing Ellie and Rufus introduced early in the series, I wish there was more time spent highlighting their relationship, how Ellie's mom complicated things, and the role that Dodge had played in their lives over the years.  It was hard to believe that she would help Dodge as much as she did and she wasn't as sympathetic as she was in the books. Speaking of Rufus, I loved seeing his resistance to the magic in the comics. There are so many moments in the comics where Rufus feels like he has super powers and that did not come across in the show.

The black door was not nearly as foreboding as it was in the comic and I honestly wish it wasn't introduced in the first season of the show.  It felt anti-climactic and the changes they made to the demons behind the door were not effective. I remember being terrified when it was opened in the comic, but only had concerns in the show based on my preexisting knowledge.

The final element that the comic did way better was instilling fear in the audience. The horror of the series is palpable in the comics, but with it being toned down for Netflix you don't have the same element of fear. This allows for the show to be enjoyed by a wider audience, but characters like Sam Lesser felt like an afterthought and actually deterred from the show.  Lesser was such a force in the comic and he really wasn't allowed the opportunity to shine.

What the future holds:
I hope it includes a second season of the show.  It had so many twists and turns that deserve the opportunity to be resolved. From what I am seeing on social media it appears that the streaming numbers have been quite well for the show and we should learn soon the fate of another season. The comics recently had some amazing news as it was announced that we are going to get a Sandman/Locke and Key crossover in 2020!  This is in addition for the new Locke and Key books that were announced at San Diego Comic Con so it is shaping up to be an amazing year for the comics.

The Math

Baseline Score: 8/10

Bonuses: +1 for the amazing cast; +1 for the showcasing of the keys; +1 for seeing Keyhouse brought to life; +1 for the high production quality

Penalties: -1 for failing to highlight important relationships; -1 for toning down the horror element despite having solid reasons for doing so; -1 for ending the season in the manner it did with no guarantee of a second season; -1 for its take on the black door. 

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10 Well worth your time and attention

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero

Welcome to our second monthly installment of Thursday Morning Superhero.  I am still working through what these posts will look like and things might change from month to month, but I will try to include a graphic novel pick of the week as I hope to do a better job reading older comics.

Locke and Key:
I cannot wait to binge this series starting tomorrow!! Early reviews are in and I am very curious to see what changes have been made from the page to the small screen.  Joe Hill talked about how this adaptation is different from the comics and from the early footage it appears to veer away from the source material early.  While that concerns me, I also appreciate that consuming something via Netflix compared to a comic are quite different.  I also enjoy being surprised and hope I can take my fanboy hat off and enjoy this as its own thing.  In next month's post I will provide my review of the first season and will hopefully be excited that a second season has been announced.  The writers have already starting working on ideas in anticipation of a call for a second trip to Keyhouse.

What I'm currently reading and digging:
It should come as no surprise that Eisner Award winning Gideon Falls has remained at the top of my pull list. Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino have consistently delivered one of the most puzzling series that has me completely gripped. Issues number 20 and 21 have dropped since my last post and this series has really taken a Twin Peaks turn and I am not entirely sure what is going on and that is ok by me.  There is a reason that this series has won an Eisner and is being developed for a television series.  While I won't get into details, I am enjoying Captain America's journey back into the hearts of Americans, the new horror series Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill, and Criminal from Ed Brubaker.  Brubaker's return to Criminal was a highlight of mine in 2019 and it remains a noir masterpiece.

Graphic Novel Pick of the Month:
Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls - Nine years ago DC took a dramatic stance to address its shrinking customer base.  At the conclusion of Flashpoint, someone in the DC offices hit ctrl+alt+delete and rebooted the entire thing! The highlight from this reboot, by far, was Scott Snyder's run on Batman.  The Court of Owls remains one of my favorite comic book arts of any property. Centered around a secret society that had been pulling the strings behind the scenes in Gotham for hundreds of years, Batman is not aware of the gravity of his discovery of this group and the repercussions he will face from its members.  What Batman originally thought was an old wives' tale used to scare children manifests itself right before his eyes and threatens everything he cares about. Snyder does an amazing job crafting the mythology surrounding the Owls and Greg Capullo's art charted this reboot down a dark and gritty path appropriate for Batman. If you have not read this arc you should do so immediately.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero: SDCC 2019 Recap

What may have been my final San Diego Comic Con wrapped up on Sunday and I was fortunate enough to share it with my kids (my daughter joined me on Sunday). SDCC celebrated its 50th birthday with some amazing panels, surprises, merchandise, and off-site events.

Best Panel:
Locke and Key Spectacular
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez returned to SDCC to talk all things Locke and Key. The two friends discussed the new one-shot issue that was released last weekend, the upcoming Netflix series, and potential upcoming comics. Hill spoke about a series that would follow the Locke family set in periods of wartime and then cut to the present to see how the past still influences the present. The series is called World War Key and the first book, Revolution, is due out in 2020.  The Locke and Key series has wrapped filming season one and Hill has watched the first eight episodes. You can even search Locke and Key on Netflix! There is a lot of great news for us Locke and Key fans and it is always a delight to see Hill and Rodriguez together.

Best Offsite:
Brooklyn 99
NBC pulled off one of the most immersive and entertaining off-sites that I have ever experienced. Teams were first led into a briefing room where they were tasked with a heist similar to the Halloween episodes on the show. After receiving instructions, teams entered the Brooklyn 99 office. After a brief tour of the desks of Captain Holt, Boyle, and other 99 favorites, the teams raced to complete a series of tasks in order to open a safe that held the heist championship belt. In addition to the great cast of supporting characters that were sprinkled throughout the office (one actor in the holding cell offered to watch my son as we competed), the Brooklyn 99 cast made special videos that we enjoyed throughout the offsite. Boyle dressed up as Detective Pikachu was especially entertaining. It didn't hurt that my son grabbed the winning flag seconds before another team did, but this one was worth the wait and was a truly memorable experience.

Hottest Merch:
The Loyal Subjects
If you went to The Loyal Subjects booth during one of its limited drops you were sure to be met with a line. While I was most excited to finally get my hands on the new TLS Hot Wheels, Ghostbusters and My Hero Academia brought the crowds that led to most of the exclusives to sell out quickly. If you were unable to catch a Ghostbusters or MHA drop it was likely sold out by the time you made it to the booth. I have been collecting TLS for a few years and it is great to see it get the reaction it had at SDCC.

Best Escape from the Chaos:
Stern Pinball Lounge
I once again had the pleasure to visit the crew at the Stern Pinball Lounge and my son and I enjoyed some free games of Pinball on some of the best boards in the market. The big announcement from Stern related to its new Star Wars machine they are calling Star Wars Pin. The new machine is designed for home use and has had some of the mechanics for accepting coins removed to allow Stern to give people an arcade pinball experience at a lower cost. I had the chance to play this machine and the art and video features are pure retro glory. I got nostalgic just walking up to this game and had it not been pointed out to me that there were some slight modifications made to the machine I would have never known.

Biggest Surprise:
Top Gun: Maverick
My son needed to have at least one Hall H experience at SDCC so we decided to file into the room for the 20th anniversary of Batman Beyond.  We got there early, as all good con attendees should, and were pleasantly surprised to see Conan boasting about a huge celebrity we would soon encounter. This ended up being Tom Cruise and we got to enjoy the world premiere trailer for Top Gun: Maverick with 8,000 of our closest friends. It was an electric moment and my son is now hyped about seeing this film. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Top Three Exclusives:
I ended up with quite a few items from various booths around the floor, but my top three are my Toucan Funko Pop!, my Loyal Subjects Hot Wheels Bone Shaker, and my SDCC exclusive Locke and Key book Nailed it.  While the comic is brief, it has insights on other Locke and Key rumblings and I cannot get enough of Rodriguez's art.

Final Thoughts:
After around 12 or so trips to SDCC I am officially calling it quits. It has nothing to do with the enjoyment I get from attending or the quality of the programming (I think CCI and its employees and volunteers do an amazing job), but more that I am simply tired. Being able to bring my son the past two years has been great to experience it through his eyes. My daughter even joined us on Sunday and we met DJ Lance!! It will be tough to watch from the sidelines moving forward, but I look forward to getting a bit more sleep during the summer months.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

#SDCC2019 pic.twitter.com/S2ZjZkBUoe

— Gabriel Rodríguez (@GR_comics) June 12, 2019

Holy crap!!!!!!  This is the best news of 2019 and I am now more than ever as I start planning what is likely my final SDCC. Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have always said that there was the potential of more Locke and Key and this confirms it.  I really hope there is a panel and I am super pumped.

Pick of the Week:
Silver Surfer Black #1 - This five part series takes place after Thanos was recently killed and Silver Surfer was one of many to be tossed into a black hole at the reading of Thanos' last will and testament. Penned by Donny Cates and Tradd Moore, this is a story of remorse and redemption. The Surfer acknowledges all of the death he brought forth assisting Galactus, and summons his cosmic power in an attempt to save as many people from the void as possible. After exhausting himself in this process, he is taken by the void and learns that there is a planet in the black hole that is the source of the darkness. This mini-series will focus on his quest to stop the darkness and this debut issue was a trippy delight. Moore's art and Dave Stewart's coloring deliver one of the most jaw dropping and fantastic pages that I have ever seen.  I haven't read a ton of Surfer books, but this one has my attention.

The Rest:
The Batman Who Laughs #6 - We are one issue away from the conclusion to this intense mini-series featuring Batmen from all different worlds, including the Batman who uses guns and won't hesitate to kill, the Grim Knight. Batman had been poisoned with Joker serum and is currently fighting his transformation. In a desperate attempt to save Gotham, Batman realizes that he must fully transform and take on the Joker on his own. This has been a dark mini-series and it has been fun to read a Batman book written by Scott Snyder again. I am not a huge mulitverse fan, but this series has been fun and I am looking forward to its conclusion.



Darth Vader: Dark Visions #5 - This mini-series of one shots has been a lot of fun and has allowed for some creative flexing when it comes to the Star Wars universe. What is a simple story of Vader tracking down a rebel comm device, turns into a horror movie as Vader pursues a helpless rebel across a hellish landscape. Geraldo Borges produces some of the most horrifying images of Vader I have ever seen as the rebel is hallucinating thanks to some poison thorns he encountered.  I have loved the horror element in this mini-series and would love to see the collected edition with some bonus art. This is a must read series for Star Wars fans.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero - SDCC Exclusive Edition

Welcome to my annual San Diego Comic Con Exclusive edition of Thursday Morning Superhero.  SDCC coverage will take over the next few weeks of TMS, with exclusives this week, my schedule next week, and a complete recap in two weeks.  Today I share with you my top 5 convention exclusives.  This task becomes more difficult each year as the exclusive side of SDCC grows every single year.  In no particular order I present my top 5 exclusives for SDCC.

1. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Card Game: Oni Press booth #1833
When I first heard that Scott Pilgrim was getting the tabletop treatment I was thrilled.  Since I'm not going to Gen Con this year (sad face), I am very pleased to announce that Oni Press is bringing a special Renegade Games Variant edition of Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Card Game to San Diego complete with a Bryan Lee O'Malley autograph ticket.  They are only selling 50 of these per day so I am unlikely to snag one, but will give it the old college try.

2. Locke and Key: Heaven and Earth Con Variant:  IDW booth #2743
Limited to only 500 copies, IDW is bringing a limited hardback Locke and Key book that collects three one-shot stories from the Locke and Key universe.  Including "Open the Moon", "Grindhouse", and the 10th anniversary tale "In the Can!", this is a must have for any Locke and Key fan and it will be mine.  Oh yes, it will be mine.

3. The Will and Lying Cat action figure 2-pack: Skybound booth #2729
As if the Marko and Alana 2-pack wasn't enough from last year, Skybound is bringing the heat with The Will and everyone, yes everyone's, favorite feline Lying Cat!  Lying Cat would totally call me out if I said I wasn't interested in laying my grubby paws on this set.  I highly encourage you to check out the many other delightful offerings that Skybound is bringing this year. They are going to have one of the best booths on the floor in 2017.

4. Luna Lovegood Pop!: Funko booth #5341
Funko is once again bringing the heat this year with a ton of amazing items both in the convention center and in their very own Pop-up Shop.  It was very difficult to hone in on one item, but the charm and whimsy of the Luna Lovegood Pop! is enough to claim my number one spot.  She is one of my family's favorite character and looks absolutely amazing in her spectrespecs and her copy of The Quibbler.  Super cute.

5. Gravity Falls Exclusive 8pcs Figure Set : UCC Distributing booth #5625
Gravity Falls has a very near and dear spot in my heart and is one of my family's all-time favorite shows.  It brings me great joy to see the show carry-on in the form of collectibles and this set is going to be hopefully making the trip home with me.  Featuring Mabel, Soos, Grunkle Stan, Dipper, Wendy, Waddles, a barging Gnome, and Bill, this set is sure to put a smile on all fans of this amazing series.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Joe Hill and company have teamed up with Israel Skelton to raise money for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and other charities.  Proceeds from items containing the Biblio Key that can be purchased here will raise money for some extremely valuable causes.  I have a couple of keys (and some great Chew items!) from Skelton Studio and have been blown away by everything.  Hill promises that the Biblio Key will make an appearance in a future Locke and Key issue and the keys in this sale are limited to 600 and contain multiple signatures, including Hill and Locke and Key artist Gabriel Rodriguez.  Go buy an amazing collectible and support a worthy cause!

Pick of the Week:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66 - I am a huge fan of Alopex and am thrilled to have another issue that revolves around her story after she vanished a few issues back after trying to kill Splinter and the Turtles.  Alopex's development throughout this series has been an absolute joy.  She was an interesting villain working with the Shredder, but evolved into more than a mutant fox who was a foe to the turtles.  She became a character that I invested in, only to have Kitsune take control of her mind and force her back towards the darker side of things.  Raph and Angle have tracked Alopex to Alaska and are making one last attempt to help her rid herself of the demons that plague her.  In addition to the development that Alopex has had throughout the series, her impact on Raph is noteworthy and has really changed the dynamic of him and his relationship to everyone else.  It is nice to find closure in this arc and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead now that this book is closed.

The Rest:
Saga #42 - This issue was a giant punch in the gut and I curse Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples for making me feel things.  The final pages of this issue are extremely powerful and will haunt my dreams for the weeks to come.








Dept. H #10 - Matt and Sharlene Kindt's underwater Whodunit continues this week as we gain some valuable insight into what could be motivation for the murder.  Through a heartfelt flashback, we learn about Mia's childhood and how her father's devotion to his exploration came at the expense of her mother and other relationships.  This issue was a nice break from the drama that is currently happening in the underwater lab, and shined some valuable light on what Mia was like as a child.  I love the breadth of characters that the Kindt's have delivered and have enjoyed peering into the past in an attempt to uncover what is happening in the present.

Daredevil #16 - I continue to enjoy the hell out of Charles Soule's run with the Man without Fear.  If you recall, Daredevil put a bounty on his own head to deal with the grief of what happened to Blindspot, only to find out that Bullseye ended up taking someone up on the offer.  In addition to punching a lot of baddies in an attempt to make sense of what happened, Daredevil speaks to a Catholic priest to attempt to put everything into a proper context.  Turns out this priest is a member of The Ordo Draconum, a militant Catholic order founded in the 15th century.  Through his self reflection via the priest's advice and through stopping Bullseye, Daredevil is ready to move on and wraps things up confessing his true identity to the priest.  I am excited to see what the next arc will bring us!

Star Wars #27 - In an odd flashback of an issue, we continue with the story of Yoda and things have taken an odd turn.  It seems the planet that was calling to Yoda is inhabited only by children and has a mountain that seems to be made up of a blue rock that is filled with the force.  This draws Yoda to the mountain, only to lead to his capture by another group of children who chain him up in chains made up of this mysterious blue rock.  While it was far from my favorite issue in the series, there is enough mystery to bring me back to learn more of this mountain.




POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012. 

Thursday Morning Superhero: SDCC Beer Edition

Welcome to a special edition of Thursday Morning Superhero.  With all of the chaos that is San Diego Comic Con, I wanted to post something more than a weekly round-up of comics (Trees #3 is excellent by the way) and focus on a couple of craft beer collaborations in what I hope is a growing trend at SDCC.

Sweet, sweet Locke and Brewskey

San Diego has a bustling craft beer scene that has largely remained an untapped resource for off-site events.  Last year, to my knowledge, was the first true collaboration beer when Wil Wheaton and friends teamed up with Stone Brewing Co. to give us the gift that is W00tStout.  This year, in addition to W00tStout 2.0, IDW partnered with Kraus Brewing Company for Locke and Brewskey, the best named beer ever.

W00tStout 2.0:
W00tStout 2.0 is an imperial stout brewed with wheat, rye, pecans and chocolate (the twist in this year's recipe), then partially aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. It is a rich, complex beer that packs quite a punch with its 13.5% ABV (you need to be careful with this one). 

Locke and Brewskey:
Locke and Brewskey is a single hopped, New Zealand Pale Ale that is light and refreshing.  It couldn't differ much more that W00tStout 2.0, but is equally as refreshing.  Packing a modest 5.5% ABV, this beer has notes of citrus and would be the perfect brew to turn to after exhausting yourself walking all over the Gas Lamp district.

As mentioned earlier, this is a trend that I would love to see San Diego and SDCC embrace with open arms.  What are some other comic and beer pairings that you would like to see next year?

POSTED BY MIKE N. -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

With the conclusion of Locke and Key today, I feel that a special edition of Thursday Morning Superhero is in order.  Instead of the usual round up of the books I am reading this week and how I feel about them, I wanted to write a letter to some folks who brought a tremendous amount joy to me and some of my friends.

Dear Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, and the good people of IDW Publishing:

I want to thank you for creating, drawing, and taking a chance on a story about a family that is dealing with tragedy in a magical world.  This series opened my mind to what is possible in comics, and made me appreciate the value in having a story with a set beginning, middle, and end.  While I would have loved this series to go on in perpetuity, it was clearly in the best interest of the Locke family to bring their story to an end (I am not sure they could handle more).

At times this series made me laugh, at times I cried, and at times I felt genuine fear.  From the first issue I was drawn in by the fine art of Rodriguez, and instantly felt compassion for those involved in the story.  Sure it was easy to hate Sam Lesser, but the way Hill made you feel sorry for him was simply stunning.  Luke Caravaggio was similar, in that it was easy to be repulsed by the vile things he did, but the writing of Hill really painted him as a sympathetic being.

The last chapter harkened back to the first chapter in a way that brought back a flood of emotions I felt for Tyler early on in this series.  I almost felt proud to see how much he grew and became the man of the family he needed to be in such a short amount of time (I also enjoyed the beard!).  The final issue of Locke and Key was a triumphant end to one of the best comic series I have ever had the pleasure to read.  It is rare to get such closure from something you care about so much.  Many shows and books have brought me in, only to leave me wanting more at the end (talking about you, Battlestar Galactica!).  This was not the case with Locke and Key.  The ending was wholly satisfying and I look forward to returning to Keyhouse and seeing the adventures of other members of the Locke family (you said this was possible at SDCC).

I fear that Hill and Rodriguez set the bar too high for other individuals in the comic industry.  This is a series that I always use to welcome new individuals into the world of comics.  It speaks to what a powerful medium this is and I wish more creators took advantage of it.

All of this reminiscing has made me a little misty.  Something tells me if you used the head key to open up my melon you would see the Locke Family going on adventures.  I feel like I am saying goodbye to a friend, but  at least it is on his or her own terms.  I will look back with fondness on our friendship, and wish you nothing but the best in the future.

Cheers and thank you so much for sharing this with us,


Mike

P.S. - Where can I get one of those rugs?  I love it!

Thursday Morning Superhero

Yesterday marked one of the most bittersweet moments in my time as a comic book fan.  The beginning of the end in Locke and Key.  Locke and Key is one of those rare comics that transcends the medium.  When I typically find a comic that I enjoy I will only pressure my friends who read comics.  With Locke and Key, I would tell everyone I could think of to read this treasure.   I have been thanked numerous times for turning people on to the world of Locke and Key and will hopefully continue to spread the word of this literary masterpiece.  I know it will be a while before we revisit this world at the conclusion of Alpha, but I look forward to the day when Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez bring us back to explore the history of Keyhouse.

Pick of the Week:
Locke and Key: Alpha #1 - I must admit that I was scared to read this issue.  The book sat next to me for most of the day taunting and daring me to crack the cover.  I wasn't scared because a series I loved was coming to its conclusion, I was scared for the well-being of the characters contained in its pages.  Dodge does not pull any punches after he opens the doorway to his sick and twisted brethren and I was honestly terrified as I read this issue.  I will not chance spoiling anything in this issue, but tears were shed, there were moments of celebration, and the alpha key is both a godsend and horrifying at the same time.  In addition to what seems to be a fitting ending to the opus from Hill and Rodriguez, the issue was packed with extras including photos from the filming of the failed pilot.  The bonus material felt like a gift for fans that reminds me of the attention to detail this series has had since its inception.  I am looking forward to the conclusion and to the immediate reread that will follow.

The Rest:
Walking Dead #114 - All out war is one month away and I am looking forward to staying up past my bedtime for the midnight release of issue #115.  In the meantime, the survivors finally chase Negan and his crew off their land and begin to prepare for an attack.  This week's highlight was when Ezekiel's tiger got off his leash for a snack.  Negan once again displays what a lowlife he is in the final bit of dialogue as he describes his gang as the big swinging dick of this world.  He does have a way with words.

Batman and Robin #23.2 Featuring Court of Owls - I was a sucker for the Court of Owls arc that launched Batman into the New 52 and decided to give Forever Evil another go to read more about the Court.  James Tynion IV, who penned many of the short stories in Scott Snyder's Batman run, schools us on the history of the Court and how they have remained in power for so long. We are teased with the history of the first talon, an out of control killing machine who turned on the Court, who is about to be awakened.  I am glad I returned to Forever Evil and will be sure to read part 2.




What I should have read:
Ghosted #3 - It shouldn't be too surprising that an Image title is generating some

positive buzz.  I gave Cloned a chance and had my doubts, but after reading the first trade I might revisit it.  From what I have read about Ghosted, it is a series that is full of secrets and chills that really rewards its reader.  The first two issues are only $1.99 on ComiXology so I may have to give the series a whirl.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Despite over 12 hours of driving and over 750 miles on the road returning home from my Texas trip, Thursday Morning Superhero is delivered on time and loaded with quality titles.  I think it is unfair to the other comics that I read this week to be compared to Locke and Key.  I have never been so vested in a universe or a set of characters like the ones that Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have created.  Time for the least shocking pick of the week!

Pick of the Week:
Locke and Key: Omega #5 - This is a difficult book to review without spoiling it.  Anyone who has frequented this blog should know of my love of Locke and Key.  We left the last issue with Kinsey and a group of the senior class trapped in the drowning cave with Dodge and the Omega door wide open.  Rufus was in pursuit, but lagging behind and Tyler just took a bullet to the gut.  Things don't improve much in book 5, but we are left with a chance for hope and redemption.  Not only for the Locke children and their mother, but their father and, I hope, Dodge.  It is easy to forget what a tragic figure he is and I don't think that Hill and Rodriguez have either.  It is going to be difficult to wait for book 6, but I have no doubt that it will be worth it.

The Rest:
Age of Ultron #9 - Still enjoying this series and found a good amount of humor in what I will call the "Plan B" issue.  Multiple Wolverines travel  through time, alternative future Tony Stark has a plan, and Hank Pym thinks he gets it.  Should set up an interesting conclusion to a very entertaining series.

Artful Daggers #4 - I will admit that this title is beginning to confuse me with all of the backstabbing and politicking that is taking place in four short issues.  I am intrigued by this universe and the backstory of the Tricksters and will reread the series later this week, which I take as a good sign.  Really solid title, stunning artwork, and a great bargain from MonkeyBrain Comics.  Really worth your time and spare change.

Fairest #16 - Maharaja Charming continues to try and woo Nalayani when they are attacked by the Dhole.  The two team up to hunt down the remaining wolves when they find themselves in another sticky situation.  This arc has been packed with action, fun, good looking women, and some mysterious characters who have yet to reveal their true purpose.  Good times.

All New Secret Skullkickers #1 - Jim Zub brings more humor, action and fun to part four (yes, part four) of the Eighty Eyes on an Evil Island arc.  In an issue featuring a handy dandy Island map complete with where to get the best melons, a dangerous dungeon exploration montage, and a magical sword that prefers proper manners, Zub is able to poke fun at the comics industry, craft an interesting tale, and blend humor and action in a way that is uncanny.

Ten Grand #2 - J. Michael Straczynski has a hit on his hand with Ten Grand.  Joe Fitzgerald continues his searching for Debbie's sister Sarag, who was last seen with the man who killed both him and his lover.  A man he put a bullet in his head a couple of years back.  After crossing paths with a fleshist, Fitzgerald learns that the Divine Will cult is one step ahead of him and has taken possession of Debbie. Straczynski has managed to develop quite a bit of depth in 2 issues and has me on board.