5/18 ANAMANAGUCHI, Time Wharp, Infinity Shred @anamanaguchi at TheSinclair‎ - @BoweryBoston @LeaguePodcast #MM #chiptune

Saturday, May 18 // ALL AGES 7:30 PM

ANAMANAGUCHI
with Time Wharp, Infinity Shred
$13 Advance / $15 Day Of Show

Tickets at Ticketmaster // This event is all ages

The Sinclair is general admission standing room only. 
Tickets available at TICKETMASTER.COM, or by phone at 800-745-3000. No service charge on tickets purchased in person at The Sinclair Box office Tuesdays-Saturdays 12-7PM, or at the Royale box office Fridays from 12-6PM.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01004A74AD55AE97?brand=sinclair
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/243240112481096/

52 CHURCH STREET
CAMBRIDGE
MA, 02138
617-547-5200

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ANAMANAGUCHI

http://anamanaguchi.com/

The birth of Anamanaguchi must have taken place in the middle of mankind’s greatest sugar high. Oh, there could have been ‘shrooms there too, but we’re betting that it had more to do with loads and loads of pure cane sugar, swallowed in liquid, cubed, granulated or processed form, in copious amounts. It was Jolt soda, cake, ice cream, candy and everything else in between. It was on the sunniest of days and all colors were vibrant and searing. Everyone involved with the delivery and responsible for the creation of this new life-form was coming off of its greatest night of slumber ever and there was an open-ended world to shred and conquer. The rosy-cheeked little thing came out of the womb, was slapped on the ass by the jovial delivering doctor and started laughing hysterically, blowing disco ball kisses in between its unprecedented fits of joyous rapture. The band, an instrumental electronic band from New York, was drawn to Nintendo game consoles, arcade games and all of the plinking and high-score sounds that were coming out of them, ringing in its ears like magical coos. It immediately set out to write punishing and inspired music that would comprise a mixtape that would be the chosen composition of the sky to accompany every plane jumper, skydiver and parachuter. It’s a little known fact that the second anyone takes a leap out of the open hatch of an airplane, thousands of feet above ground, for any recreational purpose whatsoever, the music of Anamanaguchi is suddenly blasting into the ears of those plummeting folks. It’s louder and more exhilarating that any of us down here on the safe ground could ever imagine and it’s a secret that those jumpers keep to themselves, having signed a binding Anamanguchi non-disclosure agreement before pulling the chute cord. The bronzed music was chosen for such an important placement, in part, because as those jumpers land on the run, often on a beach or an open field, the only thing they want to do is jump up and down and rage out with some freaky dance moves for 5-to-10 minutes. The music, as contractually obligated, continues on - at obscene volumes - for that amount of time and these people do their dances.

New York City (2003 – present)

Anamanaguchi is a four-piece group from New York City that combines guitars with the thick, electronic tones of a Nintendo Entertainment System. With driving, dynamic and melodic tracks, they focus on creating sounds that seem bigger than their hardware. A member of the artist collective 8bitpeoples, Peter Berkman has been creating chiptune music since 2003. They have since toured across the country and briefly in the UK and Ireland. Their debut, ‘Power Supply’ EP, was released in 2006 as a free download through 8bitpeoples and has since received over 50,000 downloads.

They also recorded ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (Original Videogame Soundtrack)’ for the videogame. Their latest full-length album, ‘Dawn Metropolis’ was released March 3, 2009 and features 7 brand new songs sure to rock your face.

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Time Wharp

http://timewharp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/timewharp
Astro Nautico / JASS

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Infinity Shred

http://infinityshred.com/home/
https://www.facebook.com/infinityshred

Discontent with the now, Infinity Shred create music which aims to be the digital harbinger by which the human race once again dreams of tomorrow.

Through years of friendship forged on a shared love of skateboarding and screen printing, Damon Hardjowirogo and George Stroud originally founded the band in 2007 as Starscream. With the 2011 release of the final Starscream LP, “Future, Towards the Edge of Forever,” came the addition of Nathan Ritholz on guitar as well as a collective yearning amongst the members for creative growth by exploring digital synthesis beyond the sole use of the 8-bit hardware as a means of composition.

The group creates multi-chapter electronic anthems inspired by the hopefulness of the space age tinged by the dark feelings that arise in the members when faced with the prospect that the human race may not find it’s way in to forever. Additionally the band creates accompanying visuals for their live shows (performed by or with the help of artist Jean Y. Kim) that clearly illustrate the members’ love of  skateboarding and the bands obsession with the aesthetic of the Italo Disco / Space Synth era.

TRIPLE SHOT: TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1, X #1 and ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0 at FORCES OF GEEK

It’s a numbers games as we dip into the 36 Chambers of Death with Ghostface Killah in the new book Twelve Reasons To Die.  Travel back in time with Archer and Armstrong #0 and take a dark turn with Dark Horse and Duane Swierczynski punishing the criminal bosses in city of Arcadia for a new number #1 of cult anti-hero, X. 

TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1
CONCEPT: Ghostface Killah, Adrian Younge
WRITER: Matthew Rosenberg, CE Garcia, Patrick Kindlon
ART: Breno Tamura, Gus Storms, Kyle Strahm, Joe Infurnari, Dave Murdoch
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.50 
Publisher: Black Mask Comics in association with Soul Temple Entertainment LLC
UPC: 045778022014
Buy it HERE


“Up from the 36 Chambers…it’s the Ghostface Killah”, these lyrics from Clan in Da Front weren’t what I expected to yell when I went into the LCS on Wednesday, but I did, scaring some kids there getting some leftover Free Comic Book Day swag.


As you can tell from the credits, this hip-hop comic comes to you from a creative team that goes all the way up to the executive producer RZA.

Accompanying this book is a record and tour of the same name by hotshot producer Adrian Younge and Ghostface. 

The comic starts off with words like ‘pussy’ and ‘motherfucker’ and that sets the tone for the book.

Like Ghost’s lyrical flow, the comic references gangster history going back to the 40s through the 60s, and it isn’t too long before we are introduced to his alter-ego and star of the book, gang enforcer, the “other” Antony Starks. From La Costa Nostra to modern day nightclub drug deals, it’s grim and gritty. The artwork, benefitting from different artists in the first issue is dark and breaks off chapters well. Just like a RZA beat, nothing here is extraneous. All tells the story.

From the solicit as we find out that Anthony Starks is an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family in the 1960s. The family murders him after he falls in love with the kingpin’s daughter. You won’t know this from the first issue, but it is helpful background.

Starks remains are pressed into a dozen vinyl records and when played, the record invokes the spirit of Ghostface Killah, exacting revenge on his murderers.

High concept, great art and all accompanied by a soundtrack album that is already highly regarded? I am so down. This really is the summer of Ironman.

I didn’t even get to tell you about Black Mask Comics, a new publishing company from creator Steve Niles. We’re expecting great things from this new venture as well.

X #1
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Eric Nguyen
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $1.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822527300111
Buy it HERE


Just last month, we re-introduced you to X from Dark Horse Comics.

Yes, another reboot. No, we don’t care.

Yes, we’re buying it. No, it’s not a cash grab.

Wait, am I answering questions in my head again? No? Good.

The masked vigilante has more in common with a Punisher of the MAX variety than any other character. He’s a strong, smart and capable vigilante that sits like a snake and plots his attack before doing so. His enemies are tipped off when he sends them a picture of themselves with a red giant X over their face. Most don’t take it seriously, or try to protect themselves from the vigilante when they know he is coming. Good luck, pal.

X has a particularly bloody streak, bloodlust and determination for meting out justice in his hometown of Arcadia.

Unlike Frank Castle, little is known about this cold killer’s origin. Hopefully Swierczynski will tap into that as the series rolls on.

The book opens on a warehouse full of corpses. Investigating detectives and officers on the scene prop up the heads of two of the dead laying in a nearby Caddy. The ominous red X from the photos is mirrored on their flesh, accompanied by multiple nails from a nail gun. Yeouch, X does not mess around!

As police check out the scene, a young blogger, screenname Muckracker aka Leigh Furgeson is poking around, tipped off by an old drunk about the massacre near his home. He flees Arcadia and leaves the detective work to Muckracker. 

Leigh opens her mailbox to find a message from X, crossed-out photos of some bad dudes including one of Leo Pietrain, the unfortunate villain locked in his panic room in issue #0. Ambulances take Leo away as Muckracker gets to the crime scene to see Leo’s piehole bleeding a red X through his ambulance stretcher sheet. 

In the third act of the issue, reader’s adrenaline levels spike as X springs into action once again. Though, this time it appears he’s been set up by the police. 

After a firefight and explosion, X and the snoopy Muckracker find themselves in an alley together. This might be the time for Leigh to either expose X or to lend him a hand. Tune in next issue for more pulse pounding action.

This book has the feel of a Batman: Year One, and obvious nods to the Frank Miller story in the art by Eric Nguyen are not off-putting but set a familiar tone. The action and blood is definitely more mature (not for kids) than your average Punisher story but all of the tropes here work really well to acclimate the fan to a newly rebooted, but never wildly popular anti-hero vigilante.

Swierczynski is on some great books right now with tough dudes as the lead roles. Check out his take on IDW’s Judge Dredd for more rugged justice!

ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0
WRITER: Fred Van Lente
ART: Clayton Henry
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200306200011
Buy it HERE


Valiant Comics started the whole ‘prequel’ comics numbered “Issue #0” way back in the nineties.  Since then, companies have copied their style and in fact, DC’s New 52 had a whole series of “0” issues incorporated into their relaunch. It should come to no surprise to fans, speculators and collectors of the classic Valiant characters that Valiant has started to release prequels to their relaunched books as well.

Fred Van Lente (Spider-Man, G.I. Joe) brings his humor and well researched historical references to the latest, Archer and Armstrong #0.

Archer is a teenager, raised by extreme religious freaks on a compound. He escapes to find the truth about his parents. Armstrong is a nigh-invulnerable immortal warrior that is centuries old. This issue deals with Armstrong’s past through a retelling (reboot!) of the classic tale of Gilgamesh. How do we get there? Armstrong was part of the story and recounts it firsthand! Raised a poet among warriors with brothers Gilad (Eternal Warrior) and Ivar (Timewalker).

Some Vine-like tech is discovered in ancient Mesopotamia and the brothers go to investigate. They are greeted by men in robes who introduce them to the Boon device, the supernatural tablet that grants Armstrong his immortality. There’s dinosaur fighting, alien tech and ancient history rolled up into a delicious story that’s way better than junior high history and literature classes. 

This issue is part Jurassic Park, part Rome and equal parts the origin of pizza in G.I. Joe Yearbook#3 — My Dinner With Serpentor.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: USAGI YOJIMBO: WAY OF THE RONIN GAME & LECTURE AT MFA

Stan Sakai created the rabbit ronin Usagi Yojimbo nearly 30 years ago. Usagi may seem familiar to hardcore fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for his guest appearances there. This weekend, as part of a special event and samurai exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Sensei Sakai and game developer Mike Levine of HappyGiant are slated to talk about the first Usagi video game in over 25 years, Usagi Yogimbo: Way of The Ronin (iOS / Android). We spoke with Mike about what to expect about from the game, the exclusive MFA Samurai Saturdays level, and about working with a master of the comic book form by way of bringing this fun side-scrolling sword and slashing game to market.

 
DIGBOSTON: Hi Mike – Thanks for coming! Can you tell me please about HappyGiant and what your role is there?

MIKE LEVINE: HappyGiant is my company, most of the company and myself have been in the games industry for 10-20 years. I worked for LucasArts in the ’90s for most of it and worked for some startups out in San Francisco. I came back here and started my own companies includingPileated Pictures, which was well known in Massachusetts for working with Hasbro and other properties. We were lucky to make some money and we’re now focused on mobile and the new company, HappyGiant.

Have you been a developer for a long time, or writing games for that long?

At LucasArts, I worked in the art department, constantly developing new techniques to create art. I would sit between really amazing artists and the programmers and we were in the middle making it all work in the games.

I’ve been a writer, designer and art director. We’re a small company so we all wear many hats.

Is this your first mobile game?

No, we’ve been doing it for a few years. We slowly crawled into it. We’ve done Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters and last summer we did the app for The Dictator film. We are also known for our high end pet sims Dolphin Paradise: Wild Friends. There’s another one that just came out, Orca Paradise: Wild Friends. We did Orca at the same time as Usagi. We used the Unity game engine to make both the games.

Very cool. Can I ask…are you a comic book fan?

Yes I am.

Usagi Yojimbo No. 1 - Stan Sakai

Have you been a Usagi Yojimbo fan for as long as I have?

Probably not. I grew up reading comics, now my kids are reading my comics. I was a heavy Marvel guy, Walt Simonson’s Thor, Frank Miller’s Ronin and Dark Knight Returns. I read all the Lone Wolf & Cub books. I knew of Usagi, but don’t remember reading it. The story goes that a couple of years ago, my friend brought me 5-6 Usagi books and urged me to read them.

As soon as I started reading them, I couldn’t put them down, I read one after the other. When I got to Book 10 or 12, I decided, “This needs to be a game”!

It came together very smoothly with Dark Horse and Stan and getting in touch with them. I like to think when things are meant to be, things go smoothly, and this was one of those cases.

[READ MORE AT DIGBOSTON.COM]

MAD MEN: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" S6E06 - FORCES OF GEEK

There’s a shakeup at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

Roger’s liaison with a stewardess may affect the company’s future as Mother’s Day approaches and Pete is left in the cold with his baby mama.

A well timed strategy from the top brass of these ad agencies shakes up the office by returning a prodigal daughter to the copy chief desk of a huge firm.

We don’t get to see any Don and Sylvia action this episode, but there is plenty of activity of note here.

Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) are having the firm audited to go public.

While they await the results, another partner, Roger (John Slattery) has shacked up with a Northwest Orient stewardess, Daisy (Danielle Panabaker). The charming blonde comforts Sterling (in a very adult manner) before leaving for work, as it is Mother’s Day weekend and his mum has just passed. 

Pete returns home to Trudy (Alison Brie) to carry on the charade of his marriage and hopes for some comfort of his own. No dice, Petey.

Though Trudy seems to appreciate the effort he is putting in, sex with his wife is not in his future. Trudy in her full length flowy nightgown, though really is a thing of beauty.

Megan’s mother, Marie (Julia Ormond) continues the matriarchal theme upon visiting Don and Megan for the weekend from Montreal. She encourages Megan (Jessica Paré) to reinvigorate the heat between the sheets after she confides that something may be wrong in the Draper household. Maybe she can borrow some lace from Trudy?

 

Peggy’s (Elisabeth Moss) world is only grazed by any mother talk. No mention of kids with Abe this episode, quite the opposite. After a life affirming peck on the cheek from her boss Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm), she wishes that her boyfriend Abe (Charlie Hofheimer) was instead Ted in her fantasy. The two are settling into Peggy’s new apartment.

Ted and Peggy’s firm is in upheaval. One partner Frank has fallen sick with Pancreatic Cancer and does not have long to live. It seems to be at an inopportune time, as they try to hone in on the Chevy account.

Speaking of Chevy, there is a comedic sidebar with Pink Panther music as Roger and Daisy turn up the heat. Roger rushes to the airport to trap a client. A businessman headed for Detroit turns out to be a Chevrolet executive and is ensnared by Daisy and liquored up by Roger.

Later we find the both the SCDP and CC&G reps en route to the motor city to land the account. The car is not even revealed to the agencies, just a code name (XP-887). And this is to be the biggest car announcement in years. Both teams have their pitches.

Don (Jon Hamm) has just lost the Jaguar account over an hilarious and ill-fated dinner with Herb, his wife, Megan and Marie. Marie insults Herb’s ditzy wife in French before the ladies excuse themselves. Alone at the table to discuss business, Herb (Gary Basaraba) suggests bringing in someone else to help write copy. Don leaves the table, offended and down a major client.

This episode is fast paced and full of surprises. Pete encounters his father-in-law at a cathouse with a black prostitute, and loses that account (Vicks Chemical). It seems the firm is in trouble before going public and everyone is trying to save face. 

After landing in Detroit, before the pitch meetings, Don does what he does best (or, arguably one of his finest traits) by sitting at the hotel bar downing scotches. He’s joined by Ted who stops the binge as the two leading men come to some realizations about their two companies. The reveal that comes in the third act may just land the Chevy account, but for which firm?

I’m happy to say that I fully enjoyed the action, comedy and the behind the scenes business acumen displayed in this episode. Sure, I’ll take a tawdry affair with the neighbor and noir drama and high fashion highlighted in the other episodes this season, but this episode is one of my favorites thus far. Don, Ted, Peggy and Roger’s confidence contrasts Pete, Joan and Bert’s conservatism to make the alliances within and without the firm stronger. 

What can we expect for next episode?

The teaser foretells a darker, more serious tone. Peggy’s moving back into the SCDP offices, will she be welcome? And, what’s Ted doing there? Mad Men Season 6, you are continuing to keep us excited!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 8, 2013

COMICS

They Trojan-Horsed the villain in the new Iron Man movie, but you know what we get as a result? A bizarre marketing ploy (that worked) that moves from Marvel NOW! to Marvel THEN!. Coordinated with the new flick, Marvel releases an untold tale of Ol’ Shellhead in Iron Man #258.2, harkening back to the days of 8bit computer graphics and mullets, the glorious 90s and Armor Wars II. Written by David Micheline and Bob Layton, with art by Bob and David Ross we are treated to a pre-RDJ Iron Man being attacked by a computer virus. … We’re sort of scared of the spy-fi black helicopters showing up if we don’t plug Nathan Edmondson’s Where is Jake Ellis #4 (part 9). Check out our EARTH PRIME TIME interview with Nate! … You’re All Just Jealous Of My Jetpack from The Guardian and NYT cartoonist Tom Gauld gets the hardcover treatment from Drawn and Quarterly this week. It’s the perfect gift for Mom (she just has to be funny, not necessarily into the history of comics—though that helps)! … Picks LeaguePodcast.com and Samurai Saturdays at the MFA..

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

LeaguePodcast FCBD 2013 - YouTube Playlist with Clay & Stacey

TRIPLE SHOT: TEN GRAND #1, SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #9 and IRON MAN 258.1- FORCES OF GEEK

TRIPLE SHOT: 
TEN GRAND #1, SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 and IRON MAN 258.1

Has JMS grounded himself to a new imprint, Doc Ock has really messed with the wrong Spider and to celebrate Iron Man 3 (we guess), Marvel takes us back to the Roaring ‘90s for a David Michelinie, Dave Ross and Bob Layton retread Armor Wars II with a flashback story arc starring Tony Stark in Iron Man #258.1.

TEN GRAND #1
WRITER: J. Michael Straczynski
ART: Ben Templesmith
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301360000111
Buy it HERE

J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) is responsible for one of the best sci-fi shows on television, prior to the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Babylon 5.

He has also upset fans with controversial runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Superman. The latter got him summarily dismissed from DC Comics and he handed the Grounded storyline over to Chris Roberson. Not many people were happy with a Superman ‘walking the country’.

He stays on the character with his equally controversial series of original graphic novels for DC, a grittier two volume Superman: Earth One hardcovers with the Shane Davis on art. 

Not many books have graced the shelves since Superman: Earth One Volume Two written by JMS. This is likely because of his plan to revisit his Top Cow imprint Joe’s Comics with some creator owned series. 

The first of this rebooted imprint’s titles is Ten Grand written by JMS with art by horror spooksmith Ben Templesmith. The story is based on the noir trope of having a dame walk into a private dick’s office, with an insolvable case. Here in issue #1, at the start we realize that former mob enforcer Joe Fitzgerald has touches with an angel figure, summoned by necromancy and demonology. Joe spends most of his days awaiting freelance assignments from a neighboring watering hole.

Joe is also entered into a deal with the demons haunting his world. His woman was killed in front of him, and to reconnect with his Laura, he has become an enforcer for the dark spiritual world. 

This book is great, if a little heavy on the recurring themes. It is a successful matchup of noir, horror, gangster and necromantic genres. Though not a funny book, this draws similarities to Chew. This is also recommended for fans of Sandman, Lucifer and Death.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #9
WRITER: Dan Slott
ART: Ryan Stegman
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607912400911
Buy it HERE
 
Does anyone besides me remember the Prince album,Controversy?

The title track is the one to listen to on Spotify halfway through this book! Warning: this review (though not typical of me) contains spoilers! If you love Peter Parker, but have not read this book yet, please skip below to my benign Iron Man review. Seriously!

Dan Slott loves getting us all worked up, doesn’t he? The reason he does is because he likes Spider-Man more than anyone!

There is even a very obscure reference to a Spider-Man lettering blooper from Amazing Spider-Man #1, where Peter is called Peter Palmer for one panel! 

He’s killed Peter and Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s body, and making a Superior Spider-Man (hopefully you’ve caught up to that story, that’s not my spoiler). Old eight arms is swinging around, being rude to everyone, but sort of being a better — superior — Spider-Man, and one that uses lethal force. Fortunately for the 616, Doc’s intentions albeit with different motivations are in line with the whole ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ thing.

In this issue, Doc has discovered that an avatar of Peter’s memories (we’ve seen Peter as a blue ghost) exists in his head! Oh. Noes. Like a splinter, Octavius seeks to extract this menace from his brain, and has the right tools to do so. Uh-oh.

A psychic battle ensues as Peter (and an awesomely drawn by Ryan Stegman Amazing Spider-Man) happens in the brain space of Peter Parker’s memories. On Peter’s side we have J. Jonah Jameson, Captain Stacy, Gwen, Uncle Ben, you name it. Over on Ock’s side are visions of Uncle Ben’s killer, The Kingpin, The Sinister Six, Kraven and Chameleon. 

The constructs are knocked away by Superior, as his Neurolitic Scanner connected to a tablet is about to run the “Delete Peter Parker from My Brain” app. Peter’s memories fade. They fade, eventually to black. Slott has crushed everyone’s hopes that Peter will take back control of his body and be The Amazing Spider-Man once again.

Search twitter to see everyone’s mind blown after this issue. Haters are coming out of the woodwork. Thankfully, we think the death threats to Dan Slott have gone away.

Make mine Marvel NOW!, if this is what we can expect. How do you keep a 51 year old property fresh? Give it to Slott. He’ll kill it, extract it, build it up and then take your toys away. 

Is Peter still out there, somewhere? He’ll be back before Amazing Spider-Man 2 hits the theaters.

IRON MAN 258.1
WRITER: David Michelinie / Bob Layton
ART: David Ross / Bob Layton
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607421100111
Buy it HERE

This is a shellhead scratcher if we ever saw one. We know our comics. We love our Armor Wars. We love our Marvel. We love our movies.

Marvel goes back 23 years on the Iron Man 3 box office debut weekend for a Point One initiative two-shot set in the time of Armor Wars II. We’d have loved to see M.D. Bright or John Romita Jr. on a cover but Bob Layton will do.

This is just weird enough for us to be in love with it a little bit.

Who doesn’t love a superhero with a mullet, or computers with 8-bit fonts and dial-up modem sounds?

Also, suitcase armor. The once forgotten about, impossibly heavy, but resurrected for Iron Man 2, suitcase armor. 

Tony is recovering from back surgery and paralysis. It turns out, that Justin Hammer is behind implanting him with nanites to control his body under the guise of recovery.

A drone attack on Stark Enterprises riles Rhody to the company helicopter, and Stark’s body guard, Iron Man takes flight. The autopilot takes over and is on a collision course. Iron Man saves James Rhodes from the crash and destroys the drones.

Back at his doctor’s office, Iron Man investigates the biomass removed from his spine, only to discover he is being played by a computer energy form. Will these bits and bytes spark the nextArmor Wars? Travel back in time or wait until next month to find out!

A detail that made me nostalgic for old comics was thought bubbles. Can’t have too many, in my opinion. And now in modern comics we have none! OK, back to playing Zelda 2 for me!

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2013 PREVIEW

Whoa what a couple o’ weeks, amiright? Did you know that nearly every comic book company worth a gosh darn gives out free comic books on the first Saturday in May? That’s right, I think we can all use a little outing this Saturday. Here are some of our most anticipated free comics to pick up at your LCS (Local Comic Shop) this weekend. Don’t be greedy, take only one! We previewed the free books last year…and we’re still into comics. Who knew?

 
One thing is for sure, publishers look forward to unleashing their swag on this geek high holiday every year, and they always pull out all of the stops. Free Comic Book Day means many different things to many different people. The day was brainstormed into being in 2001, and came to be the following year in 2002 to coincide with the release of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. This year’s movie of course is Iron Man 3, opening Friday.

The manifesto is three parts simple, and found on the font of knowledge, Wikipedia:

To introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics.
To call back former comic book readers.
To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.

Many stores have signings, candy, costume contests and more to celebrate the day, so if you are like us (which you aren’t), you’ll be hopping on your bike or the T on a virtual tour of the city, high-fiving your favorite shop owners, buying some trades and collecting an issue of all of your favorite free comics. Clay’s favorite part of this weekend is that even 25-cent bins are sometimes cleared out gratis. LeaguePodcast likes deals!

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

MAD MEN: "The Flood" S6 E05 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

A time of tragedy and catastrophe strikes the nation and the world in the latest episode of Mad Men.

Echoing the feelings evoked by present day headlines these past weeks, we see how everyone reacts to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “The Flood”.

The serious tone of the crisis seeps through everyone’s dialogue in this chapter as some choose to carry on, whereas others are deeply affected and influenced by the shocking news.

We open on to a realtor showing Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) an Upper East Side apartment. Boyfriend Abe Drexler (Charlie Hofheimer) shows up late and confuses the realtor. Abe’s not the buyer, but we see another empowering gender role reversal as Abe is reduced to apartment consultant.

Actor Paul Newman speaks at the awards for The Advertising Club of New York, where both Megan (Jessica Paré) and Peggy are up for nominations.

The usual pleasantries and Roger Sterling (John Slattery) client appeasing happens over drinks as the ceremony starts with Newman endorsing Eugene McCarthy for President. His speech is interrupted by someone calling out to Mr. Newman the news that Martin Luther King is dead. They all take a break from the celebration and we see the look of surprise and disgust from the tables.

In Brooklyn we cut to a virgin Michael Ginsberg (Ben Feldman) on a set up date with his dad’s friend’s daughter. In the diner, the radio broadcasts the news and black dishwashers take time to sit speechless.

Over at the Betty Draper (January Jones) household, Henry Francis (Christopher Stanley) leaves to attend to city business, a calling of his profession as the Director of Public Relations. Fearing riots, he vocalizes his worries and scares the kids Bobby (Mason Vale Cotton) and Sally (Kiernan Shipka). Betty refuses to watch the TV, scared of the things they may show. At bedtime, Bobby exhibits some at the time was probably misdiagnosed bad behavior by peeling the wallpaper off of his wall because they patterns did not align. Seems more like an OCD symptom than anything else.

Pete’s (Vincent Kartheiser) returned to his Siberian exile in his Manhattan apartment, calling Trudy (Alison Brie) to check in on his family. Trudy appreciates the call but stands her ground by not letting the womanizing husband back to the homestead. In a time of crisis, Pete is looking for the support of home, but the consequences of his actions are that he needs to stay away, with only Chinese takeout as his only friend.

At Don Draper’s place, Megan argues with her Marxist father over the phone, as Don stares deeply into a bottle of Canadian Club whiskey as he watches the news of race riots on national news coverage.

Megan won the award that night for her Heinz Beans campaign. In light of the news, no one really gives a bean, including Megan, who left the award on the couch with her jacket.

An awkward day after happens at SCDP as well as at Cutler Gleason and Chaough, both firms have black employees. Peggy is slightly better at consoling her secretary than Joan is of trying to give Don’s Dawn (Teyonah Parris) an unwanted hug.

Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) breaks up a yelling match between the hurt Pete and Harry (Rich Sommer). Harry is concerned about the loss in advertising sales because of the tragedy, and Pete calls him a racist. Bert cannot seem to diffuse the tension.

Down in Draper’s office a meeting with a new client has everyone confused. An insurance man claims he was visited by Dr. King’s spirit last night and has a bizarre idea for a campaign that involves a molotov cocktail. Don’s not impressed, but hey, his own work hasn’t been much better lately!

Home early from work, Don is back at the TV with the brown stuff. He’s forgotten to pick up the kids from Betty’s, and his relationship with his kids is suffering.

Megan takes Sally to an MLK vigil in the park, and Bobby feigns illness to stay home with Dad. The two boys play hooky and check out a matinee of Planet of the Apes.

In between the first and second showing, Bobby has a moment with the black usher that’s the highlight of the episode. He asks the usher if he has seen the Ape movie, and recommends it to the gentleman. “Everyone likes to go to the movies when they are sad”. This from the mouths of babes moment is evokes emotion in Don, something we see little of.

At the end of the episode we have Harry announcing his bid for state Senator and taking more of a leadership role in his career.

In all a dramatic episode, with diamond facets of how different people deal with tragedy and loss. As truth is stranger than fiction, the timing of this episode being released so near to a time of a tragedy in the Boston really hits home. Another way for us to lose our selves in a television show about the past here, as we switch to national news coverage ourselves and keep our loved ones close by.

On the next Mad Men, we are teased with Peggy being annoyed by someone’s presence, more steamy silver fox bedroom scenes with Roger, and Peggy’s boss Ted Chaough possibly up to no good.  These teasers are harder to gauge or extrapolate as we get later into the season. Lots of Don opening his office door and Roger on a payphone.

We hope to see more Joan next episode, of course, with her hair down.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 1, 2013

COMICS

There was a time when we thought Gail Simone’s departure from DC Comics was permanent. The talented writer is back on Batgirl and now gives us the comic book take on #occupy with The Movement #1. A citizen’s army strikes back against greed! … We’re still amazed at our interview with The Activity’s Nathan Edmondson. For true to life military and service drama, complete with all the tech gadgets you see on the news and strategic exfils and infiltrations, join Nate and guest artist Mark Laming on The Activity #12. … Shadowman was also featured in an EARTH PRIME TIME last year, and nothing is better than a Zero Issue from the company that invented them, Valiant Comics. Go way back twenty-five years to learn the mysteries of sorcerer Master Darque and the nightmare realm of Deadside in >Shadowman #0. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com episode #150!.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

TRIPLE SHOT: SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #12, JUPITER’S LEGACY #1, B.P.R.D: VAMPIRE #2 - FORCES OF GEEK

The thing about history, baby, is that it goes way back.   All the way back.

We stroll down memory lane with Miss Lane, get lost in a Legacy and follow B.P.R.D’s Simon Anders back to a small Czech town to investigate the origins of the vampire disease.

Will he escape unscathed before having to unleash his concealed garlic? 

SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #12
WRITER: Art Balatazar & Franco
ART: Art Balatazar
Publication Date: April 24, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194130973601211
Buy it HERE

Aw yeah, everybody. It’s the end of an era, not only for Superman and his family, but for fans of a certain kind of book formerly put out under the Johnny DC banner.

In 2008, Art (Baltazar) & Franco gave us elementary school versions of our favorite Titans in Tiny Titans.

The Eisner Award winning book proved itself to be fun for all ages, including not only great stories for kids but nods to serious DC continuity and clever plays on the DC tropes. A Lunch Lady Darkseid ruled the cafeteria with Anti-Slop.

After the New 52 reboot, Cyborg gets new shoes and the guys were put on a new book, Superman Family Adventures, filled with all of the clever comic book industry and Superman movie quotes of the previous series, but concentrating on the family aspect of Superman. We’ve got Clark, The Kents, Jimmy, Chief, Lois, Connor, Kara and the Super Pets.

Nearly all of the Tiny Titans, the Justice League, Steel, Lex and even Miss Teschemacher sneak their way into the send off issue of this book. It is a bittersweet moment to end this five year run of the best kids comics DC has ever done.

Even Superman’s parents Lara-El and Jor-El make an appearance in the final issue, with an interesting twist on how the two survived the explosion on Krypt’n.

Unfortunately for us, we won’t get to see any more of Art & Franco on this book but look forward to them taking on The Green Team in the New 52, a story about trillionaire teenagers. And guess what? For more all ages comics, Art & Franco have launched a Kickstarter for new publisher Aw Yeah Comics and are fully funded. Expect some issues of Aw Yeah Comics #1 starring Action Cat and Adventure Bug at C2E2 this weekend, and distro to our hands very soon.

Aw yeah. Congrats, Art & Franco! And thanks for loading up the cover with lots of pink. I like pink very much, Lois! True story.

JUPITER’S LEGACY #1
WRITER: Mark Millar
ART: Frank Quitely
Publication Date: April 24, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301350100111
Buy it HERE

This is the first issue of a highly anticipated book here from industry juggernauts Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, last seen working together years ago on The Authority.

In recent years, Quitely had a great run on Morrison’s pre-New 52 Batman and Robin whereas Millar has been working on more movie deals, overseeing his comics become movies and has teamed up with Dave Gibbons on Secret Service and Lenil Yu on Super Crooks, and Steve McNiven on Nemesis.


There’s probably more (ahem Hit Girl, Kick Ass 2, Superior) worth mentioning as well, but the aforementioned series all had me hooked.

Millar has, if not a formula, at least a very structured format to his limited series. All are meant to stand alone in about 6 issues. All can very easily be made into a movie. He’s great at that. Icon and Image produce the books, and he can retain all of the creator owned rights. Some series likeWar Heroes never see completion! Too bad, though, I think the book would do well in the current market.

I guess all the filibustering I’m managing to churn out about Millar’s career is that while this is a highly anticipated book, supposedly of much scope, and featuring a mysterious long lost island mixed with two generations of superheroes is to have us chomping at the bit for more. We’ve got the old crusty Superman and Justice Society types taking down the bad guys while the sons and daughters are either partying or vying for attention from the media.

I’m sorry, this book doesn’t have me after the first issue like Nemesis, Super Crooks and Secret Service did. On the last page reveal on issue #1, I was just sort of glad it was over. I want my comics to make my heart pound on a cliffhanger, not just be glad that some superheroes’ daughter might have possibly OD’d. Why would I care? I only spent 3 pages with her. I don’t know, maybe I’m salty. Maybe issue #2 will pick me up like a cup of coffee but this one was snoozeville. 

Quitely’s pages are amazing, of course. Great to see him draw classic superheroes and then beautiful teenage girls. Brandon Sampson looks a little like the artist himself. We’ll see how it goes. Maybe the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo wakes up from her drug crash next issue. Sure. Whatever. I guess. Take my money.

B.P.R.D: VAMPIRE #2 (of 5)
WRITER: Mike Mignola, Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá
ART: Fabio Moon, Gabriel Ba, Dave Stewart
Publication Date: April 24, 2013
Price: $3.50
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156820686900211
Buy it HERE

I’m not exactly sure why I’m getting at this book in the second issue of the series and completely missed the first, but I know I’m in for the long hall.

Hellboy mastermind Mike Mignola writes this vampire tale that acts as a direct sequel to B.P.R.D.: 1948. Brazilian brothers Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá that brought us the Vertigo mini-series Daytripper in 2011 are credited as co-writers and also the artists on the book.


We bask in the shadows of a classic vampire origin tale, following former merchant marine and current B.P.R.D. field agent Simon Anders to a Czech town.

When he gets there he discovers there are only women in the town that is also occupied by a large castle built in 1253. A wonderful series of alias for the vampire Wilhelm in various period garb throughout the ages was reminiscent of Bruce Wayne’s travel back to the present inBatman: The Return of Bruce Wayne.

Nothing to report from the castle, but a witch grabs Simon’s hand and urges him and companion Hana to follow the “serpent to the heart”. Likely this means follow the river to the woods, where they will discover more about the vampires. In the forest, it looks like they have been set up!

This issue has all the best that Hellboy, Daytripper, Buffy and Doctor Who have to offer, replete with a cute female companion to act as a guide and balancing force in the story. Moon and Bá have a thick line cartooning style that complements the look of the B.P.R.D. / Hellboy universe and draw conversations between people very naturally.

Great art and story here. Worth investigating further…into the woods!

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: LUCY KNISLEY SIGNING AT BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH

Comfort, home, cooking, and family are all things at the front of our minds and close to our hearts, especially in times like these. Where would we be without the support of our loved ones, or even without having our Mom teach us how to use the toaster for the first time. Our earliest memories are tied into the smells and tastes of cookies baking in the kitchen or in front of the television with marshmallow cereal. Comic book artist and illustrator Lucy Knisley explores her relationship with food, family and cooking in her new book Relish: My Life in the Kitchen from First Second Books. The multi-talented Lucy signs at Brookline Booksmith on Sunday.

DIGBOSTON: Hi Lucy, thanks so much for taking the time today! How has your book tour been so far?
LUCY KNISLEY: Great!  I get to travel all over and talk about food with my readers, so I’m in heaven.

Was this your first MoCCA (The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) Arts Fest?
This was my ninth, I believe.

I’ve been doing MoCCA since I was about 18 or 19. It’s my hometown show, and was one of the first conventions I ever attended, so I never miss it.

Relish is really such a wonderful book, have you always wanted to write an autobiography?
It’s something that’s always appealed to me. It comes very naturally for me to write autobiographically, and I enjoy the act of sharing my inner world with readers; creating an empathetic connection.

Relish illustrates your family’s relationship with food but also your relationships in your life. Was it hard for you to expose such personal details for the reader?
Most of the content of Relish is about food and family—both topics that I like sharing—funny stories and tales of epic meals.

I enjoy being honest in my work, as I find that it creates a stronger connection to the reader, and I’m lucky that I have good stories to share.

Even uncomfortable moments in our lives are made better by a great meal or memorable snack. As you say, “…you remember a time you tasted something that would shape you for years to come.” Who or what excites you about food in pop culture? A favorite chef, Top Chef, Emeril?
The shifting foodscape in America is absolutely fascinating to me! I don’t watch much food TV, but I have noticed how the prevalence of food entertainment has changed our culture’s relationship to food. I am a sucker for new technologies in food, molecular gastronomy and cool new restaurants or food fusions, but what I love most about food is that it connects us to ourselves and our surroundings, which is easiest to notice when you have a great meal, grown locally and prepared at home or by a friend.

The Mystery, of the Spice Rack! - Relish, Page 9 - Lucy Knisley

The book is accented by wonderfully illustrated recipes. How did you pick each recipe and did you have to leave some out of the book?
I picked recipes that were relevant to the stories I wanted to tell. They’re all fairly simple, familiar family recipes that I felt comfortable with and have experimented with to get them just right.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

Mad MEN: "To Have and To Hold" S6 E04 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

Am I reviewing for Soap Opera Digest, or is this Forces of Geek?

The latest episode of Mad Men has the ruffled blankets of a torrid daytime affair and heightened tensions of day to day business.

Joan (Christina Hendricks) is in the spotlight once again, her first episode of the season, Megan (Jessica Paré) gains more exposure on her own soap opera and Harry (Rich Sommer) scores a major deal for the firm, increasing his value.

Also, the secretarial pool is shaken up by false time punches…can this be trouble for Dawn (Teyonah Parris)?

The elevator of Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) building holds Don on his way home from work, and Sylvia (Linda Cardellini) hops on for the ascent for one floor. Their affair revealed over the last few episodes is put on the back burner but not before Don hits the emergency stop switch and the two embrace, making plans later in the week.

A secret business meeting occurs between the firm and Heinz Ketchup executive Tim (Kip Pardue) at Pete’s apartment with Pete and Don. The men tackle the ketchup branding in secret, and though I thought Stan was shooting up, last week as the teaser implied, he is merely working on “Project K”. Stan is smoking grass with Don in the private supply room to clear out the cobwebs and talk hot dogs. Stan holds the partisan opinion that ketchup belongs on hot dogs, because of the squiggly line it makes. Let’s hope these guys get some munchies soon and get back to work. This season, as partner Don has made some bad business decisions and needs to get back to his Kodak Carousel days, wowing clients with his savvy.

Out in the secretarial pool, Scarlett (Sadie Alexandru) asks Don’s secretary Dawn ( Teyonah Parris) to punch her out as she runs an errand. Noticing that she is not at her desk when needed, Joan catches confronts Sadie and eventually fires her. Dawn is spared the discipline.

Harry returns from a successful meeting with Dow Chemical, scoring a $150,000 supplement for the company. He notices Scarlett leaving and asks for her to fetch champagne. Harry re-hires his secretary on the spot and confronts all of the partners in a meeting to defend himself and ask for a spot at the table. Way to go Harry, this is the only time we have seen him be assertive. The bad news is that Joan realizes she doesn’t have as much power as the men do in this company. She retains partnership, but her pride is certainly hurt.

Megan is delivered news and new script pages for an love affair role on her soap, “To Have And To Hold”. Her boss Arlene (Joanna Going) and husband Mel (Ted McGinley) take Don and Megan out to dinner, but with strings attach. The swingers propose an after-dinner grass and sex session, a ‘chemistry experiment’. Don and Megan deny their advances, but stick around for dessert, just not the kind Mel and Arlene had in mind.

Don shows up on the set on the day of taping the kissing scene and hypocritically accuses Megan of being a whore and enjoying the scene. As a man, he is cheating on his wife. As a husband, he outwardly is acting like a man of his time. He’s jealous, overbearing and not supportive of Megan’s job. The submissive wife lashes out at him as he leaves her dressing room, telling Don it isn’t fair that she is made to feel the way she does. A small victory for Megan, but an important one.

Joan has a friend visiting and applying for a job as an Avon sales representative in New York. Kate (Marley Shelton) and Joan go out for a night on the town and are courted by two gentlemen to the proto-disco Electric Circus on St. Marks. The psychedelic nightclub was once host to the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead.

While there, both girls have some make-out fun with some boys on the couch before headed home to face a severe hangover in the morning. Kate looks up to Joan and tells her so. But Joan is a bit disenfranchised with her position at SCDP, mostly because she is being ignored by some at the company.

We close this episode, with what Ted (Kevin Rahm) has called “The War”. SCDP represented by Pete, Stan and of course Don pitch Heinz a minimalist campaign to Tim for their ketchup. Pictured are singular pictures of french fries , steak, and a hamburger, with the words “PASS THE HEINZ” typeset in Helvetica. Tim is not impressed by the ethereal nature of the campaign, and wants to see the bottle in the picture. As SCDP leaves the hotel room they are confronted by the competition. Peggy, Ted and another gentleman holding the artwork have an advertising Mexican standoff in the hallway.

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for April 23, 2013

COMICS

Mark Millar (Kick Ass) and Frank Quitely (Batman and Robin, The Authority) are back together with a creator owned title for Icon with Jupiter’s Legacy #1. Jupiter’s Legacy is the story of the next generation of heroes looking to live up to their parents in a story of epic scope. The universe in the new title is huge, so expect lots of new characters and Star Wars-like storytelling. … Brothers Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá (Daytrippers) are on art for Mike Mignola’s B.P.R.D.: Vampire #2 following Simon Anders to a small Czech town to find secrets of the vampire clan that cursed him. … Take a field trip to Apokolips after Fourth Period in the last issue of Superman Family Adventures from Aw Yeah Comics’ Art & Franco. This book marks the end of their work on Tiny Titans and Superman Adventures kid’s stories at DC, but look for them on The Green Team and their own creator-owned all ages books at Aw Yeah Comics Publishing. We like their books very much, Lois! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

Tue. April 23, 2013 - League Podcast presents: GAGE, THE UNION BOYS

What a week.
Thanks for coming out to the Party, we raised over $100 for The One Fund!

Want to party with some nerdy rappers and punks?

Come out Tuesday (4/23) to O’Briens Pub in Allston for this!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
04.23.13 Tue	LeaguePodcast Presents  O’brien’s  Gage (Baltimore) Union Boys Shane Hall Chestnut Hullabaloo (Swaggerin Growlers) Event Details 8PM Doors  21+  $8

As we ramp up for our 150th episode, we will also have some big announcements this week.
Check out all of our concerts, events, signings and parties here:

facebook.com/leaguepodcast/events

Thanks to you!

Facebook Event

TRIPLE SHOT: ADVENTURE TIME #15, ULTIMATE COMICS: WOLVERINE #3, DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS #7

Oh My Glob. Whatever! 

A Triple Shot full of surprises and WTF moments, but not over at DC this week.  

Adventure Time flips the script as the princesses save Finn and Jake, we find out the secret of the Mothervine from Ultimate half-brother Quicksilver in the Ultimate Wolverine, and in the future we see someone else behind the devil horns in the penultimate issue of Daredevil: End of Days.

ADVENTURE TIME #15
WRITER: Ryan North
ART: Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb
Publication Date: April 18, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Boom! Studios
UPC: 84428400279001511
Buy it HERE

FREE SIGNING, in lieu of BOSTON COMIC CON panel on SUN. 4/21 at COMICAZI.

This is changed to a SIGNING at COMICOPIA! #BOSTONSTRONG - Shelli Paroline (Adventure Time) x Braden Lamb (Adventure Time, Ice Age, Duck Tales)

FACEBOOK EVENT

Magic Man is such a butt. He thinks it’s cool to crash Princess Bubblegum’s Princess High Tea Party with his Magic.

Meanwhile, outside Jake and Finn wish they could get in but at least have the respect to honor the only rule—princesses only!

In an attempt to silence the rantings of our favorite purple princess, Lumpy Space Princess (LSP), Magic Man casts a spell to silence her!

We could have used like, a few more panels of like, LSP calling her friend Melissa who by glob just needs to hear about this lumping party, but Jake wearing Finn as a suit dives like James Brady to stop the spell.

This saves the princesses’ voice but Finn and Jake fall silent!

The boys are able to communicate using pictures in their speech balloons, a technique only possible in comic books! Much like the recent A Glitch is A Glitch episode, AT continues to effortlessly push boundaries of all mediums. Fans of the show should be all over this book!

Our video game pal BMO is able to communicate with the boys because he is the best at emoticons. After some sammiches, they meet up with the Action Hero princesses defeat Magic Man! Princess Bubblegum has the plan to recover their voices and it totally works!

The Princesses get to save Finn and Jake for a change and LSP is among the heroes!

Don’t skip the Downton Abbey referencing 8 page BMO backup story by Jeremy Sorese. BMO’s memory banks are full, but Princess Bubblegum and Peppermint Butler have a crash plan to recover BMO from defensive mode!


 

ULTIMATE COMICS: WOLVERINE #3 (of 4)
WRITER: Cullen Bunn
ART: David Messina
Publication Date: April 17, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607887500311
Buy it HERE

Jimmy Hudson (Ultimate X) has family secrets. Many family secrets. Raised by adoptive parents James and Heather Hudson he is on a mission to find out more about his past. His biological father is Wolverine, who died by the hands of Magneto in Ultimatum.

The story is told half in flashbacks with Logan as the star. The previous Ultimate X storyline had me a bit interested, mostly because we had just gotten through Ultimatum and legend Art Adams was on art duties. I fell off after a few issues.

This mini-series written by Cullen Bunn caught my eye because I am a fan of Cullen’s work onVenom. The man can write thoughtful stories that are full of action and cool plot points. The subplots here and the flashbacks are on par with the pacing and storytelling of the Venom book and there are always great cliffhangers at the end.

Many years ago Logan is investigating Project: Mothervine, a secret government project to produce mutants, when he meets The Witch, Magda Lensherr. Magda was at one point married to Magneto, and they sired creep Quicksilver and his sister Wanda (Scarlet Witch). After Logan and Magda hook up, it is revealed that she is Jimmy’s biological mother. Meaning, if you follow the genealogy strings that Jimmy and Quicksilver are the not only brothers, but the only surviving members of the family.

The end of the issue leaves Jimmy and mutant travel companion Black Box imprisoned in an undisclosed Quicksilver jail. They plot their escape and overthrow of Pietro. Next issue will be the last of the mini, and we are rooting for our new Ultimate Wolverine to take on the strength of his father’s legacy to face the evil Lensherr as he rises as a powerful evil mutant.

DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS #7 (of 8)
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack
PENCILS: Klaus Janson
FINISHED ART: Bill Siekiewicz
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth
Publication Date: April 17, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960606046700711
Buy it HERE

This is a future tale, a Dark Knight Returns for Daredevil written and drawn by creators who have had a long history with The Man Without Fear.
This is a true masterwork, years in the making, that delivers on so many levels with each issue. The collected edition of this book will be a recommendation for years to come as an example of how to tell a story.

Daredevil has been murdered, in the public eye, by Bullseye.

Matt speaks one final word, “Mapone”, and it is up to Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich to write the story of Daredevil and find out what Mapone might mean. Is it a name, a hideout, an enemy or a long lost son? We’re no closer to discovering the answer as issue #7 rolls around.

While visiting The Church of the Hand, Incorporated, Urich is telekinetically overtaken by Tanaka after inquiring about Mapone. Tanaka demands to see Ben’s notes and asks him what he knows about Daredevil’s trainer, Stick. Urich narrowly escapes, but is he unharmed?

Ben makes his way to an address he was tipped off about, and finds some information but only before being trailed by The Hand ninjas. 

A young Daredevil rescues Urich with the aid of The Punisher. In the fracas, Urich is struck by an arrow, and in a soon to be classic reveal, the new Daredevil unmasks and comforts the reporter.

We’ll be both sad and satisfied when this story is done. Bendis and Mack have included all of the rogues, most of the ladies and tropes of 49 years of continuity in this limited series set in the future.

Next April will be Daredevil’s 50th, and this collection will be a great way to commemorate that anniversary. Masters Janson and Sienkiewicz know the dark world of Hell’s Kitchen well, and rival only Frank Miller himself in drawing countless ninja on a page.

Well done, sirs. 

 [READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: COMIC CON ASSEMBLES TO BRING HOPE AND SUPER-HEROISM TO BOSTON

Can we bring some hope, some superheroes to the Back Bay this weekend, please? Obviously the true heroes, the first responders, runners, Back Bay workers, reporters and real actual people are more important to have in your thoughts this weekend. We’re fighting back the tears as we write to tell you to make it to Boston Comic Con this weekend to celebrate togetherness, hope and fictional heroes that give so many hope in even the darkest days. If you think it is a silly endeavor, that’s fine too. In fact, most adults enthusiastic about the convention’s announcement on Tuesday recognize the convention as a place to cosplay and embrace a passionate hobby, and to take a well deserved break from watching the news. As for the kids, please let them enjoy this day dressed up like The Flash or Wonder Woman and think that heroes are real. Because they are. I met a few on Monday.  

You know the day started pretty regular for me on Monday, and enjoying the holiday meant some quiet time in the office. My boss’s young nephew was playing Marvel Super Hero Squad and we talked Spider-Man of course. Before leaving with his aunt, to catch the rest of the race and experience the Boston Marathon for the first time, I slid him last year’s Free Comic Book Day Ultimate Spidey and Avengers comic to say goodbye. Luckily, they turned around before making it downtown and headed home. I stayed working until all of our days were destroyed by the bombings.

I won’t apologize for expressing my feelings on the day here, this particular Earth Prime Time is a coping mechanism.

The rest of the day was phone calls, cancellations, making sure staff was safe and watching twitter and Facebook feeds, along with WCVB’s coverage on television.

I rightly was dealing with the present, and remembering walking down a barren Boylston St. on 9/11 on my way home to Mission Hill from Milk St. Close friends were dropping into the Middle Eastwith stories and encounters with the blasts. After being reassured that Cambridge Police would check in on the club, I went home to restlessly attempt to sleep.

Tuesday, the same news feed from Facebook greeted me immediately. Boston Comic Con group declared,

“Boston Comic Con is happy to announce that the convention will go on this weekend as scheduled!”

Damn hell frakkin’ right, it will. Right there. Where it all went down. And you know what else is happening? Our party at McGreevy’s on Saturday night. What more protection could the League and pals need than the Dropkick Murphys associated sports bar just 1,200 steps from Fenway Park.

As the President said, “If you want to know who we are, who America is, how we respond to evil—that’s it: selflessly, compassionately, unafraid.”

Admittedly, both statements got me worked up and woken up and ready to do this thing. Critiques of false patriotism, faux hometown pride mixed with partisan and religious opinions of the bombings and how they affected our city are all swept away like tiny Roman numerals from a Risk board for me to sort out when this weekend is over. I’ve got strong counters to most of what I’ve been hearing people soapbox about for the past few days but I am going to concentrate on actively participating in a highlight of my year each year, the Boston Comic Con.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

MAD MEN: "Collaborators" S6 E03 (review) - FORCES OF GEEK

The third episode of Mad Men this season is directed by the show’s leading man Jon Hamm and focuses on the complicated relationships in Don Draper’s life.

Like electrons around the nucleus, people’s lives are spinning around the protons and neurons of Don and his ladies.

How soon before an atomic meltdown, at this pace, though?

Cheating, deception and resolving how honest people want to appear are all issues accented in this latest installment of Mad Men.

The show opens with Don Draper (Hamm) having another encounter with neighbor Doctor Arnold Rosen (Brian Markinson) in the elevator.

The doctor and wife Sylvia (Linda Cardellini) are holding up the elevator arguing about money.

As the doctor returns to work, Don slips back upstairs to continue his tryst.

Her bosom triggers a flashback to Dick Whitman’s (Don’s previous—or real—identity) childhood. Dick’s pregnant stepmother Abigail brings them to a whorehouse, overseen by her sister. “Uncle Mac” is introduced as the brothel’s main man. Flash forward to the present, Don hands Sylvia some cash, referencing previous associations Don has with sex and money.

Elsewhere around SCDP, our boy Pete has gotten himself involved with a neighbor from his Cos Cob, CT neighborhood. Brenda (Collette Wolfe) meets up with Pete in his Manhattan apartment. Their time is rushed, just as Don and Sylvia’s is, everyone must get to work!

Back at the firm, Heinz Baked Beans introduces the representative of Heinz Ketchup to the boys, under false pretenses, though. Beans has no intention of letting the firm work on the competing division’s campaign. The funniest quotes are in this scene.

Ken (Aaron Staton) declares to Don, “It’s Heinz Ketchup, Don! It’s the Coca-Cola of condiments”. To which Don replies, “I know, but sometimes you gotta dance with the one that brung ya”.

Cut to soap opera actress, Don’s wife Megan (Jessica Paré) in soap opera fashion in the laundry room, upset and firing her maid. Sylvia listens in and the two have girl talk over coffee. Megan admits to Sylvia in the Draper’s apartment that she has suffered a miscarriage. Feeling cheated on by Don, the mistress evokes sympathy but not empathy for Megan’s feelings.

Just then, Don arrives home, surprised to see his two ladies in mid conversation. The building is getting smaller now, as Megan crumbles and Sylvia has now broached the threshold of Don’s house on her own.

The Jaguar account representative Herb (Gary Basaraba) visits the office making demands only after having a brief encounter with Joan (Christina Hendricks).

The meeting includes Don, Pete and sneaky new sales rep Bob Benson (James Wolk). Herb wants to ditch the national campaign and stick local. Don seems displeases as much as Pete is trying to accommodate the client’s request.

At the end of the day, Pete finds his extramarital affairs literally knocking on his door. Brenda has somehow telegraphed what happened to her husband and he beats her for it, breaking her nose. Trudy (Alison Brie) brings Brenda to a nearby hotel, and can assume that Brenda confided in her what happened in the city. Trudy banishes Pete from the suburban homestead, and we can picture a downtrodden Pete a few months down the line in his rathole Manhattan apartment with Brenda and a bottle of scotch.

Don and Sylvia find themselves at dinner alone together, by circumstance. Doctor Rosen is called away for another medical emergency, and Megan stays home sick and depressed from her unfortunate miscarriage. After dinner and a quickie, Don returns home to comfort Megan and vaguely talk about the miscarriage, in such broad strokes that no one is really clear about anything. It was the style at the time.

There’s a subplot in this episode with Peggy having trouble asserting herself to her underling copywriters at her new firm. She appears to be overly critical of their work and because of her gender comes off as a total bitch. Her boss Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm) is encouraging and a bit creepy. He looks to steal clients an business from Peggy’s old firm with her help.

Over at Sterling Cooper, all three Jaguar reps hear Pete’s pitch for Herb about ditching the national campaign for the local focus. Don deflty carries the ball and runs with it, suggesting that the luxury brand resort to mailers and Sunday circulars. Don has now embarrassed Herb and Pete while keeping the factory owners happy and maintaining the level of advertising at a match with both the firm and the car brand. The luxury brand doesn’t need to use street level advertising. This of course angers Pete, who has a lot to deal with right now.

We close the episode to another flashback to the brothel. Dick is watching through a peephole as his pregnant stepmother Abigail is taken by “Uncle Mac”. A maiden of the house catches him on the way past with her John. She explains that this is how it works here, and that is how Dick earned his own room, by having his stepmom service the man of the house. Ummm…gross!

Complicated feelings about relationships and boundaries are explored in this episode. No redemption for anyone but some empowerment for Trudy at least.

Neighbors Sylvia and Megan now know more about each other, but it is difficult for either of them to be as detached as Don is to the whole situation. He seems to be able to turn his feelings on and off like a faucet. Is Don falling in love with Sylvia, and is he as close to marital disaster as Pete seems to be? The stories are too parallel not to notice, but leading man Don always has better luck than Pete, and Pete resents that.

The tension wire is tight between the two floors in Don’s building as we end episode 3. The teaser for the next episode doesn’t reveal much—except that Stan may be feeding more than his usual reefer addiction.

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for April 17, 2013

COMICS

What’s the best thing about comics? It’s that all ages can read them! This weekend’s Boston Comic Con kicks off with an All Ages Comic Book Panel at Noon Saturday. Our resident Brony and Mathematical genius Clay N. Ferno is hosting his first Boston Panel, every pony should come! Panel guests will be Shelli Paroline & Braden Lamb (Adventure Time) along with Andy Price (My Little Pony). The stand alone issue of Adventure Time #15 hits shelves today with a new look at the land of Ooo. … Next Week, Andy Price stitches up a unicorn pony tale in the form of My Little Pony Micro Series #3: Rarity. Come get your books signed and ask great questions! … Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets) also debuts the highly anticipated all ages graphic novel of his childhood Marble Season from Drawn & Quarterly this week. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

SAT. APRIL 20 - 12 pm (Noon)
BOSTON COMIC CON
ALL AGES COMIC PANEL
MAIN LOBBY PANEL ROOM
SHELLI PAROLINE (ADVENTURE TIME)
BRADEN LAMB (ADVENTURE TIME, ICE AGE, DUCK TALES)
ANDY PRICE (MY LITTLE PONY)
BOSTON COMIC CON PANEL HOSTED BY THE LEAGUE’S CLAY N. FERNO!

TRIPLE SHOT: X #0, INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE #1, G.I.JOE: COBRA FILES #1

Triple Shot stays independent this week with some violent first issues to get the blood flowing through your veins and onto the street.

We start with the resurrected X from Dark Horse and move toward the expanded Invincible Universe and finally ending with Volume 4 of Mike Costa’s spyfi G.I.Joe: Cobra Series from IDW.

X #0 - “THE PIGS”
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Eric Nguyen
Publication Date: April 10, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822568600011
Buy it HERE

Duane Swierczynski can write us a violent comic book with dark dark and violent leading men. His work on both the Punisher and Valiant Comic’s reboot of Bloodshot are proof of this recently. We begin to wonder if he reflects on the real life corruption and violence of his hometown of Philadelphia.

X #0 from Dark Horse Comics debuts this week, originally printed in the popular anthology comic Dark Horse Presents, this one-shot introduces the city of Arcadia and the upper echelon of the criminal underworld running the city.

Missing an eye, and with a cool costume with a red ‘X’ on his hood (look out, new Cyclops, X was here first!) the character is foreboding and intimidating. Our boy is similar to Frank Castle in this way, with one exception. If you are a bad buy, and you receive a picture of yourself in the mail with a red-Sharpied ‘X’ across your face, get out of town. This is X’s warning….he’s coming for you.

X uses a variety of weapons from swords to fists, car bombs, machine guns, serrated knives and crowbars to get various jobs done and wipe out the major players in Arcadia in this issue.

X is as cunning as Batman and Punisher, and seems to have the upper hand on the criminals in the book from unseen detective work. Swierczynski even works in the obvious parallels as boss Pietrain is taunting him from his panic room.

This book reminds me of ‘90s Punisher War Journal and War Zone, in the best way possible. Lone vigilante, spilling guts and getting the bad guys. The X reboot is off to a great start, with an ongoing promised on the last page. Be careful, though, you may be off of spaghetti and sausage for a few days after reading this book. The Arcadia Meatpacking District sausage ingredients are very ‘fresh’.

INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE #1
WRITER: Phil Hester
ART: Todd Nauck
Publication Date: April 10, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301354900111
Buy it HERE

Phil Hester continues to expand on the Invincible Universe with a new #1 issue this week. Formerly a spinoff ofInvincible, Guardians of the Globe (or Guarding the Globe) spotlighted the popular superhero team featured in the original series.

A hybrid of Avengers or Justice League, and led by Invincible’s sometime boss, Cecil Stedman, the Guardians are protecting the globe from the usual—Viltrumite mustaches, underwater monsters, prison breaks—that sort of thing.

Let’s also point out that Invincible is in no way a leader to the team.

Sometime’s he’s just getting in the way of Robot and company doing their real work anyway and it always seems like there’s some resentments brewing on the Guardians side, with Mark directly or indirectly putting the world at risk with his actions, constantly.

Cecil is barking orders at his new assistant who he wishes to call Agent Edelman, not her given name at all. Taking action across the world are The Guardians, cleaning up after the events ofInvincible #100. Cecil observes remotely and strategizes his chess moves. Disappointingly, the team is not ever assembled properly in this setup issue, but seen in vignettes of them in action across the world.

The title change from Guardians to Invincible Universe seems to be including more of the Skybound! imprint’s properties like The Astounding Wolf-Man, Capes, Inc. and Tech Jacket. 

Overall I’m curious to see where the story is headed, with a new villain introduced toward the end of the issue that reminds us of Fin Fang Foom! 

Phil Hester is great, and so is Todd Nauck on art, and I understand the expansion of the property to more than one book, but Invincible by Kirkman will always be the canonical Invincible story. Lee and Kirby created the Marvel Universe, but with many other collaborators introducing stories along the way to weave the fabric. With only a few writers and artists interpreting the Kirkman vision for the Invincible Universe, the side stories feel like they don’t mean much or fall flat sometimes. 

Two thumbs up for this book, for sure, but let’s blow this thing out with more mini-series and some new heroes. This is a great alternative to mainstream superhero team books like Teen Titans, Justice League or any of the Avengers books.

G.I.JOE: COBRA FILES #1 (COBRA Vol. 4)
WRITER: Mike Costa
ART: Antonio Fuso
Publication Date: April 10, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: IDW Publishing
UPC: 82771400452600111
Buy it HERE

It’s a new season of G.I.Joe: Cobra kicking off this week under a new title. Mike Costa continues his espionage book on the G.I.Joe franchise that caused a great reaction to the repurposing of Hawaiian shirt wearing Chuckles in 2009.

Chuckles assassinated Cobra Commander with a gunshot wound to the head, and sacrificed himself to nuke Cobra Island in the pages of this book.

Basically, there is no messing around here.

Fans of the new G.I.Joe: Retaliation movie would be confused by picking up these books, whereas fans of 24 and Homeland will be delighted.

By the end of the last volume, there is a new Pit headquarters in Las Vegas for a cadre of Joes and a very important prisoner, Tomax Paoli. The surviving crimson twin has been providing insider Cobra intel for the Joes upon striking an agreement with them. In this first issue of the new season, Tomax is plotting his escape or purposefully leaking info that will benefit him, such as tracking down his personal Cobra enemies, therefore putting his deal in jeopardy.

On the Joe team, Chameleon, half-sister of the Baroness is having an identity crisis. A defector from Cobra and also someone with insider Cobra intel is being psychoanalyzed on the first pages of the book. When she heads out to the field on a mission to tackle Copperhead, things go FUBAR when the ex-Cobra officer’s son points a shotgun at her.

Flint resolves the situation with quick legwork. 

In an attempt to self-treat her PTSD, Chameleon rushes to the comforting arms of a fellow soldier, but this very well could affect her relationships with the rest of her team.

We’re off to another great run on this non traditional licensed property book. People love G.I.Joe: Cobra, and for good reason. There is espionage, tech, business at a multinational level and great action. It’s especially cool to see a updated versions of previously silly action figures Croc Master, Copperhead and Tomax/Xamot (RIP). 

A teaser from last season’s closer is dropped on us at the end. The mystery of the late Cobra Commander’s son, in a coma. We hope his name is Billy and he can recall Arashikage training. 

“Cobra-La-La-La-La-La!”