Bloodshot Available on Digital Already

The pandemic situation, and the resulting closure of most public spaces, means usual rules are out the window. Traditionally, a movie wouldn’t be available for home viewing until three months after its theatrical release, in order for the various movie theaters (first-run, discount, etc.) to make money....

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Get a Free Digital Copy of a TwoMorrows Magazine

To help encourage and support people staying at home during this period of self quarantine, comic magazine publisher TwoMorrows has announced that they will provide a free digital copy of one of their magazines. Visit their webstore, and enter the redemption code “stayhome” during checkout. That provides...

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What Will Happen to Free Comic Book Day?

With all that’s going on in the world, and the recommendation that people should avoid groups of more than 50 for the next eight weeks (which means through early May) to avoid infection, the question arose: what does that mean for Free Comic Book Day? Comics’ national holiday, scheduled for May 2 this...

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The Five Years Later Legion Collected After All

A year and a half ago, there was news that the first 13 issues of the “five years later” run of The Legion of Super-Heroes — the version of the series that began in 1989 — would be collected as a $50 hardcover. A year ago, the project was cancelled. Now, dedicated fans get another chance. Only The Legion...

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What Did You Eat Yesterday? Available Digitally

My favorite current manga series, Fumi Yoshinaga’s What Did You Eat Yesterday?, will become available for digital purchase this coming Tuesday, March 17. It’s a wonderful read, about a middle-aged gay couple. One partner is a hairstylist, the other a lawyer, and the lawyer cooks something every chapter....

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Bloodshot Disappoints; Will We Ever See New Mutants?

This past Friday was the opening of the Valiant movie Bloodshot, starring Vin Diesel. Kyle Pinion at the Beat called it “a largely sluggish, CGI overrun mess… so much of it is just a bland nothing.” It came in third this opening weekend, behind the latest Pixar cartoon and a faith-based film, with under...

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The Definition of Superhero (As Seen Through Transmetropolitan’s Spider Jerusalem)

Several years ago, I contributed an essay to Shot in the Face: A Savage Journey to the Heart of Transmetropolitan, a collection of writings published by Sequartabout the science fiction comic series. My particular topic was “Spider Jerusalem: Super-Hero of the Future?” In that piece, I looked at how...

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A Man and His Cat

A Man and His Cat by Umi Sakurai adds a comfortable, enjoyable volume to the growing list of cat manga published in the US (of which the best-known are Chi’s Sweet Home and FukuFuku: Kitten Tales). It’s also one of the first releases from the new Square Enix manga line. This is my favorite of the genre,...

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The World’s Strongest

The World’s Strongest debuts on Wednesday as one of Action Lab’s “digital-first” (which may or may not mean it ever comes to print) titles. It’s $3 for 24 pages, which makes it a short read, but it touches on some insightful points. It also widens the superhero genre from its traditional focus, both...

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The US Healthcare System Sucks: A Comic

No, that’s not the title Dustin Harbin gave his comic, published by the New York Times last August; he (or they) called it “The Shame of Crowdfunding Health Care”. But it’s the same thing, really. This is a late mention — although you can still donate to the GoFundMe for his medical costs — but I want...

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Did You Know Choose Your Own Adventure Was a Trademark?

Chooseco is a company that owns the “Choose Your Own Adventure” trademark. (It was formed in 2003 by series founder R. A. Montgomery to bring the 80s books back into print.) Which means that other people who want to do similar multi-threaded stories need to call them “pick your path” or something else....

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My Dad Thinks I’m a Boy?!

My Dad Thinks I’m a Boy?! is a trans positive children’s book by Sophie Labelle that shows the reader what it’s like to be a trans child with an unaccepting parent. Stephie is seven years old and clear on who she is and what she likes. Her dad wants her to be Stephen and go fishing with him because...

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What Horror Stories Can Do for Kids

Melanie Gillman has posted a short, informative comic essay on horror for kids, or as they put it, “why some kids like to read books that scare them, and why you should let them.” I don’t enjoy the genre myself, but their essay gave me plenty to think about and let me better understand what some get...

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Win Lucy Knisley’s New Book Go to Sleep (I Miss You)

Well, it was bound to happen. I have loved everything Lucy Knisley has ever published. Until now. Her newest book is Go to Sleep (I Miss You). It’s a collection of, as the subtitle says, “Cartoons From the Fog of New Parenthood”. There’s nothing wrong with the book; I’m just not that interested in cute...

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Laid-Back Camp Volume 5

Laid-Back Camp volume 5 came out last year, but given that the theme of the book is New Year’s, it seemed a good time to catch up with the series. I can’t believe it’s March already; I’m still thinking we’re barely into 2020. There are many holiday-connected traditions in this volume: One of the girls...

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C2E2 2020: The Last Con of the Year?

That’s a joke title, based on people getting squidgy about the coronavirus. But already I’m hearing about people pulling out of the soon-upcoming Emerald City Comic Con because of travel and infection concerns. I went to C2E2 in Chicago, where I had the pleasure of rooming with Brigid Alverson and Heidi...

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