Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2326

Barb From STRANGER THINGS Returns to Surprise Her Castmates

Editor’s Note: this post contains major spoilers from Stranger Things‘ first season. Do not continue reading on if you want to remain blissfully unaware and unspoiled—and don’t say we didn’t warn you!

So sad is the fate of Barb from Stranger Things: The show’s creators said it doesn’t look good for the bespectacled character, who (spoiler alert) appeared to be pretty dead in the Upside Down. Still, she managed to return… played by A.D. Miles in a sketch for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and she was mad as hell. Now, Barb has returned to TV again—only this time it was the actual actress, Shannon Purser.

A clip has been shared from an upcoming episode of Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show Chelsea, and in it, Handler is talking with some of the show’s principal cast—Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), and Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin)—about what they think in regards to Barb returning. After some confusion about what the word “justice” means (these kids are barely teenagers, so let’s cut them some slack on this one), Handler said she has a birthday present for Matarazzo, who turns 14 on September 8, which turned out to be Purser with a birthday cake.

Just look at how excited they were when they found out Barb was there:

Purser then sat on the couch next to Handler and spoke for a bit about how pleasantly unexpected the love for her character (her first credited role in anything, by the way) has been. Although Purser may be done on Stranger Things, the part was only the beginning for the young actress, who was recently cast in Riverdale, an upcoming CW show based on the Archie Comics series.

Watch the clip above, and keep an eye on Netflix for the full episode of Chelsea, which begins streaming tomorrow.

Featured Image: Netflix

MR. ROBOT Recap: Hidden Process

*Editor’s Note: This post contains major spoilers for USA’s Mr. Robot. Proceed with at your own risk if you haven’t watched! 

This week’s episode of Mr. Robot was quite the doozy. I guess you could say that about the entire season, but nonetheless, there was a lot that went down for Elliot and the rest of fsociety during Wednesday’s latest episode, “Hidden Process.” Now that the protagonist has his alter ego on a mental leash, the plot is pushing ahead at full speed. We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in.

At the end of last week’s episode, Elliot found Tyrell’s wife, Joanna, waiting for him outside his apartment. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long to find out what she wanted, because we picked up with the scene immediately after the intro credits rolled. Like we’d already assumed, Joanna is under the impression her husband is alive and is doing everything in her power to find him. But it isn’t just blind hope; she’s been getting calls from a blocked number and she’s sure it’s her husband. Over the course of the season, we’ve seen her frantically trying to both clean up the mess he left behind, and find out where he is. After Elliot was released from prison last week, it was only a matter of time before she found a way to use him.

After grabbing him off the street, Joanna demanded that Elliot help her trace the blocked number—or else. Despite his hesitance (and Mr. Robot’s clear disapproval of joining forces with her), Elliot went along with the plan and was able to track the calls to an actual address. We don’t know who the residence belongs to, or whether it is actually Tyrell, but Joanna’s goon had a curious reaction when Elliot pulled up the address. According to him, there is no way Tyrell would be calling from that address.

There are a number of people it could be based on that reaction. My number one guess is Scott Knowles, because there’s no way Tyrell would go back to the home of the man whose wife he murdered, but we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever the case, Elliot was done after that, and able to meet with Angela in secret—and spoiler: it wasn’t good news. Angela told him she was going to come clean about planting the femtocell, but was going to leave Elliot and the rest of fsociety out of it. Before he left her alone on the train, Elliot kissed her (what?!) and took off.

While Elliot was busy completing the mission for Joanna, Darlene and Cisco were busy making more mistakes. Remember last week when she asked her ex-beau to go back to their former headquarters (a.k.a. murder scene) to fetch a VHS tape, and he heard strained breathing coming from somewhere in the room once he got there? Well, the breathing belonged to one of Darlene’s fsociety contacts, and Cisco found it in his heart to bring his body back to the apartment. After the two quarreled about it, they ended up bringing the man to the E.R. because Cisco didn’t want him to die. Afraid that he was going to talk, Darlene told him she wanted to be there when he woke up.

While they were waiting, Darlene told Cisco about Elliot’s involvement in the Dark Army’s mysterious “phase two,” and opened up about the time she was abducted. In short, she got lost during a family trip to Coney Island, and wound up being taken home by a strange woman. Instead of being scared, she found comfort in her new caretaker, and hoped it was her new home because the one with her own family was terrible. That dream came crashing down when the cops found her and took her home. Her only silver lining was that she was able to develop a closer relationship with her brother.

After discussing Darlene’s past, the duo decided to take a break from the hospital to get some food at a local restaurant. The only trouble? Dom was hot on their trail after a witness’ description of Cisco led her to the hospital they were at. After questioning the nurse at the reception desk, Dom learned that the pair was probably eating somewhere nearby, and would be back to check on their friend. Instead of waiting to catch them upon return, Dom took to the streets to find them.

When she finally found them, all hell broke loose. With the show’s camera on the other side of the street, we saw a motorcycle round the corner as Dom entered the cafe. While Dom was confronting Darlene and Cisco, one of the mystery bikers (there were two) hopped off the cycle, walked to the cafe window and fired several shots. Dom was able to duck (is she from the Matrix, or what?), and had enough time to pop up and shoot the person in the leg before the cops showed up and shot them.

At the moment, everyone’s fate, except for Dom’s, is up in the air. Cisco definitely looks dead, but it’s unclear whether Darlene was able to get out of the way in time. We also don’t know who the shooters are, but based on Dom’s fear that putting out Cisco’s character sketch would get him killed, I’m pretty sure the person who killed them is a member of the Dark Army. Is this all part of phase two? Hopefully we find out next week.

What did you think of this week’s episode? Who do you think shot up the cafe? Let us know in the comments below, join the conversation on Facebook, or start one with me on Twitter: @Samantha_Sofka.

Images: USA

SUPERMAN Officially Introduces Son Jonathan as the New SUPERBOY

Happy Wednesday/new comics day everyone, and welcome to your mid-week edition of Comics Relief! Lets start of today’s column with news we’ve known was coming, but is cool as heck anyway — the introduction of Lois and Clark’s pride and joy as the newest Superboy. Read on for all the details.

Superman officially reveals his son Jonathan Kent as the new Superboy

Although his emergence as a junior superhero has been known since the first images were released from DC Rebirth, it’s now 100% confirmed: Jonathan Kent, the ten year old son of Superman and Lois Lane, is our new Superboy. The Man of Steel made it official and introduced Jon in his cape and costume to Batman and Wonder Woman in this week’s Superman #6 by Peter Tomasi. This is probably the reason why the Super Sons title starring Jon and Robin/Damian Wayne was delayed, so Jon could debut as Superboy in his pop’s book first.

So does this mean we’ll never see Conner Kent, the previous Superboy, again? It’s been awhile since he’s been a part of the DC Universe, but the clone of Superman and Lex Luthor was a pretty popular character for decades. I guess if he does return, he’d need a new name. Superman Jr? Superteen? Oh boy, I hope DC is better at coming up with Super-names than I am. [CBR]

New Teen Titans series will have a mystery 6th member

While on the DC young heroes tip, Benjamin Percy, the writer of the new upcoming Teen Titans ongoing series, said in a recent interview with Newsarama that the five revealed members of the Teen Titans won’t be the only members of the team. According to Percy, one more will be added to the line-up after the book’s first arc.

So far, the line-up is very reminiscent of the animated series roster, with Robin, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, and the new Kid Flash. Right now, odds are that the new Aqualad is the mystery 6th member, but it could also be Cyborg (in an adult mentor role) to reflect the cartoon series even more. Could it be the newly introduced Superboy? At ten, he’s a bit too young to be a “teen” Titan…but you never know. Who do you think the mystery member will be? [Newsarama]

IDW to launch Star Trek: Discovery series simultaneously as the new TV show

When the new TV series Star Trek: Discovery premieres in January of 2017, it will have a simultaneous launch in the world of comic books as well, thanks to publisher IDW. At this past weekend’s Star Trek: Mission New York convention, Discovery series staff writer Kristen Beyer announced that she will not only be working on a new prose novel with David Mack for Simon & Schuster, but also on a series of comics with Michael Johnson and IDW scheduled to coincide with Discovery’s TV release. [Comic Book]

Wonder Woman: Earth One artist asks fans help to find missing original art

One of the most amazing parts of the recent Grant Morrison OGN Wonder Woman: Earth One was the stunning art from illustrator Yanick Paquette. Recently, the Artist Tweeted a photo of a sketch he did of the Amazing Amazon that was stolen from a collector’s car at this past weekend’s Baltimore Comic Con. He asked if anyone out there sees it to let him know. You can see Paquette’s tweet down below:

Guys, this 11×17 original art sketch got stolen from a collector’s car at Baltimore ComicCon. Let me know if spotted pic.twitter.com/0ayVqYp9nJ

— Yanick Paquette (@YanickPaquette) September 4, 2016

BOOM! Studios announces the return of Klaus at Baltimore Comic-Con, plus more Kong

At this past weekend’s Baltimore Comic-Con, publisher BOOM! Studios made two major announcements that should have fans excited for the rest of the year’s offerings. First off, superstar writer Grant Morrison will be bringing back his “superhero Santa Claus” series Klaus in December, with Klaus and the Witch of Winter. According to the original report, the series will feature Santa Klaus in space. Who wouldn’t want to read that??

Also announced by BOOM! at the Con, the new series Kong of Skull Island is such a big hit that they have changed plans and made it an ongoing series instead of a mini-series. Writer James Asmus told fans that the series “is becoming more violent as Kong fights dinosaurs and coincides with the humans who escaped to Skull Island with him. The unofficial tag line is if you want to know what killed the dinosaurs, it was Kong!” More official details on both of these series from BOOM! should be coming from the publisher soon. [Bleeding Cool]

Frank Miller and Klaus Janson re-team for Dark Knight III mini-comic

Although issue #6 has been super delayed once again, Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello’s Dark Knight III: The Master Race is still on its way, and included among the issue will be a new mini-comic that comes inside, illustrated by the original Dark Knight Returns artistic team of Miller and Klaus Janson. Right now, issue 6 is scheduled for release on October 19, although with all the delays this book has had, that could change again. The cover for the issue features former Robin Carrie Kelly as the new Batgirl. [Bleeding Cool]

Image’s Reborn gets all-star variant covers series

One of the most exciting projects coming from Image Comics this year is Mark Millar and Greg Capullo’s upcoming series, Reborn. The new series is about an old woman who dies at the age of 80, and then finds herself reborn in a new young body in a distant fantastical realm. Her mission is to find her long deceased husband, who is out there somewhere in this world.

The series will have a smattering of variant covers from some very high profile comics creators, including Todd McFarlane, Jock, John Cassaday and Frank Cho. In addition to those all-star variants, Reborn #1 will come with two regular covers by series artist Greg Capullo as well as one sketch cover. Reborn #1 arrives in stores on October 12. You can see all the covers in our gallery below. [CBR]

Wanna know more about The Runaways? Dan’s got ya covered!

Images: DC Comics/ Image Comics / CBS / BOOM! Studios

Dave Grohl’s Mom Interviewed Other Rock Stars’ Moms for New Book

If you think Dave Grohl is awesome, just wait until you read about his mom. The musical giant will step out of the light for a hot second so that his mom can grab a hold of the mic, well, in pen form. She interviewed a slew of famous people as a part of an upcoming book. Before we spill the rest of the details, promise you’ll stick around to hear about Ferris Bueller’s Day Off‘s soundtrack getting a proper release, Sia’s collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, Frances Bean Cobain’s new mixtape, Green Day’s tour announcement, and Bat For Lashes’ gorgeous Fleetwood Mac cover.

Foo Fighters would be nothing without Dave Grohl, but Dave Grohl would be nothing without his mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl. The most important woman of his life has some wisdom to share, and it’s not only her own wisdom. She wrote a book called From Cradle to Stage: Stories From the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars that comes out April 25 2016. You may as well pre-order it right now from that title alone, but if you need more reasons, here they are: Dave Grohl wrote the foreword, “exclusive” family photos are included, and, oh yeah, she interviewed a bunch of famous moms for the book. Mrs. Grohl interviewed the mothers of famous musicians to see what it was like to raise them. The moms of Dr. Dre, Amy Winehouse, Haim, Michael Stipe, Mike D of the Beastie Boys, and Adam Levine all spoke at length with her. See, don’t you want to pre-order it now? [Pitchfork]

When Ferris Bueller’s Day Off came out in 1986, the film studio never bothered to release an official soundtrack. Despite the film’s many musical scenes and magical moments (see above), the tracks that sparked the classic scenes never got their due time as a unit. Now, La-La Land Records will make the soundtrack available for the first time on September 13. It’s a limited run of 5,000 copies, but it’s worth it, if only for that marching band version of “Twist and Shout.” You may just have to skip school to grab a copy. [Pitchfork]

Sia never stops churning out songs. The pop star is about to take off on her first North American tour in five years later this month, and to celebrate, she released “The Greatest,” a collaboration with Kendrick Lamar that will punch you in the gut the way most of her songs do. The song’s video is emotive and dramatic, as we have come to expect. If you’re looking for Lamar’s verse, though, head over to Spotify to hear the full version. [Consequence of Sound]

FBC Mixtape: The Vines-Get Free/Longpigs-She Said/The Vaselines-Son of a Gun/Pavement-Cut Your Hair/Vincent Gallo-Honey Bunny/JAMC-Perfume

— Frances Bean Cobain (@alka_seltzer666) September 5, 2016

The world has been waiting patiently for Frances Bean Cobain to follow in her parents’ footsteps. The daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love finally released a mixtape. Well, not that kind. While she did share a short cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” the other day, she took to the internet to share a list of songs recorded by their original authors. The playlist of songs includes The Vines, Pavement, Hope Sandoval, and more. Maybe she’ll whip out covers of these songs, too. One step at a time. [Consequence of Sound]

Green Day will release their 12th studio album on October 7. As that date inches closer, the band have finally announced a tour in support of the full-length. Starting later this September on through to 2017, Green Day plan on playing a long list of intimate shows in North American clubs and then will go on to play Europe with bigger appearances, including festival sets. It’s a long list of shows, one that no doubt will grow longer in the coming months. You can check out all the dates here. Revisit the album’s ace lead single, “Bang Bang,” above. [Consequence of Sound]

Off in the middle of the woods in England, a bunch of artists gather together to perform at End of the Road Festival. It’s a magical four-day event in Larmer Tree Gardens. What makes it all the more special, though, are the treats bands bring to the table by changing up their sets. Case and point: Bat For Lashes. Natasha Khan staged a marriage proposal for her friend during her set and then effortlessly launched into her song “In Your Bed.” To make the soon-to-be married couple even happier, she then launched into a cover of “Gypsy” by Fleetwood Mac. It’s a beautiful cover of the 1982 hit, her vocals topping off what was a magical evening for more reasons than one, clearly. [Rolling Stone]

See you back here on Friday for another Music Dispatch!

Image: Foo Fighters/Hayley Madden

 

Belle, Fox Mulder, STAR WARS, and More Geeky Tattoos

Brace yourself, fellow lovers of Disney animated films and theme parks, because I have a doozy of a tattoo for you this week. Readers have sent me all sorts of pop culture-inspired ink since the beginning of Inked Wednesday, and even if the tattoos focus on the same subject, they’re all a little different. But occasionally, I see permanent body art I’ve never seen before or ever even imagined, and that’s the case with this Belle and Figment tattoo. Behold:

I can totally seeing the Beauty and the Beast’s leading lady being pals with Figment, the sweet purple dragon from EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort. If you’re not familiar with the little guy, he’s part of Journey Into Imagination. Back to the tattoo, I particularly the way the portrait is framed. It looks like an elegant painting, and the frame has touches from the animated film with the rose and the gargoyle.

Visit the gallery below to see four more awesome examples of geeky tattoos. You’ll find an X-Files tattoo with an actual Fox as Fox Mulder, some Star Wars symbols, science-inspired ink, and an intricate TARDIS from Doctor Who.

Do you have any geeky ink of your own? Or are you a tattoo artist with a portfolio full of pop culture tattoos? If so, you should show off your ink to me for a future Inked Wednesday gallery. Get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com and send me photos. Don’t forget to let me know the name of your tattoo artist if you have it.

Featured Image: Eryka Larena

GAME OF THRONES Re-Throned: “Fire and Blood” (S1, E10)

Winter is coming, but not soon enough. So to help pass the time until season seven of Game of Thrones, we’re doing a weekly re-watch of the series, episode-by-episode, with the knowledge of what’s to come and, therefore, with more information about the unrevealed rich history of events that took place long before the story began. Be warned, though: that means this series is full of spoilers for every season, even beyond the episode itself. So if you haven’t watched all of the show yet immediately get on that and then come back and join us for Game of Thrones Re-Throned.

Because the next best thing to watching new episodes is re-watching old ones.

——

Season 1, Episode 10: “Fire and Blood”

Original Air Date: June 19th, 2011

Director: Alan Taylor

Written by: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

This is the one when Daenerys Stormborn got to add “The Unburnt” and “Mother of Dragons” to her lengthy name. It wasn’t shocking—the moment had been heavily foreshadowed all season—but man, was it powerful. However, the take away from “Fire and Blood,” the emotional season one finale that saw House Stark learning about the death of Ned, is about remembering the real war, and the many traits required of a great leader.

Jon decides he will desert the Night’s Watch and ride south to join with Robb, but he is stopped by Sam, Grenn, and Pyp, who recite the vows they all spoke (no YOU got emotional watching it), which reminds Jon of his duty. It’s a sacrifice Jon doesn’t want to make, his heart is with his brother and dead father, but one he knows is right. It’s the first time we truly see Jon Snow become the leader the world needs him to be.

When he serves Lord Commander Mormont his breakfast he is shocked to learn that Mormont knew all about his almost-desertion, but he doesn’t care. They all run away for a night at some point, but Jon came back and that’s what matters. Especially because Mormont has bigger plans, and a bigger battle to fight than the one Robb will wage for the Iron Throne.

Mormont: When dead men and worse come hunting for us in the night, do you think it matters who sits on the lron Throne?

Jon: No.

Mormont: Good. Because I want you and your wolf with us when we ride out beyond the Wall tomorrow.

Snow: Beyond the Wall?

Jeor Mormont: I’ll not sit meekly by and wait for the snows. I mean to find out what’s happening. The Night’s Watch will ride in force against the wildlings, the White Walkers and whatever else is out there. And we will find Benjen Stark, alive or dead. I will command them myself. So I’ll only ask you once, Lord Snow, are you a brother of the Night’s Watch or a bastard boy who wants to play at war?

Jon goes with him because Mormont is right. The dead rising, the strange actions of the wildlings, the disappearance of Benjen Stark—it all means that the brave, nameless men of the Night’s Watch must take on the only fight that matters.

But to do so they must remain focused, united. He needs to know if Jon Snow is one of them, because they need men like him. Remembering your duty is what a good leader does, and Jon learns here what serving and duty really requires. Robb is named King in the North in this episode, and he is brave, smart, and noble, but Robb will lose when he breaks his vow to Walder Frey in the name of love. Just like Maester Aemon said last episode, love and duty are often at odds with one another. Jon already made that sacrifice here, and will again with Ygritte, and when Stannis offers him the Lordship of Winterfell as Jon Stark.

There is another scene in this episode that builds on this theme: when Pycelle, faking his ailments, tells Ros about serving many kings. Aerys was charming, but done in by madness. Robert was strong, but never took off his battle visor. Joffrey is stern, but you need more than sterness to rule.

They all had good traits, but all were bad kings, because a king must be many things at once, and the cost of doing so is knowing that duty must usurp want.

Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys is learning lessons too. She euthanizes Drago and steps into the fires because somehow she knows this is what must be done. Her few remaining followers bow to her when she rises unharmed from the ashes, and the world once again has dragons—possibly the only thing that can one day save the living from the White Walkers. Like Jon, she knows the cost of ruling, and it is great.

So there seem to be two honorable, smart, capable leaders that can fight the great fight, ones that know sacrifice, and what must be done in the name of duty, even at the cost of love (adios Daario, right?).

However, can they remember that. Jon is now Lord of Winterfell, the bastard is now King in the North. And Daenerys has longed for the Iron Throne for so long, will she be able to adjust when the real battle calls her away from it?

Pycelle never finishes his statement when he says, “The thing you need to understand about kings is—” but he didn’t have to. Kings (and queens) are flawed, because they are human, and to be good leaders they must possess many traits and great wisdom, a wisdom usually earned through sacrifice. Westeros has one, and will soon have a second, that fit that description. The question is whether or not they will remember it when the real war comes.

What did you think of the season one finale? What about season one? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: HBO

Johnny Depp Will Investigate the Deaths of Tupac and Biggie in LABYRINTH

Johnny Depp‘s next film is called Labyrinth, but it’s not what you think. No, instead of a reboot of David Bowie‘s classic eighties film (thank the gods), Depp’s Labyrinth will be an investigative journey into the assassinations of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.

As Screen Daily reports, Depp will be playing Russell Poole, the real-life LA cop who spent the latter part of the ’90s investigating the still-unsolved killings of Tupac and Biggie Smalls. The case consistently introduced new and complicated barriers for Poole to overcome throughout his investigation, and Poole’s work ultimately uncovered a significant amount of corruption within the LAPD that shook the police department to its core.

The movie is based on a book of the same name by Randall Sullivan, and will be directed by Brad Furman. Furman also directed The Infiltrator and The Lincoln Lawyer, so his style should fit perfectly into this gritty story of murder, conspiracy, and police corruption. While it probably won’t bring any more closure to Tupac and Biggie Smalls’ deaths, it will certainly bring some clarity to how the investigation of their murders were handled. And Johnny Depp is always riveting to watch onscreen, so that’s definitely a plus.

There has been no release date on the film or additional casting announcements, but production is set to start later this year. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to travel through the Labyrinth of the LAPD.

Did you read Randall Sullivan’s book? What did you think of it? What aspects of the Tupac/Biggie Smalls murders do you hope gets discussed in the film? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Feature Image: Walt Disney Pictures

Unidentified Sea Creature Is a Plumbus from RICK AND MORTY

Any good Rick and Morty fan knows what a Plumbus is. But even to these experts, the question stands: how do they make them? Of course it involves smoothing out the dingle bop with a bunch of schleem, and rubbing the fleeb because of the fleeb juice, and also there’s some spitting and rubbing, and pushing it through the grumbo. But how do they—meaning the forces of evolution—make a Plumbus in real life? We don’t know. But what we do know is that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) apparently found one floating in the deep sea off the coast of Hawaii.

When will everyone have a Plumbus in their home? Probably never.

The real-life Plumbus-looking creature, which was posted to Reddit by user NinjaDiscoJesus, is what the NOAA calls a “USO,” or Unidentified Swimming Organism. But even though the NOAA has no idea what this… thing is, anybody who’s seen the Plumbus from Rick and Morty (shown in the above video) can immediately identify it as such—just look at those hizzards.

Left: USO found by the NOAA. Right: Plumbus from Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty.

As a side note, it’s pretty astounding that the NOAA has been unable to determine what this plumbusy floater is, as the organization constantly brings the public glimpses of seriously strange, yet already identified species like this stunningly beautiful hydromedusa or this “ghost” octopus.

Perhaps it’s good that this USO is still unidentified though, that way we can vote to name it Plumbus. Voting to name things for oceanic exploration organizations always goes well, right? (, our love for you was as deep as the seas you would’ve explored.)

What do you think about this real-life Plumbus? Should it actually be called a Plumbus? Should we vote to name it, or maybe have some No Man’s Sky players name it for us ’cause that always goes so well too? Shave away the plubis from your thoughts in the comments below!

Images: NOAA/Okeanos Explorer, Adult Swim

The Pull List: SUPERMAN #6, NIGHT’S DOMINION #1, and More!

Happy Wednesday! Some call it Hump Day, but we call it New Comic Book Day. It’s a holiday that comes every week, a chance to celebrate the best medium on the planet. Comics books are the glue that holds us together; comic books make the world go ’round. So, before you head to the shop, arm yourself with a few recommendations. For you big spenders out there, we also have a complete list of this week’s releases. Just make sure you pick up a copy of Superman this week. Trust us on this one.

 

SUPERMAN #6

Superman #6 from DC Comics

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Art By: Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray

Colors By: John Kalisz

Letters By: Rob Leigh

This whole Rebirth thing has been a hell of a success. If nothing else, it has injected an energy and momentum into DC Comics entire line. It’s done this and somehow managed to not feel like a total reboot. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s Superman, quite possibly Rebirth’s best title, can feel dense and huge but still accessible and fun. Reading an issue of Superman takes you back to the days of grabbing a random comic off of a spinner rack. Issue six has everything you need to jump in and have a blast. The art is simply stunning, the pacing is perfect, and it has tons of heart. When a Superman comic nails it, and this issue certainly nails it, there is really nothing better in the world.

NIGHT’S DOMINION #1

Night’s Dominion #1 from Oni Press

Written By: Ted Naifeh

Art By: Ted Naifeh

Colors By: Ted Naifeh

Letters By: Aditya Bidikar

Few comics have sucked me into their worlds as quickly as Night’s Dominion #1 has. This fantasy adventure story has the feeling of starting a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign; you’ve got a colorful cast of characters, a quest planned in the back of tavern, and a dude who is essentially a medieval version of Batman. Ted Naifeh crafts the perfect first issue, giving you the lay of the land, teasing you with backstory, and pumping up the the thrills at just the right moment. Seriously, if you have rolled for initiative before, this book is for you. If you’ve ever felt the thrill of starting an adventure with a group of friends and their freshly rolled up characters, this book is for you. If you just like damn good comics, this book is for you.

RISE OF THE BLACK FLAME #1

Rise of the Black Flame #1 from Dark Hose Comics

Written By: Mike Mignola and Christ Roberson

Art By: Christopher Mitten

Colors By: Dave Stewart

Letters By: Clem Robins

The Hellboy Universe is a rich and dense place. While the main title has come to a logical conclusion, the world in which the character inhabited continues to grow and develop. Rise of the Black Flame #1 is about history, particularly the history of B.P.R.D. big bad, The Black Flame. Once again, Mike Mignola has turned Chris Roberson loose in this world and it’s paying off big time. Roberson has injected a new life into the Hellboy family of titles and books like Rise of The Black Flame are a showcase for the strength he brings. Aside from the engaging and deep backstory, we’ve also got a-freaking-mazing art from Christopher Mitten, a welcome addition the incredible stable of artists who have handled these titles. Throw in the awesome coloring prowess of Dave Stewart and it’s easy to see why Rise of the Black Flame #1 is a must read comic book.

THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON #10

The Sheriff of Babylon #10 from Vertigo Comics

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Mitch Gerads

Colors By: Mitch Gerads

Letters By: Travis Lanham

The Sheriff of Babylon is a comic series in a class all it’s own. This is war presented more viscerally and personally than comics have ever managed before. Perhaps, better than any medium has. The Sheriff of Babylon is not about bombs or raids or explosions, but about people and the nature of violence. It’s about humanity. It’s subtle at times, intense and dark at other times. The Sheriff of Babylon #10 is another fantastic issue that runs the gamut of emotions. It features a tense conversation with a man who has a bomb strapped to his body, as well as one of the most brutal and a hunting endings to ever grace a comic book. Tom King and Mitch Gerads, whose artwork is gorgeous, are creating what feels like one of the most important comic books of the modern era. You’re reading this, right?

KILL OR BE KILLED #2

Kill or Be Killed #2 from Image Comics

Written By: Ed Brubaker

Art By: Sean Phillips

Colors By: Elizabeth Breitweiser

Letters By: Sean Phillips

The first issue of Kill or Be Killed was pretty messed up. Twisted, insanely dark, and more than a little sadistic, it was the story of a tortured soul who ends up becoming even more tortured thanks to a demon. The second issue of the series is, somehow, even more messed up. It’s less violent, but considerably more brutal. We’re hooked on the story, for sure, but that’s not why it’s on our pull list. It’s because of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips and the way they constantly stretch and pull the medium. Kill or Be Killed has this neat structural trick that involves pulling all the text to one side and allowing the images to exist on the other side. The text and the images tell two different stories, but the stories align. It’s cool stuff and the sort of thing that Brubaker and Phillips are kings at. Plus, Elizabeth Breitweiser. Holy cow. He’d read this comic just for her gorgeous colors. Everything about Kill or Be Killed is great; everything about it keeps us hungry for more.

That’s it for us. What’s on your pull list this week? Share it with us in the comments below!

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THE COMPLETE LIST

(via PreviewsWorld.com)

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The World of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Was Recreated in MINECRAFT and It Looks Spectacular

You may not know Alan Becker, but if you were on the internet in 2006, you’re familiar with his work, since he created that viral “Animator vs. Animation” video that made the rounds back in the day. He’s kept busy since then, though, and his latest project is a beauty: He, along with a large team of builders, have recreated the world of the Studio Ghibli anime classic My Neighbor Totoro in Minecraft.

Above is a trailer for the project, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Key locations from the film, from the sprawling green landscapes to Totoro’s giant camphor tree to the iconic bus stop, are all rendered in pixellated glory, and the video overlays scenes from the movie to really demonstrate how faithful and beautiful the recreation really is.

As fantastic as this is, it turns out that this is just part of a far more ambitious endeavor: “The Ghibli World Project,” which as the title suggests, aims to re-create the settings from several other Ghibli movies in Minecraft as part of a larger universe. The project received some attention back in 2014 when progress shots from the Spirited Away portion of the world were posted on Reddit, and the project’s website has plenty of information about it. The site also reveals that while much has already been done, there’s still plenty left to do.

Watch the video above, check out the website to keep track of their progress, and appreciate what skilled fans of a beautiful work of art can accomplish.

Featured Image: Alan Becker