Dread

It's coming... Right at the top of my most anticipated of the year list:

Terror Train (2022): oh lordy....review forthcoming Features: 3 Shorts: Documentaries: Rewatches:

Jumping back onto Star Trek: Lower Decks. This show is really fun and it helps to think (as my friend puts it) of it as the animated cartoon show that they watch in the ST Universe to unwind.

Three Pines ended on a note I wasn't expecting. Be interesting to see if there will be a season 2.

Future State Nightwing #2: fine Future State Shazam! #2: also fine Future State Superman Worlds Of War #2: really fun. Dig the Midnighter backup GI Joe Castle Fall: really fun oneshot. Future State The Next Batman #4: this is solid. Haha #2: I don't think I need this series Hollow Heart #1: wow. Loved this. Iron Man #6: This feels like something far better than the character has been written, maybe ever? It's really good. Weird premise (Iron Man and Hellcat take on Korvac-ish) but just feels like grand storytelling. King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #2: cool stories. Good stuff. King in Black #4: Holy fuck. This is a really good event. One of the better events of the last twenty years. I know I'm a year late on this, but whatever. It's all made me want to go back and read those Carnage issues from way back. @Missyand I reviewed one of them back in the day. Is there a solid collection that has a giant chunk of that stuff? MODOK Head Games #3: really dumb and good at the same time. I will never like Gwenpool. Ever. But other elements of this are pretty good. Marvel #5: some good stories here. Miskatonic #4: good shit. I think the next issue is the last. Issues: 13 Trades: Omnibus: Graphic Novel:

After episode 800, I wanted to finish Ash Vs Evil Dead, so in the last two days, I watched the last two episodes of season 2 to remind myself and then all ten episodes of season 3. Good shit. Great sendoff for Ash as a character.

Let's gooooooo! Glass Onion: Started this movie in 2022 and finished it this morning. It can't hold a candle to Knives Out. That movie also had a great cast doing very broad depictions of caricatures, but that movie had a good script. The least best part of KO for me was Benoit Blanc. And he is awful in this movie. Just the broadest "Ah do declare" bullshit accent. Terrible. Lou: pretty simple plot with a decent reversal. Great cast. Janney, Smollett and Marshall-Green are all great. Filmed very close to my house. Features: 2 Shorts: Documentaries: Rewatches:

Last Seen Alive: terrible last movie of the year. To think I could have watched The Northman instead. This is The Vanishing meets Taken except no one knows how to build suspense, or write a coherent script, or have a plot that anyone with a working brain would say doesn't make sense. Mr. Harrigan's Phone: a movie I definitely watched this year that I enjoyed more than Black Phone, but I didn't log it. I think this is my final count. At least as final as it will get. Features: 126 Shorts: 8 Documentaries: 14 Rewatches: 4

Uh oh I've kept no record of movies watched for two weeks. shit. Gonna try and update this now: Labyrinth: one of Stacy's favourites, and since I bought her a Ludo figure for Christmas we watched it. I haven't seen it since it first came out, so I remembered very little. There was an early fear from this movie in the scene with the old lady with all her stuff on her back starts loading Jennifer Connelly up with her own stuff really fucked me up as a kid. Watching it now, I was kind of blown away how the movie doesn't really make an effort to emphasize the terror of that in any way. All in my head. This was good. The musical numbers were, as the kids say, cringe. Hellraiser: I'm, not even sure about this yet. Watched it last night. X: I loved this. Mia Goth is amazing. I'm making every effort to see Pearl before the year is out. Tonight, probably. Four Christmases: this movie is so good in the beginning (the first two christmases) and then it just dives into suck. Better Watch Out: this was a lot of fun. Duane has been telling me to watch this for years and now I did. Good shit. Slayers: review forthcoming Guns of Eden: I've watched this movie THREE times this year and never logged it. I'm sure there's more. Pearl: the hype is real More: Run Sweetheart Run: wanted to get to this. It's awesome. I just watched it for shits and giggles,, but may review it on the podcast. Would still be blown away had I not just watched... Glorious: review forthcoming. V/H/S/99: review forthcoming Features: 124 Shorts: 8 Documentaries: 14 Rewatches: 4

Now that The Voice is over I have to complain that a guy who shouldn't have made the top ten won the whole damn thing. America is really not good at voting for things.

My comment was actually about the woman who is her significant other in the movie.

Post Americana #2: this is just kind of crazy and fun. It isn't knocking me out, but I dig it. Savage Avengers #17: this fucking rules. Next issue, we're bringing back the symbiotic sword for Conan. Something is Killing the Children #14: still rules Vampirella: The Dark Powers #2: still not great. X-Men #17: this was extra rough. Other than the Portacio Uncanny era costumes (Scott and Jean in their X-Factor Costumes and Storm with lots of flowing fabric and her hair in a pony tail), this is a total loss. The story never really gets going and the art makes it look like people are falling forward rather than walking with some wonky-ass anatomy. Future State Harley Quinn #2: this was fine Future State Swamp Thing #2: also fine Future State Superman of Metropolis #2: again...fine. Deep Beyond #1: This premise is right up my alley, but this was so not good, I'm not bothering with a second issue. Chained to the Grave #1: see above DIE!Namite Valentine' Special: Our Bloody Valentine: this was fun as fuck Fire Power #8: still great. Fear Case #1: super intrigued. Future State The Flash #2: wild ending. I enjoyed this. Future State The Next Batman #3: Am I an idiot for not knowing who Batman is? Hellblazer Rise and Fall Book Three: this whole series was a delight. Fucking Darick Robertson making Tom Taylor look like Garth Ennis in his PRIME right here. Fucking good. King in Black: Black Knight #1: goes a little goofy a couple times, but I enjoyed it overall. I appreciate this pushing of Black Knight in advance (?) of the Eternals movie. King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #2: this was fine King in Black Marauders #1: also fine. I don't really get it, but that's because I skipped some X-Men. Man-Bat #1: I LOVE Man-Bat in Justice League Dark. I almost didn't finish this. Luna #1: I'm intrigued. Maniac of New York #1: well, there is one of my works in progress, I should probably drop. Sea of Sorrows #3: every issue of this series is the exact same thing. Red Atlantis #4: this was kind of a dry fart. Rorschach #5: pretty good, but it's getting a little aimless. Red Sonja Valentine's special: no thanks. Scarenthood #4: again, not the best. Taskmaster #3: this was really fun. I love the labelling of the moves he's using like (That time Captain America threw me out a window, or whatever) The Vain #5: nahhhh Wolverine Black White and Blood #3: again, this is pretty great. Bliss #5: Yeah, I think I'm out. Casual Fling #1: Weird. I'll do one more. E-Ratic #3: I think I'm done. Black Hammer Vissions #1: This was good. Patton Oswalt wrote it, and it was fantastic. Barbalien Red Planet #4: Goddamn. Heavy shit. DIE!namite #5: this is stupid fun. Future State Catwoman #2: This one was pretty innocuous Future State Immortal Wonder Woman #2: What the fuck? Wonder Woman and Spectre are the only two people left alive in the universe and so she uses her lasso to make him commit suicide? Again...What the fuck? Also, Nubia gets fascist in the backup. Yikes. Shock Shop #1-4: Cullen Bunn's anthology series. Good shit. Le Manoir: IN the past two years, Josh Simmons has gone from someone I had no idea existed to my favourite cartoonist. This is a French publisher's release of a book published previously by Fantagraphics called The Mansion. Le Manoir means The Mansion. It doesn't matter why because it's a silent comic. A twisted descent into nothingness. So nihilistic. Haha! Speaking of... Dream of the Bat: Mansion Press (hmmm....) also published this compendium of all of Josh Simmons' Batcomics. They're sort of a raunchy, wild and brutally nihilistic look at Batman. Also some homoeroticism with the Joker....the pinups push it past homoeroticism...haha!Wild, funny and weird shit. Not for everyone, but I love it. I'll count this as a trade paperback, I guess. Issues: 619 Trades: 8 Omnibus: 15 Graphic Novel: 10

Yeah she was a little dopey and miserable and confused for my liking. Especially with Aubrey RIGHT THERE.

Happiest Season: the cast of this is definitely "women I tried to express interest in in high school to no avail" and the fact that more than half of them are playing lesbians is not lost on me. Features: 113 Shorts: 8 Documentaries: 14 Rewatches: 2

I finished the Marvel Anime: X-Men series, and they did an unfortunate thing with the plot... There are a couple made for the series henchman villains that were pretty cool though.

Man, when he showed up and kicked the Power Rangers' collective asses, that was good TV. RIP

Cheers! Once this Starz channel trial is up, I'll go for that next. Haha!

I was trying to find Young Justice to catch up on it, but I guess it isn't on Netflix anymore. Anyway, I stumbled across the Marvel Anime: X-Men series that is leaving Netflix on December 15, and I'm four episodes in. It isn't bad. It's a little weird. The team is pretty barebones (Cyclops, Beast, Storm and Wolverine) and picks up directly after the death of the Phoenix. The team wears basically the Morrison/Quitely New X-Men outfits. Could definitely use a villain or two injected into the story, but maybe that's where the next 7 episodes are heading. I'll check more out. There's a Wolverine series on Netflix too. I finished Cabinet of Curiousities and the last two episodes are pretty much the best the series has to offer. Really good stories, very different approaches. Good mix of the kinds of horror. It isn't stuck to a Creepshow vibe (even though it touches on it a few times). Quite varied overall. And while this might be an insensitive nitpick, the only problem I have with the show is Del Toro's introductions. The Netfux sound mixing combined with his accent and nasal quality to his voice makes it nigh-impenetrable. I also picked season 2 of Doom Patrol back up and it isn't lighting me on fire.

Savage Avengers #7-16: Just wanted to take a crack at catching up. This is a great series. King in Black Return of the Valkyries #1: this was ok. Probably the worst of the KIB tie-ins I've read. Still not bad. MODOK Head Games #2: this is ridiculous and fun. I like the team-up with Iron Man. Symbiote Spider-Man King in Black #3: great! Chris Claremont Anniversary Special #1: woof. This is awful. E-Ratic #2: this blew open. Really good. Future State Dark Detective #1: we really don't need this after the other Bat-books I've read in this line. Future State Justice League #1: really not good. I think maybe I hate any of these that feature this new Wonder Woman for some reason. Haha! Future State Green Lantern #1: wow...this reads like a really good Green Lantern Quarterly from the 90s. Tom Raney art *chef kiss* Knock 'Em Dead #2: what a sad turn for the second issue. Loved the first. This one was barely readable. Scouts Honor #1: Not my bag. Future State Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1: not worth the time reading it. Future State Robin Eternal #1: slightly interested. Future State Superman/Wonder Woman #1: yeah, no. Future State Teen Titans #1: This was OK. I guess it's not part of the Batman books continuity, but I'm glad. This is the most straight forward of these. Just basically a "five years later" story featuring the original Titans and some new ones. Not bad, but not really good either. I'll read the second one. Haha #1: This wowed me. Home Sick Pilots #2: Good issue. I need to see something excellent next issue though. King in Black Thunderbolts #1: this was fun. Not sure why they are making the team go without masks. King in Black Planet of the Symbiotes #1: this was also fun. King in Black Gwenpool vs Carnage #1: hell to the no Red Atlantis #3: cool. Red Sonja/The Super Powers #1: yeah, pass. SWORD #2:oof. This is not good. I'm out. Neverwhere: this is Richard Corben's first Den graphic novel. I reread it just to be immersed in his weird world again. It's beautifully done. But extremely horny without any actual sex. The Cimmerian - The Frost Giant's Daughter #1: awesome. Great adaptation thus far. The Union #2: decent Barbalien Red Planet #3: this is still really good. Crimson Flower #1: can't get over the art. Future State Catwoman #1: not great. Future State Immortal Wonder Woman #1: this wasn't great, but it's better than the other WW. Nubia is too. Is this her first appearance? Future State Nightwing #1: not the hugest fan of the art, but I dig it enough. Future State Shazam #1: whoa! wild. Future State The Next Batman #2: ok, this is getting good. The Odd Comic World of Richard Corben: this is the 1977 collection of a bunch of stuff he did in the 70s, turned into an anthology. Some really good stuff. Some goofy stuff. The man was a legend. Future State Superman World of War #1: this is kind of intriguing. I Breathed a Body #1: weird, but I'll do one more King in Black #3: still really good Maestro War and Pax #1: ok, this is nuts. Miskatonic #3: kind of losing its steam for me Rain Like Hammers #1: not for me Rorschach #4: this is crazy Space Bastards #1: I didn't expect to like this, but I really do. Batman Black and White #2: nowhere near as good as the first issue Colonel Weird Cosmogog #4: this miniseries was really good DIE!namite #4: still very fun Future State Batman/Superman #1: still in the Gotham continuity, but at the beginning of the takeover. Pretty decent. Future State Aquaman #1: this was pretty good. Future State Legion of Superheroes #1: kind of hard to read. Wordy and chaotic. Then I see at the end that it's written by Bendis. Ha! Future State Dark Detective #2: this was cool. Future State Superman vs Imperious Lex #1: this was wild and fun. Steve Pugh's art is fantastic. Future State Suicide Squad #1: this was the shit. Both stories. Really good. King in Black Namor #3: this is only tangentially related to the event, but it is a really good early years Namor story. Marvel #4: this was fine. The western Ghost Rider story was delightful, but everything else is too goofy. Issues: 577 Trades: 7 Omnibus: 15 Graphic Novel: 9

Black Adam: finally saw it, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. Some weird stuff like the anachronistic dialogue from The Rock (they don't even try to make him seem out of place) and the Justice Society coming out of nowhere introducing four new characters who are an established force in the DCCU. Still, the action was incredible. The powers looked amazing. I liked Cyclone which I've never done in the comics. And, Sarah Shahi. Overall, pretty good. Army of Darkness: fuck this movie is fun. I'm going to try and watch the extended cut before I have to record. Evil Dead: the remake. Oculus: review forthcoming Willow: it's one of Stacy's favourite movies and I needed a refresher before the show as I hadn't seen it since it first came out. This is a pretty sharp film that has some funny moments and some good action moments. That damned baby has the most expressive face of any baby I've ever seen. It looks small, which I don't remember. It has a similar look and feel to The Sword and the Sorcerer and Beastmaster. I didn't expect that from a Ron Howard/George Lucas joint. The Sound of Scars: documentary on the wild story of the band Life of Agony. It gets into everything that you want to hear about. I'll talk about it more on the podcast. Features: 112 Shorts: 8 Documentaries: 14 Rewatches: 2

I only thought I finished Tales of the Territories, but I just watched two new episodes. The Polynesian Pro Wrestling episode is really great, akin to Stampede. While the Portland Wrestling episode isn't as good, it has a lot of early Roddy Piper footage. I signed up for a Starz channel trial to watch some movies for an upcoming episode, but also managd to start and finish Heels. It's Steven Amell's wrestling show and it's pretty frigging good. Although, they basically kill the town every episode which doesn't seem sustainable since they never leave the town. I'm caught up on Stargirl and waiting for new episodes. Same with Titans which I guess isn't coming out in Canada until it's all done. On season two of Reservation Dogs which is really beautifully written and well-acted, and makes me laugh out loud at least once an episode. The spirit guide is fucking hilarious. Favourite TV character of the year.

Crossover #2:this is just really wild and again...Donny Cates. Home Sick Pilots #1: I'm not entirely convinced but I like the storytelling, so I'll go one more. King in Black Namor #1: this is a young Namor story and I am here for it. Locke & Key/Sandman: Hell & Gone #1: No. I'm good. Piecemeal: cool little horror sci fi one shot. Red Sonja Price of Blood #1: not liking this one. Scarenthood #2: tonally this is losing me. SWORD #1: did not light me on fire. Superman Endless Winter Special #1: also not great. The Cimmerian The Frost-Giant's Daughter #1: Holy shit. Beautiful. This is a winner from these "Conan is Public Domain in Europe and we can sell comics as long as we don't put the name Conan on the cover" books. Vampirella The Dark Powers #1: ehh...I'll go one more. DIE!namite #3: really fun. Iron Man #4: this is surprisingly good. King in Black The Immortal Hulk #1: fun little reminder of how good that series was. Miskatonic #2: this is turning out really good Post Americana #1: wow. This was fucking nuts. Steve Skroce is back y'all! Barbalien Red Planet #2: This is still really good. Rorschach #3: great issue Symbiote Spider-Man King in Black #2: this is fun. Taskmaster #2: fucking great issue Teen Titans Endless Winter #1:mediocre is the name of the game with this crossover Wolverine Black White and Blood #2: another good issue. Only one bad story. Black Adam Endless Winter #1: same as the TT issue Justice League Dark #29: this is a tie-in to Endless Winter, but - in JLD fashion - it is way better. Maestro #5: ok. That's exactly what it is. King in Black #2: cool. King-Size Conan #1: another anthology issue, this time, I think you could argue that every story was pretty good. Marvel #3: this was awful. Sea of Sorrows #2: i should drop it, but maybe one more. Scarenthood #3: I'm only reading one more because it is the last one. Something is Killing the Children #13: Still fucking great. The Picture of Everything Else #1: I really thought this was going one way, but it went a little bit differently of a way. It didn't blow me away, but I'll read another. U.S. Agent #2: Priest on US Agent sounds like a slam dunk But the story doesn't feel like it's left the ground yet. And this art is not food in any way. Colonel Weird: Cosmagog #3: fucking weird and great. Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance #1: this was awful. I Walk with Monsters #2: this is a slow burn but I'm kind of digging it. Justice League Endless Winter #2: pretty mediocre DC event. Felt very early aughts. King in Black Iron Man & Doctor Doom #1: Iron Man and Doctor Doom battle a symbiote infected Santa Claus. Yes. You read that right. It's pretty funny. I don't like Doctor Doom being used for comedy, but in the past few weeks I've read this and an issue where Doom fights Spider-Man and the Thing for a cannoli. I liked them both. King in Black Namor #2: i don't really get how this is a tie-in as it takes place when Namor was a kid which is like 100 years ago. It's good though. Lost Soldiers #5: this didn't hold together so well. X-Men #16: this was good. I enjoy reading things I can understand. Crossover #3: fucking great. Batman annual #18: another for my patreon podcast Eternals #1: well, look at that! Someone did Eternals right! Kudos to Kieron Gillen. And the Esad Ribic art is gorgeous. Future State Harley Quinn #1: ok, so Harley is Hannibal Lectering for the authority that has taken over Batman to hunt down other Batman Rogues Firepower #7: great issue. The kids are getting kind of annoying. Future State Swamp Thing #1: this is where I realized this Future State thing is more like the 1994 Elseworlds Annual event which I'm working through right now. Future State Superman of Metropolis #1: this was probably the second to the bottom of the list of these. Dull. But interesting ideas. Future State Flash #1: this was quite good. Future State The Next Batman #1: ok, so this one is tied in with Harley, so considering the Gotham series starts and lasts a long time, I'm guessing all the Batman stuff is contained. Future State Wonder Woman #1: So she's a girl...in the Amazon basin? This is the worst of them. It's the only one I won't be reading the second issue of. Generations Shattered #1: this was excellent. Really impressive fluidity considering there's like thirty artists on this book. Felt exciting. Zero Hour/Avengers Forever. Interesting. Iron Man #5: this is still great. House of El: Book One: hard pass. Issues: 517 Trades: 7 Omnibus: 15 Graphic Novel: 7

Totally. I didn't know that Pacheco was even sick. That guy really knew how to draw superheroes. Like, close to Alan Davis level talent.

Evil Dead II/Corrective Measures/Santo in the Treasure of Dracula/Santo Vs The Riders of Terror: all to be covered on the podcast soon. Blue Demon: Death Night/Lux Aeterna: reviews forthcoming Santo: Fist of Death/Santo in The Vengeance of the Mummy/Hellbaby/To All a Good Night: podcast fodder This is Gwar: tick this in the rewatch column. Also for the podcast. The Girl on the Train: this is so convoluted. skip it. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent: this was an absolute blast. Features: 107 Shorts: 8 Documentaries: 13 Rewatches: 2

Fair. My theatre is also about five minutes away but is way more expensive than that and has only one screen. I have been able to see a few movies there this year (Nope, Black Phone) but the next closest theatre is over an hours drive away, so my policy has been wait for streaming for a while. In Canada, at least how I understand it, is you need either the Roku box or a Roku TV to use it. And that I won't be doing. Also, if I'm using a streamer that has ads, it's going to be Tubi thanks to all the beautiful trash they have.