Investigate “Kong: Skull Island” with Google Maps

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Denise

Y’know, as much as I dig kaiju, I’d rather see ’em on the big screen than up close and personal-like.  So when I saw that Google was teaming up with Kong: Skull Island?  This sounded like a perfect pairing.  Wanna look around, from the comfort (AND SAFETY) of your own home?  Yeah baby, yeah you do.

A mysterious and otherworldly island, thought to be myth, was just revealed on Google Maps to celebrate the premiere of Kong: Skull Island and Local Guides get the first chance to explore this uncharted virtual world. On this rare occasion, you can even leave fantasy reviews.

Maybe start with “Beware of apes?”

Explore Skull Island

Click on the photos at the bottom of Maps, and have a look.  Personally? I’m really digging this. And checking out new pics and reviews is a hoot.  Enjoy!

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza: “Power Rangers”!

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Denise

It’s morphin’ time y’all!  Because I’ve got passes for the Baltimore screening of Saban’s Power Rangers! Yeah baby.  Let’s go-go!  Synopsis!

SABAN’S POWER RANGERS follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove — and the world — is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it’s too late, band together as the Power Rangers.

I’ve been digging the trailer, as well as the peeks of Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa… Ready to suit up?  Let’s go! Continue reading →

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Con News: Baltimore Comic-Con is throwing a FREE “Spring Fling”!

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Denise

Baltimore Comic Con Spring FlingAs “a thank you to our fans”, the Baltimore Comic-Con is coming our way in April for a mini-gathering o’ awesome. They’ll be rockin’ it old school with a real comic-book gathering! And they’ve got some great guests stopping by as well, including Frank Cho, Mark Morales, Brandon Peterson, Steve Conley, and John Gallagher. 411, stat!

When: Sunday April 9. 10-5
Where: BWI Airport Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum, MD 20190
How much: FREE!

Read on for all the deets!

Baltimore Comic-Con Throws a Spring Fling
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – March 3, 2017 – The Baltimore Comic-Con will be back again this year in the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center on September 22-24, 2017, but as a special thank you to our fans, we’re throwing a Spring Fling.
What is a Spring Fling? If you were with us for our first show back in 2000, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect. This will be a good old fashioned comic book show: rows and rows of comic book dealers from 6-8 states around the country with comics and collectibles from the ancient to the very modern…and we’re bringing in a few guests as well!
Frank Cho photo
Totally Awesome Hulk by Frank Cho
Harvey and Eisner award nominee Frank Cho launched his career as a comic strip artist at the University of Maryland-College Park student newspaper, penning University2, which was the predecessor of his creator-owned syndicated strip and comic series, Liberty Meadows. His body of work also includes Marvel Comics’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Shanna the She-Devil, New Ultimates, and X-Men: Schism, as well as Jungle Girl for Dynamite Entertainment. His recent work can be seen in BOOM! Studios’ Skybourne, and on covers from DC Comics’ Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman.
Steve Conley photo
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers by Steve Conley
Long-time friend of the show, Harvey and Eisner Award nominee, and guest since our inception in 2000 (!), artist and writer Steve Conley has contributed to numerous comic titles, both printed and on-line. His Astounding Space Thrills was self-published, published by Image Comics, and collected as a trade paperback by IDW. He has been featured in titles such as JLA-Z from DC Comics, Star Trek: Year Four from IDW, and Michael Chabon’s Amazing Adventures of the Escapist from Dark Horse Comics. His creator-owned Bloop, is available through his online store in print or soft copy editions, and you can read his webcomic, The Middle Age, on his website.
John Gallagher photo
Buzzboy Go Digital Monster Mayhem by John Gallagher
John Gallagher is the award-winning artist and writer of graphic novels Buzzboy and Roboy Red (with Rich Faber). John teamed with sons Jack and Will to create a kids book, E.P.I.C. Bros., about two kids whose superhero dad is always out saving the world, and they pass the time using his gizmos for lovable mayhem. Jack and Will follow in the footsteps of big sister Katie, who teamed with her dad to create Zoey and Ketchup. John’s Buzzboy is back from American Mythology Productions in Buzzboy Go Digital Monster Mayhem, where he has also contributed to the recently relaunched Casper the Friendly Ghost and The Inspector. When not creating comics, John is executive director of Kids Love Comics (kidslovecomics.net) and works as art director for Ranger Rick magazine.
Mark Morales photo
Justice League vs. Suicide Squad by Mark Morales
Mark Morales has established himself as one of the industry’s go-to inkers for major titles and events for the big publishers. He has inked a vast number of titles at Marvel Comics including, among many others, A+X, Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers vs. X-Men, New Avengers, Secret Invasion, Sentry, Siege, Thor, Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, X-Force, and X-Men. He has also done work for DC Comics on titles like Action Comics, Batman/Superman, JLA, New Suicide Squad, Prez, and Superman: The Man of Steel. He was also awarded the Harvey Award for Best Inker in 2009 and 2011.
Brandon Peterson photo
Trinity by Brandon Peterson
Brandon Peterson has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years, working primarily as a penciller and inker, but often as a colorist, writer, editor, and art director. He has done a great deal of work at Marvel Comics, as the artist on books like AvX, Avengers, The Ultimates, Ultimate Vision, Ultimate Extinction, Ultimate X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men. Brandon was also VP of Special Projects and Art Director of the now-defunct CrossGen Comics, where he created titles like Mystic and Chimera. He is also a veteran of Top Cow Productions, having worked on Codename: Strykeforce, Cyberforce, Ripclaw, Medieval Spawn/Witchblade, and his own book, Arcanum. His work is recently featured on IDW’s Revolution Heroes and DC Comics’ Trinity.
So here are the details:
When: Sunday April 9. 10-5
Where: BWI Airport Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum, MD 20190
How much: FREE!
Free?!? Yes, free! The Baltimore Comic-Con Spring Fling is a thank-you to our fans for helping us grow and making our show into the institution it has become. This one’s just for the fun of it, and we hope we’ll see you there!

Want to join us in September for the main event? Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com for more information on the Baltimore Comic-Con and www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ to purchase your advanced tickets!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:

promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com – for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications

registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com – for inquiries about submitted registrations

general@baltimorecomiccon.com– for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con

The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 18th year of bringing the comic book industry to the mid-Atlantic area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
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“Logan”: a fitting swan song for Jackman’s Wolverine

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Denise

logan-posterNutshell: A fitting goodbye to Jackman’s Wolverine, as well as an amazing introduction to Laura “X-23” Kinney. Logan gives you everything you want in a big-screen re-imagining of the “Old Man Logan” story…and while everything means the film goes on a bit longer than necessary, it’s impossible to look away from such a talented group of actors telling such a compelling tale. Grade: A-

“I’m a fan.”

Story: Once upon a time in 2029, Wolverine (now going by  Logan) is starting to weaken and age due to adamantium poisoning.  Charles Xavier (aka “Professor X”) is suffering from a form of Alzheimer’s, making him not only dangerous, but a beacon to those who would destroy what remaining mutants are still alive.  When a woman comes to Logan asking for help for her daughter Laura, Logan’s tenuous grip on sanctuary goes from bad to worse. But damn if Laura doesn’t remind him of someone… *snik* Continue reading →

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Book Review: Ezekiel Boone, Skitter

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Denise

skitter cover
Nutshell: Boone proves there’s nothing to the notion of a “sophomore slump” if you’ve got a great writer and a kick-ass story.  Skitter is just as much gruesome, “GET IT OFF ME” fun as The Hatching was, but this time the stakes are even higher…  Sit back, dig in, and be prepared to read this in one sitting.  It’s that good.   Grade: A

Book Basics
Stand-alone or series: The second book in The Hatching series.
Target audience: Post-apocalyptic genre fans who aren’t afraid of webs. Or who can get over their fear for some seriously good, creepy fun.
Publication 411: hit shelves May 2nd, 2017. (Atria/Emily Bestler Books)

“I might be off on the numbers. You have to understand, they’re not leaving one in five people alone, … One in five people survived, which isn’t the same thing.”

The bugs are back, baby!  Oh fine; spiders are actually arachnids (#invertnerd) but I couldn’t pass up an alliteration.  Boone is back with the second installment of this amazing series, and you need to read this book.  You really, really do.

Why?  Because it’s good.  Boone delivers an action-driven story, but there’s no disturbance to his narrative flow when he takes side-routes or shifts perspective.  In Skitter, the world tries to sift through the wreckage of what happened when these spiders unleashed hell.  But hidden here and there, there are little time-bombs all over the world, waiting to go off. And a few really big, glowing ones as well.  That can’t be good, can it?  No, no it can’t.  Continue reading →

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – “Kong: Skull Island”!

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Denise

kong-skull-island-onesheetWhere my kaiju fans at?  Where my monkey fans at?  And most importantly, WHERE MY MONKEY KAIJU FANS AT? Because I’ve got passes to Kong: Skull Island! (Yes, I’m fully aware that Kong is actually a Great Ape, not a monkey.  Roll with me on this.)

Synopsis!

The producers of Godzilla reimagine the origins of one the most powerful monster myths of all in “Kong: Skull Island.”  This compelling, original adventure tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful.  Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature.  As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

The trailer is epic, so I’m hoping the entire film will be just as awesome.  Let’s go! Continue reading →

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Catching Up Review: “Hacksaw Ridge”

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Denise

hacksaw-ridgeBloody, bloody, bloody.  And bloody good.  See what I did there?  FINE.  But if you can stomach the copious amounts of gruesome battle FX (apparently director Gibson loves slinging blood onscreen.  See: The Passion of the Christ) you’ll find an incredible story of heroism.

Garfield deserves his Oscar nom here, and many other actors do similarly outstanding work.  As Sgt. Howell, Vince Vaughn found the roll he was born to play.  And it’s always a good thing when Hugo Waving and Rachel Griffiths (as Hal’s parents Tom and Bertha Doss) hit the screen.

Kudos to director of photography Simon Duggan for giving this film just the right look and feel, from the sweet 1940s love story at the beginning to the grueling, smoke-filled battlegrounds of the Ridge. Don’t get up when the story ends; there’s lots of real-life footage and interview clips with some of the soldiers.You’ll want to stick around for that.

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Catching Up Review: “Fences”

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Denise

fences-posterAs with Manchester, this movie-based-on-a-play is a slice of life story starring actors that nabbed Tony Awards for these same performances on Broadway.  And deservedly so.  Washington and Davis are incredible here, as is the entire cast who bring the African American experience in 1950s Pittsburgh to life.  Getting to see the amazing Russell Hornsby (Grimm) as well as the incredible Stephen Henderson (who’s also in Manchester; yet another connection between these two incredible films.)

Expect to laugh, cry, and get really mad sometimes.  But ultimately this film does story should do; provides hope.

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Catching Up Review: “Manchester By the Sea”

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Denise

manchester_by_the_seaLet me make two things perfectly clear:

1) this is not a feel-good film.  This is a film that grabs you by the lapel, glares in your face, and makes you cry. And I couldn’t look away, even when the story was so heartbreaking that’s all my soul wanted to do.

2) this is amazingly well acted film, and while the story about a broken man who has to go back home after his brother’s death isn’t “fun” to watch, it’s amazing cinema.

Bring Kleenex.  Don’t be surprised if, every so often, you find yourself laughing at the deadpan, sometimes bleak, humor.  A beautiful, rough, slice-of-life story, well acted and directed.

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Elsewhere Review – Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter’s Vampira and Her Daughters: Women Horror Movie Hosts from the 1950s into the Internet Era

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Denise

Read the original piece RIGHT HERE at The Green Man Review!

vampiraWell hello there, boys and ghouls!  Devilishly delightful weather we’re having, wouldn’t you say?  Time to curl up with something scary, lie on your bed of needles, and while the day away until the sun sets and things really get going, am I right?  And who better to curl up with than a superbly strange horror host?  While many people can think of famous male hosts, like Svengoolie, Joe Bob Briggs, Count Gore De Vol and Zacherley, there are plenty of wicked women who’ve taken up the mantel as well.  And with Cotter’s Vampira, these ghastly gals get their due.

Cotter digs deep into the history of the horror host, and uncovers a wealth of knowledge about these hidden stars. From classic hosts like Elvira, Moona Lisa, and of course Vampira herself, to YouTube and web-hosts like Miss Misery Rosxy Tyler and Penny Dreadful (who pens a glorious intro to this book, by-the-by), Cotter assembles female horror hosts from sexy to scary, with everything in between. And he does a bloody great job with it.
Continue reading →

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