#tim sniegoski

[geekcavepodcast]

Dynamite Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery Partner on New Comic Franchises

Dynamite Entertainment has announced a new slate of comic book franchises coming out of its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. New comics include Ben 10, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Thundarr the Barbarian, The Herculoids, and Dynomutt & Blue Falcon.

Tim Sniegoski is already attached to write The Herculoids comic, from the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Other creative teams and story details will be announced at later dates.

(Image from Hanna-Barbera's The Herculoids)

[fictionz]

New Fiction 2024 - September

"The Cold Embrace" by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1860)

To ghost, to suffer, to feel her hands.

"The Love Letter" by Jack Finney (1959)

We should be so lucky to have even a single letter to our name.

"Doggy-Dog World" by Hilary Leichter (2020)

We are what we want what we are what we want.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (2018)

Not the horror story I expected, but rather a darkly comedic look at Nigerian society, and really society at large and the expectations and privileges we are afforded. The narrator had a particular approach to life that will click with anyone who can't let that mote of dust rest in peace.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata & trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori (2016)

We should all be so lucky as to find our own convenience store.

Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time by James Gurney (1992)

Dinosaurs and humans create a wondrous socialist utopia, accompanied by gorgeous art. Also some pleistocene mammals for good measure.

Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)

The Austrian countryside is a gothic teenage wasteland.

Dead Space by Kali Wallace (2021)

You solve A.I. crimes, what do you get? A prosthetic shoulder and deeper in debt.

Allegiance in Exile by David R. George III (2013)

Allegiance in Exile is a bit scattered in the plot but they have a really cool and subtle reveal near the end. It's also interesting to hang out with Kirk as the five-year mission comes to a close. Who are you, who am I, when the thing is done and the future awaits?

The Baby-sitter by R.L. Stine (1989)

Things move along predictably and then WHOA he really ratchets up the horror at the end, particularly for a book targeted at young teens. As the advertisement at the end of the book states, nobody scares 'em like R.L. Stine.

Be Afraid — Be Very Afraid! by R.L. Stine (1999)

Aw R.L., you had me going! It's a strange format at first, then it starts to get intriguing, but then the page count limit rears its head and the story wraps up way too blithely.

The Curse of the Creeping Coffin by R.L. Stine (1996)

Doesn't hit the same wacky highs as the previous entry, but the myriad ghost adventures won me over in the end.

"Under the Floorboards" by Emily Carroll (2012)

It's all fun and games until you and you can't work it out.

"Nightfall" by Bill DuBay & Bernie Wrightson (1977)

Who else would it be at this time of night?

"Monster War" by Joy Chin, Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, Vitor Ishimura, Scott Kester, Trroy Peteri (2005)

Lots of cooks in this kitchen, ingredients in this stew. The monster mash is more interesting than the IP side of the dish.

"The wind carries your last cry away" by avi (2024)

And at long last only the hills will know.

A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll (2023)

It doesn't matter if you see what you think you saw. It's there, waiting for you.

Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito (2018)

Read it for Frankenstein, stay for the strange tales of Oshikiri and his poorly secured house.

Frankenstein 2000 dev. Peter Fothergill (1985)

Only vaguely related to Frankenstein but such a creative collection of levels that it doesn't matter, they're still great.

Castle Frankenstein dev. Epic Software (1984)

Oh, sweet forgiving parser and high contrast colors. With those basics out of the way, this is a text adventure game that can actually be enjoyed.

The Crow dir. Rupert Sanders (2024)

The look of a crow but the heart of a checklist.

1992 dir. Ariel Vromen (2024)

Couldn't decide between the backdrop or the foreground.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dir. Tim Burton (2024)

Just hang in there for the finale.

The Front Room dir. Max Eggers & Sam Eggers (2024)

You're here for Kathryn Hunter.

Häxan dir. Benjamin Christensen (1922)

Now that's something. It presaged true crime television with live reenactments.

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning dir. Danny Steinmann (1985)

I guess you have to try and get away.

The Critic dir. Anand Tucker (2024)

Delightfully devilish, Sir Ian.

Paranormal Activity dir. Oren Peli (2007)

Whoa that's a slow simmer with a spicy kick.

Speak No Evil dir. James Watkins (2024)

I suppose, but the ending is lacking and we all know it.

The Killer's Game dir. J. J. Perry (2024)

I wish I could be there but I fell overboard early on.

Vampyr dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer (1932)

Not quite the classic vampirism I crave.

November dir. Rainer Sarnet (2017)

Listen, gardening tool servants possessed by demons.

Crimson Peak dir. Guillermo del Toro (2015)

Looks pretty!

Whiplash dir. Damien Chazelle (2014)

JK Simmons is too good at being the worst.

The Substance dir. Coralie Fargeat (2024)

I too made noises of discomfort for the duration.

Never Let Go dir. Alexandre Aja (2024)

On the edge of something, but never at the heart of it.

The Others dir. Alejandro Amenábar (2001)

A slow and perhaps predictable build to the sublime.

The Purge dir. James DeMonaco (2013)

We're not supposed to want more.

Wolfs dir. Jon Watts (2024)

The classic fun of assassination friends.

Bagman dir. Colm McCarthy (2024)

Just creepy enough to getcha.

Azrael dir. E.L. Katz (2024)

Needs a survival horror video game stat.

The Wild Robot dir. Chris Sanders (2024)

Gorgeous scenery and heartfelt robot moments my beloved.

Megalopolis dir. Francis Ford Coppola (2024)

Should I go and take a classics class again?

Rosemary's Baby dir. Roman Polanski (1968)

I waited for the twist and its arrival was so subtle that it made me stop and think about where I was.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers dir. Philip Kaufman (1978)

We lost something when we stopped employing the hushed and overlapping dialogue of the 70s. This remake is chock full of that and running scenes with with very audible footsteps. But it's also creepy as heck and surprisingly fleshy.

[bluepunkmon]

Book roundup for the second half of the year! In February. Yes.

These are books that I completed that I own - I finished some library books this year, but, forgot to write them down whoops. Leaving Ikea really took a chunk out of my reading times, as they gave us long breaks, and now that I'm working two part-time jobs, and trying to write more, reading time is scarcer.

So here's the rundown!

I read:

The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R.Tolkein

Kenny & the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi

Boldly Going Forward, a sci-fi furry anthology

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Simon Armitage

Why We Write, edited by Meredith Maran

Reese & Reeves by Krystine Brown

Books That Made the Difference, by Gordon and Patricia Sabine

Bone: Quest for the Spark, by Tom Sniegoski

Runebinder, by Alex R. Kahler (ok i didn't finish this one, i got halfway. I'm counting it)

I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

Writing in the Dark, by Tim Waggoner

Irkalla's Ascent from the Underworld, by Verse Atoui

An issue of Fireside Quarterly, a lit magazine from April 2019

Lore, a short story magazine from November 2012

And two books describing exhibits I've never actually seen

Lot of good stuff, this year I'm going to try harder to actually write down what I read, bc there was a lot of library books and I'm frustrated I can't remember all of them

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Legacy Edition Vol. 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Legacy Edition Vol. 4 preview. Set during the sixth season of the Buffy the Vampire television series, it's time for the tragic - and violent - pasts of Giles and Angel collide! #Comics #ComicBooks #Buffy

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Legacy Edition Vol. 4 Tom EnJoe, Jim Pascoe, Tom Fassbender, Christopher Golden, Tim Sniegoski, Jamie S. Rich, Chynna Clugston Flores (A) Cliff Richards, Christian Zanier, Eric Powell, Chynna Clugston Flores (CA) Nimit MalaviaIn Shops: Apr 28, 2021SRP: $29.99 Set during the sixth season of the Buffy the Vampire television series, it’s time for the tragic – and violent –…

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 287

May 2021 Solicits

Comics Reviews:

Young Hellboy 1 by Mike Mignola, Thomas Sniegoski, Craig Rousseau, Dave Stewart

Avatar: Toph Beifong's Metalbending Academy by Faith Erin Hicks, Peter Wartman, Adele Matera

Marvel Action: Origins 1 by Chris Eliopoulos, Lanna Souvanny

Aria: Heavenly Creatures by Brian Holguin, Jay Anacleto, Brian Haberlin, Drew Posada, Raymund Lee

Immortal Hulk: Flatline by Declan Shalvey

King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes 2 by Marc Bernardin, Kyle Hotz, Rachelle Rosenberg, Geoffrey Thorne, Jan Bazaldua

X-Men Legends 1 by Fabian Nicieza, Brett Booth, Adelso Corona, Guru eFX

Snow Angels 1 by Jeff Lemire, Jock

GI Joe Castle Fall by Paul Allor, Chris Evenhuis, Brittany Peer

Black Cotton 1 by Patrick Foreman, Brian Hawkins, Marco Perugini

Black Friday 1 by Jon Clark, Travis Williamson

Mapmaker 1 by Francesca Carita, Ben Slabak

By the Horns 1 by Markisan Naso, Jason Muhr

White Ash Presents: Glarien 1 by Charlie Stickney, Conor Hughes, Romina Moranelli, Yishan Li, Fin Cramb

Recount 1 and 2 by Jonathan Hedrick, Gabriel Ibarra Nunez

Hollow Heart 1 by Paul Allor, Paul Tucker

Savage 1 by Max Bemis, Nathan Stockman, Triona Farrell

Shadow Doctor 1 by Peter Calloway, Georges Jeanty, Juancho!

Father of All Things by Sebastian Girner, Baldemar Rivas

Not Forgotten Anthology by Jeff Leeds, Omar Morales, Joel Cotejar, Marco Maccagni, Paula Goulart

Forever Home GN by Jenna Ayoub

Girl Haven OGN by Lilah Sturges, Meaghan Carter, Joamette Gil

Additional Reviews: WandaVision ep7, Drowned Earth, Class Action Park, Cecil Hotel documentary, Surviving Joe Exotic documentary

News: DC buy-out madness, War of the Bounty Hunters (Star Wars crossover), Superman '78 and Batman '89 comics announced, Infinity Train renewal, Wednesday Addams: Teen Detective from Tim Burton, Constantine reboot from HBO Max, Die ending with #20, Spawnverse expansion, Supergirl cast for Flash movie, Netflix Marvel shows back to Marvel Studios, ATLA reboot catastrophe, DC teases, Falcon/Winter Soldier casting rumors, Department of Truth optioned as TV series, Palmiotti/Conner take over Red Sonja

Trailers: Cruella, Mortal Kombat, Invincible

Comics Countdown:

Girl Haven by Lilah Sturges, Meaghan Carter, Joamette Gil

Barbalien: Red Planet 4 by Jeff Lemire, Tate Brombal, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Jordie Bellaire

Snow Angels 1 by Jeff Lemire, Jock

Batman/Catwoman 3 by Tom King, Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey

Stillwater 6 by Chip Zdarsky, Ramon K Perez, Mike Spicer

Thor 12 by Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson

TMNT: The Last Ronin 2 by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Esau, Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, Samuel Plata, Luis Antonio Delgado

Haha 2 by W. Maxwell Prince, Zoe Thorogood, Chris O'Halloran

Once and Future 16 by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons 4 by Jody Houser, Jim Zub, Diego Galindo, Msassyk

Check out this episode!

[weirdletter]

Hark! The Herald Angels Scream, edited by Christopher Golden, Anchor Books, 2018. Cover art by Vicente Segrelles, info: penguinrandomhouse.com.

Eighteen stories of Christmas horror from bestselling, acclaimed authors including Scott Smith, Seanan McGuire, Josh Malerman, Michael Koryta, Sarah Pinborough, and many more. That there is darkness at the heart of the Yuletide season should not surprise. Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is filled with scenes that are unsettling. Marley untying the bandage that holds his jaws together. The hideous children–Want and Ignorance–beneath the robe of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The heavy ledgers Marley drags by his chains. In the finest versions of this story, the best parts are the terrifying parts. Bestselling author and editor Christopher Golden shares his love for Christmas horror stories with this anthology of all-new short fiction from some of the most talented and original writers of horror today.

Contents: Absinthe & Angels – Kelley Armstrong Christmas in Barcelona – Scott Smith Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow – Seanan McGuire Love Me – Thomas E. Sniegoski Not Just for Christmas – Sarah Lotz Tenets – Josh Malerman Good Deeds – Jeff Strand It’s a Wonderful Knife – Christopher Golden Mistletoe and Holly – James A. Moore Snake’s Tail – Sarah Langan The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel – Joe R. Lansdale Farrow Street – Elizabeth Hand Doctor Velocity: A Story of the Fire Zone – Jonathan Maberry Yankee Swap – John M. McIlveen Honor Thy Mother – Angela Slatter Home – Tim Lebbon Hiking Through – Michael Koryta The Hangman’s Bride – Sarah Pinborough

[kiwigreenflame]

It’s been a while since the Top 10 religion and comics installments, and I’ve been meaning to post a number of other comics that didn’t make it into that list but are still worth mentioning in passing. No commentary on these apart from the official blurbs. As always, YMMV reading these.

Testament

Creators: Douglas Rushkoff & Liam Sharp Publisher: Vertigo (DC Comics) Date: 2006-2008

From the imagination of best-selling author Douglas Rushkoff, one of the most iconoclastic and acclaimed minds of our era, comes a graphic novel series that exposes the “real” Bible as it was actually written, and reveals how its mythic tales are repeated today. Grad student Jake Stern leads an underground band of renegades that uses any means necessary to combat the frightening threats to freedom that permeate the world. They employ technology, alchemy, media hacking and mysticism to fight a modern threat that has its roots in ancient stories destined to recur in the modern age.

Chosen (American Jesus)

Creators: Mark Millar & Peter Gross Publisher: Image Comics Date: 2009

From the writer of the Universal hit, Wanted, comes his next graphic novel on the way to becoming a feature film! American Jesus Volume 1: Chosen follows a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly discovers he’s returned as Jesus Christ. He can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk, and, perhaps, even raise the dead! How will he deal with the destiny to lead the world in a conflict thousands of years in the making?

The 99

Creators: Naif Al-Mutawa Publisher: Teshkeel Comics Date: 2007-2014

Young heroes gain superhuman abilities when they bond with 99 powerful gemstones. These Noor Stones were forged from the destruction of ancient Baghdad to preserve the wisdom of the ages, and were lost for centuries, but they are being found, one-by-one…

Vampirella Strikes

Creators: Tom Sniegoski & Johnny D. Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Date: 2013

For years, the raven-haired heroine Vampirella has hunted the world’s supernatural threats, all the while fighting back her own bloodthirsty nature. After a night out in Boston leads to particularly brutal violence, she seeks comfort in her Brownstone home… but discovers the most unexpected surprise of all. Angels have been sent to her by God — and they come asking for help! Enter Janus, a former soldier in the legion of Heaven, who skirts the line between the damned and divine. Only a fallen angel can navigate Vampirella through the seedy, demon-run underworld, where she hopes to find the source of an addictive, body-altering drug derived from archangel blood. Will Vampirella’s mission redeem her… or will she uncover secrets so shocking that their discovery will damn her forever?

Loaded Bible: Jesus vs. Vampires

Creators: Tim Seeley, Nate Bellegarde & Mark Englert Publisher: Image Comics Date: 2006-2008

In the near future, nuclear Holy War has decimated North America and humanity’s last stronghold is the dome metropolis of New Vatican City. When vampires attack, the Church turns to a clone of Jesus Christ Himself to protect them! But all is not as it seems for the Test Tube Messiah, as he’s drawn into a web of betrayal, bloodshed, and seduction!

The Sisterhood

Creators: Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, Wellinton Alves, & Andrew Dalhouse. Publisher: Archaia (BOOM! Studies imprint) Date: 2008

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre is an elite group of specially trained nuns, the world’s most powerful exorcists. But they don’t just get rid of the demons they exorcise…the Sisters draw the demons into themselves, using their own bodies as cages of flesh. If they die a natural death, the demons die with them, small pieces of the world’s evil gone forever. But if the Sisters should dies violently…the demons are released into the world again!

Now someone has sent assassins to kill the oldest of the sisters, releasing the captive demons out into the world. Eden Parish is assigned the task of discovering who is behind this massacre, and why. In her journey she will uncover dark secrets about the Order, and about their enemies. And the real reason behind all this murder.

Blankets

Creators: Craig Thompson Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Date: 2003

Blankets is the story of a young man coming of age and finding the confidence to express his creative voice. Craig Thompson’s poignant graphic memoir plays out against the backdrop of a Midwestern winterscape: finely-hewn linework draws together a portrait of small town life, a rigorously fundamentalist Christian childhood, and a lonely, emotionally mixed-up adolescence.

Under an engulfing blanket of snow, Craig and Raina fall in love at winter church camp, revealing to one another their struggles with faith and their dreams of escape. Over time though, their personal demons resurface and their relationship falls apart. It’s a universal story, and Thompson’s vibrant brushstrokes and unique page designs make the familiar heartbreaking all over again.

This groundbreaking graphic novel, winner of two Eisner and three Harvey Awards, is an eloquent portrait of adolescent yearning; first love (and first heartache); faith in crisis; and the process of moving beyond all of that. Beautifully rendered in pen and ink, Thompson has created a love story that lasts.

A Contract with God and other Tenement Stories

Creator: Will Eisner Date: 1978

This semi-autobiographical work captures with pen and ink the drama of the city and its all-too-human inhabitants. Set in the same Bronx neighborhood as later works Dropsie Avenue and A Life Force, the four stories that comprise the book – “A Contract With God”,”The Street Singer”, “The Super” and “Cookalein” – examine the world of immigrant life in New York City in the 1930s with a unique look at the emotion and character of its denizens.

Warrior Nun Areala

Creator: Ben Dunn Publisher: Antarctic Press Date: 1994-2002

Follows the exploits of Sister Shannon Masters who is part of a militant Catholic organisation, the Order of the Cruciform Sword, who protect Church and world from supernatural threats. Plays fast and loose with things Catholic the series still manages to portray characters with genuine faith, humility and the odd bit of theology.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Creator: Michael Mendheim; Mike Kennedy; Sean Jaffe; & Simon Bisley Publisher: Titan Comics Date: 2014

Raised by the ancient Order of Solomon, Adam Cahill is one of a rare handful of highly trained warriors bound by bloodline to guard the Seven Holy Seals that contain the End of Days.

But ageless forces have conspired towards a prophetic event foretold by numerous cultures and multiple religions… and when that cryptic date arrives, they strike against the order without mercy!

The Lone and Level Sands

Creator: A. David Lewis and mpMann Publisher: Archaia (Imprint of BOOM! Studios) Date: 2005

Pharaoh Ramses II hasn’t seen his long-lost cousin Moses in nearly forty years. Yet while pressed by the Hittites to the North and construction delays in the South, Ramses must make time for this ancient desert rascal, the long-ago mystery he represents, and the impossible demands of an alien deity. Drawing on the Bible, the Qur’an, and historical sources, writer A. David Lewis (Mortal Coils) and artist Marvin Perry Mann (Arcana Jayne) present a retelling of the Book of Exodus through the eyes of the man who is either its greatest leader or its worst villain: a man trying to rule wisely, love his family well, and deal justly in the face of a divine wrath.

Some New Kind of Slaughter, or Lost in the Flood (and How We Found Home Again)

Creator: mpMann & A. David Lewis Publisher: Archaia (Imprint of BOOM! Studios) Date: 2009

If there is one constant throughout most of Earth’s historical nations, cultures, and religions, it is the threat and the destruction of the Great Flood. In the wake of the recent Indian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and alarm over global warming, the award-winning creators of The Lone and Level Sands return to plumb the depths of the world’s great myths with this graphic novel exploring how this legendary fear may be more relevant now than ever before. Like Noah, sea-bound Ziusudra and other heroes across time must strive against the coming Floods and the baffling will of the gods.

Judas

Creator: Jeff Loveness & Jakub Rebelka Publisher: BOOM! Studios Date: 2009

Judas Iscariot journeys through life and death, grappling with his place in “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and how much of his part was preordained. In a religion built on redemption and forgiveness, one man had to sacrifice himself for everyone…and it wasn’t Jesus.

Kismet: Man of Faith

Creator: A. David Lewis; Noel Tuazon; Rob Croonenborghs; Taylor Esposito; & Tyler Chin-Tanner Publisher: A Wave Blue World Date: 2018

Punching Nazis used to be more than a meme. In 1944, it was a vocation. And no one put his gloved fist in the faces of more fascists than the Man of Fate, the Algerian Operative, our man in Occupied France — Kismet.

Then, he disappeared. Gone without a trace…until now.

Back from beyond, Kismet finds a new world of gay rights, quantum physics, and computer technology along with the old evils of bigotry, greed, and ignorance at a crossroads. Twenty-first-century America needs more than a superhero. It needs an ally.

Religion and Comics – Wrap Up It's been a while since the Top 10 religion and comics installments, and I've been meaning to post a number of other comics that didn't make it into that list but are still worth mentioning in passing.

[nathanhelton]

Hark! The Herald Angels Scream (Book, 2018)

As an addendum to my Goodreads review of this neat-o upcoming book, here are my notes for each of the stories. There be light spoilers ahead, so be forewarned:

Absinthe & Angels (Kelley Armstrong): Clever, mind-bending tale that taps into that home-invasion fear.

Christmas in Barcelona (Scott Smith): Incredible. Wonderful descriptive language that lulls you in with a specific cadence before ambushing you with a twist for the ages. The choice of perspective by the author is just stupendous.

Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow (Seanan McGuire): More of what I figured I’d get in this book: A Krampus-esque story of a family that’s more disjointed than the head of household would indicate. There’s an ethereal atmosphere to this one. Loved it.

Love Me (Thomas E. Sniegoski): Mean-spirited as hell, and God love the thing for it. Dirty, grimy short read and hands-down the creepiest one thus far.

Not Just for Christmas (Sarah Lotz): Philip K Dick-ian in content. Has a stern message for the reader, and pulls no punches. Bonus points for the cursing dog. Wonderfully dark sense of humor.

Tenets (Josh Malerman): I had a hard time getting a bead on this one. It didn’t draw me in like the others...until the end. I spent the story looking for a right hook and it hit me with a left. Super-duper.

Good Deeds (Jeff Strand): Has to be the funniest one of this lot. Absurdist humor afoot; speaks to the part of you that just wants to blow your brains out when that one particular holiday song comes on.

It’s a Wonderful Knife (Christopher Golden): Intriguing ditty. Definitely noticing that inspiration from the Harvey Weinstein mess in this. Great---now I can’t see It’s a Wonderful Life the same way again.

Mistletoe and Holly (James A. Moore): That’s something I haven’t seen much of so far---a horror story with a post-9/11 military backdrop. Foreboding, dreadful story. The ending might have tipped the scales into being too mean-spirited, given the work done to set up the reader’s affinity for our protagonist.

Snake’s Tail (Sarah Langan): Some Lovecraftian sparks here. An indictment on our adherence to religion and the hypocrisies that dwell within? Interesting tonal shift from the other stories.

The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel (Joe R. Lansdale): Feels a bit inspired by M.R. James, and reminds me of the Ti West film The Innkeepers a little with some of Zemeckis’ What Lies Beneath for good measure (that’s a compliment). Cool story with unique and interesting characters. Old-ish and old people vs supernatural elements is a thing I wish I saw more of.

Farrow Street (Elizabeth Hand): This one kind of meandered for me, I’ll admit. It all may have just gone over my head. It all gave off a bit a of a David Lynch-meets-Dickens feeling, and that kept me reading straight through.

Doctor Velocity: A Story of the Fire Zone (Jonathan Maberry): Contemplative and engaging with an industrial/dystopian feel. Definitely not the most Christmas-y of the bunch, but I liked this one---the frustrations of an artist as their work is themselves flayed upon their medium. What if they deplete themselves of the fuel/fire that’s within? What’s the true worth of it all and of what they’ve done thus far if they can’t continue on in their inspirations? I was charmed by the humor here as well.

Yankee Swap (John M. McIlveen): Filled with intrigue and catchy for the first bit and became an addictive psychological thriller until the last two paragraphs, where I feel it bowed down to an ending unbefitting of all it had worked for. I’m cool with a formulaic finale if it plays well, not to say that these endings should always be groundbreaking, but, to stay as spoiler-free as possible, I felt this ending was a little too deus-ex-villain. There’s always the possibility that the author put bread crumbs in the tale to give it away, and, if I missed that, then this is all on me, I reckon.

Honor Thy Mother (Angela Slatter): Very cool juxtaposition. The awkwardness and tribulations of visiting family at Christmas meets Old Testament fury.

Home (Tim Lebbon): I had a good laugh at the end of this. Great way to wrap it up. I was wondering where it would tie in, and I have to give it credit. Really inventive. Like an eskew Jack London story.

Hiking Through (Michael Koryta): As someone who spends a decent amount of time on trails in the woods, I can relate to the inherent creepiness this story brings along with it. I like that all of the tales here, like this one, aren’t swinging for the fences in terms of terror. Far from the scariest one, but reads smoothly and beckons you onto the next page with ease.

The Hangman’s Bride (Sarah Pinborough): Saving the best for last, I see. Definitely the crown jewel of this collection. An inviting framing narrative to bookend, and here’s another wonderful juxtaposition: Eastern folklore encroaching upon presumably-Victorian England territories (and machinations). A terrific balance of mystery, triumph, and sheer horror.

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 358

Comic Reviews:

DC

Batman/Catwoman 12 by Tom King, Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey

DC vs. Vampires: Killers 1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Mike Bowden, Eduardo Mello, Le Beau Underwood, Livesay, Antonio Fabela

Deathstroke Inc 10 by Ed Brisson, Dexter Soy, Veronica Gandini

Teen Titans Go! Undead?! GN by Michael Northrop, Eric Owen

Marvel

Iron Cat 1 by Jed MacKay, Pere Perez, Frank D’Armata

Iron Man/Hellcat Annual 1 by Christopher Cantwell, Ruairi Coleman, Triona Farrell

Marvel’s Voices 5: Young Avengers infinity comic by Anthony Olivera, Jethro Morales, Dijjo Lima

Mech Strike: Monster Hunters 1 by Christos Gage, Paco Diaz, Dono Sanchez-Almara

Thor: Lightning and Lament 1 by Ralph Macchio, Todd Nauck, Rachelle Rosenberg

Variants 1 by Gail Simone, Phil Noto

Image

Public Domain 1 by Chip Zdarsky

Sins of the Black Flamingo 1 by Andrew Wheeler, Travis Moore, Tamra Bonvillain

Dark Room GN by Gerry Duggan, Scott Buoncristiano, Tamra Bonvillain

Dark Horse

Hellboy and the BPRD: Old Man Whittier 1 by Mike Mignola, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Dave Stewart

Liebestrasse GN by Greg Lockard, Tim Fish, Hector Barros

Summer Fires GN by Giulia Sagramola

Boom

Buffy '97 1 by Jeremy Lambert, Marianna Ignazzi, Mattia Iacono

Power Rangers Unlimited: Countdown to Ruin 1 by Marguerite Bennett, Giuseppe Cafaro, Anna Kekovsky Chandra, Sara Antonelli, Fabi Marques, Sharon Marino

IDW

Canto: Tales of the Unnamed World 1 by David Booher, Drew Zucker

Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft - Orphan of Agony Isle 1 by Zoe Quinn, Bayleigh Underwood, Casey Gilly, Corin Howell, Cris Peter

Dynamite

Vampiverse Presents: The Vamp 1 by Tom Sniegoski, Jeannine Acheson, Daniel Maine

Behemoth

Redman 1 by Matt Frank, Goncalo Lopes

Vault

Mindset 1 by Zack Kaplan, John Pearson

Verse Book 2 GN by Sam Beck

Ray’s OGN Corner:  Gender Queer

Additional Reviews: Ms. Marvel ep4, Baymax, Stranger Things 4.2, Minions 2, The Bad Guys, The Black Phone, Paper Girls, Spree

News: Ghostbusters Afterlife sequel, new sci-fi movie by the Russos starring Millie Bobby Brown, Eight Billion Genies optioned by Amazon, Nexstar buys CW, new flagship Spidey title from Dan Slott and Mark Bagley, Despicable Me 4 announced, Tenet sequel, new Stephanie Phillips Comixology famous fictional detective series (Beatrix Rose), Nate Stevenson, Marvel/Ultraman crossover

Trailers: Hocus Pocus 2, Paper Girls

Comics Countdown:

Seven Secrets 18 by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Walter Baiamonte

Department of Truth 19 by James Tynion IV, Martin Simmonds

Eight Billion Genies 2 by Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein

X-Men Red 4 by Al Ewing, Juann Cabal, Andres Genolet, Michael Sta. Maria, Federico Blee

Public Domain 1 by Chip Zdarsky

Liebestrasse by Greg Lockard, Tim Fish, Hector Barros

Swamp Thing 14 by Ram V, Mike Perkins, Mike Spicer

Canto: Tales of the Unnamed World 1 by David Booher, Drew Zucker

What’s the Furthest Place From Here 7 by Matthew Rosenberg, Tyler Boss, Josh Hixson

Sins of the Black Flamingo 1 by Andrew Wheeler, Travis Moore, Tamra Bonvillain

Check out this episode!

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 351

Comic Reviews:

DC

Blood Syndicate Season One 1 by Geoffrey Thorne, ChrisCross, Juan Castro, Wil Quintana

Jurassic League 1 by Juan Gedeon, Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer

Marvel

Captain America: Symbol of Truth 1 by Tochi  Onyebuchi, R.B. Silva, Jesus Aburtov

Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha by Donny Cates, Martin Coccolo, Matt Wilson

Moon Knight: Black, White, and Blood 1 by Jonathan Hickman, Marc Guggenheim, Mureqa Ayodele, Jorge Fornes, Adedotun Akanda, Chris Bachalo

Patsy Walker Infinity Comic 1 by Trina Robbins, Derek Charm, Rico Renzi, Clayton Cowles

Image

Eight Billion Genies 1 by Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein

Dark Horse

Avatar: Adapt or Die 1 by Corinna Bechko, Beni Lobel, Wes Dzioba

Tales From Harrow County: Lost Ones 1 by Cullen Bunn, Emily Schnall, Tyler Crook

Jenny Zero II 1 by Dave Dwonch, Brockton McKinney, Magenta King, Arnaldo Robles

Boom

Grim 1 by Stephanie Phillips, Flaviano, Rico Renzi

ComiXology

Cold Iron by Andy Diggle, Nick Brokenshire, Tom Muller

IDW

Transformers: Last Bot Standing 1 by Nick Roche, E.J. Su, Rebecca Nalty

Dynamite

Vampirella Strikes 1 by Thomas Sniegoski, Jonathan Lau, Omi Remalante Jr.

AfterShock

Bunny Mask: The Hollow Inside 1 by Paul Tobin, Andrea Mutti

Archie

Archie Meets Riverdale 1 by Daniel Kibblesmith, Tim Kennedy, Pat Kennedy, Bob Smith, Matt Herms

AWA

Devil's Highway Volume 2 1 by Benjamin Percy, Brent Schoonover, Nick Filardi

Behemoth

Blind Alley 1 by IRRA

Ablaze

Belit and Valeria: Swords vs. Sorcery by Max Bemis, Rodney Buchemi, Dinei Ribeiro

Substack

True Weird by James Tynion, Klaus Janson 

Colonel Weird and Little Andromeda by Tate Brombal, Ray Fawkes

FCBD

Dark Crisis 0

Spider-Man/Venom

Mythos: Bone Orchard

AXE: Judgment Day

Doctor Who

Additional Reviews: Amphibia full series, Candyman 2021, The Hunt, Owl House, Russian Doll s2, Everything Everywhere All At Once

News: Omninews, 14th Doctor Announced, Round Robin results, Tales from the Human Target, new Spider-Verse comic, new Marvel trans hero, Survival Street, Marvel loses rights to Conan, Disney adapts Trevor, Naomi canceled, Amazing Fantasy 1000, Scream 6, Gotham Knights, CW, She-Hulk release date, new Pixar movie "Elemental" announced, Perry White one-shot, Black Mirror returning

Trailers: Paper Girls teaser, Players, Resident Evil Netflix

Comics Countdown:

King Conan 4 by Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, Matt Wilson

Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country 2 by James Tynion IV, Lisandro Estherren, Andrea Sorrentino, Jordie Bellaire, Patricio Delpeche

Eight Billion Genies 1 by Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein

Crossover 13 by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Dee Cunniffe

Nocterra 10 by Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel, Marcelo Maiolo

Superman: Son of Kal-El 11 by Tom Taylor, Cian Tormey, Matt Herms, Federico Blee

Tales From Harrow County: Lost Ones 1 by Cullen Bunn, Emily Schnall, Tyler Crook

Grim 1 by Stephanie Phillips, Flaviano, Rico Renzi

Seven Secrets 17 by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo

Batgirls 6 by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Jorge Corona, Sarah Stern

Check out this episode!