Slated to run with the latest Harry Potter flick, someone has already grabbed shaky-cam footage of the teaser. It’s pretty boss, despite the dubious quality. We’ll certainly update when a nice, crisp, HD video comes out. Until then, if you can’t wait, watch it now before WB makes us take it down!
Yeah. I believe the appropriate phrase is “I’m all in.”
Yesterday my social media feeds exploded in outrage and hatred for Netflix. They are raising their prices! The bastards, how dare they?! People were raving and proudly claiming they had canceled their subscription already. Fuck Netflix for trying to up the fees on them. Right? No not really. At most you are now paying an extra $8 a month. Personally I’m paying an extra $3.99. If you can’t afford that $8 bucks maybe you shouldn’t have Netflix to begin with or should make a choice as to which you prefer, streaming or Dvd.
Netflix is fighting an uphill battle, they have given us an amazing product. We get pretty much any movie or show streamed directly into our homes or sent straight to our mailbox for a low price. However, people are livid, they want new releases and every obscure show they can think of. Sure in recent months the Instant Queue hasn’t been looking all that great but I still have 226 titles in my queue right now. Plus in the last week I’ve gotten Star Trek, X-Men, and Spider-Man all lined up to watch, it is a geek wet dream in my queue. And Netflix paid a lot of money for me to have that. In fact just this year they spent $100 million to get films from Miramax and an estimated $91 million for all of Mad Men that should start streaming this month. ($1 million per episode for all 7 seasons, new seasons start streaming after completion on AMC.)
Studios and networks aren’t as big of fans of Netflix as we are, because in their eyes Netflix is taking money out of their pocket. Instead of going out and buying new releases people are waiting for it to hit Netflix so the DVD sales don’t do as well. I don’t need to go buy Community to catch up I can just order it delivered to my mailbox for a fraction of the cost. The studios hold all the cards in this game too, they can tell Netflix they have to wait for new releases if they want to give us the old shows that we crave. Plus Netflix has to fight the other renters. Redbox is in the fight trying to get their cut from the Studio and beat Netflix to the punch. I stop every time I leave the grocery store to see if there is anything worth renting from them then I go home and fire up the Instant Queue.
We Robots had a lengthy conversation about why it is/isn’t bullshit for them to raise their fees and the consensus was “We want a solid reason why and American ISPs suck ass.” Netflix rationalization for the increase was that we had all been getting DVDs at a bargain and they needed to up the prices to reflect the real world costs. I can understand that, we really weren’t paying that much and shipping centers and employees cost a whole lot more than streaming. So far as ISPs go I suggest you read this article about why they are all bastards.
A quote from a G+ friend on the 11th (who was bitching about Netflix today) sums this up for me pretty well. “People are using their $400 phones and $60 per month data plans to post their excitement about getting a free Slurpee, which if they paid for would cost $1.50 and be 4x the size.” Basically, calm down people Netflix is a damn good service and you really aren’t paying that much for it and if you don’t like the increase you can change your plan and still get a great product.
Marvel has a tradition. Ever since the vast success of Spider-Man, they’ve tried once a decade or so to recapture lightning in a bottle. In the 70’s they tried it with Nova, in the 80’s with today’s subject, they skipped it in the 90’s to make 765 Wolverine clones, but in the 00’s they did it twice with Gravity and Ultimate Spider-Man. Sometimes worked better than others, but today’s hero had a lot going for him. He had Spider-Man’s co-creator, Steve Ditko co-plotting and drawing his adventures. He also had Roger Stern along for a writing assist. So confident was Marvel that they started the character with his own #1 issue! Sadly, after 10 issues, that run ended. The character would go on to be a mainstay of the New Warriors, which would ultimately be his undoing. I’m getting ahead of myself though, let’s find out the Secret Origin of the Masked Marvel, Speedball!
Our tale opens by painting a picture of the Robbie Baldwin, and the predicament his life is currently in. His home life is pretty idyllic, what with two loving parents, and nary an Aunt or stack of wheatcakes in sight. Rob does have a problem though, his body contains incredible energies (which we’ll discover later), and he’s having issues keeping them in check. But first, let’s have a couple of crooks describe the town they’re in, why not?
Springdale, typical American town, what with their Supermax Prison and scenic castles!
Then Mr. Career Criminal ties our threads nicely together, when he swears vengeance against the D.A. who just happens to be Rob’s dad. The narrative gives us a quick peek into D.A. Justin Baldwin’s life, where he turns down a plea bargain because he doesn’t want to see a criminal go free. Ah Marvel, sometimes I forget how unrealistic you can be. As the plane continues its tour of Springdale, we fly over the Hammond Research Center where Rob’s mother, Madeline is giving an impassioned speech about the importance of art in our culture. I will say this, while these things aren’t super important to the story, it is a unique way of introducing our cast. Finally, the plane motors by the local High School where we finally meet Robbie himself. He’s mulling about the campus in classic Ditko-Spidey style, worrying that the slightest wrong move could unleash his dread power on an unsuspecting populous. Then, he’s angsting about his future in the world, and how he’s torn between what his father wants and what his mother wants for him.
Two seemingly opposite views in conflict? That’s not Ditko-ish at ALL.
As he’s lost in thought, Rob is almost pelted by a mis-thrown football, and he freaks out again, and walks off, wondering how he’s ever going to stay in control. Meanwhile, the plane has landed, and the crook and his pilot (also a crook, don’t get me wrong) meet with a third man, and their plan for revenge starts to get underway. Then, we jump back to Rob. Seriously, this story bounces around quite a bit, which I suppose makes sense, given out hero’s powers. Anyway, Rob is wondering if there is anyone he can confide in, who can possibly help him control his powers. Not being a mutant, I guess Charles Xavier is right out. A pack of winos see Rob moping away and decide to roll him because “kids these days always have money”. Now, I was a kid when this was published, and I didn’t even have an allowance, but Springdale does its own thing. The bums decide to give Rob the Bum’s Rush under a bridge, but as they throw him against the wall, they find out they’re getting more than they bargained for.
The next thing you know they’ll be seeing pink elephants on parade. Oh wait…
The winos are (rightly) scared off, and Rob is able to calm down and return to what passes for normal in the Marvel Universe. We then cut to the Baldwin residence where Thuggy McGee and company are stalking the place so they can get the drop on the D.A. Madeline is also there, and they discuss their son and argue about his future. Too bad they aren’t including their son in the conversation, but I digress. Johnny Roarke (I like calling him by my name better), pulls a gun on the bickering couple, and it looks bad for them, seeing as there aren’t likely to be witnesses, what with forest surrounding the Baldwin estate. As fate would have it, Robbie’s trek home from school gets him there in such a way that he sees what’s happening without being seen and decides to leap into action. Well, “leap” probably isn’t the best term…
Luckily, you don't have to be full of grace to be noble.
As Speedball accosts the villains, his parents are still debating, now over whether or not their son’s super-heroic alter ego is altruistic or not. Nevertheless, Speedball’s bombastic bouncing is keeping the criminals distracted enough to not want to shoot the incessantly bickering couple in the face, so good on him, I guess. Rob doesn’t really have control of his powers, so his victory and his downfall are how unpredictable he is. Eventually, he gets the hang of things and knocks the baddies out, and his antics have gathered a crowd. Incidentally, the fracas has given Robbie both of his monikers, Roarke calls him “a speedball” and one of the gathered onlookers refer to him as a “masked marvel”. The fervor dies down, the cops haul Roarke and his accomplices away, and Robbie returns to his old self and meets up with his parents, but all is not well in Springdale, as Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin aren’t done arguing.
For a super-cool D.A. Justin Baldwin doesn't have a very keen grasp of the law.
And so the day is saved for what it’s worth. I kid about Robbie’s folks, but to be honest, it’s refreshing to have a character who isn’t defined by tragedy (more on that later). In the aftermath, Robbie is still in full on mope mode. People know that Springdale has a super-powered citizen within their midst. Robbie just wants to be normal, but feels like he’ll be hounded more than Michael Jackson. I don’t think that’s possible, but hey, dare to dream Rob!
You may have noticed that we’ve gotten through the story without actually revealing the origin of Speedball. That’s true, but I felt it important to establish the character, plus the issue I am sourcing from lists this story first. Now, on to the actual origin antics!
In our next story, appropriately titled “Origin of a Masked Marvel”, we open with a quartet of criminals in very unique, yet incredibly Ditko-y masks. They are discussing an upcoming heist at a place that is getting a rare metals shipment. It is a scene that screams “THIS IS THE SETUP FOR SOMETHING COMING LATER!” Of course, that means we cut to young Rob at his weekend job as a gofer at the Hammond Research Lab. There’s no way these two plot threads will converge! Rob is doing a quick clean-up job so he can sneak into the lab and witness the day’s exciting experiment. So if you have ever read a Marvel comic, you probably know where this is going. Witness said experiment now…
"Ach, The dilithium crystals are shot, Captain!"
So yeah, in the space of two panels, things go incredibly wrong. While the big brain scientists are spouting technobabble explanations with they’re going out of style, the energy wave itself lashes out at Rob, who was peeking in on the situation, and he takes the brunt of… whatever this junk is…
Osh Kosh B-Gosh, indeed!
As the scientists curse the fact that they’ve lost months of work, Rob is still undergoing his metamorphosis. Before you know it, he’s in full Speedball regalia, complete with a weird, otherworldly change in his voice. Not wanting anyone to see him in this state, he flees to the roof, and futilely tries to peel his costume off. Before the narrative can hit a wall, the be-masked criminals arrive to steal their rare metals or whatever they were after. For plot’s sake, they decide to enter from the roof, so of course they run into Robbie who is still in mid-freak.
"One thing's for sure, you don't have enough expletives in your vocabulary to describe me!"
Dispensing with the pleasantries, Mr. Mask casually tosses Speedball off of the roof. Here, Rob gets a quick lesson in how his abilities work, as instead of dying or breaking a leg, he bounces back up. In fact, he bounds around so much that he can’t control himself. It seems that this is fast becoming his de facto method of crime fighting. One of the hoods finally gets a hold of the Masked Marvel, but his tactics aren’t the best way to go about things to be sure.
"The sillier he looks! We won't be able to contain our laughter if we keep this up!"
Eventually, the villains manage to dogpile Speedball and things are looking dire, until police sirens wail and the thugs decide to rabbit. While the baddies try to make their getaway, Rob gets all introspective and slumps on the roof trying to make sense of everything that’s happened to him in the last couple of minutes. As the police chase rages, the miscreant’s van take a turn badly and they all wind up dying in a fiery wreck. Regardless, the police decide to check the roof, because they need to make sure that the van wasn’t just a decoy. As they reach the roof, the police find Rob, back in his jumpsuit. Even after explaining himself, one of the officers isn’t completely satisfied.
Jeez, So much for A=A eh, Ditko?
And after this, Rob is still unbelieving about his situation, so he tries to replicate conditions by hitting the wall, and this does indeed cause him to bounce off the walls and become Speedball again. As the story ends, Speedball questions his place in life and what the heck he’s going to do with himself, which leads into our first story quite nicely. It’s not a perfect debut, but there is a lot of fun to be had.
Sure you can Rob, It's called being a complete slacker.
And there you have it. As mentioned before, after his short-lived solo series, Robbie Baldwin ended up being the heart of the New Warriors, and overcame his angst to be a fun and fun-loving character. That is until the Marvel Civil War, where he inexplicably takes responsibility for a villain blowing up a town and starts living in an Iron Maiden-style super suit and calling himself Penance. Fans of the ‘real’ Speedball were given a version closer to the Robbie of old recently, but he turned out to be a damn dirty (Marvel) ape. Time will tell if a future writer will restore Rob to his former glory, but until then, there are always back issues for those of us who aren’t fans of darkening comics for darkening’s sake.
These stories originally appeared in Speedball #1 October, 1988. It has been reprinted in various places in part over the years, and is also available on Marvel’s Digital Comics Unlimited.
In this Anime Update we bring you news and an Episode One review of the soon-to-be hugely successful Mawaru Penguindrum. The show is already gaining momentum in Tokyo and (hopefully) will get picked up for U.S. distribution very soon.
Episode One of most of the Japanese Summer Anime Series aired this past Friday in Tokyo, and I got the chance to watch two of the shows that are very likely to get picked up for U.S. Distribution later this year. The first show I want to talk about this week is the fun and original Mawaru Penguindrum. (Soon I’ll be reviewing Usagi Drop as well!)
Penguindrum revolves around Sho, Kan, and Himari – three orphaned siblings living in a cute and wildly colorful Tokyo house (Many Japanese homes tend to favor modest coloring when it comes to walls, tiling, etc., but this home is full of cheery decor!) Everything about the house tells us that these young adults have probably been living alone for a long time – but have taken care to keep the house in relatively good condition considering their situation. The walls are lovingly decorated with photos from the past and colorful trinkets most likely from memorable trips. Himari (the sister) has been ill and unable to attend school for quite some time, but the brothers still somehow are able to attend and it is unknown how they manage to afford groceries and daily life.
In a whirlwind of events (that you should definitely see for yourself), there are soon three adorable penguins helping the teens around the house, and we find out that the brothers are now tasked to go out and find something called the Penguin Drum. (This is, of course, after a scene in which Himari undergoes a magical-girl-esque transformation into a penguin goddess…thing…Let’s just say that in this regard it is definitely on par with other crazy-but-awesome anime plots I’ve seen in the past.)
These helpful Penguins are so cute!
So far the show is fantastic. What pulled me in from the beginning was the characters – who actually give us a good amount of depth and emotion within the first ten minutes of the episode (and it’s not cheesy, over-acted emotion…something that honestly tends to get on my nerves in anime after a while!). These are believable characters going through totally unreal circumstances. I rarely find characters in anime that I will really become attached to in the first few episodes of a series, so this is definitely a break from a standard series opener.
Penguindrum is also fairly original for a fantasy/drama anime of this nature. (I’ve read that people are comparing to an updated Utena, but I think it may go even beyond that in terms of originality). I’m definitely looking forward to upcoming episodes and I fully support any company that decides to bring this to the States. If you’re living in Japan – go watch! If not – start talking about it and it will soon show up in the U.S.!
I wish I had an adorable penguin to spray the Gokibukuri (cockroaches) for me!
For more reviews of the newest anime coming out of Tokyo and to North America – stay tuned to Big Shiny Robot.com!
Oh, and before I go: How crazy is this new Hatsune Miku Toyota Corolla commercial about Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs?!?!?
If you’re one of those out there that plan to buy each and every new #1 of DC’s relaunch that is just around the corner, I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that it is going to cost you a good chunk of change to do so. So how would you like to save 50% on that cost? . . .
Things From Another World (TFAW) are – for a “limited time” – doing a promotion in which if you pre-order all 52 #1’s from them they will give you 50% off the cover price! According to their website, this offer expires on August 7, so you may want to jump on this now! Here are all the details you’ll need:
Beginning August 31, the DCU will relaunch 52 titles with #1 issues. This is HUGE news, and for a limited time only:
You’ll save 50% off the cover price when you pre-order all 52 #1 issues at TFAW!
That’s all 52 issues for less than $80!ABOUT THE NEW 52:
The DC Relaunch is an epic and ambitious initiative that ushers in a new generation of comics for DC and will set the tone for storylines and characters for years to come.
The stories are designed in a way that new fans will be able to pick up a book and immediately be drawn into the story, so there’s NEVER been a better time to start reading DC comics!
DC is bringing in their top talent to create these stories, so you can feel confident that you’re going to get the best of the best. With creators like Cliff Chiang, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Jeff Lemire, Aaron Lopresti, Francis Manapul, Grant Morrison, George Perez, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, and J.H. Williams III attached to the relaunch, you really can’t go wrong!
HOW TO GET THE DEAL:
To save 50% off the cover price on the DC Relaunch #1 issues, you must perform the following steps:
1. Visit the special offer page via the link below
2. The offer page will trigger a special coupon code that will be applied to your cart, giving you access to this special deal
3. Click the link on the offer page to add all 52 DC Relaunch #1 issues to your cart
CLICK HERE TO ADD THE SPECIAL COUPON TO YOUR CART AT TFAW
PROCESSING AND SHIPPING:
Each of the DC Relaunch issues will ship according to your pre-order shipping preferences. Please take a moment to review your Pre-Order Shipping Frequency, Shipping Method, Shipping Address, Credit Card Options, and Bag & Board preferences to ensure accurate and timely delivery of your issues.
Shipping is calculated at the time your order is packed in our warehouse and is dependent on other items contained in your shipment. Please be aware that you will be charged for the issues, as well as shipping, at the point your shipment leaves our warehouse. An estimate of shipping to your destination will be provided during the checkout process.
ALREADY ORDERED SOME OF THESE ISSUES?
If you’ve already ordered any of DC Relaunch #1 issues and wish to purchase the rest in order to get the special promotional pricing, please contact customer service by chat, email, or phone at 800-862-0052 Monday through Friday 9AM – 5PM (PST). We don’t want you to miss out on these awesome savings, so we’ll do the work to make sure you get the deal.
Best,
-The TFAW Crew
This is a spoiler-free guest post by Adam McDonald.
“For neither can live while the other survives …”
It was with this prophecy that the world of Harry Potter was set in motion, and it is in Deathly Hallows Part 2 that it finally comes to fulfillment and ends what can be considered one of the most epic stories ever filmed. Fans of the books and the movies will be very pleased with this final entry into the series, as the film succeeds in capturing the story and spirit of the book, despite some small changes that will bother none but the most hardcore Harry Potter purists. While not a perfect movie, it joins the ranks of summer blockbusters that are both enjoyable to watch while still staying smart, emotionally satisfying and full of enough special effects and destruction to keep a Michael Bay fan happy. The two hours or so you will spend in the theatre rushes by and before you know it, the credits are rolling, and you will find yourself walking outside with a satisfied, yet somewhat sad, smile on your face. It almost seems hard to believe that after all this time, everything has finally come to an end; the world and characters that exist in the Harry Potter universe are so unique and fleshed out, they almost feel like real people, and it makes you wish there was more to come, Whether or not J. K. Rowling follows through on her promise not to write any more Harry Potter stories remains to be seen, but if she never does, at least we will have an excellent movie to conclude one of the most amazing stories ever written.
Deathly Hallows Part 2 is not for the Harry Potter uninitiated; if you don’t know a Muggle from a Mundungus, stay as far away from this film as possible because you will be completely lost from the get go. The movie assumes you are familiar with what has taken place, and spends no time recapping what has happened in the story or Deathly Hallows Part 1. Those who are caught up know that Voldemort has recovered the powerful Elder Wand which he intends to use to finally kill Harry Potter who, with friends Ron and Hermione, are on a desperate quest to hunt down the last of the Horcruxes — magical items that hold the remnants of Voldemort’s soul and the lynchpin to his final downfall. With half of them already destroyed, they must find the final ones or the world is doomed, as Voldemort can not be defeated so long as even one part of his soul survives. With the help of a goblin they rescued from the insane Bellatrix Lestrange, they break into the goblin bank Gringott’s to find one and then make a final journey to Hogwarts where another is rumored to reside. Voldemort learns of this and begins an assault on the wizard school which sets up the final battle between good and evil and between Harry and Voldemort. Granted the story is not nearly as simple as this, and while I’m sure many reading this already know how everything turns out, I would do a disservice to those who are still wondering what the final Horcruxes are, whose side Snape is on, the purpose of the Snitch Dumbledore left behind and if Harry Potter and any of his friends die. If you think you know the answers, you might, but I dare say a few of them will surprise you. One of the joys of watching this movie, is that these questions are answered at a measurable pace, whereas, with the book, I found myself reading so rapidly, I had to go back and re-read sections as I had completely missed certain plot points in my excitement to learn what was going to happen.
The movie succeeds not just on the strength of these beloved characters and plot, but also on the writing, directing and acting. There is never a wasted moment here; no point where you sigh and look at your watch wondering when the next interesting thing will take place — something that occassionally took place in the book, and this is a testament to the work of the writers. The movie sucks you in from the beginning and never gives you time to notice that you’re not a part of what is going on, and just sitting in a theatre watching a movie. The actors also fully embody the characters given to them, and you believe this is how these people would really act in the situations they are put in. It’s quite amazing that all these actors, cast as children in the first movie just because they looked like the characters, have developed their skills so well and hold their own with other seasoned vets such as Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Gary Oldman. That said, one of my few gripes with this movie is that it has increasingly become the ‘Harry, Ron and Hermione Show’ and never has that been more apparent than here where supporting characters, with only one exception, get relegated to ‘extra’ status. They do a great job with what is given to them (and one gets to say my favorite line in the whole series), but I felt shorted that these people who had such important parts to play were not given the screen time they deserved.
Also, the strongest recommendation I can give is NOT to see this movie in 3D. We were not given a choice as to which version we saw, and I would much rather have watched it the way it was filmed. I am sure the studio will make a lot more money this way, but it really detracts from the experience and, unfortunately unlike Thor, it is much too blurry to watch if you remove your glasses, It is quite obvious the movie was converted as some of the scenes which should have been really cool with this effect, fall flat, and as dark as it already is, you can easily miss out on some things due to the shading of the glasses. It’s a shame they didn’t just release this one the same as they did with Part 1, as the experience is really distracting for the first half of the movie and even in parts of the finale.
As mentioned before, the writers did take some small liberties with the story, and I know this will lead to some complaining by the Harry Potter elitists. Even though I wish they would have left the story ‘as is’ the changes made don’t detract from the story, and if you walk out arguing about “Elder Wand Continuity” you take yourself and fiction much too seriously.
Lastly, while Part 1 ended on what felt like a perfect note, Part 2 jumps into things much too quickly and makes you feel as if you walked into something halfway through. This is really no fault of the movie itself, but due to the fact that you DID indeed do just that. I would much rather have watched Part 1 first and immediately segued into this one, but we know this didn’t happen because very few audiences that I know of would gladly have sat through a five hour movie.
But this is really all a bunch of nit-picking. What you need to know is you will thoroughly enjoy every moment of this movie. It is extremely well done and probably the best movie I have seen all year. Grab your friends and other Harry Potter fanatics and go see it this weekend or when you can actually get tickets for it; just skip out on the 3D offering and watch the superior 2D one.
YES. This is how you make a teaser poster. To realize just how awesome this teaser poster is, I want you to head back to X-Men First Class’ teaser posters. Regardless of whether or not you liked that movie, I think it’s safe to say we all thought the marketing campaign blew. Rather than something obvious, like Batman with a “3” behind him… or maybe Bruce Wayne with a curly mustache twisting the end (because he’s the bad guy now). They’ve gone with this subtle dramatic way to tease us.
Is that Gotham city falling down around Batman? Or is it more symbolic, in that Bruce’s world is crashing around him. Maybe it’s a way of showing him conquering Gotham, and that’s why it’s crumbling. High res version below, and comments below that. Let us know what you think!
Via: Bleeding Cool
Boy oh boy do I love the horror film [•REC]. My experience with it was a unique one. While working at the comic shop, David, one of the regulars brought in a DVD for me to watch. It didn’t include the case or any description of what the film was, just the DVD. I asked him what it was about. His response was, “Just watch it. I don’t want to spoil it.”
That evening I went home and popped the DVD in. It opens with Ángela Vidal and her cameraman, Pablo. They are covering a local fire station for a documentary. The fire station gets a call to an apartment building. In one of the apartments is a sickly old woman who isn’t responding to anyone. She eerily stands at the end of a dark hallway. After a moment, she bolts down the hallway and violently attacks a police officer. As the crew tries to rush out of the apartment building to get aid, the doors are slammed shut and locked. And a plastic tarp rolls down around the outside of the building.
Yah, pretty awesome way to start a movie. The entire movie was a really fun roller coaster ride. You can imagine how excited I was when they announced the sequel. [•REC] 2 picks up fifteen minutes where the previous movie left off. This time it’s Dr. Owen from the Ministry of Health and the GEO (basically a SWAT team). Very quickly you learn that Dr. Owen isn’t who he seems, and neither is the situation they are stuck in. The GEO team thinks its a simple quarantine due to an airborne disease.
That is really all I want to touch on, because I feel so much of the fun in these movies is the thrill ride. I highly recommend both of them. The “shaky cam” isn’t really all that shaky. The special effects are top notch. And as far as the DVD features, they are outstanding. Hours of wonderful behind the scenes features. Make sure you pick this up when it comes out tomorrow, July 12.
I wasn’t kidding last week about “The Republic Scream”! It appears again in this chapter accompanying a rather gruesome death. More important that the cliffhanger this week is the tried and true serial plot device of a scientist’s revolutionary machine falling into the hands of villainy. Now, when I first saw that it was a resurrection machine, I was a bit off put by how absurd that is, but then I reminded myself that this isn’t exactly Oscar material. Not to mention there are much stranger devices in other serials, such as the electric chair that somehow gives the wheelchair-bound the ability to walk again. Not to get off topic, but this was in a Batman serial, and I gotta wonder if that is how Barbara Gordon is going to get her mobility back. Nevertheless, enjoy chapter 12: Horror on the Highway! Let me tell you though, I live in the DFW metroplex, you haven’t seen horror on the highway until you travel to Dallas during rush hour!
This week’s supplement is the re-release lobby card for this chapter. it has a bit of damage sue to age, but it’s still in very good condition. Enjoy, and as always I’ll be back next week with a new chapter. Until then, head to your local Dunkin’ Donuts and have a Cherry Coolata, and tell ’em Shaz-Bot sent you! Actually don’t, cause no one will know who the heck I am!
Anyone who follows BSR knows that I’m the resident Archie guy, so when TMZ reported that the venerable company had filed suit against its own Co-CEO, I had to weigh in with my own thoughts. First, in case you haven’t heard yet, the actual news.
Archie Comics Publications has filed papers citing bullying and sexual harassment against Nancy Silberkleit, Co-CEO of the company since 2008 after the death of her husband, Michael. Allegedly, Ms. Silberkleit has a history of abusive behavior, including an incident in 2009 where she barged into a meeting and “pointed to each [attendee] and said, ‘PENIS, PENIS, PENIS, PENIS’ and then walked out.”
Archie has apparently hired an outside firm to investigate the claims and the company recommended Archie cut ties with Nancy as soon as possible. Archie Comics is hoping for a judge to grant an injunction which will keep Nancy away from the Archie offices as well as San Diego Comic-Con.
It’s that last bit that pains me a bit. Don’t get me wrong, sexual harassment in any form is wrong, and should be dealt with accordingly. If the allegations against Nancy Silberkleit are true, it is within Archie’s best interest to sever ties with the woman. I can’t help but be a bit sad about it though, because it’ll essentially end decades of what has essentially been a multi-family owned business. When Archie Comics first started, it was called MLJ Comics, in honor of Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit and John L. Goldwater, the founders.
While companies like Marvel and DC have changed ownership many times over the years, Coyne was CFO of Archie until he retired in the 70’s while Silberkliet and Goldwater’s heirs own the company today. If Archie has to oust Silberkliet, Archie will still be owned by Jon Goldwater, current Co-CEO, but it’ll truly be the end of an era.
TMZ was unable to contact Silberkleit, but if we get new details, we’ll be sure to share them with you.