The BBC instant hit series, SHERLOCK, has already seen adaptation into manga. However, unless you can read Japanese, you probably did not know this nor did you care.

But now Titan Comics has released the English language version of the story for the first time in the US and the UK -- and the game is afoot. Okay, technically it's a comic, not a foot, but you get the idea.

SHERLOCK: A STUDY IN PINK is a straight up adaptation of the television pilot episode, released in chapter format. The script by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss loses none of its urgency under the adaptive care of Jay (just Jay). The minimalistic manga rendition of the characters nonetheless manages to completely capture the likenesses of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in their roles of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in crisp, bold lines.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

Wacky Raceland #1 - Wasn't expecting to put this on my list, but I really enjoyed Future Quest and Scooby Doo, so figured why not give it a shot. Take Wacky Races, set it in a Mad Max like future, and you have one hell of a strange concept for a comic. 

Saint Louis's premiere horror, sci-fi and pop culture convention, Con-Tamination, returns for another spine-tingling, hair-raising, jaw-dropping year, this June 17 through 19th at The Stratford Inn, 800 S. Highway Drive, Fenton, Mo 63026.

Among the many guests this year are BATTLESTAR GALACTICA original cast members Dirk Benedict (Starbuck), Richard Hatch (Apollo), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Boomer), Anne Lockhart (Sheba) and Jack Stauffer (Bojay). They'll be joined by Gary Graham (STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, ALIEN NATION) and STAR TREK: ORIGINAL SERIES legend, The Gorn Commander (Bobby Clark).

Wrestling superstars Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Atomic Dog will be flexing muscle and signing autographs. Fans can also meet screen sirens Kayla Perkins, Kristina Klebe, and Seka in her last U.S. appearance.

According to TV Guide's "TV Insider:"

Proving once again that she can pull off the impossible, Supergirl has landed the Guest Star of Steel: Superman! Speaking on behalf of fellow executive producers Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler, Andrew Kreisberg says in a statement just released by Kara Zor-El's new home planet, The CW, that "Greg, Ali and I are beyond thrilled to welcome Clark Kent and his slightly more-famous alter ego to the world of Supergirl. Superman will be appearing in the first two episodes of the new season and we cannot wait to see who next dons the red cape!"

Source: TV Insider

• NXT: THE END Predictions
• Does Goldberg belong in the WWE Hall of Fame?
• Zach Gowen - American Ninja Warrior

NXT: The End Predictions

When I saw the lineup for the 25^th Anniversary season of New Line Theatre, I immediately noted ATOMIC as the one that interested me the most. Why, you ask? I knew HEATHERS from the 1988 film, I knew AMERICAN IDIOT from Green Day’s music, and I knew TELL ME ON A SUNDAY from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s pedigree. ATOMIC I knew nothing about. Heck, this is only the fourth time anyone has ever staged this show, and the first in the Midwest. I assumed it would have something to do with bombs—maybe a rock opera about the Reagan years, or perhaps a declaration against nuclear power in favor of safer, greener, renewable forms of energy? As it turned out, it was a biography of one of the lost names of the Manhattan Project, presented as a moving and tense rock musical from Danny Ginges (book and lyrics), Philip Foxman (music and lyrics) and Andy Peterson (orchestrations).

When there's trouble, you know who to call. From their tower they can see it all.

That better be the Justice League you're thinking of these days, because this Teen Titans team is a different breed of superhero, far more interested in leaving butt-impressions on the couch, raiding the fridge, and putting up with Robin trying to impart his questionable wisdom.

By now anybody familiar with DC Comics related animation knows that TEEN TITANS GO is basically a stiffly animated Looney Tunes using familiar superhero faces. It isn't the TEEN TITANS, it certainly isn't YOUNG JUSTICE, and yet the younger viewers -- those whose ages haven't crossed the double-digit line -- can't get enough of dooky and toot jokes (as appalling as it may be to parents to see Beast Boy shaking his tighty whities at the screen, to be later emulated by their child; believe me, I know of where I speak).

While several artists have cancelled appearances as an expression of dissent over North Carolina's House Bill 2, aka the "bathroom bill" established as a protection from potential predators posting as transgendered people, pop bands Death Cab for Cutie and Chvrches have released a statement that, while they oppose the sentiment of the bill, they will honor their commitment to fans and play the venues in North Carolina for which they have been booked -- but that these would be the last concerts played so long as HB2 remains the law.

In their statement today, released through Atlantic Records, the groups collectively state:

Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 by Nick Spencer and Jesus Saiz

Summary: Captain America is tracking down a Hydra cell that hijacked a train and are looking to use it to detonate an explosive device in Penn Station.  Rick Jones is assisting him looking to counter-hack the Hydra agent controlling the train. Cap and Rick (along with Jack Staff and Free Spirit) manage to save the day, though the Hydra agent on the train sets off a suicide vest to kill himself.  Cap feels some compassion for this kid who had a rough life and was manipulated by Hydra.

Before I review ME BEFORE YOU, I want to post a massive *SPOILER WARNING*!!!! There is no way for me to discuss my feelings about this movie without giving away the ending. So if you don’t want to know how it ends, here is my one-sentence, spoiler-free review: ME BEFORE YOU starts out as a cute romance, but its massive shortcoming arrives in the form of a seriously problematic message in the ending.

Okay, now here comes the long version. If you don’t want to be spoiled, ex out now!

Now that I’ve got that over with, here are my thoughts on ME BEFORE YOU.

Supergirl, Winner of the 2016 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama, will arrive on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 9th 2016!

The series arrived on CBS with a great amount of fanfare. Delivering 10.9 million Total Viewers weekly, Supergirl is the #2 series on CBS amongst Men 18-49, just behind The Big Bang Theory and a Top 5 series on the network with Men 18-34, Men 25-54 and Tweens 12-17*.

*Source: Nielsen National TV View  L+7 US AA%; excluding repeats, specials, sports, and <5 TCs; Season To-Date = 9/21/15-2/7/16

Scooby Apocalypse #1

Plots and Breakdowns: Keith Giffen
Dialogue: JM DeMatteis
Pencils and Inks: Howard Porter
Colored by: Hi-Fi
Lettered by:Nick J Nap

Published by: DC
Cover Price: $3.99

DC Rebirth #1

Written by: Geoff Johns
Art by: Gary Frank, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Phil Jimenez, Matt Santorelli
Colored by: Brad Anderson, Jason Wright, Hi-fi, Gabe Eltaeb
Lettered by: Nick J. Napolitano

Published by: DC
Cover Price: $2.99

This contest has completed its run.

Congratulations to all the selected winners.

The Superman/Wonder Woman 'status quo' was a point of contention since it's inception back in 2012. Whether you were shipping the "power couple" or "Clois", the line was clearly drawn among fans as to which love story would prove to be the greatest of all.

And while recent events have put a damper on the future of the "power couple", in 2015 one thing was very clear: Their story was well received by fans of Superman/Wonder Woman. Taking in a whopping 45% of the vote, with the runner-up coming from the pages of Zenescope's Robyn Hood, the winner of Critical Blast's 'Best of 2015' award for best comic book story is:

When Image Comics launched the epic space opera/fantasy series, SAGA, they may not have known the kind of cult following it would accrue. Never mind the fact that series artist Fiona Staples had already been an Eisner Award nominee for her work on NORTH 40. However, since its inception in 2012, the series has skyrocketed in popularity and has become one of Image’s most talked about titles.

Between 2103 and 2015, series artist Fiona Staples has won multiple Eisner and Harvey awards for her beautiful work. The multi-talented Staples not only handles pencils for SAGA, but she’s also the inker and colorist as well.

THE STUFF on Blu-ray from Arrow Video is a release of one of those mid-eighties schlocky-horror movies that you just love to watch because it brings back memories. At least for me it did. It should also serve as a reminder to networks such as SyFy on how to do it right.

I am tempted to use the name of the movie in more than one pun here, but I will try to refrain.

THE STUFF is about, well…stuff: white, gooey, whipped cream looking stuff that is found bubbling up from the ground somewhere up in the frozen north at an oil refinery. And of course the first thing you do when you see something bubbling up from the Earth is to taste it, right?

By Darren Beyer

Science fiction has been a traditionally male dominated genre—at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe over the years. One had to look no farther than the closest science fiction and fantasy convention to see a crowd dominated by males. Look to the shelves of your local Barnes & Noble or the top science fiction lists on Amazon to see stories with male protagonists catering to male readers. That’s why, when talking to my doctor, a woman doctor, about my newly released book, I was surprised about how the conversation went.

“You published a book? I’d love to read it.”

“I don’t know if you’d be interested,” I said. “It’s science fiction.”

“I love science fiction. In fact, I’m part of a women’s book club and we all love science fiction.”

Wait. What?

This week!

• Interview with Matt Macintosh
• Cody Rhodes Released by WWE
• Smackdown to go live, new brand split coming

Interview With Matt Macintosh