BITE, written and directed by Chad Archibald from Scream Factory Films, and opening in select theaters and VOD on May 6, is a “body-horror” film that wants to play on the fear that one, if not all of us, have had at some point in our lives growing up: What if we were bitten by something and we started to change into that thing?

Sound familiar? Well, yeah, this modus operandi is somewhat of a staple among the horror genre, but the movie has enough going for it--mainly on the back of its star, Elma Begovic--to keep you interested to the end.

ODE on LP by Bobby Long is the vinyl version of his wonderful CD “Ode To Thinking.” Sort of.

I say sort of because there are some differences between the two that are not just sonic in nature. The CD is titled “Ode To Thinking”, the LP just “Ode.” There are 11 songs on the CD compared to 9 on the LP. And although there are only two numerical songs difference, there are several different songs that appear on one but not the other.

I've regularly attended comic and sci-fi conventions, or whatever you want to call them these days, since the '80s.  Let me tell you, the experience has changed quite a bit in those decades.  In the past, cons were mostly a place to shop for merchandise, dress in costume, meet like-minded people, or schmooze comic creators.  Today, it's more about celebrity signings, video games, or movie and television panels.  Geeks have seemingly overwhelmed the Earth and every niche wants in on the con action.  Including more than comics and sci-fi means larger attendance for the shows, which is great in many ways.  Unfortunately, it also caused overcrowded convention floors, admission costs have skyrocketed, and worst of all, it's increasingly difficult to get tickets for huge shows like San Diego Comic Con or New York Comic Con.

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

Action Comics #51 (Super League) by Peter J. Tomasi and Paul Pelletier

Summary: Superman goes to rescue Supergirl from a DEO office in National City, but finds out that she’s not a prisoner.  When Savage took away Superman’s powers, Supergirl’s powers seemed to have vanished as well.  DEO had been helping her recover her powers for short bursts.  

Meanwhile, “Fire Superman” believes that he is Clark Kent, and ends up causing some serious damage to the Daily Planet to anyone who thinks otherwise.  Lois ends up taking him out with a taser.  

Cheap Pops - May 1, 2016

This week!

From Entertainment Weekly:

It’s official: The Punisher is getting his own TV series.

EW has learned that Marvel has ordered a spin-off starring vigilante character introduced in Daredevil season 2.

Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as vengeful military veteran Frank Castle, who brings his own lethal form of justice to Hell’s Kitchen.

Writer and executive producer Steve Lightfoot (Hanniba, Casualty) will serve as showrunner.

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Natalie Morin

Making a successful movie is no easy task. Though audiences and critics laude films with elaborate visual effects, stunning views and star-studded casts, all of those elements cost millions of dollars.

And movies are only getting more expensive. Back in 1991, "Terminator 2" garnered buzz by becoming the most expensive film ever produced, costing $178 million (inflation-adjusted). The following installment in 2003, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," cost over $250 million to produce (inflation-adjusted) — and it doesn't even crack the current top 10 most expensive films.

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Ben Taylor

If you want to know about Hollywood peaks, just ask Bruce Willis. After annihilating terrorists as Officer John McClane in “Die Hard,” Willis exploded into outer space with Michael Bay’s 1998 smash hit, “Armageddon.”

When I first saw Dolly Parton's COAT OF MANY COLORS in its broadcast debut, I only heard one thing: "When this comes to DVD, you're getting it for me." I imagine this was something many husbands heard from their wives. And, unlike almost every other time I hear this statment, this was a time I didn't mind at all.

This heartwarming -- and heartbreaking -- biopic features Olyvia Alyn Lind as a young Dolly, playing the roll with all the spitfire energy and feisty verve the real Dolly has exuded all her life.

Through her eyes we see how it was for a large family growing up in the mountains of Tennessee. Ricky Schroder plays Dolly's father, Robert Lee Parton, a tobacco farmer struggling against drought. Jennifer Nettles is matriarch Avie, a preacher's daughter holding everything together with faith and song. But when she miscarries, the impact on the entire threatens to shatter that faith, and serves to drive a wedge between her and Robert.

Marvel comics hasn't been shy about making movies that stray from the comic book canon. And with the degree of success they've been having, one can hardly fault their logic.

None of which truly explains away the rationale behind the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in the upcoming sure-to-be-blockbuster DOCTOR STRANGE.

In the comics, Doctor Stephen Strange is a brilliant but obnoxiously arrogant surgeon. He's Tony Stark with an M.D. (Although since Tony did heart surgery on himself during his origin, his own medical credentials are more than trifling). When Strange suffers a horrible, deadly accident, he encounters the spirit of The Ancient One, a mystic Tibetan who sees potential in Strange to become the next Sorcerer Supreme.

LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2016 – Wizard World, Inc. today announced the appointment of John D. Maatta as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Wizard World is the leading producer in North America of events and comic conventions that celebrate the very best of pop culture, celebrity, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology and live music.

“John brings Wizard World his solid entertainment industry experience and proven success in creating innovative content and distribution strategies. Wizard World is poised to expand its already significant footprint, and John will work with us to guide the company to its next phase of growth and beyond,” said Paul Kessler, Chairman of the Wizard World Board of Directors.

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

Batman/Superman #31 (Super-League) by Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke

Summary: Superman goes to see Batman in Gotham.  Superman tells Batman that he’s dying, and he needs Bruce’s help in finding Supergirl.  Superman and Batman are attacked by monsters representing the Chinese Zodiac.  The heroes defeat the monsters, though Superman’s wounds are not healing.  Batman has tracked Supergirl to National City.  We find out that she’s being held in some kind of machine there.

We have a lot to cover this week, but real quick I have an announcement to make.  On Saturday, May 14 from 9 PM - Midnight, Critical Blast and Iron Room will be holding our First Annual Post-Con Costume Party down in Atlantic City, NJ!  For more information, please check it out over on Facebook.  There will be over $1000 in prizes, and it should be an awesome event!

This week!

Meet the new companion!

From BBC America:

Mackie, who graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2010, played Anne-Marie Frasier in Doctors in 2014 and is currently performing in the National Theatre's West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

"I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family," she said. "It's such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn't be prouder to call the Tardis my home."

Jersey boy Mike Ian does it all on Puzzle Pieces. He performed everything on it and recorded and produced it at Eyeball Studios, the recording studio he opened in Cinnaminson in 1988. Want to hear a little rock, a little pop, a little country, a little blues? A little rhythm guitar, banjo, slide guitar, classical guitar? Ian delivers all that with precise musicianship and clean production. It's music that makes you feel good about yourself. So, take that razor blade away from your wrist and enter the form below for your chance to win Puzzle Pieces on CD!

This contest has ended.

The winner is MELIA K. of New Carlisle, OH.

In a genre where artists are all too frequently "all hat and no cattle," Tommy Brandt is the genuine article. I found Brandt's music while channel surfing and landing on something called Cowboy Church, where Brandt was singing his latest song, "Broken." The message was universal, the lyrics were unique, and the musicianship harkened back to a time when country music was easily identifiable as such, not a shade off from pop.

We sat down for a phone conversatin with Brandt about his music, his future and his faith.

What is it that drives you to do what you do? How did you get the calling and recognize that this is what you were supposed to be doing?

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Wild Card #1

​Written by: Jim Butcher and Mark Powers
Pencilled by: Carlo Gomez
Colored by:  Mohan
Lettered by: Bill Tortolini
Cover by: Carlos Gomez and Mohan

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