HOMESTUCK BOOK 1: ACT 1 & ACT 2 Collects The Web Comic Phenomenon In Hardcover

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April 8, 2018

The internet sensation Homestuck has delighted its followers for many years, and now Viz Media brings the adventures of this large saga to a hardcover collection.

Written, illustrated and animated by creator Andrew Hussie, HOMESTUCK is one of the most spectacular pop-culture phenomena of the past decade, a unique and massive internet-based hybrid work consisting of web comics, chat logs, gifs, video games, animation and music. Launched in 2009, HOMESTUCK comprises over 8,000 pages encompassing such diverse genres such as action/adventure, sci-fi and fantasy, comedy, romance, and drama.

Homestuck is the story of John, who receives the game Sburb on his birthday. But when he starts playing, he soon finds bizarre events happening all around him. John embarks on an adventure “involving birthday cakes, magic chests, hammers, arms (detachable and otherwise), harlequins, imps, eccentric architecture, movable home furnishings, bunnies, and a video game that will destroy the world.”

Monkeys Fighting Robots got the chance to take an early look at the hardcover collection, and this book has some serious depth behind it. “References to games and movies, and the blossoming start of the highly complex story can all be seen through the pages of this first volume,” says MFR writer Tony Wendel. “There is a lot going on, and original creator Andrew Hussie offers commentary on the bottom of each page” to give even old fans of the series something new to enjoy.

“The lettering,” Tony notes, “is the standout and best aspect of the art in Homestuck Book 1. Different styles are used to convey the internal narration, the chat settings, and the gameplay mechanics, giving the series a distinct look. There are even several pages set up like a walkthrough from GameFAQS about the game the main character plays.”

“We are very proud to debut the first book of these deluxe HOMESTUCK compilations in April,” says Leyla Aker, Viz Executive Vice President & Publisher. “Filled with creator Andrew Hussie’s commentary, this is an essential (and entertaining) companion piece to a genre-defying story that that changed the digital comic landscape.”

Homestuck Book 1: Act 1 & Act 2 is out this Friday, April 13th.

Additional information is available at Homestuck.com

It’s also “The Internet’s first masterpiece…a maximalist epic.”—Medium

It has “one of the most ubiquitous – and devoted – fandoms on the internet, numbering in the millions.”—Polygon

It also may be “The Ulysses of the Internet?” —PBS Idea Channel

But “The most important thing about Homestuck is that it’s excellent.” —Bryan Lee O’Malley, author of Scott Pilgrim

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Another INFINITY WAR Reaction Lands Online, Teasing “Epic” Action

By

Aric Sweeny

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April 8, 2018

Just a few days back, the first reaction to Avengers: Infinity War was posted online. The tweet teased the film’s humor and different tones. Now, another reaction has been published by JOE.ie, which touches on the “epic” action and supposedly spectacular villains.

“We saw 24mins of #AvengersInfinityWar today & now we just want to watch it ALL. It’s funny, the action is epic & the villains look spectacular. Plus, goatees! Groot! AND the sneak peek is more quotable than most feature-length films. #Marvel fans are in for an amazing treat”

https://twitter.com/JOEdotie/status/981946965230522368

While Avengers: Infinity War needs to be funny, its humor can’t be the thing fans take away from their experience watching it. The film is incredibly important to the Marvel cinematic universe and must deliver on the promise of Thanos we’ve been given since The Avengers released back in 2012.

What do you make of this reaction? Are you excited for Avengers: Infinity War? Chime in down below, in our comments section.

“As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.”

Avengers: Infinity War features Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Josh Brolin as Thanos.

The film releases on April 27.

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Spoiler-Free Advance Review: DEATH OR GLORY #1

By

Brandon J. Griffin

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An all-new Image series by superstar writer Rick Remender and artist Bengal hits shelves this May. We got a chance to give Death Or Glory an early read!

Rick Remender is a master collaborator. He finds chemistry with an artist and together they take the comic book medium to new places. Bengal and Remender waste no time digging into this new world; it’ll suck readers right in.

Death Or Glory is a high-octane thrill ride protecting a gritty but fragile heart. It’ll make you want to abandon all social media, chuck your phone into a lake, and go for a drive. None of that trivial shit matters. It’s the people that we surround ourselves with that do.

One of the first standouts of this issue is the colorful and lively cast of characters. Our main hero, Glory Owens, is a gut-punch of personality. She’s surrounded by people so fleshed out that it only requires a couple of word balloons to get a handle on the relationships.

This isn’t the first rodeo for either creator; they know how to craft a debut issue. Remender and Bengal don’t waste a single panel, every inch of this issue is crafted perfectly for you to submit yourself to this new adventure.

Bengal’s anime-inspired art is beautiful. It’s the driving force and metronome of the story. You can almost hear the ticking stopwatch from Drive as each page turn comes with a rush of adrenaline. There’s a palpable Speed Racer vibe here, but with much more of a refined edge. Bengal’s style is sleek and clean, making for some striking action scenes that require little to no dialogue.

Death Or Glory succeeds where many other independent comic books have failed. There seems to be a car-driving heist book every year at some point. Remender and Bengal are set to conquer, coming out with a fully cooked concept.

Image has another hit on their hands. Death Or Glory is like a Tarantino story told in a modern Speed Racer-type aesthetic. It’s a series you can confidently invest your time in!

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Review: GREEN LANTERNS #44 Begins a Journey Into Jessica Cruz’s Dark Origin

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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This issue of Green Lanterns does a great job of intriguing readers to Jessica’s past, but this gets slightly buried under unnecessary plotlines.

The last arc of Green Lanterns started with a creepy dating app and ended with fighting a cult. As weird as it sounds, one of the better parts of the issue was when Simon helped Jessica through an anxiety attack. That’s what I think is the best part of the series: the leads. The villains can be one dimensional, but these two interacting always puts a smile on my face. Both have relatable personalities, but Jess’ background is shrouded in mystery. All we know is that three friends were murdered when they went camping. Who was it that caused Jessica Cruz to shut herself away until Her destiny came a knocking?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

It has been around a year since Jessica has started to see a therapist. While it has helped her anxiety, which helps her as a Green Lantern by extension, there has been a topic she has been avoiding: the night her friends were murdered. That incident is what started her down the path of becoming a superhero, as, without it, she wouldn’t have been given the Power Ring back in Forever Evil. Before the therapist gets any headway on the topic, Jessica is called away for a mission. Simon informs her that Singularity Jain, a villain from earlier in the run, has come out of hiding. The pair goes after her, but Jessica can’t help but linger in the past.

The story of Jessica confronting her past is an exciting premise, and it’s only elevated when they see how Jain plays a role. The problem with this issue can be equated to the problem of the movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. There’s an interesting story for one character, but the others have to do something, so the writers throw in an unnecessary plotline. The plotline in this issue comes in the form of a transforming robot that Simon has to fight. It has absolutely no connection to Jessica’s past and was apparently added for action sequences. Hopefully, as the story progresses, we’ll focus more on the intriguing topic at hand instead of padded out fights.

Art:

While I just mentioned my grievance with the action, it is one of the best looking parts of the book. Ronan Cliquet illustrates the issue, and some creative designs make the book feel alive. The robot Simon has to throw down with walks a line of being threatening yet still look emotional enough to sympathize with. Also helping the issue feel alive is the expert color work of Hi-Fi and Ulises Palomera. The team works well together, and I can’t wait to see more.

Conclusion:

There is some good stuff in this issue, but it is a bit irritating to have unnecessary plots forced in. We have an exciting story laid out for Jessica, but every time we cut to the other, it detracts from the issue. To its credit, however, the art team knock it out of the park and keep things interesting. This opening is a good read and promises a fantastic arc is coming.

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iTunes Releases New SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Poster

By

Aric Sweeny

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April 7, 2018

A new poster for Solo: A Star Wars Story has been unveiled by iTunes, which can be seen below.

Keeping with the Solo: A Star Wars Story marketing trend, this poster is flat-out boring. Fans have not been given a reason to buy Ehrenreich as the character, and this poster doesn’t do anything to help his case. Unless one was already invested in Solo: A Star Wars Story, this new poster won’t do anything to sell the film.

Disney needed to emphasize the importance of this movie, as it’s the first time a Star Wars character at the level of Han Solo has been recast. Unfortunately, Disney missed the mark, and is setting the movie up for an underwheming box office run.

Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

Joining Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story is Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, Joonas Suotomo, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, and Paul Bettany.

The film hits theaters on May 25. Will you be checking out Solo: A Star Wars Story on the big screen? Comment below, let us know!

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AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – TV Spot Debuts Epic New Footage

By

Aric Sweeny

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April 7, 2018

Marvel Entertainment unveiled a new TV spot for Avengers: Infinity War, which features plenty of new footage.

With a few gorgeous shots of the battlefield in Wakanda, Cap and Bucky reuniting, and Iron Man fighting alongside Doctor Strange, this new spot is one of the better pieces of Avengers: Infinity War marketing released yet.

Marvel has done an incredible job of showing off the film, while keeping its true plot a secret. We’ve seen so much of Thanos, Loki, the Black Order, and the heroes, but how it all fits together is all still up in the air. How do you think the story connects these characters? Comment below, let us know!

“As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.”

Avengers: Infinity War features Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Josh Brolin as Thanos.

The film releases on April 27.

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Review: WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2018 SPECIAL Gears Up for “The Show of Shows”

By

Kimberly Cook

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It’s Mania Week! WrestleMania 34 is this Sunday, and the festivities are already commencing in New Orleans! In celebration of “The Show of Shows,” Boom! Studios released WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1.

Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1 - Cover — Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1

Like the previous “big four” pay per view anthologies, this book includes four stories of Manias of the past. We spend time reminiscing with Superstars of past and present, giving a little extra story to what you already saw on TV. Again, each is individually written and illustrated, which adds a nice assortment to the compilation.

Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1 - The Miz — Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1

“You Can Hate Me Now” lets us into the mind of The Miz, one of the most conceited Superstars on the WWE roster today. We look back at WrestleMania 27, where he battled John Cena for the WWE Championship. Julian May’s story takes us through the main event, complete with The Rock‘s interference. The artwork of Michel Mulipola is action-packed, and he captures The Miz’s egotistical smirk perfectly.

Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1 - Miss Elizabeth and Macho Man — Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1

Writer Ryan Ferrier and artist Kendall Goode team up again to take us on another whirlwind adventure with Macho Man Randy Savage in “When a Macho Man Loves a Woman.” After losing the retirement match from WrestleMania 7, we go on a fast-paced adventure through an amusement park with Macho Man and his reunited Miss Elizabeth, all while Sensational Sherri tries to sabotage their perfect day. The retro art is apropos, and the diagonal panels give the flow a playful pace.

Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1 - Steamboat and Savage — Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1

We get another Macho Man story in “Iron Sharpens Iron.” This time, Lan Pitts takes us back to Wrestlemania III and we meet Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and George “The Animal” Steele. Their story is fun, but I wanted a little more between the competitors’ valets, as “The Animal” had developed a crush on Miss Elizabeth, and this wasn’t touched on in this story. Jake Elphick and Doug Garbark’s artwork and colors are chunky and bright, giving an effervescent approach to the match.

Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1 - Stephanie McMahon — Boom! Studios: WWE WrestleMania 2018 Special #1

The perfect person to write about the most powerful woman in the WWE is Tini Howard. Known for writing bad-ass, dominant women, she captures the sass and sophistication of Stephanie McMahon in “The Authority Wears Prada.” Rodrigo Lorenzo’s artwork also conveys the sexiness, strength, and intimidation that Stephanie radiates. I was crazy excited for her to get her own story, as this year we’ll see Stephanie get into the ring with her husband Triple H to compete against Kurt Angle and the much-anticipated debut of Ronda Rousey.

This is another great collection of stories from the world of the WWE. While the Stephanie McMahon story was my favorite of any of the compilations thus far, I was disappointed with the lack of variety in the talent that they chose to feature. The WWE is full of amazing characters both past and present. It’s time to let them shine in the glossy pages of the comic world as well.

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BLACK BOLT Showcases Ward & Ahmed As Superstar Talents

By

Brandon J. Griffin

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Writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Christian Ward’s brilliant Black Bolt series reaches its twelfth and final issue. The series will act as a launching pad for two monumental talents to keep an eye on in the comic book industry.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

Not long after Inhumans were being forced upon fans as half-assed replacements for the X-Men, we’ve seen a handful of creators turn the characters around. Al Ewing’s Royals focused on the royal family getting back to its roots and back among the stars. Ahmed and Ward’s Black Bolt focused on the silent king and took both him and readers to places we never knew we needed to go.

In this twelve-issue run, we’ve seen Black Bolt form a new family of supporting characters and break out of a cosmic prison. Upon his return to Earth, we’ve explored the tragic life of Blackagar Boltagon. The head that (formally) wears the crown is truly heavy.

Saladin Ahmed introduced us to Blinky, turned Absorbing Man into a tragic hero, re-imagined Blackagar’s childhood, dove deep into the complicated relationship that Black Bolt has with his son Ahura, and so much more. Readers have gone on a powerful and emotional journey through these twelve issues. There’s never been this much of an examination and exploration of the character before and the creative team didn’t waste the opportunity.

We spend a lot of time inside Black Bolt’s head space to better understand the man. Christian Ward’s beautifully abstract layouts and designs transform the comic book reading experience into a drug-induced dream. The visuals displayed throughout Black Bolt are unlike any other.

Ward does wonders with cosmic landscapes that make this adventure unforgettable. His work with facial expressions and body language shoots daggers into your chest each issue. Every emotion, triumph, and pain felt by these characters is felt within the reader as well.

Black Bolt #12 wraps the series up flawlessly. Carl “Crusher” Creel is the MVP; his arc is truly a masterpiece for both Ahmed and Ward. Black Bolt and Medusa reunite and the world of the Inhumans feels even more like home.

Ahmed’s words carry so much weight and Ward’s art seeps in through your eyes, taking over your brain and transporting you to another world. They’re a truly dynamic duo that tells a comic book story like no one else.

Black Bolt is in the same vein as Tom King’s Vision. A brilliant, abstract, and unique experience that takes a classic Marvel character into a totally different realm. This collection will be a must-own for every collector.

Keep your eye out for these two monumental talents. You can check out Saladin Ahmed’s BOOM! series Abbott now and the upcoming Exiles series for Marvel starting April 11. Christian Ward will be joining Jason Aaron on the new Thor for issues 1, 5, and 6.

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DOCTOR STRANGE is ‘Going to Disneyland’

By

Michael Stagno

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April 7, 2018

Soon to be conjuring spells and reshaping reality, The Sorcerer Supreme is en route to the ‘house that Mickey built’.

That’s right, Disney parks is getting weird with Doctor Strange in the near future at Disneyland, California.

“Guests will soon get a glimpse into his magical, mind-bending world when he appears for the first time,” the Disney blog stated. “Doctor Strange travels great distances in an instant by opening portals between dimensions. There’s no telling where and when he might appear.”

Fresh off the announcement that the theme park brand, also including those in both Paris and Hong Kong, were expanding their parks to include Marvel-specific lands, news is starting to trickle in on the specifics of each land.

Exact details regarding the good doctor’s place in the park have yet to be announced, but look for more information regarding him and other characters to start to come in ahead of various unveilings over the next few years and in completion by 2020.

One last tidbit of excitement – Disney’s Epcot Centre will launch a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed roller coaster in 2021! More regarding that, HERE.

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #798 Review: Goblins Galore!

By

Brandon J. Griffin

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Dan Slott and the Amazing Spider-Man train keeps on rolling towards #800 with tons of momentum. This issue delivers a classic Green Goblin scenario before finally unveiling the Red Goblin.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

Green Goblin bursting through a Daily Bugle wall – in his classic costume no less – triggers all sorts of nostalgia for Spidey fans without being cheap. It feels good to have Norman Osborn completely consumed by madness again. The difference this time is that the general public knows it’s him under that gorgeous green mask.

It’s actually really funny when you realize that Norman knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man and still waits for Pete to go summon his alter-ego. Osborn loves to put on a show and respects secrets.

It’s great to have Flash Thompson back in the symbiote again as Agent Anti-Venom. We’ve yet to see him utilize being Anti-Venom in the way that Eddie Brock was years ago. So far, it’s just a great re-design of a great character that will make a great toy.

One of the best elements of this new era for Spider-Man comics we’re entering is the status of J. Jonah Jameson. Between Slott’s Amazing Spider-Man and Chip Zdarsky’s Spectacular Spider-Man, JJJ has been getting a heroic treatment that is so satisfying and longer overdue.

It’s interesting to see Dan Slott’s approach to ending his long-term tenure with Spidey. We’ve seen Bendis do his goodbye tour the last month or so, bringing back all his characters for one last ride. Slott is going another route, pushing everybody to their limit for one last over-the-top finale.

He’s focusing on going out with a bang, rather than tooting his own horn to remind everyone what he’s contributed in his run. Bendis did a little horn tooting, but it wasn’t obnoxious and the guy has earned the right to do so. Good on Slott for digging in and focusing on a new story.

Stuart Immonen is also bringing his A-game. He makes every panel with Green Goblin a stunner. Giving his eyes a bigger, more bug-like alteration was a nice touch. The texture of his fish-scale armor is definitive, he makes it easy to imagine what it feels like just by looking at it.

When we finally get to see the Red Goblin in action, it doesn’t disappoint. We were already sold on the story uniting Norman with the Carnage symbiote, but Immonen needed to seal the deal. There are way too many Venom offspring running around the 616, a lot of them are forgettable as well. That’s not the case with Red Goblin and his awesome Carnage-Bombs.

This was another fantastic issue from begging to end. That final page with Red Goblin looking onto Spidey’s burning “white flag” is a powerful image we won’t soon forget. The next issue should be more red than your Maximum Carnage SNES cartridge.

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Story:

Art:

Conclusion:

***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***

***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD