Emmy Nominations 2014

Posted by John Klein III on July 12, 2014
Posted in: Award Shows, Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

So the Emmy’s will air on a Monday, August 25, 2014.  The nominations were announced on Thursday.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/66th_Primetime_Emmy_Awards

Like the Oscars, apparently, my wife and I are not watching critically adored shows.  If a show we do watch is nominated, it feels like dumb luck.   That is one of the reasons why I like the MTV Movie Awards, at least those are the movies I watch or want to watch.  The same is true for the People’s Choice Awards.

Here is who I hope wins or just what shows we watch – thus, only those should win.

Programs

Outstanding Comedy Series

  •     Big Bang Theory
  •     Modern Family
  •     Orange is the New Black
  •     Silicon Valley (I watch this one on my own)

Of those four shows, I hope Orange is the New Black wins it as that will encourage Netflix to really put some money behind the Marvel series that are coming.  Plus, it is a good show and I believe it won last year.  I really liked Silicon Valley, it was a short season but I liked where it was going towards the end.

Outstanding Drama Series

  •      Downton Abbey (my wife watches this)
  •      Game of Thrones (my wife watches this, I have to eventually – she started without me and now its too late for me)
  •      Mad Men (my wife watches this)
  •      True Detective (we started this and saw the first four episodes and the rest are sitting on our DVR)

This has to be the last year Breaking Bad wins, right?  I thought that was true of last year but here it is again.  I’m hoping True Detective wins, just because it is the only show I’ve seen.

Outstanding Variety Show

  •      Saturday Night Live

It really is the only series nominated that I follow.  I tried Fallon but like all late night shows (besides Conan) I only watch pending on the celebrity guests.  Does anyone watch every episode?

Outstanding Miniseries

  • American Horror Show : Coven (we saw the first four episodes, the rest are on our DVR)

Again, just the one show we saw – sort of – so here’s hoping it wins.  Actually, I want to say that we deleted them and gave up on it.  The first two seasons were pretty good but we had a lot of shows and not enough time to watch them all.  We are thinking of switching to Hulu at the end of the summer, so maybe we can do more shows that way.  No interest in the Clown season that is coming up.

Outstanding Television Movie

  • Killing Kennedy
  • The Normal Heart

Glad Normal Heart was nominated as I only watched it as I thought it would be.  Still rather have Killing Kennedy win, shout outs to Bill O’Reilly!

Outstanding Reality – Competition Program

  • Amazing Race
  • Dancing with the Stars
  • Top Chef
  • Voice

Not sure why Big Brother is never nominated, though last season makes sense as it was full of racists and fools.  That’s a tough category.  My vote would be Top Chef, next Voice, Amazing Race then Dancing with the Stars.

Acting

     Lead Performances

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan on House of Lies
  • Matt LeBlanc as Himself on Episodes
  • William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher on Shameless
  • Jim Parsons as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory

I do love LeBlanc being nominated for playing himself.  He won last year so it could happen again.  Macy and Parsons, these two are tough as they are both my least favorite characters on their respected shows.  The Mace did some amazing acting this year though, so he should probably win it.  It dawns on me now that NPH never won an Emmy for HIMYM.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

  • Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman on Orange Is the New Black

To be honest, we still haven’t seen the final episode of the first season.  I heard that someone was leaving with the first episode of season two (which I believe turn out to not to be true) so we wanted to wait and watch them both back to back.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

  • Jeff Daniels as Will McAvory on Newsroom
  • Matthew McConaughey as Rustin Cohle on True Detective
  • Woody Harrelson as Martin Hart on True Detective

If McConaughey wins, he will have to on a very short list of people who have won an Oscar and an Emmy in the same year.  Right?  I see another year of Charlie Hunnam being completely overlooked for Sons of Anarchy.  I swear, the stuff the show has Jax Teller do and how beautifully Hunnam handles it, he should be nominated every single year.  With the next season being the last, hopefully he can get nominated eventually!  My choice to win would be Jeff Daniels.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

  • Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson on Masters of Sex
  • Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison on Homeland

To be honest, I had to stop watching Masters of Sex, with maybe five episodes left.  I just couldn’t fit it in as my wife didn’t want to watch it and it felt pervy to me to watch it on my own so late at night.  Was a good show though and Caplan deserves to win.  With Danes’ nomination, I notice that my least favorite characters’ actors keep getting nominated.  What does that mean?

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

  • Mark Ruffalo as Ned Weeks on The Normal Heart

This keeps paying off!

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

  • Jessica Lange as Fiona Goode on American Horror Story : Coven
  • Sarah Paulson as Cordelia Goode on American Horror Story : Coven

I do not see why people love Lange so much on these AHS series, she’s horrible and not so horrible that she is amazing, I just don’t like her characters.  Paulson should be winning instead.

Supporting Performannces

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

  • Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson as MItchell Pritchett on Modern Family

I do like how Modern Family’s cast does nominations like how Friends apparently did, where they nominate everybody.  Modern Family fails at this by renominated those who have won in the past.  They seem to have finally stopped that for this year.  Here’s hoping Burrell wins.  Phil and Alex are two of my favorites on the show.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

  • Mayim Bialik as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Fang Theory
  • Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy on Modern Family
  • Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live
  • Kate Mulgrew as Galina “Red” Reznikov on Orange is the New Black

My wife will like Bialik being nominated.  She loves saying “Amy Farrah Fowler.”  She really is the best part of Sheldon.  Surprise McKinnon got nominated as she was barely in most of the episodes, at least, towards the end.  Mulgrew would be cool as I doubt she was ever nominated for Voyager.  My vote would probably be for Bialik.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

  • Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson on Homeland

I guess Patinkin is my choice to win

Took until Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series before I didn’t have a choice.  Probably Christina Hendricks in Mad Men, as I’m that guy.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

  • Matt Bomer as Felix Turner on Normal Heart
  • Joe Mantello as Mickey Marcus on Normal Heart
  • Alfred Molina as Ben Weeks on Normal Heart
  • Jim Parsons as Tommy Boatwright on Normal Heart

Wow, did that ever pay off!  I will be all for Molina getting the win here!  It was crazy seeing Hulk and Doctor Octopus on screen at the same time.  Like watching Sally Field (Aunt May) and Molina go at it in, Not Without My Daughter.  Parsons winning would be another one of those short list things, winning two awards, one in Comedy, the other in Drama – that has to not have happen to often.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

  • Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau on American Horror Story : Coven
  • Kathy Bates as Delphine LaLaurie on American Horror Story : Coven
  • Ellen Burstyn as Olivia Foxworth on Flowers in the Attic
  • Frances Conroy as Myrtle Snow on American Horror Story : Coven
  • Julia Roberts as Dr. Emma Brookner on Normal Heart

Once I saw Julia Roberts was in that movie, I knew she was going to be nominated.  It is the type of role that the Academy are suckers for.

Directoring

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

  • Episodes (Nine) by Iain B. MacDonald
  • Modern Family (Las Vegas) by Gail Mancuso
  • Orange is the New Black (Lesbian Request Denied) by Jodie Foster
  • Silicon Valley (Minimum Viable Product) by Mike Judge

I like Louis CK (Home Movies represent, yo!) being nominated but I don’t watch that show – I know, I’m horrible.  Jodie Foster is probably going to win for being Jodie Foster.  I want to say I notice her name in the credits, as I’m that guy who looks for names I recognize in opening credits of television shows).  Mike Judge created Silicon Valley so I would like him to win something for it.  Also, Pamela Fryman didn’t win for HIMYM, flipping Academy of fools!

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

  • True Detective (Who Goes There) by Cary Joli Fukunaga

Well, that was easy!

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

  • Saturday Night Live by Don Roy King

I suppose it takes a lot of work to make it all run smoothly but is that his job or someone else’s?

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special

  • American Horror Story : Coven (Bitchcraft) by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
  • Normal Heart by Ryan Murphy

I’ll go for Glee and AHS creator, Ryan Murphy – then everybody wins.  Sort of.

Writing

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

  • Episodes (Five) by David Crane
  • Orange is the New Black (I Wasn’t Ready) by Liz Friedman & Jenji Kohan
  • Silicon Valley (Optimal Tip-to-Tip Efficiency) by Alec Berg

I like Crane winning as he co-created this show and Friends.  Same for Kohan creating her show and Weeds.  If Tip-to-Tip is the series finale, then Berg totally deserves the win.  Probably Louie CK will win for Louie.  He usually does.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

  • True Detective (Secret Fate of All Life) by Nic Pizzolatto

Show creator, as well, if I remember my HBO First Look, correctly.

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

  • Inside Amy Schumer

Its a good show!  Maybe not every segment but at least two good ones per.  Which is better that most weekly variety series.

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special

  • American Horror Story : Coven (Bitchcraft) by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk
  • Normal Heart by Larry Kramer

Probably go more for Normal Heart for this one.  Though there were a slew of unlikeable characters.  I wonder why ‘Dramatic’ isn’t the go to word for all of these categories.  In a Dramatic Series looks and sounds more right than In a Drama Series.  Maybe it is just me.

This year, I was able to do this based off of the shows we actually watch.  Usually, I open it up to the actors or creative types that I like – which is what I have to do for the Oscars, as we can’t see every movie that is nominated and some of those films – to be honest – have no appeal to us.  But once it comes on HBO or Showtime, we record them.  Which is how we are going to watch Gravity this weekend.

My favorite Emmy’s moment is the Jimmy Fallon and Friends Born to Run.

Thanks to YouTuber Springsteen.

The Friends are – Tina Fey, Randy Jackson, Jon Hamm, Joel McHale, Jorge Garcia, Nina Dobrev, Kate Gosselin, Randy Jackson and Betty White plus the Glee Gang with an appearance by the Tim Gunn!

The one I always forget is Nina Dobrev.

The song starts at the 2:36 mark.

Big Brother 16 : Thursday – July 10, 2014

Posted by John Klein III on July 11, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Random Thoughts on the episode :

Chenbot might be in an appropriate dress but the writers keep giving her lousy lines.

Could the voice over gentleman not also do the live show?

It is impressive that Chenbot can move around the stage and do her lines.  I can barely read and walk.

Brittany outs Pao Pao’s throwing of the competition.

Pao Pao outs Devin as a horrible person.

Donny is as entertained as I am.

Zach does round robin insults!  I hope he stays now.

Zach and Frankie’s bromance may be over 😦

Surprise those on the block don’t always blow up at each other.  Their game lives are on the line.  I suppose that  one usually is more safe than the other, but the game is still early.

If Hayden joins the Bomb Squad, they just need Nicole to have the entire Clubhouse.  Now, there are only five non-members.  So silly

Hayden’s “all day, all night” is haunting!  As whoever gets that line, usually does.

#UndercoverCop

Team America looks like such an odd group.

Always super awkward when Chenbot asks the houseguests about intense moments.  For the houseguests, it was days ago.  Plus, no one wants to talk about it.

Speeches!

Pao Pao taking shouts at Devin.  Decent speech.

Zach, the first to give personal shout outs.  Zach promises to get rid of Devin.  Was he insulting Julie?

Does Julie have to do those silly sentences before each vote?

Two votes each, four more to go!

Smart of Pizza Hut to back the Ninja Turtles film.  Just like the first movie and the tour.  Hopefully the new film doesn’t show Dominoes on screen.

Do the houseguests know the order they will vote in?

Chenbot over qualifying Hayden’s vote, is why she is the worst.

Pao Pao is out of there and the house loses yet another easy target.

Julie mocking Victoria, that is funny.  I like Julie and Frankie’s interaction.

Ten to two, that is a mandate for Zach.

One would think with a daily talk show, Chenbot would have better interview skills.  She asks the questions that we all know the answers to.  Even just from the edit shows alone.

Must be so odd to record two goodbye messages.

Aw, Donny’s goodbye to Pao Pao – so nice.

Chenbot’s ‘why tears?’  Why you think!?!  Production will never let me on this show, as I wouldn’t be able to not roll my eyes so hard.

Still doing two HoHs.

Another beach theme?

Just one shot?  Pretty brutal!

I have been watching Heathers, and they do a lot of croquet in that film.

Balls in hand, oh Chenbot.  Codder, slow down, Julie!

Nicole is definitely a HoH!

Derrick is the second HoH, he gets to see his daughter!  Hope Production doesn’t put any police photos in his room.

Activity bracelets, this could be dumb.  We will see on Sunday.

Chenbot knows how to end a show on low energy.

BB16 Brittany Bathroom

BB16 Brittany Pink Bikini Front

BB16 Brittany Pink Bikini Back

Big Brother 16 : Wednesday – July 9, 2014

Posted by John Klein III on July 10, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Here are my Random Thoughts on last night’s episode – Chad Nevett style!

The Clubhouse are safe!

Who, if ever, will be the first Other HoH to be nominated.

Brittany walking around in a towel!  Reminds me of when Meredith, from the View, did an entire episode in a towel.

Hayden wants to kiss Nicole, so cute!

These four should break away from the Bomb Squad, and keep Brittany.  Zach, Christine, Derrick and Cody.

Poor Caleb, that boy got it bad for Amber.

Glad the house is getting tired of Devin.

Devin does what I do when I am alone, sometimes, start saying what I wish I said.

Devin has taken himself out of the Bomb Squad.

Team America : Frankie and Derrick join Donnie – not horrible.

Love that fake conversation with the team.

Veto Comp Players :

Devin – Zach

Brittany – Derrick

Pao Pao – Amber

Caleb and Devin made up.

Devin loves him a house meeting.

Don’t care for either Team America tasks.  Such a waste, but I can see why Production would make it hard on the members.

Veto Comp!

The balance ball game, not an easy task.

Poor Brittany, her name was mentioned the most, yet, barely got any lines.

Devin won it, shoot!

Frankie really wants people to stop telling the truth.

Brittany looks great in that gray shirt.  I need to find a website that does great screen caps.

Good job Brittany, relating to Devin on a parental level.

The Devil took some hits this episode.

Devin told Brittany that Pao Pao threw the comp!  Never throw comps!  NEVAH!

Devin and Zach, are having an awkward break up.

Speeches!

Pao Pao showed off her body, at least she knows what her best feature is.

Brittany’s target is Pao Pao.

Devin took down Brittany!!! woooooooooo!

Zach is the replacement nominee.

I suppose I would want Pao Pao gone more than Zach, but I am okay with either.

So funny Production, having Brittany stop the music at the end.

Tonight’s episode should be awesome!  At least, the Brittany sections.

http://www.bigbrotherfix.com/big-brother-16-screencaps-pictures/

BB16 Brittany Poolside

BB16 Brittany Gray Shirt

Bb16 Brittany Gray Shirt Up

BB16 Brittany Pink

Paul Smith’s Commissions

Posted by John Klein III on July 9, 2014
Posted in: Paul Smith, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

http://paulmartinsmith.com/content/commissions

Commissions are one of a kind, custom, black and white illustrations of the clients choosing. Prices start at $1000 for one or two characters in a cover or pin-up type illustration at approx 10×15 inches. Larger pieces or additional characters can be negotiated.

 

The process starts with the clients choice of character(s) and any ideas they may have. Next comes a series of thumbnail sketches with different angles and compositions. Some clients will chose one, some mix and match, some choose none and we try again. Please note: Thumbnails, sketches, layouts or any other preliminary works are not  included. If you’re interested in the prelims, these can sometimes be negotiated at additional cost. Sometimes because they may not exist or they exist on the back of a Cover Illustration or….

 

Once a layout has been agreed to, I’ll produce the work with the following guarantee: You don’t like it, you don’t pay. 6-10 day shipping included. Express shipping is optional at clients expense.

So that auction is finally over, so Paul Smith has reverted his commission page back to normal – from what I can tell, I never saw it prior to the auction notice.

A thousand dollars seems worth it to get a Paul Smith original, I just don’t have that type of money – nor, do I think my wife would let me spend that much money.  Unless we had a whole bunch of money but maybe one day.  That would be a nice surprise and an amazing piece of art to get framed.

I would, of course, ask him to draw Kitty and Lockheed and I’m not sure in what pose or anything else I can add to the picture.  I would probably to say “Kitty and Lockheed, please” and see what the master comes up with.  I suppose it is something to think about as the days past.

I would also like to get an original John Byrne of Kitty and Lockheed – that way I can get both creators with their creation and the person they are most associated with.

http://www.whatashock.com/doasales/byrne1.html

capshockeyfan@yahoo.com is the person to ask about commissions from John Bryne.  I’ve sent an e-mail regarding how much a Kitty Pryde and Lockheed original would cost.  Time will tell.

I read that it might be $500.00, which compared to Paul Smith’s price, seems like a deal!

Jim Warden got back with me (it is his e-mail above) and for X-Men related pieces, the price is :

$1,500 – for a single-figure pencil and ink pinup type shot featuring an X-Men character w/background done on 11″ x 17″ board; additional figures are $100 each.

So Paul Smith’s price is pretty reasonable in that regard.  $1,600 for both Kitty and Lockheed, that’s good to know!

Reading around, apparently George Perez doesn’t charge that much.  Shame he has only drawn Kitty once – as far as I can tell, in Avengers Volume Three issue ten.  Unfortunately, Lockheed wasn’t present.  😦

If I would get George Perez to draw anyone else, it would be Scarlet Witch and Vision – as I simply loved the way he drew those two, especially Wanda.  The last good time I enjoyed the character was under his careful pencils and Kurt Busiek’s wise pen.

http://perez.comicbookseries.info/art/commission-prices

You can tell Perez gets lots of requests, with how the prices break down and with the whole “chest up” and then “thighs up” options.

The only other person I can think of that I would love a sketch from would be Adam Kubert, who created Ultimate Kitty Pryde.  I would probably just get proper Kitty and Lockheed so that my wall would be awesome!

The Internet let me down on if he accepts commissions or not.  I sent him a question, if he does, through his Tumblr page.  Apparently, I must be one of the last people who knew about Tumblr but didn’t have a page.  Sometimes I can be way behind on a trend.

Commissions are one of a kind, custom, black and white illustrations of the clients choosing. Prices start at $1000 for one or two characters in a cover or pin-up type illustration at approx 10×15 inches. Larger pieces or additional characters can be negotiated.
The process starts with the clients choice of character(s) and any ideas they may have. Next comes a series of thumbnail sketches with different angles and compositions. Some clients will chose one, some mix and match, some choose none and we try again. Please note: Thumbnails, sketches, layouts or any other preliminary works are not  included. If you’re interested in the prelims, these can sometimes be negotiated at additional cost. Sometimes because they may not exist or they exist on the back of a Cover Illustration or….
Once a layout has been agreed to, I’ll produce the work with the following guarantee: You don’t like it, you don’t pay. 6-10 day shipping included. Express shipping is optional at clients expense.

– See more at: http://paulmartinsmith.com/content/commissions#sthash.d2NBJi7P.dpuf

Commissions are one of a kind, custom, black and white illustrations of the clients choosing. Prices start at $1000 for one or two characters in a cover or pin-up type illustration at approx 10×15 inches. Larger pieces or additional characters can be negotiated.
The process starts with the clients choice of character(s) and any ideas they may have. Next comes a series of thumbnail sketches with different angles and compositions. Some clients will chose one, some mix and match, some choose none and we try again. Please note: Thumbnails, sketches, layouts or any other preliminary works are not  included. If you’re interested in the prelims, these can sometimes be negotiated at additional cost. Sometimes because they may not exist or they exist on the back of a Cover Illustration or….
Once a layout has been agreed to, I’ll produce the work with the following guarantee: You don’t like it, you don’t pay. 6-10 day shipping included. Express shipping is optional at clients expense.

– See more at: http://paulmartinsmith.com/content/commissions#sthash.d2NBJi7P.dpuf

All New X-Men 27

Posted by John Klein III on July 8, 2014
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

All New X-Men 21

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Stuart Immonen

Inker Wade von Grawbadger

Colorist Marte Gracia

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Issue opens in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, last year.  I am not sure if I have read a caption as much as I have this one.

The doctors are assisting ‘MacTaggert’ with her delivery.  So right away, we know this isn’t Moira.

Her baby is a boy.  As soon as they hand him to her, she freaks out.  We are lead to believe that this is the exact same day that Scott killed Xavier during AvX.

Once the doctors and the baby are gone, MacTaggert reverts back to Mystique.  When could she have had sex with Xavier?  She is crying, saying “I’m so sorry Charles, I thought I could do it.”  Maybe she named the baby, Charles?

I know Mystique was active during Messiah Complex, as she has baby Hope kiss Rogue to wake her adoptive daughter.  Next, she is involved in Iceman’s story of Manifest Destiny.  Could she have been pregnant after that and before she started showing up everywhere as the villain two years ago?  Sometime between her time as posing as Xavier as a member of the Dark X-Men during Dark Reign to showing up in Wolverine 300 and Uncanny X-Force’s Final Execution storyline.

Looking at her chronological list over at comicbookdb, she really doesn’t have a period of no appearances from 2009 to present, outside of a missing two months – at most.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=1981

We see that this baby’s face transitions to Xavier from the Future Brotherhood.  During Battle of the Atom, we were lead to believe he was Xavier’s grandson, but maybe he is really his son?

Not sure what the timeline could be for that.

Once Mike Carey was done with Xavier during X-Men Legacy, Xavier just showed up places, so there is plenty of opportunities for him to get into shenanigans.

One thing I am leaving out, is that this baby was born last year, so this baby is in continuity.  Where he falls in, is up for debate, but he exists.

Back in the New Xavier School, the wounded X23 is actually Raze – which is super clever.  Triage gets his throat ripped out by Raze.  Which means that Laura is going to show up later to save everyone.

I like how Magik knew to expect Raze, at some point.  Beast grabs the back of Raze’s head and throws him down onto the table.  Then the lights go out.

All New X-Men 27 Kitty Red 1

Now, I am loving whenever Gracia gets to bathe the X-Men in right light.  He gets plenty of opportunities to do so.

I also enjoy how this issue has both teams, finally, confronting a threat together.

There is a fun moment when Phoebe updates Celeste about the current situation.  Celeste, without missing a beat, tells her sister that they have access to the same minds – so that entire paragraph was pointless.

They find their other sister, Mindee, and once thry do, Mindee psychically shuts them down.  Lady Xorn is controlling Mindee.  Which is odd, as I thought she died.

Deadpool referenced earlier how he died last time.

The Brotherhood come across Cyclops, Emma and Jean.  Cyclops blasts the dudes away.  That wipes him out, and I like that Emma holds him afterwards.

Emma calls him, Mr. Summers and later, he calls her Miss Frost.  That seems like a cute thing to do.

Jean refers to their opponents as, The Brotherhood of Evil X-Men from the Future.  Which sums them up perfectly.

Jean recognizes how annoying it is to have X-Men from a different time period showing up and causing trouble.  Emma finally forgives Jean for staying in the present.

Jean looks great in that final panel on that page.

Years from now.  Not sure if this is Xavier Junior’s foster mother or girlfriend, I am sure it is meant to be his mother as she tells him to get ready for the bus.

Charles is having bad headaches.  She comes to comfort him.  Just then, his telekinesis kicks in.  Unfortunately, she was behind him and she is flung back and dies.

Now.  Raze is still holding his own from the X-Men.  He then does something silly, that I am not sure what the motivation is.  He turns back to X23, and pleads that she is being used against her control.  Why would they believe that this is Laura?  She doesn’t have shape shifting abilities.

Triage reveals that he can heal himself.  Kitty talks to him. His ‘oh no’ face grasp is pretty revealing.  Is he immortal, and he just realized it.

All New X-Men 27 Kitty Red 2

Raze makes the mistake of changing into young Scott.  Beast punches him in the face.  Kitty is sure that felt good.

Raze as Scott said, heap, and Bobby says that Scott and actually no one says, heap.

Angel sees Mindee and their mental torture begins.  We see now that Xavier is controlling Mindee now.

Years from now.  Madripoor.  Xavier has found his mother, Mystique

Is everyone’s comic like mine?  Where the Marvel Free Digital Copy sticker is on the comic art instead of on the opposite facing house ad, like it is traditionally.  I lifted the code sticker, a little, and it must have happened during the printing process as under the sticker is a white square.

In the future, Mystique has opted for a backless dress.  Actually, it is Raze posing as his mother – whom he killed a while back.  So these two are half-brothers.

So weird that Raze will protray his mother so sexually, I get he is staying in character but he could have started having her wear pants.

Charles knows who his father is, so why did he tell the present day X-Men that he was Xavier’s grandson?  Creates less questions, perhaps?

Raze is curious why their mother abandoned Charles but kept him.  Probably due to him being born blue and not wanting to repeat history, like with her first son, Kurt.

Now.  Jean feels Xavier’s presence in her head.  Emma straight punches her.  Finally, got an excuse.

Issue ends inside Jean’s head.  We aee Xavier, Lady Xorn and the Cuckoos.  Xavier tells Jean that his biggest mistake last time was not taking out Jean.  He isn’t making that mistake again.

. . .

Post 375!!!

Big Brother 16 : Sunday – July 6, 2014

Posted by John Klein III on July 7, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Here are my thoughts on the episode :

Joey’s name is removed from the title sequence.  Lame!  Production could do more than just that.

Do we know if the first two HoHs’ got letters or pictures from home?

So from now on, both HoHs get pictures and letters.  That is nice that they don’t have to wait until after the Battle of the Block.

I like how both, Amber and Devin, got letters from home.

Caleb still holding onto his crush on Amber – that is going to cause trouble for that poor gal.

Devin opens and confesses to Donny about all he said and did to him.

House meetings never go over well.

#TeamDonny

Brittany is one clever minx!

So funny Devin calling Brittany the most paranoid person in the house.

Hayden and Nicole make a cute couple.  Goofy flirts

Christine and Nicole do work well together.  Hayden could really add to that group.  Alliance name should be something to do with a clubhouse.

Caleb feeling blue.  Devin offered to cuddle up with him.  Who would be the little spoon?

I do feel bad for the houseguests that end up being the ones who clean up the house.  So far, that is Devin and Amber.

Nominations –

1st – Devin : Pao Pao / Brittany

2nd – Amber : Hayden / Nicole

I just noticed HoH don’t pull the keys out of the boxes.

Hopefully Brittany doesn’t go home.  Poor Pao Pao, house finds her super easy to nominate.

Zrankie!  They finally found a way for me to like Zach.  Poor Cody.  Zach being the small spoon, I can appreciate.

I will repeat it again, never NEVER nevah, throw a competition!  No matter the show.

Battle of the Block :

Cody really likes Brittany.

Pao Pao does a decent throwing of a competition.  Especially as Nicole and Hayden couldn’t win it on their own.

Devin is still HoH and Brittany is the target.

What a packed episode!  We learn on Wednesday who Donny’s fellow Team America members are.

BB16 Brittany Pool

All New Ultimates 2

Posted by John Klein III on July 6, 2014
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

All New Ultimates 2

Writer Michel Fiffe

Artist Amilcar Pinna

Color Artist Nolan Woodard

Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles

I wish the cover version of Jessica’s costume was what was used in the issue itself.  Instead the costume is overly blue with a brown jacket.  It is not ideal.  I’m sure that this cover one is coming soon.

I really like the continued use of their logos being used to introduce the characters.

The opening splash page seems to make this title a little more mature than I thought the title would be.  Something about having a dead body with a bullet to the brain, just laying there in the middle of the page.

There are also some old school throwbacks in the issue.  The use of the technique of showing three Daggets, two faded as we watch her fight – leading to the full image of her kicking a guy, I really like.  Harkens back to my days of Spider-Man, as I would follow each faded image as I tracked all of his jumping around the page.  Great way to show motion and momentum.

Rocket Raccoon is being used for a Dr Pepper ad.

The issue picks right where the previous one ended.  We are still watching a three way stable fight of – Ultimates v Serpent Skulls v New York City Police Officers.

Diamondback, the Skull commander, fights Spider-Man, eventually kissing him.

Bombshell lands near the dead Styx, freaking out on Death Adder, when he mocks her.

The poice are waiting for reinforcements.

I really like how physical Dagger gets.  Lots of hand to hand fighting.

Black Racer stabs Jessica with a needle full of the Skull’s drug.

The reinforcements finally get there, they get in front of their respective pees and open fire on everyone else.

The Ultimates jump through Cloak’s cloak and teleport out of there.

No one is happy with their first outing, once they land on the roof of the church that Cloak and Dagger call home.

Cloak is still recovering from being hit hard.  Bombshell’s powers quit working for a moment, also she has blood on her costume.

Jessica whispers to Spider-Man that he should tell the team about the JJJ thing.  He doesn’t feel now is the right time.  Does J. Jonah Jameson want to support the team?  Financially, I mean.

They keep calling her, Jessica, so I am not sure if she really is going by Black Widow or Spider-Woman.

Bombshell quits the team after getting into an agreement regarding Tony Stark.

Spider-Man asks Jessica about Kitty not being there.  He thought she was joining the team.  Jessica is working on that.

The team goes their seperate ways, promising to meet up next week.

Dr. Stone is walking away from the battleground when the homeless man from last issue kills him.  At first, I thought this was Ultimate Chameleon but it is Ultimate Scourge.  I only know of the one who appeared in Thunderbolts, back in the day.  That guy was the third to use the name.

Ultimate Styx and Stone are dead after only two issues.  That didn’t last long.

We get a scene with the Serpent Skulls.  We learn about their organizational structure.  Crossbones is their leader.  They decide that they are going to start killing all of the other gangs.  They are no longer caring about truces.

I really like the final three pages.  Really great job by Pinna. We pretty much get a montage of various characters as they go about their day.

All New Ultimates 2 Kitty 1

All New Ultimates 2 Kitty 2

Before I continue, do young women who live together, walk around in their underwear?  It seems more like one dude writing it so another dude will draw it.  It seems unlikely to me.

Kitty examines Jessica.  Cloak’s powers seem to be enhanced.

To make Jessica feel better, Kitty agrees to join the team.  It doesn’t make Jessica feel better, as she is experiencing a bad trip with the drug.

Scourge is seen killing criminals.  Next issue is titled, Summer of Scourge, so he is being spotlighted.

I am glad Kitty is going to lead the team, they clearly need her.

 

 

Earth to Echo

Posted by John Klein III on July 5, 2014
Posted in: Film, Reviews. Tagged: . Leave a comment

earth-to-echo

My parents took me to this movie.  Apparently, older people really wanted to as most of the audience was way older than me.

Before the film, there were trailers for these films : Ninja Turtles and Paddington Bear.  There were others, but none I was interested in.  Did you know that they were still making, Step Up, movies?  Ninja Turtles was like half a trailer, so that was disappointing.  Once someone pointed out that the Turtles have snouts, I can’t unsee them.  Them being the size of tanks, I did get use to.  I wish I could say that they wouldn’t make a bad movie, but then there is Turtles III reminding me that studios don’t care.

Also, and I could be wrong about this, wasn’t Paddington Bear a respectable British bear?  I don’t recall him being a bear that got into ‘accidental’ situations and hijinks ensuing.  Also, he never donned the blue jacket.  His red hat, yes, but not the jacket.  I suppose this is an American version of the bear, not good

So, I thought my parents were going to want to see Transformers as it was in Cinemark’s new wing, that is really just one big screen.

Cinemark XD

The theater in Yuma, Harkins, doesn’t have such a screen.  But they didn’t want to see that movie.  My wife doesn’t want to watch any of these enhanced screens.  They also cost close to five dollars more.

Anyway, the film itself is pretty good.  I read some quick reviews, to try to psych myself up. I had no interest in the film, as it was marketed as a children’s movie.

What I didn’t know was that this was one of those ‘found footage’ films.  Usually these movies don’t bother me.  Blair Witch Project, I was fine.  Cloverfield, my friends sprinkled the popcorn with a gross seasoning.  Chronicle, I saw on a movie channel over the course of several days.

There is a sequence in this film, when the kids are being chased, that my stomach started to turn on me.  Then, the camera never really settles down.

I heard that the Fantastic Four reboot will maybe be a found footage film.  I imagine it will be more of a mockumentary.  That is the only way I can see it working m

Once I realized that the film was going to follow three young lads, I thought it would be nice to add a fourth.  I am a sucker for any film that follows the antics of four friends.  Then they do add a fourth friend, so that is awesome.

I won’t say this is worthy of buying, or renting – but, if HBO Family is airing it, set the ol’ DVR to record it.

I really liked the kids in the film, they call should be able to escape this film.

Also, Echo is a cute little robo-alien thingie.

House of M 1

Posted by John Klein III on July 4, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

House of M 1 Coipel

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Olivier Coipel

Inker Tim Townsend

Colorist Frank D’Armata

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Gatefold Cover by Olivier Coipel

House of M Part One of Eight

Cover Dated August 2005

Of House of M, I own all the issues except for parts three and four.  Of issue one, I own this cover, the regular cover by Esad Ribic and the Director’s Cut.

This was my first real exposure to the wonder that is Olivier Coipel’s art.  I’ve seen it before but this was the first time I was able to follow him on a series.  I still say a huge credit needs to go to D’Armata’s work with the coloring, as it looks amazing!

The Gatefold is a work of art!  Also, a fun way to just let Coipel draw a bunch of characters.

On the Left Side of the Gatefold – Havok, Dazzler (in an outfit she hasn’t worn in decades), She-Hulk, Cloak, Daredevil, Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Storm, Doctor Strange, Falcon, Gambit, Sentry and Wolverine.

The middle and the actual cover – Mockingbird (right?), Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, Wasp, Luke Cage, Cyclops, not sure who that cat lady is above Cannonball, Spider-Woman, the idiot that is Wonder Man and Xavier in the middle.  Kitty (making a face I rather she wasn’t) and she is next to Captain America!  Look how much bigger he is than her!  I know people don’t like the way Coipel draws characters with pudgy faces but it works for me for whatever reason.

Right side of the cover – Forge (maybe?), Bishop, Beast, Moon Knight, Mystique, Rogue, Iron Fist, the worst that is Colossus, Warbird, Iron Man and Spider-Man.

Not bad, I just can’t name one character outfit.

On the inside of the gatefold is an ad for the Man-Thing film, which I still haven’t seen.

Issue opens with Wanda giving birth.  Now that I’ve experience this (via watching one happen inches away from me) her first son coming out belly down, isn’t great but he is colored paler than the second son, so that’s a nice touch on D’Armata’s part.  Second son is coming out, back down and head first so that’s the preferred way.

Wanda loves her sons, Vision is happy that they are healthy and there are smiles all around.

Then Xavier comes into the room, demanding that she reset reality to what it really is.  For some reason, Cyclops is also part of the newborn party.

Wanda resets and remembers that she killed the Avengers (her husband, Hawkeye and Jack of Hearts back in Avengers Disassembled).  That was six months ago.

Later, Magneto (wearing his pajamas) and Xavier are discussing Magneto’s daughter, Wanda.  She is sleeping again but only because Xavier made her do so with his mind magic.  Xavier informs her father that he can’t keep doing this to her.  She is losing more and more of his ability to stay in this actual reality.  Magneto mostly just feels bad for himself as he is the worst father in the Marvel Universe.

These two scenes take place on Genosha – or what’s left of it after Grant Morrison had Cassandra Nova destroy it.

In New York City.  Carol Danvers, Wonder Man and Falcon are on their way to Stark Tower, they are wearing their uniforms under jackets and trench coats.  Under the words, New York City, eagle eyed readers can see Quicksilver (he’s under the N) – that will pay off later.

Carol isn’t thrilled with not being invited to join the ‘New’ Avengers.  The team had only recently been formed.  The general public doesn’t know that Stark Tower is the headquarters to the new team.  Also, the message was that no fly ups, everyone has to use the elevator.

Before getting onto the elevator, they have to identify themselves with real names and hero names.  Carol calls herself Ms. Marvel.  Falcon asks her about it but the word balloon response comes from Wonder Man, oops!

The Astonishing X-Men land the Blackbird on Stark.  The panel of them coming out of their plane, feels like the first time we saw them wear their uniforms in the first issue of Astonishing X-Men Volume Three.

House of M X-Men Astonishing X-Men X-Men

Now that I see them side by side, I’m not sure why I thought that.   (or included it here!)

Cyclops is getting impatient with while they were asked to come.  Also, he calls them, Wolverine’s Avengers, which if it was spoken aloud, must be said with a sneer.  Wolverine wants him to just wait four more seconds.

There is an ad for the Fantastic Four game for the first movie (I played it on the PS2).  It wasn’t horrible but I only got as far as the Diablo level then the game started not loading correctly.

The X-Men enter the room to see the assembled Avengers –

House of M Avengers

From left to right – Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Captain America, Wasp, Carol “Warbird” Danvers, Wonder Man, Xavier, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Falcon, Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Luke Cage and Sentry.

I really like the poses the heroes are in.  I wonder if they look at Luke Cage with jealousy, as he gets to be comfortable.  Though by now, I bet they love wearing spandex and that is more comfortable to them than wearing jeans.  Imagine living that type of live?

Kitty gives Xavier a big ol’ hug.  This is after Astonishing X-Men 12 (the final issue of the Danger arc) so the X-Men had turn their back on Xavier for his abuse of Danger.

Emma has read Xavier’s mind and knows why they are there.  I really like Emma in this scene.

Xavier wants the combined heroes to judge the fate of Wanda Maximoff.

There is an ad for the Batman Begins video game.  I never got to play it but I heard some people really like it.  I’m under the impression it is like an entire game of Predator missions from Arkham Asylum, so if that is true – I would imagine I would like that game.

Quicksilver has rushed back to his sister’s side.  His father comes into the room.  Pietro knows that the Avengers are coming to kill Wanda.  He has sworn to protect her, first from their father and now from the Avengers.  Magneto is quiet but his son knows that Magneto has made peace with his daughter being killed.  He does have that other daughter in reserve – but I’m sure it doesn’t work like that.

Back in Stark Tower.  Emma is so cold with her decision that Wanda needs to be killed.  Cap and Wonder Man won’t hear of it.  Wolverine is all for killing Wanda as well.

Emma confirms that Xavier can no longer help Wanda.  She turns to Doctor Strange, he also has not found any solutions to help but he is still looking.  This gives Cap hope and so he repeats that they will not be killing Wanda this day.

Kitty is very surprised by Emma’s continued push for death.

Emma wants to vote on it and Cap won’t allow that at all.  Plus, he makes a point of stating this is an Avengers issue and not an X-Men issue.   Emma tells him that Wanda is a mutant threat and that’s what the X-Men deal with.  Kitty speaks up that they deal with threats to mutants and not mutant threats.  Emma tells her that they do both.  Which really, I hate to take a side that Kitty isn’t on but they do both.  That is their bag.  I think Kitty was just waiting for a chance to disagree with Emma and took the first low hanging fruit that she could.

Emma goes on to why Wanda is no goodskees.  If the world found out that a mutant with reality warping abilities killed the Avengers, forced them to disband and is now even crazier, mutant relations will be thrown back to the stone age.

Wolverine wonders how many more Avengers have to die before they are willing to put two in the back of Wanda’s head.  Or one to the neck.

Spider-Man is worried that if his powers ever got out of control, that they would kill him.  Wolverine hopes that is exactly what would happen if that ever happen to Wolverine.  Which is odd as it has happen at least four times by this point and one time after this and they still didn’t kill him.

Wasp and Warbird both want to talk to Wanda, and see what she wants.  As if Wanda will be told the pros and cons and be like “oh sure, that makes sense – suicide by Avenger, please go ahead.”

They decide to go, hoping that Xavier and Doctor Strange can keep them safe.  Page ends with Spider-Man commenting that he won’t be home for dinner this day.

House of M 1 Kitty Pryde Genosha

On the plane ride to Genosha, Kitty hates the site of the island nation.  She goes on to comment that it is a reminder what humans will do to mutants.  Even though the attack was done on a mutant’s orders.

House of M 1 Shadowcat Spider-Man exchange

The heroes get to Wanda’s room and it is empty.  Emma and Xavier can’t detect her, nor can Doctor Strange.

Kitty states that they should get out of there, to which Spider-Man says “no duh.”  This is the interaction that the Proper Marvel Universe Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde have under Bendis’ pen.  Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 1 is still a year away.

Spider-Man notices Xavier is gone.  Then Emma gets a signal.

On the way to the church.  Iron Man is holding Cyclops arms up as they fly together, that can’t be comfortable.  Warbird is carrying Emma, only sightly better with the classic one hand under the legs the other supporting the back.

The church is empty and no one can detect anything.  Spider-Man tells everyone how his Spider-sense works.  He then gets a signal, leading people around.

Then a giant white aura happens, leading to a full page of the effect.

The final page is Peter Parker waking up to a cry of a baby.  His wife tells him it is his turn.  He gets up.

The last panel, we see Peter and Gwen’s wedding photo and her blonde hair sticking out of the sheets.

. . .

So with this, let me say, happy July 4th everybody!  Please be careful out there on the roads and around any fireworks.

. . .

Big Brother 16 – Joey being Alex, was sort of fun.

Was Chenbot wearing blue due to Joey’s hair and Pao Pao wearing a blue dress?

Wish the two gals’ speeches were funner but Pao Pao’s was better as Joey set her up well.

Caleb, I may not know ladies well, but I know you can’t walk up to a lady and tell her that she likes you.  Amber handled it has well as one can expect.

Joey is gone from the house.

I am glad that there were some fun interactions in the hallway prior to their votes.  Chenbot’s little sentence description prior to the houseguests’ votes are still horrible.  The writers need to give her some better material.

Chenbot’s interview with Joey, was not bad.

1st HoH – Amber

2nd HoH – Devin

I don’t care for production forcing gender heads of household.  This is going to get out of hand.

Poor Hayden, dropping at the wrong moment!  That is twice now!

Also, poor Cody, being dethrone on a technicality.

Another week of safety for the Bomb Squad.

Feel so bad for Donny being Team America.  Hopefully the curse stops at Joey.  My wife and I are Team Donny!

. . .

Independence Day film, just because I keeping wondering.  The running times are –

July 2nd – 54 minutes / Blast Ray Aftermath

July 3rd – 47 minutes / First Lady’s Death

July 4th – 50 minutes / Plus Credits

Another year of no Margaret Colin major appearances

Uncanny X-Men Volume Two Issue 6

Posted by John Klein III on July 3, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

242559_20120313210302_large

Writer Kieron Gillen

Penciler Greg Land

Inker Jay Leisten

Colorists Guru Efx

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Dated April 2012

How great must it be for Gillen, that he can point to this second volume of Uncanny X-Men, and say that this was completely his.

Issue opens inside Tabula Rasa, which was a small fictional town in Montana.  This all happened during Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force.  Cyclops’ Extinction Team is here to investigate.

The roster is – Cyclops, Colossus (now with Juggernaut powers), Hope Summers, Namor, Magneto, Danger, Magik, Storm and Psylocke (filling in for Emma).

Psylocke actually knows about this place, as she was there when it happened.  She is keeping that a serect as this version of X-Force is a secret.

Issue opens with the team broken into smaller groups.  Cyclops is taken prisoner.  Magik has been poisoned, and Colossus is watching over her.  Hope and Namor are investigating the under water life.  Magneto and Psylocke are a team.  Danger and Storm are both solo at the moment.

Tabula Rasa is a city under a dome.  One day passed for us, but inside the dome, a million years has passed.  Now the dome has come down.

Magneto and Psylocke find some cave drawings of Archangel and Fantomex.  Then the Immortal Man appears, from the cover.  He kills a green creature and leaves the two X-Men alone.  The man’s armor is not made out of metal so Magneto can’t stop him from leaving.  Psylocke calls for reinforcements.

prv11298_pg5

Colossus is losing a fight as some creatures are making off with Magik.  Hope and Namor are shooting undersea creatures.  Only Danger and Storm can come.

We see Cyclops is a prisoner with three humans.  I like how one of them asks if he is Cyclops, the blasting guy.  That is how I bet most citizens of the Marvel Universe see the heroes.  They are being watched by a humanoid creature, who wants to keep them talking.

There is a special page remembering Joe Simon’s passing, December 14, 2011.  Instead of a picture of him, we get Captain America and Bucky.

The humanoid creature wants them to keep speaking, as that is how he learns English.  I really like the learning curve he displays.

Psylocke and Magneto are trying to fight the Immortal Man.  In a panel where we are ‘treated’ to Psylocke’s left breast, Magneto confeses he is powerless to stop the threat.  There is no metal around for him to manipulate.

In an awesome page turn, Magneto was only jesting.  He uses the metal in his helmet to create shards and attacks the Immortal Man.  Magneto then goes on to describe all the ways he could have obtained metal.

There is a two page spread celebrating that Mark Waid’s Daredevil has won Best New Series of 2011.

Immortal Man can teleport.  Psylocke starts shouting for assistance. Danger states she will be there shortly.  Betsy asks how shortly.  Danger states now, and stomps on the foe from above.  It is a very well paced sequence.

Storm arrives, blasts lightning.  Immortal Man sinks into the ground.  The four members regroup and we get a to see Psylocke from behind.  It is amazing how long she stayed in that bathing suit costume.  Now that she has a far superior new outfit, the old one is so silly.

There is an ad for AvX, Storm versus Thor.  Which is an actual matchup that one would want to see.

Now that he is Juggerolossus, he goes down the hole after his sister.  He doesn’t need backup.

Hope and Namor are making their way to the underwater base.  She asks him why the water creatures are so upset.  He explains that when time stood still, the river was a lake – the water had no current.  Now that the dome is down, the river is moving, destroying their homes.  She compliments him on not being a pretty face.  I really like how this new character brings out a new side of a character who has been around since the 1940s.  She asks if one of his powers is speaking tapeworm.  He doesn’t, but does know one universal tongue.  That pays off big time next issue.

Cyclops and the creature meet up with the X-Men.  The creature explains their history.  Their race was on the brink of destruction.  He wanted to enter stasis but the Immortal Man wanted to escape.  His people exiled him.  Next, the Immortal Man’s attempt fails.  Then the people tried the stasis idea but it was too late.  Now the two are the last of their kind.  Sort of like Superman, but with an extra one.

Issue ends with the threat of the Immortal Man going to try to restore their people, at all cost.  The final panel is of a mushroom cloud, so that isn’t good.

There is an ad for the Avengers with Norman Osborn about to make his big move.  So grand how he became a major threat and not just a girlfriend knocking up and then throwing off a bridge type of villain.

. . .

Big Brother 16 – Donnie took himself the block, and Caleb put Joey up as a replacement nominee.  Hopefully Joey goes home, but I am okay if Pao Pao goes as well.

The Have Nots are – Hayden, Brittany, Joey and Cory.  Poor Cory, I can’t seem to remember him.  Also, poor Joey, not having a good week.

The Have Nots are in a room full of ice and they only have emergency ration blankets to keep them warm.  Also, they all volunteered for it.  I don’t care for when the HoH has to choose the Have Nots.  Not this early, anyway.  Later, it can be mean spirited, which makes for better television.

I also want to remember James Rebhorn, who played the Secretary of Defense in this movie.  He passed away this pass year, such a great actor.

. . .

It was nice to watch the first third of Independence Day with my parents last night.  Tonight is the fastest segment.