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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/24/comic-book-review-harley-quinn-22-the-family-circles-pt-1/

Comic Book Review: Harley Quinn #22, "The Family Circles, Pt.1"

By: Jerry Montgomery June 24, 2017

  Harley Quinn #22 “The Family Circles, Pt.1”

  Written by: Jimmy Palmiotti & Amanda Conner Artist: John Timms

A new story arc begins in issue #22 for Harley when new guests arrive unexpectedly early, putting her in less than embarrassing position! That’s right! Mom and Dad make a surprise early visit to Harley in “The Family Circles, Pt.1”! You’re about to find out a lot more about Harley Quinn than you’ve ever known when her parents come to town to see how their little girl is getting along! Its not all the joys of a family reunion though as the backlash of the previous storyline, “Red Meat” is felt on high at police headquarters and an old enemy finally makes contact with Harley.

  Since way before this current issue, Harley has been both anticipating and dreading the arrival of her parents since they announced their intentions of coming to visit. Getting caught off guard by their early arrival, Harley is forced to endure a series of embarrassing introductions as Mom and Dad meet her friends who live in the building. Poison Ivy, Red Tool, Big Tony, Goat Boy and the rest of the gang get a real kick out of messing with Harley with gleeful mischief much to the chagrin of Harley! Once the introductions are over, it’s time for Harley’s parents to get the big tour of the city and where she has her psychiatric practice at the retirement home. There’s a lot of catching up about home and more to come presumably as Mom and Dad head back to their hotel to get ready for dinner later on. Harley too goes back to her apartment to get ready but trouble rears its ugly head as an old, once obsessed enemy shows up at a most inopportune time for her with two bound and ball-gagged captives in tow. It seems like Harley can’t get any downtime from her enemies but she soon learns this enemy wants something more than just a fight.

Meanwhile, it appears the previous “Red Meat” story just won’t go away. It seems the mayor’s reach extends beyond city hall as Police Chief Spoonsdale feels his influence with the help of the city’s sexy attorney, Jean Raymond. Those arrested in connection with the cannibal killings of the city’s homeless have been turned over to other authorities and the Chief warned off any further investigation. It doesn’t seem Spoonsdale will be scared off too easily and may get himself more embroiled in the conspiracy set forth from the mayor and city hall.

  In the secondary story, “Harley Loves Joker, Pt. 6”, this Batman: The Animated Series inspired tale continues with Harley hanging out with the Alice in Wonderland themed Wonderland Gang’s March Hare, Carpenter and Tweedle Dum…or is it Dee? Anyway, it’s hideout, death-trap makeover time as Harley wants to surprise her Puddin’ with some fancy new digs with the help of the Carpenter. The Joker’s infiltration of the Gotham City Police Department begins to pay off as he discovers who’s been robbing from him. A new girl’s in town…the Grison! (It’s a South American weasel.)

The Verdict: Issue #22 is an entertaining and funny read as it details what most of us have come to dread…a visit from Mom and Dad. We get to learn more about Harley’s family, especially her siblings and possibly the source of Harley’s free-spirit…her Mom and Dad! There’s plenty of sexiness, sexual innuendo and cat fighting in nothing but bath towels! There’s even a bit of surprising kinkiness thrown in for good measure! Fans of “Fifty Shades”, unite! Everything you’ve come to love from the Harley Quinn comic is here and more. The writing is as zany and madcap as ever and the artwork is great as well though, I question some of Timm’s use of his stark blacks at times that come across as sideburns, helmets and oilslicks. Overall, this a perfect time to jump onto this title if you haven’t already been reading it.

Alt cover for Harley Quinn #22

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/21/the-smackdown-files-if-only-for-two-nights-how-carmella-became-the-woman-formally-known-ms-money-in-the-bank-6-20-2017/

The SmackDown Files: If Only For Two Nights - How Carmella Became The Woman Formally Known Ms. Money in the Bank (6-20-2017)

  By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from Wright State University Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. After the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match ended with James Ellsworth grabbing the briefcase and handing it to Carmella in one of the worst finishes in WWE history, Daniel Bryan had a huge decision to make. Would Carmella’s win stand or did the SD Live General Manager right the wrong committed by the Chinless Penis? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

  SD Live kicked off with Carmella explaining why she should remain Ms. Money in the Bank. She didn’t care about making history. She used her street smarts in order to gain the upper hand. Ms. MITB offered examples of how Kane and Bray Wyatt interfered in previous MITB Ladder matches in order to tilt the outcome in their favor. Carmella called out the internet trolls for blowing up her mentions on Twitter because she used the no disqualification rule to her advantage. She didn’t give a damn what anybody had to say and Daniel Bryan would back her up later tonight as the opening segment came to end.

  This was a good way to start the show. Carmella is finally getting heat for all the right reasons. Despite James Ellsworth sullying the integrity of the first-ever Women’s MITB Ladder Match, the Princess of Staten Island is the second most-hated woman in WWE behind Stephanie McMahon. If her in-ring work catches up to her solid promo skills, this might kerfuffle might be a blessing in disguise.

  Big E defeated Jimmy Uso with the Big Ending in a solid match. Most of the action took place during the commercial break, but it was good while it lasted. Jimmy delivered a cheap shot to Kofi Kingston while he was cheering Big E at ringside which played into the finish.

  The Usos started to head up the ramp when Kingston laid out Jey Uso with a dive. Xavier Woods forced Jimmy to get back in the ring. Big E grabbed Jimmy by the hair, but he got sucker punched for his efforts. Jimmy tried to nail Big E with a Superkick, but E blocked it and hit his finisher for the win. This was a nice way to forward The New Day-Usos feud which will presumably continue at the Battleground PPV next month.

  Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Dolph Ziggler with the Kinshasa in a long, but good match. This was very similar to their bout at Backlash a few weeks ago. Nakamura sold a lot which killed the heat in spots, but his comeback popped the crowd towards the end of the match. Plus, no pyro was set off during Nakamura’s entrance. Perhaps WWE got the hint that the extra accouterments weren’t needed in order to make him look like a bigger star than he already is.

  American Alpha Sighting!

  Kevin Owens retained the United States Championship when he pinned Chad Gable with a Popup Powerbomb. The match was short, but it was solid while it lasted. Gable deadlifting Owens for a delayed German Suplex was a thing of beauty. Here’s hoping American Alpha get more airtime because they are too talented to be sitting backstage with nothing to do.

  It appears that WWE is revisiting the Kevin Owens-AJ Styles feud as Styles interrupted Owens’ United States Open Invitational before Gable came out and threw his name in the hat. Both men had a very good match at Backlash and I expect similar results when they have their US Title rematch at Battleground next month.

  Daniel Bryan announced that Carmella would be stripped of the Money in the Bank Briefcase after James Ellsworth insulted Bryan’s newborn daughter. Bryan told The Chinless One to shut up or he would punch him in the face before firing him on the spot.

  The second-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match featuring Charlotte, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Tamina, and Carmella will take place next week. Bryan snatched the briefcase out of Ellsworth’s hands before heading backstage.

  A brawl broke out between the ladies which saw Charlotte and Becky corner Carmella in the middle of the ring. Charlotte nailed the woman formerly known as Ms. MITB with Natural Selection before Becky made her tap out to the Dis-Arm-Her for good measure as the segment came to an end.

  Bryan made the right decision and the ladies will get another chance to have the match they should’ve had this past Sunday. James Ellsworth being banned from ringside would be an added bonus in order to keep things fire and square.

  Jinder Mahal defeated Luke Harper with the Cobra Clutch Slam thanks to an assist from the Singh Brothers. The match was fine, but it was nothing to write home about.

  Baron Corbin came out and teased MITB cash-in, but he was only playing mind games with Mahal. The distraction allowed Harper to get a near fall on the champ, but it wasn’t enough to get the win as Singh Brother A climbed on the ring apron to distract Harper. Harper tried to nail him with a Clothesline, but he ducked out of the way which led to the finish.

  After the match was over, Randy Orton made his way to the ring and made a beeline for the Singh Brothers before attacking Mahal in the ring.

  The action spilled to the outside as Orton nailed Mahal with a wicked clothesline before kicking his ass from pillar to post. Mahal escaped certain doom when The Singh Brothers attacked Orton. However, the reprieve was short-lived because Orton nailed Singh One and Singh Two with a pair of RKOs moments later. SD Live went off the air with Orton and Mahal having a stare down building up to their third WWE Championship match at Battleground next month.

  This was a fine way to end the show. Orton showed great fire during his attack on Mahal and The Singh Brothers. Harper had a nice showing in the ring while Mahal got his first taste of being in the main event scene since winning the WWE Title at Backlash last month. If WWE is betting the house on the India market, they have to push the modern-day Maharaja to the hilt. This was a step in the right direction which should bode well for Mahal’s future until a certain free agent makes his return on July 4th.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was middling at best. This was not a hot show after such a controversial Money in the Bank PPV. The women were spotlighted in a positive way, but the rest of the broadcast didn’t pop off the screen from an excitement standpoint.

  WWE offering a mea culpa to fans by re-doing the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match on free television is the smart thing to do. Hopefully, the redux will produce better results instead of another controversial finish for the sake of drumming up buzz on social media.

  Also, The Hype Bros will face The Usos next week for the right to earn a shot at the SmackDown Tag Team Titles. Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley reminded Daniel Bryan that they won the Tag Team Battle Royal to become the number one contenders for the Tag Titles last December, but Ryder’s knee injury prevented them from going after the gold silver. Despite the team reuniting, something tells me that a Ryder heel turn is afoot. Rawley has achieved a lot of success while he was rehabbing his injury. Will a case of sour grapes ruin their partnership? Based on recent WWE history, the answer is yes. Please see the disintegration of Jeri-KO, The Golden Truth, DIY, and Enzo Amore and Big Cass as examples.

  Plus, Naomi will face Lana for the SmackDown Women’s Championship next Tuesday. Their first outing was so-so, but we shall see if they can work out the kinks this time around. Fingers crossed!

  Despite tonight’s so-so show, next week’s episode of SD Live looks stacked with the Women’s MITB Ladder Match being the main selling point. Let’s hope the blue brand delivers the goods as the return of John Cena looms on the horizon. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/20/the-raw-expose-wwe-presents-death-of-a-friendship-ii-starring-enzo-amore-and-big-cass-6-19-2017/

The Raw Exposé: WWE Presents - Death of a Friendship II Starring Enzo Amore and Big Cass (6-19-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. After WWE threw in the towel last week due to Game 5 of the NBA Finals, this was the perfect opportunity for the company to get back on track as the infamous July PPV rapidly approaches. Samoa Joe proved that he’s not scared of Brock Lesnar by going toe-to-toe with The Beast and walking away unscathed. Did the Samoan Badass continue his streak of dominance or did someone decide to rain on his parade? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

  Raw kicked off with Roman Reigns’ announcement regarding his plans for Summerslam. Reigns wanted to face the winner of the Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe. He declared himself the number one contender because the ring was his yard now.

  Samoa Joe came out and was offended that Reigns omitted his name from the title match. He was actually flattered because Reigns never beat him one-on-one. Reigns had a stinging line about how Samoa Joe didn’t live up his Samoan roots and called him “Just Joe” as an insult.

  Joe headbutted Reigns and proceeded to toss him into the barricade before rolling him back in the ring.

  He tried to lock in the Coquina Clutch but Reigns powered out of the hold and nailed Joe with a Superman Punch as the opening segment came to a close.

  This was a good way to start the show. The talking was kept to a minimum as Reigns and Joe traded barbs while coming off like total badasses at the same time. Reigns being a cocky asshole is a good look for him. It generates instant heat whether he’s catering to his fanbase or deliberately pissing off hardcore fans who despise his character. WWE has found the perfect formula when it comes to presenting Reigns as a star who is a lightning rod who generates buzz wherever he goes. Here’s hoping the company stays the course because there is money to be made if they play their cards right.

  Samoa Joe fending off claims that he is the black sheep of the Samoan Dynasty continues to fuel him in the best possible way. Joe is not only fighting for the Universal Title but his namesake as well. No one comes for his manhood and gets away with it. Brock Lesnar learned that lesson last week. Will Reigns suffer a similar fate? We shall find out later tonight.

  The Hardy Boyz defeated Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows when Jeff Hardy pinned Gallows with the Swanton Bomb in a gusty match. Jeff played the babyface in peril until he laid out Anderson with the Whisper in the Wind. Matt made the hot tag and had things under control until Gallows sucker punched him. This allowed Gallows and Anderson to hit the Boot of Doom for a near fall. Jeff eventually made the blind tag as Gallows was about to take out Matt. Jeff saved his brother which set up the Twist of Fate/Swanton Bomb finish. Nice effort from both teams as WWE teased an Anderson and Gallows win only for them to pick up another loss. Again…

  Random Observation: Bo Dallas has an amazing tan. And long luxurious hair. And a beard!

  Finn Bálor defeated Bo Dallas with the Coup De Grace in a surprisingly competitive match. Dallas attacked Bálor before the match got underway which gave him the advantage early on. However, Bálor got back on offense by nailing Dallas with a wicked kick to the face before throwing him into the barricade for good measure. He rolled Dallas back in the ring and hit his Slingblade/Running Dropkick/Coup De Grace trifecta for the win. This was a nice showcase for Bálor while Dallas looked good for a grand total of two minutes before eating the pin.

  Seth Rollins waxed poetically about being on the cover of WWE 2K18 while renouncing his greedy and egomaniacal ways from three years ago. Bray Wyatt didn’t buy Rollins’ nice guy act as he cut a promo from backstage. Wyatt hated the idea of Rollins being a corporate shill and vowed to make him pay for using his name in vain.

  Wyatt made his way to the ring and was about to sacrifice Rollins for the greater good when Rollins laid him out with a crossbody from the top rope onto the floor. Rollins walked away while Wyatt tried to save face by smiling manically as the segment came to an end.

  The promo exchange between Rollins and Wyatt was fine, but I am not emotionally invested in their feud because Wyatt has looked weak at every turn. He might gain the advantage every now and then, but he never wins the BIG ONE. Wyatt’s feud with Rollins will deliver similar results. It’s sad but true.

  Elias Samson sent quite the message to Finn Bálor when he attacked Bálor from behind during his backstage interview with Charly Caruso. Samson warned Bálor never to upstage him again as D-Von shooed The Drifter away. I think it’s safe to pencil in Bálor vs. Samson at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  Akira Tozawa defeated TJP with a Senton from the top rope. The match was solid and Titus O’Neil added to Tozawa’s act by being his manager. If this is O’Neil’s career trajectory, why is he a heel?

  Based on O’Neil’s rebuttal to Neville after the Cruiserweight Champion vowed to annihilate Tozawa if he continued to stick his nose where it didn’t belong, we might have our answer. O’Neil & Apollo Crews will face Sheamus & Cesaro in a nontitle match. Two heel teams going at it doesn’t make sense unless the creative team decided to turn O’Neil and Crews babyface. We shall find out soon enough.

  Samoa Joe defeated Roman Reigns by putting him to sleep with the Coquina Clutch in a very good match. It was hard-hitting and physical throughout which made things even better. Joe had his best match to date since debuting on the main roster while Reigns continues to prove why he’s one of the best performers in WWE.

  The counters and near falls were on point as Joe countered Reigns’ Spear attempt with a knee to the face followed by a modified Atomic Drop and Senton. It was a great sequence that popped the crowd something fierce.

  Joe tried to finish Reigns off with The Coquina Clutch, but the Big Dog powered out and dropped Joe with a Spear. Joe put his foot on the rope for a near fall which heightened the drama even more.

  Joe rolled out of the ring and barely made it back in the ring before the count of ten. Reigns was in position to hit him with another Spear until a beeping sound stopped the match in its tracks.

  An ambulance was backing into the arena and lo and behold, BRAUN STROWMAN made his triumphant return to Raw. The distraction allowed Joe to lock in his submission hold for the win.

  After the match was over, Strowman made his way to the ring and reminded Reigns that he wasn’t finished with him yet. He laid him out with a Reverse Chokeslam and challenged the Big Dog to an Ambulance Match at the Fire of Great Balls PPV as the segment came to an end.

  The match between Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns was great while Strowman’s return pushed things over the top. Joe continues to look strong while the epic Strowman-Reigns feud will come to a head next month. All in all, this was a great piece of business that made me look for to the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  The Miz’s marriage might be on the rocks, but the night wasn’t a total loss as he recruited Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel to join his entourage. Dallas and Axel attacked Dean Ambrose from behind while they were disguised as a pair of bears.

  Miz picked the bones as he laid out Ambrose with the Skull Crushing Finale to wrap up the apology segment from hell.

  Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil when Cesaro pinned Crews with an assisted White Noise. The match was fine, but the 10:30 Lull Period of Death started to set in as the crowd was muted for the most part.

  That Brock Lesnar-Samoa Joe video package was everything. Lesnar talking shit about his opponents never gets old. If only he did it for the live audience on a regular basis. Hmm…

  Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax ended via disqualification after Emma kicked Jax in the stomach after Alexa Bliss moved out of the way. Since Banks was DQ’d, she attacked Emma and Jax until Bliss intervened.

  From there, all hell broke loose as Mickie James, Dana Brooke, and Bayley made the save. The babyface crew stood tall while the heels retreated up the ramp.

  Bayley got a nice ovation which was refreshing to see. Based on the melee, expect a multi-woman match for Bliss’ Raw Women’s Title at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  The whodunit mystery involving Enzo Amore and Big Cass finally came to a head when Big Cass was revealed to be the culprit.

  Kurt Angle interrogated The Big Show and The Revival but noted investigator Corey Graves provided visual proof that Big Cass was the man behind the backstage attacks.

  Security footage revealed that Big Cass staged the attack from last week as Enzo looked on in shock. Cass admitted that he was the man who attacked Enzo from behind because he was tired of carrying his dead weight.

  Cass took pity on Enzo because no one liked him. His big mouth was writing checks that his ass couldn’t cash. Cass ended their friendship and nailed Enzo with a big boot to the face. Raw went off the air with Cass standing tall on the main stage while Angle tended to Enzo in the ring.

  This was an interesting way to end the show. Big Cass held his own on the mic while Enzo Amore did a wonderful job letting his facial expressions do the talking for him. He even cried on command which is pretty damn remarkable.

  It sucks that the team is breaking up, but Enzo’s rebuttal should be a thing of beauty next week. If he’s able to convey his own thoughts, we might have a potential promo of the year contender on our hands. I still have trepidation about both men going solo because they complement each other so well on the mic and in the ring.

  However, Vince McMahon sees dollar signs in Big Cass and we shall see how his singles push plays out. As for Enzo, he’s a better talker than a wrestler. His long-term goal should be managing other stars. Enzo has the gift of gab which will serve him well in the future.

  On a more somber note, I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a rough year for friendships in WWE. L

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was solid. This was a nice bounce back show after last week’s ho-hum effort. The wrestling action ranged from decent to very good with Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe winning match of the night honors.

  Braun Strowman returned and went back to what he does best: Destroying Reigns to no end. Their Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire the July PPV should be a spectacle, to say the least.

  The third hour dragged a bit, but the closing segment ended things on a high note. Big Cass showed his true colors and it should be interesting to see how he fares as a solo star. Enzo’s big mouth will keep him employed for years to come. His in-ring work? Not so much.

  WWE is doing a good job building up the Balls of Great Fire PPV. However, the company is 0-4 when it comes to producing quality PPVs post-WrestleMania season. The booking decisions at Payback, Backlash, Extreme Rules and Money in the Bank have been atrocious. Here’s hoping they get their act together next month by booking a show that makes sense from a wrestling and storytelling standpoint. If not, the streak will extend to 0-5 which is a damn shame coming from the biggest wrestling promotion in the world.

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/20/comic-book-review-suicide-squad-19-earthlings-on-fire-alone/

Comic Book Review: Suicide Squad #19, "Earthlings on Fire: Alone"

By: Jerry Montgomery June 18, 2017

  Suicide Squad #19 “Earthlings on Fire: Alone”

  Written by: Rob Williams Pencils by: Neil Edwards

If you haven’t heard of the Suicide Squad then you’ve probably been living under a rock somewhere. If you know about the Suicide Squad, which I assume you do, then you know Amanda Waller, the ruthless and deadly director of this infamous team of baddies who just want to shave a little time off their prison sentence. Is she a villain herself? Surely, a lot of her methods she uses in the name of national security could be construed as such…political connections, intimidation and deception. For a character to have no superpowers, she can still mix it up with those who do and still come out on top…usually. Which brings me to the latest story arc of Suicide Squad.

  A mysterious “cosmic” artifact fell from the sky and landed deep in some deep Eastern European area and is now housed in a guarded prison by the Annihilation Brigade, a Russian quartet of super powered beings, beneath the Laptev sea. America wants the artifact, thus the Suicide Squad is called into action to retrieve it. During this mission, it’s discovered that this cosmic item, now referred to as, “The Black Vault” was a portal leading to the Negative Zone. A fact further proven when the Kryptonian criminal, General Zod emerges, driven mad from his years spent inside, incinerating Captain Boomerang in the process with his heat vision. Before anyone else can be hurt, Rick Flag manages to get Zod back into the Vault and the meta-human Hack “teleports” the Black Vault and the Suicide Squad back to Belle Reve.

  Once back to Belle Reve, the Vault begins to emit to effect all those in the prison with murderous results, fueling their rage and essentially driving them crazy. The prison’s electrical systems begin to fail too as an unknown virus begins to infect them. It turns out to be Captain Boomerang in digital form, struggling to take form. What am I talking about you might ask? Apparently, Hack’s power is the ability to manipulate , download and store digital data. Instead of “teleporting” the Black Vault and the Suicide Squad to the prison, the reality of it was really breaking down all into digital form, sending them through fiber optic and electronic cable and reassembling them upon their arrival. So, in essence, when Captain Boomerang reappears, he is a digital copy of the original. What this means for Captain Boomerang’s existence is anybody’s guess and in all likelihood will crop up again at some point in future issues.

Amanda Waller then gets the idea to add General Zod to the ranks of Task Force X in order to defeat the Annihilation Brigade but before doing so, surgically implants a small kryptonite bomb into his brain. A maniacal Zod makes light work of them before cracking open the containment suit of Annihilation Brigade member, Tunguska, who was essentially a walking nuclear explosion, and sending him into meltdown. Once returned to Belle Reve, Zod is threatened with the kryptonite brain bomb by Waller to continue his compliance. Naturally, you can imagine Zod’s reaction to this and in a fit of rage, performs a little self brain surgery, burning away part of the front his skull to remove the bomb. Now that’s hardcore! He then destroys all defensive measures designed to incapacitate him in Belle Reve, prompting Amanda Waller to truly be afraid for the first time. It is discovered that the Black Vault is more than just a portal to the Negative Zone…it is an actual piece of the Negative Zone where an army of evil Kryptonians await Zod to free them to conquer the Earth. It’s then up to the Suicide Squad to save the planet from certain doom. It seems hopeless even with the help of the Annihilation Brigade’s hammer-headed Cosmonut with the arrival of the Cyborg Superman and the Eradicator.

  In issue #19 of Suicide Squad picks up from last issue. Rick Flag lay severely wounded, Harley checks out and the rest of the team is occupied with wraiths from the Negative Zone, criminals from long ago, now turned into ghosts. If one enraged Kryptonian is bad enough to defeat, the Cyborg Superman and the Eradicator have come to recruit Zod into the Superman Revenge Squad, crossing over from the “Revenge” story arc currently running in Action Comics. With the current mental state of Zod (With part of his brain exposed and all!), he may not be the most agreeable when it comes to joining another team! It would seem Amanda Waller has finally miscalculated her ability to control a villain with Superman level power. Who wasn’t asking, “How long can this last?” To defeat Zod and prevent him from releasing his army of criminal Kryptonians, its going to take some help from some unlikely allies and when desperate times call for desperate measures, it’s understood that everybody may not make it home alive when the mission is over.

  The Verdict: As for team books, I usually don’t go for them but I have come to really like Suicide Squad. I have enjoyed the “Earthlings On Fire” story arc especially with the writing of Rob Williams who has provided a lot of development and not often seen emotion in villainous characters. The pencilling of Neil Edwards is detailed with a nice talent for his action panels with my only complaint being his “yelling” or “screaming” rendering of Harley’s face. Beyond that nitpick, I recommend this issue for an entertaining read with a collection of interesting characters. The way Rob Williams has written General Zod is one that I would like to see in other villains to provide more life to them and gain a little more insight into why they do the things they do.

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/14/comic-book-review-justice-league-22-a-thousand-little-things/

Comic Book Review: Justice League #22, "A Thousand Little Things"

By: Jerry Montgomery June 11, 2017

  Justice League #22 “A Thousand Little Things”

  Written by: Shea Fontana Artwork: Phillipe Brionne

Did you ever see the 70’s horror flick, Squirm? How about 2006’s Bug? If you’ve seen either or both, you know that the main antagonist is infestation. Infestation of humans with bugs and other creepy crawlies. That’s sort of the premise of Justice League #22, “A Thousand Little Things.”

  It’s always tough being the new person at work or the new kid at school. No one wants to be the odd man out. We all want to be accepted…to fit in. It’s no different for the two new members of the Justice League, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz. Imagine joining the likes of such legendary heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg. Who wouldn’t be intimidated? On top of any self doubts or anxiety about whether they belong there, they’ve also got the added stress of being the newest Green Lanterns. They’ve got some very big shoes to fill and issue 22 gives them the chance to prove they’ve got what it takes to be Green Lanterns and members of the Justice League.

  It’s just another day at the Justice League’s headquarters, the Watchtower, high above the Earth. Jessica and Simon have been charged with clearing a field of asteroids traveling towards the planet. Sounds simple enough for a couple of Green Lanterns, doesn’t it? Maybe so but unbeknownst to them, a couple hundred thousand things hitch a ride back to the Watchtower after a seemingly successful mission. Then, in your typical contagion protocol, after the invaders are discovered, the Watchtower is put into lockdown, trapping everyone , including Lois and young Jon, Superman’s wife and son. Unwilling to simply exterminate the tiny organisms in case they are sentient, the team works together to gather the information they need to “fumigate” their headquarters. However, it seems they’ve got their work cut out for them…you see, Jessica has an unwanted passenger as well. A passenger that holds the key to it all. Depending on how the League deals with it will make all the difference towards a peaceful solution and Jessica, the new Green Lantern who battles with chronic debilitating anxiety will play the most important role of all.

The Verdict: If you are a fan of team titles, then you won’t want to miss this issue. You get a little bit of each major character true to their form but this one features the newest additions to the Justice League and Green Lanterns Corp as well. The artwork by Philippe Brionne is pretty good and the writing by Shea Fontana is good as well but typical of your team books, that being not enough pages to give all members an equal part in the story and rounding out most as supporting cast. This appears to be a one shot story, so if you’re looking for something for pure entertainment value that doesn’t require any intense thought, this one will fit the bill and if you’ve become attached to the new Lanterns, its win-win!

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/14/the-smackdown-files-the-jinder-mahal-took-a-flight-on-the-rko-747-edition-6-13-2017/

The SmackDown Files: The Jinder Mahal Took a Flight On The RKO 747 Edition (6-13-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is the go-home show for the Money in the Bank PPV on Sunday. Also, this is NOLA’s last televised event until WrestleMania descends on the city next year. One would think that this would be an extra special edition of SD Live due to all the hoopla.

  In actuality, WWE has done a haphazard job when it comes to hyping their B-Level PPVs as of late. Did the company reverse this trend or were fans treated to the same old, same old? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

  The Soul Rebels were awesome as they played The New Day to the ring to kick off SD Live. Sadly, we had to deal with the obligatory opening show promo before the Eight-Man Tag Match featuring The New Day and Breezango vs. The Usos and Colons took place. The mic work was fine, but it was nothing special. Hopefully, the in-ring action will deliver better results.

  The New Day and Breezango defeated The Usos and The Colons when Xavier Woods pinned Primo with a double foot stomp from the top rope. This was a good match that was well balanced in terms of the babyfaces dominating the first half of the bout while the heels took over during the commercial break. Tyler Breeze did a nice job playing the babyface in peril until he made the hot tag to Kofi Kingston.

  Kingston had Jimmy Uso beat with Trouble in Paradise until Jey Uso broke up the pin. There was a minor hiccup towards the end of the match when Fandango failed to clothesline Jey out of the ring which caused Fandango to take a spill while Jey had to take the bump as if a ghost attacked him from behind. Miscommunication aside, this was a nice way for The New Day to build momentum heading into the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at Money in the Bank.

Neurotic Sami Zayn is so annoying.

  Shinsuke Nakamura’s facial expressions during Zayn’s spiel was awesome.

  Welcome back, Zack Ryder!

  Naomi defeated Tamina with the Split-Legged Moonsault, but she didn’t get a chance to celebrate because Lana attacked her from behind. Lana shocked the world by dropping Naomi with a Sitout Spinebuster before posing with SmackDown Women’s Championship.

  Lana pulling off that move while wearing an evening gown was extra impressive. Breezango would be proud…

  Tamina vs. Naomi was middling at best. Tamina controlled the action for the most part, but the multiple rest holds between high spots killed the overall flow of the match. It was a struggle from the onset which raises concerns when it comes to Tamina’s role in the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match on Sunday. Here’s hoping she stands out for all right reasons instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.

  Randy Orton kept his actions speak louder than words mantra intact when he nailed Jinder Mahal with an RKO out of nowhere. It was a beautiful spot as Orton sailed in the air with the greatest of ease. Mahal sold the move like a boss which pushed the “face-to-face” segment over the top.

  Mahal’s promos are duller than dishwater, but he knows how to sell his ass off. That’s a positive.

  Charlotte defeated Natalya with Natural Selection in a very good match. Both ladies maximized their minutes and hooked the crowd from start to finish. Charlotte and Natalya’s in-ring chemistry was on full display which makes me yearn for a full-on feud not involving their lineage or the Montreal Screwjob from almost twenty years ago. They had a great match at the Roadblock special last year, but their rivalry still has legs if it’s handled properly.

  The Fashion Files shocked me for two reasons.

  Reason #1: Fandango has embraced the romper way of life.

  Reason #2: Fandango’s legs are tatted with ink. I learn something new every day…

  Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, and Dolph Ziggler when Zayn nailed Corbin with the Helluva Kick for the win.

  The six-man tag team match was very good as it featured fast-paced and hard-hitting action throughout. Styles was on fire early until the heels took control during the commercial break.

  Zayn was isolated from his team during the latter part of the match, but he toughed it out as he took out the heels before making the hot tag.

  Owens and Ziggler were one step ahead of the game when they yanked Styles and Nakamura from the ring apron. However, Styles came through in the clutch and nailed Corbin with a forearm which set up the finish.

  The babyfaces didn’t get a chance to celebrate as the heels attacked them from behind. Owens brought a ladder into the ring and laid out Styles and Zayn thanks to an assist from Ziggler.

  Owens and Ziggler went face-to-face until Corbin blindsided both men which ended their temporary alliance.

  Corbin climbed the ladder and was about to grab the Money in the Bank briefcase until Nakamura knocked him off the ladder.

  Nakamura nailed Corbin with the Kinshasa before climbing the ladder and grabbing the briefcase for himself as SD Live went off the air with The King of Strong Style standing tall.

  This was a hot way to end the show. The crowd was hot for the main event as each man from the MITB Ladder Match got a chance to shine. The post-match skirmish was a nice teaser for things to come heading into the PPV on Sunday. The field is wide open and it should be interesting to see who will become the 18th Mr. MITB. We shall find out soon enough.

  Overall, I thought this was a strong episode of SmackDown Live. This was the best go-home show for a PPV since WrestleMania. Every match on the Money in the Bank card was spotlighted in a positive way. The in-ring action ranged from solid to very good which was refreshing to see.

  WWE didn’t cram extra stuff on the show to fill out the rest of the PPV card. The five-match lineup is reminiscent of an NXT Takeover special in the sense that each match stands out in its own right. There is no need to drag a showdown with lower-card matches that has little to no heat amongst fans. Therefore, the less is more approach is the way to go in order to make the MITB PPV a tight show in terms of match positioning and booking.

  However, the wrestling must be on point in order for the show to be a success. Here’s hoping the SD Live crew deliver the goods because MITB has the potential to be a blow away show everything goes according to plan. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

[geektified]

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What We've Learned From E3 2017 Thus Far

So far this year E3 has had some very surprising hits and few misses. Some already announced games were expanded upon while new properties surprised gamers worldwide and in some cases, older properties are making their way back into the gaming world as well.

If you haven’t had a chance to keep up with E3 this year and need a quick rundown, don’t worry bro, we got you!

Here’s a list of things that we’ve soaked up so far and that I’m sure you’ll find to be quite reassuring:

  1): VR is making progress this year

For those of us who haven’t seen a lot of progress in the VR world, then it’s time to take a moment and look at the announcements. We’ve seen the Fallout 4 VR, ES: Skyrim VR, and Doom VFR and we’ve got to say, it’s looking quite lovely. Please, do yourself a favor and at least watch the Fallout 4 VR trailer. Watching a deathclaw come at you whilst listening to “Mr. Sandman” is destined to get your blood pumping.

  2): Bethesda didn’t disappoint

Not only mentioning Fallout 4 VR and ES: Skyrim VR, Bethesda also introduced us to Wolfenstein 2, Evil Within 2 and ES: Legends Heroes of Skyrim. Treat yo self and watch these trailers. Wolfenstein 2 looks promising and rather gory. Evil Within 2 will continue to give us nightmares upon nightmares and ES: Legends Heroes of Skyrim is a welcome addition to the already successful and quite addictive ES: Legends digital card game.

  Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

  3): Ubisoft nailed it this year

Introducing a lot of sequels, prequels and additions to previous properties does not mean that Ubisoft lost this year’s conference. Just wait till you read the properties we’re talking about. One that might surprise you is the announcement trailer for Beyond Good and Evil 2. Yes! You read that right. And if that’s not enough to get you excited (though it should be) there’s also the gameplay trailer for Far Cry 5, which takes place in Montana, U.S., a very different location for the franchise. We also got a glimpse at a new game called Skull & Bones, a pvp pirate game, The Crew 2, and Mario &  which we’ll see on the Switch. Last but not least, we’ve got Assassin’s Creed: Origins taking place in Ancient Egypt, a perfect exotic location and a nice change of pace for the franchise.

  Beyond Good and Evil 2

  4): It’s a good year to be a sci-fi fan

Yep. That’s right. We’ve got a new game coming called Anthem, a game developed by BioWare which shows its vast and lush locations juxtaposed with new technologies and weapons. If you’re leery on new titles, then don’t forget about Destiny 2, a game that was announced with a trailer some time ago, but had more to show this time around. We’ve also got Detroit: Become Human and Star Wars: Battlefront 2, but we’ll cover those more thoroughly in a bit.

  Anthem

  5): Sony builds on properties 

This year at E3, Sony didn’t have as many explosive announcements like last year’s Death Stranding. But, they did show us more of what they have to offer. First, they showed us more footage of the new Spider-Man game which will be a PS4 exclusive. If it’s as good as the PS2 Spider-Man 2  game, then many nostalgic fans will be flocking to stores on its release. Then, we saw more God of War. Though we saw a good amount of footage last year, this time we got even more. Those of us familiar with the franchise should be pleased, but it appears to be one that newcomers can jump right into without much play history. Sony introduced a deeper look into the post-apocalyptic biker game, Days Gone, as well Detroit: Become Human, a game from the makers of Heavy Rain. Fans of the Uncharted series have Uncharted: Lost Legacy to look forward to as well, which no longer follows Nathan Drake, but Chloe and Nadine, two characters formerly introduced in the series that will be teaming up. And are you ready for the final kicker? It looks like we will be getting a remastered Shadow of the Colossus and it is b-e-a-utiful!

  Spider-Man

  6): Microsoft’s a tech powerhouse

After the launch of the PS4 Pro, we are now getting the Xbox One X, a gaming console that we are told is going to be an extremely powerful console, able to run 4k more easily than the PS4 Pro. On top of that, the Xbox One will now be backward compatible with some original Xbox games. In terms of gaming exclusives, we got our first look at Crackdown 3 and Forza 7, both of which are titles to get overly excited about and scream in public.

  Xbox One X

  7): Nintendo always has a charming way of surprising us

If you’ve got the Switch and are concerned about the lack of launch titles except Legend of Zelda, then don’t be concerned much longer. Nintendo announced everything from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a Kirby game, a Pokemon RPG to Metroid Prime 4! We also saw a new title, Super Mario Odyssey which has been described as “weird” which just gets us that much more intrigued.

Super Mario Odyssey

  8): Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will be HUGE

We thought Star Wars: Battlefront 2 deserved its own mention and you should too. There’s plenty of content to look at including gameplay trailers and play throughs of the online mode, but from what we’re seeing, it’s going to be HUGE! Building off of the mechanics of the first entry, this game will be adding more eras of the SW universe, promising a variety in playability. What they’ve shown the most is a battle in the city of Theed, pitting the Separatist droid forces against the Republic army of clones and even though many fans of the franchise dislike the prequel trilogy, none can complain about the design aspect of them, which plays a large part of the game. We got to see Naboo starfighters, as well as AAT tank combat and hero integration. I mean, we’re talking Darth Maul and Rey here people! What’s not to get excited about? There wasn’t much in terms of campaign reveal, save a short clip, but we understand their reasons for keeping those things under wraps for now.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

  9): Final Notable Mentions

Last but not least, there are other games announced and expanded on that should be researched immediately. We got to see more of Middle Earth: Shadow of War, a trailer for a new co-op prison escape game called A Way Out, State of Decay 2, Metro: Exodus which gave us an eerie look into a beautiful waste land, and more footage for Call of Duty: World War 2, which has us excited for new and innovative multiplayer modes as well as a dramatic campaign.

  There is much more to see from E3 this year, so do some digging for yourself and watch the trailers for these new ga

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/13/the-raw-expose-the-beast-vs-the-black-sheep-of-the-samoan-dynasty-edition-6-12-2017/

The Raw Exposé: The Beast vs. The Black Sheep of the Samoan Dynasty Edition (6-12-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Lafayette Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana. After Samoa Joe choked out Paul Heyman on last week’s show, Heyman vowed that The Beast would be unleashed and Joe will cower in fear. Did Lesnar deliver the goods or did he stand in the ring like a statue per his usual cameo appearances? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

  Samoa Joe proved that he was man enough to take on Brock Lesnar when he attacked The Beast head on to kick off the opening segment of Raw.

  The Lesnar-Joe brawl was pretty good as both men got some licks in before Kurt Angle called for security. Both men quickly got rid of the extra muscle and resumed their fight until the rest of the locker room came out to break things up for good.

  Joe got the last shot when he kicked Lesnar in the face as the opening segment came to an end.

  Paul Heyman set things up beautifully as he cut a fiery promo about how he took Joe too lightly by heaping him with praise only to get choked out for his efforts.

  Because of Joe’s actions, The Beast was unleashed and there would be hell to pay. Heyman blasted Joe for being a punk and mutt who gave his Samoan brethren a bad name because he was considered the black sheep of the family. Heyman claimed that Joe wasn’t man enough to put Brock Lesnar in the Coquina Clutch which caused Joe test that theory by going toe-to-toe with The Beast.

  He didn’t lock in his submission hold, but the Samoan Badass proved that he wasn’t afraid to knock Lesnar on his ass and live to tell the tale.

  Overall, this was a hot way to start the show. The Joe-Lesnar brawl was similar to the epic fight between Lesnar and The Undertaker from a couple of years ago. This didn’t pack the same punch, but it was a solid pull-apart scuffle that built anticipation for their Universal Championship match at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  Elias Samson defeated Dean Ambrose with a Swinging Neckbreaker after The Miz and Maryse came out to provide the distraction down the stretch. The Drifter continues to get heat by sucking as a singer, but his in-ring work is very basic which caused some fans to shower him with “You Can’t Wrestle” chants midway through the match. I hope he can work out the kinks because his gimmick has the potential to get over if it’s handled properly.

  This was a nice way to forward the never ending Intercontinental Championship feud between Miz and Ambrose. Let’s hope both stars part ways at next month’s PPV because it’s time for them to move on to bigger and better things.

  Cedric Alexander made quick work of Noam Dar when he pinned him with the Lumbar Check. Alicia Fox facetiming Dar before and during his match was very annoying.

  “Why be a king when you can be a God?” – Eminem.

  That quote from the song “Rap God” sums up the promo exchange between Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins. Anyone who used Wyatt’s name in vain would be judged accordingly. Rollins was amused that Wyatt took offense to his false prophet and wannabe martyr comment from last week. He challenged Wyatt to prove him wrong, but Wyatt pulled a Houdini by disappearing into thin air and cutting the rest of his promo from the big screen. He told Rollins that it was easy to slay a king while killing a God is an impossible feat to pull off. Wyatt told Rollins to run as the segment came to an end.

  It’s hard to take Wyatt seriously after he lost to Roman Reigns last week. He takes a good game, but he can’t back up in the ring on a consistent basis. Wyatt feuding with Rollins is more nay than yay when it comes to history repeating itself. We shall see if I’m proven wrong in the weeks to come.

  Apollo Crews defeated Kalisto with a Spinout Powerbomb in a decent match. It wasn’t as good as their kickoff bout at Extreme Rules last Sunday, but the action was solid for the most part.

  Mickie James, Dana Brooke, & Sasha Bank defeated Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, & Emma when Banks made Emma tap out to the Bank Statement. The match was decent as Alexa Bliss continued to look out for herself after she left her team high and dry down the stretch.

  The promo exchange leading up to the six-woman tag team match was fine, but it was nothing to write home about. At least Banks was over with the crowd which added heat to the segment.

  Corey Graves’s interview with Bayley covered a lot of ground as Bayley was honest about why she didn’t get extreme during her Kendo Stick on a Pole match against Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules. Bayley vowed to stay true to herself in order to walk into next year’s WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Champion.

  The Hugger Extraordinaire spoke with humility and confidence which helped repair some of the damage done to her character over the past few weeks. Hopefully is this the start of Bayley’s redemption arc because she has a lot to offer as a performer if she isn’t booked like shit.

  Corey Graves saying that he needed a cigarette after hugging Bayley was awesome. I’m surprised they didn’t break character because Graves’ deadpan delivery had me rolling.

  Heath Slater and Rhyno defeated The Miz and The Mysterious Dancing Bear when Dean Ambrose did a switcheroo with the bear after Miz’s paranoia got the best of him once again. The distraction caused Miz to knock Maryse off the ring apron which allowed Ambrose to nail him with Dirty Deeds. Ambrose dragged Slater on top of Miz to pick up the win for his team.

  The match as pure comedy as the announcers traded bear jokes that were so corny that I couldn’t even crack a smile at how dumb they were. Ambrose continues to make Miz look like chump which is entertaining, but it’s not making me long for their feud to continue.

  Neville vs. Rich Swann never got underway as Neville attacked Swann from behind. He slammed Swann into the barricade before putting him in the Rings of Saturn. Neville took pleasure in destroying Austin Aries, TJP, and Swann and blew off Akira Tozawa as a viable challenger for his Cruiserweight Championship. It appears that Titus O’Neil is trying to push his new client on Twitter, but he might be doing more harm than good by kicking the hornet’s nest. At least there’s a storyline reason as to why O’Neil is stirring up trouble on 205 Live.

  Big Cass was attacked backstage by a mystery assailant, but he still tagged with Enzo Amore as they took on Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Cass tried to compete, but Enzo had to do the heavy lifting for his team. It wasn’t enough as Anderson and Gallows laid him out with The Magic Killer for the win.

  Anderson and Gallows continued to attack Enzo until The Big Show made the save. Cass didn’t look happy as Enzo embraced Big Show in the ring. Cass remains my top suspect in the backstage attacks.

  Big Show calling Big Cass S-A-W-F-T pretty much says it all.

  The 2-out-of-3 falls match featuring The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus and Cesaro for the Raw Tag Team Championship ended in a tie when both teams didn’t make it back in the ring before the count of ten during the deciding fall. This was a smart way to prolong the feud while keeping both teams strong heading into the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  This was a very good main event match that featured hard-hitting action throughout. Both teams work well together which makes their feud still feel fresh despite the multiple rematches. I can’t knock the monotony if the wrestling is up to par. Let’s hope they can keep the momentum going heading into The Fire with Great Balls.

  Overall, I thought this was a serviceable episode of Monday Night Raw. It was clear from the start that WWE wanted to get their best stuff out of the way before Game 5 of the NBA Finals featuring the Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers tipped off at 9:00 p.m. Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe took care of business with their pull-apart brawl while the show was bookended by The Hardy Boyz vs. Cesaro and Sheamus in a 2-out-3 falls match for the Raw Tag Team Titles.

  The rest of the show was filled with a lot of fluff, but there was an interesting development in the form of a Roman Reigns video package. Michael Cole announced that Reigns would reveal his plans for SummerSlam on next week’s show. It appears that Reigns won’t be a part of the Raw exclusive PPV next month and will focus on the biggest party of the summer instead. His promo will be newsworthy, to say the least.

  Finn Bálor was also kept tonight’s show, but he was given the video package treatment as well. Bálor not having a viable feud at the moment sucks, but I don’t want him on television unless he has a clear purpose. The creative team better live up to their name because Bálor is too talented to be sitting on the sidelines without anything meaningful to do.

  Raw should be locked in for the rest of the summer because they no longer face competition from the NBA Playoffs. The television real estate is light on content and it’s important that WWE strikes while the iron is hot. If not, let the summertime sadness commence.

    On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!

[geektified]

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Comic Book Review: Bane Conquest #2 "The Sword, Pt. 2"

By: Jerry Montgomery June 7, 2017

  Bane: Conquest #2 “The Sword, Pt. 2”

  Written by: Chuck Dixon Artwork by: Graham Nolan

Bane Conquest is a 12 issue maxi-series starring none other than the Bat-breaker himself, Bane. This new series has brought together once again, writer Chuck Dixon and artist Graham Nolan, whom both have been credited with helping to create the character. Chuck Dixon has been writing about the Batman universe since the 1990’s and probably has written hundreds and hundreds of stories on just about every Bat-related title. In this writer/artist reunion, I’m not sure exactly where this takes place in the continuity of the current Batman storylines as, when last seen, Bane lay defeated within Arkham Asylum in issue #22 of Batman in the, “I Am Bane” arc conclusion.

  In issue #1 of Bane: Conquest, Bane has discovered that a shipment of weapons is being brought into “his” city to be used by a new gang in town with the intent of starting a war and taking it for themselves. If you missed the 1st issue, I’m sure you’re assuming that Santa Priscus is where I’m talking about but you’d be wrong. I’m talking about Gotham City. It starts to get a little confusing here since, when Bane was last seen, he was hell bent on destroying it himself, so I don’t really see why it’s his city. For this story however, Bane considers himself Gotham’s “protector”, so he sets out to investigate the incoming ship filled with guns and who’s the boss. Once aboard though and after much ass kicking, Bane falls into a trap, sprung by the man behind it all, simply known as Damocles.

  Issue #2 will probably go down in the annals of team-ups that you’d never thought you’d see…ever. Bane and…Bruce Wayne? You heard me right, Bane and Batman. It seems Batman was also investigating Damocles and like Bane, was captured. So, by the time Bane is thrown into Damocles’ “prison”, Bruce Wayne has already been there. After a less than tense moment, the two agree to work together until they’re able to escape and take down Damocles and his organization, which they have come to learn, borders on being a cult. After that, they will go back to trying to kill one another. The big question is, is Damocles the top guy here or is there someone else who sits higher up on the food chain? Can these two work together towards a common goal, especially when the methods of fighting crime of each are so different? Or will old wounds surface? It looks like the search for answers is just beginning.

  The Verdict: If you are a fan of Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan or just like Bane, then you’ll enjoy this issue and the series. This issue has a definite “throwback” feel of the 1990’s style of writing and even the artwork by Nolan and his depiction of Bane, all the way down to his hairy arms…something that’s been missing in his current Batman appearances. There’s not much in the way of character development or sophistication in the storyline, so don’t expect to learn anything new about Bane or what his current motivations are. As for continuity, there doesn’t seem to be any, especially in light of the conclusion of the “I Am Bane” story arc, as Bane lay defeated by the Batman. With a $3.99 cover price, you’ve probably got to be a fan of this famed writer/artist duo or the nostalgia this issue invokes to appreciate it. The story is pretty straightforward with not many plot twists and artist Graham Nolan proves he still has it going on. For me, a team up of Bane and Batman seems unlikely in light of their history. It seems almost as unlikely as a Batman/Joker team up…wait a minute, did somebody just mention The Brave and the Bold?

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The SmackDown Files: Devil In A Blue Dress - The Reinvention of Lana Edition (6-6-2017)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. History will be made at Money in the Bank as the women will compete in the eponymous ladder match to determine the first-ever Ms. MITB. Throw in Mr. MITB and we have ourselves a makeshift prom that requires a double coronation. In all seriousness, it’s pretty damn cool that the women have been given this opportunity to shine on the big stage. With one week to go until the PPV, did WWE continue to raise the stakes or was it back to business as usual? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

  Shane McMahon had an unveiling ceremony for the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase and warned Tamina, Natalya, Carmella, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte that they are entering dangerous territory by competing in the first-ever Women’s MITB Ladder match, but whoever comes away with the briefcase has a very good shot at winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship because MITB winners are 15-2 when it comes cash-ins.

  The ladies got a chance to speak their peace before Naomi came out and put them on notice that she wasn’t going down without a fight.

  Lana made her SD Live debut and told that Shane that she wanted to be added to the MITB Ladder match. Naomi started to snort and laugh into the microphone as Lana asked her what was so funny.

  Naomi asked Lana who she has beaten and started to hum the Jeopardy! theme song. Lana said she could beat Naomi which made the crowd ooh and ah.

  Charlotte and Becky Lynch were the MVPs of the segment as their facial expressions were on point and shady as hell.

  Shane told Lana that championship opportunities must be earned which caused her to throw a hissy fit before leaving the ring in a huff. Shane-O-Mac booked a six-woman tag team match featuring Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Naomi vs. Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina kicked which took place after the commercial break.

  This was a fine way to kick off the show. I hate to agree with James Ellsworth, but Shane McMahon mansplaining the rules of the MITB Ladder Match was a little grating. The rest of the segment was fine as Lana made a splash by trying to charm her way into a shot at the Women’s Championship. It didn’t work, but she was far from done when it came to scheming her way into the title picture.

  Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina defeated Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Naomi when Tamina nailed Naomi with a Superkick for the win. Lana provided the assist when she sauntered down to the ring and tripped Naomi on the ring apron which set up the finish.

  The million dollar question is quite simple. Can Lana hold her own in the ring without relying on her sex appeal? We shall find out soon enough.

  Mojo Rawley pleaded his case to Shane McMahon about being added to the MITB Ladder Match. Shane appreciated Rawley’s passion and booked him in a match against Jinder Mahal. If Rawley is victorious, he will be added to the MITB Ladder Match.

  AJ Styles defeated Dolph Ziggler with the Styles Clash in a solid match. Ziggler had several near falls on Styles and even used the ropes as added leverage on a couple of occasions in order to pick up the cheap win.

  Styles withstood the chicanery and evened the score from last week. The dreaded 50/50 booking strikes again, but I’m glad The Phenomenal One is back in the win column. It should’ve happened in Atlanta last week, but I digress.

  The Fashion Files had me rolling once again as Fandango and Tyler Breeze tried to clear up the Cologne-Colons case from last week. The Colons didn’t trash their office which means only one thing: Someone else is out to get them. The plot thickens!

  Meanwhile, The New Day asked Breezango if they had any information on The Usos leading up to their SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at MITB next Sunday. The Fashionistas were more than happy to oblige as Big E tried to give Fandango a romper as a thank you gift. Fandango through the garment down, but Breeze was more than happy to put it on as another edition of The FF came to a close. This was another gem of a segment.

  Jinder Mahal defeated Mojo Rawley with the Cobra Clutch Slam in a decent match. Mahal’s in-ring style continues to be rudimentary as he delivered an ugly clothesline to Rawley midway through the match. Outside of that, everything was fine for the most part.

  After the match was over, Mahal cut another bland promo about Orton being a sickness he must cure at MITB. After he was done with The Viper, the fans would have no choice but to accept him as WWE Champion. Mahal proceeded to cut a promo in Punjabi as the segment came to a close.

  Mahal continues to be a supporting player despite holding the richest prize in professional wrestling.

  The New Day defeated The Colons when Xavier Woods pinned Epico with the Midnight Hour in a decent match.

  The Usos came out and cracked some jokes at The New Day’s expense. Jimmy told Kofi Kingston that he needed a tutu to complete his ensemble while he wondered if Big E’s name represented his bra size. Jey capped things off when he told Xavier Woods to look UpUpDownDown while making fun of his elf shoes.

  The Usos reminded the trio that the fun and games would come to an end at MITB as the segment came to an end.

  The Usos cut another good promo, but the material was kind of weak. Fortunately, their personalities made things more tolerable which speaks to how much Jimmy and Jey have improved on the mic over the past few months.

  Naomi will face Lana for the SmackDown Women’s Title at MITB next Sunday. This a big test for both ladies. Here’s hoping they pass with flying colors.

  Baron Corbin is a professional backstage attacker as he attacked Sami Zayn once again. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

  Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens with the Kinshasa in a good main event match. Owens dominated early on before Nakamura took control down the stretch. Owens being on a losing streak sucks, but he should be able to recover by having a strong performance at MITB.

  Nakamura didn’t get a chance to celebrate his win as Baron Corbin dropped him with End of Days as SD Live went off the air with Corbin standing tall on the main stage.

  Corbin is the latest man to make a statement heading into MITB. I think it’s safe to assume that Nakamura vs. Corbin is a lock for next week’s go-home show unless Sami Zayn is thrown into the mix to make things a Triple Threat affair. We shall find out soon enough.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. WWE did a nice job hyping the Money in the Bank PPV which takes place next Sunday. The in-ring action was fine, but it was nothing to write home about for the most part.

  This felt like placeholder episode until next week’s go-home show in New Orleans. With NOLA hosting their final televised event before next year’s WrestleMania, WWE should go all-out in terms of hyping MITB. This could be a great PPV if it’s booked properly. The television leading up to the show has been okay, but the final hard sell needs to provide that extra oomph that’s been missing from the blue brand as of late. Let’s hope the creative team gets the job done. Fingers crossed!

  This wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

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The Raw Exposé: The Samoa Joe Is The Modern Day Mr. Sandman Edition (6-5-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Last night at Extreme Rules, Samoa Joe outlasted four other men and earned the right to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at Great Balls of Fire next month. With the main event set in stone, how will the rest of the PPV card shake out over the next few weeks? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

  Bray Wyatt kicked off Raw by saying that the beginning of the end is upon us. Wyatt was a mission to punish Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns for costing him a chance at the Universal Championship. Therefore, his adversaries would be judged accordingly.

  Reigns made his way to the ring and removed Wyatt from his yard by punching him in the face. The referee told the timekeeper to ring the bell as the opening match officially got underway.

  Roman Reigns defeated Bray Wyatt with a Spear in a hard-hitting and competitive match. This was a gritty battle that went back and forth. The crowd was hot which helped push things over the top. Reigns was heavily booed despite the women and children willing him on.

  The match was sloppy at times due to both men not laying their stuff in all the way. The announcers explained that Wyatt and Reigns weren’t at 100% due to their grueling match at Extreme Rules last night, but the action was still a bit too clunky for my tastes. Minor criticism aside, the match clicked for the most part as there were several counters and near falls that had the crowd on the edge of the seat down the stretch.

  The finish came when Wyatt avoided the Superman Punch only for Reigns to catch him in transition which led to the finish.

  Reigns looked strong while Wyatt continues to look like a false prophet who talks a good game but can never back it up in the ring.

  Kurt Angle reminded Alexa Bliss that she promised Nia Jax a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship after she beat Bayley at Extreme Rules. Therefore, Bliss will defend her title against Jax later tonight.

  Dean Ambrose kicked Elias Samson’s ass and demanded an Intercontinental Championship rematch against The Miz. Miz appeared on the Titantron and denied Ambrose’s request because he had a prior engagement on the docket. The distraction allowed Samson to attack Ambrose before dropping him with a Swinging Neckbreaker.

  I thought Samson was about to get bitched out for the first time since his in-ring debut, but he stood tall once again. His run on the main roster has been successful thus far.

  Samoa Joe is not afraid of Brock Lesnar. In fact, he envied Lesnar and wanted to take everything away from him. That includes his cushy part-time schedule, Paul Heyman, and The Universal Championship.

  Heyman came out to congratulate Joe on his win and stated that Lesnar didn’t fear Joe either. Heyman talked about how he wanted Finn Bálor to face Lesnar for the Universal Title because the story of Bálor playing the role of Rocky Balboa was a license to print money from a storytelling standpoint.

  Joe facing his client is the worst case scenario because Joe doesn’t give a damn about anything but himself. Heyman considered Joe a true badass who shouldn’t be taken lightly. Normally, Lesnar would quell Heyman’s fears because he destroyed the likes of John Cena, The Rock, The Undertaker, and Goldberg with ease. Despite each man’s lofty resume, he knew his Beast would come out on top.

  Joe was a wild card because he would take away a piece of Lesnar’s mystic regardless of the outcome. With that in mind, Heyman vowed that Lesnar would become Joe’s worst-case scenario and wished him the best of luck at Great Balls of Fire the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  Heyman was about to leave the ring when Joe pulled him aside and had a private conversation that the viewers at home could listen on. Joe politely told Heyman that he was going to choke him out. He wanted Heyman to tell Lesnar that the same thing was going to happen to him before putting him the Coquina Clutch.

  Joe put Heyman to sleep as WWE officials made their way to the ring to break things up. The fans chanted for Lesnar as Joe shouted something on the mic before leaving the ring.

  This was a great segment that made Joe look like an absolute badass. I loved the directorial touch of letting the viewers at home listen in on the conversation between Joe and Heyman while the live crowd wondered what was going on. It made the actual attack stand out even more.

  Lesnar is scheduled to appear on next week’s show and only can assume that he will be out for blood. The Joe-Lesnar confrontation should be quite the spectacle, to say the least.

  Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Heath Slater and Rhyno when Sheamus nailed Slater with the Brogue Kick for the quick and decisive win.

  TJP defeated Mustafa Ali with the Detonation Kick after he countered Ali’s Inverted 450 Splash by knocking him off the top rope. The match was nothing to write home about and the crowd was dead for the most part as well.

  After the match was over, Neville appeared on the main stage and was about to tell TJP that he wasn’t getting a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship. TJP cut him off mid-sentence and wanted to talk to Kurt Angle, but Neville attacked him from behind. He told TJP that he will get his title shot tomorrow night on 205 Live as the segment came to an end.

  It’s safe to assume that the TJP-Neville partnership has come to an abrupt and unsurprising end. Is TJP a babyface once again or is he stuck in limbo without a clear sense of direction? I am placing my bets on the latter.

  Alexa Bliss is trying to form her own Welcoming Committee a la SmackDown Live by recruiting Mickie James and Dana Brooke to do her dirty work. Let’s just say that her plan backfired big time.

  The Kurt Angle-Corey Graves mystery continues as they had another private conversation about…something.

  Kalisto defeated Titus O’Neil with a roll-up while grabbing the tights for extra leverage. The match was serviceable for the most part.

  While Miz and Maryse were walking backstage, the camera cut to Big Cass lying on the floor with a steel pipe on the top of his back. Enzo Amore came to his aid and asked Cass what happened. Cass handed him a chain as some sort of clue. It should be noted that The Revival was shown backstage moments before the attack. I guess Cass is cleared as a suspect unless he set the whole thing up.

  After the commercial break, Enzo told Cass that he recognized the chain because he saw it during the two previous attacks. He was about to say something else, but the referee told Enzo that he needed to find another tag team partner because Cass wasn’t medically cleared to compete. The plot thickens!

  The Miz just took out a dancing bear and grandfather clock due to his paranoia that Dean Ambrose was out to get him.

  The latter gift caused Maryse to run out on Miz because the grandfather clock was a keepsake from her.

  Miz blamed Ambrose for ruining his championship celebration and called him out. A mysterious cameraman was in the ring filming Miz’s meltdown, but it was really Ambrose in disguise. Miz watching the reveal on the Titantron was a nice touch as Ambrose nailed him with Dirty Deeds before sipping on some champagne as the segment came to an end.

  This was a cute way for Ambrose to get his revenge on Miz as their never ending feud continues. Yay! *Insert Sarcasm Here*

  Big Show no selling Enzo’s antics was great and a little frightening at the same time. Big Show eventually loosened up and channeled his inner Big Cass by cutting a promo with a fake Brooklyn accent.

  Big Show and Enzo Amore defeated Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows when Enzo pinned Anderson with a cross body thanks to an assist from Big Show. The match was fine while it lasted, but Gallows and Anderson being booked like two-bit chumps is hard to watch.

  Big Cass not-so-subtly accused Big Show of attacking him backstage which allowed him to conveniently tag with Enzo. Big Show denied the allegations and said that he would attack someone face-to-face instead of taking the coward’s way out. Cass’ defensiveness continues to be off-putting which keeps him atop of my suspect list.

  Alexa Bliss defeated Nia Jax via Disqualification when Bliss goaded Mickie James and Dana Brooke into a fight at ringside. Jax took her frustration out on Brooke and James and as she took James out with a running avalanche in the corner before dropping Brooke with a Samoan Drop. Bliss ran for the hills as the segment came to an end. The match was pretty nondescript prior to the DQ finish.

  Samoa Joe defeated Seth Rollins when he made Rollins pass out to the Coquina Clutch thanks to an assist from Bray Wyatt. Rollins was about to attempt a frog splash from the top rope when the lights went out in the arena. When the lights came back on, Wyatt was nowhere to be found, but the distraction allowed Joe to choke out Rollins for the win. Raw went off the air with Samoa Joe standing tall while the announcers hyped Brock Lesnar’s return on next week’s show.

  Joe vs. Rollins was solid, but it was pretty one-sided as Joe dominated the action for the most part. Rollins had a few hope spots here and there, but this was the Samoa Joe Show as he continues to gain momentum heading into his Universal Title match against Brock Lesnar at the July PPV that features Balls of Great Fire.

  It appears that Rollins is next name on Wyatt’s hit list, but I can’t muster much enthusiasm for the match because Wyatt is a proven liar. He vowed to destroy Roman Reigns earlier tonight and he failed. It’s hard to get excited about Wyatt vs. Rollins when fans haven’t been given a reason to believe that Wyatt can get the job when it counts most. We shall see how it plays out next week, but my excitement level is hovering around -10 at the moment.

  Overall, I thought this was a disappointing episode of Raw. Outside of the opening match featuring Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe choking out Paul Heyman, the rest of the show was pretty bland. The in-ring action was sub par which caused the crowd to mentally check out as the night went on.

  Finn Bálor and The Hardy Boyz were kept off the broadcast for no apparent reason while Bayley licked her wounds from home. Their absence bogged down an already dreary show.

  Normally, the Raw after a major PPV is supposed to generate excitement and buzz amongst the fan base. That was not the case tonight as the show was a chore to get through. Hopefully, Lesnar and Joe will liven things up next week because everything underneath them is a hot ass mess.

  The flagship show continues to slog through the proverbial mud. The red brand feels lifeless and directionless at the moment. Outside of the Takeover special in Chicago a few weeks ago, WWE is 0-3 when it comes to putting on decent to good brand exclusive PPVs. Here’s hoping the Jerry Lee Lewis Summer Spectacular reverses this troubling trend as SummerSlam looms on the horizon. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!

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Comic Book Review: The Flash #23 "The Color of Fear, Pt.1"

By: Jerry Montgomery June 3, 2017

  The Flash #23 “The Color of Fear, Pt.1”

  Written by: Joshua Williamson Artwork by: Carmine De Giandomenico

  It’s the 25th century and you’re getting a tour of the official museum of the Flash. Inside, you’ll find many things important to and related to the Flash. Weapons, costumes, history…anything you would want to know as any adoring fan would want to know about him. Especially about his partner, his ally, his best friend…Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash….what?!!

  The Flash #23, “The Color of Fear, Pt. 1” takes place after the conclusion of, “The Button” cross-over story line between Batman and The Flash titles. The body of Reverse Flash, Eobard Thawne lay in the S.T.A.R. labs morgue for further forensic tests and an autopsy to reveal any clue as to what may have killed him. Before he collapsed, he claimed to have seen, “God”. Was it the Watchmen’s Dr. Manhattan, or something else? Thawne’s death has left a lot of questions for Barry Allen who, for some reason, isn’t fully convinced that he really is. He was always faster than Wally…even Barry. Who’s to say that this isn’t some sort of slowed state? Well, on the bright side, it is Barry’s birthday!

  There’s a lot going on for Barry to think about. So much in fact, that it’s effecting his personal life. His girlfriend and friends notice that he always seems to only be half listening, half present. Iris wants an explanation but can Barry give her one? How can he tell her that he fears for all he loves due to Eobard Thawne? Can he really be honest with her? Was Wally right, speaking from experience with his own girlfriend, Linda Park? His old friend Hal Jordan shows up for the party and not a moment too soon either because an uninvited guest shows up as well. Multiplex, the multiple man. Talk about a superpowered stalker! He just met a girl and he just can’t let her go! Its up to Barry and Hal to save the day and the birthday party. The really big question is how do you stop a man who can create an infinite number of himself? If you’ve kept up with the Fkash and the complexity of the Speed Force, then you wont be shocked who shows up at the end, menacing as ever!

    The Verdict: This is another title that I am getting hooked on with each progressive issue. I have always been interested in stories of time travel and alternate realities and the Flash has gotten interesting and complex with its many layers that the Speed Force has become. DC has recreated the Flash as one of the most important and powerful characters in the DC universe which has given this title new blood. I have been enjoying the writing of Joshua Williamson and new artist for this issue, Carmine De Giandomenico. If you are a fan of the Flash in comics or television, I highly recommend this title now. It’s getting good.

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Comic Book Review: Mother Panic #7 "Victim Complex, Pt. 1"

By: Jerry Montgomery May, 29, 2017

  Mother Panic #7 “Victim Complex, Pt. 1”

  Written by: Jody Houser Artwork by: John Paul Leon

For several months now, Gotham City has had another protector of sorts. Another vigilante who patrols the city streets at night to strike fear into the criminal element. Don’t call her Batman though, she might break your nose for the trouble. However, as of late, she might be getting a little more tolerant of sharing the city with the World’s Greatest Detective, especially due to recent encounters of the costumed criminal kind.

  If you don’t already know about, Mother Panic, you should know it’s part of DC’s Young Animal imprint, headed up by the band, My Chemical Romance’s frontman, Gerard Way. The Young Animal imprint was designed for “dangerous people”. “Dangerous”, as in thought. Comics that make people think, make them question and yes, mature in nature. You can give the Young Animal imprint an “R” rating for language, violence, nudity and adult situations.

  Violet Paige, celebrity debutante, recovering addict and walking, talking bad attitude, takes up the role of badass vigilante known as Mother Panic. Motivated by the mysterious death of her father and a traumatic childhood courtesy of the Gather House, put there by an angry brother. Gather House was an exclusive private school…if you want to call it that. It was more like the movie, Point of No Return, but with brain washing…oh, and cybernetic implants. Even the name she has taken, has it’s roots mired in her nightmarish experiences at Gather House, from the name of it’s Headmistress, Mother Patrick. The only thing Violet left the school with was a healthy need for revenge on those who wronged her as a child and that of her mother, who developed Alzheimer’s at a very early age. Since she’s come back to Gotham, she’s established herself as a costumed vigilante…and saved more than a few people along the way.

In issue #7, a new story arc begins in, “Victim Complex, Pt. 1”, producing a new threat to Gotham City and to a person whose life had already been effected by evil from the first story arc, “A Work in Progress”, when a depraved group of artists began to murder and torture others, in the name of “art”. This time, a mysterious figure, dressed in a Gotham City Coroner’s bodybag, touches the life of a previous victim for unknown reasons… with disastrous results. Upon Violet’s recognition of this child, she vows to catch who’s responsible. Catch?! Is she getting soft or what? It’s then back to business as usual for Mother Panic to find the perpetrator until Violet experiences something she hasn’t felt in a long time…pain. It will take a little help from her friends to get some answers and some help. She may have a little help as well from a certain caped crusader which she may just welcome as she begins to experience costumed criminals. You can bet she’s always under his watchful eye. The secondary story, “ Gotham Radio: Scene Seven, The Eyer of Their Ways” continues as well. A blind reformed super criminal and a one time costumed detective join the investigation into the death of DJ Danny Ruby.

  The Verdict: I am beginning to like this title more and more as the character of Violet Page is explored and becomes something more than your typical violent anti-hero. The last couple issues have been more focused than the previous ones and the artwork John Paul Leon is more gritty and appropriate to the story than previous artist, Shawn Crystal. All in all, a pretty good issue that I would recommend to first time readers as I think that Mother Panic is finally coming into it’s own.

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Transformers: The Last Knight

Are you looking forward to the new transformer movie coming out. We are.

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Go see wonder woman tomorrow in theaters.

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New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/05/31/the-smackdown-files-the-homecoming-from-hell-an-aj-styles-story-5-30-2017/

The SmackDown Files: The Homecoming From Hell - An AJ Styles Story (5-30-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Traditionally, my hometown has not been the best when it comes to crowd head. They’ve improved over the past couple years, but it’s still a struggle to keep them awake during the show. Did my ATLiens represent The A like a boss or did they let me down once again? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

  SD Live got off to a fine start with another edition of Kevin Owens’ Highlight Reel. Shinsuke Nakamura was Owens’ guest and he mocked Nakamura’s rock star persona and vowed to put him in early retirement like Chris Jericho when he steps over him to win the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

Baron Corbin interrupted the proceedings and showed a recap of his beat down on Sami Zayn from last week. Owens had a great line about Corbin beating up Zayn for two minutes while he’s been doing it for fifteen years. KO was offended that Corbin crashed his show and told him to get the hell out of his ring.

Nakamura reminded both men that they lost their respective matches last week and they responded with a 2-on-1 attack until Zayn made the save. Shane McMahon booked Zayn and Nakamura vs. Owens and Corbin which took place after the commercial break.

Owens was entertaining on the mic as always. Corbin was decent, but Nakamura struggled a bit which caused a tepid “What?” chant to break out. Fortunately, the fans were able to comprehend the gist of his promo before things went off the rails. All in all, this was a better installment of the Highlight Reel than the one that took place a couple of weeks ago.

Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin when Nakamura nailed Owens with the Kinshasa for the win. The match was solid for the most part, but it was the bickering between Owens and Corbin that led to their undoing down the stretch.

Zayn threw Owens into Corbin which caused both men to have a shouting match. There was a bit of shoving before Corbin clocked Owens with a punch. The kerfuffle allowed Zayn to clothesline Corbin out of the ring which set up the finish.

The New Day announced that they would be facing The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at the MITB PPV in a few weeks. The back and forth promo exchange between both teams was entertaining which gives the Tag Team Division some much-needed energy. Their feud and subsequent matches should be fun to watch if everything is booked properly.

The film noir edition of The Fashion Files was great. Fandango and Tyler Breeze…How I Love Thee.

The Fatal 5-Way Elimination match featuring Charlotte, Carmella, Tamina, Natalya, and Becky Lynch never got underway because all hell broke loose before the referee rang the bell.

The action was good as Becky Lynch laid out Carmella with a clothesline which sent her over the timekeeper’s area. Charlotte delivered a moonsault from the top rope onto Tamina and Natalya at ringside. Lynch dropped Carmella with an Exploder Suplex on the floor before Tamina nailed her with a Superkick. Charlotte responded with a big boot of her own before Natalya nailed her with a clothesline.

Natalya was about to put Charlotte through a table, but Charlotte slammed her against the steel steps before Powerbombing her the through the announce table moments later.

Shane McMahon came out and announced the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match to determine the number one contender for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

The rumor of such a match taking place has been circulating for a few weeks. The Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match threw everyone for a loop, but it was a nice way to set up the MITB Ladder Match. This is another huge step for the women to show up and show out on the big stage. Let’s hope they seize the day and make the best of this opportunity.

Breezango defeated The Colons when Tyler Breeze pinned Primo with the Unprettier. The comedic stylings of Breezango were on full display once again. Breeze dressed like a woman while Fandango wrestled in his trench coat before taking off it before the commercial break.

Squirt Guns were also used along with Breeze reprising his role as the Janitor who mops up the ring with flair and style. Once again, their antics played well in the arena which is a win for them. It would be nice to see Breezango dial back the silliness, but they are maximizing their minutes on television which is a positive in this day and age.

Randy Orton cut a straightforward promo about how he was going to give Jinder Mahal an old-fashioned American ass whopping at Money in the Bank and become a 14-time WWE Champion.

Orton’s pride was on the line because MITB takes place in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He wanted to take his late grandfather’s approach by letting his actions speak louder than words.

Orton spoke with conviction and sounded alive on the mic for a change. However, his rah-rah speech came to a halt when Jinder Mahal appeared on the big screen.

Mahal cut a basic promo about Orton clinging to a bygone era that is dead and gone. He vowed to continue his reign as the modern-day Maharajah at MITB as he raised the WWE Title high in the air while blocking the face of Singh Brother B which was unintentionally hilarious. Orton responded by doing his signature pose as the segment came to an end.

Mahal is already being slotted as a supporting character nine days into his WWE Title reign. He’s been booked strong, but his presentation doesn’t scream main event player just yet. I guess Mahal is still in the Build-A-Star Training Academy…

In a Rite of Passage that all WWE Superstars must go through, AJ Styles lost in his home state to Dolph Ziggler in a good main event match.

They were on short on time, but they worked their asses off to put on a show for the fans. Sadly, the outcome left the crowd feeling numb which caused SD Live to end on a sour note.

Styles tried to hit Ziggler with the Styles Clash on multiple occasions, but he was unable to pull off his finisher.

Ziggler hit Styles with the Zig Zag for a near fall. It appeared that Styles had the match won when he went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Ziggler knocked him off the top rope and nailed P1 with a Superkick for the win.

Questionable booking aside, this was a good way for Ziggler to build momentum heading into the MITB Ladder Match. Meanwhile, Styles has to get back on track without the benefit of 50/50 booking. Let’s hope the Powers That Be has a trick up their sleeve next week. Fingers crossed!

Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent. The in-ring was action was okay for the most part. The Atlanta crowd was livelier than usual, but the air was let out of the room when AJ Styles lost to Dolph Ziggler. What a way to get the crowd excited for 205 Live. *Insert Sarcasm Here*

This was a maintenance show that added a few pieces to the Money in the Bank puzzle as WWE added The Usos vs. The New Day for the Tag Team Titles and the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match featuring Charlotte, Carmella, Tamina, Natalya, and Becky Lynch.

The rest of the card looks skimpy in terms of mid-card feuds, but there is enough time to add a few matches before the PPV. With two more live shows to go, time is of the essence. Let’s hope the creative team can get the job done. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

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The Raw Exposé: The How To Destroy Bayley's Character in Five Easy Steps Edition (5-29-2017)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. This is the go-home show for Extreme Rules which happens to fall on Memorial Day this year. This is a double whammy for WWE because holiday shows traditionally pull low ratings. The company was smart enough to announce a Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins a week in advance. Did the double main event save the show from falling into the abyss? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

  The opening segment of Raw was pretty blah, but the latest edition of Miz TV set up an impromptu Six Man Tag Team match featuring The Miz, Cesaro and Sheamus vs. Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Boyz which took place after the commercial break.

  Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Boyz defeated The Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro when Jeff Hardy pinned Miz with a Swanton Bomb. The match was solid as Miz isolated Ambrose from his team midway through the match. Jeff eventually made the hot tag and cleaned house.

  The ending featured a parade of finishes when Jeff nailed Sheamus with a Twist of Fate only for Cesaro to counter with a European Uppercut. Ambrose dropped The Swiss Superman with Dirty Deeds before taking out The Celtic Warrior with a tope on the outside. This allowed Matt to hit the Twist of Fate on Miz which set up the finish.

  The babyfaces gained momentum heading into Extreme Rules while the heels have to come with a new strategy to conquer their foes come Sunday.

  Someone has dirt on Kurt Angle and Corey Graves is acting as his crisis manager to keep the so-called “truth” at bay. What an interesting turn of events…

  Elias Samson defeated Zac Evans with a Swinging Neckbreaker. The match was short and inoffensive for the most part.

  The Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt was very good as Joe squeaked out the win in nefarious fashion. The match started off slow, but things picked up after the commercial break. Bálor overcame a 2-on-1 beat down and made a gutsy babyface comeback when he ran wild on Joe and Wyatt. He nailed Joe with a running knee and laid out Wyatt with a dropkick into the barricade. Joe suffered a similar fate as the fans chanted “This Is Awesome.”

  During the closing moments of the match, Wyatt laid out Joe with Sister Abigail which allowed Bálor to capitalize by hitting Wyatt with a Slingblade followed by a running dropkick in the corner. He capped things off with the Coup De Grace, but Samoa Joe broke up the pin and tossed Bálor head first into the second turnbuckle which allowed him to pick up the win over Wyatt.

  All three men worked hard and put on a very good match for the Greensboro crowd. Bálor didn’t get pinned, but Wyatt was made to look like a chump once again after talking a big game prior to the Triple Threat bout. Somebody had to lose and I guess the Eater of Worlds was the odd man out. Does this telegraph a win for him come Sunday? We shall find out soon enough.

  Rich Swann defeated Noam Dar with the Phoenix Splash in a quick match. Sasha Banks provided the assist when she took out Alicia Fox at ringside. I figured Banks would win the battle because she was wearing tennis shoes while Fox wore high heel boots which prevented her from getting too physical. Friendly tip: Wear appropriate shoes when it comes to kicking ass. This is also known as the Trish Stratus Rule after the Hall of Famer made a surprise appearance at the Elimination Chamber PPV in 2011 and had a clumsy brawl with Laycool while wearing high heel boots.

  ***Jump the video ahead to 6:13 in order to see the Shoe Faux Pas***

      This concludes the fashion portion of The Raw Exposé. We now return to regularly scheduled blogging.

  Swann vs. Dar was a nice way to promote the Mixed Tag Team match featuring Swann and Banks vs. Dar and Fox at Extreme Rules on Sunday. My crystal ball was right on the money. Yay me!

  Big Cass was a bit defensive as he proclaimed his innocence to Corey Graves about not attacking Enzo Amore backstage last week. Hmm…

  Titus O’Neil picked up the win over Kalisto when he pinned him with a roll-up while grabbing a handful of tights. The match was pretty nondescript for the most part.

  Alexa Bliss tried her best, but her dynamic personality and mic skills couldn’t save Bayley: This Is Your Life. The segment died a thousand deaths times as the fans booed and chanted “Delete, Delete, Delete” throughout. The script was dreadful and the acting from Mrs. Flapper, Tracy, and Phil made things even worse. It was tough to watch and I felt bad for Bliss who tried to turn chicken shit into chicken salad.

  Bayley came out and got the jump on Bliss, but the Raw Women’s Champion turned the tables by hitting her in the back with a Kendo Stick. Bayley sold the shot beautifully which plays into their Kendo Stick on a Pole match at Extreme Rules. WWE is playing it smart by having Bayley get her revenge at the PPV instead of giving it away on free television. That’s the only saving grace from this horror of a segment.

  Enzo Amore was assaulted in another backstage attack. Big Cass blamed The Revival, but Kurt Angle shot down that theory because he told them to leave the building. Cass’ defensiveness makes him the prime suspect in my estimation.

  Austin Aries and Jack Gallagher defeated TJP and Neville when Aries made Neville tap out to The Last Chancery after the Cruiserweight Champion failed to hit the Red Arrow which led to the submission finish. The match was decent, but it was slotted in the 10:00 P.M. Lull Period of Death. Gallagher’s prolonged sell job didn’t help matters either, but it did lead up to an exciting finish once Aries made the hot tag.

  Roman Reigns defeated Seth Rollins with a Spear in an excellent main event match. Reigns and Rollins know each other very well and their in-ring chemistry was on full display as they worked their asses off to put on a show for the fans.

  The action was hard-hitting and physical throughout. Reigns targeted Rollins’ ribs when he hit the Drive By early on. Rollins did a nice job selling the injury as he tried to counter Reigns’ smash mouth offense. There were several great spots in the match including Reigns nailing Rollins with a Superman Punch in midair and Rollins dropping Reigns with a rare Turnbuckle Powerbomb only for Reigns to counter with another Superman Punch. That sequence popped the crowd as the drama ramped up down the stretch.

  Reigns was about to hit Rollins with another Drive By, but Rollins rammed Reigns into the steel steps instead.

  Rollins pulled off a beauty Frog Splash onto Reigns for a near fall. He went back to the top rope and tried to finish him off with the Phoenix Splash, but Reigns rolled out of the air which allowed Rollins to roll out of the move midflight.

  Reigns went for the Spear, but Rollins cut him off with a knee to the face. Reigns countered with a stiff right hand only for Rollins to respond with an Enzuigiri. Rollins went for his jumping high knee finisher when Reigns nailed him with a Spear for the win.

  Raw went off the air with Reigns posing on the top turnbuckle while Rollins was licking his wounds in the ring.

  Reigns vs. Rollins was one of the better television matches of the year. This matchup still has legs if WWE doesn’t run it into the ground by booking them in a series of matches without any sense of purpose. Tonight bucked that trend in the best possible way and I am looking forward to the Fatal 5-Way Extreme Rules match on Sunday because it promises to be special if it’s booked properly.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent. It’s very apparent that WWE tried to stretch time by having a super long opening segment that took up much of the first hour. With the roster not at full strength due to several wrestlers being on the shelf, killing time by any means necessary is the way to go these days.

  The first couple of hours zipped by until the disastrous Alexa Bliss-Bayley segment that kicked off the third hour. The Cruiserweight Tag Team match that followed didn’t help matters, but the main event saved the show from falling off a cliff.

  The Triple Threat Match featuring Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins carried the show from a wrestling standpoint. Both bouts placed extra shine on the Fatal 5-Way Extreme Rules Match in a strong way. This could be a Match of the Year Contender when it’s all said and done. The talent is good enough to pull it off, but the execution is key. We shall see how it all plays out soon enough.

  The rest of the Extreme Rules card looks solid as each match had a final hard sell heading into the PPV. Positioning and timing will tell the true story, but this event has the makings of being a very good show if everything falls into place. The last two brand exclusive PPVs have been disappointing. Let’s hope WWE can make reverse that trend come Sunday. Fingers crossed!

  On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!