kolbisneat

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: June 2025

Half way through 2025 amen.

……….FILM……….

Sinners (2025) The pre-vampire half of the movie is so well paced that it was a little jarring when later scenes felt almost rushed? For me, it's a movie that's so close to perfect that the minor flaws stand out even more. Perhaps I'll change my mind when I see it again and I will certainly watch this again.

Thunderbolts* (2025) Hey this was pretty good! I tend to prefer comic books (and the movies they inspire) to be visually colourful and optimistic and was surprised that this turned out to have half of that.

Back to the Future (1985) Saw this in record holder for smallest movie theatre and had a blast. Noticed one of the first movie posters you see in 1955 stars Ronald Reagan, THE ACTOR!

……….TELEVISION……….

White Lotus (Episode 1.01 to 1.06) Going back to season one (and having not seen season two), I was surprised by how much it felt like a proto-version of season three. The rich family drama, the tension between the couple, it's a lot of the same with juuuuuust enough twist to keep it interesting.

Taskmaster (Episode 19.04 to 19.08) Still love it and excited to check out older seasons once this one wraps up. I can still tell that there's something special about this cast even having never seen another season. Check it out.

……….YOUTUBE……….

The Fall of the House of Marvel - Movies with Mikey by FilmJoy Anyone who's been a fan of comics for long enough can see what's happening to the Marvel universe has happened before. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Page 59 of 474) Really enjoying this so far. It has a 90s movie vibe that I can't quite put my finger on. Like Congo or Contact or something.

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming (Complete) Wasn't surprised by how...of the times...some of its depictions were, but WAS surprised at just how much of the movie kept from the book! Had no idea the torture, aftermath, and ending are basically all here (albeit it in a slightly different form).

Umbra by Jordan Speer (Complete) A beautiful and wordless picture book. So fun and full of detail and I kept going back over pages to see what I'd missed.

Dawn of X volumes 2, 3, 4, and 5 by Jonathan Hickman and too many authors/illustrators to list (Complete) These collections are a great exercise in finding what you like/don't like in comics. Some storylines and artists click more for me than others, but even the misses still help to make this feel like a fully realized world. Not a lot of superheroing but X-men has always been about drama and politics for me anyway.

Ant Man: World Hive by Zeb Wells, Dylan Burnett, and Michael Spicer (Complete) An Ant Man adventure that does exactly what I'd hope for from the character PLUS some fun surprises. The art and tone are both bright and expressive. Great read.

Tasks of Tantalon by Steve Jackson and Steven Lavis (Complete) I've never really tackled a puzzle book like this before and it was fun but the difficulty/approach really varied. Lots of cool ideas and the illustraitons are fantastic! Definitely going to seek out more like this.

……….AUDIO……….

Phantom Island by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard (2025) Not really clicking for me yet but I can't complain. Their output is so bountiful that I'm happy to just see what they wanna do next.

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance (2025) Loved this album back in the day. Maybe I don't have enough of a refined ear to really appreciate the new mixes, but there were only a few moments where I thought "oh that's new!" and that doesn't feel like enough for me to warrant the rerelease.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Tuesday crew has repaired a few pirates and destroyed (inadvertently) their rebuilt ship. Now they're dealing with Fairy portals leaking into the Neverland. You can read all about their exploits here!

And that's it. See you in July!

[kolbisneat]

A little behind-the-scenes look at how I approached this illustration with Hero Complex Gallery! And they now have it available on their site if you couldn’t make it to Monsterpalooza this year.

Happy Thursday!

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: May 2025

Here we are, nearly halfway through the year. This is how I spent the month of May.

……….FILM……….

Fargo (1996) Absolutely floored when Frances McDormand's Gunderson immediately clocked what happened at the first crime scene. A force of nature and a breath of fresh air. Loved it.

Bullitt (1968) Cool in a way that feels both effortless and grounded. Scenes where the dialog is inaudible really stuck with me and plays well into Bullitt's disconnected character. Will be watching again so I can better document the costuming.

……….TELEVISION……….

Taskmaster (Episode 19.01 to 19.03) I'm putting this in the television section despite having a YouTube section. This is a TV show. Anyway, I love it. This is my first introduction into the show and it scratches a similar it to Great British Baking Show in that it's good-natured, funny, low-stakes, and I suppose also British (except for Jason Mantzoukas, the reason I discovered and started the series). Big fan.

Andor (Episode 2.04 to 2.12) In hindsight, the season was a little slow to start but it really picks up once it stops cutting back to Bix (nothing against Bix, I like Bix, but you can't tell me you found any of her mid-season stuff interesting). Anyway I love that the Empire is full of proper losers and now I'm gonna debate whether or not I should go back and watch Rogue One.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Fascists will waste your time. by Thought Slime This made me surprisingly optimistic about the future. Fascists are fundamentally losers and calling that out is really empowering. They are not team players and while they can do a lot of damage with their time in power, they cannot hold it for very long before those antisocial tendencies turn inward. VIDEO

Everyone But Me Is Wrong About The Cornetto Trilogy by Innuendo Studios The World's End has always frustrated me but this film gave me a new lens with which to appreciate it. And I never realized just how similar Hot Fuzz's main character is to the other two films. Great stuff. VIDEO

……….READING……….

The Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance (Complete) You know I think this is the first true picaresque I've ever read! Such a weird world and mostly enjoyed it. Some pacing trouble in the middle for me but I think there were more fun chapters than not in this so I recommend it if 60s pulp fantasy is your thing.

Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie (Complete) Perfectly serviceable once Poirot joins the fray but it takes too long to get there. Overall not one of her better-paced mysteries and as far as ending reveals go, this one really stretched reality. They can't all be favourites.

Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (Complete) I mostly enjoyed it while reading, then REALLY enjoyed the conclusion. The DC "gods" aren't something I know much about, and I think I'd have appreciated it more if I knew more about the anti-life equation stuff going into it, and for that reason I also think I'd get more out of it more on a reread.

Die Volume 3 and Volume 4 by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, & Clayton Cowles (Complete) As a D&D fan, I appreciate how much of a love letter this is to the hobby. As a comic, it never quite clicked. The art is beautiful and the characters are great, but the world never felt bigger than the main cast.

Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise by Tradd Moore and Heather Moore (Complete) Truly spectacular. I loved Tradd's work on Silver Surfer: Black and this has the same pulp fantasy feel to it. His dizzying art is perfect for both cosmic and magical settings and the story does well by blending Strange's skills as both a sorcerer and doctor. When I think of what comics can do, I think of books like this.

Batman: One Bad Day: Bane by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Tomeu Morey, and Steve Wands (Complete) This series has been really hit-or-miss. In trying to tell two stories at once, this one felt rushed and light. Not one of my faves (a little too muscle-driven for me) but I did really like the character-driven ending.

Batman: One Bad Day: Ra's Al Ghul by Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, and Brad Anderson (Complete) Another good one but also not my faves. I realize I tend to like the older and sillier villains in either silly or nuanced stories. Ra's Al Ghul is just too serious for my tastes. Solid story and a decent end to my run through this collection.

……….AUDIO……….

More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley (2004) Was never much into Rilo Kiley when they first came out but I was struck by their showmanship and skill when seeing them live. Jenny Lewis' voice hasn't changed in 20+ years and it was honestly so impressive.

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) My Tuesday group is plotting a heist after getting invited to an upper crust party and in a rare Mof1 session they helped find a home for an orphaned and kidnapped teaspoon!

And that's it. See you in June!

[kolbisneat]

VOTE FOR PENGUIN!

The full piece that I'll have at Hero Complex Gallery's booth over at Monsterpalooza this weekend.

Clearly elections and politics are on my mind right now and what better character to capture that than most status-minded villain in Batman's rogues gallery?

[kolbisneat]

More crops from the upcoming piece based on a certain bat-villain. If you’re going to Monsterpalooza this weekend then check out the Hero Complex Gallery booth.

[kolbisneat]

A couple of crops of a much larger thing I did with Hero Complex Gallery that'll be available at Monsterpalooza this weekend!

Vote for Penguin!

[kolbisneat]

Okay I forgot to post these for yesterday's Star Wars Day but here are a pair of dioramas for those who enjoy the weird, fringe part of the fandom.

Prints are over here and thank you to all my fellow SNL weirdos for picking up the Matt the Radar Tech print.

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: April 2025

A real good month for TV but also not complaining about the movies I saw and books I read in April. Here's

……….FILM……….

Anora (2024) LOVE the slight of hand it uses for its narrative and character focus. So smooth and satisfying. You can feel each character's life continuing even when they're not in frame and if/when I watch this again I'll make a conscious effort to watch the ensemble in the background to see what they're up to cause you KNOW they're up to something.

Tokyo Godfathers (2003) A really warm movie that's rooting for its characters. The Christmas setting is great choice and it I'll always get behind a movie that goes for sincerity and kindness first.

……….TELEVISION……….

Andor (Episode 2.01 to 2.03) Not just good at Star Wars but good tv. Rich and complex characters thrown into puzzles with stakes. Love it so far and I hope execs and producers take note.

White Lotus (Episode 3.01 to 3.08) Never watched season 2 and didn't realize how much this season would call back to the others, but still a great character-focused series. How can you not love watching messy people make bad choices?

Severance (Episode 2.09 to 2.10) A really fantastic second season. Do I wish it had more of the crew spending time together? Of course. Is it a challenge to maintain the air of mystery and existential dread for more than a season? Absolutely. But do I love this shift between seasons? 100%. Still think that Cobel episode was a miss (both in episode and season pacing).

Common Side Effects (1.08 to 1.10) Great season of tv! Lots of questions remain but I feel like the heart of the show (the Marshall/Frances' and Copano/Harrington relationships) are always at the forefront of each episode. Solid use of animation and I'm glad it got renewed for a second season!

……….YOUTUBE……….

The Most Important Movie Of The 21st Century by Patrick H. Willems I don't often rank or have favourites, especially with movies, but Speed Racer is one of my favourite films. If you haven't seen it, watch it then watch this. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie (Page 72 of 214) I've now read enough Christie to know what I like best about her work and because her characters tend to be rather flat (not always, but frequently) I tend to find the pre-murder stuff rather dull. This JUST got to the killing and I'm ready for Poirot to show up and make it more engaging.

Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber (Complete) This series, focusing on two thieves named Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, is quickly becoming one of my all-time favourite fantasy collections. Each short story feels like a mini D&D adventure and both characters are, above all else, having fun. Can't recommend this enough.

Guardians of the Galaxy by Donny Cates Omnibus (Complete) I've really enjoyed Cates' smaller runs (SIlver Surfer: Black and Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die) so I was really excited for this. Great characters, cosmic setting, what could go wrong? This was...fine. Felt more like a table-setting run for bigger and better adventures and didn't quite do it for me. Not bad, but perhaps not the best entrypoint for a new GotG reader.

Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 3 and 4 by Ryan North, Alex Ross, Iban Coello, Ivan Fiorelli, and more (Complete) Just so much fun. It has dinosaurs, vampires, sentient social media, and really feels like a family-first comic. Truly something all-ages that doesn't mean "for kids". I think comic readers of any age will get something out of this series and I'm excited to read more!

Batman - One Bad Day: Penguin by John Ridley , Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Arif Prianto (Complete) This one felt different from the other One Bad Day comics I've read in that Penguin has already had the bad day. The premise and characters were great, but the execution could've used a little more meat. Not bad but not in the "reread" category either.

Batman - One Bad Day: Riddler by by Tom King, Mitch Gerads, and Clayton Cowles (Complete) Darker than I like my comics, but it really characterizes Riddler in an a way that piqued my interest. The art is also a standout and a solid ending. This, Clayface, and Mr. Freeze are my favourite reads from this series so far.

……….AUDIO……….

Bunky Becky Birthday Boy by Sleigh Bells (2025) Always been a Sleigh Bells fan and always will be. I long for the explosive propulsion of their early albums, but appreciate how cohesive this one plays. Is it my favourite? No. Am I glad it exists? Heck yeah.

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The party is digging into some cult stuff and seeing how deep the corruption goes! Turns out the city of Oz is in a bit of a mess. You can read all about their adventures here.

And that's it. See you in May!

[kolbisneat]

All the Teeny Tiny Stages I've done over the years! Hopefully I'll get to add more to the collection someday soon.

And if you're inclined, prints are over here: https://store.kolbisneat.com/

Happy Friday!

[kolbisneat]

A few crops from a much larger thing I just wrapped up!

[kolbisneat]

A very kind review of Wonderland from a channel I've been following for years!

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: March 2025

Under the weather for a bit this month so a few more movie days and a few less book nights. Here's how I spent the month of March!

……….FILM……….

His Girl Friday (1940) My first Howard Hawks film and it felt like grabbing onto a moving vehicle. Luckily Even after watching videos and listening to podcasts at 1.5x speed for years I still found the dialog to be breakneck. Great plot, great characters, and an ending that I'm going to think about for a long time. Big fan.

Mickey 17 (2025) I remember going into Parasite expecting a sci-fi twist and having to shift expectations when I realized it was not that kind of movie. The same thing happened for Mickey 17: I was expecting a smaller, more grounded sci-fi (in space with 3D printing humans, sure, but still focused on character) yet this went in a totally different direction. More of it worked than didn't and that's okay.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988) For a first time viewing, I felt it went on a little too long, but I think I'll feel differently with subsequent viewings.

……….TELEVISION……….

Severance (Episode 1.01 to 2.08) Rewatched the first season leading up to season two and it's all great. This new season naturally expands on the characters and mystery of the first but still holds onto the existential horror and vibes of the first. But man that Cobel episode felt like hitting a brick wall.

Common Side Effects (Episode 1.03 to 1.07) Again not at all what I was expecting out of this show (though maybe I didn't really have a firm grasp on what that might be) yet this is really fantastic stuff. Animation for adults through and through.

Love is Blind (Episode 8.01 to 8.12) This season really showed the cracks in the format: if you don't have interesting couples, there's very little to watch. Other reality TV has plenty of scenarios where groups intermingle and it's those moments in this season that have any sort of attention-grabbing moments. I suppose what I'm saying is that that the reunion was great and I would've been happy with 8-10 twenty-minute episodes.

……….YOUTUBE……….

How Trying Became Cool Again by Nathan Zed I'm cautiously optimistic that the age of indifference and emotionally guarded art is behind us. Cringe Culture is just watered down bullying. I mean if you're not harming anyone then why not enjoy what you enjoy?

How to Identify Quality in Clothing (A Rant) by Bernadette Banner As someone who mostly buys clothing second hand, this is a really handy guide to discerning quality construction and materials. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber (Page 66 of 251) Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are quickly becoming two of my favourite pulp fantasy protagonists. There's an airiness and joy that I really gravitate towards and while I'm only just starting this one, it's already full of fun encounters and set pieces.

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (Complete) The non-Poirot stories can really be hit-or-miss for me and it all comes down to the main character. This one was a miss. Passive protagonist and more focus on romance is not what I like about Christie mysteries.

Ayoade On Top by Richard Ayoade (Abandoned) There's a story early on that just talks about Ayoade's childhood and it was the first (and only) point where I found myself really enjoying the book. I like Ayoade's humour and writing style but it turns out I just didn't enjoy the core conceit of the book.

DIE volume 1 & 2 by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, & Clayton Cowles (Complete) Six D&D players get transported into their adventure, return, and then are sent back after 20 years. It's a cool world and I liked the early world-building, but the writing and art are really only interested in its characters. By that I mean the environments often feel large and empty, and the writing doesn't seem interested in any action or set pieces. What's there is good, but I'm not sure it's clicking for me.

Batman - One Bad Day: Catwoman by G. Willow Wilson and Jamie McKelvie (Complete) Neither the story nor the art really clicked for me as both felt...sparse. This series can be hit or miss and while I appreciated the breeziness they were going for, it didn't land for me.

Batman - One Bad Day: Clayface by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Xermanico (Complete) It really is interesting reading a couple of these in quick succession as it shows the contrast in material. Based on my affinity towards the characters, I would've expected to love Catwoman's issue and almost didn't check this one out. But I'm glad I did! Great setting and story that compliments the horrific nature of Clayface's powers. This and Sub Zero's stories are real standouts.

Ultimate Spider-Man Hardcover Volume 12 and Ultimate Comics Spider-man: Death of Spider-man by Brian Michael Bendis, David Lafuente, Takeshi Miyazawa, Mark Bagley, and many others (Complete) The end of an era. I still think this is a strong run with only minor ups and downs and the ending, while tied into an Avengers story I don't care for, felt like it tied up a lot of loose ends for the characters.

……….GAMING……….

Desperate Oasis (Weast Coast) Really fun two-player game with a great balance of skill and luck. Quick to learn but enough weight to keep it engaging after a number of rounds. I'll pretty much buy any game from Weast Coast at this point.

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The group has nearly reassembled the skeleton of their pirate friend and then we'll see what adventures they get into next! In the meantime, you can read all about it over on reddit.

And that's it. See you in April!

[kolbisneat]

Slightly closer look at the various vehicles and riders that appear on my 2025 TTC ride guide! Lots of little nods to neighbourhoods and puns and green methods of travel (as well as my current and former cats!)

And if you want a poster of the artwork the TTC shop has it available here!

Happy Friday!

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: February 2025

I love when the snow piles up. It means a time to stay indoors, keep warm, and play a video game or read or watch a movie or something. Nothing better. Here's how I spent the month of February!

……….FILM……….

Knives Out (2019) Watching this again, I really kept thinking about why I'll gladly go back to this over Glass Onion. Part of it is the cast of characters and minimal reliance on special effects, but I think another big part is that the victim is likeable? Harlan Thromby seems like a cool guy! Anyway still great.

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) The sets, the costumes, the effects, all of it screams "teenage boy wrote this" and it's fantastic. Ninety minutes of cherry red blood and watermelon guts built on a plot that is surprisingly relevant. You gotta be in the right mood for it but if you are, that ending hits hard.

Mother's Instinct (2024) Fully engaged while watching it and the two leads are great, but I found myself consistently questioning a lot of character actions/decisions.

……….TELEVISION……….

Common Side Effects (Episode 1.01 to 1.02) Still early into this series but really enjoying it! It's not exactly what I expected it to be, but then again I'm not really sure what that is. All I know is that it continues to surprise me.

Gilmore Girls (Episode....???) Okay so I don't fully watch this show. I kinda dip in and out. But I also have lots of opinions. Luke? Great guy. Dean/Jess/Logan? Not great guys. Also very strange to see Sean Gunn in this after only really knowing him from being in James Gunn movies.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Don't Believe Him | The Ezra Klein Show by The Ezra Klein Show Watching this really helped frame Trump in a new light. VIDEO

When Your Hero Is A Monster by The Leftist Cooks Neil Gaiman may be in the thumbnail and act as a focal point for the video, but it's really about our culture's relationship with fame and the power we give celebrities. VIDEO

……….READING……….

The Truth by Terry Pratchett (Complete) Loved it. Love the new characters, loved the plot, and loved the outside perspective of the watch through these characters and plot.

FANTASTIC FOUR BY RYAN NORTH VOL. 1 and 2 by Ryan North, Alex Ross, and Iban Coello (Complete) I'm generally a fan of North's writing and this is just as strong. Love the one or two issue-long stories and the creative problem solving of the characters. It's full of heart and doesn't rely on punching to solve problems and for that alone, I have nothing but praise.

Doctor Strange Vol 3 and 4 by Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo, and more (Complete) I keep coming back to this series, and on paper I should be enjoying what I'm reading, but it just isn't working. I think it's the writing? I just want some space to enjoy weird visuals and a plot that feels planned out.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Lost Years by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, and too many great artists to list (Complete) I tend to like my TMNT stories to be a good blend of pulp action and family drama, so the first title didn't quite work for me. Maybe I'm just looking for more hopeful stories? To that point, I really liked the new turtles in the Lost Years, but the Ronin-centric stuff in that books suffers from prequel symptoms: no stakes and relatively unnecessary. If anything, I think I'm most excited for the next book that, I think, focuses exclusively on the new turtles.

……….AUDIO……….

Wanna Start a Band by Sleigh Bells (2025) Always happy when new Sleigh Bells pops up.

……….GAMING……….

Wonderland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) Still early into our Wonderland adventures but the party is slowly getting to a more durable level. You can read all about it over here!

Animal Well (Bigmode) Truly one of the best gaming experiences of my adult life. The atmosphere, the puzzles, the scale, it's all incredible. Go in with as little info as possible and let me know what you think.

And that's it. See you in March!

[kolbisneat]

Friendly reminder that you can sign up for my quarterly newsletter here: https://kolbisneat.com/newsletter

[kolbisneat]

Teeny Tiny Hidey Hole!

Had some downtime between projects and returned to a diorama I’ve wanted to make for a while. It was one of those images I could clearly see in my head, from the texture to the palette, and just needed to get out.

The Wraith and setting really took shape quickly but those hobbits took me ages to sort out. Make them look like the actors? The animated Bakshi version? Ultimately I pulled a little from everywhere and really happy with the outcome. Maybe if I get some time I’ll do some more so I can feature the rest of the fellowship.

For now, prints of this are in my shop.

Happy Wednesday!

[kolbisneat]

Teeny Tiny Cleanup!

It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to do a personal diorama and after playing a lot of Katamari Damacy: Reroll over the holidays I knew I wanted to make this. Try out some polygonal forms, play with lighting and shading a little more. And I think it turned out okay! Of course I had to put my cat in there and the last image shows how this is a customizable print!

Available in my shop if you’d like.

Happy Tuesday!