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gokinjeespot · 3 years

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off the rack #1316

Monday, March 8, 2021

Coming up on a year since the pandemic started. I hope you're all healthy and safe. I am hopeful that vaccines will be deployed widely and help us all feel less anxious. I am fortunate enough to be one of those people who is happy as a bug snug in a rug while self isolating. I do really miss my dear friends and family but hugs can wait until we're all vaccinated.

My thanks to Doug for lending me these comic books to read.

Batman Annual #5 - James Tynion IV (writer) James Stokoe (art) Clayton Cowles (letters). It's the origin of Clownhunter and it's not very original. If I had to pay $4.99 US I would have passed on this and lived with leaving a hole in my Batman collection. If you're not familiar with this new vigilante, he's an Asian teenager named Bao who decides he's going to kill the Joker and all of the villain's sycophants. The reason he becomes Clownhunter (and killer) is very mundane. I wish they could have come up with a new motivator. Maybe the philosophical discussion about what to do about the Joker might interest some fans but I found this story quite tedious. I also didn't like the way Bao and his parents were portrayed. Did they really have an Asian saying "Ah, so"? Yes they did on page 8. Shades of Charlie Chan, Batman. I was not offended, just disappointed.

Batman/Catwoman #3 - Tom King (writer) Clay Mann (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). I was thrilled to see the town of Port Orange, Florida mentioned on the first page. My pal Al lives there. It's also where Selina finally catches up with the Joker and does what Batman never did. I love this Black Label book taking familiar characters and treating them in a new and interesting way. Here's a future where Selina has survived her husband Bruce's death and their daughter Helena is the new Batwoman. Now I wait to see how mother and daughter deal with the Angel of Death.

And now, more Future State books.

Future State: Robin Eternal #2 - Meghan Fitzmartin (writer) Eddy Barrows (pencils) Eber Ferreira (inks) Adriano Lucas (colours) Pat Brosseau (letters). The consequence of Tim Drake/Robin being dunked in Lazarus resin is that now he's immortal. Whoop-dee-doo. Not only is this a boring Robin beats up bad guys issue but the art lacked any logical perspective. This issue takes place on a train but you would think it's in a huge building based on the art. I know it's comic books but I hate when one doesn't make visual sense. I think that's just laziness.

Future State: Kara Zor-El Superwoman #1 & #2 - Marguerite Bennett (writer) Marguerite Sauvage (art) Wes Abbott (letters). This 2-issue fairy tale was not meant for old farts like me and Doug. With it's soft pastel colours these books should have included glitter and bubblegum flavoured lip gloss. Maybe young tween girls will like this. The moral of this story is "no one is born wise".

Future State: Dark Detective #3 - Mariko Tamaki (writer) Dan Mora (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Aditya Bidikar (letters). There are not one but two Batmans in this issue. You've got Bruce in his new capeless costume but here he's wearing a trench coat to give that fluttering effect, and then there's the new guy in the Bat suit, cape and all. The "uh-oh" point of the story hits here when the bad guys discover where Bruce is hiding out. The Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Carmine Di Giandomenico (art) Antonio Fabela (colours) & AndWorld Design (letters) Grifter story concludes here too with a double cross and a whole lot more of Helena/Huntress. This is my favourite Future State book so far.

Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1 & #2 - Sean Lewis (writer) John Timms (art) Gabe Eltaeb (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). If you're wondering how a grown up Jonathan Kent takes over for his dad as Metropolis's protector then these two $5.99 US books will satisfy your curiosity. The villain of the story is an evolved Brainiac who is a big multi-mouthed ball now. Metropolis is shrunk ala the bottle city of Kandor, the citizens go nuts but Jon returns things back to normal in the end with the help of Kara/Supergirl. I don't know why Kara's a girl in this story and a woman elsewhere. Each issue has two back-ups so you get your money's worth. One features Mister Miracle and the other the Guardian. They are both dealing with bad things inside the bottled Metropolis. You won't miss much if you don't read them. The Mister Miracle story "The Metropolis Menagerie" is done my Brandon Easton (writer) Valentine De Landro (art) Marissa Louise (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). The Guardian story is brought to you by Sean Lewis (writer) Cully Hamner & Michael Avon Oeming (art) Laura Martin (colours) AndWorld Design (letters). This one got me excited because a villain wants to throw Jimmy Olsen off of the Daily Planet building.

Future State: Catwoman #2 - Ram V (writer) Otto Schmidt (art) Tom Napolitano (letters). Read this to find out if Catwoman saves the lives of the people on the train. You will also find out if Bruce is freed from the bad guys. Talia Al-Ghul appearing is the deus ex machina in this story. I like the new Cheshire and Onomatopoeia is always fun.

Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #2 - Phillip Kennedy Johnson (writer) Mikel Janin (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) & Dave Sharpe (letters). In "The Many Deaths of Superman" the Man of Steel fights in the arena of Warworld where Mongul resurrects him after every death match. It's the typical brutal battle scenes and super villain gloating. What's more compelling is an old newspaper story that Clark Kent wrote that inspired a young woman who travels to Smallville. I was totally confused by the three back-up stories featuring Mister Miracle, Midnighter and the Black Racer because they were not very good. I am a completist and have to finish what I start. I could have stopped reading after the $3.99 US main story in this bloated $7.99 US comic book but my obsessive compulsive nature wouldn't let me. It's a character flaw I wish I could change.

Future State: The Next Batman #1 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). All the teasers for this book hyped the fact that this Batman is black. You won't get the secret identity in this first issue but there are a bunch of likely candidates. Lucas Fox is a possibility but it's confusing because he's a bad guy in another Future State book. This is another $7.99 US book with back-ups. These are more coherent than the ones in Future State: Superman: Worlds of War.

Future State: Outsiders by Brandon Thomas (writer) Sumit Kumar (pencils) Sumit Kumar & Raul Fernandez (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) & Steve Wands (letters) gathers together some old Batman associates helping Gotham City citizens escape persecution by the Magistrates outside Gotham City's borders. Get it? It was nice seeing Katana in action.

Future State: Arkham Knights by Paul Jenkins (writer) Jack Herbert (art) Gabe Eltaeb (colours) & Rob Leigh (letters) gathers together some of Batman's rogues gallery to fight the oppressive Magistrate. Two-Face, Mr. Zsasz, Dr. Phosphorus, Killer Croc and other ex-inmates of Arkham Asylum are being lead by an armoured Astrid Arkham. It's super villains being super heroes.

Future State: The Next Batman #2 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (breakdowns) Laura Braga (art) Arif Prianto (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). We learn the secret identity of the new caped Batman in this issue. It's Lucas Fox's brother. He has a brother? This also has three new back-up stories.

"Batgirls" is by Vita Ayala (writer) Aneke (art) Trish Mulvihill (colours) & Becca Carey (letters). Batgirl/Orphan Cassandra Cain gets locked up in the Magistrate Detention Facility where both good guys/white hats and bad guys/black coats are incarcerated. She got caught on purpose because her mission is to find Oracle and Batman and free them. She gets help from Spoiler who is queen of the inmates. In this reality Cass is way more articulate than she used to be. I didn't like that. I also didn't like that in the other Future State stories the Magistrate foot soldiers have a shoot to kill order for any masks that they encounter. Why are all of these masks alive? Anyways, this part ends with the white hats and black coats forming an alliance so Cass can get on with her mission.

"Gotham City Sirens: Ladies' Night Out" is by Paula Sevenbergen (writer) Rob Haynes (breakdowns) Emanuela Lupacchino (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) John Kalisz (colours) Becca Carey (letters). Catwoman and Poison Ivy spring a domestic droid named Dee Dee (get it?) from servitude and they have a night on the town at a bar. The bar is run by Sam Bradley and both super heroes and villains can imbibe in peace. Fans of Sex and the City may like this. Not a lot of drama until the last page when the joint is raided by Magistrate goons and major characters are shot.

Future State: The Next Batman #3 - John Ridley (writer) Nick Derington (breakdowns) Laura Braga (art) Arif Prianto (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). This is the "uh-oh" moment in the story where the hero is felled by the villain. A wounded Batman is attacked by the murderer he's trying to bring to justice. I saw that coming.

I like the change with Black Lightning in the Outsiders back-up.

I like the art in the Arkham Knights back-up even though the dialogue is eye roll inducing.

Future State: The Next Batman #4 - Jace/Batman lives, as if that was in any doubt. This story would have been a lot more interesting if Bruce/Batman was really dead. Even if the Future State line of comics dies out this Next Batman is a cop out. The Batgirls story ends with Cassandra/Orphan saving Barbara/Oracle and the Resistance gaining ground on the Magistrates. The Gotham City Sirens story ends with Catwoman and Poison Ivy helping the Resistance get an advantage in their war with the Cybers thanks to Dee Dee.

I admit that I was sucked in by the hype for this mini. The Next Batman being black intrigued me. The story itself was meh and I would not have missed anything by not reading it. I was not engaged as a mature reader but I think someone in their teens might like all the stories in these four issues.

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kimberlyannharts · 4 years

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Honestly at this point I’m just here to see the TerrorZords. They sound cool

if we’re following the same pattern we’ve been on for ages now dan mora probably designed the terrorzords and he never disappoints

#transmission #anonymous #'but chip don't you hate dragonzedd' i simply blame ryan for that :)

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davidmann95 · 5 years

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Thoughts on this week's comics?

Once & Future #1: On the final day of my local comic book store’s operation (don’t worry, I’ve I think found a new place close to where I work) they finally got the sixth and last printing of this baby, and what an odd comic. I absolutely dig it, but just in terms of pacing and the rhythms of the dialogue, this feels much more to me like a Morrison joint than Gillen? Maybe it’s just because I associate Dan Mora with Klaus. Anyway, I’m late to the party on this one but yeah, it’s good.

No One Left To Fight #4: It hasn’t been as good as the first issue got me to hope, and I don’t think it’s going to change that with apparently just one issue left, but this is still solid and definitely worth a look once it drops in trade for DBZ fans.

DIE #8: Gillen’s always been a guy who works best for me on reread, but between this and Peter Cannon he’s working overtime lately to jump a few notches even further upward in my estimation. And I cannot believe a monthly comic, even one with breaks built in, can look this gorgeous.

Marvel Comics #1001: God what a shitshow! I repeatedly referred to Marvel Comics #1000 as nothing short of a minor miracle, and I’ll stand by that. But while that was an exceptional if by no means perfect realization of its intent as a celebration of Marvel’s history, this is a truly shameless dumping ground, with only two teasing story-lite bookending Ewing pages to lure in chumps like me. I think there’s something like 3-4 notably at least *okay* other stories in here, with everything else ranging from empty calories to bizarre to total crap. Worst I’ve spent about dropping my money on a book in some time.

Fantastic Four #15: I’ll admit to being a little perplexed about the strength of the negative reaction to the title right now. I’d be the first to admit it’s a complete embarrassment in the context of being the Richards families’ grand return, but it’s perfectly fine superhero comics, even if I’ll likely drop it after this arc.

Absolute Carnage: Immortal Hulk #1: The gold standard of event tie-ins - it fits well with the event, with the main book (even if Ewing’s assured nothing plotwise here is going to feed back into the main title...though honestly, I’m a touch skeptical depending on how Absolute Carnage proper goes, I could see something in here playing out in Immortal while requiring fairly minimal explanation), and it hits us with an extra little dose of seeing how the current status quo plays with Marvel at large since it’s typically in isolation without diluting the flavor of either side. A+.

Bizarre Adventures #1: Actually really good but it should be a federal crime that the initial solicit promised a Chris Onstad story and this didn’t deliver, without even at least some sort of formal apology.

Daredevil #12: Oh, Willie. WhatEVER are we going to do with you?

House of X #6: Okay, I’ve tried to avoid blanket “anyone who doesn’t like these books just doesn’t GET IT, MAN” statements, but I haven’t been subtle in finding a lot of the criticisms of how the X-Men are changing up how they operate/express themselves as a minority metaphor...charged. I’ve already had reason recently to think I was being too broad even with that though, but with this issue? The idea that Professor X was psychically manipulating people into going along with this seemed like a dumb, boring as shit way of reckoning with the new status quo, but maybe that merits a rethink, because holy shit. Anyway this is still fire and I can’t believe I give a fuck about the X-Men now, one issue left until this run properly starts. Jesus.

The Immortal Hulk #24: I’ll admit I’ve been finding the conclusion of the General Fortean story merely excellent rather than mind-blowingly transcendent recently, and while I wasn’t disappointed I was ready for things to properly kick back into high gear. THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT A PROBLEM ANYMORE, TRUE BELIEVERS.

Batman #80: I’m still down for it, both this bit in isolation as the triumphant comeback lead in to the finale, and the run as a whole. And while I think he’s been doing his best work in a VERY long time recently and I’m glad to see he’ll be joining Tynion, I’m glad Daniel is taking a backseat to Mann, Romita Jr., and soon Janin for concluding City of Bane, given it’s now also the ending of King’s time on Batman proper even if he’s still finishing his story elsewhere.

Lois Lane #4: It’s extremely weird that this is a Renee Montoya book co-starring Lois Lane but if Greg Rucka wants to write a Gotham Central/52 followup I’m not gonna...question it.

Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #2: DANG! Taken as a whole with the first issue given it clearly should have been a big one-shot, this is easily the best thing Bendis has done since the DC jump outside the Superman books, and I’m properly pumped for Legion now. Jeff Dekal and Ryan Sook in particular take my breath away once apiece in here.

The Green Lantern #12: With the season finale on the stands, I’d say it’s now more than fair to call Green Lantern Morrison’s weakest superhero output of the 21st century. Which doesn’t mean it’s not a hoot, it’s still Morrison, but again, I’ve yet to see anything at all that convinces me Morrison isn’t doing this on autopilot in-between his TV commitments. Admittedly Morrison on autopilot has its own unique charms, just spraying odd archetypal superhero concepts and sci-fi jargon at you to fill up space; this feels like one of his ad-hoc superhero teams such as the Status Quorum or the Cometeers or one of the throwaway Multiversity Earth ideas slouching to a sort of independent pseudo-life and throwing off neat ideas like an isotope bursting radiation, not fully-formed but perhaps in its own way all the more beautifully off-kilter and primally iconic in the process. Not enough to make up for the absence of him actually trying, you understand, but certainly unique and still an experience I enjoy every month. Please god though, don’t let this and Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 3 whenever that happens be his last major superhero works. One last Justice League story, Arkham Asylum 2 like he said, Superman Squad, something.

Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #4: Venom exists in the DCU and it’s an evil speedo, this is objectively a perfect comic book. I liked the original Way run a lot even if I could never remember what was going on, but I’m stunned with every issue what a level-up this second volume has been, at least for my money.

Justice League #33: I think the book’s sagging a bit at the moment, since Justice/Doom War is clearly a feint for whatever the real finale is going to be in 2020 and I don’t think Snyder/Tynion work quite as well as an apparently full-on writing team as they do when simply trading off issues and letting their individual strengths shine. Still the best straight-take capeshit on the stands though, make no mistake.

Young Justice #9: If Namoi was the return of the Bendis who tried writing sincere stuff near the end of his time at Marvel but was too burned out at that point to make it work anymore, this is the Avengers guy who’s freewheeling and kinda screwing around where he should be getting to brass tacks but still has his moments. I might end up dropping this book, but it’s still at least got me through the end of this arc.

DCeased #5: This book’s been disappointing me more than a bit the last couple issues given how good it SHOULD be with how much it plays into Tom Taylor’s greatest strengths. The ending on this one, however? Is one I’m going to remember forever, and Trevor Hairsine sells the absolute hell out of it. Propelled to my favorite of the week just on the back of that.

#Week's Comics #House of X #Jonathan Hickman #X Men #Grant Morrison #Opinion

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timiicaa · 5 years

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Change is a strong word for me,i just need self appreciation and work this thing called life life and just accept the positivity and love of friendship and im writing this now to myself knowing only one person might read but i dont wana forget all this thoughts i have now.

This is. maybe a day 1 for me and a new chance for. me, i don’t have a way to communicate with my parent for way too long time now,accepting it as soon as possible is better,that is my first goal,im important,i have ambitions im so ready for new experience every day and i just wana enjoy the beauty of everything around us only if can keep the positive mindset,i miss so many things from the past,every day i think about what could’ve been different and how i could have an amazing unique and increnible girl next to me right now,but thats life,i cant say its hard and unfair but its tough to handle but you gotta learn some things harsh way,i made some bad decisions,who am i foolin i made so many teeeerible decisions,but yea,i dont want to make stupid decisions anymore,i want to work myself so hard and make an amazing person of myself and i know that kids from the neighbourhood look up to me so much and i really dont ever want to disappoint myself anymore and just be strong powerfu person and everything will come slowly,there is no rush for everything,what could have been and what has been is behind me,faith is an amazing thing but i dont wana be stuck in it and hesitate..

Life is really wonderful thing,its insanely late (6:27) i came home 30 minutes ago,couldnt let a a best friend drive because he is drunk so hes currently sleeping on a sofa at my house but we had an amazing talk and amazing experience and i just freaking love that dude,he is by far the best friend i ever had and i really grow as a person next to him and i never want to freaking loose that guy from my life because hes so amazing and i know he will succeed in so much things and i want to support him in every doubt he has.

When my ex told me that this guy will be my best friend i laughed and just acted cocky because yea i was in phase when i only listened to myself,and im sick of it,im turning 21 in 3 days,i have so much possibilities,so much ambitions,so much hidden talents..

im writing this long shit to u jebeni idiote,veceras si imao prilku mozda i “opalit” i znas da imas te potrebe w.e ali si donjeo jednu od najboljih odluka u zivotu i dobio najbolju osobu kao prijatelja ikad,zvucat ce ti ovo glupo kad dodes malo sebi ali za tog covjeka daj sve jer je isti kao ti i sabijat ce te onak sve prepreke u zivotu i znam da su sada starci nemormalno protiv tebe,jebiga stari na putu do zdravog i zeljenog zivota moras bit ustrajan u odlukama i katkad otici u sobu isplakat se pomislit svasta,znas da moras otici iz kuce prvom prilikom,ovdje vise ne pripadas,sori ali ove navike,njihova ocekivanja,shvacas da nekoristis njihovoj zajednici i neuklapas se vise tu,spusti se na zemlju nisi jos nista postigao,neobeshrabrujem te nego sam realan,nema zurbe za nista ali ima STOP ovdje na putu koji te zaustavi i da ti priliku da promislis,taj stop postuj,mora se dogodit i ispravan je,gledaj sto radis iz pogleda 3.osobe,promisli prije nego nesto napises ali onda stoj uz to sto si napisao i razumi,musko jesi,uvjeravao si se da su svi “fake prijatelji” zbog pusenja i otkrilo ee da jesu ali sad si stari u fazi kada zracis fakat jebenom vibrom u dobrom drustvu i random ljudi komuniciraju bas te zele poslusat i drusto je u banani skroz naselje je otislo kvragu ali nije kasno ni za tebe pa ni za nikog od njih..timone ti sjednes u kafic sam za stol dok ie njih 6 za drugim stolom i svi se okrenu prema tebi jer te postuje i prepoznaju tvoju dobru namjeru i vibru,otkrivaj,istrazuj,stvaraj,pocet ces donositi odluke i stvarati planove,organizirati ih,ispuniti u najkracem roku,sam znas kako je lako prihvatiti rutinu bila loša ili dobra,za tebe rutina vise ne postoji,ti si na avanturi zvanoj zivot,svaki dan se probudi i sjeti se svojih prijatelja,nemoras im nista napisat,samo se sjeti da su oni tu,vikni hitno je,oni se stari teleportiraju,svaki dan se sjeti da vjerujes u sebe,DA NISI SAM,nikad. nisi sam!nemoj nametati nesto drugom,znati ces kad te netko stvarno zeli poslusat i onda predlozi,kuzis ti majstore radis na sebi..punis 21 za 3 dana,slavis rodendan u iducu subotu,dosta si ljudi natuknuo da bih slavio u gradu,pipic ce doci iz zga iako ima sigurno za uciti i nije pri lovi,njemu si toliko predivan faktor u zivotu i znas i sam koliko mu pomazes i koliko nikad nesmijes dopustit da se osjeca usamljeno,gramnjak ce doci iz vojske,cabi koji je decko koji je dosta suzdrzan ali ga jako postujem nece otici 2 dana na vikend sa biciklistima iako mu je to zivot i strasan event,samo da dode u grad tada,znas da tu ima i ljudi koji ce doci tada a inace neidu nikako u grad niti slusaju tu glazbu pokusavas odrzat odnose sa dost ljudi non stop i stvarno ti to ide stari..ali najbitnija stvar u tom svemu si TI!uci od ljudi..prihvati da si pogrijesio..priznaj poraz ali uz to sve samo nemoj glavu da ikad spustis ili si jezik pregrizes od laznog obecanja...maknio si se od plj i sad ces se slozit financijski,mozda heart breaking za reci ali starcima stv smetas u kuci i moras moras moras se odselit onak prehitno jer za svoj roditelje si postao slika neceg negativnog i nemoram ti objasnjavat zasto,mozes biti siguran da nisi kriv ali nakon ovog kad slucajno naletis ponovno u tumblr i odvojis si vremena za proctitat,odi se otusiraj ,pojedi nesto,izadi na zrak prosetaj malo,prosetaj sam mozda ti se svidi,nazovi prijatelja pitaj ga kak je,izadi s njim,postuj ga,motiviraj ga,ohrabi,spasi,budi tu za njega kad nitko nije,zivot je predivan i jednostavan,sve je u mindsetu i prestajes se opravdavat sada,prvi korak u novi pocetak je biti svjestan da moras promjeniti nesto i krenuti odmah,imas sliku sebe sa 25,znas koliko si daleko od toga ali stari 25 je samo part 1 do kojeg ces doci sa ustrajnosti,drugaciji si osjetis i znas to,nisi najjaci fizicki,ali psihicki si strasan,toliko imas infomacija unutar te glave,osjecajan si strasno,da ti itko od kolega zna koliko znas lako zaplakat nebi povjerovali,sve sam ti rekao,sve znas,sve si dozivio,21. je tvoja 1. i tvoja prilika za predivan zivot ♥️

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weekendwarriorblog · 5 years

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND September 20, 2019 - VILLAINS, BLOODLINE, DOWNTON ABBEY, AD ASTRA, RAMBO: LAST BLOOD

It’s hard to believe that September is almost over, and we’re just sailing through the September festival season with the New York Film Festival starting (for real) next week. There are three wide releases, but I will only have seen one of them before writing this, so instead, I’ll talk about a couple genre movies opening Friday, both of which played at Lincoln Center’s “Scary Movies XII” last month.

I remember writing quite extensively about VILLAINS (Alter/Gunpowder and Sky) when I was over at the Tracking Board, mainly about the casting of Bill Skarsgard from It, Maika Monroe from It Follows, as well as Jeffrey Donovan and Kyra Sedgwick. It’s the new movie from Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, who directed the horror sequel The Stakelander and have written a pretty amazing comedy-thriller twist on the home invasion movie. Skarsgard and Monroe play a young couple who hide out in a seemingly abandoned house after robbing a store. They soon learn that not only is it not abandoned, but there is a young girl chained in the basement. The owners of the home, played by Kyra Sedgwick and Jeffrey Donovan, then return and things go sideways for the young couple as they find that maybe their petty crimes make them the good guys in this scenario. Villains is getting a fairly hearty release into roughly 100 theaters across the country, so check your listings to see if/where it will be playing near you. (It mainly seems to be playing in Regal theaters across the country.)

Another interesting genre film opening Friday is Henry Jacobson’s psychological thriller BLOODLINE (Momentum Pictures), starring Seann William Scott as Evan, a high school social worker with a secret – he’s also a serial killer who tries to help his patients by ridding them of their issues. Evan is also experiencing a new baby with his wife, which might keep him from his killing habits, except that his mother (Dale Dickey) has shown up to help them, and she was the one who taught him his ways. This is a really dark and gory film that I quite enjoyed in a similar way as some of my favorite serial killer thrillers, from Hitchcock’s Psychoto Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer and others. It honestly can’t be a better time for this with all the true crime television we’re getting, and I was pretty blown away by Scott’s performance in this. Bloodlineisplaying at the IFC Center for Friday and Saturday late night screenings and probably will be available On Demand as well.

You can read my interview with Seann William Scott and the directors of VILLAINS over at The Beat, the latter posting Friday.

The one wide release I have seen this weekend is Focus Features’ DOWNTOWN ABBEY, a continuation of the PBS series with an absolutely amazing British cast that includes Dame Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and so many more that I won’t name all of them. I feel that I’m not the best person to properly review the movie since I haven’t seen a second of the series, but I generally liked what I saw and might give it a look if I can find a good streaming source on which to binge it. I actually liked the movie enough to recommend it without having any previous knowledge of the series.

Probably my biggest disappointment of this week is that I didn’t have a chance to see James Gray’s AD ASTRA (20thCentury Fox), starring Brad Pitt, before Thursday night, because I wasn’t able to get to the press screening. It’s been one of my more anticipated movies of the year, mainly because I generally love outer space movies, but I also have been interested in seeing what Gray and Pitt do with the material, especially with such a great supporting cast.

Another movie that I only got to see just before this column posts is Sylvester Stallone’s RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (Lionsgate), which I reviewed over at The Beat. I had very few expectations for the movie, as I’ve never been a huge Rambo fan. I’m not sure why, but I guess I just never got into the Rah! Rah! USA! Stuff that permeated the United States in the ‘80s, and I was more into music than movies at the time. Reading my review, it’s obvious that Stallone’s latest attempt to revive a franchise didn’t do much for me.

You can read what I think of the above’s box office prospects over at The Beat, as well.

LIMITED RELEASES

I’m not quite sure why there are so many limited releases this weekend –I count almost 30 (!!!!) over on Rotten Tomatoes– but I’ll see what I can get to this week since I’m already a little behind. If you missed, Rob Zombie’s 3 FROM HELL on Monday and Tuesday night and more importantly, missed my scathing review of it over at The Beat, well, then you’ve missed it since this column is posting after it played its last night before its blu-ray release next month. Sorry!

A fantastic documentary opening at the Metrograph this week is Jacqueline Olive’s directorial debut ALWAYS IN SEASON (Multitude Films), a stirring film about the history of lynching, circling around the death of 17-year-old Lennon Lacy from Bladenboro, North Carolina, which is ruled as a suicide but his mother Claudia is convince that her son was lynched. Olive’s powerful film provides a background for how lynching became so prevalent in the early part of the 20thCentury, including an eerie annual reenactment by the town of Monroe, Georgia that wants to make sure that the county’s atrocities aren’t forgiven or forgotten. Narrated by Danny Glover, Olive’s directorial debut is powerful and moving and a film that must not be missed – maybe it’s no surprise that it won a Special Jury prize at Sundance Film Festival for “Moral Urgency” earlier this year. I was pretty shaken up when I saw it at this year’s Oxford Film Festival.

The Metrograph is also screening two National Geographic shorts, Alexander A. Mora’s The Night Crawlers and Orlando von Einsiedel’sLost and Found, over the next week. The Night Crawlers looks at a group of Filipino journalists known as the “Manila Nightcrawlers” who seek to expose the truth about President Duterte’s war on drugs and the number of people who lost their lives over it. Lost and Foundi s a new doc short from the director of the Netflix doc The White Helmets which looks at the Myanmar’s ethnic violence against the Rohingya people through the eyes of a man in a refugee camp seeking to reunite children with parents.

Japanese animation house Studio TRIGGER’s first feature film PROMARE (GKIDS) will get a limited release on Friday, following Fathom Events showings on Tuesday (already passed) and Thursday (tonight). It will then be opening in New York at the Metrograph and AMC Empire on Friday for a one-week run. It’s an apocalyptic sci-fi thriller set in a world thirty years after a race of flame-wielding mutant beings called the Burnish set half the world on fire an the battle between the anti-Burnish Burning Rescue and Lio Fotia, leader of the aggressive new “Mad Burnish” mutants.

Paolo Sorrentino, director of the Oscar-winning The Great Beauty and its follow-up Youth, returns with LORO (Sundance Selects), about a young hustler named Sergio (Riccardo Scamarcio) managing an escort service who sets his sights on the egotistical billionaire Italian ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (Tony Servillo) who is trying to bribe his way back into power. It will open at the IFC Center Friday.

A couple other docs opening this weekend, the first two opening at New York’s Film Forum…

Now playing is Hassan Fazili’s Midnight Traveler (Oscilloscope) about how the filmmaker received death threats from the Taliban in 2015 for running Kabul, Afghanistan’s Art Café, a progressive meeting place, so he, his wife and two young daughters must travel 3,500 miles over 3 years across four countries to get to Hungary, a journey documented via mobile phone cameras. It will open in L.A. on October 4.

Then on Friday, there’s Matt Tyrnauer’s new film WHERE’S MY ROY COHN? (Sony Pictures Classics) looks at the lawyer and power broker who was part of Joe McCarthy’s anti-Communist activities and who was pivotal in molding a young Queens developer named Donald Trump. I wanted to like this movie more because Roy Cohn is such an interesting human being in such a despicable way, but this doc really didn’t do much for me.

Opening in New York (Cinema Village) and L.A. (Laemmle Glendale) is DIEGO MARADONA (HBO Sports), the new doc from Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna), which will show on HBO on October 1. If you don’t know international football (or soccer), the Argentine Maradona is one of the most famous footballers of all time, a bit of a legend since signing to Naples in 1984 for a record-setting fee. I haven’t watched this yet but hope to soon.

Opening at New York’s IFC Center Friday is Max Powers’ Don’t Be Nice (Juno Films), focusing on the Bowery Slam Poetry Team as they head to the national championships, and there will be QnAs almost every night in its week-long run, and then it will open in L.A. on September 27.

Completely unrelated but also at the IFC Center is a full-week run of National Theatre Live: Fleabag, screening a pre-recorded performance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s one-woman show that inspired her hit Emmy-nominated show from the Soho Playhousein London’s West End. Heck, I might try to get to one of these since it won’t be on television or any other format for at least a year.

After opening for “one night only” on Tuesday, Louie (The Cove) Psihoyos’ new movie The Game Changers will get a release on New York this Friday and L.A. the 27th. Exec. produced by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan, it explores the rise of plant-based eating in professional sports along with Special Forces trainer James Wilks and features segments on Schwarzenegger, Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, tennis player Novak Djokovic and NBA star Chris Paul.

Demi Moore, Ed Helms, Karan Soni (from the “Deadpool” movies) and Jessica Williams star in the horror-comedy Corporate Animals (Screen Media), the new comedy from Patrick Brice (Creep, The Overnight) about a corporate team-building adventure that turns to cannibalism when an office group find themselves trapped in a cave system. The movie has a great cast but the strange concept and weak screenplay really keeps the movie from delivering.

Other movies out this weekend include James Franco’s Zeroville (MyCinema), co-starring Megan Fox and Seth Rogen; Nicolas Cage’s new movie Running with the Devil (Quiver DIstribution), a drug thriller co-starring Laurence Fishburne, Barry Pepper, Leslie Bibb and more; and the award-winning Chinese drama Send Me to the Clouds (Cheng Cheng Films), opening in L.A., NY, Toronto and Vancouver.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Maybe the movie I’m most excited for this week is Zak Galifianakis’ BETWEEN TWO FERNS: THE MOVIE (Netflix), which I’m sure is going to be silly, maybe even stupid, but I’m still amused by his style of humor. I also haven’t seen the new Netflix doc Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates, and I also no absolutely nothing about the movie other than what’s in the title.

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

On Tuesday, the Metrograph began a series called “Bleecker Street: The First Five Years” running through Thursday withsingle screenings of Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace, Sebastian Lelio’s Disobediance and Brett Haley’s I’ll See You in My Dreams with talent doing QnAs. On the weekend, the theater has special screenings of the dance film The Red Shoes (1948) on Saturday with an introduction by Jillian McManemin – I honestly have no idea who that is. On Saturday, the Academy is back with its monthly series, this month showing Milos Forman’s 1979 musical Hair with actor Treat Williams and Annie Golden in person. On Sunday, there’s a similarly special screening of Martin Scorsese’s 1990 crime classic Goodfellas with producer Irwin Winkler and screenwriter Nick Pileggi -- $35 tickets, a little pricey for me. You also have just two more days (today and tomorrow) to see Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress on the big screen.

This weekend’s Welcome To Metrograph: Redux offering is Jean Vigo’s 1934 film L’Atalante, Late Nites at Metrograph is showing Fantastic Planet(again) and the Japanese horror film Hausu (1977). This weekend’s Playtime: Family Matinees is Alfonso Cuaron’s fantasy A Little Princess (1995)

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE BROOKLYN (NYC)

The Alamo is also celebrating “Arthouse Theater Day” on Wednesday with Robert Downey Sr.’s Putney Swope. They’re also doing a “Rambo Marathon” on Sunday to tie-in with Stallone’s latest Rambo movie -- $35 for all five Rambo movies. Now THAT is a great deal, and there are a few tickets left. On Saturday afternoon, the Alamo is showing Almodovar’s 2000 classic All About My Mother to celebrate the Spanish filmmaker before the release of his newest film Pain and Glory. Monday’s “Out of Tune” is Lars von Trier’s 2000 film Dancer in the Dark, starring Bjork. Next week’s “Terror Tuesday” is the amazing Vera Farmiga thriller Orphan from 2009, and the Alamo is also playing Almodovar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown from 1988. Next week’s “Weird Wednesday” is 1995’s Tank Girl, starring Lori Petty.

AERO (LA):

Wednesday is (or rather, was) a screening of the 1969 film Putney Swope as part of Art House Theater Day 2019, Thursday is a screening of the 1984 adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s 2010: The Year We Made Contact. In honor of Downton Abbey (I guess?), the Aero is beginning a series called “Upstairs, Downstairs,” beginning Friday with a 70mm print of 1993’s The Remains of the Day, starring Anthony Hopkins an Emma Thompson, then Saturday is a double feature of Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) and Carol Reed’s The Fallen Idol (1948), and then on Sunday is a double feature of Ruggles of Red Cap (1935) and By Candlelight (1933), as well as a separate free member screening of Downton Abbey with some of the cast in person.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

Robert Altman’s classic 1975 film Nashville will screen as a new 4k restoration for the next week with screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury appearing on Saturday night. This weekend’s “Film Forum Jr.” is Howard Hawk’s 1940 movie His Girl Friday, starring Cary Grant. Joseph Losey’s Holocaust drama Mr. Klein ends on Thursday.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

The Quad is back with another great series called “Laws of Desire: The Films of Antonio Banderas” beginning Wednesday, showing so many films starring the Spanish actor who is likely to get nominated for his first Oscar for Almodovar’s Pain and Glory. It will even show Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming The Laundromat, which premieres on Netflix next week. Instead of going through all 13 of the movies, click on the link above and get ready to be Banderasized!

IFC CENTER (NYC)

Weekend Classics: Staff Picks Summer 2019 is Tony Scott’s vampire flick The Hunger (1983), chosen by “Todd,” Waverly Midnights: Staff Picks Summer 2019 is the anime classic Akira, chosen by “Katie,” and Late Night Favorites: Summer 2019 is Satoshi Kon’s Paprika(again?)

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

This weekend begins a “See It Big! Ghost Stories” series with the Japanese horror Ugetsu from 1953, then Saturday is The Phantom Carriage (1921) – this is with live piano accompaniment! --The Ghost and Mrs. Muir(1947), and then Sunday they’re screening Olivier Assayas’ more recent Personal Shopper (2006) with Kristen Stewart.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Although Lincoln Center is preparing for next week’s New York Film Festival, this weekend it’s holding special screenings of two Gershwin films, Otto Preminger’s 1959 musical Porgy and Bess on Thursday (with panel) and then Vincente Minelli’s An American in Paris on Friday.

BAM CINEMATEK (NYC):

“The Purpose and Passion: the Cinema of John Singleton” ends on Friday, but there are screenings of his 2000 Shaft movie, starring Samuel L. Jackson, and another screening of Boyz n the Hood before then.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Thursday night is a screening of David Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), but the rest of the weekend is the “Guadalajara Film Festival.”

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

Friday night’s midnight offering is John Waters’ 2004 movie A Dirty Shame, starring Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville and Selma Blair.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

The New Bev continues its “time out” at the bottom of this section as long as Tarantino uses his repertory theater to show Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, and currently it’s booked through the end of September. Since this week’s column is late, you already missed the 1952 film The Narrow Marginas the Weds. matinee, the New Bev will also show the Hanna/Barbera animated feature Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear (1964) as this weekend’s “Kiddee Matinee.” Tarantino’s Jackie Brown is the Saturday night midnight movie, and then on Monday, the theater will show David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2000) in two matinees (the 2pm is already sold out).

A quieter week with only one wide release, the Universal/DreamWorks animation fantasy-adventure Abominable.

#WhatToWatchThisWeekend Movies Reviews Villains Bloodline Downton Abbey AlwaysInSeason

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eddycurrents · 7 years

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For the week of 28 August 2017

Just one comic stood out as a favourite for me this week; Generations: The Archers - Hawkeye & Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson & Stefano Raffaele. Published by Marvel.

Like the previous Generations one-shots, this follows the formula of a modern day hero sent back in time (or wherever) to interact with their predecessor. Also like the previous one-shots, there’s no explanation as to why or how that’s happening, which is a detriment to the overall plot, but here it’s easy to look past.

The main plot of the issue hinges on a straight-forward enough contest of champions to see the “best marksman alive”, with other characters being drawn to a mysterious island...mysteriously. It’s simple, but it allows Kelly Thompson to do what’s best about this issue and that’s character development. It also helps that there’s a good amount of humour throughout the issue that keeps the dialogue zipping along.

One of the editorial points of the Generations exercise is for modern heroes to learn or be influenced by something from the past (or whenever) heroes and Thompson delivers that in spades with the conversations between Kate and Clint. The mentor/student dynamic is mirrored in the revelation of who’s behind the contest and there’s a nice moment of revelation for Kate.

It’s also really nice to see Stefano Raffaele around again. Especially on a Hawkeye story, since I have fond memories of his art on an earlier Hawkeye series he did with Fabian Nicieza. His work is brighter and cleaner here than then, but it’s no less impressive. There are some very nice panoramas and establishing shots amid strong character work throughout the book, aided by a brighter colour palette from Digikore.

Thompson and Leonardo Romero’s Hawkeye series starring Kate is easily one of my favourite books from Marvel right now, deftly mixing humour, character development, intriguing plotlines, and drop-dead gorgeous artwork and page layouts that remind me of some of the highlights from Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye, while still having its own distinct voice and purpose. This Generations one-shot is a natural extension of that, essentially being Hawkeye #9.1, or maybe #12.1 since this story is supposed to continue (kind of) in #13. This one really feels essential if you’re reading the ongoing Hawkeye series.

Quick Bits:

Black Magick #7 largely keeps the numerous plates spinning, advancing the various bits in smaller degrees. All of it brought together by some truly gorgeous art by Nicola Scott & Chiara Arena.

| Published by Image

Faith & The Future Force #2 ups the stakes a few times as Timewalker, Ank, Faith, and friends continue to travel through time to try to stop an “evil robot”. It’s still not clear exactly when the present of the series takes place (I’m guessing before Harbinger Renegade #5, but definitely after the end of the Faith ongoing series), especially since other characters are plucked out of different time frames, and we’re still not given any exposition on exactly who this evil robot is and what he’s doing other than messing with time (erasing Adolf Hitler was apparently one of the first things, eliminating the Civil War another), but it’s still entertaining to see them continually throw larger and larger groups at it with reckless abandon. It’s a fun way to “kill the Valiant universe” without actually killing the Valiant universe.

| Published by Valiant

Jean Grey #6 is the first of two X-dips into magic and the supernatural this week, with young Jean turning to Doctor Strange for help in her trip of self-discovery and preparation for the oncoming Phoenix. We also get to see which “spirit” has been dogging Jean since the first issue. Maybe. I say “maybe” because since the first issue Dennis Hopeless has largely been setting up the possibility that things might not be 100% real. And maybe Jean is just crazy. That’s unlikely, but it’s still possible.

This issue also features some excellent guest art from Paul Davidson. His depictions of the astral plane and trips through the life and times of adult Jean Grey are worth the price of the book alone. It would be nice to see him get some regular work again.

| Published by Marvel

Lady Killer 2 #5 is wow. That’s all I can really say. This is one hell of an explosive end to the series. Joëlle Jones delivers another stunning issue. Do yourself a favour and buy both this series and the first volume. You won’t be disappointed.

| Published by Dark Horse

Optimus Prime #10 gets another of IDW’s Hasbroverse titles up to speed for the First Strike “crossover” that is already underway. That several of the other titles are also still out of sync is a similar problem that Revolution had. The stories are usually very good, but shipping late and out of order ruins momentum and important story beats. Read in a vacuum, though, the individual titles are still excellent and this issue of Optimus Prime is no different.

| Published by IDW

Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #2, like the first issue, is fun. I was never a fan of the TV shows, but have been greatly enjoying what BOOM! has been doing with the license in comics. Ryan Parrott delivers on a mix of humour, character development, and action, all while Dan Mora continues to show that he should really be one of comics’ breakout talents.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Spawn #277 continues what is shaping up to be one of the most inventive and compelling runs on the title. The team of Darragh Savage and Jason Shawn Alexander have brought an atmosphere of dread and horror to Spawn that I don’t think I’ve seen since the Hellspawn series. I’m really liking this.

| Published by Image

Spider-Gwen #23 is kind of an odd place for a Mary Janes interlude just as the Predators story-arc was hitting a critical point. It’s a decent story by guest creator, Hannah Blumenreich, but it makes me kind of hate MJ. The art is great, though.

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic - Mace Windu #1 reminds you that you need more Denys Cowan in your life. His art here is a little more restrained than I’m used to, but it still shines throughout this first issue. There’s also some nice humour peppered throughout the script by Matt Owens that lightens the mood for this otherwise action-packed debut.

| Published by Marvel

Uncanny Avengers #26, excluding the Generations one-shots, is one of the first post-Secret Empire stories without said branding to deal with the fallout. It also gives a first step to an idea as to where Jim Zub may be going with the book as he makes it his own, bringing Scarlet Witch back into the fold for the first time since I think Rick Remender’s run, a kind of redemptive arc, but I had thought that a lot of the animosity between her and Rogue had been stitched up. Apparently not. Like the ruins of Avengers Mansion their still camping out in, it gives a sense of rebuilding for the team.

It’s also nice to see Zub reunited with one of his Thunderbolts compatriots, Sean Izaakse. I liked his art there and thought it was a shame he only did a couple of issues.

| Published by Marvel

Vampirella #6 extends Paul Cornell’s run on the series by the first of a two-issue arc. It also sees Andy Belanger of Southern Cross take over art chores, which in itself should make the comic an instant purchase. It’s an interesting trip through Vampi’s psyche personified through dream with some really, really nice artwork.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Men Blue #10 is the second of the X-dips into magic and the supernatural this week, as Beast hooks up with the Goblin Queen again. It also brings yet another alternate X-Men team to the title, since the original five and dimension-displaced, mind-wiped mutants from the Ultimate universe aren’t enough. To his credit, though, Cullen Bunn is really making this work. I’m not as keen on another rehash of the Jean/Scott romance plot, with an added Wolverine stand-in for a love triangle, for what seems like the millionth time. Bunn is very good with the characterizations, but seriously I think this plot has been done to death.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Animosity #9, Bankshot #3, Black Panther #17, Black Panther & The Crew #6, BPRD: Devil You Know #2, Crosswind #3, Deadly Class #30, Deadpool #35, Doctor Strange & The Sorcerers Supreme #11, Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury #5, Ghostbusters 101 #6, GI Joe #8, The Normals #4, Paklis #4, Planetoid: Praxis #6, Rapture #4, Ringside #11, Saga #46, Star Wars #35, Thanos #10, There’s Nothing There #4, TMNT: Dimension X #5, Victor LaValle’s Destroyer #4

Recommend Collections: Archie - Vol. 4, Bullseye: Colombian Connection, Copperhead - Vol.3, Jupiter’s Legacy - Vol. 2, Magdalena: Reformation, Old Guard - Vol. 1: Opening Fire, The Other Side - Special Edition, Providence - Act 3

d. emerson eddy is unsure what he made anyone do and might like to apologize for it, maybe, but he doesn’t know what it was. Was it the slightly charred red peppers?

#This Week in Comics #Generations: The Archers #Kelly Thompson #Stefano Raffaele

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nerdzgarage · 4 years

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TITLE STUDIO ARTISTS SYNOPSIS WHAT WE LIKED

FIREFLY #11 (NOV 2019)

Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Dan McDaid Unlocked Retailer Variant Cover by Will Sliney

What we love about this? Whedon. Can’t stop the signal. Greg Pak. It’s the artwork for us. Well, the story too. One could say it’s a knee jerk, “ we love everything Firefly”. But it’s not. It may have been at issues #1 and #2 for sure. But the writing and art are evoking the Firefly universe but are telling a new story all of its own. We love that. It helps that it is a somewhat seamless continuation of the original.

Firefly

Story of Mal

THE WALKING DEAD – THE ALIEN – LOCAL COMIC SHOP DAY (NOV2019)

SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT/IMAGE COMICS

Writer Brian K Vaughn Artist Marcos Martin

What do we love about this? Another seamless reimagining of an epic series. How? Begin before the beginning….Again it’s the story and the art. They pull you right in. 10-12 panels. That’s all it takes. They kept the black and white from the original, it works. We can’t say much about the actual book, spoilers. Just know, it’s worth it.

RWBY #1 (DEC 2019)

Writer Marguerite Bennet Artist Mirka Andolfo

What do we love about this? Well, a lot of things. First and foremost, the writers and artists manage to take a beloved anime series and NOT RUIN or BETRAY IT. At all. Yes, we were concerned. Our take is that it is very well executed, and the art evokes the series and the story is on point. Not seeing any familiar names from the animated series creators and artists concerns us. We shall see how this book develops and will check back with you after 6 or so issues. It’s worth it though.

RWBY

Roosterteeth.com

ONCE AND FUTURE #1 (AUG2019)

BOOM! STUDIOS

Written by Kieran Gillen and Illustrated by Dan Mora

What do we love about this book? Arthurian legend writ into the 21st century. What’s not to love. That is not all. Wizardry, mystery, incredible art and writing. The story moves along and has clear developments that leave more questions than answers, and that’s okay issue #1. Indeed, we are up to #4 and still loving it in every way!

Modern King Arthur

Once and Future

Star Wars #75 (JAN 2020)

Marvel

Writer Greg Pak Artist Phil Noto Variant Cover by Greg Land and Frank D’armata

What do we love about this book? Star Wars. ‘Nuff Said. Greg Pak, one of our favorite comic writers, storytellers, currently. Never disappoints. This is the end of an era. Or at least of a numbered series. Marvel has brought the iconic flagship Star Wars title to an epic end, sort of. The story arc in this issue, Destination Hoth, carries on in Empire Ascendant #1. We love Star Wars in nearly every iteration so far (and there have been many in comics). We love all of the short-limited run series they are currently bringing us and enjoy seeing more of our favorite characters and new ones alike.

Princess Leia

Star Wars

Out of the Box Podcast Episode One

Nerdz Garage

Derek Smith

Out of the Box Comics Episode One. Comics, D&D and our crafty Nerdz life. Everything Nerdy.... and lots and lots of COMIC BOOKS. TITLE STUDIO ARTISTS SYNOPSIS WHAT WE LIKED FIREFLY #11 (NOV 2019) Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Dan McDaid Unlocked Retailer Variant Cover by Will Sliney…

#Comics #Out of the Box #PODCASTS

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junker-town · 5 years

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NFL coaching carousel: Rumors, firings, and hirings

It’s firing season in the NFL! We’re keeping track of all the news and rumors here as teams make moves.

The NFL regular season is just about over. By the end of the day Sunday, Dec. 30, all 12 playoff teams and the seeding order will have been decided. It’s a new season for those dozen teams. More than a few of the league’s other teams will embark on a second season too — firing and hiring season.

Two teams, the Browns and the Packers, already fired their head coaches. As many as six others, maybe more, could join them within 24 hours. Some of those teams will be replacing their general managers as well. Even more of the NFL’s 32 franchises could be spinning on the coaching carousel looking to replace coordinators and assistant coaches.

It’s going to get real busy, real fast, so we’ll be keeping track of the latest news and rumors as teams start making changes. Keep checking back.

Arizona Cardinals

Steve Wilks is going to join the illustrious group of NFL coaches fired after one season, a group that includes Jim Mora, Jim Tomsula, Chip Kelly and more. Wilks’ fate was decided before his team’s Week 16 loss to the Rams, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

If Wilks goes, the question is whether or not general manager Steve Keim goes too. He’s been the team’s GM since 2013, presiding over some shaky drafts and ruinous free agent decisions (Hi, Sam Bradford). Keim is not expected to be fired, according to Kent Somers of Arizona Central. Fans are not pleased with the possibility of Keim’s return.

Dec. 24: Peter King reported that the team has interest in recently depose Packers coach Mike McCarthy, and McCarthy reportedly has some interest in the job himself.

Baltimore Ravens

After slumping into their Week 10 bye after a 4-5 start, rumors about John Harbaugh’s future with the team started to swirl. Since then, the combo of Harbaugh and rookie QB Lamar Jackson have turned the Ravens into a playoff contender, saving Harbaugh’s job in the process. The Ravens put out a statement prior to their Week 16 win over the Chargers that Harbaugh would be back in 2019, the final year of his contract with the team. So far, there’s been no talk of an extension, and a lot of people think Harbaugh would be fine playing out his final year in Baltimore then seeing what the market holds in 2020.

Dec. 22: PFT speculated that the Ravens’ announcement could signal the team’s willingness to trade Harbaugh, should a team that coveted him want to offer up draft picks, etc. The Broncos and Jets were two teams said to have been interested in Harbaugh if the Ravens gave him the boot.

Atlanta Falcons

Head coach Dan Quinn isn’t expected to go anywhere, but there have been rumors that both coordinators, OC Steve Sarkisian and DC Marquand Manuel, could pay the price for the team’s disappointing season.

Dec. 27: Or maybe not. ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported that the team’s rash of injuries on both sides of the ball could give the coordinators another shot next season.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were on fire during a 6-2 start to the season, and then the wheels came off. Riverboat Ron’s team lost seven straight games headed into Week 17, fueling speculation that new owner David Tepper might use the occasion to find a new coach.

They fired a pair of defensive coaches in early December, and Rivera took over the defensive play calling duties.

Dec. 23: Head coach Ron Rivera is expected to keep his job for 2019, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Cincinnati Bengals

The reality is that Marvin Lewis is probably never leaving the Bengals until he wants to, no matter what the team’s record is. That doesn’t change the fact that there’s speculation about his future in Cincinnati as another losing season winds to a close.

Dec. 27: ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports that the Bengals’ injuries this season are likely to help give Lewis some cover. She expects him to be coaching there in 2019.

Cleveland Browns

Hue Jackson was fired in October. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams got bumped up to be the interim head coach, and Freddie Kitchens went from coaching the running backs to running the offense. It worked too, raising questions of whether or not the pair might stick around or if another team could snap up Kitchens for their head coaching job.

Dec. 27: One name that has popped up in connection with the Browns is Patriots OC Josh McDaniels.

Denver Broncos

Vance Joseph made a pretty good case for why the Broncos should fire him back in Week 9 when he made one of the worst coaching decisions of his short career (and there are a lot to choose from). But then the Broncos went on a three-game win streak and had the easiest path to an AFC Wild Card bid. That would have made it impossible for John Elway to fire him. Nope. Joseph’s Broncos went out and lost the next three, kicking them firmly out of postseason contention.

Dec. 17: It says a lot that someone let it be known that the Broncos almost hired Mike Shanahan a year ago.

Dec. 22: The Broncos had been one of the teams said to be interested in John Harbaugh should the Ravens fire him. That hope got shot down when the Ravens announced he’d be back.

Detroit Lions

Matt Patricia’s first year in Detroit has been disappointing enough to make people think that maybe Jim Caldwell wasn’t such a bad coach after all. But Patricia isn’t going anywhere. He’s only in his first season, and he and the general manager, Bob Quinn, are both former Belichickians.

But there could be changes among the coordinators, most likely offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who predates Patricia and whose contract is up after this season.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers fired Mike McCarthy after an embarrassing home loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13. Joe Philbin took over as the interim coach. Whoever they end up hiring inherits a pretty good situation, one ripe for a quick turnaround in 2019. However, that person is going to have to do more for Aaron Rodgers than McCarthy did.

Dec. 3: Is Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in the mix? He could be, according to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson.

Dec. 24: Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald was mentioned by MMQB’s Albert Breer as another possibility in Green Bay.

Dec. 26: The team got a pair of early interviews out of the way, sitting down with former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell.

Jacksonville Jaguars

No team disappointed more this season than the Jaguars, a play away from a Super Bowl bid last place in the AFC South. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. But really, is anyone surprised that this happened when the team decided to sign Blake Bortles to an extension? The team’s performance in 2017 likely bought head coach Doug Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell another season, at least. Both are expected to keep their jobs for 2019, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

But there will be some coaching changes in Jacksonville. The team fired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in November, so they’ll be in the market for a prodigious offensive mind (hopefully) to help turn things around ... hopefully a new quarterback too.

Miami Dolphins

Despite a 7-8 record through Week 16, head coach Adam Gase is expected to be spared. The team is expected to move on from quarterback Ryan Tannehill, giving Gase the chance to start over with a signal caller of his own choosing. Who that will be is another question entirely.

Dec. 26: Instead, the Dolphins will be making changes in the front office. Mike Tannebaum, the vice president of football operations, is expected to be fired, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

New York Jets

It’s hard to believe, four seasons later, that Todd Bowles won 10 games in his first year (2015) as the Jets head coach, thanks in part to a little bit of the old FitzMagic. Little did we know that the team’s choke job in a Week 17 loss with the playoffs on the line that season would set the tone for the rest of Bowles’ 24-39 tenure there. The opinion of the league’s most well-informed insiders is that Bowles is as good as gone as soon as the season ends.

It was reported on Saturday, Dec. 29, that Bowles will be fired right after the team’s Week 17 game on Sunday.

Dec. 24: There is apparently some concern among coaching candidates that the structure of the Jets’ leadership, i.e. with Mike Maccagnan staying around as GM, could scare off some potential replacements.

Dec. 24: Chris Johnson, the son of owner Woody Johnson, shot down rumors that the team was interested in Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Dec. 27: The team has interest in both Mike McCarthy and Jim Caldwell, according to Sports Illustrated, two former head coaches who have experience grooming young QBs, something the Jets value as they look to build around Sam Darnold.

Dec. 29: Maccagnan isn’t going anywhere, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dirk Koetter was hired in 2016 as part of an organizational overhaul to salvage a team that hadn’t been to the playoffs since 2007. It was the same year the team drafted quarterback Jamies Winston, expected to be another cornerstone of a contender. Now, both men could be working somewhere else in 2019. The Bucs are 19-28 under Koetter.

In another strange twist, all of Koetter’s assistant coaches have contracts that expire after this season. It makes it increasingly likely that Koetter will join them. He sounded reconciled to his fate during a Dec. 29 radio appearance.

Dec. 24: McCarthy’s name has been mentioned as a possibility in Tampa too.

Dec. 27: It’s not out of the question that Koetter might be back next season.

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gokinjeespot · 5 years

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off the rack #1275

Monday, August 19, 2019

It was so hot and humid outside just now when I went to get the newspaper (yes, we still have it delivered) that it felt like I was walking into a sauna. I hope it rains to cut the humidity down. We certainly need the water as our gardens are wilting. It's been so dry that there's a burn ban in effect. I couldn't make a fire in the fire pit up at the cottage, much to my disappointment. The pleasure of sitting around a fire must be a primitive thing hard wired since we first were able to make fire.

Detective Comics #1009 – Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Christian Duce (art) Luis Guerrero (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). A new story starts here and it's a doozy. Deadshot is the bad guy and he might have been contracted to kill Bruce Wayne. The next issue can't hit the racks fast enough for me.

Event Leviathan #2 – Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Josh Reed (letters). I'm late to this because I had to wait on reorders. I think the identity of who Leviathan is gets revealed this issue. I'm glad it didn't take the team of the world's greatest detectives too long to figure it out.

Event Leviathan #3 – Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Josh Reed (letters). Psyche! Leviathan isn't who the detectives suspected it was last issue. It's still a mystery and the real deal does show up this issue. You may recall that Amanda Waller has been MIA, well not anymore. She's a big part of this thing. This story has fans talking and that's always fun.

The Amazing Spider-Man #27 – Nick Spencer (writer) Kev Walker (pencils) John Dell (inks) Laura Martin (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The new Syndicate has been hired to capture Boomerang and Spidey is forced to help his roommate Fred/Boomerang. Things don't turn out so well for the good guys. The last page has a shocking surprise that harkens back to the good old days of Stan Lee.

Powers of X #2 – Jonathan Hickman (writer) R.B. Silva (art) R.B. Silva & Adriano Di Benedetto (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). The X in the title also represents the Roman numeral for ten. The scope of this issue is huge. We go from year zero of the X-Men to year 1000 as the mutants try to find a way to survive. There's not a lot of action but a heck of a lot of planning and strategising. I think our patience will be rewarded when Jonathan Hickman starts cooking with gas.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #10 – Tom Taylor (writer) Ken Lashley (art pages 1 – 14, thumbnails pages 15 – 17) Scott Hanna (inks pages 15 – 17) Luca Maresca (art pages 18 – 20) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). The team-up with Hobie Brown, the good guy Prowler, ends with a cameo from Iron Man. I like bad guy makes good stories.

Catwoman #14 – Ram V (writer) Mirka Andolfo (art) Arif Prianto (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). Hermosa Heat part 1. It's a new story with a new writer. There's a bounty on Catwoman and she going to find out who put it out there. I'm not a fan of the new cut-outs on her cat suit. I think it's just to show more titillating skin for the fanboys and that's creepy. The panels with the side boobs is what makes me think that.

Ironheart #9 – Eve L. Ewing (writer) Luciano Vecchio (art) Geoffo (layouts) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Riri goes to Wakanda in search of the mystical Wellspring of Power. She and Shuri meet for the first time and the young women's personalities clash like oil and water. Fortunately, a crisis bonds them later. A new character joins the story on the last page and she's related to someone that Ironheart fought against back in Chicago. I want to learn more about Silhouette.

Silver Surfer Black #3 – Donny Cates (writer) Tradd Moore (art) Dave Stewart (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). The planet Ego helps Norrin Radd to recover from his battle with Knull and it's a good thing because then the Silver Surfer can return the favour and cure Ego of a type of cancer. The surprise is what's causing the cancer. This weird story just got a lot weirder.

Loki #2 – Daniel Kibblesmith (writer) Oscar Bazaldua (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Loki visits Tony Stark to ask to join the Avengers. 'Tis to laugh, as they say. This issue ends in a most unlikely place and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #9 – Saladin Ahmed (writer) Javier Garron (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Is it time for Miles to be rescued from his kidnappers? Yes it is. His dad Jeff and his uncle Aaron team up to save Miles. Aaron getting a new Prowler suit might mean trouble in the future. I wonder how long Miles's mysterious kidnappers are going to stay a mystery?

Batman Universe #2 – Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Nick Derington (art) Dave Stewart (colours) Josh Reed (letters). I think Brian Bendis is using this book to play with all the heroes and villains in the DCU. Batman teams up with Green Arrow briefly and goes to Gorilla City. By the end of the issue he's on another planet and I don't know if the Thanagarians are going to welcome him nicely or not. Oh, and we find out who the big bad is. I groaned.

Punisher Kill Krew #1 – Gerry Duggan (writer) Juan Ferreyra (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This is what I love about comic books. You can tell whatever far fetched story you want and have it beautifully illustrated. This is a spin off from War of the Realms where Frank Castle continues his war hunting down a frost giant named Kasyckla. But how is he supposed to get to Jotunheim? Wouldja believe via chariot pulled by one of Thor's goats? I wonder who is going to be in his Krew?

Once & Future #1 – Kieron Gillen (writer) Dan Mora (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). I don't know why people are speculating on this book but it seems to be the hot buy of the week. This new 6-issue mini is a twist on the Arthurian legend with it not being clear whether Arthur is a good guy or a bad guy. There's a group of people wanting to resurrect the dead king to make Britain great again. This faction will kill to get their way. Duncan gets roped by his grandmother Bridgette into stopping this group of bad guys. I like the feisty Bridgette so I will keep reading this to see what else she and Duncan get up to. It's jolly good fun.

Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 – Leah Williams (writer) David Baldeon (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I never got into this fourth wall breaking comic book character before but I read a story that she was in recently and liked how fun she was. This issue is a great introduction to this whacky character and you needn't have read any of her previous appearances to get what's going on. You will get an extra kick out of Gwenpool if you're a dyed in the wool Marvel Maniac like me though. The rest of this 5-issue mini is going on to my “must read” list.

Age of Conan Valeria #1 – Meredith Finch (writer) Aneke (art) Andy Troy (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I was not impressed with Age of Conan Bêlit because I liked the book version of Bêlit more than the comic book version. Valeria is another matter however. She fought alongside Conan in “Red Nails” my all time favourite Conan comic book story. The way Barry Smith drew her made me fall in love with her. This origin story has Valeria hunting down her brother's killer and even though she looks like Betty Cooper with a sword, I like this enough to find out if she succeeds in her quest.

Silver Surfer The Prodigal Son #1 – Peter David (writer) Francesco Manna (art) Espen Grundetjern (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Now that the Fantastic Four have gotten him off Earth, Prah'd'ghul's adventures take him into space. Where there's space, there glides the Silver Surfer. This story flashes back to when the Silver Surfer was the herald of Galactus. In this issue he's just an Uber for Prah'd'ghul.

Fantastic Four #13 – Dan Slott (writer) Sean Izaakse (art) Marcio Menyz (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The conclusion of the Thing versus the Hulk fight. I won't tell you who the winner is but I will tell you that the biggest loser is the Puppet Master. You won't like him when he's angry, and the Puppet Master made the Hulk extremely angry.

Conan the Barbarian Exodus #1 – Esad Ribic (writer & art) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). This was an easy job for VC's Travis Lanham. There are no captions or dialogue other than a few Hyborian Age word balloons. This is the story of a young Conan wandering the land and surviving against man and beast. It won't take long to “read” but I spent a lot of time just taking in the beautiful artistry. Any time Esad Ribic draws a comic book it's worth picking up.

Doctor Strange #17 – Mark Waid (writer) Barry Kitson (pencils) Scott Koblish (inks) Brian Reber (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Herald Supreme part 6 is the conclusion to Stephen Strange's adventure with Galactus. This is a classic “deal with the devil” story when Mephisto enters the picture. Oh my god what a corny ending. Mark Waid also writes History of the Marvel Universe and he includes the whole thing right here. I did not finish the first issue of that chronicle and I am taking this opportunity to stop reading this title as well just because it got too maudlin.

Symbiote Spider-Man #5 – Peter David (writer) Greg Land (pencils) Jay Leisten (inks) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Here's another weak ending. There was never a doubt that Spider-Man and the Black Cat would win against Mysterio but boy was it ever done in a mundane way. I will think twice about reading this title the next time this book hits the racks.

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years

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Baker Mayfield's Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football

Welcome back to The Weekend in College Football, VICE Sports' new column. Each week, we'll take you through everything you missed on Saturday (or, God forbid, Friday night), the things worth learning, and look ahead to what happens next. Enjoy.

1st and 10

Michigan–Wisconsin was the only marquee game on this week’s slate, and it doubled as a long-awaited referendum on Wisconsin’s legitimacy as a playoff contender. Consider the test passed.

On face value, this was a paint-by-numbers Badger victory. Jonathan Taylor churned out 132 rushing yards, the defense held the Wolverines’ offense to 234 total yards, and Alex Hornibrook was a ho-hum nine of 19 for 143 yards, a touchdown, and a pick.

In reality, Hornibrook answered major questions about his mettle by nailing several key throws late in the third quarter, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Taylor. Consequently, he forced Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown to cut down on his overloaded fronts, which freed up Taylor to come into his own and put the game on ice.

None of this is to say that Hornibrook is the sort of player who can will the Badgers to postseason victories; he isn’t, at least not yet. But Michigan’s defense, ranked sixth by S&P+, is a championship-caliber unit and Hornibrook did enough to best it. It certainly doesn’t hurt, either, that in Taylor, Troy Fumagalli, and Danny Davis, the Badgers have their most talented stable of pass catchers in years (and that’s without leading receiver Quintez Cephus, who is out for the season).

This is still an uphill climb for Wisconsin—from convincing the selection committee to look past a soft schedule, to defeating an overwhelmingly talented Ohio State team, to possibly taking down two playoff teams—but on Saturday the Badgers proved that, if nothing else, it’s worth taking them seriously while they try.

2nd and 8

On a weekend devoid of many high-stakes games, most of the other headlines went to Baker Mayfield, who went out and talked some shit. That is a fairly regular occurrence these days, but let’s delve into Saturday’s incident with Kansas.

The Jayhawks fired the first shot in the opening coin toss when they declined to shake Mayfield’s hand. The Heisman frontrunner took all the others by driving the Sooners to a 41-3 victory, grabbing his crotch, apparently yelling “Fuck you” at the opposing sideline, and telling Kansas fans to stick to basketball.

Considering the perpetually dismal state of affairs that is Jayhawk football, that last point is 100,000 percent justified. The rest, a little less so—but it was eminently predictable, considering the blatant provocation as well as the person Kansas was trying to needle. It is exactly what Johnny Manziel would have done, and by now we’ve seen enough of Mayfield to regard him as the on-field second coming of Johnny Football, with all of the moxie and the extemporizing and an abject refusal to take bullshit.

None of it should overshadow the fact that there are only a few opportunities left to marvel at one of the most unique careers in college football history, one propelled by the very same qualities that led Mayfield to end a war of words using firepower that’s a little too heavy-duty. He’s flawed and he’s great, and he’s great because he’s flawed. All that’s left to do is see Mayfield pick up a trophy that validates the total experience.

Clip of the Week

Bronze: Boston College has been one of this season’s pleasant surprises, and A.J. Dillon is a major reason why. The 240-pound Connecticut native has been the nation’s best true freshman tailback outside of Wisconsin’s transcendent Jonathan Taylor, routinely blasting through piles en route to 1,239 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns on 245 carries. This, against UConn, is some of his best work:

Silver: UCLA came up short against crosstown rival USC, but that’s not on Jordan Lasley. The junior from Compton ripped off a monumental ten receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns, and none of it was more dynamic than an early fourth-quarter snare that ricocheted off two Trojan defenders into his right hand.

Gold: Not to be outdone, USC deployed one of football’s ballsiest, sneakiest plays: the fake punt return. Rodger Sherman wrote a good explainer of how it works a few years ago but, in a nutshell, the returning team shifts its returner and almost all of its blockers away from the ball, thus drawing the punting team, which generally eyes the returner instead of the ball, along for the ride. Meanwhile, a blocker—in this case, USC sophomore wide receiver Michael Pittman—snares the punt on the other side of the field, where he can run almost unopposed to the end zone.

On Saturday, it worked to perfection. Take a good look, because something this beautiful only graces the football landscape every once in a rare while.

3rd and 1

Farewell to Jim Mora Jr., whom UCLA fired Sunday after nearly six seasons at the helm. Mora brought some good times to Westwood: three consecutive victories over USC from 2012 through 2014, multiple weeks in the AP Top 10 poll, several iconic players including Miles Jack and Anthony Barr.

But there is only one true mandate in Westwood, and the longer Mora’s tenure dragged, the more apparent it became that he was no more capable of wresting control of Los Angeles from USC than Rick Neuheisel, Karl Dorrell, and Bob Toledo were before him. Consequently, he was given the same exit as Neuheisel and Dorrell, and canned less than 48 hours after losing to USC one last time.

It’s odd timing. The Bruins played the Trojans closer than they had in either of the past two seasons, and a win at home against Cal will put UCLA back in a bowl game after missing out last season. UCLA forked over $12 million to pay Mora’s buyout, so this wasn’t a cheap goodbye, either.

Put it together, and it’s obvious that athletic director Dan Guerrero will be big-game hunting in what might be his last crack at a major coaching hire. Does that mean Chip Kelly? The internet rumor mill says yes, but the Bruins will have no shortage of well-funded competitors hoping to lure the former Oregon boss back to the college game. Speaking of which…

Punt

Not long ago, Oregon was college football’s cutting edge. A cornucopia of flashy uniforms. The warp-speed offense. Facilities that looked like spaceships. The Ducks were the Joneses and everyone else was simply trying to keep up. Fast forward to 2017 and Oregon’s out here ripping off Miami’s vaunted turnover chain with a hunk of metal that looks like a second-grade art project.

The chain has become one of the biggest stories of the season, so someone inevitably was going to appropriate it. It’s just disappointing that Oregon, of all schools, would not only be the first to try but somehow make it look so lame along the way.

Player Who Deserves to Be Paid This Week

Kansas State snuck past 13th-ranked Oklahoma State in Stillwater, a game that they seemingly had no business winning. How’d that happen? By Byron Pringle popping the top off of the Cowboys’ defense. (I’ll let you decide whether the pun is intended or not.) The junior receiver became the first player in Big 12 history to catch three touchdown passes and return a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game, and finished the afternoon averaging 41.5 yards per reception. A little money probably goes a long way in Manhattan, Kansas, so someone give Pringle even some of what he rightfully deserves so he can have a nice night out in the Little Apple.

Coach Who Does Not

I’ve written plenty of words about Kirk Ferentz and the stale marriage Iowa has locked itself into with the longest-tenured coach in college football, so I’ll spare you a rehash of the bigger picture. For better or worse, they’re stuck with each other until 2026, and while that occasionally yields moments like a smackdown of Ohio State, a letdown like Saturday is never too far off in the distance.

It isn’t just that Iowa lost to Purdue at home. It’s that it took genuine effort for a 24-15 defeat to even remain that close. Iowa was the more talented team but the Boilermakers played hungrier while their young head coach, the ascending Jeff Brohm, looked hungrier and, by Ferentz’s own admission, bamboozled Iowa’s coaching staff. Prior to the season, Ferentz drew some headlines by forfeiting $50,000 of his $2.47 million salary. A loss like this ought to mean returning much more.

Obscure College Football Team of Note

Say hello to the Stony Brook Seawolves, who were mere seconds away from a deflating loss to Maine. Now watch this clip and say goodbye to Maine’s grip on this game when wide receiver Harrison Jackson reels in a Hail Mary from quarterback Joe Carbone as time expires to bump the Seawolves to 9-2 on the season:

Something to Look Forward To

In a weekend rife with rivalry games, the Iron Bowl stands out among the rest. Not only is it a matchup of top-ten—and possibly top-five—teams, but Auburn represents a stiff roadblock for Alabama ahead of an SEC Championship Game date with Georgia.

The only means of ever stopping the Crimson Tide is to take the game to them up front, and the Tigers are among the very few with a defensive line potent enough to slow Alabama’s vaunted ground game. The offense is another story, but Jarrett Stidham is the most talented quarterback Gus Malzahn has had since Cam Newton, and he doesn’t turn the ball over, either. The Tigers will still be comfortable underdogs, but there’s enough on hand to at least pester Alabama, which is about as much as any team can hope for these days.

And if Auburn somehow punches above its weight? Strap in for playoff chaos.

Baker Mayfield's Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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amtushinfosolutionspage · 6 years

Text

Baker Mayfield’s Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football

Welcome back to The Weekend in College Football, VICE Sports’ new column. Each week, we’ll take you through everything you missed on Saturday (or, God forbid, Friday night), the things worth learning, and look ahead to what happens next. Enjoy.

1st and 10

Michigan–Wisconsin was the only marquee game on this week’s slate, and it doubled as a long-awaited referendum on Wisconsin’s legitimacy as a playoff contender. Consider the test passed.

2nd and 8

Clip of the Week

On Saturday, it worked to perfection. Take a good look, because something this beautiful only graces the football landscape every once in a rare while.

3rd and 1

Punt

Player Who Deserves to Be Paid This Week

Coach Who Does Not

Obscure College Football Team of Note

Something to Look Forward To

And if Auburn somehow punches above its weight? Strap in for playoff chaos.

Baker Mayfield’s Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

0 notes

flauntpage · 6 years

Text

Baker Mayfield's Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football

1st and 10

Michigan–Wisconsin was the only marquee game on this week’s slate, and it doubled as a long-awaited referendum on Wisconsin’s legitimacy as a playoff contender. Consider the test passed.

2nd and 8

Clip of the Week

On Saturday, it worked to perfection. Take a good look, because something this beautiful only graces the football landscape every once in a rare while.

3rd and 1

Punt

Player Who Deserves to Be Paid This Week

Coach Who Does Not

Obscure College Football Team of Note

Something to Look Forward To

And if Auburn somehow punches above its weight? Strap in for playoff chaos.

Baker Mayfield's Crotch, Wiscy Is for Real, and More: The Week in College Football published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

0 notes