New Reviews, Musings & Fresh Pastry Links From Daryll B! Get It While It's Hot, Folks!

Long Week. I'll just work reviews and a host of links this week. Next week, I'll go back to TV and music for my kicks but for now...


REVIEWS


We Are Robin #8 by Lee Bermejo and Jorge Carmona sees Duke in the aftermath of Robin War desperately stepping up his efforts to find his parents. The rest of the team are in different states of wounded psyches, unaware of assistance by their mentor. However, they better get back in shape soon for a new threat is forming on the horizon. Old School Batman Beyond Fans might want to pay attention....


A new tale with familiar beats begins in Bloodshot Reborn #10 by Jeff Lemire and Lewis LaRosa. Take one part Mad Max, mix in a sprinkle of Old Man Logan, and we are on a road following some of the tragic future shown by The Book of Death Event. Interesting start now let's see the story avoid the pitfalls of being a clone and stand out on its own...


The team is getting adjusted to its new surroundings and dynamic in All New All Different Avengers #4 by Mark Waid and Mahmud Asrar. An old fan favorite associate of the Avengers makes his return in a bluster of cynicism...just in time for an old foe of Tony's to make a statement in Atlantic City. Oh yeah, and THAT kiss happens...


Faith #1 by Jody Houser, Francis Portela, and Marguerite Sauvage captures the pure innocent fun and joy of the title character as she breaks out on her own away from The Renegades and Unity. Doesn't mean she is totally away as she still in love with Chris and just wait til you see who her "crime talk" buddy is! Secret identity! Puppies! Explosions? Yeah first issue is EXACTLY what I expected!


Luna's misadventures with a giant red dinosaur so far have not gone unnoticed and she is starting to crack under the spotlight in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #3 by Brandon Montclare, Amy Reeder, and Natacha Bustos. Her parents, her classmates. and now the superhuman community are making themselves known...and all she wants is to be "normal". Hell I rather take the dinosaur...lol


A more realistic take on the myth of the Tuskegee Airmen is taking shape in Screaming Eagles #2 by Garth Ennis and Simon Coleby. Politics and shell games all obscure the fact that these guys risked it all to fly...even if it had to be in combat vs Nazis. Ennis is perfectly capturing that fact here. And yes, I'm still eating crow. Thanks for asking...


In terms of AfroNerd and what I do, this has been one of the best months of my life. Watson and Holmes Volume 2 by Brandon Perlow, Paul Mendoza, Brandon Easton, Steven Grant, Hannibal Tatu, Lyndsay Faye, Karl Bollers, N.Steven Harris, Dennis Calero, and Eli Powell is a perfect example of this. I received it for review from Mr. Harris just on the strength of the efforts my cohorts and I did over the past 3 weeks involving Black Comic Fest. Perks of the job and boy was this great. 4 chapters include a mysterious death perhaps tied to politics; a suicide that has much more far reaching consequences than thought and music industry intrigue involving a songstress, a subway performer, and Moriarty? The epic urban reimagining of the legend continues almost seamlessly here. The writers nail the interpersonal dynamics between Watson and Holmes so well to the point where I lost sight of who was who several times. 


All the feels. All the range of emotions in Cyborg #7 by David Walker and Claude St. Aubin. A reunion. Government red tape. Helplessness in the face of terror. Love...lots of love. All this sets up Victor for the biggest fight of his life...and he's unaware of it happening. Yep. Hello avalanche...


I picked up the Ultimate Galactus Trilogy: Nightmare by Warren Ellis, Trevor Hairsine, and Steve Epting; Secret by Ellis, Steve McNiven, and Tom Raney; Extinction by Ellis, and Brandon Peterson for 20 bucks. Sometimes I just can't resist a deal. We get Ellis doing his trademark weirdness in these 3 trades along with the first appearance of "MCU Look" Falcon, first hints of Natasha's duality, first Ultimate looks at Carol Danvers, Captain Mah Vell, Misty Knight, Silver Surfer, the beginnings of The Maker, and the Gah Lak Tus swarm.


LINKS BABY!!!!


-For all those with an eye as to what is happening within the industry, take heed of the statements from the Image Honcho:


http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/making-image-1-comics-publisher-eric-stephensons-goal


Yes. This is a business built on competition. Yes. Mr. Stephenson wants to be the best company out there. But he doesn't want to be the best of a dying industry. Interpret his statements how you may...


-Coming off of Batman Bad Blood....


http://www.newsarama.com/27672-sneak-peek-justice-league-vs-teen-titans.html


I'm one step closer to shutting up my inner cynic folks!


-Perfect take on the old storylines....


http://comicsalliance.com/original-marvel-star-wars-comics-history/


For the record, I feel the same about the Dark Horse stuff along with the novels. There are some GREAT storylines and sagas here for the Jedi/Sith Fan if you didn't know....


-I know some don't like this Superman story Yang has been a part of but...


http://www.newsarama.com/27720-gene-luen-yang-talks-becoming-national-ambassador-for-young-peoples-literature.html


...no denying that he's a great person to fit this role in bringing the new generation and comics closer together....


-Leave it to Brett White to point out something that has been RIGHT in front of my face...


http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/in-your-face-jam-flash-modern-batman-66


Even the analogies and examples he uses to make the point are PERFECT!


-Popping up on Daryll's Radar...


http://comicsalliance.com/first-look-paul-louise-julie-yohance/


Now I hope it is on yours...Futuristic African Saga based on Ancient Myths? I'm in!


-Franchising and the Stars and Stripes courtesy of Joseph Illidge:


http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/the-mission-two-captain-americas


As pointed out on Twitter, Cap does have enough followers through his history that what Mr. Illidge suggests is feasible. Hell, I was pissed during that recent 75th Anniversary TV special that we got no mention of Truth or The Bradleys. Like I was supposed to be happy with just the Falcon and Winter Soldier.


-Longtime readers know how much I love Busiek's Thunderbolts. This came over the wire in the past 8 days...


http://comicsalliance.com/winter-soldier-thunderbolts-jim-zub-jon-malin/


With his work with Skullkickers and Wayward, I trust Jim Zub with the franchise and quirky nature of the originals sans Songbird, who's in New Avengers. My worry is that this will be yet another false start for The Winter Soldier, who has seen 3-4 in the past 4 years....


-Can't Wait! As of me typing this, it'll be 2 days...


http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2016/01/28/the-venture-bros-creators-tease-new-villains-and-corduroy-for-season-6/


Re-watched All This and Gargantua-2 and all that did was increase my hunger for more. For once, hearing "reboot" didn't make me want to spasm. And seeing their hot takes on movies was very MST3K-ish.


-Ending this link blog with AfroPunk highlighting NerdCore quality:


http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/feature-badass-nerdcore-mc-sammus-in-new-video-1080p


I see you Sammus! Keep doing your thing Gal. Song ROCKS!


Thx for reading. I hope you found stories that peaked your interest. Next week, I'm back on my TV grind. Until then, Keep Fantasizing!

The Great Daryll B. Blogs on a Snow Day! Impressions of The Schomburg Center's 4th Annual Black Comic Book Festival!

Snow Day Gave Me A Chance To Finish This Crazy Blog!!!!

Still on my high from last Saturday's 4th Annual NYC Black Comic Fest at The Schomburg Center in Harlem. They may have said 5,000 people showed up but easily this could have been 7,500-8K people. Place got crowded fast and apparently the line to get in stretched around the block. Man... it was a lot to take in and other people do a much better deal of writing these things up and taking pictures than I do but let me see if I can do my memories justice and give you some highlights:

Began my show heading over to the joint N. Steven Harris and Robert Garrett tables to get my number 1 objective: Ajala, The Collected Edition. Imagine you are a high school student by day and an urban crimefighter at night? Now imagine that you are a part of a greater collective and now immersed in a greater battle than you ever imagined? That is what faces Ajala. How can she ever be normal? How can she bear all these burdens and expectations? How exactly does she cover up that black eye from patrol last night? Fun read and just like my Niobe recovery from NYCC, my interest is peaked and I can't wait for more from these two great gentlemen. From the table, I also picked up Warrior Island, which reads like Real Life MMA meets Mortal Kombat. I have to see where that story goes from Mr. Garrett.

-Walked through some of the visions exhibit and while passing out the Afronerd business card, got to talking with folks that literally stumbled into the Con and were having a blast! That's when you know that this is a success. Even ran into two separate teachers that brought whole classes of students in to experience this!

Couldn't get close to artist Eric Battle's table, who was constantly engaged by folks wanting his art. Same with Jerry Craft, who's one of the two driving forces of this event along with John Ira Jennings. Thank you gentlemen for this!

Headed upstairs to meet up with the rest of the Afronerd Crew, who were hanging out with Jerome Walford, creator of Nowhere Manand got some pics. I didn't know he had a second set of trade paperbacks subtitled "Jacked Up" all ready to go. Now I got something on my hitlist post Con.

Swung by the Brotherman table to say hi to the legend Guy Sims and was honored to get him to pose for a picture. Dropped inConcrete Park-ville to say hi and was lucky enough to say hi again to co-creator Tony Puryear. By this time, Daryll was just bouncing around on pure Pepsi sugar from early in the morning. SO it was a perfect time to hang at the Rat Ronin table with Bounce! CreatorChuck Collins. Ended up picking up Tri-Boro Tales, a book about life, loves, and complications of responsibility in the big city. Imagine the Fat Albert gang as young adults, going through trials and triumphs with work and relationships. Also picked up Infest, which seems like a nice beginning to an inner city zombie outbreak story by Keith Miller. Yet another one to go on my radar.

SO I thought, yeah I could just double back and hit Walford's table to pick up one of the new trades...NOPE! Ended up actually running into the MECCACon table and talked to the lady that hosts that for 5 minutes. I will hype that Midwest Convention as we get closer to it most definitely. Picked up God is Dead #3 by Jonathan Hickman and Mike Costa, which let Hickman go nuts with Egyptian God Figures, flying ships and pyramids, and lots of fantastic theories. Also nabbed Broken Glass and Grandpa's Shoes, two children's books by Greg Burnham & Marcus Williams. If the names sounds familar, they're the driving force behind Tuskegee Heirs. I cannot stress enough to check that project out!

By this time, it was getting close to panel time for Afronerd and after I did a quick stop to Tephlon Funk's table, another project I can't hype up enough on just the art alone and running into Podcast Juice's Q-Storm in person, it was panel time! Afronerd on stage, Captain Kirk and I in the crowd, the panel was pure fire! Black Sci-Fi, The BlerdGurl, Graveyard Shift Sister, Joseph Illidge, and AN kept the crowd ooohing, aaahing, gasping, and thinking for 80 minutes, relating the blerd/bleek experience. Here's the full panel for those who couldn't make it. .

All in all, a great experience once again!

TV Reviews

We'll start with The Flash return as the show introduces Battlestar Galactica's Aaron Douglas as The Turtle, a meta criminal that projects a field that reduces kinetic energy all around him to a halt. Meanwhile, Barry decides to come out to Patty and Joe struggles to make fatherly connections with Joe. And oh yeah, Caitlyn tries to figure out what Jay's problem is in regards to his lack of speed. It was a good episode but, for once, the show seemed too short for all of these storylines to get their time to shine.

Supergirl saw J'onn faced with a choice of using his powers to help Kara in terms of what Maxwell Lord has planned. Meanwhile, our hero has to help Winn in terms of his escaped dad, Toyman. Yeah, episode was ok but, as an awkward nerd in terms of relating to the opposite sex, Winn I been there. The unreciprocated kiss and feelings of falling into a huge abyss afterwards? Definitely not good....

Agent Carter returned and it seems that we are having her and the SSR go up against the first vestiges of Hydra as we know them. We get a significant call back to last season as "Black Widow Dottie" made a return. Change of locale from the East to the West Coast, along with the introduction of Jarvis' Wife Ana made the 2 hour 2nd season premiere a fun yet flighty experience. Now let's get to the big elephant in the room: Carter and Reggie Austin as Physicist Jason Wilkes. I have heard in some quarters obvious objections to the flirtations and I have to admit there is some merit to them. BUT Austin played his role great and I am totally hoping for a comics backdoor here for him to make a return later in the series because the chemistry was great. And as a geek, getting the beautiful secret agent to play tonsil hockey with you? Isn't that the dream?!?!?!?

Got a chance to view the Batman Bad Blood animated movie and wow. Once again the DC Animated machine hits on all cylinders. We get Batwoman and Batwing in the family. I get one of my favorite characters in the the Bat-Universe make her appearance in the new animation. We get connective tissue to the Justice League, Titans, and it is perfectly linear to Batman and Son, Assault on Arkham, and Batman vs Robin. The Kate Kane and Dick Grayson personalities were almost spot on and Luke Fox could have been stereotyped but they avoided the potholes on that one. Only thing I could say is that he might be Cyborg-lite as Batwing but I have no problem with that. We even get a kicka$$ Alfred fight scene! Now can they FINALLY get consultants from this side over to the feature film side??

Arrow returned with a bang as Anarky started a vendetta to gain revenge on Darhk and Ollie flirted with the edge as he sought Darhk for what happened to Felicity during the Mid-Season finale. As this is going on Thea is still struggling along with Det. Lance with personal issues and Diggle is torn about his brother. So essentially it was same old, same old except for the obvious new role for Felicity being positioned as a new version of a DC iconic character over the last 20 years.

The finale for Heroes Reborn was good and of course, open ended. The hero's journey is now complete for Tommy as he displays a new mutation of his/Hiro's power. We get several sacrifices that kind of balance the scales. And yes they save the world BUT again, I'm left in the dark in terms of Micah. Then comes the question of *says in Maury tone* who is the twins father? Yeah it'll be another 3 years then they'll probably do a 2 night movie "event" to answer that one. All in all, a rocky beginning but the coda found its footing towards the end due to the villain Erica, Parkman's insanity/determination, and Zachary Levi's tormented father/evo performance.

Legends of Tomorrow!!!! I loved it as a Whovian and liked it as a comic book fan. Arthur Darvill definitely had a couple of 11th Doctor moments in his ramblings and you can't tell me the opening sequence wasn't straight Gallifrey Falls. The team is a great balance of functionality and crazy. The Waverider, as a ship, looks cool. And I calling it now that Heat Wave is going to be the breakout star. He got this "Wolverine/Deadpool" vibe going and everything he has said so far has gotten a laugh out of me. On Twitter, I have already joked about 'Shippers lining up White Canary and Captain Cold as the power couple. And leave it to the CW to give us the PERFECT Superman performance in The Atom. God, I hate you Bryan Singer! Only two problems I had with this: Jaxx getting BA Baracus'd by Professor Stein to be a part of this and Chronos as a bounty hunter? Um... OK

Book Reviews

So as I am trapped in my cave during this snowstorm, I pick up Clean Room #4 by Gail Simone and Jon Davis-Hunt first to reread for these reviews. MISTAKE! Damn Gail Simone and her ability to create monsters human and otherwise! Damn Jon Davis-Hunt for drawing these demons sickeningly beautiful. Now I need to put on all the lights to make sure I have no shadows as I try to find my nerve again....

Titans Hunt #4 by Dan Abnett and Stephen Segovia has more of the mental blocks on the team falling as the villain makes a play for one of the members. The last page was to be expected BUT I don't get the exclusion of Lilith by and large from this issue. Maybe Abnett is making next one a empath heavy one? Anyway, remind me not to get on Garth's bad side. He totally channeling Namor here...

Still surprising me with the humor in Drax #3 by CM Punk, Cullen Bunn, and Scott Hepburn. The titular hero is on the hunt for the kidnappers AND Terrax and uncovers the big bad on this godforsaken planet. And when I say big, I mean "BIG". Old school fans, pay attention! Bunn and Punk are doing good work here...

Star Wars #15 by Jason Aaron and Mike Mayhew finds us back into the Book of Obi Wan where we find out that Luke as a child was far more alike to Anakin than we ever thought. Now the question I have: is this an offshoot of the Force? I mean like father, like son? Really? But the issue is worth it alone for the Uncle Owen-Ben argument given their ultimate fates...

Are we sure Kamala Khan isn't related to Peter Parker? Ms. Marvel #3 by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphonsa has her go through a situation that I have seen Parker go through a hundred times with the Parker luck coming through. Hydra. Mind Control. Opposing friends. Murky finish. All of these mar what could have been a great win for Marvel's cred. But fans need this issue for the Mike-Marvel bonding time! Wilson had me geeking out.

Stop me if you have heard this before plot in Astro City #31 by Kurt Busiek and Jesus Merino. However, the thing that has my curiosity piqued about this Living Nightmare issue are the ramifications of his "awakening". Is he connected to everyone that he ever "touched"? Does he retain parts of their personalities within his collective mass? Man just when I think I have Busiek's book figured out, I get more questions to keep me thinking!!! Damn you Busiek!!!

Rachel has been noticed in Rachel Rising #39 by Terry Moore as she attempts to use her newfound control over death memories to solve 2 deaths and finds that some other force has now found her. Yeah. We were all set for a witch vs demon battle for this final arc and now enter some primordial death force. Yeah, Her and her friends are now officially screwed!

So as I was pre-winter storm shopping at comic shops, I came across Sleeper Season 1 and 2 TPs by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips for a combined 23 dollars! No way could I turn down the story of a deep, DEEP superpowered mole trying to survive the criminal underground while keeping some sense of his morals. We see Brubaker honing his twisted storytelling ways here as he puts his anti-hero through the wringer in the organization run by Tao. Who can you trust? How far is too far? How many times can you sacrifice the needs of the few for the many without losing your soul? This series is WAAAAAAAY deeper than it was portrayed to be in the early 2000s and is a must read for fans of urban & superpowered noir.

Saturday at 6pm EST! The Blerd Panel does a part 2!!! BlerdGurl! Black Sci-Fi! Graveyard Shift Sister! Joseph Illidge! AfroNerd! Plus we got the previously mentioned Tuskegee Heirs duo of Greg Burnham and Marcus Williams on. Stop on by if you get a chance or visit iTunes or BlogTalkRadio during the week to hear the podcast. I'm going to have fun folks!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/afronerd/2016/01/23/schomburg-pt2-blerds-bleeks-speak-again-tuskegee-heirs-sat6pm

WHEW! You think I did enough this week? Thanks For Reading All. You guys and gals know I love your support. Until Next Time, Keep Fantasizing!!!

Show Cancelled Due to Tech Issues! Returning Friday@ 7:30pm But There's Black Comic-Con this Sat!

Well folks, it looks like BlogTalk has screwed the Afronerd Radio machine......AGAIN!  Please accept our apologies as we were fulled prepared to do a fully packed show and tech issues have plagued us for the umpteenth time.  It appears that we may have to shop our wears at some other venue in the near future. Tentatively, the show will return this Friday, January 15th at 7:30pm EST.  Further, our regularly scheduled Saturday podcast will be preempted because of appearance on the 16th at the world famous Schomburg Center for the 4th annual Black Comic Book Festival.  So come on down for edification, raucous discourse and unfettered Blerdery!  Contact the Schomburg Center for more details:

 http://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2016/01/16/4th-annual-black-comic-book-festival

Introducing The 2nd Annual Benji Awards.....And Now Your Host, Daryll B.

5 MINUTES DARYLL!!!!!

*Ugh* Goddammit! Why do they make these tuxedos so tight?!?!?!!? *Ugh* Shouldn't have had that...last...donut...*CRASH!!!*

OW!

"Live From the BenCave!!! It is the 2nd Annual Benji Awards!!! And now your host, straight from a rubber room in Bellevue.... Darylllllllllll B.!"

Howdy! Afronerd Aficionados and Facebook Followers. Hello to Blerds, Geeks, and Outcasts of All Ages! Another year of the zany, creepy, strange, and downright stupid has passed by...and those where just my altercations with authority!

*rimshot*

I kid! Seriously, I loved this past year of interacting, watching, reading, listening, and talking to talented people and the art they expressed. I wish I could have had an unlimited budget to do and experience everything but I fear that it wouldn't make me appreciate the moments that I actually got to have with friends, enemies, and all those in-between. I ran 30+ blogs between Afronerd.com and Facebook. I got to talk to other fans, podcasters, stars, and industry professionals with my Twitter debut. I even got a chance to fit in 2 NerdCore shows along with 3 comic conventions. 

So these Benjis, aren't awards per say as much as my way of taking a look back at 2015 and having a bit of fun. No insane politics. No campaigning. No nudity....unless I get hot models for a live feed of this then yes! LOTS OF NUDITY! 

*Looks at producer's grim disposition*

As I was saying, no nudity.... And with that we start the damn thing!


My Bush "Just Like My Other Sins" Award goes to:  A TIE! DC's Convergence and Marvel's Secret Wars! - I swore up and down that I was done collecting event stories. That I could wait until the events were collected in hardcover/trade paperbacks. But then the Big Two had to put fan favorite writers and artists on the tie in books and I literally got sucked in to buying over 50% of each. *SIGH* There were great highlights for me though: I got Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks on Superman again. Gerry Duggan established within me a newfound respect for him with Infinity Gauntlet. Master of Kung Fu was pure class and the best mini in my opinion to come out of Secret Wars. I got Classic Teen Titans and Legion of SuperHeroes along with Renee Montoya's Question from Convergence. But for my smiles, my wallet was crying in pain...


My Childish Gambino "Starlight" Award goes to: Al Ewing. So Marvel says they are going to start a Mighty Avengers title (aka ethnic Avengers) and hand it to this British writer from 2000AD. I went "Oh they have lost it..." I couldn't have been more wrong. Al Ewing wrote the stuffing out of characters like Luke Cage, Monica Rambeau, and Jennifer Walters. He took Superior Spider-Man, White Tiger, Kaluu, and Blue Marvel, fleshing them out in a team setting. He wowed everyone so much that in post Secret Wars, he's got 2 Avengers books AND the Contest of Champions "What If"/mobile game tie in. Mr. Ewing seems poised to take over the reins from Remender and Hickman.


My Sammus "Black Young Pretty" Award goes to: Amandla Stenberg. Since her turn in The Hunger Games, she's been vocal about her image and how she views the world. AS has reached out and been quite active, showing that her actions back her words. She's even found time to jump into the comic book medium to create the fantasy comic book Niobe. Move out of her way world, AS is taking over....


The Mega Ran x Phill Harmonix "Death To The Titans" Award goes to: Image Comics. I'm not a big Image guy BUT it would be silly not to give them due. They have The Walking Dead and Saga, two of the most talked about books this millennium. Image has talent from both big companies given Carte Blanche to do stories their heart desires. The Image catalog reads like a rich library of genre from Western to Science Fiction. The way the company has transformed themselves with books like East of West, Sex Criminals, Black Science, Southern Bastards and the like lends an air of the unexpected that Marvel and DC can't touch.


The Adam WarRock "Nerds Ruin Everything" Award goes to: Star Wars The Force Awakens. Originally, I had Mad Max Fury Road for the butt hurt male fans that couldn't stand that a woman had a strong role and presence in the film. Unfortunately, the last 2 months saw nerd rage go through all the stages of sexism, racism, privilege, and ignorance. We saw friends turn on one another because of spoiling and even now a petition to get George Lucas back in control of the franchise. Dear Angry Nerds, JJ Abrams and Disney got your money. They can care less now and all your are really doing is showing your true moronic selves....

My Random "You Know The Name" Award goes to: G. Willow Wilson. Well if Marvel Fans don't know her work through Ms. Marvel and A-Force by now then they are just blind. Quality writing that increases her heroes myth status while making them more relatable to the reader. Kamala Khan is the new Peter Parker/Miles Morales. Her A-Force is yet another step in G becoming a big money writer at Marvel. Who knows what the future holds but the present is fantastic reading!


The SkyBlew ft Laurin Maloo "Life Is Just A Dream" Award goes to: David Walker. On the Afronerd Show, we went from trumpeting the need for more black writers at The Big Two companies to David Walker being the go to guy. Coming off a great Shaft: A Complicated Man miniseries at Image (trade available now. Check your comic shops!), Walker was tasked with defining Cyborg in his first solo DC series. Then Marvel hit him up with having Nick Fury Jr. meet his dad for SHIELD's 50th Anniversary stories. And the cherry on top is we heard in November that he, along with Sanford Greene, will be helming the Power Man/Iron Fist book. Good Times!


The Wordburglar "Venomous Ideology" Award goes to: TIE! Kelly Sue DeConnick & Erika Alexander/Tony Puryear. I have been a fan of Kelly's work through her Avengers stories and absolutely awesome run on Captain Marvel. NONE of that can prepare you for her Bitch Planet at Image. Think a 70's exploitation movie run through a grindhouse lens that smashes up against a hostile alien planet. Similarly, I knew Ms. Alexander through Living Single but the story her and Tony have crafted in Concrete Park about gangs/criminals/misfits exiled to an alien world is fascinating. This was a perfect book for me coming down from my DMZ high.


My You Bred Raptors "Ice Nine" Award goes to: The Peanuts Movie. To say I had fears about Blue Sky not capturing the voices of my beloved characters was an understatement. They MORE than exceeded them by giving a fantastic movie that will be put alongside the TV classics for years to come.


My Sammus "Fly Nerd" Award goes to: Ant-Man. For all that didn't have faith in Paul Rudd or that the project would crash and burn without Edgar Wright. Ant-Man was only one of the best comic book movies this past year and cemented Rudd and Evangeline Lilly as future major players of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.


We'll pause here for a brief intermission... 

*UGH...Why is this door stuck?!?!?!....*

3 MINUTES TIL WE RESTART DARYLL!!!

*Bathroom door is stuck! I can't get out!!!*

BUT WE HAVE TO START

*Run the book reviews! RUN THE BOOK REVIEWS!*

Ah. Another week. Another full slate of books.


Betty and Jughead get desperate to "save" Archie from Veronica in Archie #5 by Mark Waid and Veronica Fish. So where do they turn? Enter Reggie Mantle. Can you say disaster? A friendship pack is formed along with all the enmities that come with it....


Pacific Rim Tales From The Drift #3 by Travis Beachum, Joshua Fialkov, and Marcos Marz finally clears up a timeline question for me with the inclusion of 2 guest stars. The Jaegers and the main team that we have been focused on get a major new challenge. And how far/deep does a drift link go anyway?


DMC #2 by Darryl DMC McDaniels, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Amy Chu, David Walker, Greg Pak, Juan Doe, Sung Goo Won, Marcus Williams, Afu Chan, and Elliot Fernandez sees the titular hero trying to fight the spread of a designer drug on the streets and within his classroom. Included in this anthology/continuous story: other heroes in the DMC Universe, we meet who taught DMC, and the introduction of LAK6, who's the perfect combination of Milestone's Rocket and Marvel's Jubilee. Each chapter gives a different flavor from action to horror, to comedy. Money well spent here and I can't wait to see what's next!


Confusion reigns in Guardians of Infinity #2 by Dan Abnett and Carlo Barberi as the present Guardians mix with Guardians 3000 to fight Guardians 1000 and an unstoppable alien horde. Yeah gonna need a scorecard to keep track of this one. Thank goodness Rocket has one. In the 2nd Story by Robbie Thompson and Jim Cheung, Rocket goes off to find a missing Drax, who has found happiness?!?!?! Um. What?


And now the rumble is fully underway in Contest of Champions #4 by Al Ewing and Paco Medina. Bullseye-Elektra vs Guillotine & Stick! Venom-Hulk vs Gamora! Ares vs Sentry! Wait. Ares vs Sentry? I seem to recall a previous fight where that wasn't too good for the God. But no worries. The Maestro has an ace in the hole being prepared and it's..him?!?!?!?!? OK I can't wait to see how Ewing uses HIM in issue 5


Some are just a little pissed at The Galactus Solution in The Ultimates #3 by Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort and choose to take that issue up with the team. Meanwhile, the team decides to fix "time" and....yes you read that right, they want to fix time. I'm sure just the intra-team conversation will have Marvel Geeks talking. And if that isn't enough, enter a very personal enemy to shake things up...


Enter Singularity to the Marvel Universe proper in A-Force #1 by G. Willow Wilson and Jorge Molina but there's a major problem: the heroines that helped her craft a personality and taught her friendship and family don't know who she is! And oh yeah, some malevolent force has followed her into our universe... So there's that little hitch to a happy reunion too...


Vader Down ends in Star Wars #14 by Jason Aaron and Mike Deodato and Darth Vader #15 by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larrocaas we have fights on all sides! A renegade Imperial Force! Wookie on Wookie violence! Princess Leia needs to make a decision! Luke needs to stop getting jumped! Triple Zero and BT get into more violence! Han Solo shoulder shrugs! Vader is fighting the love child of Ackbar and Grievious! Yeah all that happens in these two issues and we can even include C3PO and R2-D2! The crossover has been awesome!


There you Folks go! A whole bunch of books that I need to double back and reread now! Ciao!

*CREAK* FREEDOM!!!!!!

Ok Folks! Sorry for the delay! The Benjis continue NOW!


My MC Lars ft K. Flay "Single and Famous" Award goes to: Tatiana Maslany. Lord knows I had a stacked field here with Krysten Ritter from Jessica Jones, Candace Patton from The Flash, Ming-Na from Agents of SHIELD, Jenna Coleman from Doctor Who, and the emerging Melissa Benoist from Supergirl but... NO ONE... male, female, trans, can come close to the yeomans job that Masalany does on Orphan Black. This is like a mutated one woman show in public as she still has no less than 5 different, unique yet intriguing characters to play each episode!


My Nuttin' But Stringz "Thunder" Award goes to: The Flash. How the writers and cast ended season 1 to how they began season 2? Genius! Hands down the best show on network TV. Grant Gustin, Patton, Jesse L. Martin and cast with one more kicka$$ season may just have a show here that will rival the Adam West Batman on being beloved when all is said and done.


My Ghostface Killah "The Champ" Award goes to: Stephen Amell. I love Clark Gregg from Agents of SHIELD, Gustin and Martin from The Flash, Mehcad Brooks from Supergirl, and Mike Colter from Jessica Jones but Amell has all of Arrow depending on his charisma and efforts. Show after show, we may dismiss him at times as a Bruce Wayne ripoff but his Ollie keeps the show together. In addition, Amell has used the platform to crossover into movies (the upcoming TMNT 2) and even had fun interactions with the WWE Universe.


My Two Weeks Notice "Body and Soul" Award goes to: Astro City. Lord knows you folks have seen how much I love to read comics but there are a very few that issue in, issue out get an emotional response from me. Kurt Busiek's gem continuously does that to me time and time again. I have felt joy, sorrow, anger, frustration, love, hate and relief while reading AC...and it has never stopped me from picking up the issues again to read over and over. I can't stress this enough that THIS is the series of comics and graphic novels that I recommend to adults who want to read superhero comics for the first time.


The SkyBlew "Lost in Translation" Award goes to: Naruto The Movie The Last. To my knowledge, an English dub of this "ending coda" to the Naruto Saga hasn't been released yet. You know what? I don't care. This movie is the perfect payoff to the diehard fans who have followed his growth for years through the Manga and Anime. And Hinata and Naruto...? Damn. 2nd category that puts me close to tears....


My K. Flay  "Make Me Fade" Award goes to: Jessica Jones. You know that notion that female heroes can't carry their own shows? Or that Gals can't do dark, gritty and disturbing yet be captivating? Krysten Ritter and the JJ crew totally erased those outdated notions with this 13 episode series tour de force. The only thing that was more talked about since its release has been The Force Awakens. That's a tribute to its quality and the fact that Netflix and Marvel got this street level storytelling down!


The Mega Ran, Richie Branson, and Storyville "O.P." Award goes to: Marvel Studios. So Age of Ultron wasn't as epic as we Marvel Zombies hoped for. They bounce back with a great Inhumans storyline in Agents of SHIELD. We have problems with Ant-Man behind the scenes? No Problem! Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly and cast do an awesome on screen job that makes everyone forget that. We have 10 months until the next movie and Batman/Superman is next? No worries! They release a Captain America Civil War Trailer on Thanksgiving that not only was awesome, not only made Black Panther a buzzed about topic in the mainstream, but also put even MORE pressure on Warner Bros and DC to make a great BvS movie. That's GANGSTER!!!


The Adam WarRock "So Far, So Good" Award goes to: AfroFutureFest. Founded by Tim Fielder from Matty's Rocket, this collective of primarily black artists and creators I found out about through Chuck Collins, creator of the webcomic Bounce!, and is living proof of the credo in numbers there is strength! This was the creator table to be during New York Comic Con as you had:

Fielder, Collins, Afua Richardson of Genius, Alex Simmons of Blackjack, Anthony Pugh of LogikOne, Shawn Atkinson & Carl Kent of St. Cloud, and Erika Alexander & Tony Puryear of Concrete Park

That's a lot of industry knowledge and personality coming together to promote and raise each other's profile. And I had fun talking to the creators and finding out more about the business. Yeah I totally geeked out but this...THIS was positive proof that if we cooperate with each other, we can be successful individually and as a larger group. And I got lots of new books to try out too!


The Deltron "Upgrade" Award goes to: Jamie Broadnax. This year was the year of Black Girl Nerds. An overlooked section of our culture was given a high platform and spotlight as Broadnax and her brand made tremendous inroads within the discussions of movies, tv, art and literature. The woman's energy and drive is quite amazing and it has enabled many nerds from across this globe to find a voice that was finally like them. BGN has also shown the power of a multi-platform initiative to everyone. Hell I could put Black Nerd Problems, Nerds of Color, and Fan Bros. here quite easily too but yeah...Jamie took this one too! =p


Finally the Sammus "Lovesong" Award goes to: YOU. I'm here doing this to keep my sanity true; but it is you fantastic followers who actually take time to read my ramblings. For that, I am in your debt always.


So another year goes by and I pledge to control myself and not take these issues so.....RIGGHHHT. Let's face facts. That isn't Daryll and you wouldn't want me to be anything else. I promise to stay true to you, to AfroNerd, to the business, and to geekdom everywhere!


Most of the songs I used for the Benjis can be found on Bandcamp.com and for the others, well that's why we have Google, Yahoo, and Bing right? I can assure you that they are all quality NerdCore type songs...except for the Bush, and Nuttin But Stringz songs. I couldn't resist using songs with titles of Just Like My Other Sins and Thunder though. Totally fit my weirdness!


Thanks For Reading! Have a Great 2016! And Until Next Time, Keep Fantasizing!