Comic Years |
- Pop Culture Free Time: April 2021 Twisted Lies, New (Old) Taylor Swift, And Nobody
- Leads For Amazon’s Paper Girls Finally Cast
- Invincible Is Renewed for a Second and Third Season at Amazon
- Taika Waititi to Star In HBO Max Pirate Comedy As Blackbeard
- Starro The Suicide Squad Villain Is Perfect For The Team, Says James Gunn
| Pop Culture Free Time: April 2021 Twisted Lies, New (Old) Taylor Swift, And Nobody Posted: 02 May 2021 09:42 AM PDT April is the cruelest month, innit? Actually, despite the continued effects of the pandemitasse, this month wasn’t so bad. Yes, I had to work at my night job* for three weeks straight, but I’ve had worse. In fact, ten years ago this month, I had just survived the 2011 Super Outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded. So yeah, compared to that, I’m in clover. And on that note, it’s time for the April 2021 Pop Culture Free Time. (If you missed last month, then you can still catch up with the March 2021 Free Time.) April 2021 Free Time Books: Not a Great Haul This MonthI started out this month finishing Hush Little Girl, the latest book in Lisa Regan’s Josie Quinn series, which I had just started when I wrote last month’s Free Time. Like the books that preceded it, it was a great read. That also holds for the next book I read, Twisted Lies, the upcoming book in Angela Marsons’s DI Kim Stone series. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers obviously, but there are few that I love like this series.  image via Bookouture Kim Stone is 100% that b-word, and so is Angela Marsons. (Her twitter name is @writeangie because that’s what I whisper to her.) It seems like it would be hard as heck–sorry for the pay channel language–to continue writing compelling stories 10+ books in, but somehow she does it. (Note: Twisted Lies isn’t actually out until next month, so if you haven’t read the series, then you can start with the first one, Silent Scream.) And thankfully, I had some other series…es to enjoy. Campus Bones, the new one in Vivian Barz’s Dead Remaining series, was a winner, for example. (You can read the first one for free with Kindle Unlimited.) In addition, as I predicted last month, I also liked the final installment in the Culver Creek series. And yes, I know whodunnit. Unfortunately, besides those, I read several duds this month. One notable exception, especially since it’s non-series, is Kaira Rouda’s The Next Wife. That’ll be out next month, but you can also read her book Best Day Ever, which I just finished and really liked. What I Watched This MonthFirst of all, if you want to keep up with the movies I watch in realish time, then you can follow me on Letterboxd. If you did, then you’d see, for instance, that I really liked Bad Trip. You think you’re getting Eric Andre’s prank movie. And it is that, but it’s so much more. This silly-ass film is also a tribute to the fundamental goodness of people, as well as the power of community. And the last scene make me shriek-laugh so loudly that I scared my dog. Below: It wasn’t this scene, but I definitely use this to serenade my mermaid friend Maria. I also saw Nobody, the Bob Odenkirk-starrer that’s basically (to steal a phrase) Black Panther, but for dads. Or a film version of Al Bundy’s favorite series, Psycho Dad. As I’m spiritually a dad–my degree is in WWII history, after all–it’s unsurprising that I loved this movie. Absolutely do not think too hard about any facet of this–this is a movie designed for fun. And it’s fun as hell. Also, in TV news, after I saw the trailer for Mare of Easttown, I thought I knew what to expect. I mean, we’ve all seen the burnt out detective before. (And some of us have seen Happy Valley, which has other themes similar to Mare.) So while it is familiar in some ways (*cough* another dead girl), its central mystery is compelling enough to keep me watching. Ending an episode with double cliffhangers? Bold. (For full authenticity, please read the preceding paragraph in a STRONG Philly accent.) The April Audio in My EarsIt truly is a struggle to come up with answers for this category that aren’t just variations on “Taylor Swift.” But I can’t help it if she just happens to release a new album. Well, technically, Fearless is an old album, but she released a new version of it this month (along with some songs fresh from her vault). Overall, the songs are pretty similar, although it’s interesting to see how she’s changed some of the emphasis in her phrasing. For instance, it no longer sounds to me like she’s singing, “Good Charlotte, tell me how to feel” in “Love Story.” By the way, if you don’t know why Taylor’s rerecording her music, then you should read about it in her own words. (No one likes a mad woman.)  image via Republic Records Speaking of pop music, though, Julia Michaels has a new album out this month. However, Not in Chronological Order, the album, just came out. Like, while I am writing this. Obviously then, I can’t really give you a fair assessment of it at this time. Like Taylor Swift, who is incidentally Michaels’s labelmate, Michaels is an accomplished songwriter. For other people. This is her first full album of songs just for herself. So while I have limited familiarity with it–I’ve listened to it in full just once–I like it. My favorites so far are “All My Exes” and “Orange Magic,” the latter of which kind of gives me Carly Rae Jepsen vibes. Specifically, it reminds me of the one-two punch of “LA Hallucinations” and “Warm Blood” on 2015’s Emotion. As far as podcasts go, I haven’t listened to any new ones this month. Still, I’ve continued to listen to History of the 90s, which I mentioned last month. I’ve gotten to some of their more serious episodes, like “Oklahoma City Bombing,” and “The OJ Simpson Verdict,” and they’re just as thoughtful and carefully constructed as the more lighthearted ones. And that’s been my Pop Culture Free Time for April 2021. As always, tell me what you’ve been into this month. Comment here or on our social media. *I’m a freelance werewolf by night. featured image (of Mare of Easttown) via HBO Pop Culture Free Time: April 2021 Twisted Lies, New (Old) Taylor Swift, And Nobody  |
| Leads For Amazon’s Paper Girls Finally Cast Posted: 02 May 2021 05:11 AM PDT Newspaper delivery is being pushed into the spotlight thanks to Amazon’s new upcoming series. The leads for Amazon’s Paper Girls have been cast and filming is set to begin in Chicago this year. Sofia Rosinsky, Riley Lai Nelet, Fina Strazza, and Camryn Jones have been cast as Mac Coyle, Erin Tieng, KJ Brandman, and Tiffany Quilkin respectively. While the Paper Girls adaptation was announced by Amazon back in 2019, filming was probably put on hold largely due to the pandemic. What Is The Series All About? Image via Image Comics. Now that we know the Amazon series officially has the greenlight, what is this graphic novel all about? Paper Girls is a 30 issue comic series by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang. It follows four 12-year-old girls who deliver newspapers in their fictional suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. While delivering newspapers the morning after Halloween, they unwittingly get caught up in a conflict between two warring factions of time travelers, throwing them into an adventure through time that forces them into a battle to save the world. The series has been in monthly publication since late 2015, and the final set was released in the summer of 2019. It won two Eisner Awards in 2016 for Best New Series and Best Penciller/Inker; later in 2017, the first compilation was shortlisted for the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. Tell Me More About the Leads For Amazon’s Paper Girls Image via Image Comics. MacKenzie “Mac” Coyle, played by Sofia Rosinsky: A cigarette-smoking tomboy who swears all the time, Mac was the first girl to become a paperboy in the town. She has a tough exterior, but it’s only because she has a lot of insecurities. Sofia Rosinsky was previously on the Disney Channel’s Fast Layne. She co-founded an independent film company called Stella Luna Films with her sister, and they’re currently in pre-production for their first feature film, titled Nightly Isle. Erin Tieng, played by Riley Lai Nelet: As the new girl in town, Erin is a rule follower and often struggles with her identity as a Chinese-American immigrant, but also as a preteen who desperately wants the perfect American life. Riley Lai Nelet has been modeling since she was very young and has appeared on Vogue Italia and ads for Tommy Hilfiger and Nordstrom. She has had TV appearances on ABC's American Housewives, as the younger Reilleen in Netflix's Altered Carbon, and most recently a role in Genera+ion on HBO Max. Karina “KJ” J., played by Fina Strazza: KJ is the “smart one” of the group and as one of the only Jewish girls in town, she’s often singled out (being from one of the wealthiest families doesn’t help either). She plays field hockey because it’s one of the only ways she can let down her guard. She delivers papers not because she needs the money, but because it gives her a sense of freedom. Fina Strazza made her Broadway debut at eight years old in the title role of Matilda the Musical. She’s had several TV appearances on Law & Order: SVU, Madam Secretary and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, among others. Her film credits include Above the Shadows, A Little Game, Early Learnings, Fracktured, Tribe, and the upcoming Who Framed Tommy Callahan? Tiffany Quilkin, played by Camryn Jones: An obsessive gamer, she boasts an encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture, and a love of gadgets and technology. She is African-American and the adopted daughter of a mixed-race family. She’s very ambitious and has no intention of seeing her future plans derailed. Camryn Jones was a series regular on the ABC comedy pilot Steps. She can currently be seen recurring in such series as Epix's Perpetual Grace, and also in Ava Duvernay's Cherish the Day anthology on OWN. Are you excited about the leads for Amazon’s Paper Girls? Let us know in the comments below!Featured image via Image Comics Leads For Amazon’s Paper Girls Finally Cast  |
| Invincible Is Renewed for a Second and Third Season at Amazon Posted: 02 May 2021 01:56 AM PDT We have had to deal with a lot of series cancelations and delays over the past year. From shows like Stranger Things feeling lightyears away to others like I Am Not Okay With This never coming back, we have needed some good renewal news for quite some time. And one announcement never seems like enough! Fortunately, Amazon is here to excite us with news that Invincible has been renewed for a second and third season. Amazon Ensures That Invincible Is Renewed For 2 More SeasonsAhead of the April 30th first season finale, news of an Invincible renewal dropped on Twitter. Not only was a next season confirmed, but one after that, too! We’ll be getting at least three seasons of the show. This was announced in a video call between source material writer Robert Kirkman and lead voice actor Steven Yeun. And it might not be ending there, as Kirkman could make “a hundred” more seasons if need be!
Invincible is an adult animated series that has mostly flown under the radar. With an impressive all-star voice cast, including recent Oscar-nominee Steven Yeun, television legend Sandra Oh, and the always hilarious J.K. Simmons, this show begs to be watched by fans of the superhero genre. It follows Yeun’s Mark Grayson, a.k.a. Invincible himself, after he finally develops superhero powers at 17. He can finally stop living in the shadows of his well-known hero father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons.) The first season provided some impressive animated world-building and fun characters. We’re thrilled to hear news of the renewal of Invincible by Amazon and can’t wait to see what these characters are up to next! And considering that the finale just dropped, we’re even more pleased not to have to wait around for a renewal announcement. Readers, what do you hope to see in season two (and three) of Invincible? Let us know your predictions and hopes as we wait for new episodes to come. You can also take a look at our Invincible season finale review to get caught up. Featured image via Amazon Prime Video. Invincible Is Renewed for a Second and Third Season at Amazon  |
| Taika Waititi to Star In HBO Max Pirate Comedy As Blackbeard Posted: 01 May 2021 03:03 PM PDT Do you want to know what the world has really lacked when it comes to entertainment genres? Good old pirate shows. Sure, we have plenty of Pirates of the Caribbean movies (and that list keeps growing!) But what about something else that gives us swashbuckling fun? Fortunately, something is in the works. We have just learned that Taika Waititi will be leading in an HBO Max pirate comedy as Blackbeard. So, let’s take a look at what we know about Our Flag Means Death! Blackbeard Is Coming to HBO Max Series With Taika Waititi Behind RoleNews of Our Flag Means Death dropped late last year. Rhys Darby has already been attached to the project in another leading role – that of Stede Bonnet. Bonnet is a real-life historical figure known for his role as captain on the infamous “The Revenge” pirate ship. When Darby joined the cast, we were already anticipating Waititi to executive produce and direct the pilot for the series. Fortunately, we now know that they’ll be co-starring as well! Taika Waititi will play Blackbeard in the HBO Max series. David Jenkins, the series creator, claimed that the Blackbeard they are hoping to show is “a legend, a lover, a fighter, a tactical genius, a poetic soul, and quite possibly insane,” adding that Waititi is the only man who can portray all of these thrilling traits! Darby, Waititi, and Jenkins are also joined by Garret Basch and Dan Halstead, who will serve as executive producers on the show.  Image via Fox Searchlight The jack of all trades, Waititi, has been at the top of our must-watch list for years. After early works like What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the director jumped into the MCU with the colorful and hilarious Thor: Ragnarok. He has since proved his further acting and directing chops with his Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit. Oh, and there’s even a short (but sweet) Coca-Cola commercial directed by Taika Waititi! After all of this work, it’s no surprise that he’ll be playing a legendary pirate. We can’t wait to see Taika Waititi bring Blackbeard to the small screen when Our Flag Means Death comes to HBO Max. Time to get our pirate swords polished! Featured image via Gage Skidmore on Flickr. Taika Waititi to Star In HBO Max Pirate Comedy As Blackbeard  |
| Starro The Suicide Squad Villain Is Perfect For The Team, Says James Gunn Posted: 01 May 2021 01:21 PM PDT Several months ago, we reported that footage revealed the Suicide Squad villain as Starro. It was an easy "called it" moment, given that there was a dude in the background with a purple star on his face. However, even just the glimpses we got of Starro in the latest Suicide Squad are far more wonderful than we could have ever expected. The massive pink and blue (actually, it's cerulean) starfish from space is so massive, its foot takes up an entire frame. But what led James Gunn to pick such a unique villain in the first place? Warner Bros Gave James Gunn Complete Control That’s just the foot! (Image: The Suicide Squad, Warner Bros Picture) In a recent interview with Den of Geek, Gunn talked about his process for The Suicide Squad. The most interesting revelation was that before offering him The Suicide Squad, they pitched Superman. But Gunn wasn't into that. However, instead of shrugging and parting ways, Warner Bros told him, "make whatever you want." That is a dangerous thing to say to any creative person, let alone someone with a mind like James Gunn. It's not surprising that Gunn gravitated to the Suicide Squad. He loves misfits – just look at The Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn can take a group of losers, as Star-Lord calls the team, and turn them into heroes we love. But don't expect to love too many of them. After all, the poster says, "Don't get too attached." But if that wasn't enough, Warner Bros also gave him "carte blanche…to kill any character he wants." We've all seen the impressive cast list for The Suicide Squad. There's a lot of D-list characters in this. So, yeah, when the Suicide goes up against the villain Starro, most of them will probably die. The only two characters we know are safe, so far, are John Cena's Peacemaker and Margo Robbie's Harley Quinn. Peacemaker is getting his own HBO Max series spinning out of The Suicide Squad…or so we're led to believe. It could be a prequel. And Harley Quinn is just too profitable to kill. Choosing Starro as the Villain for The Suicide Squad Was an Easy One Ah! It’s…a starfish thing! (DC Comics) James Gunn loves all things weird. And when it comes to DC villains, you can't get weirder than Starro. Again, they're giant starfish who can control people's minds. When Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky created the character, they probably took some psychedelics. Because, for a kids' comic, Starro is horrifying. As Gunn said:
Wait…one of the villains? Okay, so now we get to speculate all over again! Regardless, it's a bit amazing that Waller would put together a massive team of, as Gunn calls them, D-listers to fight the big alien. But this actually falls in place with the previous Suicide Squad movie. The Suicide Team Waller chose to take down Enchantress, a villain with almost equal power to Starro, is questionable at best. Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn, Katana, Rick Flagg, and Killer Croc? Oh, and that rope dude who died early on? The Mayan goddess outmatched all of them. The only character who stood a chance was Diablo. Yet that's kind of what makes the Suicide Squad such a special team. They go on missions they shouldn't be able to come back from, but they keep coming back. The Suicide Squad debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, 2021.So, whichever Suicide Squad members Starro leaves standing, we'll definitely see again, probably fighting Granny Goodness or some other terrifying yet ridiculous villain. (Featured Image: DC Comics) Starro The Suicide Squad Villain Is Perfect For The Team, Says James Gunn  |
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