‘Thumbs Up News’ Vol. 5 by Jay Katz

News that cares enough to not care

‘Thumb scrolling’ News from my phone: by Jay Katz

Welcome to this week’s ‘thumb scrolling news’. Each week, I post some random news articles I encounter throughout the week on my mobile device. I then come here and share some of the more interesting news from my feed. All comic book related of course!

 

It’s been a relatively slow week on my phone. The usual North Korea, Trump, Kushner, Russia, UFO, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, net neutrality, etc. banter came across the handheld. Slow weeks are usually welcomed because it means LESS are complaining about the comic industry, but of course there’s always SOMEBODY having a turd about something.

Photo: @ThatKevinSmith via Twitter

First and foremost. Kevin Smith had a major scare this week. A major heart attack. Get young man! Also, Stan Lee is fighting a bout with Pneumonia. Get well young man! Fans await eagerly to see you both back on the circuit.

A comic publisher not having a turd this week is Dynamite Entertainment. As reported from bleedingcool.com, DE will become a “premiere publisher” at Diamond Comics. DC Comics has decided to opted out of the monthly Diamond Previews and as this happens, DE will step into its place. Dynamite Entertainment has been around since 2005 and owner/CEO Nick Barrucci has payed his dues. I’m glad Dynamite stepped in. The industry needs a little shake up and new blood. I’m of the school “change is good, change is necessary.” Let’s not have negative vibes about the process here, let’s give it a shot first.

Tony Stark and Doctor Strange in Infinity War; Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg in Justice League.
Screenshot: Disney/Warner Bros.

Over on io9.gizmodo.com, an article regarding Mark Millar and why he thinks the Marvel movies work and DC movies don’t. To be honest, I didn’t click the link on my phone. 1, I simply don’t care that much and 2, my battery at the time was low and I didn’t want to drain it anymore than it already was. If you’re interested in what Mark had to say, head over to i09.gizmodo.com for the scoop.

Clear Polyester VHS Slip Case Box Protector

VHS Slip Case Box Protector 4-3/16 x 7-9/16 x 1-1/8″(inside dimensions). This six-sided box has a tuck top and a reverse tuck bottom. Made from 12 mil archival PET (Polyester) material. Semi-rigid.

Zack Snyder had some opinion of his own regarding the superhero movies genre. An opinion that won’t sit that well with fans, but I do understand what he was trying to convey. Many fans tried to pull the old line “you’re just mad because…..” nonsense. No, Zack is not angry at the fact he’s not getting parts in any of the superhero movies, he simply feels that the superhero movies have done their time and it’s going to move on now. Well, with the exception of trying to state the genre is over right NOW, he does have a point and a foreshadow that ANY normal non fanboy / non nerd already knows. All of this stuff (superhero movies) will eventually end. Just as did the Westerns and the romance films. They ran their course, they spanned many decades, only to succumb to the audience saying “no mas.” It’s okay to not crave a specific genre anymore. Fanboy and nerds aside, the regular movie goer will eventually speak from their pockets that they’ve about had enough. When that days arrives is anyone’s guess. I say the first major bomb and OR a disappointing box office of a MARVEL movie will signal the end. Disney will not have failure on a consistent basis. Will not happen. Marvel’s first clunker will be the signal. All of the modern comic speculators will be holding a lot if inexpensive – expensively paid comics in their hands. The modern market will tank because Disney will announce a slow down or a “reassessment” of their product. Which in layman’s terms means “oh man, we don’t like losing money, we’re bailing for a bit.” Comic movies will go away or slow down tremendously, thus affecting that first appearance of Spider-Gwen. Might not happen tomorrow or next month or this year, but it will happen. It’s the law of averages, something will have to be that lame duck. Not everything will be a golden egg. So instead of getting angry at Zack, understand what he might be saying. Breathe.

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Anyone see the latest Walking Dead episode? According to multiple reports, the mid-season opener received its lowest ratings ever. You know what I say to that?……Who cares??? Try and not be that lame person that bases their opinion on what others say or television ratings. It matters if YOU watched it and enjoyed it. SPOILERS coming if you have not seen the show yet. The episode was powerful as we witnessed Carl dying throughout. It was riveting and emotional. Rick showed a bit more pose then I thought he’d show considering the circumstances of his dying boy. Not saying he didn’t show raw emotion, but thought he’d go bonkers a bit. Maybe we’ll see this in the next episode? Even when Carl chose to blow his own brains out, we see Rick’s body jump from the noise, but not the reaction I was expecting. Too be honest, not sure what reaction I was clamoring for, just not the one I received. All in all the episode was extremely sad. Carl was a good egg. Sad to see him go. But the ratings?? Who gives a rip about that?? Seriously, enjoy yourself. Keep that rating stuff for the producers or whomever.

Speaking of great shows, slashfilm.com reported on Stranger Things and their third season. The first two seasons were extremely well received by audiences, so what to do with the third you may ask? How about some new characters? That’s a definite way of keeping things fresh. Read all about the show descriptions and new characters within the slashfilm.com article.

Batman-news.com has a report that many fanboys might find very disappointing. The Nightwing movie is about FIVE years away. That’s a mighty long time for these comic book movies to sustain the interest it has on its audience right now. AND it’s a DC product, which we all know DC has been a bit less than stellar pumping out a product everyone “loves” on a regular basis. Five years is a long, long, long time from now. I say, personally, this film probably never sees the inside of a movie theater. I’m holding on to the optimistic side though, I want this as much as anyone else.

New COMIC Bag

6-7/8 x 10-3/8″ 2 mil POLYETHYLENE 1-1/2″ flap. Fits 1973-Current Comics.

Cbr.com reports on a mysterious new villain in some promo art regarding the Avengers: Infinity War film. The villain gallery poses everyone the fans knew of already; Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight. This group, also known as The Black Order. It’s this mysterious figure everyone is trying to figure out. Take a look at the article and see for yourself.

Marvel Comics is doing that thing again where they re-introduce all of their “old” characters as “new” returning characters. Is it getting stale for you yet? Well, Thor: The God Of Thunder will be THOR again in Thor #1. No more Jane Foster. The experiments over. All, mostly ALL of the original Marvel characters will be returning to their titles…….including Wolverine. So the question STILL remains….where are the Fantastic Four and are they too returning?

(Photo: DC Comics)

The Wonder Woman 2 movie has its villain. The villain they are reporting on is Cheetah. Cheetah will be the thorn in Wonder Woman’s side in the second movie. Oh course there has been a ton of first appearances of Cheetah throughout the years, Warner Bros will be going with the Cheetah that first appeared in the George Perez run; Wonder Woman Vol2 #7.

James Gunn had to verbal (in writing – quoted) tell fanboys that the X-Men will not be appearing in the Avengers Infinity War movie. First off, Disney just bought Fox Studios a few months ago. Production on the Avengers Infinity War film was about wrapping up. Were they supposed to have a rewrite or something? These fans need to chill a bit. Common sense here. And let’s just say for craps and giggles James Gunn knows of an X-Men appearance. WHY would he say anything about it anyway?

Batman-news.com revealed a possible first look at the Shazam costume from the new Shazam movie. It looks as though the movie will go with the old school costume…….then lead to the modern day? Well, we’ll have to wait and see, but for now it looks fabulous so far.

Pagesix.com has reported that $1.4 million has gone missing in the Stan Lee home. It’s quite sad with all of the illness he’s battled in the last couple of months that there seems to be too much drama around him. I’m hoping his personal life gets straighten out so he can be a bit peaceful and live his life again. It will.

HOT PICKS

Okay so let’s wrap up last week’s InvestComics Hot Picks #516.


Marvel’s “big dog” Lockjaw gets his own comic series. Lockjaw #1 Daniel Kibblesmith and artist Carlos Villa.


Gabby digs something up from her past in All-New Wolverine #31. The digging sends her right into the arms of Deadpool.


Thanos #16 features the origin of the Cosmic Ghost Rider.


Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man #300 is an oversized anniversary issue. Creators Chip Zdarsky and Adam Kubert.


A DC Character first appearing 55 years ago FINALLY gets her own solo title. Hard to believe that a regular appearing character had to wait that long to get her own series. Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1 from writer Dan Abnett and artist Lan Medina.


Terrifics #1; writer Jeff Lemire and artist Joe Prado.


1985’s The One from Rick Veitch and Epic Comics (Marvel) will have a new lease on life, thanks to IDW Publishing. The One #1 from Rick Veitch.

There are nine other number one comics arriving besides the once I mentioned already. What a great week for comic book fans.

Thumbs up!

Invest wisely. Read comics. Carpe Diem.

-Jay Katz

If you like ‘Thumbs Up’ check out vol. 4

Jay Katz, a comic book collector since 1983, is the owner/creator of InvestComics LLC since 2005. InvestComics LLC was originally a magazine before the website launched in 2005.

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