Sometimes when an actor finishes a film, he or she retains a prop of some kind, a souvenir or memento they can look to in the future for a conversation piece.

Zachary Levi seems to have come away from his stint on SHAZAM with the coolest and most valuable vestige ever: The Wisdom of Solomon. (The superhero character more commonly known as Captain Marvel gains his powers by shouting out an acronym, which gains him the combined powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.)

During the trying and tiring time of the last few days, as votes were being tabulated with deliberation and states were switching colors more slowly than leaves in autumn, Levi interected a thought onto Twitter -- a place designed ostensibly just for that purpose but, ironically, in abject opposition to the ideal on most days.

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it may be a struggle after this trying year we've all had to find things for which to be thankful. Social distancing and self-isolation are new, contributing factors impacting many as a cloying, smothering hopelessness. But there are lights in the darkness, and yes, we can find those lights among the cosplayers we encounter through our search for this monthly feature. So the time is not just ripe, but well past due, for us to introduce you one and all to our...

Vaping has become common among many people, and this is because of the benefits it has over smoking. It is quite different from smoking cigarettes since it involves the inhaling of vapor instead of smoke. This also adds to the experience that vapers get. According to resourceful data, vapers could outnumber smokers in the coming years. Apart from more new entrants into vaping, many smokers are changing camp to get this new experience and reduce the health risks associated with smoking.

The consumable part of a vape device is the e-juice, which comes in many flavors and types. Some have a high ratio of propylene glycol to vegetable glycerin or vice versa. Today, there are healthy e-juices that are made of marijuana, hemp, and other natural herbs with medicinal purposes. All of these options leave users in a dilemma and it is sometimes hard to choose exactly what you want.

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

With Halloween upon us, the whole world is looking to change into somene -- or something -- else. What better time to pull out some exemplary cosplay to get you, our readers, into the right frame of mind. And so, dear readers, with no tricks and all treats, we are happy  to share with you, our...

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

With summer now in full swing, the heat is definitely on -- but it has nothing on the cosplay of this month's featured cosplayer! With her ability to bring to life our favorite characters but also place them in settings that complement the scene, as well as finding ways to make a character cosplay uniquely her own, we find ourselves awed at the talents on display, and we think you, dear reader, will be similarly blown away by our...

It seems a day doesn't go by that the Twitter trending list doesn't include a "...isCancelledParty" hashtag. Today it's THE WINTER SOLDIER star Sebastian Stan's turn in the online outrage grinder, as the #SebastianStanIsOverParty tries to gain traction in social media.

The cybermob is stirred up on two fronts.

The tempest-in-a-teapot began when a Twitter user, @angelas550, shared a photo of Alejandra Onieva -- Stan's rumored paramour -- dressed in a kimono, with the caption beneath reading "Asian Night."

That's literally it. Onieva replied to the caption with "Menuda noche de chinos. [What a Chinese night.]"

Bleeding Fool Writer Outs Secret Facebook Group of Comics Professionals from Inside

On July 8, the pop culture website Bleeding Fool broke the story that a group of comics professionals were colluding in a secret Facebook group (a level higher than 'private' which allows it to evade being found by search results) where they would target and mock male peers within the industry.

It was a year of turmoil for comics professionals. Livelihoods were on the lines as those who worked in the industry began to see their peers picked off right and left, as the field of comics was being laid waste by the scythe of a force that had found it ripe for harvest. There were rules, arbitrary and unwritten, that had been broken, and the piper had come with the invoice, stamped "Past Due." In a rush of adrenalin-fueled panic, those still standing cobbled together a promissory note, a token to the aggrieved that they would change their behavior, codified for the world to see.

If you think this is a summary of the events of 1954 that led to the Comics Code Authority, it would be understandable. But it's 2020, and the professionals in comics are circling the wagons to protect themselves from threats internal, not external.

Some television shows take the viewer on cross-country trips to find the best hidden restaurants. Others take you on house-hunting journeys, or tag along with CEOs who get an incognito look inside their own companies from a new perspective.

Madison Young's trek across America is to discover, illuminate, and partake of the sexual kinks practiced in different regions. And if you think that this is all something that stops with leather and handcuffs, then you've only read the opening sentence of the opening paragraph of the encyclopedia set of sexual paraphilia.

In February of 2019, Alterna Comics publisher Peter Simeti was on a live stream broadcast from his apartment, when a knock at the door drew him away from his microphone. The stream was left running, and viewers could clearly hear the police enter the apartment and question Simeti, in response to a 911 call about a violent domestic disturbance.

The violence did not happen. The call was faked -- what is termed a "SWATting" in which the perpetrator calls the police pretending to be in distress or emotional turmoil, specifically the kind that would urge police to enter with weapons drawn. The obvious intent is that the person targeted would thus be harmed by the police.

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

Our May 2020 Bombshell of the Month demonstrates multiple facets to her cosplay -- from getting a little catty to just horsing around! The amount of fun she brings to every character she inhabits is evident in her cosplay, both in pictures and in the charities she supports with her talents.

Ladies and gentlemen, we could not be happier to kick off thos month by introducing to you our...

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

We've been telling readers all year long that there is a cosplay revolution taking place in the southern hemisphere, with some breakout talent that is truly eye-popping. More than that, the camaraderie that has come from our Brazilian friends has been nothing short of inspiring. That is certainly the case with this month's featured cosplayer, who brings his optimism and acting skills to the convention floors and public events, breathing life into some of the most recognizable -- and most underserved -- characters of comics and pop culture.

Critical Blast wraps up its spate of announcements for the Best of 2019 awards with the revelation of 2019's Critical Blast Bombshell of the Year, as decided by our readers.

Every month, Critical Blast evaluates the cosplay skills of various participants in the hobby, looking for those who stand out not just in their costuming skills but also in how they apply that talent. And every year those twelve cosplayers are added to our annual ballot to determine who will take the next step from Bombshell of the Month to Bombshell of the Year.

Voting in this category was fairly even, with the topmost vote-getters separated only by a percentage point each.

It's been a while since indie comics pro Tess Fowler has claimed another career in the comics industry. That dry spell may be over now, depending on how events shape up after today's astonishing announcement from DC Comics writer/artist Sean Gordon Murphy, the driving force behind the best-selling BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT franchise.

In fact, reception to the WHITE KNIGHT line has been so encouraging to DC that they gave him the reigns to his own little universe -- the Murphyverse -- with power to hire talent for issues that would appear between extended runs.

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

Our newest cosplayer caught our attention with her unique ability to portray characters of different genders, pulling off male and female characters with equal alacrity and skill. We had to share with our readers her talents at both costuming and modeling our favorite heroes, and we believe you will be as impressed as we are.

And so, dear readers, we at Critical Blast are pleased and proud to present to you, our...

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up-and-coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

Cosplay must really be taking off in the southern hemisphere, because for the second month in a row now, our Bombshell of the Month comes to us from Argentina, and she's bringing a special Valentine's Day greeting to our readers through her splendid cosplay!

Dear readers, please open your hearts and prepare to fall in love with our new...

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

So said Albert Einstein. Yet fairy tales are as much for adults, with written tales originally targeted to an adult audience to teach all of us how to navigate life with strength and resilience. Many of these tales feature love and romance, which makes them a perfect theme for a Valentine’s Day gift. Here are some other ideas, and whilst some gift experiences are not on Valentine’s Day, it is still a chance for you to spread the love throughout the year.

Holy cow, is it 2020 already? 2019 seems to have gone by in a blur, with so much happening in the world of movies, television, and comics. It's hard to believe we've reached the point where we now have the unenviable task of deciding which was the best in every category to recognize the producers of entertainment for their efforts.

So below you will find the voting form, featuring our nominations for the best film, film actor, television series (which includes streaming until we come up with a word to replace television), series actor, comic book storyline, comics writer, comics artist, and -- last but certainly not least -- the selection of our Critical Blast Bombshell of the Year from the list of 2019's Bombshell of the Month candidates.

Every month the staff at Critical Blast combs the cosplay community for up and coming cosplayers who deserve to have a broader audience for their work, taking into account not only costuming skills and spirit, but also how they use that ability in service to others. Through this, we've not only met some talented cosplayers, but also some fine human beings.

As 2019 draws to a close, we thought we'd send the year out with a frosty bang of some explosive cosplay.  Ladies and gentlement, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to our...

Critical Blast Bombshell, December 2019

Maiicosplay

Allura (CRITICAL ROLE)

What is your interest in cosplay?

So the turkey is thawing (in the fridge, of course; you don't want to spend the holidays with salmonella), the family is coming together, and the Christmas cards are all written out and ready to be mailed. And it's now that you realize... you have to start Christmas shopping. Because you wait for the sales to start, right? You want the best deals.

Well the deals are easy to find. The question is, what do you get all those geeks and gamers, those Jedis and Timelords, those superheroes and shippers? That's were we come in, with this helpful list of things that will surely stuff the stockings and jingle the bells of all your fellow fanboys and geek girls. So Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and May the Force be With You.