There are 7.4 billion people out there in the real world. Sometimes I think there are a whole lot more that exist in the fantasy realms we've created in cartoons, comics, and video games, all of whom get cosplayed to one degree or another.

And it's not that they're not all great, but sometimes it's refreshing to see someone go "back to basics," back to the classics, back to the good old-fashioned super characters that helped form the foundation of the culture.

Well, set off your signal watches and light up the Cosplay Signal, because our October Bombshell is just the guy for the job. Old Fashioned Nerd has been drawing attention on the convention circuits and on Instagram with his classic interpretation of characters like X-MEN's Iceman (seen left and below) and Wolverine (even further below, bub). So without further delay, let us introduce you one and all to our...

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

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From The Sun:

Tom Baker, 83, completed a story that had to be abandoned 38 years ago.

He recorded final scenes for Shada, written by Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy creator Douglas Adams. It was meant to be a six-episode tale for Tom’s fourth incarnation of the Doctor in 1979-80.

But production was wrecked by a BBC technicians’ strike and only half was filmed before it was shelved.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Reviews

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Reviews

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Bombshell of the Month: Carolina Lino

Growing up with in America with American comic books, it's easy to think that -- because comic books are such an American institution -- the comic book convention and the attendant cosplay that has really taken off over the last decade must also be uniquely American. But one of the things we are continually reminded of with the Critical Blast Bombshell feature is that the phenomenon is truly a global one, and that it's more than just people dressing up in costumes.

Brazilian cosplayer Carolina Lino (aka C-Cat) has spent half her life doing cosplay. The 24-year-old has, like many others, found a creative outlet in the process and applied it toward charitable events for children, bringing favorite characters to life and bringing smiles to those who need it very much, showing off her mischievous side with characters such as LEAGUE OF LEGENDS' Jinx or SUICIDE SQUAD's Harley Quinn.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

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Variety is reporting that Hasbro is suing DC to prevent them from using the name Bumblebee.  

Hasbro, owner of the Transformers brand, filed a lawsuit on Monday accusing Warner Bros. and DC Comics of trademark infringement. The suit claims that the DC “Bumblebee” — a teenage girl with the ability to shrink — could easily be confused with the Autobot “Bumblebee.”

Hasbro has a lot riding on the “Bumblebee” character, set to star in the first Transformers spinoff, which is due in theaters at Christmas 2018.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

• Yooke Laylee: Adobe Rant
• A Link To The Past: Beat Dat Boss!

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What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

Huge news from Wizard World, Inc. today!
 

As the saying goes: “Nothing stays dead in comics.” Pop-Culture leader Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) today announced the digital re-imagination, re-conception and re-launch of Wizard, as part of a new digital initiative which includes WizPop, a daily pop-culture news service reporting on the biggest stories of the day in pop-culture, entertainment, and fandom. WizPop will also feature a weekly round-table reviewing the relevant news of the week. Bridging video, editorial and convention operations, the revitalized Wizard digital initiatives will speak to fans worldwide in Wizard’s distinctive snarkily-smart voice.

These are sad and strange times we are living in. As the forces of unpatriotic fascism clash with the forces of unpatriotic fascism (and no, that is not a typographical error), resulting in a woman's death in Charlottesville, VA, people are lining up to take sides and throw blame.

Meanwhile, in the Twittersphere, the self-righteous lose their sense of self-awareness as they tweet from the safety of their keyboards. The most egregious instance of this occurred over the weekend when vlog-warrior Keith Olbermann, host of GQ Magazine's political web show, The Resistance, took issue with Omarosa Manigault, former contestant on Donald Trump's THE APPRENTICE reality show and current political aide in President Trump's administration.

Apparently not liking Omarosa's response to a question, the former sports analyst sent out the following tweet:

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

Hey Critical Blasters!

Last week I told you we'd have coverage from Dragon Con complete with cosplay pictures, live panel tweets, interviews and more. This week there's even more exciting news for con enthusiats who aren't able to attend.

Dragon Con has a new streaming service that allows you to catch the higlights of the con with a subscription based service right from your living room. And for those not familiar with Dragon Con TV, it's one of the best compilations of geek culture I've ever seen. There's panels, interviews, videos, and so much fandom awesomeness. Check out the press release below!

And don't forget to check out Critical Blast Labor Day weekend! I'm looking forward to filling all your social media streams with amazing things from Dragon Con!

JK Elison

Streaming Service Will Bring the Best of Dragon Con’s Panels, Costume Contests, and Other Events Directly To Your Device, Wherever, Whenever You Go  

He destroyed Tokyo almost a dozen times, but Godzilla, King of the Monsters, has finally succumbed to time.

Or, more precisely, the actor who marched in the rubber suit across scale models of cities, has passed.

Haruo Nakajima was a stuntman in 1954 when he first donned the reptilian hide -- which was not rubber in the beginning, but concrete and over 200 pounds! After the original release of GODZILLA (or GOJIRA if you're a true kaiju purist), Nakajima went on to play the nuclear lizard eleven more times, with the last being the 1972 creature feature, GODZILLA VS. GIGAN.

Nakajima studied the walking patterns of bears and elephants to develop the signature gait of Godzilla, and went on to appear in other monster movies. He also played a role in the equally classic SEVEN SAMURAI.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Bombshell of the Month – The Walking Farnsworth
 

Game Jab

August is the month when things traditionally heat up. Despite that, our August Bombshell, The Walking Farnsworth, exudes cool as he portrays some of the coolest customers in the comics continuum.

As a member of the Midwest cosplay group, Another Castle Creations, TWF makes cosplay a family affair, attending conventions with Mrs. The Walking Farnsworth and generally shaking up the Kansas convention circuit. His designs for Green Arrow, Doctor Strange are both highlighted here -- and how could we resist including a pose of Bruce Wayne -- from DC Comics' own BOMBSHELLS series? So let's get on with the show, shall we?

Critical Blast Bombshell, August 2017

The Walking Farnsworth

What is your interest in cosplay, and why do you do it?

Dragon Con is coming...

For those who aren't familiar with this convention, it's an ENORMOUS fan convention held in Atlanta every Labor Day weekend. I was lucky enough to attend my first Dragon Con in 2014. I had such a blast, checking out cosplay, browsing art and amazing vendors, attending panels and meeting so many cool people. And there's not a moment that's gone by, I haven't thought about how amazing Dragon Con was. I've been trying to get back ever since I left.

Here we are three years later and I'm FINALLY headed back. I couldn't be more excited to be emersed in this insane amount of fandom all over again.

Even better, I'm going to be sharing my experiences at Dragon Con with the readers of Critical Blast! There will be interviews, live tweeting, live streaming, AMAZING cosplay and so much more. Make sure you're following all of Critical Blast's social media streams to keep up with all the awesome things happening.