Over the years in comics we've seen various alternate storylines that have explored the DC universe should Superman have held different values other than truth, justice and the American way (which anyone can now say, since there's no trademark on it). We've seen him raised in Communist Russia, seen him raised in Nazi Germany, even seen him raied by African gorillas, all under different Elseworlds titles.

COVID was not kind to the production of The Flash. Season 6 had to end abruptly with Iris (Candice Patton) trapped in the mirror universe by Eva McCulloch (Efrat Dor). The lack of closure of the "big bad" story of the season gave the seventh season an awkward start as the first few episodes are really the end of the previous season. After that, we meander aimlessly into a season where Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris somehow give birth to an entire anthropomorphically personified "forces of the universe" family, including the reborn Speed Force (Michelle Harrison).

It’s been said that anthologies are a tough creative sell to audiences. As movies they offer a quick-hit of variety that’s both the format’s most solid strength and its primary weakness, for while there may be several excellent proffered tales in any individual anthology film, there’s always (at least) one that a viewer may not find to their particular taste. Still, their premise, especially for horror cinema, holds potent storytelling allure. The descendent of the campfire fable of yore, inherited by the classic gothic- and pulp-era short story and sharpened to visceral perfection by EC Comics during the 1950’s, anthologies distill horror to its barest, essential elements: a grimly humorous host announcing a simple set-up, a twist, and (hopefully) a jolt of disquieting terror.

The best way for me to elevator pitch HBO's The Nevers is "The X-Men if they first appeared in Victorian England."

The premise of this series is that there was "an event" -- a ship of some kind that appeared like a giant dragonfly flew over and "sprinkled" sparkles over the city. Some of these were absorbed into people who began to exhibit powers or traits they could not control. That day happens a ways ahead of where the series starts, where these people who have been "touched" by the phenomenon, and different sectors of society. The purists, led by Lord Massen (Pip Torrens), see them as an affront to God's creation and would have them hanged. To Lord Hugo Swan (James Norton), they are a commodity for his house of debauchery.

The history of Mesoamerican culture is bathed in blood. Rituals of human sacrifice were a cornerstone of Aztec faith, buttressing their belief that ravenous gods required victims to allow the sun to rise. With the Spanish conquest such ideas became interwoven within the fabric of Christianity, and to this day in remote areas of Mexico there exists a pervasive folk religion hidden beneath the modern veneer, a spiritual quilt that's part Catholic creed, part ancient native custom and part superstition. Even the notorious drug cartels that prey upon the population pray for the protection of Santa Muerte, the so-called Narco Saint, and for some the acceptance that the rites and deities of antiquity still exist comes easily.

Could you imagine anything more romantic than a huge yellow Pikachu standing next to you as you exchange your vows? Imagine saying ‘I do’ as your guests are battling with each other on Pokemon Go. You don't have to imagine too hard if you are a Pokémon fan living in Japan.

For as much as The History Channel gives us shows about aliens, conspiracy theories, and cryptids, when it does decide to do some actual history, it excels -- particularly when it makes the information digestible in these dramatized reenactments.

The latest of these to cross my desk is The Titans That Built America, a retrospective of the early twentieth century that covers the era from post-World War I through the end of World War II. It's focus is on the automotive industry, largely, telling the stories of Henry and Edsel Ford (Grant Masters and David Crowley), Walter Chrysler (Cillian O'Gairbhi), and Pierre Du Pont (Gerald Kyd). But more than just telling their individual stories, it includes how their lives intersected, and how what began as one modern wonder -- the mass-produced automobile industry -- grew into the production of airplanes (for the postal service) and, ultimately, a military industrial complex. 

Before the rise of computer-generated imagery, the lords and masters of cinematic special effects were the make-up maestros who toiled with latex and glue, wire, wax and paint in poorly ventilated workshops to produce the brutes and beasts that haunt our collective unconscious. Down through the decades several achieved iconic status: Universal Studios monster maker Jack Pierce, ‘60’s splatter guru H.G. Lewis; The Exorcist’s Dick Smith and American Werewolf in London’s Rick Baker; Rob Bottin of The Howling and The Thing notoriety; Greg Nicotero of KNB FX. None, however, have reached the stratospheric, rock star heights of Pittsburgh native Tom Savini, a man whose contributions to the silver screen have inspired more fevered nightmares than any other in recent memory.

The 80s was the decade of films whose staying power rested not so much upon their plots but upon their memorable lines. "I'll be back." "I feel the need -- the need for speed!" "Wax on. Wax off."

And, of course, the one that can only be appreciated when done in the right accent: "That's not a knife. That's a knife."

If you were there, you're probably already remembering several other lines and scenes from Crocodile Dundee or its sequel Crocodile Dundee II. Paul Hogan, the man behind Mick "Crocodile" Dundee, came out of nowhere (technically Australia) and put the U.S. on a down-under kick. Hogan was joined by Linda Kozlowski as newspaper reporter and heiress Sue Charlton, the Man from Walkabout Creek began his adventures in the Australian outback and, as part of Sue's human interest story and social experiment, followed her back to New York city for some moments of culture clash. 

Every month our staff 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 photogenic presence, 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 October being the month when we all get to do some cosplaying (in exchange for treats), we hope that you'll all be showing off who else lives inside of you, as does our selection for this month's cosplay spotlight. So with that, we are very pleased now to introduce you, our readers, to our...

While you may think that the holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, or evey Cyber Monday, it really takes off around the first of October. Why? Because the ease and simplicity of shopping online at the click of a mouse comes with the trade-off of waiting for shipping. And as the carrier systems start to get bogged down with heavier loads this time of year, shipping can take time. So you should plan ahead and start marking people off your Christmas list as early as possible.

For the gamer geeks and comic book nerds in your life, one sure-fire place to find those niche needs is LostUniverse.com. And while there are numerous Funko Pops and t-shirts there to satisfy any fanboy craving, we're gong to look at someting here that's certain to put a light in their eyes -- and in their game room!

If you are a fan of CRPG’s then you're not going to want to pass up playing Pathfinder: Wrath of the righteous. Owlcat games has taken everything from their previous title Kingmaker and expanded upon it. Never before have you been able to access so much of Pathfinders wealth of content in one video game. But no game is perfect and we'll get into that a little bit later. This is my spoiler-free review of Pathfinder Wrath of the righteous.

It's my job to know what's going on in comics -- mainstream, independent, and crowdfunded. So when I noted once again that people were talking about a particular redhead, I realized there were still things not on my radar. What was this RAGS comic really about? Who was Regina Ragowski? A spitfire in a battle against zombies, or a comely spacefaring adventurer? What was this mysterious thing created by Brian Ball and Trent Luther that had fans supporting it, borrowing from it, homaging it, and giving it all this attention?

To pull back the covers from RAGS, I sat down with the one guy who had all the answers: Brian Ball. For ninety minutes, we ironed out the differences between Regina and Sailor Ragowski, as well as quashed rumors about the divide -- and if there was one -- between Antarctic Press and Ball's own company, New Age Ninja Corps. 

Comics can boast of a big army of fans around the world, so filmmakers couldn't help but create many stunning movies based on the most popular comic books.

Are you one who likes watching cartoons wither alone or with family and friends? Then here is the list of the best animated movies created recently.

Maybe you haven't read comics, but you certainly saw a few movies based on them. Why not try something new? Here are the five best comics to read.

Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan star as Jeff and Amy Taylor, a married couple from Massachussetts on the road to a new job and a new life on the west coast. But a chance encounter in the desolate southwest pits them against a gang of kidnappers and murderers who use the diners and truck stops as bases of operation, and who have been thus far successful at making people disappear forever.

When Jeff's Jeep Grand Cherokee breaks down on the side of the road in the desert, a friendly trucker (J.T. Walsh) offers them a lift. Jeff chooses to stay with the car while Amy goes with the trucker to a diner down the road to phone for a tow. While she's gone, Jeff finds the problem with the vehicle, fixes it and gets on the road to the diner -- only to find nobody has seen his wife there. Frantic, Jeff drives until he finds the trucker -- who also claims to have never met him, and convinces the police of the same.

I've heard the argument (heck, I've made the argument) repeatedly that crowdfunding platforms are the new go-to source to find good, entertaining comic book material.

Never have I felt more vindicated in this regard than with my recent acquisition of Impossible Team-Up "A": Impossible Jones & Holly Daze. From the first page splash to the page-turning reveal of the situation, this book is the right mix of light-hearted fun with serious action and adventure.

Banjo players will readily agree that it's one of the fascinating musical instruments, and learning to play it – and play it well – is a definite challenge. But it's a challenge that's worthwhile, as mastering the instrument is an achievement. But many will also say that learning to play the banjo is easier than learning to play the guitar, so these are encouraging words for those just starting on their banjo-playing journey. But if you’re interested in learning it, it also pays to find out as much as you can about it – including the various types, as there is more than one from which you could choose to learn. Here, then, is your complete guide to banjos – and the different types available.

The two main kinds and various criteria

Noita is a hardcore roguelite which presents the player with many classic elements of the genre. You have a vast array of enemies whom all have their own scale in being able to deal with them, a vast array of spells and ways to make them more useful, and a randomly generated environment that will change with every run. Those who enjoy roguelite games are no strangers to this fact. But Noita stands apart in the way that many players have called it downright masochistic.