Thu
01
Oct

No Tricks, All Treats: Meet October Bombshell of the Month, Katy DeCobray

Katy DeCobray Bombshell October 2020

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...

 

Tue
29
Sep

The Best Superhero TV Show Debuts Today on Blu-ray: DC's Stargirl, The Complete First Season

Stargirl Season 1 BD

The best thing to happen to CW superhero shows was obtaining the license to rebroadcast episodes of STARGIRL the day after premiering on the DC Universe streaming services. The show, shepherded by character creator Geoff Johns, became immediately recognized as one of the best translations of comic-to-tube in decades.

Sun
27
Sep

Talking Craft with NYT Bestselling Graphic Novelist Kazu Kabuishi

Amulet Kazu Kabuishi

Between FLIGHT, COPPER, paperback cover illustrations of the Harry Potter books, and eight volumes of the best-selling graphic novel AMULET (with a ninth in the works), writer/artist Kazu Kibuishi is a role model for not excepting or expecting anything but success. His canny understanding of storytelling, as well as of where the market swings are in comic book culture, have made him an expert in the artform, capable of speaking on subjects from the most esoteric anime to your run-of-the-mill superhero arc.

Critical Blast is joined by UNSTITCHED creator Justin Dutton to spend an hour with Kibuishi discussing these aspects of the graphic novel industry, and what traits make for stories that stand the test of time -- and remain evergreen sellers in bookstores. Check the video below for all the details.

Sat
26
Sep

Legends of Tomorrow Fight Fate in Post-Crisis Fifth Season

Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 Bluray

While the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS crossover event was a mid-season interruption for most of the CW superhero shows, it was the season opening episode for LEGENDS OF TOMORROW, the action sitcom of the Arrowverse. LEGENDS began as a team of superheroes assembled to go on a time-travel mission to stop Vandal Savage, and selected because they would not be missed by history if they were killed. Since then, it has evolved into a sort of "anything goes" time-travel fix-it series, with very little super-heroing happening -- with John Constantine (Matt Ryan) thrown into the mix.

Thu
24
Sep

Neotheric: The Return of the King Irreverent Clash of Genres

Neotheric Cover

Sixty-five million years ago, dinosaurs disappeared from the face of the Earth.

Yesterday, four of them came back -- crash landing into the Mayberry-esque town of Riverside Junction in the same ship that took them away millennia ago.

Wed
23
Sep

Enola Holmes a Quirky, Feminist Reimagining of Holmes Tradition

Enola Holmes

There have been numerous takes on the Holmes legacy left by creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to have included books, television shows, movies, and even a incorporated inot the canonical universes of both DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

ENOLA HOLMES was, perhaps, an inevitablity. Having already seen takes at Mycroft Holmes (THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES' SMARTER BROTHER), the idea of a Holmes sister, while explored disturbingly in the final series of SHERLOCK, is a concept ripe with opportunity for the YA market, and one well capitalized on by author Nancy Springer.

Tue
22
Sep

One Thousand Issues in the Making: Detective Comics #1027

Detective Comics 1027 - J Scott Campbell variant

The ten-dollar-comic is rapidly becoming a regular thing at the local comics shop. True, it's been reserved for these 80th aniversary specials, but as we continue marking that particuar milestone, we'll soon have overlap with 80th anniversaries of later characters and 85th anniversaries of the ones we just celebrated. So the bottom line is to get used to them.

Fortunately, with books like DETECTIVE #1027 -- this one celebrating the 1000th issue of the title since the introduction of Batman -- you get a collection of really good short stories featuring the world's greatest detective. Unfortunately, it doesn't lead off with them -- all the more surprising given the Bat-experience of the writers.

Mon
21
Sep

This T.E.D.D.Y. is Ready for the Boogeyman. Prepare to Get UNSTITCHED!

Unstitched 1

Eleanor isn't having an easy time of it lately. The new baby brother seems to constantly be taking more and more of mom and dad's time, taking away from her play time and her story time.

But Eleanor has a bigger problem,and she doesn't even know it. A dark and evil force has set his sights on her, and she's going to need a special defender, an experienced knight, to fight on her behalf to keep her safe.

Enter Muffins: Muffins is a T.E.D.D.Y. -- a Terrifically Effective Dreaming Defender. Yeah! Unfortunately, Muffins is not a fully-trained T.E.D.D.Y. but rather an over-eager rookie, who overheard there was a threat when he eavesdropped on his teacher speaking with the Dream King in Dreamland. Ready to prove he's got the stuffing of the greatest T.E.D.D.Y. ever, Muffins takes a shooting star to Earth and lands in Eleanor's bedroom.

Mon
21
Sep

Beckman Aims John Wick at Christian Audience

Beckman DVD

Aaron Beckman (David A.R. White) is an assassin for hire who wants out of the game. Injured during an encounter in Los Angeles, he takes refuge in a church, giving a satchel of money to the pastor, Philip (JUSTIFIED's Jeff Fahey). The pastor is at his own crossroads of faith over his failing health, and we quickly forward two years later to Philip's own death. Beckman takes over as the church's shepherd, until he comes to a crossroads of his own, preparing to leave everything behind when history repeats itself and another lost soul comes to the door needing sanctuary: a young woman named Tabitha (Brighton Sharbino, THE WALKING DEAD).

Fri
18
Sep

DC UNIVERSE TRANSFORMS INTO DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, THE ULTIMATE COMIC BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

DCUniverse Infinite

BURBANK, CA (Sept. 18, 2020) – Calling all comic book fans to Explore the Multiverse! DC today announced the evolution of DC UNIVERSE into DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, a premium digital comic book service set to launch on January 21, 2021. With access to more than 24,000 comic books at launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers will also encounter digital-first comics, member access to DC fan events, as well as a steady stream of recently released comics six months after their physical versions hit store shelves. Following its initial launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE will begin expanding globally in SUMMER 2021.

Thu
17
Sep

Supergirl's Greatest Battle is Fought in Cyberspace in Fifth Season (Now on Blu-ray)

Supergirl Season 5 Blu-ray

In the fifth season of the Maid of Might's adventures, Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and her super friends find themselves going up against Leviathin, an organization bent on putting Earth through its next extinction event, ushered in at the hands of seemingly immortal gods like Rama Khan (Mitch Pileggi) and Gamemnae (Cara Buono).

But it's not as simple as that, as Supergirl's civilian life as Kara Danvers is complicated by new relationships. A new fellow reporter at CATCO, William Dey (Staz Nair), gets nosy about Kara's personal life, and has some pretty shady interactions that arouse Kara's suspicions. But his true motives become revealed later on, when Kara learns he's been undercover investigating a very bad person.

Wed
16
Sep

Which Next-Gen Gaming System is Right for You?

Samsung Galaxy Fold

When it comes to which gaming platform we like to play on, most of us need to first consider the cost. While some might be fortunate enough to be able to drop the cash for every system under the sun, the rest of us need to balance a whole range of factors to make the right choice. In this article, we want to investigate the most important parts, to help guide you into the right purchase for yourself or a lucky friend or family member.

Tue
15
Sep

Joker War Enters Final Stages in Batman #99

Batman 99

I've been ambivalent about this whole "Joker War" going on in the BATMAN books. Tynion's run has been a welcome change of pace from the eternal misery of the previous eighty issues, and the premise of the arc has been a solid one. Basically, Joker has always known the identities of the Batman family, and has taken advantage of a long-planned heist that puts him in charge of the Wayne fortune -- as well as the company and real estate, giving him access to not just the money but the research and development areas -- that is, the weaponry of the Batcave.

Sun
13
Sep

We Bare Bears Get Their Own CN Movie

We Bare Bears The Movie DVD

Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear move beyond the cartoon short form that has been their norm to headline their first Cartoon Network movie.

The bears' rush to the grand opening of food truck selling poutine leaves a trail of chaos in their wake -- and a slew of angry townspeople. Determined to make amends, the bears attempt to become popular by making the greatest viral video ever, by combining elements of every popular meme of the last twenty years. But when this ends in disastrous results, it grabs the attention of the no-nonsense Agent Trout from Fish and Wildlife. He's determined to bring the bears in and relocate them to a bear sanctuary.

And so begins the greatest road trip of all time, as the bears go on the lam in a police van, intent on crossing the border into Canada for freedom, love, and universal health care.

Fri
11
Sep

A Double Dose of High-Definition Deduction: Ritchie's Sherlock Films on 4K

RDJ Sherlock Holmes

Slightly edging out Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in bringing the archetypal detective and his military doctor partner to a modern audience, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law -- under the direction of Guy Ritchie -- gave us a very action-oriented Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Not merely content with armchair deductions and lording his grasp of the obvious (to him) over Scotland Yard, This Holmes enjoyed getting into physical confrontation, and in both films -- SHERLOCK HOLMES and SHERLOCK HOLMES; A GAME OF SHADOWS -- much detail is given to Holmes's foresight and planning for where to land punches and predicting his opponents' moves.

Tue
08
Sep

Direct-to-DVD Too Good for Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite

Cats Dogs 3 Paws Unite DVD

The CATS & DOGS franchise operates on the conceit that animals can all talk, and that cats and dogs work together to operate a high-tech MI-6 inspired operation to protect the world from other cats and dogs who have evil plans for the world. Using voice actors and CGI, it was an entertaining franchise for children to watch, and had enough of a plot to keep the adults awake.

With this third installment, PAWS UNITE, the notion of an engaging plot has been thrown out with the kitty litter.

Mon
07
Sep

The Best Cartridge You'll Ever Hear (From Someone You Never Heard Of): Well Tempered Labs Kauri Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Kauri Phono Cartridge

One of the best cartridges you’ll ever hear that you never heard of and it comes from a land down under!

Sun
06
Sep

35 Years Later, The Goonies Still Fun

Goonies 4K

Talk to any child of the 80s about what made that era so great, and eventually talk will come around to THE GOONIES, the Steven Spielberg production that brought a motley group of outcast kids together on a treasure hunt that pitted them against criminals and clues in an effort to save their homes from a greedy real estate developer.

In addition to being the first big-screen appearances for actors Sean Astin and Josh Brolin, THE GOONIES featured Corey Feldman, who was already an accomplished actor but who certainly came to prominence due to this film, and Anne Ramsey, perfectly cast as Mama Fratelli, the leader of a family counterfeiting gang that sets up operations in an old restaurant that happens to sit atop the entrance to a series of underground tunnels used hundreds of years ago by pirates -- pirates whose treasure is fabled to still exist somewhere in the catacombs.

Tue
01
Sep

Saint Hysteria is Our September Bombshell of the Month

Bombshell 2020 09

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.

 

This month, we extend our reach across the globe to Russia, where we find a talented cosplayer who works hand in hand with an equally talented photographer. The results are bewitching, and we couldn't be happier to share with you, our readers, the...

 

Mon
31
Aug

Superman: Man of Tomorrow Misses Audience of Today

Superman Man of Tomorrow Review

With JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK: APOKOLIPS WAR, the interconnected DC Animated Universe was brought to a close -- or a new beginning, depending on your perspective.

SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW may be that new beginning, as it gives viewers a Superman who as not yet even put on the cape. 

Clark Kent (Darren Criss) is an intern for the Daily Planet, yet to have his own byline. Lois Lane (Alexandra Daddario) has only just broken into the ranks of the press, having been responsible for the downfall of corrupt magnate Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto). The world is only just getting introduced to the idea of superheroes, what with the rare glimpses of Superman's exploits as the "flying man" wearing the aviator helmet and goggles, and the even rarer shots of the Bat Man of Gotham City.

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