Play It Cool

General Zod

British actor Callum Blue has been cast to play the role of General Zod in the ninth season of Smallville. Blue previously played a character named Mason on the show Dead Like Me (one of my favorite shows). Great casting CW.

Galaxy News Radio

My buddy Rick (whose favorite comics include: The Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come) is the host of an SD radio show. He is a frequent visitor of the blog and participates regularly in the Funny Caption Contests. It airs on Tuesdays from 8pm-9pm. Check it out, it's good stuff.

ksdt.ucsd.edu

Invincible #63

Invincible has won me over in the last year and is now in my top three comics to buy list. While the Invincible War storyline was a bit confusing (mainly because I didn't pick up the crossover books) I was still blown away by the story developments and the wonderful art. This issue once again delivers. There's a MAJOR SPOILER for fans of the series.

Highlights (SPOILERS)

• Conquest and Invincible continue their battle for the planet.
  
• Invincible is barely able to hurt Conquest as the older Viltrumite lays the smack down on poor Mark.
  
• Mark's younger brother Oliver (AKA Omni-Boy) joins the fray but does little before he is taken down.
  
• Eve, Mark's girlfriend and super heroine known as Atom Eve in her own right, wakes up from the coma she was put in during the Invincible War.
  
• She sees Invincible getting killed on television and rushes in to help.
• Conquest kills her. Brutally. It's pretty graphic.
• Mark, now severely beaten and with a severed leg, mourns Eve's death.
• The issue ends with Mark promising that no matter how superior Conquest is to him in everyway, he will die for killing Eve.
  

Batman and Robin #1

A big fan of All Star Superman, I wouldn't miss this series for the world. The team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely has won me over before. Hopefully they'll go 2/2 in this series.

Highlights (Spoilers)

• The new duo of Batman and Robin (Dick Grayson and Damien Wayne) are chasing down a new villain in town named Toad.
  
• In the newly built Batcave beneath a Wayne skyscraper, Dick and Alfred talk about what I takes to be the Batman the city needs. Alfred assures dick he is doing a fine job.
  
• With the Gotham Police Department believing Batman isn't coming back, Dick and Damien make their first public appearence.
  
• A new villain named Pyg (who is working with Toad) is killing people and making a name for himself.
  

Costume

Frank and Son Collectible Show

On the border of Rowland Heights and La Puente lies a hidden gem for comic book collectors. Though at first glance, it seems like any other warehouse in the area, Frank and Son is actually paradise for comic book enthusiasts.

What could one find at such a place? There are about one hundred stands that sell anything ranging from novelty T-shirts to Bobble heads. Some stands sell video games while others sell baseball cards. You could find movie posters and DVDs. Handful of stands sell collectible trading cards and role playing equipment.


Almost everything is at a discounted price. Finally the best part: Comic Books.

At Frank and Son, you can find almost any comic book you could imagine if you looked hard enough. Almost all of the stands have boxes and boxes of old comic books. Other stands sell more recent works that appeal to the younger generations.

One stand in particular is noteworthy. It is run by two gentlemen named Ray and Oscar (pictured here). Always friendly and willing to have a chat with a customer, they have formed lasting relationships with the people that by their comics over the last decade. Everything sold there is at retailer's price. You would be saving money buying from them than if you went to a comic shop or even a book store.


Frank and Sons even hosts occasional events which bring in famous celebrities in pop culture. One of the more prominent attendees was none other than father of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee. On weekends, they host trading card tournaments and occasionally even showcase wrestling matches.

Local venues also cater food to the warehouse as customers bring friends and family alike to enjoy the experience. Everyone is welcomed to enjoy and usually people will never leave empty handed.

The warehouse is located at 9649 San Jose Ave La Puente.

It is only open on:
Wednesday: 3pm-9pm
Saturday: 9am-5pm

Surprise Guest at Comic Con

Superherohype.com reports that sci fi legend, Peter Jackson, will be appearing at the 2009 San Deigo Comic Con. Jackson will be there to promote the new Neill Blomkamp movie: District 9. Hopefully it'll be on Sunday. I really wanna meet him.

Clone Saga

Does anyone remember the Clone Saga? There are rumors of Marvel bringing the controversial character of Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider, back into continuity. Fans are either pissed or ecstatic. Me? I'll let you know once I reread the series. I am a fan, however, of the Scarlet Spider costume.

For Watchmen Fans

I came across this on Youtube earlier today. Damn good animating.

Jesus Christ: In the Name of the Gun #1

This book can be highly offensive to Christians and Catholics. And Lutherans. Possibly Mormons. But as a Catholic, I can't wait for the next issue! Sure it's sacrilegious, but it's a comic book. It's not true, it's merely to entertain.

Highlights (Spoilers)

• Jesus is bored in Heaven. God has announced that he is returning to Heaven after centuries of absence and wants to see his Son. (God is portrayed as a ominous floating head that looks remarkably like Marlon Brando's Jor-El in the Superman movies)
  
• Jesus makes it clear that the world is in a terrible way and wants to do something about it. God tells him "no" and leaves.
  
• Disobeying his father, Jesus orchestrates a "Virgin Birth" this time in Russia 1910. He lives the 33 years on Earth waiting.
• Jesus now heads for Berlin and begins to kill Nazis. He's planning on assassinating Hitler and preventing the Holocaust.
• Before Jesus can take the killing shot however, another sniper kills Hitler. It is none other than Ernest Hemingway who is on "a safari through time hunting mass murderers."
  
• The two team up and fight Nazi's before a tank knocks them both unconscious.
  
• There is a side story at the end of the issue which tells the "Secret Origin" of Ernest Hemingway. After losing his wife, Hemingway is visited by a vision of Christ that gives him a mission and a time machine to go back in time to hunt history's villains.
  

Stretch Armstrong: The Movie

With the upcoming GI Joe: Rise of Cobra opening this summer, Universal and Hasbro have obtained the rights to another famous toy line. Stretch Armstrong. The movie is slated to be released April 15, 2011. This of course is subject to change.

"Oh, man! His arms stretch out to next week!"