TOTLB S15 Mego Returns Comic Con International

Posted on by Juan Muro

The Mego Corporation was founded in 1954, but turned to doing license action figures in 1971! One of the first action figures was NFL Hall of Famer, Joe Namath. But they didn’t stop there, as they would include characters from the Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, Micronauts, and so much more, boasting over $100 million at its peak!! Unfortunately, in 1983 Mego closed down, bringing an end to what once was one of the greatest action figures makers in existence!!

The great news is, that in 2018, 34 years after originally closing, MEGO IS BACK!! Comic Con International 2018 brought about this awesome news!! With the help of “Broadway Joe” himself, the Mego Corporation announced that they would be returning, with exclusives in Target stores around the country!

We attended the Mego Corporation panel during Comic Con (video above)! We also got to speak with Paul Clark AKA “Doctor Mego.” He is the Mego action figure expert! He can tell you everything you ever want to know about the whole line! PLUS, HE is the person who has been creating Mego parts for over 20 years, on his spare time, AND with the company! He is the perfect person to be “the man behind the scenes.” PLUS, we get to speak with the man himself, Marty Abrams. He has been the man behind the company for pretty much it’s whole inception! You’ll hear him speak about why it’s coming back, why target, and what the plans are for the future!!

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TOTLB S14 The Man In The High Castle Isa and Daniel

Posted on by Juan Muro

Man In The High Castle debuted back in January of 2015!! Based on the 1962 novel, bearing the same name, by Philip K. Dick. Man In The High Castle is a dystopian story about an alternate reality. In this alternate reality the Axis powers won World War II and divided the United States into the Greater Nazi Reich, with the Japanese Pacific States to the west. The show follows characters, whose lives not begin to intersect with each other, when they watch a series of propaganda videos, that show a different version of history, from their own.

In the first part to our Man In The High Castle, Comic Con International, coverage, we speak with executive producers, Isa Dick Hackett (daughter of original creator, Phillip K. Dick) and Daniel Percival. Isa is able to give us some great inside knowledge about how her father would have felt like in society today, as well as his insights into the story. Plus they give us some awesome glimpses into what is coming for season three! If you haven’t watched this series yet, do your due diligence, and go binge watch it!!

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New Comics for August 15th 2018

Posted on by Juan Muro

New Comics Release for 8/815/18

Hey Everyone! Here we go heading midway into August! Lots of fun stuff out this week, some new books, some crossovers, some new event miniseries, so lets dive right in shall we?

From DC this week, Aquaman #39 continues the “Sink Atlantis” story arc! Guest-starring Task Force X, and continuing from SUICIDE SQUAD #45, also on sale this month! After Atlantis rises to the surface once more, Aquaman finds himself outnumbered and outgunned when Amanda Waller sends in the worst of the worst-the Suicide Squad-to send the Lost City straight to Hell in “Sink Atlantis!” part two!

Batgirl #25 also hits stands this week and sees Barbara returning to Gotham! Barbara must come to terms with her complicated feelings about the city that made her Batgirl and turns to her friend, Dick Grayson for help. Does Dick have time for a heart-to-heart while subbing as Batman when Bruce Wayne is out of action? This extra-sized anniversary issue also offers a look at the next arc of the series by Mairghread Scott and Paul Pelletier as the monstrous villain Grotesque returns to murder wealthy art owners and defile their bodies to create his own “art.” And since this is the issue that keeps on giving, also look for a special backup story by Harley Quinn co-creator Paul Dini and artist Emanuela Lupacchino.

Lastly, from DC this week, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos team up for the first title in Bendis’ “Jinxworld” imprint called Pearl #1 (of 6). PEARL is the story of an exceptional tattoo artist and accidental assassin for one of the modern-day San Francisco Yakuza. She was born into one life, but another is calling to her. When Pearl accidentally meets one of her peers, her doppelgänger from another clan, she starts to dream of a better life. But Pearl has a very special ability that keeps pulling her back into the violent world she is desperate to escape.

From Image Comics this week, Chris Sebela and Ro Stein debut a new series with Crowded #1! Ten minutes in the future, the world runs on an economy of job shares and apps, including Reapr: a crowdfunding platform to fund assassinations. Charlie Ellison leads a quiet, normal life until she’s suddenly targeted by a million-dollar Reapr campaign. Hunted by all of Los Angeles, Charlie hires Vita, the lowest-rated bodyguard on the Dfend app. As the campaign picks up speed, they’ll have to figure out who wants Charlie dead before the campaign’s 30 days-or their lives-are over.

From Marvel this week, Edge of Spider-Geddon #1 (of 4 ) fires off its first salvo. Spider-Punk is back and better than ever. After SPIDER-VERSE, Hobie Brown was a Web Warrior, but that didn’t mean things back in his universe were solved. The writer of the SPIDER-PUNK story in SPIDER-VERSE is back and joined by VENOM’S Gerardo Sandoval! Spider-Punk’s Earth is under attack both on the ground and from space, meaning his responsibility seems to outweigh his power. Don’t miss this first shot of the SPIDER-EVENT of 2018!

Also from Marvel this week, another event kicks off with Extermination #1 (of 5). Cyclops. Iceman. Angel. Beast. Marvel Girl. The original team of teen mutants brought together by Professor Charles Xavier many years ago have been shunted through time to find a world they barely recognize but were determined to help. Now, finding themselves targeted for death, the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past. Writer Ed Brisson and artist Pepe Larraz answer the biggest question of all: can the fate of the X-Men be changed?

PLUS Astonishing X-Men Annual #1, AND Cable Deadpool Annual #1, AND Star Wars Beckett #1 land from the House of Ideas this week!

  

From AfterShock this week Volition #1 makes its debut! In a not-too-distant future, artificial intelligence has spawned a race of robots that serve all of humanity. Robots are considered second class citizens, but a few in the A.I. community are fighting back in a constant struggle for equal rights. When a debilitating virus called “Rust” threatens all artificial life, salvation lies in the most unlikely of robotic heroes-not a warrior or an solider, but in an obsolete construction worker and a dedicated caregiver. Together, HALE-19 and AMBER-7T embark on a perilous journey in search of a cure that could potentially change the balance of power on Earth forever.

Here is your complete list:

Boom! Studios

By Night #3

Coda #4

Fence #9

Beneath the Dark Crystal #2

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #30

Ruinworld #2

Steven Universe Ongoing #19

WWE #20

Dark Horse

Incredibles 2 #2

Ether Copper Golems #4

Halo Collateral Damage #3

Terminator Sector War #1

Usagi Yojimbo #5

Witchfinder Gates of Heaven #4

DC

Aquaman #39

Batgirl #25

Batman #53

Batwoman #18

Cave Carson has an Interstellar Eye #6

Damage #8

Green Lanterns #53

Harley Quinn #48

Injustice 2 #32

Injustice Vs Masters of the Universe #2

Justice League #6

New Challengers #4

Pearl #1

Scooby Doo Where Are You #94

Teen Titans Go #29

Wild Storm #16

Dynamite

Game of Thrones Clash of Kings #12

Jeepers Creepers #4

Sherlock Holmes Vanishing Man #4

IDW

Sonic the Hedgehog #8

Star Trek TNG Terra Incognita #2

TMNT Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #3

TMNT Urban Legends #4

Walt Disney Showcase #6

Image

Analog #5

Coyotes #5

Crowded #1

Crude #5

Evolution #9

Flavor #4

Gideon Falls #6

Gravediggers Union #9

Ice Cream Man #6

Mage Hero Denied #11

Magic Order #3

Manifest Destiny #36

Proxima Centauri #3

Rumble #6

Skyward #5

Stellar #3

Weatherman #3

Wicked & Divine #38

Marvel

Astonishing X-Men Annual #1

Cable Deadpool Annual #1

Deadpool Assassin #5

Doctor Strange #4

Edge of Spider Geddon #1

Extermination #1

Hunt for Wolverine Claws of a Killer #4

Infinity Wars #2

Multiple Man #3

Peter Parker Spectacular Spider Man #308

Star Wars Beckett #1

Star Wars Poe Dameron #30

Thor #4

Tony Stark Iron Man #3

Weapon H #6

Weapon X #22

Aftershock Comics

Babyteeth #12

Lost City Explorers #3

Volition #1

Amryl Entertainment

Cavewoman Raptorellas Revenge #2

Antarctic Press

Gold Digger #255

Archie Comics

Archie Meets Batman 66 #2

Jughead the Hunger #7

Marvel Comics Digest #8

Aspen MLT Inc

Nu Way #2

Avatar Press

Cinema Purgatorio #15

Bongo Comics

Bartmans Spectacularly Super Secret Saga

Boundless Comics

Lookers Ember #10

Devils Due/1First Comics

Larks Killer #9

Fantagraphics Books

Tongues #1

Lion Forge

Catalyst Prime Summit #8

Catalyst Prime Superb #12

Wrapped Up #10

Magnetic Collection

Infinity 8 #5

Scout Comics

Shiver Bureau #5

Source Point Press

Rejected One Shot

Starburns Industries Press

Hellicious #2

Titan Comics

Girl Who Danced With Death Mill Saga #1

Rivers of London Water Weed #3

Robotech #12

Udon Entertainment

Street Fighter Summer Sports Special #1

Valiant Entertainment

Ninjak #10

Vault Comics

Vagrant Queen #3

Zenescope

Revenge of Wonderland #2

TOTLB S13 Rick Remender

Posted on by Juan Muro

At Comic Con International 2018, we had the amazing opportunity to speak with Rick Remender!

Deadly Class is a comic book that Rick Remender, the writer/creator, debuted in 2014! The comic book revolves around Marcus Lopez, a guy living on the streets, trying to transition into a school of assassins! Up until his decision to enroll in the school of assassins, Marcus has lived a pretty rough life! His parents died in a horrific accident, he was placed in a grueling orphanage, and he has done some horrible things as a response. This book tells the story of his enrollment, plus the lives of his classmates!

In April 2018, SYFY picked up the pilot, to make a series, that will release in 2019! THIS is the reason we had the amazing opportunity to speak with Rick Remender during Comic Con! We get to speak with him about some of his favorite scenes that have already been recorded from the pilot, as well as where he thinks (without spoilers) this first season will take us!! PLUS, not only is Rick Remender writing, and creating the TV series so that it doesn’t go astray, BUT the Russo Brothers are also on board!! Amazing creators, and actors, make this show a MUST see when it debuts in 2019!

Weirdly, but awesome, we also speak about the music that will accompany the TV show, and has accompanied Rick as he created the comic book/TV show! Rick talks about needing to get back to making “Fuck You” music! Essentially, getting back to your roots, going out of your way to make music, or any other creation, that YOU like. Not something that will appease the masses, but rock and roll that goes back to it’s roots! Rick sounds absolutely pumped, and excited for this show to debut, which gives us the feeling that he is all in, and that makes us excited! Sounds like SYFY will have a winner on their hands!!

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TOTLB 092 Knights At the Rectangle Table

Posted on by Juan Muro

I KNOW that everyone has been waiting for a normal episode to hit!! Trying to get all of our Comic Con International coverage out to you, but I did also want to make sure that I put a regular episode out, in the middle of it all!!

Episode 92 takes place BEFORE Comic Con International! We all get together at Jon’s comic book shop, Hall of Justice, and, as you know, things get rowdy!! We talk about the spoiler that came of Batman’s wedding, plus all of the things we were excited for, about Comic Con!

No interviews for this one! Just straight laughter!!

Remember, you can ALWAYS let us know what you think! We can only think of so many things to talk about every other week, and would LOVE to get some feedback and ideas from all of you out there who are listening!! You can send mp3s and email to our email address. Also, join the conversations on our Facebook Page and Twitter Page. Also, if you have good feedback, please leave it for us on iTunes and Stitcher!! That’s one way to help us climb the ranks into podcast glory!! You can ALSO leave us voicemail!!! Call the Michael Kuyrk memorial 970-573-6148 and leave us a hilarious message!!!

Hall of Justice Comics & Collectibles
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Credit – Jonthan Garnett, Juan Muro, Gabe Llanas

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The Return Of Mego

Posted on by Juan Muro

So, for a generation of collectors that didn’t grow up in the 70’s an introduction to the Mego Corporation is in order.  In the 1950’s the Mego Corporation started as a purveyor of dime store toys, the kind of silly novelty that you would now see in a dollar store.  In 1971, son of original owners, Marty Abrams took over the company and took the Mego Corporation in a whole new direction.

So was born the classic Mego Toy.  An eight-inch action figure that could be a standard across all toy lines.  The toy could be changed into any property with a simple head and costume change, and Mego was buying up licenses like crazy.  Most notably were the DC and Marvel properties, but soon after there was everything from sports icons to the Micronauts.

With their popularity cemented with the license of the Planets of the Apes toys, Mego was on the ascent until the fateful moment that they decided to not take on a new sci-fi B movie license for a little movie called Star Wars.  While initially making plenty of money on their Micronauts line, Mego began losing ground to Kenner and their new line of action figures. Mego tried to adapt to the market but by 1982 they were filing for bankruptcy.

Between 1982 and today a lot has happened with the Mego line.  Companies like Figures Toy and Neca have been making their version of Mego toys with an incredibly wide array of characters.  Unlike Mego these toys are designed for collectors that are looking at having toys for specific properties. Neca has a heavy focus on horror and science fiction properties. Figures tends towards directly knocking off the Mego style.

This lack of original Megos in the market along with the rising of nostalgic and collector culture gave new life to the Mego brand.  Original Megos began to pop up on eBay selling for exorbitant prices. Pop culture taste makers like Kevin Smith and Chris Hardwick talked about their love of Mego toys publicly, and soon there was a desire for the Mego brand to return.

With the help of Paul Clarke (Doctor Mego), Marty Abrams has relaunched the Mego brand to a wide audience via a release in Target stores all around the country, and Mego chose the biggest stage in pop culture to roll out their toys: Comic Con International San Diego.

The show attended the panel with Paul Clark, Marty Abrams and football legend Joe Namath at SDCC and it was truly something to behold.  Not only was the entire room packed to the gills with fans of Mego, and “Broadway” Joe, but it was full of positive emotion. Often fans of a license or a product can be very negative around anything that they perceive as a cash grab or pandering, but this roll out is no that.

Abrams talked at length about his love for Mego, and the fan base that it has developed.  He also talked extensively about his desire for the toy to remain a toy. That he isn’t overly interested in the collectors or the secondary market, and therefore they have driven towards mass production and will be available in Target.

The crowd was lapping it up.  Add to the equation the fandom that comes with Joe Namath being on the panel.  Spry and witty, as would be expected from someone of his caliber and familiarity with being in front of people.  He was cracking jokes and having fun but was moved by the adoration that his fans were displaying in the Q&A segment of the panel.  Many people came forward to talk about how not only Joe Namath, but Mego both helped them through hard times in their life. One woman was moved to tears just to have the opportunity to talk to Namath, that woman received the thrill of her life when Joe Namath got up from his place on the panel, walked down to her seat and gave her a hug.

It is a gesture from celebrity to fan that you don’t see as often in sports as I think you do in pop-culture.  It seems to me that the separation between athlete and fan is much starker in that world, and our access to the people that create the comic books, movies, TV and even toys that we love is so much more open.  That is something that we as pop-culture fans often take for granted.

At the end of the panel I got to see something that I literally have never seen happen in a panel room.  As the end was being signaled by the moderator, and Adams, Namath and Clark were getting up, half of the audience was mobbing the front of the room.  Everyone in there was desperate for a chance to talk to one of their heroes. Whether it be the toy creators, or the sports icon people were hungry for a chance to just tell them how much they loved them.

The whole room felt that love.

You can see at their facebook page, Mego Corporation, what they are up to with the roll out in Target.  At www.target.com you can find a whole line of Mego toys ready to buy and play with!

Be sure to check out our interview with Marty Abrams and Paul Clark here at www.totlb.com or in you local podcast app.

DC Universe – Post Comic Con International

Posted on by Juan Muro

So there is currently a massive marketing blitz for DC’s new product DC Universe.  With trailers coming out at Comic Con International San Diego and constant Facebook ads, but what does your $75 a year really get you?  Let’s dig into what we know about DC Universe.

-TV-

Probably the biggest selling point that they are pushing is access to exclusive new television content.  With five featured shows in the DC Universe trailer including three that are are slated for live action and two that are animated.

Titans had its trailer released at SDCC (the now infamous “Fuck Batman” trailer).  Showing us a dark and gritty DC world that we have come to know from the movies and in a lot of ways the CW shows.  This could go either way as far as entertainment goes. Will it lean too heavily on violence and language than story?  Only time will tell.

Grant Morrison’s version of the Doom Patrol seems like the natural choice for source material for the proposed Doom Patrol show.  If you aren’t familiar with this IP than you are in for a treat. This strange group of Super Hero/Trauma Victims had a fantastic run under Morrison, and is currently enjoying a great run under Eisner winner Gerard Way.  Do yourself a favor and check it out, because that will get you excited for what a show can be.

The big question mark is the live action Swamp Thing series.  Very little has been said about this, and it could end up being anywhere between “horrible beyond belief” and “the best show of all time”.  James Wan (writer of Saw, and executive producer on Aquaman) is attached to the project and that is positive. Also attached to the show are writers Gary Dauberman (writer on It and Annabelle) and Mark Verheiden (writer and executive producer on Ash vs. Evil Dead, Daredevil and Constantine).  They have stacked this with some horror and comic heavyweights so this has the stink of good on it. It also isn’t lost in translation that Verheiden was a writer and executive producer on Constantine which could make for a great through line to relaunching Constantine on DC Universe.

Young Justice Outsiders and Harley Quinn are the two announced animated shows.  Young Justice Outsiders is going to be starting on the third season of the very popular show.  Where Harley Quinn will be a new animated show. Curious to see if this will be stylistically more like the animated series that the character was born from, or the newer version that has been presented over the last few years.

On top of the exclusive new shows they will also be streaming a lot of their classic content which could have and incredibly wide range.  I could have anything from a rebooted Powerless to bingeable streams of Batman 66 or Smallville. There is a lot of DC content out there and that is without even looking at the slate of CW shows.

-Movies-

So far the announcements for movies have revolved around the available DC content from the past.  Everything from the fantastic animated movies that have been coming out over the last few years, to the original Batman and Superman films.  There is a lot that they can draw on for this segment of the service.

It will be interesting to see what they do with newer properties like the latest of the super hero films to come out in the theatre.  Will they begin to have exclusive DC Universe releases? Will there be early streaming access for users? There hasn’t been much information about this other than the clips that are included in trailers for the service.  

-Comics-

There will also be a comics aspect to the service.  Claiming that this will be a “curated” list of some of the best that DC has to offer, on demand to your device.  By creating this segment the service becomes something more than just another streaming service. Much of the push has been to cross platform and cross reference content.  Read a Batman comic on your phone or tablet, then watch the movie or animated show that was inspired by the run of comics that you just read. This is a really interesting idea and it seems like it could be a really great way to convert the eyes that see video content into eyes that read comic books.  

-Merch/Social Media-

So the platform is also slated to have some interesting aspects to it that no other streaming platform has ever really included.  Access to exclusive merchandise, a social media platform that gives you direct access to DC creators and the chance to earn exclusives and prizes.  This rounds out what the DC Universe can be, but will it be to much? These have the potential to be the lurking place of super fans that constantly neg the service they are paying for (looking at you WWE Network), or it could be a really interesting new take on what a media company can do with their properties.

For the price of $7.99 a month or $75 a year this is on the same price point as streaming services like Hulu or Netflix.  Will it be able to produce the same level or amount of content? Will this be worth it for casual DC fans or will this only be for the mega fan?  What happens when Marvel announces its service?

There are a lot of questions going into the DC Universe but they are taking pre-orders right now at the DC Universe page!

TOTLB S12 Cut Throat City

Posted on by Juan Muro

It’s been about seven years since the last time that I was in New Orleans. This was still at least six years after hurricane Katrina hit, and it was STILL a mess. Driving around different cities, you’d see houses on high stilts, abandoned houses, houses that were demolished, or spaces that were empty because nobody could afford to rebuild. It was definitely a sad sight to see.

Cut Throat City tells the story of a group of kids struggling to get back to normal life after the hurricane hit. What do you do when FEMA is paying attention ONLY to the cities that are bringing in revenue? What do you do as you continue watching you, and your neighbors struggle as they are receiving zero help?

This isn’t a group of thugs, or gangsters. These are just people who turn to robbery, in order to try and save themselves, and their families. Believing that this is the only way for them to survive, follow their journey when Cut Throat City debuts in 2019!!

Comic Con International 2018 brought us the awesome opportunity to speak with some of the principal actors of this upcoming RZA movie! We get to speak with UFC Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, Demetrius Shipp Jr. (Miracle), Keean Johnson, and Denzel Whitaker (Andre). They tell us what is was like being in New Orleans, having to learn the “lingo,” and experiencing still, 13 years later, the leftover chaos of Katrina. They talk about the different fandom, compared to some of the other projects they’ve done, and Tyron talks about MMA being the catalyst to other opportunities, like acting.

It was absolutely awesome getting to hear these guys talk about the passion that they have for the movie, and being able to be on set with the “veterans” of the cast. Wesley Snipes would challenge their bodies, and RZA would challenge their minds in between takes! Listening to them speak, plus learning about the subject matter, and having experienced it in the past, personally, this is going to be a good one! Do NOT miss this movie when it hits the theaters in 2019! Checkout the trailer, plus the small bit of video that we did during the press conference!

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TOTLB S11 Dennis Culver

Posted on by Juan Muro

We had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Image Comics creator, Dennis Culver. Dennis is the writer of the upcoming book from Image, Burnouts. Burnouts is rated M, and will debut on September 19th, 2018! Make sure you tell your local comic book store that you want it added to your pull, so they can order it!

Description of the book from Image – Writer DENNIS CULVER (E Is for Extinction) and artist GEOFFO (layout artist of Marvel Rising) team up for a new ongoing series that combines the paranoia of They Live with Stranger Things. To save their friends and families, a group of high school teenagers must fight off an attack on their town by a secret alien invasion… but they can only see the aliens if they’re completely wasted. The Burnouts are saving the world one puff at a time!

Did you read that right? They can ONLY “see the aliens if they’re completely wasted.” This conversation with Dennis is absolutely hilarious. Imagine the looks you would get when you try and save the earth from invading aliens, but nobody can see them PLUS you’re high!! Who the heck would believe that rag tag group of saviors? Well, listen to the interview, and read the book to find out! Dennis and Geoffo did a great job of coming up with something new and different. This book sounds like the hero book you’ve been looking for, that isn’t the same as everything else out there!

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TOTLB S10 Pia Guerra

Posted on by Juan Muro

Thanks to Image Comics, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Pia Guerra! Pia has been creating for a very long time now, but burst onto the scene with her book, Y: The Last Man, with Brian K. Vaughan! She has worked on Doctor Who, Amazing Spiderman, The Simpsons, and much more! You can’t have an interview with THE Pia Guerra, without speaking a little bit about Y: The Last Man, especially since there was some movie news. But, we the main reason we were speaking was to speak about, “Me The People.”

Me The People will be released by Image Comics, and will come out on October 3rd, 2018. This book is a collection of some of the more recent editorial pictures, created by Pia! We get to speak to Pia about the “why’s” of this creation. She tells us about the anger that came out of the last election, and how she copes with it. Most of the listeners of our show, already know how we feel, but listening to Pia gives us a good feeling, that there are more people like us still out there!!

Speaking with Pia, hopefully you will remember that there are still ways that you can go out and ensure that your voice is heard. Don’t sit behind the computer, or sit in front of the TV and rant. Go out, and create. Make a sign, create a story, march, or any kind of other creative outlets that get your voice heard, and make you feel better. Marching, and creating, made Pia feel much better, in a time of RAGE!! Hopefully you’ll read her new book, coincidentally coming out right before the midterm elections, and you will decide to take action!!

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