Look, for the record (what fucking record, am I right??), I quite like Charli XCX as an artist! I’ve heard her entire catalog, from ‘14’ (on which all the songs were written, published, etc, when she was only 14!) to ‘brat’, and, while I don’t love EVERY SINGLE TRACK, the “autistic music lover” in me quite enjoyed nearly all of them (𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡 and the ‘Vroom Vroom’ EP are at the top of my favs list). That is, until her latest, 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂, 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌, dropped today!

Over the last month or so, Charli has been previewing the album, as individually releasing the songs slowly as little film-like videos on YouTube. If you haven’t been following them, you might be surprised! You see, this is Charli XCX 2.0, get used to it!

One of the first things I noticed when I listened to the album all the way through the first time, it has a very European pop sound to it! Leading up to its release, Charli has been saying her new album was to be a “rock album”. I was delighted beyond imagining, but it doesn’t have a “rock” feel to it at all. In fact, I felt like it owes a fair nod to the world of filmmaking, which is what Charli has been up between this album and 2024’s ‘brat’. The “nod to filmmaking” goes that much further as she was able to get Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg to speak on the final track, “No One Lasts Forever”!

The videos I mentioned earlier were curious little numbers: “Rock Music”, “SS26”, “Wink, Wink” and “Camera”. Each was unique to itself, succeeding in whetting our proverbial appetites for the actual release! One thing that was clearly apparent in each of the videos was that Charli seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself, more so than ever before! I can’t speak for how much that approach would, or wouldn’t, work for each and every other artists’ upcoming releases, but it definitely worked here for Charli XCX!

While I quite like the phrase “they reinvented themself”, as I feel like it is a meaningful phrase, I also feel it is often overused, yeah? However, that phrase totally works here! In all 11 of the tracks, I can hear elements that reminded me of Charli’s original sound, but super subtle!

One thing I really got from listening to this album was that Charli has grown up! Sure, she still exhibits her fun, playful side, but she also has a new sense of focus! I truly believe this album will be helpful to her, as she continues to settle into her new perspective!

I have to confess, I have yet to watch any of the films she has made! Not out of lack of interest, or anything like that, it’s just my fucking depression zapping interest in ANYTHING, including shit that actually matters to me! I do want check out ‘The Moment’ at some point, though! Maybe this weekend, yeah?

The only Charli XCX film I have seen is the accompanying 42min movie that dropped on YouTube late this afternoon! If you have listened to the album all the way through, then I recommend watching it. It’s filmed in Europe, where Charli made videos for each of the album’s songs. In between each of the videos, Charli offers some verbal background on each song and the video she made for it.

Watching the movie, I could feel Charli’s genuine happiness at this whole album! The videos here are shot in Europe, yes, but regardless, the “European feel” I talked about earlier really comes through when viewed! The video for “Card Declined” (one of my favorites from the new album) really feels so French it hurts, fam!

Something else I took away from the movie is Charli definitely wants to be known for more than just sexy, revealing outfits (or even less clothing!)! There’s a line in the song “Wink Wink” where she sings that she doesn’t want to be a bad girl anymore, and I think it’s a good mindset (I think that’s the word I wanted 🤔) to adopt! The album is quite good, the bee’s knees, really! I truly hope it gets the attention it so rightly deserves!

I can imagine what y’all are thinking right now - “Yo, WoofWoof, she was still wearing short, sexy outfits in the videos she made!”. And you know what? You ain’t wrong, but I dunno, it felt…different. It felt more playful, like she was more interested in the music than trying to look sexy! Look, I may be wrong, but that was the impression I perceived!

I just want to end with this... Sure, maybe you just didn’t like the ‘brat’ album! I get it! But you know what? This ain’t ‘brat’, not by any means! Just take a fucking chance, ‘kay, you might surprise yourself and like it! Imagine that, eh? 🐾☮️

Y’all sittin’ down, fam? Good, ‘cuz I’m about to review IT’S JEFF! MEETS DAREDEVIL!

The irregular series follows the adventures of Jeff, a Land Shark, who floats between Kate Bishop and Gwenpool, as far as who is taking care of him that week! “Taking care of him” is so much more of an arduous task than you’d imagine! Jeff loves to eat, A LOT, and when he is unsupervised, he gets into all sorts of shit! Trust me, if you can imagine, then it’s fairly likely, without a doubt, Jeff has done it at some point!

Jeff first appeared in WEST COAST AVENGERS #6, as a cameo, then in #7, he was introduced officially. When he was first introduced, his character was part of a storyline involving genetically modified land sharks created by the giant-headed villain known as M.O.D.O.K. (the letters in his name stands for “Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing”). Jeff became so popular he earned himself an irregular series and multiple appearances in a number of Marvel titles!

This particular issue I am reviewing had several short fun stories, including the silly but highly enjoyable story featuring Daredevil (as well as his alter ego, lawyer Matt Murdock)! What really helped seal the deal with this issue was not only was it written by Jeff’s creator, Kelly Thompson, but the art was by Gurihiru, who worked on Jeff’s very first series, IT’S JEFF!, in September 2021!

Unless you don’t like to have fun, or you just hate everything, this was such a blast! I am still trying to get a better hold of my depression, but ye gods, I had such a good time with this issue! My only regret? It took me ‘til now to read it (it came out in February)!

Before I close out, I just wanted to share some transparency with you, fam! This issue was hard A.F. for me to review! Typically, I am reading, and reviewing, some serious shit, with hardly anything fun(ny) anywhere in it! I hope it read well, and please, feel free to email me, letting me know if you’d like to see to more reviews of this nature in the not-too-distant future! 🐾☮️

This is my first review here of POISON IVY; my other reviews prior were up on League of Comic Geeks. I hope y’all like it, fam!

I know I’ve said it in countless other reviews of POISON IVY, but I am so much in love with G. Willow Wilson’s writing on the series! From the interconnectedness of the stories to her handling of the characters, this is easily one of DC’s best ongoing series! Even with the upcoming “Bad Seeds” event, Wilson has managed to keep it all on an even keel! See? That’s just brilliant!

This current issue was no exception, at all! Sure, it was, essentially, a Ivy-less, Janet-from-HR-centric issue, but it succeeded in so many ways!

Janet-from-HR and Juhi are on a personal quest, unbeknownst to Ivy, as they are going to see Harley Quinn, as Janet feels that Harley is the one who can save Ivy from her personal downward spiral as the Mayor of Gotham! During their journey, they both get to experience how Gotham REALLY is under Ivy’s mayor-ship!

It is here, where Wilson really excels! We see the terrifying brutality of Gotham’s police force, mirroring what we are currently living through in our own country, under the rule of “the Orange One”! Even in a fictional story in a comic, I found it more chilling than it ought to be!

And what the frig!??! Wilson actually had me caring about Janet-from-HR! This issue had me genuinely liking her character! Like, I actually felt bad for her as she was dissecting the relationship of Ivy and Harley and how it differed from she and Ivy! Dammit, I actually cried a little while I was reading that scene! Curse you, G. Willow Wilson, for making me actually like Janet-from-HR!

While I’m on the subject of everything that was a home run this issue, let’s touch on that art from Leandro Fernandez, the artist, not the soccer player of the same name!

The pencils this issue were hella tight, really succeeding especially well on conveying the tenseness that is the current climate in Gotham! And that scene where the deli blew up? Shit was fierce! Not sure what happened between this issue and the previous one, but dude was killin’ it this ish!

I know I don’t always talk about the colorists (not intentionally, it just happens), but I definitely want to draw attention to Arif Prianto’s coloring this issue! While a good chunk of praise for the visuals this time ‘round go to Leandro, I feel that the art was able to burn that much brighter on account of Prianto’s colors! His colors made ALL the panels pop sooooo much!

So much good stuff going on with this particular issue! Can’t wait to see next issue where they get to talk to Harley! 🐾☮️

This morning, it came across the wire that New Zealand actor Sam Neill had passed away today in Sydney, Australia. He was 78 years old. The cause of death wasn’t given at the time of the press release, but the release said that it had been “sudden and unexpected”. Neill had been cancer-free for some time now, including at the time of his death.

In 2023, Neill publicly admitted that he had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. For the geeks reading this article, the American Cancer Society says that AITL is an uncommon subtype of mature peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Honestly, I want, more than anything, to write more about cancer, but most of what I tried to read on the ACS site just now was soooooo over my head! Above my pay grade, as the saying goes!

In addition to being quite the accomplished actor, Sam Neill was notably involved in local politics back home, in New Zealand. For 12 years, he served as a member of the Otago Regional Council as well as supporting New Zealand’s Labour Party. In addition, he spoke out about certain political parties, but for former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, he spoke much praise!

He played a number of roles in his lifetime, all of them played extraordinarily well! The one role many are remembering him for was Dr. Alan Grant, from ‘Jurassic Park’. For me, though, he will always be Dr. William Weir, the mind behind the creation of the haunted deep space vessel known as the 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛!

Sam Neill is survived by quite the brood: 4 children, 8 grandchildren! As for his wife, if married at all, I could not find any information. And you know what? Good on him, and her, if there is a her, for being able to have some privacy!

Actor Cillian Murphy, of whom I am quite fond, worked with Sam Neill in the series ‘Peaky Blinders’. Upon learning of his co-star’s passing, Murphy was quoted with the following tribute, in which he called Neill “a deeply soulful and beautiful man” and “a friend and collaborator”.

I did not know Sam Neill personally, but I was more than satisfied with his performances, all the way back to his performance as Damien, all grown up, with his sights on the White House, in ‘The Omen III: The Final Conflict’! Rest in peace, Sam Neill, and thank you for your acting prowess! 🐾☮️

This is not a topic I wanted to write, nor did I believe this would have happened in America, in 2026, on the Fourth of July weekend no less! Happen it did, and while there is info out there, like that African-American young woman found lynched in Florida the end of June, more information only helps to keep people aware and that these situations require proper justice, not the “justice ⟦F⟧⟦A⟧⟦I⟧⟦L⟧” that is currently being applied!

Fourth of July weekend, Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old African-American male, and his three unnamed White male friends, went to Horn Island, accessible by boat only, off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Their intent was to have been naught more than celebrating the holiday weekend, as they would be returning to school on Monday! What followed was nothing at all celebratory!

Nolan never returned from the trip, alive at least! Authorities, after 2 days of searching, his deceased body was found on the western end of Horn Island. As of this time, the cause of his death has not been revealed yet, as an investigation is still underway. The story presented after the body’s discovery was their boat had started taking on water, at which point, Nolan encouraged his friends to go back without him, that he would catch a ride back to the mainland with someone else. One of the boy’s mothers had taken to Facebook, saying the exact same story!

On 10 July, Ben Crump, the families’ lawyer, appeared with the parents on ‘Good Morning America’. It was during an interview with Michael Strahan that spoke of footage that has been obtained from that day! In the video, Nolan was heard to say, “Give me my freaking phone, what are you freaking doing?”.

In the interview with Strahan, Crump also touches on claims that are making the rounds, claims in which Wells left his phone when his friends returned to shore. “I mean, no young person leaves their cellphone,” Crump said. Not wrong!

In that same GMA episode, Nolan’s parents spoke about his cellphone, and how they were able to locate it using the Life360 app. Once the cellphone was located, they discovered the phone had been cleaned, leaving no “digital footprint” of Nolan at all! Ben Crump makes another good point in the interview: why didn’t Nolan’s body wash ashore Sunday? Why did it take until Monday for the body to turn up like it did? Someone really needs to be looking into things like that! Good on Crump for being that guy! Here is the interview from GMA:

Mississippi’s Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is leaning toward the “well, there’s no evidence to suggest foul play”, despite encouraging that an investigation is (supposedly) ongoing! Oh, really! So no evidence, whatsoever? Would y’all be acting this shitassed if dude that was murdered (yes, murdered, because I am calling it what it is!) had been a White dude instead of African-American? I think the answer speaks for itself!

This is yet another instance of social injustice! I am thankful Nolan’s family are working with Ben Crump on this independent investigation! It’s sad that an independent investigation is even needed, but I am glad that with the people involved, this case may have the justice it deserves!

We live in terrible times, fam! I never expected to keep seeing racially-fueled shit like this, or the horrors that the LGBTQ+ Community is being forced to endure in these times! We have to be better than this! The universe is a wonderful place, a place where things like race, or sexual preference, have no bearing, at all! Unfortunately to ascend to the next chapter in our lives, we have to show that we can leave all this racism, hate, inequality behind! Start being kinder, accepting! If we go in that direction, we get that much closer to actually achieving something not unlike True Peace! Can y’all do that, fam, please? 🐾☮️

Wowz! Reading ABSOLUTE CATWOMAN #2 just now was like popping an Altoid (maybe 2!) after consuming some pizza, going ahead with a fab A.F. job cleansing one's palate, yeah?

Nothing wrong with that issue of AB, it's just it was just *that* fucking intense! Seriously, NGL, fam, when I finished reading it, in those 5 minutes before I had to bounce for my doctor's appointment, I couldn't stop it: I cried! It was just THAT kind of intense!

Now then, the issue...

The story picked up where it left off at the end of the first issue, with Selina not 100% clear as to the identity of her attackers, nor how to get Holly Robinson away from them (yet!), nor the origin of the silver sphere she recovered! But, Selina being Selina and all, regardless of which version of her, she is not one to take things sitting down!

Selina went and put that curious sphere online, via this DarkWeb-kinda auction site, with a crazy-high bid amount sought! Her intent was with a high bid like the one she assigned, she would be presented with less suspects to have to weed out, thereby wasting less of her time!

The rest of the issue was comprised of flashbacks to when Selina was younger when she, and Holly, were in Calicos For Life, a gang of girl thieves. In the flashbacks, we learn that Helena Bertinelli (she is the hero known as Huntress in the non-Absolute Universe) and Vic(toria) Sage (gender-swapped brilliantly 'cause I didn't see that one coming. They were the hero known as The Question) were members of the gang!

The final third of the issue is set in the Auction House, Switzerland, a location so extravagantly obscure and off-the-grid, it was created when it was carved into a mountain! As Selina says, "This is where the .0001 percent meet to buy and sell the most valuable -- and volatile -- items in the world. And 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠 of their meaning".

She is not the actual entity/organization behind Holly's abduction, but the reveal that Vic Sage was connected to it was still a surprise! The reveal reminded me of something I'd seen in a film from the late 60s - early 70s! Slick, I like it!

It was, at this point, with the visuals, and dialogue, provided that the abductors are likely the Absolute Universe's League of Shadows, along with Batgirl (Cassandra Cain)! I don't believe the Absolute Universe's Ra's Al Ghul is connected to the League, so I am very much curious to see where this goes!

Bengal, yet again, turns in yet another stellar set of panels and pages! His art is the perfect fit for this series' vibe! Replacing him at any point soon would be nothing short of criminal!

In conclusion, this was another great issue for this series! The pacing, the introduction of characters, the art, everything about this book has been a straight-up home run (and I hate baseball, yo)! Che Grayson is soooo on her way to becoming another G.O.A.T.! 🐾☮️

Sitting right now, in my electric wheelchair, in my primary care physician's room, waiting, using this time to work on this!

My brain is kablooey right now, yeah? I just finished reading the current issue of ABSOLUTE BATMAN, issue #22, and then I had to bounce for my appointment with my primary care physician. That issue was INTENSE A.F., and now I gotta pull my head back together, so I can do this review, right?

No promises, but I will do my best to keep this one Spoiler-Free! There was so, so much going on inside this issue! If it does happen, I will be sure to turn on the Spoilers Warning!

First thing on my mind... [𝚁𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍] is Harley's dad! What-the-everlovin'-FUCK!!!!! I had to re-read those last couple of panels before I left the house! Even reflecting on the 21 issues leading up to this, never in a million years, I would never have made that connection! Holy crow! Fucking game changer is what that is!

And wait a tic... Harley's mother is [𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍]!!???!! Ok, brb, I need to find Gorilla Glue so I put my head back together...AGAIN!

As intense as all that was, and don't get me wrong 'cuz it was (!), that handful of backstory on Absolute Scarecrow? Yesh, dude, is so much scarier, ridiculously more terrifying than Absolute Joker! And that shit he dropped on Bruce at the very end of the issue? Dark A.F., without a doubt! Do I know if it's real or not? Naw, I'm of both worlds for the mo'!

I am still not sure how I feel about the Robins yet! I mean, I don't hate them, or anything like that, I just don't feel we've been presented with enough yet to form any sort of opinion! But, hey, that might be just me, I don't know!

Yo, how about that accompanying art by Werther Dell'Edera? Shit was tight and tense as the fucking story! I know dude wasn't the artist for the first three issues in this arc, but goddamn, I would be over the moon if DC let him be artist to finish this unsettling arc! Please??

Hey, in closing, I just wanted to address the fact I was able to bang out this review without needin' to fall back on Spoilers! Who? Yeah, dis guy! 🐾☮️

When I started this Substack newsletter, "Unreliable Body, Reliable Opinion", it was started, more or less, as something of lark. I knew, in my head, that there would be nerd-a-licious articles, as well as those highlighting new advances in regard to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment research! I hadn't hammered out all the other aspects of the newsletter content, but I also knew I wanted to bring socially relevant content into a world that has just about lost its goddamned mind!

When I read the article I am about discuss, I felt sick to my stomach, with potential for all kinds of tears! The only thing holding me back from crying is I have difficulty reading/processing material right after I have cried! This story is too important to delay any further! This tale needs to be read, and shared!

On 18 June 2026, the body of Tonea Miller, a 27-year-old African-American woman was discovered dead, hanging from a tree in Gwen Cherry Park, Miami, FL! She died nearly 1,400 miles, or 20.5 hours, away from Flint, MI, where she originally hailed from!

Following her discovery, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Department issued a statement that they issued that her death was "consistent with a suicide".

When the statement was issued, no mention had been made that Miller has been hanged from a tree when she was discovered! The case has been closed, with no intent to investigate this hanging as a homicide instead!

The Miami-Dade County medical examiner's records office, by law, is unable to release the findings. Whether or not Miller's death was actually a suicide, it has ruled as such, and in the State of Florida, the records of people who appeared to have died from suicide are exempt from public viewing without permission from next-of-kin!

Tonea Miller was said to be in Miami for a Juneteenth celebration! However, during the 25 June press conference, Terri Miller, Tonea's sister, said that Tonea had been in Miami since February of this year! Terri was also quoted, at the time, as saying, "My sister was a beautiful human that loved life and would not damn sure take her own.".

One of the curiouser aspects to the story comes from Mistress Mei, co-founder of Decrim305 an organization that works to decriminalize sex work. Mei, in a video posted to the group's IG account on 26 June, said that Tonea Miller was "one of our participants- as in, we provided services to her." Mei had also remarked that Miller's sister, Terri, was seeking an independent autopsy!

Digging further, there is an arrest affidavit on file, from when Tonea Miller was arrested in Miami in February 2025. This affidavit further supports the claims that she was already in Miami prior to Juneteenth 2025! The address she provided, at the time of the affidavit, was for the Chapman Partnership, a homeless charity!

At this point in time, there are a number of questions floating about in regard to this! I can't say whether this will be resolved properly, instead of giving it the "white privilege " treatment! I hope (not pray, fam, because faerie tales ain't gonna help this situation in any way, shape or form!) that this can be handled in the way it should have been from day one, providing the family with closure!

The only other thing I wish to write about, as I bring this very tragic, and unfortunate, article to a close is the matter of the police calling this a suicide! I'm sorry, y'all, but suicide by hanging, from a tree no less, doesn't really occur all that much, if at all! When it does occur, it is more likely to be a male than a female, and there are numbers to support this!

I don't know what truly happened 18 June in Miami. All I do know, and believe, is Tonea Miller did not die from suicide! 🐾☮️

My information for this article came from Snopes.com. There is a boatload of information out there regarding this, and not all of it is reliable, or fact-based! Snopes' information is the best source for delicate information like this!

Also, If you or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or use its online chat services to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

Issue #21 of ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN is the beginning of a two-part story arc titled "Friends & Neighbors". Within this issue, Thompson deals with the last page of the previous issue, wherein Diana (that’s WW, fam!) is pulled from the world of the Living to the Underworld, as a result of her eating Persephone's Pomegranate seed; unfortunately, there is no way for her to know when that particular moment will occur each year, other than it will be one month out of the year! Much of the rest of the issue dealt with Director Cale's capture of Barbara Minerva and how it will eventually lead to Barbara becoming the new Cheetah (not a Spoiler)!

Long story short, like my title declares, Kelly Thompson is the motherfuckin' G.O.A.T. of WW writers! Sure, I realize that AWW is a separate continuity from the regular WW series, but Kelly has made this version of Diana to be the most accessible! In 21 issues, this run flows so much better! Even the Greek deities presented in this series feel so much more relatable (or as relatable as a god can be, am I right)!

With this issue, we are that much closer to the end of Kelly Thompson's second year on AWW. It's been one hell of a fun, highly engaging two years! I truly hope Kelly Thompson does not plan on leaving the series anytime soon! 🔥🔥🔥

Now, as much as it pains me to say this, but you know who is NOT killing it? Dillon Snook, the artist assigned to this story arc! I have zero idea of who they are, but they are, clearly, no Hayden Sherman! I think I would have been okay with an artist other than Sherman for the new arc, but the artist assigned was just not a good fit for the characters of the series! Worst case scenario, Steve Trevor, who I felt looked derpy A.F. for the thankfully, brief amount of panels they appeared in this issue! Thankfully, the script was strong enough that I could ignore Snook's artwork!

Final conclusion, solid start story-wise to the next arc! 👍 Art-wise, not so much! 🐾☮️

Okay, fam, enough nerd shit for the moment! Time to get real for a mo', yeah?

I just saw this news online, despite it being released 3 days ago, and I had to share it with y'all, what with me having MS and this newsletter being kinda MS-centric, am I right?

On 25 June 2026, news broke that the FDA (Food & Drug Administration, yo!) had approved human trialing of PTD802, an oral remyelination for the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS)! To say this was big news would be the biggest understatement next to saying "Dick-tator" Trump was just a bad President!

The drug, a G protein-coupled receptor 17, is a small molecule therapeutic, is a joint venture between Pheno Therapeutics, based in Australia, and UCB, based in Europe. Both parties are big players in the world of pharma, so I have grand expectations for this venture, truly grand expectations!

For those not aware (and that's okay, fam, because I didn't really know until I received the diagnosis almost 8 years ago!), Multiple Sclerosis is the name given to the autoimmune disease where the body's immune system begins furiously attacking the myelin, the insulation that provides covering to the nerve cells of the human body.

While I recognize that "human trial" is not the same thing as the drug being "available for prescription ", it is still important, so much so that I am hopeful that I may benefit from its effects, once the trials are completed! Unfortunately, I am also aware that I am 57 years of age, and in November of this year, I will be 58, and how I perceive that is that I may likely too old to fully appreciate, and utilize, the drug's potential benefits! But, for everyone else younger than me, also suffering with MS, I will be glad for them!🫂

The trials are currently in Phase One, so they are still in what can be perceived of as "infancy". My wife is a registered nurse, and she said things don't start getting good until Phase Two! #EXCITED

ＳＯＵＲＣＥＳ: here and here

I am beyond grateful that my wife and I were able to see the 𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝 movie Thursrday afternoon, one day before it opened nationwide Friday! Yes, I'm still drowning in a sea of MS-fueled depression (still not clear why this is happening), but the film hit all the right notes, not unlike last year's 🅂🅄🄿🄴🅁🄼🄰🄽 movie, despite the nag of my clouded emotions right now! So, whadda ya say? Ready for my review? Good, 'cause you're gonna get it anyway! ✌︎㋡

James Gunn handled the whole shebang for 🅂🅄🄿🄴🅁🄼🄰🄽, but for 𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝, the writing was handled by Ana Nogueira, while Craig Gillespie was the director. The script source was the comic mini-series, Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow, written by Tom King, with art by Bilquis Evely. I am not as familiar with the mini-series (NGL, I thought [𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱] died in it, and that kept me from reading it! But, I found that I was incorrect, and I will be reading it! But. Anyway...), but I have read online that it follows the comic pretty closely!

As I was saying earlier, I have not read the comic, but that didn't have any bearing on whether or not I liked the film; I 💓 it! Milly Adcock was outstanding as Supergirl, bringing a fresh take to the character, expanding the brief taste of the character we were treated to at the end of the 🅂🅄🄿🄴🅁🄼🄰🄽 movie! And Jason Momoa as Lobo? Dude was 🔥 A.F.! DC would be nothing short of functionally stupid if they don't work to get him to do a Lobo solo film!

The story was solid, presenting us with a Supergirl, not so "super", as she parked her shuttle on a planet orbiting a red sun (red suns drain Kryptonians of the powers normally provided by a yellow sun), wherein she engaged in a pub crawl for her 23rd birthday! The drinking appeared to be her way of dealing with life and her role in it, or maybe not so much, yeah? Krypto was with her, seeing as how he is her dog!

It would be such a short, boring little film if that's all there was to it; however, there was more, including lots of searching, lies, a bit of fighting, and Kara returns to Earth, and her cousin (Superman, fam, Superman!, as she has finally "grown up " and figured out exactly who she is, as well as who Supergirl truly is! 👏

One point that stuck, more to my wife than me, was why would Kara bring Krypto with her to a planet orbited by a red sun, knowing that it would remove his powers as well? I am not 100% sure of the answer, but this is how I perceived this...

Kara was looking to get as drunk as possible on her birthday, in an effort to stay away from having to face who she really was! The planet she chose, and the bar she is in when the film opens, both were very low-key! Nothing was going on that seemed to call out for yellow sun-provided superpowers! Just drinkin' and chillin'!

As for Krypto being along for this affair, well, as I said, he's her dog! Literally, very much so, as we learn from the flashbacks! Also, and I truly feel this was apparent through the entirety of the film, she loved Krypto very much, and he truly loved her just as much!

Despite this being a planet bathed in red solar radiation, and what that meant for she and Krypto, this area gave the impression of never, hardly ever, being on anyone's radar! So, yeah, for all intents and purposes, nothing whatsoever should have happened, AT ALL!

And you know what else? DC is doing a better job of presenting their Cinematic Universe than Marvel! They are presenting the films in such a way as to not develop "superhero burnout"! Releasing them in this manner makes it a much positive, less burdened approach when viewing their Cinematic Universe’s entries!

I love Marvel, too, but their approach has been "too much, too fast"! Now, thanks to their rush to own the superheroes part of the cinematic playing field, my wife, more or less, hates the superhero film genre, making it hard to really discuss the films in-depth! And, honestly, I am kinda burned out by the glut of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, too!

Look, fam, it's that time, the closing of this article! ⏰️

𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝 was a fun, engaging gem! And, don't worry, the costume isn't even seen until the last 15-20 minutes of the movie! Sure, you don't have to see it, but trust me, it's very, very likely you'll be glad you did! 🐾☮️

On 11 June 2026, the BBC announced there would be no Doctor Who Xmas Special, and along with that announcement, it was announced that Russell T. Davies' run as the current Showrunner came to its end!

Dude didn't even have an actor in mind to play the Doctor, nor did he even have a fucking script! #facepalm

The BBC also announced, something to the effect of, that there would be no new WHO for a while, as they try to figure out how to go forward with the long-running British science fiction series! Oh, THIS ought to be good! ⏱️

I am one of those "old fans", only without the toxic comments and outlook! I used to be of the former, but I have put in a considerable amount of mental effort, trying to erase those negative perspectives, not for Doctor Who, but for comics as well! I don't regret making that change at all!

Doctor Who has been a significant part of my life since the day in the very early 1980s, when I saw my first episode, Tom Baker's first story as the Fourth Doctor, "Robot"! DW was so much a part of my life, my personality, that my wife wanted us to have a Doctor Who-themed wedding, replete with custom-made Dalek wedding cake toppers!

So, yeah, it goes without saying, but I am not really that surprised at this news! The show has been pulling in less than satisfactory viewing numbers for some time now!

While it is clear that not everyone loved Jodie Whittaker's run as the Thirteenth Doctor (ummm...on account of them being totally lame!), it's also clear, if you look at the numbers, that people like Jodie's outting so much more than Ncuti Gatwa's run as the 15th Doctor! The numbers show that 5M watched Jodie's final Season, while 3M, a drop of 2M viewers, watched Ncuti's Doctor!

I know that I have been nothing but transparent in regard to my feelings regarding Ncuti's 15th Doctor, as well as David Tennant's return as the 14th Doctor! I didn't feel that Ncuti was a terrible Doctor at all; instead, I think he was the victim of some horribly written scripts, and dialogue, that overshadowed who he could have been onscreen! His Doctor seemed genuinely interesting, but Davies' scripts made him seem, for want of a better word, dumb!

And bringing David Tennant back for the role of the 14th Doctor? Yeah, absolute RUBBISH! The only reason Tennant was brought back was because Davies was feeling "nostalgic " in lieu of the show's upcoming 60th Anniversary, knowing that the fans absolutely adored David Tennant's portrayal of the Tenth Doctor! How does that even constitute as writing, like the kind where the writer actually puts thought into what they are writing?!!?

Here's the thing with RTD, right? Before he got the gig of helming the launch of nuWHO, Davies wasn't really that well known, as far as Doctor Who! However, that's not to say he didn't ever do anything WHO-related!

During what are commonly referred to, among WHO fans, as "the Wilderness Years", that period of time from 1989 to 2005, when there weren't any new 'Doctor Who' stories on the television, it came to pass that two series of Doctor Who books were produced: from 1991-1997, Virgin Publishing's "Doctor Who: The New Adventures" (often referred to, by the fans, as the "NAs"), set right after "Survival", the Seventh Doctor's last televised story, and from 1997-2005, BBC Books' "Eighth Doctor Adventures" (often referred to by the fans as the "8DAs" or "EDAs"), set just after the TV Movie from 1996, which introduced Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.

It was during the last remaining year or so, of Virgin Books' contract that Russell T. Davies came to have a Doctor Who "NA" published: 'Damaged Goods'. The book is highly regarded, especially by me, as one of the the best of Virgin's "NAs"! It was thought of so much so that Big Finish Productions did an audio adaptation of it, with Jonathan Morris handling the adaptation. It was good, but still not sure why they didn't try and get RTD to do the adaptation, seeing how he was the one who wrote the book, and, well, he was still alive and all!

The book was an intense read! There was the subject matter: life in the projects, cocaine (they changed the name of the drug to SMILE in the audio adaptation), street gangs, and dark machinations far darker than anything on this world! Then, there was The Doctor, who had his hands full trying to fix the consequences that came out of a deal made on Christmas Eve in 1977!

Keep that story in mind, then fast forward from 1996 to 2005. Christopher Eccleston was a good, if oftimes harsh (but, so was the Sixth Doctor, am I right?), Doctor. Rose was a forgettable companion that was so many seem to fucking ADORE! Special EFX that were a bit ᗯOᗯ, yeah? Oh, a farting alien race called the Slitheen were introduced!

With RTD still in the Showrunner seat, Series 2 happened, introducing the world to David Tennant's Tenth Doctor! Oh, and Rose was still his companion, now following him around every episode with puppy dog eyes! 🤮

Davies would be on-board until the end of Series 4, in 2008, when he left, followed by David Tennant, who left as well. Series 4 would be Davies' last Series on Doctor Who until 2023, when he was brought back as the Showrunner. He was succeeded by Steven Moffat. Davies has never really stated the reason for his departure, only that he doesn't like working on continuing series for all that long!

In 2023, the BBC brought Russell T Davies back as the Showrunner, in an effort to try and restore interest in the show, interest they felt was lost with Chris Chibnall as the previous Showrunner! Davies' approach was going to be all about "nostalgia", as he brought back David Tennant, playing the Fourteenth Doctor this time, alongside Catherine Tate, reprising her role as Tenth Doctor companion Donna Noble, for a series of specials for the show's 60th Anniversary!

But, dude wasn't satisfied with stopping there! Oh no! During conclusion to "The Giggle", the last of the 60th Anniversary specials, RTD had the Doctor experience a bigeneration, wherein David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor was able to continue living on Earth, with Donna and her family (🅆🄷🄰🅃??!!!??), while Ncuti Gatwa was able to split from his body, thereby becoming the Fifteenth Doctor! Ummm, yeah, we totally needed the idea of bigeneration added to the series mythos!

At this point in time, WHO fandom on the interwebs is blowing up! Some are wondering if this is signaling the end of Doctor Who as a series! Some of the past actors from the show, like Peter Capaldi, who played the Twelfth Doctor from 2014-2017, doesn't feel that way at all!

Where do I fit in with this? After 46 years of watching, I think I may be okay with this being the end of the series! When I give thought to what the next WHO dumpster fire could be, I think ending the series now might not be such a bad idea!

Even if the show doesn't return to our television screens, the best case scenario is it returns to printed adventures, just like it did in the 90s, during "the Wilderness Years"! That's what I'm hoping for!

Worst case scenario is there is no return to printed adventures, with Big Finish Productions becoming the sole source for new Doctor Who stories! I am saying that is the worst case scenario, because BFP has overdone the whole "Filling in the Missing Spaces" in the Doctor's adventures! It's truly a wonder that the Doctor has not met themselves due to the oversaturation of past adventures!

I was definitely a fan of Big Finish, going all the way back to 1999 and their first monthly release, the multi-Doctor story, "The Sirens Of Time"! However, their recent offerings have been missing something overall, especially their recent "Thirteenth Doctor Adventures" (which is disappointing beyond belief for me, as I am quite a fan of Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor)!

And that, fam, is where we're at at this exact moment! Doctor Who is sitting on a shelf, as the BBC tries to decide if the series is worth continuing, and if so, who would helm it, and who would be the Doctor? So many choices for them, I hope they make the right choices! No pun intended, but Time shall tell! 🐾☮️

Goddamn, fam! My head is still buzzing like a generator, and I only finished reading this issue, like, 2, maybe 3, hours ago!

The story was both intense, immersive as hell, as well as being woven tight A.F., like going all the way back through the issues thus far, forming one well-woven tapestry of plot!

There was the cliffhanger from last issue, where Absolute Batman is confronted by the Robins Program, a group of independent operatives, overseen by General Slade Wilson, with their sole united goal: take down Batman! The group is comprised of former Robins, like Dick Grayson and Stephanie Brown, as well as Duke Thomas, who was to have been a Robin in the regular BATMAN comic series! We also see this Dick Grayson starting to exhibit signs that he doesn't agree 100% with the way General Wilson is directing the Robin Program!

Also, with this issue, the story continues to follow the ongoing collapse of Bruce's circle of friends (all of whom he has known since he was a boy!) Friends, which includes Oswald "Ozzie" Cobblepot (not 100% "The Penguin" yet but so, so disturbingly close!), Harvey Dent (who did not yet appear to be referring to himself as "Two-Face", but it felt like he most definitely was regarding himself as such!), and Edward "Eddie" Nygma (who, during the last few times he had been shown, has already appeared to embrace the persona of "The Riddler"!). Waylon Jones (who retained only the eyes from "Killer Croc", despite the magic arrowhead restoring the rest of him) seems to be the only "savable" amongst them!

I know it seems highly unlikely I will ever have this opportunity, but I would love to see Scott Snyder's series notes for ABSOLUTE BATMAN! I'm picturing it like this tome, of sorts, that pulls you in right away, losing all track of time!

The art from series regular artist Nick Dragotta felt different this time out! Not sure if it was intentional or not, but the art, in several spots, felt very much like Frank Miller à la THE DARK KNIGHT, while in a few spots had a decidely manga-esque flavor! The art appeared tight and edgy, really driving this issue home! I liked it, as I felt both styles I was picking up on totally suited the story this ish!

Just shooting spitballs here, but I am getting the vibe that things are going to keep getting worse for Bruce, much worse! If I am right, which I don't have much reason to think otherwise, I suspect Batman will be changed by all this! What do you think, fam? 🐾☮️

This issue right here? ABSOLUTE CATWOMAN #1? It blew all, and any, expectations I had out of the water! Did DC need another Absolute title at this time? Naw, especially not one focused entirely on Catwoman, of all the Batman characters! Nothing wrong, whatsoever, with Selina! 🐈‍⬛️ I just feel there are more interesting characters that could be introduced! Dang, was I ever wrong on that one! #facepalm!

I am only vaguely familar with Che Grayson. Just prior to writing this review, I poked around online on their personal page. They have so much going on out there, leaving my first impression of them as interesting A.F.! I plan to check out their links for the short films they have made, as well as checking out their 𝗧𝗘𝗗 Talk, "The Superhero We Need"!

For the writing for this issue, Che Grayson is credited, along with Absolute Batman Universe creator Scott Snyder. I am presuming that Scott Snyder was there, yeah, but I feel he would have been content to assume the role of "passenger" to Grayson's "Driver" And if that were the case, which I truly believe it was, then I think Absolute Selina's tales are in the best hands possible!

This Selina really seems to have it going on! She faced early life challenges, not unlike our Selina, but she had quite a bit to show for it in, what I perceived of as, a short-ish time! (OMG! The CatCave 😱🤩)

The writing was fresh, yet very, very engaging! This Selina seems to have so much to show, and tell, and I am over the moon with the fact that Che Grayson will be in writer's seat! Hear that, DC? You need to take care of this one, y'all, ＥＸＴＲＡ good care! You can do this!

And WOW! Prior to this issue's premiere, I was of the opinion that Selina's racial background was African-American. Imagine my surprise to discover she is Cuban by birth! Not "bad" surprise, just plain ol' "No Hidden Meaning(s)" surprise. All I can add further on this is that I am cool, without a doubt, that they made Absolute Selina a race other than white!

As far as the art, this was my first time seeing Bengal's art style! NGL, there have been some stellar talents on the art chores for ABSOLUTE BATMAN, but this dude was the real deal! His action scenes were dope! And his style for drawing Absolute Selina? Chef's Kiss! 🤌🏻

His action scenes blew up as they happened! Every action panel drew you in, like you were watching a 3D movie, instead of reading a comic book! I, for one, cannot wait to see future pages drawn by Bengal!

All I can say in closing is this issue was showered with a ʀɪᴅɪᴄᴜʟᴏᴜꜱ amount of praise, and it was rightly so! Everything about this issue was pure gold, and I cannot wait for the next issue to come out! Check it out, fam, if you haven't already! 🐾☮️

Since “shedding” my “Christianity“ (you know, on account of it's ƒαкє), I have begun to give decidely more unbridled thought to the universe and humanity's role in it!

One of the lines of thought for me that has begun receiving the most attention of late has been concerning that of gender and sexuality. I expect this one will ruffle some feathers (hope! hope! hope!)!

Gender and sexuality. I feel that, at this point in time, it has never before been such a bone of contention as it is now! I mean, seriously, 山卄卂丁.丁卄乇.千ㄩ匚Ҝ!

It seems like a day can't go by without someone being assaulted and/or verbally accosted, for choosing to identify with a gender other than that which they were born! WHY? How in the world does someone preferring to identify as a woman, instead of a man, as they were born, have any bearing whatsoever on your life specifically? Answer, asshole? Ｉｔ ｄｏｅｓｎ'ｔ!!! If “Jim” wants to be perceived as “Jamie”, fucking let them!

Right now, we're living in, without a doubt, probably one of the worst times in our culture's history! Groceries are becoming as expensive as rare gems and metals! To purchase a house, you need to put a lien against your soul! And renting a apartment? Yeah, not much chance of that happening, either!

But, yeah, I can totally see how “Jim” being referred to as “Jamie” could affect your day! If they would just stick to their birth gender, groceries would be sooooo much cheaper! And I am 100% aware of how gender preference/identification has such a profound effect on housing prices, and rental costs!

Unfortunately, the hate/unnecessary discontent doesn't stop with just the issue of gender preference vs. birth gender! Oh no, folks like to get all riled up about your sexual preference, believing that everyone must be straight/hetero, nothing else in-between! And if you think otherwise? Your ass is going straight to hell, no questions asked!

Here's my take on this… humans are born in either a male or female form, and sometimes even as a hermaphrodite. Does that mean we are limited to just one sexual preference? No, not at all! Try things out, see what works for you! As long as it's consensual, whereas you aren't just trying stuff with others who were wholly unaware of what was going on, I think it's totally cool!

And here's the other thing, and this, fam, this is where I draw my line in the proverbial sand, and goddamn ANYONE who tries to cross it! Just because you could have sexual conduct with someone significantly younger than you are, it doesn't mean you should! There is ɴᴏ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ɢʀᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇᴀ when it comes to children suffering abuses of ᴀɴʏ ᴋɪɴᴅ! I have 🆉🅴🆁🅾 sympathy, and tolerance, for pedophiles, and that includes Donald Trump!

So, where do I fit into this story, you know, besides wishing terrible things happening to pedophiles?

Well, first item, my gender. I was born as a male, complete with working “wedding tackle” and all! However, having seen/read enough demoralizing acts perpetrated by my birth gender, I have started regarding myself as either Non-Binary, when no other option is presented, or when it says "Other", and space is available, I type the following: "I was born Male; however, after all the horrible, and decidely immoral, acts I've witnessed committed by my birth gender, I divorce myself from that gender, and all genders, in general!". I still like women, etc., I just hate my gender, that's all!

Next up on the docket, my sexuality.

I have no problem looking at another dude and saying, "That's a good-looking dude"! My wife is aware of it, and she knows that, just because I compliment some fella, it doesn't mean I also want to hook-up with them like that! It just means I am comfortable with who I am, in that my views, etcetera don't have to sync up with what the general populace considers to "the norm"!

Which brings us to the concluding part of this article, the part about me.

This last bit is simple enough, and it dovetails nicely with the last paragraph. I have a couple "man-crushes", of which my wife is very much okay with! My "man-crushes” are both actors: Mads Mikkelsen, 61, and Cillian Murphy, 50! I think both men are extraordinary actors, as well as being, decidely handsome! The likelihood of this actually happening is on par with me correctly picking all six of the MegaMillions numbers, but, speaking in a hypothetical sense, if presented with the opportunity to go out with either of them, then, yes, I definitely would, without a doubt!

I need to wrap this up, yeah?

I think, really, what I had intended to say, or impart, was that you do what you want, be who you want, and damn those motherfuckin' consequences! Seriously, as long as what y'all got going on doesn't involve children, animals, or women, nor does it involve any weird sex acts and/or violence, of any kind, toward any of the aforementioned, then you good! Now, scoot, and be nice to everyone, and I mean, 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀𝑶𝑵𝑬! 🐾☮️

🌍 𝗘𝗨𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗡 ♡ 78.1%

⚤ Southern European ♡ 37.5%

𖦹 Italian ♡ 30.7%

𖦹 Spanish & Portuguese ♡ 2.3%

𖦹 Greek & Balkan ♡ 0.5%

𖦹 Broadly Southern European ♡ 4.0%

⚤ Eastern European ♡ 22.2%

⚤ Northwestern European ♡ 9.8%

𖦹 French & German ♡ 9.8%

° ʀʜɪɴᴇʟᴀɴᴅ-ᴘᴀʟᴀᴛɪɴᴀᴛᴇ, ɢᴇʀᴍᴀɴʏ

If you have European ancestry, you’re probably descended from Charlemagne. The authors of a recent study estimated that every European who lived over 1,000 years ago — and left descendants — is very likely the ancestor of every ethnically European person alive today. And Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was particularly prolific, siring around 20 known children.

It might sound counterintuitive, but it has to do with something called “pedigree collapse,” or a folding-in of the human family tree. We have 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents and — skipping ahead a bit here — over 1,000 10th-great-grandparents. If we follow this logic back over 40 generations to the time of Charlemagne, we should each have more than a trillion ancestors. But this would be impossible (that’s over 10 times the total number of humans estimated to have ever lived). If you go far enough back in time, your pedigree is actually “collapsing” in on itself over and over again, with many of your ancestors showing up on multiple branches of your family tree.

● SOURCE: 23andMe, my DNA Ancestry Report

⚤ Ashkenazi Jew ♡ 2.2%

⚤ Broadly European ♡ 7.5%

🌍 𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡 & 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 ♡ 21.4%

⚤ Northern West Asian ♡ 15.9%

𖦹 Anatolian ♡ 10.1%

𖦹 Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian ♡ 2.3%

𖦹 Broadly Northern West Asian ♡ 3.5%

⚤ Arab, Egyptian & Levantine ♡ 3.0%

𖦹 Levantine ♡ 3.0%

⚤ North African ♡ 1.1%

⚤ Broadly Western Asian & North African ♡ 1.4%

️ 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 ♡ 0.5%

*** Traces of the following populations were detected in my DNA:

🧬 Senegambian & Guinean ♡ 0.3%

🧬 Gujararti & Patidar ♡ 0.2%

DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid. In short, a tiny molecule tasked with being the genetic blueprint for who we will be!

Science developments have been continuing for a long time, some completely not even registering on our radar! One such science-y development has been the Human Genome Project, an ongoing affair in which work is being conducted on DNA, to break it down, telling us who we REALLY are!

For Xmas (or maybe it was my b'day) 2016, my wife had ordered the 23andMe DNA kit for me, as a gift. When she had told me, as well as not long after we mailed off my “spit sample”, I had absolutely ZERO idea of the shit show that was to unfold!

A few months after receiving notice that my results had been posted to my account online, I received notice from them that a close relation had been found! How “close”, you may ask? Close enough to be considered a, hitherto unknown, half-sister! Wait for it, ‘cause there’s more… Her father was actually my real birth father, not that asshole who made me happy when he died from a massive heart attack in 1992! 😮🤯

When I first introduced myself, via Zoom, the man, who was my real father, seemed pleasantly conversant enough, but he had said, unfortunately, that he couldn't really remember the-parental-unit-known-as-”Mom”! That probably should've been a 🚩; however, 23andMe had embraced the science of DNA analysis, thereby eliminating any potential for “red flags”!

Looking back on that night, [redacted] kind of reminded me of Laverne's father, played by the late Phil Foster, from the 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley! Reflecting further, I wish that he HAD been Laverne's dad, and not this schlub!

Through the “magic” (NOT magic AT ALL!) that is Facebook, I learned that his daughter is über-Evangelical! Like so much so that if “god” (were he actually really real and not some kind of faerie tale figure!) had seen how she behaved, he'd be embarrassed A.F., without a shred of doubt! NO ONE needs to be THAT “Christian “!

And then there is the “father”! I can't remember the context of the conversation we were having, again, via Zoom, but I do remember that, near the end of the conversation (which wasn't very long, as dude was hella boring to talk with!), [redacted] comes out of left field with some kind of MAGA shit, wherein he is bitching about then-Speaker Of The House, Nancy Pelosi! Like dude fucking knew her personally, or some shit like that!

After that regrettable conversation with [redacted], I took it upon myself to be all straight-up creepin’ on him via his Facebook page! Dude was posting all kinds of Conservative-heavy MAGA-esque shit, along with the usual banal posts FB is notorious for hosting! The info I managed to cull pretty much drove it home that I need to cut off these Evangelical, MAGA-friendly fucks and never, EVER look back!

So, that brings the story back to the present. The Lying Liar (wowz, gotta love that alliteration, am I right?) that was the Parental-Unit-Formerly-Known-As-”Mom” passed away in January 2020; I didn't shed one tear! I lost my “Uncle” Nick in November 2024, and, while he wasn't my real Uncle (he was, in actuality, my NotFather's cousin), he was always honest with me, plus, he always made me feel like I mattered!

The only living family member I still maintain contact with is my half-brother. He and I had more than our share of moments growing up, and after, but he and I settled our differences about a decade or so ago, just prior to the birth of his first child, and my niece. The “differences”? They were started, and stirred, in us by the parental-unit-formerly-known-as-”Mom”! So, yeah not really missing her much, seeing as how she's dead and all!

The real “core” family I have now is my wife and our five dogs! Some days, the dogs will get on both our nerves, like nobody's business, but we'd choose them over any living, breathing human! And y

ou know what? I am so very, very okay with that! 🐾☮️

Pride Month's initial beginnings go all the way back to the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. The riots were sparked as retaliation against a police raid taking place at the Stonewall Inn, up in Greenwich Village, NYC on the morning of 28 June!

However, if we can adjust our temporal focus, we can see the beginnings start much, much earlier...

..starting in the early 1900s. North America, as well as Europe, saw the birth of gay and lesbian organizations, such as the Society for Human Rights, the first known gay organization in the U.S., founded by early gay rights activist Henry Gerber in 1920s Chicago. Gerber is also known for creating the first American gay publication, 'Friendship and Freedom'. In 1992, Gerber was inducted, posthumously, into Chicago's LGBTQ+ Hall of Fame!

One particular group, The Mattachine Society, formerly the Mattachine Foundation, was formed secretly in 1950s Los Angeles. The group was formed by Harry Hay, a Communist organizer, and a handful of other leftists. The organization's name was inspired by a medieval French society of masked dancers known as the "Société Mattachine". Société Mattachine was known for performing during the Feast of Fools. The name they chose reflected the group's aim to critique societal norms while advocating for the rights of homosexuals.

After the end of World War II, there was activity from several small groups, including the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis, formed in San Francisco in 1955, as they began publishing newsletters highlighting positivity relating to gay and lesbian issues.

In 1966, Julius, a NYC bar, was hosting a "sip-in" protest held by the Mattachine Society, during which the Society asked for drinks after announcing they were gay, a noted violation of local laws in regard to serving alcohol to lesbians and gay!

It wasn't until that night in June 1969, the Stonewall Riots, lasting 6 days later until 2 July, the end of which, unintentionally, aided in bringing the gay rights movement to the front of things, rather than an issue previously ignored by politicians and the media!

During the following year, on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, activists marched through Manhattan streets, in effort to commemorate the riots. It was organized by the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO) and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Umbrella Committee, and it was named the Christopher Street Liberation Day March. In time, it came to be known as, simply, the Gay Pride Parade!

The Gay Pride Parade, taking place 28 June 1970, is regarded as the country's first gay pride parade! Looking at the figures from that event - 3k to 5k march participants; the parade stretched from Greenwich Village to Central Park, roughly 51 blocks - the parade was nothing short of a triumphant success!

While I am aware of his name being in the Epstein Files, it is still worth noting that in June 2000, then-President Bill Clinton went on to designate June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, in recognition of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and gay activism through the years. In 2009, President Obama chose a more-inclusive name for the event: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pide Month.

President Obama went one further, when he created the Stonewall National Monument, a 7.7-acre area around the Stonewall Inn, where the modern gay rights movement began.

Today, Gay Pride events are celebrated worldwide! In cities that include Toronto, Sao Paolo, New York City, Sydney, Madrid and Taipei, the events typically attract nearly 5 million attendees!

The following U.S. Pride celebrations are planned:

Washington, D.C.: June 12–21, 2026

Los Angeles: June 14, 2026

NYC Pride March: June 27–28, 2026

Chicago: June 20–21, 2026, and June 28, 2026

San Francisco: June 26–29, 2026

Despite not falling into any of groups within the LGBTQ+ community, Pride Month is something very important to me, as I truly believe all people should be included, not just some people! It's 2026, fam, high time we put away that sorry-assed hate and discrimination! 🐾☮️

The other night, I was hip-deep in Google Photos, looking for something. Memory eludes me as to what exactly I was searching for, or even if I found what I can’t recall what it was I was searching! All I can recall, even as I am writing this, is how goddamned funny the video I rediscovered was!

The video hails from 9 December 2017, just about a year and two months before I received the Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, before my life as I know it would be changed forever!

At the time we were renting a condo in Cary, NC. It was just my wife and I, plus our two dogs: our Mini Schnauzer, Lily, and Lily’s BFF (for real, fam!), Fez, our Chinese Crested-Yorkie mix we rescued in 2011, back when we were still living in NJ. It was quite a cute community, all things considered!

The only downside to living there was the condo owner! Dude was a scatterbrained, hands-off property manager! We were there almost 4 years, and in that time, he never once came out to the property! Oh, and his wife lost the rent check we mailed them, on more than one occasion!

However, I am starting to veer off-course, so let me get back on track, before it’s too late!

I was still able to walk when we were living in Cary. There was a trail behind our condo called a Greenway, which was part of this thriving network of public trails and open spaces, utilized for walking, cycling, or using a wheelchair or scooter. I relied on this walkway as it was useful in getting to the bus stop for my ride to work.

The mornings walks on the Greenway were one of the many things I missed, taken away by the supercunt called MS! There was so much greenery (no pun intended, on my part at least!) and wildlife to be witnessed, and appreciated, along the walk! All year long, there was something nature-ish going on!

Once a year, around April-May, the geese eggs would hatch, and I would see Mama out there walking, the cuteness-times-∞ fuzzy goslings trailing behind her. NGL, I looked more forward to that than Xmas every year! You saw the photo, so you get it, yeah?

Remember that date I referenced in the beginning of this article? I had got this idea then, as I started my morning trek on the Greeway. It seemed like it might be fun to do a faux vlog, in which I had an encounter with, what I believed to be, Bigfoot. I had even intended, initially, to do more of them. Yeah, I had a better grasp on humor,and how to be happy, pre-MS diagnosis! 💔

At this moment, only three people have ever seen this video: myself, my wife Tammy, and a co-worker I was friends with at the time, with whom I had accidentally shared it (he quite liked it, all things considered). Now, I am about to share it with you all! I hope you enjoy it, and that it makes you smile as much as I did when I rediscovered it unintentionally! 🐾☮️

Still following on the tail of the "nerdy" vibe generated by my previous article, I thought the newsletter's readers would be better suited by a article that is, not only nerdy, but also give y'all some more insight about me.

Basketball, that's what I plan to talk about this time 'round. If you don't really like basketball, you don't have to stay for this one, promise, no judgment! The thing I will say is this one is going to be more about women's basketball, but, hey no judgment! Unless, of course, you're leaving because you're a misogynist cunt, and then, well, if that's the case, then, yeah, all kinds of judgment! Now then, onto the article...

My relationship with basketball, as a whole, is something of a curiosity! Back in junior high, while I was being all mega-nerdy and shit, I got it in my fat little noggin that I was going to go out for basketball tryouts the following week!

Mind you, up to that moment, I had had zero experience playing basketball, or even making any actual shots! I dunno. I was a kid, right? Maybe on some unconscious "primal" level I was of the opinion that if I could be on the basketball team, I wouldn't be "invisible " to girls anymore! It also might have helped me mentally (and emotionally) if I took into account that I was not only the chubby kid, but also, I was about as athletic as Napoleon Dynamite! Yo, stop try'na make sense, dawg!

The tryouts the following week were nothing short of a fucking joke! They were run by the gym teacher, who served as the basketball coach! Dude knew who wanted on his team, and this shitshow was going to be a waste of everyone's time!

I did my best, not really aware of how this was really going to end! Now, by "my best" really translated to "my worst", but at least it didn't discourage me from trying!

Nothing was really said that day. It wasn't until a few days later I learned who made the tryouts and who, like me, didn't make it. Despite not being a huge "sports dude", I was still pretty crushed, y'know?

It was at that moment that my absolute loathing of basketball, and sports in general, truly began! I had such a ridiculous, yet not entirely unjustified, disdain for basketball, and people who played the game! To me, all the other sports sucked just as much as basketball!

Growing up, I had been to see two different Philadelphia Phillies baseball games, one of two was in attendance with a friend of mine at the time. I mention this, as these two times happened a few years before the basketball tryouts, and my only interest in the Phillies was their green-hued mascot, the Phillie Phanatic! Oh, that, and I quite liked the hot dogs at the games!

It wasn't until soooo much later in my life, early 40s, in fact, that I found myself facing sports again! My best friend, at the time (and who, unfortunately, has chosen not to speak to me anymore, following his recent marriage!) had suggested shooting some basketball hoops at the net in the elementary schools' grounds, justvcross the street from where he and his fiancé lived. As I said, he was a friend I valued (and miss) much! While having no real interest in anything sports-related, I enjoyed time spent with him, so we went along and did it.

All said and done, we shot hoops for close to an hour, while his fiancé worked on dinner. And get this, fam! I actually did well enough, getting several of my shots to actually go in! 🤯

He and I would do this several times over the next two summers, until my wife and I moved out of my shitty apartment into a better apartment two towns over.

My mildy stirred interest in sports continued in move to the new apartment, as I got to see Philadelphia's hockey team, the Flyers, play, as a guest of father-in-law of my wife Tammy's employer. It was my first-ever hockey game, and I loved every moment of it!

I attended 2 additional Flyers' games. One was with a co-worker who turned to be a massive piece of shit, while the other was with Tammy. I can not recall entirely whether the Flyers had won either of those games, but I can remember have such a grand time at both!

So, what about basketball, hmmm?

I never had the opportunity to see the Philadelphia 76ers play I while still lived up north, but that didn't stop my growing interest in the game from flowering! The Sixers were never a team I much cared for, I was more of a Chicago Bulls fan!

My love, and appreciation, for basketball and hockey continued during our remaining time living in New Jersey.

We moved to North Carolina in mid-2015, but it wasn't until 2017, working at Cengage (which would become my final job, as 2018 would be the year I received my Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis!), based on campus at NC State, that my interest in basketball, or more particularly, college basketball, blossomed!

During college basketball's season, there were occasions when 2 tickets to a Wolf Pack game would be made available to the Cengage employees. I was lucky in that I was able to go to two different WP games, with Tammy in attendance! The games we saw were great, yeah, but the best part? The tickets were for the VIP seats, meaning we had access to a mini hot bar buffet, as well as a mini bar! Good times, y'all, good times!

Watching the college players, versus the NBA pro ball players, I saw the difference, yeah? Both play well, but the college players seem more about the game, the spirit of it all! None of it felt like a thinly-veiled product endorsement for sneakers! This felt like the real deal!

That brings us up to the present, yeah? I am no longer able to work, so I no longer get free game tickets. My interest in basketball had, more or less, cooled, as I didn't realize have friends to interact with like I had when I was still able to work!

It was during this year's ɱąʀƈɦ ɱąɖŋɛʂʂ that I had the coals of my basketball interest stirred, as the place I go for my MS-related physical therapy had been abuzz as they were participating in a work-based "March Madness" competition!

Of course, I had to ask game specific questions, which stirred things in my head, as I had been searching for something new-ish to take my mind of my MS! It would seem that getting back into college basketball might be just what the doctor ordered!

Initially, I was thinking college basketball and ɱąʀƈɦ ɱąɖŋɛʂʂ for the following year! Never once did my mind to drift toward the WNBA, and women's basketball, in any way, shape or form!

Sure, I knew who Caitlin Clark was and how she was like "lightning in a bottle", in relation to basketball and her flawless-beyond-a-doubt three-pointers! However, nothing there to have ignited any potential interest when she first came onto the scene!

So yeah, not sure why exactly, but the Monday night before Tammy went away for the weekend, to see our niece graduate (Summa Cum Laude, fam! So, so fucking proud of her!), while I stayed behind and took care of our five dogs, I wound up watching the final 30 minutes of an Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics WNBA game! For me, it was a tense, fun 30 minutes! Know what else? It actually helped assuage my depression for the night, which was no small task, let me tell you!

That Friday morning, my wife left for the weekend graduation, while that night was the Indiana Fever - Golden State Valkyries game I had waiting for the remainder of the week! And what a game it was! Caitlin Clark was killing it! The rest of the players were equally strong! At the end of all, it was another fun, tense game! Oh, and it was the first time for the Fever ever winning over GSV, so, yeah, there's that, too!

This past Monday was the second game 'tween the Fever and the GSV! (=◍․̫◍=) ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ɢᴀᴍᴇ!! (=◍․̫◍=) MORE intense, but still fun! Unfortunately for the Fever, this was their third loss this season!

GSV won, by 2 points: 88-90. It was literally down to, like, the last second! Both teams played a solid fucking game! GSV has some pretty amazing guards, and a defense that is off the chain! NGL, GSV totally earned that win, for sure!

Sadly, Caitlin Clark appeared disappointed in herself that, as she managed to only score 16 points during the game against GSV! Her disappointment seemed to turn into frustration, as she completely dissed the post-game media chats, despite being contractually obligated to do so, as per the WNBA!

As of this morning, I learned that Caitlin was being made to sit out tonight's game against the Portland Fire, in retaliation to her opting to not do the post-game media jam! Yeah, that's gonna hurt the viewing numbers for the Fever tonight!

I understand both sides of this, tho' I think understand Caitlin's side more! Our Slay Queen was hurt, disappointed in the small amount of points she was able to achieve during Monday's game! Choosing not to speak with the media, especially as to she was feeling at that moment, that was probably a wise decision, despite contractual obligations to do so! I mean, is it so goddamned important to have a player talk to the media, after a game they've lost?? I think not!

I don't know to get the WNBA's decision for tonight reversed! Only thing I can say is that, despite being unable to play tonight, I hope Caitlin Clark is able to focus on the positive in this, how she achieved her 500th player assist in Monday's game! And while the points earned was a smaller amount than she had hoped, I hope Caitlin can find the positivity in that she still managed to score some points, despite the team loss as a whole! We all dig you, Caitlin, no matter what, k?

Oh snap! That was one hell of a long piece to write! But so worth it! Sharing how my nerdy self showed an interest in something other than comics + books, had his feelings shit on, gave up on sports, and now is all about the WNBA, as well as things nerdalicious!

And that, fam, is all I have left to say! Hopefully I didn't lose anyone with length, and subject matter, this time 'round! 🐾☮️

After all that heaviness in yesterday's article (the comments!! OhMy!), I figured now might be the best time for one'a those "nerdy" articles I said were coming! No time like the present, yeah?

What follows is a tweaking, and rewriting, of a recent review I posted up on League of Comic Geeks. Considering the source material, it seems to have more than enough reason to share it here as well...

Do you like horror? Sure, who doesn't, am I right? And, well, if you don't, you probably won't much like this piece! You can't say you weren't warned!

If you are a comic reader, and you have yet to really read anything without capes & tights in it, no better time than now! Seriously, if you've been looking for a comic with writing that transcends the notion of "comic writing", I think you're gonna like this article..

The first real original horror comics didn't come about until the late 1940s/early 1950s, with launch of EC Comics! It was started by William Gaines and Al Feldstein, in an effort to offer something to read other than superhero fare! The EC titles included 'Tales From The Crypt' and 'The Vault of Horror'. These books were pre-Comics Code, and when the Senate Subcommittee launched its 𝔦𝔪𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥 𝔥𝔲𝔫𝔱, these were some of the titles that, ultimately, led them to begin their 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵!

Also published around the same time was Frederic Wertham's 'Seduction of the Innocent'. In his infamous work, the German-born American psychiatrist tried to draw a connection between comic books and juvenile delinquency!

And thus was created the Comics Code Authority!

It's been innumerable years since then, and there are more than enough independent comics published that appeal to adults that want something with a bit more bite in the comics they read! And it is one comic in particular I will be focusing on.

The series in question is 'Ice Cream Man', from Image Comics. Written by W. Maxwell Prince, with art by Martin Morazzo, the series sports an anthology-like flavor, as stories ranging from flat-out scary to surrealistically unsettling unfold. The only common thread between them is the storyteller, a dark A.F. ice cream man named Rick, possessing powers as dark as he is, and Caleb, darkly garbed cowboy, who exists, it would appear, to be there to ensure someone can keep Rick in check!

It feels like it's been a dog's year since I last read an issue of 'Ice Cream Man'! And, well, it's not altogether untrue, when you filter in how much my MS-related depression has fucked up my reading focus, as well as the fact that I like to read ICM after buying three or four digital issues at a time, then take a brief sabbatical! So, maybe "a dog's year was the right choice of words, yeah?

Despite it being something of a while since I last read an issue of the series, the vibe was so easy to jump back into! I think, at a base level, that's one of the things I really love about this series: it's wicked easy to stop for a spell, like I do, then come back and jump back in, like it was nothing!

So, yeah, this issue... Holy shit! NGL, I know it was WMP's creativeness, unrelated to me, but it sure as shit felt like I was reading a comic about me, living with MS (Multiple Sclerosis)!

Every day, for me, is like the character Gary in the story! I go to bed the night before, envisioning what I want the following day to turn out like! And not unlike it does for poor Gary (only he doesn't have to contend with MS!), everything I had hoped would happen does not! 😥

I have loved EVERY issue I've read thus far, but until WMP presents me with one that outperforms it, this is going to remain my favorite issue of 'Ice Cream Man'! 'Nuff said, fam, 'NUFF SAID! 🐾☮️