Needless Things Podcast 305 – Gods on Film: The Movies of DC Comics

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-8jnw5-d45fb9

For over fifty years filmmakers have been mining the rich history of DC Comics for inspiration, ideas, and adaptations. From Batman to John Constantine, many of DC’s best-known characters have appeared in one – or many – forms on the Silver Screen.

Opinions range far and wide on the quality of these live action portrayals, but there’s no denying their success and cultural impact over the years.

Listen in as Dave and Head of Research Ryan Schweck discuss everything from Swamp Thing to Captain Boomerang on the newest episode of the Needless Things Podcast!

Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com 

Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men? 

You can follow Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest on pop culture!

Hungry for more movies, music, and pop culture? Visit the Needless Things Archives for a decade of dorkery!

Needless Things Minicast 19 – McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse Unboxing & Review w/ Phantom, Jr.

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-gv38p-d0a7bf

Dave and Phantom, Jr. open and review some of the figures from the first wave of McFarlane Toys’ new DC Multiverse action figure line!

Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

You can follow Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest on pop culture!

Hungry for more movies, music, and pop culture? Visit the Needless Things Archives for a decade of dorkery!

Needless Things Minicast 18 – Spin Master Toys 4″ DC Comics Line Unboxing & Review w/ Phantom, Jr.

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-fvvjr-cf9428

Dave and Phantom, Jr. open and review the first offering of figures from Spin Master Toys’ new 4″ DC Comics action figure line!

Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

“Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com

Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think!

You can follow Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest on pop culture!

Hungry for more movies, music, and pop culture? Visit the Needless Things Archives for a decade of dorkery!

Toy Review – DC Artists Alley James Groman Batman from DC Collectibles

Today’s review is something a little different. It’s not a toy or an action figure; this Batman is more in line with the hyper-expensive, limited run vinyl pieces that artists release. These items are not typically mass-produced and are usually very limited runs.

The artist who designed today’s subject, James Groman, has released several incredible vinyl toys this way. More on him in a minute.

This figure has more in common with those collectibles than with most of DC Collectibles’ releases, but it is still a mass-produced item. The price point reflects that, and that’s important to remember. This fella retails for $65.00, while a comparably sized independent release would likely be twice that or more. And possibly unpainted.

As for James Groman, he’s a legend in the toy industry and a personal hero of mine.

From the sadly unfunded Don’t Cuddle the Krampus Kickstarter page:

In 1986 Jim was working with the American Greetings Entertainment and Toy Concept Division: ‘Those Characters from Cleveland’, where he had a hand in the development of brands like My Pet Monster, Madballs, Care Bears, Popples, Blurp Balls, Barnyard Commandoes, and Ring Raiders.

That’s an amazing pedigree, and since then James has been continuing his work in the toy industry, as well as releasing mind-blowing projects like his Kaiju Killer.

For more on Don’t Cuddle the Krampus, check out episode 82 of the Needless Things Podcast where I interviewed Bryan Katzel of Warpo Toys.

For me the bottom line on this Batman – and the accompanying figures of Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc – was that I wanted a Groman vinyl toy, but have never wanted to pay the price associated with them. I think the prices that creators like Groman and Tim Clarke charge for their limited edition works of art are more than fair, but as well all know I’m as basic as can be and would rather buy ten Marvel Legends than one huge vinyl toy.

Wow. When I put it like that I feel like a real piece of trash.

So what I’m saying is that this line gives cheapskates like me the opportunity to own works of art from one of the greatest minds in the history of the toy business.

Was it a worthy addition to my Batman shelf or should I have saved my pennies for a King Korpse? Read on and find out!

Comic Book Wednesday: Previews November 2019 “Oh, The Internet”

If you don’t know, Previews is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for.

It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.

So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are products that might be currently available or could be released anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away.

Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!

NOTE: This month I am back to using Previewsworld.com for this post. As such, things don’t grab my attention in quite the same way. I’ll be interested to see what catches my eye once I do get my hands on a physical copy. Also, things are going to be way out of their usual order.

It’s an interesting experience because without the trappings of splash pages and ads I actually can’t tell what’s “hot” and what the publishers are pushing. On the website all things are relatively equal, aside from the occasional listing for something with twelve variant covers that is obviously a big deal.

Movie Review – 11 Thoughts About Joker

SPOILER WARNING – THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR WARNER BROS.’ NEW FILM JOKER

In order to fully enjoy Todd Phillips’ new movie, Joker, you have to put aside any ideas you might have that it’s a prequel to any sort of Joker anything that you’re aware of. It isn’t.

I’m looking at this movie as a sort of alternate reality project that’s taking the idea of a character that is well-known and exploring a different way of using said character. If you know your DC comics, then you know that’s pretty much what their Elseworlds imprint did for years and to me this is basically an Elseworlds Joker movie.

You might, as you’re out and about on the internet, see people mention the bizarre concept of “Joker’s origin”. Thye might claim that there is one and that this story of a man named Arthur Fleck isn’t it. Those people are wrong – there has never been a definitive Joker origin, though many writers have presented possibilities or suggestions. The most widely adopted origin is probably the one in Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke. While that’s a fantastic story and the original presented is compelling and believable, the origin and, indeed, the entire story occupy shaky ground in DC continuity.

But people like it, so they adopt it.

I’m all for as many variations on characters as creators want to provide, as long as there’s a certain amount of clarity as to where they each fall in current canon. In my opinion Warner Bros. and company did the best job they possibly could at emphasizing Joker’s uniqueness and standalone (for the time being, anyway) nature.

I was excited for this movie, mostly because of Joaquin Phoenix. That guy can act. But I was also excited because I felt like it was a bold decision for Warner Bros. to strike out in a new direction with their DC Comics characters. I didn’t necessarily believe they had found a new path to success, but at least they recognized that what they were doing wasn’t working. Something fresh and new might not be great, but at least it would be free of expectations tied to the existing film franchises.

Was what Joker delivered worth diverging from the set course or should WB have stuck to their guns? Read on and find out!

Comic Book Wednesday: Previews September 2019 “Look at the Banana Person”

If you don’t know, Previews is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for.

It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.

So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are products that might be currently available or could be released anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away.

Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!

Comic Book Wednesday: Previews August 2019 “Things from San Diego”

If you don’t know, Previews is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for.

It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.

So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are products that might be currently available or could be released anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away.

Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!

Comic Book Wednesday: Previews July 2019 “In the Nick of Time”

If you don’t know, Previews is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for.

It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.

So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are products that might be currently available or could be released anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away.

Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!

Comic Book Wednesday – Previews June 2019: “Spawn of Spidey”

If you don’t know, Previews is the catalog that Diamond Comic Distributors use to offer the products they distribute to comic book stores around the country. This is where you can view and order (through your favorite Local Comic Book Shop) comic books, trade paperback collections, t-shirts, books, media, and toys and other collectibles from hundreds of different vendors that deal in geek-oriented merchandise. The genius part is that you actually have to pay for your copy of Previews for the privilege of ordering other things to pay for.

It’s like the Ren Fest except without the horse poo smell.

So every month a new edition of Previews is sent out to comic book stores. Contained in the pages within are products that might be currently available or could be released anytime in the next year; but are typically about two months away.

Now it’s time to discuss a few of the weird and/or wonderful items offered in this month’s edition!

NOTE: I’m back on the book!

After a few months of writing this from the Previews World website, I can now resume my habit of delving into the physical copy of Previews. I thought about sticking to the online edition, but it’s easier to pick things out of the book.