Geek Culture Reviews

BOOM! Studios have today given us a sneak peak into what to expect when Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Lost Summer #1 lands on comic book shelves.  The special issue one-Shot!  Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer  writer Casey Gilly, along with artist Lauren Knight ( Golden Rage, Time Before Time ), colorist Francesco Segala ( Firefly ,  House of Slaughter ) with color assists by Gloria Martinelli, and letterer Ed Dukeshire bring fans a frightfully fun story set in the continuity of the cult classic TV series, available in May 2023.  ‘ Spike is determined to keep the last copy of his embarrassing poetry from being discovered, sending Buffy and the gang on a faux-supernatural goose chase to New Orleans to cover his tracks. While at an antiques fair along the way, the group is captivated by The Casquette Girls’ clothes on display. Dawn utters a wish she most likely should’ve kept to herself, and the gang experiences a first hand account of the sisters’ identities…beyond what they could have eve

  Enter Codenames France & Paris... Over the last few weeks, Mark Millar has really delivered with his new superhero series. With the first two issues scoring a perfect 10/10, does issue #3 follow suit?  With Choon-He's superhero draft finding its way to France, it gives Millar the chance of yet another origin story, as well as expanding upon the wider narrative that's been slowly picking up  pace in the background. This issue focuses on Hotel worker Yasmine Gauvin who's writing to Choon-He in the hopes that she is picked to become the Ambassador for France. In her letter Yasmine delves into her personal life as she speaks about the fears for her son, and what his future could possibly hold. Suffering from being bullied in school, and not having a role model, Yasmine's son Jean-Luc is one bad decision away from becoming a number within the French judicial system. Not only does he dream of revenge against his tormenters, he's also losing connection with his moth

AHOY Comics have announced Con & On , a satirical look at comic book conventions. Written by Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) with art by Marika Cresta (Doctor Afra), Con & On follows the going’s on at the fictional Vista Al Mar Comic Convention - the largest convention in California.  Making its debut on July 12, AHOY Comics have given us a sneak peak at what to expect.  ‘Con & On is the story of five different years in the life of the Festival—one year per issue, spanning three decades—from the points of view of a diverse bunch of desperate people whose lives revolve around this greatest show on Earth. Meet close friends Eddie and Deja, aspiring young comics talents whose ambitions threaten to tear them apart; Anthony, Don & Finn, brilliant, boozy and bombastic British creators; and all of the crusty veteran editors, forgotten TV stars, and enthusiastic fans who make the convention experience something to revisit year after year.’ “ Con & On is the romance of every bi

S teve Rogers, Vampire Hunter? For those who don’t know in the Marvel comic universe, the Forgiven are a group of Vampires who’ve turned their backs on the killing and feeding on humans. Not content with simply existing, the Forgiven have banded together to use their supernatural powers as a force for good. But when one of the group betrays them and slaughters their leader, the disillusioned team disbands. However, a new threat is emerging and the Forgiven are the only ones who can stand up and fight. Enter Captain America. Avenger. American hero, and all round badass. But has Steve Rogers bitten off more than he can chew as he battles to get this wayward group back together?  Unforgiven starts with quite a challenge for Steve Rogers. With the Forgiven having split to all corners of the Earth, Rogers teams up with Redblood in order to (re)assemble the team. Across this opening act we see Rogers personally meet with each team member as we learn more about their experiences since the spi

Games industry mental health charity Safe In Our World and world-leading arts charity BAFTA have partnered together to host a mental health summit for games industry professionals.  Taking place at BAFTA’s iconic London headquarters  from 9.00 am on Monday 22nd May, attendees can expect an open day full of keynotes, panels, workshops, and roundtables – delivered by knowledgeable industry speakers and mental health clinical consultants.  Taking place after Mental Health Awareness Week, the Games Industry Mental Health Summit is open to everyone within the industry regardless of experience level and has been designed with affordability and approachability in mind. Visitors will be able to access practical advice on topics such as avoiding burnout, dealing with negative community sentiment, reaching out for help when needed, and how industry leaders can foster mental well-being across the industry.  “ With 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem of some kind in the UK, we’re al

Who watches the Power Rangers? It’s not often that I turn the final page of a comic book and utter “holy sh**, but with MMPR #107 I did exactly that. Over the past seven issues new Power Rangers scribe Melissa Flores has reintroduced Rita Repulsa, and in doing so has given the fan favorite quite an upgrade. Now going as Mistress Vile, we’ve seen the resurgent Rita plough through everyone that’s stood in her way. The likes of Lord Zedd, and even her own father - Master Vile have fallen before her. When it comes to the Power Rangers, to say that they’ve fared better is a very big understatement. Not only has Matt - the current Green Ranger - been taken hostage by Mistress Vile, the returning Alpha-1 has made life tough for the Omega Rangers too.  With the ramifications of their past threatening to crash around them, how are the Power Rangers, Omega Rangers, Zordon - and even Grace Sterling going to get out of this one?  Before I dive into this review I’m going to attempt to avoid the maj

Rebellion Publishing has acquired Karl Stock’s fascinating group biography of the UK’s writers and artists who reinvented comic books, setting the stage for comics to conquer popular culture. Based on years of interviews with a generation of leading writers, artists and editors,  Comic Book Punks: How a Generation of Brits Reinvented Pop Culture  examines and celebrates how comics grew from little-regarded kids’ magazines to global franchises. Exploring the early careers of the likes of Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison and more, Stock tells the story of the triumphs and disasters that rewrote the rulebook on what comics could be and who they should be for. Karl Stock on the acquisition: “ The creative revolution which occurred in British comics and spread across the Atlantic at the end of the 20th century had the same kind of pop cultural impact as Britain's great record labels or city-based music scenes, yet until now it hasn't been recorded in-depth on the same terms a

What lurks in the sewers beneath our feet? When it came to reading Sarah Peploe and Fraser Campbell’s The Berg I was heavily reminded of my first experience with John Carpenters 1982 movie, The Thing.  Taking inspiration from Carpenter, Peploe and Campbell have created a character-driven horror who’s cast members and atmosphere ramps the tension more than the adversary they face. It’s a dark and moody horror that certainly remains fresh in the memory once you’ve reached it’s nauseating conclusion. So, what’s it’s all about?  Set on the streets of London, The Berg follows two groups of individuals who’s fate soon become entwined due to the horror lurking below their feet. A massive fat berg  has clogged up a sewer system underneath a residential street and a team of sanitary technicians have been drafted in to clear the blockage. As the team descend into the dank waterways of Victorian London they soon start experiencing strange phenomena. Long lost memories soon bubble to the surface,

Battle Arena Waifu… If you came into this review thinking that Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix was going to be anything other than anime waifu’s clashing in a 3-D arena, with gatcha inspiration - you’d be sorely wrong. However, if you’re a fan of said sultry waifu battling it out in mechs. Well you’re in the right place.  Aside from having the longest title going, Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix wears its heart on its sleeve. From first launching into the game, everything is unlocked, and there’s already a plethora of anime sirens to play through the campaign as. Trouble is however, the story mode isn’t that in-depth and aside from a few variances - it follows the same loop. That being said, the story isn’t very long, and you’ll soon plough through it in about 30-40 minutes. This then unlocks an additional three secret characters for you to battle with. Although by that time, you may not want to experience it all again.  That being said, while the narrative is

A mini-review of sausage based puns… Arcade shooters have been the staple video game genre since time began. From cybernetic warfare, busting up street crime, 80s movie mash-up’s, and even animated delights, when it comes to creating a unique spin - I don’t think there’s much room to manoeuvre.  Enter, Dogfight - A Sausage Bomber Story that’s been developed by indie developer  Katsu Games . While the title doesn’t do anything particularly unique - it’s oddly filled with sausage based puns. So, armed with an assortment of condiments and weaponised pork products, it’s time to strap into our aircraft and take to the skies.  As you can probably guess Dogfight  doesn’t have a heavyweight narrative driving it’s on-screen story. Taking the role of one of four pilots, your charged with defending the friendly nations of Relishtopia, Dijon Terra, Fredonia, and Krautsborg from the hostile Vega Nation. Across the multiple campaign missions you’ll battle fierce resistance as the Vega Nation throws

The Ambassadors start to assemble… After it’s perfect opening act, Mark Millar ’s superhero epic returns for its second outing. With the next two Ambassadors recruited, we get to see what life is like for a superhero in training. Focus on this issue centres on the young Binnu Bhatia - who’s selfless act changes his world forever.  We first set eyes on our soon to be hero as he’s caught up in a terror attack at a mall in India. Not content with simply standing by and doing nothing, Binnu offers to trade places with one of the hostages, which results in him getting shot. This act of selflessness then attracts the attention of Doctor Choon-He who then conscripts Binnu into her Ambassadors program. Due to being a native of India, Binnu’s new identity is a reflection of his heritage. As such Codename India is born.  Where the first issue built around the mysticism to what The Ambassadors are, this second chapter starts to brake down the walls. As we follow Binnu across his training, Millar