TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 13th to 19th, 2026 - UPDATE #6

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links to join Prime Video, or to shop at my MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel: "Empire Magazine" has a first look at director Greta Gerwig's "Narnia" movies, "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew."

MOVIES - From CincinnatiEnquirer: Mark Wahlberg provides details concerning his biopic about Major League Baseball legend, the late Pete Rose (1941-2024). According the Oscar-nominated actor and producer, the film will focus on the last part of Rose's career as a player and a manager, his pursuit of Ty Cobb's MLB hit record (4,189), and Rose's life after baseball.

EMMYS - From Variety: The winners at the 2026 / 78th Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced. Apple TV+'s "Widow's Bay," won "Outstanding Comedy Series." That was one of its 14 wins, the most for a comedy series in Emmy Awards history. HBO Max's "The Pitt" won for "Outstanding Drama Series," one of its seven wins. This is "The Pitt's" second win in this category.

From Deadline: Night 1 of the 2026 / 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have kicked off. "Deadline" has a complete list of "Night 1" winners at what was formerly known as the "Creative Arts Emmys."

From Variety: Night 2 of the 2026 / 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are completed. "Variety" has a complete list of "Night 2" winners at what was formerly known as the "Creative Arts Emmys."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 9/11 to 9/13/2026 weekend box office is Warner Bros' "Practical Magic 2" with an estimated gross of 30 million dollars.

AWARDS - From Variety: The winners at the 2026 / 83rd Venice Film Festival have been announced. The "Golden Lion for Best Film" went to Danish director May El-Toukhy's "Woman Unknown." John Malkovich won the "Volpi Cup for Best Actor" for his performance in director Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine."

OBITS:

From Deadline: American fashion designer and costumier, Bob Mackie, has died at the age of 87, Monday, September 14, 2026. Mackie is best known for his dressing of numerous entertainment personalities for television, movies, concerts, and live stage shows, including Elton John, Dolly Parton, Barbara Streisand, Tina Turner, and most notably Cher. He was the costume designer for the former CBS variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show," during its 11-year run. Mackie was nominated three times for the "Best Costume Designer" Oscar. He was nominated 32 times at the Primetime Emmy Awards, winning nine times. In 2019, he won a Tony Award for his work on "The Cher Show."

From Deadline: The British film producer, Jeremy Thomas, has died at the age of 77, Friday, September 11, 2026. Thomas won the "Best Picture" Oscar for producing director Bernardo Bertolucci's 1987 film, "The Last Emperor." Thomas also produced Bertolucci's "The Sheltering Sky" (1990), ""Little Buddha" (1993), and "Stealing Beauty" (1995). He also produced such acclaimed films as "Naked Lunch" (1991), "Crash" (1996), "Sexy Beast" (2001), and "Fast Food Nation" (2006), to name a few.

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Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Review: "DEAD SPACE: DOWNFALL" is Insane-in-the-Membrane Entertainment

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 of 2026 (No. 2058) by Leroy Douresseaux

Dead Space: Downfall (2008) – Video

Running time: 74 minutes (1 hour, 14 minutes)

Rating: MPAA – not rated

DIRECTOR: Chuck Patton with Curt Geda and Vinton Heuck

WRITERS: Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (based on the story and characters from the video game, Dead Space)

PRODUCERS: Chuck Beaver, Joe Goyette, Cate Latchford, Glen A. Schofield, and Robert Weaver

EDITOR: John Hoyos

COMPOSER: Seth Podowitz

ANIMATION STUDIOS: Film Roman, JM Animation, Digital eMation, Inc., and Hanho Heung Up Co., Ltd

ANIME/HORROR/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring: (voices) Nika Futterman, Keith Szarabajka, Jim Cummings, Kevin Michael Richardson, Kelly Hu, Bruce Boxleitner, Phil Morris, and Grey DeLisle

Dead Space: Downfall is a 2008 American straight-to-video, horror, science fiction, and action animated film from director Chuck Patton. The film is a co-production between Starz Media, Film Roman, and Electronic Arts. The film is based on Electronic Arts' 2008 survival horror video game, Dead Space. Dead Space: Downfall the movie was first released direct-to-DVD in October 2008. Downfall focuses on a spaceship security chief who must fight a horde of animated and mutated corpses.

Dead Space: Downfall is set in the year 2508 and begins on the planet “Aegis VII.” It is the site of an illegal mining operation funded by Earth's “Church of Unitology.” During a scouting mission, a team of geologists discovers a strange monolith-like structure that is dubbed “the Artifact.”

Sometime later, a spaceship, “the USG Ishimura,” arrives in orbit over the planet. The Ishimura's Captain Mathius (Jim Cummings) orders that the Artifact be brought aboard. Alissa Vincent (Nika Futterman), the security chief of the Ishimura, believes that bringing the Artifact aboard is a mistake, especially as the Aegis VII colony seems to be undergoing a catastrophic breakdown. Vincent's misgivings prove to be correct. Now, she leads her six-person security team through the bowels of the Ishimura in a bid to stop a growing infestation of reanimated and mutated corpses. This outbreak may have begun on Aegis VII and worse, been instigated by the Artifact.

I don't play video games, and, prior to just seeing Dead Space: Downfall, the only thing I knew about the Dead Space game was its name. However, I am a fan of comic book writer-artist-publisher, Jimmy Palmiotti (Paper Films), and I am a fan of the work he does with his writing partner, Justin Gray. Palmiotti occasionally reminds his social media followers that he and Gray wrote the screenplay for a movie tie-in to Dead Space, the animated film that is Dead Space: Downfall.

After having watched Downfall, I highly recommend it because it is both a hugely entertaining science fiction-action film and a genuine, true-blood horror film. I understand that Dead Space the game has specific media inspirations, some of them unfamiliar to me. However, I would favorably compare it to director Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), director John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), and director James Cameron's Aliens (1986).

Palmiotti and Gray offer a tight screenplay that grabs the background and back story of the first Dead Space games and creates a tight action-thriller that does not hold back on its darkest elements. Downfall's director, Chuck Patton, leads a team of filmmakers and animators that take the script and brings its gleeful insanity to life. There is gore galore, manically-depicted evisceration, dismemberment, and disembowelment.

With that said, Dead Space: Downfall is genuinely a very good and very entertaining movie. It is no-holds-barred scary, and there is an intense sense of hopeless that offers just a teeny bit of hope in order to keep the audience invested. This certainly is an enjoyable film worth the investment. I kept watching because I couldn't stop, no matter how much dread I felt, and there is dread aplenty.

The animation is top-notch, although some of the CGI elements occasionally turn transparent, and I could see the background through them. The voice actors, lead by strong performances from Nika Futterman and Kevin Michael Richardson, make their characters come across as authentic and authentically nuts.

I can nitpick a few things, mainly because this animated film needed a longer running time in order to give its storytelling ambitions time to expand. Regardless, Dead Space: Downfall is a shocker. As far as American anime films go, and especially as far as straight-to-video films go, Dead Space: Downfall is exceptional in its execution and in its unrestrained madness.

7 of 10

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

NOTES:

"DEADSPACE: DOWNFALL" is available at Amazon on Bluray, DVD, and on PrimeVideo, where it is free if you have a Prime Video membership. You can stream it for free on the FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) services, Tubi, Plex, and TheCW. Regarding "Plex," when I used my smart TV and searched for "Downfall" on the "Plex" app, the movie didn't show up in the search results, but it is available at the Plex website.

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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links to join Amazon Prime, or to shop at my BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Negromancer's Marvel Studios Link-o-Rama 2026 - UPDATE #22

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: Looking for a delicious treat? Try AnotherCookie.

NEWS:

X-MEN - From Deadline: Actor Asa Germann ("Scream 7," Prime Video's "Gen V") is rumored to be Marvel Studios' pick for the character, "Warren Worthington III/Angel," in its "X-Men" film reboot.

AVENGERS - From Deadline: Actor Noah Jupe ("Hamnet") has been cast in a secret role in Disney/Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Secret Wars" (2027).

SPIDER-MAN - From USAToday: "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has become the eighth film to cross the 2 billion dollar mark in global box office (unadjusted for inflation).

AVENGERS - From THR: At Disney's "D23 2026," Marvel unveiled new "Avengers: Doomsday" footage that emphasized Robert Downey Jr.'s "Doctor Doom."

X-MEN - From THR: Marvel Studios has finally revealed the cast of its "X-Men" reboot (or at least some of it) at Disney's "D23 2026." The movie will star Sadie Sink ("Jean Grey"), Kit Connor ("Cyclops"), Christopher Abbott ("Prof. X"), Samara Weaving ("Emma Frost"), Inde Navarrette ("Rogue"), and Maya Boyd ("Storm"). Adam Driver is also among the cast as the villain, "Mr. Sinister," with the film landing a release date of May 5, 2028.

From Deadline: "Insiders" have told "Deadline's" Justin Kroll that Marvel Studios has found the Cyclops of its planned X-Men reboot. He is Kit Connor.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline: The final estimates for the 7/31 to 8/2/2026 weekend box office have rolled in, and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has grossed 360 million dollars. This is now the all-time highest debut weekend in domestic box office history. This surpasses the 357.1 million dollar debut of "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).

From Variety: "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has a 355 million-dollar debut weekend at the domestic box office. That is the second largest of all-time behind the 357 million dollar debut of "Avengers: Endgame" back in 2019. When the final numbers come out on Monday (Aug. 3rd), "Brand New Day" could hold the record.

From Variety: So actress Sadie Sink is playing iconic X-Men character "Jean Grey" in the smash-hit, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."

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BLADE - From THR: Two-time Oscar-winner, Mahershala Ali, confirms that he is not doing Marvel Studios-planned "Blade" movie. He says that if Marvel really wanted to do the movie, it would have been done by now.

BLACK PANTHER - From ComicBookMovie: By now, dear readers, you know that David Jonsson ("Alien: Romulus") is the new "Black Panther." There is a rumor that Jonsson will make his debut as Black Panther in 2027's "Avengers: Secret Wars" before he begins his reign in December 2028's "Black Panther III."

DOOMSDAY - From Deadline: Disney has dropped the first official trailer for its upcoming blockbuster, "Avengers: Doomsday," which is due in theaters December 18, 2026.

AVENGERS - From CBR: In a CBR interview, Oscar-winner Robert Downey, Jr. talks about the pressure of returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and delivering on playing "Doctor Doom."

SPIDER-MAN - From ComicBookMovie: See the new "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" trailer that hit YouTube today (Wed., June 17th).

From CBR: The Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony) officially confirms why Spider-Man's MCU origin is different from Spider-Man's traditional origin.

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X-MEN - From ComicBookMovie: Rumors suggest that "Beef" Season Two (Netflix) star, Charles Melton, is being considered to play the "X-Men" character, "Hank McCoy/The Beast."

From MensHeath: Lee Sung Jin, the creator Netflix's "Beef," gave "Men's Health" an interview about the series. Lee is also working on Marvel Studio's planned "X-Men" movie and he talks about that film's focus on characters.

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ENDGAME - From Variety: The 2019 Marvel Studios blockbuster, "Avengers: Endgame" will get a September 25th, 2026 re-release that will include brand new footage that ties it into the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," which is due December 2026.

WONDER MAN - From THR: The Disney+ Marvel Studios streaming series, "Wonder Man," will return for a second season. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will return as "Simon Williams/Wonder Man" and Sir Ben Kingsley will return as "Trevor Slattery."

SPIDER-MAN - From ComicBookMovie: A trailer of some sorts for the upcoming Sony/Marvel Studios film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," may debut as soon as next week.

AVENGERS DOOMSDAY - From YouTube: The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#4) teaser trailer is now on YouTube. This one features Shuri, M'Baku, Namor and others from the world of the "Black Panther" and also Ben Grimm of the "Fantastic Four." "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube: The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#3) teaser trailer is now on YouTube. This one features Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops. "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube: The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#2) teaser trailer is now on YouTube. It focuses on the Avenger, "Thor." The film arrives in theaters December 18, 2026.

From YouTube: The first of four "Avengers: Doomsday" teaser trailers is now officially on YouTube. This one focuses on Steve Rogers/Captain America.

BLADE - From DarkHorizons: Rumors abound that Marvel is no longer developing a solo feature film starring its vampire hunter, "Blade," who was supposed to be played by Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. Rumors also say "Blade" will make his debut in a "Midnight Sons" feature film.

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AVENGERS - From CinemaBlend: Rumors abound that Disney/Marvel will release four teaser trailers for "Avengers: Doomsday." Each one will appear at the head of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" on a rotation of one week each.

From ComicBookMovies: After joining "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," actress Sadie Sink will reportedly joining "Avengers: Secret Wars," according to various reports and rumors.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline: Sources tell "Deadline" that actor Marvin Jones III has been tapped for the role of "Tombstone" in Sony/Marvel's 2026 film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." He also performed the voice of Tombstone in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018) and will reprise the role in "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" (2027). Jones is also known as the rapper, "Krondon," a member of the rap trio, "Strong Arm Steady."

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MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Review: Iron Man (2008)

Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Review: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Review: Thor (2011)

Review: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Review: Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Review: Ant-Man (2015)

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Review: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Review: Black Panther (2018)

Review: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Review: Captain Marvel (2019)

Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Review: Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Review: Black Widow (2021)

Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Review: Eternals (2021)

Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Review: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)

Review: The Marvels (2023)

Review: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Review: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Review: Thunderbolts* (2025)

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Click here for the 2025 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2024 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2023 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2022 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2021 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2020 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 6th to 12th, 2026 - UPDATE #5

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline: Hot off his monster hit, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," director Destin Daniel Cretton is leading Paramount's development of a film based on the late CBS police drama, "Hawaii Five-O" (1968-80).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 9/4 to 9/6/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated 18 million dollars.

From Variety: Summer 2026 breaks the all-time box office with 4.67 million dollars, surpassing 2013's 4.755 billion dollars.

EMMYS - From Deadline: Night 1 of the 2026 / 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have kicked off. "Deadline" has a complete list of "Night 1" winners at what was formerly known as the "Creative Arts Emmys."

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MOVIES - From Deadline: Oscar-winner, Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), reveals that he used generative AI in his new film, "Ink."

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Saturday, September 5, 2026

Review: Pixar's "HOPPERS" Surprises and Amazes

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 of 2026 (No. 2057) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hoppers (2026)

Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)

Rating: MPA – PG for action/peril, some scary images and mild language

DIRECTOR: Daniel Chong

WRITERS: Jesse Andrews and Daniel Chong; from a story by Jesse Andrews

PRODUCER: Nicole Paradis Grindle

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Jeremy Lasky and Ian Megibben

EDITOR: Axel Geddes

COMPOSER: Mark Mothersbaugh

SONG: “Save the Day” sung by SZA and written by SZA, Ben Lovett, and Rob Bisel

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY and ADVENTURE/COMEDY

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

Disney/Pixar's Hoppers has some of the best chase sequences and action scenes that I've ever seen in a Pixar film. They're better than what audiences find in a lot of live-action films

The characters are an utter delight. I think most viewers of Hoppers will see themselves in Mabel Tanaka, and the animal characters memorable in the way many Disney/Pixar animated characters tend to be

The science fiction elements in Hoppers are as charming as the magical elements found in the best fantasy films. This movie is made to delight adults and children of many ages because it is one of Disney/Pixar's best

Starring: (voices) Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Law, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villasenor, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim, Nichole Sakura, Meryl Streep, Karen Huie, Lila Liu, Carlos Alazraqui, Grey DeLisle, Jorden Wyrick, and Secunda Wood

Hoppers is a 2026 American animated science fiction, action, and comedy film from director Daniel Chong. It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film follows an animal-loving college student who transfers her mind into a robotic beaver in a bid to save a beaver habitat from destruction, actions that only lead to disaster.

Hoppers is set in and around the city of Beaverton. The story introduces Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda), a 19-year-old college student and an intense animal-lover. When she was a child, Mabel and Grandmother Tanaka (Karen Huie) found solace in a glade in a nearby forest. After her grandmother passes, Mabel takes it upon herself to care for the glade.

However, Beaverton's Mayor Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm) has announced his new “Beaverton Beltway,” a highway system that will encircle the city in order to better connect it. Mayor Jerry's plan includes routing the beltway through Mabel's glade mainly because he says that the animals have abandoned it.

While trying to lure the animals back to the glade, Mabel discovers that her biology professor, Dr. Sam Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), and her colleagues, Nisha (Aparna Nancherla) and Conner (Sam Richardson), have developed the “Hoppers” program. It is a new technology that allows them to transfer their minds into robotic animals. Mabel transfers her mind into a robotic beaver that will allow her to communicate with the beavers that once inhabited the glade. Mabel then discovers a world of animals beyond her imagination, but her activities will lead to one disaster after another.

I won't waste my time or yours, dear readers, preaching about the quality of the animation in a Pixar film. I'd rather wait until there is a day I can complain when I find a Pixar film that visually looks inferior. However, I will do something I have done in almost all of my reviews of Pixar films, praise this movie a lot. Not only does Hoppers have that magical Pixar charm and heartwarming storytelling, but it also has a really strong message. I know some people claim films should not have messages, and they are right. If a studio is making fast food-like entertainment, if the studio is making yet another movie featuring characters running away from CGI-generated weather phenomena, then, yeah, there probably is no message that it could deliver in an interesting fashion.

However, Hoppers isn't mere entertainment product, so it does have a message. Mabel wants to save the glade so badly that she her advocacy becomes interference and turns as disastrous and practically as destructive as Mayor Jerry's plans. Mabel is certainly one of those Pixar characters that is both lovable and has universal appeal, but she is more than just a heartwarming character. With here as the lead, Hoppers manages to have a message and also be a wonderful tale of friendship and redemption filled with Pixar's usual eye-popping action set pieces. The scenes with Diane (Vanessa Bayer), the great white shark, are... well, I think they the stuff of cinematic magic.

Hoppers represents peak Pixar storytelling, and I wish that I'd seen this grand, inventively-visual cinematic gem on a theater's big screen. Hoppers makes me want to invent adjectives to describe and to praise it, but I can simply highly recommend it.

9 of 10

A+

Saturday, September 5, 2026

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 5th, 2026 - UPDATE #7

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

HARRY POTTER - From Variety: HBO Max has released the first trailer for its "Harry Potter" television series. The first episode is due December 26, 2026.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Angel (Angel Studios) has acquired the worldwide rights to director Michael Keaton's Western film, "Road to Ruin." Keaton also stars in the film with Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.

From Deadline: Michael Keaton is set to direct and to star in the Western film, "Road to Ruin." Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman will star opposite Keaton.

NETFLIX - From Variety: Netflix's three-part docuseries about the late "Friends" star, Matthew Perry (1969-2023), entitled "The One About Matthew Perry," will debut Oct. 27th, 2026.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Acclaimed director Mike Leigh says that "Tender Loving Care" is "almost certainly" his final film because he is "somewhat handicapped" due to the muscle-wasting condition, "miyositis."

OBITS:

From NPR: American author, activist, and journalist, Gloria Steinem, has died at the age of 92, Wednesday, September 2, 2026. She is nationally recognized as the leader of "second-wave feminism." Starting in the 1960s, Steinem challenged gender stereotypes and championed feminist ideals like equality, sisterhood, and reproductive freedom. At a time when women were largely limited to domestic roles, this made Steinem an inspiration to generations of women to do the same. In 1971, Steinem was one of the founders of "Ms." magazine. In 1971, Steinem also cofounded the National Women's Political Coalition," which provided training and support for women who sought elected and political office. Among the honors Steinem received was the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" in 2013. Steinem was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and one News & Documentary Emmy Award nomination for her work in television.

From Deadline: American film and television writer and author, Victor Miller, has died at the age of 86, Monday, August 31, 2026. Miller was best known for writing the screenplay for the 1980 slasher film, "Friday the 13th," creating the characters, "Pamela Voorhees" and her son, "Jason Voorhees." Miller was also a longtime writer for daytime soap opera from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. He worked on such soap operas as "All My Children," "One Life to Live," and "Another World," to name a few. Miller was nominated at the Daytime Emmy Awards 11 times, and won three Emmys for his work on "All My Children."

From Deadline: American stand-up comic and television writer and producer, Marty Nadler, has died at the age of 80, Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Nadler was best known for his four-decade with legendary TV writer and creator Garry Marshall. For Marshall, Nadler worked on the former ABC sitcoms as "Happy Days" and "Laverne & Shirley," among others. As a producer, script consultant, and story consultant, Nadler contributed to such TV series as "Amen," "The Carol Burnett Show," "Chico and the Man," "That's My Mama," and "The Red Foxx Show," to name a few.

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

A Negromancer September 2026

Welcome to September 2026. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0. This is the rebirth of the Negromancer, the former movie review site, as a movie review and entertainment and culture news blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademarks of their respective owners.

While you're at it, have AnotherCookie.

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Also, my first original graphic novel, THE WRATH OF KARAPACE: A BIG SPIRITS EPIC, which is published by Candle Light Press. Co-created by Carter J. Allen, (Warning Comics), The Wrath of Karapace is now on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.

Other online shops that are selling "The Wrath of Karapace" include the following:

- AmazonUK;

- Bookshop.org;

- ElmStreetBooks;

- the German book shop, OrrellFussli;

- Powells.com;

- Russell Books.com;

- SuperBookDeals.com;

- Walmart online.

Of note, The Wrath of Karapace is also available on eBay from a few different sellers.

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"The Wrath of Karapace" also a "Google Books" listing.

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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Monday, August 31, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 23rd to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #14

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline: Jason Momoa, Tenoch Huerta, Adria Arjona, and Kiefer Sutherland join star Miles Teller in Black Label Media's thriller, "Copperhead."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/28 to 8/30/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 22.2 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety: Anne Hathaway is joining Tom Cruise for "Days of Thunder 2," the sequel to the 1990 film, "Days of Thunder." The film is currently set for a Summer 2028 release.

DISNEY - From Deadline: Disney+ has greenlighted "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu." It is a new stop-motion series that is part of a new global distribution deal between The Pokémon Company International and Disney. The new series is created by the animation studio, Aardman Animations ("Wallace & Gromit"), and will debut on Disney XD and stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2027.

MOVIES - From Variety: Ridley Scott's new film, "The Dog Stars," is out this week. One of his next projects may be a third film in his "Alien" prequel series, which began with "Prometheus" (2012) and continued with "Alien: Covenant" (2017).

AMAZON - From Deadline: Actor Dan Stevens has been picked to headline Amazon MGM Studios' Prime Video series, "Robocop," based on the 1987 film, "Robocop."

MOVIES - From THR: Warner Bros. is developing a live-action film based on the classic Hanna-Barbera animation franchise, "The Flintstones." Ryan Gosling is a producer on the project. Universal Pictures released a live-action film, "The Flintstones," in 1994 and its sequel, "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/21 to 8/23/2926 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 39 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Woody Allen will begin shooting his next film in Madrid on October 5, 2026. The financing deal dictates that the name "Madrid" must be in the title.

OBITS:

From Deadline: American film and television actor, Samuel Monroe, Jr., has died at the age of 52, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after battle meningitis and pneumonia. Monroe was best known for his roles in such films as "Menace II Society"(1992), "Tales from the Hood" (1995), and "Set It Off" (1996). He appeared in such TV series, "Out All Night," "NYPD Blue," and "Black Jesus."

From THR: Canadian voice actor, Peter Cullen, has died at the age of 85, Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Cullen's six decade career saw him provide voice performances film film, television, and video games. However, Cullen was best known for providing the voice for the "Tranformers" character, "Optimus Prime," across "Transformers" media, beginning with "The Transformers" 1984-87 animated syndicated television series. Cullen would also voice Optimus Prime in 1986's "The Transformers: The Movie" and Paramount's eight-film series, that began with 2007's "Transformers," to name a few. In 2023, Cullen received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the "Children's and Family Emmy Awards."

From Variety: The English stage, film, and television actor and singer, Tim Curry, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Curry is best known for the role of "Dr Frank N Furter" in the 1973 West End musical, "The Rocky Horror Show," and in the 1975 film adaptation, which became a cult and midnight movie sensation. Curry's other notable film roles including "Legend," Clue," "Oscar," Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and "Congo," to name a few. Curry appeared in numerous TV series, miniseries, and movies, including "Wiseguys," "It," "Roseanne," and "Will & Grace," to name a few. Curry won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991.

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From RollingStone: American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and actress, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Called the "Queen of Country," Parton released almost 70 albums, including solo works; duets with her former partner, Porter Wagoner; collaborations; live albums; and soundtracks. She wrote over 3000 songs, including the 1973 song, "I Will Always Love You," which became a massive hit for the late Whitney Houston in 1992. Other hit songs included "Coat of Many Colors" (1971), "Jolene" (1973), "9 to 5" (1980). She had 25 #1 singles on "Billboard Magazine's" country music chart.

As an actress, Dolly appeared in multiple films, including "9 to 5" (1980), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982), "Steal Magnolias" (1989), and "Joyful Noise" (2012), to name a few. She made guest appearances on such television series as Disney's "Hannah Montana," "Reba" and "Grace & Frankie," in addition to twice having her own variety show "Dolly!" (1976-77) and "Dolly" (1987-88).

Dolly Parton was nominated 50 times at the Grammy Awards, winning 10 competitive awards and the 2011 "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award." She was twice nominated for the "Best Original Song" Oscar, and she received the Academy's "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award." Parton was nominated four times at the "Primetime Emmy Awards," sharing a win in 2021 in the category of "Outstanding Television Movie" for Netflix's "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square."

Parton was also an author, businesswoman, and philanthropist. Among her ventures was the theme park, "Dollywood."

From YahooEntertainment: Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, and tributes pour in from around the world.

From Billboard: According to "Billboard Magazine," Dolly Parton had a brief battle with cancer before she died.

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From Deadline: American actress and singer, Shelly Fabares, has died at the age of 82, Saturday, August 22, 2026. She was best known for the role of "Christine Armstrong" on ABC's former sports sitcom, "Coach" (1989-97). However, Fabares was also a child actor of the former ABC domestic sitcom, "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-66), playing the daughter, "Mary Stone." Fabares was Elvis Presley's leading lady in the 1965 film, "Girl Happy." She also appeared in two more of Presley's films, "Spinout" (1966) and "Clambake" (1967). She also had a "Billboard Hot 100" #1 hit with the single, "Johnny Angel" (February 1962). Fabares received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on "Coach." Fabares had been married to actor Mike Farrell, best known for his role on the former CBS sitcom, "M*A*S*H," since 1984.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Comics Review: "RED SONJA NOIR: THE PRINCESS & THE PLUNDER" is a Winner

RED SONJA NOIR: THE PRINCESS AND THE PLUNDER

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ARTIST: Edson Enn

COLORS: Adriano Augusto

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Lesley “Leirix” Li

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Robert Hack; Lesley “Leirix” Li; Molly Stewart cosplay

40pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (July 2026)

Rated: Teen+

Red Sonja created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith, from the character created by Robert E. Howard

Red Sonja Noir: “The Princess & the Plunder”

Red Sonja is female high fantasy and sword and sorcery heroine. She first appeared in Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated February 1973) and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Red Sonja is loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Conan the Cimmerian's creator, Robert E. Howard.

In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring the character. One of the recent titles is the one-shot title, Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder. It is written by David Avallone; drawn by Edson ENN; colored by Adriano Augusto; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry. The one-shot finds Red Sonja plying her mercenary trade at an enclave for the rich and wealthy merchant class where a wedding turns nefarious thanks to thieves, dark magic, and monsters.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder opens on the island of Zaralina. Red Sonja has been hired by Elder Zaralin, the island's patriarch, as extra security for the wedding of his daughter. Sonja is mainly at the Elder's estate to protect the extravagant wedding gifts.

Events soon take a turn for the dark and nefarious as Sonja finds herself in the middle of ill-natured wedding guests, a bevy of thieves, dark magic, and a monstrous plot that could leave the local town and most of the island in ashes.

THE LOWDOWN: In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles. One of them is Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder, which is not the first David Avallone Red Sonja comic book that I have read.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder is the second long-form Red Sonja story written by David Avallone that I have read. The first was 2025's Red Sonja Noir One-Shot (“The Crimson Calypso”). Thus far, this new story is Avallone's crowning Red Sonja achievement. Pure sword-and-sorcery adventure, slick action set pieces, sparkling dialogue, skanky villains deserving of their fates, and magic that falls on the story like a shower of golden sugar on my favorite deserve. This story made me say “Uhh! Na nah na nah!”

The art and storytelling by Edson ENN (Edson Novaes Neves) makes the story move in ways that keep the readers guessing. ENN brings this story to life with passion; this isn't another swing of the sword. It's a thriller offering energetic sword thrusts with a sense of mystery worth engaging.

In order to praise colorist Adriano Augusto's work, I have to reveal that there is a dragon in this story, beautifully and amazingly drawn by ENN. Augusto lights the story on fire in several pages. However, there is a page with the dragon that Augusto makes so bright and vivid that I could almost feel the heat n my face. Jeff Eckeberry's lettering has a classic style that recalls the best old school Red Sonja comic books.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder is worthy because the creative team brought the gifts to this wedding.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Red Sonja comic books will want to read Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux aka "I Reads You"

A Kindle edition of "Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder" is available at Amazon.

https://www.deviantart.com/edsonenn/gallery

https://x.com/DynamiteComics

https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/

https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

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Saturday, August 22, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel: Netflix will give director Peter Berg's “The Mosquito Bowl,” a U.S. theatrical release on October 30, 2026 before moving it streaming on November 25th. The film tells the story of four of America’s most celebrated college football players who put their athletic careers on hold to enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They take part in a legendary football game featuring some of the greatest players in college football history, which would turn out to be the last football game for many of them.

DISNEY - From Deadline: ABC filed an unprecedented "First Amendment" lawsuit against the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. ABC claims that the FCC's investigations and regulatory actions against the network are part of a Trump administration's “retaliatory campaign” to curb ABC’s free speech.

From Deadline: "Deadline" has posted a copy of ABC's lawsuit for your reading pleasure

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 70 million dollars.

From WorldofReel: “The Odyssey” hit the $1.34 billion milestone today, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. It has now surpassed 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which finished with $1.33 billion worldwide.

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DISNEY - From Deadline: Disney+ is not moving forward with its live-action "Power Rangers" series. The project was written and executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, who are the executive producers and showrunners of the Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." According to "Deadline," the reason for the cancellation of this project was budgetary.

OBITS:

From Deadline: The American film and television actor, Michael Wright, has died at the age of 70, Wednesday, August 19, 2026. His best known role was that of "Eddie King Jr" in "The 5 Heartbeats" (1991). His other well-known roles include such films as Robert Altman's "Streamers" (1983), "The Principal" (1987), and "Sugar Hill" (1994) Wright appeared in such TV series as NBC's former sci-fi franchise "V," HBO's former prison drama, "Oz," and The CW's former superhero drama, "Back Lightining"

From Variety: American actress and singer, Hayden Panettiere, has died at the age of 36, Sunday, August 16, 2026. Panettiere's best known roles were as Clair Benneton the former NBC superhero television series, "Heroes" (2006-10) and as Juliette Barnes on the former ABC/CMT musical drama series, "Nashville" (2012-18). Panetteire's best known film roles were as "Kirby Reed" in the "Scream" horror film franchise and as "Dot" in Disney/Pixar's "A Bug's Life" (1998). She earned a "Grammy Award" nomination for her work on the spoken word album, "A Bug's Life Read-Along."

From Deadline: Hayden Panettiere: a career and life in photos from "Deadline"

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From ESPN: Former American professional baseball player and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, Tommy John, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, August 15, 2026. John played in the MLB for 26 seasons for six teams, including playing for the Yankees for eight seasons over two stints with the team. John was a four-time "MLB All-Star." John pitched in three World Series contested between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees: 1977 and 1978 playing for the Dodgers and 1981 for the Yankees. John was on the losing end of all three of those World Series. He has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher since 1900 who is not in the "National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum." John is also known for the "ligament replacement surgery" that bears his name, the "Tommy John surgery."

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Saturday, August 15, 2026

Disney Debuts a "Special Look" Video at "AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY"

The stars of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday took the stage at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Friday, August 14, 2026 to reveal a special look at the upcoming film, teasing the impending showdown between Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) and a multiverse worth of heroes.

The film is due in theaters December 18, 2026. To the left is the new teaser poster. Below is the "Special Look" video:

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 9th to 15th, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

ANIME - From WorldofReel: 85-year-old Oscar-winner and Japanese animation legend, Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron), is still working at Studio Ghibli. But what is Hayao's next project?

DISNEY/ANIMATION - From WorldofReel: The sequel to "The Simpsons Movie" (2007) will arrive in 2027 and will be titled "The New Simpsons Movie."

SPORTS - From ESPN: Former Disney CEO, Bob Iger, and Josh Kushner (the brother of Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner) are buying Mark Walter's ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12.5 billion dollars. Walter bought the majority share of the Lakers for 10.5 billion dollars in October 2025.

From SilverScreenandRoll: Apparently, Bob Iger will be more actively involved with the Lakers than his partner, Josh Kushner.

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MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Director Aaron Sorkin is performing reshoots on "The Social Reckoning," the follow-up to his Oscar-winning, "The Social Network" (2011). So it won't make its debut as the 2026 Venice Film Festival.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/7 to 8/9/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 145 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Warner Bros is denying reports that the sequel to its hit 2023, musical-fantasy film, "Wonka," which starred Timothee Chalamet, has been "delayed indefinitely." "Wonka" earned over 600 million dollars at the global box office.

OBITS:

From DreadCentral: American actor and musician and Vietnam War veteran, Reggie Bannister, has died at the age of 80, Sunday, August 9, 2026. Bannister is best known for starring in director Don Coscarelli's 1979 horror film, "Phantasm," and its four sequels. In addition to the "Phantasm" series, Bannister and Cscarelli also collaborated on such films as "Jim the World's Greatest" (1976), "Survival Quest" (1989), and "Bubba Ho-tep" (2002).

From CountryRebel: American politician, U.S. congressman, essayist, playwright, and film, stage, and television actor, Ben Jones, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, August 9, 2026. Jones was best known for the role of mechanic "Cooter Davenport," on the former CBS action-comedy series, "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-85). In addition, Jones appeared in over 100 theatrical productions and in such films as "The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), and "Primay Colors" (1998). Jones was also a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia's Fourth Congressional District.

From Deadline: British songwriter, musician, music producer, and recording artist, William Orbit, has died at the age of 69, Thursday, July 23, 2026. Orbit is best known for work in ambiant, electronica, house, and techno music. He collaborated with Madonna on her 1998 album, "Ray of Light," which earned him two Grammy Awards wins out of four nominations.

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Negromancer's "STAR WARS" Link-O-Rama 2026 - UPDATE #14

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS AND RUMORS:

STARFIGHTER - From THR: At Disney's 2026 edition of "D23," director Shawn Levy and star Ryan Gosling reveal footage from their upcoming "Star Wars" film, "Star Wars: Starfighter." It is due May 28, 2027.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Variety: "Star Wars: The Mandarian and Grogu" will arrive on Disney+ September 2nd, 2026.

MARVEL/STAR WARS - From EW: The world of Star Wars and the world of Marvel Comics will come together for the first time. They will do so in the five-issue comic book miniseries, "Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles." Filmmaker Kevin Smith will write and artist David Marquez will draw the comic book. "Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles #1" will launch in January 2027.

COMICS - From BleedingCool: "BleedingCool" has a five-page preview of Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Echoes of the Empire #4." The preview includes a look at that issue's three covers. It arrives in comic book stores this coming Wednesday (July 15th).

From BleedingCool: "Bleeding Cool" has a five-page preview of Dark Horse Comics' "Star Wars: Hyperspace Tales: The Bad Batch - Rogue Agents #4." It arrives Wednesday, July 15th in comic book shops at the cover price of $4.99.

From BleedingCool: "BleedingCool" has a five-page preview of Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Echoes of the Empire #3." The preview includes a look at that issue's four covers. It arrives in comic book stores this coming Wednesday (June 24th).

OBIT - From Variety: American film editor, Marcia Lucas, has died at the age of 80 Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Marcia is best known for her work with her ex-husband, George Lucas, to whom she was married from 1969-83. Marcia was on the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for "Star Wars" (1977), sharing it with Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew. Marcia's work on "Star Wars" is often credited as being what saved the film. She was also Oscar-nominated for editing editing George's 1973 film, "American Graffiti." Marcia would later edit "Return of the Jedi" (1983) for the film's director Richard Marquand. Marcia edited three films for director Martin Scorsese, including "Taxi Driver" (1976).

OBIT - From Collider: American voice actor, Tom Kane, has died at the age of 64, Monday, May 18, 2026. Kane was best known for his voice work in the Star Wars franchise, mainly for animation and video games. He provided the voice of "Yoda" in the 2003 "Star Wars: Clone Wars" animated shorts for Cartoon Network. He voiced Yoda again in the 2008 "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated film. For Cartoon Network's "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series, he voiced a number of characters, including Yoda, and he provided the narration for each episode. Kane's extensive list of credits in film, TV, and video games stretch over three decades and include voice performances in "The Powerpuff Girls" (Cartoon Network) and "The Wild Thornberries" (Nickelodeon), to name a few.

OBIT - From TheWrap: Star Wars actor, Michael Pennington, has died at the age of 82. His family announced his death Sunday, May 10, 2026. Pennington played "Death Star Commander Moff Jerjerood," who was in charge of the construction of the new Death Star, in "Return of the Jedi" (1983). Pennington was a writer, director, and actor known for his work on the English stage, including his performance with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

DARTH MAUL - From YouTube: Disney+ has released the first official trailer for its new animated series, "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord." The first two episodes debut April 6th.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YouTube: Disney has released an official trailer for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" film. It is due in theaters and IMAX May 22, 2026.

DARTH MAUL - From StarWars: Disney+ has released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming Lucasfilm animated series, "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord." The series set for an April 6th debut on Disney+.

COMICS - From BleedingCool: Marvel Comics unveils "Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge - Echoes Of The Empire," a five-issue comic book miniseries launching April 2026. Set on Batuu, the comic connects to Disney’s "Galaxy’s Edge Park," and also expands the "Star Wars" timeline with classic heroes. Readers should expect appearances from Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Chewbacca facing the Empire over a dangerous relic. It is written by Ethan Sacks and drawn by Jethro Morales and Roi Mercado.

DAVE FILONI - From TheWrap: As Kathleen Kennedy steps down as President of Lucasfilm and Dave Filoni becomes Chief Creative Officer comes a report that Filoni did not like Lucasfilm's Emmy-winning hit, "Andor." Lynwen Brennan is also announced as co-president.

From Forbes: Reports state that Lucasfilm, Chief Creative Office (CCO), Dave Filoni, will become president of Lucasfilm when current president Kathleen Kennedy steps down. A director, producer, and screenwriter, Filoni is known for directing the 2008 animated film, "Star Wars: Clone Wars" and the upcoming live-action film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu." Filoni was also the writer, director, and executive producer on Lucasfilm/Disney+ television series like "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett," and "Ahsoka."

COMICS - From BleedingCool: "Star Wars: Shadow of Maul" is a five-issue comic book miniseries that will act as a prequel to upcoming Disney+ animated series, "Maul - Shadow Lord." The comic book is written by Benjamin Percy and drawn by Madibek Musabekov, and the first issue arrives March 2026.

FRANCHISE - From YahooTotalFilm: Despite working on Star Wars properties since "The Phantom Menace," Lucasfilm design director Doug Chiang says that only George Lucas truly knows what Star Wars design is. "I don’t always get it 100 per cent right."

COMICS - From BleedingCool: Artist Taurin Clarke is Marvel Comics' "Star Wars Black History Month" cover artist for February 2026.

From BleedingCool: Ahmed Best, the voice actor best known for the role of "Jar Jar Binks" in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, will co-write an official Star Wars Jar Jar Binks comic book for Marvel Comics. The one-shot comic book is due February 2026 and will be co-written by Marc Guggenheim and illustrated by Kieran McKeown and Laura Braga.

From FlickeringMyth: Dark Horse Comics has announced that it will return to the High Republic era of "Star Wars" next year with the six-issue limited series, "Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders." The series will be written by George Mann ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories – Qui-Gon") and drawn by Partha Pratim, Jagdish Kumar, and Michael Atiyeh ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch"). The first issue is scheduled to arrive March 11, 2026.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YouTube: Lucasfilm has released the first official trailer for "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which is due in theaters May 22, 2026.

STARFIGHTER - From IGN: Lucasfilm offers a new set photo from "Star Wars: Starfighter," featuring cast members, Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray. The film is due May 28, 2027.

From THR: The latest Star Wars movie, "Star Wars: Starfighter," started shooting on Thursday (Aug. 28th) in the U.K. Lucasfilm marked the ocassion by releasing an image of star Ryan Gosling and new cast member, Flynn Gray, in front of a speeder. Lucasfilm also revealed the latest additions to the cast. Including Flynn Gray, they are Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams. The film is being directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Gosling. Mia Goth and Matt Smith were already revealed to be in the cast, playing villains.

From Deadline: Matt Smith ("Doctor Who") will star alongside Ryan Gosling as a villain in the "Star Wars" film, "Star Wars: Starfighter," which is scheduled for a 2027 release.

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Link-o-Rama 2025.

Link-o-Rama 2024.

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STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer: "Star Wars"
From Negromancer: "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer: "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer: "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer: "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones"

From Negromancer: "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith"

From Negromancer: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer: "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer: "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer: "Solo: A Star Wars Story"

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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Friday, August 14, 2026

Comics Review: "ECTYRON DOUBLE FEATURE" Doubles the Pleasure, Doubles the Fun

ECTYRON DOUBLE FEATURE: SHOWDOWN IN SOUTH DAKOTA and ATOM.I.K.E. AND THE STRUCTURE VS. THE Z-HEMOTHS OF OMAHA

CANDLE LIGHT PRESS/Warning Comics

STORY: Carter Allen

SCRIPT: John Ira Thomas (on “Showdown in South Dakota”)

ART: Carter Allen

COLORS: Carter Allen

LETTERS: John Ira Thomas

MISC. ART: Will Grant; Jeremy Smith

COVER: Carter Allen

32pp, Color, $10.00 U.S. at conventions (2026)

Comic book writer-artist and graphic novelist, Carter Allen, has been publishing a series of comic books and graphic novels featuring a “kaiju” character known as “Ectyron! The Radioactive Chicken!” Candle Light Press and Allen's Warning Comics have previously published several Ectyron comic books, including 2025's Ectyron v Rojo Gallo.

Ectyron is back on the attack in the recently released comic book, Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha. It is written by Allen (story) and John Ira Thomas (script on “Showdown in South Dakota”); drawn and colored by Allen; and lettered by Thomas. Ectyron comics employ particular elements of various Japanese science fiction sub-genres, in particular “Kaiju.” This is a term used to describe the giant monsters and the fiction in which they appear. Godzilla is an example of a kaiju, and Ectyron, a giant-sized chicken, is also a kaiju.

Ectyron Double Feature opens with Showdown in South Dakota. The story is set in the “Badlands” of South Dakota some time in the past. In this sprawling countryside roams a mysterious monster known as “Creature 3.” When people start disappearing in the wake of this monster, it's up to two special agents from “Sustenatione Stabilitas” to find out what is happening.

Aleksandria “Lek” Stal and her partner, Shotaro “Sam” Mifune, arrive in the “Athena 5 Rover.” However, this heavily fortified vehicle cannot protect Lek and Sam from the horrific psychic attack powers of Creature 3. They'll need help from Ectyron, but is the “Marvelous Monster of the Midwest” really a match for Creature 3? Guest-starring Madam Madamn of Sustenatione Stabilitas.

The second feature is Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha. It opens with the arrival of aliens from the “Yohahte Empire,” which are bent on plundering the Earth's resources. To that end, they mutate three ordinary animals, creating the “Z-Hemoths” Soon, the monsters descend on Omaha, Nebraska.

Can Atom.I.K.E. (Herb Mantlo), Atom.A.X. (Jake Johnston), and Atom.A.Y (Iowa Harris), also known as “The Structure,” stop them? Or will it take something... super?

THE LOWDOWN: I have been receiving review copies of Carter Allen's comic books and graphic novels for almost two decades. Carter and I are also collaborators, and that includes collaborating on the 2024 original graphic novel, The Wrath of Karapace: A Big Spirits Epic.

I have previously reviewed the following Ectyron comics: Ectyron Against Lagaxtu (2017), Ectyron: Rise of Nemehiss (2018), and Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula (2019), and Ectyron vs. Des Moines (2023). I also reviewed the Ectyron Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022), which includes a preview story that I co-wrote with Allen.

Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha is not only an old-fashioned double feature comic book, but is also a two-times-the-fun comic book. It is inventive and imaginative and a carnival of Where-the-Monsters-Dwell unusual strangeness. It is a fun, uncanny comic book in the tradition of oddities like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Hellboy, which are fun because they offer the weird, the wild, and the wonderful.

I don't know how the heck writer-artist, Carter Allen, has managed to create a hugely entertaining comic book about a giant chicken, but he has done it several times. If this were a standalone Ectyron comic book, it would still be a winner. The addition of “the Structure” and “the Z-Hemoths” is a cascade of cherries on top of the Ectyron's heavenly dish of comics ice cream.

For as long as I've been reading Allen's comic books, I have seen a lot of unprecedented and foreignness in characters that yield enjoyable comics. Still, Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha seems like a brand new day, in which monsters, aliens, and tokusatsu move and act like old-fashioned superhero comics. I look at this and think Avengers vs Kree or Skrulls, and I'm a happy reader.

Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha is a treasury comic book of endless delights. Dear readers, I think you will want to read it again and again. Find the Candle Light Press gang at a comics or pop culture convention and snag a copy.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of double feature/flip comics, of kaiju, and of Carter Allen's kaiju comic books will want Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Ectyron Double Feature YouTube trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8IVYsmQXMo&t=6s.

From YouTube comes “A brief history of Ectyron”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zevMoxXmHc

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