Special: Halloween ComicFest 2015!

Hello everybody and thanks for reading the 300th post on this blog! Yay!!! Next Saturday is Halloween... It's also Halloween ComicFest, an event I detailed here but the short version is that at participating comic shops you can get free Halloween themed comics!!! Now there's a lot to read so how do you decide which to pick up? Well I'll help you there by giving you my ranking!

21. Kitaro: The Birth Of Kitaro

Publisher: DRAWN & QUARTERLY
(W/A/CA) Shigeru Mizuki
Shigeru Mizuki's The Birth of Kitaro tells the spooky origin story of the legendary mangaka's most popular character. This preview is taken from the golden era of the late 1960s, when Kitaro truly hit its stride as an all-ages supernatural series. Mizuki's Kitaro is both timelessly relevant and undeniably influential, inspiring a decades-long boom in stories about yokai, Japanese ghosts and monsters. This Halloween Special is the perfect introduction to the new all-ages Kitaro series coming in 2016 from D&Q!

20. Skylanders

Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W) Ron Marz, David Rodriguez (A/CA) Fico Ossio
Happy Halloween from Skylands! Enjoy this special comic treat as we introduce you to the candy villainy of Pain-Yatta! This issue reprints a special selection from the Skylanders: Light in the Dark storyline featured in Skylanders Volume 4 coming next month!

19. Grimmiss Island

Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
(W) Art Baltazar, Franco (A) Art Baltazar
The Volcano Goddess threatens the Mama Woogees' tiny island! What can their creation Grimmiss do to stop this terror? Between an eye exam, a tough lesson in love, and stopping the Tiki Monoliths, there are lots of things for a little guy with a skull head to do!

18. Vampblade

Publisher: ACTION LAB - DANGER ZONE
(W) Jason Martin, Dan Mendoza (A) Winston Young (CA) Winston Young, Dan Mendoza
Get a look at the latest offbeat genre heroine from Danger Zone...VAMPBLADE! After appearing in the pages of Zombie Tramp and then guest starring in a limited series with the queen of the undead, the mystical blade wielding Vampblade is all set to debut her own ongoing series in 2016! Here's your chance to see what the book is all about and also take a peek at Zombie Tramp and friends!

17. Fragments Of Horror

Publisher: VIZ MEDIA LLC
(W/A/CA) Junji Ito
An old wooden mansion that turns on its inhabitants. A dissection class with a most unusual subject. A funeral where the dead are definitely not laid to rest. Ranging from the terrifying to the comedic, from the erotic to the loathsome, these stories showcase Junji Ito's long-awaited return to the world of horror.

16. Chakra The Invincible

Publisher: GRAPHIC INDIA PTE. LTD
(W) Stan Lee & Various (A) Jeevan Kang, Various (CA) Jeevan Kang
Straight from the Free Comic Book Day release and based on the animated shorts seen on Angry Birds ToonsTV with over 30 Million views worldwide, Chakra the Invincible is the latest superhero from legendary creator, Stan Lee. Join Chakra and his friends for a very special Halloween as Dr. Singh sits you down by the campfire and tells you about some of Chakra's most sinister villains and spookiest adventures!

15. World Of Archie

Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS
(W) George Gladir (A) Rich Koslowski, Fernando Ruiz (CA) Bill Galvan, Bob Smith
Strange things are going on in Riverdale! You're invited to the best Halloween party of the year - exclusively for monsters! Is it possible that Archie and Jughead have really stumbled into a Halloween party where the guests are not in costume, but are actual, real-live monsters?! Find out for yourself if this tale is a 'trick' or a 'treat' in "For Monsters Only!"

14. The Garlicks

Publisher: ACTION LAB
(W/A/CA) Lea Hernandez
Olive, a curious butcher's apprentice, decides to crash a monster's party on Halloween Eve. Disguised as a goofy vampire alpaca, she meets an equally goofy vampire horse named Vourdain. But what is Olive going to do when it's morning and time for all monsters to unmask?

13. The Adventures Of Psycho Bonkers

Publisher: ASPEN MLT INC
(W) Vince Hernandez (A/CA) Adam Archer
A pulse-pounding Psycho Bonkers action-adventure story for fans of all ages! Join the cast of this completely brand new full throttle series along with Fathom's Ernie the Seahorse, and characters from many of Aspen's most popular titles as they team up to win a thrilling, issue-spanning race! Aspen Comics' is excited to once again offer fans and readers a unique comic and coloring book package that includes a crafted full length story geared for kids to color, plus added puzzles, mazes and other fun filled activities for children and readers of all ages! It's the perfect treat for the Halloween holiday!

12. Publisher: PERFECT SQUARE
(W/A/CA) Noriyuki Konishi
Nate Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot, Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch, Nate, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all-new supernatural adventure!

11. Actionverse

Publisher: ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT
(W) Vito Delsante & Various (A) Ray-Anthony Height, Sean Izaakse (CA) Ray-Anthony Height & Various
ACTIONVERSE DEBUTS! Get a peek at the Creator Owned event of the year that everyone will be talking about from Action Lab...ACTIONVERSE! Action Lab ties its Creator Owned Superhero Properties together in a universe shattering event never before attempted by a comic publisher. Preview the Midnight Tiger, Molly Danger and Stray crossover, get the who's who on all the Major Heroes and Villains and a special first look at our new series, ACTION LAB: DOG OF WONDER!

10. Spook-A-Rama

Publisher: FAMOUS MONSTERS
Cory loves monsters. He dresses up in monster suits and reads monster magazines, much to the chagrin of his mother, who would rather he be working in a mailroom. But when Cory learns about his hero Wilbur Atchison's studio tours, he suddenly sees an opportunity for greatness! But he soon finds out that not all of Hollywood is make believe. An all-ages adventure in the spirit of The Goonies and Monster Squad!

9. Bitten

Publisher: MAGNETIC PRESS
(W) Cornelia Funke, Raul Garcia (A/CA) Francisco Herrera
Some Hollywood Horror stories are true! Based on best-selling YA author Cornelia Funke's "Little Werewolf", comic artist Francisco Herrera (Venom, Megamind) and Disney Animator Raúl García (Aladdin, The Lion King) bring you a fun new short story and activities set in the world of the upcoming graphic novel, Bitten!"

8. Grimm Tales Of Terror #2

Publisher: ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC
Inspired by Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, Zenescope goes back to its roots of horror for this special Halloween Comic Fest reprint of Grimm Tales of Terror #2! When a group of treasure hunters heads to the Amazon in search of the priceless Spider King relic, they will find that the "Web of Deceit" they've spun has put them in a horrifying predicament!

7. Boom Studios Halloween Haunt 2015

Publisher: BOOM STUDIOS
(W/A) Jones Wiedle & Various
Enjoy three, spooky tales for your reading pleasure in this BOOM! Studios Halloween Special, featuring short stories from Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Lumberjanes. Perfect for passing out on Halloween instead of/in addition to candy!

6. Doctor Strange: The Oath #1

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
(W) Brian K. Vaughan (A/CA) Marcos Martin
Doctor Strange embarks on the most important investigation of his career, as he sets out to solve an attempted murder - his own! And with his best friend near death, Stephen Strange turns to an unexpected corner of the Marvel Universe to recruit a new ally!

5. Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina #1

Publisher: ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
(W) Roberto Aguirre Sacasa (A/CA) Robert Hack
Halloween ComicFest 2015: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Script: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa  art: Robert Hack, Jack Morelli Cover: Robert Hack, Rosario "Tito" Peña

There's no better way to kick off your Halloween than with Archie Comics' newest horror series. Terror is born anew in this dark reimagining of Sabrina the Teenage Witch's origin. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family's past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda. Relive all the horror with this special black and white presentation of the critically-acclaimed first issue.

4. Harley Quinn #1

Publisher: DC
(W) Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti (A) Chad Hardin
Harley is set to begin her new life, but she needs a job first. Enter the Coney Island Roller Derby! It's game time as Harley sets out to destroy her competition - literally. This free issue is the perfect place to start reading the adventures of Harley Quinn - the Joker's on-again, off-again psychotic girlfriend, the Clown Princess of Crime!

3. Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors/Avengers Assemble Season 2

Publisher: MARVEL COMICS
(W) Joe Caramagna, Jim Zub (A) Ron Lim, Mario Del (CA) Kalman Andrasofszky
When Peter Parker has a terrible day, he discovers that none other than Nightmare is behind it! But how can the Ultimate Spider-Man defeat a foe that's inside his own head? Guest-starring Doctor Strange! Then the Avengers take on their spookiest mission yet when they travel to Castle Doom to face Dracula! And if that's not enough, Dracula's brought a horde of bloodthirsty vampires with him!

2. Donald Duck's Halloween Scream!

Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING
(W/A) William Van Horn (CA) Dan Noonan
Classic Disney haunts are home for the howl-iday! In "It's In the Bag" and "Public Ugly #1," trick-or-treating Donald scares up a literal ton of candy... then is forced to get rid of it by fair means or foul!

1. The Batman Adventures #1

Publisher: DC
(W) Kelly Plunkett (A) Ty Templeton
The Joker and the Penguin make a deal: in return for the theft of a small item, the Joker provides the Penguin with money to garner public acclaoim as a millionaire philanthropist! How high can the Penguin fly before Batman catches on? Don't miss your chance to read this free first issue of the comic book series that spins out of the critically-acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series and brings an animated approach to comics!

For more information feel free to visit www.HalloweenComicFest.com

Top 10 Countdown: October 24, 2015

10. One Direction - Drag Me Down
Last week: 10.

9. Seaway - Freak
Last week: 9.

8. Arkells - 11:11
Last week: NEW!

7. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She's Kinda Hot
Last week: 8.

6. State Champs - All You Are Is History
Last week: 7.

5. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 2.

4. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: 5.

3. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: 4.

2. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 3.

1. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 1.

Top 10 Countdown: October 17, 2015

10. One Direction - Drag Me Down
Last week: NEW!

9. Seaway - Freak
Last week: 10.

8. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She's Kinda Hot
Last week: 9.

7. State Champs - All You Are Is History
Last week: 8.

6. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 2.

5. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: 6.

4. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: 5.

3. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 4.

2. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 1.

1. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 3.

Special: Best Movies Set in MLB Playoff Cities

There's nothing I like to talk about more than baseball, this is a fact. Unfortunately this blog isn't about baseball which has made it hard to think of something to do a Sunday Special on in the thick of pennant races and now the playoffs... So why not pick the best movie set in each MLB playoff city? Okay sure... First up the American League!

Houston Astros:

Home of Minute Maid park and the former Astrodome, the Houston Astros have been one of the best stories in sports this year using their young nucleous of players to make a 16 game improvement from last year and finishe 86-76 enough to lock down a spot in the wild card game which they emerged from victorious against the Yankees. But enough about the team let's look at the best Houston set film...

Boyhood (2014)

Boyhood is a 2014 American independent coming-of-age drama film, written and directed by Richard Linklater, and starring Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, and Ethan Hawke. Shot intermittently from 2002 to 2013, Boyhood depicts the childhood and adolescence of Mason Evans, Jr. (Coltrane) from ages six to eighteen as he grows up in Texas with divorced parents (Arquette and Hawke).

I was tempted to go with Reality Bites or maybe even The Sugarland Express but The Golden Globe award winner for Best Drama Film in 2014 and the Oscar winner Boyhood was hard to look past, sure it's filmed all over Texas but a huge segment is in Houston which is why Boyhood is the best Houston set film.

Kansas City Royals:

Last year everyone, safe for St. Louis Cardinals fans were behind the Royals wanting them to win the World Series unfortunately they cam up just short and lost to the Cardinals in a 7th and deciding game. Everyone loves an underdog but the Royals ran away with their division this year en route to the American League's best record. But what is the best Kansas City set film?

The Lookout (2007)

The Lookout is a 2007 crime film written and directed by Scott Frank, screenwriter of Out of Sight and Get Shorty, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, and Isla Fisher. Chris (Gordon-Levitt), a star athlete, has the world at his feet. Then a devastating car accident leaves him with brain damage and his bright future dimmed. He takes a job as a bank janitor and must write everything down in a small notepad in order to remember. Some former schoolmates lure Chris into their inner circle and rope him into helping them carry out a heist at the bank.

The obvious answer here was The Wizard of Oz and it's "we're not in Kansas anymore" line but Oz is not in Kansas so I couldn't justify it. I also could've went with another JGL film "Looper" but The Lookout is just a bit better. And I'm not the only one who thinks so given it's 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Texas Rangers:

When their ace, Yu Darvish went down early it looked like Texas was not going to be a contender this year, Houston had a big lead at the trade deadline so the Rangers made moves that were designed for 2016 and beyond, such as trading for Phillies ace Cole Hamels. Little did they realize Houston would slow up the second half and the Rangers ended up running away with the American League West until the last week of the season when they were slowed down by the surging LA Angels who were themselves trying to sneak into a playoff spot but on the last day of the season they clinched it. Now Texas plays in Arlington which is in the Dallas area so the best movie is...

The X-Files: Fight The Future (1998)

In a small Texas town, a mysterious black substance emanating from the remains of a prehistoric human engulfs a young boy and his rescuers. Later, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are in Dallas to disarm a bomb set to detonate inside a federal facility. Unfortunately the bomb explodes -- leaving four inside dead. Mulder and Scully then receive a tip that the disaster was a government effort to cover-up an alien virus linked to the boy's death.

This was surprisingly tough since not to many movies take place in the Dallas area we had to go with the first X-Files movie which takes place in North Texas, Antarctica and Washington, DC but the mystery that makes this X-Files movie so great is in a cave near Dallas also the movie is pretty fantastic, way better than the second X-Files movie... Seriously don't watch it.

Toronto Blue Jays:

The Blue Jays were a team under .500 when the trade deadline came near and although they upgraded on the off-season adding stars Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin. It was the deadline when they made over their roster adding 2 more superstars in David Price and Troy Tulowitzki as well as complementary pieces in Ben Revere, Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins. Toronto will try to hold off elimination tonight against Texas but if they do lose we'll always have this movie...

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.

I love love love this movie. It's probably one of my top five films all time so when picking a movie set in Toronto, it was a no brainer. It had to be Scott taking on the legion of evil exes of his current girlfriend, Ramona, with help from his bandmates in Sex Bomb-omb and ex girlfriend Knives Chau. It's funny, it's action packed, it's very self-aware of it's eccentricities and is very comic and video game driven... Yeah!!!

Now onto the National League teams...

Chicago Cubs:

Which professional sports team haven't won it all in over a 100 years? You're looking at them! The Chicago Cubs last took home the World Series trophy in 1908 and haven't sniffed the Championship game since 1945. Could this be the year? The Cubs pulled into the playoffs as a wild card team defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in a one game playoff to meet their division rivals and owners of the best record in the National League... It'll be tough but even if they falter this season they are loaded with young stars and I would bet the Cubs see the World Series in the next 5 years.

Wanted (2008)

Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is an office worker whose life is going nowhere. After his estranged father is murdered, he meets Fox (Angelina Jolie), who recruits him into the Fraternity, a secret society of assassins which takes its orders from Fate itself. Fox and Sloan (Morgan Freeman), the Fraternity's leader, teach Wesley to tap into dormant powers. Though he enjoys his newfound abilities, he begins to suspect that there is more to the Fraternity than meets the eye.

Speaking of movies that rank among my favourites, no list would be complete without this thrilling-crime-action-adventure-fantasy and a whole bunch of other genres. Chicago is where Wesley lives and it's also where the Fraternity makes it's headquarters. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you're missing out. If you have then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about and we can be besties for life!

Los Angeles Dodgers:

The LA Dodgers used their usual blend of throwing money at problems to bring in some high class talent, but unlike their spend happy neighbours the Yankees, the Dodgers can often time find value in other places (Justin Turner) and also have quite a bit of home grown talent on the team (Pederson, Puig, Ellis, Seager). They won the West handidly this year since it's an odd numbered year and the Giants are a non-factor. It shouldn't be hard finding a great movie set in LA so let's go with...

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Down-on-his-luck private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) gets hired by cartoon producer R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) to investigate an adultery scandal involving Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), the sultry wife of Maroon's biggest star, Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer). But when Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), Jessica's alleged paramour and the owner of Toontown, is found murdered, the villainous Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) vows to catch and destroy Roger.

So many great comedies took place in LA (Role Models, The Muppets, Beverly Hills Cop) not to mention all the high octane action flicks (Point Break, Bad Boys) and the thrilling crime stories (Training Day, Heat) we had to go for the cartoon/animation hybrid that was unlike anything you've ever seen in the 80's and was a staple of my childhood and remains a top watch for myself to this day.

New York Mets:

The Mets, much like the Cubs, entered the season with it looking to be a bridge year since the Nationals were favoured to win the division, hell even the World Series. However, injuries, inconsistancies and bad management put the Nats in such a hole that even breakout star and likely MVP Bryce Harper couldn't get them out which opened the doors for the Mets to take the division behind their young, studly starting pitching fronted by ace Matt Harvey that pushed #5 starter and the oldest guy in the National League Bartolo Colon to the bullpen.

Men In Black III (2012)

Even though agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) have been protecting the Earth from alien scum for many years, J still does not know much about his gruff partner. However, J soon gets an unexpected chance to find out what makes K tick when an alien criminal called Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) escapes, goes back to 1969, and kills K. With the fate of the planet at stake, J goes back in time and teams up with K's younger self (Josh Brolin) to put things right.

Wanting to keep it on Long Island for the Mets made it slim pickings as only two films come to mind, this and The Warriors which both have segments on Coney Island. Sure The Warriors are all about them trying to get back to their home turf (Coney Island) but 85% of the movie is New York City with them fighting off gangs. At least all of the time-travelling stuff takes place on the Island until they head for Florida.

St. Louis Cardinals:

St. Louis has long been the poster organization of Major League Baseball. They have a great major league product, tons of depth in the minors as well as high ceiling top prospects. The Cards always seem to make great baseball deals all around. No wonder they were the only team to win 100 games and obviously hold the best record in baseball, They limped into the playoffs though and some wondered if they could make a push but so far so good as they've matched up well against a young Cubs team.

Up In The Air (2009)

An idea from a young, new co-worker (Anna Kendrick) would put an end to the constant travel of corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), so he takes her on a tour to demonstrate the importance of face-to-face meetings with those they must fire. While mentoring his colleague, he arranges hookups with another frequent-flier (Vera Farmiga), and his developing feelings for the woman prompt him to see others in a new light.

Yet another shocker... You'd figure more movies were based out of St. Louis but I guess not. Which is why I had to pick a movie whose primary focus is on airplane travel and the people you meet. A good portion does happen in St. Louis and the credits even thank the people of St. Louis so clearly they were instrumental in getting this terrific movie, and 6 time academy award nominee made.

Top 10 Countdown: October 10, 2015

10. Seaway - Freak
Last week: New!

9. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She's Kinda Hot
Last week: 10.

8. State Champs - All You Are Is History
Last week: NEW!

7. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 3.

6. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: 7.

5. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: 6.

4. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 5.

3. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 3.

2. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 2.

1, Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 1.

Top 10 Countdown: October 3, 2015

10. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She's Kinda Hot
Last week: NEW!

9. The Wonder Years - Cigarettes & Saints
Last week: 9.

8. Set It Off - Forever Stuck In Our Youth
Last week: 4.

7. New Found Glory Feat. Hayley Williams (Paramore) - Vicious Love
Last week: 8.

6. Simple Plan - Boom
Last week: 7.

5. Patent Pending - Brighter
Last week: 6.

4. Neck Deep - Gold Steps
Last week: 5.

3. State Champs - Secrets
Last week: 1.

2. Pvris - Fire
Last week: 3.

1. Man Overboard - She's In Pictures
Last week: 2.