Special: Black Widow, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines Mini-Reviews

Black Widow:

Synopsis: Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

My thoughts: Give me all the Yelena (Florence Pugh) content going forward. I never really felt connected to Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow as she was always kinda stuck in the background and now that she's no longer in the MCU in real time. Marvel decided to give her a movie that takes place after Civil War, only to be outshined by the younger, more interesting and more personable character of Yelena. It's clear the Marvel brass has big plans for this character now and I'm pumped. The movie also had enough comedic bits to keep my wife entertained so that's always a plus for me personally. 

Final verdict: 4.5 tightfitting superhero suits out of 5.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It:

Synopsis: "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.

My thoughts: They slapped the Conjuring name on this flick but it feels like a spin-off more than the main line series. This could be because Wan stepped away from the Director's chair and he was sorely missed. This third installment, although oddly not named Conjuring 3, is a step above the recent spin-off's from the Conjuring franchise but a far cry from the original two movies that made this a behemoth of a movie franchise.

Final verdict: 3.5 Warren files out of 5.

The Mitchells Vs. The Machines:

Synopsis: Young Katie Mitchell embarks on a road trip with her proud parents, younger brother and beloved dog to start her first year at film school. But their plans to bond as a family soon get interrupted when the world's electronic devices come to life to stage an uprising. With help from two friendly robots, the Mitchells must now come together to save one another -- and the planet -- from the new technological revolution.

My thoughts: The newest flick from Pixar delivers! Wait what? This was a Sony movie... Are you sure? The Mitchells Vs. The Machines offers eye-popping animation, a ton of laughs, a ton of emotional moments, a great heartwarming story with an incredible message attached (sound familiar?) This Sony flick they released for free on Netflix is basically an instant animation classic that I would watch over The Incredibles any day.

Final verdict: 5 family road trips out of 5.

Special: Top 10 2018 Christmas Themed Funko POP's

Hey everybody a few years ago I counted down the top 10 Christmas Themed Funko POP's (which you can find HERE). This year Funko has released so many Christmas Funko POP's I figured it deserved a list of it's own so here it goes based solely on my opinion.

10. Betty Boop & Pudgey

Kicking off the list is one of a few 12 Days of Christmas items from the Funko Shop. This one is actually still available if you're liking it. I almost didn't include it on this list, only because I was concerned it wasn't "Christmassy" enough since a lot of the items part of this promotion weren't but unlike Batman, Betty actually appears to be wearing elf attire instead of just being red.

9. Mr. Hankey

Yeah yeah I know. It's a piece of poo with a Santa hat, a mouth and eyes. But GD Mr. Hankey is a Christmas legend at this point and he deserves a place on this list.

8. Merry Marauder

This angry gingerbread man from a pretty popular game, as I understand it, called Fortnite is yet another common that you can grab and last time I checked gingerbread is very Christmassy.

7. Spongebob Squarepants

This is a better design than the original Spongebob POP however it's not perfect... I just think he's likely a character that just will never look amazing in POP form. However his Santa hat AND present is enough to get him on this list.

6. C-3PO

This is basically the normal mold wearing a Santa suit except he's actually holding the beard! Nice touch Funko and well played.

5. Buddy The Elf with Raccoon

Another 12 Days of Christmas special, this one is actually still on the Funko Shop so you can still grab it! I'm an Elf fan so this is a must have for me, will hopefully grab it later on when I have some money to spend on it since it's the iconic moment when Buddy asks if the raccoon needs a hug just for it to lunge angrily at his throat.

4. Spider-Man

Ugly Christmas sweaters are all the rage... Even Spidey is jumping on the trend. As you've seen and will continue to see I don't mind the laziness of slapping a sweater on a different mold as long as it's cool and the detail on this sweater definitely fits that description.

3. Christmas Wishes Bear

Top 3 time! I realize this is mostly a repaint but the added stocking adds a lot nevermind the hat and scarf. This is totally deserving of a top 3 spot.

2. Chewbacca

I know this seems pretty lazy for number two but c'mon Chewbacca is so angry that he's tied up in lights... He's even pulling them away. A lot more work went into this sculpt than a quick glance and I for once love it.

1. Patrick Star

This wins out for just being such a better sculpt than the original Patrick and also adding the winter flare of the scarf and candy cane.

Special: Top 10 Most Valuable Funko POP!

Those who know me know that I love me some Funko POP's. When I first saw them I thought they were cool but I've never been much of a toy collector so I couldn't justify the money... That all changed when I was in a liquidation store where I saw Hal Jordan sitting on the shelf priced at $5, so I had to buy it, FYI the value as of this writing of that $5 purchase is $24 American! He was my only POP for a couple months until I went to a Comic Con and decided I'd buy a 2nd one... That day Batman was added to my collection of two. A while later my girlfriend was in the states and picked me up a Deadpool and Donatello and she told me how much cheaper they were there and that's when things spiralled out of control and now here I am over the 80 Funko POP mark wondering where I would be had I started collecting right away, maybe I'd have some of the more valuable ones! Speaking of valuable ones, that's the topic of this post. I'm looking at the Top 10 most valuable Funko Pop's, ones that aren't exclusives, variants or limited, these are simply ones that at one time or another were found in any store at any time. Here's hoping I'm lottery bound so I can add some of these to my collection!

10. Misfit Elephant
Line: Holidays
Number: #6
Current Value: $110

I'm fortunate enough to have a few of the Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer POP's but this one unfortunately will elude me until I can come into some money. Since the new year 9 of these beauties were sold on eBay. The low end was $65 the high end was $220 in mid-April. Wanna add him to your collection? There's 2 up on eBay now, one at $220 the other at the steal of $149.95... Looks like this ones value will be increasing even more very soon.

9. Red Skull
Line: Marvel
Number: #7
Current Value: $125

It's surprising this one is valued so high. There appears to be a lot of sellers so clearly there is enough out there but for whatever reason it's consistently commanding over $100. For comparisons sake in April 2015 there were 11 sold on eBay. Still lots for sale though if you don't wanna wait for this one to come back to earth, there's even some around the $120 mark.

8. Purple Haze
Line: Rocks
Number: #1
Current Value: $135

#1's are worth a lot, just ask any comic collector. The surprising part about this Hendrix POP is that as late as January 2015 this was still going in the high double digits but since then it's had a couple big sales ($200 and $225) that cause it's value to shoot up. The good news? There's one up now that is for auction and the current bid is only $56... Get on that Hendrix fans.

7. Loki (Thor Movie)
Line: Marvel
Number: #2
Current Value: $140

This is the first in a couple ties that gets held down by it's low sale in the last 30 days ($93). Believe it or not there is a Loki more valuable than this one... The Avengers movie Loki (#16) is currently going for $640! Unfortunately it was a Comic Con exclusive limited to 480 pieces. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has done wonders for Loki, usually an afterthought in the comics Tom Hiddleston made Loki, and his merchandise, value's skyrocket.

6. Shazam!
Line: Heroes
Number #14
Current Value: $140

Since DC was one of the first to license their properties to Funko a lot of their early POP's are valuable especially those that have seen their stock go up since they've been retired and Shazam is the first of many you'll see. It's actually a tie in value but because there is a low sale of $102.50 in the last 30 days it gets the ow end of the tie.

5. Hawkman
Line: Heroes
Number #17
Current Value: $140

Finally the end of the $140 ties, Hawkman's low sale comes in at $115. It's actually been higher the last couple sales which could lead to Hawkman's value climbing, though if a lot of people decide to sell it could cause the opposite to happen since similar to Red Skull a lot of people own Hawkman so we'll have to see how his market plays out but right now it's sitting pretty in the top 5.

4. Greedo
Line: Star Wars
Number: #7
Current Value: $155

Want a valuable POP that you can probably find at your local comic book/toy shop? Greedo is the one for you! Funko has recently released a series of Star Wars POP's from the vault in anticipation of the new Star Wars movie later this year. These "vault editions" however carry different boxes than the original so although you can get a vault edition for $11 the original Greedo remains the holy grail of the Star Wars line though it's possible that with the vault edition Greedo's price can take a dive.

3. Martian Manhunter
Line: Heroes
Number: #18
Current Value: $185

Believe it or not this POP is on the rise... Manhunter's last 10 sales had 5 checking in between $150 and $185 and 4 between $200 and $240. A lot of people are starting to put Manhunter up on eBay but he's not that well owned so it's not likely that we see a market flood happen, it's definitely possible that this becomes the crown jewel of the Heroes line but until that happens the title belongs to...

2. Green Arrow
Line: Heroes
Number: #15
Current Value: $250

Surprisingly this one actually shot up $10 in value since I made this list a couple days ago. Green Arrow is the perfect storm of events. It was a popular enough character to warrant a POP in the early going, got retired because he wasn't THAT popular and then the TV show hit it's stride any everyone wanted the emerald archer... Recently his POP sold for an astonishing $389.95! Manhunter's gotta work!

1. A Clockwork Orange
Line: Classics
Number: #4
Current Value: $2,610

Okay so I cheated here but I wanted to point out the ridiculousness of this piece... Limited to 12 pieces this is far and away the most valuable POP in the world. The 2nd closest is another 12 piece edition, clone trooper Freddy Funko, unfortunately it's value is hard to ascertain since there has only been one sale in September 2014 for $2,025.00

Comic Shop Corner: November 20, 2013

Comics are so mainstream now it's crazy to think about! You'd think Superman just died or something?? Anyways here's what you should pick up this week...

Dark Horse Comics

The Strain: The Fall #5

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Arrow are doing well for themselves... So it's about time Dark Horse jumps on the TV bandwagon, and looks like "The Strain: The Fall" will be coming to FX soon so prepare yourself as the comic starts it's next chapter. Sure that an ancient tome, the Occido Lumen, holds the secret to defeating the Master, Fet and Setrakian head to the auction house for a different kind of battle. Meanwhile, Eph, sure of a conspiracy surrounding the vampire epidemic, mounts a secret mission to assassinate the wealthy and ailing Eldritch Palmer!

Also available: Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi Force War #1, B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth #113, Kiss Me Satan #3, Conan The Barbarian #22, Buzzkill #3, Dark Horse Presents #30, Brain Boy #3, and many more

DC Comics

Harley Quinn #0

Although the former psychiatrist has appeared in The New 52, most notably as a member of Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad, Quinn fans finally made their voices loud enough to get a response from DC and now the Joker's gal has her own monthly title for thew first time in years. This bombastic debut issue features art by award-winning illustrators including Darwyn Cooke, Sam Kieth, Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pope, Walter Simonson, Art Baltazar and others-but will any of them measure up to the exacting standards of the Clown Princess of Crime? Don't miss the thrilling return of Harley Quinn in her own monthly series!

Also available: Batman & Two-Face #25, Wake #5, Green Lantern: New Guardians #25, Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2, Batwoman #25, Fables #135, Animal Man #25, Batman '66 #5, Red Hood And The outlaws #25, and many more!

IDW Publishing

Ben 10 #1

The beloved Cartoon Network series returns to comics in the final of the first 3 installments (After Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack) of IDW releasing Cartoon Network themed books. Who knew vacation could be this exciting? Ben Tennyson and his teammates kick off a maelstrom of action when an ocean cruise brings Ben in the cross hairs of Ssserpent, who's out to find a long-lost underwater society. But does Ben's new, slightly oddball love interest harbor dark secrets of her own? Aliens, superpowers, ships and swimsuits: the perfect ingredients for high-seas adventure.

Also available: Doctor Who Prisoners Of Time #12, Samurai Jack #2, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic #13, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles New Animated Adventures #5, Jinrise #8, and many more!

Image Comics

A Voice In The Dark #1

It's been 72 days since Zoey killed someone. With her recent move to college, Zoey is eager to start a fresh chapter of her life - one where she can control her dark urges they way she has before. But when she becomes the host of a late night campus radio show, Zoey must consider if she has given a voice to something far more troubled than her anonymous callers. The early reviews are great from newcomer Larime Taylor, as this book promises to bring murder back into the dark where it belongs.

Also available: Sex Criminals #3, Savage Dragon #192, Zero #3, Clone #12, Todd The Ugliest Kid On Earth #7, Sheltered #5, and many more!


Marvel Comics

Indestructible Hulk #15

Mark Waid continues his amazing run with The Hulk in this conclusion to the ongoing storyline "Hulk: Agent Of T.I.M.E." It's the Hulk's final stand against the Chronarchists. We also see The Hulk return to present time... But which Hulk is it? and whatever happened to Bruce Banner? These questions are promised to be answered.

Also available: Cataclysm: The Ultimates #1, Uncanny X-Men #14, Longshot Saves The Marvel Universe #2, Avengers #23, Superior Spider-Man Annual #1, X-Men #7, Daredevil #33, Dexter #5, A+X #14, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #6, Wolverine MAX #13, Secret Avengers #11, Thunderbolts #18, Cable & X-Force #16, Fantastic Four #14, Young Avengers #12, and many more!

Spotlight:

Avatar Press: The Night Of The Living Dead: Aftermath #12

Have you ever wondered what happened after the cult classic film Night Of The Living Dead ended? Well Avatar Press has been releasing it's sequel for the last year and now it's finally come to an end. The end is here as David Hine tells the final bloody chapter in the Night of the Living Dead: Aftermath story. The excessive 1970s have given way to the dawn of the undead. Zombies have overrun the defenses that held them in check and turned major American cities into shambling ghoul towns. We started our journey with the Las Vegas survivors and our tale of misery ends with them.




Remember to follow this comic loving fiend over at @DonnyForTheWin and also read my regular posts over at www.BigBComics.com

Comic Shop Corner: October 16, 2013

Everyone over their Villains Month hangover yet? I'm just about there but in the meantime let's take a look at the books coming out this week that will hopefully eventually find their way to the top of my stack.

Dark Horse Comics

Conan The Barbarian #21

With the movie reboot tanking and the Arnold movies long forgotten it's weird to see Conan doing this well at Dark Horse as this is the most talked about I've ever heard Conan be. Mind you Brian Wood has goodwill behind him after his day 1 sellout of Star Wars so there seems to be at least some good writing to look forward to as a twisted religious order targets the heathens Conan and Bêlit, who flee with a relic of immeasurable value. Mad warrior monks pursue the couple across a mazelike landscape, cutting off every avenue of escape. With no other options, Bêlit looks to the mysterious item, hoping to find some salvation within.

Also available: Bloodhound Crowbar Medicine #1, Strain The Fall #4, B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth #112, Brain Boy #2, S.H.O.O.O.T. First #1, and many more!

DC Comics

Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1

The Rogues call no man boss, but a new evil threat might not leave them much choice! Will they fall in line, or refuse and risk certain death? The answer will tear the Rogues apart! You have to give me some credit I've been trying not to push Forever Evil that much but this series has been so good I can't help it. This mini-series tie-in focuses on The Flash's most renowed villains group as they decide wheather they will fight with or against The Secret Society of Earth 3.

Also available: Batman/Superman #4, Justice League of America #8, Green Lantern New Guardians #24, Batman '66 #4, Batwoman #24, 100 Bullets Brother Lono #5, Wonder Woman #24, Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4, Supergirl #24, Batman Beyond Universe #3, Animal Man #24, Fables #134, and many more!

IDW Publishing

Star Trek Khan #1

"Shall we begin?" Don't miss this all-new mini-series event overseen by Star Trek Into Darkness writer/producer Roberto Orci! Witness the shocking origin of Khan Noonien Singh from his earliest years through his rise to power during the epic Eugenics Wars! Behold the events that led to his escape from Earth aboard the Botany Bay! Learn the truth behind his re-awakening by Admiral Marcus and Section 31! It's the origin of Star Trek's greatest villain, only from IDW!

Also available: Transformers More Than Meets The Eye #22, X-Files Season 10 #5, G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #195, and many more!



Image Comics

Whispers #6

After his journey through hell, Sam is able to untangle reality from fiction and discover the shocking truth about his powers. But when he confronts the source, will he be able to discover the truth about himself? It all ends here in the dramatic conclusion of Whispers! The best part about this ending? Now I can look forward to a trade to read it all since I missed out on the first couple issues but if you were smart, unlike me, this epic conclusion promises to be tasty.

Also available: Zero #2, Thief Of Thieves #17, Nowhere Men #6, Invincible #106, Bushido #3, Morning Glories #33, and many more!



Marvel Comics

Superior Spider-Man #19

Necessary Evil concludes in this thrilling issue as we finally encounter the moment that changes world of Spider-Man, and the Marvel Universe for years to come.Which Spider-Man is responsible for such a thing? Spider-Man 2099 or the Superior Spider-Man? Major developments for both Spider-Man's cast... and for the future. And the variant cover pictured here is just beautiful.

Also available: Avengers Assemble #20, Guardians Of The Galaxy #7, Indestructible Hulk Special #1, Avengers #21, Wolverine MAX #12, Hunger #4, Fantastic Four #13, Cable And X-Force #15, Hawkeye #13, Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #19, A+X #13, X-Men Legacy #18, New Avengers #11, Uncanny X-Men #13, and many more!


Spotlight:

Monsterverse Comics: Devils Dog #1

You thought we were going to go a week without a Halloween book didn't you? Ha! In this new 3 part horror mini series a mysterious driver in a Plymouth Barracuda (with the body of a young female hitchhiker in the trunk) passes through a small Oklahoma town in the Summer of 1969. But his evil nature is somehow sensed by a local resident who has the town staked out for himself. After a beastly attack, a demonic curse is passed on to the stranger and his full evil will finally be released in this dark tale of the supernatural by a newcomer in writer/artist Scott Youtsey.
              

Comic Shop Corner: October 9, 2013

Another week, another hit to your wallet as your money leaves faster than a speeding bullet. Let's see where your cash should go this week...

Dark Horse Comics

Shaolin Cowboy #1

From artist/writer Geof Darrow comes an all new story! The Shaolin Cowboy returns, but nowhere in sight is there a dead Robin, any infinity gauntlets, or a single conquering Ultron—just flat-out action, intrigue, and plenty of roadkill. Darrow’s slow-talkin’, kung-fu-gripping hero proves once again, in this brand-new new series, that the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a chainsaw! This issue is guaranteed to have more action in it's 32 pages than the rest of your pull list combined!

Also Available: Star Wars #10, Elfquest Special: The Final Quest, Halo: Initiation #3, Resident Alien: The Suicide Blonde #2, X #6, Creepy Comics #14, Abe Sapien #6, and many more!

DC Comics

Superman/Wonder Woman #1

Beginning a bold new series that details the relationship between The Man of Steel and the Warrior Princess as rising star writer Charles Soule is joined by fan favourite artist Tony S. Daniel to tell the tale of a romance that will shake the stars themselves. These two super-beings love each other, but not everyone shares their joy. Some fear it, some test it-and some will try to kill for it. Some say love is a battlefield, but where Superman and Wonder Woman are concerned it spells Doomsday!

Also Available: Batman #24, Forever Evil: Arkham War #1, Green Lantern Corps #24, Coffin Hill #1, Nightwing #24, Constantine #7, Suicide Squad #24, World's Finest #16, Batgirl #24, Astro City #5, Superboy #24, Trinity Of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #12, Stormwatch #24, and many more!

IDW Publishing

Memory Collectors

Well Halloween is just around the corner so why not spotlight a very intriguing horror book debuting this week? IDW brings us the story of three jaded fetish models who are unexpectedly thrown into a violent world and made to confront a horrible and unperceived truth: Hidden among us are entities that feed on the very thing we hold most sacred, our memories. No longer content with their lives as hunted cattle, they become the hunters. Known mostly for their contracted comics of characters we already know and love (TMNT, Transformers, etc.) It's nice to see IDW branch out.

Also Available: KISS Solo #1: The Demon, Mars Attacks Judge Dredd #2, Transformers Robots In Disguise #21, Ghostbusters #8, Popeye Classics #15, and many more!

Image Comics

Americas Got Powers #7

Too many Americans with too many powers...so the government decides it's time to wipe them all out and start from scratch. Nobody ever said it would be easy. Image's superhero title wraps up with this issue concluding the mini-series and I for one am anxious to see how it ends. Will they leave it open for an on going or is this the last we seen of Americas Got Powers?

Also Available: Walking Dead #115, Rocket Girl #1, Chew #37, Walking Dead Tyrese Special, Sidekick #3, Peter Panzerfaust #15, Three #1, Hoax Hunters #11, Miniature Jesus #5, Manhattan Projects #15, Ghosted #4, Think Tank #10, Bushido #2, Walking Dead #1 (10th Anniversary Special), and many more!


Marvel Comics

Astonishing X-Men #68

Through thick and thin, from marriage to apocalypse, the X-Men have always stood together as a family. Is there anything in this world--or any other--that could break them up? It all ends here as writer Marjorie Liu bids a fond farewell to the Astonishing team as this is the final issue of this long running ongoing.

Also Available: Infinity #4, Captain America #12, Avengers A.I. #4, X-Men #6, Thor: God Of Thunder #14, Deadpool #18, Dexter #4, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #4, Uncanny X-Force #12, Avengers Arena #16, Wolverine #10, Marvel Universe: Hulk Agents Of S.M.A.S.H. #1, Ultimate Comics: X-Men #32, Fearless Defenders #10, and many more!

Spotlight:

Archie Comics: Afterlife With Archie #1

That's right kiddies, Archie is releasing it's first Teens+ book starring your favourtie Riverdale characters, as Archie and the gang go where they've never been before... To the grave and back! A horrific accident sets off a series of grim events and Sabrina the Teenage Witch must try to repair the unspeakable evil her spell has unleashed. Gasp in horror as Riverdale faces an impending zombie Arch-pocalypse in this brand-new, spine-tingling ongoing series-but be warned, kiddies, this one's not for the faint of heart!





As always folks, feel free to tweet at me @DonnyForTheWin and let me know what you're looking forward to and what you thought of this week's Halloween themed comics.