THE FANDOM ZONE 156: "Will to Power" is Up!

"Was I dead?"
"Maybe just a little bit.  But I un-deaded you!"
-- Seg-El and Adam Strange, Krypton: "Will to Power"

Hello again, everyone!  Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, we discuss "Will to Power", the third episode from Season 2 of the Syfy series Krypton, featuring Seg-El's plan to get rid of Brainiac, General Zod telling his mom Lyta how she died, and Nyssa-Vex getting a new/old love interest!

In this episode, Jesse and I talk about things like Jesse speaking with a Texan accent, writers and directors hoping the other one knows what they're doing, how The CW would've drawn out Adam Strange and Seg-El on Colu for at least half a season, Netflix and the BBC encouraging networks to release shorter seasons with less filler, Adam coming to grips with who he is, Lobo's clever use of his regenerative powers to get inside a force field, Lobo's severed arm giving Adam the finger, Seg realizing he can rifle through Brainiac's memories, Adam having to trust Seg without knowing if he's talking to Seg or Brainiac, Brainiac knowing how to use emotions as a weapon without actually having them, Lobo still being a threat even with only the upper half of his body, General Zod's Evil Spock goatee, General Zod telling Lyta-Zod how she died in the original timeline, finding out that Nyssa-Vex is bisexual, wondering if Araame is a plant to keep tabs on Nyssa, Jax-Ur being really suspicious of Nyssa, the contrast between Lyta-Zod and Nyssa-Vex, Nyssa trying to not become her father, Jayna-Zod telling Dev-Em that she needs him for her plan to save Lyta and kill General Zod, wondering how Dev-Em ended up unconscious in the snow, our favorite quotes of the episode, Jesse becoming a fan of Irish Lobo, the CW's fall premiere dates for their comic book TV shows, my wife Lori and I watching Riverdale, my disappointment with Swamp Thing's depiction of the Phantom Stranger, all roads leading to Bruce Springsteen, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

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The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast

The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Jesse and I review "Danger Close", the fourth episode from Season 2 of the Syfy series Krypton, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

Netflix Signs Deal to Adapt Neil Gaiman's THE SANDMAN as TV Series

At long last, the dream is real.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Netflix has signed "a massive financial deal with Warner Bros. Television" to adapt Neil Gaiman's classic DC Comics/VERTIGO series The Sandman as a straight-to-series TV drama.

According to the article, The Sandman will be the most expensive TV series that DC Entertainment has ever done.  Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman, Grey's Anatomy) will write and serve as showrunner on the straight-to-series drama.  Gaiman will be an executive producer on the series alongside David Goyer, after the two attempted to adapt The Sandman as a film project in 2013 with Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the central character Dream/Morpheus.

Gaiman's dark fantasy series debuted in 1989, chronicling the saga of Dream, the Lord of Dreams, and one of the aspects of the universe personified by a group of powerful beings known as The Endless.  As the series begins, Dream is captured in an occult ritual and imprisoned on Earth for seventy years, but escapes in the modern day and sets about rebuilding his realm of dreams.  Over the course of 75 issues, plus an annual and a special, Gaiman and a variety of artists (including Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg, Kelley Jones, Jill Thompson and others) explored both the modern world and the past, incorporating numerous elements of literature, mythology, religion, fantasy, horror and even superheroes.

The article also claims that Warner Bros. took the Sandman TV pitch to multiple outlets, including corporate sibling HBO.  HBO passed on the series, given the massive financial cost and probably due to their other expensive shows such as Westworld, Watchmen and the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series.  Reportedly, Netflix seized upon the series as part of their search for big-name IP that could be turned into subscriber-friendly franchises, especially after Netflix recently parted ways with Marvel Studios and their five drama shows.

In addition, THR notes that Warner Bros. decided to make the deal with third-party Netflix in an attempt to bring additional revenue to the company, instead of featuring The Sandman on its upcoming WarnerMedia streaming service.  Warner Bros. is reportedly in final negotiations for a new film and TV pact with J.J. Abrams that could be worth more than $500 million, so they presumably need some spare change.

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 146: "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith" is Up!

"I hope you're as good as Sarah Jane says you are."
"Well, you know journalists, always exaggerating, but yeah, I'm pretty amazing on a good day."
-- Clyde Langer and the Tenth Doctor, The Sarah Jane Adventures: "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith"

Hello again, Whovians!  This time, OG partner in time Jesse Jackson returns to Next Stop Everywhere to help me discuss "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith", the third serial from The Sarah Jane Adventures Series Three in 2009, starring Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, Paul Marc Davis as The Trickster, and John Leeson as the voice of K-9 Mark IV!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse's first time watching The Sarah Jane Adventures, The Sarah Jane Adventures being a much better Doctor Who spinoff than Class, Russell T. Davies being a talented showrunner, Elisabeth Sladen being taken from us much too soon, David Tennant's final performance as the Tenth Doctor until "The Day of the Doctor", Nicholas Courtney being unable to reprise The Brigadier, the petition wanting Netflix to cancel Good Omens even though it's an Amazon Prime miniseries, Jesse crushing on Elisabeth Sladen, Sarah Jane being in the Doctor role with her own companions, my initial expectations for the series when it first aired, the kids being appealing in a Goonies and Stranger Things type way, wondering if Ryan and Yaz were inspired by Clyde and Rani, why Luke Smith would've been a good character to add into Class, the kids being capable of doing things on their own without Sarah Jane, the Doctor being important to the story without taking over Sarah Jane's TV show, "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith" being a bonus Tenth Doctor story, the Doctor's previous companions needing a support group, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Holly from Wisconsin and Paul from Australia, my 50th birthday weekend, my report of the "The State of Doctor Who Today" panel and meeting Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury at Origins 2019 in Columbus, Origins' poor planning of the Doctor Who room and autograph traffic, some Doctor Who Series 12 news, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

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And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as special guest companion John Takacs returns to Next Stop Everywhere to help me discuss "The Mind of Evil", the secdnd serial from Doctor Who Season 8 in 1971, starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, Nicholas Courtney as The Brigadier, and Roger Delgado as the First Master!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

THE FANDOM ZONE 155: "Ghost in the Fire" is Up!

"No, I’m being serious.  I don’t know who you are."
"You’re in the presence of the Main Man.  The Main Man?  Really?  Come on!  Assassin to royalty?  Scourge of the cosmos?  The last Czarnian?  Ultimate Bastich?  Machete Man, Mister Machete, Master Machete?  Mister Frag, Master Frag?  Archbishop of the First Celestial Church of the Triple Fish-God?  None of this is ringing a bell?"
-- Seg-El and Lobo, Krypton: "Ghost in the Fire"

Hello again, everyone!  Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, we discuss the second episode from Season 2 of the Syfy series Krypton, featuring Seg-El and Adam Strange getting to know Lobo, Jayna-Zod's return from the Outlands, and Nyssa-Vex infiltrating the Wegthor resistance!

In this episode, Jesse and I talk about things like more of Lobo's Irish accent, Brainiac having telekinetic and telepathic powers, Krypton emphasizing humor more in Season 2, the timeline being altered and making things more unpredictable, Lobo being funny one minute and dark the next, Lobo being the Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer of Krypton, my theory of Brainiac hiding out inside Seg's body being proven right, Lobo calling Seg-El "Siegel" after Superman's co-creator Jerry Siegel, Seg-El and Adam Strange fighting Lobo, the various Lobo easter eggs from the comics, General Zod having Nyssa-Vex infiltrate the resistance group on Wegthor, Val-El's motivational speech, Lyta-Zod trying really hard to be her mom, Lyta hallucinating Lor-Ran as Seg and beating the Craptown out of him, Lyta starting to lose it, Jayna-Zod hallucinating her brother Vidar-Zod in the Outlands, our favorite quotes of the episode, Jesse's thoughts on Bruce Springsteen's new album Western Stars, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

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The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Jesse and I review "Will to Power", the third episode from Season 2 of the Syfy series Krypton, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

GHOSTWOOD 056: "Criterion Velvet Part 1" is Up!

"It's a strange world."
-- Jeffrey Beaumont, Blue Velvet

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we discuss the new Criterion Collection release of Blue Velvet, the 1986 neo-noir mystery film from director David Lynch, starring Kyle MacLachlan as Jeffrey Beaumont, Isabella Rossellini as Dorothy Vallens, Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth, and Laura Dern as Sandy Williams!

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan's recent trip to Romania, Vlad the Impaler, David Lynch finally receiving an honorary Oscar, David Lynch being a creative artist but not a weirdo, small towns having a dark underbelly, Blue Velvet being the prototype for Twin Peaks, similarities and differences between the DVD and the new Criterion Blu-Ray, Megan Mullally as Jeffrey's college girlfriend Louise, the 53 minutes of Lost Footage, Jeffrey being a voyeur at college, the deleted scenes changing your outlook on Jeffrey's mom, A&P supermarkets, Jeffrey's relationship with Aunt Barbara, wondering how Sandy gets Heiniken without being carded, Lumberton being very hard up for entertainment, David Lynch's fascination with the names Bob and Mike, Jeffrey finding out Louise got married, Sandy's a-hole boyfriend Mike, Xan's audio sounding very Max Headroom, Jeffrey and Detective Williams bonding over crime scene photos, Sandy buying Jeffrey a Dairy Queen, Aunt Barbara leaving two termites on a note to Jeffrey, Jeffrey panicking talking to Frank on the phone, Jeffrey rescuing Dorothy from jumping off the roof, my 50th birthday weekend, Buzz Aldrin punching a moon landing skeptic, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

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Ghostwood's Facebook page

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Be sure to come back in two weeks for Episode 057, as Xan and I finish our review of the new Criterion Collection blu-ray release of David Lynch's classic film Blue Velvet, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 145: "Let's Kill Hitler" is Up!

"Is killing you going to take all day?"
"Why?  You busy?"
"Oh, I’m not complaining."
-- Melody Pond and the Eleventh Doctor, Doctor Who: "Let's Kill Hitler"

Hello again, Whovians!  Special guest companion Jo Karelja returns to Next Stop Everywhere to help me discuss "Let's Kill Hitler", the eighth episode from Doctor Who Series Six in 2011, starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, Nina Toussaint-White as Mels, and Alex Kingston as Melody Pond/River Song!

In this episode, Jo and I discuss things like River Song having a lot of introductory episodes, the first on-screen regeneration of a female character on Doctor Who, where this story falls in the River Song timeline, Jo rewatching all of Series Six to discuss this episode, the prequel to "Let's Kill Hitler" mini-episode, the Eleventh Doctor not having the guts to pick up the phone, Mels growing up along with Amy and Rory as their best friend from childhood, Amy thinking that Rory is gay, that awkward moment when Mels shoots the TARDIS, a wheat field posing as a corn field, Mels regeneration into an older Melody Pond, Melody and the Doctor anticipating one another's moves, Melody terrorizing 1938 Berlin, that awkward moment when the TARDIS voice interface keeps presenting the Doctor with companions that cause guilt, the TARDIS teaching River how to pilot her, River becoming a professor, the Teselecta crew going rogue, the Teselecta crew's inconsistent agenda, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, Steven Moffat leaving loose ends, more on our recent posting issues, new listener feedback from David K. Proctor, Holly from Wisconsin and Hannah Skorupa, my speaking at "The State of Doctor Who Today" panel at Origins 2019, Jesse and I finally talking The Sarah Jane Adventures, Jo becoming a grandmother, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as OG partner in time Jesse Jackson returns to Next Stop Everywhere to help me discuss "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith", the third serial from The Sarah Jane Adventures Series Three in 2009, starring Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, Paul Marc Davis as The Trickster, and John Leeson as the voice of K-9 Mark IV!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

THE FANDOM ZONE 154: "Light-Years from Home" is Up!

"No, see, this is what screwed everything up in the first place.  You show up half-cocked, you don't have a plan..."
"Hey, first of all, I am fully cocked.  And secondly...I don't have a second thing yet, just... just give me a minute."
-- Seg-El and Adam Strange, Krypton: "Light-Years from Home"

Hello again, everyone!  Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This time, we review "Light-Years from Home", the Season 2 premiere of the Syfy series Krypton, based on the mythos of DC Comics’ Superman!

In this episode, Jesse and I talk about things like Seg-El's quick escape from the Phantom Zone, Brainiac's homeworld Colu, wondering why Brainiac took six months to reach out to Seg-El, the timey-wimeyness of the Phantom Zone, Brainiac and Seg-El being pragmatic about betraying one another, Rule One of comic books. the supposed death of Brainiac, Seg-El and Brainiac being the buddy cop movie I never knew I wanted, Brainiac hiding out in Seg-El, the off-camera birth of Cor-Vex, Seg-El's vision of General Zod killing his mom Lyta-Zod, a special appearance by Krypto the Superdog, terraforming vs. kryptoforming, Clark Kent being a hero with or without powers, Clark being capable of saving Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel, General Zod conscripting the Rankless into the military, General Zod's messiah complex, Detroit being bottled by Brainiac, Nyssa-Vex's final encounter with Daron-Vex, that awkward moment when Daron-Vex is about to reveal why Nyssa-Vex is a clone only to be shot by Lyta-Zod, the Krypton moon Wegthor, Jax-Ur losing her eye, the introduction of Irish Lobo, the upcoming Lobo spinoff, the return of Seg-El and Adam Strange's bromance, our favorite quotes of the episode, Lucifer being picked up for a fifth and final season, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Google Play Music -- HERE 

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- HERE

Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast

The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Jesse and I review "Ghost in the Fire", the second episode from Season 2 of the Syfy series Krypton, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 144: "The Enemy of the World" is Up!

"Oh, dear...What pretty crockery this is.  Sad really, isn't it?   People spend all their time making nice things, and other people come along and break them."
-- The Second Doctor to Giles Kent, Doctor Who: "The Enemy of the World"

Hello again, Whovians!  This time, DJ Nik from the Whiskey & Cigarettes Show makes his Next Stop Everywhere debut to help me discuss "The Enemy of the World", the fourth serial from Doctor Who Season Five in 1967-68, starring Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor and Ramon Salamander, Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon, and Deborah Watling as Victoria Waterfield!

In this episode, Nik and I discuss things like welcoming DJ Nik to Next Stop Everywhere, the recovery of "The Enemy of the World" in 2013, Nik's Doctor Who background, Nik binge-watching the entire classic series and the modern series, Doctor Who as a parable of The Wandering Jew legend, the last story with co-creator Sydney Newman, wanting Sean Pertwee to portray his father's character the Third Doctor on Doctor Who, Patrick Troughton playing dual roles, James McAvoy in Split and Diane Guerrero on Doom Patrol, Salamander's James Bond villain plan of tricking a group of underground captives to create artificial earthquakes and volcanic eruptions so that he can seize power over Earth, my explanation of how to make this idea of 2018 reconcile with actual 2018, Griff the sassy kitchen chef, what makes Jamie so appealing, Jamie viewing Victoria as a sister instead of a love interest, Salamander's guards being descended from Stormtroopers in Star Wars, the big Giles Kent twist, wondering why the bunker captives weren't more skeptical of Salamander's lie about a nuclear wasteland, Benik being a completely horrible person, wanting to see Salamander return on the show, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Reverse the Polarity segment, our recent problems with posting episodes, the current relevance of "The Enemy of the World", and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back  as special guest companion Jo Karelja returns to Next Stop Everywhere to help me discuss "Let's Kill Hitler", the eighth episode from Doctor Who Series Six in 2011, starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, Nina Toussaint-White as Mels, and Alex Kingston as Melody Pond/River Song!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

TITANS Casts Drew Van Acker as Aqualad

But how does he look with purple contact lenses?

TV Insider has revealed that the DC Universe series Titans has cast Drew Van Acker as Aquaman's protégé Garth, better known to DC Comics fans as original Teen Titans member Aqualad!  Aqualad will make his debut sometime during the show's upcoming second season.

Meanwhile, DC Universe provided this official description for Aqualad -- "Garth is a founding member of the Titans and was Aquaman's eager sidekick known as Aqualad.  Also born in Atlantis and a member of the royal court, young Garth was trained by Aquaman as a protector of life above and below the ocean.  He would eventually step out from the shadow of his mentor to become his own hero as a Titan along with many other former sidekicks."

Van Acker, 33, is best known as Jason DiLaurentis on ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars and as Detective Tommy Campbell on the 2017 CBS police drama Training Day.  His other television appearances include episodes of Tower Prep, Devious Maids, Hell's Kitchen, Greek, and Castle.

Created in 1960 by Robert Bernstein and Ramona Fradon, Aqualad first appeared in Adventure Comics (vol.1) #269 as Garth, the son of the Idyllist King Thar and Queen Berra, the reigning monarchs of Shayeris, the capital of The Hidden Valley of colonies from Atlantis.  Thar had inherited the throne and access to ancient magical energies that his brother Zath, a powerful magician in his own right, believed to be rightfully his.  Zath practiced dark sorcery and necromancy and was eventually banished from the Hidden Valley.  Zath's body transformed into a disgusting half-human form, and under the new name of Slizzath, he returned to Shayeris twenty years later with an army of the undead.  He planned to invade the Hidden Valley and transform it into a necropolis he would rule.

King Thar knew of this and assembled an armory of robots and weapons to stop his demented brother.  The Idyllist radicals killed him and banished his pregnant wife Berra back to Atlantis.  Before Thar was killed, however, he was able to cast a magical spell that trapped Slizzath in an other-dimensional prison.  Unfortunately, this spell was linked to a magical ritual which would give his offspring access to incredible mystical powers and accessing that ritual would give Slizzath the energy required to break free of his prison.  So word was sent out that all babies born with purple eyes, the Idyllist mark of power, should be banished and killed, lest they try to perform the access ritual and accidentally free Slizzath and his undead army.  The Idyllists also claimed that Thar had gone insane to hide their complex, fearful plan.

In Poseidonis, one of the domed cities of Atlantis, Queen Berra gave birth to her son, Garth, who was born with purple eyes.  The Atlanteans claimed Garth had been born genetically inferior and sentenced him to death on a seabed leagues away from Atlantis.  It has been speculated that with the assistance of Aquaman's father, the Atlantean sorcerer Atlan, the young Garth not only survived but thrived, learning language and survival rituals to keep the young boy from going feral as he scavenged his way through the undersea.  Garth developed an intense fear of schools of fish, however, which haunted him into his teens.

Eventually, Garth encountered and rescued Aquaman and became his sidekick, Aqualad. As Aqualad, Garth and Aquaman shared many adventures, but after Aquaman married Mera, and had his own son, Arthur Jr., adventuring with Aqualad became less important to him, leaving Garth feeling unsure of his role in his mentor's life.  Looking to help to other teens in trouble, Garth became one of the founding members of the Teen Titans after meeting the first Robin, Dick Grayson, and the first Kid Flash, Wally West.  Still shunned by many Poseidonians despite his heroics on their behalf, Aqualad was sent away to be schooled in Scotland, at a school on the shores of Loch Ness.

After being forced to defend himself in a life or death struggle against Aquaman over the survival of Arthur Jr., Garth stayed in the Hidden Valley to search for links to his identity, eventually finding out he was the lost prince of the Idyllists.  However, it would be several more years before he learned the truth about his father's murder and his mother's complicity in his exile at the hands of the Poseidonians.

During this time, Garth met and fell in love with Aquagirl (Tula), the impetuous and feisty Atlantean ward of Aquaman's predecessor, King Juvor.  They dated for years, aiding Aquaman as defenders of the undersea realms, until Tula's death at the hands of Chemo during the event known as Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Grief-stricken, Garth left Atlantis, rejoined the Teen Titans on a number of occasions, and saw his relationship with Aquaman become violent and strained.

As Garth entered his twenties, he encountered a band of shark-like merpeople who attacked the hero with a kind of "mystic water."  Garth vanished and reappeared in another dimension, where Atlan waited to train him.  Atlan taught Garth to use powers the young Idyllist didn't know he possessed, including elemental powers which allowed him to heat and cool water and create whirlpools, as well as fiery purple blasts of energy from his eyes. Toward the end of his training, Garth was scarred in a ritual, leaving two pronounced scars over his right eye which healed into "tattoos" once he had conquered his inner turmoil.  Atlan told Garth that the final part of his training was to complete the ritual that would grant him full access to his ancestral magical power, and thus Garth had to return to Shayeris, in the Hidden Valley.

Garth returned to our dimension at nearly the same time he left, although he was approximately three years older upon his return. When Garth, alongside Atlan, returned to Shayeris, he found the city overtaken by undead creatures.  Completely unaware of his own history or his uncle's powers of necromancy, Garth was ill-prepared for the sudden return of Aquagirl, risen from the grave.  Together with a shark-warrior named Letifos, Atlan, and Aquagirl, Garth descended into Shayeris.  Just the sheer proximity to the ancient pool of ancestral magic allowed Garth to tap into the power, and charged with the purple energy, he recreated his costume out of the Idyllist red and black flag and renamed himself Tempest.

Tempest found his father's sanctum and performed the magical ritual which would give him his power.  The false Aquagirl, a magical conduit for Slizzath, attacked Tempest and channeled that power into Slizzath, releasing the monster from his other-dimensional prison. Using his stolen power, Slizzath captured Tempest and Atlan, raised an enormous undead army, and finally transformed the Hidden Valley into the necropolis of which he had long dreamed.  Tempest eventually broke free of his prison and found the remaining Idyllists, hiding in Thar's old armory.  There, Tempest was reunited with his mother and the truth—that the fearful Idyllists were so terrified of the release of Slizzath, they lied about Thar's sanity and saw to it that Garth was banished as an infant.  Disgusted, Garth took control of the armory and a small number of Idyllist warriors and attacked Slizzath.  Tempest destroyed the Aquagirl zombie that had seduced him and, using his full range of powers, sent his uncle back into the other-dimensional prison void, sealing the portal forever.

Van Acker will be the first actor to portray Aqualad in live-action, although the character has appeared in various animated projects, including The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (voiced by Jerry Dexter), the Teen Titans animated series and Teen Titans Go! (voiced by Wil Wheaton), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Zack Shada), Young Justice (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal), and DC Superhero Girls (voiced by Jessica McKenna).

Titans is expected to return to DC Universe for Season 2 sometime in Fall 2019.

50 Years -- All These Things That I've Done

Fifty years.

Today, I celebrate my fiftieth anniversary of entering the world and find myself reflecting on all the wonderful people I've encountered and things I've experienced along the way.  Most people have a hard time getting older, looking back at their lives with regrets or dwelling on missed opportunities.  Oh, I have my share of those as well -- roads not taken, things still unfinished -- but I try not to dwell on them too much.  I'd rather focus on appreciating the roads I did take and the things I did achieve in life.

As some of you reading this know, I almost exited the planet at the age of 26 thanks to my colon becoming toxic during New Year's Eve in 1995.  After finally getting an initial operation that saved my life, roughly six hours from my colon rupturing with built-up toxins that would have poisoned my already-weakened system, I spent the first half of 1996 recuperating and having two more reconstructive surgeries to rebuild my colon using remaining tissue.

It was a frustrating and emotional time for me, adjusting to the new set of cards life had dealt, but the experience taught me to focus on more important things.  My wonderful girlfriend Lori and I became engaged, and as I recuperated, we spent the next year planning our wedding and our the rest of our lives together.  My parents, Harold and Wilma, proved yet again how loving and incredible they are, welcoming Lori into our family and trusting her with their only son.

In the 22 years since Lori and I were married, I've been so fortunate to share my life with her and do so many things I never imagined as an only child reading comic books in his bedroom and growing up in the small town of Medina, Ohio.  Living in a small condo with our two beloved cats, Tamaya and Keiko, we forged a life together, grew our professional careers, enjoyed the company of our wonderful family and friends, and every so often, traveled the world to see the wonder of it all.

All those places, all those experiences...everything that almost didn't happen if I didn't make it off that first operating table at the dawn of 1996.  If you've survived a similar experience, you probably get what I'm talking about here.

So, to everyone who's been a part of my life, however how important or how small, thank you for sharing the planet with me as we spin around the solar system.  I hope you're enjoying the ride as much as I am.


-- Charles

Syfy Developing KRYPTON Spinoff Series for DC Comics' LOBO

What the Main Man wants, the Main Man gets.

Deadline is reporting that Syfy and Warner Horizon Scripted Television are developing the Krypton spinoff series Lobo, based on the DC Comics antihero, with Lobo actor Emmett J. Scanlan expected to star.

According to the article, the new show "would track the story of Lobo, a 'foul-mouthed, dangerous, irascible, intergalactic bounty hunter' and a deal is in place for Scanlan's reprisal of the character.  Krypton executive producer Cameron Welsh will serve as executive producer/writer.  

Lobo made his Krypton debut in last night's Season 2 premiere episode, "Light-Years from Home", finding Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) and Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos) in a forest on an alien planet.  Lobo shot Adam when he tried to talk to him, and then blasted Seg unconscious as well.  The bounty hunter said that his name is Lobo and wondered why they were there, then realized that he should have asked them before he stunned them.  Lobo chained their legs and dragged them away.

Scanlan, 39, is an Irish actor perhaps best known to DC Comics fans as Jim Corrigan, the Spectre, on the NBC series Constantine, as Simon on the BBC America zombie series In the Flesh, and as Brendan Brady on the British soap opera Hollyoaks.  He also appeared in the Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy as the Head Riot Guard, and on episodes of Atlantis, No Offence, Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, and Safe.

Created in 1983 by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen, Lobo first appeared in Omega Men (vol.1) #3 as a Velorpian whose entire race had been exterminated by the Psions.  Lobo played an important role in the Citadel War, in his capacity as a bounty hunter.  He was hired by the Citadel's human agent Harry Hokum to capture the Euphorian known as Kalista in a bid to learn the secret behind her home world's planetary shield.  Along with fellow bounty hunters Bedlam and Berserk, he raided the mothership belonging to the Omega Men, where upon he engaged in combat with Kalista.  Soon after, Harry Hokum hired Lobo once again, this time to assassinate the Omega Men's interim leader Tigorr.  Lobo never had the opportunity to complete the contract however.

In 1988's Justice League International (vol.1) #18, the character was revamped as a Czarnian whose name comes from a Khund dialect that means "one who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it."  He hailed from the planet Czarnia, which was a virtual paradise that knew nothing of war and the Czarnians were almost immortal.  When Lobo was born, his evil was so frighteningly apparent, the nurse who delivered him went insane and became the planet's first mental patient in ten millennia after the infant Lobo chewed off four of her fingers.  Lobo knew he was one of a kind, but he wanted even more.  Inspired by the idea of genocide, Lobo created a swarm of lethal scorpion-like creatures and set them on his people, wiping out his entire species but himself.

After traveling across the galaxies as an intergalactic bounty hunter, Lobo made his first appearance on the planet Earth when he was hired by Manga Khan to take out the newly formed Justice League International.  However, after Big Barda teleported Lobo across the galaxy, Lobo landed on Earth in the Justice League Embassy.  After a brief altercation with Guy Gardner, Lobo hung around, pretending to be a friend, while waiting for the right moment.   Before he could act, however, Manga Khan canceled his contract.  Since then, he encountered various DC Comics superheroes, operating solo or as a member of L.E.G.I.O.N.

In the current DC continuity known as DC Rebirth, Lobo was reintroduced in the limited series Justice League vs. Suicide Squad as one of the villains freed by Maxwell Lord who was a member of Amanda Waller's first Suicide Squad.  Batman eventually implanted a bomb into Lobo's brain and detonated it, blowing up Lobo's head.  After Lobo regenerated it, he discovered Batman did so to free him from Lord's control, and later accepted Batman's offer to join a new incarnation of the Justice League of America to repay the favor.

Scanlan is the first actor to portray Lobo in live action on Krypton, although the character has appeared in various animated projects, including Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League (voiced by Brad Garrett), Young Justice (voiced by David Sobolov), and Justice League Action (voiced by John DiMaggio).

Krypton Season 2 airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on Syfy.

TITANTALK 036: "Doom Patrol Season One Review" is Up!

"Critics.  What do they know?  They’re going to hate this show."

-- Mr. Nobody, Doom Patrol: "Pilot"

Hello again, Titans fans!  My fellow TitanTalker Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast!  This time, we're joined once again by DJ Nik from the Whiskey & Cigarettes Show to review Season One of the DC Universe series Doom Patrol, featuring the highs and lows of the show’s 15-episode first season, along with hopes and predictions for Doom Patrol Season Two!

In this episode, Jesse, DJ Nik and I discuss things keeping Nik from getting a big head, Nik's initial reaction to the series, Nik reading up on Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol run, Jesse's casual knowledge of the Doom Patrol from the comics, the core characters of Cliff, Rita and Larry, David Lynch's The Elephant Man, Cliff becoming a better human as a robot, Jesse and Nik's early frustration with Rita, Rita's character arc of becoming one of the team's leaders, the show bringing everything together, Larry coming to terms with his sexuality, the Doom Patrol getting more character development in one season than some superhero characters get in three or four, Doom Patrol showing Arrow how to do flashbacks correctly, our reactions (or lack thereof) to the excessive profanity, waiting for Cliff to unload with a bunch of f-bombs, Crazy Jane becoming one of the show's best characters, getting to see The Underground with Jane's various personas, Diane Guerrero out-acting James McAvoy in Split, Timothy Dalton in Penny Dreadful, the Chief's big secret about being responsible for the Doom Patrol's accidents, my initial skepticism about Cyborg joining the Doom Patrol, Cyborg being the traditional hero contrast to the other members, Alan Tudyk as Mr. Nobody, Mr. Nobody getting the viewer involved by breaking the fourth wall, Nik eating pasta during the Beard Hunter's gross beard-eating scene, Mark Sheppard as Willoughby Kipling, the Bureau of Normalcy being disturbingly relevant to our times, Doom Patrol addressing difficult and uncomfortable subjects and pushing the boundaries of a superhero TV show, Devan Chandler Long as Flex Mentallo, everyone loving the depiction of Danny the Street, the dangling subplot of exactly why Mr. Nobody hates the Chief so much, what we're looking forward to in Season 2, Jesse and I moving over to The Fandom Zone Podcast to discuss Krypton Season 2, and more!

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Be sure to come back soon for Episode 037 as Phil Perich from Capes and Lunatics returns to help me discuss the second half-season of the DC Universe animated series Young Justice: Outsiders!  Look for more of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!