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Ben Carson: Gay Couples Should Be Careful Or Else Conservatives Will Poison Their Wedding Cakes!

January 26, 2015, 4:38 pm
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GOP presidential hopeful Ben Carson was in Des Moines this weekend at the Iowa Freedom Summit. He did his speech and then met with journalists to discuss same-sex couples, anti-discrimination laws that address sexual orientation, and wedding cakes:
Carson also criticized political correctness as he answered a question about gay marriage — and followed up by flaunting decorum with the type of comment that endears him with the base but could hurt his cross-party appeal.

"What I have a problem with is when people try to force people to act against their beliefs because they say 'they're discriminating against me.' So they can go right down the street and buy a cake, but no, let's bring a suit against this person because I want them to make my cake even though they don't believe in it. Which is really not all that smart because they might put poison in that cake," he said to chuckles from some of his staff and dead silence from the journalists in the room.
Because social conservatives aren't against poisoning gay people?

It sounds like his handlers need to do less chuckling and more handling.
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Gov. Terry Branstad Hospitalized with Flu-Like Symptoms

January 26, 2015, 4:45 pm
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Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was speaking at an event at DuPont Pioneer in Johnston, IA earlier today when he began struggling with medical symptoms during a speech. An ambulance was called and he was taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center to be treated for flu-like symptoms. He was admitted to the hospital and reportedly is doing better.

It seems that he was coughing a lot during the event and then began struggling with his balance. That's when a nurse -- who was in the audience -- advised him to lie down until an ambulance arrived.
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Riverdale is Overrun by Motorcycle Gangs in ARCHIE #663!

January 26, 2015, 5:00 pm
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ARCHIE #663 was released a couple weeks ago, but I've been struggling a bit with my busy schedules, illness, and motivation. I decided that I needed to write something about the title or just move on. This comic was was apparently inspired by the "Sons of Anarchy" television program. I will need to take their word for it because I've never seen that program.

Here is the story: Archie loses control of his car and crashes it into a lake. This ordinarily would be problematic enough, but he has a date tomorrow night with Veronica to attend a concert by an opera singer. His dad refuses to pay for the repairs, so Archie goes to see his grandfather -- who looks very familiar...


Grandpa Andrews is busy working on Archie's old jalopy, but he has another idea to help out with Archie's transportation needs: an economical scooter! Archie spends much of the rest of this issue trying to talk himself into telling Veronica that she'll have to go to the concert on the back of a scooter. It's not until towards the end that Veronica agrees to ride on the scooter in order to catch up with Enrico Fabulosa -- who is stuck in the middle of a traffic jam.

This is an Archie Comics comic book. Do I really need to tell you that things won't work out the way it should??

There was another subplot that I found interesting. It seems that all of the Riverdale Gang decided to go shopping for scooters after seeing Archie's new wheels -- including Reggie! Too bad the local scooter dealer is a scammer. But Reggie learns the hard way that his scooter doesn't give him a lot of street cred -- with the local motorcycle gang! Who knew that Riverdale had a motorcycle gang?? Or that two of them are a pair of lesbians??


Reggie looks as shocked as I was!

"Sons of Anarchie" is written by Chuck Dixon, penciled by Pat & Tim Kennedy, inked by Rick Koslowski, lettered by Jack Morelli, and colored by Glenn Whitmore.
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House Republicans Submit Resolution to Ban Gay Marriage in Iowa

January 27, 2015, 7:37 pm
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It's been nearly six years since Iowa became a marriage equality state. There have been a few hiccups along the way, but things have largely gone smoothly. But that didn't stop a group of Iowa House Republicans from filing a constitutional amendment that would ban the recognition of gay marriage:
This afternoon, a small group of Republican Representatives in the Iowa House submitted a resolution that would ban marriage for thousands of loving and committed gay and lesbian couples in Iowa. House Joint Resolution 4 would seek to amend Iowa’s Constitution so that “marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union valid or recognized in this state.”

House Joint Resolution 4 was introduced by Representatives Greg Heartsill, Steven Holt, John Wills, Clel Baudler, Sandy Salmon, Tedd Gassman, Dean Fisher, Larry Sheets, Matt Windschitl, Terry Baxter, John Kooiker and Ralph Watts. Click here for copy of House Joint Resolution 4.
It's been noted elsewhere that 56 GOP House members co-sponsored a similar anti-marriage amendment back in 2011, as compared to only 12 House Republicans this year. It's also interesting to note that most of this batch of co-sponsors are relatively new House members.
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House Republicans Submit Bill to Prevent County Recorders from Granting Any More Gay Marriage Licenses in Iowa

January 28, 2015, 3:53 pm
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Remember yesterday when I shared information about House Joint Resolution 4, which would amend Iowa's constitution to ban legal recognition of gay marriage. This was co-sponsored by 12 GOP House members. Because Iowa has really been struggling after nearly six years of marriage equality.

I learned today that eight of those same GOP House members have filed a bill that would force Iowa's county registers from processing marriage licenses for same-sex couples until gay marriage itself is constitutionally banned. Whenever that may be:
House File 101 was offered Tuesday by Reps. Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas), Steven Holt (R-Denison), Sandy Salmon (R-Janesville), Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville), Dean Fisher (R-Garwin), Larry Sheets (R-Moulton), John Kooiker (R-Boyden), and Ralph Watts (R-Adel). It would effectively end gay marriage in Iowa until a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman is put to a vote and the results are certified.
Not only would new marriage licenses not be granted for same-sex couples in Iowa if House File 101 got passed into law, but it would also bar the supreme court from considering whether or not it was actually constitutional.
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Peter Davidson: Doctor Who Should Always be a Male

January 29, 2015, 11:07 am
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Here's a little known fact: My favorite "Doctor Who" was portrayed by Peter Davidson back in early 1980s. He was just asked if the next person picked to play the role of "Doctor Who" should be a woman.

He answered, "No:"
"I have trouble with the idea of a female Doctor, only because I reckon if you're born on Gallifrey a man, you're probably a male Time Lord."

Davison said the key to the success of the modern Doctor Who series was the dynamic between a troubled Doctor and strong female companion. 

"It seems to me if you reverse that, if you have an uncertain, fallible female Doctor with a really strong male companion, you've got more of a stereotype than anything else."
This question has been bandied about for decades, but the program's current producer has openly contemplated the concept of a female Doctor for several months.

As for the idea that a Time Lord cannot switch his or her gender? Well, there's already a precedent for that.

Joanna Lumley once played the role of "Doctor Who" in a 1999 charity sketch called "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death." Granted, this story really doesn't fall within the program's continuity. So I understand if others might not consider this to be a true example of a male-to-female Time Lord.


But the most recent season of "Doctor Who" just ended with a story arc involving a woman named Missy, who it later turned out was a female regeneration of the Master! So there's definitely precedent for a female Doctor.


What do you all think? Is there room in this world for a female actor to play the role of "Doctor Who?" Why or why not? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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J & M Motor Lodge Closing Soon in Coralville

January 30, 2015, 6:41 pm
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I wrote a little over a year ago about a battle between the nearby community of Coralville, IA, and J & M Motor Lodge (AKA Capri Lodge). The city was accusing the motel of operating as an apartment complex:
This became an issue after police officers responding to various calls at J & M Motor Lodge noticed several of the same motel residents living there for months and years at a time. The city investigated more and found that the motel wasn't collecting a hotel/motel tax at times for a variety of their residents. Lastly, Coralville officials noted that some of the residents were being removed from their room through court eviction processes.

The owners of J & M Motor Lodge are fighting this decision. They addressed the hotel/motel tax issue by referencing the Iowa code, which exempts occupants who rent a room for 31 consecutive days or more from paying the tax. There have been times when the motel has been filled with extended-stay occupants.

Additionally, J & M Motor Lodge residents don't sign leases. They don't pay deposits. There are no background checks. You can't say the same about apartments or other rental properties.
I commented that it would be a terrible thing, in my opinion, if J & M Motor Lodge got closed by the city or banned from permitting extended-stay guests:
I deal occasionally with the owners of J & M, as well as a neighboring motel that also offers extended-stay lodging. It's cheap housing. It gives people a chance to live somewhere while they search for other sources of long-term affordable housing -- which there isn't a lot of in this area!

This Press-Citizen article interviews a woman who's lived at J & M Motor Lodge since the 2008 floods. She asks a pertinent question. Where can she live for $550 per month (utilities included)? There aren't many options. And there are other extended-stay hotels and motels in the area.
I ended up doing an adult education hour at my church about the subject of the lack of affordable housing options in this community as a direct result of this blog post. It seems only fair that I provide an update to this story.

J & M Motor Lodge will be closing on July 1st:
The J&M Motor Lodge, located at 705 Second St. and formerly known as the Capri Lodge, dismissed its court appeal against the city in November. Its owner says he will voluntarily close the 18-room motel, as well as the small apartment building behind it, by July 1.

In return, the city has agreed to drop its action against the motel and allow it to remain open through the end of the fiscal year, giving the property owners time to find a buyer and longtime occupants time to move out.
There were no interviews with any of the motel residents in this latest article.

I will credit the Press-Citizen for interviewing Johnson County Social Services Director Lynette Jacoby about this development:
Jacoby said places such as the motor lodge offer fewer barriers to housing for those who might not qualify to rent elsewhere because of credit checks, background checks, long-term leases or the area's low vacancy rates.
"It provides an affordable option, and for some of the consumers we see, it may be the only option for them to avoid homelessness," Jacoby said. "From my standpoint, it's a concern to lose that type of flexible housing."
It's obviously the right of these business owners to quit, but I keep going back to my question from October 2013: Where can someone live in this community for $550 per month (utilities included)?
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Riverdale's Shrill Gets Hooked on Candy Craze in B&V FRIENDS COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #242

January 30, 2015, 7:03 pm
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Sometime last summer, I was bored and was searching through the app store on my cell phone for something that I could download for free. I saw Candy Crush and decided to get it. I'd heard others talking about it and just wanted to check it out. The game quickly got added to my iPad and I've wasted way too many hours on that stupid game ever since.

(Interestingly, my own household Luddite Husband Mark somehow got hooked on the game, which would be comical if he didn't spend so much time stealing my iPad from me!)

It's with this in mind that I began reading the lead story in B&V FRIENDS COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #242! It's a great little story that starts out with Betty and Veronica, but actually features one of the Riverdale "New Kids," a goth girl named Shrill.

Shrill runs across our title characters playing an online game called Candy Craze. Veronica is fuming because she's stuck on Level 362. She's just about to plunk some money into the game in order to move onto the next level (something my son would disparagingly call a "Pay to Play Move"), when Shrill shows some curiosity about their joint preoccupation.

It only took her moments to become addicted to this game. That's how true to life this story is!


What happens when one of Riverdale's darkest girls gets hooked on one of America's most colorful, saccharine-laced video games?? What will it take for Shrill to hit rock bottom??

I've been a big fan of these new lead stories in the digests. Not only does it give me motivation to pick up the digests, which are otherwise filled with reprint stories. But they have done a really good job of spotlighting various minor characters who've otherwise faded into the background in recent years, like Shrill and the other "New Kids." Now if we could only get slightly longer short stories!! *hint hint*

"Candy Craze" is written by Tana Del Rio, penciled by Dan Parent, inked by Jim Amash, lettered by Jack Morelli, and colored by Colortek, Inc.
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Fired "Gaystapo" Editor Fails to Raise Money to Support New Iowa-Based Conservative News Website

February 1, 2015, 4:30 pm
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Do you remember Bob Eschliman? He was fired from his role as newspaper editor from the Newton Daily News by his corporate employer, Shaw Media, back in May 2014. He got in trouble for writing a blog post criticizing the "Gaystapo" and a book called the "Queen James Bible." Eschliman filed an EEOC complaint against his employer and I'm still not sure how that turned out.

But I just learned today that Eschliman recently launched a $100,000 crowdsourcing campaign so that he could bolster his new online conservative news site called The Iowa Statesman. Here is why he says you should support him:
Iowans and people interested in Iowa politics are desperate for a legitimate news organization covering government and politics as they apply to them everyday.
The Iowa Statesman plan is to cover all levels of government and politics through a combination of on-staff mobile journalists and strategically placed writers who will provide crowdsourcing coverage.

We will make strategic partnerships along the way with other national media outlets that will expand our reach, and provide the rest of the nation with a better look at the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

By donating to this cause, you will be championing a free press for all of Iowa, while providing a real voice for our shared values.
The $100,000 would have gone towards the Iowa Statesman's infrastructure.

Unfortunately, his campaign goal fell far short, only securing $4,656 towards his fundraising goal by the campaign's 01/31/15 deadline.
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Super Bowl Sunday Tribute to Jack "All-American" Magniconte and Kickers, Inc!

February 1, 2015, 5:13 pm
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It's Super Bowl Sunday. Most of the country is currently watching the Super Bowl while I write this. I'm not a Super Bowl watcher. I don't even get into the advertising. It just doesn't interest me.

Normally I'll watch the Puppy Bowlinstead. But that show has gotten so commercialized and different from its earliest conception that I couldn't even get excited for that.

So I thought I would quickly remember Kickers, Inc. They were a 1980s superhero football team that Marvel Comics published as part of its "New Universe" brand:
The series featured a group of former professional American football players for the fictional New York Smashers team who became a group of heroes for hire, calling themselves "Kickers Inc." They were led by Jack Magniconte, a Smashers player who gained super-human strength and endurance from a combination of exposure to radiation from the "White Event" and an experimental muscle-enhancing device.
Jack had to watch out while playing football that he didn't hurt other players because of his super-strength.

I rarely read KICKERS, INC., but I enjoyed Jack's later appearances as a paranormal army captain. Basically, Pittsburgh, PA, got blown up by a rogue paranormal hero. The U.S government ended up recalling the draft and preparing for war. And since the federal government was aware of the secret existence of paranormal people, they developed their own paranormal troop led Jack Magniconte, AKA the All-American! I really enjoyed those adventures.


Jack's last appearance was in a cheesy mini-series called STARBLAST. He and a group of other New U natives (including Nightmask, Justice, Psi-Hawk, Pit Bull, Captain Manhattan, Overshadow, and others) were brought to the Marvel Universe to fight a robotic menace named Skeletron.
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Christian Website: Katy Perry Promoted "Dark Magic and LGBT Agenda" During Super Bowl Halftime Concert

February 2, 2015, 7:41 pm
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I learned today that Katy Perry did her part to promote a pro-gay, pro-black magic agenda during last night's Super Bowl half-time concert. According to a far-right Christian website called "Now The End Begins", the Illuminati brought out "ex-Christian Katy Perry" to deceive the masses:
So, let’s see how former Christian Katy Perry did compared to previous years:

  • Katy Perry opened riding a golden monster with glowing-red satanic eyes. singing the lyrics to her hit “Dark Horse”, partially quoted in the photo above. Read those words closely, it’s the Devil speaking, and he is coming for you if he can.
  • She performed her LGBT fan favorite “I Kissed A Girl”, leading as many young women as will follow her into experimentation with the LGBT perverted lifestyle.
  • Perry closed with another pro-LGBT song called “Firework” where she floated over the audience riding a shooting star with the LGBT rainbow as it’s tail.
The New World Order and Illumination agenda is being hammered into our children at a feverish rate, using catchy lyrics and a non-stop droning drumbeat with overwhelming power chords.
Parents, protect your children if you love them. All of this junk, every bit of it, is poisoning their minds and turning them away from God. Katy Perry is the perfect poster girl for the New World Order because she used to be a Christian, and now mocks the God she once served.
Of course, even the far-right refuses to consider the catty evil that was perpetrated yesterday by Katty Furry during the Puppy Bowl Half-Time Concert. But nobody ever takes cute little animals seriously...

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Veronica Vs. Sheila Wu Over Fashion Creds // Plus Harper Lodge Returns in BETTY AND VERONICA COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #230!

February 3, 2015, 5:09 pm
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BETTY AND VERONICA COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #230 started out with a fun new short story. It mainly focused on Veronica, who is fuming because "New Kid" Sheila Wu keeps attracting fashion pictures by Riverdale High School's newspaper. And, of course, this snatches away attention from Veronica.

Now let's take a moment and consider that Riverdale High has its own paparazzi that seek out fashion-conscious students and highlight their clothing achievements for all to see.

Back to the story... Veronica is determined to put Sheila in her place at the upcoming 2 Chic Divas Mega Concert and spends several panels scouring the stores and the internet for the perfect outfit. She really needs something that will grab everyone's attention!


Veronica finally finds the perfect dress and manages to one-up Sheila at the concert. Too bad Ronnie didn't realize earlier that she was wearing a Sheila Wu original! Oops!

This was a fun story and it made me laugh more than once.

But I really liked cameos by several supporting characters in this issue. Sheila Wu was central to the story, but Kevin Keller and Raj Patel also managed to appear. More importantly, we were treated to yet another appearance by Veronica's recently-introduced cousin, Harper Lodge (last seen here and here)! In fact, her appearance here was important to the final gag. It was good to see her again.


"Designing Divas" was written by Alex Simmons, penciled by Tim Levins, inked by Bob Smith, lettered by Jack Morelli, and colored by Digikore Studios.
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ROCKET RACCOON #7: Best Use of Groot's Powers

February 3, 2015, 7:41 pm
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I'm a fan of Marvel Comics' ROCKET RACCOON comic book. He and his buddy Groot are traveling the universe and paying off his various debts. Groot is a walking, talking space tree. That's important to know before you read the next two images:


Best use of Groot's powers -- especially on an ice planet!
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Rockne Cole Announces Candidacy for 2015 Iowa City City Council Election

February 3, 2015, 8:13 pm
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Rockne Cole has announced his candidacy for the Iowa City City Council during the upcoming November 2015 election:
Cole said a portion of his platform is based on not compromising citizens well being for economic growth.
Cole is a local attorney and ran unsuccessfully for the city council during the November 2013 election. In fact, I voted for him.

Here is what he had to say minutes ago on Facebook about his candidacy:
On Friday, February 6, 2015 at 12:00 pm at the Iowa City Public Library, I will be announcing my candidacy for the 2015 Iowa City Council at-large seat. Nearly 15 months ago, we didn't achieve our goal of a progressive majority for our City Council, but we planted seeds for future growth. 

Since then, we have worked hard to protect our historic places. 

We have collaborated with city officials to ensure access for dynamic young entrepreneurs through the Food Truck Pilot Project. 

We have outlined our vision for making the Riverfront Crossing Park into our very first Eco-District. 

We have exchanged ideas about how to ensure that every resident in Iowa City can access a place to grow healthy food. 

We have partnered with community groups to ensure that our talented young people can connect with all of the opportunities that this town provides.

But challenges remain... our historic places are at risk. We lack low cost office space for start ups of all kinds. Too many remain locked out of affordable places to live. Seniors are concerned about the future of their Senior Center. The prospect of a safe, bikable downtown for families seems to always lie just beyond our grasp. And many members of our community of color feel their government doesn't listen, and are frustrated that we remain poised yet again to convene another task force without addressing the recommendations made in the first one. 

We can solve these problems, but only through working together towards our shared vision of a more progressive, and a more inclusive Iowa City where every voice is heard. We want to make it a place where every resident has an opportunity to live, work, and grow. 
As noted above, you can meet Candidate Cole at the Iowa City Public Library at 12:00 PM on Friday, 02/06/15.
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"Archie: Riverdale Rescue" Now Available in China

February 4, 2015, 4:27 am
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I've written quite a bit in the past about "Archie: Riverdale Rescue." I've been playing the iOS version of the game on and off (mostly off since I've accomplished all of the tasks) since July 2013 and sharing tips and updates since the beginning.

I learned today that "Riverdale Rescue" is branching out... into China!:
Gogii Games, a leading independent game studio, has partnered with Vancouver-based Imagin8sian and Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the best-known pop culture creations, to adapt and release the mobile game Archie: Riverdale Rescue to Chinese players. Under the agreement, Imagin8sian will leverage their experience with game design and performance in the Chinese market to optimize the game for the market in Mainland China.

Archie: Riverdale Rescue lets players take control of classic and beloved Archie Comics characters to help rescue the titular town, Riverdale. Players can take the role of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, or Reggie as they rebuild their hometown by completing fun quests and interesting tasks.

“Gogii Games and Imagin8sian have helped to bring one of longest-running and vibrant brands in the history of comics to a whole new audience with this game,” said Jon Goldwater, Publisher and CEO of Archie Comics. “We’re thrilled with the way that the Chinese market has embraced the Archie gang, and we’re excited to give the audience a whole new way to interact with these wonderful characters.”
Chinese players can now download "Riverdale Rescue" from iTunes and will be able to download it for their Android devices next month.
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Hey Iowa City! Do You Know This Robbery Suspect?

February 4, 2015, 10:18 am
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Iowa City Crime Stoppers shared that there was a robbery at the Walgreens located at 2214 Muscatine Avenue in Iowa City back on 01/17/15. I don't remember this being on the news last month and not a lot of info was provided in this report.

What we do know is that the Iowa City Police Department is seeking information about the robbery from this man. You can see video images of his below.

Iowa City Area Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 if you can offer a tip that leads to this man's arrest. Crime Stoppers can be reached at 319-358-TIPS (8477). All calls are confidential. You can learn more about reporting tips here.


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NEW CRUSADERS: DARK TOMORROW to be Published Digitally on the Archie App!

February 5, 2015, 10:10 am
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Nearly two years ago, we received the sad news that Archie Comics would not be publishing its NEW CRUSADERS: DARK TOMORROW mini-series as originally planned. They instead launched a mini-series featuring the Fox, which in turned launched their new Dark Circle line of superhero comics (starting later this month with THE BLACK HOOD).

Alex Segura had an interview posted yesterday on Comics Alliance announcing -- among other things -- that NEW CRUSADERS: DARK TOMORROW will finally be published digitally on the Archie app:
We are aware that there are long-time fans of these concepts and characters. Which is why, for example, we’ll be debuting the New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow Special as part of our digital plans. A lot of people really enjoyed that book and we solicited a second story that many fans thought lost forever. Well, it’s not. It’ll be on the Archie app and with all our digital offerings in the coming weeks and it continues the story Ian Flynn started in the first New Crusaders mini. Now, if people want more – if they really want to see these characters – they can vote in the clearest way possible, by grabbing a copy and moving the needle. 
A press release on Newsarama announced that DARK TOMORROW will appear on the Archie app in March:
The New Crusaders return in this new Dark Circle Comics Special! Still reeling from the shocking death of their teammate during the events of New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes, the group has no time to rest as a new threat attacks Impact City. There’s no room for failure—the brutal Ragnarok claims to wield the power of a god, and has no problem sending the heroes home in bodybags. Can the New Crusaders pull themselves together and avert catastrophe?
In the meantime, check out the Archie app right now and you will find digital reprints of BLACK HOOD #1-2 (published under their Impact line), BLACK HOOD #1-3 (published under their Red Circle line), and ORIGINAL SHIELD #1-4 (published under their Red Circle line). Other Red Circle titles will be appearing digitally soon.
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All Female Avengers Team called A-FORCE to Debut in May 2015

February 6, 2015, 5:35 pm
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Marvel Comics announced a new all-woman team of Avengers earlier today. The book is called A-FORCE and it will be spinning out of the "Secret Wars" storyline -- something I'm not completely sold on. But I do like this team of heroes:
Heading up the lineup will be She-Hulk, Dazzler, Medusa, Nico Minoru, a "cosmically powered" new hero named Singularity as well as other heroes yet to be revealed. The cover art from Jim Cheung features Marvel heroines from all parts of the universe, including Rogue, Storm, Wasp, Elektra, Aurora, Spectrum, Black Widow, Firestar, Hellcat, Jubilee, Moondragon and others. Fitting in with "Secret Wars'" multiverse mash-up feel, some of the characters on the cover are wearing older duds -- She-Hulk is back in her '80s Avengers uniform while Rogue is rocking her '90s Jim Lee look -- alongside characters sporting newer designs, like Captain Marvel and Spider-Gwen.

“We've purposefully assembled a team composed of very different characters -- from disparate parts of the Marvel U, with very different power sets, identities and ideologies," said Wilson in the announcement. "They'll all have to come together to answer some big questions: What would you sacrifice to succeed? What is being a hero worth?”
Interestingly, A-FORCE was originally supposed to be exclusively announced on ABC's "The View."But then the segment got bumped for something else. So lots of comic book fans are upset that they wasted an hour of their life watching "The View."


A-FORCE is scheduled to debut in May 2015.
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Family Members Arrested // Charged with Staging Kidnapping of 6-Year-Old Child

February 7, 2015, 1:21 pm
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Four people have been arrested in Troy, MO, and charged with staging a child's kidnapping. It seems that the instigator believed that her six-year-old nephew was "too nice" to other people and needed to be taught a lesson:
Investigators learned that sometime before February 2, 38-year-old Denise Kroutil approached a co-worker, 23-year-old Nathan Firoved, and asked him to kidnap her nephew to “scare” him. The victim’s mother, 25-year-old Elizabeth Hupp, and grandmother, 58-year-old Rose Brewer, agreed with the plan to kidnap the young boy to teach him a lesson.

The boy’s mother and grandmother did not know Nathan’s last name, only Kroutil.

On Monday, February 2, authorities said Firoved parked his pickup truck by the boy’s bus stop and waited for him to be dropped off after school. Firoved lured the six-year-old into his truck and drove off.

Firoved told the frightened young boy he would never see his mother again and that he would be “nailed to the wall of a shed.”

The young boy began crying, at which point Firoved pulled out a handgun and threatened to harm the child if he didn’t stop crying.

Investigators said Firovfed bound the boy’s hands and feet with plastic bags, then covered the child’s face with a jacket. Firoved drove the boy to his own home, carried the child into the basement, and left him there.

Kroutil, the boy’s aunt, walked down into the basement, pulled the victim’s pants down, and began shouting that he could be sold into sex slavery. She also allegedly chastised the child for not trying to resist her or Firoved.

The boy was kept in the basement for some time longer before he was finally unbound and allowed to go upstairs, at which time his family lectured him about stranger danger.
This staged kidnapping incident lasted four hours. Child protective services and the police were called the following day by the child's school.

Firoved, Brewer, and Kroutil have all been charged with kidnapping, felonious restraint, and abuse/nelgect of a child. Hupp has been charged with kidnapping and abuse/neglect of a child. All four are being jailed on $250,000 bonds.
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Squirrel Girl or Iron Squirrel?? in THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #3

February 8, 2015, 7:20 am
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THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #2 -- otherwise known as my favorite comic book being published by Marvel Comics in 2015 -- was published this past Wednesday. I really enjoyed the first issue of this new series and quickly inserted it onto my comic book pull-list. It features Doreen Green (AKA Squirrel Girl) leaving Avengers Mansion and enrolling at Empire State University to study computer science. Meanwhile, she's connecting with her new roommate, Nancy Whitehead, and crushing on a guy named Tomas.

Doreen starts off the issue by dragging Nancy off to shop for campus clubs to join. The two bump into Tomas and Doreen totally embarrasses herself by openly crushing on this guy.

Fortunately, Tippy-Toe interrupts the moment by revealing that Galactus is coming to Earth, presumably to eat the planet. He's somehow blinded humanity to his approaching giant Star Sphere -- but he forgot to blind the squirrels! They warned Squirrel Girl and she quickly realized that they only have two hours to stop Galactus.

Squirrel Girl quickly hatches a plan. She must fly to the moon and kick Galactus' butt. Of course, she's just a girl with squirrel powers. How the heck is she gonna get way up there? Why she's going to steal some of Iron Man's iron suits:


Did I mention that she once teamed up with Iron Man and defeated Doctor Doom with the aid of her army of squirrels? I kind of mentioned that back here and here -- though I'd forgotten Iron Man's involvement in the Doctor Doom battle. Here's how Doreen remembers that encounter:


It remains to be seen whether or not Squirrel Girl manages to successfully fly to the moon in time to stop Galactus or if next issue will be a lot of writhing and screaming as the planet meets its miserable end. I guess we'll need to pick up issue #3 to find out for certain!

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #2 is written by Ryan North, penciled and inked by Erica Henderson, colored by Rico Renzi, and lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles. You should definitely check it out!
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