Dungeons & Dragons LEGO Minifigs

 The latest wave of LEGO blind packed minifigs has arrived from the realm of Dungeons & Dragons! With 2024 being the 50th anniversary of D&D and the recent release of the incredible Red Dragon's Tale set, this minifig series couldn't come at a better time.

When I saw someone on Reddit post they found them recently, I went on the hunt. Suprisingly, my local LEGO store didn't have them yet and I ended up finding them at Walmart. I usually try to limit my minifig collecting to those that are Halloween/horror/monster themed and there are definitely some in this series that fit that bill. Which is not to say there aren't a couple more I want to pick up!

Another Redditor posted that OMG Bricks has a phone app that not only allows you to track your collection but can scan QR codes on the boxes to let you know what's inside! I'm so glad I had this. There were around 20 packs and many of them were the same. Had I picked a few at random, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten a duplicate. There were three of the twelve that I didn't see at all.

Let's open em up after the break!

Gatchaman Comics - Mad Cave Studios

 Back on Free Comic Book Day this year, I was over the moon to see a new Gatchaman comic. Depending on where and when you grew up, you might know Gatchaman as G-Force or Battle of the Planets. Those are both Americanized, edited version of the original Gatchaman anime.

I hadn't heard of Mad Cave Studios before but they're also bringing back Flash Gordon and Defenders of the Earth in comic form. I've read the first two issues of Gatchaman and am loving it so far. You can actually get the FCBD comic from their website. 

 

Thanks to this comic coming out, I finally decided to make my way through the BluRay set of all 105 episodes. I've probably seen every episode of Battle of the Planets multiple times as a kid but the original, unedited series is not quite the same.

If you've seen any version of the cartoon, you'll no doubt recognize this sequence from the first issue. They've done a fantastic job of making it feel like you're watching the show. The art style, bright colors, and kinetic action scenes will make you want to grab a bowl of cereal before reading. 

 

One thing tI'm really interested in about this comic series is that back at the Gatchaman base, there is a backup Science Ninja Team in training.

In addition to the on-going Gatchaman series, there are two more titles!

Monthly Media Recap - July 2024

Another month and lots more trailers for you to check out. 

And don't worry, no Deadpool spoilers here!

 

 

Series

 

That 90s Show (S2, Netflix)

I figured when this started it was going to be another "legacy sequel" cash grab but the show has continued to grow on me out of the gate. The cast has great chemistry and it's kind of a throwback to the days when sitcoms were king.

 

The Boys (S4, Amazon Prime)

What. A. Finale! The show continues to impress and there's always a couple scenes every season where you can't believe they did that. As hard as they go on the gore and violence, there's actually some nice family dynamics too. Can't wait to see how it wraps up next season.

Movies

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

I can't remember the last time I laughed so much at the movies. Actually, I don't know if I've ever laughed this much. It almost felt like Airplane! where the jokes are just coming a mile a minute. Coming in right behind (excuse me?) the jokes is a lot of gratuitous violence. Even though the jokes and violence are entertaining enough, there's no denying Reynolds and Jackman are having a great time. If you're a long time Marvel fan and get to see this spoiler free, you're in for some real treats! I don't usually recommend 3D but it's worth it here. And if you can't keep up reading the credits, be sure to check the cast list on IMDB for cameos you may have missed.

Rating: 9/10, I could have walked out after the opening credit sequence and I would have got my money's worth of entertainment

 

#ChadGetsTheAxe (2022, Shudder)

Deadstream might have come after, but it did the whole live-stream horror a lot better. Maybe I'm just not hip enough (too old) to appreciate a gang of influencers going to an abandoned murder house but I found it kind of boring. I just was not clicking with these characters and got tired of seeing their faces up in the camera.The story, as it was, is solid and I think with different actors I might have enjoyed it more.

Rating: 5/10