Monthly Media Recap - April 2026

 Not much to say at the top here, so let's jump right in!

 

 

Gatchaman Progress

Only watched 2, most of the time I would have been watching this went to the new Darth Maul mini-series. Now up to: 77

 

Streaming

 

Malcolm in the Middle (2026, Hulu)

Bringing back a beloved show seems to be the "it" thing to do recently. Surprisingly, the ones I've watched have been good and do a great job of picking up the story decades later. If you're a Malcolm fan, this 4 episode mini-series is absolutely worth the watch.

 

Movies

 

 

The Mortuary Assistant (2026, Shudder)

I didn't watch the trailer so I had no idea this was based on a video game until I was reading up on it after watching. All I can say is, I hope the movie is more enjoyable to people that have played the game. It does start off pretty good but then takes a turn into "been there, done that" horror tropes. 

 

Rating: 4/10

 

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025, Peacock)

Speaking of video game movies that I sat through...Again, hopefully game fans got more out of this than I did. The Marionette is a great design and gives the creepiest moments in the movie but we don't see it all that much. Between the plot, the good and bad animatronics, and it being two years since I saw the first one, I was a little confused as to what was going on. But at least we get Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich in a movie again...even if they don't have scenes together?

 

Rating: 4/10

 

Moving on to things I actually liked this month... 

 

 

Hive (2026, Tubi)

This one took me by surprise. I thought it was going to be one kind of movie and then it turns into this weird concept that's kind of silly but also unsettling. It's definitely not something I've seen in a horror movie before. The kid actors, especially the main little girl, are all fantastic and creepy when they need to be.

 

Rating: 7/10

 

 

Deathstalker (2025, Shudder)

After seeing Manborg and Psycho Goreman, I will watch anything that Steven Kostanski has a hand in. He makes B-movies with the full awareness of what he's doing and winks at the audience while doing it. This is so much fun! It's over the top with plenty of practical effects. As soon as the killer fantasy metal soundtrack kicks in, you know you're in for a wild ride! It's less Conan and bit more He-Man (complete with bumbling mini-magician) which gives it a different feel than the 80s sword and sorcery films it's paying tribute to.

 

Rating: 7.5/10 

 

 

Red Sonja (2025, Tubi)

This fantasy flick is a bit of a mixed bag. It does a good job of making up for it's low budget with decent effects but it does occasionally get slowed down by some clunky dialog scenes. I will say, they do a good job of her origin story and evolving her into the badass warrior she should be by the end. For a movie, it's okay. If this was a TV pilot, I'd be tuning in every week. 

 

Rating: 6/10 

 

This Month

New: 5  Rewatch: 0

 

Year to Date

New: 27  Rewatch: 1

Thundarr the Barbarian Comc Book

 It's still pretty early in the year but I think I can safely say Thundarr the Barbarian from Dynamite is my most anticipated comic of the year!

 

As far as Saturday morning cartoons go, Thundarr is at the top of my list and was likely a factor in my picking up the D&D Basic rule set at that age. If, for some reason, Thundarr isn't known to you, check out the show's intro. A post-apocalyptic world combining sci-fi and fanatasy? Doesn't get much better than that! 

 

 

 Like many comics these days, Thundarr has multiple cover variants. The above one is my favorite since Jack Kirby himself worked on the show's production design including most of the villains, which are all memorable in their own way. Not only is in done in a very Kirdy-esque style but there's a not so subtle Kirby tribute on the cover.

 

 The comic hooked me from the first few pages. Obviously, I'm an easy mark but even in the opening scene, they bring back a few of the bad guys Thundarr crossed paths with in the show. Being an 80s Saturday morning show, Thundarr was pretty episodic and usually dealt with a new threat each week. To see some of them pop up from the get go, told me these folks are really paying attention to the source.

 

 If you watched the intro, you might recognize the guy on the left that appears for maybe 2 seconds. 

 

The comic tells two stories simultaneously: The main story takes place in the present of 3994 and has Thundarr going under cover to break up a human trafficking/slavery ring. The other story is told through flashback and follows Thundarr's life as a gladiator slave leading up to him meeting Ookla and Ariel.

 

 Despite how much I was looking forward to this, the first issue snuck by me and I only found the second issue just released a few weeks ago. This issue spends a little more time in the flashback, you get to see how Ariel ties into things, and Thundarr faces his toughest arena fight yet: Ookla the Mok!

 

Meanwhile, in the present day, the gang confront the Council of Wizards who are involved in the human slave trade. In classic comic tradition, these wizards have all been bested by Thundarr over the show's run and are now gathered together to bring him down! One of them activates a time portal and sends our heroes back to 1994 just moments before the runaway planet passes between the Earth and the moon, kick starting the global apocalypse from the intro!

 

 

Another thing I love about the series so far is they perfectly capture the characters, including Ariel's commentary on Thundarr's recklessness.

 If you're a fan of sci-fi/fantasy that's just being introduced to Thundarr from this post, you'd probably enjoy the comic. But if you're someone that's been craving more Thundarr adventures since the 80s, I think you'll absolutely love this and find it a worthy successor to the show.

 

Lost in the Longbox - Dagar the Invincible

Back in 2018/2019 I did a few posts under the title Quarter Bin to talk about random old comics. That title never really clicked with me (even though I decided on it!) so I'm rebranding to Lost in the Longbox...and I'll probably post another one in 2033.

 

Today's deep pull (maybe that would be a better title?) is Tales of Sword and Sorcery Featuring Dagar the Invincible. Or just Dagar the Invincible to his friends.

 

 Dagar was published by Gold Key from October 1972 to December 1976 for a total of 18 quarterly issues. I think I was just getting into Superfriends comics when Dagar ended so I missed out. If he'd come along a few years later when I picked up my first D&D box set and Thundarr was on TV, I'm sure I would have checked it out. I mean, look at that cover!

 

Issue 2 was reformatted and packaged as a give-away with bubble gum. Bazooka Joe, he ain't! I know packing a comic book with bubble gum sounds weird but if you're wondering what it would look like, here you go. 

 

Issue 1, Page 1. That saber-tooth tiger is looking for lunch!

 

Dagar was written by Donald F Glut who Star Wars kids will no doubt recognize as the author of the Empire Strikes Back novelization. He was also a screenwriter for Saturday morning heavy hitters like Land of the Lost, Transformers, G.I. Joe, DuckTales, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and also created characters and lore for Masters of the Universe. How's that for a resume?

  

 Covers and interior art was done by Dagar co-creator Jesse Santos who is best known for this book and Tragg and the Sky Gods, another Gold Key book written by Glut. Tragg, as you might guess by the name, is a prehistoric caveman. The Sky Gods are humanoid aliens so this book has a little more sci-fi to it than Dagar. Santos would go on to work in advertising to work with properties like Blackstar, Jem, and Tiny Toon Adventures.

 

Monsterzone has a great post showcasing Santos' work on Dagar and Tragg. 

 

Dagar was a typical brawn over brains adventurer type contending with magic and monsters in a fantasy world. But Glut's writing is what keeps him from being a Conan knock-off. Thanks to the Wayback Machine, you can read an interview with Glut about his work on Dagar. 

 

If you'd like to enjoy some Tales of Sword and Sorcery, head back to that first cover and give it a click. 

Labyrinth Graphic Novel

I got this a little while back and keep forgetting to show it off. Boom Studios did a Kickstarter for this hard cover collecting their eight issue adaptation from 2024. The cool thing about it is that it adapts the movie novelization which was written while the movie was still in production so there are a couple things here and there different from the final film.

 

 I shelled out a little extra to get the version with the slipcase which is styled after Sarah's Labyrinth book from the movie. Boom Studios was also offering hard cover collections of their two (yes two!) Labyrinth sequel comics. I already have those and didn't feel the need to drop the extra cash to upgrade to hard covers. Of course, I also already have the comics collected here but this is THE story.

 

 This Kickstarter version has an exclusive variant cover that won't be reprinted again. The pages are gold gilded which just adds to how it looks on a table. I like when they do stuff like this so you feel like you're really getting something special when you support them.

 

Speaking of something special...one of the stretch goals was this fantastic art print.

 

 And this enamel pin was unlocked for people that backed on day one (that's me!). The campaign hit its initial $25k goal in 15 minutes! I guess there's a lot of us weirdos out there that love this movie.

 

 I instantly fell in love with the art style. I like that it's sort of cartoony. Disney's been all about live action remakes of animated movies. I think this would be a great candidate for an animated remake of a live action movie! I'd just use the film audio and animate it.

 

At the back of the book are 16 pages featuring different cover art used for the individual comics.

 

The last six pages have character designs. There's two pages each for Sarah and Jareth and the last two have a bunch of the characters Sarah meets, including Alph and Ralph the two dog-like door guardians that pose the logic puzzle to Sarah. Bet you didn't know they had names!

I'm really happy with this one and it's going to be a great addition to my growing Labyrinth library.

The RPG - Video Game Review

 Today, I'm going to be talking about The RPG video game. Which RPG video game, you ask? The RPG video game. I was going to do a whole "Who's on First" thing but then considered the effort it would take to type it out and decided it wasn't worth it.

 

The RPG is a first-person, comedic fantasy RPG-lite game that just released on August 7th. It takes more than a few pages from Skyrim's playbook. You don't need to have played Skyrim to enjoy The RPG but you might miss some of the jokes. If "taking an arrow to the knee" means anything to you, you'll be just fine.

 

I tend to prefer more "crunchy" RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 where you build your characters as they level and find the best items for them so I wasn't sure if an RPG-lite game was going to be up my alley. The simplicity of the game play, cartoony style, and the humor just make it very enjoyable for me. 

 

 It's got all the usual things that RPG lovers expect: breaking random things to look for loot, quests, killing things, taking their stuff, leveling up and...picking mushrooms? 

 

 

Any RPG worth its salt needs quests lay out the story and there no shortage of side quests. This is an open world game so you can explore the map however you want but there's plenty of wild beasties outside the village and you need to make sure you're not tackling something above your pay grade. Luckily, death only results in you respawning at the last bonfire you lit.

 

Like most RPGs, you get experience for completing quests and killing things. Leveling up is super easy. You get 3 points to spend on 12 skills such as: Tough Guy (take less damage), Coal Skin (resist fire damage), and Wolverine (health regen).

 

Everything you pick up from treasure to toilet paper to mushrooms adds to your Loot value. You can then find vendors that will turn your Loot into Gold which you can spend. In the main village there are three vending machines: weapon, armor, and various improvements for your mushroom gun. It's a gun that shoots mushrooms, it's not for shooting at mushrooms. But I'm not here to tell you how to play your game.

 

The weapon and armor machines only ever, in my experience, have one item in them. When you buy the item, it gets replaced with a better, more expensive item. This combined with the "everything becomes Loot" mechanic eliminates any sort of inventory management. When I play other RPGs I find myself having to run back to town frequently to unload items for cash so I can go get more items. Not here!

 

In addition to Loot, you can also find special powers like Double Jump and the secret of learning some Dragon language that gives you different magic shouts that can freeze mobs in place or slow time.

 

 In the end, the lite aspect of the game and how it really streamlines the RPG experience makes it a lot of fun and easy to jump into for a quick session. The humor is more subversive than laugh out loud funny but as a veteran of decades of RPG playing, I definitely enjoy the game's take on things. 

 

The RPG is available on Steam and there is currently a demo available so you've got no excuse to not check it out. 

Monthly Media Recap - April 2025

Quick note: to keep this from becoming a post of videos, linked titles will now bring you to YouTube to view a trailer. No one was really using the Amazon affiliate links anyway. 

 

For the first time in Monthly Media Recap history, I completed two franchises! 

Was it worth it? Read on!

 

 

Series

 

Goosebumps (S2, Disney+) 

Another good round of weaving multiple books into a single story line. I haven't read a lot of the books so I have no idea how close they may be sticking to the source material. The young main actors are good and like the first season, this is aimed more at kids their age than young readers of the books. The horror this season is body horror-centric and is really well done.

Daredevil Born Again (Disney+)

I'd say this is not only the best Marvel show but one of the best seasons of any show I've seen in recent years. Some complained there wasn't enough Daredevil in the show but that's not what it's about, especially this season. Kinda eerie how much it reflects our country's current situation considering it was written a few years ago.

 

Movies

*Dungeons & Dragons (2000, Prime)

My favorite movie review podcast, Now Playing, is doing a board game retrospective which includes the D&D movies. I hadn't seen this since renting it in the early 2000s and I remember not liking it much. That hasn't changed but after watching the sequels, I appreciate it a little more. There is some fun to it but there's also video game cut scene level CGI, Jeremy Irons overacting like you've never seen, and Marlon Wayans out Jar-Jar-ing Jar-Jar.

Rating: 5/10

 

Book Report - Dungeon Crawler Carl

 A couple years ago, an ad for Dungeon Crawler Carl (DCC from here on) popped up in my Facebook feed. It sounded like fun so I promptly add it to my "books to check out" list...and there it sat. Recently, the book has come up in a couple of podcasts so I figured now was the time to check it out.

 

 The apocalypse will be televised!

You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.

 DCC falls into the LitRPG genre. This is my first dip into LitRPG which I find kind of funny because it sounds like the kind of thing I'd really be into. LitRPG is short for literary Role-Playing Game but you probably could have figured that out. LitRPG smashes up traditional fantasy/sci-fi books with video game RPG elements.

 

DCC is a seven book series and I am currently halfway through book 2, so if you know the series and I present inaccurate information, this is why.

 

 In the tradition of Hitchhiker's Guide, aliens arrive on Earth but instead of a hyperspace bypass, these aliens are mining the planet. To enact their plan, they flatten the surface of the Earth. From cars to skyscrapers, it's all flattened, wiping out a good chunk of the population that were not outside. Those that are left alive are given the choice to compete in a galactic dungeon crawl reality show. 

 

The book has plenty of humor and action. One of the main things that made this book so much fun for me is the dynamic between Carl and Donut. The only reason Carl is alive is because Donut got outside in the middle of the night and Carl had to hurriedly get dressed to chase her. Unfortunately for him, he was only in his heart-decorated boxers and grabbed a leather jacket and his ex's too-small Crocs. One of the running jokes is that Carl isn't able to find pants or shoes.

 

 Another effect of the alien's arrival is that Donut can now talk! Carl is an every man and Donut is his ex's prize winning show cat so they aren't exactly best friends from the start but their relationship evolves as they rely on each other to get through the dungeon.

 

Speaking of dungeons, that's the other contributing factor to my enjoyment: the Diablo-esque escapades of killing monsters, getting loot and achievements, and leveling up. It's very much like reading a video game, which I guess is what LitRPG is usually. It also seems like there's some world building as the story goes on and Carl finds out more about the dungeon itself and those behind it.

 

And just like a video game, the book is addicting. If you're one of those gamers who just has to see what's in the next room or tries to get that gear upgraded before bed, I think you'll really like this series.

LEGO Minifigs Series 27 - Wolfpack Beastmaster

 When it comes to blind packed LEGO minifigs, I typically limit my collecting to those that would fit in a Halloween scene because there are just so many fun figures. Since I picked up a handful of the Dungeons & Dragons minifigs, I felt like this guy needed to join them. Possibly opening a dangerous door of needing to collect D&D-ish minifigs.

 

 Meet the Wolfpack Beastmaster from series 27, currently in stores. This guy's probably pretty good at hunting. You know who else is good at hunting? Me! I have been looking for this guy for months, scanning every single figure I could find. I actually found the box last week in a store but someone had opened it and taken the contents! The D&D Dragonborn Paladin wasn't even this hard to find. There's no doubt he's a cool figure but I think part of his popularity is that he comes with a wolf.

 

 Here's a closer look at his outfit. You have to appreciate someone that knows how to brand their look. He's got he wolfpack logo on his shield and on his chest. The little details are great from the chain "holding" his cape on down to the little studs on his belt. 

 

I'm not quite sure what's going on with his armor. Those aren't bracers he's wearing, it's the sleeves of what looks like a chain shirt with leather armor over it, or maybe it's hide? His face has all kinds of character to it. When he's got his hood on, you can barely see the muttonchops.

 

 Speaking of his face, he's got two! I'm thinking the second one is him whistling a command to the wolf, or he just stepped on a LEGO brick barefoot.

 

Ready for battle!

Monthly Media Recap - February 2024

 Welcome to the February Monthly Media Recap, now with an extra day!

 

As always, links below will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the movie (or whatever you want) and I may earn a few pennies from qualifying purchases.

Series

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)

I really enjoyed this. I had no idea this series has a Potter-like fandom. The series has that 80s "kids go on an adventure" vibe to it which kind of made me feel like a kid watching it. And speaking of kids, the young actors were all great. Also definitely recommend the Making Of doc which will just make you like the kids more. I may just pick up the books while waiting for the next season.

Movies

 

Werewolves Within (2021, Shudder)

It definitely has humor to it but I was expecting a little more given the cast. It's a pretty good Whodunit...or Whodawerewolf. My biggest "gripe" is that if you make a rated R werewolf movie, it should be for gore and not the number of f-bombs in the script. Considering it's based on a video game, I'm surprised they didn't try for a PG-13.

Rating: 6/10

 

Hasbro's Dungeons & Dragons - Sheila

 Here we are, finally wrapping up Hasbro's Dungeons & Dragons figure line based on the 80s animated series. The line of figures has had a mediocre reception by fans at best. If they couldn't do these right, I almost would have preferred a retro 3.75" 5 POA line which would likely be what we should have got back in the 80s.

At any rate, here's the final figure...Sheila the thief.

I've mentioned it many times before but whether it's actual tabletop RPGs or computer based games, I tend towards the sneakier, more Dexterity-based classes. (Could it be because my last name is Dexter?) And despite how cool the other kids' magic items are, an invisibility cloak is the one you could get the most day to day use out of.

Plunderlong 8-Ball Figure

 It has been so long since the Plunderlong/Plnuderstrong Kickstarter ended that I forgot which figure I had picked! This guy washed up on my doorstep last week.

In addition to 8-Ball, I also order the "Leather Crate" which probably sounds a lot more kinky than it is. The figure also came with this cool (and heavy!) two-sided golden coin. Let's bust him out!

8-Ball comes with two bundles of dynamite, two sets of hands, three heads, a helmet, and a torch. I had some trouble swapping the heads and had to put him under a hair dryer for a bit. To be fair, Lone Coconut had mentioned this in a project update. Now that I've gotten off the head he shipped with, I'm a little shy about fully plugging one on there in case it gets stuck. It doesn't seem to make much difference if the head rests on the neck and you'd only notice it if you were moving the figure around.

Dungeons & Dragons Mystery Minis (Series 1) by KidRobot

 It feels like it's been more than a few months since I first caught wind of KidRobot's Dungeons & Dragonis Mystery Mini series. After waiting and waiting to see them pop up at a local store, I deicded to snag a couple online.

As far as blind packed figures go, I felt they're a little pricey. But I say that as someone that has no clue what KidRobot figs are going for right now. Most places I found online have them around $15. I ended up ordering from ToyWiz who had them at $13.99. Plus they gave a first time sign up bonus of 5% off. They also have series 2 up for pre-order so I guess I'll be grabbing a couple more!

Here are the contents and odds for Series 1. If you're not familiar with these creatures, they're all based on the artwork from the original AD&D Monster Manual. That original art is what gives them their interesting, slightly weird style. As you'll see, they basically took the illustration and turned it into a 3D figure. And if I had planned this post out better, I would have taken the pics from the same angle as the illustrations.

Personally, I was hoping for the Dragon or Rust Monster as those stand out for me and take me way back to flipping through the Monster Manual when I first got into D&D . They're just certain ones that have stuck with me. I also like Mimics but prefer them showing off a lot of teeth. So, what did I get?

Monthly Media Recap - April 2023

Welcome the to the first ever two-part Monthly Media Recap! With Salem Horror Fest at the end of April, I had to break up my "regular" viewing and the stuff I saw at the Fest to keep this post from being way too long. I'll chat more about that event next time, so stay tuned.

Streaming

The Mandalorian S3 (2023, Disney+)

If online reactions are anything to go by, it seems people were down on this season because "Andor ruined Star Wars" for them. To me, that's like biting into an apple and saying it's a terrible orange. This show has always been more inline with the original movie where it's a fun space adventure. And it definitely delivered for me on that level.

Slasher S1 (2016, Netflix)

I feel like this is the Scream sequel I always wanted sprinkled with a little Se7en and Silence of the Lambs for good measure. It's a good mystery with plenty of red herrings and grisly murders. My only complaint is the opening credits are trying too hard to be American Horror Story. If you enjoy slasher flicks, highly recommend this series!

Murduagh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023, Netflix)

A scary documentary that shows just how much you can get away with if you know the right people, or if you are the right people. I watch the occasional crime documentary and I have never felt as bad for anyone as for the boating accident victim and her family.

Movies

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

This was so much fun! While it feels like a Marvel movie, I'm okay with it. Anyone that tells you this isn't serious enough is not someone I want to play D&D with. It was a real treat to see places I've only read about or visited in video games on the big screen. And I'm definitely in favor of cinematic license being taken over strict adherence to the game rules. There's a cool cameo with some familiar heroes that I'd be shocked if was still a spoiler to anyone online but won't say anymore. I'm all for more of these even if it's new characters/stories. I may check out the prequel comic and novels that are out.

Rating: 8/10

 

 

Kids vs Aliens (2022, Shudder)

Spun out of a segment from V/H/S 2, this was a lot of fun! It blends 80s-style kids on an adventure and teen coming of age with a definitely not for kids alien attack. While the aliens feel like people in suits, it just adds a little something for me. The practical effects are pretty well done and definitely gross (in a good way) Close encounters of the slime kind!

Rating: 7/10

*Scream 4 (2011, Tubi)

Last month, I mentioned part 3 had too many celebs that took me out of it. There are some here but when this came out the only one I knew was Hayden Panettiere so it was fun to see Emma Roberts and Allison Brie popup before I knew them. This one felt more in line with the original, I liked the cast and it gave us more blood. Unfortunately, the series is just going on too long. How many times can you have a copycat killer trying to kill the same person? Maybe that's part of the joke?

Rating: 6/10

Scream (2022, Paramount)

This seems like it took a few pages from the recent Halloween but it works really well. We finally get some worthy slasher violence! It was a  nice breath of fresh air after the last couple. While I'm interested to see where it goes from here, I also feel like it's time to hang up the mask. I did enjoy the modern meta movie commentary.

Rating: 7/10

 

Scream VI (2023, Paramount)

Yep, it's time to hang up the mask and this would be a great place to do it. I liked it a lot up until the killer reveal. This is why the series needs to move on from Sydney/Westboro. I felt it was kind of silly how they had to jump through hoops to tie it to the last one. Also, I know the final girl has to beat the killer but this one feels less of a hero the way she does it. Maybe that will get explored more in a sequel. Otherwise, there were some good kills and a few really great, tense moments.

Rating: 6/10

 

Screamers (1995, Tubi/Amazon Prime)

This was stuck in development hell in the 80s and it feels like something Full Moon might have done when they were still decent. If you like exposition in movies, you are in for a treat! The background story feels a little over complicated and if not for Peter Weller, I think this would be one for the scrap pile. It's not terrible but it's not great either.

Rating: 5/10

Nope (2022, Amazon Prime)

I had a theory as to what this was about and I was way, way off! I'm a little sad I didn't get to see this in the theater. It's that rare kind of movie that delivers that ol' movie magic. It had some Shyamalan and King vibes to it but in the best ways.  

 

Rating: 7/10 

GoodBi (2022, Tubi)

I'd like to thank blame the folks at the Halloween is Forever podcast for getting me to watch this so I could listen to them talk about it. The lead actress gave a good performance and I hope she goes on to do something better than this. I'm not sure if I didn't get the plot or if the movie is just that bad. I guess it could be both?

Rating: 2/10

Piranha (1995, Plex)

How do you remake a fun creature feature with a bigger budget and ruin it? Take out what made the original fun and re-use as many effects shots as possible from the 17 year old original. Not even the Greatest American Hero and Mila Kunis' screen debut can keep this afloat very long.

Rating: 3/10

Slumber Party Massacre (2021, Shudder)

Now, this is how you do a remake! Good nods to the original, satisfying kills and some surprises along the way to keep it fresh. It did feel like it cut to credits a little quick at the end but I can forgive it that because I had a good time watching it.

Rating: 7/10

Month Total

New: 9   Rewatch: 1

Year to Date Total

New: 33   Rewatch: 4

Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons - Venger & DungeonMaster

 Finally getting around to wrapping up wave 1 of Hasbro's Dungeons & Dragons animated figures and we've got the biggest for last: Venger and DungeonMaster.

Two figures for double the cost, how can you go wrong? If you're lucky, you might be able to find them at 50% at Target. I learned my lesson with pre-ordering all these figures. I could have easily gotten the entire wave at clearance price so no pre-ordering wave 2.

DM is a solid figure and I mean that quite literally! He has no legs and his torso just kind of goes all the way down to his feet, which are also melded into the body. No issues with the shoulder or wrist joints which are the only articulation. He's a cool little figure that I'd keep on my desk at work if that was an acceptable thing to do. Now I feel like I need to get a Black Series Yoda so they can hang out together.

 

Labyrinth of Legendary Loot - Game Review

Hail, Adventurer! Are you looking for a good ol' fashioned dungeon dive in search of an Artifact of Incredible Power that's inconveniently located on the bottom floor?

If so, then The Labyrinth of Legendary Loot (henceforth known as LLL) is for you!

And the best part is...it's FREE! Read on (or just skip to the bottom).

Let's get this out before starting our journey: this is, in fact, a dungeon with twisty corridors and is not an actual labyrinth. You will not be bumping into a tight-panted David Bowie here. Although I haven't reached the bottom floor yet, so I can't say that with 100% accuracy.

LLL is a turn-based dungeon exploring, monster smashing, loot finding adventure. Your goal is to get to the bottom of the dungeon and recover the Thing. You start your quest as a generic hero with a basic weapon for killing, some Health for living, and some Mana for abilities. Unlike other Rogue-like games, there are no mystery potions or scrolls that you have to aid you. Nor does your hero level up.

How do you keep your hero alive while the monsters get stronger every level? 

Loot!

Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons - Hank

 I was going to hold off on the next D&D figure installment but since the second wave just went up for pre-order (affiliate link) I figured it would be a good time to post.

Hank the Ranger is my second favorite kid in the series. Not so much because he's the leader but because he's got the coolest weapon, a bow that shoots endless energy arrows!

 

For those of you that haven't yet experienced the new windowless boxes, here's how the figures and accessories are packed.

 

Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons Figure - Bobby & Uni

 Come, traveler, let us return to the realm of Dungeons & Dragons to meet a boy and his dog...uh, unicorn.

Today we're joined by Bobby the Barbarian and his unicorn friend/pet Uni. Good job with the naming there, kid.

Again, loving the external package design even if the contents are wrapped in thin paper with nothing really to keep them from getting tossed around inside. Remember last time when I said how much I liked the way they were making a larger image with the box sides? Well, someone fell asleep on that.

Where is the top of Hank's bow or Diana's right foot?? I swear this line just gets more disappointing the further down the rabbit hole I go. I can't overstate how much I want to truly love this line but keep feel like I'm getting kicked in the teeth. Oh well, let's see what's in the box.

Hasbro Dungeons & Dragons Figure - Diana

 Well, it took almost 40 years but we are finally getting action figures based on the 80s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon! As soon as it was announced, I knew I was going to go all in on the line...even if I have no idea where I'm going to display them.

We're starting it off with the group's most agile member, Diana the Acrobat. By the way, if you're not familiar with this cartoon, you may at least want to watch the intro to get an idea about the series and characters.

Now, Acrobat itself wasn't really a class in D&D and I always thought it was an odd thing to be when you have Fighters, Thieves, Magic-Users, etc. Earlier the same year the show debuted, the class Thief-Acrobat was introduced in Dragon magazine. I'm guessing having a character be even part Thief was frowned on for a kids cartoon so they went with Acrobat.

This is my first purchase with the plastic-free packaging and I have to say, I like the look of it! The box art is fantastic. I understand some people's gripes with it and I think it's definitely going to lead to an increase of scumbags buying them, tossing some other figure in, and returning it. One thing I'm not a fan of is the figure and accessories are just wrapped in a thin paper and not held down inside the box. It feels really cheap.

Monthly Media Recap - May 2022

I don't know about where you live, but around here, Memorial Day weekend is the start of neighborhood "we can shoot off fireworks when we feel like it" season for the next two months. 

 

Being the unofficial start of summer movie season, are you planning on going to the theater or are you content to stream the summer at home? Let me know in the comments if you've seen anything good lately, I'm always up for recommendations!

Streaming

 

Spider-Woman (1979, Disney+)

I thought it would be fun to go back and check this out since I haven't seen it in 40+ years. Not only can the himbo Jessica works with not figure out she's Spider-Woman (no matter where in the world they are, she shows up) but when he's not trying to get a dinner date with her, he's putting her down for being a woman (it's too dangerous, you're not strong enough, etc). It's supposed to be a joke between Jessica and the viewer but yikes! They're also very loosey-goosey with her powers. She has a spider sense that gives her visions, she can shoot webs, and sometimes has spider telepathy. If you have a fondness for 70s/80s cartoons, this should hit the spot for you. 

 

Love, Death, & Robots (S3, Netflix)

I blew through this over a weekend. This animated anthology is definitely not for the kiddos. There's a nice variation in the settings of the shorts, some are very violent but all are a lot of fun! If you're a scifi/horror fan this series is definitely worth your time.

 

Movies

The Spine of Night (2021, Shudder)

This is the perfect love child of classic Bakshi rotoscope animation and Heavy Metal. The story follows a plant that grants wicked magical power and it's impact over generations. Add to the fantasy setting nudity and brutal violence and you're in for a treat. You'd swear this came right out of the 80s at you!

Rating: 8/10

Plunderlings Goblin Figures

It took about a year longer than expected but I finally got my Plunderlings figures!

The Kickstarter originally launched in August 2019. The figures looked great and were overflowing with character. The hard part wasn't deciding whether or not to back it but keeping myself in check and only going in for two figures. I looked back at the page for this post and found myself saying "Why didn't I pick that one?" a whole lot! You can see the page and all the figures on Kickstarter.

 So let's start at the beginning and get my least favorite thing out of the way.

The packaging is very cute. It comes with cardboard ears that you can slot into the sides to make a fun Plunderling head. However, the box is terrible at showing you what's inside of it. It's not a huge deal because, trust me, if you have any of these guys you're going to want to have them out of the box!