Movie Review: Superman (2025)

Superman
July 8, 2025
Director: James Gunn
Starring: David Corenswet; Rachel Brosnahan; Nicholas Hoult; Edi Gathegi; Anthony Carrigan; Nathan Fillion; Isabela Merced
MPAA rating: PG-13
Running time: 2h 10m
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman's four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it's too late?

The latest edition to the Superman universe starts out with a bang, almost too much of a bang. It kind of feels like the movie starts at the halfway point. I thought maybe I had missed something. But as it goes on, some of the holes are filled in. But not all of them!

The movie is written well, but kind of oddly. Once you get used to it, it makes things a little easier to just sit back and relax. Maybe the movie follows comic book lore, or maybe I'm just out of touch with Superman.

Toward the middle of the film, I started to really enjoy it. At some point, there must have been enough info to keep me interested and invested. Plus, I loved his metadog and all the weird and odd side characters. Mom and Dad, back in Kansas, were so freaking cute. The Lois character, however, was annoyingly just a tad too bossy or pushy. But aside from that, everyone else really helps keep things moving along.

By the end, I felt like the greatest Superman, Mr. Christopher Reeve, would have liked this latest edition. The super suit looked classic original, the icy super cave was awesome, and Lex was back to being a slimy bad guy bully.

Overall, it was funny at times and action-packed, entertaining with an extra cast of Meta folks who helped keep things interesting. A summer adventure for sure, with heart and surprisingly entertaining. 

Getting 4 "Krypto likes to play fetch" Sheep

 

 

 KD

  

Sheep Comic Alert! The Power Fantasy #1 by Kieron Gillen from Image Comics + preview

From Image Comics:

"The highly lauded, launch-of-the-Summer The Power Fantasy #1 by Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine, Die, Darth Vader, forthcoming We Called Them Giants) and Caspar Wijngaard (Home Sick Pilots, All Against All) has sold out completely—yet again—at the distributor level and is being rushed back to print in order to keep up with rapidly mounting reorder activity.

"The series launched earlier this month with a rare pre-release sell-out and has picked up speed with readers each week since it hit shelves. The feeding frenzy for stock of this series' debut issue has triggered an equally rare, second, pre-release reprint—a feat accomplished by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' similarly buzzy Saga #1, second printing."

Seven page preview below 

      

The Power Fantasy #1
August 7, 2024
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Caspar Wijngaard
Cover A: Caspar Wijngaard
Cover B: Stephanie Hans
Image Comics
A daringly uncompromising new superhero hero epic, The Power Fantasy offers an edge-of-your seat read in which every character is a nuclear weapon on the brink of detonation... And the entire planet is on high alert.

It’s a world where “Superpowered” has a specific meaning. It’s reserved solely for those with the destructive potential of the nuclear arsenal of the most powerful nations on Earth. There are presently six superpowered beings, and the future of the planet is reliant on them never, ever coming into conflict.

Early praise for The Power Fantasy:

“I can tell a couple pages into a book if it has legs—if the writing’s good, if the art is well done, and if it’s going to find an audience. However, when I got to the end of the first issue of Power Fantasy I knew that I was looking at the better version of that. A book constructed with artfulness and nuance and a care that borders on being obsessive. This is a good one, folks, and it has my highest recommendation.” —Jonathan Hickman, X-Men, The Black Monday Murders

“The jaw-dropping climax of the first issue takes an already great read and shoots this book into the stratosphere. An absolute must-read comic by two of the absolute best in the business." —James Tynion IV, The Department of Truth, Something Is Killing The Children

“It's intense, yet understated, and gripping. Ripe with the potential for drama, intrigue, nuance, depth, and meaning, The Power Fantasy is primed to explode superhero comics.” —ComicBook.com

"If you like your comics full of big ideas, laced with dark humor and the unnerving sense that the end of the world is just one family squabble away, this one's for you." —GamesRadar

"Thought-provoking and dynamic in equal measures, with outstanding art. 10/10" —Comicon.com

 

Info for the nerdy sheep

The Power Fantasy #1, second printing will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 11: Cover A - Lunar Code 0624IM916
Cover B - Lunar Code 0624IM998

The Power Fantasy #1, third printing will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 25: Cover A by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0524IM936
Cover B 1:10 copy incentive by Wijngaard foil - Lunar Code 0524IM937

The Power Fantasy #2 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 18: Cover A1 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0724IM375
Cover A2 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0724IM376
Cover B by Sweeney Boo - Lunar Code 0724IM377
Cover C 1:50 copy incentive (Pantone) - Lunar Code 0724IM876

The Power Fantasy #3 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 16: Cover A1 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0824IM405
Cover A2 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0824IM405
Cover B by Paulina Ganucheau - Lunar Code 0824IM406
Cover C 1:50 copy incentive by Rian Hughes (Pantone) - 0824IM407

The Power Fantasy #4 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 13: Cover A1 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0924IM388
Cover A2 by Wijngaard - Lunar Code 0924IM388
Cover B by Chip Zdarsky - Lunar Code 0924IM389
Cover C 1:50 copy incentive by Rian Hughes (Pantone) - Lunar Code 0924IM390

The Power Fantasy will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

 

 

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States, and is the #2 graphic novel publisher in America. It is the publisher of such award winning titles as, Spawn, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Saga, Monstress, Deadly Class, Chew, The Old Guard, I Kill Giants, Criminal, The Department of Truth, W0rldtr33, Geiger, Descender, Gideon Falls, It’s Lonely At The Centre of The Earth, Do A Power Bomb, and more. The company currently has six individuals on the Board of Directors: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, and Eric Stephenson. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit: www.imagecomics.com.

Excerpt: Reluctant Hero (The Seeded Saga, #1) by Vanessa MacLellan + giveaway

Reluctant Hero (The Seeded Saga, #1)
by Vanessa MacLellan
July 16th 2024
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Superhero
Someone is taking the Seeded.
Can a psychic hacker crack the digital world and unearth the conspiracy before it’s too late?

The Seed grants extraordinary powers to a select few—the Seeded.

For Nekoka—a genius catgirl blessed with multiple Seeded powers, cool tech, and loyal friends—every day is Mardi Gras. But her carefree days in the Big Easy come to an end when her best friends decide to bind their New Orleans Seeded group with rules and duties by going official. Nekoka, a free-range hedonist, rebels against any leash, and she storms off to Portland. She’s nobody’s hero.

But she’s soon caught performing heroics when she saves lives in a freeway pileup involving abducted Seeded. As she hacks secure networks about the mysterious incident, she uncovers a sinister plot to gather low-powered Seeded, and she’s faced with a choice: confront the sadistic horrors head-on and risk capture, or hightail it to safer pastures. But the situation is critical. If Nekoka leaves, friends and frenemies could die.

Journey through the shadows where friendship, sacrifice, and determination forge heroes in the face of impending darkness.

Goodreads-Amazon

 
Excerpt
Propped against the railing of the second level, Pablo smiled down at them. Nekoka waved as he descended the stairs.

With Pablo’s every stride and strut, Nekoka’s inner hot bod aficionado purred deeply. Cyrus was lovely, but Pablo oozed desirability. Damn.

“Pablo, looking lickable today,” Nekoka said with a husky burr.

“Oh, a licking. Is that why I had the bar opened early?” he asked with a smirk, leaning against the bar with one hip, the long lines of his body on display, the cheeky grin holding promises and secrets. There was always an element of grace and fluidity to Pablo’s movements, and it wasn’t any surprise to Nekoka that every pose, every posture he presented, cast him in an elegant light.

How could he simply lean and look sexy? And not be attainable? It wasn’t fair.

 

About the Author:
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Goodreads
Vanessa MacLellan was born and raised in the farmlands of eastern Washington, works as an environmental engineer to fund her travel addiction, and is an avid birder, naturalist and hiker living in Portland, Oregon. She also loves watercoloring—you'll find many paintings on her Facebook She writes a rainbow of spec fic: fantasy, horror, and science fiction.

She searched for stories with good people and kept bumping into morally gray or villainous protagonists. Grim dark up to her knees. She doesn't enjoy constant darkness; it leaves her feeling worn down. When times are grim, she wants to face into the light and come out feeling hopeful rather than bitter. She decided to change the face of writing and bring in the light.

Vanessa loves heroic characters who understand the value of honor, sacrifice, and courage. Escape from the humdrum into magical lands where actions matter and heroes step forward to right wrongs, from small to large, to make a better world.

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT) - 2 winners
$25 Amazon gift card
Ebook copy of Reluctant Hero
a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Urban Fantasy Series: An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jack

An Inheritance of Magic
by Benedict Jack
October 10, 2023
The super-rich control everything—including magic—in this thrilling and brilliant, contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels.

The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by . . . magic.

Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.

But when a chance encounter with a member of House Ashford gets him noticed by the wrong people, Stephen is thrown in the deep end. For centuries, the vast corporations and aristocratic Houses of the magical world have grown impossibly rich and influential by hoarding their knowledge. To survive, Stephen will have to take his talent and build it up into something greater—for only then can he beat them at their own game.

Advance Praise for AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC"Benedict Jacka gives us a flawed protagonist but ensures we are always on his side. Stephen Oakwood has many strikes against him: absent father and mother, financial woes, dead-end jobs. But he perseveres in the face of danger and death, and he loves his cat. It's more than enough. Benedict Jacka is one of my must-reads."—#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris

"One of the most satisfying contemporary fantasies I have read in a long time; cozy and human, with some good fight scenes to boot. . . . an enchanting journey into a world where sorcery may be for sale, but agency is beyond price."—Wall Street Journal

"A captivating, compelling story."—SFX Magazine

“Jacka has drawn a potent new world of magic controlled by a privileged few, and Stephen Oakwood is the sigl-wielding rebel we didn’t know we needed."—New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill

"A world of magic usually known only to the rich and powerful is put to the test in the page-turning urban fantasy that launches an intriguing new series. . . . there's lots of promise to this eat-the-rich world. Readers will be eager to see where things go next."—Publishers Weekly

"This first entry in Jacka’s (Risen) new urban fantasy series combines a coming-of-age and coming-into-power story with a fresh new take on magic. Stephen is a character at a crossroads, and watching him figure out which way to turn and how to amass enough power to make it happen will power the series. . . . Readers looking for a new take on urban fantasy, those who enjoy coming-of-age or training stories, and anyone who likes watching the rich fall will be delighted."—Library Journal

Amazon

About the Author:
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Benedict Jacka is the author of the Alex Verus novels, which began in 2012 with Fated and ended in 2021 with Risen. He studied philosophy at Cambridge, taught English in China, and worked at everything from civil servant to bouncer before becoming a full-time writer.

Movie Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Shazam! Fury of the Gods
March 16, 2023
Directed By: David F. Sandberg
Writing Credits: Henry Gayden (written by), Chris Morgan (written by), Bill Parker (Shazam created by), and C. C. Beck (Shazam created by).
Cast: Zachery Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Rachel Zegler, Asher Angel, Meagan Good, Djimon Hounsou, Ross Butler, D.J. Cotrona, Cooper Andrews, Marta Milans, Jovan Pena, Grace Caroline Currey, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen. Gia Gadot (Wonder Woman) makes an appearance too.
Music: Christophe Beck
Production Company: New Line Cinema, D.C. Entertainment, Warner Bros.
Running Time: 2 hours, 16 minutes
Genre: Comic book hero, fantasy.
Film Website-FB -Instagram-Twitter
The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!" is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

Billy Batson (Captain Marvel—as that is his name in the comics in 1941 and one point, a person in street calls him that!) and his fellow Shazam heroes and family don’t know it, by three goddesses are after them, angry that the god power their father, Atlas, had in a staff, was stolen and put in one mortal child from Earth by a wizard. They have the wizard in a prison, and have stolen the broken parts of the staff from Acropolis Museum, killing most of the guards and humans visiting in there, even making many into statues. In Philadelphia, Billy with his foster siblings save people on a collapsing bridge but are called out for the destruction. At home, everyone is drifting apart due to them growing older and having personal interests. Billy is worried about being kicked out of the Vasquez family after turning 18 and aging out of the foster system. In a dream, as Shazam, Billy is warned by the Wizard about the daughters of Atlas. Billy and his siblings then do research on the daughters.

The first movie was good. This one not so much, but then again, it is a comic book superhero movie. We have the actions of teens, even when they are "adult" superheroes. Billy is close to 18 years old and has to think about the future out of the foster program. Job or college. He must grow up sometime. And sometimes Billy tries to get his family together to do something about the Daughters of Atlas, but then goes back to being the immature teen. Until the ultimate battle (and I did love this.). 

If you are looking for Shakespeare and a serious movie, then look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a couple of hours of a popcorn movie, then this is it. Non-spoiler (I won’t talk about them, but stay until the end.) There are two clips, one right after the end of the film--before the credits--and one at the end of the credits.

I give Shazam! Fury of the Gods 3 1/2 superhero sheep.

Reviewed by Pamela K. Kinney

Interview: Jeremy Whitley (The Dog Knight graphic novel)

Give a big Sheep welcome to The Dog Knight writer Jeremy Whitley!

Do you have a dog?

I do! Though, fun fact, I’m a little bit allergic and didn’t want to get a dog. My daughters, on the other hand, wanted nothing more. They talked us into going out to the local rescue and finding a dog and I just accepted that I was going to need to take allergy medicine pretty regularly.

However, once we got there, the girls were running around playing with every dog on the little farm they had. Meanwhile, this big old hound dog came up to me and gently but insistently pushed his haunches up against me and quietly demanded to be scratched. He was so funny and silly and…a little bit dumb. I fell in love with that big oaf. We named him Ace and he mostly lives on our couch these days.

Ace

How did the idea of The Dog Knight come to you? Characters first or story first?
This one was pretty unusual in that it came together concept first. Dogs are so weird and they do so many little things that don’t seem to make sense. The idea that they were quietly fighting some secret war to protect humans was where it started. But I liked the idea of there being one human character that got a look into this world and help dogs do the things that dogs can’t.

Once I had that idea locked in, the question became “what kind of person would dogs choose? What sort of things would dogs look for in a champion? Frankie as a character was born from that question along with the question of what sort of person could need the sort of absolute and unquestioning love that dogs provide.

How did you find a publisher interested in The Dog Knight?
Well, all credit here goes to my agent Moe Ferrara. As soon as I brought the concept to her, she said “I know who will love this book” and she was right. It was the really basic concept and a few plot points when Holly West at Feiwel and Friends saw it, but she saw the potential in it right away. From there it was just a question of chipping away at the marble until we had the full picture. The full picture being of course a non-binary drummer kid wearing a helmet with big fluffy ears on it.

As a cis-white male (if I’m wrong, please correct me) why did you choose a Black non-binary character like Frankie?

Well, as a cis white male, there is not a shortage of heroes out there that look like me. There’s a superhero movie about one coming out almost every month this year. I think it’s much more important to tell stories about people who are under-represented in these types of stories.

When I started making comics, I wanted to make sure that my daughters could see themselves represented in comics the same way I had been able to. 

That’s what led me to create Princeless. I continue to let that desire to build characters that might represent and inspire young readers in ways they’ve never experienced in fiction drive the kind of characters I write. Right now, non-binary and trans kids are being made to feel wrong and excluded throughout the United States and other countries, but particularly here in the south. I have the amazing luck of knowing a number of incredible non-binary people in my life and I wanted kids and other readers who might not have that same luck to be able to see it in fiction. This story called for someone who is themselves even when it’s difficult and Frankie was the perfect fit.

How did you find your artist, Bre Indigo?
When I first brought the book to Feiwel and Friends, one of their conditions for picking it up was that they got to approve the artist/art style we used for it. I was fine with that under the condition that we find an artist who was non-binary. I wanted to make sure we had somebody who understood the importance of that aspect of Frankie as well as or better than me and could check me on mistakes I might not even realize I was making.

To their credit, F&F was very amicable to this request and brought me art from several different non-binary artists that they liked for the project. When I saw Bre’s art, I was sold immediately. I knew they were the perfect choice for this book and I was so excited when it turned out they were available to do it. I literally haven’t had a second thought about it since then. I think Bre is the secret sauce that takes this book from something I thought was good to something that’s extraordinary. Every time I get new art for the book, I have to do a little happy dance. They’re so good!

How much creative license did Bre have to illustrate your story? As a Black queer person, did Bre share some insight you might not have thought about?
That insight was actually something I was excited to receive. I told Bre from the get-go that if there was ever anything in the story that they thought didn’t work or needed to change, to let me know. As long as fixing it didn’t break some other part of the story, I’m prepared to change it on their say-so. I always want artists I work with to feel like a book is collaborative and not just some case where they’ve been hired as employees to realize my perfect artistic vision. But I think with this book that was even more true than usual. I can confident in saying that his book would not be the book it is without Bre.

Do you have a favorite dog in The Dog Knight?

This is a harder question than you would think because it often changes depending on the dog I’m writing at the time, but I think the truth is, once the art comes back, it has to be The Yorkshire Terror.

Just writing the Batman-esque dialog that comes from the Champion of Justice makes me chuckle, but seeing this tiny little Yorkie deliver the lines in Bre’s style never fails to tickle me. I may never come up with another concept as purely funny as “a yorkie with the attitude of Batman”

Do you have a personal playlist for The Dog Knight? What music would play during the gremlin battles? What music would Frankie listen to?
You know, I have specific playlists for some other projects but not really for The Dog Knight. I honestly write a lot of film scores and orchestral music. I spent a lot of the writing of this series listening to my playlist full of John Williams music.

As for Frankie, I think they choose a lot of the stuff they love based on the drums. They like a good mix of rock, pop, r&b and rap, but really like songs with a great beat that they can try and figure out on their snare and play along with.

What is Frankie’s favorite meal?

You know, I think Frankie is the kind of kid who will try just about anything once but ultimately prefers old favorites like mac and cheese.

What is your favorite meal?
I’m a sucker for a nice big bowl of Ramen. Especially Tonkatsu, but really any warm bowl of broth and noodles with a ramen egg will do it for me. I’ve become the sort of old man who’s a big fan of things in the soup family at the ripe old age of thirty-eight.

Chapter 9: The Trial of Smell was my favorite (Chapter 8 Trial of Justice was a close second!) Do you have a favorite chapter? And Why?
That’s a tough question, but I think I’m with you on this one. The Trial of Smell is a rare and wonderful example of, when I was outlining, only having a very vague idea of what I was going to do and then really finding it in the moment as I was writing. I don’t want to pay myself on the back too hard, but I think a lot of this is Bre’s doing as well. It could have easily been the worst or least engaging test, but on the page, it just clicks. I love both the chapter and the two characters who are introduced in it.

The Dog Knight (The Dog Knight, 1)
by Jeremy Whitley (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator), Melissa Capriglione (colorist)
May 16, 2023
Genre: graphic novel, middle-grade, fantasy, superhero, Children's Animal Comics , Children's Fantasy Comics, comics

Publisher: Macmillian
A nonbinary middle schooler saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs, in the first book of this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel series from Jeremy Whitely, author of Princeless, and Bre Indigo, illustrator of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel.

Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight?

One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer.

If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos.

Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?

Amazon-Goodreads-B&N-WalMart

About the Author

website-Twitter-Goodreads

A writer of comic books, books, podcasts, and more living in Durham, North Carolina. He is the creator of the Eisner Nominated and Glyph award winning series "Princeless" as well as it spin-off "Raven the Pirate Princess" and "The School for Extraterrestrial Girls." He has also written several books and comics for Marvel Comics including the critically-acclaimed "The Unstoppable Wasp", "The Future Foundation", "Champions", and "Avengers". He has also written over fifty issues of the "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" comic book series.

Comic Review: The Dog Knight (The Dog Knight, 1) by Jeremy Whitley (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator)

The Dog Knight (The Dog Knight, 1)
by Jeremy Whitley (Author), Bre Indigo (Illustrator), Melissa Capriglione (colorist)
May 16, 2023
Genre: graphic novel, middle-grade, fantasy, superhero, Children's Animal Comics , Children's Fantasy Comics, comics

Publisher: Macmillian
A nonbinary middle schooler saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs, in the first book of this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel series from Jeremy Whitely, author of Princeless, and Bre Indigo, illustrator of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Graphic Novel.

Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight?

One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer.

If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos.

Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?

Amazon-Goodreads-B&N-WalMart

The Dog Knight is charming, meaningful and fun! Jeremy Whitley's young adult comics can be appreciated by kids and adults. He writes about wonderfully diverse characters and their journeys of self-discovery, standing up for what is right, and having compassion for others. The Dog Knight is all of this and more.

I'll first talk about what I thought while reading The Dog Knight.  This is a feel-good action/adventure story that had me rooting for Frankie to complete the trials and become the Dog Knight and the best version of Frankie they could be! As a mom, it was nice to see a story with a parent that supports and respects their kid's choices. 

Next, I will talk about why this story is important. In today's climate...where people are trying to erase the LGBTQ+ community from schools, we need more stories like this.

Frankie is a middle-school non-binary character. Just like every middle schooler, they are trying to figure out how to fit into a world where adults want to divide everyone into "this" or "that." But for Frankie, it is a little more complicated. For example, they don't feel comfortable in traditional "boy" clothes or "girl" clothes but those seem to be the only choices. Until they find out who they are, how can they begin to explain to others around them what being non-binary means? Whitley shows how important a supportive parent and a good friend are for any kid that doesn't fit in yet.

The use of dogs is the perfect symbol of how to be a good person. A group of superhero dogs protects mankind from the minions of chaos by using traits that dogkind values most: Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, Stubbornness, Justice, and Smell (this one is explained in the story). Frankie must pass a trial for each trait to become the Dog Knight (without their mom, who has a dog allergy, finding out!) But it isn't easy. Could you show kindness or justice to people who have bullied you?

The artist Bre Indigo has a style that is a natural match for this story and its target audience. I've been following Bre's young adult LGBTQ+ webcomic, Jamie, for a long time. She has a wonderful ability to tell a story in comic form. Her art is comfortable and cheerful. As a black queer person, like Frankie, I think Bre was able to bring a lot to The Dog Knight. 

The Dog Knight is a must for any library. It is the type of representation that can help queer kids and their non-queer peers understand what being non-binary is about in a humorous and genuine way that can open the door for some positive discussion.

5 "doggie hat" Sheep

SharonS

About the Authors

Jeremy Whitley 

website-Twitter-Goodreads

A writer of comic books, books, podcasts, and more living in Durham, North Carolina. He is the creator of the Eisner Nominated and Glyph award winning series "Princeless" as well as it spin-off "Raven the Pirate Princess" and "The School for Extraterrestrial Girls." He has also written several books and comics for Marvel Comics including the critically-acclaimed "The Unstoppable Wasp", "The Future Foundation", "Champions", and "Avengers". He has also written over fifty issues of the "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" comic book series.

Bre Indigo

Website-Twitter-Instagram

Patreon-Tapas

An illustrator of the graphic novel Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and the online web-comic Jamie, is a black, queer, freelance artist and illustrator based in Orange County, California.

Movie Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(Theaters): Nov 11, 2022 Wide
(Streaming): Feb 1, 2023

Director: Ryan Coogler

Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole

Cast: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta, Danai Gurira
PG-13 (Sequences of Strong Violence|Action|Some Language)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Runtime: 2h 41m

In Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

We waited for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to come to streaming to see it. I was concerned about the runtime. That's a loooong movie and I tend to forget things by the end of it. But Wakanda Forever was fast-paced and it didn't feel like a 2 hour 41 minute movie.

We thought it was entertaining and worth watching. The costumes... absolutely amazing. I was mesmerized by Nakia's (Lupita Nyong'o) mourning outfit. I wanted to find a video or gif because how the costume and head piece moved with her was jaw-dropping.

Tribute was given to Chadwick Boseman in the opening credits, the opening scene of the movie and at the end. There is one after-credit scene. 

Definitely a must-see for Marvel fans. 

4 "wing-footed" Sheep

SharonS

Comic Review: Bloodshot Unleashed #1 from Valiant Comics

Bloodshot Unleashed #1

September 21, 2022
Writer: Deniz Camp
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Cover Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt, Nicole Rifkin, Pete Woods, Gerardo Zaffino
Valiant Comics
Rating: M
Pages: 32
Dangerous super soldiers and bloodthirsty living weapons have mysteriously escaped into the world to wreak havoc across the dying towns and forgotten farms of America. Now, Bloodshot must take up arms again to travel across the country hunting down these violent monsters, battling his own demons, and defending the most defenseless. Deniz Camp (Agent of W.O.R.L.D.E.) and Jon Davis-Hunt (SHADOWMAN) join forces to unleash Valiant Entertainment’s first Mature Readers title that puts the BLOOD in BLOODSHOT.

Amazon/ComiXology

Wow. Bloodshot the character has been around a long time and there have been many revamped storylines. But Valiant Comics has taken it in a new direction with a Mature rating. This is Valiant's first Mature comic. Bloodshot has been a Teen rated comic up until now.

The Mature rating lets the writers and artists explore a new side of Bloodshot. And this first issue has blown me away. It is an emotional gut punch and a triumph for the writers and artists.

The first scene (four pages) is an amazing story setup. Warning, the comic addresses suicide and military PTSD in a brutal fashion. Bloodshot is basically immortal. The nanites in his blood rebuild him almost instantly. This allows the writers to explore character situations they might not otherwise be able to.

Bloodshot Unleased #1 runs in two timelines. A THEN and NOW. You get Bloodshot doing what he does best...killing the bad guy is true action bad-assery fans are used to. But it switches between that and his broken human side and the effects war and life events have had on him.

Truly a storytelling masterpiece from start to finish!

5 "Fireworks in my head" Sheep

SharonS

Interview: Superhero Invincika from Fantasy author Varun Sayal's new action adventure release

Sharon: Today we have on our show a new superhero in town, Invincika. Welcome to the Late night talk show with Sharon.

Invincika: Thanks

Sharon: So let me read out your powers for our viewers tonight. Super strength, indestructible body, ability to fly and …
Invincika: **laughs** And?

Sharon: You can shoot a white laser through your forehead which can slice through anything. Like really?
Invincika: **Nods**

Sharon: Wow. So it’s like a third eye opens in your forehead?
Invincika: Well, no. It’s actually an enmeshment of nerves which acts like a gemstone.

Sharon: Wow that’s enigmatic. And you can just focus it on anything and laser shoots out?
Invincika: No. This laser works more like a defense mechanism. It activates itself when I am in deep danger. I don’t actually control this power.

Sharon: Interesting. You do a lot of work with orphanages too, tell us more about that.
Invincika: Yeah, my parents they split even before my birth. I spent a lot of time in orphanages. I was cared for in some of those places but, I know how it feels to live without parental care. So whenever I can, I visit a place and spend some time with the kids.

Sharon: Do they ask you to float in air, show off your cape.
Invincika: **Giggles** They do.

Sharon: We know you are a very busy person so we won’t hold you for long. Thanks a lot for coming in today Invincika.
Invincika: Thanks a lot for having me today, Sharon, the pleasure is mine.

Sharon: To our viewers and listeners, the book Invincika is the first novel in series Superheroes of the Multiverse. It’s available on Amazon, grab a copy today. 

 

Invincika: A Superhero Action Adventure Series (Superheroes of the Multiverse Book 1)
by Varun Sayal
April 25, 2022

Genre:  Women's Fantasy Fiction, Superhero Fantasy, Action & Adventure
She tries to save the world ...

... but can she save herself?

Ulka trained besides the Sigma, but unlike them, her powers remained dormant.

Until a ballistic weapon finally awakened her hidden abilities and flipped her world upside down.

As Ulka struggled with her new found powers, a Magnetar raced toward earth, causing tides, volcanoes and tremors. The super-humans sent to counter the Magnetar never returned, and Ulka is the world’s last hope.

Even if she succeeds, there’s a much bigger threat lurking in the shadows, waiting to unleash a fate worse than death.

If you like superhero stories with riveting action sequences, you will love this first book in the series.

A great superhero story. A great introduction to this universe. The story is good with a lot of potential to build on. ~ Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer

I really liked this book and I read it in one evening. ~ Netgalley Reviewer

Story was engaging, fun to read, and I was intrigued to know What Next. ~ Goodreads Reviewer

Invincika is a fantastic superhero action-adventure novel with a blend of sci fi. This is the first book in the Superheroes of multiverse series. With a fast-paced plot and engaging narration, delve into the exciting world of action, superheroes and dangers. ~ Book Blogger

It's a fast-paced, engaging, superhero book with the writer's trademark combination of sci-fi and mythology. I enjoyed reading the book. ~ Goodreads Reviewer

Amazon

Book 2

About the Author:

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Instagram-Amazon

Goodreads

Varun Sayal is a Data Science manager living in Redmond, Washington. He grew up in India on a steady dose of fantastical tales from ancient Indian scriptures. His genre of writing is science fiction and fantasy, blended with Indian legends and mythology. In his own words:

I live by the quote, 'a true art calms a disturbed mind and disturbs a calm mind.'