Just wanted to check in over here. 

I have started a YouTube channel to go along with this blog! These are exciting times for Whoosh! As you can see we have also overhauled our logo.

Whoosh! Comics and Running Youtube Channel

Debut Video:

Please make sure to check us out over at YouTube and continue to check out this page as we will still be publishing written blogs as well!

I am starting a new blog series about the Star Wars TV shows discussing the positives and negatives of each! The first in this series will be out this Friday and discusses Clone Wars.

New York Comic Con 2023 Pt. 2

Nightcrawler print from Todd Nauck

Friday started by heading to Artist Alley. Comic book artist Todd Nauck was the first person I wanted to see that day. I had the chance to meet him at Boston Comic Con in 2015 and that meeting gave me a new appreciation for comic art. A funny thing happened while in line for Todd though, he had been talking to Andy Lanning and as Andy went to leave, my wife and I were introduced to him. He could not have been nicer. We actually discussed Disneyland Paris with him. Andy Lanning is known for his work on Guardian of the Galaxy.  If you can, make sure to check out those stories. 

Talking with Todd was great. I got to thank him for giving me a greater appreciation for the artwork in comics and I purchased a Nightcrawler print he had at the con.  It was another great meeting. I hope to purchase a page of his original comic art in the future. 

Costumes from The Marvels

We walked around the show floor a bit and saw some of the cooler things on display. Some of the highlights were costumes from Loki Season 2 and The Marvels movie. Also, various vendors throughout the show had celebrities at their booths as well. The details and the craftsmanship of the costumes were evident when seeing them in person. 

Costumes from Loki

w/ Sam Riegel

From here we headed to the photo op area again as we had a photo op with Sam Riegel of Critical Role. Even in the short time of the photo op, he was very welcoming. Having been a Critical Role fan, this was somewhat surreal. 

w/ Claudia Gray

This was followed up by a return to Artist Alley. There we met Claudia Gray the author of multiple Star Wars books.  It turns out she was a big fan of Andor and Rogue One. This led to a ten-minute conversation where we completely geeked out over both. I picked up a copy of Master and Apprentice which she kindly signed!

w/ Chris Evans

After this, we headed back for another professional photo op. This one was with Chris Evans.  Being from the Boston area ourselves, it was pretty funny to meet a Boston guy in New York so the only fitting thing to do was to say “Go Red Sox”.  

W/ David Tennant

Next was the photo op with David Tennant, who played Doctor Who and Killgrave. He was very nice and seemed genuinely excited to meet all of his fans. I had the chance to meet him previously at FanExpo Boston and he was just as nice here as he was then.

We wrapped up NYCC 2023, by doing one more trip around the convention floor. We purchased some fudge from Copper Coast and decided to head out. However, one last stop on our way out of the convention was the Burger Mobile that was used to promote Good Burger 2.

Burger Mobile!

New York Comic Con 2023 Pt. 1

 Having been to FanExpo Boston and Rhode Island Comic Con multiple times, I thought I was prepared for New York Comic Con. I was not. This event is bigger than I could have imagined which was great and not so great. 

Jim Cummings

I had tickets to attend NYCC 2023 on Thursday and Friday. I knew Saturday would be overwhelming and I did not want to travel back on Sunday after the con. Thursday was a very cool day at the con. I met Ryan Parrott, the writer for over 100 issues of Power Rangers for Boom! Studios, Dee Bradley Baker, the voice of almost all of the clones in Star Wars animation, and Jim Cummings, the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Hondo Ohnaka.  

Tait Fletcher

I had the chance to talk to Tait Fletcher, Paz Vizla in the Mandalorian, again. My wife and I originally met him in July at Terrificon in Connecticut. Both times talking with Tait was great. He is a very nice and personable guy who makes you feel like you have known him forever. Also, try to check out some of his other work if you have a chnace.

Thursday finished up with a professional photo op with the cast of Star Wars The Clone Wars, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Matt Lanter, and Dee Bradley Baker.  Having had the chance to meet all of them before the photo, I was excited to meet them again. Photo ops are much quicker than autograph signings but it was still a great experience. 

All in all, Day 1 was great. Spending sometime in Artist Alley was really cool. The crowd was definitely manageable. Lastly,  never be afraid to make friends with other people at the con. While in line for Dee Bradley Baker we met this awesome family who are huge Star Wars fans. We kept running into them at the con and enjoyed each meeting.

Voice cast of Clone Wars. (Left to Right)
Dee Bradley Baker, Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter and James Arnold Taylor

Demon in a Bottle

 Demon in a Bottle is the name given to a story arc within Iron Man issues 120-128. Originally published in 1979, this has become an iconic storyline that discusses the topic of alcoholism and Tony Stark's battle with it. This storyline is defined by the iconic image of Tony Stark staring in to a mirror while looking like he's going through a withdrawal. While, the acoholism is the center of this story, we see the debut of Justin Hammer. Hammer is a corporate rival to Tony and targets Iron Man within this run.

It is important to remember that in the comics, Iron Man is still Tony's bodyguard and not Tony himself. The story starts with Tony drinking on a plane when the plane is struck by an army tank flying through the air. This brings Tony into contact with the "US Navy". Who say they use the island for toxic waste and Namor is trying to keep a man prisoner on the island. This leads to fight between Iron Man and Namor. During this fight Tony realizes that maybe his drinking is causing an issue with his reflexes. 

This is the first of many times we see Tony use alcohol to deal with the pressures and stresses of his life. We see Iron Man's armor malfunction, S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to take over Stark Industries and eventually Iron Man kills a foreign ambassador after his armor malfunctions again. All of this is to say, Tony's life is pretty stressful.

However, the alcohol use causes Tony more problems than it solves. It causes him to lash out at Bethany Cabe, who Tony is dating during this story, and Jarvis. In addition to lashing out at Bethany, Tony misses a date with her as well because he was drunk and wrote the wrong address to meet her at. 

Lashing out at Jarvis causes Tony even more issues as Jarvis was gifted two stocks in Stark Industries, but he used them as collateral for a loan. He took the loan because his mother was sick and he needed the money. Tony needed Jarvis to hold on to those stocks to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. from completing their takeover. After Tony lashed out at Jarvis, Jarvis quit and broke the terms of his loan. He needed to stay gainfully employed and since he quit, the loan company defaulted the loan and sold the stocks. 

We see Tony spiralling further down and he decides he no longer wants to be Tony Stark any longer and he will be Iron Man full time. Tony dons the armor and jumps out the window looking to be a hero once more. This starts off horribly as he crashes through the window because in his drunken state, he didn't open the window before jumping out of it. It is then made worse we he attempts to assist with a train derailment involving a tanker of toxic gas. Iron Man lifts the tanker, but the piece he uses to lift the tanker breaks off. The tanker crashes to the ground annd splits open. This causes the toxic gas to leak and Iron Man to leave in shame. This only exacerbates his spiral. 

Eventaully, we see Bethany confront tony about his alcohol use and she tells Tony that she turned her back on someone who needed her before but she won't do it again. She tells Tony the story of her husband who was so focused on rising within his job, that he began to lean on pills. She says that he would use them to stay awake, to sleep, and lastly, to escape. He ended up dying in a car crash and Bethany says that the doctors could not say whether it was the pills or a heart attack that did it. She tells Tony to lean on her and let her help him through this. This is the start of some very powerful images and panels. Tony first asks for help and then we see Tony going through withdrawals while he detoxes from alcohol. 

Tony eventually makes amends with Jarvis and Jarvis returns to work. he learns about Jarvis using the stocks as leverage. He attempts to get his stocks back and this is where he learns that they have already been sold. Fearing that S.H.I.E.L.D. bought the stocks, Tony feels that spiraling feeling beginning again and he reaches for the bottle of alcohol once more. Bethany sees him reach for the bottle and reminds him that he's not alone. This is enough to make Tony close the bottle and choose to spend his afternoon with her. As we see the comic closing we see Tony make a declaration that he'll regain control over Stark Industries and repair it's damaged image. 

Usually, I do not write this mouch for a blog post, but there are a few reason's why this required such a long write-up. First, the stroy arc spans nine issues. Second, and more importantly, this story highlights so many things that are still relevant today. Addiction is still a scruge on society, people feel more alone than ever, and healing from past trauma is important. So remember, you're never alone and there's always hope for a better tomorrow. If Iron Man can battle his demons, so can you. 

Ghost Rider Live Action

So with my last post being about the Marvel Cinematic Universe television shows and with me currently, re-watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4, I thought I would talk a little about the Ghost Rider's that have been portrayed in either movies or t.v.. The most recent incarnation of Ghost Rider was Robbie Reyes on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it is my favorite incarnation so far.

To be fair, I have tried to give the Ghost Rider movies, starring Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze, their fair shake, but they are almost cringe-worthy in the way that Punisher Warzone is cringe-worthy.

This was the transformation of Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance. It is a pretty silly transformation. One reason could be the technology at the time, but that reason basically goes out the window when you look at the movies that were released the same year such as Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. The CGI work in the movie can be blamed on budget, but it does not make up for the silliness of the transformation overall.


Meanwhile, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. the transformation looked like Robbie was in pain and he was constantly struggling to contain the spirit. The Robbie Reyes character as a whole has a really compelling backstory and character build. It is amazing that the television show had such a better looking transformation than a big budget movie.

Most of my dislike for the Ghost Rider movies comes from the absurdity of the Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance as Ghost Rider, the first movie, was an okay movie. Nicholas Cage actually portrayed an okay Johnny Blaze in that movie. The movie was on par with most of the non-Marvel Cinematic Universe movies released in that time period. This may not seem like a ringing endorsement, but those movies are somewhat enjoyable.

If you are a Ghost Rider fan and have not seen this incarnation you definitely need to check out Season 4 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as he is part of the entire first arc. Once you watch that arc, make sure you continue because while Ghost Rider is a great start of the season, it only gets better from there.

If you have seen both live action Ghost Riders, let me know which you prefer!

Marvel Cinematic Universe TV Shows

Photo From tvtropes.com

As a kid I remember watching Marvel cartoons on TV often. Looking back on it I don't think they were on nearly as much as I remember but still. We were lucky enough to have Iron Man, Spider-Man, the X-Men, Fantastic Four and an Incredible Hulk cartoon. This does not even take into account, Spider-Man Unlimited or X-Men: Evolution. Both pretty good cartoons in their own rights.

Now however, we live in time where our larger than life superheroes are actually larger than life because we can watch them on the big screen. The cartoons were my entrance into the comic and superhero world, however the movies were the evolution of my fandom. Seeing Iron Man on the big screen re-ignited all of my childhood imaginations. What's cooler than a superhero that has a suit of armor for every situation? If he needs to go into space, he has a suit for that. He needs to go into a volcano, he has a suit for that. You know it and he either has a suit for it or he can create one. 

However, I digress from the point of this. Marvel still produces cartoons, but now they produce live action TV shows as well. We live in a time were just in the Marvel Cinematic Universe there are multiple live action shows.  Within this universe there is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, The Punisher, Runways and the soon-to-be released shows of Cloak and Dagger and The New Warriors. This is on top of the feature film entries in this shared universe. 

With all of these shows available, it can be extremely hard to pick a favorite. I happen to like all of the entries to varying levels. My two favorites are Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Daredevil. However, that is to take nothing away from the more polarizing shows like Agent Carter and Iron Fist. They both had positives they brought to universe. 

This is a day late and maybe a dollar short, but as a comic book fan, I am grateful for all of the comic related entertainment available and especially the TV shows which I never dreamed a network would take a chance on.

Let me know what you're favorites are or were. If you want to talk about the 90's cartoons, please leave a comment and we can discuss them. They're amazing!

WWE Draft

2016 WWE Brand Extension Draft

Note: this draft was done before WWE announced the rules for the draft. Also, we handpicked our general managers. Daniel Bryan was chosen early last week. Looks like I might already have one precision right!

RAW (World Heavy Weight, US Title) – Highlighted in Red: Chosen by Phil Munton

Smackdown (WWE Title, Intercontinental Title) – Highlighted in Blue: Chosen by Louie Simoes

Men

1) Seth Rollins: How can you not choose Seth Rollins?! He was the best before his knee blew out, he's the best now, and will be the best for the future. His skills in the ring are great, second to none really. His mic skills are great, and most of all he can be a great heel or face giving flexibility to any scenario given to him.

Future: Multiple WHW Championships

 

2) Dean Ambrose: If Seth Rollins in #1 then Dean Ambrose was #1A. There was no other choice that made sense here. Currently, he is the WWE Champion and I see him as a consistent main eventer going forward.

Future: Multiple runs with the WWE Championship

3) A.J. Styles: Why Styles? Because he is PHENOMENAL! (Sorry but I had too) No matter what promotion he has worked, he has been a star. Nothing will change in the WWE, so long as they let A.J. be the phenomenal one he is.

Future: Multiple WHW Championships, Faction leader

4)Finn Balor: This may have been a shock pick here at #4, but the potential upside of this pick was too good to risk losing him. Finn Balor has blazed an amazing trail in NXT and I see that continuing on Smackdown. While this may ruin any potential feud with A.J. Styles over the club, I see many championship reigns in his future.

Future: Intercontinental Champion and WWE Champion

 

5) New Day: Quite possibly the best all-around entertaining group in WWE. They continually bring the enjoyment into any feud where, let's face it, the WWE has booked terribly. New Day will continue to be a great trio that can go against anyone in the ring and on the mic.

Future: Multiple time Tag Team Champions, US title for Xavier

6) Kevin Owens: Easily, the best pick left on the board at this point. To leave him on the board beyond this pick would have been an insult to his talents. Easily, one of the best wrestlers at cutting promos and just as talented in the ring, he makes a great foundation for Smackdown’s future.  He has a bright future.

Future: Intercontinental Champion, Potential Tag Team Champion and WWE Champion.

7) Roman Reigns: The only way to have Roman come back is as a heel, and that's exactly what he will be for my promotion upon his return. He has all the raw skills, the look, the history to become a mega star, but he must be a heel to become a future HOF.

Future: Multiple WHW Championships, US Champion

8) Enzo Amore and Big Cass: This tag team has been a bright spot for WWE programming for quite some time. They are way over with the crowd and have been having great feuds with everyone they’ve engaged with. They never held the NXT Tag Team Championships, but many runs with the WWE Tag Team Championships are in their future!

Future: Multiple time WWE Tag Team Champions

9) Sami Zayn: I know a lot of people look at this pick and think that's pretty high for a guy that is recently up from NXT with minimal success since that call up. One thing about Sami is he is over, and will always be over no matter what crowd you put him in front of. He is over because of his passion, work inside the ring, and heart. He may not be the biggest, but he makes the best out of every situation.

Future: US champion, Tag Team Champion, possible WHW champion at least once.

10) Wyatt Family: One of the best acts in WWE recently, it’s time for the Wyatt Family to run rough shod over a brand. Bray Wyatt has been an overlooked talent for too long. Injuries have hampered a bit of his momentum, but the feud with The New Day has revitalized the Wyatt Family and it is great to see. They should be one of the focal points on Smackdown.

Future: Multiple Tag Team Championship and potentially a WWE Championship (Bray Wyatt)

11) Cesaro: Cesaro is the most under utilized wrestler in WWE. He has the ability to headline, but consistently is maxed out as a mid card. When he was tagging with Tyson Kidd, Cesaro was putting up his best work. The teamwork and connection between them showed inside the ring. He still has some way to go on the mic, but is still solid.

Future: Tag Team Champion (with Sami Zayn), WHW champion, US champion

12) Samoa Joe: Samoa Joe adds an instant main event level talent to the main roster. On top of that he has name recognition that few in NXT have. He could also, allow for a second world championship by converting the NXT title into a main roster championship. Only time will tell, but I see a bright future for Samoa Joe.

Future: Intercontinental Champion, Potentially WWE Champion.

 

13) Shinsuke Nakamura: Swagsuke is a sleeper pick. Whomever watches NXT knows just how talented Nakamura is in the ring. WWE has not had a great track record of pushing Japanese talents at all, but Nakamura is the real deal and it will be hard for WWE to not notice that and belt him in the future.

Future: US champion, WHW shot, Tag Title Champion

14) Dolph Ziggler: Once pushed as a main eventer when the brands were split previously, this could be just the thing that Dolph Ziggler needs to revitalize his career. Recently, he feuded with Baron Corbin and that helped neither man. Ziggler has loads of talent and getting him on Smackdown could help WWE utilize his talents once again.

Future: Intercontinental Champion, Potentially WWE Champion.

15) Rusev w/ Lana: This is the second time around for Rusev with the US championship, and by far this time is his best work. He is a fantastic heel that entertains on the mic, but is physical and strong inside the ring. Very athletic for a man of his size and stature, plus having Lana by his side helps add to the heel persona.

Future: longest US title reign, faction leader

16) The Miz w/ Maryse: Another former world champion who has found himself further down the card recently. He is one of the few talents on the roster who has the ability to make the crowd boo in a way that is entertaining. Recently, he has received a push and is the current WWE Intercontinental Champion. He is a solid ring worker and great talker. The addition of his wife, Maryse, has given his character a boost as well.

Future: Intercontinental Champion, Tag Team Champion and potentially WWE Champion.

17) John Cena: The face that runs the place (who also falls to 17th in this draft because let's be honest his better days are behind him). Cena is very polarizing, but no matter what, he gets a reaction, and to the WWE that is the sound of $$$. He also is a great person to have on the roster to help build the new and future talent. Great on the mic and will be until he can't speak no more, he can make any feud better just by opening his mouth.

Future: US Title, one more shot to be 16x WHW champion

18) Brock Lesnar: The one in 21-1. The man who ended the streak. The man who just recently returned to UFC on short notice and won. Suplex City is relocating to Smackdown because even in a limited role, he bring much needed importance and star power to Smackdown. Brock Lesnar is an exceptional talent and when a new star rises, beating Brock Lesnar could help cement him in the main event.

Future: Potential Wrestlemania Main event. Possible run with WWE Championship.

19) American Alpha: The team of Jason Jordan and Chad Gable work great for NXT. They have been over with every single crowd (i.e. Dallas, London, and Full Sail). Some tweaks in their in ring hot tags, and making Gable look a little strong as to not get the snot kicked out of him almost every match can make them a fantastic tag team for WWE.

Future: Multiple time Tag Champions, US champion for Chad Gable

20) The Club (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson): With Finn Balor on Smackdown this pick was a no-brainer. Gallows, Anderson and Balor go back to Japan before AJ lead the Bullet Club, Finn was the leader. With this pick the plan should be to make him the leader again. With that said, The Club should be made a force to reckon with on Smackdown.

Future: Mulitple Tag Team Championship reigns.

21) Chris Jericho: The Best in the World at being the guy I need to help put others over, get into some mid card feuds that'll be entertaining and well done. Unfortunately, Father Time is weighing heavily on Jericho, but he can still boost any matchup. Also, maybe become the brains in a trio tag team.

Future: Mid Card, Ring leader of a faction

22) Randy Orton: Bringing veteran experience and a great work Randy Orton makes a lot of sense at this point of the draft. He establishes star power and can work a heck of a program as well. He’s a former world champion with the potential to have another reign.

Future: Upper-Midcard. Intercontinental. Potential World Championship.

23) Alberto Del Rio: Another great option to help put over the new faces for WWE, i.e. Cena and Jericho. That's all really.

Future: Mid Card

24) Sheamus: As recently as December 2015, Sheamus was the WWE World Champion. In more recent times he’s been feuding in the mid-card, but he still has potential to establish himself as a full on main eventer. He is still very talented and entertaining. The roster is more rounded because of this.

Future: Upper Midcard, Intercontinental Championship

25) Jimmy and Jay Uso: The Usos are a very serviceable tag team that can help fill holes in programming, as well as if injuries plague the division to help build or hold the belts.

Future: Tag Title champs one more time

26) Bobby Roode: Recently signed to a WWE NXT Contract so this pick is highly unlikely, but his work in TNA cannot be ignored. He was top talent there as both a fan favorite and as a bad guy. Bringing him up and establishing him, could help WWE have more top talent quickly.

Future: Tag Team Champion and Intercontinental Champion.

27) Zack Ryder: Long Island Iced Z is underrated, and proved recently he can be versatile. In NXT, he has been teaming up with Mojo Rawly as the Hype Bros, and it has been reenergizing his career. Since then he has won the IC title at Mania, and been floating from NXT to the main roster, but now that the spilt is happening it gives a chance for someone like Ryder to make his name again.

Future: US title, tag champion

28) Austin Aries: A former TNA World Champion who is helping to enhance talent on the NXT Roster. With the expanding rosters, solid workers are desperately needed to fill out both shows. Austin Aries has long been underrated by the WWE. However, his work enhancing talents in NXT should be enough for WWE to know that a move to the main roster will benefit not only Austin Aries, but the talent as well.

Future: Midcard Wrestler, Potential run with the Intercontinental Championship.

29) Kota Ibushi/Baron Corbin: Now I want Ibushi but I know he won't be signed until after the classic, so I chose Corbin. Yes the dreaded winner of the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, who once crowned never goes anywhere for the next year, but with the brand split comes new horizons for all! Corbin will become a top heel someday of only as a flash in the pan, but he has great size and demeanor and that is more than the rest of the roster has that is remaining.

Future: possible US title, tag team or faction with Jericho.

30) Neville: He may be the man that gravity forget, but Smackdown should not forget him. He is a heck a of a talent with a boatload of potential upside. His promos are still a little raw but his in-ring talent cannot be denied. He’s on the mend and should be back soon. He should have a bright future especially with WWE spotlighting smaller talents now.

Future: Possible Intercontinental Title Run, (If revived) Potential WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Women

1) Sasha Banks: The best female talent available on the main roster. Her feud with Charlotte is going to show that her run with the WWE Women’s Championship should have started months ago. Also, this will lead to an eventually show down with a certain NXT talent that should be called up very shortly. Be prepared to see some great matches in the women’s division very soon.

Future: Multiple Time Women’s champion

2) Bayley: It's honestly way over due for Bayley to get the call up to the big show. She has been the best women's performer in the entire company for the past year. Amazing skills in the ring, and is over with every single crowd on the planet.

Future: Women's champion multiple times

3)Paige: One of the youngest female champions in the history of WWE and the only person to hold both the NXT Women’s Championship and the WWE Divas championship simultaneously. While I am disappointed on missing out on Bayley, Paige is a phenomenal talent who has plenty to offer in this division.

Future: WWE Women's Championship

4) Charlotte: Current champion who has been very serviceable in the depleted women's division. She is part of the Four Horse Women and to be honest they are the best thing the WWE has for the women.

Future: Women's champion multiple times

5) Becky Lynch: As the fourth member of the Four Horsewomen, Becky always seems like the overlooked member of the group. She is very talented in the ring and has become quite popular. She is bound to become a WWE Women’s Champion.

Future: WWE Women’s Championship reign.

6) Naomi: She's banged up, but is one of the lost athletic women in the WWE. Hasn't been pushed properly before, but has the potential.

Future: Women's champion

7) Carmella: With Enzo and Big Cass already on the Smackdown roster, taking Carmella was a no- brainer. She is one of the most polished talents on the NXT roster and moving her to the main roster makes too much sense. The unfortunate part of this is that it will end the BayMella tag team , but they could re-unite in the future!

Future: Potential WWE Women’s Champion.

8) Auska: The queen of NXT, but she has that strong style that will help bring more viciousness to the women's division. No mic skills but her visuals tell a great story.

Future: Multi-time champion

9) Nikki Bella: If Nikki is able to make a comeback; she can be an intergral part of the women’s division. She no longer needs to carry the whole division This is good for both her and the WWE as she can prolong her career by wrestling less. This is a risky pick since her return is uncertain, but a gamble that was always worth taking.

Future: Potentially a run with the WWE Women’s Championship.

10) Emma: Before her injury, Emma was being pushed into the spotlight more, and I feel it's very deserved. She is a great heel that has the look and the skill.

Future: Women's champion, also a faction leader.