Just how well the punk music band Spiritbox does with their single “Eternal Blue” from years back really depends on telling the world there’s also a graphic novel adaptation of this album too.
Z2 Comics
Eternal blue is one of those graphic novels that’s very hard to find. When it’s been published by a boutique publisher with a low print run, not even Diamond Comic Distributors have copies at their warehouse. I didn’t want to preorder as this company didn’t have a solid reputation for getting books out on time, and hoped there’d be a supply after it finally got released.
New fans of the heavy metal band, Spiritbox, are not missing out with the standard retail release. What’s drawn from the album gets a solid interpretation, and I feel this work is only for die-hard fans. This group of musicians came into prominence in 2019. Although their sound is more nupunk than anything else, the fact they made waves while still living in my hometown of Victoria, BC said everything. Leading vocalist Courtney LaPlante and guitarist Mike Stringer started this group; although they’ve since relocated since then, the fact they had local roots made me want to keep tabs on their future.
Everything you want to know but were afraid to ask about what went on behind the scenes and in the evolution of heavy metal is well accounted for in Sean Kelly’s Don’t Call It Hair Metal. This deft exploration of the 80s music scene in 320 page book published by ECW Press is great at delving into the origin of many famous bands from the 70s onwards. From Slade to KISS to Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career after Black Sabbath, the examination even dives deep to reveal something new about each act that I’m a fan of.
This book isn’t about random bits of trivia. It’s an excellent scholarly study on why a lot of bands are still performing. What they produce is for the love of the sound, not the look, or even the glam that shook up the stage to draw in crowds. Alice Cooper is the godfather of the scene for a reason, and we get some great stories from various talents remembering those times.
Instead of exploring the decade as a whole, each chapter deals with a few years at a time. We get even more studies about how talents like Randy Roads developed their signature sound, and the interviews from industry observers and other fellow guitarists only add to the picture. Whether that’s about their heydays or something anecdotal, I’m certainly enjoying this read. It’s best not to power through this book, either, as there’s a lot of terrific quotes from the talents Kelly interviewed.
This author’s journey to the heart of rock and roll is the same as mine when when I discovered heavy metal at an early age. And to hear the stories about how some bands persevered is sweet. Also, to read about what this author believes are the best platinum hits only affirms why I loved one album over another. For me, Def Leppard‘s Pyromania will always be my number one album to put on the turntable. Twisted Sister never came into my radar until “We’re not Gonna Take It,” and watching them transform into a glam act; but after a while, they took the makeup off and went back to the sound that is their roots.
As this book insinuates, it’s not about the hair, but the intention of why each group wanted to make a dent in the industry. Poison and Ratt were huge during this time, and it’s not because of the acts put on stage, their life behind the scenes or something else. Regarding the former, Brett Michaels’ journey is a book in itself, and it’s been looked upon in those documentaries made by VH1.
Even MTV’s influence is recounted here, and without them and the music videos which showed these bands at their craziest (or best), I doubt this era would be remembered fondly. Kelly’s love for the genre and his personal journey makes for the perfect narrative device to move readers year to year, and I suspect writing Don’t Call It Hair Metal took more than a a year to craft. Although the preview edition doesn’t contain any snapshots, that may change when the hard copy finally comes out.
Fans of online deck-building games should find something to like in Big Blue Bubble‘s Power Chord. It’s a heavy metal roguelike game where you play as a group of punk rockers out to save the Midverse from demons who weren’t tossed back to their dimension. Those who remained must be tracked down!
Here, you’re already an axe wielding musical superstar, and I imagine the developers got a few ideas from the movie, Scooby-Doo and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery to put into this game. Although we don’t have direct connections to Starchild, The Demon, Space Ace and the Catman, I suspect some incarnation of them exists. There are characters I have yet to unlock, so I’ll be continuing to play just to find them!
I’m loving this game moreso for the fantastic character designs. There’s a lot of costume and artistic tropes used for those who know the genre well, and as a punk rocker, I’m really digging it! (please see below for a video)
The choice isn’t hard on which version of Gekidan Shinkansen’s Fortress of Skulls is worth watching. The one now playing across Canada at select cinemas is shorter.
In select theatres Jan 26 and Jan 28 across Canada (ticket link)
Anyone who doesn’t want to watch the nearly three-hour version of Gekidan Shinkansen’s Fortress of Skulls (Wind mix) on Netflix now has an option! This gorgeous production has been edited down to a tighter work, and it’s now playing across Canada at select cinemas.
This theatre company delivers quite the experience when you can see one of their shows live. There, the seating moves with the action (more on this later), but for others going to see it at a movie theatre, the performance has a different feel. While we don’t get the sensation of the stage in motion, we will be assaulted with other terrific bits to make us feel like we’re in the play’s environment. Not only do we get a rousing score that blends rock and roll with traditional music, but also find the lighting design is straight out of a heavy metal concert.
Many cameras are used to track the action with this updated take. One is locked off to frame the entire stage, and the rest are located at strategic spots to nail specific instances, and rest roaming one to nail close-ups. Had this been aired live, the director has to be on his A game to call the camera change. With up to twenty that can be used in total, that’s a lot!
Heavy Metal was the magazine to read during the 70s and 80s. The reason is that it was the place for talents to write or draw what they want–and not be restricted by censorship. In its original format, I was introduced to the works of Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius). In the American edition, names like H. R. Giger, William Gibson and Harlan Ellison soon graced this publication.
Some of the writing and the artwork featured was once considered cutting edge; it’s very clearly a product of its time. The sexist works won’t hold up today for obvious reasons, and releasing this movie is mostly for those who are okay to the violence and adult themes portrayed. Fans of this anthology series have a remastered 4K presentation of the first movie to thrill to. An extra disc of the main and the second film on blu-ray was unusual. When comparing the prices of the Amazon USA and Canada edition, the former is the better place to order from.
In looking at the purchased physical release rather than an advanced online screener (that I had to wait to arrive by mail order), there’s plenty to like in this remaster. A bit of that soft grainy look is gone, and the better images come later in the film than earlier. Plus, for collectors, the Steelbook offering is a huge draw!
Just how often new content gets added after God of Riffs is out of beta will define this game’s success in a tough gaming market.
God of Riffs is available to preview on Steam, and it has a long way to go before becoming a playable product in a virtual reality market where there’s at least 30 rhythm-based games in this genre. It’s currently limited to the Oculus Rift, Rift S, and Quest. Strangely, the Quest 2 is not included despite being an update to the prior model. Also, both units can operate standalone. I am surprised a VR ready PC is required when the Quest’s biggest selling point is that it can work standalone.
The early access version shows potential as an optional version of Beat Saber to play. Officially, this highly popular game prefers modern alt-pop over other genres, and without a high-end PC, I can’t access the mods offered by fellow rhythm game enthusiasts (I’m a Apple Macintosh devotee with a PC laptop).
Z2 Comics
Now Available on 
In select theatres Jan 26 and Jan 28 across Canada (ticket 
Available to order on Amazon USA
