Celebrate 30 Years of Kabuki with this Hardcover Collection!

If you love Japanese ghost stories coupled with crime and classic lore all in one, then picking up Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition is a must!

Kabuki 30th Anniversary Edition Book CoverDark Horse Comics

Emmy & Eisner Award-nominated comics artist and writer David Mack (Daredevil, Echo, Cover, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods) celebrates the 30th Anniversary of his original series, Kabuki, the story of a government agent operating in Japan in the near future. To honor the occasion, Dark Horse Books has compiled the complete story into one must-have volume: The Complete Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition. The entire comic run is presented in 1,280 pages in an oversized hardcover (9″ x 12″) volume with a new, gorgeous painted cover by Mack.

“Kabuki is the foundation of my work in comics,” said Mack. “Both as a writer & as an artist. Kabuki is what got me the offer to write Daredevil at Marvel, & to create Echo. All of my work in comics began from this story & this art.  It was my Senior Thesis in Literature”

About Kabuki:

Japan: A woman, code-named “Kabuki,” works for a government agency known as “the Noh”.  When the agency she works for is compromised, Kabuki’s quest sends her down a difficult path, which brings her into direct conflict with the powers she formerly served. Delving into the Ainu (the indigenous people of Japan), Japanese Mythology, a crime story, an espionage story,  hauntingly told through the lens of the Japanese Ghost story.

Get the entire collection in one impressive volume when The Complete Kabuki: 30th Anniversary Edition arrives in bookstores on December 10, 2024, and comic shops on December 11, 2024. Pre-order now from your local bookstore, comic book shop, Amazon, or favourite outlet for $149.99.

Getting into Dem Bones Which Make Up Why Dead Boy Detectives is Recommended Viewing Fun!

Fans of anime and TheCW style programming will find a lot to like with this take of the comic book Dead boy Detectives.

Dead Boy Detectives Nonspoiler PosterSpoiler Alert

Although some elements in the live action adaptation of Dead Boy Detectives are different from the comic books, not everyone is going to notice. What I like about this pair of undead sleuths is the fact they talk about how life in the thereafter works. I know all of it is made-up, but there’s an ounce of truth regarding a few things, especially concerning what defines the soul and why whoever holds dominion over it can control the individual. When not all ghosts are willing to possess a human, then there’s something worth considering.

What’s offered is not like other young adult supernatural adventure series about best mates solving occult crime. It’s nothing like The CW series and although Locke & Key exist in the same Vertigo universe, I have to wonder if other agencies will get identified, should more episodes get made.

I suspect the reason why this series is so heavy on LGBTQ is because of the comic books. It may have begun with Jill Thompson‘s take, and when she published her graphic novel with a yaoi style cover, I had to wonder. In the latest 2023 miniseries, Edwin opens up to those feelings, and I’m honestly not surprised showrunners Steve Yockey and Beth Schwartz are going hard on having an almost all queer series. Unfortunately there’s just no impact, other than to make this series stand out from others. It should really be about a pair of ghosts helping other spooks find peace than to explore the difficulties of coming out. Those episodes don’t really stand out. Continue reading “Getting into Dem Bones Which Make Up Why Dead Boy Detectives is Recommended Viewing Fun!”

It’s Okay to Have a Playing Card “Lost in the Shuffle,” But Don’t Let Your Eyes Stray During that Legerdemain

Just how the deck of playing cards evolved over time to become part of a magician’s bag of tricks is perfectly explored in Lost in the Shuffle, and you’ll wonder where your socks disappeared to as well!

Lost in the Shuffle with JonPlaying at Hot Docs
May 1 8:15 pm at the TIFF Lightbox 1
Toronto, Ontario

Everything that viewers want to know about how the deck of cards came to be, why it’s played in certain social circles and when stage magicians embraced it for their tricks is well covered in the documentary Lost in the Shuffle. Just when I thought it concerned revealing how a few tricks are done, there’s more to this stage prop than meets the eye.

Like Jon Ornoy, who narrates this piece, I was enamoured with the art. Not all of them have that boring patterned back, and some of the early designs are art pieces in itself! They turn out to be very collectable and have a hefty price tag to them. As for why that king, queen, and jack exist on the face, what’s revealed is apparently factual! As for why spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs exist, there’s even a tale behind that too. But why should that matter to a card trick master like him?

Continue reading “It’s Okay to Have a Playing Card “Lost in the Shuffle,” But Don’t Let Your Eyes Stray During that Legerdemain”

When Red Fever Delivers an Honest Look at Indigenous Rights, What’s Revealed is Important

In what makes Red Fever’s cinematic discourse effective is that the filmmakers are able to touch upon a lot of issues without being too preachy.

Red Fever Documentary PosterPlaying at Hot Docs
May 1st, 5:00pm at the Ted Rogers Cinema

May 3rd, 5:30pm at the TIFF Lightbox 1
Toronto, Ontario

Catherine Bainbridge and Neil Diamond’s Red Fever is a very eye-opening documentary about why Native American culture fascinates the world. The iconography is nearly everywhere. Whether that’s with certain fashion trends or because entertainment rarely properly looks at their way of life, not everyone is happy about it.

What this film does is to show how White man has misrepresented those motifs. I’m glad what’s revealed will have an effect on those watching this presentation, and what’s special is its historic significance. Some of it can be traced to matters of spirituality, and other aspects concern lineage.

Continue reading “When Red Fever Delivers an Honest Look at Indigenous Rights, What’s Revealed is Important”

Going Behind the Scenes. Secrets From The Inventor as Revealed by Jim Capobianco

In order to make sure The Inventor would appeal to all ages, writer-director-producer Jim Capobianco spent more than a decade fiddling with getting all the details right, like the Maestro would do too!

Jim Capobianco, producer, writer, director of The Inventor (2023)For our readers unfamiliar with your work, can you please introduce yourself.

I’m Jim Capobianco and have worked in animation for something like 35 years and my latest film is The Inventor, which I wrote and directed. I got my start at Walt Disney Studios working in their story department, and my first work was with The Lion King–I stayed there for five years. Afterwards, I moved to the Bay Area to work at PIXAR (for 19) and have credits on many films, from Bugs Life to Coco.

One movie I’m particularly proud of was Ratatouille, where I wrote the first draft of it with Jan Pinkava, the director, and we were honoured with an Academy nomination. I left PIXAR in 2016, and then it’s proven pretty good. I worked on Mary Poppins Returns and directed the 2D animation segments, and then followed that up with a project called Philharmonia Fantastique–which was kind of a Fantasia piece, and directed the animation for that. And that plays with a live symphony orchestra.

Continue reading “Going Behind the Scenes. Secrets From The Inventor as Revealed by Jim Capobianco”