TROMA-THON '26 WITH MR. LOBO & SALLY (7/17)

 

BEYOND THE STARS #5: THE EMPIRE'S LAST HOPE

 

Siverline's Beyond the Stars #5 is here, thanks to writer Ron Fortier, artist Andrea Bormida, letterer Mike W. Belcher and colorist Angelo Veccarelli, who continue the epic space opera, with variant covers by Bromida, Rob Davis, Thomas Florimonte, Jose Fuentes and Mickey Clausen.

In previous, Beyond the Stars issues, readers were introduced to a group of science warriors intent on stopping a cosmic anomaly from consuming all that crossed its path. To succeed in its mission, the brave band embarked to find the Er-Keety colony, which holds the key to resolve the matter, but locating the colony proves more difficult than not, with many unexpected obstacles in wait.  

For Issue #5, "The Woods, the Wind & the Water,"  our heroes have penetrated an inner dimension which holds the first of three vessel batteries needed to power their cyborg ship, the Gnik-tu. However, humongous insects emerge from the untamed terrain and flank the crew at every turn, and that's not the worst of it. A towering, Talos-type entity manifests with combat skills our protagonists may not rival. 

"The Woods, the Wind & the Water" taps the adventurous spirit of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica, embellished by memorable monsters crafted in the Flash Gordon and Star Wars traditions. Indeed, the combination creates a page-turning experience that few contemporary comics match. 

Beyond the Stars #5's wide release is forthcoming, but the wait will make its advent all the more exciting, and keep in mind, Issue #6 (the saga's big conclusion) is right around the bend.

Visit Bizarrechats for updates on this awe-inspiring project.

FOR THE FUN OF IT:

 

R.I.P. KJELL NILSSON

You enacted one of the best, cinematic villains ever as Lord Humongous in one of the greatest sequels ever produced, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. 

The Pirate Movie, Howling Refrain, Stanley (1984), Fish Out of Water, Man of Letters, The Edge of Power and the post-apocalyptic Hard Knuckle also benefited from your imposing framework, but still, it all swings back to Humongous, for not only did you make the character frightful, you gave him an underlying intellect (as a kind of pre-Tom Hardy Bane, if one will), which added a deeper dimension to his entitled terror, as well as his gruff expression of loss. 

With this said, as much as Humongous stands as a classic villain, you were (alas) an unsung hero, Mr. Nilsson. That's a shame, since you gave us a presence that'll last as long as the Mad Max mythos will, and trust me, dear sir, that'll be a long, long time. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY & WOLVERINE

 

THE OMEGA GLORY: AMERICANA FOR THE 250TH

I came upon an insightful video regarding the nation's 250th anniversary, as tied to the Star Trek episode, "The Omega Glory," written by Gene Roddenberry. 

I realize that some dismiss "The Omega Glory" as overwrought, "Yankee Doodle" propaganda, but it never struck me that way. In fact, I don't believe that Captain James T. Kirk broke the Prime Directive. The Yangs weren't progressing because they had no viable society to derail. Kirk's push was justified and, in fact, humanitarian. 

This video, presented by Meta Trek, does a fine job acknowledging the episode's pertinence. No matter which side of the political coin one may be on, there's much to consider in this episode, in particular Kirk's impassioned speech.

PINUP TIME: INGER STEVENS IS NAN ADAMS