Category: SciFi Pulse


Looking Back: The Baltimore Comic-Con

Filed Under: Comics, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
August 31, 2010

Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Baltimore Comic-Con, held in the Baltimore Convention Center. Sadly, it is near the field where the Baltimore Ravens were playing a pre-season football game, which caused the parking prices to triple. Still, it was a fun outing. Look for more of my reflections on SciFiPulse.Net today!

This article appeared in the Baltimore Sun before the Comic-Con started on Saturday, but it still has some good things to say about it:

>>A comic con for comic fans

At a time when the big comic conventions are trying to be all things to all people, Baltimore’s tries to keep its focus narrow

By Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun

When it comes to his Baltimore Comic-Con, organizer Marc Nathan takes that word “comic” seriously. The annual fan gathering is a comic-book convention, he stresses, not a pop-culture convention or a cool stuff convention or a famous people convention.

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‘Sherlock’ Is Must-See TV

Filed Under: SciFi Pulse, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — 1 Comment
August 20, 2010

I am very fortunate in that I was able to access all three episodes of the British program Sherlock, an updated version of Sherlock Holmes created by Steven Moffat (of Doctor Who fame) and Mark Gatiss. It’s well done and very gripping drama and mystery, always keeping the viewer on the edge of his or her seat.

Over on SciFiPulse.Net, site head honcho Ian M. Cullen recently posted the following story about the show:

>>Monsters And Critics has just released its top picks of some of the drama that will be coming up in the new 2010/11 television season.

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Why I Read Comics!

Filed Under: Batman, Comics, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
July 24, 2010

In honor of the San Diego Comic-Con, I thought I would revisit some of my articles from SciFiPulse.Net, which recently was voted one of the top 45 Sci-Fi Book Blogs. This was one of my first “Comix Portal” columns on the site:

I spend a fair amount of my time and income on comics and comic-related merchandise. For example, as I write this, my computer screen is surrounded by Justice League Unlimited figures, staring at me intently.  And I can’t let them down–or else!

Ever since I was young, I’ve been fascinated by the possible.  Even if something is very unlikely, it could still take place.  And that has always tickled my imagination and drawn me to things beyond the commonplace.  This is also probably why I love science fiction so much.

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DVD Review: ‘Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths’

Filed Under: Comics, Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
June 28, 2010

As SciFiPulse site Head Honcho Ian Cullen likes to point out, “Wayne will admit himself that his all-out favorite team of heroes is The Justice League, and to him, they are the gold standard.” So I obviously was interested in the recent Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths direct-to-DVD movie.

Synopsis: “In a parallel universe, the lone survivor of Earth’s Justice League—Lex Luthor—travels through other-world dimensions to join forces with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash and J’onn J’onzz in a desperate attempt to save his world and its people. But the villainous Crime Syndicate controlled by Ultraman, Owlman and Superwoman will stop at nothing to maintain their domination. It will take wits, might, and a sacrifice to defeat these unforgiving enemies in this spectacular DC Universe Animated Original Movie with a stellar voice cast headed by Mark Harmon, James Woods, Chris Noth, Gina Torres, William Baldwin, Bruce Davison and more. Two Earths, two Leagues and one epic battle collide for a thrilling experience that will leave you breathless!”

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What I Don’t Like!

Filed Under: Comics, Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Star Trek by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
June 27, 2010

I’ve been found out!

Both Ian Cullen and BenJGrimm are always after me on the SciFiPulse podcast to talk about things I don’t like instead of things I do. I prefer to be a positive person, so I usually don’t focus on the negative. And I also don’t buy things I don’t like, so it is hard for me to rate them. However, this week I will endeavor to talk about what I know I don’t like.

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a huge fan of Deep Space Nine, I never really warmed up to TNG. In fact, I hated the “galactic reset button” that was hit at the end of each episode. I guess one can tell when I don’t care for something—I laugh at jokes about it. For instance, there was a guy on AOL way back when the show started who used to post about Doctor Beverly Crusher’s hips swinging so far in the hallway that she would knock unsuspecting ensigns to the ground. I still smile or laugh about that one. Then there was the joke about Captain Picard coming down with a terminal disease, which caused Counselor Troi to ask him how he wanted to be buried. “I want to be buried with my buttocks in the air,” he said. Puzzled, Troi asked him why. “All my family ride bicycles, and they need a place to park them when they visit my grave,” he responded. Stuffy “Old Baldie” saying that killed me when I first read it. Yes, I still smile or laugh about that one, too.

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‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Jonah Hex,’ And Batman … Oh, My!

Filed Under: Animation, Batman, Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
June 21, 2010

Toy Story 3 collected an estimated $153.8 million around the world during its first weekend of release, pushing up the U.S. box office 30 percent over the same weekend last year, according to Variety.

The Disney/Pixar sequel brought in an estimated $109 million in the States alone, with overseas figures coming to a total of $44.8 million in only a quarter of the international market. Toy Story 3 is now Pixar’s highest-grossing opener around the world.

On the other hand, Jonah Hex, based on the DC Comics character, captured only $5.1 million in the U.S. Theater observers called the opening “more than disappointing,” but word had come out that the film was not going to be The Dark Knight, but more like Catwoman.

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‘Human Target,’ ‘V’ Renewed For 2010-2011 TV Season

Filed Under: Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — 1 Comment
May 15, 2010

This year, the program I found to be the most fun of the new offerings (and also of many of the other shows on television) was The Human Target on Fox. It had action! It had adventure! They did things I’d never seen before on the tube, including a fistfight inside a moving car!

But the network was hesitant to renew the show for some reason. I guess the ratings weren’t the best, but it did appeal strongly to the male demographic, and that group tends to spend money more than other groups, so it might be worth advertising on that show (if you are trying to sell a product guys would consider buying).

Then, too, Human Target usually had self-contained episodes that wrapped up most of the storylines within the hour. But during the season finale, they treated us to a cliffhanger, which made me want it back for another year even more!

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Is Friday Really Friday … Or Is It Thursday? Or Maybe Saturday?

Filed Under: SciFi Pulse, What-everrr! by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 14, 2010

One of the tough things about working for a publication that comes out every day of the year is that your schedule may have to be flexible to keep working there.

In the last couple of years, I’ve worked Monday through Friday, then spent about a year working Sunday through Thursday, then another year working Tuesday through Saturday.

So, today is Friday. As far as my work goes, is it Thursday? Or is it Saturday? Or could it even really be Friday? I get so confused!

It’s not like I haven’t worked for places that didn’t require shift changes before. I worked for a hospital in Florida that provided the same challenges. When I was employed there, I worked days, nights and in-between … including double shifts. It was a rare and wonderful thing when I had two days off together that I didn’t specifically request. What a treat!

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Long Live ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!’

Filed Under: Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Star Trek, Television/Movies, U.S.S. Chesapeake by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
May 5, 2010

I love great storytelling. I mean, I LOVE great storytelling! I’m totally passionate about it. I seek it out constantly. I crave it, need it desperately. Really, I can’t get enough of it!

Great storytelling will expand your understanding of life and the universe. It can help you experience something you haven’t ever imagined before. It can flex your precious imagination with tremendous might. It can inspire you. It can make you laugh and/or cry. It can help fill your days with profound thoughts and feelings. It can carry you through the tough times and make a good day even better. It is something so special that you know it when you find it, and always remember it.

That’s why I love Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

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Keep Graham Norton Away From Matt Smith’s Mouth!

Filed Under: Science Fiction, SciFi Pulse, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
April 29, 2010

Since I write the stories for SciFiPulse.net that appear on Mondays, I came across this interesting article about the most recent episode of Doctor Who–at least, the one that aired in the UK last Saturday:

Why is Graham Norton near Matt Smith's mouth?>>It happened during the very emotional sequence at the end of “The Time Of Angels” as it aired on the BBC in the UK.

While Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor, was talking to the baddies, an on-screen caption with an animated cartoon of Graham Norton, who hosts Over The Rainbow, appeared at the bottom of the frame, covering part of Smith’s face (including his mouth) as he gave the stirring speech.

Thousands of Doctor Who fans have since contacted the BBC to say that the ending of Saturday night’s episode was ruined by that trailer for the following show. The advertisement was seen by millions of viewers watching on BBC One in England, according to the BBC.

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