
MUTTS Sunday Funnies: Why Patrick McDonnell Belongs Among the Greats
Patrick McDonnell’s new MUTTS Sunday Funnies Volumes 1 and 2 collect his Sunday comic strips from 1994 to 1998 in beautifully presented hardcover editions.

Patrick McDonnell’s new MUTTS Sunday Funnies Volumes 1 and 2 collect his Sunday comic strips from 1994 to 1998 in beautifully presented hardcover editions.

The BBC withheld four Star Trek episodes for years and rejected Sesame Street, even as British children watched the surreal favourite The Magic Roundabout.

Why was The Transformers: The Movie soundtrack so unusual? From Stan Bush and Weird Al to Orson Welles, its strange mix still works 40 years later.

Howie Noel, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, Dick Tracy and Charles Schulz reveal how legendary comic strips keep going after their original creators are gone.

Anna Kodé’s Unseen Places explores observation, curiosity and the hidden stories of everyday life, from Italian construction watchers to bonobo apes.

David Byrne’s Sleeping Beauties explores forgotten ideas, overlooked inventions and artists who waited decades or centuries to be rediscovered.

Martin Mull was more than a television actor. From comedy and music to painting, his unusual career made him impossible to put in one box.

Harvey Ball created the iconic smiley face in 10 minutes for $45. Here is how a simple insurance-company design became a global symbol and an Acid House icon.

Old cookbooks weren’t always harmless. Some mixed food, medicine and household chemistry in ways that can make Grandma’s apple pie look downright safe.

During the Siege of Paris, starving Parisians ate zoo animals. Here’s the bizarre story behind elephant, camel and kangaroo appearing on a Paris menu.

That stupid little pocket in your jeans has a long history, from pocket watches and the real 5th pocket to its cheeky modern reputation as the condom pocket.

Why did missing children’s faces appear on milk cartons? We look at the strange history behind the campaign, the kids who recognized themselves, Milk Carton 2.0 and Canada’s famous milk bags.

Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926, but he wasn’t alone. Explore the famous figures who died on October 31 and Houdini’s final escape pact.

When did 81 become young? A funny look at aging, retirement, baby boomers and how our idea of old age keeps changing.

Scratch-and-sniff was once everywhere, from Raspberries albums and MAD Magazine to John Waters’ Odorama. Now the strange little fad is making a comeback.

Matt Kirkland has a strange solution for giant books: chop them into smaller, manageable volumes. Chop the biggest books and why it might make sense.

Atari has announced Centipede: Recharged, a re-imagining of the original arcade classic. The original bug-blasting arcade game is back! Centipede: Recharged has been reimagined for modern gameplay, with vibrant visuals designed for modern screens, a 16:9 field of play, and an original soundtrack from award-winning video game composer Megan McDuffee.

I read the French version of Leonard Cohen: On a Wire by Philippe Girard. For those unaware, Leonard Cohen is Canada’s version of Bob Dylan. I am sure if he would be alive, he would not like that comparison. When it comes to poetry, Cohen beats Bob Dylan hands down. Philippe Girard brings grace to Montreal’s modern-day poetic bard. Cohen’s music is weaved in his personality. He is a fabric of the diversity that makes Montreal unique. Leonard Cohen has wandered throughout the world but Montreal was always his home. Philippe Girard captures the man and the myth through flashbacks of the best and worst in his storied life. Philippe’s art is a blend of Quebec and European influences that come into his own. You will love reading and marvel at the lush art. It’s about time the rest of the world gets to read this amazing book from Drawn & Quarterly. Leonard Cohen: On a Wire is translated by Helge Dascher and Karen Houle.

Each year I treat myself to a Peanuts calendar. This year there is an exceptional calendar from Andrews McMeel Publishing. Take Care of the Earth is sure to be a hit with Peanuts fans. Peanuts have always been at the forefront in caring for many important causes. Peanuts are global ambassadors to worthy causes that matter each day for young and old at heart.

Hot Toys has been taking steps towards collaborating with renowned artists and designers to bring diversity into the figure collectibles. Working with Hiroto Ohkubo together, Hot Toys is thrilled to unveil Venom (Carnage Red Version) Artist Mix Figure Designed by INSTINCTOY that captures Carnage’s malice and violent instincts in one display! Available only in selected markets.

Director, writer, composer, actor, and one-man creative revolutionary Melvin Van Peebles jolted American independent cinema to new life with his explosive stylistic energy and unfiltered expression of Black consciousness. Though he undeniably altered the course of film history with the anarchic Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, that pop-culture bombshell is just one piece of a remarkably varied career that has also encompassed forays into European art cinema (The Story of a Three Day Pass), mainstream Hollywood comedy (Watermelon Man), and Broadway musicals (Don’t Play Us Cheap).

On November 19, UMe and Eagles Of Death Metal’s Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes join forces to gift us all with Eagles of Death Metal Presents A Boots Electric Christmas, a six-track EP sure to bring much needed holiday cheer to the ears and hearts of every little girl and boy. The EP will be available on CD and in all digital formats.

I am really pumped for the 50th Anniversary of the L.A. Woman special collection. I own The Doors LA Woman: The Workshop Sessions (2012). This is a welcome extension to that release. 2021 is a big year for The Doors with a lot of new material coming out from Robby Kreiger’s first book and the complete writings of Jim Morrison. Unfortunately, it is also the anniversary of Jim Morrison’s death. There is a lot to celebrate. 1971 marked a turbulent time for Jim Morrison personally with his trouble with the law. Contractually the band owed Elektra Records one more record and boy did it payback in spades. For the next 50 years, “Love Her Madly,” “Riders On The Storm,” and “L.A. Woman” would grace the airwaves. Nobody knew at the time that this was their swan song. Maybe Jim Morrison had an inkling it was his last record but did not share that information with anybody including the band.

October is my favorite time of the year. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown has a special place in my heart. Super7 celebrates the event with four unique action figures. This is a must for all Peanuts collectors.

An inventive pair of advertising pros who were part of the group of geniuses at the agency behind the Burger King, Dominos, Microsoft and VW campaigns, has created a customized “selfie” wrapping paper company that is loved and used by Oprah, Khloe Kardashian and boasting sales that would make Hallmark jealous. Featuring maskless face photos of people and pets, Gift Wrap My Face, #GiftWrapMyFace adds them to the body of elves, snowmen, superheroes, astronauts, iconic statues, lamas or dancing with dreidels or menorahs. Gift Wrap My Face even created two Smart Wrapping Papers: one using augmented reality to enliven a face making a snow angel, a dancing elf and a Video Paper that uses a personalized and private QR code for gift-givers to share a video message with loved ones.

Usually, I do not do desktop reviews. As a creative individual, the HP ENVY 34-inch All-in-One Desktop caught my attention. The web camera is very unique. It can capture digital scans of hand-drawn art or text on your desk. The webcam supports a 16-megapixel resolution with an IR sensor and dual-array digital microphones. You can move it all around the screen’s outer frame. You will love working with this system, you will never leave your post.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 returns on Friday, October 1 with the launch of the highly-anticipated soundtrack featuring: a new collab from Megan Thee Stallion, Maluma and Rock Mafia; Christina Aguilera’s new rendition of the famous theme song that will have you snapping your fingers; as well as Snoop Dogg (who also voices Cousin IT!), October London, DJ Battlecat, Oplus & Yoshi dropping new music!

Celebrating its 45 anniversary, Destroyer was originally released in 1976 and is considered to be one of the quintessential KISS albums. It is the band’s first album to sell one million copies in its first year and holds the title of being their all-time best-selling studio album. Packed with concert staples and KISS Army favorites including “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “God Of Thunder” and “Beth,” on November 19, 2021, UMe will release KISS – Destroyer 45th in the form of a Super Deluxe 4-CD + Blu-ray Audio box set as well as on standard double black vinyl and limited edition yellow and red double colored vinyl, 2-CD set, and digital.