The Magicians: Alice’s Story
Based on the novel The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Hardcover
Written by Lilah Sturges
Art by Pius Bak
Colors by Dan Jackson
Letters by Mike Fiorentino
Cover by Scott Newman
Publisher: Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: July 16, 2019

Before I dive into the review of The Magicians: Alice’s Story, I would like to give you a bit of the history of the source material. I was a store manager for a Waldenbooks, but little did I realize how close to the end that company was. In those days we got ARCs (advance reader copies) of virtually everything and let me tell you, that is no small perk. So when an ARC came in that was touted as an adult Harry Potter-esque book about a magical college, I was intrigued. I have some vague memories of starting it during a lunch break and being swept away by the realism of it all. Lev Grossman‘s book grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. The book became a trilogy, then later a SyFy series that is spectacular in its own way. So yeah, this graphic novel only adds one more dimension to an already breathtaking franchise. Allow me to elaborate!

Blood Drive
Season 1 Episode 4: “In The Crimson Halls Of Kane Hill”
Directed by James Roday
Written by Nina Fiore, John Herrera
Created by James Roland
Starring Alan Ritchson, Christina Ochoa, Thomas Dominique, Marama Corlett, Colin Cunningham, Andrew Hall, Darren Kent, Renee Castle
Syfy
Air Date: Wednesday, July 5th, 2017, 10pm

Blood Drive is as in your face a show as you will get on television. Benefitting from its late night slot on Syfy channel, the show gets away with pay cable levels of blood and gore, and is already starting to rival Ash vs. Evil Dead for bloodiest good time you can have without actually killing anyone. Last time, we saw Arthur (Alan Ritchson) and Grace (Christina Ochoa) escape from Steel City, a post-apocalyptic industrial wasteland inhabited by a few scared human survivors and plenty of monstrous CHUD-like things called “Glimmers.” They managed to escape, and pulled off yet another miracle at the Blood Drive finish line (sorry Clown Dick). Meanwhile, Julian Slink (Colin Cunningham) was having some hilarious troubles with the network executives who want to take his death race to a larger audience. Cunningham chews the scenery as much as the engines in the cars chew human flesh. And Arthur’s partner, Christopher (Thomas Dominique), was being held captive by Aki (Marama Corlett). I’m not sure if he was being tortured or seduced in some 50 Shades of Grey sorta way. This week, Arthur and Grace attempt to rescue her sister from Kane Hill, but it looks like the inmates are running the asylum…

Check out my review for Blood Drive Episode 4 below.

It’s Summer! That means sun, beaches, blockbuster movies, and of course… shark infested tornadoes! That’s right, it’s time for another Sharknado! Back in 2013, the original Syfy channel film from the schlock studio kings The Asylum debuted, and became an instant hit on social media developing a huge following on twitter. The film’s two big stars were 90s icons Ian Ziering (90210) as Fin Shepard and Tara Reid (American Pie) as his ex-wife April Wexler. The craze around the first film has led to a new sequel each year since then, each one more ridiculous than the one before, and each featuring more and more celebrity cameos. The Sharknado films have taken these characters to space and back, across the United States, and now in the 5th installment, Global Swarming, around the world. Geeks of Doom got a chance to speak with April herself, Tara Reid, to discuss the upcoming Sharknado film, the franchise and her career.

Check out the interview below.

Blood Drive
Season 1 Episode 3: “Steel City Nightfall”
Directed by James Roday
Written by James Roland
Created by James Roland
Starring Alan Ritchson, Christina Ochoa, Thomas Dominique, Marama Corlett, Colin Cunningham, Andrew Hall, Darren Kent, Renee Castle
Syfy
Air Date: Wednesday, June 28th, 2017, 10pm

Last week, on Syfy’s newest guilty pleasure Blood Drive, the drivers were forced into an uneasy alliance to escape a diner/motel serving as a cannibal chopshop. Cop Arthur (Alan Ritchson) and beautiful Grace Argento (Christina Ochoa) who were forced to get really close just to survive day 1, managed to make it out of day 2, and use the “cook” from the diner as fuel to keep on racing. We also learned more about Heart Enterprise, the global conglomerate that took over after “The Scar” tore the US apart. Arthur’s partner, Christopher (Thomas Dominique), is kidnapped by Heart cyborg Aki (Marama Corlett), while Blood Drive creator Julian Slink (Colin Cunningham) is given ultimatums by the mysterious Heart executives.

Spoilers below.

Blood Drive
Season 1 Episode 1: “The F…ing Cop”
Directed by David Straiton
Written by James Roland
Created by James Roland
Starring Alan Ritchson, Christina Ochoa, Thomas Dominique, Marama Corlett, Colin Cunningham, Andrew Hall, Darren Kent
Syfy
Air Date: Wednesday, June 14th, 2017, 10pm

Midnight Grindhouse debuted Blood Drive Wednesday night on Syfy. With a story straight out of a cheap schlocky drive thru double feature, and promising splatter effects akin to Peter Jackson’s early filmography, James Roland’s Blood Drive offered something wholly different from what you’re used to in mid-week cable dramas. Cars with engines that devour human beings, heroes that curse, and all sorts of horror-themed “grindhouse” characters… Blood Drive has it all. The previews promised all sorts of “grindhouse” inspired baddies like cults, cannibals, monsters, and all the raunch you can throw in. Plot and acting are not what is important here. This show proudly attempts to be as in your face and graphically visceral as possible. I’m genuinely excited to see not if the show crosses the line, but how far past the line the show can go.

Spoilers below.