Convention season is in full swing and everyone is looking for a little help with their cosplay costumes. Wigs can be one of the most difficult (and frustrating) parts of your costume, however NipahDUBS makes it look easy in this tutorial for a Miraculous Ladybug wig.
For this tuorial they used:
Arda Wigs Chibi in Dark Blue
Be sure to check out their other great YouTube tutorials.
PopCultHQ received an advance review copy of Dry County from Image Comics. Available March 14th, 2018, the creative team for this series features writing and art from Rich Tommaso.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
DRY COUNTY #1
Writer: Rich Tommaso
Artist: Rich Tommaso
In Shops: March 14th, 2018
SRP: $3.99
Miami. Early 1990s—but still suffering a hangover from the 1980s. Young Gen-Xer Lou Rossi has fallen for a lady, and fallen hard. So when she goes missing, he’ll have to play amateur detective to get her back.
Writing:
Rich Tommaso is bringing a delightful and thrilling throwback comic to fans. Set in the heady days of the 1990’s, issue #1 presents a Miami where anything can happen. And what happens amidst the heat of the summer and the chaos of urban life, love. But with all great love stories, there will always be tragedy. Delve into the first issue and be prepared for a truly stunning adventure.
Art:
Rich’s artwork is very different here. Instead of animals behaving as people, it’s just people. People living out their lives day-to-day. But instead of this seeming mundane, it’s exciting. There’s an electric thrill with this art because within the pages it is set against a 90’s Miami backdrop. What can be a normal day can suddenly become exciting and fun or action-thrilled, Rich delivers up this feeling elegantly.
PopCultHQ’s overall assessment:
Rich Tommaso is giving readers something new. A story about an ordinary guy who falls in love. But within that love, there is bound to be something more, something dangerous that will send the hero Lou Rossi down a path that will leave him changed. So take a chance, pick up a copy of issue #1 and see what awaits for Lou inside.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
5 Out of 5 Stars
Writer/Artist – Rich Tommaso
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Publisher – Image Comics
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Conan O’Brien
Team Coco
Here’s a look at the cover, the storyline, and preview pages for this week’s release from Action Lab Entertainment on New Comic Book Day! #NCBD
NUTMEG Vol. 4 – Late Winter: ‘Coven Cleaner’
What people are saying about Nutmeg:
“Nutmeg is exactly what we need more of in the comic industry…”
– Graphic Policy
“Fans of Lumberjanes, Penny Dora and Amelia Cole will enjoy this series.” – Comicosity
“This is the kind of comic we need more of…”
– Comic Spectrum
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96 pgs./ A / FC $11.99
Writer – James F. Wright
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Artist – Jackie Crofts
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NUTMEG Online
`Publisher – Action Lab Entertainment
Conan O’Brien
Team Coco
2018 marked the fifth year for the NWI Comic-Con (North West Indiana), which is a mid-size comic book convention that has more than just comics. They also features creators, cosplayers, and fans. This is a great chance to meet some of the faces behind a few of your favorite comics without fighting the crowds and lines of the big conventions.
This is a great convention that has, unfortunately, outgrown its location meaning that it’s pretty crowded. If they wish to expand further, they would probably have to leave the area to find a bigger location. The biggest complaint from everyone is regarding the entrance to the con. Even those who had previously purchased tickets online, did not get fast entry and had to stand outside in line for a significant amount of time. Eventually it all got sorted, but in the meantime there were several disgruntled patrons.
Overall, this is a great convention. It’s a nice selection of well-known comic artists, a good variety of vendors, and several fun costume contests.
This year’s photos were taken by Nick Maro of Power Cosmic Photography. Check out his Facebook page to see more great shots!
Valiant is proud to present your first look inside SHADOWMAN (2018) #2 – the second adrenaline-fueled installment of A POWERFUL NEW ONGOING SERIES from superstar writer Andy Diggle (Green Arrow: Year One, Daredevil) and high-octane artist Stephen Segovia (NINJAK, Action Comics)! A brand-new beginning for New Orleans’ supernatural icon continues here with the next awe-inducing, 30-page chapter of “FEAR OF THE DARK” – Diggle and Segovia’s introductory storyline – as Jack Boniface retakes his rightful place in the vanguard of Valiant’s most powerful heroes…even as an otherworldly force prepares to drag him to the damned darkness he thought he’d left behind…
SHADOWMAN (2018) #2
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Stephen Segovia
Cover A by Tonci Zonjic (FEB181885)
Cover B by Renato Guedes (FEB181886)
Interlocking Variant by Juan José Ryp (FEB181888)
Shadowman Icon Variant by Ben Templesmith (FEB181889)
Blank Cover Also Available (FEB181887)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+
On Sale APRIL 25th ~ Final Order Cutoff – 4/2/18
Jack Boniface has only just returned home to New Orleans…but the Deadside won’t let him stay gone! From across the veil of life and death, the malignant presence of Baron Samedi – a ravenous voodoo deity bent on consolidating power at all costs – now seeks to infiltrate the mortal plane and claim the legacy of Shadowman for himself! But even as Jack and Alyssa marshal a defense to Samedi’s inhuman agenda, a monstrous new force – driven by killer instinct and a rabid hatred of the Shadowman – is about to turn the Big Easy’s back alleys into a hunting ground…
In the tradition of X-O MANOWAR and BLOODSHOT REBORN, the must-read ongoing series of 2018 hits the rooftops running on April 25th as Andy Diggle and Stephen Segovia cry “FEAR OF THE DARK” in SHADOWMAN #2 – featuring covers by Tonci Zonjic (Who is Jake Ellis?), Renato Guedes (BLOODSHOT SALVATION), Juan José Ryp (BRITANNIA), and Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night)!
But first: The saga begins on March 28th in SHADOWMAN #1 – the FIRST ISSUE of “FEAR OF THE DARK,” a tense and gripping three-issue introduction pushing Jack Boniface to the farthest edge of fear itself…and into a startling fight for survival as Shadowman takes command of the birthright he was born to uphold!
Then: Shadowman’s inaugural year will soon spiral into “DEAD AND GONE” – an epic exploration into the true power and impact of the Shadowman legacy across the ages, spanning SHADOWMAN #4-7 and featuring a rotating cast of all-star artists, including Shawn Martinbrough (Thief of Thieves, Black Panther), Doug Braithwaite (X-O MANOWAR, Journey into Mystery), and Renato Guedes (BLOODSHOT SALVATION), on each issue!
For years, Jack Boniface believed that he knew the true story of the Shadowman loa – the true story of the curse inside him. He was wrong.
For the first time, Jack Boniface is about to discover the long-hidden history of the supernatural power that became his birthright… Unmoored in time and space, the loa is about to reveal its untold dimensions…and now, the last defender of the wall between our realm and the Deadside is falling backwards through the astral void, finding himself face to face with his forebears across the centuries – from the paranoia-addled alleyways of 1940s New York to the fire-scorched plantations of the Civil War…all the way back to the primeval height of the African savannah in 40,000 B.C.!
And finally: Just in time for Halloween, the battle for the legacy of Master Darque erupts into civil war for “RAG AND BONE,” an all-new jumping-on point encompassing SHADOWMAN #8-11 and featuring the return of high-octane artist Stephen Segovia!
For some men – like the sadistic necromancer Nicodemo Darque, whose eternal conflict with the Boniface family’s lineage of Shadowmen was bound in blood nearly two centuries ago – the true path to power lies beyond death… And even the last relics of their earthly remains can become a doorway themselves…
As Shadowman returns to New Orleans with a revelatory new understanding of the immense abilities within himself, he won’t have long to adjust…because a war for control of the ultimate magical artifact – the bones of Master Darque, his old arch-nemesis – is about to erupt out of the underground and into the harsh view of day!
On one side: The Brethren, a society of wealthy and powerful occultists obsessed with Darque’s resurrection and ushering in a millennia-long reign of darkness. On the other: Shadowman’s old allies from The Abettors…and Darque’s own sister, Sandria, who would like nothing more than to grind her brother’s bones to dust…
It all starts here on March 28th as “FEAR OF THE DARK” draws first blood with Andy Diggle and Stephen Segovia in SHADOWMAN (2018) #1 – featuring covers by Tonci Zonjic (Who is Jake Ellis?), Renato Guedes (BLOODSHOT SALVATION, Wolverine), Juan José Ryp (BRITANNIA), and Travel Foreman (Animal Man, The Ultimates)!
SHADOWMAN (2018) #1
Written by Andy Diggle
Art by Stephen Segovia
Cover A by Tonci Zonjic (JAN182001)
Cover B by Renato Guedes (JAN182002)
Interlocking Variant by Juan José Ryp (JAN182003)
Shadowman Icon Variant by Travel Foreman (JAN182004)
Glow-in-the-Dark Variant by Tonci Zonjic (JAN182005)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale MARCH 28th
Final Order Cutoff – 3/5/18
Don’t fear your demons… Fight them! Orphaned as a child and raised on the margins of society, Jack Boniface never knew his place in the world. Until he discovered it waiting for him…in a darkness far older than the reign of men…
Unbeknownst to him, Jack was fated to become the next in a long lineage of Shadowmen – mortals bound to violent voodoo spirits of immense power – that could safeguard our world against incursions from realms beyond. For years, he struggled to control the loa’s murderous urges – a battle he eventually lost.
But now, after years of self-imposed exile, the man once known as Shadowman is returning home to sharpen the weapon within…and unleash a reckoning on the evils of our world that will soon send shockwaves through heaven and hell alike…
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Valiant Presents the HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM – A 750+ Page Behemoth Collecting the Groundbreaking Comics Event by Joshua Dysart, Duane Swierczynski, Clayton Henry, & More!
Before HARBINGER WARS 2, Revisit the March Toward Valiant’s
First Landmark Crossover in Complete Chronological Order!
Valiant Entertainment has announced the HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM – A MASSIVE, 750+ PAGE COLLECTION representing the march toward the original groundbreaking crossover event that collided the opposing factions of the Valiant Universe together for the very first time in an extra-sized, softcover format!
Collecting the entire first years of both HARBINGER (#1-14) and BLOODSHOT (#1-13) alongside the HARBINGER WARS event series (#1-4) in complete chronological order for the first time between two covers, get the whole story behind the definitive Valiant crossover event – just as HARBINGER WARS 2 gears up for an all-out assault on Valiant’s most formidable heroes in May!
Featuring critically renowned runs by Eisner Award winner Joshua Dysart (IMPERIUM, Unknown Soldier) and acclaimed writer Duane Swierczynski (Black Widow) alongside a truly all-star cast of artistic firepower – including Clayton Crain (Carnage), Khari Evans (Carbon Grey), Manuel Garcia (Black Panther), Trevor Hairsine (DIVINITY), Clayton Henry (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG), Barry Kitson (Justice League: Year One), Pere Pérez (FAITH), Mico Suayan (BLOODSHOT REBORN), and more – retrace the footsteps of the dueling series that brought Bloodshot, the Harbinger Renegades, and Toyo Harada together for the first time amid the wreckage-strewn fallout of the Las Vegas Strip right here with the oversized and essential HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM!
HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM TPB
Written by JOSHUA DYSART and DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by KHARI EVANS, MANUEL GARCIA, CLAYTON HENRY, and PERE PÉREZ with PHIL BRIONES, MATTHEW CLARK, CLAYTON CRAIN, LEE GARBETT, TREVOR HAIRSINE, BARRY KITSON, LEWIS LAROSA, ARTURO LOZZI, JIM MUNIZ, and MICO SUAYAN
Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
$59.99 | 768 pgs. | T+ | On Sale MAY 2nd (FOC – 4/9/18)
TRADE PAPERBACK | 978-1-68215-261-4
When an untrained and undisciplined team of super-powered test subjects escape from Project Rising Spirit and onto the Vegas Strip, Bloodshot and the Harbinger Renegades will find themselves locked in battle against a deadly succession of opponents – and each other. As the combined forces of the H.A.R.D. Corps, Generation Zero, and omega-level telekinetic Toyo Harada all descend on Las Vegas to vie for the control of Rising Spirit’s deadliest assets, the world is about to discover the shocking price of an all-out superhuman conflict…and no one will escape unscathed. Who will survive the Harbinger Wars?
As HARBINGER WARS 2 looms on the horizon, discover why the original HARBINGER WARS conflict established Valiant as the preeminent publisher of quality events anywhere in comics today…and introduced a whole generation of fans to the high-stakes world of the Valiant Universe’s most unlikely heroes:
“✮✮✮✮✮… It’s a big event done right…
Hugely entertaining.” – Comic Vine
“✮✮✮✮½… An intense and violent intersection of the
most compelling superhero universe on the stands.” – IGN
“✮✮✮✮½… [HARBINGER WARS] is the culmination of a year’s worth of
carefully planned plot threads that finally pay off at all once.” – Bloody Disgusting
“✮✮✮✮… Valiant proves that the dreaded crossover event story can be good, and satisfying.”
– Comic Book Resources
“✮✮✮✮… An absolute blast that brings the best of both HARBINGER
and BLOODSHOT to the table. What’s not to like?” – Multiversity Comics
Featuring the first modern appearances of Bloodshot, Faith, Generation Zero, Toyo Harada, Livewire, Peter Stanchek, and dozens more, the HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM is the ultimate entry point into the most celebrated superhero universe anywhere on the stands today! Arriving just in time for the fifth anniversary of HARBINGER WARS’ initial impact, get both the renowned runs of HARBINGER and BLOODSHOT, plus the complete HARBINGER WARS saga, together in one deluxe package on May 2nd!
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Everyone’s favorite adventurer Lara Croft is back for a brand-new adventure in Tomb Raider: Inferno. Dark Horse Comics and Crystal Dynamics are thrilled to welcome back veteran Tomb Raider artist Phillip Sevy for another globe-trotting adventure!
Sevy joins Tomb Raider: Survivor’s Crusade writers Jackson Lanzing (Gotham City Garage, Joyride, Hacktivist, Grayson) and Collin Kelly (Gotham City Garage, Joyride, Hacktivist, Grayson) as they continue Lara’s quest to uncover the secrets of an enigmatic criminal organization known as Trinity, even if it means following them to the ends of the earth. With Lara hot on their trail, Trinity is on high alert and armed with a new command officer, who is ready for any surprises Lara may have in store for them. It’s time for Lara Croft to come face to face with a side of Trinity she has never seen before.
Dark Horse’s Tomb Raider comics continue the story from the Rise of the Tomb Raider games from Crystal Dynamics. Tomb Raider: Inferno is designed to be a perfect jumping-on point for new readers.
Tomb Raider: Inferno #1 (of 4) goes on sale June 13, 2018
and is available for pre-order at your local comic shop.
About Dark Horse:
For more than thirty years, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, the company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Geof Darrow, Brian Wood, Gail Simone, Stan Sakai, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Milo Manara, Kazuo Koike, Neil Gaiman, and Frank Miller, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, X, and Barb Wire. Its successful line of comics, manga, and products based on popular properties includes Dragon Age, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Tomb Raider, Halo, The Witcher,Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.
About Crystal Dynamics
Crystal Dynamics celebrated its 25th year of development in 2017! This is the studio behind the critically acclaimed and world-famous TOMB RAIDER franchise, which has sold over 63 million copies worldwide. With over 30 video game titles released and hundreds of awards, the heroine Lara Croft has been a cultural icon for 20 years and has made an indelible mark on virtually every facet of entertainment. The most recent release, Rise of the Tomb Raider, has received over 100 awards and nominations and is one of the highest rated games on next generation systems.
Evolution Of Video Game Polygons
A polygon is a triangular shaped flat surface, used in 3D graphics technology to build three dimensional figure. Polygons are connected to one another, creatively positioned, and together make up a 3D image. As a general rule of thumb, the more polygons that can be used, the better quality the 3D image will be.
The only problem is, of course, that the more polygons used, the more powerful the hardware required to display the numerous polygons. So, one can gauge the power of technology based on the number of polygons used in 3D based video games.
Early Polygonal Graphics
Polygons have been used in video game graphics for a very long time, much longer than many would assume. Although, of course, the earliest use of polygons was extremely crude, and unappealing to the eye. But, as early as 1980, polygons have been a part of the video game world.
After a period of polygons gradually being refined, more advanced versions of them began to appear in games, with an increase in how many were used to make a single three dimensional model. A notable benchmark was reached in 1996, with the release of Quake. The game is widely regarded as the first true 3D FPS game, and was celebrated for massive leap in graphics technology.
At any given time, Quake could render 200 polygons.
Evolving Polygon Graphics
From the point Quake released, video game hardware power began to rapidly increase, likewise increasing the number of polygons that could be rendered in game engines. The advancement rate was exponential, so much so that by Quake 4, released in 2006, a single player model had 2,600 polygons. This is not taking into account the game level, but a single character in the game.
Unreal Tournament 3, on the other hand, released in 2007, used up to 12,000 polygons for the weapon model seen in first person view and the online roulette NZ games available surely use as many, or more in order to appear wholly realistic.
Modern Polygon Graphics
In modern times, polygon count is no longer even considered a serious problem in video game creation. Graphics technology has advanced to such a degree, that a single character in a game can use 150,000 or more, without much impact on the hardware. It seems outrageous, but the truth is that methods used to create games have evolved so extensively that polygon counts are no longer as important as they once were.
A modern graphics technique called tessellation can quickly and efficiently create a 3D model, using tens of thousands of polygons, with extremely efficient load on hardware. This technique is used in most modern games, and results in highly detailed 3D models.
Focus is instead, in modern times, on factors such as realistic and detailed lighting, as well as complicated shaders, detailed surface textures, and realistic physics. It should be kept in mind, though, that polygons are still the basis of all 3D graphics, with no exceptions. Were it not for polygons, 3D graphics could not exist at all.
