Latest news with #Absolute
Geek Dad
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review – Absolute Flash #5: Heating Up
Absolute Flash #5 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: The Absolute line continues to have an unparalleled creative record, as just about every issue is phenomenal. That's definitely the case for this issue, as Wally West faces his largest-scale threat ever – but it may not be a villain at all. Last issue saw the runaway teenager still struggling to master his powers as he finds a surprise haven – a mission and foster home run by Ralph and Sue Dibny. He even finds a friend and maybe something more in Linda Park, another kid calling the place home. But it's not long before things go sideways – a mysterious creature is lurking in the sewers under the mission, burning everything it touches. Wally encounters it, and soon realizes it's not a monster at all – it's Mick Rory, one of the Rogues, and he wasn't thought to have survived the experiment. But he did – if you can call what he's turned into surviving. Fireproof. Via DC Comics. AL Kaplan guest-stars on art for the second issue, and their depiction of Heat Wave is terrifying – this is the most radical reinvention of a villain yet, and he's been turned into something more akin to Plasmus. But this isn't a rampaging beast driven by hate – it's pretty clear that what's left of Mick Rory is terrified and in pain. But the only person who understands that at first is Grodd – and the little fan-favorite monkey does his best to get it across before one of the combatants does something they can't take back. The issue also has some great segments for the rest of the Rogues, as Dr. Thawne continues her shady plans and Rudy West makes a bold decision to try to save his son. But in the middle of all this, Wally discovers exactly how much his powers can do – and potentially loses the only safe haven he has. This is one of the best takes on Wally West I've read in a very long time. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
The Herald Scotland
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Some might say I have already had enough of Oasis
Still, what with Pulp and Oasis back on the live circuit, it's shaping up to be something of a Britpop summer. That's what Absolute Radio is calling it anyway. And Absolute is, as you might expect, mad for it. Not necessarily a bad thing, actually. On Sunday night Louise Wener, best known as the front woman of Britpop band Sleeper, started her own show on the station in a two-hour late night slot that was very much Britpop-flavoured. Read more Or, at least, that was the sales pitch. But Wener - who was always smarter than some of her male contemporaries in Britpop - was happy to deviate from the brief. She ended up playing American bands from the same era rather than stick to Blighty. The Pixies, the Lemonheads, Grandaddy ('maybe the weird alt-cousins of Britpop,' Wener suggested) and Belly all got a run-out. And I had totally forgotten about New York band Madder Rose. It was good to be reminded of them. Wener threw in a bit of Radiohead and Wet Leg too, and she even suggested, at one point, that her band Sleeper never really saw themselves as Britpop at the time. 'Ask most nineties bands if they were Britpop and they will likely say no … Sleeper included,' she pointed out. It certainly often felt like a boys' club at the time for all that Wener and Elastica's Justine Frischmann and Echobelly's Sonya Madan were part of it. 'I get asked even now how did the Britpop women get on with each other? What was the solidarity like? And in truth there was definitely an element of forced competition between the women of that era," Wener admitted at one point. 'I remember being told by one music editor that Sleeper weren't going to get any coverage because they were already covering Elastica and Echobelly, so we should just give up; the idea being that there was only room for so many women to get through. 'We were aware, all of us I think, that we were battling for a limited amount of space.' Louise Wener has started a new show (Image: free) You could say that is still the case. Wener's run on Absolute on Sunday nights is just going to be for the month of July, which is a pity because she is fun and smart company and it's good to be reminded that the 1990s music scene amounted to rather more than just Oasis and Blur. That said, she plays both. Slide Away got an airing here too, albeit the recorded version. 'Slide Away might be my favourite Oasis song, I think,' Wener suggested, 'showing their tender side beneath all the swagger.' I wonder if that's how Noel sees it? How many comedians does it take to fill the Radio 4 schedule? Quite a lot, it appears. As well as the regular comedy slots, this week has seen Patton Oswalt turn up on history show You're Dead to Me, and Mel Giedroyc join physicist Brian Cox and Robin Ince (another one) on the return of science series The Infinite Monkey Cage on Thursday. Meanwhile, comedian and author Tony Hawks has been discussing the idea of inheritance in Tony Hawks Is Giving Nothing Away all week at 1.45pm on the station. Hawks, it seems, is considering not leaving his 11-year-old son any money. The reason? Because he wants a more meritocratic society and doesn't want to stunt his son's drive and ambition. Personally, I can see an argument for foregoing drive and ambition in favour of comfort myself. Maybe that's because I'm coming from a family that has traditionally never had much to pass on. But what if you do? On Monday Hawks talked to billionaire John Caudwell who is of a similar mind to Hawks. Caudwell has signed up to the Giving Pledge, an international philanthropy commitment where billionaires agree to pass on the majority of their money to charitable causes. 'We estimate that there might be five or 6,000 billionaires on the planet,' Caudwell told Hawks. 'There's only 250 of us that are part of that giving pledge.' Given that it would take anyone the best part of 3,000 years to spend a billion quid (at the rate of a grand a day) you do wonder why everyone else is so reluctant to join him. But then I guess if you're planning to live forever you probably feel the need to keep all that money to yourself. Vaughan Williams (Image: free) Listen Out For: First Night of the Proms, Radio 3, July 18, 6.45pm Georgie Mann and Petroc Trelawny are on hand to open proceedings on this year's Proms season as the BBC Symphony Orchestra kicks things off with a programme that includes Sibelius and Vaughan Williams, as well as Mendelssohn's The Hebrides overture and music from Master of the King's Music (and, I believe, Scottish resident) Errollyn Wallen.
Geek Dad
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review – Absolute Batman #9: Terror in Ark M
Absolute Batman #9 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: It never fails to amaze me just how impressive the Absolute books are, packing a level of tension very rarely seen in mainstream comics. That continues this issue, with a brilliant segment where two Emirs, the leaders of Bialya and Khandaq, put aside their long-standing enmity and cut a peace deal that will change the world – only to open the door and discover an absolutely horrific Bane waiting for them, ensuring that the peace deal fails and one not only keeps the status quo, but escalates it because it'll benefit his masters. Bane's always been a massive threat to Batman, but it's been a very long time since he had this level of menace. And back in Gotham, Bruce is focused on a much more pressing issue – his friend Waylon Jones has gone missing, with the man seemingly disappearing off the face of the world. And all indications are that he's been taken deep below – to the mysterious facility known as Ark M. The fixer. Via DC Comics. Bruce now has a much bigger support network, including Alfred and Bruce's old friends like Ozzy, Eddie, and Harvey. Their first planning mission doesn't particularly go well, but Bruce gets what he needs to set out. Similar to Superman and the Kents in Absolute Superman, there are hints of the relationship Bruce and Alfred could have had in another world, but a distance between them. Scott Snyder's worldbuilding is incredibly strong, but it wouldn't be what it is without the stunning artwork of Nick Dragotta. His Bane design is horrific, and the depiction of what the real Ark M looks like is incredibly menacing. It all comes together into one of the best Bat-books I've read in a long time – maybe since Scott Snyder's last run on this title. There are so many other great beats, including Martha Wayne and the former Mayor Gordon, and a flashback to Bruce's relationship with Selina. I'm hoping Snyder has a very long time planned on this title. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Geek Dad
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review – Absolute Green Lantern #3: Hunger in the Dark
Absolute Green Lantern #3 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: Al Ewing has turned Green Lantern into a full-fledged horror story, and like every horror story, it has some classic inspirations. Fans of Stephen King will obviously see the influence from Under the Dome here, as the mysterious alien judge Alan Scott has created a green energy field over part of the city – trapping Jo Mullein, Hal Jordan, John Stewart – and John's friend Todd Rice, who enters the story this issue. While the story jumps back and forth in time, we see more this issue of the earlier segment, as the crew tries to figure out the strange new world they find themselves trapped in. It's John who takes the lead here, with his strategic mind discovering that the field reacts a certain way to metal – or anything it perceives as metal – and starts trying to break it down. But this attracts Abin Sur's attention, and the inscrutable alien proceeds to cast his judgement over John. Lockdown. Via DC Comics. We know from the earlier issues that the power will wind up vested with two of these characters – Jo with the Green Lantern ring, and Hal with the Black Hand. What we didn't know until now is that those powers are diametrically opposed, with the Black Hand trying to consume the green automatically – and anyone it's attached to. This is the first take on Green Lantern that portrays these powers not as superpowers, but as something terrifying and bizarre, that would be beyond the average person's ability to comprehend. Al Ewing has worked a lot with cosmic powers before, and his books are often deeply haunting, but part of the credit here goes to the great Jahnoy Lindsay. Their art is deeply unsettling in places, creating a sense of just how powerful these elements are. This is the most mysterious of the Absolute line so far, and it has me incredibly intrigued by what comes next. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Business Upturn
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Lava for Good's New Investigative Series Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated Debuts with an Explosive Examination of Taser's Rise to Power
New York, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NEW YORK, NY – May 21, 2024 – Lava for Good, Adweek's 2024 Podcast Network of the Year, today announced the launch of Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated , the first story in a bold new investigative series that examines how extreme corporate power reshapes American institutions and our everyday lives. Hosted by accomplished writer, director, and journalist Nick Berardini, Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated is a story about unchecked power that threads several storylines into one epic tale of relentless ambition, a utopian vision, and the collision between technology and humanity in the realm of modern law enforcement. Berardini has spent over a decade investigating the history and rise of the Taser and the company behind it, and with Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated , he left no stone unturned. Taser International, now known as Axon Enterprises, is the 800-pound gorilla in the paramilitary police equipment industry. It is led by its charismatic CEO and co-founder, Rick Smith — a man with a Star Trek obsession and an ambitious, altruistic vision of a world without killing. As Smith's Taser became the ultimate alternative weapon for police, his company became an integral supplier to police across the nation, as presidents from both parties poured millions of taxpayer dollars into the promise of a non-lethal alternative to firearms. But as stories of deaths and serious injuries began to emerge, Taser's legal and publicity strategy seemingly turned to blaming police for misuse and victims for health issues rather than focusing on potential flaws in the product itself. Berardini's documentary film, Killing Them Safely —a searing investigation into police weaponry and accountability—premiered in World Competition at the Tribeca Film Festival and was produced by Academy Award winner Glen Zipper and Sundance fellow James Goncalves. The film was later acquired by IFC/Sundance Selects and licensed by Netflix and Hulu, earning critical acclaim in Vanity Fair , Newsweek , The Los Angeles Times , Forbes , and The Guardian . 'America loves the story of a hungry entrepreneur with a dream,' said Berardini. 'But when that ambition goes unchecked and success comes at any cost, we must examine the true price being paid — and by whom.' Jason Flom, co-founder and CEO of Lava for Good, commented, 'With this terrific debut season of our new Absolute series, we're expanding our investigative focus to examine how increasingly militarized, high-tech policing supplied by powerful private enterprise impacts the criminal legal system in America. This series exemplifies Lava for Good's commitment to stories that challenge listeners to question the systems we take for granted.' Lava for Good is the network behind award-winning series including Wrongful Conviction and Bone Valley , both of which have been credited with contributing to real-world outcomes, from exonerations and paroles to legislative change. Lava's work is distinguished by fearless reporting, deep investigative rigor, and a commitment to centering stories that are too often overlooked. Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated launches May 21 on all major podcast platforms. Episodes 1, 2, and 3 will be available to binge on May 21, with episodes 4, 5, and 6 following on June 4 — exclusively on Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts . For more information, visit . About Lava for Good Lava for Good, Adweek's 2024 Podcast Network of the Year, creates standout original content, podcasts, and experiences that deliver unparalleled access and insights into the heart of social justice in America, and inspire action towards a more informed, empathic, and just society. Founded and led by renowned music executive, children's book author, and philanthropist Jason Flom with Lava Media COO Jeff Kempler, Lava for Good's #1-charting lineup of podcasts, produced in association with Signal Co. No1, has been downloaded over 70 million times, listed by critics as among the best podcasts of all time, and is credited with influencing exonerations, clemencies, pardons, legislation and reforms nationwide. The lineup, hosted by leading experts, attorneys, activists, formerly incarcerated persons, and journalists on the frontlines of human rights and justice movements, includes Bone Valley , Earwitness , Erased: The Murder of Elma Sands (with Allison Williams and Tony Goldwyn), False Confessions , Junk Science , T he War on Drugs , Wrongful Conviction , and more, and is available on all popular podcast platforms. Attachment Absolute, Season 1: Taser Incorporated Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
