We’re going to end this one with a bang; with a gift that’ll keep on giving long after Halloween is through. The twist, however, is that a) it’s a TV show, and b) nobody’s seen it. Yet. That’s because Frank Darabont’s (The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption) take on Robert Kirkman’s excellent comic book series premieres tonight on AMC.

Obviously, since I haven’t seen it yet, I can’t say much about the show. I can, however, tell you that the comic book series is absolutely phenomenal and one of the best zombie stories ever devised. Featuring Rick, an ex-cop who wakes up in a hospital to find the world around him destroyed and crawling with zombies, The Walking Dead is equal parts zombie flick and a story about human nature. You’ll follow Rick as he sets out to find his family while not just fending off hordes of zombies, but also those who survived the zombie plague.

AMC has been on a roll for the past several years with hits like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, and with a guy like Frank Durabont at the helm, I have high, high hopes for this one. Plus, we have this awesome preview:

So tonight, after the kids have stopped knocking on your door, sit down with the family and watch the beginning of one of the great zombie stories. I can’t think of a better way to spend Halloween.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the second annual SHOCKtober! It really is fun to go through these movies every year. Despite the fact that after sixty-two movies now, the well is starting to run a bit dry, I’m hoping to come up with something for next year. Until then, Happy Halloween!

Don’t forget! Tonight at 7pm CST, Ryker XL is hosting a special Sunday SHOCK Theater, featuring “Zombies of Mass Destruction”. Log into Xbox Live for our final SHOCKtober Netflix viewing party.

The Flash: Rebirth #1

Written by: Geoff Johns

Art by: Ethan Van Sciver

If there was one thing you learned or understood from Final Crisis, it’s the fact that Barry Allen was brought back into the DCU. Knowing that fact, it takes away some of the mystery of this new series: The Flash: Rebirth. And that is the main problem with this book: there is just about no mystery or shock in seeing Barry back in the red suit. Obviously, Geoff Johns will have some trouble in making this book seem relevant, and on some note, he does.

Most of the book is spent on Barry’s friends’ and enemies’ reactions. A good amount of the book is spent on these. It all made sense to show reactions of everyone, but after about the third group of people expressing shock and disbelief, it became redundant. I get it, he’s back, but having it spoon fed to me over the course of 32 pages is too much. Much like the last great Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver team-up, Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War, Johns placed a lot of continuity into his story, but NOT like the afformentioned big event, he has not given a concise, yet absurdly detailed recounting of those needed bits of continuity. First time readers of the Flash will more than likely be bewildered by the idea of the “Speed Force” and some of the other little Barry Allen history.

Remember in Live Free or Die Hard, John McClane was an old school cop with technophobia? Well, Rebirth #1 utilizes that same concept. We already know that Barry has been gone a long time, but that fact is just constantly told to us. He doesn’t understand current day technology. Cell phones, internet, and texting and the likes of other “high speed” tech is over the head of a “high speed” superhero. The world is moving faster than the fastest man alive.

The book focused on the lives of everyone around Barry. With just a little hint of what’s to come hitting near the last few pages of the book, it almost comes in as an afterthought. It is interesting, but you have to wait around so long to see what the book is more than likely going to be about.

Van Sciver is a fantastic artist. Sinestro Corps War #1 was a beautiful piece of work. Large splash pages and interesting page layouts seemed to spring from the pages. The cover to the Flash: Rebirth #1 is classic Van Sciver, but the inside leaves something to be desired. It is still fantastic, I was just expecting something more. It’s kinda hard to complain about Van Sciver because his work is always great, it just was lacking some of that “spring” to it.

I still recommend this book, but if you aren’t a Flash fan, I would have to direct you to the nearest comic shop and tell you to pick up some Barry Allen trades before picking up Flash: Rebirth. The book is in capable hands, it is just a lot of continuity. I will say that it doesn’t hold a candle to Final Crisis’ head asploding concepts, but it might help to familiarize yourself with Central City’s crimson speedster. (more…)