The Gravity Falls Wrap Party Looked Epic

 Bill Cipher being Baller

We'll miss you Hirsh and Schaal

It took place at downtown's Clifton's Cafeteria a few nights ago.

House of Secrets Burbank's Best Comic Shop

We haven't been by in a while and it makes us sad that we hadn't when we stepped back into the House of Secrets in Burbank. The best comic shop in that town has a wide selection of not only the newest books out, but big meaty trade paperbacks and hardcovers to bite into. Or, if you don't like eating paper they have all your statue and collectible needs in one of the sleekest looking comic book stores in the LA area. Back issues, new issues and even some low-rent zines await with good customer service. And once again, a place that looks so fine it should just be toured on a local news show for some decent HD video set to bad music for the hell of it.

House of Secrets

1930 W Olive St

Burbank, CA 91506

818 562 1900

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOURS:

• Monday 11a - 7p
• Tuesday 11a - 7p
• Wednesday 11a - 8:30p
• Thursday 11a - 7p
• Friday 11a - 8p
• Saturday 11a - 7p
• Sunday 12p - 5p

QPop Scares in February? YOKAI: The Horror of Shigeru Mizuki Art Tribute

Ahhhhh! It's all kinds of scary in Q Pop this February and March. Why so early? Why not with the YOKAI: The Horror of Shigeru Mizuki Art Tribute show. Q Pop had another tribute show opening over the weekend we couldn't miss in Little Tokyo. The celebrated artist of Japan featured in the newest show may best be known for his manga GeGeGe no Kitarō translated to Kitarō of the Graveyard. The manga has become synonymous with horror in Japan and has been adapted into multiple anime series and even live action films. The story revolves around a young yokai (Japanese ghost/moster/demon), Kitaro and his friends that include Neko-Musume (a cat-girl), Nezumi-Otoko (rat-man) and Kitaro's father who has become a living eyeball with little arms and legs. With other Yokai the have adventures of helping humans based on Japanese mythology. In earlier incarnations...stories were way more darker. Now the series is kid stuff.

You may also know Shigeru Mizuki for his depictions of the insides of monsters, he has books on yokai that have cutaways to their insides to see what they were made of. This depiction of monsters is still strong today as hero costumes, robots and monsters still have cross-sections of what they're made up of. We were kind of surprised at the show that there wasn't an example of this to be found.

When looking hard we did find peep holes, as did many other fans. Mind out of the gutter, however we did find someone bathing, Kitaro's father the eyeball! He likes taking a lot of hot baths i, as to some joke of being an old Japanese man.

Riyoko Iwamoto was the artist of the peep hole art that made patrons take a gander at the four main characters of the GeGeGe no Kitarō anime. "I kind of like the idea of peeping into the world, instead of having it out in the open," Riyoko told me as we watch the co-owner of the gallery peep while showing fans. When we asked about the anime she told us, "Oh, I loved it, I grew up with it." We were then informed by her that the artist, Shigeru Mizuki just died last November and that she felt it was a great time to pay an overseas tribute to him.

Another artist paying tribute to Shigeru Mizuki was Naoshi who depicted a cute scene between Kitaro and the cat girl Neko-Musume sharing an umbrella monster, a Kasa-obake in Japanese folk-lore, in the rain. She was very happy to be part of the show telling us, "Because it's Japanese/ J-Pop culture it's very comfortable to be here." She then went into explaining the anime as she grew up with a incarnation of it in the 80's and 90's too.

As one of the GeGeGe no Kitarō anime played in the background with spooky music and more fans came in the show still seemed to be going strong as we ventured out of the show.

YOKAI: The Horror of Shigeru Mizuki Art Tribute
Now thru-March 20
QPOP 

319 E 2nd st. #121 LA, CA 90012

(213) 687-7767

Co-Owner of QPop, Christopher Mitchell

Pokemon x JapanLA

Check out some video from Michael Midnight from the opening night Pokemon proceedings from Pokemon x JapanLA, going on now.

Pokémon Boutique
JapanLA

7320 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, California 90046

Ends late March

Exclusive Pokemon Party and You Can't Go LA

Nintendo and Drew Barrymore...this already sounds ridiculous. Anyway, the two are celebrating without you with an exclusive Pokemon party in our own Hollywood Hills' Sunset Tower, the penthouse suite even. It all happens this Saturday, which is Pokemon Day, no it's a real day now, because the Internet said so. Who can go? Definitely not you, you have that other event for the common poke-man.


JapanLA x Pokémon Boutique!

Opening : Saturday, Feb 27th , 6pm-10pm

JapanLA

7320 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, California 90046

The Pokémon Boutique is back promoting Pokemon though designer clothing. Opening festivities include trivia contests with prizes, photo booths and of course cosplay.Free Exclusive Pokémon Tote Bag with purchases over $30! (while supplies last)


For the "social media influencers" and some lucky bloggers will get to peruse Pokemon products literally high above us all. They'll meet Pikachu, in costume and get their nails done Pokemon style.

Many questions are to be asked such as:

Why Drew Barrymore?
Why only have a party for a select few, Square Enix ain't playing that card next month with there free event.

We're not sure if this is a Nintendo planned event or a Pokemon Company deal, because frankly it seems dumb to alienate fans like that.

Nintendo rocked with a Splatoon event at the Santa Monica pier last year, fans got t-shirts and got to try out Splatoon near the ocean. It made perfect sense and was great press. The press release going It's a baffling move to not put all the funds into a big Pokemon party for everyone. We're on the same bus as you readers, we want to go too.

The press release doesn't say which company is behind it, just that an brand development agency is.

via Polygon


‪#‎PokemonAfternoonSoiree

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Tickets Go On Sale Monday, Feb 29

Batman or Superman, whomever you're rooting for, the tickets for the film will go up sometime this Monday, Feb 29. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will feature the onscreen battle of Superman and Batman as well as starting off ta connected DC Cinematic Universe. The hype train for this film has gone crazy. Still no word on any special activities for LA residents even with WonderCon in town the weekend it opens.

Regal Cinemas believes you'll want to see it more than once. The Batman v Superman Ultimate Ticket was just reported by comicbook.com and it'll cost you $100. The ticket allows you not unlimited access to the film, but a viewing of the film in any format once per day. Only 1,000 will be sold.Get it here, on the 29th. TTDILA would love to know if these sort of passes ever sell. Theaters did this with Interstellar and a few other films recently.

Superhot Comes Out Today

The brand new shooter where time only flows when you move comes out today. It's clocking in at two hours, but with an experience unlike any shooter you've played before.

Get it here

7th Street Undeground

Isaac Simpson

While researching places where the film Drive took place for an upcoming artcile I found this lovely article on Hobo guides under the 7th Street Bridge (featured in the film Drive)

"Hello," we shout.
"Hello," the man says.
"Hope we're not disturbing you; we just wanted to check it out."
"OK. What do you all do?"
We named our professions - writer, attorney, bartender. He agreed to let us up for $20.
And after that, he became our guide. He helped us in, demonstrating how to maneuver onto a pipe near the railroad ties and pull ourselves up. As we clutched onto the metal bars, he swung them open, propelling us one by one into the interior like tumbling monkeys.
Inside isn't just an atrium. It's his home.

Read the full thing from LA Weekly here.

The Mermaid Is Playing in LA

There's an article up in GQ and a few other sites telling about a Chinese film "The Mermaid," and that you'll have little chance to see it. Luckily, if you're reading this you more than likely live in LA. It's playing quite a few places in town like Santa Monica, Century City, Universal CityWalk and Monterrey Park as of writing this.

It already made $431 million in two weeks in China and we can't tell why from the trailers we've seen. The film comes from director Stephen Chow, who has given us Kung-Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer and looks as crazy as his other work. The plot of a mermaid assassin sent to kill the head of a company ruining the oceans with pollution only seems to be some of the plot that looks like CGI became sentient and decided to write films.

There's a male Ursula, an Octo-man to root for...if you're into that sort of thing. Top half man, bottom half octopus.

If you want to see the film look here or just type Showtimes for The Mermaid into Google.

Fanfilm Awards 2016

Be a fan that enjoys other fans work. While Hollywood makes money off of what a general audience wants these people went a different path. They made films best on their favorite movies and shows including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean and even American Horror Story. You'll have a day to watch these fan films, see who wins and learn how they get made. We kind of want to see the one for Aquaman, "Aquaman: The Cast of the Angler."

Fanfilm Awards 2016

February 27, 2016 11AM - 11PM

L. A. Artcore Brewery Annex

660 N. Avenue 21, Los Angeles, CA 90031

$10 - General Admission (online)

Admission allows an attendance to one screening or reading of choice, followed by a panel of that show.

$15 - General Admission (at door)

Admission allows an attendance to one screening or reading of choice, followed by a panel of that show.

$45 - Patron's Admission

Admission allows an attendance to all screenings, readings, and panels.

**Come in Cosplay and receive 15% off door price**