Fanboys Anonymous

We're back with another unboxing video from SuperHeroStuff.com to celebrate the release of the Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 6th. This edition of the HeroBox is the Spider-Man: Box of Spiders Radioactive Arachnid Edition!

With Spider-Man: Homecoming hitting theaters this July it only seems appropriate that our newest box pay homage to the AMAZING, the SPECTACULAR, the REBOOTABLE Spider-Man!

The box is overflowing with mystery items featuring Peter Parker's webbed-exploits from the past 55 years! Watch out...we're filling the box with Spiders that may or may not be radioactive!

The box is limited to 300 and is broken down into two editions depending on your level of needed awesomeness. The Radioactive Arachnid Edition Edition is priced at $69 has a value over $100, while the Arachnid Edition is priced at $49 and has a value of $70. Below is a breakdown of what’s in each edition.

Every Box Includes...

A superhero t-shirt
Spiders (maybe even a radioactive one!)
Outerwear like a hoodie, jacket, or fleece.
Web crawling apparel like socks and underwear
Friendly neighborhood accessories like buttons, keychains, magnets, and wallets.

If you want to get in on the fun and reserve yourself some cool stuff for next month, place your order at SuperHeroStuff HeroBox and use the code 15-HERO-BOX to save 15% off your order of $40+.

Thanks again to SuperHeroStuff for sending this our way!

LGBTQ themes have been historically omitted in mainstream media, particularly within comics, though representation has been steadily increasing since the 1990s. However, several steadfast tropes have often left members of the marginalized community lacking proper portrayal.

Green Lantern, Earth 2

As Pride History Month fills June with rainbows and glitter from parades and LGBT-centric events, comic writers are at work writing stories that both universally inspires and entertains readers with the extra goal of reaching at least one that says, "This is me."

Sexuality and gender identity has had an upwards battle throughout the years, and it wasn't until 1989 were lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans* characters even allowed in print. The comic book industry began in the 1930s, though between the early 1950s to the end of the '80s, mainstream American comic book publishers established rules against portraying LGBT characters, enforced by the Comics Code Authority. As a private company overlooking from within, it doesn't necessarily fringe on the First Amendment and publishers weren't required to follow the rules, though you wouldn't have seen a same-sex superhero kiss yet.

During the LGBT Voices In Comics panel at Orlando's MegaCon, panelists and audience members held a creative open discussion on how to write LGBT characters into storylines. With representation of queer characters almost invisible and LGBT people of color even further marginalized, a common undertone remains. Too often, gay and lesbian characters are featured as supporting figures in stories, with transgender and non-binary people having far less inclusivity.

You may have seen several not-so-subtle tropes throughout mainstream media—from the "gay best friend" that appears to only be useful for fashion advice, to sexualizing primarily lesbian couples—but other common themes feature dominant, gay, caucasian men with a submissive minority husband and using the death of an LGBT character to progress the story plot without the significant need for it.

LGBT Voices in Comics panelist, Tana Ford (Silk), interjected that queer characters are often used as fodder to the story, quickly being killed off as means of plot progression. "Stop killing us!" she said exasperated.

Sadly, it is a story arch that is painfully not far from reality and not isolated to media. Last year, 49 LGBT partygoers were fatally shot and 53 more were injured in a mass shooting at the popular Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Following the shooting, a group of over 300 comic writers and artists came together in a unique comic anthology co-published by DC and IDW. Love is Love contains a heartfelt message while both honoring the victims, supporting the survivors, and celebrating the LGBTQ community. Over $165,000 in sales were donated to Equality Florida, a non-profit organization dedicated to the social justice and equality of the LGBT community in Florida, according to the Washington Post.

MegaCon Orlando paid tribute throughout the weekend, hosting a gallery space featuring art from the project and a Love is Love fundraising event in honor of the victims. The cocktail reception and book signing included comic talent Tom King, Scott Snyder, Phil Jimenez, and others.

While Ford actively breaks ground by focusing on tearing down barriers and the stigma of mental health, showing Cindy Moon in several therapy sessions, it also features two of Cindy's co-workers in a romantic relationship.

"I am a person that writes and draws authentic queer lesbian characters for fun and pleasure, and I also get to do representation inside the pages of Silk, and I think that there's value there," Ford said.

Possibly one of the most well-known queer characters, Batwoman drew widespread attention after the redheaded Kate Kane was outed in 2006 when it was revealed that she was the former lover of Gotham detective, Renee Montoya. Although the New52 erased many narratives and the wedding between Kane and her longterm girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, was cancelled, the pair can be seen together in DC's Bombshells comic.

DC Comics continues to uphold its stance on representation with the inclusion of bisexual villains such as Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and Aqualad coming out as gay, though the far less representation of trans characters remain. A single issue of Batgirl changed the dynamic, featuring best friend Alysia Yeoh marrying her longtime girlfriend, Jo. Alysia came out as trans in 2013 and has remained a strong supporting character for Barbara Gordon.

Last year DC delivered another new narrative, delivering critical acclaim with Wonder Woman: Earth One. Aside from her BDSM undertones, much has been argued on the Amazon Princess' sexuality, and comic creator Greg Rucka confirmed that she is in fact bisexual. Inspired from the legalization of same-sex marriage, Australian writer, Jason Badower, presented Wonder Woman as an officiator of gay marriage in Sensation Comics #48. Her big-screen debut last week doesn't dive into her sexuality, but we can assume that DC's continuity of representation is not far from gone.

Although lacking in comparison, Marvel Comics doesn't stray from its diversity, most recently seen in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four. X-men has essentially been a metaphor for accepting who you are, regardless of how others view you, so with Iceman portrayed as gay and the lesser-known mutant, Karma, a lesbian, representation is everything.

As more queer characters are being written, Ford exclaims, "I am so excited about gay Iceman. For me, he's always going to be gay Iceman, and not just like, Bobby Drake just so happens to be gay. It is important to me that one of the foundational members of the X-Men comes out as gay."

Where representation in comics still has much room to grow, it seems as though DC is at the forefront of the LGBT movement off the page. In 2015, the MCU portrayed a queer character on Jessica Jones, a few years behind DCTV establishing Sara Lance as bisexual. Known as the Black Canary (Arrow) and later the White Canary (Legends of Tomorrow), she initially formed a romantic relationship with Nyssa al Ghul during the second season episode "Heir to the Demon" on Arrow. Legends of Tomorrow showrunners further explored her sexuality in "Night of the Hawk" and "River of Time."

As the longest-running LGBT character in DCTV, Sara is not alone. The Flash and Supergirl both feature gay and lesbian characters respectively, with Supergirl introducing detective Maggie Sawyer in Season 2.

LGBT narratives in comics, film, and television are extremely important, especially for queer youth who are at the most vulnerable stages and require a sense of validation. Stemming from comics, television, and film, cosplay has often been a way to immerse oneself in fandoms, allowing many to cross-play in a free and accepting community.

One transgender cosplayer at MegaCon that goes by Cinder Venus, has found solace within the cosplay community, though coming out was a tough experience.

"A year and a half ago I went to the Center, I was in boy-mode, and I was kind of researching and finding resources for me to come out, and I was basically insulted by saying I was 'not gay enough, I wasn't 'trans enough," she said.

According to Cinder, she was not recommended a counselor and was forced to go through nine different therapists, paying a high cost for lack of insurance and unknowingly going under conversion therapy for two months.

"I've always loved superheroes," she said. "I love the difference of heroes, especially when I saw female heroes such as Batgirl or Super Woman, I just admired them so much."

Starting as a photographer at conventions, she slowly began to gender-bend cosplay favorite anime characters such as the tomboyish character from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Becoming more comfortable with herself, she began to cosplay primarily female characters, crediting cosplay for being a huge support in her transition.

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the hits and misses of The Mummy from the Dark Universe series.

What were the positives and negatives of 2017's The Mummy? Did it live up to the hype or was it a disappointment?

Check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and tell us your thoughts on The Mummy in the comments below!

Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, The Mummy is given as full of a spoiler-free review as possible in under 60 seconds.

Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe and leave your comments on what you thought of The Mummy!

Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in the modern era, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

On the latest edition of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, host Tony Mango breaks down the hits and misses of Wonder Woman.

What were the positives and negatives of Wonder Woman? Did it live up to the hype or was it a disappointment?

Check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe and tell us your thoughts on Wonder Woman in the comments below!

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

On the latest edition of Minute Man Reviews hosted by Tony Mango, Wonder Woman is given as full of a spoiler-free review as possible in under 60 seconds.

Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe and leave your comments on what you thought of Wonder Woman!

Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that's raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

Welcome to another edition of 6 Flicks Picks, wherein I list all of the upcoming films that are scheduled to be released in the United States for the month which is about to begin and break down which ones I'll be watching in theaters, which ones I'll wait to rent at home, and which ones I'll be skipping out on entirely. After going through the list, I'll choose which six films stand out to me as the ones I want to see the most, even if there are more or less than six that interest me.

Note: The list below is based primarily off the expanded nationwide USA release dates on IMDB as well as some other random outlets if possible, so some information may be different. If I am missing some of the limited releases or the dates conflict in some fashion, please let me know in the comments below and any adjustments and corrections will be made!

Without further ado, another new month means another new set of films, so what's coming soon to theaters in June 2017?

Wonder Woman

Synopsis: Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.

Will I watch? = Yes

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Synopsis: Two overly imaginative pranksters named George and Harold, hypnotize their principal into thinking he's a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero named Captain Underpants.

Will I watch? = No

Dean

Synopsis: A comedy about loss, grief and the redemptive power of love, Dean is an NY illustrator who falls hard for an LA woman while trying to prevent his father from selling the family home in the wake of his mother's death.

Will I watch? = Maybe

3 Idiotas

Synopsis: A group of friends embark on a fun adventure determined to find a college roommate who disappeared without a trace on graduation day.

Will I watch? = No

Past Life

Synopsis: Past Life tracks the daring late 1970s odyssey of two sisters - an introverted classical musician and a rambunctious scandal sheet journalist - as they unravel a shocking wartime mystery that has cast a dark shadow on their entire lives.

Will I watch? = No

Band Aid

Synopsis: A couple who can't stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage: turning their fights into songs and starting a band.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Vincent N Roxxy

Synopsis: A small town loner and a rebellious punk rocker unexpectedly fall in love as they are forced on the run and soon discover violence follows them everywhere.

Will I watch? = Maybe


The Mummy

Synopsis: An ancient princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Will I watch? = Yes

Megan Leavey

Synopsis: Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.

Will I watch? = No

It Comes at Night

Synopsis: Secure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son, but this will soon be put to test when a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Hero

Synopsis: An ailing movie star comes to terms with his past and mortality.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Beatriz at Dinner

Synopsis: A holistic medicine practitioner attends a wealthy client's dinner party after her car breaks down.

Will I watch? = No

My Cousin Rachel

Synopsis: A young Englishman plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

Will I watch? = No


Cars 3

Synopsis: Lightning McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of racers that he's still the best race car in the world.

Will I watch? = No

Rough Night

Synopsis: A group of friends are horrified when the male stripper they hired for a wild bachelorette party in Miami winds up dead.

Will I watch? = Maybe

All Eyez on Me

Synopsis: Tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur.

Will I watch? = No

47 Meters Down

Synopsis: Two sisters vacationing in Mexico are trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With less than an hour of oxygen left and great white sharks circling nearby, they must fight to survive.

Will I watch? = No

The Book of Henry

Synopsis: Sometimes things are not always what they seem, especially in the small suburban town where the Carpenter family lives. Single suburban mother Susan Carpenter works as a waitress at a diner, alongside feisty family friend Sheila. Her younger son Peter is a playful 8-year-old. Taking care of everyone and everything in his own unique way is Susan's older son Henry, age 11. Protector to his adoring younger brother and tireless supporter of his often self-doubting mother - and, through investments, of the family as a whole - Henry blazes through the days like a comet. Susan discovers that the family next door, which includes Henry's kind classmate Christina, has a dangerous secret - and that Henry has devised a surprising plan to help. As his brainstormed rescue plan for Christina takes shape in thrilling ways, Susan finds herself at the center of it.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Maudie

Synopsis: An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.

Will I watch? = No

I, Daniel Blake

Synopsis: After having suffered a heart-attack, a 59-year-old carpenter must fight the bureaucratic forces of the system in order to receive Employment and Support Allowance.

Will I watch? = No

The Journey

Synopsis: A fictional account of the extraordinary story of two implacable enemies in Northern Ireland - firebrand Democratic Unionist Party leader Paisley and Sinn Fein politician Martin McGuinness - who are forced to take a short journey together in which they will take the biggest leap of faith and change the course of history.

Will I watch? = No


Transformers: The Last Knight

Synopsis: Humans and Transformers are at war, Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past, in the hidden history of Transformers on Earth.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The Big Sick

Synopsis: A couple deals with their cultural differences as their relationship grows.

Will I watch? = No

The Beguiled

Synopsis: At a girls' school in Virginia during the Civil War, where the young women have been sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier is taken in. Soon, the house is taken over with sexual tension, rivalries, and an unexpected turn of events.

Will I watch? = No

The Bad Batch

Synopsis: A dystopian love story in a Texas wasteland and set in a community of cannibals.

Will I watch? = Maybe


Despicable Me 3

Synopsis: Gru meets his twin brother Dru he never knew about.

Will I watch? = No

The House

Synopsis: A dad convinces his friends to start an illegal casino in his basement after he and his wife spend their daughter's college fund.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Baby Driver

Synopsis: After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Will I watch? = Maybe

Amityville: The Awakening

Synopsis: A single mother moves her three children into a haunted house, unaware of its bloody history.

Will I watch? = No

13 Minutes

Synopsis: In November 1939, Georg Elser's attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler fails, and he is arrested. During his confinement, he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action.

Will I watch? = No

The Little Hours

Synopsis: A young servant fleeing from his master takes refuge at a convent full of emotionally unstable nuns in the middle ages.

Will I watch? = Maybe

The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography

Synopsis: A look at the life and work of photographer Elsa Dorfman.

Will I watch? = No


Which films make the cut?

Honorable Mentions: While I don't think I'll actually watch all of the movies which are in the Maybe category, I do think it's worth mentioning them here just for the positive vibes. It Comes at Night, The Bad Batch, Dean, Vincent N Roxxy, The Hero, The Little Hours and even Band Aid to a certain extent all made me interested enough to put it on my temporary list before I sorted out the final six (well, seven). Out of those honorable mentions, the one that I'd rank closest to making the cut would be either Vincent N Roxxy or The Bad Batch which mostly get the nod because I'm not too sure what I'm in store for with those movies.

6. The Book of Henry — To be honest, the first half of this trailer where the kid is gifted and it just seemed like a standard drama had me more intrigued than the more thriller aspect of it which came out of nowhere. Still, just because it looks different and I admire their balls for switching it up mid-trailer, it gets a spot on the list.

5. Rough Night / The House — Honestly, I can't decide between these two for which gets this spot. They both look about on par with each other in terms of whether or not I'd like them, and they have the same target audience, same genre, everything. Both could have some big laughs or they could be those types of movies that fall flat with me even though someone out there will consider it their favorite film of all time. Let's find out.

4. Baby Driver — I'm not a big Edgar Wright guy. I know a lot of people absolutely love everything he does, but his style isn't a guaranteed hit for me just by default, so I'm not going into this with the same sort of fervor most people would. Despite this, the film did catch my eye, and the more positive word of mouth I hear, the more it becomes a solidified thing I want to check out.

3. Transformers: The Last Knight — Uuuugggghhhhhh I really liked the first one, but the second was bad, the third wasn't much of an improvement, and the fourth was fucking awful. I'm probably going to end up seeing this, though, aren't I? What a waste of $20. Damn it. I hate myself.

2. The Mummy — Already bought my tickets, even though this doesn't look particularly amazing. These characters aren't something I'm the biggest fan of, but the concept of bringing them all together in a crossover film scope is interesting, so I figured I'd support its first endeavor. If this film sucks, then I probably won't bother with the rest.

1. Wonder Woman — Already bought my tickets for this, too, but I legitimately want to see this more than anything else. I don't get why there's such a big stigma about how men aren't going to watch a female-driven superhero film. It's Wonder Woman, for God's sake, and just because I'm a dude, I'm instantly going to have zero interest in a movie because the lead protagonist isn't a guy? Insane. I think this movie looks awesome and I hope it's the best DC film yet.