Planet Comicon Special Guest Announcement | Ric Flair

Ric Flair, also known as Nature Boy, is a professional wrestling manager and retired professional wrestler signed to WWE under its Legends program.

Considered by many to be the greatest professional wrestler of all time, he has cultivated a legacy over a career that spans 40 years. Flair is noted for his tenures with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Since the mid-1970s, he has used the moniker the “Nature Boy”.

Ric Flair is officially recognized by WWE and Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) as a 16-time world champion (eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and two-time WWF Champion), although the actual number of his world championship reigns varies by source, ranging from 16 to 25. As of December 2016, Flair is the fastest to come off debut and win WWE’s World Championship. A major pay-per-view attraction throughout his career, Flair main-evented the premier annual NWA/WCW event, Starrcade, on ten occasions; he also co-headlined its WWF counterpart, WrestleMania, in 1992. PWI awarded Flair their Wrestler of the Year award a record six times, while Wrestling Observer Newsletter named Ric Flair as the Wrestler of the Year (an award named after him and Lou Thesz) on a record of nine occasions. The only two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee in history, first inducted in 2008 for his individual career and for a second time in 2012 as a member of The Four Horsemen, Ric Flair is also an NWA Hall of Famer. In WCW, he also had two stints as a booker: from 1989–1990 and again in 1994.

Ric Flair was the first titleholder of both the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (as well as the final holder of the latter title). In being the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, he also became the first WCW’s Triple Crown Champion, having already held the United States Heavyweight and World Tag Team Championships. He then completed WWE’s version of the Triple Crown when he won the Intercontinental Championship, after already holding the WWF Championship and the World Tag Team Championship. Using the officially recognized totals (by WWE and PWI) of 16 world championships and six United States Heavyweight Championship reigns, Flair has won a total of 31 different major championships between the NWA, WCW, and WWF/WWE, with numerous regional titles also to his credit.

Planet Comicon Special Guest Announcement | Kevin Eastman

Co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, publisher of Heavy Metal

Kevin Eastman is a comic book artist and writer best known as the co-creator the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird. He is also the publisher of the Heavy Metal magazine.

Eastman and Laird self-published the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1984. They picked the company name Mirage Studios because, Eastman said, “there wasn’t an actual studio, only kitchen tables and couches with lap boards.” By September 1985, their first issue had received three additional printings. The comic book was extremely popular. The later television show and movies cemented the Turtles as one of the most popular pop culture franchises ever.

Eastman was a long-time fine of the fantasy magazine Heavy Metal. Eastman purchased the magazine in January 1992, revitalizing it with a new editorial vision. Eastman sold the magazine in January 2014. Eastman continues to serve as publisher and investor in the magazine.

That's Not a Christmas Movie!!

Merry Christmas nerds and nerdettes and welcome to another post by your favorite bearded nerd! As Christmas looms just around the corner, televisionsaround the world are swamped with your typical Christmas time movies. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and all the classics shown five to six times a week. There's some of us, though, that get a little tired of the classics and want something a little more....unconventional. While timeless classics like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story and Home Alone are on my "must watch" list, there are others that aren't considered Christmas movies that I have to make sure to catch in order for it to be a Merry Christmas.

 

Batman Returns

What better way to start the list than with Batman himself. When you think Christmas movies, Batman doesn't come to mind for most. In Batman Returns, Christmas seems to be the harbinger of evil. The Cobblepot's throw their deformed infant son into the Gotham River, where it floats to the abandoned Gotham Zoo and is found by penguins. After many years of hiding in the sewars, The Penguin makes his appearance. And when does this happen? Christmas time!

 

Gremlins

There are three rules you must abide by when dealing with Mogwai. Never expose them to bright lights or sunlight, never let them get wet, and never feed them after midnight. Gizmo is a gift to Billy, who tries to follow the rules as best he can. Leave it to your friends for things to go wrong when water is spilled onto Gizmo and five more mogwai spawn off his back. These Mogwai aren't as friendly as Gizmo. They trick Billy into feeding them after midnight, after which they turn into, you guessed it, Gremlins. They wreck havoc on the town, hurting and even KILLING people in humorous ways (the rocket stair lift comes to mind), until none other than Gizmo defeats the Gremlins. So if you have trouble with toys not working correctly or other things go wrong on Christmas day, check every room and under every bed, because there may just be a Gremlin in your house.

 

Ironman 3

Bet you forgot about this one. Lord knows I've tried. While this film relied a bit more on thriller elements, it didn't lack in action with the huge Iron Fleet battle scene. All of this set on a Christmas time backdrop does bump it onto the list. While Tony deals with PTSD after what occured in The Avengers, it sorta lends to some of the stresses the season can bring on some through the holidays.

 

Leathal Weapon

I know you didn't think of this one since it's set in sunny California with its palm trees, beaches and babes in bikini's. This buddy-cop classic IS set with a Christmas backdrop. The Murtaugh's home nicely decorated, Christmas tree placed infront of the big picture window. Just in time for a squad car to come crashing into the living room, destroying any decorations in its path. Gives new meaning to "arose such a clatter", huh?

 

Die Hard

C'mon. Did you honestly think I would leave Die Hard off the list? John McClane, Hans Grubber, Nakatomi Plaza...do I really need to go into this one at all? "Now I have a machine gun. Ho Ho Ho."

And there you have it folks! My unconventional Christmas movie list! What are some of your not-so-Christmas Christmas movies you have to watch? Sound off in the comments section!