Compete to reach Dracula’s Castle and be the first to defeat the Count to win! Or, play without the Dracula’s Castle overlay and play as Dracula instead, using the enigmatic “Fanged Toad” as the antagonist. This expansion also introduces Ongoing Event cards which bring unique challenges to the table. Includes 3 Character cards, 1 Dracula reference card, 30 Spell and Adventure cards, 1 board overlay, 4 figures, and rule book. It is designed for 2-6 players, ages 12+and requires Talisman: 5th edition which is sold separately. 

I have enjoyed playing Talisman: 5th edition which is the latest version of the classic board game. There have been two other expansions, Talisman Alliances: Fate Beckons, and Talisman Nemesis: Call of the Hunt. Now Talisman Sagas: Crown of Blood adds a whole new story to the series. I am really looking forward to playing this new expansion when it releases on June 15th, 2026. The suggested retail price will be $19.99. 

Convention season is upon us and nothing turns my creative juices more than figuring out what to wear. Since conventions are a multi-day event and involve more walking than Frodo and Sam on their way to Mordor, comfort is key. BoxLunch recently released a new line of character-themed jerseys that fit the bill and some double as character-bounding attire.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Quality and Comfort

I was sent the Disney Princess Belle Women’s Cropped Baseball Jersey (BoxLunch Exclusive) to try out. The material breathes well and it felt like something that would pair nicely with a Florida summer day.

The women’s style jerseys are modest crop tops, with enough length to feel comfortable without exposing too much. I still wear a tank top underneath mine because I prefer a layered look.

When it comes to sizing, I normally wear a large in women’s tops; however, I was able to comfortably wear a medium in the Belle baseball jersey. Make sure to check your measurements before ordering.

Each character in the line is well represented in the overall aesthetics. Belle has a patch on her shoulder that says, “Beauty is found within,” and the number on the back represents the year the animated movie hit theaters. It’s the little details that make the design come together.

How to Style It for Casual Cosplay

Now, to the important part. How to style this so you can walk the convention comfortably, but still in character.

Any of the jerseys go well with neutral pants and a t-shirt, but if you want to feel like you put in more effort and maybe get stopped for a photo or two, here are two recommendations I have to style the baseball jersey.

A League of Their Own Inspired

If you want to go old-school Hollywood baseball Belle (or any of the other women’s baseball characters), you can achieve it by using the same outfit formula found in the classic movie, A League of Their Own.

To pull off the look, you will need a skirt and knee-high tights/socks in the main color featured on the jersey, a baseball hat and shoes in the color of the trim, and, if you so desire, a matching tank top or undershirt.

For Belle, it would look something like this:

Mini Skater Skirt in Turmeric (Amazon, $17)

Thigh High Socks in Wine Red (Amazon, $6)

Baseball cap in Mustard Yellow or Wine Red (Amazon, $15)

Sneakers – Any pair in a matching color that you find comfortable will work. I think wine red or mustard yellow works well with the colors on the jersey.

Casual Baseball Player Inspired

If you’d rather go a bit more casual, get a pair of cargo capri pants and shoes in the main color featured on the jersey, a baseball hat and socks in the color of the trim, and an optional matching tank top or undershirt. Belle’s ensemble would look something like this:

Cargo Capri Pants in Wine Red (Amazon, $32)

Baseball cap in Mustard Yellow or Wine Red (Amazon, $15)

Gold socks (Amazon, $7) – Wear these folded down or pulled up.

Sneakers – I think a pair in a matching color that you find comfortable will work. Personally, I’d go with the opposite color of whatever hat you go with.

Optional Final Touches

If you really want to pull the look together, but don’t have the hair length to do it, check out this Belle-inspired wig. It’s the same one I’ve used for my Jedi Belle cosplay and it holds up pretty well and was easy-ish to style with no experience.

Props are always fun and if you can find someone who does wood burning/engraving, getting a bat with either Belle’s or Beast’s name on it would be a fun addition.

If you need a bag, I suggest a crossbody with a baseball theme. A backpack is my go to style, but in this case it might cover up too much of the outfit. 

Final Inning

No matter if you go full cosplay, “character-bounding,” or casual, BoxLunch character-themed sports jerseys are a fun way to represent a favorite character without going canon. At around $49 each (prices vary based on character and design), you can do a different one each day with basic stuff in your closet or relatively inexpensive attire found at a thrift shop or Amazon. I like that they are breathable for those hot convention days and easy to clean (toss in the wash and forget). Represent your favorite fandom and sport in one shot. 

If you are looking for a fun, casual cosplay (or last-minute idea), check out BoxLunch’s Exclusive selection of character sport attire. They have a wide range of characters and sizes in men’s and women’s styles available.

Shop online or find a store in your area to find your next convention look today.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received a review sample.

When a new Patrick Ness book comes along, it’s always exciting. When that book is in the Chaos Walking universe, it’s more thrilling still.

Enter Piper at the Gates of Dusk, a new book by Patrick Ness, set, yes, you’ve guessed it, in the Chaos Walking universe.

Do I need to read the Chaos Walking books first?

Probably.

I read the Chaos Walking books when they first came out. I had very small children at the time, and while I definitely enjoyed them, my parent brain hasn’t allowed me to retain very much information about them. Indeed, reading The Piper at the Gates of Dusk has me wondering whether I can find time in the schedule to reread them. – Answer, probably not, but I feel like I should do it anyway.

The key thing is that I remembered many of the key concepts, particularly those outlined in the Knife of Never Letting Go. The plot backfill in The Piper is fine; you don’t need to remember all (any) of the details for the original trilogy’s storyline, but I do think that familiarity with the Chaos Walking world will be beneficial.

What Is Piper at the Gates of Dusk?

 My proof copy doesn’t mention that this is the first book in a new series. This is definitely something to be aware of, because as the book hurtled towards its final pages, it became increasingly clear that the story wasn’t going to be complete. It ends with quite the cliffhanger.

Piper introduces us to two new characters, Max and Ben, the sons of Todd and Viola.

Life has carried on with an uneasy peace between the humans and “The Land,” but there are factions within the human enclave that are agitating for a less cooperative arrangement. This gives rise to one thread of the novel, which is deftly handled by Ness.

The power of silken words and manipulation. The use of lies, the stoking of fears and utilising misinformation to “other” a group of people for political gain. In this case, the Land.

Much of this fake news centres around the strange dreams that all of the children have been having. All of the children, that is, except Ben.

The “Noise” from the Chaos Walking books has been eradicated from the men of the world, and yet the children have started hearing it again in their dreams.

If that wasn’t enough, huge fiery “gods” have started appearing in the wilderness and abducting children; snatching them, jumping into water and disappearing.

The Land have also discovered that an asteroid (spaceship) is heading towards the planet too. Are the two things connected? Through the ancient dreamscape of The Land, we learn that they are, but what exactly are they here for, and where are the children going?

Why Read Piper at the Gates of Dusk?

If you would like to pick up a copy of Piper at the Gates of Dusk, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. This review also appears (in a slightly different form) on my own blog PotsandPlots.

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

Click to view slideshow.

I spent all four days at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida, this year doing panels, the vendor floor, Artist Alley, and checking out amazing cosplay. The event was bigger than ever this year, with more celebrities than I could keep up with, fandom-specific areas (Lorcana game, anyone?), and something for all ages on the main floor. Brendon Fraiser told some great stories (“I’m Chewbacca…“.) and I heard the Clone Wars panel got a little “spicy.” 

If you’re planning to go next year, here’s a little insight into how to plan your trip, what I loved, and what I hope changes a little for 2027. 

The 4-Day Breakdown: Pick Your Battle

MegaCon is not like anything else. There are more panels than Gandolf can shake his staff at, celebrities (each with their own schedule), games, speciality merchandise, and more. If you want to see it all, go all four days. If you can only make it one or two days, though, pick your quest:

• Thursday: Best for shopping and lower stress, but can have less going on in terms of panels and celebrity access.
• Friday: Balanced with decent crowds and access to panels and celebrity opps.
• Saturday: High-level chaos, biggest day for show-stopping cosplay. Expect high crowds, intense traffic, and a high-energy vibe all around.
• Sunday: Can be slower and it’s a good day for last-minute shopping, but not as much going on in terms of panels and celebrity stuff.

If crowds are the main villain in your story, avoid Saturday.

Navigation – Easier Than Previous Years

Vendor floor layout felt confusing at first, but once my brain understood what was going on, I realized it worked.

The biggest weak point on the floor this year was signage. We need more than just overhead aisle banners. End cap markers with “booths X – X” would be nice. They did this for Artist Alley and it helped a great deal when it came to returning to a booth later in the convention.

Pro tip: If you want to find a booth again, take photos like you’re documenting a crime scene:

• Item you’re interested in
• Booth name
• Booth number
• Aisle view

This helps me find my way back 90% of the time.

Navigating the rest of the convention relied on knowing which room the panel or event was in, and then it was just a matter of turning left or right when you left the vendor floor. East/West is straightforward in its layout, which is why I prefer it over the North/South concourse for MegaCon. It’s also easier for those with accessibility needs to get around. 

Panels: High Energy, Packed Rooms

Panels delivered this year, especially when the MCs understood the audience and how to control a crowd. My standout panels were: The Mummy reunion and Halloween Horror Nights. They both had great pacing and the MC knew how to run the show.

I did not attend The Lord of the Rings reunion panel or the special events celebrating the 25th anniversary, but the people who did attend couldn’t stop talking about it. I wish I had at least spent the money on the Second Breakfast. 

It would be an injustice to The Transformers panel if I didn’t mention Frank Welker doing his impression of a Beverly Hills watchdog…what made this so fun was that he did it next to the sign language interpreter.

Pro Tip: If there is an additional cost for sitting up close/early entry to a panel that is on your “must attend” list, go ahead and pay it. Otherwise, if they have open seating, get in line at least one hour ahead of time. This prevents you from missing out on something you want to see and avoids the disappointment of not getting in for open seating. It also opens you up for enjoying the convention more instead of standing in lines.

Vendor Floor: Massive, Fun, But Showing Growing Pains

We talked about the layout of the convention as a whole. Now, let’s dive into the vendor floor by itself. The vendor floor is where I live at conventions, and Megacon does it right; unfortunately, a few cracks in the execution are starting to show.

What worked:

• Nice selection
• Artist Alley expanded
• Appeared to be something for every fandom
• It wasn’t hard to find items that are trending in pop culture right now.

What didn’t:

• Way too many of the same 3D printed items (keypad clickers were at every booth that had 3D printed items)
• Drop shippers marking up obvious mass-produced items (or vendors claiming they made something when a quick Google search tells you they didn’t)
• Repetitive styles in Artist Alley

If you’re new to the convention, some of this probably won’t bother you. To someone who has been attending for over 13 years, it’s a weak point that’s becoming hard to ignore.

A shout-out to my favorite vendors. Paisley ‘n Polka Dots sold engraved high-quality tumblers, hats, and wallets.

Megs Mashables was in attendance, and I was really happy to get a Snurtle and a selfie with Meg herself. I love watching Meg’s TikTok videos when I should be sleeping at 1 AM.

The Quiet Room: The Biggest Miss This Year

Last year, the quiet room was run by a different organization and it was awesome. They had free fidgets, coloring, and plenty of room to support the crowds. They actually had two, one on each side of the convention.

This year, someone else took over and it was frustrating. On Friday, I went in tired and overwhelmed with a migraine starting to form. When I went into the room, they had colored glow cubes on each table and on the floor. They also hosted meditation and yoga classes throughout the day. It wasn’t a truly quiet and stimulation-free space. It had its own stimulations that made it feel less like a quiet space and more like just another environment at the convention.

Parking & Survival Tips

If you are driving, arrive one hour before the convention opens and be prepared to be in traffic an hour after it closes.

In 2027, MegaCon will be on the same side as this year, the East/West concourse (aka the “old side” to locals). Don’t park at the East/West garage unless you enjoy sitting in traffic. It will become your side quest for the evening.

The Destination Garage was pretty easy to get into, but getting out was a nightmare if you left with the crowds. My suggestion is to try for the North/South concourse lot and walk.

If you can swing it, even if you’re local, I strongly suggest getting a hotel and walking. This helps avoid the stress of the traffic and lets you enjoy the convention the longest without worrying about sitting in your car trying to get home.

Final Verdict: Planning for 2027

MegaCon 2026 was a success, with more celebrities than I could keep up with, panels for every fandom, and a vendor floor that made my credit card cry. The independent artists brought their strongest game and I walked away with more than one new addition to my collection. My favorite treasure from the convention is my new Apothecary Diaries acrylic stand of the “frog scene” (if you know you know) and the new friends I made with a few of the vendors. 

MegaCon 2027 will be May 20 – 23 at the Orange County Convention Center East/West concourse. I’m already planning my cosplays (and my hotel). See you there!

Disclaimer: GeekDad was given a media badge to attend this event.

Michael Moorcock’s classic Eternal Champion, Hawkmoon, has been reworked into a new graphic novel series by Jérmôme Le Gris and Benoît Dellac. Two volumes are currently available: The Black Jewel and The Battle of Kamarg, which publishes as this review goes live.

The books rework the action from the middle section of the first History of the Runestaff novel, the Jewel in the Skull. Hawkmoon was my favourite Moorcock character when I read the novels back in the early 90s, so I was keen to see what this adaptation would bring.

What Is Hawkmoon?

Despite remembering that I very much enjoyed the Runestaff books, I’m surprised by just how much I’d forgotten about them. So much so, I have gone back and read Jewel in the Skull, so that I can validly compare the original novel and these two volumes of Hawkmoon.

Dorian Hawkmoon lives in a world with a Europe that resembles ours; for a start, he’s the Duke of Köln. This mythical Europe has fantastical engines, eldritch sorcery, and a diabolical evil empire called Granbretan (capital Londra). As the novel opens, Hawkmoon is captured by General Meliadus, a member of the Granbretan high command.

Meladius has also fallen out with Count Brass, the formidable warlord and ruler of Kamarg. Meliadus wishes to take Kamarg, humble Count Brass, and marry his daughter Yisselda. He swears on the mythical Runestaff that he will reduce Kamarg to ash – but while the Runestaff will be important in later instalments, it barely features in these first two volumes.

Meliadus sends Hawkmoon to capture Yisselda and return with her, so that they can marry. How can he compel Hawkmoon, a sworn enemy, to do so? By use of the infernal black jewel that the sorcerers of Granbretan have embedded in Hawkmoon’s head. This allows the captains of Granbretan to see everything Hawkmoon is doing. If he puts a foot wrong, they can release the power of the jewel to kill him by dissolving his brain.

The bulk of these books follows what happens once Meladius has released the captive Hawkmoon, and he travels to Kamarg with treachery, if not in his heart, then at least at the center of his forehead.

Why Read Hawkmoon?

These adaptations are fairly faithful to the original source material, though I was surprised by how much, despite The Jewel in the Skull being a short novel, is left out by the graphic novels. It highlights the differences between the two media. If The Jewel in the Skull was so light on detail, it would be a bland novel. What The Black Jewel and The Battle of Kamarg have, of course, are illustrations.

The artwork in these books is excellent. It fits the mood of Moorcock’s books perfectly. There are a few minor plot differences, more in how things happen, rather than what happens. The story is substantively the same, with some changes made, I assume to make the action more decisive, and the decision points more immediate. The tone of the graphic novels very much befits the original novel, the alternate-world and what we would now call “grimdark” elements are all there.

Mostly, the text is fine, the story whips along. My one small complaint is that both books use the phrase “Raised to the ground” when it should be “razed.” I’d have let one use pass without comment, but two felt like it needed to be mentioned.

I enjoyed reading both the novel and the graphic interpretations. I can’t wait to look forward to reading more. The Battle of Kamarg ends at the same point as The Jewel in the Skull’s Book 2. I assume in the next volume of Hawkmoon we will meet Oladahn and the Knight of Jet and Gold (who does make a sneaky appearance in the graphic novels, so look out for him). I am both looking forward to more Hawkmoon, and reacquainting myself with yet more Moorcock in the second part of the History of the Runestaff – The Mad God’s Amulet.

If you’re a fan of Dorian Hawkmoon, I think you’ll enjoy these new interpretations. If you’ve never read any, then whether you pick these novels, graphic or prose, you’re in for a treat.

If you would like to pick up a copy of The Black Jewel, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. You’ll find part 2, The Battle of Kamarg, here, in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

The Epomaker RT82 (retail price $85.99) caught my eye with the retro TV in the upper right of the keyboard. As a child of the ’90s, it immediately reminded me of the computers I learned on growing up. I was eager to understand what its purpose was and how it could add to the use of the keyboard.

Specs

• Layout: 75% compact layout (no numpad)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless dongle, USB-C wired
• Battery: 4000mAh rechargeable
• Battery life: Up to 115 hours (screen and lighting off)
• Keycaps: PBT
• Lighting: Customizable RGB
• Switches: Hot-swappable
• Screen: Detachable mini display for stats, images, or GIFs
• Weight: 1.9 pounds

Unboxing

The RT82 comes with everything you need to get started, including the keyboard, detachable screen, USB-C cable, wireless dongle, a keycap/switch puller for customization, and Mac-specific keys.

Right off the bat, the keyboard’s tiny CRT-style screen gives it a playful retro aesthetic. It might be a minimalist keyboard, but it gives off big personality vibes.

Setting up the RT82 took only a few minutes. Once you connect via USB-C (wired), the 2.4GHz wireless dongle, or Bluetooth, you can press FN+S to make the keys function correctly for the Mac layout.

Epomaker RT82 Breakdown

Let’s break down the specs in basic terms.

The Epomaker RT82 is a 75% wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches. In other words, it’s a compact keyboard with no numpad, but still includes the arrow keys and function row. You keep the important keys while also gaining extra space on your desk.

Hot-swappable switches are not soldered in, so you can pop them off and swap them with others. This feature is great for people who want to play with how their keys feel when pressed and customize them to their style. It also makes it easier for enthusiasts to experiment with different switch types to change the feel and sound of the keyboard.

Pogo Pin Mini TV Feature

The Pogo Pin Mini TV on the upper-right of the keyboard is a standout feature of this model. It connects via magnets and can be removed easily when you don’t want to use it.

The default screen shows the time in military format, whether the keyboard is set to Mac or Windows mode, the type of connection you are on, WIN lock, and Caps Lock. Using FN+Enter, you can change the screen between the default, up to three animated GIFs/static images that you upload, and the Type-Writer mode.

To personalize it to my workflow, I found a 25-minute timer, a box breathing timer, and a cat typing on a keyboard. After you upload the images or GIFs you want, you can use FN+Enter to get into the screen and then FN+Shift to switch between the three uploads. You can design your own in Canva for free and upload them using the web interface.

If you have the coding skills, you can customize the screen more. I recommend joining the Epomaker Discord to ask for help with this one (it’s also a great place to chat about keyboards in general and get programming advice).

Typing Experience

The RT82 has a plastic casing, but it still has a good amount of weight to give it a well-built feel during use. It feels expensive with quality behind the design.

After extended writing and everyday work sessions, the RT82 remained comfortable to use. The keys feel smooth and have a gentle sound profile that is noticeable but not overly loud. Translation: if my husband is taking a nap on the couch, I can use the keyboard without worrying that it’s going to wake him up. The keys have a tactile feel and respond quickly after each tap. 

My typing style has gotten me accused of trying to kill my keyboards with my speed and force. After a month of daily use, the RT82 has been holding up to my abuse well.

Functionality and Practical Use

The Epomaker RT82 offers an impressive 115 hours of use (if you keep the backlight and screen turned off). The 4000mAh rechargeable battery will provide about 15-40 hours of screen-on use.

The RGB lighting is customizable from animated color effects to static colors in various degrees of brightness. You can also turn this feature off, which is great if you work in an area where the lights could be a distraction.

The keyboard height is adjustable thanks to two built-in kickstand positions giving you a nice range of angles to work from.

I appreciate that they include the keys for Mac. Making the swap took only a second using the provided key grabber tool.

Customization Options

Customization is one of the RT82’s strongest features. Users can adjust lighting effects, swap switches, and upload images or GIFs to the small display. If you know coding, there are additional options like macros and deeper display customization available to you through the web interface.

Pros and Cons

No product is perfect. Here are a few things I liked and a few I would change.

Pros

• Easy to set up
• Retro feel gives a unique look to your desk
• Retro TV can be personalized with images and GIFs
• Budget-friendly in the mechanical keyboard world
• Plenty of customization options for beginners and expert keyboard hobbyists
• Epomaker has a Discord with an active community of users supporting each other

Cons

• Personalization can be difficult without coding skills
• Mini TV has limitations for the basic user

Who Is The Epomaker RT82 For?

The highlight of this keyboard for me is the number of customization options available. I would recommend the RT82 for anyone who enjoys customizing their tech and experimenting with different keyboard setups. The compact layout is great for writers who need more desk space and are okay with not having the numpad. If you like the look, but need the numpad, consider buying an external one like the Epomaker EK21 (retail $39.99).

Final Notes

The Epomaker RT82 is a compact keyboard that fits comfortably on almost any desk while still offering plenty of customization. The Pogo Pin Mini TV feature makes it stand out and gives the user a quick glance area for basic information or a laugh (depending on your GIF mood). The keys tap nicely and hold up under even the toughest of typists. At a retail price of $85.99, the Epomaker RT82 is a great budget mechanical keyboard for those looking for the ability to hot-swap switches with a quality build.

GeekDad: How are you?

Alssa Wong: I’m good thank you. How are you?

GD: Last day – exciting, tiring?

AW: I mean a con is always both exciting and also exhausting, but I love them. I love getting to meet fans. I love getting to talk to people. I love getting to meet artists that I’ve worked with. I love getting to just talk about art. It’s so special… so special.

GD: I know you’ve done video games, comics, books, so what was your initial inspiration to get into writing?

AW: I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. Truly as long as I can remember. I started writing before I could read, which is kind of crazy. As a kid you learn your alphabet, and my dad used to tell us stories all the time, and he would shift them up because he didn’t want to tell the same story over and over just to kind of distract us, and so I wanted to write my own. I started chaining letters together for words, and that’s when my parents were like, “oh, we gotta teach this kid how to read!” So that was basically how I started writing, but I’ve always loved stories, so I truly have been writing stories as long as I can remember, and I’ve had the privilege to get to write a lot of different kinds of things, but that’s because I have an insatiable curiosity. I want to know everything. So getting to write in a whole bunch of formats is great. Getting to write about everything I’m curious about is great. I love sharks and parasites. I want to know about organ transplant. I want to know a lot of science related things, but also when I am trying to level up my writing or get inspired or I’m tired and I wanna read something new, I’ll read every genre. I’ll read memoirs. I’ll read poetry. I’ll read advice columns. So getting to work in games, and I started out in prose like short stories, or co-writing a novel or working in comics, superhero comics, but not just superhero comics, it’s been amazing, and my favorite part is that every single thing feeds into the next thing. And my favorite part of writing, period, is that I will never know everything. It’s a puzzle I can never solve, so I’ll never be bored – ever.

GD: Obviously, I love Captain Marvel.

AW: You look so good by the way.

GD: Thank you! My wife and I make costumes and props (Sionnach Studios). This is actually mostly her, but I did the bracers and all the stars and stuff. Our division of labor is kind of she does most of the sewing stuff, and I do most of the props and the hard parts, but we sometimes cross over.

AW: I desperately want to cosplay, but I’m stuck behind the booth, and so I can’t really do that, but I desperately want to cosplay

GD: I mean you could totally wear that  (pointing to Doctor Aphra backdrop).

AW: I could!

GD: It’s comfortable enough!

AW: That’s true!

GD: She’s actually on my list too.

AW Really?!

GD: Yes! I love Captain Marvel. I love Doc Aphra. I was going to show you a picture of this because I made this for a friend of mine…(shows them a photo of White Fox)

AW: *gasps*

GD: This is my friend’s costume, but I made the mask, and I actually modeled it, and I made a mold of it so I can make more, and I was going to ask if I could send you one. 

AW: I would love that. She’s my girl! I was working for Blizzard on Overwatch – another thing that I wasn’t expecting to do, but I wanted to learn so let’s go! I was working at Blizzard on Overwatch, and Greg Pak, who I know from Asian American Activism called me, and he was like, ‘Hey, I’m writing these B-stories for the back of (I believe it was) the Aero comics.  I’m looking for a co-writer. It’s Wave and Aero.’ I was like, ‘oh my God! Wave?! Filipina superhero, Wave?! Wave, who every Filipino person is excited about?’ My mom’s Filipino, so I was like, ‘That’s a hard yes!’ I actually told Blizzard that I was doing it and that if they weren’t okay with that, it was too bad. I was going to do it. I would just quit. Which is crazy but-

GD: It was that important to you.

AW: It was that important to me. This kind of work is the most important to me. That was the first thing I did for Marvel, and then the first comic that I wrote by myself was a one shot White Fox origin story, so she’s my forever girl. I love White Fox. I would love to have one.

GD: Of course.

AW: Thank you so much!

GD: I also love Psylocke, so when I saw your name on the guest list I had to ask for an interview.

AW: Thank you for asking because cons are so busy, and I know it’s a sacrifice of your time as well, so I really appreciate it.

GD: I also love Alligator Loki. I also did a Loki cosplay too. I did Ragnarok Loki.

AW: Hell yeah!

GD: So, I love all of those things! I just wanted to get that out of the way. Do you ever think we will get to see her (again pointing to Doctor Aphra) on the big screen? Do you want to see her on the big screen?

AW: Yes. I would love to see Doctor Aphra on the big screen. I think she would be so fun.

GD: It would be so great. They should do a whole show.

AW: I think so too!

GD: But I would settle for a movie.

AW: Me too. I think she’s got such a fun energy, and I think she brings so much zest and chaos to any dynamic, so she’s a great foil for a lot of characters who are a little more serious and perhaps grim, perhaps Darth, perhaps Vader. I think that she’s so flexible that you could use her any way you’d want to in a story, which is the thing I love about writing her.

GD: I remember when the very first Solo trailers came out and Val was in there but didn’t mention who she was, I was like, ‘Are we going to get Sana!?’ And then it wasn’t, which is fine. But then they killed her off so unceremoniously.

“Getting to write someone like Doctor Aphra, who is Asian like me and also queer, like me, is incredible because I feel like I’m finally getting to see people like me in Star Wars, but it’s more magical that I get to give that to other people.“

AW: That was so sad. Writing Aphra is so special, and let me put it this way. The first time I saw someone like me in Star Wars was The Force Awakens. And there is a pilot named Jessika Pava. She is in the middle of the battle. She is in an X-wing. She’s in the starfighter, and she’s in the middle of this battle, and I remember seeing her, and my heart just swelled. I was like, “Oh my God. An Asian woman!” And then immediately dropped because the next thing I thought was, “Oh, she’s going to die.” Because you have an extra who is going to die, so it’s no risk to have an Asian person. It’s no risk at all. And then she didn’t die! And I was like, ‘What’s happening?’ Getting to write someone like Doctor Aphra, who is Asian like me and also queer, like me, is incredible because I feel like I’m finally getting to see people like me in Star Wars, but it’s more magical that I get to give that to other people. I’ve had so many Asian people come up to me and be like, “That’s my girl. She means everything to me!” I just love that. I love it so much. And it’s so sad that my first thought when I saw Jessika Pava was, “Oh she’s here, and she’s going to die immediately” because that’s usually what happens to people like us. To be fair, I have killed Aphra, BUT she’s back! With Aphra, I got to write a lot of people who remind me of people I know, and it’s so special.

GD: Related to that, did you watch The Acolyte? With such a diverse cast and being treated the way it was treated despite being amazing and an awesome show, I don’t know a single person in real life who actually doesn’t love it so the fact that it was like, “Oh yeah, it’s not doing well. We’re not gonna do the second season.” How did you feel about it?

“Something I’ve gotten… is this angry backlash of, “You’re writing this thing I don’t like it. You’re going to destroy the thing I love.” What people don’t understand, and they should, is that the thing they love still exists.”

AW: I was very disappointed with the way that the The Acolyte was treated. I love it. I think it’s fun and it’s daring. I’m a High Republic stan as you know. I was so disappointed with the way it was treated. I think, for me, The Acolyte was a little spark of hope because, again, it was trying something new and trying a bunch of different ways that we can see the Jedi. They were bringing in villains that we’ve never seen. There were people, again, like the people I know in real life, and the fact that it was shut down, is really disappointing. And we all know why. We all know why it was shut down. Something I’ve gotten, and that a number of people have gotten in Star Wars and in other media that I’ve written for, is this angry backlash of, “You’re writing this thing I don’t like it. You’re going to destroy the thing I love.” What people don’t understand, and they should, is that the thing they love still exists. Also, I don’t have the power to destroy anything! It’s not being shut down, it’s welcoming more people in, and the fact that that is so threatening to people is really disappointing to me. It doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop trying though!

GD: That’s good! I love all Star Wars. It doesn’t matter what it is. There are things I like less, but there’s nothing I do not like. A lot of people seem to go into things looking for reasons not to like it. But for me, it’s a new Star Wars. I’m going to go in expecting to enjoy it and that makes me enjoy it every time even if there are things that I’m not thrilled about. It’s more Star Wars, why complain? The Acolyte has some of the best lightsaber fight scenes we’ve ever seen.

“That’s what a lot of people who don’t want change and don’t like diverse casts and diverse writing rooms and diverse creators want. They want us to give up… but I won’t because I personally am not gonna let them win… I’m staying and I’m gonna keep fighting.“

AW: Oh, beautiful! Absolutely beautiful. Stunning. It’s really sad. I think it can be very discouraging too on the creative side, but, at the same time, we keep fighting because the other option is giving up and that’s what a lot of people who don’t want change and don’t like diverse casts and diverse writing rooms and diverse creators want. They want us to give up. If I gave up that’s okay, but I won’t because I personally am not going to let them win. I understand it when people leave, and I would never judge them for that, but me personally, I’m staying, and I’m going to keep fighting.

GD: I like to hear that.

AW: Thank you!

GD: On a related note, going back to Carol, one of my favorites, when the first Captain Marvel movie came out I saw a lot of people talking about, especially her relationship with Maria, being a little queer coded, but in the comics she’s definitely the opposite. Did you see that? Did you enjoy the Captain Marvel movie?

AW: I love the Captain Marvel movie. When I was growing up, I wasn’t allowed to read comics, so I came to comics pretty late, and, in a lot of ways, that was kind of my first exposure to Captain Marvel, which I know is kind of wild, and after that I was like, ‘I’m reading everything!’ So, I love that movie. I love me a little sapphic energy. I love it.

GD: And then the Marvels movie which kind of got the same reception as The Acolyte, but I thought was amazing and loved. Especially the energy and the relationship between all three of them (Carol, Monica, and Kamala) was so beautiful and so much fun. Have you seen it?

AW: This is a bit embarrassing. I’ve seen part of it, but I haven’t seen all of it. What I will also say is that what I saw, I loved. I think it’s so fun, and not every movie should be a very serious intense drama where everybody is just going through it all the time – people are fighting, they are dying, and it’s not like The Marvels didn’t have that kind of energy, but it’s fun. It’s exciting, and we need that kind of energy, absolutely. So again I’m also disappointed at the treatment of The Marvels.

GD: Are there any other characters, Marvel or not, that you’ve written that you’d like to see on the big screen?

AW: I want to see Psylocke. I know that’s a tricky one, but I would love to see Psylocke. I want to see Cassandra Kane in a big way not just briefly but comics Cassandra Kane. I want to see her lethal and emotionally vulnerable and compassionate and just absolutely stunning, in terms of character work, absolutely stunning. That’s what I want.

GD: Of all of your characters, is there any that you feel represents you the most – that have the most of you in them?

“For me, getting into the head of a character is the most important… I find the things that speak to me, pull them in, and I build a character around that – who they are but also what parts I’m most invested in and the parts that most resonate with me. So in a lot of ways, everybody is representative of me.“

AW: Oh that’s a tough one because, for me, when I’m writing a new character, the first thing I do is a ton of research. For example, when I got tapped for Iron Fist, I read 2700 pages of Iron Fist in three days. For me, getting into the head of a character is the most important, so I read a lot. I find the things that speak to me, pull them in, and I build a character around that – who they are but also what parts I’m most invested in and the parts that most resonate with me. So in a lot of ways, everybody is representative of me. But if I had to pick, I’ll give you two.

Doctor Aphra, of course, because I wrote her for four years, and it’s hard not to put pieces of yourself into that. She’s also a mess and, like Marie Kondo, I love mess. But I feel like there’s a running thing in a lot of my work that has to do with emotional vulnerability and how terrifying that is. It’s something that I think about a lot, and it’s something that I write about a lot.

Most people would not guess this for the second character I’m about to tell you, but it’s Deadpool. Absolutely, it’s Deadpool. I think everyone writes characters differently, and for me, I was trying to figure out my angle for Deadpool. It’s Deadpool, and he’s so down bad and that’s his thing. He is so, so down bad and so open about that, but he is also terrified of the person that he’s into seeing him for who he is and actually liking him. That is something that I think a lot of us have felt. But in finding Deadpool’s voice, when I was writing, it was this horrible, horrible amalgamation of Ryan Reynolds and me and my most intrusive thoughts. So that’s my secret, which is that people are like, ‘Which character is most like you?’ and most people pick Aphra and, yes, that’s true, but it might actually be Deadpool.

GD: I have not read your Deadpool run, so I’m gonna go do that.

AW: Thank you. It’s a body horror romcom.

GD: I do like Deadpool. I have read some Deadpool before, but mostly I just enjoy him in the movies, but I will go read it because that sounds amazing.

AW: Thank you. I never fault anybody for not liking a character in general. Sometimes people will be like, ‘Oh, I don’t care about Psylocke.’ and that’s totally fine. I’m not going to be like, ‘How dare you not care about Psylocke?!’ or Doctor Aphra or Iron Fist or Captain Marvel, but I care, and it’s okay if you don’t. If you want to give it a chance that’d be cool.

GD: I’ve been reading comics since I was like six which is a long time because I’m old. So I’ve been reading comics for 40 years.

AW: That’s awesome.

GD: That’s a lot of comics, but I think, in general, writers change and everybody writes every character a bit differently, and I think Deadpool, especially, is one that a lot of people, over the years, sort of just use him as comedy for comedy’s sake – he’s the slapstick guy and not putting any depth into him. When it’s that version of Deadpool, he’s just sort of there with other characters, but I have a feeling I’ll like yours, so I’m definitely going to go search it out.

“For Deadpool, he’s like, ‘Ha ha! I’m the funny guy. I’m gross. Yeah, whatever!’ So the scariest thing for him is the idea that someone can see past that and actually like him. He’s like, ‘I don’t know how to do it. I have no idea how to deal with that because this has never happened to me in my life,’ and it’s the most terrifying thing ever.“

AW: Thank you. It’s funny. I did a ton of research on Deadpool too, and I noticed that as well. Deadpool, in a lot of ways, becomes a meme of himself, and I am always looking for the thing that feels the most real, so when I was researching Deadpool and reading a ton, there’s a running joke that’s like, ‘Oh he’s ugly and smells bad,’ and if a woman sees him, she’s like, ‘EWW!’ and runs away. That is horrible. That’s awful. Everyone’s like, ‘Oh Deadpool – that funny guy but he’s also an asshole’ and ‘Shut up, Deadpool! You’re so annoying!” and someone punches him, his arm falls off, and he’s like, “Oh, God!” And then his arm grows back.

So what does that do to you if everyone around you rejects you in one way or another? How do people use humor as a shield? If you’re the funniest guy in your class, that’s your identity. And I’ve seen people use humor as a way to keep themselves from going deep into relationships with other people – any kind of relationship. For Deadpool, he’s like, ‘Ha ha! I’m the funny guy. I’m gross. Yeah, whatever,’ so the scariest thing for him is the idea that someone can see past that and actually like him. He’s like, ‘I don’t know how to do it. I have no idea how to deal with that because this has never happened to me in my life,’ and it’s the most terrifying thing ever.

GD: That’s the reason I really love the Deadpool movies, I think Ryan (Reynolds) gets Deadpool more than most writers who have written Deadpool. It does have the whole love story that goes across movies even. It’s the real part of him and the vulnerability that makes him interesting and most people seem to skip over that, so I’m definitely reading your run. When was it?

AW: It was ten issues, and I’m trying to remember when – it was 23/24 around then? I’m sorry I don’t remember exactly.

GD: That’s ok. I have Marvel Unlimited, so I can find it pretty easily. We mentioned Psylocke. You started writing after they finally split them (Betsy and Kwannon) apart. Were you a Psylocke fan before or knew much about her before you started writing? I know you said you do a lot of research when you start writing, but how much did you know about Psylocke before you started?

AW: Psylocke is one of those characters we talked about a lot in college. My friends talked about Psylocke a lot. She is a big, big topic in Asian American media discussions. Her history is controversial.

GD: How important, or big of a deal, was it for you when they finally actually fixed it – split them back apart and gave her herself back?

“There’s a very strong history, and… present, of Asian women’s bodies being a commodity and an object for people to have, to look at. This lack of agency that people assume then strips it away from real Asian people… To give Psylocke herself back, that’s a major, major victory.“

AW: The way I felt this wave of joy and triumph and relief. Oh my God. It was so good. The other thing too is, there’s a very strong history, and, you know, present, of Asian women’s bodies being a commodity and an object for people to have, to look at. This lack of agency that people assume then strips it away from real Asian people. That’s another thing about Psylocke’s origin that is messy and complicated. We see these things happen. We see them in real life. We see them in our histories – these patterns that repeat. That’s part of why her story and her origin both resonate and are very complicated. So getting to write Psylocke was really interesting, and when I found out that she and Betsy had finally split, that they had their own bodies, I was like, ‘Thank God. Thank God.” Because they both need their own agency, and they both need their own bodies. To give Psylocke herself back, that’s a major, major victory. Not just for Psylocke, not just for comics fans (sometimes they think it’s victory but who can say…)

GD: Depends on if they are The Acolyte fans or not.

AW: Oh God, it’s so true! But also Asian people who don’t read comics who might know about Psylocke who might think, ‘Oh my God. I am never reading that. That is horrifying,’ but to hear, ‘Oh, I can read an Asian hero who’s finally actually Asian again!’ That’s so key! So when they asked if I would write Psylocke, I said absolutely. My first question was which Psylocke, and my second question was are you sure, and the third thing I said was, ‘Absolutely.’ It’s really nice. The questions of agency and bodies is built entirely into this book as well as identity. Who are you after all these things happen to you? Who do you choose to be? And do you believe you can be that person?

GD: I love it. It’s one of my favorite books too.

AW: Thank you!

GD: So the last question I have is kind of just a fun one. Aphra, Indy, and Lara Croft are all competing for the same thing – who wins and how weird is it for Aphra that Indiana Jones kind of looks like Han Solo?

AW: Lara Croft wins. Aphra comes in second. Indy comes in last. Indy’s so tired. He’s so tired. Does he even wanna be here? Who can say, but he doesn’t have a choice, so he’s here. You just can’t beat Lara Croft. Aphra, I think, is the person who’s like, ‘I’m gonna get that thing,’ looks like she’s gonna get that thing, gets the thing, and then fumbles it because, I feel like, she fumbles everything. She managed to fumble several very incredible, very invested women in her life. It’s remarkable. Aphra is peak girl failure, Lara is peak girl boss, and Indy is like, ‘I’m exhausted. I’m an exhausted dad. I’m so tired.’ I love that.

GD: Thank you!

AW: Yeah,of course. Thank you!

After we wrapped the interview, Alyssa asked if they could try on my Captain Marvel Nega-bands. Of course, I said yes!

I also did find and download Alyssa’s run of Deadpool on Marvel Unlimited (it was in 2022-2023), and it was even better than I’d hoped for. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re a Deadpool fan if you haven’t already.

You can see more about Alyssa on their website or on their Instagram.

America as it Happened is an engaging and informative history book that charts the history of the US from prehistoric times up to the first 100 days of the 47th Presidency. When reviewing this book, it’s hard to ignore the fact that even as I type, history is in flux; I can’t help but wonder how a second edition might read.

As GeekDad’s resident Brit reviewer, it perhaps feels slightly odd for me to be reviewing America as it Happened. There are probably other GeekParents with a better understanding of the twists, turns, and impact of US history than I. Nevertheless, here is my view from across the pond of this comprehensive overview of the history of the United States.

What Is America as it Happened?

America as it Happened is published by What on Earth books in conjunction with The Washington Post. This, too, gave me pause. The Washington Post has come under scrutiny recently with massive layoffs and questions about its journalistic integrity. I imagine that the foundations for America as it Happened were laid months before any of this, but it is perhaps an unfortunate tie-in at the time of writing.

That being said, the book does allow you to use QR codes to link to historic articles or podcasts about the subjects in question. It’s a neat way of marrying an old-style encyclopedic volume to modern media, creating a rounded reading experience.

The book presents US history as newspaper articles, with each one written as if it had happened yesterday. Running along the bottom of each page is a continuous timeline that adds brief text about additional events in and around the main news items featured on each double page.

America as it Happened is broken down into 6 sections. First, is “Before 1600,” with the other chapters each covering the next hundred years, up to the 2000s. There is a comprehensive glossary and index, as well as a bibliography and quote sources.

It is pleasing to note that despite the current cultural shift, the book places strong emphasis on the whole of America’s multicultural heritage and population.

Why Read America as it Happened?

This is a great way of dipping in and out of US history. The use of newspaper-style prose makes the entries more immediate and accessible. The use of QR codes is unobtrusive. While some people may prefer that reading be a technology-free zone, a view I sympathize with, I think the addition of multimedia links is a great way to foster deeper investigation and learning.

Reading through America as it Happened, is to be reminded of the amazing story that is the evolution of the U.S.A. It is also a reminder of the importance of a strong outward-looking, friendly America, that supports those around it, understanding that through that support, we all stand taller.

As with all nations, the history of the US is not always positive, and the rise and evolution of the country will not feel the same to everybody who reads this book. From my limited knowledge of US history, I think most will find the book to be a balanced assessment. America as it Happened celebrates the best of the US, as well as examining the not so great. It puts the country’s expansion into a global superpower into context, while also highlighting the contribution the country has made to science, arts, and sports.

America as it Happened is perfect for all school and home libraries and an excellent jumping off point for exploring the history of a country 250 years (and a whole lot more) in the making.

If you would like to pick up a copy of America as it Happened, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

What Is Formula Fast?

Formula Fast is a slim non-fiction hardback picture book aimed at children aged around 7 upwards. It’s by Matt Ralphs and illustrated (beautifully) by Dragan Kordić.

The book offers first an overview and then a deeper dive into the sport of F1, starting with what on earth does Formula One mean, anyway?

It explores many aspects of the sport, such as the changing technology of the cars and a great explainer of the varying tyre types teams use. There’s a history of F1 cars’ evolution from the 1950s to the present day, with a great section about some of the weird and wonderful cars that appeared on circuits through the years.

My F1 geekery as a child, beyond the team and driver names, was inflamed by the various flags the marshals used, and I loved looking at circuit layouts. Both appear in this book. More geekery is to be found in the double-page spread devoted to the steering wheel. The technology of which has massively advanced since the days of my Top Trump cards!

The book closes out by explaining F1’s team system and how money makes the wheels turn. It also looks at the social outreach of the drivers and the sport’s female racers. Finally, there is a glossary for the handful of technical words used in the book.

Why Read Formula Fast?

If you can flick through Formula Fast without making a vrooming sound, you’re a stronger person than me! This book took me right back to my childhood, when I first discovered an excitement for the sport. (In those days, I could hardly get to watch it, as it was only available as a highlights package well after my bedtime.)

This is a great introduction to the sport, and with a new season soon to be underway, Formula Fast is tempting me back in an attempt to recapture my youth – well, mid-life crises often do involve fast cars! I particularly like Dragan Kordić’s illustrations. They’re vibrant and dynamic, perfect for showcasing the excitement of F1. They complement the text perfectly.

The new F1 season starts on March 6th, and if you have a budding young fan, this book is the perfect pre-season training. They’ll be expert avid fans in no time!

If you would like to pick up a copy of Formula Fast, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

Soundwave is the latest Transformer to be brought to life by Robosen, joining the ranks with Megatron, Optimus Prime, Grimlock, and Bumblebee. Standing at just over 14 inches in robot form, Soundwave commands your attention, ready to deliver intel—or kick your tail—depending on his mood.

Frank Welker returned to the studio to bring him to life with over 200 lines of dialogue and over 48 voice commands.

Soundwave is very similar to his Decepticon leader, Megatron, in terms of how he works, walks, and what you can do in the app and with voice commands. Soundwave has some standout features that the others in the Transformer line do not have and that is where my main focus will be in this early-preview review.

Who is Soundwave?

Soundwave is the Communications Officer for the Decepticons and is considered to be in the upper ranks. Traditionally, he has always turned into a cassette player with cassettes that transform into various animals that go out into the field to get intel, which he can play back for Megatron.

I’m not one to root for the bad guys, but Soundwave is the exception. There is something about him that makes me pay attention when he’s on screen. 

Frank Welker is the original voice of Soundwave and has been the main voice actor behind the character since the 80s, so it’s not a surprise they would bring him back to bring Soundwave to life.

Design & Build Quality: Decepticon Presence on Display

Soundwave is a bit smaller in build compared to some of the other Transformers by Robosen, but he has the same premium feel and weight as Megatron.

One standout capability sets Soundwave apart from the rest of the line: his Bluetooth speaker mode.

Not only does Soundwave turn into a cassette player, but he can also act as a Bluetooth speaker and recorder. With a push of a button on his top right shoulder, you can hook him up to a Bluetooth device and stream your music, movies, podcasts, or books to his speakers in crystal clear sound. He can also record and play back messages, just like his animated counterpart.

His voice is commanding and the volume can be adjusted in the app or via your device if you are streaming to his Bluetooth feature.

He’s modeled after the G1 Soundwave and they matched his colors perfectly. His eyes glow red like they are scanning your soul for intel. Even his arm cannon lights up and moves with precision.

The front part of Soundwave’s chest opens up to reveal a cavity that would fit his cassettes. I’m hoping that Robosen releases his cassette tape minions in the near future as accessories. I was genuinely disappointed that at least one cassette wasn’t included—it feels like a missed opportunity.

Auto-Transformation & Movement

Transforming is as easy as pushing a button in the app or issuing the vocal “transform” command. Soundwave moves seamlessly from one to the other. His stability and motions are solid and don’t have me wanting to hold a pillow behind him while he moves. My recommendation is that you use him on a solid surface, like tile, wood, or laminate. Keep him off the carpet or rug for best stability. 

My only comment is that when he goes from robot to cassette player, he does shift a lot in his position on the floor/table he’s on. Megatron goes from one to the other in a mostly straight line. Soundwave almost makes a 90-degree turn from one to the other.

With that said, even though he is smaller than Megatron, he will need a bit more space for the transformation command.

App Experience & Software Control

*Disclaimer: I am using a beta version of the app that is not available to the public yet. What I see and what you will see after purchase may differ. 

The setup was straightforward. Out of the box, he works with voice commands and when you connect with the app, you get more options to play with. Once connected, voice commands pause while software control is active. Closing it restores full voice functionality automatically. 

He comes with his shockwave blaster and the app will tell you which commands you can use it with. Do not try to do a command that doesn’t use his blaster with his blaster in his hand. It could throw off his servos and you will have to do a reboot (ask me how I know this one…). The reboot is quick and painless, so if he throws an error, don’t panic. Just power him down (support his body if he’s in robot mode because he will kind of “pass out”) and then after a few seconds, power him back up.

He responds quickly to each command and I didn’t notice any lag between the command and the action.

Within the app, you will find the programming mode. This can be intimidating and may take some learning to get the hang of, but it gives you an infinite amount of options to make Soundwave your own. I love how Robosen makes it an option to program him this way because it makes the replay value skyrocket compared to just having built-in commands to entertain you.

Interaction With Megatron

As of this review (Februrary 2026), Soundwave has not been released to the public, so this review is based on the options and commands available in the beta version of the app. According to Robosen’s website, Soundwave will interact with Megatron using the mini-theater section in the app.

For this review, that option is not available, so I’m unable to test it. Have no fear. This section will be updated with that information as soon as it is released (estimated to be in April when he starts shipping to customers). 

Play Value vs Collector Display

Soundwave is a collector’s piece with extensive programming and entertainment possibilities. The fact that he can be used as a Bluetooth speaker makes him a great desk accessory (albeit an expensive one) and conversation piece for anyone who stops by.

Just like his fellow Transformers in the line, he is not a toy and I would recommend him for serious collectors, robotics enthusiasts, and tech-forward geeks.

I do not recommend him for anyone under the age of 12. While he can take a beating from Optimus Prime, he is not strong enough to battle little hands and should be supervised when they are around for Soundwave’s sake.

Price, Value & Final Verdict

Coming on to the market with a retail price of $1,399, Soundwave is a high-ticket item that, in my opinion, is worth every dime. The technology behind him blows me away every time I open the app and see all that he can do. And to throw in the Bluetooth feature, considering his character’s role in the Transformers universe, chef’s kiss. No notes.

Casual or hardcore fans alike, I think, will enjoy Soundwave and all he offers. The Bluetooth speaker is a major selling point for me because it’s just that cool. I love it when something is fun to play with, looks cool, and has a practical use.

The only limitation I’ve run into is that he only has the one weapon. I really feel like Robosen missed the mark by not including a cassette tape in there, if nothing else, for fun. Ravage would have been my choice (hint…hint…).

Is Soundwave A Worthy Addition to Your Decepticon Army?

Soundwave is a standout in Robosen’s growing Transformer lineup. The combination of premium build quality, smooth auto-transformation, deeply customizable programming, iconic Frank Welker voice work, and that surprisingly excellent Bluetooth speaker feature makes him feel like something that’s both unique and special.

He’s just as fun to command as he is to admire, standing silently on your shelf waiting for orders.

Is he expensive? Yes, but once you see him in action and hear him speak, it becomes very clear why.

Soundwave will go from exceptional to downright unstoppable if Robosen decides to release any of his cassettes as accessories. Until then, he still earns his place as one of the most unique and entertaining collector-grade Transformers ever produced. Soundwave superior. Autobots… nervous.

Soundwave is available on Robosen’s website for $1,399 and will ship sometime in April. 

Special Valentine’s Day Transmission!

Robosen is currently running a Valentine’s Day special on their website! Soundwave and the other Transformers are included in the sale, with tiered savings. Head over to Robosen’s website for more information. The sale ends on February 14th, 2026. 

Disclaimer: GeekDad received a review sample.

Hammer & Nails is a premium barber shop and grooming experience for men with locations across the United States. This isn’t just a shave and a haircut; this is a main character upgrade. With comfy leather chairs, a big screen TV, and noise-cancelling headphones at every station, this is the ultimate in relaxation.

My husband has never had a true pampering experience and just in time for Valentine’s Day, Hammer & Nails in Winter Park, Florida, treated him to an experience he was talking about all the way home.

First Impressions of Hammer & Nails

Hammer and Nails offers a wide range of services from classic haircuts and shaves to premium services meant to pamper you in luxury. You can book your Hammer & Nails experience online or by calling the location. If they are running a promotion, I recommend calling to make sure they note it on the reservation.

When you check in, you get concierge-level service, which gives it an upscale hotel feel with a masculine vibe that doesn’t go over the top. It was much quieter than I expected for a grooming salon and it set the tone before my husband headed in for his first treatment.

The Premium Head Shave Experience

For the first treatment, my husband sat down for a premium head shave.

Every station has a TV and noise-canceling headphones to help your soul enter airplane mode.

The premium head shave included a facial where they used a combination of cleansing, exfoliation, and hydration techniques to make his skin feel silky smooth. The facial massage almost put him to sleep, and the essential-oil-infused towels completed the relaxation.

I watched as they took their time to ensure he got a quality shave as well as some quality chill time. The treatment took just around an hour and my husband enjoyed every minute of it.

Tea Tree Pedicure: A Surprisingly Essential Upgrade

Confession time. My husband has never had a professional pedicure. He had no idea what to expect and being the dutiful partner I am, I didn’t tell him what awaited him. He walked into this blind, but he walked out on cloud nine.

For someone like my husband, who spends 90% of his workday on his feet, this was easily his favorite treatment.

The pedicure/manicure area is in a separate area from the haircut stations. It’s a quiet, dimly lit room that sets the tone for the treatment.

The process starts with a foot soak in warm water and essential tea tree oils. For the Essential Tea Tree pedicure, you also receive a sugar scrub, a reviving foot and calf massage, callus resurfacing, restorative nail care, warm paraffin, and a hot towel wrap.

The paraffin treatment was when the ‘I get it now’ moment happened. He realized foot care was more than just trimming his toenails. It was something that could level up your mental state.

Overall Experience & Who This Is Best For

The only comparison point we have to Hammer & Nails is when my husband had a head and face shave on the Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Treasure at “Hooks Barbery.” Looking past the price (Hammer & Nails wins in a landslide), Hammer & Nails was a nicer experience and he got twice the treatment for the same price.

While my husband was getting his treatments, I was looking around and I saw a nice range of demographics. Traditionally, this might not be something some men will book for themselves, but once they’ve had a taste, they won’t hesitate to go back.

Is Hammer and Nails Worth It? Honest Take

Is Hammer & Nails worth the cost? In today’s world, where stress is taking up so much space in our lives, it might as well be paying rent; yes, it’s worth it.

Hammer & Nails takes what is normally considered good hygiene and makes it an experience to elevate the mind and soul.

You don’t come here for a haircut and leave. You come here to relax and put your mind on “do not disturb” for a bit.

As far as pricing goes, I think it’s extremely fair; however, membership is the way to go if you plan to make this a monthly or bi-monthly thing. Memberships start as low as $88 for two classic services per month and go up to $549 per month for unlimited visits (with a few bonus features thrown your way).

Something that I found neat was that all memberships allow you to gift your credits to friends, family, or clients and unused credits roll over.

Final Thoughts & Recommendation

Hammer & Nails is the ultimate upgrade to a traditional barber experience. With a luxurious feel from the moment you walk in to the moment you float out on cloud nine, you are in good hands.

If you are looking for a gift that won’t sit in a drawer and hits their reset button, a treatment or membership to Hammer & Nails is the way to go. With a wide selection of one-time treatments and memberships to give them a guaranteed pamper day each month, you can’t go wrong.

Special Promotion for Central Florida Locations! Valentine’s Day Solved!

This Valentine’s Day, schedule your man for a day of pampering at any of the four Central Florida locations: Winter Park, Oviedo, Winter Garden, or Windermere for $25 off any service plus a complimentary premium upgrade. Be sure to mention the Valentine’s Day promo when you call to schedule the appointment!

*Promotion available to first-time guests only. Valid for appointments in February 2026.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received a complimentary treatment.

Green Lantern #31 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; Montos, Artist; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist

Ray – 9/10

Ray: Hal Jordan’s journey through his old address book has taken him to Green Arrow and Batman as he seeks advice on his bizarre encounter with the Book of Oa. But now his next stop is in Central City, as he needs help from Barry Allen – but it might be Barry who’s in more immediate need. Barry, who lost his powers at the end of Absolute Power, has successfully found evidence of criminal activity from a new mob boss, enough to put the guy away for life. That is, if he survives to trial. The boss has put a hit out on Barry, and the police trying to take him into witness protection are in on it. Barry barely escapes with his life just in time for Hal to show up, fending off the crooked cops, and the two are able to catch up – just in time for the boss to call in his next agent, a massive metahuman enforcer by the name of Bruto, who is ready to tear through the city to find Barry.

With the villain hot on their trail, Barry and Hal are able to catch up on the go, but this issue has much less to do with Hal’s personal struggles than it does with no-holds-barred action. Bruto is a hilarious villain, essentially a massive hulk of a man who also talks like an old-timey gangster with a 1920s vibe, and makes for a massive threat. Montos was a great choice for the artist on this issue, bringing a noir vibe to what’s usually a much larger-scale comic. Every one of these one-shots has had a slightly different vibe to it, which helps to make this a great bridge arc before we head back to space. The title’s getting a huge shake-up soon, with Kyle Rayner taking over the lead role. So far, Jeremy Adams has done an amazing job of building up Hal for this big test ahead, and this arc has been more about getting him in the right head-space for his next big cosmic adventure.

To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.

GeekDad received this comic for review purposes

Recently, I had the privilege of checking out the Benu Euphoria fountain pen in Pink Champagne, part of an exclusive collection with Goldspot.com (retail $157). Benu is a brand that I’ve heard of consistently since I got hooked on fountain pens in 2024 after visiting the Florida Pen Show. Their bold resins and unique designs had me drooling in shimmer ink. Thanks to Goldspot.com, I get to satisfy that craving and discover the experience of writing with the Benu Euphoria fountain pen in Champagne Pink. 

Design & Build Quality: Sparkle With Intent

Benu makes their pens from quality resin material that sparkles. The material itself is made in-house and the quality of it shows in each pen they make. Their handmade process, unique patterns and colors, and distinct finish make them easy to spot among other brands.

The ten-sided faceted cut on the Benu Euphoria fountain pen makes it shine in any lighting and gives it an elegant and playful feel. The smooth barrel makes it comfortable for long writing sessions without leaving an indent or cramp in my fingers.

Benu pens are considerably lighter than other brands I’ve used. It kind of feels like I’m holding a shiny pink cloud. The cap has a nice, tight thread, which I appreciate because it means the cap won’t pop off in my bag when I’m out and about. Even with how lightweight it is, I feel this pen would hold up durability-wise better than others in my collection.

Who Will Appreciate The Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen

I would say this pen is for anyone who appreciates not only a smooth writing experience but also wants something that looks good in their hand. Benu pens don’t just make a writing instrument; they make an experience for the writer.

For the average pen user, the Benu Euphoria fountain pen might seem expensive at $157, but for the writing enthusiast, that is relatively inexpensive considering the quality of what you are getting.

I would recommend this pen to anyone who wants to enjoy writing again and is looking for the right pen to make it happen. Anyone who likes to journal will appreciate the feel and comfort that the Benu Euphoria fountain pen adds to the task.

Nib & Writing Experience: Where It Really Counts

The Benu Euphoria fountain pen comes with a Stainless steel made by Schmidt (Germany). I received the pen with a medium nib. It has nice, semi-thick strokes that help the shimmer in my ink shine well. Compared to my Sailor TUZU Adjust fountain pen in a medium nib, it has a slightly thicker stroke. Tip – before purchasing, I recommend you do a little research comparing the nib sizes to brands you already use. 

The writing experience is best described as wet and smooth. I don’t feel the scratching on the paper that I’ve felt with other pens and the ink just flowed without issue.

The Benu Euphoria fountain pen writes well on most papers, but my favorite has been Tomoe River. You can’t beat the silkiness of the experience. I’ve also written in my daily journal, but the shimmer doesn’t show up as well on the generic 120lb paper.

My ink of choice for testing this pen was Wearingeul Ink in Dracula, also available at Goldspot.com. This is a nice red ink with a pink-ish shimmer to it. At first, I was worried about putting a shimmer ink in this pen, but fellow fountain pen enthusiasts said that in a pen this pretty, it’s almost a requirement. I’m happy I listened.

The shimmer came through with all the glitter-goodness I expected. I haven’t experienced a clog yet, which is not something I can say about a few of my other pens that have held this ink.

Filling System & Usability

The pen comes fully assembled and ready to go. You get an international cartridge and a converter so you can fill it with any of your favorite inks (anything from Wearingeul is my favorite).

If you want to swap the nib out, it’s as easy as unscrewing the nib from the body and putting in a new one. Make sure you check with Benu’s compatibility page before making a switch. 

Some might say that a pen of this caliber is not a good starter pen, but I disagree. I say this is the perfect pen for a beginner. If they are passionate about writing, this is an ideal pen because of how good it feels in their hand and how easy it is to load and clean. Just remove the cartridge or converter and unscrew the nib and you are ready to clean it to your heart’s content. I have a few other brands of fountain pens that are cheaper but much harder to clean.

Real-World Use & Value

This pen is perfect for anyone from beginner circles to the experienced fountain pen user. I do a wide variety of writing and the Benu Euphoria has been a great accessory for all of it. It works in my journal, it’s sturdy enough to toss in my bag and go about my day, and I genuinely enjoy using it. It makes me want to write.

I would not recommend this pen for the casual writer. It’s a waste of the pen’s talent to just sit on your desk and write on Post-it notes. It’s also not for someone who doesn’t enjoy talking about their pens because this is going to get you some attention. People will be asking you where you got it. Be prepared.

Final Verdict: Sparkle That Earns Its Place

In short, the Benu Euphoria fountain pen is a dream to write with and flows well with any ink you pair it with. This was my first experience writing with Benu and it’s got me looking at my other pens like, “Why can’t you be more like them?” The initial price point had me shying away, but now that I know the difference between a $40 pen and quality, I won’t be going back. If you want a pen that makes writing feel like an experience, then check out the Benu Euphoria fountain pen, part of the exclusive collection with Goldspot.com

A big thank you to Goldspot.com for sending me my first of many Benu pens. I will be looking to you for more in the future.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received a review sample.

Disclaimer: This article goes over the Alpha-Stim AID medical device. The writer is not a doctor, and this post isn’t medical advice. If you’re considering trying this device (or making any changes to your health routine), talk to a qualified healthcare professional first. 

The Alpha-Stim AID is a cranial electrotherapy stimulation device that is designed to help with anxiety, insomnia, and *depression (*in the USA, the FDA has not cleared it for use with depression). I was introduced to Alpha-Stim AID by a co-worker who suggested I look into it to help with anxiety. Anxiety has been the main villain in my story for as long as I can remember.

I’ve tried numerous tools to help reduce or eliminate it and they all work to an extent, but nothing gives me that relief that comes from taking my emergency anxiety meds.

After reaching out, the company agreed to let me try it out and share my experience with our readers to see if they live up to the hype.

What the Alpha-Stim AID Is & How It Works

In medical terms, the Alpha-Stim AID is a cranial electrotherapy device. In geek speak…it’s like giving your brain a software patch. You clip it to your ears, it runs a super low electrical current (I barely feel it and I’m super sensitive to these things), and it smooths out the glitchy brain signals that fuel your anxiety. I think of it as a gentle reboot that nudges my brainwaves back into a “calm state” without needing my meds.

There are two Alpha-Stim devices. The M helps with anxiety, insomnia, pain, and *depression. The AID is used for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, and *depression. Special note: In the United States, the FDA has not cleared these devices for use for depression, and you need a prescription.

The goal of the Alpha-Stim AID is to use it daily until your anxiety levels manage out and then going to an as needed basis.

Why I Decided to Try It

It’s no secret that I struggle with anxiety. Currently, my life has been on the more stressful side because of my job, and medications were not helping without adding unwanted side effects. In April, I underwent TMS therapy for the second time and it “zapped” out my depression, but anxiety lingered. It got worse as my job situation got more stressful.

After some research, I decided the Alpha-Stim AID was my next step. I wanted something portable, and above all, worked.

I spoke to the company and managed my expectations before embarking on this journey. I learned that while many people feel different after just a few sessions, some take up to a month to really feel the full effects. I also learned that because I live in the United States, a prescription is needed from my healthcare practitioner to obtain an Alpha-Stim device. If you don’t have a doctor, they offer a referral to a practitioner via the telehealth page on the Alpha-Stim website.

First Impressions and Setup

When the Alpha-Stim AID arrived, it was in a sturdy plastic box that’s perfect for storing everything when not in use. I read the instruction manual cover to cover. Once I understood the process, I was ready to try it.

First, I installed the Alpha-Stim AID app. It doesn’t connect to the device, but it tracks sessions, progress, and even lets you take assessments for personal use. It’s simple and uncluttered. Next, I plugged in the ear clips to the device, attached the soft circle pads, added enough solution to soak them, and clipped them onto my ears. I used the lanyard, so I didn’t have to hold the device. After adjusting the settings, I started my first 20-minute session.

Within 5–10 minutes, I felt a familiar calm, similar to my medication, but without the drowsiness. I even tried running anxious thoughts through my mind, and for the first time, they didn’t stick.

When the session ended, I gauged that the anxiety had dropped by about 40%. I was able to go about my day without any issues or weird feelings.

My Experience Over Time

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I’ll be honest; I slipped up more days than not. I had a personal crisis hit, and I didn’t have it in me to sit and take 20 – 40 minutes a day to use the device. I also realized when I did use it that it wasn’t sticking for as long as I would have liked. A few hours would pass, and anxiety would be back with a vengeance.

My doctor and I determined that it’s because it worked on the acute anxiety I experienced but once it became more severe, it wasn’t enough to keep me anxiety-free all day. The good thing, though is that you can use the Alpha-Stim AID as many times a day as you need. There’s no threat or risk of “overdosing” on the treatment.

In the weeks I’ve been using it, I’ve noticed that my days vary on the settings. Some days I go to a 3 in power and some days I go to a 2. Some days I use it for 20 minutes and some days I go for 40 minutes. It all depends on what I’m going through that day.

I’m happy to report that I’ve never felt any awful side effects. I’ve had a few moments of vertigo, but it was minimal and never interfered with my day.

Practical Considerations

In terms of the practical considerations of the device, it gets high marks for the fact that it’s portable and uses AAA batteries (one less thing to charge). If you need to use it while out of the house or in a public place, it looks like you have headphones on.

To carry it around, you can buy a case from Alpha-Stim, but honestly, it’s a little flimsy and you can get a hard-shell case on Amazon that works just as well. For a session, you will need to carry the device, ear clips, ear clip pads, a small bottle of the solution, and a tiny baggie to throw your used pads in. I also recommend carrying a spare set of batteries.

During a session, the ideal scenario is you sit and relax while it runs. However, I’m a realist and know that is not something a lot of people can do, so you can sit and do basic tasks at a desk while the Alpha-Stim AID is running. I would not recommend doing anything that involves a lot of movement. I tested it while folding laundry and while I felt fine, I was a little nervous about the wires catching on something while I moved and ending my session prematurely.

Speaking of you need to make sure you have the full 20 or 40 minutes to complete the session before you start it. It’s strongly recommended that you don’t end a session early. This is so you get the full effects of the treatment and avoid unwanted side effects.

Cost vs. Value

Let’s talk one of the most important aspects of anything these days…cost. The Alpha-Stim AID currently costs $882 and is not covered by insurance. For that you get:

• Alpha-Stim AID
• One set of ear clip electrodes
• 256 Ear clip Electrodes (circle pads)
• Two AAA batteries
• Plastic storage case
• Neck lanyard
• Illustrated Owner’s Manual
• The case is hard plastic that is meant to keep it together at home.

You use four pads per session (two per ear clip), so you get around 64 sessions with what they provide. Refills will run you $21 for another 64 sessions. I also recommend you get a second set of ear clips just in case you have a glitch, or something happens to the ones that come with the device. The ear clips currently cost $42 for a set.
The bottle of solution you get is perfect for travel, but you will need to get a bigger bottle to refill it with. A bottle of solution will run you $15.75 for 250ml.

If you compare the cost of medications and doctor’s appointments, as well as time lost from missing work for appointments and travel, the Alpha-Stim AID pays for itself rather quickly.

Pros and Cons

Pros:
• Drug-free
• Portable and relatively easy to use
• Few side effects if used properly

Cons:
• High upfront cost
• Requires consistency and time to see results
• May not work for everyone
• App doesn’t have a place to put notes about the session
• App logs don’t show you how you rated your anxiety before/after a session

Return Policy

You can read the full return policy on Alpha-Stim’s website, but here’s the cliff notes version. If you get the Alpha-Stim AID and don’t think it’s the right fit for you, it’s recommended that you talk to your healthcare provider and/or Alpha-Stim rep to walk through your experience.

If it’s decided that it’s not for you after all, you have 30 days to return it for a full refund minus a 10% restocking fee. The device must be in a resalable condition and have all the accessories to qualify for a refund.

Who I’d Recommend It To

As someone who has tried all the treatments from medication to vagus nerve stimulators to TMS, I’m happy to say that I think I have found a helping hand in the Alpha-Stim AID. If you struggle with anxiety and want a drug-free option, this is something worth checking out. After my first session, I felt like I had taken my emergency anxiety medication but without the drowsiness or heaviness that comes with it.

I think this is best suited for someone on a routine and that fit the daily treatments into it easily. I also think that it fits the bill for someone who needs something that’s portable and doesn’t draw attention when doing a treatment.

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Overall, my experience with the Alpha-Stim AID has been positive. I have not experienced any negative side effects like insomnia or headaches. There were never any residual effects after treatment. I felt good after each treatment and if the anxiety came back because it was a particularly stressful day, I ran it again.

The app keeps your input to basic needs, so it doesn’t overwhelm you. It’s easy to see how you’ve progressed and to look back on previous sessions. If you are curious and willing to invest the time and money, Alpha-Stim AID can be a gentle and effective tool in your mental health toolbox.

For more information about the Alpha-Stim devices and how they can help you, head to their website and speak to one of their reps.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received a review sample.

Now that “the stockings have been hung by the chimney with care,” let’s stuff them with all the goodies. Here is our final gift guide of the holiday season, covering all our favorites to stuff those stockings.

FanRoll Dice

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: FanRoll
Price: Varies (Liquid Core, shown above, start at $74.99)
Purchase: FanRoll

I love the mesmerizing look of liquid-core dice. The floating glittery liquid captivates me. FanRoll’s liquid core dice are handcrafted and polished with pristine edges and designed to steal the show while rolling your way through a D&D campaign. These full-sized polyhedral dice come in a set of 7 dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d10%(00-90), d12, and d20) and come in a metal case to keep them safe before games. – DS [Review sample received from FanRoll.com]

Brick-You Custom Brick Set Gift Card

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Brick-You
Price: Varies
Purchase: Brick-You

Brick-You offers custom brick style sets of anyone in your life including your pet. They come with clear instructions via QR code and neat little card that shows the original photo you submitted alongside the bricked out version. They sent me a version of myself and my husband and I couldn’t be happier with the results. They even captured the print on my t-shirt under my jacket! If you are looking for a personalized stocking stuffer, this is is. – DS [Review sample received from Brick-You]

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2026

Suggested By: Sarah P.
Mfg: National Geographic Kids
Price: $15.99
Purchase: National Geographic

It would not be a successful Jólabókaflóð without one us sitting and reading facts to the rest of the family. And so there is always a National Geographic offering under our tree for such entertainment. This year we are going straight to the granddaddy of facts and tidbits with the 2026 Almanac. The 2026 edition includes updated maps, homework help and all the new discoveries and cutting edge information on the natural world that we’ve come to expect from National Geographic. – SP

Funko Pop! Plus: Demon Slayer – Nezuko Kamado

Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Funko
Price: $14.99
Purchase: Amazon

One of the most popular movies released this year was Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle. I attended the panel for this anime film at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, and the house was packed for the event. This 3.5″ collectible figure of one of the best-known characters, Nezuko Kamado, is dressed for the holidays here with a festive outfit and a matching bit of mistletoe in her hair. – PB

Hammer & Nails Grooming for Guys Gift Certificate

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Hammer and Nails
Price: Varies
Purchase: Hammer & Nails Salon

Give someone the gift of a day at the spa with the Hammer & Nails Grooming for Guys gift certificate. They currently have over 50 locations nationwide and offer packages from shaves to foot massages. The prices are reasonable for a time at the spa, starting at $55 and going up to $249 for the LUX experiences. If you want to go the extra mile, check out their grooming club that offers various services for a flat fee each month. – DS

Cinema Lens Candle

Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Film Pin Society
Price: $35
Purchase: GiftShop.com

Got any movie buffs in your life? Then they’re sure to enjoy this 100% soy wax candle that comes in a matte black glass vessel printed to look like a camera lens. The candle smells great with scents of firewood, sandalwood, and sage, and will burn about 35-40 hours. – PB

Highball Shaker

Suggested By: Paul B.
Mfg: High Camp Flasks
Price: $129
Purchase: High Camp Flasks
This 1-liter, vacuum-insulated shaker lets you mix 6-8 cocktails at once, keeping them perfectly chilled without freezing your hands. It’s made of the same high quality distiller-grade steel as their flasks which I’ve reviewed on GeekDad, and available in 4 different finishes. The shaker also includes the “Upscale Jigger” which is extra-large with measuring marks for perfectly-crafted cocktails. – PB

Tom & Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958)/span>

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Price: $46.79
Purchase: Amazon
Surprise the animation enthusiast on your gift list with this spectacular Tom & Jerry collection. Presenting the entire series—all 114 cartoon shorts— complete and uncut, The Golden Era Anthology presents 13+ hours of content across its five discs. Fully restored and boasting 20 additional commentary tracks from artists and enthusiasts, it’s an amazing document of the cartoon that shaped generations of American viewers. – Z. [Review materials provided by Warner Bros.]

Boundless 10,000mAh Handheld Power Bank

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Boundless
Price: $79.98
Purchase: Boundless

Boundless 10,000mAh handheld power bank with built-in cables and AC plug is for the traveler. I took this one on a recent cruise aboard the Disney Destiny and it saved me a few times from having to camp out in my stateroom waiting for my phone to charge. Its a little on the heavy side, but I like the shape because it feels good in my hand. It works fast and can charge a USB-C or lightnigh cable device. It also has an open USB-C port for plugging in an external cable (this feature saved me because our stateroom didn’t have enough charging ports for all our stuff at night). – DS [Review sample received from Boundless]

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Nintendo
Price: $69
Purchase: Amazon
Arriving scant days too late to be included in our games gift guide, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is another standout holiday release for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. While it sticks close to the tight run-and-gun nature of the previous Prime titles, it’s not afraid to give more game time to the deep exploration of the 2D Metroid series making for an unforgettable deep space adventure! – Z. [Review materials provided by Nintendo of America.]

Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen from Goldspot

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Benu (sold by Goldspot)
Price: $157.99
Purchase: Goldspot.com (Benu Euphoria)

This one might look familiar if you saw our Clothing and Everyday Essentials guide this year. Is it that good? Yes. Yes it is. The Benu Euphoria fountain pen from Goldspot is the ideal size for slipping into your favorite writer’s stocking. Make sure to check what nib size they prefer before purchasing. – DS [Review sample was received by Goldspot.com]

JISULIFE Portable Handheld Fan Ultra2

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Jisulife
Price: $76
Purchase: Amazon

The Jisulife Handheld Fan Ultra2 is designed to deliver super cooling and excellent speeds. It features adjustable speed settings and a 9000mAh battery that powers the fan and your electronic devices for up to 25 hours. It comes equipped with accessories perfect for inflatables, keyboards, and similar items. It’s like a little powerful workhorse.- DS [Review sample received from Jisulife]

Limitless 10,000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Limitless
Price: On sale for $49.98
Purchase: QVC

The Limitless 10,000mAh Power Bank with built-in cables and MagSafe ability. If your phone offers wireless charging but is not MagSafe, no worries, because it comes with an adapter to give it the ability to attach. 

This little charger packs a punch in a small package. It fits in the palm of your hand and offers a digital readout and built-in lightning and USB-C cables. It weighs just under half a pound, so it’s great for tossing in your bag when running out the door.- DS [Review sample received from QVC]

LEGO has certainly done many a Batman set before. I’ve personally enjoyed putting together and displaying the now-retired 1989 Batmobile. But this time it’s definitely “bring on the bad guys” with their latest Batman set, featuring a whole rogue’s gallery of minifigures.

What Is the LEGO Arkham Asylum?

Arkham Asylum, set #76300, is a 2,953-piece LEGO set featuring a whopping 16 minifigures. When completed, Arkham Asylum measures 13″ high, 10″ wide and 11″ deep. The set retails for $299.99, and is a LEGO exclusive so is only available at LEGO’s webstore or at their retail stores. As of this writing it’s currently on backorder, with orders expected to ship within 60 days.

Arkham Asylum is also a modular building, which means it has multiple, removable floors, and can be connected to any of the many other LEGO modular buildings like the LEGO Icons Natural History Museum.

Included in the box are 24 bags of LEGO bricks, two instruction manuals, a grey baseplate, a curved piece for the Arkham gate sign, and 2 sheets of stickers.

Besides giving clear, step by step instructions on how to assemble Arkham Asylum, the two manuals also have background on the asylum itself, as well as the comic book characters represented by the included minifigures.

Click to view slideshow.

LEGO Arkham Asylum – The Minifigures

As usual, the minifigure builds are stretched out throughout the entire build. There are 4 heroes, 10 villains, and 2 security guards.

Click to view slideshow.

The heroes and villains all come with their signature accessories. The majority of the villains are inmates at the asylum, and wear matching jumpsuits.

Assembling the LEGO Arkham Asylum

While there are just two instruction manuals included, there are really 4 stages to putting together Arkham Asylum: The ambulance, the ground floor, the second floor, and the roof. 

Arkham Asylum – Ambulance

Here’s a look at the ambulance assembly, which is the first couple of bags:

Click to view slideshow.

And here’s the completed ambulance:

Arkham Asylum – Ground Floor

Now we get into the meat of the build.

Click to view slideshow.

Here’s what the completed ground floor looks like:

The ground floor is crammed full of Easter eggs, like this nod to the classic Frank Miller comic The Dark Knight Returns:

There’s plenty of other amazing details on this floor, which really help bring the build to life:

Click to view slideshow.

Arkham Asylum – Second Floor

The second floor follows the same basic layout as the first.

Click to view slideshow.

And here is the completed second floor, locked onto the first floor. If you’ve never built a modular building before, the floors securely attach to each other, but are also easy to remove without damaging the build.

The main locations on the second floor are the psychiatrist’s office, the guard tower, and inmate cells. The cells can be opened and closed, just like the ones on the first floor:

Arkham Asylum – Roof

The roof is the final bit of assembly for the set, and also contains plenty of detail.

Click to view slideshow.

Here’s the roof placed on the building:

The last bag of the set adds in the final exterior details and extras, such as these homicidal minions of the Penguin:

As well as the Arkham Asylum gate sign:

There are also several translucent flying stands and studs, to help with placing the minifigures on and around the completed asylum:

Here’s a closer look at all the different characters on display. Obviously, you can also create scenes with them inside the asylum. But for just displaying the set on the shelf, you’re probably going to want to be able to show off the minifigures.

Click to view slideshow.

LEGO Arkham Asylum – Final Thoughts

Arkham Asylum was a fun build, especially as a Batman fan. There’s so much to enjoy here, with tons of fun little details from a Doctor Hugo Strange diploma hanging on the wall, to a small hole “dug” into the base of the asylum, with a spoon resting in the hole. There are some very fun build techniques at play here, like with this ingenious little water cooler:

Unfortunately, time constraints also mean size constraints, and this is not exactly an imposing asylum. Still, it’s impressive what LEGO has managed to fit into the space. And an added benefit of the size is that the set is to scale with other modular buildings, so you can easily create your own Gotham City. Though to be fair, the rest of the LEGO modular building are probably much nicer than any buildings you’d see in Gotham.

While the build went well, there were a couple of hiccups. First, one of the bags had a missing piece, and it was unfortunately not one that I had at hand. Usually, LEGO is very fast shipping replacement parts, but this time it took almost two months for the new piece to arrive. And second, for some reason the roof doesn’t quite fit right with the second floor. I had originally placed it slightly off, as you can see in photos above, but even after relocating it, things are just a bit askew:

Considering the relatively small footprint of the Arkham Asylum set, LEGO managed to cram in a ton of details. With minifigures like Batwing and Damien Wayne, this set is definitely geared more to the comic book fans than those of the movies. But really, if you’re a Batman fan, and especially of his rogue gallery, then you’re going to be very happy with this set. 

LEGO provided this set for evaluation, but had no input into the review.

Lord of the Flies is an amazing book, though it was notable in my early life for not being The Lord of the Rings, a book I was obsessed with. I didn’t read William Golding’s classic until much later, but it was, without a doubt, a nailed-on classic. It seems amazing to me that even in my youth, it should have already gained such a status, having been written less than 20 years before I was born.

“Instant classic” is a superlative often bandied around about books, but rarely deserved. I’ve lost count of the “instant classics” I’ve read that nobody can remember 5 years later. Lord of the Flies is a novel that can truly claim the title. A perennial favorite and forever on school reading lists, it has now been updated by Aimée De Jongh, who brings us Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel.

What Is Lord of The Flies – The Graphic Novel?

I guess one could argue whether a book as good as Lord of the Flies needs a graphic novel. The answer is, honestly, possibly not. But that doesn’t mean that De Jongh hasn’t created something special.

This is a straight-up retelling of the story. A chunky tome, filled with evocative illustrations that reinforce the power of Golding’s story. According to the author’s afterword, all the text used comes straight from the original. She states her aim as wishing “[to add] meaning through composition, colour and atmosphere.”

Why Read Lord of The Flies – The Graphic Novel?

I would say De Jongh succeeds in her aim. Her pictures vividly bring to life the horror of the “Lord of the Flies” itself. The festering pig head becomes even more malignant in De Jongh’s drawings. I’m not sure whether it is due to the artists’s framing of the author’s words or the longevity of Golding’s vision, but this retelling brought home how relevant the original novel remains.

Looking at how the boys arranged themselves and the assertion of “might is right” chimes with the politically turbulent times we find ourselves in. Jack’s rise to power and the way in which the other boys are cowed by him plays out in front of us on an almost daily basis. Through de Jongh’s treatment of the text, we can see echoes of the populism that infects the world today.

Lord of the Flies is a text that I think will hit home for every reader. It is currently on the GCSE syllabus in the UK (the exams we take at 16) and its themes and characters will resonate with anybody of that age. Aimée De Jongh’s accessible retelling opens opportunities for even more people to enjoy the novel.

I don’t think this interpretation can replace the power of reading the original, but as a way into the full text, it is perfect. There were certainly some nuances that I either overlooked when I first read the book or have since forgotten from when I did. The lure of rereading the original book is strong. I’m definitely considering taking another look.

I think for anybody new to the story will, after reading the graphic novel, want to dig deeper – “You mean there’s more of this? – Sign me up!” Though, perhaps I’m telegraphing my own love of reading onto a teenage reader in a way that just won’t stack up.

Nevertheless, whether you’re a newcomer to Golding’s work or already a lover of it, there is much to enjoy about Aimée De Jongh’s graphic retelling. It’s a compelling companion to one of the 20th Century’s finest novels.

If you would like to pick up a copy of Lord of the Flies – The Graphic Novel, you can do so, here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

It’s time to get styling and stocking up on everyday necessities that we think you should consider this gift-giving season. Here are our favorites from around the web.

Displate Metal Posters

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Displate
Price: Varies (Generally starts around $49)
Purchase: Displate.com

Displate metal posters are a great way to add art to a room without damaging walls or being committed to the same look. Displate prints its art on stainless steel and uses a magnetic hanging system so you can swap out the art at your leisure. Posters come in a wide range of art styles and brands and sizes from medium to x-large. If you’d like something personal, get them a custom Displate! – DS [Review sample was received by Displate.com]

Benu Euphoria Fountain Pen from Goldspot

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Benu (sold by Goldspot)
Price: $157.99
Purchase: Goldspot.com (Benu Euphoria)

Last year, I embarked on my journey into fountain pens. I started with the basics and finally worked my way up to the finer things in the fountain pen world. Benu is a brand people trust for reliability, quality, and beautiful design. In terms of pens, they are a little more expensive but they are well worth the investment. The Benu Euphoria writes like a dream. It has wet feel to the nib and glides along the paper like butter. You can pair this pen with any ink including shimmer. It has become one of my favorite pens and I’m looking forward to buying a couple more from Goldspot after I get my hands on some gift cards. – DS [Review sample was received by Goldspot.com]

Levenger’s The Great Gatsby” Pen Box

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Levenger
Price: $279.50
Purchase: Levenger.com

For the pen lover, check out Levenger’s The Great Gatsby Pen Box. The box is part of The Great Gatsby line commemorating the 100th anniversary of the classic story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Art Deco style will look great on any desk and screams elegance. The soft felt lining protects up to 20 pens and provides a luxurious place for them to hang between uses. – DS [Review sample was received by Levenger.com]

Chocolaticas Shoes “Sea Demon”

Suggested By: Ruth S.
Mfg: Hot Chocolate Design
Price: $80.65 (but sometimes on sale for less)
Purchase: Amazon
This is the year Hot Chocolate shoes became my favorites. The Chocolaticas line comes in this nearly flat design with just a hint of a wedge to the heel. They’re super comfy, easy to walk in, and the designs are the best. (I also have the Medieval Bestiary.) – RS

Godzilla in Color T-Shirt

Suggested By: Paul B.
Mfg: Alamo Drafthouse
Price: $30
Purchase: GiftShop.com
Oh no, there goes Tokyo! Designed by Tom Whalen, this 100% cotton shirt strikingly depicts Godzilla, Mothra, Mechagodzilla, and King Ghidorah. The shirt itself is super soft and nicely thick, and is great for any Godzilla fan. -PB

Professional Shusher Trucker Hat

Suggested By: Paul B.
Mfg: Alamo Drafthouse
Price: $35
Purchase: GiftShop.com
Alamo Drafthouse is famous for serving dinner and drinks during the film, as well as its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going etiquette. It’s that policy that you’ll celebrate with this trucker hat, with its embroidered quote, “Shushing jerks for over 25 years.” It’s a structured black cap with a mesh backside and an embroidered patch. -PB

HiRise 3 Deluxe MagSafe Charging Stand

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Twelve South
Price: $99.99
Purchase: Amazon
iPhone users will love this MagSafe charging stand that charges your phone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. This three-in-one charger is sleek and minimalistic, only taking up enough space to do the job. The iPhone stand has an adjustable tilt so you can angle your phone just right. The bottom has vegan leather to protect any surface and the stand itself has a matte, polished aluminum look to it. I think this is the perfect iPhone stand.  – DS [Review sample was received by Twelve South]

CrapKeeper Bag

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: CrapKeeper
Price: $39.99
Purchase: CrapKeeper
CrapKeeper is the first shoulder bag that straps on and hangs on to your shoulder, bike, chair, or car. I like that it has two spots to hold my drinks as well as plenty of pockets and organizational options on the inside.  It comes in five colors and includes different straps for different situations. – DS [Review sample was received by CrapKeeper]

Plum Paper Planners

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Plum Paper
Price: Starts at $47.99
Purchase: Plum Paper
Get the new year started off on the right foot with a custom planner from Plum Paper. You are in the designer seat with more options than you can shake a calendar at. Customize everything from the cover to the inside pages and tabs. This is a great gift if you want to give something personal but don’t have the means to make it yourself. Choose on of their pre-designed layouts or go with something of your own making. – DS [Review sample was received by Plum Paper]

The Halloween Rose Scally Cap

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Boston Scally Company
Price: $52
Purchase: The Halloween Rose Scally Cap
The holiday season is also peak hat season, and if you’re looking to step up someone’s headwear game for Christmas, the Boston Scally Company has exactly what you’re looking for. Not only does Boston Scally sell exquisitely crafted, high-quality caps, pins, and apparel, but they’re also happy to provide you with a brief history of the flat cap; a look at the finer points of single-, six-, and eight-panel construction; and an expansive line of specialty and seasonal designs to choose from. As a year-round Halloween guy, I went with a piece from this year’s autumnal selection, but Peaky Blinders and A Christmas Story products are also available to make your yuletide merry and bright. – Z.

Overlord X Transformers: Starscream

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Overlord Caps
Price: $35
Purchase: Overlord X Transformers: Starscream
For casual headwear, my go-to has recently become Overlord Caps. With amazing designs sure to transport the wearer back to a childhood Saturday morning, Overlord has licensed fare from Astro Boy, Care Bears, Fraggle Rock, and more. My personal favorite is their Overlord X Transformers collection—specifically the Starscream cap. I’ve been wearing it out all season, and it never fails to elicit compliments from my fellow Gen-Xers. – Z.

Crease Beast Starter Kit

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Crease Beast
Price: $32.99
Purchase: Crease Beast Starter Kit
If you regularly wear Jordans or Nike Dunks, you’re no doubt familiar with the dreaded toe crease! After years of investing in bulky shoe trees and uncomfortable plastic toe box supports, I recently found a solution that actually works. Crease Beast pairs specially designed socks and foot sleeves with pockets and their custom memory foam inserts to reinforce the problem area even while you walk! Comfortable and affordable, they’re the perfect gift for the sneakerhead on your list. – Z.

What Is The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of?

The Stuff That Stuff is Made Of has been in my “books I need to review” box for far too long. I’ve been keen to get to it. It’s a beautiful book about plants that we use in our everyday lives, all around the world. Hero plants that we take for granted.

The Review

Over 64 pages and 30 amazing plants, Jonathan Dori will take us on a journey through the many different plantstuffs that we cannot do without.

Whether it be for obvious ones like tea (though not coffee!), rubber, and pine, or more esoteric plants, such as dandelion, gutta-percha, and boabab, Dori and his illustrators, Raxenne Manquiz and Jiatong Liu, have got you covered.

Each entry consists of a double-page spread, with one half being given over to botanical information about the plant, including a picture of what it looks like. The other half describes how it is used and the important processes it is involved in. These might be natural or industrial. For example, whilst sugar is refined to make sweets, bamboo is used to feed pandas. Very different processes, but both are useful!

There is often a historical context for the plant, too. For example, how beech trees became associated with thunder, how the Mayans planted crops of beans, squash and maize close to each other, or how dandelions were used to make rubber in the Second World War.

The book is packed full of information. Each picture is wonderfully evocative, drawing the reader in. By showing the cultural importance of plants from all over the world, The Stuff Stuff is Made Of presents an absorbing global history of horticulture and agriculture. This really is a lovely book, perfect for inquisitive children and very handy for any home or school library.

Why Read The Stuff Stuff Is Made Of?

If you would like to pick up a copy of The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

Every geek loves a new gadget. Here’s a selection from the GeekDad and GeekMom writers, featuring their favorite gadgets to add to your Christmas list.

JLab JBuddies ANC 2 in 1 Wireless + Wired Kids Headphones

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: JLAB
Price: $24
Purchase: Amazon
JLAB JBUDDIES ANC 2 in 1 Kids Headphones provide a safe listening experience to little ears. They come in blue/red and purple/pink and boast an impressive 50+ hours of battery life. The active noise canceling helps to block out loud noises for little ears. You can connect two devices with wireless share mode, allowing more than one child to enjoy the entertainment. – DS [Review sample was received by JLab]

JLab JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: JLAB
Price: $24
Purchase: Amazon
For adults seeking high-quality sound without the high cost, the JLab JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones will fit the bill. With the JLab app, you can customize your sound, including touch controls, ANC levels, EQ presets, and more. The 70+ hour battery life even beats some of the pricier brands. – DS [Review sample was received by JLab]

S2 Power Bank

Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: KUXIU
Price: $49.99
Purchase: KUXIU
This battery pack magnetically attaches to your phone for wireless charging, but its most interesting feature is inside: it’s a solid-state battery, which should improve both its performance and safety. Until December 8, use the code BLACK25 for an extra 15% off. Read more about it here. – JHL

Mixx Revival 55 Record Player

Suggested By: Jonathan H. Liu
Mfg: Mixx
Price: $99.99
Purchase: Amazon
This record player is a terrific way to add a tactile bit of ritual to your music listening and it can really shift your relationship with how you experience your playlists. The retro look and compact size are adorable, at a price that won’t break the bank. (No guarantees on how much you’ll spend on records, though!) Read the full review here. – JHL

Arlo Video Doorbell 2K – 2nd Generation

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Arlo
Price: $49.99
Purchase: Amazon
The Arlo Video Doorbell delivers clear 2K monitoring indoors or outdoors with a weather-resistant design, two-way talk, and a wide 180° field of view. With the Arlo app, you can get instant alerts, set up night vision, watch your door with live streaming, and activate a remote siren for emergencies. With a paid Arlo plan, you can get advanced benefits like 60-day video storage and smart detection for people, vehicles, packages, and animals. Setup and mounting are super easy, and it comes with everything you need to get it up and running. – DS [Review sample was received by Arlo]

Viaim RecDot and Nano+ Earbuds

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Viaim
Price: $129.99
Purchase: ReDot on Amazon and Nano+ on Amazon
Viaim’s AI-powered earbuds are the perfect gadget for the student or professional in your life. The Viaim RecDot makes the perfect meeting assistant with an incredible 48dB aNC. It features real-time translation and transcription.

The RecDot provides users with a unique blend of high-end audio with productivity-boosting smart technology.

For the day-to-day user, Viaim Nano+ combines versatility, comfort, and smart features for regular daily use, travel, and work. They provide up to 40 hours of battery life when used with their charging case and have the same 45dB ANC as the RecDot. They also utilize AI to perform tasks like transcription and live translation. – DS [Review sample was received by Viaim]

Crucial X10 external SSD

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: Crucial
Price: $89.99
Purchase: Amazon
Extra storage is essential these days and Crucial is the brand I trust. They make reliable and affordable tech that keeps me going. I love their line of external solid state drives for their reliability and pocket size. The X10 comes in 1TB – 8TB and delivers read speeds of up to 2,100MB/s.This drive is IP65 dust and water-resistant and drop-tested up to 9.8 ft. – DS [Review sample was received by Crucial]

GoPro LIT Hero

Suggested By: Dakster S.
Mfg: GoPro
Price: $229
Purchase: Amazon
If someone on your list is looking to get into the GoPro world, the LIT Hero is the perfect introduction. The simple interface uses tap-and-swipe controls to switch between video, photo, and slo-motion modes. It’s waterproof in depths up to 16ft and it’s built tough for rain, sleet, or snow. I like that it has a built-in light with three brightness levels to help me shoot in a range of lighting scenarios. – DS [Review sample was received by GoPro]

Mini Arcade Pro

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: iMPGaming
Price: $82.87
Purchase: Walmart
Launched earlier this year at Gamescom, the Mini Arcade Pro is the perfect present for the retro gamer on your gift list. Compatible with the Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2, this device turns your system into a tiny arcade cabinet tailor-made for your favorite old-school fighting and shooter titles, not to mention the massive retro library available to Switch Online subscribers. With all the face and shoulder buttons laid out arcade-style, a nicely balanced joystick, and its own turbo function, the Mini Arcade Pro is an ideal addition to even the most modest game room. There are dedicated buttons for the Switch home menu and the Switch 2’s Gamechat functionality, and with easily updated firmware, it’s a practically future-proof solution for all your gaming needs. –Z. [Review materials provided by iMPGaming.]

Gibson x Loog Les Paul

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: Loog
Price: $229.00
Purchase: Loog Guitars
The Loog 3-string electric guitar was originally conceived as a way to inspire the next generation of musicians with a child-sized instrument that was as easy to play as it was to pick up. Not only does Loog still excel at this mission, but it’s also a great way for those of any age to take that first tentative step into the world of guitar playing. Developed by Loog in collaboration with industry giant Gibson, the new Loog Les Paul captures the overall look and feel of the original instrument–complete with a smooth rosewood fretboard and its own tiny dogear pickup–and includes everything else you need (chord flashcards, app access, picks, a fun activity book, and even stickers) to start learning guitar ½ a chord at a time! –Z. [Review materials provided by Loog.]

NEO S Daft Punk 5-Fret Fortnite Festival Edition

Suggested By: Z.
Mfg: CRKD
Price: $49.99
Purchase: CRKD
Commemorating the robots’ (sort of) return via the Fortnite special event “The Daft Punk Experience,” this CRKD wireless controller is the perfect match for however you game. From PC to Nintendo Switch to your favorite cloud platform, the NEO S boasts an ergonomic design with ultra-stable Bluetooth connectivity. Add to that hall effect thumbsticks (to prevent drift), adjustable rumble, motion gaming support (Switch only), and a removable 5-fret attachment for use in rhythm games, and you have an all-in-one controller with the unmistakable style of Daft Punk. –Z. [Review materials provided by CRKD.]

TurboPoly Fan 707S

Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: DREO
Price: $179.99
Purchase: Amazon
If you’re one of those people like me who’s always hot, you’ll love to have a great fan that will cool you down quickly. This 3D oscillating fan gives you full room circulation in a compact package. It features five wind modes, four speeds, and smart control via the DREO app. You can even operate it with your voice if you have Alexa or Google! – PB

Lifestudio Flex Plus Projector

Suggested By: Paul Benson
Mfg: Epson
Price: $999.99
Purchase: Amazon
If you’re looking for a portable projector for gaming and media consumption, then you’ll probably want to take a look at the Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus. Featuring 4K UHD video, 1000 lumens of brightness, and audio by Bose, this projector will fill your room with great picture and sound. You can project up to a 150″ image, and the low latency is perfect for when you want to play your games on the BIG screen. And it’s powered by Google TV, so you can easily load all your streaming apps right onto the projector. -PB

Carvera Air Desktop CNC

Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Makera
Price: $2,199
Purchase: Amazon
For the home workshop/hobbyist maker who has (almost) everything, the Carvera Air Desktop CNC is the perfect option for a CNC machine that doesn’t take up a ton of space while providing a ton of functionality at an easy entry point. The Carvera Air is a fully enclosed CNC machine that also has the option to add on a 4th-axis and a laser engraver! And it does all of this with minimal mess, and software and functionality that makes it accessible to folks with little to no experience using a CNC or Laser. I’ve been experimenting with the machine for a couple of months now, and a full in-depth review is coming soon, but I cannot recommend it enough! – WJ

Photon Mono M7 Max Resin 3D Printer

Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Anycubic
Price: $664.99
Purchase: Amazon
I have been 3D printing for 15 years, and hands down, my favorite brand of printers for resin printing has been Anycubic. Every time I’ve tried another brand, I’ve been sorely disappointed. For anyone wanting to print larger resin pieces, the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Max is THE best bang for your buck, hands down. Not only does it feature a large print area and 7K resolution, it also has additional upgraded features that actually work well and make printing easier and better, like a heated resin vat, resin run out sensor, and resin refill (AND unfill!), and remote printing and monitoring. And if the Mono M7 Max is to big or out of your price range, then the Mono M7 is a great smaller alternative while providing a lot of the same features and reliability expected from Anycubic. – WJ

Intuos Bluetooth Graphics Drawing Tablet

Suggested By: Will James
Mfg: Wacom
Price: $69.95
Purchase: Amazon
If you have a budding artist in the family, the Wacom Intuos Small Bluetooth Drawing Tablet is a perfect budget-friendly entry into the world of digital art! The tablet is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Chromebooks and can work both wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Its small size makes it easy to take on the go, which makes it perfect for students and creators on the go. – WJ