NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: House of X, Nico turns 21 and The Boys
Jul 26, 2019, 9:13 am
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ
Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds! It's Friday, you made it, let's celebrate.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Make sure to help support The Adventure Begins as they participate in The Longest Day fundraiser, they will have tournaments and games all day in support against Alzheimer's. There are all kinds of things to get involved and ways to help, check out their website for more details.
WHILE YOU'RE OUT
So on most Fridays I point out that you should go to your local comic shop and then I list a couple of books from various publishers that you should check out. There's literally only one book that's important this week, House of X. Hickman has come in and changed the game and the rules of the game for this new title and this new run. Magneto at one point asks people to call him their new god, this is the next step in the game. House of X. There are some other books though, including my own, maybe check out Another Day at the Office if you get a second.
WHO ME?
This weekend my little brother turns 21. This is a really cool deal and a major milestone. This incredible journey that he and I have been on together that is Nerd Thug Radio has let us become incredibly close and now I consider him to be one of my best friends and watching him grow into a man has been amazing. This guy is funny, with a big heart and a terrible driver, happy birthday Nico DLG!
THE BOYS
This weekend on Amazon Prime The Boys debuts, this is that different take on superheroes some people have been looking for. Make no mistake about it, this is the next level of dark, storytelling. Essentially this is the story of some guys who have had their lives wrecked by superheroes and the superheroes whose antics ruin their lives. It asks the questions of consequence and what would it look like in a world full of super powers, what happens when a man runs through a human being at a rate of super speed and what does that look like moving forward for both of the hero and the person left alive. Check it out.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
Seriously, those tweets were racist.
Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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The Houston Astros (20-19) are just 4–6 over their last 10 games, but the numbers tell a more encouraging story. Despite the record, Houston is slowly but surely gaining ground in the AL West, sitting just two games back with a division-best +21 run differential. The standings may not fully reflect it yet, but the Astros are showing clear signs of being on the other side of their early offensive struggles.
Through the first month and change, the team’s season-long offensive stats still look pedestrian—14th in OPS (.697), 21st in slugging (.375), 20th in runs scored (163), and just 25th in home runs (33). But zoom in on the last 15 games, and the picture shifts dramatically.
In that span, the Astros have quietly put together one of the most productive offenses in baseball. And that's with Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve missing time due to injury. Houston ranks 4th in OPS (.805), 6th in slugging (.442), 7th in runs (64), and 5th in doubles (22). For a team with playoff expectations, that kind of turnaround is exactly what fans have been hoping for.
The resurgence has been powered in part by rising bats in the middle of the lineup. Christian Walker, who looked stuck in a rut early on, has caught fire over the past week, hitting .385 with a .500 slugging percentage over his last 7 games. Yainer Diaz is heating up too, hitting .310 with a .448 slug over that same stretch. Zoom out a little further, and Diaz has been even better—.339 average and .559 slugging over his last 15 games. His bat is starting to match the hype.
On the mound, the Astros have had their share of turbulence, particularly in Lance McCullers Jr.’s rocky return. Saturday’s 13–9 loss to the Reds underscored some of those struggles. McCullers failed to escape the first inning, giving up walks and hitting a batter before allowing a barrage of hits. Across his two starts since returning from injury, the right-hander has walked three batters and hit one in each outing.
Even so, Houston's pitching remains a strength overall. The Astros rank 8th in team ERA and lead the majors in WHIP (1.14), while holding opponents to the second-lowest batting average (.213). The bullpen, in particular, has been nails. Steven Okert, Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu, and Brian King have all posted ERAs of 1.59 or lower, keeping games within reach when starters falter.
There’s still work to do, and the standings don’t lie. But if the last two weeks are any indication, Houston is turning the corner. The bats are waking up, the bullpen is elite, and the rotation has room to get healthy and sharper. It might not show up in the win column just yet, but make no mistake—the Astros are trending in the right direction.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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