NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Spider-Man, Lootcrates, and new comics
Aug 21, 2019, 7:37 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!
Half way through, how we looking world?
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
This week I found a very odd thing that I want to point everyone's attention towards, it's this Saturday's James Harden & Friend's Charity Concert w/ Secret Special Guests. It's at Revention Music Center and it's at 6 p.m. on Saturday and tickets are on sale. That's literally ALL of the info. I don't know yet who it benefits or who is performing, but I do love a good mystery. Check it out!
FALL OF THE LOOTCRATE
Many moons ago on my show Nerd Thug Radio, I told people that the rumors circulating were that Loot Crate was having trouble paying their bills. Which is always bad news but honestly not always the end. So after some time passed I honestly thought they had figured some stuff out because they still existed, until suddenly influencers weren't getting their free boxes and people were complaining about repeat items in their boxes from previous boxes. Suddenly boxes started slipping behind on their schedule also, later and later until, not at all. So now Lootcrate it slowly winding down, they've announced bankruptcy and are trying to take care of open orders and owed boxes but are also doing layoffs and winding down things. It's unclear if they'll be able to honor all the open orders still remaining but they sound like they're going to try. Quote of the whole story, a former employee was on reddit saying they knew it was bad when their boss was sending job postings to apply at while at work.
BIG FIRST STEP
Comixology announced they are debuting four original series in September. They had mentioned before they were going to shift from media distributor to content creator as well, awhile back and this appears to be the first big stab in that direction. Comixology has a strong indy scene and they have an open submission process they work through with anyone, allegedly. This is their first genuine attempt to launch what seems to be content they had a hand in also producing. One of the books is by friend of the show Vita Ayala. Her first comic book was a Nerd Thug Radio favorite and we spent some time talking to her at Comicpalooza two years ago and since that time she has exploded all over comic books! You need to make you check her out give her new book Quarter Killer a looksie on September 26th!
SONY'S TANGLED WEB
Disturbing news out of Hollywood, Sony and Disney are going to cancel their deal and Spider-man will no longer be a part of the MCU moving forward. This is an absolute moron of a move by Sony, who hasn't gotten Spider-Man right on their own either time they tried it. Tom Holland has one more solo Sony film on his contract and it's unclear what direction he'll take from there, but this is obviously a huge blow. The root of the conflict stems from Disney wanting some of that box office cheddar that Marvel left on the table the first go round. In the first deal, Disney got all the merchandising and Sony got 95% of the box office money with Disney getting 5% of the first weekend sales. In the new deal it seems like Disney was asking for 50% of the box office haul, Sony has a mixed bag with the Spider-Man rights as their other Spider projects have gone OK but Disney had much more success with Spidey than Sony ever did alone. This is a bad move on their part.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
Got new pages in for issue #2 of Another Day at the Office and I love them!! They're gorgeous!! So pumped guys, so pumped!
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.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! 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.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!