NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Zoey's Angels, comic book Friday and Swamp Thing
Jun 7, 2019, 6:29 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, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
Here it is, the Friday edition of Nerds Around Town, you made it.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Zoey's Angels 8th annual Family Fun Walk is this Sunday. After the walk there are numerous events and tickets come with a plate of lunch there are all kinds of reasons to get out there and support these great people, not the smallest reason being the great cause. So get out there and help Zoey's Angels on Sunday. #NerdsUnite
STREAMING QUAGMIRE
DC Universe just cancelled its first show on its streaming service, Swamp Thing. If you recall, they were unhappy with both the expense and the direction of the show, cutting costs and rewriting the show to cut it down to 10 episodes from 13. Apparently, after just one week the announcement came down that they will air out these remaining nine episodes but that's it, series over. This isn't a great surprise to me, honestly, this was the one that most stuck out when they announced a line up. I could see the idea of a doom patrol, especially if they're doing a Titans show as they have similar themes and overlapping characters, but Swamp Thing when it was its best book was a big crazy god of the green comic book. The show was taking a southern horror vibe which is great and can be its own thing, but you could tell that same story with characters that are easier to create for the television screen.
WHILE YOU'RE OUT
So while you're running around this weekend, one place you should swing by is your local comic book shop. There are several great ones around town and there's more than likely one near you so hop in and check out some of these great titles and more. From Marvel there's lots going on with the War of the Realms stuff and all the side adventures a massive war brings on but also of note Matthew Rosenberg's run on X Men is coming to a close as they prepare for the massive Jonathan Hickman launch next month, so pick up Uncanny X Men #19 and check out how the series comes to it's rocketing conclusion. DC is in the middle of some cool storylines as well with Justice League finishing up a battle with the sixth dimension versions of their future selves and slowly kick off their "Year of the Villains", they also are in the middle of releasing Tom Taylor's what if zombie story, DCeased. It's a fun/scary run through the potential troubles of the DC Universe. Also an interesting Indy book that is well worth checking out is, Sword Daughter. Great art, Jose Villarrubia, amazing writer, Brian Wood and a very interesting story makes this one worth picking up.
ESCALATION IN VEGAS
So friend of Nerd Thug Radio, Dennis Barger has constantly pushed the definitely not a monopoly but only distributor Diamond to step their game up. In response they banned him from their summits for the next year and a half. He's a customer who is regularly in the top 20% of orders and has been pushing for such horrendous change as credit on damaged product and things of that selfish nature and they're just not happy with him. This is the kind of stuff that lets people say that the industry I love is "in trouble." I don't think it is, but I can't argue with people when stuff like this comes up. What am I supposed to say? No it isn't? Because honestly, it does make the whole thing look bad when you can't even take care of your retailers, they're the lifeblood and honestly they're Diamond's customers. What is their problem?
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
I need a fun weekend in my life, so this weekend, look out for Drunk Cory. Seriously, I haven't really pulled the pin in a little bit so stay tuned to some potentially devastating hangover horror stories in future editions of "Not That You Asked."
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Friday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Monday and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help fight cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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Just one week ago, it looked like the Astros’ bats might finally be waking up. There was a noticeable uptick in offensive numbers, optimism in the air, and a belief creeping in that Houston could be on the verge of an offensive breakthrough. But if there was any momentum building, it collapsed over the past week.
In their latest seven-game stretch, the Astros were near the bottom of the league in virtually every key offensive metric — 24th in runs scored, 27th in OPS (.610), and 26th in slugging percentage (.337). These numbers aren't just a one-week blip. They are more aligned with the team’s season-long struggles, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the Astros are simply off to a slow start. The numbers don’t lie: 25th in home runs (39), 20th in OPS (.689), 23rd in slugging (.372), and 20th in total runs.
The hope was that Houston’s offense would eventually climb into the top 10. That no longer feels realistic. What’s becoming clearer each week is that this is a bottom-third offense — and the only thing keeping them competitive is elite pitching.
Pitching keeps the ship afloat
While the bats have sputtered, the arms have delivered. The Astros currently rank 7th in team ERA (3.39), 1st in WHIP (1.12), and 2nd in opponent batting average (.212). That’s championship-caliber stuff. But as the American League hierarchy takes shape, it’s worth noting that contenders like the Yankees and Tigers boast both top-five pitching and offense — a balance the Astros currently can’t come close to matching.
Core hitters going quiet
So what’s wrong with the offense? Much of it comes down to three players who were supposed to be key contributors: Jose Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Diaz. All three rank in the bottom 30 in MLB in OPS.
For Altuve, the struggles are especially glaring. The month of May has been a black hole for the veteran. He has yet to hit a home run or drive in a run this month. His season numbers (.241/.296/.646) are troubling enough, but the trend line is even worse:
- Last 7 games: .148 AVG / .233 OBP / .185 SLG
- Last 15 games: .175 AVG / .242 OBP / .228 SLG
- Last 30 games: .193 AVG / .256 OBP / .272 SLG
That last stretch has Altuve ranked with the 8th worst OPS (.537) in all of baseball over the last month.
Yet despite the slump — and a 35-year-old body showing signs of wear — Altuve continues to be penciled into the lineup almost daily. Even after missing a game on May 11th with hamstring tightness, he returned the next day. Manager Joe Espada’s reluctance to give Altuve extended rest is becoming a storyline of its own. If he continues to produce at this level, it will be hard to justify keeping him at the top of the lineup.
Rotation takes a blow
The week delivered more bad news — this time on the injury front. The Astros announced that right-hander Hayden Wesneski will miss the remainder of the season and require Tommy John surgery. What makes the injury particularly frustrating is that the signs were there. Decreased velocity led to a longer rest period, but in his return start, the team allowed him to throw 40 pitches in the first inning. That start would be his last of the season.
With Wesneski out, the pressure now shifts to Lance McCullers, whose return was once seen as a bonus but now feels like a necessity. Spencer Arrighetti’s comeback becomes more critical as well. The Astros' rotation has depth, but the margin for error just got thinner.
The road ahead
The American League isn’t dominated by a juggernaut, which gives the Astros some breathing room. But the Yankees and Tigers are pulling away in terms of balance and consistency — the very thing Houston has lacked.
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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