Santa Fe Comic Con Wrap Up

Santa Fe Comic Con has come and gone and now in our candy fueled stupor, we reminisce about how much fun we had that weekend. There were a ton of awesome guests at SFCC and while we couldn’t possibly write an article on each of them, you could feel the excitement in the air over their presence there. The events such as the Open Wounds Film Festival and Costume Contest were well put together and fun to attend.

The City

Santa Fe is a relatively small town but packed full of art and culture. If you come to SFCC next year and don’t live here, take the time to visit some of Santa Fe’s amazing art museums and vendors on the Downtown Plaza. It’s thirty minutes away from the convention, but definitely worth it to stay an extra day for the culture. It’s no wonder the convention attracted so many comic book artists. The city is brimming with art to begin with!

How SFCC Worked

When you checked in you were given both a wrist band and a badge. The wristband gave you access to the con and the badge told people what type of attendee you were “Guest” “Press” “Artist” “General Admission” “VIP” or “Volunteer”. While having both was a little annoying, it did help differentiate who was who.

While there were only two panel rooms, one room for the Open Wound Film Festival, one room for Dealers and one for Artist Alley, there was still a lot to do at the convention and everything was very easy to get to. I would have liked to have seen more panel rooms, but given the size of the event, it worked well.

Our Reactions

Charlotte: SFCC was a smaller convention than most I’ve gone to and that added to how much I enjoyed it. I had more time to hang out and talk with the guests I was excited about seeing. I talked with Linda Blair about the mistreatment of Pitbulls in Colorado for several minutes. Had I been at a bigger convention, I wouldn’t have had two seconds with her.

I also really enjoyed how much the convention organizers cared about the cosplayer attendees. Having a lounge to lie down in and an on hand cosplay assistant really took a lot of the stress of cosplay off my shoulders. My friends and I were able to sit down and wait for panels when we were tired and had any of our costumes malfunctioned (which thank god did not happen) we wouldn’t have to worry. There were also tons of water dispensers throughout the con with ice cold water and cups readily available for thirsty nerds. Considering I forgot my water bottle each day, it was nice that I didn’t have to worry about hydration.

The cosplay was top notch and I was excited to see so many Harley Quinns throughout the con, especially on the day I was dressed as Catwoman. There were also a lot of Green Arrow cosplay and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Raya: As someone who’d only ever been to one convention before SFCC, it was very exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place with so many people in cosplay and so many people with similar interests as me. After a very long day on Saturda,y I was still out of bed much too early on Sunday, all ready with my Winter Soldier makeup on long before the doors even opened. My only frustration was that no one else cosplayed Hawkeye! I was the lone Hawkeye in a sea of Green Arrows.

Maria: SFCC was the first American comic convention I had ever been to. When we got there I was surprised by the fact that this was a much bigger con that I had expected, with stands that varied from comic book artists to celebrities that had participated on several different shows. I enjoyed the fact that it was an event for all ages and the amount of families that participated on cosplays was heartwarming.

Regarding the panels, they were enjoyable, especially due to the fact that the convention wasn’t as crowded as I had originally anticipated. People in the crowd had a much better opportunity to talk with the panelists and have a more intimate moment. It was a nice experience and something that I look forward to in the future.

If you missed Santa Fe Comic Con this year, don’t fret! Albuquerque Comic Con is put on by the same wonderful people. Tickets for that convention are on sale now for $40 for the whole weekend. It will take place January 9th through 11th, 2015. If it’s anything like Santa Fe Comic Con, you’ll have as great of a time as we did.

Santa Fe Comic Con: Preview The Official Schedule and Our Highlights!

Santa Fe Comic Con is finally upon us! There are tons of things to do this weekend from celebrity signings, to panels, to the cosplay contest, attendees are bound to have a great weekend. For those of you attending the convention, we’ve put together a little must-see list so you can spend less time running around the convention center deciding on things to do and more time doing them.

The events are split into five major sections: Panels (split into Room A and Room B), Concerts and Night Life, Daily Events, The Open Wound Film Festival, and Photo Ops. We’ve included the entire schedule below for your convenience, but here’s a few things we’re especially excited about.

Saturday

Comic Con Cosplay Safety Meeting – Panel Room A – 10-10:45am

As a cosplayer myself, I was very happy to see this on the schedule. As detailed in a earlier cosplay article, Cosplay safety is extremely important at conventions. These artists are not props to be ogled at, and they deserve respect. Every attendee should go to this panel. As an incentive, SFCC is offering an additional free cosplay token (for use at the Cosplay contest) to everyone who attends the panel.

Power Rangers Nakia Burisse and Blake Foster – “Spin Kicks and Back Flips. Behind the Scenes with the Power Rangers.” – Panel Room A – 11-11:45am

Want a backstage pass to the action behind the Power Rangers? Attend this panel. Kakia Burisse and Blake Foster will be giving attendees some Behind the Scenes insight on how the infamous Power Rangers was shot.

Naomi Grossman “Play with me. Inside American Horror Story.”- Panel Room A- 2-2:45

If you love American Horror Story, you HAVE to attend this panel. No specific details yet on what she’ll be covering about the show, but everything about this panel demands attention. Just going off the title, this sounds like a lot of fun and perfect for the Halloween season.

Cosplay Contest!

Hosted by Cosplay Legend Rosanna Rocha, this contest promises to have some really amazing talent. Attendees will be able to cast their vote via tokens given to their favorite Cosplayers. There will be four categories in which to place in: 1) Best in Show will be the Costume that has the most coins with a prize of $100 cash and Free 3 Day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. Any tie will be decided by the final vote by ROSANNA ROCHA. 2) Best Coin Bag will win a prize of a Free 3 day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. 3) Most Fun will be decided by Girls of Geek and the prize will be an autographed Girls of Geek Calendar as well as a Free 3 Day Pass to Albuquerque Comic Con. And 4) Most Impressive will be decided on by Rosanna Rocha and will be awarded a personalized autographed print and a Free 3 Day pass to Albuquerque Comic Con.

Making Comics your Living Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn – Panel Room B – 3-3:45pm

If you’re an inspiring artists or writer, this panel is a must-attend. Comic Book professionals Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn will give their tips and tricks for how to make your own comics more lively.

Spider-Man with Sam De La Rosa – Panel Room B – 4-4:45pm

Spider-Man! Spider-Man! If you’ve been on as much of a Spider-Man kick as I’ve been on lately, you’ll want to visit this panel. Spider-Man artist, Sam De La Rosa will be speaking on what makes Spider-Man so great. Details about the panel to be announced.

Sunday

Kids Cosplay- Judged by Rosanna Rocha and special guests – Panel Room A- 12-12:45pm

You should go to this contest if only for the cute factor. Supporting young Cosplayers is always worthy of your time. Not only is it adorable, it furthers their passion for art and comics, and that’s never a bad thing.

Linda Blair “Still turning heads after all these years” – Panel Room A- 2-2:45pm

This title makes me laugh. If you’re a fan of The Exorcist and have always wondered what that demented little girl has been up to all these years, check out Linda Blair’s panel!

Jeremy Shada and Jessica Dicicco “What time is it?” – Panel Room A- 3-3:45

ADVENTURE TIME! This panel promises to be just as fun as the show. If you’re a big fan of the Cartoon Network kids show, check out this panel with the voice actors behind some of TV’s most lovable characters.

Thomas Churchill “From Concept to Packaging, the do’s and don’ts of shooting your indie film” – Panel Room A- 4-4:45pm

CALLING ALL FILM MAJORS! This is a must-attend panel if you’re an aspiring film maker. Known for his zombie films, Thomas Churchill will teach you everything you need to know about how to shoot your own indie film. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to learn from an incredibly talented film maker.

Al Niuman: The History of Harley Quinn – Panel Room A- 5-5:45pm

“Call me Harley! Everybody does!” If you LOVE Harley Quinn as much as I do, you were just as excited to see this on the schedule. As much as I’m squeamish about what DC has done with Harley lately, I’m excited to see this panel on one of my favorite characters. Plus, there will be prizes throughout the panel! What’s not to like?

Open Wound Film Festival

Just in time for Halloween, the Open Wound Film Festival promises to be a brilliant event for all horror fans. Here’s what the Open Wound Films website had to say on the event. “The Open Wound Horror Film Festival is an independent film competition/film festival, developed by and for Horror Fans. Our festival is being held at Santa Fe Comic Con which will provide countless unique opportunities including Panels, Q & A sessions, signings and more!” The festival will include much of SFCC’s horror themed guests such as  Linda Blair of The Exorcist, Fred Williamson of Dusk Till Dawn, Naomi Grossman of American Horror Story: Asylum, Priscilla Barnes of The Devil’s Rejects, Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters and The Crow among many other guests! Don’t miss this awesome festival! Film schedule to be announced.

We can’t possibly cover everything the convention has to offer, so here’s the full schedule!

Hours of Operation

Friday 4pm -8pm (Celebrities do not come to this preview night)

Saturday  10am – 8pm

Sunday  10am – 6pm

Panel Schedule

Saturday: Panel Room A

10-10:45 Comic Con Cosplay Safety Meeting (extra voting token to all who attend)

11-11:45 Power Rangers Nakia Burisse and Blake Foster – “Spin Kicks and Back Flips. Behind the Scenes with the Power Rangers.”

12-12:45 Jim Steranko “Nick’s Fury, blast your way inside the mind of Jim Steranko.”

1-1:45 Fred The Hammer Williamson

2-2:45 Naomi Grossman “Play with me. Inside American Horror Story.”

3-3:45 TBA

4-4:45 Manu Bennett “How to stick a piece of metal in your forearm and use it as a hand with AZOG the defiler”

5-5:45 Ernie Hudson “Who you gonna call?”

6-6:45 Tim Murphy “Son’s of Anarchy- Antagonist This”

7-7:45 Cosplay Contest- Format – Token swapping- give your token to your favorite cosplayer.

Saturday: Panel Room B

10-10:45 Lisa Loring The Original Adams Family

11-11:45 Voice Acting with Jamie Marchi and Ian Sinclair

12-12:45 Mark Bode the Art of Being Artsy all the time

1-1:45 Star Wars with Bruce Logan, John Morton, and Dicky Beer

2-2:45 Friday the 13 Part One with Ari Lehman

3-3:45 Making Comics your Living Gene Ha and Andy Kuhn

4-4:45 Spider-Man with Sam De La Rosa

5-5:45 Cherry Comics the first best adult comic Larry Welz

6-6:45 Indi Press Jon Hughes Overground Comics

7-7:45 Closed for the Costume Contest in Panel Room A

Sunday: Panel Room A

10-10:45 Tim Murphy “Sons of Anarchy- Antagonist This: Day 2

11-11:45 Manu Bennett “From Deathstroke to Crixus”

12-12:45 Kids Cosplay- Judged by Rosanna Rocha and special guests

1-1:45 Star Wars with John Morton, Dicky Beer and Bruce Logan

2-2:45 Linda Blair “Still turning heads after all these years”

3-3:45 Jeremy Shada and Jessica Dicicco “What time is it?”

4-4:45 Thomas Churchill “From Concept to Packaging, the do’s and don’ts of shooting your indie film”

5-5:45 Al Niuman The History of Harley Quinn. Prizes throughout the hour

Concerts and Night Life

Friday Night Oct 24th LAUNCH PARTY $5 Cover

8pm to 11pm- Shadeh Night Club. Ari Lehman and First Jason will be performing

11pm to 1am Local Bands from Buffalo Thunder and radio promotion.

1am to 4am Club open for dancing

Saturday Night Oct 25th AFTER PARTY $5 COVER

Noon to 5pm DJ Saunders Playing all ages music within the Shadeh Night Club.

6pm to 10pm UFC VIEWING PARTY WITH HERB DEAN

10pm to Midnight FIRST JASON will perform

Midnight to 4am DJ SAUNDERS

Shadeh Night Club official club party

Sunday Night Oct 26th FREE ADMISSION

12 – 6pm DJ Saunders performing all ages dance music in Shadeh Night Club.

Daily Events

Saturday and Sunday

*DJ Saunders Live ALL AGES in Shadeh 12 noon to 5pm *Sunday Noon to 6

*Bar will be open for 21+ as well as a dance floor for all ages with age appropriate refreshments.

*Blood Drive in the parking lot

*Walgreens Flu Shots in the parking lot

*Ghost Busters Car Photo ops in the parking lot $5 each $50 with Ernie Hudson (see his schedule)

*Anime and Film Screening will be going on in Vista Room B (By escalator)

Photo Ops

Photo ops by FROGGYS PHOTOS

Saturday:

12:15…..Manu Bennett

1:00…..Sarah French

1:15…..Three’s Company (Jayce Dewitt/Priscilla Barnes)

1:40…..Ernie Hudson

2:00…..Ari Lehman

2:15…..Linda Blair

2:45…..Fred Williamson

3:00…..Lisa Loring

3:15…..Tim Murphy

3:30…..Naomi Grossman

3:45…..Power Rangers Nakia Burrise/Blake Foster

4:15…..John Morton

4:30…..Fred Williamson

4:45…..Thomas Churchill

5:00…..Manu Bennett

Sunday:

11:15….. TBA

11:30…..John Morton

11:45…..Naoimi Grossman

12:00…..Fred Williamson

12:15…..Thomas Churchill

12:30…..Manu Bennett

1:00…..Ernie Hudson

1:15…..Three’s Company (Jayce Dewitt/Priscilla Barnes)

1:35…..TBA

1:45…..Linda Blair

2:00…..Ari Lehman

2:15…..Sarah French

2:30…..Nakia Burrise/Blake Foster

2:45…..Tim Murphy

3:00…..Lisa Lorina

Well, that seems to wrap things up. We can’t wait to see what this convention has to offer. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, it’s not too late! Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free! Get them here!

Santa Fe Comic Con: Comic Book and Cosplay Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

What Comic Con would be complete without comic book talent to get excited about? This week— the week of the convention!— we’re focusing on the comic book artists and Cosplayers who will be attending the event.

Jim Ferguson

Jim Ferguson is a major pop culture artist and former NASA engineer; a worthy geek indeed. He is shown regularly at the Hollywood Studio Gallery 1988. He is most known for his artwork in The Princess Bride, Adventure Time, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Ghostbusters. Jim Ferguson will be at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

   Sam De La Rosa

  Sam De La Rosa has been a full-time comic book                   professional since 1982 and is best known for his art and     inking work on Venom, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Spider       Woman, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, and Iron Man.         Sam has crossed all over the Comic Book spectrum               working  for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, and Disney       Comics just to name a few. He will be at SFCC Saturday       and Sunday.

CCP Comics

It wouldn’t be a Comic Con without at least one comic book publishing company. CCP Comics will be represented at SFCC by McLain McGuire, Atom, Dale Carroll, Jimmie K Rankin, Eric Lumas, Kristeen Parmeter, Patrick Canter, Robert Saiz, and Bill Andres. They are a group of self-publishing comic book artists and writers and are one of the most popular up and coming in independent comic book publishers in Texas. CCP Comics will be at SFCC all weekend.

   The D’Arda Sisters 

  Cosplay is an integral part of any convention. Well known     for being a dynamic duo in the cosplay community, sisters   Remi and Noelle d’Arda make up The D’Arda Sisters. The     two artists grew up around sewing. With a vast variety of     skills, these sisters have won several awards for their             cosplay including best in show as well as being recognized   for their workmanship and performance. Not only are           these sisters amazing seamstresses, they also have               background in dance and martial arts which makes for         incredible performances. Don’t miss this incredible duo         this weekend at SFCC.

Rosanna Rocha

With over 100K followers it is no wonder, Rosanna Rocha has been asked to be a Cosplay Special Guest of this weekend’s convention. She is an incredibly skilled video gamer to cosplayer artist and is known for a huge number of cosplays ranging from DC’s Harley Quinn to Disney’s Esmeralda to Morrigan Aensland from Darkstalkers. She is also well known for her pin-up prints which she will be signing during the convention. That is, when she isn’t busy running the Cosplay contest.

So that wraps up our coverage of the many guests that will be attending Santa Fe Comic Con 2014. We’re very excited to see what else this convention has to offer. Look out for our pre-convention panel suggestions later this week and don’t forget to buy your tickets here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free!

Santa Fe Comic Con: Anime Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

This week— only a week away from the convention— we’re going to highlight the Anime related guests that will be gracing the Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino. There are some really big stars from these this genre such as Adventure Time’s Jeremy Shada and Jessica DiCicco.

Jeremy Shada

What time is it?! Adventure Time! Jeremy Shada hardly needs introduction to fans of the popular Cartoon Network show Adventure Time . Jeremy is most known as the voice of the beloved character and main character of the show, Finn. He’s also known for his voice acting work in Team America: World Police and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Jeremy will be the guest of honor at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

 Jessica DiCicco

  Another voice actor from Adventure Time, Jessica DiCicco     is best known for her role as Flame Princess and has             grown a cult following because of the character. Jessica is   a widely popular voice actress, starring in a variety of             popular children’s shows such as  Giffany and Tambry in   Gravity Falls, Selina in Winx Club, Malina in The Emperor’s       New School, Gwen in The Mighty B!, Shelby in                         Dreamwork’s Over the Hedge, and Young Viper in Kung Fu   Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five. She will be at SFCC           Saturday and Sunday signing autographs and taking             photos with fans.

Ian Sinclair

Known for his work as Whis in Dragon Ball Z, Nile Dawk in Attack on Titan, Nathaniel in Salem, Dandy in Space Dandy, Haydi in Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker, and many other roles, Ian Sinclair is an established voice actor in anime and video game field. He has been a professional voice actor since 1995 and continues to churn out great work. He will be at SFCC Saturday and Sunday.

  Jamie Marchi

  When it comes to American Voice Actors, Jaimie Marchi is     one of the most successful. From Masane Amaha in     Witchblade to Ellie from Borderlands II, to Anka                       Rheinberger in Attack on Titan, Jaimie has an impressive       career in both acting and writing. She has voiced in over      100 films, TV shows, and video games. SFCC is excited to     have her join them all day Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re an anime fan, you’re bound to have an amazing time at this event, especially with these top name anime stars. While none of the stars are slated to have panels as of yet (subject to change), don’t forget to stop by their autograph and photo booths for these once in a lifetime opportunities. Again, be sure to buy your tickets for Santa Fe Comic Con here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free.

Photos Courtesy of Santa Fe Comic Con

Santa Fe Comic Con; Film and Media Guests

For those of you living in New Mexico or willing to make the commute there for a great convention, Santa Fe Comic Con is quickly approaching (Oct. 24-26)  and they have a great line up ready. From guests like Manu Bennet to events like the Open Wound Film Festival, SFCC plans to be a great closeout event to the convention season. In the next four weeks, we’ll be highlighting events and guest happenings so you spend less time figuring out where and when the best events are and more time actually attending them.

This week, we’re going to focus on the Film and Media guests who will be attending the con. SFCC has a great line up when it comes to this genre, including some really big stars from horror, science fiction, fantasy, action and even musical guests. Here’s a few who we’re really excited for:

 

 Manu Bennett

  Manu Bennett is a name that is quickly getting bigger and     bigger in the film industry. He is best known for his roles in   The Hobbit Trilogy, Spartacus and on the TV Show Arrow.     “Manu has been getting called to do so many acting jobs     that he is soon to be out of our reach…” says SFCC. They     urge you to come out and see him this October while you   still can. His panel will be at 4pm on Saturday.

Naomi Grossman

Naomi Grossman is best known for her role as Pepper on American Horror Story and fans are excited to see her return to the show for American Horror Story; Freak Show. A Santa Fe native, Naomi Grossman returns to the land of enchantment Saturday and Sunday for autographs, photo ops, and to speak with fans. Her panel will be at 2pm on Saturday.

  Ernie Hudson

  Who you gonna call?! ERNIE HUDSON! Ghostbuster fans       rejoice! Winston Zeddemore will be at SFCC! Best known   for his role in Ghostbusters, Ernie Hudson is a highly               sought after actor in Hollywood. He is also known for his       roles on Heroes, Torchwood, Oz, The Secret Life of an           American Teenager, and The Crow. His panel will be at 5pm   on Saturday. He will also be doing photo ops in front of the   Albuquerque Ghost Busters car! Don’t miss out!

Ari Lehman

They were warned. They are doomed. And during  Santa Fe Comic Con nothing will save them! That’s right! The original Jason Voorhees actor, Ari Lehman will be joining the line up as well. Best known for Friday the 13th, Lehman also plays in the “Monster Metal” band “First Jason” aptly named after his 1980’s role. His band will be playing at SFCC, date, location, and ticket prices TBA.

 

  Lisa Loring

  She’s creepy and she’s kooky, mysterious and spooky,         she’s all together ooky, Lisa Loring! Best known for her         childhood role as Wednesday Addams and later as Cricket   Montgomery on “As the World Turns”, Lisa Loring will be     attending the convention as well. Schedule TBA.

Linda Blair

The power of Comic Con compels you! Best known for   her role as Regan in “The Exorcist” and Jane Pascal in “Murder, She Wrote” Golden Globe winner, Linda Blair       is excited to join SFCC. She will be having a Q&A     Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 2pm. Bring holy water!

As you can see, SFCC has a line up of some amazing guests from the Film and Media industry. Other stars attending the convention include Jenna Lind, Rashaad Santiago, Sarah French, Thomas Churchill, Nakia Burrise, Blake Foster, John Morton, Priscilla Barnes and many more. Don’t miss any of these stars and be sure to buy your tickets for Santa Fe Comic Con here. Tickets for the whole weekend are $35 for adults and $15 for children. VIP tickets are also available starting at $75. Police, Active Military, and Fire Fighters get in for free.

Photos courtesy of Santa Fe Comic Con

Hush Comics featured on Nick Furious’ Podcast!

Hush Comics was featured last night on Nick Furious’ podcast Rips and Raps.  Nick Furious is an emcee based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Check out last night’s show at the link below!

Rips and Raps episode 74

Breaking Bad Review – “Confessions” S5E11

You know the deal.. there will be spoilers.

Breaking Bad‘s “Confessions” started right off with a confession… of sorts.  Like most dialogue in the show and particularly this episode, the confession is only a half-truth.  The “loose end” still running around, Todd, calls Walt from a cell phone off of Route 66.  He leaves a voicemail and is so polite.  That Todd is really a gem.  He, much like Jesse, addresses Walt as “Mr. White” and is cordial enough to consider his “retirement”.  He then confesses to Walt that Declan and he had a disagreement.  But he leaves out some very important stuff.  That Declan was murdered, that Declan’s whole crew was murdered, that Lydia called the hit and and that Todd and his Uncle’s Aryan gang stole Declan’s meth lab.  He also neglects to say that he, Todd, is now the meth cook and that the cook will be coming back to Albuquerque.  I still believe that this could become a factor in the DEA’s investigation, if there is one.  Todd and the two head guy’s of the Aryan gang eat at a diner while Todd excitedly divulges the details of the train heist.  The one he wasn’t supposed to talk about.  To anyone!  And of course the other two are eating up his wild tale.  And I say tale because Todd leaves out the most important part of the heist: Drew Sharp’s murder.  The older men joke about Todd being like Burt Reynolds in a 70’s film called Hooper, about a stuntman who is the best in Hollywood.  Todd is far from Burt Reynolds.

Todd could never pull that look off… even if he can jump off a moving train.

Todd’s Uncle and cohort ask Todd if he is ready to run his own lab and Todd assures them that he is.  Is Todd really ready?  He started a fire at his last cook and no longer has Walt to guide him.  Todd being the cook will not work out well.  The two older Aryans go to the restroom and one of them wipes his bloody shoe with a wet paper towel and then flushes it. Sloppy.  Dirty.  Not a Gus.  Not a Heisenberg.  These guys will be caught or they will continue to play a dirty game.  I’m still guessing that the final showdown will be between Walt and the gang.  I believe the shot of them driving the barrel of methylamine to the Land of Enchantment will be known as classis in Breaking Bad.

We then come to Jesse in the interrogation room.  We see the asshole cops questioning him from his perspective in fast motion.  Then Hank enters.  From this moment on, this episode was a roller coaster.  Such suspense.  Hank turns off the video tape.  Hank then offers Jesse the deal:  He knows the Heisenberg is his brother-in-law… so Jesse must give up Walt and then his own charges will disappear.  Hank reads the situation very well.  He predicts problems with Jesse and Walt.  But Jesse easily throws the last encounter he had with Hank in his face, recalling when Hank beat the living shit out of Jesse.  Hank then says something that becomes very important for Jesse, “He really did a number on you, didn’t he?”  Well of course he did.  He’s done a number on everyone.  Hank then tries to empathize with Jesse and the relationship they both have with Walt and their hatred for him.  He asks Jesse if he wants to talk and Jesse says, “Not to you.”  Does this mean that he will talk to someone else?  It’s a possibility I will not reject yet.  Saul enters the interrogation room and he is not happy.  He also infers that Jesse was told about Hank’s revelation.  We cut to Walt on his cell phone (is it the second cell phone?) demanding Saul use the money Walt paid him to bail Jesse out.  Walt Jr. comes home and asks Walt about his whereabouts the night before.  Walt uses make-up to cover his bruises from his fall.  Walt Jr. tells Walt that he is going to Marie’s because she needs help with her computer.  And then Walt stops his son from leaving.  If you watched “Talking Bad” Sam Jackson said that Walt doesn’t play his family, but he does!  He plays Walt Jr. by choosing the moment when Marie is going to tell Jr. about his dad’s drug business to confess his cancer is back.  The Heisenberg has worked his magic on his son just to ensure that his reputation isn’t damaged.

Hank comes home and tells Marie that he didn’t tell the DEA.  She is very upset.  Hank’s pride gets in the way and he tells her he needs to follow his leads.  We cut to the White bedroom.  Skyler asks Walter if he is “sure” and he assures her “it is the only way”.  He sits down on the bed and Skyler has a video camera set up in front of Walt.  Is this about to be the worst sex tape ever, you ask?  No.  It is Walt’s confession, homage to the pilot episode and Walt’s selfie video-taped confession.  But that was back when Walt was still Mr. White.  This is Heisenberg’s confession laced with the weavings of Mrs. Heisenberg.  Also, Walt’s middle name is said again.  Hartwell, in case that ever comes up.

Skyler and Walt wait at a table in a brightly colored Mexican restaurant in silence while festive music plays in the background.  Hank and Marie sit with them and the tension is thick. Everyone is sitting stiff and staring at each other. And then in the most uncomfortable, yet much needed way, the server Trent welcome the group in a very excited way.  Can anyone say a w k w a r d?

Not the family dinner I’m used to.

Walt tells the Schraders that this meeting is not about the business or a confession, but rather about the safety of Walt Jr. and luring him is not going to work.  There is a lot of back and forth about the investigation and the children’s safety and Walt’s cancer.  And then Marie says the most extreme thing possible.  Walt should commit suicide.  To which Hank and Skyler both say no, obviously for much different reasons.  Hank tells Walt to be a man and then Walt and Skyler leave, leaving the DVD of Walt’s confession on the table.  I am hoping because of this discussion and what winds up being on that tape, this is the last family moment we see.  Nothing good can come for anything like that again. UPDATE: After re-watching the episode, I notice during this scene that Skyler and Walt are both wearing white while the Schrader’s are wearing dark colors. Good vs Evil?  Who should we be rooting for here?  It’s been something viewers have been asking themselves for years.

Hank and Marie go home and watch the tape.  It begins with Walt saying that if the tape is being watched, he is dead and has been murdered by Hank himself.  He then so intricately goes into the details as to why Hank is the ring leader of the meth empire.  He links Hank to the drug bust he and Walt went to in the first episode, to Gus Fring as his partner, to the money used to pay for Hank’s medical bills, Hector Salamanca, Walt’s children staying with Hank and that Hank used Walt as his cook the whole time.  Hank quickly realizes this is Walt’s threat if Hank continues the investigation.  Hank also figures out that Marie knows about the specific amount Walt mentions in the tape.  Hank now knows that he can very easily be pegged as the Heisenberg because his medical debts were paid with meth money.

Saul and Jesse are in the desert waiting for Walt.  A tarantula crawls by.  The last time we saw a tarantula was when Todd kept the one that Drew Sharp had been keeping in a jar, just like Walt holds on to his murder victims “trinkets”.This tarantula is loose here because the secrets are out, or they will be.  Walt arrives and checks Saul’s car for bugs.  Jesse and Walt discuss Jesse’s meeting with Hank.  When Saul mentions that Jesse’s antics cost Walt a lot of money, Walt asks Saul to step away.  Walt then suggests to Jesse that if he wants to be happy, he should start over and not look back.  He then mentions the man Saul knows who can create new lives.  Walt tells Jesse it would be a “clean slate.”  Walt says that he wishes he could do the same.  But now we know, that the future scenes are exactly that: somehow they have “switched” and Walt has opted for a clean slate.  Jesse sees through Walt and tells him to drop the act.  Jesse knows that he needs to leave or Walt will kill him, just like Mike.  Jesse flips Walt’s own words on him saying “Tell me you NEED this!”  Jesse breaks down and Walt gives him an awesome hug.  It was a sincere moment in acting.  Jesse is broken and Walt is still playing Jesse for a fool, or so he thinks.

At the car wash, Walt assures Skyler their plan worked.  As he talks to her, he is standing in the shadows and his silhouette looks incredibly ominous while Skyler sits in the light.  When She turns to look at him, half her face is covered in shadows.  The imagery is a beautiful way of saying that without Walt, Skyler wouldn’t be bad.  At the station, Gomez asks Hank why there are DEA agents following Jesse.  Hank tells him to remove the agents without explanation.  At this point, Hank is at a standstill with his investigation.  Saul and Jesse discuss the importance of the call Saul will make for Jesse’s new life.  Saul calls and asks for a new dust filter for his Hoover Max Extract PressurePro model 60.  Ya know, in case you need to know that too.  Saul gives Jesse money to start his life while Jesse lights up a joint from his pocket.  Saul gets very stern about not smoking pot.  Jesse is clearly nervous about starting over.  Is it because of what he is leaving behind?  Is it the uncertainty of the future?  We will never know.  Saul gives Jesse a phone in case anything happens.  Jesse is not happy with the Hello Kitty phone.

Seriously? Thank you to the Heisenberg Chronicles for this one.

Jesse says he wants to go to Alaska.  Maybe Jesse is a fan of “Into the Wild”.  As Jesse leaves Saul’s office, Huell very quickly takes Jesse’s baggie of weed out of his pocket.

Since there was so much speculation on this on the net tonight, I wanted to show the baggie being taken. Jesse is a smart guy.  He did not jump to conclusions.

As Jesse waits for his ride to Alaska, he looks for the baggie, but realizes it is gone.  He looks at his pack of cigarettes and realizes this isn’t the first time that someone has taken something out of his pocket.  He realizes the ricin in the Roomba couldn’t have been ricin and that Walt really did poison Brock.  He chooses not to take the ride in the red mini van, but walks back to town.

Jesse in a rage busts into Saul’s office and confronts him about Huell taking things out of his pocket.  Saul tries to reach for a gun, but Jesse is quicker at grabbing it.  Jesse then clarifies that the ricin cigarette is what Huell stole.  Aaron Paul’s acting in this scene is phenomenal.  He is so scary, so outraged it is palpable.

That is the face of a desperate man.

Saul admits the ricin was lifted but that Walt made him.  He also claims to not know about Brock being poisoned.  Jesse steals Saul’s keys and as he leaves, Saul calls Walt.  Walt then speeds to the car wash and tries to act cavalier to Skyler, talking inanely about the latch on the soda machine.  He opens the machine up and gets a gun out of the bottom.  The gun is frozen.  Would a frozen gun really work?  I’ll tell ya, I’m not gonna keep my guns in the freezer.  It’s just not trusty.

Then in the last scene, Jesse pulls something that I’m not sure whether to cheer or yell W.T.F.?!  He speeds to the White residence (saying house sounds too weird), takes a gas tank out of Saul’s trunk, kicks in Walt’s door (like Hank threatened to do earlier in the episode), and starts spreading the gasoline throughout the living room. AHHHHHH!  What will happen now?  It is doubtful Jesse will be able to pull off torching the house.  It isn’t burnt in the flash-forwards.  Will Walt’s children strike a chord in Jesse’s heart?  Will he narc Walt out?  Will Walt kill Jesse?  I don’t know, but I do know that this episode was fantastic!  I am super stoked for next week.

Hush Comics gives “Confessions” an A +, for Heisenberg coming back in true form, for the return of the Hello Kitty phone, ultimate suspense throughout, and for the phenomenal acting that Aaron Paul put on as the tragic Jesse Pinkman

written by Adrian Puryear