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MUSIC: Shows for Aug. 31-Sept. 4

Kill Devil Hill (from killdevilhillmusic.com)

By Dionysis

Check out the wide variety of excellent live music events in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee this weekend, plus Heavy Metal "All-Star" band Kill Devil Hill performs at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem next Tuesday with local groups!

Upcoming shows for Aug. 31-Sept. 4 include:

COMICS: Recommended Reading: 8/29/12

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth —
Return of the Master #1
(Mike Mignola variant cover)

By Darrell Burris

D&J Hobby Center

This week's B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth — The Return Of The Master #1 continues the long-running “it's the end of the world as we know it” story.

The world continues to reel in the aftershocks of the war of frogs and the returning of the ancients. The BPRD fights on all fronts joined by the world's armed forces.

In this issue a rogue scientist from Russia (it's always the Russians, ain't it?) builds a doomsday cult in the mountains in an attempt to add to the devastation causing havoc across the Earth.

Mass Effect: Homeworlds #4 features our favorite blue girl from the game, Liara T'Soni, and gives her back story. A must for any fan of the incredible game.

Detective Comics Annual #1. BATMAN vs. THE BLACK MASK.

Well, that pretty much says it all right there.

We finally get the throwdown many of us have been waiting for, as well as the first in the series of new annuals for the DC NEW 52.

In Green Lantern Annual #1, its the fate of the original Black Lantern and the effects of this book will span the Corps and change it all again.

Justice League #12 features a superhero team-up of a different sort, with a hookup between Superman and Wonder Woman. It also follows the JLA in the continuing story of the origins of the NEW 52's Shazam. This book continues to deliver some of the best JLA stories in years and is a constant great seller at the shop.

GAMES: PureSteam RPG playtest coming soon

PureSteam character Con Goodwin

By Brian Funk

“Fires stoked. Water boiling. Cogs clanging. Our first round of external playtest is on,” says game creator Adam Crockett at PureSteamRPG.com. “Strap in, this gyrocopter's primed and about to ascend!”

PureSteam is a Pathfinder-compatible RPG in a steampunk setting, focused a great deal on the Blue Ridge area of the 1800s.

“When steam tech is prevalent, coal is king. Play a moonshinin' halfling alchemist in the Blue Ridge, a dwarven mechanical prodigy able to jury rig vehicles on the fly, and many more!” says the game's Facebook page.

PureSteam was recently funded through donors to Kickstarter and backers who contributed more than $150 are getting the playtest now.

“Everyone else: give us a couple weeks to incorporate their feedback and we'll have the polished playtest doc up on paizo.com as a free download for anyone and everyone,” Crockett says.

The playtest will include:

MUSIC: It's Alive! Our music section is back.

CONTACT DIONYSIS:
Pimp your band's shows on his
Facebook page and send invites
to get live performances
featured on The Signal!
www.facebook.com/metalcult

Our music section is being shocked back to life this week, with new music guru Dionysis Metalcult manning the electrodes!

We'll continue our weekly show listings and band profiles, and will soon add live coverage of shows.

Dionysis (aka Dennis Warren) is an underground recording artist and entertainer with Galax, Va.-based heavy metal band Cult of Dionysis. He founded the band in 2006 and is the drummer/vocalist.

He is also writer/artist for the band's underground comic book series, Metalcult Comix — putting him at the perfect nexus of THE SIGNAL's mix of content.

Dionysis was the drummer for Galax, Va.-based band Play War from 1991-1994, and the vocalist for Independence, Va.-based Cryptameria from 1998-2001.

"I love underground music because that's where the true music scene lives and breathes,” Dionysis says. “Commercial music in the 21st Century is so mechanical, processed and manufactured that it feels fake."

MUSIC: Shows for Aug. 24-25

Busy weekend for the local music scene!

Friday, Aug. 24

• Cancer Benefit for Jim Benson — featuring Dirty South Revolutionaries and more. Charlotte, N.C. www.facebook.com/events/252484551532990/

• Rock 'Till You Drop — local/regional showcase featuring Hellblock 13 and more. Greensboro, N.C. www.facebook.com/events/463807136982811/

Saturday, Aug. 25

• Ziggy's 1 Year Anniversary Party — original underground music of various genres including Southern rock, metal, pop, country, funk and more. Winston-Salem, N.C. www.facebook.com/events/243344659119431/

• Nothing But Metal — featuring White Nuckle Blackout and more. Thomasville, N.C. www.facebook.com/events/382974835102687/

• Metal Malevolence — featuring Doom Syndicate, The Ziggurat and more. Blacksburg, Va. www.facebook.com/events/443662792334928/

• Alleghany Uprising Cancer Awareness Concert — featuring Monstrok and more. Sparta, N.C. www.facebook.com/AlleghanyUprising

COMICS: Recommended Reading 8/22/12

By Darrell Burris

D&J Hobby Center, Galax

Taking a look at books on the shelves Aug. 22, 2012:

Adventure Time #7 is as funny and nutty and as brilliant as the show. You can't put this book down. Sure, you'll get some funny looks at the rack but you're reading Adventure Time, but who cares?

Dragon Age: Those Who Speak #1 — if this book is as good as the trade paperback we carried, then this will make me a happy shop owner. The Dragon Age series based on the BioWare video games is worth the attention of any fan of the fantasy genre and especially the game.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison #4 — This is the best Star Wars comic I've read and I've read a LOT of Star Wars comics. This continues the dark story of a dying Emperor Palpatine, who is the target of an assassination attempt from within the ranks of the Empire's own forces. Darth Vader takes his Emperor to a hidden “ghost prison” in deepest space. It's a dark secret of the Jedi from the Clone Wars, something not even the most stalwart fans of the Jedi would believe possible.

If you are a fan of Star Wars this book is a must read.