Needless to say, the current situation with the coronavirus has hit every corner of the world hard. Many businesses are temporarily shutting down, television and movie productions halted, people self quarantining. In our little Geek Corner of The World, many things have been happening. Some good, some not so good. Here’s a brief look at what’s been going on, and what’s available for you to help pass the time.

Local Comic Shops Facing Greatest Challenge

Your local comic shop has been greatly affected by recent events. Keep in mind that a good majority of these shops are locally owned, small businesses. Closing their stores is a huge risk financially.

Despite this, many are being very innovative. A few shops will be personally delivering comics to customer homes. Some have provided curbside services, bringing their comics and merchandise to their cars as they pull up.

Keep in mind that they are still going to be facing financial struggles despite the innovations, so before you decide to do your reading online, via sites such as Comixology, consider helping out the local comic shop in your area if they’re working on staying open.

Birds Of Prey Comes To Home Video Early

Warner Brothers will be bringing Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) to digital early. The film will be available digitally on March 24 on platforms like Amazon and iTunes for $19.99. Rental options will be available at a later date in April. This comes after other studios, Universal in particular, have started releasing their films early on digital as well.

The film stars Margo Robbie returning as Harley Quinn with Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress, Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, Rosie Perez as Rene Montoya, and Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis/Black Mask

Electronic Arts Starts Their Spring Sale Early

If gaming is your thing, try Electronic Arts. Some of their games available online are now on sale, which was originally planned for April. Among the games that are available includes the Sims 4. The base game is available for $4.99, an 88% savings, with it’s expansion, game, and stuff packs marked down 50%

Games on sale can be found on their Origin store.

Read The First Issue Of “The Clock” For Free

“The Clock” is a four issue limited series written by Matt Hawkins with art by Colleen Doran, which is published by Image Comics. The story tells of a viral cancer that spreads across the globe, and the people who work to stop it. Perhaps it’s hitting a little too close to home, but they’ve made the first issue free online for your reading pleasure.

Read it here.

And if you’re stuck at home streaming shows, how about…

Give Some Independent Filmmakers A Try

Stuck at home, binged watched everything Netflix, Disney+, Amazon, Hulu, Aunt Edna’s Home Movies has to offer, and looking for something different? Give The Fantasy Network a try. The Fantasy Network comes from the minds of the folks at Arrowstorm Entertainment (The CW’s The Outpost), The Forge Studios (The Rangers) and Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (JourneyQuest).

Much like SCIFI.radio, it’s a For Fans/By Fans where you can help fund new episodes. One such series seeking funding for a new season is AFK, a web series about a group of gamers who wake up one day to find themselves trapped in the bodies of their online characters.

There are shows and movies that are free to watch, while a subscription fee to The Fantasy Network of $4.99 a month gives you full access to all their content.

These are just a few of the things to help you pass the time. Naturally, the one thing I didn’t include you already knew, and that is listening to SCIFI.radio. A crisis may come and go, but SCIFI.radio goes on forever.

By the way, Aunt Edna’s Home Movies has a new release next month, July Barbecue. That’s the one where Uncle Frank was showing off and slid down the kids Slip and Slide and lost his bathing suit. SCIFI.radio staff said I wan’t allowed to use the picture I intended to include. Guess it was too spoilery.

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Uncle Frank completely disavows his appearance in Aunt Edna’s home movies, and denies that he had poured anything of his own into the lemonade he was drinking at the time. Frank, it’s too late, you were caught on film. – ed.