Monday Edition | July 20, 2026 |
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It’s quite a week for freebies! As you may or may not know, San Diego Comic-Con fires up this week, and one of the more popular convention-going activities is rounding up all the swag from all of the industry booths, from the posters and pins to the souvenir photos and activations that provide an immersive experience with your next favorite TV show or movie. It’s a game of “fill your giant bag with as much free stuff as you can carry back to your hotel!” |
If you’re coming to SDCC this week, one of those gratis items you take home should be this year’s Den of Geek magazine, the cover story of which is also our top item in today’s newsletter. But you may notice that, below that news feature, we also have a special giveaway for romantasy fans: the second book in Elise Kova’s Arcana Academy series. It’s an embarrassment of riches that will cost you absolutely nothing! Aren’t you glad you’re a newsletter subscriber? |
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Photo: Sony Pictures |
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MOVIES |
Spider-Man: Brand New Day - Exclusive Inside Look at Tom Holland's Passion Project |
This article appears in the new issue of Den of Geek magazine. You can read all of our magazine stories here. |
Five years after Spider-Man: No Way Home left Peter Parker completely alone, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is finally ready to pick up the pieces, and Tom Holland says that's exactly the story he wanted to tell. In our exclusive interview, Holland explains why Peter never really had the chance to process Aunt May's death or everything he lost in the last film, and how the new movie shifts the focus from multiverse spectacle to a more personal story about growing up, grief, and figuring out who Peter Parker is beyond the mask. |
We also chat with Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, and director Destin Daniel Cretton about Peter's darker emotional journey that manages to preserve Spider-Man's trademark optimism, the surprising dynamic between Spidey and the Punisher, bringing MJ and Ned back into Peter's life, and the cast's real-life relationships and their influence on the movie. Plus, Holland teases why fans can expect Brand New Day to be a story worthy of Spider-Man's next chapter. |
Read more here and find out how you can get your hands on the Den of Geek magazine featuring this cover story below! |
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DEN OF GEEK MAGAZINE |
As a treasured newsletter subscriber, you’ve already helped Den of Geek combat the fickle algorithmic whims of the internet. The time has come for us to give back with something shiny, something insightful, something collectible. |
For more than a decade, Den of Geek magazine has been a staple at San Diego Comic-Con and an elusive collector’s item in comic shops across the country. Now we’re honored to send limited edition subscription-only versions of the treasured collectible directly to you on a quarterly basis. |
Here’s how to join the Den of Geek Collector’s Club and receive the award-winning Den of Geek magazine in your mailbox: |
Gold Edition: Available only through our premium Gold yearly subscription (Limited to 100). Holo Edition: Variant subscriber cover run for Friends of Geek subs tier. Base Edition: Free with purchase at select stores within the Den of Geek Comic Store network nationwide and distributed for free to fans in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter via the Den of Geek brand ambassador team.
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We've seen the future and it's in print! |
Love, |
Your Friendly Neighborhood Geeks |
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Photo: Penguin Random House |
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE |
Win a Copy of Prince of Swords, the Thrilling Next Chapter in Elise Kova’s Arcana Academy Series |
If you loved Arcana Academy or have been meaning to dive into Elise Kova's fantasy romance series, we've got just the thing for you. Together with Penguin Random House, we're giving away five copies of Prince of Swords, the highly anticipated second novel. Entering is easy! Just head to our Instagram page, find the giveaway post, like it, and leave a comment about what you loved from book one (or what you're excited to see next). |
The sequel raises the stakes with Clara Graysword on the run, dangerous new allies, and even more tarot-fueled magic, romance, and dark academia intrigue. Throw in fake engagement chaos, enemies-to-lovers tension, and plenty of twists, and it's shaping up to be a must-read for fantasy fans. And don’t worry — even if you don’t win our giveaway, you can still pre-order your copy! |
Read more » |
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Photo: Universal Pictures |
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MOVIES |
The Odyssey: Lupita Nyong’o is a Master of Dual Roles |
Lupita Nyong'o doesn't get a ton of screen time in The Odyssey, but we would argue that she makes one of the film's biggest impressions. Playing both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra, Nyong'o brings two very different women to life in a way that reshapes how we see the story: as a reckoning for the people left to bear the burden of war back home. It's a performance that turns a supporting role into something much more memorable. |
Join us as we examine how Nyong'o was uniquely suited for the challenge of playing two characters, looking back at her unforgettable dual performance in Us. Her ability to portray connected but deeply contrasting characters is exactly what Christopher Nolan needed. Both the director and the actor knew she needed to make her words and her rage count, because she wasn't just speaking for herself—she was speaking for her sister and, by extension, all the casualties of war. |
Read more » |
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EDITOR’S PICKS |
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Silo's season 3 flashbacks have given the Apple TV series a nice jolt of intrigue, but they're at war with its infuriating amnesia plotline. |
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X-23 makes her X-Men '97 debut, at least in name. |
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Maybe it's for the best that The Batman: Part II is taking even longer. |
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Freddy Krueger has brought horror fans a unique blend of goofy and scary antics over the years, but today's audiences need a fresh approach. |
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TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION |
Before becoming the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, what was Peter Parker's first attempt to profit from his new powers? |
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LINK TANK |
In Other News… |
🤑 Jim Parsons was “miserable” during peak Big Bang Theory popularity: “I wouldn’t do that again and for any amount of money.” |
👋 Chloe Fineman, one of Saturday Night Live’s standout performers in the past few years, is leaving after seven seasons. |
🎬 From Barack Obama's opening cameo to Rob Reiner's poignant final screen role, HBO's Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness has a ton of fun guests. |
🔥 Priyanka Chopra Jonas smolders in this first look at RRR director SS Rajamouli’s new globetrotting epic, Varanasi. |
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