Check it out. Writer/Director/Actor Kevin Smith is coming to Springfield on his Red State Tour to preview his new movie horror/thriller Red State. Join us at the Clark State Performing Arts Center on Monday, March 14. The movie starts at 7pm and will be followed immediately by Smith's one man show, An Evening with Kevin Smith. Tickets are $67 and are available along with the movie trailer at coopersdell.com and at the Clark State Performing Arts Center.

The 10th film from writer/director Kevin Smith ("Clerks", "Chasing Amy", "Dogma", "Clerks 2", "Zack & Miri Make a Porno"), RED STATE unfolds in a small town dominated by fundamentalist preacher, Abin Cooper. It tells the story of three high school boys who, on their way to an internet arranged meeting with a woman, end up crossing paths with Cooper. The encounter sets into motion a series of events that causes all hell to break loose. A horror thriller that could only come from the imagination of Smith, RED STATE stars Tarantino and Rodriguez favorite Michael Parks ("From Dusk Till Dawn", "Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2"), Oscar Nominee for Best Actress Melissa Leo ("The Fighter,” “Frozen River”) and John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner and Nicholas Braun. RED STATE premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and will be released in theaters October, 2011.

Red State is Smith's first foray into the horror movie genre,(unless you count Jersey Girl) and promises to bring Smith's own, often controversial, flair to the horror/thriller scene.

Many of you may not know, that in addition to writing and directing movies, Smith has been writing comics for nearly as long. He started with his own Bluntman and Chronic and has since worked on such super-heroes as Daredevil, Green Arrow, Spider-Man/Black Cat, and Batman. He has done his most recent comic work on the return of the Green Hornet with Dynamite Entertainment.

I have personally watched every movie he's made and read almost every comic he's written. He's never failed to entertain me.(Except maybe Jersey Girl.) So come hang out with us and the many talented Mr. Kevin Smith, it's going to be an awesome time!

Then...

Following Kevin Smith's visit. On Saturday, March 19 Main Street Comics & Games will host the Midwest Masters Series local qualifier at Wittcon. The Midwest Masters Series is a series of Magic: The Gathering tournaments, culminating in a finals tournament to be played at Gencon. The local qualifier at Wittcon will take place from 11am-7pm on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Playstyle is Standard Constructed. Entry fee $20 and prizes are paid out to the top 8 positions and will include limited edition Midwest Masters card sleeves and play-mats. The tournament winner will receive a bye in Round 1 of a regional MMS qualifier and the winner of the regional qualifier receives a bye in Round 1 of the MMS final at GenCon in Indianapolis in August. For additional information visit the MMS home page.

In other news, Main Street Comics & Games turned 2 years old on March 2. Thanks to all of the awesome people who came by, and thanks to the rest of you who made 2 years in business possible.

Our Magic: The Gathering tournaments now take place twice a week, every Thursday and Friday. We also have Heroclix free play on Sundays.

The podcast will be back as soon as a few production issues get sorted out. So check back soon!

That does it for this update.

Peace