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Review: 11 Reasons That Make ‘Batman’ #19 A Must Read Comic Book

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As Batman lays injured, Bane works his way through Arkham Asylum, fighting his way against its madmen and madness, on a single-minded quest to reach Roger Hayden aka The Psycho-Pirate. But what is Batman’s ultimate game plan against Bane? What will happen when these two men collide?

Batman #19Batman #19

“I Am Bane (Part 4)”
Publisher: DC Comics
Written by 
Tom King
Penciled by:
 David Finch
Inked by:
Danny Miki, Trevor Scott & Sandra Hope
Colored by:
Jordie Bellaire

Batman #19 was one of the most intense and expertly plotted comics I have read in a while. The pacing was relentless and the structure of the issue was fantastic. A sort of tour of Arkham and its inmates, it was the best use of Batman’s Rogues Gallery I have read since both The Long Halloween and Hush.  And the art was pretty much untouchable. With all of that in mind, here are 11 things to love about Batman #19.Batman #19

  1. The way writer Tom King captures each villain’s distinct traits and tropes with dialogue and speeches.
  2. The tense pacing – using timestamps to track the 24 hour period of Bane’s fight.
  3. Batman weaponizing both Arkham Asylum and its inmates.
  4. Alfred’s continued portrayal as a resourceful and much-needed asset to Batman.
  5. David Finch’s rendering of Bane (frightening) and all the other villains (terrifying).
  6. “Same Bat-time, Same Bat-Channel”
  7. King’s showing us a vulnerable and emotional Bruce Wayne
  8. “He hung my son from a rock in a cave.”
  9. The quick nods and easter eggs to New Gods and their technology.
  10. Riddler’s part in Bane’s plan.
  11. The much welcome appearance by Maxi Zeus, bookending the entire issue.

Batman #19There you have it readers. Only one more issue to go in this current arc, and the build-up has been amazing. If it all ends next month as good as it has been so far, we may have the most definitive Bane storyline since Knightfall.

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Behold Episode One of The UnPOP Podshow

Prepare your eyes. Prepare your hearts. Prepare your souls for the UNPOP PODSHOW!

Episode One, or Fantastic Beasts and How to Avoid Them finds your most lovable podcasting cinephiles in an unknown race against themselves as they manage to destroy any chance they have at finding love, friendship or even eternal damnation.

Drawing inspiration from a myriad of cinematic masterpieces, the UNPOP PODSHOW is an extension of the greatest UNheard film podcast in Valley Village, CA: The UnPOP Podcast.

Subscribe to the UnPOP Podcast YouTube channel and be up to date as each new episode airs!

Have a topic you’d like to hear UnPOPPED? Send any comments/love/vitriol to unpopentertainment@gmail.com

The UnPOP Podcast is on iTunes! Check us out there!

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What Other Anime Should Hollywood Adapt?

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Because the trailers for the live-action Ghost in The Shell looks good all the hype around Netflix’s Death Note adaptation, I am hoping to see a wave of big-budget live-action anime adaptations in Hollywood’s future. The few live action pieces I’ve seen from Japan have all been fairly low budget and intended only for who already had seen the anime version. Well done adaptations aimed at a broad audience would be something completely new and would break up the constant stream of American comic book movies. Here are three anime titles that would be well-suited for adaptation.

Danganronpa

DanganRonpa

Danganronpa is a moderately popular science fiction/mystery video game series turned anime franchise. Most American science fiction is incredibly cynical and hopeless, populated by dystopias. The core message of Danganronpa is that strength comes from trusting and working together with other people instead of paranoia and worrying about yourself. Given the current American cultural/political climate, this adaptation would be very timely

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Madoka Magica

As an anime and manga franchise PMMM was a big hit for awhile but, sadly, it seems to have faded from popularity recently. The anime had many artistically impressive sequences inspired by dark European fairy tale art and German expressionist horror. Translating this to a live-action movie would be extremely interesting. With the right director and special effects, PMMM would be an amazing adaptation.

Is This A Zombie?

Is This A Zombie? is an obscure series about the misadventures of an undead teenager. It’s an off-the-wall horror comedy involving zombies, vampires, magical girls and alternate realities. Most American zombie movies are apocalyptic, and the majority of them are science fiction, not fantasy. An adaptation of something like Is This A Zombie? would be unique.


There are many more popular anime that might attract a bigger fanbase, but these three have the most potential for good, if not great, adaptations. Bringing something new or doing something interesting should motivate decisions about what kind of media should get film adaptations. These same principles should apply for adapting anime.

What are you thought? Comment below.

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‘College Roomies From Hell!’ Turns Eighteen Years Old

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College Roomies From Hell! by Maritza Campos turned eighteen years old this year, and is now one of the oldest webcomics still active. Its first strip went online on January 1st, 1999. Despite a shaky update schedule, it doesn’t seem intended to end any time soon.

Its longevity is only surpassed by a few other comics. Sabrina Online, an anthro comic by Eric W. Schwartz, updated for twenty years on a monthly basis until ending on its 20th birthday. In addition, Bobbins by John Allison first began on September 21st, 1998, eventually spawning Scary Go Round, Bad Machinery, and a Bobbins reboot in the same universe, although the original comic is long since retired.

Flashback to 1999

College Roomies From Hell! began as a newspaper-style serial, chronicling the adventures of hapless, involuntary roommates Mike, Dave and Roger.

Mike Greene, College Roomies From Hell!, Maritza CamposCollege Roomies From Hell!, Maritza Campos, Mike GreeneMike Greene, College Roomies From Hell!, Maritza Campos

It’s a standard cast lineup – Mike the asshole jock, Dave the boring everyman, and Roger the cloud cuckoolander try not to kill each other.

However, the comic’s defining feature came along late in its first year. In a quest to help Dave forget his broken heart, Mike and Dave take him on a “misery journey“. After their night of binge drinking, they wake up in a tree, decide to take a bath in apparently radioactive water… and all three of them end up with mutations.

College Roomies From Hell!, Mike Green, Dave Jones, Roger PepitoneCollege Roomies From Hell, Dave Jones, Mike Green, Roger Pepitone

Mike’s tentacle, Dave’s laser vision and (to a lesser extent) Roger’s third eye are now prominent features of the comic.

‘College Roomies From Hell!’ In The New Century

Over the following seventeen years, Maritza’s art style changed dramatically. This is both a reflection of her developing skills and the changing direction of the comic. Compare Dave (the center figure above) from 1999, to Dave in 2017, below:

This is only a single example of how webcomics at large have been a tool of self-improvement for independent artists. It’s enough of a known phenomenon to have its own page on TV Tropes – compare the first strip of Questionable Content to one more than three thousand strips later.

Narratively, CRFH! has also developed far beyond its days as a sitcom. Satan became the main antagonist by 2001’s Adversary storyline, and Mike, Dave and Roger also encounter a group of mad scientists on the mysterious DunDun Island. Entangled through all of this are their various romantic adventures with the girls across the hall – Margaret, April and Marsha.

Maritza Campos’s art and narrative skills, practiced on the long-running College Roomies From Hell!, are now mostly focused on the online graphic novel Power Napalthough CRFH! is still continuously updating.

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Movie Sign! Five Episodes Of MST3K You Must Watch On Netflix

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In celebration of the upcoming eleventh season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, CNET reports Netflix will release twenty episodes from the first ten seasons starting tomorrow. The list spans the breadth of the series’ characters and the types of cheesy films test subjects Joel Robinson, Mike Nelson and their robot pals had to endure, but five stand out as must-watch episodes for fans and newcomers alike.

  1. “Manos” The Hands of Fate: The granddaddy of all MST3K episodes. When writer Frank Coniff — charged with previewing possible films to riff on — found “Manos” in a list of titles available to the series, he never expected it would launch a rabid cult around the production and its trash auteur Harold P. Warren. In fact, he pleaded for forgiveness in his recently published book, Twenty Five Mystery Science Theater 3000 Films That Changed My Life in No Way Whatsoever. But for good or ill, “Manos” reveals just how bad a movie can get and how hard it can be for the creators of MST3K to suffer for their art. In fact, here’s a warning: despite it’s fan-favorite status, “Manos” is not an entry level outing. It’s punishing stillness threatens to break Joel and the Bots, so perhaps try one of these others before making a date with Torgo and the Master.
  2. Teenagers from Outer Space: Another masterwork from a filmmaker with cloudy vision, director Tom Graeff, the film was intended to launch the career of star David Love. Instead, it became a delightful season four episode of MST3K and plays to the strengths of the well-honed riff machine the cast and writers of the series had become by that point. A number of running gags — including the infamous shout of “TOR-CHA!” — and a gentle, if doofy, storyline make this episode a great introduction for newcomers.
  3. Pumaman: With the powers of a Pumaman — or “Pyumaman,” depending who says it — a Doctor Strange cosplayer manages to befuddle a vinyl-wearing Donald Pleasence in a seemingly unintentional send-up of superhero tropes. Not befuddled are Mike Nelson and the Bots, who use the inept tone changes and shockingly bad flying effects to the utmost comedic effect. Arguably the best episode of the series’ time on the SciFi Channel if not for the next episode on this list.
  4. Space Mutiny: C-Grade action star Reb Brown plays a security chief on a colony ship which looks suspiciously like the original Battlestar Galactica. But when the mission is threaten by a group of aliens who look like back-up dancers for Vanity, Reb bursts into action, shooting and shouting his way to a confusing conclusion. This episode is notable for a long list of goofy action star names Mike and Bots apply to Brown, including classics like “Big McLargeHuge” and “Flint IronStag.”
  5. Zombie Nightmare: Perhaps an outlier on this list, Zombie Nightmare offers newcomers to the series a quick primer in just about every classic MST3K trope. It has oily characters, an ill-defined monster, a minor character with too much character and recognizable stars like Batman 66‘s Adam West and Wayne’s World‘s Tia Carrere. It also features tracks from bands like Motorhead and Girlschool. For the riffers, it means some killer jokes about Canada, the “acting” of future director Shawn Levy, West’s claim to fame, and the boy detective assigned to hunt down star Jon-Mikil Thor.

Of course, none of the films on the Netflix list are duds. Well, maybe Catalina Caper. But each captures the spirit of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and offers a great way to get new viewers hooked ahead of Season 11’s debut on April 14th. The remaining titles are:

Eegah!
Future War
The Giant Gila Monster
Hercules Against The Moon Men
Horrors Of Spider Island
I Accuse My Parents
Jack Frost
Laserblast
Merlin’s Shop Of Mystical Wonders
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Sidehackers
Time Chasers
Werewolf

Think there’s something missing? Mad that Warrior of the Lost World didn’t get a name-check? Just relax and post your favorites in the comments below.

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5 Underrated Wolverine Stories

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7What do you think?

Did we leave out your favourite Wolverine series? Is there another story that flown under the radar? Let us know in the comments below.

Next

‘Samurai Jack’: Season Five Kicks Off In High Gear

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In the fifth season premiere, Samurai Jack begins slipping into madness and finds his psyche his own worst enemy.

After a very long wait, Samurai Jack is finally back on TV and continuing his journey. The creators obviously wanted to catch up for lost time and flex their muscles by making use of the more adult content they are allowed to put into their new episodes. This is shown through the extreme amounts of violence and adult themes which are addressed through the course of this single episode.

The most noticeable thing about the episode is how much Jack has changed. Gone is the hero in white ready to jump into danger for others. Instead, he has now become a man who waits before rushing towards smoke in the distance to save the innocent and prefers solitude. This is probably do to fragile state his mind is in. His unaging condition and constant battle has left him seeing visions of his family asking why he forgotten about them. The poor guy had enough to deal with already without having to be tormented by demons.

The other interesting aspect is the introduction of daughters of Aku. These seven children are raised with soul purpose of killing Jack by a mysterious cult which worships Aku. One of the daughters, Ashi (The only one of the seven who is named) seems to be the one of the group who may appear to be more. They look like they will definitely be a danger to Jack in the near future.

The real question to come from this episode is “Who is the green Samurai?” Throughout the episode, Jack keeps hallucinating about a Samurai on a horse surrounded in a green mist. Was this the enemy which caused him to lose the magic sword? Only time will tell.

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Season Four Of ‘Samurai Jack’ Left Us Wanting More

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Time to come to the end of retrospective. This is the last season of Samurai Jack to come out before the long hiatus many thought was permanent cancellation. Was the last season the reason for the break? Was it so bad the audience at the time didn’t care to see whether or not Jack made it back to the past? This is far from the case as the Samurai Jack season four was a fantastic season which did not disappoint.

Samurai Jack

Story

The season featured more action and episodes with Jack being pushed to his limits. Whether he is fighting a giant robot, a ninja who hides in the shadows, or a retired robot who just wanted out the game, Jack utilizes all his abilities and pushing himself past his limits. Also, not a single episode is completely comedic in nature. This helps to showcase the team learned the hard lesson from season two’s Jack and the Farting Dragon.

This season would also feature the return of the fan favorite character, The Scotsman. After Jack loses his memory, it’s up to the Scotsman to help Jack remember who he is. It’s a nice two part send off to the a great character but unfortunately, the main story wraps up too fast and the second half of part two is basically just Jack and the Scotsman on screen the entire time being silly. Not the best way to say goodbye but at least it’s pretty obvious he will be back very soon (cough, Season five, cough).

The three best episodes to come out of this season take home the honor without any argument. The first is Samurai vs. Ninja where Jack must fight a Ninja who hides in the shadows. The second goes to The princess and the bounty hunters, where a group of bounty hunters talk about how they will each take out Jack but eventually realize the most effective way is to team up. The final spot goes to the Tale of X9, which is probably one of the best episodes to come out of the entire series. Watch it for yourself and see if you want to argue about how it’s not.

Samurai Jack

Art

The team went all out with this one. There was a lot of experimental art work here such as in Samurai vs. Ninja with the use of black and white colors as camouflage or The Princess and the Bounty Hunters which utilized different art styles as a way for each of the different assassins to show how they would defeat Jack. The group making this series didn’t quit for a minute to bring the best quality they could to the project.

Samurai Jack

Music

The music for this season kept things light and still found a way to make it emotional at the same time. The ability to increase the drama, intensity, and set the mood through the use of music used effectively throughout the entire season. The detective noir background for Tale of X-9 was very unique and helped to make the episode really stand out. The music production team didn’t skimp on quality even so late in the game.

Samurai Jack

Conclusion

The creative team used their final season to take some risks. They told stories which really had memorable moments in them and utilized some great art effects to tell one of a kind tales. This season had several perfect episodes in it and should have been enough of a force to keep Jack on his path towards defeating Aku. Sadly, the series came to and end and Jack’s story was left unfinished. Until now. It’s time for season five to begin!


What are some of your favorite memories from Samurai Jack season four? Leave a comment below and let us know.

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Kevin Feige Talks Jane Foster’s Absence From ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

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Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, has shed a little bit of light on the not surprising lack of Jane Foster in the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok, via Entertainment Weekly. It has been no secret for months now that Natalie Portman will not be reprising her role in the Thor movies, after she, and now Feige, has put the subject to bed. Fans of the Thor-Foster  coupling will just have to accept that their breakup happened off-screen, sometime between Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.

The news was first hinted at when Tessa Thompson was cast as ‘Valkyrie’, a character who is described as both a hero and Hemsworth’s love interest in the third instalment. Her casting coincided with Natalie Portman’s declaration that:

“As far as I know, I’m done.”

Now Kevin Feige has provided some clarity:

“We wanted Thor to encounter somebody that was near his equal and that his relationship with Jane may have evolved in unexpected ways in between The Dark World and Ragnarok and we wanted to pit him against a character who was much more his equal and in many ways his superior. Valkyrie is trying to not embrace any sort of Asgardian heritage that she has. Thor thinks maybe that will create a bond between them and, on the contrary, she wants to forget it all entirely.”

Marvel Studio’s Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi and sees the return of Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Anthony Hopkins. They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The film’s synopsis is as follows:

In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk!

Thor: Ragnarok will muscle its way into theaters on November 3, 2017.

How do you think Thor and Jane’s breakup might have unfolded? Let us know in the comments.

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‘Rogue One’ Director Explains What Starbucks Has to do With Scarif

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While creating fictional galaxies, names can come from even the most mundane sources. Gareth Edwards discussed this, and much more about Rogue One this weekend at SXSW, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

How Scarif Got her Groove (And her name)

While giving his keynote speech this weekend at SXSW, the Rogue One director talked Star Wars, becoming a filmmaker, and Starbucks. According to Edwards, his life’s ambition became clear after his parents took him to see Star Wars as a child. “I instantly knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life…I was going to join the Rebel Alliance and help blow up the Death Star.”

Gareth Edwards ScarifEventually, Edwards fulfilled that goal by writing himself a cameo in Rogue One. But in the mean time, he worked in visual effects, inspired by filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, and of course George Lucas. While he continued to look for directing work, it was his VFX work that garnered attention, but Edwards never gave up on his original Star Wars-inspired dream.

After a visit to “Tatooine”, Edwards double down on his directorial aspirations, and finally started directing in 2010. When he was told he got the job working on Rogue One, apparently Edwards “…just started crying…it was really embarrassing.”

The journey has not all been exciting trips and impressive job offers, though. The movie release was stalled by extensive reshoots, and the desert planet where the movie’s climax takes place has a rather humble origin story. Edwards went to a Starbucks, where the planet’s name was written on his cup. “I must have said, ‘It’s Gareth,’ and they wrote ‘Scarif,'”. He liked the name enough, and kept it.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story comes out on Blu-ray and DVD April 4th.

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