AfterShock Comics DOUBLE Preview: WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #1 BLACK & WHITE

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February 17, 2022

aftershock comics exclusive preview we live age of palladions black

We have a special treat for all you AfterShock Comics fans this week! The publisher kindly provided MFR with not one, but TWO exclusive previews today, for two books dropping March 9th: WE LIVE: AGE OF PALLADIONS #1 BLACK and WE LIVE: AGE OF PALLADIONS #1 WHITE!

Again, these are TWO separate comics with TWO distinct stories. Both issues are written by Inaki & Roy Miranda and drawn by Inaki Miranda, with colors by Eva De La Cruz, and letters by Dave Sharpe. Inaki Miranda also did the main covers for both issues. Dustin Nguyen did the incentive cover for the BLACK issue, while Juan Doe did the incentive cover for the WHITE issue.

WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARDS!
Heightening the excitement and appeal of AfterShock’s #1 selling titles, the Miranda Brothers have created collectible trading cards for each issue in this story arc!

Check out both previews below:

WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #1 BLACK

About the issue:
We are back into the hopeful, apocalyptic world of Tala and Hototo.

Year 2090. Six years have passed since Salvation Day, when Palladions, with their majestic powers, emerged as the protectors of humanity, saving the five remaining Megalopolis and securing the future of the human species.

But nothing stays and the horizon always brings a new storm.

These are dark times. Death, famine and desperation lurk around the streets of Megalopolis 9. The shield has lost thirty percent of its reach. The New Nature has learned to create cuts in the energy channels that power the Beacon and the Palladions. A neverending horde of beasts siege the remains of the city, increasing the desperation among the population.

The responsibility of keeping the city afloat lies on the shoulders of Generals Nesbo and Terrassa, who have to resort to risky survival measures. The reconnection missions are the only thing that is keeping the population secure…but nothing seems enough.

Powerlessness corners the Palladions, who fear not being able to protect the city.

Everything is black, except for the white snow that covers with silence the dying, black present.

WE LIVE: AGE OF THE PALLADIONS #1 WHITE

About the issue:
We are back into the hopeful, apocalyptic world of Tala and Hototo.

Year 2090. Six years have passed since Salvation Day, when Palladions, with their majestic powers, emerged as the protectors of humanity, saving the five remaining Megalopolis and securing the future of the human species.

But nothing stays and the horizon always brings a new storm.

These are dark times. Death, famine and desperation lurk around the streets of Megalopolis 9. The shield has lost thirty percent of its reach. The New Nature has learnt to create cuts in the energy channels that power the Beacon and the Palladions. A neverending horde of beasts siege the remains of the city, increasing the desperation among the population.

The responsibility of keeping the city afloat lies on the shoulders of Generals Nesbo and Terrassa, who have to resort to risky survival measures. Journeying outside of the city in search of food is the only thing that is keeping the population alive, but nothing seems enough.

Fear opens its way through Megalopolis 9 like a great crack of faith that separate more and more the population from the Palladions.

Snow covers the city with a heavy white mantle, invoking oblivion and nothingness.

Are you reading WE LIVE? Sound off in the comments!

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Review: IRON FIST #1 – A Changing Of The Guard

By

Justin Munday

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From writer Alyssa Wong and artist Michael Yg comes a bold new chapter in Marvel’s premier martial artist’s history with Iron Fist #1. With colors from Jay David Ramos and letters by Travis Lanham, this opening issue offers exciting action and great character writing – even if it comes off as a bit generic.

“WHO IS THE NEW IRON FIST?! After giving up his power to save the world, DANNY RAND believes he’s seen the last of the IRON FIST…But when DEMONS begin to attack cities around the world, a MYSTERIOUS NEWCOMER in a FAMILIAR MASK appears, hands blazing with the CHI OF SHOU-LAO THE UNDYING! Who is this NEW IRON FIST? And does his power really come from the DRAGON OF K’UN-LUN… Or from something far more sinister?”

Writing & Plot

Alyssa Wong’s script for Iron Fist #1 is sharply paced and entertaining, even if it relies a bit heavily on generic tropes to move its plot forward. Following the events of The Death of Doctor Strange, Danny Rand, the original Iron Fist, no longer has the Chi of Shou-Lao (er, his “iron fists”.) While Rand is still practicing martial arts and dealing with his usual sort of trouble, a new character appears to have his old powers. A young martial artist named Lin Lei now wears the Iron Fist garb and seems to carry the power of Shou-Lao’s chi. He also has the shattered remains of an ancient sword embedded in his hands (McGuffin). These details end up revolving around fighting demons and deciding upon the new protector of K’un-Lun in a well-written and solidly entertaining opening chapter.

Wong’s real strength’s here are her pacing and her ear for dialogue. Every moment of the comic grabs your attention and propels the plot in mostly intriguing ways. There’s a lot going on here in this first issue, often guided by pages stacked with word bubbles. Despite this, the reading experience never feels bogged-down or overbearing. The quiet moments and exposition-dumps are neatly paced out by snarky Marvel-style action bits that keeps the comic fun and full of momentum. Wong’s dialogue is quick and witty, with lots of character-revealing conversations interlaced with plot info. The scripting can get pretty dense, with word balloons dominating several panels, but it fortunately doesn’t become overbearing.

My only gripes with this comic come from how familiar and inconsequential the enemies and plot devices feel thus far. Watching Rand and Lei pummel nameless demons while talking about ancient McGuffin swords and cryptic demons feels like old hat. Despite a solid cliffhanger, none of these plot elements hold up to the creativity within the rest of the issue.

Art Direction

The fast-paced and well-choreographed action needed in any good martial arts comic is brought to life by Michael Yg for Iron Fist #1. His sharp character designs and solid directing make for an exciting read, fit for a new chapter of Marvel’s premier kung-fu master. Yg’s detail work is thorough and intricate, crafting compelling views of our heroes and the New York shops they crash through while fighting fanged, lanky demons. His design for Lin Lei’s Iron Fist suit is great; a cool mix of genuine martial artist and superhero that feels modern yet obviously familiar. Yg’s panel direction and blocking feel effortless in their execution, guiding the readers eyes through the fights and story with ease. My one gripe here is that if you spend a lot of time looking, some of the character’s faces get a bit wonky. Aside from that inconsistency, the pencils here are super-clean and phenomenally executed.

The colors by Jay David Ramos are rich and tonally perfect for this comic. His work here within Yg’s lines offers a very high fidelity and professionally sharp look that comes as what you might expect from a modern superhero comic, just crafted at the highest degree. The Iron Fist signature green and gold has scarcely looked better. Finally, Travis Lanham’s letters keep the show on the road in solid form, even with some very crowded word balloons. His font choice for this comic fits the story and characters well, and he brings some solid FX letters to the table. Overall, this opening chapter is a great looking comic book.

Verdict

Iron Fist #1 is an entertaining and relatively intriguing comic with a few small flaws that keep it from true greatness. Alyssa Wong’s script is fun and successfully introduces a new protector of K’un Lun, but it’s held up by some uninteresting plot points. Michael Yg’s pencils are sharp and full of energy, but marred a bit by some inconsistent art in places. Still, this is a very solid first issue, so grab a copy when it hits shelves on 2-16!

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Review: PRIMORDIAL #6 — What Just Happened?

By

Zac Owens

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If you know what happened in the finale to Image Comics’ brilliant series Primordial, then you’re smarter than I am. When it comes down to it, I’m not sure Primordial #6 makes much sense. But, even more importantly, I don’t think I care. In fact, it feels like there was no better way to end this series. Writer Jeff Lemire, artist Andrea Sorrentino, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Steve Wands have been writing a series that defies logic. If Primordial‘s finale made any sense, well… that wouldn’t make much sense.

Writing

The reason a cryptic, confusing, mysterious script like Lemire’s works is because it nails one thing completely: emotional resonance. You might not know what’s going on, but you care that it’s happening. Lemire has taught us to love these characters. So when they look up at large sci-fi objects coming out of the sky, we’re not stuck on the mystery of what’s flying towards them, we’re fixed on their expression. Lemire wants to cut through the psychedelia and make you feel. And make you feel he does. The fear, sadness, and catharsis that these characters experience hits you like a train. As you turn the last page of Primordial, you may not have all the answers, but you’ll be satisfied.

Art

Sorrentino, once again, draws in a bright style with thin pencils, that is completely different to his usual chiaroscuro approach. In many ways, this issue of Primordial sees all of Sorrentino’s experiments in this series, with style and form, come crashing together in a glorious, tangled mess. “Mess” both feels like the wrong and perfect word to use here. In one sense, Sorrentino’s art is ordered and neat. Small panel boxes sprinkle the page, dividing scenes up into little pieces. But the overall effect is one of mind-bending chaos. Sorrentino gives us reason to be in quiet awe of whatever is happening in these pages. It’s complicated, occasionally a little rough around the edges, but beautiful.

Coloring

The first thing you’ll notice about Primordial #6 is how little color there is to it. Stewart makes great use of big portions of dead space. Nearly every scene is framed in large sections of white. It makes the comic feel like it’s breaking apart into nothingness. The rest of the issue is colored in relatively dull colors. There are plenty of greys, browns, and pale blues. But in these scenes Stewart often adds a ripple of brightness. There is a stark contrast here between the natural, earthy scenes of normal reality, and the technicolor, neon moments of sci-fi weirdness. Stewart gives each of these aspects their own unique flavor and brings them together in a spectacular way.

Lettering

Wands’ lettering choices continue to push the story forward effectively, sometimes in the most subtle ways. We continue to see the dialogue from the animals in squiggly word balloons. The way Wands presents the animals’ lines tells us that they are different from everyone else, in some mysterious way. In one flashback, we see the death of another character. As they slip away, the tail to their word balloon begins to look wavy and curled. This makes their line seem a little weak, like it’s struggling to make its way out. But, in a strange way, it also begins to resemble the word balloons of our animal friends. In the last moments of this character’s life, do they experience some form of enlightenment too?

Image Comics’ Primordial has been an utter joy. This creative team has been experimenting with the medium, constantly pushing themselves to new heights. And despite there being little logical sense to this conclusion, there’s a strong emotional resonance to it. Primordial #6 is a stunning conclusion that puts its heart before its head, to brilliant effect. Pick up Primordial #6, out from Image Comics February 16th, at a comic shop near you!

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Review: SECRET X-MEN #1 Allows a New Team to Rise to the Occasion

By

Jeremy Carter

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What happened to the X-Men that didn’t get voted on to the brand new Krakoan X-Men team? This week’s Secret X-Men #1 answers that question for us. Tini Howard has the opportunity to write some wonderful characters who don’t get nearly as much spotlight as they deserve. Francesco Mobili handles the pencils while Jesus Aburtov adds the colors, and Clayton Cowles lays down the letters to round out the art team.

WRITING

Tini Howard has been around the X-universe for a while now. She has written Excalibur since the beginning of the Krakoa era, and will be continuing that journey with Knights of X. For Secret X-Men, Howard focuses on Sunspot as he attempts to gather a team for a space adventure. Howard does a nice job of giving every member of the cast a chance to shine. Whether it’s Strong Guy wearing a funny get up or Marrow discovering she can use her bone powers as a spacesuit, Howard does utilize every member of the team. Howard also builds on the relationship between Sunspot and Deathbird as seen in previous X-Men books. Their relationship is tough, but they do respect one another. Howard shows this when Deathbird allows Sunspot to live instead of killing him for a suspected betrayal. Although each character has their moment, some of the dialogue is a bit clunky. Marrow specifically reads a little like Beavis and Butthead. Howard writes her several times with a “heh” before she speaks. Marrow’s tone comes off very childish and immature, which is inconsistent with how much she’s grown since Si Spurrier’s X-Force.

ART

Francesco Mobili absolutely slays it on pencils this issue. Mobili gives us a gorgeous panel of the team recruited by Sunspot. The scale of Strong Guy as he hulks over all the other characters is impressive and really shows how big and strong he actually is. The action panels are easy on the eyes as everything is clear and the lines are crisp. Seeing Armor unleash her power in space as she fights aliens looks as good as it ever has with Mobili on pencils.

The colors by Jesus Aburtov leap off the page with his vibrant work. Aburtov uses warm colors like reds and orange when Cannonball or Sunspot use their gifts. Background colors fit the mood of the scene. When our heroes meet with Deathbird, the colors get significantly darker. As stated above, Armor using her powers in space allows Aburtov to use a pink that simply catches your eye. It’s almost as if you’re immediately drawn to the bright color laid down by Aburtov on every page.

The letters by Clayton Cowles are crucial for a story like this. Cowles is responsible for all the sound effects in the space battle. When several X-Men are fighting aliens, a big “BWWOOOOOOF” is scrolling across the panel. When Sunspot attacks, “BOOM” is shown after every blast he unleashes. As we read these sound effects, it feels like we’re experiencing them too. Cowles is a strong letterer who always enhances any issue he touches.

CONCLUSION

Secret X-Men is a decent one shot issue that allows lesser used characters to feel like the A-team. Tini Howard does a fine job of using her cast and showcasing how fun other characters in the X-Men rolodex can be when given the chance. Secret X-Men #1 is out now at your local comic shop!

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Review: NOTTINGHAM #6 – Of Alliances and Betrayals

By

Jake Palermo

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Nottingham #6 restarts a Mad Cave Studios title on April 6, 2022 that is now available at comic stores for pre-order.

Nottingham Background

In late 12th century England, the grizzled Crusades veteran Sheriff Blackthorne of Nottingham tries to help who he can. With the Merry Men stealing the people’s taxes, Blackthorne tries to find their leader Robin Hood. Who, despite his loyalty to King Richard, is more than willing to betray allies like Lady Marian.

Nottingham #6 Layers of Intrigue

David Hazan takes an interesting new direction in comparison to Nottingham’s last volume. With a cast of characters that could turn on each other at any point, readers are glued to the page. Political and ideological tensions are felt throughout the pages as everyone is scheming to get the upper hand. With Blackthorne and Robin working together, the readers can’t help but wonder who will come out on top.

It’s Getting Darker

Shane Connery Volk continues a gritty aesthetic to match the dark atmosphere of Nottingham. The facial features and body language look especially grim from the angles in which characters present themselves. It’s like one person is always trying to assert their dominance. Luca Romano’s coloring really helps in these circumstances, especially with shading. The dark coloring of Blackthorne feels frightening but not dominating, in contrast to his haughty adversaries.

But for all of those advantages, there are are a few quirks that look odd. Take for example, Marian’s swaying hips in what’s supposed to be a serious announcement, or a panel’s background suddenly becoming black in a bright room. These can take readers out of the compelling story.

Justin Birch’s lettering meanwhile remains eye-catching by reflecting the moments’ moods. Some panels get so filled with word balloons, the words can feel heavy. Other times the SFX emphasize how small actions can make differences, like how a kick can knock a deadly assailant away.

Where Do You Side in Nottingham #6?

Nottingham #6 brings readers back into a compelling story about tenuous alliances. With different sides trying to dominate one another, it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top. Nottingham #6 is out from Mad Cave Studios on April 6th.

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Review: NIGHTWING #89 Introduces a Perfect Team-Up

By

Zac Owens

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I have a confession to make. I have not read Tom Taylor and John Timms’ Superman: Son of Kal-El. I’ve heard great things, seen awesome previews, interviews, and more. And now, with Nightwing #89, Superman: Son of Kal-El is higher on my reading list than ever. Writer Tom Taylor, artist Bruno Redondo, colorist Adriano Lucas, and letterer Wes Abbott bring these series together in spectacular fashion. It makes you wish “World’s Finest Sons” was a whole series, rather than just a short arc.

Writing

Taylor’s script is earnest and heartfelt. He brilliantly explores the power of fathers and friends in this issue. And though in many ways we’re taking a break from the events of Nightwing, we’re learning so much about the character. Dick Grayson is a big brother, through and through. Taylor gives him every opportunity to show how good he is at looking out for those in need. And Taylor sets the scene for this kind of issue perfectly, by starting the chapter off in a time gone by, when Dick showed kindness to a young Jon Kent. Beyond the sincere moments of connection between characters, the funny quips, and the witty banter, there’s a mystery at the heart of this story. Taylor gives us just enough to be itching for all the answers in that next issue.

Art

Have I gushed enough about Redondo’s art at this point? Because I doubt I have. Redondo nails every beat of this issue. He can be wonderfully sincere in one moment and then laugh-out-loud goofy the next, but he sets each mood naturally. There are many panels that “bleed” into others in this issue. The hand of someone in one panel stretches across the gutters into the panel next door. This gives each page a feeling of wholeness. You’re not just seeing individual images, but one big picture that’s being painted by Redondo. The effect is both eye-catching and playful.

Coloring

There’s a great shift in the coloring of this issue. Lucas’ Metropolis looks nothing like his Bludhaven. Metropolis is bright, colorful, and full of life. You could say that about Lucas’ Bludhaven too, but there’s a warmness to the color palette that makes the whole city feel a little less ominous. Lucas also repeats certain story beats in his coloring, playing on thematic repetitions. In one scene, we see Dick and Babs talking. They’re in Dick’s apartment, the lighting is a soft blue that makes the scene feel intimate. When Superman visits his boyfriend Jay, the color palette is almost identical. Lucas is drawing out similarities between the lives of Dick and Jon. It makes you all the more excited for their team-up.

Lettering

In one of the opening scene of this issue, Superman talks to a hologram of his father in the Fortress of Solitude. As they talk, Abbott letters the dialogue so the word balloons almost seem to hug one another. You can hear how much Jon wishes his father was there, but you can also see how lifelike the responses seem to be. But as the scene ends, their dialogue no longer shows up in the same panel. It feels like they’re giving each other a wide berth. And when Jon ends the conversation, saying something to himself, the word balloon is right in the center of a giant panel. You can see the loneliness he’s feeling in the fathoms of space around his dialogue.

DC Comics’ Nightwing #89 is a ton of fun and it will make you want to immediately catch up with Taylor’s other series, Superman: Son of Kal-El. This partnership feels like it could go on for thirty issues. Hopefully someday we get to see something like that. But for now, you can get your fix by picking up Nightwing #89 from a comic shop near you!

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INTERVIEW: Cinematographer Matt S. Bell Discusses THE REQUIN

By

Ruben Diaz

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February 15, 2022

The Requin is a horror thriller starring Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Batman & Robin) as a woman fighting her life when stranded at sea and surrounded by great white sharks.

Written and directed by Le-Van Kiet (Furie), The Requin (French for shark) follows Jaelyn and Kyle, a married couple, on a tropical vacation in Vietnam. Jaelyn’s dealing with the trauma of a miscarriage, and the trip is a way for her to heal. However, when a storm hits, the couple’s bungalow is ripped away from the land and washed out to sea. Kyle’s injured in the process, and Jaelyn must do whatever she can to keep bloodthirsty great white sharks from turning them into snacks.

PopAxiom spoke with Matt S. Bell, the traveling cinematographer, about becoming a cinematographer, living on the road, and making movies on the water.

On the Road

Matt is a rare cinematographer who lives out of an RV, driving from set to set. “It takes a certain personality, but it’s just my dog and me, and we love traveling.”

“I had an apartment I don’t care about, and half the time,” he explains, “I’m in a hotel somewhere for a movie. So, I thought I needed to leave a set and go wherever I wanted. So, I got an apartment on wheels. Then, a few months later, the pandemic started, so it kind of turns out I got into that at the right time.”

Before hitting the road as a director of photography, Matt grew up in Louisiana and did many other things. “I was a hockey player for about 19 years of my life. In college, I didn’t know what to do, but everyone told me to study engineering, so I did.”

“I switched my major seven times until I found photography,” he admits. “But during that time that I was switching, I was also playing music. But it turns out I’m not that great of a drummer. So a much better friend replaced me. But, of course, I wanted to remain in the group, so I picked up the camera.”

Matt attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. “During my time in the arts program, it became clear to me that motion picture is where I wanted to go. My photography was very story-driven. So I’d write little short stories and create photos around those stories.”

“I started reaching out to productions,” he says after graduating in 2012. “One got back to me; it was American Idol. I was like, ‘yes, this is it, I’ve done it!’ I got to that set, and I had no idea what I was doing. I showed up with my polo tucked into my jeans. I was a sore thumb on day one. But it was evident that this was the direction that I wanted to go.”

About The Requin

Matt had just finished a three-picture deal when “… I got a call from producer Aaron B. Koontz. We’d discussed working together, but it hadn’t worked out. He offered me the chance to work on this Alicia Silverstone shark film.”

“I have a background in making these niche horror movies,” he shares, hinting at some of his other shark-related films like Ozark Sharks and Santa Jaws. “I read the script, and it was exciting. A lot of great action sequences.”

The Requin, unlike most of Matt’s other shark films, was an indie film and not attached to a network. “So, we could put this together based more around a three-act structure and make it more cinematic. We could do sweeping one-shots and shots that start in close on Alicia then pull out to this vast open sea. We try to get away with that on network features but due to strict editorial guidelines where we’ve gotta cut stuff down to make it fit.”

“Something like Santa Jaws that’s made for SyFy,” he explains, “is structured around commercial breaks. So, the script is broken into eight or nine acts. Every 5 or 10 pages is an act break which is crazy fast for building up tension. It’s hard to let shot sit and marinate. So, the idea that we could let the frame linger was very exciting to me.”
Matt and director Le-Van Kiet hit it off from the start. “My first phone conversation with Kiet was two or three hours long. After that, we just hit it off talking about movies and ideas for The Requin.”

“We knew going in that it was a big script for the budget we had, but that was exciting for both of us,” revealing that it only motivated the filmmakers even more. “I could hear the passion in Kiet’s voice, and that only made me even more passionate.”

the requin-interview-matt s bell — Lighting map from Matt S. Bell

Shooting On Water

Matt is an expert of sorts when shooting on the water though there’s no science. “You can’t walk outside and block on the water — not really. So we used our phones to shoot conceptual storyboards. It’s tough to prep a water movie. It’s hard to practice without going out and doing it. But that’s dangerous.”

“Water is so heavy,” he continues. “It’s hard to move around, and you have to waterproof everything. It’s easy enough to waterproof a camera, but when it comes to getting the shot you need, that part is super-hard to achieve.”

Of course, every film project is a unique beast to figure out. “In a perfect world, you’re on a hydraulic set that you can move around through programming. We’d be dry, indoors, and lighting it exactly how we want it.”

“We ultimately ended up in an outdoor, Olympic-sized swimming pool,” he shares. “It was lakeside and at an RV park, so my home wasn’t too far. But, unfortunately, it was December too, and it wasn’t a heated pool, so we had to heat that ourselves.”

Filming next to a lake included some other environmental effects. “Also, the amount of weather we got from being lakeside was surprising. A lot of whipping winds coming off that water. It was harder to control things the way that we wanted.”

Wrapping Up

The Requin is available on Amazon Prime and for rent on YouTube. Matt says he’s “a very story-driven cinematographer. So, my ultimate goal is to move into the director’s chair. I’ve done a few commercials and shorts. I want to be involved in and understand the different roles in a film. I think if you want to be a director, you should get to know the different stresses that affect every department.”

“I just did a psychological dark-comedy called Half Lives with Fran Kranz,” he says about upcoming projects of which there are many. “I’m excited for that one because, from a photography standpoint, I was able to venture out and use weird lenses and techniques. Many techniques that are considered ‘wrong’ like ‘jumping the line.’ We did a lot of that for various reasons. That was director David Bush’s idea.”

Is The Requin on your watch list?

Thanks to Matt S. Bell and Projection PR
for making this interview possible.

Find more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!

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Marvel Comics Exclusive First Look: AVENGERS #56

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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February 15, 2022

AVENGERS #56 hits your local comic shop on May 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive first-look at the book!

About the issue:
JANE FOSTER TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT!

She once famously wielded Mjolnir as Thor, Goddess of Thunder. Today, she guards the worlds of the living and the dead as the winged Valkyrie. Now, those two versions of the same mighty hero somehow find themselves face-to-face, in a desperate bid to save the soul of Jane Foster.

The issue is by writer Jason Aaron and artist Javier Garrón.

As the solicit text states and the cover below shows, this issue of Avengers promises the meeting of two Jane Fosters: Thor and Valkyrie, both identities co-created by Aaron. The cover also teases a connection to Marvel’s JUDGEMENT DAY, this summer’s Avengers/X-Men/Eternals crossover event.

Get your exclusive first-look at Garrón’s cover for AVENGERS #56 below:

Are you excited for Marvel’s JUDGEMENT DAY? Sound off in the comments!

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Exclusive Preview – ARCADE WORLD: ZOMBIE INVADERS From Nate Bitt And João Zod

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 15, 2022

Exclusive Preview - ARCADE WORLD: ZOMBIE INVADERS

ARCADE WORLD: ZOMBIE INVADERS hits your local book store on February 22, but thanks to Simon & Schuster, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive preview of the new middle-grade adventure series for our readers.

The book is written by Nate Bitt, with art by João Zod.

About ARCADE WORLD: ZOMBIE INVADERS:
Travis and Journey are two best friends who live in a town that’s been taken over by video games. Journey West is a high score legend and an absolute gaming champion. Not only is she unbeatable, but she always sets out to finish what she starts. And it’s all thanks to her handy survival guide, a secret notebook where she keeps all of her game notes and cheat codes.

But when the Zombie Invaders video game comes to life and the notebook gets destroyed, Journey and Travis are really put to the test. Now they are dealing with zombies, an evil hooded shadow, and lots of brains. Can Journey and Travis combine their brains and dead-ication to finish the game? Or will the zombies stand victorious in this grave new world?

Enjoy the preview below.

ht – Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

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Review: DEATH ON THE NILE Coasts Through It’s Murder Mystery

By

Eric Trigg

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The latest adaptation of Death on the Nile doesn’t offer anything new to the whodunnit genre. It’s not very engaging early on and only gains momentum when the deed is done. Once the investigation is brought to a close, the tension that was building is stepped on by a flat ending that felt too quick. Death on the Nile isn’t bad, but I don’t think I’d revisit this movie over other whodunnits anytime soon.

Death on the Nile is a follow-up to Kenneth Branagh’sMurder on the Orient Express. Knives Out was a breath of fresh air for this genre and Death on the Nile is just a well-done but forgetful addition. Its jam-packed cast of stars isn’t that interesting in these roles, unfortunately. Everyone is doing their best for the most part, but the characters remain dull and bland.

The film centers on Hercule Poirot (Branagh), as his vacation on a river streamer turns into a hunt for a killer after a honeymoon between two lovers is put on hold. Gal Gadot stars as Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle, one-half of the prestigious couple. Her spouse, Simon Doyle, is portrayed by Armie Hammer. The chemistry between the two is nonexistent and their acting here was questionable at times. Death on the Nile also stars Russell Brand, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Ali Fazal, Letitia Wright, Emma Mackey, and Sophie Okonedo.

Michael Green pens the script for Death on the Nile and it includes some of the blandest characters to watch caught in a murder investigation. The film does a great job at making everyone out to be a suspect, so that’s where it’s able to retain your attention for the most part. Linnet’s luxurious life is made out to be a threat to her family and other associates joining them on this adventure. Poirot is the only character that can be stomached at times since he is representing the audience.

Death on The Nile makes you question everyone’s potential motivations, so naturally, the film’s detective becomes the most relatable and interesting figure. Before the investigation, far too much time is spent getting to know these people. Character development is an important aspect of a story, but the absence of the murder investigation makes the first half difficult to endure. Linnet and Simon are boring characters, which makes spending time with them frustrating.

On a more positive note, there are some breathtaking shots featured throughout. The setting of Egypt holds your attention more than the one-note characters. Branaugh’s follow-up remains afloat mostly due to its visual appeal and the strong second act in between. Performance-wise, Mackey was the standout from this ensemble outside of Branaugh. She stars as Jacqueline de Bellefort, Simon’s former romantic interest.

Mackey impresses as this emotionally unstable woman and eats up every scene she is featured in. I’d say Jacqueline was the most interesting character out of the group of suspects. The aspect of not knowing if she’d go off the deep end only amplified interest in her. Gadot’s performance was acceptable, but her delivery isn’t always the best, which only puts another dent in the uninteresting nature of Linnet.

The film seemed to lack energy that could retain your attention for nearly two hours. Poirot truly is the most engaging character when Jacqueline isn’t present, and the rest feel like distractions. Branaugh captures your attention quite well in the second act, which is where the story is at its best. Pacing begins to get better, and Branaugh’s acting is so commanding in this role.

Death on the Nile is fine for what it had to offer but felt like it could have been a lot better. It felt stuck in a shift that wouldn’t let it be more than just a well-done film. It’s not shocking with its reveal, and that’s fine, but the aftermath is what kills the tension that had been built up prior. Death on the Nile is fun when it wants to be and features some strong technical aspects, but it’s never consistently good and often took itself too seriously.

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