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Lucifer Returns In ‘Supernatural’ Season 12 Trailer

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Lucifer is back and more dangerous than ever. The CW has released an awesome first look trailer for the upcoming season 12 of Supernatural. The teaser gives us a glimpse of Rick Springfield as Lucifer’s new rock star vessel, and Samantha Smith returning as Mary Winchester.

It looks like the beginning of the season will focus mainly on Dean and Mary trying to get Sam back. In the season 11 finale, a British faction of the Men of Letters shot and kidnapped Sammy.

Supernatural returns to The CW on Thursday, Oct. 13. Check out a gallery of premiere images below.
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Ben Affleck Discovers His Cruelty in First Trailer for ‘Live By Night’

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Warner Brothers have released the first trailer for their upcoming flick Live By Night. Based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, the film follows a group of criminals during the prohibition era.

Written, directed, produced, and starring Ben Affleck, the film’s January 13th release date makes it a strong awards contender. Affleck’s previous directorial effort Argo earned him his second Academy Award (best picture; first win was best screenplay for Good Will Hunting), though he is still chasing his first best director nomination.

Live By Night features an all-star cast including Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Cooper, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, and Scott Eastwood.

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Song Review: Lady Gaga Releases “Perfect Illusion” [Listen Inside]

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Pop Goddess Lady Gaga Comes Back With “Perfect Illusion”, Her First Single In Almost Four Years!

The fiery new single “Perfect Illusion” by Lady Gaga was just released and it’s already being hailed as one of her best songs. Featuring production by Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker, and BloodPop, the song is pop-influenced arena rock. With some of her strongest pop vocals to date, “Perfect Illusion” shows such growth in Gaga. Not only in her voice but her style and musical swagger.

Perfect Illusion

Never one to fit into molds, Lady Gaga’s new song really stands out in the electronic-ruled pop music scene. Not only does this song feel new and inventive but also conjures feelings of 80’s rock ballads. This song is ready for the dance floor or to be sang along to drunk at a bar. Something only Gaga could do.

Check out the newest single below!

“Perfect Illusion” is off the still unnamed fifth studio album from Lady Gaga.

What do you think?

Let me know in the comments below!

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Lost ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes ‘Power of the Daleks’ Remade With Animation

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Doctor Who is one of the longest running shows on television and unfortunately 97 episodes from the first six years of show’s run has been lost, Season 3 to Season 5 being the worst affected. One of the biggest being the six-episode arc ‘Power of the Daleks’. The BBC have now announced they are going to broadcast an animated restoration.

‘The Power of the Daleks’ was originally broadcast on November 5, 1966, but the master tapes were recorded over, a common practice for the period. The restoration is set to air on BBC One 50 years to the day of the original showing, as well as a special screening at the BFI Southbank in London. The restoration will be shown on BBC America November 12 and released on DVD on November 21.

power-of-the-daleks-the-doctor

‘The Power of the Daleks’ was the story arc that shows The Doctor regenerate for the first time, being Patrick Troughton’s first appearance as The Doctor. The storyline sees The Doctor and his companions Ben (Michael Craze) and Polly (Anneke Wills) arrive on a human colony on the planet Vulcan (no relations to Star Trek planet) and the Daleks are pretending to be servants of the colonists.

The restoration has been directed and produced by Charles Norton, working with the team that restored a lost episode of Dad’s Army that was released earlier this year. Martin Geraghty and Adrian Salmon, artists on the Doctor Who comics, have worked on the restoration. The restoration is based on film clips, storyboards, photographs and audio recordings featuring the original cast.

The restoration should be an exciting prospect for fans of the classic series as well as the modern show.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/mediacentre/worldwide/2016/doctor-who-power-of-the-daleks

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Top 5 Moments From ‘Cyborg’: Rebirth #1

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SPOILER ALERT FOR CYBORG: REBIRTH #1

Victor Stone, the cybernetic Titan, is finally breaking out of team books and flying solo in his own series. Backed up by S.T.A.R. Lab in Detroit, Vic will have to prove he doesn’t always need backup to take down his opponents. These are the top five moments to come out of his Rebirth issue.

Cyborg

5. How I Met Your Mother

The issue takes the time to dive into Cyborg’s origin, and it goes far deeper than ever before, taking a moment to look back at when his parents met, fell in love, and got married. It offers a quiet little moment of escape from the action in the rest of the issue.

Cyborg

4. New Origin

As the issue continues to look into Cyborg’s past, his origin comes further into play. It’s shown before he became a hero, Victor’s father’s experiment was actually involving Boom Tube technology. This makes sense considering his father was originally working on a dimensional teleporter and the Boom Tube is the most well known teleportation system in the DC universe. It’s a small change but a welcomed one.

Cyborg

3. Sins Of The Father

As Cyborg finds what Malware had been searching for he discovers it was in fact his father’s notes from his previous experiments. In them he reveals his concerns for his actions with his son and his fear he has turned Victor into something which is less than human. His father’s concerns seem to hit him right in the gut and will no doubt haunt him as he heads into his new series.

Cyborg

2. The Collector

What lurks on the horizon for our hero? By the look of it, a madman who has aspirations to collect all the cybernetic characters in the DC universe. It’s unknown who this individual is but one thing is certain: He is going to be a problem in Cyborg’s life in the near future. With any luck it will result in some of the other cybernetic characters appearing in the series.

Cyborg

1. Cyborg Vs. Malware

Some moments are over in an instant. Other go on forever. The top moment from this issue came from the fight between Cyborg and Malware which took up a majority of the issue. The intense back and forth was perfect and really offered a great display of Cyborg’s ability and resolved. It easily was the best part of the entire issue and stole the number one stop on this list without difficulty.


What was your favorite moments from Cyborg: Rebirth #1? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

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Review: ‘Steven Universe’: Last One Out Of Beach City: Pearl Of Ages

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The gang go to a rock show.

SPOILER ALERT

In an effort to grow as a character, Pearl tries to become cool. She takes Steven and Amethyst to a Rock show to prove she really has forgotten Rose Quartz and is able to grow as an individual. She accomplishes this by falling for a girl who looks exactly like Rose. She definitely has a type.

It’s good to see Pearl is trying to be more involved with the Earth and its inhabitants. She’s lived on the planet for hundreds of years but still hasn’t taken the time to engaged herself in Human Culture. She even mentions not having a license and makes a good point of saying she’s from another planet so it’s be hard to obtain one. Still, sounds kind of odd she wouldn’t be able to forge a document or something which could allow her to get one. Sure she’s the rule follower of the team but if it was pointed out how it would help Steven she would probably do it in an instant.

It should be pointed out how less than subtle the episode is about homosexual relationships. This has always been a point with this series to talk about non-conventional relationships and present them in a way which others and understand and relate too. Yet, previously they have been addressed with the subtext of showing the aliens Gems interacting with one another. This one is Pearl, the most feminine of the team picking up a human female. The addressing of these themes in such a positive light is what caused this show to receive such a large following.

This episode features a lot of character focus but sadly not much actual action. It was listed on the Wikipedia as the season finale for months. It’s probably better to have it as the an episode in the middle of the season instead. It’s good but not end the season good.

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Geoff Johns Confirms Reworking ‘Justice League’ And A “Optimistic Tone”

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Not Only Did Geoff Johns Confirm A Tonal Shift But Says Batman Will Answer For His Actions In ‘Batman v Superman’

Shortly after confirming actor Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke, Geoff Johns and Jon Berg also dished about ‘Justice League‘. Talking with The Wall Street Journal, it seems the pair is indeed trying to turn around the DCEU. Starting with 2017’s ‘Justice League‘, we will see a bit more levity in the films with more optimism.

These changes come after many fans and critics bashed the dark tone the new DC films had following ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’.

Johns opened up about DC films and the future:

“Mistakenly in the past I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different.’ That couldn’t be more wrong,” “It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop.”

 

“We accelerated the story to get to the hope and optimism a little faster.”

Also talked about in the interview was Batman having consequences for his actions of trying to kill Superman and his torture of criminals in ‘Batman v Superman‘.

Geoff Johns spoke about his feelings towards the negative reaction to the first few DC Extended Universe movies.

“To have these characters be part of the fabric of pop culture is so rewarding, though of course we’re disappointed the movies weren’t better reviewed,”

 

“We’re trying to take a really hard look at everything to make sure we stay true to the characters and tell stories that celebrate them.”

As someone who was a fan of the dark ‘Man Of Steel‘ and the even darker ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice‘, I’m a bit nervous for these changes. But, it will be interesting to see if this will help the reception for the future DC films.

Are you welcoming this lighter tone or were you enjoying the gritter take?

Let me know in the comments below!

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‘Captain America: White’ – An Unfortunately Named But Worthwhile Retcon

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Captain America: White
“And, I’ve always hated apple pie.”

Captain America, thrilling readers since 1941, has gone through a few editorial adjustments during his 75-year tenure. For instance, fans recently expressed their distaste for Cap’s newfound love for his old institutional enemy Hydra. Some retcons are less controversial than others though. Exhibit A: Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale‘s six-part mini-series shortsightedly entitled Captain America: White.

For the unlucky few who haven’t yet gotten a chance to read the rest of Loeb & Sale’s “color series” retcons (Spider-Man: Blue, Hulk: Gray, & Daredevil: Yellow), I recommend them heartily. But, even though Captain America: White is the latest iteration of Loeb & Sale’s unique treatment, it’s set decades before the events of their previous retcons.

As the Timely Comics Watchamacallit, I’ve dedicated the past few years to learning about the Golden Age of Marvel comics. So, naturally, this book excited me when I heard about it. Reading it, I was a bit underwhelmed – not much, but a bit.

My disappointment was mainly a byproduct of how much I like the rest of Loeb & Sale’s “color series,” and feeling as though Captain America: White lacked some of the emotional gravity that the others trade so well in. I’ll try to avoid spoilers because this is a relatively new mini-series, when comparing to the last comicbook I reviewed. Read on, True Believers …

Captain America: White – The Framing Device

Captain America: White makes use of the Loeb/Sale method of having the hero look back on a particular adventure that involves a late comrade or out-of-reach romantic interest. In Spider-Man: Blue, it’s Gwen Stacy. Daredevil: Yellow shows Matt Murdock thinking about Karen Page. And, Hulk: Gray revolves around Bruce Banner and Betty Ross‘s frustrating love life.

Captain America: White, though, breaks the mold slightly. Cap isn’t pining over a lost or unapproachable love interest, he’s mourning his fallen partner Bucky Barnes. And, since the framing device is set just shortly after his defrosting in the ’60s, Cap’s unaware that Bucky survived the war to become the infamous Winter Soldier.

Captain America: White – Familiar Faces [Spoilers]

I won’t discuss dialogue or the plot aside from mentioning that this mini-series concerns Cap and Bucky’s first mission. I will spoil a bit by mentioning the Marvel characters that make an appearance in this mini-series.

Captain America: White
“You goldbrick, read all of Michael Bedford’s articles!”

Readers of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos will recognize the overworked commando team fighting alongside Cap and Bucky. We also meet the Cirque de la Revolution. They’re a band of acrobatic Nazi fighters that help Cap and the team out. Among the Cirque’s ranks is Olivier Batroc, the super-villain Batroc‘s grandfather. And, the framing device shows readers the original pre-Cap Avengers.

Readers also witness a brief appearance by the avenging son himself, The Sub-Mariner. And, for the serious nostalgia buff, there’s even an appearance of Steve Rogers’s Golden Age superior officer Sergeant Duffy.

But, no mini-series would be complete without a couple of villains. So, in attendance we have Baron von Strucker and the always evil Red Skull.

Captain America: White – What’s in A Name?

The title of a mini-series is generally its least important part, but this title is a bit mystifying. Publishing under the title “Captain America: White” while Sam Wilson, an African-American, and Steve Rogers are both using the name “Captain America” was a misstep. And, because I’m sure Marvel didn’t mean to highlight the two Caps’ different racial identities, I’m not sure of the title’s significance.

Captain America: White
“Hail Hydra.”

Of course, naming this mini-series “Captain America: White” highlights the fact that this is another of the Loeb/Sale “color series” (even though white’s not a colour). So, wouldn’t “Captain America: Red, White, & Blue” be more apt? Sure, but Marvel already published a trade paperback full of retcons and previously published material under that title. Plus, Marvel also published a trade paperback entitled “Truth: Red, White, & Black” that tells a very different Cap-related retcon story and uses the notorious (and horrible) Tuskegee syphilis experiment as its jumping-off point.

I suppose “Captain America: White” references young Cap and Bucky’s relative naïveté during their first mission.

Captain America: White – Don’t Judge a Book by Its Title

The title aside, Captain America: White tells a heartwarming tale of surrogate fatherhood mixed with the pain of losing one’s best friend. Knowing that Bucky actually survived the war, though, dilutes the emotional gravity of this mini-series significantly. If Marvel had published Captain America: White before Bucky’s return in 2005, it would’ve been more of a tear-jerker.

As it is, I’m glad I got to read it. Loeb’s understanding of Marvel characters’ motivations is, as usual, on point. And, Sale’s artwork brings these characterizations out in a dramatic and meaningful way. All in all, this is a good read for any Cap fan.

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Top 5 Moments From ‘Supergirl’ #1

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*SPOILER ALERT FOR SUPERGIRL #1*

The Girl of Steel is back to try and save her new home of National City. Her biggest problem so far won’t be Kryptonite or Lex Luthor, but will instead simply be trying to fit into human society. These were the top five moments to come out of her new series as she works on keeping up her secret identity.

Supergirl

5. The New Cat

While taking the time to set up Supergirl’s new daily life, the issue introduces a familiar face to the readers. Cat Grant, coming off as professionally cut throat as she does in the new Supergirl TV show makes her introduction during a hostage situation. She takes a moment to insist she had everything totally under control with the gun wielding maniacs and makes it clear she is not one to be messed with.

Supergirl

4. Krypton Vs. Earth

As the issue focuses on Supergirl trying to adjust to her new life and her new identity, flashbacks to her past are made throughout the issue. They clearly point out just how much better Kara had it on Krypton and her new home isn’t exactly giving her the warm welcome she was hoping for. The segments offer more proof transferring to a new school can be intense.

Supergirl

3. Brutal Truth

Adding to Supergirl’s worst day ever is a nice little pep talk by her boss. Director Chase lets Supergirl know that her research into Kryptonian culture has shown her just how flawed they were. She proceeds to tell Supergirl how the planet pretty much doomed itself and won’t allow rash actions of a certain Kryptonian teenager to be anywhere near as reckless. Who needs super villains when your boss is Director Chase?

Supergirl

2. Driving Lesson

Driving can be one of the best times in a teenagers life. Unless you are working on trying to master parallel parking while controlling your super strength. It’s a joke which has been told a hundred times before but still, watching the frustration Kara endures as she takes a driving lesson is very entertaining and memorable.

Supergirl

1. Daddy’s Home

The last thing you want after a long day is to get home and find a problem on your doorstep. The issue ends with Supergirl trying to take a breather at the Fortress of Solitude, but soon finds someone else is home. The Cyborg Superman is not only there but he also insists he is Kara’s father. This last intense image was all it took to steal the number one stop on this list.


What was your favorite moments from Supergirl #1? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

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Episode 91: ‘Sully’ Review Battle Royale

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Who knew at the beginning of 2016 that Clint Eastwood’s ‘Sully’ would be more divisive that Zack Snyder’s ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ In one of the more passionate debates, EJ and Matt dissect Eastwood’s vision, and the age gap between the two hosts is paramount to the discussion.

Also is this episode, the super fan of the week has a new challenger, and ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ gets better and better in the second half of season two. Will Travis kill his son Chris, or will the Greek tragedy play out in reverse with the son killing his father to complete his journey/transition into to this new apocalyptic world?

Strap yourself in buckaroos! Episode 91 of the Monkeys Fighting Robots podcast is here.

Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.

Articles mention in the podcast:
‘Sully’ Review: A Puff Piece That Hits Turbulence As Soon As It Takes Off

Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.

If you are looking to sponsor the podcast email matt@popaxiom.com as well.

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A Gen Xer and a Millennial debate the latest topics in pop culture. One guy is a filmmaker and the other is a journalist, but both are nerds. We make your slowest days at work better. Hosts, Matthew Sardo and EJ Moreno.

Never heard of Matt Sardo?
For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.

Who is EJ Moreno?
Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.

Places you can find the show:
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Reviews are greatly appreciated – How to Rate and Review a Podcast in iTunes

Thank you for listening!

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