Ideas for The Live-Action Pokemon Movie

July 27, 2016

The live-action Pokemon movie in the works is almost assured to be an adaptation of the anime, not the game series. A new adaptation of the games would be amazing, but that probably won’t ever happen. Pokemon Adventures, also published as Pokemon Special, is a comic based on the game series as a whole and has the best storyline of any Pokemon adaptation. There are several story elements in Pokemon Adventures that would be great to see a live-action film series.

One: Gym Leader Civil War

In Adventures, the Kanto gym leaders are split into two different factions: a group of Team Rocket officers and an opposing group allied with Red, the game/comic protagonist. That plotline added realism to the world building and provided compelling and dangerous villains to the story without the need to create new characters.

Two: Physicality of Pokemon Training

In contrast to the turn-based game system, in Adventures Pokemon battles are incredibly complex and violent fights that require tactics and physical strength from the trainer. Trainers use lot of tricks in combat. Bruno actually treated pokemon training as a martial art trained with his pokemon. That portrayal of battles also adds realism and made fight scenes much more intense and interesting.

Three: Some Humans Have Powers

Several humans in Adventures have superhuman abilities. A notable example is yellow who was granted psychic powers by the “Viridian Forest” allowing her to communicate with Pokemon and heal them. Giving humans supernatural powers played up the fantasy elements in the Pokemon universe.

Four: Cater To A Wide Audience.

There are at least thousands of people who grew up with Pokemon who and are now in their 20s. They are a significant target audience for a movie. Adventures did a wonderful job of making the story accessible to kids and appealing to a wider more mature audience.

With all these elements incorporated in the production, a live-action Pokemon movie would amazing. A lot of people would be interested in it. Hopefully Legendary Pictures has some of this ideas in mind.

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Top 5 Moments from ‘Rom’ #1

Anthony Wendel

July 27, 2016

Rom the Spaceknight has made his return to comics with an action packed first issue. The metal hero has come to Earth in an effort to pursue his sworn enemy, the Dire Wraiths, who have the ability to disguise themselves as humans. With the use of his Neutralizer he sets out to eliminate the alien invaders wherever they may hide.

With Rom now hunting for Wraiths, it’s time to look at the first issue of his new series and pick its top five best moments.

SPOILER ALERT

5. Rom on Camera

As Rom moves to take out a few Dire Wraiths masquerading as humans, he finds himself being confronted by Earth’s greatest weapon, The Smartphone. Yes, as Rom is trying to do his job, people are quick to pull out phones and record him in a way which looks like he is on a rampage. This type of negative press won’t do anything to help Rom’s mission on Earth.

4. Interrogation

As one of eyewitnesses of Rom’s arrival is brought in and confronted about what happens, it quickly becomes clear there is more going on behind the scenes. The soldier in question discovers far too late that he is being interrogated by Dire Wraiths, who make short work of him after getting the answers they want. This scene just helped to show just how far the alien infiltration goes and just what the enemy is capable of.

3. Neutralized

Within moments of being on Earth, Rom uses his Energy Analyzer to expose one of the soldiers as being a Dire Wraith. Soon, the Wraith transforms into his full form and charges at Rom. Wasting no time in trying to talk things out, Rom deploys his Neutralizer and blows the alien menace away. The Spaceknight has come to kick butt and chew bubblegum and he’s all outta bubblegum.

2. Yo Joe!

As the higher up Dire Wraiths work to take out Rom, they realize they can’t mess around. They instead try to bring in the big guns. In this case the big guns are G.I. Joe, who are going to be front and center in the next issue. With the IDW event “Revolution” starting, the different properties of IDW are about to cross over with one another. It looks like Rom is soon going to have to deal with the Joes who believe him to be an alien invader instead of a Spaceknight come to save the world.

1. Nowhere to run

In a very brutal scene, Rom confronts a young soldier named Darby who has just come back from service. Unfortunately, her entire family has been replaced by Dire Wraiths. Darby can do nothing but watch as Rom destroys the beings which are posing as her family be destroyed one by one. It’s an intense scene, but definitely one fans will be talking about as the new series ventures forward, which is why it earned the number one spot on this list.

What did you think of the new Rom series? What were your favorite moments? Leave a comment below and let us know how much you love the return of Rom to comics.

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DC Rebirth Week 8 in Review

Gary Moloney

July 27, 2016

Each week here on Monkeys Fighting Robots, we are looking at every DC Rebirth title and tracking its progress. Books will be rated on a scale of “Buy It”, “Borrow It” or “Bin It”. Spoilers ahead.

Batgirl #1 (Hope Larson and Rafael Albuquerque)

It’s hard to follow-up on a widely successful run, let alone two. Gail Simone’s Batgirl was critically revered, an emotional contintuous of the work she had done with the character in Birds of Prey. The controversial Burnside era from Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart won over it’s detractors and ingrained itself in the wider pop culture consciousness. This is a title actively read by non-comic fans, so needless to say there were big shoes to fill. Thankfully, DC has just the creative team as Hope Larson and Rafael Abuquerque take Barbara Gordon on a backpacking journey of self-discovery. Taking some time out in Okinawa, Barbara Gordon goes in search of her spiritual predecessor, the hereto unseen Golden Age heroine Fruit Bat. It’s worth noting that this arc takes place before last week’s adventure with the Birds of Prey, meaning it’s Barbara striking out on her own without much of her support structures. Barbara is as quirky as ever, but that doesn’t detract from her status as a serious crime fighter and super-genius in her own right. While not as stylised as before, the interior artwork retains the charm of that which came before with a more rough shonen manga approach, heavy on pencils. It may play into some cliches regarding mysterious figures from the character’s paths or how the West mysticism-inspired understanding of the East, but this inaugural issue lays a solid foundations for a jet-setting adventure.

Recommendation: Buy It.

Nightwing #1 (Tim Seeley and Javier Fernandez)

There are big changes on the horizon for Dick Grayson. Having spent a year or so as an undercover agent of Spyral, Nightwing has now become…an undercover agent of the Parliament of Owls. Okay, so not much may have changed, but Grayson is back in the beloved blue and black. It feels right, even if I enjoyed his New 52 re-design. As part one of the “Better than Batman” storyline, this issue acts as a wonderful character study and exemplifies why he is often singled out as the people’s favourite DC hero. One problem, however, is Dick’s continued pining for Barbara Gordon. We had an entire issue of Batgirl dedicated to telling Dick that his hopping in and out of her life, expecting them to continue where they left off was not okay. Her willingness to her play into his expectations, to a certain extent, seems out of character. True, they are close friends with a complicated history, but too often Dick gets carte blanche in his romantic life, and it would be nice to see writers push a more nuanced tone to their relationship. It’s time to call an end to shipping that particular relationship.

Recommendation: Buy It.

Titans #1 (Dan Adnett, Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth)
The return of Wally West was a watershed moment for the DCU. It’s launched the DC Rebirth in a flash of yellow and red. Titans is a natural home for the former Kid-Flash, a book fundamentally about friendship that uses superheroics as a framework for discussing the trials and tribulations of everyday life. The team’s mission currently is to uncover those who have been manipulating reality and altering their memories. While we known the editors are the true culprits, the in-universe puppet master, Dr. Manhatten, remains elusive. Yet, this search takes a backseat to more heartfelt character moments that allow the team and the audience to re-discover their emotional ties. The book focuses on the re-unification of an estranged family and the joy or pain that comes with it. The Fearsome Five may be plotting in the background, but we care more about spending time with these characters. It’s telling when relationships are so palpable that they leap off the page. This team has been missing from the continuity for nearly half a decade; we can afford to take our time re-acquainting ourselves with their dynamic. Titans together.

Recommendation: Buy It.

Red Hood and the Outlaws: Rebirth #1 (Scott Lobdell and Dexter Soy)

This book interests me, and that is something I’ve rarely said for a Scott Lobdell comic. It becomes incredibly obvious that Lobdell understands the character of Jason Todd like few others do. This should come as little surprise given he has been writing the character in one title or another for the last five years. Red Hood is always pitched as the guy who is willing to go places that Batman can’t. His ambiguous morality is exemplified by his bookshelf containing copies of Machiavelli’s The Prince and Sun-Tzu’s The Art of War. This incarnation of the book seems concerned with fully examining his uneasy nature with his former mentor, something the original “Under the Hood” arc did to great effect. This issue gives us a cliff-notes version of Jason’s life with some rather touching moment that demonstrating the humanity that Batman often strive to hide from the world. However, while the character work is excellent, the set-up for this story-line is quite unoriginal. Make sure you sing along if you know the words. Batman’s former Robin must infiltrate an underground network of questionable characters and uncover their plan. I think Nightwing wants his series premise back. Indeed, Jason himself acknowledges this when he challenges Batman’s hesitancy towards the plan, arguing, “why? because my name isn’t Dick Grayson?” It does seem odd that DC would put on such a series at the same time Nightwing is hanging out with the Parliament of Owls, just as it was interesting that they would have Dick go undercover again following his stint with Spyral. If you are wondering about the rest of the titular “Outlaws,” then you are out of luck as Bizzaro and Artemis only feature on the cover. I am willing to give this book the benefit of the doubt despite its dubious pedigree and what it did to Starfire back when the New 52 began. It may aspire to Nightwing. Let’s see if, like our good Mr. Grayson, it knows how to stick the landing.

Recommendation: Buy It.

Wonder Woman #3 (Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp)

Greg Rucka’s latest work on Wonder Woman has been a mixed bag. The structural switching between two alternating story lines doesn’t make for the most natural of reading experiences. This issue serves as a significant improvement that explores the relationship between Cheetah and Diana, one I imagine most readers are unfamiliar with. The story of Cheetah is that of Barbara Ann Minerva, a woman cursed by the God known as Urzkartaga. The powers bestowed upon Barbara were meant to give her immortality, but only if the host is a virgin. As such, Barbara received the power of the Cheetah, but lives everyday in agony, hungering for human flesh. It highlights the stigma that society has placed around female sexuality, particularly when it becomes apparent that Urzkartaga has done this before. There is a fundamentally powerful point that emerges late in the book about the exploitation of women by the patriarchal and the importance of solidarity. Those with privilege often don’t misuse it out of a veiled rational known only to them. In many cases, they do so because the power they possess is reason enough. Wonder Woman is an inherent feminist character and it is always refreshing to see creative teams who understand what that means. This book doesn’t lecture to its audience, it merely points to the hypocrisies of our everyday lives.

Recommendation: Borrow It.

Action Comics #960 (Dan Jurgens and Tyler Kirkham)

“Hey Dan, you know how everybody loved Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? What are you talking about? Of course, they did! So listen, we are going to bring back Doomsday and have the new/old Superman fight him. Wait, there’s more. We are going to do this at the same time that Super-Lex first meets this new/old Superman, so any character drama is put to one side for the sake of action. We will also have Wonder Woman turn up for some fight scenes that are lifted out of Zack Synder’s latest entry in the DC Cinematic Universe. Yes, I know that this Wonder Woman had a past with with the New 52 Superman. No, we aren’t really going to address it. No, this will be the first chronological meeting between Diana and the new/old Superman. Yes, the weird human Clark Kent will still be in the picture. No, we aren’t giving any hints as to what’s going on there. Confusing? How is this confusing? What do you mean it’s not the 90s anymore? No, we aren’t going to drop this joke anytime soon. ”

Recommendation: Bin It.

Detective Comics #937 (James T Tynion IV, Raúl Fernández and Alvaro Martinez)

If Batman Inc was about the idea of franchising crime fighting, Detective Comics‘ opening storyline is what happens when its co-opted by the military industrial complex. How do you deal with an entire squad of commandos modeled after Batman? The Batmen are elite soldiers combining Bruce’s techniques and symbolism with military precision and discipline. The result is an arc that manages to weave the entirety of the Batman universe into a complex story about how we approach subversive elements. At the centre is a very personal story about the Kanes and Waynes, two related-families with two radically different approaches to dealing with the scourge of crime. Do we trust the government to wield the kind of power and technology that Batmen possesses? Do we trust Batman? In light of the surveillance culture we live in, Detective Comics is telling one of the smartest stories around.

Recommendation: Buy It.

This is one of the best weeks of the DC Rebirth movement so far, even if one or two books leave much to be desired. The Book of the Week goes to Red Hood and the Outlaws, because everyone deserves a chance. The Dishonourable Mention goes to Action Comics, because we deserve a better class of Superman. What did you think of this week’s offerings? Let us know in the comments below and make sure you stay up to date with us here at Monkeys Fighting Robots.

Review copies were kindly provided by the publisher.

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Tom Peyer Talks Captain Kid And Adult Wish Fulfillment

Nikolai Fomich

July 27, 2016

Comics aren’t for kids any more – or so the cliché goes. But in an industry where Bone and Princeless are anomalies, and Armageddon occurs every Wednesday in the pages of the latest superhero epic, it’s easy to remember where that cliché comes from. Comic book readers have gotten older – and it was that fact that led to the creation of Captain Kid, a new series from AfterShock Comics. Co-written by Mark Waid and Tom Peyer, and illustrated by Wilfredo Torres with colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, Captain Kid follows the adventures of Chris Vargas, a middle-aged man with the ability to transform into a teenaged hero at will. The first issue hit comic shops today, and I spoke with Tom Peyer (Hourman, Legion of Super-Heroes) about the new series.

Nikolai Fomich: Tom, what’s the secret origin of this project? Where did the idea for Captain Kid come from?

Tom Peyer: Back around 2002 or so, I was thinking about how superhero comics had changed from their early days. The biggest difference was the audience. It had gotten a lot older. When kids ruled comics, there was a lot of wish fulfillment; young readers could imagine themselves as Batman’s sidekick, Superman’s cousin, Billy Batson’s alter ego, Superman’s pal. It seemed the older readers weren’t having their wishes fulfilled but rather their fears confirmed in the form of dead loved ones, bloody vendettas and mini-apocalypses. What if a middle-aged reader could transform into (I thought then) a teenaged mutant? Wouldn’t it feel good?

I mentioned this idea to my friend Mark Waid, and he urged me on. But being me, I did nothing until late last year when he said he’d write it with me. That was the push I needed after 13 years of sloth.

Tell us more about Captain Kid’s alter ego Chris Vargas. Who is he and why will readers resonate with him?

He’s a nice guy, 45, single, in a media job that’s hanging by a thread. His mother died recently and he lives with his dad, who’s deep in mourning. He likes to consume pop culture and hang with his friends, like a college kid. His teeth are starting to go, his knee hurts, and his chest feels the brunt of all the cigarettes he used to smoke. And he can turn into a 15-year-old kid with super-powers, which makes up for a lot.

Writers such as John Broome, Gardner Fox, Otto Binder, and the great Edmund Hamilton used the Flash, Superman, and other characters to reflect very adult concerns in stories told for children – concerns such as aging, weight gain, marital problems, and becoming a lion (well, OK, maybe not that last one). How have these authors influenced your work, both in general and on Captain Kid?

That’s like asking how the alphabet has influenced my writing. I was exposed to those writers at such an early age, and I read so much of them, I’ll probably never know what they did to me. I remember that when I was around six years old I read a couple of Superman stories that were pretty heavy: Jerry Siegel’s “The Two Faces of Superman,” in which a duplicate of our hero is raised by criminal parents who secretly hate him, and “The Son of Bizarro,” in which the Bizarros have a child, give him up, and want him back. An upsetting amount of parent-child tragedy in those two stories.

You’ve worked with Mark “Brainiac 6” Waid many times before, on comics like The Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Legion of Super-Heroes. What’s your collaboration process with Mark, and what do you think makes it so successful?

We’ve been talking on the phone several times a week for more than two decades. If I write a story, we talk it over. If he writes a story, we talk it over. We fell into this shorthand based on old comics. “It’s like when the teens of Midville help defeat the Astounding Separated Man.” “Right, but what if we added Kid Flash beatniks?” “As long as it doesn’t get too Hank-McCoy-with-his-feet-painted.” We also speak in regular sentences.

I understand that you and Mark have a difference of opinion regarding whether or not you would stay teenaged and super-powered forever. How do you and Mark differ on this, and how has that difference affected your collaboration?

If I could turn into a super-powered 15-year-old, I’d check back into my own life now and then just to see how my friends and family are doing. If Mark could turn into a super-powered 15-year-old, I’d never hear from him again. I should probably be offended, but I can’t blame him for being honest.

Beyond generic super-strength and flight, Captain Kid has a very unique power – he can read electromagnetic media. Why did you and Mark choose this power for your co-creation?

That’s a Waid contribution. To me, science is the branch of knowledge that deals with rays that turn people into gorillas. That’s because I learned everything I know from Silver Age comics. Waid, on the other hand, has read books. So he can come up with things like “electromagnetic powers.” I don’t know what he’s talking about.

Wilfredo Torres (The Shadow: Year One, Jupiter’s Circle) will be drawing and inking the series. How did Wilfredo get involved and what has working with him been like?

Wilfredo’s art is just what Captain Kid needs. It’s a humanist approach, with none of the hyper-detailed macho posturing of so much comic art. And it’s very fluid, clear, and appealing to look at.

You’re also working with colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick, whose work I enjoyed on Batman ’66. Talk a bit about what Kelly’s brought to Captain Kid.

Like Wilfredo’s art, Kelly’s color brings story clarity and is a pleasure to look at. And colorists, like letterers, are at the back of the production line, which means there’s never enough time left for them to do the job because we at the front took too big a bite. And I’m pretty sure there are times when Kelly has to sacrifice sleep and a normal life to keep us going, but you’d never know it to look at the work. And this applies as well to our lettering team, A Larger World.

Captain Kid will be released by AfterShock Comics, a new indie comic book company that launched a year ago. How has has writing for them been different than writing for DC or Marvel?

Probably the biggest difference is, we can just tell our own story without worrying about the other titles. We don’t have to truncate or alter plans because Scranton, PA has been made radioactive in Second Sight (to use an example I just made up). I’m not suggesting that we’re definitely not in a shared universe – I don’t know if that conversation has happened – but AfterShock allows us to focus on our own plans. I think that makes for better stories.

Finally, what other upcoming projects are you working on? Anything else for AfterShock?

I have another idea, so check back in 13 years.

Captain Kid #1 is on sale now from AfterShock Comics.

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Joss Whedon Considers Return to Marvel for Black Widow Film

Jon Barr - TV Editor

July 27, 2016

Joss Whedon, the writer-director of the two Avengers films, may be looking at a return to Marvel. Whedon had previously said he never wanted to direct another Marvel movie, but his thoughts have changed – in a way. He’s not looking to steal either of the Infinity Wars films from the Russo Brothers, or bring the Inhumans back to the table. Instead, Whedon has his sights on a solo Black Widow film.

In an interview for IGN, Whedon had this to say about the idea:

I think that character really is very interesting and very earthbound, so it’s the kind of action that I got to do less of with somebody like Thor or The Vision. When you get into your ‘Superman’ territory its harder to maintain the gritty action that the Russo brothers do so brilliantly and she’s got that kind of thing and [you can] really do a spy thriller. Like really do a good, paranoid, ‘John le Carré on crack’ sort of thing. That would be really fun.

This would be a great way to reincorporate Whedon into the Marvel squad. Joss Whedon is probably best known for his television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s a fantastic action-comedy series featuring a strong, ass-kicking female protagonist. And Black Widow didn’t really get fleshed out as a character until Whedon’s work in Avengers. So a female-led action film seems like it would be right up Whedon’s alley.

Now that’s not to say Whedon has received nothing but praise for his work on Avengers. Fans weren’t nearly as happy about the character in Avengers: Age of Ultron, as she mostly functioned as Hulk’s love interest. In fact, Whedon got so much hate that he was chased off Twitter. On top of all this, there don’t seem to be any concrete plans at Marvel for a Black Widow film. With so many MCU Phases and films mapped out, who knows if and when we’d see this happen. But if anyone could make it work, and if any director deserves at another shot at superheroes, it’s Joss Whedon.

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Review: ‘Ghostbusters International’ #7: Peck With A Pack

Anthony Wendel

July 27, 2016

While Ray, Peter, Winston, and Kylie are ghost hunting in Ireland, Egon remains in New York and finally gets to the bottom of a mystery he’s been chasing since college… about a powerful Scandinavian spell book. That’s right, Egon gets all the answers… and he may wish he hadn’t.

Writing

Just as it seems like the Ghostbusters will simply continue their international tour and just bust ghosts at different landmarks, this issue comes in and really moves things along. On top of helping to advance the plot, there is a truly emotional story here for a character who really doesn’t get much development. It takes you by surprise, and it was exactly what this story line needed to help keep the readers engaged. Top marks to writer Erik Burnham for making this issue one of the better reads for the month. Also, putting Peck in a proton pack was a very entertaining and amusing sight to see. Especially when its pointed out how horrible he is at it.

Artwork

The ghosts, creature designs, and special effect artwork as always finds a way to steal the attention of the comic. The design and presentation of the head Banshee really made her look like she was a force to be reckoned with. Artists Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado really are a great team who have trained eyes for detail.

Conclusion

This is exactly what this series needed. The plot comes in like a wrecking ball and delivers a healthy dose of intrigue while at the same time having a very somber and emotional story line. It’s packed to the brim with a lot in a short amount of time and the fans will enjoy every bit of it. Especially if Peck has to strap on a proton pack again to offer some assistance.

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Review: ‘Jem’ #17: Change Is Coming

Anthony Wendel

July 27, 2016

Still reeling from the shattering conclusion to DARK JEM, JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS regroup–desperate to find a path forward. Meanwhile, THE MISFITS find themselves with a unique problem… one lead singer too many!

Writing

After a major storyline where the characters experience a lot, there is usually an issue which takes a moment to assess what just happened and where they need to go from here. This is one of those issues. Now, this doesn’t necessarily make it a bad read and in fact it’s a great one, but there is still a lot of dialogue setting up a major change which may happen in the next issue.

Writer Kelly Thompson makes sure to point out even though the Holograms and Misfits were able to team up last issue, they are far from friends. Instead, it shows Kimber and Stormer, who are caught in the middle of it may have to choose sides whether they like it or not. Given the fact a Mistfits spin-off series was just announced there is a possibility what happens next will greatly affect their relationship. This makes it a really engaging read.

Artwork

Artist Sophie Campbell has temporarily left the series, and Jen Barlet has come in to take her place. Her art is sound and her work with the expressions of the characters is particularly noteworthy. Just wondering why Aja’s bandage kept disappearing and reappearing on her arm every other panel. Small compliant but it is noticeable.

Conclusion

The issue is a good chance for the characters to take a moment to breath and get ready for what is going to happen to them next. By the look of it something big is going to occur, so you’ll need to check out this issue to understand the full impact of what will happen in part two.

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Hey Hollywood, ‘Stranger Things’ is How You Do Nostalgia Right

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

July 27, 2016

Stranger Things is a marvelous experience for anyone who grew up devouring Stephen King’s early works, for anyone who adored the supernatural Spielberg and 80s kids movies; it’s nostalgia to the nth degree. And, there’s references aplenty to more recent works for the younger crowd. But, at the same time, in all its homage and callback gory, Stranger Things still manages to be something wholly unique. The Duffer Brothers’ story is full of fresh characters, great performances, and a whip-smart balance of horror, comedy, and thrills.

It’s the sort of story Hollywood should take note of, and ditch their reboot culture.

Hollywood is so terrified of new entities and original properties in their summer blockbuster slate, where they make pretty much all the money for their entire year, that they insist on dumping increasingly lackluster sequels and reboots on us. Quantity over quality. This year, however, it seems the returns might be diminishing enough for studio fat cats to rethink their boring plan. Ninja Turtles 2, ID4-2, Tarzan… pretty much anything without the gold-stamped “Marvel” or “Pixar” label has been met with mediocre reviews and middling box-office numbers. Even Star Trek Beyond, easily the best of the three films in the franchise reboot, underperformed compared to the other two. Ghostbusters is mildly successful (it has a long way to go to make up that budget), but the movie itself is just okay.

Rebooting and remaking existing properties has been a successful template for a long time. It unearths all those feels for the 25-50 crowd, adults who have kids now (and, more importantly, money) and want nothing more than to share the things they once loved with their children. Reboots and remakes and sequels also require little to no brain power these days; just throw together a screenplay, hire some stars, and voila! All the money! So we get reboots of Poltergeist, a “prequel” to The Thing, a new Nightmare on Elm Street, Evil Dead, and so on and so forth.

But maybe audiences are tiring of these reboots and sequels enough that studios will take more than a sideways glance at the success of #StrangerThings. It’s another Netflix hit, and it succeeds on two levels that would seem impossible to fit within the same narrative structure: nostalgia and originality.

This isn’t a remake of E.T., or Poltergeist, or Alien, but it has elements of all those in its bones. And Firestarter, and Close Encounters, and dozens of other films and stories from our past. Part of the fun watching Mike, Dustin, and Lucas work with Elle, Chief Hopper, and Joyce Byers to find the missing Will Myers, all the while fending off evil government entities – led by a creepy silver-haired Matthew Modine – is spotting all the references. You spot the E.T. callbacks and the Firestarter/Carrie mashups and you smile, but at the same time you’re engaged in a story that’s all its own. That’s where it differs from Hollywood’s big-budget tentpoles; it creatively stokes our nostalgic fires. It respects its audience.

Take Ghostbusters, for example. The women are great, and the story…okay? But the cameos from the original cast members are all lackluster, and they’re obvious attempts to shoehorn characters from our childhood into a new movie with no real motivation other than having audiences say “Hey! It’s Bill Murray!” Did you see Dan Aykroyd as the cab driver? That was… forced, wasn’t it?

Stranger Things manages to challenge us to find the Easter Eggs rather than just throwing them at the screen with no rhyme or reason. Spotting Evil Dead posters in the bedrooms, perking up at the sound of a pop song, or trying to nail each and every nostalgic callback works like a game within the story. It energizes viewers, it engages them further into the plot, but it’s not all there is to it. In the midst of all the callbacks, there is a honest to goodness original story with original characters. They’re inspired by past characters, but the actors – from Winona Ryder to David Harbour, and all the kids at the core – bring fresh perspective. It’s challenging, and fun, and not for one second does the viewer drift off in between references, waiting for the nest Stephen King nugget or Dan O’Bannon name reference.

Hollywood will continue to reboot and remake existing properties into oblivion, make no mistake. But perhaps Stranger Things will get to at least one studio exec in charge of these tentpoles, and they will try to ape off the success of this in a fresh new way. Doing what Stranger Things has done in 8 episodes is not easy; mixing nostalgia and original storytelling takes time, and effort. And that might be where studios lose their focus.

Just redoing Poltergeist is much easier.

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‘Bojack Horseman’ S3 Review: Bojack Keeps Running

Jon Barr - TV Editor

July 26, 2016

Bojack Horseman has gotten its formula down. The fact it wasn’t nominated for a single Emmy defies logic. Over the course of two seasons, the show has toed the line between comedy and drama, showing more depth than most any animated series. Bojack Horseman boasts wonderful writing and incredible performances, with a knack for both visual gags and witty dialogue. This latest season of Bojack Horseman manages to get every character and element back together, matching the high-quality we’ve learned to expect from the show. But don’t think the show is nothing but laughs all around. If this season teaches us anything, it’s to expect Bojack’s self-destructive nature to cause heartbreak at every turn. Even more so that the former seasons, Bojack Horseman leaves no dark corner of its universe unexplored.

The show’s third season came out this Friday, July 22nd, and picked right up from the devastating events of the second season. Now that Bojack has (technically) starred in Secretariat, he’s off promoting the film, vying for an Oscar. Unlike the second season, where Bojack’s struggling to make the movie he wants, he’s now waiting to see how the world will react to this new, serious actor version of him. There are, of course, several hilarious episodic misadventures, such as a trip to New York, crashing a wedding (rehearsal dinner), and dealing with a dead prostitute. There’s also plenty of heartbreak and crushing defeats, for Bojack and everyone in his life, as their lives are tied together in funny, painful ways.

Many of the characters this season got fleshed out in more interesting ways. Obviously, the focus of Bojack Horseman is Bojack, and the show keeps a riveting, razor focus on Bojack as he deals with the fallout from last season. Bojack’s struggle with validation is emphasized, as he deals with his work outside of Horsin’ Around. We learn about his other failed television series, The Bojack Horseman Show, and how his Secretariat role might reinvent him. Princess Carolyn is finally in charge of her own agency, but the season shows her struggling to keep it afloat, while also hoping for a semblance of a good relationship. Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are still working through their marriage, and Todd’s old girlfriend returns to make him deal with maturity.

While many of the fantastic elements from the past two seasons are present, season three is still distinct. This season, Bojack Horseman takes on more of a continuous narrative, rather than more episodic television. The other two seasons definitely did this to a degree, but season three is almost entirely the same story throughout. It makes the humor-centric episode feel weaker, relying more on serious storytelling. On the flip side, the dramatic plotlines are enhanced, as we see longer stories with more thought-out execution. From Mr. Peanutbutter’s relationship with his brother, to Bojack’s regrets about sleeping with Penny, we get more gravitas from this season. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the show does do drama well. But it does make the humor seem more hollow, as we know what’s beyond the horizon.

This less humorous approach also changed the way characters function in the show. Season three really lets Amy Sedaris shine as Princess Carolyn, Bojack’s agent and former lover. The season digs more into their past, contextualizing their relationship in a new compelling way. On the other hand, Todd (Aaron Paul) is dropped into more serious, serialized storylines, like his relationship with Emily (Abbi Jacobson) and his new cab agency. The more dramatic plotlines work well for Princess Carolyn, but not so much for Todd. Then there’s Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), who still functions primarily as a lovable joke factory. He does have more to do this season, like his marriage struggles, and his relationship with older brother Captain Peanutbutter (Weird Al Yankovic). But he’s still a comedic character, first and foremost. It’s the reason people love Mr. Peanutbutter, and what made fans love Bojack Horseman in the first place.

The best parts of this season are how we see the people Bojack has broken. Seasons one and two gave us great insight into Bojack’s self-destructive nature, with both comedy and drama. But part of why this season feels more serious is because it’s not just about him anymore. We see how Bojack’s actions actively hurt others, and how his apologies don’t fix anything. Not just with the bigger characters, like Diane or Todd, that we always see hurting. There are many people Bojack has left devastated – like Penny, Sarah Lynn, Kelsey Jannings, and Character Actress Margo Martindale. This season focuses on how sometimes, it’s not always about Bojack, and how this focus tends to blind him. The second-to-last episode, especially, highlights this self-centered view on his actions. Whether or not he feels sorry doesn’t matter – what matters is that it won’t stop until he’s dead.

Most importantly, the third season makes Bojack ask himself what he wants. Finally free of just being the star of Horsin’ Around, he now has decisions to make. He could be the Oscar winner, throwing big parties every night. But part of him also wants a family, or someone who’s there for him as a person/horse. It’s why he goes after a relationship with his new publicist (Angela Bassett), and why he keeps latching on to Princess Carolyn in times of trouble. It’s not a new concept for the show, but it’s explored in better depth this time around.

Overall, Bojack Horseman‘s third season is different than the other two. It’s not a bad thing, by any means, but that difference is evident in every episode. There’s always some deep sadness behind every joke. As much as we want happiness for the leads, they’re not always the good guys. Bojack Horseman doesn’t stop being funny, but now the price is higher. If you’ve seen the previous two seasons, then you know exactly what you’re in store for. The series doesn’t shy away from sadness, but fully embraces both its humor and hopelessness. It’s hard to say what to expect from season four – perhaps it’ll be more gut-busting laughter, or gut-wrenching moments of heartbreak. Or maybe it will be the season where Bojack Horseman finally earns a victory. Until then, he’ll have to keep running – and we’ll be here, anxiously waiting to see what happens.

STAND-OUT PERFORMANCES: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Paul F. Tompkins, Kristen Schall, and Angela Bassett

STAND-OUT EPISODES: “Start Spreading the News,” “Fish Out of Water,” “Old Acquaintances,” and “It’s You”

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Review: ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ #44: The Evil Of Ponies

Anthony Wendel

July 26, 2016

“Ponies of Dark Water Part 2” Our favorite ponies have gone bad and are loving every minute of it! When Twilight seeks to conquer Equestria for herself, the Cutie Mark Crusaders may be the only hope for salvation!

Writing

Trouble keeps adding up as the Mane Six keep indulging their dark sides. Of course Pinkie Pie’s dark side really isn’t really evil, as she’s just forcing people to be entertained whether they like it or not. It kind of makes her act like the Joker except without using guns. Wait, she does have the party cannon.

Twilight and Rarity on the other hand are an actual threats and Luna even has to step in and go head to head with Rarity to stop her from destroying the place. Also, Fluttershy is leading an army of battle hungry animals. Yes, you read it right. This issue is insane with all the mayhem which is created and Thom Zahler should give himself a hand for it.

Artwork

Tom Fleecs’ art really helps to show all the chaos which is unfolding. The pop culture Easter eggs which make the series so much fun are back in full force as well. Also, the final page is a fantastic splash page which many fans were overjoyed to witness.

Conclusion

The story is solid with all of the characters going bad and it ends with some actual tension with the cliffhanger. Now all the creative team needs to do is find a way to fix things. Usually it will involve magic, but given the surprises the team likes to use, it sometimes is hard to guess what will happen next. Hopefully it won’t get wrapped up too quickly but given the fact the next issue is the end of this story line there is a good chance this will happen.

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