Marvel’s massive summer event Civil War II is in full swing, and more characters are joining the fray each week. But the heroes don’t get to have all the fun; July 6th will see the villains of Earth-616 get in on the action with Kingpin by Matthew Rosenberg and Ricardo Lopez Ortiz.
Read the full description and preview the book below:
When hero fights hero – where does that leave the villains? As Civil War II engulfs the Marvel Universe, criminal mastermind Wilson Fisk makes his big move! Today, get your first look inside CIVIL WAR II: KINGPIN #1 the new Civil War II tie-in series coming this July. Rising comic stars Matthew Rosenberg (We Can Never Go Home) and Ricardo Lopez Ortiz (Wolf) bring you a gritty street-level view of the epic upcoming event!
A new Inhuman with the ability to predict the future has helped the heroes of the Marvel Universe stop crime before it even happens. But amid this crackdown on the villains, one man has found a way to thrive. Wilson Fisk has a secret, and its helped him stay a step ahead of the good guys and keep his criminal enterprise running like clockwork. But how? What is his secret?
What secret is Fisk keeping that’s kept his house of cards from tumbling down? More importantly – what will happen when that secret gets out? Don’t miss CIVIL WAR II: KINGPIN #1 when it comes to comic shops and digital devices this July!
After weeks of brief glimpses and hints, HBO has finally released a full-length trailer for the upcoming miniseries, The Night Of. The show stars John Turturro, and is likely one of the many crime-based shows in the wake of Making a Murderer‘s success over on Netflix.
Here’s the trailer:
The synopsis is fairly straightforward, but it also opens up plenty of possibilities: “After a night of partying with a female stranger, a man wakes up to find her stabbed to death and is charged with her murder.”
The Night Of also stars Poorna Jagannathan, Syam M. Lafi, and David Chen among others. The 8-part series, directed by the great Steven Zairian with an assist from James Marsh on the pilot, will debut on HBO July 10.
Get Ready To Hack & Slash As Jason Voorhees Or Try To Survive As A Camp Consular
Slasher fans around the world are excited at the first look at ‘Friday The 13th: The Game‘. The horror film franchise is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC this fall. This is the second video game from Jason Voorhees.
Back in 1989, Nintendo released what is described as one of the worst games ever with ‘Friday The 13th’ for the NES. This early alpha gameplay footage has erased all those horrid memories of fighting the head of Mrs. Voorhees. The gaming company Gun Media unleashed the preview at this year’s E3.
So far, the footage shows that you will be playing as Jason as well as being able to escape from camp counselor’s perspective. It reminds me of the recent PS4 release ‘Until Dawn’ where you will be able to see how demented you are with the choices you make in the game.
Are you excited to be able to play as Jason Voorhees in the upcoming ‘Friday The 13th‘ game? Let me know in the comments below!
Look for the game to be released sometime this fall.
After two hyperactive episodes to kick off the series, Preacher settles more into a groove with episode 3, “The Possibilities.” A few questions are answered as Jesse, like a superhero fresh off the spider bite or gamma ray exposure, begins experimenting with his new powers of influence via his thunderous voice and constipated look.
For the first time, we begin the episode with someone other than Jesse: Tulip, in Houston visiting with a woman, Danni (Julie Dretzin), who is passive aggressively asking Tulip to kill her husband. That isn’t what Tulip is there for, and they move on with their exchange. Tulip gives Danni a paper, and Danni reciprocates, and they go about their business. Danni’s business includes visiting a Snuff Film Festival (are these really things? Let’s hope not) in an abandoned warehouse or something, and delivering the paper to a mysterious man in white. And just like that, we’re back in Anneville.
Jesse is using Cassidy as a guinea pig with his new powers, and the two men from opposite sides of the spiritual world are developing an interesting chemistry. The two bounty hunters, Fiore and DeBlanc – who we find out are from heaven, apparently – are back, and they let Cassidy know they aren’t there for him. They need Jesse, and whatever he has inside him. And they want to trap it in a coffee can; pretty low rent for soldiers from God.
We get very little action elsewhere in Anneville. Arseface has one scene and his dad, Sheriff Hugo Root, is lurking in the background of all the unfolding drama. We do get another scene with Jackie Earle Haley’s Odin Quincannon, sitting in his office at Quincannon Meat & Power listening to the horrific sounds of cattle being massacred over a PA system. He berates his right hand man “with no right hand,” Donnie, who subsequently decides to hunt down Jesse and make him pay for the broken arm. But Jesse has decided to go take care of some old business. Finally.
Tulip convinces Jesse to go kill someone who abandoned him on a job back when he was a professional killer; possibly that mysterious snuff-film cinephile from the opening scene? But, wouldn’t you know it, Jesse’s confrontation with Donnie at a gas station makes him rethink the whole thing and return to Anneville. He’s incredibly dedicated to being this “good man,” even though it’s obvious the whole endeavor doesn’t fit him. Tulip isn’t happy about this change of heart to say the least.
After blitzing audiences with chaos and madness and characters on top of characters in the first two episodes, Preacher settles down and actually begins to unpack the story. These are the types of episodes that can make or break a TV show – the confidence of storytelling in the calmer moments are what bridge gaps and build connective tissue between all the madness – and this first “table-setting” episode for Preacher does a few things right. Some things aren’t that interesting yet, namely Odin Quincannon and his whole story. Haley’s spoken merely a line or two thus far, we now very little about him except he’s probably a villain; certainly his arc will kick in somewhere along the way.
As it is right now, when we are away from the hijinks of Jesse and Cassidy (who is absolutely the best part of the series), Preacher tends to lose some energy. Again, once these satellite stories begin developing they will surely become more interesting, but as it stands the narrative thrust goes off the rails when we’re at Arseface’s kitchen table or Quincannon’s slaughterhouse. It was a relief to finally get some answers, though, even if a few more questions were raised. Full steam ahead.
Game of Thrones understands 8-year-old us. 8-year-old us would sit down begrudgingly for dinner and fork through our broccoli and mashed potatoes, placing ever-so-tiny spoonfuls in our mouths and disgustedly chew until Mom yells at us and threatens to send us to bed without dessert. Wait, no dessert?! How dare you, Mom?! We would eat as much of the green mess as necessary, making sure to let Mom know how painful it was, until we reached our gloriously decadent goal: Dessert. ‘No One’ is a whopping bowlful of chocolate chip ice cream (or whatever you lactose intolerant heathens would prefer) slathered in chocolate fudge and topped with rainbow sprinkles. As much as we’d like to think this is all we’d ever need, we’d be dead wrong (and diabetic) but hot damn if it isn’t the best thing for us at the time.
If Game of Thrones‘ version of ice cream is blood and decapitations and face-rippings and f–ks and c–ts and gross sexuality and Tyrion drinking, ‘No One’ sent us into a sugar coma. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are so fully in control of the ship they’re sailing, they completely understand the ebbs and flows of a ten-episode season. After the beautiful chemistry of writing, directing and thematics that was ‘The Broken Man’, where some might wrongly accuse the show for having “nothing happen”, they understand the confectionary element that has gotten the show to the mighty highs it currently enjoys. However, just as sour patch kids will leave your teeth rotten (a theory I’m constantly experimenting and currently believing to be an old wives’ tale), ‘No One’ doesn’t quite hold up against close examination.
FULL SPOILERS BELOW!!!
After Arya was brutally stabbed by the Waif, we find her receiving comfort from Lady Crane. In what was the biggest logic jump of the episode and maybe even the series, we’re led to believe Arya not only survives but needs just a few bandages to make her surely struggling internal organs all better. Sure. Fine. Give her some Milk of the Poppy and let her rest it off.
Arya also gives us our first glimpse into what life might be like after the wars of this world as she discusses wanting to travel the worlds and see what’s West of Westeros. This is the show coming toward its endgame and shedding rare light on the world outside our map lines which we so rarely get acknowledgment of in ancient fantasy stories.
As a good plan usually goes, Arya’s gets immediately nixed as the Waif returns, brutally murdering Lady Crane and chasing Arya through the streets and back alleys of Braavos*. As the chase scene borders on comedic and goes on for far too long, it ends with the compelling moment of Arya battling her enemy in the dark where she initially bested her. After all of this House of Black and White business, Arya seems to leave it just as she arrived, only now fully resolved. After she places the Waif’s bloody and unclean face-skin into the Hall of Faces and gets Jaqen H’gar’s stoner approval, Arya heads off toward Winterfell and her birthright. It makes me wonder how much of this story was actually necessary. Surely if Benioff and Weiss weren’t beholden to adapting George Martin’s novels and knew the proceedings from the get-go, things wouldn’t have played out as they did here. Nonetheless, we’re looking at some Stark reunion in the future.
*Seriously, her injuries should have sidelined her much sooner than they did.
In what I like to call “The Mountains of Madness” we are also treated to some deliciously graphic Clegane action in ‘No One’. The Cleganes were always known for their brutal violence and now that we have both of them born again*, we get to see just how nasty they can make a human body. With The Mountain aka Gregor aka Zombie Mountain as Cersei’s one and only tether to staying alive in the Red Keep, we’re treated to a truly gruesome moment in which Gregor single-handedly rips the head off a Sparrow. My only gripe with the scene is the drama isn’t paid off as Lancel Lannister gets to still leave with his face attached to his body. Why do we need Lancel? He’s proven to be a flake and a coward and a character with no interesting drama, outside of being Cersei’s previous incestuous booty call. He should’ve died here, no question.
*Noticing a theme with this season?
Cersei’s plight, however, becomes more complicated as her corrupted son places hold on trials to be held by combat. Cersei will not get to stand behind her Mountain as an undoubted death sentence gets placed upon her and her own son will be to blame. In a season where King’s Landing has become the least compelling plot thread, this instance of policy determining outcomes and not violence is a real revelation for the show. Rarely does law, no matter how corrupt or unfair, get to decide the ways of the land and not a sword. It’s going to be interesting to see how Cersei can finagle her way out of this one*.
*I bet Margaery has something to do with it.
On the more compelling side of the Mountains of Madness, we have Sandor “The Hound” Clegane making his rounds of retribution. Sandor has quickly become the most interesting and quizzical character of the season with his sudden re-entry. Why is he back? What does he mean to the Brotherhood Without Banners? Does he really have a semblance of a conscience now? The fact that The Hound is seeking revenge for Ian McShane’s death shows he has feelings and a compass for right and wrong. We’ve seen evidence of this previously but it’s now cemented in his psyche.
After brutally and awesomely dispatching most members responsible, The Hound comes across the Brotherhood at long last which is hanging the rest of its wayward members for killing the missionaries in the field. In one of the most comically brutal scenes of the series, The Hound argues politics over the executions and surprisingly doesn’t force his way into getting exactly what he wants. Character development in action! Sitting down with Beric Dondarrion and male Red Priest, Thoros of Myr, The Hound is suddenly thrust into importance as maybe the savior the Brotherhood has been searching for all along. Wouldn’t it be great if Sandor Clegane is the savior of the world by the end of the series and not a traditional hero like Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen? We’ll see…
What I’m most unsure of is just how Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth will end up together after ‘No One’. I don’t actually believe that but in all seriousness this episode truly believes the weight with which to carry the reunion of these two foes-cum-pals. Jaime and Brienne was one of the first delicious mismatchings Game of Thrones made us love and seeing them together again (along with Bronn and Pod) was fun and refreshing and truly motivating on a thematic level. These two characters still are who they are and will not change just because we want them to as an audience.
Brienne makes it quite clear that she’s still fighting for the Starks and that may eventually put her at adversarial odds with Jaime, who gives her a chance anyway! The two clearly respect each other and that is an admirable quality for the broken toenail of a human that is Jaime Lannister. We’ve been conditioned to believe Jaime is some sort of savior and hero and I do believe he’s come a long way from the man who pushed Bran out of a window, setting all of these events into motion. He has a level of compassion now that wasn’t there before but ‘No One’ tells us (not shows, as would have been more nuanced) that Jaime would still push Bran out of that window if those events took place today. He threatens Edmure Tully and admits his love for his sister that rings with a truth we haven’t quite heard from the character before. When Edmure “takes back” his family’s castle and gives it over to the Lannister/Frey horde, it is because he believes Jaime will do anything to get back to his love, Cersei. It’s ham-fisted and on the nose but it works. Though, when Jaime sees Brienne and Pod escape via river and they share a look of understanding, I groaned at the wanting in both their eyes but understood the motivations and needs for the characters. It was just a little silly.
Across the Narrow Sea, Tyrion tries to explain drinking and joking to both Grey Worm and Messandei. In one of the funniest scenes of the series, Tyrion gets Grey Worm to tell a joke and drink wine and we all laugh and enjoy these characters enjoying their likely last enjoyable times together*.The Masters are a-callin’ and catapulting fiery projectiles into the city and pyramid of Meereen. Grey Worm proves his superiority over Tyrion and calls the shots in what will be the city’s defense but his actions aren’t given the chance as The Mother of Dragons arrives back on set. In yet another badass Breaker of Chains moment, Dany comes striding in to the top keep of the pyramid as her dragon looks to begin striking fire upon the ships below.
*We also get Tyrion’s look into the warless future as he wishes to own a vineyard and give his special wine to his closest friends. An actual sweet moment.
As fun as all of this episode was, it doesn’t strike as deeply as many other, less “eventful” entries. ‘No One’ does this sort of thing better than many other series could, as there’s still plenty of meat to chew on between the bad jokes and blood-letting. It’s just that the meat is swallowed up by the fatty nature of letting us eat our cake. Many scenes come off as overly hammy and unintentionally comical and we’re all just waiting to see the Bastards come to blows next week. Again, all of this is crucial to us loving and lamenting the losses of our characters in the end. It’s just part of the cycle. I truly loved ‘No One’ as an experience but glad that these sorts of moments only sprout in short bursts of blood. Enjoy your ice cream, you’ve earned it.
Now, go to bed.
“We shouldn’t argue about politics.” – Jaime Lannister
Show Notes:
Was this Game of Thrones‘ most vile episode yet? So much cursing and wanton sexuality and balls and ass-grabbing.
Plus! Hound-Cock! This sort of thing has become a meme at this point.
Where is Varys going? Did I miss something as to why he’s leaving?
What was the rumor that Cersei mentioned in The Red Keep? Did I miss something again?
How Terminator-esque was that Waif chase? It was even matched with doomed music and T-100-style arm-running.
Seriously, that water dump on the steps during the chase. It was practically a vaudeville act.
Was getting into Riverrun actually that easy? Letting Edmure go needed Jaime’s prodding to work but still…
Can we get more Bronn and Pod? Please?
How badly did this episode hint at Lady Stoneheart? I don’t think it’s happening…
Check out my reviews of previous episodes of ‘Game of Thrones’:
When there’s something that goes bump in the night or the unexplained is happening, the peopleyou call are Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are back as the real-life 1970’s Ghostbusters in The Conjuring 2, in theaters now. James Wan is back after directing Furious 7 and returns to the franchise where he has upped the creepiness and intensified the scares. Rarely do sequels exceed expectations, and this surpasses them.Wan creates a film that’s deliciously chock full of horror and audiences are going to eat it up.
The film revisitsthe infamous Amityville haunting in 1976. During a séance, Loraine encounters a demonic figure that takes her as close to hell as she’s ever been. This whole experience spooksLorraine and causes her to want to step away from paranormal investigations. Just as Ed seems to be finally on behind her idea of retiring, they are called to London to investigate why an 11-year old named Janet Hodgson now has green eyes and sounds like a 72-year old dead person.
Wan stealthily incorporates harmless clips of “This Old Man” in the background as the Hodgson clan are driven to the brink of insanity by violently shaking beds, toy fire trucks rolling down the hallway, and a La-Z-Boy that’s possessed by the devil.
Wan has turned a seemingly harmless object into an item that’s oozing with terror before. Like he did with the doll Annabelle in the first Conjuring. In the sequel, he uses what appears to be a harmless zoetrope that doubles as summoning mechanism for a demon known as Crooked Man. This lengthy/gangly looking creature with no temperament is enough to give the biggest of skeptic’s goosebumps.
Wilson and Farmiga strike the right balance between realism and the supernatural while reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine. Both could have easily gone over the top with their performances. Remember, the Warrens at this point were ready to walk away from the paranormal business but were drawn back in by the case in London. They both had seen more hellish creatures in the last five years than most will do in his or her lifetime and are now exasperated that they are back where they started in 1976.
Some hardcore horror fans might contend that this film relies too much on conventional scares. Why would Wan go for anything other than traditional scares? There is a certain expectation that has been set from the previous Conjuring and subsequent Annabelle films that the scares are realistic and not “over the top.” Had Wan decided to go way over the top with the gore or other horror elements then it would have detracted ultimately from the film.
Sometimes less is more, and that less can still scare the hell out of you.
When fans heard the classic cartoon, Voltron was going to get a new reboot they responded with guarded enthusiasm. After all, previous series such as Voltron: The 3rd Dimension and Voltron Force were less than thrilling even amongst diehard admirers. They had tried to recapture the original energy of the show by presenting both as sequels to the original and with Lothar as the main villain. Would this new show, Voltron: Legendary Defender, a Netflix original, finally be one fans would gravitate towards?
The series opens with an exploration team on one of Pluto’s moons being captured by aliens. A year later, members of Galaxy Garrison, an interplanetary research program, stumble onto the return of one of the crew members and frees him from captivity. Comparing notes about the aliens, they discover an ancient robot in the shape of a lion. The lion takes them to planet Arus and discover the Castle of Lions, which is inhabited by Princess Allura and her advisor Coran. Allura, discovering how much time has passed and the threat of the evil Galra Empire still at large, declares the team of Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, Keith, and Lance to be the new Paladins and task them with gathering the remaining lions so the five of them can come together and form the greatest weapon in the universe: Voltron.
Is this the show which will capture fans of the old series and also bring in new ones? The answer is an enthusiastic yes. This show is exactly what fans have been looking forward to complete with references not only to the original show but also to the original anime which became Voltron, Beast King Go-Lion (One the best examples is how Sven is the original Voltron is now using his Japanese name of Shiro). The series is beautifully animated with rich details scattered throughout the episodes. From the distinct looks of the aliens the team encounters on different planets, to the impressive blending of CGI effects for the robots mixed with the flash animation for the characters doesn’t distract at all from the viewing experience and instead is a marvel to behold.
The characters in the series each has their own distinct bits of motivation and development scatter through the first season. Each comes with a skill they can contribute to the team from Hunk’s mechanical skills, to Pidge’s computer abilities and by utilizing them are able to conquer adversity by working together. Princess Allura, thought to be a weaker character who was constantly kidnapped in the original series, starts in Legendary Defender by putting one of the characters in an armlock after she wakes up from her hibernation. These are no longer the one dimensional characters with one trick as a personality trait and the new show is better off because of it. Also, the comedy and one liners from the first season really helps to keep the show entertaining.
The villains themselves are not nearly as one dimensional as they were in the original show either. Zarkon is not the sit on this throne and give order leader he used to be and instead finds ways to show just how much of a menace he is and why he truly is the Emperor of most of the known universe. His forces also find ways to correct their mistakes and present challenges to the Voltron Paladins which aren’t simply as easy as using the same strategy every time. In one episode the team tries to go straight for the finishing move but discover the monster has been modified so they can’t. This is obviously the show runners picking fun at the original formula of “forming the Blazing Sword and kill the Robeast” which was common place in the old series. The sword is still there and utilized a lot through the series but it isn’t the only weapon at the team’s disposal.
This series isn’t without a few flaws to it. Keith, the character who was previously the leader of the team is not and doesn’t get nearly enough character development or backstory. He’s brash and reckless but no explanation why he is this way.
Also for a show about a robot which fights giant monsters, there are only two actual giant monsters which appear in the first season. Obviously this is to break the whole “Monster of the Week” formula from the original show. Still, these are minor complaints overall from what is a fantastic piece of animation.
Voltron: Legendary Defender should not be missed. Whether you are a fan of giant robots, nostalgic cartoons, or enjoy animation in general, this series should be binged watch at the earliest convenience. The true problem with this series is the long wait before the second season arrives.
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”.
Wonder Woman: Rebirth(Greg Rucka, Matthew Clark, Sean Parsons, Liam Sharp, Jeremy Colwell, Laura Martin, and Jodi Wynne)
Rucka’s return to Wonder Woman was always going to be interesting. His earlier run on the character is one of the most celebrated takes on the character in recent memory. To have him return, must have been similar to the experience that Daredevil readers had when Miller came back to do Born Again. Spinning out of the revelations emerging from the Darkseid War, it appears that Diana may have a twin brother and the creative team take this retcon, turning it into the driving force of the entire story. Diana, like her former sidekick Donna Troy, has had an issues with definitive origins of late. As the Princess of the Amazon’s herself notes, “the story is always changing”. DC Rebirth seems to be on many levels looking to engage in a meta-textual discussion about their characters. Whether it be retcons or the incorporation of Watchmen-inspired narratives into their works, DC has become quite self-aware in recent years. The series will need to appropriate balance the meta-narrative and personal story-beats careful if it going to succeed. Structurally, this series is apparently going to take a page from the Arrow-verse playbook and feature a flashback “Year One” story-line every second issue. How the two story-lines will intersect and whether this will impact the flow of both stories or whether the two bi-monthly schedule will alleviate this.
Recommendation: Borrow It
Aquaman: Rebirth (Dan Abnett, Scot Eaton, Oscar Jimenez, Mark Morales, Gabe Eltaeb, and Pat Brosseau) Few characters are as equally revered and mocked as Arthur Curry. Geoff Johns spent an entire run attempting to dispel the myths that had developed within the pop cultural hive-mind. Apparently Dan Abnett felt he didn’t do a good enough job as most of this issue seems like an attempt to replicated John’s first issue except with a metric ton of exposition. We learn Aquaman has begun opening diplomatic relations with the surface world and that some fifth column-inspired insurgents are none too happy about it. The conclusion does reveal the involvement of a classic Aquaman villain that should delight old fans and provide a solid foundation for new readers to follow his work.
Recommendation: Borrow It
The Flash: Rebirth(Joshua Williamson, Carmini Di Giandomenico, Ivan Plascencia, and Steve Wands) Never has this book felt more like an episode of the CW TV series it inspired than with this one issue. Given that The Flash is one of the hottest superhero shows on television, that’s probably a good thing. Barry Allen, the fastest man alive (depending on who you ask) shows us the events of the DC Rebirth special from his own perspective. We already saw most of the emotional pay-off concerning Barry’s reunion with Wally West last time, but we do get to see a bit more of their dynamic develop along with more hints as to the wider DC Rebirth endgame. New antagonist Godspeed (still a stupid name) begins to make his presence known, but we will have to waiting to see if he is worth adding to the pantheon of great villains in the Flash’s rogues gallery. Not else much to say on this one, a solid comic with great artwork and touching character moments. It might, however, be worth investigating how many times they have used that particular pose for the cover of an issue of The Flash.
Recommendation: Buy It
Detective Comics #934 (James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, and Marilyn Patrizio) This book has a fascinating premise that sees cousins-in-arms Batman and Batwoman train a group of young heroes when various members of Batman’s network of allies are targeted by a mysterious organization. Kate Kane had previously headed a run on Detective Comics before the New 52, yet despite existing as part of the wider Bat-family of books, she has rarely be woven into their collective narrative. This book will likely raise her profile and establish Batwoman as a character. The newly formed team also brings Cassandra Cain, Orphan and Stephanie Brown, Spoiler, back to the forefront of the DCU. Their presence was greatly missed over the last few years and brings with it the diversity and complexity of character that is much needed in the boys club of superhero comics. Interestingly, the group recruits Clayface which adds an extra dimension of conflict in the team as ex-villains are want to do. The one odd creative choice is the inclusion of Tim Drake, Red Robin on the team. Admittedly, he is assigned a second-in-command function, but he is less in need of guidance than the other fledgling heroes. Furthermore, while he retains the Red Robin moniker his costume has been redesigned to resemble his Robin costume from the 90s, reducing his visual distinctiveness as a character. It would have been better, if anything, to return to the pre-New 52 design that he sported during his excellent Red Robin solo-series. There are elements of the sublime Batman Incorporated in the set-up. It’s good to see that Detective Comics can actually serve as a forum for interesting mysteries, rather than be related to a mere secondary title. A book of its pedigree and longevity needs a distinctive voice and direction to ensure its place in pull-lists. The new status quo is a strong start, but it remains to be seen whether it will stick.
Recommendation: Buy It.
Action Comics#957 (Dan Jurgens, Patrick Zircher, Tomeu Morey, and RobLeigh)
I am still not sure how the idea of having the pre-New 52 Superman return to take the place of his New 52 counterpart won editorial approval, but it did and now we are stuck with it. Good stories often emerge from an outlandish concept, but for any outsiders looking in, what a mess this must seem. This issue features the much hyped clash between Clark Kent and Lex Luthor who has adopted the Man of Steel’s symbol for his own. Much like Otto Octavius, Lex believes he can be the superior Superman that Metropolis needs and Clark takes exception to that. What ensues is an uncharacteristically brutal exchange between the two that amounts to little more than two grown adults comparing their man-hoods. One would have hoped that with the return of this classic Superman the hope and admiration that he inspires would come with it, but alas no. It’s a comic that is very much inspired by the 90’s and not in an endearing fashion. There is potential for a good story about how the various characters detail with Superman’s legacy, but it is squandered. There are a number of twists, but rather than inform or hint at an interesting story, they simply exist for sheer shock value and to make reference to the original the Death of Superman story-line. The Death of Superman was an important story within the cultural hive-mind, a story which was given renewed attention through its incorporation into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but we need to come out from its shadow.
Recommendation: Bin it Overall it was a good week for DC’s new initiative, but there is a sense that the line may be stressing under the weight of it’s own desire to engage in a meta-textual discussion about itself . Book of the Week goes to Detective Comics for its engaging premise and poignant character moments. The dishonorable mention goes to sister-series Action Comics for continuing to live in the past. Next week’s line up finally sees the true return of the Titans and show provide interesting insights into the future of the line. Until then, happy reading.
It was only two weeks ago that Monkeys Fighting Robots was in Orlando for MegaCon celebrating the diversity that is pop culture as we interacted with thousands of nerds and geeks alike.
Early this morning 50 people in Orlando lost their life, and 53 more people are injured in an insane act of violence.
What I would like for you to do if you are reading this, turn to the person next to you and give them a hug. If there is no one next to you, get up and find someone.
We need a little less nerd rage and a lot more nerd love.
Filmmaker Eli Roth is out promoting his next project ‘Clown’ and spoke to Forbes’ Simon Thompson about the Marvel and DC Comics Cinematic Universes and what superhero film he would like to direct.
Roth mentioned in the interview that back in 2005 when Marvel was assembling its cinematic universe he was approached to direct a film.
“That stuff really came my way heavily after ‘Hostel,’ ‘Hostel Part II’ and ‘Inglourious Basterds’ I was the go-to guy for a lot of that stuff. At the time I just wasn’t that interested in doing it, I really wanted to follow my own compass and do things like ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’ and things that I thought were weird and interesting and cool. Now I am in a place where I have done five movies that I have written, produced, directed, and I am totally open to doing a studio film, it looks like a lot of fun. I have written a number of screenplays that have been produced, and I can always go back to the smaller, more personal films like ‘The Green Inferno’ or ‘Knock Knock,’ but I am much more open to doing those bigger films now, and I am in the mix for several different films,” said Roth.
When Thompson asked a follow-up question to determine if it was a Marvel or DC Entertainment project he’s in the running for, Roth was not committal.
Roth does have a superhero pet project that he would like to get off the ground but the studio that owns the rights to the property isn’t ready to produce it, and according to Roth the character in mind would cost a lot to get the rights from the studio.
“Yes there is and I have yet to convince a studio to do it. It is one of those obscure ones that I think would be an amazing adaptation, but the studio just isn’t there yet. They didn’t even know they had it, or they knew it, and they thought about it and sort of dismissed it, but I still bring it up. In order for me to get that, it’s a very expensive one; I would have to do a studio movie that is very visual effects heavy to really show that I could do it. It, for sure, could happen but I won’t tell you what the character is,” said Roth.
What film do you think Roth is in the mix for? If Valiant wants to make a splash with its cinematic universe Roth could handle ‘Bloodshot.’ Valiant’s first film was originally scheduled for a 2017 release, but no casting or production announcements have been made which means it will be delayed. My vote would be for Todd McFarlane and Roth to team-up for the Spawn’ Reboot.
As far as Roth’s pet project superhero film not many details are available from studios. It would be very hard to speculate. Roth does mention Marvel, space, and crazy visual effects in the Thompson interview which leads me to think Silver Surfer, but that is just a guess.
What superhero character do you think is Roth’s pet project?
Do you want to see this clown in the ‘Spawn’ Reboot?
Matthew Sardo had a good conversation with Eli Roth back in 2014. It’s a good throwback listen.
Some hardcore horror fans might contend that this film relies too much on conventional scares. Why would Wan go for anything other than traditional scares? There is a certain expectation that has been set from the previous Conjuring and subsequent Annabelle films that the scares are realistic and not “over the top.” Had Wan decided to go way over the top with the gore or other horror elements then it would have detracted ultimately from the film.
