With production resuming shortly on the Shang-Chi film, Marvel Comics is anxious to build anticipation for the titular character. Now, Marvel released an early look at the cover for SHANG-CHI #1 by artist Arthur Adams to get fans hyped for the in-production film.
Says Marvel of the series due out this September: “Shang-Chi returns this September in a brand new series written by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) with incredible art by Dike Ruan (Spider-Verse, Black Cat) and Philip Tan (Uncanny X-Men).”
You can check out the new cover and read all about the series in the official Marvel press release below.
Are you a fan of Shang-Chi? Does this cover, showcasing a new uniform, get you excited for the character’s return in a new series? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
THE MASTER OF MARTIAL ARTS BATTLES AN ARMY IN ARTHUR ADAMS’ SHANG-CHI #1 COVER!
New York, NY— July 27, 2020 — Shang-Chi returns this September in a brand new series written by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) with incredible art by Dike Ruan (Spider-Verse, Black Cat) and Philip Tan (Uncanny X-Men). This all-star creative team will take Marvel’s greatest fighter on an epic tale of family, betrayal and justice as they launch an exciting new chapter in the legend of Shang-Chi. To commemorate Shang-Chi’s latest adventure, industry legend Arthur Adams has turned out a stunning cover depicting the longtime Avenger bravely facing off against a horde of warriors single-handedly! Outfitted in his new costume designed by superstar artist Jim Cheung, this action-packed cover is just a taste of the fight scenes you can expect as Shang-Chi embarks on a quest to discover long-hidden truths about himself, his family, and the secret society he thought he could leave behind… Check out Arthur Adams’ cover below and don’t miss SHANG-CHI #1 when it hit stands this September! For more information, visit marvel.com.
Joss Whedon has created myriad iconic female characters throughout his career and yet, besides Buffy, I would defy anyone to find a Whedonverse character more beloved than Willow Rosenberg. She’s the ideal friend and sidekick; she’s loyal, loving, intelligent, and physically strong in her own right. It’s easy to fall under the spell of this red-haired lesbian (or bisexual?) Jewish witch.
It’s been seventeen years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended, and still, fans obsess over the nerdiest member of the Scooby Gang. While the enduring conversation about Willow revolves around her addiction storyline and gayness, an understated yet key aspect of the character is her Jewishness.
In the new spin-off series from BOOM! Studios, the creators can and should mine Willow’s Jewish identity. Mining her identity would not only bolster representation but broaden the character, taking her in a new direction. After all, Buffy was not created in a culturally-unaware vacuum. It was both sub-textually and textually feminist in correspondence with political movements of the period.
Furthermore, the series premiered during a new epoch of Jewish representation on television. Comedies like Seinfeld and The Nanny exposed folks from all over the world to Jews and Judaism. So, with or without the influence of producer and Jew Gail Berman, Willow Rosenberg’s Jewishness was most likely a deliberate response to the zeitgeist.
Singularly Jewish
Similar to television, the world of comics has always had a prominent Jewish presence behind the scenes. Unfortunately, this presence did not transfer to the comic book characters themselves until around ten years ago when writers such as Dan Slott (The Thing) and G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel) created religious Jewish heroes.
Whedon himself said that Willow’s Jewishness and sexual orientation weren’t big issues. I’ve interpreted this statement as expressing a desire to normalize queerness and Jewishness on TV. But Willow is not presented as a religious Jew either in the show or the comic books. Can one normalize or even claim to represent a culture or belief without showing a character practicing and otherwise participating in it?
As Lisa Liebman noted in her article for Vanity Fair, a recent trend in Jewish television grew in response to a rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes across America. What’s interesting about the trend is that while there are shows representing secular Jews (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), we have more shows than ever before representing religious Jews (Unorthodox, Shtisel). I don’t know whether the creators of these shows had any specific intent to normalize Orthodox Jews, but they found a way to make what’s “singularly Jewish [into something] broadly appealing.” Comic book writers have the same opportunity.
Jewitch
Willow does not necessarily need to be ret-conned as a Chassid or a committed socially-conscious Reform Jew to check off some representation box. Nonetheless, her Jewishness must go beyond a few quips about not “worshiping Santa.” Consider this: there is a movement called Semitic Neopaganism made up of “Jewitches.” According to Witchipedia, Jewitchery is either the “practice of witchcraft by a Jewish person or the integration of Wiccan spirituality with Jewish culture.” What if Willow took to some Jewitchery, or met a self-described Jewitch?
Witchcraft and Judaism go way back, anyway. Parts of the Bible unequivocally condemn witchcraft (mahashefah), yet Moses and Aaron do some things that would qualify as spells or magic. Thus, an exploration of Judaism and witchcraft could yield plenty of conflict and questions about identity.
Willow isn’t at peace in England.
As Willow #1 is the beginning, no Jewishness or much witchcraft has been brought up. Willow has left Sunnydale to study abroad in England, a move motivated by the heartbreaking events of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Hellmouth arc. She’s on a solo journey of self-discovery and freedom from literal hell. Will her journey lead her to a discovery of Jewitches? Only Mariko Tamaki and Boom! Studios’ creative team can tell.
Universal And Particular
By incorporating the religion and culture in Willow’s arc in some way, the writers can normalize a certain kind of Jewishness without compromising other aspects of the character. Religious folklore, ritual, and holidays may also serve the plot.
For example, in Issue #8 of The Thing‘s Idol of Millions arc, Ben Grimm gets the bar mitzvah he never had. Errors in representing the tradition notwithstanding, the issue uses Judaism to explore emotional backstory that perhaps previously wasn’t addressed. Most importantly, this coming-of-age ritual connects his adaptation to life as The Thing to a religious transition. What’s more, none of this comes at the expense of the character’s trademarks. Slott proves here that religion can “bolster storytelling and… identity”, to use the words of G. Willow Wilson.
I believe that many non-Jewish or simply non-religious creatives are too scared even to try developing anything seriously religious because they don’t think such a story is universal. They may also fear their project being labeled Jewish/Christian/Muslim, which would then somehow beholden them to cater to that demographic.
But these concerns prevent comic book creators from interpreting religion for plot and character. Even in the Year of Our Lord 2020, when politics and fiction have entered into a toxic Spike/Buffy relationship, Willow can be made Jewish (or a Jewitch) without the burden of social commentary.
What is Brokenland, you ask? It’s a world that’s just a little off, filled to the brim with trash and muck and grime. It’s home to a variety of creatures (Beings? Monsters?) of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. It’s all unsettling. And it all hits a little too close to home.
Brokenland #2 is written, illustrated, and colored by Drew Morrison. The book is currently being funded on Kickstarter.
Story
BROKENLAND is a dialogue-free series written, drawn, and colored by Drew Morrison. It is a comedic story of growth, change and the growing waste problem. It takes place in a tough city populated by all manner of weirdos and centers around Meeso, a timid creature whose intentions often go overlooked. Meeso would like to do some good but isn’t sure where to start. In this first issue, several events offer a path.
The first thing you’ll notice when skimming the first few panels of Brokenland is the lack of dialogue, or text for that matter. ‘Lack’ is probably the wrong choice of words, however, as the story is anything but.
There’s a lot going on in this book, both in the calamitous world being displayed, as well as in what message writer Drew Morrison is trying to convey. In the middle of it all is Meeso, a pale, amorphous character who is trying to fit into the world around him, by literally changing its form to adapt to any given scenario. Meeso serves as the reader’s vessel, roaming through the upheaval, attempting to bring some optimism to the peculiar beings it comes across via sweet treats.
Though you’re not getting any dialogue or captions here, you’re able to pick up on the narrative and Meeso’s intentions fairly easily, which is a testament to Morrison’s skill as a visual storyteller.
Art
Morrison relies solely on his artwork to tell the story of Meeso in Brokenland — and he sticks the landing. But the artwork tells way more than simply the narrative. On the surface, the pages just seem cluttered and ridiculous with oblong creatures, and grime-laden backdrops. It’s an array of absurd colors and textures that can easily come across as overwhelming, and downright disturbing.
But as mentioned earlier, it all hits a little too close to home. Meeso is trying to navigate through this calamity depicted in the artwork. It’s very much a surreal interpretation of scrolling through a Twitter feed nowadays. And Morrison was able to capture that anxiety into compelling artwork with layers of context.
Conclusion
You can support Morrison and Brokenland #2 by helping fund the Kickstarter. For more information, visit the Brokenlandwebsite, or follow Drew on Twitter and Instagram.
Are you an indie creator with a recently published comic book, or one that you’re crowdsourcing? Let us know!
Ten years ago, some other guys dominated the box office. Ten years prior, it was a bunch of cowboys in space, and ten years before that, students attempt to demystify death.
Like nearly everything on planet Earth, the box office is continually evolving. One-hundred-plus years of filmmaking provides a long, rich, and deep history to look back on. Retro reviews and analysis of old films are practically necessary full-time specialties. Month after month, films release, vying to make as much money and grab as much attention as possible. Some fall, but regardless of financial success, the lasting effect of a film on popular culture is unpredictable.
So, where does that leave past box office champs? Let’s take a look back ten, twenty, and thirty years ago at the biggest movies released in August.
1990 • Flatliners • 61.4 million
Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts Kevin Bacon joined forces with director Joel Schumacher to explore death in the thriller Flatliners. The late film director’s signature style is all over this tense, supernatural thriller that made a respectable amount of money though likely disappointed bean counters considering the star power. Sure, Schumacher still wasn’t the guy who put nipples on the bat-suit, but he’d already made waves with The Lost Boys (starring Sutherland) and St. Elmo’s Fire. Roberts was hot off of Pretty Woman, not to mention Steel Magnolias and Mystic Pizza. Bacon was already a household name and even starred in another cult hit earlier the same year, Tremors. Sutherland had hits like The Lost Boys, Stand By Me, and Young Guns under his belt. Flatliners ultimately spawned a sequel in 2017 that even brought Sutherland back to reprise his role in a cameo.
Sutherland was so hot in 1990 that he had the #1 and #2 biggest money-making movie released in August of that year. Young Guns 2 rode off its predecessor’s success, but the wave of making westerns younger and hipper didn’t last long. Following Young Guns 2 is Darkman, a comic book-esque movie directed by Sam Raimi and starring Liam Neeson before he had those skills from Taken. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. flew planes during Vietnam for the comedy-drama Air America. Filling out the top five earners is The Exorcist III, arguably the best film in the franchise after the first one directed by the original novel’s writer William Peter Blatty.
2000 • Space Cowboys • 90.1 million
Ten years after Keifer Sutherland dominated August, his father, Donald Sutherland, took the top spot as part of an ensemble cast of legends in Space Cowboys. The film featured Sutherland alongside star and director Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, and James Garner as four ex-test pilots sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite. In a field dominated by big budget blockbusters and horror films, Space Cowboys was a drama comedy aimed at an older audience.
Hollow Man, the invisible man movie from Paul Verhoeven starring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Shue, took second place and spawned a sequel. Arguably the most memorable film from this year, Bring It On, took third place. The cheerleader battle film, starring Kirsten Dunst and Gabriel Union, is the stuff of pop-culture legend. Jennifer Lopez starred in the fourth place film, The Cell, a psychological thriller with incredible visuals from director Tarsem Singh. In the final spot is Coyote Ugly, a movie about sexy female bartenders who dance on the bar.
2010 • The Other Guys • 119.2 million
Ten years ago, soon-to-be Oscar-nominated director Adam McKay directed the buddy cop comedy The Other Guys. At this point and time, anything starring Will Ferrell was box office gold and alongside him was an equally bankable star in Mark Wahlberg. The Other Guys is the fourth of five collaborations between Ferrell and McKay and the third collaboration between Ferrel and Wahlberg.
On the heels of yet another successful pairing of Ferrel and McKay was the first of three The Expendables films (so far). August 2010 proved to be a month showcasing quite a range of successful films. The power of Julia Roberts drove Eat Pray Love, a romantic drama, to third place ahead of action thriller Takers starring the late Paul Walker and Matt Dillon. Audiences danced their way to cinemas to land Step Up 3D in fifth place.
August 2020 & Predictions
COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on industries around the world. In the US, most cinemas are closed, and drive-in screens are keeping new film releases alive. Soon, Tenet, the new action film from Christopher Nolan will light up movie screens across the world but not in the US. There’s no doubt that whenever Tenet releases it’ll be a massive hit and add another fantastic entry into the Oscar-winning directors filmography. For now, enjoy the drive-in and streaming and keep yourselves healthy and safe.
Which of these films do you still watch today? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
While DCeased is probably the first thing that comes to mind when fans hear Tom Taylor’s name these days, the writer is about to unleash his vision of another DC property. Taylor and artist Darick Robertson will team up for the new Black Label miniseries Hellblazer: Rise and Fall starting in September.
DC gave us some hints about the series back in June, but now they’ve pulled back the curtain even more. Check out the info and some more preview pages below:
HELLBLAZER: RISE AND FALL:
JOHN CONSTANTINE’S MISSPENT YOUTH RETURNS TO HAUNT HIM!
On September 1, writer Tom Taylor (DCeased, Injustice, Suicide Squad) and artist Darick Robertson (The Boys) team up for a miniseries featuring DC’s spell-slinging anti-hero, and here’s your first look!
This 3-issue DC Black Label miniseries (content appropriate for ages 17+) ships bimonthly, and reunites Taylor and Robertson together for the first time since their collaboration on the September 2019 DCeased: A Good Day to Die one-shot.
“There’s a time when you need a hero, and there’s a time when you need a bastard,” says Taylor. “When you’re fighting an alien invasion or a giant robot monkey, sure, you want someone with a cape and a reassuring smile, but when you’re fighting something messier, something with more shades of grey, something that’s clawed its way in, then you want a magician with a trenchcoat and a smug smirk.” “As a Hellblazer fan and as a Darick Roberston fan, I couldn’t be more excited by this book. Putting Darick and John on the same page? Well, it’s bloody magic.”
A billionaire falls out of the sky and is gruesomely skewered on a church spire. Bizarrely, Angel Wings are attached to his back. More follow until, hallelujah, it’s raining businessmen. Detective Aisha Bukhari is stumped by this, until she’s visited by her childhood friend, occult investigator John Constantine.
DC’s Hellblazer discovers a link between the falling elite and a shocking moment in his and Aisha’s misspent youth. How do these killings tie to the first death on John’s hands? How does this involve heaven and hell? Even if this is kind of John’s fault, will Constantine be happy to let a few more rich bastards fall from the sky, like a vindictive Robin Hood? It’s an all-new DC Black Label mystery starring John Constantine in his very first tale spun by acclaimed writer Tom Taylor (DCeased) and artist Darick Robertson (The Boys)!
“Working on this book feels like I’ve come home to a character that I’ve really only ever drawn once before,” said Robertson. “Spending time with a character is like getting to know someone, and I feel with Tom’s script, Constantine and I are getting to be friends… which means my future is probably in danger.”
DC Comics has released exclusive preview images of WONDER WOMAN #761; available in comics shops on August 25th. Wonder Woman reluctantly teams up with Maxwell Lord to stop a threat that’s too big for the Amazonian Princess to handle solo.
Written by Mariko Tamaki and with art by Carlo Barberi and Matt Santorelli, DC says of this issue: “It’s the team-up no one saw coming: Wonder Woman and Maxwell Lord! This evil jerk has returned to Diana’s life, but is Max here to save the day?”
You can check out some sweet preview images and read the full DC press release below.
Does Lord’s return get you hyped for this upcoming Wonder Woman? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
DC PREVIEW — WONDER WOMAN #761, ON SALE TUESDAY, AUGUST 25!
Artists Carlo Barberi and Matt Santorelli enter the fray as Eisner award-winning writer continues Diana’s new adventures in Wonder Woman #761! The book hits comic book stores and digital retailers on Tuesday, August 25 and DC’s got your first look!
It’s the team-up no one saw coming: Wonder Woman and Maxwell Lord! This evil jerk has returned to Diana’s life, but is Max here to save the day? With a new psychic phenomenon affecting more and more people, Wonder Woman is going to need all the help she can get to contain this frightening new warping of the mind…
DC Comics has released an exclusive preview of DETECTIVE COMICS #1026, available for retailers on August 25th, which ties into The Joker War. Batman tries to save citizens trapped in Gotham’s underground as the Joker toxin spreads, but Killer Croc arrives to make sure Batman’s visit to the tunnels is a one-way trip.
Written by Peter J. Tomasi and drawn by Kenneth Rocafort, DC promises this issue will bring the deadly aftershocks of The Joker War home in a big way. You can check out a preview of Rocafort’s art and read the official DC press release below.
Is Killer Croc one of your favorite Batman villains? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
KILLER CROC TAKES THE JOKER WAR INTO THE SEWERS IN DETECTIVE COMICS #1026!
On August 25, writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Kenneth Rocafort take “The Joker War” underground in Detective Comics #1026, a tie-in to the event that will change the lives of The Dark Knight, his allies and his enemies forever!
DC’s got your first look here, spotlighting Rocafort’s incredible art!
As “The Joker War” rages on, the casualties are mounting, and the underground residents of Gotham City must deal with the devastating effects of the Joker toxin that’s been pumped into the city’s old tunnel system. Batman must risk everything to guide them to safety, but a familiar face has mobilized these forgotten souls to rise up in anger…and Killer Croc takes no prisoners!
Welcome to Self-Published Spotlight, a regular interview column where I will be highlighting self-published comics and the creators and small print publishers who make them.
This week I’m chatting with Jamie Jones and Nick Cagnetti, whose crossover comic, THE BABOON AND PINK LEMONADE JAMBOREE, has been kicking butt on Kickstarter. Read on below and support the book!
Monkeys Fighting Robots: Jamie and Nick, can you give our readers a brief introduction of who the Baboon and Pink Lemonade are?
Nick Cagnetti:Sure, Pink Lemonade is a lone amnesiac wanderer with a positive mindset who drives around on her motorcycle and searches for enlightenment/cool new stuff. She likes making new friends along the way so she was pretty excited to meet the Baboon and Monkey Bones here.
Jamie Jones: The Baboon is an action-adventure hero in the style of 40s and 50s action adventure comics. A freelance agent for the government, he, aided by his top-notch crew, takes on missions that send him to wildly exotic places on world-saving adventures.
MFR: Awesome. So how did you guys discover each other’s work?
Jamie:A few years back I saw Nick’s work on Instagram. This was when he was working on Infinite Wonders, I think. I fell in love with his stuff and have been following him ever since. We met in person for the first time at Heroes con 2019 when Pink Lemonade and The Baboon both launched.
Nick:Yeah, we’ve been following each other for a few years now, I remember I sent Jamie an Infinite Wonders sketch back in 2018! It was great finally meeting Jamie at Heroes Con. The afterparty at the comic store was filled to the brim with creators and I was just standing in the back by some long boxes not really knowing anybody and Jamie came over to talk to me which was cool.
MFR: So, slight spoiler alert I guess (since I have read the book), you guys sort of had your characters meet the same way! That’s awesome.
Jamie:Hey, anything before page 5 is fair game! (laughs)
MFR:Heard that (laughs)! So when did you guys decide on doing a crossover, or jamboree as you so awesomely call it?
Jamie:It was either late last year or early this year. But once we got going it went pretty quick.
Nick:Jamie brought it up to me I think in December and I said LET’S DO IT! I don’t know how BUT LET’S DO IT!
MFR:How did you decide who did what? Both of you pretty much handle every aspect of your respective comics. So you both can pretty much do it all?
Nick:First we were just sorta spitballing ideas for the story back and forth on a shared document. My pitch had a bunch of pirates and stuff (laughs), Jamie’s was a comic convention and that connected to both of our hearts straight away. He spearheaded drawing the book pretty fast after that and I offered to color it. It was definitely a different feel for me just focusing on that one aspect more than usual.
Jamie:As Nick said, we set up a google doc and then pitched ideas. Then we kind of took bits and pieces of both ideas and formed a basic plot. We co-wrote it from there. It went kind of like this. I’d send a super loose thumbnail of what I thought the page would be and say PL and Babs talk about this plot thing. And then, in the Docs, Nick would write what PL would say and I’d respond in Babs’ voice. Or vice versa. Then I penciled and inked the book and Nick colored it.
MFR:That sounds like it was fun! You guys used Kickstarter so successfully. I keep seeing it work for so many creators. Jim Rugg did one, hell we did one here for MFRs magazine. Which full disclosure both of you are part of haha. Why do you guys think Kickstarter has worked so well for cartoonists.
Nick:I think especially right now with things being on a different operating level it offers a great resource for creators to just get books to fans pretty quick and easy. We were originally gonna have this book to debut at Heroes Con this year, so we sat on it for a bit but in retrospect, all those KickStarters were popping up waving like “Hey, come on over!”
MFR:Yeah, I agree. I think it’s such a great way for fans and creators to connect closely. It becomes a shared experience for everyone. I love knowing that I helped put something great out there.
Jamie:As entertainment gets further and further into insanely large budgeted products, with lots of moving pieces, creative teams that seem to change mid stories, and interference from “higher-ups” there has been a backlash from the consumer wanting projects made by a single creative team with as little interference as possible. Make the product you want to make and people will back it. Kickstarter allows the consumer to get the product directly from the creator and that makes the product a little more special.
Nick: Heck yeah! It also felt like it made a bit more sense to make a splash on Kickstarter drumming up the hype with everybody for a month instead of us just quietly dropping the book on our online shops one day out of the blue or something like that. There is that sense of community with everybody for sure, and it gives us stuff to talk about!
MFR:What do want readers to take away from the book? For me, it was just such pure comic boy joy.
Jamie:I think that’s the big thing. The joy and the wholesomeness of a team-up of this nature. I feel like I have a bit of a vendetta against the overtly serious and “adult” superhero comics that you see on the shelf today. So, here’s a fun comic with characters that love the adventure.
Nick: The joy of comix is a big thing! For me, it was a great joy to work on earlier this year when there wasn’t a whole lot of good stuff happening outside the windows in the real world. I think there’s something to be said for books that you can give anybody, anybody can pop in and have fun with it, I think we need stuff like this to help us especially right now.
MFR: For example, I love the conventions double spread pages. You got some cameos I spotted. I know I saw you guys in there. Anyone/Anything else you all snuck in. I know I caught a few things but it’s more fun coming from you guys. (laughs)
Jamie:Oh man. there’s so much on those 2 pages. Nick and I have a cameo. Our characters from past books and a ton of my favorite characters who inspired the Baboon.
Nick:There’s a lot of indie comics cameos and some mainstream guys, and maybe a couple of Kayfabers too… I dunno!
MFR: I thought I saw a Pittsburgh Pirates hat in there (laughs).
Nick:Jamie and I’s cameo characters have some pages of art in front of us at the table and the art is the art from that two-page spread. It’s like “Twopagespreadception”. Not very elegant, I know (laughs).
MFR:The spread in a spread (laughs). How Grant Morrison meta of you Nick!
Jamie: Nick I didn’t even notice you did that (laughs). I’m looking at it now!
MFR:Oh snap. You read it here first folks!
Nick:I’ve got the X-Files theme playing in my head now, oooh it’s been discovered!
MFR: That’s perfect! (laughs).So as of today, the Kickstarter has reached its goal. What’s left in the week or so leading to its end? What stretch goals do you have? And what can backers expect?
Jamie:Our first stretch goal was a couple of stickers. The Baboon and PL the next goal is at 5k and we will add some pages to the book with some pin-ups from other artists. Really the final week is all about more and more promo stuff. I would love to see this thing hit 200 backers!
Nick:Well, everybody can expect stickers for sure! Some nice stickers with their comic(s). Stickers are gonna be fun. I think we’re about 40 backers away from 200, I think we can do it! Scratch that, currently 31 away! Even better
MFR:I believe in you guys. You will do it. So when can people expect the book to be in their hands?
Jamie:So once the Kickstarter ends it can take up to 3 weeks to get the money. Right when that comes in we go to print. So it’s safe to say either late August or early September. We will, of course, be keeping everyone up to date on that process on the page.
Nick:We’ve also got a bunch of those backing board sketches to do for folks- those will be fun, though! I saw Jim Rugg was doing a ton for his Octobriana Kickstarter, he had like a whole production line of them all on a big giant board (laughs).
MFR: So think this is the end of Baboon and Pink Lemonade crossing paths?
Jamie:I sure hope not!
Nick:Well, they’re pals now! Heck, I told Jamie a while back that I want to have a Baboon cameo in PL#3, sort of flashing back to this big adventure in the crossover.
MFR: And aside from the Jamboree crossover, where can fans find your work?
Jamie:I’m @artofjamiejones on all the social media.
Nick:I’m @fudgy1nick on Instagram, @Ncags on Twitter, and my website is RadicalRealmComics.com– and that’s pretty much got links to everything
MFR: Awesome! Well, thanks again for chatting with me guys.
Australian horror continues to dominate with Relic, a movie that will make every viewer want to appreciate their family a bit more. Disguised as a ghostly tale, the film is a grim examination of what it is like to watch someone you love deteriorate after their mind has seemingly been taken over by an invisible enemy. Relic is a very heavy depiction of abandonment, familial duties, and generational guilt that will sit with you afterward for quite some time.
Similar to The Babadook and Hereditary, Relic doesn’t go for cheap scares that will make you jump out of your seat. Instead, we get a slow burn that spends time with its characters trying to navigate and understand what is after them. Directed and co-written by Natalie Erika James, the film stars Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, and Bella Heathcote. Relic follows Edna (Nevin), an elderly woman who returns home after going missing for a few days to find her daughter Kay (Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Heathcote) waiting there to help her. After spending time pondering on the presence of something supernatural, Kay and Sam find evidence around the house that suggests Edna is rotting away mentally.
Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote in Relic
James is on record admitting she endured this with her own grandmother in pursuit of the career she has now. She had pondered for a long time whether or not to visit her grandmother. Finally, James did venture out to see her while she suffered from Alzheimer’s only to find that her grandmother didn’t recognize her anymore. Relic is James’ directional debut and she absolutely nails it. Many would argue that horror is at its best when there are no ghosts or demons and the terror comes from unfortunate life realities. The tension is always present, the film is well-paced and James understands the importance of creating an atmosphere.
Due to her personal experiences, James took her sad reality and turned it into a film that portrays dementia as a demonic force that ruins families. Her direction helps bring to life the visual representation of what it feels like to lose someone to dementia. The subject matter is uncomfortable and will undoubtedly be familiar territory for many viewers like it was for me. Writing Relic must have been a cathartic experience for James because the film’s final moments are horrifying and sad all at once. This was a special watch for me because I got to experience how dementia can slowly take a loved one from you early last year with my grandmother. When witnessing the slow decline of a loved one you can find yourself frustrated, sad and Relic effectively brings out all of those emotions.
James co-wrote the script alongside Christian White. Relic centers on three generations of women and it’s implied that dementia has long been an issue for this family. Throughout the film, Kay is haunted by nightmares of her great grandfather being left alone and rotting away from the same issue that is eating away at her mother now. It’s clear that this disease has been plaguing this family for many years and Edna is the latest victim. James and White have a script that addresses a plethora of tough decisions many family members juggle when dealing with this situation. Kay spends the film wondering if her mother should be put in a home, and Sam just wants to take Edna back home with them so they can be together. Kay is written to be very distant from her mom and she views her as a distraction or inconvenience to her life. There’s almost a sense of longing in her eyes throughout the movie as if she wants to see her mother, but she doesn’t recognize her anymore and wants nothing to do with her.
Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer, and Bella Heathcote in Relic
Each leading woman is developed enough to see the situation from their perspective and we learn what we need to know about their relationships with Edna to sympathize with them as the movie takes you on its slow-burn of a journey. Kay’s response to her mother’s declining health is very familiar to me because I felt the same way about my grandmother. Prior to her decline, I’d wake up at night and find her leaving the water running throughout the house and performing other acts that just weren’t like her. I believed she had already departed because I didn’t recognize her and I couldn’t bring myself to be around her sometimes. This wasn’t my grandmother, this was someone else entirely but I learned to accept her as she was so that I could help take care of her. One major aspect of life this script highlights is the inevitable role switches between parents and children. Parents take care of their children and the children should return to take care of their parents in the future if necessary.
The actresses involved deliver some memorable performances, but of course, Nevin steals the show with her gut-wrenching portrayal of Edna. Between the vacant expressions, sudden outbursts, and emotional mood swings, she makes Edna very sympathetic and sometimes hard to watch as her mind is stolen by the invisible enemy. Nevin’s delivery is surely going to make you uneasy, sad, confused, and want to show compassion all at once. Spoilers ahead for those wanting to watch the film, Edna’s dementia completely takes over at the end of Relic. James’ methodical direction brings us to a high-tension, unsettling, but an emotional conclusion. The presence of mold in the house begins to make all three ladies hallucinate. After running from an almost unrecognizable Edna, Kay and Sam decide to abandon her until Kay remembers her grandfather one last time. What happens afterward is one of the best scenes in a film this year. Kay accepts what’s left of her mother and the message of the film is brought home.
Bella Heathcote as Sam in Relic
James’ directional debut is an emotional rollercoaster with a lot to say about mental illness, generational guilt, and acceptance. Relic is a gripping story that will require multiple viewings in order to catch all of the hidden meanings because there is very little spoonfeeding to the audience. James and White wrote a screenplay that will remind viewers to appreciate their loved ones and to not abandon them when they are at their weakest. Also, it features some superb cinematography from Charlie Sarrof built up by a chilling score from Brian Reitzell.
Despite a few minor issues like lighting and an ending that could have been a bit better in terms of pacing and the end result. This film is surprisingly very heartfelt and it’s great to have a horror film that will remind me of my grandmother even if the subject matter is heavy because the ending is a reminder to me that I didn’t fail her. Relic is a beautiful allegory for what it means to live with dementia.
Doctor Tomorrow #4 by Valiant Entertainment releases this week for a climax. Alejandro Arbona gives some character development where the moment matters with illustrations from Jim Towe, colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, and lettering by Clayton Cowles.
Recap
Doctor Tomorrow follows Bart Simms from different multiverses; the fifteen-year-old encounters his older superhero self Dr. Tomorrow to stop the supervillain, Hadrian. However, Dr. Tomorrow reveals that his desires are similar to his mentor Hadrian.
Doctor Tomorrow #4: The Atonement
Alejandro Arbona plays the Hero’s Journey formula at its atonement phase in Doctor Tomorrow #4. With the surprise ending of issue 3, it was time for some context. One where Bart ends up catching up with his friend Gretchen, or at least a version of her. All while confirming some suspicions about Hadrian and Doctor Tomorrow. It turns out the helper Gretchen was the mentor Bart actually needed. As the first issue displays, it’s the little mundane moments between Bart and Gretchen that hold the most weight. It all comes full circle just in time for the series finale. This issue unpacks a lot of personal time between these best friends to make up for issue #2. Yet it’s these personal moments that go by years for Bart to complete his metamorphosis into a true hero.
Art
Jim Towe’s artwork displays these emotional moments throughout Doctor Tomorrow #4, especially when it comes to the sudden changes of similar scenes. The small moments hold a lot of impact with the scenes that feature backgrounds fading away for moments of clarity and relief. With everything that goes on, they’re the points of the most significance. Even Bart redesigning his suit into a less flashy version of Doctor Tomorrow’s feels less significant in comparison. Not that it has no importance, it’s a display of Bart’s growth out of a power fantasy into something humble. The simplistic coloring by Kelly Fitzpatrick attests to that; no bright flashing lights, just a practical and memorable look.
The lettering by Clayton Cowles is equally as practical. Just about every panel is contained to one moment with none of the word balloons going out. Instead, they guide readers to the next page. As for the wordmarks, most of them are the reusable varieties Cowles uses throughout his career. The laughing sound effects, for example, are completely the same and are only different by their color, size, and an exclamation point. Because again, it’s the simple change of the moment that makes things more impactful.
Doctor Tomorrow #4: The Climax
Now Doctor Tomorrow #4 will definitely require some background knowledge to fully appreciate. It is the entire series’ consequences being compiled. Yet living in the moment is precisely what makes this issue stand out. After many hints and things that had to be removed, it’s this emotional core that brings about some missing character.
What do you all think? Is this what the Doctor Tomorrow series needed before the grand finale? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Alejandro Arbona plays the