DESPICABLE DEADPOOL Finale Overview

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June 29, 2020

Despicable Deadpool is a comic book released between 2017 and 2018. It is made by Gerry Duggan who gives us a take on the evil side of Deadpool hence the name – despicable. It goes without saying that there will be spoilers in this post and be warned.

The days of Deadpool being a superhero have ended. He has turned into what we love him for – an anti-hero. He starts with a shocking moment where he murders Cable in cold blood. Wade Wilson is out there to make sure that he is a good and compliant mercenary by finishing off his best friend. Tying off loose ends is one of the main points and thus he goes on a journey to complete the unfinished businesses like messing with Rogue, taking revenge on the agent of Hydra, and dealing with Madcap. This is not the end though, he even goes as far as to take out Apocalypse.

Graphic content

This is looking like a mad killing spree here…well not that far from truth to be fair. Reminds me of the Deadpool 3rd Series number 23 where Deadpool travels to Las Vegas to take revenge on the owner of a nightclub that has been bad-mouthing him. Although, the way he deals with people in Despicable Deadpool is far from the “civilized” way he takes in the Tricky Here Comes a New Shooter where he just rigs the panic button in the club so that once the owner pushes it the explosion happens. Deadpool just calmly continues to a next casino and gambles as much as he wants. This is one of those episodes where Deadpool indulges in gambling. As a fun fact, in 2010, this caused a lot of commotion in the online gambling markets in parts of the world where it is legal. For example, we saw a lot of Deadpool themed casino promotions in Canada flashing off his despicable nature in the faces of fans who also indulge themselves with such affairs. Anyhow, back to the topic the idea is that Despicable Deadpool is a clear show of the antagonistic nature of our beloved character.

Although it is arguable that Deadpool is becoming more dangerous to himself rather than people around him as he becomes extremely reckless. Captain America makes an appearance where he is trying to hunt down an old shield tech to somehow calm Deadpool down. However, at this point, he is going full mayhem on the rest of the superhero community. Maria is trying to set up a task force to bring him in. Deadpool ends up dressing up as a Hawkeye and infiltrating the group. The real deal Hawkeye outs him and this is where the fight starts involving Wade Clint and Cate Bishop. This is a potshot taken at a previous series where Hawkeye and Deadpool are kinda begrudging friends. Here the latter is angry as hell at Hawkeye due to the sheer fact that he helped out the resistance back in the times when there was a need but once the tables turned against Deadpool nobody even bothered to ask his side of the story. Maria Hill is also dancing around the discrepancies about how Coulson actually died while taking full credit for everything Deadpool did during the Secret Empire.

One of the original agents of SHIELD is also informed about the affairs and decides to come back to Earth and finish the job. Captain America is successful in his endeavor and manages to put Preston’s body back. Preston is very much determined to help finish the job though since she was the one who started with Deadpool. With no other options left Wade decides to pick up one of the superweapons that he got from his previous missions. This is the one that makes him even more disgusting than he is. Everyone who comes into contact with him becomes sick. Falcon is one of the first who was unfortunate enough to feel this effect with even Iron Man literally drowning in his puke.

Even Gerry Duggan is not protected from these events. Deadpool while making his way to New Jersey where Dr. Butler had one of his labs set up. He carjacks Gerry’s car while breaking the 4th wall. After conversation Deadpool “kindly” demands the car and takes off towards the lab. What he wants there is the mind erasing drugs that Dr. Butler using while harvesting his organs. Since neither superheroes nor supervillains were able to kill him Wade decides to go for a final solution himself and take so many mind-altering drugs to just forget everything that has happened.

From physical to psychological

After taking this drug we go on to see a very cool sequence where Deadpool is literally killing off his memories. Not only does he erase his past with Captain America and Wolverine but he also deliberately forgets about his own daughter. His final memory looks like an Angel which tells him that until he learns to love himself no one else will. It is a harsh realization but good advice if you ask me.

The Deadpool crisis is essentially over here and agent Preston returns to her family. Since Deadpool has no memory of what happened he is not legally obligated to stand trial for his murderous spree this is taken to the mental ward and stays in looney condition for a while. Unfortunately, even this doesn’t end well due to the sheer luck where some other nutjob walks into the ward wearing a copy of Deadpool’s first costume that looked like pajamas. It makes him awaken and Wade starts fighting his way out of the psychiatric ward. At this point, we are met with another funny part where the ward staff look exactly like people working on the comics’ editorial team. As he leaves the asylum to start his new life we approach the end of Gerry Duggan’s Deadpool comic.

It is a fun ride to be fair and the final episodes are quite thrilling with additional funny iterations added with the inclusion of Gerry and the editorial staff in the comic itself where Deadpool is technically taking revenge on people who put him through so much pain and suffering. Overall the comic is fun to read and we believe is a good read for everyone.

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KINDERLAND Comic Review

By

Don Draper

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June 29, 2020

Almost all children love comic books. What is better than reading through a book, which has decent pictures of heroes, animations, and what’s more a fantastic plot. Not only children, but even some adults are huge fans of comics.

When we talk about them probably the first thing that comes to our mind are comics from Marvel and DC. But the comic culture is well-developed in various European countries and the book, which we are going to talk about here is a German one called Kinderland.

Kinderland is one of the most notable German comics of recent years. Mawil’s graphic novel Kinderland was published on November 14, 2014, by The Berlin Publishing House Reprodukt, and in the same year, it received the main German prize in graphic literature – the Max & Moritz Prize, presented at the annual comic book salon in Erlangen.

Kinderland is a nearly three-hundred-page book with bright colorful graphics and an exciting plot. It is a funny and touching story about children’s friendship, difficulties of growing up, courage, honesty, and trust. And all this is happening against the background of life in East Germany in the last months before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

It should be mentioned that while the comic book is indeed one of the best ones in Germany of past years, it also costs a lot of energy and effort to the writers. The budget was also necessary which they managed to collect. At some point, it was also stated that the supposedly online casino industry in Germany was so involved in the process of comic-making that they decided to offer sponsorship for future projects. One of the most notable representatives in this industry Spinia Deutschland decided to offer investment opportunities. But right now no massive project is planned, considering the current situation in the whole world surrounding Covid-19.

The situation takes place in the German Democratic Republic in 1989. Modest bespectacled Mirco Watzke is studying in the 7th grade of the school in East Berlin. He is a diligent student, but in communication with peers, he has big problems. Mirco accidentally meets a new guy from a parallel class – a strange guy Torsten. A friendship is struck, which has yet to go through serious trials.

The sense of uncertainty of adolescence is amplified by the universal atmosphere of waiting for something that reigns around. The story is filled with small details typical of Germany in the late 1980s. These are household items – buses Ikarus, triangular bags of milk, audio cassettes, music Depeche Mode. But above all, it is the feelings of people who live in a dual reality – on the one hand ostentatious socialist propaganda, and on the other – the conversations of adults in the kitchens, secret viewing of Western TV channels and thirst for change.

Meanwhile, Mirco has an unexpected talent. He is extremely good at table tennis. This is an occasion to declare yourself in the collective of peers. He and Torsten decide to organize a school tournament, but everything is not so simple. They need to get the permission of teachers, fix a broken racket, ask parents, and rehearse the “deadly serve.” And when almost all the obstacles have been overcome, there is another big problem…

Mawil’s drawing style is light and expressive. The author perfectly conveys the emotions of the characters, the style of communication of teenagers, and the many children’s companies. The narrative then slows down in pages with no words, telling, for example, about going to church, or a trip to his grandmother, then repeatedly accelerated in dynamic scenes of fights on the ping pong.

The original drawing of this book, and the time described in it, evokes associations with the style of artists from the magazines of the GDR of that time. Those who grew up in the ‘80s may be familiar with the children’s magazine about the life of German pioneers, or the adult satirical magazine Eulenspiegel. There were wonderful cartoonists such as Henry Buettner, Heinz Jankofsky, and many other interesting authors. Mawil’s drawing is, of course, different, but these editions undoubtedly influenced him as an artist. And today he forms the style of modern German comics.

Another association is the comic Marzi by Marzena Sowa And Sylvain Savoia. There life in Poland in the mid-80s is shown through the eyes of a little girl. Daily children’s joys and sorrows of the main character take place against the background of global political changes.

In the text a lot of nuances, understandable only to the resident of Germany at that time – they had to be competently adapted to different languages so that it is easier for us to understand every detail without losing the color of the original.

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Review: SHADOW SERVICE #1 – The Magic Noir Pivots Into A New Genre

By

Jake Palermo

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Shadow Service #1 is this week’s summer blockbuster from Vault Comics. Beginning with a PI story, it quickly gains interest with a switch in genres.

Shadow Service #1 Story

Cavan Scott introduces Shadow Service #1 by switching between a crime drama and spy fiction. The series follows Private Investigator Gina Meyers, a witch who uses her magic to help solve cases. She attempts to look hardboiled to pay the bills in a cold, cruel world. Something that the series never looks away from when the opening pages have Gina being spied on. There’s a seesaw effect that keeps the reader guessing what happens next. Spies are watching Gina’s every move and with Gina’s sleuthing putting her in the spies’ grasp. Film Noir and Spy Fiction have some similarities when it comes to intrigue plots, and Shadow Service hooks the reader in with it.

Art

Shadow Service #1’s art by Corin Howell’s shading sets up a dark story. But at first, they actually feel safe, unlike the bright screens focusing on Gina. Until the darkness that Gina finds comfort in turns against her near the end. Howell uses angles when characters speak to one another, perfectly illustrating character roles towards one another. Whoever stands above another character tends to be the one in control. Or at least until that changes or another factor comes in, including the end where the magic side all but takes over, in reality-bending fashion.

Another factor in Shadow Service #1 is how Tríona Farrell makes use of the color red to signify a threat. Just a red stool top signifies the role of a supposed side character as much as the role of Gina’s client, who drives a red car. Yet it’s the black and green coloration that put people at unease. Because at this point, it’s uncertain if this MI666 is a threat or the people to root for.

Andworld Design’s lettering is highly practical in Shadow Service #1. With every word balloon and wordmark carefully placed within the confines of a panel, they are perfect for digital services like Comixology’s Guided View. Not to mention placing a wordmark behind an object displays the weight of an action. In terms of story, this demonstrates the feeling of being in control. Which is the dialogue out of panel feels so powerful at the issue’s climax. Whatever control Gina had is taken away from her by the spies.

Read Shadow Service #1

Shadow Service #1 keeps readers on their toes as much as its lead character. With people unsure of who to root for, they’ll have to be patient for the next issue. Before that happens, they might need to hype themselves up for whatever reveal comes their way.

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The Building Blocks Of Story Telling In SLEEPING BEAUTIES

By

Darryll Robson

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June 28, 2020

Sleeping Beauties #1 Credit: IDW Publishing

Constructing a comic book is all about layering. You start with the pencils and inks, or the digital equivalent. Then you add a layer of color followed by another for the lettering. To produce a truly outstanding comic you can make all of the layers meld beautifully into one single work of art, such as in Bill Sienkiewicz’s Stray Toasters or Dave McKean and Todd Klein’s work on Black Orchid. Alternatively, you can make the Craft of Comics part of the comic itself, like painters of the late Modernist art movements whose interest lay in the color, lines, and the spaces in between.

This second approach is harder to produce, especially as a number of different people work on the production of a single comic. Everyone involved has to have the same intention from the very beginning, and unlike a Modernist Artist, the end result has to service the narrative.

Foundations

Action narratives, such as Superhero comics and movies, are designed around set pieces with the consequences of one often leading into another. Horror, as a general rule, is more abstract in formation. The desire to scare or horrify the reader requires careful manipulation with a number of ideas placed on top of each other to draw an audience in. Once the reader is hooked then the writer/artist can do whatever they want, continuing to lay concepts and traumas on top of each other.

IDW Publishing’s new horror comic, Sleeping Beauties, is based on a Stephen and Owen King novel. Stephen King is a master of the genre, and his novels are often tightly constructed narratives that build the tension up to a shattering conclusion. The adaptation is no different, with the constructivism of the plot built into the visual storytelling of the comic itself.

The novel is adapted by Rio Youers, who starts by introducing the readers to each of the three central characters: Eve, Sheriff Norcross, and the incarcerated Ree. This female triumvirate leads the narrative in this issue, and their actions/circumstances are the foundation for the story. The way that artist Alison Sampson introduces the characters into the comic is as important as the characters themselves and is the start of this comic’s construction.

Introductions

In the first panel of the first scene, the reader meets Eve. Her face takes up the majority of that first panel, and she stares out at the reader. The opening words “Hello, Gorgeous,” appear to be spoken directly to the audience. Instantly you get the impression that this woman is not only important but also powerful. Sampson plays with the confines of the comic page to produce the impression of something much larger. This concept is helped along by the blue moth that is literally breaking out of the third panel on the page. The panel border disappears as the moth flies up and out of the page. The Blue Moth and this idea of transition from one plane to another is an important aspect of Sleeping Beauties and is a continuing visual theme throughout.

Ree is introduced in the first panel of the second scene. She is positioned at the top of the page with a similar stare that escapes the page and reaches the reader. However, as the scene plays out, her importance is questioned. Is the scene about her, or is it about her cell mate who daydreams on the bunk below? As the plot unfolds, the notion of sleep becomes significant, and all references to it grow in importance.

This leads to the introduction of Lila Norcross. In contrast to Eve, Lila is introduced through her family; her husband and son are the central characters in the scene. Lila starts off in the background before moving to the foreground for the final panel of the scene. This is where her importance is stamped into the comic as she stares out of the page with the same penetrating eyes and her speech invokes the significance of sleep within the story:

“Coffee. Thanks, kiddo… But this’ll have to be one strong brew to keep me awake. I feel like I could sleep until Christmas.”

These introductions of the central characters are just the first building blocks in the visual construction of Sleeping Beauties.

Inks, Color, Letters

Sampson’s art work is complex and best described as magical realist. She comes from an architectural background which is evident in the way she composes her images, distorting perspective to create uncomfortable scenes. There is an attention to detail that gives off the impression of realism but, like the stories she illustrates, there are more abstract worlds just underneath, waiting to break out.

Triona Farrell picks out elements of the artwork and makes them a colorful focus for a panel or page. The bright blue moths or the carmine snake lead the reader across the page allowing Farrell to fill Sampson’s detailed images with an array of color. This continues the realistic impression but is also a constant reminder to the reader that this is a fantasy world.

The next layer of the image is the lettering by Christa Miesner which immediately stands out. The decision to use black word balloons with a white font is a bold one because it is so uncommon in mainstream comics. The gamble pays off in Sleeping Beauties because it contrasts and compliments the rest of the artwork. The black balloon tails become an extension of the line work, and the overall design blends better with the chaos of color in each panel. It draws attention to the script and forces the reader to work that little bit harder.

Each layer adds something to the panels, the page, and the larger narrative. Just as you would build a character by illustrating their appearance and giving them a specific linguistic voice, the artists in Sleeping Beauties are creating personalities through specific line work, colors, and lettering.

A Final Construct

Like an architectural landmark, a comic is constructed with different layers working together to present a finished product. The different levels may not be noticeable because only the surface is ultimately important but the collective decisions have to gel for the entirety to work. Sampson’s complex images are the driving force behind the artwork but the intended tone is only possible because the colors and lettering match the inks.

If the comic follows the general plot of the novel, then over the ten-issue run, there will be a lot of complex narrative issues to deal with. There are some twists and turns coming that are socially relevant and important in the current climate: an uncontrollable pandemic, gender politics, and a desperate feeling of helplessness. To match this is the complex artwork, driven by Sampson’s obsession with constructing almost abstract scenes that lay the groundwork for character development and plot enhancement. Her colleagues then bring out different aspects of the cast and story to produce a fully rounded visual narrative.

Sleeping Beauties is a visual treat and worth picking apart, layer by layer. The artistry on display is exceptional and complex, befitting the intensity of the plot.

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RICK AND MORTY SEASON 4 | TV Review

By

Kieran Freemantle

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Everyone’s favorite grandfather/grandson sci-fi duo came back for a fourth season. This time they adventures include Morty trying to ensure a life with Jessica, Rick getting revenge after someone used his toilet, Rick and Morty going on a heist, the pair getting trapped in a story train, and two adventures involving time travel.

Rick and Morty was a show that quickly earned a cult audience. It managed to have broad comedy, dark humor, a philosophical edge, and moments of emotional weight. The first three seasons were great, and it is a contender to be one of the best adult animated shows. However, the fourth season offered up more misses than usual.

The fourth season was split into two halves. The first half had more of the duds and there was a sense of lacking when watching. The episode “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim’s Morty” earned a reputation of being the worst episode the series has ever produced. That episode saw Morty getting a dragon, but the dragon gets attached to Rick. This episode took Rick and Morty into fantasy direction, centered around a giant sex joke, and had a rushed conclusion. But this episode doesn’t deserve this reputation – it wasn’t even the worst episode of the season. “Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim’s Morty” at least had some funny jokes.

“The Old Man and the Seat,” and “Promortyus” were the worst offerings. “The Old Man and the Seat” was the episode where Rick gets revenge against someone who used his private toilet. The concept was funny because it shows how pity Rick can be, but it was enough to sustain a whole episode and the writers tried to force a poignant ending wasn’t earned. “Promortyus” was even worst. That episode started decently enough with a cold opening, but it suffered from a terrible combination of rambling deliveries and jokes that were intended to shock.

Even some episodes I really liked had problems. “Rattlestar Ricklattca” was a hilarious parody of The Terminator franchise and it was a way for the showrunners to disprove a theory that Rick was really an older Morty. But the episode was formulaic and seem to ignore some of Morty’s character development from the previous seasons because in this episode he tried to do the right thing but made things a lot worst. Season Three’s Morty was shown to be developing a dark side, but this was ignored in “Rattlestar Ricklattca.” The episode made up for this with the insanity of snakes re-enacting The Terminator and brings back the Testicle Monsters.

“The Vat of Acid Episode” also set out to disprove the use of time travel as a plot device. In that episode, Morty gets a device that can save certain points in time and allowed Morty to live life without consequences. But the episode had a dark reveal that only Rick and Morty could do.

The second half of the season was a lot better than the first. There was more consistency, ambition, and felt like the show that people fell in love with. The second half had two of the best episodes of the season: “Never Ricking Morty” and “The Vat of Acid Episode.” “Never Ricking Morty” was this season’s version of “Interdimensional Cable” and “Morty’s Mind Blowers” because like those episodes there were centered around clips. “Never Ricking Morty” was the most meta-episode in the show’s run because it broke down various writing tropes, the Hero’s Journey structure, and screwed with fans by erasing potential story ideas.

“The Vat of Acid Episode” had one of the best sequences in the show’s run. This was a montage where Morty got to act out his darker fantasies and he falls in love. It was this type of invention that helped Rick and Morty stand out as a show.

Even episodes that were more formulaic: i.e. “Childrick of Mort” and “Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri”, they kept the family dynamic. “Childrick of Mort” was about the family going a camping trip to another planet and it was split into three adventures. Rick and Beth bond when building a society, Morty and Summer think they can survive in the wilds, and Jerry gets abandoned by his family. “Star Mort” was the season finale and saw the family having to work together to stop the Galactic Federation and explored the relationship between Rick and his daughter.

The first half of the fourth season was a big stumble for Rick and Morty, but it does improve a lot it the season half.

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DC CYBERNETIC SUMMER: The Beach Goes Metal

By

Kevin Sharp

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June 27, 2020

If you’ve ever wanted to see a DC Comic featuring Superman, Cyborg, and Cyborg Superman all together, your wish is about to come true. The publisher announced a new 80-page special coming in July: DC Cybernetic Summer.

Check out the official word and preview art below:

Rub some sunscreen on your circuits, because DC’s favorite cyborgs are hitting the beach in DC Cybernetic Summer on July 28! In this sizzling summertime anthology special, Harley Quinn and Sy Borgman conquer a truly titanic water slide, Cyborg, Superman, and Cyborg Superman find it difficult to have a conversation, much less a fight, and Batman tries everything to escape a summer cookout—even taking on the omnipotent Brother Eye and his newly infectious O.M.A.C.s!

And it’s not just the cyborgs hitting the surf! Flashes from across the multiverse gather for a race to claim the fastest flash in the multiverse! Mercury Flash from Earth-44 is out to win it all this year, the only person standing in his way is…Barry Allen! And Red Tornado’s on a camping trip with his wife Kathy and his daughter Traya, but he’s distracted by Justice League matters! When a threat emerges, will Red Tornado be able to protect his family?

All these and more sunburnt stories that are worth getting sand in your motherboard for!

Red Tornado in “Summer Camp” by Stephanie Phillips and Leila del Duca
Cyborg, Superman, and Cyborg Superman in “Catfish Crisis” by Stuart Moore and Cully Hamner
Superboy, starring the Legion of Super-Heroes, in “Summer Lovin’” by Liz Erickson and Nik Virella
Batman, O.M.A.C. and Brother Eye in “The Limits of Control” by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman
Robot Man in ��The Summer Blues” by Max Bemis and Greg Smallwood
Harley Quinn and Sy Borgman in “Splish Splash Special” by Che Grayson and Marguerite Sauvage
Booster Gold, Blue Beetle and Skeets in “The Boys of Summer” by Heath Corson and Scott Koblish
Mercury Flash in “The Speedster Games” by Joshua Williamson and David Lafuente
Midnighter, Apollo, Monsieur Mallah and The Brain in “Out There” by Steve Orlando and Paul Pelletier
Platinum and Wonder Woman in “Fandom” by Andrew Constant and Nicola Scott

DC Cybernetic Summer is an 80-page, Prestige format one-shot on sale at comic book stores and participating online retailers on July 28 with a cover by Dan Mora. For more information on the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit www.dccomics.com, the DC YouTube channel, or follow @DCComics and @TheDCNation on social media.

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BATMAN #95 Brings The Start Of “Joker War”

By

Kevin Sharp

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June 27, 2020

We’ve gotten the teases and the buildup, but now it’s time for the main event as “Joker War” begins this July. Check out the official DC Comics preview for Part One of the storyline in Batman #95:

BATMAN #95: “JOKER WAR” PART ONE!!

It’s coming… The final showdown between Batman and The Joker explodes in Batman #95, part one of “Joker War,” on sale Tuesday, July 21! Here’s a look at some fantastic art by Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey!

It was always going to come to this. The Clown Prince of Crime and the Dark Knight Detective go head-to-head for the last time. The Joker has never wanted to win before, he’s never wanted his battle with Batman to end, but now his motivation has shifted. He has decided that one way or another, this will be the final chapter to their story. “Joker War” begins here!

Batman #95 (“Joker War,” Part One)

On Sale July 21, 2020

32 Pages

Written by James Tynion IV

Art by Jorge Jimenez

Colors by Tomeu Morey

Letters by Clayton Cowles

Main cover by Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey

The Joker variant cover by Francesco Mattina

1:25 Cardstock variant cover (The Joker) by Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey

Standard and Variant cover price $3.99 US

1:25 Cardstock variant cover price $4.99 US

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KILLING EVE – Are You Leading or Am I | TV Review

By

Kieran Freemantle

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Killing Eve’s third season comes to a close with “Are You Leading or Am I?” and sees Eve and Villanelle work for the first time in the season.

Villanelle has fled to London and meets Carolyn to offer her defection. But Carolyn refuses because Villanelle is no longer able to kill. Her only opinion is to retrieve the money Konstantin stole from The Twelve and she enlists Eve for help. Konstantin also goes to London to get the money. Whilst Carolyn finally finds out who killed Kenny.

The big hook of the season was Kenny’s death: it spurred Eve, Carolyn, and the Bitter Pill team to work together and find out who killed him. The death was recorded as a suicide, even though everyone suspects it was murder. The reveal was Kenny’s death was an accident that was unintentionally caused by Konstantin, or at least that’s what he claims. It was a bitter blow for Carolyn, and she showed her dark side when facing both Konstantin and Paul. It ends the storyline about Kenny’s death and Paul’s involvement with The Twelve, in the less satisfying way possible.

“Are You Leading or Am I?” sees Eve and Villanelle meet for the first time since “Meetings Have Biscuits.” Throughout the series, there was an attraction to each other and a sexual undercurrent. The undercurrent has become overt in this season. In “Meeting Have Biscuits” Eve was able to escape Villanelle by kissing her and their first interactions in this episode was a dance together. The final scene in the episode had a beautiful quality as Eve and Villanelle have a heart-to-heart and decide on what to do next.

Whilst the episode aimed to end some storyline, others were deliberately left open. Season Four was already commissioned before Season Three was even broadcast. So the showrunners knew they had the freedom to leave some open ends, such as Carolyn and Geraldine’s relationship.

“Are You Leading or Am I?” keeps the excellent dialogue and humor that makes the show special. The episode starts off strongly when Carolyn and Villanelle and Carolyn points out that if Villanelle is an assassin who can’t kill then she’s useless. I personally loved Villanelle’s interactions with Rhian (Alexandra Roach) because Villanelle acted like a bored child and annoyed Rhian into striking her. Villanelle had to face an opponent who was could physically match. It’s just a shame that there won’t be any more of Roach in Killing Eve. Villanelle also met up with the Bitter Pill team and when they realized who she was they reacted likes you would expect.

Eve’s mission saw her go to Croydon with a ticket she didn’t know what it meant. It led to a comedic interaction at a bookmakers’ as Eve does a terrible attempt to bribe someone. Whilst Eve was a skill analysis and investigator, her field experience was lacking.

The relationship between Eve and Villanelle continues to compel, the characters were interesting, and the humor still delivers. But as a conclusion to the season “Are You Leading or Am I?” was lacking.

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Harley Quinn Gets A New Digital Series: BLACK + WHITE + RED

By

Kevin Sharp

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June 26, 2020

If you’re a Harley Quinn fan, DC Comics has given you plenty to smile about in recent years. From the character’s different comic titles to her DC Universe show, the Joker’s onetime sidekick has certainly graduated to the A-list. Now comes Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red, a new digital series with an all-star creative lineup.

Here’s the full press release and preview art:

DC PRESENTS HARLEY QUINN: BLACK + WHITE + RED

First Chapter of DC’s Newest Digital First Series Available Now

Future Chapters to Feature Stories by Harley Quinn Co-creator Paul Dini, Eisner Award-Winners Saladin Ahmed, Erica Henderson and Joe Quinones, Fan-Favorite Team of Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and Chad Hardin, Along with Comics’ Most Dynamic Storytellers

DC proudly announces the launch of its newest Digital First series, Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red! Publishing each Friday and spanning 14 chapters, this digital series is an anthology of standalone stories told in the vein of the classic Batman: Black & White. The first chapter is available for purchase now on participating digital platforms, including readdc.com, Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and more.

Each chapter of Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red will be told in traditional black and white with the color red utilized in unique ways throughout each of the individual stories. The debut chapter of the Digital First series is “Harleen: Red” by writer/artist Stjepan Šejić with lettering by Gabriela Downie. Set in the world of Šejić’s New York Times bestselling graphic novel Harleen, this story hints at a “red” that will have meaning only to Harley Quinn!

“Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red is a great addition to our Digital First lineup,” said Hank Kanalz, SVP of Publishing Strategy & Support Services. “Each story stands on its own, and this series gives our talent teams the freedom and flexibility to tell innovative stories that could be part of or separate from regular continuity. Everyone has a unique vision for Ms. Quinn—it’ll be fun to see what their creativity delivers.”

Future chapters will feature a fan-favorite lineup of talent, including Harley Quinn co-creator Paul Dini; the team of Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Chad Hardin; Saladin Ahmed and Javier Rodriguez; Tim Seeley and Juan Ferreyra; Erica Henderson, Daniel Kibblesmith, and more to come throughout the run. And Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red is also the DC writing debut for several acclaimed illustrators! Artists Mirka Andolfo (DC Comics: Bombshells), Dani (The Low, Low Woods), Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero), and Riley Rossmo (Martian Manhunter) are all developing chapters written in their own voice, paired with art in their distinct styles.

“This is such a cool series with killer art,” said Mark Doyle, DC Executive Editor. “Senior Editor Chris Conroy had the idea to riff on the classic Batman: Black & White series but to do it with Harley in that irreverent, fun way that only Harley can do—and DC Digital First seemed like the perfect format to tell these stories.”

Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red promo art is by Jorge Jiménez.

Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red’s first chapter, with story and art by Stjepan Šejić and lettering by Gabriela Downie, is available now. Subsequent digital chapters of Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red will publish weekly on Fridays through its 14-chapter run. Andolfo’s story will publish July 3, Ahmed and Rodriguez’ collaboration will publish on July 10, and Seeley and Ferreyra’s chapter will publish on July 17 to round out the first month of the series.

DC’s comics are available on participating digital platforms seven days a week, including readdc.com, Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, DC UNIVERSE, and more.

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Exclusive Interview: Alejandro Arbona Of DOCTOR TOMORROW

By

Matthew Sardo

-

June 26, 2020

Exclusive Interview: Alejandro Arbona Of DOCTOR TOMORROW

Doctor Tomorrow is a five-issue mini-series from Valiant Entertainment written by Alejandro Arbona with art by Jim Towe. Issue three-hit your local comic book store this week with a major plot twist. Thanks to Valiant, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive interview with Arbona.

About Doctor Tomorrow:
Doctor Tomorrow first appeared in Operation: Stormbreaker #1 back 1997, and was created by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn. The character is reimagined as a teen hothead and star athlete, Bart Simms. He is about to meet the Valiant Universe’s greatest hero…Himself!

WARNING! – There are spoilers below if you have yet to read Doctor Tomorrow #3.

Enjoy The Interview With Alejandro Arbona

MFR – Doctor Tomorrow deals with time travel and a multiverse, how much world-building was involved?

Arbona – The beauty of working in a shared universe is that there’s already a lot of world-building ready for us to run with, from time travel and giant robots to big, colorful superheroics. At the same time, this is a story we basically cooked up from scratch. The multiverse came up a little bit toward the end of the run of Ivar, Timewalker by Fred Van Lente and Pere Pérez, but for the purposes of this story, we had to build up how all of it works, what the rules are, what the stakes are. But the funny part is that we actually did so much world-building that a lot of it never even made it into the comic, and since this part of the story is over, we’ll never have a chance again. For instance, we’d initially planned a scene where Faith helped out with Bart’s flying lesson. Doctor Tomorrow was really excited to meet her, because 20 years ahead in his own universe, she’s a famous, beloved hero, as Joshua Dysart and Kano established in a comic that I was editor of, Book of Death: Harbinger, where we saw tens of thousands of people turn out in droves to grieve at her funeral. In my original outline of the flying lesson, Doc was so starstruck to meet Faith that he blurted out, “I was at your funeral!” and she got super creeped out. Naturally, that was also meant to foreshadow that Doc turns out to be a huge creep in a lot of ways. Spoiler!

MFR – There is a twist in issue three, can you talk about how you set up the reader for the twist?

Arbona – There’s a lot that we laid in, during the first two issues, that pays off in issue three, and I think you can see it in the re-read. Doctor Tomorrow is really arrogant and pretty awful in a lot of ways. At first, you might not think about it, because he’s a commanding, take-charge leader, and an alpha superhero type. But look again. He’s quick to give in to anger, quick to resort to violence. He always jumps to the first conclusion, and jumps straight into a fight. And when you realize how much unhappiness and anger the teen Bart has, and how badly he copes with it, you can see how he’s bound to turn into that guy. Bart is literally a supervillain in the making.

MFR – Young Bart is at an important crossroads in his life, and then with the multiverse, he can see how several different paths turn out? Does the multiverse make it easier to write your main character, and if so, how?

Arbona – The multiverse concept was the whole key to this character. In the original Doctor Tomorrow by Bob Layton and several artists, Bart Simms was a man in the 1940s who received a box that was mysteriously sent back in time full of sci-fi super-gear and schematics. He uses it to build himself all sorts of futuristic gadgets and vehicles, and then he says he’s from the future…a man out of time, with a twist. But as far as being a hero goes, he’s fundamentally compromised. He’s dishonest, he lies about the origin of his powers, and he spends the rest of the series trying to stop whatever caused the box to go back in time to begin with, so he can prevent himself from ever becoming Doctor Tomorrow in the first place and ruining his life. It was a really unorthodox superhero story, and if you can’t quite tell, I’m a huge fan. That and Jim Starlin’s Warlock, another brooding, heady comic about a superhero who becomes his own tormentor and regrets so much of what he’s done. But when Robert Meyers and Drew Baumgartner and Fred Pierce and I started talking about a new take on this character, we knew right away that the time-travel hook couldn’t be repeated. You can’t tell the same story again, and you can’t just tweak it and mix it up, because the balancing act of logic and causality falls apart. We also didn’t want to do anything dark or pessimistic, we were all on the same page that we wanted to do a fun, light-hearted superhero comic and establish a character who was morally upstanding, and aspirational, tinged with a Silver Age sensibility—one of Valiant’s few superheroes ever to wear a cape. In a way, it’s like that Simpsons joke where they do an Itchy & Scratchy focus group and find that the kids want a realistic, down-to-earth show that’s completely off the wall and swarming with magic robots. When I got the prompt to pitch a new Doctor Tomorrow, the idea I seized on right away was the moral compromise at his core, the lie that forms the basis of his superhero persona, and the drama of his remorse about letting himself become that guy…while also being light-hearted, colorful, aspirational, and fun. It’s an extremely tricky balance, and the idea of the multiverse was the key to unlocking that, by splitting up the same Bart into separate characters!

MFR – The trope of time travel tends to lessen the drama since you can easily retcon the story. How do you avoid this as a writer?

Arbona – In any good story, no matter what genre, the highest stakes are the emotional ones. Even if a story is about life-or-death peril or the Earth hangs in the balance, the main characters are always going through something emotionally, too. If they aren’t, it’s a boring story. That’s why even detective stories and courtroom procedurals, which are just about somebody doing their job, always feature some wrinkle to make it personal for the protagonist. And hitting a time-travel reset button to retcon the plot can’t change that the characters have taken that journey, and the audience with them.

MFR – With a five-issue story, how do you reveal enough to keep the reader wanting more each issue, but not showing too much, or ending an issue on a flat note?

Arbona – The challenge of serial storytelling is that each issue needs to tell a fun, engaging story by itself, while it also advances the main story of the series. I can only try my best and write the story that I find entertaining in each issue, and hope the reader agrees with my opinion. But I think that as long as each issue features new twists and surprises, with action and laughs and compelling heart, and ends with a question mark that the reader can’t resist coming back to find out more about, then we’re pulling it off. And you know what, I think we do that! Give us a try and see for yourself, why don’t you!

MFR – The comic book industry is at crossroads here in 2020, what are your predictions when it comes to what the industry will look like in 2030?

Arbona – I could see it going several ways. On the one hand, digital is shaking everything up so quickly that even comics, which were slow to adapt, will continue to evolve, hopefully not just in distribution but also in how they’re created. We’re also finally, finally seeing more widespread acceptance toward comics in libraries and classrooms, and there’s been explosive growth in comics for kids. With more kids reading graphic novels, I can only hope we’ll see more business for comic book stores, but also, comics being sold in more places. I love it when a bookstore has a respectable, worthwhile graphic novel section with stories for a plurality of different readers, not just a few half-assed shelves. On the other hand, the comic book industry is very resilient, both in a good way because it’s tough and in a bad way because it’s resistant to change. In ten years, maybe we’ll still be chugging right along the same way we are now, and I don’t mean that as a good thing. Most comic book stores survive on razor-thin profit margins. Most comic book makers earn very little money and do the work at great personal sacrifice out of love for the art form. The industry is lousy with exploitative working conditions and abuse of all kinds. The decade of the 2030s will be the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the modern comic book, and many of those problems have existed for pretty much all those one hundred years. Hopefully, we’ll finally get better at fixing them in the next ten.

MFR – Thank you for your time, and best of luck with Doctor Tomorrow!

What did you think of the interview? Are you reading Doctor Tomorrow? Comment below with your thoughts.

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