Does Amazon’s THE BOYS Do The Comic Justice?

By

-

December 9, 2019

Does Amazon's THE BOYS Do The Comic Justice?

The entertainment space is continually being flooded by new movies, reality shows, and TV series covering a number of different genres to cater to a global audience. While new movies and TV shows are released on a weekly basis, most of the production generally revolve around the same themes.

It is rare for a producer to come out with a completely unique theme. Any producer who decides to introduce something new to the market always faces the risk of failure as they have no idea how the market will react. The new Amazon series adaption The Boys is one such production that is getting mixed reviews.

History Behind THE BOYS

A lot of viewers who have tuned into Amazon’s ‘“The Boys”’ over the last few weeks are not very aware of the history behind the production. Two writers by the names of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson began working on an interesting comic book series called ‘“The Boys”’ and released their first issue back in 2006.

Kind of but not quite, but the show is actually kickass

The first issue came under Wildstorm, which was an imprint of DC Comics. This comic series only lasted six issues because it was completely different from the usual comics that the market was used to. The writers decided to not go with the usual superheroes theme but instead decided to depict superheroes as humans who have flaws just like everybody else.

“The Boys” were known for using a lot of foul language, being sex-crazed, and resorting to a lot of violence – characteristics that superheroes are not known for. The writers focused on changing and warping the idea behind superheroes, and they wanted to gauge the reactions of the readers. It is safe to say that the market as a whole did not buy into the comic series, and as a result, the publican was canned after just six issues.

Garth Ennis did not give up on his comic book series as he believed there was a demand for such a theme in the market. He had the rights for the series and managed to work out a deal with Dynamite Entertainment and went on to release another 66 issues. Over the years, “The Boys” built up a unique market following around the world.

Amazon Brings THE BOYS Back to Life

Amazon is always looking for new and interesting programming to add to its portfolio. The company decided to give “The Boys” new life by developing a new TV series based on the comic book characters. Fans of the comic book series were both excited and skeptical when news broke that Amazon was going to produce a TV series based on these superheroes or supes.

A lot of fans were concerned that Amazon might not do justice to ‘“The Boys”’ and mess things up. This trepidation is real because there are a number of classics that have been ‘killed’ when movie producers tried to develop a new and modified version of the same.

It is not just movie producers but also video game and slot developers who often butcher a classic because they struggle to find the right balance between retaining the old and taking news to the next level with the new. However, slot developers are not going to be keen on developing a new game revolving around “The Boys.” This is because it is harder to create a free spins slot machine around superheroes that exhibit the worst of human traits without a backlash.

Eric Kripke took on the responsibility of developing “The Boys” for Amazon, and just like the comic book, the story revolves around a group of vigilantes who fight the supes who are anti-heroes that bully people and are just outright mean.

The Amazon series went live on July 26^th, 2019, and was received rather well by the majority of viewers. Just like any TV series, there were people who did not like Amazon’s version of “The Boys,” and they were not shy in expressing their views and opinions on social media. However, given the fact that Amazon has decided to renew the series for a second season, it is safe to say that “The Boys” have found a demographic who is interested in what it has to offer.

THE BOYS: Cast and Characters

The success of a movie or TV show depends heavily on its cast and how they perform. The cast for Amazon’s Boys featured Karl Urban, who served as the main character Billy Butcher who is the leader of “The Boys.” Hugh “Hughie” Campbel is played by Jack Quaid, and Antony Starr does a good job playing the role of Homelander, who is despised by Billy Butcher.

Some of the other characters include:

Erin Moriarty who plays the role of Starlight
Chace Crawford who plays the Deep
Dominique McElligott who acts as Queen Maeve
Tomer Capon who plays Frenchie
Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko
Elisabeth Shue who acts as Madelyn Stillwell.

The plot for “The Boys” is very interesting, and viewers who are not familiar with the comic series will have to pay careful attention in order to follow the story. There are eight episodes in Season 1, and each episode runs for nearly an hour. “The Boys” can be watched on Amazon Prime and best suited for adults.

The Verdict

The general verdict is that Amazon has done a good job of bringing “The Boys” back to life. During the first ten days of its release, the show has been viewed over 8 million times, which makes it one of the most successful original products on Prime.

Rotten Tomatoes has 88 reviews on “The Boys” and an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 and an approval rating of nearly 83 percent. Some of the other review sites have also given “The Boys” positive ratings. “The Boys” Season 2 will most likely be released in the second half of 2020.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: The Cruise from Hell in ALIEN VERSUS PREDATOR: THICKER THAN BLOOD

By

Justin Munday

-

Disregarding (and hopefully forgetting) the two films, the Alien Vs. Predator franchise has had a litany of successes in the worlds of novels, video games, and of course comics. Now, writer Jeremy Barlow and artist Doug Wheatley team up for a new AVP mini-series from Dark Horse Comics, “Thicker Than Blood.” This first issue offers a simple but fun and bloody close-quarters adventure with a unique starring cast of a young girl and her android little brother.

The USSC Double Down is a luxury cruise vessel packed with vacationing patrons indulging in all the ship has to offer, with the all-family crew going about their usual tasks. That is, until the ship takes a detour through uncharted space and attracts the attention of some skull-hunting undesirables. Now, the two children of the ship-owning family must work together to dodge a bloody end and make it off the ship alive.

Writing an Alien Vs. Predator series as opposed to just an Alien or Predator one requires a different and arguably more mainstream approach than either of the other two. The sort of tense slasher-in-space mixed with hard sci-fi of the former and the prey vs. hunter tone of the latter needs to be juggled with an almost blockbuster style bravado. Jeremy Barlow‘s script manages to do just this, all the while maintaining a simple story with breakneck pacing. Things happen rather fast in this first issue, with only a short quiet moment on the first page to introduce the most important protagonist. Despite this, Barlow still manages to skillfully introduce Tyler and Maria (the two leads) and their conflicts with each other in moments between carnage. The speed at which the blood starts flying in this debut issue may be an issue for more slow-burn horror fans of traditional Alien and Predator titles, and this is understandable. However, for a four-issue mini-series starring a couple of kids on a cruise ship, this kind of pacing is sensible and still brings on the terror these aliens are known for in bursts. Without getting into spoilers, future issues are already looking promising in ramping up the horror and bloodshed.

The universe that these two iconic aliens inhabit requires a sort of specific talent to bring out the dark and claustrophobic tone an Alien Versus Predator comic needs. Fortunately, this series is blessed with talents of Doug Wheatley‘s spectacular pencils and inks in conjunction with Rain Beredo‘s choice color palette. Wheatley’s level of detail when it comes to shipboard enviornments, invidivdual characters and of course the titular beasts themselves is second to none. The halls and rooms of the ship vary from the sanitized and gray crew rooms to the colorful guest attractions, and colorist Beredo is given a surprising amount of variety for a comic most would assume would just be filled with black, gray and red. Lots and lots of red. This isn’t the case however, and the brighter moments contrast neatly with scenes dressed in claustrophobic shadows. Each individual character, from the main cast to random passengers, each look completely different and can be told apart by identifying features. Wheatley’s art has a touch of photo-realism which helps immensely with the immersion. His heavy inks he uses for detail work superbly with Beredo’s use of dense shadows to create the exact aesthetic this comic needs.

“Alien Versus Predator: Thicker Than Blood” #1 is a fast paced and brutal start to a promising new mini-series. Writer Jeremy Barlow’s script may be simple and maybe even slightly rushed by franchise standards, but the premise behind its central characters is intriguing enough to stick with the story. Doug Wheatley and Rain Beredo’s deliver their talents in spades, bringing to bear possibly some of the best artwork this franchise has ever seen. If you’re a fan of these iconic monsters and the franchise as a whole, be sure to pick this issue up at your local comic shop on 12/11.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: THE RED MOTHER #1 Has You Directly In Her Sights

By

Darryll Robson

-

The Red Mother alternative cover — The Red Mother #1 Credit: BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios like to have a horror comic on their roster and their new title The Red Mother definitely fits that bill. It features survivor guilt, unnerving sequences, and redefines the notion of ‘Seeing Red’.

In the current climate of uncertainty and a growing fear in society, horror comics have plenty of real world issues to draw on and manipulate. The best horror comments on the world around it, as can be seen by the changing face of the Dracula story, and this years offerings are no different. The Red Mother feeds off the fear in society creating an uncertain world populated by self inflicted insular people.

Raising the Red

While planning a romantic get-away, Daisy and Luke are attacked in the street by an unseen assailant. Luke is dragged into the darkness and Daisy’s eye is torn from her head.

Her recovery isn’t easy, especially with the strange, new visions she is experiencing where she literally sees red.

Jeremy Haun (The Beauty published by Image Comics) is no stranger to horror and this opening issue sets the tone perfectly. Haun layers the narrative like building blocks, laying character development on top of action, on top of mystery. He sets the scene for future issues and manages to hook the reader straight into the story.

A disturbing opening throws shadows across the rest of the comic. It creates an uncomfortable atmosphere for the reader from the very beginning, meaning that you are constantly staring into the shadows, waiting for something unspeakable to come out. But Haun is more interested in creating suspense than using cheap jump scare tactics. Very little is shown or explained this early on which makes the moments where something supernatural occurs that much more upsetting.

There is one moment which is especially creepy. It is created by preying on a growing fear of crowded places, of being lost in a sea of unrecognisable people. A horde of nameless faces march towards us as the nervousness builds up inside, turning to fear and then to panic. Daisy experiences such a feeling and, within that moment, Haun produces one of the creepiest scenes in comics this year.

Drawing Blood

Some comics adopt a style that is either realistic or expressive, depending on the emphasis they want to put on the narrative. With The Red Mother Danny Luckert (Haunted) is in the unique position of being able to do both in the same comic without it looking unnatural.

For the most part, while telling Daisy’s story, Luckert produces a tangible world using fine line work and detailed sets for the characters to inhabit. He builds up the realism, giving the reader a world they can identify with. The mundane elements of Daisy’s life is reflected through the use of abstract panel transitions or a series of seemingly unrelated actions: snapshots of life continuing despite the horror that the central character has suffered.

Into this are, for the most part brief, moments designed to unnerve the reader and distort the world view. These panels are distinguished mostly by their coloring, also provided by the artist, as they are soaked entirely in red. This is where the mystery and the visual horror occurs, standing out on the page like a beacon.

Creating realistic scenes in comics can be difficult, the very nature of the format is a constant reminder to the reader that it is merely a representation of reality. There are, however, a number of things that the creators can do to make it feel more real: one of those things is to produce realistic speech patterns and rhythms.

Ed Dukeshire (the list of his work is endless, but check out Once and Future) constructs a flow of dialogue through his speech balloons that feels natural. A series of small balloons, linked by touch, gives the speaker a tempo, producing a beat within the panel and then further across the page.

There are also a lot of overlapping speech balloons as characters interrupt or console each other. Not only does this change the pacing of a scene but it also says something about the characters and their relationships.

Conclusion

Introductions to stories can be difficult and different genres have their own obstacles to overcome. Horror comics have to make a decision early on as to the type of horror they are going to portray. The visual design and opening scene of Winnebago Graveyard , for example, instantly sets the tone for the rest of the story.

In a similar way Haun does the same with The Red Mother. The disturbing elements are distinctive and separate from the real world with firm, visual walls between the two. The insinuation is that these walls will break down and this is the hook that pulls the reader in.

BOOM! Studios may not put out many horror titles but the ones that they do publish are always of an impressive standard. Based on this opening salvo, The Red Mother with it’s compelling characters and top notch storytelling throughout, will join the highly praised ranks of other horror titles like The Empty Man and Angel.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

DC Comics Exclusive Preview: GOTHAM CITY MONSTERS #4

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

December 6, 2019

Gotham City Monsters #4 hits your local comic book store on December 11th, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive six-page preview for you.

About the issue:
Melmoth has come to Gotham City, and he’s ready to use the dark forces of the city to carry out his final attack on the Multiverse at large. While he figured his old servant Frankenstein would be rallying his monstrous friends to give him trouble, Melmoth didn’t bargain on the Bat family taking notice. (Don’t they have enough to do with Bane and all that other stuff?) But take notice Batwoman has, and she’s looking to add some extra kick to the efforts of Killer Croc, Lady Clayface, and the rest. It may not be enough, however, when Melmoth puts one of their own- Andrew Bennett, a.k.a. I, Vampire-under his evil spell.

Gotham City Monsters #4 is by writer Steve Orlando and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, with colors by Trish Milvihill and letters by Tom Napolitano. The cover is by Howard Porter and Hi-Fi.

The miniseries is exploring the corner of Gotham known as “Monster City” and stars DC’s monster characters like Frankenstein, Andrew Bennett (I, Vampire), Killer Croc, and more.

MFR critic Jason Jeffords had the following to say about the series:

“If you’re looking for a horror-themed comic from the big two, GOTHAM CITY MONSTERS fills that space in a beautifully grotesque way! Between the dimly lit streets, horrific monsters, and general feeling of uneasiness, Monster City is a place best visited through a comic book.“

**Check out the Gotham City Monsters #4 preview below:**

Are you reading DC Comics’ Gotham City Monsters? Sound off in the comments!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

INTERVIEW: Composer Rendra Zawawi Put The Music In M For Malaysia

By

Ruben Diaz

-

December 6, 2019

The 2018 Malaysian general election featured the return of a 92-year-old former Prime Minister, and is documented in the film M for Malaysia where composer Rendra Zawawi digs into his roots to create a soundscape worthy of controversial country-spanning historical events.

Mahathir Bin Mohamad was the Prime Minister of Malaysia for 22 years, beginning in 1981 up until his retirement in 2003. But after 15 years of what was likely blissful retirement, the “Father of Modernisation” got back into the often brutal ring of politics. M For Malaysia documented the events as directed by Dian Lee and Ineza Roussile and was the official selection from Malaysia for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

PopAxiom flew to Malaysia to speak with Rendra only to find out he lives in L.A. So, we came back home and called him to talk about life making music, video games, and the process of scoring M for Malaysia.

Other Side Of The World

Rendra was born and raised in Malaysia to parents who were both academics. “My dad is a professor of anthropology. But my dad dabbled in music too.”

Naturally, Rendra was going to be a musician from the start. “I was a civil engineer before this.”

Music was just a hobby for Rendra. “I told my dad, ‘Can you teach me some guitar chords just for fun?’ I went into my room and wrote a song. The next day I played it for my dad, and he was impressed. When people would come into the house, my dad would say ‘Perform! Perform!”

Rendra was a “… a singer-songwriter first while pursuing a civil engineer degree in the U.K.”

At this point, music was “… a professional hobby.”

However, the pro hobby was taking over. “After civil engineering, I went to Berklee to pursue music professionally.”

Some naysayers think Rendra wasted time studying civil engineering. Still, he views it in a completely different way, saying that the two share similarities, mainly being fundamentally about vital structures. The knowledge he gained “… contributes to making music.”

About M For Malaysia

Getting connected to M for Malaysia was a degree of friends. “I got connected by a mutual friend who had a friend looking for a composer for a feature documentary.”

Rendra spoke with one of the directors of the film. But his familiarity with scoring a doc was minimal. “I’d done one documentary before.”

The composer began to learn more details about the project. “It’s about the Malaysian elections in 2018. I was following it from afar. She [producer/director] had all this footage from behind the scenes … privileged access. She sent me some of the raw footage for me to watch.”

Rendra was surprised by what he saw. “It was so much behind the scenes of the future Prime Minister at home with his wife. The narrator [and director] was his granddaughter. That’s when I realized the film’s narrator [and director] and the woman I spoke to was Ineza Roussille, the Prime Minister’s granddaughter.”

“That shifted my view …” Rendra says about the close and personal point of view. And despite the potential bias, Rendra explains, “… the documentary was painting the Prime Minister in both positive and negative lights. I thought his granddaughter was brave for doing it this way. The documentary is very neutral.”

Neutrality and avoiding a political lean was important for Rendra. “I didn’t want to be part of a sort of propaganda thing. I believe in the power of the people. I thought this would be a good way to give back to the country.”

https://vimeo.com/314465987

Temps And Anthems

Early discussions about the music for M for Malaysia revealed that the filmmakers “… wanted a documentary with cinematic scores. ’We don’t want it to be too mellow. We want traditional instruments but also contemporary. A local taste … a sprinkle [of Malaysian tradition] on top.”

As with any film, Rendra received a cut of M for Malaysia with temp tracks. “A lot of the cinematic temps they used was stuff from like, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, and John Powell. There was a Man of Steel reference in there. It was a lot of the sort of usual temp music a lot of movies use these days.”

For Rendra, the temps were an exciting point to start from. “I get to reinterpret those temps into a Malaysian voice. I used some traditional instruments like the Kompang and the Bamboo Flute. Later down the road, I proposed the idea to use the Malaysian National Anthem as a sort of a motif to weave things together.”

About using the anthem, Rendra says, “It’s a very familiar motif that every Malaysian knows. No matter what your political affiliation, everyone knows the national anthem.”

Watch the music video for the Original Song “Bermula Kita”
featuring Malaysian superstar Yuna …

Wrapping Up

I ask Rendra what movie remake would he want to score, but it becomes a two-part answer. The first part involves video games, which is something the composer dearly loves. “Final Fantasy is my biggest video game. I had the pleasure of having dinner with Nobuo Uematsu.”

Shifting to film, Rendra speaks to the power of inspiration from what’s unarguably the most celebrated film composer of all time. “The first composer I fell in love with was John Williams. His melody, same with Nobuo … that’s how I kind of approach my scores and have layers of melodies.”

As for the movie remake, he’d love to be a part of? “The movie I would love to do is the movie Hook.”

What’s next for Rendra? “I’m going back to Malaysia for a few weeks, to write for one of the biggest companies in the country, but I can’t reveal the name. I’m doing a brand song with a 70-piece orchestra. I have something for early next year, a feature film, but that’s under NDA for now. And I’m working with Mac Quayle (Scream Queens, Mr. Robot) on a project which I can’t really talk about, but it’s a cool video game.”

Thanks to Rendra Zawawi and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

Want to read more interviews like this? CLICK HERE.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: On the Road of Vengeance in the Old Deep South with KILL WHITEY DONOVAN #1

By

Justin Munday

-

Novelist and first time comic writer Sydney Duncan and artist Natalie Barahona ally with 12-Gauge Comics and Dark Horse to bring us the first issue of “Kill Whitey Donovan.” This revenge soaked story starring two women during the Civil War era is off to a strong start, with a dense but still sharp script and gritty atmospheric visuals.

After Anna Hoyt’s sister commits suicide, she sets out across the deep south in search of the man who destroyed her family; Jim “Whitey” Donovan, her fiance. She’s gonna need help though, and that help comes from one Hattie Virgil, a slave to the Donovan family who has just as much reason to kill Whitey as Anna – if not more so. The two set out with the aim to lay their vengeance upon Whitey. But the deep south in the 1860’s is a cruel place, and the pair will need to dodge even more obstacles – including the slave hunter on their tail – to reach their goal.

Writer Sydney Duncan‘s experience as a novelist becomes readily apparent upon reading the first page of “Kill Whitey Donovan.” Her overarching narration throughout the novel gives the reader a window into Anna’s internal turmoil that fuels her need for vengeance. There’s a clever use of first person limited as well, meaning that the reader is given full insight into Anna’s thoughts, but no one else’s. This maintains a continual sense of tension and suspense as the story goes as well as with other character interactions. This novelist approach to writing a comic is admittedly a little dense to read, especially as the eyes wander from small paragraphs of narration back to imagery. However, the script itself is purpose-built for tension and immersion. The varied dialogue and steady thriller-like pacing of this issue is superb. Duncan sells the time time period not just through situational context, but by how the characters use their dialogue and how each one fills a purpose in this sort of environment. There are short flashback moments as well with just enough backstory to give insight to Anna and Hattie’s rather tenuous relationship (the latter is a slave in the deep south after all), but leave enough mystery to have us wanting more. From compelling lines of narration and dialogue to a perfectly paced script, Duncan does a great job on this first issue.

The tension and atmosphere put forth by the script is brought to life by Natalie Barahona‘s unique vision with her artwork. The look of Alabama in 1864 as done by Barahona is dusty, sweaty and filled with shadow. As such it perfectly encapsulates the overall tone of the issue. The urgency Duncan writes in the script is realized by Barahona in quiet hushed moments fear and anxiety across character’s faces. Chase sequences explode to life with frantic kinetic energy and desperation. The character detail is fantastic, with all ranges of emotion looking different to each character. The use of heavy shadows in this first issue gives it the appearance of a thriller or horror story, and makes the desperation of the two lead characters that much more felt by the reader. There is a definite digital sheen that comes with Barahona’s technique that may turn some more classically-minded readers away. If so it’s a shame, because the artwork here is truly stellar for the sort of comic this is.

“Kill Whitey Donovan” #1 is a compelling and tension filled start to a unique sort of historical fiction revenge quest. The mysterious build-up of backstory for both Anna and Hattie as characters and their motivations to kill Donovan as well as a brutal cliffhanger make the wait for a second issue near painful. The creative duo of Sydney Duncan and Natalie Barahona are off to a great debut in what could be one of the most memorable comics of the year. Be sure to add this one to your pull list at your local comic shop.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: QUEEN & SLIM Offers A Beautiful American Nightmare

By

Eric Trigg

-

Social messages have become a staple in recent films, but very few are capable of delivering an important message while also telling a gripping story and Queen & Slim is one of those few that can do both very well. A powerful fugitive film that balances an engaging love story while also speaking to the current climate in America’s black community. While not a complete hit from start to finish, Queen & Slim delivers an overall thrilling tale about a tinder date gone to hell.

Directed by Melina Matsoukas and written by Lena Waithe, the film follows two young African American adults who go on a first date only to end up on the run from the law after an act of self-defense against a crooked cop. The two become legendary after footage of the incident goes viral and they are labeled the black Bonnie and Clyde. Queen & Slim stars Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny, Sturgill Simpson, and Indya Moore.

Waithe’s script is covered in symbolism, themes and multiple metaphors that reference the way society currently is for African Americans that find themselves in situations like the one our two protagonists find themselves in. The two leads are very likable characters for the most part, but Queen is fleshed out a little bit more than Slim. Initially, she comes across as a snobby, arrogant, entitled individual. However, the film spends time unpacking why she has certain traits by diving into her rough background. Slim is just a regular man looking for acceptance for who he is as opposed to something he isn’t. He has a take me as I am or leave me where I stand attitude. In regards to the social messages, Queen & Slim speaks to police brutality, racism, and the unfortunate effects it has on society.

Adding to that, the film does an amazing job at illustrating the different views that an intense encounter with an officer can spark amongst African Americans. The viral video featuring our two leads causes a movement across the nation, and many of these participants view Queen & Slim as heroes or saviors for the community. However, perhaps they don’t want to be viewed as heroes and simply just want the truth to be told without it resulting in chaos from their peers. In fact, the names of these two “heroes” aren’t revealed until the final moments, echoing how it seems black lives matter more after the fact or when something corrupt happens. Queen & Slim falls short a bit in the pacing, which feels very tense for both the characters and the audience for two acts, but one act drags a bit due to the nonexistent tension.

Kaluuya stars as Ernest Himes (Slim) and Smith stars as Angela Johnson (Queen). Kaluuya is fantastic in his role, and while it may come across as the same old thing we have seen from him in the past, he manages to make this character unique. Smith is great in her role as Angela, who happens to be an attorney so she knows how the system works against certain people based on the experiences she has had with clients in the past. This pairing worked really well and watching their two characters fall in love over the course of the film is an absolute treat. They do an amazing job of portraying two people who know they may be on borrowed time and just simply want to cherish what could be their final days of freedom.

Matsouka’s direction is impressive for a directional debut, but there is certainly room for improvement. Overall though, she captures a lot of great shots in this unexpectedly sweet film about two strangers caught in an American nightmare. Matsouka is more known for her work with music videos, but for a directional debut in film she showed off her talents really well. Cinematographer Tat Radcliffe also complimented with her direction, as the images on screen are very pleasing. Perhaps the biggest component working for Queen & Slim is the score by Deonte Hynes, which is very thrilling and makes every scene that much better, specifically the film’s final moments, which is very strong and intense.

Queen & Slim doesn’t appear to be getting the recognition it deserves, but this is a film with a purpose and a beautiful story backing it up. Whether or not it will get award recognition when that time comes is anyone’s guess, but Kaluuya and Smith deserve one for their performances and so does Waithe’s for this well-written script. Queen & Slim isn’t a must-see, but it has a lot to unpack and enjoy for everyone.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: SENTIENT #1 – Terrified & Alone In The Endless Void

By

Cody Walker

-

All alone in the void of space, every adult is dead, how are the children supposed to survive? Find out in Sentient from TKO Presents.

Jeff Lemire brings his signature elements of horrifying despair to a new publisher that sells directly to consumers. Sentient explores the terror of being cut off from everyone with no way to communicate for help. Not only that, but factor in that the only surviving crew members are children and you’re flirting with a Lord of the Flies situation.

Gabriel Walta is the award winning artist from The Vision returning to science fiction to illustrate this harrowing tale of children immediately forced to grow up. So much work goes into science fiction especially when there’s spaceships and technology involved. What gets overlooked because it is not the focus of the panel are all the stars, wires, and other components in the background that are so important for making the setting feel as real as possible for something that almost none of us will ever experience.

Walta does a fantastic job of using a dark color palette that realistically portrays the artificial light you’d encounter while exploring the darkness of space. Weeks and maybe even years away from the closest light source a ship out in space would be like the darkest of alleys and brighter in places like the cockpit.

Sentient feels like it could be a part of the ALIEN universe with the lack of communication with the outside world and fear of the unknown. If this was an ALIEN movie the A.I. would’ve found a “hidden” planet that looks like a good place to make a home, but after landing, all the children would get their own facehuggers to take home. Valarie would then care for the xenomorphs and escort them to the new colony.

This is an over-sized book so Steve Wands gets more room to work as the letterer. His work is very easy to read, even when voicing Val with blue on blue, it doesn’t strain the eyes at all. It’s something I never really noticed before, but it adds so much to the book when you can make a word actually look like it’s producing the sound without having to read it.

When all the adults are dead, who is there for the children? Val, the A.I. of a spaceship, has the responsibility of raising a group of orphans. Will the children obey something without a physical presence? Will children respect what is essentially just a voice? What if you were never able to look into the eyes of the person who raised you? How would that shape the person you become?

Sentient raises quite a few questions for me when considering if this really took place. It is a compelling story that will leave you thinking about it for days after you’ve read it. TKO Presents found a fantastic Lemire story to be apart of their second wave of releases.

TKO Presents does something different and hopefully something that will take off in the industry. With comic books, I think many people in the industry will agree that Diamond is the biggest headache. They don’t seem to care about the product they sell as some of the books we receive look like they were dragged across the concrete, and others that are just completely bent in half and thrown into boxes with reckless abandon.

TKO takes Diamond’s terrible work ethic and performance out of the equation. Diamond needs a wake up call and I think publishers selling directly to consumers is the easiest way to give Diamond a reason to finally care about their quality of work.

I also hope TKO succeeds in such a way that other publishers follow their lead. I would be a very happy boy if a slew of Diamond employees had to find new jobs where work ethic matters. They would more lost than the children in Sentient.

Sentient is a story about survival at all costs and the sacrifices we have to make to ensure that happens. How different of a person would you be if you had to skip being a carefree teenager? What if you were suddenly the oldest person around at 10 years old? I’m 31 and taking care of children frightens me, to imagine it even as young as 18 sends shivers down my spine.

What did you think of Sentient? What do you think of TKO Presents? Let us know in the comments below.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Review: the Sins of the Father & the Son in BATMAN #84

By

David DeCorte

-

Thomas Wayne has masterminded all the misfortunes and tragedies to befall his son over the last three-and-a-half years of Batman comics. What, precisely, was his motivation, though? Was it all, as he claims in Batman #84, out this week from DC Comics, to try and save Bruce? Was he attempting to spare his son the misery and loneliness he knows? Or was there something else driving his mission?

The Writing

Most of the issue is, in effect, merely a recap of the events that led Thomas Wayne to this point. Batman #84 begins with him crawling out of the pit after defeating Bruce back in Batman #73. As he does, he utters an inverse, parodic version of Bruce’s own now-famous vow.

From there, we move scene by scene, all the way back to Bruce’s childhood. In the process, we watch as Thomas endures tragedy after tragedy. Bruce, Alfred, Selina, Martha…one before another, he loses them. True, this issue slices through the tension of the book’s climax to provide exposition. However, it’s a welcome interjection, given the context it provides.

Batman #84 is a dissection of how Thomas became the twisted and vengeful crime fighter he is now. More precisely, though, it’s about why he takes the actions he does. When he asks whether it’s possible “to be happy and be Batman,” the answer he unequivocally finds is “no.” To him, the Batman’s war on crime brings only pain and suffering. Hence, why he’s made it his mission to stop Bruce from being Batman at any cost. We’re left to question, though, his true motivations behind that seemingly-altruistic sentiment.

Thomas claims he’s only trying to protect Bruce. He wants his son to avoid his own fate; as he puts it, “Take off the mask. Marry the girl. Settle into a life of warmth and peace.” In effect, though, it could be as much about control as it is about genuine concern. Thomas’s pain at learning what his son becomes is too much for him, and so he sets out to stop Bruce from becoming Batman for his own sake, not for Bruce’s.

Based on what we see in Batman #84, one could argue that it wasn’t being Batman that brought Thomas Wayne misery; he was already consumed by misery long before he donned the cape and cowl. Thomas Wayne’s experience of being Batman is pain and unhappiness, and so he believes that to be Batman is pain and unhappiness. Bruce presents the antithesis: that one can be Batman and still find happiness despite the trauma and pain that it entails.

The Artwork

The artwork by Jorge Fornes is nice and stylish. Although the book is, in essence, a clip show that traverses an expansive number of locations and settings, the artwork manages to maintain a sense of tonal consistency.

There’s plenty of dynamism in how Fornes frames the figures in Batman #84. We have close-ups honed on the characters’ faces, interspersed with wide, dramatic shots that feel pulled right from the pages of a dark western book. All throughout, though, the images rely on that theme of repetition that’s been a hallmark of the book over these last 84 issues, which keeps things cohesive.

The line work is bold and thick, yet not overbearing. Despite the heavier lines, the inks in Batman #84 still retain a sense of crispness, which compliments the skill of the artists. We see it especially in the intense detailing in the backgrounds, which really ground the reader in the world of the book.

The colors by artist Jordie Bellaire are similarly impressive. Despite crossing numerous palettes for the different moments in the book, the work retains a consistently shadowy, moody feel. This serves to highlight the dark tone of the tragedy unfolding on the page.

Final Thoughts

One could see Batman #84 being a controversial choice for the penultimate issue of a long-running story. That said, the book very effectively frames the underlying theme of writer Tom King’s run. It has a cinematic flair to it, and it’s great stuff, overall.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

Return To The Spider-Verse In Marvel Comics’ SPIDER-VERSE #3 (Exclusive Preview)

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

-

December 5, 2019

marvel comics spider-verse #3 exclusive preview

Spider-Verse #3 hits your local comic book store December 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you.

About the issue:
Peni Parker, A.K.A. SP//dr is back! The corruption of the Spider-Verse has reached Earth-14512 and Peni is in deep trouble. Can Miles Morales help Peni defeat an all-new villainous incarnation?!

Spider-Verse #3 is by writer Jed MacKay and artist Dike Ruan, with colors by Ian Herring and letters by Joe Sabino. The cover is by Dave Rapoza.

The issue #3 preview below brings Peni Parker into the mix, one of the featured Spider-People from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animated film, along with her robotic SP//dr suit.

MFR critic Ben Snyder calls Spider-Verse “essential,” further stating “fans of anything Spider-Man or Verse related will surely not be disappointed.”

**Check out the Spider-Verse #3 preview below:**

Are you reading Marvel Comics’ Spider-Verse series? Sound off in the comments!

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube