STAR WARS RESISTANCE ‘The Triple Dark’ Filler Flop

A filler episode is a common occurrence within television series’, especially animated ones. They don’t make or break a show, rather they tend to reveal a series’ true colors. In the case of Star Wars Resistance, “The Triple Dark” is the first filler episode of season 1. Sadly, it didn’t fill much of anything except a space of time in which viewers can’t get back.

As mentioned in our review of “The Recruit,” Star Wars Resistance is a Disney show and contains qualities associated with other series produced by the corporate mouse. The pilot for Star Wars Resistance contained a good amount of balance, mixing up the Disney humor with classic Star Wars storytelling. Remove the primary story arc as one does in filler and “The Triple Dark” became something of a cross between Darkwing Duck and Drake & Josh.

Minor Spoiler Warning! Continuing to read will reveal spoilers within Star Wars Resistance “The Triple Dark.” You’ve been warned!

Kaz and Yeager on the Colossus in Star Wars Resistance episode 3 — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

At times, episode 3 of Star Wars Resistance was more painful than the rewards. This occurred because of a lack of balance between the comedic beats, the “side story,” and a complete lack of character development.

Star Wars Resistance Filler Ep Bombed

Kaz being a spy on the Colossus for the Resistance in The Triple Dark ep 3 Star Wars Resistance — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

Most filler in animation contains extra comedic beats between characters, fanservice, a quick action sequence, and story which has minor implications within the overall plot. Anime has captured the essence of filler due to typically having a smaller budget than Western animation, turning it into what many would consider an alternative art form.

Disney, however, believes itself to be a mover and shaker — not a follower. And for the most part, they are. Attempting to mix Japanese animation style with a Western cartoon is bold, and art director Amy Beth Christenson pulls it successfully off. When it comes to filler, though, it’s business as usual for Disney. And this is a shame.

Considering the budget for Star Wars Resistance, “The Triple Dark” episode is almost a complete flop. There’s no excuse for why the episode is lacking in story and character interaction.

Typically, in a Japanese animation, a filler episode will focus on a side character within the series while providing fanservice and humor. Disney got the fanservice and humor part but slept on the character arcs. In creating this side adventure within a filler episode, it allows for a backstory to take place — and ultimately growth, for all the characters involved in the episode.

Too Much Kaz Again

Office of Acquisitions and Kaz in Star Wars Resistance — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

The arc of “The Triple Dark” sadly put the focus on Kaz once again. The first two episodes of Star Wars Resistance were solely about Kaz, setting up his story while introducing surrounding characters. Instead of using episode 3 to introduce some of these side characters further to the audience, the creative team once again made it all about Kaz.

“The Triple Dark” is a reference to a type of storm, one in which pirates will typically take advantage of due to low visibility. Kaz is attempting to figure this whole spy and mechanic thing out while pirates are targeting the Colossus and their fuel. The pirate’s motives don’t line up until the First Order reveals itself to be the ones truly behind the attack.

Kaz naturally saves the day, thanks to messing things up earlier in the episode, turning his mistake into a growth moment. Because the writers chose to focus only on Kaz in “The Triple Dark”, they missed a huge opportunity to grow and develop other characters. While the episode isn’t a horrible one, the lack of energy and commitment stands out like a sore thumb.

The Better Parts of The Triple Dark

Pirate ships invading the Colossus in The Triple Dark ep 3 of Star Wars Resistance — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

Despite ruining a prime opportunity to develop and grow additional characters on the Colossus, “The Triple Dark” did have a few positive moments. The animation during the fight scene with the pirates was decent, creating an interesting tone with a combination of smooth and shaded lines. Likewise in Kaz’s moments wandering the Colossus, giving the audience a deeper look at the platform base and those who reside on it.

The musical score hit a high point during the action sequence with the pirates, however, it fell short tremendously during Kaz’s adventures on his way to the Office of Acquisitions.

Team Fireball Star Wars Resistance ep 3, The Triple Dark — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

Team fireball got some screen time in “The Triple Dark” but their interaction was generic. Little has been explained about Yeager. Like why is he on the Colossus, and how did he end up running a racing team? The same goes for Tam Ryvora. The only thing we know about her is that she’s a mechanic and doesn’t like Kaz. If anything, not developing her character further in “The Triple Dark” is a huge missed opportunity.

Captain Phasma makes an appearance which was nice, even if she only had a couple lines. And the First Order is shown to be interested in the Colossus, however, the reasons behind their obsession remains a mystery for now.

Star Wars Resistance The Triple Dark Overall Review

Captain Phasma and The First Order in Star Wars Resistance — Team Fireball Star Wars Resistance

After the first two episodes of Star Wars Resistance did an amazing job of introducing a new story, location, and host of characters — it’s sad that “The Triple Dark” fell so short. Disney isn’t lacking in a budget like other animation studios are, and yet, those lower budget production companies are putting out way better filler than Disney did with Resistance.

Hopefully, episode 4 “The High Tower” will bring back the magic found in “The Recruit.” In the meantime, it’ll be interesting to see how further development is given the other characters on the Colossus. There’s still much to learn about Team Fireball, and we barely know anything about The Aces pilots.

Kaz working as a mechanic with Team Fireball in The Triple Dark, episode 3 of Star Wars Resistance — Image via Disney–ABC Domestic Television and Lucasfilm

Did you enjoy Star Wars Resistance “The Triple Dark?” Or was it a huge letdown? Let us know in the comments below!

The next episode of Star Wars Resistance, “The High Tower,” airs October 21^st. “May the Force be with you, always.”

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DC Comics Exclusive Preview: SIDEWAYS #9

Matthew Sardo

October 15, 2018

Sideways #9 hits your local comic book store on October 17, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.

The book is written by DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan Didio, with art by Max Raynor, colors by Daniel Brown, and Travis Lanham lettered the issue. Kenneth Rocafort worked on the cover.

The preview below is set at a funeral and Raynor’s art works well conveying the emotions of the event, each character has a different expression, and no two characters look the same. Raynor also understands the iconic look of Clark Kent, from the awkward facial expression to the fumbling hand gestured. Brown’s style of coloring has become the new normal in comics, but the amount of depth he can create with his colors is still impressive.

About the issue:
Everything’s going sideways for Sideways in the pages of Sideways—and that means trouble for our titular hero. Trapped in the Dark Multiverse with no escape, Derek James comes face to face with this world’s ruler, Perrus. A so-called benevolent dictator, Perrus rules his world with an iron fist and forces its citizens into slavery, so Sideways decides it’s time for a revolt. The revolution proves unsuccessful, but it leads Sideways to a “super” discovery that could save this world and himself.

Check out the preview:

Do you have Sideways on your pull list? Comment below with your thoughts.

If you want to catch up the trade paperback of Sideways Vol. 1: Steppin’ Out (New Age of Heroes) comes out on October 23.

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About the trade:
When high school junior Derek James fell into the Dark Multiverse and came out on the other side with the power to create rifts through space, he didn’t make a vow to use his powers for good. He just wanted to make a splash as the first superhero to live stream his exploits for his fans–Sideways!

But soon Derek finds that peddling his powers for likes and followers isn’t the dream life he thought it would be. There are some serious bad guys out there, including a few who’d like to tear Sideways apart to learn about the Dark Energy that makes him tick.

The world needs Sideways to be a hero. His mom needs him to stay safe and out of trouble. And Derek needs to figure out how to use his rifts without hurting anyone…or destroying the planet.

Sideways is a new kind of hero, rising from the pages of Dark Nights: Metal, created by artist Kenneth Rocafort (Red Hood and the Outlaws) and writers Dan DiDio (The Kamandi Challenge) and Justin Jordan (Green Lantern: New Guardians)! Collects issues #1-6.

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Review: THE WALKING DEAD “The Bridge” Connects and Divides

Kimberly Cook

Bridges have always been metaphors for uniting things. Perhaps being united isn’t something that’s ideal in the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead.

Similarly to last week’s episodes, Rick narrates the goings-on of the new world. Tonight, we find out that these are conversations with Negan while a set of iron bars is between them. It’s almost like he’s bragging to Negan about how wonderful the world is without him, but Negan is questioning Rick’s leadership.

The crew from the Sanctuary have become defiant. They had spent so much time following orders from Negan, and following orders from other colonies isn’t sitting well with them. Some have flat out fought their new colleagues, some have caused danger with the walkers, and others have wandered off. Daryl, as the leader of these degenerates, is yet another person to question Rick. He ponders with Rick if they’re still on the same page.

TWD_902_JLD_0514_0415_RT — Zach McGowan as Justin, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Maggie’s doing her best to keep Hilltop functioning, even if it means making some decisions that the others’ don’t appreciate. Michonne arrives to see if she can talk some sense into her, and Maggie seems to be coming around to the idea of common laws. She, too, is questioning Rick’s leadership. Maggie mentions a conversation the pair shared last season where Rick told Maggie that he’d follow her after. He’s not, and she’s taken notice to this.

With all of this going on, I wonder if Rick is questioning himself. It doesn’t seem that he is. Yet.

TWD_902_JLD_0514_0006_RT — Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

While friction is happening all over the place, budding relationships and romances were blossoming. Jerry found new love, Carol is finally giving in to Ezekiel, and Anne has become smitten with Gabriel. While their relationship is a surprise, Anna and Gabriel have a lot in common, and those bonds have established an unlikely but honest connection.

While she wasn’t a huge focus during this episode when it came to screen time, Enid exuded a maturity that she hasn’t had in the past. Sure, she’s stepped up her fighting game and has tried to establish herself as a worthy community member, but her taking the reigns in a medical emergency gave her a real, honest role. Not only did she remain as calm as possible, but she also had to do so while performing a surgery on someone who she had grown quite close to in Aaron.

Tonight’s episode was full of discords and connections all wrapped up in an hour-long package. At the end of the day, people came together. It’s human nature, as Rick has said. But a civil war is brewing between the communities, and it’s bound to erupt at any moment.

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‘SUPERGIRL’ S4 Ep. 1 Review: “The American Alien”

Jon Barr - TV Editor

Supergirl returns to the CW with a new time slot and a solid new story. “The American Alien” sets up a clear new path for the rest of the year. This episode is a great example of how a show should set the table for the season. While there’s an episode-centric storyline, fans know what to expect from the rest of the season. And if season four is as smart and polished as its first episode, fans are in for a treat.

This season of Supergirl starts in a comforting, optimistic place. Like its fellow CW series The Flash, Supergirl is strongest when it keeps a light tone. That said, it’s not as if “The American Alien” is nothing but hugs. The premiere pits Kara’s optimism against a host of new problems, embodied by the alien-hating terrorist twins. She also has a conflict with a now pacifistic J’onn, as they debate the state of human-alien relations. “The American Alien” touches on all these big, hefty ideas, but leaves room for plenty of development. While there’s a clear standalone plot with protecting the now-exposed President, Supergirl effortlessly teases what’s to come.

The political parallels work really well for this episode as well. Last season stumbled a bit with Morgan Edge, its bland Trump-esque villain. However, the mysterious anti-alien vigilante is a much more interesting antagonist. The anti-alien sentiments running through this episode are reminiscent of classic X-Men issues. The conflict around humanity’s acceptance of aliens is a great well to pull from. It’s a clear parallel to the disturbingly large alt-right movement in America, but it’s also clearly defined by the show’s lore. Supergirl has refined the way it tackles political issues, in a far stronger way.

Melissa Benoist as Kara/Supergirl, CW’S SUPERGIRL (copyright Bettina Strauss/The CWThe plot lines of the side characters work great as well. The way Kara and J’onn butt heads works really well, based on their history and new status. While Alex’s leadership of the D.E.O. isn’t showcased much, her conflict with Braniac helps to ground both characters for the season. The many levels of Luthor deception at play keeps the episode intriguing, as we’re always struggling to tell where Lena stands. All of the main characters in Supergirl get a strong storyline that doesn’t distract from the hero’s main exploits.

What’s not quite as polished is Kara’s new protege, Nia. While newcomer Nicole Maines does a stellar job as the up-and-coming reporter, the importance of her character isn’t evident. The idea that Kara has now become Cat Grant because she has a mentee isn’t as fleshed out as the show seems to think. That’s not to say that Kara won’t become more like Cat, or that Nia has no potential. But in an episode with many fleshed-out storylines, Nia’s is the only one that clearly needs further development.

Overall, “The American Alien” embodies the best elements of Supergirl. It expertly weaves its political interests into a compelling, natural conflict. All of the characters have interesting storylines we can follow into the rest of the year. Not only is this an fun standalone story, but it’s also a great precursor for what’s to come. It’s unclear how every character will fit into the upcoming conflict – particularly Nia – but it’s an exciting journey to be on.

SPOILERS: It will be especially fun to see how Russian Supergirl factors into everything. When she’s done tunneling under trains, of course.

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Review: ‘FIRST MAN’ Is A Brutal, Inspiring & Emotional Achievement

Kieran McLean

Director: Damien Chazelle

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Pablo Schreiber, Corey Stoll, Cory Michael Smith, Jason Clarke and Patrick Fugit.

Synopsis: On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost—on Armstrong and on the nation—of one of the most dangerous missions in history.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4GtJB5WAlQ[/embedyt]

With La La Land and Whiplash, director Damien Chazelle established himself as one of the most talented and driven filmmakers in Hollywood. His latest film, which tells the inspiring story of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) and mankind’s mission to the moon, proves to be his most sophisticated, powerful and compelling work so far.

First Man works for a number of reasons, but the films biggest strength is undoubtedly Damien Chazelle’s pitch-perfect direction. From the opening frame to the closing moment, it’s clear that Chazelle had a specific vision for the movie, which was to place the audience in Neil’s shoes and have us experience these exhilarating and terrifying events as if we were going to the moon ourselves. While we’ve seen multiple versions of this story before, including the real thing, Chazelle differentiates his by exploring Neil on a deeper level, showing him not only as an American hero but as a father and a husband as well. The director should also be praised for giving a more intimate and grounded account of the events, as well as a more realistic and brutal portrayal of space travel in the 1960’s.

While it’s difficult to compare First Man to Chazelle’s previous work, as this film is so tonally and visually different, it’s clear that the director’s ability behind the camera is only improving. Working with cinematographer Linus Sandgren, who also worked on La La Land, Chazelle does a fantastic job of giving First Man a unique visual look, and the documentary style that the director has adopted for this story, only makes the harshness of space travel feel more violent and scary. By placing the audience in Neil’s shoes, Chazelle and Sandgren have ensured that we feel every bump, hear every screw grind and feel the danger that came with every test, launch, and crash. Sandgren’s cinematography also offers plenty of beautiful and breathtaking moments, such as the epic-scale launch and the emotional landing sequence, which is a “must watch” in IMAX.

Ryan Gosling, who made a name for himself portraying stoic and detached characters, is outstanding as Neil Armstrong. While on the outside this character might seem cold and emotionless, there’s a lot of pain and heartbreak bubbling under the surface, and Gosling does an excellent job of presenting both sides of the historical legend. Claire Foy, who portrays Neil’s wife, Janet, is often left to carry the emotional weight of the film and The Crown actor delivers an outstanding and scene-stealing performance, which will undoubtedly earn her a nomination. While First Man has a clear focus on Neil Armstrong’s personal journey and his relationship with Janet, the film is also packed with some notable performances from supporting actors. Kyle Chandler (Deke Slayton), Corey Stoll (Buzz Aldrin), Patrick Fugit and Jason Clarke (Ed White) help to fill the cast, and each of them offers a memorable and powerful performance.

The score, which has been composed by Justin Hurwitz, perfectly enhances the powerful, bombastic and utterly personal style of Chazelle’s film. While the director uses silence to create some of the most memorable and emotional moments in the movie, the score, which sounds suspiciously like a ticking clock, helps to intensify the more stressful, heart-pounding and epic sequences, including the launch scene and Neil’s arrival on the moon.

For the most part, Chazelle, Gosling and Foy manage to keep us entertained and compelled throughout the films extensive runtime, however, it should be noted that the film stalls ever so slightly in the second act and there are moments that the story could have done without. Thankfully, the mesmerising, emotional and epic finale, which rivals some of the best in the genre, more than compensate for the loss of momentum.

OVERALL

Minor issues aside, First Man is an outstanding achievement for everyone involved. Damien Chazelle has delivered his most sophisticated, compelling and emotional film, and the young director has managed to tell an utterly personal and exhilarating story about a husband, and a father, which acknowledges and respects how significant, dangerous and inspiring the moon landing was for humanity.

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STAR WARS NEWS SPIEL: Chuck Wendig Fired, The Mandalorian, Episode IX Rumorville, Resistance, And More.

Daniel Forster

October 14, 2018

BREAKING DOWN STAR WARS NEWS FROM WEEK 2, OCTOBER 2018. BECAUSE IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR, AWAY — THERE’S NEVER A DULL MOMENT.

Without a December Star Wars movie this year, most thought Lucasfilm and its epic sagas would simply fade into the background. This week in Star Wars news, however, proved this logic to be faulty, or as Luke says in TLJ, “every word of what you just said was wrong.”

And it seems The Mandalorian is the series most fans are truly excited about (not including The Clone Wars return). With so many creative minds working on the project, though, who wouldn’t be nerding out? Even Star Wars Resistance created a decent buzz with its premiere on October 7^th.

Everything in the Star Wars news world was peachy throughout our favorite “far, far away galaxy” — until Chuck Wendig announced on Twitter Marvels decision to fire him.

Chuck Wendig Fired Over Tweets

I put all this in a blog post, if any require it —

Also thank you again, seriously, SERIOUSLY, to everyone who has reached out. It has meant the world to me. https://t.co/n7wz3GIaqm

— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) October 12, 2018

Most know Chuck Wendig for the work he’s done with Lucasfilm and Marvel since Disney took over as Captain of the ship. He’s been instrumental in helping bring about a new era of Star Wars lore, writing three novels (Aftermath series) leading up to the events of The Force Awakens and post Return of the Jedi. Within the last month, it was announced Wendig would serve as the lead writer for the Star Wars/Marvel Comic Shadow of Vader.

What most don’t know about Wendig is he got his start as an RPG writer, working on Hunter: The Vigil and other White Wolf projects. He’s also loud and unapologetic regarding his political and personal beliefs, which he often blasted through his Twitter platform.

While some of his Tweets are on the crass side, with an abundance of non-child friendly language, they’re not racist and don’t joke about rape or pedophilia. They’re simply loud and boisterous politically based Tweets.

Why is Wendig’s offense greater than Racheal Butera’s?

“My understanding over this call was that this was a Marvel decision, not an LFL decision, but I can’t really confirm that,” states Wendig on his blog (TerribleMinds) following his termination. “The editor said he had made the call. He seemed genuinely upset at my tweets and profanity, so maybe that’s accurate. And again, that’s his right to do so. If they honestly feel that my presence will damage the book, I don’t want that. I want the book to shine, and artists like Juanan Ramirez and Greg Smallwood to do their amazing thing. Artists like that are gods in my mind, so I’m happy to not distract from their literal magic.”

Wendig states his termination is due to his “lack of civility.” But he also goes on to say, “it seems odd to be mad that I’m mad about politics when – well, look around. Climate change, kids in cages, sexual harassers at the topmost tiers of power, and so on. A call for civility as the PA GOP candidate threatens Tom Wolf with a golf cleat stomping. I dunno, man.”

Because Wendig is a freelancer and isn’t financially tied to comics only, he didn’t miss a beat voicing his opinions once again on Twitter.

Seriously though thanks to all of you for being awesome.

Fucking awesome, even.

— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) October 13, 2018

Other Star Wars News

The hot topic in Star Wars news for the week goes to The Mandalorian. Not only is the shared list of directors beyond impressive, but the series itself is also peaking all of fandoms interest.

The Mandalorian Rifle Reveal

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jon Favreau (@jonfavreau) on Oct 12, 2018 at 7:17pm PDT

Thanks to Jon Favreau’s Instagram, fans got a sneak peek image of The Mandalorian’s rifle strapped on the back. The blaster is ironically a callback to none other than the infamous Holiday Special.

Known in Legends as the Amban phase-pulse blaster, it also made an appearance on Boba-Fett’s back in the animated 1978 series, The Story of the Faithful Wookiee.

Breaking Star Wars news withFirst Look Of Favreau's The Mandalorian — Image via Starwars.com, Lucasfilm, and Disney Studios

Other updated speculation surrounding The Mandalorian includes Taika Waititi taking on a droid role in addition to directing while Bryce Dallas Howard will stretch her acting chops too. No additional castings have been either confirmed or denied since our update last week.

Episode IX Rumors

Despite The Mandalorian hogging attention, Episode IX rumors are on a rampage. Rey’s lineage is back in the forefront after a rumor last week stated her parents would appear in Episode IX. Piggybacking on her bloodline is the rumor which states Palpatine (Darth Sidious) will also make an appearance in Episode IX.

Fans are speculating that Emperor Palpatine arranged Rey’s birth, like how he arranged Anakin Skywalk’s. Yes, the Prequels say it was because of midi-chlorians, but there have been hints dropped regarding an orchestration created by the big baddie himself, Darth Sidious. Which isn’t a stretch because he loves to play the long game.

Additionally, planets from previous Star Wars movies are rumored to play an intricate part in Episode IX, with several filming locations named.

Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic Remake Shut Down

It's with a great sadness that I'm posting today; I recently received a letter from Lucasfilm instructing Poem to end production on Apeiron. After a few days, I've exhausted my options to keep it afloat; we knew this day was a possibility. I'm sorry and may the force be with you pic.twitter.com/OCRmMIjwGT

— Poem Studios (@PoemStudios) October 11, 2018

The studio was tasked with overhauling and redesigning the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game. However, the cords been officially cut. With Lucasfilm and Disney shutting the project down, speculation has arisen as to why.

Some feel another game focusing on the same era is in development, while others feel it was shut-down do avoid Canon disputes. It’s possible a new movie or series is coming in which the Old Republic takes center stage. And we know how Disney likes to rewrite Legends material into their new Canon.

Star Wars Resistance

The first episode “The Recruit” from Star Wars Resistance aired last weekend, with fans and critics equally enjoying it. Even the Rotten Tomatoes score is above 90%. Stay up-to-date and be sure to check out our review of Star Wars Resistance: “The Recruit.”

While the series is full of Disney kid-like humor, the groundwork is there for serious and darker events to occur. It is a show targeted to those under 12, but it’s also for adults too — because it’s Star Wars. Adults are allowed to like kid stuff, and for those who don’t, it seems The Mandalorian will bring balance to the Force.

Be sure to check back in for our review of episode 2 of Star Wars Resistance: “The Triple Dark.”

What Star Wars news excited you the most this past week? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay current on all Star Wars news related items with The Weekly Spiel, and throughout the week here on Monkeys Fighting Robots. Until next time, “May the Force be with you, always.”

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SCOUT COMICS Is Ready To RISE With An All New Series

Manuel Gomez

October 13, 2018

Ever-growing indie publisher Scout Comics is adding another exciting sounding title, Rise, a new fantasy series coming in 2019.

Written, created and drawn by Don Ellis Aguillo, Rise is described as being about a broken, lost, splendidly dysfunctional people (is there any other kind?) who are brought together by a hope they had either lost or knew nothing of but cling to nonetheless. Through tragic circumstances, a 9-year-old girl is set to take the mantle of Queen. She will face resistance from a power-hungry aristocracy and a horde of vampiric demons, all on the brink of war.

Creator Don Ellis Aguillo had this to say:

Children are powerful, magical beings. I think kids are underestimated, especially in the world we now live in. They’re given tremendous responsibility, autonomy, space and are constantly engaged in activity, but are still told they can never really understand the world. I wanted to explore the weight of the world on the shoulders of a child with all these forces against her trying their damnedest to make sure she fails. The world she’s in is not one of her creation and certainly isn’t close to ideal, but she has to learn it. Technology has been replaced with magic. There’s political turmoil. There are dark roads filled with terrible beasts and vast foreign landscapes and an ancient horde of demons waiting in the shadows. And now this little girl, the youngest in her line to ever take the throne of Pacifica, has to undergo a series of trials that involves a trek into that wilderness to explore her world with the guidance of a band of reluctant individuals, burdened by their own tumultuous pasts and hidden agendas. The little entourage is also a lens on the very fluid concept of family and the dynamics that emerge between people who are reluctantly thrown together to face this cold, scary world, and survive it.

Scout Comics President James Haick added:

RISE is an epic and deliciously in-depth tale that we are thrilled to have here at Scout. The story and imagery will no doubt delight our audience, especially those who enjoy a good fantasy/adventure saga. With its involved storyline, beautifully developed characters, and stunning imagery, we at Scout could not be happier to add this title to our already rich and diverse publications

What do you guys think? Scout has been putting out diverse and unique titles, and Rise certainly fits that mold. Comment and discuss below.

Scout Comics & Entertainment was founded to discover, develop, and support content creators in addition to helping translate their projects to different platforms and mediums. Visit them at www.ScoutComics.com.

All images courtesy of Scout Comics.

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Iron Fist Is Cancelled; Show May Continue On Disney’s Streaming Service

Jonathan Bruce

October 13, 2018

Despite a vast improvement in its sophomore year, Iron Fist‘s run on Netflix is over.

The web television series is cancelled and won’t be getting a third season. However, it may find a revival on another streaming service.

According to Deadline, Netflix has chosen to not renew Iron Fist. Although the show has seen improvement, it wasn’t enough for warrant continuation.

“Marvel’s Iron Fist will not return for a third season on Netflix,” says Marvel and Netflix in a statement. “Everyone at Marvel Television and Netflix is proud of the series and grateful for all of the hard work from our incredible cast, crew and showrunners.”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SYoqme8zoE[/embedyt]

Both Netflix and Marvel give a shout-out to the fanbase for their support. “We’re thankful to the fans who have watched these two seasons, and for the partnership we’ve shared on this series. While the series on Netflix has ended, the immortal Iron Fist will live on.”

Despite the cancellation, there is a chance Iron Fist might move over to Disney’s streaming service. Marvel Studios is preparing new series about Loki and Scarlet Witch. While details are few, Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen are thought to be reprising their roles.

The big question is will Kevin Feige give Iron Fist a shot at the new streaming service? Can Iron Fist find success after Netflix? Does he stand a chance of jumping to the MCU film division? Finn Jones may yet play Danny Rand again.

Keep posted for future Iron Fist details.

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BLACK HAMMER: AGE OF DOOM #6 Review: Enter Rich Tommaso

Anthony Composto - EIC

Black Hammer smashes into a new era with Age of Doom#6, and brings along guest artist Rich Tommaso for the ride.

About the issue:
After leaving the Para-Zone, Colonel Weird finds himself in a strange, new place, separated from the rest of the team.

Tommaso is the perfect artist for this arc. Things get surreal real fast, and his style encapsulates that feeling the same way Dean Ormston encapsulated the creepy vibe of previous issues. It’s just a good fit that sets the tone instantly.

His art is bright and vibrant, and it has this indie/underground vibe to it. It’s pop art. You could almost compare it to Mike and Laura Allred’s work, and yet it feels wholly unique. This is what makes Black Hammer such a special read, its ability to look and feel like nothing else on the stands.

And kudos to writer Jeff Lemire for continually keeping this story fresh. If you think you’ve finally got a grasp on what’s going on in Black Hammer, think again. This issue proves that we’ve barely scratched the surface of the series. Lemire is the master of the “exploding premise” – just when the story seems to be settling in, he blows it to pieces and takes a hard left turn. Storytelling like this will keep Hammer engaging and new for years to come.

We’re hitting Grant Morrison levels of crazy now. Lemire is saying to the audience, “oh, you thought we were being meta BEFORE? Hold my Canadian beer.” With this issue, he changes everything you thought you knew about Black Hammer.

A whole new cast of characters is introduced as well, and they’re welcome additions to the universe. Starting with the incredibly named Inspector Insector, these characters are more strange and surreal caricatures of common comic book figures. Insector is the only one of the group to get any kind of characterization in this issue, but just by appearance alone, I can’t wait to see the rest of this motley crew do more next issue.

If you’ve never read Black Hammer before, give this issue a try. It’s a decent jumping on point, though there’s no substitute for starting from the beginning. But it gives a great sense of how weird and interesting the series can be, and Rich Tommaso is the perfect fit for this universe. Here’s hoping we see more of his work down the line after next issue.

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INTERVIEW: Brandon Roberts And How To Make Music With WWII Artillery Shells

Ruben Diaz

October 12, 2018

Composer Brandon Roberts makes music for a wide range of projects that include films like Logan and A Quiet Place, as well as TV Shows such as Battlestar Galactica and Divergence but his work on Unbroken: Path to Redemption takes composing scores to some explosive new places.

Monkeys Fighting Robots spoke with Brandon about making music for a million-and-one thing and sonic experimentation.

Getting Started

Brandon is a busy man “ There are not enough hours in the day.” A look through his filmography will take some time.

Streaming services are generating a lot of new things to watch, so people like Brandon are in demand “We’re in the golden age of content … it’s a pretty neat time.”

What else does this Golden Age provide? “So many producers and directors are open to new blood, new talent. When I first started out, it was much more about keeping to the top 10 or 20 guys. That permeated to people like screenwriters and directors. Now, they’re just like ‘hey, if I like the sound of the person they’re in.’”

About Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Brandon’s latest project is Unbroken: Path to Redemption “It follows Louis Zamperini’s life after returning from World War II and having to deal with PTSD … using alcohol.” Zamperini is played by Samuel Hunt (Empire).

If you think that being a film composer is just about playing musical instruments then you’d be wrong “I purchased Japanese artillery shells from WWII. They’re brass, so they resonate, so I did all sorts of stuff to them and sampled it. I created this whole sonic palette that’s supposed to be the subconscious of everything his soldier is going through. It created this harkening back to what he experienced in WWII.” Don’t worry, I asked, and the shells were not live and never fired, though how much fun would that be?

Why such great detail? “I know no one will consciously understand that I used artillery shells, but they will know that something special is happening here.”

Shhh … A Quiet Place

Composers see the movies we love without sound or with temporary music. So, did Brandon see a cut of A Quiet Place without a score? “I did, generally there’s a temp score, but in the case of A Quiet Place, music was used in such a unique and sparing way that the temp score didn’t really matter. It was more to start a discussion. Marco Beltrami completely reimagined the idea of how the music was going to work …”

A Quiet Place presented something special, even before the music “Ironically, the movie worked with no music at all and that’s always a really good sign. Then it was a question of pulling back music in places where most movies would have music. [John] Krasinski and Beltrami had a ton of conversations about where to pull the music out and where to put it in.”

Neo-Western Acid Jazz

Brandon’s worked on several comic book properties like The Wolverine and Fantastic Four “I wasn’t a huge comic book fan growing up … it just never came into my orbit.” Brandon also helped make Logan into the phenomenal film it is. “Right off the bat, Mangold wanted to try something different. So, we tried some stuff, it was a pretty wild period of experimentation.”

How does he describe Logan’s sound? “It’s neo-western acid jazz is what it really is.”

The kind of music wasn’t the only thing the film’s score focused on “Mangold wanted the music to sound raw and in your face. He wanted it recorded that way too, a sort of 70s sounding thing. The engineer had to figure out how to make that happen.”

Logan is considered a class above most comic book movies “The film was pushing the envelope in terms of reinventing a comic book action film musically.”

For Brandon, the film had something special “I tend to gravitate to more grounded stories. That’s one thing Logan had going for it compared to a lot of movies in the genre.”

Wrapping Up

Showbiz never stops “Marco, and I just scored a film called Underwater. It all takes place on the ocean floor. We did some really neat experiments with vocals.”

Brandon’s also busy with a new TV project “… I’m working on … a TV pilot called Motherland. I’m experimenting with military throat microphones which are basically this neck strap that records the vibrations from your throat as opposed to the movement of the air. So I’ve been doing some weird things, recording people’s voices and putting it through walkie-talkies. I got dropped into the world of military paraphernalia.”

Because it’s my article, I got to ask Brandon a little bit about his work on Pushing Daisies, a long defunct show that I will never stop loving “It was a great show.” About Jim Dooley, the main composer of Pushing Daisies “He gave it everything he had. He earned that Emmy.”

One last thing, Who do you love to listen to? “I really like Mica Levi … her score in Jackie is unbelievable. That was not an easy movie to score and the way she scored it was genius. Ben Frost’s score for Dark [Netflix] blew me away. Those are two that made me jump on the computer and buy their music and figure out what the heck they’re doing.”

Thanks to Brandon Roberts and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

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