Mister Miracle #11 is out today, the penultimate chapter in the Tom King/Mitch Gerads New Gods epic.
About the issue:
Scott and Barda head to Apokolips to enact their plan.
King and Gerads deliver the goods yet again. Over the course of eleven issues, we’ve seen their work evolve and grow, and here – in the endgame – they’re at the height of their respective powers. The series feels like it’s coming to a very natural ending. Nothing seems rushed or out of place; it’s fulfilling in every sense of the word. Every panel feels perfect (and, as you know, there are a lot of them). Mister Miracle has been a master class in pacing and building tension, and heading into the final chapter, I have no doubt that they’ll stick the landing.
Thematically speaking, the purpose of King’s story comes more into focus with each issue. We’ve known the broad brushstrokes since the beginning: the feelings of depression, anxiety, and entrapment. But now, at the end, everything seems to be coming together to deliver something powerful. You’ll just have to read it yourself to see what that something is.
It’s hard to talk about Gerads’ work here without spoiling anything. Heck, it’s hard to talk about this comic period without spoiling anything. Everything that happens on every page is integral to the story. Suffice it to say, Mitch is amazing at what he does, and he earned every bit of the Eisner he won. The raw emotion and power he put into this issue is palpable. He’ll make you laugh, make you cry, and make you scream expletives for various reasons. Thank Highfather that DC is is giving him the time he needs to finish this series at his own pace instead of rushing him. The end product is well worth the wait.
And let me just take a moment to say about much I’ve enjoyed Clayton Cowles lettering throughout this run. He’s added a retro, Kirby-esque punch to this otherwise hypermodern comic.
That’s it! That’s all you’re going to get out of me! Quit twisting my arm and go buy Mister Miracle #11 as soon as your comic shop opens.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is taking aim at the small screen in a whole new way! According to Variety, Disney’s upcoming streaming service will feature standalone, limited series featuring major MCU characters like Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and other characters who haven’t appeared in their own movies.
The report also states that major MCU actors like Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen are expected to reprise their roles in the shows, which will reportedly run for 6-8 episodes and have extremely large budgets. Unlike previous MCU shows, these will be produced by Marvel Studios, with studio boss Kevin Feige overseeing development and production.
This is obviously massive news, and fans (myself included) are likely freaking out at the idea of a Loki or Scarlet Witch standalone series. As someone who’s wanted to see Elizabeth Olsen in a Scarlet Witch movie for quite some time, I’m incredibly excited to see what Marvel has planned for these limited shows and more than anything, it’s great to see that the MCU is expanding and exploring new ways of developing these characters and these superheroes.
It’s important to note that the studio had no comment regarding this story. Hopefully, we’ll begin to hear more as the shows enter development and the streaming service has launched.
Dead Rabbit, by creators Gerry Duggan and John McCrea, is a brand new on-going crime title from Image Comics. The book tells the tale of Martin, a legendary masked thief/criminal who ran in the Boston underground in the ’90s. Much like Robin Hood, Rabbit gained fame by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. When Martin finds himself in need of caring for his ailing wife, he once again puts on his mask.
Duggan and McCrea both took time from their hectic schedules to talk to us at Monkeys Fighting Robots about this exciting new title.
MFR: Gerry and John, thanks for taking time from creating like a zillion comics to answer a few questions for us at Monkeys Fighting Robots!
Duggan:It’s nice to be taking a break from writing to answer a few questions, and the name of your website is outstanding!
McCrea: A pleasure!
MFR: Can you tell us a bit about the story and world of Dead Rabbit?
Duggan:It’s a crime noir romance about a thief that is forced to come out of retirement to help get rid of medical debts. It’s set both in Boston in the 90s and in the present day, post-middle class America.
MFR: Dead Rabbit feels like such a fleshed out idea. Where did the story and concept come from?
Duggan:John and I had been threatening each other with a collaboration for a long time, and this began to take shape over the last year. It’s a combination of things we love: noir, action, comedy, crime. And we haven’t forgotten the romance. John will make you care for Martin and Megan Dobbs. He even made my heartbreak when we had to whack one of the early villains.
MFR: John, your line work in Dead Rabbit, seems to be a slight departure in terms of your usual style. What made you choose a more ‘realistic’ look for this title?
McCrea:It’s more that the story chose the style, to be honest, the story is fantastic but not fantastical… Very rooted in our world and the problems we all face as a society now.
MFR: Dead Rabbit is also very sleek and instantly classic looking character. How did you arrive at such a cool look and design for your protagonist?
McRea:Gerry wanted a mask, cap, suit, and gloves… I threw everything I could think of at it, and then just chiseled away at it, removing all the unnecessary details. The best design is usually the simplest. Rabbit’s silhouette with the 2 red xs looks cool and scary; also I stole the gloves from the Octopus from the Spirit, I am a huge Eisner fan, and this is my little tip of the hat to him.
MFR: Gerry, Dead Rabbit also features the long storytelling/cultural idea of the ‘heroic thief.’ What makes this archetype so endearing?
Duggan:I think readers will see regardless of their cultural background or political lean that corporations have the most power, free-speech and reach in today’s America. Unions have been curtailed, and unemployment is low, but so are wages. Dead Rabbit is undoubtedly a thief out to take what is not his, but he will rarely be the biggest crook in his stories.
MFR: There’s also a bit of a historical connection to the whole Gangs of New York period in history. Have you always been interested in this part of America’s past?
Duggan:I have. I’ve read GODS OF GOTHAM, THE ALIENIST, and Chris Elliot’s THE SHROUD OF THE THWACKER. I think that’s all I need to know. How he got, that name will be revealed in our second arc. It’s one of John’s ideas.
MFR: Did you have to do much research into this period of history?
Duggan:Well, it’s a contemporary story, with flashbacks to 90s Boston which I lived through if only just barely, so I’m really revved to write this.
MFR: The dichotomy between Rabbit and Martin is pretty different. You introduce Rabbit as a sleek bad-ass criminal, but when we meet him as Martin, he literally has a hand up his ass dealing with a very real and relatable situation: hemorrhoids. Was this introduction always going to be the way to reveal the man beneath the mask? Why did you choose to humanize him in such a unique way?
Duggan:Character introductions are so important. Dobbs’ entrance is definitely a statement on the current state of the human condition, but when Dobbs puts on that mask, he’s free of mere mortal concerns like hemorrhoids. There’s no justice that you don’t reach out and grab. John’s really done such a great job with the visual storytelling. We have a lot of corpses in this book, but the remains of the middle class are being picked clean throughout. If that’s not your thing, we have a fight scene with a full uncorked tank of laughing gas. Good times will be had, even when the times are bad.
MFR: What’s it like working with the legendary John McCrea?
Duggan:I’ve been so lucky in collaborators for so long, but this feels like I’m one of those assholes you hear about that manages to keep winning the lottery. I’m so thrilled that I could coerce John into this partnership. Look at the pages that he and Mike are creating — they’re putting on a clinic. Co-creating with John has been a dream.
MFR: What made you choose John for Dead Rabbit?
Duggan:I think Dead Rabbit chose John and I to be honest.
MFR: And what made Image Comics the perfect home for this book?
Duggan:Image was the first place to publish me, and they did that twice before anyone else wanted to roll the dice me. I’m proud to publish my creator-owned comics at Image. The whole Image team makes us look great. I’m very grateful. I have more Image creator-owned collaborations on the way in 2019.
MFR: John, What’s the process with Gerry like? What kind of scripts do you get?
McCrea:Full script, but I have had a wee bit of input to the story, especially when we were still figuring the character out…aside from a gritty noir thriller, there is a strong love story at its core. Martin and Meghan are such grounded and enjoyable characters; it gives the drama so much more gravitas.
MFR: Gerry how much of Rabbit’s world and story do you have planned out?
Duggan:A couple of years worth of comics. We can always pull the cord for our exit whenever we need to, but we have a compelling story to tell, and lovely characters to introduce.
MFR: Can you tease anything to get us stoked?
Duggan:John McCrea and Mike Spicer make gorgeous, horrific and hilarious comic art. We have a lot of fun stories planned for the next few years.
MFR: What do you guys want comic readers to get from Dead Rabbit?
McCrea: A fully rounded comic experience, to be immersed in story and art and to fall in love with the characters.
Duggan:They get to come along on a ride that I want to experience myself. We are just trying to make the comic that wasn’t on stands that we wanted to add to our pull lists. We appreciate everyone that gives us a shot this October. And much thanks to Will Dennis for the edits and Joe Sabino for the letters!
Dead Rabbit #1 hits your local comic book store on October 5.
What did you think of the conversation with Duggan and McCrea, are you going to add Dead Rabbit to your pull list? Comment below with your thoughts.
An acquaintance stated “Gundam Build Divers is to Gundam Build Fighters” as “Beast Machines is to Beast Wars.” Thought the sequel series pale in comparison to their origin, episodes like this help to showcase just how much punch Gundam Build Divers has to offer.
Summary
Time is running out as the battle between Riku and the Champion ensues. Can Riku make up for the different in experience?
Review
SPOILER ALERT
The Game Master goes full evil villain in this episode. Despite the defense of “he’s doing his job” he comes across as malicious. As the battle rages on he makes it a point to show Sarah how poorly her friends are doing. Seems like he is intentionally rubbing salt into her wounds.
The battle between Riku and Kyoya is the highlight of the episode. Both characters push themselves to the limit and it results in some incredible giant robot combat to unfold. The arrival of some additional combatants to the fight also adds to the intensity and helps to make the episode even more enjoyable.
Well, all’s well and the series can just come to a nice and simple…WHAT? A final boss out of nowhere? What is this the latest Final Fantasy game? Alright, as this mysterious and menacing machine isn’t brought until the last few seconds of this episode, it will not affect its score. Still, there better be at least some kind of explanation why this giant behemoth is needed to end the series. Hopefully it doesn’t turn out to be a thinly veiled reason for all the former enemies to show they love Sarah and they are sorry for trying to kill her. The series can’t afford to lose any valuable points on a last episode by having such a flimsy final plot point.
Gundam Build Divers is Streaming on The GundamInfo YouTube Channel.
Our favorite adamantium-bonded mutant is finally back, and in spectacular fashion. Return Of Wolverine #1 explodes and satisfies, completely drenched in blood.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Whether you’ve been keeping up with all those Hunt For Wolverine tie-ins or not, the time has come to celebrate the return of the Logan we all grew up with. The James Howlett we all emulate every time we stick pens or knives in between our knuckles. The man with no-doubt the longest Marvel Wiki page. His glorious return to comic books makes the Marvel landscape that much more exciting.
We’ve been waiting for this since 2014’s Death Of Wolverine. We’ve seen a few flashes of him throughout the Marvel line of comics since Marvel Legacy #1, but those only increased anticipation of this official reintroduction to our lives.
Writer Charles Soule knew he had to craft a story that did more than just threw Wolverine back into action–and he did just that. Return Of Wolverine #1 is massive love letter to one of the most cherished characters in all of comics. It’s also a brutal and gruesome rebirth of a hero that’s just been off the board for too long.
Mysteries are something that Charles Soule is very good at crafting and unraveling. Readers will be right there along with Wolverine as he tries to navigate and piece together his surroundings and just what hell is going on.
Who are these scientists suffering around every corner? Who is this villainous devil, Persephone? Who are we supposed to trust and how does Logan fit into it all? Is that Omega Red?! There’s plenty of questions being asked and knowing that Soule is behind the wheel means the answers will most likely be satisfying ones.
Having Logan slowly piece together who is through that gigantic prison of characters is a brilliant device. We see the savage animal, the blue & yellow hero and Patch among some of Logan’s supporting cast members. This historical “personality prison” will revisit the long history we love to celebrate while reminding us who the hero before us really is.
The story Ana tells us about why Wolverine wears his classic yellow & blue colors was an effective flex of inspiration (even if he follows that up by debuting a different look). Wolverine is always down on himself for being a murderer. His reputation as a legendary hero has always been through the eyes of others.
Return Of Wolverine #1’s biggest hits come from the phenomenal art team. It’s great to have Wolverine back, but the way he’s depicted here is what blows the doors off of the hype-bus.
This issue gives Wolverine a rebirth and baptism in blood–in the best way possible. Colorist Laura Martin makes every panel, oozing with blood and pain, into a striking display of carnage. Logan has really been through some shit, and he’s wearing it all over his body. Martin keeps the visuals from going overboard while making each page pop.
Steve McNiven and inker Jay Leisten are the MVPs of this issue. It’s not just that we get a great looking Wolverine, but we get the best Wolverine possible. He’s a bloody, shaggy, hairy mess. He’s not a handsome or slick stud superhero, he’s a rugged animal that wears his experience all over his body.
Logan’s attitude, posture, and demeanor are striking. He looks like a culmination of all the best Wolverine comics of the 90s. The visuals on display here exceed expectations and elevate a solid script into a comic you’re going to want to reread immediately.
Letterer Joe Sabino puts forth a notable effort. Great lettering is that which you barely notice. Sabino’s letters in Return Of Wolverine #1 are almost impossible not to notice, they evolve along with the story as things start to unfold.
The new costume may not be the most satisfying reveal after an ode to his classic costume, but it’s nowhere near his worst look. We don’t need to get into Wolverine’s new “hot claws” ability yet, we only see it for a single shot.
Marvel has been on fire with bringing back their long dead characters of note. This wave of resurrections has been monumental in Marvel clawing their way back to domination of comic book shelves.
Return Of Wolverine #1 fires on all cylinders. This is exactly what we’ve been waiting for and more. Steve McNiven puts on a spectacular show while Charles Soule begins taking us on a blood-covered mystery. This epic return of our favorite mutant is stupendous in every possible way.
In the latest episode of Kieran’s Movie Space, Kieran delivers his spoiler-free review of Netflix’s first major animated movie, Next Gen. Is this a movie that both kids and adults will enjoy? Does the animation quality compete with other studios like Pixar and DreamWorks? Listen to my review and find out!
When lonely Mai forms an unlikely bond with a top-secret robot, they embark on an intense, action-packed adventure to foil the plot of a vicious villain.
Kieran’s Movie Space is an insightful, fun and reliable new podcast for fans of all things cinema. Host Kieran McLean delivers in-depth reviews of the latest movie releases, from small indie movies to massive blockbusters. New episodes weekly…or whenever I feel like posting.
In the latest episode of Kieran’s Movie Space, Kieran discusses and reviews the highly-anticipated first trailer for Captain Marvel, which promises to be another fun adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
If you like what you hear, it would be awesome if you hit the like/subscribe buttons and drop a comment in the appropriate section.
Kieran’s Movie Space is an insightful, fun and reliable new podcast for fans of all things cinema. Host Kieran McLean delivers in-depth reviews of the latest movie releases, from small indie movies to massive blockbusters. New episodes weekly…or whenever I feel like posting.
The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson (Carol Danvers), Jude Law (Mar-Vell), Gemma Chan (Doctor Minerva), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Ben Mendelsohn, Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson), Lee Pace (Ronan) and Djimon Hounsou (Korath the Pursuer).
Prospect is a new science fiction movie that promises to be equal parts dynamic and disturbing. The modestly budgeted film is grounded more in gritty realism than over-the-top effects or action set pieces though there are some damned pretty shots in this trailer. Prospect is set for release on November 2nd.
About Prospect
Official Synopsis: A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote moon on the hunt for elusive riches. But there are others roving the moon’s toxic forest, and the job quickly devolves into a desperate fight to escape.
Prospect was written and directed by Christopher “Chris” Caldwell and Zeek Earl. The film is based on their own short film from 2014 of the same name. The short garnered the duo some festival awards and a lot of attention. This is also their first feature film. The full-length version stars Sophie Thatcher as the girl that’s in over her head as well as Jay Duplass and Pedro Pascal.
Prospect features a cast that includes …
Sophie Thatcher as Cee
Pedro Pascal as Ezra
Jay Duplass as Damon
Andre Royo as Oruf
Sheila Vand as Inumon
Anwan Glover as Mikken
Trick Danneker as Jack
Luke Pitzrick as Number Two
Doug Dawson as Heshir
Arthur Deranleau as Fahr
Shepheard Earl as Conductor
Prospect certainly has the attention of a lot of science fiction fans out there. The low-key nature of the film appeals to a broad swath of viewers who like that quieter approach as opposed to blowing things up every three seconds. The trailer is filled with the same sort of tension as the phenomenal short film. Pedro Pascal’s performance as revealed in the trailer looks deliciously sinister at times.
The concept of Prospect as a sort of science fiction gold rush in space is rich with potential storytelling. The feature builds out the world of the short with a bigger budget that provides for some interesting visuals. However, it doesn’t look like they went crazy with money and the film is still focused around the very real and down to earth (toxic alien moon?) threats facing the characters.
Netflix dropped a bomb Tuesday morning with the announcement of a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series coming to the streaming service. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the original series on Nickelodeon, will return as showrunners of the live-action show.
The tweet also mentions the show will be a reimagining of the animated series, with concept art by John Staub.
No announcement on cast, additional crew, or release date at this time. This is a breaking news story and will be updated as details are revealed.
Avatar: The Last Airbender the animated series ran from 2003 to 2008. The sequel to the series, The Legend of Korra ran for four seasons from 2012 to 2014.
Are you excited for a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series? Comment below with your thoughts.
The new animated series created by Dave Filoni, Star Wars Resistance, is almost here and with it comes the titles for the first four episodes of season one. Focusing on a squadron of pilots named The Aces who guard the Colossus, the show takes place just months before the events of The Force Awakens.
The series includes the return of fan favorites like General Organa, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, and the infamous Captain Phasma. In addition, there’s a host of new and quirky characters, along with ships never seen before in the Star Wars franchise.
Image via Disney Channel and Lucasfilm
Thanks to Wishlist.com, we now have the first four-episode titles for Star Wars Resistance.
Episode 1: “The Recruit,” premieres October 7th at 10 pm EST on the Disney Channel.
“The Triple Dark,” episode 2 premieres October 14th.
Episode 3: “Fuel for the Fire,” premieres October 21st.
“The High Tower,” episode 4 premieres October 28th.
Everything We Know So Far About Star Wars Resistance
Image via Disney Channel and Lucasfilm
Disney and Lucasfilm are pumping out content for the series, beginning with their first trailer titled Meet the Fireball Team.
Located in the outer rim of the galaxy, stands a platform named the Colossus. Tasked with protecting the Resistance base are five elite pilots, who during peaceful times, improve their skills through racing.
Introduced in the second Star Wars Resistance trailer, these pilots are known as The Aces.
The ace hotshots of the Colossus, according to Dave Filoni, “are a group of pilots among the best in the galaxy.” From childhood prodigies like Torra Doza to ex-Imperial pilot Griff Halloran, The Aces are all that stand in the First Orders way towards their goal of destroying the Republic. They just don’t know it, yet.
Star Wars Resistance will air at 10 pm EST on October 7, 2018. The new animated series airs on the Disney Channel, Disney XD, and other Disney platforms.
Are you excited about the new Star Wars Resistance animated series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! “May the Force be with you, always.”
It’s hard to talk about Gerads’ work here without spoiling anything. Heck, it’s hard to talk about this comic period without spoiling anything. Everything that happens on every page is integral to the story. Suffice it to say, Mitch is amazing at what he does, and he earned every bit of the Eisner he won. The raw emotion and power he put into this issue is palpable. He’ll make you laugh, make you cry, and make you scream expletives for various reasons. Thank Highfather that DC is is giving him the time he needs to finish this series at his own pace instead of rushing him. The end product is well worth the wait.
