Netflix Monday morning released the first trailer for Outlaw King starring Chris Pine and directed by David Mackenzie.
The film will debut as the opening night film at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 and hit Netflix on November 9.
Outlaw King stars Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Tony Curran, Stephen Dillane, James Cosmo, and Sam Spruell. Bash Doran, James MacInnes, and Mackenzie worked on the screenplay.
About the movie: OUTLAW KING tells the untold, true story of Robert the Bruce who transforms from defeated nobleman to outlaw hero during the oppressive occupation of medieval Scotland by Edward I of England. Despite grave consequences, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies an impassioned group of men to fight back against the mighty army of the tyrannical King and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.
Are you excited for Outlaw King? Do you think Netflix is pushing for an award? Comment below with your thoughts.
Lil’ Donnie: Executive Privilege knocks Trump and his cronies down a peg, chronicling the “adventures” of the worst president in United States history.
Executive Privilege collects the first 125 strips of Mike Norton’s Rueben Award-nominated webcomic.
You’re probably thinking, “Ugh, I’m so tired of Trump and Trump-based comedy.” It’s understandable. But Lil’ Donnie is the exception to the rule. Norton has described the series as him “screaming into the void.” He is (like many people) infuriated by Trump and company, and this comic strip was his way of “[getting] off his ass” and doing something.” Whatever money he makes at conventions gets donated to organizations that try to counteract the damage Trump is doing.
Each strip tackles something specific that’s been in the news, but with an absurd or surreal twist. A minor twist, at that. That’s probably the funniest thing about Lil’ Donnie – how true-to-life it is despite its absurdity (I’m actually not sure if that’s the funniest thing or the scariest).
Norton admits that the comic is petty, but it’s cathartic to create, and it’s cathartic to read. That’s what sets it apart from the late night monologues and Alec Baldwin impressions that we’ve all grown tired of. Lil’ Donnie channels our collective anger better. It’s not just being silly or stating a punch line. It doesn’t dance around the issues. It takes direct aim at specific people and things and exposes their idiocy. Reading it is like saying “f*ck you” to Trump, which again is admittedly childish, but it also feels good.
The art is what really sells Lil’ Donnie. Norton does little things, like draw Trump’s hands tiny and make Sean Spicer’s suit too big. The window in the Oval Office constantly shows the outside world as being on fire. It tickles you, and makes the biting commentary taste so much sweeter.
Watch us speak with Norton about Lil’ Donnie:
Look, is Lil’ Donnie going to solve all of society’s ills? No. Is it going to humiliate Trump into resigning? God, I hope so, but probably not. But it provides momentary relief, and it’s comforting to see that there are still sane people out there that see the truth.
The world needs art like Lil’ Donnie. It’s so important to support work that keeps those in power in check – especially when those in power are trying to stomp out free speech at every turn. And while it won’t change any Trump supporters’ minds, Lil’ Donnie is a constant reminder to the rest of us that what’s going on in America isn’t normal, and that we shouldn’t stand for it.
Lil’ Donnie: Executive Privilege is out this week from Image Comics. Pick it up and scream into the void with Mike Norton.
Preacher hurtles headlong towards a bloody season 3 climax in the grimly comic, action-packed “Schwanzkopf”.
Preacher Feature is a weekly look into the AMC show Preacher based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. In this column, Josh Versalle gives a breakdown of the events from the show (including how they relate to the comics), and speculates as to what’s going on and what might be coming up. That means SPOILERS are bound to follow, so if you haven’t watched the episode yet, turn back now.
Looking to get caught up on last week’s action? Look no further.
With only one more episode coming this season, it’s no surprise this episode was filled with excitement, blood, and outrageous action. “Schwanzkopf” is definitely not for the squeamish, as director Kevin Hooks leans fully into the often hilarious violence that is such a staple of Preacher.
The Long Bus Ride to Hell
Tulip confronts Sydney (the Angel of Death) to get back the briefcase full of souls she worked so hard to steal from Japan. Tulip may be a hard-hearted sonofabitch, but she’s not completely without mercy. Instead of letting Featherstone be dragged to to Hell in her place, Tulip says that Featherstone isn’t the one Satan is seeking. This act of kindness costs her, though, as blissfully naive Eugene calls out to Tulip by name and she gets dragged onto the bus while Jody grabs the souls for Marie.
After a couple of failed escape attempts (accompanied by some delightful diagrams), Tulip goads the Saint of Killers into lashing out at her. His punch sends her flying headfirst into a window, but that window cracks, allowing the possibility of escape. Hitler kicks out the window, but at that very moment his buddy Hal rides in to rescue him, upending the bus with a Nazi tank. Tulip ends up barely conscious on the floor, with Hell’s minions on one side and a pack of Nazis on the other.
“An example must be made”
When Cassidy told Eccarius he would reveal his terrible secret (that Eccarius was killing the people he turned into vampires in order to increase his unholy power), he expected Ecc to kill him. Instead, Eccarius allowed Cass to tell the rest of Les Enfants du Sang, knowing they wouldn’t believe him. Eccarius has them so devoted to him that they are convinced Cassidy is the evil one. Taking a page out of the James Bond villain playbook, Eccarius stakes Cass to a pool table and leaves him to be killed when the sun’s rays reach him.
With Les Enfants gone and his doom nearly upon him, Cassidy uses his charm and guile to convince Mrs. Rosen (in whose basement this is all taking place) to reach out to Lisa and let her know Cassidy is sorry. We’ll have to wait until next week’s season finale to see if this ploy to expose Eccarius will result in Mrs. Rosen helping Cass to escape, but I’d say there’s a strong chance of it.
“On your knees, Man of God”
Facing the prospect of having Genesis be transferred into the imbecilic Christ-child Humperdoo, Jesse manages to get the better of All-Father and instead sends Genesis into the obese head of the Grail. The power of Genesis is so great that, like Tom Cruise before him, All-Father is obliterated in a shower of gore and the supernatural being is returned to Jesse. If you remember from way back in season two, a part of Jesse’s soul is still missing. As Starr returns, the 1% of Jesse’s previously-extracted soul slips out of the disembodied anus of All-Father and falls to the ground. A comically disgusting race ensues (think Double Dare, but with entrails in place of slime) and Jesse once again prevails. With the last bit of his soul back in place, Jesse has the full power of Genesis and the Word of God at his disposal. Everything’s looking up, right? Of course not. In classic villain style, Starr reveals to Jesse the Grail’s 3-part plan:
Reveal Humperdoo, their tap-dancing Christ, to the world.
Allow the world’s population to either accept him as their savior or not.
Nuke the Earth, allowing the faithful to follow Humperdoo into paradise on Earth, while the non-believers are cursed to the fiery pits of Hell.
Starr threatens that if Jesse won’t play the role of Messiah, the Grail will use Humperdoo instead. Jesse responds with his own threat, saying he’ll kill Humperdoo. What Starr already knows is that Jesse isn’t “that kind of murderer” – he won’t kill an innocent like Humperdoo, even if to leave him alive risks Armageddon. But Jesse comes up with a plan even Starr hadn’t considered – he mixes Humperdoo in with all his clones, then sends them out into the world, so that the Grail won’t know which of these cretins is the genuine article.
Jesse, once again in possession of Genesis, heads into the season finale walking towards Angelville, looking every bit the cowboy heading off to a showdown with evil.
Connections and Easter Eggs
For those of you whose German is a little rusty, “schwanzkopf” is slang for dickhead (technically tail-head, but I think we can safely assume).
Just like the hats from a few weeks ago, the wigs Starr is forced to wear to cover his phallus-shaped head is based on a great visual gag from the comics:
There has been no official word yet from AMC about the status of a fourth season of Preacher. Fans may have to wait until after next week’s season finale before they find out if we’ll get to see Jesse finish his quest to find God.
The Scout Regiment of Attack On Titan seems to be at the end of their rope. Will they find a way to bounce back or will this be the act which seals their fate?
Summary
The fate of the Scout Regiment and Commander Smith are revealed.
SPOILERS WARNING
Review
This has got to be one of the few episodes of Attack On Titan without a single battle scene. There is next to no violence whatsoever. The conspiracy theory plays out in a way which seems planned. Of course it’s a series so of course it was plotted out and planned by someone. Still seems like it goes from the “scouts are sentenced to death” to “the scouts are okay and their are on top” in a matter of seconds.
This is the most optimal way for a group to enact a political take over. With no death, no one is going to come back in later episodes screaming about revenge. Still, it seems like one of the nobles should have at least tried to fight back by pulling a pistol or something. Yeah, they were outnumbered but by the end of it they are backed so far against a wall they have no choice but to surrender. You would think at least one of them would snap and try something rash. This episode is the exact opposite of every change of political dynamic which has ever played out in Game of Thrones.
It’s also very amusing when the fake King finally does say something and reveals himself to be a complete puppet. Like Ben Kingsley from Iron Man 3 levels of total imposter. It’s obvious he wasn’t a King who gave a lot of public speeches.
Not the best episode of Attack On Titan but still offers a lot of good world building. Also it looks like the things are really going to get intense next episode.
Black Hammer: Age of Doom returns this week with issue four, and (literally) blows the doors off of everything that’s come before it.
As always, it’s written by Jeff Lemire, drawn by Dean Ormston, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Todd Klein.
Think of Black Hammer as a roller coaster. Up until this point, the series has been climbing up the hill. We know there’s a drop coming, and a crazy thrill ride ahead of us, but we’re not there yet. It’s just build-up and anticipation. It’s still a mystery.
Last issue of Black Hammer, we finally reached the top of that hill. We haven’t taken the drop yet, but we can see it now. The anticipation and tension hit its peak.
This issue finally takes the drop.
It’s the hardest issue to talk about, because everything that happens is a major spoiler. All I can say is that Lemire lays down all his cards in these 22 pages. It’s nuts. The characters all let loose, even the ones that seemed the most calm and put together, and it’s incredibly cathartic to read. Yes, major questions are finally answered…but the answers raise about 100 new questions. This team knows how to keep its audience invested and coming back month after month.
Dean Ormston delivers his most powerful work yet. It’s not just “powerful” as in big action scenes or super-detailed splash pages. It’s emotionally powerful – the kind of powerful that can only be earned after carefully laying the groundwork for so many issues.
Ormston has made Gail the stand-out character of this cast. She’s the heart and soul of the book. She generates the most emotional resonance with the reader, and it’s all through the art. Every time she explodes in a fit of rage, or breaks down in tears, it’s Ormston and Stewart’s art that delivers the gut punch. And you better believe I’m bringing that up because there’s a Gail gut punch (or two…or three) in this issue.
Ok! That’s it! Can’t say any more! Black Hammer fans, you were going to pick up this issue anyway, but trust me when I say pick it up ASAP on New Comic Book Day and put it right at the top of your read pile. No, wait, don’t even put it on the pile. Just pay for it and read it right there in the store. Or in your car if you’re shy.
To all the fans of the Netflix original, animated series, Voltron: Legendary Defender, please listen carefully to the following announcement: Remember the message of this show and understand you have a right to be angry but you need to direct your anger appropriately. Lashing out in rage is not what this series has been about. If the staff is going to learn from there mistakes, so should you. For those who are unaware, let’s start with a little background.
Spoilers For VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER Season 7
Criticism For Season 7
Many complaints have come after the release of season 7. Hashtags such as #VoltronLegendaryDisappointment and #VoltronLegendaryQueerbaiting started to appear. It is the second which is the most disconcerting and needs to be addressed.
Queer Baiting is defined as “the practice to hint at, but then to not actually depict, a same-sex romantic relationship between characters in a work of fiction, mainly in film or television.”
After the announcement at SDCC fans were eager to see the relationship Shiro had with a character known as Adam before Shiro went into space. Unfortunately, the fans were let down. There was only a brief scene between Adam and Shiro together, and their relationship could have been view as good friends more than dating. The situation was made worse when Adam is shown to be one of the casualties in the fight against the Galra. The fans claim this act points to use of the trope, “Bury Your Gays” as a way of getting rid of the relationship without having to further address it.
It didn’t help one of the official Netflix tweeters seems to be “baiting” the fans as well.
The fans have become angry at the use of these tropes and expected more from the creators of the series. This is the source of their outrage. The following video helps to explain the situation a bit more and inspired the creation of this article.
The creators behind the series were not blind to the anger of the fans. Joaquim Dos Santos executive producer of the show addressed many of the claims levied by the fans. In a letter, he expresses how the show never intended to bait anyone, mentioned Adam’s sacrifice, and expresses sympathy towards the fans being angry.
This helps to showcase the creators are not blind to the plight of the fans. Unfortunately, fans are often unaware of the damage they do.
Fan Rage
You may be wondering, “It’s just a couple of angry fans. Why are you trying to plead with them?” The need to address this recent backlash is in regards to the fans and how they decided to act on their anger. Their passion has resulted in some less than shining moments.
One fan went as far as blackmailing the studio. The individual posted confidential pictures of storyboards and character designs taken from a tour of the production company Studio Mir. The demands: To make Klance (the shipping name for Keith and Lance) canon in the show. Just a thought but blackmailing the production company probably won’t get you anything but a lawsuit.
The argument about Klance has even found a way to appear after a simple scene in Season 7 where Allura tells Lance “Be safe” and the two characters are blushing. It should be noted, just because two characters seem like they may get together doesn’t mean they will. They may try, much like Mako and Korra did in Avatar: Legend of Korra (another series by the showrunners) but they may find they are just not compatible individuals. There is no need to threaten the cast when it feels like your ship isn’t going to work. Before you ask, yes, real-world threats were sent to people associated with the show.
The stars of the show have felt the venom which is coming from the fandom in real life. The following is a tweet from Bex Taylor-Klaus, the voice of Pidge, showcasing the intensity which they have felt from the community.
Dear #Voltron fans,
Please. Just be kind. Regardless of what happens in the show, just be kind. To each other. To creators. To performers. I’m tired of threats. I’m tired of having to consider cancelling con appearances due to safety concerns. I’m just … tired.
This does not look well for anyone in the community. Actors shouldn’t live in fear of fans coming after them because they don’t enjoy how a show plays out.
The Plea
The insanity of this needs to be pointed out. This entire article is intended to implore civility from fans of an animated series which promotes messages of teamwork, friendship, and overcoming adversity. You shouldn’t harass the writers and staff because a show you enjoy doesn’t have characters you enjoy end up together. Spreading hatred and making others live in fear is the method of the Galra and not of those of the Voltron Coalition.
This article is not a defense of “Queer Baiting.” Far from it. It is instead a plea to the fans to keep his or her anger in check and not lash out destructively. This is not the final battle (season), and the show has much more to offer everyone. Shiro is still gay, a driving force for the team, and one of the most awesome characters to come out of science fiction in years. This is canon. There is another season to go and comic adventures to be had which could help to explore the relationship Adam and Shiro had, much like how the comics helped to expand on Korra and Asami’s relationship.
Adam may be dead, but his legacy could affect Shiro and the audience moving forward and throughout time. After all, his sacrifice made a lasting impact on many viewers. Which seems to be exactly what the creators were hoping for in the long run.
To reiterate to all fans of Voltron: Legendary Defender: You a have a right to be angry but know the rage should not be used to lash out against others. The team has always tried their best to represent the joys of diversity in sexuality, gender, and multiculturalism, which exists in life. Mistakes were made with the unintentional “baiting,” and the creators apologized. The Netflix twitter account should probably do the same, but threats will not help them to realize their mistake any quicker. Those who are actually behind creating the show are going to try to learn from the errors and move forward. Will you?
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What do you think about the claims levied against Voltron: Legendary Defender? Leave a comment below and let us know.
The Unknown Soldier gets noticed, Atlantis rises, He-Man kicks Bane’s butt, and Cyborg Superman returns all in this week’s DC Comics Rapid Fire Recap as Bruce Wayne shows jurors that Batman’s not the World’s Greatest Detective in BATMAN #53 while over in Scott Snyder’s JUSTICE LEAGUE #6 Lex Luthor breaks almost every bone in Batman’s body. Let’s jump into this week’s DC Comics!
Almost every DC Comic, cliffhanger, and plot twist released the week of August 15, 2018, is going to get SPOILED ROTTEN! Turn back now, unless you’re done reading for the week OR you simply just don’t care. Too read our full reviews click on the title of each issue.
FROM THE WEEK OF AUGUST 15, 2018
AQUAMAN #39
Atlantis has finally risen, Mera is Queen, and Aquaman is already keeping secrets. Amanda Waller sends the Suicide Squad composed of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Lord Satanis, Urcell, and the Master Jailer to take a “magic nuke” into Atlantis and sink it. Aquaman gets a whiff of the plan and heads the Suicide Squad off at the pass. Later, Aquaman creates his own team to track down the remaining Suicide Squad members and stop Waller from sinking Atlantis for good.
BATGIRL #25
This Anniversary issue opens with Batgirl at a funeral for the groom who died in BATMAN #49. It turns out; Batgirl saved this man’s life ten months before from the Scarecrow. She questions what life is all about and visits Dick for a shoulder to cry on. Afterward, Dick and Babs spend the night, as friends, in Bruce’s Honeymoon Suite since he wasn’t using it anymore.
One week later, Batgirl tracks down one of her villains named Grotesque to a luxurious estate in Burnside. However, Babs arrives too late and finds the family murdered. After a quick fight, Grotesque manages to get away. Finally, this oversized issue ends with Batgirl getting the origin story of March Harriet, which appeared to be nothing more than a robbery gone wrong. Jervis Tetch found Harriet, patched her up, and the rest was history.
BATMAN #53
Bruce Wayne bribed his way onto a jury against Mister Freeze. It turns out Batman took out his frustrations for a failed engagement on Victor. Thus, the court was going to lock Freeze away for a long time. So, Bruce convinced the jury that Batman was not acting normally and that he too can make mistakes.
Ultimately, Tom King pushed the idea that Batman is not God and that he’s only human. Thus, the story wraps with the jury voting “Not Guilty” and Bruce attempting to move on. The issue ends with Batman asking Alfred to get his old suit out because his current suit reminds him of Selena.
DAMAGE #8
Ethan Avery wakes up in the hospital with only 10 minutes left until Damage can come out to “play”. As Ethan comes too, the Unknown Soldier is in his hospital room. He’s there to help Ethan escape before Colonel Jonas arrives to use Damage again.
As the Unknown Soldier and Ethan escape, they are attacked by the Handy Man. Private Avery and the Unknown Soldier make it to the garage right as Damage starts mentally speaking with Ethan. Damage wants to come out, and wreck shop and Ethan is happy to oblige. Thus, the issue ends with Ethan giving in and letting an angry Damage loose. Lucky for him, Colonel Jonas and her team are there for the fight of their lives.
Hal Jordan and Jessica Cruz battle the Ravagers on Penelo while Kyle Rayner and Kilowog attempt to take down the Ravager’s Command Ship. Meanwhile, Guy Gardner battles Eon above the planet of Penelo while Simon Baez’ ring tells him to head to Earth on a secret mission.
Kilowog finds the head Command Ship and blows the communication drone to pieces. Seeing this, Eon flies off to tell his ships to warp away and leave the planet. As the Lanterns save the rest of the inhabitants of Penelo, Simon Baez lands in the artic at the Fortress of Solitude with a message from Superman. However, it’s Cyborg Superman who hacked Simon’s ring to free him from the Fortress.
He-Man goes out for a walkabout to explore Bludhaven and comes across Bane and Copperhead, two of Wonder Woman’s Suicide Squad members. After quickly taking Bane and Copperhead down, He-Man manages to free the two villains from the Kryptech Brainiac Mind control devices. Later, Prince Adam takes their Kryptech suits and develops a plan of attack.
Meanwhile, on Eternia, Darkseid invaded with his entire force of Apokoplis while Granny Goodness released all of the prisoners from Darksmoke Prison like Evil-Lyn, Tri-klops, and Trap Jaw. Granny planned to remold these He-Man villains in her image. Who will save Eternia while He-Man is helping our Injustice heroes? We’ll have to wait until next issue to find out!
Superman and Martian Manhunter, piloted by Lex Luthor and Joker, make their way to the center of the Totality. Just as Lex is ready to grab the universal power, Batman attaches to his ship and throws Lex out of it. The two battle for Luthor’s Doorknob but Luthor kicks Batman’s butt and teleports everyone outside of the Totality.
Meanwhile, John Stewart realizes that the Justice League needs to accept these ancient forces in order to stop the Legion of Doom. So, the Flash tries to become “one” with the Still Force, John opens up to the Ultraviolet Spectrum, and Martian Manhunter mentally links every human on Earth together. The issue ends with Hawkgirl fighting Luthor inside the Totality in hopes to gain control of the Doorknob.
Well, that’s a wrap for this week’s DC Comics Recap. What books did you enjoy this week? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu. If you would like to read more of my reviews, click HERE!
Warner Bros. and DC’s upcoming Aquaman (due in theaters December 21) may decide the fate of the entire DC universe.
Since 2016, we’ve seen Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins find success with a standalone origin flick. However, Batman v. Superman and Justice League, DC’s other attempts to build a shared universe (like what exists between Marvel’s film franchises) both found a lukewarm reception with critics and audiences.
In response, DC Entertainment announced it’d step back from the ‘extended universe’ concept, refocusing on standalone pictures instead. Aquaman is the first DC film to come out since the announcement, and as promised, we get a standalone film focused on the character, rather than the universe around him.
Given what we’ve seen so far, it’s possible the Prince of Atlantis could be the hero the DC Extended Universe needs. How? By ignoring it.
Taking It One Film At A Time
The DCEU is played down a lot in the marketing for Aquaman. There’s no real allusion to it in the trailer debuted at Comic-Con in July:
What we do see: popular names like Jason Momoa and Nicole Kidman, a lighter tone, and a timely environmental subplot (the inspiration of King Orm’s war against the surface is oceanic pollution).
The new film seems allowed to breathe more, similar to 2017’s Wonder Woman, which loosely tied into the DCEU. Granted there were lots of other elements that made that movie a hit with audiences and critics. However, focusing on making one really good movie, rather than a vehicle for future pictures, certainly played a part.
Warner Bros. and DC’s attempt to jump into a cinematic universe could have been a bit premature. The two companies saw the success Marvel had and tried to kickstart a shared universe too quickly to “catch up.” What DC and Warner Bros. seemed to ignore was that the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a slow build, taking a decade to reach where it is now.
As a result, DC ended up with films that felt stilted and predictable. Each movie seemed to be going through the motions, cramming characters in wherever possible or trying to mask the seams with an edgier tone. Just look at Universal’s “Dark Universe” and The Mummy from last year for another example of that approach.
Is DC Learning from Its Mistakes?
For now, taking a step back to focus on films one at a time is the best move DC could make. If the formula for Wonder Woman is any indicator, Aquaman could be the restoration the company needs. Then, in a few years, maybe its shared universe will be as beloved by fans as their competitor’s.
Is DC’s decision to step back from the shared universe concept the best direction? Is there still hope for the DCEU in future films? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Welcome to the left over section from the Devilman OVA review, the third and final OVA related to Devilman: Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman.
For all the crap I’m giving this OVA, this was a well-executed scene.
As always, some background: In 1999, Nagai and artist Yu Kinutani created Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman, a spinoff manga which asked the question: “What would have happened Amon took control of Akira at the end of the series?” One year later, an OVA was based off this, and supposedly a continuation of the first two OVAs, yet an adaptation of the first volume of the Amon manga. There would be some changes, the team who had made the original two OVAs were replaced with a completely new team and a studio primarily known for in-between animation. The original voice actors were also replaced, so Yuu Mizushima would not be voicing Ryo Asuka, instead Tomokazu Seki (Domon Kasshu from G Gundam, and Toji from Evangelion) was his replacement.
The OVA starts out promising. If you’ve seen Devilman: Crybaby, you know the framework. Ryo Asuka announces a hunt on demons, and mass panic ensues. Miki, well if you saw the series, you’d probably remember her head was on a pike. This set up takes about 15 minutes, one third of the anime were those last two sentences, can you say this OVA is padded? Do bears do their business in the woods?
Ryo Asuka is Kazuma Kiryu.
Still, there were issues, for starters the fluid and rounded animation style is nonexistent, as this OVA goes for an angular, stylized approach. I’m not sure if this is better, yet it is unique, so I’ll give the anime some props there. The problem comes in the timing of scenes, which results in unintentional comedy. I’ll get into that, near the end.
After the opening, the series devolves into Fist of the North Star, Akira’s even sporting Kenshiro’s iconic outfit! However, it’s Fist of the North Star combined with a confusing narrative. The remaining OVA has four different narratives intercut seemingly at random, the past (with normal Akira and Miki), a recent past, the real world, and what happening in Akira’s head, it all gets quite confusing, even with visual bookmarks.
See what I mean? It’s Kenshiro!
I kid a bit. The plot does make some sense, and it’s laid out simplistically enough. However, the story requires you to guess a lot of point points, which isn’t good storytelling, and lead to a scene which the culmination of this unintentional comedy came to fruition.
I briefly alluded this in the beginning, this OVA is ridiculously funny, just not intentionally. Miki’s brother’s death has the timing of a death from Ideon, except it’s goofier. and the fight scene between Amon & Akira/Devilman takes this Fist of the North Star concept and turns it into a crowning jewel of narm. In short, they ruined two shows with one fight scene, well done!
The beginning of one of the goofiest final battles ever.
Amon: Apocalypse of Devilman, is an OVA which ascends the likes of Angel Cop and M.D. Geist can seemingly reach: it is so bad it’s good. It’s the perfect encapsulation of bad decisions, expensive voices actors misused, and badly drawn animation. After the excellence of the first two Devilman OVAs, this is just sad.
Watching the first three episodes of Netflix’s new animated series Disenchantment has been time well spent.
If you’re like me – already a fan of Futurama and The Simpsons, then you don’t have to spend anymore time reading this – you’ll love the show, go and watch it.
But what if you’re not already on-board? Maybe you haven’t had the opportunity to watch these seminal shows (maybe you’ve only recently escaped an animation-hating cult into which you were born. To you I say: I’m glad you made it out. Once you’ve adjusted to the overwhelming and probably terrifying outside world, sit back with Netflix and check out Disenchantment.). Even if you haven’t seen it’s predecessors, you’ll still enjoy what you’re about to watch.
The Story of a Princess Disenchanted with the Idea of Adult Life
The show, which debuted today on Netflix, is an animated series created by Matt Groening (who created the Simpsons and Futurama) and Josh Weinstein, who helped The Simpsons evolve from a funny cartoon into maybe the greatest show in TV show history.
The protagonist of the show is hard-drinking, bucktoothed Princess Bean, who is not content to live a life trapped in a marriage arranged by her father for political purposes. Bean is voiced by Abbi Jacobson (Broad City, BoJack Horseman) and has been the standout early in the show as she rebels against the confines of adulthood and battles her personal demons. Well, technically just one demon – Luci (voiced by the madly brilliant Eric André) who was sent to curse Bean by a mysterious cabal. Joining them is an elf named Elfo (elves have a very predictable naming sytem) – voiced by Nat Faxon (Married) who likewise grew tired of the cloyingly blissful life in the enchanted elf kingdom.
A Clear Descendant of The Simpsons and Futurama, With a Chance to Be It’s Own Show
With a lot of the same writers and voice-actors, as well as the trademark animation style, Disenchantment is unmistakably reminiscent of Futurama. This can be distracting at times (with his mustache, I kept expecting King Zøg to refer to himself as Scruffy), but time will tell if the show can become more than a genre-shifted reboot. Two things set Disenchantment apart from it’s ancestors: a smaller group of main characters (only three here), and the continuing storyline. The action doesn’t fully “reset” at the end of each episode like it does for many animated series, which leads to great possibilities for a show dealing dealing in both mythical quests and the more human- (or elf-, or demon-) level concepts of finding yourself in a world of other people’s expectations. The creators know the show itself will have the challenge of living up to the expectations of its “parents”, while still becoming its own self.
The pilot had a few banal stretches, but that’s to be expected when you need to introduce the audience to not only your cast of characters, but an entirely new medieval world.
By the second episode, the humor picked up (led by a zany adventure to an island of mermaids/walruses) and things are looking good for the series. Like many comedies, the humor is greatly ramped up once the audience gets to know the characters. Disenchantment has the potential to end up a classic animated comedy.
