Bloodshot Salvation #12 is out this week, putting an end to this beautiful and action-packed story, and an end to Jeff Lemire’s seminal run on Bloodshot.
Bloodshot is still in 4002 A.D. while Omen has captured his daughter back in the present day. Will Ray make it back in time to save her? And will he finally have his salvation?
Lemire has been writing Bloodshot for over three years and three titles. Through each one, one theme has persisted: redemption. Can Ray Garrison, a man turned into a killing machine, a man who can’t remember the last time he wasn’t somebody’s puppet, go back to having a normal life? Can he be free of his past?
Salvation #12 isn’t the end of Bloodshot’s story. It doesn’t wrap everything up with a nice little bow. But that’s what makes this series – and most of Lemire’s work – so special. It recognizes that life is messy and not always fulfilling. It feels real, despite all of the super soldiers, time travel, and over-the-top comic book violence. But on top of that gritty realism lies hope. And on that note, I’ll say no more about the plot and allow you to enjoy this conclusion on your own.
Doug Braithwaite’s art fits the aforementioned grit. This is a full-on action comic, full of blood, gore, and explosions, and Braithwaite brings the intensity to match it. It’s brutal and raw; there’s a double page splash in here that will make your jaw drop. Despite the deep, internal conflict that Lemire is writing about, Braithwaite (and every other artist that has worked on this book) doesn’t let you forget that Bloodshot is first and foremost a war comic.
And on that note, huge props to Simon Bowland on lettering. In an issue like this, pacing is everything. You want to create a fast-paced experience for the reader, and Bowland’s lettering does just that. His layout guides your eyes through action sequences in quick, fluid strokes.
Finally, Jordie Bellaire’s colors are exactly what you expect them to be at this point in her career: outstanding. She captures the tone and intensity of a scene so well that you know exactly how you’re supposed to feel as soon as you turn the page. It’s her work on the last few pages, however, that steal the show, helping end this seminal run on the perfect note.
I had not only never read a Bloodshot comic before Bloodshot Reborn, I had never read a Valiant comic period. Jeff Lemire introduced me to this universe, and although he’s saying goodbye, I’m here to stay. This has been a saga full of action and drama, of gore and sadness, and of hope. It was a wild ride, and one well worth taking.
Stop the press, look up in the sky! Can it be true?
Yes, Supergirl is coming back to the big screen.
According to Deadline, a Supergirl film is in the works at Warner Brothers. While still early in development, the movie is moving forward. There is yet no producer attached to the movie. Whether or not Superman will appear in the film is unknown.
The report reveals that Oren Uziel is writing the screenplay. Uziel has credits including 22 Jump Street, Mortal Kombat, and The Cloverfield Paradox. Currently, he’s working on the script for Sonic the Hedgehog.
For now, Supergirl can be seen in the CW television series starring Melissa Benoist.
Announced at Image Expo back in February, Crowded is a twisted, satirical look at ten minutes into the future brought to you by Christopher Sebela (writer), Ro Stein (penciller), Ted Brandt (inker), Tríona Farrell (colour artist), and Cardinal Rae (letterer).
Set in a world where the gig economy has become absolute, anything and everything is for sale or rent. Assassinations may have once been a clandestine affair, but in this time of hyper-capitalism and greed, the latest app “Reapr” allows you to crowdfund your revenge and turns everyone with a smartphone into a potential hitman. With a concept that high and a creative team of that caliber, it is of little surprise that the book’s inaugural outing is such a success.
Charlie Ellison is just your average, self-centred millennial working twelve shared jobs a day to make ends meet. Her life takes an unexpected twist after she discovers that someone has put a hit out on her. What’s worse, the Reapr campaign has reached over a million dollars, with thousands of backers. In order to survive, Charlie enlists the help of Vita Slatter, a moody, low-rated bodyguard on the security app “DFEND”. They have thirty days until the campaign ends and outrun the slew of assassins on their tail. Mysteries will be solved. Bodies will be dropped. And in the end, they may just discover something about themselves along the way.
From the opening salvo, Crowded impresses with stunning artwork, sublime character moments, and compelling world-building. Our leads: Charlie and Vita, immediately stand out in both design and personality. Sebela’s voice for characters remains as strong and distinctive as ever. Charlie’s Instagram-esque self-obsession is reminiscent of the best of Clueless and Mean Girls. Yet this shallowness betrays a darker side, one that has yet to be brought to the surface, but is allowed to peak out slightly in the quieter moments. Similarly, Vita wishes to portray herself as an uncaring and by the book, but its clear that this facade is there for her own protection rather than that of others. Whatever sense you may have had initially as to these character’s motivations and histories is subtly chipped away by a combination of cutting lines of dialogue and wonderful foreshadowing within the art itself.
Farrell’s colours present them in wonderful pinks and yellows that hammers home their desire to stand out, begrudgingly in Vita’s case. It’s more than just a desire, distinguishing themselves is a necessity their line of work. In an economy where your success is dependent on customers swiping right on your profile, you need to stand out.
The matter of fact way which the “Reapr” is introduced as the nation’s favourite pastime is terrifying. Now every petty grievance, every slight is potentially an executable offence if you can rally enough support behind you or find someone desperate enough. It takes our obsession with social media to an extreme, but in many ways logical conclusion. The team have created a truly fascinating world in which to play and each revelation only begets more questions.
Action scenes are interspersed sparingly throughout the issue, but each one is dynamic and kick-starts the heart. The sheer economy on display within these moments is a testament to the purposive approach taken by Stein and Brandt. Nothing feels surplus to requirement, but rather adds to the layers of the world being built. More importantly, these action beats are used to inform character rather than as mere spectacle.
The cartoonish linework from Stein and Brandt creates a false sense of security by friendly face on a society gone mad. The same can be said for Farrell’s colours with incredibly bright and vibrant colours occupying an unassumingly dystopian world. They are the gloss that allows people to be drawn in and consumed by this high-capitalist society. It creates a contradiction in terms: a world that’s desperately trying to present itself as pure, but the cracks are beginning to show. In many ways, the art reflects the culture of presentation that curating one’s online persona and profile entails.
A high panel density means there is a lot of story packed into each page. Credit goes to Stein and Brandt, who bring so much detail to their work. One particular splash page will have you simply entranced. In this sense it owes a lot to the European tradition of album comics. Rather than feeling crowded, if you’ll pardon the pun, it gives you something to sink your teeth into on every page. Not to say that this is heavy book in any sense, to the contrary, it is addictively readable. Rather, this is a book that invites and, indeed, rewards closer, careful consideration. It makes for one of the most satisfying reads of the year so far.
It has been quite some time since a book fulfilled the promise of the premise as skillfully as Crowded. It really is a special book, one that you’re going to want to add to your pull-list. If the pre-release announcement that Crowded would be made into a movie didn’t get you excited, then you owe it to yourself to pick it up next Wednesday and see what all the fuss is about. You will not be disappointed.
Marc Forster’s Christopher Robin is an intriguing exploration of the power connections have on us and a look at how as we grow older our identity morphs.
Screenwriters Tom McCarthy and Alex Ross Perry were able to construct a narrative which remained faithful to A.A. Milne’s source material while providing a unique spin on what many critics perceive as a narrative trope. Yes, Christopher Robin does gets sucked into the rigors of his job and often at the expensive other family members. However, that’s not even what Christopher Robin is about. Forster’s latest film is about losing one’s way and the struggles that come with it.
Ewan McGregor playing the title role in ‘Christopher Robin’.
Christopher Robin centers around the transition of the young boy we all loved in A.A. Milne’s classic as he transitions into adulthood. Christopher (McGregor) slowly transforms over the years in boarding school from this idealistic young man into an adult who is driven by rigor and nothing more. Even meeting the beautiful Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) isn’t enough to derail what is to come. In short order, they are married and have a daughter, but it seems not even these life-changing moments are enough to fix Christopher’s perspective. Meanwhile, Pooh and the rest of the gang living in the 100 Acre Wood appear lost without their friend. An unexpected chain of events at Christopher’s office reunites Pooh and his best friend just as his life seems to be at a crossroads.
Christopher Robin does make a conscious effort to stay within the source material as the film is framed around A.A. Milne’s “The House On Pooh Corner” which is the last written adventure of Robin and his furry friends. Screenwriters McCarthy and Ross Perry attempt to answer questions which aren’t easy to tackled surrounding one of the more iconic children’s tales. What becomes of an idealistic boy who grows up and has a family? Their answer is he becomes a reflection of his ultra-conservative father who wrapped himself in his work. In London, during the 1920’s this was more of an accepted way of life, but in mid-1950’s, these decisions are subject to scrutiny. Evelyn accepts these things but makes sure Christopher knows how she feels. His daughter Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) is so starved for attention that she begins to value work over play so her dad will be proud. She thinks that doing this busy work will allow them to connect. This doesn’t sit well with Christopher’s wife who reminds him that she didn’t fall in love with this business-centric man but with the idealistic man with a big heart. It does bring forth an interesting question: is it better to stay grounded, be a visionary, or a combination of both?
In the midst of the long hours of unpaid overtime, and papers Robin brings home from the office, he doesn’t realize his family is slipping away. It takes a chance reconnection with his good friend Pooh to see what truly matters. That silly old bear is looking for his old friends while he’s concerned about keeping those important papers pristine. Their connection seemingly hasn’t wavered and still is very impactful. During their jaunt back into that magical 100-Acre Wood, Christopher is forced to see what he’s become and the effect it has on others. I loved those sweeping shots giving the audience a broad look at his old stomping grounds.
Jon Brion’s score set the perfect tone for the film. McGregor and Atwell were perfectly cast in their respective roles. My only concern about Christopher Robin involved the pacing of the film. At times the movie felt like it was dragging, but it wasn’t drastic enough to take me out of enjoying it. Overall, Christopher Robin is touching and will have audience members looking for their tissues as they exit. It certainly does cause you to think about what truly matters. Is that critical promotion which went to someone else leaving you to feel slighted? I believe our good friend Pooh would say “Doing nothing often leads to the best something.”
The third season of Attack On Titan is really moving the story along much faster than in the previous season. No longer is there multiple episodes dedicated to finding holes in a wall and instead the plot driven drama is taking place every other scene.
Summary
Historia’s tragic backstory and her true identity is revealed.
Review
SPOILER ALERT
Just when anime has presented you with an individual who makes you think “You are the worst parent in history” they find a new way to prove you wrong. First the episode introduces you to Historia’s mother and then her father and really it’s hard to tell who is worse. How bad could they be? Well poor Historia is so desperate for affection she was willing to look at her mother shoving her away and giving her a bloody nose as a positive encounter. Of course its Attack On Titan so parents aren’t exactly supposed to be positive role models. Still you have to ask how Historia grew up to be such a good natured individual when she had such crappy parents.
The other members of the team also have encountered with individuals who help to showcase just how terrible the people of this world truly are. Hange is able to get her revenge on those who killed Nick through deceit and manipulation. Meanwhile Pixis revealed a story where he believes how his father was killed to protect the lies which keep the world together. It’s moments like this which frame the Scout Regiment as the only noble individuals in a world which is soaked in conspiracy and deception.
Though containing no titan fighting in this episode there is still plenty of human monsters to keep the episode very interesting. Makes a person wish to go watch some like How To Keep A Mummy and be reminded there is still goodness in the world.
Netflix is going to end the year with a bang. According to CEO Ted Sarandos, the highly anticipated third season of Daredevil will be available to stream before the year ends.
During the Q2 earnings video for Netflix, Sarandos revealed their end of year slate for television series. Amongst the shows was Daredevil Season 3, which was confirmed to be in production, however, the release date was still a mystery. Here’s what Sarandos had to say:
“In the short term, we’ve got new seasons coming up, in the second half of this year, of ‘Orange is the New Black,’ ‘Ozark,’ ‘Iron Fist,’ ‘Daredevil,’ ‘Narcos,’ the finale of ‘House of Cards,’ the follow-up series to ‘Making a Murderer.’”
Season 3 of Daredevil will mark the fourth Netflix Marvel series to release this year. Season 2 of both Jessica Jones and Luke Cage released earlier this year, with the second season of Iron Fist set to drop next month.
Following the events of The Defenders, Matt Murdock was worse for ware. He suffered severe injuries during the fight with Elektra and appeared to have died. That was until it we saw him alive and well in the care of Nuns.
Plot details surrounding Daredevil Season 3 have been few and far between. It’s rumored to be following the iconic Born Again storyline, which sees Matt Murdock’s identity revealed to the world. This season will see the return of Vincent D’onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, who plays an integral role in Born Again.
This season will also see the debut of arguably Daredevil’s greatest villain, Bullseye. Wilson Bethel is set to portray the character. Bethel is not a household name but has appeared in numerous TV series, including Bates Motel, How to Get Away with Murder, and Criminal Minds.
Are you excited for Daredevil to return? Let us know in the comments below!
This week’s episode is a solid showcase for the wider 1-A line-up. Unlike last week’s lukewarm display of enemies, “Class 1-A” is a great balance for several of our favorite amateur heroes. As the heroes start passing their Hero License Exam, it’s clear why U.A. is an exceptional school. MY HERO ACADEMIA excels when it puts its large cast of characters to work.
“Class 1-A” follows a few members of the class as they struggle to pass the Provisional Hero License Exam. Up until this episode, none of the U.A. first years had managed to succeed. However, several characters make it in this episode, either as a hero or a team. It’s also interesting that, out of all the characters who pass this episode, none of them are Midoriya. MY HERO ACADEMIA has a lot of compelling heroes, and “Class 1-A” proves the strength of the whole cast.
There are several strong characters that “Class 1-A” puts into the spotlight. While Midoriya is very much the protagonist of MY HERO ACADEMIA, there are several great, fleshed-out characters in his class. Shoto Todoroki, for example, leads off the episode by passing the exam. As arguably the strongest hero of the class, it makes sense we get a quick showcase of his skills. Momo Yaoyorozu also gets more action this episode, as she manages to outwit Miss Sai’s team. It’s great to see MY HERO ACADEMIA spend time within the exam to highlight all the excellent characters.
One especially strong element of this episode is teamwork. Even with Todoroki’s solo victory, so much of the episode is focused on friendship and working together. Yaoyorozu channels Midoriya as she leads her team to victory. The team then comes to her aid before she’s knocked out, so the four of them win as a team. Midoriya’s quick moment is also about leading his friends out of trouble. Bakugo is an unintentional leader, as his passion rallies Kirishima and Kaminari. The strongest storylines of the episode focus on teamwork, and specifically, the bond between the 1-A students.
MY HERO ACADEMIA puts out a great, well-balanced episode. So many great characters get a chance to be awesome. It shows that some Class 1-A heroes will pass the first round, but keeps up momentum, as we wait to see who else passes. “Class 1-A” is all about the incredible bond between these heroes in training. It’s great to see so many heroes pass, and their training pay off.
Linda Hamilton is back in character as a new Terminator image surfaces.
According to Variety, the image made its debut on Twitter. Hamilton is alongside co-stars Mackenzie Davis and Natalie Reyes. Paramount is producing the reboot.
This marks Hamilton’s first appearance in the franchise since Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Her character was written out of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as having died from cancer. However, she did make a voice cameo in Terminator Salvation.
Arnold Schwarzenegger will be reprising his iconic role as the T-800. Deadpool director Tim Miller is helming the reboot. James Cameron and David Ellison are producing.
The new movie will be in theatres in November 22, 2019. This will be ten years after Salvation and four years after Genysis.
Zack Kaplan’s underground science fiction adventure, The Lost City Explorers #3 hits your local comic book store on August 15, but thanks to AfterShock, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you.
Last month, Universal Television announced a partnership with Kaplan and AfterShock to develop The Lost City Explorers into a television series, where Kaplan will serve as an executive producer (via Deadline).
About issue three: Hel Coates, her brother, and their teenage friends are running from mercenaries, hiding from monsters and exploring the dangerous world of NYC underground tunnels. But will they find the mysterious, supernatural doorway to the Lost City of Atlantis?
The book is written by Kaplan, with art by Alvaro Sarraseca, colors by Dee Cunniffe, letter work by A Larger World’s Troy Peteri, and Rafael De Latorre with Marcelo Maiolothe worked on the cover art.
Infinity Wars is here! The cosmic crossover story that Gerry Duggan has been building towards begins with our new Infinity Watch assembling.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Doctor Strange calls all the holders of the Infinity Stones together to form the new Infinity Watch in Central Park. Loki and an Asgardian librarian investigate what’s beyond the God Quarry. Requiem’s identity is revealed (already?) as she strikes down our beloved Peter Quill.
A lot happens in this first installment, almost too much. Writer Gerry Duggan must have some major revelations down the road, he showed a lot of the cards already that we assumed he would onto for a while. No matter, Duggan is a smart writer and the misdirection of Requiem’s identity being important means we know way less about what’s in store.
There is somewhat of a deflated feeling within the reveal of Requiem being Gamora in that it wasn’t all that surprising. This was a moment where Mike Deodato Jr. should’ve made a bigger impact. Reveals and unmaskings are a huge part of comic book stories and this one had no emotion on either side of it. It wasn’t so much as who was under the mask as it was that nobody really seemed to care within the panels.
Infinity Wars #1 was full of other fun and entertaining moments. This reluctant meeting of the new Infinity Watch brought a great cast together to try and sort out a cosmic mess. Turk squading up for the meet was a wise choice and made for a much more enjoyable scene. Bullseye was an effective comedic relief throughout.
One thing that does bug me about this story so far is that it’s opening number took place on Earth, talking about how they shouldn’t be there. It’s annoying how often the Guardians have been on Earth in recent years, here they are again (despite how much Rocket despises it). Duggan has been injecting so much life back into the cosmic sector of the 616, I’d like to see him keep away from this planet and keep building among the stars.
Outside of the big Gamora moment, Deodato and Frank Martin bring it once again. There aren’t a lot of landscapes to play with, but the character work sees plenty of detail. That first giant page of Gamora is fantastic. Sometimes Deodato uses too bulky of a frame for certain heroes, but he’s had such a better handle on it recently–that continues here.
The art being delivered is begging to be launched into space, give these guys more to play with! Deodato and Martin are both at their best when working with big, hulking creatures and machinery. Infinity Wars will hopefully leave Earth behind after this issue.
Loki’s adventure elsewhere seems to be what this story will be more about. What lies beyond the God Quarry is only the beginning of our end. Worthy Infinity Loki is the first we get to see of these mulitversal mash-ups we know are coming. With Gamora already being revealed as Requiem, I suspect what Loki is onto will take the lead soon after intersecting with Gamora and her stones.
Infinity Wars #1 isn’t exactly the cosmic explosion some of us were looking for, but it’s still a pretty great issue. Gerry Duggan has proven time and again that he’s got the goods, nothing he does is by accident. The end of this issue leaves readers with way more excitement within the mystery than confusion or disappointment–what more could you really ask for from a Marvel crossover?
