Review: SUCCESSION Episode Four Had The Vultures Closing In

Succession’s fourth episode isn’t nearly as lewd and outrageous as the last episode. This episode is all about the covert actions of characters, and it succeeds. Writer Anna Jordan shrewdly crafted a narrative which emphasizes the subtlety and nuances of the conflict. This episode exposes only the base intentions of characters, leaving viewers fascinated by what is to come.

This week, Succession focused on the company’s gala fundraiser approaching. Each of the Roy children had their own conflict related to their role in the event. Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is preparing the speech his father usually gives and wants his wife to accompany him. However, that hits a snag, so he asks an ATN news anchor, which will probably have repercussions later on. Shiv (Sarah Snook) has to minimize the damage when a delicate photo of her client is leaked. Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) learns about a potential scandal that could take the whole firm down. Rather than keep it to himself, he goes to Greg (Nicholas Braun) who is family, but easily persuadable. At the gala, Logan gets wind of what Kendall will allegedly say in his speech, and decides to make a shocking announcement.

The episode had such a slick feel, with incredible direction. Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope) directed Succession’s fourth episode and maintained a smooth and consistent pace throughout. Arkin’s blocking allowed for constant movement, which was very visually appealing. It was lovely how the director had various characters come by their father’s table, dropping subtle digs at Kendall, all with a smile on their face. It was revealing, yet subtle, giving the episode a biting tone.

Succession taught the audience a lot about the key players in this saga. Shiv appeared to have a decent relationship with Roman and Connor before, but she’s clearly as ruthless as the rest of them. Snook’s character gets in a dig at Kendall, and she chewed out a news director for running with a story about Shiv’s client. It’s only a matter of time before she unloads on her other brothers.

Greg (Nicholas Braun) had been nothing more than a bit player in Succession up until this episode. Braun’s character isn’t the aw-shucks kid that he pretended to be. He’s willing to sell out anyone if it makes himself look better. It’s inevitable that Tom’s scandal in Parks and Cruises will leak, and it seems we already know who will tell the press.

Kieran Culkin, photo credit: Peter Kramer/HBO

Roman (Kiernan Culkin) continues to be my favorite person on the show. Culkin strikes a balance between his character’s apparent lack of morals and his desire to be a titan. He aspires to take Kendall’s job as CEO from under him. Now that his father has brought back Frank to mentor him, we may see a darker side to his character. Another interesting character in the episode is Connor (Alan Ruck). Connor seemed content with being a Roy family member in name only, without taking on an active role in the company’s day to day operations. His outlandish requests and new found love of barking orders showed a transformation in his character.

Marcia (Hiam Abbas) has been at Logan’s side through his recovery, but something is a little off with her. She seems way more willing than anyone else to allow Logan to push himself too much. It get’s to a point where audiences are beginning to wonder if Abbas’s character has other plans down the road and part of them involve running Logan into the ground.

Something is afoot, and someone either wants Logan’s company to falter or Kendall out of the way so they can take advantage of him. Strong’s character doesn’t have the guts to put a plan together like this. Who do you think it is? The events of episode four have set the stage for what may be an explosive show next week.

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Five Reasons Why The ROSEANNE Spin-Off Is Doomed To Fail

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

June 25, 2018

ABC announced three days ago that the network had come to an agreement with Roseanne Barr and Executive Producer Tom Werner allowing Werner to proceed with a spinoff of the original show entitled The Conners.

The embattled comedian had to relinquish creative control, rights to almost all the original characters, and in no way could profit from the show’s future earnings. However, Mrs. Barr did retain the rights to her character and any future spin-offs or reboots. It was a move ABC had to make for two reasons. The most obvious reason was the record-setting ratings which quickly turned the network’s Tuesday primetime slot into a juggernaut. ABC also signed the cast to deals for their perceived 11th season, and if they had just walked away from the show, mostly everyone in the cast still was getting paid.

ABC is taking a big gamble on the general public being in love with the cast more so than just Roseanne. However, this spinoff isn’t a unique move being orchestrated by the network. Over the years, hit shows have had their star leave (for whatever reason), and the response is often to create a slightly different variation of the original show. It’s always a move which generates a fair amount of buzz which quickly dies out. Whether fans are rooting for them to flourish or flounder, history tells us how this will likely unfold. With that in mind here are five reasons why the Roseanne spin-off is doomed to fail.

How often are rebranded ‘spin-offs’ sans star successful?

So The Conners is more than likely going to exist in the same television universe as Roseanne. That alone makes this spin-off unique as most take place in another location altogether. Flo was a spin-off of Alice based on Polly Holiday’s infamous character who returns home to Texas so she can open up her own place. The idea behind the spin-off was both shows would flourish but Holiday’s show didn’t nearly have the same chemistry as Alice. Flo lasted till the end of their 2nd season in 1981. Alice didn’t go off the air until 1985.

Bea Arthur walked away from The Golden Girls in 1992 leaving her castmates and their highly successful show on NBC. Estelle Getty, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan left the network and signed on for a spin-off starring Don Cheadle and Cheech Marin called The Golden Palace. The premise is that those three invested in Miami based hotel, and it initially gained a substantial audience which quickly vanished leading to its cancellation in 1993.

Do you remember the show Living Dolls? The spin-off was based on a character from Who’s The Boss who played Samatha’s best friend (Leah Remini) who is discovered by a modeling agency which changes her life forever. This show also had a very young Halle Berry in it as well. Despite Remini’s character being one of the more amusing people on Who’s The Boss when she was on the show, this show was horrid and only lasted 12 episodes.

The Conners, best case scenario, achieves a level of success which is on-par with Archie Bunker’s Place (The spin-off to All In The Family which lasted four seasons). Even in that instance, this show’s biggest star hadn’t left.

2. How often has the cast been able to carry projects on their own?

While I’m a huge fan of the entire cast (John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Sarah Chalke, Michael Fishman, Emma Kenney, Sandra Bernhard), the biggest obstacle they face might be themselves. Can anyone provide me with an instance where anyone in the cast has successfully carried a project on their own? Everyone in this cast flourishes when they are part of a well-cast ensemble. The problem with this ensemble is that you’ve removed an essential piece of it.

3. Writing for Roseanne is drastically different than writing for anyone else

Whether people want to admit or not, Roseanne is a talented comedian who has a connection with middle-class America. Recognizing this doesn’t mean anyone has to agree with any actions or statements she’s made. The show’s narrative centers around the life and love that Dan and Roseanne have built. Roseanne’s over the top abrasiveness and Dan’s stubbornness are critical ingredients to the show being so relatable for so long.

Remove Roseanne and your missing a crucial comedic element which is tied to the show’s success. Roseanne had Whitney Cummings and Wanda Sykes assisting in the writing process which made each episode pop comedically. Who is going to write for the show? Will it be the same team? Many a spin-off has found out rather rapidly that writing for an ensemble drastically changes when vital members of the cast depart.

4. Who is the star of ‘The Conners’?

It’s a simple question, now that Roseanne is gone, who is the star of the show? What’s going to draw the same fan base back in and made them want to stick with the show?

5. Who will fill the void?

Roseanne’s departure from this ensemble is drastic. It’s on par with Dorothy leaving The Golden Girls and when John Ritter suddenly passed away during the height of Eight Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter.

ABC is asking audiences to stick with a show minus its most dynamic character. Who is going to fill the void? They will try and pull off of the unthinkable and bring in someone to the cast (much the same way NBC replaced Shelly Long with Kirstie Alley when she left Cheers for a bigger payday in Hollywood) hoping they don’t miss a beat. This move also has been made before.

Sandy Duncan replaced Valarie Harper on Valarie’s Family (later to be known as Valarie then The Hogan Family) which only lasted a few seasons until early 1991 when the show was canceled. Eight Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter was shortened to Eight Simple Rules casting James Garner and David Spade following Ritter’s death but neither could change the shows fate when it went off the air in 2005.

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PREACHER Feature: “Angelville”

Joshua Versalle

June 24, 2018

Welcome home, ‘Lil Jesse. “Angelville“, the season three premiere of Preacher, brings the fun back to TV, along with plenty of blood, blasphemy, and even a few tears. 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, we will give a breakdown of the events from the previous night’s show, including how they relate to the comics, and speculate as to what’s going on and what might be coming up. This is to say that standard SPOILER rules apply.

Dramatis Personae:

Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper): He was a criminal until a robbery went bad, a preacher until his congregation was killed in a gas explosion, and had the Word of God (the power to force anyone who could hear him to obey his every spoken command) until he gave away part of his soul.

Tulip O’Hare (Ruth Negga): She was Jesse’s best friend until they became lovers, his partner-in-crime until the aforementioned robbery, and alive until the agent of a worldwide conspiracy shot her to death in the last episode.

Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun): An Irish vampire with severe substance abuse issues, Cassidy, Tulip and Jesse were thick as thieves for much of the first two seasons. However, Cass’s feelings for Tulip (as well as Jesse starting to believe he was the Messiah) left him hating Jesse at the end of last season.

(That’s all we have room for here, for more information check out our recaps of season two starting here or catch the first two seasons, currently available on Hulu)

Welcome to Angelville

We got a taste of Jesse’s boyhood home, Angelville, last season. The episode kicks off with a flashback set in the twisted, backwater, former plantation and introduces Jesse’s mother, Christina (Liz McGeever), who is being held there against her will. Doing the holding is Christina’s own mother Marie, along with Marie’s sadistic henchmen: Jody and TC.

Picking up from last season, Tulip has been shot and killed, and Jesse and Cassidy are rushing her to Marie, who has the ability to resurrect the dead. Jesse knows there’ll be a terrible price to pay, but there aren’t a lot of options for bringing back the dead these days, so he returns to the scene of his nightmarish childhood.

Growing Up Is Never Easy

In Purgatory Tulip is shown some of her own traumatic childhood. Her father is a violent felon who is killed in front of her, her mom is a prostitute, and perhaps saddest of all: her favorite candy is Necco Wafers.

Marie sends Jesse out to retrieve something called transpoil from a rival clan with Jody who, as Jesse says, is “the guy who killed my father.” Obviously there’s some venom between the two but Jody welcomes Jesse back with open arms. This may sound like a good thing at first, but those arms happen to be soaked in gator blood.

Jeremy Childs as Jody in AMC's Preacher — Looking at this guy, gator blood is probably the best you could hope for.

After violently procuring the transpoil, Jody makes Jesse fight him before turning it over. Jesse may be tough, but everything he learned about fighting Jody taught him, and there are still lessons to be meted out. Jody takes some licks, but shrugs them off like they were nothing, and comes out the victor. He’s about to celebrate by dropping a pick-up truck on Jesse’s head when Marie intervenes.Pre

With the help of the transpoil, Boo Berry cereal, and Joni Mitchell, Gran’ma starts coaxing Tulip back to the land of the living. On the way back Tulip is met by God (you remember God, right? The guy in the dog costume from season two) who tells her she is part of His plan. He orders her to “Get those…” before being cut off when she wakes up in Angelville (the plantation, not a slang term for Heaven). She’s clearly conflicted when looking between Jesse and Cass, which no doubt presages more trouble to come this season.

From Panels to Screen:

How does the episode differ from the comics? Well, story-wise, there’s a few major differences: In the comics Tulip and Jesse were dragged to Angelville together and, when Jesse refused to bow to Marie, she had Jody shoot her dead in front of him. Tulip was later resurrected by God, not Marie, and sent with a warning to Jesse to stop looking for Him. As has been the case with the series since day one, the writers have altered the plot but kept the feel of the comics. Tulip’s past is quite different (though, again, we knew this would be the case – her character is more fully developed in the show than in the books), with her father being a felon killed in a police shoot-out, rather than shot while taking a dump on a hunting trip. I think this works better to establish the audience’s empathy for this tragic and traumatic event better than in the comics.

Visually, Jody (Jeremy Childs) lines up well with the comics: a tougher-n-Hell redneck sociopath. TC (Colin Cunningham) didn’t have a lot to offer in his first appearance. He’s one of the most memorable characters of the comics, but didn’t stand out yet in the show. Marie was far less decrepit than in Steve Dillon’s illustrations, but Betty Buckley did a great job of making a wheelchair-bound grandmother menacing. Besides, without resorting to CGI, it’d be pretty hard to top this:

Marie L'Angell Preacher Comic — Come give your Gran’ma a kiss.

Looking Forward:

I know some of you out there are trembling with dread that the writers forgot all about Herr Starr, Hoover, Featherstone and the rest of the Grail, but fear not! The trailer and other promotional materials feature all of those beloved characters and more, including our first glimpse of All-Father D’Aronique. Not to mention the lovable Eugene and a certain not-so-lovable dictator. I can’t wait to see what’s going on in the shot from the opening credits where a “Hilter” gets a taste of working retail in the 21st century.

What did you think of “Angelville”? What will happen when Starr comes looking for his Messiah? Will T.C. start getting cozy with some wildlife? Let us know in the comments.

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Review: WEAPON H #4 – Nuthin’ But a Man-Thang

Dispatchdcu

Weapon H #4 written by Greg Pak, with pencils by Cory Smith, inks by Terry Pallot & Roberto Poggi, colors by Morry Hollowell & Chris Sotomayor, and letters by Joe Caramagna smashed onto our shelves this week with an incredibly drawn, action-packed, battle royal of destructive proportions. Was this nuthin’ but a Man-Thing for our Hulkverine? Let’s find out!

One, two, three, and to the four, this issue’s gettin’ spoiled so don’t read this anymore…. unless you want to know what happens of course. Cause you know I’m ‘bout to rip this up! Pass me the mic!

It took a couple pages for this creative team to get humming, but about a third of the way through, this sucker went nuclear. This issue turned into an action packed throwdown between our Hulkverine and Man-Thing that smashed right through a forest and blew that thing to kingdom come. Take a look at this splash page!

Cory Smith, Terry Pallot, and Roberto Poggi did a tremendous job on this page showing us the hulking nature of Man-Thing towering over Clayton. Often times a creature like this gets overshadowed by whomever it’s fighting and it becomes a throw away character. Technically, Weapon H will do just that by the end BUT this creative team took pride in their depiction of Man-Thing on this page and throughout the comic.

Next, look at the framing of Clayton’s hand at the bottom of the page. We watch him gradually turn into the Hulkverine through a close up of his hand. Notice the bright, almost toxic green color of the throbbing vein on his hand. Morry Hollowell & Chris Sotomayor do a fantastic job showing the reader the poisonous transformation into the cursed Hulkverine.

We then see the battle rage on in what appears to be Man-Thing getting the upper hand on our Hulkverine. Greg Pak tells us that Roxxon further enhanced Man-Thing by combining his DNA with that of Groot, which helps the reader understand how this Man-Thing is a bit more challenging of a foe than it has been in the past for others.

Notice once more the immense size of both goliaths. Any Hulk is big and formidable but Smith, Pallot, Poggi, Hollowell, and Sotomayor do a fantastic job describing the size of these behemoths as well as the drastic deviation in color between the two characters to better distinguish the two throughout the fight. Next, look at the size of Hulkverine’s claws. Those bad boys put Wolverine’s claws to shame. They look like three katana swords on each hand. That’s nuts!

For those that don’t remember part of Man-Thing’s power set, Pak reintroduces the reader to his touch too much. Anyone who knows fear will burn by his touch. Well, using weird robotic flying insects, Dario Agger is able to communicate to Weapon H that he knows Clayton (Weapon H) has a family and he will find them and hurt them if he has to in order to get the Hulkverine to come work him at Roxxon.

This page does a phenomenal job showing us the colors and lettering mixed together in such a way to get the point across of how angry Weapon H is truly getting BUT also the fear that he is beginning to feel for his family. Hulkverine’s mixed cocktail of memories and emotions are all in red. He even screams out in big, bold, red letters insinuating the fear that is taking over BUT also that the Hulkverine is doing more than burning up right now. He’s literally going to blow like a freakin’ volcano!

Looking through this comic, the art team continues to drive home this issue. If fear burns at the touch of the Man-Thing, then consult your physician immediately!

Come on guys I had too at some point.

Just kidding. But, look at the size of this explosion! Weapon H went off like an atomic bomb. His fear and anger spewed out into a raging forest fire in which begins to desemate the surrounding areas. Police are trying to get locals to safety but somehow Weapon H’s wife tracked him down to this spot and literally threw herself into the fire.

I think Pak was stretching the connection between our hero and his love interest a bit too much here. His wife, who thought he was dead but somehow now doesn’t, tracked her husband down to a forest where they both shared a common meaningful memory to see if he’s still alive. Ok…. Then, she “happens” to show up during a forest fire and runs into it.

I understand we need to push this relationship forward but let’s just say this seemed a bit FORCED. It’s actually so forced that on the next page his wife looks at him as the Hulkverine and knows it’s him by calling out to the beast she sees (in the middle of a forest fire mind you) and states his name. Yup….

So, in order to save his wife, Weapon H throws his wife out of the forest and into a river. He then proceeds to put out the fire with a Hulk sized thunderclap, which also takes out Man-Thing and was awesome! Finally, Hulkverine gets shot in the back by 3 huge alien-looking grappling hooks and carried off by Roxxon helicopters.

The art and action were truly amazing and worth the price of admission. If you’ve come to this comic looking for a deep story or some type of spy thriller, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you want crazy monster of the week fight scenes with a detailed and talented art team showing you each epic blow by blow, then this is the comic for you.

Each issue so far has been one battle after another. Sometimes, I like my comics like my wrestling: knock out, drag out fights! I don’t need an in-depth story within all my comics. Sometimes, I just want some action, adventure, explosions, and fighting. This comic has it in spades! Weapon H laid waste to Man-Thing like it was nothing and it looks like Hulkverine will be taking on Roxxon next. I guess we’ll have to wait until the next issue to find out.

Well, what did you guys think of Weapon H #4? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu

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Spoiler Review: KILL OR BE KILLED #20 Brings The Series To A Powerful End

Manuel Gomez

Kill or Be Killed #20 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Elizabeth Breitweiser brings the series to an emotional, powerful and open-ended ending that highlights the many themes of this brilliant comic book.

The grand finale to KILL OR BE KILLED! Will Dylan find a way to live his secret life as a vigilante, or will he throw away the mask? And was there ever really a demon, or is he just crazy? And will he (or any of us) get out alive?

Kill or Be Killed #20
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Sean Phillips
Colors by: Elizabeth Breitweiser

Published by: Image Comics

Warning: This review contains SPOILERS

Writing

Anyone who has read the work of Ed Brubaker knows the writer has an affinity and understanding of crime and noir that is nearly unparalleled in the comics medium. He is the modern master of crime comics. And with Kill or Be Killed Brubaker took the genre and ran it through a meta-lens that made the series as much about storytelling as it was about the story it was telling. Issue #20 is the final chapter and it works beautifully as a conclusion. Brubaker, ever the film lover, echoes Sunset Boulevard and finally reveals that Dylan has been a posthumous narrator all along. Dylan is dead, struck down by the Russian gangsters he has been at war with since his first kills. So what we get is a brief “what if” scenario (another narrative trope) that feeds the reader’s need to see this series as a monthly superhero book. We get to see Dylan’s costume change. We see him standing proudly on rooftops, patrolling his city like a dutiful hero. We thrill at the joy of him shotgunning more pieces of shit. But that’s all it is, a fantasy, because as we learn Dylan’s actions led not to his transformation into a hero. The reality is much bleaker, yet no less moving and impactful. The fallout of Dylan’s actions is shown mostly in how they affect those in his orbit. Specifically in the passing of his obsession/mental illness to girlfriend Kira. It’s a bit of a cliffhanger ending that both leaves things open-ended but also firmly shuts the door on the book. It’s a narrative balancing act that is fragile and difficult to pull off and Brubaker does it wonderfully.

Art

Sean Phillips and Elizabeth Breitweiser are a perfect art team. Kill or Be Killed has always featured some breathtaking images, but this issue raises the bar. The snow scenes make you feel cold and confused, yet there is a delicate beauty to them that enhances the powerful writing. The use of stark white backgrounds and the occasional completely blacked out panel also creates a very cinematic death scene. Reading this book is like watching a movie and it’s fucking great.

Page layouts are also elegant and clean but still manage to feel handcrafted and tangible. As cinematic as it is, it’s still a comic book embracing all the techniques and tropes of the medium.

And of course, there is that gorgeous cover. The one that homages the classic ‘Spider-Man: No More!” from The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (which also came out in the summer. How’s that for meta!).

Conclusion

Perhaps we haven’t seen the permanent end of Kill or Be Killed if the ending is an indication, but if we have then this has been an extremely satisfying journey. In just twenty issues Brubaker, Phillips, and Breitweiser have created a sequential art masterpiece that any fan of comics needs to read and own. Issue #20 is not only one of the best final issues you will ever read, it’s one of the best comics you will read this year.

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Did Tom Holland Leak The Title Of The Next SPIDER-MAN Movie?

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

June 23, 2018

Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland, has gained a reputation for being a little too forthcoming about details surrounding various Marvel releases. Marvel even made light of this during the press tour for Avengers: Infinity War. One would think that after all of this, Holland would have learned to tone it down on social media and be just a smidge less forthcoming, but this is Holland we are talking about. Check this out.

Sorry for no announcements, but I love you guys ♥️

A post shared by ✌️ (@tomholland2013) on Jun 23, 2018 at 5:39pm PDT

Holland was appearing at ACE Comic-con when he filmed a post discussing how there wasn’t going to be an announcement today in regards to the title of the Spider-Man sequel. If fans pay attention to the video, in the last 15 seconds, he gives a glimpse of what the title will be. If you fast forward to end of the video, you’ll stumble upon it. So what is the title of the Spiderman sequel? Check out this photo. –

Did Tom Holland do it again? If this video is to be believed, it appears the next film will be called Spider-Man: Far From Home. It’s entirely possible that Disney gave him that image so he could troll fans. Personally, the title sounds too good not to be the right one. It also ties into the rumored plotline involving Spider-Man traveling around the globe. What do you guys think?

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Review: GREEN LANTERNS #49 Sees Our Rookies Against The World

Jose "Jody" Cardona

The Rebel Run story of Green Lanterns may look pretty but has a few problems.

In the last issue of Green Lanterns, we found Jessica cruise on the run from the Green Lantern Corps. She had gone on a rampage and destroyed entire city block on an alien world. Jessica, having no memory of this, proceeds to evade the corps as she investigates what happened. She even has to leave her ring behind to throw the corps off her trail. When Jessica finds the alien she was with before her rampage, Simon appears to bring her in. Is this the end for our rookie Lanterns partnership?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

As if we were expecting Simon to betray Jessica, he fakes his attack. He reveals that he is on her side and is ready to help in her investigation. The pair finds the alien and persuades him to lead them to his boss. The boss turns out to have a device that turns anyone in the vicinity into crazed monsters. The Green Lanterns agree he has to be brought in and head out to stop him.

This is one of those stories that feel need to have more than just two issues. It’s strange to say, but this issue felt fast and slow at the same time. There are so few action sequences it makes the issue feel long and tedious. However, at the same time, we rush so quickly to the end of the story, we barely get time to digest the answers. A prime example of this would be the device that caused Jessica’s rage. The device mentioned above isn’t revealed until the last three pages and is smashed immediately within two panels. This should be a huge revelation, but is passed off more like “so that’s how it happened.”

Two parts stand out from the rest in quality. The beginning has Simon reaffirm that he has Jessica’s back no matter what. It continues to show off the friendship that makes this series great. The other moment is at the end, where Jessica calls Hal Jordan out on his hunt for her. We know Hal was doing this for the right reasons, but it’s hilarious to see him told off by a rookie. While the issue itself may have fallen flat, those moments shined bright.

Art:

The art for this issue was good. Not extraordinary, just good. Roge Antonio is the illustrator for the issue, and he does a decent job with it. Our heroes’ designs look good, especially with their powers, as do the aliens. Hi-Fi brings his skill to colors once again, making the constructs for our Green Lanterns stand out. The team does a good job livening up a story that fell flat with some good art.

Conclusion:

I was left disappointed with how this story’s end was handled. While the mystery of Jessica’s forced rage hooked me, the execution of the second half failed to keep me interested. It’s a shame to watch a story with so much potential to fall. Hopefully, the next arc will go above and beyond.

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Review: DOCTOR STRANGE #2 – Intergalactic Planetary

Dispatchdcu

After 73 days of incarceration, Doctor Strange performs a narrow escape with the help of his new friend Kanna and manages to hold off an intergalactic planetary war with shear emotional urgency.

Review: Doctor Strange #2 written by Mark Waid with art by Jesus Saiz

The story opens with a fantastic display of artwork. Jesus Saiz’s detail to the background of the buildings, as well as the size of the Grynda leader, help contribute so well in making Doctor Strange look so helplessly lost. Also, notice the physical action Mark Waid and Jesus Saiz use to show the readers how genuinely awful Stephens situation is: he’s cleaning the Grynda rulers feet. The same hands that were once used for surgery, healing, and magic are now doing one of the lowest forms of work known to man. This creative team truly paints the picture of desperation immediately as the story opens by drawing the reader into this world instantly.

And if that wasn’t enough, take a look at the next page. Jesus Saiz gives us another fantastic description of the tortures Doctor Strange endured during his 73 days of imprisonment and slavery with truly outstanding detail to each character. The reader can see the utter depression in Stephen’s shoulders and head as he’s escorted back to his cell. Heck, I felt like I could hear his agonizing screams in the last frame of the page as the needles are injected into his face!

But after trying his best to remember any last bit of magic that could help him escape, the reader is introduced to his buddy for this space opera. Kanna, as he calls her, is an arcanologist (not a misprint). Kanna travels the galaxy looking for arcane objects. And to this world, as well as many across the universe, magic is a thing of the past and considered “arcane.”

This is the only part of the issue that felt forced and unnatural. So, on a planet of people that don’t use magic at all, the only two beings are somehow “magically” placed in the same cell together.

Maybe Mark Waid can clear this up later and we find out a deeper reasoning as the story unfolds? But for right now, it seemed forced to move the story forward and to quickly get our characters together. However, it does help the story progress much faster and lead to Stephen’s escape.

By the Moons of Oshtur, Mark Waid and Jesus Saiz did a fantastic job this issue giving Doctor Strange’s Intergalactic Space Journey a purpose while introducing to the reader a new type of techno-magic called Technomancy, which is a mix of technology and magic.

Kanna can replace aspects and parts of spells with technology in order to make them work. Mark Waid’s idea of technomancy connects the space exploration, magic, and technology together in such a creative way that makes this space odyssey seem so much more critical while giving the character of Doctor Strange a way to continue his magical heroism throughout the cosmos. Waid’s imagination is top notch in this issue.

Next, Kanna uses parts of Strange’s universal translator to create a technowand which helps them escape their cell. They track the Eye of Basphorus down that Kanna found, which is an ancient magical artifact that even Doctor Strange knows about, and make their way to her ship to flee the planet. But on the way, Stephen overheard some of the Grynda people say they’ll be working their way to Earth in order to take over that planet and explore the galaxy themselves. Feeling responsible for introducing this civilization to Earth, Stephen jumps from the spacecraft in midair and uses the Eye of Basphorus for one last ditch effort.

This page with Doctor Strange jumping from the ship to use the Eye was genuinely magical. Jesus Saiz mixes the dark reds of space with the bright light of Stephen’s spell to truly show the hope that our hero still has even after imprisonment, isolation, and in the emptiness of space. We should all be excited for the mystical awakening of what’s to come on this intergalactic planetary adventure Waid and Saiz have in store for us. There is no doubt this should be on your pull list. So, get your popcorn ready and hop on board now before this series takes off.

But who’s watching Doctor Strange from afar? If they knew he was in trouble, why didn’t they help me? Will they try to stir-fry him in their wok? Will Stephen’s knees start shakin’, and his fingers pop? Like a pinch on the neck from Mr. Spock? (BB circa 1998) I guess we’ll have to wait till next time.

Well, what did you guys think of Doctor Strange #2? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu

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‘MY HERO ACADEMIA’ Episode 50 Review: The End of the Beginning

Jon Barr - TV Editor

‘End of the Beginning, Beginning of the End’ is a transitional episode. The heroes and students need to reckon with the dynamic episode from last week. This episode is all about Toshinori, and how he reckons with losing the last of his abilities. How will the world, and specifically the school, feel about a depowered All Might? MY HERO ACADEMIA takes on this question with characters arguing, with mixed success.

The episode as a whole isn’t all that exciting or interesting. This episode is necessary, of course, as the characters reckon with losing All Might. The majority of the episode centers on Toshinori’s relationship with Midoriya, which is the heart of the series. A lot of the same beats are hit repeatedly, and while some of them are interesting, the episode feels slow. The episode has solid elements, but it feels like it’s missing an extra element.

The argument between Toshinori and Midoriya’s mother is definitely the strongest part of the episode. It’s smart to explore how the parents feel, especially when it comes to Midoriya. This episode provides a natural boiling point for her desire to pull Midoriya out of U.A. It also feels like such a real conflict, rooting the superhero elements in grounded emotion. The conversation is a bit overdrawn, but it strikes a strong balance between her desires to see Midoriya flourish.

Unfortunately, not all the other conversations in the episode are as fulfilling. We only get glimpses of how the other parents feel, with Bakugo and Jiro. It would’ve been fun to see other parents, or maybe a bit more with Bakugo. Likewise, getting only a glimpse of how Endeavor is dealing with All Might’s fall is a bummer. If the episode had more going on, perhaps these shorter scenes wouldn’t feel as quick. But because the meat of the episode is overlong and repetitive, it makes the other material feel rushed.

This episode definitely isn’t bad because it’s less dynamic than last week. However, it only touches on a few surface level beats while wrapping up the chapter of All Might. It will be interesting to see how MY HERO ACADEMIA continues now that it’s started the “beginning of the end.”

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Franchise Opportunities: The MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE Series Needs An Endgame

Robert Yaniz Jr.

June 23, 2018

It’s amazing how far an unforgettable theme song and a vague premise will take you. In the case of Mission: Impossible, the franchise has followed the exploits of the IMF — that’s Impossible Mission Force, by the way (yes, really) — from the 1960s television series all the way into a 1996 film adaptation that is still spawning sequels more than 20 years later. And the truly shocking part is that this film franchise is perhaps the strongest it’s ever been.

How else to explain why the forthcoming Mission: Impossible — Fallout is breaking series tradition and delivering a straight continuation of the previous entry, complete with the same director and much of the same supporting cast? For its first four entries, the series took great joy in its ability to hop from one distinctive directorial style to the next. While the visions of Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams and Brad Bird all contributed something critical to the Mission: Impossible mythos — okay, maybe not Woo’s film, universally considered the weakest installment — Christopher McQuarrie appears to have nailed the M:I formula of espionage thrills, death-defying stunts and character-driven drama like no other filmmaker thus far. And with him back for Fallout, there’s little reason to think the sixth impossible mission will disappoint fans of 2015’s Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation.

Although Fallout has yet to even arrive in theaters, some media outlets are already speculating about the development of a seventh Mission: Impossible film. These reports are largely based on some brief, fairly nebulous comments by Simon Pegg, in which the actor — who has been a franchise regular since Mission: Impossible 3 — proclaims that the series “shows no signs of slowing down” and “never say never,” etc. Basically, Pegg downplays the question, leaving it open-ended regarding whether or not he or anyone else involved in Fallout has seriously discussed what they may or may not have planned for the future of the franchise. However, while Paramount is likely waiting to see how well Fallout performs before committing to another film, the discussion of a seventh film does raise a worthwhile question: how many of these things do we really want anyway?

The idea of interminable sequels is clearly floating in the air, seeing as Mission: Impossible is on a hot streak. The last two films, Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, are easily the best of the bunch, receiving solid box office and strong reactions from fans and critics alike. But this series isn’t Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There isn’t a deep well of material to draw from or endless characters onto whom the focus can shift. From day one, this has been Ethan Hunt’s story, and Tom Cruise has become so inextricable from the role and this franchise that it’s nearly impossible to imagine someone slipping in to take over for him, as Jeremy Renner was once rumored to do.

To date, Cruise has done an incredible job anchoring these films. Each time out, he has turned in committed performances and has proven his devotion to the series through his willingness to perform many of the stunts himself. Ethan Hunt has become an increasingly physically demanding role, and Cruise — now in his mid-50s — can only continue operating on this level for so long. Then again, stars like Liam Neeson, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger are still headlining action films in their late 60s and early 70s. So perhaps Hunt can live on with Cruise merely conceding his ability to do as many of the stunts himself in the future. Even so, the narrative may run out of energy before the star does.

Unlike the James Bond films, the Mission: Impossible movies don’t naturally lend themselves to an easy recast, and more importantly, the last few have made great strides in continuity. The first three entries are more or less standalone spy adventures, with little or no characters or story elements connecting them (aside from Ving Rhames’ Luther). Yet, the more recent films have felt like they’re building an even more complex world for Hunt to inhabit, one that becomes richer with each film. Moreover, the Mission: Impossible franchise feels like it is building to some climax, with a vibe of “it’s all been leading up to this” especially coming strong out of the Fallout marketing.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout — Image via Paramount Pictures

At some point, Ethan’s story needs to come to a close, and considering the amount of effort that Cruise and his directors have put into the series, it deserves to be wrapped up in epic fashion. Likely, that means retiring (for good this time) and riding off into the sunset with wife Julia (Michelle Monaghan) after dismantling a corrupt IMF or passing it off to some new hotshot agent to be the de facto point man going forward. Whatever the case may be, the point is that the Mission: Impossible films now have a natural progression to them, and the filmmakers should be planning ahead to how they can best end Ethan’s story. A sixth film? Sure. A seventh? Great. An eighth, ninth, tenth? Eh, not so fast.

The Mission: Impossible franchise has evolved past the point of being a series of disconnected missions and, from M:I 3 on, has truly zeroed in on Hunt’s personal story as the ongoing narrative thread. In keeping with that, its supporting cast has largely stuck in the last few films. Monaghan, Pegg, Rhames (of course) and now Rogue Nation‘s Rebecca Ferguson are all firmly established as important figures in Ethan’s life. This makes it more difficult for subsequent films to merely shake Ethan off and follow a new hero. Of course, even when Cruise decides he’s ready to stop dangling off of mountains, planes and other high altitudes, Paramount will almost certainly dust off the property and likely just reboot it eventually. In today’s day and age, that’s probably inevitable.

Yet, Cruise and the entire M:I team have the chance now to set up the beginning of the end. By the looks of it, Fallout may very well be doing just that. Hopefully, this is the case, as no film series (well, except for the endlessly refreshed Bond) can go on forever. Ethan’s story must be finite, lest it either end without a proper resolution or continues to the point that fans have all but lost interest. Cruise clearly takes pride in the work he’s done in this series and as this character. The mission now, should Cruise and company choose to accept it? To ensure that the Mission: Impossible franchise manages to go out on top, its legacy intact. Oh, yeah, this message will self-destruct in five seconds.

Agree or disagree with my thoughts? Comment below to let me know or chat movies with me on Twitter @crookedtable!

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