Review: WONDER WOMAN #48 Introduces The World to the Dark Gods

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This chapter of the recent Wonder Woman arc fails to impress regarding storytelling.

During the last issue of Wonder Woman, she had to take on Supergirl. As the Dark Gods (hinted at in Dark Nights: Metal) approach Earth, they’ve begun infecting its residents. As Wonder Woman takes down the hypnotized Supergirl, her brother Jason has learned of his armor’s power. Foreseeing the Dark Gods arrival, the Greek Pantheon creates the armor to help Jason combat them. As Jason goes to join his sister in battle, Wonder Woman is taken away by the Star Sapphires to assist them in space. This leaves Jason facing down the Dark Gods on his own. How is the inexperienced son of Zeus going to take down this powerful threat? wonder woman 48

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

After Wonder Woman is taken by the Star Sapphires, Jason prepares to take on the enemy. The Dark Gods burst from their statue forms and proceed to head out into the public to start killing civilians. Jason springs into action as he explains what he knows about each of the Dark Gods. Before it proves too much for him, Supergirl, who has been snapped out of her hypnosis, flies in to help.

The biggest problem with this issue is how quickly things build up and or taken away. For example, we have ARGUS, Supergirl, and the Justice League coming in to help. Despite such heavy hitters, the leader of the Dark Gods defeats them all with one attack. If this were over the course of the issue, it would be tolerable. The Justice League is defeated within three pages of them first showing up. They didn’t even hit the Dark Gods before they were sent off to who knows where.

We do get a cool glimpse at the Dark Gods in action, with their less than spectacular names. Each one is unique and badass in action, but it makes you realize that this is all that the issue is used for. The story didn’t progress from the last issue. It only introduced the Dark Gods as we waited for Wonder Woman to return. While the Dark Gods were impressive, it wasn’t enough to justify stopping the story.

Art:

If there is always one thing you can count on for the Wonder Woman comics, it’s fantastic art. Jesus Merino is the illustrator of the issue, and he goes above and beyond. The highlight of the issue is the designs of the Dark Gods. They fit the theme that has been carried over from Dark Nights: Metal while maintaining that mythological feel. Their action scenes while fighting Jason pop off the page as well, thanks to Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s colorwork. The art team does a great job with every issue; it’s become its selling point.

Conclusion:

Despite the art team knocking it out of the park, this story arc of Wonder Woman is falling hard. The story has come to a halt, and we have two issues left. We’ve spent more time with Jason and his armor instead of the title character. The balance I mentioned in my previous review continues to skew towards Jason. Anything could happen in the next two issues, but right now, it’s looking like this arc is going to fall flat.

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WESTWORLD Review: “Kiksuya” Shines Some Light On The Past

By

Joshua Versalle

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“Kiksuya” means “remember” in Lakota. If you took the time to learn Lakota so you could watch Dances With Wolves without subtitles, your efforts are paying off, because most of this episode is spoken in Lakota. Also, don’t forget that SPOILERS are to follow. If you haven’t yet seen Sunday night’s episode, check it out before reading further. Or don’t. You’ve got free will, right? Who am I to make assumptions about your prime directive? Maybe you’d enjoy reading this first and then watching the show.

Can’t remember what happened last week? Here’s a refresher.

“Take my heart when you go.”

Zahn McClarnon (who also shined as Hanzee in Fargo’s magnificent second season) makes the most of the spotlight shined on him in this episode. His performance as Akecheta is right up there with the best performances of the first two seasons of Westworld. Despite what could be handicaps to expression (a stoic voice and having your face painted for half your scenes), he demonstrates love, bewilderment, betrayal, anger, and resolve easily and beautifully.

Throughout the hour, we learn the history of Akecheta, one of the first hosts (he was the one with Angela when they were pitching Logan on the idea of Westworld), and how he gained consciousness after happening upon the maze toy in the church.

Akecheta starts to remember his previous loops and his love, Kohana (Julia Jones). Like Maeve’s Daughter, Kohana fails to recognize someone that loves them. Wandering off from his set loop, Akecheta finds Logan, now naked, sun-scarred, and delusional after being stranded by William. Logan’s ramblings inspire Akecheta to journey even further out, where he eventually finds the Cradle and realizes there are worlds beyond his own.

He wants to take Kohana with him, but she still doesn’t remember him and reacts as though she is being kidnapped. It isn’t until he speaks the words they spoke to each other in a previous loop that she realizes who he is. Things are going well until Kohana is retrieved by a couple of Delos techs, tearing the lovers apart. When he returns to his village to find her, Kohana has been replaced by another host.

“Nothing as it seems.”

We find out that Maeve’s “memories” of the Ghost Nation warrior and the Man in Black menacing her and her daughter were misunderstood. Shown in snatches throughout the first two seasons, it appeared that both the warrior and The Man in Black were there to kill them, just in different loops. While this was true of the Man in Black, the warrior was actually Akecheta, who was there trying to protect them.

After failing to find his love in all his searching in Westworld, he decides to look on the other side of life, and allows himself to be killed so he can continue his search in the Cradle. In a haunting and tender scene, he finds her in cold storage, inert.

“Take mine in its place.”

Eventually Akecheta comes upon his creator, Robert Ford, who questions him about the maze and then tells him that when the Deathbringer (Dolores) comes, he will gather his people and bring them to a new world.

We end with two of the show’s mainstays in peril. Maeve is in the Cradle, cut open and at the mercy of Charlotte and Roland. While it would be painful for the audience if this is her end, things don’t look good, with only the bungling Lee to stand up for her.

The other major player whose outlook is dim is The Man in Black. The last we see of him, he’s tied to a horse and being led off by Grace. You remember Grace, right? The daughter that last episode he seemingly reunited with, only to abandon her once again? From what we’ve seen of her, she’s just as ruthless and determined as her old man, which bodes very poorly for him.

Although both episodes from this season that focus on one character (this episode and “The Riddle of the Sphinx”) are perfect for showcasing the talents of a single actor, I think Westworld has such a great ensemble cast that it works better when they show each storyline in an episode.

I was glad to hear composer Ramin Djawadi Westworld-ize another modern song (Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box”) in the episode. Such songs were used so brilliantly in season one, but it feels like they’ve gone away from using them in season two.

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INTERVIEW: DEAR WHITE PEOPLE Composer Kris Bowers Was Born To Play Piano

By

Ruben Diaz

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June 13, 2018

Musician Kris Bowers is a jazz pianist with an impressive list of credits including working with some mega-stars and creating the musical landscapes for shows like Dear White People.

“Attention to detail.”

Kris was a born into an entertainment family with a writer father and TV exec mom. Even before he was born, Kris’ being was influenced to follow a musical path “My parents decided before I was born that they wanted me to play the piano. So they put headphones on my mom’s stomach of different piano players. When I was about four or five, they put me in lessons.”

The road of life and non-stop hard work earned him a victory in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Such recognition created a chance to work with two notable personalities — Kayne West and Kobe Bryant. Kris says “attention to detail” is a vital similarity he noticed while working with both of those super-celebrities.

“I’ve always envisioned getting into film …”

One more big name Kris has come to meet along the way is Barack Obama. “I met Barack the first time when I won the Thelonious Monk Award. Got to go to the White House. We met him again at the White House when I played during International Jazz Day.”

A successful performer, Kris had more plans “I’ve always envisioned getting into film scoring while also balancing that out with performances.”

“It was pretty incredible.”

Kris worked on “a Christmas special based on a children’s book that came out in the 60s.” The project, called A Snowy Day, earned the young music-maker a Daytime Emmy Award.

Naturally, the next question is, what’s it like to win an Emmy? “It was pretty incredible. I didn’t even know we were submitting for it. Just getting a nomination was a prize. Winning was incredibly special.”

For Kris, there was a deeper meaning for the win “Kids will recognize that someone that looks like ‘me’ is out there doing this stuff. It gave me more of a push to continue to do the best I can.”

“So, it’s kind of this weird, reverse Driving Miss Daisy …”

The second season of Dear White People is wrapped up and ready on Netflix for viewers to enjoy. For now, Kris is working with yet another impressive collaborator “I’m working on a TV show for Starz, a mini-series, produced by LeBron James called Warriors of Liberty City.” The film documents a town within Miami where a high rate of NFL players come from.

“I’m also working on a film with Mahershala Ali, and Viggo Mortensen called Green Book.” The story here is fascinating “It’s about a jazz pianist named Donald Shirley.” In the film, Shirley’s musical label sends him on tour through the South in a super-racist late 50s America. “The label hires a white driver. So, it’s kind of this weird, reverse Driving Miss Daisy, buddy-comedy, drama. I’m excited.”

“Part of why I love scoring is that every project has its own sound. The music I write for Dear White People is different from the kind of stuff I’m doing for Green Book.”

“‘Who made this music?'”

I load up my final question: Who is a composer working today that you admire? “There is a lot, to be honest. But maybe right now I would say, Johnny Greenwood. Or someone like Trent Reznor. Most of the composers that excite me are composers coming more from the performance space.” Kris adds one more example “Mica Levi who did Under the Skin.”

A trip to a film festival inspires one more answer to this question “A movie called Eight Grade that I watched at Sundance, the entire time I was thinking ‘Who made this music?’” A moment later he answers with “Anna Meredith.”

There’s a common thread through Kris’ choices “Those people are kind of new to composing and bringing such fresh takes to traditional scoring.”

Image provided by Impact24PR.

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Interview: Michel Fiffe Spills Blood on BLOODSTRIKE: BRUTALISTS

By

Manuel Gomez

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June 13, 2018

Monkeys Fighting Robots had the chance to speak to indie comics creator Michel Fiffe (Copra/Zegas) about his new continuation of classic Extreme Studios title Bloodstrike, the appeal of 90s comics, and communicating with Rob Liefeld via albino ravens.

MFR: First off, thanks for taking the time. I know it’s convention season and everyone is crazy busy!

Michel Fiffe: No problem. Let’s do this!

MFR: Alright, so I know from reading the afterword you and I came into comics at roughly the same time (I’m from Miami, too and A&M was my LCS!). What do you think made that such a great period to get into comics (because I love it, even though it gets SO much hate)?

Michel Fiffe: Comics were a fairly common, ubiquitous hobby that got bit [by] the speculator bug. Some corny things came from it but some raw, batshit crazy things came from it, too. Shout out to A&M, peddlers of filth and dreams.

MFR: Oh and one thing, props for the D.R.I. reference on Deadlock’s shirt! What made you choose D.R.I.?

Michel Fiffe: Deadlock is the kind of guy who would be found in the pit at one of their shows when not stealing cars or lurking behind alleyways.

MFR: What comic (or comic artist) made you want to make comics?

Michel Fiffe: The original He-Man mini-comics that came with the toys. First comics I read.

MFR: What was it about Bloodstrike that made you want to bring it back from the dead (pun intended!)?

Michel Fiffe: A deep down desire to see their costumes in print again.

MFR: What was your process like for Bloodstrike?

Michel Fiffe: I plotted the entire thing before anything. That was the biggest challenge, to fit as many elements into a tight narrative as I could. Scripting and drawing it was next. Every step of the way was really fun, to tell you the truth.

MFR: Did you have a lot of contact with Rob Liefeld?

Michel Fiffe: He would actually send little notes strapped to albino ravens that would say “keep up the good work.”

MFR: What do you hope a reader gets from Bloodstrike?

Michel Fiffe: A fun experience that can only be found in comics and that will be reward upon subsequent rereading. I stuffed this thing to the gills.

MFR: What comics/creators do you follow today?

Michel Fiffe: I had a tiny shred of everyone I like do contribute to the Brutalists book: Paul Maybury, Chuck Forsman, Ed Piskor, Benjamin Marra, Buster Moody, Gianis Milonogiannis, Matthew Allison, Zack Soto, and Andrew MacLean.

MFR: What’s going on on the Copra front these days?

Michel Fiffe: I have the “COPRA VERSUS” mini-series that I have to wrap up. After that, it’s right back into the regular series.

MFR: Are there any other projects you want to talk about?

Michel Fiffe: COPRA is all I have on my mind. I cannot wait to get back to it.

Thanks again to Michel Fiffe for taking the time to talk with us. Bloodstrike: Brutalists #0 is available now at your local comic shop and you can check out michelfiffe.com for Copra and more!

All images courtesy of Image Comics and Michele Fiffe.

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Review: INCREDIBLES 2 Shines A Light On The Heroic Deeds Of Parents

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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Brad Bird’s Incredibles 2 is a fantastic mix of eye-popping animation and a storyline which will resonate with families around the globe.

It’s amazing to think how different our world has become between the first movie and now the sequel. In the last fourteen years, society has undoubtedly seen an upswing in more women joining the workplace, while more men appear to be staying home and taking care of the kids. Stereotypical parental roles are becoming more antiquated, and flexibility is a must for any parent. Incredibles 2 addresses this issue head-on.

The Parr family is attempting to lead a normal existence now that superheroes are illegal. However, when your version of ordinary involves the ability to lift a tank, life has a way of bringing those abilities out in the open. The Underminer (John Ratzenberger) attempts an elaborate bank robbery just as our heroes are heading to the car. Rather than ignore a crime in progress, this crime-fighting family springs into action in an attempt to stop him which results in so much collateral damage. Politicians are fed up with these messes and decide that all government superhero programs are shut down for good. Left with little options, Mr. Incredible/Bob Parr (Graig T. Nelson) has to start looking for a job. Just as he’s asking Elastigirl/Helen Parr (Holly Hunter) where his ties are, Frozone/Lucius Best (Samuel L. Jackson) shows up to tell them that media mogul Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) has requested a meeting with the three of them. Deavor sits them down and explains how he wants to launch a media campaign to make superheroes legal again, but he wants the first phase of it to center on Elastigirl. With promises of a hefty salary and a future where superheroes can be themselves, Helen leaves Bob at home, and he’s forced to take on many new roles. Just when it seems the Parr family is on a path towards their version of normalcy, a new evil emerges.

The Incredibles 2 can be summed up beautifully by this quote from Parr family friend and hero consultant Edna E. Mode (Brad Bird),” Done properly, parenting is a heroic act.” Bird has constructed a storyline reflective of the struggles parents face every day. Helen’s decision to go back into the field as Elastigirl isn’t so different than some of the choices many mothers face and her feeling of guilt after the fact is all too common. On the flipside, Bob is willing to take on more of homemaker role at first because in his mind it’s easy and a means to an end. Litte does he realize how difficult the job of being at home indeed is and how Helen makes look easy. My favorite sequence is when Bob is at the end of his rope after barely sleeping because of Jack-Jack’s (Eli Fucile) antics, Violet’s (Sarah Vowell) boy troubles, and Dash’s (Huck Milner) inability to grasp math. What parent hasn’t been at that breaking point before? Incredibles 2 doesn’t seek to provide any answers to these constant struggles; it’s more of an acknowledgment of the superhuman feats parents pull off daily.

Jack-Jack is easily the star of Bird’s latest film. His interactions between the raccoon which saunters into the family’s backyard and his dad are the funniest moments of Incredibles 2. Crafting the youngest member of the Parr family to have multiple powers which were unpredictable was indeed hilarious and reflective of most babies his age. While my son Henry can’t ignite into a ball of fire or turn into a demon, he certainly can go from destroying his room to screaming uncontrollably at a moments notice.

The animation of Incredibles 2 is vibrant making use of bright colors to create intricate cityscapes. What stood out to me is how seamless they were able to meld 60’s decor with a futuristic twist creating an original look. There wasn’t any portion of Incredibles 2 which dragged, and that speaks volumes as the film is almost two hours long. Michael Giacchino’s score is bright, energetic, and captures the essence of Bird’s narrative.

While The Incredibles oozed with originality making it even now one of the most highly regarded Pixar releases ever, Incredibles 2 doesn’t even come close to the lofty standards set by the original film. Perhaps even thinking it could is a tad bit unrealistic. Overall, Incredibles 2 is an entertaining follow-up with fantastic visuals and a message that’s reflective of today’s world.

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Patty Jenkins Confirms Steve Trevor’s Return In ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ With Official Image

By

Kieran McLean

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June 13, 2018

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Wonder Woman

Director Patty Jenkins just took to her official Twitter account to announce that Chris Pine will make his return as Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman sequel, which is officially titled Wonder Woman 1984.

More – ‘Wonder Woman 2’ Release Date Moves Up 6 Weeks

Even though Steve Trevor died in Wonder Woman, fans have speculated for a while that the character could return for the sequel. Now that we have official confirmation from the director, it’s exciting to think about the role that Steve Trevor could play in the sequel. If this image teases anything, it’s that Steve will have a difficult time adjusting to life in the 1980’s, or perhaps he just can’t handle

Check out the image below:

Gal Gadot has also posted an image on her Twitter account, which shows Diana Prince aka. Wonder Woman watching various television screens, all of which tease the films 1980’s setting.

Check out the image below:

Wonder Woman 1984 is directed by Patty Jenkins and will be the fourth movie to feature Gal Gadot as the iconic female hero. The film recently started production and is expected to land in theatres on November 1, 2019!

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Review: MISTER MIRACLE #9 Is All Business As “Usual” On Apokolips

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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Mister Miracle #9 marks the beginning of the end for the series, as the war between New Genesis and Apokolips winds down and Darkseid’s larger motivations are revealed.

The entire issue takes place over seven days on Apokolips, as Scott and his “brother” Kalibak negotiate peace between their worlds.

Let’s remember what Mister Miracle is about. It’s about the current state of our world, and the anxiety, depression, and isolation that many people are feeling. It’s about feeling trapped and powerless while everything around us goes to shit.

This issue reminds us that, despite those feelings, there is still work to do if we want things to get better. Sometimes we need to grit our teeth, suppress those feelings, and act as though the monstrosities we witness every day don’t get to us. Especially those of us in a position of power to affect real change. Writer Tom King knows this better than most, having worked for the CIA in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

But it also shows the flip side of that, how those same people act behind closed doors. These things do get to us, obviously, and they take their toll on our souls. Mitch Gerads illustrates a beautifully haunting scene with Scott looking in Granny Goodness’ “special” mirror and wondering if what he sees is his true innermost self. In many ways, this series is holding up a mirror to us, the readers, and making us wonder the same.

Gerads continues to do miracles himself with his artwork. This book challenges everything you know about comics, and Mitch is leading the charge. His work is supercharged with raw emotion – probably the rage he feels towards Tom King for making him draw so many 9-panel grids. He’ll make you laugh, cry, and shake with terror all in this issue, and all through his art.

His interpretation of Kalibak is truly brilliant. He’s monstrous – the source of the aforementioned terror. But also, watching the beast put on his reading glasses is one of the comedic highlights of this entire series. (See below.) It’s this balancing act that makes Mister Miracle such a treat to read each month.

And in typical fashion, King and Gerads never let their reader get comfortable. Even during seemingly innocuous peace talks, there’s something unsettling bubbling just under the surface. The tension and anticipation is unbearable.

Mister Miracle, as always, does an exquisite job of taking the most atrocious sights and making them seem mundane. Only three issues left to go now, and while it’s going to be awesome seeing how this story wraps up, it’s a shame that it ever has to end.

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Review: INCREDIBLES 2 Is The Best Pixar Sequel Since Toy Story 3

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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Incredibles 2 is the latest film from Pixar, and it’s the must-see movie this weekend.

After the events of the first film, Elastigirl is hired to be the frontwoman for a movement to get superheroes legalized again. While she’s out fighting the good fight, Mr. Incredible has to take a backseat and learn to be a stay-at-home dad.

The first Incredibles is arguably the best Pixar film, which is saying a lot. It has heart, humor, depth, and it’s a better superhero flick than most put out by either Marvel or DC.

Incredibles 2 – while not as good as its predecessor – also has these qualities.

Everything you loved about the first film is here. The classic aesthetic, the brilliant score by Michael Giacchino, the chemistry among all of the characters…

Oh man, the chemistry. These movies do not work any better than when the Parr family is together on screen. The family dynamic is what makes the Incredibles series special, and seeing Mr. Incredible at home with the kids far exceeds following Elastigirl on her adventure (though that’s fun too). It feels real and allows you to connect with this fictional family of supers. Watching them interact is still so relatable and funny, and when they fight together, you’ll get chills.

That’s something the first Incredibles did incredibly well – it really played with the heroes’ powers in fun and innovative ways. This film gives us even more of that. The Parr family continues to work together like a well-oiled machine, like only a close family can, and we get even more supers for them to play off of. But even when heroes are flying solo, director Brad Bird finds original ways to use their powers that requires real thought, and in some cases real science. It’s that little extra bit of care and attention that sets these films apart.

And on top of all the fun, Bird inserts a very powerful message inside his film as well. Whereas the first film was all about celebrating what makes you special, this sequel is more about trust. It’s about helping others, and both trusting and allowing others to help you, instead of everyone just looking out for themselves. It very much plays off of the fear and paranoia plaguing our society today. There’s even a line early on in the film about how the government doesn’t trust people who do good just because it’s the right thing to do. It makes them nervous. It’s very relevant, and a good lesson for both kids and adults in the audience.

However – now that I’ve sung the film’s praises for over 400 words – the voice acting in Incredibles 2 does take a step down from the last film. It’s not bad; most of it is actually pretty good. But there are a few scenes where the actors just don’t seem to jive together like last time. In fact, a few times it feels as though the lines were recorded separately and just mixed together. Which very well could have been the case, and is a common practice in animation. It doesn’t always flow properly here though, and can be a little distracting.

Overall, Incredibles 2 did not disappoint after 14 years of waiting. Though it doesn’t quite match the first film, it’s still a very worthy successor and a very rewatchable flick.

(Oh, and side note: Jack-Jack absolutely steals the show in this one. So if you were wondering if they could add the baby into the mix without weighing down the other characters, AND without making it feel like a contrived marketing ploy because babies are cute, they can, they do, and it’s glorious.)

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JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Premiere With Chris Pratt – “Owen”

By

Matthew Sardo

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June 13, 2018

The US premiere of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was held in Los Angeles Tuesday night at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, check out what Chris Pratt had to say.

About the film:

It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is directed by J.A. Bayona from a script by Colin Trevorrow, and stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Isabella Sermon, BD Wong, and Jeff Goldblum.

The dinosaurs return June 22.

Are you excited for the sequel? Comment below.

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Review: A Powerful Threat Has Come to Earth for Superman in THE MAN OF STEEL #3

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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This issue of Man of Steel delivers an emotional gut-punch to longtime Superman fans.

The last issue of The Man of Steel had the galactic circle of leaders shocked by the destruction of Krypton. They believe that Rogol Zaar, their champion, has gone rogue and destroyed the planet. Since then, Rogol has been on the run. In the present, Superman has been saving the day but avoiding the conversation about his family. It worries the Justice League and the Daily Planet, but Clark keeps marching on. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, an alien has learned of there being living Kryptonians. That alien is a still living Rogol Zaar. He proceeds to make his way to Earth to finish the job he started all those decades ago. Will the Man of Steel be ready for this threat?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

The story opens with Rogol landing in the Arctic and finding the Fortress of Solitude. He breaks his way in and is shocked by such a place existing. After destroying the caretaker robot, Kelex, the warrior proceeds to wreck the Fortress. Back in Metropolis, Superman has asked Batman to assist in the Arson case. Before they can make any progress, however, Clark hears the destruction and rushes off to see what’s going on.

Well, the past and present storylines are beginning to come together. The problem is that this entire issue is only the build-up to the confrontation. Superman doesn’t even come face to face with Rogol until the end of the issue. We are at the halfway point of the miniseries, and the hero just now meets the villain. We have three issues to go, and a ton of questions that need answers.

That being said, the emotional gut-punch this buildup created is spectacular. Seeing what Rogol has done to the Fortress will break any Man of Steel fan’s heart. You can feel the pain that Clark is going through as he goes through each part of the Fortress. His inner monologue during his search is emotional and nails the character of Superman perfectly.

Art:

Ryan Sook takes over illustrating this issue and does a fantastic job to tug at the heartstrings. The detail in the Man of Steel’s reaction is well done and grips onto the reader. It will break your heart to see Clark cry over the destroyed statues of his parents. It isn’t all emotional pencils, however. We also have some pretty cool action scenes that are drawn well. But the best part of this issue is the design of present Rogol Zaar, who looks menacing. His design tells a story that has happened since we saw him in issue one and I would love to see it. Sook took it to the next level with this issue.

Conclusion:

We have reached the midpoint of the miniseries, and while it is flawed, I can’t say I’m not intrigued. While it is worrying to see the story take this long to have the faceoff, the emotional build up was great. The art helped capture this emotion and action with its masterful detail. Now that we have our hero mad and villain ready, it’s time for the throwdown that has been building since Action Comics #1000.

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