Bayley’s not NXT Women’s Champion anymore. She lost to a newbie and can’t seem to get her hands back on that coveted belt. She’s viewed as a veteran in the NXT Women’s Division, and she thinks that means that she’s a has-been. She hasn’t made it to the main roster yet, and her disappointment and lack of self-confidence is starting to show. The crowd seems to think she’s on her way up, but Bayley isn’t convinced. Will she finally get her big break at Battleground?
Dennis Hopeless takes us through Bayley’s thoughts as she’s watching her dreams slip through her fingers. Her inner struggle is real, and Hopeless’s inner dialogue makes Bayley seem “a little doe-eyed.” His story makes a want so much more for Bayley.
BOOM! Studios – WWE #17
ART
For another month, Kendall Goode steps in to draw a few pages of this story. The different art is noticeable, and I tend to like Serg Acuna’s artwork on this book better. However, Goode’s oddly-shaped panels with an almost fish-eye-lens look to the action sequences from NXT TakeOver are fun and fast-paced, typical of an NXT match.
Doug Garbark’s color choices are perfect for this story. The pinks, purples, and pastel tones are fitting for the Bayley saga.
SIDE STORY
Asuka’s finally joining Team Red and is heading to RAW. Her debut is scheduled, and she’s ready to go. But first, a quick stop at the Performance Center puts her face to face with Tini Howard’s favorite superstar, Finn Balor. It was also a nice touch to have her mingle with Shield brothers Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, with Roman Reigns tucked in the background. (For those who don’t follow WWE storylines, the Shield were the poster boys of the TLC Pay Per View until Reigns was sidelined with the mumps just days before the event.) Hyoenjin Kim’s artwork flawlessly captures the petite scowl of The Goddess Alexa Bliss and the grandeur of The Empress of Tomorrow.
CONCLUSION
Bayley’s story has come to an end, but really it’s just her beginning. She continues to do great things on the WWE main roster, and there ain’t no stoppin’ her now!
Boom! Studios imprint Archaia continues its record of creating comics based on the Jim Henson Company properties with the release of a new mini-series based on the popular 1980s show Fraggle Rock, and just in time to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Will this truly help to grab a new generation of fans?
Mokey isn’t acting like herself, and it has her friends worried. Can they find a way to reignite their friend’s love of art?
Writing
Growing up as a child in the 80s, there were some things which were unavoidable. One of those was Saturday morning programming. At one time or another, both the original series and animated cartoon version of Fraggle Rock ran and offered fans of the Muppets an enjoyable experience which was educational, but not as heavy-handed in its delivery as Sesame Street. Now, with the release of a comic based on the classic series, many are hopeful this will help new fans experience the joy which came from going down to Fraggle Rock. Does the book succeed?
Fans of the show have little to worry about. Writer Jared Cullum offers a charming short story which doesn’t take a lot of knowledge about the characters to enjoy. The reader need only sit back and relax to get into the swing of it all. It’s not a complicated story, but Fraggle Rock doesn’t need to be. All the series had to feature was fun creatures exploring a world and helping someone to learn a good lesson. This book delivers these elements and more in just a short amount of time.
Artwork
The art Jared Cullum creates for this issue is inspirational. The use of a watercolor art style is often hard to present properly in comics without the execution being a distraction. Here, Collum’s work shapes the world of Fraggle Rock almost like a fusion between the live-action and the animated series. It features a textured look which truly leaves a lasting impression.
The use of lettering by Mike Fiorentino helps to deliver an animated performance which makes the comic feel more like the Saturday Morning cartoon. The characters deliver lines which produce so much comedy; you can hear the joke resonate in your head after reading it.
Conclusion
This series is perfect for fans of the original series but not too complex it will turn off newcomers. If you are a Muppet fanatic, you owe it to yourself to check out this issue. Fraggle Rock will truly help you dance your cares away.
The coming-of-age teen movie is a staple of Hollywood and has become even more popular recently thanks to John Green’s romantic young adult novels being adapted, and they’ve been given an LGBT twist thanks to Love, Simon.
Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) is a typical teenager who’s about to graduate high school. He comes from an all-American household, has three best friends and is generally liked at school. Simon also has a big secret: he’s gay. When a student using the pseudonym “Blue” posts a blog about his sexuality, Simon starts to communicate with him, falls for him and speculates who Blue is. When another student, Martin (Logan Miller) finds out about their communications, he threatens to out Simon if he doesn’t help Martin get with the new hot girl Abby (Alexandra Shipp).
DF-03286_R – Nick Robinson (Simon), Talitha Bateman (Nora), Jennifer Garner (Emily), and Josh Duhamel (Jack) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s LOVE, SIMON. Photo Credit: Ben Rothstein.
Love, Simon is a well-intended film and has earned a lot of praise because of it. Fans of John Green adaptations and other YA films will undoubtedly enjoy it as the film hits the right beats. Love, Simon is a grounded story and its depiction of a teenager coming out felt realistic. Simon is a relatively average teenager, and he doesn’t live up to the gay stereotypes – he dresses in hoodies and is a music aficionado.
The characters around Simon are also mostly relatable. His friends are normal teens; one is like him, a music nut, another is soccer player, and Abby is a theater geek. The dialogue and banter between Simon and his family is believable: Simon’s mom (Jennifer Garner) offers wisecracks and banter, and his dad (Josh Duhamel) is a handsome all American type who makes embarrassing dad jokes about his son looking at porn – unaware of his son’s sexual preference. Characters are not quirky for the sake of being quirky like in other YA films nor overly pretention people that you would want to throw out of a window.
Simon has the same problems as anyone else his age – he wants to do well at school, is looking forward to going to college, and going to parties. He is not befriending someone battling an illness or looking for a missing student. His story is also like many gay people – he knew early on about his sexuality, but he still had some girlfriends before attempting to get with another man. Like anyone, Simon fantasies who his penpal is and what their relationship could be like.
Compared to other high school films which make the students hang out in cliques like the jocks, the nerds, the popular girls, the arty types, etc… Love, Simons portrays the students for what they would really be like – mixed. Even Simon’s core group of friends is mixed. It is refreshing to see this kind of portrayal in a Hollywood film.
The humor in the film is of a more gentle type: they are some witty lines and interactions and Love Story does this by mixing it in with drama. The drama teacher (Natasha Rothwell) has some of the funniest lines and reactions. This mixture was shown through Ethan (Clark Moore), the only openly gay kid at school – he is on the receiving end of some horrific homophobic abuse, but he gives it right back with his sassy comebacks. A scene I particularly liked was when Ethan asked Simon why he didn’t come out to him and Simon gives an honest answer – that the two didn’t have much in common.
When Simon is outed many people say they are supportive and some people want to show they are tolerate. But even some characters show a subconscious prejudice or assumptions – like when one character thinks Simon and Ethan are together just because they’re gay.
The character of Martin was a grinding presence and acts like a sex offender ready to happen. He is utterly despicable, and Logan Miller made it too easy to hate him. When he embarrassed himself and others, I ended up watching through my fingers because it was so cringeworthy.
Love, Simon was directed by Greg Berlanti, best known for working on the Arrowverse and films like Green Lantern. Berlanti does offer some moments of flash – like a song-and-dance – and when the crack in Simon room changes, but otherwise it doesn’t look much different from other films in the subgenre: high school comedy-dramas set in middle-class suburban America.
Love, Simon is an excellent step for LGBT representation in mainstream film: a coming-of-age romance where the main character just happens to be gay.
Despicable Deadpool hits the 300 issues milestone in a giant-sized sendoff from writer Gerry Duggan. Our beloved scumbag, Wade Wilson, is trying to wash the taste of Secret Empire out of his mouth once and for all.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Love it or hate it, Secret Empire was a big deal. A handful of titles have been addressing the aftermath ever since, Despicable Deadpool especially. Wade Wilson’s actions during the event have dictated much of the action in this transitional period known as Marvel Legacy.
With Gerry Duggan’s final issue, he wipes the slate clean. The slate being Deadpool’s mind and all the painful memories of his past. It’s been great to see ongoing fallout and consequences following a character’s actions during a major event. Wade’s murder of Agent Coulson wasn’t something to just get brushed under the carpet.
Despicable Deadpool #300 is a gigantic shit show in the best possible way. While there isn’t much of the promised “Marvel Universe Kills Deadpool,” there is a star-studded issue full of delightful nastiness. We get to see plenty of familiar faces from our beloved 616, but rather than the usual action it’s a tour through puke-town.
Wade gets a cosmic super power that turns him into a biochemical weapon, forcing every hero he comes across to violently blow chunks. This portion of the book is when the artwork is significantly weaker, but it’s fun all the same.
As self-aware as Deadpool himself, Duggan successfully pulls of a “hacky” insertion of himself. Gerry has done wonderful things for Wade over the years, his tenure will be remembered in a positive light. He kept it together, contributing great comics, during a time where Deadpool was being dangerously over-saturated and forced into every other Marvel book.
Deadpool taking a murder-stroll through his memories is a fun and gruesome sequence. Even with some predictable ways of getting there, the clean sweep initiative is effective and entertaining. This is less a milestone issue and more of a bridge between two series, but it justifies it’s cover price regardless.
Gerry Duggan is an absolute master of juggling and shifting between emotional beats. There’s plenty of laughs, action, and tons of heart. Duggan made it important to keep Wade’s heart intact without losing his edge and unpredictability.
Despicable Deadpool #300 checks all the boxes, delivers some surprises, and is the perfect punctuation for the end of Duggan’s fantastic run with the character. Now that’s all behind us and Deadpool will be getting his own “fresh start.”
While the start of the newest Wonder Woman story captures the scope of the threat, it still has a few missteps.
The last few arcs of the Wonder Woman series have been rough, to say the least, in terms of storytelling. Every story presented has shown such great promise but falls apart by the end. Diana finds her brother, Jason, but we get little interaction as we read issues of flashbacks. She faced a villain she inadvertently created but was oblivious to why. Then there was what happened the last arc with a lackluster war between Darkseid and Themyscira. A battle that was ended by the literal power of familial love against Darkseid. Now we face a threat to the world, and I’m left asking the same question as before: Will this idea be executed better than the last arc?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
All across the world, people are going insane with visions of god-like beings heading to Earth. One such person is The Cheetah, who has broken out of her cell to try and make a sacrifice. The target ends up being Veronica Cale, the villain of Greg Rucka’s Rebirth arcs, but Wonder Woman intervenes. Meanwhile, Jason has been on his path, which will lead to the origin of his armor and his long-lost adopted father.
The biggest problem in the issue is one that’s been a consistent one throughout this creative run: lack of focus. For a comic that is about the mighty Amazon, Wonder Woman appears the least in the issue. We’d have more attention dedicated to Jason and Cheetah than her. That being said, it’s also this broad view that makes the story interesting. You see how this new threat is actually changing these people. Cheetah has been brought back into the story and is more of a threat in this issue alone than Darkseid was in his whole arc. I presume, as the story goes on, the focus will be brought in as Wonder Woman and Jason face these Dark Gods. This could be the arc that makes this creative run memorable, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Art:
Stephen Segovia is on illustrations for this issue, and it honestly has its highs and lows. There are some fantastic designs in the book, such as the AI Adrianna and Wonder Woman herself, but then we have the weird things. Weird facial expressions or movements that kind of push you out of the moment. It’s not terrible, but when you notice it, it’s hard to forget. Romulo Fajardo Jr returns to coloring duty and, to no surprise, continues to rock it. It ranges from dark and dreary to bright and colorful, bringing the book to life.
Conclusion:
This issue holds great promise for not just the arc but the series as a whole. The stakes feel heavy as old and new enemies rise, even if Diana isn’t there to fight all the time. The art does a decent job capturing the world and making it feel alive. Overall, this Wonder Woman arc might redeem the run if it stays its current course.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition Book 1 is out now from Viz Media, recollecting and remastering Hiromu Arakawa’s classic manga series for readers new and old.
In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Their journey to restore their bodies through the power of the Philosopher’s Stone begins here.
This new edition covers the first one and a half volumes of the series. It includes brand-new cover art, new color inserts, color versions of select pages previously printed in black and white, and behind-the-scenes character sketches from creator Arakawa. You can learn more about the Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition series here.
The additions make this collection well worth the $20. The newly colored pages are crisp and clean, and the smattering of concept art throughout is fun and interesting to dig through, especially for older fans of FMA. It would have been great to see more coloring, though. There’s one colored spread at the front, and just two more throughout the book. And they’re gorgeous; they just leave you wanting more.
Revisiting these first one and a half volumes, you can see what made the series such a success. The characters are complex and interesting. Ed in particular is very funny to watch, while Al is more soft spoken, bringing a balance to their relationship, and giving the brothers a dynamic that’s pure fun to read.
But while the characters are the driving force behind the series, the story itself can’t help but suck you in. Yes, it’s got action and adventure, but best of all it’s mysterious and intriguing. Arakawa doesn’t waste time setting everything up with dull exposition; she just tells her story. She plants seeds which keep you as the reader invested, wanting to know more. There are elements introduced in these early pages that aren’t full explained or revealed until later in the series, and that’s masterful storytelling. It keeps you turning pages.
As far as art goes, Arakawa’s facial expressions do an excellent job conveying tone and emotion. Plus they’re often hysterical, generating much of the series humor. She also creates a unique atmosphere by juxtaposing detailed characters with minimalist backgrounds. A character like Al is rendered with incredible attention to detail, which really makes him pop against a more bare-bones background. The simple backgrounds are also Arakawa’s way of forcing the reader to focus on what she wants them to focus on, further proving her firm grasp on the medium.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition Book 1 combines the great story that fans know and love with some awesome new features. The only real criticism is that it leaves readers wanting more of the bonus content. But hey, that’s just a reason to look forward to Book 2.
David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane made Venom a household name with issue 300 of Amazing Spider-Man, and since then Marvel Comics has tried its best to destroy the fan-favorite character with insane storylines and ridiculous spinoff characters. Now, 30 years removed from the Venom’s first appearance, Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman approach the new series with perspective, amazing art, and great storytelling.
Cates throws everything he has at the first issue, giving the book a familiar feel with dark horror overtones. Eddie Brock is back with the symbiote, and Cates modern esthetics work well with the chaos in Eddie’s head. Cates takes the best parts of the past 30 years of Venom stories and adds to the origin in a very organic manner. The book is also accessible to new readers as the story hits the ground running and the reader learns information from Eddie’s perspective.
Stegman understands the complexities when it comes to Spider-Man, and this translates very well with Venom #1. McFarlane changed the game when it comes to Spider-Man, from how you draw webs, to angles, and perspective of the characters. When artists understand the elements needed to make Venom pop off the page, it’s mind-blowing what he or she can do with the character. See the above image and look at the layers of details in the webs, the rain, and Venom himself. Venom will be an enjoyable book with Stegman handling the artwork.
There are few things that didn’t work in the artwork that was more a personal preference. The motion blur and Instagram filter blur feel inorganic and distracting as they take the reader out of the moment. The artistic team worked really hard on this book; don’t cover it up with a Photoshop blur. Plus, Venom isn’t a speedster and it’s not needed. Frank Martin’s colors are brilliant in the first half the book with the rich black tone of the story, but something gets lost in the second half with the reds and oranges. Clayton Cowles usually knocks it out of the park with the lettering, but the sound effects felt unfinished in this issue.
Overall, Venom #1 is a great launch to the series with over-the-top 90s inspired writing from Cates and McFarlane-inspired art by Stegman. The cliffhanger at the end will compel you to read the second issue as well.
Avengers: Infinity War has passed $1 billion at the worldwide box office in record time.
Marvel Studios’ latest outing is currently sitting at an estimated $1.16 billion, which beats the previous record of $1.15 billion held by Captain America: Civil War. In just 11 days, Infinity War has cracked a billion at the box office.
Less than two weeks ago, Infinity War claimed the biggest opening weekend of all time in the United States. The film made $257.698 million, which easily passed the previous $248 million held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.”
Avengers: Infinity War features Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
Will Avengers: Infinity War make $2 billion dollars at the box office? Chime in down below, in our comments section!
The third film in the Bill & Ted film franchise is moving forward as Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are now confirmed to reprise their roles in Bill & Ted Face The Music.
According to a report by Deadline, the news broke as Bloom is looking for an international distributor for the film at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Bloom is a film sales, production and financing company.
“We couldn’t be more excited to get the whole band back together again. Chris and Ed wrote an amazing script, and with Dean at the helm, we’ve got a dream team!” said Winter and Reeves today.
Dean Parisot is set to direct from a script by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. No release date has been set.
Most film to TV adaptations have been known to let us down in the past. Syfy’s 12 Monkeys adapted from the 1996 film of the same name is not one of those shows. With the fourth and final season airing later this summer, if you haven’t started watching 12 Monkeys, now is the perfect time to strap in and get ready for a wild ride.
Syfy’s 12 Monkeys first season keeps as close to its film roots as it could. James Cole played by Bruce Willis in the original film and Aaron Stanford in the show, is sent back in time from a post-apocalyptic future to stop a deadly plague that will destroy the human race. The insane antagonist played by a young Brad Pitt in the original film is portrayed by Emily Hampshire, who both do a great different version of crazy. Amanda Schull is Cassandra, a doctor that teams up with Cole to try to save humanity. The time travel in both stories is untested and not entirely reliable, but at the same time is a refreshing take on the idea. This is where the similarities end, which is not a bad thing.
The show is a sci-fi adventure, with Cole and crew time-tripping from year to year, they call it “splintering” as it’s a chemical process that gives him accelerated healing powers and enhanced fighting ability. This combined with the way Cole travels out of order, meeting people he has already met for the first time, makes for magnificent tension building. Time travel is an excellent tool if you know how to use it, and 12 Monkeys does. Whether it’s to introduce the death of character early, leaving you wondering when and how it’s going to happen, or the use by villains who for some reason always seem to be a step ahead.
Tom Noonan who portrays the Pallid Man is the perfect villain for the show. He is mysterious, ruthless and cut-throat, all while doing things for with a higher purpose. His depth and complexity grow as well as his purpose. 12 Monkey’s villains help move the story as much if not more than its heroes, the constant game of catch up is a welcomed change from the cat and mouse of other shows.
For those that don’t need to catch up, season 4 plans to take the show to a time it’s never been, the Middle Ages.
“We saved the best splinter for the last,” executive producer Terry Matalas told EW, who revealed that 12 Monkeys season 4 will head to medieval times. “We wanted to send them to a darker, more dangerous time period than ever before — and there’s nothing better for that than the Middle Ages. Imagine Jennifer Goines wandering through Winterfell, and you can guess the places we’ve gone with it.”
The team will be going back to 1400s England, where it all started.
Syfy dropped a new trailer for season four Monday night, check it out below. According to TV Line, the final season of the 12 Monkeys premieres on Friday, June 15 at 8/7c on Syfy. The 11-episode season will unfold over four consecutive weeks, with three episodes airing each Friday from 8 to 11 pm until the two-hour series finale on Friday, July 6 at 9 pm.
