“We wanted to get back to a small, core lineup. With big, iconic characters at the heart of that. So we get Steve, Tony, and Thor Odinson back together at the heart of this new team, and the rest of the team we build around them over the course of the first arc. My aim with this series is basically, if you only read one Marvel comic — not that you should read just one Marvel comic, but if you did — if you picked this book up, this would show you the landscape of the Marvel universe issue after issue. We want to feature the biggest characters and go to the coolest, most exotic locations around the Marvel U,” said Aaron to IGN.
The new team includes Thor Odinson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), Hulk (Jennifer Walters) and Doctor Strange (rotating slot).
Check out the four-page preview below.
What do you think of the news from Marvel? Comment below.
In Royal City #10 from Image Comics, creator Jeff Lemire brings several story threads together, finally revealing some of the buried secrets and feelings of the Pike family.
Royal City #10
Written and Drawn by: Jeff Lemire Alternate Cover by:Dustin Nguyen Published by: Image Comics
Writing
Jeff Lemire shifts the focus here to Tommy Pike, and the result is one of the most emotionally engaging chapters this comic has had so far. Tommy’s death has always been central to Royal City. It’s not what the book is about (not really) but the event has certainly haunted the pages since issue one. Using what appears to be Tommy’s last night is a fantastic narrative choice. His introspection sets the mood, spreading to the other characters. Having all the Pike children in one place at one time gives them all moments that further develop them. Steve and Tara, in particular, get a revealing scene that illustrates the seed of their complex relationship. The party is also a great setting, creating a ‘never-ending night’ atmosphere that has always been important in ‘coming of age’ stories (and that’s exactly what this arc has been. One could argue the book itself is about a town perpetually in a ‘coming of age tale’). The party is also a great way to contrast the isolation so many of the characters are feeling.
Art
Lemire shines when he gets to draw these kinds of small town, slice of life images and his love for doing so is evident in how delicate yet powerful the linework is. Some of the layouts and panels in this issue are quietly beautiful, using subtlety excellently; like how for a party story, so many characters appear either alone in a panel, or sitting two-fold, away from others. It highlights the isolation.
The slightly sketchy pencils and inks, paired with the water-color feel of the palette, creates the feeling of a hazy memory. Yet at the same time also puts you right there at a time and place. It’s like Lemire has crafted the perfect way to illustrate nostalgia with all its melancholy sadness. There is also a bold move to end the issue with literal journal entries on notebook paper; an idea the beautifully underlines the personal nature of this series.
Conclusion
If you haven’t checked out Royal City yet, this issue is actually a good one to start with (even if it is the end of an arc). There are enough relatable emotions, situations, and characters for just about anyone. And like every issue, it’s beautiful to look at.
*Once again there is an excellent alternate cover invoking a classic ’90s album. This month we have Dustin Nguyen doing a riff on Smashing Pumpkins ‘Siamese Dream’. You can see it below.
When it comes to live-action versions of anime, manga, and comics, their structure is like packing a suitcase. You don’t want to overpack and weigh down the movie with too much source material. But you also don’t want to pack light and forget important things. When it comes to Full MetalAlchemist, Writer Hiromu Arakawa struggles to find a perfect balance within the movie’s 2-hour frame.
The plot follows Edward (Ryôsuke Yamada) and Alphonse Elrich (Atom Mizuishi). Two alchemists on a mission to obtain a philosopher’s stone after a failed attempt to revive their mother with alchemy. An attempt that cost Edward two of his limbs, and Al his body. His spirit now trapped in a suit of armor.
By obtaining the stone, the boys hope to reclaim that which they’ve lost. Meanwhile, a dark and sinister plan begins to take shape. While the first 40-minutes is filled with great exposition and captures some comedic elements the anime is known for, the writing in the later acts is all over the place. For those who are not familiar with the anime, Full Metal Alchemist is a property that challenges the worldviews of both its characters and viewers.
Every episode of the anime takes a look at topics like science, religion, government, and ethics. Using them as ways to build substance and relationships within and between characters. As well as making certain revelations feel earned. Unfortunately, this adaptation does not.
By not doing so, a lot of the characters including Ed and Al feel both extremely watered down and underdeveloped. Causing revelations made in the movie and major reveals feel unearned and less impactful. Not to mention certain scenes are vastly different, are out of order, and feel disjointed. Especially when it comes to the climax.
Without spoiling anything imagine Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone but the final battle in Deathly Hallows is at the end. It felt like Arakawa (who is also the creator of the property) wrote the script and midway through was told there is a low-percentage chance of a sequel happening. Causing Full Metal Alchemist to have the structure of a standalone movie with an ending that hopes for a sequel.
Supporting characters like Mustang (Dean Fujioka), Winrey (Tsubasa Honda), and Maes Hughes (Ryûta Satô) have little to no purpose. Mustang is a badass in the anime. In the movie, he comes off as just a bossy high-ranking member of the military. Winrey is just there to freak out over Ed’s busted auto-mail despite her anime arc containing so much great conflict. Which ties into the fact there are many key players missing from this movie.
Including Fuhrer King Bradley (the leader of the country Amestris), Scar, and other villains. Most notably the other four homunculi. Pride, Sloth, Greed, and Wrath. The other three Lust (Yasuko Matsuyuki), Envy (Kanata Hongô), and Gluttony (Shinji Uchiyama) are ok but don’t feel threatening, and their history is never discussed. Again this goes back to how the movie ends.
Plot devices like the Isvalan Civil War are mentioned but never brought up again which is a huge problem. Simply because it is a major element in the story that affects a lot of people and has major ties to the story’s climax. To make matters worse, the special effects are horrible when used in dimly lit, dark, and shadowed settings. But not everything is bad.
The costumes are great, and the acting isn’t all that bad though sometimes it feels like the actors forget they’re in a live-action movie and not an animated adaptation. Causing some lines and scenes to feel a bit goofy. Again the movie’s biggest problem is its pacing and structure. Which could have been fixed had a few sequels been greenlit.
Had that happened I believe the writing and the characters would have been more fleshed out. Is it as bad as Deathnote? Absolutely not! But if you’re looking to dive into the world of Full Metal Alchemist, you’re better off just watching all five seasons of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Netflix.
Not only does its five seasons provide a unique and fleshed out story with many shocking twists, it is also more faithful to the manga.
Aardman Animations’ latest project, EARLY MAN, is a very familiar film. The trademark Aardman animation style helps separate this from other modern children’s movies like PADDINGTON or PETER RABBIT. But while the animation is pleasantly familiar, the story is familiar in a uninteresting way. The movie shares a look with projects like SHAUN THE SHEEP, but feels way less unique. EARLY MAN has some solid gags throughout, but the film itself is a bit bland.
EARLY MAN follows a struggling tribe of cavemen. Their simple rabbit-hunting ways are challenged by Bronze-loving Frenchmen, who want to mine the tribe’s valley. The solution – obviously – is to challenge the pompous jerks to a game of football (soccer, for American readers). From there, the story is fairly predictable – the novice team of cavemen train hard to take down the cocky football gods who play for villainous Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston). How the story goes from there is so easy, even a caveman can see it coming.
The story of EARLY MAN is nothing all that groundbreaking. The soccer-centric story is a bit surprising, but once it kicks off, it’s standard play. From the training montage to the last minute substitutions, EARLY MAN follows the well-known formula. The movie’s predictable plays and turns nearly ruin its heart. That’s not to say that familiar stories can’t be good, but it does mean the film has little room for intrigue. It’s so similar to the plethora of sports movies that it’s hard to say what makes EARLY MAN worth watching.
The movie’s sense of humor also doesn’t yield a great product. EALRY MAN definitely has some of the smart wit and visual gags of other Aardman Animations projects. Unfortunately, the film is also chock-full of boring, downright cringey juvenile humor. There are lots of jokes about “balls” and “nuts” and “effeminate bad guys” throughout the movie. EARLY MAN is set in Prehistoric times, but has a early 2000’s adult comedy sense of humor. The fact that it’s a sports movie almost feels like such juvenile humor is unavoidable. Perhaps “balls” jokes are unavoidable when your movie is about football. There are some solid jokes along the way, of course, but they aren’t as present as one would hope.
While the material could use some work, the performances help sell it. Eddie Redmayne sells the heck out of Dug, the earnest young caveman desperate to help his people. Tom Hiddleston is almost unrecognizable as the voice of the greedy Lord Nooth. Maisie William doesn’t get a lot of screen time (or a consistent accent) but she is a welcome addition. The other assorted cavemen get even less screen time, but they are some of the best moments in EARLY MAN. It’s the hijinks of the cavemen that give this simple football movie its charm.
Ultimately, EARLY MAN isn’t the kind of classic seen that WALLACE & GROMIT or CHICKEN RUN is. The charm of the movie is hampered by the trademarks of lesser kids movies. The movie is on the verge of being another Aardman hit, but it doesn’t quite make the cut. If this is your kid’s first sports movie, maybe that’ll save the movie for you.
STAND-OUT PERFORMANCES: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Timothy Spall
Bad news, Invincible has come to an end. Good news, it is going to be a movie!
The dynamic duo of the deranged and macabre are at it again, as Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg will adapt yet another indie comic title, this time for the silver screen.
“We are definitely telling the classic story of Invincible, and we are doing some directorial things that will make it more dynamic than just the straight-up story,” Goldberg said. “We’ve come up with some conventions that I think will make it a more cinematic experience that fits in the timeframe more. But we’re not reinventing the wheel here, we’re not going to massively change Invincible. The core story of that comic and the core characters are what makes it great.”
The Robert Kirkman and Ryan OttleyImage Comics-printed graphic novel, which hopped on the scene in 2003, just recently came to an end on Valentine’s Day with issue No. 144. The story follows teenage superhero Mark Grayson, aka Invincible, who otherwise has a normal life, including a part-time job. His father, Nolan, is also a superhero named Omni-Man, the most-powerful hero on the planet, though he is not human, but a Viltrumite. These beings pioneer the galaxy on missions of benevolence and enlightenment. The book is nothing short of pure chaos, gore and teenage-themed comedy.
The villains are among some of the most-original in any comic book series as well. Throughout its run, there have been some epic battles, including but not limited to The Viltrumite War, which pins Earth’s heroes against those looking to conquer all inhabitable planets, The Invincible Wars, which tabs Grayson against a dozen or so other Invincibles, and Thragg’s fight with Battle Beast in issue No. 115. That is an epic spread! One of the best fights ever featured in a comic.
“I think it is so rare that there’s twists and plot that actually work,” Rogen said. “It really is one of the best parts of the comic, that there are reveals that actually function as giant reveals that you really don’t see coming.”
How do you fit so much awesome, spanning over 140-plus issues, into a single film. You don’t. Rather, you develop an Invincible Cinematic Universe. Excited yet? Each war could be a trilogy. Each epic multi-issue battle could be a feature film and sequel. In all, this could be a 10-movie series. We know, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, but wouldn’t that be so epic? What we, the fans, have working for us is that Rogen and Goldberg are both in total control of the entire Invincible universe, via one Mr. Kirkman.
“We can do anything we want,” Goldberg said. “So many other properties come with a million guidelines. It’s the opposite with Invincible. We’ve been given a universe where we can really go nuts, and thanks to how Kirkman has written the comics, we can kill off people, we can do insane things that you just would not be given the opportunity to do, I imagine, with a Marvel or a DC film.”
Rogen and Goldberg are is also the duo responsible for AMC’s Preacher and are currently working on adapting The Boys and, pinning them against The Seven, for Amazon.
No news yet on a possible cast or when production will begin with the project.
Black Panther is currently in theaters and taking the world by storm. The film opened to $218 million over the four-day weekend. That had a lot to do in part because the movie has one of the most incredible casts in recent memory. From titular star Chadwick Boseman, all the way to MCU veteran Martin Freeman.
Speaking of Freeman, during a recent interview with Den of Geek, he revealed Black Panther may not have been his last MCU appearance:
“They introduced me in Civil War and said there would be a couple of other films, one of which was Black Panther.”
It’s entirely possible that Everett Ross could appear in Avengers: Infinity War alongside almost every other MCU character but it’s not the only possibility. Avengers 4 is also a very likely candidate, as well as the not yet announced Black Panther sequel.
“After the events of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.”
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Sterling K. Brown.
Is the the new anime from studio Trigger, Darling In The Franxx another success or is it a robot which should stay in the docks? Welcome to three episode report. Here, a new anime series is given three episodes to prove it is good enough to for the audience to continue watching to the end. Today’s show involves a mysterious girl with horns, a guy she calls darling, and the giant robot they can only pilot together.
Summary
Humanity is under the threat by monstrous creatures known as Klaxosaurs and the only hope are robots known as Franxx. These machines must be piloted by a male and female who must be in sync to properly operate. Hiro, a pilot who couldn’t sync with his partner, meets up with the mysterious woman with horns know as Zero Two. Together the two may be the ideal pair to pilot the Strelitzia.
Positive
First off this series has some very interesting mecha design. The females basically combine with the robot and talk through the mecha’s face. They are very colorful and animated which helps to show the speed of the intense battles.
The setting for this series is intriguing. The world is post-apocalyptic and the society seems built around cloning and fighting against the monsters. There also seems to be a conspiracy in the higher ups who are running the show. Probably a good bet they will eventually making problems for the characters.
Speaking of the characters, there is a clear winning to the one internet seems to be in love with. Zero Two and all her eccentric behavior have captivated the audience. Also, the fact she goes swimming nude in the first episode probably helped to capture their attention.
Negative
The sexual innuendos are over the top with this series. The robots are piloted by the woman being on all fours with the back of their hoods as the display. Meanwhile the control for the robots come from grabbing onto handles which come off the women’s costumes. This design aside there are lines like “What did she do that I’m not?” which really feel like obvious what they should be talking about.
Also, this series features the standard Trigger art style. This is a breaking point for many people. You either love it or hate it and if you hate it then this might not be the series for you. The more fluid style when applied to the giant robots can be a bit off putting.
Grade
The series gets a PASS. It has a good set up, a great look, and seems to offer more intense giant robots fighting monster action. The Winter 2018 anime season is looking pretty good so far but not every show is perfect and there are much more to look through.
Darling In The Franxx is streaming at Crunchyroll.
Though fans often get swept up in choosing a side between the two companies, it’s times like this when those same people should put aside their silly problems and enjoy comic books and cinema together. Black Panther‘s massive success is only good for DC properties, as it sets a precedent going into other minority-led films like Cyborg.
“After the events of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.”
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Andy Serkis, Agela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Sterling K. Brown.
Star Wars fans, especially now, aren’t the easiest community to please. Even the most level headed of we diehard fans are still hit or miss. One thing that tends to be generally agreed on however, whether you come from the Legends’ “Thrawn Trilogy” or the new canon’s Rebels, is that Grand Admiral Thrawn is a badass. Thrawn #1 sets out to begin telling the origin of our favorite blue imperial officer.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
More often than we’d like, one of these Star Wars books takes a deep dive into a character but we discover all too late that there’s no story or substance. Sometimes it’s a popular character, like Darth Maulor Mace Windu, who is exploited in a way that diminishes the character’s appeal in order to connect dots in the background of Star Wars continuity.
In other cases, we get a book like Thrawn. Jody Houser takes us on a journey through the introduction of Thrawn to the Empire. Houser uses the character flawlessly and keeps his sinister under the surface. There’s no eye rolls or tired detours, Thrawn is a perfect example of why it’s worth exploring the spaces between the movies.
Thrawn provides an interesting opportunity as an imperial figure. The big bads of the Empire aren’t very vocal, they strike fear through what they don’t say rather than share a dastardly plan. Thrawn has no problem verbally laying out his plans because they’re already in effect and he’s way ahead of whoever they’re aimed at.
Taking some time to explain and explore the silly imperial officer rank plaques, that we’ve all seen for decades, is appreciated. These are the kind of details we want more light shed on in a book like this. We’d rather learn more about imperial ranks than how C-3PO ended up with a red arm.
One of the most striking things about the art is the lack of photo realism. The main Star Wars series is great but every issue is plagued by the copy and paste art style. It’s great to explore this era of the Star Wars timeline without trying to ignore that Luke’s face is taken from the Tosche Station scene.
Luke Ross deserves a big round of applause for taking the traditional art approach and absolutely knocking it out of the park. Perhaps if books like this continue to be successful, they’ll finally tell Salvador Larocca to knock it off.
Thrawn himself looks spectacular, especially the deep lue and red for his eyes and skin. It’s delightful when the Emperor appears and is an actual artist interpretation and not Ian McDiarmid’s head superimposed on a drawn body.
With most of the landscape being white and gray ship interiors, Thrawn’s color scheme makes for a satisfying contrast. Nolan Woodard doesn’t waste any opportunity to inject some life and color into each panel through Thrawn. It’s impossible to take your eyes off of him.
Thrawn #1 proves there’s plenty of story to tell here. The supporting cast pulls its weight without taking the spotlight away from our beautiful blue, future Grand Admiral. This first issue succeeds where other Star Wars minis have failed.
The last story arc for Task Force X was certainly a dark yet comedic one. Following the story of the pessimistic Juan Soria, the Suicide Squad took down alien invaders that attacked an amusement park. Realizing that they feed off of happiness, Amanda Waller ordered the Squad to make Juan the saddest human being in the world by any means necessary. The means the Squad resorts to are cutting off both his hands, removing his lame superpower and leaving him a mess. Juan’s depressing state saves the day and he goes off never to be seen again. As fun as it was, however, we return to the drama-filled post-Secret History of Task Force X story. Where does the Squad go from here?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Amanda Waller’s entire world is falling apart. The president has created a new government-issued superhero named The Wall that could potentially replace Task Force X. That, unfortunately, is the least of her concerns. Rick Flagg is stepping away from command, the Squad is getting their rears handed to them by Damage, and her most powerful metahumans won’t fight for her due to the trauma of the last mission. Just when things couldn’t get worse, the moment Amanda leaves Belle Reve, it is attacked. Hack, a former member that was killed earlier in the run, has returned from the dead to find her killer and destroy Task Force X.
This was an OK issue to start off the new storyline. It shows what the team has been up to and the ramifications of the previous story. The government-issued superhero looks interesting as well, though the poke at modern day politics doesn’t add much. Even the emotional story of Waller’s family was intriguing and made me want more. The big problem is that we have a bunch of interesting plots being forced into one issue. Each of these plots could be paired off to make two separate storylines. Now plots will either be thrown aside or try to be forced in. It’s clear which plot will be focused on, but it’s a shame some of these will be forced back for now.
Art:
The art was actually a good fit for this story. Eduardo Pansica’s pencil work is able to give off the realistic dramatic feel most of these stories need. This doesn’t mean the more crazy and imaginative illustrations are bad. The battle between the Squad and Damage looks amazing, as well as humorous when mixed with the dialogue. The colors of Adriano Lucas also help set the mood for each story. One minute they’re colorful for the battle, the next they’re subdued as Waller ponders her future. It’s nice to see the art team able to have such range to convey emotion.
There is one downside though which involves both the art and story. The cover of this issue spoils the reveal of Hack’s return. It would have been such a satisfying surprise if the return was kept hidden. While I can’t blame the cover artist too much, as this is a common problem in the industry, I have to ask: There wasn’t any other cover idea? Waller surrounded by a crumbling Belle Reve? A mysterious digital shadow watching from a computer? Anything than just revealing who’s behind all of this? Yeah, this is a nitpick but an annoying one at that.
Conclusion:
This is just an ‘Okay’ issue. It’s not terrible but it’s not fantastic either. I don’t feel like my time was wasted but this feels more like it should be in a collected volume. The art is fantastic and does show off the positives of the story so far. In the end, we’ll just have to see if the rest of the story improves to see if this has merit.
Royal City #10
