DC on CW Weekly Review: Black Lightning Is Brilliant

January 22, 2018

This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. This week, we’ll also be including the premiere of ‘Black Lightning.’ There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!

Supergirl, “Legion of Super-Heroes” (Jan 15th)

Brainiac 5 is like a weird combination of Steve Jobs and Abed Nadir (copyright CW)

While the cliffhanger from the fall finale didn’t pay off at all, this was a solid return episode. Reign still isn’t super fearsome, no matter how many creepy prison preachers she teams up with. She’s still too much of an anti-hero, killing criminals, when she should be a villain killing everybody. The Legion of Superheroes didn’t get to do many super-heroics, but Braniac was fun. Kara being trapped in her Mind Palace felt a little cliche, but the subplot still worked. Nothing a funny Martian Manhunter catfishing hijink can’t solve. ‘Legion of Superheroes’ was a solid return for SUPERGIRL.

SCORE: 7/10 Stray Cats

The Flash, “The Trial of The Flash” (Jan 16th)

“I don’t want to go to jail, so I’ll stop anyone from doing something that’ll keep me out of jail!” (copyright CW)

This episode is pretty boring. The major plot points are Barry trying to avoid prison (kind of) and the team stopping an accidental villain. The court case isn’t interesting, because Barry doesn’t let anything interesting happen. Aside from the photos Ralph scores, it’s a pretty flat and bland story. Likewise, while it’s interesting that Fallout is an unintentional bad guy, that doesn’t make him an exciting character. His sudden turn to villain at the end isn’t justified, and doesn’t give us enough Flash/Killer Frost action to feel good about. The two storylines didn’t really mesh, nor did the speeches at the end. The speeches, plus the abrupt cut in Iris’ courtroom reveal, made the editor the real villain of the week for THE FLASH.

SCORE: 6.5/10 Objections

Black Lightning, “The Resurrection” (Jan 16th)

This was an incredibly strong premiere. Shifting the pilot to a “return” or “resurrection” story, as opposed to a standard origin story, feels more dynamic. Black Lightning kicks all kinds of butt – and so do his daughters. The way his ex-wife and children are fleshed out makes the show especially strong. The show is also smart about how it uses multiple antagonists, setting up a strong power dynamic across BLACK LIGHTNING’s world. The directing style of ‘The Resurrection’ is especially strong, truly setting it apart from other CW shows, making a wholly unique series.

SCORE: 8/10 Busted Cars

Arrow, “Divided” (Jan 18th)

These two could bear to take a tad bit more responsibility, though (copyright CW)

While BLACK LIGHTNING was the strongest CW superhero show, ARROW had a strong return. The episode is a bit of a slow burn, focusing on the changing team dynamics within the show. Splitting up the overstuffed Team Arrow makes for nice variety in the series. Adding a Villain-vs-Villain plot line with the docks is also interesting, as it creates a larger fleshed-out world. Vigilante is probably the weakest link in the series, as the character has been taken a lame direction this season. But he’s only one piece in a large game that ARROW is playing well in its return.

SCORE: 7.5/10 Black Siren Kisses

WEEKLY WIN TALLY:

The Flash: 4 Weeks

Supergirl: 3.5 Weeks

Arrow: 2 Weeks

What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow take your vote? Do you think A.o.S. or Gotham outshines all the CW shows? Let us know in the comments below!

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Engaging With Art: Movies Don’t Have to Be Woke to Be Worthy

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

January 22, 2018

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is picking up a surprising amount of steam early in this 2018 awards season. After winning the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and last night snagging the Best Cast statue at the SAG Awards, it’s the clear favorite to win Best Picture. And the backlash towards Martin McDonagh’s film has been underway for weeks.

Three Billboards is a terrific film full of rich, layered work from Frances McDormand (all but a shoe-in for her second Best Actress Oscar), Supporting Actor lock Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson in a role that would be celebrated were it not for the two strong performances from the aforementioned duo. It is also a bit problematic for some out there. The think pieces have been written about the film, and how Rockwell’s racist, abusive, dimwitted deputy is allowed a redemption story.

Great pop culture writers and thinkers online have spilled ink criticizing Three Billboards‘ handling of the Rockwell character, and the marginalization of Denise (Amanda Warren), McDormand’s friend and one of two African American characters in the film who is arrested and used as nothing more than leverage. They are out there and easy to find, but I don’t want to add links here just to follow up with a hard disagree. Yes, this movie is certainly frustrating for some critics and commentators who have apparently begun to equate the “woke credentials” of a movie with the quality of said film as if the two things are mutually exclusive.

But not every story in Hollywood must adhere to a checklist of socially progressive qualifications to be allowed to exist. Somewhere along the way, we have decided as a collective film community that only movies where everyone is represented and every villain gets the appropriate punishment are movies worth our time. But movies aren’t safe spaces; they have never been, and they never should be, mostly because the world they depict is dark and full of terrors.

If you don’t believe the world depicted in Ebbing, Missouri doesn’t exist in places like Missouri, you have a short memory and you need to pop the bubble you’re living in. Let’s say, for the sake of this argument, that Sam Rockwell does not get punished for being a horribly racist, and frighteningly violent fool with a badge. These things happen, all over the country, all the time. Not to mention the fact he is fired from his job, his face is horribly burned in a fire, he sacrifices his body in a brawl to try and catch the killer hanging over the film like a specter, and he is still not welcomed back to the Force in the end. He is punished, repeatedly, but no he doesn’t die.

What exactly should happen to Rockwell’s Dixon? Is death the only pound of flesh substantial enough to warrant a positive reaction to this story? That doesn’t seem to match up with Dixon’s sins. He is a despicable character, sure, but he is also punished and his life is completely upended to the point where driving across the country to kill an innocent man is the best option at his disposal. He is a changed man, but redeemed? Call me crazy, but Dixon seems to have been broken down completely, and is now trying to pick up the pieces. Maybe, for some, he shouldn’t be allowed to pick up the pieces, but that’s the way things go. It might be frustrating, but it’s true, and it should be recognized as both of these things if we are to save what little nook of discourse we have left.

And if we are only engaging with this movie based on its progressive themes, why not look at the other person in that car at the end of the movie?

Frances McDormand is the lead of a major Oscar film. She is 61-years old. Find a movie headlined by an actress in her 60s – one not named Meryl Streep. They don’t exist, because women are squeezed out of the industry when they get too old. Having McDormand star in what is probably going to be the 2017 Best Picture winner is a step in the right direction. But apparently it is not as important in the pecking order of wokeness as penance for wrongdoing.

Martin McDonagh’s film exists in a world of hyper-reality, where certain upsetting elements and regressive characters are heightened to shine a light on what still happens in this country too often. Attaching our 2018 social issues to it in order for the film to fit into our mold is to miss the entire point. Engage with movies on their level, in their stories, not yours, and you could find hard truths waiting for you. It’s impossible to objectively analyze a film, sure, but it is possible to consider the fact that movies like Three Billboards don’t exist in the world you want. They exist to shine a light on some avenue of societal construction, consciously or otherwise, and if that upsets you to the point where you can no longer consider a film on its own terms, that might be the real issue here.

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An Interview With Composer Mac Quayle, The Man Behind SCREAM QUEENS And MR. ROBOT

Ruben Diaz

January 22, 2018

Composer Mac Quayle creates the audio themes behind hit shows like Mr. Robot and American Horror Story. Quayle also provides the musical stylings for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and the new series 9-1-1. But before all this TV there were dozens of films and dance albums. We spoke with Mac Quayle about his career in music and making what it’s like making music for television.

“That’s music’s main job, to help express
the emotionsthat the storytellers want.”

Mac Quayle wasted no time getting into music. “I’ve been involved in music since I was very young. My first thing was in the church choir when I was six years old. There was a long journey from there. Piano lessons, high school band or orchestra, some rock bands.”

After high school, Quayle made his first big move. “I ended up in New York City. I was going to college there, but I got an internship at a recording studio.” The path ahead sped up for, Mac. “ It pretty quickly turned into the beginning of my career in the music business.” If you listen close enough to some of the ominous tones and synth-infused sounds from some of his compositions, Mac’s early music career was very different from where it is now. “I was very involved in making dance music in New York for many years as a musician, a producer, and a remixer. I kind of look at that as my first career.”

“Most of the work that I’ve done with these television
shows have been digital instruments.”

The next big move was on the horizon for, Mac. “In the early 2000s, the music industry was having its first downtown. Sales were going down for the first time in history. There was a lot of turmoil. I thought it was a good time to move on and look for something else.” In 2004, Mac moved across the country to Los Angeles with “… kind of a vague idea of getting into scoring.” Success is never instant, even if it seems that way. Two years went by before Mac “… landed my first job as an additional composer on a TV show called Cold Case.”

Success is a combination of opportunity met with skill. “I had all that I learned from the music industry. Knew my way around a studio. I was taking a lot of those same skills and applying them to film and television.”

From Cold Case, Mac scored 12 films as an additional composer under Cliff Martinez. “It was a like eight years of doing additional composing work and doing my own stuff.” Then in 2014, things went up a notch “… sort of the big break. I got asked to work on American Horror Story, and then that’s when my own work came out into the limelight.

“I find that deadlines really help. It has to be done.
There’s no messing around.”

Digital video and audio are common now. But in some instances, live instruments still fill the soundscapes of many shows and movies. “Most of the work that I’ve done with these television shows have been digital instruments. Not all. There’s definitely been some live instrumentation. Either, just one solo musician or sometimes group of musicians.” The sound of a show will often determine whether live or digital instruments are necessary “A show like Scream Queens, that was exclusively digital.”

In regards to digital versus live, Mac says “There’s quite a lot of live musicians on television these days. I think there’s been a little bit of a trend back toward that [live musicians]. In the early days, it was all live music. Digital started to take over. But now, there’s a lot of live musicians.”

Quayle reaffirms what’s it all about “My choice between digital and live usually is about the music that I’m making. Scream Queens, the type of score, it’s a very electronic sound. It’s kind of a retro 80s/90s electronic sound. So, it just didn’t make sense using live musicians for that kind of sound.” Surprisingly, budgets for shows don’t normally affect these decisions either. “Just using a single musician here or there isn’t much of an issue. It’s affordable. An orchestra, that can be very expensive. So, it’s not usually about the budget but what’s more appropriate.”

Mac creates almost all his work from an at-home studio. What keeps Mac motivated? “I find that deadlines really help. It has to be done. There’s no messing around.”

**“I’m quite fond of the John Powell score for the Bourne Identity.”**

Popular today more than ever in Hollywood are “temp tracks” or “reference tracks” which, for Mac, “… can be a blessing and a curse” Certainly, for creative collaborations, it’s important for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to the mood of things. “When a temp track is not exactly right … that’s when they’re good. They don’t want you to do something ‘just like it.’ It’s sort of a starting point. Maybe a good temp, but it’s not completely working. But you can use it as a jumping off point to do your own thing.” The curse comes “if the temp track is working really well and everyone loves it that can be more difficult because they keep wanting you to make something closer and closer to it [temp track].” Quayle also notes “Some [directors] are more attached to the temp tracks than others.”

Working on multiple shows at one time keeps Quayle’s life busy. “We’re working fast as we can to get it ready to go on the air.” So how does he find the inspiration to create such distinct scores. “I do listen to a lot of music. And there’s always a conscious effort to make each show sound different. The shows are very different, so that helps. Each show kind of has its own thing which helps to make it sound different from everything else.”

“Unofficially, Mac Quayle is hit show maker
Ryan Murphy’s go-to composer.”

What modern score does Quayle love? “I’m quite fond of the John Powell score for the Bourne Identity. That first Bourne movie I thought was pretty special. Really nice mix of real instruments and electronics. Good melodies. Exciting. Pretty groundbreaking score.”

Unofficially, Mac Quayle is hit show maker Ryan Murphy’s go-to composer. “That’s what’s happened. Ever since I took over American Horror Story, three-and-a-half years ago, I’ve worked on everything he’s done.” And indeed, since 2015, Quayle has scored four seasons of AHS, two seasons of Scream Queens and American Crime Story, and one season of Feud: Bette and Joan. About Ryan Murphy, Quayle happily declares “He’s kept me busy.”

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Review: DEN OF THIEVES Is Just Like HEAT Only Much Worse

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

Christian Gudegast’s Den Of Thieves is a bombastic attempt, at trying to recapture the magic of Michael Mann’s classic Heat. Gudegast fails to understand how nuanced Mann’s film was or that Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Gerard Butler, and Pablo Schreiber are not the same caliber of actors as Robert Deniro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer. Just because there’s a “clever” script doesn’t mean the actors can pull it off. If anything, a film like Den Of Thieves reminds everyone why certain movies should be left untouched.

For those who are curious (not sure why) the film centers on a team of renegade cops led by Butler who is tasked with tracking down a gang of thieves (Jackson/Schreiber) who are responsible for multiple heists. O’Shea Jackson plays the getaway driver and has a crucial role in planning their theft at the Federal Reserve Bank. Had the film stayed focused on the action and paid little mind to character development, this would have made the experience at least tolerable. Instead, we are forced to endure an intricate storyline that goes nowhere and drags on. Of course, Gudegast doesn’t trim much from the narrative as he was the one who wrote it. It’s his first time in the director’s chair, and it shows.

There’s nothing about this storyline that rings true. Butler’s character is apparently going through some marital issues, and they just blow right past that. 50 Cent’s character is attempting to balance being a family man on top of being thief, and that’s never sufficiently explored. We know that the members of the LAPD taskforce (which Butler’s character heads) have a seedy past, but that’s never addressed either. Instead, most of the film is this build up to a heist that’s tedious rather than compelling. If you are going to make a heist film, at least make that a memorable moment.

The action sequences are slightly more engaging, but there is nothing pulse-pounding about them. They come across as more scripted than organic. It’s as if the scriptwriters viewed them as a means to an end rather than an enhancement of the overall experience. Should anyone want to pay to see an action movie where the sequences are average at best? Cinematographer Terry Stacey attempts to enhance these moments with sweeping camera angles which are meant to evoke memories of Heat but when the action is lackluster, who cares about what the shot looks like?

Butler plays the same type of character that he’s played in Geostorm and London Has Fallen; and the rest of the cast gives very ho-hum performances which aren’t entirely shocking. There’s nothing that should draw anyone to see Den Of Thieves. If anyone pays to see this then your only condoning STX producing a lackluster product. Spend the money to see a better film like 12 Strong or Paddington 2.

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‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Writer Stephany Folsom To Write TOY STORY 4 Script

Jackson Hayes

January 21, 2018

The fourth installment of the Toy Story franchise has tabbed a new writer to pen the script. Deadline is reporting that Thor: Ragnarok writer Stephany Folsom will write the script for Toy Story 4.

Folsom is no household name but is someone that should be remembered if you pay close attention to writing credits around Hollywood. Folsom made headlines when she was famously denied a writing credit on Thor: Ragnarok by the WGA. She also made the Black List for an original script titled 1969: A Space Odyssey Or: How Kubrick Learned To Stop Worrying And Land On The Moon.

Toy Story 4 will release June 21, 2019, almost 9 years to the day that its predecessor Toy Story 3 released. That is nothing new for Pixar, with Incredibles 2 set to release this year just about 14 years after the first hit theaters.

The script for the film was originally to be written by Rashida Jones of Parks and Recreation fame and her writing partner Will McCormack. They exited the project after reported internal issues with Pixar and their chief executive officer John Lasseter. Jones has since refuted that saying it was creative differences that led to her departure.

It’s unknown if Folsom will be taking any of the elements that Jones had in her script as the draft moves forward but with the film set to release in about 18 months it’s hard to believe it will be a page one rewrite.

Are you excited about Toy Story 4? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Real Hidden Purpose Of The Porg In STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Anthony Wendel

January 20, 2018

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR STAR WARS: FORCE AWAKENS AND THE LAST JEDI

The introduction of the small alien creatures known as the Porg resulted in a mix reaction. Some thought they were a shameless attempt at introducing a new cute character to the franchise for the purpose of selling merchandise. Others compared them to the new ewoks, welcomed the little creatures, and though they were adorable. Theories have even surfaced about the Porg being attuned to the Force because of how they nestled on Luke Skywalker’s island. But was there another purpose to the Porg which no one saw?

The real purpose of the Porg were to be therapy animals to Chewbacca. After the death of Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Chewbacca was not in the best place. A prime example of this comes from his reaction in Star Wars: The Last Jedi when Luke asked “Where is Han?” This simple question resulted in the wookie warrior to break down and scream in pain over the memory of his recent loss. It was more than obvious Chewie was still in turmoil over the loss of his friend and partner. He needed a way to treat this internal torture

Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Chewbacca and a Porg

In the film after he tried to eat one of them, Chewie felt a connection with the Porg which allowed him to heal from the grief inside of him. The Porg helped the wookie to remember his purpose in life and allowed him to find the closure so he was able to rush into battle with the Millenium Falcon to the save the day with his little fuzzy companions by his side. The Porg had reminded Chewbacca he still had a part to play in the battle between the Resistance and The First Order.

This idea helps to put the creatures and Chewbacca’s role in the film into perspective. It adds a story arc (albeit a small one) to Chewie as it shows how he was able to get over the death of Han Solo and shows the Porg really did have a purpose other than to be cute. Hopefully, this healing relationship will be presented in Episode IX.

—
What do you think of this theory behind the Porg? Leave a comment below and let us know.

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Is STUDIO PONOC The Successors To The STUDIO GHIBLI Magic?: An Anime Abstract

Anthony Wendel

January 20, 2018

With the news years ago of director Hayao Miyazaki retiring (for the umpteenth time) and the details of low box office returns since Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli stalled in production. Many anime fans wondered if this meant the magic the studio once had was lost to the ages. But is there hope for a new challenger to take up the mantle? After you have enjoyed enough Manga and Anime you are able to read between the lines and can see a detail or two another may have missed. Through this and other detailed evidence you are able to piece together what can happen in the anime industry. This results in an abstract idea, a thought which doesn’t have a physical existence but can be speculated. Welcome to Anime Abstract.

Studio Ponoc was founded by Yoshiaki Nishimura, a veteran of Studio Ghibili and is composed of many members of the former studio including Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who directed the Studio’s first major release, Mary and the Witch’s Flower. Did the debut film showcases enough talent, creativity, and entertainment to put Studio Ponoc on a pedestal as the best anime studio around? The answer is: Kinda.

Let’s start with the good parts of Mary and the Witch’s Flower. The film showcases a lot of great animation, featured a stellar soundtrack, brought a forgotten children’s book to the big screen, and was an impressive first creation from a blossoming studio. Overall, the team behind the film really brought a lot of the skills which they learned from their time at Studio Ghibli.

This unfortunately is what leads to the negative side of the film which casts doubt on the Ponoc being the next best thing. The review featured on this site showcases a few of the imperfections in the film. Other than a lack of emotional depth, the overall production seemed to be too much like a Studio Ghibili film. In an almost formulaic fashion the film featured a spunky female protagonist, an emphasis on sequences of flight, and cute animal mascots. If the film had been without any problems these factors may be forgivable but the problems with the story and emotional depth make them more noticeable.

The good aspects of the film are more than enough to outweigh the bad but everyone should still be hesitant before acclaiming Studio Ponoc as the next best thing since sliced bread. For now, Mary and the Witch’s Flower was good enough to be hopefully optimistic about future releases from Studio Ponoc. Hopefully the team will learn from their mistakes and the next films will be even more entertaining.
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What do you think of Mary and the Witch’s Flower presented by Fathom Events and Studio Ponoc? Leave a comment below and let us know.

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JURASSIC PARK Getting Funko Treatment for 25th Anniversary

Michael Stagno

January 19, 2018

Are you humming the Jurassic Park theme right now? That’s right, the iconic Michael Crichton adaptation is finally getting its very-own line of Funko Vinyl POP!s, just in time for the film’s 25th Anniversary, as it was released on June 11, 1993.

The set will feature a number of main characters from the film, including Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill, park owner John Hammond (Richard Attenborough – RIP), Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) and Seinfeld alum, Wayne Knight, who plays Dennis Nedry. This line also includes three dinosaur vinyls (Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor and Dilophosaurus) and a few exclusives, one of which is an extremely popular meme on that Internet thing.

You will be able to snag a ‘Dennis Nedry and Dilophosaurus’ two-pack as an exclusive via Entertainment Earth, while the Dilophosaurus, itself, will have a 1-in-6 chase figure where its neck frill is retracted. The figure in this set that is bound to sell fast will be the famous Goldblum pose from the film, ‘Wounded Dr. Malcolm’, which will be exclusive to Target.

Noticeably missing from the line were a few key characters in: Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler), Bob Peck (Muldoon), Hammond’s grandchildren, Tim (Joseph Mazzello) and Lex (Ariana Richards), the ‘blood-sucking lawyer’, Martin Ferrero’s Gennaro and Samuel L. Jackson (Arnold), whom we just recently found out was supposed to die on screen in a much more gruesome way in the original cut of the film (story).

We’d love to see Funko deliver maybe three Movie Moment POP!s from this film. One being the ‘clever girl’ scene with Muldoon and the Raptor, the kids, Tim and Lex, in the kitchen with the Raptors and Gennaro on the toilet, facing down the T-Rex.

Dr. Sattler will be coming soon in the form of a Funko POP! Rides vinyl, but all figures should be on shelves at some point in February.

Click HERE for the official Funko preview to see all POP!s included.

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Review: 12 STRONG Honors Those Who Fight For Us All

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

Some movies are meant to merely entertain. Some are intended to push our perception of societal norms. Then there are a select few releases which are designed to honor someone or some act of historical significance. Such is the case with director Nicolai Fuglsig’s first feature film, 12 Strong. Rather than setting out to make one of the more compelling tales hallow, Fuglsig demonstrates a remarkable amount of restraint. Instead of glorifying the death and havoc that comes with being at war, 12 Strong focuses on the extraordinary sacrifices made by Task Force Dagger. While to some that may seem like a misstep, in reality, it’s the proper approach.

In the interest of being transparent, I went into the screening not knowing a single detail about this film. How crazy is it that in this day and age, a band of military men on horses were able to fight off the Taliban. It was this operation which resulted in the Northern Alliance regaining control of Mazar-i-Sharif (an enemy stronghold). Chris Hemsworth plays Mitch Nelson, the commander of Task Force Dagger. Micheal Shannon, Trevante Rhodes, Micheal Pena, William Fichtner, and Rob Riggle round out the supporting cast.

The relationship which stood out most to me was the one between Nelson and General Dostum of the North Alliance. Nelson and Dostum are both extremely prideful men, and each one point has to put that aside for the good of the mission. Nelson just wants to blow the Taliban back to the stone ages, but Dostum reminds him of the difficulties surrounding this. The reality facing the Americans is no army has ever achieved a sustained victory in Afghanistan, a fact which remains true even to this day.

Cinematographer Rasmus Videbaek provided shots which were brisk and bold keeping the eyes on the action unfolding in each battle sequence. Videbaek also knew when to allow the camera to pan slightly in each direction allowing the audience to see the vast emptiness of their surroundings. The attention to details stood out as well. If nothing else this film comes off as more of a celebration of these men and the odds which they overcame. The film also tapped into the conundrum which has plagued the United States from the very moment they’ve stepped foot into Afganistan. If the Americans were to leave their country, they would be viewed as cowards by the Afghani people and if they stayed in the country, the citizens would revolt. The film doesn’t seek to solve this issue and give frontline perspective.

Overall, the film is simply constructed, but the reverence shown in the performance of the cast makes 12 Strong well worth the price of admission.

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Review: The Sons Rise and The Titans Fall in SUPER SONS #12

Jose "Jody" Cardona

It’s been a crazy time to be a teenage DC hero. After a future version of Tim Drake, calling himself Savior, appears to kill Jon Kent, the Teen Titans end up being divided over the matter. The reason for Savior’s appearance is because, in the future, an older Jon will explode, killing millions. While Raven and Beast Boy want to help The Future ‘hero’ take down the boy of Steel, the rest of the Titans feel like Savior has to be sent away. While they come together with future heroes to save Superboy, the rift the situation created still lurks underneath the victory. What do these events mean for the Super Sons and the Teen Titans’ futures?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

Minutes after the encounter with Savior, the heroes of today speak with the Titans of Tomorrow. The future heroes believe that Savior is still out there, lost in the time stream. They promise to find him and prevent him from returning to the present. As the Titans of Tomorrow leave, the heroes of today look at one another and begin to contemplate what they have to do next.

Despite my distaste for the crossover’s ending, there is something to be admired here. Both super sons, while a little shaken by what has happened to them, stand side-by-side with one another as friends. In the past, it felt more like Damian wanted his own super person so he latched onto Jon. In the face of the Man of Steel telling them they can’t work together, Damian stands by Jon as a friend and an equal. Along with that, Jon uses his own lessons from his father as points for the case to stay together. Both Super Sons are shown to have grown from these events. Not just as heroes, but as friends.

The Problem:

While I thought the Super Sons reconciling was nice, there was still one major facet that drags the issue down hard. The Titans have a vote to decide if Jon will be a Titan when he comes of age. They vote against it, for the reason that they want to settle their differences after two of them joined Savior. While that is commendable, there should be a more important vote instead. The vote on Damian Wayne’s position as a Titan.

In the second part of the crossover, the Titans saw that it was a future Damian that caused future Jon to explode. Add that to how he acted in this crossover and the Teen Titans series as a whole, why hasn’t the team kicked him? The kidnapping to create the team in the Rebirth issue, the attack on the young Wally West in The Lazarus Contract, the firing of the misguided Kid Flash, and now this. It’s clear at this point most of the team’s problems are derived from Damian and his attitude.

The logical story choice would be to remove Damian, albeit temporarily. Have Damian work with Jon and grow more while the Titans try and settle their differences under a less volatile leader. We would get interesting character development from both teams and a chance to see a Robinless Teen Titans. It would be an interesting opportunity to see, even if it’s a risk for Teen Titan series with one its staple characters.

Art:

This is the best the arc has looked since the first chapter. Jorge Jimenez and Tyler Kirkham team up in penciling a beautiful epilogue. It is able to collect the cartoonish lighthearted style from the Teen Titans and Super Sons and mix it with the more mature Superman title. Tomeu Morey and Alejandro Sanchez also work together masterfully coloring this issue. Both teams come together to create a beautiful looking epilogue to this story.

Conclusion:

While beautiful to look at, the epilogue of this story has a major break in logic in the aftermath. While it is nice to see Damian and Jon grow as characters, the lack of problem-solving from the Titans drag the issue down hard. If you stayed with this arc up to this point, I would say pick it up. If not, take a pass on it.

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Supergirl, “Legion of Super-Heroes” (Jan 15th)

The Flash, “The Trial of The Flash” (Jan 16th)

Black Lightning, “The Resurrection” (Jan 16th)

Arrow, “Divided” (Jan 18th)

“That’s music’s main job, to help express the emotionsthat the storytellers want.”

“Most of the work that I’ve done with these television shows have been digital instruments.”

“I find that deadlines really help. It has to be done. There’s no messing around.”

“I’m quite fond of the John Powell score for the Bourne Identity.”

“Unofficially, Mac Quayle is hit show maker Ryan Murphy’s go-to composer.”

Story:

The Problem:

Art:

Conclusion:

“That’s music’s main job, to help express
the emotionsthat the storytellers want.”

“Most of the work that I’ve done with these television
shows have been digital instruments.”

“I find that deadlines really help. It has to be done.
There’s no messing around.”

**“I’m quite fond of the John Powell score for the Bourne Identity.”**

“Unofficially, Mac Quayle is hit show maker
Ryan Murphy’s go-to composer.”