The Women’s Division of the WWE may have gotten a little more competitive with the possible signing of Ronda Rousey.
Rumors have been swirling for several years about the WWE debut of former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. The wheels have been spinning on this since Rousey appeared at Wrestlemania 31 alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson where she grabbed hold of Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer of the WWE, and forced her out of the ring.
The signs all seem to point to a possible agreement, as the rumor mill has been churning away a lot more lately. Could the reason for this be the upcoming Royal Rumble where the women will have their chance at a battle royal match themselves? Perhaps.
The women of the WWE rosters will make history with the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble match at the pay per view event on Sunday, January 28. The match will consist of 30 entrants, but the current WWE RAW and Smackdown rosters don’t add up to 30. Not even close. So, who else will enter the ring? Former superstars? NXT up-and-comers? Secret signings?
Here’s what we know about Rousey and WWE’s relationship so far:
Womens MMA Rankings is reporting that a deal is signed, however they’re getting their information from Twitter via @PWStream. However, this isn’t the first time that a signing has been reported.
She’s been spotted training that the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and has been for a while. She was also in attendance for WWE’s Mae Young Classic, a tournament that featured women wrestlers from NXT and the independent circuits.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative, is known to be at every WWE TV event. TMZ Sports reported that he missed the Smackdown show on January 9 to have a business dinner with Rousey. Levesque then issued a statement to the Associated Press, saying, “We are talking to Ronda, as we’ve been for a while. She has a lot of things going on. We have a lot of things going on. But we have a great relationship with her, a very friendly standpoint for a long period of time now. It was great to catch up with her.”
To be clear, the WWE has not issued an official statement regarding Rousey’s signing. Then again, closely guarded secrets are to be expected with a major pay per view event just around the corner.
Would you like to see Rousey join the WWE Women’s Revolution? Who would be a great opponent to face “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey?
When Wally West first appeared on CW’s The Flash in Season 2 fans rejoiced. It wasn’t long before Wally became a full-on speedster and took on his iconic role as Kid Flash. Since then the character has struggled to find his footing, even being written off the show to an extent this season. That is all over now as Wally West actor Keiynan Lonsdale has joined CW’sLegends of Tomorrow as a series regular.
The news comes via Entertainment Weekly who had a statement from the show producers Phil Klemmer regarding the move:
“We loved working with Keiynan in our series premiere — the episode in which we learned that in between seasons 2 and 3 he had been fighting crime in Central City with Nick Zano’s Nate Heywood. So when his character stepped away from Flash to go on walkabout, after being dumped and feeling somewhat estranged from his family and team, we knew that Wally West would fit in perfectly on Legends,” said executive producer Phil Klemmer in a statement. “After all, our show is about a collection of unlikely heroes who all began their journeys questioning who they are and where they belong — only to find those answers while traveling through time and having wacky adventures. So now, Wally West is not only back in the company of old friends from the Arrowverse, he’s fighting alongside a former enemy and career arsonist Mick Rory/Dom Purcell. By the end of this season, Wally will learn that the Legends have a different definition of what it means to be a hero.”
Lonsdale will make his first appearance in Episode 11 of this season and will join the team permanently in Episode 13. Rumors that the character may be show jumping began to ramp up when Firestorm actors Victor Garber and Franz Drameh exited the show and it was more or less confirmed by Brandon Routh during the DC in DC event last week.
Are you excited to see Kid Flash aboard the Waverider? Let us know in the comments below!
Mary and the Witch’s Flower is a well made, entertaining film that has an assortment of great aspects, including its wonderful animation, entertaining story and charming main character. Unfortunately, however, the Studio Ponoc picture lacks the emotional depth and elements of moral ambiguity I had hoped it would subject audiences to, which in turn leaves it as more of a popcorn flick than anything else.
It’s impossible to not compare Mary and the Witch’s Flower to Studio Ghibli’s catalog of films, as this is essentially the closest thing we’re getting to a new Ghibli movie. This works against the movie, because it’s obviously trying to replicate the legendary Japanese studio, but it just simply can’t hold up to well renowned films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and a slew of others. It felt as though director Hiromasa Yonebayashi took the structure of all those legendary flicks, but instead of writing in brilliant characters with a story which raises questions to the audience and entertains us thoroughly at the same time, he instead injected incredibly bland, cliche characters that lack proper depth. The only character that actually was handled properly is the movie’s titular main hero, Mary. She got the most screen time by far, and the story was largely revolving around her, which in turn helped develop the character far more than any supporting roles.
In terms of animation, Mary and the Witch’s Flower truly shines. The story takes audiences to a variety of wacky locations that were incredibly fun to look at. Animation and art style is truly one of the most important aspect to a film in my eyes, and when a movie presents art that seems cheap or just downright poorly done, it takes me out of the movie. Japanese animation is often right up my alley, and includes Mary and the Witch’s Flower.
The film’s score is so enchanting and wonderfully put together. It’s a soothing soundtrack overall that also strikes elements of conflict and peril; each song encapsulates an element tackled in the film. My favorite song is the second on the OST, called Night Flight. It’s such a mystical sounding piece, and instantly takes me into the world of Mary and the Witch’s Flower.
My biggest problem with Mary and the Witch’s Flower is its lack of emotional depth. I can tell that it was made with the intention of bringing emotional stakes to the table, but just didn’t click with me. As much as I wanted to fall in love with this movie, I simply couldn’t because of its slew of cookie-cutter characters and overall bland execution.
Mary and the Witch’s Flower is a solid attempt at recreating Studio Ghibli. Though it lacks the magic of Hayao Miyazaki’s studio in many ways, it presents fantastic animation, a beautifully created soundtrack, and a wonderfully heroic main character. If anything, this film gives me hope in the future of Studio Ponic. They’re an extremely talented studio made up of Studio Ghibli’s past employees.
Mary and the Witch’s Flower was presented by Fathom Events.
The darkness continued this week with Star Trek: Discovery’s second foray into the Mirror Universe, The Wolf Inside. With no plan yet for how to get back to their reality — what Trek fans call the prime reality — the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery, posing as the crew of the Terran Empire’s I.S.S. Discovery, are doing what they can to get home while Michael Burnham, captaining the I.S.S. Shenzhou, works to minimize collateral damage while simultaneously pretending to be a bloodthirsty psychopath. Sure it’s a difficult part to play, but if anyone can do it, it’s the woman who, when in a previous command position, knocked out her captain so that she could fire unprovoked on an unfamiliar alien ship.
Strangely, though, Burnham’s attempts to minimize the collateral damage caused by her newfound captaincy only seem to apply to non-Terrans. The disregard Burnham showed for Connor Danby’s life in “Despite Yourself” compared to the almost maternal regard she showed for the rebel forces in this episode highlighted that Burnham is doing her best to hide in plain sight in a pit of vipers but also drew focus to how single-minded the character apparently is.
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Suus Mahna Mahna
Burnham’s reasoning, honed on Vulcan don’t cha know, seems to admit a pretty shabby philosophy concerning life in the Mirror Universe: oppressed aliens are good, but Terrans, who are also oppressed by the Terran Empire, are evil and may be disposed of if necessary. For those who say that Burnham was forced to kill Connor Danby in self defense, I refer you to her adeptness in the Vulcan martial art of Suus Mahna and entreat you, couldn’t she have neck-pinched him instead? Or at the very least, to give Enterprise fans a thrill she could have evaded Danby’s blade by employing the time-honoured navorkot move.
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Lt. Voqler
I am sad to admit that my pet theory, that Lt. Tyler is a surgically altered T’Kuvma were proven false. Instead, the far more likely rumour, that Lt. Tyler is a surgically altered Voq proved true. I probably should have known, but I had hoped that L’Rell’s promise to Voq that she would introduce him to powers beyond his imagining might be a foreshadowing of an introduction of a Guardian of Forever or some other such cosmic and semi-mystical piece of Star Trek franchise history. Either way, I’m glad the targ is out of the bag and we can get on to exploring more interesting ideas.
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Facial Hair Runs in the Family
One favourite among many fans, and a serious nod to Star Trek franchise history was Mirror-Sarek’s goatee. For the few viewers not in the know, Mirror-Spock, who appeared in the first Mirror Universe episode “Mirror, Mirror” in the original Star Trek, also sported a goatee. Like revolutionary father, like revolutionary son, I suppose.
For me, though, the most interesting part of Burnham’s introduction to the rebel forces wasn’t Sarek’s goatee or Tyler’s outburst at Mirror-Voq. Instead, what piqued my interest, albeit negatively, was Burnham’s implication that the logic necessary to bring Andorians, Klingons, and Vulcans together somehow mystified her. When describing this unlikely truce between alien races to Loraca, Burnahm made it sound as if she expected Mirror-Voq or Mirror-Sarek to tell her a secret code word or teach her a magic spell that would convince disparate alien races to work together toward a common purpose. Maybe she’s never heard of the IDIC?
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Andorians are hotheaded, Vulcans are logical, Klingons are traditional, Humans are … racist?
Time and again, Discovery falls back into the familiar racism by analogy that makes Star Trek’s original series, and even Star Trek: The Next Generation at times, seem outdated. There’s no reason to paint all Andorians, Klingons, or Vulcans with the same brush. Writers who do so ignore the juiciest philosophy the Star Trek franchise has to offer, that from diversity comes strength and unity, in favour of showing Burnham as a kind of space crusader, blindly adhering to her traditional and prejudiced point of view by defining every alien she meets only as a caricature-like depiction of the culture that alien represents. Shouldn’t a human raised on Vulcan by mixed-race adoptive parents know that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover?
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Paradox City
Still no definite indication that the Lorca we’ve seen since the first episode is or isn’t originally from the Mirror Universe. And, as others have pointed out, if the U.S.S Discovery is in the Mirror Universe posing as the I.S.S. Discovery, then wouldn’t the actual I.S.S.Discovery be in the prime reality posing as the U.S.S Discovery? Captained by the bloodthirsty Captain Tilly, one wonders what they’ve been up to. Viewers have yet to get a glimpse at any members of the I.S.S Discovery’s crew except for Mirror-Stamets, seen by Stamets while he was in some kind of death-like trance state.
Viewers were also treated to the triumphant return of Michelle Yeoh, this time as Empress Georgiou. Unless Georgiou turns out to be a descendant of Star Trek: Enterprise’s Hoshi Sato, it appears that the Sato dynasty, which gained supremacy over the Terran Empire at the beginning of 2155 (Star Trek: Enterprise “In a Mirror, Darkly Part II”), was eventually toppled in favour of the Georgiou dynasty. This might upset some fans of the Enterprise novels, one of which describes the Sato dynasty spanning 122 years, finally being toppled by the revolutionary Mirror-Spock in 2277.
Star Trek: Discovery – The Wolf Inside – Canon Ready
Although Discovery’s creative team have been playing a bit fast and loose with Star Trek canon in previous episodes, their attention to Mirror Universe plot details established in Enterprise seems more or less on point. In fact, the data that Burnham extracted from the U.S.S. Defiant was a double reference to both Star Trek’s “The Tholian Web” and Enterprise’s “In a Mirror, Darkly” parts I and II. So, if the creative team is interested in preserving the part of that narrative that involves the U.S.S Defiant, it seems possible that they’ll also preserve the idea of the Sato dynasty.
One final thought, with The Wolf Inside, Discovery has now surpassed Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Voyager in number of episodes involving the Mirror Universe. And based on the fact that the crew of the Discovery is still stranded in the home of the Terran Empire after two episodes, it seems that Discovery will similarly surpass Star Trek: Enterprise. But, with five episodes concerning the dark and violent timeline, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine will be difficult for Discovery to catch. Then again, with four episodes left in this season, Discovery has an opportunity to surpass DS9 in only one season.
The Daily Planet has its headline for tomorrow’s paper. DC Comics released the cover to Action Comics #1000 featuring artwork by Jim Lee, Friday afternoon.
The internet shattered when the cover featured Superman in his red trunks, they were removed for NEW 52, but apparently, Clark Kent found them.
Lee gave more details on the cover and new look for Superman.
“ACTION COMICS #1000 represents a watershed moment in the history of not just comic books, but entertainment, literature, and pop culture. There’s no better way to celebrate Superman’s enduring popularity than to give him a look that combines some new accents with the most iconic feature of his classic design,” said Lee in a release by DC Comics.
DC Comics also announced Brian Michael Bendis would make his debut in issue 1000 with art by Lee. Other creative teams were announced too; Richard Donner and Geoff Johns; with art by Olivier Coipel; Paul Dini with José Luis García-López; Tom King with Clay Mann and Jordie Bellaire; Brad Meltzer with John Cassaday and Laura Martin; Louise Simonson with Jerry Ordway; and Scott Snyder with Tim Sale. More names could be added to the list.
Action Comics #1000 hits your local comic book store on April 18.
The “Super Sons Of Tomorrow” story reaches its finale. This future asshole Tim Drake has been getting a lot of work recently. He showed up in a recent Detective Comics arc as well.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
DC has been hitting it hard with the crossovers and lite-events recently. They haven’t all been home runs, but this one has been well worth your time.
Damian and Jon’s friendship is one of the most enjoyable new elements of DC Rebirth. This title has been one of the best surprise hits across their entire line of comics.
This issue is mostly about addressing the fallout and how to move on from future Drake. The moment where the two boys promise to protect each other to Superman is a heart-warming scene.
The biggest takeaway from this issue is the Teen Titans voting against Superboy becoming a member. This gives us another touching moment between the two boys. Damian is a big softy in this issue, it seems Jon is the only person on Earth that exposes his heart.
This story, by Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason, was short and sweet. These crossovers have been so much easier to digest with the rapid, weekly pace DC has been releasing them.
Tyler Kirkham’s art isn’t bad by any means, it’s just more cookie-cutter than we’re accustomed to on Super Sons. Much of the youthful essence is drained by replacing the bright and doe-eyed cartooning with DC’s brand of superhero standard.
The more emotional beats from this issue still strike a chord, just in a different light. It also doesn’t do anything for those reading Super Sons for the first time. If the point of crossover stories is to get new people to follow a story into a book they aren’t reading, this doesn’t do the series any justice.
It’s still effective and a joy to look at, just not in the same way this series is known for. I blame all these adults being involved in the story.
In the aftermath of future Tim Drake’s sacrifice, Damian and Jon are closer than ever. The Teen Titans might be a mess, but our two favorite young heroes take a step forward.
Super Sons #12 is a nice, quiet wrap-up for the crossover story. It doesn’t have the youthful glow and spirit that makes this book lovable and unique, but it’s a solid effort.
As we find ourselves in a new era of Marvel Comics, I’ll be providing a weekly report on all Legacy titles. Your one-stop guide to what’s going on in the 616 universe from MFR’s resident Marvel fanatic. Below, we’ll dive into each book from this week and then a Marvel Legacy report card. Let’s dig in!
Also, check out our coverage from the previous weeks!
There’s nothing wrong with the contents of this issue but, other than a moment of clarity for Kitty, it’s mostly an unnecessary extension to this Negative Zone story. It’s a quick read where the only thing you really need to take with you afterwards is the final page.
Storm is a badass, with or without her powers, and Ink is a mutant I wouldn’t mind seeing more of. This is the second time Nightcrawler has brushed off being impaled in a three issue span.
Marc Guggenheim has set a standard with the preceding nineteen issues that was not met here. This felt cheap, but certainly wasn’t any cheaper to purchase. This issue was clearly tacked on late as a poor transition into the next story. Everything that needed to be said in the Negative Zone was already said, other than Kitty accepting Peter’s proposal.
There isn’t much to take away from the art either. Storm’s powerless fight against an aggressive indigenous creature is exciting, but that’s about it. There’s no sense of urgency or weight anywhere else, even Kitty’s emotional breakdown.
X-Men: Gold #20 is a very forgetful and unnecessary epilogue outside of the final page. Guggenheim is better than this, hopefully well back on track with the next arc.
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Weapon X #13 “Nuke-Clear War” Part Two
Maybe this book benefits from the Legacy bump after all, this was easily the best issue of the series. Greg Pak doesn’t waste time trying to beef up this drug-addict GI JOE story with over-justification. It’s a run-and-gun story, which is a drastic improvement.
The less time we spend diving into anyone’s motivations, the better. That’s what plagued the clunky and mind-numbing WMD story from the beginning. It serves the characters much better when this comic isn’t trying to be something it’s not.
This is a notable step-up for the art. Duke is an absolute maniac, Yildiray Cinar uses every panel to push those insane eyes of his into your brain. Frank D’Armata makes good use of the red, white, and blue that clearly comes with a Duke story.
This issue is mostly action, and it goes down smooth. It’s not overly bloody or macho, it’s dumb comic book violence and fun.
Duke may be the perfect adversary for the Weapon X team, given how much better this issue was than the previous twelve. Being honest with itself makes this Weapon X pill easier to swallow than the ones Duke takes.
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Spirits Of Vengeance #4 “War At The Gates Of Hell” Part Four
Of all the Marvel Legacy titles counting down to their final issue, SOF is the one that shows it the least. Victor Gischler doesn’t take his foot off the gas even slightly.
We visit a lot of different settings and people in this one issue, yet it never gets confusing or convoluted. Gischler juggled his cast well without diminishing anyone’s role. So much has happened in just four issues, it’s a shame there’s only one left.
The dreadful and dark, lesser seen side of the 616 universe is full of diverse and interesting characters. There’s a wonderful balance of sarcasm and conflict, nothing in this ridiculous spectrum takes itself too seriously but is still effective and threatening.
David Baldeón and Andres Mossa further that sentiment with beautiful layouts and exaggerated character work. The world these characters conduct themselves in is one of dark wonder illuminated only by the glow of neon signs and flames. It’s a unique brand of cartooning that has tons to offer.
There’s clearly much more for this creative team to say than what we’ll ultimately get after the next issue. Spirits Of Vengeance is a strong example of Marvel wasting potential. This is a side of the 616 that needs more exploration.
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Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #299 “Most Wanted” Part Three
The Investigative Journalist Adventures of JJJ are currently the best thing about all of Spidey comics. Having most of the Superior Foes gang together made me realize Zdarsky would be the perfect person to continue Nick Spencer’s vision if it were ever on the table.
Zdarsky’s enthusiasm and wit have progressed since the beginning of this run. He does a lot less with a lot more now.
Instead of spending the whole issue trying to convince you it’s funny, he can get big laughs out of small moments and deliver absurd comic book twists, like the cliffhanger of this issue.
Adam Kubert’s “Achille’s Heal” seems to be hands, there are some really ugly mits in here. Other than a few worm-thumbs, this is another solid effort by Kubert & Juan Frigeri. They’re capable of using a lot of lines in costume design without going overboard like every New 52 design.
Spectacular Spidey has really come into its own now that the tone is more realized and cemented. We approach the big #300 with plenty of momentum.
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The Mighty Thor #703 “The Death Of The Mighty Thor” Part Four
No matter how long we’ve known of the impending death of Jane Foster, it doesn’t make it any less devastating. That’s the sign of how brilliant Jason Aaron’s writing is. His deep connection to these characters overcomes any amount of spoiler you’re exposed to.
The sequence where Strange is breaking down Jane’s cancer progression. Her slow walk towards the hammer causing her death. It’s all a cinematic, slow-motion gut-wrencher.
This highly detailed and large scale art gives us these massive tapestries of Asgardian action. It even dips its toe in the abstract when Mangog destroys the Bifrost. Russell Dauterman and Matt Wilson channel Black Bolt‘s Christian Ward for a moment and shatter the visual spectrum along with that trusty rainbow bridge.
Joe Sabino also does phenomenal work with lettering and production. There are so many letter styles on display, each one with a bone-crunching or teeth-grinding effect that gives these pages an extra layer of life.
This is an emotional milestone for the title, characters, and creative team. No other “Big 2” comic book is this effective on such a grand scale.
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Generation-X #86 “Survival Of The Fittest” Part Two
Can you imagine if The Office (US) was only given the first season to work itself out? Same thing with Parks and Recreation. Those shows needed to figure themselves out a bit before blossoming into crucial cornerstones of television.
If Marvel ran NBC back then, those shows would’ve been cancelled after their middling first ten episodes (I understand there are major differences between the television and comic book industries).
Generation-X is starting to blossom into a fully-formed series ready to find a larger audience. Unfortunately, it’s already been cancelled.
This is still a weird book, and probably not for everyone, but there’s an undeniable charm to this quirky team of mutant teens and their teacher.
Gen-X is very much an updated X-Men comic from the 90s, but with more heart. The fact that this wasn’t a bigger hit could be (I’m no expert) a combination of stumbling a bit out of the gate and no attempt being made to sell this to a new audience.
Marvel made an effort to include LGBTQ characters in their comics but made no effort to get the books into the hands of new people. The last couple years of comic book fandom has revealed a large portion of it to be close-minded people unwilling to accept change.
Those people don’t want Iceman to be gay or Captain America to be black, so find an audience elsewhere for new ideas. Look for hungry new readers in places outside of the comic book shop and movie theater.
This rash of Marvel Legacy cancellations is more than just poor sales numbers, it’s refusing to commit fully to the supposed mission statement. It’s giving up at the first sign of trouble. Throwing in the towel over the first obstacle. How does a company that has made comics for this long not anticipate these things? Why are these books set up for failure?
All of that aside, Christina Strain put on a real show with this issue. The Jubilee stunt was handled with precision and care. This wasn’t a simple, stupid retcon. It was well orchestrated.
Strain, Pinna, and Sobreiro have all trimmed the fat and hit their stride together. Gen-X has matured and evolved into the unique coming-of-age mutant book it was destined to be.
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Doctor Strange #384 “Loki: Sorcerer Supreme” Part Four
The best thing to happen to Doctor Strange comics in a long time was when Jason Aaron introduced “the cost of magic.” The toll it takes on a person who wields the tool of sorcery. It’s added so much to Stephen Strange’s world.
Donny Cates continues to further that idea and explore the limits. Replacing the Disciples of Strange with The Sentry was a brilliant move by Cates. This is perfect utilization and repurposing of a character that draws mixed reactions from fans.
From the beginning of Aaron’s run to where Cates takes us in the future could end up being one of the strongest eras for Doctor Strange comics. Stephen has been going through real development and harsh growing pains and the reader has grown with him.
Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Jordie Bellaire paint Strange’s world with a darker thicker brush. It serves the narrative perfectly as these are some of the darkest days for Stephen since he became a sorcerer. The range of environments and emotions we effortlessly touch on give this book unlimited potential.
It’s an amazing time for Doctor Strange fandom. Donny Cates’ bag of tricks and ideas is clearly very deep. Walta and Bellaire build even more on the major artistic accomplishment that was Vision.
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Avengers #676 “No Surrender” Part Two
This reads like an event but without the weight of tie-ins and Marvel’s overhype and promise of “shaking the universe to its core.” It’s an extremely effective approach to take a story this big and let it fly relatively under the radar. Let the community build the hype because the story is worth standing by on its own.
The history lesson on Voyager’s role with the Avengers is short and sweet. Not a great deal of noise is made about her return amongst the other Avengers. In this weekly series format, we’ve got to let things play out before casting a judgement. It’s a different game.
The atmosphere of this book is big within the pages, not in the real world. It’s so much easier to dive in and enjoy this story without the pressure, for both creator and reader, that every issue is supposed to be life altering and worth $6.99.
Rogue’s hair is distracting, it’s a good look but distracting nonetheless as it seemingly has a sentient mind of its own. Pepe Larraz and David Curiel do a fantastic job inserting Voyager into historical Avengers panels.
“No Surrender” is a big deal on its own merit, not because Marvel wants you to think so. The weekly format and lack of marketing pressure makes it really easy to enjoy this massive Avengers story.
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All-New Wolverine #29 “Orphans Of X” Part Five
Every location Tom Taylor and Juan Cabal take us to in this story is vastly different and serves a purpose. This time Laura utilizes a metal to combat the weapons the Orphans of X are using against them.
Throughout this arc we’ve changed location more times than a Fast & Furious movie but they’ve all played a role in the narrative. This creative team doesn’t waste anything or go anywhere without reason.
All-New Wolverine is a comic you can be super critical of, only to find more reasons to love it. It’s like a Queens Of The Stone Age song, the more you listen to it, the more you start to realize the multiple layers working together to give you this satisfying final piece. Both are endless vaults of detail and satisfaction.
That wipe across the panel to show Laura picking up a scent was absolutely brilliant. The contrast of the white snow landscape littered with bright red hand ninjas and Laura’s blue armor is a visual to behold. The framing and motion of every sequence is a work of art by Juan Cabal and Nolan Woodard.
All-New Wolverine is one of the most crucial staples in modern Marvel comics. The creative team of Taylor, Cabal, and Woodard is on another level.
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Champions #16 “Champion For A Day” Part One
The Vision family tree keeps getting more and more complicated. Mark Waid is really having fun with the groundwork laid by Tom King, and it’s a joy to read.
Also, thank you Mr. Waid for reuniting Lunella with Devil Dinosaur. They’ve been split up recently in her other appearances.
Moon Girl, and a handful of teenaged heroes, expand the ranks of the Champions. This is a strong move, the team could be like the extended Justice League ranks. Using certain heroes for certain scenarios. It’s also great to get all the kids in one place.
As much as I hated that Spider-Man/Spider Gwen romance crossover (that seemingly lasted a lifetime), it was worth it for the “she goes to a different school” moment here.
Humberto Ramos is responsible a lot of the youthful energy this book emits. This should be the measuring stick for every Marvel artist when attempting to draw these characters as their appropriate age. Especially with teenage Cyclops, too many artists are drawing him as a grown-ass man rather than a teen.
Champions is shaping up to be one of the stronger Marvel Legacy offerings. The mixture of carefree youth and intriguing comic book drama makes this an important title. This offers plenty to the reader no matter what age.
The trailer for the long-awaited Super Troopers 2 is here, is raunchy, and kinda just looks like the first movie. Except now, the troopers square off against Canadian Mounties.
This isn’t the most inspiring NSFW look at the sequel, which is 17 years later. The original is funny, iconic in certain circles, and much better with a bowl. Anywho, check out this trailer, and make sure nobody is looking over your shoulder at the office:
Everyone’s favorite law enforcement team is back by popular demand with the long anticipated follow up to the cult comedy classic…SUPER TROOPERS. When an international border dispute arises between the U.S. and Canada, the Super Troopers- Mac, Thorny, Foster, Rabbit and Farva, are called in to set up a new Highway Patrol station in the disputed area. Unconventional police work follows, and the result is…SUPER TROOPERS 2.
I don’t know, fam. It looks a little too similar to the original. Except this time around, various celebrities are eager enough to show up in what look like extended cameos: Lynda Carter is in there, as is Rob Lowe and Will Sasso.
The central cast still looks great, to be honest. They all look pretty much the same as they did in 2001. Even Brian Cox for the most part.
Since his inception in 1954, Godzilla has held the title of “King of the Monsters”. However, the title seems to have gone away after recent adaptions of the famed kaiju. As human characters and their own storylines have repeatedly turned the king into a cameo. Forcing him to take a backseat in movies bearing his name.
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is no different. The first installment in Toho Animation’s anime trilogy shows the titled character twice in its 88-minute runtime. Once in the beginning of a flashback sequence and then once again 53-minutes later which start of the movie’s third act. In-between those appearances the movie’s story and the focus turns to a large group of humans who were forced to leave Earth after numerous monsters invaded it.
Including Haruo Sasaki. The main protagonist who is highly unlikeable and one-dimensional from the start and has only one thing on his mind which is revenge. As he witnessed his parents being murdered by Godzilla when he was a child. What makes him unlikeable is a big issue that affects the whole movie, which is its dialogue repeatedly contradicts itself and doesn’t follow the rules it establishes.
Haruo’s first scene is him giving this grand speech about protecting the elderly after a group of them were sent to what he deems is a “Unhabitable planet”. So how does this “protagonist” attempt to reverse the council’s decision and have the group of elders returned? By threatening to blow up the ship he’s in which is inside of the vessel that’s carrying both he and all of the other survivors. So I’m supposed to root for a guy whose introduction includes the threatening of the lives of Earth’s only survivors that include women and children?
I think I’ll pass. Things get even more contradictory with the humans’ decision to return to Earth after years of being unable to find a new planet to inhabit. After it’s revealed that Godzilla is not only still alive but also emits radiation wherever he goes, the humans still decide to go to Earth to fight him and reclaim their home him. Which makes no sense.
If the Earth has been transformed by this creature into a global Chernobyl, why go back at all? A positive note about this whole ordeal though is the movie does do a decent job of showing that life in space can be Hell though it only lasts for about one scene of exposition. This is not a space movie set in discovery, it’s set in psychology. Its opening shows how being forced to leave Earth, and living with limited resources affects the human psyche.
If the movie focused on that just a little bit more and used it to develop its human characters, and show how each one of them deals with and views the situation then it would have made me care about them. Instead, the characters are one-dimensional, flatly speak uninteresting dialogue (in terms of the English dubbed version), and are never developed or are given depth outside of their introduction or rank. Causing their deaths while facing Godzilla, to have the emotional impact of redshirts dying on Star Trek. Which is really bad for a movie that is entirely focused on the human element.
Also for an anime about Earth being inhabited by monsters, this is the No Man’s Sky of anime. None of the monsters from the beginning flashback are ever shown again or are discussed. In fact, the only kaiju who have more than five seconds of screen time are Godzilla and a swarm of charcoal looking dragons in the third act. That’s it.
No Mothra, no King Ghidorah, no Rodan. Although Toho Animation did announce that Mecha Godzilla will be in the sequel that’s due to be released in May. The animation style was unique and did offer a nice touch, but when it came to Godzilla and the dragons they all looked the same and both they and their settings were colored in a way where none of their features looked distinct.
Also, Godzilla’s eyes were too human and were often never shown outside of his use of atomic breath. Causing him to look like a giant, dark, statue-like husk of a monster. I really wished this version would have gone the route of Kong: Skull Island. Have the human element in there but don’t make them the driving force of the movie.
Instead, frame the story around Godzilla’s nickname. The movie points out in the beginning that he was the last monster to arrive before the humans left. So why not frame his arrival on Earth like the Royal Rumble? Make him a guardian instead of an antagonist as it would also create a bond between him and the humans, giving the humans a sense of worth, and not just making them spectators, but more so guides.
But as the head-scratching ending and predictable twist show that likely won’t happen. This was a project I really wanted to be good, but once again the humans are the problem and are too much of the focus. Causing the story to be about them and not about how the title character both came to be, lives, and reigns. Which also causes me to become disinterested in the upcoming sequels and not hopeful in their direction of storytelling and character development.
As the long road to the Oscars marches on, the identity of the eventual front-runners becomes ever-clearer. The Critics’ Choice Awards are a particularly important event, confirming who the likely winners will be in many artistic, technical, and performance categories.
This is the second in a series of analyses dedicated to decoding the Oscars. Follow along as we predict who will be taking the stop spots come march, and who will be left wanting. Without further ado, the Critics’ Choice Awards 2018 winners:
BEST PICTURE – The Shape of Water
Oscar chances: Things are really shaping up.
Why?: The CC winner has lined up with the Academy 7 out of the last 10 years. That gives TSoW a huge lead, though it by no means has it in the bag. The PGA’s will solidify its lead.
BEST ACTOR – Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Oscar chances: May as well be locked up.
Why?: Only once in the last decade have the Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice winners been in sync and the actor did not get the Oscar: George Clooney lost to the was-always-going-to-win Jean Dujardin. If Oldman also gets the SAG, the race is over.
BEST ACTRESS – Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Oscar Chances: Three cheers for McDormand.
Why?: Critics’ Choice is a crapshoot for picking Best Actress. But when they pick the same winner as the Golden Globes, seven out of ten years that person has won. Like Best Actor, the SAG awards will lock up McDormand’s win.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Oscar Chances: Unless he loses the SAG, Rockwell’s in.
Why?: Critics’ Choice is great at picking the eventual Best Supporting winners. More importantly, he also won the Golden Globe. This is going to sound like a broken record, but the SAG award will determine whether Rockwell is a sure thing.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Oscar Chances: Folks, meet your Oscar 2018 Best Supporting Actress winner.
Why?: No actress has ever won both the Critics’ Choice and the Golden Globe, and then lost the Oscar. A future congrats to Allison Janney!
BEST DIRECTOR – Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Oscar Chances: Not much has changed; they’re not great, but OK.
Why?: Despite two wins for del Toro, neither award is great at predicting the eventual Oscar pick. The BAFTA, and especially the DGA, will help his chances.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – Jordan Peele, Get Out
Oscar Chances: Things look very good for Peele.
Why?: Critics’ Choice has an 8 in 10 record, making it the most predictive of the major categories. Given the gravity of the film in question, his win is all but certain.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name
Oscar Chances: Not great so far, but not dead either.
Why?: The Critics’ Choice win is statistically detrimental. While the Golden Globes are weird about screenplays, it still didn’t go to Ivory. At this point, it seems unlikely that he will take the stage, though the WGA’s may upset things.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049
Oscar Chances: No one’s going to to retire this winner.
Why?: The Critics’ Choice has only been giving out this award for eight years. Seven of those years, their winner lined up. It’s probably going to be Deakins come March.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, Jeff Melvin, The Shape of Water
Oscar Chances: Pretty good, but still up in the air.
Why?: This is a tough category to predict. Critics’ Choice does a decent job though, and TSoW was always going to be tough to beat in the technical categories.
BEST EDITING (TIE)
Paul Machliss, Jonathan Amos, Baby Driver
Oscar Chances: Baby, no.
Why?: It’s not an “Oscar” movie. The editing win almost always leads to a Best Picture win, and that’s not going to happen here.
Lee Smith, Dunkirk
Oscar Chances: It’s weird with a tie, so who knows.
Why?: Critics’ Choice Dunkirk, which above all else was a masterfully edited film. Basically, this is a total toss up. The Eddie’s and BAFTA will help clarify things.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN – Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread
Oscar Chances: They’ve got this one all sewn up.
Why?: Critics’ Choice has been great at predicting this category since they started nominating in 2009. If it also takes the BAFTA, Bridges is taking the stage.
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP –Darkest Hour
Oscar Chances: Looking grim.
Why?: A Critics’ Choice win all but guarantees they film will lose the Oscar. Unless it also takes a BAFTA, it’s not going to happen.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS –War for the Planet of the Apes
Oscar Chances: The race is still anyone’s game, save for some monkey business.
Why?: This category is basically a crapshoot to predict. This win certainly helps, but doesn’t guarantee anything.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE – Coco
Oscar Chances: It’s going to win.
Why?: It’s won everything that matters so far. It’s basically no contest.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM –In The Fade
Oscar Chances: *Shrugs*
Why?: This category is nearly impossible to predict. In The Fade has as much chance as anything else.
BEST SONG –“Remember Me” from Coco
Oscar Chances: Folks are going to remember this win.
Why?: Every year that a song has won Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe, it has won the Oscar. That’s not going to change.
BEST SCORE –Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water
Oscar Chances: Desplat is ready to score.
Why?: With a seven in ten record for the Critics’ Choice and a Golden Globe win, Desplat is basically guaranteed to win.
What did you think of the Critics’ Choice winners? Who are you looking forward to win at the Oscars? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments below!
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