It took 28 years of collecting over 15,000 individual pieces, but Eric Jaskolka, of Des Moines, Iowa, now holds the record for ‘Largest Collection of X-Men Memorabilia’.
The incredible and ‘Uncanny’ collection includes comics, action figures, toys, statues, video games, candy, fashion accessories, backpacks and much, much more. He recognizes his most-prized possessions in his X-Men chamber, the entire original run of 1991 Toy Biz action figures. Plainly put, his X-Men room puts all of our fanhood to shame.
He started collecting in 1989, a great time to be a mutant-loving fanboy and fangal, as 1991 saw X-Men #1 become the best-selling first issue of all time and, in 1992, the X-Men Animated Series launched. We all remember sitting in front of the TV on Saturday mornings for that one!
The collection means so much for Jaskolka as his love for the X-Men Universe consists of how diverse it is. He finds inspiration in how the characters seek hope as they fight to find their place in society and, despite all their adversity, all continue to battle and persevere.
What’s more impressive, he claims all items featured in the video made up roughly just 80% of his entire collection and that he had about 40 more boxes of memorabilia in reserve.
“It’s great to be recognized,” Jaskolka said. “I like to share my accomplishments with others. Actually, I think my kids enjoy it more, because they like to show their friends my collection.”
With Disney having purchased much of 21st Century Fox, including mutants and the Fantastic Four, his collection will no doubt continue to grow. Surely, Marvel, Hasbro and Funko, among others, will all celebrate with some great new items as the MCU gets bigger.
As we enter 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 your resident Marvel fanatic. Above you’ll see Marvel Legacy’s report card for the week, then below we’ll dive into each book. Let’s dig in!
Also, check out our coverage from the previous weeks!
The days of Venom being a legitimately scary Spidey villain are long gone. At least this ASM/Venom crossover is already on chapter four and we can get back to Pete soon.
It doesn’t help having the fabulous “Gwenom” story happening at the same time. Spider-Gwen‘s venom story is a fresh, exciting take. “Venom Inc.” is a boring, ugly mess. We’re not going anywhere new, not looking at Venom from a different angle, it’s just more of the same.
The one main issue that’s plagued this story from the very start is Lee Price. A throwaway character that nobody asked to be repurposed. Him being the center of this story made it a steep, uphill battle to start. Why couldn’t this just be a story for the Venom series? Why does this need to halt Slott’s Spidey? It’s a step down in every way.
There are a couple of positives to take away, although not worth the price of admission. Having Flash Thompson back in a symbiote is great, he’s the only host that makes Venom fun anymore. His Anti-Venom suit looks as cool as Eddie’s did. Ryan Stegman did a nice job, even if it’s really just a color swap.
“Venom Inc.” is a chore to get through. Symbiotes don’t really move the needle anymore, especially not when centered Lee Price. This story makes me miss Mac Gargan.
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Thanos #14 “Thanos Wins” Part Two
Thanos versus King Thanos, with a history lesson and revelations along the way. Donny Cates is sculpting the Thanos mythos in an epic and worthy way.
Taking a peek at baby Thanos and his mother could’ve easily been in unnecessary cringe territory, like trying to expand the Joker’s origin. Cates makes sure it’s tastefully evil and we get a big payoff as it’s what unites the two Mad Titans later.
Geoff Shaw is making sure Cates’ grand, heavy metal ideas land as they’re intended to. There are distinct differences between the young and old Thanos, and not just in attitude, complete with a bit of a belly to go along with that sweet old man beard.
The scale of everything illustrates how powerful Thanos is. He’s a big guy next to the average person, but not next to Celestials and some of these structures. No matter how much bigger anything in his way may be, they all burn the same in his wake.
Antonio Fabela colors the cosmos and destruction beautifully. Cosmic Ghost Rider’s flame stands out in contrast to all the purple and blue. That historical splash page is magnificent and poster-worthy.
Thanos keeps taking us new and exciting places we didn’t know we needed to explore. This ongoing series, through two creative teams, is one of the best surprises of 2017. COSMIC MARVEL IS ALIVE.
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X-Men: Blue #18 “Cross Time Capers” Part Three
There’s been a recent boom in X-Men nostalgia. This is a great time for someone looking to finally dive into the X-Men to hop onto new continuity while revisiting and celebrating the history. For those of us who’ve been onboard for the long haul, who loves a comic book history lesson more than X-Men fans?
The X-Men corner of Marvel has been taking the sentiment of Legacy very seriously with “Mojo Worldwide,” this Blue story, and Grand Design.
Cullen Bunn let’s this history do a lot of the legwork, his fantastic character interactions make up a lot of the script. These time jumps keep the story and setting moving forward. While the time stream has been fun, there hasn’t actually been a ton of substance to the actual tale being told.
There are some rough spots to Silva’s pencils, like Jimmy’s nose during the pool table stare down, but the art hits otherwise. R. B. Silva, and Adriano Di Benedetto’s ink, convey a lot of their character’s emotions and thoughts through their eyes effectively.
I can’t gush enough, seemingly every week about, about how colorful these issues are. Not even just the explosive splash pages and action sequences, even the decor of Massachusetts Academy is lively. Every opportunity for Rain Beredo to inject life by way of color is taken full advantage of.
X-Men: Blue #18 is a beautiful comic, bursting at every seam with a tsunami of color. What Cullen Bunn’s script lacks in actual story progression, it makes up for in character interaction and development.
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Spider-Man/Deadpool #25 “Arms Race” Part Three
Robbie Thompson writes Deadpool well, but surrounding him with a cast as zany and over-the-top as he is makes it easy to avoid overdoing any of the Deadpool bits.
This book is loaded with comedy from every angle, not solely relying on Wade. The editor’s note about seed planting paying off, if they’re not cancelled, rings clear and true given the rash of recent Marvel cancellations.
Branch is somebody I wouldn’t mind seeing more of. Especially with Bachalo, he’s a character that’s seemingly created just for Bachalo to draw.
For two characters that are basically just two big eyes, when wearing their masks, Bachalo gets a lot of humor out of them. The way their eyes enlarge and shrink together combined with how shots are framed, makes this reluctant pair a nice coupling, visually.
With all the different artists and inkers on this book (Chris Bachalo, Scott Hepburn, Victor Olazaba, Wayne Faucher, Al Vey, Livesay, and Chris O’Halloran) the smooth transition from one style to the other (page 11-12) is impressive.
Spider-Man/Deadpool reaches the twenty-five issue milestone in a much better place than it began. The supporting cast is delightful and lessens the load our web-slinger and mouthy merc’ would have to carry otherwise.
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Secret Warriors #11 “Vs. Mister Sinister!” Part Four
This Cartoon Network incarnation of Mister Sinister serves the story well and fits the tone of this book. He’s not as severe or imposing as any X-Men fan has grown to expect, but effective nonetheless.
With the series meeting an untimely end, this arc (and the upcoming animated movie) made me realize how well this comic would work as an animated series. In the same vein as Teen Titans, this would make for a great Cartoon Network show. Maybe not so much as a Disney XD property similar to the Ultimate Spider-Man or GOTG shows.
A lot of the cartoon appeal stems from Javier Garrón and Will Robson’s art, portraying the lighthearted heroism that Matthew Rosenberg is scripting. Israel Silva also makes sure these pages are bright and memorable.
After the Sinister plot wraps up, rather quickly, the issue gets a little heavy and starts setting these characters off on the paths they’ll take after the final issue next month. For a book so light and full of heart, there were some major consequences doled out here.
With only one issue left, one of the best under-the-radar comics for Marvel approaches it’s finale. I sincerely hope this team gets another shot if the animated movie is successful.
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Moon Knight #190 “Crazy Runs In The Family” Part Three
Max Bemis’ approach to Marc Spector’s crowded headspace provides yet another interesting look. As Marc mediates peacefully in a public park on the surface, there’s a fight breaking out inside between his multiple personalities.
This particular approach also allows Jacen Burrows to get creative with visualizing what being inside Spector’s head is like. This is a full “embracing the crazy” for both the creative team and reader.
Marc’s personalities are more diverse than ever before. Where Lemire made them different characters almost entirely, Bemis makes them different shades of the same troubled man, all given the wheel when appropriate.
The mantle legacy throughout history trope can be a bore in superhero comics, but not here. With Moon Knight being Khonshu’s warrior servant of sorts, these other versions are justified. It helps they’re also nice on the eyes.
Every riled up member of Bushman’s army is unique. There’s no shortage of detail from Jacen Burrows. The wide-shot page of them all being addressed warrants more than a quick glance to absorb all the different men hungry for the destruction of Marc Spector.
Mat Lopes throws a striking, bold orange behind our deceitful antagonist as he unleashes Ra on an unsuspecting Marlene. That orange gets even bolder when it appears behind Bushman shooting his craziest eyes at her, and again at the dinner table.
Lopes does a ton with solid background color throughout, including a stunning display during Marc’s fight with the disabled men. The shot of Moon Knight fleeing in his Moon-Wing, in front of a city/bridge backdrop, is gorgeous.
Without giving anything away, the end of this issue is masterful tension building that leaves you high and dry with a bombshell revelation you didn’t see coming.
Moon Knight is a comic that delivers on every front. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the character, this kind of craftsmanship is impossible to deny.
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Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur #26 “Fantastic Three” Part Two
Lunella is an infectious character, charming and adorable to no end. Her stare down with Galactus, and how unintimidated she is, is a top Moon Girl moment for me. She’s the smartest there is and doesn’t have time to waste on inconveniences like a universe-eating cosmic entity.
Brandon Montclaire keeps things as light as possible while still telling a story centered around a being more powerful than Galactus who eats universes.
Martinez and Bonvillain’s beautifully fluffy and colorful art would have you assume this is a book for kids. However, the subject matter, and continuity thread, would suggest otherwise.
The Thing subplot, with adoring fan and temporary partner Eduardo, is heartwarming. Ben Grimm is the reluctant bleeding heart of Marvel fans while the FF is no more.
Moon Girl (And No Devil Dinosaur) is one of the FF torch bearers. Lunella is one of the most important and likable characters for Marvel. Montclaire and the art team keep things light but never fully drift into children’s book territory.
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Jessica Jones #15 “Return Of The Purple Man” Part Three
Killgrave’s twisted outlook on how he effects people’s lives is top-notch creepy villain perspective. Bendis does a fantastic job seeing through his Purple eyes and trying to act like a “normal human person.”
Jessica Jones is usually the Bendis book where his word balloon pollution happens most. There’s a ton of dialogue in this issue, but it works. Purple Man’s rambling on calls for a ton of a dialogue, the extra bits of fat actually add to the scene and tone.
After Jessica’s assassination attempt, at the hands of Kraven The Hunter, the horror side of Killgrave comes out in full force. Chris Gaydos and Matt Hollingsworth really hammer home the point of how quickly Purple Man can overwhelm when commandeering a situation. The collage of regular faces suddenly becoming his avatars is spectacular.
The fading black eye Jessica has is a nice touch. No other hero in the 616 universe wears their battle scars and bruises better or more often than JJ.
With a heavy dose of Purple, this was the best issue of this arc. Jessica dropped the ball, big time. We should expect Bendis to go big in his final farewell to one of his most beloved characters.
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Invincible Iron Man #595 “The Search For Tony Stark” Part Three
With the combination of artists, this feels like a celebration of not only Bendis’ Iron Man work, but his Marvel collaborations in general. That combination of artists also contributes a gloriously detailed issue once again.
The Stefano Caselli and Marte Gracia pages have a smooth, shiny seal to them (like Tony’s head right now). Alex Maleev’s pages have a rough edge and pastel look to them, which is perfect for illustrating the Victor Von Doom subplot.
Doom is clearly losing his grip on why he’s playing hero. No matter what he accomplishes in the Iron Man armor, he’ll never shake his past. We should see Victor in his better fitting armor soon enough.
This issue marks two back-to-back appearances of The Hood in Bendis books. He shows up here after appearing in Defenders last week. Bendis is apparently going on tour through his old characters and bringing them back as parting gifts (check out the end of Spider-Men II for a big one).
This story hasn’t been much of a search, more so closing up Bendis’ threads while Tony lays in an armor somewhere. It’s entertaining regardless.
As divided as fans seem to be on Riri Williams, the landscape of Iron Man comics is better now than it was before Bendis first handled an arc reactor. It’ll be interesting to see where these characters go with a new writer behind the wheel.
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Despicable Deadpool #291 “Deadpool Kills Cable” Part Five
Cable versus Stryfe with a drunk Deadpool caught in the middle. Duggan wraps up this arc with double-crosses and contingency plans galore.
Despicable Deadpool is still vulnerable in his “soft under belly,” but maintains his edge of insanity. We get to see Deadpool’s Hydra pal Bob, which is always a joy. Next up w’ell see Wade go after the “bizarro Steve Rogers,” which should be fun.
Scott Koblish and Nick Filardi do a fine job illustrating a wacky cartoon story with some major rough edges. It never gets confusing deciphering who is Cable and who is Stryfe, which is major. The issue is mostly the big fight, but afterwards there’s a really quiet and beautiful page with Deadpool laying in some gross water looking up at the stars.
Cable and Stryfe both have their time travel back-up plans that get them out of everything as this story wraps up. Duggan and the art team keep delivering a more despicable Deadpool again without overdoing it.
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Captain Marvel #127 “Dark Origins” Part Three
With how healthy and populated Marvel’s cosmic landscape has been recently, to have Carol adventuring through a “dark universe” feels unnecessary. Captain Marvel and Alpha Flight were one of the only cosmic torch bearers not so long ago. This book now feels so far behind the others like Thanos, GOTG, Black Bolt, Royals, etc.
The Civil War II character assassination of Carol is apparently unshakable. It’s either that or Margaret Stohl can’t figure out how to extract anything from Carol’s support and settings. Even a “dark” Peter Quill couldn’t inject much life into this story.
There are bright spots, the unveiling of Root and the rest of the Ravagers is stupendous. Carol learning who her nemesis is warrants a slight chuckle.
Michele Bandini and Erick Arciniega carry a heavy load, the art is the biggest source of life in this comic. Bandini draws a heck of a spaceship and galactic setting. Arciniega keeps the tone lively with his color.
It’s not a horrible comic book, it’s just very bland. I don’t understand why nobody can fix Carol after CWII, but the pieces are clearly here. With a movie on the horizon and cosmic Marvel healthier and healthier each week, a Captain Marvel book worthy of the character should become a priority.
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Black Panther #168 “Klaw Stands Supreme” Part Three
Ta-Nehisi Coates flirted with a standard comic book story briefly. The Black Panther/Klaw showdown isn’t going to just come and go with one issue of punching. Wakanda, and its enemies, is a complicated nation.
Klaw isn’t just coming back to twirl his mustache and attempt to kill T’Challa, there’s more at play. Klaw’s plans are much more grand. This issue drags a bit in the middle but not for long. There are a lot of gears spinning, all leading towards a bloody mess with Black Panther in the middle of it all
It’s probably frustrating to jump into this series at the start of Legacy. The slow burning build and dense political landscape isn’t easy to dive into halfway through a run.
Artist Chris Sprouse never really bothers playing with depth or filling these panels up. Only exactly what you need is shown, nothing extra. It pairs well with a comic that’s narrative is usually pretty dense. This way the reader will find it harder to get overwhelmed or lost.
The second half of this issue is a fast paced sequence gearing up for major battle. Any reason to actively root for a member of The Wrecking Crew is worth celebrating. Thunderball will probably end up being a scene-stealer when all is said and done. It’s also wonderful to see Manifold getting regular use again.
Coates is leading us towards a massive showdown while keeping the intricate web of subplots moving along. This must be a chore for anyone jumping on late, but those following from chapter one are getting payoffs, ever so slightly, each issue.
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Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider #12 “The Slingers Return” Part Three
Ben Reilly and Kaine try to out-anti-hero each other in a race to save a young girl to gain an advantage over her mother. Having the two Scarlet clone brothers together in any sort of hero role is enjoyable.
This story is crafted almost entirely for 90s fans, anyone else is going to have visit Marvel Wiki each issue. This isn’t as strong as Peter David’s Spider-Man 2099 series, but Scarlet Spider is way more fun that it was at the start.
There’s a couple weird body proportion issues and bland faces, but this is another solid effort by Will Sliney overall. The fight sequences and choreography is done well, with a handful of different assault styles. Rachelle Rosenberg colors the hell out of everything she touches.
Of all the non-Peter Parker Spider-Man comics that have come out since Spider-Verse, this is one of the most entertaining stories. Scarlet Spidey may have gotten off to a real rough start but hopefully this arc straightens out its trajectory.
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ASM: Renew Your Vows #14 “8 Years Later…” Part Two
The all-superhero family dynamic is quickly losing it’s appeal. Perhaps it’s just how Spidey and his powers work, giving the same abilities to three family members makes it boring. We haven’t gotten any of the father-daughter moments that make Superman and Jon Kent’s relationship so important.
I get that we’re all still angry about “One More Day,” but this isn’t the comic we wanted back then. This isn’t the drama of marrying a superhero, or having a kid with one. It’s just tree superheroes fighting bad guys and then sharing a bowl of popcorn afterwards.
MJ isn’t nearly as compelling as a superhero mom as Spider Woman or even Jubilee at this point. It’s not about a mom dealing with supernatural obstacles, it’s about a superhero that has to do her kids laundry sometimes.
There are way better comics than this being cancelled. With Slott leaving ASM and Zdarsky hitting his stride on Spectacular, why do we even need this series?
Renew Your Vows has worn out its welcome. I’m pretty sure the people still swearing by this series think Parker Industries still stands and Secret Empire is still going on.
As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to rank the top movies of 2017. Although 2017 has lacked one title that has been considered the runaway favorite by most critics; the quality and diversity of titles have been outstanding. In the interest of full disclosure, we have yet to screen Phantom Thread, and I reserve the right to adjust the list down the road.
15. Girls Trip
One of the most surprising movie-going experiences of the year. Went in with the lowest expectations and was treated to a hilarious film that focuses on empowering woman. The thing the still stands out is the performance of Tiffany Haddish. Check out our review.
14. Brigsby Bear
A movie that was underrated by most and praised by who saw it. This heartwarming tale of childhood and the perils of growing up should be near the top of everyone’s must-watch list. Check out my review.
13. Logan
Logan ends up being ranked higher because the quality of the ensemble outweighs the individual performances found in Brigsby Bear and Girls Trip. Hugh Jackman gives his character the sendoff it deserves while leaving superfans begging for a comeback now that Disney has acquired the rights to the X-Men universe. Check out my review.
12. Wonder Woman
Logan and Wonder Woman were seriously neck and neck in my final rankings. While Logan has a better ensemble, Wonder Woman saved DC from a cinematic implosion. If you are one of the tens of people who have yet to see Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, then please rectify that soon. Here’s my review.
11. Baby Driver
Edgar Wright’s latest film hits it out of the park with this high octane thriller. Baby Driver isimpeccably edited and full of pulse-pounding action. Had the acting been any better this release would have cracked the top ten. Here’s my review.
10. The Big Sick
Where is the love for The Big Sick during awards season? The film is well written and is incredibly heartwarming as well. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano are fantastic in this movie. Check out our review.
9. The Post
Streep and Hanks are fantastic in this timely look at the power of journalism. This film will end up nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars and stands a good chance at winning. Check out my review.
8. All The Money In The World
With all the drama surrounding this release, it was easy to assume that All The Money In The World would have been average at best. However, Ridley Scott defied expectations by recasting Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer and reshooting all of Spacey’s scenes in 9 days. The outcome is a fantastic film which will likely garner a nomination for Christopher Plummer. Here’s my review.
7. Dunkirk
It may seem baffling to everyone that Dunkirk is only ranked 7th at the end of the year, but it makes sense. All of the movies that are ahead of it on this list have fantastic performances combined with elements of technical/directorial merit. Dunkirk cracks the top ten based on how superior this film was technically. This maybe Christopher Nolan’s most exceptional effort in the director’s chair. Check out my review.
6. The Disaster Artist
James and Dave Franco capture the essence of two gentlemen who defied Hollywood and accomplished their dream of making a movie. Mind you The Room is widely considered one of the worst movies ever made, but at least they achieved their goal. This film is well worth seeking out just to watch James Franco alone. Check out my review.
5. Get Out
It feels like an eternity since Get Out was released, yet this film still resonates with critic groups around the country. The OFCS (Online Film Critic Society) and SEFCA (South Eastern Film Critics Association) named it the best picture of the year in recent weeks, and it received multiple SAG (Screen Actor Guild) awards as well. Above all else, the film resonates socially. Check out my review.
4. I, Tonya
The top four on this list aren’t separated by much. I, Tonya could have easily been the #1 film on this list. Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are truly fantastic and deserve all the awards season praise they are currently receiving. The strength of the ensemble in this film on top of the writing was enough to place this movie in the top 4. My full review of I, Tonya will post soon.
3. Lady Bird
What separates I, Tonya and Lady Bird is the strength of the writing and direction. Greta Gerwig’s words are able to capture the angst of growing up so beautifully. Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf give compelling performances that indeed will be recognized during awards season. The opening sequence alone is well worth the price of admission. Check out my review.
2. Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name is a soaring tale of discovery and the pain of lost love. Timothée Chalamet’s performance is just one of the many reasons audiences should give this release a shot. Sony Picture Classics is rolling this release out slowly and expanding the number of theaters the deeper we get into awards season (like A24 did with Moonlight). My advice is when this film makes it to your town go see it ASAP. Check out my review.
1. The Shape Of Water
The Shape Of Water is my best film of 2017 and with good reason. While Call Me By Your Name is a powerful film, Del Toro’s latest film is just superior. The cinematography is outstanding, the writing is magnificent, the technical aspects of the film are impeccable, and the performances (especially Sally Hawkins) are jaw-dropping. Check out my review
Overall, the quality of releases in 2017 has either been fantastic or painful to watch. Here’s hoping that the movies in 2018 are far more balanced and provide audiences with even more options.
What do you think of my rankings? Do you agree with them? Be sure and leave a comment below.
2017 was a fantastic year for comics. It seemed like every week New Comic Book Day had something awesome to offer. We had exciting big events, awesome new titles, talented and vocal creators and new and old characters being brought into the spotlight. In short, abundant and overwhelming.
It was also a busy year for me, so instead of taking the usual ‘Top 10’ approach, I am doing something different. What you have here are five things I LOVED about comics in 2017. I broke it up into six categories (it still HAS to be some kind of a list): Writer, Artist, Character, Title, Publisher, and New Title. Feel free to comment, agree, disagree, or what have you. Enjoy!
6New Title: Royal City
Royal City from writer/artist Jeff Lemire hits very close to home. A story about family, loss, the past, and identity, it’s the kind of book that really does elevate this medium we all love to new heights. Lemire is a hell of a writer, but when you add his delicate yet emotionally affecting pencils, it creates a true auteur package that will go down as a classic in comics. The book also has one of the best afterward sections where Lemire not only details the emotional origins of this personal story but also gives us awesome stuff like music playlists, variant covers based on classic 90s albums, and ‘bonus feature’ type material. It’s truly a fantastic comic.
Since making his big screen debut in Transformers back in 2007, Bumblebee has been lots of places. From a used car lot in the first movie to Earth’s many other regions in the films that followed it. Now he’s going to a place that is a hotspot for many movie characters. The 1980s.
In the synopsis for Paramount’s Bumblebee, the Autobot finds himself on the run in 1987. Badly wounded, broken, and scarred, he finds a junkyard in California to use as a place of refuge. While in his disheveled state, he crosses paths with an 18-year-old girl named Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) who fixes him up and from there the rest of the story is unknown.
The movie also stars John Cena, Kenneth Choi, and Pamela Adlon and is directed by Travis Knight. It is currently in post-production and has a release date of December 21, 2018. Are you excited to see Bumblebee get his own prequel? What do you think of him returning to his original Volkswagon form? Comment below!
As 2017 wraps up, entertainment news outlets around the web are posting their most anticipated films of the coming year. One of which is Black Panther, which is just over a month and a half away from release.
USA Today has unveiled a new image from the movie. See it below.
“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.”
Black Panther releases in theaters on February 16, 2018. Are you looking forward to Marvel Studios‘ next movie? Comment below, let us know.
It’s the end of an era, 2017’s Doctor Who Christmas Special makes Peter Capaldi’s final appearance as The Doctor and fans are treated to an adventure with two Doctors.
After the events of “The Doctor’s Fall,” the Twelfth Doctor lands on the South Pole refusing to regenerate. There he meets his first version of The Doctor (David Bradley playing William Hartnell’s role), the only other time the Doctor refused to regenerate. Because of this meeting, the Doctors inadvertently cause a time paradox, leading to them meeting a First World War army officer (Mark Gatiss) and a race of people from the distant future known as The Testimony: but this event could also lead to the resurrection of Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie).
The Captain (MARK GATISS), The First Doctor (DAVID BRADLEY), Bill (PEARL MACKIE) – (C) BBC/BBC Worldwide – Photographer: Simon Ridgway
Steven Moffat has an extensive knowledge of Doctor Who and its history. He was even able to turn his own fan theory about The Doctor being the linguistic source of the word doctor meaning wise man or healer in every culture. Throughout his time as showrunner he has referenced events in the classic series as well as the modern series, and with his final episode he continues two stories: as well as continuing from “The Doctor’s Fall” “Twice Upon a Time” continues from the First Doctor’s episode “The Tenth Planet.”
Both stories followed an adventure against the Cybermen and looked at why The Doctor refuses to regenerate. It also served to fill in a gap that was when The Doctor disappeared before his regeneration in “The Tenth Planet.” “Twice Upon a Time” starts with footage from “The Tenth Planet” which turns from black-to-white in 4:3 ratio to color and widescreen. Fans of the classic era will appreciate the combination of the old series with the new while fans who only really know the modern version of the series should still be able to follow the events of “Twice Upon a Time.”
Compared to the send-offs for Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi’s final episode is a more thoughtful and reflective take on regeneration since the process has already started. Capaldi had his grand action set piece in “The Doctor’s Fall” fighting off Cybermen and made an impassioned pledge to The Master and Missy. The story for The Doctors is one of acceptance of their change. The First Doctor has to accept he has to regenerate and The Twelve Doctor questions why The First Doctor reacted this way. Capaldi had a poignant final monologue as the Twelve Doctor tells his future self what they should be like.
However, the drawback of this reflective approach is that the stakes felt low in comparison to the previous Doctors’ final episodes. The Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors went down fighting protecting people and falling a great enemy. Of course, the Doctor can’t keep fighting bigger and bigger battles, that would get stale over time, but there still needs to be some level of peril. The Testimony were an interesting concept as a race that goes into the past and preserves human memories but their cause is benevolent, and their mission is hardly evil: returning a man to the point of his death. The Doctor would normally side with that The Testimony’s philosophy.
The other issue affecting this Christmas Special was the comedy. Normally Doctor Who Christmas Specials are aimed towards a slightly broader audience, and comedy is the way to do this, but most of the jokes in this episode fall flat and relies on the music to compensate. There is an exciting play on the dynamics between The Doctors – despite the First Doctor looking older he is actually the younger and inexperienced member of the pair: he is surprised when The Twelve Doctor says he protects the Earth. But other jokes made at the expense of Bill’s sexuality don’t make sense because The First Doctor is a time-traveler so shouldn’t be surprised that a woman might like other women. The First World War officer’s reaction is understandable but not the First Doctor’s.
As a final episode for a Doctor in the modern era “Twice Upon a Time” is sadly the weakest. It has interesting concepts and Capaldi final scene does hit the necessary emotional beats, but it is an average entry in the Doctor Who canon.
In its list of the most anticipated 2018 movies, USA Today revealed two images from the upcoming journey into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald.
The first image gives us an incredible new look at Johnny Depp as the film’s villain, Gellert Grindelwald. After his shocking introduction in the first Fantastic Beasts movie, Grindelwald will be more active in his mission to rid the magical world of non-magical beings, which will undoubtedly bring him back into contact with Newt Scamander and his old pal, Albus Dumbledore.
Check out the image below:
The second image is possibly the most exciting one we’ve seen, as it reveals a new look at Jude Law as a younger Albus Dumbledore. In the film, Dumbledore is “passionate, mischievous and an inspiration” Director David Yates tells USA Today. “Dumbledore sees Newt as a kindred spirit, an outsider, who is misunderstood. They recognise each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities.”
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwaldstars Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, and Claudia Kim. The film is scheduled for release on November 16, 2018.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
USA Today has published its list of the ten most anticipated movies of 2018, including upcoming blockbusters like Aquamanand Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald. Of course, the list also included Avengers: Infinity War, which is arguably and rightfully the most anticipated movie of the entire year.
In the article, a new Avengers: Infinity War image was revealed, giving us an incredible new look at Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his interaction with the Guardians of the Galaxy. The image shows Thor unconscious, while Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) attempt to wake him up.
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Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet — the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, Thanos plans to use the artefacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.
Avengers: Infinity War will land in theatres on May 4, 2018.
While the latest instalment of the DC Extended Universe proved to be a disappointment both critically and at the box-office, fans are still eagerly anticipating the franchise’s next solo outing, Aquaman.
The film, which is directed by James Wan, will see the return of Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry aka. The King of Atlantis and we have an incredible new look at the movie. In a newly released image from USA Today, Momoa is shown in what appears to be a submarine. It also looks like the character is in some kind of altercation with his most iconic villain, Black Manta.
Check out the image below:
Aquaman stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The film is the next instalment of the DC Extended Universe, and the first time Aquaman has appeared in his very own movie.
Aquaman will land in theatres on December 21, 2018!
