Amy Chu is bringing back one of the oldest characters in comics, the Green Hornet. Though the character has been around since 1936 and has had many different comic runs, Chu has unique ideas. “I’ve been listening to the old radio shows from the ’30s and trying to bring back some of the good guy versus bad guy elements of what made it popular in the ’30s. But this is not a pure nostalgia trip, there’s a lot of modern twists,” said Chu.
Whose story influence also comes from her parents’ love of Kato, who Bruce Lee portrayed in the 1960s television series. “I’m weaving in some solid martial arts action too,” said Chu. The first arc of Chu’s Green Hornet series takes place after Kevin Smith‘s 2010 run. Which included the death of Britt Reid Sr. at the hands of the Black Hornet, and the passing down of Britt’s and Kato’s masks to the next generation.
Britt’s son Britt Reid Jr., and Kato’s daughter Mulan. Now it is up to Mulan and her father to protect the city and the Hornet’s legacy while finding out what happened to Britt Jr. after he mysteriously disappears. Causing Mulan to assume the identity of the famed green vigilante and criminal. Artist German Erramouspe (Night of the Living Dead: Aftermath, Rancat) will provide artwork for the series.
While Artists Mike Choi (X-Men, Cable), CP Wilson III (Deadpool, G.I. Joe, The Shadow), Carli Ihde (Kiss/Vampirella, Sheena), and others provide variant covers. As mentioned earlier, the history of Green Hornet goes back to 1936. When George W. Trendel and Fran Striker created the character and his Driver Kato for a radio drama. Since his and Kato’s initial appearances, two movie serials in the 1940s were created.
The Green Hornetin 1940 and The Green Hornet Strikes Again which was released in the same year. From there the duo has appeared in various adaptations. Including comics, television, and a 2011 feature film. After comic book adaptations bounced around different publishers, Dynamite acquired the property’s license in 2009. Issue one of Amy Chu and German Erramouspe’s Green Hornet hits shelves in March of 2018. Check out its cover below!
Who would have a thought a simple story about a female acapella group would have spawned a trilogy, with each entry being a case of diminishing returns.
Since graduating from Barden College life for the Bellas has not turned out so well. Beca (Anna Kendrick) has to deal with egotistical musicians, Chloe (Brittany Snow) is struggling to get into veterinary school, and Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) is an unemployed entertainer. The rest of the Bellas are stuck in crappy jobs. After an unsuccessful reunion, the Bellas decide to have one last hooray by going on a USO tour in Europe and compete in a competition hosted by DJ Khaled.
The first two Pitch Perfect films can be described as sports films about music. They have the same formula as a sports film: set up the competition and why the team is underdogs, showing a rivalry with another team and riffs within their own team before coming together for the final game or in Pitch Perfect‘s case sing-off. Yet there is only so much mileage a film series can get from this formula and Pitch Perfect 3 was running on fumes. The first two films have defined arcs: the first was about Beca having to become more social and the second was about the Bellas having to get their spark back. The third was all over the place.
To show how desperate the series has become, Pitch Perfect 3 starts with the Bellas singing Brittany Spears’ “Toxic” in front of a terrible green screen before a series of explosions happen on a boat. This is indicative of the film as a whole, and it wouldn’t be surprising if writer Kay Cannon had to use all the story ideas she could think of and for the first time in the series she had to team up with another writer.
(L to R) Flo (CHRISSIE FIT), Aubrey (ANNA CAMP), Cynthia Rose (ESTER DEAN), Chloe (BRITTANY SNOW), Jessica (KELLEY JAKLE), Beca (ANNA KENDRICK), Jessica (SHELLEY REGNER), Fat Amy (REBEL WILSON), Emily (HAILEE STEINFELD) and Lilly (HANA MAE LEE) in “Pitch Perfect 3,” the next chapter in the beloved series that has taken in more than $400 million at the global box office.
The core of the story is the Bellas entering another competition, but it is much more disjointed this time. The Bellas seem to be forming a rivalry with another group, this time the all-female rock group Evermoist (a terrible and unrealistic name for any band) but this is forgotten fairly quickly. The other major musical storyline involves Beca being approached by an English music producer (Guy Burnet) for a record contract but that would mean leaving the Bellas. Amy has a subplot involving her criminal father (John Lithgow) which feels like it should have been in another film. Finally, Chloe and Lily (Hana Mae Lee) are given token love interests that hardly play a part of the film.
It wouldn’t be surprising if there were two screenplays and the producers decided to combine the two: one is a continuation of the Pitch Perfect with it all its typical story points and act as a send-off. The other being an action-comedy vehicle for Rebel Wilson. Pitch Perfect wasn’t a series crying out for explosions and a subplot involving an international gangster. It was an excuse to give Wilson more screen time, allow for her to ad-lib even more and the action on the boat made Wilson look like Melissa McCarthy’s character in Spy.
The humor in the film is a mixed bag. There is a self-awareness in some of the jokes: the best revolving around two Bellas who had no characterization in the previous films. The other involves the expository dialogue because it is so bad that even the movie lampshades it. The joke would have worked better if there were no scenes involving Fat Amy describing what happened with Beca’s boyfriend and Aubrey describing how they can get on the USO tour. Other jokes were so telegraphed that even the film draws attention to it. The most obvious involves the Bellas at a private party and a beehive. Just because you draw attention to a tired joke doesn’t make it better.
One of the long-running themes is the parental relationships of some of the Bellas members. In the first film, Beca was hostile towards her dad because he divorced her mother and he dared to pay for her college education. In Pitch Perfect 2 Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a Bella. Pitch Perfect 3 doubles down and gives audiences two storylines because Fat Amy’s dad is trying to re-establish contact, whilst Aubrey (Anna Camp) has an absentee father because of his job in the military and wants him to see one of her shows.
If I was generous, I could argue that Pitch Perfect 3 wanted to introduce a theme of life after college not being easy. The Bellas are stuck in jobs they are overqualified for, while Emily is stressed because of her heavy college workload. Millennials could easily relate to this situation where finding suitable employment and housing keeps getting tougher. The character of Chloe is someone who can be described as having peaked at college: she was scared to graduate in the previous film and in this one she longs to relive the glory days.
The musical numbers are okay if you like your autotune, overly produced pop. The best number involved the new Barden Bellas performing at the Brooklyn Aquarium. The final performance was touching for fans as a send off to the characters they know and love.
The Pitch Perfect series has devolved from a reasonably believable story about an eclectic group of young women becoming friends through music to a globe-trotting adventure about stopping criminal masterminds. Fans of the Bellas will properly enjoy their last adventure together, but for everyone else, it’s a miss.
Mr. Robot is a show that has never backed away from asking the big questions: What is the nature of identity? How much, if any, control do we have over our lives? Do we see reality as it is? It is in this spirit of philosophical inquiry that we take a look at some of the unanswered questions from season 3.
What is Whiterose’s Project?
Online speculation has run rampant on this one since the season premiere. A lot of people say it’s a Large Hadron Collider (more accurately, it would be a particle accelerator, since the Large Hadron Collider is one specific example, not a category). Particle colliders are used to examine the way particles interact with each other in an attempt to understand the physical nature of the universe and what things were like in the time directly after the Big Bang. In the context of the show, could Whiterose be using this technology to create another universe, one over which she would somehow have control? A related possibility is that all these different universes already exist and Whiterose’s project is a way to travel to whichever one she wants. After all, before Grant kills himself, she told him she would “find” him when the project is over.
A time machine is another possibility, given the show’s references to Back to the Future and Superman, as well as Angela’s belief that Whiterose’s project can undo the damage caused by the bombings and even reunite her and Elliot with their deceased parents. This one feels like a red herring to me, but could still be Whiterose’s endgame.
Probably the most “realistic” theory is that the power plant is just a power plant and will be used for Bitcoin and/or E-Coin mining. Running the computers required for massive-scale mining of this sort would take an immense amount of energy. This theory would require Whiterose to have had the foresight to see all those years ago that these cryptocurrencies would exist and be relevant in the present, which seems unlikely, though not impossible, given her ability to see and control events at a global scale.
What theory I believe changes from day to day (more than that, I’ve flip-flopped a few times while writing this), but currently my favorite theory is that Whiterose is constructing a massive Matrix-esque simulation. This would allow her to “resurrect” Angela’s mom, Elliot’s dad, and the Dark Army soldiers (like Grant) that have given their lives so freely to the cause.
What is the Nature of Elliot/Mr. Robot?
Sure, they’ve already shown us that Mr. Robot is a manifestation in Elliot’s mind of his dead father, but what if there’s more to it? When I was first told about Mr. Robot, I was reluctant to watch it because it has ‘robot’ right in the title, but doesn’t have any robots on the show. But what if it does? Maybe Elliot (and some or all of the other characters) are actually sentient computer programs or androids/replicants and they really do hack each other? Mr. Robot (and us, friend), could be malware or just bugs intruding on Elliot’s mind/programming. Under this theory, the more easily manipulated a person is (I’m looking at you, Bill from Steel Mountain), the earlier the generation. The master manipulator (Whiterose) might be the most advanced program, or the person doing the actual programming. This might be going a little too off-the-deep-end for the show, but I’m still holding out hope that there are robots of some kind.
What’s In the Bag?
This like a large, but forgotten, plot point to me. After Angela clones the hardware security modules for the Dark Army in episode five, she is handed a mysterious white paper bag by a Dark Army operative. Whatever it is, seeing it rattles Angela, and (unless I completely missed something in the intervening episodes), it hasn’t been seen or mentioned since. So, what could it be?
A lot of folks online seem to think it’s a gun, for either her or Elliot (who was supposed to be the one working on the HSMs) to kill themselves after the task was done. I don’t really buy this theory, since 1.) Neither Angela nor Elliot shot themselves, and 2.) guns are heavy. In the scenes, the paper bag doesn’t seem to have much weight. Angela is holding it by two fingers, and the bag doesn’t appear to be stretching at all.
So, what else could it be? I did some brainstorming with my brother, technical consultant, and Mr. Robot fan, Andrew, and these are some of the possibilities we came up with:
a memento related to her mom/his dad
a photo of her mom/his dad now, because they’re not dead, but hidden away in a secure Dark Army facility somewhere with the little girl who may or may not be Angela from the past.
a photo of her dad or ex-boyfriend Ollie, held hostage by the Dark Army
information revealing that there were actually 71 target buildings, not just one
A fantastic new Red Wheelbarrow side dish that the world is not ready for yet. A taste sensation that would make the best curly fries seem like the most bland cole slaw by comparison. Some culinary creation so tasty it could warp the fabric of time and space.
Bart Simpson’s soul – I know, I know, USA isn’t even owned by the same corporation as Fox (yet), but is it just a coincidence that both Mr. Robot and this classic episode of The Simpsons both feature Alf (in a dream sequence in one, in pog-form in the other)? Surely Whiterose wouldn’t think so.
What do you think? I’m sure you’ve got some wonderful theories I missed out on. Let’s discuss in the comments section!
Life is peculiar. One moment you’re challenging Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle to be a better film, and the next moment you’re praising Hugh Jackman’s The Greatest Showman. What strange twists life takes during the holiday season.
The Greatest Showman is the first time I watched a film and felt like I was actually watching a Broadway show. From the sound to the way the musical scenes were shot, first-time director Michael Gracey made you felt like you were part of the show, and that is the magic of the stage.
Hugh Jackman carries the film as P.T. Barnum, Zac Efron compliments Jackman, and Zendaya is an emerging star. Jackman’s personality as Barnum is intoxicating. No matter what the world throws at him, Barnum is an industry disruptor. It is this element that gives the film a fast pace, as Barnum is like water, and keeps moving forward. The writers of the film (Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon), capture the spirit, Gracey sets up the cast for success, and Jackman unleashes his musical fury.
With all the praise mentioned above, it is the freak show that Barnum puts together that gives the film heart. Sam Humphrey as Tom Thumb owns his screen time, but Keala Settle as the bearded woman demands hers. Ripped from Netflix’s’ House of Cards, Paul Sparks has found his niche as a smug writer/journalist. Sparks plays the theater critic, and the scenes between Jackman and Sparks are riveting, with two actors doing what they do best.
In the world of CGI, the set design in the film is beautiful. The movie boasts an $80+ million budget, and you can see all the work that went into the sets. There is a painted backdrop at the beginning of the film that looked better than 90% of the CGI out there. It also just felt better and wasn’t as jarring as CGI combined with green screen can be at times.
The Greatest Showman is a perfect holiday film as it has something for everyone and family friendly; music, freaks, story, and charisma.
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!
I think most people’s issue with this series are that sending America to school seems like a step back from Ultimates. That being said, the strongest moments come from America Chavez’s fellow students. Their obsession and support for Chavez mirrors our own.
Gabby Rivera provides plenty of great little character moments from supporting characters. The only thing holding this story back is the struggle to care about Exterminatrix. She’s just an ultimately lame villain in a mostly lame plot.
What isn’t lame is how she, and every thing else in this comic, are illustrated and colored. The driving force of this series continues to be the art. Flaviano and Jen Bartel have fun with the layouts and structure of these pages. The visual characteristics and design of the supporting cast are always interesting.
The scene on the ancestral place was spectacular. Particularly the creative panel of America’s shadow portraying the evolution of her life. America’s conversation with her two guardian ancestors is beautifully laid out. Jordan Gibson and Chris O’Halloran make these pages sing with an exploding array of color.
Even if you haven’t been following along before this arc, the community of America Chavez supporters is fun and warrants further exploration. There’s plenty to like about America, there’s potential for this book to grow past this arc, unfortunately it’s among the latest handful of titles being cancelled.
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Champions #15 “Worlds Collide” Part Six
Mark Waid wasn’t done with High Evolutionary or Viv just yet. Their conversation at the core of this issue is relevant and interesting. This final chapter of the crossover is mostly an epilogue, setting up the next arc for Champions.
That synthezoid Viv has to be High Evolutionary, right? Maybe. The Visions continue to be at the heart of this story, Waid is mining them for all their worth in an effective way. Not bleeding them dry, but exploring where he can take them since nobody else bothered to after Tom King’s series.
High Evolutionary was in great hands during this crossover story. Mark Waid took good care of the classic Marvel villain, dusting him off for a worthy tale.
Humberto Ramos keeps pumping out solid comic book cartooning. He’s probably the most consistent artist as far as keeping the kids looking like actual kids. The next issue will see the team’s ranks expand, Ramos having new characters to play with is reason enough to stay onboard.
The Champions come out of “Worlds Collide” as a stronger bunch. Even with Nova threatening to leave, this new mess they find themselves in should be fun to sort out.
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The Defenders #8 “Kingpins Of New York” Part Three
You couldn’t ask for a better parting gift from Brian Michael Bendis as he prepares to leave Marvel. Even the intro page, with Frank Castle getting his mugshot taken, is a creative use of something readers probably skip over generally.
Bendis is at his best again, making this little team of New York’s finest street heroes into the most beloved superhero team around. This is exactly what the Netflix show was supposed to be, this comic should be what it strives to be going forward.
Daredevil’s unmasking to his teammates, and their corresponding reactions, is one of the most genuine character scenes I’ve read in a while. Bendis is pumping so much heart into this cast, extracting everything he possibly can from each interaction.
Bringing in The Hood is an unexpected use of continuity by Bendis, he usually doesn’t care to acknowledge any outside of his own. If there’s anyone who would take offense to Diamondback and Black Cat’s attempts at filling the Kingpin vacancy, it’s The Hood.
David Marquez and Justin Ponsor are putting on a real show, almost every panel is breathe taking. Actions as simple as Fixer turning to look at Diamondback walking through the door offers the reader a visual to get lost in.
Diamondback telling the story of Kingpin’s beginnings is a dazzling journey. Transitioning between a black and white, noir scene and a menacing Diamondback standing before a striking red background light. Once the danger erupts and bullets start flying, that noir scene sees a shift to yellow for Fisk’s men and red for their former boss meeting his demise. It’s stunning.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg as far as Ponsor’s color, the very next scene is a beautiful assault on Deadpool’s face by the Defenders. Each of their strikes are illuminated by their respective primary color. From there, the art goes in so many intricately crafted directions, playing with the platform in so many different ways. I could spend an eternity breaking it all down.
This comic book is so much more than a tie-in to a tv series. Defenders is a monumental accomplishment from every standpoint, every member of the creative team is doing career work.
Bendis leaving Marvel is exciting for the sake of change at the “Big 2” but at the expense of this series, I don’t know if it’s worth it. Defenders will leave a gaping hole in Marvel’s lineup.
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Guardians Of The Galaxy #149 “Infinity Quest” Part Four
Rocket’s arc as a Nova Corpsman rising through the ranks comes to a head. He’s uncovered a plot by the Talons and cleverly crafts a ruse to strike them down.
Our time spent with the Nova Corps has been a blast. By no means was this arc a standard Guardians story, but Duggan proved once again he can take these characters anywhere and extract comic book gold.
It’s great to see Cosmo back in action, his exchanges with Scott Lang are hilarious. It remains to be seen whether we’ll get to see this big Groot showdown with the other trees in this series (ending at 150) or in whatever comes next. With Groot starting to grow again, Cosmo and Adam Warlock returning, this is starting to look more like the GOTG of old.
I’m excited to see what Duggan does with these characters given what he’s accomplished with the main cast already. Everything Gerry does with cosmic characters has been spectacular and fresh.
In addition to the beautiful design and layouts we’ve grown accustomed to, the art does an exceptional job in differentiating textures. You can feel with your hands holding this comic the different texture of the Talon suits, Nova helmets, the fur around Talonar’s collar, the rock structures inside the Nova Corps, Rocket’s fur, etc. It starts with Marcus To’s pencils, then Ian Herring gives these textures a face with his color choices.
The next issue is sadly the last of this ongoing series. We’re promised something exciting is to follow the finale, and what a finale it’s shaping up to be. It’ll be a real shame if Duggan, To, and Herring part ways in whatever’s next for our favorite cosmic scoundrels.
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Doctor Strange #383 “Loki: Sorcerer Supreme” Part Three
Donny Cates is able to extract these brilliant comedy bits from Strange and his supporting cast without betraying the character. These are tough times for Stephen Strange and his sarcastically sad outlook, and thirst for revenge, is voiced perfectly.
The conversational dialogue is a delightful treat. Stephen’s interactions with every single character are memorable by way of heart, humor, or sheer badass.
How a writer plays with the rules of magic play a major role in how effective a Doctor Strange run is. In that case, we’re in really good hands.
Cates is already a comic book treasure, Marvel needs to keep him happy and busy. Donny could easily be another Tom King and Marvel can’t afford to lose another King to DC.
Niko Henrichon’s flashback sketch art is fantastic, telling the story of how Loki became Sorcerer Supreme. The spectacle and wonder of magic and sorcery gets raised to an even higher level through Walta’s layouts.
Whether it’s the snowy, quiet town that Wong lives in, or the Asgardian thrown room throw-down, Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Jordie Bellaire deliver every time. The scale and dreamy light effects of the gigantic magic tree make Stephen’s desperate attempt at gaining magic back carry so much more weight.
Cates, Walta, and Bellaire are a dynamite creative trio operating on a different wavelength than the rest of us. Gorgeous art, great dialogue, and a script full of magical twists and turns makes this a must-read for every Marvel fan.
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Generation-X #85 “Survival Of The Fittest” Part One
Gen-X makes its Marvel Legacy debut, along with the news that it’ll be cancelled (along with a bunch of others). Despite Christina Strain’s best efforts to make what is an enjoyable, quirky book about the misfit mutants, it’ll sadly be over soon.
While I’ve mostly enjoyed this series, it contradicts itself in one major way. Generation-X was supposed to be a book about the mutants at the institute that aren’t X-Men, the afterthoughts, the outcasts. Instead of getting an abstract book about what mutant life is like outside of X-Men missions, it’s the not-X-Men on smaller scale X-Men-like missions.
Even so, Strain still injects a ton of charm into these characters and it’s fun exploring them in the quieter moments. She cares about this silly cast and it shows. However, diving deeper into the abstract and away from super-heroics could’ve helped making this book feel more special.
The one major issue some people had with this series out of the gate was the odd Amilcar Pinna art style. Over the course of its short run, Pinna’s style has come into its own. As long as you can get past Tom Petty caricature mouths. Pinna’s approach works really well for certain characters, Bling being the best example.
Generation-X isn’t a perfect book, but it’s certainly enjoyable. What X-Men fan doesn’t love the little guys? The mutants with silly powers? They’re an important portion of the mutant population. Hopefully this isn’t the last we see of Christina Strain at Marvel.
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The Incredible Hulk #711 “Return To Planet Hulk” Part Three
This story has been fast-paced and action-packed. There aren’t really any quiet moments for the characters to catch their breathe. Greg Pak’s pacing makes this issue an easy read, but the stakes of The Gauntlet lack because of it. Even so, this comic is still a blast.
What the story lacks in depth, it makes up for in action. It is a Hulk comic after all. Pak pokes fun at Thor: Ragnarok dialogue and pits Odinson against Amadeus in the fourth Gauntlet stage. Hopefully we get to dive into this stage a little more and take some time to learn why Odinson is here. The God of Thunder won’t be just another opponent the Hulk runs through.
Greg Land, Jay Leisten, and Frank D’Armata keep the carnage cranked up. These battle sequences are quick to read through but worth a second look to appreciate. Giant monsters and big, bulky Hulk covered in sci-fi weaponry is still entertaining.
Cory Petit showcases some spectacular lettering that’s hard not to notice. He pulls out an impressive array of different styles and uses for the letters that dictate most of the action.
“Return To Planet Hulk” isn’t a story to challenge the minds of its readers. However, it is one that certainly keeps us entertained with dazzling fight sequences and interesting creature designs. Which is exactly what it needed to be.
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Luke Cage #168 “Caged!” Part Three
David F. Walker’s Luke Cage series is another that is ending soon. Walker can’t catch a break, he’s a consistently entertaining storyteller that just can’t seem to strike a chord with a larger Marvel audience. This comic meets the same fate his great Nighthawk, Occupy Avengers, and Power Man & Iron Fist series ultimately did.
It’s a shame to waste the voice that Walker has for Cage. His dialogue pours out and reads even better than his Netflix counterpart sounds. Even this restrained, half-brainwashed Cage has the perfect tone for Harlem’s Hero stuck in a sticky situation.
I appreciate being bold and taking Luke away from his usual surroundings, but this series has struggled to catch fire due to how boring it is. It’s Luke in another prison with a soulless cast surrounding him. The villain is the most enjoyable part of this arc, but even he doesn’t move the needle much.
Walker writes a fantastic Luke Cage, but I think avoiding the city has hurt this book tremendously. Hopefully he gets one more crack with the character and it’s more like his brilliant Power Man & Iron Fist comic.
Reveals are plotted well, unveiled effectively, and feature striking colors. There’s not a lot to play with in a story taking place in a mine under a prison, but Guillermo Sanna and Miroslav Mrva make due. The most interesting element of this story is the villain, and that’s almost entirely because of how he looks.
Another Marvel book with loads of potential falls flat and ultimately comes to a quick ending. Walker’s voice for Cage shouldn’t go to waste, hopefully Marvel gives him another shot and more creative space.
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Marvel Two-In-One #1 “Fate Of The Four” Part One
Chip Zdarsky goes right for the heart of every Marvel fan desperately awaiting the return of our beloved Fantastic Four. A touching introduction flows into a moving speech by Ben Grimm about the Richards.
The Thing is very much the heart of this issue, and probably the entire Marvel universe at the moment. His tour through these crucial character interactions is both devastating and exciting. This story could really be something special.
The nine panel grid works exceptionally well in the opening page, depicting Johnny Storm’s reckless racing on the speedway. The full orange panel, as Johnny ignites out of his burning car, teases the beautiful image of a sizzling Storm leaving behind his wreck on the next page. Jim Cheung, Frank Martin, John Dell, and Walden Wong come out of the gates swinging.
Ben Grimm handling his tiny reading glasses is a delightful image. Spidey handing off the key to the Baxter building stuff, and Ben going through it all, is heartbreaking. Doom’s diabolical dialogue should bring a smile to any FF fan.
Readers will find a storm of emotions swirling around inside of them throughout this experience. This should’ve come out the first week of Legacy, it’s exactly what fans needed to read to put them at ease.
Zdarsky proves he was exactly the right man for the job. Jim Cheung and Frank Martin knock it out of the park, this is the most important comic of Marvel Legacy thus far.
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The Mighty Thor #702 “The Death Of The Mighty Thor” Part Three
Jason Aaron is spinning so many plates right now, but never loses track of any, nor does the reader. This run, and story arc, redefine what constitutes as an epic.
With stakes so high and dyer, the scene in the bar comes with a sigh of relief. Thor and Hercules arm-wrestling leads to Odinson and Thor herself getting together (and a cameo from Jason Aaron himself as a bar patron).
The dialogue between the worthy and unworthy is sensational, so much history between these who currently find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum. Jason Aaron has been spinning Asgardian yarn for a long time and still keeps every plot in this long run from becoming stale. Jane Foster finds herself in a colossal dilemma.
There’s so much emotion and pain on display. Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson make the reader feel every bit of fury and darkness behind these characters’ eyes.
The art in this issue is as immense and heavy as the script. Joe Sabino also does some interesting work with his letters, not wasting the opportunity to have fun on a Thor title.
It’s an amazing accomplishment, what Aaron has done with Thor. The longevity and effectiveness after all these years never ceases to amaze. We’re headed for a big moment in what is easily one of the most prolific eras for Thor comics.
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Old Man Logan #32 “Scarlet Samurai” Part Two
There will never be a shortage of people who have been waiting to take Logan out. Ed Brisson has concocted a stellar Kung Fu story starring our favorite grumpy, old mutant.
Brisson injects new life into the Hand, Logan, Silver Samurai, and a shocking character reveal I won’t spoil. It’s impressive how much of a departure “Scarlet Samurai” is from the previous arc. Ed is no one-trick pony, he reassures readers there’s still plenty to explore before the old man goes away.
Mike Deodato Jr. and Frank Martin have made sure the trend continues and this series is still one of the best looking comics at Marvel. Full of captivating layouts and brutal action, this book is an absolute spectacle.
Halfway between pop art and realistic character models, Deodato operates at the top of his game. The Japanese paint strokes give it an even more unique feel like an old school Kung-fu movie. It’s easy to forgive the gigantic man-hands Logan sports.
Now at thirty-two issues, Old Man Logan is still firing on all cylinders. Brisson, Deodato Jr., and Frank Martin are a powerhouse team delivering a brutal and effective comic sure to become essential reading for Wolverine fans.
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Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #298 “Most Wanted” Part Three
With a number of issues now under his belt, Chip Zdarsky is able to get his jokes in without losing Peter Parker along the way. Zdarsky and J. Jonah Jameson are also proving to be a match made in comic book heaven, he steals every panel he’s in.
Everything from the intro page to the editor notes, Chip is executing each joke tastefully and confidently. He’s had himself a strong week with Marvel releases.
Adam Kubert and Juan Frigeri deliver tried and true superhero action with a slightly newer sheen and glimmer to it. Jason Keith keeps things light and fluid.
Now that Zdarsky has settled in to writing Spidey, this feels more like home. Spectacular Spidey is now in full stride. One of the most satisfying things at Marvel right now is Chip writing JJJ.
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Ms. Marvel #25 “Teenage Wasteland” Part One
Kamala and her Ms. Marvel alter ego have gone missing, her friends try to don the mask and bolt in her absence. They uncover a sinister plot at an old folks home.
G. Willow Wilson gets the best out of her teenage characters, it never feels like an old person trying to infiltrate “fellow kids.” Not just in dialogue, but in attitude and outlook as well. It’s even more prominent in an issue that features exactly zero Kamala.
Nico Leon has a knack for facial expressions, furthering the sentiment in place by Wilson. Features and reactions can be as exaggerated just like every teenagers reaction to anything. It’s a fun style to read that makes it easy to relate to the characters.
Ian Herring uses a sometimes-watercolor-looking approach in his coloring. He utilizes a darker shade of the usual bright superhero colors, and the occasional striking solid background color. Herring adds a layer of warmth to these pages.
Ms. Marvel makes its Legacy debut without Kamala Khan, but instead we get a tone setting example of Wilson’s skill for writing teens.
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Spider-Gwen #27 “Gwenom” Part Three
Jason Latour keeps playing with these distorted Marvel characters in a genuinely exciting way. The shocks and twists of the narrative are based on what’s been accomplished in this comic, not just by flipping our expectations from the 616 versions of these people.
The framing of these panels is like that of a well crafted television series. The swarm of little black symbiote spiders, with the hot pink word balloons overtop, is a pleasing visual. Each issue of this story finds a new way to utilize the Venom symbiote in a way we haven’t seen before.
From the illuminated silhouette of characters in the night, to the scheme of a city alleyway, Rico Renzi litters this comic with stimulating color. Gwen’s fight against Punisher, in a swirling atmosphere of purple smoke, is intoxicating. If the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons and Franken-Berry had a baby, it would be the color pallet of this book. To clarify, that is a good thing.
Spider-Gwen continuously makes the case for “elseworld” tales. When crafted this well, they become so much more than just a distorted mirror.
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Tales Of Suspense #100 “Red Ledger” Part One
For having the word “suspense” in the title, there isn’t much to be had here. An old Marvel classic comes back but in a mostly lackluster way.
The overdone shading on a lot of faces makes it look like everyone was just working underneath a car. Not to bust on Travel Foreman but there’s something off about Clint Barton. It just doesn’t look like our beloved Hawkeye.
Good thing Matthew Rosenberg’s voice for Clint is pretty good. It just doesn’t fit the blank slate, emotionless vessel. Otherwise, the art is pretty good. Heavy motion blur on Clint’s action scenes does more helping than hurting.
There isn’t really much to take away from this. It feels like a dull waste of two charismatic characters as they search for a character that it’s way too soon to bring back to life. It’s not awful, it’s just mostly boring.
Lastly, the point of that face mask Bucky wore in The Winter Soldier movie was to hide his identity from the audience and Steve, what purpose does it serve here? It’s irritating when our comic book iterations reflect their big screen counterparts for no reason.
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Uncanny Avengers #30 “Stars And Garters” Part Three
This arc has been a bridge from one era to another for these Avengers. Taking our time with each character as they close one chapter and open another. It hasn’t needed any action to be supremely enthralling.
Jim Zub can seemingly put any two Avengers together and come away with a truckload of chemistry. He finds ways to connect these heroes that expose them at their core while also giving the reader some way to relate to it.
Every one of these intimate moments ends up giving us a smile to crack in one way or another. Scarlet Witch and Doctor Voodoo becoming an item is so obvious and wonderful, how did nobody think to pair them up before?
Right out of the gate, Sean Izaakse and Tamra Bonvillain explode with a gorgeously drawn and colored scene. Putting Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch in a fall setting, with changing leaves falling all around, was a brilliant decision.
It doesn’t stop there either, this entire issue is a stunning visual extravaganza to drool over.
With the Avengers books all folding into one weekly series, Uncanny Avengers is the one that will be missed most severely. This has been a top-notch comic about superheroes dealing with obstacles you can’t just punch through.
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X-Men: Gold #18 “The Negative Zone War” Part Three
The X-Men caught up in a inter-dimensional conflict, full of fascinating creatures and treachery galore.
Kitty and Colossus’ slow developing rekindling of their romance has been paced so perfectly that every little moment of progress is fulfilling. Marc Guggenheim shows a lot of restraint and patience in his plotting. The longer he remains on this title, the stronger it will be.
There’s a lot of things happening in the background to pay off later, the foreground is filled with explosive action that never overstays it’s welcome.
Ken Lashley and Arif Prianto have more than kept up their part of the promise to return mutants to colorful and explosive glory. Lashley has a very jagged and sharp edge to his pencils. The costumes for this mission are great, the creature and environment designs are great, our mutants look great.
From top to bottom, this feels like an Uncanny X-Men story from the days before mutants were going extinct.
A theme from this new batch of episodes is starting to emerge. It feels as if they are all intent on breaking down the support net surrounding Steven. This actually seems like a logical step to take. After the Wanted special, where Steven came to face to face with the leaders of Homeworld, it’s understandable to want to put a few roadblocks in his path. It would be too easy to just have a storyline where Steven warped back, beat the Diamonds, and the series ended. Instead, episodes like this help to showcase Steven is not as well prepared as he could be and the bonds between those he knows and cares for are fragile.
The episode also taps into the ideal of wanting to confront someone about a major decision they don’t agree with. It’s a good ideal which many people deal with and it’s also impressive how the episode ended with the solution not being simple. Consequences to actions is what makes Steven Universe so entertaining.
Back To the Kindergarten
Steven, Amethyst and Peridot try to spruce up the kindergarten.
Though the biggest aspect of the this episode is the emotional turmoil Peridot goes through (complete with listening to depressing music in the dark), there is a more subtle element at work. Through Peridots angry rantings a lot of points are made about how Gem culture works. The society seems to resemble the most basic of alien invasion plots. The plan can be simplified as a planet has resources, gems need resources to spawn, and afterward the area is a husk which nothing is able to grow on. Rinse lather and repeat. It’s intimidating when you think about it. Even if the Cluster doesn’t awaken and destroy the Earth, Homeworld will still suck the life out of the planet and leave it a shallow husk.
Much like the previous episode, this one offers a brief sense of hopelessness, the small push of hope and a reminder Steven’s journey isn’t near completion. Two great episodes which continue to deal with the turmoil of the Wanted special. Hopefully the trend will continue into future episodes.
As an aged Batman clings to his life inside the Dark Multiverse, a group of both allies and former foes face challenges of their own. Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman, and Kendra Saunders fight their way into the Rock of Eternity (the center of all there is) searching for answers and Carter Hall, the Hawkman. Aquaman and Deathstroke search for answers in the outskirts of Atlantis. And on Thangar Prime, Hal Jordan and Mr. Terrific (along with the mysterious ‘Plastic Egg’) come face to face with Onimar Synn and a newly returned Starro The Conquerer! Will the heroes find success across these fronts? And what answers lie with Daniel, aka The Sandman, and his all connecting world of The Dreaming?
Dark Nights: Metal #4 Written by: Scott Snyder Art by: Greg Capullo Inks by: Jonathan Glapion Colors by: FCO Plascencia
Writing
Holy shit. That’s really all I can say about the amazing insanity that Scott Snyder throws at us withthe latest issue of Metal. There is so much to love in this event. The pure imagination of it all is enough, but when you throw in so many awesome cult DC elements in the blender (Starro!, The Dreaming!, Vertigo Sandman!, The Monitors!), it just makes the recipe THAT much better. And I’m saying it now, Snyder’s Starro is an absolute delight and his “I’m back losers” line made me laugh out loud. I need a Snyder Starro one-shot now!
This issue is also heavy on the action, rollicking pace and humor. It starts off with a bang and does not stop until the cliffhanger ending. We have three epic battles going on, with the narrative expertly cutting between them at perfect moments. It’s that ‘blockbuster’ style structure that serves this kind of event well.
However, the plot isn’t sacrificed as we do start to see the origins of the Dark Multiverse, Barbatos and how they connect to the DCU and events of the past. We also get a much more detailed explanation of Daniel aka The Sandman’s place in all of this.
Art
This book has hands down made Greg Capullo my favorite artist this year. There is an energy to his drawings, that when mixed with Jonathan Glapion’s inks and FCO Plascencia’s colors, makes them leap, crackle and pop off the page. It feels like these images are literally moving across the page. It’s Kirby-esque in spirit without being a Kirby clone or pastiche. It’s fucking fantastic. I went back and flipped through the book several times just to look at the way the art lead my eyes from panel to panel and page to page. I loved pouring over these images. Images that stayed with me after I put the book down.
Conclusion
DC has had a strong year, with amazing arcs and series. But there is something about the pure storytelling of Metal that nothing else has. The sheer fun that Snyder and company are having creating this comic is completely infectious. You can help but just feel like they are making this book in front of your eyes. Metal reminds me of the kind of stories that got me into comics in the first place, and that’s about the best compliment I can give any title ever.
When it comes to superhero movies and franchises it feels like everyone is getting one. The X-Men franchise has been around since its launch in 2000. Meanwhile, Marvel and DC have launched their own cinematic universes. But amidst the capes, merchandise sales, and post-credits scenes, there is one team who feels overlooked by movie studios. That team, in particular, is the Teen Titans.
In the newly released synopsis from Warner Bros., the team’s first feature film Teen Titans Go! To The Movies reveals their frustrations with Hollywood. Which leads to Robin and the team going to Tinsel Town to make their own movie. But while they try to lure an A-List director, and Robin tries to shed his sidekick status for star status, the gang encounters a new problem. As a new supervillain appears with a common goal that all supervillains share.
The goal and desire to take over the Earth. Though the villain has not yet been named, whoever they are will test the Teen Titans’ bonds of friendship. While driving a wedge between them and their dreams of Hollywood fame. No matter the outcome, the Teen Titans already have their cast.
As Tara Strong (Raven), Khary Payton (Cyborg), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Hynden Walch (Starfire), and Scott Menville (Robin) will voice their current Teen Titans Go! characters. Also attached to the project are Will Arnett and Kristen Bell. Could we be seeing LEGO Batman make an appearance? We will find out on July 27th, 2018 when Teen Titans Go! To The Movies hits theaters.
Batgirl #18 is in stores December 27th, and Monkeys Fighting Robots has your exclusive first-look at the book courtesy of DC Comics.
The issue, entitled “White Elephant”, is a standalone story, perfect for fans of the series and newcomers alike.
The preview shows Barbara Gordon getting ready for her company holiday party and taking a brief break to beat up Burnside’s latest costumed rogue. But this isn’t the only action Batgirl will see this issue. The Clown Princess of Crime is also in town, throwing a wrench in Babs’ plans for a night out.
Check out the first four pages of the book, plus its two covers, right here:
About the issue: It’s the holiday season in Burnside, and everyone is getting into the spirit…including Harley Quinn! After the maid of mischief infects Barbara Gordon’s company party with a killer virus, Batgirl must embark on a wild-goose chase around the city to find a cure. The clock’s ticking—will our hero save the day in time?
Batgirl #18 is written by Hope Larson, with art by Sami Basri, colors by Jessica Kholinne, and letters by Deron Bennett. Covers are by Dan Mora and Joshua Middleton.
With the “Rebirth” era officially coming to a close, what’s been your favorite DC title of late? Let us know in the comments!
Netflix continues its push into the movie industry with Bright, a big-budget, high-concept tentpole-type film that falls on its face, is trampled by an army of orcs, impaled by a shower of arrows, and gutted by jagged axes. And then, it blows up.
From the very first seconds, there is no doubt, David Ayers,
the most interesting man in Hollywood, made this.
Bright is the story of Daryl Ward (Will Smith), a cop who works with Nick Jakoby (Edgerton) in a world where all our favorite fantasy characters like elves, fairies, centaurs and the like are alive alongside us. Ward is a human and Jakoby is an Orc. And in this world, magic is mostly gone, but now powerful forces are looking to bring a great evil back, and only a magic wand can save the day.
From the very first seconds, there is no doubt, David Ayers, the most interesting man in Hollywood, made this. The opening credits are a bit of a wink to the SuicideSquad’s stylized title sequence. And so, for those who didn’t like last year’s DCEU villains-turned-hero film, this might already get things started on the wrong foot.
Ayer dishes up some inconsistent directing. During one escape sequence, we roll back through an alley with Will Smith as enemies pop up from either side in a definite nod to video games like House of the Dead or Time Crisis. But Smith is dead center of the screen the entire time and covers most of what we see. It doesn’t create any visual impact when the most impactful part of the scene is blocked from view.
At the 40-minute mark, Bright does get interesting when
it becomes a war to gain possession of the magic wand.
The first 40 minutes of Bright lazily tries to establish this new world. Fantasy creatures have lived with us through all of history, yet, the world is the same. No signs of Orc hip-hop or Elven beauty supplies. Will Smith kills a fairy (it’s in the trailer) and no one seems to care. I’d imagine, that thousands of years living alongside a sentient creature like a fairy might provide some empathy. But no, it’s funny to kill the pesky fairy, so it happens.
Lazy world-building aside, Bright meanders through many of the typical buddy cop tropes. Ward and Jakoby don’t get along. And Ward just wants to retire to be with his family because, essentially, “He’s too old for this shit.” The film also tries to balance out humor with the drama but ends in the same lazy one-liners as any other Marvel or Michael Bay movie.
At the 40-minute mark, Bright does get interesting when it becomes a war to gain possession of the magic wand. Cops versus cops versus gangsters make the stakes a lot more engaging. And really could’ve been the thrust of the entire movie that could open the door to everything else. But those first 40 minutes are tough to sit through. And, like many modern-day movies; Bright is too long. Hack twenty minutes off and do a bit of tweaking, and there’s a brilliant spark of a good genre film that could lead to more.
As an action movie, Bright is no better or worse than Underworld, Blade, or any number of other sci-fi/fantasy films of the ilk.
Will Smith is, well, Will Smith in his official action character mode and so, there’s nothing much to report on that end. Joel Edgerton’s Jakoby is far more interesting a character. Edgerton does his best to overcome the awful design choice for the orcs which makes them look cheap. It’s as if the makeup department only had mud and paint to work with.
Making social commentary through the use of fantasy characters is a valiant idea. But in Bright, it’s only a passing line here and there that otherwise offers little to the story. And perhaps the argument could be made that it unfocuses Bright, turning it from a reasonably competent action movie into an unfortunate, borderline parody.
Sure, Bright is not groundbreaking and likely won’t give rise to the Bright Cinematic Universe. However, it’s a decent effort at offering something a little different in the genre, even if it ultimately falls short of being whatever grand spectacle the creators might have wanted it to be.
