Port Of Earth is Image/Top Cow’s new sci-fi comic book series. Writer Zack Kaplan, artist Andrea Mutti, and colorist Vladimir Popov waste no time in immersing readers in a unique concept.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Sometimes it can be a drag when a comic is largely made up of news reports. That’s not the case here, these segments are how we learn about the world we are immersing ourselves in. These news sections put the reader in the shoes of a citizen of this world and let’s them form their own opinion on what’s happening.
The premise of this series is an interesting one, with it comes a handful of interesting questions. Sorting through the various factions, motivations, and points of view gives the reader plenty to think about along the way rather than just power through to the end.
Our two main characters are a bit dull so far; their relationship is very cookie cutter. We haven’t had much of a chance to get a sense of their personalities past the surface level. Luckily, the story doesn’t depend on the dynamic of these two characters.
As events are unfolding, a devious plot starts to peek its head out. Zack Kaplan didn’t need too long to hook readers into this world. This comic is an easily digestible, high concept sci-fi examination of human beings and how we’d respond to extraterrestrial business propositions. If Kaplan can flesh out our two main characters more, this book would gain an even deeper layer.
Port Of Earth‘s art reminds me a lot of the fantastic Men In Black cartoon. It’s darker but doesn’t shy away from fun designs. There’s a gray film over the reader’s eye, almost like you’re looking at these pages through a gray lens.
Vladimir Popov does some interesting color work in a book that’s mostly black, gray, and white. When our two main officers are in the tunnel, searching for their alien perpetrator in the dark, he plays with the splashes of light. The speckled background and shadows give this more of a noir appeal than you would expect.
When the action gets going, Andrea Mutti flexes a muscle we hadn’t really seen much of yet. The fast-paced chase sequence flows effectively and picks up the pace of the book rapidly. His creature and structure design are delightfully intricate. Every alien we’ve seen so far has been unique and interesting to look at.
While it’s not an absolutely perfect book, there’s more than plenty to love about Port Of Earth. As the series continues, and we get to know our cast more, this could potentially be one of the top sci-fi comics heading into 2018.
After weeks of rumors that a deal was coming, it finally became official. Disney now owns 21st Century Fox.
This is the biggest Disney acquisition to date at $66.1 billion. They are specifically buying Fox’s film and TV studio, the National Geographic and FX cable channels business, regional sports networks, international networks, including Star India, Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu and its 39 percent stake in European pay TV giant Sky.
What does this mean for Marvel Studios and the cinematic universe? Disney now owns the rights to X-Men, Fantastic Four, and all the characters associated with the two franchises.
Not only do they now get to utilize mutants and the “first family,” but also characters such as Galactus, Doctor Doom, and Silver Surfer. Some have speculated that this impending deal is the reason Marvel hasn’t shared many details about their “Phase 4” slate of films. We should expect major announcements coming soon.
We may finally get a Fantastic Four movie worth a damn, which means a worthy adaptation of Doctor Doom. Possibilities are endless. With how calculated the MCU has been so far, I imagine they already have a plan in place for a majority of the properties.
When it comes to X-Men, there’s some cause for concern. The X-Films have taken a more mature turn recently, with Logan and Deadpool, hopefully Disney won’t make any changes. Given the success of both films, I highly doubt we’ll have to worry.
Kevin Feige and the curators of the MCU have a whole new world of toys to play within the gigantic sandbox they’ve built over the years. Fitting the existence of mutants into an already fully realized world is no easy task.
It worked with Spider-Man given the character’s age difference fitting into the timeline. However, the X-Men are the forefront of an entire portion of the population that carry the mutant X-Gene. The transition will require some major creativity.
Perhaps the inclusion of infinity stones will play a big part in reshaping reality. Or maybe Marvel will hold off on putting everyone together and keep the universes separate for the time being. With Deadpool 2, The New Mutants, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix on the way, we should expect anything definite for a while.
Regardless of what they do and when, it’s an exciting day for Marvel. They finally have all their properties back.
The rumors are true. The making of a crossover merger between the two giant companies of 21st Century Fox and Disney is about to become a reality. Thought the business world is discussing the financial side of the ramifications of two of the biggest entertainment companies coming together there is a much more pressing questions at hand: How will this affect the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What will happen to the Fantastic Four and X-men?
The main hypothesis most fans are speculating is this will finally allow for the X-Men and Avengers to share the same universe. This will be a welcome sight for many who thought they were never going to see the two factions unite or battle. It may also result in more attention being brought back to the importance of Mutants in not only the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the comics as well.
When Disney studios did not have the rights to use Mutants in any of their creative properties a choice had to be made. The Marvel universe is synonyms with people with bizarre powers appearing out of nowhere and this factor needed to be added to the Cinematics. This led to the increased importance of the Inhumans and their mythology into not only the Marvel Cinematic Universe but also in the comic books. The new merger may result in Mutants once again getting the respect (or more appropriately disrespect) they originally garnished.
Unfortunately for now we can only speculate and hope the merger will produce positive results. For now though, since its early, here hoping for the X-men to meet the Avengers, Spider-Man and Deadpool to hang out, and the Fantastic Four once again becoming the number one family of comics.
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What are your thoughts on the merger? Leave a comment below and let us know.
Disney bought part of 21st Century Fox today for $52.4 billion, according to CNN.
The part of the deal that is of most interest to Monkeys Fighting Robots is the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four Universe. As there will be huge ramifications in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and for Marvel Comics. This is a breaking news story and we will have more details as they become available.
Disney’s four largest acquisitions in the past decade:
What a year for television! A lot of ongoing shows really stepped it up, but there was a plethora of great new ones in 2017. We had a ‘Star Trek’ revival, brought back fan-favorites like ‘Twin Peaks’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘Duck Tales’, to name a few, and saw an explosion of new comic book adaptations, with plenty of new and original Sci-Fi series on the way in 2018.
This is a spoiler-free list, devoid of everyone else’s favorites, ‘Big Little Lies’ (HBO), ‘Mindhunter’ (Netflix) and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (Hulu), because you have definitely already seen those awesome shows, and they’ve gotten plenty of love as it is. This list features six comic book adaptations, three from Marvel, including two mutant-based shows. It also includes the Archie-themed show that not only launched this year, but has already turned in half of its second season this year as well. Here are our other favorites from this year that we feel you should check out.
About: Delve into life in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s, when porn and prostitution were running rampant in Manhattan.
Bottom Line: This is a pretty brutal look at what life was like in the big city during this decade, including the harsh experiences women had to endure over that span.
About: A diverse group of students navigate various forms of racial discrimination at a predominantly white Ivy League university.
Bottom Line: This series is a refreshingly honest, humorous, informative and heartfelt, look at what minorities battle with on a daily basis. Take notes, so that we can strive for a more inclusive and peaceful 2018.
About: In a world where superheroes have been real for decades, an accountant with no superpowers comes to realize his city is run by a supervillain. As he struggles to uncover the conspiracy, he falls in with a strange blue Superhero, called The Tick.
Bottom Line: This is not only a series that includes a powerful superhero battling villains, but it is also extremely funny. It stays true to its predecessors, The Tick (2001) and the Animated Series (1994).
About: A recently released convict meets a mysterious man who calls himself ‘Wednesday’, who knows way too much about ‘Shadow’ and his life and past.
Bottom Line: This is a book adaptation from famed comic book creator and novelist Neil Gaiman. It is as incredibly gripping as it is weird. It is an alien-type journey for the battle of American souls with a poetic script.
Premise: An institute for mutants fights to achieve peaceful coexistence with humanity in a world where the mutated are treated with distrust, racism and fear.
Bottom Line: This series makes having special powers fun again through great visuals and special effects, but also dives into how hard it is to be a mutant in a predominantly anti-mutant time.
About: Jump in for a subversive take on Archie and his friends, while exploring small-town life, including the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.
Bottom Line: This series is a modern realization of the famed Archie Comics and is already currently airing its second season, having launched its first installment back in January.
About: David Haller is a troubled young man diagnosed as a schizophrenic. After a strange encounter, he discovers special powers that will change his life forever.
Bottom Line: We all know David Charles Haller, the son of Professor Charles Xavier, what he is capable of and what he ultimately does in the X-Men Universe. This series follows his early years as he starts to finally experience his powers, battles his inner demons and figure out just what he is capable of.
About: After the murder of his family, Marine veteran Frank Castle becomes a vigilante known as ‘The Punisher’ with only one goal in mind, revenge.
Bottom Line: This Marvel adaptation of Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, is awesome! It has as much heart as it does bullets flying. The show follows his backstory and what possibly led to his family being murdered as he seeks out to punish those involved in the conspiracy.
About: A Chicago-based financial advisor secretly relocates his family to the Missouri Ozarks when his dealings with a drug cartel go awry.
Bottom Line: The great thing about this show is that it essentially has fallen in line with some other out-of-nowhere series to come out on Netflix and become instant gems. It is an intense crime drama that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.
Wonder Woman has found her twin brother. Her brother, Jason, was sent off of Themyscira after he was born to protect him from Hera’s wrath. For decades, he was raised by the last living Argonaut and was warned to stay hidden. He grew envious of how his sister had become a legendary superhero and joined Grail, Daughter of Darkseid, to take her down. The two demigods defeated the mighty Amazon and now plan to sacrifice her energy to give to Darkseid.
This storyline has had its highs and lows in terms of quality. There are times where the story becomes interesting, due to Wonder Woman learning the value of family and bonding and others where it falls flat. Its failures are because mostly because of not highlighting key plot points through pictures. Instead, we had scenes of forced exposition dialogue. We have reached the penultimate issue of the arc, with two demigods against Diana. How will she get out of this one?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
After losing the battle, Wonder Woman is held captive by Jason and Grail. They proceed to give villainous monologues until Diana has had enough and breaks out, ready to fight. While she is able to make quick work of the two demigods, a new challenger approaches to face her: Darkseid. With Darkseid now about the size of a teenager, he has enough power to face Wonder Woman with ease.
While I am relieved we have no more exposition through monologue, there is something that drags the issue down. Some of the characters don’t act as they should. Grail is usually a lot more vicious, even if she was under the command of Darkseid. Instead of just punching her, which barely worked in the previous battle, she would be using terrible forms of torture. Diana is not much better as she would be more compassionate towards her brother, saddened by his choice, instead of violent.
The character, however, that is the most guilty of acting illogical is Jason. One moment, he wants to kill Wonder Woman then he claims that he didn’t know that Grail means to end her. Another moment is during a scene very reminiscent of Return of the Jedi. As Darkseid blasts Diana with his Omega Beams, Jason begs them to stop because “they are blood.” I understand the writer wants Jason to have this redemption arc for Jason, but this is a woman he has known for about five minutes. If this bond was made during the first chapter of this arc, I could see it more.
Art:
While I had an issue with the characters, the real draw to this issue is the art. The pencil work is top quality, with amazing designs for Darkseid and a character that appears on the last page. The colors go hand in hand with this as well, by creating a vibrant world and beautiful flashback panels. If there is any reason to pick up this issue, it would be for the art alone.
Conclusion:
Overall, this is a weak penultimate issue to this arc. While it is beautiful to look at, the characters actions towards one another bring down the quality of the issue overall. We have one last issue that will wrap this up, after which we’ll have introduced Jason as a more regular character. Let’s just hope that the final issue brings something groundbreaking.
As is the case just about every year, the best supporting actor and actress races are infinitely more interesting and varying than either of the lead categories. This is where performances truly light up the screen in brief moments, and in many cases it is their work that pushes the film in question over the top, from good to great.
This year, there appears to be a frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor, an underrated legend in the industry who’s deserved Oscar gold more than once in his past. Right behind him, however, is another long-deserving actor who dominates in a film full of powerful performances. Let’s get into this:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
There are too many names for only five spaces, especially when at least two slots feel like foregone conclusions. First and foremost is Willem Dafoe as Bobby, the goodhearted hotel manager in The Florida Project. Dafoe is a lock, and a favorite, though these things can change from time to time. Right behind him has to be Sam Rockwell, whose wicked – and complicated – turn as the defiant small-town deputy in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a lightning rod of a performance.
That leaves three spots, and probably a dozen names when the dust settles. One thing that could hurt Rockwell’s chances is the performance of Woody Harrelson in Three Billboards, though Rockwell is more of a standout in the end. Dustin Hoffman may have had a chance at a supporting nomination for The Meyerowitz Stories, but his recent run in with the sexual harassment purge in Hollywood has all but ended his chances.
Armie Hammer could sneak into the nomination pool for his role in Call Me By Your Name, but the votes for supporting work in that one will likely end up going to Michael Stuhlbarg, who is the heart and soul of the unconventional romance. Michael Shannon has a shot for The Shape of Water, as does Richard Jenkins; but Richard Jenkins is the heartbeat of the film, and he will likely win out. That will leave the door open for Jason Mitchell, who delivers a powerhouse performance in Mudbound, to grab that fifth and final slot. Don’t count him out to upset the field and take home the victory.
PREDICTIONS
Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
The Archies have hit a few snags on the road, but no obstacle may be bigger than keeping feelings from each other. Will Archie feel pushed out when Betty takes the spotlight and plays one of her songs? Will Reggie’s ‘base rig’ finally be acknowledged and allowed? Will Jughead continue to eat? And how does the synth-pop band Chvrches fit into all this?
The Archies #3 Written by: Alex Segura and Matt Rosenberg Art by: Joe Eisma Colors by: Matt Herms Lettering by: Jack Morelli Published by: Archie Comics
Writing
Right from the first page, The Archies #3 switches gears a bit. Whereas we had mostly been following the story through Archie’s eyes the last issue, this issue is all about Betty Cooper as she struggles with wanting to put more of herself into the band. The bulk of the narrative is made up of entries from Betty’s journal, and it’s a great way to get not only into her head but a different perspective on the rest of the characters as well. Segura and Rosenberg flesh Betty out, giving her both strength and vulnerability. And again, they are writing possibly my favorite version of Jughead who not only continues his hilarious constant quest for food but also dispenses some true sage-like advice to Archie and Betty when they both need it.
Of course one of the draws this issue is the role Chvrches plays in the story, and it’s a good one. The band serves as both characters and a plot/narrative device without coming across as an artificial cameo. Their interaction with the Riverdale gang feels real and natural.
Art
Joe Eisma and Matt Herms once again draw a book with plenty of energy and movement. The art team is equally great at capturing quiet and loud moments, as well as creating some great splash page moments of performances. There is nuance in facial expressions and the body language is captured and expressed in a way that makes this feel like animation; the art simply moves.
Jack Morelli’s letter’s also deserve attention as the font and caption boxes used for Betty’s journal entries are a big part of this issues charm and success.
Conclusion
The Archies continues to be one of the most joyful and just plain fun books to read. It’s light without being vapid and it’s a treat for new and old fans alike. It’s also extra fun for music nerds. Don’t sleep on this book and turn the volume up on it!
Welcome to the twenty-fourth episode of the Comic Show by Monkeys Fighting Robots! This week is all about STAR WARS! We’re talking Darth Vader #9 and we review the highly anticipated film Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Before all that though, we review last week’s Doctor Strange #382.
Over the course of 100 plus years of cinema, thousands of filmmakers like Kubrick, Scott, and Spielberg have created a massive body of work. Some of that work either stands the test of time, falls off quickly, or wasn’t all that great, to begin with. But with so many filmmakers, we have a virtual role-playing game universe of characters who each have strengths and weaknesses. So, in an on-going series, we take a look at directors as if they were characters in this non-existent role-playing game about making movies.
Who better to begin with than director of the upcoming Ready Player One …
Steven Spielberg
Class
Thief
As a thief, Spielberg is a jack-of-all-genres, tackling everything from deep-sea horror with Jaws to historical dramas like Schindler’s List. There is no genre that Spielberg won’t tackle, or, more importantly, succeed at doing. Even Spielberg’s worst movies (1941 or Indiana Jones 4), are still immensely watchable.
AND
Wizard
Start a Spielberg at any point, and it doesn’t take more than a second to know it’s one of his movies. And I don’t just mean because half of his films are pop culture classics. Every director has a signature, something they do that provides a particular polish. Some directors have a faint finish while others are undeniable. Spielberg movies are unmistakably Spielberg.
Attributes
Strength
There are a lot of things you say that Spielberg does well. But here we’ll give him that his greatest strength is balance. Some directors do action well and drama not-so-much or vice versa. Spielberg seems always to ride the line between thought-provoking character drama and a film that has a distinct rhythm. In Jurassic Park, he peppers in Dr. Alan Grant’s issues with family while keeping the pace moving with dino attacks. In Schindler’s List, while dealing with weighty themes, he keeps the scenes visually rich, making the film glide along like a perfectly paced poem.
Intelligence
Spielberg’s cinema smarts are all over every movie he makes. The director understands the language of film with the same depth of power as Ian Malcolm’s understanding of chaos theory. Jaws, a simple film about nature gone wild unleashes rich, textured moments between characters. Spielberg doesn’t write most of his movies, but he understands great writing and knows how to draw out that greatness from the actors he works with. In other movies, a line like “We’re going to need a bigger boat.” Would play as a cheesy throwaway joke but in Jaws, it represents the magnitude of the problem for characters. It’s still funny but also thrusts the story forward at the same time.
Dexterity
Perhaps Spielberg’s highest rating. Jaws is a horror film. Close Encounters is a science fiction conspiracy film, 1941, a World War 2 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark a period action adventure, E.T., a science fiction film about family. That was a seven-year stretch for the director that is unmatched by anyone in film history. Each film different, a unique look at some familiar themes while new ideas are explored. Spielberg can slip and slide into any genre, at any time, and succeed. In 2018, he’ll tackle big science fiction spectacle to rival those of modern blockbusters with Ready Player One. No matter how big a box office it is, it’ll be a joy to watch because Spielberg knows how to infuse any film with energy.
Charisma
Spielberg is as charming as they come in interviews. He’s just the right mix of down to earth and pretentious. Simultaneously, Spielberg is one of the living legend directors and also a humble dude. Of course, no one here has met Spielberg, so maybe behind the scenes, he’s an arse-hole. But regardless, he gets people to finance his movies and knows how to talk about them and sell people on the magic of filmmaking. A recent HBO doc, Spielberg, exemplifies this about the director.
Wisdom
There will forever be a battle between how much of a creative endeavor is taught and how much is simply understood through instinct along with trial and error. Many filmmakers never stepped a minute into a film class. However, Spielberg was part of the early crop of Hollywood hit-makers who did go to film school. Spielberg attended class at California State University (Long Beach) after being turned down by University of South California’s film school. From there, and after mythological stories of his presence on the Universal film lot, he earned a seven-movie contract, and the rest is history.
There is no doubt that Spielberg, especially after 40+ years of making movies, has both technical knowledge and a natural instinct and passion for telling stories. Even at a ripe young age of 70, he is wise beyond his years. The director is also wise to work with the likes of cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and composer John Williams too!
Constitution
Spielberg has helmed 35 feature films in a professional career which began in 1971 with the TV movie Duel. After another TV movie, Spielberg made his first theatrical feature, The Sugarland Express. After that, it was Jaws, and over the next 42 years, Spielberg made 31 features (and counting). That’s nearly a film every year and a half which is incredible, making Spielberg’s Constitution off the charts.
Powers
The uncanny ability to simply never make an uninteresting movie. It’s rare to start a Spielberg film and then five minutes later roll your eyes from boredom. Spielberg understands not only the language of film but the pace of a film. Like a heartbeat, it starts and keeps going, accelerating when necessary, but never slowing below the original rate. Catch Me If You Can is visual eye-candy and a film that bounces ahead. Amistad is the opposite, beating hard with tension and the weight of history as the muscles and mind absorb each frame.
Weaknesses
Finding a weak spot in Spielberg’s skillset as a filmmaker is a tough one. Spielberg is brilliant in so many aspects of filmmaking that saying he has a flaw only means it existed in one movie here or there. Director’s like Zack Snyder have signatures such as the constant use of slow-motion which appear from film to film. Spielberg has no real repetitive downside. However, he has clung to the bookend story-telling a lot, such films as Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan include scenes that play out almost like the first five minutes of a TV show just before the opening credits. In Jurassic Park, the moment has a mild effect on the rest of the film but is otherwise kind of unnecessary. In Saving Private Ryan, the moment ties in much more poetically with the rest of the film. It’s hit or miss. Also, maybe straight comedy like 1941 isn’t his strong suit either.
