This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!
This episode had too many twists without a decent pay-off. Drunk Curtis was annoying, and Black Canary trusted her (evil?) ex-boyfriend way too quickly. Plus, Wild Dog backstabbing Oliver? No way! Then getting super mad when Oliver doesn’t immediately trust him in the next mission? NO WAY! It’s also incredibly disappointing to see Black Siren humanized with the “can’t kill Quentin” dilemma. Not because characters with depth are bad, but Black Siren is one of the best villains ARROW has had. If she becomes too nice, her character will become just as boring as Deathstroke.
CLIFFHANGER REVIEW: That’s too many villains! I don’t care about them all! Why is Vigilante a villain? Wasn’t he just, like, a more violent Green Arrow? Like, a Season 1 Green Arrow? He doesn’t need to be a villain too!
SCORE: 6/10 Broken Engagements
WEEKLY WIN TALLY: (scores rounded up for the holidays/my sanity)
Supergirl: 4 Weeks
The Flash: 3.5 Weeks
Arrow: 1 Week
What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow take your vote? Do you think A.o.S. or Gotham outshines all the CW shows? Let us know in the comments below!
It had been four years since Paul Thomas Anderson released Punch Drunk Love – his breezy, offbeat love story starring a brilliantly manic Adam Sandler – when he returned in 2007 with something that couldn’t be more unlike his previous film. As wonderful as Punch Drunk Love was, There Will Be Blood is a lynchpin of modern American epics, a broad, sweeping tale. The historical drama spans decades, features a morality battle between capitalism and religion, and it has Daniel Day-Lewis in one of the most engrossing, volcanic performances in the history of cinema.
Day-Lewis’s portrayal of Daniel Plainview, a self-made oil man who is eventually consumed by greed and a general disdain for humanity, feels so all-encompassing today. It’s a towering achievement, singular, and often misinterpreted as some sort of pure evil. A common read of There Will Be Blood is that it’s a story of a villain who destroys his own life and the lives of anyone who crosses his path. It might be partially true, but Anderson and Day-Lewis also make sure to show us he is, in fact, worthy of at least some of our sympathy.
We first meet Plainview alone, in the bottom of a silver mine, where he finds the precious metal and, despite breaking his leg in a fall, literally pulls himself to town to cash in. From the outset, this is a man who lives and operates as isolated as humanly possible, and is driven by nothing more than the dollar; only when he requires a team of men to pull “gold” out of the ground does he bring in partner and workers. And it is here when a deadly accident forces him to take in the newly-orphaned H.W.
The eventual unraveling between Daniel and H.W. is where it’s easy to tear apart any moral fabric Daniel may have ever had. He does treat H.W. as a prop in his business dealings, parading him out to prospective towns, and allowing him the exist under the illusion he is a family man. When H.W. is deafened by the rig explosion – the film’s incredible, and only, set piece – Daniel eventually sees him as a burden and sends him away to San Francisco.
Dismissing Daniel here is the quickest route to judgment, sure, but there are some factors and tells in the story to consider first. Moments both before and after the rig explosion indicate Daniel does love and care for H.W. In the moments after the fire is quelled, Daniel is trying to sooth the newly deafened young boy; he simply isn’t built with the proper emotional tools to handle H.W’s handicap. He is sent away, but not to some orphanage; he is taken to the best school possible for help Daniel never could have offered.
Later, in the baptism scene in Eli Sunday’s new church, the guilt he carries inside him for sending away H.W. boils to the surface in the film’s most telling moment of weakness. If there are to be clear-cut protagonists and antagonists here, the movie’s central villain is occupied by Paul Dano as Eli (and Paul Sunday), a grifter using religion as his method of disguise and, ultimately, attempted prosperity. Their paths are forged in hate in this baptism scene.
As one confidence man recognizes another, Daniel knows almost immediately what he’s up against with Eli Sunday. Here is a person using Daniel’s tricks of the trade, but he’s found an even more rock solid force field than a family business. Daniel may be bad, but is Eli not worse? One is manipulating the pockets of these frontier people, the other their hearts and minds and souls. At least there is a sort of tangible prosperity among the townsfolk when it comes to Daniel’s plan.
Most will point to the murder of Henry (Kevin J. O’Connor), a nomadic swindler who finds Daniel’s name in the paper and poses as his long-lost brother, as the point where Daniel loses any chance for redemption – It’s interesting, then, that his baptism is shortly thereafter in Eli’s church. This is the moment where Daniel is ultimately lost, true, and he deteriorates from there. The final scenes of the film, an epilogue where we see him berate an adult H.W. and ultimately destroy Eli, his rival, show a man whose gluttonous impulses and money addiction have crushed an already hardened exterior.
Daniel Plainview’s ultimate fate in There Will Be Blood, falling into that pool of Eli Sunday’s blood collecting in the bowling lane, is of his own doing. He may be a deeply-flawed and ultimately poisonous man, but the villain in There Will Be Blood he is not. He wanted nothing more than to be alone his whole life, to make his money, and die clutching it in his hands. Then H.W. happened, Eli Sunday challenged him, and Henry’s deceit ultimately returned him to his truest form: a man who has a competition in him, who “hates most people,” and who has been poisoned from all sides to the point of no return.
Daniel Plainview is a wicked person, make no mistake, but even in the most cunning of conmen there was once a sliver of humanity worth noticing.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the Golden Globes nominations for their 75th award show Monday morning.
The Globes will be held January 7, 2018, at 5:00 PM PST on NBC hosted by Seth Meyers.
Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
Caitriona Balfe, Outlander
Claire Foy, The Crown
Maggie Gyllenahall, The Deuce
Katherine Langford, 13 Reasons Why
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes
Ansel Elgort, Baby Driver
James Franco, The Disaster Artist
Hugh Jackman, The Greatest Showman
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name
Richard Jenkins, The Shape Of Water
Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards
Best TV Series, Drama
The Crown
Game of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Mary J Blige, Mudbound
Hong Chau, Downsizing
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Home”, Ferdinand
“Mighty River”, Mudbound
“Remember Me”, Coco
“The Star”, The Star
“This Is Me”, The Greatest Showman
Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Freddie Highmore, The Good Doctor
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
The Disaster Artist
Get Out
The Greatest Showman
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, The Phantom Thread
Tom Hanks, The Post
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington, Roman J Israel, Esq
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Judi Dench, Victoria & Abdul
Helen Mirren, The Leisure Seeker
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Emma Stone, Battle of the Sexes
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Jessica Chastain, Molly’s Game
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water
Francis McDormand, Three Billboards
Meryl Streep, The Post
Michelle Williams, All the Money in the World
Best Director – Motion Picture
Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk
Ridley Scott, All the Money in the World
Steven Spielberg, The Post
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Call Me By Your Name
Dunkirk
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards
Best Actor in a Limited-Series or TV Movie
Robert De Niro, Wizard of Lies
Jude Law, The Young Pope
Kyle McLaughlin, Twin Peaks
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Geoffrey Rush, Genius
Best TV Movie or Limited-Series
Big Little Lies
Fargo
Feud: Bette and Joan
The Sinner
Top of the Lake: China Girl
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Three Billboards
The Shape of Water
Phantom Thread
The Post
Dunkirk
Best TV Series, Comedy
Black-ish
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Master of None
SMILF
Will & Grace
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited-Series, or TV Movie
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Michelle Pfeiffer, Wizard of Lies
Shailene Woodley
Best Foreign Language Film
A Fantastic Woman
First They Killed My Father
In the Fade
Loveless
The Square
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited-Series or TV Movie
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot
Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
David Thewlis, Fargo
Best Actress in a Limited-Series or TV Movie
Jessica Biel, The Sinner
Nicole Kidman. Big Little Lies
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies
Best Animated Feature Film
The Boss Baby
The Breadwinner
Coco
Ferdinand
Loving Vincent
Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy
Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Alison Brie, GLOW
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Issa Rae, Insecure
Frankie Shaw, SMILF
Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Kevin Bacon, I Love Dick
William H. Macy, Shameless
Erik McCormack, Will & Grace
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
The Shape Of Water
Lady Bird
The Post
Three Billboards
Molly’s Game
The mid-season finale of season eight of ‘The Walking Dead’ approached with substantial hype and left with disappointment and many questions for the creative team involved.
There will be spoilers to follow, turn back now if you have not watched ‘How It’s Gotta Be.’
The mid-season finale was a 90-minute episode that could have been edited down to 30-minutes. The excess killed all momentum from the previous episode; the length did not build up the suspense either. It actually did the opposite; it became a waiting game for something to happen. A faster-paced episode would have kept the audience off-balance, and the final knock blow of the story would have carried weight.
What also didn’t work for this episode is the most crucial scene took place off camera. When a tragedy occurs to a central cast member, the audience deserves a better sendoff than what happened Sunday night. Chandler Riggs did lead the way as Carl, the younger actor grabbed hold of the spotlight and didn’t let go. Lauren Cohan also deserves your applause as Maggie continues to dominate the Hilltop.
A bright spot in a somewhat monotone episode was that viewers finally got to see Rick and Negan ‘throw down.’ The two have contrasting fighting styles, and this along gets you excited for the second half of the season.
Overall, everything that has been building on the show fell apart today, which begs the question, ‘Why was it in there in the first place? Things happened, the plot moved forward, but no one is winning an award for this episode. ‘How It’s Gotta Be’ looked to be a ‘moral compass’ episode to where a death would have had meaning, that is not the direction AMC took the episode.
Here is the most poerful scene from the episode. You deceide if it gamed the game or not.
What did you think of the mid-season finale? Sound off in the comment section below.
When it comes to exposition, the newest trailer for Ready Player One has a lot of it. In it, we are once again introduced to Wade Watts. A teenager who lives in a poverty-stricken trailer park called “The Stack” in Columbus, Ohio in the year 2045. A teenager who wants to escape his energy crisis-riddled world and live life in the Oasis.
Which Watts describes in the trailer as “A whole virtual universe,” Watts continues, “People come for the things they can do, but they stay because of all the things they can be”. Which in today’s world is similar to how people perceive both video games and social media. Within Ready Player One‘s theme of escapism is its main story centering around the death of James Halliday.
Halliday is the creator of the Oasis, and via message announces whoever can find the Easter Egg he created will not only receive his fortune they will be in control of the Oasis. This, of course, leads to a corporation called Innovative Online Industries (IOI) wanting to take control of the virtual world. As its people plan on monetizing the experience once taking control, and destroying anyone who gets in their way. But as the trailer shows, Wade and others form a rebellion to combat the corporation and Nolan Sorrento.
The Head of Operations for the corporation. But within the action and nostalgia, there are some things within the trailer that are worrisome. Starting with the movie’s use of nostalgia. Seeing many famous pop culture icons is great, and in this case are digital avatars and vehicles.
But when dealing with these things it becomes easy to pander to the audience with tons of “Remember this” moments. Causing the story to take a backseat. Seeing the DeLorean being used to race people, and Tracer and Chun-Li run into battle is great. But their introductions should only be made once.
After that, they should just be characters who happen to be those icons and drive the story and narrative. Same goes for the movie’s soundtrack. Don’t try to sell one, utilize Halliday’s love for the eighties in the book to place songs in situations where they best fit. There are big positives in the trailer too.
As mentioned earlier the message of escapism and creating a character not fully reflective of who we are is important. It is something that can give the movie heart and can be the underlying message in the plot. Yes whoever finds the egg first wins. But does winning mean the person is okay with possibly killing their true selves to stay something they’re not?
At what cost is someone okay with the extinction of themselves in the real world in favor of an identity that is complete fiction? This would provide an excellent inner-conflict for a character like Wade and other protagonists in the movie. Another positive is the characters within the Oasis are all digital. There is no uncanny valley to go through, as the fully-digital concepts completely distinguish virtual from reality.
Ready Player One is based on Ernest Cline’s 2011 science-fiction novel. Steven Spielberg‘s film adaptation stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, and Ben Mendelsohn. It will hit theaters on March 30, 2018. Watch the new trailer below!
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!
It’s a major advantage to have this comic operate in both longstanding continuity and the continuity introduced by Guggenheim. I’ve been saying since the start of ResurreXion that Guggenheim is playing with shadowy figures in the background of issues like Chris Claremont did.
Now as we get a classic X-Men off-world adventure, we’re also getting big payoff to little things touched on briefly before. The “creepy new guy” in the New Brotherhood ends up being a major player in the Negative Zone War. Classic elements and storytelling tools making for a classic X-Men story.
As our mutant heroes find themselves in the middle of a war, Guggenheim has them asking the right questions and taking responsible actions, which complicates things further. They’re not just fighting their way through a conflict blindly. Marc Guggenheim clearly put serious thought into his script from multiple angles.
Ken Lashley and Juan Fernandez also do their part in making X-Men: Gold read like a comic from the glory years. From mission prep with Blue Marvel to each new Negative Zone landscape, these pages are filled with splendid sci-fi art.
The action sequences and layouts are smooth and colorful. This comic moves like a less-clunky episode of the 90s X-Men cartoon, complete with a cliffhanger that’ll surely have you coming back.
“The Negative Zone War” is a smartly crafted off-world X-Men tale. Guggenheim and company don’t waste the opportunity to tap into the same vein that made so many great X-Men stories in the past.
—
Spirits Of Vengeance #3 “War At The Gates Of Hell” Part Three
There’s a lot of word balloons to get through before we get any action, but this issue is never uninteresting. The more we see of this mysterious and dreadful underworld, the better.
Victor Gischler’s script feels like Men In Black meets Justice League Dark in the best possible way. This cast continues to entertain, but Blade steals every scene.
During our trip through the history of these silver coins, we get some of the best art yet, making story time feel like less of a chore.
With most of the action being engulfed in flames, the fire effect is particularly strong. This also makes for some great Ghost Rider panels, including a pulse pounding chase sequence. David Baldeón and Andres Mossa make this book’s visuals very much their own.
Creature designs are interesting and all very different from each other, especially once we get underground. With so many similarly demonic foes, there’s no confusing any of them for each other.
Spirits Of Vengeance is an important book for Marvel, learning that it’s now a mini-series is unfortunate. Other than Doctor Strange, this is a corner of the 616 we rarely get to journey through. Even if Ghost Rider and Blade get their own series, SOV will be sincerely missed.
—
Spider-Man #235 “Sinister Six Reborn” Part Two
This issue was kind of a snoozer. The new Sinister Six is a fun group, but their recon session isn’t the most exciting mission. Bendis shows his lack of care for continuity with the Red Hulk. Anyone reading U.S.Avengers knows he can only be Hulk for a certain amount of time per day. Highly unlikely he would be wasting his Hulk-time on a nap.
Miles is going through this phase where he wants to play hero without his mask on for some reason. The motivation isn’t clear, it doesn’t make much sense, it’s a pointless obstacle.
He’s also without his web shooters and develops a new venom web ability. “Superhero puberty” is a great idea, but organic webbing of any sort is not a route Spidey fans need to go down again. How many powers does Miles need to have?
Despite being a quieter issue, dragging its feet for the most part, the inevitable showdown between Miles and Uncle Aaron is still very promising. The Sinister Six is still the best part of this arc so far.
The distrust among villains is believable and worth exploring. There’s one major issue however, Roderick Kingsley is way too quiet. Hobgoblin wouldn’t be marching to the beat of some random new guy’s drum.
Oscar Bazaldua and Brian Reber keep things interesting despite a boring script. The Iron Spider suit is a pleasing repurposing, Armadillo’s bridge fight is choreographed well.
It’s funny that in order to do recon, the Sinister Six are all wearing trench coats on top of their costumes. The panel of Goldballs and Ganke standing next to each other is infuriating. I can’t be the only one who gets angry when they do nothing to differentiate the two other than a few chin lines.
Even though this a bit of a snoozer, it’s still more enjoyable than the last few pre-Legacy arcs. Miles and his circle are dull and uninspired still, the Sinister Six are easily the more interesting bunch.
Miles versus Uncle Aaron will hopefully be Bendis going out on a high note. Otherwise, we’re all ready for a new writer to breathe some new life into what should be one of Marvel’s best comics.
—
Iron Fist #75 “Sabretooth: Round Two” Part Three
One of the great things about Ed Brisson’s increased writing duties at Marvel is the diversity of his work. Old Man Logan, Cable, and Iron Fist are all very different stories and directions.
We finally get to the new Constrictor’s unmasking, it wasn’t who readers or Sabretooth thought it would be. This revelation leads to some Sabretooth moments showing he’s still got a heart after all.
His status as a “kind of good guy” is a longstanding effect of Axis. Brisson successfully toes the line between good and evil with Victor Creed.
Brisson’s script continues to unravel at an appropriately effective pace. This arc doesn’t drag its feet and is constantly moving forward as our two heroes adapt on the fly to obstacles in the way of saving K’un L’un.
The down and dirty grit in the art style by Mike Perkins makes fight scenes carry an extra crunch. Every punch that lands is like biting into a Butterfinger.
There are minor inconsistencies, like Danny’s foot disappearing into an enemy he’s kicking like a choppy video game.
The alleyway scene with the red sky backdrop is fantastic. Andy Troy’s blood red sky offsets Danny’s Iron Fist tracksuit colors gorgeously.
These two share a inexplicably wondering chemistry, tastefully mined by Ed Brisson. The winner of “Iron Fist vs. Sabretooth” is the reader.
—
Iceman #8 “Iceman Vs. Iceman”
Two Bobby Drakes are better than one. The two Icemen take on the Drake parents together during an awkward dinner.
Sina Grace is still struggling to make this comic a fully-formed piece of entertainment, but young Iceman surely helps. Him standing up to his not-parents was the most satisfying moment in the series so far.
Daken’s subplot development hopefully has some major payoff next issue. The pages including him here read like somebody just trying to eat time off the clock. He deserves better, like in All-New Wolverine.
Robert Gill and Rachelle Rosenberg do an exceptional job in keeping the art from being repetitive and dull. There’s so much detail in every ice slide and slope that seeing the same trick over and over again doesn’t get stale.
Both Icemen use their powers differently, we don’t see the same blast twice. The art is the biggest source for satisfaction in Iceman.
Sina Grace is still working out the kinks but this issue is an improvement. Gill and Rosenberg carry the bulk of duty to entertain the reader. Iceman struggles to give you anything to take with you afterwards other than some fun situational dialogue.
—
Hawkeye #13 “Family Reunion” Part One
Kate Bishop is one of the most lovable characters at Marvel right now. Kate Thompson has done wonders with this series in turning her into way more than just another “legacy hero.”
She has so much character and personality. She’s an old soul who’s out of touch with the youth, but would never admit it. She’s always finding her way into trouble but her undeniable charm and sharpness always prevail.
Her relationship with Clint Barton is a complicated but loving one. Thompson plays them off of each other flawlessly, also utilizing their chemistry perfectly to push along the narrative. Also, props to Kelly Thompson for being the only person to reference their Generations issue so far.
This arc gets off to a wonderful start, putting Bishop in a tough spot. It’s a family reunion that works on every level.
Leonardo Romero gives this comic its infectious pulp appeal. Kate’s detective adventures aren’t always about “a missing dame” but they always have a touch of Chinatown that makes this book feel special.
Jordie Bellaire plays a big part in making this feel tastefully pulpy. The simple and solid color choices give an added layer of timely noir action. From Kate’s piercing blue eyes to the yellow window panes in the warehouse she’s captured in.
Hawkeye is one of the best titles at Marvel and not getting enough credit. Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, and Jordie Bellaire are a dynamite creative team. Kate Bishop is a national treasure and deserves to be treated as such. All thanks to Kelly Thompson’s work developing the character fully into her own.
—
Guardians Of The Galaxy #148 “Infinity Quest” Part Three
Gerry Duggan broke the news this week that this ongoing series will be ending at #150, which is a travesty. He promises it’s due to a huge project involving our favorite space scumbags, so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Enjoy GOTG while we can!
This issue we get a whole lot of Drax, he sniffs out the Shi’ar spies Rocket has been searching for. We also get to see some of the evil trees from Planet X that were teased a while back. Our beloved Russian canine, Cosmo, also returns to the cosmic drama in spectacular fashion.
Duggan has a knack for extracting touching moments from Drax. He’s a big softy when it calls for it, saving a family of Ultron’s victims from the crooked Nova Corpsmen.
The time spent with the Nova Corps has been delightful. Rocket has been MVP, along with his adorable Nova superior (who he now outranks). Duggan has a lot of gears turning at once, juggling them flawlessly. The balance of heart, humor, and stake is what makes this run so special.
Marcus To and Ian Herring do marvelous work in making this sleek cosmic atmosphere feel both pristine and lived-in. The dust and rust that made the original Star Wars movies so unique, with some of the shininess of the Star Wars prequels (but more tasteful).
Beautifully colored planets and skylines make each planet a stunning set piece. Each panel and layout is beautifully cinematic when Drax confronts the crooked Nova Corpsmen. There’s a touch of anime to the frames and backdrops.
Guardians Of The Galaxy continues to be one of the brightest shining stars in the Marvel cosmic galaxy. Gerry Duggan and his artists are a godsend. This run has been spectacular, to abandon it would be a travesty. Gerry, please don’t go anywhere.
—
Doctor Strange #382 “Loki: Sorcerer Supreme” Part Two
Doctor Strange as a veterinarian and Loki as Sorcerer Supreme is so much fun I almost never want them to revert back. This issue has so many highlight moments, heartbreakers, and bombshells.
Donny Cates has quickly made the world known he is a Sorcerer Supreme caliber Doctor Strange scribe. Cates picks up where Jason Aaron left off, in keeping a similar tone and humor, but takes it even further.
The bombshell at the issue’s end legitimately made my jaw drop. What an incredibly effective scene in both substance and layout. The Sentry immediately makes the stakes of this arc more complicated and intense.
Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Jordie Bellaire are a dynamite, superstar duo. Every nuance and comedic or dramatic moment hits perfectly because of the art. Panels are framed and executed flawlessly, everything has a texture to it you can feel on your fingers.
This Doctor Strange series is already a major triumph from a monumental creative dream team. After only two issues, this is a can’t miss comic. You can safely assume anything with Donny Cates involved is head-to-toe a spectacle you’ll not soon forget.
—
Captain America #696 “Home Of The Brave” Part Two
It’s easy to get lost in the nostalgia that this book brings with it. The anti-Secret Empire argument was tiresome and outdated out of the gate. The “good ol’ boy” Cap traditionalists may be unbearable, but goddamn does this comic grab you.
Every time Captain America busts onto the scene, it’s as beautiful as he’s ever looked. Chris Samnee and Matthew Wilson have outdone themselves again, this almost makes the golden age Cap pale in comparison.
It’s not even just the costume or vibrant color, it’s Cap’s size, posture, and build as well. The texture to his suit, the look in his eyes, it’s all perfect. The art is a total home run.
The fight against the Swordsman is an absolute triumph. It has some major legs on it, leaping from one set to another, each one more stunning than the last. Everything from the closeups to the motion blur, is damn fine comic book artwork.
Mark Waid is also firing on all cylinders once again. This issue is perfectly paced, a wonderful homage, and tastefully wholesome. It’s oozing with heart, and not in a preachy way which is crucial.
It’s feels good to see Steve on his own, doing what he does best. This road trip of his is important for the character, the reader, and the 616 population. Waid’s jab at the “cap and glasses” disguise from the MCU was a nice chuckle.
We all knew this would be good, yet Waid/Samnee/Wilson still found ways to exceed expectations. Captain America is a comic book that’ll no doubt bring a smile to your face and a swell to your heart as you utter “I f*cking love comics” to yourself.
—
Black Bolt #8 “The Midnight King Returns To Earth” Part One
These are strange times for the Inhuman royal family. Medusa and her crew are trekking across space, Black Bolt was imprisoned in another galaxy, leaving the Inhumans on Earth under new leadership.
Saladin Ahmed has crafted a tragic and triumphant comic book series. We’ve seen Blackagar Boltagon like never before, and gone places along with him that we never thought we’d go.
Ahmed has taken one of the great Marvel character of all-time, stripped him down, and built him up as a much more layered and emotionally powerful hero.
Blinky is a wonderful sidekick character, replacing Medusa as Black Bolt’s voice. We’ve been through a lot to get back to Earth along with Blackagar, making this homecoming all the more emotional.
Black Bolt’s exchange with Ahura was a brief heartbreaker. The Inhuman king is a changed man and his son barely recognizes him. Breaking the news to Titania about Crusher Creel is likely to be a tear jerker as well.
Christian Ward deserves all the accolades imaginable for this Black Bolt series. Every page turn catches you off guard in just how beautiful and immersive comic book art can truly be.
Little things like Black Bolt’s eyes as he holds back tears approaching his home show the major level of detail to Ward’s art. The grand scale and blends of color on display make every single panel a living, breathing abstract environment. There’s nothing else that looks quite like this comic.
Black Bolt is an emotional masterpiece with art that never ceases to blow your brain through the back of your skull. Ahmed and Ward are two creators you need to pay attention to, this series is an absolute triumph.
—
Avengers #674 “Worlds Collide” Part Five
Mark Waid has been carrying a brightly burning Avengers torch into Legacy and will continue to carry it into the weekly Avengers: No Surrender. He’s got himself a handful of very strong Marvel books all of a sudden. Avengers, Champions, and Captain America have all been top-notch to start Marvel Legacy.
I love when superheroes use their extraordinary powers as solutions to minor problems. Thor using her lighting to see how deep a dark hole in the ground is a quick, simple example of using ones power for much than just punching.
Vision and Viv’s evolving relationship keeps hitting right in the heart. We don’t spend too much time with it here, but just enough to make the ending a total heartbreaker.
Jesús Saiz delivers the best art we’ve seen on this crossover yet. He nails the varying ages within our cast of Avengers, this might be the best Ms. Marvel has ever looked.
As the clock runs down, the shots of the two Earths getting closer and closer is a nice touch, making the impending doom more imminent. The High Evolutionary’s hidden offspring is a classic comic book twist that panned out quickly. He could be an interesting character going forward.
The only problem with the issue is that it wraps up all of a sudden. We go from Viv saving the day directly to her gravestone. Can we get some closure on High Evolutionary?
The same thing happened with U.S.Avengers last week too, Marvel must’ve pulled the chord on all Avengers books earlier than expected in order to consolidate for the weekly series.
The fifth installment of this Avengers/Champions crossover is a fast read, but a highly entertaining one at that. Viv Vision and her father are very much the heart of this entire crossover story.
—
The Unbelievable Gwenpool #23 “Doom Sees You” Part Three
Christopher Hastings ends up giving us a touching end to this Gwenpool Vs. Doom showdown. This title continues to utilize the breaking of fourth-wall as a storytelling tool like no other comic before.
Victor Von Doom and Gwen sitting on the edge of a comic book talking about her series ending is a unexpectedly memorable moment.
The gag with Gwen calling the Avengers hotline, going through all the options, was hysterical. As was Doom’s sarcastic reaction to being rejected by his creation.
Irene Stryhalski delivers a Nick Derrington-lite cartoon approach that never gets tiring. Rachelle Rosenberg keeps the book’s color simple but effective.
Gwenpool is a blast every issue. It’s one of the best comedy series around right now. Don’t write this comic off, it packs a lot more than one-note knockoffs of the past.
Marvel has just released the first look at Jessica Jones Season 2 via an official teaser.
Coming off the heels of The Defenders and The Punisher, Jessica Jones Season 2 will attempt to recapture the magic from Season 1. Krysten Ritter will reprise her role as the hero turned private investigator turned hero again on a mission to finish some previously unfinished business. You can check out the teaser below:
The teaser also announces the release date for Jones’ second season. It will drop on Netflix March 8th, 2018. Which is just in time to fill your Marvel void between Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.
Are you excited for another season of Jessica Jones? Let us know in the comments below!
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Ready Player One is an adaptation of the best-selling science fiction novel by Ernest Cline. The film stars Tye Sheridan (X-Men: Apocalypse), Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and T.J. Miller (Deadpool), with Simon Pegg (Star Trek) and Oscar winner Mark Rylance (Dunkirk).
Check out the poster below:
Warner Bros. Pictures
The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger.
Unlike this year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, which successfully introduced a new live-action Spidey, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse will trade Peter Parker for Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teen who is gifted with incredible powers similar to those of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker.
What’s most exciting about this first trailer is the unique visual style. Looking at some of this footage, it’s fair to say that the directors and producers have worked hard to create something that looks completely different to other animated movies, giving this animated Spider-Man a unique identity.
Peter Ramsey (Rise of the Guardians) and Bob Persichetti direct Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse from a script by The LEGO Movie writer/director team Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Rodney Rothman (22 Jump Street). Miles is voiced by Shameik Moore (Dope, The Get Down) with Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage) and Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) voicing the heroes uncles, Aaron and Jefferson Davis. Liev Schreiber voices the film’s villain in an unconfirmed role.
In December of 2015, DC Comics and IDW Publishing teamed up to create a crossover between Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After a battle with Krang, the Turtles and their enemy Shredder are sent to an alternate universe; the DC Universe. This leads to a team-up between the Heroes in a Halfshell and the Dark Knight of epic proportions.
I was legitimately surprised how fun the first series was. I didn’t expect something as dark as Batman and as lighthearted as the Ninja Turtles to mesh so well. Not only did it come together, but it was also a fantastic story that had the characters compliment each other’s styles of heroism. When I heard there was going to be a sequel, I began to count down the days, but I was also a little worried. It’s only been a year since the end of the last series, meaning either this was planned way ahead of time or this was rushed. After reading this first chapter, I’m happy to say it feels like the former.
**SOME SPOILERS AHEAD**
Story:
Set soon after the events of the first miniseries, there has been unrest on both worlds. Batman has been investigating reports of a villain looking for the Lazarus Pit, left unguarded by Ras’ Al Ghul. This villain’s reveal is amazing and a perfect fit for this crossover. While I will not reveal who it is, I will say that it promises plenty of action in the coming issues.
Meanwhile, on the Turtles’ world, the defeat of the Shredder started a power struggle in the Foot Clan between his daughter, Karai, and a group called the Foot Ninja Elite. When the Turtles catch up, the Elite get the jump on Donatello.
While Raphael and Leonardo save their brother, Donatello is shaken by the event. He begins to see himself as the weak link of the team. Thinking Batman might have some advice for him, he uses the teleporter from the previous series to try and talk to him. Unfortunately for him, he is being tailed by the Foot.
This issue is damn near perfect in terms of storytelling. It is able to open up to new readers AND returning readers by recapping what happened previously through dialogue. Someone could pick this up not having read the previous run and still be up to speed.
Art:
The art team from the previous series has returned and continue to impress. The pencil work is an even ground that compliments the style of Batman and of the Turtles. The color work, in particular, stands out the most. The attention to detail with the shades and lighting makes the book feel alive while looking beautiful. One example has Donatello speaking to master splinter in a meditation room full of candles. The lighting effect from these candles makes the scene illuminate beautifully casting light and shadow across the characters. I stayed on this page for a while, just because of how nicely executed it is.
Conclusion:
This issue sets up the story perfectly. It promises character development, fantastic action, and overall a very good story. The art is among the best, to say the least, making the book feel alive. It’s just a fantastic issue overall with nothing to actually critique. I highly recommend this to any fan of Batman OR Ninja Turtles.
