BLOOD FORCE TRAUMA is a comic book series created by Jake Smith and Hiram Corbett. Smith has successfully run six Kickstarter campaigns to get the series out to the public, and today, Dark Horse Books announced they will collect the series and publish the trade paperback.
About BLOOD FORCE TRAUMA: It’s America’s pastime of the future! Brutal hand-to-hand combat. Two fighters enter, one walks out. The other? Gets scraped off the arena floor! Full of laser skull guys, kung fu masters, and mutant shark dudes from another dimension! It’s somewhere a normal kid like Zap Daniels just doesn’t belong. Too bad he’s the new world champ!
The BLOOD FORCE TRAUMA trade paperback hits your local comic shop on August 16, 2023, and bookstores on August 29, 2023.
Steven Spielberg has returned with a phenomenal family drama in The Fabelmans. A coming of age epic that loosely chronicles the director’s youth. Spielberg is known for his blockbuster spectacles, so this was a surprisingly significant departure from Spielberg’s definitive work. The Fablemans is a crowd-pleasing family drama that will touch your heart, and showcase a side of Spielberg you’ve never seen before.
If Spielberg intends to pour his heart out like this in the future then I’m open to seeing similar projects like The Fabelmans. The film is riddled with award-winning performances, meta aspects, and features the most realistic depiction of a family slowly crumbling from within. Michelle Williams, who is known from Dawson’s Creek, delivers some of her best work in recent memory. Directed and co-written by Spielberg, The Fabelmans stars Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogan, Judd Hirsch, and Gabriel LaBelle.
Set in the 1950s, The Fabelmans follows Sammy Fabelman (LeBelle), a young boy with a passion for filmmaking who discovers the power of movies. Sammy’s world is turned upside down after discovering a family secret, but his passion for filmmaking allows him to overcome this unfortunate reality. This might be the best love letter to cinema this year, and Spielberg being the brain behind it makes it more rewarding. On one hand, you have a compelling family drama, but then Sammy’s journey offers a salute to film and those that are passionate about it.
Admittedly, there are some moments where the pacing isn’t great. Still, even the dull moments are kept afloat by the stellar performances. Spielberg and Tony Kushner delivered a satisfying script for The Fabelmans. This family is easy to relate to and their struggles are heartbreaking as a result of the talent bringing it to life. Sammy was the character I found myself wanting to see more of. I’m sure this will apply to several viewers because he’s someone that uses film to escape the difficulties of life. For many of us, movies are a form of relief, a way to put our hardships on pause.
What I love about The Fabelmans script is that it spends a while to let viewers grow attached to this family before it puts them in difficult positions. For instance, the attacks on Sammy at school strike a core due to how the character has been built up as a sympathetic protagonist. Sammy and his family are constantly moving due to parental adjustments, but their Jewish background creates a problem for Sammy. Their interactions with one another are very believable as well, especially the dinner table sequences.
Everyone is tremendous in their roles, which only makes the more depressing moment that much more richer and heartbreaking. LaBelle is great as Sammy, but Williams is the standout as Mitzi Fabelman, Sammy’s mother. Her facial expressions combined with her delivery make it challenging to not get lost in the performance. Mitzi’s journey is a challenging one, and Williams demonstrates that with ease. As mentioned, perhaps the only negative is the pacing because the film might have overstayed its welcome toward the end.
The Fabelmans cinematography gives it a dream-like feel that only enhances the experience. Also, Spielberg doesn’t rely on exposition dumping but opts to let the viewer piece together the obvious. Once the family secret is revealed, a sequence unfolds that plays with your imagination versus explaining everything. For anyone concerned with “wokeness”, The Fablemans is more interested in a subtle approach, which keeps the narrative engaging. I’m not sure where this will end up on my list for the year, but The Fabelmans is another example of Spielberg’s brilliance.
Devotion is a crowd-pleasing film based on an inspirational war story about the first black naval aviator. Top Gun: Maverick set a high bar earlier this year, making it difficult not to compare it to this latest war drama. Still, Devotion offers a moving narrative that is brought to life by two powerful performances. While its runtime could have been trimmed, the emotional weight of it all keeps the film engaging from start to finish.
The biographical war genre has been hit or miss in the past, and Devotion is a resounding hit for the most part. This wasn’t a project I was looking forward to, but that improved the overall experience. Devotion won’t achieve the lasting legacy that other war films have, which isn’t to say it’s an inferior project. It’s just being released during a year when Top Gun: Maverick will swallow any impact it could have had. Although, box office projections might prove me wrong. The film is directed by J.D. Dillard with Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell in the leading roles.
Devotion is co-written by Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart, its story centers on Jesse Brown (Majors) and Tom Hudner (Powell). The Navy’s most celebrated wingmen during the Korean War. Specifically, it examines their interracial friendship and the obstacles Jesse overcame to make American history. Most of the characters are underdeveloped and one-note, but Jesse and Tom’s bond serves as the heart of this inspiring tale. Majors’ and Powell’s believable chemistry makes it easy to grow invested in their roles.
Racial themes are present, which can grow tiring during certain sequences. These moments are necessary to further establish resiliency of Jesse. While I personally haven’t experienced racism the way Jesse has, it’s motivating to see him brush it off and continue to chase his dreams. It’s an important piece of this character that sends an empowering message to the viewer. His colleagues feel sorry for him, but Jesse reminds them that he can fight his own battles.
The aerial sequences are a highlight of the film’s great cinematography but don’t offer the same thrill you’ll find when exploring the characters at the center of this story. The pacing isn’t the best, especially during the film’s second act which still delivers an enjoyable ride thanks to this inspiring script and the actors involved. Admittedly, I found myself growing tired of the movie towards the end until it picked up the intensity once more. Devotion gives Tom his own compelling journey, as he struggles to not feel sorry for Jesse while also staying committed to a promise he made.
Tom’s journey is socially relevant without being heavy-handed with the dialogue. The context of what is happening speaks for itself and Jesse doesn’t try to teach Tom how to not appear prejudiced. Jesse and Tom have their own separate arcs that draw them closer as friends. If there is one thing that will make this movie worth enduring, it’s the third act. It’s an emotionally draining finale that lets Majors and Powell demonstrate some of their best work during this film. Majors has Powell beat, but Powell still delivered one of the best performances I’ve seen from him in recent memory. If that doesn’t do it, the score featured throughout is very moving and will touch your heart at all the right moments.
Devotion won’t go down as one of the greatest war films, but I hope I’m proven wrong because it was an exceptional movie. It just falls flat during the second act, which could eliminate it from being a good movie to certain viewers. However, the constant comparison to Top Gun might propel this movie to legendary status as time passes.
A good rule of thumb for me is that if Geoff Johns name is attached to any DC book, you buy it. Johns is responsible for great stories like Blackest Night,Doomsday Clock and Flashpoint. He rarely misses his mark as a writer. As he returns to write Justice Society ofAmerica, any fan of DC comics has to at least be intrigued. Joining him on this story is superstar artist Mikel Janin, Jordie Bellaire on colors and Rob Leigh on letters.
WRITING
Geoff Johns starts this issue off with a time line for readers. The death of Batman’s parents, Catwoman leaving out of a window and the birth of Bruce and Selina’s daughter. This sets the tone for the rest of the issue. Helena Wayne has taken up the mantle of Huntress and she has her own running crew. Johns gives us enough of these new characters to get a feel for them and have an interest in them as well. Power Girl and Solomon Grundy are also on the team, so they aren’t all completely unknowns. What Johns does that works best for this issue is the internal monologue from Huntress. Johns allows us to see and feel everything she’s going through and his dialogue for her is intelligent, just like her parents. When there is action in this issue, it hits fast and hard. Johns keeps readers on their toes as we get punched in the gut with a shocking event in the issue. Johns continues to be one of the best writers with story structure and ideas, especially with his DC work. Justice Society of America #1 is an issue that twists and turns. It will keep your attention and interest while making you wonder what will happen next.
ART
Mikel Janin is a phenominal artist. This issue packs a lot of emotion, so the panels that work best are the ones that visually display that. Power girl getting upset with Huntress is effective because of the emotion we see coming off of both characters. Janin also makes this an aesthetically pleasing issue. Panels where Solomon Grundy and Huntress are leaving a building seems like a simple enough task. Janin silhouettes both characters in white so we only see their outline while the city is fully pictured behind them. This type of artistic gamble pays off and becomes one of the most memorable moments in the issue.
The colors by Jordie Bellaire are fantastic. Bellaire doesn’t make anything in this issue too vibrant to stick out, which works. This is a dark time in the DCU and Bellaire uses tones that reflect this. Huntress has a gorgeous purple outfit that doesn’t leap off the page at you, and it shouldn’t. As characters get picked off, Bellaire uses a red to mask the panel. This is effective because it signifies death. It encompasses the whole panel and draws the attention of the reader. Bellaire continues to be one of the most innovative colorists in comics.
The letters are done by Rob Leigh. As far as lettering goes in this issue, the thing that sticks out the most is Huntress’ internal monologue. Leigh is very careful to place all of these thoughts in the appropriate spots. Nothing runs into any of the pencils on the page and Leigh has them stashed on the right side as Huntress attacks a goon. Sound effects are crucial on an issue like this, especially when people are getting shot. Leigh goes with the classic “BLAMMM” as characters meet their end. The placement of the sound effects is key and Leigh places it out of the way of the action. Letters are crucial to a book, and Leigh does good job of making sure his work compliments the art work.
CONCLUSION
Justice Society Of America #1 is an excellent read. Geoff Johns crafts an excellent introductory issue that should engage readers and get them excited for what comes next. The art work is second to none this week. Janin, Bellaire and Leigh all give great effort to make this book look spectacular and they succeed. Justice Society of America #1 is the real deal and hands down the book of the week.
CANARY #4 drops digitally on Comixology on December 6th, but thanks to Amazon, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a four-page preview for our readers. The book is written by Scott Snyder, with art & colors by Dan Panosian, and you will read Richard Starkings’ letter work.
About CANARY: When a horrific shooting disturbs the peace of a sleepy town in the Old West, Marshal Holt is called upon to investigate. But as Holt digs deeper, he discovers that evil may just run to the core, and it all seems to stem from a place called CANARY. From writer SCOTT SNYDER and artist DAN PANOSIAN comes a western tale that will make your blood run cold…
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a Disney+ series based on a quartet of children’s books by Trenton Lee Stewart, where four children unite to save the world. Now wrapping up its second season, the show brought in producer designer Cynthia Charette (Pumpkinhead, You) to continue the unique, stylized vibe.
In the series, four children, Reynard (Mystic Inscho), “Sticky” (Seth Carr), Kate (Emmy DeOliveira), and Constance (Marta Kessler), are either orphans or outcasts recruited by Nicholas Benedict (Tony Hale). The kids are selected because they possess innovative, intelligent minds and unique, complementary skills. For example, Reynard is super-smart, Sticky remembers everything he reads, Kate is a clever creator with a bucket of tricks, and Constance is a force of nature even though she is the youngest member. The kids learn to be a team in season one while saving the world. In season two, they do a little globetrotting.
Cynthia’s story starts in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was “the artist in school and knew I didn’t want to sit behind a desk.” But Cynthia “found theater. So I went to Syracuse University and majored in theatre design which I love. You get to create worlds on stage for the story.”
“I moved to New York and soon found that it was hard making a living in theatre,” she laughs, “I had a friend who was a director out of USC. He raised money for his first film, a low-budget horror movie called The Offspring. We had a budget of 250 thousand dollars, and it was an anthology.”
At this point, Cynthia was ready to work on anything she could get her hands on. “So, I went to Georgia to make the film.”
“For my first film out, we had an anthology that included the civil war, 1930s carnival, 1950s, and 1970s.” A wild mix of eras that require vastly different details. No pressure. “I was the designer, costume designer, and scene painter, and my crew were free kids from high school. I loved it. It hooked me. I knew I wanted to do it. I got to be creative and hands-on.”
Now hooked on production design, Cynthia moved to Los Angeles, and “after about six months, I got my next job.” Her burgeoning career took her into two projects — Shocker and A New Nightmare — with horror legend Wes Craven. “I loved Wes. He was a great mentor to me.”
Cynthia also worked with Stan Winston on his directorial debut Pumpkinhead. “You know, Stan Winston and Wes Craven allowed me to come to them with story and ideas. Like the burial ground in Pumpkinhead, that wasn’t even in the script. They’d let me take the visuals to another level.”
About The Mysterious Benedict Society
“I didn’t know anything about the show or story. But my agent called me saying they were interested,” she says about her path to becoming part of The Mysterious Benedict Society. “So I watched season one and thought, ‘No way, are you kidding me!’ I’ve been training for this show my whole life.”
“I was reflecting [recently] that some of these projects I did, one called Trusting Beatrice and another called Trading Mom with Sissy Spacek, they let me be so creative. I got to build worlds, and I mean every hand prop, everything that you see. Those projects were similar to what I’m doing now with the Mysterious Benedict Society.”
In the interview, Cynthia, who has an extensive portfolio, “put together all the creative stuff I’d done for other similar productions.”
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a show for tweens or early teens, and the production puts viewers in a vivid, detailed, and stylized world. Every scene looks like a flavor of ice cream. “That makes absolute sense. It’s a plan. It’s not by chance. We care about every detail.”
“I have to keep the crew on the same page but keep it fun and creative for them to get them engaged,” she says about her day-to-day work. “If we all work together, it’ll work, and you can tell the shows where they just gloss over certain things.”
That’s Not Blue
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a show full of vibrant, complimentary colors. Each character is distinct in attitude and motivation, and look. So how do they get such rich colors playing together? “Color is a gift that I have. I’m known for that. People say ‘blue,’ and I say, ‘No, that’s HC150, or that’s HC153’ I can tell the difference.”
“They didn’t have the color pronounced as I do, but I studied season one,” she says about taking the production design reigns for season two. Michael Wylie (Pushing Daisies) was the production designer on season one of the series, so what information did Cynthia receive? “I love Michael. The tone had been set. We studied it and looked at where we had to go. We’re traveling across Europe, so wherever we go, as I’m creating these different worlds, tonally, those ebb.”
The interplay between colors derived from the production and the costumes is worth watching The Mysterious Benedict Society. Especially for cinephiles. How does Cynthia and costume designer Chris Karvonides work together? “I’ll set a specific palette, then work with Chris and props and decorating to match things.”
“But sometimes Chris would have to make a costume before a set was even started,” she continues, reminding us that film and television productions are in constant motion. “Her trailer was right next to my trailer. I would run over there many times, look at her fabric, hold my palette up to it, and that’s the care we put into it. Especially when it comes to color, it works. We both cared that much.”
“When you get a show like Benedict where you can make a storybook come alive, we’re not going to let it down. We’ll raise the bar and keep it as high as it needs to stay.”
The Process
Production designers create the worlds around the actors we know and love to help tell the stories we can’t get enough of. Season two of The Mysterious Benedict Society takes things up a level, including vehicles, which brings up an essential aspect of production. “The vehicles showed up out of the junkyard. I’d have to design all those. The VFX team would get designs. It’s also important for production and visual FX to work together early on.”
“The first time I try to read it through,” she says about reading scripts and the start of the process. “It’s hard; my mind goes into visualization immediately. Then, the second pass, I start breaking it down to figure out all the sets.”
What does breaking it down for Cynthia entail? “We look at page count. If there are five pages on one set, we know they’ll spend more money, or it’s a bigger set. If I get an eighth of a page on one huge set, I talk to the producer about how we want to get that done or is it getting cut.”
“Our show has a lot of sets,” she adds, “and unfortunately, the budget takes priority. Sometimes you have to fight for a set because you feel it’s important.”
Wrapping Up
Cynthia’s influences include films like “Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, then Beetlejuice and LemonySnickets, just creative worlds. But also films from the 30s, the Art Deco, and glamour. I either love fantasy, like joyful fantasy, or absolute beauty. Anything beautifully designed.”
“It’s not in my DNA to blow up and kill,” she laughs, “But designing beauty and worlds. Never Ending Story is another favorite of mine. I’d love to do a period piece like Pride and Prejudice. I also love Succession. But I would love to do a remake of something glamorous from the 30s or 40s.
Season two of The Mysterious Benedict Society is now available on Disney+. So, what’s next for Cynthia? “I’m busy on other projects until we hear about season three of Benedict.”
Is The Mysterious Benedict Society on your watch list?
Thanks to Cynthia Charette and Metro PR
for making this interview possible.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1 hit your local comic book store this week from DC Comics. The Panel Breakdown deconstructs the fantastic line work of Mikel Janín combined with the spectacular color palette of Jordie Bellaire. Geoff Johns writes the series, and you will read Rob Leigh’sLeigh’s work.
Check out the Panel Breakdown below.
About the issue: THE NEW GOLDEN AGE, CHAPTER ONE: LEGENDS DIE TOGETHER TOO
A long-lost hero from the JSA crashes into our era with a grave warning…but it’s too late. A mysterious and malevolent enemy has invaded the entire history of the JSA, and an all-new team must come together to defeat it. But what deadly secret does this messenger from beyond keep? Where are they from? And why is all of this happening now? Only the Time Masters know…
FANTASTIC FOUR #2 hits your local comic book store on December 7th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: Reed and Sue are on the run from — well, a lot of things, actually! Things are not going great for the Fantastic Four. They find themselves in even more trouble when they stop in a small town with a terrible secret! That terrible secret is revealed literally on the second page of this issue, and Reed and Sue spend the rest of the issue trying to survive it, but stop reading here if you don’t want it spoiled…Yep, it’s Reed and Sue versus a town full of killer Doombots.
The issue is by writer Ryan North and artist Iban Coello, with colors by Jesus Aburtov, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Alex Ross.
Check out the FANTASTIC FOUR #2 preview below:
Are you reading FANTASTIC FOUR? Sound off in the comments!
From Titan Comics and original Mangaka Takashi Okazaki comes the newest edition of a cult-hit samurai action series with Afro Samurai Vol. 1. As part of Titan’s new manga publishing initiative, this hip-hop and sci-fi influenced sword manga is getting a new lease on life with a “Director’s Cut” celebrating the 15th anniversary of the anime adaptation. With a simple yet entertaining story and hyper-stylish visuals, Afro Samurai is a blood-spattered blast of a read.
“In a feudal, futuristic Japan, samurai battle to become No.1 and rule the world, but when his father, who holds the coveted position, is challenged and killed, the young Afro Samurai vows vengeance. Relentlessly pursued by murderous assassins, will he stay alive long enough to keep his promise?”
Writing & Plot
Okazaki’s opening chapters here in Afro Samurai Vol. 1 are exactly what a reader would expect from a sword/battle manga. The protagonist, nicknamed just “Afro” for short, becomes the No. 2 swordsman in the world after watching his father, the former No. 1, get killed by a mysterious assassin. The rest of the story up to this point is Afro being pursued, challenged, and ultimately dominating all those foes who come after him. It’s a simple and familiar story that is nonetheless a blast to read. Afro is your staple stoic protagonist, speaking few words and preferring to let his bladework do the talking. The only fight he’s interested in is the one against No. 1 to avenge his father – all the others are just practice. Okazaki takes noticeable influence from other great samurai works like Vagabond and Yojimbo, while also sprinkling in cyberpunk and sci-fi elements. Modern weaponry and cybernetic implants co-exist in this twist on feudal Japan, creating something that feels akin to Frank Miller’s Ronin or Samurai Jack. Despite these extra genre features, this is a lone samurai story through and through, with just enough character to keep readers attached to Afro’s coolness to keep the pages turning through all the bloodshed.
Art Direction
Afro Samurai’s simplicity with its storytelling is ultimately made memorable because of Takashi Okazaki’s artwork. His penciling covers the page with fantastic character design, stellar animations, and a unique use of shading and color that makes this manga stick out among its contemporaries. The actions flows smoothly and with massive energy, as Okazaki focuses on emphasizing speed in his fight scenes. Duels happen and are over in a sequence of simple yet carefully constructed panels that carry mountains of momentum for every sword stroke and gunshot. As with most Manga, there’s almost no coloring aside from Okazaki’s smoky sprays of red blood. He evokes a visual style similar to Hiroaki Samura’s work in Blade of the Immortal, along with hints of Western artists like Moebius. Okazaki wears his influences on his sleeve, but utilizes them in a fashion that creates an experience that is unique unto itself.
Verdict
Afro Samurai Vol. 1 is an entertaining and ass-kicking set of opening chapters for this cult-hit manga. Takashi Okazaki makes his influences plain as day, but crafts a story with those influences that is both familiar but refreshingly unique. If you’ve read manga, Afro Samurai’s narrative won’t strike you as anything new – but its visual style and genuine flair will keep you hooked. Be sure to grab this new edition when it hits shelves on December 13th!
BLACK CLOAK #1 hits your local comic book store on January 11, 2023, but thanks to Image Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has a six-page preview for our readers. The book is written by Kelly Thompson, art by Meredith McClaren, and with letter work by Becca Carey.
About BLACK CLOAK #1: Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson (Black Widow, Captain Marvel) and fan-favorite artist Meredith McClaren (Jem & the Holograms, Super Fun Sexy Times, Hinges) will launch the mystery/fantasy mashup Black Cloak. Blade Runner style mixes with Saga-esque drama in a delectable fantasy/sci-fi blend as two Black Cloaks try to solve the murder of a beloved prince in Kiros—the last city in the known world—before his murder tips the city into war. Detective storytelling, fantasy creatures, magic, neo-noir sci-fi all collide in a spectacular triple-length first issue hitting shelves in the New Year.
Enjoy the preview below.
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