Port Of Earth, the striking new sci-fi series from Top Cow and Image Comics, begins this week. Here’s an early review of the first installment by Zack Kaplan, Andrea Mutti, and Vladimir Popov.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
In the near future a group of aliens called the Consortium makes a deal with Earth. Their ships are powered by water and they want to use our planet as a port, and our oceans as a fuel resource. In return, humans get the technology that utilizes water as power to solve our energy crisis. As the deal grows older it begins to deteriorate, rules are broken and humans begin to conflict with the visiting aliens.
A police force is created, using limited alien technology to avoid conflict in non-lethal ways. Rice and McIntyre are two ESA (Earth Security Agents) officers having their day recorded by camera drones for the public to see. While investigating a call, the two stumble upon an uninvited guest to Earth.
Port Of Earth sets up this fascinating world in no time at all. There’s a lot of information to ingest, delivered in an easily digestible historical recap. Writer Zack Kaplan created this complicated affair and then simplified it enough for readers to quickly get a handle on it.
Our two main characters immediately humanize the situation from the side of law enforcement. Most of the setup is from the media and public’s perspective, getting a look at this mess from the side of authority is a valuable angle. The politics and concerns are all real, it’s no stretch at all to imagine this is how our world would respond to becoming a fueling port for alien visitors.
It scratches a similar itch to that of District 9, introducing an alien presence to everyday human life. Seeing how the people of Earth respond and react to this new norm and the impact it has on society. Every section of this introductory issue is executed flawlessly. We’re clearly just scratching the surface and there’s plenty of excitement around the corner as this scenario continues to deteriorate even further.
Andrea Mutti draws some spectacular aliens. Even with limited face-time, we’re shown there are clearly a lot of different species throughout the galaxy. Each one is uniquely crafted, this will undoubtedly be a highlight of the series going forward.
Vladimir Popov utilizes a lot of gray and drenches this book in a dark atmosphere. Tensions are high, people are unsure, and the color scheme sets the tone perfectly. Mutti and Popov quickly establish themselves as an artistic powerhouse.
Port Of Earth has nothing but promise, this could potentially be a top sci-fi comic book by the end of the first arc. Even without much action, this issue immerses readers into a world they can buy into immediately and a mystery they’ll want to see unravel.
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!
It’s the adventures of Felicity Smoak, as ARROW introduces its latest big bad. The gang has to stop Katie Cassidy from going all THE AMERICANS on Invisible People. There’s some great action in the episode, and Felicity’s center conflict definitely works. What’s odd is how Oliver Queen is slowly but surely being written out. This week, Oliver plays only an advisory role, and while the action is nice, ARROW needs its Arrow back. This episode also had WAY too many people saying “can you please repeat that tech talk in English?”
SCORE: 7/10 Fingerprints
WEEKLY WIN TALLY:
The Flash: 2.8 Weeks
Supergirl: 0.8 Weeks
Arrow: 0.3 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!
Nickelodeon has just it’s announced it’s all new 2D animated series Rise of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The cast features some fresh young faces, and familiar ones as well. Deadline gives a run down of the cast. Omar Miller (Ballers) will play the oldest brother Raphael, Ben Schwartz (Parks & Recreation) is the self-professed ‘coolest’ brother Leonardo, Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) portrays Donatello, an unflappable mechanical genius and tech wizard, Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) is the youngest brother Michelangelo, an artist and awesome skateboarder, and Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) plays April O’Neil, a street savvy native New Yorker. Eric Bauza (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) also joins the cast as Splinter, both father figure and sensei to the Turtles.
Nickelodeon
This will be the first time in the history of the franchise that an African- American woman will play the turtle’s human friend April O’Neil.
Rob Paulsen is voice directing the series, while Andy Suriano serves as character designer, and Ant Ward as supervising producer.
Though the pictures of the cast that have been released are them in human form, the character art will debut by the end of this year. The show will premiere in 2018 and the first season will consist of 26 episodes.
A television series based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels Lord Of The Rings may be on its way. The Tolkien estate and Warner Bros. have been shopping around the idea for a TV show for months. Now Amazon Studios is a potential buyer.
There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done so it could be years before it’s picked up. As of right now there’s no writer, director, and rights by Tolkien estate haven’t been issued.
The Hollywood Reporter reports,the news comes four months after Warner Bros. and the Tolkien estate settled an $80 million lawsuit after a five-year battle. That came after Warners offshoot New Line and the Tolkien estate waged a courtroom battle over profit participation from the feature film franchise that consisted of The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003) as well as 2013 prequel The Hobbit. The property is a multi-billion-dollar worldwide franchise.
Keep checking Monkeys Fighting Robots for the latest updates!
When it comes to remaking Akira, Taika Waititi knows how he would approach it. By drawing inspiration strictly from the manga and not the 1988 anime film. “I don’t believe the world needs a remake of the anime,” Waititi told Slashfilm, he continued “I would really just want to look at an adaptation of the books in a new way”. Consisting of over 2000 pages, the manga ran in Young Magazine from 1982 to 1990.
When its publisher Kodansha collected it into six volumes. Though Waititi’s vision is sure to make fans happy, the film has been in pre-production since 2009. Which is when Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment first acquired the rights to the property. Since then it has been a neverending uphill battle.
As Director Albert Hughes (Book Of Eli) exited the project in 2011. Citing creative differences. Then in 2012, Warner Bros. shut down the Akira production offices due to casting, script, and budget issues. Recently Waner Bros. turned to Jordan Peele to direct but was turned down by the Get Out director.
Netflix Friday afternoon released the first trailer and images from season two of DreamWorks ‘Trollhunters.’
In Part 2 of the epic saga DreamWorks Trollhunters, ordinary teen-turned-Trollhunter Jim Lake Jr. faces new challenges in his continued battle to protect his hometown of Arcadia and the fantastical Troll world he inherited. Jim’s risky decision to enter the Darklands unearths startling discoveries, forcing him and his friends to face gripping consequences as they race to end the battle against evil.
What the trailer below:
The second season adds the voice talents of Mark Hamill, Lena Headey and David Bradley, who join Kelsey Grammer who won an Emmy for his role as Blinky, Steven Yeun, Anjelica Huston, Jonathan Hyde, Amy Landecker and Charlie Saxton. The late Anton Yelchin, who completed recording through Part 2, voices the lead role of Jim Lake, Jr.
Guillermo del Toro created the series with Marc Guggenheim, Rodrigo Blaas, Chad Hammes, and Christina Steinberg.
The new episodes of ‘Trollhunters’ hit Netflix on December 15.
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 MFR’s resident Marvel fan. Above you’ll see Marvel’s report card for the week, then below we’ll dive into each book. Let’s dig in!
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Spider-Man #234 “Sinister Six Reborn” Part One
Miles Morales was one character in desperate need of a course correction. Marvel Legacy provides Brian Michael Bendis the opportunity to get Spider-Man back to being a compelling book again, like Ultimate Spider-Man was.
Ever since Miles joined the 616 universe, post-Secret Wars, he’s been trapped in a string of lackluster coming-of-age stories. None of the weight he had in the Ultimate universe carried over.
Throwing together a Sinister Six for Miles to fight is a cheap but effective way to draw people back to Spider-Man. Revealing Miles’ uncle Aaron as the Iron Spider who’s assembling this Sinister Six? Now that’s a step in the right direction sure to keep readers coming back for the next issue.
Aaron Davis was one of the most crucial components of what made Miles’ Spidey origin so tragic and compelling. Even if he’s the 616 counterpart, he clearly has a vendetta against Spider-Man in some capacity. Bendis is finally addressing the corners of Miles’ life worth exploring.
Oscar Bazaldua brings an art style that is both cartoonish and reminiscent of the original Ultimate Spider-Man series. There isn’t much web-slinging in this issue, but each member of the Sinister Six looks dynamite together. The regular cover art does this dastardly gang no favors, Bazaldua does all the heavy lifting inside.
The only problem with the art is how impossible it is to tell Ganke and Goldballs apart in any full shots from a distance. This has been an annoyance since day one of Goldballs becoming Miles and Ganke’s roommate.
If you’re someone who loves Miles but hasn’t enjoyed his time in the 616, this is the time to jump back in. The Legacy course correction could succeed where Spider-Men II has failed in recapturing the essence that drew us all to Miles in the first place.
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Power Pack #63 “Rarely Pure And Never Simple” Part One of One
A Marvel one-shot bringing us back to a classic team we haven’t seen in a very long time. The Power Pack are a bit older and spread across the multiverse. Writer Devin Grayson uses Katie to tell us an old Power Pack tale of super-heroism.
This was a well crafted, perfectly executed single issue story. Artist Marika Cresta steers most of the storytelling. Showing us both Katie and her teacher’s perspective of the adventure Katie has turned in. The side-by-side layouts make this an exceptionally fun read.
I think this was exactly what it needed to be. I don’t need any more and didn’t get any less than I expected. It doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, it’s short and sweet.
Power Pack #63 is a fun trip down memory lane that stands on its own. The Marvel Legacy one-shots are off to a wonderful start.
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Iron Fist #74 “Sabretooth: Round Two” Part Two
Somebody is parading around as the Constrictor and Sabretooth isn’t happy about it. The unlikely duo of Victor Creed and Danny Rand finds themselves beating down z-list villains in search of this new scumbag and the Iron Fist book he stole.
Ed Brisson brings the best out of both characters, mining a chemistry nobody thought to explore much before (even though this is a “round two”). There are a lot of effective comedy bits to break up the bouts of badass.
Brisson has been able to successfully toe the line between Danny’s funny side and his more serious kung-fu stature. So far, his writing has been a god send for Marvel. They need to keep letting him loose on as many titles as he’ll take on.
Mike Perkins and Andy Troy have also delivered phenomenal work. The art lends a big hand in keeping this book gritty and fierce without making the lighter moments feel out of place.
The Serpent Society, mysterious enemies of K’un L’un, an army of mystical warriors, Iron Fist & Sabretooth all pursuing the same magical book. Those are the ingredients to a classic Iron Fist comic book.
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Iceman #7 “Champions Reunited” Part Two
Iceman stumbled a bit out of the gate, the book has its heart in the right place but can’t find its footing. Bobby’s original Champions reunion continues as they face a handful of prop sentinels.
Bobby’s parents find a new thing to be upset over, but it’s finally one worth exploring. Mrs. Drake discovers there are two of their son, which will surely complicate their already damaged relationship.
For a book trying to accumulate a gay mutant into a diverse superhero setting, Sina Grace doesn’t seem very confident or comfortable with the transition. Bobby coming out doesn’t seem to carry any weight to anyone but his parents. Which is totally fine that no X-Men make a big deal out of their friend being gay. The problem is that his coming out is the center of this title but doesn’t seem to matter.
The shoehorned dialogue, trying to sound “hip”, drags this book down. At one point somebody complains they “couldn’t even get a decent Vine” of the big battle. Referencing an out of commission app still isn’t as bad forcing a “Yas Kween” into the bottom of a nice action sequence.
The action sequences of the former Champions destroying fake sentinels are exciting. Robert Gill’s layouts are explosive and we get to see Iceman use his abilities a number of different ways.
This issue was better than the last but it still hasn’t found its groove completely. When every character sounds like a parent trying to appeal to their kid’s friends, it’s hard not to seem synthetic.
Iceman isn’t much of an X-Men book and it doesn’t do anything for Bobby Drake as a character. LGBTQ representation in comic books is important. Readers looking for a compelling gay hero can look elsewhere as the industry is full of better options.
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Guardians Of The Galaxy #146 “Infinity Quest” Part One
Gerry Duggan’s All-New GOTG series has been one of the strongest comics at Marvel. Proudly leading the charge of cosmic Marvel’s return to prominence, it’s the best we’ve seen the Guardians be since Abnett/Lanning.
Their first Legacy arc sees our favorite space scoundrels lending the Nova Corps a hand before beginning their search for the infinity stones. They just recently welcomed Ant-Man to the team, this is our first issue with Scott Lang in space. Duggan wastes no time fitting him into story, he and Gamora encounter Ultron while investigating a distress call.
Scott seems to be a nice fit immediately, both visually and with the team dynamic. If Ant-Man, and his antennae helmet, is the closest we’re going to get to Bug coming back, I’ll take what I can get for now.
The rest of the team splits up into pairs, an area where this series has tended to shine extraordinarily bright. No matter the configuration, we’re getting the best out of every member of the squad. We also get a juicy taste of things to come as Star-Lord discovers that Richard Rider is alive. Reuniting the best space bros in history, for the first time since Thanos Imperitive, promises to be a heartfelt moment.
Whatever process they’re going through to choose which artists do which stories, every comic with a rotating art team needs to utilize it. Duggan has been working with so many great artists, Marcus To steps in this time with Ian Herring on colors. They continue the trend of bringing beautifully vast and deeply colorful life back to the 616 cosmic galaxy.
This Guardians Of The Galaxy series has it all. Whether you’re an old school cosmic Marvel fan or coming straight from the movies, this book will meet your criteria. Duggan and his rotation of brilliant artists make this a must-read series. Cosmic Marvel is coming back in a big way and this is the epicenter.
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Captain America #695 “Home Of The Brave” Part One
Good ol’ Cap is back, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee are here to return Steve Rogers to his former glory. This one-issue story takes a long look at what Captain America actually stands for before we get back to his ongoing adventures.
The inspiration we all find in Steve is celebrated by a small town he saved ten years ago. Waid and Samnee deliver a sincerely heartfelt love letter to the character, a pallet cleanser for those who couldn’t wait for Secret Empire to end.
Rogers finds himself in unfamiliar territory with the public distrusting him. This little pit stop gives him a second to collect himself, he’ll have this to hold onto as he approaches what is surely to be a rough patch.
Chris Samnee’s art, with beautiful Matthew Wilson colors, brings us back to the Silver Age in spectacular fashion. There’s no winks or nudges, just a good and wholesome American comic book.
This is what the comic community has been asking for, Waid and Samnee deliver exactly what they needed to. Whether you enjoyed Secret Empire or not, Cap returning to form inspires a lot of hope in a time where we could really use some
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Avengers #673 “Worlds Collide” Part Three
The Avengers/Champions crossover continues to roll without delay. Chapter three digs into what’s actually going on, the threat our heroes face is planetary.
Earth and Counter-Earth are going to collide, every twenty minutes we’re one step closer to annihilation. This somewhat ridiculous, high-concept science fiction threat is laid out in an easily digestible explanation before we move on to more punching.
Marvel comics operate best the deeper entrenched in sci-fi exploration they are. This may not be as deep conceptually as Hickman’s work, but it’s a tastefully watered-down approach appropriate for the start of a new era for Marvel.
We finally get some High Evolutionary face time and it’s glorious. Waid’s voice for the character is pitch perfect. His villainous plot is grand and large scale, worthy of classic comic book standards.
This crossover has been nothing but fun, worthy of collaboration between the two teams. Waid has crafted a swell starting point for readers looking to give both Avengers and Champions a go at this fresh jumping on point.
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What were your favorites from this week of Marvel Legacy? Be sure to check back next week for another healthy installment of Marvel Legacy Report!
IDW Publishing sent Monkeys Fighting Robots an exclusive five-page preview of Half Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs #3, where Stephen Mooney blows the doors off with action. Did we mention there are dinosaurs?
Check out the preview below:
About the issue: Break In! The team must infiltrate the Japanese Chemical Warfare Division: Unit 731.
The prize: priceless intel on the Nazi pathogen. With the help of Ishi’s sister Emiko and with Spot the Deinonychus in tow, the daring raid is afoot. But something none of them expected lies in wait within… something BIG.
Half Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs is sitting at an 8.9 from nine critics on Comic Book Roundup.
Mooney is the creator, artist, and writer on the series. Triona Tree Farrell handles the colors. From Ireland, Mooney has been part of the comic book industry for the past ten years, becoming a New York Times bestselling author. He has also worked with DC Comics, Valiant, Dynamite, and Titan.
Half Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs #3 hits your local comic book shop on November 8.
Are you a fan of Mooney’s work? Sound off in the comment section below.
As I watched Thor: Ragnarok, I found myself picking apart Hela’s motivations. This has become standard practice for reviewing MCU films over the past few years, viewing the villains under a microscope. Critics and fans alike lament about shallow, dull baddies; just Google “MCU villain problem” and you’ll see what I mean. But is the “problem” as bad as the internet would lead you to believe? Or have we blown it out of proportion?
Now, there are certainly some bad Marvel villains. Malekith, Whiplash, Yellowjacket…these guys are all terrible. But I would argue that their problems have little to do with their actual characters and their motivations. Many of these guys suffer from unmemorable performances by their actors in movies that are themselves bland and unmemorable. Or, in the case of Yellowjacket, they were sidelined in a movie that put a much heavier emphasis on the hero.
And for good reason. I’ll take more Paul Rudd any day of the week.
Then there are the “others”. The Iron Mongers and Red Skulls. The Ultrons and Alexander Pierces. Loki. These are the guys that catch heat because “well, they’re only evil for the sake of being evil.” And to that I say, “so what?”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying a more complex villain isn’t a better villain. Hell, I think Kilgrave is the best bad guy in the MCU because he’s more complex and sympathetic. But at the same time, isn’t there something familiar about evil for the sake of being evil?
Aren’t the people we vilify in real life those that ruthlessly seek power and money simply because they want to and they can? The CEOs and politicians that step all over the little guy just to inflate their already oversized bank account? The dictators and world leaders that invade and conquer, spreading war just because they want more land than they already have? This is real life villainy.
So when people complain, “Iron Monger is lame. He’s just a rich guy in a suit,” my initial thought is, “yea, but don’t some bad guys actually look like that?” And Jeff Bridges actually gives a pretty menacing and memorable performance in that flick. Why sweep it under the rug so quick?
I mean, Red Skull is a literal nazi. Hitler’s whole schtick was world domination for no real reason. (And don’t @ me about how Hydra aren’t Nazis.)
Fans shouldn’t have to settle for villains that are just ok. Take Kaecilius and Ronan and flush them down the drain. But when you have a character with the charm of Loki, or the menacing voice of Ultron, with the writing and performances to back them up, who cares if they’re evil for evil’s sake? As long as you enjoy the film, and the bad guy leaves some kind of impression on you, shouldn’t that be enough?
I’m genuinely asking, because I don’t know the answer. Maybe there isn’t one. Perhaps the MCU villains are just victims of this new toxic age of film criticism, where things are either the best or the worst with no middle ground. But sound off with your thoughts in the comments below!
The Overwatch League, brought to you by Blizzard Entertainment, has announced its 12-team format for its inaugural season in 2018. The league will follow a similar structure of that of traditional sports and feature both players and teams from all over the world. Both Intel and HP will serve as the official league sponsors, while Overwatch currently has plans to continue to expand its teams beyond the first season. More information about the league, including plans for structure and operations, can be viewedHERE. More information regarding Blizzard Arena, which will be center stage for the postseason, can be foundHERE.
The 12 teams expand over four countries, featuring nine teams from the United States, including two from Los Angeles, three-total from the state of California, and one each from England, China and Korea.
The team will symbolize and pay tribute to the region’s strong heritage in the energy sector. Team owner, Team Envy, are known as the ‘Boys in Blue’ … [MORE]
The name is derived from a ‘Supermarine Spitfire’, a British fighter plane that was flown in World War II. The light blue colors honor its parent company, Cloud9 … [MORE]
The name honors Asian rulers in bygone eras and is owned by Kevin Chou … [MORE]
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As the platform of competitive eSports continues to rise all over the world, more companies, gaming titles and big-time sponsors will follow suit. The great thing about eSports is that anyone with skill can become a pro athlete. Plus, in 2013, it was recognized as an official sport by the US Dept. of State, so to grant travel visas for competitors. The types of eSports tournaments are as follows: Real-Time Strategy (RTS), First-Person Shooter (FPS), Multiplayer Online Beta Arena (MOBA), Fighting (H2H/Weaponized Combat) and ‘traditional sports’ games. The industry is on a parallel path and will soon surpass that of traditional sports viewership, which it technically already has, and participation. It’s big business now. Currently, the Top 3 countries that dominate the eSports industry in earnings are, U.S.A. ($37 million), China and South Korea, both with earnings of $34 million.
