After two seasons Chelsea Handler will be ending her Netflix talk show. She announced the news Wednesday (Oct. 18) on social media. Her reasoning? She wants to focus more on activism.
“From the national level down to the grassroots, it’s clear our decisions at the ballot box next year will mark a defining moment for our nation,” she wrote. “For those reasons, I’ve decided not to return for another season of ‘Chelsea’ and instead devote as much time as I can to becoming a more knowledgeable and engaged citizen and to focus on projects that have significance to me.”
“I’m excited to share that I will continue my partnership with Netflix, working together on a documentary where I’ll engage with people I don’t talk with enough – people of different ethnicities, religions and political philosophies,” she continued. “Netflix could not be more understanding, and I’m grateful for their continued support. New episodes of Chelsea will continue to stream weekly until the end of this year,” she continued.
Her full statement can be read below.
Chelsea Handler Twitter
Handler brought her talk show to Netflix after hosting Chelsea Lately on E! for seven years.
Hello, friend. This article is a review and recap of the Mr. Robot episode “eps3.1_undo.gz” and it contains spoilers, so if you have not yet watched the episode, do so before reading this. If you’re looking to get caught up on last week’s episode, look here.
Can You crtl+Z the World?
At the end of the last episode, Elliot was left wondering if the 5/9 hack (his/Mr. Robot’s plan to ruin E-Corp by destroying all their debt-related data) has done more harm than good and this episode starts with him deciding to undo as much damage as he can. He does this by getting a job at E-Corp, living a pedestrian life (complete with collared shirts, Zoloft and a 401(k)).
Since he knows that Mr. Robot intends to destroy all E-Corp’s physical records when they are shipped to a single location, he gives a presentation to his boss on why the records should be digitized at their current and diverse locations. When his boss, more concerned with Goo Goo Dolls tickets than Elliot’s ideas, won’t help, Elliot does what he was doing in the first episode: he hacks his boss, finds evidence of crimes and sends them to the FBI. Meanwhile, he’s messing with the shipping orders to keep the records from ending up in New York. Another level of management won’t listen, so he pulls the same tactic and gets that boss arrested. Luckily, the third level of management respects the plan and tells Elliot she wants to get this presentation in front of the VP of technology. All this happens in the opening sequence set to INXS’s “New Sensation” and is one of the most impressive sequences in a show known for impressive sequences.
Unfortunately, not everything is going as Elliot hoped. Even with the Zoloft, he’s sad, alone, and feels like he’s losing control. He goes to see Krista, his psychiatrist (now working out of her home office, since the manager of her regular office stopped paying the utilities). He tells her he’s been avoiding his sister Darlene since she triggers the emergence of his Mr. Robot personality (Elliot is still unaware that Mr. Robot has started appearing without Elliot knowing). He tells her about his and Darlene’s childhood snowman, Kevin McAllister, which would have been a beautiful story if it didn’t end with his father pushing him out a window. Somehow this hasn’t come up before in therapy, and Elliot offers little in the way of details to Krista.
A Rat by Any Other Name?
We find out that Darlene has been working with the FBI (though to what extent is still unknown). A new fsociety video has been released about which she knows nothing, but she suspects the Dark Army is responsible.
She meets with Elliot to inform him she is heading upstate to hide out and wishes him a happy birthday. Then she tells him that she got into fsociety not really for the cause, but to spend more time with him. He asks her to stay at his place for the night because he’s afraid to be alone. Waking up early, she plants a bug on his computer and is caught, not by Elliot, but by Mr. Robot, who violently confronts her about messing with his computer. She tells him she was just looking for a pencil to leave a note and leaves. At the end of the episode, we see Elliot (or Mr. Robot) used the bug to find the FBI and shows up at their safehouse.
Let’s Be Frank
Joanna Wellick goes on national TV to discuss her life since the 5/9 hack and talks about how she filed for divorce from her husband Tyrell who (as the prime suspect in the hacking case) is the most wanted man in America. Only now she says she still loves him and recanted the divorce. One problem, though: her boytoy Derek thought she really was going to divorce Tyrell to marry him. Overwhelmed with jealous, he stalks Joanna and is confronted by her bodyguard Mr. Sutherland, who tells Derek to forget about Joanna. Instead, he shoots Sutherland and kills Joanna. Sutherland recovers enough to kill Derek.
Currency War
E-Corp CEO Phillip Price gives a speech discussing how 19 out of 20 countries involved in a summit on currency have agreed to use E-coin as a new standard. The one holdout is China, whom he accuses of declaring a currency war, based on their decision to use bitcoin instead. A showdown ensues between Price and China’s Minister Zhang (aka Whiterose) over the endorsement of E-coin and the UN vote to allow China to annex the Congo. Whiterose, angry at Price and for seemingly the first time choosing emotion over logic, says she now wants Stage Two to happen whether or not the UN vote goes in China’s favor.
In another therapy session, Krista speaks for the first time with Mr. Robot, who hits on her, threatens her, and says that nothing will come of her sessions with Elliot. After the confrontation, Elliot doesn’t remember that it happened. Upon returning home, Elliot is confronted by Michael Hansen (Krista’s sleazy ex, whom Elliot hacked and blackmailed) who gives him back the dog that Elliot once took from him.
***The following post and clip contains a spoiler for the latest episode of Arrow***
This week sees the second episode of the sixth season of Arrow and it seems that both Bruce Wayne and Gotham City are being confirmed as existing within the ‘Arrowverse’. You can check it out the clip below in a video tweeted out by the official ‘Arrow’ Twitter account.
Pretty neat huh? Now that doesn’t mean we are going to get Batman, as in THIS universe Bruce Wayne might just be nothing but a billionaire playboy. Perhaps on this Earth, his parents were never even killed. Still, it establishes Bruce and Gotham do exist, and Arrow and the various CW shows love to play with the multiple Earths angle, so anything is possible!
What do you think? Is this just a tease? Will Bruce Wayne and/or Gotham City ever make an onscreen appearance on Arrow or any other CW show? Comment and discuss below!
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ destroys the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a way only director Taika Waititi could. This film is a colorful explosion of comic book goodness.
For MCU films, my bar is ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ and ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier.’ This fits in perfectly at number four as it grabs craziness from ‘Guardians,’ the quick wit from ‘Iron Man,’ and the scope of ‘Winter Soldier.’
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ will be hard to review without revealing a few spoilers. You have been warned, tread carefully from here.
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is a made up of three acts: Earth, Sakaar, and Asgard. Jumping from one world to the next gave ‘Ragnarok’ a brisk pace, comparable to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1.’ At just over two hours longs, the film never drags.
It starts off with a battle between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Surtur (Clancy Brown), which is how every superhero should start, with a cold open like the James Bond films. Kickstart the movie with an epic action sequence to get the viewer’s heart pumping, and then it’s up to the director to keep you on an emotional rollercoaster to the end. ‘Ragnarok’ starts strong with plenty of action and jokes. Filmmaker Taika Waititi lets the camera roll, so it’s hard to tell what is improv compared to what’s scripted. Karl Urban said to Monkeys Fighting Robots there is enough extra footage out there to create another film.
EARTH
With so many moving parts in the MCU, I forgot a prominent figure from the MCU was in the film. The interaction between Thor and this character is interesting because it is quite jarring. It also expands the scope of Earth and how the MCU fits together. If you are a comic book nerd, you might squeal a bit, but this is only the beginning of your nerd explosion.
SAKAAR
At this point of the film, Waititi unleashes his colorful explosion. If Jack Kirby were alive, he would be very proud of all the costume designs and sets. With Sakaar brings the battle between Thor and Hulk. This is why you should pay extra to see this film in IMAX. The brawl takes the MCU to a new level and makes it hard to comprehend what the Russo Brothers can do to top it in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ As Thor and Hulk tear each other apart, the conversation between Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) is some brilliant verbal sparring.
A drunk Valkyrie is a welcome addition to the MCU, and Tessa Thompson puts Hemsworth and Hulk in the corner and commands her screen time.
Marvel also realized that no one cares about Bruce Banner, we all want to see the Hulk. The post-battle banter between Hulk and Thor is the best part of the film. I know I just said that no one cares Banner, but the situations Waititi puts Mark Ruffalo in are gut-busting comedy.
ASGARD
The second act is so over the top great it hurts the final act. When it’s time to get serious and take care of Hela (Cate Blanchett), Hemsworth, Ruffalo, and Thompson needed to step aside and let Idris Elba’s Heimdall take care of business. Heimdall plays a central figure in the final act and Elba brings a welcome change of pace.
Blanchett brings an angst to Hela that no one else could. Blanchett, Goldblum, and Elba put on an acting clinic amongst the ruckus of improv. The ruckus is fun, but you can tell the difference.
The final act has tremendous weight, but Waititi has a tough time switching gears from comedy to drama. It would have helped if he played it straight in the finale. With that said, the way the film ends leaves the door open to endless possibilities and has me very excited for ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’
P.S. There are two post-credits scenes. The first ties into ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ and the second is just plain fun.
Casual, Hulu’s flagship comedy series, has been renewed for a fourth season. The streaming company announced on Thursday that it had ordered eight more episodes of the light-hearted comedy, which would be an abbreviated season compared to the previous three, all of which had ten or twelve episodes. These eight will make up the final episodes of Casual, and will be released beginning on an as-yet-unspecified date sometime during 2018.
The series follows Valerie (Michaela Watkins), a recently divorced mother attempting to navigate the world of modern (and primarily digital) dating while simultaneously acting as a single mother to her daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr). Laura is equally terrible at romance, and their relationship troubles frequently parallel each other, or intertwine in some way. Meanwhile, the two live with Valerie’s brother Alex (Tommy Dewey), a character who at first seems like a stereotypical, troubled loser anti-hero, but eventually evolves into something much deeper over the run of the series.
Casual was created in 2015 by Zander Lehmann, with assistance from showrunner Liz Tigelaar and director Jason Reitman. The series was one of the first Hulu launched as part of its original programming platform, and sparked a significant transformation in the company. Prior to Casual, Hulu’s content consisted mostly of low-budget comedies and dramadies, but afterwards began to transform into the premium content creator that has provided series like Handmaid’s Tale. It also went on to become the first Hulu original program to acquire a best series awards nomination from the Golden Globes for comedy or musical.
This awards nomination would be the only one Hulu received until Handmaid’s Tale came along as a force of utter destruction at the Emmys. Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins said at the time, “I don’t want to overstate what nominations mean, but it puts us on the map in terms of our original productions.”
Given the importance of Casual to Hulu’s history, it is a relief that the company is allowing the series a chance to properly conclude itself.
What do you think of this news? Are you sad Casual is ending?
All-New Guardians Of The Galaxy #12 finds the team back on Earth, much to Rocket’s chagrin. Writer Gerry Duggan hinted recently that the team would be gaining a new member as they head into Marvel Legacy. This issue we finally find out who it is!
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
After a desperate attempt by Deadpool to join the team, none other than Scott Lang earns himself a seat on the Milano. An interesting fallout from the events of Secret Empire, Ant-Man decides to leave Earth after having bet on the wrong Hydra horse. Our favorite cosmic goofballs decide to let him hang around while he sorts his situation out.
Aside from gaining a new member, this issue sees our heroes take a tour through some of Earth’s mightiest allies. Each Guardian shares a short and sweet scene with the likes of Doctor Strange, Cable, and even an adorable friendship between Groot and Man-Thing.
Man-Thing also provides a glimpse at the Guardians of other realities. Giving us a beautiful tease of some favorite alumni members of galaxy guarding. Each of these alternate teams, also searching for infinity stones, is a combination of classic and more recent members. I’ll never give up hope that Bug may one day rejoin the 616 universe.
Gerry Duggan has a undeniable talent for writing these characters on their own as well as a united force. This series we’ve seen him take his time with each of them with a few solo journeys. He successfully builds each character on their own, making it matter all the more once they’re together again. This might be the most chemistry GOTG has ever had as a team.
Rod Reis is showcasing one of the strongest artistic visions in comics right now on this title. He and Duggan are quickly proving to be a cosmic force to be reckoned with. All-New Guardians Of The Galaxy has seen a healthy rotation of fantastic artists, but Reis is taking it to another level.
The uncolored sketch of Doctor Strange in his astral form is in beautiful contrast to the Soul World that Gamora is taking him on a tour of. The texture of every character and how it shifts from scene to scene is extraordinary. His use of light and color splatter blend flawlessly with his sketch-style art.
All-New Guardians Of The Galaxy continues to proudly carry the Marvel cosmic torch, resurrecting one of the most crucial elements of Marvel’s comics. Gerry Duggan and Rod Reis are an unstoppable force. This is a must-read series and it’s only just getting started.
It’s the seasons of ghouls and goblins once again. For movie fans, this means it’s time to revisit horror classics like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street or check out new releases like Happy Death Day and Jigsaw. But for families looking to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve together, it can be a bit harder to find the right spooky film to watch. Too often, such films are tailored too much for younger viewers, leaving their parents wanting for the same thrills and chills they get from gorier fare. However, every once in a while, a family-friendly release manages to capture the spirit of Halloween without indulging in violence. Here are our picks for some of the best films for families to watch together this Halloween.
1. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Okay, this one is more on the comedic side than some of our other choices, but it has emerged as a modern classic, thanks in part to the larger-than-life performance of Bette Midler as head witch Winifred Sanderson (reminds us of another choice that nearly made this list, The Witches). Hocus Pocus earns bonus points for its setting on Halloween night, as a ragtag group of youngsters tangle with a trio of resurrected witches intent on devouring the children of Salem. Is it cheesy? Sure. Is it a blast to watch? Absolutely.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Danny Elfman as the singing voice of Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloweentown is enough of a sell for this gorgeous stop-motion animated musical masterpiece from director Henry Selick (more on him later). The score is among Elfman’s greatest achievement, and the visual design perfectly captures the offbeat humor and macabre sensibility of producer Tim Burton. Set in a world where each holiday has its own dedicated land, the film explodes with imagination and has rightfully become a classic in the years since its release.
3. Casper (1995)
No one would have thought that this old-school character — Casper made his first appearance in a 1939 children’s book — would headline his own box office hit. Yet, thanks in part to The Addams Family star Christina Ricci and a committed turn by Bill Pullman, Casper finds that sweet spot between being a “spooktacular” good time and having some genuine heart. The film’s notable for its cameos, including one by a member of the Ghostbusters. Definitely worth a revisit for those of you who haven’t seen it in a while.
4. Monster House (2006)
Films like The Goonies, The Monster Squad and even It (though that last one is admittedly not for children) depict kids setting off on fantastical adventures, often pitting them against otherworldly forces. This computer-animated gem falls right in line with that style of storytelling. Like The Goonies, Monster House hails from Amblin Entertainment and follows three kids who set out to unravel the mystery behind a peculiar haunted house in their neighborhood on Halloween. It’s a true throwback that has been gravely unappreciated.
5. Coraline (2009)
Laika Entertainment has been killing it for years with quality stop-motion animated films like Paranorman (another great Halloween choice, by the way), The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings. But their debut feature easily earns this last spot on our list. Based on the Neil Gaiman book, the film — from The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick — follows the titular hero as she discovers an intriguing and increasingly unsettling mirror dimension within her new home. Arguably too intense for very young viewers, we’re still recommending Coraline anyway. It’s simply that good. A visual feast and stone-cold classic.
What’s your favorite family-friendly Halloween film? Let us know in the comments section below!
The 1990s brought out an animated film revolution, with the likes of Lion King and Toy Story dominating the cinemas. One of the years that was an exception just happened to be the year I was born. A lot of the films released in 1997 were not exactly kid friendly, making it difficult for me to appreciate them until a much later date. Although, that date did come and here are the some of the best films released in 1997, that not only changed me as a person but cinema as a whole.
TITANIC
James Cameron had already become a Hollywood darling after making such films as Terminator and Aliens. He then took the world by storm by releasing a film based on one of the worst tragedies in human history, Titanic. Not only did this film shoot Leanardo Dicaprio towards his eventual stardom, it became one the highest grossing film of all times, only to be dethroned by Cameron’s Avatar. This film had everything, romance, intrigue and some of the most iconic moments in cinema history.
Men In Black
Nothing says the 1990s more than Will Smith. He was at the peak of his career and along with Tommy Lee Jones, they delivered one of the most unique Sci-Fi movies of all time. The simple story along with incredible world-building made for a perfect storm of cinematic gold. This film would lead to two less than stellar sequels that make revisiting the original that much more important.
The Fifth Element
Another Sci-Fi staple, Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element took visuals to another level. Before Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets graced theaters with its visually stunning presence, this film took color palettes to a place they’ve never been before. Not to mention the A-list cast and iconic characters, as weird as this film is no one can downplay the impact it has had on the Sci-Fi genre.
Good Will Hunting
Let us revisit a time where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were not household names and they wrote a little film called Good Will Hunting. This Oscar-winning film has become one of the most iconic movies of all time and is unlikely to ever be forgotten. With amazing performances by the likes of Robin Williams and Matt Damon, it’s hard to beat this film as one of the best of 1997.
Starship Troopers
Now let’s round out the list with another Sci-Fi icon, Starship Troopers. This film is one of the movies that created the term cult classic. Having minimal success the year it was released, this Casper Van Dien led film found its legs later on and hasn’t slowed down since. In no other film will you find the combination of comedy, Sci-Fi genius and a full on space war.
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***
Champions #13 “Worlds Collide” Part Two
Chapter two of the Champions/Avengers crossover is all about civilian rescue. Mark Waid’s super-teams continue to combine their efforts to stop a global threat. Although we haven’t seen him yet, we know The High Evolutionary is pulling the string behind the scenes.
This was another valiant effort by Waid and artist Humberto Ramos to juggle this plus-sized roster. In splitting the characters up into smaller teams, we get the most out of interactions and collaboration of abilities.
Hercules and Hulk together steal the most scenes, but it’s the synthezoid’s that take center stage. Vision and his daughter, Viv, have a tragically dark family situation. There’s a lot to explore there after the events of Tom King’s Vision, repairing their shattered relationship is the emotional core of this story so far.
With twelve issues under his belt with these teenaged heroes, Waid has a handle and clear voice for the Champions. It’s the perfect time for readers to jump in on them with this crossover, now that they’re more sorted out and developed.
This issue had moments where it felt like it was dragging its feet, especially given that we haven’t actually gotten to our main villain. The character interactions and blossoming chemistry outweigh my growing impatience. The High Evolutionary is an all-time great Marvel villain, I anxiously await his arrival.
Cable #150 “The Newer Mutants” Part One
Cable is getting the band back together, collecting classic X-Men favorites in order to solve the murder of an External. Shatterstar, Longshot, and Doop follow Nathan Summers into the Hellfire Club. Outside of the cast itself, there isn’t really anything to celebrate in this monumental dropping of the ball.
Ed Brisson is one of the stronger writers currently on Marvel’s payroll, his script and dialogue here aren’t an issue. Cable #150 starts off with a strong premise, buy-able chemistry, and the X-Men’s all-time MVP, Doop. Unfortunately, the visual vomit we’re exposed to hijacks the story and only gets worse as the issue goes on.
The art is noticeably 90s, and not in a good way. It makes for some fun costume design but doesn’t do the book any favors whenever there’s a closeup shot of someone’s dull face. There’s a vein in Cable’s neck that is unnecessarily distracting. Footwear and hands also appear to be a major weakness for Jon Malin.
Anybody who gave that Thunderbolts book a try last year will find the same awful art here. I don’t like to be overly negative or exaggerate just because I personally don’t like something, but I legitimately don’t understand how Malin’s art is considered passable by Marvel Comics. Brisson deserves better.
Cable isn’t a totally lost cause, the cast alone will be why most readers stick around. However, that’s the main problem, the script assumes that having these characters together is enough to hook people. I love getting the team together as much as the next kid who grew up watching D2: The Mighty Ducks, but there needs to be more substance than that.
Doop is the G.O.A.T. but the art in this issue is atrocious. This issue was a major disappointment and will probably do a lot of damage for those on the fence with Marvel who were excited for this title.
Incredible Hulk #709 “Return To Planet Hulk” Part One
Amadeus Cho ditches total awesomeness for a more incredible sensibility. Mistaking him for Bruce Banner, the inhabitants of Sakaar summon the Hulk to once again be their champion and save them from an unruly warlord.
Having Amadeus seclude himself in space to get a better handle on his anger is a better-than-Banner decision. Writer Greg Pak has spent plenty of time with both Cho and Hulk comics in general, now is the time for a big step forward. Much like with Champions, readers coming to this title for the first time are getting a more developed and polished version.
Planet Hulk is a classic, having Pak write this return to Sakaar story is crucial. It feels good to be back and to get right to the action in this first installment. Cho is flirting with his dark side, making him a more relatable and complex person. He’s got the curse of the Hulk, but is more likable than Bruce. This next exciting chapter for the character will be huge in solidifying him in Hulk history.
The inner Hulk versus Amadeus “taking the wheel” device is delightfully creative. The struggle with his anger and demons makes Amadeus into a much more recognizable Hulk for those who struggled to connect with his Totally Awesome days. Greg Land gets the madness going in spectacular fashion once the arena action ignites.
“Return To Planet Hulk” gets off to a great start, hellbent on winning over skeptics and the anti-Amadeus community. It’s time to give this Hulk a chance as we revisit Sakaar with the same man who took us there the first time.
Invincible Iron Man #593 “The Search For Tony Stark” Part One
With control of Stark Industries hanging in the balance, the four women in Tony’s comatose life (Riri, MJ, Friday, and Amanda) must band together and solve the mystery of his sudden disappearance.
What gets lost in all of the distracting hatred thrown at Riri Williams is that Brian Michael Bendis has been delivering effective Iron Man stories for almost two years. He has a great voice for Tony Stark with a respectable handle on Stark’s history and supporting cast. As we approach Tony’s inevitable return, Bendis has the opportunity to tie two years of work together while bringing back a character he writes particularly well.
Heavily doused in comic book mystery, this arc could potentially win Bendis back some of his harsher critics. Between this and Defenders, so far he’s having a really strong showing in Marvel Legacy.
Stefano Caselli, Alex Maleev, and Marte Gracia do a splendid job keeping the eyes entertained during a dialogue heavy setup issue. The style changes are smooth and warranted, never losing a step. This art team did not disappoint in making this cornerstone title shine when it needed to right out of the gate.
Bendis’ Infamous Iron Man has been one of the comics keeping the Fantastic Four flame lit in the Richards’ family’s absence. That trend continues here with heavy Doom involvement and a tense moment between he and The Thing, which is also beautiful.
Comic books are always best when there’s an element of mystery. There’s a lot more going on here than just bringing Tony Stark back eventually, Invincible Iron Man promises to be as grand as Legacy needs it to be.
Luke Cage #166 “CAGED!” Part One
David F. Walker has been writing Luke Cage for almost a year straight, beginning with the stellar Power Man & Iron Fist series. He’s established himself as the premiere voice of the character. To start Legacy, Walker sends Cage out on a road trip that takes an unexpected turn and he winds up back in prison down south.
You might expect that another story about Luke Cage returning to a prison scenario would feel like treading water, but that’s not the case. Continuing the trend of most Legacy books, this arc brings back a classic villain and throws Luke into an uncomfortable situation.
Even if this were a stale story, Walker has such a firm grasp on Luke’s voice that almost any script would be worth reading. Every bit of dialogue flows out of his mouth, sounding so natural, making it easy for readers to buy-in.
Walker has Cage’s soul on display at all times, his inevitable triumph over this unjust incarceration will feel like an actual achievement for the character. Guillermo Sanna and Marcio Menyz play a big role in selling the dialogue and script. If you took away every word balloon, you could easily put together the story and how Luke feels about it at any time.
Walker isn’t a writer that’s afraid to be politically charged when he sees fit, he’s able to get his point across tastefully and more subtly than other writers trying to tackle the subject of racism.
Quite possibly the strongest corner of Marvel right now is all of its Defenders books. Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and the Defenders series all make for a very strong lineup of comics.
Mighty Thor #700 “The Death Of The Mighty Thor” Part One
Jason Aaron is the Thunder God. The vast tapestry of Asgardian mythology he’s constructed over the past five years solidifies him as one of the most prolific and effective Thor writers in Marvel history.
Mighty Thor #700 is a culmination of all the crucial stories of Aaron’s run. This book is on such a grand scale it could be considered its own event. Every different era of Thor’s life has its own distinct personality and atmosphere, this story is touching on all of them.
The mythos of the Odinson and Jane Foster aren’t the only ones being explored. Galactus and another major cosmic character take on new personas and we even get a cosmic god battle. Every box can be marked on the checklist for epic Thor comics with this issue.
The art style shift, showing either the next scene or different time period, is flawless. Each style is beautiful crafted and fitting, helping to keep this fifty-page epic feel fresh at every page turn. Every single artist on this book delivers on every page.
Jason Aaron is a top talent in the industry, a top talent for Marvel, and an all-time great for Thor writers. If you aren’t reading Mighty Thor right now, you’re severely depriving yourself. A run like this doesn’t happen very often anymore, and a story this epic is why many of us read comics in the first place, it’s a major achievement.
Monsters Unleashed #7 “And Lo There Came… A Poison!” Part One
Giant monsters, dinosaurs, robots, and an Inhuman kid who brings them to life. Where was this book when I was a kid? Cullen Bunn’s Monsters Unleashed is a perfect series for any kid that likes monsters even a little bit.
Kid Kaiju has been drawing in his sleep and accidentally summons a nightmare version of Fin Fang Foom. Kei and his monster squad fight to survive and summon a Foom of their own.
Each creature conjured by Kid Kaiju is creative and fun, the art tends to lack a little bit when it comes to the human characters and their expressions. Regardless, there is plenty to love about this series by any kid interested in monster movies or comic books. It’s a book that encourages creativity and artistic expression while embracing stranger subject matter.
It’s not afraid to be dumb fun when it needs to be, any kid can pick this up and dive in. Monsters Unleashed is also not a hollow reading experience, there’s more to the story than giant monster fights. I would recommend this for any young reader.
Spider Gwen #25 “Gwenom” Part One
The novelty of “Gwen Stacy EVERYTHING” is still going strong. If you’re only going to pay attention to one “Gwen-ything” it should be Spider Gwen. This “elseworlds” book still continues to be surprisingly fulfilling. Jason Latour is far from out of ideas.
Every Spider-Person has to have their own Venom story at some point. It’s hard not to be burnt out on symbiotes at this point, but this is something different. Gwenom is finally the new take on a tired Spidey trope, breathing new life into Venom for the first time since Anti-Venom.
This particularly sandbox has a lot left to explore. All the alternative versions of familiar Marvel characters are delightful. Matt Murdock as the Kingpin of crime, in particular, will never stop being enjoyable. The same goes for this universe’s Frank Castle.
Spider Gwen‘s hyper-stylized art is extremely appealing, adding a layer of youthful spirit. This isn’t just a fresh take on Venom through the narrative, but a unique take on the costume as well. Robbi Rodriguez and Rico Renzi pull their own weight as far as keeping this book fresh and distinctive.
X-Men: Gold #14 “Mojo Worldwide” Part Three
The X-Men: Gold/Blue crossover keeps rolling, as smaller crossovers like this should. Mojo continues throwing our mutant heroes into historical X-Men scenarios to see who survives in pursuit of good ratings.
Three issues into this story and it hasn’t dropped the “dumb fun” appeal. It’s so important for an X-Men arc like this right now. Writers Marc Guggenheim and Cullen Bunn have a consistency between them, focusing on making mutants fun again.
Each change of scenario comes with a change of wardrobe and surroundings, and it’s effective every time. Having Longshot there to comment on the ridiculousness, while also maintaining his own ridiculous pursuits, is an absolute joy.
Getting each team’s perspective and commentary on specific moments in X-Men history, whether they were present or not, plays well. Guggenheim doesn’t waste the chance he’s given to poke fun at X-Men continuity.
Cyclops coming to terms with his team’s cooperation with Magneto back home by seeing him in his evil hay day plants an interesting seed for the future. Given how many heroes bite the dust this issue, Bloodstorm probably isn’t actually dead which is unfortunate.
Another consistent highlight within this crossover is the art. Mark Laming and Rain Beredo make this a colorful and explosive experience. They also manage to keep all the jumping around from becoming a challenge to follow.
Keeping this crossover on a weekly release schedule will keep it from getting stale. This is an easily digestible story that pokes fun at the X-Men continuity in a tasteful way, using the most tasteless but enjoyable villain.
Check back next week for our coverage of all things Marvel Legacy and let us know what you’ve read in the comments below!
Disney and Marvel Studios released the second ‘Black Panther’ trailer earlier this week, and here are 75 HD images from the trailer.
After analyzing the images, there are at least four different Black Panther suits, and several chase scenes by land and air. The images and trailer give the best look at Michael B. Jordan’s villainous character Erik Killmonger, who appears to have a Black Panther type suit as well.
View the images below:
Watch the trailer one more time.
About the film: After the events of Marvel’s ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
‘Black Panther’ is directed by Ryan Coogler, from a script Coogler wrote with Joe Robert Cole, and stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis. ‘Black Panther’ was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
‘Black Panther’ hits theaters on February 16, 2018.
