Review: ‘Jughead: The Hunger’ #1 Is The Werewolf Comic You Have Been Craving

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Following the events of the ‘Jughead: The Hunger’ one-shot, Jughead Jones is a werewolf. Reggie Mantle, among many others, fell victim to his monstrous ways. Now Betty Cooper: Werewolf Hunter along with Archie Andrews is hot on the trail of Jughead. Can they stop him in time before the tortured teen transforms and kills again? And just who is Betty’s mysterious cousin and what are his plans for Archie?

Jughead: The Hunger #1
“Run Like A Wolf” Part 1

Written by: Frank Tieri
Art: Pat and Tim Kennedy
Inks by: Bob Smith & Jim Amash
Colors by: Matt Herms
Lettered by: Jack Morelli
Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Variant Covers: Robert Hack & Michael Walsh

This review contains spoilers

Writing

When I reviewed the Jughead: The Hunger one-shot back in March, I had such a good time with it I truly hoped we would get more. And now we have an ongoing. Frank Tieri continues on as series writer and he is doing one hell of a job. This title is gruesome when it needs to be, with a lingering sense of tragedy that all great lycanthrope tales need to have. He is also expanding the mythology of the Cooper family being werewolf hunters by introducing Betty’s cousin as a bad-ass ready to train Archie.

Having Jughead join a circus/carnival is also a great idea. That setting creates a moody and appropriate atmosphere and harkens back to classic horror.

The character portrayals are all excellent. Juggie’s tragic narration is also well written, giving us a portrait of a young man both scared and guilt-ridden. Betty is very much tough as nails and Archie is in over his head. All these are in line with the classic version of these characters but also have a dark edge to them.

There is some humor though, even if it’s dark. Having Betty and Archie trail Jughead by casing on the road burger joints is a nice callback.

One of the most interesting developments in the ongoing though is…SPOILER…Reggie Mantle’s resurrection as a werewolf, and his instant embracing of it. It seems they are setting up Reggie as a truly evil werewolf, and I am onboard from some wolf vs. wolf action when it eventually comes along.

Art

This entire art team has worked together to create a classic horror comic. The art here is all thick lined and angular, giving off a sense of unease. There is also some great page composition and layouts that bring to mind the horror comics of E.C.

The coloring stands out, giving the reader a perfect mood. There are heavy red hues and dark shadows. There is a lot of contrasting which again adds so much to the atmosphere.

I also want to mention the lettering, which I think is extra important in a horror comic as ‘sound effects’ are a big part. There are some great moments here were ‘howls’ and ‘screams’ not only play a part in the narrative but it the artistic layout as well.

Conclusion

Right in time for Halloween, this is a horror book you want to pick up when it hits comic stores on October 25th. Archie Comics is building a nice library with its horror line, and this is a great addition to the equally awesome Afterlife With Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Who knew it would be Archie that would fill a horror comics void?

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Exclusive Interview: Karl Urban Talks ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, Dredd’s Future, and More

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 19, 2017

Karl Urban, who plays Skurge in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ spoke with Monkeys Fighting Robots in Miami about director Taikia Waititi, the best part of working for Marvel Studios, the possibility of a female Thor film, the power of Judge Dredd, and Star Wars aspirations.

Watch the interview below, and check out our ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ review:

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is a fun colorful explosion, can you talk about what Taika Waititi brought to the table?

KARL URBAN: You’ve got to give credit to Marvel because they’ve hired a director who has a real comedic sensibility that was grounded in films like ‘What We Do In the Shadows’ and ‘Hunt For the Wilderpeople.’ And then they actually let him do his job. And that’s kind of been an easy thing at times because you know a lot of what he likes to do is improvisational sort of stuff. So to have the confidence to go with the flow and be open to all of the possibilities that could be. Again, full credit to Marvel, Taiki’s brilliant what he does. Very very quick wonderful comedic sensibility and he provides an environment for his actors that you feel you know really sort of comfortable to just try to anything.

From the onset videos, it looked like the cast and crew had a lot of fun. What was the best part of your filming schedule?

KARL URBAN: The best part of my filming schedule was probably working with Cate Blanchett. I think that’s one of the main reasons why I decided to take this movie. We had worked together on ‘Lord Of The Rings’ but never really shared any scenes together. So when I read the script and saw that I was going to be working with her I was like where do I sign. You know it’s like going and getting a masterclass every day.

You have worked on several big-budget sci-fi fantasy films. What’s the biggest difference working with Marvel?

KARL URBAN: The biggest difference when working with Marvel, well I don’t know because fundamentally the process is the same but I have to say with Marvel there’s a real sense of inclusion and collaboration. They certainly made me feel very very welcome and like part of the family. What I appreciated most about Marvel was how they foster the creativity and they hire people to do their jobs and let them do it. This movie is a direct result of that.

Do you think fans could handle a female Thor film?

KARL URBAN: I think it’s time. I think it’s well overdue. Absolutely, yeah, I’d like to see that movie. Why not.

KARL URBAN: I actually never read the comics and sort of my first introduction to the whole Marvel world was with John Favreau’s Iron Man movies and I’ve taken my kids to every one of them since.

What is it with your portrayal of Judge Dredd that resonates with fans, because it’s something special.

KARL URBAN: There is, there definitely is and I’m really amazed at the longevity and the popularity of the character of Dredd, and in particular that movie. You know it was pretty clear that when it came out there was just the lack of awareness. Nobody knew that the movie was coming out. And what’s been kind of bittersweet subsequently is to see how it’s kind of grown and achieved this cult-like status. And I would I’d love to make another one. I really really would. So, we’ll see. I know that Rebellion is in the process of developing a TV series and I’ve said to them listen if you guys write a good character and the character Dredd has a function and a purpose. I’d love to come back and give more of what the fans want.

Your resume includes ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Dredd,’ and now ‘Thor.’ Do you see a Star Wars film on your horizon?

KARL URBAN: That would be a bit greedy, wouldn’t it? It would be greedy. I tell you what, I took my kid to the set of ‘The Force Awakens,’ and we were blown away. It was so surreal walking into the Millennium Falcon, that was like walking into your childhood. I don’t know. Never say never.

What do you think of Urban’s remarks? Do you want to see a female Thor film? Comment below.

About ‘Thor: Ragnarok’:

Thor’s world is about to explode in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. His devious brother, Loki, has taken over Asgard, the powerful Hela has emerged to steal the throne for herself and Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe. To escape captivity and save his home from imminent destruction, Thor must first win a deadly alien contest by defeating his former ally and fellow Avengers… The Incredible Hulk!

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Taika Waititi directs with Kevin Feige producing the film.

‘Thor: Ragnarok’ will destroy the universe on November 3.

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‘Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond’ Trailer: See Jim Carrey and Andy Kaufman Become One

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 19, 2017

Milos Forman’s biopic Man On The Moon has gone tragically overlooked since its 1999 release. The story of Andy Kaufman, one of the stranger and more experimental comedians of all time, starred Jim Carrey in a role for which he was criminally overlooked come Oscar time. And, as evidenced by the trailer for Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, Carrey was more into the role than we all might have believed at first.

There were reports of Carrey staying in character during filming, but perhaps we didn’t consider just what it meant to stay in character as a purposefully antagonistic and difficult comedian like Kaufman. This documentary, with tons of archival of footage and new interviews, shines a light on what had to be a bizarre and taxing set. Check out the trailer:

Director Chris Smith’s fascinating deep dive into actor Jim Carrey’s time spent portraying famed and complicated comedian Andy Kaufman. Using approximately 100 hours of footage shot on the set of Man on the Moon documenting Carrey’s transformation into Kaufman for four months.

Jim Carrey earned critical acclaim and a Golden Globe for the performance, but many of the production’s most Kaufmanesque moments played out behind the scenes, thankfully captured on video by Andy’s former girlfriend, Lynne Margulies and former writing partner, Bob Zmuda. In Jim & Andy, Carrey looks back at the resulting footage 18 years later, reflecting on how he and Andy came up in oddly parallel universes, his experience channeling Andy and Tony and more broadly the spiritual journey of his career.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond will debut on Netflix November 17. If you haven’t seen Man on The Moon I highly suggest it as well.

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Margot Robbie is Tonya Harding in First ‘I,Tonya’ Teaser

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 19, 2017

I, Tonya is a dramatic biopic about one of the most salacious (and amusing in 2017) scandals in Olympics history. Margot Robbie stars as Tonya Harding, a figure skater accused of sabotaging her rival, Nancy Kerrigan. Some of you are old enough to remember, and those who aren’t old enough should absolutely check out the details somewhere.

The first teaser for I, Tonya is here, and it looks like it might very well have the tone absolutely perfect for such a ridiculous scandal. Check it out:

“Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) was the first American woman to achieve figure skating’s holy grail move, completing a triple axel in competition in 1991. But success on the ice was not always matched with happiness in her personal life. She grew up constantly at odds with her abusive mother and fought for everything she had. Though an accomplished technical skater, pleasing the judges proved tougher and she was criticized for her lack of artistry and unconventional “trailer park” beauty. When she met Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), he provided a long-awaited escape from her mother, an encouraging voice in her corner, and fatefully, connections to a sleazy underworld.”

This has already been picking up some great buzz, and Robbie and Allison Janney as Harding’s awful mother are climbing up the Oscar shortlist for some prognosticators.

I, Tonya opens December 8.

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REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘1922’, Another Stephen King Adaptation, is a Chilling Pastoral Nightmare

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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Stephen King is, once again, dominating the pop culture landscape, mostly for the better (as is the case with IT and Gerald’s Game), sometimes for the worse (The Dark Tower). Luckily the adaptation of his novella, 1922, fits into the former category. It is a film of intense patience and terror, a story of the pastoral dream tearing itself apart from the inside, anchored by Thomas Jane in one of the most compelling performances of his career.

Jane is Wilfred James, a plainspoken Nebraska farmer with a teenage son, Henry (Dylan Schmid), and his wife, Arlette (Molly Parker), who has just been gifted 100 acres of adjoining land by her late father. She wants to sell it, sell the farm, and move into the city. But the city “is for fools” according to Wilfred, who wants to add the 100 acres to his current lot. The disagreement breeds tension and hate, and before long Wilfred has convinced Henry to help him murder Arlette.

It is an outlandish premise on the surface, but the way Wilfred convinces young Henry makes the machinations of the murder more than convincing. The act is messy and brutal, and it sends the family into a downward spiral of moral and emotional decay. Even though he does his best to cover tracks, Wilfred is haunted by the murder, and Henry eventually veers off on his own tragic path with his girlfriend, Shannon (Kaitlyn Bernard). As Wilfred fights back the demons of guilt – and an untold number of invading rodents – director Zak Hilditch leans into the dread. Mike Patton’s score of mournful violins add a layer of despair as things slowly begin to unravel.

Thomas Jane’s career has gone through fits and starts over the years, but with 1922 he seems to have found a role he can sink his clenched teeth into. He is pitch perfect as Wilfred, a simple man poisoned by greed and driven by hate early, only to find the regret overwhelming as the film dissolves into madness. It is a deliberately slow burn, but it works. The King horror tropes – ghosts, guilt, family drama – are all prevalent and the thematics are as clear as day. 1922 is a Stephen King adaptation fans should seek out.

1922 debuts tomorrow on Netflix.

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Watch: ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’ The World Needs to See the Truth

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 19, 2017

Netflix Monday morning released the second trailer for ‘Marvel’s The Punisher,’ titled ‘The World Needs to See the Truth.’

Watch the trailer below:

Again, Metallica’s ‘ONE’ is featured in the trailer. “One” is an anti-war song that portrays a World War I soldier who is severely wounded—Arms and legs blown off from an artillery shell, blind and unable to speak or move—begging God to take his life as he feels constant pain. His only hope is to devise a way to communicate with the hospital staff. In the music video, he jolts in the hospital bed, spelling “Kill me” in Morse code.

About ‘Marvel’s The Punisher’:
After exacting revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife and children, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) uncovers a conspiracy that runs far deeper than New York’s criminal underworld. Now known throughout the city as The Punisher, he must discover the truth about injustices that affect more than his family alone.

The series stars Jon Bernthal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Deborah Ann Woll, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah, Michael Nathanson, Jaime Ray Newman, Jason R Moore, Daniel Webber, and Paul Schulze.

‘Marvel’s The Punisher’ hits Netflix on November 17.

Are you excited for series? Comment below.

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Wednesday Comics: Episode 3 – Oh, CGC…

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 19, 2017

In Episode 4 of Wednesday Comics Ivan and Matt get ready for the spooky season, and special guest Dino Leto explains the evolution of the CGC market.

Watch episode 3 below:

About the show:
Monkeys Fighting Robots has teamed up with Uncanny Heroes in Tampa for a new show – Wednesday Comics. The characters of Wednesday Comics; Ivan Plaza the owner of Uncanny Heroes, Chuck Fenech of Big Red Head Vintage Toys, and Matthew Sardo the founder of Monkeys Fighting Robots.

What are you reading this week? Sound off in the coment section below.

Uncanny Heroes – Tampa
12904 N 56th St
Tampa, FL 33617

Uncanny Heroes – Tampa, FL

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SW-Florida Comic-Con Is Coming To The Sunshine State

By

Manuel Gomez

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October 19, 2017

Florida is no stranger to hosting comic book conventions. Mega-Con has been around for years; Tampa Bay Comic-Con and Magic City Con have become mainstays as well.

We can now add one more convention to that list, as promotor Carmine de Santo is unleashing SW-Florida Comic-Con on the geeks and fans in the Fort Myers area. Carmine took some time off from prepping this inaugural convention to share some quick information with us. Read, enjoy, and make sure to attend SW-Florida Comic-Con when it opens its doors on November 18, 2017!

Monkeys Fighting Robots: So Carmine firs,t of all thanks for taking the time to talk to us at MFR! Is SWFL Comic-Con your first event as a promoter?

Carmine de Santo: No I have been doing comic conventions since 1993 and done over 100 events across North America.

How did you go about organizing this event?

I saw Southwest Florida needed a comic con as I work with local comic stores and get feedback on business.

What about SWFL do you think makes it a good spot for a comic convention?

It’s a great growing community here. We have a lot of local stores and support for this type of convention.

What can people expect from your event?

Lots of vendors, amazing deals and see amazing attractions and celebrity guests from all over for all age generations

What aspect of the convention are you most excited about?

To see the people come out and feedback of our event, we have got amazing feedback and the community is excited to see this event

How long have you been involved in fandom and convention culture? For over 35 years

How has the feedback and interest been so far?

Unbelievable! Everyone is excited and the community has been waiting for this type of show!

What’s your personal favorite convention experience?

To see fans meet the guests and attractions throughout the show.

Personally, I sometimes find mid-sized conventions to be more fun than something HUGE like San Diego. And it’s something I have heard from a lot of other fans. Why do you think that is? Personal time with the guest small is mighty. The personal time with the guests [at small cons] is mighty. [There’s] more attention to the fans [they get to ] be involved.

What is your personal geek passion? Comics? Movies?

I love the old stuff, old golden age comic books

What guests are you most excited for?

I love all the guests we got at the show, it fulfills all generations.

There you have it, folks. Personally, I’m most excited about meeting Fabian Nicienza, Mark Bagley, and The Crow creator James O’Barr! Oh and the ’89 Batmobile! You can get a full list of all the guests at the convention’s official website or Facebook page. Monkeys Fighting Robots will be bringing you full coverage from the event as well as several interviews, so stay tuned for more on SW Florida Comic-Con!

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‘Teen Titans’ Live Action Show Has Found Its Beast Boy!

By

Parish Hodges

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October 18, 2017

DC Entertainment has finally found its Beast Boy. The live action show based on the Teen Titans titled Titans will premiere sometime in 2018. While other main characters like Starfire (Anna Diop), Nightwing (Brenton Thwaites) and Raven (Teagan Croft) have already been named, fans have been waiting to see who will play Beast Boy. After all he is one of the most prominent members of the Titans.

Big Hero 6 star Ryan Potter will be slathered in green paint to make Beast Boy come to life in the live action series. He may be young, but Potter has quite the acting resume. He starred in two seasons of Nickelodeon’s Supah Ninjahs.

Beast Boy was created after contracting the disease Sakutia while still human. To keep him alive, his parents injected him with a serum which turned him green and gave him the ability to turn into any animal.

Other stars of the show include Alan Ritchson as Hawk, and Minka Kelly as Dove. Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter will executive produce.

No specific air date has been set. Check back for more updates

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Advance Review: ‘Brilliant Trash’ Blends Relevance, Superheroes and Cyberpunk

By

Manuel Gomez

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‘Brilliant Trash’ is set in the days to come ,where a super-powered teenage girl wipes the heavily disputed Old City of Jerusalem from the face of the globe. Now, in American dystopia after the “Lady Last Word Incident”, a click-bait headline writing “journalist” holds the key to a med-tech conspiracy that could turn people into gods for the price of days off their lives. But in a world where news is tailored to every viewpoint, will anyone believe her?

Brilliant Trash #1
Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Priscilla Petraites
Colors by: Marco Lesko

Writing

Tim Seeley is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, having written superheroes, horror, spy infused tales and sci-fi. And now in the cyberpunk-ish Brilliant Trash, he has found a way to throw elements from all those genres together and cook up a relevant story that walks the tight-rope line of being both very much of the moment, yet also speculative about what may come as well.

Right from the start, Seeley uses the current 24-hour news cycle nature of the media to grab the reader and bring them into this world he is creating. His mysterious character, Lady Last Word (great name!), addresses the reader in a direct ‘talking head’ news broadcast (think along the lines of V in V For Vendetta). He also cleverly uses Twitter-like feeds to inject humor and satire (an element that positively reminded me of Warren Ellis’ and Darrick Robertson’s Transmetropolitan).

Seeley also chooses to make his protagonists journalists, who more so than ever are probably the closest things we have to crusading investigators. Capricorn and Kennedy are both likable, and their plight draws you suspensefully. They also seem to know as much about what is going on as we do, which is a great narrative device that connects you to the characters. And it’s always great to see more strong, intelligent female characters in comics.

The story itself is pretty complex, dealing with genetic augmentation, terrorism, and religious fanaticism. Heavy topics for what is mostly a superhero comic, but I admire its ambition.

I have to say I was a bit confused at first, but as things started to come together, I started following along better and it all ultimately made sense. Seeley seems to be creating a pretty detailed and intricate story here, and it feels like the kind of thing that will develop slowly and reward those with patience. There’s also plenty of action and a great superpowers fight.

Art

Priscilla Petraites and Marco Lesko create solid visuals that offer clean storytelling and a nice amount of energy. The art follows the pacing of the story, being static and quiet when it needs to, but also opening up in both layout and composition when the action scenes come. There is a nice fight scene in the middle of the issue with some great jagged panels that really stood out and gave the comic a nice sense of style.

Conclusion

Brilliant Trash still needs time to grow and develop its story, but I found this premier issue to hold enough interesting ideas and characters to make me want to continue reading it. If AfterShock continues to add these kinds of genre-bending titles to the medium of comics, they will continue to be a welcome publisher to the sequential art industry.

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***This review contains spoilers***

Writing

Art

Conclusion

Writing

Art

Conclusion

This review contains spoilers