Another fan favorite is leaving the popular CBS series. Pauley Perrette announced Wednesday (Oct. 4) on Twitter that she’s leaving the show after this current season.
“So, it is true that I am leaving NCIS after this season.” Perrette who’s been on the show since season one also addressed rumors that have been going around as to why she’s leaving the show.
“There have been all kinds of false stories as to why (NO I DON’T HAVE A SKIN CARE LINE AND NO MY NETWORK AND SHOW ARE NOT MAD AT ME!). It was a decision made last year. I hope everyone will love and enjoy EVERYTHING ABBY not only for the rest of this season but for everything she has given all of for 16 years. All the love, all the laughter, all the inspiration… I love her as much as you do.”
Pauley Perrette Twitter
Perrette played quirky forensic specialist Abby Sciuoto. She’s the second original cast member to leave the show and the third over all in the past four years. Cote de Pablo left in 2013, while Michael Weatherly left in 2016
Only the Brave is a movie about firefighters who battle forest fires, and it sure seems to be about as generic as the title. It stars Josh Brolin and Miles Teller, and it hits all the predictable notes… at least in this first trailer.
See for yourself:
All men are created equal… then, a few become firefighters. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it – they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.
Apparently, Granite Mountain Hotshots was the original title. And it is a badass title. But somewhere some suit thought that would be too confusing for audiences or some shit, so they added a dash of patriotism, and replaced Granite Mountain Hotshots with what sounds like an early 2000s Kevin Costner action movie title.
The cast here is amazing, really. Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch, and Jennifer Connelly as the stock “distraught wife at home” character. The mysticism is interesting, and maybe Only the Brave will transcend its terrible title. We will see when it opens October 20.
X-Men: Gold #13 hits shelves this week, being the first X-Men title of Marvel Legacy. A new era for the publisher sees our mutant heroes tossed into the ratings obsessed madness of Mojo.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
“Mojo Worldwide” starts off with Mojo tricking a large chunk of the X-Men into facing off against their “greatest hits.” Rachel Summers is at the center of the issue, she’s been going through some strange changes after unleashing more of her potential power.
Mojo separates the mutants into teams and throws them into different eras of X-Men comic history. More obsessed with ratings than Donald Trump, he broadcasts his deadly game across the globe.
This first crossover between the two main X-Books promises to be a classic tale with the vibe of X-Men in the 90s. There will no doubt be politically charged moments at some point. Hopefully Guggenheim and Bunn can tastefully execute and not hit us over the head with political satire and easy jabs.
I know the mission statement of both ResurreXion and Marvel Legacy was to return characters to their former glory, and I appreciate that. However, the amount of times in the last three months that I’ve seen mutants playing baseball is absurd.
This could be a communication breakdown between creative teams, but seriously tone it down. You would think baseball was the only thing that made Claremont’s run so memorable with how many times we’ve already seen X-Men take the field.
With the massive roster of mutants at Guggenheim’s disposal, including some duplicates, its impressive how he juggles them. Everybody gets a moment, everyone has a part to play.
X-Men: Gold has been getting better with every issue, this crossover story has the potential to kick the title into overdrive.
One thing I’m hoping for is a solution to the duplicate problem. Jimmy Hudson and Bloodstorm could possibly find a new place to call home in this multi-versal adventure.
Despite being one of too many Wolverines, Jimmy’s scene with Old Man Logan was a delightful moment. Guggenheim addresses the elephant in the room without inciting an eye roll.
Silly and ridiculous family trees come with the comic book territory, especially when it comes to X-Men history. Keeping continuity intact without losing readers in the insanity is a balancing act Guggenheim seems to have no problem performing.
There are pros and cons to this art style. Certain characters look fantastic with this almost-cell-shaded texture, like Mojo and most of the human looking X-Men. It does no favors for Colossus, who looks like a T-1000, especially without the plate lines usually drawn on his metal skin.
For the most part, it’s a visually satisfying issue. There’s a lot of fun had in the various wardrobe changes, like Cyclops wearing Logan’s famous Days Of Future Past jacket.
This is a jumping on point, thirteen issues after a jumping on point. X-Men comics are fun and colorful again, X-Men: Gold is a true testament to that. “Mojo Worldwide” has all the potential in the world to be exactly what fans want from both ResurreXion and Marvel Legacy.
The Joker and Ridder’s violent war finally comes to an end as Riddler’s master plan is revealed. But it all backfires, as the Joker truly gets the last laugh. And with the end of the story told, Bruce Wayne finally reveals to Selina Kyle his darkest secret, his greatest failure as Batman. It’s a shocking moment that will forever change the dynamic for all of them.
Batman #32 “The War Of Jokes and Riddles” Conclusion Written by: Tom King Art by: Mikel Janin Inks by: Mikel Janin Colors by: June Chung Lettered by: Clayton Cowles
***WARNING THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS***
Writing
Holy shit! That was my first reaction when I finished this issue. Those of you who have been reading this arc know that it’s been building to some kind of huge reveal of an ending, and yes, of course, Catwoman’s answer to the marriage proposal was the bait. But as big as her saying “yes” is, it still wasn’t at the heart of what this arc has really been about (and that detail was spoiled two days ago anyway). What I wasn’t expecting, what makes Tom King instantly one of the most important writers to ever tackle the Dark Knight, is her answer isn’t the only game-changing thing we get. The actual big reveal here is that Batman, early in his career, straight out crossed a line he thought he never would. He fully intended to kill Riddler. He picked up a knife and plunged with all his strength, only to have the Joker put a hand up and stop it from happening. Tom King, in his tenure, has shown us multiple facets of Bruce Wayne; and now he has shown us one rarely if ever, glimpsed. Batman losing control of his emotions, of his actions. Specifically showing us his vulnerability. It’s character-defining, career-high work being done by one of the industry’s best writers in one of the mediums best books.
He has also changed the dynamic of Joker, Riddler, and Batman. If you’ve read the entirety of ‘The War of Jokes and Riddles’, you know Joker had not laughed at all (a fantastic detail that actually made Joker MORE creepy). But now Batman owes the Joker. In stopping him from killing Riddler, Joker essentially saved the Dark Knight’s life. It’s the ultimate joke for the Clown Prince of Crime, the one that finally gets him to laugh, and possibly the one he will continue to laugh at forever.
Riddler is also changed. His whole motive, to get Joker to laugh, shows him to be as disturbed as any member of Gotham’s Rogues can be. He is as much an agent of chaos as Joker is and his whole “I’m always in control” smartest guy in the room demeanor actually hides huge levels of insanity.
And in the end, for Selina, it’s not her answer that that proves her love for Bruce. It’s why she says yes. Her monologue at the end is one of the best pieces of writing I have read from King, and it opens her up in a way I haven’t seen before. This scene at the end is a touching and beautiful sequence that at its base is about just two damaged, vulnerable and lonely people finally coming together.
Art
The art here is a masterclass in pacing and emotions; from the opening two-page spread, a symmetrical grid illustrating many of the victims that died in the course of the s story, to the poignant final full-page image of Catwoman saying yes with tear and make up stained eyes. Mikel Janin is also doing some of the best work of his career.
The coloring really stands out in the bookend scenes with Bruce and Selina. These scenes, bathed in deep blues and dark shadows, really bring out the intimacy of what is going on between the two.
If I had to pick a favorite moment it’s the splash page when Joker final laughs. It’s the perfect combination of pencils, inks, coloring, and lettering. It has great composition and a fantastic layout. It’s worthy of being a framed piece of art.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, any of Tom King’s runs is worthy of being a classic. But ‘The War of Jokes and Riddles’ will be remembered as extra special. It’s one of those arcs, and this is one of those issues, that will be mentioned, written about and talked about when comic fans discuss moments that changed a character forever. It’s really up there with The Killing Joke and The Dark Knight Returns in the pantheon of Batman comics.
The recent arrival of Star Trek: Discovery got us thinking about the nature of television and the many reasons given as to why Star Trek can’t be more like it used to be. Officially, this is an op-ed calling complete and utter bullshit on many of those reasons. To be clear, this is not a review of Discovery, nor is it saying Discovery is a terrible show. After watching the one measly half-episode CBS aired there’s not much to be for or against. However, time and again people say Star Trek has to change with the times, which makes sense, except the times haven’t changed as much as we think.
11. Episodic TV Is Dead.
Really? Sure, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones are the shows that get a lot of attention. But consider all the shows on TV. Consider that NCIS is in its 15th season. Bones just finished 12 seasons. Big Bang Theory is a juggernaut. All these shows are, for the most part, entirely episodic. Tune into any random episode of NCIS, and you’ll likely not need to know much about what came before. The point is, the vast majority of TV shows are episodic, so why can’t Star Trek keep those roots? And that’s not to say you can’t add season-long arcs. Look at shows like The Flash which has a season arc, but individual episodes are, for the most part, self-contained. Deep Space Nine did a similar thing back in the mid-90s and is considered one of the best Trek shows ever.
22. Action Is A Must.
Really? Let’s look at Game of Thrones to bust this myth. Is Game of Thrones an “action” show? If you said yes then you only remember something like the Battle of the Bastards, also known as the typical one big action set-piece of the season. Ninety percent of GoT is talking, character building, creating small stories within the larger story that adds to the whole. There is little to no action in Game of Thrones. On most network shows, there is also only brief periods of action. Fact is, what makes a TV show great, are story and character. Intrigue. Performances. The Flash is downright silly most of the time, but Gustin Grant makes viewers care about the exploits of Barry Allen and company. No show does this better than GoT which creates a sense of empathy for our heroes and then challenges it over and over — mostly always with “boring” dialogue.
33. Everything Has To Be Gritty.
Really? Consider every show on TV and now consider how many of them are truly gritty, or dark, or heavy with dramatic weight. Some of the most popular hour-long dramas on TV are not any of those things. This Is Us is real and touches on some heavy themes about life, but it’s not depressing or dark. NCIS, 15 years in the running, dims a teeny bit to darkness only rarely when the story calls for it. Stranger Things has a horror vibe but is mostly an adventure science fiction show with kids. Orange Is The New Black as the most improbably well-lit prison, has plenty of humor, but also heavy themes that aren’t done in a gritty way.
It might be easy to categorize Dark, Netflix’s new creepy-looking thriller, as a sort of Stranger Things offshoot. But this first trailer indicates things are much more disturbing and, well, dark.
See for yourself:
Louis Hofmann, one of the actors in Dark, discussed a few details about the story with Deadline:
“The story is about four families that are being sent on a frantic hunt after two children disappear. I am part of one family, of course… My character Jonas is very introverted and has recently lost his father that has, in a mysterious way, killed himself. Mikkel disappears, the little child. That’s where it all starts. Jonas is then trying to reveal a big family secret.”
Yes, on the surface maybe it echoes certain elements of Stranger Things, but this seems more threatening and less concerned with humor and nostalgia.
Dark takes place in Germany, and it will be in the native language. It drops on Netflix December 1. Count me in.
Kate Winslet and Justin Timberlake headline an incredible cast in Wonder Wheel, the latest from Woody Allen. Judging from this trailer, there seems to be more on this story’s mind than what we typically get from Allen.
Check out the trailer:
We’re in Coney Island in the 1950s. A lifeguard (Justin Timberlake) tells us a story that just might be filtered through his vivid imagination: a middle-aged carousel operator (James Belushi) and his beleaguered wife (Kate Winslet), who eke out a living on the boardwalk, are visited by his estranged daughter (Juno Temple)—a situation from which layer upon layer of all-too-human complications develop.
Winslet, Timberlake, Juno Temple, and James Belushi play the central quartet here. But if you notice, about half of the surviving members of The Sopranos appear to be here as well., including Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa, and Max Casella.
Personally, I enjoy the more suspenseful Woody Allen films, a la Match Point, my favorite of his in the 2000s. Sure, the mere thought of Woody Allen turns people off, but if you’re able to compartmentalize things in your head, this one looks highly entertaining.
Wonder Wheel is the latest feature to come from the ever-expanding Amazon Studios. It’s running at this month’s New York Film Festival, and will open in theaters December 1.
Welcome to the fifteenth episode of the Comic Show by Monkeys Fighting Robots! We are unpacking Marvel Legacy #1 with Marvel expert Brandon Griffin…was it worth the hype? We’re also discussing Batman #32, the finale to “The War of Jokes and Riddles”, INCLUDING CATWOMAN’S ANSWER TO BATMAN’S MARRIAGE PROPOSAL! Is the world’s most eligible Caped Crusader off the market?
04:50 – Marvel Legacy #1 with beat reporter Brandon Griffin Anthony – 3.75 Monkeys
Matt – 3 Robots
Brandon – 4.4 Robots
41:00 – Batman #32 – The end of “The War of Jokes and Riddles” and Catwoman’s answer to Batman’s marriage proposal! Anthony – 4.2 Monkeys
Matt – 3.5 Robots
Thank you for listening!
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Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show? Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.
Slots #1 from Image Comics comes out this week. It’s an all-new series from creator, writer, and artist Dan Panosian.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Stanley Dance is a total scumbag. He’s a fifty-three year old charmer living scam-to-scam. Finding himself in a tight spot, and out of luck, he heads back to Las Vegas looking for a new gig.
We don’t know many things for sure about our main character’s previous adventures. Panosian lays the first round of clues to Stanley’s checkered past in a cleverly subtle fashion. This isn’t going to be a book that spells anything out for readers. Stanley clearly has some sort of connection to “Lady Luck”, whether it be manipulation or random we’ll have to keep reading to find out.
The issue is broken up into four chapters, introducing us to a handful of instantly likable supporting characters. Slots being a book that takes place in Vegas, the cast should blur the line between caring and chaos. Panosian flawlessly unveils a cast of lifelike people, all damaged in their own special way.
The visual style of the book is one of the strongest elements. Its dirty pulp appeal us a perfect match for the setting and atmosphere. There should be a lot of strong jaw-lines and spectacular wardrobe choices. Slots feels like a movie that George Clooney would be dying to direct if he hadn’t already starred in the Ocean’s movies.
There are mysteries at every turn. From the truck tailing Stanley around town, to the buried box of sentiment and bullets, little tasty narrative crumbs litter the whole book. The only thing for sure is that I’ll be checking out the next issue, color me hooked.
I was delighted to reach the end of this first issue and find no supernatural or demonic reveal. If this first issue is any indication, Slots can survive by being the sleazy Sin City pulp that it is, and I sincerely hope that Dan Panosian knows that.
Whenever I talk to people about this series, there’s quite a few who don’t keep up with it. I don’t blame them; there are a ton of universe-altering events in the other books. The closest stories those events were in were Multiplicity (where a multiverse invader tries to capture all the Supermen of the multiverse), and Superman Reborn, which also took place in Action Comics. Personally, I prefer these shorter stories that convey messages and this issue is no exception.
**SOME SPOILERS BELOW**
Story:
After Lois Lane gets an interview with Deathstroke, the assassin uses this opportunity to draw out Superman. He’s under contract for a mystery client who wants to test if Superman has a “breaking point.”
This point is the moment where Superman will snap and kill someone, so Deathstroke isn’t holding back. This leads to a few encounters between the Man of Steel and the world’s greatest assassin, which are actually pretty entertaining!
While I like the concept, I feel like this kind of story should have happened near the beginning of this series. The mystery client, who will remain anonymous in this article, has seen Superman in action before. If the client is choosing NOW to measure his “breaking point,” they are really bad at their job.
Preferred timeline aside, we have an interesting story does a fantastic job at giving insight into the positive and negative aspects of their personalities. While Superman sticks to his code of no killing, Deathstroke rationalizes the point of killing to shape history. It’s fascinating to have these two characters on opposite ends of the moral spectrum to compare and contrast with one another.
Art:
If you’re a fan of the art in the Suicide Run and Family Business storylines of Deathstroke’s 2015 run, then you’ll be a fan of this issue. Tyler Kirkham has worked on both Superman and Deathstroke comics in the past and his skills continue to shine here. The style here allows the characters to demonstrate a broad range of emotions, making the comic almost feel alive when you read it. The coloring of this issue, courtesy of Arif Prianto, really makes the characters pop off the page. It especially shows when it comes to the uniforms and powers of the Man of Steel, as well as Deathstroke. The burning red eyes of Superman are actually quite intimidating, thanks to the colors and design of the page.
Conclusion:
This issue was phenomenal. The writing was strong, the art was beautiful, and the action was entertaining. While I don’t know when this story will pay off (as next issue, the superfamily goes off planet), I hope we can get another great story with these two soon.
Issue Description:
“BREAKING POINT” Part 2
Deathstroke has come to Metropolis… and he’s got his sights set on Superman. Slade Wilson gives the Man of Steel an impossible choice: maintain his ideals and let the love of his life die, or save Lois Lane and become a killer himself. Will Deathstoke push Superman to his breaking point?
