Why is Castle of Cagliostro at the same time the greatest and worst thing ever? This review should begin with a clarification. The Castle of Cagliostro is incredible. It is the one anime over the years I have dedicated myself to buying no matter what form I find it in. At this point if I were to find a VHS or LaserDisc copy I would still buy them to add to my library.
So how can such a movie which is so entertaining have any downside? Time to do a little investigation.
Writing
For those who don’t know the Castle of Cagliostro was Director Hayao miyazaki’s first film. Before he went on to make all his other infamous films, Miyazaki started by doing a simple movie based on the anime and manga series, Lupin the 3rd. The result was one of the best Lupin stories ever. Toning down his usual horndog nature and making him into more of a Robin Hood figure Lupin sets out to discover the mystery behind the Goat Bills and ends up having to rescue a princess from a far-off castle who is about to be wed to an evil Madman.
What comes from this adventure is one of the most entertaining films ever made. The viewer doesn’t even have to be a fan of the Lupin the 3rd to enjoy this film (more on this later). The simply story of investigating after a robbery goes wrong reveals a deeper mystery and a lot of fun along the way.
Animation
This film is filled with breathtaking visuals. The imagery has aged well and still is as beautiful and full of detail as it was when it first came out. This is one of those movies you can watch again and again and still discover something you didn’t catch before. Whether it’s the way the water ripples on a pond or the use of color to illustrate the peaceful countryside. It’s the kind of intense attention to detail which would help Miyazaki to make his mark with Studio Ghibli.
Music
The film opens with a great song called “Fire Treasure.” It’s a melancholy song which sets up for the journey the characters are about to go on. From there the background songs help to change the tone as needed to make scenes feel tense at the right moment, energized during others, and enjoyable throughout the entire experience.
Conclusion
Unfortunately the fact is this movie is just too good. Too many fans prefer this version of Lupin as A gentleman thief over being a lecherous pervert just out to make a quick score. It has resulted in many preferring this version of the character more than the original. Series creator Monkey Punch has gone on record saying he is not a fan of this series of this movie because it’s not the Lupin the 3rd he envisioned. Maybe there are some episodes or movies which attempt to capture the same magic of this film but unfortunately they don’t succeed. Still, this shouldn’t deter anyone from enjoying the Castle of Cagliostro. Though this is the only time we see Lupin the 3rd in this light, it’s the kind of standout adventure which everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime as it leaves a lasting performance.
Castle of Cagliostro was presented in theaters by Fathom Events. An Encore Presentation will be shown on September 19th.
The latest episode, Morty’s Mind Blowers, is a somewhat simpler concept than what we’ve seen this season thus far. But, as per usual, even a “simpler” episode of Rick and Morty is pure genius.
It’s difficult to top last week’s episode of Rick and Morty, The Ricklantis Mix-up, which truly showed off the complexity of the series’ multiverse, and of possible dark things to come.
So, here’s a rundown of what happened in the latest episode.
And yes, there are spoilers, so come back after you’ve watched the episode. Okay?
AND AWAY WE GO!
This episode is a version of Interdimensional Cable taken to a new level. In Morty’s Mind Blowers, the show opens with Rick and Morty in a staircase maze, like something out of Labyrinth or an M.C. Escher painting. The two are being chased by an all-too-familiar looking gothic personification of dreams, Morty stares into the eyes of the Truth Tortoise, giving him the knowledge of, well, everything.
Quick cut back to the Smith residents, and Morty cannot take knowing everything anymore. He begs Rick to erase the memories from his mind.
Rick, naturally, takes him to a laboratory which is the archive of all of their experiences that Morty asked him to remove from his life. Rick, naturally, decides to show these to him instead of a nice afternoon of Interdimensional Cable.
The first memory, which Rick proudly calls “Moonspiracy,” is when Morty sees a man on the moon while looking through a telescope. No one in his family believes that he saw a threatening “regular man” up there. Turns out the man is Morty’s new guidance counselor with unknown motives. Morty believes he is up to something, and tells Principal Vagina (no relation). The principal confronts Mr. Lunas, eventually punching him in the face and firing him, believing that moon man is code for pedophile. Morty finds out that Mr. Lunas killed himself, which Morty regrets.
The next memory has Rick and Morty trapped in a massive prison with a massive alien who collects living specimens. Morty claims he is willing to do just about anything to escape. Rick abides, and sends a signal to scientists listening for extraterrestrial activity. They are ecstatic to receive Rick’s message, with specific directions and coordinates. When the scientists arrive, Rick convinces them that he and Morty are ethereal beings, taking human form, and are in need of their transport ship. He thanks them for finding them and saving them, offering their clothes as gratitude. Rick and Morty hop in the scientists’ ship and teleport away, switching places with them in the cell.
The next memory is entitled, “the whole enchilada.” An alien overlord drops by while Rick and Morty are grocery shopping, wanting Rick to kill him so he can go to his heaven, but not before some lunch. After Rick leaves for just a moment, Morty and the alien discuss the afterlife, and the possibility of there might not being one. The alien is baffled by this, never considering the fact that his beliefs might just be run-of-the-mill blind faith. The overlord now does not want to die, fleeing the restaurant in a panic, only to get hit by a car and taken to a horrible hell. At least there is something after death, right??
Poop Aids_Copy. Beth is forced into a Sophie’s choice scenario, but chooses Summer without giving much thought. Thankfully, Rick portals in to save everyone.
Next Morty is possessed by some kind of demonic worm, which slowly and excruciatingly takes its time to be purged from him.
NEXT, Rick and Morty on a serene planet, but need to find shelter before nightfall, fearing they will freeze to death. Rick has no choice but to slice open their beloved Tauntaun-type beast, only to discover it was the wrong planet.
An escape from a gun fight on a spaceship leads to a grammatical discussion, which Morty, surprisingly to both, wins. Rick won’t have any of that, and erases Morty’s memory of the conversation.
But then, the episode takes a turn. The two fight over Rick taking advantage of the mind eraser, and both get blasted by the gun, forgetting their entire identities. Rick, the genius that he is, is able to decipher that the vials that fill the room contain memories, and use one on Morty to help them figure out who they really are.
More mind blowers are shown, including:
Morty entranced by standing on Rick’s truly leveled floor.
A simple flick of the wrong light switch causes Rick and Morty to go to some stasis chamber on another planet, where Morty accidentally turned off the life support.
Morty uses a Dr. Dolittle device, where he can understand what the animals on his street are saying. The squirrels figure out Morty’s secret, causing them to seek and destroy the one who can understand them. Rick is able to temporarily paralyze the squirrels, verbally chastising Morty for causing the squirrel incursion. They are forced to move to another reality.
Morty keeps injecting himself with these painful memories that he initially wanted to forget, which makes him a tad suicidal. Rick, also unhappy, joins in on the now group suicide.
And BIG TWIST, this has already happened before, a few times, as Summer pointed out. She has the instructions to how to given them back their proper memories, and forgetting the entire mind blowers scenario ever happened.
Never take Summer for granted.
Final thoughts:
While not as complex and thought-provoking as the previous episode, Morty’s Mind Blowers is a fun trip down (forgotten) memory lane. It takes the Interdimensional Cable format and doesn’t spoil it the third time around. Instead, it makes for a fresh, clever, and utterly hilarious episode of Rick and Morty.
What did you think of Morty’s Mind Blowers? Share your thoughts in the comments!
As the fall TV season is almost upon us news on all of our favorite upcoming shows has begun to trickle out. Marc Guggenheim, executive producer on the CW’s Arrowverse (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl), has always been a fan of teasing fans and he recently did again with the below Tweet.
Another Arrowverse Crossover tease. The Legends hour of the crossover officially begins prep today. pic.twitter.com/ymSV1jQtde
That sure as hell looks like the mask worn by Wesley Dodds aka The Golden Age Sandman! Not to be confused with Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, Dodds was a more traditional pulp hero (ala The Shadow) who fought crime in a gas mask and used a sleeping gas shooting gun, his knowledge of chemistry and keen detective skills to battle gangsters and supervillains alike. He was also a member of the Justice Society Of America (who have already been featured in the Arrowverse). The character did have his own DC/Vertigo title, Sandman Mystery Theater, in the 90s. The 70-issue mature reader’s book, written by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, with art by Guy Davis, John Watkiss and more was told in a stylized film noir fashion and set in the 1930s.
What do you guys think of this exciting reveal? Is Dodds a good choice for the show(s)? And what other classic DC characters would you like to see join the Arrowverse? Comment and discuss below!
Time for some hardcore subjective list-making! This summer wasn’t exactly the best summer movie season in recent years, but there were still some damn good films. From the big superhero movies to the offbeat indie darlings, and those random Oscar movies that debuted ahead of the traditional award season, moviegoers could still find something worth watching. But for every good film, there’s a movie that makes us question if Hollywood is doomed to crash into blazing hellfire before we banish it to Limbo. Now, the best and the worst of this strange 2017 summer….
Close Calls
Why No Cookie, Roman?
Almost made the top 10:
War for the Planet of the Apes
Girls Trip
Barely spared from the bottom 10
Batman and Harley Quinn
Despicable Me 3
10. ‘Gunslingers and Bombmakers’
WORST – The Dark Tower
Oh no, oh no, oh no.
Apparently, this was based on the classic Stephen King novel, but any resemblance to the fan favorite series is hard to find, besides being called The Dark Tower. The audience for this movie about a gunslinger fighting a being “worse than the devil” seemed to be preteen boys. The movie was a mess of exposition and boring action, and a waste of good casting. This is one series we already need a reboot for. Thankfully, It gave us the Stephen King movie we deserved. (King Arthur movie 1 of 3)
BEST – Logan Lucky
Bang. Joe Bang.
In 2013, Soderbergh retired from directing, tired of the movie business. Thankfully, he returned for Logan Lucky, which is almost a farce on his own heist films, the Ocean’s trilogy. Ocean’s Eleven was sleek and polished. The characters all had style and wit. The masterminds in Logan Lucky are far removed from the tailored suits and wit that Danny Ocean and his crew exhibited. Instead, we get a misfit crew of mostly idiots who are more likely to blow themselves up than steal a million dollars—or even ten dollars. But the way Soderbergh tells this story makes it not just smarter than Ocean’s Eleven, but more emotional too. In Ocean’s Eleven, we want Danny Ocean to get away with the heist because he’s cool. In Logan Lucky, we cheer for Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) because we feel for him. Also, Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) is amazing.
9. ‘Bots and Blondes’
Worst – Transformers: The Last Knight
On set picture of Michael Bay running out of fucks.
All things considered, this was one of the better entries in the Transformers franchise. And it was still a barely developed mess with mostly boring action. The first Transformers set up most of these characters, and it was fun. But Michael Bay doesn’t seem to understand that sequels can’t just be bigger, they need to delve deeper. Everything in Transformers 2-5 feels like deleted scenes that could have been in the first movie and not miss a cue. (King Arthur movie 2 of 3)
BEST – Atomic Blonde
The only person John Wick is afraid of.
Charlize Theron is the most badass woman in Hollywood. Between this and Mad Max: Fury Road, she’s earned that title. Atomic Blonde had the action style of John Wick with the neo-Noir of The Dark Knight and the Punk Rock vibes of Trainspotting all rolled into one brilliant experience. And with the small budget and decent success, we’ll hopefully get more movies with the Blonde.
8. ‘Enemies and Egos’
WORST – The Hitman’s Bodyguard
This is what you paid for, basically.
The most disappointing aspect of this movie isn’t that it was just a generic action comedy, it’s that the marketing was brilliant and then it turned out to be a generic action comedy. How did they have Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds in an action comedy and they were both remarkably bland. Selma Hayek was the only one who seemed to care about making the movie what the marketing promised it to be, but she’s not in it enough to steal the movie and make it better.
BEST – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
I Am Merchandise Sales!
While Vol 1 surprised us with how good it was, Vol 2 is better. Vol 2 does exactly what Michael Bay couldn’t figure out how to do in four Transformers sequels—develops the characters WHILE giving us a fun show. Every character gets more depth here, and James Gunn doesn’t sacrifice poop jokes, cool music, or brilliant action to do it. It improves on the original AND has Kurt Russel as Ego. This is how you make a sequel.
7. ‘Carribeans and Comas’
WORST – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Could we just fire Johnny Depp? Please?
Why. Why do they keep trying? Why was Jack Sparrow even in this movie, or hell, the last two movies, when he’s not even the main character anymore. Seriously, watch this and On Stranger Tides—Jack Sparrow is completely inconsequential to the plot. He’s just there. And he’s not doing the movie any favors. It’s like “Oh cool, Captain Barbosa is back! Oh damn it, why is Johnny Depp here?!” Barbosa, again, is the only part of the movie worth a damn. In one moment he saves it from being in the bottom 5 of the year. But it’s a spoiler, so if you do watch it, at least you’ll have that moment.
BEST – The Big Sick
Can you believe how adorable we are together?
This year’s quirky indie dramedy! It’s an incredible true story, and explores the dynamic culture differences between Pakistan and America in a way that doesn’t just educate American audiences, but makes them empathize as well. There won’t be a movie with this much heart coming out this year, and if there is, that might be too much. And Ray Romano isn’t insufferable in it! Who knew he had it in him.
6. ‘Goldie Hawns and Gold Records’
WORST – Snatched
Over there is where your career used to be.
Poor Goldie Hawn. She was clearly having a fun time filming this, but the movie was just not that funny. Wait. Let’s back up. Joan Cusack owned this movie. A spinoff with her and Wanda Sykes would be great. But Amy Schumer just did not hold her own with Hawn, Sykes, and Cusak. Maybe a better director would have helped. The story could have worked.
BEST – Baby Driver
Bellbottoms! Bellbottoms!
The opening scene of this movie alone would put Baby Driver in anyone’s Top Summer list (we’ll have to see about year). The mix of music and action is handled brilliantly, and Edgar Wright’s style is unmistakable. There might be a little style over substance, and it gets slightly formulaic towards the end, but 90% of the film is wonderfully original. And we’ll have “Bellbottoms” stuck in our heads for the rest of the year.
5. ‘Outer Space and Inner Spider’
WORST – Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
How you look after 2.5 hours of being punched in the genitals
Imagine your celebrity crush said they wanted to go home with you. They give you a special look, whisper something sexy in your ear. You’re ready for the best experience of your life and eagerly get into bed with them. They lean in to kiss you and then straight up punch you in the genitals and laugh at you. That’s what watching Valerian feels like. It had all the signs of being a brilliant movie, but just punched us in the genitals instead.
BEST – Spider-Man: Homecoming
We totally just saved a franchise.
We finally got the Sider-Man movie we deserved. Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man, hands down. Michael Keaton delivered one of the best Marvel Villains in the entire cinematic universe. And Marvel didn’t insult us with explaining how Peter Parker became Spider-Man…again. And, much like we got better development for Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War, we got the same here. Tony is becoming a more rounded character as a supporting role in Phase 3 than the three Iron Man and two Avengers movies in Phases 1 and 2.
4. ‘Mission Failure and Mission Accomplished’
WORST – The Mummy
Hello, my name is useless
Imagine if the Brendan Fraser Mummy had a child with Mission Impossible 2. If you picture an abomination that needs to be killed with fire, you have essentially seen The Mummy. Universal thought this would start a new shared Universe of monsters. Russell Crowe shows up as the dumbest version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde we’ve ever seen, and it makes about as much sense as this movie existing in the first place. It’s almost like Tom Cruise so desperately wishes he was Iron Man that he took whatever shared universe was left.
BEST – Dunkirk
Your face for 100 minutes
While Dunkirk might not be Christopher Nolan’s best film, his experimentation with time narratives created one of the most intense war movies since Saving Private Ryan. It’s a very British film, which for Americans means we can’t wait for subtitles. But there’s not much dialogue anyway, focusing more on the rescue than on needless speeches. We get to know each character by how they react rather than long monologues. Of all the movies on this list, this film will be studied the most.
3. ‘Immigrants and Natives’
WORST – Beatriz At Dinner
Lithgow just realized he’s in a “serious” movie.
Everyone has that friend who thinks they are much cleverer than they are, but the entire time you’re listening to them, you’re just like “sure, dude. Okay.” Beatriz At Dinner thinks it’s a smart commentary on wealthy conservatives oppressing working-class immigrants, but it’s not. It’s more like someone found an SNL skit and tried to make a serious movie out of it, and just to give it an extra Indie drama punch, gave it an ambiguous ending. But it’s not smart. There’s no nuance or subtlety, and the politics are about as complicated as a high school Freshman first learning about society.
BEST – Wind River
I’ll take that nomination now
The person who deserves the most credit here is Taylor Sheridan, the writer/director. Sheridan also wrote Sicario and Hell or High Water. This time he directs too, and he makes a near-perfect murder mystery. His Native American reservation drama strikes a chord with every scene. It’s a painful movie, and it’s impossible not to feel invested from the opening scene to the very end.
2. ‘Arthur and Affleck’
WORST – King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
How can I disgrace this Legend?
Dark Tower had a descendant of King Arthur. In Transformers: The Last Knight, the heroes needed to find Arthur’s sword or something? Who cares? But we also got an actual King Arthur movie…and it sucked. It sucked hard. It’s like Michael Bay directed Lord of the Rings, but since it’s worse than a Michael Bay movie on the Wost-of part of this list, maybe that’s not fair. Guy Ritchie thought he could direct King Arthur the way Matthew Vaughn directed Layer Cake. It didn’t work. At all. But it wasn’t the worst movie of the year. Not even by a longshot.
BEST – A Ghost Story
If this doesn’t win the Oscar for best costume design, the Oscars are broken.
So far, A Ghost Story is the most beautiful film of the year. It’s atmospheric, haunting, and lovely. Rooney Mara manages to make a scene where she’s eating pie feel like you’re having your heart ripped out. And Casey Affleck does his best acting under a bed sheet. It’s certainly going to be one of the best indie movies of the year. And to think, this is from the same director that brought us Pete’s Dragon. That’s range.
1. ‘Writer refuses to link these movies together’
WORST – Baywatch
I don’t know how to save this movie, guys
Very rarely is a movie so irredeemable that it’s hard to know where to begin to explain just how bad it is. Sure, not a single joke lands. Obviously, the plot is stupid. The acting is horrendous. Dwayne Johnson, who always looks like he’s just thrilled to be in a movie, looks like he’s getting a fistulotomy on his dick. And then there’s the weird fact that the only villains who die are the minority ones. Yeah, that’s not problematic at all, is it? And we live in a world where 21 Jump Street worked so well that they did it twice. Baywatch had no excuse to be this bad, but it was. It might be the worst film of the decade.
BEST – Wonder Woman
I have come to save the DCU
This shouldn’t be a surprise. Wonder Woman finally got her big screen debut, and it was everything we could have asked for and more. Gal Gadot brought Princess Diana to life with fury and grace. Wonder Woman is a game changer for the superhero movie industry but in a way that should be an embarrassment to both Marvel and DC. It proved a female superhero could make money. Really? They were willing to take risks on Green Lantern (which bombed) and Guardians of the Galaxy (which did not bomb, but still) and an R-rated Deadpool before making a movie of one of the greatest female icons ever. And it was a damn good movie. Wonder Woman rekindled fans’ faith in the DCU. Hopefully, she will anchor many future films.
What is your favorite film from the summer of 2017? Comment below.
One-hundred-plus years of filmmaking provides a long, rich, and deep history to look back on. Retro reviews and analysis of old films are practically necessary full-time specialties. Month after month, films release, vying to make as much money and attention as possible. Some rise, some fall, but regardless of financial success, it’s never a sign of a lasting effect. A great example is the little-mentioned 2012 film released just eight years ago. 2012 made nearly 800 million dollars and effectively vanished off the face of the earth.
So, where does that leave past box office champs? Let’s take a look back ten, twenty, and thirty years ago at the biggest movies released in September.
1Fatal Attraction
Thirty years ago the movie landscape was radically different. Adults were the primary group to hit the cineplex and the movies reflected that. Fatal Attraction is a perfect example. The thriller featured Michael Douglas as Dan Gallagher, a married Manhattan lawyer who has a weekend fling with Alex Forrest played by Glenn Close. Though the two agree it’s just a fling, Alex cannot let it end and continues to pursue Dan.
As our own Larry Taylor puts it, Fatal Attraction gave birth to the “Yuppie Thriller.” Fatal Attraction was a rare mix of commercial and critical success, even receiving Oscar nominations among other awards and accolades.
2LA Confidential
It’s 1953, and the L.A. police force is brutal and corrupt. Along comes Sergeant Edmund “Ed” Exley who is seeking to live up to the legacy of his law enforcement father and plays by the rules. The other cops don’t like the new guy. Ed doesn’t help himself by taking a case regarding corrupt police officers. However, Ed doesn’t care; he wants to be a great cop. LA Confidential features a richly layered story with an old school feel and a lot of twists and turns that keep the momentum going.
Looking back on LA Confidential, the cast alone is something out of this world. Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Russel Crowe, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger and James Cromwell. A lot of acting power met with a tightly-written film directed with noir deft by Curtis Hanson. LA Confidential is a film that isn’t talked about often but exists in a very timeless state that works just as well today as then.
3The Game Plan
Umm, yeah, The Rock is a star quarterback who finds out he has a daughter. The Rock is always charming, and the film was a commercial success in regards to the return on investment. Otherwise, it’s hard to even remember this movie at all. It likely plays on some random channel here and there on a Saturday afternoon when no one is watching.
4In September 2017 we predict …
Normally we post this monthly piece during the first few days of the month. Unfortunately, delays and a massive hurricane pushed it back to today. So, our prediction is less that and more of pointing out the obvious. The new version of Stephen King’s IT made more than 100 million dollars in its opening weekend. The only thing that could even remotely contest It at this point is, well, nothing. Kingsman: The Golden Circle will make great money and Mother! Seems on pace to be an influential film. However, IT had the nostalgia backing, absolutely perfect trailers, and a box office opening that doesn’t usually happen this time of year.
The whole Black Science gang is back together! Grant McKay and his Dimensionauts are finally reunited. The timing could not be any better as every single shit storm they were responsible for in the onion has come back to bite them on the ass all at once.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
You know that rush of aggressive excitement you get during the purge scene during Cabin In The Woods? This entire issue is that rush with doses of heart oozing out.
After a brief soft opening, Black Science #31 is a non-stop thrill ride, exploding with art to get lost in for days. Readers barely get a second to soak in the emotion of getting this core cast back in the same panel before being launched into another insane masterpiece of chaos.
Every world left in ruins, everybody abandoned ally, every monumental accident that McKay and company left in their wake has found them. Grant has chance to live up to his initial mission statement and leave a world better than they found it.
This issue is the culmination of everything that has happened in the previous thirty issues. It has the pace and scale of a finale, but it’s the beginning of the final arc to the series. They weren’t kidding when they said they were cranking it up for the final lap.
The McKay family has been through so much to get back to each other. There’s an overwhelming sense of joy to see a broken father get his two children back after seeing the obstacles they overcome to reach this point. This is Grant’s one chance to make it right and face all of his abandoned disasters at once in order to protect those he thought he lost forever.
Nobody in comic books is on the same level of this creative team. Rick Remender’s scripts and dialogue for Black Science are the best there is. Matteo Scalera and Moreno Dinisio’s detailed sci-fi anarchy are unrivaled.
The visual layouts and designs in Black Science are unlike anything else in the medium. The detail that clearly gets poured into the craft of these artists pays off every single time. There’s an intricate web of chaos that shocks and awes at every turn.
Like most issues in the series, #31 immediately warrants a second read. Similar to a beautifully layered piece of music, there will be some new nugget of brilliance you missed the first time.
This has become and will continue to be a book I reread every year. It will be a sad day for comic books when this title ends.
Action. Nazis. Dinosaurs. These ingredients formed the basis of Stephen Mooney’s Half Past Danger, a wartime pulp romp heavily inspired by the adventure serials of old with a bit of Michael Crichton thrown in for good measure. Up until that point Mooney had been mainly known for his work on licensed tie-in comics, but it was through the adventures of Sergeant Tommy ‘Irish’ Flynn that the former Eclectic Mick began to achieve widespread notoriety and earned himself a spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. Four years on and an increasingly impressive body of work behind him, Mooney returns to his passion project with Half Past Danger 2: Dead to Reichs (a title worthy of praise of itself). Does this watch still keep time?
What was it about Half Past Danger that endeared itself with the community to begin with? Some would argue it was the clarity of character that Mooney’s displayed in his writing. It certainly helped, but that doesn’t fully explain it. It was an incredibly witty book, but so are many others. It had some truly dynamic, inspired action scenes, but again those alone do not a great comic make. If you were to hone in on one factor that separated Mooney and Half Past Danger from the plethora of comics on the racks, it would have to be the unfiltered devotion that Mooney showed during its creation. Hearing him talk about the project and its influences at a comic art exhibition in Cork City last year, it became immediately clear that this is a man who knows the tropes of pulp fiction inside and out. There was always the risk that he might steer too heavily into those familiar elements, but instead he created a book that both played into and subverted expectations. You may have seen pulp adventures before, but you’ve never seen Mooney’s take on the genre. Happily, Half Past Danger 2 continues this tradition.
Comics are the pinnacle form of collaborative storytelling. Any creator will tell you how much is gained through that inherent back and forth, but Half Past Danger 2 is a reminder of the brilliance that can come from a singular vision fueling the creative process. While some of that give and take is lost, it often results in bold choices that allow a work to standout. The machine that is Stephen Mooney once again handles the writing, illustrating, and lettering duties with Tríona Farrell taking over as colourist from Jordie Bellaire. The two had previously worked on another pulp throwback in the form of The Phantom: Scarlet Sapphire, and their synergy remains impressive. Whereas the first volume’s colours were flat at times, the detailed rendering really allows the artwork to shine.
Picking up a few months after their first adventure, Irish and Captain John Noble attempt to track down any traces of the stolen Nazi research data that Agent Huntington-Moss made off with at the end of the last story-arc. High-octane hilarity ensues. Unbeknownst to our heroes, the resident femme fatale is about to re-enter their lives and shake it up in ways they never thought possible. This issue is very much focused on getting the band back together and figuring out what exactly that might mean given the revelations of the previous volume. It is safe to say that if you haven’t read the first volume of Half Past Danger, you may be a bit lost. While the book features a summary of the events of the original, it is no substitute to reading it for yourself, something any lover of comics owes it to themselves to do.
Half Past Danger has always excelled in its character dynamics and this issue is no exception. Irish optimises everything that we love about “the Chancer” archetype, the good-hearted mischief maker often pushing those around him just a little bit too far. He’s quick-witted, sarcastic, providing and being the butt of many of the series’ best jokes. Irish is that friend we all have, the bad influence. The one who gets us into trouble and who you often carry home from the pub, but you can’t stay mad at for long. Plus, how can we not relate to a man who loves Jameson as much as he does? For a man who based Irish’s appearance off himself, Mooney really does enjoy having him take beating in ever more creative and hilarious ways. Captain John, noble by name and nature, is your classic principled super-hero who packs a mean punch as many the Nazi is sure to tell you. John and Irish’s friendship, built up slowly over the first volume, is represented wonderfully here. There is a real sense that they’ve been through a lot off-screen, cementing their bond, and this adds to their ability to play off each other so well. John still has an air of naivety about him and Irish is still more than willing to use his super-soldier friend if it means he might get a date out of it, but you feel that they would do anything for each other. There are very protective of each other, even if they spend half the time slagging each other, but their verbal joasting is as entertaining as any fight scene. Without delving into spoilers, it’s a friendship that’s sure to be tested in the coming issues and the implications that presents are fascinating.
Mooney’s dialogue remains as sharp as ever; Irish is never caught for a one-liner or bitter jab. It’s rhythmical and often feels like we’re listening to a song that leads into a dance as it transitions into action scenes. That’s one of his great strengths as a comic creator, imbuing his dialogue with purpose. Some creators will often throw dialogue into their fight scenes out of a fear of silence. Mooney isn’t afraid of taking advantage of quiet moments when called for, but knows the value of using mid-action dialogue to add to and flesh out his characters in meaningful ways. In that sense, it owes as much to Joss Whedon as it does to Indiana Jones. It is in these fights that Farrell’s colours really pop, extenuating each and every blow. The reader really feels each impact as it lands. There’s a painterly quality to her work that few colourists manage to capture and the book is all the better for it.
On a whole, it’s fair to say that Mooney’s interior artwork has come on leaps and bounds since the first volume of Half Past Danger. It has always been stunning, but there is confidence in the entire product, from writing to art, that only comes with experience. Gone is the artist taking on his first creator-owned work and in his place, a more well-rounded author with an established pedigree. Half Past Danger 2 benefits from everything that Mooney learned during the original and since, as a result it is perhaps the best version of his original vision. Gorgeous establishing shots bring us to new, imposing Nazi strongholds featured alongside ones that directly call back to the setting of the previous volume. Each leaves the reader breathless, helped by Farrell’s colours in transporting us to these various locales. As deft as he is at placing out characters in epic settings and filling them with life, Mooney equally loves adding in cartoonish, reactionary visual gags. These caricature moments never outstay their welcome and showcase a number of animated personalities. And that’s Mooney art in a nutshell, it practically oozes with character.
Whether it’s the simple pleasures of hearing someone use the phrase “on your bike” in a comic or the joys of watching a ninja and his pet dinosaur tear into the Axis forces, Half Past Danger 2 is a much welcome revisit to Mooney’s rich world. There is no other book quite like it on the shelves, reveling in its place in pulp history. It’s a book that reminds us of the sheer joy that this medium is capable of instilling in its readers. If ever there was a time to rejoice in Nazis getting punched, it’s now and this is the comic to read. Yes folks, it’s that time again. It’s Half Past Danger and not a moment too soon.
Preacher Feature is a weekly analysis of the AMC show Preacher based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. In this column, we will give a breakdown of the events from the previous night’s show, including how they relate to the comics, and speculate as to what’s going on and what might be coming up. This is to say that there will be spoilers, both actual and potential. If you have not yet watched the episode in question or are watching the show without reading the comics and don’t want to have any foreknowledge of what might happen to Jesse and company, then you would do well to stop reading this now.
“The End of the Road” kicks off with a flashback to an adolescent Jesse Custer (in full Colonel Sanders regalia) working in the hot Louisiana sun at Angelville, which is some sort of occult tourist trap. After a frustrating and painful day, Jesse stomps to death a chicken that has been bothering him. Upset at himself, Jesse sprints (Forrest Gump-style) to his Grandmother, Marie L’Angell, to get her to bring it back to life. She tells him “Everything has a price”
Back in the present, Jesse is speaking to a class of Catholic schoolchildren at the behest of Herr Starr. Unknown to Jesse, Starr has set up a group of fake terrorists to try to “kill” the children and is recording the events to show the world that the Messiah has returned. The only problem is, when Jesse tries to use Genesis to command the men to disarm, Genesis doesn’t work again. Instead, in maybe the best fight sequence so far this season, Jesse falls back on his ass-kicking skills and beats the hell out of the assailants to the tune of “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison.
The Sins of the Father
Cassidy, who struggles with controlling his vampiric urges, starts to think his son Denis is not able to control his own. He feels that his own control is slipping as a result of being around his son. Tulip walks in on him smoking crack (medicinal, he assures her) and he has a dream sequence where she hooks up with him and he ends up tearing out her throat. Eventually, Cassidy decides he’s made a mistake turning Denis into a vampire and pushes him out a window into direct sunlight, which kills Denis.
Escape from the Underworld
Eugene, with a little help from cellmate Adolph Hitler, escapes from Hell via Charon’s boat. Hitler heads back towards his cell, but Eugene tells Hitler he shouldn’t have to stay any longer since he helped Eugene and is now a better person. They end up back on Earth (via Distant Vistas, the same company that Fiore and DeBlanc used in season one) and Eugene (who doesn’t yet realize that his hometown and nearly everyone he knows has been destroyed in a methane explosion) tells Hitler he can come stay with them. Hitler has other plans, though, and runs away.
The End of the Road?
Before departing for Bimini, Tulip decides she should say goodbye to her friend “Jenny”, aka Featherstone, agent of the Grail. When Hoover comes out of the shower and Tulip realizes that something is fishy with the situation, Featherstone shoots Tulip in the chest. Cassidy finds her and tells Jesse. Jesse rushes off to reach her and Starr reveals to Jesse that he is now in possession of the 1% of Jesse’s soul that he gave to the Saint of Killers and he orders the ambulance heading for Tulip to be cancelled. With Tulip on the precipice of death, Cassidy decides to turn her into a vampire to save her. Jesse won’t allow this and wrestles Cassidy away from her, as her life slips away and she dies.
Next we see Jesse, Cassidy, and Tulip’s body on the way to Angelville, presumably to have Marie resurrect Tulip like she did with the chicken from the beginning of the episode (who seems to be just fine, even after more than a decade).
The episode ends with God in a hotel room adorned by his dog costume, dozens of empty beer cans, and an open tub of petroleum jelly.
Easter Eggs/Connections to the Comics:
When Cassidy looks at Denis’ laptop, it is set on a webpage for Les Enfants du Sang. In the comics, Les Enfants du Sang is a group of wannabe vampires Cassidy knows in New Orleans.
In the comics Tulip is shot by Jody in Angelville and is later resurrected by God in an effort to dissuade Jesse from coming after Him.
Questions/Theories:
I would say the biggest question after the season 2 finale is: Will we get a season 3? AMC has not yet announced a renewal, though there has been paperwork filed to film again in New Orleans, which seems like a good indication.
Assuming we get a season 3, what wil happen to Tulip? The finale set up that Marie L’Angell will try to resurrect her, but there will likely be a high cost for both her and Jesse.
Jamie Lee Curtis, one of our first and most iconic Final Girl, is coming back to Halloween, the franchise that made her a superstar.
Blumhouse, who is in charge of the property this time around, tweeted this great photo today:
Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode in HALLOWEEN, released by Universal Pictures October 19, 2018. #HalloweenMoviepic.twitter.com/6tbbz2W1ZV
This iteration of the Michael Myers story will be David Gordon-Green, comedy director responsible for Pineapple Express and Eastbound and Down, will direct. His partner in crime, Danny McBride, has co-written the screenplay with him.
In case you’re a little wary of these two in charge of rebooting a franchise that has continuously been driven into the ground over decades, John Carpenter popped up on his Facebook page to assuage any doubts:
David Gordon Green and Danny McBride are joining the project to complete the creative team. David and Danny will write the script together and David will direct. I will continue in my executive producer role to consult and offer my advice and feedback as needed.
David and Danny both came to my office recently with Jason Blum and shared their vision for the new movie and…WOW. They get it. I think you’re gonna dig it. They blew me away.
And now, here is Jamie Lee Curtis, stoking those nostalgic fires even more. This new Halloween will hit theaters October 19 next year. Get hyped.
Kill Or Be Killed #12 takes a breather from the pulse pounding violence and focuses on two people. Providing a rare glimpse at the other side of being a killer.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
After a close call with the Russian, Dylan sees Kira in a whole new light. Every moment with her is now a miracle after having almost lost her by sheer dumb luck.
Dylan’s thought process is so thought out that it’s almost impossible not to put yourself into these scenes. Brubaker has made us all see a bit of Dylan in ourselves, except for the whole demon and murder thing. Life is delicate, even for someone who takes it away so often.
These characters have one of the most natural and realistic relationships in comic books. Every turn they take feels like it could be a story one of your friends is telling you about their love life.
Sean Phillips’ art has been a major factor in making this book a supremely unique experience. Even without the dialogue, the animated facial illustrations could be enough for readers to put together what’s going on.
Every bit of action is in your face and loud, as it should be. In Kill Or Be Killed #12 however, the brightest moments are in the quieter scenes throughout the city. From Dylan and Kira laying in bed to simple shots of rain covered cars in New York City traffic. Every panel is dynamite.
Elizabeth Breitweiser’s color may be the most crucial element of the title’s stunning visual appeal. Light reflecting in puddles on the street, neon colors streaming through cigarette smoke, and that vibrant execution at the end. Her and Phillips are a stupendous team.
Kill Or Be Killed is delivering on all fronts. It hasn’t slowed down one bit, twelve issues in and it’s better than ever.
If you still aren’t reading this series, you’re depriving yourself of one of the best in the business right now.
Half Past Danger has always excelled in its character dynamics and this issue is no exception. Irish optimises everything that we love about “the Chancer” archetype, the good-hearted mischief maker often pushing those around him just a little bit too far. He’s quick-witted, sarcastic, providing and being the butt of many of the series’ best jokes. Irish is that friend we all have, the bad influence. The one who gets us into trouble and who you often carry home from the pub, but you can’t stay mad at for long. Plus, how can we not relate to a man who loves Jameson as much as he does? For a man who based Irish’s appearance off himself, Mooney really does enjoy having him take beating in ever more creative and hilarious ways. Captain John, noble by name and nature, is your classic principled super-hero who packs a mean punch as many the Nazi is sure to tell you. John and Irish’s friendship, built up slowly over the first volume, is represented wonderfully here. There is a real sense that they’ve been through a lot off-screen, cementing their bond, and this adds to their ability to play off each other so well. John still has an air of naivety about him and Irish is still more than willing to use his super-soldier friend if it means he might get a date out of it, but you feel that they would do anything for each other. There are very protective of each other, even if they spend half the time slagging each other, but their verbal joasting is as entertaining as any fight scene. Without delving into spoilers, it’s a friendship that’s sure to be tested in the coming issues and the implications that presents are fascinating.
