‘Dark Nights: Metal’ hits your local comic book store this Wednesday, but the final page reveal hit the internet at 6 a.m. via The Washington Post. While we here at Monkeys Fighting Robots can’t stand when publishers spoil the book before its release, we still have to cover the story because it is news. (Just imagine if studios started to spoil films in the thought of selling more tickets?)
There will be ‘Dark Nights: Metal’ spoilers ahead.
Neil Gaiman’s Dream appears on the final page of Metal #1, alongside Batman. Scott Snyder says the character’s role in the story is “crucial.”
“[Dream] has some very key moments that spin the story in its essential directions. At the same time, this really is a Justice League story focused on their discovery of the Dark Multiverse and the invasion with these evil Batmen [now] here and the desperate attempt to stop them using Nth metal,” said Snyder.
Dream was created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg. The character first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #1 from January 1989, published DC Comics’ imprint Vertigo. Dream is one of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality. He has taken many names, including Morpheus and Oneiros, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him.
What do you think of the ‘Dark Nights: Metal’ plot twist? Will this make you buy issue one? Comment below.
About ‘Dark Nights: Metal’:
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo will expand the DCU as we know it. DARK DAYS: THE FORGE and THE CASTING hinted at a mysterious darkness, lurking, but the truth of its devastation has not been seen until now. Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and the heroes of the Justice League will venture further than they ever have before—or risk all of humanity to the Dark Multiverse.
“METAL is a story that touches on some of my favorite DC stories past and present, and connects deeply to the run Greg and I did on Batman. It pushes the characters to their very limits, and takes us into realms that are completely new and unexplored in the DCU. It’s Kirby meets Frazetta with a dash of heavy metal thrown in. It’s METAL, and I hope you love it as much as both Greg and I do. Thank you.” — SCOTT SNYDER
“I’m looking forward to rock’n and roll’n together again. Fans have been loud and clear; they want more from us. We’re primed and ready to blow it up.” — GREG CAPULLO
‘Dark Nights: Metal’ hits your local comic book store on August 16.
Willem Dafoe rarely gets to play normal people, so it’s a breath of fresh air to see him play a motel manager trying to help a young mother and her child in this trailer for The Florida Project.
The film takes place in the aforementioned motel, an extended stay for disaffected drifters, and Dafoe looks to be the manager with a heart of gold. Check it out:
The story of a precocious six-year-old and her ragtag group of friends whose summer break is filled with childhood wonder, possibility and a sense of adventure, while the adults around them struggle with hard times.
Dafoe will certainly get a great deal of ink for his performance – and maybe even an Oscar nomination for an actor who is about three nominations shy of where he should be in his career – but the young actress Brooklynn Prince will be the new star to come out of this whole endeavor.
The Florida Project is directed by Sean Baker, who pulled off the unthinkable a few years back and directed an actual good movie, Tangerine, using only his iPhone. On top of that, the film also has the A24 stamp of approval.
The Florida Project will open in limited release October 6.
You could easily be forgiven for mistaking Rich Tommaso’s Spy Seal #1, out today from Image Comics, as a children’s story. With its simple art style and anthropomorphic animals, it certainly looks like something your mother used to read you before bedtime. But the more you read, the more you realize how “not-for-children” this book is. Beneath its elementary facade is a gripping story of espionage and intrigue. It’s for fans of The Maltese Falcon as much as fans of Babar.
Spy Seal is a concept Tommaso created in 1984 at 13 years old. The cartoonist shared a sketch of the character on Facebook last October, and it was so well-received that it was immediately green-lit for a series. It’s the story of Malcom, a veteran of the British military (and a seal), who is recruited into MI-6 after he helps foil an assassination attempt on a member of Parliament. Russian intelligence, rare artifacts, and a beautiful buxom bunny – Spy Seal has everything a spy noir fan could ask for!
Tommaso proves his strength to be his visual storytelling; the best sequences in Spy Seal #1 are those without any dialogue at all. The chase and action sequences move from panel to panel with a kind of simplicity and energy that’s reminiscent of old comics. They’re pure fun to watch unfold and follow along with. If you like fast-paced action, Tommaso delivers.
But it’s not all fun and games here. There are real stakes and real danger in this story; bullets fly and characters die. While it may look like a children’s book, children cannot appreciate the mix of Sam Spade and James Bond that is at work here. This is a comic for fans of noir and spy thrillers as much as their inner children.
However, while Spy Seal‘s artwork draws you in and keeps you engaged, the dialogue comes off as a bit stilted. Some pages are dominated with large blocks of text heavily infused with exposition. It feels stilted and unnatural, which disrupts the flow of an otherwise fluid comic. But again, if this is indeed meant to be a throwback to classic spy noir, this sin can be forgiven. After all, no one really talked the way they did in those old flicks and pulp comics, right?
If you’re looking for a comic that’s classic fun with just a hint of edge, Spy Seal is the book you need to pick up this week. Ian Fleming meets Raymond Chandler meets a petting zoo in this story straight from the mind of a 13-year-old Rich Tommaso.
What did you think of Spy Seal? What else are you reading this week? Comment below!
So far, the seventh season of Game of Thrones has been fairly linear. The series has pushed its characters together, leading to exciting friendships and battles. However, the latest episode has the show pivot its focus. Rather than focus on the heated battles between the humans, Game of Thrones shift focus onto what has essentially been a nuisance.
The focus on magic frost zombies has never been the coolest part of the show. It’s always been an impending force, stirring up general dread in the Northerners. The series is nearing its conclusion, and Jon’s been stressing the importance of fighting the White Walkers. But the majority of the season has been focused on the Daenerys vs Cersei plot. Setting up an alliance between them all feels like a nonsense way to get the human characters more screen time than needed.
Adding to the annoying pivot in focus is Cersei’s new child. A new infant seems like a cheap way to get Cersei and Dany to partner up. Certainly, the general idea of Cersei and Jaime getting a second chance at parenthood is interesting. However, the baby is purely used as a tool to get Cersei open to a team-up. Game of Thrones has been setting up alliances incredibly well so far, but trying to pair up Cersei and Daenerys just doesn’t work.Another annoying element to Game of Thrones is Tyrion’s wavering trust in Daenerys. Both Tyrion and Varys seem especially torn up when Dany burns the two Tarly men alive. Obviously, killing people is a bad thing – but within the Game of Thrones world, it seems like par for the course. With Dany waging war to become Queen, why is it so horrifying that she kills two people? If anything, this moment is interesting because it hints that Varys may defect once again. Otherwise, it’s an awfully tedious plot point.
The conflict between the Stark sisters also feels rather forced. Since the start of the season, every Stark has known better than to trust Littlefinger. Even with all of their vast differences, knowing Littlefinger is a dummy provided a constant. The fight between Sansa and Arya isn’t set up well enough to justify the instant rift. Up until this episode, the Stark siblings have seen through his ploys. To see him suddenly manipulate them so easily doesn’t track.
Jon’s new force of Snow Troopers is a mixed bag of characters. The return of Gendry didn’t exactly live up to the years of hype, but it was fun. Seeing Gendry and Jon become friends so quickly is fun. Jorah Mormont seems like he’s back on his one-note Dany lover once again. Tormund and The Hound are fun fighters, but they only serve to balance out the more bland Brotherhood boys.
Overall, “Eastwatch” deviated too much from the season’s strong work so far. Pushing the characters towards White Walkers makes sense, but the execution is sloppy. Game of Thrones is trying too hard to have every character team up and become friends. But Game of Thrones is not The Avengers. Many of these character do not belong on the same side, plain and simple. Hopefully the first wave of White Walkers will kill off some major players, so we can get a stronger core cast again.
Rick and Morty Take On The Superhero Genre With “Vindicators 3.”
Ever since Rick and Morty returned, the show is tackling different genres each week. First, it was the post-apocalyptic action with “Rickmancing The Stone.” Last week played like a John Wick or Die Hard movie with Pickle Rick fighting his way to freedom. Now with “Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender,” superhero team-up movies seem to be the next target. The beauty is that Rick and Morty not only mocks the genre but successfully make a fun entry into that genre at the same time. That skill is something satire masters like Wes Craven and Mel Brooks took years to perfect and is something we see on display almost weekly with this show.
Some of the comic book movie tropes in this episode were Morty feeling left out after finding out he missed a Vindicators mission. You don’t often see the POV of characters not included in certain superhero team-ups. This concept is something briefly touched on in Spider-Man: Homecoming and expanded hilariously in Rick and Morty. It’s also hilarious to hear some of the Vindicators killed in the missing mission; most share the name of Suicide Squad members.
Another trope tackled is the cookie-cutter characters. Maximus Renegade Starsoldier is the Starlord/Iron-Man of the group. There is a man made up entirely of ants, a character that plays like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. The big evil villain is named Worldender, and the creators describe him as “Thanos had sex with Darkseid.” Worldender doesn’t matter much in this episode though, much like the baddies in Marvel/DC movies.
“I was also late because of my drinking and mentioned it to zero applause.”
-Rick is addressing the Vindicators.
There is more than just fun comic book references in this episode. “Vindicators 3,” continues the deconstruction of Rick. Due to his jealousy and lack of power, Rick gets blackout drunk and sets up the crew in a Saw-like trap. This stupid move follows Rick’s Pickle-related cry for help but continues his ignorance. There might’ve been a real breakthrough in this episode when a drunk Rick delivered a heartfelt message to Morty, but it might not last long if you know Rick.
“Vindicators 3” also addresses Morty’s rise in knowledge & power. Instead of just giving up when things get too insane, he calmly gets the group through the situation. One of the Vindicators labels Morty a drunk Rick expert, and that describes him well. Even if he hates his role as this sidekick, Morty is the only one that knows what’s going on. There’s a moment of self-sacrifice that’s becoming all too common for this kid, but that’s what makes Morty the real hero of the show.
What did you think of this week’s episode?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Tune in next week on Adult Swim for a new episode of Rick and Morty.
Leading into the home stretch, Twin Peaks connects a number of its mysteries while reminding the viewer about the face of a long-unseen man. It also may have introduced us to the object of Audrey’s affections. But as the eyes of Bureau turn toward Las Vegas, the origin of Blue Rose offers an insight into the now.
The Case
At long last, Gordon Cole knows of Dougie Jones.
Revealing the wedding ring to Diane, he learned that Janey-E is her estranged half-sister and that they live in Las Vegas. The connection is no coincidence and it makes you wonder if Bad Cooper conjured up Dougie the night he visited Diane all those years ago. How he did it is anyone’s guess.
Gordon also called the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s department and learned from Frank a portion of the missing piece in Laura’s diary. Unfortunately, it seemed unimportant to Frank to quote her directly, instead suggesting that there are two Dale Coopers. Cole is a bright boy, I’m sure he’ll figure it out.
But at least Cole is finally on the route to Cooper. Provided, of course, Diane doesn’t spill the beans to Bad Coop.
Meanwhile, in town, Chad finally went down for his role in Red and Richard’s drug ring. It’s unclear if he’ll finger his conspirators, though. Honestly, it seemed like Frank moved on Chad just in case they didn’t come back from the mountains.
Once up near Major Brigg’s old tracking station, Frank, Hawk, Harry and Bobby discovered another vortex just a few hundred yard from the dead tree Major Briggs and Bobby named Jack Rabbit’s Palace when he was a boy. The vortex is a soft place between normal reality and that black & white place where the Giant (now called the Fireman) resides. It may even be the White Lodge, though Hawk’s original description of it did not included benevolent giants.
Nevertheless, the Fireman was compelled to make Andy aware of some of the supernatural situation — yes, Deputy Andy Brennan — leading the team to take the eyeless woman from Part 4 to the station. It should be noted here that she is referred to in Part 14 as “Experiment” and cannot communicate with anyone. Well, except maybe for the slobbering drunk in the station’s cellblock who repeats everything he hears.
That sure sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
The Updates
James works as a security guard for an industrial cleaning company. He has a partner named Freddy (Jake Wardle) with a remarkable story about meeting the Fireman in a soft place accessed by a London alley and gaining incredible strength in his right hand. Of course, all the significance is lost on James as he was never privy to the supernatural forces at work in Twin Peaks. Instead, he went to check the boilers.
Over at the Roadhouse, we finally have proper confirmation that Audrey is not in a coma as Tina’s daughter tells a friend about the last time she saw Billy. Some believed Audrey was still in a hospital bed thanks to her freak out last episode, but her earliest scene two episodes ago referenced someone we know as a living member of the current community. Billy was always real. He reported his truck stolen and later vanished. Back in Part 7, Bing ran into the RR and asked if anyone had seen Billy. Now we know he had a thing going with Audrey and Tina. The small town intrigue continues the overall feeling that Audrey is still part of the primetime soap Twin Peaks used to be.
Then we get the description of Billy, his face beaten in and his mouth dripping with blood. Considering we saw someone who looked just like that a few minute before this Roadhouse scene, I think it’s a fair leap to suggest Billy is down in the cellblock with Chad and the Experiment. Well, provided it’s not some Dougie-esque doppelganger of Billy.
And speaking of the owls not being what they seem, Sarah Palmer completely changed all assumptions about her with a visit to Twin Peaks other watering hole. It seems a lot is going on inside her head and you have to wonder who is in there with her.
The Questions
Did BOB sneak into Sarah in the recent past? Ripping throats out isn’t really his style, so maybe it’s the Mother?
Why did the Fireman choose Andy for the important infodump?
Was this the vortex Margaret and Carl were sucked into years ago?
Are all the vortexes stable in time and space? If so, why couldn’t Bad Coop use the one in Buckhorn for his plan? Is that one only connected to the Woodsmen’s reality?
How much did Andy retain from his experience on the other side?
How did the FBI Las Vegas office end up with those two agents?
Not about Judy
Never has Phillip Jeffries seemed closer. We now know he and Gordon arrested a woman in the 1970s with a doppelganger. The doppelganger’s final words — “I am like the Blue Rose” — gave Jeffries the name for his task force. And thanks to Gordon’s Monica Bellucci dream and shots from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Jeffries’ face is part of the series. Why go to that trouble unless he’s about to return in the flesh?
But even more important than seeing David Bowie as Jeffries is Gordon recalling the important thing he said. Point to Cooper, he shouted, “Who do you think that is?” Even when Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was released, it seemed to reference the replacement of Cooper by BOB. Now, it definitely refers to the Bad Cooper. Although, there’s now the added suggestion that Jeffries has been to our present and seen these events play out.
A Monica Bellucci Dream
David Lynch’s taste in women is fairly obvious at this point, so it makes sense that Gordon Cole dreams of Monica Bellucci. What is less obvious is her key piece of dialogue. “We are like the dreamer who dreams and lives inside the dream,” recalls Edgar Allan Poe and Philip K. Dick. It’s also something I highly suggest you never say while in a dream state. Or, at least, never claim you are the dreamer. Dream creatures do not react well to it.
Which may be the underlying message for Cole. Dream-Bellucci even asks “who is the dreamer?” An argument could be made that this is all Laura Palmer’s dream as she hurtles through space. It could even be Lynch-as-Cole as the dreamer. But such reality bending notions are the provenance of Poe or Dick.
Oh, wait.
What do you think? Are we all just dream creatures in Lynch’s mindscape? Is Laura Palmer still the anchor of this dream world? Let us know in the comments below.
WINGED MONKEYS! TECHNO-DOLPHINS! QUANTUM ALLEYCATS! Humanity’s long gone. Its memory lingers only as misunderstood rituals among mankind’s leftovers: the genetically modified animals they used and abused for eons. But for one young flying monkey, QORA, the routines are unbearable. All she wants is to explore. Instead, she’s expected to settle down, to become a mother…to lose her wings.
Angelic #1
Written by: Simon Spurrier
Art by: Caspar Wijngaard
Created by: Simon Spurrier & Caspar Wijngaard
Published by: Image Comics
It’s a literal safe bet to give a new Image title a try. New books from the publisher are always a cause for investigation and celebration. At best you end up with something like Royal City or Southern Bastards. At worst you get something that might not be for you but is definitely new, atypical and interesting. Either outcome is a plus for the medium, which will only thrive on the back of diversity and originality.
I approached reviewing Angelic blindly. I knew nothing about the concept and was only vaguely aware of the creators. And let me tell you, that’s a rare thing in the world of comics these days, where every release seems to be preceded by virtually half the book’s pages in previews or leaks. What I discovered was a book filled with imagination and beautiful art. A book that embraces the best aspects of the comics medium, using it to tell a relatable story in a unique setting and is great to look at.
Page from Angelic #1
WRITING
Part of this book’s charm is the way it lets the story unfold organically for the reader, so I will avoid major spoilers and just give you a simple set up. It’s the future. Humans are gone. All that SEEMS left is animals and machines that were obviously products of people messing with technology and genetics. The main character is QORA, a teenage flying monkey with a strong rebellious streak on the cusp of adulthood, which in this world means an arranged marriage and clipped wings. Two things she wants nothing to do with. Her actions and beliefs get her into trouble and soon she finds herself beset by danger from her people and a monstrous cat as well. It’s pretty heavy stuff when you think about it. But it’s through that, that we learn the details of this world. And it has A LOT of details. Writer Simon Spurrier is smart to work the world building in naturally and have those details emerge in dialog instead of straight exposition. Having QORA question and doubt the traditions and beliefs of her world works well for two reasons. It makes her relatable and likable and it’s a clever way for the reader to learn the details of this future. The book is also accessible to readers of all ages, which is not to say it’s a “kids’ book.” As said earlier, there are heavy themes. There’s even a ‘torture’ like scene. The book is also pretty dense, but a story about adolescence is pretty universal and can connect with most.
The use of language is also pretty interesting here, with the world developing a vocabulary of its own that takes some getting used to at first but is reminiscent enough that you don’t need a glossary.
Page from Angelic #1
ART
This is a beautiful book. It’s filled with crisp, vibrant images. Everything is rendered in thick lines, giving the drawings weight. But then you have these great white panel borders that lighten it up just enough to give it an almost animated look. I even see some European comic and video game (think Capcom) art inspiration in these pages. It pulls from a few schools of art and is stronger for it. Caspar Wijngaard is a strong visual artist, with a keen eye for page design as well.
The color palette is gorgeous. It’sheavy on purples and blues and creates a striking atmosphere. And it’s slick and glossy, but it has a dark enough sheen to not come across as too digital and stiff.
Conclusion
Check out Angelic if you want to read something with a solid story and some beautiful art and design. It’s the kind of book that could appeal to fans of on different spectrums of age and interest. It’s also a great example of great comics storytelling; imaginative, clever, fluid and engaging. The book hits stands September 20th, 2017.
The standoff between HBO and the hacker who has plagued them for a few weeks reached a new level of tension on Sunday. The hacker, who is demanding money from the Time Warner cable company, leaked unaired episodes of several high-profile series.
The most notable among these was Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David’s (Seinfeld) comedy series in which a semi-fictional version of himself encounters a seemingly endless barrage of annoying minutiae he can’t help but complain about, much to the chagrin of everyone around him. The series was due to return in October after a long hiatus, but the hacker appears to have had other plans in mind.
The Home Box Office, however, released a statement after the hacking dump indicating that it would not be persuaded to give in to such tactics. In the statement, the network announced that “We are not in communication with the hacker and we’re not going to comment every time a new piece of information is released. It has been widely reported that there was a cyber incident at HBO. The hacker may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. That’s a game we’re not going to participate in. Obviously, no company wants their proprietary information stolen and released on the internet. Transparency with our employees, partners, and the creative talent that works with us has been our focus throughout this incident and will remain our focus as we move forward. This incident has not deterred us from ensuring HBO continues to do what we do best.”
The hacker, who may or may not be a team of hackers working in unison, has been offered $250,000 to end the leaking. This did not appease the perpetrator, who has also released episodes of Insecure, Ballers, Barry, The Deuce, and several installments of the network’s biggest series, Game of Thrones.
20 years ago today, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s masterpiece, South Park, premiered on MTV.
The show’s first episode was titled Cartman gets an Anal probe, and introduced audiences to the gang: Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, and Stan. Unsurprisingly, it opened to sub-1 Million viewers. A rough looking, crude show about 4th graders isn’t the most appealing thing to skeptical individuals. However, the show took off after the first episode, with the final episode of season one reaching over 6 Million views.
Something about South Park is incredibly special. Its type of humor and take on modern day politics is unique, giving fans a different experience each episode. While on the surface it appears to be about fart jokes and cheap humor, in reality it revolves around taking the absurdity of current events and delivering them in a way that audiences can understand.
Since its premiere back in 1997, South Park has had quite the ride. With a total of 277 episodes, as well as a spectacular movie back in 1999, fans have had a massive amount of content to consume.
Currently, the show has been renewed for season 21. The first episode will be released on September 13, with a dark week coming on both October 4 and November 22.
What episode of South Park is your favorite? Comment below, let us know.
Justice League will get a major change based on the reshoots, /Film Daily is reporting.
According to the outlet, the original ending featured Darkseid coming to earth; the new footage, apparently, downplays the impact of the supervillain.
Reshoots are a part of nearly every movie, but the Justice League reshoots seem like a bigger issue. Joss Whedon is bringing his vision to the table, opposite Zack Snyder. It will be interesting to see if it flip flops between two tones, like many are speculating. The ending could play into either director’s take, one revolving around setting up a sequel, and the other around fleshing out the individual storyline.
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Justice Leagueis directed by Zack Snyder and stars; Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ezra Miller (The Flash), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Ciarán Hinds (Steppenwolf), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth), J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Gordon), Amber Heard (Mera), Kiersey Clemons (Iris West) and Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luthor).
Another annoying element to Game of Thrones is Tyrion’s wavering trust in Daenerys. Both Tyrion and Varys seem especially torn up when Dany burns the two Tarly men alive. Obviously, killing people is a bad thing – but within the Game of Thrones world, it seems like par for the course. With Dany waging war to become Queen, why is it so horrifying that she kills two people? If anything, this moment is interesting because it hints that Varys may defect once again. Otherwise, it’s an awfully tedious plot point.
