Image Comics ‘Wayward’ Coming Soon to a Television and Tabletop Near You

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May 22, 2017

Writer Jim Zub and artist Steven Cummings’ ongoing comic series Wayward, published by Image Comics, is set to be adapted for television and tabletop gaming in the near future.

Wayward was optioned by UK company Manga Entertainment to be developed as a manga or live action series. Both Zub and Cummings will be involved as creative consultants, developing the initial story treatment and assisting in character and creature designs.

“As soon as Jerome and I started talking about a collaboration, I had a good feeling Manga Entertainment would be the right place to develop Wayward. The crew at Manga intimately understand the anime market and have helped popularize some of the biggest brands in that space. As Japanese art and animation continues to go global, co-producing Wayward at a Japanese studio with Manga taking the lead is a natural choice.” – Jim Zub

Manga Entertainment is the UK’s largest anime distributor, dealing with franchises like Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach and Death Note.

“We are very excited to be working with Jim and Steven to bring the characters and world of WAYWARD to life for the screen. Jim and Steven have managed to create a truly unique high stakes action-drama that feels fresh and authentic in its mixture of Japanese and Celtic mythology. We are very confident this story will connect with audiences across Asia and the rest of the world.” – Jerome Mazandarani, COO of Manga Entertainment

Apparently trying to become a triple threat, Wayward is also set to be adapted for tabletop gaming by IDW Games. Zub and Cummings will once again be involved, along with Jon Gilmour, who previously co-designed Dead of Winter and Outpost: Siberia. The game will be fully cooperative, and allow players to control characters from the comics, who must defeat the villains controlled by the board game.

“Wayward is a passion project for Steven and I, and games are near and dear to our hearts, so getting the chance to bring both of those wonderful elements together with Jon and the rest of the IDW Games crew is an absolute thrill.” – Jim Zub

IDW Games has a large roster of licensed tabletop adaptations, including The X-Files and Back to the Future, as well as forthcoming games based on Planet of the Apes and Atari.

Wayward is an ongoing action-drama comic series published by Image Comics. From their solicit of Issue #1: “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER FOR A NEW GENERATION! Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something hidden deep within her, threatening everything she holds dear. Can Rori unlock the secrets of her power before it’s too late?”

Zub is a Harvey and Shuster Award-nominated comic writer who has written on series like Samurai Jack, Thunderbolts, and Dungeons & Dragons. He also writes and owns two other series, GLITTERBOMB and SKULLKICKERS.

Cummings is a comic book artist who has worked on titles like Deadshot and Legends of the Dark Knight.

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‘Samurai Jack’ Season Five Is A Masterpiece

By

Anthony Wendel

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The word masterpiece should never be used lightly. When it is the sediment must be to showcase the subject of the compliments is not only in a cut above the test but finds a way to be memorable, insightful, and have the ability to withstand the test of time. Under this idea, know by proclaiming Samurai Jack season five is a masterpiece, it comes from the upmost respect and commitment to what the very ideal of what a masterpiece truly is. The season isn’t perfect but is so overwhelmingly well presented, you forget about the bad and can only focus on the good.

Story

50 years have past for Samurai Jack. A side effect of travelling through time has caused him not to age. The experience has left him feeling strained, tried, and going crazy with guilt. He has lost his way and is unsure of what to fight for anymore. Elsewhere, a cult known as the Daughters of Aku have been plotting to take down Samurai Jack by training a group of young girls to be assassins from they day they were born. They have but one mission: To kill the samurai.

Season five begins by exploring some very interesting elements it hadn’t previously. At the beginning of the new season Jack is experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from losing his sword and feels like a failure. This causes him to fall into a level of madness where he is taunted by demons who become very real to him. It’s a fascinating bit of storytelling which showcases a redemption arc for a character who previously did nothing to deserve such a test.

The season also introduced Ashi, one of the aforementioned Daughters of Aku. The character starts as an antagonist and becomes something much more later on. Her backstory is intense and morphs into something much deeper as she must find a way to break through the lies which were fed to her since her birth. Her own journey from darkness parallels Jack’s and helps to truly leave the audience captivated.

Sadly since the previous seasons, legendary actor Mako passed away and was unable to finish his performance as the main villain of Aku. Luckily Greg Baldwin, who previously filled in for the late actor in the Avatar franchise resumed the role and gave a performance which reminded everyone just how evil a character Aku was. Thanks to everyone in the cast and through the story Samurai Jack season five went above and beyond in its plot and delivery.

Art

To say the animation in the season is gorgeous is a disservice. It was as if the entire production cast spent their time between seasons honing their craft for the sole purpose to deliver this glorious visual spectacle. The presentation is beyond explanation. The art team found new ways to showcase the glory which can come in the animated form. Utilizing simplistic effects such as weather, lighting, and color the team is able to deliver moments which are detailed, emotional, and stick with the viewer even after the show has long ended.

Music

The music almost feels alive through the season. It finds a way to act as a stimulant for the entire production, intensifying the mood, and swaying emotions when needed. There are a few moments where it feels like a heartbeat, coursing through the veins of the show and providing adrenaline for the action scenes. The music also tugs at the heartstrings with feelings of affection as when a particularly adorable scene occurs, Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin was inserted in a way which was absolutely perfect and heartfelt in its delivery. Many fans may have been annoyed when they realized the show would not have its traditional opening anymore but thanks to the incredible new music in this season, there is little to complain about with the soundtrack.

Conclusion

Samurai Jack is a love letter to any who stayed fans of animation in the time between season four and season five. A way of thanking them for the long wait for the finale to come around. It’s almost too good. We will never get this again. We will never get a show of this caliber which could take such a monumental break, yet find a way to reclaim its glory. A show on hiatus for over a decade finds a way to come back with such fervor and dedication from the creative team to supercede what came before it and reach new heights of quality, intensity, and overall entertainment than ever before is unheard of.

There is nothing like Samurai Jack season five and unfortunately there’s a good chance there will never be anything like it again. Few shows will be able to truly level up like this one did. Samurai Jack season five was exactly what it needed to be and more. To this end there is only one thing to say: Thank you. Thank you to the original creator Genndy Tartakovsky, his creative team, and the Adult Swim programming staff. This season was beyond expectations and found a way to truly make us all remember why we are fans of animation in the first place.

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Marvel Teases New ‘Runaways’ Comic With Promo Image

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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May 22, 2017

Marvel seems to be prepping one of its superhero titles for a relaunch. Today, Marvel released a promotional image for Runaways character Nico Minoru. Along with some character facts, the image includes the tagline “get ready to run.” This likely means that Runaways will be getting a revamped comic series in 2017.

The Runaways is a team of teenage heroes created by Brian K. Vaughan. The series was first released in 2003, and ran sporadically until 2015. The comic focused on several teenagers who found out their parents were super villains. After gaining weapons and powers, the kids decided to become heroes and fight their parents. The series ended on some sizable cliffhangers, so it will be interesting to see how the new comic may or may not address those.

Although the main series was cancelled, the characters have shown up in other recent titles. Nico, for example, appeared alongside fellow Runaway Chase Stein in Avengers Arena. Nico is also featured in Avengers Underground and A-Force. A different team of Runaways were featured in the Secret Wars event, but that team probably disbanded following the event’s conclusion.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnhVeOuZce0[/embedyt]

The Runaways relaunch is likely due to the upcoming series on Hulu. Marvel’s Runaways, one of many Marvel shows currently on television, is due out early 2018. The show will circle back to the group’s origins, and how they first discovered their parents were super villains. The comic, therefor, will probably come out close to the end of this year. The hope is likely that the show will reinvigorate interest in the comic book series.

It’s also possible the comic is meant as a ways to bring in diversity. Marvel has recently come under fire for claiming fans dislike diversity. The Runaways is a diverse team, comprised of mostly women, and several non-white characters. Bringing back the team seems like a good way to naturally reintroduce diverse heroes.

No official date has been announced for either the comic or the series. The comic is due sometime this year, while the series will arrive in 2018. The promo image was drawn by Kris Anka (‘Star-Lord’, ‘X-Men’, ‘Captain Marvel’).

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Universal Pictures Unveils ‘Dark Universe’

By

Anthony Caruso

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May 22, 2017

Today, Universal Pictures announced that their rebooted series of classic monster movies will be known as the Dark Universe.

Continue

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‘Anne With An E’ Is Excellent Unless You’re Hung Up On Source Material

By

Ruben Diaz

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May 22, 2017

Masters of peddling the drug known as nostalgia, Netflix unveils a new show based on Anne of Green Gables. It’s excellent unless you’re a stickler for the source material. Anne with an E as Netflix calls it is a period piece taking place in the early 20th century. Based on a beloved novel from Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, the book is a classic taught to young adults all around the world. So, though Netflix is a master at creating shows that get viewers high on nostalgia, there’s always a measure of risk. How will people deal with changes to the source material and will those changes make or break the show?

If you’re not familiar with the novel (full disclosure: I was not), let’s get up to speed. Anne Shirley is an incredibly smart orphaned girl who’s bounced from homes to orphanages for most of her young life. Elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert run Green Gables, a farm that’s slowly becoming too much for them to handle. The siblings request a boy to help, but Anne is accidentally sent instead. From there on out, the young orphan is doing everything she can to keep her new life which includes school, friends, boys, and lots of imagination.

Hardcore purists, most likely, won’t like Anne with an E.

Anne with an E and the story from which it comes is entirely carried by Anne Shirley. So, without an actress capable of making the fast-talking Anne charming and inviting the show would collapse quickly. Here, Anne is played by Amybeth McNulty who does a phenomenal job. Anne is a girl far too smart for her age. Because of that, Anne says and does things in a way that’s almost alien. McNulty effortlessly spews out dialogue which is often both long and filled with big, complicated words. McNulty’s bright eyes, smile, and ability to exude Anne’s incredible imagination is simply fantastic and deserves recognition.

The rest of the cast is solid and features many veteran actors. Geraldine James (Sherlock Holmes, 2009) plays Marilla Cuthbert, Anne’s stodgy adoptive mother. Delila Bela, who is Anne’s best friend, Diana, though only 15 years old, is also a veteran with appearances on the CW’s The 100 and Tomorrow People, as well as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Grave Encounters 2, and Once Upon A Time (Young Guinevere).

Gritty is a matter of perspective.

Many reviews on the new show complain about the gritty aspect of this version. Anne provides a healthy mix of fun, provided by McNulty’s flights of fancy and whip-smart dialogue and plenty of drama. There’s a bit more focus on Anne’s past trauma that’s revealed through brief flashbacks. Of course, our sense of gritty here at Monkeys Fighting Robots is Batman V. Superman or Logan. Gritty is a matter of perspective.

For eight episodes, the Netflix show provides plenty of great moments, both sad and triumphant. And like any good show, it ends on a cliffhanger that’s certain to pave the way for a “grittier” second season.

Hardcore purists, most likely, won’t like the new Anne with an E. It’s no different than Star Trek fans who aren’t into the new direction of the franchise or Batman geeks who weren’t excited about Bats’ propensity to murder people. But it’s a well-produced series, updated in just the right ways for modern viewers with a stellar cast. Nostalgia or not, Anne with an E is well worth a binge-watch.

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Wheeze The Juice! 5 Fun ‘Encino Man’ Facts To Dig Into For The 25th Anniversary

By

Manuel Gomez

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May 22, 2017

Wheeze The Juice! 5 Fun ‘Encino Man’ Facts To Dig Into For The 25th Anniversary

Encino Man seems like a leftover tale from the 80s. With its ridiculous plot about a thawed out, formerly frozen teenage caveman, it’s safe to call the movie absurd. However, upon a recent viewing, it still remains fun, light and well paced. And with today’s overly gratuitous, graphic and gross-out style comedies, a movie like Encino Man seems quaint. Coming out in 1992 (May 22 to be exact!), the movie was quite the release at its time. Read on for 5 fun pre-internet historic facts about this “classic” comedy!

BackNext

5. Data and Mikey Back Together

Most surprising of all to me, a fact that has slipped by for 25 years, is the bit of The Goonies reunion that happens here! We have two official “Goonies” in this movie! Mikey and Data, played by Sean Astin and Jonathan Ke Quan respectively. Now if only Josh Brolin has been considered for Link.

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DC on CW: Week in Review – Friends Return, But One Dies

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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May 22, 2017

This series will be a brief, semi-comedic review of the CW superhero shows. You can check out last week’s review post here, or see the tally of winners below. The only shows discussed will be ‘Arrow’, ‘Flash’, and ‘Supergirl’. There WILL be some spoilers discussed, so only look at the reviews you’re up to date on!

Supergirl, “Resist” (May 15)

CW invites all their powerful ladies back before Supergirl’s finale. Cat grant comes in to make some jokes about mask-tiaras and Democrats. Supergirl and Friends have to beam up to the ship, with the help of Mrs. Luthor and President E.T. It’s surprising that the Lynda Carter twist, which seemed more significant in its reveal months ago, turned out so inconsequential. But Supergirl gets some great action, taking down the Daxamites (who look a LOT like Guardian). Teri Hatcher has evil plans to take over Earth and throw a wedding – the MOST EVIL THING OF ALL. Solid action, solid guest stars, and a SOLID promise of a Superman-Supergirl brawl.

SCORE: 7.5/10 Yurts

The Flash, “Infantino Street” (May 16)

The Flash gives its penultimate episode over to Captain Cold. Since Flash can’t stop messing with time, he goes back to grab Snart so they can break into ARGUS. Lyla wouldn’t trust Team Flash with a power gem, because of Barry’s time meddling. However, after Barry meddles with time to bring back Snart, she… trusts him with it? At least we got some fun King Shark action. And yes, Savitar killed Iris before Barry could stop him. But don’t count on her death being permanent. It seems unlikely The Flash would kill off one of its flagship stars, and primary love interest. With one episode left, we’ll see if Iris comes back, Caitlin’s Killer Frost melts, and HR seals the deal with New Caitlin.

SCORE: 7/10 Elvis Bananas

Arrow, “Missing” (May 17)

Arrow has one of the worst birthdays ever. His friends make the mistake of throwing a surprise party for one of the world’s most dangerous killers. They are then promptly captured by Earth-2 Laurel, Artemis, and Talia al Ghul. Prometheus gets busted out of prison, and also tells Oliver he’s kidnapped William as well. It’s nice, in that Oliver doesn’t have to tell his friends to leave him alone, as usual. Well, except for Felicity and Diggle. Arrow then teams up with Malcolm, who has questionable motivations, and Nyssa, one of the many al Ghuls. He also is apparently teaming back up with Deathstroke, which is intriguing. Deathstroke was great in season 2, but he’s basically the same type of guy as Adrian Chase. He probably won’t be too helpful, but if he becomes a prominent villain again, that’s very exciting.

SCORE: 7.5/10 Birthday Cakes

WEEKLY WIN TALLY:

Supergirl: 8.5 Weeks

Arrow: 7.5 Weeks

The Flash: 5 Week

What show did you think won the week? Does Legends of Tomorrow take your vote? Do you think A.o.S. or Gotham outshines all the CW shows? Let us know in the comments below!

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‘Pokemon GO’: Legendaries Coming To Game This Summer?

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 22, 2017

At the 21st annual Webby Awards, Archit Bhargava, Niantic’s global marketing product lead, teased legendary Pokemon when accepting the “Best Mobile Game” award for Pokemon GO.

Recipients are only allowed to say five words in their acceptance speeches, and Bhargava’s statement read:

“This summer will be legendary”

How do you feel about Pokemon GO? Have you continued to play the game, or has the appeal been lost? Regardless of the answer, does the inclusion of legendary Pokemon entice you? Sound off in the comments below.

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson On The Appeal Of ‘Black Adam’

By

Aric Sweeny

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May 22, 2017

We Got This Covered recently sat down with Black Adam actor Dwayne Johnson and got his reasons for choosing the role.

“I love the idea that is backstory is that he starts off as a slave. I feel like when somebody is oppressed that way but has a bigger ambition and a greater belief than the oppression that’s holding him down – that’s a powerful place to be. [His] family getting killed, coming back from that; There’s a lot of elements about Black Adam that have attracted me for a very, very, very, very, very long time.

I’m excited about it, man. You know, and Black Adam has been with me probably going ten years that Black Adam is in our zone. And [there’s] the great meetings we’ve been having with Geoff Johns and the guys over at DC, Warner Bros, New Line.”

Although the announcement of Johnson as Black Adam came years ago, we have yet to see the character on screen. With that said, however, the DC Extended Universe is now in full swing, so we’ll likely see him soon enough.

Shazam is currently slated for a 2019 release date.

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Dragon Ball Super chapter 24 – Review

By

Jahmssen Ruiz Castaneda

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May 22, 2017

Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball always finds ways to surprise me. Super is no exception to that rule. The anime is up to episode 91 but I have no interest to watch it for one simple reason; the manga is superior in every way. Stop now because spoilers ahead.

Problems

The comic is currently reaching the climax of the Goku vs Zamasu fight. Unlike the anime, however, how we reached that point was done in a much more graceful way. I’ve heard accounts and even watched clips that tell a different story than the one I was exposed to with the manga.

My biggest gripes with the anime are how dumb Goku and the crew are made to be, and how Vegeta’s been reduced to a mere sidekick. Another problem I have is how long it takes to move the plot forward. Within 26 chapters we were done with like 3 arcs.

I have to admit though that the comic releases seem to be sporadic and have no real dates attached. The anime does one thing right in being weekly.

God vs God

The latest chapter comes as Vegito’s fusion has come undone. What can our heroes do now that their strongest warrior has come and gone?

A normal rational person might think there’s nothing left to do, and they’d be right.

Dragon Ball Super Zamasu beating Goku — Things are looking grim!

In Dragon Ball’s case though, they’d be wrong.

The plan boils down to healing Goku while Vegeta buys time-fighting Zamasu. They’re all out of senzu beans though so how is that plan even going to work?

That’s when we find out that future Trunks gained healing abilities from serving the supreme Kai. With that revelation Trunks’ character becomes important without being overpowered like what happened in the anime.

In one of the best moments of character growth for Vegeta, he saves Goku, provokes Zamasu, and receives the beating of a lifetime.

Vegeta normally never gets into that kind of situation, so seeing this happen was a pleasant surprise. Done this way, he feels like his own man instead of a plot device. I don’t know how to put it into words, but he just feels like more of a real person in the comic.

On Goku’s side, he borrows the basics of mastering Super Saiyan Blue from Vegeta. In a previous chapter, it is revealed that Vegeta switches into SSB for a few milliseconds when he punches Goku Black. That technique requires finesse and masterful precision that Goku is incapable of doing so he comes up with his own version; compressing the aura around him into his body.

It’s great seeing the difference between the two main Saiyans like this. Where Vegeta is like a needle, Goku is a rock. Used right both can kill someone. The manga gives us a better appreciation of the rivalry between the two.

Bright Future

In conclusion, “Son Goku’s Evolution” is one of the best chapters of Dragon Ball Super I’ve read. It developed Vegeta and Trunks without making it seem forced or out of character and with a much better resolution than the anime did. I can’t wait to see how much more the manga diverges and how much more intense it’s going to get.

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