To say the X-Men have had a tough time in the Marvel Universe lately is an understatement. Now X-Men: Prime #1 starts off the ResurrXion of the X-Line. I guess you really would call this X-Men: Rebirth as this is how the comic operates in a way. It’s got as tough a haul ahead of it as Inhumans Primehad. I think the X-Books have more good will behind it while the Inhumans are a different story. A lot of us have been rooting for Marvel to get the X-Line back in shape again so now we get to see for ourselves. All I’m hoping for is a good gateway into the line and a good read in general. Let’s get this party started as I dive back into the realm of mutants once more with X-Men: Prime #1.
So we’re going to apply the same rules with X-Men: Prime as we did with Inhumans Prime. First off, is this new reader friendly?
At least this time this will be easier to answer, thank goodness.
Yes, this is new reader friendly. I kid you not, if you are picking this up as a lapsed reader or new to the team, you will be okay. For the lapsed X-Fan or for the readers rooting for the team, oh yeah you’ll love this. I wish I knew who wrote what parts of the comic because Marc Guggenheim, Greg Pak, and Cullen Bunn worked well here. Whoever came up with Kitty Pryde being the focus character of this story, well done. Pryde is the perfect way to bring any reader new or old back or into the X-fold. This book also did the smart thing of having a recap page where Inhumans Prime didn’t. There is so much this comic gets right as a story and as a way to get readers engaged, I can’t help but love it.
Alright, we have established that this is new reader friendly. So why is X-Men: Prime such a good read?
I mention Kitty Pryde as a major plus for this working as well as it does. Establishing her back in the X-Universe is perfect. In turn that leads us on a journey through X-Men past, present, and now we can look towards the future. There’s also a quick aside for Lady Deathstrike to set up the Weapon X series, I like the idea behind it. See what X-Men: Prime does that Inhumans Prime glitched up on is getting people hyped for all the series. It set up the concepts for what’s to come for at least the next month or so and it works. I like seeing Kitty’s journey through the mansion and finding her place again. I like learning more about Storm’s struggles in the aftermath of Inhumans vs. X-Men, this is great stuff. The story sets up a bright future for the X-Team to come and that’s awesome.
Wow, the future looks bright for the X-Men, who would have thought? Strange times my friends, but I like it.
Okay we have a good story and a lot of great ideas happening here but what about the art in all of this, how does that fare?
This is another situation where I really wish I knew who did what pages here art wise. We have four artists, Ken Lashley, Ibraim Roberson, Leonard Kirk, and Guillermo Ortego. For this one, it works a lot better as a whole artistically. While the styles are all different, it looks good as a whole and there isn’t the artistic whiplash that Inhumans Prime had. It’s tough to judge when I don’t know who did what but as a whole it looks good. There’s also three colorists here, Morry Hollowell, Frank D’Armata, and Michael Garland, and even they look great here. It’s a strong package all around, it’s surprising how well everything works here. It’s impressive honestly and it is great to see a team work this well together.
Wow, X-Men: Prime did work better as a whole than Inhumans Prime huh? I’m pleasantly surprised. This is a good sign for things to come for the X-Line.
Let’s wrap this up simply, if you are a fan of the X-Men, you are going to be really happy. It channels the classic X-Men vibe while going forward into something new and possibly exciting. Now this could go easily go haywire but I am veering towards optimism here. It is nice to be optimistic about the X-Men for a change. X-Men Prime #1 was a great read and I’m hoping it wasn’t a fluke. If it isn’t a fluke, we are in for a great time. ResurrXion, I am ready for you.
Adrian is a man tormented by ghastly waking nightmares. Pushed to a point of desperation, he reluctantly turns to past life regression hypnotherapy as a means of understanding and treating the unwanted visions. When his consciousness is cast back through time, Adrian witnesses a scene of horrific debauchery and diabolism before waking up. But Adrian’s more unsettled than before and something dark and unnatural has followed him back… Now Adrian finds himself descending into a world of occult conspiracy, mystery, reincarnation, and insanity—from which there is no escape.
Regression #1 Written by: Cullen Bunn Art by: Danny Luckert Colors and Lettering by: Marie Enger
Published by Image Comics
Image Comics has been releasing some of the best horror comics in the business, and now we can add one more to their ever growing list of fright. Regression by Cullen Bunn, Danny Luckert, and Marie Enger is one terrifying trip. It’s expertly paced, shockingly gory, and straight up disturbing. Read on for 11 reasons that Regression #1 will give you nightmares!
Cullen Bunn’s very real characters and their honest terror and what they see.
There you have it. If you’re a fan of very psychological AND physical driven horror, pick this book up when it comes out. I guarantee it’s going to be the next big horror hit.
AfterShock Comics invites you to check out The Normals, a new series that will have you questioning your own reality. Preview the first issue below!
Think about your “life” for a moment…the people you’ve known, the one’s you’ve loved, and all the stuff in between. Now imagine you learned that everything YOU believed, everything YOU lived, everything YOU felt actually never happened…it was ALL not real. But it is REAL to YOU and you now must fight to save it and everyone you love. But to do that, you first have to save the world. Welcome to “The Normals.” an exciting new rush-of-blood-to-the-head series and AfterShock Comics.
Created and written by Adam Glass (executive producer of Supernatural & writer of Suicide Squad) with art by Dennis Calero (X-Men Noir).
And check out this awesome fan-made trailer for the series from DarwynsTheory on YouTube:
The Normals hits shelves on May 24, 2017. Preorder it today with item code MAR171238.
There are few names in comics that are as well-known as Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Kirby co-created, with Stan Lee and others, nearly every Silver Age character for Marvel, including The Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Cyclops, Jean Grey (then Marvel Girl), the Beast, the Angel, Iceman, Prof. X., Magneto, the Inhumans, the Black Panther, Galactus, the Silver Surfer, and the list goes on.
That’s not Mad, that’s Sick!
Simon’s career was similarly creative but didn’t involve as many superheroes. He became a big name in romance and satirical comics, though, founding Mad competitor Sick. Simon did eventually go back to capes and tights, though, co-creating the super-weird team The Outsiders with Jerry Grandenetti for DC.
But, although Simon and Kirby both created their fair share of heroes, none had both the lasting popularity and influence of their first big hit Captain America. So, neither could resist rehashing the idea in 1954 when competitor to their Crestwood Publications‘s, Atlas Comics — a re-branded Timely Comics — retrieved the good Captain from comicbook limbo. This rehash’s name was Johnny Flagg AKA Fighting American, and he, along with his sidekick Speedboy, kept America safe from commies.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: “Are You Kidding?”
No, I’m not kidding. But after the first issue, Simon and Kirby may have been. The plots get increasingly ridiculous as the series progresses. And that’s no small feat considering that the premiere issue starts with Fighting American’s confusing origin story.
Fighting American’s origin starts with Nelson Flagg, a mild-mannered weakling. Nelson’s brother is Johnny Flagg, a handsome war veteran who keeps the American people apprised of commie threats via his TV talk show. Though Johnny’s a former athlete and war hero, he now walks with crutches due to an injury sustained in what was presumably the Korean War. Johnny and Nelson, on top of being brothers, are also colleagues. The mild-mannered Nelson writes the material, and Johnny delivers it on the air.
But the fraternal work relationship is not meant to be. A commie retaliation to one of Nelson’s well-worded pieces of propaganda sees Johnny at the receiving end of a hail of gunfire. Johnny dies, but the US Army offers Nelson a confusing and creepy chance to become a hero.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: Zombie Bro
A nameless colonel asks Nelson if he’s willing to give his life to bring Johnny’s killers to justice. Nelson agrees and the colonel describes a process the US Army has developed that will allow them to turn an ordinary man into a “virtually indestructible agent of the future.” Seems pretty familiar so far … but wait. The twist is that, rather than subjecting Nelson to the necessary treatments — as they did to the puny Steve Rogers — the colonel and his team revitalize Johnny’s corpse. The colonel’s team transfer Nelson’s consciousness to Johnny’s revitalized body, and (the undead freak of nature) Fighting American is born!
Aside from the palpable creepiness of switching bodies with your brother’s corpse, one wonders why the colonel’s team didn’t just suggest revitalizing Nelson’s body. Weak though Nelson may have been, his body would probably have been in better shape than the bullet-riddled corpse of his wounded war hero brother. But, that’s military intelligence for you I guess.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: Pre-Jenny McCarthyism
It’s tough to say whether Simon and Kirby created Fighting American as a reaction against or as propaganda for McCarthy era politics. If they are a reaction against McCarthyism, they’re not overt. Instead, Soviet Russia is the butt of quite a few jokes in the original 7-issue run, and the USA is made out to be a paradise that defectors dream of. But, since I’m not a historian, rather than getting bogged down in the dysfunctional politicking of the ’50s, I’m going to focus on a specific story in Fighting American #4 (October 1954), “Home-Coming Year 3000.”
But before I do, I should say a little about Speedboy, Fighting American’s sidekick. Much like Bucky, Speedboy has no super powers. And, again like Bucky, Speedboy is not a reanimated corpse. Instead, he’s just a pageboy Fighting American meets and recruits in his super-dangerous mission to protect America from the communist threat. OK, now on to “Home-Coming Year 3000,” a non-sequitur if ever there was one.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: … On Opium?
This is by far my favourite story in the original run of Fighting American: Johnny sleeps and dreams of the distant future. He dreams that he’s an explorer, also named Johnny Flagg, returning from the planet Canopus 4. Johnny relates his adventure to his shuttle pilot while sitting with a mysterious white cube on his lap that he describes to the pilot as alive.
Johnny’s description paints Canopus 4 as a planet full of hostile life of all different forms. Amid the barrage of terrifying animal and plant life, though, Johnny meets Kleeter, a boy dressed in the same manner as Johnny but bald except for a shock of hair on top of his head. Johnny determines that Kleeter is part of a race of telepathic shape-shifters.
After Johnny learns the shape-shifters’ language (but aren’t they telepathic?), they take Johnny to a cave where the shape-shifters use their telepathic powers to kill a “spole,” essentially a huge gelatinous organ bag. They do so, and here Johnny finishes up his story to the shuttle pilot.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: “Why Is It On Your Lap Then?”
The pilot asks about the white cube on Johnny’s lap, and, to the pilot’s surprise, it turns into Kleeter. After the big reveal, Kleeter turns back into a cube (on Johnny’s lap the whole time), and Johnny takes a catnap while the pilot docks the shuttle. Johnny wakes up back on Earth (apparently he and Speedboy sleep in the same room) in 1954. Johnny describes his futuristic dream, and then, in a zeitgeist-defining caption, a maudlin Joe Simon ends this weird tale with a final thought, “So, on with the gloomy present — and the mad whirl of action, intrigue and aggravation in the war of ideologies. Fighting American and Speedboy have rolled up their sleeves and are ready for the next adventure!”
I’m not sure if Simon and Kirby meant to have this kind of futuristic story become a mainstay of Fighting American, but this is the only issue in the original run that features this brand of wild science-fiction, and it sticks out like a diamond in the rough.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: The Art
Jack Kirby is a genius in any decade. His work on Fighting American, although derivative, is just as dynamic and “krackley” as anything else he did. I particularly liked the spole as Kirby’s take on some Lovecraftian nightmare. Beyond the spole, though, Kirby’s mastery of the grotesque is on full display in villains from other Fighting American stories such as “Square Hair” Malloy and Yuscha Liffso.
Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American: The Writing
As you may have guessed, I didn’t have as much time for the red bashing punch ’em ups as I did for Fighting American‘s lone science-fiction story. But, either way, there’s no denying Simon’s writing talent. I think this talent was on full display in “Home-Coming Year 3000,” especially in passages like this one, “There is no up or down or side here — nothing too small, nothing too large — here it is limitless, boundless, silent. Time is like that … beyond size or space or sound … here is where past, present, and future meet like merging traffic … as Johnny drifts in that unguessable stream … along a celestial highway.”
Sure, Simon mixes his metaphors a bit at the end, but this is quality writing for a comicbook from 1954. Aside from this dreamy passage, though, Simon’s description of the world of the future shows an Asimov-like creativity, for instance, “He rises from his pressure couch, happy to be back among familiar surroundings,” or “The glove lining around my left forefinger held a compact fusion charge unit! I simply pointed and fired.” It just goes to show that even when working on a derivative knock-off, there’s still opportunity for great work … unless you’re Zack Snyder (I kid, I kid).
In case you weren’t aware, Monkeys Fighting Robots reviews movies. Like, a lot of movies. And not to toot our proverbial horns, but they’re pretty great reviews. But we don’t want to stop at providing some of the best reviews the internet has to offer. We want to enhance your film-viewing experience!
Have you ever wondered what “the second act sags” or “the character motivation was unclear” means? Or maybe you just want to say more than “it’s good/bad” when a friend asks how a movie is? Don’t worry; we’re here to help. And since Rogue One came out on DVD/Blu-ray today, what better place to start? Without further ado, this is: Let’s Learn About Movies: The Three Act Structure.
Disclaimer
The three act structure is not a “fact” per se. It is a critical theory that can be applied to most films because of how narratives are often constructed. It is a standard of sorts, and a very convenient way to organize and critically think about a film.
Also, there are ***SPOILERS*** ahead for Rogue One. Onward!
Narrative Structure: 3s and 8s
The three act structure is all about tension. Tension is created when a complication is introduced that upsets the status quo, causing conflict. Tension is released when that complication is resolved, bringing about a new status quo. Characters have their own tensions that can be reduced very simply to wants and needs. What a character wants drives the journey (the second act), while their need drives the third act (the third act).
Tension in a narrative is centered around the protagonist, the character through which the story is told. This does not need to be who the story is about: the most recent and best case in point is Mad Max: Fury Road, which is undoubtedly Furiosa’s story, but is told through Max, and therefore he is the protagonist.
Sets of scenes organized around creating and resolving specific tensions are called sequences. There are eight sequences: two in the first act, four in the second, and two in the third. In larger terms, the first act sets up the primary tension, the second act changes and resolves it, and the third act solves new tension.
Simple right? Don’t worry, it makes more sense when you see it. Let’s get to it.
Rogue One, Act 1, Sequence 1
Sequence 1 sets everything up. It contains:
a. The status quo (or the background) of the world and protagonist. Krennic and his Deathtroopers land, kill Lyra Erso, and kidnap Galen Erso. This establishes the Empire and Krennic as antagonists. We are also introduced to our protagonist, who is a pseudo-orphan and, 15 years later, an imprisoned criminal.
b. This is the point of attack, or the thing that gets the ball of the plot rolling. Cassian Andor meets Tivik, an informant. He tells Cassian that an Imperial pilot sent by Galen has defected, and has information about a “planet killer” weapon that the Empire is building.
c. The inciting incident, or what brings the protagonist into the plot. This is the first complication, disrupting the status quo. Cassian and K-2SO rescue Jyn from the Imperial labor camp on Wobani, bringing her out of her status quo (loner-prisoner) and into the plot.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn go with her emancipators? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 1, Sequence 2
Sequence 2 gets the protagonist ready for the journey. It establishes the:
a. The main tension, or the purpose of the “journey.” Cassian and Jyn must go to Jedha to find and talk to Saw Gerrera, so that the Rebels can find Galen.
b. The character tension,which can be broken into want and need. The want drives why they are pursuing the plot. Jyn wants to be free, and therefore must go on the mission the Rebels have tasked her with. The character’s need resolves the third act tension. Jyn needs to acknowledge her past and fight for more than herself.
c. The lock-in, or the protagonist’s decision to undertake the journey. Jyn accepts the terms of the mission. Decision, locked-in.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn accept the mission? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 2, Sequence 3
Act 2 is the meat of most films; it’s where stuff happens. The character has decided to go on their journey, so now they have to do it. Sequence 3 is the beginning of this journey, and is sometimes known as the fun and games of the narrative: the stakes aren’t very high yet, things are loose, we’re meeting new people. It’s a party.
Jyn and Cassian arrive at Jedha. They walk around a bazaar, meet Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus, fight a tank, and are captured by the Partisans. The stakes are still pretty low, but it’s building: now they’ve been captured, so we’re making our way up in the rising action.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn find Saw? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 2, Sequence 4
In Sequence 4 the stakes have risen a bit and things are maybe not as fun now. It will have:
a. The protagonist learning something. This is a form of complication that further raises the stakes. Jyn learns that her father is definitively alive, did send Bodhi Rook, and built a weakness into the planet killer, called the Death Star, so that it could be destroyed.
b. The midpoint, also known as the second act climax. This is a moment that adds to, but does not resolve, the main tension. It typically mirrors the climax or resolution of the third act. Jyn and company escape Jedha as the Death Star blows it to bits. Notice the mirroring of the resolution of the film.
c. A change in the tension. This change does not resolve the main tension, but it does add a new layer. It is no longer whether Jyn will find Saw so she can go free. Now it is if she will find Galen so she can bring him back to the Rebels, and then she can be free.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn and company escape Jedha? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 2, Sequence 5
Sequence 5 builds on the new tension provided by the midpoint.
Jyn and company travel to Eadu to find Galen. Jyn wants to bring him home. Cassian is reminded of his orders to kill him if found. They find him being interrogated by Krennic.
Here we see the development of some of our newer and smaller characters. In the Wizard of Oz framework, we have: Bodhi needs courage, Baze needs faith, Chirrut…honestly Chirrut doesn’t have an arc. He’s just there to be awesome. Mission accomplished.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn find Galen? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 2, Sequence 6
Sequence 6 has the most dramatically named components of the entire screenplay, so it’s a personal favorite of mine. It has:
a. The all is lost moment, when the protagonist suffers a major loss. Galen dies in Jyn’s arms.
b. The dark night of the soul, when the protagonist deals with the major loss emotionally. Jyn confronts Cassian about his secret orders and lies. Everyone is sad.
c. The resolution of the post-midpoint main tension, and the character want: Jyn found Saw, and then Galen. The mission is accomplished, so she is now free.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Galen survive? Nope.
Rogue One, Act 3, Sequence 7
Act 3 has the highest stakes, new act tension, and sometimes a twist. Sequence 7 is usually where the protagonist’s growth through the second act allows them to make new decisions. The protagonist is typically motivated by a supporting character here as well. In Rogue One we see:
a. The new act tension is established. Jyn wants the Rebellion to fight at Scarif so they can obtain the Death Star plans. The Rebels say “Nah.” Will Jyn get the Death Star plans from Scarif?
b. The supporting character’s speech. Cassian gets the Partisans, Rogue One, and some pilots together to convince Jyn she has support.
c. A twist that like the midpoint adds to the tension of the act. After Rogue One lands on Scarif and finds the plans, the Rebel fleet arrives, and the gate to the planet closes. The protagonists are trapped. The act tension is now “will Jyn find a way to get the Death Star plans to the Rebel fleet?”
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn find the plans? Yep.
Rogue One, Act 3, Sequence 8
Sequence 8 is the finale. It’s all about:
a. The climax. Everything has led up to this point. The twist has increased the stakes and tension to their ultimate height. In Rogue One, the climax is the sequence where each team member helps get the plans to the Rebel fleet. Bodhi broadcasts out to Admiral Raddus. Chirrut pushes the lever that activates the satellite. Jyn sends the plans. Cassian kills Krennic.
b. Character need resolution. The character’s want was resolved at the end of Act 2. Their need helps resolve Act 3. Jyn needed to acknowledge her past, and fight for something more. She acknowledges her past several times in the third act (when convincing the Rebellion, when finding Stardust, and when telling Krennic her name). Jyn also fights for something more when heading off to Scarif.
c. Resolution. Most films like to have resolution. It’s that feel good moment for the audience. Jyn and Cassian hold each other on the beach as they die. Baze accepts Chirrut’s faith, and repeats his mantra while going down fighting. Bodhi dies with his ship after an incredible last act of courage. K-2SO finally likes Jyn, and gives his life protecting her and Cassian. Chirrut stays true to his belief in the Force through the end.
d. Post-plot tension. This sets up what’s next.The Rebel fleet is in shambles. Grand Moff Tarkin takes charge of the Death Star. Leia Organa escapes with the Death Star plans, and Vader gives chase.
Sequence tension created and resolved: Will Jyn and the Rogues escape Scarif? Nope.
Wrapping up
Rogue One, like most of Star Wars, is unique in that its third act is fairly long. Act 1 runs 20 minutes, Act 2 52 minutes, and Act 3 61 minutes long. This isn’t necessarily typical of a TAS, in which the third act tends to be the shortest of the three.
This does bring up a valuable point, though: the TAS is a set of guidelines, not rules. It is a structure that works incredibly well and is very recognizable, but that does not make it the end-all-be-all of narrative construction. It can be flipped around, shifted, screwed with, for varying artistic effects. Nonetheless, it is helpful to know, especially when it comes to better understanding film criticism. Plus, the next time your friends inevitably get together to watch Rogue One again, you can be the annoying person who brings up technical components that no one asked to hear. And that’s really what this is all about it.
What did you think of our first Let’s Learn About Movies? What movie would you like to see us cover next? Let us know in the comments!
In some news that should please both Liam Neeson fans and Noir fans, the actor has signed on to play Philip Marlowe in an adaptation of Benjamin Black’s crime novel The Black-Eyed Blonde.
Here’s a brief background of the material from Variety:
Based on the book The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin Black, the story follows the tough as nails private detective the early 1950s where Marlowe is as restless and lonely as ever, and business is a little slow. That is until a beautiful blonde client comes in and asks Marlowe to find her ex-lover. He soon comes to find out that the ex-lover’s disappearance is just a part of bigger mystery and soon has Marlowe wrapped up with one of the more powerful families in Bay Cities who are willing to go to any length’s to protect their fortune.
This is noir, though, so the machinations of the plot and the twists and turns take a backseat to mood, aesthetics, and troubled characters. Neeson feels like a perfect fit for this world.
The Departed screenwriter William Monahan, who also directed London Boulevard, is set to direct The Black-Eyed Blonde. No news on the rest of the cast or the release date, so stay tuned.
Spider-Man’s first clone and the original Scarlet Spider is back in full swing! After returning as the new Jackal in The Clone Conspiracy, Ben Reilly is picking his old mantle back up in a new solo series.
Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider will be written and drawn by Spider-Man legends Peter David and Mark Bagley. Issue one hits shelves on April 26th. Check out the first official preview below!
This April, one of the most controversial characters in Marvel history returns to don the mask (and hoodie!) once more. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside BEN REILLY: THE SCARLET SPIDER #1 – the new series from New York Times Bestselling creators Peter David (Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099) and Mark Bagley (Ultimate Spider-Man, All-New X-Men)! That’s right, Ben Reilly is webslinging his way back into comic shops everywhere and he’s bringing two of the most accomplished & beloved Spider-Man creators of all-time with him! Only question is – will it be as a hero…or a villain? In the aftermath of The Clone Conspiracy, Ben Reilly has returned with a new lease on life. Not as Peter Parker’s clone – but as his own man. Will suiting up once more as the Scarlet Spider be enough to outrun his personal demons? All while being able to stay one step ahead of the man hunting him – Kaine Parker – the former Scarlet Spider?! More importantly, can you ever truly outrun your past? Find out as the iconic fan-favorite character returns to the fore once again in BEN REILLY: THE SCARLET SPIDER #1 – swinging into comic shops on April 26th!
Are you looking forward to this new series? Do you think Ben will return to the hero he once was, or is he past the point of no return? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
CBS announced this morning their latest recruitment for the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery – Rainn Wilson. What’s more, The Office star will portray the legendary intergalactic con man Harry Mudd from the original Star Trek series.
Wilson joins the stellar Discovery cast, which includes The Walking Dead’s Sonequa Martin-Green, Anthony Rapp, Doug Jones, Michelle Yeoh, and Jason Isaacs.
Harcourt Fenton “Harry” Mudd was originally played by Roger C. Carmel, and introduced in the first season of TOS. Carmel would go on to make another appearance in the second season, as well as in the animated series.
Star Trek: Discovery began production in January, and takes place about 10 years before Captain Kirk and Spock’s original five-year mission. The series will air exclusively on CBS All Access.
What do you think of the casting? Let us know in the comments!
As revealed at ComicBook.com, Valiant Entertainment and Chicago’s own Pipeworks Brewing Co. are proud to announce a brand-new, cosmos-spanning collaboration with X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE – a limited-edition beer release set to debut this April during C2E2 2017 and coming soon to select beer retailers in Illinois and New York! A portion of the proceeds from all sales of the X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE will benefit Hope for the Day, a Chicago-based suicide awareness non-profit dedicated to outreach, education, and prevention.
In the wake of the sold-out debut of Valiant’s epic new ongoing series from visionary creators Matt Kindt and Tomas Giorello, Valiant and Pipeworks have joined forces to create a delicious and delectable golden ale inspired by Aric of Dacia’s empire-toppling conquest of a hostile alien world. Forged by an alien army and bottled in battle, the only thing more powerful than X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE’s unstoppable hop aroma might be the ultra-powerful Shanhara armor itself…but you’ll have to do more than read the back of the bottle to find out!
Pipeworks Brewing Co.’s Kate Brankin said:
All of us at Pipeworks Brewing Co. are very excited to offer up a juicy, dry-hopped golden ale brewed in collaboration with Valiant Entertainment. The beer was made with Galaxy hops and a yeast that lends incredible tropical notes. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. This craft beer pairs excellently with a well-crafted story arc and beautiful artwork. And we’re proud that a portion of all proceeds from this collaboration will benefit Hope for the Day, an organization that focuses on suicide prevention and mental health education through self-expression platforms.
Featuring a label emblazoned with the artwork of Valiant-exclusive superstar Lewis LaRosa, Pipeworks’ brand-new beer creation will make its official debut on Friday, April 21st at the C2E2 2017: X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE RELEASE PARTY – from 7 to 11 pm CT at Chicago’s Cobra Lounge (235 N. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607)!
Co-sponsored by Valiant Entertainment, Pipeworks Brewing Co., and Hope for the Day, the first 75 party-goers will receive a strictly limited X-O MANOWAR (2017) #1 cover flat – a rare, unbound comic cover pulled directly from the printing press and signed by Valiant staff and creators!
Portions of the proceeds from the event’s $5 door charge and all pints of X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE poured will be donated to Hope for the Day, supporting their suicide prevention outreach and mental health education projects. RSVP online at Facebook or Eventbrite.
Hope for the Day Founder & CEO Jonny Boucher added:
Our team at Hope for the Day is beyond stoked to be working with Valiant Entertainment and the local beer legends Pipeworks Brewing on this release that celebrates the festive C2E2. It’s amazing to work with such great individuals on a project that is both creatively awesome and proactively breaking the silence around suicide and mental health.
Pipeworks Brewing Co.’s X-O MANOWAR GALACTIC GOLDEN ALE is a limited release and will be available in select Illinois and New York bottle shops. Find participating retailers and distributors via Pipeworks’ location page, or visit them directly Thursday through Saturday at the Pipeworks Brewing Co. Bottle Shop (3912 W Mclean Ave., Chicago, IL 60647).
Then: Witness history in the making on March 22nd in X-O MANOWAR (2017) #1 – the first issue of the epic new ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (Divinity, Ninjak, Mind MGMT) and a rotating cast of powerhouse artists – including Tomas Giorello (4001 A.D.: War Mother, Bloodshot Reborn), Doug Braithwaite (Armor Hunters, Bloodshot U.S.A.), Clayton Crain (Rai, Carnage), Ryan Bodenheim (The Dying & The Dead), and Mico Suayan (Bloodshot Reborn) – that together will span the series’ first year in 2017 and beyond!
Born under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire, Aric of Dacia learned warfare at an early age. It was amid such violence that he was abducted by an alien race. Forced into slavery, he survived where others perished. His escape would come from bonding with a weapon of immeasurable power: the X-O Manowar armor. With it, he returned to Earth…only to find himself stranded in the modern day.
But that was a lifetime ago.
Now, far from home on a strange and primitive new world, Aric has begun a new life. Liberated from his past, he tends to his crops. Free from war. Free from violence. Free from the armor.
But the machinery of death marches his way once again. Conscripted into an alien army and thrown into an unforgiving conflict, the fury inside him finds voice as he is forced to embrace the armor once more. With it, he will decimate armies, topple empires and incite interplanetary warfare as he rises from soldier to general to emperor to visigoth. They wanted a weapon. He will give them war!
This spring, Matt Kindt and Tomas Giorello forge a new comic book legend for the 21st century as Earth’s most relentless warrior brings conquest to the stars, only in X-O MANOWAR (2017) #1 – on sale now!
Kingsman: The Golden Circle is almost upon us! And now original Kingsman comic (aka The Secret Service) creator, and very vocal social media presence, Mark Millar has Tweeted the poster for the upcoming film. Check it out below.
Anyone who ever dreamed of seeing Elton John, Channing Tatum and Colin Firth in an action movie together only has to wait 5 months! pic.twitter.com/kw3hIhXt8H
It’s a simple enough image, but it’s that cast that gets me excited. Who doesn’t want to see Elton John in an action movie? Plus Jeff Bridges! And Channing Tatum has quickly become a scene stealer in many of his projects.
The first film was such a great surprise, and we can only hope the sequel captures that again. Still no word on how Colin Firth’s Harry Hart character is back after getting killed, but that little bit of mystery is a huge part of the anticipation! What do you guys think? Leave your comments, thoughts and discuss below.
The trailer for this should be out soon, so come back to us here at Monkeys Fighting Robots for more news on this project as it becomes available.
What do you guys think? Leave your comments, thoughts and discuss below.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle is scheduled for release on September 29th, 2017.
Regression #1
There you have it. If you’re a fan of very psychological AND physical driven horror, pick this book up when it comes out. I guarantee it’s going to be the next big horror hit.
