‘Legion’ Season One: Shadow of the Moon

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March 30, 2017

Everything about Legion is a risk.

Well, maybe not everything. Choosing Dan Stevens as the leading man was a good way for Noah Hawley and FX to hedge their bets. And reinforcing the cast with reliable, top notch performers like Bill Irwin and Jean Smart was a great way to further solidify the odds that Legion would succeed on some level. Even the riskier casting choices, like Aubrey Plaza as the Shadow King’s primary manifestation, or Rachel Keller, an actress whose only significant acting credit to date was a role in Fargo season two, were fairly safe, considering the range they’d shown in earlier performances.

But almost everything else about the show walks a precarious line. Consider the opening sequence of “Chapter Eight,” which consisted of nearly eight minutes of a character who hadn’t been seen since the premiere. To spend so much time on a minor bad guy who hadn’t been seen in six episodes was a strange decision, especially in a finale with so many loose ends to tie up. On its own, the element of humanization the writers were clearly going for worked; Clark is not just a villainous interrogator, he’s a family man with a partner and an adopted son who are devastated when he nearly burns to death. Although it would have been better placed in a different episode, the sequence functioned as it was supposed to, and suddenly Clark became sympathetic.

The trouble is that at some point while watching this sequence, I realized that I was possibly learning more about Clark than I ever knew about David, the main character of the show. When I evaluate a character and their development, whether in my own writing or someone else’s, I try to list five distinct personality traits that aren’t direct consequences of the story. If it’s too hard to list five simple things, then the character probably isn’t very developed. While Dan Stevens gives a great performance, and the material gives him a lot to work with, I can’t actually list five things about David. He’s kind of a smart-ass, but only sometimes, and he loves Syd. Oh, and he’s technically schizophrenic, depending on who in the story you choose to believe, although even that isn’t simple to determine. But that’s it. And that’s not troubling to see in a main character.

The other characters are largely the same, too. Melanie Bird is a charismatic leader, yet there’s a certain gentle motherliness to her. But how much of this is in the writing, and how much of this is Jean Smart’s performance? The same goes for Syd Barrett, whose relationship with David is the only significant thing about her, other than the performance, once again. The way she and David play off of each other, the easy chemistry they share, was a great source of early characterization, but at then end of the day, it isn’t enough. Viewers should care about Syd and David for reasons beyond simply how much they care for each other.

Having reached the end of the first season, it’s safe to say the show is at its best when it’s taking risks. While some of these, like the finale opening sequence, may have varying degrees of success, the best episodes of this season were those in which abstraction and form and void all overlapped. Chapters One, Four, and Seven were all the most playful and unconventional, and it is no coincidence that these were easily the best three episodes of the season. When the show returned to a more normal structure, like in Chapters Two and Eight, the cracks in the facade became a little more apparent.

Which is not to say that Legion is a bad show. This first season was far more creative and self-assured than any opening salvo outside of Twin Peaks, and when the risks are successful, they are goddamn magic. The jaw-dropping visuals and cinematography, the random Bollywood- or Chicago-inspired dance numbers, and the blearily abstracted voyages into the astral plane were easily the best parts of early 2017 TV. The fact that the show was so strong so often while attempting to rewrite the superhero playbook is a true testament to the storytelling capabilities of Mr. Hawley and Co.

Other random thoughts:

-Aubrey Plaza is a ton of fun as the Shadow King, and watching her find the breadth of her range outside of deadpan snarking has been riveting. That being said, the show is better off using her instead of the other manifestations of the Shadow King. That awful yellow thing that looks like Jabba the Hutt by way of Donald Trump is not scary at all. The more time it spends on screen, the more time I have to think about how stupid it looks. And The World’s Angriest Boy in the World feels derivative of the Babadook, who is a far more successful monster.

-The death of the Eye was a shock to me, and feels like a bit of a misfire. It felt as though he was killed so that the story appeared to have consequences, without actually getting rid of Ptonomy (who is awful) or one of the Loudermilk twins. He was an intriguing villain, and I was looking forward to learning more about him. In retrospect, I realize I never even fully understood what his power was.

-Speaking of powers, it took way too long for the show to explain the exact relationship of Kerry and Cary, and I vaguely recall Melanie being telepathic, but if so, it was literally only utilized in a single scene. When you make a show about mutants, one of the most important things to establish right from the beginning is what they are capable of.

-Hopefully next season Jemaine Clement gets bumped up to series regular, because in a show full of strong performances, he was easily the most captivating presence on screen. Hawley is phenomenal at taking typically comedic actors and finding interesting dramatic uses for them.

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‘Suicide Squad/Banana Splits’ Annual #1: Unlikely Partners in Strange Times

By

Wesley Messer

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March 30, 2017

I never thought in my entire life I would ever see the Suicide Squad teaming up with the Banana Splits. Now for more than a few of you reading this, you have no idea who the Banana Splits are. They’re a rock band from a live-action Hanna-Barbera series that ran for two years from 1968-1970. Put it this way, they were animals and they sang the cheesiest pop imaginable. In this continuity, the band is mistaken for a group of metahumans and this is where our strange story begins. My word this annual to say the least was a ride. Yeah that fits, this is a wacky, zany, odd ride. Let the madness begin as I try and break down the glorious madness that is Suicide Squad/Banana Splits Annual #1.

I still cannot believe this annual even exists. Yet I am glad it does. Suicide Squad/Banana Splits Annual #1 is a strange but magical experience.

The first bit of this leading up to the Banana Splits and Suicide Squad team up is quirky. I think it’s because Tony Bedard is trying hard to make this work initially. Think about this a minute, most readers are going to have no idea who the Banana Splits are. Why do you think I put that intro explaining them to you? I only know them because I watched Cartoon Network a lot in the early days. The Banana Splits have to overcome a lot and I think Bedard knows that going in. The ultimate bubblegum pop/rock band, the Banana Splits with the Suicide Squad, that’s bonkers. Yet in a weird way he manages to make this work. Surprising everyone, including me.

There are many, upon many moments where even I was wondering what in the world I was reading. Bedard takes you on a surreal ride from the police pulling over the band to how they end up in Belle Reve Penitentiary. It will make you laugh while your brain is processing this glorious madness before you. While this is all going on you have the Suicide Squad in need of a rescue, which is where the Banana Splits come in. Did I mention I cannot believe this story works? I think it’s all about how Bedard makes each member of the band a genuine character, rather than a goofy pop band. Even as the story becomes more of a general rescue mission, it becomes a great little fish out of water adventure.

It’s in the interactions of how the teams come together. Characterization is important and that is what helps to make this team-up go over as well as it does.

That’s the key to this story. Characters are key. As rough as the introduction to the Banana Splits is and how they work in this story, the second half of the tale delivers. They may not be metahumans, but they’re a capable crew in their own right. In turn Bedard has great character moments between the Squad and the Splits. It’s a good team dynamic on both fronts and I think that’s ultimately why this ends up working as well as it does. That and the ultimate ending to all this is hilarious and completely delightful.

It doesn’t hurt that Ben Caldwell’s art is animated and energetic, adding such a great energy to this tale. Mark Morales lends a strong line to accentuate the cartoony nature of the art and giving it life. Then you have bright and beautiful coloring from Jeremy Lawson that really helps to set the tone for the story. Extra props to A Larger World’s Troy ‘N’ Dave as their letters were large and bombastic, adding yet another element to this tale. Strong characters, a quirky and strange story, with gorgeous art make this a blast to read.

One aspect that I don’t want to have lost in this conversation is the back-up story with Snagglepuss. I’m excited for this one.

Mark Russell is setting up a take on Snagglepuss like no other and I want more now. I’m getting ahead of myself here but trust me, this is cool. Most of what people know of Snagglepuss are his catchphrases, “Exit, Stage Left”, “Heavens to Murgatroyd”, and that’s about it. They may know the basic idea that he’s a pink mountain lion that wants to be an actor but not much else. This is one of those that I’m mainly familiar with because his cartoons played on TBS and again, a lot of Cartoon Network in the 90’s. Yet Russell aims to dive deep into Snagglepuss as this back-up sets up the upcoming ongoing series.

In this back-up tale it talks about Snagglepuss’s dealings with the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and trying to get him to name names. It’s a serious yet hilarious exchange as Snagglepuss is barely fussed by this Committee. Russell’s exploration of his writing and how it caught the Committee’s attention, funny yet terrifying if you know the time period. This is 1954 and the fear is real but I like how it is handled. After all that I love the chat Snagglepuss has with Augie and I love how the aspect of writing is talked about here. It’s such a dynamic discussion. The flashback that illuminates it is darkly perfect for how it all comes together, I really enjoyed it all.

Here’s where I talk about one part of the series that I am curious to see how it is explored.

One new character development with Snagglepuss has my attention. Mark Russell is going to explore his life as a gay character. You could tell it was there in the old cartoons but now they’re going for it and I dig that. As I take a quote from an interview Russell did with HiLoBrow.com,

“It’s obviously ignored in the cartoons ’cuz they were made at a time when you couldn’t even acknowledge the existence of such a thing, but it’s still so obvious; so it’s natural to present it in a context where everybody knows, but it’s still closeted. And dealing with the cultural scene of the 1950s, especially on Broadway, where everybody’s gay, or is working with someone who’s gay, but nobody can talk about it — and what it’s like to have to try to create culture out of silence.”

I will say that as well characterized Snagglepuss is, the art is going to divide people on this one.

Snagglepuss is a great character and well handled, that’s spot on. Howard Porter is an amazing artist and since they veer realistic with these stories, hyper realism it is. I have seen discussions where people are harping on how it is too realistic. I have to note this though, it’s the end panels that people are focusing on. Those are the ones that veer into a sort of odd uncanny valley. As you see it all together though, I think it works for the most part especially in the flashback scenes. There’s a softer touch to Porter’s style for those and it lends itself well to the animated nature of Snagglepuss. It does come together in the end and the ultimate tone for what Russell is conveying to the audience.

I also think the coloring in this helps tremendously, Steve Buccellato keeps to keeping a sort of calm vibe to the story. It’s muted but it still has moments that pop out at you at times. Yet the flashback is there the colors really shine, it’s bright and dynamic to help increase the impact of it. The coloring is but one of the shining stars of this adventure. I have to say how much I love Dave Sharpe’s lettering for this. There’s one particular bit near the end of the flashback that struck me. I like how it conveyed how serious it was while still maintaining a cartoon like aspect to the piece, that impressed me.

To put it all together as this is a lot to digest, The Suicide Squad/Banana Splits Annual is a lot of fun with a great start to an upcoming new series in Snagglepuss.

For as weird but ultimately wonderful the Suicide Squad/Banana Splits story is, the Snagglepuss story is a great balancer. The entire annual itself is well worth reading. I’m glad I got to spend some time with it and I get a feeling a lot of you will dig this too. Definitely a solid buy and well worth your comic dollar.

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New ‘War Of the Planet of The Apes’ Trailer Somehow Even Better Than the First

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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March 30, 2017

We have been getting a ton of great teasers and trailers and promos this week, and this new trailer for War Of the Planet of The Apes might be the best one yet.

Check this out:

Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both of their species and the future of the planet.

This looks on par with the previous entry. Dark, foreboding, the tone of finality. The success of this new Apes franchise is when big studio filmmaking gets everything right. It’s also great to be in the middle of a Woody Harrelson renaissance. He needs to be in as much as possible.

Aside from Serkis and Harrelson, War Of the Planet of The Apes stars Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, and Sara Canning. It’s directed by Matt Reeves, who will go from this to The Batman, and it opens July 14.

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Review: ‘Dumbing of Age’ Book Two: The Cragged Shame Pits of the Lustwolves

By

Elliott Dunstan

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March 30, 2017

Today, I’m reviewing Dumbing of Age Book Two, rather long-windedly titled I Beg You, Don’t Cast Your Body Into The Cragged Shame Pits of the Lustwolves. For clarity’s sake, I’m calling it The Cragged Shame Pits of the Lustwolves. Although I suppose that isn’t all that much clearer without context.

In the first book of Dumbing of Age, which I reviewed here, David Willis introduced the core cast of the comic and some of its major conflicts. The cast of the Dumbing of Age webcomic are rebooted versions of his characters from earlier comics.

In its second year, the webcomic spread its focus from its central characters to others who had played mostly cameo roles so far. The most important of these are Amazi-Girl/Amber, Ethan and Dina.

The second book is available for purchase here.

DUMBING OF AGE BOOK TWO: RECAP

Sarah, Dorothy, Billie and Joyce discuss what to do in the aftermath of Joyce’s assault, and Sal and Walky end up as part of the discussion mostly by accident. After Sal’s advice that the police won’t do much, Joyce decides not to report her assault.

The group decides to go to the beach to help lift Joyce’s spirits, and accidentally drag Dina along with them. Billie helps Walky get some time with Dorothy, his crush. Dorothy and Walky get closer, and eventually start dating.

In the meantime, Ethan Siegal is struggling with being gay. He came out before university, and is regretting his decision. Amber, his ex-girlfriend and best friend, isn’t helping the situation. She helped him come out to his family and friends, but is now avoiding him (and beating up criminals at night as Amazi-Girl).

Joyce is trying to deal with the consequences of her assault, and flinching around men she doesn’t know or trust. She and Ethan bond over Transformers cartoons, and despite Ethan’s (and Sarah’s) misgivings, become a couple.

Amber and Danny, computer science compatriots, are flirting. However, Danny’s decided he’s interested in Amazi-Girl instead. After some doubts, Amazi-Girl and Danny start going out. However, Danny’s complete lack of observation skills makes things… difficult.

Billie and Ruth’s rivalry is only escalating, despite Billie not having done anything else to piss off her RA. Mostly. Things get weird(er?) when Ruth breaks into Billie’s room and insists on drinking beer and watching television with her, though.

Sarah, Joyce, Dina and Billie go shopping. They run into some of Sarah’s old friends, and things get violent. Afterwards, Sarah explains to the others what happened to her old roommate – the previously mentioned drug user, Dana. Turns out, Dana’s mother died, and her illegal drug habits threatened both Dana’s life and Sarah’s mental health and scholarship.

Joyce’s desires towards Ethan mingle with her trauma and overall sexual repression, and she has a terrifying dream in which she and Ethan are intimate – and Ethan turns into Ryan.

DUMBING OF AGE BOOK TWO: REVIEW

By this point, the comic is definitely heading into darker territory. Joyce’s assault colours her interactions with everybody, and the entire book revolves around sex and sexuality. The humour is still omnipresent, but fewer and fewer of the final panels are punchlines, and more of them are quiet punches to the gut. Or, occasionally, very frightening ones.

The one significant flaw of this book’s plotlines is Ethan. Recently out of the closet, he’s an average Jewish nerd, exhausted from a summer of homophobia. However, his plotline – dating the otherwise sweet but drastically sheltered and homophobic Joyce and going back into the closet – is more than a little upsetting. The humour of the comic hasn’t balanced out yet, and the writing treats Joyce’s struggle seriously while joking about Ethan’s every few pages. This isn’t helped by the fact that everybody else can apparently tell that Ethan is gay; Sarah makes a comment about it within a few moments of meeting him.

In defense of the comic, though, it’s the first explicitly queer storyline. There are others later on, which handle the topic with some more grace.

Overall, Dumbing of Age Book Two continues the excellence of the first, with a few hiccups in representation. Joyce’s characterization is the driving force of the comic, and Walky and Dorothy’s relationship puts most romances to shame.

Have you been keeping up with Dumbing of Age? What did you think of these arcs?

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Brad Pitt Does His Thing in Netflix’s ‘War Machine’ Trailer

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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March 30, 2017

War Machine, based on the Michael Hastings book The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan, is getting the Netflix treatment. It’s also getting the Brad Pitt treatment.

Yes, Pitt is back playing an idiosyncratic, quirky military dude, pulling all of his now-recognizable stunts with the character. See for yourself:

In a film for our times, writer-director David Michôd (Animal Kingdom) recreates a U.S. General’s roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody – raising the specter of just where the line between them lies today. His is an anti-establishment, pro-soldier exploration in the form of an absurdist war story of a born leader’s ultra-confident march right into the dark heart of folly. At the story’s core is Brad Pitt’s sly take on a successful, charismatic four-star general who leapt in like a rock star to command NATO forces in Afghanistan, only to be taken down by his own hubris and a journalist’s no-holds-barred expose. War Machine addresses the debt we owe to soldiers to question the purposes to which they are being directed.

The tics, the hair, the weird accent, the flippant delivery, that jaw-jutting thing… it’s all here. I don’t mind Brad Pitt’s cooky acting style from time to time, but it’s not for everyone. Plus, David Michôd directed the fantastic Animal Kingdom, so have faith in that.

War Machine will open on Netflix May 26.

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Enjoy This Badass ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 7 Teaser

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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March 30, 2017

Game of Thrones Season 7 is just around the proverbial corner, and today HBO dropped a pretty awesome little teaser/promo video.

Enjoy this:

https://youtu.be/JxWfvtnHtS0

Pretty great if you ask me. This is from the show’s Wiki page, regarding the upcoming season plot line:

Like the sixth season, Season 7 will be based on an outline of the two final, presently-unpublished novels in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring. Filming began in Belfast on August 31, 2016 and ended in February 2017, for a July 16, 2017 release.

The music under the video of all our competitors walking towards the Iron Throne is “Sit Down” From James. And it works perfectly.

Game of Thrones‘ seventh season will be slightly abbreviated, with the run of the show spanning this and an eighth season where it will wrap things up.

Season 7 will be here July 16th.

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‘Rick And Morty’ Season 3 Premiere will be a Schwifty Hour-Long Special

By

Michael Fromm

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March 30, 2017

APRIL 1 – UPDATE: It’s April Fool’s Day, but this is no joke! The season 3 premiere of Rick and Morty is here, streaming on loop on the Adult Swim website for a limited time. Read the Monkeys Fighting Robots review of the episode here. Enjoy!

Believe it or not, the last new episode of Rick and Morty that graced our screens was way back in October, 2015. Mr. Poopy Butthole was not kidding around about his uncertainty as to when the new season would start. However, there is a morsel of good news that just entered our universe. According to its listing on IMDB, the season 3 premiere of Rick and Morty will be a full hour!

The page also lists 13 additional episodes in season 3, each with a standard 22-minute run-time.

For the last 18 months, fans of the Adult Swim series have been clamoring for more hysterical inter-dimensional calamity between the mad scientist and his neurotic grandson. There have been a number of rumors and snippets of information as to when the third season would premiere. The news that the first episode is one hour long is certain to make loyal fans get schwifty! We have certainly waited long enough for some good news.

In March of 2016, co-creator Dan Harmon announced at Magic City Comic Con that new episodes would air by the end of the year (which did not happen, obviously). He also said the new season would have 14 episodes – a step up from 10 in season 2. In July, fans were treated to animatics at San Diego Comic Con, which contained hints as to how (SPOILER ALERT) Rick is going to escape from prison.

Since then, there have been a number of promises and let-downs by both Harmon and Justin Roiland as to when the new season would actually premiere. On IMDB, it lists April 24 as the premiere date, but Adult Swim has never confirmed this. What we do know is that animation and voice-over work is currently underway. The team is working diligently on Rick and Morty, and genius takes time.

The premiere is likely to be a direct continuation of the season 2 finale. Rick had been captured by the Galactic Federation and incarcerated on a prison planet, under the charge of having committed “everything.” How will Rick escape his lifetime sentence? Keep checking for updates on Monkeys Fighting Robots!

(Author’s note: thank you to the reader who pointed out that the hour-long premiere has not been confirmed by Adult Swim just yet.)

Are you excited for the Rick and Morty premiere? Let us know in the comments!

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Joss Whedon In Talks To Write And Direct ‘Batgirl’ Movie

By

Anthony Caruso

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March 30, 2017

Joss Whedon, best known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, in addition to writing and directing The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron for Marvel Studios, seems poised to return to the world of costumed superheroes. This time, however, he may be joining the DC Extended Universe.

Per Variety:

“Whedon is nearing a deal to write, direct, and produce an untitled Batgirl pic for Warner Bros. as part of its DC Extended Universe.”

This is the first time we’re hearing plans that Warner Bros. is giving Batgirl, one of their most popular heroines, her own solo film, but it should come as no surprise after news broke few weeks ago that her male counterpart, Nightwing, would be receiving his own solo outing directed by Chris McKay. It should also come as a relief to fans of the character that Joss Whedon is taking the lead on this project. Not only is he known for writing strong, kickass, feminist, female leads, but the two Avengers movies that he did for Marvel are two of the best in the MCU.

Joss Whedon has yet to comment on the story.

What do you think of this news? Who should Whedon cast as Barbara Gordon? And who do you think he’ll make Batgirl square off against in her first solo outing? Let me know in the comments below!

Stay tuned for more information on this project as more news breaks!

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‘Personal Shopper’ Review: Kristen Stewart’s Haunting, Mediative Journey Into the Unknown

By

Will Ashton

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March 30, 2017

Death is a closed door and an open window. It’s an empty void and an overbearing presence. Personal Shopper, the newest film from acclaimed writer/director Oliver Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria), is a mystifying, majestically distanced drama/thriller grappling with the most horrific terror of all: the unknown, notably in the wake of unshakeable tragedy. It’s a ghost story, yes, but it’s also an examination on lost as seen through our apathetic present-day worldview, where our emotions are hidden and/or distanced by technology, and our lives are lived through self-imposed barriers and culturally-accepted detachments. To cast Kristen Stewart, one of our most gorgeously minimalist actresses and modern icons, is a stroke of brilliance. Personal Shopper is a reflection piece that’s hauntingly felt.

Maureen Cartwright (Stewart) is a quiet woman waiting to be heard. An American woman who works as a personal assistant to a high-profile celebrity, there are shades of her perceptive, wise-beyond-her-years Valentine from Sils Maria, yet Maureen is her own woman. Her generally laissez-faire lifestyle, which involves Maureen purchasing new, very expensive clothes and jewelry for her rarely-seen, world-known employer, is an empty and unfilled one. Beyond the occasional Skype call to her out-of-the-loop boyfriend back home — a man whom Maureen seems to hold little-to-no interest in, at least, as far as we can tell — and her casual friendship with Lara (Sigrid Bouaziz), Maureen is lonely, miserable, bored and heartbroken, the latter due to her twin brother Lewis, who recently passed away at 28.

Since his untimely death, Maureen walks and wonders around Lewis’ empty country house, hoping to finally communicate with her deceased brother. As amateur mediums, Lewis and Maureen bonded through their mutual interest in the paranormal, with Lewis, in particular, believing he shared a strong hold with the spirit world. It’s an intangible interconnection Maureen also thinks she possesses with the other dimension, if not quite as strongly as Lewis. To allow her twin, and ultimately herself, to make peace with his abrupt passing, Maureen longs for some form of confirmation from/interaction with Lewis’ phantom presence, in her hopes to learn how to live without him, if she can. And Lewis (or, at least, someone from the other side) does reach out to Maureen, if not exactly in the manner she would expect. Through a series of sourceless text messages, Maureen seemingly talks to her departed sibling. While their conversations are intense and demanding, they provide Maureen with some semblance of closure during this tenuous turning point in her early life.

It’s a mix of new-age millennial disassociation with the outside world and classic gothic haunted house/lurking premonition otherworldly dread, all of which is guided gently and graciously by Assayas’ growingly-skilled hand. As confident and poised as ever, largely inspired by Stewart’s own naturalistic, seemingly effortless assurance at the very forefront, Personal Shopper is engrossing and isolated, compelling and confounding, exploring the spirituality and emptiness of mourning, and how we find ourselves quite literally haunted by our insecurities, physical and mental limitations, and those we lost in our listless lives. Through Assayas, these universal themes of alienation and blind remorse are feed new life.

It’s starkly despondent and quietly intimidating. Filled with remorse and reflection, contemplation and introspection, it’s sulky and gloomy, but it’s also gripping and moving, in its own downplayed manner. Desolate in its approach, yet still uniquely transfixing, Personal Shopper is a bleakly riveting accomplishment, one that’s not easily forgotten. Like a spirit lingering, it stays by you, with you, through you and within you. It’s unshakeable.

Its disconnected style, however suitable, can take some adjusting to get used to, and its general ambivalence, particularly towards its open ending, might leave some annoyed. If you’re looking for quick thrills, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for easy answers, they won’t be found here. Personal Shopper isn’t meant to be consumed; rather, it’s meant to be pondered, observed, reminisced. That’s only appropriate. Yes, it can be dull, and yes, it’s not always easy to understand. But that adds to its grounded, believable effectiveness.

Artistic by design and remote by choice, unless the moment calls for intimacy, Personal Shopper is disturbing in the sense that it’s so mesmerizingly evocative. It’ll be a tough sell for some, yet even though it touches upon such universal notions, it’ll likely only appeal to those who approach its melancholic yearning like Maureen herself: waiting with willful unease, hoping for closure and contempt, but above all else, wanting to find a connection.

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Forgotten Heroes – Why Animal Man Deserves A TV Show

By

Jamesey Lefebure

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March 30, 2017

A key member of DC’s “Forgotten Heroes” Animal Man is not a character many know. Despite being created in 1965, Buddy Baker has never had his turn in the spotlight. His origins and power set can be confusing to explain. Sadly with a lack of any stand out villains he’s easily overlooked by the masses. So why would he be the ideal character to make the jump from comic to screen? His family and the horrors that they have to endure to make him Animal Man.

More Heroes?

With the rise in popularity of mature comic adaptations such as Outcast, Preacher, and Legion, the TV landscape is once again changing. We already have our “superheroes” with Arrow, Flash, Legends Of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Agents of Shield, and The Defenders. It’s safe to say that our quota of costumed hero’s has been filled. However the last thing we need is another person throwing on spandex and trying to save the world. What we need is a family man, who wants very little to do with the world of spandex and super-villains. A hero whose comic has covered social issues, family breakdowns and at one point being made up entirely of different animal parts.

Who is Animal Man?

Buddy Baker gained his powers from an exploding spaceship in his youth and as a result gained the ability to harness the attributes of any animal that has been alive. This includes being able to fly like an eagle, heal himself like an earth worm or breath underwater like a dolphin.Although these don’t sound like very effective powers, they lend themselves well to the tone of Animal Man. After a failed stint as a superhero he gave this up to become a stunt man and focus on his family with his wife Ellen and his two kids.

What’s It About?

The pre-52 Animal Man touched on animal testing, the bonds of family and even religion. Whilst the New 52 version took the horror roots of the comics early days and firmly ran with them. Animal Man was one of the few comics to not have any major rebooting after the birth of the New 52. This allowed for the comic to merely continue as if it hadn’t been cancelled. Whilst not having to delve too much into Buddy’s Past. It is the new 52 version that we will be looking at to explain why Animal Man would make for a great TV show whilst dipping into some of the more iconic story-lines.

Why would it work?

Jeff Lamire’s run on the new 52 Animal Man could easily be transported from page to screen. From the first beginning of the issue there is no explanation or back story of who Buddy Baker is. There is none of the hiding the hero identity from his family, no grappling with the weight and responsibility of his powers. We simply get Buddy going about his business. His family know of his alter ego and support him. Ellen worries about his safety but is fully supportive, even as the story continues Ellen proves to be one of the best hero wives because she’s always got his back. There would be none of the usual hero cliché’s that TV often relies on to increase drama. This isn’t just the story of Animal Man, but rather the tale of the Baker Family.

The Baker Family

From his onset as series writer Jeff Lamire said that he wanted to focus more on the family aspect of Animal Man and this is where the strength of the show would lie. One thing that made Outcast such a hit was its dependence on the support cast and allowing them to add to tension to the show. Ellen Baker and her two children would be amazing to watch as they balance their own personal lives and the ramifications of having a superhero in the family.

The New 52 Animal Man comic spent a very large portion dealing with one ongoing story. There were very little filler issues and until near the end of the run had a single villain – The Rot. The story spans months and affects not only Buddy and Ellen but their children Cliff and Maxine. As well as a very disgruntled mother in law and the family cat. The material in the comics could easily span two seasons easily if the episode order was on the smaller side with only 10 -12 episodes per season. If the show went in with a five-year plan, they could mine the early stories and move nicely onto the larger New 52 story arc.

Fantasy Casting

A large part of the appeal of Buddy is that he is a tall blonde haired red-blooded American so casting him wouldn’t be difficult. That being said, Josh Holloway could breathe life to Buddy who is prone to letting his emotions get the better of him. Physically he would fit the bill perfectly.He’s got the presence of a hero, but has the acting chops to show the depth of the struggles that being the Avatar of the Red entails.

Marcia Cross would make an amazing Ellen Baker, bringing sophistication and steel to the role of “superhero wife.” Her time in Desperate Housewives showed the ability to bring dry comedy to a dark series. Ellen Baker is not a woman to cross and she will do anything to protect her family. Marcia Cross could breathe life into this role while also being a perfect physical fit for Ellen.

Maxine and Cliff are harder to cast as they are both quite young however Stranger Things has shown that there is no shortage of talented child actors out there.

The Big Bad

One problem with the pre New-52 Animal Man was his lack of regular villains. He dealt largely with social issue’s so the list of villains for him to fight is small! However this doesn’t mean there aren’t any. B’Wana Beast and The Spider Queen could both play the smaller roles. Both Brother Blood and The Rot could also serve as two larger than life villains. Especially as The Rot has The Hunters Three acting as its agents through the new 52 comic run. Depending on the route that the show took, there’s essentially five season long villains on that list.

Mapping The Seasons

Animal Man’s first main villian B’Wana Beast

Season One

If the show had a five-year run, they could start with B’Wana beast as the main antagonist for season one, showing the audience the values and core dynamic for the Baker family. Introduce the power set of Animal Man and use the early Grant Morrison material for the tone of the show. Part comedy, part drama as Buddy deals with the financial problems of being an out of work actor. Whilst balancing a desire to do good and keep his family safe. The beauty of B’Wana beast being the main villain was his over all lack of villainy. He was misunderstood and trying to avenge his animal friends. The two ended up being friends in the comics, but not before battling it out. In the season one finale show that Buddy’s daughter Maxine has powers leading to a cliff hanger.

Season Two

Season Two could focus on the links to The Red, Maxine finding her powers and Ellen trying to ensure that her daughter doesn’t go down the same route as her father. With the introduction of Maxine’s powers, it gives the Spider Queen the excuse to become a feature. It would be a good chance to showcase the Baker family more as they have to bond together to fight a demon from outside of space and time. Bonus points for casting Lucy Lawless as Anasi.

Season Three and Four

Third and fourth season’s could deal with The Rot. Taking heavily from the Lemire run – a family on the run from death itself. The scope and drama of this would translate to with characters we’ve grown to love and care for. The stakes would be high and if they stuck to the source material there would be casualties on all fronts.

Season Five

The final season could deal with Brother Blood and a broken Baker family trying to pull themselves back together. In the New 52 run Brother Blood shows up during the worst period of Animal Man’s life. Thus pushing Buddy beyond to his physical and mental limits. For the final season he would be able to show what Animal Man can really do.

Why Now?

The time is right for hero’s to go darker. Shows such as Outcast and Preacher show that adult shows make money. They attract an audience who wouldn’t watch Arrow or Flash. Animal Man is much more than a superhero. He’s a father, a husband and at his core he is a social warrior. Looking at Grant Morrisons run on the comic he had Buddy fighting for animal rights, social justice and his family at all costs. The Animal Man comic got people talking about the world around them. Surely the point of good television is to do the same.

Animal Man is just one of a number of “forgotten heroe’s”. Who else would you love to see given the spotlight? Do you agree with the fantasy casting? Sound off in the comments below!

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