Review: Wytches #6

In the category of “most pleasantly surprising, yet horrifying comic” of the week, Wytches #6 takes the cake, easy. It’s been a suspenseful, horrifying ride, and rumors were circulating that it was going to end with the end of this arc. I’ll spoil the letter's column at the end and tell you Snyder and Jock are apparently coming back for more, even if it’s after a break. There is much rejoicing. Most of this issue is an action-packed cap on Charlie Rooks’ adventures deep in the bowels of the demon tree. It’s properly scary and it doesn’t let the characters get out easy. Unfortunately for them, they get out of the demon tree only to be surrounded by rednecks (the worst version of “out of the frying pan, into the fire”). The issue (and this arc) build up to a giant reveal in the last few pages, that’s a hell of a twist. I’m not sure how earned it is, but it hits the mark for shocking, and even in the ways that it helps close off this part of the world, there are tendrils of storylines that get out that could be expanded really well into the next arc.

Wytches-#6-1I basically spent this entire issue wondering, “if this is the end of the story, will it be a satisfying narrative?” Snyder and Jock have built this huge world in a small town, it would be a shame to see all that work go into just one mini-series, and a fairly short one at that (I mean, we all know Snyder’s got a maxi-series or four in him, after The Wake). The end of this issue let me breath a lot of sighs of relief, but it didn’t tie up all the loose ends. In short, the best way to end a chapter in a continuing series.

Jock and Hollingsworth kept up their streak of career-peak work right through the end of this issue, selling the horror of a grown-in witch’s nest and the intimate betrayals that happen outside of the woods. Snyder keeps tossing new horrifying things at them to deal with and they keep taking it in perfect stride and turning out really interesting pages. It also seems to my untrained eye that Hollingsworth scaled back his watercolor splotching during the flashback scenes of Charlie’s book launch, which is a nice touch, and really sold the squeaky clean aspect of that bright moment in the past.

As much as I love Jock and Snyder, and I love the work they’ve done, I’d be intrigued to see someone else come to this universe, even if it’s just for a sidestory miniseries (like Sean Murphy and Dustin Nguyen’s minis for American Vampire). Team Wytches has created a broad canvas, and I enjoy the parts here in the middle, but I think I would enjoy the weird splotches on the outside just as much. Regardless, I’m excited to buy the trade next month and get scared all over again.

Score: 5/5

Wytches #6 Writer: Scott Snyder Artist: Jock Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: The Fade Out #6

This comic just blew wide open for me. I think I can pinpoint it to an exact moment where I could see it all fall apart for Charlie. So far, he has been holding it together... well for the most part. To me though, Charlie just needs a little push. He already hasn’t been writing his own scripts, he has been investigating a man in glasses that could actually have nothing to do with Val’s death, and now he is losing his only friend. And then in true style of Ed Brubaker, nothing slows down in issue #6. Charlie, from an outside perspective, is losing his mind. His whole character is slowly being pushed. Maybe pushed to insanity, maybe pushed to suicide, maybe pushed into a positive light and leaving Hollywood behind. I don’t know. The first push, which I will end with as well, is Gil. Charlie is still mad at Gil for not showing up to write and essentially getting involved with the wrong people. But Charlie has no say in anything. Yes, Gil doesn’t mind being used because his work is getting out there, but Charlie gets it all. He gets the parties, he gets the girls, he gets the recognition. Without Gil, what is Charlie?

The-Fade-Out-#6-1The other pushes, of course, consist of ladies. Dottie and Maya, but especially Maya. You need to read it to see it, but Charlie turns for me with her. I wanted him to be respectful so I keep giving Charlie the benefit of the doubt. I had a small amount of hope, but now after this issue, there is no hope. This is probably the most unclear why I have this sudden switch. Maya has something to do with it, but then again so does everything else. Brubaker makes you have strong feelings for his characters. You get involved and like anything else sometimes your hatred comes from nothing or just a feeling.

So yeah, I think Charlie has something to do with Val’s death. I am throwing it out there for all to read. Charlie is more involved and probably blocked it out or would rather find blame on someone else since Charlie can’t live without bouncing off of other characters. He doesn’t see things the way others do.

Another push comes from this man with the glasses. Charlie is desperate to find this dude and thinks he is the center of it all. Why he thinks this...I don’t know. Again, he is shoving the blame for me. So this would all make sense to what I just said above.

On top of it all, Gil is doing some writing on his own. I could be the only fan who loves Gil, but so be it. This dude seems to be the most put together... which is sad really. But anyway, the plot movement Gil creates in this issue will be a huge step for the future of the comic. We don’t know all the ends and outs, but I say go Gil!

It is amazing that this story just keeps getting better and better. I haven’t read a filler issue yet. The characters keep moving the plot and the plot keeps moving the characters. Neither shadows over the other and that’s why this comic remains to be great.

Score: 4/5

The Fade Out #6 Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Sean Phillips Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser Publisher: Image Comics Price: 3.50 Release Date: 5/20/2015 Format: Ongoing; Print, Digital

Review: Ninjak #3

So, let’s just get right into it; kicking a guy out of a fucking building is always a solid cliffhanger, and the review shouldn’t take much of a preamble. The issue picks up with Ninjak and Roku still in a freefall after Ninjak sedated Kannon and ruined his finances. Ninjak realizes he’s going to have to erase himself from the security footage, so he engages some of his Ninjak-gadgets to get back into the building, kill some henchmen, and come face to face with the last people he wants to see in Kannon’s office. The bulk of character development takes place in the past of this issue, in another one of those classic Colin vs. Alain “who can kill each other first?” games. In the backup, Colin continues to build his skills while also maintaining an illicit affair with a coworker. That will surely end well.

I like a lot of the stylistic choices in this issue, and I don’t know if I should praise Kindt’s script or Mann’s paneling. There are two separate moments in the main story where Ninjak uses a very specific, almost tai-chi-like sequence of hand motions to trigger specific gadgets in his suit (although, having “haptic gloves” that type by themselves seems like overkill). I don’t know what it was about those sequences that stuck out particularly, but I really dug them, and the window they gave into a more practical aspect of Ninjak’s stealth suit.

NINJAK_003_COVER-A_LAROSA The thing that continues to trip me up about this series is the relationship between Colin King and his erstwhile-Alfred, Alain. They’re constantly in this antagonizing relationship, and Colin keeps trying to kill Alain. I think we’re supposed to get that Alain is abusive, at least physically, if not just emotionally, and while I’m not one for lurid-for-its-own-sake, I don’t know that I buy it. He’s a crusty, mean old piece of shit, but he’s not on the level of, say, Euless Boss’s daddy or Clint and Barney Barton’s stepdad. Those guys behave abusively, and Alain behaves like he’s got a stiff upper lip and also hates his job. Anyway, here’s hoping that gets addressed or resolved soon, because, while I love flashback sequences into Colin’s mysterious past, I don’t know how much more interest I have in that.

I’m digging that the Lost Files stories from the ends of the issues are starting to become sequential and aren’t just scattered windows into the past of Ninjak. It’s like getting a real double feature every month, and it’s definitely a value-add on Valiant’s part. I don’t know how sustainable it will be, in terms of Kindt’s output mostly (if he’s focusing on Past Aways, now that Mind MGMT is just about over, he’s still got what, two? three? other Valiant titles?) I’d love to see him continue to do them, I just don’t want him to sacrifice one for the other. The continuity of the Lost Files is part of the reason why the flashbacks in the main stories aren’t really landing for me. Where a series like Southern Bastards has an arc to its flashbacks, or they’re specifically designed as a counterpoint to the current action, most of Ninjak’s feel like Amusing Stories From Colin King’s Unhappy Childhood.

Overall, Ninjak continues a stretch of good, character-focused Valiant titles out of the aftermath of The Valiant, right alongside Bloodshot: Reborn and Divinity. I’m still intrigued by each issue of the series, and I enjoy its tight action sequences. I just sometimes wish there was a little more to it.

Score: 3/5

Ninjak #3 Writer: Matt Kindt Artist: Clay Mann & Seth Mann; Butch Guice & Brian Thies Colorist: Ulises Arreola Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: Aquila #2

If you read the last issue you'll be as confused as I was by the first panel. Aquila has been taken down by 'The Spartan', who stands over him, while he is bound by chains in a prison cell. Wait, what? Isn't he unable to be bound by the gifts of the devourer? Turns out he is allowing himself to be bound because he knows that 'The Spartan' is stronger than him. This allows the two to have a conversation that shows us more about their history. Aquila-#2-1What we learn is that Aquila isn't the only one to be infused with powers. Not only that but 'The Spartan' has found a way to be free of the Devourer and still retain the gifts. This gives us a whole bunch of new characters to look forward to. Aquila is also given a mission, which is good because up to now he's just been wandering around murdering people.

If you enjoyed the bloodshed, carnage and general murderisation last issue, you won't be disappointed by this one. There is a lot of action in this book and a lot of killing because of that action. It is well drawn and choreographed so it is easy to follow. I didn't love the gritty art style in the first issue, but after re-reading it and reading issue two, I can say it has grown on me.

One of the tough things in comics is giving the reader enough information to guess where the story is going, or at least agree with where it goes, while also doing things that surprise. In this vein Aquila is a hard character to place, some pages he's awesome and you think 'yeah I like this guy'. Other pages he's a complete bastard and you wonder why you're reading about him. His motives have been fairly unclear, but now he has a mission and purpose hopefully he will seem more realized.

Score: 4/5

Aquila #2 Writer: Gordon Rennie Artist: Leigh Gallagher Colorist: Dylan Teague and Gary Caldwell Publisher: 2000 AD Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: Groo: Friends and Foes #5

Groo continues to blur the lines of who should be his friend and who should be his foe in this fifth issue.  This time he crosses paths with his sister Grooella who happens to have her own self-proclaimed “queendom.”  Surely this should be a friendly encounter, right?  Well, if you’ve been following the loveable idiot that is Groo thus far, you know logic does not apply to situations like these. The issue starts out with a minstrel singing a song explaining how Grooella has regretted being Groo’s sister since she was two.  Turns out Groo thought his parents told him to “slay” when they were really telling him to “play.”  Meanwhile, Grooella and her enemy King Comino have been exchanging furious letters back and forth, preparing for war.  They both offer up some comical Groo-Friends-and-Foes-#5-1insults to each other (King Comino addresses one letter “Dear woman with a nose like a melon”), but the insult that sends Grooella over the edge is a simple one: “Dear relative of Groo.”  So, a war is started between the two kingdoms (sorry, the kingdom and the queendom).  Turns out during Groo’s aimless wandering he stumbles on Grooella’s army.  They immediately tense up and realize he’s actually attacking them.  Finally someone builds up the courage to tell Groo who they are.  Groo finally stops attacking them and decides to join the cause.

King Comino has a plan to lead Grooella’s army to where his soldiers used to train, leaving his army to attack the defenseless castle of Grooella.  It looks like that plan could work, when one of Grooella’s minions comes up with a plan: dress her up like Groo.  She’s offended that anyone would dare think that she looks like her hideous, idiotic brother and has the minion beaten up badly.  However, the reader knows that she looks exactly like Groo and he’s unanimously feared so this plan might work out after all.

Even five issues in, I still find myself finding humor in this series and enjoying the issues throughout.  There isn’t a ton that happens this issue which makes it easier to breeze through, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.  The art is great and vibrant as usual.  I really liked the facial expressions this issue, it was especially funny to see Grooella’s army frantically trying to tell Groo who they are in a terrified state.  Overall, this is another solid entry in the series and I’m looking forward to next month’s adventures and left wondering will Kayli ever find her dad?

Score: 4/5

Groo: Friends and Foes #5 Writer: Mark Evanier Artist: Sergio Aragones Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series, Print/Digital

Review: The Four Points #2

It's nice reading a comic book with four women as the main characters, who spend no time talking about the guys they're into. The Planateers, I mean Points, sorry they really do remind me of Captain Planet a lot, seek out their fourth member of the group, Aspen (handily sharing the name of the comic imprint). Aspen is introduced as a goddess who has become a scientist above the water and a warrior under it. This ticks a lot of cliches as does a lot of this script. Some of the situations that should be fresh and interesting especially in a second issue, come across as generic. In order to recruit Aspen Matthews they abduct her by electrocuting her with lightning powers. This is not a very fresh take on a recruitment story, nor does it seem like it would inspire the person to join. Yet, by the end of the issue she does.

The-Four-Points-#2-1One problem I have with this comic is the unsubstantiated nature of the groups powers. In this issue two of the girls mention how powerful the other is. It seems like they are dialing the powers up to 11 to make it more interesting. Instead it makes me worry as to where they will take it, as only the baddest of bad guys will pose any kind of a threat... #supermanproblems.

There is a strange dialogue that ensues when two of the girls meet their (I assume) nemesis. The dialogue skips over a lot of things, It goes something like this: Bad Guy 'My name is War', one of the Four Points "oh so you must have brought everyone back to life and fight us, you're a jerk." I mean she's right but it seems like a bit of a leap in dialogue.

This issue is nice to look at and any time one of the girls uses her powers it is beautifully illustrated. Though I would take slight issue with the fact that the artist or writer has fallen into the age-old trap of giving all the girls the same body shape with different hair and skin tone. It would be nice to see one of them as less buxom or (god-forbid) heavier, or shorter.

Score: 2/5

The Four Points #2 Writer: Scott Lobdell Artist: Jordan Gunderson Colorist: Valentino Pinto Publisher: Aspen Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: UFOlogy #2

Lots of intriguing things happen in this second issue of UFOlogy. Creepy aliens keeping watch over Becky, spiral characters coming out of ooze, strange tattoos, and giant blinking eyeballs. That just sounds like a combination for greatness. To start from the beginning, the comic revolves around two teenagers. Becky just a senior chick who stumbles into the wrong thing, wrong time deal. And Malcolm who helps his father search for alien life every night. Both have seemingly normal lives until one night Becky literally runs into an alien. This dude is weird and starts to torch the house that everyone is in. Malcolm comes in time to help Becky and get her the care she needs. Now the town is concerned with the recent events and it seems that Becky knows her story will not be understood. Honestly, no one is really bothering her about it. They just want her to get some rest, but it is unusual that her burn mark on her face is a spiral. Malcolm knows something is up and may be the only person Becky can talk to. But again, these two aren’t really friends so building their relationship and trust will take some time. As for now, Becky is in the hospital trying to recover and Malcolm takes on the hunt for the truth.

UFOlogy-#2-1Other than that there are a lot of creepers in this issue. Some alien keeps watching over Becky in all sorts of ways. Becky seems to be handling it with ease, but I would be freaking out. I don’t know if this is part of her personality, but it would be a weird way to introduce us to it. So it all just kind of seems lazy. Plus for a moment let’s go back to the spiral thing. It isn’t a “hey your burn sort of looks like a spiral or ring.” It’s a “Shit man. That looks like some sort of marking.” Again seems lazy.

With issue one, it seemed like the writers had a good flow developing, but with issue #2 that flow has slowed down a bit. I don’t know if it was the addition of other stories or the lack of action, but the dialogue was off. I had to reread some moments to understand who was talking and other moments but it was confusing as to what was happening. Having Malcolm’s father be involved with a new mystery needed to be more clear and why everyone has turned their back on him or acting like they do needed to be cleared up as well. Again, this can all be solved with the next coming issues, so I won’t dwell on it too long. As for now, I wouldn’t jump into the story without reading the first issue. The opener offered a lot more characterization that bounced off of the plot flow as well. So I would sit back and relax for the couple rounds to emerge and get things really going.

I can’t get read off of these writers on a lot of things. Anytime that happens but I still enjoy the story, I usually just sit back and wait. It sucks, but sometimes you just have to wait for things to get into a good place and then you can really dive into the characters. I hope that is the case for UFOlogy because its overall topic is great and the plot has potential so now it is time to take it some place.

Score: 2/5

UFOlogy #2 Writers: James Tynion IV & Noah J. Yuenkel Artist: Matthew Fox Colorist: Adam Metcalfe Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series, Print/Digital

Review: Ei8ht #4

The penultimate issue of Ei8ht is here, and it answers just about all the questions you’d want answered. Whether or not that’s a good idea for the next-to-last issue instead of the last issue is up to you. So as of the last issue, Joshua is still stuck in the Meld with Hari, having just escaped from the Spear’s captivity. They’re off to the natives to try and rouse a rebellion against the Tyrant (who gets well and truly coup’d in this issue). Meanwhile (meanwhen?), Nila is stranded in the past with Sgt. Collins and Dr. Hamm, as we learn more about where Dr. Hamm and the Spear came from, and why Dr. Hamm is so invested in time travel study. The issue ends with a kind of predictable beat as to what will come next month, but it’s still an enjoyable ride overall.

This issue is, as far as I can tell, the first very extended purple sequence of the book. The weird part is that it’s a sequence that takes place in 1941, which is defined by the coloring as The Present. I guess I always assumed that the time defined as The Present in this book would be the time Joshua jumped from to get to the Meld, which is when Dr. Hamm is an adult. While this sequence is a really masterful sequence, and the coloring is on point, it made me do a lot of logical legwork that I didn’t love. That’s not to say that logical legwork can’t be part of the fun: dig literally anything Jon Hickman has written in the last six years, from East of West to New Avengers. Making the audience work for anything they can get is great, when the writer is playing in a big world, with an expansive plot. This plot is an arrow: it’s going one place on one track, so logical legwork seems to unnecessarily complicate things.

Ei8ht-#4-1Also, Dr. Hamm and the Spear’s backstories are... I don’t know, they’re not bad, and they’re not unsettling, they just don’t feel right. It’s a very real-world slant on an origin story for a super weird book, and it seems like an easy reason for Dr. Hamm to be kind of a mad-scientist-type and the Spear to be an implacable evil. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions--I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t feel strongly for it, either; a feeling I’m getting more and more often about the storyline of this book.

After a couple issues of world-building, this relatively plot-heavy issue made it feel like a lot was happening all at once after treading water. That isn’t the case, but the way the series was paced out made me feel like it might have been. For example, in this issue, Nila sends the message to Joshua that he received at the end of the first issue, which is a good reveal; she also sends him another one that takes place more in the current action, which gives the whole thing a rushed feeling.

At this point, I still dig the series, but if it weren’t a limited miniseries that was about to wrap up, I wouldn’t be buying it, I would just be waiting for the collection. Albuquerque’s art is phenomenal, and the story he and Mike Johnson have cooked up serves its purposes extremely well, but at this point, I’d like to see more of an open world than a tightly focused miniseries like this. Albuquerque has the same flair for action and the strange that Matteo Scalera has in Black Science, or that Sean Murphy has in everything. Here’s hoping that leads to more stories in the Ei8ht universe in the future, or I’ll just have to keep satisfying my Albuquerque urge with American Vampire, when it isn’t delayed.

Score: 2/5

Ei8ht #4 Story: Rafael Albuquerque & Mike Johnson Script: Mike Johnson Art & Colors: Rafael Albuquerque Letters: Nate Piekos of Blambot Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: Empire: Uprising #2

Empire: Uprising continues to weave its excellent story through issue two. Here we get some new players added to the mix. It's interesting to see those characters that don't agree with Golgoth (though they can't actively say it, they have to allude to a lot of things). More interesting are the characters who actively oppose him. These characters that want to usurp Golgoths position don't seem to be any more benevolent. Here you can be a slave under his rule or you can be free under my rule. Either way you're going to be stuck under someone else’s thumb. It's an interesting idea and I hope we get to see more things like this come up.

Empire02_cvrThere's a lot of exposition to get through to really understand this world, but it is handled exceptionally well through the dialogue. I really enjoy the lettering that accompanies the dialogue, certain characters have different speech bubbles and lettering that suit them. The script is tight and that makes it easier to get into and really try and figure out who is on whose side.

One thing I really enjoyed this time is that Golgoth doesn't really do a lot this time (in terms of action, he is obviously doing a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering). This may sound like a negative point, but it's really not. By not having him deal with everything he seems more contemplative - intelligent - menacing and therefore much more interesting. Also it builds the suspense for when he busts out and whoops ass.

I really dug the ending that shows the weight of ruling world while conversely showing the weight of being ruled. This has become one of my most anticipated comics and I can't wait for the next issue.

Score: 4/5

Empire: Uprising #2 Writer: Mark Waid and Barry Kitson Colorist: Chris Sotomayor Publisher: IDW Publishing/Thrillbent Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/20/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Us Versus Movies: Mad Max Fury Road

It's summer blockbuster time which means that Us Versus Movies is busy, busy. Today we've got Mad Max Fury Road aka Mad Max 4 which is pretty bad ass. Kevin, Dustin and Erin will dive into the fourth film in the franchise which is returning after thirty years! If you haven't seen the film there will be spoilers, but we really encourage you to check out the film beforehand. Now let's get to the movie! UVM-Mad-Max-Fury-Road

Last time on Us Versus Movies...

Black Canary Bishoujo Statue Images Revealed

I'm a huge sucker for Black Canary and while I want a lot of statues I don't buy a lot of them... this one... I'm strongly considering. The Bishoujo line from Kotobukiya is super behind on shipping since they announce these things way ahead of time and no surprise here this one ships in... November! It's only $69.99 though which is decent. I mean that's kind of a mid-level statue, but it's at least more affordable then those insane $1,000 statues that take up the entire coffee table and who can have friends over with that thing on it? Black Canary here you can have chips and drinks on the ole coffee table and field questions about why the fuck she's there in the first place... damnit wife I live here too!

X-O MANOWAR Ushers in EXODUS – A Powerful New Turning Point Beginning in August!

Two peoples. One planet. This summer, can a man of war broker peace between Earth and a renegade alien nation in search of a new world? Valiant is proud to announce EXODUS – a pivotal new story arc beginning this August in X-O MANOWAR #39! Jump on board here as New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (BOOK OF DEATH, Green Lantern) and fan-favorite artist Rafa Sandoval (X-Men: Legacy) trap Valiant's most powerful hero between two peoples he has sworn to protect – humanity...and a mass migration of alien refugees, orphaned and cast adrift by the unassailable attack of DEAD HAND!

Aric of Dacia is X-O Manowar, hero to humanity, leader of the remaining Visigoths, and a husband about to start a new family. He is also the bearer of Shanhara, and tantamount to a god in the eyes of the alien race known as the Vine. Now, in the aftermath of DEAD HAND's destruction of their world, the Vine need a new home and have chosen Earth – tearing Aric between two races that worship him, but each despise one another. Have these last living remnants of the Vine's civilization come seeking peace? And what changes will their arrival herald for our world? All – human and alien alike – will be tested when an old enemy seizes this moment of turmoil to attack Aric at his weakest…and forces the people of Earth to pay an impossible price for X-O Manowar's allegiance.

"What an amazing story Rob has planned for you all - a twist on Aric's history that remains true to X-O Manowar's spirit and will be full of surprises for longtime Valiant fans and new readers alike," said X-O Manowar editor Tom Brennan. "X-O Manowar spent so much of his life fighting the Vine and now he must be their champion - how will Earth react? Or his fellow survivors of Vine enslavement for that matter? We're going to answer those questions and more, and Rafa Sandoval's ability to brilliantly blend character drama and widescreen action is the perfect complement to Rob's story of what it truly means to be a hero."

This August, brace for impact as the Earth confronts its alien EXODUS head-on, only in X-O MANOWAR #39 – featuring covers by red-hot artists Rafa Sandoval (Ultimate Hawkeye), Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH), CAFU (UNITY), and Brent Peeples (Last of the Greats)! In the aftermath of X-O Manowar's oversized wedding extravaganza, a new era for humanity begins here with a perfect jumping-on point for the acclaimed superhero series that Comic Vine calls "Valiant's top book, month after month".

For more information, visit online at Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and ValiantUniverse.com. For Valiant merchandise and more, visit ValiantStore.com.

Review: Arrow 3.23 - My Name Is Oliver Queen

The Arrow finale was, in a word, underwhelming. A lot gets resolved and settled, and it’s all well and good, but this episode wasn’t particularly exciting, especially as a season finale. Merlyn reveals to Team Arrow that he and Oliver have been planning this for a while, and that it had to look like Oliver betrayed them in order for Ra’s to trust him. This makes perfect sense and Team Arrow should probably have figured it out themselves, but they’re a bit too busy feeling actually betrayed. Elsewhere, Oliver reveals himself to Ra’s pretty immediately. Ra’s is heading to Starling to unleash the bioweapon- against which Team Arrow is already conveniently inoculated. He’s aiming not only for the city Oliver loves, but also for Damien Darhk, because another rushed subplot was exactly what this episode needed.

The final showdown between Ra’s and Oliver is also pretty underwhelming. They duel on a bridge while the SCPD looks on, a sniper waiting for a “clean shot.” The sniper’s kind enough to wait until Oliver and Ra’s hash it out; Ra’s gives Oliver his ring and his title, then dies. Oliver’s then shot by the sniper fellow and tumbles off the bridge, and it’s Felicity in the Atom suit who saves him. I’ll admit that bit was pretty sweet.

Arrow 3.23 My Name is Oliver Queen

This episode had a few other good points. Barry makes a very brief appearance. Lance shows up for the first time in a couple episodes- I think it’s been at least three since we’ve seen him. Thea works the Arsenal suit, and even gets Oliver’s blessing to become yet another Starling City Mask. I enjoyed the little exchange where she says she’s considering going by Red Arrow and Oliver replies that he’s already told everyone to call her Speedy.

In the end, Oliver’s vigilante days are behind him; it’s time for him to leave Starling, and Felicity’s going with him. I know many are excited and/or relieved that they’ve finally gotten together, and I’d include myself in that, though I’m kind of amused that he’s still technically married to Nyssa. And as per their “deal,” Oliver gives the Demon’s Head ring and title to Merlyn, which can’t possibly go wrong.

Overall, the finale did well wrapping up all the loose ends, but that’s about it. Despite packing so much into one episode, it really dragged and did little to hold my interest.

Score: 2/5

Arrow 3.23 – “My Name Is Oliver Queen” Watch Arrow on the CW, Wednesdays at 8/7c.

CBMFP 185: Fart Bags

Not going to lie... it's a long episode! We're covering all the trailers possible, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Lucifer and Jem and the Holograms. Then we run through some new comic books coming to your comic shelves in a few months: Gravedigger, This Damned Band, Boy-1, Adventures of Jonas Quantum and more. Books covered on this issue:

Last time on the CBMFP...

Simulcast of God Eater on Daisuki.net World-Wide Starting From July 5

Anime Consortium Japan Inc., the Japanese company for official anime streaming, announced today that they will stream GOD EATER as simulcast starting from July 5, 2015 (SUN). Based on the videogame hit series by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the animation studio ufotable has adapted GOD EATER into an anime. Directed by Takayuki Hirao (Kara no Kyoukai 5: Mujun Rasen , Majokko Shimai no Yoyo to Nene). The anime adaptation of GOD EATER will be the 2nd co-production title for Anime Consortium Japan. The opening theme will be sung by OLDCODEX, who are known among anime fans for their songs they have contributed to titles like Kuroko’s Basket and Free!.

About GOD EATER:

The Far East, 2071.

The domain of the mad gods.

In the early 2050s, unknown life forms called “Oracle cells” begin their uncontrolled consumption of all life on Earth. Their ravenous appetite and remarkable adaptability earn them first dread, then awe, and finally the name “aragami”. In the face of an enemy completely immune to conventional weapons, urban civilization collapses, and each day humanity is driven further and further toward extinction.

One single ray of hope remains for humanity. Following the development of “God Arcs”—living weapons which incorporate Oracle cells—their wielders are organized into an elite force. In a world ravaged by mad gods, these “God Eaters” fight a desperate war...

God Eater PromoGOD EATER will premiere on July 5 (JST) on Japanese television and as simulcast streaming on DAISUKI ( www.DAISUKI.net ) for free. The Streaming on DAISUKI will be offered world-wide (except for China & Japan).

Streaming area:  World-wide (except for China & Japan) Streaming start:  July 5 (JST)

STAFF:

Original work: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. Director/Director of audiography: Takayuki Hirao Character Design: Keita Shimizu Art Director： Masaru Yanaka Color Design: Emi Chiba Director of Photography： Kentaro Waki, Shigeji Matsuda CG Director: Masato Takizawa Editing: Tsuyoshi Imai Music production: Go Shiina Animation production: ufotable Opening theme: OLDCODEX

CAST:

Lenka Utsugi: Ryuichi Kijima Rindou Amamiya: Hiroaki Hirata Soma Shichsal: Kazuya Nakai Sakuya Tachibana: Sayaka Ohara Kota Fujiki: Daisuke Sakaguchi Alisa Ilyinichna Omela: Maaya Sakamoto

About the game series:

A “Dramatic Monster-Slaying Action” game series, featuring a rich, dramatic story and exhilarating high-speed action. Beginning with the February 2010 release of God Eater for PSP®, enhanced in October 2010 as God Eater Burst (released in English as Gods Eater Burst), God Eater returned in November 2013 with God Eater 2 for PSP® and PlayStation®Vita before finally arriving on the big screen with God Eater 2 Rage Burst for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®Vita in February 2015. With over three million units sold, the series celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2015 with its first television anime series.

Official website: http://www.godeater.jp/

About OLDCODEX:

Japanese rock band formed in 2009 with a unique combination of members: OLDCODEX consists of Ta_2 a.k.a Tatsuhisa Suzuki (Vocals) and YORKE., a painter known for his collaborations of art works and live events with various musicians and artists. Their sound is mainly a mix of rock, loud and dance elements, interwoven with art, making their works delightful in an auditory as well as a visible sense. They are also famous for their energetic concerts.

Official website: http://oldcodex.com/

About Anime Consortium Japan Inc.

Anime Consortium Japan Inc. was established on November 7, 2014. The new company was created to develop a platform that will provide streaming service of official Japanese anime content and operate an e-commerce site to offer anime character-related goods to overseas fans. The major shareholders are BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., Cool Japan Fund Inc., ASATSU-DK INC., Aniplex Inc., TOEI ANIMATION Co., Ltd., SUNRISE Inc., TMS ENTERTAINMENT CO.LTD, NIHON AD SYSTEMS, INC. (NAS), and DENTSU INC. as of December 25, 2014. Anime Consortium Japan (ACJ) has merged with Daisuki and is taking over their business and remodeling and upgrading all services.

DAISUKI.net is currently streaming titles such as MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THE ORIGIN,SWORD ART ONLINE 2, M3 the dark metal, Persona 4 the Golden ANIMATION, KILL la KILL, SUSHI NINJA, and more. Visit http://www.daisuki.net to see the full selection of titles.

Monster & Wine: Episode 37 - What Would You Do?

After wishing Ronald Mcdonald a Happy 75th Birthday, Monster sits back and lets Wine go on a heated rant about the sports team of Washington. Wine has definitely got this topic on lock and there's a good chance you can empathize with her. The duo briefly discuss the death penalty verdict handed down to Boston marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Monster is not kind. Wine tells a tale of woe...

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Review: Ninjak #2

MI-6’s very own British ninja is back for more industrial espionage, flashbacks to a troubled childhood, and purple stealth gear! Let’s get right down to it, gang. Colin has managed to infiltrate the base levels of Weaponeer, the largest illegal-weapons cabal in the world, and now he has his sights set higher--becoming the new CEO. Kannon takes him to an exotic club called The Zoo and tells him to prove himself by putting a bullet in someone’s head, and that will get him on the Board of Directors. Roku, the woman with the razor hair, covers their escape from a bloody errand, and the story flashes back to Colin’s childhood with his butler (who is apparently like Alfred from the Batman books, if Alfred was the biggest dick on the planet?), before we cut to Ninjak making a final play against the weak link in the chain that is Kannon.

Kindt is doing a lot of interesting stuff with Ninjak. He’s got a book that seems ready-made and easy to sell as James-Bond-plus-ninja, but he makes the choice to set this book apart from other action-heavy Valiant titles, like Bloodshot Reborn. This is a book about the interior life of a killer, as well as sort of a Hawkeye-ish “this is what Ninjak does when he’s not being Ninjak” feeling. I mean, hell, the book starts with a couple of epic pages of a nightclub with women in tiger-pattern bikinis riding actual tigers and chimpanzees in little dickies serving drinks (which is what I can only hope is the future of dance clubs), but it concerns itself more with the preparation that goes into one effective moment, and the kind of childhood that would lead to a man like this. There’s even a three-page sequence of storybook illustrations.

NINJAK_002_COVER-A_LAROSAWhile I still don’t love Kindt’s narration-heavy style, I like that the guy latches onto symbols and rides them out. There’s a watch metaphor at the end that is particularly good, not least because it manages to overcome the Butch Coolidge “my father’s watch” syndrome. But the real stars of this book are the artists, Clay Mann and Butch Guice. They both have pretty drastically different styles, with Mann being a very realistic artist with lots of intricate lines, and Guice tends more towards a John Paul Leon/Steve Epting style, with plenty of blocky blacks and rough lines. Mann particularly shines in this issue, for a couple of reasons. I mean, the poor guy has to draw a villain whose extremely long, razor-sharp hair is her primary weapon. It’s like if Medusa from the Inhumans didn’t have huge blocks of hair, but just long, thin whips. He also manages to make the shift to storybook style and then into a flashback, where he pulls off a reverse tracking shot, pulling back from the book, down the hall, into the kitchen. It’s overly cinematic, perhaps, but it’s a technical feat--you almost never see that kind of pull-back framing in comics.

Ninjak is pretty solid. It has moments that wow me every month, but as a complete package, it always leaves me wanting more. I get a lot from it--there are three discrete chunks in this month’s issue and they all check in again at the end--but I get so little of each part that I don’t really know where to set my feet. I know where Kindt is trying to lead us, so I’m willing to take the ride and watch Ninjak take his lumps, the pacing just seems a little skewed. As much as I’m digging the “early days of Ninjak” back-ups, I’d much rather see something that directly ties in (he says, assuming that those shorts won’t directly tie in, and if they do, what a plotting masterpiece). I still want to keep up with this one, more so than Kindt’s other recent Valiant projects, I just can’t wait for it to really start clicking.

Score: 3/5

Ninjak #2 Writer: Matt Kindt Artist: Clay Mann, Butch Guice Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/22/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: Sidney Hammer

There’s room for everything in comics. There’s room for male driven fantasy’s and there’s plenty of room for female driven fantasy’s as well. That doesn’t mean that currently they’re balanced by any means, but that doesn’t mean you can still do them. Sidney Hammer is definitely a male driven fantasy. Which you can probably tell from the cover because Sidney needs a bra desperately. I mean it could be her thing not to wear one, but with a cup size that large and as much action as she’s facing you’d think she’s want the support. I can also tell this is a male driven fantasy because on the first few pages she’s swinging a hammer through a zombie and she poses twice to make sure we can see her protruding nipples and once to point her ass towards the reader. This is followed by a full-page spread of her standing facing us and again her nipples are outlined through the shirt she’s wearing. I mean I’m not one to complain about bra-less women, but… we have the internet now right?

The story isn’t actually that bad, but the dialogue is all exposition and frankly it all goes on for far too long. Sidney works for a “Weekly News” type of outlet, but of course the news she reports on is actually true. Not the first time I’ve read a story like that and it probably won’t be the last. Her latest story has her fighting zombies though I never really picked up on why she was called there, who knew about the zombies beforehand and why a rock band that consists of a woman in her underwear with taped nipples, a man with Elvis’ head and a creepy guy that wants to take photos of people, but he’s super creepy.

Sidney-Hammer-1There’s a slight twist to the story and that’s about it. There’s never a sense of danger and everyone dismantles the zombies with ease while giving ridiculous amounts of exposition. There’s also a ton of narration as well which was total overkill.

The art is okay. Sidney’s boobs, butt and crotch receive a lot of emphasis, but overall she’s a mess of proportions. A lot of her poses are inhuman which is strange since it seems like most of the book was photo referenced. The art and coloring are very similar to IDW’s Killogy which was another story more focused on telling you a lot of the story rather than showing you anything.

I’m sure some people will find this story to be a romp, but for me it was a mess. The story has an ending that makes sense, but everything leading up to it is a big “huh.” There’s no sense of time that’s passed and all of the characters are one-dimensional at best. Still, there’s probably enough T&A to entice people to check it out. For me, the King is dead and if he were alive he’d be doing retirement commercials or showing up as an investor on Shark Tank, not dishing out his youthful likeness for a strange band combination. I feel like this is where the review should end because much like the comic it doesn’t make any sense.

Score: 1/5

Sidney Hammer Writer/Artist: Massacre Colorist: Daniel Seijas Publisher: Amigo Comics Price: $5.99 Format: One-Shot; Print

Review: Happy Anniversary, My Beloved

The thing about indie comics or really comics in general is that each one is a labor of love. Someone put their heart and soul into making the comic and so when you read it and find it to be bad or worse… terrible, it’s hard to just dismiss their work. Put at the end of the day a bad comic is a bad comic and to just avoid reviewing bad comics because creators put their heart and soul into it, isn’t going to help them and certainly isn’t going to help anyone that may pick the book up. Because the thing is, what’s bad to me is not bad to everyone else. Trust me on that one because there are many comic books that I find to be intolerable messes that are widely loved and approved each and every month. Keep that in mind when I tell you that Happy Anniversary, My Beloved is a bad comic… to me. Because you could like it. I could tell you something that you’ll be curious about or maybe it just won’t sound that bad by the time I’m done.

The one-shot kicks off with a couple in a park in the center of town. A husband and wife are sitting on a bench and the husband informs his wife that it’s time. Time to apparently explain in great detail how they ended up being together.

Happy-Anniversary,-My-Beloved-1The story then back tracks as we see the husband being found “not guilty” in the court of law. After a great deal of exposition we learn that the judge basically favored the husband and for some reason was able to overturn any wrong doing which we’ll find out later is complete bullshit. The gist is that the man pressing charges against the husband (didn’t catch his name and it didn’t seem important) had planned for many years to kill him and take his fortune that he made from being a doctor and coming from a rich family. The wife it seems was in on the plan and was actually in love with the accuser and went along with the plan because she wanted the money as well. There’s twists, there’s turns… there’s nothing really clever about the story and the shocking ending really hammers home how bad the story is and the fact that criminal laws are being completely ignored in this story.

I won’t tell you the twist, but I will say that the husband does something that would never just be overruled in court. With the husband telling us this story we’re supposed to get the impression that he’s a smooth talker and talked his way out of it, but then we’re being told the same story… and it’s not smooth. It’s not good. In fact the husband kind of comes off like a dick so why would you root for him? Not that the other characters are any better, in fact I would say that none of the characters are likeable; not even the minor characters that only show up for a panel or two.

The story thinks its clever. It thinks that it’s making the husband clever and so when he goes to explain his plan you’re left with a big, “that’s it?” It didn’t take a genius to come up with his plan. In fact any borderline nutjob could come up with the same plan in about twenty minutes, yet our main character thinks about this and plans it for years. Frankly it fails to explain how he got away with his plan and just comes across as convenient and strange writing.

The stories ending is disturbing. How he treats women is disturbing. In fact all of it comes across as a man that’s been cheated on had his heartbroken too many times and indulged some darker thoughts that perhaps would have been better off left at the bottom of a bottle rather than a comic. Not saying that’s the actual case here, but that’s what it comes off as.

The art is the only shining light of this comics. The art has a wonderful style and while the narration does more to tell us the story than the art does to show it, it’s still good. It’s cartoony and for sure and if the story was better and maybe not so creepy, the contrast in the subject matter and the art would actually work. Along with that the coloring is solid as well. It’s kept simple in that most pages only have two or three colors. It works and again gives it a distinct look.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe others will read this story and see a dark comedy playing out before them. For me. I think it’s a failed attempt at humor that ends up coming across as disturbing rather than anything close to comedy. Decide for yourself though.

Score: 2/5

Happy Anniversary, My Beloved Writer/Artist: Brão Barbosa Translation: Patrick Lima Format: One-Shot; Digital

Review: Project Superpowers: Blackcross #3

Over the course of the first two issue, Blackcross has been a pretty slow burn. There have been sudden events that are action packed and even shocking, but the answers have lied just outside of reach. Then there's this issue. We start off with our first "crossover" of characters. Our fake medium, Marietta meets with our fake Bob. The two discuss the weird events in their lives, and Marietta suddenly has some answers due to the visions we glimpsed her receiving last issue. So the two easily escape the hospital where Bob has been placed after an explosion and aren't seen until the end of the issue.

Elsewhere, the police and our FBI agent discuss everything we know from the non-paranormal perspective. The cops legitimately and realistically call BS on all of the recent events and hope that this is all an elaborate prank. The dialogue here is fun, and seeing small town cops react in a realistic fashion is also nice. They aren't dumb hicks, they aren't randomly assholes, they are professionals who react to the weirdness in a true way.

Blackcross-#3We meet yet another main character, this time a random man named John who is at a large creepy house and accosted by a blonde woman from his past. After she leaves, the man walks into the large house and has a conversation with the spirits of the house. Apparently all of the weird visions thus far in the serious are from beings who have passed on but feel their knowledge and abilities deserve to be passed on before their spirits completely move on. John has been training in the East and is fully accepting of the spirit. Pain and plant tentacles then ensue. It is safe to say next issue we shall finally meet the Green Lama, a personal favorite of mine.

Marietta and Bob return at the end and suddenly they have so many more of the answers then they even had at the beginning of the issue. It is like they have been reading along. Marietta's "boyfriend" shows up, acts like a possessive misogynistic asshole, and Bob punches the guy's jaw off after fully accepting the power of Black Cross. Now fully imbued with the powers of characters of Project Superpowers, our two heroes prepare to dispose of the evidence of their murder!

As a whole I enjoyed this issue. The dialogue is still marvelous and the moody artwork continues to impress. But plot wise, part of this issue didn't work for me. It felt a little abrupt that Marietta and Bob knew so much about their potential powers. What was a slow build became a little abrupt. In the grand scheme of things I fully forgive it, but do wish that there was more to the mystery. The angle that these powered beings are actually just wanting to share their abilities with someone before passing on is pretty interesting and is a nice thread connecting them all. Also the knowledge that the burning man from the first issue is somehow connected and is a possible powered being makes me really interested.

All in all this was a good issue, not a great one. But I feel it will work well in the complete story.

Score: 3/5

Project Superpowers: Blackcross #3 Writer: Warren Ellis Artist: Colton Worley Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/13/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital