Valerian and The City of a Thousand Planets is the visually spectacular new adventure film from Luc Besson, the legendary director of The Professional, The Fifth Element and Lucy, based on the ground-breaking comic book series which inspired a generation of artists, writers and filmmakers.

In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha—an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

For your chance to download passes to see VALERIAN at the advance screening on Wednesday, July 19^th  at 7:00 PM at AMC Boston Common, click here: stxtickets.com/glmLI17655.

Remember seating is first come, first served and not guaranteed. Arrive early!

Pix: Volume One – One Weirdest Weekend
Pix: Volume Two – Too Super for School
Written and Illustrated by Gregg Schigiel
Published by Image Comics

These first two volumes of Pix are super kid-friendly stories that portray far more positivity and real-world issues than outlandish action sequences.

Yes, there are a plenty of panels where our teenage super-powered hero must pummel some pretty creative creatures – a monster Magic Eight Ball, magic dragons and a really, really big bully – but the stories are more her figuring out her own identity than figuring out bad guys.

The first volume, Pix: One Weirdest Weekend, was originally self-published by writer-artist Gregg Schigiel (Marvel, SpongeBob Comics) under his Hatter Entertainment company but was later picked up by Image. Both the first and second volumes (Too Cool for School) are currently published by Image.

ALTER EGO BE DARNED TO HECK

The story begins with Emaline Laurel Pixley in the midst of her first TV appearance with a host who is rather suspicious of her abilities. Being wide-eyed, perky, wearing a cute costume with tiny wings and claiming to be a fairy princess sounds pretty unbelievable, until she takes down some rogue electronics that have come alive and attack the studio.

In many ways, that sets up the major conflicts in the series: Pix fights to remain positive in the midst of everything around her trying to bring her down. Early on it’s primarily wacky monsters and talking animals but, especially in the second book, it’s also the plight of an atypical high schooler dealing with typical high school issues.

Making things a bit worse for her, she’s not hiding behind the usual secret identity. Instead she quite openly lets her identity and personality fly, making her the target of some typical high school jealously. Lucky for her she has a few friends that will remind some readers of characters in other kid/teen comics.

There’s Seth the awkward teen who, at least early on, bears a strong resemblance to Shaggy from Scooby-Doo and Regina “Reggie” Moore who reminds me a lot of Midge more than Reggie form the Archie series. Redhead Sherilee “Cherry” Garcia  is far nicer than her Archie-nicknamed counterpart, being more a Betty than a Cheryl or Veronica.

With the possible exception of the semi-intentional Shaggy resemblance, these similarities are hardly negative and really only indicative of teen comic genre.

Like most teenage girls, Pix also babysits on the side, which leads to a lengthy adventure with several talking animals, including a frog who, you guessed it, wants to get a kiss to turn back into a prince.

Schigiel plays with puns like this throughout the book – her hot date quite literally becomes hot and a big bully becoming much, much bigger – but these don’t come across as gut-groaners. Instead they play rather well into the teen themes and help keep conflicts fun and interesting.

There’s also an underlying mystery with Pix’s claim to being a fairy princess that gets teased throughout the books through her mother and stepfather. As if you need more clues, Pix does get shrunken down small enough to fit into a sink drain.

PARTICULARLY POSITIVE PIX

These are super kid-friendly books that portray far more positivity and real-world issues than outlandish action sequences. Yes, there are a plenty of panels where she must pummel some pretty creative creatures – hey, there are dragons and a monster Magic Eight Ball – but the stories are more about Pix figuring out her own identity than figuring out bad guys.

There’s really very little to say negative about these books. If I were to nitpick, there are a few small instances, mostly early on, where faces in a few panels are awkwardly skewed and the high school drama draws out a little long in the second book. But, again, those are tiny.

Even though Pix features the (now) oft overused strong female character premise, you can easily hand to your kids – girls and boys – and be pretty confident they’ll sit and read them all the way through. The struggles she goes through are more about being a teenager with powers than being a girl. She deals with bullies, social acceptance, dating and discovering her identity at least as much as dealing with super-powered baddies.

Calling these stories cute doesn’t quite do them justice. Pix may oozes cuteness with her tiny-winged costume and perky pixie personality, but there is enough action and wackiness to keep young readers entertained throughout.

For fifteen years, the Romans of New Pompeii have kept the outside world at bay with the threat of using the Novus Particles device to alter time. Yet Decimus Horatius Pullus—once Nick Houghton—knows the real reason the Romans don’t use the device for their own ends: they can’t make it work without grisly consequences.

This fragile peace is threatened when an outsider promises to help the Romans use the technology. And there are those beyond Pompeii’s walls who are desperate to destroy a town where slavery flourishes. When his own name is found on an ancient artifact dug up at the real Pompeii, Nick knows that someone in the future has control of the device. The question is: whose side are they on?

Not only are we giving away three copies of Empire of Time, but we’re also sending the first volume of the series, New Pompeii.

Some time in the near future, energy giant NovusPart develops technology with an unexpected side-effect: it can transport objects and people from deep in the past to the present day.

For post-grad historian Nick Houghton, the controversy surrounding the programme matters less than the opportunity the company offers him. NovusPart’s executives reveal their biggest secret: they have saved most of the people from Pompeii, minutes before the volcanic eruption.

Somewhere in central Asia, far from prying eyes, the company has built a replica of the city. In it are thousands of real Romans.

And Nick has been chosen to study them.

But Nick soon realises that NovusPart are underestimating their captives. The Romans may be ignorant of modern technology – for now – but city boss Manius Barbatus wasn’t appointed by the emperor because he was soft. The stage is set for the ultimate clash of cultures in which time itself is a weapon…

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “EMPIRE OF TIME” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

What is the name of author Daniel Godfrey’s self-published children’s book.

Please include your name, and address (U.S. only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on July 16th, 2017.

The blonde bombshell who is the scourge of vamps, demons and evil-doers galore as she hunts big bads in her stylish yet affordable boots has reached a milestone this year…and Comic-Con is the perfect place to celebrate.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer celebrates its 20th year and rolls out the red (dead?) carpet for a ton of goodies and events at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

First off, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be taking pre-orders for the newly announced Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Complete Series 20th Anniversary Edition DVD Boxed Set at the Fox Booth #4229 for $99.98.

In addition to hundreds of hours worth of snarky quips and ‘90s fashion, the DVD collection also includes an official Dark Horse comic featuring an exclusive cover available to fans for just a limited time.

The box set will be available for all on September 19, 2017.

In addition to the box set, there will also be a slew of products celebrating the momentous occasion from retailers galore.

Hot Topic will offer a fashion line include faux-leather trench coats for roaming graveyards, copies of WIllow’s fuzzy sweater and Faith-inspired moto jackets.

The folks at Funko will be rocking new Rock Candy figures of battle-ready Buffy and Willow, armed and set to protect your desk against all sort of scares.

Other goodies include a board game from Jasco, coloring books from Dark Horse, the official The Official Grimoire Book from Insight.

In addition to the bag fillers, there will also be a fan event held on Saturday, July 22 which will be livestreamed on Facebook for those who couldn’t score a SDCC pass but still want to support the Scoobies.

For more info on this, click here.

Want more? You can reach out and touch other Scooby lovers by
joining the conversation with #BuffySlays20 and #BuffySlaysSDCC.

Forces of Geek Presents OH NO THEY DIDN’T covering remakes, sequels and reboots

We’re celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the fourth Superman film with an audio commentary track that we promise won’t make the film any better.

In this last hurrah for star Christopher Reeve, the Man of Steel crusades for nuclear disarmament and meets Lex Luthor’s latest creation, Nuclear Man. 

Listen to our episodes and SUBSCRIBE to the show on iTunes or Google Play.

Grab a damn good cup of coffee, a piece of cherry pie to go and head to the The Great Northern San Diego, ‘cause Twin Peaks is heading to Comic-Con.

Showtime is bringing key cast members to meet the Nerd Herd for the first time as residents of the Black Lodge set up shop in Hall H.

The panel is set for Friday, July 21 at 2:45 p.m. PT in Hall H and will immediately be followed an autograph sesh at Entertainment Earth Booth (#2343).

That night at 10 pm PT in Room 6A, Showtime will host an first-look screening of the 11th episode of Twin Peaks, a few days ahead of the debut on Sunday, July 23.

Moderated by Lost guru Damon Lindelof, cast members coming to SDCC include Kyle MacLachlan, Tim Roth, Dana Ashbrook, Kimmy Robertson, Everett McGill, Matthew Lillard, James Marshall, Don Murray and Naomi Watts.

Cast member will chat about season three, an 18-episode event which debuted on May 21 after a small 26-year hiatus. Written and executive produced by series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, each episode is handcrafted by Lynch himself as the helmer.

Here is the schedule for the Twin Peaks at Comic-Con:

Friday, July 21:
(*times and attendees are subject to change)

• 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Panel session in Hall H
• 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. –  Autograph signing at the Entertainment Earth Booth (San Diego Convention Center, #2343)
• 10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Exclusive sneak peek screening of TWIN PEAKS Part 11

Showtime’s Twin Peaks airs on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT.

When characters from different story worlds come together in a single storyline, they call it a crossover. For this event, they needed something bigger. MUCH bigger. Celebrate the beyond epic IDW Revolution crossover event with the REVOLUTION Comic Crossover Preview Mega-Set convention exclusive.

Featuring 16 characters from seven story worlds, this set serves as a prelude to IDW’s upcoming REVOLUTION: FIRST STRIKE sequel set for later this year. Many characters in this set are making their debut in the 3-3/4” figure format, and for the first time, characters from these brands are presented in a scale that allows the entire Universe to be played together!

Includes JETFIRE from TRANSFORMERS, ROADBLOCK from G.I. JOE, ACTION MAN, a team of MICRONAUTS, MATT TRAKKER from M.A.S.K. MOBILE ARMORED STRIKE COMMAND, LEORIC from VISIONARIES and ROM and a DIRE WRAITH from ROM THE SPACEKNIGHT.

The REVOLUTION Comic Crossover Preview Mega-Set will be for sale during
San Diego Comic-Con 2017.  (Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $99.99

Available at Booth #3329 at Comic-Con International in San Diego)
Following the convention, a limited number will be available on HasbroToyShop.com.

Universal made a bold pitch with the launch of their Universal Monsters Dark Universe franchise, so they are probably a little underwhelmed by the lukewarm response to their first instalment, Tom Cruise’s The Mummy. While we here at Forces of Geek rather enjoyed the movie, the drop-off in second weekend takings should be of some concern to the studio. While the film looks likely to make a small profit once international views are considered, and much of the poor takings can be explained by the success of Wonder Woman, there is no doubt that Universal will analyze what went wrong and what went right with The Mummy and try to do better with the subsequent releases in their Dark Universe. It is telling that the next installment – Bride of Frankenstein – is still in pre-production, so it seems that Universal were always waiting to see what would happen with The Mummy first before continuing with the rest of the franchise.

So, what can Universal do to get the Dark Universe back on track? Here are some suggestions.

One problem with The Mummy might have been the casting of Tom Cruise in the all-action hero role. While Tom has been playing such roles for over three decades, audiences know by now that he is at his best when playing an anti-hero or outright villain, for example in Magnolia, Collateral or even Tropic Thunder. Seeing Tom fly planes and drive ambulances through forests doesn’t take advantage of the best of his acting talents, and all feels a little too much like a rerun of Mission: Impossible anyway.

That said, the performances of Russell Crowe as Dr Jekyll and Sofia Boutella as Princess Ahmanet are very watchable and they certainly seemed to resonate with the audience. Indeed, perhaps this should be the core lesson of The Mummy for Universal, and how they should approach the rest of the Monsters in their Dark Universe. How about focusing the plot around the Monsters themselves instead of around big budget actors like Cruise? After all, the Monsters are what really interests us about the Universe, not the protagonists who fight them.

With Bride of Frankenstein penciled in for 2019 and The Invisible Man planned for the early 2020’s, we can see a lot of scope for making interesting storylines which rely less on fast-paced action and CGI, and more on character examination, particularly if they can get the right actors for the Monster roles.

Bride of Frankenstein does have Javier Bardem signed up (presumably as Frankenstein’s Monster), and if he can bring the same kind of intensity which he did to No Country for Old Men, then we can see the film being an enthralling one.

In terms of plot, how about a backstory of Victor Frankenstein creating a prototype Monster on behalf of Prodigium some years before, and now his Creation has come back to rescue the Mark 2, played by Scarlett Johansson or (as is rumoured) Angelina Jolie? We would watch that for sure.

Similarly, Johnny Depp looks like the ideal actor to bring the necessary offbeat touch to his role as the Invisible Man.

Previous takes on this character have all focused on him as the anti-hero scientist whose magical potion has the side effect of insanity, which seems perfect for Depp, who could just reprise his performance as Willy Wonka, with some added darkness.

The Invisible Man character has always fascinated audiences, possibly because most of us have wondered at some point what it would be like to be invisible for a day.

The character’s enduring popularity has even led to Universal licensing its own themed slot game, which is one of the most popular titles played at online casinos featuring cinematic slot games. When we consider the possibilities that Johnny Depp can bring to the role and our enduring fascination with the character, then The Invisible Man can certainly be a hit, assuming we don’t spend 75% of the movie watching a square-jawed hero trying to defeat him.

There is still plenty of time for Universal to get their Dark Universe back on track, and with the right plot and the right character development, subsequent films can win over the critics and audiences.

One thing is for sure, we want to see a return of Dr Jekyll and his Mr Hyde alter-ego, and learn more about what he stores in those specimen jars in his laboratory.

This August, Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” the blockbuster sequel featuring the world’s favorite band of intergalactic misfits, blasts into homes digitally in HD, 4K Ultra HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on Aug. 8 and physically on 4K Ultra HD,™ Blu-ray and DVD on Aug. 22.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” marks the Studios first in-home title to release in stunning 4K Ultra HD format, providing consumers with the ultimate home entertainment experience with next-generation high dynamic range visuals and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. 4K Ultra HD provides four times sharper resolution of HD with exceptional HDR which produces brighter brights, deeper blacks and richer colors than ever before. The galaxy has never looked so good!

Delivering the ultimate in-home experience is the Ultimate Cinematic Universe Edition (which includes a collectible poster while supplies last) comes packaged to include a 4K Ultra HD version of the film, a Blu-ray, a Digital Copy and more than 80-minutes of exclusive, never-before-seen bonus materials. Bonus will take fans behind the scenes with the movie’s diverse, dynamic cast of misfits and inspired team of filmmakers, debut an all-new original music video starring David Hasselhoff and special guests, hilarious outtakes, deleted scenes, audio commentary by director James Gunn, and more.

Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, the film’s storyline continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians (Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket) must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand.

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Blu-ray:

• The Making of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” – A four-part, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, done in the style of classic-rock album liner notes.
• Visionary Intro – Director James Gunn provides context on how he continues and expands the storylines of these beloved characters in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”
• Guardians Inferno Music Video – Join David Hasselhoff and special guests for a galactic retro dance party.
• Gag Reel – Laugh out loud at all the hilarious off-script shenanigans and bloopers that took place on the set of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” featuring all your favorite Guardians.
• Four Deleted Scenes – Check out four specific scenes that had to be cut from the film, including two extended scenes and two deleted scenes.
• Audio Commentary – Check out a special narration of the film by director James Gunn, who guides fans through an inside look at the making of the movie.

Digital:
All the features listed above plus four extra exclusives:

• Three Scene Breakdowns (Digital Exclusives) – We’ll reveal the anatomy of a few key scenes from the film. Discover the process in bringing these scenes to life. It starts with a doodle and the rest is film history. Audiences will be given the option to view 5-6 layers of specific scenes in the film. Scenes include “Eclector Escape,” “Gamora and Nebula,” and “Rocket and Ravagers.”
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! (Digital Exclusive) – Get an exclusive sneak peek inside the most anticipated ride at Disneyland, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!. We’ll dig into the concepts and inspiration, and talk about what it took to bring the most epic ride at Disneyland to life.

DVD:

Does not include any bonus materials.

It is a week of ‘rinse and repeat’ as many of the titles opted to retread material or pad out what has already been told, victims of this are Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps, Scooby Apocalypse, Supergirl, and Superwoman, that is an awful lot of wasted opportunity in long running storylines.

This strange “made for trade” style writing for page counts lessened the impact of those books but in turn they made Action Comics, Scooby Doo, Where Are You? and Wonder Woman excel in the spotlight. Wonder Woman and Superwoman both undergo a minor ‘soft reboot’ as they head in new directions, but General Zod is the clear winner under the theme of re-establishment. As the foil for a blind Superman and their opposing squads Zod, Dan Jurgens and Action really deserve to be on your pull list this week.

I hope the padding of stories is just this week, but you might be enjoying it and think I’m being too harsh. Let me know?

Strap into the Whiz Wagon folks, this is my look into the DC Universe this week!

WONDER WOMAN #26
Heart Of The Amazon – Part 1
Written by Shea Fontana
Art by Mirka Andolfo
Cover by Jesus Merino & Alex Sinclair
Variant by Jenny FrisonA new era begins and we look back at Diana as a child and her mothers struggle with bringing up a daughter and Amazon.

In the present Diana mends bridges with Etta after a particularly difficult mission with Steve. After a physio in Mega UltraTech and suspicious behaviour from the medics Diana puts her unease aside and decides to take some time out of her superheroism to attend a Candy family wedding.

A completely normal affair until Wonder Woman discovers an explosive device and the party is sure to end with a bang…

Shea Fontana and Mirka Andolfo are given an unenviable task; to follow on from a hugely successful run and keep that momentum going. The first notable change is Etta’s abandonment of her feelings for Barbara’s fate, it is a jarring change but Fontana’s writing style is vastly different to Rucka’s; so if you were after a continuation you are most definitely out of luck.

Having said that, the mix of the pace change with the more simplistic, yet definitely character defining art means its you’re jumping head first into the story. There are mild references to what has gone before but this is most definitely aiming to take the audience on a different kind of journey with Diana. A lot of fun.

HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #24
Fracture – Part 3: Dead Legacy
Written by Robert Vendetti
Art by Ethan Van Sciver
Cover by Ethan Van Sciver & Jason Wright
Variant by Kevin Nowlan

Romat-Ru may be a criminal but when Fantas-M and Tomar-Tu deliver a punishment for his crimes they take it too far.

Unknown to them their murder of Romat-Ru has been recorded and threatens to destroy the alliance forever and in the present day, it is John Stewart and Hal Jordan that have discovered the footage.

Elsewhere, after the time siege, Sora confronts Kyle and reveals she knows Sarko was their son and delivers a devastating physical attack.

Elsewhere as Tomar-Tu’s crime comes to light the Yellow Lanterns are out for his blood and only Hal stands in their way.

Entirely predictable. Beautiful art is not something that can save this story though, it isn’t 1990’s Marvel or Image. Everything that happens here has already happened in Part 1, the two storylines keep circling the reader and to be honest I’m waiting for some progression. Unless a panel of Kyle getting a scar and a panel of the Yellow Lanterns seeing Tomar-Tu out for murder are enough to warrant another issue in this otherwise stagnant storyline. There is more filler in here than a McDonald’s Chicken Nugget.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #10
Curse Of The Kingbutcher – Part 1
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Andy MacDonald
Cover by Ivan Reis & Marcelo Maiolo
Variant by Doug Mahnke & Wil Quintana

The team are angry with Batman over the whole Makson affair. Some of the team join Killer Frost with her search for a cure, something in The Ray’s home attracts their attention.

Everyone in Vanity is having their greatest wishes come true and drafting an away team the remainder on the League launch an investigation into the strange goings on.

The ‘Might Beyond The Mirror’ might be messing with fate but there must come a price and the Kingbutcher aims to redress the balance with The Ray caught in an impossible trap.

Sensing a pattern? Superb writing, I mean it’s just fantastic, the character moments are some of the strongest in a team book I’ve seen. No character feels neglected, nor does anyone feel like they hog the limelight.

The problem? This book is pitting the team against a rotation of continually weak bad guys. DC’s villains are iconic, yet here they seem to be on vacation. Remember the cartoon show Beware The Batman right now this book is following that model. For crying out load, Trinity has already had Ra’s Al Ghul, Circe, Lex Luthor, Etrigan, Poison Ivy and Mongul in it’s lower issue count.

ACTION COMICS #983
Revenge – Part 4
Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Viktor Bogdanovic
Inking by Viktor Bogdanovic & Jonathan Glapion
Cover by Clay Mann & Tomeu Morey
Variant by Mikel Janin

With the Revenge Squad determined to find a Phantom Zone Projector and take Superman out in the process, Kelex urges Lois and Jon to board an escape craft while Clark, Super-Man, Lex, Steel, Supergirl, Krypto, Superwoman and Super-Man try their hardest to protect the blind Man Of Steel.

The battle is fierce and both sides are evenly matched until Zod makes the discovery that Clark has had a family. Zod destroys the escaping craft with Lois and Jon on board and activates the Projector sending the heroes into the Phantom Zone.

Zod then turns the Projector onto Cyborg Superman and Eradicator, the double cross comes out of the blue and it is now clear Zod had a bigger plan than just revenge on his mind.

This could have been such a run of the mill good team versus bad team story, but, no.

If you were expecting a story that played to stereotype, you’ll be disappointed. If you want a book that gives you some intense action, creative storytelling and some genuinely surprising twists that this is exactly the boom for you. The second Cyborg Superman is finally addressed, not convincingly, but at least they acknowledged the change. We will have to see if the same can be said for the Phantom Zone, as Kara also encountered that first in her own book. Zod is suddenly a favourite too. After years and years of mishandling, he’s finally being handled right. A thoroughly enjoyable issue that serves to keep the story moving forwards.

SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #15
Dog Eat Dog!
Written by Keith Giffen & J.M. De Matteis
Art by Dale Eaglesham
Cover by Carlos D’Anda
Variant by Jill Thompson

It is a fight to the finish, the monsters are converging upon the heroes and Mystery Inc are the only ones that can save the day.

The Dinkley’s feud may have been at the epicenter of the apocalypse, but it looks like the Doo family will end it of die trying as Scooby comes face to face with a bitter Scrappy and his pack.

Can they put their differences aside and save the day or will their pig headedness lead to the end of everything?

The mistakes currently suffered in Hal Jordan right now?

It seems the same writing model used there and in Blue Beetle is put to good use again here. We continue going around and around in circles, with little progression. I have been looking forward to this for two issues but it was’t as epic as I had hoped, being sidelined by a monster attack. The writing excels with the character moments, the journey from sleuthing kids to horror survivalist teens is a very interesting one, perhaps it was the title and cover that led me to believe a different outcome.

SCOOBY-DOO WHERE ARE YOU #83
The Good, The Bad And The Ghostly; Yankee Doodle Danger

Written by Derek Fridolfs, John Rozum
Art By Walter Carzon, Fabio Laguna
Inks by Horacio Ottolini
Cover by Vincent Deporter, Walter Carzon & Pamela LovasButch has a ghost problem in the Old West and only Mystery, Inc. can get to the bottom of the haunting.

The Gunslinger ghost is terrorising the area and the kids decide to spend the night in the town to hunt for clues.

Will they survive the night of suffer a fate worse than death at the hands of the gunslinger ghost and is this more than a mere haunting?

The next mystery takes place in New England when the Scooby gang are enjoying a party with loud music and fireworks during a yacht party.

Out of the blue a giant ghost is awakened by the festivities. The ghost is a vengeful one and causes boats to explode in it’s rage, when the teams investigations cause a helicopter crash have they finally been defeated by a phantasm?

Two very different stories, not just in locale either. One is fairly run of the mill and classic series in feel, and thus really enjoyable but the other feels like one of the movies – specifically like Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island where there is a genuine threat and no rubber mask or fist shaking villains. Two different era stories but both distinctively and undeniably Scooby Doo. The art deserves a special nod too, it is clearly precise and with a great deal of attention and love for the character.

 

SUPERGIRL #11
Escape From The Phantom Zone – Finale
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Brian Ching
Cover by Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques & Michael Atiyeh
Variant by Bengal

Ben, Supergirl and Batgirl fight for survival as The Phantom King and his minions aim to harness the power of the Maelstrom to enter our world by manipulating Psi.

If Kara can’t reach out to her friend they might be trapped forever but Phantom King is a formidable adversary and even if they manage to escape, could one of Supergirl’s closest friends have turned traitor?

Nice to see Batgirl and Supergirl in action together, they are in many ways a stronger pairing than their male counterparts.

Phantom King didn’t prove to be as deadly a threat as I thought he would be with Psi proving to be the most powerful force in the Zone. It is chock full of references for the fans of both women, continuities past, Escape was absolutely a labour of love, that is clear with each consecutive page.

But as good as the bulk of the story was, that final few pages were an absolute knockout.

 

SUPERWOMAN #12
Rediscovery – Part 3
Written by K.Perkins
Art by Stephen Segovia
Inks by Art Thibert
Cover by Ken Lashley & HiFi
Variant by Renato Guedes

Steel, Natasha and Crash turn vigilante against Skyhook, while Atomic Skull turns into a Metropolis hero.

After a devastating battle against the demonic villain, Lana heads back to Steelworks and decides to run some last-ditch tests on the Insect Queen armour.

Like a bolt from the blue, the computers reveal a stunning secret; the Kryptonian power was never lost, just temporarily exhausted after Lena Luthor’s attack. Tapping into the energy, Lana becomes Superwoman once more, but repowered she must race to stop the Irons family from making a fatal mistake.

Just as Wonder Woman receives her new creative team and direction, so did Superwoman with the arrival of K Perkins and Stephen Segovia.

The difference is, Wonder Woman closed a chapter whereas Superwoman was writing to a definitive ending. They chose to continue, and the loss of power and tests of powers killing Lana and suchlike was neatly, if a bit ‘Disney style’ explained away as the power always being within Lana and merely dimmed from overuse. In the same way Superman used to tire from too much superheroics, and then in New 52 with his Solar Flare device. Does it work? No. Not after so long and with some of DC’s smartest minds coming up blank with theories.

However, some slack has to be given, for the title to move forward they had to repower Lana somehow so that she could get on with being a hero. Crash, the Steels and Skyhook’s vendetta against each other is secondary to the repowering, but serve as a good distraction as this ‘ soft reboot’ get out of the way.

 

GOTHAM ACADEMY SECOND SEMESTER #11
The Ballad Of Olive Silverlock – Part 3
Written by Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan & Karl Kerschl
Art by Adam Archer
Inks by Sandra Hope
Background Paints Msassyk
Cover by Karl Kerschl

After the almost fatal feud, a mortified Olive begins a path of destruction fueled by her pain.

With Two Face hunting down Maps and a mystery unfolding on Wayne Manor’s doorstep, it falls to Damian Wayne to battle Harvey and help Maps survive.

It soon becomes clear that no matter what, the end is nigh.

All the threads are starting to be neatly tied up.all the angles are being redirected as we head towards an ending.

That fact doesn’t mean the story ebbs in quality in the slightest. In fact, Fletcher, Cloonan and Kerschl are setting the stage for Olive’s story to end with an big impact.

I kind of wish Damian didn’t get thrown into the mix as it lessened the supporting casts quest somewhat and I think the book is best without ‘outsiders’. I hope there is a happy ending to all this and Olive is forgiven but ultimately everything is to play for right now.

Netflix, the world’s leading internet TV network, will bring the ten-episode series The Umbrella Academy to members worldwide in 2018.

Based on the popular, Eisner award-winning comics and graphic novels created and written by Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance) and illustrated by Gabriel Bá, The Umbrella Academy is a live action series that follows the estranged members of a dysfunctional family of superheroes (The Umbrella Academy) — The Monocle, Spaceboy, The Kraken, The Rumor, The Séance, Number Five, The Horror, and The White Violin — as they work together to solve their father’s mysterious death while coming apart at the seams due to their divergent personalities and abilities. Published by Dark Horse Comics, the comic series garnered much praise from fans and critics alike for its alternate and twisted take on the superhero genre.

“I am thrilled that The Umbrella Academy has found a home at Netflix. I couldn’t think of a better place for the vision Gabriel Bá and myself had when creating the comic, and cannot wait for people to experience that world as a live action show,” said Gerard Way.

“What drew us to The Umbrella Academy is that it’s wholly unique, visual and stylized,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President, Original Content for Netflix. “These aren’t the usual superheroes, and this series will embrace the singular tone of the graphic novels — dark yet humorous, supernatural yet grounded in reality. We’re excited to see this world and introduce these unforgettable heroes to Netflix members around the globe.”

“It’s a thrill to be producing this wonderful show for Netflix,” said Jeff Wachtel, Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, and President, Universal Cable Productions. “It’s been a passion project for the UCP development crew and we can’t wait to bring it to life.”

The Umbrella Academy will be produced by Universal Cable Productions. Steve Blackman (Fargo, Altered Carbon) will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with additional executive producers Bluegrass Television and Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg from Dark Horse Entertainment. Gerard Way will serve as co-executive producer. The pilot script was adapted from the comic book series by Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist).

It’s been over 30 years since Professor Abraham Van Helsing visited Dracula’s castle. Now his descendent, the mysterious vampire hunter Rosalyn Van Helsing, is teaming up with a ragtag group of con men for a high stakes heist to rob Europe’s richest vampires. Welcome to the world of Stephan Franck’s Silver, a globe-trotting graphic novel series that mashes up the world of Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula with action, adventure, humor, pulp storytelling and modern sensibilities.

The third volume of this truly independent project has just launched on Kickstarter, and I was fortunate enough to speak to writer/artist Stephan Franck about Silver, his favorite vampires and his day job.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: What was the genesis of Silver?

Stephan Franck: Let me warn you, it’s quite a saga… I have been a life-long fan of comics (my parents were retailers when I was little), and drew them throughout college, but after that, my career exclusively focused on animation, and took me from Paris to Hollywood.

Then fast forward to a few years ago, when I had originally written Silver as a spec movie script. However, around the time that it was done, I realized that it would be the perfect story for a big fun immersive graphic novel–a wild pulp adventure with a deep universe, and compelling characters to bring to life—a bucket list item of the first magnitude. I originally thought about handing the script out to another artist to illustrate, but it became clear that I had to do this.

Four years, three volumes, sixty conventions and one publishing company later (and other stuff we will announce soon), this has been the most unexpected and one of the most fulfilling adventures in my life.

One of the things I enjoyed is that the book is a true sequel to Dracula, bringing it into the early Thirties and never ignoring the world that Stoker created. Was there a specific reason to set it during this time period, and once this series is over would you revisit it possibly during another time period?

Thank you, yes, I feel that the choice of the time period was very important. Bram Stoker’s novel was not only a groundbreaking idea, but it was also a masterfully executed story, and the characters have fully completed their arcs by the end of it—at least for that phase of their lives. So I felt that having a sequel situated too close in time would retread on the novel too much.

Meanwhile, there is a high sense of whimsy to this story, and I think having it in the past brings it the kind of distance that makes the whimsy acceptable. We’re talking of a time were the word was still big and full of mystery. We’re in 1931. 1933 is King Kong. 1936 Indiana Jones. Having it happen today in the age of cell phones and Google Earth would require a completely different tone.

Rosalynd Sledge is the granddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing. She is anything but a woman of the time period. Tell me about the character and what drives her to continue the family tradition of vampire hunting.

What specifically drives her is a secret that is actually revealed in Volume 3, so I won’t spoil that. However, what I love about this character is that when we find her, she is someone who has probably been spending way too much time alone in cemeteries, making sure the dead stay that way, and somewhat lost touch with the living. It is even a fair question to wander what exactly she is doing with her life.

It is actually a common theme in all the main characters of the story, and through this adventure, they are lead to reexamine how they have been living their lives—or not really living them, as the case may be. But that said, she is also a really fun character, as she is super badass, and has a pretty unforgiving sense of humor. But yes, there is a brokenness to her that is very endearing, and makes her a fully dimensional characters.

I must also add that I have no shortage of incredibly strong women in my family, including too very kickass daughters, who have inspired me to write female characters that are actual humans, as I’ve watched them grow up.

You work in animation and do comics on the side. What projects have you worked on and what about the comic medium do you find so appealing?

In animation, I have worked on tons of movies for most Hollywood studios, but among my favorite is the Iron Giant, on which I was a supervising animator. With my brother Emmanuel, I have also co-created a TV show called “Corneil and Bernie” which aired on Nicktoons in the US and in over 100 countries. I am also very proud of having directed a Smurfs special called The Legend Of Smurfy Hollow for Sony. Having grown up reading the Smurfs in France, it was a great honor to not only do a film with them, but to do it mostly in hand-drawn animation—a medium in which the Smurfs never really had a chance to exist at a feature animation level of quality. I also worked on Despicable Me, and many other movies.

Meanwhile, as I was saying earlier, comics have always be a huge part of my life and creative inspiration, but it’s true that the medium and the industry have become a bigger and bigger part in my life. When I started Silver I used to hear people introduce me as “ this is Stephan, he’s in animation. He also does some comics”. Then, one day, I realized that people were saying “He’s a comics guy. He also does animation.” But to me, it is all one thing. It is all about storytelling. It is all about trying to get to the most universal truths about character and life, and present them in the weirdest way possible. Deep moral choices being wrestled with by someone dressed like a bat. That kind of things. I think at the end of the day that’s what this whole thing is about.

What are your favorite vampires in pop culture?

Dracula, of course, whose lore is the basis for this book. I like most of his incarnations, from The Hammer films, to Herzog’s Nosferatu, to Coppola’s version, to many others, but I also very much like Interview With The Vampire. I thought that the Neil Jordan film was fantastic. Purely as a matter of personal taste, I prefer stories where the vampires are hidden. Once they are openly into the world, I feel that it crosses over to another genre which you could call parallel history, or even sci fi. It’s fun too, but to me, it becomes a different thing. I’m all about mystery.

Your art is very reminiscent of Tim Sale. Are you a fan of his? What other creators have influenced your work?

Thank you, that is a great compliment! Yes, I am actually a huge fan of Tim Sale’s, and I have to say that getting his endorsement on the back of the first volume absolutely blew me away. Although I love all sorts of styles and creators, I have always gravitated more towards artists who combine a strong sense of draftsmanship and storytelling with a high level of—call it abstraction, or stylization—let’s just say a different point of view. People like Tim, Mike Mignola, Kirby, of course, or Frank Miller. Bill Sienkiewicz is also a master at capturing life so accurately and injecting it with world-class abstraction, who has been an inspiration to me. Getting his endorsement on the second book also made my year.

In addition to the final volume of Silver, what else do you have coming up?

We have another title which is the backstory of one of Silver’s main characters. I am super excited about this book, and it is also the beginning of a “Silver Universe” taking shape. More on this very, very soon. (I am actually so excited about it that it’s physically painful for me not to share it yet!)

What are you currently geeking out over?

Man, I geek out on pretty much everything. Let’s face it, we can nitpick on this movie or that, but the truth is that my head would have exploded as a kid if I had known that I would see my geeky little world take over the mainstream world of entertainment. But if I had to pick one thing, I would single out Gotham. In my mind, over the last couple seasons, it has become the best representation of the world of Batman ever put to screen. I think it captures its quality as a dark fairy tale extremely well. Now, in a completely different style, thanks to YouTube, I have discovered interviews of the late Richard Feynman, and I just can’t get enough of them.

To Support The Silver Volume 3 Kickstarter Campaign, Click HERE!

An ancient evil is unleashed after centuries of captivity and her lust for revenge threatens to destroy the world in The Mummy, a spectacular saga coming to Digital on August 22, 2017 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on September 12, 2017 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible franchise, Top Gun) battles the ultimate evil in a breathtaking version of the legendary and mystical monster that has captivated and terrified humankind for centuries. With more than an hour of never-before-seen bonus features, The Mummy 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD reveal the deepest secrets behind this sumptuous and wonder-filled epic.

Thought safely entombed deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella, Star Trek Beyond, Kingsman: The Secret Service) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day. Her malevolence has grown over millennia and with it come terrors that defy human comprehension. From the sands of the Middle East through modern-day London, The Mummy balances wonder, thrills, and imagination.

The latest action-packed entry from director and producer Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek Into Darkness, Now You See Me) and producer Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious franchise), The Mummy also stars Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World, “New Girl”), Annabelle Wallis (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, “Peaky Blinders”), and Courtney B. Vance (“American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” Terminator Genisys).

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY AND DVD:

• Deleted and Extended Scenes
• Cruise & Kurtzman: A Conversation Rooted in Reality – Tom Cruise and Alex Kurtzman discuss the making of The Mummy.
• Rooted in Reality – Filmmakers and cast reveal how they broke away from old tropes and traditions to create a dynamic and realistic 21st century monster movie.
• Life in Zero-G: Creating the Plane Crash – Watch Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, and the crew shoot the incredible plane sequence.
• Meet Ahmanet – Sofia Boutella shares the excitement of reinventing a monster icon.
• Cruise in Action – A behind-the-scenes look at Tom Cruise’s most memorable Mummy stunts.
• Becoming Jekyll and Hyde – Find out how the casting of Russell Crowe brought a bold new dimension to the roles of Jekyll and Hyde.
• Choreographed Chaos – Watch as cast and filmmakers create an epic outdoors clash between ancient and modern worlds.
• Nick Morton: In Search of a Soul – Tom Cruise describes what drew him to play a man seemingly without a soul.
• Ahmanet Reborn Animated Graphic Novel – Witness Ahmanet’s descent into the monstrous underworld as she is reborn into the Goddess of Chaos and Wrath.
• Feature Commentary with director and producer Alex Kurtzman, and cast members Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis and Jake Johnson

Facebook.com/TheMummy

#TheMummy

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s the middle of summer and things are going well over at DC!

Here’s this week’s reviews!

Dark Days: The Casting
Written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Jim Lee, Andy Kubert, and John Romita Jr.

This comic book is incredibly fascinating. It’s well written and well drawn. Snyder and Tynion have written a hell of a prelude to what looks like a hell of an event. It’s fast paced and lives up to its title: its dark. And it’s dark as hell.

Hawkman sends out a warning to the heroes.

That warning? The forces of darkness are coming!

These forces of darkness are horrifying, too.

Only one hero had a plan to stop them: Batman. The problem is the Joker laid waste to these plans.

Now, the heroes don’t trust Batman. Can he regain their trust in time? Or is everything going to hell in a hand basket?

I can tell you from the previews, that everything is going to hell in a hand basket. Snyder and Tynion have a great time here. The art of pretty good as well. It’s a tense, fast paced thrill ride. You need this book. What are you waiting for? Buy it.

RATING: A

The Flash #26
Written by Joshua Williamson 
Illustrated by Howard Porter

This was a damn fine issue. Williamson has been on fire on this title and it’s been great. This is a tense issue and he writes with passion.

So this is part two of the “Running Scared” storyline.

The Reverse-Flash shows Barry and Iris what will happen in the future if they remain in love.

The Vision? It’s absolute hell on earth. So Barry and Iris are left with a choice to love each other or be alone forever.

The writing is great. The art by Porter is phenomenal as well.

It’s a great package and the writing and the art work incredibly well together.

Let’s keep this up!

RATING: A-

Suicide Squad #21
Written by Rob Williams
Illustrated by Gus Vasquez

This title has been off the wall bananas lately.

That’s why reading this issue, which is just boring, is so sad. I don’t mind nuts but being dull is upsetting. I tried to get into it three times and finally trudged through. Oh boy. Here we go.

In this issue, Amanda Waller tries to make moves against the threat known as the People. She makes some covert moves that aren’t very exciting.

Meanwhile, Harley Quinn and Boomerang try to unearth the traitor in Task Force X. The reader tries to keep awake.

The writing is dull. The art is lackluster. I wish I could say something better about it. I hope it picks up next issue.

Lets see it get bananas again.

RATING: C-

The American Way: Those Above and Those Below #1
Written by John Ridley
Illustrated by Georges Jeanty

I read the original series about ten years back and recently reread it to prepare for this. The original series is quite excellent.

This first issue of the new series is quite excellent too. Okay, let me restate that: the first issue is awesome.

The events in this series take place a decade after the original story. The Civil Defense Corps were exposed as a bunch of frauds. Most of the heroes have retired or disappeared.

All except the New American. He’s trying to keep the neighborhoods safe amidst all of the social turmoil of the 1970s.

Ridley writes a relevant, pointed tale here. I give him credit for coming back to comics after both successful television and movie careers. The art is great.

This is a great start to a great sequel. Pick it up. As I said before, it’s awesome.

RATING: A

Detective Comics #960
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Alvaro Martinez

Man, Tynion has made Azrael cool.

I really enjoy his take on the character. He went from being lame to being something I can stomach. He has many levels now and it’s a testament to Tynion’s writing how involved I got.

Azarel may be losing his mind. Batman and his new teammate Zatanna are on the hunt for him.

Can they defeat him? Or will Azrael take them down?

The art is pretty damn good in this issue. The last page is a stunner. Martinez does better than usual work here and it shows.

Pick this up. It’s a good, smaller storyline that will involve you.

RATING: B

Bug! The Adventures of Forager #3
Written by Lee Allred
Illustrated by Mike Allred

The Allred family is doing a hell of a job on this title. It’s silly, tongue in cheek, and just wacky. It feels like a book that you would have read in the 1970s.

The title of this issue is called “Atlas Bugged.”

The Forager goes across time and space and lands in a wilderness. There he meets Atlas, who is a muscleman who had also run afoul of Chagra.

Chagra is the one who put Forager through this ordeal. Together they get into more wacky trouble.

The writing is goofy fun as is the art. There is an Allred sensibility throughout the entire issue. Lee is coming into his own as a writer and Mike is a master at illustrating.

Pick this up. It’s a fun, ginchy all-Allred affair!

RATING: B+

Red Hood and the Outlaws #12
Written by Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Dexter Soy

I really am loving this title. Each issue is well crafted, has a great set up, and is just enjoyable.
Take the opening sequence of this issue. In just one page, Lobdell and Soy ask a ton of questions and set up the issue with an ominous feeling. It’s good comic book storytelling.

This issue starts off “The Life of Bizarro” storyline. Bizarro is dying. Red Hood and the Outlaws are in a race to save his life!

Meanwhile, Solomon Grundy is on a rampage. Can they stop him? Who let him loose? And can they save Bizarro before he kicks the bucket?

Lobdell is a solid writer who keeps you on your toes. Soy keeps right up with him and makes the story sing with his art. Pick this up. It’s a solid series and this is yet another solid issue.

RATING: B+

New Super-Man #13
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Illustrated by Billy Tan

I’m quite enjoying this title.

Yang and Tan have more than justified its existence, they’ve made it a necessary read. I’ve been enjoying this monthly. It’s been a nice surprise this past year.

This is the start of the “Shanghai Under Siege” storyline.

Shanghai is under siege (duh) and only one man can save it.

Yes, You guessed it!

Yang keeps the story fun and fast. He’s very creative and you can’t help but enjoy it.

The art by Tan has given this title a brand new energy. Pick this up. It’s a solid book with diversity that you may not be reading at the moment.

RATING: B+

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #12
Written by Julie and Shawna Benson
Illustrated by Roge Antonio

This is a decent title and has been since it’s debut. Yet, it never feels spectacular. It could be.

The Benson’s have had enough time at this point to make it thrilling. They just haven’t. It’s just standard comic book fare. It isn’t bad but it’s not memorable.

This is part two of the “Source Code” storyline. The Birds of Prey are up against a foe that is supposed to be extremely dangerous.

For me, the foe barely registers as a threat. I wasn’t scared or even worried about Batgirl or any of the Birds of Prey. I should be. I just wasn’t.

The art by Antonio is pretty lackluster. There’s still time to make this title better. Let’s turn this around!

RATING: B-

For those of you too young to remember, there was a genuine visceral thrill in determining what VHS tape to bring home from video stores in the early 1980s.  Be it by sleeve, standee, or clamshell, movie artwork in its ancillary life-after-cinemas, was sometimes the first way to discover a title.

Not surprisingly, many children of the be-kind-rewind generation have memories of films purely based on what we remember on the shelves, rather than what we put in the VCR.

Today, in an age of 4K remastered celebrations of the Witchblade or House movies, it’s humbling to find a younger generation embracing not only the films, but celebrating the retro-coolness of their original VHS packaging.  Even the most heartfelt deviantart tribute to Ghoulies 2 beats foreclosed warehouses of overstocked Vestron VHS discarded in landfills somewhere in New Mexico.

Not that I can prove that happened.

There’s an abundance of access to content, especially for Horror fans, these days.  For rights-holders, more obscure scary movies are having a revenge in their afterlife.  Titles like Evilspeak and The Final Terror get remastered for Blu-ray from Scream Factory, while over-the-top digital subscription service Shudder has progressively stocked their virtual shelves with more Giallo than there’s time for.

One such title that I can’t seem to remember passing by a box of is 1981’s Strange Behavior (aka Dead Kids), which is currently streaming on Shudder as well as Fandor.  It’s an under-the-radar flick worth watching.

Directed by Michael Laughlin, whose follow up film Strange Invaders certainly got its share of attention on video shelves (its timing was a tad better for the VCR boom), the movie is co-produced and written by Oscar winner Bob Condon (most recently the director of Beauty and the Beast).  It gets stranger from there.

Shot in New Zealand, and often times showing its roots with oddly matched post-production dialogue recording, the movie is essentially an homage to 1950s teenage horror films.  In particular, it’s obsessed with that brand of paranoia where science and technology moved into small-town America.  Those obsessed with this season’s relaunch of Twin Peaks on Showtime will be quite familiar with it.

Like Lynch’s amazing return to his TV town, things are a little off from the start of Strange Behavior.  First of all, the cast is top-notch, and worth geeking out over purely by their past and pre credits.  There’s a pre-X-Men Michael Murphy, Oscar winner Louise Fletcher still recovering from Exorcist II, a pre-Tron Dan Shor, a post-Rock ‘n’ Roll High School Dey Young, the penultimate character actor Charles Lane, and Jimmy Olsen himself, Marc McClure (before major McFly body parts started disappearing in Back to the Future).

Probably due to Lauglin’s commitment to the material, I’d say everyone’s a little too perfectly cast, and they play things as seriously as they do surreal.  This is a film that’s essentially rooted in both 50s cold war conspiracy and early 80s slasher style, so there’s a lot of stuff that shouldn’t work as well as it does.

Just to ice the cake, Tangerine Dream contributes to the film’s score, which is peppered with post-punk obscurities.  Oh, and there’s also a spontaneous, yet choreographed musical number to Lou Christie’s Lightnin’ Strikes.

I came into the film without any knowledge of it other than its inclusion in New York City’s Metrograph’s fantastic A to Z series of essential cinema.  I don’t want to give anything away in explaining more of the plot, any of the surprises, nor parts of the gore.

Every early 80s obscurity should be this enjoyable.

By the way, if you’re looking to double feature with something almost as unusual, yet not nearly as accomplished, do check out Deadly Blessing (1981), which is now streaming on Amazon Prime.  Ernest Borgnine as the leader of an evil neo-Hittite sect preys upon Sharon Stone in one of her first big-screen roles.

You’re welcome.

From Baba Yaga and Hecate, to the Black Flame and the Queen of Blood, Mike Mignola’s legendary Hellboy and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense have battled some of the most dangerous and despicable demons and villains in all of comics.

In advance of San Diego Comic Con 2017, Dark Horse Comics is revealing three new titles for the strange, shared Mignolaverse of comic books and graphic novels comprised of Hellboy & the BPRD, Abe Sapien, BPRD, Lobster Johnson and Witchfinder, with all three new titles focusing on villains. With stories by Eisner award-winning artist Adam Hughes—who is illustrating his first ever Mignolaverse story, iZOMBIE co-creator Chris Roberson, and acclaimed Mignolaverse artists Christopher Mitten and Ben Stenbeck, the three new titles will explore the secret origins of two classic villains, Koshchei the Deathless and Rasputin, and introduce the Krampus into Hellboy’s odd world of fantasy and folklore.

“We didn’t set out to publish three stories about bad guys for the holidays, it just worked out that way—and, really, at least one of these guys isn’t ALL bad,” said Mike Mignola. “It’s been a real pleasure working with Chris Roberson and Christopher Mitten again to flesh out more of the history of the Hellboy world—focusing on Rasputin before the arrival of Hellboy. You just knew there had to be more to say about that guy. Just like I’ve always known there was a lot more to say about Koshchei the Deathless, who I’ve loved since Hellboy: Darkness Calls. Now thanks to the great Ben Stenbeck, we get his full, odd, and tragic life story. And then what is there to say about the Krampus? This grim little Christmas story has been gathering dust for years on my mental shelf, apparently just waiting for the right artist to come along and ask to draw it. I just never imagined that the right artist would be Adam Hughes!”

The three new titles are:

RASPUTIN: VOICE OF THE DRAGON

Mike Mignola (W/Variant Cover), Chris Roberson (W), Christopher Mitten (A), Dave Stewart (C), Mike Huddleston (Cover)

A conspiracy involving the Third Reich and a dead member of a sinister secret society sets Professor Bruttenholm on his first mission—to find the man who’d soon bring Hellboy to earth. The mad Russian sorcerer Rasputin had been thought dead since 1916, when a group of noblemen sought to end his influence over the tsar. Now Rasputin works with the most twisted members of Hitler’s inner circle, and he’s about to cross paths with the man who’ll go on to found the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense.

The first issue of RASPUTIN: VOICE OF THE DRAGON’s first issue (of five) goes on sale November 29, 2017.

HELLBOY: KRAMPUSNACHT ONE SHOT

Mike Mignola (W/Variant Cover), Adam Hughes (A/C/Cover/Incentive Variant)

The only thing more exciting than pitting Hellboy against this Satanic spin on Santa is the team-up of Mike Mignola and Adam Hughes.

HELLBOY: KRAMPUSNACHT ONE SHOT goes on sale December 20, 2017.

KOSHCHEI THE DEATHLESS

Mike Mignola (W/cover), Ben Stenbeck (A), Dave Stewart (C)

Sent to kill Hellboy by the Baba Yaga in Darkness Calls, Koshchei the Deathless hinted at a long and tragic life before being enslaved to the Russian witch. Now Koshchei relives every horrible act on his road to immortality and beyond, with none other than Hellboy himself—in Hell. Mignola returns to Hell and to the bizarre folklore that’s filled some of his greatest books, reuniting with one of his favorite collaborators, Ben Stenbeck (Frankenstein Underground, Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels, Baltimore).

The first issue of KOSHCHEI THE DEATHLESS (of six) goes on sale January 10, 2018.

The 69th Primetime Emmy Award were all about comedy and robots this year, taking a break from its usual love of dragons and mix-matched families.

NBC’s Saturday Night Live and HBO’s sci-fier Westworld walking away with 22 noms apiece, the most nods of any show. The sketch show owes big props to its recent turn to political-heavy comedy, such as its skits featuring Alec Baldwin’s Trump and Melissa McCartney’s Sean Spicer, who turned the show from Toonces the driving cat territory into biting commentary about modern times.

Netflix’s Stranger Things and FX’s miniseries Feud each nabbed 17 noms a piece, including acting noms for femme fatales Millie Bobby Brown, Shannon Purser, Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon.

Hulu’s breakout hit Handmaid’s Tale scored 13 noms and one of its stars, Ann Dowd became a double nominee for pulling double-duty on both the streaming service drama and HBO’s The Leftovers.

HBO’s former heavy-hitter Game of Thrones had to sit this one out as the long stall time between seasons meant that the show wasn’t eligible for any kudos.

THE NOMINEES

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Better Call Saul
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
House of Cards
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

BEST COMEDY SERIES

Atlanta
black-ish
Master of None
Modern Family
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Veep

BEST LIMITED SERIES

Big Little Lies (HBO)
Fargo (FX)
Feud: Bette and Joan (FX)
Genius (National Geographic)
The Night Of (HBO)

BEST TELEVISION MOVIE

Black Mirror (Netflix)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (HBO)
Dolly Parton’s Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle Of Love (NBC)
Sherlock: The Lying Detective (PBS)
Wizard of Lies (HBO)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Claire Foy, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Keri Russell, The Americans
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Anthony Hopkins, Westworld
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE

Carrie Coon, Fargo
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan
Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Lying Detective
Robert De Niro, The Wizard of Lies
Ewan McGregor, Fargo
Geoffrey Rush, Genius
John Turturro, The Night Of

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Pamela Adlon, Better Things
Allison Janney, Mom
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
Zach Galifianakis, Baskets
Donald Glover, Atlanta
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Vanessa Bayer, Saturday Night Live
Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Kathryn Han, Transparent
Judith Light, Transparent
Anna Chlumsky, Veep

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Louie Anderson, Baskets
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Tony Hale, Veep
Matt Walsh, Veep

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Uzo Aduba , Orange Is The New Black
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Chrissy Metz, This Is Us
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Ron Cephas Jones, This is Us
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
John Lithgow, The Crown
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE

Judy Davis, Feud
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Jackie Hoffman, Feud
Regina King, American Crime
Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies
Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TV MOVIE

Bill Camp, The Night Of
Michael Kenneth Williams, The Night Of
Alfred Molina, Feud
Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
David Thewlis, Fargo
Stanley Tucci, Feud

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
Laverne Cox, Orange is the New Black
Ann Dowd, The Leftovers
Shannon Purser, Stranger Things
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away With Murder
Alison Wright, The Americans

BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Hank Azaria, Ray Donovan
Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline
Denis O’Hare, This is Us
Brian Tyree Henry, This is Us
BD Wong, Mr. Robot

BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Beck Ann Baker, Girls
Angela Bassett, Master of None
Carrie Fisher, Catastrophie
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Wanda Sykes, black-ish
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Riz Ahmed, Girls
Dave Chappelle, Saturday Night Live
Tom Hanks, Saturday Night Live
Hugh Laurie, Veep
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Saturday Night Live
Matthew Rhys, Girls

BEST VARIETY TALK SHOW

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)

BEST REALITY COMPETITION SHOW

American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
aRuPaul’s Drag Race (LOGO)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)

BEST CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE

Dee Bradley Baker, American Dad!
Nancy Cartwright, The Simpsons
Mo Collins, F Is For Family
Kevin Kline, Bob’s Burgers
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy
Kristen Schaal, BoJack Horseman

BEST ANIMATED PROGRAM

Archer
Bob’s Burgers
Elena and the Secret of Avalor
The Simpsons
South Park

BEST VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

Billy on the Street
Documentary Now!
Drunk History
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Tracey Ullman’s Shows

BEST STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

​​​​​​​Antiques Roadshow
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Fixer Upper
Lip Sync Battle
Shark Tank
Who Do You Think You Are

BEST UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM 

Born This Way
Deadliest Catch
Gaycation With Ellen Page
Intervention
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked
United Shades Of America: With W. Kamau Bell

BEST HOST FOR A REALITY PROGRAM

​​​​​​​Alec Baldwin, Match Game
Kamau Bell, United Shades Of America With W. Kamau Bell
RuPaul Charles, RuPaul’s Drag Race
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Gordon Ramsay, MasterChef Junior
Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party

The 2017 Emmy air on Sunday, Sept. 17 on CBS and will be hosted by Stephen Colbert.

Produced by Tamsin Andersson, Kagiso Lediga,
Ronnie Apteker, Luke Henkeman,
Isaac Mogajane, John Volmink
Written and Directed by Kagiso Lediga
Starring Kagiso Lediga, Pearl Thusi,
Andrew Buckland, Akin Omotoso,
Precious Makgaretsa, Kate Liquorish

As a young person, we are warned against “catching feelings” for someone that may not be quite as interested in us, or wrong for pursuing in some other manner.

In Kagiso Lediga’s feature film of the same name, he worries constantly about who is feeling who, and what that means.

As engaging as the story can be, the persistent paranoia and general lack of charm in the main character make this a much more challenging film than it had to be.

Lediga both wrote and stars in this film that looks at the romantic life of young college professor Max and his wife Sam as they go about their lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. When famous ex-pat author Heiner (Andrew Buckland) comes through town, Max is forced to reckon with the life that Heiner brings to his life, his work, and even his own wife.

Usually in movies like this, where we are looking at the questionable antics of a character at some sort of midlife or personal crisis, there is an attempt to make him or her at least somewhat likable in terms of intelligence, affability, or simple commiseration with the sad sack trope. Yet rarely does Max show the kind of humility that the audience needs to even occasionally be on his side. Instead he is constantly whining about his position in life, his wife’s popularity and social nature, or the adoration heaped on Heiner for being a leader in the apartheid-era writing community.

Even as he is invited to share his true feelings during an interview between Heiner and a young reporter, Max is unable to look anything but bitter. This could have easily been a moment where the writers chose to have him be terribly insightful so at least we could be on his side as an intellectual. Instead, he seems hyper aware of his own insecurities and takes them out in a petty fashion on the older writer who comes off as interesting in his bemused reaction to Max’s diatribes.

You have to wonder why someone as beautiful, thoughtful, and interesting as Sam stays with Max. Or perhaps you don’t, because Sam is not a fully fleshed-out character. She seems like someone who would end up as the manic pixie type if given more lines, but instead serves as an attractive yin to Max’s awkward and angry yang; a beautiful and blandly personable foil to Max’s infidelities.

The setting of Johannesburg brings another dimension to the film. Certainly, Lediga did not shy away for the role that race plays and interactions in current-day South Africa. While Max is hyper aware of any instance that seems racially-tinged, Sam, Joel, and everyone around him seem less inclined to keep the chip of apartheid on their shoulders. During one of his classes, a white student uses the n-word repeatedly and another student who happens to be Black points out that he is probably just doing it for shock value, which she does not appreciate it. Her remarks are echoed by many other black students in the class. The white student seems nonplussed, and when Max later asks Joe about it, he does not seem incredibly bothered by the word casually used in this manner. It was one of the many interesting ways Lediga showed the differences in approach to the current culture from student to adults, from White South African to Black, and from Max to the world.

When Heiner comes on the scene, worshipped by everyone at the university for his writing, Max’s dander is immediately up. But as Heiner feels in no way threatened by Max, it is a complete joy to watch him ruffle his feathers while living his best life by philandering and drinking throughout his time in Johannesburg. As this partying takes its toll and he is forced to move in briefly with Max and Sam, Max becomes increasingly paranoid and unlikable in a way that makes it tough to not resent his existence for the rest of the movie. His suspicions and wild accusations seem over the top and you almost start to wish that they are true just so Sam would be rid of this bothersome man.

With that said could you so Lediga did an excellent job portraying the bitter and nervous Max. Though she was not given much to work with, Pearl Thusi gave a non-offensive performance as Sam. You have to wonder what else she is capable of, though, as there was nearly no range given for her to try out. Akin Omotoso was perfect as Joel, providing both light comic relief as well as the closest iteration of an actual person. But the performance that was the most believable and enjoyable to watch was certainly Andrew Buckland as Heiner. He struck a wonderful balance between the wisdom of age and the frivolity of a literary rockstar.

Even though Catching Feelings has some grating faults (made more obvious by the combination of the writer and lead being one and the same), it would be an interesting date night film for someone who wants to enjoy the lightness of a romantic comedy with the social commentary of an international offering.

It’s a specific kind of date for sure, but enjoyable nonetheless.

For screening information, visit Facebook.com/FeelingsMovie

Produced by Iqbal Ahmed, Maria Valentina Bove
Written and Directed by Iqbal Ahmed
Starring Austin Hébert, Alexis Carra, David S. Lee,
Adam Shapiro, Mark Deklin, Denisha Saunders,
Cranston Johnson, Tyler Richardson

Have you ever watched a movie that’s so poorly paced, lazily written, and jarringly bad it doesn’t even know what genre it wants to attempt so it tried to be everything at once?  Now you’re just left staring at the screen in utter confusion and regret. Fortunately for The Answer, this is not the case.

Masterfully blending mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and thriller it is a gift from the Movie Gods that’s so incredibly focused it creates it’s own genre.

The Answer introduces us to Bridd Cole (Austin Hebert) as he tries to find himself through the midst of pain, suffering, lost and masked extraterrestrials that leaves watchers begging for more and unable to predict what will come next.

Telling the tale of an introverted young man that after an attack must follow clues left by his dead parents in order to figure out who is after him and who he really is. The movie itself is shrouded in mystery, which is usually a bad omen, a warning from the studio. However, this decision was for the benefit of the movie, the less you know the more enjoyable it’ll be.

Bridd Cole is an timid man and he’s not complaining about it. A man without a family and only one friend, Bridd is a mail room clerk who makes his own lunches and has a routine. However, he does possess the ability to process information at superhuman speeds, speeds so fast it actually has an affect on time. Bridd knew from an early age that he was different but unlike others, he chooses to be ordinary and invisible; that’s until he receives a letter in the mail that forever changes his life and the way he once lived.

While I won’t spoil the plot, it is impactful and never manages to go stale. Each scene has a purpose and because of first-time director Iqbal Ahmed visual finesse, he finds clever and unique ways to add a visual charm and atmospheric claustrophobia without the need of special effects, explosions or overly done jump scares.

However, much like life, The Answer is not perfect. Hebert’s limited acting abilities or acting choices are painfully noticeable. While the script requires the actors to pull from a range of emotions, Hebert doesn’t allow himself to truly immerse himself in the role, instead opting to recite every line like he’s in shock. Even though Bridd lives his life in self-pitying isolation, and loneliness, Bridd grows and becomes more confident. There are moments that bring him joy and excitement, finally having a purpose, however each line is painfully delivered like he’s dead inside. This is lifelessness becomes even worse during beautifully shot fight scenes and action sequences that scream for personality.

Fortunately, there’s Charlotte (Alexis Carra) to help guide this movie along. Filled with personality and spunk, her comebacks and one-liners are refreshing and delightful. Acting alongside Hebert, she brushes aside all fears that Hebert’s acting will be this movie’s downfall. Together, their chemistry is undeniable and organic.

Despite Hebert’s acting faults, The Answer is welcomed surprise. Smart action sequences that’s more realistic because of budget constraints resulted in an effective and original movie that shouldn’t be missed.

The Answer is now playing On Demand

Produced by Charlie Aligaen, Denise LeMaire
Written and Directed by Milko Davis
Starring Stacy Pederson, Ruselis Aumeen Perry,
Shale Le Page, Maria DeCoste, Thea Saccoliti,
Charlie Aligaen, Jeff Pederson, Jordan Chesnut

There is nothing wrong with a good schlocky B-movie.

There is, however, something tedious and vaguely offensive about a B-movie that takes itself too seriously while using stereotypes and religion to push an agenda.

Gone is the joy from low production values and cheesy lines, replaced with pained groans from tired dialogue and non-engaging plot lines. This is the kind of dull experience Tsunambee is.  While the premise seems destined for Midnight Movie greatness, you will wish for a wall of water to wipe this film from the Earth.

The movie revolves around a catastrophic event that leads to a group of people fleeing the city, where “end of the world” style looting and fires have broken out. On their escape, they run into other survivors who display varying levels of trust. But all must work together to escape the swarms of angry giant bees that have been loosed upon the troubled countryside.

Oh, and zombies.

And Christianity.

The movie begins with a Biblical quote referencing the insects sent by God to plague the sinful world. But that is where the explanation ends. There is a vague two-line reference from the hapless researchers who find the hive that references a murky backstory, but really that is all the audience gets as far as origin and motivation till at least two thirds of the movie is finished. The film then jumps to a tired alley shooting scene, then to an apartment in the city, then to a three way standoff all within 15 minutes. Tsunambee is like a high school group project where everyone got the assignment but went to work solo. It’s exhausting how every scene seems disjointed from a main story.

Even a horrible movie can be saved by likable characters, but this fails that test too. Each one-note player (mean cop, angry gangster, dumb hillbilly, etc.) only aggravates and annoys. The gangster is constantly screaming and pulling out his gun, the cop is endlessly belittling, and if we removed “Please stop fighting” from the gangster’s pious girlfriend’s vocabulary, she’d be silent for at least half the movie. There are no real redeemable characters to root for. At any point, it seems like someone is on the heels of a personal revelation that may make them less of a horrible person, but the film never gives us that additional story to develop any empathy. The best anyone can do is pray for a quick ending to all of them and a cast switch.

Alas, these prayers shall go unanswered.

The wooden acting of Stacy Pederson as Sherriff Lindsey Feargo seems like she was told not to go “too big” and instead turned in a stilted and jarring performance. Ruselis Perry is the most dynamic as the self-centered gangster JB but that does not say very much. As Chica, JB’s God-loving girlfriend, Maria DeCoste alternates between shrilly screaming and asking everyone to have faith. Again, the reason for having faith in light of this situation is not shared with her traveling companions, much less the audience.

Perhaps the less we know, the better.

There was not a single moment where the movie brought out a chuckle, scream, or any reaction rather than disappointment. That in itself is a downer, as the idea of God sending giant bees to Earth to torment and reset the sin of the world could be an interesting take if done correctly.

The ending left way for a sequel, so we may be seeing Tsunambee 2 next year. Let’s hope they learned something from the many mistakes plaguing the original.

Tsunambee is now available On Demand.