Glister
Written and Illustrated by Andi Watson
Collects The Haunted Teapot, The House
Hunt, The Faerie Host and The Family Tree
Published by Dark Horse Books
Released July 5, 2017
$14.99 / ISBN 978-1-50670-319-0

Irregular things regularly occur around Glister.

And they are all well worth a read.

At first glance Glister looks like a little kid’s story book and yet it is so much more.

It’s filled with magically eclectic adventures collected from previously published stories that are both charming and charmed, offering adventures that begin a bit bitter yet end satisfyingly sweet.

Each is illustrated in a monochrome style, replacing pencil gray and ink black with a mauve or green, deceptively creating an expectation of simplicity when there is so much more to discover.

A SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS

The series begins with the book’s namesake, Glister Butterworth, receiving a mysterious teapot. As is true to her nature – and well set in the book’s text – she is “a magnet for the odd and peculiar,” so it’s only a surprise to us that, when the tea is to temperature, it expels a ghostly novelist, á la Aladdin. He begs her to be his hands (he is a spirit, after all) and dictates a seemingly endless sad story about an overworked orphan.

Glister eventually tires of the teapot and takes it to a collector who naturally or, more appropriately, supernaturally, tries to auction it off, only to them be tricked into buying it back. It ends up back with Glister who eventually consumes a cuppa from the pot, causing the spirit to inhabit her. She then realizes the author’s true identity, offering a lovely twist that helps set the tone for the rest of the book.

In the next story we learn that her beloved home has randomly appearing rooms, objects and people including a movie theater, masonic temple, random statues, a string quartet and a saloon. The building itself is quite a character, eventually deciding to up and leave. It’s a TARDIS of sorts with even more personality (if that is even possible) and possibly more rooms (if that is even possible).

Not to be found homeless, Glister’s father decides to – upon interesting circumstances – grow a new home. Yup, magic beans be damned. As you might imagine, a missing homestead causes quite the ruckus in the neighborhood. Suffice it to say, after quite a bit of fun, home eventually returns with a few extra, er, souvenirs.

Much like the house moving in the previous book, the town decides to change its borders, allowing Faerieland to envelop Gister’s house. Soon after, Glister begins to see another ghostly figure, this time her long lost mother in a vanity mirror. She’s soon given an odd gift – a potato peeler – that proves useful later on.

After promising to never cross into Faerieland territory, she, naturally, does, resulting in a rather magical battle. Without giving away any of the twists, I’ll just say that the story gives a new, heartfelt meaning to the phrase, “A peck on the cheek.”

In the final story Glister gets to meet many more of her family who quite literally fall from the family tree. They are certainly as eclectic as the house.

Following the four stories are twenty pages of children’s book style activities drawn in the same monochromatic style and with much the same humor.

LITTLE MISS GLISTER THE NEW A-LISTER

After each story is a quick, two-pager epilogue and each one is sublime genius. Quick and cute, some tell what happened after the happenings while other add a bit more fun, proving interesting within their own. It’s reminiscent of the old Disney books that would offer a one- or two-pager tale to help break up stories.

The monochromatic sketchbook style used throughout is one that I rather enjoy and believe works especially well here. Even if it is unintentional, it often feels like we’re being shown exactly what the artist drew as they came up with the story instead of another inker’s interpretation that’s then been touched up and colored by a third or fourth person.

A few times a frame or two will look like Watson took no longer than a couple seconds to draw, then the following frames feel far more detailed, creating an occasional contrast. Within the realm book’s eclectic nature, however, it works and may be, in fact, intentionally pushing the theme even deeper.

This is a book of truly eclectic wonderfulness. While some might incorrectly recall this a bit similar to A Series of Unfortunate Events, these events are really quite fortunate and fun. Each book is its own, encapsulated story and ends that kindly builds on – but does not rely on – the previous story and ends with a bit of sweetness.

I know I’ll be pouring through these pages a few more times to see what other gems are hidden in Glister’s world both in the art and the story text.

Produced by David Ellison, Mark Gill,
Dana Goldberg, Matthew O’Toole,
John Thompson, Les Weldon
Written by Tom O’Connor
Directed by Patrick Hughes
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson,
Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek, Élodie Yung, Joaquim de Almeida, Kirsty Mitchell,
Richard E. Grant, Sam Hazeldine

Aaah, the end of the summer blockbuster season. Studios realize that in August most families are in the last weeks of vacations and summer camps, and that fatigue from big budget CGI films has officially set in.

Movies that may have had lackluster performances earlier in the summer against more robust offerings have a chance to shine with a late season opening.

This is the case with The Hitman’s Bodyguard, which may have proved forgettable a few weeks ago but is a welcome diversion from summer screen doldrums.

The film follows Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) a private security agent who is trying to get back on top after a client mishap. When he is asked to shepherd contract killer Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) to testify at The Hague against war criminal Vladislav Dukhovich (Gary Oldman), two men on opposite sides of the same industry put away their differences for a road trip full of shootouts, banter, and unforeseen life lessons.

Either of these stars can carry a movie, but the pairing of Jackson and Reynolds makes for one of the better buddy adventures this year. The straight man delivery that Reynolds used heavily in Deadpool is a great foil to Jackson’s brash and carefree nature. Both seemed to truly enjoy these roles, and their chemistry strongly suggests other movies in the future.

The banter is easygoing but still sharp, with more than a few lewd jokes from Jackson, and the pacing of their conversations works well. Having several arguments where each frustrated character tries to speak over the other rather than watching two hours of exchanged one liners adds to the vibrancy of the duo.

When not engaging in verbal sparring matches, the action scenes were just as engaging with plenty of chances to show superior marksmanship and decently choreographed fighting skills. Being that this is a race to get to the trial in time there are also a few notable chase scenes, with a trip through the streets and channels of Amsterdam being the most entertaining.

Jackson’s trademark liberal use of mother#^@%*& to describe anything and everything is a large part of the fun that extends to his onscreen wife, Salma Hayek. She is a welcome distraction as Sonia Kincaid, foul-mouthed and gorgeous even in her prison cell. Hers is the best supporting performance, as Élodie Yung is stiff as Interpol agent/ Reynold’s love interest. Gary Oldman is also somewhat disappointing, coming off as a bit too one-sided and cartoonish even for a farce like this. A distracting score underlines cheesy emotional moments to remind us not to take any of this too seriously.

It’s all about the kids this week. Super Sons, Justice League, Cave Carson, Injustice 2, Nightwing, even Batwoman. They all revolve around the children superheroes and children of superheroes. Purposeful or not the theme carried through some of the most enjoyable books

While Wonder Woman discovered she is not mother material, Batwoman and Green Lanterns finally made me a genuinely interested reader of their exploits… finally.

Green Arrow and Trinity continue their stellar run so they should be on your pull list!

This is is my look into the DC Universe this week!

BATWOMAN #6
Writers: Marguerite Bennett & James Tynion IV
Artist: Renato Arlem

Tim Drake is the Batman now… he and his regime control ‘Free Gotham’ and only aged Jason Todd and Kate Kane stand in his way.

Kate, as Batwoman stealthily infiltrates Free Gotham to seek out Commissioner Montoya. Kate’s arrival is not as stealthy as she’s hoped and Tim’s armed forces attack.

Can Kate bring down the corrupt Batman and preserve Bruce Wayne’s legacy?

The weird flash forward in issue one now comes into play.

Honestly, I think it would have been kick ass to just start from here. Batwoman and Kate Kane don’t need the Star Wars prequel treatment.

That one page with her meeting Batman and the internal monologue were enough to get us straight into the action.

I loved the interaction with with Jason Todd and Renee Montoya. Kate is often overshadowed by Batgirl as the female in the bat-family but this arc shows there is room for two strong females and I can’t wait to see her meet Tim Drake.

I was not a fan of the over all art to be honest, it seemed very heavy and the colour palette could have been a bit more vibrant but it did add to the atmosphere of the story.

CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE #11
Writers: Jon Rivera & Gerard Way
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming

Cave, Chloe and their team are forced to join forces with Doc Magnus, Cave Jr. and ‘other’ Cave as Whisper sends mutant giants rampaging through the city destroying everything in their path. All would be lost but for a Metal Man’s arrival that shocks everyone to the core… Mazra!

The monsters escalate their attack and the team must make a sacrifice if they are to survive.

I know the book is all about Cave but I have to be honest, I really enjoy Wild Dog’s scenes in the series.

There needs to be a cull of some of the side characters now as the book is struggling to give everyone equal time for their stories to be fleshed out.

I still find the book enjoyable but this issue felt like there was too much going on and people like Cave Jr. were left in the background.

It is a rare misstep but after such an amazing run so far I’m happy to let it play out as it is part of a bigger arc.

GREEN ARROW #29
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Juan Ferreyra

As Emi & Dinah track down Wendy Poole’s trail of evidence they discover she is still alive!

If they can find and rescue her, Ollie will be exonerated for his crimes.
Elsewhere, Ollie is on the trail of a Burned agent of The Circle in Gotham.

The trail leads him deep under Gotham City and onto the trail of a human trafficking ring.

Of course nothing goes on in Gotham without the Batman noticing and the duo are forced to team up. Batman offers a clue in Green Arrow’s quest that might mean the assistance of a certain emerald ring slinger…

I am so impressed with this book, how Dinah and Emi prove they don’t need Ollie to get the job done.

Meanwhile we are getting Green Arrow finally making his mark within the superhero community.

My favourite team up so far has been The Flash but this is a close second. It was nice to see both Bruce and Ollie acknowledge they are similar in many ways and enjoy a rare team up. The team ups issue to issue are tenuously linked but extremely enjoyable. I like seeing Ollie outside of his comfort zone.

GREEN LANTERNS #29
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Eduardo Pansica & Julio Ferreira

After the loss of the Kryptonian, the other Green Lanterns agree to learn how to wield their rings with better control.

Simon meanwhile discovers shards of his ring have become embedded in his skin. Baz no longer has a ring but retains some of his power and summons his ‘Lantern Vision’ to seek out Volthoom and discover his plans.

Rallying the troops after learning the truth this new Green Lantern Corps agree to help save the universe.

I thought it was impossible. Somehow with this arc Humphries has got me liking this duo. It is purely story to be honest as I still see no chemistry between Jessica and Simon but having them work together for a common goal has suddenly given them focus.

I’m still curious to see how Simon’s lack of a ring will change things but it is also great to see the first lanterns being explored.

The art looks great, the First Lanterns look especially well rendered.

INJUSTICE 2 #8
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artists: Bruno Redondo & Juan Albarran

Ra’s reveals to Batman that he has Alfred prisoner to force his hand.

Batman doesn’t budge but reveals to his team of rebels he knows the location of the villain’s stronghold but that they need a stronger team.

While the superhero parents reel in shock from the kidnappings, Batman seeks out one of the most powerful heroes of the planet, Eel O’Brien aka Plastic Man!

With Plas and his son in tow Batman takes them to meet the rest of the team, but Blue Beetle wants in and he is out for blood.

Batman has always been a bit of an ass. It is usually a neck and neck competition between Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne but in this instance Bruce is the winner.

I have little sympathy for him right now regarding Alfred. His internalizing of intelligence allowed for much of Ra’s’ plan to reach fruition, though it is still ghoulish to see Alfred a living zombie.

Plas & ‘Baby Plas’ being part of the story was absolutely unexpected – ok I know I’m referencing a classic cartoon and Baby Plas is clearly an adult but it was cool to see the family duo revived. Despite their comedy appearance, Redondo makes them believable and people often forget, despite their goofyness, they are just as powerful as Superman.

NIGHTWING #27
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Javier Fernandez

Spyral has been corrupted, with Tiger and his team hunting down Nightwing and Huntress.

Despite their formidable skills Dick and Helena aren’t a match for Tiger’s squad and it takes a rescue from St. Hadrian’s ‘Skullgirls’ to save the day.

Helena’s former students had gone into ‘freelance peacekeeping’ after her departure, while Grayson leaving Spyral left them vulnerable to attack.

Their past is coming back to haunt them so the pair decide to face it head on and fight Spyral together.

A revelation revealed only to Nightwing changes thing for the former secret agent as a life now hangs in the balance.

I was one of the people that really enjoyed Grayson.

His days in Spyral delivered some inspired storytelling and brought Dick Grayson back into the limelight. I enjoy Nightwing just as much but bringing the concepts together for a showdown is fantastic.

The art fares a bit better this issue but perhaps could have benefited from a little more detail. The final scene was a jaw dropper as Tiger was one of my favourite characters I can’t wait to see how Nightwing and Huntress resolve this.

SUPER SONS #7
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Jorge Jimenez

The teens regroup after their failure in battle with a severely aged Damian, a major casualty of the magical villains.

Reluctantly they agree to have Superboy join their mission to pursue the mysterious magician Kraklow and his clay golems, Atom Master, Time Commander & Chun-Yull, The Faceless Hunter.

The fight is a visceral one but with Superboy’s aid, the heroes win the day and Damian is restored to his young self, while Kraklows’ minions revert to their clay forms. Much to Robin’s chagrin, the Titans are glad of Jon’s help and invite him to team up again in the future.

As the Teen Titans leave with a defeated Kraklow, Jon and Damian bicker a portal open with some ominous metal arms reaching out to attack them!

Entirely predictable. You would think that was a bad thing but Super Sons is consistently brilliant.

The books success is down to the expertise of Tomasi’s writing and Jimenez on the art. Kraklow’s plot was entertaining enough, he’s just interesting enough to reappear in the future.

If we’re honest this was a story about acceptance and less about a wizard with illusions of grandeur. I’m not sure I want him to be a Teen Titan yet but I’m glad he has that option. I liked seeing the chemistry between the kids and the action sequences.

This book has an endearing quality to it and I hope that it continues in this quality, though Damian needs to mellow out just a little!

TRINITY #12
Writer: Rob Williams
Artists: V. Ken Marion & Ray McCarthy

It is time to forge a new Trinity of heroes.

A mystic trinity consisting of John Constantine, Zatanna & Deadman are summoned to a mysterious location only to be greeted by Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

They reveal that three foes have attacked them and that they captured one before he could evade them. The Red Hood has become possessed by some evil force and the heroes need magic to save him.

Red Hood magically sucks in Deadman & Zatanna leaving only Constantine behind and the information that the Pandora Pits are behind their current woes.

Under duress from Superman, Constantine follows his team mates into Red Hood’s magic vortex. Bizarro and Artemis appear, now the pawns of Circe and Ra’s Al Ghul attacking the heroes.

It is a race against time for the mystic trinity and if they fail, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman will die!

No time wasted here!

I had earlier complained about the Unholy Trinity arc not being followed up and then once they decided to pick things up, they really put their foot on the gas!

The mystic trinity is not something I had thought about but it makes perfect sense to have these three put together. The artwork, its layouts, inking and colouring are like an explosion of energy. I’ve never really seen Circe as a threat but that is fast changing and so far Williams seems to want to escalate the threat and the stories significance – I applaud his ingenuity.

WONDER WOMAN #28
Writer: Shea Fontana
Artist: David Messina

Diana struggles with the mortality of those around her, as her old friend Etta is discharged from hospital.

The Amazon tries her best to care for her friend but normal life is not something they are used to. Luckily for uncomfortable heroes, an assassin fires a sniper rifle into Etta’s apartment and action calls. Wonder Woman springs into action and with Etta’s help they are able to bind the mystery foe with the lasso and get the answers they need. Someone wants Diana’s body, dead or alive.

A crow, a messenger from Apollo, warns Diana that more assassins are on the way but as the two women flee more bounty hunters arrive and they won’t stop till they get their prize.

Not much substance to the issue aside from two long dramatic scenes that play out over a high page count.

The drama serves to accentuate the bond between Etta and Diana but the assassination attempt fell a little flat.

The balance was off between action and drama and thus the paper thin fight didnt feel strong enough until the moment Etta saves Diana’s life.

I wish we could have kept the art consistent, it’s a personal bug bear when the creative team switched up mid story arc.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #27
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artist: Fernando Pasarin

They are skeptical at first but the Justice League experience a plethora of emotions as they realise these visitors from the future really are their children.

Hunter has no love for Wonder Woman revealing that he was fostered by the Kents after his mother abandoned him for being a boy. Simon Baz discovers he will kill Sinestro and lead the Yellow Lanterns one day, Mera discovers her daughter will become the Queen of Oceania, Cyborg discovers his child is half an evolved Mother Box and Jessica is stunned to find she has triplets with Barry!

As they all try to acclimatise to the changes thrust upon them Bruce is busy elsewhere analysing data.

Curry time travels back hunting for the children and beats Batman to a pulp.

Will he complete Sovereigns orders and kill the junior Leaguers?

Now that the who’s who is settled this issue and more of the story has played out, we finally have all the pieces of the puzzle in place.

It was a little schmaltzy at the start but as we met Hunter we saw there was more to the characters than just who their parents were.

Of course it is fun to explore and to see how things move forwards but I am not sure I like the future being preset. The timeline specifics may all change now that the Justice League have knowledge of their own future and of course Curry arriving from the future with a mission from Sovereign but Hitch has outdone himself this time.

Why Stacey? Why Ned? It was business. Strictly business. Ned and Stacey: The Complete Series hits DVD for the first time on September 26, 2017, from Shout! Factory. Enjoy all 46 hilarious episodes from both seasons, including 11 unaired episodes from Season 2 of the 90s comedy on DVD for the first time. 

Academy Award nominee Thomas Hayden Church (Best Supporting Actor, Sideways, 2004) and Emmy Award-winner Debra Messing (Will & Grace) are the most unlikely of marrieds in Ned and Stacey, created by Michael J. Weithorn (The King of Queens).

Self-absorbed Ned Dorsey (Church) is an ad exec who needs a wife to climb the corporate ladder. Stacey Colbert (Messing) is a neurotic freelance writer in need of an apartment. They have only one thing in common: they irritate each other. So naturally, they enter into a marriage of convenience! It’s a match made in … well, not exactly heaven.

Bonus Features:

• A 20-Minute Retrospective Including Interviews With Debra Messing And Thomas Haden Church
• Audio Commentary For The Pilot Episode With The Show’s Creator

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

It’s the middle of August and one of the biggest new releases of the year has appeared! Let’s begin!

Dark Nights: Metal #1
Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Greg Capullo

This is it! The big summer event begins here! Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are back together and it’s one hell of a reunion! These two work great separately. Together though they are one hell of a unit. Here, they function at the highest level of each of their respective careers.

The Dark Multiverse is making its way into the DC Universe and it’s unrelenting! It’s a dark place with dark characters. It’s almost a nightmare version of our characters from the DC Universe. Batman and his Justice League pals have to fight against it. Judging by the first issue, they might not be up to the challenge! A lot of bad things happen to them. Can they survive?

This is awesome. Snyder just jumps in with both feet writing the story. There’s twists, turns, and shakeups in this. The art is spectacular as well.

This is THE book to buy this month. Buy it now.

RATING: A

Batman #29
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Mikel Janin

Tom King is certainly on a roll all of a sudden.

The just released Mister Miracle comic he wrote is spectacular and now he has found his writing groove on Batman. It’s nice to see as King is a good writer and finally his talent shows here.

“The War of Jokes and Riddles” storyline continues!

Batman has done his utmost to stop both the Riddler and the Joker’s mad campaigns. So he decides he’s got to try a different approach to things.

There is a lot of amusing interplay between the various players here and King handles them like a pro. The opening scene in particular is great.

The art by Janin is just plain awesome. He composes each panel with craft and love. I said it in previous reviews and I’ll say it again: this is a classic Batman story in the making.

Make sure to pick it up and add it to your collection.

RATING: A

Aquaman #27
Written by Dan Abbott 
Illustrated by Stjepan Sejic

This tale of Aquaman dethroned is turning into a classic and is quite awesome.

King Rath makes for one hell of a villain. He’s angry because Aquaman is challenging his rule. So he decides to gather all the magic Atlantis holds and have it in his Arsenal. He’s going to need it too as it’s not just Aquaman he’s going to be contending with but Mera who is trying to break into the dome.

Dan Abnett has taken this B level book and turned into into an A. This is an adrenaline fueled storyline and he makes it look easy.

Sejic is doing killer work on this book as well. His art is eye popping and just plain awesome. Pick this up.

It’s turned into a must read book.

RATING: A

The American Way: Those Above And Below #2
Written by John Ridley
Illustrated by Georges Jeanty

John Ridley is killing it on this book. He really has developed as a writer. When I say this I don’t mean just as a screenwriter, but as a comic book writer as well. He is writing compelling scripts through and through and it keeps you engaged every time.

The conflict that took one man’s life isn’t sitting too well with Jason. It involved some political radicals. He is starting to feel like the government’s lackey. He has to make a decision: to continue on this path or make the choice to go on his own.

The story is infused with a healthy dose of political relevance. Ridley does well in not making the themes heavy. The art is perfect for this book as well. This is shaping up to be a fantastic series. Pick it up now.

RATING: A

Astro City #46
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Brent Eric Anderson

This is a well thought out issue that harkens back to the beginning of the series.

Kurt Busiek has been writing this book for years. When it first started, this book was fairly amazing. Then it took a dip in quality. Now it’s back to being amazing all over again.

The last chapter of the Broken Man’s tale of Astro City is truly something epic.

Busiek has taken us through the various times and eras of the city and it is very interesting. It’s very thorough and the success is in the details.

He covers the music scene, the art scene, and the various decades quite well.

The Broken Man is forming a defense against the Invader known as Oubor.

Is he crazy? It can he do it? Busiek answers those questions quite well.

The art is awesome as well. Anderson is a rare treat and I love his work. Pick this up. It’s a good quality comic book.

RATING: B+

Future Quest: Showcase #1
Written by Jeff Parker
Illustrated by Ariel Olivetti

I’m so glad this title arrived this week.

Jeff Parker is one of my favorite writers and this is just amazing. Most of the Hanna Barbera books have left me cold from DC but this has been a hell of a lot of fun. Parker has a way of making things work in a comic book that I just love.

This book involves Space Ghost and his two young wards, Jan and Jace, teaming up with that wacky alien race The Herculoids. Their mission? They want to rebuild the Space Force.

This proves not to be an easy task. Why? Oh, because there are forces at work that seem to want to stop them of course! Can they accomplish their goal?

Parker’s writing keeps you on your toes. The book is as entertaining as can be. Ariel Olivetti is one of those talents that never really took off. That’s a shame too as the artwork is always good. This is a nice book that I am happy has come out.

It’s been far too long since the last Future Quest series.

RATING: B+

Jack Kirby’s 100: The Sandman Special #1
Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Jon Bogdanove

This is something of a disappointment. Nothing extremely exciting happens in this book. Jurgens has been doing some decent work lately but this iteration of the Sandman feels all wrong.  I’ve never been a fan of the 1970’s Sandman and this issue shows me why. This issue has two stories in it.

One features Brute and Glob in a story that is very dull. They have to fight a force so powerful it’s invading other people’s dreams!  The second one features a guy returning to his childhood home only to be haunted by his dreams. It’s not very engaging either.

The art by Bogdanove doesn’t help. He is not my favorite artist nor has he ever been. It always feels clunky and that’s what we have here.

The backup story from the 70’s is the best thing besides the Paul Pope cover.

This was just okay at best.

RATING: C+

Superman #29
Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
Illustrated by Doug Mahnke

Tomasi and Gleason are back rocking and rolling with the writing part of this comic book! The amazing Doug Mahnke is back illustrating this fine series!

Life is good yet again. This is a definitive run on Superman and I can’t wait to read this title, month in and month out.

In this issue, we are treated to the second part of the “Fear Itself” storyline. Superman must take on help from that rascal Sinestro. Sinestro has to help Superman get out of the anti-matter universe of Qward. It’s fun, but what makes this book sing is the characterizations of both Sinestro and Superman.

Tomasi and Gleason have an excellent take on both and it shows through with every panel.

The art by Mahnke is top notch. Honestly, it’s hard to find a better artist than him. He can do anything with a straight face and his storytelling is incredible. You put all of this elements together and you have yourself a top notch book. This certainly is for yet another month.

RATING: A-

DC Comics Bombshells #33
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Illustrated by Sandy Jarrell

I really have to go back and reread the entire series. I picked this up four issues ago and I am trying to catch right back up.

I can figure out most of what is going on. I just would like to get a grander scope of this. It’s pretty well done and this is the final issue.

Power Girl may be joining Faora to create a new Krypton! Lois Lane may have shot on avenging her family!

What Side has Lex Luthor been on this entire time? Bennett is very good at juggling all of the various stories here. They are all clear and concise and wonderful. She wraps things up very nicely.

Jarrell has been one of my favorite artists for awhile now. I love the work on the Archie line of books and I love the work here.

Bombshells will be relaunching soon and I will be picking it up (as well as reading the previous issues I missed.) You should do the same.

RATING: B+

Gotham City Garage: Chapter 1
Written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing
Illustrated by Brian Ching

This is a digital first only comic book! This book takes the idea of the DC characters and turns them on their heads. These are the DC Heroines but done as a bunch of outlaws. They are in a world where Governor Lex Luthor exists and the world as we know it is a mess.

A young Kara Gordon comes under suspicion of her bosses, The LEXES, of being a rebel. When she is found out, she goes on the open road to save herself and fight for freedom. It’s a blast to read and DC is doing something really cool with it, having a new chapter hitting bi-weekley digitally. It’s quite cool.

The story is mighty fine and the art by Ching is super. This is a nice experiment that is really working. Make sure to give this a chance and download it. It’s well worth your time.

RATING: B+

Jack (Jackie Chan), a world-renowned archaeology professor, and his team are on a grand quest to locate a lost ancient Indian treasure when they are ambushed by a team of mercenaries and left for dead. Using his vast knowledge of history and kung fu, Jack leads his team on a race around the world to beat the mercenaries to the treasure and save an ancient culture in this breakneck action-comedy that reunites Chan with acclaimed director Stanley Tong (Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop).

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “Kung Fu Yoga” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

How many films has Jackie Chan made with director Stanley Tong?

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 August 27th, 2017.

Called “incredibly entertaining” (Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International) and filled with “non-stop action from start to finish” (Emily Engberg, ABC-TV, KSTP), director Michael Bay’s TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT explodes on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D Combo Packs September 26, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  The groundbreaking adventure will also be available as part of the TRANSFORMERS’ 5-MOVIE BLU-RAY COLLECTION arriving September 26.  The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD September 12.

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT shatters the core myths of the TRANSFORMERS franchise, and redefines what it means to be a hero.  Humans and TRANSFORMERS are at war, OPTIMUS PRIME is gone.  The key to saving our future lies buried in the secrets of the past, in the hidden history of TRANSFORMERS on Earth.  Saving our world falls upon the shoulders of an unlikely alliance: Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg); BUMBLEBEE; an English Lord (Sir Anthony Hopkins); and an Oxford Professor (Laura Haddock).  There comes a moment in everyone’s life when we are called upon to make a difference.  In TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT, the hunted will become heroes.  Heroes will become villains.  Only one world will survive: theirs, or ours.

The latest installment in the global TRANSFORMERS franchise stars Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter) and features a sensational supporting cast including Josh Duhamel (Transformers), Stanley Tucci (The Hunger Games), Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”), Isabela Moner (“100 Things to Do Before High School”), Laura Haddock (Guardians of the Galaxy), Santiago Caberera (“Salvation”), and Jerrod Carmichael (“The Carmichael Show”).

The TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D Combo Packs include a bonus disc with over 80 minutes of behind-the-scenes content and interviews.  Travel to Cybertron to explore the TRANSFORMERS home world, then visit the UK to delve into the locations used to bring the epic adventure to life.  In addition, go inside the secret mythology of the legendary robots in disguise, check out the incredible vehicles used in the film and much, much more.

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT is Paramount Home Media’s first 4K Ultra HD release in Dolby Vision, which enhances the home viewing experience by delivering greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors.  The film also boasts a Dolby Atmos soundtrack* remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT Blu-ray Combo Pack

The TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD compatible), English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray Disc 1

• Feature film in high definition

Blu-ray Disc 2

• Special Features:
  • Merging Mythologies – Explore the secret TRANSFORMERS history
  • Climbing the Ranks – Military training
  • The Royal Treatment: Transformers in the UK
  • Motors and Magic
  • Alien Landscape: Cybertron
  • One More Giant Effin’ Movie

DVD

• Feature film in standard definition

TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT will also be available in a 5-movie Blu-ray Collection that includes TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON and TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, as well as the bonus Blu-ray Disc detailed above and access to Digital HD copies of all five movies.

TransformersMovie.com

As you know, few settings in literature are as widely known or celebrated as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. The natural landscape plays a major role in nearly all of Tolkien’s major works, and readers have come to view the geography of this fictional universe as integral to understanding and enjoying Tolkien’s works. And in laying out this continent, Tolkien paid special attention to its plant life; in total, over 160 plants are explicitly mentioned and described as a part of Middle-Earth. Nearly all of these plants are real species, and many of the fictional plants are based on scientifically grounded botanic principles.

In Flora of Middle Earth: Plants of Tolkien’s Legendarium (Oxford, August 15 2017), botanist Walter Judd gives a detailed species account of every plant found in Tolkien’s universe, complete with the etymology of the plant’s name, a discussion of its significance within Tolkien’s work, a description of the plant’s distribution and ecology, and an original hand-drawn illustration by artist Graham Judd in the style of a woodcut print. Among the over three-thousand vascular plants Tolkien would have seen in the British Isles, the authors show why Tolkien may have selected certain plants for inclusion in his universe over others, in terms of their botanic properties and traditional uses. The clear, comprehensive alphabetical listing of each species, along with the visual identification key of the plant drawings, adds to the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the Tolkien canon.

About the Authors

Walter S. Judd is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology, University of Florida. His research focuses on the systematics and evolution of the flowering plants. He has published over 200 refereed articles and has described numerous new species of plants.

Graham Judd holds an MFA in Printmaking, and received a Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Printmakers at Highpoint Center for Printmaking. He currently teaches at Augsburg College and Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi classic, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, is returning to the big screen in 3D on August 25. Converted in immersive 3D by Cameron himself, the groundbreaking masterpiece will screen exclusively at AMC locations throughout the United States.

​The worldwide box-office sensation​ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick and Joe Morton, ​originally captivated moviegoers in 1991 with its revolutionary special effects and cutting-edge storytelling.

I had the opportunity to discuss the film and it’s legacy with William Wisher, who co-wrote the film with director James Cameron.

*  *  *  *  *

FOG!: You wrote additional dialogue for the film and the novelization for the first Terminator film. How did you meet James Cameron?

WILLIAM WISHER: Jim Cameron and I met during my senior year of high school, back in 1972. He’s about a year older than I am, so he graduated from high school in Canada, then his family moved to Brea California, where I was living at the time. I knew his girlfriend, Sharon Williams, and she said “You should meet my boyfriend, Jim. He’s into science fiction and films too.” So we met. And hit it off, and have been friends ever since.

How early were you involved with co-writing Judgement Day?

I was involved from day one. Jim called me and said that the rights to make a sequel had just been obtained by Mario Kassar and Andy Vajna (at Carolco). Jim said “The good news is that T2 has been greenlit. The bad news is we’re already behind schedule.” Meaning we were working backwards from a July 4, 1991 release date.

This was sometime in the spring of 1990. So I drove to his house and we got to work immediately.

We spent a couple of days kicking around ideas. We landed on the central plot and character points very quickly; that Sarah would be in a mental institution, that her son John would be in foster care and somewhat estranged from her, and that the Terminator would be reprogramed in the future by adult John Connor and sent back to protect his younger self.

We landed on the concept of the T-1000 being a liquid metal creature rather quickly as well. And that came out of looking for a villain that wasn’t either another “Arnold,” or a “bigger Arnold.” We felt that would be boring.

So we looked in another direction. We loved the idea of the T-1000 being “soft” shape shifting technology as compared to the T-800’s “hard” technology. It just all came together rather quickly. We spent a couple of weeks writing the treatment, side be side, taking turns at the keyboard and talking the movie through. Then we cut the treatment in half, he took one half, I took the other, and fleshed out the scenes, put it back together and went over it one last time. The entire writing process took about six and a half weeks. Lightning fast.

I remember hearing about a potential plot for T2 that involved an adult John Connor (also to be played by Michael Biehn) traveling through time to protect his younger self from another T-800. Was that ever one of the proposed directions? Were there any mandates from the studio as to the direction of the sequel?

I don’t recall that potential plot ever being discussed. Unless I have forgotten. But if that was ever part of the mix, it went away very quickly.

As far as studio mandates, I recall none. Bear in mind all this took place 27 years ago and we weren’t documenting the process for posterity; we were making a film under a hard deadline, but I don’t recall any interference. Jim and I worked out the story we wanted to write, pitched it to Mario and Andy and got the go ahead. They trusted us and were very supportive. It’s one of the few films I’ve ever worked on that had such little studio interference. But when you work with Jim Cameron, they tend not to bother you much.

When the first Terminator film came out, it was fairly low budget; Arnold was a bodybuilder with a funny name, effects were practical and it really found it’s audience as a cult film. By the time Terminator 2 came out, Arnold was a superstar, Cameron was pushing the envelope with computer generated effects and in terms of it’s release, it was a huge summer tentpole. Did any of this change the writing process? Collaborating with Cameron, was his approach, “write anything and we’ll figure out how to do it later?” or did he approach the writing with specific ideas for effects sequences?

Hmmm? The fact that Arnold had become a star didn’t change our writing process. If anything, it meant that our box office already had a shot of adrenaline due to his stardom, so that was a good thing. Jim had previously done some groundbreaking work with CGI on The Abyss, and it was helpful that CGI had come into existence. And having a 100 million dollar budget gave us the option to do things that weren’t possible in the first film.

So did those factors change the writing process? Not really. Writing is writing. Storytelling is story telling. But CGI and money gave us options. We were given no mandates by Carolco other than “make a really good movie, please.” So we sat down on day one and said “what should this movie be?” And we invented what we invented. We always knew that at its center any Terminator film would be about human will triumphing over technology. “There is no fate but what you make.” If the first two Terminators have a moral theme, that is it. That’s the compass. We started with that.

In terms of what we wanted to do, we knew that the “water finger” CGI shots in The Abyss would lend themselves to the liquid metal shots for the T-1000. So that was good news. And I recall that a few times Jim or I would come up with an idea for a shot, and he’d pick up the phone and call ILM and say “We want to do “X” can you do that?” And they always said “no problem” (although I imagine we likely sent them into a scramble more than once trying to figure out how to do what we just asked them to do).

The thing is, a lot of the effects in T2 were practical. More than most people think. I believe there were less than 50 CGI shots in the entire film. Stan Winston came up with some puppet gags that we mixed with CGI for the T-1000, as well as Arnold’s make up effects. And we used twins twice in the film when the T-1000 was supposed to be mimicking some one in a single shot (Linda Hamilton has a twin sister Leslie, and Don Stanton, the guard in the psych ward, has a twin brother Dan). So we tried to be clever about mixing practical effects with the CGI stuff.

You left the franchise with Cameron following Terminator 2. You’ve since written the two Exorcist prequels, two Die Hard sequels, Stallone’s Judge Dredd and The 13th Warrior. So many of the characters you’ve written are cinematic icons. Is there a character (and not necessarily the entire screenplay) that you’ve liked more than the rest?

The two characters that I have been privileged to write, and whom I love the most, are Sarah Connor and John McClane from the Die Hard franchise. I didn’t invent John McClane, but I love him. And the way Bruce Willis plays him. I loved writing him. The wise cracking reluctant hero. I feel that is very iconically American.

And Sarah Connor will always hold a very special place in my heart. The waitress who thought her life had no meaning, who becomes the most important person in the world, who makes herself a fierce warrior out of necessity. With the weight of the mankind’s survival on her shoulders. Linda Hamilton portrayed her magnificently, both physically and emotionally. I adore her. Also she’s hot. Linda as Sarah in a tank top, ponytail, and sunglasses, cleaning a battle rifle. Swoon.

You wrote treatments for two Terminator sequels. Now, Cameron has regained the rights and plans to reboot the series. Have you discussed returning in some capacity?

I wrote those two treatments a few years back, when McG had finished Terminator 4 and was contracted to make 5 & 6. We were going to do them together. Then there was a lawsuit between the rights holders that just killed the whole thing. So that was that.

I believe Jim Cameron is due to get the rights back in a year or two. But he and I haven’t discussed what he might do with them, or whether I would be involved. Time will tell and it’s up to him.

Judgement Day is now returning to theaters in 3D. What are your thoughts on the legacy of the film?

Legacy? Well, to begin with it cemented Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton as iconic actors in their roles; the Terminator in black biker leathers with a sawed off shotgun riding a Harley, and Sarah Connor in a tank top, sunglasses, and a blonde pony tail with an M-16. Those images have become instantly recognizable around the globe. And will remain so. They are part of the cinema pantheon now.

It also ushered in the era of CGI technology in film. It wasn’t the first. But it put CGI on the map, I think. And those shots still hold up today. It’s amazing how good they still look. There’s nothing dated about it.

Now that it is going to be rereleased in 3D to a whole new generation of people who may never have seen it in a theater, we’ll see if T2 continues to influence films into the future.

What are you currently geeking out over?

Right now, I’m geeking out over the things that are happening in television. It’s truly a golden time creatively. My personal interest is the complex world of international Intel Services and the quicksand of hacking, misinformation, and chaos that those forces unleash on each other. I’m working on a TV pilot about that right now. Speaking of which… I should probably get back to work!

It’s been a pleasure answering your questions. I hope you enjoy T2 3D!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day 3D Returns to Theaters on August 25th

Produced by Marco Jocic,
Djordje Stankovic, Filip Kovacevic
Written by Filip Kovacevic,
Masa Senicic, Ivan Senicic
Directed by Filip Kovacevic
Starring Stojan Djordjevic, Daca Vidosavljevic,
Sten Zendor, Vidan Dojcinovic, Bogdan Petrovic,
Tihomir Stanic, Dejan Cicmilovic, Zarko Stepanov

This movie starts off in a very disorienting way.

The main character wakes up and doesn’t know what’s going on. This is in line with the description of the film of, “[a man] with no memory that must run from four assassins only to be reset to the same beginning every time they kill him.”

But really the disorienting part was a very shallow depth of field combined with an ultra wide angle that distorted the edges of the movement.

And we get a lot of camera movement in the first couple of minutes as the camera careens around our hapless protagonist.

Eventually the camera settles down and we get on with the story of discovery and death. It seems like this kind of camera movement was done to evoke an air of manic or psychotic disorientation but it was used in an uneven way through the film that ended up seeming random.

This first film from Serbian director Filip Kovacevic begs the obvious comparison with Groundhog Day as both movies repeat a set of scenes multiple times while combined with memory problems like Memento. But in many ways that is just a thumbnail of what this movie could be but isn’t. The main character is isolated in a way that neither Groundhog Day or Memento does to its main characters. And it is this lack of a rich environment that makes even an 82 minute movie drag.

In an interview with a Serbian film festival Kovacevic described himself as an introvert when he wrote the first draft of the script at 21. He got help from two other writers to help get the final script into a form that was more accessible for an audience and add the voice over narration. He lists Steven Spielberg’s Duel and Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity as his inspirations for a single character working through issues alone in a film.

The Man, he isn’t given another name, stumbles around after each resurrection looking dazed far too much even after he starts getting clues as to what’s going on. There are things in his pocket and object taped to places he can find if he looks. At a certain point it seemed like the old text adventure game or possibly trying to be like the movie Paycheck. It takes him far too long to use the knowledge of his repeated attempts at avoiding the assassins to move the story forward. At one point I was wishing he would go online and get a walk-through of this level so he could get to the next save point.

The main character runs from his masked assassins stumbling across clues. He proceeds to confronting them and battling them but the outcome is always the same: live, die, repeat. Eventually the story gets around to letting you in on what’s going on with the memory and the past of the main character. But to what end.

This highly allegorical story doesn’t seem to have a point or a lesson learned; just a beginning, middle, and end. At most it reminds me of Ambrose Bierce’s An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge or a very nihilistic video game. In the end this existential meditation on the consequences may work for some but not so much for me.

For more information, visit www.voidpictures.com

Produced by Gregory Jacobs, Mark Johnson,
Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin
Written by Rebecca Blunt
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver,
Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough,
Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston,
Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Brian Gleeson,
Jack Quaid, Hilary Swank, Daniel Craig

Steven Soderbergh’s latest heist film, featuring a pitch perfect cast without a weak link in the bunch, is sporadically amusing but never quite as funny as it thinks it is.

After being fired from his construction job at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for a bum knee liability, blue collar, barely-able-to-make-ends-meet Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) decides to put his inside knowledge of the underground money-funneling system to good use and rob the flagship venue of the NASCAR empire.

Enlisting the help of his one-handed brother Clyde (Adam Driver), their hairdresser sister Mellie (Riley Keough), and a trio of hillbilly brothers led by a bottle-blonde Daniel Craig as the incarcerated safecracker/explosives expert aptly named Joe Bang, Logan sets out to reverse his family’s legendary streak of bad luck.

What could possibly go wrong?

Logan Lucky is a largely by-the-numbers affair. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s pure comfort food elevated by a talented ensemble that’s game for just about anything. Unfortunately, the script struggles to match their enthusiasm which would have pushed the film into more memorable territory.

While Daniel Craig’s performance may be worth the price of admission alone, and Channing Tatum once again proves that if the leading man thing doesn’t work out he’s got a promising career as a character actor, it’s Farrah Mackenzie who steals every single scene she’s in as Logan’s precocious daughter, Sadie. Her mother Bobbie Jo (Katie Holmes), who remarried up, may want Sadie to be a beauty queen, but she’s daddy’s little girl through and through and the chemistry between Mackenzie and Tatum is a true highlight of the film. If only they had more scenes together.

There’s a pretty good chance you’ll have fun with this “Ocean’s 7-Eleven,” just temper your expectations, crack open a six pack of Bud in your double-wide, and enjoy the show.

Produced by John Charles Meyer
Written by Bill Watterson, Steven Sears
Directed by Bill Watterson
Starring Nick Thune, Meera Rohit Kumbhani,
Kirsten Vangsness, Stephanie Allynne,
Scott Krinsky, James Urbaniak,
Adam Busch, John Hennigan

Everyone has a project that they’ve never finished. A short story. A model car. A table to build. A stool to fix. Whatever.

Dave (Nick Thune) has tons of them. In fact, he’s rarely ever finished anything.

It’s annoyed his girlfriend, Annie (Meera Rohit Kumbhani) and his two best friends, Gordon and Leonard (Adam Busch and Scott Krinksy), but that’s all about to change.

While Annie is out of town, Dave starts a project that he is determined to finish: a maze. More of a labyrinth, really. Complete with booby traps and a Minotaur. All made of cardboard. And much, much bigger on the inside.

So big, in fact, that he gets lost in it. When Annie gets back, all she sees is a bunch of boxes taped together in a complex blob. Some of them are smoking. Dave calls to her from inside, trying to make her believe how lost he is, how dangerous it is inside and how he’s going to finish this thing if it kills him.

Eventually, she calls Gordon and Leonard over…along with half the town, it seems. Against Dave’s wishes, Annie leads a rescue party in to the maze that consists of Gordon, Harry (James Urbaniak) and Harry’s cameraman and boom operator. (He’s making a documentary about the maze and Dave’s obsession, much to the chagrin of everyone involved.)

Then things get really weird.

The maze is amazing. The cardboard aesthetic of everything (including horrific death) is fun and super imaginative. Each room is different and layered with pieces of boxes from projects past. (“Well, at least the box is getting some use.”) And making these fantastical bits and pieces out of cardboard makes everything even more interesting. We’re getting a childlike, surreal view into the mind of Dave. His past, his present and his future all come together to create this crazy world that he’s cornered himself into.

The movie is really, really silly (on purpose). But that works in its favor most of the time. it also helped that Dave is a very identifiable character. He’s a bit of a loser, but aren’t we all in some way? I think there comes a time in everyone’s life where we decide that it’s time to either finish something or get rid of it. Sometimes, purging our lives is dangerous to ourselves and others. Sometimes, we can’t do it without the help of a loved one. Sometimes, we just have to jump in and do it, damn the consequences.

That’s where Dave is. Writer Steven Sears and writer/director Bill Watterson (no, not that Bill Watterson) know the plight, and so do we.

Doctor Who began it’s life in 1963 on the BCC and has more or less endured as an always reliable source of cheap sci-fi fun.

Sure, the show was cancelled in 1989 and lay dormant until the disastrous 1996 attempt by FOX to make an American version (with Eric freaking Roberts in the role of The Master). After that pilot movie failed it would go back into hibernation until 2005 where it would find a new generation of fans and become arguably a lager pop culture phenomenon than it had ever been before.

The new incarnation would become a staple of sci-fi programming and also give us two spin offs (The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood, with Torchwood even having it’s own ill conceived US version) and more than one TV movie.

And yes, there were two high profile Doctor Who films with Peter Cushing in the mid 1960’s, but even the BBC considers those to not be real Doctor Who so we shall as well.

Back in the 1980’s though it was a high time in the Who arena with good ratings and soaring popularity culminating in 1983’s TV movie special presentation which brought all of the previous Doctors together alongside the current hero for a single adventure. This would be the celebratory 20th Anniversary special.

The BBC had always found the Doctor Who serials to be a ratings smash and an audience favorite and it would still be a few years before a change in management at the BBC would bring the series to a crashing halt despite strong ratings. This special was a true celebration for fans of the series in not just the UK but in the United States as well.

While Great Britain was open about it’s love for Who in the US it was a little different.

Doctor Who was very popular over here but more in an underground manner. Never achieving the cache that it’s 2000’s version would in the 1980’s the show was aired only on PBS and still carried with it the stigma of “nerd culture”. The poor FX, goofy costumes and shot-on-video appearance did not help this. But still the series was always a ratings grabber for PBS so much so that during pledge drives it was usually a Doctor Who marathon that brought them the most money. Hell, The Five Doctors TV special actually aired on PBS in the US two days before it aired in it’s native England.

This week Rifftrax takes aim at this iconic gimmick telefilm.

With a knowing history and awareness of where this lands in the hearts of fans the Rifftrax guys take a fun and layered ride with the legacy of Doctor Who.

The jokes are in the normal range of Rifftrax lore from the obvious to the nerdcentric but you can tell watching this that the BBC asked them to go easy here (the boys give a backhanded acknowledgement of this at the end while thanking the BBC). This though does not in any way hamper the fun of this live riff… it just happened to be something I noticed.

As with most Rifftrax Live events they use a short film to warm things up and this time it’s another safety film but in keeping with the British theme it’s a British one and wow… the Brits don’t screw around. This was Play Safe, a late 70’s short about being careful around power lines and yeah… they KILL two of the kids in this one. Damn. Even the cute cartoon owl lecturing the audience can’t make that not feel brutal. The 70’s and 80’s really were a time when kids were not safe on film, even in a safety film.

This being a live event errors do crop up and The Five Doctors was no exception. Right off the bat there was a problem getting the video feed to the Riffers so they had to go off their timed scripts which led to many of the first 4 minutes of jokes being mistimed some. But that is why Rifftrax LIVE is so cool… you don’t get that stuff in the regular trax.

This was a fun live experience and while you may have already missed it last night it will be rebroadcast on August 24th so make sure to check it out.

For ticket information, visit FathomEvents.com/events/rifftrax-live-doctor-who

From New Line Cinema and Village Roadshow Pictures, “The House” stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler in their first big-screen pairing.  The film also stars Jason Mantzoukas (“The Dictator,” TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Nick Kroll (“Vacation,” TV’s “Kroll Show”), and Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker,” “The Town”), as well as a supporting ensemble including Allison Tolman, Michaela Watkins, Ryan Simpkins, Jessie Ennis, Rob Huebel, Christina Offley, Rory Scovel, Lennon Parham, Cedric Yarbrough, Kyle Kinane, and Andrea Savage.

When Scott and Kate Johansen’s daughter gets into the college of her dreams it’s cause for celebration. That is, until Scott and Kate (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) learn that the scholarship they were counting on didn’t come through, and they’re now on the hook for tuition they can’t begin to afford.

With the help of their friend and neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas)—also in need of a major payday—they decide to open an illegal casino in his suburban house, risking everything together on a Vegas-style bacchanal where money flows, inhibitions are checked at the door, and all bets are off.

Andrew Jay Cohen makes his feature film directorial debut with “The House.” The script was written by Brendan O’Brien and Cohen, whose previous collaborations include the hit comedy “Neighbors.”  The film was produced by Nathan Kahane, Joe Drake, Brendan O’Brien, Andrew Jay Cohen, Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Marc S. Fischer, Chris Henchy, Spencer Wong, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Michael Disco, and Bruce Berman served as executive producers.

“The House” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray; and the DVD features the theatrical version in standard definition. The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a digital version of the movie.  Fans can also own “The House” via purchase from digital retailers beginning September 26.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“The House” Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

• The House: Playing with a Loaded Deck – Pranks, practical jokes and unpredictability. Watch Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas and a full house of all-star comedians go all in during this hilarious and highly inappropriate look backstage that you won’t be able to unsee.
• If You Build The House They Will Come – Discover how the cast and crew transformed an ordinary quiet suburban house to a full-blown underground Vegas-style casino complete with high-roller tables, a pool party and Fight Night, and how the cast went to poker school, learning to place their bets from the pros.
• Deleted Scenes
• Extended/Alternate Scenes
• Gag Reel
• Line-O-Ramas

“The House” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special feature:

• Gag Reel

Facebook.com/TheHouseMovie

#TheHouseMovie

Netflix made its first major acquisition with the purchase of comic book publisher Millarworld and its impressive catalog of titles.

The Scottish company was founded by scribe and industry vet Mark Millar and is home to hit books such as Kick Ass, Wanted, Kingsman: The Secret Service and Chrononauts, to just name a few.

According to the official site, “Mr. Millar said he was still ‘blinking’ over the news.”

It is unknown how much the streaming-service giant paid for the comic company at this time.

“I’m so in love with what Netflix is doing and excited by their plans,” Millar told the BBC. “Netflix is the future and Millarworld couldn’t have a better home.”

Prior to founding Millarworld, Millar was a force of nature over at Marvel, as a leading scribe on books such as Old Man Logan, Captain America: Civil War and The Ultimates. Millar has also served as exec producer at Fox on the film adaptations of his titles.

The news comes in the wake of recent news that Disney will be pulling away from third-party streaming services to create their own Mouse-driven service.

With the purchase, Netflix will be able to develop a whole host of new titles and stories for original series and movies without depending on third-parties for licensing rights.  Unproduced Millarworld properties include Reborn, Empress, Superior, Chrononauts, Huck, ‎Empress, ‎Jupiter’s Circle, MPH, Super Crooks, Nemesis, American Jesus and Starlight.

Netflix has stated the the acquisition of Millarworld was the next step in the company’s growth, as the streaming service looks to continue its original content slate by acquiring original work and titles directly from the source: the creators.

According to a statement on Millarworld, this was “only the third time a comic book purchase on this scale had ever happened, with Warner Bros buying DC Comics in 1968, and Disney buying Marvel in 2009.”

Nobody belongs anywhere, nobody exists on purpose, everybody’s going to die… come do some coloring.

Burrrp, we’ve got all your favorites: Krombopulos Michael, meeseeks, plumbuses and more. Prepare for intricate adult coloring patterns and high-concept sci-fi rigmarole in the best coloring book in dimension C-137! Peace among worlds Rick and Morty fans… peace among worlds.

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “Rick and Morty Coloring Book” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Who has NOT provided a guest voice on Rick and Morty?

• Danny Trejo
• Alan Tudyk
• Bob Odenkirk
• Werner Herzog

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

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Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on September 3rd, 2017.

I bought myself a 360 degree camera to experiment with VR and other immersive types of film making. The camera I bought was the Kodak PixPro SP360 4K. I got the Dual Pro Pack so I could cover 360 degrees around and 180 degrees top to bottom, giving me a full sphere of coverage. I did a couple of tests walking around a park but didn’t post those.

So for this I filmed most of setting off some fireworks with my girlfriend and son at my boss’s house (she lives in Bothell, WA where it is somewhat legal to shoot fireworks) and then edited it down to eight and a half minutes.

Of course with 360 footage you can’t just throw it into Premiere and get what you want. No the camera records this round / square video that looks pretty distorted. You then use some “stitching” program to join the two videos (one for each side) and when that saves it is in a rectangular 360 view called equirectangular. The footage has to be in this format with some VR tags or Premiere (and presumably other video editing software) won’t recognize it.

So my first problem was that I couldn’t get the remote to hook up with the cameras. If this had worked then I would be able to start and stop both cameras at the same time. I need to get this figured out but haven’t had the time. So I just hit the start and stop button as close as I could at the same time. Luckily the stitching program has a sync feature that uses the sound wave forms to align the two videos before joining them together.

The next problem I had was with the stitching program. If you film for too long then you get multiple files: each about four gigabytes. There is a feature to join the files before stitching them but with the Mac versions of the programs this joining feature refused to work. Stitching had previously worked with the smaller test footage so I knew that wasn’t the problem. Fortunately I had a PC that I could load the software on. This version had joining down pretty well as well as stitching. When I have time I should bring this up to the developers so they can fix it (or send me the patch if they already have).

So now I have joined and stitched equirectangular footage to import into Premiere Pro CC 2017 and get down to editing. I’m listing the exact version of Premiere I’m using because I just don’t know if any previous version has the VR extensions that make this possible.

One of the interesting things about the equirectangular format is that it pics one of the cameras and designates that as front and centers that in the middle of the screen. I’m pretty sure when I was stitching the footage I selected camera one and camera two. My hypothesis is that camera one is the default “front view” when the stitching and squashing and slicing and dicing takes place.

The problem with my footage is that I invariably chose the footage with the most fireworks as camera two. This had two effects. The first is that the viewer has to turn around to see most of the action. The second is that whenever I made a cut, if the other video was turned around then the viewer would have to keep turning to view the “center” of the action.

Using multiple layers of the video and sliding them around I can control exactly where the “front-center” of the view is. But this is kind of a pain so think about where you want people viewing and which camera will be the best oriented to give you  the “front-center” that works best for the shot.

When I shot this I tried to get as close as possible to the fireworks so you could feel immersed in the action and have to look around and up to see it all.

This is designed mainly for newer phones that have little gyroscopes in them. With one of these you can just hold the phone out in front of you and move around to see the other sides of the sphere. It works best with a holder like “Google Cardboard” or something like that.

The name Jennifer Spence may not be a household name, but if you are a keen consumer of contemporary horror films and have paid attention to the credits of several of the Insidious and Paranormal Activity films, you may have noticed that Jennifer Spence has been the production designer on these films along with a number of other horror films, including last year’s Lights Out.

With Annabelle: Creation currently in theaters worldwide after having received substantial praise that is rarely given to horror films in the dubious sub-genre of prequel-to-a-prequel-that-was-also-a-spin-off, Spence’s work continues to be seen by an increasing number of moviegoers, but how did she get into the film industry in the first place?

Jennifer Spence: In my early life, I was always a painter and an artist.

I’m originally from Canada, but through a bunch of circumstances I met my American husband. He was in the film industry, so that just opened up my world. We wanted to work together, so I started as a scenic painter because I already had some skills, and I thought that that’s where I could start when I first came to America.

Over the years, Spence essentially did every single thing within the art department, working on both music videos as well as short films. One thing eventually led to another, and Spence was asked if she wanted to be the art director for a project. From then on, her career snowballed towards production design, and she is pleased with the path that led her into her current profession.

It was a crazy road, but it was so valuable for me to be in every part of the art department because I came into production design knowing exactly what it takes to do it and how hard it is. I also have a lot of empathy for all my crew because I’ve been there, so I know what it takes to fill the sets, paint it and all those other crazy things you need to do. It was a good education.

Most of us have influences regardless of what we do in life, and it is often impressive what production designers manage to create from scratch, especially with sets like that of Annabelle: Creation, which looks like a real location rather than the highly detailed set it actually is. But where does Spence get her inspiration?

I don’t think there’s one person I would say that I look to. In general, artists from around the world influence me because when I’m looking for something or trying to create something, I look in so many different places; a fabric could inspire me, or a painting, or even wallpaper. A lot of it comes from within as well because I really didn’t know a lot of people within the industry, so I wasn’t following along a specific path, thinking I would ever become this. It just sort of naturally happened.

The path that would naturally unfold for Spence led her into the expressive world of horror films, where she has worked with James Wan’s team on several features, including 2016’s Lights Out, which was produced by Wan and directed by David F. Sandberg. Spence and Sandberg were reunited for Annabelle: Creation, and their collaboration has yielded an atmospheric and effective result, but how did Spence find the experience of making the film?

When I read the script in early days, I knew exactly what I wanted with the Gothic farmhouse, and David and I have worked together, like you say, on Lights Out, so he pretty much trusted my vision. I did a huge presentation for him, we went over all the details and then we just started from the beginning, from the layout of the house to what the colors were going to look like, and so on. David and I talked about all sorts of things that we might need in the house, and I came up with some ideas for how we could scare people in other ways than what was in the script; the writer was imagining the house as he was writing, so once I got the script, the writer, Gary Dauberman, and I started talking about different rooms. I would suggest that we do the dumbwaiter, put something under the stairs and things like that. The film’s a real team effort; the three of us would develop the story together, and then we’d have meetings with James and the other producers, and it was just such a lovely process.

While the average cinemagoer will probably consider the experience of watching the fruits of Spence and co.’s labor horrifying rather than lovely, Spence is definitely pleased with the end result, which she also considers her favorite project so far.

Oh, I love it! I used to come in early and stay late at night because I just loved the house and the way it felt; it felt real, and I really believe that the house was a character. It had a lot of details that I picked because I wanted specific things that conveyed how much the Mullins’ loved their daughter Bee. We had gold bumblebees on the staircase, the stained glass in her bedroom had bumblebees, and there was honeycomb flooring. We also used that imagery for the wall dressings, which included honeycomb-shaped frames, just because we wanted to play on the whole idea of how much the terrible loss of their daughter affected these characters.

And it is with good reason that Spence confidently states that the set of Annabelle: Creation feels like a real house, not only because of the amount of detail that saturates the film, but also because of the sheer volume of the set; featuring two full floors, the set took up a significant amount of space at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. However, not only those who have settled into their seats in the darkness of the cinema seem to appreciate Spence’s efforts, as the cast was also impressed.

All the girls especially were blown away, and they couldn’t stop saying that they’d forget that they weren’t in a real house because it looked and felt like people had actually lived there. Again, I think that had a lot to do with the detail we put into it. My set decorator, Lisa Son, made or found all these wonderful things to dress the set with, and a lot of the props also really sold it.

My husband, who’s also my prop master, designed the pop gun, which I loved, and we also stayed up late together one night after work at the stage and we built the puppet house together. He built the wood part and I got all the dressing for it and made the curtains and everything, because that’s what we do; we came together to make films together and we still do, and we’re the kind of people that stay late and do something fun like that to make the set more special.

Many a gorehound will attest to a healthy sense of humor going hand in hand with enjoying a good scare, and horror sets have often been referred to as some of the most fun sets to work on. However, it is not always all scares and giggles, as many urban legends and eerie events have been linked to horror productions over the years; from the many deaths associated with Poltergeist to the myriad of odd coincidences during the filming of The Omen, the anecdotes and tall tales are many, but did anything peculiar happen on the set of Annabelle: Creation?

Late at night, I’d hear different sounds and there’d be nobody on stage, but that was just the house creaking from adjusting itself. But that doll! If I was a kid, I’d put her in my closet; I wouldn’t want her, she just freaks me right out! And with those lifelike eyes! One of my favorite parts in the movie is when one of the girls turns the doll’s head in the closet as if to say ‘stop looking at me’; I totally loved that!

Films concerning creepy old dolls are far from the only thing Spence has been working on recently, though. Much like the Annabelle films are based on a character originally featured in The Conjuring, the horrifying nun from The Conjuring 2 is getting her own feature film as well with next year’s The Nun. Directed by Corin Hardy and starring Bonnie Aarons – who has not only terrified audiences as the demonic nun, but also made a heart-stoppingly frightening appearance as the bum behind the diner in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive – The Nun recently wrapped and is currently in post-production.

I was in Romania for three and half months where we shot in Transylvania and also on stage at Castel Film Studios. I built a couple of huge sets on stage at the studio, one of which was a big church that I then converted into a tomb room. We went for a classic look for the film, and it was a fantastic experience, but Bonnie Aarons is so scary – oh my god!

Continuing to laugh about just how much Aarons scared her during filming due to how much the makeup transformed the beauty of Aarons’ naturally intense and sculpted face into a vision of terror, Spence also comments on her other upcoming projects. Much like she has worked with James Wan on multiple features and continues to do so with The Nun, her work with David F. Sandberg also looks like it will continue.

I’m hopefully getting the opportunity to do Shazam! with David. I haven’t received the script yet, but I know that it’s coming down the pipe really soon, so we’re probably going to start this month if we get it greenlit. I’ve already done a tremendous amount of research about the comic itself and thought about how to blend it into the production design to bring that world to life, so that’s a project I’m really looking forward to.

But Spence is not only looking forward to branching out into the highly lucrative and ever-expanding superhero genre, she also has a clear vision for the next direction she would like her career to take.

I’d like to work with so many different directors, and not just in horror, but I also have aspirations beyond production design; I want to direct, and my next goal is to direct a horror film. I’ll never stop working in production design because I simply adore it, but I feel like that’s where I want to go with my career. I’d like to do a little bit of everything, and I feel like Hollywood is really starting to change and that gives me hope and encouragement, especially because I’m seeing an increasing number of female filmmakers do well, and I’m so inspired by them.

The critically acclaimed Starz fantasy series “American Gods” Season One, produced by FremantleMedia North America, arrives on Digital HD October 6 and Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD October 17 from Lionsgate. From writer-producers Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal”) and Michael Green (“Heroes”) and based on Neil Gaiman’s international best-selling novel, “American Gods” Season One is a visual feast focusing on an ex-convict named Shadow Moon, and his sudden introduction into a power struggle between the Old and New Gods. “American Gods” Season One stars Ricky Whittle (“The 100”), Ian McShane (John Wick: Chapter 2, “Game of Thrones”), Emily Browning (Sucker Punch, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events), Pablo Schreiber (13 Hours, “Orange Is the New Black”), Peter Stormare (John Wick: Chapter 2, Fargo), and pop culture icon Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files,” “Hannibal”).

When Shadow Moon is released from prison, he meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday and a storm begins to brew. Little does Shadow know, this storm will change the course of his entire life. Left adrift by the recent, tragic death of his wife, and suddenly hired as Mr. Wednesday’s bodyguard, Shadow finds himself in the center of a world that he struggles to understand. It’s a hidden world where magic is real, where the Old Gods fear both irrelevance and the growing power of the New Gods, like Technology and Media. Mr. Wednesday seeks to build a coalition of Old Gods to defend their existence in this new America, and reclaim some of the influence that they’ve lost. As Shadow travels across the country with Mr. Wednesday, he struggles to accept this new reality, and his place in it.

The home entertainment release of “American Gods” Season One features over two hours of exclusive extras including “The Road to ‘American Gods’” documentary, six behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary on the premiere and season finale episodes, God Squad Video Commentary, and an opportunity to explore the Crocodile Bar in 360 degrees. “American Gods” Season One will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $34.98, respectively.

BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

• “The Road to ‘American Gods’” Documentary
• “Title Gods” Featurette
• “‘American Gods’ Origins” Featurette
• “Old Gods” Featurette
• “New Gods” Featurette
• “What Is ‘American Gods?’” Featurette
• “Book vs. Show” Featurette
• God Squad Video Documentary
• Explore the Crocodile Bar in 360 Degrees with Commentary by Cast and Crew
• Audio Commentary with Cast and Crew on the Premiere and Finale Episodes
  • Episode 101 with Creators-Writers Bryan Fuller and Michael Green and Director David Slade
  • Episode 101 with Actors Ian McShane and Ricky Whittle
  • Episode 108 God Squad Video with Actors Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley, and Orlando Jones

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

This is one of my favorite weeks for comic books ever!

Why? Read on!

Mage III: The Hero Denied #1
Written and Illustrated by Matt Wagner
Published by Image Comics

Matt Wagner’s epic begins its final chapter right here!

This is a story that’s been 33 years in the making! It’s so damn cool to see Kevin Matchstick back in comics. The first series was about a hero starting up. The second series was about a hero in his prime. The third series seems to be about Kevin as a hero who doesn’t want to do it anymore.

It’s been some time since we’ve last seen Kevin and since he last used his powers. He seems reluctant to be the hero. Dark forces are gathering of course that won’t let him be.

The first issue sets this all up and away we go!

The writing is top notch. I never know where Wagner is going, and the same holds true here. It always ends up being satisfying. The art is awesome.

Wagner is one of those rare creators who I don’t mind dubbing as “a master of the comic book form.”

RATING: A

The Other Side: Special Edition HC
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Cameron Stewart
Published by Image Comics

This is the book that was the breakout book for writer Jason Aaron. He has gone on to huge success with Marvel and DC. It all started here with this tale of the Vietnam War. It’s a magnetic book that you won’t be able to put down.

The story focuses on two men from two different opposing sides. One is Bill Everette, a man from Alabama who lives on a farm. Bill gets drafted into the Marine Corps. We see the war through Bill’s eyes and the horror he experiences

We also see the war through the eyes of a Vietnamese soldier named Vo Binh Dai. We see him come from his farm life to become a soldier. The contrast between the two lives of these soldiers is incredible. Aaron handles it like a pro from the very beginning. It’s unflinching.

The book is also responsible for bringing Cameron Stewart to prominence as an artist. His work here is incredible as well as emotional and well done.

Pick this up. One of the best re-releases of the year. You need this in your collection.

RATING: A

Motor Crush, Vol. 1 TPB
Written by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr
Illustrated by Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr
Published by Image Comics

Speaking of Cameron Stewart, one of the best new series of last year is collected here. And of course, one of the people involved is the great Cameron Stewart! It’s a great adrenaline fueled book with amazing art.

It’s reasonably priced as well and deserves to be in your comic book collection.

Domino Swift is our main character here. She is a racer during the day. She competes, in fact, with a worldwide racing league. At night however things change for Domino. She becomes a vigilante trying to get a rare form of contraband: it’s an engine-boosting “machine narcotic” known as Crush.

With this concept, the creative team takes off with gusto.

It’s hard to tell who does what here (writing, art etc) because it’s everyone working on everything.

The storytelling is fantastic. It moves like no other comic book you have read. That’s all well and good but the team has created one hell of a compelling book as well. Pick this up. It’s comic book excellence.

RATING: A

Sexcastle TPB
Written and Illustrated by Kyle Starks
Published by Image Comics

This is a new edition of the cult classic comic book. I had never read it before so I was pleased to read it. It had a wonky story and some really excellent storytelling. It fell a little short for me at the end but it’s a decent read overall.

This book deals with a 1980s kind of hero named Shane Sexcastle.

Shane used to be the world’s deadliest assassin. He has since retired after killing the Vice President. He decides to leave that life behind and settle down and sell flowers in a quiet town. He won’t put up with any fools so when some of the townspeople cause problems he’s ready to lay down the law.

Starks is a wonderful creator. Everything here is well paced. The setups are fun and full of invention and most pay off. It also gets surprisingly deep and emotional.

This is a great book. Pick it up.

RATING: A-

Loved & Lost Anthology
Written by Tyler Chin-Tanner and Illustrated by Various
Published by A Blue Wave World

Wow this book is good. This was a Kickstarter book that I wish I knew about so I could throw support their way. This book is one of the highest quality books I’ve seen that has been produced in a long time off that fundraising site.

The stories all involve the theme of falling in love. Some end up happier than others.

Tyler Chin-Tanner writes all of these stories with passion. It’s clear he loves the form. There are nine stories in total and each story has incredibly well developed characters.

Some of the artists on each story are better than others. The two stand out artists are Ayesegul Sinav on the second chapter (who is reminiscent of J. Scott Campbell) and Jeannette Langmead on the final chapter.

An excellent book through and through and one hell of an accomplishment.

RATING: A-