via The Nerd Machine
http://www.newsarama.com/33693-luke-cage-is-the-hero-we-need-as-a-champion-protector-when-many-people-are-being-victimized.html
Our complete WonderCon Anaheim 2017 Games schedule is now online! This year we're offering over 95 different games to play, including demonstrations and sanctioned tournaments.
By: Ashley Binion (@ashleybinion)
The long-anticipated musical crossover between The Flash and Supergirl was worth the wait. It was a fun hour with little doom and gloom.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
“Duet” was one of the best episodes of The Flash this season. Unfortunately, there have been so many problems with the series over the course of its junior run that it has become a chore to watch the show. However, when watching “Duet,” all of those problems flew right out of the window. For 42 minutes, The Flash became fun again. Could this be because they were forced to have a lighthearted episode because of the musical theme? Possibly. Could it be because of the infusion of the Supergirl cast? Probably.
It has become a running theme that some of the best episodes of the series are extremely campy. I say this in a non-disparagingly way: “Duet” was a campfest. It took the quirkiest parts of the show and put them on display. I loved it.
The advantage The Flash had during the episode was the use of the songs. Using the songs subtracted about ten minutes of dialogue. As a result of less written dialogue, it was cleaner, sharper, and wittier. I don’t remember a recent episode of The Flash where the dialogue was that impressive.
For the most part, I am not a fan of musical episodes with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend being the rare exception. Musicals themselves, I love. But the problem shows run into is that only a couple of the actors on the series can sing. The rest can’t. This is where the Arrowverse stands heads and shoulders above the rest. They have fantastic talent and a large pool to select from.
Another difficulty shows run into is the music they use. Some use their own original songs. The Flash only used one original song, “Super Friend.” It’s not a coincidence that Rachel Bloom, star and creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend co-wrote the song. It was such a wonderful song that perfectly displayed the wit and exuberance of the two superheroes. Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin were absolutely perfect in the episode. I want a crossover every week where all Barry and Kara do for an hour is hang out.
Overall, the plot of the dream was nothing to write home about and the solution of a ‘true-love’s kiss’ to bring them back to reality was too on the nose even for a campy episode such as this one. I loved that Mon-El’s alter ego was named Tommy. It hit me right in the feels.
I still have a major issue with Barry and Iris. There has been too much melodrama surrounding the couple, non-couple, and now couple again. The fact that they were engaged two episodes ago, broke up last episode, and are now back to being engaged is too much. I can’t deal with it.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
By: Angela Russo (@Amaruki99)
Jane’s parenting troubles continue as she finds herself head to head with Petra, competing for the post of “Room Mom,” at Matteo’s school. After heated rounds of stereotypical pandering and childish bickering, both withdraw from the race and nominate Rafael to the post instead. Alba makes her debut to the dating scene after a comical makeover attempt. When Xiomara learns that Rogelio no longer sees having children as a deal-breaker, she realizes she still has feelings for him and breaks off her engagement to Bruce. After battling insecurity inspired by the drama at her daughters’ school and multiple failed attempts to reconcile with Chuck, Petra takes comfort in the arms of Rafael, rekindling their long-dead romance.
With all the political tension currently rocketing from sea to shining sea we hardly need to fan the flames. Fortunately, Jane the virgin’s nod to the recent election was a pointedly ambiguous representation that did not play favorites to either candidate in any way…which was honestly quite a refreshing change! That being said, this felt like an unnecessary plot device. It added minimal comedic value to the show, and really didn’t advance the plot in any way.
The portrayal of Petra’s relationship with Jane has been markedly inconsistent. Upon returning from the winter hiatus, Jane and Petra were painted as having forged a mom-team, coming together in Rafael’s absence. This bond continued for years afterward with weekly family brunches where they could check in and support each other. Now we are seeing Jane and Petra suddenly at odds again. This comes as an abrupt shift in gears. As recently as the previous episode, Petra was more than happy to give Jane advice about her problematic interactions with the parents at Matteo’s school.
The purpose behind the shift becomes blatantly obvious as – without any prelude – Rafael and Petra experience sparks and end up sleeping together. It was nice to see Rafael be equally supportive of Petra as a mother to his children. Her transformation into a responsible capable manager and mother is certainly laudable. However I’m not buying a renewed romance with Rafael. It feels unbelievable and contrived…especially considering how well Rafael and Jane have been getting along. In the past, Jane and Rafael were at odds on very crucial points of lifestyle and parenting. Now all that has changed. We have witnessed them reminiscing fondly about their romantic history, while supporting each other in the present with a deep-seated newly blossomed intimate knowledge of one another. They are an excellent team in both life and parenting. What Jane lacks, Rafael provides and vice versa. The way I see it, they push each other to be the best versions of themselves. I can only hope that this development between Petra and Rafael is simply an attempt to set up the old love triangle format that has been integral to every season of Jane the Virgin.
While I appreciate the fact that Jane is humble enough to learn with her son, it is a relief to hear her compared to the literary figure of Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. For those of you unfamiliar with this character, she is a wealthy widow who, upon the sudden death of her husband, basically goes insane and becomes a recluse, shut up in her mansion still wearing her wedding dress decades later. Some viewers may see this as a severe exaggeration but I disagree. In her own way Jane has done the same by retreating into motherhood. By hyper-fixating on Matteo she has forgotten that “Mom,” is not who she is. It is just one of a multitude of defining factors. When was the last time we saw Jane go out and have fun with friends…or even have a conversation with anyone who is not somehow tied to Matteo? Where is her best friend Lena? We haven’t seen Jane really do much that’s fun. Sure, we’ve seen her dive into her writing…but again the novel is about Michael, and her career supports Matteo. All very practical ventures.
In general, episodes have felt scatterbrained and overly cluttered with Petra’s relationship with Chuck, while revisiting the overplayed will-they-won’t-they Rogelio and Xiomara relationship, and constantly emphasizing how clueless Jane is as a parent. These things ultimately feel like filler sub-stories that normally would play second fiddle to the central plot. It took a few episodes but the aftermath of this week’s chapter finally acknowledged the missing component – romance for Jane. We have nothing to root for! The show has always relied on either a Jane love triangle, or her path to losing her virginity as a foundation. Without these things the show has lost its sense of direction.
Michael’s death has drastically changed the show. While I myself tend to root more for Rafael and Jane, his absence leaves the show with a gaping hole, for with him died most of the funny hallucination daydream asides, and narrator-typed character translations. The narrator himself seems to be overly reserved and quiet. I much preferred his perpetual interjections and insights. The difference in tone in the back half of season three is quite jarring. Instead of being a fun-loving series full of ridiculous twists and over the top zany antics, it has become very much a hum-drum beat of everyday life and everyday problems of the everyday parent. It has revolved way too much around Jane as a train-wreck mother. With any luck, the arrival of Matteo’s aide Alex will close the door on the endless stream of parenting-focused episodes we’ve been enduring since Michael’s death.
Overall season three has felt completely awkward with two very dissimilar and disjointed story arcs. However, the latest installment of Jane the Virgin gives viewers hope that we are on the cusp of change. The writers have dealt with Jane’s grieving process in an incredibly respectful, realistic, thoughtful manner, but it is time for the show to go back to its silly lighthearted roots. Rogelio’s endearing bromances and telenovela antics. Jane and dating. Sex, religion, and spirituality. Speaking of which, where has the faith component gone? It was an enormous part of the first two seasons. While religion can be as much of a hot-button issue for people as politics, it was a subject that was unapologetically front and center as part of Jane’s identity…and handled in a way that was both tactful, open-minded, and not at all preachy. Another interesting point to ponder: Now that Jane is no longer a virgin and is considering getting back on the dating scene, will she still choose to wait till marriage before having sex? I certainly hope that now that Jane’s grieving period has ended, we can move past the grind and get back to what made the show such an enjoyable break from our own reality. Michael fans may be ready to throw in the towel, but I’m far less cynical.
#I’mStillWithJane
#MakeJaneGreatAgain
Chapter 58 was directed by Melanie Mayron and written by Merigan Mulhern.
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BATMAN: HUSH is a thrilling mystery of action, intrigue, and deception penned by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN) and illustrated by comics superstar Jim Lee (ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER) in which Batman sets out to discover the identity of a mysterious mastermind using the Joker, Riddler, Ra's al Ghul and the Dark Knight's other enemies—and allies—as pawns in a plan to wreak havoc. Collects BATMAN #608-619.  |
By Emily Offshack (@CanadianEmily)
Three short but poignant conversations were the highlights of this week’s episode of The Walking Dead. We spent an hour with some of the show’s most frustrating characters, while they barely inched the plot forward. Maggie, Daryl and Jesus created meaningful personal connections, while Rosita, Sasha and Gregory continued to ruin everything. Yes, Rosita and Sasha had a nice moment talking about knots and things, but I’m not sure it makes up for how reckless they are being. There was also a moment when Eugene made me crumple up my face in disbelief, but we’ll save that gem for later.
Without dialogue, the episode begins by showing us what everyone has been up to at The Hilltop. Maggie is preparing the community by conducting weapons training (knife throwing), making lists of things they need (scrap metal, batteries, new generator, emergency exit, horses, weapons), receiving an ultrasound to make sure mini-Glenn is healthy, and, in general, being awesome and bringing everyone together. Sasha is preparing in her own way by sharpening her knife and finishing her map of The Sanctuary, which Jesus helps her with for no other reason than he doesn’t like to see good people killed. On the map, Sasha underlines “walkers” 50 times, because this is a known method for making them weak. Enid knows what Sasha is doing, but for now, she doesn’t tell Maggie. Poor Daryl is sitting in the dark by himself and won’t make eye contact with Maggie when she puts a hand on his shoulder; his guilt over Glenn’s death is crushing him. Gregory, meanwhile, is drinking while he watches Maggie slowly gaining control of The Hilltop by being a kind, intelligent and strong person. He knows he can’t compete with that. Rosita arrives with her proposition for Sasha, and we’re back to where we left off a couple episodes ago.
Any heading I write sounds weird if I include “Jesus,” but Jesus of The Walking Dead is smart and has ninja skills, so here we go. Carry on.
Jesus apologizes to Maggie for taking over her trailer as they sit down to have the first emotional conversation of the episode. He hasn’t known the people from Alexandria very long, but he already feels comfortable having a heartfelt talk with Maggie. Now that Maggie and Sasha are at The Hilltop, he says he finally feels like he is a part of it. He tells her about his previous life in a group home and his struggle to get close to neighbours, friends and—yes—boyfriends! Maggie’s reaction to Jesus’s story is the sweetest advice anyone could give, which is to try getting close to someone even if it doesn’t last. This is a simple way of saying that despite Glenn’s death, she doesn’t regret a second of their time together. Cue the leaking eyes. I hope Jesus finds someone soon, but in the meantime, he and Maggie would make a pretty awesome pair to lead The Hilltop.
After their personal discussion, Maggie and Jesus talk about items that they would like to get before the fight, like riot gear—and we think of Glenn at the prison. Sasha is listening to this conversation, but she’s mostly waiting for them to leave so she can enter the trailer in private. She takes bullets from a hollowed-out book, including one particularly large and pointy one (excuse my lack of knowledge of bullets). Jesus and Enid catch her in the act, but they don’t seem to be mad, just worried. Jesus proceeds to say everything intelligent to Sasha: don’t go, we need you, you need more people for what you’re doing, I’ll go with you. She refuses the advice or help, and Jesus leaves her with, “It’s a long life, and then it isn’t.” He asks her to at least tell Maggie what she’s doing, which, of course, she won’t. Enid, however, will, but for some reason she gives Sasha a ten minute head start.
Dr. Carsons are rare but not extinct
But wait—the Saviors are coming! A guard is ringing a bell and shouting at everyone to let them know about the incoming evil. Sasha doesn’t even get ten minutes to pack, and she rushes out with Rosita through an underground exit. Enid tells Daryl to get Maggie and hide; the Saviors, after all, are on the hunt for Daryl and believe Maggie is dead.
Simon heads into Gregory’s mansion to have a chat, which begins with a productive discussion about alcohol preferences. Eventually, Simon says, “You have a certain someone,” and we worry about Daryl. Enid tries to distract one of the Saviors by offering a basket full of melons, but he won’t take it. He takes her knife instead. It’s presumably this same Savior who then ventures into the storage compartment where Daryl and Maggie are hiding behind baskets of tasty, postapocalyptic produce. Daryl stands there, wielding a knife, still unable to look at Maggie.
Turns out Negan isn’t as dumb as he seemed when he killed off Dr Carson. Negan knew that there was another Dr Carson, the brother of the dead one, available at The Hilltop. For now, it’s not Daryl that he wants. Simon tries to make the kidnapping humourous, at least. He bribes the doctor with a promise of cardamom gelato and gives Gregory a crate of Aspirin for their medical needs. Gregory makes a pathetic and self-serving attempt to talk Simon out of it. He warns Simon that if their doctor is taken away, his people might turn against him and appoint a new leader who may not be as cooperative. Simon seems to realize that this situation is imminent, and he tells Gregory to find him if that scenario unfolds. He leaves Gregory with a piece of paper that supposedly contains a location to find him. It’s doubtful that it’s the location of The Sanctuary, so what does the paper say? And will Gregory actually go to Simon if Maggie gains control of The Hilltop? I’m not sure Gregory is the type of person Negan would want at The Sanctuary. He’s easily controlled, yes, but he’s also not very useful.
Dr Carson is loaded into the Savior’s truck like any other commodity, and off they go. Maggie is left without a doctor to see her through her pregnancy, but I have faith that she’ll do just fine without one. It’s not ideal, but if she doesn’t throw herself into the frontline of the fight, hopefully there won’t be any emergencies, and they might even have Dr Carson back before the little one arrives. Of course, it’s The Walking Dead, so something bad is probably going to happen with the pregnancy or delivery. I’m sure being at war could send you into early labor.
Back in their hiding spot, Maggie and Daryl are waiting for the Savior to leave, and as he does, Daryl nearly jumps out to stab him from behind. His rage is difficult to contain, but Maggie stops him. When they are finally alone, Maggie asks him why he hasn’t spoken a single word to her. Here come Daryl’s tears, and here come my tears and your tears and dead Glenn’s tears. Daryl chokes out the words, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Maggie reassures him that Glenn’s death is not his fault, but he disagrees by nodding and crying the guiltiest tears that have ever been shed. Maggie has funnelled her grief into planning the war, making it possible for her to console others. She reassures Daryl that he must be a good person because that’s what Glenn believed, and Glenn was a good person, too. She says she wants to kill all of the Saviors, too, but they need to win—not just act recklessly (meanwhile, Sasha and Rosita are already on their way to The Sanctuary). Maggie asks Daryl to help her win, and they hug, and anyone tuning into AMC is now dehydrated from losing too much water through their eyes.
Hopefully this conversation—the second relevant one of the episode—will reign in Daryl’s rage and guilt and convert him back into someone who can be counted on to shoot an arrow through Negan’s face at precisely the correct moment. So many people deserve to be the person who gets to take a shot at Negan, but Sasha is determined it’s going to be her.
A good chunk of the episode was Rosita and Sasha bickering with each other. After they leave The Hilltop, they need a car and spend a lot of time looking for one. Rosita notices the necklace that Sasha is wearing, one of Abraham’s, and points it out: “Like it? I made it.” Ouch. So Sasha tucks it into her shirt. Weird. If I were to go on a suicide mission with someone, I don’t think I’d pick someone who I despised or who despised me. These two are not getting along at all, and for good reason, so why are they doing this together? Sasha wants to try to shoot Negan from one of the surrounding buildings, and Rosita insists they need to go into the compound to make sure he’s dead; she seems to argue for the sake of arguing. They manage to work together for a few minutes to set a car on fire, creating a distraction for the walkers, which allows them to hotwire another car and be on their way.
Somehow, they end up in one of the surrounding buildings, despite Rosita’s earlier protests. Through the sniper rifle, they can see Eugene, who is ordering around other people, apparently getting them to make some modifications to his metal-coated walkers. Rosita thinks he must be “playing some angle.” You’d hope.
The last important conversation was between these two rivals, Rosita and Sasha. Knowing that you’re probably about to die must make it easier to connect with someone you dislike. Sasha tries hard the entire episode—heck, the entire season—to get Rosita to like her, or at least not hate her. She watches Rosita make some fancy knots and asks if she’ll teach her. Rosita implies that there’s no point since they’ll be dead soon, but she sighs and agrees. Sasha later uses an abundance of compliments to try to connect: “We got lucky having you with us. You know how to do everything.” This is enough for Rosita to break, and she opens up about how she used all the men she met after the apocalypse. They would want to protect her, and she hated that she needed to be protected, so she picked up everything they knew about bombs, mechanics, knots and more. She’d learn whatever they could offer and then move on, until Abraham. He appreciated that she could handle herself, and she never looked back. Sasha and Rosita talk about how Abraham would have wanted to go out fighting, but Negan took that away. They agree to have each other’s backs, and now they’re besties. For me, this scene seemed very contrived, though in the moments before you might die, I can understand how emotions might change.
Dr. Carson, version 2.0, arrives at The Sanctuary. This draws Negan outside, but he’s hugging Eugene, then the doctor, and Sasha can’t get a clear shot. Shortly after, they hear Eugene’s announcement that the surrounding buildings are going to be searched, so that’s the end of their vacation, and they’re forced to attempt to get inside The Sanctuary. The search of the buildings was also contrived, unless Eugene noticed they were there and was trying to get them to go away. That’s exactly what he tries to do when they approach him at the fence while he’s alone. Rosita and Sasha offer to help Eugene escape, and he just starts crying, refuses their help, and runs back inside. I maintain that Eugene operates on a moment-to-moment basis where his own safety is the ultimate priority. This is how he has operated at least since he met Abraham, and though Abraham might have started to get Eugene to change, he’s gone now.
Rosita and Sasha have run out of time. They cut the perimeter fence, and while Rosita is keeping watch, Sasha gets inside the fence and locks Rosita out. Now Sasha, who seemed to agree that this was at least a two-person mission, is on her own with nothing other than descriptions of the inside of The Sanctuary. And some bullets. She’s doomed, and someone is watching Rosita. At the very least, this means things should be moving at lightning speed until the end of the season.
What I want to see next week: Eugene not being lame.
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"NIGHT OF THE OWLS" continues here! Batman must stop the TALONS that have breeched the Batcave in order to save an innocent life ... and Gotham City! In the backup story, learn more about the PENNYWORTH family and the secrets they've kept from the Wayne family! Collects BATMAN #8-12 and BATMAN ANNUAL #1. |
If you already have your badge for Comic-Con 2017, you can now book a hotel room in the Early Bird Sale, featuring hotels in Mission Valley and near the airport!
By Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)
Spider-Man: Homecoming might be the next big Marvel thing everyone is waiting for, but Sony Pictures has made a surprise move in announcing a Venom spin-off movie, complete with a release date!
Introduced in “The Amazing Spider-Man” in 1988 by writer David Michelinie and artists Todd McFarlane and Mike Zeck, Venom is a symbiote who requires a human host, but in turn imbues the host with incredible powers. (Remember Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3? Yeah, like that). Initially introduced in the comic books as a villain, Venom has evolved to even act as a bit of an antihero in some cases. What iteration might we see in the announced film? Will Venom even interact with the MCU Spider-Man (with a solo film this summer)? We will have to wait for further details.
A Venom film was rumored to be in development back in 2008, but, like Sinister Six, it did not come to fruition. However, it looks like Sony is ready to get back on the band wagon, along with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach who are set to produce and oversee the film. Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) are writing the script for the spin-off event. Alex Kurtzman was believed to be helming the project as director, but that has proven to be untrue. (It could be he is still working on a little CBS All Access show called Star Trek Discovery, which is expected to premiere this year.) The project is currently without a director, however it has taken the release date Aquaman recently vacated, and is slated to premiere on October 5, 2018.
Check back in with us when more developments about the project arise!
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The original graphic novel adapted into the film Blue Is the Warmest Color , winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival In this tender, bittersweet, full-color graphic novel, a young woman named Clementine discovers herself and the elusive magic of love when she meets a confident blue-haired girl named Emma: a lesbian love story for the ages that bristles with the energy of youth and rebellion and the eternal light of desire. First published in France by Glénat, the book has won several awards, including the Audience Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, Europe's largest. The live-action, French-language film version of the book, entitled Blue Is the Warmest Color , won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2013. Directed by director Abdellatif Kechiche and starring Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos, the film generated both wide praise and controversy. It will be released in the US through Sundance Selects/IFC Films. Julie Maroh is an author and illustrator originally from northern France. "Julie Maroh, who was just 19 when she started the comic, manages to convey the excitement, terror, and obsession of young love—and to show how wildly teenagers swing from one extreme emotion to the next ... Ultimately, Blue Is the Warmest Color is a sad story about loss and heartbreak, but while Emma and Clementine’s love lasts, it’s exhilarating and sustaining." — Slate.com "A beautiful, moving graphic novel." — Wall Street Journal " Blue Is the Warmest Color captures the entire life of a relationship in affecting and honest style." — Comics Worth Reading "A tragic yet beautifully wrought graphic novel." — Salon.com "Love is a beautiful punishment in Maroh’s paean to confusion, passion, and discovery ... An elegantly impassioned love story." — Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW) "A lovely and wholehearted coming-out story ... the illustrations are infused with genuine, raw feeling. Wide-eyed Clementine wears every emotion on her sleeve, and teens will understand her journey perfectly." — Kirkus Reviews "The electric emotions of falling in love and the difficult process of self-acceptance will resonate with all readers ... Maroh’s use of color is deliberate enough to be eye-catching in a world of grey tones, with Emma’s bright blue hair capturing Clementine’s imagination, but is used sparingly enough that it supports and blends naturally with the story." — Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW) "It's not just the French who have a better handle on sexy material than Americans -- Canadians do, too ... Who's publishing it? Not an American publishing house but by Arsenal Pulp Press, a Canadian independent." — Los Angeles Times |
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Collects issues #1-6. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living. |