100 Little-Known Facts About Comic Books - Part 1

Sometimes the people that make comic books are the most interesting characters involved.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/32561-100-little-known-facts-about-comic-books-part-1.html

Prison Break: Resurrection – “The Liar” Review

By: Jaclyn Cascio (@jaclynator)

Prison Break: Resurrection aired its third episode (of nine total) this week, aptly titled “The Liar.” We got a few answers, and even more questions, which just might be the essence of what makes a show great.

Last week, there was a lot happening, which ultimately seemed to lead to nothing really happening at all. It felt as if little plot progress was actually made. Luckily, this week, “The Liar” generally didn’t suffer that same downfall. We’ve had some questions about what Michael (Wentworth Miller) has been doing and why he has been doing it, and this episode gave us some potential answers. Whether we choose to believe them or not remains to be seen. (But that’s what a well written show should do, right?) Some connections were made between characters and stories, helping to get some of the pieces of the puzzle a little closer to their proper place. Most importantly, the name Poseidon was thrown around several times by multiple characters, giving us more focus within the mystery presented to us. Smartly, the ambiguous answers to some questions have led to more questions. You can almost feel the plot thickening throughout the episode. Who is Poseidon and how are all the characters going to be affected? We’ll have to keep watching to find out!

“The Liar” consisted mostly of moving toward the escape of Michael and company from Ogygia while making us question more thoroughly who Michael has become. Last week there wasn’t enough Michael Scofield, but this week we got plenty. (Thank goodness!) We received some (very vague) backstory and some real intention behind understanding Michael. The ultimate question of the season is really whether he is still the man we came to know in previous seasons. The writers made a point to ensure that several characters drove that idea home, in several different ways.

Ultimately, this even leads to the reason the title was so aptly given. Interestingly, Michael is the ultimate liar, but can we trust that the lies are for a good reason? Or, like Sara’s new husband postulated when comparing Michael’s action to game theory, might the lies be told just for the sake of lies? Is Michael lost in the makings of his lies and is it possible to lie too much, bringing about unforeseen consequences? This episode really dug into the idea with gusto, and it was actually kind of fun to watch these idea unfold!

Unfortunately, while progress was made with Michael’s part of the story, Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) was stuck making little progress yet again. He followed the cryptic message sent by his brother, leading toward acquiring passports for the two of them. Did anything really come out of it? Currently, it seems like none of the events of “The Liar” surrounding Lincoln and Sheba (Inbar Lavi) had any effect whatsoever on the overall story. Their entire portion of the episode could have been completely cut, and it doesn’t seem like it would have had any impact at all. The only accomplishment there was to establish some sort of relationship between Sheba and Lincoln. But while the story of Michael flourished during this episode, it felt like nothing of substance came from his brother’s side.

And while we know Michael, Lincoln, and Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies), with C-Note (Rockmond Dunbar) and T-Bag (Robert Knepper), as an audience we are still not afforded the opportunity to get to know the rest of the supporting cast. We know only the bare-bones basics about Michael’s cell mates, even his apparent partner, Whip (Augustus Prew). It makes it a little difficult to care about whether they escape when we don’t get the chance to really know them. It seems to be another unfortunate byproduct of a short season, so it’s understandable, even while frustrating.

Overall, episode three of Prison Break: Resurrection generally avoided making the same mistakes as the last two episodes. While we may never have the chance to know new characters in the way we have come to know those of previous seasons, we may have to accept it as an unavoidable pitfall of a nine episode season. Meanwhile, “The Liar” started to give us the things that really made the original show great – they acknowledge the mystery, answered questions, but weren’t afraid to give us more mystery. This is the art of keeping an audience hooked, and while there’s some kinks that need to be worked out in consistently delivering this kind of story, episode three might have actually been the most interesting of the season thus far!

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http://www.nerdhq.com/prison-break-resurrection-the-liar-review/

SECRET WARRIORS Pits Two Generations of Heroes Against HYDRA, Brings Back Classic Marvel Villain

Writer Matthew Rosenberg explains how SECRET WARRIORS will save the Marvel Universe from SECRET EMPIRE.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34136-secret-warriors-pits-two-generations-of-heroes-against-hydra-brings-back-classic-marvel-villain.html

Tangled Before Ever After DVD: A Closer Look at the Included Shorts

By: Michaela Bush

I’m going to channel Mother Gothel here: I have a big surprise!

Unless you already knew about the bonus shorts that came with the Tangled: Before Ever After DVD? Okay, good – that makes one of us, because I was super surprised and excited to see them listed on the back of the case. But if you didn’t know about it or just want to read about them, here you go.

Along with the film, there are four short (around two minutes each), independent clips included on the DVD. Their names are fairly explanatory of the plots: “Checkmate,” “Prison Bake,” “Make Me Smile,” and “Hare Peace.” Honestly, they don’t add depth or much of anything to the movie or franchise as a whole, but they’re cute and have quite a few Easter eggs referencing back to the original film. I noticed a lot of the trailer footage must have been derived from these shorts, which I was glad to see, because I waited for each of those trailer scenes during the movie and didn’t get to see them! Anyway, here’s a rundown of each short:

“Checkmate”

This is a Maximus and Pascal-centered short in which Pascal attempts extreme measures to get Max to play chess with him. When he manages to set Rapunzel’s bed on fire (by accident), Max comes to the rescue, but also starts to chase Pascal as a sort of revenge…until he hurts Pascal and the little frog – er, chameleon – uses it as leverage to get Maximus to finally agree and sit through a game of chess.

“Prison Bake”

Attila describes the dark days that led him to baking: the other pub thugs were thrown into jail. He uses his baked goods to break them out of jail – who knew icing, cookies, and croissants were so deadly? (Along with the pun “cookey,” for the key-shaped cookie he uses to unlock the jail door.) The castle’s baker somehow ends up involved, too, and tries to foil Attila’s escape plan for the thugs until he criticizes Attila’s baking, and Attila goes all-out ninja on him with his rolling pin. At the end of the flashback montage, Attila is apparently at tea with some ladies in the castle, and the baker makes the mistake – once more – of criticizing his cooking. The screen goes dark and the sound of a frying pan’s clang is heard. Who knew, right?

“Make Me Smile”

The character of Old Lady Crowley is spotted in a window while Eugene and Rapunzel are dancing in the town square. Eugene tries to convince Rapunzel that Lady Crowley incapable of smiling. (He also kisses Pascal by accident, when he moves in for a smooch and Rapunzel is so distracted by Lady Crowley that she dodges out of the way.) Rapunzel is certain she can make Lady Crowley smile and tries her best to make it happen, in true Rapunzel form. This was my favorite short; it had a lot of Easter eggs from the original movie, specifically the “When Will My Life Begin?” montage, along with the addition of what Rapunzel deems to be her “ugly face” expression in an attempt to be comedic. Eventually, she sits down and vents to Pascal out of frustration for her failures, mentioning the tower they lived in for years. Crowley hears this, perks up, and asks about the tower and how quiet it was, which tips Rapunzel off to the perfect gifts: noise-cancelling headphones and a curtain for the window. Silence makes Lady Crowley smile.

“Hare Peace”

Rapunzel watches Feldspar’s rabbit, who promptly gets away and leads Rapunzel on a wild…hare…chase through Corona. She also makes a crack about “princesses and woodland animals being best friends.” Additionally, Feldspar is voiced by Zachary Levi himself, and has only made one other appearance on the TV show so far.

Has anyone seen these yet? If so, what were your thoughts?

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http://www.nerdhq.com/tangled-before-ever-after-dvd-a-closer-look-at-the-included-shorts/

What's Coming to COMICBLITZ In APRIL 2017

IDW, Dynamite, Valiant, and more.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34134-what-s-coming-to-comicblitz-in-april-2017.html

Best Shots Reviews: THE WILD STORM #3, SHAOLIN COWBOY: WHO'LL STOP THE REIGN? #1, GREEN ARROW #21

Three of this week's top books.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34135-best-shots-reviews-the-wild-storm-1-shaolin-cowboy-who-ll-stop-the-reign-1-green-arrow-21.html

James Gunn to Write and Direct Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

By: Michaela Bush

Stay hooked on that feelin’, Marvel fans. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is happening, and James Gunn is once more at the helm.

Gunn announced on his Facebook page (in what seems to be the most passionate post about someone’s job ever, which is beautiful) that he will be writing and directing the third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Kevin Feige is also set to produce. Gunn said in his Facebook post that, “…after many months of ruminations and discussions, I knew the answer. I could save this answer for the first, random interviewer to ask me during the press junket [for Guardians Vol. 2] but instead I thought I’d share it with the most important people in the Guardiansverse – you, the fans, who have been so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic over the past five years, it has moved me to tears on a regular basis. So, yes, I’m returning to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3…I can’t fricking wait to get started.”

Gunn also wrote of his enjoyment and appreciation from working with Marvel and “the gang” to create these movies. Of course, we won’t be getting any exciting information about casting, plots, or even a release date for Vol. 3 yet. However, he did state that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will happen after Infinity War – kicking off Phase 4, perhaps? – and “will conclude the story of this iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and help catapult both old and new Marvel characters into the next ten years and beyond.”

Marvel’s release slate is set through the next three years, and considering the release date for Infinity War, it’s likely that we won’t see Vol. 3 until 2020 or later. Waiting is a small price to pay for perfection, though, and for now we can look forward to analyzing Vol. 2, which will be hitting theaters May 5th – in just a couple of weeks.

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via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/james-gunn-to-write-and-direct-guardians-of-the-galaxy-volume-3/

Best Shots Review: BATMAN #21 'The Perfect Set-Up For DC's Best Detectives' (10/10)

Tom King and Jason Fabok (with a little help from Geoff Johns) deliver on "The Button."

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34123-best-shots-review-batman-21.html

NIGHTWING #21 Gets New Contents, and a Visit From Wally

DC has added a new story in-between the conclusion of 'Nightwing Must Die' and the next story arc 'Blockbuster.'

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34133-nightwing-21-gets-new-contents-and-a-visit-from-wally.html

First CLOAK & DAGGER Trailer

Set in New Orleans and the Marvel Cinematic Universe - sort of.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34132-first-cloak-dagger-trailer.html

ONI PRESS July 2017 Solicitations

A new Rick & Morty miniseries, a coloring book, and more.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34090-oni-press-july-2017-solicitations.html

HISTORY CHANNEL & MORGAN SPURLOCK To Decode SUPERHEROES

With help from Stan Lee, George R.R. Martin, Brad Meltzer, and some Marvel Studios' stars.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34131-history-channel-morgan-spurlock-to-decode-superheroes.html

Amber Midthunder Joins The Marvel Podcast

Amber Midthunder, Kerry Loudermilk on the FX series "Legion," visits Marvel HQ to talk about the first season and much more.

via This Week in Marvel

http://marvel.com/podcasts/10/this_week_in_marvel?utm_campaign=&utm_source=&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=podcast_series-10&

BLIND AL Says She's Coming Back For DEADPOOL 2

And maybe doing more than assembling IKEA furniture.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34130-blind-al-says-she-s-coming-back-for-deadpool-2.html

MILLAR & MURPHY's CHRONONAUTS Finds Screenwriter

The time-traveling buddy duo continues towards movies.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34129-millar-murphy-s-chrononauts-finds-screenwriter.html

Indie Comics Spotlight: Aliens: Dead Orbit #1, Black Cloud #1, and Aldous Spark: Meddler in History and Other Unsavory Affairs #1

By: Jonathan Pilley (@omnicomic)

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1

“Maybe nobody’s home?”

Aliens are out there. Whether or not they’re as terrifying as James Cameron makes them out to be remains to be seen. That mythos does lend itself well to terror and Dark Horse Comics is all about that terror in Aliens: Dead Orbit #1. The issue is written and illustrated by James Stokoe.

After a horrific accident strikes a space station, an engineering officer must use all available tools — a timer, utility kit, and his wits — to survive an attack from the deadliest creature known to man.

Stokoe puts on a clinic in how to tell a suspenseful horror story in Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 mostly by keeping the scary parts off-page. The issue opens with a sense of isolation to set the tone and then jumps back in time to show what went wrong. Stokoe is very patient in working through the timeline, refusing to rush the pacing of the issue for the sake of the reveal. His dialogue is crass and natural, befitting a group of space explorers who are very comfortable with one another and probably a little unhinged to say the least. And Stokoe ensures that the suspense is elegantly ratcheted up appropriately as the issue unfolds, keeping the reader moving ever so closer to the edge of their seat.

Doubling down on the artistic duties, Stokoe infuses the issue with a look that’s rife with detail. Each page feels meticulously constructed to emphasize the machinery and technology that surrounds the characters. At first, the artwork felt a little off-putting because it felt too loose, but his style really feels right by the end of the issue as if it’s helping the plot itself come into focus. There’s a sense of foreboding on every page as Stokoe draws the reader further into the impending violence by focusing on the characters as they interact with the unknown of the abandoned space ship. And he renders injured explorers with a haunting style that reinforces the notion that there are things just as scary as the titular characters.

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 is a chilling entry in the franchise that gets to the roots of what makes it so great: feeling alone. The characters in the issue are forced to contend with the unknown. Stokoe’s script is a great example of how to let a horror comic unfold in a suspenseful way. His artwork is coarse in a positive way and fits the narrative extremely well. Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 is a fantastic issue that hits all the right horror notes.

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 is available April 26.

Black Cloud #1

“The future will always be dark.”

One thing that’s guaranteed about humans is that we’re always looking for some way to escape. It may be some aspect of our life we’re not keen on or we just need a break; there’s something to be said about getting away for whatever reason. It’s very rare that the “away” is a parallel dimension full of animal gangsters. Image Comics has a world like that in Black Cloud #1. The issue is written by Ivan Brandon (story by Brandon and Jason Latour), illustrated by Greg Hinkle, colored by Matt Wilson, color flats by Dee Cunniffe, and lettered by Aditya Bidikar.

Zelda was born in a world of dreams, and hers burned bigger than anyone had ever seen. Now she’s on the run in our world, the dreams broken in her hands. But the pieces are for sale, the rich and the powerful are buying, and suddenly her world isn’t the only place Zelda’s running from.

Brandon funnels the narrative through Mrs. Barrett, a somewhat mysterious lead character who has the means to send people to a completely different world that’s chock full of talking animals and a 1920s nightclub vibe. It’s a little unclear why or how she can pull this off (other than a mysterious drug), but Brandon uses that as a mechanism for launching the larger story. In fact, much of the issue is shrouded in mystery, in that Brandon doesn’t really give the reader much in the way of motivation for Mrs. Barrett. Brandon is trusting that the reader is keen on having to figure things out as opposed to having the story explained to them. Brandon definitely has a backstory for Mrs. Barrett and how it plays out will likely be a pivotal part of the story’s overall direction.

Hinkle’s style is a great match for the nature of the book itself. It’s a style that’s a bit softer relative to the somewhat mature aspects of the book, but Hinkle uses it well to emphasize the more ethereal aspects of the book. The anthropomorphism is handle extremely well as Hinkle subtly works the animal beings into the strange world quite effortlessly. Hinkle does a great job with facial expressions, from Mrs. Barret’s seemingly perpetual ennui to the sheer awe on the faces of her “guests.” Wilson uses a color palette that overwhelms the readers with a dreamlike sensibility to it.

Black Cloud #1 is an interesting first issue that has its sights set on something grander. Zelda is a mysterious character who – if she isn’t getting in over her head – is probably already in over her head. Brandon’s earned the right to take things slow with the expectation that the series will shed some more light on what makes Mrs. Barrett and her magical world tick. Hinkle’s artwork is the perfect amount of fairy tale to make the book feel that much more of something out a book of fables. Black Cloud #1 is a relatively slow-moving first issue that is setting the table for bigger and better things as it unfolds.

Black Cloud #1 is available now.

Aldous Spark: Meddler in History and Other Unsavory Affairs #1

“I don’t recall the boat being ablaze when we left it…”

An adventurer’s lifestyle isn’t quite what it used to be. There are still adventurers for sure, but a lot of the glamour that comes with being such a person has sort of fizzled out. That changes in Aldous Spark: Meddler In History And Other Unsavory Affairs #1 from Grenade Fight, Inc. The issue is written by Andrew Maxwell and Peter Miriani, illustrated by Mauricio Alvarez, colored by Derek Dow, and lettered by Bernardo Brice.

The year is 1899. A secret war is being fought for the control of the 20th century. At the center of the conflict is Aldous Spark, covert operative of the Black Moth Society, an underground collective of anarchists, saboteurs, and other deadly eccentrics. Together with his apprentice, Isaiah, Aldous wages a silent battle against the forces of power in an attempt to reshape the industrial age for the good of all.

There’s a much broader dynamic at play in Aldous Spark: Meddler In History And Other Unsavory Affairs #1, but for the first issue, Maxwell and Miriani are content to let the reader sit back and go along for the ride. Much of the first issue is focused on globetrotting as Aldous Spark and Isaiah venture around the world. Maxwell and Miriani use this to their advantage in that it allows the reader to learn a lot about the two main characters and the company they keep. This approach is also very frenetic, mirrored by a pacing that accelerates faster and faster as the duo is thrust from one calamity to the next. The first issue is also an oversized one, giving the writing duo plenty of time to give the character duo a good amount of action.

Considering the era, Alvarez does a bang-up job in rendering the world of Aldous Spark. Alvarez illustrates the actions with relatively soft lines that allow the atmosphere of the era to shine through exceptionally well. The book feels appropriately Victorian in its presentation and Alvarez uses a straightforward panel layout to keep up with the action as it unfolds. Alvarez throws a variety of panel layouts at the reader that differ from page to page, all of which is somewhat disorienting but at the same time fits the style the writers are going for. And Dow’s colors are bright throughout the issue, casting a finish over the book that reminds the reader of what they might see in an old-school comic strip.

Aldous Spark: Meddler In History And Other Unsavory Affairs #1 wears its influences very plainly on its sleeve. The main characters Aldous and Isaiah are adept at getting into (and out of) trouble making for a pretty thrilling ride. Maxwell and Miriani have crafted a tale that’s part Indiana Jones, part Sherlock Holmes and all-in a steampunk tale. The artwork by Alvarez is clean and offers much in the way of emotive expressions on the part of the players involved. Aldous Spark: Meddler In History And Other Unsavory Affairs #1 is a pretty lighthearted issue that gives the reader plenty of action, adventure and intrigue as the main characters traipse the world in search of adventure.

Aldous Spark: Meddler In History And Other Unsavory Affairs #1 is available in May.

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