Arrow: Not Done Yet

Arrow: Not Done Yet

High drama in Star City tonight.

Thea returns. Rene still can’t decide if he wants to be a dad. Ollie’s dad is an accidental killer. The flashbacks return…

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Matt Ross
via DC Comics

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2017/05/10/arrow-not-done-yet

City of Lost Children - Supergirl

City of Lost Children Supergirl, Season 2 Supergirl Genre: Drama Price: $2.99 Release Date: May 8, 2017

When an alien attacks National City, Supergirl and the DEO learn the alien is a Phorian, an otherwise peaceful race with telekinetic powers. Guardian gets a lead on the Phorian’s location but instead of finding the culprit, he finds a very scared boy named Marcus (guest star LONNIE CHAVIS). Marcus will only trust James, so it is up to Guardian to stop the attacks on the city. Meanwhile, Rhea’s plan escalates. © © 2016 WBEI. SUPERGIRL and all related pre-existing characters and elements TM and © DC Comics based on characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joel Shuster. SUPERGIRL series and all related new characters and elements TM and © WBEI. All Rights Reserved.

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https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/city-of-lost-children/id1143591257?i=1234277105&uo=2&partnerId=11&at=1010ldoE

Cause and Effect - The Flash

Cause and Effect The Flash, Season 3 The Flash Genre: Drama Price: $2.99 Release Date: May 9, 2017

Barry takes drastic measures to stop Savitar. Meanwhile, H.R. continues to push Tracy Brand to design the trap for Savitar; and Killer Frost returns with an interesting proposal. © “FLASH” TM & © 2016 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  All Rights Reserved.  “FLASH” and all related elements are trademarks of DC Comics.

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https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/cause-and-effect/id1143581295?i=1234642527&uo=2&partnerId=11&at=1010ldoE

DC REBIRTH Theories: Who's Watching The DCU?

Who is the hidden hand behind all of this?

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http://www.newsarama.com/34442-dc-rebirth-theories-who-s-watching-the-dcu.html

Best Shots Review: SECRET WARRIORS #1 'Provides A Bit of Light' Inside SECRET EMPIRE (9/10)

Matthew Rosenberg, Javier Garron, and Israel Silva deliver.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34441-best-shots-review-secret-warriors-1.html

Indie Comics Spotlight – Real Science Adventures #1, Predator: Hunters #1, and There’s Nothing There #1

By: Jonathan Pilley (@omnicomic)

Real Science Adventures #1

War breeds fascinating relationships and dynamics. The bonds forged during battle are often everlasting and lead to groups of individuals who essentially form running crews. The Flying She-Devils are a running crew forged from war and they’re into something a little different in Real Science Adventures #1 from IDW Publishing. The issue is written by Brian Clevinger, illustrated by Lo Baker and Wook Jin Clark, colored by Anthony Clark, and lettered by Jeff Powell.

A group of Women Airforce Service Pilots banded together after World War II and became the daring Flying She-Devils. Food and fuel are in short supply, but the She-Devils have a plan: take it from Mad Jack, the pirate king of the Pacific. What could go wrong?

Clevinger knows how to write stories that blend together science and humor with Real Science Adventures #1 being no exception to that M.O. Despite the characters involved being part of the Atomic Robo universe, Clevinger doesn’t require that the reader have that backstory to enjoy Real Science Adventures #1. In fact, the characters themselves are each unique and charming in their own ways that the story maintains a sense of fun regardless. Clevinger’s script is very straightforward in its approach, introducing the reader to the characters and their plight. The dialogue exchanges are amusing and emphasize a somewhat carefree nature on the part of the main characters even in the face of what is a somewhat dire situation for them.

The artwork by Baker and Wook Jin Clark is pretty cartoony in its approach. The characters are drawn in a way that doesn’t seek to be realistic and is evocative of the Atomic Robo look and feel. This is a great way for making the book feel more accessible to readers of all ages as Baker and Wook Jin are content to illustrate characters with a sense of whimsy to them. The panels are stacked and laid out quite cleanly, making the book a pretty easy read visually. And Anthony Clark’s colors are largely darker and pay particular attention to the cave setting that most of the issue takes place in.

Real Science Adventures #1 is pretty lighthearted in its approach and setting. The Flying She-Devils are an interesting crew and it will be exciting to see if they can pull off the heist they’re planning. The story itself is a fairly standard caper tale, but Clevinger’s characters are interesting enough where they’ll carry the story and make it exciting. Baker and Wook Jin’s artwork is pretty harmless in its style, even though it adds a youthful flair to the visuals. Real Science Adventures #1 is amusing and entertaining for readers looking for something a little less mainstream.

Real Science Adventures #1 is available now.

Predator: Hunters #1

Aliens are out there. Right now they’re not really bothering us, but if/when they arrive on Earth, it could be something we have to contend with. One of the most prolific aliens in media is the Predator and the character has made a name for itself by terrorizing other civilizations. The tables are turned in Predator: Hunters #1 from Dark Horse Comics. The issue is written by Chris Warner, illustrated by Francisco Ruiz Velasco, and lettered by Michael Heisler.

Space aliens have been coming to Earth for centuries — but not with any message of brotherhood or peace. They’re here to hunt the toughest, most dangerous humans they can find. Only now, their former prey have teamed up against them. Predators, watch your backs!

Warner is eager to subvert the norm when it comes to the Predators in Predator: Hunters #1. The typical Predator story involves them hunting and eviscerating any humans in their paths so it’s refreshing to see this approach where the humans are hunting the Predators. And Warner isn’t shy about explaining that approach to the reader as most of the dialogue exchanges are between the members of the newly-formed hunting party. Many first issues fall into an expository trap and while Predator: Hunters #1 does to an extent, Warner lessens the blow by having each member of the hunting party briefly recap their past experience with the Predators. Funneling the narrative through Enoch Nakai is a nice throwback to the history of the franchise as well, seeing as how he was featured in Predator: Big Game from years ago.

Velasco’s artwork is marvelous in its simplicity. The Predator has always had a fierce appearance that Velasco nails in Predator: Hunters #1 by emphasizing its feral nature that’s evidenced by how elegantly it eviscerates its opponents. The human characters are a lot cleaner (obviously), yet Velasco doesn’t shy away from giving them somewhat stereotypical looks befitting of a team of Predator hunters. Velasco illustrates everyone else with sharp and bold lines that give the humans some visual weight when going up against the more beastly Predator. And the backgrounds (jungle locales especially) are given just enough detail that the reader feels as if they’re being hunted by the Predator alongside the humans.

Predator: Hunters #1 takes a new approach in terms of how it handles the Predator and its typical human prey. The team of hunters who has formed is hell-bent on tracking and killing predators if for nothing else to get revenge for everyone they’ve lost to them. Warner’s approach breathes fresh air into the property and adds an air of uncertainty about the outcome for all the players involved. Velasco’s illustrations are fantastic and beautifully capture the snarling and visceral nature of the Predator characters. Predator: Hunters #1 is definitely a set-up issue, but the payoff at the end could be much different than readers have typically expected from a work involving Predators.

Predator: Hunters #1 is available now.

There’s Nothing There #1

The lifestyles of the rich and famous are something that very few everyday people can really fathom, primarily because they seem so unattainable. A lot of what goes with that culture is an approach to life rife with hedonism. Sometimes that hedonism leads to perverse after-effects that could border on supernatural as in There’s Nothing There #1 from Black Mask Studio. The issue is written by Patrick Kindlon, illustrated by Maria Llovet, and lettered by Jim Campbell.

Celebrity-socialite Reno Selleti doesn’t believe in very much beyond Instagram comments, hipster drugs, and the flash of paparazzi cameras, so when a friend invites her to an Eyes Wide Shut-type party, she goes along mostly for the lulz. But the joke doesn’t feel as funny when she realizes it’s an actual occult ritual, and suddenly she’s seeing things… Horrifying apparitions trying to warn her. “RUN.”

Kindlon launches into There’s Nothing There #1 by emphasizing the selfie-obsessed culture that Instagram celebrities cherish as the core underlying thread. His approach is sound in that it let’s the reader know right away what kind of character Reno is (and the people she surrounds herself with). The dialogue is very quick and entertaining as well, offer glimpses into that culture through extremely biting statements that also bite the speaker – the exchange about a Long Island renovation’s value is definitely a first-world problem. Where Kindlon excels the most though is the horror subtext underlying the entire issue that is spun as a celebrity breakdown. It’s apparent that the masquerade-turned-orgy that opens the issue was something more and Kindlon’s exploration of that will make the series interesting.

Llovet’s artistic approach is very loose and relaxed, providing the book with a sense that everything is being sketched out. The book’s premise is predicated on the rich and famous being just that and Llovet does a pretty solid job of rendering that mentality. Characters are illustrated with a loose attention to physique that effectively establishes the style of the characters themselves. There are a couple of pages in the middle of the book that very graphically represent an orgy and might turn some readers off, but Llovet handles the sequence well. And it’s almost as if Llovet is looking to simulate a watercolor approach in the book in that there’s vaguely colored shapes throughout that symbolize people and objects.

There’s Nothing There #1 is a very intriguing first issue. Reno is a seemingly vapid lead character who might be getting into something quite a bit more terrifying than not taking UberBLACK. Kindlon’s script does suffer from some pacing issues, but is otherwise pretty solid. Llovet’s illustrations are appropriate as the amorphous approach reflects the fluidity of the characters’ personalities. There’s Nothing There #1 looks to parlay a reality show culture into something with more of a horror undertone.

There’s Nothing There #1 is available now.

admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.nerdhq.com/indie-comics-spotlight-real-science-adventures-1-predator-hunters-1-and-theres-nothing-there-1/

Best Shots Review: BUG! ADVENTURES OF FORAGER #1 'A Bugnuts Long, Dark Tea Time of the Soul'

New gods, young animals, and old favorites.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/34438-best-shots-review-bug-the-adventures-of-forager-1.html

Government Health Care Crisis & OCD Fuels Political Drama QUEEN

Jamie Me & Bernard Gita's series continues.

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http://www.newsarama.com/34429-government-health-care-crisis-ocd-fuels-political-drama-queen.html

Gotham: “These Delicate and Dark Obsessions” and “The Primal Riddle” Reviews

By: Tyler Carlos (@tylos624)

“These Delicate and Dark Obsessions”

Star Ben McKenzie made his directorial debut with last week’s episode of Fox’s Gotham. A decent episode in it’s own right, this episode focused on Jim Gordon’s discovery of the Court of Owls, as well as his new ambition to infiltrate the Court and take them down from the inside. Bruce, on the other hand, is now in the place that will undoubtedly lead to his future as the Dark Knight, and Penguin has officially made a new friend in Ivy.

Caution: Spoilers ahead.

After the events of the previous week, Jim is now back in the driver’s seat. Jim’s interactions with his Uncle Frank were decent, though I did think that Jim’s uncle would [MAJOR SPOILER] make it a few more episodes. But with Frank’s death comes new revelations for Jim. He is now out for vengeance against the organization that took his father from him, and it will be interesting to see what Jim does now that he is joining the Court – especially considering Bruce has it out for the Court himself.

One thing that I’m a bit tired of seeing is Jim’s super awkward interactions with Leigh. Yes, we know he killed Mario. It’s time to stop shoving it down our throats and start doing something with it. I thought that Falcone would have done a bit more by this point, and I find myself just wanting more from this storyline. It’s obvious Jim still loves Leigh, but where could it possibly go from here.

Speaking of Bruce, the temple that he is being help prisoner is certainly the place where he will learn how to eventually become Batman. Now, I understand that this will probably be explained later on in the show, but what I don’t understand is why the Court imprisoned Bruce in a temple where he will learn to fight and come to grips with his parents’ deaths. It must be a part of the Court’s plans for Bruce, but by training Bruce this way, they are ultimately going to be creating their own worst enemy. Catherine from the Court has already made a deal that Bruce will leave them alone, and now she is breaking her own deal. I guess we will have to wait until we learn what’s happening with the clone to find out, as he was absent from this episode.

This episode also brought about the return of newly-dubbed Barbara Queen. It’s so great to see her sitting on the throne of the Gotham Underground, because she is just so deliciously unpredictable. And she now has done a favor for Jim, so now he is probably in her debt. We didn’t get much from her this week, but I can’t wait to see more of her.

The highlight of this episode definitely comes from the interactions between Ivy and Penguin. Now that Penguin is out to get revenge on Edward Nygma, he’ll need an army. The army we thought he would get turned on him almost immediately, and his reaction to being called a freak brought back the self-conscious psychopath that we love. And now he’s starting to embrace that.

Ivy’s suggestion that it be an army of freaks is exciting, because it means that we’ll be coming full circle with what happened in the beginning of season three, and hopefully that means that we will get Fish Moony back soon. But what I’m most excited about is that Penguin is going to be teaching Ivy what it’s like to be a villain. Ivy is still very innocent in her actions, but she has already become such a valuable partner to Penguin. Ivy has been greatly underused thus far, and now her true origin story can (hopefully) begin.

Overall, this was a decent episode. There was some good action set around Penguin getting revenge on his former partners, and now Jim’s end-of-season story arc is taking off. It was great that Uncle Frank sacrificed himself for Jim, because now Jim has more reason to complete his mission. I missed Alfred, Nygma, and Selina, but there is still plenty of season left.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

————————————————————————————————————————–

“The Primal Riddle”

Now THIS is what I’m talking about. After two good-but-not-great episodes since the show returned from it’s midseason hiatus, this week’s episode brought the action, schemes, teasers, and a few heart-stoppers that brought the show back to the roots that make it great.

Caution: Spoilers ahead.

SELINA! Holy plot twist, Batman! Now that was something that I just straight-up did not see coming. After two episodes with little or no interaction with Selina Kyle, the writers decided to make up for lost time and really give Selina’s story a push in the right direction (pun intended…yes, I know it’s terrible). But I’m getting ahead of myself…

First off, we have to talk about the clone Bruce and the real Bruce. So it appears that the clone Bruce was not perfectly created, as his biology is slowly deteriorating. With death seemingly not far off, clone Bruce decided to visit the only person he ever really seemed to care for: Selina. But after telling Selina of the Court’s plan, Selina got angry and threatened to reveal the clone’s true identity to Alfred. And that was when he PUSHED HER OUT THE FREAKING WINDOW!

If you’re like me, you were truly nerding out at this moment. Selina almost certainly not dead (this is Gotham, after all), but her fall obviously is meant to mirror the same event that happened in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Selina lying dead on the ground and being surrounded by all those cats…this is where her evolution into Catwoman will definitely gain momentum, which is what her character needed. Just as Bruce is on his way to becoming Batman, she is on her way to becoming Catwoman. I just cannot wait to see what happens next! How will she come back to life? Will she be different? How will Bruce react to her changes? There’s just so much I need to know!

Okay…calming self…

As for the real Bruce, while we did not see him this episode, it was revealed that the Court actually plans to bring Bruce back to Gotham. Do they want him to turn into a vigilante? It seems out of character for them, because they are not unintelligent. Obviously Bruce will try to fight them if they teach him how to fight. They did kill his parents, after all. So…why? Guess we’ll have to wait and find out.

Jim, on the other hand, had a much more straightforward episode. He is now a full-fledged member of the Court of Owls, meaning he now sits above all of Gotham. The fate of the city now rests in his hands. I will admit that I thought that Jim’s test to join the Court would be more…murdery. And I am a bit surprised that the Court hasn’t found out that Frank’s death was a suicide…but maybe I’m thinking about it too much. For now, though, Jim’s ascension to the Court is a big turning point for the show. We’ll soon be learning much more about the Court and about its plan for Gotham. And Jim is in the middle of it all.

Now for Riddler, it is always so fun to see him play. He’s so good at getting what he wants and playing the people around him. And that moment between Riddler and Jim in the car before the Court arrived was actually very nice. It made us remember that Riddler wasn’t always a bad person, and that Jim and Ed have a friendly history. They’re actually sad to see where they both ended up with each other, and that’s the great characterization that we need. But now the Court has Riddler, and they’ll, no doubt, be putting his intelligence to good use before long.

Then there is Riddler’s very unsteady alliance between himself, Barbara, Tabitha, and Butch. I have always loved the drama and the crazy that Barbara brings to the show, and she delivered yet again. When she was screaming at Tabitha about how she made it to the top only to realize that someone else was already there, it made everything crystal clear. Tabitha, on the other hand, is so desperate for revenge that she is willing to go behind Barbara’s back…and Butch is supporting this. There’s trouble a-brewing between the Underworld’s Big Three, and if the past tells us anything, this is where the seeds of war are planted…and don’t we just love a good war for power on Gotham?

Lastly, Penguin seems to have most of his army now: Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Firefly. They teased that the next episode will be bringing some big moves on their part. So while this army of freaks may not have done much in this episode, you can surely bet it’s coming soon.

Overall, this is the episode we’ve been waiting for since the show returned a few weeks ago. This was a strong episode that served a huge dish of crazy, action, and surprises – definitely one of the best of the season so far. Until next week, Gothamites!

Rating: 5 out of 5

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http://www.nerdhq.com/gotham-these-delicate-and-dark-obsessions-and-the-primal-riddle-reviews/