First Look - WONDER WOMAN: REBIRTH #1

DC Comics continues to show the first images from their Rebirth titles, in this case pages from June's Wonder Woman: Rebirth #1 by Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/29100-first-look-wonder-woman-rebirth-1.html

SPACE GHOST & JONNY QUEST Team Up In DC's New FUTURE QUEST

Doc Shaner and Jeff Parker reunite to revive Hanna-Barbera's 1960s cartoon character as a comic book title.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/29091-space-ghost-jonny-quest-team-up-in-dc-s-new-future-quest.html

12 Monkeys: Primary

By: Ashley Binion (@ashleybinion)

12 Monkeys returned with a solid sophomore debut, while “Primary” was a small step back. There were some new, twisty plot points introduced, but there were also some problematic character developments.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Overall, this was a good episode. We learned more about Deacon, Ramse’s kid is alive, and 2016 Jones was channeling Doc from Back to the Future. There was an interesting plot twist in “Primary,” I’m still on the fence about. But, my biggest problem from the episode was how the female characters are being written, namely Jennifer Goines. If “Primary” is any indication of how the series will continue writing the character, I have issues.

From the beginning of the series, she has been a delight to watch. Every series has that one character who somehow ends up knowing more than the rest of the characters on the canvas. Jennifer Goines is that person. She knows what is going on with Cole and company and she somewhat knows what’s going on with the mysterious lady. That makes her an important character.

We’ve known for a while she has a thing for Cole. But, her entire character can’t be devoted to serving him or getting his attention. That’s what this episode was overtly saying. She even cut her arm to get him to notice her. Cole told her to find her purpose; she did. In the future she returns as the leader of The Daughters group, writing a note telling him she found her purpose. That purpose better not be him and it’s awfully coincidental that she is the one who ends up saving him from 2016. The writing on this series is above that.

The previous episode ended with Cole and Cassie in a standoff. This episode picks right up at that point. Here we see how much Cassie has changed in those eight months. The problem with her change is that there was no build up. I was expecting, and hoping, to see more than one flashback of Deacon molding her into a cold-blooded killer. But, that’s all the audience got. One flashback sequence.

One of the reasons Cole was such an interesting character was because he was so nuanced. He was complex. In theory, I do like the idea of Cole and Cassie switching philosophies about how to save the world, but it was rushed.

So the big plot twist in the episode was Cole and company changed the future. They didn’t eradicate the plague. However, when they destroyed the tubes, they changed timelines. In this timeline, more people were saved and the plague’s spread was moved back two years, to 2018.

Now that that everyone is reunited in the future, it almost feels like a cheat. What made the spread of the virus so compelling in season one was that it was immediately imminent. Sure, Cole was able to time travel to any period to fix things, but there was always a sense of urgency because Cassie was in the present and it could happen at any moment. Now, the show took away some of the stakes with Cassie now residing in the future and the spread of the disease being two years down the road.

On a final note, I’m thrilled that Michael Hogan (a Battlestar Galactica alum) is on the series as Jones’ love interest.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/12-monkeys-primary/

Best Shots Reviews: DOCTOR STRANGE - THE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1, CYBORG #10, FAITH #4

A look at three of last week's top books.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/29094-best-shots-reviews-doctor-strange-the-last-days-of-magic-1-cyborg-10-faith-4.html

Arrow: Canary Cry Review

By: Ashley Binion (@ashleybinion)

After the death of a Team Arrow member in “Eleven-Fifty-Nine,” the series returned from its hiatus with an emotional farewell.

Wow. Those Arrow actors can really bring the dramatic performances. Everyone was fantastic, especially Paul Blackthorne. Poor Lance has buried three daughters and let’s keep in mind he only had two. Even though we have seen him grieve many times on this show, Blackthorne continues to impress.

And the way he processed Laurel’s death was very in character. It’s not impossible to think that he could somehow bring Laurel back. He lost Sarah twice and she came back, twice. Of course he wouldn’t believe that his daughter was actually gone. The moment where he bent over and broke down in front of Oliver was heartbreaking. Through all the tragedies the Lance family has gone through, Laurel was his “person.” She was the one who would always be around; she was the one who would pick him up in times of trouble. With Laurel gone, who will that person be?

The faux Black Canary was a tad awkward. “Canary Cry” could have focused more on the grief of the team. Instead, a major storyline in the episode was about a fake Black Canary running around. Really, it only served the purpose of revealing to the world that Laurel was the Black Canary. There was a lot of talk about her legacy as the hero. However, with the large shift of Laurel to a supporting character, we rarely saw that come to fruition. Especially this season, where she was underutilized.

I wish the faux superhero storyline would’ve come in a couple episodes down the road, but since the season is reaching its narrative climax, it’s unlikely they could have fit in this plot device anywhere else. Now until the end of the season, I’m sure the plot will be all Darhk all the time.

The flashbacks. The flashbacks! So, apparently Arrow can still do quality flashbacks. Shocking, I know. For two seasons, the flashbacks have been a waste of time. The writers continue to try and make them relevant, but it’s just not working. Even at the end of “Canary Cry,” Oliver told Felicity he encountered magic before on the island. If that’s their only justification for the flashbacks, I’m not going to be happy.

If I could bring back one character that Arrow has killed over the years, it would be Tommy. That death still stings a little, so I loved that the flashbacks were immediately after Tommy’s death. Because of the time jump in between seasons, this was the perfect opportunity to flashback to his funeral and the days after. Sadly, this reminded me of how much of a jerk Oliver was in season one and two. He was the guy who slept with his best friend’s girlfriend. This flashback had them kiss while reminiscing about Tommy a week or two after his death. It felt wrong. This also reminded me of how clueless Laurel was. Sure, it wasn’t her fault she didn’t know Oliver’s secret at that point. But, still. That’s not a Laurel I ever enjoyed.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

admin
via The Nerd Machine

http://www.thenerdmachine.com/arrow-canary-cry-review/

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL Responds To Reports FOX Pulling Out Of Hall H

Comic-Con International has issued a statement following reports that 20th Century Fox pulling out of Hall H presentations at SDCC.

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/29095-comic-con-international-responds-to-fox-pulling-out-of-hall-h.html

CIVIL WAR II Packs 'Emotional Gut Punch' For A-FORCE

And ... DAZZLER THOR?!

via The Nerd Machine

http://www.newsarama.com/29087-civil-war-ii-packs-an-emotional-gut-punch-for-a-force.html