Preparing for Wonder Con!

It is the next morning when Wonder Con begins, I’m spending some time getting things ready, and then thinking maybe readers would like to know what to bring and share their con experiences.  The initial part is to find the date for the con, location if it has changed, and then of course your own schedule to see if you can fit in time for it.  April 1, Fool’s Day!, to the 3rd, Sunday seemed like an open time, even though I’m still struggling with medical problems.  I have just been resting, testing out walking, cons are marathons!  Are you missing anything not going to a con?  Absolutely nothing.  If you are busy with work, or family and friends, it’s best to spend the weekend to unwind.  Cons are stress and work.

I imagine you can just stroll in, talk to a few people, buy a comic or whatever you are interested in, get a lunch and leave.  I like to maximize my con time.  You won’t get to everything so don’t blame yourself if you missed an event that is all over the internet.  Happened to me a few times.  You can’t be everywhere at once.  Even if you constantly check social media, have friends roaming every area of the con, and planned out appearances and panels.  I don’t, I just accept it, here are my priorities, if something else happens, fine.   So back to the planning.  I checked the Wonder Con site for updates every now and then. Again, I need three or four must sees to get me to an event.  

                                                                                Guillermo del Toro at a Wonder Con panel, 2013, photo by the author. 

So I bought the ticket and now getting closer to the con time, I’m checking four or five times a day.  The big one was Artist’s Alley.  I check closely if I didn’t see a creator, I have been looking to get comics and books to get signed, and then today, if I have pages in my Hero Initiative books that I would like to get signed.  Last week, they released a map, helpful to orient yourself and plan out where’s Artist’s Alley and company locations.  When you get a con sweep, you can find locations of drinks, food, and rest rooms.  I have no idea what panels are going on since I may not go to any this time, but I usually schedule time for two to four.  

Packing, you prep all of your essentials; money, cell phone (fully charged), and by the way, deodorant, which some sweaty con goers forget to use, you’ve been warned.  Whatever snacks, drinks, usually allowed, have those to pack.  I use a backpack to carry everything, you need something mobile, easy to carry, and also space for things you might buy.  Remember to have a light backpack or bag, last time, I had a pack that I thought I could go all day with no problem, then it felt like a bag of bricks after hours.  Remember to find time for rest, hydrate, and maybe snack or lunch to keep up your energy!  You have arranged transportation, a good tank or charge for your car, time for a ride service.  Sometimes, you want to get to the con early, there will be a line.  This time, I will wait, and go when I feel ready.  I hope everyone is ready and prepared for Wonder Con!   

#WonderCon, #ArtistsAlley, #HeroInitiative, #Backpack, #Transportation   

Moon Knight, “The Goldfish Problem”, Review!

Moon Knight rises on Disney+ and the moonlight is a little too dim to understand what is going on!  The series head writer and executive producer is Jeremy Slater who worked on the ill-fated Fantastic Four movie.  It is of course based on the comic book by Doug Moench and Don Perlin.  Later, Bill Sienkiewicz was the artist on the solo title.  Hands spread a cloth and we see his arms, one with a tatoo of the scales of justice, I think I recognized from the brown sleeves, Arthur Darrow (Ethan Hawke).  The actor was in the sci fi movie based on a graphic novel, Valerian and the City of a Thousands Planets (2017).  Then, we see his crocodile-headed cane.  This is from his Egyptian faith.  He takes a sip of water, covers the cup in the cloth, and smashes it with his cane.  He places the glass shards in his shoes!  Darrow walks with them on, the glass crunching on his feet, and walks out to the temple with the morning sun.  This all happens to a Bob Dylan song.  A strange and confusing beginning.  

Then, we get a close-up of Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) wakening up.  Isaac has a number of genre roles, the latest is Duke Leto Atredies in Dune (2021).  He doesn’t recognize the place at first and finds that his foot is tied to a chain.  Steven undoes the velcro band and stands up.  Then, we finally get dialogue as Steven is on the phone talking to his mum while he is feeding his goldfish Gus.  He has the British accent.  A pyramid and some obelisks are in Gus’ tank.  Steven complains of a headache.  Outside, he chases the bus on London streets, then rides it to the National Art Gallery that is promoting “Ancient Egypt.” It is strange that Steven suffers from mental problems and has no problem working a regular job including missing days with no problem! London was attacked by Malekith in Thor: The Dark World (2013).  He explains about mummification to a young girl.  The museum administrator, Donna (Lucy Thackeray), has Steven take some boxes and not try to give tours.  His job is just to sell sweets.  

A woman, Dylan (Saffron Hocking), stops by to check on their dinner date.  Donna later has Steven bring the toys for her to scan as inventory.  He tries to explain in the museum’s marketing that the Ennead, the major Egyptian gods, are nine not seven.  This annoys Donna who sends him away.  Steven leaves the museum at night.  He later talks about his strange day to a gold statue street performer who of course doesn’t talk.  This show is bizarre.  Back at his flat, Steven pours sand at the foot of his bed, electical tape on the door, and then his leg restraint.  He listens to an audio recording, tosses a Rubik’s Cube, and reads up on the Ennead.  The Staying Awake recording repeats and repeats.  Steven, suddenly wakens in a grassy field, his jaw is bloody and he has to set it.  In all of this, he doesn’t go to a therapist?  He is overlooking a village nestled under some mountains.  A voice (F. Murray Abraham), later identified as the Egyptian god, Khonshu, says that he shouldn’t be there and should “surrender the body to Marc.”  I imagine this would be Marc Spector.  

The voice says that “the idiot” is in charge of the body.  Steven takes a golden scarab from his pocket.  Behind him, walks a figure in mummy wrappings, with a staff.  We don’t see his head. Steven turns to wave at a strange man in a window.  The character's nervous quips and actions are not too funny.  Another man joins him and both of them shoot machine guns at him.  Steven starts to run, two more gunmen fire pistols, and he runs to the village.  He makes his way onto the village streets and pulls up his hood to be anonymous.  A church bell tolls, the gathered crowd parts for Arthur Harrow.  They reach out to touch him and bow their heads.  He asks for a volunteer, a man steps up to be judged, Arthur places the cane’s head in his hand and it swings.  Arthur says that he will give some power from the goddess Amit, his tatoo turns into a crocodile, and judges him to be a good man.  Amit, “devourer of the dead”, is a goddess made up of crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus.  

Steven has to move closer into the crowd with gunmen around him.  An elderly woman wants to be judged and Arthur introduces himself.  The tatoo turns red.  The woman crumples after the judgement.  One gunmen says that someone killed two of their men.  Arthur declares something about Ammit and everyone kneels except Steven.  Arthur recognizes him as a mercenary.  Steven nervously says his name and that he works at a gift shop.  Arthur wants the scarab.  The voice says to Steven not to give him anything.  Steven’s fist closes on the scarab and he can’t control his fingers, “can’t control his brain.”  Villagers take him away to pull out the scarab.  A flash and he finds the villagers were killed around him.  So his black out episodes must be Marc Spector taking over.  There is blood in his hand with the scarab.  Arthur and the villagers start to move towards him.  Steven runs and takes a cupcake van in a chase?  The chase is at the 30 min. mark.  All to Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” 

One of the followers leaps onto the van, Steven smashes cupcakes into his face, a follower in the next car takes out a gun.  Steven flash blackouts and finds a pistol in his hand.  The voice warns him about a truck in front of him.  Steven is able to steer around it which spills the cargo of timber logs.  Two cars pull up with gunmen on either side.  Blackout, now Steven is driving backwards, but the van runs out of petrol.  Two more gunmen leave their cars, but are accidentally eliminated! Steven is startled awake back in his London flat.  He finds a phone that has Layla (May Calamawy) listed and she calls him again.  The hero unconsciously fighting makes me think of action movies especially martial arts films.  Jackie Chan in The Tuxedo finds he can take on opponents with the suit’s programmed abilities while apologizing.  Like Hawkeye, the action scene with Moon Knight takes place at the end, so it is a bit of a haul to get there.  The show is The Eternals of the television MCU; disconnected, long, and slightly confusing.  Moon Knight has charted its slow paced course, into a madhouse that does not resemble the original comic about a caped superhero in New York with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and a former mercenary given new life by the Egyptian god, Khonshu!       

Three Crescent Darts out of Five!  

#MoonKnight, #TheGoldfishProblem, #OscarIsaac, #EthanHawke, #FMurrayAbraham, #MayCalamawy

Superman and Lois, “30 Days and 30 Nights”, Review!

Ally hears footsteps in her cell, it is Sergeant Erin Wu whom Ally she knows is from Lucy Lane.  Sgt. Wu tells her that the suit is repaired.  Sam Lane is awakening on Lucy’s floor, after she spiked his tea, and answers a call.  Ally and Wu reach the Inverse portal.  Ally puts on her helmet and then lifts toward the vortex until there is a aburst of light.  Clark hears the signal and knows Ally escaped.  He Supermans over to the portal, but Sgt. Wu says he is too late, he flies to make a cyclone to counter the blue-red vortex.  He starts to enter the Inverse portal and starts to shatter as particles!  Morning, Lois catches the news where a Texas oil rig was on fire for ten hours leaving the uestion “Where is Superman?”  This is the DC Comics event that ran through Superman titles in 1993 after “The Death of Superman.”  The four Supermen including John Henry take up his shield as well as other heroes to try to carry the burdens of Superman.  The episode will have Tyler Hoechlin step back for the rest of the cast to be in the spotlight.  

Natalie and John Henry are a the workshop.  Jonathan is at the store and ses Candice.  Jonathan super punches a punching bag and tests out his heat vision on cans.  Lois is alone in the bed.  During the training, unseen is his Jordan’s phone with a call from Sarah.   She gives up trying to call him and walks away with Sophie.  The mayor debate goes on between Mayor George and Lana.  Lois tries to sleep and sees Clark’s glasses.  A burning jet is about to fall in the night skies above Metropolis?  Something right out of Superman the Movie (1978).  It is stablized by Steel who extinguishes two of the burning engines.  Lois sees the headline, “A New Man of Steel?”, then stares at the empty room, “One Month Later.”  Jonathan gets his mother as Jordan uses his super hearing to pick up traces of his father.  Natalie starts to cook a breakfast, but her waffles come out burnt.  John Henry heads in with his Steel suit.  He wants his daughter to not be late to help out Lana.  

SUPERMAN AND LOIS - - “30 Days and 30 Nights” - -  EMMANUELLE CHRIQUI, INDE NAVARETTE  - -  Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW -- (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lana tells her supporters about helping to get out the vote.  Coach Gaines is there, but he should have been in trouble with the X-K.  Lana sees Lois and wants her to look over her speeches.  A mother, Barb, is angry at Jonathan for cancelling the football season.  The coach adds in his two cents.  Jonathan takes off with some folders.  Sarah and Jordan go to make calls for the campaign.  Jordan is listening to an emergency call for a fire and says he is checking on Jon.  Natalie and John Henry go to Sarah to offer help.  Firefighters are working on a heavy warehouse fire.  They see a fire whirl, very Backdraft (1991), fire and wind swirling upwards.  Sarah gets another vote on the phone.  John Henry talks to Lana and Natalie leaves, then he hears the fire trucks!  The fire cyclone acts unusual and strikes Kyle!  Jordan blows out the fire on him.  He sets his foot back and leaps out of the building!  Steel tells him to leave as he deals with the fire with extinguishers.  

At school, Natalie looks through photos of her mother.  She tells Sarah that her father was flirting with Lana.  Natalie says it is the anniversary of her death, she was making her mother’s waffles, but her father didn’t notice.  Sarah notes that on dia de los muertos she makes an ofreda for her grandfather.  She wants a photo of her mother, but this disturbs Natalie and she only wants to leave so Lois takes her home.  Lana gets a call, it is Kyle recovering from the flame attack, he wanted Lana to keep on the campaign.  Sophie wants him to come with them.  Sarah asks if he needs help and then catches up with her mother.  At the kitchen, Jordan says in the fire, he flew!  Jonathan is worried that John Henry might have found him.  Jonathan says he had compromised himself and then lashes out at his brother.  John Henry has analyzed the X-Kryptonite.  Natalie goes into her room, sees Lois and realizes that he forgot about his wife’s waffles.  He is about to tell her something.  

Inde SUPERMAN AND LOIS - - “30 Days and 30 Nights” - - TAYLER BUCK  - - Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW -- (C) 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Lois walks in angry at Jordan, telling him there was X-K in the warehouse, he reveals that his grandfather has been training him.  He doesn’t want his mother’s permission!  John Henry tries to apologize to his daughter.  He didn’t want to obsess over his wife’s death.  Natalie is in tears and leaves a dad who forgot her mother.  Sarah has a box for chilaquiles, knocking on the door of her father, she notices blood.  It has fallen from Kyle’s back!  Sarah puts on the bandages. She tells him the apartment is depressing.  Lois is angry at Sam Lane turning her son into a weapon.  He tries to reassure her that Clark will return.  He holds up an empty X-K inhaler.  Lois drops the inhaler on the table in front of Jonathan.  Sam Lane says he will protect his contact.  Jonathan goes to make the call.  Lana is busy with the campaign and Sarah tells her mother that Kyle should return home.  Lois has Jonathan and Jordan there to be angry at his training and says Jonathan asks again if Sam Lane will keep the dealer anonymous. Lois recognizes her - Candice! 

At the table, Candice says that she knows supplier, Mickey Guirault at the trailer park.  She worried about her father who has a heart condition.  She tells them the X-K pick up.  Jordan says he will use super hearing while they drive to the area.  Lois tells him that he has to stay in the car.  Sarah brings in her father’s guitar and several boxes, Kyle felt like he didn’t want to set up in the apartment making it permanent.  He asks about Jordan, but Sarah says he’s too busy, Kyle doesn’t want him to take his daughter for granted.  John Henry watches a video of his Lois taking up baby Natalie.  John Henry breaks down in tears.  Night starts to fall.  Lois turns off the headlights.  Jordan hears something, a hissing, Lois spots new crates.  She goes with her father to investigate and sees a massive operation with people in chemical suits.  A man, Mickey?, tells Lois that she can’t call in the operation, his eyes flare red!  He recognizes Lois Lane and the ex-head of the DoD!  What happened to that missing month!?  Superman and Lois flies into some heavy drama with Sarah, Natalie, and Jordan!, the incredible downside is that we have to wait until April 26th!  I need the next episode now!  

Five Crystals out of Five!   

#SupermanAndLois, #30DaysAnd30Nights, #WorldWithoutASuperman,#ElizabethTulloch, #DylanWalsh, #AlexGarfin, #JordanElsass, #IndeNavarrette, #EmmanuelleChriqui, #WoleParks, #TaylerBuck, #TylerHoechilin, #RyaKihlstedt, #StephanieCho 

Magic and Multiverses in the MCU!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become extremely complicated lately especially with the latest MCU series, Moon Knight!  Ok, first we had a super normal MCU; Iron Man, high tech sci fi, one of the early robotic armor was Novell W. Page's pulp hero, The Spider: Satan's Murder Machines (1939).  Hulk was extreme form of Robert Luis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), and then back to Cap, suspended animation hero is all the way back to Mary Shelley, “Rodger Dodsworth: The Reanimated Englishman" (1863).  Then, we got Thor (2011), Asgardian "gods" that live forever until you kill them.  This really changed everything about the MCU, they may be aliens more than gods, but basically they were gods.  The Asgardians have witnessed everything with Earth's history, but somehow missed the Eternals?  That's never explained.  In the comics, post-Kirby, Thor tangled with the Eternals, in Thor #291 (1980).

So then, we had Doctor Strange (2016), for the most of the time, he wasn't magical, just a manipulator of cosmic energies that were almost magic.  Kevin Feige explained the magic in the film about the Ancient One, "She's trying to say we're talking about the same things here. If you're not comfortable with the word 'spells,' let's use the word 'program.' It's all the same thing."  We saw a more developed version of magic with Scarlet Witch in WandaVision (2021).  Is there magic or not?  Is Moon Knight magical?  Later, we see in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) that Ta Lo, is another dimension, but still a magical land with dragons.  The Ten Rings are magical devices that can also keep the owner around forever as does the people of Ta Lo.  So they are all magical, right?  If it is all magical or works on the same lines as Doctor Strange, why didn't the Ancient One detect Ta Lo or even Xu Wenwu who has been operating for most of the Ancient One's life?  Doesn't that make her suspicious?  

Next, we had the Infinity Stones, aspects of the universe that controls parts of it.  These are dangerous devices to keep in the universe.  Why were they on Earth?  Who made them?  It is strange that Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) has tracked them down, but no other force in the universe knows about them?  The Watcher does, but he just watches.  Thor has to vision quest to find out about them.  It seems like Odin never knew about the Infinity Stone?  Neither did the Ancient One, she guarded the Time Stone, the others?, they sort themselves out?  The Eternals are occupied fighting Deviants to worry about the greatest power in the universe?  This leads to Loki with multiverses, Kang the Conqueror, knew about the multiverses.  Thanos did not know of them even with the Infinity Stones.  Then, we get Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) with the multiverses almost broken except they already were in Loki or not.  Where was the Time Variance Authority? Do they monitor time and space except there is certain times they are on break and can't go back to that time period?   

Then, we get The Eternals (2021), no one has heard of them including Thor, the Time Variance Authority, The Ancient One, and the Watcher has never watched them?  He didn't put any Eternal on his ultimate multiverse team?  So the Eternals live in some sub-part of the MCU, I guess?  Now, we have Moon Knight with Egyptian gods!  So there is Asgardian gods who have no knowledge of the Egyptian gods?  Neither does the Watcher?  In the comics, Thor took on Seth and Horus in Thor #240 (1975).  So the Egyptian gods, maybe just Khonshu, exist, except when they don't, and The Eternals are in the MCU, except when they are not.  The Infinity Stones have always existed, but not really.  Magic is real or not or maybe. The most confusing parts of comic books; magic, time travel, and multiverses, all with their own rules and worlds.  Could Iron Man have  used the Infinity Gauntlet to snap the universe back to Phase 1?  Make Mine MCU Phase 1!

#MarvelCinematicUniverse, #Thor, #DoctorStrange, #AvengersInfinityWar #WandaVision, #ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings, #Loki, #SpiderManNoWayHome, #TheEternals, #MoonKnight

Naomi, “Fellowship of the Disc”, Review!

Last ep, we had Zumbado reveal that he is there to protect Naomi!, he knew her parents and watched her grow up.  We have a closeup between Naomi and Nathan, he then gives a swing at miniature golf, and the ball ends up in the water trap.  Nathan gets encouragement from Annabelle and Jacob.  Annabelle and Naomi both make their putts.  Naomi gets a strange sense of something, she wanders around trying to find the source.  Annabelle interrupts her so Naomi just smiles.  At the McDuffie house, Naomi prepares desserts with a French theme.  Her parents are surprised at Naomi making a meal for their 20th anniversary in France.  They are concerned about Naomi and are thinking about cancelling the party.  Their anniversary party is dangerous?  Naomi says she’s making a slideshow and they agree to the party.  Naomi heads to school and gets the ringing sound, her parents’ thoughts! 

At school, Naomi talks with Annabelle, she wants to move from Port Oswego because of the danger she is in.  At the basement workout gym, Naomi trains with a bo stick.  Zumbado questions the training with the bo stick.  He warns her about Brutus.  Dee notes that if she trains with her powers it would draw danger.  Naomi agrees to Dee’s training.  Night, Annabelle and Naomi return to her house, her parents went out to eat.  Naomi again has the strange sense and goes up the stairs.  In her room, she sense that someone was in her room and stole the disc.  She looks out the window to find the thief.  At Claws & Effect, another clever store name, Naomi and Annabelle work scrubbing a sink and go over what is happening.  Jacob hears the “alien hunting” and brings up the explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs.  He notes that there is an alien detection device.  

NAOMI - - “The Fellowship of the Disc” - - AIDAN GEMME, KACI WALFALL - - Photo: Danny Delgado/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Naomi gets a call from Zumado.  On a rooftop, Zumbado turns to tell her that they are going to be training, he asks her if she can fly.  She tells them when she jumped from the bridge which Zumbado calls “weight negation.”  Nathan and Anthony enter the comic book shop, it has a nice cover of Nubia vs. Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman #206 (1973).  Lourdes enters carrying a comic box.  Anthony and Nathan are student volunteers for the store.  She says her father wanted them to have community service.  Lourdes says they have over a thousand comics, a modest collection.  Naomi enters S.T.A.R. Labs and sees Jacob with his flashlight.  He says the building is empty.  He finds Dr. Bell’s observation room with computers.  Naomi takes a hard drive from a computer.  Security is not strong at S.T.A.R. Labs, there should at least be a security camera or a passing guard!  They start to leave and a column is about to fall on Jacob so Naomi has it held up!   

At school, Jacob checks in on Naomi, he is excited about her powers.  Jacob says they are a fellowship and then Annabelle interrupts them and she is suspicious.  Lourdes tells Nathan and Anthony that Future State and Detective Comics are filed under B for Batman.  I like the comic shop touch with Lourdes.  Anthony complains about the hours of work.  Nathan finds Lourdes secret stash, out on a table?  Her box has comics in frames that she sells to keep the store going.  She signs their papers for their 40 hours and sends them away.  At home, Jacob tells Dr. Bell studied “dynamic acceleration” that detected Naomi’s identity.  Jacob has an invention and Naomi suggests that they combine both inventions.  They start going all MacGuyver on the new alien detector.  On his laptop, Jacob has detected three other alien people.  The boy genius, building an alien detector, is implausible, but it is a superhero show.  Naomi points out one located at a storage unit.  

NAOMI - - “The Fellowship of the Disc” - - MOUZAM MAKKAR, BARRY WATSON - - Photo: Danny Delgado/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dee is working on a device, Zumbado says it could work, he says her powers should be accelerated. He is concerned that her powers are out of control and could endange her.  At the 27, rental unit, Naomi opens the sliding door.  They start to check the storage unit, Jacob finds a box labeled “Naomi’s Baby Stuff.”  Naomi finds in a bag full of money and a passport that shows Naomi as Kayla Sydney.  Naomi’s parents are putting up decorations and Naomi  throws down he bag.  Naomi brings up the move to keep her safe.  At the comics store, Lourdes finds the store filled, with Anthony and Jacob holding a LoTR “Can You Stump the King?” Trivia contest.  Lourdes takes the microphone and sends out the people.  She doesn’t like Lord of the Rings and thinks it isn’t comics related.  Nathan says he wanted to help.  A store owner who doesn’t like customers?  Bad business. Annabelle has to deal with her best friend not confiding with her.  Zumbado faces off with Dee over the training of Naomi, a la Forbidden Kingdom (2008), "Two masters cannot teach the same student", and there is the mystery of a hidden alien!  The Naomi ep splits off groups so we can explore them a bit more and the alien who stole her disc!  

Four Discs out of Five!  

#Naomi, #FellowshipOfTheDisc, #KaciWalfall, #BarryWatson, #MouzamMakkar, #AidanGemme, #CamilaMoreno, #MaryCharlesJones, #DanielPuig, #WillMeyers, #CranstonJohnson, #AlexanderWraith    

Happy Birthday Nathan Fillion!

Happy Birthday Nathan Fillion!  One of his early parts was as Private James Ryan in Saving Private Ryan (1998), part of Captain Hamill’s unit.  He also joined the cast of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place in the second season as Johnny Donnelly.  Then, Fillion had a part in the comedy Blast from the Past (1999).  An early genre role was as Michael Ryan in the “Starcrossed” (1999) episode of The Outer Limits.   Then, he was in the horror movie Dracula 2000 (2000).  In 2003, he appeared as the evil Caleb in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Fillion’s iconic role though was as Captain Malcolm `Mal’ Reynolds in Firefly. Browncoats know that the show only had a short run, but we treasure those eleven episodes more than any television series!  It was a great suprise to see all of the cast return for the Serenity (2005) film.  Fillion played Bill Pardy in the James Gunn horror film, Slither (2006).  A fun part was Fillion starring as Captain Hammer in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008).  

He voiced Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman (2009) animated movie.  Another iconic role was as the mystery novelist Richard Castle in the Castle (2009-2016) series.  Fillion worked again with James Gunn on his superhero comedy Super (2010).  He played himself in 2011 episodes of The Guild.  Then, he voiced Green Lantern in Justice League: Doom (2012).  Fillion had a comic role as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing (2012).  Johnny was voiced by Fillion in Monsters University (2013). He returned to voice Green Lantern in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013). Next, he voiced an alien inmate in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).  Fillion again voiced Green Lantern in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015).  In Alan Tudyk’s series Con Man, Fillion played Jack Moore, the successful action star.  Fillion was Jacquest Snicket in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2018).  In 2019, he voiced Green Lantern in The Death and Return of Superman (2018) and Reign of the Supermen.  Fillion had a memorable part as T.D.K. in The Suicide Squad (2021).  He voices 42 in Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk.  His current role is playing John Nolan in the police series The Rookie.  "Shiny!, let's be bad guys!"  Happy Birthday Nathan Fillion!

#NathanFillion, #SavingPrivateRyan, #Firefly, #Slither, #DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog, #Castle, #Super, #TheGuild, #JusticeLeagueDoom, #MonstersUniversity, #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy, #ConMan, #TheSuicideSquad, #ResidentAlien, #TheRookie 

Happy Birthday José Luis García-López!

Happy Birthday José Luis García-López! The work of this Spanish artist spans issues of Detective Comics in 1975. He provided art on the Hercules Unbound limited series before launching the Jonah Hex solo title with Michael Fleisher. García-López also launched DC Comics Presents teaming up Superman with many characters in the DCU.  He pencilled the tabloid sized Superman vs. Wonder Woman (1978) and Batman and the Hulk (1981).  In 1982, The DC Style Guide featured Garcia-Lopez’s artwork putting a stamp on DC characters.  Garcia-Lopez worked on the Atari Force (1984) series with Gerry Conway that took the premise started in mini-comics to incredible visuals for this sci fi world based on the video games.  One of the most interesting and mature titles was another collaboration with Conway with the Cinder and Ashe (1988) limited series.  This comic book is about private investigators with ties to the Vietnam War now in New Orleans. One of my favorites for it’s bold artwork and writing. 

García-López worked with Howard Chaykin on the sci fi limited series Twilight (1991).  He later worked on a few Batman titles, Legends of the Dark Knight, Batman Returns: The Official Comic Adaptation (1992) as well as a few Superman issues, Superman: Kal (1995) and Superman, Inc. (1999).  His most impressive recent issues was Doctor Strangefate (1996) combining DC and Marvel characters.  García-López also worked on two graphic novels On The Road to Perdition (2003-2004) featuring Max Allan Collins’ hard-edged noir series.  He worked on JLA Classified (2006) with Gail Simone.  García-López worked with Len Wein on Batman `66: The Lost Episode (2015) that was written by Harlan Ellison for the Batman tv show. García-López was the artist for "Actionland!" in Superman #1000 (2018).  The anthology story, story by Paul Dini, had the Superman theme park visited by Mr. Mxyzptlk.  This artist has a fresh, unmistakable style that is dynamic and powerful.  He can span across genres from superheroes to science fiction to detectives set in the real world.   Happy Birthday José Luis García-López!

#JoseLuisGarciaLopez, #DCStyleGuide, #SupermanKal, #DoctorStrangeFate

Re:tro Re:view - Monkey Prince #2 Review!

 Re:cap, the first issue was out on February 1st, and this issue was out on March 1st.  Young Marcus is a nervous teen, his parents Laura and Winston secretly work for the Penguin, and have history with Batman!  At Gotham High, he is bullied by The Riz, but befriended by the janitor, Mr. Zhu. He has transformed into the Monkey Prince and has to learn his new powers.  Damian Wayne, son of Batman, is also at the school and in a fight with The Riz and his lacrosse gang, calls in Batman.  The battle doesn’t go well with the batarang de-capitating Monkey Prince!  “Enter the Monkey part 2” has a cover by interior art, Bernard Chang, Batman and Robin look ready for action in the foreground as Monkey Prince is leaping towards them with his Jingu Bang staff.  

We have a close-up of Monkey Prince’s head as he gives his usual cry, “Eeeee!” except this is warranted with no body around.  Batman tells Robin to go after the head while he takes care of the body, absurd.  It still seems like young readers will like the comic with the cartoonish severed head.  Robin reaches out and picks up the head Hamlet-style which says, “can’t breathe…” It is abstract, but I think Batman would know the point is to connect head and body for survival even if it is magic.  The Riz hiding is in the corner with his lacrosse bat when he is interrupted.  Shifu Pigsy, Mr. Zhu’s true form, asks for his bat.  Robin argues with Monkey Prince’s head, funny!, who bites his thumb.  I think Damian trained by the League of Assassins and Batman would be able to take the pain.  

He drop kicks the head!  Batman has difficult fighting the headless body and uses his grappel gun, um, his batarang was lethal to Monkey Prince so he uses another of his weapons?  Monkey Prince’s head bounces on the floor and is caught by Shifu Pigsy’s lacrosse bat.  Robin strikes the bat with another lacrosse bat and the head flies!  He mistakes Shifu Pigsy for working with Proffesor Pyg who wears a mask of a pig.  His villain knowledge is good, but he doesn’t realize he is dealing with magical people?  The Monkey Prince’s head rolls to Batman’s boot as he has tied up the body.  Shifu Pigsy reaches out to take the head and tells Monkey not to cross the Silver Bridge.  Then, he calls up a magical wind that blasts Batman and Robin.  Shifu Pigsy attaches the head as Batman is trying to work out  Monkey Prince’s weakness.  He is magic. 

We move to the Icebertg Lounge, this is feeling like a strange version of The Batman!  Marcus’ adopted parents, Winston and Laura, are looking for the Penguin.  They find the decayed corpse of Gary, gruesome, so not for kids.  They find the transformed Golden Horn Penguin draining the qi energy from another victim.  Laura and Gary start to run.  Marcus and Shifu Pigsy are sitting on a floating cloud.  He is told that he has to control his fear or it might get him killed.  Marcus forcibly removes his circlet and throws it at Shifu Pigsy.  Back to his normal form, he still needs a ride back home.  At his apartment, the Shugel-Shen’s home, Marcus tries to adjust to regular life.  He has a bite of his mother’s casserole and reassured by family.  Marcus sees them as boring scientists.  The Bat Signal goes up and Batman, Robin, and Commissioner Gordon are down in the sewers.     

Commissioner Gordon explains that there is bodies there and they discover the drained corpses!  Marcus wakes up in the morning, takes a shower, and finds some of the Monkey Prince armor on him.  He checks Mr. Zhu’s office, but finds it empty.  His friend, Kaya, introduces him to Damian Wayne!   Damian asks Marcus about falling into a pool the other day with the Monkey Prince emerging out of it.  After Monkey Prince left, security footage showed Marcus getting out of the pool, two people, but this is magic.  I don’t know why Damian has not consulted any magical person, Zatanna, or anyone with the Justice League. Marcus finds Mr. Zhu who explains that he can’t lose the circlet around his body.  He explains that he transformed into Marcus at the pool.  Also, since he has powers, Marcus is the bully to the Riz.  He has a game for Marcus to change into Monkey Prince with the Chinese word, Bian, and chase after the red envelope he carries!  Monkey Prince Marcus is still learning how to use his powers, the fun, magical goofiness is balanced by some gruesome deaths!  

Four Cloud Somersaults out of Five!   

#MonkeyPrince, #GeneLuenYang, #BernardChang, #Batman, #Robin, #GoldenHornPenguin, #TheRiz, #Kaya 

FIDM Art of Costume Design in Film, 2022!

The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) continues the Art of Costume Design in Film exhibit after two years of being closed!  It is celebrating 30 years of displaying movie costumes around the time of the Academy Awards.  The exhibit opend on March 15th and finishes on June 4th, 2022.  This is my usual routine around the award season.  It is free to the public, there is a check of your vaccination card, and then you are free to take pics and video.  Note that there are security personnel in each hall so just be careful with the costumes. Once you turn the corner of a wall, you enter the main room, the centerpiece was from Coming 2 America.  

The comedy sequel was streamed on Amazon Prime.  The costume designer is Ruth E. Carter who also worked on Black Panther (2018).  To be honest, out of all of the costumes I saw, C2A was the most impressive to me.  The costumes capture the Zamunda style from the first movie, had its own elegance and unique design that stands apart from Wakanda, and was just something you don’t see everyday.  The two featured costumes are Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and Semmi (Arsenio Hall).  The stunning costumes were of Meeka (Kiki Layne) next to Akeem’s kingly wear.  Incredible patterns on Meeka’s dresses and one headdress half-reflected the light from the ceiling!  On the left side were three costumes of Cruella designed by Jenny Beavan.   

                                                                                The Art of Costume Design in Film, FIDM, photo by the author. 

One is her motorcycle outfit, the white and black dress, and the red dress.  I thought the trash bag dress was the best, but it may have not fit on the small platform.  I imagine this will win the Academy Award.  Next to them is costumes from Black Widow; Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).  Black Widow, for some reason is in white, isn’t it White Widow?  I still haven’t seen the movie yet.  At the end are five costumes of Nightmare Alley.  On the other side, is King Richard (Will Smith), Academy Award winner this year?, Venus (Saniyya Sidney), and Serena (Demi Singleton).  Then, there are costumes of Shang-Chi, already covered in the El Capitan article, there was Li, Wenwu, and Shang Chi with his staff.    

Lastly, there was costumes by Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan of Dune!, left to right; Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling), the still-suit of Paul Artredies (Timothee Chalamet), Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), the flowing yellow dress, and the strange Spacing Guild costume which had a half-bubble helmet and white and gold ornamented robes.  The next room has two costumes from the House of Gucci.  Featured is four costumes the Western The Harder They Fall including the characters played by Idris Elba and Regina King.  At the end of that platform was two outfits of Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) from Last Night in Soho.  Against the far wall is costumes from West Side Story; Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) who has the classic white dress with red sash, and then Anita (Ariana DeBose), in the back is Valentina (Rita Moreno). 

                                                                                                The costumes of Dune, FIDM, photo by the author. 

In the next room, the center piece is the tuxedo of James Bond (Daniel Craig) from No Time to Die.  is three dresses of Aretha Franklin (Jennifer Hudson) from Respect.  Then, costumes from Eternals, again already covered, but outside of their cases so you might find details or see them for the first time; Ajak (Salma Hayek), Sersi (Gemma Chan) in the center, and Druig (Barry Keoghan).  The other side has costumes from The Tragedy of Macbeth and the French Dispatch.  The last room was a highlight.  It had to the immediate right, two costumes from Cyrano; Cyrano (Peter Dinklage), the mannequin is reaching out his hand, but the dress of Roxanne (Haley Bennett) is turned away from him.  There were three outfits worn by Kristen Stewart in Spencer.      

Next to them is the armor of Sir Jean de Carroughes (Matt Damon), in the back is the dress of Marguerite de Carroughes (Jodie Comer), and opposing Sir Jean is the armor of Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver).  All from The Last Duel.  At the end is the costumes of The Eyes of Tammy Faye; Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield) and Tammy Faye (Jessica Chastain).  On the other side, wait for it!, is the costumes of The Suicide Squad!  Left to right, the uniform of Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), more than simple white clothes, I like the detail of his gauntlet, center is Bloodsport (Idris Elba), his belt and unformed gun are awesome to see!, in the back is Peacemaker (John Cena), simple red shirt, white trousers, with the helmet, and then the red dress of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). I don’t think I can properly explain what it is to see these costumes up close.  Harley’s dress has sparkles that shift with the light.  I hope everyone is able to see these costumes at FIDM!  

#FIDM, #ArtOfCostumeDesignInFilm, #Coming2America, #EddieMurphy, #ArsenioHall), #KikiLayne, #NightmareAlley, #KingRichard, #WillSmith), #SaniyyaSidney, #DemiSingleton, #DuneMovie, #CharlotteRampling, #TimotheeChalamet, RebeccaFerguson, #LastNightInSoho, #AnyaTaylorJoy, #ThomasinMcKenzie, #WestSideStory, #AnselElgort, #RachelZegler, #ArianaDeBose, #RitaMoreno, #NoTimeToDie, #DanielCraig, #Respect, #JenniferHudson, #Eternals, #SalmaHayek, GemmaChan, #BarryKeoghan, #Cyrano, #PeterDinklage, #HaleyBennett, #Spencer, #KristenStewart, #TheLastDuel, #MattDamon, #JodieComer, #AdamDriver, #TheEyesOfTammyFaye, #AndrewGarfield, #JessicaChastain, #TheSuicideSquad, #DavidDastmalchian, #JohnCena, #MargotRobbie