Superman and Lois, “Lies That Bind”, Review!

After the merging of the Allys, facing the Bizarro Jonathan/Superboy, we have the revelation of Clark to Lana as Superman!  He descends and Lana is of course surprised.  He puts on his glasses and we see the young Clark and Lana in school.  She remembers the car accident looking at a tree, teen Lana (Emma Newton) had whispered that she loves teen Clark (Josh Zaharia), and the car spun out of control.  Clark admits that he was angry and left Smallville after saving her and Pete.  He had returned to Smallville to see Lana kiss Kyle.  Lana leaves to her truck.  At the farmhouse, Jordan is amazed that his father revealed his identity.  Lois is angry that Jordan is worried about Sarah and has to go to school with his brother.  Clark says he has to check on what is Ally is doing after dropping off his sons.  At the school, he has Natalie try to stop Sarah, but she walks past them.  The football players are angry that Jonathan had the season cancelled, but Natalie and Jordan interrupt and breaks this up. 

Lana is at the diner, thinking over about Clark and Superman since his Smallville return.  She is distracted when Kyle takes her out of her thinking.  He wonders if Sarah likes the car.  Lana says that she was too busy.  She wants Kyle to pick up their children at school.  Bizarro Superboy is in DoD confinement and he is confronted by Superman with choices.  He wants his help to save both worlds and says he has the pendant.  Superboy says that Ally will return to merge this world.  At the Department of Defense, John Henry says that the pendant is almost indestructible with Sam Lane there.  Sam has John Henry pull up images of the portal, but Superman is worried about destroying it.  He needs to save the Bizarro World, the Superboy prisoner has to return, but the others think he expects too much.  Lana walks into the Kent house saying to Lois that she had lied to Kyle.  She is angry at Lois for making friends with her.  Lana has kept the secret and thinks their relationship is a lie.  Also, that now she is a liar keeping the secret from Kyle. 

SUPERMAN AND LOIS -  - “Lies That Bind” - - ELIZABETH TULLOCH, TYLER HOECHLIN, EMMANUELLE CHRIQUI - - Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Natalie takes Jonathan and Jordan to keep a secret from their parents, her own suit!  She is going to give it to Jonathan to protect him from Bizarro Superboy, but she needs their help to get a power source.  In Tal-Rho’s cell, he brings up from his reading, about the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill.  Superman admits that his life was saved by his Bizarro World counterpart.  He wonders what Tal-Rho will give him in return who wants his brother back.  He will never get approval from the one person.  At the Kent house, Clark is there when Lois walks in angry about who Lana hates.  He has brought in Tal-Rho who holds some roses!  Clark tries to explain that he needs his brother's help to destroy the pendant.  He has his hands bound and explains that he was led on that path by trying to live up to his father.  A lie?  He promises not to hurt anyone Lois knows.  Sam Lane and John Henry are both angry.  

Lois breaks up their argument, she wants Clark’s plan to happen as their only hope, and then leaves because she needs to repair her relationship to Lana.  Natalie is at the cave with the X-K with Jonathan and Jordan.  She has found a vein of the X-K.  At a bench, Sarah is listening to her music when Kyle drives up to take her home.  He wonders if there is something going on with Lana.  They have to drive to pick up from ballet.  They have gotten some crystals, but Jordan uses his heat vision to splice off a chunk of the X-K.  Then, the vein starts glow and the cave about to collapse!  The cave-in has Jordan taking the others away at super speed, but they don’t have the X-K.  Tal-Rho discovers that their mother had the idea to destroy the pendant together.  Then, he shows his cuffs.  Sarah is working on her song as Kyle enters and sees her song list.  

SUPERMAN AND LOIS -  - “Lies That Bind” - - TAYLER BUCK, ALEX GARDIN, JORDAN ELSASS - - Photo: Shane Harvey/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

He suspects that she was on her long walk with another guy.  Sarah wants him to deal with it since she has her break up.  Kyle makes a call to Tanya.  At the mayor’s office, Lois stops by, and apologizes and admits that she was selfish.  She wants to fully disclose everything and also about Jordan.  Tal-Rho and Superman fly across the skies to a lava pit.  At the DoD base is Sam Lane and John Henry.  The duo start using their heat vision when Ally descends.  She has her eyes ablaze with Tal-Rho and Superman standing against her.  Tal-Rho flies towards her, but he is stopped by her and Ally drains his power!  He collapses and Superman flies after Ally.  John Henry at the command center gets off his coat to rush to help.  In the clouds, Superman is blasted by Ally, and John Henry has locked onto her.  His kinetic hammer flies, strikes Ally, and then the pendant spins before Superman catches it and flies it down to Tal-Rho.  

He has the pendant and they both use their heat vision on it.   Tal-Rho and Superman scream as the pendant is destroyed!  Ally collects the remains of the pendant and flies away.  Superman looks around the lava pit to find his brother, but he is gone.  Night, Clark explains to everyone that Ally drained his power.  Lois reminds the others that Tal-Rho has saved their lives.  Sam Lane wonders how they can defeat Ally.  Lana returns home to see that Sarah has cooked dinner who wonders if she is dating someone.  She is about to reveal the secret to her daughter.  Sophie interrupts them.  Lana brings up an internship at her mayoral office.  Clark and Lois are there to have a private talk.  Natalie is laughing with Jordan and Jonathan.  John Henry stops by and tells them about the destruction of the pendant.  He invites the boys over for dinner and Jonathan gets the text from Sarah.  She checks her cell phone and then tells her mother that she will be outside.  Lana has kept the secret from her and tells the Kents she needs some time.  The Superman and Lois episode deals with Lana dealing with the secret and Superman’s team up with Tal-Rho to destroy the pendant and Ally!  

Four Crystals out of Five! 

#SupermanAndLois, #LiesThatBind, #TylerHoechlin, #ElizabethTulloch, #EmmanuelleChriqui, #IndeNavarette, #JoselynPickard, #TaylerBuck, #AlexGarfin, #JordanElsass, #WoleParks, #DylanWalsh, #AdamRayner, #RyaKihlstedt, #EmmaNewton, #JoshZaharia 

Last Day (for me), Star Wars Celebration!

 Saturday, May 28th, was my last day at Star Wars: Celebration.  The list of things to do was long; getting the Andor poster, trying to get the Grogu Funko figure for my friend, Mysterious Galaxy signings, going to the Mandalorian Experience, the photo ops, and try to get the free stuff for D23 Gold members.  The early morning queue, a very long wait until entering, four hours.  I did get to see a great Chewbacca cosplayer.  Then, it was a rush to the second floor, and then into the Celebration Store to get the Grogu Funko.  It ran out by the time I reached the area handing them out.  So I decided to go to the Claudia Gray autograph line, there was a clever cosplayer who was a Slytherin Jedi.  Then, I was told that Cavan Scott actually made a surprise appearance and was wrapping up signing. 

So, I immediately left the queue to bring some items for Scott, I brought along the novel for World Book Day, Adventures in Wild Space: The Escape (2016).  This was later released as an eBook. It introduced Milo Graf and CR-8R, who later part of the “Tales from Wild Space” in the Star Wars Adventures IDW comic book.  Scott was delighted that I brought it along.  There was also Star Wars: High Republic #1 (2021).  Here’s the review: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2021/01/star-wars-high-republic-1-review.html.  Also, the Phantom of the Opera (2022) graphic novel, there is also a review for it: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-phantom-of-opera-graphic-novel.html.   I returned to the Claudia Gray line, I had picked up her Star Wars novel, Master & Apprentice (2019) which I didn’t buy previously.  It was really to get the extra signing because I tracked down Star Wars: Lost Stars (2015) and also the Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan, Vol.2 (2022).  The Lost Stars manga is sold out and I couldn’t find Vol. 1 of Leia, Princess of Alderaan.  

 

The Mandalorian Experience, Star Wars Celebration, May 28th, photo by the author. 

 

I had also picked up The Art of The Mandalorian, Season 2 (2020), signed by the author, Phil Szostak, with an exclusive print.  It was heavy, but the exclusives were worth the additional weight. 

I found out that there was a line for the Grogu Funko.  I was able to get one of the last ones.  Talking to others, they had said it was a good Funko, and also it was of Grogu so I thought I would like one myself.  The rest of the store, I went to the pins, then saw people running for a queue.  Another Grogu!  So I went out of the pin line to see if I could get one.  My badge was checked and I was able to get it!  Back to the pin queue, I was focused on the exclusive pin for the day, Carson Treva!  I bought it and two Star Wars Celebration Mystery Pin boxes.  Then, also looked for the logo shirts of the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka series!   

Next, I went to the Mandalorian Experience, reservations were sold out before I could make them.  This special exhibition was something Jon Favreau and crew brought down for the Celebration.  There is a hall of several costumes and props; AL-42, R2-D2 for The Mandalorian (mislabeled protocol droid, he’s an astro droid), Kuilil with his arms crossed, and Gor Koresh, his head piece, and then the electronics below it.  So then there was the standby queue, 120 minutes!, but worth it.  Once the line files in, there is a photo op next to Mando with two tusk pillars.  Then, there is a hall of ship on-screen screen miniatures, the Razorcrest, the vertical wedge-shaped T-6 shuttle, Mando’s new ship, the modified N-1 starfighter, and the Imperial light cruiser.  Following that was the Razorcrest cockpit with Mando at the controls. Missing in the back is Grogu with only blankets on the seat (don't worry he later shows up!).  There was a line of costumes, the Mon Calamari dock worker in sweater, one of my favorite aliens so I took a picture next to him, not a usual thing for me.   

                                                                        The Mandalorian and the cockpit of the Razorcrest, May 28th, author’s photo. 

Next to him is a Quarren, the hovering pram minus Grogu, and then Frog Lady with her Egg Tank.  An Ice Spider miniature is the last part before we get to the carbonite slabs. Watching over them is Q9-0 who has his upper half, but the lower CGI pants. This opens up to the full size N-1 Starfighter, Grogu is in his bubble, animated and babbling, on the left side is the costume of Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) and R5-D4.  Also on the left are the featured props; the Camtano, beskar ingots, and Mando’s holo puck.  A long case has Mando’s rife, his derringer, belt-sized bombs, and his knife.  Another similar sized case has the Imperial flame thrower, the Darksaber, and Imperial weapons including the stormtroopers’ SE-14 blaster.  Not all props and costumes are properly labeled, but consider this was a last moment exhibit.  In a case is the Mudhorn Egg, a purple, thready ball.  There are some citizens and a Kowakian monkey-lizard.  Next to them is IG-11, his leg area is just a pole.  

Then, the costume of Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), the human characters just have the mannequin faces.  Behind him is the astro droid, with the IG-88 body, who was the ferryman. Then, some Jawas with the red eyes with baskets of spices.  We have the graffiti wall with the Twi’lek major domo, “Apologies” and the cyclopean Gor Koresh.  Next is a case of the original study model of the Krayt Dragon Head, his mouth is opened so his teeth look vicious, can they be removed to make Crysknives?  There is a camp of three Jawas and a tent.   Then, what I found to be very impressive, a large, moving, grunting Bantha!  Next to him is the Tusken Raider in black and the rest of the tribe in Book of Boba Fett.  Plus the ballista used on the Krayt Dragon, similar to the giant crossbow in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958).  Next to it, in the central area, is the exploded head of Cad Bane, showing all of the layers and mechanics with the head.  

Garza Fwip’s costumes, The Book of Boba Fett, photo by the author. 

Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) Headpiece in a case.  Behind them is her armor along with the armor of Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado).  Continuing along the wall is the throne of Mayor Mok Shaiz (aka Robert Rodriguez) with the Pykes.  In the center is their masks and detached face.  Another center display is the costume of Morgan Elspeth (Diana Inosanto), I forgot who she was when I saw the costume.  There is no Beskar spear next to her.  Another display was a trio of beautiful dresses of Garsa Fwip (Jennifer Beals).  There is Max Rebo and a Sith musician behind her.  Then, we have the costume of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and a case of lightsabers.  The next section has Black Krrsantan with his rifle with Cad Bane with his blasters in a case at the end.  The opposite side has the costume of The Armorer (Emily Swallow) by a forge  In a long case, there is Grogu’s Beskar Mail, Yoda’s lightsaber, and the Armorer’s Tools.  On the other side is Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).    

Continuing along the wall is the red costume of Timothy Olyphant's Cobb Vanth, next to speeders, and the Kintan Strider bike gang.  Then, there is the spears with stormtrooper helmets.  The wall displays continue with the costume of Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) with the throne, Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) is to the side with a Gamorrean guard behind him. There is a Grogu model in a case.  A long case display of galactic credits, Cara Dune’s marshal badge (her costume is of course missing), and gambling chips.  There are dioramas of a Gamorrean at the Rancor gate and The Mandalorian at the hangar entrance.  The last photo op is with a giant Rancor head.  Jon Favreau drew a crowd, but I couldn't tell who it was from my edge of the crowd.  Later, he showed up again, but I couldn't get my cell phone out in time!  Lastly at the exit, is a large diorama of the Labor Facility and various hair pieces that were not labeled.  I moved from there to see alien X-Wing pilots, very well done, and was lucky enough to get the Andor poster.   

                                                                                Jaxxon cosplayer, Star Wars Celebration, May 28th, author’s photo. 

Then, returned to Celebration Store for the signing of Stories of Jedi and Sith (exclusive convention cover) with cover artist, Jake Barktok, author Roseanne A. Brown, she had a free bookmark, Delilah S. Dawson, I had found from the previous day, her comic, Sparrowhawk, and Vera Strange.  Plus, the Life Day Treasury (2021) that was signed by Cavan Scott.  I swept the floor found the excellent Palpatine cosplayer.  Outside was a fantastic Fennec Shand cosplayer, then headed to the Hilton for the Anna Graves (Satine Kryze) signing.  Satine and Padme cosplayers were there.  I also saw a Jaxxon, the green, humanoid rabbit, cosplayer!  I headed back to go to a great photo op with Rebels at the Endor bunker.  A Resistance base with a medical droid and took a pic with two Resistance cosplayers. There was a cosplayer dressed as Leia on Bespin.  An IG-11 with Baby Yoda in his front pack. A throne next to a clone trooper.  The Armorer’s forge.  A cosplayer was in a robot costume with R2's head in a Transformer or anime mecha.  A very exciting Star Wars: Celebration where I was fortunate to cover most everything I wanted, but really exhausted, today was for recovery!   

#StarWarsCelebration, #CelebrationStore, #ClaudiaGray, #StarWarsLostStars, #CavanScott,#AdventuresInWildSpace, #TheMandalorianExperience, #Kulil, #TheMandalorian, #FrogLady, #PeliMotto, #GreefCarga, #BoKatanKryze, #KoskaReeves, #MokShaiz, #MorganElspeth, #GarsaFwip, #AhsokaTano, #TheArmorer, #MoffGideon, #CobbVanth, #FennecShand, #BobaFett, #Grogu, #JonFavreau, #StoriesOfJediAndSith, #JakeBarktok, #RoseanneABrown, #DelilahSDawson, #Sparrowhawk, #VeraStrange, #TheArtOfTheMandalorianSeason2, #LifeDayTreasury, #AnnaGraves  

         

Day 1, Part 2: Celebration Store, Hasbro, and more!

Exploring the rest of Celebration, kinda, on day one!  The first article focused on Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase, much of it was revealed along with trailers that dropped online. Check out part one here: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2022/05/star-wars-celebration-day-1-lucasfilm.html  So first I asked about the poster that was promised after the Lucasfilm panel, but didn’t find about it until later.  Discover what happened in part three!  Then, I headed over to the Celebration Store, this took up most of my time, but there was some time at the Exhibit Hall. The book seller, Mysterious Galaxy, was one of the first vendors when you enter the store.  They were missing from the vendors section of the Celebration app.  I would recommend you check out their site, they are based in San Diego, but ship, just in case you might want a signed book from Celebration: https://www.mystgalaxy.com. 

Minion-D2?, I’m certain by a Droid Builder, Star Wars Celebration, May 19, author’s photo.  

They had stacks of books to get signed and some already signed from authors.  I went around the tables many times plus the employees were very kind and helpful.  The signing deal was if you buy one of the available books you could also get two other items signed.  This was your own books, comics, or manga.  I decided on Claudia Gray’s Leia, Princess of Alderaan. (2017).  Her site is at: http://www.claudiagray.com.  The other author for that day was Delilah S. Dawson, I picked up a paperback copy of Phasma (2017), I brought Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire (2019) which featured her character, Vi Moradi!, the hardcover of Phasma, and the first issue of Ladycastle, which I reviewed here: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3089085967458158642/6573396630478850442.  Dawson liked the review, so I hope everyone has picked up the comic or trade.  Her website is here: https://www.whimsydark.com. 

Around the corner was the pin store.  I picked up SWCA 2022 logo pin, two of the three packs; Road to Celebration The Mandalorian Pin 3-Pack (really because Fennec Shand was in it), and The Mandalorian Pin 3-Pack (Baby Yoda and Ahsoka were there).  Next was the t-shirts, shelves of them, full at that time.  I think some of the designs were clever, Wrecker’s Gym and Max Rebo & Droopy Mccool Reunion Tour and the Madame Garssa’s Sanctuary shirts.  I also got the Ahsoka Portrait t-shirt with Celebration logo and SWCA 2022 Logo T-Shirt.  I also picked up the book of the show.  I saw a guest with the Krssantan stuffie and I later saw the Frog Lady stuffie.  There is the Anakin “I Don’t Like Sand” Zen Garden.  Plus, prints of "The Call" from The Mandalorian episode where Mando see Baby Yoda opening up Jedi channels.  This was by Stephen Hayford and signed by him.  I saw many people haul out the SWCA Key Art Skate Board Decks.  Afterwards, I headed to the Exhibit Floor to try to find the panel poster, instead I saw a Dalek and also Minion droids!  Next I went to the Hasbro section.  In a case was the Vintage Collection Boba Fett Throne Room before he takes care of Bib Fortuna, it also had a stone base that does not come with the set.   

                                                                    Baby Yoda at Sideshow Collectibles, Star Wars Celebration, photo by the author. 

There were helmets, action figures of Clone Wars; Aayla Secura, Barris Offee, and Luminara Unduli.  A black series for Boba Fett who was on Droids (1985) in the episode “A Race to the Finish”, but he was really in the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).  Empire Strikes Back was in 1980, but they are using the Holiday Special design.  I was impressed by the other  Droids action figures and wondered about the Ewok movies.  I was directed to talk to Emily, she is the Star Wars Senior Product Designer for Hasbro.  I asked her about a number of characters that should be made into action figures.  Including the Frog Lady.  Of course, this was a new comment on possible designs in development.  Still, I pressed her about Teek and the Teek fandom, she was surprised that people like Teek so get it going on social media, #TeekHasbroFigure!  She has an interview on the Hasbro site: https://corporate.hasbro.com/en-us/articles/women_in_action_brands_star_wars_senior_product_designer_emily.  There was a Baby Yoda figure with a forest background who was on a tree trunk base.  Impressive.  I saw a fantastic Logray cosplay.  Next to him was the Sith Lady cosplayer, @KittyAntix.  A long, fun/tiring day at Star Wars Celebration! 

      

#CelebrationStore, #MysteriousGalaxy, #ClaudiaGrey, #DelilahSDawson, #Emily, #KittyAntix

Star Wars: Celebration, Day 1, Lucasfilm Studio Showcase!

It was the first day of Star Wars: Celebration, after Celebration Chicago, it has been three years!  Star Wars: Celebration started in April 30th to May 2nd, 1999 in Denver, Colorado. A sort of promotion for The Phantom Menace, opened on May 19th of that year.  There has been Celebrations across the country, in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.  I heard from one Star Warrior that she didn’t know or aware about the last Celebration in Anaheim.  The last panel I attended had guests from New Zealand and also Scotland.  So it was crowded, the app left out one store, and it was a little difficult to navigate several times during the Celebration.   

Still, the guards led me on wild chases, said my group should go down the escalator to get in the general line instead of heading to the first panel.  Then, there were directions and a queue to enter the Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase, some waiting, but that’s to be expected.  Know where you are going, at what time, and show up early.  I did not have a ticket to the main Celebration stage at the arena.  Instead, it was a large video screen, but the best part is the poster, Andor, for the panel and an Obi-Wan Kenobi poster episodes later.  There was cheers and clapping for the room to the appearance of actors and characters, Yvette Nicole Brown was the host, she had hosted for D23 Expo I think.  The usual host was voice actor, James Arnold Taylor, and also Warwick Davis.  

She welcomed Kathleen Kennedy to the stage and then Deborah Chow, Ewan McGregor, who gave us a “Hello there”, and Hayden Christensen.  Next, Moses Ingram (Reva) and Rupert Friend (Grand Inquisitor) walked on stage.  A new trailer was shown.  Then, the announcement that first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi would be shown at 5:30 p.m., really 7:00 p.m.   On the arena stage, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni were there for the third season of The Mandalorian.  Joining them on stage was Katee Sackhoff.  The trailer showed that there is a cost from the last episodes of the Book of Boba Fett so his identity as Mandalorian was taken away.  There is only one way for The Mandalorian’s redemption. A surprise announcement was The Mandalorian gallery, reservations started a half hour after the panel, but by the time I got around to it, they were all gone. Reservations will be for the weekend, so maybe Saturday will work for me.  

For Andor, they brought in Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly.  Luna was the most exciting.  This is an earlier Cassian Andor.  He is uncertain if he wants to stay away from the Rebellion or join it.  Similar to Jyn Erso’s arc in Rogue One.  Henry Gilroy said that it takes place five years before Rogue One.  Season two, starts about 3 years to the time of RO.  Six episodes for each season.  A teaser trailer was shown.  Favreau mentioned that Rosario Dawson was currently filming Ahsoka, but gave a video message (in costume) to everyone at the panel. It will debut along with The Mandalorian in 2023.  Then, we had executive producers, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, discuss their show, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.  It features four young people and stars Jude Law.  The show will stream on Disney+ in 2023.  Following it, there was the executive producer, Ron Howard, and producer Jonathan Kasdan, who worked together on Solo (2018).  

Kasdan mentioned that Warwick Davis was reluctantly brought to the stage, a joke, since he was appeared at Celebration from the start.  They brought up Joanne Whalley (Sorcha), a surprise appearance since she was in the1988 film.  Next were three actresses; Ellie Bamber (Dove), Ruby Cruz (Kit), the daughter of Madmartigan and Sorcha!, and Erin Kellyman (Jade).  The last part was a celebration of John Williams’ 90th birthday, he was brought up to conduct an orchestra, first with his theme of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.  Then, “The Raiders March” from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) was played and there was also the appearance of Harrison Ford!  A poster was shown of the new Indy movie.  Williams’ finished with The Imperial March from Empire Strikes Back (1980).  This was an impressive assortment of television and movies for this early Star Wars: Celebration panel.   

#StarWarsCelebration, #LucasfilmStudioShowcase, #YvetteNicoleBrown, #JonFavreau, #DaveFiloni, #EwanMcGregor, #HaydenChristensen, #MosesIngram, #RupertFriend, #ObiWanKenobi, #Andor, #DiegoLuna, #GenevieveOReilly, #HenryGilroy, #JonWatts, #ChristopherFord, #StarWarsSkeletonCrew, #WarwickDavis, #JoanneWhalley, #EllieBamber, #RubyCruz, #ErinKellyman, #Willow, #JohnWilliams, #RaidersOfTheLostArk, #HarrisonFord, #EmpireStrikesBack 

Re:tro Re:view - Laura and Other Stories #1!

Laura and Other Stories #1 is a masterwork of European art and writing by Guillem March!   This is a three issue, adult limited series by Ablaze, featuring March’s work.  This was earlier serialized in a newspaper.  Then, collected and printed in a hardcover book by the Spanish publisher, Dolmen in 2006.  He was the artist for Gotham City Sirens (2009-2010) and recently The Joker (2021-2022) for DC Comics.  March also produced Karmen as a graphic novel by the Belguium publisher, Dupuis.  It was made into a 2021 limited series by Image Comics. Karmen is an adult, surreal journey that covers death and life with an angel helped a student.  This comic book immediately made me think of European comic book art.    

The cover has the lead character, brunette with sunglasses, a pencil to the side of her mouth, and sketchpad on the nook of right leg.  The design of the pages starts with a stylish page with photographs, Palma CitySightSeeing book, and an sketch of Laura in the pink background.  It has the chapter, “I. Songs.” The next page as a biological explanation of love with a cellphone pic of Laura and the object of her affection?, Marcos.  It is noted that seratonin leads to obsession which Laura says is love. If love is rejected, then there is depression.  Laura in her yellow pajamas says that two months have passed and lowers her cell phone.  There is a quick flashback of Laura in bed getting a call from Marcos, his head is turned so there is only glimpses of him.  These panels makes me think of Milo Manara, Italian adult artist whose work also includes X-Women #1 (2010).  We see Laura and Marcos taking the selfie in a booth with a “click”, a hint to Manara?  

Laura is sad from her past thought to be “just friends”, but she crossed the bridge there.  She looks at the sky turning dusk from her bed thinking about all of the time they spent together.  We see them lying down, Laura’s head on Marcos’ stomach, and they hold hands.  The art and story are just jam packed, beautifully, on one page.  Now, she plays music, gets her weight, and notes that she still wears his scarf.  The last time they met was the exchange of his scarf, he says it smells like her.  An overhead shot has her looking down while in the elevator.  Laura remembers that she was good at art in high school.  The break up aftermath is something out of Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license.”  Flashback at the beach, Laura sulks over a couple kissing to Marcos.  The clean lines of this page makes me think of Moebius.  The incredible artist who worked on French graphic novels like The Incal with Alejandro Jodorowsky.  Moebius worked with Stan Lee on the Silver Surfer: Parable (1988-1989) mini-series.  

Laura says she is lonely and Marcos is with Paz.  The color of the blue sky is just a contrast to the washed out color of Laura alone.  Marcos, relaxing on his towel, explains the course of relationships to Laura.  He says, “Passion has an expiration date.”  Just incredible dialogue.  Marcos says love is like clay as we see a baby making a muddy mound of sand.  Later, they play paddle ball and Laura looks darkly at Marcos’ boast.  Night, they are out in the water, and Marcos dives in.  His splash shivers Laura.  He splashes her so she dives in and then can’t find Marcos.  We return to the present, Laura’s mother is there, and worries about her still in bed.  She wonders if Laura is going to clean and leaves at Laura’s insistance she will do so “later.”  Then, we have the arrival of Elena, red head, with glasses and a ray of sunlight in the murky world of Laura.  She opens the shutter and Laura holds up her arm at the bright sun.  Elena holds up Laura’s sketchbook with her artwork of Marcos.  

She holds up Laura’s purse saying that with the holiday on the following day, she needs to party and have a fling.  At the club, Elena lights up her cigarette and mentions a guy, Patrick, who tries to flirt with her at her job with the shop.  Laura loses interest in Elena talking and looks at the window to remember the night at the beach.  The dissolve of the bored Laura with the flashback of Laura alone under the moon, impressive.  She panics at Marcos missing.  Then, he lifts her on his shoulders and throws her into the ocean.  They rest on the surface, the fish passing underneath, this comic is a work of art.  Marcos says he will give her two things, he puts his hands “around” the moon, he hands it to her.  Then, kisses her, we see the dark sky, but it is lit up by the kissing couple, with light waves pulsing out like the center of a galaxy!   

Suddenly, Marcos says Laura’s name and shouts to revive her from her dream!  She fell asleep floating on the ocean.  He asks her about her dream and she looks up at the moon.  They lay on blankets and then stare listlessly while silent.  We see the morning sun, just beautiful, Marcos and Laura are sitting next to each other.  We get a series of panels and then Laura kisses Marcos and then again as this moves into closeups.  In the next part, “II. Nails and Banks”, Elena takes Laura to a party.  She meets with her friend, Xesc, while later Laura starts talking to a man in an orange sweater, Luis.  Then, they go clubbing for dancing.  The relationships remind me of Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise and also Kyle Baker’s Why I Hate Saturn (1990). I would highly recommend if you have a friend who doesn’t read comics as well as the last two graphic novels.  Laura and Other Stories #1 is brilliant and worth picking up soley for its art, but also an adult story of relationships, the beginning and the aftermath!  

Five+ Moons out of Five!    

#LauraAndOtherStories, #GuillemMarch, ##Laura, #MiloManara, Marcos, #Paz, #Moebius,   #Elena, #Xesc, #Luis 

Happy Birthday Doug Jones!

Happy Birthday Doug Jones!  He is a gift for every genre film. Jones started out as Mac Tonight from 1987-1989.  He had a role as a clown in Batman Returns (1992) and played Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus (1993).  Then, Jones played a kangaroo fighter in Warriors of Virtue (1997).  His first association with director Guillermo del Toro was in Mimic (1997). Jones terrified everyone as the Gentleman in the Buffy the Vampire episode "Hush" (1999). Another del Toro movie had Jones playing Abe Sabien in Hellboy (2004).  One of his greatest roles was as Fauno in del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth (2006).  Jones portrayed the Silver Surfer in Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). He returned as Abe Sapien and played two other roles including the Angel of Death in del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). Doug Jones had a role as Gerald in Felicia Day's The Guild and also played Saarebus in her Dragon Age: Redemption (2011).

                                                        Pale Man played by Doug Jones in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Icons of Darkness, author’s photo. 

Doug Jones had a part as the supervillain Deathbolt in 2015 episodes of Arrow and The Flash.  He was the alien, Cochise, in the Falling Skies tv series from 2013-2015.  del Toro brought him on again as his muse playing female ghosts in Crimson Peak (2015).  Jones also played The Ancient in del Toro's vampiric tv series The Strain from 2014-2016.  His latest part for del Toro was in his Academy Award winning film The Shape of Water (2017) as Amphibian Man.  At the same time, he was filming the brilliant part as the Kelpian Saru in Star Trek: Discovery.  He continues to play Commander Saru on the show.  Jones returns as Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus 2 due to stream on Disney+ on September 30th.  His characters even buried in make-up live through movements, facial gestures, and his eyes.  On top of his film and tv roles, Doug Jones is great to meet at conventions. He embraces you, wraps you in a cocoon-like hug with his long arms, he is one of the most gentle souls I've ever met.  We wouldn't have believable aliens and figures of horror without him. Happy Birthday Doug Jones!

#DougJones, #HocusPocus, #Mimic, #Hellboy, #PansLabyrinth, #Fantastic4RiseOfTheSilverSurfer, #HellboyIITheGoldenArmy, #DragonAgeRedemption, #Arrow, #TheFlash, #FallingSkies, #CrimsonPeak, #TheStrain, #TheShapeOfWater, #StarTrekDiscovery, #HocusPocus2  

Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers Review!

Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers is a CGI/hand animated/live action hybrid that is funny, packed with cameos, and brings the old friends back together again!  The director is Akiva Schaffer with a past film in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016) with Andy Samberg.  The screenwriters are Dan Gregor and Doug Mando, both from the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend comedy series.  The film is based on the Chip Dale: Rescue Rangers animated show that ran from 1989 to 1990.  Disney+ is currently streaming the movie which debuted on May 20th.  It opens to bright, sunny day in 1982 with an animated birds swooping around as we pan down to a school.  It seems like this is the real story of the Rescue Rangersverse, but the duo was created in 1943 with animated shorts.  We see a mix of animated and real life students walking in.  An animated cab pulls up to the school as we get the intro of Chip N’ Dale provided by Dale voiced by Samberg.  A school bus pulls up with third grader Chip looking at the school from the bottom step.  He has a baseball cap and t-shirt, perky about meeting new friends. 

The Cow Teacher (Liz Cackowski) rings her cowbell and introduces the new student.  Chip (Mason Blomberg) does a bow, but just gets silent.  So he takes a pencil to stab in his eye!  The prank doesn’t get the desired reaction.  At lunchtime, he is given the cold shoulder from all of the students, and sits at a tiny table alone.  He is joined by Dale (Julie Donenfeld) who has a Knight Rider lunch pail and loved his joke.  They introduced themselves.  Instant friends and bond over their favorite show, Crispy Cow.  This is the origin of the friendship of the show's characters.  After school, they head over to Dale’s house for pizza and movies.  By high school, they are making the kids laugh, and we get the adult voices, including John Mulaney as Dale.  In the audience of their talent show is a certain robot in disguise.  The animated and live action hybrid with characters from other studios does remind me of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).     

This is 1990.  In front of a cake for the end of season 3, Chip leads a toast to the crew and also to Dale.  They get a red carpet farewell, for a cartoon?, and a party with Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat from the “Opposites Attract” video.  Also, with party goers the Three Little Pigs and Roger Rabbit!  Charles Fleischer voices his return to the character after 30 years!  Dale loses his enthusiasm for the party and looks sad. Later, Chip goes into their shared trailer at the studio.  He finds that Dale has a poster for a new, secret agent show, Double-O Dale!  Dale wants to go his own way since he thinks Chip is the lead for Rescue Rangers, it is Chip AND Dale.  I really like that there is sadness, drama, for a cartoon character.  This is strange, but it makes me think of a break up of another comedy duo, Stan & Ollie (2018).  Highly recommended BTW.  There’s a phone call (from a massive 90’s cell phone) and Dale thinks it’s from his agent.  Both shows ended up cancelled. 

It becomes the “Present Day” with Dale in CGI form (from CGI surgery!) and make in his Hawaiian, Magnum P.I. shirt.  The CGI surgery that revitalizes actors' careers is a nice jab at Hollywood actors.  Dale is excited for Rescue Rangers 2.0 on Disney+?  He is recording this on a cell phone just his size for “Dale’s Tales.”  An announcer at Fan Con Los Angeles introducing the special guest.  I love the cosplayers including a mouse Leia and Kylo Ren.  It is of course for Baloo (Steven Curtis Chapman) from The Jungle Book (2016), appearing in sunglasses, blue t-shirt and pants.  Dale’s disappointment is consoled by fellow table mate, cartoon Lumiere (Jeff Bennett).  There is also a version of a CGI video game character (Tim Robinson) talking about his teeth.  Across from Dale’s table is also a cartoon character (Cackowski) from Avengers: United They Stand, kinda cool.  This shifts to Chip, still a cartoon, selling to a CGI customer with an interesting wool hat.  He as an agent for Coercive Insurance, clever, and also employee of the month.    

After work, he has to go see Millie, and Chip gets home after saying hello to the cartoon Mrs. House (Jean Gilpin).  On tv, the reporter notes that Flounder is missing, the sixth disappearance in two months. Then, he sees his room sized dog, Millie, and later sees the next film of the CGI Chipmunks rapping.  Chip gets a phone message from Monterey Jack (Eric Bana) who needs help.  At circular, hotel tower, the International Hotel, Monterey Jack pulls Chip into his room, worried about being watched.  Chip notices a strange scent from Monty and he shows the bottle of smelly Rescue Rangers cologne.  His friend admits that he was tempted by cheese and owes money to the Valley Gang.  Monty explains about Flounder (Rachel Bloom from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), how he was captured by a polar bear (Da’Vone McDonald) and CGI dwarf from a video game (Seth Rogan).  Then, he is forced to make bootleg movies!  A funny comment on the cheap movie rip-offs.  Monty also notes that Gadget and Zipper married (Yesh!) and have 42 kids (Double Yesh!).  Strange that Chip didn’t get a holiday photo.  A knock at the door!  It’s Dale.  Monty also called him up for help.  

Chip gets frustrated at Dale’s reboot of Rescue Rangers and is about to leave.  He walks the Walk of Fame stars, including Chun Li’s star, in Hollywood. He passes by a Fast and Furious movie in this world, and mutters over the situation.  While watching one movie at home, Dale calls and says Monty was kidnapped or “bootlegged” really.  He asks Chip to meet him at Monty’s apartment.  At the scene of the crime, is claymation Captain Putty (J.K. Simmons).  He doesn’t recognize their show.  Captain Putty that the police can’t help them with the Valley Gang involved with their leader, Sweet Pete.  We suddenly see the face almost like King Kong with the tiny sized characters of Ellie Stuckler (KiKi Layne). She reports that there is no clues around the perimeter.  There is also Officer Sock Puppet (Schaffer) saying that he has to make a police statement.  Ellie sticks around to talk to Chip n’ Dale, she’s a fan, and became detective because of them.  She knows that bootlegging takes two days, but needs their help finding the bootlegging facility.  

Dale talks Chip into going back into the investigating business.  The Rescue Rangers are back again!  Chip suddenly smells cheese and goes into the dumpster where he threw Monty’s cheese.  He finds that it came from Bjornson’s Cheese Shop.  Dale has worn a top hat tuxedo to make deals.  To reach the cheese shop, they enter the secret Main Street, like a walk into Toon Town.  Dale is suspicious of the bright and cheery Main Street, he whispers that a black and white character steals social security numbers and a CGI cartoon girl has Muppet fights, hilarious!  There’s cameos everywhere, including Mr. Natural from underground comix creator, Robert Crumb, where Dale sells his extra fur to his wig shop. The cheese shop has a Muppet chef and owner, Bjornson (Keegan-Michael Key).  Happily, Muppet-like when Chip asks questions and then he shifts into a more sinister voice when he is asked about “stinky cheese.”  Chip has detective senses, but is really the straight man, err, chipmunk.  Dale has the street smarts and goofy attitude.  They need to solve the “Case of the Missing Monty” and rescue all of the bootlegged actors!  Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers revives the cartoon show into a movie merging all of the Saturday Morning worlds and has fun with a detective story/comedy!  

Four Gongonzola Cheeses out of Five!        

#ChipNDaleRescueRangers, #AkivaSchaffer, #AndySamberg, #JohnMulaney, #JKSimmons, #KiKiLayne, #TressMacNeille, #CoreyBurton, #DaVoneMcDonald, #SethRogan