Kirby Vision at the Corey Helford Gallery!

Kirby Vision is a free exhibition of the artwork of the King of Comics and other talented artists at the Corey Helford Gallery! The gallery is located at the Arts District, 571 S Anderson St., in Los Angeles. More info is at: https://coreyhelfordgallery.com. the show began on June 29th and closes August 3rd, this upcoming Saturday! Jack Kirby is the artist of the early Marvel Comics titles that are foundational to the Marvel Universe. This includes Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and many more heroes and villains! There is a small section by Golden Apple with trade paperbacks and The Demon prints signed by inker, Mike Royer! The exhibition is presented by the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center. 

Kirby Vision at the Corey Helford Gallery, photo by the author. 

Take a pair of 3D glasses since you enter the gallery and see a wall sized pages of Kirby’s 3D comics! Plus, there is an oversized Captain 3D comic on a table. To the right is an old time newstand with the “Hey Kids! Comics” sign and comics plus a tricycle that carries comic books in back! There is a display of a Kirby Vision 3D poster for sale! On the wall is an introduction to Jack Kirby as a storyteller and his style, part of which is the “Kirby Krackle”, the distinctive bubbles of energy using negative space. Also, Kirby’s co-creation with writer/artist, Joe Simon, the romance comic. They worked together to create Captain America and many comics. Kirby was also pushing the industry with many genres, crime, war, sci fi, and monsters. One of the comics was Captain 3D which has pages and comics mounted on the wall. It has the different acetate layers used to make the 3D effect. 

"Big Barda” by Olivia.  

Around the gallery are the works of 70 artists inspired by Kirby, including comic artists, Cat Staggs with “Big Barda” in closeup with the Kirby Krackle, and works like a white sculpture of “Silver Surfer” by Carlos Soca hanging ten off some Kirby Krackle waves!  There is the full size “Whosoever Holds This Hammer, If He Be Worthy, Shall Possess The Power Of Thor”, by Martin Meunier, an anvil base with magnets clings Mjolnir that you can hold! Also noteworthy is the acrylic painting, “Big Barda”, by Olivia which is an impressive recreation of a panel from Action Comics #593 (1987). Info about the artists and works is on the Corey Helford Gallery website. To the right is Gallery 3 with continuation of the Kirby Vision exhibit. If you are wary, there is a sign in book with incredible sketches by artistic guests! 

Captain America original pages, comics, and MCU posters, author’s photo. 

Along the wall is the Marvel Superheroes section which has large recreations of covers like Captain America Comics #1, original pages, comics, and also photos of MCU films. Following it is Fantastic Four #1 (1961) that exploded out of the Silver Age and distinguished Marvel Comics. Also featured is Journey Into Mystery #83 (1962) that introduced Thor. Then, The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) which initially was not successful, and also The X-Men #1 (1963). It was over time with other creators that the characters have been iconic. Finally, there is Avengers #4 (1963) that brought Cap to fight in the modern day! Dynamic Storytelling shows Kirby’s work in titles like New Gods which is my favorite, putting comics on a mythological level which he explored with Thor. An original page is mounted from The Forever People #8 (1972). 

Forever People #8 (1972) cover, titles pasted on and notes, author’s photo. 

The best part of seeing original art up close is seeing the pencil notes by Kirby, details of ink on the artwork, and the compositions of panels. I was impressed to see Kirby’s original art for Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #139 (1971). DC then replaced his faces with Murphy Anderson’s art, Anderson is one of the definitive Superman artists, but it feels like defacing an artwork! There is Kirby’s crime and also his war comics informed by his time as a soldier. Romancing the Comic Book has Simon and Kirby debuting the Young Romance comic book. The Bad and the Ugly section features venturing into horror with The Demon! Also the Marvel monster titles that eventually led to Groot. He was introduced in Tales to Astonish #13 (1960) and was the standard one shot monster, but just appeared to threaten the world and the Hulk again. Then, he became popular along with the new Guardians of the Galaxy in the Annihilation: Conquest (2008) limited series.

Page 11, from the Marvel Treasury Special: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1976), photo by the author. 

One of my favorite works is still “Darkseid of Apokolips” which I had seen at the Comic Book Apocalypse: The Graphic World of Jack Kirby at Cal State Northridge in 2015. Pencils lines form the ultimate comic book villain, stoic, but ready for brutality!  There was a colorful collage that was used in Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers Special #1 (1983). He was innovative in using different art styles for comic work. This only includes Kiby’s adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1976) which was so ambitious since Kirby took it in his own direction! This was the same when he took the concept of Planet of the Apes and turned it into Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth with the experimental Cortexin transforming tigers, dolphins, and all sorts of animals in a post-apocalyptic Earth! Jack Kirby’s greatest strength as an artist was his endless well of creativity in all sorts of genres. He was incredibly prolific, churning out masterpieces that would put to shame a studio of current comic artists, and pushing the medium! Discover the fantastic art of Jack Kirby at the Corey Helford Gallery before it is gone! 

#KirbyVision, #CoreyHelfordGallery, #JackKirbyMuseum, #GoldenApple, #KirbyKrackle, #JoeSimon, #CatStaggs, #CarlosSoca, #MartinMeunier, #Olivia, #CaptainAmerica, #FantasticFour, #JourneyIntoMystery, #TheIncredibleHulk, #XMen, #Avengers, #JoeSinott, #MikeRoyer, #NewGods, #SupermansPalJimmyOlsen, #YoungRomance, #TheDemon, #TalesToAstonish, #Groot, #DarkseidOfApokolips, #CaptainVictoryAndTheGalactic Rangers , #2001ASpaceOdyssey, #KamandiTheLastBoyOnEarth

Man and Witch Review!

Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps is a charming family fantasy film that has a  genuine heart! The sub-title is a bit awkward since it becomes important only at the end.  It is directed by Michael Hines who also was the director of the BBC comedy, Still Game. The film is written by Greg Steinbruner, his first movie script, who also stars as the Goatherd. His production company is the Paper Canoe Company which is also co-founded with his wife, Tami Stronach. Steinbruner and Stronach have an introduction to the film and note the inspiration was a Neverending Story mural in Brooklyn. 

They were also fortunate to have the work of the Jim Henson Creature Shop for the talking animals. The effects shops' work includes The Storyteller’s Dog and other fairy tail-like animals in The Storyteller (1987-1988) show. Also, the creature effects for The Neverending Story III (1994).  Hanes noted that it was important to film the puppets on locastion in Scotland. Paper Canoe was looking for art like the “hand painted 80’s style.” Renato Casaro, the artist of The Neverending Story poster was contacted, he had not retired, because it was “technically the digital age” that ended demand for works of art like painted posters. I want more posters like Casaro’ artwork, not Photoshopped flyers. 

There are many touches like the poster and the cast that makes the film special. The movie is a Fathom Events screening for July 28 and 30th. In some mist, whispers are heard, and then lightning! Then, we hear at the end a cry, “Ogre!” We get “25 Years Later”, an odd transition, since the intro is mysterious. The narrator, Sean Astin, tells about the “Green-eyed Lady of Banebow", a nod to the Sugarloaf song? Astin has done other fantasy work besides Lord of the Rings such as the tv miniseries, Dorothy and the Witches of Oz (2012). He also mentions the Princess, the only daughter of the King, their land is the Contented Kingdom that is plagued by ogres. 

Fighting men take on the ogres played by David A. Sweet and Johnny Vincent, but they are defeated. The ogre faces are not scary, most of their faces are covered by strips of cloth. Then, we get introduced to the lonely Goatherd (Steinbruner), awkward with a bowl cut. Steinbruner starred in the horror film, Wake Me When I Leave (2015). His description, "lonely" is used a few times, really to hint at the song from Sound of Music (1965), though he doesn't have goats around. I wouldn't have minded a few songs, from the 80's, or medieval royalty free music. The names have the simple fairy tale quality, King, Witch, but need at least first names for a film. Astin voices his companion, Dog.

He passes the woods where Goatherd catches glimpses of a woman dancing in white. A Cupid looses an arrow, but it hits a milk jug and our hero falls. The narrator says, “It was just the beginning.” At his home, the Goatherd pulls out the golden arrow, I think the milk would be a love potion. It would also be worth more than a few goats! He also has as a group; the cynical Goose (Jennifer Saunders), Sheep (Eddie Izzard), and Donkey (Bill Bailey). Saunders voiced Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2 (2004). Izzard voiced Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). Bailey was in the fantasy sequel, Nanny McPhee Returns (2010). Comedy greats, but their parts are cameos here just to comment and make references to memorable lines to 80’s films.

His Mother (Pauline McLynn) disapproves of her son. McLynn was in the brilliant drama, Last Night in Soho (2021). This is unusual since the farmer mother usually supports her son in fairy tales. He does get some encouragement from the Neighbor (Reginald D. Hunter) which was confusing. I wasn’t clear if he was the Mother’s boyfriend since he is interested in the well being of her son. Hunter voices J’onn J’onzz in The Sandman audio series. At the castle, the King (Stuart Bowman) has betrothed the Princess (Matha West). Bowman starred in the historical dramatic series, Versailles. His king has a floppy hair and is quite silly. West was in episodes of the Wold War II mini-series, The Pursuit of Love (2021). 

The princess shrugs off suitors like Princess Jasmine that are all inept like Prince Brad the Muscular (Gareth Morrison), funny name! The Holy Woman (Moyo Akandé) is the confidante of the Princess. Akandé is in the historical drama, Tetris (2023). Also at the castle is Goatherd and his Neighbor wants him to talk with a woman. She signs to another man that she doesn’t like his smell. This might be a common problem for those times. The woman smacks into our hero and ends up with a bucket on her head! A slapstick role that isn’t really developed, but all’s well that ends well as Shakespeare would say. At the dinner table with Mother and Neighbor(?), Goatherd says that he “never had a sweetheart”, we see why with his clumsiness. 

Mother says he is cursed since birth! She says, “all his life he was invisible to love”, sad. Neighbor suggests that he visit the Hag of Banebow to break the curse.The next day, he heads to the woods with his animal friends, and out of it, a soldier stumbles out. This is the Captain of the Guard (Daniel Portman). Podrick Payne was played by Portman in Game of Thrones. I think he would make a great lead for this film. He says the ogres ate his horse! Goatherd removes a spine from the captain’s leg and binds it with cloth. This gets gratitude from the captain who leaves. Goatherd then sees the ogres feeding, he tries to hide, but knocks himself out against a tree! He wakens at the Witch's house. 

The Witch (Stronach) has a dark cloak and she asks him what is his wish. Stronach played the Childlike Empress in Neverending Story, which is in the film's promotion, and she had retired from acting in films. She was in Paper Canoe Company productions and has a contemporary dance company, Tami Stronach Dance. The Witch is mysterious and skeptical about the man. The Goatherd says, “I wish for a wife.” Strange, his wish is not break the curse. The Witch asks, “Mirror, mirror” and summons the image of her mother, The Wise Woman (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and father, The Alchemist (Christopher Lloyd). Aghdashloo played Chrisjen Avasarala in the sci fi show The Expanse. She voices Dragon in this year’s fantasy movie, Damsel. Besides the Back to the Future films, Lloyd was also in Dorothy and the Witches of Oz. Both parts are also cameos. 

The Witch agrees to grant the wish, but the Goatherd has to accomplish his three tasks and give up his firstborn child to the Witch! The first task is to lift a caber, a long tree trunk, 10,000 times! A Scottish sport is to Tossing the caber. He struggles to lift the caber, sneezing and hiccups. The Goatherd is dedicated in finishing the task. It reminds me of The 13th Warrior (1999) finds himself with a heavy sword and asks about it. He is simply told, “Grow stronger.” The Goatherd is dedicated in finishing the task. It reminds me of The 13th Warrior (1999) finds himself with a heavy sword and asks about it. He is simply told, “Grow stronger.” 

He manages to develop muscles and lifts the caber as the Princess walks away. It takes 11 months, but finally he gets to his next task, enter the ogre’s keep and slay the Ogre King (Greg Hemphill)! Still, the Goatherd is given for his task - a wooden spoon! He has to be cleve He manages to develop muscles and lifts the caber as the Princess walks away. It takes 11 months, and gets the admiration of The Witch with his new muscles. Finally, he gets to his next task, enter the ogre’s keep and slay the Ogre King (Greg Hemphill)! Still, the Goatherd is given for his task - a wooden spoon! He has to be clever to defeat the greatest threat to everyone! This will also leaves what will be the last impossible task, the Dance of A Thousand Steps! There is the Goatherd’s curse, The Princess, and also the Witch! Man and Witch has twists to the romance, magic, and fun in the Contented Kingdom! 

Four Cabers out of Five! 

#ManAndWitch, #TheDanceOfAThousandSteps, #MichaelHines, #GregSteinbruner, #TamiStronach, #RenatoCasaro, #SeanAstin, #PaulineMcLynn, #ReginaldDHunter, #DanielPortman, #StuartBowman, #MarthaWest, #JenniferSaunders, #EddieIzzard, #ShohrehAghdashloo, #ChristopherLloyd, #DavidASweet, #JohnnyVincent 

Inquisitors #1 Review!

 The hunt for the Jedi continues with Tensu Run as the target of Inquisitors #1! The Inquisitors are an interesting group that were first created in The Star Wars Sourcebook (1987), by Bill Slavicsek and Curtis Smith, a supplement to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. They ented canon with the Grand Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebellion: Spark of Rebellion (2014); FC-SWSo. Nick Bradshaw provides the cover art of the first issue with the Grand Inquisitor and the Fifth Brother, Seventh Sister, burly Ninth Sister, and the Seventh Sister (the last there are only on the cover). “Tensu Run Must Die” is by Rodney Barnes and Ramon Rosanas. Barnes writes the Ahsoka Tano comic. Age of Resistance - Finn #1 (2019) had art by Rosanas. An introduction notes that the Inquisitors are sent to hunt down Jedi after Order 66. It also notes that Tensu Run is on Darth Vader’s most wanted list! 

The agricultual world, Tagyon, first appearace, has farmers with tent-like camps, fames with globes of vegetables and a orangish beast of burden. In the shade, is an elderly man with glasses in a Jedi Order. The narration notes the “Jedi’s archaic dogma.” We see ships, including the Grand Inquisitor’s Scythe, descending to the planet. The Grand Inquisitor walks out of his ship, in the distance is a giant beanstalk-like formation. Black Purge troopers stand with him as he asks the old man about Tensu Run. He says that Tensu Run is not there and he is the only hope in the galaxy. The Inquisitor ignites his lightsaber, the blade right in front of the man’s eyes. The Purge troopers stand guard as the Grand Inquisitor asys that the Diagu a Jedi sympathizers. He kills the man as the Diagu turn away. 

Great detail by Rosanas with the villagers robes and the Purge armor. It seems like a little Chris Sprouse in the artwork. Grand Inquisitor says that evey one of the will die unless they give up Tensu Run. He orders the children bought to him. Also some nice expressions of the shocked kids and then their bowed heads. It looks like every person has an individual look. Excellent artwork. He taunts the Diagu saying that they are willing to let their children die for Tensu Run. He holds his lightsber to the boy and a man says Tensu went to the fourth moon. The Grand Inquisitor orders the children taken to Coruscant and to kill the others. The Purge troopers struggle to hold make the crowd as they pull away the children! Expressions of the man and the child. Then, Grand Inquisitor with his back turned. Brutal. 

The Devastator, Vader’s flagship at the time of Star Wars, he says he had commanded Grand Inquisitor to bring him Tensu Run. He replies that Tensu’s disciples are ready to sacrifice themselves. This is more important than the Rebellion, inspiring the people to rise up, this can't be stopped by the Empire. Vader says that now only hope of the Jedi is hope itself like Tensu Run. He flashes back to Regis Kor which was an Imperial outpost, then we have the Delta-7 Interceptor which we saw in Revenge of the Sith (2005), GL-OT3. It is piloted by the young man with short hair, Tensu Run. TIE Fighters launch and Tensu blasts them, outmanuvering more fighters, then he lands his ship. Tensu leaps out under fire by stormtroopers and ignites his blue lightsaber. He reaches a door, but it doesn’t close and his arm is blasted! He blasts the stormtroopers and then uss his comlink to report that the base defenses are down. 

#Inquisitors, #TensuRunMustDie, #RodneyBarnes, #RamonRosanas, #GrandInquisitor, #TensuRun, #DarthVader 

The Ark, “Kill or be Killed”, Review!

The second episode of The Ark centers on bringing Kelly and the new crew members and  it is a test of loyalities! Re:cap - “Failed Expeiment”; The Ark-1 is heavily damaged, the captain of the Ark-15, Maddox, doesn’t want any more crew to be moved to her ship. Maddox’s daughter, Kelly, is secured and Joma takes the co-pilot seat. Captain Garnet pilots the shuttle out. Maddox says Dr. Marsh is her “oldest friend.” Then, she asks Kelly to take the shuttle, but she says she will kill her mother! Maddox activates a security override that knocks out Kelly. Marsh says that she has plastic gel, Nevins says it is a explosive, he starts to extract it from Kelly’s neck. A fail safe like Suicide Squad! Garnet sends Joma to eject her. Marsh says Kelly has “other talents.” A key to colonization? Ark-1, Lt. Brice brings in a wounded Sasha to the engineering room, Eva hugs Sasha. 

She tells him to help restore the ship’s power and kisses Brice. Marsh works on extracting the plastic gel, Alicia is angry, but is held back by Angus. The shuttle moves between the Arks and Garnet says Maddox owes her. Marsh has disamed the explosive. Maddox says she doesn’t want Garnet to bring her daughter. Brice reports in making a shipwide announcement, he says that the systems are operational. The wounded crew looks up. He has a message of hope for all of them. He has the reports of all of the crew come in, this is unexpected hope like the end of Day After Tomorrow (2004). Ark-15 then leaps in FTL! We haven't seen the last of Ark-15! “Kill or be Killed” is directed by Milan Todorovic. The writers are John-Paul Nickel and Jonathan Glassner. 

Angus is being taken in a gurney through the halls with emergency lights. Dr. Kabir is taken in by Dr. Marsh. Garnet walks out of the shuttle hatch, she gives Kimi permission to board, Garnet tells Brice that they have requested asylum. Brice escorts away the engineers. Kimi tries to introduce herself to Felix, but he is curt with her. Jelena brings in Trust who wants to help. Garnet has a senior officer watch over him as he helps to restore Ark-1. Garnet shows Kelly to Lane. Trust moves towards Kelly who had killed his wife. Eva updates Garnet with Trust who says the navigation is damaged needed for FTL. Eva says there are spare parts, but the room was hit, no parts! Angus is laid down on a medical bed. Kabir painfully reaches a medical bed and refuses care. Marsh injects a needle into Angus. Kelly is taken in and Lane has Kelly restained. Marsh takes Lane and Alicia to tell that Kelly is a post-human called Upgrades by Maddox! The movie, Upgrade (2018), had a horror spin on augmented humans like the genetically engineered Khan in Star Trek. 

THE ARK -- “Kill or Be Killed “ - -  SAMANTHA GLASSNER -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY

Lane updates Garnet on the ship with Felix and Alicia. At the mess hall, Brice wonders about trusting the Ark-15 crew. Felix says his husband had died on Ark-3. Kimi says she is blameless with Maddox’s loyalists. Maddox’s order was to take over the shuttle, but no one followed that order. She has it is engineers, scientists, and medical personnel, Alicia adds civilians. Garnet puts it to a vote, Garnet, Eva, and Alicia raise their hands, then Lane!, Felix and Brice are opposed. The vote goes against Kelly. Felix wants to put her on trial, Garnet will act as judge, and Felix acts as prosecutor. Kimi volunteers Marsh as the defense counsel for Kelly. I like how Kimi is rational, another favorite character? Marsh still tries to examine Kabir. He has repaired her liver and spleen. Two doctors and two heads of security? I hope we don't lose our regulars! Dr. Kabir is a favorite character, but the show is not safe with characters, look at Cat. 

Kelly wonders why Marsh experimented on her, he apologizes, and then says that her post-human implants are working. It would have been helpful to have a ship's counselor like Cat at this time. At the mess hall, Kimi is placed on the council to represent the new crew, she calls Brice "handsome" and adds that pretty men aren't smart, funny! Lane brings up Ark-3 that they left behind has spare parts. Trust says that a remaining, rear navgational DOTE can help them use FTL. They can make one jump. Garnet has Trust volunteer, he has the technical knowledge, to spacewalk. Garnet meets with Marsh who says he will defend Kelly. She says it will happen after the EVA. In compression suits they reach the outside of the ship, Trust looks disoriented, she has him breathe in and out and not focus on space. He is still upset at his wife’s murder, he is about to float off, but Garnet pulls him back. Then, off screen, he vomits in his helmet! Space sickness! 

Alicia says she wants to spend time for Angus, he raises up to kiss her, and falls unconscious. Kelly stares at him! Back at the panel with a clean helmet, Trust again slips off, and then starts to work.

He falls away and Garnet has lost him to space! Trust spins into space, Garnet uses her booster to grab hold of him and then uses thrusters to move them back. Felix has reassigned Jelena to Marsh. He has her watch Marsh taking away her security i.d. and baton. Marsh gives Jelena a bucket as Trust retches! I like how EVA is not simply getting into a suit and operating in outer space! Garnet scans Cat’s bunk, laughs at Cat’s Cat Call poster, this was her show. She takes it down and then looks at he laptop with The Juno heading. Garnet checks with Marsh about Trust. He enters the code on the laptop. Trust explains the Juno Project shows the genetic match of the crew. Lane is disgusted at the thought of the project. They open the door looking at Cat’s ruined room. He shows her the bottle and he asks if Garnet has fallen in love. 

THE ARK -- “Kill or Be Killed “ - - JADRAN MALKOVICH -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY

She says she dated a few times at the academy. Sparks? Felix contacts her about the trial. Garnet brings the charges of the death of Helena Trust and the crew of Ark-3. Marsh wants Kelly to change her plea. Kimi is questioned. She says that Maddox told them that the Eastern Federation took over the ship. Interesting to get more of the Earth groups. In the Robotech anime show, it was the Greater Northeast Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Kimi says the landing party was unusual with Kelly and two bodyguards. Marsh asks about the landing party and Kimi says they didn't return which made her suspicious. It also makes me suspicious, has Maddox put in sleeper agents on Ark-1?, still I trust the captain's decisions. Garnet dismisses Kimi. Kelly is bought up to testify. Felix addesses Kelly Maddox, but Kelly says her father is named Fowler. What happened to her father? She says she was sent to Ark-3 to find Trust. 

Flashback, they were attacked by crew members. Dimitri (Miroslav Borkovic) was killed. Ross (Aleksandar Stoimnovski) takes Kelly away. The two hide in the mess hall. They are attacked, Kelly says “then”, but then doesn’t remember. Felix says that’s convenient. She only remembers when Lane found her. She says she didn’t kill Felix’s husband. Kelly corrects herself that she hopes she didn’t kill him. The show doesn't redeem the action of characters, but the question of running the ship, and really how it applies to everyone the viewers included, is every life has value. Marsh offers a solution. He says he can turn on Kelly’s brain implant, but has to do with all of the implants on! Marsh says to double shackle her! Kelly is restained at the seat, Garnet then has Marsh turn on the implant, he uses his wrist device. Marsh asks Kelly about what she remembers. She thinks back to stabbing a man. Ross tells Kelly to kill the crew. She snaps a man’s neck. 

Marsh says her right arm is strong like the Bionic Woman! Kelly pleads with Marsh to turn off the implant. A tear falls. A difficult part for Glassner, good work! She is activated to follow orders, but doesn’t remember them like the Winter Soldier. If her blood was injected into Angus, Kelly has post-human implants, I think the scrawny Angus will be transformed into Captain America!, half-serious. She admits she didn’t kill Felix’s husband. Brice checks on the laptop of a female engineer. Eva wonders what he is doing. Felix says she is a killer and Marsh says it was self defense. Garnet ends the trial. Later, she re-enters and orders Kelly to stand. She says Kelly is guilty of murder. Garnet says that Maddox is responsible for her actions. She says that she is like her sister. Garnet has Kelly confined to the brig and orders Marsh to study her. A few characters just have moments, Kabir, Alicia and Angus, but the drama is great. "Kill or be Killed" has courtroom drama, a de facto military court, the questions of loyalty, and the Kelly question of genetic manipulation!  

Five Compression Suits out of Five!

#TheArk, #KillOrBeKilled, #JohnPaulNickel, #JonathanGlassner, #MilanTodorovic, #ChristieBurke, #ReeceRitchie, #SamanthaGlassner, #JadranMalkovich, #PaveleJerinic, #RichardFleeshman, #TianaUpcheva, #StaceyRead, #RyanAdams, #ShaliniPeiris, #PaulLeonardMurray, #TamaraRadovanovic, #MiroslavBorkovic, #AleksandarStoimnovski    

Ahsoka #1 Review!

 August 2023 was the debut of Ahsoka spinning out of The Mandalorian season two episode, "Chapter 13: The Jedi" (2020); FC-TM2/5. Her character was introduced in The Clone Wars (2008) movie; GC-CWM. The Marvel Comic adaptation of Ahsoka has arrived with the first issue by Rodney Barnes and Steven Cummings. Barnes is the writer of The Mandalorian comic including Season Two #5 that adapted “The Jedi.” He also writes the Inquisitors comic. Cummings is one of the artists on The Mandalorian comic including Season Two #8. The regular cover by David Nakayama has Ahsoka wielding her lightsabers, a wary Sabine’s face to her side, Huyang is behind them, below is the smiling face of Hera, and the figures of Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. It adapts the pilot, “Master and Apprentice” that was written by Dave Filoni. 

The rollup title, in red, is repeated on the title page of the comic bringing the audience up to speed. The New epublic replaced the Galactic Empie. The search for Grand Admiral Thrawn who would bring togther the Imperial emnants. Ahsoka Tano discovered a secret map with her capture of Morgan Elspeth who is taken to trial. We see the New epublic cruiser profile with the approach of a ship reported by the navigation droid. Captain Hayle asks for identification from the ship. We do get the shot of the Eta-class shuttle approaching the cruiser. The comms officre tells the captain that the signal is an old Jedi code. He says they want to see the prisoner. Captain Hayle says that he wants to see the “Jedi.” The shot is shown of the captain with his six security offices standing at attention with the landing of the shuttle. 

The duo are in robes and the bearded leader, Baylan Skoll, greets Captain Hayle. The show has them as mysteious, but the comic has them fully revealed. Baylan is stopped by the captain in the show, the comic has the dialogue, with Hayle telling him that he is no Jedi. We see his apprentice, Shin Hati, at his side in the series. He thinks they are former Imperial imposters. He calls for the Mon Calamari officer, Jakris, to have them identified. The swirling effect of Shin’s lightsaber almost looks like the lightwhip. She cuts down security officers and then deflects their blaster fire, this is not in the live action show. Their lightsabers have an orange look in the show, but look red here. Baylan holds the Hayle’s blaster, say they are not Jedi, and then runs him through with his lightsaber! Some of the likenesses are good. First Officer Jensen Corbyt gets the report as the bridge is in red alert.  

We get a medium panel of the appearance of Shin, a closeup would have shown her menace. Then a long panel of Jensen pew pewing as she blocks the blasterfire, but not her swing killing the first officer! We see the security officers struck by their reflected blaster bolts. There is a great, but small panel of Baylan swinging his lightsaber. I like in the episode where he casually blocks the blasterfire in closeup. Four panels show Baylan finishing them off, the effect could be compressed since the panels are small. He uses the Foce to open the prisoner cell door evealing Morgan in orange fatigues. They walk the hall, there were sparks falling in the show, and she tells about the Jedi who looks for the map, knows about Thrawn, Ahsoka Tano! We see Ahsoka among the ruins of Arcana, the planet was later identified, but this is not noted in the comic.

We have a large panel of Ahsoka with her two lightsabers standing in front of the circular disc.  I like the show’s reveal of Ahsoka pulling back her hood to reveal her face. She uses the Force to slice into the ground to drop down. An eerie sound is heard and Ahsoka goes to unlock a stone column. Left out is the witch holding the map globe which is a great clue that is a foreshadowing. Also, the sound only occured when Ahsoka touches the column and it is a quiet sound. Then, the show has the stone figure of the globe glowing. The clicking sound effects were more important in the show. Strange use of sound effects. It is not made clear in the comic that another column rises and that she takes the golden map globe from it. There was a great shot of Ahsoka regading the globe like Indiana Jones. Ahsoka tries to contact Huyang and then Force leaps up and sees a red, HK assassin droid with an electrostaff.  

Four other assassin droids surround Ahsoka, but she has faced droids before! She drops down and then three of the droids fall from lightsaber cut holes! Ahsoka finishes off the others and the severed head of a droid says a self-destruct has been activated as well as two droids climbing out of the holes! Ahsoka runs and is contacted by Huyang who is going to land the T-6 Jedi shuttle, this is compressed in the comic. This turns into a firestorm that envelops the ruins and Ahsoka has Huyang continue to fly and lower the shuttle’s ramp. In a splash page, the explosion fills the page as the shuttle flies away! We get a detailed large panel that details Ahsoka’s equipment and the cockpit as Huyang notes that he kept the ship away as per Jedi protocol. She points out that the Order doesn’t exist. Ahsoka shows him the map globe saying that it is where Morgan had told her. She says she got the information by not following Jedi protocol and in the show clonks Huyang’s shoulder, funny! 

#Ahsoka, #RodneyBarnes, #StevenCummings, #DavidNakayama, #AhsokaTano, #BaylanSkoll, #ShinHati, #CaptainHayle, #Huyang, #HKAssassinDroid, #HeraSydulla, #EzraBridger, #SabineWren

25th Anniversary of Walt’s Barn!

Today was the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Walt’s Barn! The actual day was on Friday, July 19th. The reservations for the weekend were all gone! Disney’s barn was his workshop and it feels like his dream of Disneyland was made there. It was moved from his home to Griffith Park in 1999 and is maintained by the Carolwood Foundation. It is located at 5202 Zoo Drive. This was stunning to me since I didn’t see queue the last time, January 21st, that I went to the barn. It was a special day and I will say the best experience for one reason that is always there so don’t miss it! My reservation was for 12-1 p.m. with an orange band. 

Games at the 25th Anniversary of Walt’s Barn!, author’s photo. 

The last time I went it was raining so the train was down, but this time, the lowering gats went down and the Los Angeles Live Steamers 71/2” gauge model train chugged past the barn! Immediately to the right were booths for free popcorn, snow cones, and lemonade! This was right next to a storage building for the trains. Then booths for games, I didn’t win a goldfish or a goldfish cracker, but I did get a prize for playing the games! Basic carnival games; toss the ping pong into a bowl, it bounced out!, throw darts at balloons, etc. Across the train tracks, to the right was a booth for O-zell Soda Co, this was soda that was sold by Walt Disney! I got the Pineapple Whip. Next to it was a stand for free pretzels!  

The O-Zell Soda Company booth, photo by the author.

The prize table had stickers, magnets, pencils, and lil’ rubber duckies. Inside the barn, it was always great to see the artifacts from Walt Disney and the Carolwood Pacific railroad like the switch stand. Also, to see the Nature’s Wonderland diorama especially after finding traces of it at Disneyland. Again, I went back to see the passenger car that was at Disneyland, I do remember that they were interspersed with the open, side facing cars. I was told that the enclosed cars were taken away when they blocked view of the dinosaurs at Primeval World. I also imagine that it would be difficult to help guests enter and exit the car. Still, it was time to ride that choo choo train! “Chugga chugga! Choo Choo!”

The Los Angeles Live Steamer train next to Walt’s Barn, author’s photo.

Los Angeles Live Steamers is just a short walk from Walt’s Barn, head left, there’s small parking lots on either side of the road. There is a gate and a depot with two windows. The donation is $4 which is the best four dollars I’ve ever spent! Well worth it. The trains operate every Sunday, but I think it is best with Walt’s Barn open the third Sunday of every month. It is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is two trains that run, you sit and have to be careful about holding on, so no wild movements. It chugs along through a bridge, hands in!, past miniature towns which are all at amusement parks. Then, there are two tunnels that spray you with water, refreshing on a sweltering day! A windmill, water tower, buildings around Walt’s Barn. I felt instantly like small kid time! Three turns around the area, impressive!, highly recommended! The 25th anniversary of Walt’s Barn was festive and just topped off with a ride on the train! 

#WaltsBarn, #CarolwoodFoundation, #OzellSoda, #NaturesWonderland, 3Disneyland, #LosAngelesLiveSteamers

The Ark, “Failed Experiment“, Review!

Season two of The Ark starts off with the crew in danger while Lt. Garnet and her command desperate to save them! It is a sci fi show created by Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner with the first season debuting on SyFy. It followed the colony ship, Ark-1, leaving the doomed Earth for the  distant world, Proxima b. A disaster loses the command crew and the survivors are led by Lt. Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke), Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman), navigator, and Lt. Spencer Lane (Reece Ritchie), who questions Garnet’s command. The untested crew stands up including Alicia Nevins (Stacey Read), her computer skills have saved the day along with Angus Medford (Ryan Adams) who has saved the ship with his hydroponic farm. 

There is also Eva Markovic (Tiana Upcheva), ship’s engineer who maintains the ship’s engines. Dr. Sanjivini Kabir (Shalini Peiris) struggles to care for the crew on her own. Cat Brandice (Christina Wolfe) is assigned to act as the ship’s counselor. Felix Strickland (Pavele Jerinić) is the head of security). Now Garnet is the ship's captain. They have to deal with a damaged ship, low supplies, and other dangers of space travel. A hidden part of the ship had in cyro sleep, William Trust (Paul Murray) , the founder of the Ark progam. He leads a mutiny, dividing the crew, but this is quelled. Faster than Light travel is discovered using a “space distortion” bubble. The ship encounters the Ark-3 and find a woman named Kelly (Samantha Glassner). 

She is found to be part of the Ark-15 crew led by the ruthless Evelyn Maddox (Jelena Stupljanin) and Kelly’s mother! The rival ship reaches Proxima-B, but the planet has stopped its rotation, uninhabitable! William Trust has worked out how to use magnetic devices that starts Proxima-B’s rotation. This also draws in Ark-15, but Garnet risks the ship taken into the magnetic field to save them! Then, it is found that the planet’s dark side has liquid methane that has made it into a planetary bomb! Lt. Brice uses a double chemical burn to outrace the planet’s destruction, but the ship is crippled. Maddox offers to take in the Garnet and the commanders while Ark-1 is repaired. The other habitable planet is Ross 128B that is years away. 

THE ARK -- “Failed Experiment“ - - REECE RITCHIE, STACEY READ, RICHARD FLEESHMAN, CHRISTIE BURKE, DIANA BERMUDEZ -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY.

“Failed Experiment” is directed by Marc Roskin and written by Devlin, Glassner, and India Sage Wilson. The Ark-15, a shuttle leaves from it to head towards Ark-1. The ship is in danger, Brice sees the access off the bridge is blocked. They are warned about a hull beach. Astronauts head over to them. Garnet joins the group up telling about growing up in a lab and having a family, group hug! The hull beach begins and Garnet orders helmets on, air pressure escapes, and the crew starts to leave. Brice leaves and lastly, Garnet looks back, Kimi Joma (Diana Bermudez) greets them. Brice wants the crew saved and is held back. Garnet contacts Maddox about recovering the crew, but she wants a talk first. The shuttle leaves for Ark-15. Maddox meets the command crew, she wants to set out on FTL, Brice is shocked that the Ark-1 crew will be left to die. Oxygen supply is down to a number that Nevins says it is can only support 395 people. 

Garnet asks for oxygen taken from Ark-1. Nevins notes the oxygen scrubbers won’t support a large crew. Maddox gives them 24 hours, time that will be spent fixing the FTL, and she sends Lane and Brice to Ark-1. Garnet has Nevins come up with a solution. Alicia Nevins is always reliable and the best geeky character! Maddox gives Garnet a tour. At the bridge, Maddox sits on a couch and says that Trappist-1D is their destination, an estimated time of eight months, discovered after Ark-1 left Earth. Arks 10 and 12 traveled there. Garnet tries to use the ship's transmitter to contact Ark-1. She asks for the WD Frequency. Silence. Maddox says they might be dead. In the damaged ship, Felix pulls himself from the wreckage. He checks on a crew member, Naomi Spencer (Jessica Yemi), whom he sends to find others. Felix hears a moan, it is Cat whose neck is bleeding with shrapnel. He carries her though the damaged corridors and sits her on a medical bed. Dr. Kabir is trapped under a bed and Felix goes to revive her. 

He starts CPR, William walks in, and Cat says she isn’t any better. He promises to help both of them. She says she loved him and says he’s handsome, but not a good man. She closes her eyes one last time! Felix pauses his CPR, but Kabir is still unconscious. Finally, Kabir gasps! He doesn’t want her to move, she looks over, and sees that Cat has died. A farewell for Christina Wolfe on the show! Kelly is unconscious, her eyes are checked by Dr. Marsh (Jadran Malkovich), Maddox enters and says to ready for Ark-1's injured. She is unconcerned about her daughter. The doctor says he can "activate" her. Maddox only wants persons who have more than a 50% chance, he says they took that chance with her, and calls Kelly a “failed experiment.” Marsh holds a device to Kelly and her eyes open, she is activated?, Kelly knows what her mother had said. Brice sees a fire at engineering. Lane goes to hydroponics and calls for Angus. He is unconsicious with a chest wound. In his suit, Brice opens the door to engineering, leaps over the fire, and finds Eva.

THE ARK -- “Failed Experiment“ - -  JADRANN MALKOVICH, DIANA BERMUDEZ, CHRISTIE BURKE, STACEY READ -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY 

Felix is checking on Kabir and lifts up her shirt to see the wound. Brice has put a helmet on Eva and she shuts down the engines stopping the fire! She starts up the power again and they hug. Eva gets busy helping get the ship back up. Lane brings in Angus and sees Cat has died. Trust is sitting. He tells Felix to take Kabir to Ark-15. Felix says it will be painful, but picks her up. Trust just sits there stunned. Angus and Kabir are taken away. Garnet asks Lane and Felix for an update. Lane says Cat died. Maddox sees them and Lane says that Angus had saved her life. Marsh has Nevins stay outside of the med room. Nevins hugs Garnet, then she is asked about the oxygen system. Garnet watches the wounds, glass spikes of shrapnel, in Angus’ chest! Eva coughs and then gets an Engineeing B update. She says that Sasha Novak (Milos Vojnovic), fellow engineer, may be alive. 

  

Angus’ wounds are stitched up, Kelly looks at the man she betrayed, she walks over, and then apologizes to him. Marsh walks over to see Maddox asking her about the blood vaults. She says blood for Angus would be a waste. She asks about the Ark-1 doctor and says she has value since she saved her. Nevins is called for a crew meeting along with Garnet. They walk together and they hold hands, best friends! At a mess hall, the doctor says a group wants to go to Ark-1 because they want to be accomplices to Maddox’s actions. Joma is with them as well as five engineers who could repair teh ship! She has most of the crew in the lower deck could be alive. Garnet wonders how they can escape to Ark-1. I just love that the damage to the ship is not off sceen repaired like Star Trek, there is a cost to lives. Angus’ readings start to go critical. Kelly tries to revive Kabir and she tells her to get adrenalin. She scambles to find an adrenalin gun in the medical cabinet and Kabir uses it to inject herself.

She struggles to get up and says it is the loss of blood. Kelly says she is O negative and Kabir scrambles for the transfusion. Felix finds another body and sees a sparking cable above a watery floor! It swings by the bunk of Jelena (Tamara Radovanovic). She is Felix's partner. Felix climbs over to the bunk. He cuts the cable with his katana. He frees Jelena and they leave. Garnet has Nevin seal the doors of Ark-15! Angus wearily revives and he rages at seeing Kelly. Kabir thinks that her blood might be “weird.” Kelly's blood or body has regenerative cells like Wolverine? Garnet had Tradigrade DNA that helps protect her from solar radiation, a perfection of DNA enhancement? He falls unconscious. Kabir falls back almost going unconscious. Doctor!, you are needed by your patients! Nevins walks in and pushes Kelly. They are getting ready to move Angus and Kabir. She injects herself with the gun. Maddox sends a security team to med bay. They rush over with rifles, but it is empty! Maddox sees the shuttle about to launch. Nevins doesn’t want Kelly to join them since she is a murderer, she killed Trust's wife. Garnet convinces her that Dr. Marsh will only go if Kelly is taken. A mystery with Kelly like what we had with Garnet. The season two premiere of The Ark had my heart racing as Garnet and the others go though the cost of the scuttling of the ship!  

Five Compression Suits out of Five! 

#TheArk, #FailedExperiment, #MarcRoskin, #DeanDevlin, #JonathanGlassner, #IndiaSageWilson, #ChristieBurke, #RichardFleeshman, #ReeceRitchie, #StaceyRead, #RyanAdams, #TianaUpcheva, #ChristinaWolfe, #ShaliniPeiris, #PaveleJerinic, #MilosVojnovic, #TamaraRadovanovic, #JessicaYemi, #DianaBermudez, #JadranMalkovich, #SamanthaGlassner, #PaulMurray