Megalopolis Review!

Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis: A Fable is a phantasmagoria of look into a future, a Bosch-like chaos of the modern world’s fame, violence, and sex, challenging, with a message of hope. Francis Ford Coppola is the writer and director producing a vision that has taken him around forty years and his own money to bring to the screen. We see the cityscape that moves to the Chrysler Building, the world’s first skyscraper, with its 1930s spire. There is the narration by Laurence Fishburne. He plays Fundi Romaine, the assistant who documents the rise of Megalopolis. Fishburne collaborated with Coppola on his first film, Apocalypse Now (1979), and also The Cotton Club (1984). We get a closeup of Adam Driver’s face who plays Cesar Catilina. This is Driver's first work with Coppola and his last film was Ferrari (2023). Cesar's last name points to the Catilinarian conspiracy with the attempt to topple the Roman Empire. 

Out of a triangle window of the top floor, the reflection of the sun is golden, Cesar walks out in black suit and boots. The clouds race across the sunset sky sped up as Cesar slides to the edge of the building. He reaches out with his right boot, then suddenly slips down, Cesar yells, “Time! Stop!” His arms are crossed over his face, then he looks below to the street frozen in time. Cesar shifts back onto the building. He snaps his fingers and the street starts to move. Cesar looks around almost with new eyes. We hear a clock ticking, time, as there is the Milky Way galaxy that moves to the Earth. There is a CCCP, Russian, satellite that passes by. The title card reads New Rome, Third Mellennium, 21st century. The setting reflects on our time, but gives it the patina of history and future. We see a wild party, Clodia Pulcher (Chloe Fineman) is dancing with Julia Cicero played by Nathalie Emmanuel. Fineman is known for Saturday Night Live and appeared as Marion Davies in Babylon (2022). Emmnuel is in this year’s action remake, The Killer, and also known for playing Missandei in Game of Thrones. 

On a horse statue is Clodio Pulcher played by Shia LaBeouf who also starred in the lead role of the bio film Padre Pio (2022). It is an eccentric performance that is perfect, capturing the wildness of a party guy, but driven by ambition. Julia brings Clodia to see Commissioner Stanley Hart (D.B. Sweeney) who has arrived to take her home. Sweeney was in the drama, Gardens of Stone (1987).  Clodio is obsessed with Julia, but this is a passing fancy. At his office reading the headline, “Mayor’s Wild Daughter”, is Mayor Franklyn Cicero played by Giancarlo Esposito. Other parts by Esposito include Cotton Club and also starred as Lambert in Abigail. His mayor wants thing to be controlled and the same counter to Cesar’s city of the future. Cicero revealed the Caitrilian conspiracy. Julia is at a building clearing with many of the Design Authority personnel. She watches as Cesar stops the collapse of the building. This is making way for Megalopolis. Mayor Cicero is at the New York Public Library with classical architecture. His assistant is Jason Zanderz (Jason Schwartzman).  

The news reports that Cesar has won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of megalon, a new, indestructible material. Later, Fundi drives Cesar, and is told not to take the call of Wow. At a presentation, Mayor Cicero, Jason, and Nush Berman (Dustin Hoffman) enter. Hoffman starred in Midnight Cowboy (1969) and he was in the drama Sam & Kate (2022). They walk on wooden catwalks suspended above a city model. Julia also watches the presentation. We get the news telecast of the Money Bunny, Wow Platinum, played by Aubrey Plaza. Rio Vidal is played by Plaza in Agatha All Along. Her part is pure femme fatale, scheming and using her sexuality for her own ends. She interviews Hamilton Crasus III (Jon Voigt). This year’s thriller, Shadow Land, starred Voigt and he is also known for Midnight Cowboy. Crasus is the head of the bank. Cesar enters and recited the “To be, or not to be” speech from Hamlet about mortality. He introduces Megalopolis, "a city people can dream about", as the chairman of the Design Authority. Cesar accuses Mayor ciero as begin the "chief slumlord." 

Five+ Megalons out of Five! 

#Megalopolis, #FrancisFordCoppola, #AdamDriver, #NathalieEmmanuel, #GiancarloEsposito, #LaurenceFishburne, #AubreyPlaza, #ShiaLaBeouf, #JonVoigt, #JasonSchdwartzman, #DustinHoffman, #TaliaShire, #ChloeFineman, #DBSweeney, #GraceVanderWaal

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #1 Review!

The best comic book and most powerful story of the year is Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #1! This was a project in development by Legion M started in June 2019. The Kickstarter campaign funded the graphic novel in July 2023. Stranger Comics partnered with Legion M in February 2024. Part one of the graphic novel was released in March 2024. This will all lead to the film. Check out the inspirational and true story of Robert Smalls with this video at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaxgeBgG3Fk. The first print comic book will be available to order on November 6th, everyone should our local pre-order the comic at your local comic book store. The first issue has an introduction by the Legion M team. Also a foreword by Michael B. Moore, congressional candidate for South Carolina, the great great grandson of Robert Smalls. 

At Los Angeles Comic Con, there was a Shaft Trade Dress homage cover and a foil cover, pins and a print were also given to customers. The regular cover by Caanan White has Robert Smalls in uniform next to cannon with a telescope in hand before a battlefield! The writer is Rob Edwards. He is also known as the writer for the animated film, The Princess and the Frog (2009). The interior artists are Sean Damien Hill and Alex Paterson. Hill is the artist of the limited series, Bishop: War College (2023). Tales of Asunda #2 has art by Paterson. The layouts are by Darrell May. May provided art for the Morka Moa series. It is February 22, 1915, dawn, an older man in a suit takes his grandson out fishing. Beautiful colors by Blond and then some intense colors by Mauro Salgado. The boy in the blue suit gets into a small boat with his grandpa who brings a box. 

The grandfather steers the sailboat and reminds his grandson that they will only keep what they will have for dinner. Closeup as the hook sinks into the water. He gives his grandson the fishing pole. A closeup of the box of fishing lures and a brass telescope. The older man takes out the telescope and tells his grandson that he is looking at the water He is looking at the wind at the water and then the current. Very wise. He hands the telescope to the boy. A closeup shows that it is the “Property of the Confederate States of America, Captain Robert Smalls.” The grandson asks if it is from the war. His grandfather says that the telescope and himself are stolen property. The boy asks if he was stolen. He is told, “I stole me.” The grandfather tells his story back when his great-grandmother was the same age as the boy. I like the story device of passing the story to the next generation. We see the fishing line in the water.  

At the cotton fields is a young girl, the narration notes that they named themselves, so the girl took the name Lydia Polite. An elderly, bearded man and his wife with a fan are riding up in a carriage. We see the face of Lydia. The narration explains that Lydia was a Christmas present passed by John McKee to his wife, Margaret for their children. Lydia leaves her family and the narration says she raised seven McKee children. We see a young boy greeting Lydia as the sun sets. Then, the narrator says that Lydia raised their children. At night flyers are passed around, we see a closeup of one, torn promoting a lynching! It also notes “Toys + Games for the Kids.” The contrast is shocking. April 5, 1839, Lydia is giving birth on the floor of  a cabin. This is the birth of her son, crying, as she smiles. We see the McKee family, mother in purple dress serving tea to her daughter, the same age as the son, while Henry McKee reads his newspaper. He inherited the plantation from his father. 

A ball knocks against the house wall which gets the attention of Henry. He opens a window to shout. Henry sees Lydia’s son, Robbie, about to throw the ball. He offers to toss the ball when everyone else is working. The older Robert says he was a `quasi-slave’ and could be beaten or sold, but acting as a replacement son for Henry. They toss the ball to each other with the house painted white in the background. Henry also teaches him to fish which is like Robert and his grandson. They go out hunting, but Robbie hesitates to pull the trigger of his rifle as the ducks fly away. Henry asks why he didn’t shoot and Robbie says they looked happy. Closeup as Robbie says he has a question. This gentle scene shifts to Lydia’s angry face, a raging background of reds and purples at night, brilliant work by Salgado. She is mad that her son asked for his freedom. Lydia yanks his ear pulling him to the house. Robbie asks if he can learn to read and his mother says no to all of this questions. Lydia apologizes to the gruff face of Henry McKee and says, “I can fix this.” 

Salgado's colors turn hellish, orange and purples as Lydia takes her son to break his spirit. We see demonic figures of eyes and mouths, she is pulled away, two panels of young Robert looking at his mother's face. Powerful. The lynching is shadowy except a young girl who smiles at Robert as her parent pulls her and he smiles back. The shadowy figures and then a man with scars on his back. Young Robert turns to look at his mother. Closeup of the snapping rope. The young girl now only looks like a smiling demon. He looks on and the narration is powerful, "But all it did was make me defiant." Later, he is left in the cotton fields and asked his name. He says his name is just Robert and is told by another man that he will call him Robert Smalls. The man says he is Smalls because he looks like he never worked before. Shadow falls on Robert’s resolute face. Great work by Hill, it looks a thousand things are going on in Robert’s face in closeup.  

Five Telescopes+ out of Five! 

#DefiantTheStoryOfRobertSmalls, #LegionM, #StrangerComics, #MichaelBMoore, #RobEdwards, #SeanDamienHill, #AlexPaterson, #Blond, #MauroSalgado, #CaananWhite, #RobertSmalls, #LydiaPolite,   

Agatha All Along, Episode 5, Review!

The third trial of The Witches’ Road in episode 5 of Agatha All Along gets really dark! Re:cap - Episode 4; The second trail of the Witches’ Road focuses on Alice. Transformed into 70’s glamrockers, the coven has to rock out to destroy Alice’s demon, temporarily, it may come back. The exit is through the piano and the Teen is wounded by a spike on his guitar, but healed. The other witches talk in a circle. Jennifer says she was a midwife, Lila takes interest, she delivered Nicholas? Her binding was from attending a medical conference. She says it was a trap and she was bound without magic. I think she is bound psychologically by the Doctor; trauma prevents her from her powers. Alice says she was angry and disbelieved in magic when her mother died. Agatha is watching as the Teen wakes up and asks if she put the sigil on him. She says she doesn’t know, but the sigil will be lifted when it is not needed. 

He asks about her son, but then she leaves. Lila shows the vampire bite on her neck which she says before she knocked out his other tooth! We know there is a number of supernatural creatures in the MCU with Werewolf by Night. No Blade appearance yet. Agatha walks in the circle around the fire and Jennifer asks to see her battle scars. She rolls up her sleeve to show the knitting needle scar at her elbow from the Daughters of Liberty. A group of heroines from the 18th century who first appeared in Captain America #7 (2019). Rio says she has a scar, she did something she had to do to someone she loved, and it hurt the person. “She is my scar”, Rio finishes and Agatha leaves. Is it sacrificing Nicky Scratch? Lilia warns Rio about what she said in the sound booth. Rio walks up to Agatha and they hug. She tells Agatha, “That boy is not yours”! Agatha leaves her. 

Rachel Goldberg is the director of “Darkest Hour/ Wake Thy Power” and the last two episodes. The writer is Laura Monti who was the production coordinator for WandaVision. The dark, foggy Road covered with autumn leaves. A fox scurries away. Then, a black crow hops on a branch. A snake slithers on the ground. The fox enters the bowels of a tree as the fingers of one of the Salem Seven latches on. A whispered conversation between the Salem Seven. They are like the Nazghul in Fellowship of the Ring (2001). The Salem Seven crawl on the ground and one cups an obsidian in her hand, left by Lilia to summon Rio. Lilia breaks from her rest and warns the others about them. She explains that Agatha had killed her first coven including her mother, but she left the children who became the Salem Seven! They have a strong motive. Agatha rushes in to get the others back on the Road. They rush until they hear the screeches of the witches all around them! 

AGATHA ALL ALONG -- “Darkest Hour/ Wake Thy Power” --  JOE LOCKE, KATHRYN HAHN -- Photo: Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL./Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel  

Teen brings up a hexenbesen, the coven likes the idea, Agatha not so much. The screeches convince them to snap off large tree roots from a hillside. Lilia doesn’t like brooms as a stereotypical image of witches. They fashion the ends of the brooms and then begin chanting as they circle each other before exchanging brooms. Alice is ready to give her broom to Teen, but he has to find a proper tree root. An owl lands and then transforms into a Salem Seven! Others appear. Alice smacks the one over Teen. Agatha has them finish the ritual. Then, they start to run, before riding their brooms Harry Potter-style! The coven soars across the red moon. Great image. They are happy broom riding and Lilia says she hasn’t ridden one in centuries. Suddenly, the winds start to drop the brooms, Agatha says it is the Road! Rio cackles like the Wicked Witch of the West. 

Teen spots a cabin in the night, but a Salem Seven witch stands before it, and screams sending out swarms of insects! Agatha and the others crash through the insect cloud and stumble off their brooms. The coven rushes into the cabin and transformed into the 80’s! Teen looks like he walked out of Stranger Things with blue headband and red sweatshirt. The same outfit as Billy in WandaVision! Agatha doesn’t like her ponytail and football jersey! It is like the mother in Poltergeist (1982). The 80's style is not fun, no music cues, more like a gag. She says they are safe inside from the Salem Seven. Alice looks at her green workout outfit and asks how they are safe, “Kiss marry kill?” Funny! Teen lost his spellbook on the broom. Rio says it is Agatha’s trial. Lilia notes the blood moon. She says the trial is to speak to the dead. A Ouija board game flies out. I always thought it was interesting that the name is “Oui”, French for yes, and “ja”, German for yes. 

The alarms on their digital watches start to count down from 30. Teen breaks out the game and reads the rules. Lilia asks what is on the back of the instruction book and Teen reads, “For ages three and up”, this show can be really funny! The coven puts their fingers on the planchette, the piece that is moved around the board, Agatha calls for “Mother, maiden, crone.” I wonder if there will be an Agatha All Along edition of Ouija. Agatha asks if there is a spirit and the planchette goes to “Yes.” It moves to spell out “Mrs. Hart”! The planchette is dragged out of Lila’s fingers and then Agatha begins spinning her head! Agatha starts to speak like Mrs. Hart, about her cheerful life in the suburb, until they took her to die. Rio knows it is just an act. Agatha becomes more serious for the next session. Lights begin to flicker. The words spelt out is “Death” which is against the rules. It’s intention is to “Punish.” Agatha asks who does it want to punish and yes, “Agatha” is spelt again and again as Agatha tries to stop it.

She takes her fingers off and the game flies away! Papers fly as their is a screeching that has them all cover their ears. Lilia says she hated this the first time. Is it a message from an alternate time or some time in the future? This goes on until Jennifer says, “Punish Agatha!” Jennifer knows that it is not some spirit, but the coven’s task to punish her! Rio has her knife ready to slash Agatha’s neck. Jennifer goes to get a coil of rope, but Agatha is gone from the floor, and the lights go out! Rio lights a candle and the others find flashlights. Teen feels a drop on his shoulder.  He points his flashlight up and finds a demonic faced Agatha, pale with dark eyes, on the ceiling! The possessed Agatha twists upside down to crawl around like Kayako in The Grudge (2004). She threatens the Teen, but then Jennifer gets her attention so the witch chokes her! 

Lilia turns on the lights which ends the possession. Rio calls out for Agatha who is again missing. A cat clock and robot toy move. Then, a mist descends and forms into a ghostly woman, it is Evanora Harkness (Kate Forbes), Agatha’s mother! Forbes reprises the part from WandaVision. Agatha, in the upper floor, greets her mother. Evanora is angry that the coven joined Agatha. She says they have to finish the Witches’ Road without Agatha. Lilia explains that they have to punish Agatha. Evanora wants her daughter, but Rio defies her. Agatha asks her mother why she hates her. Evanora says she was born evil and says she should have killed her once born. A tear on Agatha’s eye. Strong acting by Hahn. Jennifer wants to leave. Agatha pleads for them to take her. Evanora possesses Agatha again. Alice blasts the possessed Agatha. Very cool to finally see magical powers. 

This knocks Evanora out of Agatha and she begins to take in the magic with her purple power. Lilia screams no as Alice is being drained of her power and life. Teen goes to the Ouija board, he asks who is it, and it spells out, “Nicholas Scratch”! The alarm beeps, time over, and Teen shouts out, “Nicholas Scratch!” This snaps Agatha back. She hears echoes of the young Nicholas saying, “Momma! Stop.” An attic ladder unfolds. Alice is on the floor withered. Teen tries to revive Alice and screams, “Don’t touch her!” to Agatha. Jennifer tells him that Alice is gone. Another Road casualty. Agatha begins climbing the ladder. She looks distraught on the Witches’ Road, but forms Alice’s fire before it fades. Teen is angry at her. The others pass saying that this will end in death. The coven seems less interested in Alice than Mrs. Hart, did they take her body for burial? There are some laughs, but the episode is not cleverly written as the others. Agatha’s trail hints at some dark truths in this fifth episode, but the costs are too heavy! 

Four Lockets out of Five! 

#AgathaAllAlong #RachelGoldberg, #LauraMonti, #KathrynHahn, #JoeLocke, #AubreyPlaza, #SasheerZamata, #PattiLuPone, #AliAhn, #KateForbes, #OkwuiOkpokwasili, #ChauNaumova, #BethanyMichelleCurry, #AthenaPerample, #AliciaVelaBailey, #BrittaGrant, #MarinaMazepa  

Happy Birthday Guillermo del Toro!

 Happy Birthday Guillermo del Toro! His first film was Cronos (1993) which was a horror movie involving a device to keep owners immortal. It co-starred his long time co-star Ron Perlman. He moved from there to The Devil’s Backbone (2001) which began his collaboration with cinematographer Guillermo Navarro and composer Javier Navarette. Del Toro entered the studio system with the horror movie Mimic (1997) which was a brilliant film about a CDC doctor who uncovers a strange breed of insect underneath New York. Next, he directed Blade II (2002), a masterful entry in the vampire action franchise.  Guillermo then directed Hellboy (2004) based on the Mike Mignola comic book. It featured Ron Perlman as the demonic anti-hero.  

Guillermo del Toro with Geppetto and Pinocchio at the Variety screening of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, 2023, author’s photo. 

One of his best films is El laborinto del fauno or Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) as it is better known.  A dark fantasy that blends Alice in Wonderland, fairy tales, and the harsh reality of the Spanish Civil War. Long time colloborator, Doug Jones, played many of the creatures including Fauno. It won the Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Cinematography, and Make-up. He followed it up with Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). In 2008 he formed the production company Cha Cha Films with fellow filmmakers, Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Del Toro worked on a television series and later turned into a trilogy of books starting with The Strain (2009) with co-author Chuck Hogan. In 2013, he directed Pacific Rim (2013) merging his love of kaiju and mecha. He directed the pilot, “Night Zero” (2014) of the series The Strain when the series arrived for FX. The Gothic horror movie Crimson Peak (2015) was his next film. 

Scultures of legendary make-up artist, Jack Pierce, working on transforming Boris Karloff into Frankenstein’s Monster, Guillermo del Toro: At Home With Monsters, 2017, photo by the author. 

Guillermo del Toro made Trollhunters into a book in 2015 with co-author Daniel Kraus. The animated series Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia with Dreamworks Animation was finally realized in 2016 for Netflix. In 2017, Del Toro opened his house, so to speak with the touring exhibition Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters. He finished the year with The Shape of Water which won him the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture. Del Toro directed the thriller, Nightmare Alley (2021). He accomplished another lifelong dream with Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature with co-director Mark Gustafson. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities was hosted by Del Toro in 2022. He is currently making another personal dream, Frankenstein! Happy Birthday Guillermo del Toro!

#GuillermoDelToro, #Cronos, #RonPerlman, #DevilsBackbone, #GuillermoNavarro, #JavierNavarette, #Mimic, #BladeII, #Hellboy, #PansLabyrinth, #DougJones, #HellboyIITheGoldenArmy, #ChaChaFilms, #AlfonsoCuaron, #AlejandroGonzalezInarritu, #TheStrain, #ChuckHogan, #PacificRim, #PT, #CrimsonPeak, #Trollhunters, #DanielKraus,  #GuillermoDelToroAtHomeWithMonsters, #TheShapeOfWater, #NightmareAlley, #GuillermoDelTorosPinocchio, #MarkGustafson, #GuillermoDelTorosCabinetOfCuriosities, #Frankenstein 

Superman & Lois, “The End & The Beginning”, Review!

Season four of Superman & Lois brings the series to close with Lex Luthor unleashing Doomsday on Superman! Lex Luthor is freed from prison and brings Doomsday! The ultimate, brutal villain first appeared in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992). It crashes into the farmhouse as Luthor walks away. Then, out into Smallville streets to Metropolis. Doomsday is pinned on a spire of a building. Then, it slams Superman down before taking him into the sky. "The End & The Beginning" is directed by Gregory Smith. Greg Berlanti is the writer. Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) revives, curls his fist, and punches Doomsday (Paul Lazenby) to the moon. The two mortal enemies face each other. Doomsday rips off two of his body spikes, Superman flies towards him, and they collide in an explosion. Darkness. 

We see the aftermath, a floating mass of blood and rubble. Then, the cape of Superman’s torn cape floats against the Earth. Jordan (Alex Garfin) extinishes the barn fire with his super breath. Jonathan (Michael Bishop) has found a ELT, the device that sends a signal only Superman can hear. They realize that this is why Luthor wanted his grandfather. Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) tells Jordan to focus on his voice not his father. Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) exits a truck to see the destruction site. He made his debut in last season's “Injustice” (2023). Cudlitz is known for playing Abraham Ford in The Walking Dead. He is met by Amanda McCoy (Yvonne Chapman) says it has a been a month since he was in prison. Chapman plays Kyoshi in the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender. The character was introduced in Superman #2 (1987) and it is her introduction here. 

She gives him a key. He says things have worked for seventeen years. Luthor says she is the only one he trusts. He asks about Elizabeth. It is a dark room, with torn paper on its window, he tears it off and sees the Smallville Gazette building. Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh), tied up and gagged, is thrown out of a trunk. Gretchen Kelley (Rebecca Staab) and Otis (Ryan Jefferson Booth) have him prisoner. She first appeared in the episode, “What Kills Only Makes You Stronger” (2023). The character was introduced in Superman #2 (1987). I recalled seeing her at a convention promoting the infamous Fantastic Four (1994) movie, and she was the perfect Sue Storm. Booth plays a tough version of 1978's Superman's goofy henchman. He played King in 2021 and 2022 episodes of The Flash.

Night, Jordan can only hear a muffled sound. Lois walks away saying the radiation makes her brain foggy. The brothers talk to each other. Jordan worries and remembers the look on his father’s face. Jonathan says he will survive it. Jordan says he is not ready without him. Lois sees the stitched sign, “It went by so fast”, she flashes back with Clark joining her. Clark says his mother went to town for privacy. He says he’s in love with her. They talk about the Superman interview and then they kiss. Clark shyly says, “I never -“! This is so Clark, touching and funny. Lois says, “Get ready for having the best day of your life.” Lois activates the ELT. A trail is made on the mmoon as Superman continues the battle with Doomsday. It is brutal, swings, and masses of rock. They blast each other. Superman snaps off one of Doomsdays’ spikes. It roars at him! Superman flies towards the monster. 

Morning at Smallville, Lois is met by Luthor at the Smallville Gazette office, she wants to know where is her father. Lois shows him the ELT. He says she should have taken his offer. Luthor says she has been hidden behind Superman and her father. He asks her if she likes the small town. He points out his room. Luthor says almost losing his business and having his daughter turn against him. He sees the headline. At the Daily Planet, Lois watches a news report on criminals using Kryptonite weaponry, Clark walks in and says it was Luthor. She takes out a Kryptonite shard from his neck. Lois says they just got married. Clark says, “You’re stuck with me forever.” These are moments where the series shines, Clark married with Lois, usually the doom of television shows, this gives added dimension to the superhero and adds romance.  

Sam struggles in his handcuffs to a chair. Gretchen offers him water from a canteen. He says the DoD does not negotiate. Jordan blames himself for setting Sam up with Gretchen. Jonathan tries to tell him that it is not his fault. He gives his brother his jacket so they can go eat. Gretchen gets a phone call from Luthor. He says, “One to the head and one to the heart”! Sam knows that it is Luthor as Gretchen takes out her gun. He mentions this grandkids and daughter. He makes promises as he tries to slip out of the rope. Gretchen kisses him. She says she can’t hide from Luthor. Sam pulls free from the rope, struggles with Gretchen, and then headbutts her. Jonathan and Jordan are at the diner as Luthor walks in! He sits down next to Jordan. They know him. He says seventeen years ago he was put in prison by Superman. He shows a picture of his daughter, Elizabeth, the only person who loves him. 

SUPERMAN & LOIS -- “The End & The Beginning” -- ELIZABETH TULLOCH, TYLER HOECHLIN -- Photo Credit: Colin Bentley/The CW — © 2024 The CW. 

Luthor says their mother took her from him. He clenches his fist. A younger, blond with full hair Luthor tells Lois not to run a story. He says she is protecting Superman. His threats don’t work on her. The sons tells their mother about Luthor. She forbids him from taking action against Luthor. She wants him to help her father. Sam tries to smash out of the door, uses a fire extinguisher, and finally breaks out. Then, he is knocked out by Otis. The moon, under it, a grave is dug by Otis, Sam is bound and gagged, he mentions that Gretchen. Luthor says he wanted to make it painless. He wants to show him the newspaper. Sam taunts him with his daughter. “He always comes back.” Luthor digs him into the grave and throws the paper. Otis shovels the dirt on Sam as Gretchen watches. I know the comic book, "Death of Superman" storyline, but the show has the parallel danger with Sam Lane in mortal danger.  

Lois is in a hospital bed, twitching, a nurse tells her that she has had a seizure! She is giving birth. Lois wants Clark to get Dr. Patel. Then, she pulls him back. Jonathan gets Lois’ attention. Jordan has heard a faint sound from his grandfather. Jordan hears the sonic signal and then hears Gretchen. They are walking to a truck. Jordan in a goggles and suit brings Lois. Lois slams Gretchen to the truck and told she is too late. She realizes that the duo buried Sam! Jordan uses heat vision to find Sam and then digs him out at super speed, wow. Lois hugs her father. Sam recovers in a hospital bed, his grandsons, and Lois are there. He asks about Clark. Lois sends her sons outside. Sam says he saw the headline. Luthor looks at the photo of his daughter. Gretchen and Otis drive up in the van. It is clear that Lex Luthor is ruthless with the obession of his daughter. 

Otis says Lois Lane showed up and tells him about the boy with super powers. Gretchen shows him the video of Jordan with his fans. Lois tells Sam that Luthor is coming after her. Sam says he let his guard down with Gretchen. He says Clark survived Luthor. Lois says that this time is not the same. The battle, Doomsday pounds Superman. Closeup of Doomsday’s fist slamming into Clark’s cheek. Superman is slammed into rock. His vision is distorted. Doomseday hurtles towards him. Superman lifts up, battered, his shoulder torn by Doomsday’s spikes. It is a brutal fight, CG matched with the stunts, but feels real with Hoechlin. Superman's eyes glare with heat vision, he screams and the asteroid there are on explodes. Doomsday’s fist is clutching a patch of red. Superman is suspended, eyes open, gone. Superman and Lois shines with "The End & The Beginning", the super hero battle is matched with the human drama, kidnapping, teenage sons, and romance. 

Five Kryptonite Crystals out of Five! 

#SupermanAndLois, #TheEndAndTheBeginning, #GregorySmith, #BrentFletcher, #ToddHelbing, #TylerHoechlin, #ElizabethTulloch, #AlexGarfin, #MichaelBishop, #DylanWalsh, #MichaelCudlitz

Saturday - L.A. Comic Con!

Today, Saturday, was another full day at L.A. Comic Con! In this case, I set aside as Celeb Day!, spent in the autograph area next to South Hall. I wasn’t able to afford the autographs of Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Still, I did get to see Vivien Lyra Blair, who played lil’ Princess Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). She’s so tiny!, awww. The next person I saw was Amy Jo Johnson. She of course is known for playing Kimberly Hart, the Pink Ranger, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Johnson was also the writer for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return limited series. Find out more about her latest work at www.amyjojohnson.com. 

Star Wars group photo at the South Hall steps, author’s photo. 

Lastly, I went to see Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, one of the many roles he played was Captain Carson Teva in The Mandalorian. Also, Appa in Kim’s Convenience, and Uncle Iroh in the Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix series. I mentioned it has taken so long to get an Captain Teva action figure that it should be life sized with talking feature, his wife groaned at the comment, funny! Then, I went into the South Hall and on the way there was a group photo op of all of the Star Wars cosplayers with lightsabers. I went to check out Stranger Comics, they had copies of the Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #1 comic! There was a variant cover like a movie poster and a foil cover. 

Rob Edwards and Darrell May, the creative team of Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #1, author’s photo.

There was also a print and pin offered with the two comics! At the booth was writer, Rob Edwards, and artist, Darrell May, who provided the layouts. It was interesting to talk to Edwards who also wrote The Princess and the Frog (2009). He related the story of a little boy who found that the story of Tiana was relatable. Robert Smalls is one of the most fascinating historical figures and it is being developed as a film with the backing of the fan-owned company, Legion M.  Learn about the project, comic book, and movie at: https://join.legionm.com/robert-smalls-defiant/. The walkways and all of the main stage was filled with Star Warriors and fans. This was for the interview of Ewan McGregor. He mentioned his uncle, Denis Lawson, and that he appeared in two conventions with him. Also, that he was interested in season 2 of Obi-Wan Kenobi and that he wanted to be in the Clone Wars armor. Celebs and comic books were some of the highlights of L.A. Comic Con! 

Ewan McGregor at the main stage, photo by the author. 

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