Lorcana: Fabled Review!

 Fabled had its game store pre-release on August 29-31st. The wide release was on September 5th. This set has the chance for new players to start a game of Lorcana. It has reprint cards that are favorites like Stitch: Rock Star or Ariel: Sonic Warrior. The new characters are from A Goofy Movie and Dumbo! The puzzle cards form an image of Powerline from A Goofy Movie. I like the puzzle cards since it is like collecting trading cards back in the small kid days. It feels almost like this set looking back at old favorites, plus a few new cards, is a reboot for the Lorcana game. 

There are rare foil cards like the standard Foil cards that have a silvery surface. Next, Rainbow Foil, the card is in foil, but with three prism-like rainbow shafts that reveal themselves moving the card! Enchanted cards which has the Inkwash foiling. This is a magical pattern raised from the card and swirling around a character. This also applies to the card name which blazes in gold-like letters and the rarity symbol that flashes like a diamond. Fabled has introduced the Epic cards with frame-less artwork, a rainbow foil that passes across the card, art and text, and then surges down the embossed figure! Ravensburger continues to innovate beyond simple Foil cards!

I have gotten all of these rare foil cards and not at the level where I bought the Illumineer’s Treasury, all of the starter decks, and piles of packs. I bought the starters and maybe twenty packs. The Epic I got was Robin Hood: Capable Fighter, an Enchanted card of Beast: Gracious Prince, a Rainbow Foil of Max Goof: Rebellious Teen which came from the Emerald/Ruby deck, and a Elsa: Gloves Off Foil. The point is I think you have a good chance of getting these Foil cards with this set! If you wonder where to get started with Lorcana, missed some of the top cards from the game, or what to complete your collection of fantastic art, Lorcana: Fabled is the set to buy, check your local retailer! 

#Fabled, #Lorcana, #Ravensburger, #StitchRockStar, #ArielSonicWarrior, #AGoofyMovie, #Dumbo, #Foil, #RainbowFoil, #Enchanted, #Epic, #IllumineersTrove, #RobinHoodCapableFighter, #BeastGraciousPrince, #MaxGoofRebelliousTeen, #ElsaGlovesOff 

Alien vs. Captain America #1 Review!

The Alien Xenomorphs are unleashed on the World War II set world of the Man with the Shield in Alien vs. Captain America #1! Alien in comics started at Marvel Comics with a 2021-2022 limited series. They have fought in a crossover with the Avengers in a 2024 series. The title is confusing with a singular Alien with many Xenomorphs in the battle. This may be for pre-Alien (1979) set titles, but I think this should be identified as an alternate world. Similar to the What If…? Aliens mini-series with Carter Burke surviving the second film. The Shield Slinger now has to take on the Xenomorphs courtesty of writer, Frank Tieri, in “Operation: Red King.” He previously wrote a story in Captain America #616 (2004). Art is by Stefano Raffaele who also was the artist for this year’s Bring on the Bad Guys: Doom #1.

The regular cover has Cap holding his shield up as hordes of Xenomorphs swarm over him. A prologue introduces of the World War II setting with Cap fighting against Hydra agents. This includes Baron Von Strucker, the villain who made his debut in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes #5 (1964). He is searching for “something” for the Red Skull. Cap’s nemesis from the beginning in Captain America Comics #1 (1941)! It will change the balance of this “broken world”! Cap’s shield slams into Hydra agents. His gloved fist smacks another agent while he recovers his shield. Then the Hydra agents open fire which is deflected by his shield, then he slings his shield that sends an agent flying. This is all in closeups and in shadow so we reveal our hero who asks, “Where is it?” It is told in long panels with explosions of yellow, nice work by colorist, Neeraj Menon. 

A large panel shows the ruined room with a torn Hydra flag of Castle Strucker in 1944. The pile of Hydra agents lie on the floor as Cap threatens a conscious agent about Stucker. Bucky casually stands by with his blue and red suit. He is a real standout with Cap’s chainmail suit. He jokes about answering Cap’s questions. A closeup of the agent’s teeth crunchins and then the deadly red dust rises from his mouth like a cloud. The Dust of Death that transforms the victim in sickly death form of the Red Skull was introduced in Captain America #184 (1975). This leads to the snowy Himalayas, a team heads towards a building on top of a cliff. Nice snow effects. Raffaele’s art has a cinematic quality. Inside a crowded bar with music playing, when Hydra agents enter. This is almost exactly the entrance of Toht and his Nazi soldiers in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). 

Strucker even has the bald head and eyeglass. One of the agents, Hans, says they need a guide to find the city of Attilan. This is the city of the Inhumans introduced in Fantastic Four #47 (1965). The Himalyas was one of the locations for Attilan. It actually ties into Captain America Comics #1! Baron Von Strucker introduces himself and reveals his armored right hand which he calls his Satan Claw. This is a weapon invented by Arnim Zola in Strange Tales #157 (1967). A moustached man tries them to leave and Baron Strucker instead grabs his face with the Satan Claw! None of the hundreds of patrons don’t seem to mind even when Strucker crushes the man’s skull in closeup! He takes hold of a woman and electrifies his clawed hand. A bearded man in a turban volunteers to be their guide. He takes the group across the snow to a mound-like cave. There was an expedition in Aliens vs. Predator (2004) that found an island north of Antartica that had the Xenomorphs! 

The guide explains that Attilan had gods and uncovers the snow from a tomb. Hans recognizes the markings from the Royal Family of the Inhumans! We see them as black figures on the tomb. Baron Strucker says that the Red Skull is looking for a weapon. Hans finds a switch and Baron Strucker shoots the guide! As he dies, the guide says they wanted to find gods and he took them to see demons! Strucker’s group searches the underground tunnels while Hans explains that the Inhumans ruled in peace until they were killed by creatures. Closeup as his torch illuminates figures of the Xenomorphs! Strucker pushes another panel it opens to a cavern of three of the Inhuan rulers. Strucker uncovers the tomb of the king, Black Bolt, a skeleton now with a crown. Hans sees that is chest was bursted open! Hans continues saying that the Inhuman tradition was to bury the dead with what killed them.

They go to a passage that reveals countless Xenomorph eggs! Hans examines one closely as the egg unfolds, then it spews a Facehugger! The Facehuggers start to leap towards the Hydra agents and they use their machine guns. Strucker orders a retreat with a Facehugger opening its claws. Closeup as the Satan Claw catches the Facehugger and then electrifies it!   Interesting, the setup of the comic, but I don’t think the Satan Claw is made of adamantium or some other material that can resist the Xenomorph’s acid blood. The Hydra agents at the entrance are about to leave when Baron Strucker emerges. Then, we get a two page title sequence explaining the Xenomorph and Captain America with credits. It is “weeks later” at a Hydra facility in “Occupied France.” Captured soldiers are forced to enter a chamber filled with the Alien eggs! Worse, they face in a splash page, the new Alien Queen! This is seen by a scientist and the Red Skull!  It is “days later” when a different group of soldiers, the Howling Commandos are led by Sgt. Nick Fury! 

They were all introduced in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (1963). I almost didn’t recognize Fury without his eyepatch, but this is how he looked in his World War II days. They walk with their rifles ready, but then see a village that gives all of them shocked expressions. The rain splatters on a town littered with chest bursted corpses! This brings in the soldiers who are outnumbered and unprepared for the Aliens sent to destroy the Earth. The help of Captain America, who makes a cameo in a comic with his name on the title, may be enough to stop Red Skull and his plan with the Xenomorphs! A good merging of franchises with the Captain America wartime setting and the extraterrestrial horror of Aliens. The only downside is Captain America’s cameo, he could be assigned along with the Howling Commandos, but we know he will enter the battle with later issues, this is all set up. Alien vs. Captain America #1 features a story that has good references to the MCU, Alien horror, and the artwork of Stefano Raffaele! 

Four Dusts of Death out of Five! 

#AlienVsCaptainAmerica, #OperationRedKing, #FrankTieri, #StefanoRaffaele, #NeerajMenon, #CaptainAmerica, #Bucky, #BaronVonStrucker, #RedSkull, #Hans, #NickFury, #DumDumDugan

The Running Man Review!

The roots of anarchy from 70’s punk rock is timely and found in the form of Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man! The movie’s plot basically follows the story set by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman in the 1982 novel. The Long Walk (1979) was also written as Bachman and released as film directed by Francis Lawrence this year. It was set in the distant time of 2025 where America’s economy has crashed and become a dystopia. Kinda timely. It was later turned into an Arnold Schwarzenegger adaptation that veered the story into an action comedy movie. This film is directed and co-written by Edgar Wright. HIs last film was the brilliant horror drama, Last Night in Soho (2021). His co-writer is Michael Bacall who previously worked with Wright on one of my favorite movies, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). 

There is a closeup of a cityscape with burning industrial towers, a vision like Blade Runner (1982), coming into focus is a man, Ben Richards (Glen Powell), and his infant daughter, Cathy, who is coughing. Powell’s last movie was the thriller, Twisters (2024). He is trying to get taken off the black list at his job. His boss doesn’t care about his baby whom Ben is holding so he doens’t get violent! Ben walks away and sees in the waiting room, The Running Man promo on television. The contestants have to escape Hunters for 30 days, but he tells his daughter that he is not that crazy. Ben returns to his apartment and watches the FreeVee network. He starts to watch the reality show about an arguing family, The Americanos, the satire is sharp. Then, Ben looks at the game show, Spin the Wheel, they promise cash prizes, but contestants have to try to survive. 

A hostess holds up a 100 dollar bill that happens to have Schwarzenegger’s image. The absurdity is almost like the comedy, Idiocracy (2006). The host is Gary Greenbacks (Sean Hayes) here in a gold suit. Hayes is in this year’s comedy drama, Is This Thing On? This show has a giant hamster-like wheel that the contestant, Bud (Chris Rogers), has to run while given trivia questions. He fails and the wheel is spun until the contestant falls to his death. Ben’s wife, Sheila, is played by Jayme Lawson. She played Pearline in this year’s horror drama, Sinners. Sheila was working a double shift at the Hellhole Club. They do not have the money to get medicine to help their daughter, Cathy, with her fever. They try to find a missing sock for Cathy. Ben shows her a chart showing all of the winning from the game shows. Sheila has Ben promise not to go on The Running Man. 

He promises to watch after her and Cathy. Ben thumps a salute on his chest and leaves the apartment. On the streets of Co-op City, another name from King, Ben sees long lines formed for a Drug pharmacy. He heads over to the Network building and waits in a queue. An older man behind him collapses and Ben tries to get him medical help. Instead the guards strike him and Ben catches the electrified baton. This is his fault, in helping others, Ben and his family are left behind. Ben re-enters the line again and finally reaches the booth. He is told about his life, 35, married, and lost job after job for insubordination. Ben gets angry when the attendent brings up his family and strikes the window. He is moved on. Inside, he meets another contestant, Jenni Laughlin (Katy O’Brian). She says she lives next to his block. O’Brian co-starred with Powell in Twisters as fellow stormchaser, Dani. 

O’Brian brings a toughness and confidence to her role. They get to the elevator and are joined by another contestant, Tim Jansky (Martin Herlihy). He is upbeat, has glasses and a  nametag, sticking out in any place. Herlihy was part of the Please Don’t Destroy group on Saturday Night Live. They begin tryouts on treadmills, walking across tilting boards and hitting a red buzzer like American Ninja Warrior, also climbing a wall. Ben holds up Tim when he falls and helps him back on the wall. The trio pass the tests and get red and black suits. They get a video introduction by the leader of the Hunters, Evan McCone (Lee Pace), he wears a grey mask that hides his face, sunglasses, and beret. Pace plays Brother Day in the sci fi series, Foundation. At the office of the show’s producer, Ben waits as Tim walks out with some women, then Jenni leaves with another woman. 

He enters the office which is lit by the setting sun, the contrast of a beautiful city above all of the people on the streets. Behind his desk, is Dan Killian played by Josh Brolin, all smiles and dressed up in a suit. Brolin was notably in Dune: Part Two (2024) playing Gurney Halleck. Killian slides over an envelop of 100 bills, a bonus, since he thinks Ben will survive, the longest was 29 days in season one. Ben puts his hand in his pocket and finds the missing sock of his daughter. This is Ben’s Zuzu’s petals, a constant reminder of his family, and returning home. Killian says the money will go to his family. Ben signs up for The Running Man and gives his thumbprint. A guard takes Ben away and says that his family will be relocated. Ben asks for a phone call to family and tells Sheila that he is a Runner. He has the guard take the sock to his wife. Ben finds an envelope the next day with a family photo and the sock. 

He is given a wrist attachment that gives notifications and money from the game. Killian walks him down to meet the host, Bobby T, played by Colman Domingo. He has all of the bluster and showmanship of a game show host. Plus he does a little of the hip hop dance inspired by the original film, a highlight for me. Domingo starred in the prison drama, Sing Sing (2023). Killan shows Ben the “new coliseum”, the stage of the Running Man. The modern gladiator game is a great call back to the violence for entertainment. Love American Gladiators which had action, but no brutal violence. The UK version, Gladiators is currently playing on the BBC. The hunting and life stakes game has been popular from “The Most Dangerous Game” (1924) by Richard Connell, to the junior high school students forced to fight in Battle Royale (2000), all the way to The Hunger Games starting with the 2008 novel by Suzanne Collins and 2012 film. Closest to this story is probably the series, Squid Game, with a number of contestants forced by the government to compete. 

Dancers in exercise outfits perform, not the dances from the original film. Bobby narrates the video that shows that criminals are entered into the game. He introduces Ben Richards whom he says worked for a defense contractor, but stole secrets. Video, fake, is shown of Ben at the company, and then Bobby explains that anyone who finds Ben gets $10,000 and a date with his wife. This enrages Ben, but he is held back by two security guards. The next segment, Famous Last Words, has Bobby gives Ben the spotlight. He says, “I’m off then.” The crowd chants the words and Ben is taken away with Killian happily patting his face. The other Runners are brought out and a video is shown of the game rules. They are given $10,000 and a 12 hour head start. Their trackers are untraceable, I wonder if this applies to the Hunters, the Runners must make daily reports or the contract is void, and they will still be hunted. Camera bots, metal spheres, float in front of them and recording the Runners. The Hunters are shown posed next to the audience. 

Ben and his fellow Runners are locked into metal tubes and take a harrowing ride downwards! This leads Ben to a table with money and a change of clothes. He changes into the clothes and then gets into a taxi. The driver recognizes him and Ben asks him to pull over to pick up some prostitutes. Instead, he uses the chance to run from the taxi. He outside and empty building and calls for Molie. Ben is directed to a manhole cover. He climbs down to the workshop of Molie Jernigan (William H. Macy). He is working with a magnifying goggle creating devices outside of the law. Macy played Trevathan in the sci fi movie, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Molie fashions a disguise for Ben, a business suit, glasses, and moustache. This is for a passport for his new identity as John Springer. It is interesting that Ben has allies of his own. He nervously uses the passport for a flight to New York. Ben checks into a hotel and makes the video. The Hunters find and torture Molie until he gives up the Frank Springer identity. This is a nightmare for Ben, we don’t shift perspectives since is this all from Ben’s pov. 

He watches The Running Man and sees Tim at a deli. Tim walks out and is killed.Ben leaves thinking that this safe house established by Molie is compromised and heads to Boston. He checks into a run down apartment and finds a briefcase that has a grenade! Looking out of the window, Ben sees a strange man and finally recognizes the gestures are like the Hunter he saw at the Network. Ben is able to rush to the rooftop, only in a towel!, and manages to lower himself to his room. He gets into a chase with the Hunters and manages to escape. Then, he meets Bradley Throckmorton (Daniel Ezra), an online figure called the Apostle. He knows the truth of the game and the government. On videeos, Throckmorton wears a white suit with a scarf covering his face, sunglasses, and beret. This identity instantly made me think of the online anarchists. Also the anarchy that was in the V for Vendetta (1988-1989) comic books. Another underground figure, Elton Parrakis, in Stephen King's favorite town, Derry, Maine. He is played by Michael Cera from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World! Ben's success leads to a steady backing of the people agains the government. The Running Man has the action of one man hunted by everyone, in a corrupt world, and beneath it is the theme of anarchy!  

Five Socks out of Five! 

#TheRunningMan, #EdgarWright, #MichaelBacall, #GlenPowell, #DanielEzra, #MichaelCera, #LeePace, #JoshBrolin, #KatyOBrian, #MartinHerlihy, #JaymeLawson, #SeanHayes    

Predator: Badlands #1 Review!

Predator: Badlands #1 gives more Yautja action in comic book form tying into the movie! The release of the film, Predator: Badlands, on November 7th was accompanied by a companion comic book, Predator: Badlands #1! In comic books, Dark Horse produced the first Predator comic in a 1989 limited series. The battle started in comics with the Aliens vs. Predator (1990) mini-series. The first of the match up was Alien vs. Predator (2004). Batman fought the Predator in Batman vs. Predator (1991). My favorite of the vs. series was Tarzan vs. Predator at the Earth’s Core (1996). Marvel Comics published their limited series in 2022. The Predator fought with the Marvel Universe including the latest, Predator vs. Spider-Man mini-series. 

The writer, Ethan Sacks, has written for tie-in comic book, including one of the stories in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special #1 (2023). The artist is Elvin Ching. The regular cover is by Juan Ferreyra which has the Yautja leaping off a cliff to slice his plasma sword at creature made up of spikes. There is an introduction by Predator: Badlands director, Dan Trachtenberg. It is not clear if this fits into the canon of the Predatorverse. Trachtenberg notes, “It is both a spark and an ember for our movie…” A two page spread with a movie image of Yautja Prime introduces the Predators and also the credits for the comic book. It opens with computer screens showing the K’shorrik, they are insectoid, but with long slits of eyes with two irises, and four arms. 

The problem with introducing new alien species when we have the Yautja, humans, Xenomorphs and Engineers from the Aliens franchise is that sentinent species are rare. Unlike Star Trek and Star Wars with galaxies of such species. The other character is the computer whom we see as the screen which is wakened by a mother-like K’shorrik, also a commander of sorts. She gives the computer the mission to watch over the crew when they reach the planet they hope to colonize. A child makes friends with the computer. This moves to the mother informing about the ship’s damage from an asteroid field. She says that they are going to the crytotubes and send out a distress call. The computer acknowledges the order. 

Then, we get a two page spread of the crashed ship, “10,000 Years Later”! What happened with the K’shorikk staging base? This is on the Moon of Pelkonen IV. There is an orangish tinge to the background of mountains and forests like the skin, carapace?, of the K’shorikk. Excellent work by colorist, Juancho Velez. An insert panel has two Yautja, a larger one behind the young Predator, both with helmets on looking at the wreckage. This is of course Dek, who wants to be hunting, and his brother, Kwei, who tells him that the task was given by their father. Dek wants to be “bloodied” and Kwei tells him he will earn his cloak. Kwei speeds away on his bike as Dek runs towards the ship. Within the ship, vines wrap around the broken ship’s corridor. 

We see the cryotubes with the K’shorikk, the upside down triangle of the cryotue window ends with red points. In the cockpit, a red light beeps on a console. Computer, no name like MU/TH/R, becomes active, exiting hibernation mode. It must have been damaged after crash landing and the long time afterwards. Computer gets a transmission and analyzes Dek. It’s files show the K’shorikk in a circle with rifles and a Yautja leaps above them with wrist blades. The computer focuses on a strange beetle analyzing flor and fauna to use for defenses. It manufactures defensive weaponry. Bek uses his scanning beam, leaps down, and projects an image of a sphere from his wrist band. A green, bat-like creature flies behind him! 

Four Power Cores out of Five! 

#PredatorBadlands, #EthanSacks, #ElvinChing, #JuanchoVelez, #JuanFerreyra, #DanTrachtenberg, #Dek, #Computer, #Kwei  

Predator: Badlands Review!

The Predator now has to prove himself on “the deadliest planet in the universe” in Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands! The film is directed and co-written by Trachtenberg. He had similiar duties with Prey (2022) which refreshed the franchise and then co-directed the animated film that is on Hulu, Predator: Killer of Killers (2025). The co-writer, Patrick Aison, also co-wrote Prey. It begins in darkness as we get a prologue that tell about the Yautje from the Yautja Codex that also appeared in Predator: Killer of Killers. Yautja (which seems to be pronounced Yowt-cha). The term actually came from the novelization of the Aliens vs. Predator (1990) mini-series. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey (1994) is by Steve and Stephani Perry. 

There is the mouth-like cave with desert in the distant, a harsh, post-apocalyptic(?) world, the Predator homeworld. This is the first time that it has been seen. We see a dust trail as a double-winged racer that reaches a beach. A hooded Predator swings up a cliff. This is Dek played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. In the New Zealand dramatic mini-series, Schuster-Kolomatangi played Will. Bek as the protagonist, something Trachtenberg has mentioned, is like the T-800 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, still a killer, but one whose actions we can get on board. In the cave, Dek calls out in the Yautja language, “I see you brother.” The Yautje now have their own language complete with alphabet and runes on their weapons and other places. 

This was developed by linguist Britton Watkins who created a language that works with the Predator’s split jaws. Dek removes his mask, revealing a Yautje with his dreads drawn back into a top knot, not the wide shape seen in other Predators. The interesting part of Dek's design is his grizzled nose. The other Yautja have tiny flaps. It makes him a tiny bit human-like for me.His rival, Kwei, is bulkier with his black dreads falling from a top knot on his head. He is played by Michael Homik in the suit and voiced by Stefan Grube. Dek is trying to earn his cloak, the device that makes Predators invisible, and they return to Kwei’s ship. We see his trophy room with a T-Rex skull and other skeletal remains. 

Dek says he will earn his cloak by hunting the “unkillable” Kalisk. Kwei says their father fears the Kalisk and that it is on Genna, called the Death Planet. A nice twist on the biblical place of punishment, Gehenna. Then, the ship of their father arrives! Father is a massive Yautje with heavy armor, grey braids, a helmet with short antler-like horns. The head of this Predator clan is played by Reuben de Jong and voiced by Schuster-Kolomatangi! Father sees Bek as weak and throws a disc that locks Bek in a pyramid of red plasma. In the Japanese sci-fi movie, Zeiram (1991), the bounty hunter, Iria, has a trap that locks bounties in a crystal hexagon. Father orders Kwei to kill his brother! I really like the family dynamics here, the tough father, and the young son trying to prove himself. Very Tywin Lannister. 

Dek struggles in the plasma trap as Kwei walks up to him and draws his sword. Kwei tells him, “Be brave brother” before holding up the plasma sword. Bek is spared from Kwei’s sword and the trap drawn back into the ship with a transparent door closing on him! Kwei faces Father as Dek shouts for his brother. Kwei’s ship leaves on a locked in course to Genna. It descends into the stormy atmo and some pterandon-like beast, the Sky-Reaper, damages the ship! This reminds me of the lost worlds like the recent novel, The Land That Time Forgot: Foretress Primeval (2025) by Mike Wolfer. The breaks into a pod that crashess into a forest on Genna sending Dek rolling out! He roars in frustration and then begins to take stock of his weapons from the sword, some cyro grenades, a combistick like a staff, a Shuriken that floats from a disc, and a Yautja bow. The shuriken was the name for the Japanese throwing star. 

The bow is like the energy bow wielded by Omega in The Bad Batch, but more lethal. Dek’s armory, bow and sword, is basically reduced to simple weapons like Naru in Prey. He checks his weapons, then snake-like vines wrap around Dek testing his combistick. The Predator begins slashing them until he is freed. He uses some plants he has scanned as safe as salve over his wounds. A small slug oozes and Dek tosses it only for it to explode, a Boom Slug! Dek sees a plant swell up and it sends a thorn into his neck. He sees a woman in a white suit in a tree. This is Thia played by Elle Fanning who is in this year’s dramatic film, Sentimental Value. She recognizes and speaks Yautja, using universal translation so we can understand her and Dek hears his language. This is the way to get around language similar to John Crichton’s translator microbes in the sci fi series, Farscape. 

She explains that the thorn, from the Paralysis Stalk, poisons victims! Dek refuses her help and tries to escape the thorn shooting plants. The Sky-Reaper descends, then Dek tosses his Shuriken, before falling. He only sees blood spurts as the Sky-Reaper is torn apart. Thia's smiling face greets him. He pulls her up and sees that her body below the abdomen is missing! Thia is a synthetic from Weyland-Yutani, the corporation from the Alien franchise. We had last seen a synthetic in Alien: Romulus (2024). It is great to see another synthetic, especially one more emotional than the others, but any appearance by a Xenomorph would pull this film from its franchise. Dek is still a Predator, but sees that Thia would be his only way to find the Kalisk. She climbs on his shoulders and later Dek fashions a carrier out of vines. This is a Lone Wolf and Cub-type situation. Trachtenberg said he thought of C-3PO carried on the back of Chewbacca.

Thia explains that two years ago, she was part of a Weyland-Yutani expedition to collect samples from the Kalisk, but was separated from her counterpart, Tessa. Their models have a "higher sensitivity" to survive Genna. A development for synthetics like Data's emotion chip in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She knows his mission to hunt the Kalisk which was also the mission for the synthetics, sent by the company since humans would not survive Genna. This moves to Thia, non-functional, in a pod. She is severely damaged; gashed to her silver skin, with a missing hand and foot. Needle-like probes shove into her ear to activate Thia. Also, played by Fanning, Thia is a ruthless synthetic, a dark reflection. Where Thia works to open Dek up to other ways, Thia leads the synthetics in the company's single-minded mission. This film feels like it works in tandem with Alien: Romulus. with David Jonsson's synthetic, David. 

The figure of Thia at the El Capitan Theatre for Predator: Badlands, photo by the author. 

She is chastized by the voice of the company, MU/TH/UR 062578 (Alison Wright) for her performance. She is sent to complete her mission or be decommissioned! There are opposites here with Dek's father and now the mother of the synthetic sisters! Thia and Dek leave the forest to find a field of razorgrass, tall, white stalks that can cut them! They also find a small, primate-like creature. Thia later names it Bud. It has a pug-like face, pinkish belly and face, with a greenish hide. Bud is almost like an infant which would be like Daigoro to Itto's assassin in Lone Wolf and Cub. A massive grazer called a Bone Bison moves through the razorgrass protected by its armor. Bud charges through the razorgrass after it. Dek uses the trees to move towards the Bone Bison. He leaps onto it using his plasma sword to defeat the Bone Bison! Dek roars in triumph, but his victory is short lived as a tentacled creature swings from the trees! 

This is a Luna Bug. It catches the trio, but Bud's tough hide is too strong for its teeth and Dek uses the distraction to defeat the creature! Tessa and her team has reached the crash site of Dek's ship. They are attacked by the vine creatures, but use flame units to drive them off. One of the brilliant parts of the movie is that by having synthetics as the antagonists, even though they are human-like, they can be violently destroyed. This has the violence to the alien Yautje and alien monsters feel like an R rated movie, but it is PG-13. It doesn't compromise the relentless action. Dek can only finish his mission to hunt the invincible Kalisk through the help of his strange allies. They are hunted in turn by Thia and her inhuman army. Trachtenberg develops the Predator world throwing in Dek to explore an unknown world with its own deadly ecology. Predator: Badlands sets its Yautja protagonist on a hunt for an invicible creature that teams up his unlikely family! 

Five Plasma Swords out of Five! 

#PredatorBadlands, #DanTrachenberg, #PatrickAison, #DimitriusSchusterKoloamatangi, #ElleFanning, #MichaelHomik, #StefanGrube, #ReubenDeJong, #AlisonWright  

Comic Creators Block Party 2025!

Today was a long day at the Revenge Of Comics & Pinball with the many writers, artists, and actors of the Comics Creators Block Party! Besides the free entry and signings, there were a few panels, Jordan, Jesse, Go with Patton Oswalt & Jordan Blum, a number of panelists for Women in Comics, and lastly, Comics & Television. New this year is the rule of a maximum of five items, great since last year there were suitcases of comics, no Funko Pops, and lastly, “DON’T BE WEIRD!” The signings were divided by blocks starting from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to the last Signing Block D at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. There was a food truck outside, Burnt To A Crisp, and again like last year, I passed it up with only resting breaks. Before opening, there were bags of free comics and other items which was from Dark Horse Comics. 

The backyard of Revenge Of, Block At, at Comic Creator Block Party, author’s photo.

The creators were at two areas; the backyard of the store, and the warehouse, that featured the panels, and also signings like Kyle Higgins and Tony Fleecs. At the end of the backyard tables was Golden Apple Comics which featured comics from their signings. Inside the store was Collector’s Paradise which is celebrating their 30th anniversary! And also Secret Headquarters which offers comics, books, and magazines, I’ve been to their store, good selection of hard to find items. The Revenge Of store employees were very helpful, there were a few comics that I didn’t bring along, found some for creator signings. It was great to see on Block B, Jon Bogdanove, whom I had seen for Superman Day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It was nice to talk to Brendan Hay who had his comics like Cthulhu Tales and was an executive producer for the animated series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. 

Nathan Fillion being interviewed at Comic Creators Block Party, photo by the author. 

One of the longest queues was for Brian Michael Bendis. I almost missed seeing Kelly Sue DeConnick, but got a ticket for Block C. She had many fans and talked with many of them.  A highlight for me was seeing Nathan Fillion at the last block. He was there to promote his comic book, Witness Point, announced at Comic Con. There was a postcard  for the comic book, Fillion was signing along with co-creator, Heath Corson. At the backyard tables were other creators like Nicole Maines. She is the current writer for Secret Six in the All In titles for DC Comics. Next to her table was Hannah Rose May, who recently wrote the IDW horror comic, The Exorcism at Penn 1600. She had guest starred on the supernatural comedy show, Ghosts, with Utkarsh Ambudkar who plays Jay Arondekar. They are co-writing the upcoming comic book, The Guy in the Chair and signed posters of the comic book. The spy romantic comedy debuted in October. There were a number of creators and fans for this year's Comic Creator Block Party, can't wait for next year! 

 

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