Star Wars #50 Review!

The previous review of Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith #17 leads directly into this issue. The former writer was Jason Aaron who introduced the Journals of Obi-Wan Kenobi and finished his run with issue #37 (2017) and new writer, Kieron Gillen, continued the series. He worked on the first Darth Vader series introducing the serial killer robots and the space vampires to the Star Wars universe. The problem with this title is that there is a great fear of taking a single character into an adventure, it is three or more of the Star Wars characters, all together for some reason. The best part of the first Marvel comic books was Luke going on his own or Han and Chewie on their adventures. This is done in IDW’s Star Wars Adventures title, but not in the current Marvel title. The cover by Travis Charest has Leia standing with her blaster as her cape has a star field with blueprints of the X-Wing fighter, TIE fighter, and a Star Destroyer, all washed in blue. 

The artwork is by Salvador Larroca. The previous story was “Mutiny at Mon Cala” from #44 to 49. Again, to throw Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and other Rebels to one planet, would send all of the Imperial forces to attack them. Again, I wouldn’t count any part of this in the story, but it does bring in Queen Trios who first appeared in Darth Vader Annual #1 (2015) by Kieron Gillen and Leinil Francis Yu. She becomes an ally to the Rebels during the “The Ashes of Jedha” story from #38 - 43. Her sudden appearance shows how each writer is caught up with their own original characters so all of these titles are not one story. Also, it seems like Marvel is stuck on five issue arcs to be collected into trade paperbacks, this makes picking up individual issues a waste. Again, the original Marvel Star Wars had some two parters and ongoing stories, but they were for the most part self contained, here, if you miss an issue, you are lost. 

It begins with the chromosphere of a sun, then an extreme closeup that resolves to two wine glasses klinking together, stylish, but not too Star Wars. We get a medium shot of Mon Mothma and Leia Organa celebrating on the Rebel base at Mako-Ta which first appeared in Star Wars #44. Queen Trios joins them, Leia mentions that the Shu-Torun have refitted the ships, and reveals… the two page spread of the Mako-Ta Space Docks with Mon Calamari cruisers and X-Wing fighters circling it, cinematic! Meanwhile, Han Solo and C-3PO are bargaining at a cantina in the Ring of Kafrene, the planet seen in Rogue One (2016). They are conversing with an insect-like Alaphani. Chewbacca interrupts them to warn about bounty hunters. Han and Chewie get the drop on the bounty hunters and Han has made a deal for transponder codes from the Alaphani. Then, we get Luke flying in his X-Wing with R2, they get into some complicated maneuvers that look like birthday party ribbons, not a great effect at least color wise. The display was for the party. 

General Dodonna talks to Wedge and Luke. Then, Leia contacts the sub-groups; Alpha Group with Admiral Ackbar, Beta Group with a leader I haven’t seen before, Gamma Group, it seems led by Hera Syndulla, and Delta Group with General Willard, he is the commander who greets Leia at Yavin IV, now promoted. The party is ready to send off the fleet, Leia gives the signal to General Dodonna and he gives the command to the sub-groups to jump to hyperspace. Nothing happens. Of course they find that Queen Trios is missing. Leia wants to send General Draven, from Rogue One, over to the ships. A Mon Calamari officer detects ships arriving from hyperspace. It’s Leia who says it’s a trap! Then, we get another two page spread with the engines of a Star Destroyer group, the Death Squadron!, including the Executor looming over the Mako-Ta Space Docks. Darth Vader wants to wait until he can feel the fear from the Rebels! Luke is about to take off with the X-Wings, but they find that the bay doors are closed. 

This betrayal will cost lives, but I’m thinking that the Mon Calamari ships are unique, and would not be compatible with other technologies. Darth Vader says at the end, “Hope dies”, which of course plays on A New Hope. There is another story, “Shu-Torun Lives”, by Kerion Gillen and Guiuseppe Camuncoli, at Vader’s castle on Mustafar, Admiral Ozzel debriefs Darth Vader. He mentions that the Rebels are spread out so the Imperial forces would have to do so to take them out. He wants the Death Squadron to hunt them. On the volcanic planet, Shu-Torun, Queen Trios meets with Darth Vader who gives her the order to infiltrate the Rebels. Queen Trios is complicit in war crimes and will most likely not survive this storyline. A very important part of the formation of the Rebel fleet by the time of Return of the Jedi (1983). I think the Rebels are able to escape, Admiral Ackbar is very clever, possibly with the help of Han’s transponder codes maybe they make the Imperial ships vulnerable enough for the Rebel fleet to escape, and Leia may be able to force Queen Trios to release the locks on the ships. 

Four Lightsabers out of Five!

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: The MCU at DCA!

Concept art for the new lands, Blue Sky Cellar, photo by the author. 

The promise of a new land at DCA was found in the mysterious hatch next to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! and the former Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror. It had the Avengers symbol on it, but I still haven’t seen it, too distracted. The first part was the character meet and greets. This was moved from Innoventions in Tomorrowland, the top floor was Super Hero HQ which had Captain America’s meet and greet to the right with movie props and Cap’s shield. Then, a line to get to Thor with a recreation of the Asgardian throne room and a chance to lift Mjolnir. Around the corner is a hall of Iron Man’s armor and also an interactive Iron Man suit.

Then, there was the Summer of Heroes, which had a station next to the Monsters Inc. attraction which had three or four consoles which you take a test to determine which superhero you are and you got an exclusive comic book. Captain America's meet and greet switched off with Spider-Man, but now he is across the street with a giant half of his shield backdrop. New for me was the Black Panther meet and greet at Studio 17. There is a queue and the Dora Milaje warrior, I wasn’t able to ask if she is Okoye, she wanders around the queue. Entering the meet and greet, it is a medium sized room with three cases; the closest is a sample of four Vibranium tubes, some golden ornament, and Black Panther’s mask and what looks like Shuri’s Vibranium gauntlets possibly models. The meet and greet has Black Panther, he is in the suit, but I think seeing the person’s face through the eye slots was strange.

Also there was Black Widow, but I saw her in the Summer of Heroes. She was fun and this meet and greet has a few minutes of chatting before taking the photos. I was distracted by the low charge on my cell phone. In the middle of it, Loki walked in, I noticed the PhotoPass photographer was taking pics, but not when Loki came in. I was fascinated by the displays, but again there wasn’t enough time. At the Summer of Heroes, Black Widow arrives in a jeep which led to the show, the Avengers Training Initiative. This is like the Jedi Training Academy, four group of kids are brought to the side, and then the show begins. It has stunts with a SHIELD Agent Kay and Black Widow, Iron Man gives a message, Arnim Zola threatens the recruits in computerized form, and the recruits train and then toss foam shields at an Ion Reactor. A fun show.

Avengers Training Initiative show, photo by the author.

The Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. at Treasure Island, Las Vegas has what looks like costume displays from all of the MCU movies and uses cell phones at the end to take on Ultron. It would be interesting if there was an interactive component to the Marvel Land. I can imagine that it might be called Avengers West Compound. The poster has buildings with the Avengers symbol, Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Black Panther poised outside, so this would be in the Hollywood Land section of the park, and the Mission Breakout! building in the background. So there may be an Avengers attraction and possibly one with Spider-Man.

Doctor Strange currently wanders the park, but it would be great if he had a Sanctum Sanctorum with interactive displays, cloaks flutter, one has a swirling color, and various apprentices or even Wong who can show magic tricks. There is a Spider-Man attraction at Islands of Adventure, a walk through the Daily Bugle, and board a ride vehicle where riders are taken past 3D screens. The villains include Hydro Man, Hydro Man? not one of Spider-Man's best in his rogues gallery. I can see that Disneyland would not like to duplicate that ride. It could be an interactive shooting ride like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters with riders gesturing (like the Legoland Ninjago ride) to shoot webs. I hope there is a display of screen used costumes and props. I would like to Asgard again or Sakaar from Thor: Ragnarok.  
The Avengers attraction. There is a quintet flying above in the poster. I think there will be a Wakandan embassy where you can meet Black Panther and the Dora Milaje, like the meet and greets now, but also load up on hovercraft like those seen in Avengers: Infinity War. Maybe it takes you through Wakanda, into the city and over to the mines and finally to Shuri’s lab where she tries to prepare you, maybe upgrades your hovercraft with shields. You leave across the fields, maybe go outside of the ride building!, and get into the battlefield that was in Avengers: Infinity War, screens, puffs of smoke, and audio-animatronics of heroes and the Black Order. Finally, Thanos! He holds up his Infinity Gauntlet and activates one of the crystals. You barely escape and return to the embassy loading and unloading area. We will have to wait until 2020 to see the Marvel expansion.

#DisneysCaliforniaAdventure, #SummerofHeroes, #BlackPanther, #BlackWidow

The Outpost, “One is the Loneliest Number”, Review!

This is the premiere of the fantasy series airing on the CW from executive producer, Dean Devlin, who wrote the Stargate (1994) film, and Jonathan Glassner who co-created Stargate SG-1. In a dark bar, Talon (Jessica Green), is about to bring a drunk patron his drink. She questions him as solders of the Prime Order enter to attack the patrons. Talon takes down a soldier and leaves the man hiding under a table.  She fights with other armored soldiers.  Talon wants the name from the man and he says he will give it to her if she can get him out.  They all escape into the misty night.  He knows a name, Toru Magmoor, headed for Gallwood Outpost.  

The man is killed by crossbow bolt and Talon continues toward Greyskin territory.  The massive Greyskin, a troll-like figure with no nose, attacks, but Talon kills it.  Talon, except smudges at the edge of her face, has the power to have perfect make-up.  We flashback 13 years to a village, children are playing in a forest, and see a grazing, horned beast, a Remmick. The young girl, Talon (Bella Padden) with elf-ears walks up to it, but it is struck by an arrow from hunters.  I do like the Blackblood language.  Talon rushes at the archer and beats him up, but gets a bloody nose, black blood.  Her mother explains that the humans hate them. 

Night, some soldiers appear with torches.  A man on a white horse (Philip Brodie), I’m assuming he is the leader, Everit Dred, appears wanting them to kill the Blackbloods.  Talon is sleeping and she hears a dog barking and then it is killed.  Her brother looks at the slaughter of the Blackbloods.  An elder pleads with Talon’s mother to call them.  An arrow buries in her back as she almost opened a portal, her magic flows into her.  A man (Richard Ashton) raises an axe to kill her, but Talon’s mother slashes at his leg so Talon can escape.  The reason behind Dred wanting to wipe out Blackbloods is left hanging.  Could they be the key to bringing back the world to the way it was with magic? 

An archer is about to loose an arrow at Talon, but the portal appears and the arrow sinks into the hand of some creature.  The archer tells the other that the child is dead.  Morning, Talon sees her people dead, her mother and brother, she takes her mother’s dagger. This is a standard opening for swords & sorcery stories like Conan.  Across the plains, the young Talon walks, on a muddy road a farmer boy drops a vegetable.  The mother takes in Talon.  The farmer watches the child.  Night, Talon sketches the farm’s children.  Morning, she overhears the farmer arguing with his wife about her ears.  She puts the dagger to her ear!

THE OUTPOST - - “One is the Loneliest Number” - - JESSICA GREEN  -- Photo: NBCU International -- © Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

Then, we flash forward to see Talon with her ears sliced to a human shape.  She wanders snowy cliffs until finally reaching the Outpost and taking off her hood.  Night, she wanders through the mist, and sees a man covered in sores.  He vomits out some fanged creature!  She stabs one, but is overwhelmed by two more of the creatures.  They are taken out by arrows that strike their mouths.  A rider (Jake Stormoen) with a crossbow explains that their mouths are their weak points.  I recognize Stormoen from the Mythica film series where he played Dagen, the half-elf thief. He tells Talon that they are Plaguelings.  The bearded soldier takes Talon on his horse.  The soldiers on the wall loose arrows at the Plaguelings that shamble behind them.  

The others are taken down by the rider, Talon, and another soldier.  He orders the gate to be opened and once inside introduces himself as Captain Garret Spears.  It reminds me of the strongholds that are surrounded by zombies in Walking Dead.  She gives him her name.  Talon says she is there to work as a barmaid.  He says the only reason to go to the Outpost is to run away from something.  Garret takes her to Marshall Whythers (Andrew Howard) who orders a prisoner to be taken away.  He agrees to let her stay, but threatens Talon is she causes trouble.  Garret takes Talon to the Nightshade Inn and mentions that his father is General Calkussar.  He says the mining ore below is given to the Prime Orders and also that the camp fires outside belong to Greyskins.

THE OUTPOST - - “One is the Loneliest Number” - - JAKE STORMOEN  -- Photo: NBCU International -- © Outpost TV LLC. Courtesy of Electric Entertainment.

Talon thanks Garret for saving her life.  She walks in the night streets of the Outpost and reaches the Nightshade Inn.  A man outside tells her, “No blades!” and she hands over her weapon.  At a table, a lady, Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse) is collecting her winnings from a gambling table.  Talon asks for a room and the owner gives her one.  An older man in a hood watches her.  A young man (Anand Desai-Barochia) walks away from her to concoct a drink.  She drinks it, an energy drink?, and says he has a gift, he says his name is Janzo.  A bearded man (Richard Ashton) in red armor, the one who lifted the axe on Talon as a child, enters.  

Talon walks to her room and she takes down the person following her, the lady.  She explains that Magmor works for the Covenant.  Talon goes out of her room to take on Magmor with Gwynn following her.  She takes Gwynn back and Garret kisses her.  Love triangle.  Talon of course confronts Magmor, but the fight ends up bloody and unexpected.  I’ve seen tons of b-movie swords & sorcery, the creators, Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin, who wrote the episode, and worked on the Mythica films directed by Anne K. Black.  The production values here are fine, it has potential with possibly a world that could be post-apocalyptic as a twist, and the series features a warrior woman who has a mysterious power.   

Four Daggers out of Five!   

#TheOutpost, #OneistheLoneliestNumber, #JessicaGreen, #JakeStromoen 

Batman #50 Review!

Batman marries Catwoman! We know from the cover what is going to happen, but the story is built up nicely by Tom King and Mikel Janin. Catwoman was always the femme fatale in the comics, she toyed with Batman. It was in the 1966 Batman movie where Catwoman as Miss Kitka found she was attracted to Bruce Wayne and vice versa. Writer Tom King’s run on the title, had in Batman #24, Batman proposing to Catwoman. He gets his answer after The War of Jokes and Riddles in Batman #31. She then clashes with Talia al Ghul, the mother of Bruce’s son, Damian.

Then, there is the Super Friends storyline that has Superman dealing with the engagement (he fawns over Batman telling him how he is so awesome) and then Wonder Woman (even though Batman is engaged, Wonder Woman is desperately attracted to him). Of course both of these characterizations are out of character, but stick around. Poison Ivy unleashes her power around the world before we get to Harley Quinn and Joker trying to stop the engagement. Now, it’s time for the wedding, and it seems like King has a plan with how Batman can evolve as a character being wed.

The Wedding features a cover by interior artist Mikel Janin with Batman kissing his bride in her wedding dress, it looks so fancy I can easily see ladies wanting one in real life, all along a border of white roses. The dress itself was partially revealed in Batman #44. The beginning has the goofy Kite Man created in Batman #133 (1960) by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang happily introduce himself. He is smacked around by Batman and Catwoman on the rooftop of Finger Tower.

While doing so, they discuss getting married by dawn, Batman will get the judge and they will each get a witness. Batarang wedding? Catwoman adds that the arrangements are “purrfect” and Kite Man agrees before falling unconscious, ha! Then, it unfolds to two full page spreads, one by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and the other by Becky Cloonan, with “Bat” and “Cat” captions. I like the pairing of artists and also that we get parallel perspectives from the characters going over their meetings and relationship.

At the bar, Porky’s, the stuttering bartender, love it!, is talking to Judge Wolfman when Batman interrupts them. I just love the dropping of creator names, including writer Marv Wolfman, throughout the comic. In Arkham Asylum, we find imprisoned Holly Robinson, not the actress, but the young ally of Catwoman introduced in Batman #404 (1987), “Batman: Year One.” Catwoman whispers that she will be moved to another cell block and Holly says Batman will be mad.

Then, we get pages by Jason Fabok and Frank Miller, while we get the thoughts of Batman and Catwoman’s first encounter and ultimately getting caught in each other’s eyes. In an alleyway in Robison Blvd., Batman takes down Tweedle Dee and under Arkham Asylum, Catwoman knocks out Tweedle Dum, the duo first appeared in Detective Comics #74 (1943) with Jerry Robinson as one of the creators. Then, we get pages by Lee Bermejo and Neal Adams, with Batman and Catwoman accessing each other, but again drawn to their eyes. At Wayne Manor, Catwoman unties the blindfold on Holly, while Batman talks to Alfred.

There are more full pages by Tony S. Daniel and Amanda Conner, what Catwoman and Batman see in each other’s eyes is a dance and no deception. In the Englehart Bedroom, Holly prepares Selena Kyle’s wedding dress, black lace with purple, and in the Conway Bedroom, Bruce Wayne fusses over his suit with Alfred worried about looking too much like his father. Steve Englehart and Gerry Conway are incredible writers for the Batman comics. This seems to sum up the characters, where they are going, not as a liability as superheroes, and there is enough fun. The issue cleverly brings the full art pages by some of the top artists into the story and a twist ending that makes this comic brilliant.

Five Batarangs out of Five!

Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith #17 Review!

I need to bring everyone up to speed on the fourth chapter in the Charles Soule series.  In “The Chosen One” Darth Vader took control of the Inquisitors.  In the next story, “The Dying Light”, the Inquisitors are sent to hunt one of the last Jedi, the Jedi Librarian Jocasta Nu.  A short two issue story, “The Rule of Five”, mercenaries try to take the bounty on Darth Vader, I passed on this one.  I did not get the first issue #13, but “Burning Seas” deals with the Empire suppressing Mon Cala.  Soule got his Star Wars confused in that one with setting the wrong time for the story, making Tarkin Grand Moff before he was given that title, and confusing the uniform of one of his characters, Commander Jordo.  These will probably be corrected in the collected edition, but it looks like the Story Group is again asleep.  In #14, Darth Vader and the Inquisitors are on Dac City, the capital.  Vader flashes back to when he encountered Lee-Char and the time was dubbed king in the Clone Wars fourth season episode, “Prisoners” (2011).

Lee-Char tries to negotiate with Tarkin over the assassination of Ambassador Telvar.  Soule again stretches canon with having a Jedi Master, Barr, teaching a group of six apprentices among them Verla.  Barr is an Iktotch, the same horned species as Jedi Master Saesee Tiin, the pilot that died in Revenge of the Sith.  He looks so similar that again with Soule, I thought it was the same guy, but no, different name and character. Barr reveals to them that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker.  Again, canon breaking, the only one who made the connection was Ahsoka Tano, Anakin's former apprentice in Star Wars: Rebels.  This unknown Jedi somehow knows everything about what happened in Revenge of the Sith (2005). Let’s get past that and deal with his vision leading Lee-Char.  Raadus takes the defense of the south and Commander Ackbar takes the defense of the north, this is very cool.  Raadus of course is the Mon Calamari admiral introduced in Rogue One (2016).

Vader uses the Force on Lee-Char, but around all of the cities are giant purple whales (unidentified, but a nice addition to Mon Cala sea life), they send massive waves that cover the surface of the cities along with Vader.  The whale tsunami was used before in Aquaman.  #15 has Vader sinking in the Great Ungeness Trench.  Vader’s armor is getting crushed by the depths and he faces a Kraken-like creature with a single green eye, another nice addition to the sea life.  It is also unidentified, but there is precedent, Luke faced a demonsquid on the planet Aquaris in the newspaper strip, “The Night Beast”, collected in Classic Star Wars #8 (1993).  Ackbar leads an assault on the Imperial sky base and uses metal encased missiles that breach the shields and destroy it.  Clever.  Lee-Char tells Barr that he revealed his location to the Inquisitors.  Tarkin has decided to up the stakes.  #16 has the Inquisitors tracking down the Jedi and Master Barr leads the escape, but one by one we see the apprentices killed and see flashbacks to how they were brought in as his apprentices.

Admiral Raadus has gathered the Mon Calamari ships together and their shields repel attacks by the Imperials.  Yes!, this is Raadus!  Vader gets the request from Tarkin to find Lee-Char and end the war and he sends the Inquisitors after the Jedi.  The Inquisitors have the Jedi trapped and only Verla and Barr are left, but he has a trick up his sleeve.  He uses the Force to lift the helmets off of the clone troopers and gives Order 66.  Again, this is something only known by the Emperor, but anyway.  Let’s get to the last part, #17, Part V of Burning Seas, by Charles Soule with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Daniele Orlandini.  The cover by Camuncoli is a fanciful part of the comic with Vader dueling with Barr on the surface.  The clone troopers turn on the Inquisitors thinking that they are Jedi instead of the Jedi.  Barr tells Verla that he used the Force to convince the clones that the Inquisitors are Jedi.  I still think Order 66 insures that Sith and their allies are not harmed, seeing Anakin lead the 501st attack on the Jedi Temple, but let’s move on.  Barr tells Verla to escape and find a Jedi Master while he has other business.  Tenth Brother is killed by the clone trooper attack.

Sixth Brother and Ninth Sister Force push away the clone troopers and Sixth Brother uses his lightsaber to injure Ninth Sister’s leg.  I'm wondering why a group of Force users would find a group not a legion of clone troopers difficult to fight with lightsabers.  The Mon Calamari guards try to protect Lee-Char in the Royal Command Bunker, but of course Vader slices through them.  Lee-Char fires on Vader, but his blaster fire is deflected back making him drop his blaster.  Tarkin orders the three Star Destroyers in orbit to fire down on the Mon Calamari city tearing it apart.  Lee-Char believes that the Mon Calamari will destroy the Empire according to Barr's vision.  Master Barr faces Vader with his blue lightsaber.  Lee-Char hangs around for some reason.  Admiral Raadus has reports that the cities are falling and decides to separate the cruisers to fight.

During their lightsaber duel, Vader realizes that Barr killed the ambassador to force action, which enrages Lee-Char.  He sends a message for his people to stand down, but Tarkin continues the bombardment.  The destruction of the Mon Calamari cities is handled well by Camuncoli as well as the action.  Admiral Raadus gives the order for the cruisers to head out into space.  Lee-Char is taken away by stormtroopers as Vader looks over the fallen body of Master Barr. We don't actually get to see Vader kill Barr.  It seems like a loss, Vader has won, but Barr was a weak, deluded Jedi.  The first part of Soule’s run was to find a lightsaber crystal, I wish it was from Barr’s lightsaber instead of yet another unknown Jedi or Jocasta Nu’s lightsaber.  There are many parts were Soule breaks canon, gets confused, but there is enough with the sea life, Lee-Char, one of my favorite characters, and Ackbar and Raadus that just get by that the other parts can be ignored.  

Three Lightsabers out of Five!    

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Star Wars Launch Bay!

Galaxy's Edge from the Mark Twain, photo by the author.

Thursday, I spent most of the morning at DCA with Pixar Pier. The sun was coming down and there is little shade at DCA. It was noon when I headed over to Disneyland. My foot steps were at trudging speed. I was looking for a place to eat and ended up at French Market with it’s refreshing Mint Julep. From there, I went down to Country Bear Restaurant which had a great view of Galaxy’s Edge, the opposite of the parking structure, but of course I saw the Mark Twain riverboat which is of course elevated. When I rounded the Rivers of America, the Mark Twain was about to depart, so I went up the stairs to reach the top level. This was more relaxing than trying to get a good shot at the parking structure. 

Pine trees block most of the view from the left edge, but some of the spires peek out. Some taller spires with construction platforms are behind the bridge of the railroad. Also, a large domed building possibly the Cantina. Place names were revealed for Galaxy’s Edge, it looks the Ancient Ruins will be at the far left of the park, the entrance across from Big Thunder Mountain in Disneyland, this will enable a transition from Frontierland to Galaxy’s Edge. The description says, “Remains of an ancient settlement. Perfect hideout for the Resistance.” I think the Resistance base is to the side and X-Wings and an A-Wing to the right from what I remember from the D23 diorama. This is the site of the Stormtrooper Battle Escape attraction. There is a road that is called Savi’s Path. I think this leads to the Surabat River Valley, the map says, “Navigate with caution. Treacherous turns!”

The path though leads away from the valley. This goes to Black Spire Station with the advice, “Salju will help you find the part you need.” It looks like droids are there to repair speeders or ships. It looks like Savi’s Path reaches the Saka Homestead that notes “Find blue milk at Bantha Tracks in the marketplace.” I think this is where the petting zoo is found. Central to the village is the Cantina, it is a large, dome-like building which is below a landed starship and caves. DJ Rex can be found there. The guide points out, "Local watering hole. Try the Blurrgfire.” 

Millennium Falcon model at Star Wars: Launch Bay, photo by the author.

It also leads to Smuggler’s Alley. There is a mass of buildings, but I think next is Docking Bay 7, “Food and Cargo – Food freighters come and go with tasty fare”, and to the right is the next entrance, which is next to Fantasyland in Disneyland, and Docking Bay 9 with the warning, “Stay clear! First Order troopers spotted…” which also leads to Merchant Row. At the far end is the Spaceport, “Hondo’s base of operations. He’s always in need of a crew.” The Millennium Falcon is there so this must be where the attraction queues up. 

Star Wars Launch Bay is in Tomorrowland. I was headed there to meet Rey. There are two showcase displays with Rogue One replaced by Last Jedi. Nothing from Solo. On the left hand side is a First Order display. There is the First Order Fleet Gunner Helmet, a model of the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer from Last Jedi, and below it is a model of Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer. In the center is the large model of the First Order TIE fighter and below it is a Canto Bight Police Pistol. To the right is the model of the AT-M6 and above it is prop of the Praetorian Guard Whip. 

On the right hand display is the Resistance with a small model of the Resistance Bomber and the prop of Poe’s Blaster Pistol above it is a medium sized model of the Millennium Falcon. Next to it is a small Resistance Ski Speeder model and below it is the prop of Rose Tico’s Medallion. The other side has a Resistance A-Wing Pilot Helmet with a prop of Resistance Blaster Rifle. The helmets are weak with uniforms with the previous movies. The next room is a screen with three benches to show a video featuring Kathleen Kennedy saying how much she and everyone at Lucasfilm loves Star Wars. Rian Johnson heads over to the Galaxy’s Edge construction site and Dave Filoni talks about concluding Star Wars: Rebels.

Rey character at the Rey Meet and Greet, photo by the author.

The next sections had Slave-I, Clone Wars ships, a Rebel section with the Tantive IV and Ghost models with a X-Wing pilot uniform. The Imperial section has Krennic’s shuttle, Kylo Ren’s shuttle, Star Destroyer and TIE fighter models. There are four meet and greets now. It was just two characters before. New for me was Rey with Chewbacca on the other side. There were Jedi lightsaber and pilot helmet displays. There is a tactical screen in the rocky temple-like setting. Rey looks spot on even comparing her to Daisy Ridley photos. The reason why is that characters that are not covered have to have approval. I’m not certain if that is studio or actor approval. 

She has her staff and was completely charming, but I was worried about my cell phone. I like the Chewie meet and greet, Darth Vader and Kylo Ren are up there too, but Rey was cool. This was a must for me since it was February when I last went to the Launch Bay. Nothing for Solo. It may be like Last Jedi that the cycle goes for a half year to bring new film displays. Launch Bay is worth it just for the character meet and greets. I recommend the Max Pass for ease of having the Photo Pass photos and downloading them. I hope everyone likes the Galaxy’s Edge photos from Hungry Bear and Mark Twain.

#Disneyland, #GalaxysEdge, #StarWarsLaunchBay, #Rey

A Tribute to Steve Ditko

We have lost one of the greatest comic book creators with police finding him in his apartment on June 29th.  He was private and his life and work was explored in the documentary by British chat show host and comics fan, Jonathan Ross, with In Search of Steve Ditko.  You can see it on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfxVO0fLHvA. Ditko left the army and enrolled in the Cartoonist and Illustrator School to learn under Jerry Robinson.  His first published work was in Daring Love #1 (1953).  Ditko worked at the studio of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as an inker.  He pencilled for them Black Magic #3 (1953).  Ditko then worked with Charleton Comics co-creating Captain Atom in Space Adventures #33 (1960). This character was brought into the DC universe and was the inspiration for Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen. 

Steve Ditko first worked for Atlas Comics which later became Marvel Comics with Journey into Mystery #33 (1956). The creation of Spider-Man is a bit unclear, Stan Lee said in a 1977 Quest magazine article, “How I Invented Spider-Man”, “When the time came to create a teenaged hero for Marvel Comics, I decided to depict him as a bumbling, real-life teenager who by some miracle had acquired a super power.”  He said of Ditko, “Steve Ditko was as fine a draftsman and graphic continuity artist as one could find.”  It seems like Lee was developing Spider-Man with artist Jack Kirby, in The Steve Ditko Reader (2002) by Greg Theakston, Lee said about the artwork of Kirby’s six pages, “I hated the way he was doing it.  Not that he did it badly - it just wasn’t the character I wanted; it was too heroic.”  Of course Kirby’s artwork was known for being heroic, so Lee was probably looking for a younger artist.  Steve Ditko recalled in an interview with Comic Fan #2 (1965), “Stan Lee thought the name up. I did costume, web gimmick on wrist & spider signal.”  

Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962) before getting his own title starting with The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963) which had Spider-Man surrounded by the Fantastic Four!  Jack Kirby is credited for both covers along with Ditko.  Steve Ditko brought something unique to comics, Spider-Man moved in dynamic poses, his Peter Parker looking like an ordinary teenager with glasses not a super hero.  One of the most stunning pages in comic books was Amazing Spider-Man #33 (1966) which has Spider-Man trapped under tons of iron and just struggling for pages.  He designed many of Spider-Man’s classic villains who have shown up in the films, Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #14 (1964), Doctor Octopus who appeared in issue #3 (1963), Amazing Spider-Man #4 (1963) featured Sandman, then there was the next series of movies with The Lizard in issue #6 (1963) and Electro first appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #9 (1964). The latest Spider-Man featured The Vulture who was in the second issue (1963) and there is the rumored Mysterio who first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #13 (1964).  Still, Ditko left the title with Amazing Spider-Man #38 (1966) apparently over disagreements with Stan Lee.  

One of Ditko’s strangest and well known characters was Doctor Strange introduced in Strange Tales #110 (1963).  It is powerfully imaginative, surreal, and the best of comic books.  His final arc with Doctor Strange was in Strange Tales #130 (1965) to 146 (1966). It was an incredible work dealing with other dimensions and his rival, Baron Mordo.  I saw it in a reprint and was so stunned that I worked on collecting all of the issues.  He left Marvel and went back to Charlton where he created the Silver Age incarnation of the Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, in Captain Atom #83 (1966).  In 1967, he also created The Question in Blue Beetle #1 (1967).  Both characters had analogues in Watchmen with Kord becoming Night Owl and The Question turned into the enigmatic Rorschach.  Watchmen is essentially a dark twist on Ditko characters.  Moore says in the Ditko documentary, “Steve Ditko got some much of his DNA in all of the characters he created…”. At DC Comics, he co-created Hawk and Dove in Showcase #75 (1968) who are going to be featured in the Titans streaming show. He collaborated with Wally Wood pencilling Heroes, Inc. Presents Cannon (1969) 

He returned to Marvel and one of the strange titles that I first saw his artwork was Rom Spaceknight where the cyborg character finished his war with alien Dire Wraiths using his Neutralizer.  It was of course based on an action figure produced by Parker Brothers.  I found Ditko’s artwork from that period kinda stiff, but I went back and picked up those issues.  In 1992, Ditko did the artwork for Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special (1992) which was the debut of Squirrel Girl, a character that is set to debut in the New Warriors television show.  Steve Ditko fascinates me not only as a comics creator with a rich and wide range of heroes and villains, but as a creator who felt he had to leave on his own terms. His name was left off of the creator credits in the Spider-Man films, but eventually showed up.  Looking at the movie and television success of his characters, it is amazing to see the interest in what Steve Ditko created, and his artwork that is at the heart of these characters.  Steve Ditko was one of a kind. 

#SteveDitko, #CaptainAtom, #TheQuestion, #HawkandDove  

Strolling Through the (Theme) Park One Day: Pixar Fest!

 Entrance to Pixar Pier, photo by the author.

Pixar Fest started on April 13th and continues at the Disneyland Resort until September 3rd. The Disneyland Resort of course consists of Disneyland and the Disney’s California Adventure parks which are side by side. The offerings at Disneyland include food; I picked up the Root Boot Float at Golden Horseshoe served in Woody’s boot. There is also the Pixar Play Parade which I missed, and Together Forever - A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular which I saw some parts. The fireworks show uses the buildings of Main Street, not only projections, on the Coco scene giant representations of characters pop up on the roofs!  Still, the action was at DCA with the opening of Pixar Pier on June 23rd, this was a remodeling from Paradise Pier.  You walk across the new Pixar Pier marquee, the brilliant Ariel’s Grotto which was a princess meet and greet, has been turned into the upscale Lamplight Lounge, it wasn’t open in the morning when I was there.  It is rumored to have a secret room.

On the other side is knick knacks with the snowman snow globe from Nome, Alaska based on the short paired with Finding Nemo (2003).  It has some fun Pixar themed merch.  Making your way across the pier, to the left side, is the Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats.  It is based on the Yeti first seen in Monsters University (2013).  I got the Snow-Capped Lemon Cone there, it melted in my hand, but was delicious!  To the other side is the launch for the Incredicoaster, Dash tells everyone to hold on and then counts down his run, riders are then hurtled at super speed, 55 mph, up a lift hill through a tunnel.  The former California Screamin’ was just a ringed tunnel, but this features the zigzagging trail of Dash chasing after Jack Jack.  You continue on and see the peaked house of the Parr family from Incredibles 2, there is an arch that leads you the rollercoaster, and also the concession stand that features Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num.  This was $6.00, the size of a pot pie, and easily enough cookie for two-three people.

The Incredicoaster!, photo by the author.

Then, to the right side is the character meet and greets, next to a waterfall display with the Incredibles symbol. I saw Elasti-girl there, side note: I hope the character and merch has her silver suit, where she’s on her own in Incredibles 2, it is new and would be nice for the remodeling.  I later saw Edna Mode, new character, and of course a favorite.  I started taking her pic and Edna was snapping into poses!  Turning left, there is the Poultry Palace, which was featured in the Toy Story Toons: Small Fry paired with The Muppets (2011).  I later had the Fried Chicken Box, it was three soggy chicken legs and coleslaw, but the Corn on the Cob was tasty.  To the left is Toy Story Mania which was always there with Paradise Pier.  It is a fun ride, a four person ride vehicle, you have a cannon with a pull string and wear 3D glasses to shoot at screens featuring the Toy Story characters.

You can continue on and to the right is the Angry Dogs food stand.  It has Anger from Inside Out (2013) blowing his top into a flame broil over the Angry Dog sign!  It is a spicy hot dog and I really love the other offering, the Slightly Annoyed Dog.  Next, is the Pixar Promenade with some carnival games, I tried them all.  You can get a Pixar Pier Games Play card to swipe for play.  First and best is La Luna Star Catcher, you have a net to pick up stars that have random prizes, but every catch is a prize.  I didn’t get any of the fancy ones, but I did get stars and moons.  There is Heimlich’s Candy Corn Toss, slightly easier than the baseball toss, but just as impossible for me.  There are two racing games, WALL-E Space Race, where you shoot a water gun at a target.  Also, Bullseye Stallion Stampede where you toss see balls.  The most fun I had was La Luna Star Catcher.

La Luna Star Catcher game at Pixar Promenade, photo by the author. 

Lastly, there is the Pixar Pal-A-Round which was re-themed from Mickey’s Fun Wheel, but still has the Mickey face.  Each of the gondolas are themed to different Pixar characters.  They can fit about two people on a side of the gondola.  I don’t have a fear of heights, but that ferris wheel reaches 160 feet above all of the buildings!  I was sweating.  There is swinging and non-swinging options.  I chose the non-swinging and still was worried at it’s height as it went through two revolutions.  Also, there is the Pixarmonic Orchestra which I missed, and the Paint the Night parade is moved there from Disneyland.  This some fun with lights and music, all to the tune of "When Can I See You Again?", the Owl City song from Wreck-It Ralph (2012) with the hints of the Main Street Electrical Parade.  It features Tinker Bell flying and the Disney Fairies with Peter Pan.  Large figures of Tigger, the Genie, and Lumiere.  Also, Monsters Inc. with the doors and Lightning McQueen with the full sized Mack the truck.

Then, Ariel on a float with Triton holding Sebastian followed by Nemo and Marlin puppets. Next is Jessie leading bolo swinging cow pokes.  Slinky Dog is there ridden by Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the end along with the Little Green Men in saucer.  There is a Disney Princess procession with dancers in front of Belle with a giant rose behind her.  Next, Rapunzel and Cinderella in their candle-lit parts of the float.  The new float is impressive with the Underminer’s drill, Mr. Incredible in front with Frozone overhead!  Electric Dash races around and Violet is in a spinning sphere of her projection powers with Jack Jack at the end. 

Sitting on lighted spheres is Goofy and Donald who really ham it up.  Then, we have Minnie on her sphere before getting to Sorcerer Mickey on a platform with a swirling pattern of lights. Still to be opened is Jessie’s Critter Carousel and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff.  There are some fun parts of Pixar Fest, I picked up the cup with the Little Green Man and The Claw!, I would recommend going at noon time when most of the places are open and characters are out.  I would like to see more food options for Pixar Pier and really, really, really hope to see a food stand that sells Bao like in the Pixar short, it was set in San Francisco, so has CA roots.   I hope everyone has a chance to go to Pixar Fest!

#PixarFest, #DisneysCaliforniaAdventure, #LalunaStarCatcher, #PainttheNight 

Sicario: Day of the Soldado Review!

Sicario was one of the most stunning dramas of 2015.  It followed Emily Blunt’s F.B.I. agent Kate Macer who gets drawn into the task force led by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro).  Sicario: Day of the Soldado continues the films with a subtitle meaning day of the soldier.  This film is with director Denis Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins with new director Stefano Soillima and cinematography by Dariusz Wolksi.  The visuals are brutal and grounded, but not crafted as works of art like the first film.  Severe warning, this movie is terrifying in it’s too-real world violence and ramifications so if this is not for you, really don’t see it!  This is a movie that can happen tomorrow or has happened yesterday.  Josh Brolin eliminated half of the universe’s population in Avengers: Infinity War, but he is infinity more dangerous here as an operative who kills without remorse.  He is also Cable in Deadpool 2.  This is the Year of the Brolin.  The same with Benicio del Toro, not the silly alien from Avengers: Infinity War, now he plays a ruthless killer.  

The film opens in Mexico where a helicopter monitors groups trying to make a border crossing.  One man separates from the group and he is surrounded by agents, then sets off a bomb.  Kansas in a supermarket, terrorist set off suicide bombs that take out shoppers including a mother and child that plead for their lives.  There is a news report about the Secretary of State, James Riley, played by Matthew Modine.  He notes that there will be a response to the act.  A team checks out the bomb scene in Mexico and finds prayer rugs.  Gulf of Somalia, a special forces team kills off a house of people before taking a prisoner.  At a military base, the prisoner is interrogated by Matt Graver (Brolin) who asks him the identity of the bombers, he shows a video of a home that is destroyed by a missile.  Graver tells the prisoner that he was paid not to attack a particular ship.  He threatens the prisoner with another video of a van being tracked and says he will kill all of his brothers.  

We also get a young man, Miguel Hernandez (Elijah Rodriguez) in Texas, his cousin works for the cartels transporting people across the border.  It seems like his character intersects with Graver and Gillick as he is brought into the cartel, but there is a twist.  Graver reports his intel to Cynthia Foards (Catherine Keener) who acts as his intermediary with the government.  Keener was of course brilliant in last year’s Get Out, her character here is important in how the orders are carried out.  Graver reports that Mexican cartels helped the terrorists cross the border.  Washington, D.C., Graver meets with the Secretary of State and other officials, his plan is to cause the cartels to kill each other.  He is given authorization off the books, he says, “You want to see this thing through I’m going to have to get dirty.”  Miguel is shown by his cousin the border and later makes contact with the cartel.  He takes group to cross the border in a. river.  Miguel also takes a drop at a fast food restaurant in a mall.  

At a bar, Graver meets with a contact to get soldiers and supplies and he divulges the operation is in Mexico.  Bogota, Colombia, we have Alejandro Gillick (del Toro) return home to find a note to not shoot the man inside.  He enters and finds Graver in his living room.  Graver says, “No rules this time.”  This is chilling.  We also get a private school in Mexico where Isabela Reyes (Isabela Moner) is fighting with another girl.  Moner was last in Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), but here she is completely brilliant, defiant, a survivor, but frightened by the events.  She is taken to the principal’s office with three scratches on her face.  The principal threatens to expel her, but Isabela explains the other girl insulted and slapped her.  She stands up and dares him to expel her. Isabel is the daughter of a cartel member so she leaves.  They meet in Texas at the same shopping mall where Graver meets a contact.  Their car pulls out and nearly runs over Miguel who stares at the passengers.  

Mexico, in a hotel room, Graver and his team including Steve Forsing (Jeffrey Donovan) who was also in the first Sicario.  They are watching vans pull into the private school.  Isabel goes into a black car.  A grey truck follows the black car, Isabel notes that there is no signal on her computer, and then the truck rams her car, we get the perspective of her thrown violently forward.  The team has pulled on hoods and shoot the bodyguards, Graver has one left alive to deliver the message.  Isabel has a black headphone and hood placed over her before being taken away.  A lawyer flees the scene, but Gillick shoots him in the leg.  He asks the lawyer to put on his glasses that have fallen, then pulls off his hood, to unload his pistol’s clip, very savage.  His family was killed by the Reyes cartel, Isabel’s father, but he finds that he has to save her.  She is taken to a jet on a military base and over to Texas and a secluded house.  There is a betrayal and Alejandro has to make the decision to save Isabel.  It gets bloody and brings Miguel into the tale of loyalty and violence.       

Four Bullets out Five!

#SicarioDayoftheSoldado, #BeniciodelToro, #JoshBrolin, #IsabelaMoner 

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!  Connie’s first film was in the Jerry Lewis French comedy, Par où t'es rentré ? On t'a pas vu sortir (1984) translated as How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave.  Her first US film was The Devil’s Advocate (1997) co-starring with Al Pacino in the horror film.  Then, Connie was in the sci fi action film Soldier (1998) stranded on an alien planet.  Connie followed it up with Brian De Palma’s brilliant sci fi tale, Mission to Mars (2000) alongside Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle.  I find it more fascinating than The Martian (2015).  

Next, Connie had her break through role as Lucilla in Gladiator (2000). She had a role as Detective Dani Beck in 2006 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.  Then, Connie starred as Meredith Kane in the television drama Boss (2011-2012). Connie had the role of cult leader, Lily Gray, in The Following (2014).  In The Good Wife she played Ramona Lytton from 2014-2015.  She returned to genre films playing Queen Hippolyta in Wonder Woman (2017) and also Justice League (2017).  Connie perfectly embodied the leader of the Amazons.  This year, she is in the biography, The Catcher Was a Spy.  Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen! 

#ConnieNielsen, #TheDevilsAdvocate, #WonderWoman, #TheCatcherWasaSpy   

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  Her first film was in the Australian independent film, Vigilante (2008).  She started on the well known soap opera Neighbors (2008-2011) as Donna Brown.  Margot started in the U.S. with the drama series, Pan Am (2011-2012), playing Laura Cameron.  She played Charlotte in About Time (2013) before breaking out in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).  Margot had the lead Ann Burden in the Z for Zachariah (2015) based on the Robert O’Brien novel set in an apocalyptic world.  

She had a lead role in Focus (2015) with co-star Will Smith.  Next, she was Jane Clayton in The Legend of Tarzan (2016) directed by David Yates.  Another break out role was as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (2016) reuniting with Will Smith who played Deadshot.  She had award attention with her lead based on the skater, Tonya Harding, in I, Tonya.  Margot played the mother, Daphne Milne, in the drama, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017).  This year she was in the Terminal, a noir thriller film, about different people caught up in a sinister plan.  Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!

#MargotRobbie, #TheWolfofWallStreet, #SuicideSquad, #ITonya

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!   She started out as a model and on her father, Steven Tyler’s Aerosmith music videos, before getting the lead role of Corey Mason in Empire Records (1995), Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty (1996), and played Faye Dolan in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! (1996).  Tyler had a genre role in the sci fi action film Armageddon (1998) playing the love interest of Ben Affleck.  In 2001, Tyler had the part of Arwen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).  She finished the trilogy with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). 

Liv Tyler was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations in 2003.  Tyler co-starred with Ben Affleck in Jersey Girl (2004) directed by Kevin Smith.  She played Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk (2008).  Then, she was in the comedy Super (2010).  Tyler was then in the comedy Robot & Frank (2012).  Tyler was in the 70’s style sci fi comedy, Space Station 76 (2014).  She played Meg Abbott in the tv series The Leftovers (2014-2017) dealing with the mysterious disappearance of some of the global population.  Tyler was in the Gunpowder (2017) mini-series about Guy Fawkes.  Her current film is the horror film Wilding which she also produced.  Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!  

#LivTyler, #StealingBeauty, #TheLordoftheRingsReturnoftheKing, #Wilding