Re:tro Re:view - Wonder Woman #779!

Wonder Woman #779 takes the “Afterworlds” storyline to a conclusion!, ten issues from #770, with the final confrontation with Janus!  Diana started in Valhalla and gains companions with Siegfried and her squirrel pal, Ratatosk.  She traveled through the Greek underworld, Elfhame, Earth-11 and more!  Diana has chased Janus across the Afterworlds.  The cover by interior artist Travis Moore has Wonder Woman holding the body of Deadman while Janus stands behind them!  “Afterworlds Finale” features the writing of Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan.  Deadman had opened a portal to a world of nothing.  This had Janus cutting him with her God Scraper.  In a splash page, we have a similar image from the cover.  Diana sheds a tear for Deadman recognizing the blank place where she entered after dying.  She blocks the God Scraper with her bracelet.  Janus is about to bring down the God Scarper down again, but she is stopped by Siegfried who holds back her arm.  Siegfried and Ratatosk had just arrived from the portal. 

The squirrel gives out a fierce “Rawr!”, funny! The white background seems to be easy to depict by the artists.  While Siegfried struggles with Janus, Diana’s lasso tells her to use it to compel Deadman.  She binds Boston Brand and compels him to return to life with the lasso.  It works and Deadman is back.  The lasso tells Diana to use it on Janus and she binds her upper arm.  She threatens Janus with eliminating her, but she wants to face the vengeful Janus as Diana of Themyscira!  Janus tries to cut the lasso with the God Scraper, but can’t break it.  Deadman knew of the In-Between as a meeting place for Diana’s spirit.  He realized that it is also inescapable rendering the God Scraper useless.  Janus says she only wanted to be an agent of change, but Diana judges her deeds which have been unjust.  Janus says her other male side had been tricked by her.  Janus says he found the God Scraper and that it could cut away the future.  She also spared her other half, but cut herself free from him.  I think Diana understands that the female Janus is capable of mercy.  

Ratatosk says he knew that the other half of Janus was telling lies.  It was his plan to eliminate his future counterpart.  Deadman takes hold of an invisible trapeze, he was a circus acrobat as Boston in life, and says he had lied about escaping the In-Between.  He goes to find a few gods and swings away.  Janus attacks Siegfried and cuts off his shirt.  Diana engages Janus with her sword.  Janus says she is the “God of Revolution.”  Purple threads fly and wrap around Janus.  Siegfried says they are Norns, three women fully covered by threads, and they have trapped Janus.  Great design by Travis Moore!  The God Scraper falls from Janus’ hand.  They say they can cut the Janus thread and eliminate her forever.  The decision is up to Diana.  She tells the Fates that Janus cannot be taken out of existence if they are all connected.  Zeus along with Hermes and Gudra from Asgard who has the other Janus tied with the thread arrive with Deadman.  Diana wants answers from him.  He explains that Ratatosk contacted Hermes who in turn gave the message to Zeus.  He then captured Janus II.  This Janus explains that he wanted Janus I to destroy the future so people would want to return to him in the past.  He wanted Diana as a witness to the future and he gets a fist to the face!  

The Fates are about to cut the Janus thread, but Diana wants them to atone for their actions and she will take responsibilty for them.  They leave and Diana asks Siegfried for the needle given by Odin.  Diana sews the two aspects of Janus together with the purple thread and they find mercy in returning to their original form.  Diana has the God Scraper and Hermes suggests it can be destroyed by Hephaestus.  Diana refuses to return to Olympus with Zeus and to Asgard with her friends.  Siegfried and Diana say their goodbyes and Siegfried says their story will continue.  Diana takes the God Scraper to her torso and light bursts out as she forms a portal for herself.  The Afterworlds are restored and afterlife continues.  It finishes with Ratatosk in his Yggdrasil nest with his wee squirrel children.  A very poignant end to an Afterworlds saga!  Young Diana has her reflecting on her life as she travels the seas around Themyscira with giant megalodons and hopping around on her kanga, Jumpa!  She rushes to the library to see Clio readying for the games.  Diana takes Clio to the Colosseum and then meets with her mother, Hippolyta.  “Sisterhood” is another cheerful ending by Jordie Bellaire and Paulina Ganucheau!  Wonder Woman #779 offers fantastic art and stories showcasing Wonder Woman and her place in the DC Universe (just in time for Wonder Woman Day)!        

       

Five Lassos of Truth out of Five! 

#WonderWoman, #Afterworlds, #TravisMoore, #MichaelWConrad, #BeckyCloonan, #InBetween, #Norns, #YoungDiana, #Sisterhood, #JordieBellaire, #PaulinaGanucheau, #Jumpa 

LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales Review!

 The special started on Disney+ on October 1st.  Lucasfilm logo of helmets ends with Lego Poe who is startled by some lightning!  This leaps to a dark tower, Darth Vader (Matt Sloan) monologues about Mustafar and his new castle, then turns to ask the reaction of the Emperor (Trevor DeVall).  Palpatine starts to take Vader away, but they are both shocked at the appearance of Vaneé (Tony Hale), the cloaked servant of Vader, who ends his introduction with a giggle.  He was ready the bath for Vader, a pink chamber, and then shows him his rubber duckie!  The Emperor leaves with Vader giving Vanee his sinister laugh before we get the title.  It is revealed, “Many, many years later…”, a funny twist on “A long time ago…”.  This shifts to Poe’s X-Wing pursued by First Order TIE Fighters who didn’t realize that the war is over.  Poe (Jake Green) turns on the TIE fighters and has them crash into each at the last moment.  BB-8 in his socket is trying to repair a hit on the left wing.  Poe sends the ship on an emergency landing on… Mustafar!  

Poe manages to land on a land of dark, twisted trees.  He happily stands up in the cockpit and a fire burns behind him, funny!, BB-8 quickly extinguishes the fire.   Poe tries to call for help, but his comm sparks.  Then, he cheerfully heads out with BB-8 to find help and of course they find the ominious castle!  Poe finds a construction crew headed up by Graballa the Hutt (Dana Snyder) with a hard hat.  He is proud to tell Poe they are building Castle Vader, a Sith theme resort!, it looks like Biff’s Casino.  Graballa is happy to take Poe on a tour.  A black protocol droid, NI-L8 (Mary Elizabeth McGlynn) says to Vader that the strangers might bring about the Prophecy of Mustafar.  Graballa shows Poe the entrance with his collection of stormtroopers including his own, the skelo-trooper, with a skull helmet and skeleton patterns on his armor.  Poe is surprised by Darth Vader and his lightsaber, but he just repeats “Of the dark side”, a sales bot.  The malfunctioning bot is slapped around by Graballa, funny!  A young mechanic, Dean (Raphael Alejandro), rushes up, offering to fix Vader bot.  The recording continues with the Empire Emporium shop!  I’m getting shades not of Galaxy’s Edge, but Spaceballs (1987), “Merchandising! merchandising!”

Poe compliments the kid who recognizes Poe as “the best pilot in the galaxy” and introduces himself as Dean.  He asks Dean to repair his X-Wing who would be happy to do so and wants to be a pilot himself.  Graballa interrupts them to make a deal, Poe makes a holovid for Castle Vader in exchange for the repair.  Poe agrees to the deal after his X-Wing is fixed and is about to leave, but he is startled by a man in a dark hood!  Not the Emperor, but it is just Vaneé in costume.  Graballa tries to explain that he came with the place!  Vaneé starts sniffing Poe!  Then, Poe decides to leave, so Vaneé has NI-L8 hold up a helmet. Vaneé explains that it is the Helmet of Ren!  He starts to explain the tale of the one who created Kylo Ren.  This goes into the story, “The Lost Boy”, very funny singular rather than plural like the 1987 horro movie and of course the Peter Pan characters.  On Tatooine, Jedi Master Luke (Eric Bauza) compliments Ben Solo (Matthew Wood) using the Force to lift stones in a circle.  Ben is frustrated since he is stronger in the Force than other three apprentices.  This includes Cozler who is able to Force lift a heavy stone over his head, but not skilled enough to have it conk him in the head!  Ben walks the street of town complaining about Luke’s lesson on patience.  A starship is about to land and the citizens run away fearing the Knights of Ren!

The Knights of Ren ride speeder bikes into town like a biker gang or outlaws from a Western.  The leader, Ren (Christian Slater), takes off his helmet (like the one seen before) and shows his long, white hair greeting Ben before the knights leave on the speeder bikes.  It is great to hear Slater as a Star Wars villain.  This may not be the canon origin for Kylo Ren, but it should be!  At night, Ben has a restless sleep until a face emerges from the roof!  It is Ren.  In the dream, the leader invites Ben to join them and he is met by Jedi Master Luke.  They are interrupted by Han Solo (AJ LoCascio)!  His father is there to invite Ben to dinner, Chewie is also seen with a covered plate, and his mother, Leia (Shelby Young).  She says Chewie made his favorite, Roast Tip-Yip.  Fried Endorian Tip-Yip is served at Galaxy’s Edge.  It is sort of an Endorian chicken.  Chewie opens the lid and it is the Ren’s head!  Kids join hands around Ben singing in Huttese a song like Ring-around-the-posies.  They transform into the Knights of Ren.  Ben falls into a nightmare of the Ren’s face before he is startled awake!  Then, he hears Ren and his knights outside.  Ren tells him that following Luke is holding him back and he should join his knights. Ben starts to walk to a speeder bike and Ren gives him the Kylo Ren helmet!  They wreck havoc on the town and even end up hanging from a bridge a la Lost Boys!  Ben is goaded into becoming Kylo Ren!  

Poe is unimpressed by the tale and Vaneé takes them to a chamber to tell about the Prophecy of Mustafar.  The chamber holding Sith artifacts can only unlocked by someone “fearless.”  Poe and Dean are able to unlock the massive door.  Graballa’s Iktotchi guards, same aliens as Saesee Tiin, are afraid of the looming shadow of… a mouse droid!  Graballa wonders at the expansion of Castle Vader.  Dean confides with Poe that his family needs him to keep the job.  Vaneé has taken them to a lightsaber repository and finds the Saber of Scardont.  Graballa snatches it away, but breaks it.  Then, he has Dean fix it.  Vaneé tells the next tale, “The Dueling Monstrosities.” He speaks of Darth Maul defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi, but he survived and made his way to the Nightsisters.  Mother Talzin (Barbara Goodson) commands Maul (Sam Witmer) to stand, but he is clumsy with his bionic legs. She tries again with different lower bodies for Maul, very funny!  Finally, he gets his spider body!  Poe is doubtful, but the guards are fascinated. Vaneé tells of the other monstrosity, with Qymaen jai Sheelal, a student of Count Dooku, is reborn as General Grievous (Matthew Wood)!  Palpatine via hologram sends Grievous to find the Saber of Scardont. He warns Grievous that to use the lightsaber will cause madness.  Palpatine says things are getting desperate with "General Wheezus."  He then mocks Darth Maul who happens to be standing behind him!  Maul says he will get the lightsaber to redeem himself for Palpatine.  The characters from different eras are all fun, plus other pop culture references, but the best part of Star Wars Lego: Terrifying Tales is that apart from the comedy, they seem like legitimate Star Wars stories!        

 Four Lightsabers out of Five! 

#StarWarsLego, #TerrifyingTales, #JakeGreen, #TonyHale, #MattSloan, #TrevorDeValle, #MaryElizabethMcGlynn

The Outpost, “Nothing Lasts Forever”, Review!

The Outpost has had a fourth season with our hero, Talon (Jessica Green), a Blackblood who tracked her mother’s killers to Gallwood Outpost.  Talon befriended Garret Spears (Jake Stormoen) and She went with Zed (Reece Ritchie), who appeared from Talon’s portal, and they discover the demonic Lu-Qiri.  Also, they ended up bringing the attention of the Masters!  There was also the sacrifice of Queen Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse) to stop Yavalla.  There was also the introduction of Wren (Izuka Hoyle), daughter of Yavalla, whom shared the scientific mind of Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia) and eventually they fell in love. 

Janzo, brewer and scientist, now runs the Nightshade Inn, with his adopted brother, Munt (Adam Johnson). Munt, is a simple man, fiercely loyal and awkwardly in love with Warlita (Tiana Upcheva).  Janzo inherited the inn after the death of their mother, The Mistress.  At the Outpost, Janzo and Wren discover the people, the Kahvi, underground.  They eventually free 313 (Pavle Jerinic) who names himself Marvin. The defeat of Yavalla led to the origin of the kinjes, the Seven “Gods” whom we found out were the Masters.  The surviving members of The Three that ruled the Capital, Two and Three, influenced Falista (Georgia May Foote) to take the throne.  She did so when the Masters revived Tobin (Aaron Fontaine).  

THE OUTPOST - - “Nothing Lasts Forever - - REECE RITCHIE, JAKE STORMOEN, JESSICA GREEN - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

The season introduced Luna (Maeve Courtier-Lilley), the sister of Ilyin who died in the second season, and wanted revenge for the death of her sister.  Talon and Luna discover and awaken Aster (Gerrard Miller), one of the Seven, who possessed Talon’s kinj.  The situation has become desperate with Aster’s plan, the arrival of the Masters, and the fate of Kahvi!  Aster has told Talon that he can't stop the Six Masters, it must be Talon!  He uses his kinj to open a portal to a place he calls the Void which begins to freeze Talon's hand and the rest of the room.  Aster says she must take the kinj and kill him with the Akora blade!  

Garret goes over the plan with Talon and they have promised to marry.  Zed is pulling up a large wooden slab which is held up by Munt and pulled by Wren.  Marvin asks about the Kahvi.  Aster is on the battlement looking out.  Talon tells Marvin the threat of the Kahvi who are unlike him.  Talon goes to talk with Aster about the Kahvi.  Wren and Marvin talk to Aster and Marvin says he will only hurt the Masters.  Talon says she will only agree to the plan if the Kahvi aren't saved.  Marvin says he really wants to save his daughter.  Aster agrees.  Janya will revive the Kahvi and then Vorta will start to control them.  Aster says the Masters have arrived.  

The empty Outpost has only the wind stirring the chimes.  The Six stand with their staves and go to find Aster and enter the Outpost!  Aster walks out and faces them.  He says there are other worlds.  Vorta thinks he will again betray them and forces him to kneel before them.  Talon shows Luna the lever to trap everyone underground.  She wants Luna to run away afterwards.  Talon sees the Seven and leaves.  They reach the skelikor chamber and place their hands on the device.  It sends out a burst of mist.  Janya (Tamara Aleksic) sends her green tendrils to revive the Kahvi.  Janzo, Munt, wait.  Vorta (Nikki Leigh Scott) starts sending out her naviaspores.  Talon approaches and stabs Aster with the blade.  The fade and Talon's kinj appears.  

Garret looses a crossbow that strikes Janya in the gut and explodes throwing her into the Void!  Zed swings in kicking Levare (Tamara Radovanovic) into the Void for Nedra.  She sees Janya frozen and then freezes herself!  Zed duels with Kultor.  Marvin tries to attack Vorta, but she sends her to attack Talon.  She sends him over the side of the chamber. Marvin falls seen by Wren, Janzo, and Munt.  Golu (Jovan Jovanovic) controls Zed stopping him from fighting.  Zed fights with Talon. Golu then has Garret to attack Talon with Zed.  She leaps over the pedestal   Kultor (Srdjan Timarov) tries to throw a fireball as Talon leaps away.  Golu sends Garret and Zed after Talon!  Garret catches Talon's boot and struggles to pull her down.  Luna looses her bow at Garret sending him down.  Kultor sees them and Luna tries to loose an arrow at him!

THE OUTPOST - - “Nothing Lasts Forever — ADAM JOHNSON, ANAND DESAI-BAROCHIA, IZUKA HOYLE - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Kultor blasts upwards and a log falls on Luna which burns her arm.  Talon smashes the latch trapping the Masters!  She tends to Luna's wound and lets her sleep.  Morning, the Kahvi start to walk towards Janzo, Wren, and Munt.  Marvin says his order is to kill them and Janzo and Wren run while Munt slams them back with his hammer.  Kultor blasts through the door and emerges with Golu, Garret, and Zed.  Talon seeks past them watching the Masters pass, but then has to duel with Garret.  She leaps down from the battlement on a ladder.  Talon sees Golu, but has to fight Zed.  Garret blocks Talon's strike on Golu.  She leaps over a well and then fights her friends.  Talon has the swords of Garret and Zed between her.  She opens the portal and then ducks as a log trap slams Golu into the Void.  There are only three of the gods left to face the three warriors.  

Janzo listens at the door as Wren sees the Kahvi climbing on each other Starship Troopers Bug-style, Munn gets some hammer time with Munt.  Janzo tells him to run.  They reach the room with the keys and turn them to trap, Wren has found a key, and Janzo finds the keyhole stone.  It is too late.  until is taken down by the Kahvi.  Janzo screams that 313 can order them to kill anyone. Talon, Garret, and Zed face the remaining Masters.  They fight against the gods, Talon with Golu, Kultor is about to kill Garret, but Zed runs him through with a sword.  Then Garret skewers him.  They get behind him and push their swords forcing Kultor into the portal opened by Talon.  Golu is about to reach out for Talon, but is hit by a dagger thrown by Luna.  

She throws Talon her sword   She runs Golu through with it and opens the portal kicking the sword handle to send him back.  Vorta raises stones, Talon throws her sword, and Vorta seems surprised.  Talon says the episode's title, pulls out the sword, and kicks the last of the gods through the portal. Vorta sees the fate of her brothers and sisters before she joins them.  The Kahvi are about to close in for the kill and Marvin stands on rungs to tell them the Masters are gone.  The Kahvi raise their hands to him.  Zed revives and then Garret who tells her about the marriage.  Luna wants to get a drink and Zed follows her.  A veil is placed by Talon over the body of Aster in a boat.  Wren gives a prayer to Aster and pushes the boat off with Talon.  She opens a portal to take away the boat.  

THE OUTPOST - - “Nothing Lasts Forever - - MAEVE COURTIER-LILLEY, JESSICA GREEN - - Photo: Aleksandar Letic/NBCU International -- © 2021 Outpost TV LLC, Courtesy of Electric Entertainment. All rights reserved.

There is a triumph of music as we get the Gallwood Outpost, one month later.  They are dressed up.  Munt points out Warlita.  They are nervous waiting for Talon.  Zed goes to find her.  She is sketching Gwynn and sees the relics she had left behind.  Zed joins her and Talon asks him to wait.  Zed eyes the crown.  Zed nods to Garret, they turn to see Talon in queenly robes!  Wren binds their hand and performs the ceremony.  A flashback to their moments over their first meeting.  They both agree to the marriage, kiss, and the assembled people of the Outpost clap.  gives a handkerchief to Munt.  Talon hugs Janzo and he babbles about their friendship.  Zed takes the crown and places it on Queen Talon!  Garret bows as well as the rest of the Outpost.  She says they are all one people. 

Zed gives the cheer, "Long live the queen" and to king Garret.  Warlita rushes to kiss Munt.    Where was Marvin's daughter?  Did they have a reunion?  I imagine that Munt uses his hammer to help rebuild the Capital and other places destroyed by the Seven.  He could marry Warlita and then join a council with Zed, others, and the Kahvi.  I also think that Luna is knighted by Queen Talon and becomes the next marshal.  We have a tribute to Queen Rosamund (Gwynn), but no tributes to others we lost; Queen Falista, The Mistress (Robyn Malcolm), and Garret’s father, Marshal Cedric Wythers (Andrew Howard).  Also, kudos to series creators, Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin as well as producer Dean Devlin!  The happy ending almost changes what was a magical swords and sorcery adventure with touches of humor and cleverness into a fairy tale!

Five Zinjes out of Five!   

#TheOutpost, #NothingLastsForever, #JasonFaller, #KynanGriffin, #DeanDevlin, #JessicaGreen, #JakeStormoen, AnandDesaiBarochia, #AdamJohnson, #ImogenWaterhouse, #ReeceRitchie, #AaronFontaine, #GeorgiaMayFoote, #TianaUpcheva, #RobynMalcolm, #AndrewHoward, #PavleJerinic, #GerardMiller, #NikkiLeighScott

What if…, “The Watcher Broke His Oath?”, Review!

The finale of What If… is here with The Watcher forced to take part in events to prevent the destruction of the Mulitverse!  Thanos suddenly appeared, Ultron destroyed him, and took the Infinity Stones along with the Vision body.  His destruction of Earth wasn’t enough, Ultron became a galactic conqueror.  Now, he has crossed into the Multiverse to the Nexus of All Realities, and The Watcher’s only hope is to ally with Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch)!  In a quinjet, Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell) is briefing Black Widow (Lake Bell) and Agent Rumlow (Frank Grillo) about the mission with Batroc.  Captain Carter was in the first episode, “What If… Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?”  This mission was first seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).  She makes the leap from the quinjet.  The opening is of course very important for this episode and why it didn’t pick up straight from the last story.  Carter takes out Batroc’s men and then faces Batroc (Georges St-Pierre) himself.  This goes directly to the fight, no race across the ship, no Rumlow with Natasha.  

She pauses the fight to look towards the sky and sees The Watcher.  This is similar to many comics mega-events like Crisis in Infinite Earths.  Ships blast the skies over a Dairy Queen.  Inside, the humanoid Ego (Kurt Russell) is torturing his son, Peter Quill (Brian T. Delaney).  Star-Lord flies through the window snatching away Peter and plants a device on Ego which explodes.  This of course the T’Challa Star-Lord (Chadwick Boseman) from “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?”  It appears that this may be Boseman's last performance as T'Challa.  Peter points out The Watcher who chooses T'Challa.  The Infinity Gauntlet is melted into the forge of Eitri who was seen in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Tony Stark (Mick Wingert), in heavy mocha-like armor, is watching with Gamora (Cynthia McWilliams).  This seems to be an unknown multiverse world.  Gamora has a massive sword, a few facial tattoos, Thanos' armor, and red hair.  The Watcher chooses her.  Shuri (Ozioma Akagha) and Pepper Potts, who carries a massive rifle, run with some Dora Milaje.  They are the opposition at the end of “What If.. Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?”  The Watcher meets with Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) to be chosen as the others break into the throne room.  I think Shuri with her genius level intellect would be more important against Ultron.

Still, there is sometimes a villain-type in these groups.  Thor (Chris Hemsworth), after the galactic party in “What If… Thor Were An Only Child?” is over, takes on Ultron sentries.  Thor keeps fighting sentries as The Watcher tries to explain and he ends up in The Watcher’s hand!  The pub is familiar to Captain Carter, it was chosen by Strange Supreme.  There is confusion in the group and Killmonger just walks up the sentry head thrown down by Party Thor.  The lights flicker and The Watcher appears.  He calls them the Guardians of the Multiverse.  A group of superheroes across the Multiverse trying to fix problems was the Exiles created by Judd Winick and Mike McKone in Exiles #1 (2001).  Thor tries to walk out warned by Strange and he is nearly drawn into a vortex!  This reminds me of Doctor Who when a Companion was hanging onto the Tardis while it is in mid-flight through the Time Vortex.  The Watcher explains the situation with Ultron.  Strange says the only way is separate Ultron’s body from the Infinity Stones.  He is the co-leader and field team leader of the Guardians.  Carter says that they have to find Ultron in the Multiverse.  T’Challa notes the sentry army which really doesn't show up in the ep.  Thor interrupts them to ask if there is a Chinese food universe delivery service.  

After having some takeout, Gamora shows everyone that the stones can be destroyed in the Infinity Crusher.  Captain Carter goes over the plan to find the Soul Stone and have Gamora use the Infinity Crusher.  The Watcher transports them to the next world.  It is a planet without intelligent life, they are on a cliffside with a fire going, and Strange suddenly loses control of a tentacled arm!  Killmonger regards the Ultron head.  Strange summons glasses of drink and tries to make a speech, but it is hardly inspiring.  T’Challa finishes with a toast to the Guardians of the Multiverse!  Thor’s lightning blast gets the attention of Ultron (Ross Marquand) with his scepter.  Strange forms golden armor (it kinda looks like Thena's weapon in The Eternals) on the Guardians which he calls a protection spell.  A portal opens for Killmonger and Gamora.  Ultron descends and Thor gives out his war cry, “Viva Las Vegas!”, very funny.  Ultron’s Infinity Stones flare and the mountain collapses on the Guardians.  A mountain dropping on superheroes was done in Secret Wars #4 (1984) except it was done by Molecule Man in the comic. The rubble shatters from the protection spell.  Thor throws his hammer and Strange turns them into duplicates that bash Ultron.    

Captain Carter takes hold of T’Challa who flies her up to Ultron.  She throws him and Strange armors her shield to bash Ultron.  She takes Mjolnir to make the return sliding to the ground.  T’Challa holds his gun to Ultron’s head.  Ultron fires an energy bolt at T’Challa.  Strange has all of the hammers compress Ultron into a ball.  Carter runs after T’Challa and he shows her the Soul Stone.  Strange unleashes a three-headed dragon that breathes fire on Ultron.  The adaptoid realizes that a stone is missing.  Strange drops a universe of zombies on Ultron.  A portal is opened for the Guardians to escape.  Ultron frees himself from the zombies and has to face… Zombie Scarlet Witch!  All from “What If… Zombies?”  Ultron is able to shrug off her attack and destroys the world!  This causes Captain Carter to be bounced around in the portal, real Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989).  All of the Guardians leave the portal, T’Challa throws the Soul Stone, but it is caught by Black Widow from last episode.  It becomes a game of Keep Away the Infinity Stone.  Then, Bash Ultron, every group member hitting him from all sides!  Love the two shields wielded by Carter and Natasha!  Shouldn’t they be trying to get the stones from Ultron?  I do like the shout out to one villain’s comic appearance at the end.  More cameos and mid credit scene!  The finale of What If? is the gathering of heroes from the other episodes into the Aven- no, The Guardians, with The Watcher behind it all!               

Five Infinity Stones out of Five! 

#WhatIf, #TheWatcherBrokeHisOath, #HayleyAtwell, #LakeBell, #FrankGrillo, #GeorgesStPierre, #KurtRussell, #ChadwickBoseman, #MickWingert, OziomaAkagha, #MichaelBJordan, #ChrisHemsworth, #RossMarquand

Walking Through The Academy Museum!

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is along awaited celebration and display of films.  It is located on Museum Row in what was the May Company Building across the street from the Petersen Automotive Museum.  The Petersen has a new exhibit, Bond in Motion, which will be covered later.  The museum opened on September 30th and you can reserve tickets making reservations on the academymuseum.org website.  Once you enter the gate that is on the side of the museum on the Fairfax Avenue side, you have to show your vaccine card, and then go to another table, to scan your ticket for two wristbands.  Entering the museum, there is the first floor of the Stories of Cinema exhibit, which has the Spielberg Family Gallery.  It has mostly screens showing various films.  Past it is the museum store which has a number of Studio Ghibli merch; books, t-shirts, and paper goods.  There is a cafe to the right and the staircases to either side are blocked off.  

                                                                                            Jaws model, Academy Museum, photo by the author. 

I had missed most of the exhibits on second floor since I was really drawn to the third floor, Inventing Worlds and Characters, exhibit.  This had at the left hand side by the escalator and elevator, animation.  There was artwork of Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny on the wall, next to it is some animation cels from the anime film, Akira (1988).  In the center is maquettes, reference statues, for animation of Bugs Bunny, Elsa from Frozen (2013), and the faces of Kubo swirling around tiny sticks from Kubo and the Two-Strings (2016).  Farther down the left wall is a section on Frank Thomas, one of Disney’s Nine Old Men, looking at how much emotion he drew into the lines that make up Doc in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was just stunning as well as artwork of panels from Bambi (1942).  There is also the animation desk of Frank Thomas.  Next on the back wall is the work of Pete Docter including beautiful panels from Up (2009), the opening story of Carl and Ellie.  Plus, some concept artwork of Frozen.  There is a display of Avatar (2009) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) figures, and the Dinosaur Input Device from Jurassic Park (1993).  

This leads to the next section, Encounters, which has the Okoye costume and spear from Black Panther (2018).  Next to her is the R2-D2 suit, I liked seeing that the paint is kinda chipping off of some parts, and behind him is the C-3PO costume, it was interesting to see the wires and black ribbing.  On the other side is the head of the Alien!  It is the head appliance from Alien (1979), very freaky like a human skull, almost like an ancient Aztec idol, with a long curve with tubing.  Behind it is a spacesuit from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).  This was amazing because I didn’t think anything remained from that film.  Behind it is the large model of the Aries-18 lunar landing shuttle also from 2001. On R2’s row is the E.T. animatronic from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).  Then, the amphibian man prosthetic suit of the amphibian man from The Shape of Water (2017).  At the end of the row is the Vid-Phon prop from Blade Runner (1982).  There is a room with a screen showing classic sci-fi. To the side is the incredible metallic robe of Dracula from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992).         

                                                                                    Kira animatronic, Academy Museum, photo by the author. 

Against the right hand wall are props of the Cobblepot Mansion and a matte painting from Batman Returns (1992).  Next to it is some bowl, dishes, and cutlery props and ends with the Gourmand Skeksis from Dark Crystal (1982). To the left is a display of the Landstrider puppet head from the same movie.  There is something soft in its yellow eyes and then unusual with the catfish-like barbels on the side of its face.  Then, we have the gruesome, battered head of the Terminator, he is not having a good day, from Terminator 2.  The animatronic head of Kira from Dark Crystal is amazing.  Next, there is a display of an orc head from Lord of the Rings.  On the fourth floor, suspended, is the 25 foot long Jaws made from the original mold!  The Hayao Miyazaki exhibit opened with the museum on September 30th and it will last until June 5th of next year.  It is on the fourth floor.  I would advise anyone to go many times.  You are reminded many times not to take pics or video in the exhibition.  Many times I felt that cell phone burn at some amazing sights that I wanted to capture, but this is just special and must be experienced.  

You enter and it is a curve of greenery (cardboard), but it feels like you falling into Studio Ghibli world.  Then, there is a table with imageboards (with beautiful watercolors) and production cels of My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and I gasped!  The table next to it has artwork from Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) and I just went wow!  This was room to room, artwork to artwork, just a walk in Wonderland.  All of the Studio Ghibli films, except the other studio properties, were there; Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Spirited Away, all the way to The Wind Rises (2013).  There were screens showing the movies and areas like some goats standing next to an animator’s desk, a cushioned area to see the sky, the Mother Tree from My Neighbor Totoro which has a glowing, green tree, magical, a model of the house in Totoro, and a statue from Spirited Away.  I could spend all day just in that area and didn’t want to leave.  There is so much more to the Academy Museum, but that will have to be covered with other trips and articles.

#AcademyMuseum, #Akira, #KuboAndTheTwoStrings, #FrankThomas, #PeteDocter, #Alien, #2001ASpaceOdyssey, #BladeRunner, #DarkCrystal, #Jaws, #HayaoMiyazaki  

Fight Girls #3 Review!

Fight Girls is reaching its finale with half of the contestants remaining now facing the deadly creatures of the ocean!  Last issue, the mystery of Xandra Blackwater revealed that contestant #7, has taken her identity!  Frank Cho’s cover has contestant #4, Tora Winter, putting on her swim cap while in the background is the massive megalodon, and two small panels of a pterandon creature and the head of the gigantic marine turtle that looks like an Archelon.  We see the contestants with the fallen women with red screens; 1, 3, 5, 6, and 9!  At the Grace Point One capital, the remaining contestants assemble on the teleport pad, they are teleported to a floating pad on the ocean.  This is “Challenge 3: Ocean.”  The contestants are looking across the two-page spread of ocean waves to see the teleport pad objective.  Contestant #10, Pondo Shen, takes the initiative and dives into the water.  The swim caps for the most part take away the contestant’s distinctive hair styles. Pondo is swimming almost halfway to the goal as the others just watch her.  

The commentators note that Pondo was known for her swimming in the Empire Games.  Next, two more contestants, #4, Tora Winter, and #8 Rache Lauren, make the leap.  They are seen in silhouette, but identified by the commentators.  Left on the pad is #7, Xandra Blackwater, with her distinctive eyepatch, and #2, Jaxa Wyman.  Xandra tells Jaxa that is waiting for her ride.  She leaps into the water and grabs hold of the shell hitching a ride on the sea turtle in a splash page.  Xandra has signaled the turtle to swim towards her?  Pondo is near the platform, but of course Xandra had the sea turtle give her a boost and reaches the teleport box.  Kinda cheating?  Underwater, Pondo is caught by jellyfish clinging to her legs, ouch!  She pulls them free and then turns to see the jaws of the megalodon!  There is just a bloody bubble seen by #8, Rache, who feels sudden pain and finds her left arm is severed!  Swooping from the sky, a pterandon-like sea vulture takes hold of Rache’s shoulders.  A scene like Jurassic World (2015).  

Xandra celebrates her “victory”, but the crowd gasps at the drone cam footage.  She turns to see Rache plucked out the water, but they are both swallowed by the Megalodon, very much like the 2015 movie.  Jaxa and Tora see the bloody scene halfway to the goal.  They start to race towards the platform.  Good series of short panels, the teleport pad, Jaxa swimming, and the fin turns!  The contestants reach the teleport pad and are about to climb onto it.  In a two page splash panel we see the Megalodon leaping out the water, Jaxa about to reach the teleport panel, and Tora leaps back into the water! Jaxa touches the teleport panel!  Xandra turns after the teleport flash to see… Jaxa has teleported, but only half of her! The rest is in the mouth of the Megalodon, gruesome!  Tora climbs back onto the platform and slams on the teleport pad, but no teleporting!  She finds that the pad is bitten in half.  The trauma teams are rushing away Jaxa, can the technology somehow save her?  

Xandra sees the head of the Megalodon on the floor and that Tora is shouting at the drone cams to transport her.  There is no rescue, the commentators say that it is against the rules.  Tora watches the sea vultures flocking to the Megalodon’s corpse. The drone cams pick up Tora removing cables from the teleport pad.  The officials meet about the contest rules and they find that contestant have to return on their own after finishing the challenge.  We also get a hint that the next challenge will be the combat trial.  The chief of the recording room is told that there is an update to Tora and he orders the roof to be opened.  Tora Winter appears with the cables wrapped around a sea vulture and helping her ride it!  A very cool Edgar Rice Burroughs image!  She slams her sea vulture mount to the floor.  The crowd cheers for #4, Tora, and from a screen, Xandra drinks to her.  Is the eyepatch even real or is she hiding her identity?  Two issues left and only one final contest!  My money would be on Tora, but it looks like Sandra has the edge, and a mysterious purpose.  Plus, there is a surprise to the operatives searching for Xandra’s identity!  Mystery, a nasty contest with strong women contestants, and a number of fantastic creatures, Fight Girls has it all!  

Five Drones out of Five!  

#FightGirls, #Challenge3Ocean, #XandraBlackwater, #ToraWinter, #Megalodon, #SeaVulture

Re:tro Re:view - Star Wars: The High Republic #7!

Star Wars: The High Republic continues the Drengir war with “Heart of Drengir.”  It features a cover by Phil Noto with a close-up of Jedi Knight, Keeve Trennis, crossing her lightsaber and blocking a red Sith lightsaber blade.  Cavan Scott is the writer and the artist is Georges Jeanty for “Of Sith and Shadows.”  Keeve finds herself in the dark with tendrils of the plant-like Drengir.  She calls out for Jedi Masters, Sskeer and Avar Kriss, but is only answered by the dark voice of the Drengir.  Keeve activates her lightsaber.  She finds her winged Ximpi, Kanrii, her friend from the first issue.  Then, she sees the young Bartol whom she saw on Sedri Minor.  These are people she knows in her memory, the Drengir must be manipulating her.  Next, she sees the Rodian child, Julus, whom she found killed by the Drengir in Star Wars: High Republic #3.  There are circular rings of technology around a planet.  Keeve tries to remember the ghostly woman in this world.  

Out of the darkness, a shadowy man with two red eyes says she is seeing visions, and activates his Sith lightsaber!  In a splash page, the Sith with an alien face brings down his lightsaber, and Keeve blocks it.  The creature calls her “seed pawn.”  Keeve says in Dark Side speak, “The Harvest will be protected” using the Force to slam him into a tree trunk.  She doesn’t understand what this means.  The alien Sith stabs her with his lightsaber.  This makes me think it is a test like the cave in Empire Strikes Back (1980), “Remember your failure at the cave!” Her lightsaber falls.  Keeve is frozen in place with the lightsaber burn at her stomach.  Three hooded figures say, “The circle is complete.”  Similar to Darth Vader’s line to Obi-Wan in Star Wars (1977).  In a large panel, Keeve is starting to become a statue, there is the Sith and Drengir around her, above her are four Force spirits(?).  She refuses the vision and wakes at the meditation chamber at Starlight Beacon, the station at the Outer Rim.  

Keeve is contacted by Dr. Gino’le, an Anacondan, he was first seen last issue.  He revives Keeve from her meditation and says her vital signs were high.  The Jedi Knight starts to walk the halls of the station and then sees the face of a Drengir on the wall!  She uses the Force to break the glass surface.  Keeve is disturbed by her attempt to look into the Drengir root-mind.  She is about to see Maru, but the droid Kaysee, blocks her way.  Maru is contacting Marshall Avar Kriss who is calling for Jedi in Wild Space to fight the Drengir.  He tries to explain Jedi are dealing with the Nihil and the Republic Fair?  Avar needs the Jedi in the Mulita system.  Keeve tells Maru that she would like to volunteer to help the marshall.  This turns to the system, Chortose, it’s first appearance.  It is Agricultural Hub 42.  There are two Chortose, Pango and Gru, short, hairy aliens that are a bit like Wookies with long ears.   They remind me of the Lahsbees from the early Star Wars Marvel comic book.  

The Nihil throw two gas detonators and the two Chortose brothers have to face the Nihil alone.  The Nihil wear breath masks and two are aliens.  They want sprayer droids, to stop the Drengir?  The leader, Storm, is about to bring down his vibro-axe, but it is severed by the lightsaber blade of Keeve!  The human Nihil opens fire with his blaster, but his shots are blocked by Keeve spinning her lightsaber!  The human is struck by his deflected blaster bolt!  Storm is knocked down by a heavy device.  Keeve finds that she is helped by the ghost woman holding a yellow lightsaber to a Nihil!  She says her name is Orla Jareni.  Orla has taken care of the rest of the Nihil to be taken by the Republic Defense Coalition.  She clears the room of the Nihil gas.  Orla explains to Keeve that she is Wayseeker who follow the Force to help. She says that she is there to help Keeve who starts to get emotional that she was left behind.  Keeve gets a vision from the root-mind, but she will be needed to win the Drenir war!  This issue of Star Wars: The High Republic has some welcome surprises, like the Chortose, whom I hope return!, and the mysterious Wayfinder, Orla Jareni, another mentor figure for Keeve?, this comic is ramping up the story!   

Four Lightsabers out of Five! 

#StarWarsTheHighRepublic, #OfSithAndShadows, #Chortose, #OrlaJareni