Happy Birthday Robin Wright!

Happy Birthday Robin Wright!  Of course we know her as Princess Buttercup in Princess Bride (1987), but Wright started on the soap opera Santa Barbara (1984-1988).  Her first film role was actually in Penelope Spheeris’ Hollywood Vice Squad (1986) playing the teenage runaway caught in the crime filled big city.  Wright played Gwen Tyler in the Barry Levinson fantasy comedy, Toys (1992) that starred Robin Williams.  One of Wright's iconic roles was playing Jenny in Forrest Gump (1994).  Moll Flanders (1996) was the lead role played by Wright based on the Daniel Defoe novel.  Wright also played Audrey Dunn in Unbreakable (2000).  She provided the voice of Walthow in the animated Beowulf (2007). 

Robin Wright was in the drama Moneyball (2011) based on the nonfiction book by Michael Lewis.  She was also the thriller adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).  Wright begun her award winning run on House of Cards as Claire Underwood in 2013.  She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in 2013.  Wright had an incredible year in 2017, as General Antiope in Wonder Woman, and played Lieutenant Joshi in Blade Runner 2049, two of my favorite movies!  Then, she returned as Antiope in Justice League.  There is the comparison of another character turned princess to general.  She’s now taking the lead role in House of Cards becoming President of the United States.  Wright returned as Antiope in Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).  She directed and starred in the drama, Land (2021).  Happy Birthday Robin Wright!

#RobinWright, #PrincessBride, #ForrestGump, #MollFlanders, #HouseOfCards, #WonderWoman1984, #Land 

Re:tro Re:view - Star Wars: The High Republic #13!

The Jedi’s End storyline in Star Wars: The High Republic #13 has reached its climax with an undercover mission, an initial battle, and now what looks like a beginning of the final battle against the Nihil! Last issue re:cap - the battle’s aftermath has effects on Marshall Avar Kriss, Jedi Master Sskeer, and Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis.  Avar wants to lead a mission against the Nihil with the stolen path drive on their ship, the Ataraxia, she has lost the Nihil leader, Lourna Dee, whom escaped.  Sskeer has lost his status as a Jedi since his Magrak Syndrome causes his aggression.  Keeve is sad at the exposure of the Jedi twins to the box weapon used by Lourna Dee.  They all head to the rumored Nihil base located in No-Space.  I keep having the thought that I would like to see action figures of Keeve, Avar, Goonral, would a Sskeer have a detachable arm?  

The Phil Noto cover has Avar Kriss extending her hand with the Force and deflecting blaster fire with her lightsaber in the other hand.  “The Battle of No-Space” is written by Cavan Scott and the artist is Ario Anindito, he returns after proving art for issue #10.  It begins with the Great Hall base in No-Space, Zeetar, the Talpini Tempest Runner, is arguing with Marchion Ro, the Eye of the Nihil, via hologram. They have tested Ro’s weapon, but Zeetar worries about the Jedi.  A ship is detected by by the tech Quin.  It is the Ataraxia!  Zeetar wants to cut and run, but Lourna wants to stay and fight.  He thinks the Jedi will not strike first and then the Jedi ship fires on the base! The words of Yoda come to mind, “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.”   Lourna has Zeetar protect the base while she runs to get something.  

The Nihil get ready on both sides of a corridor, a little shade of the Rebel troops in Star Wars (1977).   They wonder if Lourna will arrive, but Zeetar says she will be at the launch bay.  They release the war cloud, the green gas that is at the beginning of the Nihil attacks, it disrupts ship systems and can knock out people.  Zeetar has his Tempest wait until a lightsaber blade cuts into the door.  A splash page has the first time we see the Jedi this issue; Avar Kriss sending the war cloud away from them with the Force, Keeve Trennis on her right crouched with her lightsaber, Goonral Monshi on her left, the only Jedi with a blue lightsaber, and Sskeer above them.  Avar slams Quin against the wall with the ominious order, “Take them.”  Then, she slices into the Nihil with her lightsaber.  Avar recognizes Zeetar who says the Jedi Twin, Terec, was “husked.”  

He uses a flamer, but Avar uses the Force to sweep away the flames and then coldly shatters the Nihil’s tank to engulf him in fire!  Does this conflict push the Jedi into becoming Sith or the Lost Twenty like Dooku?  Avar tells the others to deal with the other Nihil as she moves on to face Lourna Dee.  Sskeer has Keeve watch after Avar.  Keeve remarks that Avar took away Sskeer’s lightsaber when he raged and says she is the same while casually knocking back a Nihil.  This gets the two Jedi crossing lightsaber blades!  This seems like a turning point for these Jedi.  Avar does not order Keeve to stand down, but says she questions the “Song of the Force.”  Keeve gives her a Force Push wondering if she is following the Force.  She brings up the concern of Council member Stellan Gios and Starlight Beacon head of operations Estala Maru.  Avar tries to warn Keeve, but an explosion knocks her down.  

It is Lourna Dee in Zeetar’s power armor, a mecha suit with several armaments and a red-bladed weapon!  Avar summons her lightsaber ready for the fight.  Avar leaps above the blade and cuts it away.  Lourna orders all of the Nihil ships to fire on the base!  The explosions scatter the Nihil inside the Great Hall.  Lourna sprays Marshal Kriss with the war cloud.  She is vicious in tossing away her people to get the win.  She raises the arms of the power armor above Avar.  The Jedi Master is sad apologizing to the unconscious form of Keeve.  Then, in a stunning two page splash, we have her rip apart Lourna Dee from the power suit!  Avar asks for the surrender of the Nihil leader activating her lightsaber.  Lourna responds bringing down the lightsaber of Terec!  This stuns Avar.  The Jedi Master answers with a Cho mai, severing Lourna’s lightsaber wielding hand!  It looks like Avar Kriss may have turned to the Dark Side!  I like the focus on one character with allies and enemies. Star Wars: The High Republic #13 has a Jedi Master pushed to the edge to defeat the Nihil!  

Five Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsHighRepublic, #TheBattleOfNoSpace, #CavanScott, #ArioAnindito, #AvarKriss, #KeeveTrennis, #GoonralMonshi, #Sskeer, ##LournaDee, #Zeetar 

Re:tro Re:view - Wonder Woman #783!

Wonder Woman #783 has Cizko take his revenge on Diana with a new henchman!  Re:cap - Diana was traveling with Deadman and battling the Mirror Wonder Women.  They reach Sweden for Diana to return Siegfried’s sword, Gram.  At Washington, D.C. Etta and Steve Trevor have to investigate Edar Cizko and revealed at the end is the master of the mirror doubles, Image-Maker!  This is the modern version of the Mirror-World villain who was in Wonder Woman #134 (1962)!  The new issue sports a Terry Dodson cover with the Image Maker standing with his dark doubles with leering eyes and spears.  Below them is Wonder Woman swinging her Lasso of Truth and Steve Trevor, back to back!  

 

“Through A Glass Darkly Part Three” is by the writing team of Michael W. Conrad and Becky Cloonan with art by Marcio Takara.  It opens at the townhouse of Cizko comfy in his chair as he greets his visitor.  Cizko has a few gifts; a helmet (from his time in the Asgard afterworld?) and sword.  These he gives to his champion whom he dubs his Shining Knight!  The Sir Justin version of the character, Knight of the Round Table, first appeared in Adventure Comics #66 (1941).  The skies above Washington, D.C. is filled with Mirror Wonder Woman.  Diana explains that Steve and Etta are working with Checkmate to find out their origin point.  

Wonder Woman decides to carve a path through the Mirror Wonder Woman scattering shards of them!  She fights alongside Deadman and then he brings a mass of them down to city streets.  He finds a face shard of a Wonder Woman and remarks that it is a mirror.  We find at another place, Mirror-World?, Image-Maker looking at Diana facing reflections of herself.  A very Enter the Dragon (1973) moment with a little Matrix (1999) mixed in.  Etta is monitoring the Mirror Wonder Women with a drone at a temporary Checkmate base at D.C.  She is about to send out F-35s to take on the Wonder Women, but she pauses in her communication with Steve. She has found the Mirror Wonder Women flying from the Hall of Mirrors at an abandoned amusement park.  

Steve Trevor is busy at D.C. financial district shooting mirror doubles.  He takes a little girl to safety and she points out the real Wonder Woman in the air.  He smiles and then we finally get their reunion after Dark Night: Death Metal, Infinite Frontier, and the journey through the Afterworlds.  They hug briefly when Deadman arrives with Etta Candy.  Then, there is an explosion!  This is the entrance of Cizko’s Shining Knight who speaks in a medieval font.  His sword is powerful sending Wonder Woman back with her Bracelets of Submission block.  She knows he is not Sir Justin and keeps questioning his identity.  Suddenly, Shining Knight gets in his back several bullets from Steve Trevor’s gun!  Deadman tells Steve and Etta that “Shining Knight” is too powerful and they go to take on the mirror doubles.  

He is unable to detect who is in the armor and suspects it’s his helmet.  The knight starts to lift off the ground so Wonder Woman throws her tiara, the Lynda Carter finishing move!  The battle turns with the arrival of the sky of Mirror Wonder Women.  Now this Shining Knight has to fight with Diana Wonder Woman against them!  I really like his war cry, “Have at thee!” A very Monty Python Black Knight saying, “None shall pass!”  “What Lies Beneath Part 3” by Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge continues the mystery that involves the Amazons of the Bana-Mighdall.  A ceremony is made for the Oracle of Aset, Olabisi, who sees a wolf, a lion, a watching shadow cat, and a serpent around them.  The two queens, Atalanta and Faruka, hear this vision.   Decisions are made that will take them into the Trial of the Amazons!  Wonder Woman #783 brings us the long awaited reunion, stopping the Mirror Wonder Women, and the involvement of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons into the Trial of the Amazons!  

Four Lassos of Truth out of Five! 

#WonderWoman, #ThroughAGlassDarkly, #BeckyCloonan, #MichaelWConrad, #MarcioTakara, #ShiningKnight, #Deadman, #SteveTrevor, #EttaCandy, #WhatLiesBeneath, #VitaAyala, #SkylarPatridge.   

Re:tro Re:view - Batgirls #2!

 Re:cap - The Batgirls are adjusting to life returning to Gotham with their new apartment in The Hill.  Barbara Gordon (Oracle), the original Batgirl, is setting up the apartment and advising the Batgirls.  They run into some street toughs, while the mysterious Seer acting as the anti-Oracle!  Then, Cassandra Cain (Batgirl) and Stephanie Brown (Batgirl) encounter the armored Saints (the last “s” is reversed) sent by the Magistrate!  Interior artist, Jorge Corona, provides the crazy cover, “Because the Batgirls Demanded It - - “, we see Batgirl Cassandra leaping and Batgirl Stephanie kinda thrown over while Barbara watches from a billboard screen “- - Introducing Bondo The Muscle Car!”  It was actually introduced last issue, but that’s besides the point.  

The writing team of Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad contine “One Way or Another Part 2 of 6.”  It immediately drops into the action with the Batgirls fighting The Saints.  Barbara notes that Simon Saint, the creator of the Magistrate and the Peacekeepers had died in I Am Batman #4 (2022).  Babs realizes they are already fighting and finds out that the Gotham police already knew about The Saints.  They are extreme even to the Magistrate.  Oracle introduces Tarsus, a massive armored soldier with a flail, he brings it down trying to strike Batgirl Stephanie.  Next is the Saints member, Valentine, she has a heart on the left side of her helmet, pony tail, an armored ninja with a bo staff.  Valentine takes on Batgirl Cassandra.  She turns Batgirl Cass’ weapon against her!  

Up on the shadowy rooftop is the sniper-like Assisi.  He has supplied the Saints with their armor and weapons taken from S.T.A.R. Labs.  Assisi has a robot dog and fires a harpoon-like weapon from his gauntlet that ties up Batgirl Cassandra!  This is a villain group of Deathstrokes!  I wonder if they will encounter Deathstroke?  Babs warns the duo that they have to strategize and confused over them both using the Batgirl name.  Cass had taken the identity of Orphan and Steph was known as Spoiler.  Still, Barbara laughs and says the duo are great as we get a sniper scope on Batgirl Steph!  Assisi fires a net, but Stephanie throws three Batarangs!  She picks up Cassandra and then fires her bat grapnel gun.  They escape, Valentine asks if they will pursue, but the leader Tarsus tells them to wait.  

They both return to the apartment, Steph feels like it is not only the Seer, the Saints, but all of the city against them.  The Saints also return to the abandoned church, Our Lady of Mercy, they find Simon Saint there and Tarsus vows to kill the Batgirls!  The captions are funny by the way.  Stephanie tells Barbara that the Saints said Simon Saint sent them.  She wonders about the serial killer dubbed The Hill Ripper by Steph.  Barbara sends the Batgirls when it turns night while she works on The Seer.  The Batgirls are on night patrol riding Bondi.  They see the tough guys, called Hill’s Angels, back on the street.  The Batgirls follow and find out that Gotham P.D. is working with them.  They are building some structure from their stolen goods that half curves around the moon.  Babs is back at the apartment she is soldering what seems to be a circuit board.  

This is while she chats with Dick Grayson aka Nightwing.  She updates him on the situation before interrupted by an excited Steph.  Barbara is updated on their discovery by Stephanie who is also suspicious of their neighbor.  Babs is making them dinner and chats with Cass.  She brings up the scooters and Cassandra slips away escaping mention of Bondi.  Cass surprises Steph who was sending something to Spellbound Gallery on her phone.  The television news plays as we see the Batgirls at dinner.  The reporter, Grace O’Halloran, notes that the Batgirls were at an explosion of the clock toer.  We see Babs reading in bed, the streets, and then Steph putting up a Spellbound poster in her room.  Then, the serial killer is mentioned, we see a man in a chair, the Hill Ripper?  O’Halloran is broadcasting in front of a mural put by the Tutor.  Babs has earrings with their new comms, but Cass doesn’t have her ears pierced.  There is more complications for the Batgirls!  This title with Batgirls #2 is a light, fun read, with tough heroines and dark threats!  

Four Batarangs out of Five!  

#Batgirls, #OneWayOrAnother, #BeckyCloonan, #MichaelWConrad, #JorgeCorona.   

Naomi, “Keep Your Friends Close”, Review!

Naomi re:cap we have the anniversary party of Naomi’s parents.  Jacob has changed his device to detect persons instead of objects.  Lourdes was sweeping up her store, she finds. A gift from her student volunteers, Nathan and Anthony, that they raised from a trivia contest.  This is to save her comics that she was selling to pay rent.  Dee trains with the Wing Chun training dummy.  He realizes with Zumbado that they must work together to train Naomi.  At the party, Lourdes goes to Anthony and Nathan, apologizing since she was friendless.  Naomi finds her parents hiding at their party in the kitchen.  Annabelle brings in a cake and Naomi apologizes to her best friend.  Jacob texts them to meet him in Naomi’s room.  

Commander Steel arrives at the lab and has it cleared out by his soldiers.  Jacob tells Naomi and Annabelle that the alien is at the party!  Naomi watches sorrowful as a body is taken away.  She confesses there are aliens in Port Oswego.  Then, we have Naomi dealing with the alien at the party with Annabelle and Jacob.  A knock at the door, it’s Jennifer, who sees her daughter and friends trying to smile. She brings up a toast given by Naomi.  She runs into Nathan and hugs him to distract from the others.  Naomi gives her toast to all of the party guests speaking about trust.  She scans the guests trying to work who is the alien. Annabelle and Jacob confess about the party.  This seems like Commander Steel or one of his soldiers is the interviewer.  

NAOMI - - “Keep Your Friends Close” - - KACI WALFALL, DANIEL PUIG - - Photo: Tom Griscom/The CW - - © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

At the party, Jacob has tips from the internet “How To Spot An Alien” from the 40 party guests.  Naomi has the social media handles from Nathan and Anthony.  This is run by Jacob to track their whereabouts on the night of the disc theft. At Dee’s dojo, he takes down an opponent and then sees Commander Steel!  He is questioned by Steel about what he knows about the townspeople.  Naomi, Annabelle, and Jacob have run out of suspects, Jacob runs down locations and found three suspects; Lourdes, she wasn’t seen for some time and also where she is can be missing most of the time, Nathan, whom she knows well, why would he still the disc?, the same with Anthony, unless they are hiding something.  It could be someone they missed.  Naomi is questioned again about the party.  

The trio is standing apart from the others, Naomi brings up the suspects are their friends, and Nathan is officially her boyfriend.  Annabelle is surprised that her relationship status changed overnight.  Now they try to question their friends, Naomi has her super hearing, and can read heart rates.  She brings up that they can ask questions in a party game.  The small scale Scooby Doo is ok, but with nothing unusual happening besideds the interviews, it’s low key.  Zumbado has arrived and Dee explains he found out about Commander Steel.  The duo would be helpful in finding an alien.  Dee suspects something connected to Greg.  Zumbado reveals that Naomi told him about the theft of the disc.  They couldn’t sense an alien, Zumbado says some do not have abilities, Dee doesn’t trust Greg.  

NAOMI - - “Keep Your Friends Close” - - BARRY WATSON, BRIAN BRIGHTMAN  - - Photo: Danny Delgado/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Zumbado wants him to change his outfit for the party.  Naomi is stunned at Dee’s suit. Dee mentions the problem with the military.  Zumbado wants her to be careful about looking for the alien.  Jennifer says in the interview that the party was “uneventful.”  Zumbado and Dee asks Greg and Jennifer what is going on.  Greg admits that the military found Naomi’s birth rock.  Greg reveals the contingency plan, Jennifer volunteers to access Steel’s computer, Zumbado joins her.  A table of friends and Esme play Never Have I Ever.  Then, they close in on questions about the night, Naomi listens to the trio’s heartbeats.  Anthony and Lourdes are interviewed.  Nathan speaks to Naomi outside wondering about the treatment.  He is suspicous about Naomi spending the party with Jacob and Annabelle.  I’m not certain why teenagers would hang out all night at a parents’ party.  Then, Nathan is interviewed, there was some event.  We have the arrival of Commander Steel at the party.  He seems like the alien. Naomi’s latest episode loses focus on her training, identity, and a side path to finding out about the disc.           

Three Discs out of Five!  

#Naomi, #KeepYourFriendsCloser, #KaciWalfall, #MaryCharlesJones, #AidanGemme, #AlexanderWraith, #CranstonJohnson, #DanielPuig, #WillMeyers, #CamilaMoreno, #CommanderSteel

Re:tro Re:view - Star Wars: The High Republic #12!

The “Jedi’s End” arc had ended in failure with the escape of the Nihil leader and now is the aftermath and consequences to the Jedi!  “The Spirit of Disunity” is by the creative team of Cavan Scott and Georges Jeanty with regular cover by Phil Noto.  The cover features the Nihil leader, Twi’lek with his Nihil battle armor holding a green lightsaber!  Re:cap - Tensions are high as Keeve Trennis’ mission to infiltrate the Nihil and find the leader, Lourna Dee, has risked the Jedi twin, Terec!  He was exposed to some energy from a mysterious box.  The Nihil member, Zeetar in his power suit, was about to smash Jedi Master Sskeer with his battlehammer, but it is Force Pulled from him and Sskeer destroys the suit with his lightsaber! 

At Starlight Beacon, Jedi Master Avar Kriss, is silent as Estala Maru debriefs Jedi Council member Stellan Gios in hologram form.  The station was towed to the world of Eiram by several starships to help reflief efforts after a “continent-wide” cyclone devastated the planet.  We have a flashback to Xais where Lourna Dee is escaping on a ship!  It is a full splash page which has Avar at the launch site trying to use Force to pull back the ship.  She wants the help of Keeve and Sskeer.  Jedi Master Sskeer looks worried holding up his former apprentice, Keeve, and tells Avar that she is wounded.  Avar is straining with the Force, her face is stressed and tearing.  She releases the ship and then collapses at her failure.  Now at the station, Sskeer is concerned about Avar.  

She has tired of the updates and wants to know about the new path drive added to the Jedi ship, Ataraxia.  The drive was recovered from a Nihil battle.  Avar wants the data from the drive to assault the Nihil base.  Gios wants her to be cautious.  She notes about the Jedi killing weapon and that they have discovered the Nihil come from something called No-space.  The base, the Great Hall, is protected by vacuum shields.  Avar wants to move from the defensive with its costs to the Jedi driven by her failure on Xais.  Keeve also feels like a failure and goes to see the Jedi Twins in a stone-like state and a hibernation trance that keeps them alive.  This is seen in a one and half page spread.  She tries to take consolation from them and cries over the costs to the twins, herself, and Avar Kriss. 

Maru enters and asks about the twins.  He wants Keeve to look after Avar since she is not listening to the Force.  Flashback, Avar wants to track Dee’s ship, but Sskeer tries to run after her and say the twins need medical attention.  She turns on him angry that he was given orders to act defensively, but acted in rage against the Nihil.  Avar says he didn’t act like a Jedi.  In a stunning splash page, Marshall Avar Kriss reaches out for Sskeer to give her his lightsaber!  The splash pages highlight the epic and the intimate moments of this comic!  Avar takes away his duties as a Jedi!  Keeve tries to move to contest this judgment, but then is about to fall.  Sskeer supports her and she pleads to Avar that her former master is needed in the fight against the Nihil.  We pick up with Sskeer in a hooded robe meditating in his room with burning candles. 

He tries to ignore beeps to open his room’s door.  It is Keeve who uses the Force to open the door.  She wonders why Sskeer has separated himself.  He is meditating over his failure.  Sskeer tries to explain to Keeve showing her a hologram of a Trandoshan brain.  He says Magra Syndrome affects Trandoshans making them savage.  It has also made him disconnect from the Force!  Dr. Gion`le is researching help for him, but he needs to be away from others.  She pleads for him to stand with her and Sskeer says she has a duty as a Jedi.  A very powerful moment between Jedi master and apprentice.  The clearance for the Ataraxia is made and Avar asks Latero Jedi, Goonral Monshi, introduced in Star Wars: High Republic #8, about the drive.  Star Wars: High Republic has the powerful and emotional beginning of a mission of redemption for three Jedi!    

Five Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsHighRepublic, #TheSpiritOfDisunity, #CavanScott, #GeorgesJeanty, #AvarKriss, #KeeveTrennis, #Sskeer, #GoonralMonshi

Wonder Con - Day 2: Saturday!

Wonder Con continues into the weekend!, there is still one more day left of the convention, Sunday, April 3rd, but I need a rest and recovery period.  What I planned on was to check some comic stores to see if I could find some particular issues to get signed by comic creators at the con.  I arrived and was turned from the entry tent to get my vaccination bracelet, I thought the tent was to get certified, there was no signs to tell the correct direction.  Since I was going in from the opposite side I entered from Friday, I would easily see the large sign promoting Wonder Con. Good place to go at Wonder Con is the fountain with the convention building in the background. The cosplayers, I think there was a number of Scarlet Witch cosplayers, not too many Visions, and Kate Bishops, again Hawkeye wasn't too popular, and Halo cosplayers were out in force.   

                                                                          Outside the Anaheim Convention Center, the fountian, photo by the author. 

 

I decided that I would go over to the far side of the convention hall, A & B which had Small Press and the Fan Club Tables.  Also, the celebrities who were signing, were at the far corner of the con!  If they are high profile, usually such celebrities will draw heavy crowds, but this almost hides them in a corner.  There should be announcements about them.  Signs pointing out where to find them.  A page in the convention guide dedicated to them.  To be honest, I was surprised some were there.  The only announcement was one that day to wear masks.  I walk from one end of the convention to the other and counted nine people not wearing masks.  It seemed like everyone wore one the previous day.  

                                                                                                 Scarlet Witch cosplayer, photo by the author. 

I think the maskless just didn’t care and there wasn’t enough personnel to enforce the mask wearing rule.  I would like to say the majority of attendees did wear masks, adults, kids, they all respected the rule.  I saw a great group of cosplayers at the Small Press area.  There was Bossk, Ahsoka Tano, Fennec Shand, and Black Krrsantan cosplayer.  I also picked up the latest book, Dragon’s Wrath, the second novel of The Chronicles of Royal High.  You can check out her site at: https://rlitfin.com and books are available on Amazon.  It is a young adult series by Rachel Litfin.  There was a photo op wall at the back, I saw two cosplayers; one of Blackfire and her sister, Starfire.  For some reason, I didn’t notice it, but there was a My Neighbor Totororo photo op courtesy of Bandai Namco.  

                                                        Star Wars cosplayers; Bossk, Ahsoka Tano, Fennec Shand, and Black Krrsantan, photo by the author. 

The other authors I met included Todd McCaffrey, who of course is the son of Anne McCaffrey and co-wrote three novels with her in the Dragonriders of Pern series.  You can find his site at: http://pernhome.com/tjm/.  Pern is an incredibly detailed, sci fi world with dragons as living, breathing creatures.  He is collaborating with the Winner Twins on The Twin Souls series.  This features a “gaslamp fantasy world” with wyverns and airships.  Brittany and Brianna Winner are accomplished writers, very talkative, and friendly.  Recently, they worked on the graphic novel along with many women creators, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 40x40. The link for it is at; https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Joan-Jett-The-Blackhearts-40x40-Bad-Reputation-I-Love-Rock-n-Roll/Jazzlyn-Stone/9781940878546?fbclid=IwAR24lm4fNDw4BpI5NeCmQ4TNcbINBWy5GI2nDKJNFNS5uRgvDofPmlWaC1A. If you go to Wonder Con tomorrow, maybe you can check out these comic creators, it was a great con with cosplayers, creators, and creativity! 

#WonderCon, #RachelLitfin, #ToddMcCaffrey, #WinnerTwins, #TwinSouls  

Wonder Con 2022 - Day 1: Friday!

April Fool’s Day was transformed to Con Fan Day at Wonder Con today!  This event took place at the Anaheim Convention Center and will continue through the weekend to April 3rd, Sunday.  I started out slow, a little tired walking up to the lanyard area, but once I reached Artist’s Alley and saw the table of Becky Cloonan and Michael W Conrad, the con adrenalin kicked in and walked around the con for hours, no eat, or drink.  My walk meter read 13.75 miles and I activated it after about an hour or two.  They were setting up the table, but the fans were very patient.  Conrad and Cloonan were very nice, answering questions, and signing books.  They had many books on their table; Cloonan's The King's Story and Conrad's The Strange Disappearance of Stanley Lau. Their site where you can order copies and get info is at: https://mysteryschool.bigcartel.com. 

                                                                                                     The con floor at Wonder Con, photo by the author.

I started going down the aisles to check out the different artists.  I checked the Heavy Metal table and then passed by Bandai Namco with its statues of Naruto and Goku from Dragonball.  There was a statue of the classic Mechagozilla, I think from a booth that sold jackets?  The major surprise was Stuart Ng Books.  On their front table was the Art of Turning Red book signed by Domee Shi, the director, and film’s writer, Julia Cho. The retail price is $42.50 so this signed edition was about twice that price.  There were only a few copies left so I picked up my copy!  Check out: https://stuartngbooks.com.  His store is in Torrance.  I looped back and found the Edgar Rice Burroughs booth.  I would really like everyone to click over to https://www.edgarriceburroughs.com for information, the online store, and news.  I’m working on some exclusive interviews, stay tuned!  

                                                                                                    Vigilante cosplayer, photo by the author. 

I returned to Artist’s Alley and found a brilliant artist, her booth was Lothlenan: Art of Andrea Tamme, website: https://www.lothlenan.com.  Incredible homages of classic paintings; I was stunned by Link and Zelda in God Speed and The Accolade by Leighton (probably my most favorite paintings), Monet’s Woman with a Parasol except it was Totoro!, and there is also the Steven Universe version of Fragonards The Swing. Her youtube channel is Lothlenan, https://www.youtube.com/c/Lothlenan, excellent tutorials.  I kept weaving through the aisles and saw Ron Lim, I think I saw him at Comic Con years back, I had a copy of Silver Surfer: Rebirth #1 by Ron Marz and Lim.  Plus, there was a page from Hero Initiative: Captain America 100 Project.  Hero Initiative is to help comic creators who have fallen on hard times or need to pay medical bills.  If you would like to see what is available and get more info, look here: https://www.heroinitiative.org.  

                                                                                    Sallah and Indy cosplayers at Wonder Con, photo by the author.                                                                           

Lim is one of friendliest creators, we laughed and chatted about comic book films and shows.  Also there was Craig Miller, Lucasfilm’s Director of Fan Relations, he was promoting his book, Star Wars Memories: My Time In The (Death Star) Trenches, now available.  I went to see Elliot S. Maggin, mostly because I had a copy of Superman: Son of Krypton (1978).  We had a lively conversation about the character and depictions of Superman.  Next, I went to see Tula Lotay, she is a fine artist, I told her I sensed movie poster illustrator, Robert McGinnis, as an influence.  I picked up her art book and a Wonder Woman print which she painted on!  Don’t forget to go to her site: https://www.tulalotay.com.  I finished the day, after an hour walk meter was at 13.75 miles!, and took pics of cosplayers, an excellent Indy and Sallah, also Vigilate.  Exhausting, but the con adrenalin kept me going, the best part is talking to so many creative and fun people!  I hope you are able to go (or are going) to Wonder Con this weekend!    

#WonderCon, #BeckyCloonan, #MichaelWConrad, #StuartNgBooks, #Lothlenan, #CraigMiller, #ElliotSMaggin, #TulaLotay