Prey Review!

Prey is an intense action movie that pits a Comache girl against the Predator, the Predator needs to call for some back up!  The film is directed by Dan Trachetenberg who directed the series premiere, “The Name of the Game” (2019) of The Boys.  He is also known for directing 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016).  Trachtenberg provides the film’s story along with Patrick Aison who wrote the “The Bentley Lament” (2019) episode of Treadstone.  Aison also wrote the screenplay.  This prequel works as a good introduction to the Predator so you are not required to see the previous movies except to get hints of call backs.  Part of the movie is in Comache (there is a Comache dub also on Hulu).  The opening narration translates that “A long time ago, it is said, a monster came here.”  We see a river flowing between that leads to forested hills and mountains under the rising sun.  The cinematography is by Jeff Cutter, who also worked on 10 Cloverfield Lane.  

The winds sigh in the quiet, pastoral scene and then we get the girl, Naru (Amber Midthunder), asleep with her black face paint, a stripe under her eyes.  Midthunder is in the sci fi series, Roswell, New Mexico.  She is kicked awake.  Next to her is Sarii, her dog, an adopted dog for the movie named Coco.  Naru leaves her kahni, home, with her medicine bag.  The rest of her tribe is busy with chores.  She cuts a tuber from the forest floor.  Sarii is keeping herself interested.  Naru looks up and sees a tree.  There are thumps of a tomahawk until we finally see one strike a tree.  She retrieves her tomahawk and tests her accuracy again until it finally strikes the same mark.  Naru sees deer tracks.  She reaches a fallen tree with Sarii at her side.  There is a white tail deer grazing nearby. Naru whispers commands to Sarii and then raises up with her tomahawk. 

She hears thunder and then the deer bolts with Sarii chasing after it.  Naru races parallel to the deer and Sarii’s barking, but the deer escapes.  There is a clank and whimpering by Sarii!  Her tail is caught in a small, metal trap.  Naru frees him and then uses medicine on her wounded tail.  The trap is unfamiliar to Naru.  Then, she hears thunder overhead, Naru walks over to a cliff.  In the sky, is a humming, orangish shapes appear in the clouds.  A beautiful shot of Naru and Sarii standing on a cliff with the Predator ship plowing through clouds.  After the title, we see a hawk flying overhead, and Naru’s brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers).  This is his first movie role.  He tells Naru who has drawn her bow while he tells the story of  their father taking him for his Kuhtaamia, a rite of passage to become a hunter.  

The younger Naru was taken to gather medicine with their mother.  Naru pretends to snore at the story.  Taabe nocks his bow and looses the arrow which we see killing the hawk in the sky. He says she was sleeping, but Naru says she was waiting for it since he has to cross the river to retrieve it.   This is the difference between them, Taabe is one of the best warriors of the tribe, but Naru, it is explained later, can see things that he doesn’t notice.  She tells her brother that she saw the Thunderbird, a legend of their people that is said to cause thunder with its wings and lightning with its eyes.  This is the sign that she is ready for her Kuhtaamia.  Taabe says that she has to hunt what hunts her.  Later, Naru walks up a hill with Sarii to see the beautiful village and the setting is shown, “The Northern  Great Plains: September 1719.” 

Naru returns to the village and enters her teepee.  Her mother, Aruka (Michelle Thrush) is grinding some green paste.  Thrush is known for the drama, Blackstone which follows the fictional tribe in Alberta, Canada.  Naru notes that her nother is making medicine for Taabe’s bad knee.  She notes that the medicine is missing orange totsiyaa, Naru is skilled at medicine. She also answers that she wants to be a hunter because no one believes she can be one.  Taabe brings back the hawk and Aruka sends her daughter out for the plant.  Above a valley, the Predator ship shifts into its invisible cloak and leaves into the stormy skies, they have left behind a lone Predator (Dane DiLiegro), who seems to be a youth proving his worth as a warrior.  Naru cuts free the plant and puts it in her medicine bag.  She hears warriors shouting, Naru is told that a lion has taken Puhi, and they are looking for him.  

The hunters move through the forest, one draws his bow hearing something, but Taabe pulls it down as Naru arrives.  The warrior, Wasape (Stormee Kipp) looks down on her, but Taabe says Naru is a good tracker and can use medicine on Puhi.  An ant crawls on the Predator using its invisibility mode, but it is eaten by a vole.  A snake pounces on the vole then rears and strikes, but the Predators dual claws tear it apart!  He is testing the most dangerous game on this planet.  The hunters are led by Sarii with Naru behind him with her drawn bow.  Sarii finds the slashed Puhi (Samuel Party) by a tree and while the hunters build a makeshift stretcher, Naru uses her medicine on Puhi’s bloody wounds.  At night, Taabe goes to hunt the lion while others bring Puhi back with Naru reluctantly joining them.  Naru discovers a skinned snake.   

Naru leaves to warn her brother and is assigned Paaka (Corvin Mack) to join her.  Her torch is put out by Taabe who doesn’t want to alert the cat since they are in its territory.  Naru has a plan to bait the lion and attack it from a tree.  Taabe goes to get the bait, but first tells his sister that this is her Kuhtaamia.  On tree branches, the lion confronts Naru, she backs up holding a spear, but then gets distracted by a strange light.  It is a mountain lion or cougar.  She falls and cracks her head on a rock!  It is dark, then Aruka is making tea in a pot when her daughter wakes up gasping in pain.  Her mother tells her that she was carried back by Taabe.   The tribe is excited at the arrival of Taabe who brings back the mountain lion on his shoulder.  Naru staggers out to see the ceremony of Taabe being made War Chief.  The tribe celebrates, but Naru then tells her brother that something skinned the snake and she has to find it.  Taabe doesn’t want her to go and says she had to be carried back to home.  

Morning, Naru sets out with loyal Sarii, and finds glowing green blood on a tree branch.  A rabbit is grazing and we see behind it, a wolf growls, this shifts to Predator Vision where we see both animals.  The wolf races after the rabbit and they collide on the invisible Predator.  Wolf snarls, but is thrown away by it.  He growls at the Predator and it pops its claws.  Wolf leaps at it, but the claws ring, he drops past it and then falls!  The Predator then carves up the wolf!  It pulls out its spine and roars.  We see a rabbit and Naru’s tomahawk misses it.  She forages at some tree branches and forms some rope to be able to pull back her tomahawk!  A rabbit is in the distance. Then, we see Naru walking with two rabbits hanging from her back. At the setting sun, Naru has a cooking fire and give a piece of the rabbit to Sarii.  They go to find whatever made the tracks.  

In a cave, a spray hisses on the wolf skull dissolving the remainder of its flesh.  He hears Sarii’s barking and uses his invisibility cloak.  Naru sees the birds circling overhead, she is stunned walking out of the forest, there is a herd of skinned buffalo!  There is a cigar in the ground next to it.  More hunters!  She gives respect to the animal.  Trees rock and then the Predator lands, splashing in a stream, and then the Predator makes a footprint.  Naru falls into a bog and then makes her way through it.  The Predator sees the bison corpses and also the cigar.  Naru begins to get sucked into the mud and throws her tomahawk.  It fails to catch on a fallen tree’s roots.  Another fail.  She tries again, but its another fail.  Naru is up to her head in the bog, she pulls back for a throw in the black mud, tosses the tomahawk again and it catches.  We know that in the first Predator that the mud confuses the Predator Vision.  Free of the mud, Naru then washes her tomahawk, Sarii is there with a dead rat.  They hear a growl and then reach an overlook to see a bear next to a river.  

She can see the wind blowing, taking her scent, and draws her bow.  The bear is sniffing trying to understand her scent.  Naru looses her bow, but the bowstring snaps.  The bear charges after her!  She tries to restring her bow and Sarii leads the bear back to the river.  The bow is ready and Sarii heads down to the river.  She looses the bow and then starts to run.  Naru dives into the water with the bear behind her.  She reaches a dam of branches and the bear tries to shove its maw through the branches.  It pauses, sniffing the air, and we hear the clacking of the Predator’s mouth.  The bear tackles the Predator, its invisibility shielding turns reddish around the edges, the bear bites the Predator several times.  This is the first encounter with Naru and the Predator, she has to become a warrior to face it, and also deal with the killers of the bison.  Prey covers Native American life, pits Naru against the superior weaponry and fierceness of The Predator, one of the finest Predator movies!  

Five Medicine Bags out of Five! 

#Prey, #DanTrachetenberg, #AmberMidThunder, #DakotaBeavers, #MichelleThrush, #DaneDiLiegro       

Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Cyclone #1 Review!

The back story to the Justice Society world, continues with Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Cyclone #1, this time with the youngest member!  The cover features the photo of actress Quintessa Swindell playing Cyclone with her face in the background.  “Freaks and Heroes” is by writer, Cavan Scott, and artist, Maria Laura Sanapo.  Previous art by Sanapo includes Sensational Wonder Woman #5 (2021).  The opening has a splash page of a time, “Then” which shows the childhood drawing of Hawkman and Dr. Fate with pencils, pens, and a nibbled sandwhich on the side!  We see the young Maxine Hunkel working on her drawing.  Then, showing her gran the picture with her flying alongside the others.  

Then, we see the older Maxine walking the streets of an unknown city while listening to music on her phone through earbuds.  She first appeared in Justice Society of America #1 (2006).  Maxine briefly thinks of her origin being infected with nanites by a scientist.   This would be T.O. Morrow who had kidnapped her at age 6 and transformed her.  She is tossed a free apple by the vendor, Mr. Coates when she hears a scream.  Maxine races around a corner to see smoke and checks on a mother and her young son.  A car slams into the street and Maxine offers the apple to the boy.  A double page splash has two plain clothes police officers having their guns drawn on a bulky superhuman lifting up a truck over smashed vehicles!   

The angry super powered man tosses the truck at them and Maxine activates her powers.  Still, she ends up sweeping up the detectives as well.  The out of control superhuman rips up a street light to smash at Maxine who manages to leap away.  A crowd forms around her as they point out that the man is a local named Elijah.  There is the stunned eyes of a young girl.  Elijah throws the pole, but Maxine is able to jump away with the girl.  He screams like some Hulk, but Maxine unleashes her Cyclone powers sending him smashing into a building.  Detectives King and Rojah arrest the boy, now normal and scrawny, while Maxine faces the crowd.  Then, she is met by her hero, Hawkman, who tells her about a drug named Tar that gives people temporary super strength.  He asks her to join the Justice Society, but she runs away!  

The second chapter of “Lost & Found” by Bryan Q. Miller and Marco Santucci picks up again with young Hurut in ancient Kahndaq.  At night, he slips into a tent to steal a dagger.  Teth-Adam awakens in the morning to find his dagger is gone and that the whips of slavers were cut with his dagger!  We find those severed whips in a display case of modern Kahndaq.  There is Adriana Tomaz and Professor Hassan looking at the artifact she took at the docks.  It hums with the same power as her necklace.  He mentions a device used to scan objects and mentions that it came from Markovia.  This is the fictional European country introduced in Batman and the Outsiders #1 (1983).  Professor Hassan is able to identify it as Eternium which Adrianna says is “Lanat” in ancient Kahndaqi.  He notes this why Intergang is looking for it.  Adriana goes to her lecture where her students ask why there are terrible reminders like the broken whips.  She agrees with them when three familiar men in coats, one has a mask, appear.  Intergang!  Adriana’s adventures are not over.   

Four Eternium Pieces out of Five! 

     

#BlackAdam, #JusticeSocietyFiles, #Cyclone, #CavanScott, #MariaLauraSanapo, #MaxineHunkel, #TOMorrow, #DetectiveKing, #Elijah, #LostandFound, #BryanQMiller, #MarcoSantucci, #Hurut, #TethAdam, #AdrianaTomaz, #ProfessorHassan

Happy Birthday Michelle Yeoh!

Happy Birthday Michelle Yeoh!  She won the Miss Malaysia pageant in 1983 and then went into martial arts films starting with Yes, Madam as Michelle Khan.  Yeoh starred alongside Jackie Chan in Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992).  Michelle Yeoh was one of the super heroines in The Heroic Trio (1993) playing Ching also known as Invisible Girl since she has an invisible robe.  Yeoh returned to the role in Heroic Trio 2: Executioners (1993).  She co-starred with Jet Li in Tai-Chi Master (1993) and Donnie Yen in Yuen Woo-Ping’s Wing Chun (1994).  Yeoh was a sensation as a Bond girl, Wai Lin, in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).  Then, she took everyone’s notice as Yu Shu Lien in And Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).  She starred in and produced The Touch (2002) directed by Peter Pau. 

Yeoh played another super heroine in Silver Hawk (2004).  She was next in the adaptation of the Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).  Yeoh played Corazon, an astronaut trying to re-start the sun in Danny Boyle’s sci fi film, Sunshine (2007).  She played Zi Yuan, a sorceress in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) with co-star Jet Li.  In 2011, Yeoh played Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady (2011).  Also that year, she voiced the Soothsayer in Kung Fu Panda 2.  Yeoh reprised her role as Yu Shu Lien in the sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016).  She entered the MCU as part of the original Ravagers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).  Yeoh took the helm of the USS Shenzou as Captain Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery. 

The captain was a legend in Starfleet, but you can’t keep a good captain down.  Her Mirror Universe counterpart survived and joined the black ops Starfleet division, Section 31.  She is back in martial arts fighting style with Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018).  Yeoh was perfection as Eleanor Sung-Young in Crazy Rich Asians based on the Kevin Kwan novel.  Then, she was in the romantic comedy Last Christmas (2019).  Yeoh was also in the action film, Boss Level (2020), where the life of an officer repeats over.  She was Florence, part of a sisterhood of assassins, in the action movie, Gunpowder Milkshake (2021).  Yeoh played Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).   One of her finest roles was playing Everlyn Wang in the many multiverses of Everything Everywhere All At Once!  Happy Birthday Michelle Yeoh! 

#MichelleYeoh, #PoliceStory3Supercop, #TheHeroicTrio, #TomorrowNeverDies, #CrouchingTigerHiddenDragon, #TheTouch, #Sunshine, #StarTrekDiscovery,#MasterZIpManLegacy,  #CrazyRichAsians, #LastChristmas, #GunpowderMilkshake, #EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce 

House of the Dragon: The Targaryen Dynasty Review!

The House of the Dragon experience has opened on August 5th and gives visitors a chance to walk the halls of King’s Landing!  It runs until September 7th at the Natural History Museum Los Angeles and is worth the general admission price!  Check out more information and buy tickets here: https://nhm.org/houseofthedragon.  Parts of the exhibit were at San Diego Comic Con like the dragon skull and Iron Throne.  The ticket booth is next to the parking lot.  Access is on the ground floor, below the entrance of the museum, which is impressive itself with a skeleton of a Fin Whale suspended from the ceiling.  Over the railing, you can peek down at the Iron Throne.  A queue is formed just before the doors outside.  It is a short walk and turn to reach the entrance. 

                                                                                     Dragon Eggs at House of the Dragon exhibit, author’s photo. 

The exhibit is housed in a large four room-sized part of a building with the show’s logo.  Once you enter there is a long history of Westeros which I skipped since I know a good part of it.  Then, you reach a screen showing the video, Before the Dance: An Illustrated History with George R.R. Martin.  To the left is the skull of Balerion “The Black Dread”, ridden by Aegon the Conqueror.  He united the Seven Kingdoms and had the Iron Throne made from the thousand swords of his defeated enemies.  The dragon skull is massive with “big, nasty teeth”, horns like frills at the back, it is a black skeleton that just dwarfs the T-Rexes in the museum’s Dinosaur Hall.  Next to it is the Dragon Saddle, which belonged to Laena Targaryen, that she used to ride Vhagar, the largest dragon in Westeros history!  

It has a patterned back rest, a large strap, and two pommels like a strange insect.  In a corner is the outfit of a DragonKeeper, in the direction of the dragon skull facing out; almost like a tan robe, red underclothes, and gloves.  On the facing wall is a size comparison chart of a Human, a Dragon, and a Blue Whale.  Then, a T-Rex, Elephant, and more animals.  Below it is the code to access DracARys.  To the left of it is a display of three dragon eggs.  They are impressive, one had scale-like patterns like a swarm of beetles with moss clinging to its bottom.  Another had almost iridescent, purple scales that shifted into a coppery color.  The last one is brownish, but nearly covered by the moss. 

                                                                                The Iron Throne, you can sit there, and rule Westeros!, photo by the author. 

To the right of the dragon skull is the sword, Dark Sister, that eventually is wieled by Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).  Look closely at the patterns forged on the blade of the sword!  Next to it, is the two costume displays of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine).  I keep thinking of Considine from The World’s End (2013).  Rhaenrya is called “the Realm’s Delight” and this is reflected in her purple and maroon dress.  The detail is incredible, a must for cosplayers, and she has jewelry with her necklace and rings.  Viserys wears a black coat with gold rim and a red clothes beneath it.  At his side, it looks like handle in Viserys’ coat is what is later Arya Stark’s Catspaw Dagger!   Continuing on against the wall is a map of cut black stone with orange-black edges of Westeros.  I recognize Winterfell of course, King’s Landing, The Eyrie, Castle Black, and Casterly Rock.  

There were so many new castles, but of course places have changed in 200 years!  Facing in is a display of the armor of the Kingsguard; it has bands of black and embossed gold around the chest, pauldrons, a cloth tunic, and boots.  The helmet is silver, more form fitting that the Game of Thrones armor and no chestplate and protected arms besides cloth, with an armored skirt. It seems like he is protecting what is at the end, the Iron Throne!  It has steps flanked by spikes of blades leading to the throne with House Targaryen flags on either side.  The wall to the side of the Kingsguard armor has information on High Valyrian, spoken at this time.  The exit is right next to this wall.  I almost forgot to call my dragon on DracARys, but he was not cooperative taking pictures!  There are people there to answer questions and take your picture, shout out to Oscar!, so this is a fascinating Natural History Museum exhibit with information on the dragons and characters.  Just in time for House of the Dragon’s premiere on August 21st.  “Ao Nyke Perzoni Iksi!”   

Diversity in Casts of Fantasy Films and Television!

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power features a cast filled with diversity, this has been developing over time, since fantasy tales are mostly European in setting.  The large cast of Rings of Power features Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows, Nazanin Boniadi plays Bronwyn, Miriel is portrayed by Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and also Ismael Cruz Córdova is Arondir in the series.  So let’s look at fantasy television and movies though this overview is not comprehensive and covers main characters. One of the early fantasy films was Thief of Bagdad (1940). It had a setting and characters that seemed to be right out of One Thouand and One Nights. The film had a young sultan, Ahmad (John Justin), who is betrayed and later works to save the Princess (June Duprez) from the sorcerer, Jaffar (Conrad Veidt).  

He is supported by a young thief, Abu played by Sabu, who later has his own adventures with a Djinn (Rex Ingram). Sabu was so charismatic that he has top billing over the other leads.  Ingram is perfect as a memorable and powerful genie, but outwitted by the clever Abu. Thief of Bagdad is highly recommended for its performances and fun characters, the effects are a little dated, but this does not take away from the adventure. A later television show that aired in the UK’s Sky1, Sinbad (2012) had Elliot Knight play the lead role. Nala (Estella Daniels), a wealthy woman who ends up on Sinbad’s crew.  Another crew member, Cook was played by Junix Inocian. Naveen Andrews starred as Lord Akbari who is searching for Sinbad who killed his son by accident during a fighting match. The show finished in one season and currently streams on Amazon Prime.            

One of the most well known sword and sorcery heroes is Robert E. Howard’s Conan. Howard’s first Conan story, “The Phoenix on the Sword” appeared in Weird Tales in 1932.  The first movie, Conan the Barbarian (1982) was a star making turn for Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Cimmerian. The most noteworthy actor in the movie was James Earl Jones who played the cult leader and sorcerer, Thulsa Doom. Originally, Doom was a foe of Kull the Conqueror, and appeared in the story, “The Cat and the Skull” (1928). The film also featured the actor Mako who provides the narration and also he played The Wizard. He is probably not of Oz, I’m thinking more of Khitai, the Cimmerian country that is Asian and has great wizards. Mako returned as The Wizard in the sequel, Conan the Destroyer (1984), now he had the name of Akiro.  

Now, Conan on his adventure was accompanied by Bombaata, basketball legend, Wilt Chamberlain, played him. The captain of the guard was sent to protect Princess Jehenna (Olivia d’Abo) to find the jeweled horn of Dagoth. They are joined by the fierce warrior, Zula, played by Grace Jones. No one disputes her skill with her staff. She was the female version of a character introduced in Conan the Barbarian #84 (1978). A reboot film, Conan (2011) was later made by Jason Mamoa. He was memorable as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. The prequel series, House of the Dragon, debuts on August 21st. Sonoya Mizuno’s character, Mysaria, is an ally to Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).  Steve Toussaint plays Lord Corlys Velaryon married to Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best). Lastly, there is Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) who rides the dragon Moondancer.     

One of the early diverse roles on television was in Roar (1997) which had Prince Conor (Heath Ledger) trying to unite the tribes of 5th century Ireland against the Romans.  Alonzo Greer played the magician apprentice, Tully, who joins Conor’s band of heroes.  Another interesting fantasy show was the BBC’s Merlin (2008).  The early days of the wizard featured Colin Morgan as Merlin, servant to Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James).  Magic has been outlawed since the Great Purge and he must use magic in secret. Another person with magic is Morgana (Katie McGrath) and her servant is Guinevere played by Angel Coulby who eventually has a romance with Arthur.  

Another fantasy show, The Outpost, spotlighted Talon (Jessica Green), an elf-like Blackblood, arriving at the remote Gallwood Outpost.  There she meets and befriends the awkward, but brilliant inn keeper/scholar, Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia). In the second season, they are joined by another Blackblood warrior, Zed (Reece Ritchie). The third season had crossing over from the Plane of Ashes, a Blackblood who had the same scientific curiosity as Janzo, Wren (Izuka Hoyle). There is a very popular show, The Witcher, spun off fantasy novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. The lead character, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) protected the young princess of Cintra, Ciri (Freya Allan). The sorceress, Yennefer, played by (Anya Chalotra), has an elf heritage and takes part in Geralt’s adventures. 

Her fellow sorcererss who also trained in magic, Fringilla Vigo played by Mimi Khayisa, is now Yennefer’s rival. In 2000, there was a movie based on the fantasy role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons.  On the streets of Sumdall are the thieving duo of Ridley (Justin Whalin) and his hapless partner, Snails, portrayed by comedian Marlon Wayans. They encounter Norda, the elf ranger, played by Kristen Wilson. The new film, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, in theaters on March of next year, is set in the D&D game world, Forgotten Realms. The trio of adventurers has the Bard Elgin (Chris Pine) in a way leading Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), a Barbarian woman with her deadly axe, and the Sorcerer, Simon (Justice Smith). A later addition is Regé-Jean Page playing the Paladin named Xenk. These are some of the many fantasy films and shows that have strong, diverse actors and characters.   

 

#RingsOfPower, #LennyHenry, #NazaninBoniadi, #CynthiaAddaiRobinson, #IsmaelCruzCordova, #ThiefOfBagdad, #Sabu, #RexIngram, #Sinbad, #ElliotKnight, #EstellaDaniels, #JunixInocian, #NaveenAndrews, #ConanTheBarbarian, #Mako

#JamesEarlJones, #ConanTheDestroyer, #WiltChamberlain, #GraceJones, #Conan, #JasonMamoa, #GameOfThrones, #HouseOfTheDragon, #SonoyaMizuno, #SteveToussaint, #BethanyAntonia, #Roar, #AlonzoGreer, #Merlin, #AngelCoulby, #TheOutpost

#AnandDesaiBarochia, #ReeceRitche, #IzukaHoyle, #TheWitcher, #AnyaChalotra, #MimiKhayisa, #DungeonsAndDragons, #MarlonWayans, #KristenWilson, #DungeonsAndDragonsHonorAmongThieves, #MichelleRodriguez, #JusticeSmith, #RegeJeanPage.   

  

Star Wars: Obi-Wan #3 Review!

Star Wars: Obi-Wan #3 flashes back to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s time as general in the Clone Wars and one difficult battle.  The Phil Noto has General Obi-Wan Kenobi in his Clone Wars armor igniting his lightsaber next to other clone troopers.  “Darkest Before the Dawn” is written by Christopher Cantwell.  The art is by Alessandro Miracolo whose other work includes this year’s Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #4.  Obi-Wan is in his hut tracking the possible path of the sandstorm on a map.  He believes the storm has already reached the Lars Homestead.  Obi-Wan writes in his journal about the upcoming civil war that will arrive in Star Wars (1977); “It is a period of civil war” from the opening crawl.  He ponders about the Jedi’s place in a war and checks the shoulder pauldron from his Clone Wars armor.  Obi-Wan is still scarred, mentally, from the war.       

He thinks make to Commander Cody reviewing his clone troopers.  We first saw Obi-Wan work with Cody, chronologically in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) movie and he was first seen in Revenge of the Sith (2005).  A pensive Obi-Wan thinks of Cody and mentions that he tried to kill him, but this was under Order 66.  He goes over the events of the Clone War up to the specific battle, Abrion Bridge, the first time we’ve seen it.  A briefing is made at the Jedi Temple by Admiral Yularen, after the Defense of Rishi Station, which was in the Clone Wars episode, “Rookies” (2008).  Thanks Christopher Cantwell to put stories in context rather than some unknown time.  I haven’t seen an admiral giving a debriefing to Jedi. He says that a Separatist weapons factory is building a mega-ion cannon. Yularen mentions that the only way to the factory is a bridge splitting up a battalion.  

Obi-Wan voluteers his 212th Battalion and he meets with Commander Mekedrix and Lieutenant Ordon from military forces from Roon in the Outer Rim. Non-clone ground troops seems risky especially without Jango Fett’s elite combat training.  Obi-Wan meditates while Cody meets new trooper AR-9771 who calls himself Airo.  Three LAAT gunships carry Obi-Wan and Commander Cody while the second Attack-2 group is heading to the north with Mekedrix and Ordon.  We get a closeup of Obi-Wan palm out, classic action shot!, shouting that taking the bridge will bring them to the end of the war!  Two pages have panels running horizontally with Obi-Wan and Mekedrix assaulting the mountain factory.  Pure action!  It is almost a race for the two groups to get to the weapons factory.  Airo picks up a banner for the ships to monitor their progress.  It is a costly battle against endless droid forces and a great story from the Clone Wars!  Another aspect of Obi-Wan is revealed in Star Wars: Obi-Wan #3, his re:thinking of the Jedi in the Clone Wars!   

Four Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsObiWan, #DarkestBeforeTheDawn, #ChristpherCantwell, #AlessandroMiracolo, #CommanderCody, #AbrionBridge, #AdmiralYularen, #CommanderMekedrix, #LieutenantOrdon 

Brzrkr #9 Review!

The cover by interior artist, Ron Garney, has B. in another battlefield of dead soldiers.  This is a gruesome image that of course is the content of the comic book.  He holds a dead soldier with a gas mask over a pool of blood.  Brzrkr is an immortal warrior who has lived through the ages carving his bloody way.  He was experimented by an organization led by Caldwell who wants to study B.’s immortality.  Diana has been discovering his past, Brzrkr’s energy is released, and she is struck by it!  Now in a Star Child form, his revealed name, Unute, is looking to find his father!  The writing team is made up of Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt with art by Ron Garney. The Brzrkr energy streaks through a strange space filled with  octohedron, double pyramid, shapes over a crystal world.  He is asked by a voice and we see his human-like form, blue veins, and the crackling white energy.  

There is a blue light, Energy Brzrkr, falls into it and encounters a swirling dark blue shape.  He has questions and sees a reflection.  It is a dark blue shape that has strange replies to his questions.  It slowly turns into his bearded face like we have seen in his prehistoric meeting with his mother.  It reminds me of  the Sybok-like face of the entity in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989).  Then, we see the black-eyed Unute in a tank reaching out like the energy realm.  The panels are orangish which gies us the sense that this is on Earth.  The burden of the artwork heavily rests on colorist Bill Crabtree.  Father says, “It’s time.”  He hears in the tank, “Unute.  It’s me.”  The energy B. Looks angrily toward Earth.  This causes him to be distorted from his energy father.  He shrieks in pain.  Back at the base, this is impressive work by Garney and Crabtree, the building surrounded by trees in a forested area.  On the lawn before the building is a whitish egg, the return of Unute’s form? 

A silhousette of a bird lands on the egg and pecks it.  Diana in her tank, rendered reddish in color, almost in silhouette, calls out for Unute.  She hears his pain and her energy reaches out to short a control panel.  Caldwell and the military team leader find the egg.  Does Unute emerge like Mork from Ork? “Nanu Nanu.”  Caldwell touches the smoking egg that starts to crackle with energy.  The military comander takes them back to the base and shuts the heavy door.  He calls for “Emergency B Protocols.”  In the charred rebirth area, the charred, naked form of Brzrkr emerges with energy forming from his eyes and covers his private area.  Diana hears his growling and removes the cables from her tank. Her eyes are all black.  In the corridor it is a slaughter as Unute tears through the soldiers, automatic guns fire as well, but Brzrkr smashes through skulls.  Caldwell wonders at his destruction and the commander orders him to be incinerated.  He is unstoppable, but maybe Diana will able to get B. to calm down!  Brzrkr #9 continues Unute’s journey to finding his father and he is forced to Earth to rampage again!   

Four Protocols out of Five!  

#Brzrkr, #KeanuReeves, #MattKindt, #RonGarney, #Unute, #Diana, #Caldwell