The Devil’s Cut Review!

 New company, DSTLRY, introduces its creators and stories in The Devil’s Cut graphic novel! It is contains eleven stories with nineteen artists and writers, at least sixteen covers, and 88 pages. So to properly cover them, this will be divided into two parts. “Spectregraph” is by James Tynion IV, writer of the horror series, Something is Killing the Children for BOOM! Studios, and Christian Ward, co-creator of the sci fi comic, Invisible Kingdom. It begins in 1981 at a diner. The artwork has a good, retro 60’s advertising art look. There is a balding, middle-age man waiting for a man in sunglasses. He asks the man if he believes in ghost stories. This is all told in a series of closeups and cigar smoke. 

He says that the “richest man in the world” has built something that he wants taken. A dark mansion is seen at night in a storm. The thief has a pencil-thin moustache and manages to sneak into the mansion. He finds a spherical window like a giant camera lens. A thin, eldelry man in a suit tells the thief that it will hurt. The machine begins to flash as the thief screams and we see his body taken in slices of blood, bones, nervous system, and then returns to his normal form smoke pouring from his body. The wealthy man says he has made the thief perfect. He gestures to the doorway and out comes a distorted, negative form of himself, moaning, with red heart and veins. The magnate asks if he believes in ghost stories. Strange, violent, a very adult supernatural story. 

The next story, “Shepherd”, is by Marc Bernardin, writer of the graphic novel, Messenger: The Legend of Muhammad Ali, and Ariela Kristantina, also the artist for Chain, a graphic novel thriller. It is the future of Los Angeles in 2114 at the Abrams Thermodyne Hospital. Audrey is resting in a hosptial bed and she hears the conversation of Professor Seaton. She says she has been awake for three days. There is a closeness to the two. Excellent facial expressions. He begins the process atttaching his headset and holographic screens. Professor Seaton tells the people gathered at the screens about the achievements of leaving the solar system. The exodus cruisers are troubled by pirates. 

The pirates break into ships of sleeping colonists to steal and human guards haven’t stopped them. Seaton’s solution is the enhanced Shepherd, we see Audrey attacking the pirates! A superhero, cyborg type of female warrior, but a robotic defense might be more efficient. The sci fi and supernatural stories with adult content makes me think of Heavy Metal. Expect anything. “8 Rules To Make It Out In One Piece” is a stylish, spy action piece by Elsa Charretier, she is the illustrator of the Image Comic, Love Everlasting, joined by co-writer, PK Colinet. A splash page has a tropical hotel filled with vacationers, men with guns, and a blond woman in a bikini hand grabbed by a thug in Hawaiian shirt. Sleek artwork with simple lines. 

The rules go by as casual as the agent strikes down toppling the waiter’s flaming cocktail to burn the bodyguard’s hair!She flips backwards to bash another guard. The agent knocks out another guard, takes out his gun, and uses his body to catch the bullets of other gunmen. She dodge gunfire to leap into a drink hut. The boss, Mr. Corzo, is on an inflatable tries to get his bodyguards to stop shooting. Instead, the agent shakes two bottles to pop two guards in the face! She dives into the pool and then out come the deadly shish-kababs! The spy action has James Bond action mixed with the tropical resort setting. Violent, kinda funny, and sexy. 

The next story, “What’s Mine is Hearse” is by Stephanie Phillips, writer of the Grim Image horror comic, and Joelle Jones, artist for the thriller comic, Lady Killer. This is a very twisted story even for adutls. We start with a closeup of an eyeball being surgically extracted! We see it is a morgue with a pathologist woman with short, pink hair. She is fascinated by the corpse of the man, his chest a triangle of skin stitched up. She touches the body and then goes in for a kiss. The scenes are hinting at more, told in shadows and behind curtains, and a pinkish figure of the woman. Then, several policemen pull her off the body. Mirka Andolfo, writer/artist of Sweet Paprika, has a new tale of a demon in “A Blessed Day.” 

There is a religious building across from the room where what looks like a man, Mr. Levey, wakes up. We see in the mirror his demonic eyes and fanged mouth. Mr. Levey works out, twisting his head, two bloody marks on his back. He takes a shower of blood. He takes out eyeballs from a jar in his refrigerator and then puts on his gold watch and glasses. Mr. Levey calls himself the best talent manager of actors and singers. This includes the singer-songwriter, Clelia, who has legions of fans. Paradise is taken by the demons which has a substance called Mystic Ecstasy. A dark twist on religious iconography, a little jab at pop idolatry with some manga touches in the art. The stories are great teasers to comics with more on the characters and situations! The Devil's Cut has a number of genre pushing stories with some of the top comics creators! 

Four Shish-kababs out of Five!   

#DevilsCut, #DSTLRY, #Spectregraph, #JamesTynionIV, #ChristianWard, #Shepherd, #MarcBernardin, #ArielaKristantina, #8RulesToMakeItOutInOnePiece, #ElsaCharretier, #PKColinet, #WhatsMineIsHearse, #StephaniePhillips, #JoelleJones, #ABlessedDay, #MirkaAndolfo  

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special Review!

August 28, 1993 was the premiere of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the 30th anniversary brought the special from Boom Studios! The anniversary kicked off with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always film. There are 30th Anniversary VHS Box Figures from Hasbro. The regular cover by Dan Mora has a Power Ranger leaping in action pose with the Ranger colors represented in various parts of the suit. The 64 page special is an anthology that begins with “Ode to Ernie” by Ryan Parrott, the writer of the epic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #100 issue, and artist, Eleonora Carlini, cover artist for the Mighty Morphin series. It features Ernie, the owner of the Juice Bar. We see Ernie, frustrated, and in the middle of a crush of teens trying to make orders and a number of requests! 

His two employees call out problems, Ernie leaves them to handle them, as he leaves making an order for supplies. Ernie is instantly relatable to anyone who has held a busy service job. Great facial expressions; a little manga and a little cartoony. An explosion throws a figure into a wall. It is the villain, Electro Gecko, great bulky, lizard man design. Then, the Power Rangers appear! I kinda like this new villain. Electo Gecko spits out an electrical blast that scatters the Rangers. The Rangers manage to defeat Electro Gecko and thank Ernie. He says to the Rangers he wants to sell the place to Fortify Fitness. The Rangers try to say how his juice bar is meaningful to them. A nice tribute to the character of Ernie and actor Richard Genelle who passed away in 2008.

The next story is by Melissa Flores, writer of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, director, and actor!, with Hendry Prasetya, inker for Power Rangers comics. Purple armored bounty hunters with yellow smiley face helmets, have scuffed the white tuxedo of Tommy Oliver. He was of course played by Jason David Frank who died last year. He morphs into the White Ranger, very cool, to fight the bounty hunters. It flashes back to Tommy leaving Angel Grove, and breaking up with Kat (Catherine Sutherland) in Power Rangers Turbo. I like the boxes listed as Shirts, Weights, and Hair Products! Funny! Current time, Kat is in her wedding dress wondering about Tommy being late. A great mix of action and character moments. It captures a special moment in Ranger history. 

Mat Groom and Marco Renna craft the next story that focuses on Alpha-5, robot assistant and comic relief of the series. We see the pastoral world of Edenoi with the time, “9,980 Years Before Rita’s Escape.” This is the planet introduced in the third season’s “A Friend in Need” (1995) two part episode. King Lexian has activated Alpha-5 and he has to find his purpose. On Earth, 50 years later, King Lexian wants Alpha-5 at the Command Center while Zordon taking the role of Sentinel doesn’t see his use. King Lexian leaves them in his hologram form. 930 years later, Zordon wants to prepare for Rita’s return looking for warriors. He tells Alpha-5 of his military experiences. Then, we have the years after Rita’s escape and the Power Rangers in Space battle gainst Dark Specter in an action packed splash page! Alpha-5 helps Alpha-6 and we later get his purpose! 

“Re-Imagine” is by Amy Jo Johnson, the original Pink Ranger, and Matt Hotson, first assistant director for the Titans series. The art is by Francesco Mortarino who also provided artwork for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #50 and #100.  It moves through an alternate timeline with glimpses of the teens first becoming Rangers in 1993. Kimberly and Tommy kiss and the next year, we find Lord Zedd falling for Rita Repulsa! Another year and Zack, Trini, and Jason are about to leave for Switzerland for a Peace Conference. They do not transfer their powers and instead teleport back to Angel Grove! It seems perfect, but the dominos are falling! In 2000, Tommy and Kimberly marry, and Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd also marry! This all leads to unintended consequences to a final battle that change things to a dark timeline! It is a prelude that will be continued in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return!

“Ranger Academy: Office Hours” continues the story introduced in the Ranger Academy 2023 FCBD Special. It is by the creative team of Ranger Academy, Maria Ingrande Mora with art from Jo Mi-Gyeong. Billy is at the Angel Grove Institue of Technology as a grad student. In the morning, he is contacted by his father on his laptop, Billy is a bit nervous on his first day at grad school. This is interrupted by the Headmaster who is in a tube like Zordon. She is a pinkish alien with elf-like ears. The Headmaster tells Billy that he is identified as a mentor for Ranger Academy cadets. She is speaking to him out of time and space! Young Cora speaks to Billy, she is worried her fellow cadets don’t trust her, so Billy talks about his own stories and adventures. This is great connection to the original series with a new group of Ranger cadets! “It’s Morphin Time!” Finishes the comic with epic scenes of a Power Rangers battle! Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special #1 is a feast of different stories with fantastic artwork that is perfect for anyone who likes the Power Rangers! 

Five Power Morphers out of Five! 

#MightyMorphinPowerRangers, #30thAnniversarySpecial, #DanMora, #RyanParrott, #EleonoraCarlini, #OdeToErnie, #RichardGenelle, #WeddingVows, #MelissaFlores, #HendryPrastya, #JasonDavidFrank, #CatherineSutherland, #MatGroom, #MarcoRenna, #ReImagine, #AmyJoJohnson, #MattHotson, #FrancescoMortarino, #MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheReturn, #RangerAcademyOfficeHours, #MariaIngradeMora, #JoMiGyeong  

Ahsoka, “Fallen Jedi”, Review!

The fourth episode of Ahsoka has our heroes desperate to stop Morgan traveling on the Eye of Sion, but Baylan and his apprentice might stop Ahsoka and Sabine! Re:cap - “Time to Fly”; Sabine is training with Ahsoka, she tries to use the Force, and Hera has to deal with the Senate Committee. It rejects the request to send ships to the Denab system. Ahsoka, Sabine, and Huyang encounter the Eye of Sion and have to escape to the planet Seatos! They see the purrgils, star whales, that had taken away Ezra and Thrawn. Marrok and the apprentice are in pursuit, foolishly firing blasters around the purrgils, but lose them with Sabine’s maneuvers. Huyang reactivates as they put the shuttle down at the red forest. Ahsoka has the power shut down including Huyang as the ships pass over head. She reactivates Huyang and he shows them a hologram of the vessel has six hyperdrive engines. The final one from Corellia is installed into the ring. 

Ahsoka asks if it could jump to another galaxy. Huyang notes that the Jedi archives had intergalactic lanes that followed the migration patterns of purrgil! At the stone circle, Baylan orders assassin droids and scout guards to hunt down the “Jedi.” The fourth episode is directed by Peter Ramsey who previously directed "Chapter 21: The Pirate" of The Mandalorian. It is written by Dave Filoni who also provides the voice of Chopper. “Fallen Jedi” begins with forest sounds. Sparks from the Eta-shuttle cockpit, Sabine walks in to work on repairs with Huyang. I think Huyang is a great droid! Sabine goes outside of the ship to update Ahsoka on the repairs. She is standing silently and Ahsoka mentions that the enemy has the means to reach Thrawn. Ahsoka brings up the idea that no one should reach the other galaxy! Sabine doesn’t think that it has reached that point. Ahsoka doesn’t want Thrawn to be “heir to the Empire”, geeking out at the title mention! 

Sabine just wants to find the enemy ground base. Huyang goes to make repairs. Do they have any survelliance systems? The fist of an assassin droid clenches past the shuttle! At the base, Morgan waits with Baylan as his apprentice reports about the starship. He orders the attack. Morgan senses fear in Baylan and he says it is experience! Blaster rifles are seen as Huyang works. Inside the ship, Sabine is in her Mandalorian armor, readying her blasters. These are her trademark WESTAR-35 blaster pistols. Huyang finishes on one part of the ship, but then hears something out in the forest! An assassin droid starts fighting with him, Huyang is almost able to defend himself, something right out of Real Steel (2011)! He tries to call out for help, but the assassin droid covers his vocoder. Huyang strikes a part that cuts power, Ahsoka ignites her lightsabers, Sabine puts on her helmet! 

A great action scene highlighted by Sabine using her blasters the Mandalorian way! Ahsoka and Sabine make a formidable duo! Huyang picks himself up and Ahsoka tells him to contact General Syndulla when he can. The forest trees look strange in the background, not like the Volume or matte paintings, more like trees from the Wizard of Oz (1939), kinda fake. The New Republic fleet, on board Home One, Lt. Hawkins tries to stop General Syndulla from leaving. She heads off with Chopper and Jacen and has Hawkins deal with the general staff. Hera enters the cockpit of the Ghost, it has been six years since we saw Hera fly the Ghost!, it is the VCX-100 light freighter, the familiar ship from Star Wars: Rebels! Joining her fiv X-Wings including Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), so if he is there, it has to be Zeb! Jacen throws the Ghost into hyperdrive! 

Baylan is concerned about the coordinates and Morgan tells him to have faith which he says he “lost a long time ago.” Morgan activates the map sphere. A navigator droid checks the coordinates. Ahsoka and Sabine race through the forest until encountering the apprentice and Marrok. She unhooks her cloak and hops down. Um, Sabine is in Mandalorian armor! She blasts the apprentice and they run off into their battle. Ahsoka eyes Marrok who activates his double-bladed lightsaber. Does Ray Park play Marrok? She faces him with a single lightsaber. The apprentice runs deflecting Sabine’s blasts. She Force pushes Sabine into a tree knocking off her helmet. Sabine has her lightsaber ready. It looks like time is running out, ready for General Sydnulla to arrive! Morgan and Baylan wait, we see the coordinates lock in on a console, two wedges completed. 

The lightsaber duels continue, Sabine’s fight makes me think of Rey, Marrok has his lightsaber on spin cycle, mechanical, not using the Force. Ahsoka makes a single strike! Marrok has a strike through his chest, the apprentice pauses to see Marrok’s death, he shrieks and green mist tears out of his withered form! Sabine tells Ahsoka to get the map confident she can take her rival! The apprentice is stunned at Marrok’s death and finally turns to strike at Sabine. Four more wedges, Morgan leaves to prepare for their journey, and she has Baylan watch over the map. Ahsoka sees Morgan’s shuttle leave and then she walks into the map sphere. Baylan is sitting and tells her that “Anakin spoke highly of you.” I’m still not certain of his place in the Jedi Order. They remove their cloaks, Ahsoka says she doesn’t care about the past and Baylan says he is there for the future. 

I’m loving the dialogue, two “diameterically opposed foes”, but then Ahsoka activates her lightsaber. Another incredible lightsaber duel! We miss you Ray Stevenson! Morgan walks into the control room, now five wedges, a droid reports about the duel below. It is getting closer to final coordinates. The apprentice knocks down Sabine, she has her hand out, her rival says she has no power. Sabine uses her wrist gauntlet to blast away her lightsaber! Never underestimate a Mandalorian! Crossed lightsabers, Ahsoka kicks Baylan back several times, and she rushes over to grasp the map! It is painful for her to hold and she screams out. The map rolls away. Sabine has her wrist gauntlet pointed at the apprentice when she cowardly throws a smoke explosive and runs away. She picks up her lightsaber. Ahsoka is still in pain from the burning map when Baylan attacks and drives her back! 

The apprentice appears, Baylan orders her to get the map, and Ahsoka slams her into one of the henges with the Force! Baylan savagely presses Ahsoka back to the cliff’s edge. Sabine shows up with her blaster pistol and the map. Ahsoka screams for her to destroy the map! Sabine has her blaster to the map and orders Baylan to retreat. Instead, he swings his lightsaber throwing Ahsoka off the cliff! He turns to Sabine, she blasts at him, but he easily deflects the blasts with his lightsaber. Then, she holds her blaster to the map, and he stops. Baylan tells her to destroy it, this is just giving time for his apprentice to recover, he closes his eyes and then deactivates his lightsaber. He says that Ezra Bridger is her only family and that her family died on Mandalore! We saw them very much alive in the Star Wars: Rebels finale, but not what happened to them at th Night of a Thousand Tears! 

He walks up to Sabine asking her to join him and promises to reunite her with Ezra. Baylan reaches for the map. It almost feels like an eternity of Sabine holding the map and then placing in Baylan’s hand! Sabine is choking then falls as the apprentice has her hand out in a Force choke. Baylan tells Shin, yes, the first time she has been identified, to free Sabine. He uses the Force to hold her arm down and says he gave his word. Baylan places the map back to generate the sphere. The droid reports to Morgan that Lord Baylan is successful and they have mapped the hyperspace route. Morgan orders a shuttle for him. Huyang is working when he hears General Syndulla, finally! Huyang updates Hera on the situation and directs her to stop the Eye of Sion. She breaks off with the X-Wing fighters to stop it. Morgan tells Baylan to be ready for the shuttle. He takes his lightsaber to sever the map. Shin pushes Sabine in binders to the shuttle. It may be too late to stop the Eye of Sion! “Fallen Jedi” offers more action, the villains ahead of the heroes, and a mysterious, though familiar fate of Ahsoka! 

Four Lightsabers out of Five! 

#Ahsoka, #FallenJedi, #PeterRamsey, #DaveFiloni, #RosarioDawson, #NatashaLiuBordizzo, #MaryElizabethWinstead, #DavidTennant, #EvanWhitten, #NicanRobinson, #RayStevenson, #DianaLeeInosanto, #IvannaSakhno

 

Wheel of Time, “A Taste of Solitude”, Review!

The quiet of the Edmond's Fields village is disrupted by the arrival of two strangers, the enigmatic Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), basically the Gandalf of the story.  She wields the One Power, a form of magic that can only be channeled by women, as an Aes Sedai. Moiraine is accompanied by Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney), her Warder, read: bodyguard), to whom she is bonded through the One Power. They have come to find the Dragon Reborn, the reincarnation of the male channeler. The Dragon fought the Dark One whose exile tainted the One Power to drive male channelers insane. The Dark One is destined to return with his evil Trollocs, basically bestial Uruk-hai, the Fades, faceless leaders of the Trollocs, like Nazghul, and Darkfriends, corrupted people working for the Dark One.  

A group of the villagers go along with Moiraine and Lan after a Trolloc attack. These include Rand al’Thor (Josh Stradowski), who was given a heron-mark sword by his father who died, he is in love with Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden) who is training to be an Aes Sedai. Her mentor, the village Wisdom, is Nynaeve al’Maera (Zoe Robins) who has fallen for Lan. Rand's other friends are the former blacksmith, Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford), who turns out to be a Wolfbrother, connected to wolves, and Mat Cauthon (Donal Finn, recast), who unfortunately has found a cursed dagger that corrupts him. They encounter Loial (Hammed Animashaun), an Ogier, a massive person who collects knowledge, Loial had taken the group through a Waygate.  Rand goes with Moiraine to confront the Dark One at the Eye of the World. Rand leaves with Moiraine no longer able to use the One Power!  

The others face armies of thousands of Trollocs at Tarwin’s Gap. Egwene and Nynaeve tap into the One Power to destroy the armies! A Darkfriend, Padain Fain (Johann Myers), has stolen the Horn Of Valere, an artifact that can summon the heroes of the past to fight against the Dark One. Then, we had the invasion by the Seanchan who use the One Power in strange ways! The episode begins at night within a star-shaped building there is a young girl (Amy Sharp). She goes to move a seal on a floor, sees three torches in the night, and then hears the roaring of a Trolloc. The girl rushes into a door that is slammed by the Trolloc. She hides under a table and hears a discussion of people who plan to kill Rand al’Thor! The girl crawls over to her mother.

This is when the well dressed Ishmael (Fares Fares), the Dark One, ducks under the table to tell her that she is interrupting them! He calmly says she saw monsters and walks her past the table of the silent Chosen, I’m getting serious Death Eater vibes! He mentions all of the names he has been called and then asks the girl if they knew what he really was, then they would not be afraid. Gotta use that name he was called, Father of Lies. One of the Chosen, takes off his hood, it is Padain Fain, and he smiles. He was the Darkfriend who killed the protectors of the Horn of Valere and stole it! The Dark One takes her outside to show her the waiting Trollocs. Then, he says they are only hungry(!) and has the girl look at him to see if he is a monster. His calm tone makes this all creepy! 

The Dark One picks her up, strokes the side of the Trolloc face, eeek!, and then has her do the same! The girl giggles. What part does this innocent girl(?) have to play in the Last Battle? A rocky hillside in the morning, Moiraine draws water from a well. She carries two buckets up the hill, Moiraine uses the water to fill a hot bath, she regards her hands, no longer able to channel. Moiraine was `gentled’ by the Dark One! We saw this with a false Dragon gentled by the Aes Sedai. Gentled males will go insane and die. Lan by a tree practices with his sword. Henney was recently was Agent Park in the thriller, Missing. He hears the approach of a horse rider. They are at the household of an Aes Sedai, Verin Sedai (Meera Syal). Her Warder, Tomas (Heikko Deutchmann). 

Another Aes Sedai, Adeleas (Nila Aalia) wonders about the messages to Moiraine, but Lan says Moiraine tells him nothing. As Moiraine is studying papers, Lan admits in the messenger, Bayle Domon (Julian Lewis Jones). Lan is just a butler now. Egwene is also acting as a servant to an Aes Sedai at the White Tower. The White Tower is the base of power for the Aes Sedai at Tar Valon. Leane Sharif (Jennifer Cheon Garcia) casually drops a cup into her bucket. As Egwene is cleaning, she sees Leane in bed with her Warder. She walks with her bucket past the Warders training ground and to the kitchens where she puts her bucket next to Nynaeve. The former Wisdom says that they only clean as Novices. Alanna Mosvani (Priyanka Bose) enters and has them clear the table. 

She asks a Novice about the threads of the One Power; air, earth, fire, water, and spirit. Alanna takes out cups of dirty water from the bucket for them to drink. She weaves earth from the tower and water from a cup. Alanna instructs them to pour the glass through the weave that purifies it! She drinks it and then has the other Novices practice the weave. Alanna has Nynaeve picture a flower with her eyes closed, but she is angry that she cannot do so. This disturbs the other Novices so Alanna sends them away. She says that Lady Amalisa used their power at Fal Dara to stop the Trollocs. Alanna says that they can control that power with years of work. Nynaeve says that such power is dangerous. Alanna tells her that it has been give months since they have channeled. 

She forbids them to leave without drinking the water so Nynaeve drinks the dirty water. Stubborn. Later, Alanna meets with Sheriam Bayanar (Rima Te Wiata), the Mistress of Novices, about their progress. Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood), the Red Aes Sedai, wants to take over their training. Sheriam says that a Novice died under Liandrin’s training and that fewer girls come to the tower to train. Liandrin notes that there are more threats with the loss of the Horn of Valere, Trolloc raids, and a new False Dragon! She just wants to talk to Nynaeve and Sheriam sends them all away. Perrin is writing letters at a camp when Loial says the horses are ready. He asks if Perrin is writing to Egwene and Nynaeve. He feels alone with Rand dead and Mat lost. 

Loial says the Lord Ingtar may have found something on the Hunt for the Horn of Valere!  They ride, the eye patched Uno Nomesta (Guy Roberts), Ingtar Shinowa (Gregg Chilingirian), along with Loial, Perrin, and others. Uno rides alongside Loial and Perrin, he has a “sniffer” ability, but they still do not have the trail of Padan Fain. Lord Ingtar silences him as they see a man (Gary Beadle) ahead of them. Uno blames him, Elyas Machera, for a signal fire that alerted Padain Fain. He has yellow eyes! Elyas shows them the bodies, Perrin’s eyes flash yellow, and there are visions of Padain Fain’s attack. The girl runs and Perrin reaches out for her. Elyas says she escaped. They find the traitor who led Padain into Fal Dara. Lord Ingtar orders the bodies to be buried. 

Bayles takes out what he says is a heartstone, made by the One Power and said to be unbreakable, still this is broken piece of stone! Lan walks with Tomas talking about the bond. He could know what Moiraine wanted and how she felt, but now it is severed. Lan admits that Moiraine wants him to leave. Tomas picking fruit says he will protect Verin Sedai and also Moiraine. Lan refuses to leave. Moiraine asks Bayles where he got the heartstone. He replies it was a few months ago outside Cairhein, a country that is in the eastern part of the Westlands. Bayles says he is being followed and Moiraine says they are his own enemies. She sees writing on the stone and Bayles says it is part of a poem. He has a copy, but wants payment of 50 marks, a fortune, and goes down to a single mark for the poem. 

She pays him for the poem and doesn’t want the heartstone. Moiraine asks about the men who are following Bayles. He says they wear black cloaks and their hoods hid their faces. Fades. She tells him to take his boat to Illian. Moirain unfolds the poem. Nynaeve duels with two Warders; Maksim (Taylor Napier) and Ihvon (Emmanuel Imani). Maksim brings up the first month of Warder training which is to face ten men. The only thing that keeps them going is one thing. Maksim says he fell in love with a Warder and Ihvon says he fell in love with an Aes Sedai, Alanna. He asks Nynaeve the question of why she has come to the White Tower. It is fascinating to see these characters; Moiriane and Lan, Nynaeve and Egwene, and Perrin with the hunters, all trying to understand themselves and what they will face. Wheel of Time has a great beginning for season two!

Five Ter’angreal out of Five!

#WheelOfTime, #ATasteOfSolitude, #MoiraineDamodred, #RosamundPike, #LanMandraggoran, #DanielHenney,  #NynaeveAlMaera, #EgeweneAlVere, #MadeleineMadden, #PerrinAybara, #MarcusRutherford, #Loial, #HammedAnimashaun, #Tomas, #HeikkoDeutchmann, #VerinSedai, #MeraSya,#AlannaMosvani, #PriyankaBose, #SheriamBayanar, #RimaTeWiata, #Liandrin, #KateFleetwood, #IngtarShinowa, #GreggChilingirian, #UnoNomesta, #GuyRoberts, #Ismael, #FareFares, #PadainFain, #JohannMyers 

Some Connections and a Theory for Sabine Wren!

This is a theory on Sabine Wren, but since she is so prominent in Ahsoka played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo, let’s speculate. Her birthdate may be entirely a random year in the Star Wars chronology system, BBY, Before the Battle of Yavin. This struck me as unusual since I was developing a Lucas Canon chronology. It has to do with Duchess Satine Kryze voiced by Anna Graves in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. She is sister to Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) and the ruler of Mandalore as duchess of House Kryze. She sees Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) in "The Mandalore Plot" (2010), LC-CW2/12. This takes place in 21 BBY. They have met years ago. We find out that they have a secret love for each other. 

In "Voyage of Temptation” (2010), LC-CW2/13, Satine held hostage says, "I don't know quite how to say this, but I loved you since the moment you came to my aid all those years ago." Obi-Wan tells her, "Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order.” So this is the great, unfulfilled love story of Star Wars. In "The Lawless” (2013), LC-CW5/16, set in 19 BBY, Satine dies, killed by the Darksaber used by Maul (Sam Witwer), but she manages to say to Obi-Wan, "Remember my dear Obi-Wan...I loved you always. I always will.” A shocking conclusion to an animated series and Obi-Wan and Satine’s story? Satine and Obi-Wan loved each other, but she died, the end? Also, what does this have to do with Sabine Wren? 

Sabine Wren was born in 21 BBY which I thought was unusual since it took place possibly right after Obi-Wan and Satine’s confession of love and Satine’s death in 19 BBY. Possible? Wait, Sabine is in Clan Wren and her parents are Alrich and Ursa Wren. She was born on Mandalore. So we haven’t seen a child of a Jedi hidden with another family to protect her from danger? Leia was adopted by Bail Organa in Revenge of the Sith (2005), LC-P3. So there is precedent. Could Satine have a child and place her with Clan Wren swearing them to secrecy? Bo-Katan had turned away from leadership and a child of House Kryze would be dangerous to Moff Gideon. Also, Satine would not allow Obi-Wan to know since he would leave the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars. 

FC-R3/11, “Visions and Voices” (2016), has a hint of Satine on a painting defaced by Maul. He managed to survive being severed by Obi-Wan and was restored by the leader of Nightsisters, Mother Talzin in "Brothers" (2012), LC-CW4/21. Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) drawn to Dathomir by Maul who wanted him as his apprentice. He discovered a painting of Satine and below it, the Darksaber. Sabine, (Tiya Sircar) possessed by the spirit of a Nightsister, used the Darksaber to fight Ezra. He used a Force push to free Sabine from the cave removing the spirit. Sabine later trained with blind Jedi, Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.), in “Trials of the Darksaber” (2017), FC-R3/15. This has an echo in the third ep of Ahsoka, “Time to Fly.” Then, Sabine learned the forms from Ezra which might be the frustration she later felt practicing with Ahsoka. She was abandoned by her family over her development of weapons the Empire used against Mandalore. 

Sabine used Ezra’s lightsaber to duel with Gar Saxon (Ray Stevenson) in the “Legacy of Mandalore” (2017), FC-R3/16. She passes the Darksaber to Bo-Katan and says, “Now I understand why the saber came to me. It came to me so I could pass it to you.” Bo-Katan accepts it for her sister and Mandalore. This of course is the complication in The Mandalorian. In theory, could Sabine be able to pass on the Darksaber because she is the daughter of Satine Kryze? Her theorized adoption with Clan Wren would even be hidden from Bo-Katan. Satine has trained with Ahsoka and doesn’t believe she has the Force, but what if she is also the child of Obi-Wan Kenobi? Satine, Sabine, it could be a coincedence. This is all theory, connections, so there may be no connection with Obi-Wan and Satine. If this were true, then Sabine Wren would be the uniting of Mandalorian and Jedi!  

#SabineWren, #Ahsoka, #NatashaLiuBordizzo, #SatineKryze, #AnnaGraves, #BoKatanKryze, #KateeSackhoff, #ObiWanKenobi, #JamesArnoldTaylor, #TheMandalorePlot, #VoyageOfTemptation, #TheLawless, #ClanWren, #AlrichWren, #UrsaWren, #RevengeOfTheSith, #VisionsAndVoices, #EzraBridger, #TaylorGray, #TiyaSircar, #Maul, #FreddiePrinzeJr, #TrialsOfTheDarksaber, #Ahsoka, #TimeToFly, #GarSaxon, #RayStevenson, #LegacyOfMandalore, #BoKatanKryze, #TheMandalorian 

Rogers the Musical Review!

The billboards and stage production of Rogers the Musical had promise in the “Never Meet Your Heroes” (2021) first episode of Hawkeye, it is fulfilled in the live performance at the Hyperion Theater! Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) suffered through the Broadway musical that gave an upbeat spin on the Battle of New York in The Avengers  (2012). The head writer of Hawkeye, Jonathan Igla, had the idea of a Captain America musical that was approved by Kevin Feige. He brought in Marc Shaiman, who had worked on Mary Poppins Returns (2018). Shaiman is known for the musical adaptation of Hairspray (2002) which won him the Tony Award. He worked with lyricist, Scott Wittman, also from Hairspray, to write “Save Our City” at the end of the first act of the fictional musical. 

“Save the City” was performed live at the D23 Expo Lucasfilm/Marvel Studios panel. It was developd by Disney Live Entertainment after the performance. Rogers the Musical is a one act, 30 minute version created and directed by Jordan Peterson. The music is arranged by Christopher Lennertz who also the composer of the Agent Carter series. The musical includes “Star Spangled Man” from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) by Alan Menken and David Zippel. The musical’s book is by Hunter Bell who also wrote the book for the musical, [title of show] (2008). It debuted at the Hyperion Theater on June 30th and ran until August 31st. It would be fun if the fictional Broadway musical that is one act expands and makes its way to Broadway! The theater is located in the Hollywood Land section of Disney’s California Adventure. It is adjacent to Avengers Campus next to Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! 

Rogers the Musical at the Hyperion Theater, Disney’s California Adventure, author’s photo. 

There was available a Premium Viewing Experience package that offered priority seating, a lanyard, a photo op, access to a lounge area before the show, souvenir popcorn bucket with Red, White & Blue Kettle Corn, and a drink, $29.00. A large, 1930’s era radio like a RCA Victor, plays some music at stage left before the show begins. From the radio comes the announcement that in “partnership with Stark Industries”, the debut of Rogers the Musical. Spotlights flash across the red curtain that had Captain America’s shield projected on it. There is a hint of the main title theme from the score of Captain America: The First Avenger by Alan Silvestri. Then, there is the introduction of the Starkettes, a trio in blue dresses (Bella Hicks, Krystle Rose Simmons, and Alex Karukas), USO dresses that provide the chorus. The curtain parts to a circular stage complete with mic stands and lively dancers. 

The first number, “U-S-Opening Night”, is just so fun and similar to the Andrew Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” The Starkettes start to sing about “a kid named Steve.” Then, “We gotta tell the tale in thirty minutes or less”, very funny. The dancers walk to a rotating stage as the Stark Club assembles behind them. The actor who plays Steve Rogers, Josey Montana McCoy, runs out to the spotlight center stage to wild applause. A soldier tries to ask a Starkette to dance and then told to respect them by Steve. The soldier is socked by Peggy Carter, in civilian clothes, before she walks away. This is when Bucky Barnes walks out in dress uniform saying that he is posted to England. He takes away one of the dancers and then all of the others go into the Stark Club with the doors closing on Steve! Blue lights and solemn music as we see the Uncle Sam, “I Want You For U.S. Army” poster painted by James Montgomery Flagg. 

                                                                Steve Rogers, the Starkettes, Peggy Carter, and Dr. Abraham Erskine, photo by the author. 

Alone on stage, Steve starts to sing “I Want You”, a contemplative song that seems to slide right into the musical tradition. Three doctors with chalkboards reject Steve for the military. McCoy does a great rendition of the song which has a funny part. Plus, Steve sings, “I can do this all day” to applause. The Uncle Sam poster enlarges to loom over Steve. The singing and production is so good, I hope it returns in some form, and that they will release a soundtrack. I’m certain that MCU fans would love it even if they haven’t seen the show. The actors must be under Disney Live Entertainment so there are no names and character parts in some program, but kudos to them.  It may be that the show would be difficult for a release, but I’m certain that it is recorded. Dr. Abraham Erskine introduces himself and then Agent Peggy Carter, now in military uniform, she also gets applause and a brief heavenly spotlight! 

Erskine asks Steve if he wants to kill Nazis and Steve says he only wants to stop bullies. My favorite part of Captain America’s character. The Vita-Ray Chamber backdrop slides in and the Starkettes now walk in with doctor coats. They start singing “Star Spangled Man” escorting Steve to the chamber. Steve stumbles trying to talk to Agent Carter, the Starkette reactions are funny, and he says he hasn’t danced since a woman “might step on” him. Peggy walks away saying that he hasn’t found the right partner. This is basically the centrai part of the musical. The Starkettes ready him and the chamber closes on Steve. He starts to scream as the lab starts to crackle with energy, Peggy wants it shut down, but Steve screams, “I can do this!” The stage goes dark and then the chamber smokes, lit within. It opens to a new actor, Luke Monday, playing Steve Rogers transformed into Captain America! He thanks everyone including the “spangly dancers” to stage right! 

Captain America and Peggy Carter, author’s photo. 

He starts on his USO tour with “Star Spangled Man” continuing, Steve stumbles over his speech, and then we get streamers at the end of the song! Erskine is off stage so we don’t get his death. Agent Carter runs up to him to tell Steve that the 107th Divison, Bucky’s group, is captured. She arranges a flight, we don’t have Howard Stark helping with the transformation or giving him the shield. Peggy sings about not having the dance and that he should do what heroes do. We hear the plane and the song continues as we get three comic book backdrops, Timely Comics, the early form of Marvel Comics. There are also some comic book panels on the wall screen as we hear from the announcer about the rescue. Cap poses in each scene with his shield. The shield is never explained which is disappointing since it is such an important part of the character. Also, no dubbing of his Captain America name. 

The announcer mentions his team up with the Howling Commandos and defeat of HYDRA and the Red Skull. There is a panel with the Red Skull, but no actor playing the villain walks through the scene. Captain America walks forward as we hear over the radio Steve on board the HYDRA bomber as we see the cockpit window in the back screen. Stage left, Peggy is at a desk with a radio. He says he has to land the bomber in the Arctic to save people on the East Coast. We have a duet continuing the hero song as they make a date on Saturday at 8. It aburpty ends with only Peggy seen on stage before it all goes dark. We hear swirling water sounds. There is a ticking clock, we hear voices say lines from the different eras, and the annoying dial up modem tones. The stage is suddenly backlit and we have a hospital room with two beds and the Starkettes (Hicks and Simmons) as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.  

The “Save the City” scene with Hulk, a police officer, Thor, Loki, Lead New Yorker #1 and #2 with Captain America between them, Iron Man, and a vendor. In front is Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and Black Widow, photo by the author.  

Steve is confused and then he is answered by Nick Fury with the audience cheering for him. Nick, in black jacket, cap, and eyepatch, tells him that he has been asleep for 70 years! He is a little more showman than the Samuel L. Jackson version. He bursts into a soulful and funny, “What You Missed” as a Broadway backdrop is projected with the Lion King musical. Nick is backed by the Starkette agents. There are funny mentions of I Love Lucy and Star Wars. Steve interrupts them to ask what he is there and Nick mentions some people who have a task. From the back of the stage appear the Avengers to the Alan Silvestri theme and the crowd goes wild. They are like the Hawkeye episode; Hulk in his green sweater, Hawkeye, Iron Man with glasses and jacket, Ant-Man wearing a backwards hat (played by one of the Starkettes?), Black Widow, and Thor with long red coat, beard, and Mjolnir.  I would really like to have The Falcon since he was Cap’s partner and his importance as picking up the shield as Captain America. 

Nick riffs about the missing characters, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and others. Then, smoke vents upwards as we hear an alert by an announcer about an invasion with red spotlights. This goes into the “Save the City” number.  I suspect the Lead New Yorker #1 is the Erskine actor and Lead New Yorker #2, in a doctor’s coat, is one of the Starkettes. An actor playing Loki wears a green coat, a headband with curved horns, and a top hat?  Afterwards, there is a mention by the announcer about Sokovia, the Winter Soldier, and an attack on Wakanda by Thanos! This leads to song’ end with Cap, alone, singing, “I could do this all day.” Surprisingly, he hears, “On your left”, it is the older Steve Rogers who is by a bench with the shield at the side. This is a return of the pre-Super Soldier Steve Rogers actor who has the green Time Stone. They have a duet with the “End of the Line” song. At the Stark Club, Peggy Carter is in her red dress, and they sing “One Last Dance.” They dance and share a kiss which is more satisfying than the more nuanced Avengers: Endgame. Steve is there  Rogers the Musical is a fun overview of Captain America’s story, it would be a great intro to musicals, and should return to fit perfectly next to Avengers Campus!  

Five Shields out of Five! 

#RogersTheMusical, #HyperionTheater, #DisneysCaliforniaAdventure, #Hawkeye, #MarcShaiman, #ScottWittman, #SaveTheCity, #ChristopherLennertz, #JordanPeterson, #ChristopherLennertz, #AgentCarter, #StarSpangledMan, #CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger, #AlanMenken, #DavidZippel, #HunterBell #[titleofshow], #Starkettes, #BellaHicks, #KrystleRoseSimmons, #AlexKarukas, #SteveRogers, #JoseyMontanaMcCoy, #BuckyBarnes, #PeggyCarter, #RachelWirtz, #AbrahamErskine, #CaptainAmerica, #LukeMonday, #NickFury, #Avengers, #AntMan, #BlackWidow, #Hawkeye, #Hulk, #IronMan, #Thor, #Loki  

Strolling through the (Theme) Park One Day: DCA - San Fransokyo Square!

The California Resident 3-Day Pass enabled another trip to Disney’s California Adventure and a chance to see the last performance of Rogers the Musical! More on the musical in a later review so this will cover the park itself. I headed towards Avengers Campus and noticed in a doorway, a Spidey Amazing Friends photo op, I don’t know if there were any characters, but it seemed geared for little ones. The Red Car Trolley was slowly going past the Hyperion Theater, no hurry to rush off the tracks, so a great chance to snap a photo! On a pole at Avengers Campus is a sign, “History is not as you know it…” with a scan about Th Eternals. 

The opening of San Fransokyo Square!, author’s photo. 

Still, I was starving, but thought to wander through San Fransokyo Square and maybe try some restaurant. The problem was that it was too early and most of them were closed. I really wanted to try Aunt Cass Café, actually named the Lucky Cat Café in Big Hero 6 (2014).  It was roped off so I didn’t get a pic.  The new remodeling was actually the opening! I love the designs, many people were exciting taking pictures and selfies, I was actually walking from the Boudin Bakery Tour. There was also Japanese with the Ghiradelli  Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. I like seeing the San Fransokyo Makers Market, banners of the different bots with Little Yama, Cerberus, and Megabot! 

They had containeers of Baymax stuffies, very tempting!, no actual bots though. The Hamada Bot Shop was the photo op for Hiro Hamada and Baymax. I saw Gogo’s magnetic bike hanging from the roof. The photo op was so popular, the queue extended to Cars Land! I stayed in line for two hours when they were at Tomorrowland during the time of the movie, but wasn’t ready to do the same that day. Also, great to see is the distinct red bridge towers. There wasn’t music that would have really set the scene. I still need to look around the area since I missed the Pan-Pacific Pin Traders and eating at the café. I saw some Halloween decorations for the Oogie Boogie Bash which starts 5 September. 

                                                                   San Fransokyo Makers Market, there you can find Baymax stuffies!, photo by the author. 

Ultimately, I ate at Flo’s V8 Cafe since it has one of my favorite fried chicken meals, plus it has some great music! I was wandering back to the Hyperion when I found out it was minutes from The Amazing Spider-Man! show. It is such a fun show. I noticed that the swing and upside down wall crawling has been changed to just lowering down on his webline. It was so cool to see, but I can see how wall crawling could be complicated. Then, I saw Rogers the Musical, and went back to Avengers Campus. I caught the end of the Avengers Assemble! show. This had Black Panther and Black Widow against Taskmaster. I heard the audio, but the sun was bright so I just pointed my cell phone to try to capture the show. 

                                                 Chip or Dale?, I’m guessing Dale, talking a quiet stroll at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, author’s photo. 

I was lucky to try the single rider line at WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. It was just a short wait, two minutes?, to enter the main building. Then, a side passage led around to the loading area of the attraction. I was surprised I scored the highest in the vehicle, even though I was taking pics throughout the ride, I was targeting the glowing Spider-Bots and the ones farthest away. I took a quick ride on Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, I still miss Golden Dreams and think it is better themed for the park than a duplicate of the Magic Kingdom attraction. I actually wanted to check the Villains Grove overlay at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. There were candelabras and white flowers. I did see Chip and Dale, I still can’t tell them apart, leave for their break. I took a ride on Soarin’ and then saw Clarabelle Cow and told her, “I gotta have more cowbell!” A fun day at Disney’s California Adventure! Next, Disneyland this month, hopefully to see Ahsoka Tano and the Magic Happens parade. 

#DisneysCaliforniaAdventure, #RogersTheMusical, #HyperionTheater, #AvengersCampus,  #SanFransokyoSquare, #AuntCassCafe, #BigHero6, #HamadaBotShop, #FlosV8Cafe, #TheAmazingSpiderman, #AvengersAssemble, #BlackPanther, #BlackWidow, #Taskmaster, #WEBSLINGERS, #ArielsUnderseaAdventure, #RedwoodCreekChallengeTrail, #ChipAndDale, #Soarin, #ClarabelleCow, #Cowbell