Another Night at Universal Studios Fan Fest!

 The opening of Universal Studios Fan Fest Nights was fun, some parts were ok, but this time it was a strange “right place at the right time”! First off a mention of the cosplay, I was previously at CityWalk and noticed some great Dungeons & Dragons cosplay and Star Trek uniforms. So the coplay game has been upped from the orange vests. Many One Piece straw hats throughout the park. Also, the number of cosplayers at the meet and greet was great. Cosplay; enthusiasm: high, participation, good, not 1 in 3 dressed up like a fan convention, creativity, good, not innovative like a centaur I saw at one con. By enthusiasm, I mean excitement dressing up, being with other cosplayers, and meeting characters. I don’t think guests took pics of cosplayers, but I would like to cosplay next Fan Fest Nights. Kudos to the cosplayers, they were really excited to be there. 

This time I was at the upper lot during rope drop. There were crowds eager to enter the Fan Fest. I was relaxing at a table to the side. Before the rope drop, I went into the Universal Studio Store, it has a great decor from the different IPs. There wasn’t much merch for the Fan Fest. I was kinda looking for a t-shirt maybe a pin. I was hoping for a pin for each of the different Fan Fest areas. They could have sold a number of Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley shirts and other clothes just with the logo. There was some interesting merch connected to the IPs, the Yoshi stuffies, I saw a Mimic plush bag, and I like the Ceti Eel Lollipop! Merch; display: high, range (clothing, collectibles, candy), ok, needs work, affordability, good, I didn’t buy anything, but thankfully, no high end merch items. 

    Rope drop at Universal Studios Fan Fest Nights, author’s photo. 

Also, at that store were two costume displays; Jean-Luc Picard’s uniform and the Borg, Vox. By the way, I like books on theme parks, maybe magazine-sized, yes, theme parks don’t have them available now, but this is a special event. So I bee lined Star Trek: Red Alert, I think this was so fun, I tried to take pics of the things I missed last time. I really hope this one returns exactly as is, story and characters, next Fan Fest. The only additions I would add are character meet and greets, an Andorian and Vulcan, whom I saw in the experience. There was the photo op of the Enterprise-D bridge , but I think there needs to be something by the walk through experience. Also, a connected food area, I think the highlight of the Las Vegas Star Trek: The Experience, was it empties into the recreation of Quark’s Bar in DS9. There were re-themed Quark’s Bar and Ten Forward for drinks, but these were separate and really only themed by menu items. 

This may not be possible with the space limitations, but I think adding meet and greets and a food area would be a plus. Star Trek: Red Alert; experience: high, story: high, theming: high, characters: good, again the acting was on point, but needs meet and greet. There is supposedly a shuttle that takes you to the Starfleet Museum, ok, but transporters would be more in line with the story. I would not mind a room that just had a vibrating floor, windows, and screens showing movement for a transport shuttle maybe this could be part of the introductory video, running it while you move to the Starfleet Museum. I saw a Starfleet jacket at the store, a little pricey for me, but quality, I’m not certain if I saw comm badges, pins, again a t-shirt with a Star Trek: Red Alert logo would just be dandy. Then, onto Mel's Diner to get the Outtatime Cookie, $5.99. This is a chocolate malt cookie with Whooper pieces, I’m imaging the fire trails and the license plate, also I noticed the BTTF logo on the cookie with sparkling sprinkles! 

A nasty Mimic dand Evilina at Dungeons and Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep, photo by the author. 

I moved to the lower lot, heading towards the First Roll Tavern, and ordered the Gelatinous Cube, $7.99. This was the dessert that had sold out along with the food on the first night. A popular Dungeons & Dragons beastie, it scavenges dungeons, with floating bones of unfortunate adventurers inside its transparent guts! The dessert version was a block of blue raspberry gummy with candy bones! A surprisingly fun snack, it’s rubbery inside was invulnerable to my plastic utensils, so I just messily gobbled it up. Next, it was onto Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep. This time I was on the side of Rogues and Fighters, I got a better sense of the story, you help your party find the Dragonstaff and defeat the Beholder, Xanatar. The interactive element is that you as a group insult him. This should be introduced earlier as a spell to open something or stop the Mimic. I would have like the guests as Wizard and Clerics to help channel the insults (maybe through the Dragonstaff?) into powerful spells. 

I do like that I was at the side of the room where Xanatar sends out his eye stalk blasts and you can see the explosions. Secrets of Waterdeep; experience: very good, more interactivity, maybe a character sheet or something on the characters, Waterdeep, or Xanatar. The best part was that each side has its own part of the experience so hopefully you will go to both sides, story: good, theming: high, characters: very good. I would have liked Evelina to say she was a Tiefling. I was seeing the Xanatar toys out there, but not available at Fan Fest Nights. Again, also no game books, there is a books to introduced D&D, the Young Adventurer’s Collection perfect to have as merch. Then, it was a return to Hill Valley. I got pics of the singing gas station attendants. Also saw Goldie Wilson. Next, I had a good view of the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. I got to see Biff and his sidekick, T-Bone. 

Lorraine and George at Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley, author’s photo. 

A crowd gathered around the Hill Valley sign, it was Marty meeting with George McFly. Then, an awkward meeting with George and Lorraine. The actors move around the square and interact really well, I got a great closeup of Lorraine looking at George. Then, I waited for the Biff confrontation at the car. The guests really get into the excitement and cheer on George. I really like Biff’s henchman, T-Bone, picking him up and then he is the one who tries to dance with Lorraine. He gets thrown by George and ends up dancing with Barbara Hayes who coordinated the dance. Finally, got a good pic with Doc Brown before the finale. Back to the Future: Hill Valley; experience: high, story: high, theming: high, characters: high, live entertainment, singing, dancing: high. One of the best experiences at Fan Fest Nights. I imagine that it might return as Back to the Future: Part II (1989), two Martys?, but hopefully this returns next year! 

A visit to Hogwarts was next, I walked into the square, and saw the pink baby dragon. I missed that one and only saw the Niffler so this was a reverse. The highlight though was the food. I was really intent on getting the Toad in the Hole. The deal with Three Broomsticks was that there was a three course meal for $39. I think the price might have scared away two guests, but really it was worth every penny, and a good selection. The burgers and other theme park fare is just basic. I chose for the starter, the Gryffindor Cornish Pastry, I really like the crust on this one which had potato and pea with red pepper chutney, a bonus. The Toad in the Hole was my main course, it was like having a soup, sausage, and potatos and veggies on the side. The sausage was plant-based and the Vegan Yorkshire pudding was so good. This is one of my favorite meals period. 

Three Broomsticks Three Course Meal; Gryffindor Cornish Pastry, Toad in the Hole, The Golden Snitch, and Iced Tea, photo by the author. 

My drink was just a iced tea, got too much butterbeer. Then, the sparkle to the meal was the dessert, I had the Golden Snitch, it had the golden ball that needs to be broken with chocolate mousse inside! It had honey tuille wings and a cream that made the dessert beautiful! Highly recommended! Food; flavor: high, price: good, service: high, and atmosphere: very good. Three Broomsticks is cavernous and like a cozy, medieval tavern. It was also quiet, I think in the day it is more active, but nice to get away from the noise of the park. I would like a quiet violin or piano that would be relaxing. This was special for Fan Fest Nights, but I hope it returns for the regular theme park. I left Three Broomsticks and found in the square the Occamy from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It was wrapped around his keeper. I love its dragon-like head. Some guests noted that the keeper had great handling with the Occamy and interaction with the guests. 

I finished the night with the anime experiences which I had missed last time. I was just in time for the Luffy meet and greet for One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering. I was freezing by that time in the night and he was wearing on open shirt and shorts, his energy was amazing, worth the wait. Then, I was told all of the group would be going to another photo op. I also missed this one last time. I think I waited an hour or so for the meet and greet. The fans were so excited that in a group, one would talk with the characters, another one would join, and then the rest of the group. This was a few times. There were favorites like Sanji, Usopp with his staff, and Nami. The team members were really good taking pics, but I would put in a photographer and most likely would pay for the picture. Meet and Greets; interaction: high, photo op area: high, photos: high, and line wait: good plus well organized. I’m going to also note that the team members all take around ten pics, not five or so at other parks. I do like the pics talking with characters taken by Disney cast members. 

The Straw Hat Pirates at the One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering!, author’s photo.

Lastly, I finished the night with Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed, this was at the Dreamworks Theater. I was researching a little bit about if beforehand, basically, it is sorcerors in the modern world. The twist is that negative emotions create the Cursed, Energy, an energy that sorcerors use, trained in schools like Harry Potter. The film is a multi-sensorty experience, I would have actually liked 3D glasses, wind, rumbling seats. I have to say I think most anime would be great in 4D! This is about a new school about to be opened and you are the visitors to it. The bulky administrator has lured you there, but Yuji Itadori is there. I do like that the characters are not forced to have Western names now (I’m looking at you Derek Wildstar, instead of Susumu Kodai). He battles along with his friends, but a demon is waiting for everyone below. Love that the audience are potential sorcerors and especially the tie-in Universal Studios Japan (USJ), one character was getting an annual pass! It ends this weekend, May 17th and 18th!, but hopefully returns and gives the chance for fans to live their dreams!  

#UniversalStudios, #FanFestNights, #StarTrekRedAlert, #MelsDiner, #OuttaTimeCookie, #FirstRollTavern, #GelatinousCube, #DungeonsAndDragons, #SecretOfWaterdeep, #BackToTheFuture, #DestinationHillValley, #GeorgeMcFly, #LorraineBaines, #MartyMcFly

#DocBrown, #WizardWorldOfHarryPotter, #BabyDragon, #Occamy, #ThreeBroomsticks, #GryffindorCornishPastry, #ToadInTheHole, #GoldenSnitch, #OnePiece, #GrandPirateGathering, #Luffy, #Sanji, #Usopp, #Nami, #JujutsuKaisen, #HungerOfTheCursed 

Re:tro Re:view - Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories #6!

The story of Greedo becoming a bounty hunter for Jabba was untold until Star Wars: Hyperpace Stories #6! “Inside Job” is by Cecil Castalucci and Adrian Melo. Castalucci is also the co-writer with Jason Fry of the novel, Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure (2015). She has previously written the second and third issues of Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories. Mello is the artist for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures - The Nameless Terror #1(2023). Hyperspace Stories launched its first issue in 2023, an anthology series published by Dark Horse Comics. The cover is by Tom Fowler which has Greeno in the spotlight with Jabba’s Court in the background. Jabba’s finger about to switch on the trapdoor! The issue is noteworthy since it has the appearance of Rotta the Huttlet, but the comic book is a worthy addition to the Star Wars story! 

Greedo is a fascinating character since he was introduced in Star Wars (1977), GL-OT1. The SW characters have special depth once we start finding how they fit into the Star Wars story. Greedo was born in 44 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) born on Rodia. He then moved to Tatooine. There was a Legends short story, “A Hunter’s Fate: Greedo’s Tale” by Tom Veitch and Martha Veitch. This was in the anthology novel, Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina (1995), EC-TL1. There was also another short story, “The Luckless Rodian” by Renee Ahdieh in the anthology, From a Certain Point of View (2017), EC-FCPV1, but there are some contradictions. Greedo had appeared in canon with The Phantom Menace (1999), GL-PT1, as a 12 year old Youngling. He shows up as a bounty hunter for Jabba in the Clone Wars episode, “Sphere of Influence” (2010), GC-CW3/4. 

So this story takes place about 3 to 4 years before that episode. The comic notes that it takes place in the Reign of the Empire era which is incorrect since that would be after the Clone Wars episode. It is a familiar setting, Jabba’s Palace on Tatooine, and also familiar is the massive door where Greedo is trying to enter speaking to the gatekeeper droid. His narration tells us that he wants to “get in good with the big boss.” Greedo applies some fluid from a tube to TT-8L/Y7. He enters the empty entrance and then to Jabba’s court entranced by the Sunburst Gem. Greedo is going through the same path as Luke in Return of the Jedi (1983), GC-OT3. Their attention is on the four armed jugglers tossing fiery hoops. Greedo steps forward trying to bring attention to his gift. Nikto guards thinks he is after the gem and this makes Greedo drop his gift. 

A bowl of Billging grubs splatters on the floor, some of the grubs fly off, Jabba says they are his favorite. Jabba calls Greedo a fool and thinks he just wants to look at the Sunburst Gem. It is not really seen, but a device in the ceiling projects blue light down. A very tall, pale and alien woman sits in front of Jabba. Bib Fortuna takes him away with advice to start from the bottom and work to the top. We see a closeup of Greedo’s sorrowful eyes. He listens to conversations including the helmeted Boushh, the bounty hunter Princess Leia impersonated. Greedo is told he is too young. He hears about a “rogue Wookie.” Still, Greedo’s interest is taken by the new singer illuminated in stage lights. Extreme closeup of Greedo’s eyes as we see the singer reflected in them, Greedo’s narration says instead of getting to the “big boss”, “I found her.” All of this makes Greedo kinda sympathetic.

Five Starburst Gems out of Five! 

#StarWarsHyperspaceStories, #InsideJob, #CecilCastellucci, #EduardoMello, #StarWars, #TalsFromTheMosEisleyCantina, #AHuntersFateGreedosTale, #TomVeitch, #MarthaVeitch, 

#TheLucklessRodian, #FromACertainPointOfView, #ReneeAhdieh, #PhantomMenace, #CloneWars, #SphereOfInfluence, #Greedo, #JabbaTheHutt, #ReturnOfTheJedi, #BibFortuna 

Re:tro Re:view - Skeleton Crew, Ep. 1!

 Skeleton Crew premiered on Disney+ on December 2, 2024. The series was created by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts. Episode 1 is “There Could Be a Real Adventure”, it is directed by Watts and co-written by Ford and Watts. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) was directed by Watts. Ford also worked on that film as well as creating the puppet crime comedy, The Fuzz (2014). The executive producers are Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni so the episode is FC-SC1. The music at the opening has a light piano like a Spielburgian fairy tale. Mick Giacchino is the composer and he also composed the music for The Penguin (2024) series. The title sequence explains that the New Republic has maintained order after the Empire. 

Then, we get that hyperspace routes are still troubled by pirates. We saw the trouble with pirates in The Mandalorian. It is said that the pirates brand their ships with “Surrender or die.” This moves to a bluish planet as fragments pass in space, a freighter is about to pass, and then it falls under shadow. An alert, subdued in space, pulses. Suddenly, two rams smash into its hull! The crew assemble with their blasters, this is an echo of the opening scene to Star Wars (1977); GC-OT1. We see people scrambling across tubes in the rams. A vicious blaster battle begins. The freighter’s blaster cannon shreds one of the rams, but pirates in spacesuits fly over to place charges on the blaster cannon. The pirates huddle into the freighter corridors. The first space pirate that was in Star Wars was Crimson Jack who tangled with Han Solo in Star Wars #7 (1977), EC-SW7. Still, the pirates in this show have more of a feeling of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. 

One of the pirates with dual blasters is a Shistavanen wolfman, we saw one briefly in the cantina scene, more of a creative design here with red eyes that makes him unique rather than a Halloween mask. We later find that this is Brutus voiced by Fred Tatasciore. He is a sharp shooter and then announces to Captain Silvo that the ship is taken. Captain Silvo walks up in his mask asking about the vault. He has a helmet like Halo video game and a coat with a bandolier. He picks up the Merchant Captain (Geoffrey Lower) again mirroring Star Wars with Vader and Captain Antilles. The captain says that they are protected by the New Republic, Silvo punches him, and orders the merchant captain to be thrown out of the airlock. We hear his scream as one of his men starts to cut into the vault. Captain Silvo says that his crew may have gone through tough times, they will have credits. 

He kicks open the smoldering door and finds an empty vault! Brutus enters and finds only a single credit. The Merchant Captain seems to have sacrificed himself to keep the vault closed for no real reason. Brutus shows the captain the credit and the rest of the crew turn their guns on their former captain. Captain Silvo tries to fight the mutineers. It is obvious that this is the Jude Law character that we will see later. This moves to the bed of a kid playing with action figures. The scene is all too familiar with Star Warriors and makes me think of Dark Helmet in Spaceballs (1987)! This is Wim played by Ravi Cabot-Conyers who voiced Antonio in the animated movie, Encanto (2021). His earnestness as a dreamer is what carries the series. His father, Wendel (Tunde Ademimpe) fusses over him as Wim pours some cereal. He pours some credits on the table for his son since he will be busy with work. This reminds me of Bastian in Neverending Story (1984), a hard working father raising his son who is a dreamer on his own. 

Wim rushes out to a suburban street. The strange, suburban setting that makes me think of A Wrinkle in Time (2018) that was based on the 1962 Madeleine L’Engle novel. He passes Mrs. Ikk, an Ithorian who is walking a frog-dog. An Ithorian was seen in the cantina known as the Hammerhead in action figures. The creature was seen in Return of the Jedi (1983); GL-OT3. I like the use of classic aliens. The bright sunlight on suburbia is very Spielberg. Wim plays with his starship toy and then comes upon a boy with his back turned, an blue, elephant like person like Max Rebo, who is Rotolan, but he is a Mykkian. Rebo is squat and less humanoid than the Mykkians who have hair on top. Their first appearance is here and realized through animatornic heads by Legacy Effect and facial capture by ILM. Neel is played by Robert Timothy Smith who starred in the comedy film, Dear Santa (2024). He is a favorite, the play by the rules kid who is loyal to this friend. 

They face off with a pretend lightsaber duel, all relatable complete with whooshing noises, Neel uses a Cho mok to sever Wim’s arm and he turns in a Jung to slice open Neel’s “guts”! The school kids on the other side of the street just look at them, not understanding what is cool. The school tram appears so Neel and Wim scramble to join the others. An RX-series pilot droid, a good nod to Star Tours, is the school bus driver. A kid adds to the collection of what looks like gum to the back of the droid’s head! At the back of the bus, Neel talks about switching a table of nine while Wim is busy looking at Jedi on his datapad. Outside the window, Wim looks at two girls on a speeder vehicle. This is called a hoverbike side car, but looks like a swoop to me. Swoops were speeders from Legends with Han Solo’s Revenge (1979), EC-HSR, by Brian Daley. They were made canon with Anakin riding one in Attack of the Clones (2002), GL-PT2. The riders are Fern played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. She starred as Charlie McGee in the horror remake, Firestarter (2022). Her character reminds me of Han Solo who in Legends was a swoop bike rider. 

KB, Kyriana Kratter, is her co-pilot. Kratter was Nadine in the Disney teen comedy, Bunk’d (2021). Her cyborg visor character just reminds me of Marcie, the sidekick to Peppermint Patty! Wim slumps into school, directed by droids, alongside Neel who is cheery. He spots Fern and KB hanging out too cool for school. A droid teacher drones about algorithms, almost like the Peanuts’ adults, wah-wah-wah-wah. Listening is Roona (Iliana Castillo), a Vazooan, a new alien with a bush baby-like head, two knobs on the head, and green fur. Looking at her is Neel, the object of his affection! Wim is only paying attention to his table, turning knobs to form the image of a Jedi. He notices too late, the “special visitor” of the class, Undersecretary Fara (Kerry Condon). F.R.I.D.A.Y., Tony Stark’s A.I. in Avengers: Endgame (2019) is voiced by Condon. She announces the Career Assessment Test for the next day. It sets the career for the test taker, never works, so they can contribute to the Great Work and help the New Republic. 

Roona tells the Undersecretary that she wants to be a senior accountant, Neel watches her dreamily, his character is so fun. Then, Fara selects Wim, who wants to help people. The droid teacher says that is for Safety Droids. After class, Neel wonders if Wim will fail, and says he will fail to join him, loyalty! Still, he secretly says he wants to be in the same class as Roon, Neel whispers, “I like her.” Wim can’t believe it since his friend hasn’t worked up the courage to talk to her. Neel walks and says that Wim said to the class he “basically” wanted to be a Jedi. This moves to Fern and KB racing on the hoverbike. Fern slips through two trams, but her hoverbike begins to sputter. Wim walks Neel over to his house who gives him some encouragement. Neel is happily greeted by his family. Wim enters his darkened house. At her garage, KB is working on the hoverbike, probably with a hydrospanner, and removes the corroded power converter. Fern is drifting off. but they are mocked by Bonjj Phalfa (Shané Almagor). The comedy, The List (2023), had Almagor play Hesher the Skateboarder. 

He tries to act tough with a Youngling Rodian and a lil’ girl riding with him. Bonjj challenges them to a race on the weekend. Fern then runs changing into her school clothes to a house at the top of the hill. She is greeted by the family droid and tells her that she was studying upstairs with a memory override! Fern starts up the stairs and then turns to see her mother, Undersecretary Fara! Her mother brings her a pendant for head of the class, but Fern stomps away. Her mother pulls the strings, but really doesn’t know her daughter. At home, Wim is busy with the datapad, when his father arrives, he asks to be tested on the Basic Table of Five. He’s not quite right, but Wendel encourages him. Wim is restless and wants a story like his mother had read to him. Again, Neverending Story. Wim gets out his datapad to look at the Jedi stories. The music again goes violin and tinkling piano like a John Williams score for a Spielburg film. This goes up to the night sky that has a swirl of green.  

Pirates, including Vane from The Mandalorian (right), from Skeleton Crew, Ultimate Disney Fan Experience, 2024, photo by the author. 

The next day has Neel screaming out of the back window for Wim. He is late for the school tram. Wim shouts to Neel that he is taking a shortcut. He goes to his garage to ride his hoverbike. Wim does an Akira-like sliding turn to stop at a blocked off road. He lifts his hoverbike over the barrier and hurtles through the forest like Return of the Jedi (1983)! The school is a mass of desks with a teacher droid going over test rules. Neel sits next to Wim’s empty desk. Strange, that the droids overlook a missing student. Wim hurtles through the forest, towards the city tower, but rolls into a ravine! He picks himself and calls for help, no comlink? Wim tries to scramble up a muddy hill and uncovers a circular structure. Giacchino’s score hints at the Dave Gruisin music from The Goonies (1985), the synthesizer at the end of “One Eyed Willy” where Mickey connects with the pirate. Wim wipes away reeds from the surface and then is surprised by a safety droid at the top of the ravine.  

In the school hall, Wim taps on his datapad watched by a safety droid, waiting for The Proctor. He sees a symbol from his Jedi story. Next to him, Fern takes a seat, this made me laugh since she is posed with her arm out like Han Solo! Wim says he missed his Assessement Test and Fern says the droids didn’t like her hoverbike racing. He says her bike is “totally wizard”, a nod to Annie and his podracer! Wim gets up to see the Proctor, but is faced by his father who is disappointed that he skipped the test. He tries to say that he found something in the woods, a “lost Jedi temple”, holding up his data pad. This gets Fern’s interest. Wendle says he talked to the Proctor to have his son retake the test with a 50 point penalty so he has to have a perfect score. His father is serious in taking Wim to school himself. No interest in why his son looks like he had fallen and Wendle leaves for work. Fern asks Wim about the Jedi temple, but Wim says he was lying. Then, we see the holograph of a circus performer, a nudge to the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), EC-HS. 

From the window, Wim gets the attention of Neel’s brother, Tuloo watching the holo show. He climbs up the roof to see through a window at Neel taking a bubble bath, that is just wrong, and asks about the tools of Neel’s father. They open a garage and Wim starts picking up tools while Neel wants to know why they don’t tell the Supervisor. Wim says the title of the episode excited about an adventure. He promises that they won’t get in trouble. 

Four Hoverbikes out of Five! 

#SkeletonCrew, #ThereCouldBeARealAdventure, #ChristopherFord, #JonWatts, #RaviCabotConyers, #RobertTimothySmith, #RyanKeiraArmstrong, #KyrianaKratter, #JudeLaw, #TundeAdemimpe, #KerryCondon

 

Mothra: Queen of the Monsters #2 Review!

Twin sisters, Mira and Emi, have traveled to a prehistoric world to save her egg and the future in Mothra: Queen of the Monsters #2! The twins have reunited in a dark future, but have entered the lost world through a song from the fairy priestesses! The cover by Sophie Campbell has lil’ Mothra larva hatching from her egg while the twins are holding it up! Love the Mothra Gemini larva, the yellow makes her more fairy like the grubby, original larva. The story is by Campell who also provides a page of art. Matt Frank is the artist. A breakneck opening with a Anguirus crashing through a forest after Emi and Mira! This Anguirius has thick spikes on his back, usually they are tiny spikes, love the design! We see the twins in silhouette as a Gorosaurus latches onto the neck of the Anguirus! There is even more danger as a slobbering Antra drone crawls above Mira and Emi! It is struck by a blast, a silk blast by Mothra larva, green, and covered with knobby spike plates! 

On its back are the two fairy priestesse, nice closeup, pointing to them. They lead the twins and Emi finds out they are the priestesses for this time. Mira angrily wants to know why the Antra are in this time and her sister wants her to the respectful to the Shobijin. One of the priestesses wonder why they are not in harmony. The Mothra Larva enters a cave with two ledges covered with the symbols. The Shobijin say the egg is hidden in the temple to keep it safe from the Dragon Queen. The Kaiju fight continues with Anguirus bashing Gorosaurus with his spiked tail! Emi wants to know if there is a cave painting of the Dragon Queen. The priestesses show a white painting with red eyes. They say the “bug-eyed creatures”, the drones are her minions, and the Dragon Queen is known as Megaguirus! She was introducing in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)! Good connection with swarms and the insect-like Kaiju.  

Megaguirus clipping to the next of Gorosaurus in his death throes! They reach the underground temple, a collection of tall blocks, and the Shobijin explain that Megaguirus takes life force and is after the egg! We see it swarm over the two Kaiju. Also, the priestesses warn the twins that the Dragon Queen will detect their life force soon! In a bluish chamber, Mira and Emi find the Mothra egg with blue stripes, there is also glowing mushrooms around it. The twins argue over carrying the giant egg. I like the long panel with the faces of the sisters at either side. The fairy priestesses tell them to be calm to perform the Haora Mothra ritual. If there is disharmony during their song, there will be “dire consequences.” The song begins, but Emi sees a black energy rise from her hand. The Shobijin say that the Megaguirus has sense the energy! The portal is formed with a ring of black energy and the sisters jump in with the egg. 

The Dragon Queen shatters through the temple wall and enters the portal! Mira and Emi float through the pink portal. Then, the egg drops from the sky with the pink tendrils weaving from the portal! The sisters land on a street with cars, not the future!, and then see the egg overshadowed by the swarms of the Dragon Queen! The demonic, red eyes of Megaguirus with its claws and fangs out is nasty! Mira points out the Mothra that engages the Dragon Queen. Emi explains that their disharmony landed them in the wrong time. Mira sees the Mothra egg cracking. Then, the yellow Mothra larva hatches, yay! It immediately spurts out its silk at a drone. The larva begins to spray down the swarm as the sisters take cover. The dragonfly-like Meganula begin to sting Mothra as the Dragon Queen rises behind her like a bat! One of the sisters notes that the Meganula are glowing, takign the magic from Mothra! 

Five Songs out of Five! 

#MothraQueenOfTheMonsters, #SophieCampbell, #MattFrank, #Mira, #Emi, #Anguirus, #Gorosaurus, #Shobijin, #DragonQueen, #Megaguirus

A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel Review!

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin is adapted into a beautiful graphic novel that retains much of Le Guin’s tone and words! Fordham has also adapted the classics: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (2022), The Great Gatsby (2020) from author F. Scott Fitzergerald, and To Kill a Mockingbird (2018) by Harper Lee. A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) is a fantasy classic part of what Le Guin called the first trilogy of Earthsea novels; The Tombs of Atuan (1971) and The Farthest Shore (1972). Then, later books, Tehanu (1990), Tales from Earthsea (2001), and The Other Wind (2001). She had developed Earthsea in the short stories, “The Rules of Names” and “The Word of Unbinding” (1964). The last Earthsea story is “Firelight” published posthumously in 2018. 

All of these stories was collected in The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition (2018) with art by Charles Vess. Her science fiction novel, The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) won the Nebula and Hugo awards, part of her Hainish universe. A Sci-Fi Channel mini-series, Earthsea (2004), adapted the first two books. There was an anime film, Tales from Earthsea (2006). Both adaptations were disappointing for LeGuin and fans, I include myself, something is missing. I still have hope for a faithful adaptation, a film or television series, but it all starts with this graphic novel by Fordham. The cover of the hardback graphic novel by Fordham has a mysterious, almost organic tower rising up from the crests of waves that renders it in shadow. 

A great embossed title in gold and fine pages including a beautiful map which makes a premium graphic novel by Clarion Books. It begins with a snippet of the poem, The Creation of Éa, there just a bit about the first island, Éa, raised from the sea. There are hints of the story that reflects parts of the story. LeGuin is very clever in story construction and world building. I would have liked a little style in words of the poem, a recreation of a page, or image, but this is similar to the novel. We get an introduction to Gont, an island of wizards, a hawk flies above the seas with the misty shrouded island, a very solemn image. Fordham uses the words of LeGuin, many adaptations leave out the author’s words, and in some cases summarize or cut pieces of the novel. 

This moves under the sun to a figure in silhouette, Sparrowhawk, who will become archmage. I absolutely love this image that we see Sparrowhawk, but will have to go through the story to truly see him. Against the sky, we are told he is known in The Deed of Ged, and we see Sparrowhawk watch the hawk’s flight. Then, we get the title page, a splash page showing a village ringed around a forest below mountains and the clouds above, an image like something out of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films. Then, it goes to the village of Ten Alders, where Duny is born, but his mother dies in childbirth. In the preface, LeGuin’s son, Thoeo Downes-LeGuin notes that Fordham properly depitcs Sparrowhawk as a “copper-skinned man” which makes sense with the location of the Earthsea, an archipelgo of islands. 

His father was a bronze-smith and his six other brothers left them. Duny is left alone and herded goats with other children and helped out with his father’s work who was tough on him. We find that his aunt had helped him as a baby, but had left him as a boy. One day, Duny found his aunt call a goat down from a roof of a house and we see a closeup of Duny’s fascinated face. Out in the hills, he sees a herd of longhaired goats and starts repeating the words. They turn, but Duny finds that they are racing towards him into the village, until his aunt breaks the spell. She walks up to him on the ground and then takes him into her house, dark with only the firelight. His aunt says she will teach him the rhymes, but will bind him him to his promise to tell them to no one else. A splash page shows Duny’s face, his aunt’s gestures, the hawk as Duny calls out the words and then it landing on his arm. I love the progression of the teaching of the words of True Speech. 

One part of the book I love, but wasn’t in this adaptation is that Duny’s aunt tests out her spell silencing him and asks him to speak, he can’t, but laughs showing his power. We find Duny learning all of the spells from his aunt, the witch, who didn’t know about the “Balance and Pattern which the true wizards knows and serves.” We see animals, a bear, a cat, and fish floating above them, lining the shore with Duny sitting. The children feared him and called him Sparrowhawk, his use-name known to casual acquaintances. He was twelve years old when Duny faced his first challenge. It is orange of an afternoon sun, when Duny and his father see the smoke from an invasion by the Kargad Empire! Duny’s father refuses to leave and we see a collage of the two working at the forge to prepare weapons. Ten Alders doesn’t have warriors, but on a small panel, they had “wizards”, perfect. 

Five+ Spells out of Five! 

#AWizardOfEarthsea, #UrsulaKLeGuin, #FredFordham, #Earthsea, #TalesFromEarthsea, #Firelight, #Sparrowhawk, #Duny

  

Free Comic Book Day 2025!

Today was full of free comics plus a signing for Free Comic Book Day! The annual event usually takes place the Saturday after a Marvel movie debuts, May 3rd, and in this case, Thunderbolts*. I started the day at Pulp Fiction Long Beach. A small group of kids was behind me and the best part of FCBD since we need new readers for comics. Then, a tent was set up with two tables filled with the free comics! Everyone got one free comic with more with a cash donation or canned goods which is for a food drive to the Long Beach Rescue Mission. Artist, Mike Castro, was also there with limited stickers and artwork! I picked up Conan: Scourge of the Serpent by Jim Zub and Ivan Gil. 

Nicole Goux, Gabriel Hardman, and Jordan Morris, signing at Free Comic Book Day for Things from Another World, author’s photo. 

Next, I went to CityWalk to visit the Things From Another World comic book store. They offered one copy of each title for the comics at the table. I really like the FCBD issue of Star Wars with three stories by Alex Segura, Phil Noto, Charles Soule, Stefano Raffaele, and Marc Guggenheim with Madibek Musabekov. There also was a signing for Godzilla vs. Los Angeles which has 100% of the proceeds going to the Book Industry Charitable (binc) Foundation which helps bookstores and comic book stores for wildfire relief. Three of the creative team was there, Jordan Morris, the writer and Nicole Goux who was the illustrator of “The Big Break”, plus Gabriel Hardman who was the artist for the regular cover. There was also a print of the Godzilla cover. Free Comic Book Day was incredible with so many free comics and comic creators plus the chance to help the Long Beach Rescue Mission and binc's wildfire relief! 

#FreeComicBookDay, #PulpFictionLongBeach, #MikeCastro, #ConanScourgeOfTheSerpent, #JimZub, #IvanGil, #UniversalCityWalkThingsFromAnotherWorld,#StarWars, #AlexSegura, #PhilNoto

#CharlesSoule, #StefanoRaffaele, #MarcGuggenheim, #MadibekMusabekov, #GodzillaVsLosAngeles, #JordanMorris, #GabrielHardman, #NicoleGoux, #BookIndustryCharitableFoundation