Lorcana: Into the Inklands Review!

Lorcana: Into the Inklands adds new elements to the game play and now characters from Disney television! The third expansion of Lorcana has arrived at game stores and at Disney parks in February 23rd and mass retailers on March 8th. It continues the Lorcana story where the flood has run through the Hall of Lorcana and taken the lore into the Inklands. There were two new starter decks; a Ruby/Sapphire deck featuring Moana and Duck Tales and Amber/Emerald with 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan. The cards sets are teaming up the different colo combinations. These starters are great to get certain cards, rares, and filling out any cards you might need for a play deck. The Into the Inklands starters need cards from other sets to fill out their decks.  

Lorcana display at Pin Traders, Downtown Disney, author’s photo. 

The number of card sets need a symbol of the individual set when putting togther cards for play or collecting. The gift set has two oversized cards; Stitch: Covert Agent and Tinkerbell: Very Clever Fairy. It would be nice if it was Scrooge McDuck: Uncle Moneybags, the other version is on a deck box, and 99 Puppies. The other deck box has the artwork of Robin Hood: Daydreamer. The new rules are on rules cards that replace the fun puzzle cards.  Locations are the card types. You play Locations just like any other card with its Ink cost. Characters can move to one paying the Location’s move cost found on th shield to the left or playing an Action card like Voyage. It moves two characters to Location for free at the cost of 1 Ink. On th other shield is its Willpower, kinda strange to have willpower for a place. I would think Defense or something like it. 

Locations; Motunui, Kuzco’s Palace, Agrabah, Never Land, and De Vil Manor with the Vault Door Item card. 

So Locations can be Challenged like Characters. An Item card, Vault Door, gives Locations and Characters Resist +1. It would be interesting to have multiple Vault Doors and there should be walls and other defenses. For Maleficent’s Castle, the Forbidden Mountain card, there should be Thorns that protect and cause damage to an challenging Character. A Drawbridge could be an Item that has to be destroyed before attacking a castle Location. The purpose of moving Characters to a Location is its Ability. Motunui’s Ability is a Character that is Banished at Location goes into the Inkwell facedown and exerted, turned into Ink instead of going into the Discard pile. The other advantage is that it generates Lore every turn, a game changer!  

A plethora of Lorcana Into The Inklands cards, “And I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is”, and a starter deck. 

There are some combos like assembling Huey, Duey, and Louie, Dewey and Louie have Support adding their Strength to a questing Character. If Huey quests with his brothers in play, the Player draws three cards! 99 Puppies is a fun Action card, when a character quests, then the Player gets 1 Lore! Puppies! Another interesting card is Kida: Atlantean who has her text in Atlantean script! Maui and Heihei are a great combo. Heihei: Accidental Explorer, his ability is Mindless Wandering, once a turn when he moves to a Location, every opponent loses 1 Lore! 

Maul: Soaring Demigod has the ability, In Ma Belly, when Heihei quests, Maui gets +1 Lore and loses his Reckless Ability! There is Baloo: von Bruinwald XIII, a Dreamborn version, from Talespin, but no Mowgli card yet! Classic films that need to added; tops is Saludos Amigos, obscure film, The Black Cauldorn, and Dumbo! New films: waiting for Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and gotta have Big Hero 6! Ravensburger’s Lorcana with the Into the Inklands set continues to develop the game, produce cards you want in your collection from your favorite movies, television, with great artwork! 

#Lorcana, #IntoTheInklands, #Raensburger, #Locations, #DuckTales, #101Dalmatians, #StitchCovertAgent, #TinkerbellVeryCleverFairy, #ScroogeMcDuckUncleMoneybags, #99Puppies, #RobinHoodDaydreamer, #VaultDoor, #ForbiddenMountain, #Motunui, #KidaAtlantean, #HeiheiAccidentalExplorer, #MaulSoaringDemigod, #BaloovonBruinwaldXIII, #Talespin, #SaludosAmigos, #TheBlackCauldron, #Dumbo, #Pocahontas, #TheHunchbackOfNotreDame, #BigHero6 

What If… ? Aliens #1 Review!

What If… ? Aliens #1 has the return of Paul Reiser to his character from Aliens and the story of his survival! Aliens (1986) was a popular sequel written and directed by James Cameron that turned the sci fi horror into a military sci fi action movie. What If…? Aliens gives the chance to revisit corporate stooge, Carter Burke (Paul Reiser). The new series has Reiser providing the concept along with his son, Leon, also an actor, and writer/producers; Brian-Volk Weiss, Hans Rodionoff and Adam F. Goldberg. Volk-Weiss is the executive producer of Icons Unearthed which covers the stories of films and tv shows. The screenplay of the comedy, Fanboys (2009), was co-written by Goldberg who also created the sitcom, The Goldbergs. 

Goldberg co-writes the comic along with Rodinoff. The horror movie, Hex (2022), was written by Rodionoff who also wrote episodes of The Goldbergs. Guiu Vilanova is the artist. Vilanova worked on issue #4 and 5 of Cosmic Ghost Rider. The comic features a cover by Phil Noto that has th Alien Queen looming behind Burke as he examines a knife in a dead facehugger! We get a summary of events from the first two Alien movies. The Nostromo heads over to the moon LV-426 answering a distress signal. It was actually the plan of the corporation, Weyland-Yutani, to take specimens of the Xenomorphs there. The only survivor, Ripley, ends up in cryosleep for 57 years! The events of Alien (1979). 

She finds out that a terraforming colony, Hadley’s Hope, is set up by the corporation at LV-426! Ripley is taken by a junior executive of Weyland-Yutani, Burke, to investigate the lost colony along with Colonial Marines. Which was what we saw in Aliens. It starts off with a splash panel of Corporal Hicks (Michael Biehn) next to Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) holding Newt (Carrie Henn). They were attacked in the med lab by two facehuggers released by Burke. The water splashes from Ripley activating the alarm system is impessive as we get a panel with thick shadows similar to artist, John Paul Leon. We get a panel with Ripley and the Marines including Private Hudson (Bill Paxton) threatening Burke. 

Ripley explains that Burke intended to have the alien embyos inside of Ripley and Newt while they are in cryosleep. She continues that he would have sabotaged the capsules of the Marines and eject them on the return voyage. We get Hudson’s wild eyes as he is ready to use his rifle on Burke! A closeup of Burke’s face with sweat running down as he says she is being paranoid. A good likeness of Reiser. Then, a closeup of Ripley’s face, half in shadow, as she finds him more petty than the Aliens. We see Hicks making the decision to kill Burke and then the panels turn red with the powr cut by the Aliens! He orders Hicks and Private Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) to scan for the Aliens. Another great actor likeness with Biehn. Lt. Gorman (William Hope) watches over Burke. 

Hudson gets a strange reading on the Aliens again with a nice likeness of Paxton, then Ripley’s disbelief at the Aliens inside the room!, Vilanova has another great likeness of Weaver. The Alien scan closes in, Ripley looks up, and then we see Hicks peeking over a ceiling panel. He falls back opening fire with his pulse rifle! Two Aliens drop from their crawlspace at the ceiling as the Marines blast them with their pulse rifles. Gorman shoots with his pistol and Burke starts to run. He slams a door shut as Burke shouts at him. Burke leans against the door hearing her. Then, he falls into shadow! An insert panel of his frightened expression as we see a large panel of a hissing Alien! This was the last we saw of Burke in the film, a deleted scene had Burke cocooned by an alien and seen by Ripley who gives him a grenade, so this is the alternate reality. 

Burke revives and then finds himself cocooned as a facehugger starts to crawl from an egg. This switches to Gorman empties his pistol at some Aliens. This is during the retreat of the survivors. He holds out a grenade which is set off by the wounded Vasquez. The explosion tears apart the Aliens. This shifts back to Burke as the explosion incinerates the facehugger and burns the cocoon! Burke is able to break free from the cocoon. Then, he hears the fifteen minute warning about the reactor breach from an earlier dropship crash. Burke finds himself in shadow peering at Ripley as she is on the way to save Newt. He sneaks past Ripley and finds the other dropship. Burke walks up the landing ramp and hides in the cargo hold. He hears Bishop checking on Hicks who was burned by an Alien’s acidic blood. It is eleven minutes later as the dropship escapes the nuclear detonation.

The dropship returns to the Sulaco. He hears Ripley yelling. There is a close up of Ripley in the cargo loader fighting the Alien Queen. This was at the end of Aliens. Burke runs back to the cargo hold. This is an interesting wandering into scenes like the play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1966). We find the Sulaco at Outer Zeta Reticuli IV. I’m not certain how Burke could survive outside of cryosleep. I think the rest of the ship would be save life support power to the sleeping pods and basic ship systems. He contacts Shin Yutani which seems advanced to get a signal from Earth. I think this would take possibly years. The conversation is instanteous and Yutani says that he recieved a report from Ripley. I’m not certain why there would not be a lag even within the solar system. 

I think Ripley would just send a distress signal and not a report to The Company. We haven’t seen the head of Weyland-Yutani so this is first time, but he reminds me of Marty McFly’s boss in Back to the Future Part II (1989) with his shouting. Yutani says his inaction to the destruction of the Alien colony compromises his job future. He says that he will strand Burke until he says that Ripley would say what happened if the ship was recovered. I think the recovery would be a Colonial Marine mission with a ship, weaponry, and soldiers. Yutani says he will send a ship to recover Burke if he takes care of the survivors. Burke negotiates for a retirement package and a dental plan for his daughter. Burke sets off a fire to make it an accident. He sends Ripley and the others on an escape vehicle to a nearby planet, Fiorina “Fury” 161, 19.5 light years from Earth, this is the setting of Alien3 (1992).  

An older Burke is wakened by his watch’s alarm, it is “35 years later”, which would be the year 2214. It is like a typical day for an office worker, Burke in his tan suit, rides his bike to work. He greets his fellow workers at their cubicles and enters his office which has the placard, Mining Operations & Assets Manager. He is at his computer, impresses his face on the pin art toy, and sees a photo of himself and his daughter. At a fueling station, there is an eight wheeled car, and its driver, Brie greets her father. On his bike, Burke asks if is busy for lunch. She says she doesn’t want anything to do with him and drives away. He sits at a bench feeding the birds when there is a distortion in the sky. He calls a help line which reveals that he was exiled to an asteroid, D350-L8! The operator is upset when he reveals his name since bringing a Xenomorph could have taken out all life on Earth! The exile is interesting, but I think everyone at the company would not know what happened to LV-426. What If Aliens #1 tells a fascinating twist on Carter Burke’s story, a villain who has own plans, a must read for fans of Aliens! 

Four Facehuggers out of Five! 

#WhatIfAliens, #PaulReiser, #LeonReiser, #HansRodionoff, #AdamFGoldberg, #VolkWeiss, 

#GuiuVilanova, #Aliens, #JamesCameron, #PhilNoto, #Ripley, #SigourneyWeaver, #Alien, #CarterBurke, #CorporalHicks, #MichaelBiehn, #Newt, #CarrieHenn, #PrivateHudson, #BillPaxton, #PrivateVasquez, #JenetteGoldstein, #LtGorman, #WilliamHope 

Re:tro Re:view - Darby O’Gill and the Little People!

Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) is a magical movie with a touch of blarney perfect to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! The film is directed by Robert Stevenson who is well known for his Disney films. He directed 19 live action movies, defining the Disney family pictues from the 60’s and 70’s. Stevenson directed Old Yeller (1957), wrote and directed Kidnapped (1960), and also The Love Bug (1968) which just celebrated its 55th anniversary. He is best known for directing Mary Poppins (1964). The story is based on the collection of stories in Darby O’Gill and the Good People (1903) by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh. The screenplay is by Lawrence Edward Watkin who also wrote for Treasure Island (1950), the documentary short, Beaver Valley (1950), and The Story of Robin Hood (1952). It currently streams on Disney+. 

We open to the pastoral town of Rathcullen where the townsfolk go about their business. Walt Disney gives a thanks to King Brian of Knocknashega. A woman with a black shawl, Mrs. Sugrue (Estelle Winwood), rushes from the road and peeks into the house. She is noticed by pretty gal, Katie (Janet Munro), churning the butter. Mrs. Sugrue has stopped by to borrow some tea and hints that Katie should find herself a man. Her father is the caretaker for the manor house of Lord Fitzpatrick and they have a fine house. Lord Fitzpatrick arrives in a carriage and Katie dashes off to greet him. He asks where is her father and Katie runs to find him. Lord Kitpatrick tells his driver, Michael McBride (Sean Connery) that Darby retired five years ago and is now telling stories at the inn. This was Connery’s first film, three years before he was James Bond in Dr. No (1962).

Darby O’Gill (Albert Sharpe) is at the Rathcullen Arms, hands in one hand, telling about the king of the leprechauns. Sharpe was in the fantasy musical, Brigadoon (1954). He is mocked by tall bully, Pony Sugrue (Kirnan Moore), the son of Mrs. Sugrue. Father Murphy (Denis O’Dea) as Darby continues spinning his tale of King Brian Connors. Darby says they can’t escape if you keep looking at them. We enter Darby’s world seeing the ruins of Knocknashega perched on a hill above the town in the moonlight. The special photographic effects are by Peter Ellenshaw and Eustace Lycett. Ellenshaw worked on the special effects for Mary Poppins, he was credited for special photographic effects on The Love Bug, and was miniature effects supervisor for The Black Hole (1979). I didn’t notice the beautiful vista of the town from the road expanding the set with effects! So I think the effects hold up today and were made by artists not mathematicians and computers. 

We push into the castle, now more of a painting, until we get the figure of King Brian (Jimmy O’Dea) with his crown and green, royal vest and trousers. O’Dea starred in the crime drama, Johnny Nobody (1961), The Rising of the Moon (1957), and the comedy Blarney (1926). Darby towers over the twenty one inch frame of King Brian, blocking his way until he grants three wishes, impressive without matte lines. Darby proves he is clever and asks for health which is granted by King Brian. His second wish is for a large crop of potatoes and King Brian also grants him the wish. I don’t know why he doesn’t wish hlath for his daughter. Potatoes? Darby wishes for a crock of gold and the leprechaun king instantly makes the pot of gold appear. He digs his hands into the gold coins. King Brian slyly brings up a fourth wish. 

Darby asks for a crock of gold for his friend and two other people. King Brian laughs at his foolishness! The fourth wish takes all of the wishes! Greed. He could have shared the coins with his friends. The pot disappears. King Brian dances wildly before he is also gone. At the table, his friend, Paddy Scanlon (Farell Pelly), warns him that King Brian is 5,000 years old and wise to any tricks. He doesn’t want any gold and Darby says he will give his share to the church. They start to laugh until Father Murphy walks forward. He says the chuch will get a new bell, but needs a horse to carry it. Pony will use his horse, but asks for more money than Father Murphy can afford. Darby volunteers to carry the bell for free. He has generosity and Father Murphy gives him the music of the bells for every generation of his family. 

Katie bursts in to take her father to se Lord Fitzwilliam. He is walking the grounds with James Bond, I mean, Michael who finds a rabbit was poached. Darby happily walks up with a scythe. Lord Fitzwilliam introduces him to Michael from Dublin. He says he needed a younger man and offers Darby half pay and to stay in the cottage without rent for the rest of his life. Sounds like a great deal, but Darby is sad because he doesn’t want to leave the gatehouse. There is kindness with Lord Fitzwilliam and he says he will give Darby two weeks to move. Michael says they can take as much time as they need. After the day’s work, Lord Fitzwilliam wants Darby and Katie to stay at a Rathcullen Arms room. They see Lord Fitzwilliam and Darby wants Michael to stay. He introduces Michael to Katie, they both smile at each other, and has her make a bed for him at the loft. 

Pony is sulking, drinking at the bar, his mother pulls him to see Lord Fitzwilliam. She wants him to take Darby’s job and Katie. She introduces Lord Fitzwilliam to Pony and he continues on. At the gatehouse, Darby tells Katie that Michael helped him with the groundskeeping. Michael is shocked and then smiles at Katie. Darby starts playing the fiddle while the food is cooking. Michael is not familiar with the song and Darby says he heard it at the ruins when the leprechauns were dancing. He smiles at Darby’s story and Katie’s expression turns stern, she doesn’t like anyone humoring her father. Darby sits for dinner as he tells Michael about not needing the gold from King Brian. He tells him to keep it a secret. Later, at night, Darby mentions taking the horse the next day for transporting the bell.

At the barn, Michael says he wants to go to the inn for a room, he is upset that Darby didn’t tell Katie about leaving their home. Darby says Katie was born there and lived all of her 20 years there. Michael presses him to tell her about the move. He smiles as Darby goes to find his horse, Cleopatra, out in the hills. The horse trots away and Darby chases after her to the ruins. Celpatra is by a well that starts to glow with light! Darby catches up with her and then the horse turns spectral, freaky!, and begins to rear up with her hooves! There are some spooky scenes in this film so caution with very young ones. Darby falls into the darkness of the well! He has fallen and two leprechauns find him. The effects of tiny people around a full size human is more convincing than Ray Harryhausen effects in The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960). 

The leprechauns climb up a cliff and bounce off Darby’s tummy like a trampoline! Darby is furious and waves his cane so a leprechaun uses his magic to animate the cane to whack at Darby! They lead Darby to the king. A tunnel has the delightful tunes of a bagpipe. King Brian’s throne room is set amoungst stalagtites (obviously painted) and a floor filled with dancers! Darby walks into the cavern and the leprechaun guards announce Darby to the king playing a massive bagpipe! The song ends, the dancers stop, and King Brian calls Darby forward. The crowd parts, Darby walks past them, amazed at the leprechauns. Stunning effects. King Brian has Darby sit on chest of jewelry taken from the Spanish armada. He points out the throne from the ancient king of Ireland and other legendary objects. 

Darby says the people at the pub won’t believe him, but King Brian says he can never return. He worries about Katie and tells King Brian that he has made all of the townspeople respectful of King Bian and all of the signs of the leprechauns. He says the king’s heart is cold which angers all of the leprechauns. Darby says he knows what they are saying in Gaelic. King Brian says he heard what happened to Darby and brought him to his kingdom. He asks what is the first thing his guest would like to do and Darby says to play his fiddle. King Brian says he must stay in the kingdom and has Phadrig Oge (Jack MacGowran) get the Stradivarius. He uses magic to take out the violin which King Brian was given from the Italian fairies in 1700. Darby says his grandfather told him the leprechauns love to hunt and starts playing a tune that gets everyone dancing. 

The effects ae so convincing like the Hobbits in Lord of the Rings you just give up and accept you are seeing leprechauns. The speed of Darby's music increases until the leprechaun dancing is almost a blur. King Brian sounds a hunting horn that sends the leprechauns riding on white horses. Darby laughs and plays as King Brian joins them in a circle! The king uses magic to opens the walls to his kingdom! They leave and Darby again greedy takes hold of the jewels. Cleopatra watches the hunting riders pass in the night. Darby sees the walls closing and runs scattering the jewels. He takes Cleopatra back to the stable. Darby brings out a jug for his guest and  hopes to keep him until the morning. There is a banging at the stable door. King Brian flies in angry at Darby for making him a fool in front of his people. 

Darby says he was just going back for his pipe and was impressed by the dancing in Fairy Mountain. He brings up the poteen, alcohol made from potatoes, and says it is not good enough for the king. King Brian wants a taste and Darby pours him a cup. The leprechaun king holds the giant cup and begins drinking. Darby gives a wink and Cleopatra winks back, funny! King Brian finishes the cup, which would be his entire body size!, and Darby says they should return. Of course the king says they should have a drink together. Darby also brings up the “Wishing Song” and challenges King Brian to come up with a rhyming lyric. While the king drinks, Darby pours his cup back in the jug, and the song and drinking continues. Cleopatra pretends to sleep. 

At the window, Darby sees the morning sunlight. Their drinking is interrupted by a rooster crowing. King Brian leaps at the barn door, but it is locked. His power is weak and he can’t cast charms until night time and he threatens Darby. A cat, Ginger, appears at the windowsill, about to pounce on King Brian who takes refuge behind a wagon wheel. He promises wishes and Darby makes a first wish to stay for a fortnight until the other two wishes are made. Darby taunts King Brian with Ginger until he agrees to the wish. Then, he stuffs the leprechaun king into a sack! Darby sees Mrs. Sugrue before she walks away. Michael greets Katie and tells her about the leprechaun. He says he maybe taking too much of a drink. She tells him that her father doesn’t drink. He is lonely since her mother died. Darby gets company at the pub and with the wee folk. There is later even some singing by James Bond in a duet (dubbed) with “Pretty Irish Girl”! Plus, impressive effects, a great cast, and a story out of folklore. Darby O’Gill and the Little People is delightful, full of storytelling, music, and magic! 

Five Wishes out of Five! 

#DarbyOGillAndTheLittlePeople, #HerminieTempletonKavanagh, #RobertStevenson, #LawrenceEdwardWatkin, #PeterEllenshaw, #AlbertSharpe, #SeanConnery, #JanetMuno, #JimmyODea, #DenisODea, #FarellPelly, #EstelleWinwood, #Kirnanoore,

Gris Grimly signing at Dark Delicacies!

Gris Grimly, artist for books and director of horror based shorts and music videos, was signing today at Dark Delicacies. He illustrated Pinocchio in 2002 which had designs that inspired director, Guillermo del Toro, for his film, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022). Grimly is credited as producer for the stop motion animated movie. Grimly also illustrated The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 2007 and Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein (2011). He was also th artist for adaptation of Hocus Pocus (2022). These books were available at the Dark Deliacies signing along with the Blu Ray and DVDs of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and a new print, “Emergnce of the Shadow” of a girl with a shambling monster in a green forest! Check out his site at: https://www.madcreator.com. 

The table of signings at Dark Delicacies, Gris Grimly is signing at the table in the back!, author’s photo.

Dark Delicacies is the little shop of the fantastic with books, Blu Ray and DVDs, toys and other memorabilia. There are regular signings at Dark Delicacies, upcoming is director André Øvredal, who Del has said is flying in from Norway! He directed the brilliant The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Troll Hunter (2010). The Blu Ray and DVDs are available for the signing and you can order on the shop’s website: https://www.darkdel.com, if you can’t make it! The best part of the store is to just browse. I went an hour before the signing just to look around the books, magazines, and DVDs. I always find a book that I didn’t realize I wanted! Sue and Del are incredible to talk to and have extensive knowledge of the authors and artists, film, and horror! They make every signing fun to attend! 

#GrisGrimly, #Pinocchio, #GuillermoDelTorosPinocchio, #HocusPocus, #EmergenceOfTheShadow, #DarkDelicacies, #AndreOredal, #TheLastVoyageOfTheDemeter, #ScaryStoriesToTellInTheDark, #TrollHunter 

The Savage Sword of Conan #1 Review!

The Savage Sword of Conan #1 has all of the brutality of Robert E. Howard's stories with a host of talented writers and artists! Titan Comics has begin publishing Conan the Barbarian comic books since August of last year. Now, it has been producing The Savage Sword of Conan as a black and white magazine from 1974 to 1995! The magazine was able to tell sword and sorcery tales that had violence and sensuality that were not permitted in comic book. They were more in line with Robert E. Howard’s stories. These stories are an anthology of a 47 page comic story, Howard poem, a short story, and comic of Howard’s Puritan swordsman, Solomon Kane. The main cover has a painting by Joe Jusko with Conan standing over dead Stygian soldiers and a beautiful woman. 

Jusko also provided covers for the Marvel Comics magazine, so this is a perfect Conan cover! There is an introduction by Roy Thomas, who is the long time Conan scribe for the comics, and also promises a few stories for the magazine! We get a two page map of the world of Hyperborea. Then, the long form story, “Conan and the Dragon Horde”, by John Arcudi, who contributed stories to the first Savage Sword of Conan magazine, and Max Von Fafner, a French artist who worked on Carthago Adventures for Humanoids Publishing. It is set in the Great Hyrkanian Steppes where we see an army cross a field; soldiers, siege machines, and elephants. The elephants have a pattern like digital art. We see that Hyrkania is to the east of Conan’s Cimmeria, just west of Khitai. There is also a lion walking next to Prince Zaahid on his elephant mount. 

He is headed to the city state of Ul-Dalkhana, it is explained that it is a fortress above a gold mine! A splash page introduces, General Conan, horned helmet almost like Elric of Melnibone, scaled armor, and riding before archers. The dark pencils of Von Fafner is almost like Richard Corben. We also have a female part of the army of two hundred men. She has a pony tail and revealing amor. Her face reminds me of one of my favorite European artists, Massimiliano Frezzato. A soldier gets too close to Ineah and tries to reach out for her. He is snatched off his horse by one of the burly guards for daring to annoy the army’s engineer. Ineah rides on, expressionless, then Prince Zaahid calls a halt to the army to set up camp. The soldiers gossip while Conan just sits there. 

Prince Zaahid walks up with his lions, but Conan doesn’t move. The prince mentions the foolish soldier who he says works for the general. Conan corrects him that he was paid by Prince Zaahid. The other soldiers joke about Conan and point out Ineah. Then, we see her full figure as she checks a ballista.  Conan has brought two cups of ale, one for her, Ineah smiles. She asks him about the question of a woman with an army. Conan says he’s known other warrior women, we know Valeria and Red Sonja who comes from Hyrkania. Ineah says that the prince requested the ballista. The two guards walk in to warn Conan about talking with Ineah. We see a closeup of Conan’s eye warning them. The engineer calms down the situation.

It is almost a week’s journey when they come to the gates protecting Ul-Dalkhana. Prince Zaahid sends his elephants to break down the wooden gate. Conan is suspicious, but Ineah riding behind Conan says she owes him a flagon of ale. The elephants are about to breach the gate, Conan is about to send in his soldiers, but the prince stops him. Then, we see a mauled elephant! Then, there is a two page spread of the dragon of the title, it roars clawing the other elephant! An insert panel has Conan’s stunned expression. The horsemen archers loose their arrows, then a shadow falls on them, as the elephant’s corpse crushes them! The violence is intense for this title. A one and half page splash as the dragon roaring as the soldiers start to run! 

It crushes a warrior in its jaws. Then, the dragon opens its maw for Conan before taken out by the ballista! He turns and sees Ineah by her siege machine. Conan realizes that the prince had planned for the dragon without telling him. He turns to kill Prince Zaahid, but he sends his lions! Dragon, lions, and guards, oh my! There is still a weird mysteries to Ul-Dalkhana and only Conan’s sword with Ineah can face its dangers! Howard’s “The Road of Kings” poem follows. Then, a short story, “Sacrifice in the Sand” by Jim Zub. The writer also co-wrote with Gail Simone the Dark Horse Comics limited series, Conan/Red Sonja. It is basically the story seen in the cover with Conan fighting the Stygian guards of Captain Nkosi. 

His battle is to save the beautiful girl who is taken to be sacrificed! Zub has a touch of Howard to his prose and has a twist ending that is a welcome surprise. The last story is the first part of “Master of the Hunt” by Patrick Zircher who handles art and writing duties. Zircher provided artwork for Marvel’s Savage Sword of Conan comic book. There is a splash page profile of Solomon Kane, slouch hat, coat, pistol, and rapier. Howad created the character in “Red Shadows” (1928), before Conan, there was a Solomon Kane movie (2009). At night, in the rain, there is a three story tavern in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is in the southern tip of Wales. Inside the Ox Knuckle Inn, a blind man, Wilkin, tells the story of All Hallow’s Eve. It was called Samhain and tells about the “veil” between the otherworld is weak. 

He mentions all manner of creatures which is scoffed by the other patrons. In the night, sheep fall into panic, as Wilkin tells about if the monster from the other world comes into their land! A sheep is skewered and then we see a large panel of a dark, hairy creature like a werewolf. The tavern, night, and werewolf creature make me think of An American Werewolf in London (1981). The next day is bright and we se closeups of Solomon Kane until there is a large panel of Solomon reigning in his horse, Nicodemus. He sees the body of the dog and then a large pawprint! Solomon approaches a farm of Gwenllyan Maddocks, her son, Roland, and her ax-wielding husband, Edmund. He is taken in and told about the bodies of the sheep. Solomon Kane’s mission is to hunt supernatural threats. The Savage Sword of Conan #1 has a number of hard edged sword and sorcery tales that are in the best tradition of Robert E. Howard! 

Five+ Savage Swords out of Five! 

#TheSavageSwordOfConan, #RobertEHoward, #RoyThomas, #ConanAndTheDragonHorde, #JohnArcudi, #MaxVonFafner, #Conan, #Ineah, #PrinceZaahid, #TheRoadOfKings, #SacrificeInTheSand, #JimZub, #MasterOfTheHunt, #PatrickZircher, #SolomonKane, #GwenllyanMaddocks, #Roland, #Edmund, #Wilkin

Re:tro Re:view - Lilo & Stitch #1!

Lilo & Stitch #1 captures the look, fun, and heart of the first movie! Lilo & Stitch (2002) is one of my favorite Disney animated films directd by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. It was in the days of cel animation for Disney Animation. A direct-to-video sequel, Stitch! The Movie (2003), introduced Jumba’s rival, Dr. Hämsterviel. He was lookign for the other 625 experiments. This led to Lilo & Stitch: The Series which ran for two seasons. Another direct-to-video film followed, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005). The television film, Leroy & Stitch (2006) wrapped up the series. There is a planned live action movie. 

Dynamite Comics started publishing Disney comics starting with Maleficent and other villains. So I was hesitant that continuing the film’s story would not run in place like many of the other stories. This is not so with the new comic book. The cover of Lilo & Stitch #1 is by Joshua Middleton who has Stitch hugged by Lilo, both smiling, with a painted beach with flowers. It is written by Greg Pak who also wrote the well known Planet Hulk storyline for Marvel Comics. The artist and colorist is Giulia Giacomino. It begins at Planet Turo, shadowy figures approach a Galaxy Defense Industries complex. Two floating robots, cluster drones, with shark-like heads accompany Sovereign. He is not the Wonder Woman villain, but a tiny, gold robot with a cape. 

One drone knocks on the door! Sovereign orders them to be more aggressive and they breach the door with plasma blasters. I always like the gloppy look of plasma energy that is in Lilo & Stitch. An alarm blares as Sovereign has his cluster drone download reports. In this case, Dr. Jumba Jookiba on Experiment 626, the scientific name for Stitch. He goes on a rampage which is exactly what the Cluster Sovereign want to take over the Galactic Federation! This shifts to the island home of the Pelekai family on Kaui’i. On the porch, Stitch is working on a drawing of Lilo, her name means "Lost" in Hawaiian. He gets frustrated and Lilo tells him his drawing doesn’t need to be perfect, “just put you heart into it.” I think great advice for young artists and really any artist. 

They hear a snap in the jungle and Lilo opens a box. Both of them toss water balloons at their now pals, Dr. Jumba and Pleakley! The artwork captures the fun of the animated film. Stitch is a flurry hitting Pleakley, Jumba says he has a weakness, and throws a water balloon at Lilo! Stitch blocks the balloon as Jumba says he cares about people. I really like defending a helpless person, it really shows a heroic quality. Jumba throws another balloon, a familiar green glob, warned by Pleakley. It explodes sending Stitch flying back and into a lake. This part I was a little confused about there are a few lakes and reservoirs, but I’m not certain about any houses near them. Nani walks out to check on Lilo, her name is the Hawaiian word for "beautiful", and Jumba apologizes about the plasma bomb! 

She reminds Jumba that Stitch can’t swim, he’s too dense in matter, and Jumba says that Stitch is indestructible. David walks up with a fishing pole with Cobra Bubbles behind him. He brings up Kuleana, the Hawaiian word for responsiblity, and that Ohana is something you have to give. David talks to Lilo about Malama ‘Aina, Hawaiian phrase for caring and honoring the land. I had to pause thinking about the fires and the recovery of Maui. Jumba wonders about how Kuleana works for Stitch’s destructive nature. Cobra brings up that this might also apply to Jumba. Excellent writing. Expanding on Ohana, family, from the film is really at the heart of the story. Pleakley says they under the protection of the Galactic Federation. 

Nani wonders what dangers will require the Galactic Federation’s protection. Lilo reassures her sister, they hug, then Nani throws a water balloon at Jumba’s face! Next, we get an incredible two pages of Stitch’s color pencil drawings. He recaps what happened in the original movie with their new Ohana all working together. This is told to Lilo who wrote down his words. Lilo asks if she correctly wrote his story and he confides that he still worries which is reassured by her. This is when they are confronted by the cluster drones! Stitch is zapped by a drone who offes surrender. Watching television, Cobra hears the disturbance while Nani and David are half asleep. Lilo runs after Stitch taken prisoner by the drones. 

Lilo shouts at them that they offered Stitch to surrender while attacking him. This confuses the drones and one is hit by Stitch rolled into a ball. Lilo also joins the fight with a water balloon. The drones manage to stun Stitch and capture him in a containment bottle. Lilo throws the clipboard with Stitch’s story in the bottle before its sealed. They transport Stitch to their ship, they are about to bring him to the Cluster Sovereign with the H-Drive, but Stitch breaks free and falls into a strange land! Lilo runs back to tell Jumba about the Cluster Sovereign. He says they are “civil servants”! Lilo says she doesn’t want to worry Nani so she leaves with Jumba and Pleakley after Stitch! Lilo & Stitch #1 is a well written continuation of the Disney classic with art that captures the style of the animation, pure fun, and brings more of the Hawaiian traditions! 

Five+ Plasma Bombs out of Five! 

#LiloAndStitch, #GregPak, #GiuliaGiacomino, #Lilo, #Stitch, #DrJumba, #Pleakley, #Nani, #David, #CobraBubbles   

 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #2 Review!

The alternate universe of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #2 flashes back to the inciting incident that shakes the Power Rangers world to its core! The divergence point was in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Spcial #1 that instead of turningovr tansferring their powers, Jason, Zack, and Trini stay in Angel Grove! Kimberly and Tommy get married almost paralleling Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd! The villains destroy the Command Center with Zordon and Alpha. The Rangers go to the Moon Palace to take their revenge, the team breaks up, and the shattered moon is seen in the future. Re:cap - “No More Power Rangers”; there is a mysterious villain “from the past and the future” that defeats Red Ranger.  

Kimberly, now Emma Phillips, has returned to Angel Grove for the dedication ceremony of the Trini Kwan Memorial Park. At Chet’s diner, she meets with Zack, who has revealed that he was a Power Ranger and now celebrity, and Billy who has his own company. Billy has been tapping the Morphin Grid to experiment on “safe teleportation.” They explain that Jason has gone from firefighter to fighting terrorism. He grew obessssd with permanently becoming Red Ranger. They need Kimberly’s help to find him as Power Rangers. Kimberly refuses and leaves in a taxi. We see a hand of a person watching them turn into a fist. Kimberly texts someone that she will meet the next night and also wants to meet Billy and Zack. Kimberly eyes her wedding ring and then texts back, “One day…” 

We see a cabin in Canada, Kimberly by the fireplace, sees a photo of herself with Trini and written on the photobook, “Once a Ranger Always a Ranger!!” She gets a knock at the door and meets Selena who says Trini was her mom’s cousin. Selena knows that she is Kimberly Hart, shows her the photo, and a Power Coin! She wants Kimberly’s help to be the next Power Ragners. This was a shocking ending that almost seems familiar with Minh Kwan (Charlie Kersh) in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (2023). The main cover of the second issue by Goni Montes has Kimberly in her Pink Ranger uniform with her mask to the side and gloved hand reaching out and the other Rangers behind her. “The Next Power Ranger” is written by Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson and drawn by Nico Leon. 

A champagne bottle is popped as Lord Zedd celebrates with Finster, Rita, Goldar, and Scorpina. There is something light about the artwork, the colorist is Dono Sanchez-Almara, more curved lines than blocky shapes of the first issue. It feels more like an episode of the television show. Zedd cheers Rita’s cup to their takeover of the Earth. The blue henchman, Baboo, warns them about the arrival of the Power Rangers. Zedd asks Finster if their monsters are ready for the attack. This is given the time, Twenty-Two Years Ago, and w see the Putties swarm towards the Zords. Yellow Rangers, Trini, gives the battle cry, “Go, Go! Power Rangers!” Blue Ranger, Billy crosses his arms and says, “For Alpha and Zordon!” I think their powers were not meant to take revenge. The battle is engaged on the lunar surface and a host of monsters from the show stand in front of Bandora Palace. 

Black Ranger, Zack, asks how they can defeat the army. Red Ranger, Jason, says they only have to buy time for Tommy and Kimberly. Scorpina, Goldar, and Baboo are eager to join the battle. Zedd wants Rita to join them, but she is looking for Squatt, the other henchman. He is in the kitchen stirring a pot of food. We also Fenster at work. Green Ranger, Tommy, is running with a spherical device with several pods. Pink Ranger is right behind him. We also see the sea of Putties before the palace. Blue Ranger explains that his invention, The Benevolator uses “purifying energy” from the Morphin Grid to counter the dark energy. Billy’s communication says that this will incapacitate the evil creatures, theoretically. I wonder if this was field tested? Pink Ranger says that all they have to do is use the remote detonator. Billy says that they can use their communicators to teleport back to Earth. 

Tommy has found the right place with dark energy, the bedroom of Rita and Zedd! Rita finds them the and calls for Putties. The Rangers go into battle stances and say that they will finish the war for Zordon and Alpha. The Putties dance around the Rangers as Rita says that she wants to fight the Green Ranger. Outside, we see the Kaiju-sized Goldar bring his sword to the tail of the Tyrannosaurus Red Ranger Zord! Watching the battle on a balcony, Zedd has Finster look for Rita. Pink Ranger slices Putties with her Blade Blaster. Green Ranger blocks Rita’s Magic Wand with his Dragon Dagger. Great action scenes! Tommy tlls Rita that the bomb is going to purify her. He says this as he goes into a flip kick that knocks her back! Forcibly changing someone Clockwork Orange-style even for good is a little extreme.

Pink Ranger is also formidable giving a flying knee to a Puttie! Rita says they are too weak and blasts Green Ranger back. A closeup of Pink Ranger’s helmet. Green Ranger is thrown back into The Benevolator! A closeup of Rita’s face as she says they destroyed the Command Center. She blasts Green Ranger with her Magic Wand and he screams! She is about to strike a final blow to Green Ranger! Pink Ranger has stopped her! This is a stunning scene. Squatt is stunned to see what has happened. Tommy reports that the remote detonato is damaged. Billy says that there is a button for a ten second timer! Tommy and Kimberly have their helmets off and he says he will set the timer. Kimberly offers and then says they will set it together. A closeup of Kimberly emotional, great art!, and holding her hand with the wedding ring. 

Tommy says she knows the reason why she can’t stay with the Benevolator. Billy explains that with the dark energy of the new monsters that the Benevolator will blow a part of the moon. Jason doesn’t care since they can’t defeat them with their Zords. Tommy and Kimberly hold each other and he says they don’t know what will happen with the damaged Benevolator. He adds that she made a promise to leave if the mission was dangerous. Jason calls for the retreat and tells Zack that they have to leave their Zords! The battle turrns with Goldar and the others bashing the Zords, but the Rangers transport out in streaks of color. Zedd revels in the victory, but Squatt reports about Rita. There is the detonation of the Benevolator. The Rangers transport to the ruined Command Center. They cheer except Kimberly who is overcome with the cost of the battle. 

This is being told to Selena as Kimberly reflects on what happened looking at the shattered moon from her cabin window. It returns to the art style of the first issue which is very stylish and strong in characterization. Kimberly talks to Selena on the couch and it is a very domestic scene. She says she could have saved Tommy if she had been there. Survivor’s guilt. A closeup of Selena asking about the other Rangers. I love character moments, really like the action scenes, but I think the story really works with Leon showing characters and expressions. We see a closeup of the photo and Power Coin as Kimberly says the world didn’t need them. A little cynical since we saw the joy at Zack’s festival. She says to Selena that they were fifteen years old and needed to move on. Kimberly tells her that she needed to leave Kimberly Hart behind. She holds the Power Coin saying that Trini would not want her to be a Power Ranger. There is another shocking cliffhanger! Johnson and Hotson really unfold Power Rangers: The Return #2 with all of the action and a dramatic story! 

Five Power Coins out of Five! 

#MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheReturn, #TheNextPowerRanger, #AmyJoJohnson, #MattHotson, #NicoLeon, #PinkRanger, #Kimberly, #GreenRangerTommy, #BlueRanger, #Billy, #RedRanger, #Jason, #BlackRanger, #Zack, #YellowRanger, #Trini, #LordZedd, #RitaRepulsa, #Goldar, #Finster, #Scorpina, #Baboo, #Putties