Category: Reviews

Review: ‘Flash Gordon’ #1

Full disclosure: I had edited a [[[Flash Gordon]]] comics series at one point in my life. It was the third greatest nightmare in my professional life. Not the part about working with the talented and understanding Dan Jurgens; Dan’s a class act and a fine storyteller. No, working with King Features Syndicate was akin to Sisyphus’s task, except the big rock was a huge boulder of shit and pushing it up that mountain happened in the dead of the hottest summer in the innermost circle of hell. And I’ve lightened up on this over the years, too. And so, on with the show.

There may be no greater icon in comic strip history than Flash Gordon. Sorry, [[[Buck Rogers]]]. You came first but Flash had better art and story, and a much, much better villain. Creator/artist Alex Raymond is generally regarded as the greatest craftsman in the field; so great, in fact, that after Dave Sim recovered from producing 300 consecutive issues of [[[Cerebus]]], he started up on a series called [[[Glamourpuss]]] that, oddly, is all about Raymond’s work.

Flash was the subject of what is also generally regarding as the three greatest movie serials ever made due, in no small part, to the performance of actor Charles Middleton as Ming The Merciless. And he had all the other media tie-ins: a radio series starring Gale Gordon (yep; Lucille Ball’s foil), a teevee series staring future Doc Savage model Steve Holland and a teevee series on Sci-Fi last year that was completely unwatchable, various animated series, a movie feature and another one in pre-production and numerous comic books by people including Archie Goodwin, Al Williamson, Reed Crandall, and Wally Wood, and licensed items. When Raymond went off to war, he was replaced by a series of artists nearly equal to him in talent: Austin Briggs, Mac Raboy (my favorite), and Dan Barry.

There’s a reason why Flash Gordon attracted such top-rank talent. Sadly, that’s also the same reason why Flash Gordon is an icon and no longer active in our contemporary entertainment: nostalgia. Flash Gordon was a product of his times, a wondrous visionary made irrelevant by real-life heroes such as Laika the dog, the first living being to orbit the Earth, and Yuri Gagaran, the first human being to orbit the Earth. Only Yuri returned alive, but I digress.

Science fiction was rocked to its core. It took talent like Harlan Ellison, Michael Moorcock, and Gene Roddenberry to re-purpose the genre, to focus more on the social aspects of the genre and extend those concepts out into the future. If you’re going to make Flash Gordon work in the 21st century – or the last four decades of the 20th, for that matter, you’ve got to distill the concept down to its essence and rebuild according to the mentality of our time.

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Review: ‘Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft’

locke-and-key-cover-3276813Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft
By Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
IDW Publishing, October 2008, $24.99

Horror in comic books have always been an uneven affair.  These days, horror comics tend to feature zombies or H.P. Lovecraft adaptations but there’s so much more that can explored.  Fortunately, Joe Hill doesn’t mind going where others fear to tread.

His [[[Locke & Key]]] miniseries at IDW was a chilling affair, as much for its fresh take on the supernatural as for the superb art from Gabriel Rodriguez.  The six issues are collected today for the first time in a handsome hardcover volume that comes well recommended.

Too often horror offers you stock characters in a stock situations and how A Meets B is about the only variable.  You tend not to care a whit for the hero or victim and too often gore for gore’s sake overwhelms the storytelling.  Hill, instead, takes his time setting up the characters, the Locke family, and as wee progress through the 158 pages, we learn things.  As a result, we get to care for the three children whose father dies at the story’s beginning.  There’s Ty, the eldest who is conflicted over the father he had come to hate; Kinsey the young teen figuring out her place in the world and young Bode who becomes our focal point.

After their father is killed, Nina takes her children to live with her brother-in-law at Keyhouse in Lovecraft, MA. The large ramshackle property comes complete with a well house and its while visiting there that Bode comes in contact with a spirit. The growing relationship truly begins our story as the secrets of the Locke family and their connections to the other residents of the small island town are doled out in bite-sized chunks. 

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Review: ‘Fringe’ Episode #104

Note: Click here for last week’s mystery!

Autopsy Report: "The Arrival"
In Brooklyn, New York, an entirely bald man called The Observer watches in anticipation as a construction site suffers an explosion. The cause is an egg-shaped capsule, sitting perfectly still. The Observer calls someone and says: "It has arrived." Later, the device is delivered to a warehouse in Chelsea, Massachusetts, where Philip Broyles shows it to Olivia Dunham and Peter and Walter Bishop. Walter has an idea of what the object is, and desperately needs it moved to his laboratory. He reveals that he had worked on an experiment involving subterranean torpedos that could go straight through the Earth, but it’s still too early to say whether this is the same cylinder. Olivia is sent to meet with her old friend Jacobsen who was involved in a very similar case several years prior. He warns her to stay away from this assignment.

Later, Jacobsen is assaulted by a man with a strange explosive gun. The gunman uses a telepathic device to translate Jacobsen’s thoughts, learning that Olivia knows where the cylinder is now located. Olivia learns that the warehouse originally holding the capsule has been attacked, by the same man who tortured Jacobsen. On hearing this, Walter tranquilizes Astrid and steals the cylinder away from the laboratory. He later meets up with The Observer, who thanks Walter for relocating the cylinder. Elsewhere, Broyles and Olivia discuss The Observer, who has been spotted at over three dozen incidents tied in with The Pattern. They have no idea who or what he is.

Walter is arrested and questioned by Peter and Olivia. He tells them of The Observer, and yells at Peter for being too narrow-minded all the time. Peter decides that he’s done with this Pattern business and leaves. He’s attacked and tortured by the gunman from earlier. Even though Peter doesn’t know where the capsule is located, the gunman is somehow able to glean the information from Peter’s brain. Olivia tells Walter that Peter’s been abducted, and Walter is worried that the gunman will know how to get the information from Peter. He offers Olivia the location of the capsule.

The capsule is buried at the gravesite of Robert Bishop, Walter’s father. Peter is forced to uncover it, and the gunman runs off with it as Olivia chases him. She shoots him from behind, but before she’s able to uncover the capsule, it torpedos straight down into the ground. The Observer watches from a distance, and calls someone to say "Departure on schedule." Peter attacks The Observer and attempts to question him, but The Observer mimics every word he says as he says it. Finally, The Observer shoots him with some sort of sonic weapon and runs off. Recovering in the hospital, Peter declares to Olivia that he wants to stay and figure out what this Pattern is. Walter reveals to Peter that when he was a boy, they were in a horrible accident where they nearly drowned in freezing water. The Observer pulled them out and saved their life. Somehow, Walter knew that by hiding the cylinder, he was repaying his debt to the bald stranger. He also reveals how Peter was able to know the cylinder’s location: "Ideas can be absorbed by osmosis and proximity."

Olivia finally returns home after days of strange, strenuous work. Waiting for her in the kitchen is Agent John Scott, who Olivia believed to be dead. Looks like bedtime’s gonna have to wait. (more…)

Review: ‘Chuck’ Season 2 Premiere

chuckWith NBC going into the fall season with a fairly light deck, [[[Chuck]]] is the one fan favorite that makes sure to deliver on it’s promises (unlike another show involving superpowers). This season of Chuck is said to be bigger and more adventurous than it’s first, while bringing in some great cameos along the way.

We left off last season where Chuck was finally coming into his own as a spy-computer, assuming the Bond-style alias Charles Carmichael. The romance between Chuck and Sarah also spiced up, but could never be due to their job. Also, Adam Baldwin’s Casey was given instructions that a replacement intercept (the computer that is in Chuck’s brain) is being built, and when it is, he has to take Chuck out.

This season picks right up in the action as Chuck’s life is in danger by a new baddie, played by Michael Clarke Duncan. He explains basically the entire premise of the show, which is great for newcomers. Chuck, of course, escapes and the spy trio is now in possession of the piece they need to create the newest intercept. Chuck is told that once the machine is up and running, his duty as a spy supercomputer is over and he’s free to live his life. Meanwhile, they shadowy government figures have already told Casey that he is to assassinate Chuck when the machine is built. The episode on a whole held through from start to finish, setting up some great storylines down the road and coming together at the end of the episode like any spy serial really should.

A big step for season two is character expansion. Now that everyone is established, it’s time to take them all to new places. Casey goes through a conflict which shows a more softer side, while Sarah and Chuck grow closer together as a couple. Chuck also realizes that it may be time to move on from the Buy More and get a new job, which could mean “goodbye” to Morgan and the Nerds. This season could mean a lot more “whining and screaming” from Chuck and some action that we would expect from a Spy Comedy Series. Some great things to expect this season are cameos from both Michael Clarke Duncan and John Larroquette, A new job (with new skimpy outfit) for Sarah, and even a death (or two) from a major character.

Anyone who isn’t caught up on the show should do so by picking up the DVD (available now). The series isn’t heavy and overall fun to watch. Between the skimpy outfits, endearing lead, and a badass Adam Baldwin, there’s something in it for the whole family. Season 2 premieres tonight on NBC right before [[[Heroes]]] at 8pm ET. RATING 8/10

Review: ‘Dexter’ Episode #301

dexter-season-3The Crime Scene: “Our Father”
From Showtime: “[[[Dexter]]] begins to question his blind loyalty to his father’s memory. In an act of spontaneity, he wonders whether The Code of Harry is a necessity anymore. Dexter’s relationship with Rita intensifies. Angel becomes Sergeant, replacing the deceased Doakes. Dexter goes to desperate measures to cover up his latest murder, while meeting assistant district attorney Miguel Prado, who has history with Lt. LaGuerta. Meanwhile, the team discover the victim of another killer, which could just be bigger than the Bay Harbor Butcher.”

Blood Spatter Analysis

[[[The Dark Defender]]] is back, and he’s ready to kick ass and take blood samples.

Last season, blood spatter analyst cum vigilante killer Dexter Morgan nearly found himself on the wrong side of a prison cell. Sergeant James Doakes discovered that Dexter was the man behind the grizzly Bay Harbor Butcher slayings. Luckily, Dex was saved by the belle, the highly obsessive Lila, who killed Doakes to prevent Dexter from being discovered. Not so luckily for Lila, Dexter murdered the woman for killing Doakes, but not before pinning the murders on the deceased officer. With that monkey off his back, Dexter was free to resume his vendetta against Miami’s criminal underground… and resume he has!

As the third season begins, Dexter reflects upon his highly successful summer. His game has stepped up in every sense of the word. He’s back in the killing business, taking out all new bad guys and making up for lost samples with a new blood collection. He’s also upped his acting abilitiy, particularly notable when Dexter poses as a junkie to attain recon on his next victim, a murdering drug dealer named Freebo. Dexter’s social skills are at an all time high as well, both around the Miami Metro Police Department and at home with his girlfriend, Rita. In fact, Dexter’s progress as a killer might be second to his relationship progress with Rita. Let’s just say that he’s had his hands very, ah, full.

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Review: Knight Rider Premiere

knight_rider-2118822In an attempt to make up for NBC’s flop of a reboot last year with [[[Bionic Woman]]] comes the new and improved [[[Knight Rider]]] which is like the original series, but with a revamped KITT, a younger cast, a brand new back-story, and fantastic special effects, this show has the potential be a win for NBC’s fall lineup. Many will be going into this “pilot” with some hesitation after February’s TV movie (which was technically the pilot), due to the fact that the show lacked in story structure, was full of WB-level acting, and gave work to David Hasselhoff. Happily, this episode fixed many of those issues and made the hour mildly entertaining.

The story from the original movie is that terrorists go after and “kill” scientist Charles Graiman (Bruce Davison) who helped work on the supercar Knight Industries Three-Thousand, or K.I.T.T. (see what they did there?), which drives away to find Graiman’s next of kin; his daughter Sarah (Deanna Russo). They meet up and Sarah decides to go to her old flame for help, a renegade army ranger named Michael Traceur (Jason Bruening) who is in his own heap of trouble with a whole “the-government-erased-my-brain-not-unlike-in-[[[The Bourne Identity]]]” plot of his own going on. By the end of the movie, Michael decides to become an agent for the newly reformed Foundation (an updated version of the original show’s F.L.A.G.) and drive KITT permanently.

This first episode takes off right in the middle of the action, as main characters Michael and Sarah are on a James Bond-style mission when Sarah gets kidnapped and Michael and KITT go after her, when they learn that these mystery men were actually after Michael and what he “knows”. This triggers the running theme of the episode, as everybody is trying to obtain clearance levels that they don’t have. Lots of shtupping going on for one episode, as there is presumed sexual tension between Sarah and Michael, and also between some other nondescript characters back in what can only be described as the KITTcave.

The KITT effects are easily the coolest part of the show so far. With essentially a Transformer voiced by Val Kilmer, it’s a pretty good answer to the “futuristic” car we got in 1982. There are some great uses of modern special effects where the car can turn into a pick-up truck—and back again—without crushing the passengers inside! Granted, this makes the show basically a weekly 40-minute commercial for Ford, but it is still pretty cool for any fan of the original series who wanted more than a bunch of cool [[[Dukes of Hazzard]]] jumps and William Daniels.

The bad points: there are some very cheeky moments back at the “base” with the wacky super nerds (a stereotype NBC seems to love) throughout the show, which comes across as incongruous for the show’s dynamic. Three-quarters of the show consisted of shadowy government types, as the overall story of the first episode was the death of Michael Traceur and the birth of Michael Knight, which was originally helmed by Michael’s father, Hasselhoff.

The biggest weakness for the show by a stretch is certainly the amount of different elements that the show tries to cram into 40 minutes. With that said, there is still plenty of action to keep you entertained, but add that in with the government mystery storyline, Michael finding out who erased his memory and why, the “Sam & Diane” storyline between Sarah and Michael, the plucky sidekicks, a unnecessarily dominant Sydney Poiter (the daughter, not Mr. Tibbs) and the dry wit of Val Kilmer as KITT, it becomes too much to keep track of. Each element on it’s own would make for great B-story to go along with the weekly spy thriller of the show, but cramming all of this in at once only proves to be confusing and hard to keep straight. The show certainly has potential to make it farther than last year’s Bionic Woman, but may have trouble keeping it up for more than a season unless they can find some solid structure, drop a few secondary storylines, or at least bring Will Arnett back as K.I.T.T. RATING: 7/10

Review: ‘[[[Next Avengers]]]: Heroes of Tomorrow’

Right off the bat, to put to rest an already angry legion of fans who want to know why this movie exists instead of Allan Heinberg’s [[[Young Avengers]]] or even Tom DeFalco’s [[[Avengers]]] Next as a series or movie, know that this animated film is a great self-contained story done in the vein of Marvel’s other animated DVDs, and deserves a close look from anyone who can call themselves a Marvel–or even an animation fan. With that said, this story is not for any fan who cannot take themselves out of the grown-up world of [[[Skrulls]]] and [[[Hulk Wars]]]. In order for an adult to enjoy this, you need strip down to your inner child (metaphorically speaking) and watch the movie with a purely childlike mindset.nextavengers-7133013-4477575

The plot takes place in the future of an alternate reality where five of the original eight Avengers have been killed off by Ultron, but not before most of them produced offspring that Tony Stark whisks to a secluded location, safe from the arms of evil. They are raised by the aging [[[Iron Man]]] and trained to use their powers, as James Rogers, son of [[[Captain America]]] and Black Widow; Pym, son of Giant-Man and Wasp; Azari, the son of Black Panther and Storm; and Torunn, the daughter of [[[Thor]]], who didn’t die, but just left Earth one day. Each of them posess an amalgam of their parents’ powers, and even some of their personality quirks as well. Their hideout becomes compromised, Iron Man gets kidnapped, and the kids must then go for the rescue, running into fellow heroes like an elder Hulk and Clint Barton’s son, Francis, taking the helm of Hawkeye.

The great thing about movie is the way they depict the “age of heroes” in the beginning of the film as a bedtime story to the children. The mythos is described almost biblically by referring to the Avengers with names like the Soldier, the Knight, and the Ghost (Cap, Iron Man, and Vision respectively). There are certainly enough wacky “kid” moments and bright colors to keep anybody under the age of 13 interested, but that stays balanced by the amount of mature themes throughout the film, such as abandonment issues, and a rite of passage subplot. The film touches on the subject of death and heroism that most kids would understand, but is clearly meant for adults.

The animation is the same used for Marvel’s [[[Ultimate Avengers]]] films, like a Japanese/American animation hybrid. The strongest element here is  BBC composer Guy Cichelmore’s (Ultimate Avengers) score. This sold the entire film in its epic interpretation. The voice work is mostly done with Marvel and Lionsgate’s in-house talent. Going in the opposite route that DC Animation had gone, the company uses mostly unknown actors and professional voice actors rather than pull in celebrity names. Much like the other Marvel animated films; this was the weakest element in the film, leaving us with a poor-sounding [[[Hulk]]] and Iron Man.

Overall, the film may borderline puerile at times, but makes for a nice competitor for DC’s leading animated series [[[Teen Titans]]]. There is certainly potential for a franchise here, and will most definitely do as well, if not better than the aforementioned show. It should also be mentioned how “ironic” it is that the only two established heroes that are alive and kicking throughout the film are the only two that had a major motion picture this year.There is certainly plenty of action and violence for us adults, and more than enough geek-fodder for the die-hards. A clear recommendation for any true Marvel fan. RATING: 8/10

Review: ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’

By Allan Lamberti

terminator-season-2-2363631Easily one of the highest anticipated returns for this fall season, Terminator has been a franchise that has kept fans interested since the mid 80’s (despite the backlash against the third film). When the television series was announced, fan curiosity piqued immediately, and we all became hooked to the all-too-short first season. From the clever time-traveling aspect of the pilot (that does in fact work well within the continuity of the films), straight through to the awkward season finale (clearly shortened due to the writer’s strike), they sold the fans on another season to watch the continuing saga of the Connor family.

The first episode of this season, entitled “Samson and Delilah,” gets off to an interesting start. Picking up immediately where the first season ended, a group of men attack Sarah (Lena Headey), John (Thomas Dekker), and terminator Cameron (Summer Glau). The men are killed, but as a result of the battle, Cameron’s chip is damaged and her mission has been altered from protecting John to terminating him. Ms. Glau, doing her best Schwarzenegger impression from the first film, is hunting them through the streets while they are injured and on the run. We also see the return of Derek Reese (Brian Austin Green) who is hiding in Sarah’s former lover’s ambulance hoping to get the Connor’s to safety before Cameron finds them. FBI Agent Ellison (Richard T. Jones) returns, as does the other terminator Cromartie (Garret Dillahunt, who has been promoted to series regular). We also meet Shirley Manson of the band Garbage, seemingly playing an evil corporate version of herself.

The good: the action and effects budget has certainly been amped up for this season, a very good sign that Fox actually has some faith in the show continuing on for a longer run. The actors have also grown into their roles a lot more. Ms. Headey is still very capable in her interpretation as Sarah, while Mr. Dekker is gradually becoming a better future-leader John Connor. Ms. Glau’s Cameron actually behaved far more like a “classic” terminator should, slow-moving and menacing – my guess is that the show runners made the decision to tone down the more comical aspects of her from last season and make her more like the film terminators we’ve come to enjoy. While Cameron’s “panic” and begging while pinned between the two trucks was becoming slightly ridiculous and stupid, thankfully the writers had John do the right thing in not listening to her.
 

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Early Review: True Blood

True BloodFor too long, paranormal dramas have been restricted to basic cable where they become weighed down with melodrama and morals that everyday teens can take away from each episode. I’d like to say that [[[True Blood]]] breaks that trend, but, sadly, it does not and with the exception of a few expletives and some exposed body parts, this show could certainly be made for ABC or the oh-so-hip CW.

From the Alan Ball, the creator of the acclaimed HBO series [[[Six Feet Under]]] comes the TV series based on [[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]] book series by Charlaine Harris about a southern telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse who solves mysteries involving vampires, werewolves, and other such creatures. Keep in mind, this series was written four years before the nation’s newfound interest in vampires was peaked with Stephanie Meyer’s [[[Twilight]]] series. That said, this still isn’t safe from being called a watered down version of [[[Buffy The Vampire Slayer]]].

There were only a few scenes that were of interest to any fan of the vampire mythos, the rest establishing the faux racism storyline that seems to be the backbone of the show. In a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin” (not my turn of phrase) and are now publicly known, they become the new racial scapegoat for the scared and angry citizens of Southern America to abuse. This storyline borders didacticism by using “vampire” as a replacement for words like “black” or “gay” or even “cylon”. In a world where these immortal creatures walk the earth, why should they care what the clerk at the Quik-N-Stop has to say to them? Unanswered questions like these makes one realize why this series needs to be looked at like a Vampire Romance novel, instead of a replacement for something like Buffy or [[[Angel]]], much like watching [[[The New Adventures of Lois & Clark]]].

Outside of plot holes like that, the other two issues with the pilot were the pacing and acting. The pacing seems to be almost at a torturous level, leaving entire chunks of time where nothing more than a lot of pensive staring goes on. We understand that there is a lot of animosity between the vampires and the “mortals”, but they can rip your throats out, so stop looking like a pissed off toddler. The acting  (I won’t go into how bad the southern accents are) and motivation of characters just came across as inconsistent, as many of them were either set as “angry girl” or “delusional grandmother”. There was hardly any reasoning behind these emotions, and they felt unnecessary and distracting.

The ending left for a good cliffhanger and a want to pursue the next episode, which I encourage. This series will hopefully improve and become slightly more watchable, but this doesn’t seem like another Buffy the Vampire Slayer or even a Twilight, instead just a watered down amalgam of the two.  Rating 6/10

True Blood debuts on HBO Sunday evening at 9 p.m. and has a twelve episode season.

Review: Invincible the Series

invincible-11-4189338

During the 2008 San Diego Comic Con, MTV New Media debuted their new animated series based on Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s Invincible comic. Published by Image Comics, [[[Invincible]]] tells the story of Mark Grayson, a young man who inherits his father’s superpowers. It’s been released through various outlets: iTunes, Xbox, Amazon, MTV2, MTV.com, and MTV Mobile.

Instead of creating brand new animation, the series has decided to use the latest editing techniques to “animate” Cory Walker’s actual comic book art. Just use existing comic art and let the camera to give the illusion of movement. To younger viewers this may seem innovative, but it’s been done as far back as the Marvel Comics based cartoons from the 1960’s. It was used again, very artistically by MTV, when they brought [[[The Maxx]]] to television. Even more recently [[[The Watchmen]]] has been done in this style.

While the story and art deserve all the critical praise that the Invincible comic has received over the years, [[[Invincible the Series]]]’ biggest stumbling block is its editing. The MTV produced show has the same pacing as MTV’s promo spots, wildly kinetic with lots of flashing graphics and texts. Never let the eye settle for minute. This is fine for 15-second ad, but watching a full show like that is taxing.

In a one step forward, two steps back move, the show decided to include the actual word balloons from the comic. But instead of letting people read it, the text has a subtle shake to it. To emphasize energy, I guess. While nothing sits still on the screen, you would expect the parts you want people to read to be motionless.

A good way to judge an animated show’s sound is to close your eyes and listen. Does the soundtrack still create images of the action? In Invincible’s case, the answer is yes, but barely. The voice acting and sound effects are serviceable. They don’t do anything cringe worthy, but neither do they stand out. No Kevin Conroy or John Di Maggio here.

If the production calmed down, this could’ve been a great show that brought quality comic books to video formats. But as it is, I couldn’t stand watching this for more than a few episodes. And like I said, I’m a fan. Imagine the effect to someone who’s browsing MTV2 late at night.

Watch the first episode for yourself below. Let me know if you think I’m right or wrong in the comments section.

 

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