***The following is a Public Service Announcement***
This post is near and dear to me. There is a growing problem that is stopping comic fandom from expanding. First let me backtrack with a little anecdote: One day I entered a comic book shop, a holy place where supposedly our kind was allowed to gather. I had entered only to be greeted by the steely gaze of the cashier (and owner!). I immediately felt unwelcomed. Undeterred, I walked around and flipped through the dollar comics. Soon, another guy entered and it was clear he was a regular. He was welcomed and given his reserved comics (aka The Pull List for those who are new). The Regular and The Owner began talking about Fantastic Four and 20th Century Fox. At this point I was by the register so I causally chipped in my point of view. I immediately saw a shift in attitude. Suddenly the owner treated me with respect because I was able to form an educated opinion. With my nerdy knowledge, I proved that I was one of them and was suddenly welcomed into the discussion. And that’s the problem. I see it all the time. People are turned away from comics because they think it’s reserved for a nerdy subculture. Potential readers are turned off because they aren’t up to speed or in the know. How many times have you heard a person say, “I think Batman is cool…but I just don’t know where to start.” This is why the Big 2 are constantly rebooting. And sometime, people experience that same judgmental look that I did, quietly set down their comic and leave the store. For some reason, some comic fans act like they’re in this special club. I have no idea where this comes from. Maybe they’re anti-social and don’t want others apart of their passion. Maybe, they’re afraid of ridicule (who cares?). If you have any inkling as to why, please comment below. If we treat potential new readers like “outsiders,” then the industry, in all of its glory, will wither away. So, I kindly ask that you treat any person as a potential lover of comics. People shrug them off, but I know for a fact that if they come across that perfect story or well-designed cover tailored to them, they’ll be hooked. All it takes is one glance from a curious onlooker, uninhibited by some store owner’s judgmental gaze. I don’t intend to typecast some comic readers. Many I know are very welcoming. This is just a simple PSA telling some to not be so quick to judge. Do not roll your eyes when someone says Superman is their favorite Marvel Character. Do not scold someone for saying they’re a fan, even if they only watch the movies. If someone asks about comics, don’t write them off, introduce and enthrall them. You’ll be helping the comics cause and you’ll have made a new comic-loving friend. Don’t be that snooty store owner. Thank You ***This has been a Public Service Announcement***
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Indie comics are often created from dreams. Every time I read the forward in an indie comic, I always see the same thing. The creator always wanted to make comics and decided one day to finally do it, take a chance. I commend these people, I really do. I’ve been trying to do it myself but I feel I’m constantly in a rut and I struggle to form my story. That’s why I commend Darryl Mansel for taking a chance and following through on his desire to make a story. Darryl managed to raise $4,600 dollars online and execute his goal. So let me be clear…I respect what Darryl has done. Doesn’t mean I like his story. Sadly, Pineville #1 did little to reel me in. The story introduced two plotlines (so far unconnected) and neither were especially grabbing. “But AJ, that was just the first issue, don’t be so quick to judge!” Actually, I am allowed to be quick to judge. Comics are a powerful storytelling medium that should suck people in on first sight. I feel more people would read comics if they saw past the “it’s childish” excuse and read the first few pages of a good book. Speaking of first few pages…Dennis O’Neil argued that when it comes to writing comics, you need to open the story with a hook. Something on the first two pages that immediately intrigues the reader. Without it, you’ll lose the readers perusing the comics rack. This isn’t one man’s opinion, it’s industry common knowledge. Pineville did not hook me from the get-go. In fact the story opened with a few prison shots and an inmate going through processing. The “hook” eventually comes on page 3, when our protagonist Cooper Fourney makes the bold claim that he’s going to kill every other prisoner. Holy crap, now that’s a hook! The problem is after that bold statement, Darryl completely ignores that intriguing juicy bit. Instead he opts to cram in as many prison story clichés into one issue. The warden is a hardass, these are the prison gangs, here’s a friend of mine that I did time with. The “kill everyone” line was so good, I just wish Darryl stuck with it just a little longer to generate interest. Instead, it just snapped back into an episode of Prison Break. Our story then takes a sudden abrupt turn. I mean abrupt. One page we see skinheads and mob bosses and the next is some some good ole’ sexy times. Enter protagonist #2, a prostitute in the middle of her shift. That’s one way to hook someone, but not exactly merit worthy. We learn that Cassie is working to pay the bills and help care for her grandfather. So far the two protagonist don’t connect in seemingly any way, but perhaps that will change. The real hook comes on the very last page. It turns out Cassie is also a cop! Cop by day and hooker by night certainly makes a great “what if” story. So Darryl has the right idea, he just didn’t execute to perfection. He’s created two intriguing concepts: a hooker-cop and a (maybe) serial killer prisoner. It’s just unfortunate that the hook had to come from page 3 panel 5 (if you haven’t caught on, I’m pointing out how little the whole “kill everyone” thing was mentioned), and the last page. In the coming issues I’d like to see…less prison story clichés and nude scenes. I’m not being a prude, I’m saying Darryl wrote 3 pages of a sex scene and then a random (totally unnecessary) shower scene. Instead of devoting a whole page to her morning routine, maybe use those pages to contribute to the story or hint that she’s a cop. I would also like to see more into the psychosis of Cooper. Is he crazy or a man with a plan? The fact that I’m asking these question means that I’m at least intrigued. He’s introduced some interesting premises worth reading. Although if I paid for the first issue I would be salty since a whole lot of nothing happened. I certainly hope in the coming issues Mansel gets to the point faster instead of filling up pages with boobs and prison gangs. Generate tension and suspense, or else the reader is lost. The art is super squeaky clean. The characters and setting is pretty sound. Very minimalist background. My one criticism is that Jordi Perez took almost no risk with inking. Hardly any crosshatching or shading. Pineville strikes me as sequential line art with various line weights. Because the line art is so black and white, it isn’t very dynamic. No depth has been created, hardly any texture. The prison looks pristine, not at all gritty. Because of the minimalist line art of Perez, it doesn’t make for a very interesting visual. I would have liked to seen color or at least an intricate grayscale (which I feel is necessary if you don’t color). In conclusion…Darryl Mansel’s Pineville presents some interesting premises and hooks but fumbles on delivery. The strengths of the story were overshadowed by prison clichés and sex scenes. The art is technically flawless but is pretty boring; Perez took no risks. The minimalist art paired with choice story telling doesn’t bode well for the book’s future. The story’s only hope of keeping readers hooked is to capitalize its strengths (killer prisoner, hooker cop) in Issue #2.
If you’re willing to see past a slow start, keep your eyes peeled for Pineville #2, which will be available on Comixology soon. If you can’t wait to read Pineville, check out Darryl’s Twitter Page and shoot him a DM. He’s a nice guy and might help you out. All images are used with permission from the author, Darryl Mansel. (c) 2017.
Pineville. (c) 2017 written by Darryl Mansel and art by Jordi Perez. All rights reserved. No unauthorized reproduction permitted. Any use of material contained within must be with the approval of copyright holder and/or publisher. For more information on Pineville visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pineville-comics#/ . [Warning: Spoilers for Rogue One] Finally, after a hectic holiday season, family in town and a start at a new job I was able to settle down and watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Now you might think that this is a Rogue One review but it’s not. I’ll give my quick take on the movie but then I’m going to talk about something that is far more important to me. Quick Review:
Now having watched Rogue One, I feel that I can safely say that Star Wars is neglecting its greatest asset. First let me ask you this. What scene was revered as the best scene in Rogue One? The Darth Vader scene at the end when he boarded the rebel ship. What character was the most exciting to watch in action? Chirrut Imwe, the force sensitive monk. What makes fans literally piss their pants whenever it appears on screen? A Lightsaber. Are you tracking with me here? The one of the greatest thing about the Star Wars franchise is the Jedi and anything Jedi related. Lightsaber battles, moving objects with the force, the unlimited potential power of the Jedi/Sith. These story elements is without a doubt the coolest things about the franchise. What do kids dress up as for Halloween? Jedi and Sith. Name the best scene from Episode I. How about the Darth Maul “Duel of Fates” Scene. What saved Episodes II and III from being unbearable? The damn Lightsaber battles. Now of course I know that in no way can a Jedi appear in Rogue One, I get that. But the movie just came out so I’m riding the train of Star Wars related blog posts. Sidebar: I was extremely curious, however, as to what happened to Ashoka Tano, Anakin’s Padawan. How cool would it be if she appeared in Rogue One? Or even better Episodes VII/VIII/IX? Of course this is a fools dream, but one can only hope. Back to my point…The Jedi Mythos is an essential part of the Star Wars franchise and should not be neglected any longer. The animated show Rebels had the right idea, bringing in Jedi and as a result the show was a hit. I understand that RI and E7 didn’t allow for Jedi elements to come in to play but it is my hope that they really amp it up in the coming episodes. Fans are dying of thirst when it comes to the Jedi/Sith/Force Sensitive. That’s the point I was trying to make earlier. People lost their minds over Imwe and Vader. I want to see some Lightsaber duals! Now some might argue that Star Wars is not about the Jedi but rather the Rebels. Some argue it’s a franchise about resisting tyranny and good vs. evil. To the people saying that, I disagree. Yes, Rebels and good verses. evil is all well and good, but it can’t be the only thing. Star Wars is so much more. Star Wars is a fascinating world filled with alien creatures, culture clash, mysterious religions and beings of power. I’ve always written that the best stories create a sense of escapism and Star Wars does just that. In addition, the Jedi are so damn fascinating to learn about and to watch. Just as there is balance in the Force, there needs to be balance in story elements. There needs to be a perfect amount of Rebel resistance and Jedi mythos. The prequels blended Jedi with crappy CGI and space politics. Episode VII pandered to the original Episode IV, copying a lot of its story elements. It was good but it didn’t have a lot of Jedi elements to satisfy my thirst. And of course Rogue One was all about…well the Rogues so no room for Jedi there. With the coming of Episode VIII the creators finally have a chance to carve away all the bad elements of Star Wars and showcase the good. It’s clear the studio has a good understanding as to how to portray scrappy rebellion facing off against the forces of evil. Now, they just need to infuse the awesome story element that is The Jedi into its storyline. I love the Jedi and I hope to see a freaking Lightsaber in every other scene. If Jedi are truly treated as just ghosts, then I’ll be sorely disappointed. May the Force be With You. -AJ BONUS: If you’re like me and have been wanting a good Jedi/Sith confrontation, Lightsaber battle and all, I highly recommend this fan made video. It took two years to make and is considered one of the best Star Wars Fan Made films of all time. A lot has happened to me in the last few weeks. You may have noticed an extreme decline in my posts and tweets. The reason for this is because I got a job. A real bona fide job. I have finally surpassed the internship phase and after dwelling in the “please hire me phase,” I was hired. I am extremely happy about this. It’s a great job at a fantastic company and I’ve never felt more welcomed in the workplace. All that being said, the job also demands a lot of hours. Ever hear of 9 to 5? Well tack on another hour and some weekends. I worked 14 hours one day. As for my decline in online activity, for that I apologize, I simply couldn’t find the time. I know there are people who work 80 hours a week and I’m not saying “whoa is me.” What I am saying is that my nights are shorter and my days are spent at an office.
So my time at home is more precious, I value it more. That’s the takeaway from this spiel. That’s why when I watched the season finales of all the super hero shows, I was sorely disappointed. The shows felt dull, contrived and unremarkable. I couldn’t tell you a specific criticism because they weren’t at all memorable. It was more of the same, with Mirror Villains, a death or two and minimal character growth. I loved the crossovers because at least it was something different. When I was unemployed I had free time to watch these shows. Now, if you told me I had to watch the Season Finale of Flash again, I’d bemoan the fact. The truth is that these shows don’t feel worth my time. At least the finales didn’t. I need the writers to elevate their game. I think that the shows have a solid hook, now they can tap into bigger, deeper concepts. I’m talking Breaking Bad level of writing. Here’s how the superhero shows can elevate their game.
If you have ideas about making superhero shows better, please comment below. I’m so tired of these “Saturday Cartoon” storylines. I’m tired of boring characters like the new Team Arrow (they suck). I’m tired of prolonged conflicts that don’t increase tension but never resolve (Malcolm Merlin). I’m tired of superficial friendships and convoluted romances (James Olsen). Superhero shows have become a machine churning out bland stories that make me regret spending an hour on them. Henceforth, I’ll probably read the synopsis and make a judgement call then and there. I’m sorry if this upsets you. I know a lot of people derive joy from these shows. It’s just that having reevaluated my time, I can’t say I’m looking forward to our TV caped crusaders. I’d much rather watch a highly quality film or read a critically-acclaimed graphic novel. And when I do those things, I promise to share those with you. I promise to be better about my posting. I’ve settled in nicely at work and I’m reading a few comics that I think will be worth sharing. Hopefully, I can go back to a weekly post. Happy New Year everyone! -AJ When it comes to Superheroes in TV, The CW has it figured out. Well, for the most part (*cough* Supergirl). While Agents of SHIELD are chasing poorly animated ghost, The CW pulled off the most badass superhero crossover we’ve seen in a long time. The crossover was so impressive that the mid-season finales paled in comparison. Yes, the TV Justice League is well on their way. However, one thing is holding them back, an old superhero trope that needs to stop now.
The Mirror Villain Is it a villain that turns people into mirrors? No that’s dumb. The Mirror Villain is a villain that reflects the hero, is eerily similar to the hero and sometimes represents the antithesis of the superhero’s beliefs. Sometimes they’re deeply complex and help the hero explore his morals and determine his values. 100% of the time they have the exact same powers as our hero, the only thing that making them different is that they are evil. My criticism with the CW showrunners is that they rely almost exclusively on Mirror Villains, to the point of gluttony. I’m sure you’re already thinking of the numerous examples. Flash and Reverse-Flash is the most “on-the-nose” example of this. In fact Barry has had an evil speedster in every one of his season and all of them are featured in the season story arc (not one-shots): Reverse-Flash, Zoom, and Savitar. In the first season of Supergirl the villain is a Kryptonian that looks like her mom. And just think of all the bow-masters in Arrow. The sheer number of expert archers is absurd. Reviewing the shows, especially Flash, I have to say I’m extremely disappointed. Yes, the shows are fun to watch and pose good stories. But aren’t you just a little sick of it? I would love to go one season and see just one archer and one speedster. When I saw Prometheus and Savitar introduced, I rolled my eyes. Arrow is five seasons in and still peddling the Mirror Villain. To be fair, they mixed it up with Slade Wilson and Damian Dahrk, but the fact that they had to revert back to another archer is just sad. Flash is even worse! Back-to-back-to-back evil speedsters is absolutely pathetic. There, I said it…pathetic. By constantly resorting to the Mirror Villain, the show runners are ignoring creative opportunities. There are thousands of different villains, each with different motivations. The writers could explore different themes with these villains. All three evil speedsters that I mentioned earlier all want to challenge Barry because they want to be the fastest. “There can only be one speedster.” How many times have we heard that? If another speedster appears in Season 4 of The Flash, I’m going to flip a table…and still begrudgingly watch it. It’s time for the writers to step up and challenge themselves. They need to crack open a few comics for inspiration. I’m sure there are plenty of Mirror Villains in the comics, but that doesn’t give the writers permission to shovel that crap. The shows and characters have us hooked. Now it’s time for risk taking. I highly doubt that anything they do will result in a mass exodus of viewers. Anything new will be greatly welcomed. I think the introduction of aliens is a decent start, but we’ll have to wait and see… Till next time! -AJ UPDATE: The Flash showrunners are teasing the possibility of bringing back Zoom in the form of Black Flash. This announcement just further proves my point. Needless to say I'm extremely disappointed that the writers can't think of anything better than another speedster. ...is all the proof you need for why Marvel remains in front of DC. Now this might be confusing for some of you. After all I had just written that DC is about to beat Marvel in cinema. Why the sudden Pro-Marvel post? Because upon seeing the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I was instantly reminded as to why we love Marvel. I still stand by my last post, that Wonder Woman will be a game changer. However, when it comes to understanding what viewers want, Marvel has it down. After all, they’ve spent years refining the Superhero Movie Formula. Joss Whedon sums up Marvel’s formula best. “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” This quote, along with the GotGv2 trailer’s record numbers highlights that formula. Drama, action, suspense and most importantly humor. A light hearted reminder that all of this is make believe and that you should enjoy it. The trailer featured all of this and that’s probably why it had 81 million views in the first 24 hours of its release. DC learned this formula, but a little too late. Man of Steel was absolutely depressing and it continued in Batman v. Superman. Tell me you didn’t cringe at the balcony scene in BvS where Supes flew off all mopey. I don’t think he smiled once during that whole movie. It’s one thing to write an interesting dynamic character with flaws, it’s another thing to write about a Kryptonian Emo. I blame Zach Snyder for trying to copy The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. followed suit and then everything spun out of control. Suicide Squad is when it hit home that DC might be doing things wrong. A trailer company posted a wildly popular trailer for the movie. It showed crazy antics, funny quips and a fun Squad. Too bad the director didn’t get that memo. Upon seeing the depressing, gritty feature film, the studio went back to the same trailer company and asked them to edit the movie and make it fun. Both movies were screen tested and the “funner” movie won out. There’s only so much editing that can be done in order to save a movie. In this case I felt the movie was…ok. Critics slammed it for being choppy and a glorified trailer. Back to Marvel, while DC continues its identity crisis Marvel is churning out quality enjoyable films on a consistent basis. GotGv2 is the perfect example. James Gunn understands the Marvel Formula, wrote a movie tailored to it, filmed it (with little resistance from Marvel Studios) and the freakin’ trailer is already breaking records. There is a trust between Gunn and Marvel Studios, and rightfully so. Just looking at the trailer, you can tell GotGv2 is going to be great. There’s giant aliens, a swarm of space ships in a dogfight, and every character shines in their 5-10 seconds of screen time. If you didn’t laugh at the Rocket Raccoon/Baby Groot scene then you have no soul. The trailer is fun, the movie will be fun. This is Marvel at its best, a fantastic world of make believe where you sit and enjoy the ride. The Marvel Formula stems from the comics. Comics are the ultimate form of escapism. Some people read about super powered people because they feel powerless. I feel that most people want to escape these troubling times. So who wouldn’t want to see Rocket Raccoon and Baby Groot banter? Or Drax burst out laughing at Starlord’s revealed secrets. Marvel understands our desire to immerse ourselves in a dynamic fun world so they roll out the red carpet. They create ups and downs, depressing and uplifting scenes so that the movie is never dull but rather a rollercoaster of emotion. Perhaps “formula” is the wrong word. Formula implies that it’s the same thing every time. A repetition of material in the same order. No two Marvel movies are the same so I can’t call it a formula. Maybe the word I’m looking for is “understanding.” Marvel has an understanding about what people get from their stories. They know that they invest in the stories. They know that a dark or scary scene adds drama to any movie. And they also know that the “joke” that Joss talks about is so important. Because in the end we don’t go to the movies to watch someone else’s depressing struggles, we go to escape our own. That’s why we need that perfectly timed joke, it’s so we know everything is going to be ok. I’m glad Marvel understands this and I eagerly await Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Till next time! -AJ I must admit, my faith was wavering when it came to Indie Comics. Up to this point the comics I reviewed have ranged from disappointing to absolute waste of time. I’ve been harsh, but rightfully so. So, when Michael Nelsen dropped a press release into my inbox for his series Supernaut, I couldn’t help but feel pessimistic. I feared another bust. Boy was I wrong. Supernaut has to be the most refreshing comic series that I’ve read in a long time. Michael Nelsen began creating Supernaut in 2012, writing the story, creating all the artwork and lettering everything. It took him two years to chip away at this project and the end product is a beautiful work of art. The story calls upon ideas of metaphysics, theology, mythology and a lil’ bit of Joseph Campbell. One could compare it to the movie Interstellar but Supernaut still stands on its own. A quick synopsis: Our story, begins like any trans-dimensional, space and time altering story would: in the sorta-middle. We see now enlightened astronaut, Stephen Haddon, confront the manifestation of God to ask him not to unravel reality. God tells him to buzz off. Haddon aka Supernaut, bands together with other trans-dimensional heroes and thieves to collect magical artifacts that supposedly combined would take down God. The best thing about this series is without a doubt the art. If anyone ever says comics is not an art form, share with them Supernaut. I can’t express how thoroughly impressed I am with Michael Nelsen. Nelsen is a graphic designer so it’s no surprise that each and every page is carefully crafted to fit this mind-bending story. Nelsen’s experience as a graphic designer especially comes to light when it comes to color. Each and every page is an explosion of beautiful colors in an “order-within-chaos” kind of way. No space is left a blank white and nothing appears unnecessary. The story itself challenges perceptions of reality and dimensions and the art suits this mind bending story perfectly. When I read this story I felt like I dropped acid.* Comics has always been about challenging the conventional with new and exciting ideas. I guarantee that this is some of the most unique artwork in the indie comics scene. The only thing I could possibly compare it to is Neil Gaiman’s reality bending Sandman, but even that comparison is a stretch. I feel that Supernaut’s art stands apart as a truly unique entity. Brilliant use of colors paired with unique graphics and sci-fi lettering of various varieties. As for the story, it perfectly pairs with Nelsen’s art style. The story originally was meant to be a Green Lantern-style story, because lord knows we need another one of those. Thankfully, Nelsen evolved the story into something so much more, a deep exploration into life, metaphysics and higher existence(s). You can tell he took the time to research the physics and theology behind what makes ups life. What is a soul? Are there parallel universes? Nelsen called upon literary quotes ranging from Albert Einstein to the Bhagavad Gita. At one point he references the Wow! Signal which is an actual thing. It’s no wonder it took him 2 years to make this series, the amount of work it must have taken to compile complicated ideas and translate them into equally complicated graphic works of art must be extremely time consuming. Despite the acid trip artwork and the complicated ideas, at its essence the story was fairly simple and accessible. The good guy needs to stop the bad guy and he needs to find certain things to stop said bad guy. The great thing about Nelsen however was that he told this in an entirely different way. Yes, the premise is a simple one, but the journey is one wild ride. Nelsen employs ideas about time and space and applied it to his story telling method. The entire first issue is literally told backwards. Literally. I applaud him for telling this story in such a unique way. The supporting cast might be my only negative I have to offer. Because there’s so much to cram into the story, you’re handed a brief profile of our supporting characters. This choice to introduce the characters by profile inhibited the story a bit. (I spent 5 minutes reading up about a “pheromone spy” only to learn that she gets a panel worth of action). However, with so much going on, it seemed like Nelsen’s best solution introducing the team of thieves. Perhaps he should’ve expanded his series to more than 5 issues? You will bombarded with a lot of science. A lot. I’m sure a lot of it is inspired by actual science, but at times it struck me as heavily padded dialogue and narration. Most of the time it would be fascinating, other times simply draining. “It stores coded information in its plasma substrate…and transmits by trans-space and quantum interference.” -Supernaut #3, about a room in a tower. Science fiction readers will love this text. Some comic book fans will appreciate Nelsen’s diligence to flavor text and the science, others won’t. Regular readers with gloss over it and enjoy the overall story. Despite how you feel about it (tell me below) I think it fits with the story but it’s a little too heavy. Comics has always been about challenging the conventional with new and exciting ideas. I guarantee that this is some of the most unique artwork in the indie comics scene. " Overall, Nelsen has restored my faith in Independent Comics. His two year project resulted in some of the most beautiful works of art ever to grace the indie scene. That paired with carefully researched science and savvy storytelling resulted in a successful miniseries. If you are a sci-fi lover or have an appreciation for graphic design and art I highly recommend this book. If you are a casual comic book reader, I still recommend this book. I eagerly await the conclusion! Ragnarok n’ Roll -AJ *The author of this blog has never taken acid and does not condone it. However, if you feel inclined to take acid, we recommend you read Supernaut instead.
All images are used with permission from the author, Michael Nelsen. (c) 2016. Michael Nelsen, 215 Ink, 50 Foot Robot Studios.
I know two non-comics related posts in a row is bound to turn some of you off but I need to say my piece. This post has a spoiler but honestly you won’t care. The brilliant mind that is J.K. Rowling has blessed the world with what many consider a modern classic: Harry Potter. There are college courses that specifically study Harry Potter. Christian groups have advocated for the banning of the books (for whatever reason). The books have been made into blockbuster movies and Rowling is a household name. Rowling made it, she is sitting on top of the world. So what does she do? She milks it. That’s right. The beloved author who will be discussed in literary textbooks in a hundred years will have to live with an asterisk attached to her name. She could’ve quietly put to rest her series, written other genres and lived out her days as an icon. But no…she had to push the bill. I did not like Fantastic Beasts and if you read Harry Potter, neither will you. The Harry Potter films were created with a love of magic and the hopes that the viewers will be inspired with a sense of wonder. Fantastic Beast is a film that hopes you’re still attached to that wonder and will spend money on merchandise. Studio money-grab at its finest, the studio chained J.K. to a desk for FIVE total movies. No longer is it about the movie, it’s about box office numbers. As a result, Rowling churned out some “magic” and it’s pretty bad. The film has a weak and super confusing storyline, the center being a tortured, creepy foster kid being some sort of demon cloud. The lovable supporting characters were the best thing about the film, which isn’t a good sign for Newt and Tina. The main characters struck me as one-dimensional and underdeveloped. Newt really likes creatures and Tina wants to be a good Auror. That’s literally all I can tell you about them. Think about that. One-Dimensional. This is not a good sign for a studio trying to build a franchise. Yes, the special effects were neat and the creatures were imaginative, but that doesn’t make it a good story. I think the filmmakers were hoping we would be drawn to the creatures and be awestruck by magic like in Harry Potter. But that’s not why we loved Harry Potter. We loved Harry Potter because he was going through school just like the rest of us (mean teachers, bullies, drama and romance) but with an added mix of mystery and adventure. Plus, Harry had magic, which is why we would rather get lost in his world then deal with our own. Barring magic, Fantastic Beasts had none of this, which is why by the time I was halfway through the film I was bored. You couldn’t invest in the story or relate. Instead of feeling magical escapism, I just wanted to escape that theater. I love Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, so it saddens me that this movie happened and that I had to write this scathing rant. I hope the studio either pulls the plug (doubt it) or that they pull their act together. Rating: 3/10So you just watched Arrival, and now you’re confused. Have no fear, this article explains everything. You can also skip to the spark notes if you don’t want to read the whole article. Ted Chiang is a renowned sci-fi writer with numerous awards under his belt. Unfortunately, he is unknown outside the sci-fi community. When I heard about Chiang and this new movie (which took Eric Heisserer 6 years to script!) I bought his book The Story of Your Life and Others, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Having read the short story that the movie is based off of, I can comfortably explain what is going on. First let me preface: this is actually what happens. It’s not like Inception where the filmmakers toss the ending in the air and let you argue online among yourselves. All the puzzle pieces are there, you just gotta put them together. ***SPOILERS HERE ON OUT*** So…what’s going on? The first thing you need to understand is what Louise (Amy Adams) eventually learns through the course of the movie. Time is not linear. That’s what the Heptapods are trying to teach humans. Time happens all at once, simultaneously. That’s why in written form, the inky graphic forms a circle. In that circle, all that needs to be said is said all at once. Throughout the film, the scientist are able to crudely pick out elements of the circle in order to communicate. Louise described the inky graphic as handwriting a sentence with two hands from the outside in. In order to do this you need to already know the exact words and spaces in order to accomplish a sentence. With the circle everything is said in an instant. This premise applies to time. Events in time are all happening at once, simultaneously. As you are reading this, you are also celebrating your first birthday and you are also being buried at your funeral. This explanation of time is similar to Alan Moore’s The Watchmen. Dr. Manhattan, is able to perceive time all at once. When he is on Mars, he says he is also at a carnival and also at a superhero gathering. Tracking? If not, the takeaway is this. Time/events are happening all at once. Because you perceive events in a circular/non-linear way, you are able to see the “future.” Because the future is happening now. This is how Louise is able to call the Chinese general. The general shared with Louise his private cell number and his wife’s dying words at a party 18 months after the aliens left. Presently, when the Chinese were about to attack, Louise in her attuned state of mind, recalled the phone number from the future to call off the general’s attack. So Louise saved the day, because she understood the “Universal Language” (term later published in her book dedicated to Hannah). Because she understood the Universal Language, she understood time and thus can see the future. So what the heck was going on with the daughter Hannah? Aha, this is where the movie is playing tricks on you. The scenes with Hannah are not flashbacks. This is the big twist at the end. Remember, time/events happens simultaneously. Same thing applies to the movie scenes. You could argue that they are flash-forwards. On the linear timeline, after the aliens leave, Louise marries Ian (the physicist) and they have Hannah. In the beginning you just assumed Hannah happened before the aliens because the movie starts with Hannah’s story. Remember, midway through the movie, Louise’s daughter drew a TV show for school. The TV show featured her mommy and daddy talking to animals (The Aliens). Another scene, the daughter asks for help with a science term, Louise replied “I don’t know, you’re father is the scientist.” That scientist being Ian the physicist. It’s symbolic that Hannah is named Hannah because that word is a palindrome, meaning it can be spelled forward or backwards and still make sense. The same perception applies to events in time. So we proved that the daughter (who dies) is born after the aliens leave. So what’s with Ian? What’s so sad about this story is that we learn Ian will divorce Louise upon hearing about Hannah’s deathly disease. Midway through the movie, Hannah is standing by Louise asking about her father. Hannah says he looks at her differently. Louise confesses that she told Ian that she knew Hannah was going to die (I’m paraphrasing). She said “I thought he was ready.” In the present, just as the aliens are leaving Ian confesses his love to Louise. Louise asks Ian if he knew “the whole book beginning to end” would he go through with it. He gave some bullcrap answer (which doesn’t matter) and then hugs Louise. Once he hugs Louise, she recalls how wonderful it is to hold him and decides to go through with the relationship despite her knowing how it will end. In the future, when she tells Ian about his daughter’s inevitable death, he was not “ready” and leaves her. He was likely upset that Louise knew the future and chose to put him through the pain of losing his daughter anyways. The weapon that the Heptapods were referring to was the ability to perceive time and “the future.” The giant splash page of circles was their way of saying if you piece their puzzle together, you’ll unlock the keys to their language (and time itself). “1/12” is their way of saying that humanity has to work together in order to piece this puzzle together. Doing so creates a more cooperative earth and advances society. The Heptapods share their secrets of time because they know that they’ll need Earth’s help in the future. When humans do master their findings, they’ll be able to scientifically advance their society and help their alien neighbors. So to recap, here are the spark notes:
And there you have it. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or reach out to me on Twitter @comicbookboom. Ted Chiang is a genius and I highly encourage you to read his works. For starters, Stories of Your Life and Others is a good read with a variety of creative premises and thought-provoking stories. Till next time, which is now and also already happened… Cheers! -AJ After my Indie Comic Review of Whatever Happened to the Archetype?!, I was approached by Andrea Lorenzo Molinari, the co-author of The Shepherd, a graphic novel exploring a broken, grieving father who enters the afterlife in search of his son, who died of overdose. Molinari asked me to review his book (co-authored with his son Roberto) and I happily agreed. I did warn Molinari that I would not write a fluff piece. Backscratching fluff pieces waste people’s time and money, especially if the book is bad. After my forewarning, Molinari essentially replied that art is subjective and that he learns from these reviews. He was ok with an honest review. First…a quick synopsis. Our story begins with Professor Lawrence Miller learning that his teenage son died of a drug overdose, meth to be exact. Lawrence, a theologian, slips into a deep depression, dwelling on the fact that he never connected with his son. His mind in a dark place, he decides to abandon his family and commit suicide to “find” his son (he was inspired by Latin classical literature). In The Seam, the land between reality and the afterlife, Lawrence sees his father and tells him he’s going after his son Val and the people responsible for his death. Quick note: How exactly he came to this conclusion that he could seek vengeance on drug dealers in the afterlife is never really explained. When you read this part of the story you’re left scratching you head. First he wants to find his son and now he wants to fight drug dealers, which he immediately assumed he could do now that he’s dead. We’ll just chalk this one up as "he’s gone mad." Lawrence attains a magic shepherd staff from his father that obliterates enemies’ minds with pure truth. He then begins to dwell in The Seam. After befriending a demon wolf, he hunts down and torments the drug dealers responsible for his son’s death. I thought he wanted to find his son…but again he’s kind of crazy. Now, on to the review. My initial impression was not a good one. In fact Issue #1 was not a great read. For starters, Molinari opened with this: Pirates of the Caribbean (:20): This opening line just felt cliche in my opinion. And to boot, the art on the first few pages is…not great. You see, when creating comics, it’s always important to open with a hook. Writers and artists strive to hook you with the first two pages so you’ll go on and read the rest of the book. I was not hooked. I feel like Ryan Showers and Heather Breckel did not spend a lot of energy on these first few pages, instead resorting to blackened generic demons, with no finer details. They missed a huge opportunity to hook the reader. The art eventually finds its footing, but more on that later. What was worse, was the on-the-nose narrative provided by Molinari. He could’ve written the first two pages with almost no narrative and readers would be just as intrigued, if not more. So the opening was a bad start, missed opportunity. The remainder of Issue #1 was a lot of laying ground work and explaining motivations. Personally, I felt that it was slow moving but entirely necessary. Without Issue #1, you would be left more confused as to Lawrence’s motivations and madness. Like I said before, the first chapter concludes with Lawrence’s suicide and when he is dead, he decides now is the time he can hunt drug dealers. He also just assumes Val is missing (later confirmed by his dead dad). Why Val got lost in The Seam in the first place is never explained, even at the end of the book. So again some tough pills to swallow. The reader is left making several assumptions and large jumps to conclusions. I think Molinari made a few mistakes writing-wise.
3. The talking Demon Wolf’s lines were cringe worthy. Forgive me I honestly can’t explain it. Maybe you’ll like it, if you do comment below and tell me. Now maybe I’m misinterpreting some things, if I am then Molinari didn’t do a great job explaining them. The purpose of a storyteller is to take the reader on a journey. Instead, it felt like I was limping along and trying to piece together what the heck was going on. Why wasn’t Lawrence looking for Val? Does he even have a plan? The story stabilizes after Issue #2. From there it was smooth sailing. Lawrence wants his revenge, is dwelling in darkness and the Staff is draining him. The book actually wrapped up fairly nicely. But I won’t spoil it. But I will say that the moral of the story comes to light, complex themes are resolved and there’s a heartfelt good ending. The final three issues was Molinari at his best and I applaud him for it. (He still doesn’t answer why Val got lost in The Seam, perhaps in Volume Two?) As for the Art…it got better. The opening sequence was super disappointing but the rest of the book found its footing. The glowing eyes and staff was really well done. There could’ve been more depth with the inking but I don’t think it hurt the art. The penciling style I felt was more unique then conventional comic artists. Heather Breckel did a fantastic job with coloring and creating textures both gritty and ethereal. Her coloring was the best thing about the book. Besides the opening pages, my only criticism is the duo’s inability to draw and color eyes. See Below. “So wait AJ, are you telling me I shouldn’t read this book?” I know I'm being harsh on Mr. Molinari. I do think he touched on a compelling premise. A ghostly father enacting his revenge but then shepherding lost souls turned out to be a solid story. Sure there were a couple snags and a few conclusions need to be made but once you dive into the story, it’s not so bad. Elements of the story were well done. You felt Lawrence’s anguish and the moral of the story begins to appear as you read. I loved Lawrence when he was at his darkest, “justice-angel” state. The Staff of Truth is both a great weapon and device in the story. Pure truth resolving all conflict. Lawrence’s story is not the typical “blast the baddies and save the boy” story. In fact the ending is a departure from that, which was refreshing. Again, I won’t spoil it. All I can say is that it’s not what you expect but when you read it, it makes perfect sense and is a satisfying ending. Speaking of Staff of Truth…I must be truthful. I’m torn, from what I read I can tell that Andrea and his son Roberto put a lot of work into this story. I just wished they had gone to an experienced editor to handle revision and execution. They need to bring someone onto the team to ask the right questions and offer constructive criticism. That way they can create a better flowing story. So do I recommend The Shepherd – Apokatastasis? Honestly I can’t say. I was fairly critical of the writing but the final three chapters rescued the story from collapse. If you find the story synopsis compelling and you’re willing to see past a few monologues and questionalble plot decisions…by all means read The Shepherd. It’s only $9 on Comixology. If you do read it. I want to hear you’re feedback. Was I too harsh? Or was I right? Let me know in the comment section below. I wish Andrea and Roberto best of luck with their future endevors and I thank them for letting me review their story. -AJ
All images are used with permission from the author, Andrea Molinari. (c) Caliber Comics 2015. The Shepherd. Published by Caliber Comics 2015. (c) 2015 by Andrea Lorenzo Molinari and Roberto Xavier Molinari. All rights reserved. No unauthorized reproduction permitted. Any use of material contained within must be with the approval of copyright holder and/or publisher. For more information on The Shepherd, visit the website, www.calibercomics.com.
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