Thursday, March 31, 2016

Usagi Yojimbo #153


Tying into the story of the previous issue, Usagi Yojimbo #153 picks up events during the storm and shows us what became of a certain rabbit ronin while the villagers where finishing saving their homes from the flood. After witnessing one of the men killed by a Kappa, Miyamoto Usagi goes after the creature to exact some manner of justice. Instead of the bloodthirsty water spirit, our hero finds a frightened Kappa female and her young son who, along with the villagers, have been put in danger by a new wild Kappa who has come to the shores of the river.

iZombie - Pour Some Sugar, Zombie


"Pour Some Sugar, Zombie" proves to be a major turning point for several characters. First, while on stripper brain, Liv (Rose McIver) not only helps solve a murder but also learns the truth about Drake (Greg Finley). Second, Ravi (Rahul Kohli) makes a terrifying discovery about his roommate which will have major consequences (pun intended) for everyone involved. Third, Gilda (Leanne Lapp) begins her life as a zombie only to be captured. And last, but certainly not least, the new zombie cure return Blaine (David Anders) to human but not without some rather important side-effects.

The Flash – Flash Back


You know what they say about those who ignore the past? Unable to break the code and enhance his speed any further, Barry (Grant Gustin) decides the only man who can help him with his problem is his greatest enemy. Despite the consequences from the last time he time traveled, and against the concerns of his friends, Barry chooses to travel back in time to the events of "The Sound and the Fury" in hopes of tricking Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) into helping him. Despite warnings not to make changes to the timeline, Barry can't help but make a few tweaks (the effects of which we begin to see as soon as he returns to the present).

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Lucifer - Pops


The murder of a local chef and the arrival of Chloe's (Lauren German) mother in town provide the storylines for the latest episode of Lucifer. The restaurant poisoning of a hard father figure everyone called "Pops" certainly brings Lucifer's (Tom Ellis) daddy issues to the forefront while Chloe struggles to deal with her overbearing showbiz mother. And somewhere admist the chaos of where those two storylines meet Lucifer also throws in a subplot involving Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt) finally accepting her current situation and making an unexpected friend.

Batman #50


I don't remember the last time I picked up a Batman comic. That's insane to me given how much of the Dark Knight Detective's adventures I've read over the years but, like much of the New 52, I soured on this version of the character. Not surprisingly, I found myself a bit lost in a series where Batman has been largely absent for a year and Jim Gordon has stepped into a Batsuit to help keep the city safe.

Supergirl - Worlds Finest


When Barry (Grant Gustin) met Kara (Melissa Benoist). Ever since CBS brought Supergirl to the air this is the crossover fans had been clamoring for. From the the bleakness of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, "Worlds Finest" (pulling on the classic name of super-hero team-ups) is a lighthearted romp of an episode fueled by two of DC's most likable heroes. While attempting to increase his speed to battle Zoom, the Flash accidentally breaks through a dimensional barrier to arrive on the alternate Earth where Supergirl takes place. Less freaked out by the occurrence than curious about each other, Barry and Kara bond almost immediately (which is good for the Girl of Steel given she's got two villains to fight in this episode).

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Elementary - Ready or Not?


Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) are hired to look into the disappearance of a doctor by a client whom Sherlock punches in the face almost immediately after taking the case. While that doesn't terminate the employment, the search for the missing man (whose wife believes is off on some tryst with a mistress) takes some unusual turns once the detectives discover both his illegal drug trade and his survivalist leanings (including a time share in a luxurious bomb shelter), either of which could provide motive for his murder.

Daredevil - Kinbaku


"Kinbaku" kicks off the second arc of Daredevil's Second Season with the introduction of Matt Murdock's (Charlie Cox) college girlfriend Elektra Natchios (Elodie Yung) who is in need of a lawyer (or so she claims). From their reunion in Matt's apartment it's obvious the pair didn't part on the best of terms (as the flashbacks will prove). For what Elektra is really after, however, we'll have to wait a little further into the season because Elektra hasn't come looking for Matt Murdock, exactly, but for Daredevil.

Once Upon a Time - The Brothers Jones


"The Brothers Jones" not only reunites Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) with his brother Liam (Bernard Curry) but the episode also picks up the thread of Henry's (Jared Gilmore) search for the lost quill. While Hook may be happy to see his brother, Liam and Emma (Jennifer Morrison) don't get off to a good start as Liam doesn't think the Savior is good enough for his brother and Emma suspects he is hiding a secret from Hook about why he is stuck in the Underworld. The two might never quite come to see eye-to-eye, but both will stand-up for Hook in their own way and one will make a sacrifice to put right a past transgression.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Second Chance - Gelassenheit


Second Chance's first, and likely only, season comes to a close in "Gelassenheit" as Jimmy (Robert Kazinsky), Duval (Tim DeKay), and Alexa (Vanessa Lengies) to take down Connor Graff (Adan Canto) and rescue the kidnapped Gracie (Ciara Bravo) from his super-secret lab. Meanwhile, Mary (Dilshad Vadsaria) will round up the brightest minds left in the ruins of Lookinglass in hopes of finding a way to save Jimmy before his time runs out.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten #25


"In Pieces on the Ground" concludes with a journey to a Hell dimension, the departure of two major supporting characters, the truth about ghost Anya, the end of the threat posed by the Mistress and the Soul Glutton, and foreshadowing for new trouble on Buffy's horizon.

Star Wars Rebels - The Mystery of Chopper Base


The final episode before the Second Season finale is a horror tale as the Rebellion discovers their new base is infested with Krykna Spiders who begin attacking members of the team including Rex (Dee Bradley Baker). To save their friend, the crew of the Ghost heads into the underground tunnels where they will fight to stay alive. Other than the creatures themselves, "The Mystery of Chopper Base" isn't that memorable. More filler than anything else, it is largely disconnected from the season's major storlyines except for Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Ezra's (Taylor Gray) increased training regimen and Hera (Vanessa Marshall) fearing what will happen to the man she loves once he leaves with his apprentice and Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) to confront the Sith.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Happy Birthday with Keira

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Parting Shot


It appears Marvel is following DC's lead, at least on television. Marvel scrapped their original plans for a Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Hunter (Nick Blood) spin-off, but the success of new DC shows like Supergirl and DC's Legends of Tomorrow seems to have pushed the House of Ideas into reconsidering those plans. "Parting Shot" says farewell to the two characters with a mission in Siberia that goes wrong fast. Choosing to take the blame themselves rather than allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to face scrutiny from the Russian Government, the pair are forced to cut ties with their friends.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Doctor Fate #10


Checking back in with Doctor Fate after a few months it seems Khalid Nassour is still struggling with understanding the full weight of what being Doctor Fate means, but he is getting better and handling his powers and processing the oblique advice he gets from Nabu.

Arrow - Broken Hearts


Cupid (Amy Gumenick) is a character of diminishing returns. By this point Arrow has gotten everything it's going to get out of the psychotic love-obsessed archer, but that doesn't stop the show from going back to the well once more. This time a grieving Cupid comes to town targeting loving couples. Of course this means the recently split Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) will be forced into a contrived wedding setup to catch the killer.

The Flash - Trajectory


Even with Zoom temporarily blocked from returning to their Earth, Barry (Grant Gustin) continues to push himself to increase his speed. The sudden appearance of a new speedster in town who is faster than the Fastest Man Alive forces Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) to reveal the existence of the Earth-2 speed drug Velocity 9 which a fellow scientist has reverse-engineered to become the criminal Trajectory (Allison Paige).

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Batman v Superman: Trainwreck of Justice


What did I just watch? Returning to the scene of the crime while building on the shaky foundation of 2013's Man of Steel, a film which turned DC Comic's moral center into a cold-blooded killer, director Zack Snyder and writer David S. Goyer expand DC's bleak, joyless universe with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Lucifer - A Priest Walks Into A Bar


Lucifer's (Tom Ellis) growing concern with humanity is on display when he becomes involved in a case involving a priest (Colman Domingo) with a prison record, a drug dealer, and the murder of a social worker. Initially interested in the case only for the pleasure of proving the priest is connected to the crime and is hiding some deep dark secret, the Devil grudgingly becomes friends with the object of his scorn whose untimely demise only underlines his distrust in God but also takes away an intriguing foil for our protagonist all too soon. On the plus side, the priest's unfortunate end does bring Lucifer closer to Chloe (Lauren German) who, despite once again witnessing her partner's inhuman strength is unable to accept the truth about who and what he is.

Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3


Rocket Raccoon and Groot #3 closes the new series' opening arc featuring the misadventures of Rocket Raccoon and Groot in a parallel dimension where Rocket's working for a crazy warlord and supposed amnesia turns out to all be an elaborate ruse to get back at his best pal for a surprise birthday party. Once again the issue features the low-rent knockoffs Pockets and Shrub (who go toe-to-toe with our heroes at one point in the story before being forced to work together and flee for their lives). It's a goofy conclusion to a bizarre story that provides some enjoyable moments. For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Castle - Fidelis Ad Mortem


Beckett (Stana Katic) heads back to the police academy when a cadet is found murdered. With the other cadets being the primary suspects, Beckett hangs around for a couple of days helping teach while doing a little not-as-subtle-as-she-thinks investigating. As last week's episode gave us Castle-centric (Nathan Fillion) tale it's not surprising to see most of the storyline is focused on Beckett this week. Even Castle's appearances have more to do about her character, and her reaction to the truth about his lost memories, than the mystery writer's own choices.

Supergirl - Manhunter


The fallout of Supergirl's (Melissa Benoist) exposure to Red Kryptonite continues this week as our heroine fights to win back the trust of the citizens of National City. Through both flashbacks and the interrogation of DEO agents by James Harper (Eddie McClintock) and Lucy (Jenna Dewan-Tatum), "Manhunter" also fills the audience in on J'onn Jonzz's (David Harewood) initial appearance on Earth and how he came to take over the life of Hank Henshaw. While continuing down a road involving major changes for multiple characters, the episode takes the time to throw in a few fun nuggets for longtime comic fans (such as the Manhunter's love of Chocos and the introduction of Project Cadmus).

Our Brand is Crisis

Loosely adapted from the documentary of the same name, Our Brand is Crisis is the fictionalized account of American political operatives getting involved in the 2002 Bolivian Presidential election. Sandra Bullock stars as a burnt-out political operative brought in to save the failing campaign of President Pedro Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida) whose opponent has hired Jane's old nemesis (Billy Bob Thornton) to win him the election.

Our Brand is Crisis is a by-the-numbers tale with few surprises (there are no good people in politics, lies and manipulation win the day, etc.). The script is also sadly saddled with a sappy last-minute change of heart from our heartless political operative which simply doesn't work.

Available on DVD and Blu-ray, the only extras available are a short behind-the-scenes featurette and trailers for other films.

[Warner Home Video, Blu-ray $29.98 / DVD $28.98]

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Elementary - You've Got Me, Who's Got You?


Following the trend of crime dramas in recent years, the latest episode of Elementary tackles a comic-book storyline when a real-life super-hero is murdered. Not as memorable as versions of the episode that shows like Castle and Numb3rs have done, "You've Got Me, Who's Got You?" still provides plenty of fun as Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) track down a killer. The most interesting line from the episode comes from this investigation as a fellow super-hero remarks on Holmes and his role compared to costumed vigilantes and uniformed police. Of course Holmes also gets off a great quip as well in his response to his prowess, after reading hundreds of comics for research, the detective offers an implausible origin story to his powers of deduction.

Once Upon a Time - Devil's Due


The adventures in the Underworld continue as Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) enlists the help of Milah (Rachel Shelley) to help find and rescue Hook (Colin O'Donoghue). Despite the uncomfortable awkardness of Milah working both with her former husband and Emma (Jennifer Morrison), a woman who has slept with both her former lover and her son, the unlikely allies are successful in freeing the pirate from Hades (Greg Germann)... at least until the lord of the Underworld decides to make a deal with the Dark One.

Absolutely perfect reaction to the new Ghostbusters trailer

Daredevil - New York's Finest / Penny and Dime


"New York's Finest" and "Penny and Dime" wrap-up the initial arc of Daredevil's Second Season. Opening with Daredevil (Charlie Cox) held captive by the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) on the roof of a tenement building, "New York's Finest" is mostly a debate between the two heroes. Given the fallout with Grotto (McCaleb Burnett), and the District Attorney's threat to throw Nelson & Murdock under the bus for the failed sting, Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) will be motivated to do some digging into the past of both District Attorney Reyes (Michelle Hurd) and Frank Castle which will eventually lead the legal assistant into a new career when Nelson & Mudrock implodes (again). Concern for his missing partner will lead Foggy (Elden Henson) to reach out to Claire (Rosario Dawson, who has a much smaller role this season).

Monday, March 21, 2016

Star Wars Rebels - The Forgotten Droid


A Chopper episode? With the show gearing up for a face-off between the Jedi and Sith it may seem an odd idea to center an entire episode on the one character who can't speak, but it turns out "The Forgotten Droid" is actuall pretty good. Accidentally left behind on one of the Rebels' missions when the droid decides to leave the ship to steal himself a new leg, Chopper gets his own adventure as he stows away aboard an Imperial vessel. Aboard Chopper causes havoc for the Imperials while making the acquaintance of a protocol droid. Despite its nature, AP-5 decides to help Chopper get back to his friends and save the Rebel Fleet from an Imperial trap.

Will Eisner's The Spirit #8


Will Eisner's The Spirit #8 finally gives both the Spirit and the reader some answers into Mikado Vaas as our hero calls on Silk Satin for the truth behind the villain whose very name strikes terror into all who hear it. Silk points our hero in the right direction to a rabbi who is able to provide a tale that seems as much legend as fact in his description of the nefarious arms dealer in which the Spirit finally discovers his connection to the man through Vaas' daughter Sachet Spice.

Second Chance - Geworfenheit


Thanks to the help of Alexa (Vanessa Lengies), who will face harsh consequences in the hours to follow, Connor Graff's (Adan Canto) plan to steal Otto (Adhir Kalyan) away from Lookinglass is successful. However, Otto doesn't just walk out the door so much as burn it to the ground taking his computer A.I. and all his technology and research with him leaving Lookinglass hobbled. The most immediate effect is on the company's plummeting stock price and on Jimmy (Robert Kazinsky) who, without the tank to sustain him, has only a single day left.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Daredevil - Dogs to a Gunfight


While Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) recovers from getting shot in the head pointblank by the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) work to get their client (McCaleb Burnett) the best deal possible with an opportunistic District Attorney (Michelle Hurd) who decides to use the man for bait to lure out the city's new vigilante. Foggy actually steals the episode's biggest heroic moment while standing up to Miss Reyes and not letting the D.A. push him around.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Green Lantern #50


The long-teased big throwdown between New 52 Hal Jordan and his pre-New 52 Parallax counterpart isn't exactly as advertised. Anti-climactic may be the best way to describe the encounter. On one hand I enjoyed Parallax's reaction to Coast City and seeing his family still alive, on the other hand his reaction to seeing Hal as an enemy (even after learning he can't save Coast City from destruction as it fell in this version of the DCU as well) is where things start to go wrong.

Daredevil - Bang


Netflix really, really wants to do a Batman show. Seriously, for a Marvel show the Second Season premiere has one hell of a boner for DC Comics given the number of shots of the Man Without Fear draped in shadow (even pulling criminals into dark alleys). It can't even help itself with an obvious ape Tim Burton's pan to a Dark Knight on the rooftop looking over the city. Season Two opens with not much having changed in Hell's Kitchen. Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is still patrolling the streets. Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) still hates keeping his partner's secret. The law practice is still struggling to get by. And Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), while crushing over her boss, is still blissfully unaware of how he really spends his free time. Sure, Daredevil took down the Kingpin but their are plenty of criminal organizations looking to fill that vacuum. Of course after the brutal bloodbath that starts the season it sure as hell isn't going to be the Irish Mob.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Shadowhunters - The World Inverted


"The World Inverted" is a odd episode. The logic goes something like this, to find Valentine (Alan Van Sprang) our intrepid heroes Clary (Katherine McNamara) and Jace (Dominic Sherwood) will travel to a idyllic parallel dimension to find a portal and return back home in the spot they wish (Valentine's fortress). Of course it only partially works. First, the longer Clary stays in other dimension the more tempted she becomes to stay (and why wouldn't she, it's perfect?). And second, Alec's (Matthew Daddario) anger over the missing cup causes him to take drastic action which nearly gets Jace killed.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Pretty Little Liars - Hush, Hush, Sweet Liars


Sorry, I don't get it. The Sixth Season of Pretty Little Liars comes to a close with the plan of the Liars to capture the new A backfiring (like their plans usually do) leading to Hanna (Ashley Benson) being taken by their adversary. The finale's big reveal takes place first under the ruins of Radley and later at the remains of Caleb's (Tyler Blackburn) trap as we learn Alison's mother has a twin sister, Mary Drake (Andrea Parker), who is the real mother of Charlotte. Apparently she's been working with Elliot (Huw Collins) this entire time to steal Alison's 51% share of the Carissimi Group. This explains the sudden gaslighting of Alison by her husband and aunt (admittedly creepy and effective, but should have started weeks ago), but not the torturing of the Liars themselves (as it seems the an extremely unlikely way to solve Charlotte's murder).

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Inside Man


Hydra scores a victory against S.H.I.E.L.D. in "Inside Man" as the illusive Gideon Malick (Powers Boothe) remains one-step ahead of Coulson (Clark Gregg) and his team. Attending the Symposium on the Alien Contagion in Taiwan in hopes of discovering Malick's inside man, Coulson is betrayed by General Talbot (Adrian Pasdar) in a way that allows Malick to worm his way into the graces of the Russian representative (Ravil Isyanov) and secure a home for Inhumans far from the prying eyes of the rest of the world. Likely more important for what it sets up than the events of the episode itself, "Inside Man" is an okay episode but a large percentage of the plot is directed towards events that may, or may not, pay off somewhere down the line. Also, Coulson's entire role at the conference (as the sole scientist) is odd as is the fact that multiple world leaders are apparently happy to attend an unsecured event without any of their own security.

Rookie Blue - The Final Season

The last 11 episodes of the Canadian crime drama (originally intended to be the second-half of the show's shortened Fifth Season) are collected on DVD. The final season of Rookie Blue comes to a close with the wedding of Andy (Missy Peregrym) and Sam (Ben Bass). Much of the season deals with Marlo's (Rachael Ancheril) pregnancy threatening to throw a wrench into Andy and Sam's relationship and the fallout of the bombing of 15 Division which will ultimately reveal Steve Peck (Adam MacDonald) is the dirty cop responsible for the bombing in the station (which he will attempt to frame a beloved member of the team for).

The three-disc set includes all 11 episodes of the show's sixth, and final, season. Highlights of the solid (if unspectacular) season include an investigation into the disappearance of a 16 year-old girl (Zoé De Grand Maison), Oliver (Matt Gordon) under suspicion for the bombing, the hunt for a serial rapist, a prison riot, and hard choices involving family.

[Entertainment One, $39.98]

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Scorpion - Ticker


Walter's (Elyes Gabel) latest finder-bender puts Team Scorpion in the right place at the right time in order to diagnosis trouble at the hospital. It seems someone has swapped the barcodes on the blood supply to multiple Los Angeles hospitals tainting the supply by introducing blood carrying a rare and dangerous disease into a small percentage of the blood. While regulations state all surgeries must be put on hold to prevent spreading an infection, Walter and his team race against the clock to find the person responsible and retreive clean blood for a dying young girl (Isabella Crovetti-Cramp) who only has hours to receive a heart transplant.

Lucifer - Et Tu, Doctor?


Needing the help of a psychologist in investigating the murder of a therapist, Lucifer (Tom Ellis) taps Dr. Linda (Rachel Harris) while hoping that she might also help him discover what is "wrong" with Detective Decker (Lauren German). The Devil immediately regrets his decision as Dr. Linda continues to take Chloe's side over his while finally getting some insight into how his relationship with the detective works.

Darth Vader #17


After murdering the Shu-torun royal family and installing the young Princess Trios on the throne, Darth Vader's attempt to put down any rebellion on the planet continues with the assistance of the Force-sensitive twins Mortit and Aiolin. While making a name for himself, we see foreshadowing of other Imperials bristling at the Dark Lord's flair suggesting that Vader may have to fight a war on two fronts before this arc comes to a close.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Supergirl - Falling


Supergirl continues to build on the show's mythology in "Falling." Last week introduced Kara (Melissa Benoist) to the Fortress of Solitude. This week's episode introduces Supergirl and her friends to the effects of Red Kryptonite. Choosing to have Red Kryptonite be an invention of Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinelli) is a smart one that explains why Superman's black friend James "Don’t Call Me Jimmy" Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) doesn't recognized the effects of the Kryptonite that isn't lethal to Kryptonians but instead adversely affects their personality (because he's never seen the effects on the Man of Steel).

The Intern

Nancy Meyers' The Intern is a fun, if lightweight, affair casting Robert De Niro as the unlikely new intern at an online fashion company who, of course, turns out to be the perfect man for the job. Immediately loved by everyone else in the company, it takes longer for the company's CEO (Anne Hathaway) to take to the firm's newest employee.

The Intern succeeds mainly on the likability of its stars, although the script gets into trouble with an ill-conceived heist sequence and a rather awful girl's night out hotel bonding sequence between the pair late in the film.

Also troubling is that for the smart, successful businesswoman Hathaway portrays she's incapable of making the easiest (and most obvious) decision in the entire movie which she needs the help of not one but two men (both her intern/new best friend and her less-than-trustworthy cheating husband portrayed by Anders Holm) to make for her.

Elementary - Hounded


Elementary continues to make interesting choices when putting their own spin on characters and stories created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. With "Hounded" the show tackles likely the most famous case of Sherlock Holmes' (Jonny Lee Miller) career: "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Like Sherlock, Elementary chooses a modern interpretation on the story by having the hound itself be something completely unexpected. The story here begins with the death of a jogger, chased by a malevolent glowing giant dog into traffic. When the only other heir (Tom Everett Scott) to the vast Baskerville estate begins being haunted by the same creature Holmes and Watson (Lucy Liu) are on the case.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Once Upon a Time - Labor of Love


While stumbling around a very Storybooke-esque version of the Underworld in their search for Hook (Colin O'Donoghue), who is now a captive of Hades (Greg Germann) and being guarded by the three-headed Cerberus, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) will seek out the help of an old friend who has unfinished business with the creature. Offering us flashbacks to the young Snow's (Bailee Madison) first encounter with Hercules (Jonathan Whitesell) we see the crucial role the demigod performed in putting the young princess on a path to becoming a hero - a service Snow reciprocates here by helping the fallen warrior complete his final labor and move on to Olympus.

Black Widow #1


The first issue of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's new Black Widow series sets the stage with Natasha Romanova being chased out of S.H.I.E.L.D. Heavy on action but light on dialogue, Black Widow #1 doesn't tell us what the Black Widow has stolen from the Marvel Universe's premiere spy agency but it does demonstrate how determined Maria Hill's agents are to get it back.

Second Chance - When You Have to Go There, They Have to Take You In


Following last week's reveal that Mary (Dilshad Vadsaria) has been cured of the cancer that was slowly killing her thanks to the blood transfusions of the resurrected Jimmy (Robert Kazinsky), Second Chance begins on working on a new central conflict to keep the story going. After all, now that Jimmy isn't needed as a donor what's to keep him tied to Lookinglass other than the slow-burning physical attraction between Jimmy and Mary? After previously revealing Connor Graff (Adan Canto) to be a snake out to steal the company's secrets, "When You Have to Go There, They Have to Take You In" begins to fill in that storyine which ties the existence of not one but two other resurrected people to Graff.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #55


For someone who hasn't kept up with the series in recent months, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #55 offers a good opportunity to catch up with the Heroes in a Half-Shell and some very big changes in their lives. Victorious over the Shredder, Splinter and his sons have taken back control of New York and control of the Foot Clan. All seems well for most of the Turtles, although Michelangelo has decided life among his former enemies isn't for him.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Point Break

Not unlike Keanu Reeves himself in the film, Point Break is as dumb as a bag of rocks... but gloriously so. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker), the 1991 film casting Reeves as an undercover FBI agent looking for bank-robbing surfers led by the charming Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) has no illusions about what kind of movie it is. A pure B-movie action flick about surfing and sky diving, Point Break proves to be better than the sum of its parts.

Throw in Gary Busey and Lori Petty and you've got the makings of a complete disaster and unwatchable trainwreck. Yet, somehow, Bigelow and company pull it off by embracing the sheer ridiculousness of what we see unfold (something the best-forgotten recent remake failed to understand) set around some well-shot action sequences. The result isn't Shakespeare, but Point Break works as an enjoyable action bromance between cop and robber who, in another life, could have been the best of friends. And its very existence inspires Hot Fuzz two of its best moments.

Shadowhunters - Rise Up


Several characters choose new paths in "Rise Up" including Simon (Alberto Rosende) who struggles with his new life as a vampire and several of the Shadowhunters who will have to make hard choices given the shifting balance of power within the Institute. Believing it to be the best option to restore his family's honor, and continue to hide his sexuality, Alec (Matthew Daddario) announces his engagement to Lydia (Stephanie Bennett) to shocked friends and family. His sister, however, chooses a different path after Lydia has Meliorn (Jade Hassouné) jailed and tortured on orders from the Clave as Isabelle (Emeraude Toubia) decides to side with Clary (Katherine McNamara) and Jace (Dominic Sherwood) over her family.

KATSUCON 2016 Cosplay


Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bouncing Back


After a short tease of things to come, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns from it's extended winter hiatus with Coulson (Clark Gregg) devoting his time to find Gideon Malick (Powers Boothe). To do so he'll demand the help of the half brain dead Werner von Strucker (Spencer Treat Clark) even dust off the old torture device he himself was once strapped into for information about his resurrection.

Astro City #32


Astro City #32 begins a new arc centered around a former villain attempting to turn his life around. After putting his nefarious career behind him years ago, Steeljack has managed to carve out a small niche for himself working salvage while moonlighting as a cemetery manager, a private detective, and bounty hunter chasing down bail jumpers. His life isn't easy, but it's peaceful enough... until a woman from his past shows up in his office asking for a favor.