The Kids From Yesterday: Looking Back at My Chemical Romance

Gerard Way. Mikey Way. Ray Toro. Frank Iero. From 2001 to 2013, these were the four constant members of one of my top five bands, My Chemical Romance (Linkin Park, Green Day, Angels and Airwaves, and Madina Lake are the others). While I knew about them since 2005, it was during their Black Parade era when I became a major fan. I think what really drew me to them was the theatricality in not just their performances and music videos, but the fact that each of their albums revolved around a story more different from the last and reflected their growth as artists. While I can't say I've been there from the start and didn't have the chance to see them live before their disbandment, the band has had and still does have a real effect on my life. I've been thinking a lot about them recently, and decided I wanted to share my thoughts on each of their albums, what they mean to me personally, and my own thoughts about the content, while talking about the band's history. Unlike my Linkin Park post from years ago, this isn't a ranking from worst to best. I'll just say right off the bat that The Black Parade is my favorite since it was what made me a fan in the first place. Each album is crafted so differently and are great in their own way that it's hard to really compare them. I'm just going to through each album in order of release.

I BROUGHT YOU MY BULLETS, YOU BROUGHT ME YOUR LOVE (2002)

The beginnings of My Chemical Romance can be traced back to the events of 9/11. Gerard Way had been working as an intern for Cartoon Network in New York City when the attacks happened, and having a first hand view of the tragedy deeply affected him. He quit Cartoon Network and wrote what would be the first My Chemical Romance song, "Skylines and Turnstiles", where he expressed his feelings about the attacks. The song lyrics go into graphic detail about what it must have been like for those involved, either as a victim or a helpless onlooker. At the same time though, there's one lyric I feel is the heart of what My Chemical Romance truly means: "...if the world needs something better, let's give them one more reason..." MCR came about because Gerard wanted to make a difference in the world after seeing the worst of humanity. It's an instance of something good coming out of something bad, and the fanbase that continues to grow for the band even after their break-up is a testament to that.
Sure enough, the band would form, sign with Eyeball Records, and record their first album, "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love". Being an independent record means the album has a very raw sound to it, and it's the evident by the heart and energy being put in from everyone in the band. Compared to what would come later from the band, you really have to appreciate the humble beginnings.
The concept of the album focuses on a "Bonnie and Clyde" like couple who break away from their normal lives to go on a crime spree, which based on the lyrics involves murder and drugs, with the two ultimately being gunned down in the desert. The events of said fate are depicted in my favorite song from the album of the album, "Demolition Lovers." The song begins with a slow dark melody that gradually builds up as it goes on, with Gerard's vocals going from soft to screaming in relation to the beat. One of the best things in this song to me are how it's split in half with a moment of silence and the second half begins with an altered tempo from how the song began, not to mention the instrumental that follows before the finale. Above all though, it's a love song. The character is telling his lover, who have been through so much together by this point, that he's with her no matter what, all the way up to when they're riddled with bullets. It's a song about true commitment and dedication, even if the characters aren't exactly good people.
My other favorite songs from the album include "Vampires Will Never Hurt You", "Drowning Lessons", "Our Lady of Sorrows", and "Early Sunsets Over Monroeville". "Vampires" has a definite horror feel to it, with its soft intro and outro as well as whispers and screams in the background. And of course, there's the whole idea of surviving an army of vampires, which can also be viewed as a metaphor for those who use others. "Sorrows" is the shortest song on the album, but it makes up for it by being very fast paced with lots of screaming; it's definitely a song to listen to if you want to get pumped. "Drowning Lessons" and "Early Sunsets" both have dark content to them but at the same time comes across as kind of sweet; it's really better to listen to them as simply describing them don't do them justice enough.
"Bullets" is often overlooked since it wasn't the band's first mainstream album, but it did gather them an underground following and attention from Reprise Records, who the band signed with a year later. As for the album itself, despite not listening to the whole thing until years after its initial release, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would compared to their mainstream releases. Maybe it has something to do with it being their first album, meaning they had a lot to prove at that point. Like I said, there's a lot of heart in it.

THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE (2004)

As their first major record label release, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" has a much cleaner sound compared to "Bullets". That's probably part of the reason a portion of their fanbase from the first album felt the band had sold out (though to be fair, that's been said for each album after "Bullets"). I really hate the term "selling out" since it's sometimes used by fans to justify their negative opinion of a new direction a band takes. It may be valid in some cases, but unless it's a major departure from what the band is known for, it's not a good excuse. The term is also used when an unknown band becomes more popular. I mean, you'd think they'd be happy more people would get into a band they like, but I guess there's some hipster "I liked them before they were cool" logic to it. My point being, "Revenge" may sound different from "Bullets", but it still carries the unique sound and dark and heartfelt themes they became known for. And if it wasn't for them hitting the mainstream, I wouldn't have become part of the large fanbase that spiked with "Revenge".
In addition to being cleaner, the songs on the album have a lot more energy to them, like the band poured their heart into it even more than before. The high pace of each song results in none going up to four minutes. Seriously, it can be quite a work out singing along, especially when it's "You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison", "I'm Not Okay", and "Ghost Of You" back-to-back-to-back.
The concept of the album is a continuation from "Bullets", and if you listen to both albums, you'll notice a lot of connective tissue. In a story of love and loss, after being gunned down, the two lovers are separated between life and death, so the man makes a deal with the devil that he can be with her again, but in exchange for the souls of a thousand evil men. So he basically goes on a killing spree, and given the title of the album, seeks revenge on those who gunned him and his lover down. I'm not sure about anyone else, but I've tried to think of an overall title for the story both albums tell. There's a simple route with "Bullets and Revenge" (which would also make a great band name). "Demolition Lovers" is also a good choice, since the album cover artwork for "Revenge" (drawn by Gerard) shares the name of "Bullets"' last track. Finally, since it is technically a love story, maybe it's the titular "Chemical Romance". Those are just my crazy fan theories though.
The conclusion is bitter sweet though in the album's final track "I Never Told You What I Do For A Living", as the lyrics suggest he failed in his mission. As he's dying, it's like he's begging with the devil that he "tried" and asking for "one more night". In the end though, he takes some solace in that he will be reunited with his lover: "And we'll love again, we'll laugh again, we'll cry again, and we'll dance again. And it's better off this way, so much better off this way". Considering our protagonist actually loses though, it kind of explains the structure of the song. It doesn't start out like a grand conclusion to the story, but it at least ends that way. In that regard, it's actually my least favorite final track from their albums, but it works given the context.
While the band had already done music videos for the first album, the ones they did for "Revenge" allowed them to get more creative, and in my opinion had the most memorable out of all their albums. We had the high school outcast centered video for "I'm Not Okay."

(For the record, my favorite part is probably Ray's solo when he's banging his head and his hair goes back and forth.)
Not only was this a great mainstream introduction, but I think it helped the song become what many consider to be the "emo kid anthem". I actually sang this in my high school talent show junior year. To this day, I still get into this song whenever it comes on the radio. Either it's stood the test of time, it reminds me of old times, or I'm just still not okay.
After that, we had "Helena" (named after Gerard and Mikey's then recently passed grandmother), which no description can do justice.

This video was my first real exposure to My Chemical Romance (and let's take a moment to remember the good times when MTV still played music). It pretty much became the staple of the band's "Revenge" era, particularly the red/black fashion scheme (I even had a red/black tuxedo for my junior prom). You have to appreciate all the work that went into the video too, from the set design to the dance choreography. They practically put the fun in funeral.
Finally, there was the World War II centered video for "Ghost of You."

In regards to the song itself, I feel it's the best emphasis of the album's theme of love and loss. I feel it can be applied to past relationships as well. And recently, mostly thanks to the video, I've come to think of Captain America and Agent Carter's relationship in the MCU with this song as well. Though in my search of tributes to them on YouTube, apparently more people think of Cap and Bucky instead.
While the video's a great departure from what people think of with the band, it's still pretty damn good in its own right. Who doesn't love the transition of the beach waves coming over the dance floor? I also love how the tone shifts in the song connect to what's happening, with the slow parts happening during the dance compared to the boom of the chorus over the warzone. Connecting the song's sudden end to Mikey's death also adds to the tragedy that the song tries to convey.
It's needless to say that the singles from the album are great (and let's not forget "Thank You For the Venom" which had a single release in the UK; the meaning behind it is brilliant as well as the guitar solo). So when it comes to my favorite non-single songs from the album, those include "Give 'Em Hell, Kid", "Hang 'Em High", and "It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish." "Give 'Em Hell" is a lot like "Our Lady of Sorrows" in that it's also the shortest song of the album but still does a lot in its short time. "Hang 'Em High" has a western like intro before going into the usual MCR style, but the seed was planted, and I can't help but picture wild west imagery when I listen to it. As for "Deathwish", I think what I love about it is how it's about the impact one person can have on another, and I think we've all been there at some points in our lives.
"Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" was a major success for the band, allowing them to attract new fans and helped them to grow as artists. For me personally, this put the band on my radar, but it wasn't until their next album where they hooked me for life.

THE BLACK PARADE (2006)

For their next album, it seemed the band had the need to reinvent themselves...literally. Similar to the Beatles' approach to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", My Chemical Romance created an alter ego band known as the Black Parade; they even had their own marching band uniforms. The separate band idea was also applied to their tour for a good while, with the Black Parade performing the entire album, followed by My Chemical Romance after an intermission to play older songs.

The concept this time around focused on a character called "The Patient" who is dying of cancer, with the album detailing his passage out of life as he comes to terms with his past actions and relationships. The eponymous Black Parade comes from Gerard's notion that death comes to a person in the form of their happiest memory; for the Patient, it was of his father taking him to see a parade as a child.

Compared to their other albums, "The Black Parade" is classified as a rock opera. At the time this album came out, I was starting to get into Green Day thanks to their own rock opera, "American Idiot". When I heard "Black Parade" was also a rock opera, my interest was piqued. There was also the fact that the music videos for "Welcome to the Black Parade" and "Famous Last Words" were directed by Samuel Bayer, who also directed all of Green Day's videos from "American Idiot."

I didn't really appreciate the video for "Welcome to the Black Parade" when it first came out. After learning the context, I loved how it captures the story of the album, from the designs of the city and the Parade itself with all the characters, even though its not as outlandish as in Gerard's drawings in the album art.

The song itself is also considered one of the band's most iconic, from just the piano beginning alone.

As for the sequel video in "Famous Last Words", something about it drew me in immediately. It's very simple with the band playing with fire behind them, but there's the sense that everything is falling part, including the band itself. Considering "Famous Last Words" is the final track of the album (not counting the hidden bonus track "Blood), it makes sense that the video would be done as such a grand conclusion as the song itself does for the album. It's honestly my favorite My Chemical Romance song period; much like "I'm Not Okay", I also sang this at my senior year talent show.

As the videos show, this was a point where the band included more theatrics in their live performances. Initially in the tour at the start of the show, Gerard would come out as the Patient on a gurney and wearing a hospital gown to sing the opening stanza to "The End." before ripping it off when the rest of the band kicks in. Other effects included confetti shooting out during "Welcome to the Black Parade" and pyrotechnics during "Famous Last Words" to match the video. This level of theatricality is one of the reasons I would have loved to see the band perform in person; even without the theatrics, live MCR has a much different energy compared to album MCR. It's worth noting that the band released their last performance as the Black Parade on the live video album "The Black Parade is Dead!" It is just a live version of the album, it's still worth watching as it adds more to the experience in my opinion.

Something I've realized during my re-listening to the albums is that Black Parade has a theme much different from the others: isolation. Within the dark lyrics in "Bullets" and "Revenge", there's still this idea of wanting the best for others, even if it means you have to suffer yourself. Black Parade however has a much more selfish tone. There's conflict in the Patient, as while he wants to make peace with his past, it's very hard to so with what little time he has, and it causes him to lash out at others; in addition to fear of death, it's possibly fear of redemption as well. Between "Disenchantment" and "Famous Last Words", the end of his life marks his acceptance of both his selfish nature and that it's his time of passing.

I was so enthralled with this album that I actually wrote out a script for a musical based on it. There was a lot of research involved, making sure I understood the meaning of each song and that I could include enough characters to warrant it as a play, with some characters featured in the music video (Fear, Regret, Mother War) as well as some new ones I felt were needed that fit with certain songs and help the story (like a doctor and a priest). One of my intents was to pitch it to my high school drama club. Part of that involved cleaning up some of the lyrics where I could, and the biggest challenge was with "Mama"; that's probably the darkest track on the album, even without the "We all go to hell" line constantly repeated. I even had this idea that below the stage could be an actual band playing the songs, acting as a kind of orchestra pit. Alas, nobody really went for it, thinking of just the music video and not really listening when I tried to explain how much deeper it was. It was probably just as well though, since I'm not sure if my vision would have been properly brought to life. The script itself though was lost when the computer I wrote it on crashed. It's really something I should return to at some point, and it may be the writer in me never fully satisfied with my work, but I always thought it could have used a polish even before I lost it. All in all, I really think even if not me, someone should attempt a Black Parade musical; it certainly worked for "American Idiot."

It's really hard to pick other favorite songs from the album as "The Black Parade" is just so epic that each song has something to love about them, like each chapter in a book. As one of my all-time favorite albums, I highly recommend checking it out to those who haven't.

DANGER DAYS: THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS (2010)

After Black Parade, My Chemical Romance wanted to scale things back and be more of a rock band again like the first two albums. This lead to "Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys." Like the previous albums, there's a concept behind it. "Danger Days" takes place in a post-apocalyptic Battery City, California, and focuses on a band of rebels called the Killjoys (portrayed by the band members in the music videos) as they battle the evil corporate forces of Better Living Industries, also known as "BL/Ind", who control the populace. The story of the album is told through the music videos for "Na Na Na" and "Sing".

A couple fun facts: 1) The bald villain known as Korse is played by comic book writer Grant Morrison, who has done groundbreaking runs on Justice League, Batman, and Superman. 2) This story apparently takes place in 2019, so we have about 9 more months for this to come to pass.

Between the music videos and album art, not to mention the album interspersed with broadcasts from pirate radio DJ Dr. Death-Defying, the band does a great job at world building much like they did with the Black Parade.

If it isn't clear, "Danger Days" is drastically different from the previous albums. It shows from the "Na Na Na" video that they certainly wanted to have some fun, which goes with how they were just wanting to be a rock band again and do something simpler after such a grand endeavor with "The Black Parade". It can be described as the most "poppy" sound from the band, and I myself even consider it to be a "party album." There's also much less focus on death and horror, and fans who were drawn to that could be disappointed. As for me, I instantly loved this album when it came out. Even if the sound has changed, "Danger Days" doesn't lack My Chemical Romance's ability to connect to fans on a personal level. The struggle of the Killjoys against BL/Ind. is symbolic of that. BL/Ind.'s control of people can be seen as a stifling of individuality and creativity. The songs on the album include the themes of the Killjoys' mission statement: don't be afraid to be yourself, stand up for what you believe in, let truth reign over the lies, stay vigilant of those who would do harm, and be there for your friends.

All the songs on the album have a fun sound to them, though these are the ones that stood out to me:

* Bulletproof Heart: This is probably my favorite song of the album. It just has a great structure from start to finish, with the music rising and falling when it needs to. It also contains the "be yourself" message I talked about in a more "us vs. the world" nature. I also included this song on a playlist I made for the first "Amazing Spider-Man" film when it was coming out.

* Summertime: For what is their most poppy album, "Summertime" is the most poppy song, but not in a bad way. It's definitely a love song set within the "Danger Days" world, and it's probably the sweetest MCR song. I also like to think it's called "Summertime" as if it's their attempt at a "pop song of the summer". It's kind of a shame it wasn't a single, as I think it would have succeeded as one.

* Vampire Money: This song was written in response to My Chemical Romance being asked to and refusing to do a song for "Twilight". It's basically about not wanting to do things just because they're popular at the moment. And let's be honest, "Twilight" really was just a fad; hardly anyone talks about it anymore compared to "Harry Potter." The only good things to come from it were songs like Paramore's "Decode" and Muse's " Neutron Star Collision".

* The Kids From Yesterday: To me, this song is about reflection. I like to apply it to school graduations or bidding farewell to a friend moving away, as they can evoke a lot of memories as one era ends and another begins. I think the band views it the same way, since the music video is made up of clips of past live performances.

"The Kids From Yesterday" and "Danger Days" overall are a testament to the artistic evolution of My Chemical Romance. No longer were they a bunch of young men full of pain, but a well-rounded rock band who have changed not only their lives, but those of millions. I think the simplest way to describe the band from album to album is summed up in this image.

CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS (2012-13)

I'm technically cheating on this one in a couple of ways. For one, it's not a true album but a series of singles released between October 2012 and February 2013. Secondly, these songs were recorded prior to "Danger Days", so it's technically their third and a half album. Nevertheless, I still treat "Conventional Weapons" as if it were an album in its own right.

Tonally, "Conventional Weapons" is the bridge between "Black Parade" and "Danger Days." There's a harder sound and somewhat darker imagery, with the best example I think being someone going through a windshield in "Surrender the Night." As these songs were written during production of "Danger Days", there's a lot of connective tissue:

* "Boy Division" contains the "We got the bomb" lyric from "Vampire Money."

* "Make Room" contains "Na Na Na"'s lyrics of "Everybody want to change the world but no one wants to die", as well as some similar background vocals from "Party Poison."

* Some songs between the albums have similar messages, even if they are tonally and structurally different: "Bulletproof Heart" and "Ambulance", "The Only Hope For Me Is You" and "The World is Ugly", and "Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back" and "The Light Behind Your Eyes."

Whether you call it a prototype, darker version, or bonus material, "Conventional Weapons" is definitely connected to "Danger Days", and these are just the most blatant examples I can think of.

My overall favorite song from the album is "The World is Ugly", and I also consider it my second favorite MCR song behind "Famous Last Words". It has a beautiful melody from start to finish that's easy to get into. When the song was released, I viewed it perfectly summed up the way I felt about someone I had strong feelings for at the time. And though those feelings weren't reciprocated, the connection I make with the song doesn't take away how great it is. Plus, the ending lines have callbacks to "Vampires Will Never Hurt You", "Demolition Lovers", and "You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison."

For an album with only ten songs, it's real easy to have other favorites, those being "Boy Division", "Gun", "The Light Behind Your Eyes", and "Burn Bright."

* "Boy Division" starts the album out strong, and much like "Our Lady of Sorrows" and "Give 'Em Hell, Kid", has a lot of energy in its short run time.

* As far as I can tell, "Gun" seems to be the only obvious political song from the band. It's very anti-war, particularly the Middle East conflict ("Can I bleed enough to fill up what the engine takes?") The song seems to be about a young recruit who goes from being excited about enlisting, from getting his gun and uniform, and later realizing the traumatic effects and dangers of combat, like not having a family.

* To me, "The Light Behind Your Eyes" is a song about friendships from past and present and how important they are. You miss the ones that were lost and would do anything for those currently in your life, with the passion about it showing through Gerard's vocals as the song goes on. In the context of "Danger Days", I see it as a song about the Killjoys' struggle, how they've lost comrades but are still willing to put their lives on the line for others all the same; that's why I see "Light Behind Your Eyes" as a more somber version of "Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back."

* "Burn Bright" has a real sense of finality to it. While I think it can apply to a break-up, it closes out the album in grand fashion, and for a time, it was essentially the last MCR song before their break-up.

For a non-album album, it's a worthy addition to the My Chemical Romance library and shouldn't be overlooked.

A month after the final "Conventional Weapons" release, My Chemical Romance announced their break-up on March 22, 2013. A year after that, they released a greatest hits album, "May Death Never Stop You", including one last new song, "Fake Your Death." Many fans feel the song title is the band's way of saying it's just a break and that they could return someday. There's nothing wrong with being hopeful, though as we're now on the sixth anniversary of their break-up, there's no telling when that could be. The band members have gone their separate ways within the music industry, as well as Gerard giving more attention to his comic book career. Everyone seems to still be on good terms with each other, as Gerard says he's open to a reunion someday, though everyone is happy doing their own thing right now.

Even if the band doesn't come together again, My Chemical Romance still lives on through their music and the fans they continue to make through it. They will always have a place in my CD rotation. Should the day come where they do go back on tour again, you can be damn sure I'll bite at the chance to finally see them live. Until then, continue feeling the revenge, long live the Black Parade, and Killjoys, keep making noise.

Movie Review: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" - Expectations Exceeded

When Spider-Man was announced to be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were some fans who were wanting Miles Morales to be used instead of Peter Parker. While I think Miles' story could be reworked to where he was first, it works better to introduce Peter and then bring in Miles later down the line. However, since Sony was also making plans for an animated Spider-Man movie, it was the perfect place for Miles, making fans of both Spider-Men happy.

After the first trailer came out though, I was a little worried. For one, the animation style wasn't what I was expecting, and it took awhile for it to grow on me. The second issue though was that it was announced to be a "Spider-Verse" storyline, meaning Miles wouldn't have been the only spider-person involved. I wasn't a fan of this because it seemed like Miles wasn't getting the solo movie fans were wanting. Still, even if Miles had to share the spotlight, it did look like a fun Spidey movie. Now it's the best reviewed of all the Spider-Man movies, and it won the Academy Award for best animated feature. So yeah, I was worried for nothing.

Despite the other spider-people featured, Miles is still the star. Before and after he gets his powers, Miles' life and relationships are well established, and out of all the Spider-Man movies, this one is the best one to perfectly capture how it is to be an awkward teen in high school. The scene when he's walking down the hall after an embarrassing moment with his anxious thoughts going through his head brought back a lot of high school memories for me. His journey to becoming a new Spider-Man is full of emotional twists as he tries to find the courage, skills, and control he needs to become a hero (and yes, the climax comes down to him alone to save the day). The "leap of faith" scene downright gave me goosebumps.

While I was initially not a fan of the movie's animation style, it turned out to be one of the best aspects of the film. It's so unique to anything that's come before that it was really like a comic book coming to life panel by panel, even down to thought boxes, sound effects and instances of speech bubbles. Comparing it to the 2003 Hulk film, the use of multiple panels on screen to either show multiple situations going on or for a transition is much less distracting, though that may be easier to do in animation than live action. The action and fight scenes are also pretty damn amazing and some of the best I've ever seen in animation. Then you have even the most simple scenes where they're just fun to watch, like Peter and Miles having a conversation while casually walking up and down the sides of buildings.

The voice acting in the film is also perfection, working very well with the character designs, and playing off each other to make the relationships feel real natural. While Peter's had a number of voice actors that fans claim are definitive, like Christopher Daniel Barnes, Josh Keaton, or Yuri Lowenthal, it's really hard to picture any of their voices coming from the Peter in this movie.

Now for the other spider-people.

* We actually get two versions of Peter Parker in this film: a young adult one who made it to being a big time superhero as Spider-Man, and a middle aged version whose life has kind of fallen apart. The former even has a kind of "Spider-Cave" where there are tons of easter eggs for comic fans, from the Spider-Mobile to long row of cases featuring many costumes. With the latter, he has as much of a journey as Miles. Much like how Miles is learning how to be Spider-Man, this Peter is actually trying to find the spark himself to be Spider-Man again. He's grown tired of Uncle Ben's mantra and even willing to sacrifice himself since he feels he has nothing to go back to. If we see him again in a sequel, here's hoping we get to see his attempt to fix things pay off.

* The Spider-Woman version of Gwen Stacy has more of a "blink and you miss it" emotional journey, as she learns to let people get close to her again after the Peter Parker of her world became the Lizard and died (which lines up with her comic origin). Along with Peter, Gwen is the other spider-person Miles becomes close with, planting the seeds of a possible relationship we could see in a sequel. I also consider it a nice touch that the score focusing on her has a punk rock feel to it, working well with her background as drummer.

The other three spider-people don't have as much focus compared to the main three, but they're still entertaining.
* Nicolas Cage has a lot of fun as Spider-Man Noir of the 1930's. The character is more of a private eye of the time compared to how complex he is in the comics, but when you have so many characters in a film, sometimes a simple approach is fine. He does look normal like the main three besides being in black and white; there's also a funny touch in that he's color blind.
* The last two spider-people really stand out because their animation styles are vastly different, retaining the appearance from their own universe rather than changing them to fit with Miles'. First you have Peni Parker and SP//dr, who has a blatant anime influence and is definitely the most chipper of the group. Then of course, we have Spider-Ham, whose Looney Tunes influence and voice provided by John Mulaney helps steal the show in almost every scene he's in.

The main villain of the movie is Kingpin, whose motivation makes him as sympathetic as Mr. Freeze. You understand why he's doing what he's doing, but you have to wonder if his actions will bear the results he truly wants.
While there are other villains present, the one who surprised me was Kathryn Hahn as Olivia Octavius, the Doctor Octopus of Miles' world. Hahn is more well known for comedic roles, so her portraying a mad scientist without going over the top was quite a shock when I realized it was her as the character.

Overall, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" isn't just a good movie, but I consider it to be among the greatest in both the superhero and animated genres. Any lingering issues I have are quite minor in the grand scheme of the film. This may not be Miles' first appearance outside the comics, but "Spider-Verse" cements his place in the mainstream pop culture for years to come.

Retro Review: "Spider-Man: The Last Stand"

We've now come to the final act of Mark Millar's Spider-Man run, "The Last Stand."

PREVIOUSLY IN MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN: With no new leads on Aunt May or her kidnapper, Spider-Man had to deal with a new Venom after Eddie Brock sold off the symbiote in a criminal underground auction. In the aftermath of that, Aunt May's kidnapper contacted Peter and set up a meeting.

"The Last Stand" begins in issue nine with a heartfelt flashback to a 13 year old Peter with Uncle Ben. Peter is upset thinking about how much older Ben and May are compared to his classmates' parents, and is worried about them dying and him being left alone. Ben consoles Peter by telling him about his and May's relatives who had lived long lives, assuring Peter that he isn't going anywhere. One moment of tragic irony and a lifetime spiral of death and misery later brings us to the present. Basically Peter's thinking about all the people who have died due to Peter's life as Spider-Man from Gwen Stacy and her father, to Harry Osborn, Jean DeWolffe and so many others, worrying that Aunt May is next on the list. I snark, but it's amazing just how many people have died during Peter's career as Spider-Man, and yet he still keeps fighting on with his upbeat and joking personality.
We then cut to Peter having his meeting with the kidnapper, and he has no idea who he is. The kidnapper feels insulted that he has to spell it out.
Before I reveal who it is, when this story was first coming out, my big theory was that it was Ben Reilly, Peter's clone from the Clone Saga of the 90's. Honestly, the only thing I had to base that on was the instances shown of the kidnapper having powers similar to Spider-Man. Ben being the kidnapper was a bit of a stretch, considering Marvel had seemed to be wanting to distance themselves from the Clone Saga as much as they could at the time. But Ben had been mentioned through Millar's run twice already, so it seemed possible. Still, it did seem kind of crazy that Ben would come back as a villain. I mean, could you imagine--

Oh right. Well, at least Peter David and Christos Gage gave him a prompt redemption story; and though his solo series was cancelled, hopefully we see him back soon.
Anyway, it turns out the kidnapper was actually Mac Gargan, the Scorpion. It was kind of a letdown, but it was probably just my high hopes of seeing Ben Reilly come back since I was a big fan of the character.
Peter then slams Mac against a nearby building, cracking the window on impact. Mac warns him that if he threatens him again or doesn't listen to him, May's as good as dead. The two sit at a café and Mac reveals that it was indeed Norman Osborn who told him and hired him to kidnap May; they play this off as a big twist, even though Osborn pretty much said this was the case way back in the first act. I don't care if Osborn acted like he was lying, Millar pretty much gave away the motivation from the start. Admittedly, there is more to Osborn's plan, as Mac says May's kidnapping was an insurance policy. Mac explains that once superheroes started popping up in the 1940's, rich businessmen and corporations were worried that the do-gooders would turn their attention to them and their own shady deeds. So to keep the heroes distracted, they basically created the supervillains, with handlers assigning them to specific heroes. Even Osborn was one of the proprietors of the conspiracy until he went crazy and became a supervillain himself. While Bush and Clinton apparently put an end to these programs, those in charge of the cabal never saw any jailtime. I'm not totally against this idea. I mean, it wouldn't be the case for all supervillains, but it's interesting. I kind of see it as how comic book superhero stories escalated, since Superman's first appearance dealt with him serving social justice and taking down corrupt officials. Even comic book readers would be more interested in a colorful costumed villain than some businessman in a suit. It also kind of reminds me of how supervillains are done on the Venture Bros., with villains being assigned enemies based on their threat levels.
With Osborn in jail, the cabal is worried about him spilling secrets so they've arranged for Dr. Octopus to be brainwashed to kill Osborn. With that threat imminent, Mac tells Peter that Osborn wants him to break him out. Peter of course tells him to forget it, but Mac reminds him that May will die if he doesn't, and that there's no other way to save her.
After their meeting, Peter heads home where one of his students, Humberto, is waiting outside since Peter said he would help him with a paper. With everything going on, Peter wants to give Humberto a raincheck, but the paper's due tomorrow. Peter relents and promises Humberto ten minutes. This is another good guy Peter moment I like; Peter could have just blown him off or gave him an extension, but no, even dealing with what he's asked to do, he still takes the time to help a kid interested in science as he is.
The final scene of the issue shows Mac going back to his apartment to pick up his new Scorpion suit, but the Venom symbiote is waiting, wanting to form a new partnership. Mac is hesitant saying he has enough friends, but the symbiote replies "You never had a friend like me before." The issue ends there, but I have this sneaking suspicion that the symbiote broke into a dance number to convince him to bond.

Issue ten begins with Spider-Man at Uncle Ben's grave, with a restored headstone, apologizing that he's about to break the law, but it's the only way to save May. We then cut to Peter and Mary Jane's apartment, where she's trying to convince Peter not to do this since it's just Osborn manipulating their lives again. Peter reiterates he has no choice, and then he and Black Cat head to the prison. To make sure Spider-Man isn't seen doing a prison break, he's wearing black baggy clothes and mask over his regular costume. Before they head inside, Felicia offers Peter the chance to back out and allow her to be the one to break Osborn out; her criminal past can allow her to bear this on her conscience, but she knows it would be harder for Peter. While he appreciates the sentiment, the two head in as planned.
They manipulate the security system to break Osborn out, only for guards to eventually discover him missing and sound the alarm. Spidey, Cat, and Osborn are escaping through the sewer system when they encounter a maintenance worker who radios the guards when he sees them. Osborn tackles him against the wall and makes a break for it, with Cat going after him while Spidey stays behind to check on the worker. Guards then arrive and shoot at Spidey, who submerges himself in the water, staying under so he can get far enough away from the prison. It's going well until the water itself seems to jettison him onto a pier. It turns out it's Hydro-Man, and Sandman is there too holding Black Cat down. Spidey then looks up and sees Norman fully dressed as the Green Goblin and on his glider. Goblin finds it hilarious that Spider-Man actually thought he would have kept his end of the deal, remarking that May only has an hour left to live, and that his last act involved him breaking the law. Spidey and Cat then find themselves surrounded by more villains which Goblin dubs the Sinister Twelve; the other members include Shocker, Lizard, Electro, Vulture, Chameleon, Boomerang, Hammerhead, and Tombstone. Goblin remarks that it's a shame Scorpion didn't show, only for the issue to end with Mac Gargan arriving as the new host of the Venom symbiote.

Issue eleven begins with Goblin surprised and somewhat insulted that Mac isn't wearing the new Scorpion suit he made him, with Mac arguing that being the new Venom is even more of an upgrade. Goblin sets his own pride aside to allow the villains to put an end to Spider-Man while he goes off to kill Mary Jane. Spidey and Cat begin battling the villains only for Cat to be electrocuted and knocked out by Electro. Now alone and surrounded by his enemies, Spider-Man fights on, knowing this could be how he dies and that he let down Mary Jane and Aunt May.
I want to take a timeout from the story though to say that the idea of a Sinister Twelve isn't a bad one, but here, it doesn't live up to its potential. Chameleon, Boomerang, Tombstone, and Hammerhead are barely involved or seen in the fight, and hell, I actually had to look up Wikipedia to identify Hammerhead and Tombstone since the art kind of obscures them in the Sinister Twelve reveal two page spread in issue ten. Besides that, I kind of wish they had more well-known or powerful Spidey villains involved. I mean, Boomerang? Seriously? And Chameleon's whole schtick is being a master of disguise; what does he have to offer here? Why not Mysterio, Rhino, or Molten Man? And comparing this to "Hush", at least the villains involved there had a part to play in the master plan against Batman. Here, it just feels like they threw in whoever they could.
Thankfully for Spidey though, Mary Jane called in the cavalry through SHIELD, who sent in the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil, who help fight the villains and get Cat to safety. Cap says they got this so Spider-Man can go help Mary Jane, who has already been kidnapped by the Goblin. Spidey races through the city only to be blindsided by Venom. The two have a pretty cool battle over the streets, leading to Venom shooting out multiple symbiote tendrils across the buildings and then using them to tear down pieces to crash down on the people below. Spidey moves fast though and is able to catch the rubble in a giant web before anyone is hit; and for the first time since this run began, Spidey gets some actual praise from the citizens. Spidey then pulls out all the stops on Venom, finally defeating him by pulling down a condemned building on top of him. Spidey takes a second to make sure no one else is hurt before going on his way to help MJ. This is the last we see of Venom in this story, and it's worth noting that Gargan would remain as Venom until 2010. In terms of a successor, Gargan wasn't too bad; he definitely had more of the villainous edge Angelo was missing in the last act.
Meanwhile at Riker's Penitentiary, a group of doctors are discussing Osborn's escape over a seemingly unconscious Dr. Octopus, who awakens at the mere mention of Osborn. The doctors try to keep him under control since the brainwashing isn't a precise science and he needs guidance. But there's no going back since Ock has summoned his arms, killing the doctors and going about his mission. I'm at least glad to see Ock with a little more dignity than he was shown in the previous act, even if he was doped up on tranquilizers.
Finding the apartment empty, Spider-Man uses his instincts to try and find Mary Jane, leading him to the Brooklyn Bridge, where he sees Goblin holding her unconscious. The issue ends with a splash page of Goblin's smug face asking "Look familiar, Mister Parker?" For a penultimate issue, it's a pretty ominous cliffhanger.

Issue twelve begins with Spidey trying to talk sense into the Goblin, who's just enjoying watching him squirm, until they're interrupted by the arrival of Doc Ock. It's also worth mentioning that it's started raining, adding more to the ambiance of the situation. Ock's tentacles knock Mary Jane out of Goblin's grasp, but Goblin blasts Ock back with some pumpkin bombs. The distraction allows for Spidey to web his glider and slam Goblin down. The two begin to battle while MJ comes to, pulling out her gun and getting two shots into Goblin. The kickback sends MJ over the edge of the bridge though. As she falls, Peter thinks back to what happened to Gwen, learning from his mistakes then and shooting multiple weblines at MJ to ensure a safe stop. While pulling her back up, Goblin tries to crush them with his own glider, only to be stopped by Ock. As the two villains struggle, lightning strikes the glider, shocking them as well and causing them to fall from the bridge into the water. After Peter and MJ embrace each other, Peter remarks that there's no way of finding May in time, until something clicks in his head. He then swings off, leaving MJ on top of the bridge and telling her to wait for the police. Oh yeah Pete, just leave your wife at the very top of a tall bridge in the middle of a thunderstorm. You know it could have taken you probably five seconds to drop her down to street level.
Peter remembers choice words from both Osborn and Gargan and how they described May's situation, as well as remembering Rachel's vision from the previous act. He puts it together that May had been drugged and buried alive in the cemetery right next to Uncle Ben's grave. Peter is able to dig her out, and while he thinks he's too late at first, she eventually starts breathing again, and Peter embraces her. I will say though that Rachel's vision of the tombstone in the previous act was a clever foreshadowing to her location.
In the aftermath, all the villains are taken into custody, except for Osborn who was never recovered from the river, Felicia is healing in the hospital, the new Scorpion is being sold at auction, and Jameson is praising Spider-Man since he still thinks it's his son, John. There's also a scene with Aunt May finding Peter sulking at a spot he occasionally goes to on the Brooklyn Bridge, who first comforts him by telling him that she's moving back into the old house, which the new owner is allowing her to rent at a good price, and selling the new apartment she was going to move into gives Peter and MJ enough to pay off their debts (so there's that subplot resolved). Peter is still upset though that him being Spider-Man put her in so much danger, but she reminds him that it's because he's Spider-Man that he was able to save her and so many others in the past, signifying his importance by giving him his costume which she had brought in a bag. She then makes a crack about how Mary Jane says he throws a hissy-fit over being Spider-Man like this every so often before he eventually regains his senses as they head home to have some wheatcakes.
This story finally comes to an end with a letter Osborn sends to Peter, congratulating him on once again besting him, that he lives for their battles, and in a sick way, hopes there are no hard feelings. Yeesh, and I thought Joker had an unhealthy obsession with Batman.

I'd consider "The Last Stand" to be my favorite of the three acts of this story, since it gets right to the point, has some pretty climactic moments with Spidey against Goblin and Venom, and it wraps up everything very well. Plus, it's the act that doesn't remind me of my hatred of "One More Day" like the others did.
Despite my nit-picking through all these posts, I overall find Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" run pretty serviceable. While the plot can run a little slow (especially in "Venomous"), Millar does get Peter's character and relationships right, and it features a good variety of his rogue's gallery, even if some of it is underutilized. Terry Dodson's art style is also very unique, giving it a different feel compared to other Spider-Man stories. I can't really recommend it to brand new readers, but if you're well versed in Spider-Man knowledge through maybe movie, games, or cartoons, it's definitely worth a look, though it really should be read in one setting.

Movie Review: Captain Marvel - Hear Her Roar

As we near the end of an era in the Marvel Cinematic Universe next month with "Avengers: Endgame", a big part of the Phase Three films has been setting up new heroes to carry on with the original Avengers who launched the MCU most likely on their way out. There's one hero in particular Marvel is hoping to lead the charge after Tony, Cap, and Thor are gone: Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel. And despite those hoping to make her solo film a failure, it is anything but. If anything, it shows the future of the MCU is in good hands.

Tonally, I see the film as a perfect bridge between the Earth based heroes like the Avengers and the universe trotting of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Sure, we already saw these aspects collide in "Infinity War", but "Captain Marvel" allows for time to breathe. If anything, it's like a Phase One origin film, as it brings about this realism that helped ground the MCU when it began with an infusion of aspects of the Guardians' films, like the ship jump technology.

Having it set in 1995 also helps it really stand out compared to the rest of the MCU. I really enjoyed just how deep into the 90's they went, from the aesthetics, fashion, music, and references, including how slow computers were back then (man, I do not miss those days). The only other period piece we've had is the first Captain America film, and the Agent Carter series that spun off. I wouldn't mind if Marvel did more films like that in the future.

Brie Larson does a good job as Carol Danvers and the journey her character goes through. She's brave, tough, caring, and funny, so those who thought her performance wouldn't have much range based on the trailers should no longer worry. I see a lot of similarities between her story and that of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. Her whole life, people have been underestimating her and/or not even giving her a chance, and it leads to a very satisfying climax where she shines and her true power is showcased; but above all, they both make it clear they won't back down and never give up in the face of adversity. Unlike Wonder Woman though, Carol's journey is more complex with her memories impaired, with her true potential not coming through until she pieces her life together as both a human and a Kree, allowing her to become the hero she's meant to be. The film does take some liberties with her origin that will probably upset comic purists, but really work within the context of the MCU. And without spoiling much, viewers will understand just why and how Carol will be able to go toe-to-toe with a fully assembled Infinity Gauntlet wielding Thanos in "Endgame".

Samuel Jackson returns as Nick Fury, and first off, the de-aging technology is once again on point. It's one thing to use it for flashback scenes like the Ant-Man movies, but being able to keep it up for a whole film without it looking weird is amazing. Having a younger Fury is also fun to watch, seeing him be so green in his first encounter with extraordinary people compared to the hardened spy who helped form the Avengers. Plus, I love the back and forth he and Larson have. Since the characters have some similar backgrounds, their interaction feels natural.

Clark Gregg also makes his return to the films as Phil Coulson, where he's shown as a new agent just starting out. What I love about his inclusion is that we see the bond he and Fury form that carries into the present day MCU. Also, while I know it's not possible, seeing the two together as such young agents makes me want to see the two in a buddy cop series.

As most will probably say, Goose the cat is a surprisingly fun addition to the film. As a cat owner and lover myself, I really enjoyed Goose's interaction with the characters and his own funny moments. And for those who unfortunately had the twist in the character spoiled beforehand, even when it was revealed, it was still a surprising moment that comes out of nowhere, and it adds a new aspect to have fun with.

The films touches upon the Kree-Skrull War from the comics. The Kree remain the same as in the comics and what we've seen so far in the MCU. Our main Kree character is Von-Rogg, played by Jude Law. He acts as Carol's mentor, hoping to instill in her the core Kree beliefs that he embodies. We also have the MCU debut of the Skrulls. First off, the make-up and costumes are great and their shapeshifting effects are really cool, being pretty detailed during the transformations. They do make a major change to the Skrulls though, and while I won't spoil it here, I don't think purists will like it. But damn it, it's another change that they make work. Going off that, the main Skrull character Talos, played by Ben Mendelsohn, is much different than I expected. Considering Mendelsohn has played villainous roles before in "Dark Knight Rises" and "Rogue One", it's kind of interesting to see him as a character that has a serious mission, but also has heart and wit to him.

Overall, "Captain Marvel" is as fun and enjoyable as other MCU origin films, particularly Phase One, adhering to the formula set by other Marvel films while also doing enough to help it stand out. It gives us the last stop on the road to "Endgame" and I can't wait to see Carol interact with the Avengers and more of her own adventures in the future.