Comics Review: "The Riddler: Year One" - A Loaded Question Mark

 

One of many highlights of "The Batman" was Paul Dano's performance as the Riddler. To prepare for the role, Dano developed ideas for Riddler's backstory, which director Matt Reeves was impressed with so much that he arranged a meeting between Dano and DC to portray them in a comic book. This would lead to "The Riddler: Year One", a six issue miniseries published through DC's Black Label imprint that acts as a prequel directly leading into Reeves' film. As we wait for the sequel and spin-off shows, this miniseries helps tide us over by giving us more insight into the Dark Knight's enigmatic enemy.

This book was so enthralling that I had to read it all in one sitting. In the beginning, Edward Nashton was a forensic accountant with dangerously low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts, eventually discovering the Renewal conspiracy as we saw in the film. This comic goes into detail of Nashton's thought process as he lays out his plans to root out the corruption in Gotham and how his idolization of the Batman leads him to create his own masked persona. While I admittedly found some ideas here derivative of the Joker movie, the comic adds new layers to Dano's performance and the Riddler's goals and motivations, as well as a hint of sympathy.

Assisting Dano with artwork on the series is Stevan Subic, who does a great job at showing Nashton's point of view of the world and his memories. For the most part, the art style has a grittiness similar to "The Imposter" (which is an apt comparison given that book's own connections with the film). But the parts that really stand out are Nashton's dark thoughts not only seen in his own mind but also corrupting his view of the real world. It brings such a surrealness that evokes Dave McKean's artwork from the 1989 Arkham Asylum graphic novel and to some degree the animated segments of Pink Floyd's "The Wall".

The fourth and fifth issues of the series were true standouts to me.
Issue four flashes back to Nashton's life in the orphanage up to taking the forensic accountant job. This is where the surrealness of Subic's artwork does wonders, with a good use of dark and light colors and stylistic choices as we travel through Nashton's perceived memories.

For a majority of issue five, we sift through one of Nashton's journals like we're actually reading one of the binders found in his apartment. The further in you go by reading his feelings and how he's conceiving his plans, the more deranged the handwriting and drawings become. While it's easy to read it in Dano's voice, it's like you can even hear the inflections in his voice like in the movie just from how the words look written on the page. While I said I read this book in one setting, I actually had to take a few minutes to return to reality before moving on to the final issue. I know Dano had been inspired by serial killers in his performance, but the manifesto that was issue five alone shows just how dedicated he was to the role.

In conclusion, if you enjoyed "The Batman" and want to learn more about what drove Edward Nashton's crusade, "The Riddler: Year One" is a must-read. As you take a trip through this character's psyche, you'll gain even more appreciation for an already stellar performance.

Movie Review: The Marvels - Just Go With It

 

2023 hasn't been the best year for Marvel Studios. While "Guardians 3" and season two of "Loki" did well overall, "Quantumania" got a mixed response and "Secret Invasion" was a new low. Though it's a bit of a tennis match between the good and bad products, it's clear they're not the unstoppable juggernaut they once were and it appears with multiple projects being delayed that they're undergoing an overhaul which will hopefully rebuild confidence in the brand. With all these troubles, it's easy to understand why people are writing off "The Marvels", the sequel to 2019's "Captain Marvel" which sees Carol Danvers teaming up with Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, with Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani reprising their respective roles. While the overall response is mixed but more positive than "Quantumania", the box office hasn't been pretty and seen by some to be the deathblow to Marvel. But does "The Marvels" warrant such treatment? Is there anything of value to be found here? While I think there is, there are problems.

Right off the bat, the best thing about this movie is the chemistry between the three leads. Particularly during a training montage, you can tell the actresses were having a lot of fun on set. Their individual powers also play well off each other, making for some entertaining action scenes. I also like how the theme of hero worship was dealt with on different levels. While Monica looked up to Carol as a family member and eventually became disenchanted leading to a reconciliation., Kamala loves Captain Marvel in a celebrity sense (and her fangirl reactions are hilarious) and is getting to know her past a surface level. I'm just thankful on the latter that they avoid a whole "never meet your heroes" third act break-up.
On the flipside though, I didn't care for Zawe Ashton as the main villain, Dar-Benn. She's about as engaging as her fellow accuser, i.e. Lee Pace's Ronan in "Guardians 1", mixed with the scene chewing of Elizabeth Banks' Rita Repulsa.

I'm a bit mixed on the story.
They said going in they were going for a wacky tone, and along with standard Marvel comedy, they definitely weren't overselling. But it's not as bad as you'd think. It's the kind of wacky where you just have to roll with the punches and embrace how insane something is, whether it be a planet where the inhabitants communicate only in song or a horde of monster kittens swallowing people to save their lives (which is cute and terrifying).
On the bad side though, it does feel like there were portions cut from the film in order to keep it under two hours (which based on "Suicide Squad" and Joss-tice League is never a good sign). The main issue I found is that they kind of breeze through Carol's actions between her solo film and "Endgame" and doesn't delve deep enough into how it affected her.
The Marvels is also another victim of what I'm calling the "Disney+ crutch", where the series on the service are essential to understand the movie. While not as pivotal to the plot like "Multiverse of Madness", watching "WandaVision" and "Ms. Marvel" help add to the context of references made to them in the film. Again, not everyone streams, so you're leaving part of the audience out of the know. Like, it's fine to reference to other stories, but it has to be subtle. Marvel's done it between the films in the past; Falcon recruited Ant-Man in "Civil War" based a past interaction, but they didn't take you out of the main story to go into detail about their fight in the first Ant-Man movie. Please Marvel, when "Captain America 4" comes out, just show Sam established as the new Cap and get to the story at hand. And on a related note, one plot point in this movie also makes "Secret Invasion" even worse and shows that whole story was entirely avoidable.

Overall, The Marvels isn't the worst. I'd say it's just above "Iron Man 2" and "Thor: The Dark World". It's still entertaining with our lead characters and a unique kind of craziness. There are definitely issues present, but there's still fun to be had as well.

TV Review: Loki Season Two - Time of Glory

 

After 12 years, I think it's safe to say people love Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He's stolen the show in every movie he played a major part in, his Disney+ series is widely considered to be the best to come from Marvel, and he's the only character so far to officially get a second season. And that second season retains the glory of the first and takes it to higher levels.

As we saw at the end of last season, the multiverse was born within the MCU. While we've already seen the effects of this with "No Way Home" and "Multiverse of Madness", season two of Loki picks up directly after that as the TVA contemplates how to handle the branches in the timeline. With the revelation that everyone within the TVA is a variant, this makes some want to protect those timelines now knowing the ramifications of their actions while some would prefer to continue the work to defend the sacred timeline, creating a civil war within the organization. There's even an aspect of some TVA employees wanting to return to the lives they lost; it's kind of like a reverse of The Matrix in realizing their life was a lie, only the real world they want to return to is the world like ours.

All the acting is stellar this season from those returning and the new additions.
Tom Hiddleston continues to kill it as the god of mischief. While the Loki we see has officially crossed the line from villain to hero, there are moments he shines when that villainous side pops out, showing he still has that edge to him. There was a moment during the final episode where it got me thinking Hiddleston may have the potential to play the Doctor someday. It could work if you think about it; maybe after Ncuti Gatwa's run. And his chemistry with Owen Wilson's Mobius is still one of the best parts of the series. The two are pretty much partners now, giving the show a sense of a crime procedural with a time travel twist.
New cast member Ke Huy Quan is a real MVP as Ouroboros, or "OB". Quan retains the same energy that put him in the spotlight with "Everything Everywhere All At Once" and brings a lot of fun to the series with his quirky science and interactions with other characters.
Jonathan Majors returns to the series as Victor Timely, giving quite a different performance from what we've seen him do before as He Who Remains and Kang. While his future within the MCU is still up in the air with his legal troubles, it's pretty clear why he was cast as Kang and his variants in the first place; the dude has range. On a related note, there's kind of a weird competition between Renslayer and Miss Minutes for Timely's attention, giving me vibes of Wendy and Tinkerbell fighting over Peter Pan. And if you thought Miss Minutes was creepy at the end of last season, that's just the tip of the iceberg with how crazy this cartoon clock gets here; props to Tara Strong's voice performance.

The final episode gives a solid ending to the narrative of one of Marvel's best series. As for Loki himself, let's just say this version gets a fine conclusion to his arc like other MCU characters who have retired from their roles with an ending in the vein of All-Star Superman (if I could make a DC comparison). I still think we'll see Tom return for "Kang Dynasty" and "Secret Wars" and reunite with Chris Hemsworth's Thor. Until then, there's a bittersweet satisfaction to seeing Loki fulfill his glorious purpose.

TV Review: Doom Patrol Season Four - Weirdpocalypse

Like "Titans", "Doom Patrol" was one of the inaugural original shows for the now defunct DC Universe streaming service that continued over to (HBO)Max for a total of four seasons. Between the two shows, "Doom Patrol" was consistently better with its in-depth character exploration and surreal nature. And it's certainly the clear winner when it comes to the final season as well.

Initially, the season got off to a slow and worrying start for me. I kind of got season two vibes with the barrage of f-bombs being dropped, though now the others were getting in on Cliff's schtick. There was also a fear that the show may be getting too weird with the main threat appearing to be an impending apocalypse brought on by the Werebutts we've seen before on the show (referred to as the Buttpocalypse). That also added a ticking clock aspect similar to "Umbrella Academy"; considering the two shows have been compared to each other since they started, it kind of felt like "Doom Patrol" was leaning into those similarities. Funny enough though, Gerard Way has also written some Doom Patrol comics and they dropped a couple MCR easter eggs this season.
However, as the season went on, many of these fears were alleviated. Along with a more direct threat in Immortus, much of what made the show so beloved shined through again. While having lots of laughs along the way, there were plenty of emotional moments that resulted in scene after scene featuring the best performances of the entire series. Compared to how it felt with "Titans", I think everyone here knew for sure this was going to be the final season, so they wanted to go all out with a story that brought everything full circle and gave our heroes as much of a happy ending as a show like this could deliver.

Two episodes really stood out as the best of the season to me. The first was "Casey Patrol", which was a Dorothy focused episode, showing what she's been up to since leaving the manor in season three and how she's dealt with her father's death. This episode also introduced my favorite new character of the season, Casey Brinke, played by Madeline Zima. While coming off at first as a Captain Marvel pastiche, Zima's performance shows a deep character trying to find her place in the universe. Plus, while brief, I really liked her chemistry with Jane.
The other highlight is "Immortimas Patrol", a holiday musical episode. If you've wondered how a Christmas episode of Doom Patrol would work, this is your answer. It's a holiday special that doesn't deviate from the show's tone and continues the narrative of the season. Plus, who knew everyone on this show, both starring and recurring, was such a damn good singer.

Between "Titans" and the DCEU, this year has seen the clear or potential end to a lot of live action versions of DC characters this year. And I was totally ready to write off this season of "Doom Patrol" too. But props to everyone who worked on this show. They delivered one last hurrah that will remind you why this show was so good and make you miss these characters once it's over.
Now before I go into a show-hole, I'm going to leave you with a moment from season one that's lived rent-free in my head since that encapsulates the meaning of the show.

Video Game Review: Spider-Man 2 - Twice as Nice

 

After a stellar first outing and a spin-off no less important, Insomniac's Spider-Man 2 promised to up the ante from what came before. Being released the next console up on the Playstation 5, expanding the open world of New York to include Brooklyn and Queens, and the introduction of the Venom symbiote, it all seemed too much to deliver. And yet they did, elevating everything that made the previous games great and further cementing this universe as both the best adaptation of Spider-Man and the best superhero video game series.

Right from the get-go, this game goes big with the initial mission/tutorial having Peter and Miles going up against a giant Sandman. And it only gets better from there as you retain your skills from before while also learning some new tricks. While you can't switch between the Spider-Men when they're together in a fight, it's still cool to do duo finishers (along with other characters you end up teaming up with on some missions). And if you thought web-swinging was fun, just wait until you use the web-wings. Even the Mary Jane stealth missions are better as she's able to fight back if spotted, instead of just having to restart at the last checkpoint. There's a real immersive experience to the game in my opinion. This applies to soaring on the web-wings, but more prominently with the symbiote. While past games with emphasis on the symbiote like Spider-Man 3, Web of Shadows, and Shattered Dimensions have included rage boosts before, this game has a way of making you feel lost consumed by it and every impact you deliver to the enemies.

While it continues the evolution of Spider-Man games, I feel Spider-Man 2 also incidentally pays homage to its history. Along with reminding me of the games I mentioned prior, the Spider-Man app developed in Miles' game our heroes continue to use made me think of the Spider-Man 2 movie game (the first open world Spidey game mind you) where citizens would flag you down to alert you of a nearby emergency. Players of those past games may will sure get a sense of nostalgia.

Like the other Insomniac games, there's a cinematic quality to the story that once again outshines any of the live action films and gives Peter and Miles their own compelling while connected arcs. While I see inspiration from comics like "Kraven's Last Hunt", the Ultimate universe, and Donny Cates' Venom run, Spider-Man 2's story is its own monster. There are tons of emotional moments from beginning to end that will keep you invested in just about every character, main and supporting.

If I had to pick out the themes of the story, it's relationships, mental health, and addiction. Peter, Miles, Mary Jane, and Harry Osborn are all going through personal struggles and some feeling of inadequacy and show them handling it in different ways, and not always healthily. In some cases, the symbiote is used as a coping mechanism, with the best comparison I can come up with being drug use. It allows you to let go of your problems and feel great, but the more you use it and claim there's not a problem, the more it pushes away your loved ones and makes you unrecognizable from your first exposure.

The best highlight to come from this game of course is Venom himself. This is the most terrifying adaptation of the character, with a horror aspect amplified by the voice work of Candyman himself, Tony Todd. His look may remind you of Tom Hardy's Venom, but that version is downright tame compared to what we see here. There's a brief time once the monster is truly born where you play as him and rampage through OsCorp and Times Square and holy shit it is brutal. Hardy's Venom may bite people's heads off with as much gore as PG-13 will allow, but this Venom will break your spine and toss you aside like nothing.

There's a real even split between the main story and side missions. When it comes to the latter, you can tell there was a lot of heart put into them and not just there as busy work or extra credit. They not only carry over the sense of community from Miles' game, but some of them have an emotional pay-off that hit just as much as the main story. And much like Arkham City did for Arkham Knight, the side missions appear to lay the seeds for what's to come in the third installment, setting up villains sure to thorns in our heroes' sides.

The only real gripe I have is that the civilian missions tend to drag on. However, something I did like with said missions involving a teenage Peter in flashbacks show he had a haircut like the Ultimate universe version. It was a nice touch.

If it's not clear, Spider-Man 2 is as fun and engaging as comic fans and gamers were hoping it would be. And I have to say, what I really love about this series is that it continues and allows the story and characters to move forward, something Marvel seems afraid to let happen in the mainstream comics. Spider-Man 3 will surely be worth what will probably be another long wait. Until then, let's see what Insomniac brings us next with their upcoming Wolverine game.

Comics Review: "Young Justice: Targets" - Last Call

 

If I had a nickel for every time "Young Justice" was cancelled with the last episode having a big Darkseid tease, I'd have two. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice.
Yes, since "Phantoms" last year, "Young Justice" has been cancelled for the second time. And like before, fans have been campaigning for another renewal. Which brings us to today's review.
Set directly after "Phantoms", "Young Justice: Targets" is a six-issue miniseries written by series co-creator Greg Weisman that began releasing soon after the finale. It sees our young heroes in search of the kidnapped Queen Perdita of Vlatlava, a supporting character since season one and Beast Boy's love interest in seasons three and four. With the series' cancellation announced during the book's run, part of the campaign for renewal was fans believing good sales could show there's still interest. In my case I trade waited, which I think should count for something.
Whether this is the last story set in the "Young Justice" universe or not, "Targets" is still a fun read and a reminder of what makes it unique.

While it shouldn't come as a surprise, Greg Weisman's writing captures the tone and characters of the series well, even in still images. And credit for that also goes to artist Christopher Jones, who drew the tie-in book for the series during its first two seasons in the early 2010's (he's also worked on tie-in books for other animated series like "The Batman" and "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes"). The two make a good pairing and deliver what is somewhat a movie or multi-episode story for the show, with plenty of callbacks and new elements to enjoy.
Story wise, it's kind of back-to-basics. I guess some people didn't like the approach "Phantoms" took with dividing focus on characters for their personal arcs. Understandable, though I think "Targets" will satisfy what people initially came to the show for: the young heroes of the Team and Outsiders uniting to fight evil.

Just don't go in thinking it will tie-up any loose ends or act as a grand finale. That wasn't the intent of the book and I believe Greg Weisman has said he doesn't write the series with a finishing point in mind. Which I get, since life doesn't have that either, and a mindset like that helps "Young Justice" feel authentic as a show. I don't know if a fifth season will come to light or if buying "Targets" will have any influence on that decision. But if Futurama can come back 13 years after its own second cancellation, who knows? In any case, there's still fun in trying with reading "Targets" and showing support for "Young Justice".

Movie Review: Blue Beetle - Hope for the Future

 

I've talked before how I like the concept of the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle way back in my DC Rebirth series of posts. Since looking at that Blue Beetle one-shot, I would go on to read and enjoy the rest of that volume of the series until its cancellation. A new series is set to start next month as part of the "Dawn of DC" initiative and I'm looking forward to picking that up. But before that, we have the character's big screen debut to look at. DC's been in desperate need for a win in the movie department this year and (as expected) "Blue Beetle" is without question the best to come from them in 2023.

"Blue Beetle" delivers an exciting and emotional story that brings an enjoyable breath of fresh air not just for DC but superhero movies in general. It does a better version of an alien symbiotic partnership compared to Tom Hardy's Venom movies and incorporates legacy heroes much better than what "Black Adam" did with the Justice Society. The visual effects when it comes to scarab bring a somewhat horror feel to the suit-up scenes and the weapon manifestation coupled with the choreography make the fight scenes even more satisfying when Jaime is delivering some well-deserved ass whoopings.

While there's a lot done that makes the film feel like a comic book, what stood out to me more was how grounded and close to reality it could be. Jaime's dynamics with his family felt really authentic and you become easily invested in their relationships. It also touches on modern real world social issues such as class discrepancies, white privilege, and how a college degree unfortunately doesn't guarantee anything.

Xolo Mariduena is truly a breakout star as he brings a fresh face to the DC universe. His love for his family and his need to find a place in the world is relatable and his performance while trying to understand and become in sync with the scarab makes for an entertaining hero's journey.

George Lopez is a real scene stealer as Jaime's uncle Rudy, whose eccentricity is the main source of comic relief in the film. Rudy's a real conspiracy theorist, and as you'd expect, his family thinks he's being silly when he turns out to probably be the smartest one of the bunch.

I only have two real areas of criticism, the first being the villains. Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord is an insufferable walking cliche: a xenophobic fascist who values money over human life, which I know would make her a hero to certain groups. Every time she appeared on screen, I counted down the seconds until she was gone or until she finally got her comeuppance. Carapax/OMAC (played by Raoul Max Trujillo) is a little better as we see he's conflicted about his actions, but it's kind of overshadowed with how ruthless he becomes when fighting Jaime. The two enemies do find some common ground, but I feel it comes a little too late.

And DC, could you please stop using your post-credits scenes as jokes? The mid-credits scene was a good tease for the future, but the very end was as much a time waster like the ones for "Fury of the Gods" and "The Flash". There's nothing wrong with post-credits being used for extra laughs, but there needs to be substance to it, like an easter egg for the diehard fans. Great examples include Deadpool's Ferris Bueller style farewell, Cap's patience PSA, or the Grandmaster trying to save face with those he enslaved.

While initially developed as part of the DCEU, "Blue Beetle" is able to stand on its own enough as a film and James Gunn is interested in fitting it into his reboot plans. So for all intents and purposes, "Blue Beetle" is 'movie zero' of the new DCU. While critics and audiences are enjoying the film, "Blue Beetle" may not be able to escape the box office slump DC has been facing. So while a sequel may not come to pass, I hope we do get to see more of the Reyes family in future projects.

Overall, "Blue Beetle" is easily one of DC's best films and my second favorite 2023 superhero movie after Guardians 3. There's a lot to love about it and should definitely be seen on the big screen.