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ODD MOON MEDIA REVIEWS

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BDC
October 2020

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

“RAVISHING” RICK RUDE & THE NASTY BOYS: BRIAN KNOBBS & JERRY SAGS, with MISSY HYATT vs. STING, RICKY “THE DRAGON” STEAMBOAT, & “NATURE BOY” RIC FLAIR, with ‘FIFI’ (WCW Saturday Night: Televised 11-27-1993)

SUMMARY:                       RUNNING TIME: 19:18 Min.

Televised on WCW Saturday Night on November 27, 1993, this six-man main event occurs four weeks before Starrcade 1993 – where “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair would supposedly risk his career for a WCW World Title challenge against the reigning incumbent, Vader. 

At the time this bout was aired (but not necessarily filmed), “Ravishing” Rick Rude was the WCW International World Heavyweight Champion (having defeated Flair) while The Nasty Boys: Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sages were WCW’s World Tag Team Champions.  Accompanying The Nasty Boys to ringside is their unlikely valet, Missy Hyatt.

Their formidable opposition is a trio of former (and/or future) WCW World Champions: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Sting, and Flair.  They are accompanied by Flair’s valet/maid (and, decades later, his real-life spouse), ‘Fifi.’ 

Filmed at WCW Saturday Night’s Atlanta, GA studio facility, the Center Stage Theater, the announcers are Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Tony Schiavone. 

REVIEW:

The bout’s slow start is further hampered by Ventura’s unnecessarily slow realization that Hyatt utilizes hair extensions – which Schiavone has to explain to him.  Along with this dubious exchange between the announcing team, the preponderance of in-ring star power falls short of translating into a must-see showdown. It’s really more of the caliber of what one might see at a (non-televised) house show. 

Of the six combatants, Steamboat gets the least amount of screen time while a game Flair unusually absorbs the brunt of the punishment.  For long-time fans, the rare sight of Flair or Sting vs. The Nastys … or any of the three ex-World Champions facing off against arch-rival Rude is certainly watchable action. 

As for the opposing valets, unfortunately, neither one contributes anything resembling talent — as they weren’t likely scripted a chance to do so. Still, it’s bizarre seeing the traditionally glammed-up Hyatt aligned with Knobbs & Sags – and such incongruity is as contrived as it sounds. Regarding ‘Fifi,’ WCW evidently sought a demure Miss Elizabeth wanna-be to stand pretty in Flair’s corner. Yet, she lacks the late Elizabeth Hulette’s presence and charm conveying the same role with “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Replacing ‘Fifi’ months later with “Sensational/Scary/Sensuous” Sherri Martel for Flair’s next heel run was at least a logical WCW personnel move.

This formulaic bout (including a chaotic finish), suffice to say, is merely lukewarm average.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   5½ Stars

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Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

DC PRIDE: LOVE AND JUSTICE (DC Comics)

Written by (See Below).

Art by (See Below).

Collection Cover Art by Jim Lee & Tamra Bonvillain.

SUMMARY:

In 2024, DC Comics released this 124-page hardcover consisting of twelve short stories, plus assorted bonus materials.  The 2018-2021 reprints were compiled from: DC Pride # 1; New Year’s Evil # 1; Mysteries of Love in Space # 1; and Young Monsters in Love # 1. 

The tales are:    

  • Batwoman / Alice: The Wrong Side of The Glass (10 pages).  Writer: James Tynion IV & artwork by Trung Le Nguyen & Aditya Bidikar.  Kate Kane’s Batwoman wistfully recalls a childhood ‘looking glass’ game she had played with her twin sister, Beth.  After Beth’s supposed death, this game’s mirror-like influence would take an emotional toll in shaping Kate’s womanhood.  In the present-day, Batwoman and Beth (now called Alice) are compelled to play a different game against the Mad Hatter. 
  • Extraño, Constantine, & Midnighter: By The Victors (8 pages).  Writer: Steve Orlando & artwork by Stephen Byrne & Josh Reed.  In a London pub one night, John Constantine attempts to hook up with a married sorcerer, Extraño – Gregorio De La Vega.  De La Vega subsequently recounts a date night team-up with the Midnighter against a neo-Nazi vampire, Count Berlin.  Afterwards, Constantine isn’t by any means romantically deterred.     
  • Renee Montoya’s Question: Try The Girl (4 pages).  Writer: Vita Ayala & artwork by Skylar Partridge, José Villarubia;, & Ariana Maher.  The Question tries to avert a bleak ending for Gotham defense attorney, Valeria Johnson, who has evidently been abducted by thugs with an unknown motive.  The sparkling end teases a possible new relationship for Renee Montoya.
  • Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn: Another Word for a Truck to Move Your Furniture (8 pages).  Writer Mariko Tamaki & artwork by Amy Reeder, Marissa Louise, & Ariana Maher.  In battle against a monster plant threatening Gotham City, Poison Ivy prods Harley Quinn into taking their romance more seriously.
  • Alan Scott’s Green Lantern & Obsidian: He’s The Light of My Life! (8 pages).  Writer: Sam Johns & artwork by Klaus Janson, Dave McCaig, & Tom Napolitano.  Meeting his son Todd’s boyfriend, Alan Scott (also now publicly out) reveals a poignant glimpse of his first love prior to his destiny as Green Lantern.    
  • Future State Flash: Clothes Makeup Gift (8 pages).  Writer: Danny Lore & artwork by Lisa Sterle; Enrica Angiolini; & Becca Carey.  Facing a new Mirror Master, Jess Chambers’ Flash finds she might run short on time preparing for her imminent date night with Andy Curry – Aquaman & Mera’s daughter.
  • Pied Piper: Be Gay, Do Crime (4 pages). Writer: Sina Grace & artwork by Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, & Aditya Bidikar.  In Keystone City, the Pied Piper thwarts Drummer Boy’s mind-controlled heist, only to find they have a common adversary.
  • Dreamer: Date Night (8 pages).  Writer: Nicole Maines & artwork by Rachael Stott, Enrica Eren Angiolini, & Steve Wands.  Before her movie date with Brainiac Five, Nia Nal (Dreamer) honors a prior commitment taking down a League of Shadows cell group in National City.  Note: Dreamer’s transgenderism isn’t referenced.
  • Monsieur Mallah & The Brain: Visibility (8 pages).  Writer: Steve Orlando & artwork by Nic Klein & Tom Napolitano.  To end a hostage crisis, Metropolis SCU Captain Maggie Sawyer tries to bargain with Monsieur Mallah and an uncooperative Brain.  The Brotherhood of Evil duo’s intertwined origin is also presented in flashback.
  • Crush: Crushed (8 pages).  Writer: Andrea Shea & artwork by Amancay Nahuelpan, & Trish Mulvihill.  In Portland,  a furious 15-year-old Crush seeks vengeance after her date ends in a sinister double-cross.
  • Renee Montoya & Harley Quinn: Little Christmas Tree (8 pages).  Writer: Vita Ayala & artwork by Elena Casagrande, Jordie Bellaire, & Dave Sharpe.  Prior to the Christmas weekend, Detective Montoya intervenes in saving Harley Quinn from a bad arrest by the Gotham City Police.  Sensing Renee’s loneliness, an undeterred Harley won’t take ‘no’ for an answer in reciprocating the kindness.    
  • Jackson Hyde’s Aqualad & Justice League Queer: Love Life (8 pages).  Writer: Andrew Wheeler & artwork by Luciano Vecchio, Rex Lokus, & Becca Carey.  Jackson & Sylvan “Syl” Ortega’s first date at a Pride parade is marred by Eclipso’s menacing presence.

Notes: This title is also available digitally.  Though he appears on the collection’s cover, Apollo appears only in a brief cameo in the last story.

REVIEW:

Starting with the varying artistic styles, the visuals are generally a welcome asset.  None of these twelve stories skimp on their caliber of artwork, but, as one could expect, it’s a matter of visual preference.  As for the scripting, however, it’s obvious that readers are getting glorified back-up tales.  For efficiency’s sake, it’s best to rate these stories individually.

  • “The Wrong Side of The Glass.”        Rating: 8 Stars.

Quick Take: James Tynion IV’s insightful deep dive into Kate Kane’s psyche blends well with the low-key visuals.     

  • “By The Victors.”      Rating: 3½ Stars.

Quick Take: Love and Justice’s best artwork is frankly squandered by Constantine’s blatant effort flirting with a married sorcerer.  Ambiguity stems from his actual objective: is he seeking an undefined team-up against an evil force or just merely a tawdry fling?  As it’s evidently the latter, good taste precludes from revealing the last page’s unnecessary inference.    

  • “Try The Girl.”         Rating: 8½ Stars.

Quick Take: Given only so much can transpire in four pages, Valeria Johnson’s introduction suggests definite potential as Renee Montoya’s potential new love interest.  Vita Ayala’s well-played writing and the art team’s terrific visuals make this entry likely Love and Justice’s best read. 

  • “Another Word for a Truck to Move Your Furniture.”     Rating: 6 Stars.

Quick Take: Considering the amount of exposure that DC already allots Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn’s romance, this tale doesn’t contribute anything new.  Aside from its double-entendre title, it’s just an okay read.  Still, the story’s quirky entertainment value should please the duo’s fanbase. 

  • “He’s The Light of My Life!”     Rating: 6 Stars.

Quick Take: It’s an intriguing read, as Alan Scott reconnects with his estranged son over a newly acknowledged common bond.  The story’s visuals are reasonably good.  What might give fans pause, however, is DC’s retroactive tinkering with Alan Scott’s established backstory approximately eighty years after the character’s Golden Age debut.

  • “Clothes Makeup Gift.”        Rating:  6½ Stars.

Quick Take: Supported by nice artwork, the plotting should appeal to the Future State Flash’s fans.

  • “Be Gay, Do Crime.”            Rating: 4 Stars.

Quick Take: The story is quickly forgettable, but the artwork is still pretty good.  As for the awful title, it’s the less said the better.

  • “Date Night.”                        Rating: 8 Stars.

Quick Take: Scripted by the actress portraying Dreamer on the Supergirl TV series, readers get an entertaining action romp with great artwork.

  • “Visibility.”                           Rating: 7 Stars.

Quick Take: Along with appropriate visuals, the script supplies this compilation’s most poignant and original storytelling.  Conversely, DC’s Vertigo-era update of these Doom Patrol antagonists (making them an unconventional couple) might not resonate with readers remembering their Silver Age villainy.

  • “Crushed.”                           Rating: 5½ Stars.

Quick Take: It’s an okay read, as the terrific artwork can’t boost an average revenge tale. 

  • “Little Christmas Tree.”        Rating: 7 Stars.

Quick Take: The story’s charm and appealing artwork overcome Harley’s unexplained resourcefulness – which practically implies that she has magical powers.  Still, writer Vita Ayala concocts the second of two solid Renee Montoya tales for Love and Justice. 

  • “Love Life.”                      Rating: 6½ Stars.

Quick Take: Apart from the implausibility of Aqualad surviving a solo showdown with Eclipso, it’s a fine read.  More so, its introduction of Justice League Queer offers ideal closure for this compilation. 

Including its bonus materials, DC Pride: Love and Justice, overall, isn’t necessarily a must-have for DC aficionados.  This book’s contents, however, presents an intriguing library option.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Starting this collection is writer Marc Andreyko’s full-page foreword from 2021.  In the back, there is a sixteen full-page DC Pride variant cover gallery.  Specifically, the cover artists are:

  • Apollo & Midnighter (artist: David Talaski);
  • Far Sector Green Lantern Sojourner Mullein (artist: Brittney Williams);
  • John Constantine (artist: Kevin Wada);
  • Secret Six’s Scandal Savage, Jeannette, & Knockout (artist: Kris Anka);
  • Kamandi -? (artist: Nick Robles);
  • Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy (artist: Sophie Campbell);
  • Jackson Hyde’s Aqualad, Crush, Syl, & Traci 13 (artists: Travis Moore & Alejandro Sánchez);
  • Batwoman, Renee Montoya, Batman, Ghost-Maker, & Bluebird (artist: Jen Bartel from Batman # 109);
  • Superman (artist: David Talanski from Superman # 32);
  • Wonder Woman (artist: Paulina Ganucheau from Wonder Woman # 773);
  • Nightwing (artists: Travis Moore & Alejando Sánchez from Nightwing # 81);
  • Future State Wonder Girl (artist: Kevin Wada from Wonder Girl # 2);
  • Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn (artist : Kris Anka from Harley Quinn # 4);
  • Teen Titans Academy (artist: Stephen Byrne from Teen Titans Academy # 4);
  • Crush & Lobo (artist: Yoshi Yoshitani from Crush & Lobo # 1); and
  • Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy (artist : Jen Bartel from DC Pride # 1).

Last are the live-action DCTV Pride profiles from DC Pride # 1.  The character profiles each include interviews with Batwoman’s Javicia Leslie (for Ryan Wilder / Batwoman); Supergirl’s Nicole Maines (for Nia Nal / Dreamer); DC’s Legends of Tomorrow & Arrow’s Caity Lotz (for Sara Lance / White Canary); Constantine’s Matt Ryan (for John Constantine); Black Lightning’s Nafessa Williams (for Anissa Pierce / Thunder); and Doom Patrol’s Matt Bomer (for Larry Trainor / Negative Man). 

The last page is an advertisement for other DC Pride-related graphic novels and collections. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       7 Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

SUPERINTENDENT BATTLE: TOWARDS ZERO

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

First published in 1944, sporadic re-releases include this large-print, 316-page 1988 G.K. Hall & Co. paperback edition. 

Set in England during 1943-44, a series of seemingly unrelated and ordinary events unfold across several months. In September 1944, the participants subsequently converge at Lady Camilla Tressilian’s posh estate, Gull’s Point, at Saltcreek.  Among the scenes depicted are:

  • Retired criminal defense attorney Mr. Treves contemplates his ‘zero hour’ concept of crime (i.e. homicide) where a collection of individuals (the culprit, the victim, and possible witnesses) will inexplicably converge upon the same place at the same time.
  • After his botched suicide attempt, a despondent Andrew MacWhirter resentfully endures further indignity during his recuperation in a British hospital.
  • An unknown psychopath sets out sinister plans for a date later that year in September.
  • Scotland Yard’s Superintendent Battle ‘rescues’ his teenage daughter, Sylvia, from a private boarding school after she falsely confesses to a series of petty thefts.
  • Pro tennis player Nevile Strange tries coaxing his much-younger current wife, Kay, into establishing a friendship with his ex-spouse, Audrey.  Hence, he suggests that they holiday together that fall at his stepmother’s riverside estate, Gull’s Point.
  • The elderly Lady Tressilian is hostile towards Nevile’s (her late husband’s ward) likely self-serving intentions.       

Assembled that fall at Saltcreek are: Nevile and Kay Strange; Audrey Strange; Ted Latimer (Kay’s friend); Thomas Royde (Audrey’s cousin); and trusted family friend Mr. Treves, as proximity intermingles their vacations.  Lady Tressilian and her distant cousin/live-in companion, Mary Aldin, invite these guests for dinner a September night at Gull’s Point.  Jealousy and simmering old wounds reopen amongst them, as one person inexplicably dies before the next morning.

Far more shocking is a second death where the victim is brutally murdered in a locked-room mystery.  Soon called upon is Superintendent Battle, who is presently visiting his nephew: Saltcreek’s Inspector James Leach.  In their criminal probe, Battle and Leach recognize that the crime scene implicates Nevile Strange.  Yet, resolution isn’t so easy, as Battle suspects that someone is cleverly framing Nevile.

Once the preponderance of evidence shifts again, Battle must initiate his own decisive endgame to ensure justice prevails.

Notes: This title is Superintendent Battle’s fifth and final appearance in Christie’s works (though Poirot later mentions him).  Battle had previously appeared in 1925’s The Secret of Chimneys; its 1929 spin-off sequel, The Seven Dials Mystery; 1936’s Cards On The Table team-up with Poirot, Ariadne Oliver, and Colonel Race; and a cameo in 1939’s Murder Is Easy (aka Easy To Kill).      

As far as Towards Zero’s recent TV adaptations go, there is a same-named 2007 TV episode of Agatha Christie’s Marple where Battle is replaced by a generic Superintendent.  A loose French interpretation is a 2019 TV episode from Les Petits Meurtres d’Agatha Christie (aka The Little Murders of Agatha Christie / Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games). 

At this time, a new BBC TV mini-series is in production.  The casting of Battle (or another surrogate) hasn’t been disclosed; given the announced cast, the actor is most likely Matthew Rhys.  Interestingly, still another Battle is in progress.  Currently, Netflix is filming a mini-series adaptation of The Seven Dials Mystery.  Sherlock’s Martin Freeman reportedly has been cast as Battle – a rare instance of the character appearing on screen.

REVIEW:

Considering this novel’s 80th Anniversary, one at least gets a decent read.  Yet, as to why Towards Zero frankly rates among Agatha Christie’s middling works, there are multiple reasons: 

  1. The potential for intriguing plot threads is undermined by a relatively bland whodunnit bearing too few actual surprises.    
  2. Towards Zero’s gimmickry suggests a Hercule Poirot-style mystery. As Christie fans know, Superintendent Battle’s low-key presence falls far short of her legendary Belgian sleuth’s star power.  More so, even substituting Poirot in for Battle can’t make the culprit’s devious methodology any less implausible. 
  3. Aside from a mostly dull Battle, the novel lacks memorable characters to make one sufficiently care about the mystery’s climax – let alone the fates of various players. 
  4. In reference to the above reasons, late plot contrivances will leave readers’ eyes rolling, regardless of generation. 

If anything, various plot elements (i.e. how Daniel Craig’s flamboyant sleuth, Benoit Blanc, comes off like an amalgam of Battle and Poirot), makes Towards Zero perhaps the closest Christie work resembling Rian Johnson’s 2019 Knives Out film.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A table of contents is included.  The 18-point Plantin font, as expected, is easily readable.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        5 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, VOLUME 13: KING’S RANSOM (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Nick Spencer.

Lettering by VC’s Joe Caramagna.

Art by Patrick Gleason & Edgar Delgado (Issues # 61-62]); Federico Vicentini, Federico Sabbatini, & Alex Sinclair (Issues # 63-65); Rogê Antônio, Carlos Gómez, Zé Carlos, & Alex Sinclair (Giant-Size – King’s Ransom); Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, & Brian Reber (Sinister War: Prelude).

Collection Cover Art by Dustin Weaver.

SUMMARY:

Released by Marvel Comics in 2021, this 168-page trade paperback compiles from that same year: Amazing Spider-Man # 61-65 and the Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: King’s Ransom.

Per a brief scroll preceding the title page, a down-on-his-luck and unemployed Peter Parker is now roommates with Randy Robertson, a dim-witted yet reformed Fred “Boomerang” Myers, and a pet alien named Gog (think Gremlins).  Competing against Mayor Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk, Peter and Fred are seeking to recover missing pieces of the mystical Lifeline Tablet.  Specifically, Fisk intends to resurrect his late wife by any means necessary.  To access the Lifeline piece(s) Fred has stashed, the Kingpin orders an underworld hit available to New York’s rival mob factions and freelance assassins (i.e. Bullseye).

Aside from containing Gog’s overgrowth problem, Spider-Man reluctantly accepts Norah Winters’ virtual reality gig where his new, high-tech Spider-suit’s optical lenses provide livestreaming to the public.  The ironic catch is that his new employer is J. Jonah Jameson, who gleefully enjoys one-upping Robbie Robertson’s old school Daily Bugle.   Speaking of Robbie, he isn’t speechless upon finding out that his son Randy’s new girlfriend, Janice Lincoln, is the criminal Beetle II.  Not to mention, Janice is mobster Tombstone’s rebellious daughter. 

Meanwhile, Fisk has recruited Baron Mordo to help access the demonic Kindred (aka Harry Osborn), now safely imprisoned at The Ravencroft Institute.  Standing in their way is one man: The Institute’s director and Harry’s defensive father – Norman Osborn.  There’s also the matter of Fred’s old buddies – the Boomerang Revenge Squad (Shocker, Hydro-Man, and Speed Demon) still to be reckoned with.  Spidey & Boomerang’s showdown against them pivots on: who double-crosses whom first? 

Worst come to worst, as Robbie and Tombstone must cooperate if they are going to save their captive offspring from Fisk’s mercenaries, including Madame Masque, Mirage, and Crime Master V.  To save Randy, Janice, Robbie, and even Tombstone, Spidey’s makeshift cavalry includes some unexpected allies that aren’t the Avengers.   Come the epilogue, repercussions begin setting in, as Fisk utilizes the Lifeline Tablet.  Unexpectedly, a familiar Spider-foe is restored to life. 

Guest stars include a New Avengers reunion (Luke Cage; Jessica Jones-Cage; Hawkeye; Iron Fist; Wolverine; & Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman) and Black Cat.

Notes: This title is available digitally.  While Mary Jane Watson makes a brief cameo, Peter’s Aunt May doesn’t appear in this volume.  

REVIEW:

Given the comedic plot machinations in Volume 13: King’s Ransom, one might construe writer Nick Spencer as Marvel’s Neil Simon.  As contrived as some of his plot details are (i.e. the implausibility of Peter hiding his secret identity from roommates Randy and Fred), Spencer still concocts a dynamite read. 

This particular Spider-caper glows with a consistent blend of action, young romance, and wacky sitcom humor/satire that doesn’t resort to cheap bait-and-switches.  Instead of exploiting Peter’s perpetual angst, Spencer plays up an Odd Couple cliché where Peter and Fred (and, by extension, Spider-Man and Boomerang) are foes-turned-unlikely friends.  The same applies to Robbie and Tombstone’s mutual hatred amusingly evolving into a variation of The In-Laws.  Balancing character depth and carefully playing various sub-plots, Spencer’s fun plotting mirrors what Simon once made look easy in stage plays and comedy films. 

Spencer’s surprisingly complex storytelling is enhanced by the rotating art squad’s appealing visuals.  Their combined effort makes the artwork in Volume 13: King’s Ransom another welcome asset.  In the best creative sense, all-age Spider-fans get this money’s worth in King’s Ransom without actually having to pay one.  Definitely recommended!    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each full-page cover precedes its story. The cover artists are Patrick Gleason & Edgar Delgado (Issues # 61-62); Mark Bagley, John Dell, & Delgado (Issues # 63-65); and Bagley, Dell, & Brian Reber (Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: Kin’s Ransom).  Interspersed are these full-page cover variants: Issue # 61 (artist: Julian Totino Tedesco); and Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: King’s Ransom (artists: David Baldéon & Israel Silva).

In a cover gallery, also included are these full-page variants: Issue # 61 (artist: Michael Cho); Issue # 62 (artist: Dustin Weaver – the collection cover); Issue # 62’s 50th Anniversary Man-Thing homage (artists: Greg Land & Frank D’Armata); and Issue # 63’s costume design profile (artist: Weaver). Splitting the last page are an Issue # 63 Heroes Reborn – Hyperion vs. Hulk variant (artists: Carlos Pacheco, Mariano Taibo; & Matt Milla); and Issue # 64’s Heroes Reborn – Peter Parker @ The Daily Bugle homage variant (artists: Pacheco, Rafael Fonteriz, & Rachelle Rosenberg).       

A four-page preview of the Sinister War: Prelude depicts Doctor Octopus as the victim of a nocturnal ambush by a near-microscopic adversary in a cemetery.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8½ Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

STARGIRL: THE LOST CHILDREN (DC Comics)

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art by Todd Nauck; Matt Herms; Hi-Fi; & Rob Leigh.

Collection Cover Art by Todd Nauck.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2023 by DC Comics, this 175-page trade paperback compiles the Stargirl Spring Break Special one-shot and Stargirl: The Lost Children released between 2021 and 2023.  Specifically, the one-shot and the subsequent six-issue mini-series join several interrelated projects meant to revitalize DC’s Justice Society of America (JSA) franchise.  Other titles include solo ventures for Wesley Dodds’ Sandman; Jay Garrick’s Flash; Alan Scott’s Green Lantern, and a new JSA title featuring Helena Wayne’s Huntress.

On a routine night patrol, Oliver Queen reveals to his far younger half-sister, Emiko (aka Red Arrow), that he and Roy Harper are in fact the Golden Age Green Arrow and Speedy.  Hence, during their time travel adventure to the 1940’s, Oliver and Roy were members of the original Seven Soldiers of Victory.  The ominous arrival of Jill Carlyle’s Crimson Avenger recruits Oliver on a mission to help his long-dead Seven Soldier teammate: Lee Travis – the original Crimson Avenger.

In Blue Valley, Nebraska, Pat Dugan brings along his teenage stepdaughter, Courtney Whitmore (aka Stargirl), on a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the behest of Greg Saunders – the Golden Age Vigilante.  Once there, Pat is recruited to rejoin his fellow surviving Soldiers on seemingly a final mission.  Left out, Courtney and Emiko catch up to them on Myrtle Beach’s shore amidst a shipboard battle against Clock King.  Caught in a time-warp, Courtney briefly comes into contact with Lee Travis. She also sees a fleeting present-day glimpse of his teenage sidekick, Wing, running with two unknown companions.

Note: Wing’s fate as the Soldiers’ eighth member is previously established – per Justice League of America # 100-102.  Apart from locating the original issues, the best reference is Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 3, which reprints this storyline.

Having finally recovered Lee Travis’ corpse, the Seven Soldiers believe their old teammate’s spirit is now finally at rest by thwarting Clock King.  Yet, Courtney and Emiko can’t help but think there is far more to this odd story, i.e. that the long-dead Wing might still be alive somewhere.  Stumbling upon an aging Daniel Dunbar’s (once TNT’s Golden Age sidekick, Dyna-Mite) ongoing investigation, the girls realize that Daniel is seeking to find dozens of long-lost sidekicks dating back to World War II.

After visiting Green Arrow’s ‘Arrow Cave,’ the duo follows Dunbar’s seabound course to a remote section of the Atlantic Ocean.  Upon being forcibly marooned, the girls wash up on a seemingly inescapable island prison dubbed ‘Orphan Island.’ 

With Emiko captured, Stargirl is rescued by Wing, Airwave II, and Cherry Bomb from their captor’s overpowering egg-shaped robots.  Welcomed into their hidden ‘clubhouse,’ Stargirl meets approximately two dozen time-lost Golden Age sidekicks, who have no idea how many decades have lapsed without them.  More so, the children gradually realize that someone or something has deliberately tried to erase their existence upon their disappearances.  

Co-led by Stargirl and young Time Master Corky Baxter, the young heroes desperately seek to rescue others, including Emiko, Dyna-Mite, Secret (Bart Allen’s friend), and Jay Garrick’s daughter, Boom.  Against the wicked witch-like Childminder’s forces, Stargirl is stunned that a former JSA teammate has become a pawn of someone intent on preventing the children from ever returning home.  In a final showdown, two of the young heroes realizes that tragic destiny cannot be changed.  An ultimate sacrifice must be poignantly made to save not only them, but the world itself. 

The epilogue teases a major shift in a resurgent Justice Society’s status quo.

Notes: This title is also available digitally.  Replacing the team’s decedents (the Star-Spangled Kid and Lee Travis’ Crimson Avenger) and the absent Roy Harper, successors Stargirl, Jill Carlyle, and Emiko Queen’s Red Arrow complete DC’s Seven Soldiers.  The other Soldiers include Oliver Queen’s Green Arrow, Pat Dugan’s Stripesy, Sir Justin the Shining Knight, and Greg Saunders’ Vigilante.   

REVIEW:

Frankly, no one writes Stargirl (and, by extension, DC’s younger characters) better than her creator: Geoff Johns.  Considering how far off-course Johns’ DC scripting had gone for nearly twenty years (case in point: starting with tone-deaf dreck like 2005’s Infinite Crisis), Stargirl: The Lost Children delivers a most welcome treat.  Glowing with inspired plot twists, homages to both DC’s original continuity and recent efforts to fix DC’s muddled continuity reboots, and a sincere reverence for Golden Age characters, this nostalgic legacy storyline finds Johns back at his best.

More so, this project’s art squad conjures up consistently high-caliber visuals befitting DC’s equivalent of Peter Pan.  Geared for all-age DC fans, Stargirl: The Lost Children is a highly recommended read.        

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each full-page cover precedes its story.  In order, the cover artists are:

  • Stargirl Spring Break Special # 1 (artists: Todd Nauck & Hi-Fi);
  • Stargirl Spring Break Special # 1 variant (artists: Mike McKone & Luis Guerrero); 
  • Issue # 1 (artist: Nauck) – collection cover art
  • Issue # 1 variant (artist: Crystal Kung)
  • Issue # 2 (artist: Nauck)
  • Issue # 2 variant (artist: Mike Maihack)
  • Issue # 3 (artist: Nauck)
  • Issue # 3 variant (artist: Ant Reeder)
  • Issue # 4 variant (artist: Crystal Kung)
  • Issue # 4 variant (artists: Maria Laura Sanapo & Mike Atiyeh)
  • Issue # 5 (artist: Nauck)
  • Issue # 5 variant (artist: Sweeney Boo)
  • Issue # 6 (artist: Nauck)
  • Issue # 6 variant (artist: Meghan Hetrick).

An additional variant cover gallery, with three covers in 1/3-size to a page, consists of:

  • Issue # 1 (artist: Mayo “Sen” Naito); Issue # 2 (artist: Sean “Cheeks” Galloway); and Issue # 3 (artists: Brandt & Stein)
  • Issue # 4 (artist: Nauck); Issue # 5 (artist: Marguerite Sauvage); and Issue # 6 (artist: Kevin Maguire).

Nauck’s character design sketches include: Stargirl (black-and-white); Pat Dugan (black-and-white); Stripesy (black-and-white); ten child sidekicks (in black-and-white and/or color); and the villains.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           9 Stars

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

MURDER, SHE WROTE: FROZEN STIFF (Season 12: Episode 10)

SUMMARY:             APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on CBS on November 30, 1995, this final season episode was directed by Paul Lazarus off Mark A. Burley’s script exploring skullduggery at a Ben & Jerry’s-style ice cream factory. 

In Racine, Wisconsin, Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) is visiting her friend, ice cream magnate Larry Armstrong (Smitrovich). His prosperous ice cream company, Gary & Larry’s Frozen Stuff, is donating $750,000.00 to her literary fund charity.  Yet, Larry’s accountant (Bovingloh) suspiciously dies, and then the $750,000.00 shockingly vanishes from a Gary & Larry’s bank account.

Further complicating matters is a potentially ugly scandal, as Larry’s business partner, Gary (Benedict), tries halting a consumer investigation over the company’s alleged use of banned milk-related substances.  On top of all else, Larry’s shadowy ‘flower child’ past has suddenly come back to haunt him.

Clandestine shenanigans involving embezzlement, blackmail, adultery, and literally cold-blooded greed precipitates homicide.  Helping expedite Sheriff Chubb’s (Curry) investigation, Jessica must quickly find some answers before Gary & Larry’s Frozen Stuff implodes. 

Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury

Larry Armstrong: Bill Smitrovich

Gary Herling: Dirk Benedict

Carol Herling: Kristen Dalton

Woodstock “Woody” Seabrook: Bryan Travis Smith

Susan McGregor: Christina Pickles

Ralph Brewer: Gregorzy Itzin

Jim Kenton: George Wyner

Peggy Evans: Ann Hearn

Victoria: Sarah Koskoff

Kyle McGregor: Don Bovingloh

Sheriff Mike Chubb: Christopher Curry

Coroner: Fred Sanders

Cop: Scott Cranford

Priest: Charles C. Stevenson, Jr.

Mourners: Uncredited

Sheriff’s Deputies: Uncredited

Gary & Larry’s Frozen Stuff personnel: Uncredited

Larry’s Ex-Girlfriend (photo only): Uncredited.

REVIEW:

This episode’s well-played whodunnit elements manage to surpass an otherwise dull setting. 

Led by Bill Smitrovich, the supporting cast provides Angela Lansbury with solid on-screen chemistry.  More specifically, guest star Dirk Benedict redeems himself after his disappointingly shallow performance in Season Five’s “Smooth Operators.”   Benedict delivers this episode’s most intriguing character, in terms of conveying ethical ambiguity.  Hence, it becomes a surprise whether or not his well-played ‘Gary Herling’ will be the culprit, a victim getting a lethal dose of the “cold shoulder” treatment, or perhaps a mostly innocent bystander.

“Frozen Stiff,” in that sense, makes for a fine Murder, She Wrote with some welcome plot twists. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                            6 Stars

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Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos TV Episodes & Movies TV Series TV Series (Specific Episodes)

MURDER, SHE WROTE: DEADLY BIDDING (Season 12: Episode 9)

SUMMARY:          APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on CBS on November 23, 1995, this final season episode was directed by Angela Lansbury’s son, Anthony Pullen Shaw, off series producer/writer Tom Sawyer’s script.   

In New York City, on behalf of a museum, Jessica Fletcher (Lansbury) is eagerly in pursuit of a genuine Arthur Conan Doyle manuscript.  Meanwhile, ominous deaths are linked to an elusive, multi-million-dollar Edgar Degas painting that may have resurfaced at the same auction house where the now-disputed Doyle manuscript is up for bidding. 

Shady international bidders, include one stateside team that sends perpetually luckless Chicago private detective Charlie Garrett (Rogers) as their representative, quickly become interested in eccentric artist Angus Neville’s (Hutchinson) latest painting at the auction. With art world mobsters now involved, could this development be a coincidence or not?

After Garrett bungles his assignment and overbids by $300,000, it’s a murky question of now who really owns the interpretative Neville work.  Once Neville himself steals the painting, his subsequent homicide has Jessica, her trusted friends Reggie and Pete (Jones & Williams), and the NYPD’s irritable Sgt. Unger (Allen) in search of his missing artwork and an opportunistic killer. 

With the lost Degas also still at stake, could Jessica’s opportunistic ally, Garrett, turn into the greedy culprit?        

Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury

Reggie Evers: Renée Jones

Pete Dunning: Jeff Williams

Giles Havelock: Martin Jarvis

Charlie Garrett: Wayne Rogers

Milt Solomon: Paul Lieber

Diana Barrow: Melanie Smith

NYPD Sgt. Unger: Tyrees Allen

Lawrence Mezznou: Aharon Ipalé

Angus Neville: Doug Hutchinson

Felix Wesker: Craig Richard Nelson

Serena Rundle: Kathleen Garrett

Kenneth Rundle: Edd “Cookie” Byrnes (uncredited cameo)

NYPD Det. McKenna: Charles Hoyes

Waiter: Sian Taylor (Dane Taylor Matthews)

Auction House Extras: Uncredited

NYPD Cops: Uncredited

Restaurant Customers: Uncredited.

REVIEW:

This episode’s complex premise teases intriguing possibilities.  The problem is that its whodunnit substance is sabotaged by exceedingly dull execution (pardon the expression) of the plot twists.  While guest stars Renée Jones and Tyrees Allen convey some vibrant energy supporting Angela Lansbury, that cannot be said of the other cast members.  Ironically, the episode’s weakest link – in spite of his generally reliable career – is Wayne Rogers’ lazy contribution. 

Rogers’ dubious effort as private detective ‘Charlie Garrett’ falls far short of the welcome snark that Jerry Orbach’s semi-sleazy ‘Harry McGraw’ once imbued Murder, She Wrote.  Suffice to say, replacing Orbach’s world-weary gumshoe with Rogers’ affable ‘Garrett’ does neither Jessica Fletcher nor viewers any favors.  This unfortunate observation is especially true in “Deadly Bidding,” as the script plays ‘Garrett’ as a weakly forgettable suspect rather than Jessica’s co-sleuth. 

Had Orbach’s everyman star power replaced a bored Rogers (and with a few necessary plot tweaks), “Deadly Bidding” likely would have been far more entertaining.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  5 Stars

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Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

BATMAN/SUPERMAN, VOLUME 1: WHO ARE THE SECRET SIX? (DC Comics)

Written by Joshua Williamson.

Art by David Marquez; Alejandro Sanchez; & John J. Hill.

Collection Cover Art by David Marquez & Alejandro Sanchez.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2020 by DC Comics, this 160-page hardcover reprints 2019-2020’s Batman/Superman # 1-6.  As Batman grimly notes, his evil multiversal counterpart – The Batman Who Laughs now resides on DC’s primary Earth: Earth-0.

On a different Earth (perhaps in his own home universe), The Batman Who Laughs makes grisly work of the Justice League aboard its own satellite and lures an unsuspecting Superman to his doom there.  Shifting to Earth-0’s Gotham City, Batman and Superman work to resolve a missing child case.  Commissioner Gordon ominously tells them that the alleged abductor is evidently a ‘Superman Who Laughs.’ 

The trail soon enough leads to this evil Batman’s underground Batcave where evidence of six tainted batarangs exist.  These batarangs are specifically designed to infect six individuals close to the World Finest Duo.  The problem is that neither iconic hero knows who any of these sleeper agents are, apart from the paranoia of even suspecting one another. 

Batman and Superman’s probe soon puts them into brutal confrontation with two of these corrupted friends.  Batman’s injuries force a battered Superman to give up pursuit of their first target: a demonized Billy Batson/Shazam.  Subsequent revelations that Commissioner Gordon, Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, Donna Troy, Hawkman, and, ultimately, Supergirl are now The Batman Who Laughs’ corrupted demonic pawns further stack the deck.  It’s up to Superman & Batman to finally call upon the Justice League, despite fracturing their longtime alliance with Wonder Woman.

However, is it now too late considering how elusive their wicked foes have become? With this matter left dangerously unresolved, the epilogue teases a new menacing storyline coming in Volume 2.   

Note: This title is also available in trade paperback and digital formats.

REVIEW:

A single read was something of a slog.  David Marquez and Alexandro Sanchez’s appropriately murky visuals are well-constructed for the plotting.  The problem lies with writer Joshua Williamson’s propensity for recycling.  Apart from more dubious ‘fun and games’ with The Batman Who Laughs, one may notice that the plot’s bleak horror twists echo Blackest Night – i.e. where corrupted heroes are capable of far greater evil than seemingly the worst villains.

Though Williamson’s storytelling has sufficiently original moments, this arc’s creative vibe feels far too blah. While DC’s The Batman Who Laughs fanbase may be pleased, Batman/Superman, Volume 1 isn’t an all-ages read.  Its unappealing plot elements, at certain junctures, risk being a divisive turnoff. Specifically, Williamson’s middling storyline conveys the six corrupted characters few, if any, favors.

Unlike prior kick-offs for incarnations of the Batman/Superman (or Superman/Batman) franchise, DC Comics was unwilling to concoct a traditionally entertaining and more inclusive adventure for readers.  That said, Batman/Superman, Volume 1: Who Are The Secret Six? is probably best found at the library.        

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Marquez and Sanchez’s full-page cover precedes each issue.  A full-page variant cover gallery consists of:

  • Issue # 1: artists Leinil Yu & Tomeu Morey;
  • Issue # 2: artists Jerome Opeña & Morry Hollowell;
  • Issue # 3: artists Paola Pantalena & Romulo Fajardo Jr.;
  • Issue # 4: artist Olivier Coipel;
  • Issue # 5: artists Jime Cheung & Tomeu Morey;
  • Issue # 6: artist Simone Bianchi;
  • Issue # 1 (full wraparound cover): artists Marquez & Sanchez;
  • Issue # 4 (secondary cover): artists Emanuela Luacchino & Rex Lokus;
  • Issue # 1 (sketch cover): artist Marquez.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        4 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS: CHEWBACCA (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Gerry Duggan.

Art by Phil Noto & VC’s Joe Caramagna.

Collection Cover Art by Phil Noto.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2016 by Marvel Comics, this 112-page trade paperback reprints the Star Wars: Chewbacca # 1-5 mini-series from that same year. 

Per a Star Wars scroll, soon after A New Hope, the fugitive Chewbacca is returning home to Kashyyyk on a personal mission.  However, his one-seater starship malfunctions, leaving the Wookie stranded on a seemingly idyllic yet remote world.  The plight of a young girl, Zarro, who has fled enslavement from the planet’s subterranean mines, reluctantly draws Chewbacca’s sympathy.

Seeking to rescue her indebted father, Arrax, and other miners from the crooked Jaum, Zarro convinces Chewbacca to help.  Jaum’s business transaction with Imperial forces, however, gives the duo little time.  It’s up to Chewbacca and Zarro to thwart the ruthless Jaum’s scheme and keep the Imperials from bullying Zarro’s world.  The epilogue subsequently reveals what happened to Chewbacca’s Battle of Yavin medal and the purpose of his brief return home.   

Note: This title is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

For pre-teens, this undemanding Chewbacca adventure makes for a likable read.  Both its simplistic storytelling and reasonably good visuals should keep young Star Wars fans tuned in all the way to the poignant finish line.  Adults, however, will likely find the entire plot predictable and increasingly contrived – given its flimsy page count. 

For instance, the title scroll briefly indicates that Chewbacca has been marooned due to a clunker starship.  Yet, there isn’t an explanation as to why Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon doesn’t safeguard Chewbacca’s trip home (vs. meeting up in a story-ending rendezvous)?  One could infer that Chewbacca has opted to travel discreetly as possible to avoid “any Imperial entanglements,” as Obi-Wan Kenobi once adroitly put it.  Yet, writer Gerry Duggan doesn’t bother revealing any details of Chewbacca’s private mission until the very end. Extra material in this regard (i.e. a few flashbacks) could have presented welcome depth to attract older fans.        

The same applies to the book’s lack of bonus materials.  Had Marvel Comics padded this compilation with some worthwhile Star Wars reprints (in effect, Chewbacca’s greatest hits), there again would have been a wider potential audience.  Aside from a gift idea for the Wookie’s most ardent fans, Star Wars: Chewbacca’s most practical hideout is at the library.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each full-page Phil Noto cover precedes its story.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  5 Stars

Categories
Digital Animated Shorts DVD DVD/Blu-Ray Extra LOONEY TUNES-Related Movies & Television (Videos) TV Episodes & Movies

BUGS BUNNY’S CUPID CAPERS

SUMMARY:         APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 36:00 Min.

Released on DVD in 2010, this Looney Tunes TV special first aired on CBS in 1979. 

Incorporating original framework sequences, the storyline consists of Bugs Bunny’s encounter with a Cupid resembling a scantily clad Elmer Fudd.  Demonstrating this Elmer-Cupid’s dubious match-making talents, clips from nine Looney Tunes are shown (not in this particular order):

  1. 1949’s The Grey Hounded Hare (Bugs Bunny);
  2. 1948’s Hare Splitter (Bugs Bunny & Casbah Rabbit);
  3. 1952’s Little Beau Pepé (Pepé Le Pew & Penelope Pussycat);
  4. 1953’s Wild Over You (Pepé Le Pew);
  5. 1954’s Devil May Hare (Bugs Bunny & The Tasmanian Devil);
  6. 1954’s Rabbit Romeo (Bugs Bunny, Millicent, & Elmer Fudd);
  7. 1952’s The Super Snooper (Daffy Duck);
  8. 1953’s Hare Trimmed (Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, & Granny); and
  9. 1953’s Of Rice and Hen (Foghorn Leghorn, Barnyard Dawg, & Miss Prissy).

Voice Cast:

Bugs Bunny / Daffy Duck / Pepé Le Pew / Foghorn Leghorn / Barnyard Dawg /Yosemite Sam / Elmer Fudd / etc.:  Mel Blanc

Granny / Miss Prissy / Various Female Voices:  June Foray & Bea Benaderet.

Notes: Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers was previously released in 1992 in a VHS format.  The compilation’s alternate title is  Bugs Bunny’s Valentine. 

REVIEW:

Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers, unfortunately, does the Looney Tunes franchise no favors.  Despite Mel Blanc’s reliable vocals, the crummy animation deployed for the Bugs Bunny/Cupid framework sequences speaks for itself.   Forty-five years later, Warner Bros frankly ought to be embarrassed by how poorly Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers plays on television. 

Long before their eventual re-mastering, this assortment of Looney Tunes clips (some are extended further than others) hold up fine – relatively speaking.  The only cringe-worthy ones are Pepé Le Pew’s amorous contributions, including his bonus Past Perfurmance cartoon. 

This DVD, in retrospect, could have been salvaged in two easy steps. First, axing the awful framework scenes altogether should have been a foregone conclusion. Then, Warner Bros. should have chosen four or five complete Looney Tunes for the Valentine’s Day theme. Otherwise, unless one retains nostalgia for the original TV special, Bugs Bunny’s Cupid Capers is strictly a dollar store find.      

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

As padding, there are two complete Looney Tunes cartoons.  One is 1940’s Holiday Highlights (a parody of holidays) – it’s an archived relic one might peruse on a Looney Tunes Golden Collection set.  Still, this lackluster cartoon short is obscure for good cause.  The other is 1955’s Past Perfumance (Pepé Le Pew & Penelope Pussycat), where the setting is a 1913 Paris movie studio.  Plot-wise, it involves standard-issue Pepé hijinks, and let’s leave it at that.

Also included is an interactive Looney Tunes jigsaw puzzle for children.  Lastly, there is a combo trailer for the Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown and It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown DVD’s.

Language options consist of English and Spanish.  Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French.

PACKAGING:

Though simplistic and a bit vague, its advertising is accurate.  The disc is reasonably well-protected.  The DVD’s main menu screen is easy to navigate.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        2½ Stars