Act 228: Can't Catch A Snorlax, Can't Catch A Dick

Masked Blogster, Jersey Jenn, Frankie G, Mini Mandy and Handsome J talk about Uncle Bear's Brewery, the Top 5 Bruces, superheroes at The Oscars, and much more.

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[Spoilers] Wonder Woman - Review

This is the fourth film in what Warner Brothers is calling the "DC Extended Universe." What has been met with an occasional mixed reaction and predominately disparaging comments, this series of movies pressed on giving us iconic characters like Batman, Superman, Lex Luthor and the Joker. We also received lesser known characters like Deadshot, Killer Croc and Harley Quinn. Curiously, it wasn't until this year that we got a movie about (arguably) the most recognizable female hero of all time, Wonder Woman. So, was "Wonder Woman" able to defeat the consistently negative press and bolster expectations going forward for this DCEU? Let's dive in and take a look at "Wonder Woman" in this review...

I wrote on social media just before walking into an early Thursday evening screening that I was experiencing medium expectations blended with high hopes and a side of curiosity. This DCEU started off with "Man of Steel" which I moderately enjoy. Next we got the train wreck that was "Batman V Superman" followed by the half terrible, half enjoyable "Suicide Squad." In baseball terms, we got a runner on first with two outs, zero runs scored. I wasn't sure what to expect because the films haven't instilled any positive confidence. The early press buzz online was positive. The trailers looked great. I'm happy to report the movie is enjoyable beyond my expectations.

The film is a hero's journey or coming of age tale. We meet "Princess Diana" when she is a little girl with the Amazons. From there we see here grow into a beautiful, lethal warrior whose heart guides her every move. She's a selfless warrior who is passionate, deadly, intelligent and outspoken. I was pleased with Gal Gadot's performance as Wonder Woman. She started off as an innocent minded young woman who saw the world only by what she had been taught and by the end of the movie she is mature, heart broken, experienced in war and aware of the atrocities humanity is capable of. Gal plays the emotions quite splendidly.

Enter Chris Pine who plays "Steve Trevor" the infamous love interest of Wonder Woman. The performance Pine gave was exactly the performance I expected him to give. For this, I was pleased. The onscreen chemistry between Pine and Gadot was an unexpected surprise. The band of fellows that Pine collaborates with was equally enjoyable and their on screen chemistry was another unexpected surprise. The biggest take away for me regarding the good guys was that at no point did I feel the men were being emasculated. This was a genuine concern I had walking into the theater. I didn't want this film to feel like a feminist propaganda film that would limit the audience. It did not, at all. These guys were strong, capable men who complimented the story. It's because of this, I feel that ladies and their fella's will be enjoying this movie together for awhile. It at no point ever felt like a movie designed or geared for specifically just women. This isn't a life time movie. It's an action film that explores what humanity, with its history of violence and self destructive tendencies, deserves. I was elated with this aspect of the movie.

The villain, Aries (the god of war), was a twist in a twist for me. I knew that the character "Sir Patrick" was not what he seemed. I did not once assume that he would in fact turn out to be none other than Aries himself. I thought he might be working as a spy for Aries and that would be appropriate as Pine played a spy. So there would be a sort of spy vs spy thing happening. So, the big reveal was a twist in a twist. It was a fun revelation at the end of the film as well.

"Wonder Woman" is in theaters now! I've seen this movie twice already. I'll be seeing it a third time. I definitely recommend you get over to your local theater and enjoy this summer blockbuster. It looks great on screen and the story is equally enjoyable. At its core, in my opinion, this is a movie that explores what it means to be part of a society that destroys itself, time and time again. What does humanity deserve? Should we be encouraged to kill, torture and destroy each other because it's built into the fabric of our being? Should we chose love to quell the fires inside us to help our neighbors and stop the ravages of war? The movie is about growing up, seeing the world for what it is and then making a choice. The 3rd act is a mixture of action and philosophical debate. Aries isn't trying to destroy humanity because he's evil. He's decided to show his father Zeus that he (Zeus) created something evil, man. He's not a villain for the sake of being a bad guy. In the same way Wonder Woman isn't a hero just because she's destined to be a hero. The emotional journey this film goes on is delightful. It explores hope, love, tragedy, loss, duty and honor. I loved this film. I hope you will as well. Go see this movie!!

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Comic Book Review: Justice League America #91 - DC Comics (1994)

"Heroes Passage"
Written by Dan Vado
Pencils by Marc Campos
Inks by Ken Branch
Colors by Gene D'Angelo

The Justice League America members mourn the loss of Ice(Tora) and prepare and attend her funeral.  The League's home base of operations was destroyed and now the UN does not want the heroes to assist with the cleanup or to be anywhere near the site.

I received this comic book in the Comic of the Month subscription box so that's why I have a bit of a random book to review here.   I did not read the books that lead up to this event, nor have I read the books that immediately follow.  This is one of the things I think a lot of folks miss out on in comic books.  The big companies constantly reboot or start over from #1(without actually starting over).  I really enjoyed reading the book and piecing the story together without any backstory.  It brought me back to when I first started reading comic books.

With regard to action, this book is lacking.  By no means is that a bad thing however as the dialogue between the Justice League America members was wonderful.  Everyone is grieving the loss of Tora and there is a lot of frustration and blame being passed around.  There is also the scene where the heroes bring Tora back to her homeland and bringing the body to her mother, Queen Olaf.  The Queen was not happy with the League but did allow the members to attend the funeral.

The art looks fine and it must have been a fun task for Marc Campos as he was tasked with drawing some truly great heroes like Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold(who was in a weird suit of armor that is keeping him alive - I may need to find the previous books to see what happened).  Everything was captured pretty well and it flowed with the story.

What are your thought on reading random comic books?  Do you have any comic book suggestions for Maskerpiece Theatre to review?  Please comment below or find us on social media and let us know.  

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Comic Book Review: Wonder Woman # 6 - DC Comics (2016)

"Year One: Part Three"

Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Nicola Scott
Colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The continued origin story of Wonder Woman brings she and the now healed Steve Trevor home in his jet that has been repaired(and now invisible).  Steve Trevor was believed to be dead and now the United States military are wondering about Steve's
new friend.

The Wonder Woman series is one of the most interesting of all of the DC Rebirth series.  The odd numbered issues are present day Wonder Woman doing personal soul searching and the even numbered issues are a "Year One" origin story.  This is great for those that have been wanting to get to know Wonder Woman, or even those who have been longtime fans to see where she got started.  Greg Rucka is an excellent writer for this task.  Six issues in and I'm pretty well hooked.

Since this is an even numbered book, we are in "Year One" and, as of this moment, Wonder Woman(Diana) does not speak English.  She is speaking an ancient language that is proving hard to decipher.  People generally fear what they don't understand so Diana is put into a holding cell while Steve Trevor is checked out by doctors and her weapons are inspected.  Wonder Woman is doing everything she can to stay peaceful and Steve is doing everything he can to keep her safe.  It's a very cool dynamic and I look forward to seeing where this story line goes.

What are your thoughts on Wonder Woman?  Are you enjoying the DC Rebirth titles?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Comic Book Review: Trinity #1 - DC Comics (2016)

"Better Together: Part One - Family Dinner"

Script, Art and Cover by Francis Manapul

Lois Lane invites Batman and Wonder Woman over for dinner.  This is a surprise to Superman.

For those that may not know, Superman of the current DC Universe has died.  The Superman from the previous DC Universe had been in hiding, coming out every now and then to secretly save the day.  Batman and Wonder Woman want to know more about the Clark Kent that is now in their universe and what he truly stands for.  I feel that this book will be excellent in the exploratory nature of finding out how well the Trinity works together.

Francis Manapul is doing it all for this series.  Not only is he writing an excellent story, he is providing incredible artwork.  The artwork doesn't stop at pencils and inks as he is also in charge of colors.  Manapul has his own style and it definitely works for this series.  Trinity is a great looking book and is worth the $2.99 cover price.

The introductory issue does not have anything Earth shattering happen in it which is good.  I wanted to see the interaction of the characters.  Superman tells a funny story about Batman and Robin from his "world" which of course does not amuse Bruce Wayne.  There is also interaction between Lois and Wonder Woman which is cool since the Amazon had a relationship with the now deceased version of Superman.

If you're a fan of these three heroes, go out and pick up this book.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

What are your thoughts on Trinity?  What titles from the DC Rebirth are you enjoying the most?  Are there any other comic books you would like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?

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Act 173: Big Black Mic

Masked Blogster, Handsome J, Jersey Jenn, Kevin, Mandy and Mrs. Blogster talk space docking, Bad Moms, foot jobs, Olympics, the Rocky Horror remake, raspberry margaritas, Wonder Woman and more!

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Act 168: The #SDCC Trailer Park

Masked Blogster, Mandy, Handsome J, Gloryhoundd, KFend, Sam and Kevin talk about the glut of trailers that came from San Diego Comicon including everything from Marvel and DC, Blair Witch, King Arthur and Kong. They also find a disturbing bit of Pokemon porn.

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Comic Book Review: Wonder Woman Rebirth #1 - DC Comics (2016)

Written by Greg Rucka
Pencils by Matthew Clark & Liam Sharp
Inks by Sean Parsons & Liam Sharp
Colors by Jeremy Colwell & Laura Martin

Wonder Woman reflects on her life as she figures out where she fits into the world.

Greg Rucka takes us into the mind of Wonder Woman.  The way she is viewed by the world and her perception of those views are explored as we are treated with an origin story that in no way feels forced.  If a person was hoping to get into a comic book with a strong female lead character, this would be a nice starting point.  I almost don't feel like I need to throw in the "strong female lead" character.  Wonder Woman is a great character regardless and if you want to read about a hero with god-like powers, pick this one up.

The artistic duties are shared within this book and all of it looks great.  I like that, if you're having more than one person doing pencils, you have a good separation point.  The back story is told and when Wonder Woman is ready for her other-worldly journey, the change in artists happen.  The ook looks great and reflects the excellent story written by Greg Rucka.

What are your thoughts on Wonder Woman Rebirth #1?  What other comic books would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?  Please find us on social media and let us know.

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Movie Review: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Warner Brothers (2016)

Zach Snyder directs his second film for the DC movie universe, bringing his particular style of directing with him.  Whether you like that type of thing is entirely up to you.

Batman V Superman gave us the fight we were anticipating and also introduced the audience to some new characters.  The pacing of this movie was pretty slow going early on with an artsy dream sequence explaining Batman's(Ben Affleck) origin.  Much of Batman's view of the world and Superman(Henry Cavill) being in it is fueled heavily on his delusional dreams(of which he has plenty).  I had a hard time figuring out if Bruce's butler/assistant in the Bat-Cave, Alfred(Jeremy Irons) is the voice of reason or someone feeding into Bruce Wayne's fears.  Bruce Wayne is Batman for you non-superhero loving folks.

The world is starting to fear Superman and he's being framed for violence across the world.  The framing of the Man of Steel seemed a bit of a stretch but you got to do something to get this movie going.  With all this fear, Lex Luthor(Jesse Eisenberg) is on the hunt for Kryptonite after discovering how it affects the other Krytponian, the now deceased Zod.

I won't go to much further into the plot points of this film but I will give some of the higher and lower points of the film.

• The fight between Superman and Batman went as expected.
• Amy Adams as Lois Lane was great.
• Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor was much better than expected.
• I wanted more of Wonder Woman(Gal Gadot).
• The funeral scene was Peter Jackson long!  I could have went to Mordor and back by the time that ended.  

Overall I liked the movie.  It was worth watching.  I didn't love the movie however and I am in no rush to see it again.  If you need a comic book movie fix, go check it out.  If you wait for blu-ray, I wouldn't blame you there.

What are your thoughts on Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice?  Is this on your must see list?  Please respond in the comment section below.

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Check out my good friend Handsome J's review as well here.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Why You Need To See This Film

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Why You Need To See This Film

Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Jesse Eisenber, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Daine Lane, Jena Malone

The critics hated the movie, what did you expect from a Comicbook adaptation? I’ve seen critics complain about the religious undertone, the political ties and moral dilemma. But when everything is said and done, we are watching a movie where an indestructible man fly’s while another dresses as a Bat. This movie isn’t being made to enlighten, it was made to entertain and it did just that. The best part of this movie we received the best Bruce Wayne/Batman I’ve seen. Ben Affleck was amazing and I can’t wait to see what he does with the future of Batman. And for everyone that was worried about Gal Gadot, she was amazing and sold me on her as Wonder Woman.  

Batman V Superman had to do something which the marvel movies haven’t had to do the entire time, Introduce new character, tell the story of all those character and actually give us movie which made sense. Yes the editing was a little choppy, but every scene was worth it. Every dream sequence from Bruce gave you the perfect insight to the mind set of a man afraid, scared of what could happen. Every time we were introduced to Lex we saw a lunatic going crazy with power, and every time we saw Superman we were treated to man dealing with the reality that the world around him may fear what he is.

The movie itself was more a starting point, a origin story of sorts. This earth hasn’t been introduced to Meta-Human’s yet. As the scene with the few clips of The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg showed us. There seems to be more at play than just a starting point for a Justice League movie, and if we are lucky we will be treated to a Crisis on Infinity earths movie. As seen during one of the dream sequences The Flash appears but looks like he is reaching out from the future. If that looked familiar, well it was basically pulled from the Crisis on Infinity Earth Story line.  

Finally there was Doomsday, was it the Doomsday i was expecting? No, they pulled from way to many points of the DC Universe. But it was nice to see that Doomsday was still the powerful villain that we needed. I said from the moment that they revealed that Doomsday was in Batman V Superman, we needed the Death of Superman Story. That is exactly what we received and it didn’t disappoint. 

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was exactly what i wanted. The film didn’t disappoint. If you have an doubts about this movie or if you walked away from it disappointed, I suggest taking a moment and see it again.  

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(Spoilers) Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Box Office Review

The movie we're about to examine was filled with so much information, so many stories and characters that I won't spend many words in this introductory paragraph. "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" was grand in scale and dark in tone. The reviews have been demeaning as well as celebratory. So let's dive in and take a look at my thoughts on this film. You'll read what I thought worked and what didn't work. Here we go!

First we'll start with what I thought worked. Ben Affleck was a great Bruce Wayne and Batman. His performance was an entertaining blend of sophisticated business man meets vigilante. He was believable and his performance helped deliver on the intensity of the concepts this film dealt with. Next we have Gal Gadot. I was nervous about her performance as Wonder Woman going into this film. I found myself believing her on screen presence and I enjoyed the playful tone she brought with her. It was a pleasant break from the brooding and intense nature of the film. Speaking of brief breaks in moodiness, Jeremy Irons as Alfred was fantastic. He was my favorite character of the film. 

Not surprising, the action scenes were all well done. If Zack Snyder does anything well, it's action sequences. The apocalyptic dream sequence Batman had was incredible. This weird dystopian action scene that was part "Mad Max Fury Road" and part "Injustice Gods Among Us" was definitely a highlight. Plus, seeing Superman melt guys with his heat vision while he approaches Batman was pretty spectacular. I'm a huge fan of the "Injustice" storyline so I loved that brief moment in the movie. The fight between Batman and Superman was quite creative as well. His use of kryptonite gas bombs and a kryptonite spear was believable considering the film itself is quite fantastical. I was disappointed I didn't get the line from Frank Millers "Dark Knight Returns" when Batman tells Superman he wants him to remember that he was beaten by a man, Batman. However, that's such a small detail it didn't ruin anything for me by it not being in the film. Also, I loved seeing Wonder Woman fight Doomsday. And I loved seeing her lasso in action. That was great.

Now let's look at what didn't work for me at all. The characters had limited back story and I didn't quite understand their motivations. Batman made perfect sense because his character was developed from start to... well, his character fell apart briefly towards the end when he has some bizarre mental freak out because Superman said the name "Martha". I get, to a point, the fact his mother was important because they did spend time showing us the connection he had to his mother. However, that scene felt odd and it didn't work for me. If all it takes is to say "Martha" and Batman loses his mind, he's not a very good Batman.   

Lex Luthor was obnoxious. I wasn't happy when they cast Jessie Eisenberg and I wasn't happy with how they ended the film with his character. He's not Batman's arch nemesis. He's superman's. Are the other Batman villains all dead and now Batman can focus solely on Lex? Who knows, they didn't really explain that. They didn't really explain a lot. Also, why did he care so much? I understand he had this thing about his grandfather's story of waving a flag but that didn't explain his contempt for Superman and Batman. Are we supposed to assume that because he is a villain that's enough? As I thought about his character longer it felt like he had the most potential. Considering that he was the grand designer of the major conflict in this film and created Doomsday using alien technology he just discovered, he could've been more impactful. He came off as a bit of a looney spoiled brat. I didn't like it. 

You killed superman? I'll give you credit in so much as I respect the balls it takes to make a Superman movie and then kill him in the end. Was the deciding factor, "Well, we have Doomsday so I guess Superman has to die?" Does this mean we'll be getting electric Superman who wears yellow visor sunglasses (see image below) as a threat in the Justice League film? Is Snyder trying to create an "Injustice" storyline on the big screen? Why did we kill Superman?? Why did we use Doomsday? That whole story felt rushed and it was reminiscent of Sam Ramie's "Spiderman 3" when all of sudden we have "Venom" on screen and then the movies over. And why was Doomsday this bizarre energy absorbing, constantly growing monster? And why was Batman ok with the fact that the four of them are destroying everything but he was so angry at Superman for destroying Metropolis? 

I'm also still trying to figure out the marketing for this film. They advertised Aquaman by giving him his own poster but he had maybe a minute and half of screen time. We saw Flash twice but he didn't have a poster. In another weird dream sequence Bruce Wayne sees Flash (from another dimension? the future?) and he looks like "Injustice" Flash. So, why not give him a poster? Cyborg also didn't get a poster and he had more screen time than Aquaman. That whole scene was odd. It felt cheap. If you have the technology to create a cybernetic body for your son who is hanging from a fence, you should be able to afford a high definition camera to capture the progress. 

The new Batmobile was awesome. I loved that chase scene. Then Superman showed up and ruined it. Why? No clue. It's not explained. It felt like the whole scene was a set up to show Batman how Superman is indestructible. I could've enjoyed that scene more had Superman stopped Batman and then went off and stopped the criminals. He didn't though. He let the bad guys get away with the one item that can kill him which later Batman still had to steal from Lex! 

Finally, all the issues I had I was happy to overlook because I realize not everyone reads comic books and there are people who read way more than I do. So everyone has a different idea of what's entertaining to them. So because of that I was happy to overlook all the weird decisions, unanswered plot points, disjointed storyline and just accept the fact that this is a fantasy action film and it has beloved characters in it. HOWEVER, the one thing I cannot excuse and never will be able to overlook is Superman using his power while also being around kryptonite. Ask anyone to tell you what beats Superman and they'll say kryptonite or something like "that green rock" because it's engrained in our culture. Everyone knows that Superman's basically a deity but put a green rock near him and he's as useless as any man who has the flu. That's the rule. We all know it. So tell me why Superman can't dive into water, grab a kryptonite spear and then swim back to safety but he can fly across the battle field and stab Doomsday with that same spear? Did I blink and miss something in this film? Why didn't we write this film so Lois runs the spear to Batman who throws it to Wonder Woman who gets to kill Doomsday? She already cut his arm off. It could've worked and would've made more sense. Superman (a god) sacrifices himself to get the spear, Lois and Batman (humans) get the spear to an Amazon Warrior Princess who defeats the monster. 

"Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice" is in theaters now! I give this film a box of kryptonite and some batarangs. It's definitely worth seeing on the big screen because cinematically it's very enjoyable. Your eyes will be very happy with how good the film looks. Your brain might be a bit frazzled with questions but for what it is, it is entertaining. There were rumors this film might've been edited into two films and after seeing the movie that might've been a better option. Give the story time to develop as well as the characters and don't rush it. That didn't happen and what we have is an entertaining, albeit confusing, story that features some popular characters who deserve your hard earned dollars for the big screen filming experience. Go check it out folks. 

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The Flash Review: Season 2 Episode 13 "Welcome To Earth-2"

The Flash Season 2 Episode 13

“Welcome to Earth-2”

Synopsis:

Barry, Wells and Cisco travel to Earth-2 to rescue Jesse from Zoom. They find Killer Frost and Deathstorm whom are Caitlin and Ronnie on Earth-1. Meanwhile Jay takes Barry’s responsibility on defending Central City from a Meta human called Geomancer

Review:

With the trio traveling to Earth-2 in order to save Jesse from Zoom, Barry encounters his Earth-2 self. This causes a distraction from there own mission with Barry learning that the Earth-2 version of himself is Married to Iris and she is the captian of the police force. Meanwhile Killerfrost and Deathstorm learn that people have crossed over. This leads to a face off between the speedster and Zooms thugs. After barry is beat down by Deathstorm and Cisco of earth-2, Zoom shows and take him back to his prison.

Final Thoughts:

Oh how this episode had so much in it. Loved all the interesting tie ins within the DC universe. First we get to see Floyd Lawton AKA Deadshot from Arrow. Its nice to be reintroduced to one of my favorite characters from the first two season of Arrow. Then we get a nice little easter egg when Barry goes to Call his mother, the phone had a speed dial set for Hal, Diana and Bruce. This is obviously in reference to Hal Jordan, Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman. I love the fact that The Flash does such a wonderful job of placing easter eggs referencing multiple characters from the DC Universe.

Overall this was the type of episode you would expect, its also a wonderful way of introducing Killer Frost and Deathstorm without ruining the character development that they created with Caitlin and Ronnie. This episode also shows the wonderful  job that Grant Gustin does jumping between serious, emotional scenes and humor.

I give this episode Two Thumbs Up, another solid episode. Let us know your thoughts and leave a comment below.

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Comic Book Review: Justice League #47 - DC Comics (2016)

Darkseid War Part 7

Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Jason Fabok

Heroes collide in the next chapter in the Darkseid War.  A deranged Superman fights Wonder Woman; Green Lantern tries to talk Batman off the Chair of Knowledge; Cyborg, Power Ring, Big Barda and Mister Miracle attempt to break the Crime Syndicate out of prison to find out more information to possibly beat the Anti-Monitor.

Things have gone haywire in the DC Universe.  With Darkseid gone, there is great power dispersed to different heroes from the Justice League and they're having a hard time dealing with it not only mentally, but now it seems physically.

The Darkseid War has been a great read so far.  Lots of action and story lines all over the place yet they all converge as well.  Each month I look forward to what is going to happen next.  Wonder Woman is the one hero whose head seems to be the most level as the other Justice League members have their own issues.  Mister Miracle is a fun character and I like seeing this Jack Kirby created character become heavily involved in this story.

Justice League has been one of my favorite of the DC series upon the arrival of the New 52.  Each issue has a lot of great action and includes many of the most familiar of faces in the DC Universe.  This is a great series for those of you into superhero team ups and that seems to be the case with a lot of folks based on the direction the films are going.

What are your thoughts on Justice League?  Are there other comic books you would like to see reviewed by Maskerpiece Theatre?  Let us know in the comments below.

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Comic Book Review: Justice League #46 - DC Comics (2015)

Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul

The Darkseid War rages on.  Darkseid is dead and now everyone is after the Anti-Monitor, but only after they're done with each other.  Cyborg, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor have enlisted the help of Mister Miracle and he has the help of his new bride, Big Barda.  With nobody knowing how to defeat their largest nemesis todate, our heroes need to turn to a group that had their planet destroyed by the Anti-Monitor.  Other members of the Justice League now have god-like powers and that has corrupted many of their minds.
Batman: God of Knowldge
Superman: God of Strength
The Flash: God of Death
Shazam: God of Gods
Green Lantern: God of Light
Lex Luthor: God of Apokolips

If you have not been keeping up with this story, things may be a bit confusing for those jumping in.  There are a lot of moving pieces to this war.  As one can imagine, this is a team book with a lot of personalities and many things going on.  As you see above, many of the heroes have been corrupted with unfathomable power so the heroes on Earth no need to turn to a very unlikely source.  Fans of the Forever Evil story line should be excited.

I've enjoyed Justice League from the start.  This series is not following the stories of the individual books as Bruce Wayne is Batman, Superman still has powers and there's a giant war happening.  It would be difficult to weave this level of war into the individual hero books without confusing the readers.  I used to be against this but, as long as I know it's a different place in the multi-verse, I'm okay with it.  Besides, how is Batman really supposed to be in all of these different books?

What are your thoughts on the Justice League?  Are you enjoying the Darkseid War?  What other comic books would you like the Maskerpiece Theatre staff to review?  Leave your comments below.

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Comic Book Review: Dark Knight III: The Master Race #2 - DC Comics (2015)

Written by Frank Miller & Brian Azzarello
Art by Andy Kubert & Klaus Janson

Batman, or girl, has been taken into custody and is being transferred to Blackgate prison.  The Atom feels he has found a way to to enlarge the shrunken Kandorians.  We also get to see Lara who looks to be a character to keep an eye on.

Only two issues in and there is so much going on.  I'm really liking the fact that there are lots of subplots happening as they all feel separate yet you know they will all come together.  As always with these monthly series, there is a big reveal at the end.

The Atom is also at work within this book and brings on a big reveal as he attempts to bring the people in the tiny city back to a normal size.  The future will tell if this is actually a good idea or not.

So far so good from our people at DC Comics.  I'm curious as to how many people will stick around with that $5.99 price tag.  I keep hearing about comic book sales in general being down, but I don't think it would be so bad if the prices were lower.

This issue also included a mini book inside.

Wonder Woman #1
Written by Frank Miller & Brian Azarello
Art by Eduardo Risso

The book is called Wonder Woman but it feels more like it is about her daughter Lara.  Lara trains with Wonder Woman but shows that the Amazonian steel blade is no match for her Kryptonian physiology.  I definitely want to know more about Lara the more I continue to read the DKIII series.

Let us know your thoughts on The Dark Knight III: The Master Race in the comments below.

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Comic Book Review: Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1 - DC Comics (2015)

Written by Frank Miller & Brian Azzarello
Art by Andy Kubert & Klaus Janson

The universe of Frank Miller's version of Batman continues in Dark Knight III: The Master Race.  Thought to be dead, it appears
Batman is back and badder than ever.  There is footage from a cell phone that catches the Dark Knight fighting with police.  Everyone wants to know who is under the cowl and the reveal may surprise you.

This series is off to a fantastic start.  I was not originally going to partake in the purchasing of these books since they have a $5.99 cover price.  Luckily for me, my wife shops for comics based on cover and bought the first two issues for me(a review of issue two will follow in the next day or so).  Frank Miller teaming with Brian Azzarello is great and also Andy Kubert is capturing much of the look the previous Dark Knight series.'

It's really cool to see more of the DC universe early on with DKIII.  Wonder Woman looks to play a large part and we are introduced to another character who is looking to help her people.  We also get a glimpse of Superman and where he is chilling.



The Atom #1
Written by Frank Miller & Brian Azzarello
Art by Frank Miller & Klaus Janson

There's also a bonus story within the comic book and that helps me in justifying the $5.99 cover price.  It's actually a mini book and stars The Atom.  We get a look into his world and what makes him tick.  We are also shown a character that shows up at the end of DKIII #1 who enlists the help of Dr. Palmer.

I like seeing that Frank Miller did the artwork for this one.  The cover with Superman on it is interesting to say the least.

If the price doesn't scare you too much, I'd say DKIII #1 is a nice addition to your collection.  It's a little tough knowing there are awesome books at half the price available.  Two issues of Saga or Paper Girls cost the same as one issue of DKIII.  Could be tough if you're on a budget.

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