Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Issue 1 - Comic Book Review

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - #1 - Marvel

Written By: Marc Guggenheim

Art By: German Peralta & Rachelle Rosenberg

Stolen Stark Tech has busted into the Department of Defense and stolen something very valuable to anyone with a vengeance towards super hero’s. Tony Stark and Agent May are discussing the matter while Coulson and team are interrogating an A.I.M. splinter cell. After some discussion it’s revealed that Coulson might have a contact who can help them but it won’t be an easy sell and what he finds out won’t be easily understood. 

The is the first issue for the new launch of this series. I enjoyed the previous series and this revamped title did not disappoint. While I do not care for the show, I do enjoy the characters in this setting. The fantastic four tie in was a nice touch. I enjoyed how this series connected to the new “Invincible Iron Man” series also. While I did enjoy the previous run, it did feel a bit isolated because it didn’t connect to any stories currently in progress. They used the characters, sure, but no official storyline connectors. This first issue appears to have corrected that.

I enjoyed the overall story and it did well to highlight the different characters and the role they play within the team. The issue ends with a twist but there’s other stories occurring with the characters that also had a twist or surprise finish. Once again, the comic book is more entertaining and better written than the show in my opinion. I was a monthly reader of the previous series and it feels like this all new all different run will keep me reading every month. 

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Supernatural Review: Don't You Forget About Me Season 11 Episode 12

Supernatural: Don’t You Forget About Me

Director: Stefan Pleszynski

Writer: Nancy Won

Staring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Kim Rhodes, Kathryn Newton, Katherine Ramdeen

Synopsis: Clair believes recent murders in town are supernatural and asks Sam and Dean to investigate. However, Sheriff Mills tells the guys that Claire has been getting into trouble lately and has been attacking normal people and accusing them of being monsters.

Review: The episode kicks off with Claire hunting for monsters, or well trying to hunt, when a failed attempt leads to her attacking two kids that were making out.  She knows something supernatural is going on though, so who do she call? Them Winchester boys, they count as Ghostbusters right? The boys head back to South Dakota to see what’s going on only to find out they are being pushed into a domestic family confrontation. Nothing shows how different the boys lives are until you throw them into a typical family conversation. Between them overly enjoying a home cooked meal and their faces when birth control and “the talk” happens is priceless. After things appear to not be as Claire suspects, Alex’s favorite teacher turns up dead and hanging from a flag pool in front of the school. Now with the boys fully in on helping, the investigation starts with Claire repeatedly stating that she knew it was something supernatural. Well she was right and she wont let anyone forget it.  Shortly after some digging around it turns out everyone isn’t who they appear, Mr Wheeler the janitor is using a fake social and started when the disappearances Claire was looking in to started. Mr. Wheeler turns out to be one of Alex’s victims from when she was helping the vampire nest.  Mr. Wheeler and her boyfriend, who is also a vampire, kidnap Jody, Clair and Alex. Sam and Dean come to the rescue, and after some heart felt realizations the vampires are decapitated. With the case solved and a care package of home made food the boys are ready to head home after sharing some words of wisdom with the girls.

Final Thoughts: The most noticeable comparison in the show is the similarities between the girls and Sam and Dean. Clair and Alex have a very similar relationship when it comes to how they bicker, which is intriguing for a possible future spin off. I always love episodes where Sam and Dean are faced with real world confrontations, it’s a great reminder that the boys didn’t have a normal life and don’t know how to handle those situations. Also I’m always happy to see Sheriff Jody Mills back on the show. Kim Rhodes has great chemistry with the boys and Jody Mills is always a great reminder of Bobby. The episode did lag at times, but not every episode can be packed with craziness so the slow down was a welcome break.

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The Flash Review: Season 2 Episode 12 "Fast Lane"

The Flash Season 2 Episode 12

“Fast Lane”

Synopsis:

Barry Tries to team up with Dr. Harrison Wells but finds out Harrison prefers working alone. The Flash fights a new Meta-Human. Iris researches her brother’s drag racing. Dr. Wells starts stealing Barry’s speed.

Review:

So there is a new Meta-Human in town, Tar-pit. Barry is trying to stop the new meta but encounters issues when Wells starts to steal the speed force for Zoom. After a show down with Tar-pit which ends up putting Iris in an hospital, Wells guilt leads him to confessing that he was in the middle of stealing the speed force. While locked up Barry convinces the team that they should help harrison, in order to save his Daughter who is trapped by Zoom in Earth-2.

Final thoughts:

After a few more somber episode of The Flash, we are back to the more light hearted show which everyone loves. Once again we are treated to the humor of the show. Loved the scene where Cisco asked looking for confirmation who the best hacker is and was greeted to the response from Caitlin and Barry of Felicity Smoak. This show does a wonderful job of always referring back to Arrow. Nice nod and recognition to the show which made all of this possible.

So Wells has found a way to steal the speed force and uses it to draw the powers from Barry, interesting development. Its also nice to see that Wells from Earth-2 has a conscience. I am glad they are not making him evil this season and really looking forward to how he will ultimately help Barry defeat Zoom. The next few episodes will be great to watch, as it looks like the team will be traveling to Earth-2. I am sure this will lead to Killer Frost and the return of Robbie Amell.

We were treated to some great news, as we will see a crossover with Supergirl in March. Can’t wait, love the crossover and love the fact that CW and CBS will be working together on this. On a personal note, Cox Communications is currently in a fight with CW over broadcasting fee’s which is resulting in the blackout. What does this mean for all of you, well its a delay in these awesome reviews until we are able to view on Hulu.

This episode gets Two Thumbs Up, leave your comments below.

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Silver Surfer - Issue 1 - Comic Book Review

Silver Surfer - #1 - Marvel

Written By: Dan Slott & Michael Allred

Art By: Laura Allred

Silver Surfer and Dawn are interrupting a transmission from space that is from an alien race, the Hordax, who are claiming rule over the earth. While the Surfer fights off the aliens in their ship Dawn uses the time to tell her family she is headed back to earth in 3 days. Shortly after arriving on Earth the books, art, music, television shows and movies are all suddenly being stolen into space. Dawn and the Silver Surfer race to space and discover the Hordax are behind it all. Things are not as they appear and a greater threat looms in the distance with a familiar face who is familiar with space travel and battle.

This was a fun issue. Some of the moments were silly and humorous which made this comic an entertaining treat. The dialogue didn’t require too much from the reader which was also nice. This issue was a quick, enjoyable read. 

The art work was vibrant and unique, in a good way. The colors in this issue all pop and the characters all have their own look except for Dawn and her twin sister. They even had one or two major differences in appearance too. This issue felt like I gave my eyes visual candy. This was an exciting look that was creative and felt original. 

Overall, I’m not sure if I’ll continue reading the series but it was a fun break from some of the more intense stories I read. If you’re looking for something that is stunning and electric in appearance this is a great comic for you. If you enjoy a quick, fun, read then again this is for you. It reads well and the art is a delight. 

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The Binge Watcher Review: "Psych"

“Psych”

Starring: James Roday, Dule Hill, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen, Maggie Lawson

Synopsis:

A novice sleuth is hired by the police after he cons them into thinking he has psychic powers which help solve crimes. With the assistance of his reluctant best friend, the duo takes on a series of complicated cases

The Good:

A great show, great script which ties in pop culture humor. But the real stars of the show have to be James Roday, Dule Hill and Timothy Omundson. Each play their role perfectly.

The Bad:

Unfortunately like most great comedy shows the last two seasons seemed to have lost a little something. Not at all saying that it was bad, but it never met the standards of the first few seasons 

Final Thoughts:

I didn’t start watching this show until the fourth season. How did I ever make this mistake? The worse part was this was before Netflix and Hulu streaming, so I had to go buy each season…..Even now with Netflix I would still make those purchases. Some of the best episode were between season 2 and 5. Not only did they get some of the best guest star, each episode was filled with pop culture references, most of them being from the eighties and early nineties. 

James Roday was the star of the show, never missing a beat. His chemistry with Duly Hill was off the chart and made this series so much more enjoyable to watch. But the best part was watching Omundson grow within his role making Lassiter one of the best characters, and is the reason I watch Galavant today. 

If this want enough, the running jokes through out the series were the best. Try to find the Pineapple in each episode. Also the specialty episodes that got a revised version of the theme song, Just Brilliant!

If you love fake psychic detective shows, check out Netflix as soon as possible. This is a must watch series and to this day I am still missing it. I give this Two Thumbs Up, Let us know your thoughts of the show and leave a comment below. 

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Lucifer Review: Season 1 Episode 2 "Lucifer, Stay. Good Devil"

Lucifer Season 1 Episode 2

“Lucifer, Stay. Good Devil”

Synopsis:

When a movie star’s son is killed after being chased by the paparazzi, Chloe takes a deep look into the case with a little help from Lucifer. Meanwhile, Maze and Amenadiel continue to encourage Lucifer to go back to hell.

The Good:

Another Solid episode, fun to watch the slow build of a first season. Even though this is a Comicbook property, the show is written in such a way that it is entertaining even if you haven’t read or know anything about the comic.

The Bad:

The only downside so far through the first two episodes, there is a lot of different stories going. Not that its horrible, but sometimes it means there isn’t enough time for everything.

Final Thoughts:

Two episode’s and I am officially hooked. The more i watch it the more interesting the character of Lucifer is, I am looking forward to how the series grows with the moral changes Lucifer goes through. The benefit of this being a new series and also a short one, its more of a weekly episodic series right now. Will this change in the future? My guess is yes, and I hope it does but for the time this is a nice change in pace from most of the shows I currently watch.

If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining show that isn’t to serious yet, than this is the show for you. I give this episode Two Thumbs Up, Let us know what your thoughts of the show are and leave your comments below.

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Jughead - Issue 1 - Comic book Review

Jughead - #1 - Archie Comics

Written By: Chip Zdarsky

Art By: Erica Henderson

Jughead is lazily playing a video game in which he is slaying every other character with his sword. Time passes and Archie arrives to take Jughead to school. After arriving at Riverdale High, the new principle appears and Jughead must decide how to overcome the obstacle that keeps him from his one true love, food. 

This comic didn’t lose any of the wholesome goodness that is an “Archie” comic. In a world filled with adult themes, suggestive language and graphic art work this comic harkened back to a time of innocence and simplicity. The story read similar to teen age comedies like the movies “American Pie,” “Can’t Hardly Wait” or “Superbad”.  The major difference being this comic uses language a child could enjoy without the parents worrying themes present might be inappropriate for kids. 

The art work in this issue feels appropriate for the story as well. After Jughead passes out the story departs reality and heads to medieval times and then back to reality once he comes to. The dragon was a particularly enjoyable touch in this issue. I love dragons though, so I’m biased towards them being more visible in stories. If you enjoy dragons you’ll appreciate the cameo one makes in this issue.

Overall, I would say that if you are looking for a comic book that is for all ages with a fun story that isn’t inappropriate, this is a good issue. It’s entertaining and well drawn. Also, if you’re a fan of Archie comics then you should definitely pick this up. 

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The X-Files Review: Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster

The X-Files: Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster

Director & Writer: Darin Morgan

Staring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rhys Darby

Synopsis: When a dead body is found in the woods, Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate whether it was an animal attack, a serial killer or just maybe a strange creature as described by eyewitnesses. Meanwhile, Mulder is able to confront some of his own demons about feeling disillusioned with his life’s work.

The Good: This is probably my favorite episode of this season so far. There was everything you need for a good time, there was death, a monster, some comedy and a twist for good measure. Darin Morgan’s spin on humanity is the real monster was fantastic. His story in this episode of a creature that was bitten by a person and then turns into one during the day was nice surprise from the typical were-animal story. The graveyard scene between Mulder and Guy Mann, the creature that shifts into a person, confesses what is happening to him was so well written. Rhys Darby who played Guy Mann was absolutely my favorite part of this episode! His delivery on how ridiculous the human life was and how natural it was becoming for him just because he shifted into a human. It was also nice to see the show expressing how things have changed from when the original show was on tv. At the start of the episode, Mulder is going over old cases and expressing to Scully how a lot of the unexplained from before has now be debunked. Mulder continues his with his doubt as him and Scully get to the scene of the killings. My favorite question he asks being, why did no one take a picture of the creature considering everyone has cameras with them now? This of course led to Mulder chasing the creature around with his phone constantly taking photos while looking for this lizard creature. All in all, the episode did a great job of telling a story of Mulder going from rational skeptic to a believer and getting to see the truth when Guy Mann turns back into his true form before running off. Side note, kudos to Darin Morgan for the name Guy Mann, though redundant, it’s a very funny name for the creature in his human form.

The Bad- I don’t have much bad to say about this episode, but less is better when it comes to seeing the creature. Without a crazy budget, though, there isn’t much you can do, but the show pulled it off.

Final Thoughts: Like I said I didn’t have much bad to say about this episode. It was a good time all around. If anyone is looking for a easy episode to introduce friends too, this is the episode to do it. Also it is clear to see Duchovny and Anderson are getting more comfortable with each other on camera, their chemistry is flowing much better with each episode, making it feel more like old times.

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Supergirl Review: Season 1 Episode 12 "Bizarro"

Supergirl Season 1 Episode 12

“Bizarro”

Synopsis:

Kara faces off against her mirror image when Bizarro, a twisted version of Supergirl, sets out to destroy her. Also, Kara grows closer with Cat’s son, Adam

Review:

Maxwell Lord’s secret coma girl is finally awake and is a identical duplicate of Supergirl, Bizarro is here. While the battle with Bizarro is taking place, Alex finds out that Lord knows that Supergirl is Kara. While Kryptonite only destroyed her outer appearance, Hank comes up a way to reverse the affects of Kryptonite to defeat Bizarro.

Final Thoughts:

This was a difficult review to write up, this episode should have been great. There was so much they could have done with Bizarro, but instead it seemed like the majority of the episode revolved around Kara and her love life. It was an unfortunate reminder that I was watching a show that centers around a female superhero. If that sounds bad its because it is, Supergirl was becoming a show that everyone should watch, this episode made it seem more like a girl drama. 

In many ways this show centers around the James Olsen character. The best episodes are the ones he isn’t on the screen, the episodes that struggle to find their footing seem to have a more James Olsen centric theme. This may be an issue in which the actor casted in the role of Olsen is just to good and takes away from what the story should be about.

Again, I can’t begin to describe my disappointment in this episode, it was a waste of a Villain that could have started something special. Let us know your thoughts of the episode and leave your comments below.

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Comic Book Review: Johnny the Homicidal Maniac #1 - Slave Labor Graphics

By Jhonen Vasquez

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is a collection of stories within a comic book.

I have heard about Johnny the Homicidal Maniac for quite some time.  This series has been talked about quite often on the Maskerpiece Theatre podcast.  This book series has quite the cult following.  I was pretty excited to find this book at a local record shop.  There must be quite the following as the book I picked up was the 21st printing.

So Johnny is exactly what the title says, a Homicidal Maniac.  The question is, how did he become this way?  Jhonen Vasquez questions so much within the book about how people become the way they are.  Why people can be so angry and how suicide can actually seem like the most viable option.

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac isn't the only character within these stories.  We also get to meet Wobbly Head Bob, Happy Noodle Boy and more.  Run out and find this black and white gem of a book but good luck.  It's not exactly found anywhere.

What are your thoughts on Johnny the Homicidal Maniac?  What other comics would you like Maskerpiece Theatre to review?  Please leave your comments below.

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