Dark Knight Rising, The Cat, & The Man Who Broke The Bat

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Anna Hathaway, Bane, Batman, Batpod, Catwoman, Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy

Dark Knight Rising, The Cat, & The Man Who Broke The Bat

By Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

When the Batman decided to take the blame for Harvey Dent’s death in The Dark Knight (2008) to prevent the horrific truth about Two Face tarnishing the District Attorneys reputation, Batman vanished without a trace, leaving Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) to carry the heavy burden of the lie that must endure if the legacy of Gotham is to survive.

Still wracked with grief over the loss of Rachel Dawes, his childhood sweetheart, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has become a virtual recluse over the last eight years. He is now a shadow of his former self, his body worn down by the injuries he sustained during his crime fighting career – Bruce now walks the darkened halls of Wayne Manor like a ghost; lost and alone without any meaning or direction remaining in his life.

A storm is coming to Gotham – Bane (Tom Hardy)

But a storm is coming to Gotham in the form of the muscled powerhouse known only as Bane (Tom Hardy), a terrorist hell-bent on unleashing anarchy on the city. Then there is the alluring jewel thief Selena Kyle as the vivacious Catwoman (Anna Hathaway) who wants to use her skills to try and escape the life of crime that is slowly catching up with her. Miranda Tate (Marion Cottilard) becomes romantically involved with Bruce Wayne as she sides with him in an attempt to prevent a hostile takeover bid for Wayne Enterprises, yet it is rookie cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who proves most instrumental in persuading the Batman out of retirement. Bruce Wayne employs the skills of Lucas Fox (Morgan Freeman) and his loyal friend Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) to help him don the cape and cowl once more as Bane attacks the Stock Exchange, Batman finds a new ally in Catwoman, but their brief alliance leads to a near fatal encounter with Bane in the sewers beneath Gotham.

With his back broken, Wayne Enterprises in tatters, and his armoury plundered Bruce is left for dead in the same prison where Bane once languished in agony. Unable to walk, he is forced to watch as Gotham City begins to descend into madness as Bane frees the inmates of Blackgate and holds the city to ransom with the unstable core of a prototype fusion reactor. Bruce’s fellow inmates help him on the long path to recovery as Bane’s unstoppable wave of anarchy engulfs Gotham.

When Bruce Wayne finally escapes from the torturous hell-hole he returns to Gotham City to take up the Mantel of the Bat one last time, rallying Gordon’s Police Force, and joining forces with Catwoman in a desperate bid to defeat Bane and save Gotham from a nuclear holocaust.

Christopher Nolan has not only reinvented the origin of Batman with the sensational Batman Begins (2005), a momentous film that was then surpassed in the sequel by Heath Ledgers phenomenal performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight (08), Nolan now brings his trilogy to a rousing finale in The Dark Knight Rises as Batman is forced to take up the cape and cowl one last time to defend his city from the relentless onslaught and chaos wrought by Bane. While Tim Burton’s incarnation of The Dark Knight was a sumptuous gothic fantasy, the series unfortunately descended in camp farce with Jole Schumacher at the helm, quickly sounding the death knell that left fans wondering if Batman would ever show his face outside the Bat Cave again.

By rooting his Batman films in a more grounded reality, Christopher Nolan created a dark and unforgiving world, and in casting Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman he has also given us the most definitive version of The Dark Knight.

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman

Christian Bale makes the role his own in The Dark Knight Rises, physically and mentally, if anyone were born to play this character then Bale was definitely the man for the job – eclipsing even Michael Keaton’s underplayed performance in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) & Batman Returns (1992). We have watched Bruce Wayne grow form his tortured beginnings, through his training at the hands of Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson), to a battle royal with Heath Ledger’s chillingly disturbed Clown Prince of Crime, and now in The Dark Knight Rises we get to see Bruce Wayne face the greatest challenge of his career as he confronts Bane. With events in The Dark Knight Rises taking place some eight years after Batman took the blame for the death of Harvey Dent, we join Bruce Wayne at a critical juncture in his life as he struggles to save Gotham City from Bane and deal with his grief for Rachel. One thing Nolan’s films have excelled at is the relationships that have built up around Bruce Wayne: most notably with Michael Caine’s star turn as Alfred Pennyworth, and Gary Oldman’s world-weary Commissioner Gordon – both of whom were criminally underused in the pervious franchise – who have subsequently become crucial elements of Nolan’s trilogy and are given even grater roles in The Dark Knight Rises..

He may have been overshadowed somewhat by Heath Ledger’s marvellous Joker in The Dark Knight, but Christian Bale’s performance in The Dark Knight Rises is exemplary. His portrayal of Batman struggling to come to terms with the twilight of his career is stunningly realized, even when he is broken by Bane, Bale’s performance rings true to everything already established in Batman Begins. One of the films most rousing moments comes as Bruce makes his escape from Bane’s prison; it’s a fantastic catharsis for the character, and one that makes the trilogy feel as if it has finally come full circle. Yet for all the punishment he has received at Bane’s hands, nothing compares to Alfred’s admission that he burnt the last letter Rachel entrusted him to give to Bruce. It breaks Bruce Wayne’s heart to know that Alfred did this to protect him from the knowledge that Rachel had chosen Harvey Dent over him, it destroys Bruce far more than Bane’s wrath, crippling his soul in a way that not even his parent’s death could fully accomplish.

Selena Kyle / Catwoman (Anna Hathaway)

Catwoman has long since been a mainstay in the comic books, holding a unique foothold in Batman‘s life above even longstanding members of the Bat-Family: she has gone from notorious cat burglar, to friend, confidant, lover, and back again. Ann Hathaway exemplifies everything that this marvellous character has to offer, playing the role of Selena Kyle that is far closer to the comic book version. Michael Pfeiffer arguably made the role of Catwoman her own in Batman Returns (1982) with her extraordinary performance and memorable costume, it made Pfeiffer the focal point of the film, and rightly so. Hathaway looks every bit as stunning as Pfeiffer did in her slinky cat suit, although her portrayal of Selena Kyle as a graduate from the school of hard knocks rather than a tortured psychotic has much more depth and substance to it. The chemistry she shares with Christian Bale almost mirrors that which Pfeiffer had with Keaton in Batman Returns; who can forget the moment when they danced at the masquerade ball and had their glorious epiphany under the mistletoe – guessing each other secret identities – in what is still one of my all-time-favourite moments in a Batman film. There is a wonderful homage to this scene in The Dark Knight Rises, where, after stealing his mother’s string of pearls from Wayne Manor, Selena Kyle encounters Bruce Wayne at a party hosted by Miranda Tate. It’s a lovely scene, an affectionate nod to the past, and one that also sees Bruce Wayne lose his heart to Selena’s captivating femme fatale.

Its great to see Batman and Catwoman fighting side by side in The Dark Knight Rises, they make a great team, never more so than when they are both on the wrong side of the law. Although Catwoman’s seductive charms ultimately lead Batman to ignore Alfred’s warnings and stumble blindly into Bane’s trap in the sewers, fortunately Selena finds redemption – and forgiveness – in the Dark Knights shadow when he returns to save Gotham City from Bane’s reign of terror.

Of all the members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery, only Bane has ever truly come close to destroying the legend of the Dark Knight. Originally conceived as part of the 1993-1994 Knightfall crossover event in the Batman comics, Bane was the antithesis of foes like the Joker, Riddler, and Penguin. Bane didn’t just want to torment and kill Batman; he wanted to smash everything that the legacy of Bruce Wayne stands for – battering him with insurmountable odds before confronting Batman in the Bat Cave itself and breaking his back. While others might argue that Knightfall was merely an attempt by DC to cash in on the success of Doomsday in the Superman comics, I think Knightfall and the following chapters which saw Bruce Wayne fight his way back to health to eventually usurp the man who assumed the mantel of the Bat in his absence – Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) – gave the Bat-Titles a much needed boost.

Batman vs Bane: The Dark Knight Rises races towards its thrilling conclusion

Tom Hardy is an inspired choice to play Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. He has the immense physicality necessary to bring the character to life on screen: Bane’s brooding menace is apparent right from the spectacular plane highjack at the beginning of the film, his initial encounter with Gordon leaves the Police Commissioner in hospital, he entombs the police force as brutally as he breaks the Batman, unleashes an explosive attack on Gotham’s social and political infrastructure that brings the city to its knees, and the final revelation that he was also the protégé of Ra’s Al Ghul ‘s League of Shadows only serves to polarize the character in our imaginations as The Dark Knight Rises races towards its thrilling conclusion.

Hardy looks set to become one of the most memorable Bat-Villains yet. The mask and rasping voice all serve to heighten the tension, with Hardy conveying Bane’s terrifying evil with often just a casual gleam in his eyes. Although this is not the venom fuelled monster that hunted Batman in the comics, the Bane we meet in The Dark Knight Rises draws his strength from the horrific injuries he suffered in prison and his insidious intellect – if anything these potent strains of hatred feed Bane with a physiological “venom“ that is far more powerful than any chemical substitute. The Dark Knight Rises casts off the stigma of how poorly Bane’s character was served in 1997’s dire Batman and Robin. The result is an action packed spectacle, one which, together with Christopher Nolan’s masterstroke in casting Tom Hardy, finally establishes Bane as one of the most terrifying cinematic threats the Batman has ever faced.

Even with its lengthy running time, The Dark Knight Rises is an enthralling experience, and the plot never feels like it is padded or bloated with needless exposition. The supporting cast is also well served, particularly during the films final act, with everyone having a part to play in Batman’s attempt to wrest Gotham City from Bane’s clutches.

There is a dark sense of finality around The Dark Knight Rises

The action kicks into overdrive as soon as an incredulous Bane witnesses the flaming Bat Signal burning over Gotham: while the Police Force launch and all-out-assault on Bane’s headquarters, supported by Batman in his new flying vehicle “The Bat” and Catwoman on the Batpod, it falls to Commissioner Gordon to locate the truck carrying the fusion reactor while John Blake spearheads the evacuation of Gotham’s citizens. Victory is in sight as Batman triumphs over Bane and rescues Miranda Tate, but it is short lived, when Tate stabs Batman and reveals herself to be Talia Al Ghul – the daughter of Bruce Wayne’s former mentor Ra’s Al Ghul!

Having escaped from the same prison as Bane when she was only a child, Talia has now returned to claim her birthright and wreak vengeance on Bruce Wayne for killing her father. With Bane as her loyal servant, Talia leaves him to dispose of Batman as she personally takes command of the convey carrying the fusion reactor. Just as all seems lost, Catwoman returns in time to save Batman by shooting Bane with the Batpods cannons. Together with Gordon they hunt down Talia and blast the truck off the road, but she has set the reactor to overload. Latching the reactor to the Bat aircraft, Batman carries the device out over Gotham towards the sea before it detonates, sacrificing himself to save the city.

The addition of Talia Al Ghul in the films climatic moments is a haunting culmination of the trilogies ultimate ambition, giving credence to the ghostly visage of Ra’s Al Ghul that taunts Bruce from beyond the grave as he struggles to recover from his injuries, and finally giving Batman the strength to emerge from the mire of his most crushing defeat. She embellishes Bane’s back story in a way that makes him appear almost as tragic and lonely as Bruce Wayne was after he lost Rachel. Talia and Bane are forever entwined by their terrible incarceration, locked in the impenetrable gloom of their unwavering loyalty to one another, and destined to die for a love unrequited.

Batman in his new flying vehicle “The Bat”

Batman’s new aircraft make a fitting substitute for the Tumbler/Batmobile which has become so synonymous with Nolan’s series. Stunningly realized by some eye popping special effects, The Bat is an awe inspiring sight as it streaks across the Gotham Skyline, and possesses more than enough firepower to make it every bit as spectacular as the Batmobile. The special effects sequences that feature the Dark Knights new vehicle are thrilling to watch, and flawless in every detail, especially when Batman is exchanging fire with Talia’s convoy.

As Gotham City mourns Batman’s demise, erecting an ebony statue in his honour, it falls to Alfred to oversee Bruce Wayne’s funeral where he is laid to rest beside his parents in the grounds of Wayne Manor. In a bid to escape his grief, Alfred takes a holiday in Florence, and there in a fleeting glance across a crowded café he sees Bruce – alive and well – enjoying his new life with Selena Kyle. This brief coda is beautifully realized by Nolan, it is almost surreal in its intensity, and is Michael Caine’s most endearing moment of the entire trilogy as the promise Alfred made to the Wayne Family finally becomes a heart warming reality.

Only John Blake remains behind to witness Wayne Manor become a home for orphans, funded by what was left of the Wayne fortune. While Jim Gordon reminisces by the Bat Signal for the man who once watched over Gotham City, a man who never forgot Gordon’s simple act of compassion after a child’s parents were brutally gunned down in front of him, John Blake discovers that he has been bequeathed perhaps the greatest legacy of all…

Rookie cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon Levitt)

The Dark Knight Rises has taken some of the very best elements from the Batman comics: drawing on such classic storylines as The Dark Knight Returns, Knightfall, and Cataclysm. All are fantastic stories in their own right, but together they form one massive fan pleasing spectacle. In many ways there is also a dark sense of finality around The Dark Knight Rises. With Bale hinting that this will be his last outing as Batman, and Nolan seemingly ready to step down from the director’s chair with the completion of his trilogy, it begs the question of what the future may hold for the franchise.

It’s entirely possible that the Batman films will be rebooted again, perhaps with Gordon-Levitt’s “Robin” in waiting taking over as Batman, with a series of films centred around a more densely populated DC universe of superheroes, one that might even see DC attempt to emulate Marvels success with The Avengers by making a JLA movie.

The Dark Knight Rises uses the best elements from the Batman comics

The Dark Knight Rises provides an epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s phenomenal series, together his trilogy stands as some of the finest comic book films ever made, and it is this enduring legacy that will captivate a whole new generation of fans in years to come.

Images Belong To WARNER BROS

Avengers vs XMen #10 Review

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Avengers, Avengers vs X-Men, AvX, Marvel, X-Men

Avengers vs. X-Men #10 Review

Review by Paul Bowler

AvX #10 Bradshaw Variant

With the help of Storm and Professor X, the Avengers mount a daring rescue mission to free their fallen comrades from the hellish prison Magik has created within a volcano in the Verkhoyansk Mountains of Russia. The Avengers breach the defences of the Limbo realm and save their friends, beating back the hordes of lethal Hell Worms, but as Colossus and Magik block their escape route Spiderman valiantly faces the Mutants alone to give the Avengers time to escape to K’un Lun.

Spiderman is beaten to a bloody pulp by Colossus, yet his quips and banter are enough to turn the siblings against one another, and as Magik and Colossus fight their powers cancel each other out – causing the Phoenix Force to leave their bodies. Having left Emma Frost struggling to control the dark side of her Phoenix Powers in Ethiopia, Cyclops soars across the world to K’un Lun where he appears in the sky, demanding that Hope returns to Utopia!

With time now rapidly running out for the Avengers as Cyclops attacks their stronghold in the mystical city of K’un Lun, it falls to Iron Fist to hold off the X-Men’s leader to buy Hope enough time to flee and get help from The Thunderer. As Iron Fist falls before Cyclops might Iron Man enters the fray, but even his armoured form is unable to withstand the devastating onslaught of the Phoenix Force. Back at the Verkhovansk Mountains in Russia Captain America’s team tend to Spiderman’s wounds, but as they prepare to teleport back to K’un Lun,  Professor X decides to remain behind – determined to do what he can to help free Emma and Scott from the dark influences of the Phoenix Force.

Iron Fist helps Hope as Cyclops attacks K’un Lun

In K’un Lun Hope has found the Thunderer and together they ride the fabled dragon Shao Lao to attack Cyclops. This creature is the source of K’un Lun’s power, carrier of the Iron Fist energy, and its flaming breath is enough to bring Cyclops to his knees – but the beast is young; and unable to fend off Cyclops’ counter attack. When Cyclops tries to take Hope she suddenly unleashes the power she has unwittingly absorbed from the Dragon and knocks Scott senseless. As she tries to escape Hope runs into the Scarlet Witch and the Avengers. Wanda uses every reserve of her power to fight Cyclops but this time her hex energy is no match for the enraged Mutant, but as all seems lost, Hope steps in and uses the power she has also absorbed from Wanda – combined with the Chaos Fist – to deflect Cyclops’ attack and blasts him away in a ball of searing agony that teleports him into the surface of the moon.

All the remaining X-Men on Utopia have now been broken to Emma Frosts will; even Magneto has been forced to succumb to her omnipotent power. Yet as the Watcher silently observes Cyclops return to Earth, the master of magnetism issues a desperate telepathic plea for help to his old friend Charles Xavier…

Writer Ed Brabaker ramps up the action in Avengers vs. X-Men #10 as Hope Summers finally confronts Cyclops in a battle that will prove to be the biggest turning point in the series to date. It has been a long time in coming, but it would seem that all of Hope’s training in K’un Lun has finally paid off. Having been sidelined for the last few issues by the Scarlet Witch, it’s good to see Hope taking centre stage in this series again…

The fight scenes are superbly choreographed by Adam Kubert pencils and John Dell’s inks, although the battle initially feels a little one sided, you get a sense of just how the Phoenix Force has managed to corrupt Scott and the terrible lengths he is willing to got to in order to see his vision of Xavier’s dream enforced upon the world.

It is perhaps Emma Frost’s subjugation of the X-Men still on Utopia that is the most disturbing aspect of this story. While Cyclops has still managed to hold onto some semblance of his ideals, Emma has given herself to the dark side of the Phoenix Force, and it is quite shocking to see her humiliate Magneto and her fellow team mates.

Iron Man vs Cyclops!

Avengers vs. X-men Infinites #10 is also available to digital customers. This digital tie-in uses animation to enhance the comic book experience. In a story Ed Burbaker and Mark Waid we get to see Iron Man, Beast, and the Scarlet Witch as they run complex virtual reality simulations to find out if it would be possible to take out the hosts of the Phoenix Force. The art and animation is as fluid as you might expect from the format, and this instalment provides more background to Hope’s training in the events leading up to Cyclops’ attack on K‘un Lun..

Avengers vs. X-Men #10 certainly appears to set up a final struggle for power in the ranks of the X-Men as Cyclops and Emma look set to battle for control of the Phoenix Force. Now that Hope is ready to realize her destiny, the final battle is almost upon us, and AvX looks set to deliver a thrilling conclusion to this action packed series.

Stunning New Dr Who Images From Asylum of the Daleks

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Asylum of the Daleks, Daleks, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7

Stunning New Images From Asylum of the Daleks

The BBC have released some more stunning pictures for the opening episode of Doctor Who’s Seventh Season: Asylum of the Daleks. These exciting images feature the Doctor, Amy, and Rory in a number of scenes from this eagerly awaited episode. My favourite is the picture of Amy as she faces a dusty room full of  Daleks. The Daleks are covered in cobwebs and appear to be dormant, at least for now…

Asylum of the Daleks look like it is going to be one of the best Dalek episodes ever. It will feature every style of Dalek that has ever  appeared in Doctor Who, and is sure to get the Seventh Season off to an explosive start!

All Images Belong To BBC

Fantastic Images From The Brilliant New Season Of Doctor Who

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Asylum of the Daleks, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7, Matt Smith, New Dr Who Images

Fantastic Images From The New Season of Doctor Who

Asylum of the Daleks premiered at the BFI in London last night. As well as last nights premiere the BBC have released a number of fantastic new images from the first few episodes of Doctor Who’s Seventh Season. I’ve picked out a few of my favourites, there are twenty images in all, so follow the link below to the official BBC Doctor Who Website to see them all.

The episode titles for this first block of episodes has been confirmed as: Asylum of the Daleks, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, A Town Called Mercy, The Power of Three, and The Angels Take Manhattan. Although a release date for the new series has yet to be officially confirmed, it is suggested that Asylum of the Daleks will be shown on Saturday September the 1st. This episode will be slightly longer than usual, and is sure to become a Dr Who classic! A new variation on the title sequence will also feature this season, and Matt Smith has also signed on for an eighth season, so we will have plenty of adventures to look forward to with the 11^th Doctor!

I cannot wait for the new series to begin! This season looks set to be one of the most exciting yet, and with the 50^th anniversary still to come, there has never been a better time to enjoy the wonderful world of Doctor Who!

To see the full Season 7 Gallery Visit The Offical BBC Website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p00xch0g

All Images Belong To The BBC

Avengers vs XMen #9 Review

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Avengers, Avengers vs X-Men, AvX, Marvel, X-Men

Avengers vs. X-Men #9

Review by Paul Bowler

After deciding to take matters into his own hands, Namor King of Atlantis goes against Cyclops orders and launches a devastating attack on Wakanda. With only moments to spare, Hope manages to escape through a portal to K’un Lun with Wolverine – closely followed by Iron Man and the Thundered – leaving Captain America and his fellow Avengers to face Namor. They fight bravely, suffering terrible injuries in the process, but are ultimately no match for the Phoenix empowered Altantian. Fortunately the battle weakens Namor enough for the Scarlet Witch to strike back and defeat him.

The Phoenix Five arrive in Wakanda by Siege Courageous as Namor falls. The Avengers look on in horror as the Phoenix Force tears itself free of Namor, its power fluctuating and dividing, before it rise up into the sky to bond with Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, and Colossus. Realizing that these four X-Men are now even more powerful, Captain America orders the Avengers to retreat. They escape by teleporting through another portal to regroup with the others in K’un Lun and tend their wounded. As the members of the Phoenix Five bask in the energies they have absorbed from Namor, Professor X confronts them telepathically and issues Cyclops an ultimatum.

AvX #9 joins the story eight days later in K’un Lun as the Avengers have set out to rescue their team mates who have been captured by the X-Men, leaving Spiderman to oversee Hope as she continues her training – offering what advice he can. The Avengers return through a mystical portal, having failed miserably in their mission, and bring news that Thor has also fallen in battle and been captured by Magik and Colossus. While the Avengers treat their injured, Tony Stark continues to struggle to understand how the Phoenix energy, Hope’s Mutant abilities, Wanda’s Hex Magic, and the Iron Fist all fit into the grand scheme of things.

Colossus & Magik defeat Thor!

Colossus and Magik imprison Thor in a volcano in the Verkhoyansk Mountains of Russia along with the other fallen Avengers, binding them all within the pocket dimension of Limbo that Magik has created to form a prison filled with deadly Hell Worms. Sickened by how the Phoenix power has corrupted the Phoenix Five to the point where she hardly recognises them any more, Storm travels to Waknda to enlist the help of her former husband T’Challa, only to learn that their marriage has been annulled. Putting aside their personal differences for the time being, Storm decides to help the Avengers mount a rescue attempt, and together they meet with Professor X at the volcano in Russia.

With the help of Dr Strange and Professor X the Avengers manage to breach the magical defences and free the captives from the Hell Worms, but as they try to escape they are brutally attacked by Colossus and Magik. In a bid to buy the Avengers more time, Spiderman bravely takes on the two X-Men single-handedly to cover their escape, and takes a terrible beating in the process. He may have been battered to within an inch of his life by Colossus, but Spiderman’s banter is enough to turn the two Phoenix Powered siblings against each other – resulting in the Phoenix Force vacating its hosts as they fall.

Emma Frost struggles to control her newfound power as it begins to rage out of control. She meets with Cyclops in the Danakill Desert in Ethiopia, but even though she reveals Hope’s location to Scott, he offers little sympathy for her plight – flying off to K’un Lun and leaving her to succumb to the terrifying power now at her disposal. As the Avengers return through the portal to K’un Lun, Cyclops materializes overhead, more powerful than ever, and determined to make Hope return to Utopia.

Avengers vs. X-Men #9 is one of Jason Aaron’s most action packed issues yet, it opens with an eerie Lost style flash-forward as Spiderman is punched senseless by Colossus, jumping back to recount the events that will lead to the web headed hero making his valiant sacrifice. With the Avengers taking such heavy losses, Wakanda in ruins, and even Thor defeated, this issues is perhaps the bleakest yet for the Avengers. Its nice to have an issue that allows Spiderman to play a more pivotal role, he has been somewhat overlooked so far, and he has some great scenes with Hope where he helps her understand what it means to be an Avenger.

Spiderman takes a savage beating from Colossus

This issues action set-pieces are once more provided by Adam Kubert on pencils and John Dell’s inks. We are treated to page after page of stunning locales around the marvel universe as the story unfolds, from the majesty of K’un Lun to the ruins of Wakanda, the pace never lets up, right up until the Avengers daring raid on the volcano leads to Spiderman’s terrible beating, AvX #9 hardly gives the reader to pause for breath.

One aspect that dominates AvX #9 is the way the remaining members of the Phoenix Five have succumbed to the darker sides of their nature, particularly Emma Frost who is coldly rebuffed by Cyclops and vents her fury on a pilot who one accidentally killed a mutant and failed to report it – Emma plays judge jury and executioner and fries his mind as he sits eating lunch with his family! It seems ironic that Emma has not been able to cope as well with the Phoenix Power as Cyclops, especially considering that Scott has no telepathic abilities, her fall from grace looks set to be the most horrifying of all the X-Men – easily eclipsing the way Magik and Colossus seemingly cancelled each other out after being ticked by Spiderman. It is Cyclops unwavering skills as leader, together with his determination to see his Pax Utopia enforced, that has so far kept his emotions in check. Now that Scott and Emma are the last hosts for the Phoenix Force things look worse than ever for the Avengers, unless the absolute power they now wield ultimately proves to be their downfall.

Avengers vs. X-Men #9 sees the series really starting to kick into high gear as the plot begins to build towards the final issues. AvX #9 has some of the most stand out moments so far in the series, and looks set to provide many more as Cyclops prepares to attack K’un Lun.

TARDIS Tweets

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#TARDISTweets, Doctor Who, Dr Who, tardis crew, TARDIS Tweets

TARDIS TWEETS

　

Ever wanted to watch Doctor Who and tweet along with friends on Twitter while you enjoy the show? Well now you can! TARDIS Tweets is a group of Renegade Time Lords who love Doctor Who. So we decided to ban together and decided to share our thoughts on randomly selected Doctor Who stories by tweeting about them while watching the story at the same time.

What we do is pick a story from any of the 11 Doctors era’s and watch and tweet our thoughts about that story. Whether positive or negative our views are our own and most of the time the tweets will be comical and fun to read.

We will be holding regular sessions on Friday and Sunday. The Friday session is USA based and will start Friday August 10 at 7:15 with a press play at 7:30. We will be starting off with newer Doctor Who with popular Doctors David Tennant and Matt Smith. We picked The Unicorn and The Wasp and The Doctor’s Wife as two opposite stories as the Tennant story is funny and light hearted and the Smith story more serious and emotional. We picked those stories as a way for us to demonstrate our unique styles in tweeting along with two completely different stories from Doctor Who.

The UK version of TARDIS Tweets will launch on Sunday August 26 at 7:30 with a press play at 8:00 PM BST. Again we picked newer Doctor Who to get the ball running. We will be watching the stories that have the Weeping Angels in them. Those are the ever popular Blink, Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone.

What we emphasize is having fun. Have a good time watching Doctor Who and hopefully bring about exposure to the older classic Doctor’s and their stories. We use our own DVD’s, Blu Rays, Netflix Streaming or downloads to watch Doctor Who and tweet along with the story.

The website does not have live streaming so you have to do the work yourself and pay attention to the hash tag #TARDISTweets and wait for the press play now tweet and enjoy the fun. If you want more info on TARDIS Tweets then check out our site and pay attention the schedule side bar to see if we will be watching your favourite story or to see what’s up next and hopefully you will join us.

Check Out The TARDIS Tweets Website today.

http://tardistweets.blogspot.com/

And to follow & tweet along on Twitter go to

Twitter @TARDIS_TWEET

The Walking Dead Season 2 Democracy of the Dead

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Michonne, The Walking Dead, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead Season 2

Democracy of the Dead

Review by Paul Bowler

The aftermath of the Zombie Massacre at Hershel’s barn is fraught with anger and horror as Rick’s gun still smoulders over little Sophia’s body. Carol runs away, distraught by the horrifying discovery that her missing daughter had become a Walker and was hidden by Hershel inside the barn all the time they were looking for her. As Beth walks amongst the bodies of the Walkers, her mothers corpse suddenly springs to life and attacks her, shocking everyone into action, but it is Andrea who quickly dispatches the threat by driving a pickaxe into the Zombie’s head! Shane explodes into a furious rage, unleashing a vicious verbal diatribe at Hershel and Rick. Hershel claims not to have known that Sophia was a Zombie, and that Otis was responsible for the Walkers in the barn, he rounds on them all and demands that they leave his home as soon as possible.

Rick and Shane clash again, and this time it is a confrontation that pushes their friendship to the limit, and the home truths that are said are words that can never be taken back or forgiven lightly. Glen and Maggie are also forced to confront what these events will mean for their relationship if Glen has to leave the farm, while Dale and Shane are once more at loggerheads with neither able to hide their contempt for the other any longer.

The clean up begins, graves are dug for the Walkers they knew, but Carol (Melissa McBride) is too devastated to attend the small service. It is only afterwards that they discover Hershel (Scott Wilson) is missing. Glen (Steven Yeun) and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) set off to find Hershel in the town as Andrea (Laurie Holden) and T-Dog (IronE Singleton) put the bodies of the other Walkers into a truck to burn later. On their way into town Glen confides in Rick that he is worried about what will happen to him and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and that he knew about Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) baby all long. Back at the farm Shane (Jon Bernthal) consoles Carol as best he can; unaware that Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) is warning Lori about him by telling her he suspects Shane secretly killed Otis so he could escape the Walkers. Lori tries to get Daryl (Norman Reedus) to help Rick and Glen find Hershel in the town, but when he refuses she stubbornly jumps in a car and heads off to find them herself.

The Aftermath of Sophia’s Grisly Fate

Rick and Glen find Hershel drowning his sorrows in a bar, but before they can get him back to the farm two strangers barge in and stop them. The two men, Dave and Tony, have travelled all the way from Philadelphia. There is something about the two of them that unsettles Rick, and as the conversation continues their probing questions raises alarm bells. The pair seem very interested in Rick’s group, they talk of Nebraska, and tell stories of places they have seen over run with Walkers. The conversation becomes more aggressive, and when the men make a move against them, Rick pulls his gun and kills Dave and Tony. Meanwhile as Lori drives towards town to find Rick, she notices a Walker in the road, but she it not quick enough to avoid it. The car hit’s the Zombie and she looses control of the vehicle, it flips over and crashes, leaving her wounded and alone while back at the farm Shane and T-Dog light the funeral pyre and watch as the Walkers begin to bun…

The Walking Dead makes a triumphant return after its impromptu mid-season break with this startling episode. Indeed, any doubts fans may have held about Glen Mazzara usurping Frank Darabont as the new show runner for The Walking Dead quickly prove unfounded. Nebraska is a nail biting slice of testosterone fuelled action, as Rick and Shane square up to one another throughout the episode. Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal’s performances are so powerful that they almost overshadow the multiple plot threads that weave their way throughout this episode, and the schism it causes in the group is already begging to become more apparent as many of the characters begin to sense that big changes are on the horizon for all of them.

Shane also becomes increasingly unhinged during the course of Nebraska. With Otis’s death still hanging heavily over him and his conflicting feelings for both Lori and Andrea, Shane’s grip on his sanity is beginning to look even more tenuous than ever. We do however see the dependable Shane of old return, if only for a short while, when he consoles Carol after the funeral service for Sophia. Seeing Carol dazed and confused, he helps her back to the house, displaying a gentle tenderness that we have rarely seen him show to anyone.

One character who you will also feel differently about by the end of Nebraska is Hershel. I had always considered the old man a fool for believing the Walkers might one day be cured, and his resolute determination to protect them sometimes made him seem almost as deluded as Shane. However, by the time Rick and Glen find him in the bar Hershel is a broken man. He firmly believed that his wife and friends would one day recover from their “illness”, even keeping his wife’s possessions in a box as a keepsake for her return. His actions may have endangered everyone but even he has to acknowledge now that the Walkers are beyond hope. Hershel is presented in a much better light here than he ever was during the first half of the season, and he realizes that if they are to survive they must work together – whatever the cost – because there are so many people now depending on him.

Rick & Glen Take Cover In Trigger Finger

Rick’s determination to make things work with Hershel is also another defining moment for the series. It flies in the face of Shane’s aggressive tactics, but Rick is now a man who is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of his family and unborn child. This season has continued to attract huge ratings, and it seems that fans patience has really been rewarded, as the show looks set to go from strength to strength. Dark days are coming as Shane and T-Dog watch the Walkers burn, the Zombie Apocalypse seems to be closing in on Rick and the group like never before as Dave and Tony’s friends arrive outside the bar. Trigger Finger opens with Lori fighting for her life; struggling to escape from the wreckage of the car as a lone Walker tries to crawl in through the shattered windscreen to get at her – the spider-webbed glass slicing off half its face in the process. It’s perhaps the grimmest pre titles sequence yet, and really is the stuff of nightmares.

As Lori later makes her escape after being found by Shane, Rick, Glen, and Hershel have to fight their way out of the bar. Hershel proves as adept with a gun as he is a scalpel, helping Glen out of trouble when he is frozen with fear. As the Walkers begin to close in the people attacking them withdraw in a truck, leaving one of their own behind when he impales his leg on a fence. Rick and Hershel pull Randall (Michael Zegen) free and they escape with Glen back to the farm. Tensions run high between Shane and Hershel as the pair strongly disagree over Rick’s decision to bring the young man back to the farm. Glen struggles to come to terms with how he reacted back at the bar, he feels like he’s let everybody down, and pushes Maggie away when she tries to comfort him. Hershel dose what he can for his youngest daughter, Beth (Emily Kinney) but she has slipped into a catatonic state, and doesn’t seem to be responding to treatment. After Shane reveals to everyone that she is pregnant, Lori begins to realize just how dangerous and jealous he has become. She finally decides to confide in Rick about Shane and what she believes really happened to Otis. The dye is cast, and Rick now knows a confrontation with his oldest friend is inevitable.

18 Miles Out is the episode of The Walking Dead that we’ve all been waiting for. It picks up events almost a week later, when Randall has recovered enough to leave the farm. Rick and Shane transport the blindfolded young man in the trunk of their car to find a place where they can release him without revealing the location of the farm. They arrive at a cross roads in the middle of nowhere, but instead of releasing their captive, Rick takes this opportunity to finally confront Shane about what really happened to Otis. This pivotal moment signifies a metaphorical crossroads in Shane and Rick’s relationship as the two men vent their feelings, with Rick essentially coming off better in the verbal war of words, when he crushes Shane’s respect for their friendship and derides the unwanted attention he has given his wife – in every sense of the word!

Rick & Shane Clash In 18 Miles Out

Rick decides that he wants to leave Randall in a safer place, and things are complicated further when the boy confesses that he recognised Maggie‘s voice. He says that they went to school together, but he promises he won’t reveal the location of the farm to his group after the way they abandoned him back in the town. Shane doesn’t trust Randal and wants to kill him. Rick finally sees just how ruthless and unhinged Shane has become, and the pair begin to fight, but before Rick can subdue Shane their argument rouses a group of Walkers inside a nearby building. The Zombies clamber from the ruins and advance en mass towards them. In the ensuing chaos, Shane becomes trapped by the Walkers, but Rick and Randall manage to get back to car and go back for Shane – in spite of their differences – driving through the Zombie horde guns blazing to rescue Shane from certain death.

Back at the farm Beth wakes from her catatonic state and says that she no longer wants to live and wants to commit suicide. Lori and Maggie watch her around the clock to make sure that she doesn’t harm herself, but Andrea believes Beth should have the right to choose her own fate – which sets up a terrific confrontation between Lori and Andrea. Later Beth makes an abortive suicide attempt after talking to Andrea. A furious Maggie believes Andrea encouraged Beth to try and kill herself, and bars her from the house, but Andrea is convinced Beth had to make her own choice – and finding herself unable to go through with it Beth ultimately chose to live.

Still unsure where Randall’s loyalties lie, Judge, Jury, and Executioner sees him imprisoned in the barn where Daryl eventually beats a shocking confession out of him about the other group. Armed with the knowledge that Randall’s friends torture and rape their captives, Rick has to decide whether to trust Randall or kill him to keep the farm a secret. Shane and Andrea become increasingly isolated from the rest of the group when they clash bitterly with Rick over what to do with Randall, while Carl (Chandler Riggs) becomes increasingly withdrawn and disobedient – stealing a gun from Daryl’s motorcycle and heading off into the woods where he stumbles upon and a  Zombie trapped in a boggy creek. The disturbed youngster -still struggling to cope with Sophia’s death – throws rocks at the creature, enjoying the power he has over it, but as he attempts to shoot it the Walker makes a grab for him. Carl stumbles and  flees back to the farm where he inadvertently prevents his father from killing Randall by goading him to kill their prisoner. It’s a jarring scene that stops Rick in his tracks as he contemplates the example setting to his son.

Watch Out Dale!

Judge, Jury, and Executioner not only sees Norman Reedus finally get a fair share of the spotlight as Daryl, having been overshadowed somewhat by Rick and Shane over the last few episodes, but it is Jeffery DeMunn’s who steals the episode away from everybody with his sympathetic performance as Dale who dose everything in his power to save Randall from execution. He is the voice of reason as the group begins to slowly unravel, which makes his shocking demise at the hands of the Zombie which Carl had been taunting earlier all the more tragic. The Walker rips Dale apart, and it falls to Daryl to put him out of his misery before he turns into a Zombie. It’s a bold move by the makers of The Walking Dead to kill off such a prominent character, and proves that the show is not afraid to veer away from the comic books to forge its own identity.

The repercussions of Dale’s death reverberate through Better Angels like a Walker’s rotten stench as the group struggles to come to terms with their loss. Rick’s eulogy dose little to alleviate their grief, Dale was their moral compass, and without him the cracks in the group have become gaping wounds that refuse to heal. Wracked by guilt, Carl confides in Shane about the Walker that killed Dale and gives him the gun he stole. It falls to Shane to tell Rick about the Zombie, but instead of heeding Shane’s warnings, Rick has a heart to heart with his son and decides to allow him to keep the firearm.

When Lori confesses to Shane that her baby might be his, Shane decides to take matter into his own hands. He releases Randall, pretending to help him escape, eventually tricking him into revealing the location of his group as they walk though the woods. More unhinged than ever, Shane lashes out and kills Randal; snapping his neck. Shane then smashes his own face into a tree to try and make it look like Randall caught him by surprise. Having convinced the others that Randall attacked him, Rick, Glen, and Daryl follow Shane back into the woods to search for him. As night falls Randall becomes a Walker and attacks Daryl and Glen as they patrol the woods. They notice that Randall wasn’t bitten, indicating that the process of becoming a Zombie is not only caused by being attacked by the undead – and that death under any circumstances will turn a human into a Walker. The realization of Shane’s betrayal effectively highlights the growing divisions within the group: Glen and Maggie’s relationship continues to flounder, Lori is weighed down by the guilt of her secrets, and even T-Dog seems to be increasingly left on the sidelines as the friendship between Rick and Shane is thrown into further turmoil now that Daryl has become more involved in the group again after his self imposed exile.

The events of Better Angels conspire to draw Rick and Shane together for one last, fatal confrontation. A moonlit field is their final battleground; and this time no quarter is given between them as they savagely face one another. It’s the moment that has been building between these two best friends throughout the entire course of The Walking Dead, their friendship has become as toxic as the Zombie Apocalypse itself, and as Rick’s knife deals the killing blow you can almost feel his heart breaking as he watches Shane die.

Shame Becomes A Walker

But Carl has seen his father kill Shane, and as Rick desperately tries to explain what happened, Shane becomes a Walker and rises up to attack them. Before Rick can react, Carl draws his gun and shoots the Zombie Shane in the head. The sound of the gunshot echoes all around them, shattering the silence, rousing the encroaching Zombie horde into a blood-crazed mob intent on devouring every scrap of human flesh on the farm!

The pre-credits teaser for Beside The Dying Fire shows Zombies pouring out of Atlanta after being agitated by the sound of a low flying helicopter. It is unclear if the Walkers are being driven by their insatiable appetite for flesh or if the helicopter is actually herding them towards the countryside for some inexplicable goal. Whatever the reason, it would seem that another faction of survivors dose indeed exist, but the mass exodus of the Zombies from Atlanta might seem to indicate the latter as the legions of the undead advance towards Hershel’s farm.

Caught out in the open, Rick and Carl race back to the farm – doing their best to lead some of the Walkers into the barn where they set them on fire. Beth’s boyfriend, Jimmy (James McCune) is killed as he helps Rick and Carl escape from the burning barn. The farmhouse is quickly overrun with the relentless Zombie horde and Hershel almost goes down in a blaze of glory as he defends his property. Rick arrives in time to prevent a Walker killing Hershel, and together with Carl they leave the farm as the rest survivors split up in the remaining vehicles and make their escape – but Patricia (Jane McNeill) is killed by Walkers as she flees the house. They regroup back on the highway where the search for Sophia began; suddenly realizing to their horror that Andrea is missing.

The Walkers Attack The Farm

Cut off from the others when the Walkers attacked the farm, Andrea is racing through the woods, fighting a desperate running battle against the Zombies. She falters, but a mysterious sword wielding woman saves her, dispatching the Walkers with consummate ease. Fans of the comic book series will punch the air with delight as Michonne finally makes her television debut in The Walking Dead – including her two armless zombie prisoners on a leash. Michonne is played by Danai Gurira (TREME) and I’m sure she will be a fantastic addition to the cast.

Having travelled as far from the farm as they can for now, Rick decides that its time for the group make camp for the night. But the bitter divisions still remain. Questions are asked about how Randall became a Walker without being bitten, prompting Rick to tell everyone what Dr Jenner told him about the Zombie Epidemic back at the CDC: “We are all infected!” If that revelation wasn’t enough, Rick goes on to confess to killing Shane, demanding that the survivors must follow him without question now – effectively laying down the law and setting the tone for Season Three as the camera pans upwards to reveal the ominous shape of the prison looming over the horizon…

Besides The Dying Fire is a spectacular finale that hit’s the ground running and doesn’t let up until the final moments when the prison is revealed in the distance. Filled with more Zombie action and dripping entrails than ever before, this episode pushes Rick and the group to the very edge, the tension building with every gore filled set-piece until Rick finally snaps and asserts his authority over the group at the end. This second season of The Walking Dead has built successfully on the humble beginnings of the first series, growing into a formidable ratings winner that has captured the imaginations of audiences around the world. While the first half of this season might be construed as being overly self indulgent – focusing almost entirely as it dose around the search for Sophia – the greater emphasis on characterization also marked a sense of transition that sometimes left us seriously lacking in any real Zombie action. The appointment of Gen Mazzara only reiterates this point to my mind. He has effectively reinvented The Walking Dead, keeping the core dynamics intact, significantly improving the pace and tone of every subsequent episode. This is in no way detrimental to Frank Darabont’s work on the programme, the huge ratings testify as much to the outstanding realization of his vision; but a change in show runner – internal politics aside – is usually a natural progression in television that is often necessary to sustain the remarkable success programmes like  The Walking Dead have achieved.

The Cast Of The Walking Dead

One of the best aspects of The Walking Dead has been the way it indulges the fans of the comic books while simultaneously appealing to a mainstream audience, without alienating either aspect, to produce one of the starkest visions of the Zombie Apocalypse ever seen on screen. All the iconic imagery of the comic book series is lavishly realized, with beautiful wide open vistas, stunning Zombie make up effects, and a gritty sense of dread that threatens to tear the characters apart at any given moment. However, as Dale’s and Shane’s deaths have shown, the producers are not afraid to stray from the comic books plotlines – as the demise of both of these main characters (Particularly Dale’s) differs significantly from their grisly ends in the comic books.

The Shane, Rick, Lori love triangle has also been drawn sharply in focus during this season. Shane’s unsettling fixation with Rick’s wife and Son was bound to cause the group to implode at some point, but I don’t think he is solely to blame. If anything, Lori Grimes has played a major roll in fanning the flames of dissent by first keeping her pregnancy a secret, and then by gradually chipping away the foundations of Rick and Shane’s friendship. She needn’t have bothered, as Rick had already figured out the truth a long time ago, and he do will whatever it takes to protect his family.

Season Three Centres On The Prison Story Arc From The Comic Books

Season Three promises to centre on the Prison story arc that played a huge role in the comic book series. We could very well be facing the prospect of loosing more major characters to the Zombie Apocalypse, suicide, murder and cannibalism might well be on the cards for Rick as he struggles to hold everyone together against the ever-present threat posed by the Walkers. Most tantalizing of all is the recent announcement that David Morrissey (Dr Who / The Next Doctor) has been cast as The Governor – who is without a doubt one of the most memorable adversaries Rick and the group have encountered so far in the comic book series.

Along with the Katana wielding Michonne – and Michael Rooker’s imminent return as Meryl Dixon – Season Three of The Walking Dead looks set to be the most shocking and bloodthirsty yet. A stunning new trailer was released at this years San Diego Comic-Con. It shows how the Walkers encroaching presence looks set to become even more horrifying as the groups’ humanity begins to decay under pressure, so expect plenty of eviscerations and brain splattering gore to plaster the screen in Season Three. The most terrifying events in The Walking Dead are yet to come, and if I were Rick Grimes, I think I’d keep my hands well and truly out of the reach of the Governor!

The Katana Wielding Michonne

Earth 2 Issue #4 Review

Tags

DC Comics, Earth 2, The New 52

Earth 2 Issue #4

Review By Paul Bowler

This issue opens with a flashback to what happened five years ago to the soldiers in Papua New Guinea after they were attacked by Parademon’s. Having used an Atomic Cannon to beat them off we witness a squad of soldiers searching through the terrible aftermath, where there, amongst the charred corpses, they find the naked body of Al Pratt – the only person to survive the battle. The story then shifts forward to the present day to a military plane as Captain Pratt is about to embark on his first mission as The Atom in the rot infested Washington DC.

Having become infused with the power from the mysterious Embodiment of Earth Energy that saved him from the wreckage after the Bullet Train crashed; Alan Scott has been transformed into the Green Lantern. Still wracked with grief for the death of his lover Sam, the ring he was about to use to propose has now tragically become the symbol of his newfound power. But he has little time to contemplate the uncanny forces which now drive him across the Atlantic to face the opposing power that has risen to destroy the world – The Man of Grey Solomon Grundy!

The Man of Grey Solomon Grundy!

With the degeneration now affecting Poland as well, Hawkgirl gets Jay Garrack to use his speed powers to allow her to hitch a rid to the source of the outbreak – right into the heart of Washington DC where they come face to face with Solomon Grundy. Hawkgirl orders the Flash to keep out of her way because he is so inexperienced in using his powers, telling him to help evacuate the civilians while she does her best to hold off Grundy with the weaponry at her disposal. Try as she might, Solomon Grundy continues to regenerate at will, making him impossible to kill. Green Lantern arrives to help Hawgirl fight Grundy as The Flash ferries the wounded to safety. The new superheroes are becoming a worldwide sensation on television as the dead matter threatens to overwhelm them, at a crucial moment Green Lantern’s ring seems to run out of power, but before Solomon Grundy can strike The Atom falls from the sky – having grown into a hulking giant – and pulverizes Grundy into the ground. Without pausing for breath The Atom snatches Hawkgirl from the air, he then turns to Green Lantern and The Flash and orders them to stand down – stating he has the authority of The World Army Council.

Earth 2 is rapidly becoming one of my favourite team books in The New 52. Issue #4 continues to build on the rich storytelling that has seen both the origins of The Flash and Green Lantern, James Robinson begins to entwine these individual strands of fate to bring these new heroes together at last. Teaming them up with the new Hawgirl is an inspired choice, I really like the character and they way she has been helping Jay Garrack learn to use his powers – and her bravery in the face of the unstoppable Solomon Grundy is as outstanding as the firepower in her arsenal!

Earth 2 #4 also introduces us two new characters from this alternative universe, Solomon Grundy from last issues cliffhanger, and The Atom. This New 52 version of Solomon Grundy is no brainless monster; instead he is a raw force of nature, the polar opposite of Green Lantern’s powers. The new Atom has a neat military style costume, incredible powers, and seems to have some kind of “history” with Hawkgirl

Nicola Scott’s fantastic artwork coveys the wholesale destruction of Washington to startling effect. The scenes where Solomon Grundy continues to regenerate his wounds are gruesomely realized, it’s great to see the early stages of this new team taking shape. This book is an exciting read, it feels much more like classic DC than some of its New52 counterparts, yet is still very fresh and innovative while offering a new slant on some of our favourite characters of yesteryear. Lets hope The World Army Council have a few more super-powered surprises in store for us.

Earth 2 #4 continues to take the series to new heights, building successfully on its original premise to become an essential monthly purchase.

New Doctor Who Season 7 Trailer Revealed!

Tags

Asylum of the Daleks, Daleks, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7 Trailer, tardis crew, tv

New Doctor Who Season 7 Trailer Revealed!

The stunning promotional picture for Asyum of the Daleks!

A spectacular new trailer for the Seventh Season of Doctor Who aired in the UK this morning at 6.00am! Fans have been eagerly waiting for another glimpse of what the new season of Doctor Who would have in store for the Doctor, Amy, and Rory. Now at last we can finally get a really good look at some of the exciting episodes coming up – particularly Asylum of the Daleks!

The trailer opens with the TARDIS flying through space and then cuts to Rory asking: “How much trouble are we in?” as the scene shifts to the Doctor and his companions seemingly trapped by an army of Daleks! The Doctor turns to his greatest enemies and exclaims: “You got me, what are you waiting for? At long last, here I am!”

We are then treated to a montage of different scenes from future episodes: Dinosaurs go on the rampage in a spaceship, some very cross robots berate the Doctor, the TARDIS crew go walkabout in New York, and Weeping Angels of all shapes and sizes lurk in the shadows!

The Doctor and Amy argue and she says: “This is what happens when you travel alone for too long!”  before they appear on a platform surrounded by Daleks, with Amy shrugging her shoulders as the Doctor tells them not to be scared, Amy turns to him and says: “Who’s scared? GERONIMO!!” and they all plummet through a tunnel of light towards a planet! The action then shifts at a blistering rate: with some explosive sequences in the Wild West, the Doctor being chased by Pterodactyls, intercut with a brief glimpse of River Song, exploding Daleks, and the Doctor and his friends riding a Triceratops!

As the trailer comes to an end we see Rory surrounded by dead Daleks, he turns to ask the Doctor: “Who killed all the Daleks?” and is shocked to see the Doctor carrying Amy’s body.

“Who do you think?” the Doctor says solemnly.

This brilliant new trailer heralds what will be the last days of the Ponds’ adventures with the Doctor in the TARDIS! Soon Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) will be leaving Matt Smith’s Doctor after a heartbreaking showdown with the Weeping Angels, but the Doctor will soon be joined by his new companion played by Jenna Louise Coleman in the Christmas episode, before the series continues again next year and builds towards Dr Who’s 50^th Anniversary! Season Seven will have Fourteen epic blockbuster movie episodes that are sure to be some of the most exciting yet!

The clips from Asylum of the Daleks look amazing, the little cherub “Angel” was really creepy, there were some brilliant Dinosaur effects, and the sight of seeing the Doctor carrying Amy at the end leaves us all on the edge of our seats! I was thrilled by this new trailer, it is one of the best I’ve ever seen for Doctor Who, and I can’t wait for the new season to start!

Follow the link below to the official BBC Website to see the new Season Seven trailer and download new wallpapers!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/

And here is a link to trailer on YouTube

http://youtu.be/qrEUBl2pacU

Images Belong To BBC