The Walking Dead #107 Review

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Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Jesus, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #107

Review by Paul Bowler

After learning from Jesus that his son has been taken captive by Negan after attacking the Savior’s camp with Abraham’s machine gun, Rick sets out with Andrea, Jesus, and Michonne to rescue Carl. On the road to the Savior’s base they encounter a Negan and his men in a truck. The tense standoff between Rick and Negan quickly explodes into violence, but Rick comes off worse when Negan beats him up, only for the Savoir’s leader to reveal that no harm has come to Carl. Even though Carl killed some of his men, Negan just wanted to make a point, that even he can be reasonable and merciful – so long as Rick and his group obey his rules.

When Negan and his men leave, Rick and his friends take Carl back to Alexandria. Still keeping the up pretence that he is serving Negan, he instructs everyone to prepare some supplies for their next tribute to the Saviors, while continuing to plot with Andrea and Jesus to find a way to strike back and kill Negan. As the people of Alexandria struggle to come to terms with Rick giving in to Negan’s demands, Jesus reveals that he knows someone who might be able to help, telling Rick that he thinks its time for him to meet Ezekiel.

Expectations for issue #107 of The Walking Dead have been immense. However, the resolution to last issues gut wrenching cliff-hanger is somewhat anticlimactic. The fight between Rick and Negan has been a long time coming, but it’s all over rather quickly. Negan’s twisted moral code and set of rules is the absolute antithesis of everything Rick stands for, but with Rick still secretly planning against Negan, he inevitably comes off looking a lot worse after being beaten up by the Savior’s leader.

What is really interesting about Negan is the way Robert Kirckman is gradually reinforcing Negan’s character, the differences between him and The Governor are becoming more apparent with every issue. The way Negan enforces his rules using his twisted sense of logic are as unflinching as they are violent, but the way he continually refers to Lucille, his beloved baseball bat, reminds us of just how far Negan is prepared to go to enforce his will. I still shudder to think how Negan used this barbwire encrusted weapon to bash Glen’s head into a bloody pulp, and hearing Negan patriotically rationalize his actions while alluding to Glen’s execution is deeply disturbing.

The rest of The Walking Dead #107 touches on the conflicts brewing amongst Rick’s group, romantic tensions run high, but the scenes with Michonne seemed a little awkwardly staged for my linking and do little do advance the plot. Although the discovery of a workshop where they could make ammunition will no doubt soon have a part to play, especially after everything Carl has discovered about the strength of Negan’s forces. The art by Charlie Adlard is a little below par this issue, with some poorly defined layouts, but with the shift towards such a dialogue-heavy instalment and lack of Zombie action, this issue invariably feels a bit sparse.

The Walking Dead #107 shows just how isolated Rick is becoming now, with the people of Alexandria doubting his every move; it makes you wonder if they will rally to help Rick when the time comes for the inevitable showdown with Negan and The Saviors. It may be a slow burner of an issue, but The Walking Dead #107 sets things up nicely for the introduction of a new character, and will no doubt lead to one of the bloodiest conflicts yet for Rick and his friends.

Batman #17 Review

Tags

Alfred, Arkham Asylum, Batgirl, Batman, Damien, DC Comics, Death of the Family, FCO Plascencia, Greg Capullo, Jason Todd, Jonathan Glampion, Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, Scott Snyder, The Joker, The New 52

Batman #17

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

 

It swoops from the shadows as the Dark Knight begins to regain consciousness, the dark emissary of his own soul, stripped to the bone and ready to steel his resolve in this, quite possibly, his darkest hour against the Joker. The final chapter of Scott Snyder’s phenomenal Death of The Family drags you kicking and screaming into the light, ripping away the blindfolds, and fixing our unblinking eyes on every panel of Greg Capullo’s art as the macabre delights of Batman #17 electrify our synapses.

The banquet that the Joker has prepared for Batman is one of his most abhorrent schemes yet. Still strapped to his makeshift throne, Batman wakes in a dark cavern at the head of a long table. The rest of the Bat-Family are also bound to their chairs and seated with him. Dinner is ready to be served, with the table drenched in gasoline and rigged to explode to prevent Batman’s escape; he can do nothing but watch in horror as Alfred shambles into the cave. Driven out of his mind, and dosed with Joker toxin, Batman’s loyal friend obeys the Joker’s commands and prepares to serve the “family” meal…

With his friends overwhelmed by the horror of the banquet before them, Joker teases them all with a lit match. But the Joker hasn’t taken into account the Batman’s knowledge of the cave system, as the table becomes a raging inferno Batman breaks free and fires a charge at the ceiling that breaches an underground stream – flooding the room and dousing the flames. While the Joker tries to escape through the cave system, Batman frees his friends before giving chase. He catches up with the Joker, who tries to behead him with an axe, but as they fight the Bat-Family become exposed to a deadly new form of the Joker Toxin and violently turn against each other.

Batman and Joker face off on the edge of huge drop, where masks finally have no meaning, and the Dark Knight manages to turn the Clown Prince of Crime’s nefarious joke against him. Twisting everything the Joker professed to hold against him, using it to chip away at the last great divide between them, the one line in their nightmarish game of wits that only the Batman could ever be willing cross…

Even in defeat the Joker slips from his grasp, plunging into the waters below, leaving Batman’s family to recover from the horrific trauma the Joker inflicted upon them. Bruce oversees Alfred’s recovery at Wayne Manor, making a startling confession that only Alfred could truly understand. Alone in the cave Bruce studies the analysis of the new toxin Joker used to make the Bat-Family fight each other, and it is here, as  he gazes at the cold glow of the computer screen that the Joker’s greatest punch line is finally revealed.

With Batman #17 Scott Snyder beings the story of the Joker’s return full circle. Ever since the Joker broke into GCPD to retrieve his face from the evidence locker, leaving Gordon cowering in the darkness as he hears his officer’s necks being snapped one by one, we have been at the mercy of the Joker’s maniacal plan. Right from the outset, even Batman was left reeling when Joker abducted Alfred Pennyworth. After poisoning Gordon he systematically sets his sights on Batman’s allies, Joker’s revelation at the reservoir, that he knows their secret identities, leaves them all badly shaken. Later, when they learn that Joker may have actually found a way into the cave to leave his calling card, they are shocked that Bruce never deemed it necessary to tell them.

Now the final act of Scott Snyder’s masterpiece comes to fruition in Batman #17 after the Dark Knight raced to Arkham Asylum to save his friends from the Joker. As he wakes in the cavern the Joker taunts his captives mercilessly. He attempts to goad Batman into admitting why he has never exposed him or just killed him outright, in spite of all the heinous crimes he’s committed. Joker knows just what a slippery slope that would be for Batman, berating him for not having the courage of his convictions, mocking his allies with a love letter of hatred and lies.

Just when you thought you understood where Joker was coming from he summons Alfred, now a shambling wreck of his former self, who deliriously reveals the gastronomic delights the Joker has prepared for them. It is here that Batman #17 transcends all that has gone before, lurching into the realms of pure horror as Batman and his allies are confronted with a nightmare beyond anything they could have possibly imagined – and it is a scene that instantly conjures up images of a similar feast at the end of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

As the cavern explodes in flames Batman breaks free, blasting a hole in the roof to douse the chamber in water. Bruce goes immediately to Damien to make sure he is alright, then releasing Nightwing who tells him to leave them and get after the Joker. Placing his trust in them, Batman races after the Joker, but just after he leaves Batgirl notices something strange about the Joker’s two headed lion cub. A mass between its heads suddenly explodes, spewing out a new form a Joker toxin, one that sends them all into a violent rage, forcing them to attack each another whilst laughing maniacally. The return of the two headed lion cub is an inspired move by Snyder, this creepy little creature superbly illustrates the uncanny symbiosis the Joker shares with Batman, and it effectively places Batman’s allies at each other throats with its deadly cargo, peeling way their psyche as effectively as any scalpel.

Whether Batman knew he was leaving them in grave danger is uncertain, but even when he catches up with the Joker and learns what has happened, his resolve is unshaken. Batman knows they will fight back against the Joker’s toxin, his faith in their spirit is unbreakable, and he believes they are stronger than anything this monster could spawn from his diseased mind. The fact that it is Alfred who brings them to their senses before they kill each other, clearly shows just how much he means to all of them.

The Joker uses his corsage to spray acid into Batman’s face, searing his cowl, but his escape route leads directly to deep chasm. Joker stumbles over the edge but Batman catches him by the arm, holding him suspended over the very drop where the Bat Boat would dive into the Bat-Cave. Here on the edge of this yawning abyss Batman reveals how he has seen through the Joker’s plans, effectively playing him at his own joke, but before he can pull him up Joker lashes out, leaving Batman to watch as he plummets into the dark waters below.

Every page of Greg Capullo’s work on Batman has been astounding. His dark and foreboding take on Gotham City enthralled us in The Court of Owls, the Night of Owls kept us on the edge of our seats, and now with Death of The Family we have been privileged to have Capullo to illustrate one of the most sensational Joker stories of all time. Together with Jonathan Glampion’s distinctive inks and FCO Plascencia’s remarkable colours, Greg Capullo has helped create one of the most distinctive looks the Joker has ever had.

Joker’s rotting face is now even more grotesque than ever in Batman #17, with flies now constantly buzzing around him, the cadaverous grin ends up even more lopsided after a few well placed punches in their climatic showdown. With the masks of flesh and cowl both discarded by the end of this epic encounter, Scott Snyder once again defies our expectations as the closing moments unfold back at Wayne Manor when Bruce tells Alfred  of the time he visited Arkham under the pretence of investing in a new wing for the asylum. After causing a distraction, Bruce visited the Joker’s cell alone and presented him with the calling card, and thereby instantly deducing the truth in the lunatic’s eyes.

In this instant we begin to understand why the Joker allowed his face to be removed by the Dollmaker, that his entire ploy to mess with Batman’s mind was ultimately doomed to fail from that moment on, even though the cost would be high for the Bat-Family. Indeed, the actual Death of the Family here is a metaphorical one, as we begin to realise Batman’s allies could never understand the Joker like he does. The physical wounds will heal easily enough, but the psychological scars of this experience will take a long time to fade.

The deeply moving scenes where each member of the Bat-Family makes their excuses not to meet Bruce and give him the chance to explain are brilliantly staged by Snyder and Capullo. We can feel the pain of those tense silences and blunt text messages, even Dick cannot bring himself to go into detail about what the Joker said to him. As Bruce returns to the cave to study the Joker’s new toxin the results bring Death of the Family to a close with chilling finality.

Batman #17 is everything fans of this series could have hoped for. Death of the Family has shown us the deep understanding that the Batman and Joker share, and proves that it is one that goes far beyond masks and secret identities. Snyder and Capullo are one of the few writers and artists that have ever come as close to exposing the actual mechanics of this dark relationship, they have taken Batman and the Joker’s eternal dance of obsession and violence and twisted it into an all encompassing legend that will be long remembered as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told.

The Ice Warriors to Return in the New Series of Doctor Who!

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David Warner, Doctor Who, Douglas Mackinnon, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7, Ice Warriors, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Mark Gatiss, Matt Smith, Submarine, The Curse of Peladon, The Ice Warriors, The Monster of Peladon, The Seeds of Death

The Ice Warriors Return to Doctor Who

By Paul Bowler

There are few Sci-Fi TV shows that can match Doctor Who for the sheer diversity of memorable alien monsters that have returned time and again to menace the Doctor over his many adventures in time and space. As we get ready for Doctor Who to return to our screens this Easter, on Saturday 30^th March, news emerged today that Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman will face one of the Time Lords classic adversaries – the Ice Warriors!

The reptilian creatures who originated from the planet Mars will return in the second half of Series Seven of Doctor Who during the third episode. Written by fan favourite and horror aficionado Mark Gatiss, and directed by Douglas Mackinnon, the episode takes place on a submarine, staring David Warner, and will see the Doctor battling against the Ice Warriors.

Talking exclusively to SFX Magazine executive producer Caro Skinner said: “We’ve got the most fantastic episode by Mark Gatiss, where we bring back the Ice Warriors… on a submarine! It’s a really wonderful kind of ‘bunker’ episode, and a classic monster which Mark has brought his own inimitable twist to. We wanted to bring them back because they are wonderful!” Skinner said, adding. “Mark is an enormous fan of the Ice Warrior stories, and came up with the idea.”

After the return of the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Sontarans, and the Great Intelligence in the 2012 Christmas Special: The Snowmen, it seems only fitting that  the Ice Warriors finally make an appearance in the new series as Doctor Who gets ready to celebrate its 50^th anniversary.

The Martians from the red planet first appeared in 1967 during the programmes fifth season, when Patrick Troughton played the 2^nd Doctor. The Ice Warriors saw the world locked in the grip of a news ice age. The Doctor, Jamie (Frazer Hines), and Victoria (Deborah Watling) arrive as a group of scientists discover a giant figure buried inside a glacier. When the Ice Warrior thaws out it breaks free and captures Victoria, before returning to its spaceship in the ice to revive its crew. Written by Brian Hayles, the Ice Warriors is one of Doctor Who’s all time classic stories.  The Ice Warriors distinctive armoured costumes were designed by Martin Baugh, their rasping voices made them even more sinister, and Director Derek Martinus cast tall actors to play the Ice Warriors – including Bernard Bresslaw (famous for his roles in the Carry On films) as the Martians ruthless leader Varga.

After proving popular with viewers the Ice Warriors returned to fight the 2^nd Doctor again in The Seeds of Death (1969), taking control of a base on the Moon, they used the T-Mat to transport deadly seed pods to Earth in an attempt to terra form the planets atmosphere into one that would be more hospitable for the Martian invaders.  This time Brian Hayles gave the Ice Warriors a new leader, the Ice Lord Slaar (Alan Bennion), and we also get a brief glimpse of his superior the Grand Marshall (Graham Leaman). This time the Doctor and Jamie, along with new companion Zoe (Wendy Padbury), have to find a way to stop the Ice Warriors and prevent the seed pods from destroying Earth’s atmosphere.

The Ice Warriors would be back a few years later to face the 3^rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee), in two more stories also scripted by Brian Hayles: The Curse of Peladon (1972), and The Monster of Peladon (1974).  The Curse of Peladon saw the Doctor and Jo Grant (Katy Manning) visit King Peladon’s (David Troughton) cliff top citadel just as an important delegation is about to decide if his planet should to join the Galactic Federation. Here they encounter a bizarre group of alien delegates: Alpha Centauri, Arcturus, and the Martian Ice Lord Izlyr (Alan Bennion) and his Ice Warrior Ssorg (Sonny Caldinez). Together they must find a way to overcome their differences and prevent a coupe to overthrow the King, led by High Priest Hepesh (Geoffrey Toone), who has used the legend of the Beast of Agaddor to instigate an uprising to prevent Peladon joining the Federation.

What makes The Curse of Peladon so special is the way it depicts the Ice Warriors as diplomatic envoys to Peladon, having joined the Galactic Federation and abandoned their conquering ways. This is a brilliant move by Hayles, as is having Alan Bennion return, this time as the Ice Lord Izlyr. The Ice Warriors look really menacing as they stalk the torch lit halls of the citadel, for once the Doctor is forced into changing his views on an old enemy, and the Ice Warriors themselves are portrayed as a proud and noble race with honourable customs.

The Monster of Peladon (1974) was a direct sequel to The Curse of Peladon, set fifty years later, this time the 3^rd Doctor and Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) have to help the late King Peladon’s daughter, Queen Thalira (Nina Thomas), solve what is behind the ghostly image of Agador that has been killing people in the planets trisilicate mines. It turns out that a rogue faction of Ice Warriors, led by Lord Azaxyr (played once more by Alan Bennion), want to steal the trisilicate and turn the tide of the Galactic Federations war with Galaxy 5 to their own advantage.

Although the same director (Lennie Mayne) and designer (Gloria Clayton) were appointed to try and replicate the look and feel of The Curse of Peladon, along with the return of Alpha Centauri (played once more by Stuart Fell & voiced by Ysanne Churchman) and Aggedor (with Nick Hobbs reprising his role as the Royal Beast), The Monster of Peladon isn’t as enjoyable as its predecessor. The Ice Warriors are as imposing as ever as they stalk the dark corridors, and Alan Bennion gives a great performance as the villainous Lord Azaxyr.

The Ice Warriors have remained one of Doctor Who’s most popular monsters, going on to appear in a wealth of comic strips, a number of excellent novels  from the Virgin New Adventures and BBC Books range, as well as the immensely popular full cast audio adventures from Big Finish. Mission to Magnus, a story that would have seen the Ice Warriors return to fight the 6^th Doctor (Colin Baker) never went into production when Season 23 was cancelled. This story was later adapted by Target books, and then Big Finish for release as part of their Lost Stories range, which also included Thin Ice, a 7^th Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) story featuring the Ice Warriors that could have formed part of Doctor Who’s 27^th Season if the series hadn’t been cancelled in 1989.

Ever since the 10^th Doctor (David Tennant) mentioned them in The Waters of Mars (2009), fans have been speculating about when the Ice Warriors would be back. Now the Ice Warriors will return in time to be part of  Doctor Who’s 50^th Anniversary celebrations. The Ice Warriors scaly armoured form will no doubt get a fantastic update for the monsters return to our screens, along with their distinctive rasping voices, Series Seven is shaping up to one of the best yet!

Check Out the link to read the full Exclusive article at SFX

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/02/11/sfx-exclusive-official-ice-warriors-return-to-doctor-who-this-year/

All New XMen #7 Review

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All New X-Men, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, David Marquez, Iceman, Jean Grey, Marvel Comics, Marvel Girl, Marvel Now, Mystique, Original X-Men, Scott Summers, Wolverine

All New X-Men #7

Review by Paul Bowler

Having travelled into the future, the young Scott Summers is having a tough time coming to terms with the fact that he is destined to become the murderer of Professor X and the instigator of a mutant civil war. Deciding that he needs some time away from the Jean Grey School of Higher Leaning to gather his thoughts, Scott takes Wolverine’s motorbike and sets off, but he finds that the future is not as clear cut as he first realized. Wolverine tracks him down but Cyclops blasts him with his optic beams, using the opportunity to give Wolverine the slip and head for Manhattan.

Cyclops arrives as a bank where the assistant takes him to his safe deposit box, but one of the staff members recognises him and alerts security. As he attempts to leave Wolverine catches up with him in the foyer of the Bank, and he uses his Avengers ID Card to persuade the security guards to let them leave the building. In an alleyway Wolverine suddenly changes into Mystique, she leads Scott away and dupes him into telling her what has happened at the school. She tries to persuade him that the school turned its back on Xavier’s dream, that he should go back and close it down, before confronting his older self and shutting him down as well.

After Mystique has left Wolverine shows up in his jeep to give Cyclops a lift back to the school, unaware of the poisonous lies the shape shifter has been telling Scott, while Kitty places her new students on a vigorous exercise regime. Wolverine and Scott return, as Logan leaves Storm in charge of things, Scott walks over to Jean and gives her a very special invitation…

All New X-Men #7 is another fine issue from Brian Michael Bendis, who continues to elevate this tale to new heights with the addition of Mystique. I really like how the young Scott Summers is finding his feet in his own future, the scene where he checks out the contents of his safe deposit box in the bank are really good. The objects inside, the wedding invitation in particular, really illustrate how cleverly Bendis has been in bringing the original X-Men into the future. It’s as if Scott is rediscovering himself as he dons the ruby quarts glasses stored in the box, looking through memories that might never even exist if his mission to save his future self from himself goes wrong.

Mystique is one of my favourite Villain’s, the way she uses her powers to mimic Wolverine are really funny, and she proves to be at her manipulative best as she plants some telling seeds of doubt in Scott’s mind. David Marquez is on fine form as he continues to stand in for Stuart Immonen, there may not be any big action sequences, but the quiet moments between Scott and Mystique are really captivating and draw you into the story. It was also great fun to see Kitty squaring up to Iceman when he doesn’t want to take part in her exercise class, their banter is hilarious, and she quickly shows him who is boss when she throws him to the ground.

All New X-Men #7 is a great issue, the pace may be a tad slower than previous issues, but the last few moments as Scott gives Jean the wedding invitation he found in the safety deposit box are brilliant. He then walks away before she can say anything, leaving her to silently come to terms with the fact that one day they might become husband and wife.

Hitchcock: Film Review

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Alfred Hitchcock, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Alma Reville, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Gein, Helen Mirren, Hitchcock, Janet Leigh, John McLaughlin, North by Northwest, Psycho, Robert Bloch, Sacha Gervasi, Scarlet Johansson, Stephen Rebello, The Master of Suspense

Hitchcock

Film Review by Paul Bowler

Sacha Gervasi’s darkly stylish biopic about the making of Psycho, based on Stephen Rebello’s fascinating book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho (1990), opens with the Master of Suspense addressing the camera in the style of his TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents while Ed Gein murders his brother outside their farmhouse in Wisconsin in 1942. It is this singular event that will capture Hitchcock’s imagination years later, when he discovers the horror novel Psycho, by Robert Bloch, who drew on the real life accounts of Gein’s heinous crimes to create his gore soaked – Freudian – transvestite – necrophilia laced horror story.

After a chance remark by a reporter after the tremendous success of North by Northwest, Hitchcock begins searching for his next project in a bid to dispel the critics who believe that his best years are now behind him. Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) barks at his assistant, Peggy Robertson (Toni Collette) as he dismisses Cary Grant in Casino Royale, stating that he’s already made that film – North by Northwest – and that he wants:  “A nice, nasty little piece of work.”

When Hitchcock reads Psycho he is instantly captivated by the macabre story. He tries to get his wife, Alma Reville (Helen Mirren), interested in making the film. She is initially unimpressed, but eventually comes around to the idea as they discuss the novel over breakfast. She makes the genre defining suggestion to Alfred that instead of waiting until halfway through the film, he should instead kill off his leading lady after only thirty minutes – perhaps her own little stab at her husband’s tiresome obsession with the blonde actresses in his films.

Not everyone shares Hitchcock’s enthusiasm for Psycho, and when Paramount refuse to back it, Hitchcock is left with no choice but to fund the film himself. With wife’s blessing Alfred puts their house on the line to make Psycho, and with the help of Lew Wasserman (Michael Stuhlbarg) to broker a new deal with Barny Balaban (Richard Portnow) at Paramount, screenwriter Joseph Stephano (Ralph Macchio) is soon appointed, along with Janet Leigh (Scarlet Johansson) and Anthony Perkins (James Darcy), both suggested by Alma, and soon Psycho is ready to begin filming. It is here, while Alfred is enjoying being back on set, that Alma decides to fill in her spare time by helping fellow writer Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston) develop another project at his beach house retreat. The stress of making Psycho ultimately takes its toll on the Hitchcock’s marriage, but their relationship comes under threat when Hitchcock learns of Alma’s collaboration with Whitfield, falling ill on the set of Psycho before misguidedly accusing his wife of having an affair after she steps in to get the film back on schedule.

Anthony Hopkins is superb as Hitchcock, who seamlessly blends the directors dark fixations with his blonde female leads and his determination to make Psycho a resounding success, while his marriage invariably suffers as a result. The facial prosthetics and fake belly transform Hopkins into the Master of Suspense, but it is the uncanny way that Hopkins brings the character to life that really captivates your attention throughout Gervasi’s film. He takes every nuance of John McLaughlin’s fiendishly clever script and relies on just a few simple tics to hit every single beat to perfection, revealing a larger than life character whose dark impulses and reprehensible ways are only just held in check by the tenuous belief in his own immeasurable talents.

Hitchcock’s fascination with Edd Gein squirms uncomfortably into his real life as the serial killer begins to provide him with his own twisted form of therapy. Michael Vincott plays Gein with chilling clarity, allowing Hitchcock to observe the full depravity of his actions: sleeping with the dishevelled corpse of his mother, hauling one of his victims into the bathtub as if she were no more than a slab of meat, and finally crumbling with fear as the Police break down the door and storm the house. Running parallel with the filming of Psycho, these nightmarish glimpses of horror seem to reflect the cracks appearing in the Hitchcock’s marriage, with Gein sowing the seeds of doubt in Alfred’s fevered mind as he scrabbles on the bathroom floor for some clue to Alma’s infidelity.

Helen Mirren gives a stellar performance as Hitchcock’s loyal wife, Alma, the red head who was once Alfred’s boss, who has stood by his side unquestionably as his career has taken over their lives. She is Hitch’s confidant, enabler, and trusted friend, and Mirren’s role is the key to making the Hitchcock’s marriage so engagingly charming before it is tinged by the bittersweet experience of making Psycho together. We witness the Hitchcock’s domestic bliss, with Hitchcock reading his reviews in the Times while taking a soak in the bath, while Alma walks in wearing the same bra and slip that Janet Leigh will later wear in Psycho’s opening moments. As Hitch’s work on Psycho  begins to drive a wedge between them, that gulf soon begins to feel like a yawning chasm, one that is even greater than the space between their separate beds as Alma starts  to fined solace as she works with Whitfield.

This brief flirtation may cause the film to drag slightly in the middle, consider it a McGuffin of sorts, because when Hitch confronts Alma over her supposed adultery, Mirren’s wrath as the wrongly accused wife is wielded as effectively the butches’ knife in Psycho’s shower scene. The way she berates Alfred, while telling him a few home truths is almost like that aforementioned scene with Leigh, only this time it is Hitchcock who is left breathless and unblinking as Alma slashes the air with a verbal diatribe that finally brings her husband to his senses.

Scarlet Johansson excels as Janet Leigh, breezing into Hitchcock’s life and emerging from the production of Psycho having seen the director shift dramatically from their playful first encounter to experiencing his seething rage as they filmed the infamous shower scene. The moment Hopkins storms into the scene, snatching the knife to flay his demons as Leigh cowers in terror, sees Hitchcock on the precipice of the abyss as his career and marriage converge in one devastating act of wanton violence that leaves him as speechless as his film crew.

Having heeded the cryptic warning by Vera Miles (Jessica Biel), Janet Leigh wisely keeps Hitchcock at arms length, and seems to escape the worst of the director’s mercurial behaviour. She even gives him a lift home at one point in her VW Beetle, a charming little scene, which sets up a nice point of closure later in the film when Leigh thanks Alma after Psycho has wrapped. Although Hitchcock only scratches the surface of Alfred’s deep rooted fixation that he has for the blonde actresses in his films, it skilfully polarises Alma’s growing frustrations as her husband’s uncompromising disposition begins to erode the foundations of their partnership.

When the first cut of Psycho fails to impress Paramount, the Hitchcock’s finally manage to reconcile their differences. They begin work on a new cut of the film, editing ruthlessly, with Hitchcock finally bowing to Alma’s instance that Bernard Herman’s nerve shredding violins should be added to the shower scene. All that remains is for Hitchcock to get the seal of approval of Geoffrey Shurlock (Kirtwood Smith) at the Censors Office and Psycho is ready for release. With the studio still lacking confidence in Psycho, Hitchcock issues precise instructions for the films limited release, with theatres employing extra security and issuing loudspeaker announcements.

At the first screening of Psycho we wait pensively with Hitchcock in the lobby as he listens intently to the audience inside. Moments later the silence is shattered by screams of horror as Bernard Herman’s score rings out. The audience is left squirming in their seats as forty five seconds of cinematic history unfolds before their startled eyes. Although we don’t actually see one single moment of the shower scene, outside Hitchcock is triumphantly mimicking every slash of the blade in perfect time to those slashing violins. It’s a glorious scene, with Hopkins clearly relishing every moment, and it ends with the Hitchcock’s basking in the success of Psycho.

Hitchcock is a fabulous account of the events leading up to the release of Psycho. Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren are resplendent as the filmmaking couple, the supporting roles are excellently cast, and Sacha Gervasi’s assured direction finely balances the witty script with the subliminal darkness of Hitchcock’s compulsions. So, gentle viewers, as the Master of Suspense bids us farewell on the lawn outside his house, this enlightening experience draws to a close with a fortuitous coda as Hitchcock finds inspiration for his next project…

Earth 2 Issue #9 Review

Tags

Colonel Dodds, DC Comics, Doctor Fate, Earth 2, Hawkgirl, Helm of Nabu, James Robinson, Jay Garrick, Khalid, Nicola Scott, The Atom, The Falsh, The New 52, The Tower of Fate, The World Army, Trevor Scott, Wotan

Earth 2 Issue #9

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

 

The storm rages outside Khalid Ben Hassin’s secluded residence in New Orleans as Hawkgirl tries to convince him that he must help her against the evil threat which he himself foretold, one that is destined to unleash chaos and destruction upon the world. But he is afraid to use the magical Helm of Nabu again, fearing that his mystical link with the ancient Egyptian Mage is beginning to affect his mind, which is why he has sent it away for safekeeping. Khalid still maintains his link with Nabu, so he agrees to help Kendra by keeping an eye on Jay Garrick while he visits his mother in Michigan.

With the worlds media reporting that Steppenwolf has been seen in Dherain, along with continued speculation about the New Wonders after their battle against Solomon Grundy in Washington. Jay Garrick walks to his mother’s house, unaware of that Khalid is following him, where he learns that she has been visited earlier by a white haired man called Dodds. Realizing that The World Army has traced his cell phone, Jay has only seconds to react to shield his mother as the Atom smashes his way through the front of the house!

Jay and his mother are soon surrounded by Major Sonia Sato (Judo Master) and her troopers, but Jay quickly turns into the Flash to avoid being snatched by the Atom. As the Flash runs rings around the towering Atom, outside the operation is being supervised by Colonel Dodds, who teleports into the fray to grab Jay’s mother, holding her at gunpoint to get the Flash to surrender. The Major knocks Flash to the ground, but Khalid creeps up and attacks Dodds, giving Jay the chance he needs to uses his super speed to get them all out of harms way. However, before they can escape, the three of them are suddenly enveloped by a mystical field of energy and teleported away.

Flash, his mother, and Khalid find themselves transported to Nabu’s Realm, a strange otherworldly place, were a giant tower dominates the horizon. Khalid has only moments to explain that he is a colleague of Hawkgirl’s, and that he believes they have been abducted by magical forces, before they are confronted by Wotan – Mage of an organization who wants the power of Nabu for themselves. Nabu’s unimaginable power can control the magic of the world, it has been entombed in the tower, and it is this place that will soon forge Khalid’s destiny…

After last issues interlude with Steppenwolf and Fury, events on the alternative world of Earth 2 take a dark turn as supernatural forces begin to make their presence felt, spawning new heroes and villains as the New Age of Wonders continues to gather pace. With this prologue to his new story arc, The Tower of Fate: The Man Who Was Scared, writer James Robinson provides a suitably epic story for Doctor Fate’s return to the DC Universe. The remarkable character, who first appeared in More Fun Comics #55 in  1940, created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, would serve as a member of the  Justice Society of America in All Star Comics #3 (1940), and go on to become one of DC’s most popular mystical beings along with the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre.

Ever since The New 52 was launched three has been much speculation about when Doctor Fate might return. Now Doctor Fate is back in Earth 2 #9, it’s a fantastic introduction, and Robinson’s intricate story pays service to fans of the character while making him accessible to new readers. What is also interesting here is how Khalid and Kendra are revealed to be colleagues who have been working together ever since the New Wonders first appeared. It suddenly becomes clear how Hawkgirl was able to find the Flash and Green Lantern so easily, and how she always seemed one step ahead of everyone. We also lean that Hawkgirl gained her wings when Nabu chose Khalid, perhaps the guilt of that act played a part in Khalid’s decision to send the helmet away. Khalid may not actually don the fabled Helm of Nabu in this issue, but just hearing about the effect it has had on his life is enough to chill you to the bone.

After convincing Khalid to check up on Jay Garrick, we also get a glimpse of how Hawkgirl really feels about Alan Scott when she turns around and use an aptly dressed mannequin for target practice for her rocket launcher. Back in Michigan, the World Army finally catch up with Jay Garrick, with the Atom tearing down the house to get at him. These spectacular action scenes really showcase Nicola Scott’s art, Trevor Scott’s inks also give every scene a vivid clarity, and their work on Earth 2 continually impresses me on every level.

It’s great to see the Atom and Colonel Dodds in action again this issue. There is a wonderful moment where Dodds teleports and his Sandman hat and coat are momentarily suspended as he vanishes, and the look on everyone’s faces when the Flash is suddenly rescued and whisked away is priceless. When Khalid is following Jay he struggles to keep a hold of his senses, rambling about men of lightning and dark horrors, earning himself a few strange looks form passers by. The perpetrator behind the magical forces that have whisked Jay, his mother, and Khalid to Nabu’s Realm is revealed as Wotan – one of Doctor Fate’s oldest foes.

With Earth 2 #9 James Robinson seems to be fully embracing a more mythical form of storytelling, one filled with characters like Flash, Green Lantern, and now Dr Fate who have all obtained their powers via mystical entities. I think it gives the characters much more depth as they try to cope with the awesome responsibility of their powers. The New Wonders have had to explore the boundaries of their abilities, some like Alan Scott have lost loved ones, others like Jay Garrick have managed to turn their lives around, while Khalid and Hawkgirl have been emotionally scarred by the experience.

Earth 2 #9 is a fabulous issues, the pace never lets up for a moment, and the gradual build up to the astonishing cliff-hanger in Nabu’s Realm will leave you counting the  days until The Tower of Fate yields its secrets.

Dr Who: The Reign of Terror DVD Review

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1st Doctor, Barbara, Carol Anne Ford, Dennis Spooner, Doctor Who, DVD, Henric Hirsch, Ian, Jacqueline Hill, James Stirling, missing episodes, Napoleon Bonaparte, Robespierre, Susan, The French Revolution, The Reign of Terror, William Hartnell, William Russell

Dr Who: The Reign of Terror

DVD Review by Paul Bowler

The TARDIS arrives in a field near Paris during The French Revolution. Soon the time travellers find an old farm house where aristocrats Rouvray (Laidlaw Dalling) and d’Argenson (Neville Smith) are seeking help from a secret group that has been saving people from the guillotine and helping them escape to England. When they are discovered by Revolutionary soldiers, the Doctor (William Hartnell) becomes trapped in the burning house, Ian (William Russell) is captured and imprisoned, and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) and Susan (Carol Anne Ford) are sent to the guillotine.

The Doctor escapes from the house and travels to Paris to rescue his friends, who have become embroiled in the plans of the English spy James Stirling, who is posing as Lemaitre (James Cairncross), the governor of the Conciergerie Prison. The Doctor has to adopt the disguise of the Regional Officer of the Provinces to help save Ian, Barbara, and Susan, which invariably brings him to the attention of the tyrant Robespierre (Keith Anderson) – while Ian and Barbara spy on a secret meeting between Paul Barras (John Law) and Napoleon Bonaparte (Tony Wall) – the future ruler of France. As history runs its course, Robespierre is shot in the jaw and thrown in prison, while the Doctor and his companions escape to continue their adventures in time and space.

William Hartnell is absolutely magnificent as the Doctor in The Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror is the story that brought Doctor Who’s first season to a close in 1964. After arguing with Ian and Barbara at the end of previous story – The Sensorites – the Doctor had decided that the school teachers must leave the ship for good at their next destination. He is positive they have returned to Earth, which seems to be the case as they look at the scanner screen. William Russell and Jacqueline Hill are on fine form in this adventure, particularly here as they patch things up with the Doctor, convincing him to come with them for a drink before they say their goodbyes. Carol Anne Ford also gives one of her best performances this season, especially when she has to face the horror of the guillotine.

William Hartnell is absolutely magnificent as the Doctor in The Reign of Terror. He effortlessly runs the rings around everyone as he travels to Paris to rescue his companions: bartering with his fabled ring to acquire a disguise so he can impersonate the Regional Officer of the Provinces, even though this act lands him in serious trouble, but Harnell’s Doctor is still able to talk himself out of trouble and save his friends without so much as causing a ripple in the time stream.

Barbara and Susan are captured and sent to the guillotine

Although not wholly accurate, The Reign of Terror is one of Doctor Who’s first real forays into basing a story around actual historic events. Dennis Spooner’s superb script is a tour de force for William Hartnell, who gets some brilliant scenes, and the supporting cast are all well characterized, particularly James Cairncross (Lemaitr), Keith Anderson (Robespierre), and Tony Wall (Napoleon.) Barbara’s brief romance with Leon Colbert (Edward Brayshaw) also throws up some harsh home truths for everyone over the merits of both factions when he is revealed as a traitor.

The restoration work on these episodes is remarkable, surpassing all our expectations with a crystal clear picture that vividly showcases the high production values and period costumes of this historical adventures. This story also features the Doctor Who’s first location filming, with the Doctor strolling through the countryside (with Brian Proudfoot standing in for William Hartnell). Even though the story is unashamedly uncompromising in its portrayal of Robespierre’s downfall, Director Henric Hirsch weaves this outstanding story across six enthralling episodes, which concluded back at the TARDIS where the screen fades to a glittering starscape as the Doctor says they must search for their destiny in the stars.

As is the case with many Doctor Who stories from the sixties, two episodes of The Reign of Terror are sadly missing from the BBC Archives. However, thanks to the talented team at the Australian animation company, Planet 55, episodes 4 & 5 have been recreated with exquisite detail using a ground-breaking Thetamation process. By mixing traditional 2D artwork with specially constructed 3D modelling, and facial mapping, the results give an uncannily realistic representation of what the episodes would have actually looked like. At times you almost forget you are watching animated episodes, the character models move realistically through every scene, and the way Planet 55 have perfectly animated the facial expressions of the cast is astonishingly good.

The animation by Planet 55 for Episodes 4 & 5 is uncannily realistic

The DVD extras are of as high a quality as we have come to expect from this range. This release has a fascinating commentary featuring Carol Ann Ford (Susan), Neville Smith (D‘Argenson), Jeffry Wickham (Webster), Caroline Hunt (Danielle), Patrick Marley (Soldier), and Tim Combe (Production Assistant). Two additional commentaries feature Ronald Pickup (Physician) for Episodes 4, and missing episode hunters Philip Morris and Paul Vanezis on Episode 5, and all the commentaries are moderated by award winning writer, actor, and comedian well known for his successful one man shows, Toby Hadoke (Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf). The documentary Don’t Loose Your Head gives us a fascinating insight into the making The Reign of Terror with actors William Russell (Ian), Carol Ann Ford, and Production Assistant Tim Combe. Along with a virtual tour of the 2D sets used for the two animated episodes, there is also an Animation Design Gallery, Photo Gallery, Coming Soon Trailer, and the brilliantly detailed Programme Information Subtitles.

This DVD release will transport you back to the golden era of Doctor Who. The Reign of Terror is a brilliant historical story, with William Hartnell giving one of his finest ever performances as the Doctor, and the magical way the lost episodes have been brought to life give us hope that the remaining Doctor Who stories with missing episodes could also be reconstructed in this way and released on DVD. The Reign of Terror is a fantastic addition to the Doctor Who DVD range, with a wealth of extra features, and I highly recommended it.

Aquaman #16 Review

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Aquaman, Batman, Black Manta, Cyborg, DC Comics, Firestorm, Geoff Johns, Justice League, Ocean Master, Paul Pelletier, Scepter of Atlantis, Superman, The New 52, Throne of Atlantis, Wonder Woman

Aqua man #16

Review by Paul Bowler

 

As the Justice League battled valiantly to defend Boston from Ocean Master and his forces, not even the intervention of Aquaman could prevent Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman being captured and imprisoned inside pods at the bottom of the ocean. Aquaman breaks free from his pod next to Batman’s and quickly realizes they have been left near the Mid-Atlantic trench to fed to the amphibious creatures that dwell there. Batman sets up a subsonic emitter inside his pod to help Aquaman find the temple in the trench so they can rescue Superman and Wonder Woman.

Back on dry land Professor Shin and Vulko are trying to find a way to stop Ocean Master, while Cyborg sacrifices another piece of his humanity with an upgrade that will allow him to function underwater and rescue the Justice League. While Cyborg’s father begins the operation the heroes that were recruited to help the Justice League are managing to hold the line against Atlantis and Ocean Master.

Soon the identity of who really instigated the war between Ocean Master and the surface world is finally revealed, someone who not only managed to steal the Scepter of Atlantis, but also used Black Manta as part of his grand designs.

Aquaman #16 sees writer Geoff Johns deftly handling the multiple plots strands that come together in this fourth instalment of Throne of Atlantis. The scenes were Cyborg has to give up his remaining lung are particularly heart wrenching, showing just what he is prepared to go through to save his team mates. The action in the dark waters of the Mid-Atlantic trench are fraught with tense moments as Batman and Aquaman explore the temple, finding some strange Atlantean hieroglyphics on the walls that provide some vital clues, before being overrun by the trench creatures as they try and free  Superman and Wonder Woman from their pods – fortunately Cyborg and Mera arrive in time to help.

The art by Paul Pelletier is outstanding; the underwater sections are really spectacular, as are the scenes depicting the reserve members of the Justice League fighting to save Boston. We get to see some of this new team in action: with Firestorm, Hawkman, and Black Canary being just a few of the heroes battling for their lives against Atlantis.

Aquaman #16 is one of the best issues yet; it’s packed with jaw dropping action and has a sensational reveal at the end. Throne of Atlantis has been a terrific crossover event and I’m really looking forward to seeing how this storyline concludes.

The Fury of Firestorm #16 Review

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Aquaman #16, Dan Jurgens, Daxaxen, DC Comics, Dr Megala, Firestorm, Hi-Fi, Jason Rush, Justice League #16, Karl Kesel, Ray McCarthy, Ronnie Raymond, The Continuum, The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Man, The New 52, Travis Lanham

The Fury of Firestorm the Nuclear Man #16

Review by Paul Bowler

After being possessed by Dr Megala and being blasted to the depths of the ocean when Captain Atom exploded, Firestorm manages to regain consciousness and return to the surface where Ronnie and Jason realizes that Captain Atom must’ve forced Megala’s mind out of their body before sacrificing himself to save them. Leaving the scene so Ronnie can take part in the Homecoming match, Firestorm is unaware that The Continuum are still determined to lean the secrets of his powers, and have dispatched the robot Daxaxen to capture him again.

Later as Jason and Tonya are watching Ronnie play in the football game, Jason is still upset by a news report that says the government are blaming Firestorm for the destruction at S.T.A.R Labs and the explosion on the U.S.S. Independence, when Daxaxen suddenly flies overhead. With Ronnie’s mom and Jason’s dad sitting a few rows behind them, Jason decides to switch off the field lighting to let  everyone can get clear so he and Ronnie can turn into Firestorm unnoticed.

With everyone thinking they’ve just seen a firework going off to celebrate their teams victory, Firestorm engages Daxaxen, where Jason suggests they allow themselves to be captured so they can take out whoever is controlling the robot. Once they have been pulled inside Daxaxen the robot returns to The Continuum’s underground base, where Firestorm melts his way free of his bonds and fights  Relay, Skull Crusher, and Black Star as Dr Megala wakes from his coma with amnesia. Firestorm destroys The Continuum’s computers to erase all the data they have collected about him, before helping everyone escape after the facilities power core begins to overload. Afterwards Firestorm is confronted by General Eiling, who is far from impressed with Firestorm’s actions. Firestorm assures Eiling that he isn’t a threat as he takes to the sky, but the General doesn’t believe him, and as Firestorm leaves it would seem that another team of superheroes also share General Eiling’s concerns…

Writer and artist Dan Jurgens delivers another flaming hot issue of Firestorm, with issue #16 providing an action packed showdown with The Continuum. His art is inked superbly by Ray McCarthy and Karl Kesel, with everything gloriously coloured by Hi-Fi, and lettering provided by Travis Lanham. This issue sees Ronnie and Jason really beginning to explore the full potential of their unified powers: its fun to see them wondering about how they can breathe underwater, or contemplating if they could survive in space, or even if they need to breathe at all as Firestorm. We also get to see Firestorm race off at incredible speed, so fast that The Continuum cannot even track him, and then later when he cuts loose in their base, his powers set of a chain reaction that destroys the facility.

Firestorm #16 sees Dan Jurgens strike the perfect balance between Ronnie and Jason’s personal lives and their life as a superhero. It was also nice to see how Ronnie reassured Jason when they were in the ocean and Jason was afraid of drowning because he can’t swim. They then have to face up to the fact that they may have inadvertently killed Captain Atom, as well as not letting anger cloud their judgment when fighting Relay, Skull Crusher, and Black Star – opting instead to help everyone escape before the power core explodes.

After Firestorm’s surprise appearance in The Throne of Atlantis crossover in Justice League #16, and now Aquaman #16, it would seem that the Nuclear Man has also caught the attention of the Teen Titans, who we see in Firestorm #16, with Red Robin now determined to track down Firestorm! Its great to see Firestorm meeting other characters in The New 52 continuity, and with Firestorm featuring in The New 52 Justice League, it looks like Firestorm is well and truly on the way to becoming a integral part of the DCU once more!