Doctor Who The Woman Who Lived Review

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Ashildr, Catherine Tregenna, Clara Oswald, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Series 9, Ed Bazalgette, Jenna Coleman, Leandro, Leonian, Maisie Williams, Peter Capaldi, Rufus Hound, Sam Smith, Steven Moffat, TARDIS, The Doctor, The Knightmare

The Woman Who Lived

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

The Doctor arrives in England, 1651, in search of a powerful alien artefact, where the Time Lord will soon have to face the consequences of his past actions – and this time the Doctor meets someone who won’t just let him walk away from what he has done. This adventure sees the Doctor clash with the highwayman called The Knightmare. They form a tenuous alliance to reach a common goal, but the Doctor soon learns you should never trust a highwayman, and what is the fire-breathing creature hiding near The Knightmare’s home? Is The Knightmare really friend or foe? Only time will tell, betrayal will strike, and the Doctor will have to give the hangman’s noose the slip if he is to save the world in time from The Eye of Hades…

The Woman Who Lived provides an exciting conclusion to the story that began in The Girl Who Died, however this is not your average run-of-the-mill two-part story, and the way it all knits together is ingeniously done. The Woman Who Lived is written by Catherine Tregenna, and she makes her Doctor Who debut here with this episode, having written for theatre plays, Torchwood, and Casualty. Now, with The Woman Who Lived, this tale by Catherine Tregenna explores the notorious era of the highwaymen, as the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) goes off on an adventure while school teacher Clara (Jenna Coleman) is off taking Year 7 to taekwondo. The Woman Who Lived is also directed by Ed Bazalgette and features the second appearance of guest star Maisie Williams (The actress who plays Arya Stark in the HBO series Game of Thrones) in Series 9 as Ashildr – the Viking girl who gained immortality when the Doctor used The Mire medical repair kit implant to save her in The Girl Who Died.

Stand and deliver! Arriving in England, in the year 1651, the Doctor begins his search for an alien artefact but he soon runs into trouble when he interrupts the notorious highwayman, known as The Knightmare, holding up a carriage in the dead of night. But the Knightmare is no ordinary robber, this is Ashildr! “What took you so long old man..?” Suddenly that line for the Series 9 trailer is given a whole new perspective as Maisie Williams character makes herself known to the Time Lord. But Ashildr is no longer the person the Doctor once knew, the price of immortality has cost her dearly, and she refuses to even acknowledge the name of Ashildr anymore – as everyone she’s ever known or loved is now long gone… It seems that Ashildr, or “Me” as she insists on being called, has done rather well for herself as a Highwayman, obtaining riches, and even an impressive looking home where a mysterious creature lurks in the grounds.

Peter Capaldi is on fine form again, he seems completely settled into the role of the Doctor now, and his performance here is spellbinding. It is a shame that Clara is sidelined for much of this story, but we do have Maisie Williams returning as Ashildr / “Me” to make up for it, as the young Viking girl who acquired immortality, and she proves more than a match for the Doctor as well – even outwitting him at times. Maisie Williams gives a terrific performance in The Woman Who Lived as Me, her character is much darker here, having been deeply affected by her long life of immortality, and even the Doctor is shocked by how dangerous and unpredictable she has become. Me has had 800 years of adventure, we soon explore the events of her immortal life since The Girl Who Died, all the battles, plague, and even the heartbreak of losing her children, and as the Doctor browses though the many journals of her life he finally begins to understand the implications of what he has done. Me wants the Doctor to take her with him, to be free of this life and travel the stars, but how she could possibly know “the man who runs away” has a “ship”?

The Doctor’s and Me’s scenes are often a curious mix of witty and moving moments, Peter Capaldi and Maisie Williams make a fantastic team in this action-packed, emotional episode, and their performances magically reinforces the uncanny bond between the Time Lord and the young immortal. After they agree to work together, the Doctor and Me housebreak into the Fanshawe House where the alien artefact – The Eye Of Hades – is held, where the sonic shades serve as the Doctor’s “mask” and Me becomes increasingly exacerbated by her Time Lord “sidekick”, especially when their robbery goes awry and puts them in a tight spot – where Me takes the opportunity to confront the Doctor about how many people he has lost. The Woman Who Lived also has comedian and Doctor Who fan Rufus Hound, as highwayman Sam Swift “The Quick”, who also has a run in with the “Knightmare” and the Doctor, and his scenes with Peter Capaldi and Maisie Williams are brilliantly done – especially when Sam Swift hilariously thinks the Doctor is the Knightmare’s dad / sidekick! Best of all though is when the Doctor stops Me from killing Sam, it’s a menacingly powerful line, one that makes the Time Lords warning absolutely crystal clear, and a great moment for Capaldi’s Doctor.

The strange fire breathing creature, Leandro, who wanders the Knightmare’s grounds and home, is played by Ariyon Bakare. This regal looking feline beast claimed to be marooned on Earth and trapped in the 17^th Century. He made an alliance with Lady Me / Ashildr, that once she acquired the missing amulet (The Eye of Hades) for him, they would travel the universe together, but the artefacts presence in 1651 drew the Doctor here and instigated his reunion with Ashildr. But when the Leonian’s presence is revealed the Doctor is shocked to discover that a life will have to be sacrificed in order to opens this insidious portal to another realm.

With the Doctor charging to the rescue on horseback, Sam Smith’s impressed there’s been such a good turn out for his hanging, and the gallows humour which follows is gloriously funny – especially when the Doctor joins in. However, when Ashildr uses the amulet to open the portal; it seems Leandro is not the last of the Leonians after all, and an entire Leonian invasion force is waiting on the other side of the portal to invade the world. The Doctor’s hope to get Ashildr back on track succeeds, realizing she’s been duped by her Leonian ally, she takes the second medical repair chip the Doctor gave her in The Girl Who Died, and uses it to heal Sam Swift and seal the portal – whereby Leandro’s “brothers” punish him for his failure and vaporise him.

The wonderfully evocative closing scenes in the Inn leave us with almost as many questions as it does answers. Sam is healed by the chip, but the energy from the amulet has burnt it out, meaning he won’t be immortal, probably… However, it is how the Doctor compares his and Me’s immortality to how beautiful and precious life is to all the ordinary people around them, that really strikes an emotional cord, and when the Doctor is finally reunited with Clara there’s a chilling coda that indicates Me’s story is not over just yet…

While not quite so chock full of continuity references as previous episodes in this season, there are a still one or two interesting things that get mentioned, and the psychic paper also proves quite useful in this story too. When the Doctor tells Me / Ashildr about the Great Fire of London, he mentions that it was caused by the Terileptils, the alien race the 5^th Doctor encountered in The Visitation (1982). The Doctor also mentions that he once travelled with another immortal, Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), and the Doctor is sure Captain Jack will probably get around to meeting her eventually.

The Woman Who Lived is a fun historical themed episode, with a dark cosmic mystery resting at the heart of the story, and it’s actually quite moving and though-provoking at times as well. Catherine Tregenna’s script captures the mood and tone of this era perfectly, the Doctor and Ashildr’s moving debates about their immortality is profoundly realized, and the episode is beautifully directed by Ed Bazalgette. Peter Capaldi and Maisie Williams are superb throughout, balancing the humour with the gravatis of their characters immortality, and Ashildr’s story has been handled really well. But once all the laughter, merriment, and thoughtful exchanges are over, this Clara-Lite episode holds some sinister undertones. With the knowledge that Ashildr always takes note of everyone’s weaknesses, along with her self-styled appointment as the Doctor’s patron saint of leftovers, and her somewhat unsettling presence in the background at the end of the episode, it sets up a foreboding portent that might perhaps foreshadows events later in the this season…

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Reyn #9 Review

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comics, Followers of Teck, Image Comics, Kel Symons, Nate Stockman, Pat Brosseau, Paul Little, Reyn, Seph, The Land of Fate, The Venn

Reyn #9

Review by Paul Bowler

The swords, sci-fi, and fantasy adventures continue in Reyn #9, as the last Warden of Fate, Reyn, embarks on a mission to rescue Seph from the clutches of the evil Venn – but at what cost? When the Followers of Teck broke into the Venn stronghold in the Rift, they discovered the truth about the Land of Fate. With Seph captured, her father dead, Reyn and the Followers of Teck barely escaped with the lives. After helping sabotage a Venn energy cell, Reyn seemingly turned against his friends. Ignoring the advice of his spirit guide Aurora mistress of Light – the unseen entity who only Reyn can see and hear – Reyn set out with the igniter component, determined to get Seph back, but as the past begins to unfold a terrible secret emerges…

Reyn #9 continues to build on the startling revelations about the Land of Fate, as this Image Comics sci-fi fantasy series, written by Kel Symons (The Mercenary Sea), with art by Nate Stockman, colors by Paul Little, and lettering and Design by Pat Brosseau, finds Reyn betraying his allies and going it alone to rescue Seph – but to save her he will have to trade the vital component the Venn need to complete their plan.

Discovering that the Land of Fate was in reality is a habitat on board one of three giant space arks used to evacuate the world before a great catastrophe consumed the sun in Reyn #6, effectively turned this series and its premise on its head, and forced all the characters to revaluate everything they once knew as reality. Kel Symons has crafted a magnificent storyline and Reyn #9 is arguably his finest issue yet, as events take another dramatic and highly unexpected turn after Seph finds herself a prisoner in the Venn Stronghold. When she is brought before the Venn leader, we finally begin to learn more about this strange amphibian-looking warrior race, and how their presence has influenced the development of the Land of Fate.

Nate Stockman’s art for Reyn #9 is a tour-de-force of epic visuals which beautifully brings Symons’ innovative sci-fi / fantasy saga to life, as the Venn’s story unfolds; and the great cataclysm of events that follow their arrival lifts the series to even greater heights as the pieces of the past gradually begin to fall into place. The colors by Paul Little are rich and vibrant, cold metallic hues in the Venn stronghold contrasting strongly with the vivid tones used in the flashbacks, and the lettering and Design by Pat Brosseau is as excellent as ever.

A thunderous stamped, together with a tense stand-off between Reyn and the Venn, steers this issue towards a brutal and violent climax. Indeed, while not quiet the betrayal we believed, Reyn’s plan is still fraught with danger. Reyn is determined to get Seph back, and in the bloody carnage which follows the Venn face the full fury of the Warden of Fate, not everyone will make it out unscathed, and a shocking truth will be revealed…

The main thing I like about this Image Comics series is how Kel Symons always keeps us on our toes. Just when you think you know what to expect, even with all the revelations about the Venn and their role in events, Reyn #9 delivers what is perhaps the series’ biggest surprise so far, and it’s one that’s sure to be a major turning point for the series. Reyn #9 is another fantastic issue, with Kel Symons exciting storyline, and the fantastic artwork by Nate Stockman, this Image Comics series continues to go from strength to strength, and after reading this action-packed issue I simply cannot wait to see what happens next. Brilliant!

Publisher: Image

Writer: Kel Symons

Art: Nate Stockman

Colors: Paul Little

Lettering and Design: Pat Brosseau

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Invincible Iron Man #2 Review

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Brian Michael Bendis, comics, David Marquez, Invincible Iron Man #2, Invincible Iron Man #2 Review, Iron Man, Justin Ponsor, Madame Masque, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Tony Stark, Victor Von Doom

Invincible Iron Man #2

Review by Paul Bowler

Invincible Iron Man #2 continues this new Marvel series, spinning out from the pages of Secret Wars, this brand new era finds Tony Stark’s life taking a whole new direction, there’s new armor, new supporting characters, and some old enemies to face as well. Following Madame Masque’s raid on Castle Doom, Iron Man travels to Latveria to investigate her criminal activities, where Tony must confront the return of his old nemesis Doctor Doom, aka Victor Von Doom – his face now miraculously restored to normal…

This new Iron Man series, written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by David Marquez, and colors by Justin Ponsor, has already introduced Tony’s new shape-changing suit of armor, which combines all the different modes and models into one new sleek, streamlined design, and there’s a new computerised female AI system called Friday to keep his life on track. The question of who are Tony’s biological parents remains, Tony even found time to go on a date with biochemical engineer Amara Perera. Now in Invincible Iron Man #2 Tony confronts the former ruler of Latveria himself, Victor Von Doom, but this new, calm, collected, and suited and booted version also has a few magical tricks up his sleeve, and his face now all better as well.

Brian Michael Bendis engineers some terrific scenes here between Tony and Victor Von Doom, their exchanges are barbed with mistrust and sly undercurrents of humour, and it makes for some highly charged moments as they descend into the castle. Madame Masque’s plan, to steal a highly-prized mystical artefact from the castle begins to take on a whole new perspective, especially when Victor Von Doom reveals what it is that she’s actually taken, but rebel factions are closing in on the castle and before we know it the wave of a magic finger sends us off on an entirely different tangent. Bendis manages to weave these plot strands together perfectly, gradually allowing the mystery of Madame Masque’s recent spate of activities to unfold, while staging a brilliant face-off between Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom that positively crackles with tension and suspicion on both sides – but has Doom really turned over a new leaf?

The stunning clarity of David Marquez’s art brings this issue to life in exquisite detail. The panel layouts bring an almost cinematic quality to events, from the initial scenes between Iron Man and Victor in the ruined castle, the drama is enhanced further as technology and magic clash in spectacular fashion. From here we move to the shadowy remains of Doom laboratory, there’s a great collage-like page that beautifully relays Tony’s “history” with Whitney Frost, and Iron Man’s sudden return to the Bronx is a quirky scene that also sneaks in a fun comment about Tony’s new suit. The colors by Justin Ponsor are really sumptuous, brining added clarity to every scene, there are some gorgeous plays with light in the laboratory, and the shape-shifting antics of the new Iron Man suit stylishly gleams with fluid movement and deep shadows between forms.

When this issue catches up with Madame Masque in Montreal she isn’t best pleased about being lied to, after wrapping up her business here with ruthless efficiency, Whitney suddenly gets a surprise visitor… These closing moments are absolutely riveting, perhaps more so because of the emotional context of the situation and relationship between the characters, and the unexpected shock ending is sure to take you by surprise.

Invincible Iron Man #2 is another strong issue in this new series. Actually, the pace of this issue seemed to flow even better than the first, and I really liked seeing the form Tony’s new armor initially took on to face Victor Von Doom. Invincible Iron Man #2 is fast-paced, featuring a great story by Brian Michael Bendis; impressive art by David Marquez, and rich colors by Justin Ponsor, this series is one Marvel’s most impressive new titles, and well worth checking out.

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Art: David Marquez

Color Artist: Justin Ponsor

VC’s Clayton Cowles: Letterer & Production

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New Star Wars The Force Awakens Official Trailer

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J.J.Abrams, New Star Wars The Force Awakens Trailer, New Star Wars Trailer, Star Wars The Force Awakens, Star Wars The Force Awakens Official Trailer, Star Wars Trailer

New Star Wars The Force Awakens Official Trailer

Just in case you were busy making the Kessel Run in less that 12 Parsecs today and missed the new Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens trailer, , here it is! Wow, another brilliant trailer! Can’t wait to see this film! Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens is released in the UK on December 17^th 2015 & in the USA on December 18^th 2015

And here’s the Star Wars The Force Awakens official poster!

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Doctor Who The Girl Who Died Review

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Arya Stark, Ashildr, Clara Oswald, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Sereis 9, Doctor Who The Girl Who Died, Ed Bazalgette, Game of Thrones, Jamie Mathieson, Jenna Coleman, Maisie Williams, Odin, Peter Capaldi, Steven Moffat, TARDIS, The Doctor, The Mire, Vikings

The Girl Who Died

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

The Doctor and Clara have been captured by Vikings and taken to their remote village, but the Mire, the most ruthless mercenaries in the galaxy are coming, and young Ashildr has just declared war on them! With the best Viking warriors taken by the Mire, the Doctor and Clara must train the villagers so they can fight these alien warriors. The Doctor is also preoccupied with a mystery concerning Ashildr, but it is more than a premonition, because this is day where the Time Lord remembers where he has seen his own face before…

The Girl Who Died is the fifth episode from Doctor Who’s ninth series, written by Jamie Mathieson (The Becoming Human & Being Human writer also penned two popular Series 8 episodes of Doctor Who: Mummy on the Orient Express and Flatline in 2014), and co-written with show runner Steven Moffat. This intriguingly titled episode is directed by Ed Bazalgette, sends the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) back in time for the Time Lords first major meeting with the Vikings (The Vikings were also a major part of the First Doctor’s adventure The Time Meddler from Season 2 in 1965), and this series’ eagerly anticipated appearance of Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams as the Viking tomboy Ashildr.

Following a deep space adventure involving battle fleets and something nasty from a Spider Mine, the TARDIS brings the Doctor and the space-suited Clara to a backwater of history, where the sonic shades soon bite the dust – well sort of – and they find themselves captured by Odin-worshiping Vikings and taken to their village. The Doctor attempt to convince them he’s Odin by escaping from his chains and using a yo-yo goes awry when Odin’s face suddenly appears in the clouds overhead! The Mire teleport into the village, scanning their victims, before spiriting away the mightiest warriors to feast with “Odin” in the Halls of Valhalla, but because Ashildr has one half of the sonic shades, its advanced technology and the presence of Clara’s space-suit, ensures she is teleported along with Clara and the Viking warriors to the Mire‘s spaceship.

The warriors meet a terrible fate, Clara attempts to confront “Odin” and convince the Mire to leave, but the enraged Ashildr declares war on the invaders, a challenge they eagerly accept before transporting Clara and Ashildr back to the village. When the villagers refuse to heed the Doctor’s advice and flee, the Doctor and Clara must train this band of farmers, fishermen and blacksmiths to defend their village from the Mire, but with only hours to prepare for the battle, the Vikings are outgunned and outnumbered, and the outcome seems unavoidable.

Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman continue to shine as the Doctor and Clara, their recent adventures have made the Time Lord and his companion seem even closer than ever, and the banter between them is great fun – especially when they are training the Vikings how to protect their village from the threat of the Mire. The opening scene with a space-suited Clara floating in space is another standout moment. The Girl Who Died also features a very special guest star, Maisie Williams, the actress who plays Arya Stark in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Her role as the Viking girl Ashildr in this episode is central to the plot, and her character has a profound effect on the Doctor. Maisie Williams scenes with Peter Capaldi are absolutely brilliant, especially when she talks about always knowing she was different in some way. Likewise, the Doctor also returns to his “duty of care” to Calra in this episode, and it provides another brilliant moment for Capaldi and Coleman as Clara urges the Doctor to figure out a plan that will save them all.

Jamie Mathieson has crafted a beautifully structured adventure with The Girl Who Died (co-written with Steven Moffat), its like a mash-up of The Magnificent Seven and Vikings, and it possesses many of the qualities that made Mathieson’s previous episodes so popular. The story is markedly lighter in tone from the early episodes of Series 9, at least initially, but the mood darkens significantly towards the end, and it leaves us with plenty to dwell over. Two key scenes from the Series 9 trailer take on a whole new context when we see them in this story as well. This unpredictable adventure is full of action, boasting strong performances from Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, and Maisie Williams, the comedy skilfully melds with the darker undercurrents of the story, and the episode is superbly directed Ed Bazalgete (who also filmed some of Poldark this year).

The Mire are huge lumbering creatures, their true features are hidden beneath their armoured helmets, these intergalactic warriors absorb the strengths of other war-like species, and they are one of the deadliest warrior races in the galaxy. They are led by the Odin-like figure, played by David Schofield, who gives a brilliant scenery chewing performance as the leader of The Mire, who uses his holographic face of Odin to address the village from the sky, as well as in person, to play on the Vikings belief in Odin. Using the Mire to select only the strongest Viking warriors, “Odin” actually kidnaps them to extract their adrenalin and testosterone, whish he uses to invigorate himself and the Mire warriors. The Mire costumes are very imposing and impressive, their real faces when revealed are quite gruesome, and they make fearsome adversaries.

The Doctor has to become something of a false Odin if he is to get this group of villagers ready to face the armoured might of the Mire, and he’s only got one day to shape them into an effective fighting force. This leads to some of the episodes funniest scenes, as the Time Lord attempts to get the villages, Nollar (Simon Lipkin), Chuckles (Ian Conningham), Lofty (Tom Sourton), Limpy (Alistair Parker), Hasten (Murray McArthur), and Heidi (Barnaby Kay) ready to face the Mire. Fortunately, thanks to some timely baby speak, a few water barrels filled with electric eels, silvery fibres taken from Clara’s space suit, and Ashildr’s skill with puppets and storytelling, the Time Lord soon has everything he needs to turn the tables on Odin and The Mire when they arrive to do battle the next day.

The Girl Who Died is full of fun references, the Doctor reverses the polarity of the neutron flow (a familiar phrase often used by the 3^rd Doctor), the Time Lord now carries a 2000 Year Diary (very reminiscent of the Second Doctor’s 500 Year Diary from Power of the Daleks in 1966) he also poignantly speaks “baby” at several key moment in The Girl Who Died, a skill he used in A Good Man Goes To War and Closing Time (2011), and the line: “Time will tell, it always does…” echoes the 7^th Doctor’s words when he was in a similar reflective mood in Remembrance of the Daleks (1988). But after defeating the Mire – with their inept failure to defeat the Vikings on her phone recorded on Clara’s phone and set to the theme of The Benny Hill Show – the Doctor’s threat to upload the clip to the Galactic Hub and ruin the Mire’s reputation, quickly sends “Odin” and his lackeys packing. However, the price is high, and Ashildr dies of heart failure shortly after using the captured Mire warrior’s helmet the Doctor modified to enable her to tell the Mire a story they would never forget – projecting the image of a dragon when in reality they were only facing one of her puppet creations.

This leads to the fantastic surprise ending that makes The Girl Who Died so special. Although he plays the 12^th Doctor now, Peter Capaldi actually made his Doctor Who debut as the character Caecilius in the 10^th Doctor story from Series 4, The Fires of Pompeii (2008). Ever since Deep Breath (2015) the 12^th Doctor has long wondered why his regeneration gave him this face, now in The Girl Who Died the explanation is revealed at last! Following Ashildr’s death, when the Doctor sees his face in one of the water barrels, we briefly flashback to the events of The Fires of Pompeii, and the Doctor finally realises his face is actually there as a very special reminder for him… This is a truly magical moment, one that fans of the 10^th Doctor, and perhaps more significantly Donna Nobel, are sure to enjoy; as we discover why the 12^th Doctor looks like Caecilius from The Fires of Pompeii.

Ashildr’s death really affects the Doctor, he’s sick of losing people, so much so he intervenes here to put things right, no who “happens to be listening” (The Time Lords maybe? If indeed they are somehow “listening” in, the Doctor certainly seems intent on making as many ripples as possible to get their attention this season!). The Doctor uses a reprogrammed Battlefield Medical Kit from the Mire’s helmet to heal Ashildr, she recovers, and the Doctor leaves a second chip for her before he departs… When the Doctor and Clara eventually return to the TARDIS and continue their travels, the Time Lord begins to ponder over what he has done. He’s effectively made Ashildr a hybrid (perhaps making the Doctor recall the prophecy Davros spoke of in The Magician’s Apprentice / The Witch’s Familiar), an immortal, and as the episode closes with Ashildr gazing at the sky as the years swirl past around her – she never ages because the repair kit / chip keeps fixing her; but her smile gradually beings fading from happiness to an ever darkening expression. Few words can truly sum up the power and emotion of these final moments, it may leave many questions unanswered for now, but it certainly provides one of the most powerful and moving cliff-hangers in the shows history…

The Girl Who Died is an excellent story by Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat, the intricate plot is peppered with humour, seamlessly blended with themes of immortality and its consequences, and the though-provoking conclusion ingeniously blurs the edges of time itself with a brilliant cliff-hanger to round off the first part of this most unconventional two-part story. With its great setting, impressive cast, powerful alien menace, and high-production values, The Girl Who Died is another worthy addition to Series 9 and Peter Capaldi’s era as the Doctor.

Image Belong: BBC

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The Amazing Spider-Man #1 Reivew

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Alex Ross, Cam Smith, comics, Dan Slott, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Marte Gracia, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Peter Parker, Silk, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Spiderman 2099, Spidermobile, Spidey, The Amazing Spider-Man #1, The Amazing Spider-Man #1 review, Web Warriors, Zodiac

The Amazing Spider-Man #1

Review by Paul Bowler

Parker Industries and Spider-Man have gone global, with the All-New, All-Different relaunch in Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man #1, as Peter juggles the web-spinning adventures between his business headquarters in New-York, Shanghai, London, and San Francisco – with his personal “bodyguard” Spider-Man tagging along for the ride naturally! But Peter Parker’s newfound success has as caught the attention of the revamped Zodiac, who have also set their sights on global expansion, and its up to Spider-Man to stop them!

Amazing Spider-Man #1 continues with the assured creative team of writer Dan Slott and artist Giuseppe Camuncoli, as this all-new direction for our favourite wall crawling hero sets out a whole new status-quo for the series, and an exciting new era for Peter Parker as his life finally seems to be getting on track.

Dan Slott quickly brings us up to speed with the dramatic turn of events in Peter’s life. Peter Parker and his company are now house-hold names, famous around the world, he now develops new technology for S.H.I.E.L.D and the public market. The action begins with a high-speed Spider-Mobile chase in Shanghai as Spider-Man and Mockingbird pursue the Zodiac operatives who have stolen some webware servers from Parker Industries. These opening sequences with the Spider-Mobile are really exciting, action-packed, and full of Spidey’s trademark humour – the joke he makes about Kraven’s nipples is hilarious!

Its during Peter’s press conference where Slott really sets out everything this new direction for the series will entail for Parker Industries. It even pokes fun at Parker being a “poor man’s Tony Stark”, perhaps knowingly addressing concerns this series might be like that, but of course we needn’t have worried, Peter has a clear goal in mind and is determined to uses the great power of his company responsibly. Peter seems a lot more mature and confident now, he’s also intent on making amends for some of his past mistakes, particularly certain events that happened when Doc Ock took over his body and became the Superior Spider-Man, and he travels to a wedding in San Francisco to make sure he does just that.

The fantastic artwork by Giuseppe Camuncoli effortlessly draws you into the action. From the frenetic chase sequences with the Spider-Mobile in Shanghai, to the press conference, and finally the round-the-world trip to the wedding in San Francisco, the sheer level of detail on every page is stunning. Spidey has never looked better in my opinion, the gadgets – especially those multi-function web-shooters – are inspired. The new Spider-Mobile is without doubt one of the big highlights of Amazing Spider-Man #1, it is one seriously cool looking vehicle, and I’d hazard a guess it could give the Batmobile a run for its money! The inks by Cam Smith enhance the intricate detail of Camuncoli’s art perfectly, while colorist Marte Gracia’s vivid hues and tones gives every page an almost cinematic sheen, and the cover by Alex Ross is beautiful.

With its vast cast of character, the new threat posed by Zodiac to the world, and the perils of inviting Peter Parker to a wedding, all add up to make this issue a thrilling, and exciting read. There’s also one last surprise waiting at Parker Industries in London too, and I can’t wait to see how that develops! Yes, there’s a hefty price tag on this issue, but I guarantee its well worth it. This huge issue devotes even more pages than usual for the main storyline, there’s also several backup stories that offer previews of the other Spider-Titles and storylines: including Silk, Spidey, Spiderman 2099, Spider-Woman, Web Warriors, and lots more besides!

I’ve always been a big Spider-Man fan, while the previous volume didn’t quite live up to my expectations, I really enjoyed The Amazing Spider-Man #1, and I think we are in for something really special here with this new direction. With its great story by Dan Slott and art Giuseppe Camuncoli, The Amazing Spider-Man #1 is one Marvel All-New, All-Different, title that will be webbed into my pull-list from now on, a brilliant issue!

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Dan Slott

Art: Giuseppe Camuncoli

Inks: Cam Smith

Colors: Marte Gracia

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover: Alex Ross

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Batman #45 Review

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Bat Bot, Batman, Batman #45, Batman #45 review, Bruce Wayne, comics, Danny Miki, DC Comics, FCO Plascencia, Gotham City, Greg Capullo, Jim Gordon, Mr Bloom, Scott Snyder, The New 52

Batman #45

Review by Paul Bowler

Following last issues post Zero Year introduction to Mr Bloom, Batman #45 returns to the present, where Jim Gordon is Gotham’s new robo-suited Batman. However, it seems Bruce Wayne survived Endgame! Without the shadow of Batman in his life, Bruce now works for the Lucius Fox Center for Gotham Youth, and is reunited with his former sweetheart Julie Madison. When Batman breaks into a warehouse to investigate Mr Bloom – the new super-villain selling seed-like implants that give criminals extreme powers – Gordon finds himself trapped. Now, after Batman’s close call with the Devil Pig Gang, Jim Gordon must re-examine his role as the new Dark Knight protector of Gotham before time runs out for city…

Batman #45 finds the former marine and Police Commissioner Jim Gordon facing his greatest challenge so far as Gotham’s corporate funded Robo-Batman. Trapped in a furnace, seemingly with no way out, this latest instalment of Scott Snyder’s and Greg Capullo’s new Superheavy story-arc places Gordon in mortal danger and confronts him with a situation that makes him question if he really has what it takes to wear the cowl.

Scott Snyder turns up the heat for the new Batman in Superheavy Part 5, as Gordon has to find a way to escape from the industrial furnace before his Bat-Suit fails. Snyder really gets inside Gordon’s head during these opening scenes, as Jim rapidly assesses the situation Batman-Style, while also keeping his personal feelings in check, and finding the right mindset to ensure that all that Batarang practice finally pays off! Outgunned and outnumbered Jim now faces his most crucial lesson of all about what it really means to be Batman…

A number of plot threads entwine during this issue. Bruce and Julie Madison are busily helping the kids at the Lucius Fox Center for Gotham Youth, the area is still littered with the wreckage of the trophies from the Bat-Cave the Joker used for his parade during Endgame, and the horror and devastation caused by the Joker virus is still clearly evident. The relationship developing between Bruce and Julie is really moving, we get to learn more about Julie’s past, and the bond they share is inexorably linked with paths their lives have taken.

Batman #45 is one hell of an action packed issue, Greg Capullo’s art captures the essence of every scene perfectly, and the way Capullo has Gordon evaluate the situation and escape from the furnace is brilliant. The Bat-Bot goes into full “partner mode” this issue, it’s another action-packed moment, and it works so well seen the context of Jim’s predicament. Danny Miki’s inks accentuate the finer details and nuances of Capullo’s art, especially in the scenes between Bruce and Julie, there’s also an interlude featuring Duke and Daryl that nicely refers back to the events of Batman #44 & We Are Robin #1, and FCO’s sublime colors take us from the roaring orange-purples-and reds of the furnace to the icy blue depths of Gotham were the Collider that Jeri Powers company has built to make one giant leap for man – and the periodic table – to the “island of stability” bring all the elements of story and art together in a way that is quite simply astounding. As for Mr Bloom, well, suffice to say we finally see him in action, and its blooming incredible!

Bruce’s solution for dealing with the trophies proves to be utterly inspired too, and completely indicative of everything Snyder and Capullo have set out to accomplish with this arc. Batman #45 builds towards an exciting climax, with the powers-that-be poised to decide the new Batman’s fate, Jim must step up and show who’s the boss – just as terrible danger prepares to strike during a key moment of “censored” dialogue!

Batman #45 is another excellent issue in the Superheavy arc from Scott Snyder, with terrific artwork by Greg Capullo, this storyline continues to throw new and unexpected curve balls our way with every new issue. The various plot strands seem to be coming together now, all of the characters get a good share of the limelight as well, and the stage is now set for one hell of a face-off between the new Batman and Mr Bloom!

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: Scott Snyder

Art: Greg Capullo

Inks: Danny Miki

Color: FCO Plascencia

Letters: Steve Wands

Cover Capullo/Miki/FCO

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Trista & Holt #8 Review

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Andrez Bergen, IF? Commix, Trista & Holt, Trista & Holt #8, Trista & Holt #8 Review

Trista and Holt #8

Review by Paul Bowler

The latest offering from IF? Commix takes us into the crime-ridden world Trista and Holt #8, with words and pictures from Andrez Bergen, author of the noir-superhero detective novel Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa, and the IF? Commix Bullet Gal prequel series and recent Bullet Gal trade paperback collection: It’s Not You It’s Me. Trista and Holt #8 continues Andrez Bergen’s modern homage to the old-school legend of Tristan and Iseult, in this charismatic, hardboiled, and iconic noir-infused new If? Commix series.

In this issue we take a step back from the frenetic pace of recent events for a somewhat more measured, emotionally charged, and decidedly sombre instalment of the series’ erstwhile lovers whose lives have become so tragically entwined. Following the death of Moore Holt, caused by Trista Rivalen, Trista is also injured, and she is currently recovering in a hidden location from the feuding families with the help of Issy Holt – heir apparent to the Holt family.

As emotions run high, Isidor Holt faces the grim task of identifying Moore Holt’s body at the morgue. From here the spotlight falls on Issy’s father, Isidor – head of the Holt Clan, as flashbacks peel away hidden secrets from the past. We discover the true side to his origin, the sinister overtones and rise to power, marriage to Alania, the reasons Isidor wept for Lou Holden, and some unexpected links to Trista’s aunt Marcella.

Andrez Bergen brings the same pulp-noir tone of images and art to Trista and Holt as he did with Bullet Gal. This seamless blend of digital enhancement, photographic imagery, and dada-inspired collages make the dark, brooding world of Trista and Holt even more compelling. From the morose opening scenes that bring us to the morgue, the art quickly strikes a rich cord with the storyline, offering a tangent that brings the woman with an outrageous French accent and the forlorn sight of a gangland leader now crippled and forgotten in a darkened room. Flashbacks bring us ever further towards a life as it unravels like the shuffling of a deck of cards, where a real name is revealed for the first time in thirty years, while the horror and persecution in a Nazi concentration camp resonates darkly across the shadowy veil of time, before freedom spells hope and the promise of dreams waiting in a brave new world – dreams that will ultimately become crushed beneath the cold heel of fate.

If you loved Bullet Gal, chances are you will enjoy Trista and Holt as well. Although this issue is perhaps not wholly indicative of the series overall, Trista and Holt #8 is notably slower in pace than previous issues, even the tone is markedly darker, but its testament to Bergen’s skilful fusion of detailed plot and characterization that uses this issues markedly different approach to great effect. While there’s a lot going on here, this issue actually makes a really good jumping-on point for new readers, and it also rewards those who have been reading since the beginning with some fresh insights to the ongoing storyline and characters.

Trista and Holt #8 is another impressive issue, Andrez Bergen’s storytelling and art continues to impress on every level, and this series remains one of IF? Commix standout new titles. This innovative pulp-noir of yesteryear mash-up with crime the laced saga of Tristan and Iseult, blends noir, brutality, and disco with stylish aplomb. Few comics immerse you within its story and art like Trista and Holt, even if you are a little late the party, this is one issue that will certainly make you want to explore the dark and groovy world of Trista and Holt.

Trista & Holt is available now /  hard coy $5 digital $1

FIND OUT MORE FROM IF? COMMIX VIA THEIR SITE:

iffybizness.weebly.com

Publisher: IF Commix

Writer: Andrez Bergen

Artist: Andrez Bergen

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The Flash 2015 New York Comic-Con Sizzle Reel

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Barry Allen, Grant Gustin, Jay Garrick, The Flash, The Flash 2015 New York Comic-Con Sizzle Reel, The Flash Season 2, Zoom

The Flash 2015 New York Comic-Con Sizzle Reel

Warner Bros. Television have released a New York Comic-Con sizzle for Season 2 of The Flash featuring new footage introducing new characters & new villains!

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Doctor Who Before The Flood Review

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Cass, Clara Oswald, Corey Taylor, Danlie O'Hara, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Before The Flood, Doctor Who Series 9, Jenna Coleman, Paul Kaye, Peter Capaldi, Prentis, Sophie Stone, Steven Moffat, TARDIS, The Doctor, The Fisher King, Toby Whitehouse

Before The Flood

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Separated by time, Clara is stuck at the underwater Caithness mining facility in the future under attack by ghostly apparitions, while in the same location in the past the Doctor explores the remote military outpost before it was flooded. A ruthless alien called the Fisher King has engineered a scheme to survive at all costs. As the fate of the past and the present ripples across time, the Doctor may have to break all the rules to stop the alien warlord. Even considering the most unimaginable possibility of all – the Doctor will have to die…

Before The Flood concludes Toby Whitehouse’s first two-part story for Doctor Who. The writer of Being Human (2008-20015) and the Doctor Who episodes School Reunion (2006), The Vampires of Venice (2010), The God Complex (2011), and A Town Called Mercy (2012), has returned for Doctor Who’s ninth series with Under The Lake & Before The Flood – a ghostly underwater time-travelling adventure directed by Daniel O’Hara that sees the Doctor and Clara facing haunting danger across two time zones.

Trapped inside the lake-bed mining base The Drum in 2119, Clara (Jenna Coleman), second-in-command Cass (Sophie Stone) and Cass’s sign-language translator Lunn (Zaqui Ismall), now face the grim reality of the Doctor’s own ghost standing outside the base – and the Time Lord makes for a particularly disturbing looking spectre as he gazes through the window! The cliff-hanger for Under the Lake saw the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) becoming a hollow eyed phantom, just like commander Moran (Colin McFarland), Vector Petroleum rep Prichard (Steve Robertson), and Parentis (Paul Kaye, who played Thoros in Game of Thrones), the mysterious top-hat wearing Tivolian (a species created by Toby Whitehouse for his 2011 Doctor Who story The God Complex).

Clara and the crewmembers notice the Time Lords ghost is silently speaking their names instead of the coordinates like the other ghosts. The Doctor telephones Clara from the TARDIS, trying to reason with his own ghost, but the Doctor’s spirit releases the other ghosts trapped in the Faraday Cage. With the mystery of the spaceship with the indecipherable writing on its walls in the main hanger and whatever is sleeping inside the recently recovered suspended animation chamber remaining unresolved in 2119, the Doctor, systems technician O’Donnell (Morven Christie), and marine geologist Bennett (Arsher Ali) have been exploring the same site in 1980 before the dam burst and flooded the old town. The Doctor certainly faces a difficult task, he’s confronted with tragedy, the bizarre anomaly of being stuck in his own time line, and a towering new enemy – the Fisher King. But it is the telephone call the Doctor and Clara have across the waterlogged centuries that divide them which confirms the Time Lords worst fears; he will have to die to save the day. Its already happened, Clara has seen the Doctor’s ghost in the future, there’s no escape from his fate, or is there..?

This is a fabulous episode for Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman as the Doctor and Clara face their most challenging adventure yet, and there are some highly emotional scenes between them – particularly during their timey-wimey phone conversation before Clara, Cass, and Lunn, have to take refuge in the Faraday Cage from the ghosts. Clara has become a bit of a thrill-seeker recently, enjoying the danger that accompanies the Doctor’s adventures. Before The Flood really highlights the profound effect that travelling with the Doctor has had on Clara since Danny’s death, now she has to contemplate the possibility that the Doctor might also die; and these moving scenes reveal just how much Clara’s friendship with the Doctor means to her.

Toby Whitehouse has created some really great characters for this two-part story, the crew of the Drum are a highly-skilled team, and they all get a good share of the action in Before The Flood. Sophie Stone, the first deaf actress in Doctor Who, gives a terrific performance as Cass, whose lip-reading skills and lack of hearing gives her a pivotal role in the unfolding drama. Zaqui Ismall also plays a key role as Lunn, Cass’s designated sign language translator, the ghosts won’t harm him because Cass wouldn’t let him read the strange writing inside the alien vessel, and this proves vital in getting Clara’s phone back from the ghosts. There’s also a powerful scene between Clara and Cass after Lunn bravely sets out from the Faraday Cage to retrieve the phone (the only way they can maintain contact the Doctor in the past), it’s a brilliantly scripted moment, and one that is in no needs of translation either!

The Doctor, O’Donnell, and Bennett soon discover the alien craft in 1980 on the military training site in Scotland – modelled on a Russian town – was used train troops at the height of the Cold War. It seems the craft is actually a hearse, carrying the body of the Fisher King, the suspended animation chamber and power cell are still intact, and there are no signs of the untranslatable writing on the walls – at least not yet… We also get to see a lot more of the dapper top-hat wearing Tivolian, Parentis, played by Paul Kaye, and discover the intergalactic undertakers role in events here in 1980 before he is killed by the revived Fisher King – who then inscribes the symbols that will make the ghosts into transmitters on the interior of the ship.

O’Donnell’s zeal for adventure also sadly leads to her untimely death, whereby events take a dramatic turn which even the TARDIS won‘t allow the Doctor run away from. Meanwhile, Clara, Cass, and Lunn must venture outside the safety of the Faraday Cage in the future with homicidal ghosts and an undead version of the Time Lord stalking the base, as Bennett and the Doctor clash bitterly over the Time Lord’s actions in the past concerning O’Donnell, but what exactly has Beethoven’s Fifth got to do with ghosts in the 22^nd century, and is the Doctor really powerless to stop the Fisher King’s plan to ensure his own survival?

The monstrous Fisher King is a fearsome creature. It has taken three people to bring this lumbering alien to life on screen. Neil Fingleton is the man inside the creature costume, and at over 7ft 7in, he’s also Britain’s tallest man. The Fisher King is voiced by the award-winning actor and comedian Peter Serafinowicz (He was the voice for Star Wars Episode I villain Darth Maul, the actor also played Pete in Shaun of the Dead, and Denarian Saal in Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy), and the creatures blood chilling roar is provided by Corey Taylor – the lead singer of the metal band Slipknot. The Fisher King is a truly terrifying foe, the monsters scenes with the Doctor are electrifyingly tense, and their epic showdown resonates across time and space.

The Fisher King is without doubt one of the most dangerously powerful creatures the Doctor has ever faced, and their face-off is a magnificently menacing scene. There are some really dark moments of horror on The Drum as well, particularly when Lunn has to venture out alone to face the ghosts in the shadowy corridors, and later, when Cass is wandering alone, she is followed by Moran’s axe wielding ghost – a scene made all the more terrifying because Cass cannot hear the axe being dragged along the corridor behind her. O’Donnell makes a number of references to the Doctor’s past companions and exploits in this episode. Unfortunately her enthusiasm also puts her in terrible danger, she gets killed by the Fisher King and joins the ranks of the ghosts on The Drum menacing the others, and sadly she will never know how much Bennett really cared for her.

With the consequences and destruction set to spiral out of control, the Doctor sends Bennett back to the TARDIS while he confronts the Fisher King. The Doctor tricks the alien warlord into leaving the church and the suspended animation chamber behind. Outside the creature discovers the missing power cell the Doctor has placed, which detonates, destroying the dam and flooding the entire area – killing the Fisher King. It’s only really here in the closing stages of the story that things get a little muddled. The time-twisting resolution, with the Doctor emerging from the suspended animation chamber in the future on The Drum, together with a little help from his sonic shades and a neat trick with his cleverly programmed ghost / Doctor / hologram, does all feel a little contrived, but Toby Whitehouse manages to tie everything up so well everything almost reverse engineers itself to paper over the cracks. With the ghosts trapped in the Faraday Cage for UNIT to sort out, romance in the air for Cass and Lunn thanks to Bennett, and the Doctor’s timey-wimey bootstrap paradox laden explanation for Clara everything wraps up in fine style to the strumming of the Doctor’s electric guitar.

Before The Flood is structured around some brain wracking concepts and leaps of logic. I’m certainly not even going to pretend I understood all of it either, but like the Doctor said, you can always google it if you really want too! There are a wealth of continuity points and fun references to look out for, including such things as the brand name of the Doctor’s amplifier for his guitar, and the fun slogan on Prentis’ business card! While not quite as good as Under The Lake, Before The Flood still provides a breathtakingly exciting conclusion to this story, and Toby Whitehouse’s excellent multi-layered scripts for Under the Lake & Before The Flood mixes deep-sea adventure, with time travel, and ghosts to make this one of the highlights of Series 9. Boasting strong performances from the entire cast, with some clever 4^th wall shattering moments from Capaldi’s Doctor, a menacing monster, stunning special effects, an amazing rock version of the opening theme tune, and the brilliant direction by Daniel O’Hara, this two-part story recaptures the essence of the classic series and seamlessly blends it with the fast-paced excitement of the new series to forge something very special indeed!

Images & Clip Belong: BBC

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And just for fun here’s that rock version of the Doctor Who theme!