Marvel Studios and Disney have just released the first hotly-anticipated trailer for their upcoming Moon Knight series starring Oscar Isaac in the title role.
Its clear from the outset that it seems the show is clearly going to do a great job of capturing Mark Spektor’s disassociative identity disorder, and Moon Knight’s costume looks amazing. The series, which is written by Jeremy Slater, also stars Ethan Hawke as cult leader Arthur Harrow. The new Moon Knight six-part limited series is set to start streaming on Disney+ from the 30th of March 2022.
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
The Scorched #1 provides an action-packed debut for Todd McFarlane’s first superhero team book in the Spawn Universe. With the forces of Heaven and Hell about to collide, this ominous threat is too big for any individual hero to deal with, and a new power-packed supergroup assembles to face it. With members including Spawn, Redeemer, Gunslinger, Medieval Spawn and She-Spawn the team must learn to work together as they embark on an urgent mission to track down the deadly Plague Spawn in Russia. Helmed by writer Sean lewis (with additional dialogue provided by Todd McFarlane) and illustrated by Stephen Segovia and Paulo Siqueira, with colors by Ulysses Arreola and Nikos Koutsis, this giant 55 page first issue has three distinct narratives that collectively serve as an introduction, prologue, and epilogue all rolled into one.
Although Spawn appears, he’s very much there just to set the team up in their new HQ and keep an eye on them from afar. Instead it is She-Spawn who leads the team as its unofficial leader. Her teammates also get time plenty of time in the spotlight too, with flashbacks, dialogue, and action sequences showcasing their motives and abilities.
Lewis also co-writes King-Spawn, so its perhaps no surprise that The Scorched has a similar level of gritty realism about it, blending war and horror as the team attack a Russian military installation where they battle armed troops and werewolves. The vastly different personalities of the Hellspawns and the Redeemer make for an interesting team dynamic to say the least. Lewis and McFarlane have also hinted about a shifting roster for this book, so I’m sure more characters form the Spawn Universe will appear over time to join the action.
Segovia does the first half of the book and the Epilogue, with Siqueira handling mid-section in Russia, and their work complements each other very well indeed. Likewise, Arreolia and Koutsis works their magic with the colors, giving each character their own distinct hues. The action is brutal and visceral, almost gratuitously so at times. Highlights included Rosen’s transformation into Medieval Spawn, Gunslinger leaping into action guns blazing, and the Scorched battling hordes of werewolves is simply stunning. Andworld Designs lettering also notably gives each character their own distinct typeset which really helps fuel the team dynamic and bring their personalities to life.
The Scorched #1 rounds off McFarlane’s “Year of Spawn” in fine style. This book may have suffered delays because of the pandemic, but its been well worth the wait. What’s more it skilfully brings together some of Spawn’s most well known characters from three decades worth of comics into one book, and that’s worth the price of admission alone!
Publisher Image Comics
Script /Plot Sean Lewis / Tod McFarlane (Additional dialogue)
Art Stephen Segovia / Paulo Siqueira
Colors Ulises Arreola / Nikos Koutsis
Lettering Andworld Design
Covers & Variants Todd McFarlane / Puppeteer Lee / Brett Booth / Greg Capullo / Don Aguillo / Marc Silvestri / Ryan Stegman
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
Arkham Tower looms over Gotham in Detective Comics #1047 like a dark ominous shroud. Yet beneath its gleaming high-tech facade and promises of new therapies from the mysterious Dr Wear, a terrifying darkness is waiting to be unleashed. But with Batman taking a break from Gotham City following the events of Fear State, the Bat-Family’s supporting heroes must step-up in the Dark Knights absence. If, like me, the solicitations for this issue made you think another year, another ‘Bat-Event,’ then you’d be wise you to think again as you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. The Tower: Part 1 kicks off a 12-part weekly Detective Comics event, Shadows of the Bat, written by Mariko Tarmaki, and the first chapter of its engaging and mysterious storyline draws you in right from the outset.
Arkham Asylum has fallen and been replaced by Arkham Tower; a new facility built in the heart of Gotham itself and run by the enigmatic Dr Weir together with Dr Chase Meridian – a consultant appointed by Mayor Nakano. The issue is something of a slow burn to begin with, as Tamaki builds the tension with scene setting flashbacks that shift between the Towers opening, Batwoman’s investigation of the new Arkham’s therapies, and a chilling portent within the pages of a hand made tarot scrapbook before plunging us full throttle into the carnage the Bat-Family must confront in the present-day when the inevitable riot break out in Arkham Tower. Tamaki weaves grim, action-packed descent into chaos for the Bat-Family, with action divided between characters either rushing to the scene while others are missing, or trapped inside the tower in dire peril.
Featuring pencils by Ivan Reis and Inks by Danny Miki, Detective Comics #1047 looks absolutely stunning. Every panel is awash with rich detail and steadily gathering menace. The panel layouts are dynamically structured, moving from free-flowing to chaotically haphazard, all in perfect sync with the beats of the story. There’s intense close up drama, horror, and high-rise shocks cleverly interspaced with the Bat-Family’s interactions against the backdrop of Gotham and the terror unfolding within the tower itself. The vivid colors employed by Brad Anderson stylishly accentuates the mood and pace as the drama unfolds, and letterer Ariana Maher also does a fantastic job of making this surprisingly dialogue heavy issue a throughly engrossing and gripping read.
Batman may be out of town but he still plays a major role in this issues backup story: House of Gotham by Matthew Rosenberg. Its a dark, unsettling glimpse into the not-too-distant past, with an unflinching tale of the horrifying cracks in Gotham’s mental health system that one poor unfortunately soul could soon fall through. Featuring art by Fernando Blanco and colors by Jordie Bellaire, this bleak foreshadowing of the main storyline unfolding in Shadows of the Bat looks set to be every bit thrilling.
Detective Comics #1047 is like a gloriously dark and sinister mash-up of One Flew Over the Cuckoos and The Towering Inferno. As comic book events go this one has certainly gotten off to a compelling start with its taut scraping and impressive artwork. Detective Comics #1047 is a terrific set up for Shadows of the Bat that poses just as many question as it does answers, let’s hope Tamaki can sustain the pace and keep the narrative on track for the duration of this immense storyline.
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
Doctor Who Eve of the Daleks New Year’s Day Special
Review by Paul Bowler
Having survived the Flux the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and companions Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop) are back to face the Time Lords dreaded nemesis, the Daleks in this festively themed New Year’s Day special! The Daleks return with a bang in Eve of the Daleks as the Doctor and her friends find themselves caught in a time loop with the Daleks hot on their heels!
The feature length special, written by showrunner Chris Chibnall is set on New Year’s Eve and guest stars Aisling Bea (from Channel 4’s This Way Up) who plays ELF storage facility manager Sarah, Adjani Salmon (of BBC2’s Enterprise) as Nick, the lovestruck customer who visits every New Year’s Eve, and Father Ted’s Pauline McLynn as Mary. Their lives turned upside down when they get caught up in an adventure with the Doctor, Yaz, Dan and the Daleks. The episode cleverly utilises its core cast and single set to great effect as it blends its rom-com elements with time loops, themes of loneliness, unrequited love, and of course lots of Dalek action!
Eve of the Daleks is essentially Doctor Who doing Groundhog Day with a Sci-Fi twist after the Doctor’s attempts to reset the TARDIS backfires, and the complex fun filled plot positively rattles along at a cracking pace from the outset. Jodie Whittaker excels as the 13th Doctor once again, the rest of the cast are also on fine form, and the action sequences are pretty spectacular as well. Director Annetta Laufer manages to strike just the right balance between the interconnecting plot threads, quirky humour and frenetic high-drama to keep everything on track.
This time though the Daleks are not just trying to end the universe. Instead this special squad of executioner Daleks have set their sights on the Doctor herself and are hellbent on getting some payback!
Eve of the Daleks is fun run-around that milks its complex timey wimey laden premise for all its worth. The slapstick humour and goofy romantic sub-plot gets a tad overcooked in places, but the non-stop-action and great dynamic between the 13th Doctor and her companions more than makes up for any shortcomings. This is the first of three specials that will round off the 13th Doctor’s era in 2022 before the Time Lords imminent regeneration in the autumn. Eve of the Daleks provides a great showcase for the return for the Daleks as they battle the Doctor, while also providing an engaging coda for the events of Doctor Who Flux, and setting the stage for things to come. To top it all a surprise next time trailer heralds the return of the classic Doctor Who monsters the Sea Devils this spring in Legend of the Sea Devils!
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
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