March 2013

47 Ronin #3

/ / Comics

47 Ronin #3Writer Mike Richardson and artist Stan Sakai’s retelling of the classic Japanese legend continues as the loyal samurai to Lord Asano learn about the seizure of his lands and make plans to set things right by their lord’s widow and restore his honor.

The samurai agree not to fight the forces who show up to claim the lands for the man responsible for their lord’s death. Instead they scatter as ronin and wait in secret, first for news that the petition to the Emperor has been successful, and when that fails to continue to wait and prepare to strike back and get revenge for Asano.

Three issues in 47 Ronin is still quite a bit of politics and set-up without delivering much action. That said, the story is well told and I’m willing to read anything drawn by Sakai (although I prefer it to center around a rabbit with a samurai sword). Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $3.99]

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Detective Comics #18

/ / Comics

Detective Comics #18Although the cover suggests this issue to be centered around the fallout of the death of Damian, Detective Comics #18 is far more concerned with continuing to tell the Emperor Penguin storyline. Damian’s absence, although felt, is only really addressed in a handful of panels.

The continuation of the Emperor Penguin storyline gives us Ogilvy in complete control of the Penguin‘s former empire as well as a new partnership between the Emperor Penguin and Zsasz who has his own score to settle with Cobblepot. The issue also includes a backup story focused on filling us in on the New 52 origin of Zsasz and how his partnership with Ogilvy came about.

Although the comic touches on Damian’s death I expected far more. Batman kicks some ass and finally takes down Cobblepot. Zsasz’s new origin story aside (which is ridiculously simple even for a comic book) the Emperor Penguin storyline works well enough here and by the end delivers a new weapon to Ogilvy to help cement his power base – the Man-Bat formula. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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Nikita – Reunion

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Nikita – Reunion
  • tv.com: link

Nikita - Reunion

Amanda (Melinda Clarke) makes a play to kidnap Ari‘s (Peter Outerbridge) son Stefan (Dylan Minnette) to gain sole control of the black box, and as payback for Ari’s betrayal, but she wasn’t counting on the surprisingly effective ex-German counter-intelligence officer (Andrew Divoff) Ari hired to protect his son and kill any potential threat to him. Krieg’s (Divoff) skills keep Stefan alive from Amanda’s hired soldiers giving Nikita (Maggie Q) and Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) time to get to Switzerland and take Stefan from Krieg.

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Young Justice – Summit

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Young Justice: Invasion – Summit
  • tv.com: link

Young Justice - Summit

Everything comes to a head here as the Young Justice team wins a huge, if incomplete, victory over both The Light and The Reach by using the summit between the two groups to capture The Reach Ambassador (Phil Lamarr),  Black Manta (Khary Payton), and others as well as publicly expose The Reach’s plans of conquest for Earth and get proof of The Light’s plan to frame the Justice League for crimes during the 16 hours the heroes were under the control of Starro-tech.

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