Alan Rapp

Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular

Alan Rapp / June 15, 2020 / Comics

Title: Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular (One-shot)
Comic Vine: link
Writers: Ann Nocenti, Will Pfeifer, Tom King, Ed Brubaker, Paul Dini, Jeff Parker, Chuck Dixon, Ram V, Mindy Newell
Artists: Ty Templeton, Jonathan Case, Steve Rude, Lee Garbett, Tim Sale, Pia Guerra, Kelley Jones, Fernando Blanco, Robson Rocha, Jim Balent, Emanuela Lupacchino, Tula Lotay, Mikel Janin, Cameron Stewart

Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular is the latest DC over-sized one-shot to bring in several artists and writers to feature a character in a series of short tales. It’s on par with the Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular fans of Catwoman may wish to pick up, but there’s nothing here that’s a must-see.

My three favorite stories of the collection are the extremely meta “Conventional Wisdom” in which Selina finds herself signing autographs at BatCon while being confused with the various costumed fans (all of which is caused by Dr. Destiny), “Art of Picking a Lock” which features narration of story from Selina’s past while she is currently saving Slam Bradley from Joker henchmen, and “Helena” which features an unprepared Catwoman dealing with pregnancy (in a bit of a throwback to Earth-2’s Huntress origins).

While the collection doesn’t feature a Batman: The Animated Series story, the collection of art does feature an entry by Ty Templeton featuring my favorite version of Catwoman’s costume along with looks at her various costumes over the years.

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Long Gone Summer

Alan Rapp / June 12, 2020 / Home Video

Title: Long Gone Summer
wiki: link

Director AJ Schnack‘s examination of the historic home-run chase during 1998 Major League Baseball season is a solid documentary in covering the bases of what occurred, even if it fails for too much of its running time to fully capture the magic of the moment or find a way to better frame events following the exposure of rampant steroid use in baseball (which it saves for a lengthy epilogue).

Scheduled to air Sunday night as part of ESPN’s 30 for 30, the film includes interviews with both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa along with plenty of video from 1998 season and interviews from the likes of Bob Costas, Tony La Russa, Kerry Wood, and others. It also, oddly, spends quite a bit of time on Ken Griffey, Jr., who ended the year well off the pace McGwire and Sosa set, while barely mentioning Barry Bonds breaking the record again just a few years later.

Long Gone Summer is informative at times, especially in delving into the friendship born of rivalry between the two players. However, nothing presented here is likely to change your opinion one way or the other about the legitimacy of current baseball records.

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Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1

Alan Rapp / June 11, 2020 / Comics

Title: Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1
Comic Vine: link
Writer: Anthony Del Col
Artist: Joe Eisma

The premise for Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1 is simple. After taking down a mysterious criminal organization known as the Syndicate, Nancy Drew has died in an apparent car accident. Months of investigation haven’t lead to single piece of evidence that there was foul play. Most people have moved on. Most people, except Joe Hardy.

Joe provides the perspective here from the first page at Nancy’s grave to the final panel with the expected reveal. In-between the detective continues to investigate, trying to make the pieces fit when everyone else, even his own brother, tells him there’s nothing there. Of course, that’s not what Joe wants to hear.

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First Look – Bill & Ted Face the Music

Alan Rapp / June 11, 2020 / Film News & Trailers

Here’s our first look at the return of Bill S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted ‘Theodore’ Logan (Keanu Reeves). The sequel is scheduled for release on August 21st.

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Rick and Morty – The Vat of Acid Episode

Alan Rapp / June 11, 2020 / Television Reviews

Title: Rick and Morty – The Vat of Acid Episode
wiki: link

Not that fans of the show need any further confirmation, but “The Vat of Acid Episode” certainly highlights was a ginormous prick Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland) is. The entire episode centers around Rick inventing a device Morty (Roiland) has been constantly bugging him about, not as a favor to his grandson but as revenge for Morty slamming Rick’s (rather lame) plan in the episode’s opening that involves the pair hiding in a vat of fake acid from intergalactic gangsters to make it appear they have died. Along with Rick’s legendary dickishness, the other theme the episode plays on is introducing an in-depth, soul-crushing, plot thread for Morty that the show may or may not ever return to. For an episode based on a simple bit, this one really does have it all as events come full circle to reinforce Morty’s understanding of just what a bastard his grandfather truly is.

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