Alan Rapp

Astro City #23

/ / Comics

Astro City #23In the first half of a two-issue storyline Astro City writer Kurt Busiek and artist Brent Anderson put their own spin on DC’s Gorilla City with the introduction of a talking ape from a hidden city filled with intelligent talking apes who arrives in Astro City with plans on becoming a drummer but quickly learns why that may be problematic and that he may have more potential as a hero.

As a fan of the Silver and Modern age Flash comics I’ve always loved Gorilla City and it’s fun to see Busiek and Anderson come up with their own version of bizarre world set not in the jungles of Africa but in an impossible jungle climate hidden away in the middle of the Antarctic.

As is true with almost all of the comic’s best storylines, Astro City #23 leaves the reader wanting more of the central character’s story and Sticks’ adventures in his new home. Thankfully we will be getting at least one more issue with the simian hero/drummer, but from what we’re given here I’m hoping that won’t be all we see from the character for the foreseeable future. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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Daredevil – Rabbit in a Snowstorm

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Daredevil – Rabbit in a Snowstorm
  • wiki: link

Daredevil - Rabbit in a Snowstorm

Daredevil continues to develop the underworld of Hell’s Kitchen in another episode that touches on the unseen motives of a mysterious new player’s power grab. In terms of the season arc choices made here further basic plot points and character development in the increasing tension between Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), but it terms of logic for this episode “Rabbit in a Snowstorm” leaves more than a little to be desired as Wesley‘s (Toby Leonard Moore) recruitment of Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) to defend a killer (Alex Morf) of their organization on self-defense charges doesn’t in any way help the Kingpin (who had already bought the jury), certainly doesn’t do any damage to the lawyers, don’t make the case look any more legit (because absolutely no one is paying attention to it), and only further reveals pieces of the mysterious adversary for Daredevil to eventually hunt down and hear the name “Wilson Fisk” for the first time.

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Top Ten Memorial Day Box Office Movies

/ / Top Tens & Lists

Top Ten Memorial Day Box Office Movies

Until recently with big-budget super-hero films opening in late March and April, Memorial Day weekend has long been the unofficial beginning of the summer movie season. When you take a look at the top ten box office movies over Memorial Day weekend what you find is a collection of sadly mediocre, and downright awful, films. Seven of the top ten are sequels. Of the six I’ve written full reviews for only two have received a passing rating. Memorial Day may begin the summer movie season, but, as these ten movies show, it’s far from the best summer blockbusters have to offer.

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Daredevil – Cut Man

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Daredevil – Cut Man
  • wiki: link

Daredevil - Cut Man

“Cut Man” opens with a battered and bruised Daredevil (Charlie Cox) found by nurse Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) who has heard the stories of a masked vigilante fighting for justice in the streets of Hell’s Kitchen and decides to attend to his wounds. The severity of the his wounds and Daredvil’s unwillingness to share anything about himself to his savior mean it takes quite some time before the second episode fills in the gaps as to what led Matt Murdock to be left in a dumpster for Claire to find.

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Daredevil – Cut Man Read More »

Samurai Jack – Episode I: The Beginning

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Samurai Jack – Episode I: The Beginning
  • wiki: link

Samurai Jack - Episode I: The Beginning

Genndy Tartakovsky‘s vision of a time-displaced samurai warrior lost in a dystopian future ruled over by an all-powerful evil shape-shifting demon might be both the most unlikely and ingenious animated series ever to air on Cartoon Network. Episode I, which ends with Samurai Jack (Phil LaMarr) being sent into the future, is the only episode of the series to take place completely in the warrior’s own timeline. Introducing us to the evil that is Aku (Mako) and the young warrior who will grow into his greatest nemesis, “The Beginning” offers us glimpses of the samurai’s training around the globe following Aku’s return to power and enslavement over Jack’s home. To refer to these sequences as a montage would not do them justice as Tartakovsky transforms the young boy into the warrior fans will come to know and love with a collection visuals without the need for narration or a single word of dialogue.

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Samurai Jack – Episode I: The Beginning Read More »