Alan Rapp

Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #5

/ / Comics

Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #5Tom Strong andVal Var Gram‘s search for Tom Strange finally comes to an end on the science hero’s moon base. Although his counterpart agrees to give Tom and Val the elixir they journeyed to the alternate Earth to find, the pair cannot leave until they find a cure for the Red Death or risk exposing their Earth to the same deadly disease (especially after Val begins developing symptoms).

To save the life of his son-in-law, and return home in time to save the lives of his daughter and unborn grandchild, Tom Strong will have only one issue remaining in the six-issue mini-series to solve the riddle of the Red Death, find a cure, and make his way home.

I’ve enjoyed this mini-series and issue #5 (as I expected) sets the table for a run to finish as Val contradciting the disease with a 100% mortality rate puts even more pressure on Strong to find a cure. I enjoyed Strong and Strange together here (and hope we get more of the two science heroes working together in next month’s finale). Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $3.99]

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Morning Glories #35

/ / Comics

Morning Glories #35Offering another issue centered around a single student, the latest issue of Morning Glories turns its attention to Fortunato Medeiros who faces danger from the Academy both in the past and present. Luckily for Fortunato, as a child he was lucky enough to have a guardian angel in the time-traveling Casey Blevins. In the present, however, poor Fortunato has to face the wrath of Georgiana Daramount all on his own.

Although the comic gives us Casey kicking some serious ass as Dainelle Clarkson, and has some nice moments between the older Casey and younger Fortunato, Morning Glories #35 is by far one of the darkest issues of the comic’s run featuring an incensed Daramount whipping and even blinding the young man in an attempt to reassert her power and status in the school.

Daramount certainly takes a dark turn here, reverting closer to how she was originally presented, but her the level of her viciousness with Fortunato (someone the Academy obviously prizes) is more than a little perplexing. For fans.

[Image, $3.50]

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Almost Human – The Bends

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Almost Human – The Bends
  • wiki: link

Almost Human - The Bends

Like several other pretenders in recent years Almost Human steals various ideas from sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov and his mix of mystery, cop story, robots, and futuristic setting with mixed results. It’s certainly nowhere near as well-thought-out or engaging as Asimov’s work, but the new FOX series involving a hard-boiled detective forced to work with a robot partner against his will (who he starts to take a shine to – sound familiar?) makes good use of its stars (even if the psuedo-futuristic episodic storylines haven’t been all that interesting so far).

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Scarlet Spider #24

/ / Comics

Scarlet Spider #24The series winds to a close leading into next month’s final issue as Kaine decides to give up the role of hero after what Kraven the Hunter put his friends through (including one still fighting for his life in the hospital). He also faces new threats in a friend turned enemy, someone masquerading as Annabelle, Aracely‘s dark visions, and the arrival of his crazy one-night fling Zoe Walsh (who brings her rocket launcher with her for the unannounced visit to Kaine’s hotel room).

Although the issue feels rushed, like writer Christopher Yost is trying to pack in as many ideas as possible (and hanging plotlines) into a single comic to set up next month’s final issue, there’s quite a bit here to enjoy including plenty of the title’s trademark insanity and a cliffhanger that leaves the fate of nearly every single character from the series completely up in the air.

I’m going to miss this book, and although news has it that Scarlet Spider will be continuing to enjoy life with a new version of the New Warriors (hopefully with Aracely along for the ride and a Guardians of the Galaxy costume for Vance Astrovik) it won’t be the same.  Worth a look.

[Marvel $2.99]

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The Mentalist – My Blue Heaven

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Mentalist – My Blue Heaven
  • wiki: link

The Mentalist - My Blue Heaven

Two years after the events of last week’s episode where Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) caught-up with and killed Red John (Xander Berkeley), “My Blue Heaven” picks up with Jane on a small island with no extradition treaty living a simple life which is interrupted by the separate arrivals of both a beautiful woman and FBI Agent Abbot (Rockmond Dunbar) who each, in their own way, tempt the Mentalist to end his island isolation and return to the real world. We also glimpse in on the lives of various former members of the CBI who have moved on to other interests after Jane’s departure. Although the show will be continuing after this episode, it appears to be the last stop for Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) with both actors leaving the show.

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