Alan Rapp

Scandal – Snake in the Garden

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Scandal – Snake in the Garden
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Scandal - Snake in the Garden

When his daughter (Andrea Bowen) is kidnapped and held for ransom Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry) and his wife (Melinda McGraw) turn to Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) to get her back which is complicated by Hollis’ belief that the entire kidnapping was his daughter’s idea (even after a severed ear is delivered to the office). Olivia also has the unexpected pleasure of the unannounced arrival of the head of the CIA (Kurt Fuller) on her doorsteps inquiring as to who hired Olivia Pope & Associates to have Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Huck (Guillermo Díaz) tail him around Washington D.C. As if that’s not enough for the team to juggle, David (Joshua Malina) begins sleeping in the firm’s offices after his apartment was ransacked.

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Shay Mitchell is a Stand Out for Teen Vogue

/ / Books & Magazines

Shay Mitchell is a Stand Out for Teen Vogue

Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell is the April cover girl for Teen Vogue. In her interview with the magazine Mitchell discusses what an honor it is for her to play one of the few young lesbian characters on television, how her sense of style is drastically different from the character she plays on TV, working with the Somaly Mam Foundation, leaving Canada after high school to work as a model in Bangkok and Hong Kong, the support of her fans, and learning to embrace her uniqueness. You can find photos from the cover shoot as well as a short video inside.

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A+X #6

/ / Comics

A+X #6Poker is the name of the game in this latest issue of A+X. We’re given two stories, each involving an Avenger and X-Man sitting down for a friendly game of cards.

The first story features Wolverine and Captain Marvel and is primarily of interest for the side conversation (inspired by Joss Whedon‘s Angel TV-series) concerning who would win in a fight between astronauts and cavemen. The fight, intermixed with other topics between the two, goes on through the entire story and doesn’t even stop when a super-villain bursts through the wall looking for a fight. My only real complaint with this first story is the art from Italian artists Giuseppe Camuncoli and Michele Benevento which is passable, but not great.

The second story, although not nearly as entertaining, also features two heroes winding up at a poker game as the Yancy Street friends of Ben Grimm invite Gambit, over for the weekly poker game. There’s some okay back-and-forth between the characters and late twist, but it’s the less interesting of the two stories. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Fables #127

/ / Comics

Fables #127With Bigby and Stinky still off on their dimensional road trip, Fables #127 continues the bizarre situation involving Prince Brandish‘s return and his kidnapping and sequestering of Snow White who, under Fable law, is his wife. As Snow’s friends are kept at bay by the intricate magical protections which transfer any harm done to him to his wife, Snow tries futilely to escape.

Although Snow White’s predicament isn’t really humorous, the sheer nature of it allows for some offbeat jokes (including Snow White doing potty humor?). By the issue’s end Bigby, being finally made aware of what has been transpiring in his absence, returns home to save Snow White and put things right.

Sadly, once again Snow White is cast as the victim of the piece at the complete mercy of the man who wishes to bend her to his will. Not only does the spell cause Snow to give herself a nasty gash on her cheek, but Brandish goes so far as to break his wife’s arm to teach the woman her place. Yeesh.

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G.I. JOE: Special Missions #1

/ / Comics

G.I. JOE: Special Missions #1With G.I. JOE going public in IDW’s recent relaunch of the main title, there’s still plenty of quieter jobs for a covert force to do around the globe. Written by Chuck Dixon, G.I. JOE: Special Missions focuses on Scarlett and her team dropped into the middle of the action in southern Libya while around the globe an old enemy is making plans of her own.

Discovering the location of Cobra’s sunken $40 billion treasure (the one Snake Eyes scuttled while working with the Arashikage) Cobra’s former lieutenant has gone into the salvage business. To retrieve the gold she’ll need the help of some capable sailors (the ones she doesn’t cripple in a bar fight), and to stay one step ahead of Serpentor‘s Coil soldiers (who have been dispatched to kill the traitor) as well as Scarlett’s team who heads after the treasure as well after an unorthodox extraction by Wild Bill.

I’m glad to see Dixon getting another G.I. JOE title, although the covert team is sorely missing the most covert JOE of all – Snake Eyes. We’ll have to wait and see if the still presumed dead JOE turns up or if Dixon has any plans for the masked man’s protege Helix in the coming months. Worth a look.

[IDW, $3.99]

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