Morning Glories #31

Morning Glories #31Hunter takes center stage as the latest issue of Morning Glories continues to return to the revolving single-character issues following the aftermath of Irina‘s failed coup d’état. With guilt over the death of Zoe (who was killed while trying to kill him – and noticeably isn’t included in the school’s memorial for the fallen students) and several unanswered questions about the dreams and visions he saw with future Jade, Hunter heads to the Morning Glories Academy library hoping to find the poem and yearbook that each played prominent roles in what the young man saw.

Although he finds neither on his search, Hunter does make some new friends in the form of the school’s secret A.V. Club, all of whom have a certain talent for viewing things slightly out of linear time just like Hunter. This leads to a discussion about the difference between dreams and reality.

Morning Glories #31 continues to play with ideas of reality, time, and perception in this issue focused on the character who we’ve met who has the hardest time separating them. Worth a look.

[Image, $3.50]

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Castle – The Complete Fifth Season

  • Title: Castle – Season Five
  • wiki: link

castle-season-5-dvd

After four seasons Beckett (Stana Katic) and Castle (Nathan Fillion) are finally together as a couple both in the police station and in the bedroom. Although the pair have to keep their relationship a secret for most of the season, various characters will discover on their own what the two are getting up to in the Fifth Season of Castle.

Highlights from the season include a two-parter involving the abduction of Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) and Castle meeting his father (James Brolin) during his Taken-esqe trip to Paris to find his daughter, Beckett tripping a bomb, murder by phaser at a sci-fi convention, a Bigfoot murder mystery, Ryan (Seamus Dever) going undercover to save an old flame (Cara Buono), Fillion reuniting with one of his Firefly co-stars (Gina Torres) for murder on reality-TV,  Beckett returning to work to take down Maddox (Tahmoh Penikett) and discover the identity of the man who ordered her mother’s murder, the murder of a pop star, and the Rear Window style murder mystery created to celebrate the show’s 100th episode.

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Daredevil #31

Daredevil #31There are equal parts good and bad to writer Mark Waid’s thinly-veiled look at Treyvon Martin as Daredevil jumps into action when a Civil Rights leader apparently gives the names and addresses of twelve jurors to an incensed public following the acquittal of a man who gunned down a defenseless black teen and demands they take violent action.

Of course the circumstances are nothing more than more behind-the-scenes manipulation of the the Sons of the Serpent, but that doesn’t stop Daredevil from having to put out the fire caused by the stunt (with the help of storm-cloud-seeding giant ants).

The ants are cool, as is the nice hospital sequence as Foggy tries to inspire other patients with Daredevil’s example. However, once again the ridiculous behind-the-scenes power of the Sons of the Serpent storyline doesn’t quite work for me, and, surprisingly, several panels from artist Chris Samnee look uncharacteristically rushed and not up to snuff. The cliffhanger ending hinting and the suicide of Foggy feels equally half-assed. Hit-and-Miss.

[Marvel, $2.99]

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Beware the Batman – Control

  • Title: Beware the Batman – Control
  • wiki: link

beware-the-batman-control

“Control” returns Dr. Jason Burr (Matthew Lillard), his crush on Tatsu (Sumalee Montano), and his work on the Cortex when the League of Assassins send Cypher to steal the invention for themselves. The choice of Cypher continues the series attempt to pull from lesser known Bat-villains, although the character is certainly given an upgrade to make this version far more intimidating than the original.

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Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins #1

Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins #1The latest Bat-Family Forever Evil tie-in issue gives us a look at the leader the League of Assassins whose presence in the New 52 has been only (strongly) suggested up until this point. Although the .1 issue doesn’t deal with the man’s origins from the language used it appears Mike Barr‘s Birth of the Demon remains largely intact.

Instead, Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins #1 examines the man’s rise to power and the creation of the League of Assassins, his battles with Batman, and his goal to reform the world in his own image in the form of the myth retold as Ra’s al Ghul is sought out by a messenger of the Secret Society of Super-Villains hoping to bend The Demon’s Head to their will.

Writer James Tynion IV and Jeremy Haun deliver a solid retelling of the various aspects behind the character even if he’s decidedly lacking in the kind of crazed evil malice that has defined Ra’s al Ghul since his creation. It’s far from a great Ra’s al Ghul story, but for those needing a primer on the character it’s sufficient. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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