Flashpoint #4

/ / Comics

flashpoint-4-coverOne of the most intriguing redesigns of the Flashpoint universe was Captain Marvel. Instead of Billy Batson alone calling on the magic of Shazam, he is one of six hosts who together all form Captain Thunder. The lightning also transforms Tawky Tawny into something which can only be referred to as Battle Cat. Now c’mon, that’s kinda cool.

The problem is after introducing Captain Thunder in the first issue of Flashpoint he’s been M.I.A. ever since. This issue rectifies the situation by having Batman and his team come to Billy and his friends to help the Flash. Sounds good right? Captain Thunder even agrees to help the team take on the Amazons and Aquaman.

Trouble is, even in the Flashpoint universe DC Comics seems intent on limiting the number of pages Captain Marvel can appear. The team is betrayed and Billy Batson is killed. But at least I’ll get to see him in the new DC Reboot, right? Oh, Captain Marvel isn’t part of that either? Sigh. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $3.99]

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Usagi Yojimbo #139

/ / Comics

usagi-yojimbo-139-coverUsagi‘s wanderings lead him to cross paths with an old friend when he comes upon Inspector Ishida fending off an attack by an entire band of ruffians.

After helping his old friend dispatch the last of the killers Uasgi learns Ishida is transporting a prisoner, one of two brothers who lead this nefarious band, to justice. Usagi agrees to accompany him and the two warriors and their prisoner set off for their destination only to be waylaid by the weather when they must make a stop at an inn.

It’s here Ishida and Usagi run into an assortment of characters including the inn keeper, who despite closing the establishment can’t turn a blind eye to weary travelers in bad weather, a pompous aristocrat who fancies himself a poet and his bodyguard, and a humble paper dealer and his family.

The storm outside, the prisoner, and the odd mix of personalities under one roof is a good set-up for a murder mystery. I won’t tell you who is killed, or why, but I will say I’m definitely looking forward to picking up the next issue.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

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Franklin & Bash – Go Tell It on the Mountain

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Franklin & Bash – Go Tell It on the Mountain
  • tv.com: link

franklin-and-bash-go-tell-it-on-the-mountain

The First Season of Franlin & Bash comes to a close with Jared (Breckin Meyer) and Peter (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) defending their boss (Malcolm McDowell) for murder. The problem? He freely admits to committing the act and lied about it for years. The situation isn’t helped by the arrival of a partner (Tricia Helfer) from one of the other branches of the firm who seems to be doing whatever she can to sabotage their case and take control of the Los Angeles branch of Infeld Daniels.

…

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Franklin & Bash – Go Tell It on the Mountain Read More »

The Warrior’s Way

/ / Home Video
  • Title: The Warrior’s Way
  • IMDB: link

the-warriors-way-dvdDong-gun Jang stars as the world’s most dangerous swordsman who refuses to kill the last remaining member of a rival clan. Instead he makes his way to America with the young baby to lose himself in the Old West.

Now marked for death by his own people, Yang attempts to hide himself in a small town at the edge of the desert in a town full of broken people and carnies who make up one of the strangest Old West small towns you’re ever likely to see on-screen.

The town has troubles of its own in the form of a vicious gang leader (Danny Huston) who occasionally terrorizes the town by showing up to rape its young women. Yang befriends one of the villain’s previous victims (Kate Bosworth) and helps her to learn the ways of the sword to take her revenge – just as he did.

Of course the villain’s gang and the entire Sad Flutes clan arrive at the same time and blood is spilled, revenge is had, and our hero, in true western fashion, walks off into the sunset alone.

…

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The Warrior’s Way Read More »

Is this the end for the Secret Six?

/ / Comics

secret-six-36-coverYou know you’re in trouble when Ragdoll is the voice of reason. On the eve of Bane‘s plan to take on Batman by attacking those closest to him the team begins to fray as they are surrounded by heroes who have followed the Penguin‘s tracker to the abadoned warehouse the Secret Six is using as its temporary base.

In an attempt to end things quickly Huntress calls in favors and brings in everybody, and I do mean everybody, to take the Six down, but as Huntress realizes far too late this isn’t the team to back down against an overwhelming show of force. As Ragdoll points out this team only has one redeeming virtue: they simply don’t know when to quit. That’s one lesson they never learned.

The Secret Six aren’t just another super-villain team. As screwed up as they all are there’s something noble about a group who will fight for each other, against all odds, knowing the chance of actually winning is impossibly high. And in this final issue Gail Simone let’s them go out Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid style.

…

Is this the end for the Secret Six?Read More »

Is this the end for the Secret Six? Read More »