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Kingsman: The Secret Service

  • Title: Kingsman: The Secret Service
  • IMDb: link

Kingsman: The Secret ServiceKingsman: The Secret Service isn’t the first time director Matthew Vaughn has signed on to bring a Mark Millar comic to the big screen. Like Kick-Ass, Kingsman: The Secret Service centers on the life of a young punk who enters a world of violence, ridiculous adventures, and even more ridiculous villains. This time, however, the subject of spies rather than comic book heroes is both celebrated and lampooned.

Based on Millar’s comic The Secret Service, Taron Egerton stars as a working class kid from a bad neighborhood raised by a single mother after his father died in mysterious circumstances working for a secret organization of spies (and tailors?) known as Kingsman. Recruited by the same agent (Colin Firth) who recruited his father, Egsy spends most of the film proving himself against other candidates (Sophie Cookson, Edward Holcroft, Nicholas Banks, Tom Prior, Fiona Hampton) working to take the place of the latest Kingsman (Jack Davenport) who died investigating a link between a kidnapped professor (Mark Hamill) and an eccentric billionaire known as Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) who has some extreme ideas about lowering the population of the Earth.

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Samurai Jack #16

Samurai Jack #16As a new arc begins rumors of a man with a control over time reach the ears of Samurai Jack who, along with thousands, flock to hear just what the self-professed Master of Time has to say. When the public audience does little more than pique the samurai’s interest he attempts a private audience with the man by sneaking into the heavily-guarded compound. Sadly, our hero isn’t as good a sneak as he is a warrior and ends up dumped (literally) out of the fortress.

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Human Target – Pilot

  • Title: Human Target – Pilot
  • wiki: link

“I’m your vest.”

Human Target - Pilot

Based on the Vertigo comic of the same name, Human Target had an all-too brief two-season run before it’s cancellation in 2011 (due mostly to some ill-conceived shake-ups and changes between Season One and Season Two). Mark Valley starred as a former soldier, mercenary, and assassin with a wide range of skills and abilities now working for the good guys by offering his services as a private contractor and bodyguard to those in danger by blending into the background and using the client as bait to draw out the target. The “Pilot” episode not only informs us about Christopher Chance, his recklessness, and unique business model but also the two key recurring characters who will play major roles over the show’s 25 episode run.

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Samurai Jack #15

Samurai Jack #15The final issue of “The Quest of the Broken Blade” pits Samurai Jack against Aku without the magical sword which is the only weapon the evil demon fears. Those waiting for a big throwdown between the pair are not going to be disappointed as the entire comic is a single battle between Jack and Aku that ends with the samurai’s sword restored and Aku’s relentless attacks paused as the evil shape-shifting master of darkness escapes once more.

How the sword reappears is a bit of a surprise but certainly fits into the metaphysical aspects of the comic and the animated show which spawned it as the character not only finds the strength to keep fighting from within but the weapon by which to do so as well.

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Samurai Jack #14

Samurai Jack #14In the latest issue Samurai Jack is tested to prove his worth by the forces who initially crafted the magic sword. After its destruction the various entities have returned to judge whether or not the hero is worthy to have the damaged weapon restored and returned to him.

Filled mostly with Samurai Jack being put through the paces in various different ways, “The Quest of the Broken Blade” is fast-moving if a bit montage heavy feeling very much like the middle fluff of an ongoing story arc (which of course it is).

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