Fantasy

Li’l Sonja

/ / Comics

Li'l SonjaWhen Dynamite started putting out all of these cute one-shots inspired by the company’s current catalog, Li’l Sonja was the one that caught my eye. It took me a while to get to the issue, partially due to having to special order the terrific variant cover by Agnes Garbowska, and partly out of my own forgetfulness, but once I picked it up I was in heaven.

Written by Jim Zub, whose work in IDW’s new Samurai Jack comic I have been enjoying, with art by Joel Carroll, Li’l Sonja is the type of comic I want to see Dynamite start putting out monthly. The story centers around the heroine’s travels leading her to investigate disappearance of red objects and red-headed children caused by greedy red dragon.

Fighting off the dragon with her sword, wits, and a full page of wonderful puns, Sonja eventually outsmarts the dragon and saves the day. A hell of a lot of fun, my only disappointment comes from how long it took me to pick it up and the fact that there’s no issue #2 to look forward to. Must-read.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Red Sonja #6

/ / Comics

Red Sonja #6I’ve got to admit I found the conclusion of “Queen of Plagues,” the opening arc of Dynamite Entertainment’s new Red Sonja series, to be more than a little anticlimactic. After teasing us for five issues of an epic battle between Red Sonja and the brutal (and completely insane) Annisia writer Gail Simone throws a curveball by throwing in a common enemy of both women who is the puppet master behind the entire plague storyline.

The arc comes to an end with the death of both Annisia and Bazrat meeting their doom, but neither at the hands (or blade) of our Sonja. Although Red Sonja dispatches quite a few soldiers in a rage, her only memorable kill is beheading a kneeling, and defenseless, scientist. Hrm.

The comic also apparently says farewell to Sonja’s loyal bodyguards Nias and Ayla who won’t be accompanying the She-Devil on her journey onward (although they do get to kick some ass in their final appearance). I think the comic may be hurt without their humor and interactions with our heroine. Hit-and-Miss.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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47 Ronin

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: 47 Ronin
  • IMDB: link

47 RoninIt has been said the story of the Forty-seven Ronin is the definitive Japanese tale dealing with themes on honor, revenge, and the code of Bushidō. Although the events described in the tale actually took place, over the years the story has morphed into something between legend and a morality tale, however the new film certainly takes the licence to add a far more fantastic spin on the proceedings.

The crux of the original tale is the centers around the greed and deviousness of Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) who uses the strict rules of his land to disgrace the rival lord in the neighboring province. The film’s version increases the level of machination by Kira by several degrees adding the use of a witch (Rinko Kikuchi), poison, mind control, and dark magic to force Lord Asano’s (Min Tanaka) rash actions.

By striking Kira, or in the film making an attempt on his life while under enchantment, Asano’s honor is lost, his lands are given to his rival, and his samurai are exiled from province.

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Once Upon a Time – Going Home

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Once Upon a Time – Going Home
  • wiki: link

“I’d risk my life for two things: love and revenge.”

Once Upon a Time - Going Home

As Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) casts the curse to put Storybrooke under his control, Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) works on a plan to save the town by switching Henry (Jared Gilmore) and Pan back into their rightful bodies using the Black Fairy’s wand. Not only is Tinker Bell (Rose McIver) able to trap Pan’s Shadow and retrieve the wand, but proving herself she earns her wings back and becomes a fairy once more. Sadly, Rumpelstiltskin’s confrontation with his father doesn’t go nearly as well.

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Legends of Red Sonja #2

/ / Comics

Legends of Red Sonja #2The second issue of the latest Red Sonja mini-series isn’t as strong as the first, offering only two tales of Red Sonja’s exploits for the Grey Riders with not much in the way of pushing their hunt for Sonja forward in he segments in-between by Gail Simone and artist Jack Jadson.

Although it ends with a nice twist, the tale of Red Sonja’s cowardice and ineptitude from a fellow adventurer didn’t do much for me. The second tale of Sonja taking on the protection of a young girl and her mother is a bit hit-and-miss as well, although once again the tale does find a way to offer a nice wink to the reader at the expense of the villains. I also didn’t think the various styles of the three artist meshed as well this time around.

Undeterred from the tales of the She-Devil with a Sword’s heroics in the first issue, which weren’t having the desired effect, Sonja sets out to pull back on the legend a bit in hopes that the group may overconfidence when their paths finally do meet on the battlefield. For fans.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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