Titan A.E. - Film Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Don Bluth is a big name in the animation world, and I can almost guarantee you’ll have seen something that he created, whether you’re aware of it or not. Bluth was responsible for the video game Dragon’s Lair, as well as a number of films that went up against Disney back in the 80s and 90s, including The Land Before Time, An American Tail, and Anastasia. Titan A.E. marked Bluth’s first foray into science-fiction.

The film is set in 3043, and follows Cale (Matt Damon), one of the few survivors of the human race following the destruction of Earth fifteen years before, when the planet was blown to pieces by the evil Drej. Cale is approached by Korso (Bill Pullman), an old friend of his father, and an outlaw captain. It turns out that Cale holds the key to the location of The Titan, one of the most advanced ships in the galaxy, created by his father. Working with Korso and his crew, Cale must track down the location of The Titan before the Drej find it and destroy the future of mankind.

The story is pretty good, and manages to move at a very brisk pace. The characters go to a fair few unique locations, like worlds filled with giant gas balls, slave auctions on space stations, and the interior of giant spaceships. The plot is one big chase movie, with two groups after the same mcguffin, but manages to throw a lot of wrenches in the works to make it interesting and fun throughout.

Whilst the film was pretty well received, and has received more praise and notice in the years since, it was a financial failure and barely made half of its budget back. This was in part due to Fox not really knowing how to market the film, but also the expensive and difficult production. Titan A.E. mixed together traditional hand drawn animation with CGI, and whilst there are some points in the film that things don’t look particularly great, it’s actually aged pretty well.

Some of the its effects are still very impressive, and the chase through the ice rings is not only a stand out moment in the story, but one of the cooler sci-fi film sequences around. The combination of hand drawn animation and CGI come together perfectly here, and the sound design is spot on. But this is far from the only impressive scene in the film, and there’s a lot here to be impressed by or find interesting.

One of the biggest downsides of the film being a financial failure is the fact that we’ll not be getting more work based in this universe. There are so many hints at big ideas and interesting concepts here, like humanity being on the back foot and scattered across the galaxy, or how a species that’s living energy like the Drej would operate, yet we never get a huge amount of depth to any of it. This isn’t a big fault of the film though, as they pack a lot into the relatively short run-time.

There’s a lot of world building and character moments crammed in, so we’ve never got the time to slow down and go into the smaller details. There was some attempt at this in the comic and novel prequels that were produced at the time, but even here there’s still a lot about this universe that I’d love to see more of. Unfortunately, Titan A.E. is something that has – for the present time at least – to stand on its own.

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Tales of Mist by Laura Suárez - Book Review

 

'Two fisher-woman cousins, a grief-stricken woman, a young fortune-teller and a spineless man live in a town in the deep north of Spain during the 30’s. Together, they belong to a fantastic world where the paranormal clashes with prewar realism. Darkness and death are the links that make and unmake the short stories in this book, each inspired by the experiences of the author’s family. These tales ring true enough to be the legends and beliefs of any European coastal town: they speak of a difficult land in a time before electricity or roads, when people entertained each other with tales of mist and ghosts. This is the first work of a young designer, halfway between a collection of Grimm fairy tales and the magical terror of Pan’s Labyrinth.'

Tales of Mist is a new graphic novel written and drawn by Laura Suárez, filled with short stories handed down to her from her grandmother. The book takes the old folk tales that her grandmother grew up with and presents them as short horror stories, and it works so, so well. 

The book has a few short stories in them, each of which seems to deal with various themes of Spanish folktales, tying into fears of the time they came from, and a lot of them connected strongly to the religious nature of the country.

'The Santa Compana' tells the story of a fisher-woman and her cousin, a young woman who was one of the most beautiful women in their village. One day the two of them are walking through the woods together when they see a strange procession of shadowy figures. The narrator runs away, leaving her cousin to face these figures alone. When her cousin returns changed, she has to face the prospect that the ghostly Santa Compana are real.

'The Devil' sees a young man travelling with a local priest to assist a priest with two young women who has been accused of being possessed. This dark story has some really unsettling visuals, particularly when the young women begin whispering things to the man from inside their locked boxes, their words snaking and dripping across the pages.

'The Vidoiro' follows a young man when he begins seeing strange visions and ghostly figures after his grandmother dies. The story unfolds slowly over a number of years, and it keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out what's going on and just what is haunting him.

Thanks to the dark black and white artwork from Suárez the book instantly feels creepy, and she's able to convey a lot of atmosphere in its relatively short number of pages. The stories on their own would certainly be creepy, but with this style of artwork they work in concert to really amp up the feeling of oppression and tension, making the stories shine.

If I have on criticism of the book, however, it's that its too short. We get several stories in this collection, and they're all great, but I found myself reading through the whole thing quite quickly, and was just left feeling like I'd not had enough. This is a good criticism to have of something though, as it's always better to end up wanting more of something than feeling like a books overstayed its welcome.

Fans of horror will really enjoy this book, and its unique look and stories that aren't as well known will definitely make it stand out from other horror graphic novels vying for your attention.

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Belle: Oath of Thorns by Dave Franchini - Book Review

 

'After her life was recently turned upside down, things have finally begun to settle for Anabelle "Belle" DiMarco. Now, working with the organisation known as C.H.I.P. she has more allies than she has ever had in her war against the beasts who threaten mankind. But, with her new allies comes a new mission, and the price she will be asked to pay may not be worth the cost. Get ready to be pulled back into Belle's world as she learns more secrets of her family and is put to the

test in this new limited series, Belle: Oath of Thorns!'

It's been at least a decade since I've seen a Xenoscope book, so I'd kind of forgotten that the company does a lot of re-imagined fairy tales, and it took me a moment to realise that of course the Belle here refers to Belle from Beauty and the Beast. That being said, even with the knowledge I didn't expect this book to go the way it did.

Belle: Oath of Thorns follows Anabelle 'Belle' DiMarco as she continues to work with the paramilitary group C.H.I.P., helping with their mission to track down and neutralise monsters across the globe. In exchange for her assistance the group has agreed to try to help cure Belle's brother of the curse that has transformed him into a monstrous beast.

Despite being a later volume of the series the book fills you in quite quickly on the things that I'd missed, and important information that I needed to understand who everyone was, and their relationships with each other were explained in plenty time enough that I never felt like I was a set behind, or that the book wasn't accessible because I hadn't read any of the series prior. This was a good thing for myself, but as I'd never read it before I can't say if these segments would drag for anyone who's familiar with the series, or whether these recaps provide any more information that they'd usually have. But as a new reader they proved indispensable.

The central plot of the book, of Belle being set up by Otts to be killed off whilst she is able to steal the curse that is afflicting Alex so that she could weaponise it doesn't always make sense, and there are a lot of moments that don't quite hold together once you start to really look at it. For example, why is Belle sent to fight Medusa and her daughters in the hopes that it will lead to her death rather than Otts just simply killing Belle whilst she had her in her secret base. There's a moment where Belle is drugged unconscious, and would have provided the perfect opportunity to kill her or keep her locked up.

There also seems to be a lot of coincidences that become quite vital to solving the plot too, such as Belle's father just happening to turn up right at the perfect moment to save her life, and to help her get back into C.H.I.P. to save her friends. And there's the fact that Candlestick was given a distress signal to use decades before that's not only still useful, but manages to get picked up without any issue. These might not be huge things, but when the plot hinges on them they seem a bit incredulous at times, and leaves you wondering just how Belle would have saved the day without this outside help turning up right when she needed it the most.

There's some stuff to like in this book though, the action is entertaining, and the plot does have some interesting moments, despite the weird coincidences and the almost shoehorning in of names and themes from Beauty and the Beast. Fans of the series will definitely enjoy the book, new readers will probably find stuff to like, even if it doesn't set your world on fire.

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The Stars of History: Marilyn Monroe by Bernard Swysen - Book Review

 

'Marilyn Monroe, a name known to every generation! Whether sublime, touching, or pathetic, she personified the fantasies of the secret world of Hollywood. But behind the glittering myth was a woman whose life was anything but charmed. It is this singular life, from her turbulent childhood, via her tumultuous love life and her proximity to the highest spheres of society, to her tragic final days, that the authors have retraced here in vivid detail. Full of humour, the “Stars of History” collection offers a fresh new look at the legends of cinema.'

Marilyn Monroe is a name that pretty much everyone will recognise; even if you couldn't name a single film she'd ever been in you know who she is. But one thing that I realised when I came to reading this book was that really, I knew nothing about her. Her life was nothing like I was expecting, especially her early years, and Stars of History: Marilyn Monroe manages to condense her story down in a manageable way.

I've read another of this series before, Stars of History: Charlie Chaplin, and found that that book covered the career of Chaplin more than it did his personal life, but in this book that seems to be flipped somewhat. A large section of the book is given over to Marilyn as a young woman, when she was still just Norma Jean, trying to make her way through a difficult childhood. We start to get inside her head a little, and focus on the emotional difficulties that she faced.

Even when the book moves forward through time and she becomes a famous movie star we focus less on her career and the roads she made as a star, and instead focus on what effect that had on her as a person. We see hoe frustrated she was at not getting the roles she wanted, and how that went on to effect her mental health and her behaviour.

The book doesn't sugar coat the difficulties that Marilyn faced, and makes sure that we see how these issues impacted her. We don;t just get a hand-wave saying 'this thing made her job on the set difficult', but instead we see her at home, suffering and saddened because of what's happening. This book really hammered home that despite her wealth and fame she was still just a regular person, one who can suffer just like you and me.

However, there are a few issues that I had with the book, though this mainly comes down to my not feeling it was long enough. I wanted more pages, in part so that some of the gorgeous artwork from Christian Paty could have more room and been showcased more, but also so that we could have slowed down a bit and spent more time with these people, rather than rushing from one major event to another. These books are great for giving you a broad overview of a person's life, but can sometimes feel like they're moving at breakneck speed, and that was certainly the case here at times.

This book won't completely satisfy your craving to learn more about Marilyn Monroe, and I think if you're anything like myself you'll come away wanting to read a bigger book all about her to be able to spend more time on the little details this book sometimes has to move past quickly; however, it will give you a really good overview of her life, and leave you knowing a good deal about her. This is probably the perfect gateway book if you want to know more about this figure from history, but aren't sure if you want to pick up a huge book about her.

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Aviator by Jean-Charles Kraehn - Book Review

'1917, East Africa. A German pastor—also a doctor, and married to a Frenchwoman—teaches his son Josef to fly the Albatros biplane he uses to visit his rural patients. But the war raging in Europe has spread to Africa, where the Allies are fighting the Germans in their various colonies. Against this backdrop—and strictly against his father’s wishes—Josef dreams of flying the nest, and makes a decision that will have terrible consequences…'

Aviator is the latest graphic novel that spins out of the pages of Tramp, this time focusing on the character of 'Hard-Knock' Tanguy, a grizzled pilot who was taking part in the First Indiochina War. In this book we go back to his teenage years, to when he was growing up in East Africa during the First World War.

When Tanguy is asked about his past by a young navy commander, but seems to dodge the question, however, a few days later when the commander is getting ready to ship out he receives a package, a journal from Tanguy, filled with the answers to the that question, as well as photographs from his past.

The diary takes us back to 1917 East Africa, which would later become Tanzania, where Tanguy was then simply Josef Schafer, son of doctor and preacher Lothar Schafer. Over the course of the book we discover that Josef had grown up in a rather strict, religious home, yet was afforded some freedoms, such as learning how to fly his fathers plane. A great pilot from a young age, Josef fell in love with flying, and would accompany his father in his work just so that he could get the chance to fly.

One of these tasks was taking his father to the Becker farm, where he would meet Silke Beckert, the young wife of the much older Klaus. Silke is obviously taken with the young Josef, and openly flirts with the young man, trying to encourage him to stay and help fix their tractor, thanks to his knowledge of engines. Both Klaus and Lothar notice this situation brewing, and Joesf receives a stern talking to, whilst Silke receives a black eye. Despite this, the two of them still try to steal some time together, and when Josef is sent to the farm for a few days to fix the tractor the two of them are caught sleeping together.

Josef is whipped by his father, and locked away in a small room for days to think about what he's done; but when he learns that Silke is dead something inside of him snaps. He decides to steal his fathers plane and take revenge on Klaus, before setting out to go and find his uncle, who's a part of the army so that he can lend his flying expertise to the war effort.

This event is clearly a major turning point for the character, and it's really the moment when he matures into a man. Not because he's finally slept with a woman, but because he's chosen to break away from his father and pursue his own life. Sadly, things are rarely that simple, and this is just the beginning of a series of events that would lead to a number of deaths, and a change to Josef's relationship with his father than can't be undone.

Aviator proved to be more interesting than I was expecting, and I quickly came to like Josef as a character. He's a passionate young man, one who feels a strong sense of right and wrong, and believes it's his duty to stick by those principals, even if that means that he comes into conflict with his father; who he sees as being stubborn and behind the times.

The book also has a more interesting location for a story that involves World War One than a lot of stories have, focusing on the conflict in Africa, rather than the one in France and Europe that tends to be more common. Not only does this give readers a more of an interesting setting, but it really showcases the artwork by Erik Arnoux and Chrys Millen, who have managed to create so truly beautiful scenes, especially when you have the characters flying above the African countryside and can see so much wonderful beauty and detail in panels.

This is a book that's going to appeal to fans of Kraehn's other work, particularly those that like Tanguy's character in his appearance in Tramp. But I think that this is a book that anyone can pick up and read. It's got drama and action, it takes readers to a time and place that they might not be familiar with, and it tells an interesting story with engaging characters. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what happens in later volumes, as Josef has a very interesting story.

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MusicalSplaining – 12 Days of Podmas

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

2020 has been something of a mixed year for musicals. On the one hand, Hamilton coming to Disney+ means that millions of people were able to experience one of the most popular musicals of the last decade, and there are so many more fans of it, but Covid has resulted in theatres having to close, and there are many shows that have been hit hard, some of which may struggle to return to the big stage. This makes 2020 a particularly brave year to start a podcast about musical theatre, but adversity can breed creativity, and so in the face of no theatres MusicalSplaining was born.

Billed as a podcast for ‘people who love musicals (and also for people who hate musicals)’, the two hosts come at the subject from very different angles. One of the hosts, YouTuber and New York Times best selling author Lindsay Ellis, is a big fan of theatre, and has been to many shows; on the other hand, her co-host, author and illustrator Kaveh Taherian, really doesn’t like them.

Together the two of them will go through some of the biggest names in musical theatre, and Lindsay will attempt to find a show that Kaveh will actually enjoy. Thanks to the aforementioned closure of theatres there are only a handful of times where Lindsay and Kaveh were able to see a live show before lockdowns came into effect, but thanks to some theatre recordings they’ve been able to carry on the podcast even in these trying times.

They cover the ‘original stage musical’ Cats (as well as the abhorrent 2019 film), The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and The King And I, as well as some newer shows that have been spawned by popular films and bands, like Beetlejuice, Frozen, and Spongebob. Not only do they go through what they loved and loathed about each of these musicals, but will give you some interesting insight into how the shows came into being, awards they’ve won, and what the public generally thought about them.

MusicalSplaining might not be the show for everyone, just as musical theatre isn’t for everyone, but – as listeners discover over the course of the podcast – even someone who absolutely hates musical theatre can have a good time with some shows. That the sheer diversity and variety of the medium means that there’s something out there that anyone will like means that maybe this podcast might just be worth a listen. It might not make you fall in love with musical theatre, but it could help you discover something that you end up really enjoying.

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The Shadows by Zabus - Book Review

 

'At the end of an arduous journey, refugee 214 finally gets his chance to enter the Other World. But to see his wish granted, the boy must first tell the story of how he and his sister were forced to flee their homeland. Frightened and helpless, they crossed forests, deserts, and seas, encountering creatures each more mysterious and frightening than the last: the capitalist ogre, the smuggler-snake, and the ever-present shadows from the great beyond… The boy’s story must be told in every detail—but will the truth save him, or condemn him? This is the odyssey of a brother and sister who are forced to fight for their freedom and survival at every turn, all while trying not to forget about where they’ve come from, and what they’ve left behind. A subtle and captivating tale about exile and refugees today.'

The Shadows was not the kind of book I was expecting from the blurb. the description made it seem like this was going to be a book that dealt with the idea of having to flee your home in search of somewhere new, of escaping death and danger for a new home. These are themes that are hugely important today, as refugees very much exist, and their plight is often held up as a divisive issue by politicians and news pundits, who usually try to demonise such people as 'immigrants coming to steal you jobs' and so forth.

Because of this, I was expecting a very grounded and realistic take on the topic, but instead of that Zabus has decided to convey these important themes and narratives with a fantasy, almost mythological veneer. The characters are often stylised, and some don't look human. Hell, some are actually completely inhuman, such as the giant snake who smuggles people inside its massive belly. Despite the fantastical visuals that go with the story, it's still a very grounded, and very important tale.

The story follows an unnamed brother and sister, who come home from playing in the woods one day to find their home and parents gone. They've both been taken away by a roving gang of vicious killers, who will continue to hunt the two siblings if they don't flee. From this early stages of the book I found myself having to stop and think why Zabus never makes it clearer who these two characters are, as they even lack any kind of name. I came to the conclusion that the lack of names, and the fact that the two of them wear masks that hide their faces can be seen in two ways; the first is that they are supposed to be faceless so that they can represent anyone, that any refugees in similar situations could easily slot into their place, therefore allowing readers to be able to empathise more easily with people in the real world. However, they could also have been left faceless and nameless as that's how the system sees them. They're not people trying to flee for their safety, they're just part of a faceless mass, coming to try and enter your country, to gain access. Perhaps this is Zabus trying to show people that see refugees as a faceless mass that actually, these are real people.

Over the course of the book the siblings meet others, some who go on to be friends and allies, others who are dangers that the siblings must overcome and survive. Whichever side these people fall on, they too lack any names. They are presented as the capitalist ogre, looking to use the siblings for their own ends, chewing them up and killing them in the process. There's the smuggler snake, who wakes everything they have in the promise of helping them, only to leave them stranded and far from help. They're presented as broad caricatures, not meant to be real people, but representations of the dangers that refugees face on their journeys.

All the while on this journey the brother is faced with the titular shadows, echoes of the people that they have known and lost, friends and family long dead. These shadows literally haunt the brother, and shout in his ear demanding to be heard, demanding that he tell his story truthfully, even if it means that this truth could be used against him. These shadows represent his fears, his conscience, and his doubts. they're with him constantly, with the faces of these beings often hidden in the background, watching him on his journey.

The Shadows ended up telling a very real and important story, one that shows the plight of refugees, of the dangers they face, and how even when they reach their destinations how they face whole new horrors and pain. It's a story that's important and needed, though told in a fantastical way that allows readers to process these important themes without feeling like they're being preached to or taught a lesson. I'm sure that a lot of people who read this who are against allowing refugees asylum in their country won't be moved to change their mind by this book, but there's a chance that some people who read this who have never really thought about the idea, who haven't yet made up their mind might be taught to empathise a little, to understand, and ultimately open their hearts up. Because of this, The Shadows may end up a book that can do some real good in the world.

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Her Name Is Mercie by Chris Roy - Book Tour

'Mercie Hillbrook lives a simple, quiet life working as a gas station attendant. Then her parents are killed. Her home is taken. The people responsible are excused for just doing their job. When an attempt to get justice her way lands her in trouble with the law, Mercie realises she still has something to lose: her own life. Then she finds reason to believe her parents were murdered… and she doesn’t care anymore.

'Alongside this roller-coaster of a novella, this book includes 4 very dark short stories.'

I came into Her Name is Mercie thinking that this was going to be a novella length story, and whilst the story is longer than a regular short story it isn't the only tale in this book, with several other shorter stories bundled in with it.

The main story, 'Her Name is Mercie', follows a young woman whose parents are shot to death by police during a routine traffic stop. It's chalked up to a tragic mistake by the police, but Mercie is determined to see the officers responsible to pay for their crimes. When this doesn't happen, and she learns that her parents home is being repossessed by the bank and she's been left with nothing, she snaps. Stealing the chief of police's car, she robs the bank with an air pistol, stealing thousands. However, when she's caught by police she's sent to prison and faces decades behind bars.

Despite having gone on a rampage, the reader can't help but feel sympathy for her, and you very quickly come to see her as a victim in all of this, one that you can really empathise with. I mean, who wouldn't want to go and get even in a situation like this? Over the course of the story Mercie gets the opportunity to get out of prison early on probation, but her problems just get worse from there, as she soon discovers that there was more to her parents murder than first appeared, and she's soon facing danger herself. 

There's a lot to like about this story, and it manages to have enough twists and turns in the narrative to keep you guessing as to what might happen next. I didn't know if the story would be following Mercie in prison, whether she'd manage to clear her name, or find out what happened to her parents. But to be fair, I was enjoying the story enough that I'd have been happy with any of these eventualities, and was simply enjoying spending time with Mercie during her issues.

The second story in the book is called 'Re-Pete', and has a much more horror feel to it than the first. It follows Pete, a young boy who's adjusting to life with his mother and her new boyfriend following the tragic murder of his father, who was killed in front of him. This has resulted in Pete developing OCD.

Over the course of the book we discover how Pete manages his trauma, how he slowly seems to get over the pain of losing his father, and having to live with a man who is abusive and thuggish. The story ends with Pete repeating the events of his fathers murder, killing his mothers boyfriend, kind of implying that reenacting the crime has become his new compulsive routine. This was an interesting development, especially as the kid also seemed to be reproducing a grown man's voice during these violent acts, however, I'm not exactly sure how with story will sit with people who suffer with OCD. 

The third story, 'Hunger', is probably the most interesting one in the book. It seems to follow a young woman who ends up stranded on her boat in the middle of the sea with her dog. I say 'seems', because this is a story that doesn't follow a traditional narrative structure, and things take on a very dreamlike structure as the narrator slips into a delirium state. The narrative shifts a lot in this story, and there were times where it didn't exactly feel clear exactly what was happening; but this wasn't a bad thing. 

The story didn't hold my hand, it didn't make sure I was keeping up with it, and instead let me come to my own conclusions as to what was happening, or what things meant. It's a very intimate story, one that really lets you get into the head space of the lead character. It's the one that made me have to think and pay attention the most, and probably the one that I would go back to again and again.

'Libby's Hands' is a short little horror story set at Halloween. When Dina is told by her ailing grandmother to make sure that she decorates their old garden tree with hands for Halloween she chalks it up to her grandmother's failing mental health. However, she learns that this request is connected to a member of the family, Libby, who was supposedly hidden away as a child because of her disability. 

When Halloween night rolls around and Dina hears that two children have gone missing she somehow knows that this must be connected, as she forgot to decorate the tree. Rushing out into the woods to investigate she falls victim to her killer family member. This story feels like there should definitely be more time given over to it, as I wanted to find out more about these characters and this situation, so I felt a little disappointed that there wasn't more; but then I guess when a short story leaves you wanting more that's a good thing.

The final story, and the shortest of them all, is 'Marsh Madness' which sees a lone man with a crossbow watching a small boy and his dog playing on the edge of some marshland close to a carnival ground. It's a strange little story, one that leaves the identity of the man and his motivations vague and undefined, leaving it down to the reader to interpret this how they see fit. Whilst I'm not normally against leaving some thing open to reader interpretation, I felt that the almost complete lack of information here was something of a poor thing, as just a little more information would have really gotten me invested in this story.

Overall I enjoyed Her Name Is Mercie, it proved to be an interesting and varied collection of stories and tales with a mixture of tones and themes that showed the versatility of crime writing, with some of the stories bordering on dark horror. Chris Roy has crafted some well thought out tales, and I'd definitely be interested in seeing what he does with a full novel.

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Ranger Danger – 12 Days of Podmas

Originally published on Set The Tape

Ranger Danger began more than seven years ago, with two friends from Australia, Michael Busuttil and Mat Groom, who made it their mission to watch through every episode of Power Rangers from the beginning.

Over the years that the show has gone on the cast has expanded, with long time guests Lauren Dundler and Tim Busuttil becoming hosts alongside the original cast. Together the four hosts have watched through hundreds of episodes, covering the entirety of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers in Space, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, and Power Rangers Dino Charge, as well as having almost completed Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.

The hosts watch each episode, then come together to discuss, scene by scene, what they’ve watched. Now, thanks to the at times elaborate nature of the franchise, this can lead to some hilarious results, as the hosts are blown away by the amazing action, confused by the convoluted continuity, baffled by plots that don’t make sense, and sometimes reduced to tears by how much the show hurts their brains. Listening along to these conversations are brilliant, and can change the way you view an episode, turning boring episodes into favourites.

Not only does Ranger Danger cover the show, but it has also delved into the comics over the years, and thanks to its ‘Boom Room’ episodes, gives readers of the Boom! Studios comics the best resource for learning more about the books. The Ranger Danger hosts have been joined by Ryan Parrott, Kyle Higgins, Anthony Burch, Tini Howard, and other writers and artists from the comics to talk about these series, the process of making them, and the creators’ love of the franchise. These special episodes have gone into the comics in depths that aren’t found elsewhere, and act as wonderful companion pieces.

Thanks to these connections at Boom! Studios the team at Ranger Danger have helped to shape the franchise, having assisted Kyle Higgins on his work for ‘Shattered Grid’, worked on the special ‘Shattered Grid’ live read-through at Power Morphicon, and have written one of the more popular stories in the 25th Anniversary Special comic in 2018.

With the sheer amount of episodes that they’ve produced (close to 600 and counting!) and the involvement they’ve had in the franchise, Ranger Danger is easily one of the best and most pleasurable podcasts out there.

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Queer Japan – Film Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Queer Japan is a new documentary feature film from Graham Kolbeins, who has created a number of works on the topic of the LGBTQ+ community, and this time has turned his focus on the Queer community in Japan. Queer Japan focuses on a number of people from across the community who are out and proud, in order to raise awareness of the Queer community in Japan, as well as celebrating the diversity that it holds.

The Queer community contains a multitude of identities, from the more well known and recognised gay, lesbian, and bisexual, to the often overlooked asexual or demisexual, to those that are in the spotlight fighting for equality and acceptance, such as the trans community.

There are so many different types of people in the LGBTQ+ community, from so many different walks of life, that you’d think that creating a film that tries to focus on the entire community would be an impossible task, and that one group or another would have to fall by the wayside. Kolbeins, however, manages to make Queer Japan feel like it covers a huge variety of subjects, and spends time with people from all parts of the community over its 100 minute runtime. We get to meet drag queens, gay erotic artists, trans politicians,and others, all of whom share their experiences of being openly Queer in Japan.

Like many people who have experienced Japanese film and television, I assumed that the country would be one that is fairly open to those who go against the sexual and gender ‘norms’ that we have here in Europe. There are so many films, animated shows, and comics, that are so openly accepting of sex and gender variance that I came to believe that Japan would be a country more accepting of the Queer community. But this film goes on to shine a light on the reality of Japan, and what it means to be ‘different’ there.

Thanks to the influence of western cultures and Christianity, Japan has become more conservative, and has adopted a number of our taboos, meaning things that were once more openly accepted have been pushed to the fringes, and the Queer community has been a victim of this. Thank you for ruining yet another thing colonialism. Because of this, many aspects of the Queer community in Japan have been pushed underground, and it means that the people featured in this documentary are having to fight back against these societal taboos just to be themselves and be accepted.

The film explores the wonder of the Queer community in Japan in some bright and lurid detail, oftentimes filled with bright colours and camera shots that would feel at home in fast-paced music videos, where the director openly features some of the more ‘extreme’ parts of the community.

It doesn’t shy away from showing people who enjoy going to bondage and kink clubs, people who take part in pet play, piss drinking, orgies, and more, and this might shock some of the more ‘vanilla’ viewers who have come to this film to learn more about the Queer community. The film doesn’t villainise any of these people, it doesn’t put people’s sexualities or kinks on display in order to shame or titillate, but is a frank and open display of what some people are like. It’s honest, and it doesn’t try to judge, it simply shows people the reality of the world.      

Sadly, it’s not all fun in the reality of the Queer community, and the film does show some of the worse parts of being a member of this wonderfully diverse community, namely the way that they often get treated by cis, straight people, and governments designed to put the LGBTQ+ community down.

The film shows how some people in the Japanese government shut down discussion of including Queer awareness in schools, and how the television media mocks the fact that gay teens commit suicide at more than six times the national rate. This isn’t something that’s true solely in Japan, and you can see such behaviour in almost every country in the world. Ultimately though, this film serves as a celebration of those in Japan who are standing up against this discrimination and oppression, and are proud to be who they are.

Queer Japan is a bright and colourful film, one that shows some parts of the Queer community that other documentaries would be too afraid of exploring. It features dozens of individuals from all walks of life, all of whom are united in being a part of this vibrant and varied community. Whether you’re a part of the Queer community or not, you’re sure to come away from this film with a different understanding of what Japan, and its LGBTQ+ people, are like.

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Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp #3 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Whilst not a huge amount happened in the second issue of Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp this issue really ramps things up, letting readers in on the mystery behind the book, and taking things in new and interesting directions.

Very quickly into this issue readers, and Blake, are let in on some information that changes the last couple of issues, as we learn that the werewolf that chased Blake up into a tree in the last issue is actually Cara, and that she and the other werewolves were only trying to scare Blake and Lilly out of the swamp.

Cara leads Blake deeper into the swamp, and we learn that there are several werewolves, most of whom are other teens and kids from the town, who come to swamp during the full moon to avoid residents of the town. Not only that, but that Lilly’s family are werewolf hunters who have been trying to track them down for a long while.

This issue not only subverted expectations by having the werewolves being good, decent people, but making the humans the real villains of the story. It’s not clear at this point just how much Lilly knew, and if she has been using Blake, or is perhaps as much a pawn of her family as everyone else, but it definitely makes things more interesting for the next issue and any potential confrontation that these characters might have.

It seems pretty clear that Blake will be siding with the wolves at the end of this issue, but I hope that we get to explore why a little in future issues, and if her being both Black and disabled will play a part of this, perhaps making allusions to how people of colour and disabled people are often othered and treated poorly by white western society. I don’t know if the book will go into these kind of heavy themes, but I really want it to.    

As usual with this title the artwork is excellent, and I love how Yasmin Florez Montanez not only makes all of the werewolves look unique, but the effect she gives them when they change between their forms. The panels where Cara was part wolf and part human were great, and you could almost see the fur slowly rolling away, the human features beneath becoming visible once again. It’s great how just last issue these were scary monsters, but now they’re quite cute and cuddly. The sudden shift in how they look and feel, without changing much about the art shows just how good the visuals are on this book.

This issue has gone a long way to making me enjoy the series again after the somewhat lacklustre second issue. It’s got a lot more story in it than I was expecting, and really moved some of the characters forward, introduced new stakes, and set the ground for a potentially explosive fourth issue. I’m eager to see what happens next.

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Versus – Blu-ray Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Arrow Video brings another excellent Japanese film to Blu-ray home release; this time the absolutely mad action horror film Versus, by director Ryuhei Kitamura.

Originally released in 2000, the film tells the story of an unnamed convict (Tak Sakaguchi) as he escapes prison. Accompanied by another inmate, the two of them flee into a forest, where they’ve arranged to be picked up. What none of them know, however, is that they’ve fled into Forrest of Ressurection, one of the 666 portals to ‘the other side’ that can be found across the globe.

In this forest anyone who has died comes back as a bloodthirsty zombie, intent on killing anyone they come across. Now the prisoner and this group of criminals must try to stay alive, whilst also trying to fight each other; but things become even more complicated when a mysterious man (Hideo Sakaki) appears in the forest, talking about immortality, past lives, and unlocking the power of Hell.

There was something about Versus that felt very familiar when watching it, even though I’d never seen it before. After a while I was able to figure out that it was because the film just felt like an early 2000s film, that it had that ‘cool’ feel about it that so many films of the time tried for, though in the case of Versus it’s really dialled up.

The plot is thin, relying on style over substance, the cast are all trying to act stoic and cool, the soundtrack is filled with synth and techno music, everyone’s dressed like a Matrix reject, and the action is ramped up to hyper levels. Even the simplest thing like people getting out of a car was made to look cool, with dozens of cuts, changes of angles, and swooshy sound effects as people adjusted their coats.

When this was happening in the quieter moments it felt ridiculous and stood out. When the action sequences started it still felt ridiculous, but it was a level of ridiculousness that was enjoyable. It really felt like the film was pushing to be seen as cool, and even though it never really has much substance it still won me over a little. And I can guarantee that teenage action movie fans would love this.

There’s not a huge amount to say about the film plot or character wise, as the plot is flimsy and doesn’t even exist for most of the run time, and the characters all seem to have the same two-dimensional quality to them (even the two law enforcement characters were bloodthirsty weirdos), but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t something to like here. There are a few moments of stand out action, some fight sequences that really show off the martial arts abilities of the cast, particularly Tak Sakaguchi, and there are a couple of well crafted laughs too. Just don’t come into the movie expecting anything deep or meaningful.

The new Blu-ray comes with some extras that make this a more interesting release, including a pair of audio commentaries from cast and crew, a load of behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes, and even a pair of mini-movies featuring some of the characters from the main film. Whilst these extras alone are great, and offer a load of insight into the film, there’s something a little special on the second disc: ‘Ultimate Versus’. This extended version of the film comes with its own commentary, and a new special features that goes behind the scenes on the new material that was produced for this extended version of the movie.

Versus might not be to everyone’s tastes thanks to its ultra violence, tons of gore, and style over substance approach, but for anyone looking for a bit of silly action movie fun it’s a great pick, one that is perfect to enjoy with a group of friends where you can laugh along to the movie and bathe in the silliness.

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Maiden by Florence Dupré la Tour - Book Review

 

'In Florence’s childhood, there is a Thing you’re not supposed to talk about. It seems like everyone knows about it… except for her. And she can’t ask any questions—it’s forbidden to speak the word. What happens to children who grow up in prudish isolation, once they hit puberty? Can they ever overcome the shame instilled by a sexless education? In this autobiographical story, Florence Dupré la Tour unveils her childhood in heart-wrenching inks and watercolours: a story of the heavy weight of tradition that forces women to be submissive, and how to resist and escape that fate.'

Maiden is an autobiographical graphic novel from french writer and illustrator Florence Dupré la Tour, in which she talks readers through her early childhood, and of the challenges she went through as she grew out of childhood into puberty.

Florence had something of a privileged childhood, growing up in well off, high societal immigrant area of Buenos Ares, whilst others suffered poverty around them. Florence admits that she grew up in a bubble. Even after moving back to France the family lived in relative luxury, living in a huge country estate, and seeming to have most of their needs met. Despite this, however, Florence's childhood wasn't perfect, and you're left with the sense that her father was quite abusive towards her and her siblings. The book contains a scene where her father forces them to drink spoilt milk before he'd let them leave the dining table, and another where he poured yogurt over her head when she refused to eat it.

You come to feel for young Florence because of these moments, and you can't help but feel that many of the issues she describes growing up with in this book comes from either inattentive or abusive parenting. This even seems to translate into her main issues in the book, growing up without really understanding about the challenges she faced during puberty.

There are quite a few scenes in this book where you see a younger Florence trying to understand how the world works, and in particular what it means to grow up and become a woman, and most of these moments end with her either being fobbed off with half truths or vague hand waving, or just flat out mocked.

Florence is also raised a Christian, and much of her childhood in France seems to be centred around the church and traditional teachings, all of which seems to add to her difficulty in understanding the world, and what it means to be female. She's taught that women are weak, and must be subservient to their husbands, but sees through the abuse her mother suffers how damaging such things can be. She is told time and again that she must be like these women, but never feels like that is the role she wants to have in life.

Her life seems to take a turn around the time she hits puberty, which is also when the family move to Guadeloupe. Now not only is Florence having to face the issue of getting used to these physical changes within herself, but she's been thrown into an environment she feels completely alien in. This part of the book did give me a little bit of trouble, I have to admit, mainly due to the depiction of the people native to Guadeloupe. Here anyone who's Black is drawn as over the top caricatures, and whilst this is somewhat true for everyone in the book these depictions were uncomfortably close to racially insensitive drawings from decades past that it took me quite by surprise. 

Now, I don't know if this is intentional, because this was how Florence viewed Black people at this younger age. There's a moment where she makes it clear that she had never met a Black person before, and that she had been taught before this that Black people were 'a primitive mass of uneducated savages. In short: inferior'. With how conservative, and dare I say backwards, some of her upbringing and education was it doesn't surprise me that she was raised to see people of colour this way, but I did get the sense as the book continued that this was a view that Florence would go on to challenge, and not one that she held in any kind of high regard. The book does end with Florence being asked out by a boy who's Black, and whilst we don't hear her answer in this first volume, I suspect that this is a relationship that we will see going forward, and I hope the start of her challenging her fathers racist beliefs.

There's a lot presented in this book, yet in some ways a lot of it feels like a preface, groundwork being laid out for more interesting things to come in future volumes. I can see the things that have transpired in this volume going on to inform and shape Florence going forward, but suspect that the more interesting stuff, such as her standing up to her father, will be coming in the next book. As such, whilst this book didn't tick all the boxes of things I was hoping for, it does make me eager to read the next one.

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Wolverine: Weapon X Omnibus by Marc Cerasini, David W. Mack, and Matthew Hughes - Book Review

'Collecting three fan-favourite Wolverine novels in a brand-new omnibus featuring Weapon X, Road of Bones, and Lifeblood.

'In Weapon X, Wolverine’s cruel origin unfolds as Logan is experimented on to transform him into the ultimate weapon: an indestructible man and powerful killing machine. When Logan manages to escape, he hunts down those responsible to take his vengeance.

'Road of Bones sees Wolverine cross the world to recover a stolen experimental drug developed by a sinister underworld organisation that could cure all human disease but instead is being used to blackmail entire nations.

'In Lifeblood, Wolverine’s past in World War II comes flooding back as he relives the Nazi plot to unlock the secrets of his mutant healing powers. Little does he know, the lead scientist survives and will stop at nothing to finish what he started…'

Wolverine: Weapon X Omnibus collects together three of Titan Books fan favourite Wolverine books, from three great writers. In the past these Titan Omnibus books have brought together stories that have spanned multiple volumes, with a grand story that takes several hundred pages to unfold. Here, however, we get three very distinct and separate tales of this iconic X-Man.

The first book in this collection is Weapon X by Marc Cerasni, which travels backwards in time to explore the origins of this iconic mutant, and the events that made him into the metal clawed killer he became. There are really two stories being told in this book, one is what's happening to Logan as he undergoes the Weapon X procedure, the other is the memories he has of a mission into North Korea for the government a few decades earlier, with some events of the main story tying the two of these narratives together.

Whilst this story is about Logan it's not really a story that sees him doing much, and is more about the procedure he underwent, and those responsible for it. Much of the characterisation is given over to the security personnel of the base, the medical team who graft the adamantium to his skeleton, and the man leading the whole thing. Logan himself is kind of a mcguffin, something that drives the story forward just by his presence, and he as a character doesn't really have much of an impact. Though we do get to see more of him as a person in the flashback scenes.

This story isn't a great read if you're just wanting to see Wolverine as a superhero, tearing his way through bad guys and making cool one-liners; however, if you want to see what the Weapon X programme was doing, and come to see the people behind it as more than just faceless people in white coats this book will have some stuff to offer for you. And there are times where Wolverine gets to use his claws and cause some carnage that will satisfy.

The second story in the book is Road of Bones by David W. Mack, and takes on a very different tone to the first. If the first story is a slow moving medical nightmare this is a fast paced spy thriller. The story sees Logan being recruited to help out a Japanese pharmaceutical company when the daughter of an old friend asks for his help. It turns out that they were producing a new super-drug that is capable of curing any disease or illness, though if not administered frequently can cause death. Whilst the company is trying to eliminate these drawbacks the deadly crime organisation The Hand has stolen the formula and the chief scientist, intending to use to drug for their own gain.

With the safety of millions on the line Logan sets out to stop The Hand, a mission that sees him having to travel the world including South America, Russia, and Africa, fighting powerful mutants and deadly ninjas along the way.

Road of Bones is a lot more fun than the first story, mainly because we actually get to see Logan doing what he does best, and having quite a bit of fun whilst doing it too. The globe hopping, and him working with old contacts in various governments and criminal groups around the world also helps to give this the feel of something like a Bond movie, and it's a great genre to find Wolverine playing in.

The story also includes some great new characters, as well as others that will be familiar to fans of the comics, and draws upon iconic Wolverine stories as inspiration. It's the kind of story that feels different to a standard super hero romp, yet doesn't feel out of place for the characters or the universe in any way. Definitely one that will appeal to long time fans of the character.

The final story is Lifeblood by Matthew Hughes, which as a much more serious tone that the last one. This story follows Logan when he's still struggling with his memories, before he really becomes the hero known as Wolverine. When he begins to experience memories of his time in World War 2 he starts to try and figure out some answers, answers that lead to some pretty dark places. Logan learns that he was held prisoner at a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, where he was experimented on by Baron Strucker, who was trying to harness his mutant healing abilities.

Not only has Logan started to unlock these traumatic memories, but it turns out that Strucker is still alive, and wants to finish what he started all those decades before. Now Logan must contend with this threat in the present, whilst searching for clues to his past.

This story is much less action orientated than the last, and feels like a good combination of the two already in this book. There are large segments of the book given over to Logan's past, and the things that he went through at the hands of these scientists, as well as his future search for answers. There are some good moments of action too, though these tend to be more towards the end of the book, with the majority of the narrative given over to Logans journey.

Other Marvel omnibus collections from Titan have been enjoyable, but have often left me feeling a little bit like the books were overly long, with the three part stories often feeling padded and bloated when condensed together; this collection, on the other hand, was the best one that I've read so far. It has three very different and distinct books, with different focuses and storytelling styles, yet all of them still feel like they're Wolverine books. They speak to the versatility of the character, the way that he can be used in so many different ways. Fans of the character are sure to enjoy this collection, and will probably leave you wanting to go away and read some more Wolverine books too.

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Warhammer Adventures: Warped Galaxies - Claws of the Genestealer by Cavan Scott - Book Review

 

'The second book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade readers from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants across the gulf of space.

'Having crash landed on a remote ice planet, Zelia Lor and her friends Talen, Mekki and the super-intelligent alien-ape Fleapit must do whatever they can to survive. A distress beacon offers some hope of rescue, but what else lurks in the ice and snow, watching them with hungry eyes…?'

The last volume of the Warped Galaxies series saw our band of misfit heroes come together in the destruction of a Necron invasion, only to end up lost and alone on a distant, frozen world. It's here that the story continues, with the three children and their Jokaero companion trying desperately to survive in these frozen wastelands. With dwindling food reserves, power running out, and Flea-Pit slowly succumbing to the cold, things look more desperate than ever.

Talen has taken it upon himself to try and find more food for them, and has set out into the strange mushroom forest to hunt for anything he can. When his hunt goes wrong he ends up falling into a deep chasm, dislocating his shoulder in the process, and requiring rescuing. Whilst his friends are able to find him and get him out, they also come face to face with a deadly Ambull, a large, insect-like alien. However, when they notice that the Ambull is wounded, covered in vicious claw marks it raises the question of what could possibly hurt such a monstrous creature?

Unfortunately, the kids get an answer to their question when their camp falls under attack from a Genestealer, one of the deadliest xeno races in the galaxy. Running for their lives, the teens and Flea-Pit must find a way to escape the deadly alien before it catches them and rips them to pieces.

There was a palpable sense of danger from the Necrons in the first volume of Warped Galaxies, due in large part to the huge levels of destruction that readers got to see when they tore their way through a hive-world, their advanced technology reducing everything to burnt wreckage. But once on the frozen planet and left facing a lone Hunter I couldn't help but feel that things weren't as bad, even though this lone Necron was still a threat. Our heroes were able to use their ingenuity and tech to defeat the mechanised alien, but here things feel so much more desperate.

A single alien shouldn't be so scary, so much of a threat, but this single Genestealer, nicknamed Scarface, is genuinely frightening. It tears through the kids defences like they're nothing, ripping metal bulkheads apart like they're nothing, and is able to use tactics to get around traps and defences. It feels so much deadlier and unpredictable than the Necrons ever did, and that level of tension makes this book a lot more enjoyable than the first.

Our group is able to find an abandoned ship in order to hide in, trying to stay a few steps ahead of the alien monster, but this just makes things worse, as the book suddenly feels more like Alien, with the kids being stalked through darkened corridors and hallways by a vicious killer. These latter segments of the book were the best in the series yet, and were pretty scary for a book designed chiefly for kids.

The book isn't just about running and trying to stay alive, however, as we get some great moments of character development, and it really has started to feel like the three teens have started to come together to become a team. Zelia and Mekki have know each other for a while, but Talen has generally felt like an outside presence for much of the books, and butts heads with the others more than once, so it's nice to see him actually having some nice moments of interaction with the others. Yes, there's still disagreements and some sniping going on between them, but you can tell that the three of them have started to care for each other, and its the small moments of kindness that really stand out as some of the best characterisations, and are really worthwhile.

Despite being sidelined for much of the book thanks to suffering badly from the cold Flea-Pit still manages to come across as the most interesting character, and the moment he literally pulls Talen out of harms way, before getting to gun down dozens of aliens is definitely a big hero moment for him. I just hope that this isn't a pattern that is going to continue. Whilst I love him coming in and doing awesome stuff, I don't like him just not being around for the first half of the book, something that has happened twice now. Hopefully he will get to integrate into the main group more going forward, especially now that we've got to see some more of his backstory too.

Claws of the Genestealer shows that the first book in the series wasn't just a fluke, that this is a series that really, really works, and that Warhammer 40,000 for kids can be engaging and exciting for all ages. I'm eager to see what happens next in the series.

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Star Wars Adventures: Tales of Villainy #2 – Comic Review

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Star Wars Adventures: Tales Of Villainy continues as we rejoin Rey, Poe, and Finn on a distant planet filled with vicious pirates, and we also get to follow Kylo Ren as he subjugates worlds as the leader of the First Order.

The first story in this issue, written by Michael Moreci with art from Ilias Kyriazis, continues the tale from the first issue, where the heroes of the Resistance, Rey, Poe, and Finn, have travelled to a deserted planet, where the two guys have set up a special training course to help Rey with her Jedi training.

Unfortunately, the planet is also home to a secret base filled with pirates – pirates who are happy to hand the Resistance fighters over to the First Order to claim the reward offered for their capture. With Poe and Finn tied up by some of the pirates, it’s up to Rey to make her way across the barren wasteland to the Falcon, and free her friends before the pirates stop fighting amongst themselves, and bring the ruthless First Order to the planet.

There’s not a huge amount of story to this tale in issue two, with most of the character work and world building having been done in the first issue. Instead, this time the focus is the action, as our three heroes have to try to get themselves free and beat their captors. Thankfully, the pirates aren’t the most organised bunch, and it gives them an opportunity to do so.

I enjoyed the fact that these pirates were as disorganised as they are here, as it made it pretty easy for the heroes to get away, plus it actually gave us some good character moments as the criminals fought amongst themselves. It also goes to highlight how important strong leaders are in such groups, and indirectly showcases how good of a pirate characters like Hondo were in The Clone Wars, where similar pirates and criminals were kept squarely in line by his leadership.

Sadly, other than this there’s not a huge amount to this concluding part of the story, and I was left feeling like the heroes weren’t hugely challenged by what happened, and that this experience didn’t leave too much of an impression on them. I don’t think that anything that happened here really helped with Rey’s training, and that’s a bit of a shame. I think if there was a line of dialogue or two at the end where she made a comment about having had to push herself, or if she’d had performed a new Force ability for the first time it would have had more of an impact than this story ultimately ended up having.

The second story in the book, by Sam Maggs with art from Davide Tinto, shifts the focus away from the heroes to the leader of the First Order, Kylo Ren. This story, as opposed to the first, does seem to have something to say about its character, and we get into the head of Kylo a little here, and get to see what his thoughts are about having now ascended to be the Supreme Leader, following his murder of Snoke in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It seems to be a role that Kylo never wanted, something that he found himself in a position to take, yes, but never one that he aimed for; which is definitely an insight I feel we didn’t get in any of the films.

The story follows Kylo as he leads the First Order to a planet and subjugates the citizens, yet it challenged by some brave freedom fighters, fighters who ultimately fail thanks to the overwhelming might of the First Order. This resistance ends in extreme levels of bloodshed as punishment, and its in these moments that Ren has doubts about his mission, specifically, whether or not there’ll be anyone left alive to follow the First Order. Again, the few pages of comic seem to spend more time with Kylo and what being the leader of the First Order means to him than any of the films, and adds more depth to a character than needed it.

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