Top 10 Reads of 2019

I've managed to get in quite a few more books in 2019 than I thought I would. I initially set myself a target of 52 books, one for each week of the year; but when I managed than in the first five months I knew I had to boost it, so set my Good Reads challenge to 100. At the time of writing this I'm on 131, and could still potentially finish another book before midnight of New Years Eve. As such, narrowing what I've read down to my ten favourites wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Not all of these books were published in 2019, though most were, but are simply what I read this year and liked the best.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

I discovered Victoria Schwab late last year when I was offered a copy of her latest book to read. Despite not being the first book in that series I loved it and she quickly became one of my favourite writers and I've been working through her other books where I can. City of Ghosts is one of her books aimed at younger, teen readers, and it's one that I adore the most.

Cassidy Blake is a girl that had a near death experience, and ever since has been able to see ghosts. She even has a best friend, Jacob, who's a ghost. When her parents, a historian and a paranormal investigator, get the green-light to begin filming a new television series that will see the family travelling to some of the most haunted places in the world Cassidy finds herself packed off to Edinburgh, and plunged into a city full of ghosts.

Cassidy and Jacob learn that Cassidy isn't the only person who can see ghosts, and that not all spirits are safe to be around. When Cassidy is targeted by the sinister Red Raven she ends up having to fight for her very life.

City of Ghosts is a great mixture of creepy horror, and real world history. Schwab manages to not only capture the feel of Edinburgh brilliantly, but imparts some great stories about the city and its history of hauntings, all within an exciting and engaging narrative.

The Troop by Nick Cutter

I first picked up The Troop from my local library, drawn in by the excellent blurb on the back that described an isolated scout troop falling victim to a horrific 'bio-engineered nightmare'. What I wasn't expecting, however, was just how disturbing and disgusting a horror it would turn out to be.

When a small group of scouts head out to an isolated island with their scoutmaster for the weekend their trip away is shattered with the arrival of Tom Padgett, a man infected with a deadly parasite that drives him to eat anything he can. Trying desperately to feed the growing parasite inside him, that's eating him from the inside, he consumes anything he can. When Tom attacks the troop he begins to spread an infection that will turn the young teens against each other as they desperately try to survive.

The Troop is a body horror in the purest sense. The infection that spreads amongst the boys is a horrific new type of worm, one that can enter your body through the smallest cut, and can replicate and grow at horrific speed. It turns the infected in withered husks, desperate to feed the monsters inside them before they die.

Nick Cutter has managed to craft a story that's not just a intense and engaging character led narrative, but a horror that freaks you out and stays with you long after you've finished the book. Don't read this when you're feeling hungry either as I made that mistake and it made the whole experience a lot worse.

Other Words For Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin

Other Words For Smoke is a coming of age story that happens to be set in a house where creatures live in the walls. Mae and Rossa are two teens living through the messy marriage of their parents who get sent to spend the summer with their aunt and her ward. It's in this house that they begin to learn that magic is real, and that there are dark forces lurking within the walls of the house, waiting to prey upon those that live there.

The book not only focuses on otherworldly forces, but on the struggles that teens have to go through. Over the summers that the two teens spend at their aunts house they change as people, trying to find ways to cope with their parents damaged marriage. Mae's story is particularly grabbing as she discovers her first crush for a girl, and has to come to terms with her homosexual feelings.

Other Words For Smoke is an amazingly written book, often times feeling more like poetry than a traditional novel. It's filled with images and emotions that twist together into a story that feels so much deeper than you'd first expect. Despite being set in one house, with just a handful of characters it's a living, breathing world full of mystery. Easily one of the best books of 2019.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Drawing from West African mythology and culture, Children of Blood and Bone is a young adult fantasy adventure story that feels fresh and new, standing out from others in the genre.

Set in the world of Orïsha, where magic was destroyed more than a decade ago, and those with the power to wield it are treated as slaves, a young woman sets out to fight against the evil that rules the kingdom and restore magic to her people.

Children of Blood and Bone was a huge hit when it came out in 2018, and I can easily see why it has won as many awards and received the acclaim that it has. It tells a fairly traditional YA story, of a group of teens rising up against an oppressive regime, yet manages to feel fresh and exciting throughout. It draws from an often ignored and underused style of mythology and culture to create a rich and engaging world and a narrative that has an important message about hate, racism, and oppression.

Gears of War: Ascendance by Jason M. Hough

Video game to book adaptations can sometimes be fairly dull affairs compared to their source material, often failing to capture the fun and excitement of the games. Gears of War: Ascendance not only manages to be engaging and action packed throughout, but adds more depth and character development that suspected as it fills in the gap between Gears of War 4 and Gears of War 5.

Taking place immediately following the end of the fourth game, the story sees the heroes of the series having to convince First Minister Jynn that the threat of the Swarm is real. When JD and Del are sent to investigate an old Locust burial site to gather evidence that Swarm are coming Kait and Marcus travel to Kait's old village to search for survivors, with both missions putting them in grave danger.

Gears of War: Ascendance not only explains how characters that were renegades end up working for the ruling government, but also goes on to lay the seeds for things that will be addressed in the latest game, including Kait's connection to the Swarm. The book also manages to make the bad guys quite scary, something that is often lacking from the high octane nature of the games. Here the heroes fight desperate battles against monstrous foes that feel tense and frightening, despite knowing that they're all going to make it out alive; quite a feat of writing.

Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles by Kim Newman

Professor James Moriarty is one of the most iconic villains in literature, the arch enemy of the worlds greatest detective. This book, told from the viewpoint of Moriarty's right hand man, Colonel Sebastian 'Basher' Moran, chronicles several tales of the dastardly villain, and his position as one of the greatest criminal minds ever.

Written as a series of journal entries by Moran, echoing the writing of John Watson, the book charts Moran's ten years with the professor, from their first meeting to the fateful fight at Reichenbach Falls. As such, the book reads like a series of short stories, rather than a large narrative. These stories not only play homage to the world of Sherlock Holmes, but incorporates many works of Victorian fiction.

Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Ubervilles feels true to the world that Arthur Conan Doyle created, working in the background of the stories that he told, making Moriarty a shadow that haunts the periphery. A fantastic book for anyone that's a fan of Sherlock Holmes and literature from the era.

Soon by Lois Murphy

Soon is a horror book that skips the big scary event and chooses to focus on the horror of what comes after. Set in a small Australian town where ghosts stalk the streets after dark, killing anyone who dares step out of their homes, the book follows a group of several people unable to move away, trapped within the deserted town. When one of these survivors receives a warning that if he doesn't get out of the town by the winter solstice he will die, a fight to survive begins.

Lois Murphy tells a very different type of horror story, one that largely ignores the frightening spectres that stalk the streets at night. Most of the book doesn't even feature these spirits, and it takes a third of the book for the reader to find out what's actually outside at night. Despite this, she's crafted a story that's heavily character driven and emotionally charged; and one that is downright terrifying at times.

I don't want to spoil much about the book, but the ending left me stunned, and feeling physically shaken. The narrative drew me in and spat me out on the other side completely affected. Soon is definitely a roller coaster ride that will leave horror fans happy.

I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara

I've not read many non-fiction books this year, but of the one's that I have I'll Be Gone In The Dark was not just my favourite, but quickly became one of the best that I've read. The book charts the story of the Golden State Killer, a rapist and murderer who stalked California for over a decade; and the obsession that McNamara developed for the case over the years.

Responsible for more than 50 sexual assaults and 10 brutal killings, the Golden State Killer eluded police investigations and apparently vanished. Thirty years after his crime wave investigative journalist Michelle McNamara became determined to try and figure out his identity and help bring him to justice.

I'll Be Gone In The Dark is an incredibly personal book, one that is as much about Michelle McNamara as it is GSK. As such, the book doesn't fall into the trap of feeling dry or dull as can sometimes happen with true crime books. Instead, it feels more like having someone there with you, talking you through the case, taking you on a journey rather than reciting facts and figures. Sadly, Michelle passed away before completing the book, and the last few chapters were completed from her notes by her friends and colleagues. A deeply personal and engaging story that kept me fascinated throughout, and was made poignant through the loss of an amazing journalist and writer, and knowing that she never got to see the Golden State Killer found and arrested two years after her death.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

When the living dead rise and begin to kill the living at the battle of Gettysburg the American Civil War comes to a shocking end, as the north and south must put aside their differences to fight the creatures that now stalk the nation. nearly twenty years have passed, and a new America has emerged. Thanks to the Native and Negro Reeducation Act former slaves are trained to kill the undead. However, black people are far from free in this new world, and the dead aren't the only thing they have to fear.

Justina Ireland creates a fascinating alternate history in Dread Nation, one that sees the undead end the civil war. In this new America we follow Jane, who has been trained to be become an Attendant, a bodyguard for wealthy white women who are experts in both combat and etiquette. When Jane becomes embroiled in a conspiracy she discovers that some want things back to the way they were before the dead returned, where black people were nothing more than slaves.

Dread Nation isn't just a story about zombies in Restoration Era America, it's also a story about race, slavery, and man's hatred towards man.

Sherlock Holmes & The Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson get called to investigate the apparent haunting at her ancestral castle in Yorkshire. When Eve Allerthorpe becomes haunted by Black Thurrick, an evil entity that comes as Christmas time and torments it's victims, she faces the prospect of losing her inheritance by being found to be of unsound mind. Can Holmes and Watson find an explanation for this mysterious haunting, or is a demon really responsible for these horrible events?

James Lovegrove is an excellent Sherlock Holmes writer, and it's clear throughout this book that he knows that characters so well. Not only is Holmes intelligent and devious throughout, he avoids falling into the trap that some writers have of making him grumpy or unlikable. Instead, Lovegrove has crafted a story that features Holmes and Watson at their best. There's a great central mystery at the heart of the story for them to solve, one that had me guessing throughout, and some wonderful scenes of friendship between the leads that left me smiling wide. One of the best Sherlock Holmes books I've read in a while, and the perfect read for a cold winter day.


Please feel free to let me know what you thought of these book, and what you enjoyed reading in 2019 in the comments below.


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Terminator: Dark Fate – 5 Terminator Stories To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

The Terminator franchise has had some rocky moments, with some films that really tested people’s love for the series (we’re looking at you Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). However, there is more to the franchise than just the films. Here’s a short list of other Terminator content that’s definitely worth checking out.

Terminator 2: Cybernetic Dawn (Comic Book – Dan Abnett & Rod Whigham)

Set immediately after the events of the second movie, Terminator 2: Cybernetic Dawn picks up after the destruction of the T-1000 and T-800, and sees John and Sarah Connor nursing their wounds following their long battle against the machines. Unfortunately, it turns out that they may not have actually prevented Judgement Day as not one, but three new Terminators arrive in the past to kill them both, two T-800’s, and a T-1000.

Terminator 2: Cybernetic Dawn is a pretty bold book, doing something that hasn’t even really been done in the films and having more than one Terminator sent back in time to kill a single target. Add in the fact that no one has been sent back to protect the Connors and this makes for a pretty stand out story. It also expanded upon the world created in the first two films, by revealing that the government already has pieces of several other Terminators in their possession, dating back further than Sarah Connor, teasing the idea that the machines have been manipulating time for much longer than initially thought.

Terminator 3: Redemption (Video Game – Xbox, PS2, GameCube)

Released shortly after the abysmal movie tie in game, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, this game tried to make up for some of the awfulness that players had to put up with. This game shifted the action away from the film, and instead of making gamers play through the events of the film, actually told a story. The game expanded upon the film, having players take control of the T-800 before he’s sent back in time to protect John.

The game managed to be a lot more fun than the film it ties into, and featured a variety of missions, including vehicle based combat, on rails shooting sections, and standard combat through a variety of future settings. Possibly the best thing to come out of the third film, the game knew that it had to do something different to try and win over fans, and succeeded for the most part, receiving some generous reviews.

Terminator Salvation: From The Ashes (Novel – Timothy Zahn)

Written by award winning author Timothy Zahn, (best known for his work on Star Wars and for creating the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn), this novel tells a tale of John Connor set in the apocalyptic future of the war against the machines, and helps to set up for the Terminator: Salvation movie. Set during a period where John Connor is still seen as nothing more than an average resistance fighter by the larger resistance movement, Terminator Salvation: From The Ashes sees John leading his resistance cell in a daring mission to capture a Terminator facility in an attempt to not just hurt the machines, but to prove himself to Command.

Whilst most stories focus on John Connor as either a young man before the war with Skynet, or as the leader of the resistance, it’s good to see him at an in-between stage. He’s proven himself to his group of fighters, and commands their respect, but is still seen as just a small cog in a larger machine. He has to prove that he’s the leader he’s been training to be his entire life.

Zahn is a great author, and is able to craft an engaging and dynamic story filled with interesting character moments, as well as intense action sequences, giving readers one of the better Terminator novels to date.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Television – 2008-2009)

A lot of people looked down on the Terminator television series and didn’t give it much of a chance. And that’s somewhat understandable, as the first season was a touch slow to begin with. However, once the series entered its second season it really began to find its feet and started to tell a very good, and different Terminator story.

The series showed a John (Thomas Dekker) and Sarah (Lena Headey) who had jumped forward in time from the 1990s to 2008 to escape a new Terminator, this time protected by the female terminator Cameron (Summer Glau). The series explored new ideas: that Terminators have been sent back to secure important materials and tech and protect them from Judgment Day, that resistance cells have been sent back to hinder Skynet’s creation, and that there’s even a faction of Terminators that want to stop Skynet too.

The series took bold moves with the franchise, and had some absolutely amazing moments before it was cancelled on a stunning cliffhanger ending. With the ability now to be able to binge watch, it would likely be much better received, especially thanks to how popular Lena Headey has since become.

Robocop vs Terminator (Comic – Frank Miller and Walt Simonson)

Though probably best known as a video game, the comic began this fan favourite crossover. When a resistance fighter is sent back in time to kill Robocop, he is rescued by a group of Terminators who were sent to protect him. Learning that some of his technology would go on to be used to create Skynet, and ultimately destroy humanity, Robocop begins a mission to stop Skynet from coming into existence.

Written by Frank Miller, who wrote the second film, the book manages to capture a lot of the gritty and grimy feel of both universes, whilst telling an interesting story. It takes the character of Robocop, who already deals with issues of identity and what makes you human, and examines it in detail by making him a main part of the rise of the machines.


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Terminator: Dark Fate – Ranking the Terminator films

Originally published on Set The Tape

The latest Terminator film is hitting cinemas soon, bringing series veterans Arnold Schwarzeneggar and Linda Hamilton together once again to fight a whole new host of robotic baddies. But before jumping into this new entry, we thought that we’d go back and rank the rest of the series!

5. Terminator Genisys (2015)

Terminator Genisys was supposed to be the start of a whole new trilogy of films, but thanks to some awful reviews it failed to be what it wanted to be, despite being the second highest grossing entry in the franchise.

It sees the Terminator timeline that fans are familiar with get messed up when more Terminators travel back in time and alter Sarah Connor’s (Emilia Clarke) past. Instead of having a normal life she was raised by a T-800, and is already being hunted by a T-1000 when Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) travels back to help her.

Thanks to messing with the preexisting mythology of the series, some casting that fans didn’t find particularly great, and major plot twists being shown in trailers, fans found very little to enjoy about the film.

4. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Following the events of the second film, John Connor (Nick Stahl) has been living off the grid in Los Angeles following his mother’s death. Because he’s left no trace of his whereabouts for Skynet to be able to trace. the machines send a new, female Terminator (Kristana Loken) back in time to eliminate people key to his future resistance cell. John ends up getting dragged back into the fight and must find a way to survive the coming Judgement Day.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines had a hard time being seen to be a good film thanks to trying to appeal to a broader audience, incorporating comedic moments into the narrative and going for splashy spectacle over horror. The result is a Terminator film that feels like it’s aimed more towards a teen audience than adults, where it struggles to create an identity for itself. Though not a bad film it does feel like a distinct drop in quality when compared to others in the franchise.

3. Terminator: Salvation (2009)

Terminator: Salvation has its good points, even though a lot of people seem to hate on it. It took the bold step of setting the story within the apocalyptic future of the Terminator-dominated world – the only film in the franchise to do so. It showed a John Connor (Christian Bale) who was still rising up the ranks of the Resistance to become the leader we know he’s destined to become. And it made the Terminators scary again.

Other than the first film in the series the Terminators had become less frightening over the course of the films, thanks in large part to having good Terminators standing up against them. This film showed audiences how scary the machines could be. We had bigger, bulkier Terminators stalking the wasteland, covered in bad rubber skin. They made loud mechanical noises when they moved, and they were really, really hard to kill. This made them so scary.

The film also gave us the scene when John Connor had to go up against a T-800 that looked like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger, a fight that reinforced how bad the humans in the future have it when a single Terminator is so difficult to combat. Unfortunately, there are some plot elements that let the film down a little, and prevent it from being higher on this list.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a hell of a movie. It flipped things on their head by making Arnie a good guy (something people really didn’t see coming), upped the ante in both action and special effects, and gave us an amazing female action lead in Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor.

The story explored the future war with the machines in ways that the original film didn’t, and introduced some new elements to the mythology – the most obvious being the liquid metal Terminators. The T-1000’s would become a firm fan favourite, and a staple enemy that the franchise would come back to again and again, as well as pushing the technology available at the time to its limits and helping to pioneer new special effects.

1. The Terminator (1984)

The original, and still the best in the franchise for one simple reason: horror. Where the other films in the series became sci-fi action films, the first film was very much entrenched in the realms of horror. The unstoppable killing machine that will always be hunting you and can’t be hurt is absolutely terrifying. The film manages to capture this tone and keeps the pressure on throughout, giving audiences an intense and suspenseful movie that doesn’t let up.

The film also helped to make Arnold Schwarzenegger a star, and to establish James Cameron as a director to watch out for. Without The Terminator, not only would we not have the entire franchise, but we might have missed out on James Cameron’s other movies, Arnie might have struggled further to become a star, and special effects technology mightn’t have been pushed. Not only the best film in the series, but a hugely important piece of cinema.


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Titans Season One – 5 Teen Titans Stories To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

The first season of Warner Bros television series Titans has just been released on DVD and Blu-ray, meaning a whole host of new fans get to experience the exciting live action version of the Teen Titans. The series has some great stories, but the characters have been around for decades in the comics, and there are loads more stories that fans can experience. Here are five of the best.

Teen Titans: A Kid’s Game

Geoff Johns is a legend in comic books, and one of his stand out series was his 2003 Teen Titans run. The first big relaunch of the book since the Wolfman and Perez run, the book brought back series mainstays such as Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg in new modernised versions, as well as bringing new additions like Tim Drake’s Robin, Cassie Sandmark’s Wonder Girl, Super Boy, and Bart Allen’s Kid Flash.

The first volume of the Johns run, Teen Titans: A Kid’s Game, tells how the team comes together for the first time, the dissolution of the Young Justice team, and how the older Titans fit in with their new teammates. A brilliant introduction to a run that would last for years, with Johns working on more than 50 issues.

Teen Titans: Titans of Tomorrow

Another great entry from the Johns era Teen Titans: Titans of Tomorrow pits the young heroes against older versions of themselves. After travelling to the distant future to help the Legion of Super Heroes the Titans accidentally end up 10 years in their future, where they encounter more violent versions of themselves. In this timeline Connor has become Super Man, Tim is the new gun-wielding Batman, Cassie is Wonder Woman, and Bart has become Reverse Flash, just to name a few of the changes.

It’s always fun to pit heroes against different versions of themselves, and ‘what if’ futures are great scenarios that let writers explore strange new territory, and Teen Titans: Titans of Tomorrow is a great example of both. The characters get to see where their actions could lead them in the future, and it moves their story forward in important and meaningful ways. Plus, the future versions of our heroes are brilliantly entertaining.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract

Taken from the classic Marv Wolfman and George Perez run on the book Teen Titans: The Judas Contract was a four part story that was extremely significant for a number of reasons. The book revealed the secret origins of the Titans villain Deathstroke, a villain that would go on to become an icon of the DC Universe. The Judas Contract also revealed the shocking revelation that the teams new member, Terra was actually working for Deathstroke to bring down the team from within. It also marked the first appearance of Dick Grayson as Nightwing.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract was a huge turning point for the series. It was full of content that was considerably more adult in tone than things that had come before, and made big changes to the book going forward. Adapted a number of times over the years in both tv and film animation, and revisited in future comic stories, it remains on of the most important Teen Titans stories of all times.

The New Titans: Who Is Donna Troy?

The original Wonder Girl, Donna Troy was a founding member of the original Teen Titans line-up in the 1960’s, and originally Wonder Woman’s younger sister. Over the years, thanks to various revisions and new writers Donna’s origins became less defined. Who Is Donna Troy? sought to shed some answers on her past.

A sci-fi epic that’s full of world building, noir detective stories, and interpersonal conflict all designed to bring Donna to the fore and make her a character with a solid back story. With Donna Troy proving to be on of DC’s more popular recurring characters, and her character’s inclusion in the series, Who Is Donna Troy? may be one of the more important Teen Titans stories around.

Teen Titans: Earth One

A standalone graphic novel, Teen Titans: Earth One takes readers to a world where there are no super heroes. No Batman, no Superman, no Wonder Woman, and no Teen Titans. In this world a group of teens suddenly develop strange new powers, and are drawn together to help save a strange alien princess. Featuring brand new versions of Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Terra, Jericho, and Starfire, writer Jeff Lemire creates a Teen Titans that couldn’t exist in the regular DC Universe.

With a second volume that expanded upon this initial concept, and introduced even more re-imagined Titans, Teen Titans: Earth One is a bold new direction for the super hero team. Fans who liked the television series revamp of the team will love this other reinterpretation.


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Titans (Season One) – Who’s Who and their Comic Counterparts

Originally published on Set The Tape

The popular television series Titans hits homes with the release of the season one on DVD and Blu-ray. Based upon the popular DC Comics series Teen Titans, the show has a huge array of characters to draw upon, but who are they, and what are their comic book counterparts like?

Dick Grayson/Robin (Brenton Thwaites)

A former circus acrobat who was taken in by Batman following the death of his parents and trained to become the crime fighter Robin, Dick is now a detective for the Detroit Police Department, following a falling out with his former mentor. Trying to step out of the shadow of Batman, he finds himself the leader of a new group of heroes.

The comic book version of Dick shares a similar origin to the series, and spent years as Robin, as well as the leader of the Teen Titans. Following a disagreement with Batman he gave up the title of Robin, becoming the hero Nightwing instead. Over the years Dick has been a member of the Titans, Teen Titans, The Outsiders, and The Justice League, as well as briefly taking on the mantle of Batman for a time. One of the most respected heroes in the DC Universe, Dick commands the respect of dozens of heroes.

Koriand’r/Starfire (Anna Diop)

A woman with strange powers and no memory of her past, she learns that she is the princess of the alien world of Tamaran, sent to earth to stop the destruction of the planet by dark forces.

Koriand’r ascended to the throne over her elder sister, Komand’r, when her sister developed a disease that robbed her of her powers. Angry at losing her position Komand’r helped an alien race to invade Tamaran, and put Koriand’r into slavery. Eventually escaping and fleeing to earth she encountered Dick Grayson and the Teen Titans. Joining the team, she took on the title of Starfire. Over the years Starfire fought alongside the heroes of earth against dozens of threats, including her own sister. She and Dick also developed a romantic relationship, and were even close to becoming married.

Rachel Roth/Raven (Teagan Croft)

A young empath with mysterious powers, on the run from a strange cult, Rachel learns that her father is the demon Trigon, and that his followers want to use her to create a portal to allow Trigon a path to earth.

In the comics Raven is the daughter of the demon Trigon, taught to keep her emotions in control so that she does not become possessed by her father. Raised by mystics, Raven possesses an array of magical abilities. She initially approached the Justice League to help her stop her father coming to Earth, but was refused when Zatana sensed her demonic heritage. Knowing that she would need heroes to aid her, she actually formed the second incarnation of the Teen Titans, and has been an active member of the team across various incarnations since.

Garfield ‘Gar’ Logan/Beast Boy (Ryan Potter)

Living in the Congo basin, Gar contracted a mysterious disease and we left for dead by doctors. Discovered by Niles Caulder, leader of the Doom Patrol, Gar was cured, but was left with green hair and the ability to transform into any animal.

In the comics Gar lived in Africa with his scientist parents who were trying to develop reverse evolution to bring back extinct creatures. When he contracted a rare disease called Sakutia his father managed to cure him with serum, though it caused his skin, hair, and eyes to turn green. It also granted him the ability to transform into any animal. Folowing the death of his parents Gar was rescued by the Doom Patrol, and joined the team until their deaths. Brought into the Teen Titans by Raven, Gar finds a home with the other teens and remains an active member of the team for years to come, coming to think of them as his new family.

Hank Hall/Hawk (Alan Ritchson)

A vigilante who targets paedophiles, following his own molestation as a child, Hank Hall took on the name Hawk, whilst his brother Don took the name Dove. The two of them became local heroes for helping to break up a paedophile ring, until Don was killed in a hit and run.

Whilst Hawk in the series is a regular human, his comic counterpart possesses multiple powers, including super strength, enhanced speed, and a healing factor, thanks to powers granted to him by the Lord of Chaos, T’Charr. Over the years Hank has had to battle his inner rage, though he eventually became the villain Extant for a short while before his death. Following the Black Lantern invasion of Earth Hank was raised from the dead as a zombie, and was eventually restored to life as Hawk by the White Light of Life.

Dawn Granger/Dove (Minka Kelly)

The girlfriend of Hank Hall, Dawn took on the mantle of Dove following the death of Don Hall, and joined Hank in his mission to fight crime.

In the comics Dawn was granted the powers of flight, superhuman agility, and durability by the Lord of Order, Terataya, in order to replace Don Hall, the original Dove who died during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Believed to have been killed by the villain Monarch, Dawn was actually saved by magic and placed into a coma until she could heal. She eventually awoke and her sister Holly became the new Hawk until her death during Blackest Night. Following the events of the Blackest Night, Dawn was reunited with Hank, and the two of them became heroes once again.


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X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 5 X-Men Books To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

X-Men: Dark Phoenix might be the swansong for the Fox era of X-Men on the big screen, trying once again to adapt one of the most popular X-Men stories. Whilst the X-Men films have been a very popular series they’ve often avoided some of the bigger stories from the comics, with the exception of X-Men: Days of Future Past. With it potentially being a long while until we have more X-Men in a live action film, here’s a list with some of the best X-Men books to go check out.

Days of Future Past

As already mentioned, this story was the basis for the popular film of the same name, and tells the story of a future world where the mechanical Sentinels have taken over, killing thousands of mutants and herding others into internment camps. The few surviving members of the X-Men, which include Wolverine and Shadowcat, form a plan to send the mind of Kitty Pryde back into her younger body in order to stop a mutant from assassinating a US Senator, thereby preventing the rise of the Sentinels.

Though a short story, originally published across just two issues, Days of Future Past is widely considered one of the all time classics, and has been adapted across many different incarnations including the live action film, the 90’s animated series, Wolverine and the X-Men, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Ultimate Spider-Man. Differing a lot from the film version, even those who are familiar with the story will find new and interesting things in the original version.

Astonishing X-Men

Written by Joss Whedon, Astonishing X-Men was an ongoing series that told a number of important stories. It dealt with the fallout of the death of Jean Grey (which would remain in place for many years), the blossoming romance between Cyclops and Emma Frost, and the return of Colossus after his death years. The series slimmed down the number of ‘core’ characters, focusing on a small team so that it could tell more personal stories. Despite this, Whedon also crafted an unfolding narrative that put the fate of the entire earth on the line.

The Whedon run introduced a number of characters that would go on to remain a part of the X-Men universe, such as Blindfold, Danger, Armour, and Dr Kavita Rao. The first story arc, dealing with a potential cure for mutants, not only won the 2006 Will Eisner Award, but was also part of the basis of X-Men: The Last Stand cure subplot.

Second Coming

Second Coming is the culmination of years of storytelling that began with the near extinction of mutantkind. Forced to band together, less than 200 mutants came to live and fight against the outside world under the leadership of Cyclops. Even former villains such as Namor and Magneto would go on to follow Cyclops, serving as trusted advisors. Second Coming tells the story of Hope Summers, the only new mutant since the events of House of M, and her adoptive father Cable, returning from the future.

Hope’s return brings a number of villains out of hiding, including Bastion, the Purifiers, William Stryker, and Bolivar Trask to name but a few, all intent on killing her to prevent the return of the mutant race. Every mutant must come together and fight to the death in order to secure their future in this event that involved every X-book. Villains fight alongside heroes, long time fan favourite characters die, and the very future of the mutant race is put on the line in the dramatic conclusion to one of the darkest and most dynamic eras in the X-Men history.

New X-Men

Written by Grant Morrison, New X-Men ran for a number of years and encompassed several story arcs, where it shifted the focus away from the X-Men as a superhero group, instead taking a look at the running of the Xaviers School. The series would introduce a number of characters that would remain part of the X-Men series for years, including Cassandra Nova, Beak, Quentin Quire, and Fantomex.

The series dealt with a number of important storylines, including the outing of Professor Xavier as a mutant, the destruction of Genosha, Emma Frost joining the team, and the return of Magneto. The series also took a different look in art style, taking the team out of their iconic costumes and adopting a look that was similar to their movie counterparts.

Mutant Massacre

The X-Men would become used to death and disaster over the course of their run, probably more than any other Marvel book. Mutant Massacre is a prime example of a story where even when the heroes stop the villains, they don’t really win.

When the villainous Marauders attack the mutant community of the Morlocks, the X-Men and X-Factor teams rush to their aid. Whilst they manage to stop the Marauders many Morlocks are killed, and a number of heroes severely wounded as a result. Colossus is left as a quadriplegic thanks to injuries sustained to his metal form; Kitty Pryde is trapped in her phased form which almost kills her; Nightcralwer is put into a coma; and Angel is literally crucified, which eventually leads to him losing his wings and becoming the villain Archangel.

A sobering look at the X-Men universe, and one that would play into a lot of future stories, this darker tone would become something of a staple for the X-Men books during several of their big events, and many X-Men have ended up severely wounded or killed over the years, probably more so than any other superhero team.


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Joker – 5 Batman Villains That Deserve A Solo Movie

Originally published on Set The Tape

Joker sees the iconic Batman villain take centre stage as the lead in his own movie. Whilst this isn’t the first time that a comic book villain has had their own film it’s the first time a major Batman villain has. With such a big history and really great villains, surely there are more that can headline their own movie!

Poison Ivy

Botanist Pamela Isely was experimented upon by Dr Woodrue, an insane scientist who transforms himself into a plant monster called the Floronic Man. Woodrue transformed Isely into a metahuman with plantlike abilities, and an immunity to various toxins. Now acting as Poison Ivy, she skirts the line between hero and villain as she tries to protect plants and the environment from humans.

A Poison Ivy film could show this origin, and she could be painted as something of a villain for the majority of the film, as she attacks big companies that are polluting the environment. However, it would be nice to have her end as a more traditional ‘hero’, by her having to save people from Woodrue, getting her revenge against him at the same time.

Whilst DC cancelled the Swamp Thing series early into its run, a Poison Ivy film could definitely have a similar look and feel to this. It could even attract some of the same fans, as Woodrue was actually in the show, played by Kevin Durand. Hell, go so far as to have him play the character again!

Bane

The son of a revolutionary in the South American nation of Santa Prisca, Bane was placed in prison to serve out his father’s sentence following his escape. Bane spent his childhood and adolescence in one of the most brutal prisons on earth, building his incredible physique and keen intellect in order to survive.

Following Bane during his prison years would be so much more interesting than seeing him go up against Batman, as he does in almost every other version of the character. Make a Bane movie as a prison drama. Have him brought in as a young boy, made to serve out his father’s sentence alongside hardened adult criminals. Show an innocent young boy turn into a cold blooded killer as he learns how to survive in hell on earth.

A film about Bane told in this way would be able to highlight not just how brutal and strong the man is, but how he was a victim of his life. He was made into a savage by his environment. Show how this happened to him, and don’t shy away from the brutality of the situation. Let’s see an innocent boy enter prison, and follow his life there until he gets out and begins his journey to Gotham. There wouldn’t be any need to show him go to Gotham and face Batman: end the film with him getting out of prison and setting off there. Not only would this act as a great stand alone film that tells his origins, but he could then be used in a Batman film with a fully fleshed out backstory, as a character that audiences will care about.

The Court of Owls

A relatively new addition to the DC Universe, The Court of Owls are a secret society that has been running Gotham from the shadows for generations. What makes them stand out is their main enforcers, the Talons. The Talons are a group of lethal assassins, and the society has had many over the years. What makes them different, however, is that the Talons have been made close to immortal thanks to strange science.

A Court of Owls movie could focus on a new Talon, a person recruited to fight and kill for the court. This Talon could then try to turn against the Court, and have other, older Talons sent against them to kill them. Whether or not they manage to survive, it’d make for an interesting film to see one of the world’s best assassins fighting undead killers.

Penguin

Whilst a lot of audiences will be familiar with the character thanks to Danny DeVito’s brilliant performance in Batman Returns, this version of the character is actually quite different from the comics. Batman Returns showed him as an outcast mutant living beneath Gotham. Instead of this, make him like his comic counterpart, where he’s just a regular guy.

What’s interesting about a regular guy? Well, not a huge amount, but once you have him being part of a crime empire it starts to get a little more interesting. Introduce him as a low level operator in one of the crime organisations in Gotham, then let him work his way to the top. He can’t be a physically imposing character, so let him plot and scheme his way to the top. Make him Little Finger, but he doesn’t fuck up at the end. Mob movies are always popular, so make a mob movie about the Penguin.

Owlman

Owlman comes from another world, a parallel earth where villains rule instead of heroes. Following the murder of his family, Thomas Wayne Jr. becomes the super-villain Owlman.

Much the same way that Brightburn told a story of an evil Superman, an Owlman movie could do the same thing. Have it follow an almost traditional Batman movie formula, but instead of a hero he’s a villain. He kills to expand his empire, he uses gadgets to commit crimes, and he was behind his parents’ death. Why focus on a hero’s villains when you can make your hero the villain instead?

This is probably one of the hardest sells on this list, but imagine being able to take the DC Universe and flip it on its head. You could show alternate versions of characters that audiences know and love, and add in little hints to other villains such as Ultra-Man. Plus, if ever Warner Bros. wanted the Justice League to fight the Crime Syndicate this could be the perfect set-up movie.


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X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 5 Times Superheroes Have Gone Bad

Originally published on Set The Tape

Superheroes are often portrayed as larger than life icons of everything good that regular people should look up to and aspire to be. However, writers have made often made a point of showing that these heroes are real people underneath their costumes, and that they can make mistakes. Sometimes this leads to heroes becoming villains themselves. To celebrate the home release of X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Jean Grey’s journey to the dark side, here are five other heroes who went bad.

Warren Worthington III/Angel

Another of the X-Men who became a villain, Angel was one of the original five members of the team, and was a hero for decades. During a crossover event called Mutant Massacre, Warren was tortured and his wings mutilated, leaving him unable to fly. Following this he was captured by the mutant Apocalypse, who offered to restore his wings if he served him. Warren was experimented upon, and given organic metal wings. The experiments also turned his skin blue, and resulted in an extremely aggressive personality. He became the villain Archangel.

Over the years Warren has been able to regain his normal personality and appearance, but Archangel lurks beneath the surface, occasionally breaking free and turning him into a cold blooded killer, and villain, more than once.

Clark Kent/Superboy Prime

The DC Comics multiverse was very complicated, and was streamlined a lot during the event Crisis On Infinite Earths, where a number of other universes were destroyed. One of these worlds was Earth Prime, where superheroes only existed in comics. In this universe a young boy named Clark Kent discovered that he was just like the Superman of comics, and had amazing powers. Unfortunately, during the events of the crisis he lost his world, and ended up trapped in a pocket dimension.

In this dimension he could see into the main DC Universe, and he didn’t like what was happening there. He felt that his sacrifice during the Crisis has been for nothing, and literally punched his way through the dimensional barriers into Earth-One. He helped to instigate the Infinite Crisis and murdered several heroes in the process, including members of the Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, and the Doom Patrol.

Eventually imprisoned by the Guardians of the Universe inside a red sun, and watched over by dozens of Green Lanterns at all times, he broke free and took part in the Sinestro Corps War, where he continued his bloody rampage. Superboy Prime made the ultimate sacrifice to save all of creation, and it ended up twisting him into the very thing he hated the most. He remains one of the deadliest threats within the DC Universe.

Steve Rogers/Captain America

Captain America is one of those heroes who comes to mind as being truly noble. He was made to fight Nazis, has stood up for the downtrodden, and is generally seen as one of the all time good guys. So it’s understandable that fans lost their shit when it was revealed that he was actually working for the Nazi organisation Hydra the whole time when he declared ‘Hail Hydra’.

The comic event Secret Empire revealed that Steve Rogers, who had recently been made young again following his rapid ageing, had been altered in more than one way. It turned out that his arch villain Red Skull had made it so that Cap’s memories were altered, making him believe that he was a Hydra agent.

Whilst this was only a temporary change to the character, and he was soon returned to normal, it was a big moment for comic readers. The incorruptible Steve Rogers had been corrupted, and for some fans this was a storyline too far, and a lot of people took to social media to condemn making the character a Nazi, even temporarily, especially as his creators were Jewish. This storyline was given a slight nod in Avengers: Endgame when Cap uses the phrase ‘Hail Hydra’.

Jean Paul Valley/Batman

During the 1990s Batman was put through one of his toughest storylines in Knightfall, where his back was broken by the villain Bane. Unable to carry on as Batman, Bruce requested that another vigilante, Jean Paul Valley, take on the mantle for him. Jean Paul was the hero Azrael, a former assassin for The Order of Saint Dumas.

When he became Batman, Jean Paul was a lot more aggressive than Bruce, and used a new set of weapons in his mission. He eventually goes on to create a whole suit of armour that’s reminiscent of his Azrael persona, and tells Robin to get lost. This is all thanks to the brainwashing that he was put through by The Order. When he eventually starts letting people die Bruce thinks enough is enough and becomes Batman once again, battling Jean Paul for the mantle. Jean Paul is broken free of his brainwashing and becomes a hero once again, but will always be remembered for that time Batman went bad.

Hal Jordan/Green Lantern

Often referred to as ‘The Greatest Green Lantern’, Hal Jordan was one of the best heroes Earth had to offer until his hometown was destroyed by the villain Mongul, killing millions. Blaming himself for not being strong enough to stop it, or to bring everyone back, Hal gave into his fear and became possessed by the entity Parallax, the embodiment of fear. Parallax travels to Oa, the home of the Green Lanterns, and kills several key members of the organisation, before killing the Guardians of the Universe.

He would reappear a number of times over the years, once trying to wipe out all of time, but eventually Hal was able to break through the evil personality and save Earth by giving his life to reignite the sun. Thanks to it being comics, Hal didn’t stay dead, and is now back being a hero. What makes his story stand out, however, is that it wasn’t revealed that he was possessed for more than a decade and fans were left to believe that everything he did as Parallax was by his own choice.


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