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Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Marvel Action: Black Panther #6 - Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Vita Ayala and Arianna Florean bring to a close the story of the Wakandan Scientific Conference, showing readers just how much T’Challa and Shuri have grown over a relatively short time.

With the Wakandan Scientific Conference only moments away, the final pieces are being put into place to receive the ambassadors and guests. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned (as these things rarely do) when Shuri’s latest invention, the Matter-To-Data Converter, is stolen before it can be taken to the conference.

The device, which can scan an object down to the individual molecules and convert them to digital data, was made with the intention of using the technology to safely dispose of toxic chemicals and radioactive waste, but could easily be turned to evil ends if falling into the wrong hands.

Luckily, T’Challa and Shuri are able to track down the thieves and a fight ensues in the streets. Whilst they manage to capture one of the thieves the other gets away with the device. Fortunately, they’re able to learn that the Conference is the target, and are able to go after the thieves in order to prevent a huge disaster.

This final issue in the Wakandan Scientific Conference continues with the themes that have been a big part of this story arc, namely that Wakanda isn’t quite the perfect nation that we, and even the royal family, have been led to believe. There are people in the nation that help each other and lift each other up yes, but there are also those that take advantage of those around them and push others down. This has led to some people feeling like they have been abandoned by their rulers and left to fend for themselves.

This not only makes the country itself more interesting, but it means that the heroes are having to go up against villains who aren’t really bad people. They’re people that want something better for themselves and others in similar situations, not something selfish like power and wealth. And this makes it all the more difficult for the heroes as they can’t just go in punching, but have to try and make things actively better.

I’ve loved seeing this side to the Black Panther story, of the wonder nation not quite being as good as it should be, and of a King who thinks his country is a paradise learning that he has to do more for his people than he’s already doing. In a lot of ways it makes the title more interesting than if it was just Black Panther fighting some super villain.

With this arc now over I’m interested to see where the story will go next, whether it will continue to examine these themes further, or if it will begin to feel more like a traditional super hero comic. Hopefully Vita Ayala will be on to continue writing past this story, as I think she has a great grasp of not just the characters, but a varied and interesting idea for how to treat the world too.

I’d also like to see Arianna Florean continue on as artist, as he work has been really exceptional these last few issues, giving characters and environments a real sense of life and energy; something that isn’t easy for a story that doesn’t rely on big splash pages or over the top action sequences. I’d also like to see Shuri continue to use her fairy wing backpack, as her flying around is not only awesome, but the wings might be one of my favourite parts of the comic.

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Tuesday, 26 November 2019

Follow Him by Craig Stewart - Book Review

'True love doesn't die – it devours. Just outside the sleepy town of Dreury, a mysterious cult known as The Shared Heart has planted its stakes. Its followers are numerous. More join every day. Those who are lost and suffering seem to be drawn to it; a home for the broken. When Jacob finds himself in need of such a home, he abandons his dead name and gives himself over to the will of The Great Collector.

'However, love refuses to let Jacob go so easily; his ex-fiancé, Nina, kidnaps him in the hopes that he can be deprogramed. As she attempts to return Jacob to the life they once had, a terrible fear creeps in: what if there isn't enough of her Jacob left? When The Great Collector learns of his missing follower, the true nature of The Shared Heart is unleashed. Nina discovers what Jacob already knows: that hidden behind the warm songs and soaring bonfires is a terrifying and ancient secret; one that lives and breathes… and hungers. And it's coming for them.'

I have to admit, I thought I knew what to expect of Follow Him for most of the book. Jacob has been taken in by a clearly brutal cult that's not afraid to torture and kill people, and his ex-fiance has to try to get him back from them without getting killed by them in the process. I thought it was going to be a psychological horror with a bit of an 'on-the-run' side to it, with very real human antagonists and threats to deal with. But over the course of the book I began to question some of this, beginning to think that maybe there's something a little more there than meets the eye, but never one hundred percent sure; and this kept my on my toes throughout, never knowing what to expect next.

The horrors of The Shared Heart are subtle to begin with, and at first it seems like most cults that people would be aware of, where a central figure has manipulated people into giving up everything to come and live and work together in a community tucked away from the outside world. Whilst this in itself is a quite disturbing situation to find yourself in, it's not until we begin to see the darkness just below the surface that we realise how dangerous and twisted the group is.

Once Nina has kidnapped Jacob from the cult it's very clear that this isn't a group that's just going to allow him to go, or one that will simply appeal to her good senses or the law to get her to release her prisoner; no, this is a group that will hurt her. Added into the tension of The True Heart finding her is the fact that Jacob is battling her as much as she's trying to break through his brainwashing. She's a woman that doesn't really know what she's doing, fighting desperately to get back the man she loved, and he's torturing her every step of the way.

Jacob, quite clearly, doesn't want to be saved from The True Heart. He doesn't want his old life back, and he doesn't want Nina. Whilst she's using their history together to try and help the man he once was, he's using that same history to hurt her. He brings up old wounds and tears them open, making past pain new and raw. The fact that Jacob is so vicious in his response to Nina and what she's doing is one of the most heart breaking parts of the book. She's trying to save someone she loves, and he's trying to destroy her.

The way in which Jacob fights against her the whole way, and steadfastly stands by The True Heart does make you begin to question whether Nina is really the hero of the story. She's fallen into what one would see as a more classically heroic role, saving a loved one from evil forces, but is she really a good person? She's kidnapped someone who left her when their relationship ended. She attacks him, tortures him, and tries to impose her will on him. If it wasn't for the fact that The True Heart is actually evil and kills people you'd have to question if she was the real villain. If Jacob had ran away and joined an Amish community to get away from the outside world would she still be the good guy for kidnapping him and keeping him tied up? I didn't expect Follow Him to make me think these kinds of questions, but very soon into the book I began to believe that perhaps there were no 'good guys' in this story.

I want to talk about what happens towards the end of the book now, so there will be some major spoilers, so if you don't want to know more but are intrigued I'd definitely say to go and grab a copy, as I've barely covered how good the book is. However, if you've already read it, or don't mind knowing how things end, please carry on, because there's some interesting things to discuss.

So, The True Heart are kind of onto something it seems. They're not just like every other crazy religion or cult that claims to know the truth, but seem to actually be onto things. I say seem to, because despite how the book ends I do have some very slight doubts. You see, when the mass suicides begin to take place and The Great Collector eats the cut out hearts, transforming into a monster this seems to make it quite clear that yes, their belief system was bang on and there is a supernatural entity at work here. However, we only ever see this through Nina, who has already displayed that she has been suffering from nightmarish hallucinations; so perhaps watching dozens of people slaughtering each other has tipped her over the edge into madness?

The fact that I don't know if the end is real or not both infuriates me and leaves me loving it. I want to know if the monster is real, but don't know if I'd be satisfied with knowing. Leaving it the way it does means that those who wanted the cult to be right are happy because there's a huge monster at the end of the book, and those who want a more subtle, psychological horror have an ending where Nina is left broken and mad by the events she's been through.

However you choose to take the ending, I think you'll be like me and be left shocked by the conclusion. I was in no way expecting the brutal and bloody conclusion that Craig Stewart gave us, and was left in a sense of shock from it. I didn't know what to think or feel once I'd finished that final page; and that meant that the book stuck with me. Because of this ending Follow Him will definitely be one of the more memorable books I've read this year, and I'm certainly looking forward to reading it again knowing the conclusion, to see if I can possibly make my mind up about if I believe what Nina's seeing or not.

Follow Him is a book that piles the tension on from the first few pages and doesn't let up once. There's a genuine sense of dread throughout as Nina is hunted by The True Heart. We get to see a character trying desperately to do what they think is right in a scenario that gets ever more and more frightening and out of hand, one that is sure to leave the reader shuddering. I cannot wait to see what more people think of this title, and will certainly be putting more of Craig Stewart's work on my to be read list in the future.

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Monday, 25 November 2019

Other Words For Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin - Book Review

Other Words For Smoke was released earlier this year to much critical acclaim, I myself include it as one of my best books of the year. Last week, on the 21st November, author Sarah Maria Griffin received an annual An Post Irish Book Award for the title, winning the Eason Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year. Here's my review for this wonderful novel in case you missed it earlier this year.

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‘The house at the end of the lane burned down, and Rita Frost and her teenage ward, Bevan, were never seen again. The townspeople never learned what happened. Only Mae and her brother Rossa knew the truth; they spent two summers with Rita and Bevan, two of the strangest summers of their lives… Because nothing in that house was as it seemed: a cat was more than a cat, a dark power called Sweet James that lurked behind the wallpaper, enthralling Bevan with whispers of neon magic and escape.

‘And in the summer heat, Mae became equally as enthralled with Bevan. Desperately in the grips of first love, she’d give the other girl anything. A dangerous offer when all that Sweet James desired was a taste of new flesh…’

In complete honesty, I wasn’t quite sure what to think of Other Words For Smoke when I first began the book. The story begins at the end, before jumping backwards in time a number of years. The narrative flips between third person, and a narrator that puts you in Bevan’s place, not just her telling you how things affected her, but the narrator talking to you as if you are Bevan. Along with this, there are a number of big, fantastical things that are given little explanation, it was all a little confusing.

However, after a short while I began to understand that this was part of the point, that you as the reader are never quite meant to feel comfortable in this strange world of twisted logic and bizarre magic. Even though the book tells the story through three viewpoints, Bevan, Rossa, and Mae, it’s really about Mae, and the mixture of understanding some things whilst still being confused and unsettled mirror her experiences.

In many ways, this confused state, this partial understanding of the world around you, is a perfect metaphor for the journey that Mae and Rossa are going through over the course of the three years the book is set; not their journey into magic and other worlds, but their journey from teens to adults. The book is about growing up, and the two teens go from naive youngsters to young adults who have discovered so much more about themselves, and have had to live through the awfulness of their fractured and hateful home lives.

We get to see Mae go from a shy young girl hidden away in her games and just discovering her sexuality to a young woman who is embracing who she is, the powers that she is starting to tap into, and having to come to terms with how her first love will affect her for the rest of her life. Rossa changes from a boy closed off from the fantastical world around him, content to shy away from the world in his drawings, to a man with a plan, who knows what he wants from life and isn’t afraid to grasp for it, who opens himself up to the magic around him.

Whilst the book is about growing up and discovering the person that you’re going to be, it’s also about addiction. Bevan is addicted to the powers that the mysterious creature in the walls of the house, Sweet James, is willing to give her. At first glance it simply appears that she’s a character who is craving power, and potentially just a very nasty person, but as the book progresses and we see Bevan without the influence of Sweet James for a while it becomes clear that she’s a victim. She discovers this new world full of wonder and wants to learn more about it, as most people would, but it’s twisted for her by the parasitic creature that is luring her in. She becomes a junkie to the powers on offer, willing to lie, steal, hurt, and even kill if need be to get more.

What stands out most about the book however, is how it’s written. Not just jumping through different perspectives, narrative styles, and time periods, the book has a lyrical, almost poetic quality to it. It’s clear that Sarah Maria Griffin spent a great deal of time weaving ideas and themes throughout the tapestry of the book in a way that a lot of writers don’t, and the end result is a book that feels infinitely more than just the sum of its parts. Even come the end there’s mystery and wonder that is never answered, a world left unexplored, and relationships and motivations only partially hinted at. This might bother some, but it feels more real than most books. After all, in life you rarely get all the answers.

Sarah Maria Griffin has crafted a living, breathing world around one house and a handful of characters, a universe that is barely dipped into. She could come back to this time and time again, exploring the wondrous places that she has made, or simply leave it be, forever a mystery. Either scenario would make me happy, as I’d love to spend more time in this universe, but would also be more than happy to let my own imagination fill in these blanks.

It’s not often I finish a book and find myself immediately wanting to return to it and read it again straight away, but Other Words For Smoke had this effect on me. I want to go back and see those connections that I only realised were there at the end, to use the knowledge I gained later on to see if there is more there to be learned. A stunning example of not just a novel, but a work of art that is sure to stick with the reader long after the final page has been read.

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Friday, 15 November 2019

Zyuranger Episode Two: The Revival - Super Sentai Review

The second episode of Super Sentai Zyuranger sees the ancient heroes fighting desperately to free the children captured by the evil witch Bandora, and the return of the Tyrannosaurus Guardian Beast.

Following the surprise appearance of the Dora Titan at the end of the previous episode the ancient heroes have retreated to their temple base to plan their next move against the evil witch and her forces. Dan, Boi, and Mei argue amongst themselves as they worry about the fight ahead and their mission to save the children, whilst Goushi and Geki discuss their past, giving viewers an insight into the civilisation they came from.

At the same time, Bandora has moved her palace from the top of a skyscraper to the moon, a perfect place to hatch her plans whilst staying out of reach of the Zyurangers. Bandora hatches a new plan to use the shrunken space shuttle to lure the rangers into a trap with her latest monster, Dora Skeleton; who is made from living mud and brought to life by Pleprechaun. The shuttle is sent back to Earth, where Bookback uses a remote control to make it chase people around the city.

The Zyurangers arrive on the scene, trying to catch up with the shuttle using their motorcycles, but are suddenly attacked by the Dora Skeleton. The monster brings the warriors to an amusement park, where it attacks the team. The creature manages to destroy their weapons, before transporting them all to another dimension, where the shrunken shuttle sits in a tree. The rangers try to rescue the shuttle, but Dora Skeleton summons his skeleton minions to stop them. Whilst fighting the monsters Bookback arrives and plants a bomb in the tree next to the shuttle.

Geki takes on Dora Skeleton in a sword fight, distracting him so that the rest of the team are able to shoot him with their blasters, blowing him apart. As he attempts to put himself back together Dan grabs his skull and wraps it in his cape, preventing him from putting himself back together. He throws the head to Boi, who tosses it into a firey pit, destroying Dora Skeleton. Geki is now able to grab the shuttle before the bomb goes off.

However, before the rangers can celebrate their victory the Dora Titan breaks through into the dimension and grabs hold of Geki, dragging him out. The rest of the team grab the shuttle as the bomb goes off, which throws them back into the real world. Inside a quarry the Dora Titan tries to crush Geki, but he manages to break free and joins the rest of the team as they head inside a cave for protection.

With no way to fight the giant Dora Titan the team have no idea how they're going to win. Without warning the ground begins to shake and breaks open, revealing the Tyranosaurus Guardian Beast. Geki jumps inside the control room of the Guardian Beast and takes on the Dora Titan in combat. The other Zyurangers get the children out of the shuttle before launching it at the Dora Titan, making the ship blow up in his face. With the Dora Titan reeling from the blast Geki manages to knock it down before unleashing a powerful sonic blast that destroys the monster once-and-for-all. Whilst Bandora complains about her plan having failed the Zyrangers reaffirm their mission to protect the earth and defeat the evil witch.

The second episode of Super Sentai Zyuranger takes on what feels to be a more traditional kind of formula, at least for what I expect as a fan of Power Rangers. Bandora has come up with a new plan and sends a monster against the heroes, which ends in a fight with their Zords. What makes it feel different, however, is that the monster they go up against initially isn't the giant one they have to fight at the end, which subverted my expectations somewhat.

To be honest, I was actually somewhat surprised by the episode to begin with anyway. I was expecting the story to continue where the last episode left off, with the Zyurangers fighting Grifforzor and the Dora Golems whilst the Dora Titan held the shuttle hostage. Instead it seems like there's something of a time jump, with the action having jumped forwards several hours. The rangers have retreated and Bandora has left the city, transferring her palace to the moon. There's isn't really much of an explanation as to why this has happened, and I feel like this was perhaps done in an attempt to establish something of a standard formula for the show of how episodes will play out.

What this break in the action does do, however, is give the show a chance to fill in some more of the backstory that was alluded to in the first episode. Geki and Goushi discuss the history of the ancient human tribes and their fight against Bandora, giving viewers a glimpse at the war they fought in and the imprisonment of the witch and her lieutenants on Planet Nemesis. Whilst this is a great bit of information and is presented in an interesting way with the glimpses of artwork in an ancient book, the fact that two people who lived through it are discussing it like one of them doesn't know about it feels a little silly. It's definitely been written to give the information over to the audience, without possibly thinking about how it comes across in universe. But honestly, this is a fairly minor nitpick.

The first monster to feature in the episode, Dora Skeleton, is one that I'm familiar with, remembering him as Bones from Power Rangers quite well. What blew me away about him was how different he is to the american version, and how much stuff was cut out. He's absolutely terrifying here, especially with his high pitched giggling scream. The fact that he doesn't talk at all and just makes these shrieking noises is really disturbing. His glowing, stick-like sword and skeleton minions are also a lot of fun, and goes towards making this version of the character very memorable. The face that he's killed when his head gets thrown into a crevasse as Boi tells him to 'go to hell' just makes his demise even better too.

I also absolutely loved how once again we didn't get a Megazord, but just had a single Zord/Guardian Beast show up to fight the Dora Titan. As much as I love the Zyuranger Megazord design, getting to see the Tyransaurus given his own moment to shine is great, and really highlights just how good the suit for it is. It's obviously a guy in a suit, but it feels a lot less silly than some of the Megazords do, possibly because its arms move differently and because it has a huge tail. Whatever the reason, I found myself very entertained by the fight, more so than some other Zord fights I've seen over the years. Whether they're going to do this for each individual Zords, or will just introduce the Megazord in episode three, this was a moment that I think will stand out for me.

'The Revival' was definitely more of what I was expecting from Super Sentai, but that doesn't mean that it was ever boring or predictable. The fight sequences and stunt work were great, and the scene where a monster attacked one of the heroes whilst he rode around on a motorcycle was particularly impressive. I can't wait to find out if the show will settle into a similar formula going forward, or if it will continue to subvert my expectations.

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Thursday, 14 November 2019

Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula by Loren D. Estleman - Book Review

'A mysterious schooner runs aground in an English harbor. Its cargo is fifty boxes of earth; its only living passenger, a black dog. The captains body is lashed to the wheellifeless, drained of blood. Soon, a rash of bizarre nocturnal crimes terrifies London. It can only be the work of Count Dracula, and only one man can save the city: the worlds greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes.'

If the title of this book alone doesn't grab your attention there's not much I can do to sell you on this concept. Come on people, Holmes going up against the most famous vampire in literature?! What's not to like?

I first read this book more than a decade ago, and found it to be incredibly entertaining, so much so that I never really forgot about it, and decided to pick up a new copy recently. What I really liked about this book compared to some crossover stories is that it exists side-by-side with the original without disrupting that narrative too greatly. The majority of Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula happens outside of the events of Dracula, with Holmes and Watson occasionally drifting into the other books narrative.

The book nicely sidesteps the issues that arise from these brief interaction between characters such as Holmes and Van Helsing quite cleverly before the story even begins. In the preface to the book John Watson feels the need to 'set the record straight' by explaining why he and Holmes don't appear in the pages of Dracula. He claims that this was done by Van Helsing, who requested the removal of Holmes and Watson from the narrative to try and make Van Helsing look better. Watson basically accuses Stoker and Van Helsing of changing the facts of the story to make Van Helsing more of a hero, and to discredit any claims Holmes and Watson might have to the story. Not only does this introduction clear the way for the book to make some small changes to the narrative of Dracula, but also adds a level of humour to proceeding by floating the notion that Bram Stoker was being something of a dick towards them.

The story itself centres around the mystery of the Demeter, a ship that arrives in Whitby. With the crew on board missing except for the captain, who was found tied to the wheel and drained of blood, authorities call in Sherlock Holmes to investigate the mystery. What at first appears to be a strange, but very rational, case soon becomes a fight against the supernatural, as Holmes and Watson come up against a young woman transformed into a vampire, and the deadly Count Dracula himself.

The book presents Holmes' investigation as separate to the events of Dracula, and as such we get to see a version of the Count who is not just battling Van Helsing, but also trying to keep Holmes out of his business on a second front. Whilst this means that Holmes isn't having to face the full force of the vampire, it does make the suggestion that perhaps the reason why Van Helsing was able to finally defeat the monster was because Holmes has been working against Dracula in the background.

There are a lot of stories about Sherlock Holmes, probably more than even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself wrote about him. Not all of them are good, and some of them can go a bit strange when they pit the detective against otherworldly and supernatural forces. But this tale works incredibly well. It might be due to how well Loren D. Estleman crafts their tale, or it could be the fact that it interacts with preexisting events of another novel. Rather than crafting a whole new narrative that would cast aside everything in the original Dracula and face criticism for changing a lot of things, this book works as a companion piece, an add-on to the classic. That makes it feel somehow elevated and secure, because it feels more likely to be real.

I know that comment might seem like nonsense, as both Sherlock Holmes and Dracula are both completely fictional and neither narrative is real, but something about this story feels more grounded than some Sherlock Holmes fiction. Maybe its because Dracula is such a part of popular fiction that it is easier to accept a story like this, but then it could just be me geeking out about the two characters coming together. Either way, this book works when it probably shouldn't.

Sherlock Holmes Vs. Dracula is a great piece of fiction, drawing together two of the biggest names in fiction to battle it out. The story doesn't tread too much on the toes of the original narrative, and presents a version of events that fans of either franchise will be sure to enjoy. The worlds greatest detective taking on the greatest vampire in a truly brilliant story.

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Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Ricky Gervais Returns To Host Golden Globes Despite Rampant Transphobia

Comedian Ricky Gervais has been announced to be the host for the upcoming Golden Globes awards, his fifth time hosting the event, despite a history of transphobia.

Gervais previously hosted the event in 2015, where he made remarks about Caitlyn Jenner's transition, deadnaming her in the process. 'I'm going to be nice tonight. I've changed - not as much as [Caitlyn Jenner's deadname]. What a year she's had!' He later defended his choice of a crass and demeaning joke as 'playing with the notions of stereotypes'.

He would go on to make more transphobic comments about Jenner in a stand-up special. During the special he referred to her as an 'it', and misgendered her several times. 'It won a medal. It was on the telly all the time. A big famous man. With huge... I don't know. I would never deadname her, but when she was a man... I'd never deadname her now, but this is like a flashback.'

'She’s always identified as a woman,” he said. “That means she’s a woman. Fine, if that’s the rules. If you feel you’re a woman, you are. I’m not a bigot who thinks having all that done is science going too far.' He added. 'In fact, I don’t think it’s going far enough. ’Cause I’ve always identified as a chimp, right? Well, I am a chimp. If I say I’m a chimp, I am a chimp pre-op. But don’t ever deadname me. Don’t call me Ricky Gervais again. From now on, you call me Bob.'

This was far from the last time that Gervais engaged in transphobic 'humour', as he has continued to make multiple transphobic comments on his social media platforms.

He has also made 'jokes' where he identifies as other animals and objects, such as a 'two-spirit penguin'. He has also said that his pronoun is 'it'.

Just a few weeks ago he received criticism for announcing that he was planning to dress as a trans woman for Halloween. 'I was going to dress up as something weird and creepy for my Halloween party, but I'm bucking the trend this year and I'm going as brave female activist Jessica Yaniv.' He said. 'This also means that I don't have to wax my big hairy balls.'

He has also once claimed to identify as black when he was called out by a woman of colour for racist and privileged comments that he made.

Some people have also pointed out that his being asked to host the awards following his history of attacking minorities is a stark contrast to Kevin Hart, who was removed from hosting the Oscars following previous tweets coming to light in which he made homophobic jokes. Perhaps it's because Hart's targets were gay cis people rather than trans people that made them unacceptable whilst Gervais gets a free pass; or it could be because only one of them is white.

Gervais has also been seen on video laughing at comedian Louis CK using the N word. He has also publicly making jokes about AIDS. Both of these moments received heavy criticism.

Ricky Gervais constantly punches downwards with his 'humour', attacking and mocking minorities to help to increase his own feelings of smug self worth. He has laughed at people who have criticised him and his jokes, yet will appear on social media engaging in harassment of people who disagree with him in a petulant attempt to come off as the winner. He makes comments saying that the only people who complain about him are 'PC' and have 'pronouns in their bios'. This is the person that will be representing the Golden Globes. Disgusting.

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Tory Stripped From Role For Anti-LGBTQ+ Sentiment

Wiltshire Tory councillor Mary Douglas has been stripped from her front-bench role following a statement she made insulting the LGBTQ+ community.

Ms. Douglas refused to give a £1,000 grant that was earmarked for 2020's Salisbury Pride event. When the group organising the event requested the grant she would not issue it to them. It was reported that during a meeting of the Salisbury St Francis and Stafford council on Monday 11th November she made comments that disparaged the community.

'I cannot support this,' she said during the meeting. 'I am not saying I do not accept, or respect, or love people who identify as LGBTQ+, because of course I do. I support completely their right to make choices, however I do not support those choices themselves, nor the ideology and world view they represent.

'These are wonderful people, well-meaning and sincere, but misguided by a powerful ideology. I do not want to be part of promoting this, and I want to be clear this is not just my view, I represent a large number of people, some of who are afraid to say anything.'

Despite her comments she was outvoted during the meeting, and the funds were awarded to the Pride organisers.

Council leader Philip Whitehead told the press that following Ms. Douglas' comments he had 'taken the decision to remove councillor Mary Douglas as portfolio holder for social mobility and skills. I would like to thank her for her work during her time as portfolio holder. She will step down from the role with immediate effect but remains a Wiltshire Council councillor.'

Salisbury deputy mayor, and one of the organisers of Salisbury Pride, Caroline Crobin described Ms. Douglas as 'an embarassment to the public office who is no longer fit for that role'. After it was announced that Douglas lost her position as portfolio holder Ms Corbin said 'You can't represent people that way, so it's right the council has taken the action it has.'

Wiltshire Council has said that it has not received further complaints following the incident. Salisbury Pride is scheduled to take place on June 13th, 2020.

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Marvel Action: Avengers #8 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

We finally discover what the Fear Eaters are after months of build-up, but just what is it that they’re after, and why are they manipulating Black Panther?

It seems like every issue up till now has been building towards the reveals that we get here. AIM and the U-Foes, Count Nefaria and the Ruby Egress, they’ve all been part of the bad guys’ plans to prepare for the coming invasion of the Fear Eaters; and now the Avengers finally know about the bigger threat to the Earth.

The issue picks up where the previous one left off, with Captain America face to face with one of the mysterious aliens, and Black Panther apparently fallen victim to their mental manipulation, seeing his deceased father. The U-Foes and Madam Masque walk into this situation, and as per comic book rules they end up fighting the heroes despite being there to help them.

Once the misunderstanding has been sorted out and the fight comes to a close the U-Foes are able to fill in the Avengers, and the readers, about the origins of the Fear Eaters, and their apparent only weakness, Vibranium. The revelation comes as a surprise, as despite the fact that Captain America was able to beat a Fear Eater in combat it’s not obvious that this was because of what his shield was made from; and it explains why the creatures have targeted Black Panther.

It’s still not clear why they’ve made T’Challa their focus. Surely taking him out of the equation would be a better way of preventing him from equipping the Avengers with Vibranium? This does make me think that perhaps there’s more going on than is at first clear, and that perhaps T’Challa isn’t being manipulated by the Fear Eaters. The fact that the issue ends with T’Challa appearing to make some kind of Iron-Man/Black Panther armour makes me think that he might be preparing for the oncoming invasion rather than being used by the aliens. Whatever is happening, it’s sure to cause some twists and turns in the next issue.

The information we’re given in this issue helps to clear up what’s been going on since the title’s launch, and certainly raises the stakes somewhat without giving away too much of what is to come. So far the series has wrapped up each chapter of the story within three issues, and whilst this story might come to a close next issue it could conceivably go on for longer. Whatever path Matthew K. Manning chooses to take the story, I’m sure it’s going to be good.

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Tuesday, 12 November 2019

Marvel Action: Black Panther #5 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Okay, Vita Ayala might have done one of the best things I can think of for this title, giving Shuri fairy wings. But before I start gushing over how much I enjoyed that, let’s talk quickly about the plot of the issue.

The story begins with Black Panther taking down a gang of bad guys lead by Batroc the Leaper, which results in one of his aides getting hurt and needing medical attention. Rather than electing to use Shuri’s tech to heal himself he chooses to use the expertise of one of the local medicine women. Shuri, being the science nerd that she is, thinks that there’s no place in the modern world of medicine for ancient remedies and insults the healer. When Shuri starts to become the victim of a number of accidents and mishaps she becomes convinced that she has been cursed by the healer, and sets out to find a way to break the spell.

I really enjoyed the focus on Shuri in this issue, and the framing of traditional healing techniques and medicine versus modern science. The story doesn’t so much as pit the two against each other with one clear winner coming out on top, but makes the point that just because something is considered old or outdated doesn’t mean that there isn’t merit to it, or that those with age shouldn’t be listened to. It’s a lesson that Shuri seems to need to be taught, having become so focused on science and technology.

The best thing about the story, however, is the way that her journey to lift her perceived curse feels like something from a Saturday morning cartoon or Disney movie. There’s a princess with fairy wings, albeit products of science, going through jungles and caves searching for rare ingredients, running from traps and scary animals, and picking up a warthog sidekick up along the way.

The art by Ariana Florean really adds to this feeling. Florean takes on a less realistic approach and feels a lot more cartoonish in their work. Characters are bold and look different from each other, with unique body shapes or exaggerated features. Animals have almost human expressions, and feel more alive and full of energy. The whole thing seems to take on a more magical and comical life thanks to this artwork, and really helps the issue feel like a lot of fun.

Whilst this is a stand alone type of story it feels a lot more entertaining than the initial three part story that kicked off the title. The focus on character, along with the lighter tone and fun artwork, means that it doesn’t start to feel drab or dull in any places, and I’d have been happy to have seen this story go on for more than just the single issue.

I was excited to see what Vita Ayala would be bringing to the title, and so far it’s been a great improvement on all factors. I really hope that the title can keep this level of energy and freshness going forward.

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