TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews: June 2023

Friday, June 30, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Dial of Destiny" is a Wonderful Final Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 of 2023 (No. 1918) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (1989)

Running time: 154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking

DIRECTOR: James Mangold

WRITERS: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp & James Mangold (based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman)

PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Phedon Papamichael (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker, and Dick Westervelt

COMPOSER: John Williams

ADVENTURE/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonino Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, Nasser Memarzia, Karen Allen, and John Rhys-Davies,

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a 2023 action-adventure film directed by James Mangold. It is the fifth entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dial of Destiny finds Indiana Jones racing to retrieve a legendary artifact from a Nazi who wants change the course of history.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in 1944, deep inside Europe during the Allied liberation of World War II. Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) and his colleague and fellow archaeologist, Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), are both captured by Nazis while attempting to retrieve “the Lance of Longinus.” This relic is also known as the “Spear of Destiny,” the lance that is alleged to have pierced the side of Jesus Christ. Adolf Hitler believes it can save him and his dying Third Reich.

However, Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) believes that he has found part of the relic that can save the Nazis, the “Antikythera”or “Archimedes's Dial,” a device created by the ancient Greek mathematician, Archimedes, Voller believes that if he can make the device whole it is capable of locating fissures in time. As usual, Indiana Jones foils the Nazis.

A quarter-century later, in August 1969, Jones is retiring from his position as a professor and instructor at Hunter College. He is approached by Helena “Wombat” Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Jones' goddaughter and Basil Shaw's daughter. She has come looking for the Dial, but she isn't the only one. A Nazi ghost from Indiana Jones' past also wants to retrieve the Dial and to find its missing half. Can Indiana Jones, now an old man, find the will for one more adventure to save the world from Nazi machinations? Can he really trust his own goddaughter's motivations?

In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I recently watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in its entirety for the first time in over two decades. I have seen the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, countless times, and I re-watched its follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), in November of last year (2022). I have watched the fourth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), many times since its release.

I am happy to report that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the best Indiana Jones since Temple of Doom. It is a bit long and drags in the middle, but when it is time to deliver the old-fashioned Indiana Jones thrills, this film brings it with renewed freshness. The two street chases, one in New York and one in Tangier, Morocco, kept me on the edge of my seat. Indiana Jones on a horse tearing through the streets and subways of NYC is every bit as good as it could be.

Dial of Destiny is also blessed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw. The script presents a very well conceived and executed character, and Bridge turns her into a character that can match Indiana Jones step for step. Hers is not the only high-quality supporting character, but this film could not work without Waller-Bridge playing Shaw the way she does.

The best Indiana Jones villains are the Nazis, and Mads Mikkelsen as Voller and Boyd Holbrook as Klaber, Voller's crazy and homicidal lackey, gives us Nazis worthy of not only being punched, but also of being killed. It's good to see that the Indiana Jones franchise makes Nazis plainly and clearly evil. There isn't any “good people on both sides here” double talk in this movie.

No, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas do not return for Dial of Destiny, being listed in the credits as “executive producers.” James Mangold has replaced Spielberg as director, and he does a much better job with this film than I expected. Lucas has co-written the story for the previous films doesn't for this one, but the spirit of adventure and mystery he first imagined decades ago is strong in Dial of Destiny.

I understand that some viewers may be put off by the age of Dial of Destiny's star and title character. I like that Dial of Destiny does not hesitate to grapple with Indiana Jones' age and about the grief and regret that have become a big part of his life. It is nice to see returning supporting characters, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), although it is a bit off-putting not seeing them so much older. Still, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with its themes of time and tide, of change, of new eras, of aging, of a hero in the sunset of his life, offers a perfect good-bye to a beloved hero. It says that there is still a story to tell, but the story we followed for so long … well, that's over.

7 of 10

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, June 30, 2023

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 25th to 30th, 2023 - Update #15

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

AMAZON - From Deadline: Tyler Perry has announced the second film of the four-picture deal he signed with Amazon back in November 2022. Perry will write, produce, and direct "Divorce in the Black." Among its stars are Meagon Goode, Debbie Morgan, and Perry himself, to name a few.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From Deadline: Marvel Studios' star, Anthony Mackie (Falcon, Captain America) speaks out in support of his fellow Marvel star, Jonathan Majors (Kang the Conqueror), who has recently faced multiple accusations of violence against women.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix has signed a five-year deal with Japanese screenwriter Yuki Sakamoto. He won the screenplay award at this year's Cannes Film Festival for the film, "Monster."

DISNEY - From THR: Evan Peters, hot off "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," will reportedly play the villain next to Jared Leto's hero in "Tron 3." Joachim Ronning is scheduled to direct the film that hopes to begin filming in August.

DC STUDIOS - From Variety: Actor David Corenswet will play Superman/Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane in 2025's "Superman: Legacy."

TELEVISION - From Deadline: MSNBC has renewed John Leguizamo's travelogue-style show, "Leguizamo Does America," for a second season.

ACADEMY AWARDS - From THR: Actress Angela Bassett, writer-director-actor-songwriter Mel Brooks and film editor Carol Littleton have been tapped to receive honorary Oscars, while former Sundance Institute chief Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday, June 26th. The 14th annual honors will be presented at a ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Nov. 18th.

MUSIC - From Variety: The winners at the 2023 BET Awards were announced. There was a tie for "Album of the Year," Beyonce for "Renaissance" and SZA for "SOS."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 6/23 to 6/25/2023 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" with an estimated take of 19.3 million dollars.

From Variety: "The Flash" experiences a 73 percent drop from its debut weekend (when it was #1) to its second weekend (where it finished at #3).

From Here: A movie review of "The Flash" by Leroy Douresseaux.

STREAMING - From Deadline: Paramount+ has canceled a slew of its originals, including "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies," "Star Trek: Prodigy," "Queen of the Universe," and "The Game." The streamer is taking the shows off its platform as it becomes the latest media company to take a content write-down. Some will be shopped to rival broadcasters and streamers.

OBITS:

From Variety: Film director and actor, Alan Arkin, has died at the age of 89, Thursday, June 29, 2023. Arkin won the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in the "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006). His prolific career includes roles in such films at "Catch-22," "The In-Laws," "The Rocketeer," "Glengarry Glen Ross," and "Argo," to name a few.

From Deadline: The English film and television actor, Julian Sands, has been confirmed dead, at the age of 65. Sands had been missing since mid-January when he was believed to be hiking on Mount Baldy, northeast of Los Angeles. Hikers found human remains on Mount Baldy on June 24th, and they were confirmed as Sands Tues., June 27th, 2023. His varied film career included roles in such films as "A Room with a View" (1985), "Gothic" (1986), "Warlock" (1989), "Boxing Helena" (1993), and "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), to name a few.

From Deadline: Television, film, and state actor, Nicolas Coster, has died at the age of 89, Monday, June 26, 2023. Among his best known works are his roles on the former NBC daytime soaps, "Another World" (1970-80) and "Santa Barbara" (1984-93). He appeared in numerous other TV series, including "Star Trek: The Next Generations," "Law & Order," and "As the World Turns," to name a few. He won a Daytime Emmy Awards in 2017 and was nominated four other times for his work on "Santa Barbara."

WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline: Writers Strike puts the spotlight back on the challenge from writers for animation productions to be covered by the WGA.

From THR: Studios won't give writers better pay, and now, are laying off janitors.

From Deadline: The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has reached a tentative new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So what does the Writers Guild (WGA), currently on strike and negotiating with the AMPTP, think of that deal.

From Deadline: Netflix shareholders declined to support the 2023 pay packages of top executives during a non-binding vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. The vote won't prevent these execs from getting their loot (an total of $166 million), but this is a rare public rebuke. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has urged shareholders to vote "No" because the pay was "inappropriate" at this time.

From Deadline: Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline: President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline: Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline: Retaliation! Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike. Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline: Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline: The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline: What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline: The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

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Thursday, June 29, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is a Nice Coda

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 27 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg

WRITERS: David Koepp; from a story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson

PRODUCER: Frank Marshall

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Janusz Kaminski (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

COMPOSER: John Williams

ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf

There is that old saying, “you can’t go home again,” but you can. It is simply that the present does not have the cherished golden glow of cherished memories of an idealized past. With that in mind, in 2008, we saw the return of Indiana Jones to the big screen for the first time in 19 years.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an action-adventure film from director Steven Spielberg. It is the fourth entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Kingdom of the Crystal Skull finds Indiana Jones fighting a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the “Crystal Skulls.”

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull begins in the desert Southwest in 1957 at the height of the Cold War. There, Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) and his sidekick, George “Mac” McHale (Ray Winstone), encounter the icy cold Soviet beauty, Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), and her elite military unit on a remote airfield. The Soviets want something from Indy, but in the end, he barely escapes the nefarious Soviets.

Afterwards, Indy returns to Marshall College, where he is known as “Professor Jones,” and finds that things have gone from bad to worse. The government is suspicious of Indy’s recent activities and forced Jones’ close friend and dean of the college, Dean Charles Stanforth (Jim Broadbent), to fire him. On his way out of town, Indy meets the rebellious young biker, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), who asks Indy for his help in a deeply personal mission. If he helps Mutt, Indy could very well make one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in history – the Crystal Skull of Akator, a legendary object of fascination and superstition.

As Indy and Mutt comb the most remote corners of Peru, Spalko and the Soviet agents are also hot on the trail of the Crystal Skull, which they believe can help the Soviets dominate the world, if they can unlock its secrets. Peru, however, is not only the home of the Crystal Skull, it is also the place where Indiana Jones makes a surprise reunion and learns an even more shocking secret, as he and his friends desperately battle to protect the powerful Crystal Skull.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull lacks the old school, B-movie serial charm of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark. It doesn’t have the gleefully and deliberately gruesome spirit of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), nor the comic charm of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

What Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does have is entertainment value by the truckload. This pleasing popcorn movie has a mix of action, adventure, and nostalgia that turns it into the perfect summer romp for an afternoon at the movie theater.

Why keep pretending!? Karen Allen, as the original Indiana Jones heroine, Marion Ravenwood, is back, and that makes this somewhat inferior Indiana Jones sequel even more enjoyable. Throw in another secret, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a must-see for Indy fans. Obviously many fans had questions and concerns coming into this new film. Chief among them would be the use of CGI. Between the time that The Last Crusade appeared and now, CGI has, for the most part, replaced practical and physical special effects in mainstream Hollywood films.

No, the use of CGI (which the filmmakers claimed was only used on 30% of the film) to create lush jungles, impossible fight scenes (like the sword duel between Mutt and Irina, most of it on top of moving vehicles), and exotic locales doesn’t ruin Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, although this flick lacks the grit and tough guy spirit of the other films. But let’s face it; Harrison Ford is no longer a spring chicken, so this film needs CGI slickness to give the action a manic video game feel to it. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a modern action movie, and all the quiet, dramatic moments are used to merely prepare us for the next death-defying chase, whereas they existed for themselves in the early films. Still, the modern touches work.

Set in 1957, the film drops many 1950’s cultural and pop culture tropes: Elvin Presley, B-movie sci-fi, aliens, Communism, bikers, etc. The fear of being turned into the other or being forced into a like or hive mind is prevalent, as is Steven Spielberg’s familiar motif that knowledge only robs reality of its sense of wonder (OK…). However, the age of their star Harrison Ford required the driving force behind Indiana Jones, Spielberg and George Lucas, to accept that it’s sometimes okay to grow up.

That’s why Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is ultimately less a sequel than it is a coda or epilogue to Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, which is likely the reason that Karen Allen/Marion Ravenwood, the most beloved woman in Indy’s life, is back. It’s time to grow up and movie on, and what a silly and fun send off this is. Flaws and all, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a good old American summer movie blockbuster. As the credits rolled on the film’s happy finale, I realized that Indy and I were going our separate ways, but with wonderful memories as parting gifts.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

NOTES:

2009 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Special Visual Effects” (Pablo Helman, Marshall Richard Krasserm and Steve Rawlins)

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Edited: Saturday, November 5, 2022

You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.

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Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Last Crusade" Stills Feels Like a True Ending

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 28 of 2023 (No. 1917) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg

WRITERS: Jeffrey Boam; from a story by George Lucas and Menno Meyjes (based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman)

PRODUCER: Robert Watts

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Douglas Slocombe (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

COMPOSER: John Williams

Academy Award winner

ADVENTURE/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Denholm Elliot, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, River Phoenix, Michael Byrne, Kevork Malikyan, Robert Eddison, Richard Young, and Michael Sheard

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 action-adventure film from director Steven Spielberg. It is the third entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The Last Crusade finds Indiana Jones searching for his father, who along with the Nazis, are search for the Holy Grail.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade opens in Utah, 1912. It is there that teenage Henry Jones, Jr. (River Phoenix) has his first experiences with raiders of an archaeological site.

Over a quarter-century later, in 1938, Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) recovers the treasure he lost as a teenager. Jones returns to teaching (apparently at Barnett College in Fairfield, New York) when one of the college's wealthy patrons approaches him about a special mission. Walter Donovan (Julian Glover) wants Jones to help him locate the Holy Grail.

Jones informs him that his father, Professor Henry Jones, Sr. (Sean Connery), is the expert on the Holy Grail and the one whom Donovan should seek. Donovan shocks Jones by informing him that he had hired his father to find the Grail, but the senior Jones has disappeared. Jones and his colleague, Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot), race to Venice, his father's last known location. Waiting for them is Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), who was working with the elder Jones in Venice as he sought to find more clues about the Grail's location.

Before long, Indiana Jones and Henry Jones Sr. are racing for their lives, staying one step ahead of the Nazis, who also want the Grail, and the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, who want to protect it. Reunited with his old friend, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), the Jones boys get closer to the Holy Grail, but the secret of the Grail is that it offers both eternal life and total destruction.

In preparation for the upcoming fifth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I decided to see the one Indiana Jones film that I have not watched in its entirety since the 1990s, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I have seen the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, countless times, and I rewatched its follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), in November of last year (2022). I have watched the fourth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), many times since its release.

I have long considered Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade the true end of the Indiana Jones film series because it was the third film in the original trilogy and because it felt like the end of something. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull felt like a “coda,” in the sense that it was both an addition to the three-film series that ran from 1981 to 1989 and a final piece added to the ending of The Last Crusade's tale of family and friends out for one last adventure.

Seeing The Last Crusade in its entirety for the first time in decades, I still feel like I'm watching the end of trilogy. If there was going to be another film after it, that ceased to be when River Phoenix, the actor who played teen Henry Jones, Jr. in this film, died in 1993 at the age of 23. Actor Denholm Elliot, who played Marcus Brody in the original film and in The Last Crusade, died at the age of 70, a year earlier in 1992. Henry Jones Sr., actor Sean Connery, only recently died (2020) at the age of 90. So, you see, dear readers, because of the passing of a number of cast members, more and more, I associate Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with endings.

The Last Crusade is my least favorite film of the original trilogy. I know that some audiences prefer it to the darker Temple of Doom, and apparently, director Steven Spielberg made The Last Crusade the way he did to offer a lighter film in response to the criticism of the Temple of Doom's violence and exotic mysticism. However, I find Temple of Doom to be wildly inventive, darkly imaginative, and a roller coaster ride. If Raiders of the Lost Ark is an original, in a way, Temple of Doom still seems determined to be something very different from its predecessor.

Honestly, I find The Last Crusade to be only mildly entertaining until the film's last 45 minutes. Then, it explodes and really finds itself with lots of Nazi-punching and killing and also with a spine-tingling jaunt to the Holy Grail. Besides, Indiana Jones is always at his best when he's beating Nazis. Honestly, I think it is important that audiences who have not seen the original films watch them all before moving on to the new film. By the time they get to the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, many newbies may finally understand what Indiana Jones meant to American cinema once upon a time, and why, over four decades after the release of the first film, there is a new one.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.

NOTES:

1990 Academy Awards, USA: 1 win: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns); 2 nominations: “Best Sound” (Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Shawn Murphy, and Tony Dawe), and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)

1990 BAFTA Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Sean Connery), “Best Sound” (Richard Hymns, Tony Dawe, Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, and Shawn Murphy), and “Best Special Effects” (George Gibbs, Michael J. McAlister, Mark Sullivan, and John Ellis)

1990 Golden Globes, USA: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Sean Connery)

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Comics Review: "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #122" - Monsters and Ghosts Can't Stop the Music

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #122

DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch

PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Robert Pope

INKS: Randy Elliot; Scott McRae

COLORS: Sylvana Brys; Jason Lewis

LETTERS: Saida Temofonte

EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Alex Antone (reprint)

COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Sylvana Brys

32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2023)

Ages 8+

“The Key of Eeek”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010. I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #122 opens with “The Key of Eeek,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Randy Elliot. The story finds Mystery Inc.: Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma attending the “Coolsville Concerto in C Minor?”

Why, you ask? This piano recital is being performed by the top students at a local piano school, and Daphne is one of those top students. However, the mythological being, “Pan,” has decided to crash the recital. Can Mystery Inc. solve this mystery before the entire recital is canceled?

As usual, the second story, “Monsters of Rock,” is a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McRae. [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #33 (cover date: July 2013).] The story finds Mystery Inc. attending a concert by the glam-rock band, “Smooch” (a substitute for the real-life band, “Kiss”).

However, everyone's good time is ruined when the ghost of “Johnny B. Badd” crashes the concert. So why is the spirit of a classic singer from the early day of rock 'n' roll haunting Smooch? Hopefully, Mystery Inc. can solve this mystery before the haunting ruins Smooch's tour.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #122 features the theme of “haunted public musical performances.” It offers a new story, “The Key of Eeek,” that presents another side of one of the character, Daphne. Over the last three decades, various Scooby-Doo films and television series have expanded on the character of Daphne, making her smarter, more intelligent, and more well-founded than the early TV series did. So, while this story isn't great, I like what it presents. Besides, it is drawn by Randy Elliot, one of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book artists.

Two years after “Monsters of Rock” was first published (2013), the members of the classic line-up of the band, Kiss, were the costars of the direct-to-DVD animated film, Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery (2015). Kiss also appeared in the Season Two episode of “What's New, Scooby-Doo?” (“A Scooby-Doo Halloween” – October 24, 2003, Episode #6). In “Monsters of Rock,” Smooch pales in comparison to the real Kiss, but the fictional band is a nice substitute.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #122 is a fun read. So grab your “Scooby Snacks” and read it, and maybe watch a Scooby-Doo movie, later. And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B-

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the DC Comics original graphic novel, “Superman of Smallville” by Art Baltazar and Franco.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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Monday, June 26, 2023

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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for June 27, 2023

DC COMICS:

Absolute Batman Three Jokers HC, $100.00

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Flash Volume 18 The Search For Barry Allen TP (Rebirth), $24.99

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Comics Review: "BATTLE CHASERS #10" - Return of the Kings

BATTLE CHASERS #10

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Joe Madureira

ART: Ludo Lullabi

COLORS: Ludo Lullabi

LETTERS: Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Tyler Smith

COVER: Ludo Lullabi

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joe Madureira with Billy Garretsen; J. Scott Campbell with Tanya Lehoux; Humberto Ramos; Chris Bachalo with Jaime Mendoza; Mirka Andolfo; Skottie Young

MISC. ART: Joe Madureira and Aron Lusen; Ludo Lullabi; Joe Madureira with Grace Liu

36pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (June 2023)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Battle Chasers created by Joe Madureira

Battle Chasers, the fantasy comic book series created by artist Joe Madureira, original ran from 1998 to 2001. Now, the series returns via Image Comics. The series is currently written by Madureira; drawn and colored by Ludo Lullabi; and lettered by Tyler Smith.

Battle Chasers focuses on Gully, a ten-year-old girl who possesses a pair of magical gauntlets left behind by her father, the great warrior, Aramus, who disappeared. She is aided in her quest to find her father by three new friends. They are Garrison, a legendary swordsman who possesses a powerful magical sword; Knolan, a powerful 500-year-old wizard; and his companion, Calibretto, a towering “Wargolem,” who is the last of his kind. Also aboard is Red Monika, a voluptuous outlaw who is the target of King Vaneer of the Unified Territories.

Battle Chasers #10 opens in Sirene Valley at the home of Garrison. Red Monika has come seeking shelter because she is a fugitive. Her pursuers are Maestro and his Master Paladins, but these are not the Paladins of old. These are criminal and killers with supernatural powers. Now, only her old friend slash foe slash frienemy, Garrison can save her. But is even the great warrior enough to face off against impossible powers?

Meanwhile, back in Capital City, specifically in its military prison, Gully confronts Sebastias Nefar, the man who claims to be her father Aramus' son from an earlier relationship. This only leads to more and uglier confrontations.

THE LOWDOWN: I have previously written that I was a huge fan of Joe Madureira a.k.a. “Joe Mad” in the 1990s. I used to call him “the young master” because of his talent and abilities and because his art seemed to explode every few months into something even better and more beautiful. I even collected multiple pages of Joe Mad's original art.

I was also a huge fan of Battle Chasers, and I never forgot about it even after it disappeared in 2001. So much time passed that I was not sure if I would bother with the series if and when it returned. In the end, however, I thought, why not?

I'm glad I did. Battle Chasers #10 may be the best issue of the series yet. It is certainly the best written. This issue is the first time in which the script writing has grappled with the inner workings of the characters, especially Garrison, Monika, and Maestro, and how they act and work. It's as if Madureira spent some time considering how he should present character motivation in depth in this series. Knowing at least some of their fears and some of what they want, the actions of the characters seem authentic. The result is that this issue's Garrison/Red Monika versus Maestro and the Martial Paladins confrontation feels like something genuine instead of seeming like an excuse to draw cool actions scenes. And speaking of art...

Ludo Lullabi is the perfect artist to follow Joe Madureira's original and masterful run, not because Lullabi mimics Joe's style, which quite a few artists did in the 1990s (and some still do, now). The reason is that Lullabi is also a good storyteller. I can feel the tension in two primary conflicts in Battle Chasers #10 – the opening chase and also Gully's “family reunion.” I do like Lullabi's style, which looks like a mix of anime and the design aesthetic of a few Ralph Bakshi films.

So I'm glad that Battle Chasers is back. I hope readers of the series' first iteration are happy enough to make it a hit. Most importantly, I hope new readers discover it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of artist Joe Madureira and of his former comic book series, Battle Chasers, will want to read the revived Battle Chasers.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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