Comics Review: "KING SPAWN #6" - Now with Even More Evil People

KING SPAWN #6
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Sean Lewis with Todd McFarlane (additional dialogue)

PENCILS: Javi Fernandez

COLORS: FCO Plascencia with Ulises Arreola

LETTERS: Andworld Design

EDITOR: Thomas Healy

COVER:  Jonathan Glapion

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Javi Fernandez

28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2022)

Rated: “T/ Teen”

Spawn created by Todd McFarlane

Spawn is a superhero/antihero character that stars in the long-running comic book series, Spawn.  Created by writer-artist Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1 (cover dated: May 1992).

Spawn was Albert Francis “Al” Simmons.  A career military man who becomes a highly capable assassin and dies a violent death.  He makes a deal with the devil, Malebolgia, in order to return to the living realm to see his wife one last time.  However, Al returns with almost no memories accept that his name is Al Simmons, and he learns that he is now a “Hellspawn” in service of Malebolgia.  Rebelling, Al Simmons, now “Spawn,” finds a new purpose in stopping evil.

A year ago, (February 2021), Todd McFarlane announced his plans to build a larger, multi-character, interconnected, comic book universe based around his Spawn comic book – a “Spawn Universe.”  McFarlane also announced four new comic book titles coming out in 2021, with three of them continuing as regular monthly titles.

One of them is King Spawn.  This series is written by Sean Lewis; drawn by Javi Fernandez; colored by FCO Plascencia; lettered by Andworld Design.  King Spawn finds Spawn battling the members of a dark conspiracy that wants to force him to accept his crown.

King Spawn #6 opens after the shocking revelation that the “Disruptor” is Jason Wynn, the late director of the U.S. Security Group … and Al Simmons' former boss … who betrayed him.  Wynn wants Spawn to open the “Dead Zones” and to embrace his destiny as “King Spawn.”

Spawn simply wants to remember the wrongs everyone has done to him … all of them.  Meanwhile, another secretive organization prepares for Spawn's fate.

THE LOWDOWN:  King Spawn continues to be the best Spawn spin-off comic book to date.  It is so fun to read; nothing against other comic books in the Spawn line, but King Spawn is … king.

Writer Sean Lewis' poison pen/keyboard offers mean-spirited, angry, violent, crazy, demented and sometimes inappropriate scenes, plots, and subplots.  And that's all I ever wanted.  Lewis is proving to be a true spawn of Hell, a writer determined to activate every bit of dark potential in Spawn.

Javi Fernandez's art and storytelling recalls the early glory days of Todd McFarlane's Spawn art.  Sure some of this art will get him banned in Texas school and public libraries.  Some of it may even cause him to end up in Hell, side by side with Billy Kincaid.  In the meantime, however, Javi is giving Hell-spawned readers their hellish delights.

Tonight, a vampire might be floating outside your house, scratching on your window.  It will be holding a copy of King Spawn #6 just for you.  Seriously, this is a fantastic comic book, and it always, always leaves me wanting more.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Spawn will want to read King Spawn.

[This comic book includes “Spawning Ground” Presents “The Breakdown,” which is an interview of King Spawn writer, Sean Lewis.]

A

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


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Review: "SLAP SHOT" is Still Top Shelf

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 of 2022 (No. 1816) by Leroy Douresseaux

Slap Shot (1977)
Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR:  George Roy Hill
WRITER:  Nancy Dowd
PRODUCERS:  Stephen Friedman and Robert J. Wunsch
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Vic Kemper
EDITOR:  Dede Allen

SPORTS/DRAMA/COMEDY

Starring:  Paul Newman, Strother Martin, Michael Ontkean, Jennifer Warren, Lindsay Crouse, Jerry Houser, Andrew Duncan, Jeff Carlson, Steve Carslon, David Hanson, Yvon Barrette, Allan F. Nichols, Brad Sullivan, Stephen Mendillo, Yvan Ponton, Matthew Cowles, and Kathryn Walker

Slap Shot is a 1977 sports comedy-drama film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman.  The film focuses on a hockey coach and his minor league ice hockey team that finds success when they turn to violence in order to gain popularity in their hometown.

Slap Shot opens in the (fictional) New England small town of Charlestown.  The town's main business, the local mill, is about to lay off 10,000 workers.  That threatens the existence of the town's minor league hockey team, the Charlestown Chiefs, which is struggling with a losing season.  The hometown crowd is increasingly hostile, and the team's general manager, Joe McGrath (Strother Martin), is looking for another job, that is when he isn't trying to sell off team equipment.

After discovering that the team's ownership is going to fold the team, player-coach Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) concocts a plan to save the team and his job.  He tells his players that the team is going to be sold to a buyer in Florida, but in order to make the team attractive, they have to win and draw larger crowds.  Reggie encourages the recently acquired Hanson Brothers:  Steve (Steve Carlson), Jack (David Hanson), and Jeff (Jeff Carlson) to engage in the violent play they enjoy so much.  The brothers' aggressive violence and thuggish style of play excites the fans, so Reggie retools the team, encouraging his players to act like “goons.”  Soon, the team is actually winning games, and the victories and violence draw big crowds at home and on the road.  But how long can Reggie keep hiding the truth?

I had been putting off seeing Slap Shot for years, but recently, I got to see part of it on one of those retro Cinemax/Flix cable channels.  I couldn't believe how much I liked what I saw, so I decided to watch the entire movie.  Thanks to DVD.com (Netflix), I was able to do so.

It was worth it.  I'm not a big fan of sports movies, and I am quite particular about the ones I watch.  I thoroughly enjoyed Slap Shot, in large part because I am a fan of the late actor, Paul Newman (1925-2008).  Slap Shot is an odd movie, but in many ways it is a Paul Newman movie.

Yes, the elements of Slap Shot that involve minor league hockey:  struggling clubs, small town hockey fans, inconsiderate management and uncaring ownership, and professional hockey players on the less glamorous side of a professional career feel genuine.  There are times while watching this movie that I could believe that the Charlestown Chiefs were a real down-and-out minor league hockey team.  The small town setting seems authentic.  The supporting characters are quite interesting, and not just the now-legendary, delightful, and lovable Hanson Brothers.  Players like the wide-eyed Dave “Killer” Carlson (Jerry Houser) and the lascivious Morris "Mo" Wanchuk (Brad Sullivan) add color, spice, and edgy humor to Slap Shot.

However, Slap Shot is a Paul Newman movie.  The movie strikes a wonderfully odd tone, in large part because of the shifting tones of Newman's deft comic performance.  Reggie Dunlop is essentially having a midlife crisis, as he is about to lose the one and only thing he has in life – playing hockey.  It is certainly the thing he loves the most, and he clearly would not give it up in order to hold onto his wife, Francine Dunlop (Jennifer Warren).  Newman deftly navigates the shifting tones of Slap Shot – from riotous sports comedy to quirky character comedy-drama.  With a sly grin and roguish charm, Paul Newman's acting talent and star power carry Slap Shot through its inconsistencies and lapses in logic.  And when none of that works, Newman's lovely blue eyes step in to save the day.

Although it apparently was only a moderate box office success upon its first release, Slap Shot is one of those film that has gained new generations of fans through showings on cable television and home entertainment releases like VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray.  I hope it continues to find new fans because there is nothing else like it and because we should never forget Paul Newman.  Slap Shot is both unique and uniquely entertaining … and it has the Hanson Brothers, of course.

8 of 10
A

Friday, February 4, 2022


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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 1st to 5th, 2022 - Update #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

STREAMING - From Variety:  "And Just Like That": Samantha's not coming back and that's the way Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King want it.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Director David Lynch has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg's next film, "The Fabelmans."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   CBS has given a pilot order to a mother-and-son legal drama from Scott Prendergrast and Dr. Phil McGraw (of "The Dr. Phil Show," of course).

TELEVISION - From Deadline: The CW has ordered pilots for a spinoff/prequel of its current hit, "Walker," entitled "Walker: Independence" and a prequel to a former hit, "Supernatural," entitled "The Winchesters." They have also ordered a pilot for a DC Comics universe series, "Gotham Knights."

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Amazon Prime is raising the price of an annual Prime membership from $119 to $139.

NETFLIX - From THR:  Netflix has releases an official trailer for "2022 Movie Preview," which includes looks at "Knives Out 2," "The Day Shift," and "The School of Good and Evil" to name 

MOVIES - From THR:  With the success of the recent fifth installment of "Scream," there will be a sixth film that will go into production this summer.  The creative team behind the recent film will return.

TELEVISON - From Deadline:  Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith will reunite for an episode of Latifah's CBS series, "The Equalizer."  The two have previously co-starred in such films as "Set It Off," and "The Secret Life of Bees," and "Girls Trip."

STAR TREK - From Deadline:  According to sources...  Paramount+ is expanding its "Star Trek" slate.  "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is in development at CBS Studios and Alex Kurtzman’s studio-based Secret Hideout for the ViacomCBS streamer.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Paramount+ is developing a reboot of CBS' long-running series, "Criminal Minds" (2005-2020).

DISNEY - From GeekFeed:  Disney+ will apparently produced a television series based on author Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" books.  20th Century Fox adapted the books into two film, beginning in 2010.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American writer and sports journalist, Robin Herman, has died at the age of 70, Tuesday, February 1, 2022.  Herman became one of the first women to gain access to a National Hockey League (NHL) locker room when she and another female reporter gained access following the 1975 NHL All-Star Game in 1975.  She was also the first female sportswriter in the history of "The New York Times."

From Deadline:  Actor Moses J. Moseley has died at the age of 31.  His body was found Wednesday, January 26, 2022, and police are investigating his death as a possible suicide.  On AMC's "The Walking Dead," he played one of Michonne's pet "walkers" (the dead).  He also appeared in the television series, "Queen of the South" and "Watchmen."

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AWARDS:

From Deadline:  The 2022 BAFTA Film Awards nominations have been announced.  "Dune" leads with 11 nominations.  The winners will be announced March 13th.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 74th annual Directors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced March 12th.

From COFCA:  The Columbus Film Critics Association name "The Power of the Dog" the "Best Film" of 2021.

From Deadline:  Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," was named the "Best Picture" of 2021 at the 13th annual African American Film Critics Association Awards.  The Western tied with "King Richard" for most wins with four.  Will Smith was named "Best Actor" for "King Richard."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2022 / 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.

From Variety:  The snubs and surprises in the nominations for the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

From Variety:   At the 2022 / 79th Golden Globes, "The Power of the Dog" wins "Best Motion Picture-Drama" and "West Side Story" wins "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy."

From Variety:  The National Society of Film Critics names the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the best film of 2021.

From AwardsWatch:  The nominations for the 22nd Annual Black Reel Awards were announced a few weeks ago. Netflix's Black Western, "The Harder They Fall," has a record 20 nominations.  The winners will be announced February 27, 2022.

From AwardsWatch:  The Columbus Film Critics Association announced the nominations for their annual film awards.  Director Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" leads with 12 noms.  The winners will be announced Thurs., Jan. 6th, 2022.

From Deadline:  The Los Angeles Film Critics Association has named the Japanese film, "Drive My Car," the "Best Picture" of 2021.

From Deadline:  The 2022 / 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have announced their nominations. "Zola" leads with six nominations. The winners will be announced Sun., March 6, 2022.

From THR:  The 2022 / 79th Golden Globes Awards nominations have been announced.  "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog" lead with seven nominations each.  Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From GoldDerby:   The 2022 Critics Choice Awards nominations have been announced. "Belfast" and "West Side Story" leads with 11 nominations each. Winners will be announced Jan. 9th, 2022.

From Deadline:   The American Film Institute announced the "2021 AFI Awards" Top 10 list, and the list includes "Dune," "The Tragedy of Macbeth," and "West Side Story."

From THR:  Director Aleem Khan's "After Love" tops the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, winning six awards, including "Best Film of 2021."

From Variety:   The New York Film Critics Circle has named the Japanese drama, "Drive My Car," as the "Best Film of 2021."

From Deadline:  The National Board of Review hands director Paul Thomas Anderson's "Licorice Pizza" it "Best Film" and "Best Director" awards.  Will Smith picks up the "Best Actor" award for "King Richard."

From THR:  Netflix’s "The Lost Daughter," directed by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, dominated the 2021 Gotham Awards in New York on Monday night (Nov. 29th).  The film won in four of the five categories in which it was nominated, including "Best Feature."

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"RUST" ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING DEATH:

From Deadline:  This link will take you to Deadline's Halyna Hutchins page, which articles related to everything about her shooting death on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From THR:   A Republican New Mexico legislator, State Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell, on Monday introduced a bill that would require all film set personnel who handle firearms to complete a safety course offered by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.  This is in the wake a cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, being fatally shot on the set of the Western, "Rust," last year by Alec Baldwin with a weapon he says he thought was not loaded with live ammunition.

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin and the other producers of the doomed Western film, "Rust," want a California judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed against them by the script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell.

From Deadline:   Alec Baldwin has finally turned over his cell phone to police for their probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin's Western film, "Rust," last October in New Mexico.

From Variety:  One of the producers of tragic Western film, Rust, Emily Salveson, pushes tax shelters and hid income.

From THR:  "I let go of the hammer and 'Bang,' the gun goes off" says Alec Baldwin says in his first interview of the moment when a gun he was holding accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."

From Deadline:  Alec Baldwin will sit down with ABC's news-reading clown George Stephanopoulos for a one hour special tomorrow night to talk about what happened on the set of the movie "Rust."  It will be Baldwin’s first extensive interview about the shooting.

From Deadline:  Industry veteran, Thall Reed, the father of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the Western, "Rust," may have handed the police a tip on why the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot to death on the set.

From THR:  A search warrant affidavit filed Tuesday for a prop shop sheds light on how alleged live ammunition ended up on the set of the Western film, "Rust," where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October.

From Deadline:  A month after cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, was shot and killed on the New Mexico set the movie Western, "Rust," by a prop gun “discharged” by Alec Baldwin, those closest to the cinematographer held a private ceremony and interred her ashes at an unknown location.

From Deadline:  Actor Daniel Baldwin defends his brother, Alec Baldwin, in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film, "Rust."  "Someone loaded that gun improperly," Daniel says.

From Deadline:  The newest lawsuit involving the tragic shooting on the set of the Western film, "Rust," has been filed by the film's script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell, against Alec Baldwin, the producers, the production company, armorer Hanna Gutierrez Reed, and others.

From Deadline:  Serge Svetnoy, the gaffer on "Rust," has filed a lawsuit against several parties related to the film, including the production, the financiers, star Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and first Assistant Director David Halls.

From THR:   In the wake of the tragic accidental shooting on the set of his film, "Rust," Alec Baldwin on Monday took to social media to urge Hollywood to employ a police officer on every film and TV set that uses guns.

From THR:   The budget for "Rust" - Alec Baldwin was set to earn $150,000 as lead actor and $100,000 as producer, while $7,913 was earmarked for armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and $17,500 was set aside for the rental of weapons and $5,000 for rounds.

From Deadline:  Attorneys for Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the set of the film, "Rust," said that they’re looking into whether a live bullet was placed in a box of dummy rounds with the intent of  “sabotaging the set.”

From THR:   Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the film, "Rust," released a statement through her lawyers.  She says she had “no idea where the live rounds came from” that were recovered by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's during the investigation of the accidental on-set shooting death of Halyna Hutchins.

From Jacobin:  An opinion piece says that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of the film, "Rust," was not a freak accident, but was about Alec Baldwin and his fellow producers' cost-cutting decisions.  Baldwin accidentally fired the gun that killed Hutchins.

From Deadline:   Two of executive producers on "Rust," Allen Cheney and Emily Salveson, disavow responsibility for the film's troubled production.

From THR:   Iconic "Ghostbusters" actor Ernie Hudson is reeling from the news of the death of Halyna Hutchins, like the rest of Hollywood. Hudson also appeared in the film, "The Crow," the film in which its star, Brandon Lee, was killed because of an on-set accidental shooting.  He also agrees with the call to ban real guns from movie sets.

From THR:  The Sheriff of Sante Fe County says that his office has recovered three guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from the set of the movie "Rust" where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed.

From Deadline:  Regarding criminal charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust," District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis, "all options are on the table - no one has been ruled out."

From THR:  Does Hollywood Need Guns? Will new regulations lead to an overreactions to a tragedy.

From Deadline:   "Rust" producers have opened an internal investigation into the fatal shooting on the set of the Western film.  They have hired outside lawyers to conduct interviews with the film's production crew.

From Deadline:  "Rust's" AD (assistant director), Dave Halls, has come under scrutiny in the wake of the on-set shooting death of the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The affidavit of Sante Fe Sheriff's Department Detective Joel Cano has been made public. It can be read at "Deadline."  The affidavit was for a search warrant from the property were the Western, "Rust," was being filmed.

From THR:  The production company behind "Rust" has shut the film down until the police investigation into the fatal, on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is through.  The Sante Fe County Sheriff's Office has also revealed a timeline of the shooting.

From Deadline:  The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed Thursday night that Alec Baldwin “discharged” a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the movie, "Rust."  As a result, one crew member, director of photography Halyna Hutchins, was killed and director Joel Souza was injured and remains in a local hospital - his condition unknown.

From THR:  "Rust" director, Joel Souza, who was wounded in the accidental on-set shooting, says that he is "gutted" by the death of his cinematographer on the film, Halyna Hutchins.

From Deadline:  The fatal shooting on the set of "Rust" may have been "recorded" according to detective for Santa Fe Sheriff's Department.

From Deadline:  The production company behind the film, "Rust," will launch an internal safety review after the fatal accident that killed Halyna Hutchins; possible prior gun incidents; and a camera crew walkout.

From CNN:   Crew member yelled "cold gun" as he handed Alec Baldwin prop weapon, court document shows.

From Variety:  Actor Alec Baldwin releases statement on the death of Halyna Hutchins: "There are no words to convey my shock and sadness."

From Variety:  The prop gun that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza on during an on-set accident on Thursday contained a “live single round,” according to an email sent by IATSE Local 44 to its membership.

Comics Review: RED ROOM: The Antisocial Network #3

RED ROOM: THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK #3
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Ed Piskor
EDITOR: Eric Reynolds
COVER: Ed Piskor
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ed Piskor; Jim Rugg; Takashi Okazaki; Johnny Desjardins; John Gallagher
MISC. ART: The Baumanator; Sam Majkrzak; Jeff Manley; Birds of Sadness; Jorge Paz; Ben Perkins; Bill McEvoy; John Ashton Golden; Adam Lemnah; Sean Hollenhors; Tyrone Meijer; Barry Tan; Colin Sims; Matt Conover; Chris Anderson
24pp, B&W with some color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Red Room: The Antisocial Network is a 12-issue new comic book series from cartoonist Ed Piskor.  Piskor is best known for Hip Hop Family Tree, a comic book that chronicles the early history of Hip-hop culture and that has been published in both graphic novel and serial comic book form.

Publisher Fantagraphics Books describes Red Room: The Antisocial Network as “a cyberpunk, outlaw, splatterpunk masterpiece.”  Red Room focuses on a murderous, dark web subculture in which a secretive audience pays with cryptocurrency so that it can view “murder for entertainment” in real time via webcam.  A “Red Room” is a place on the Internet with an encrypted I.P. address.  Each Red Room is a webcam stream where viewers can watch a “torture star” murder another human being in the most brutal, savage, vile, and stomach-turning ways.

Red Room: The Antisocial Network #3 introduces Levee Turks.  Once upon a time, he was an encryption software prodigy.  Now, he's serving a life sentence for creating an online drug empire, and he has been in prison for six and a half years.  In that time, however, the dark web has made use of  what Levee created:  the suite of encryption software he made for the black market; the “Chat” client; the bitcoin trading app; and the “Anonymous” video streaming.  Hell, all his creations are in service of the Red Rooms' multi-billion dollar snuff industry.

Enter the FBI, led by Agent McNamara, proposing a deal.  McNamara wants Levee Turks to infiltrate the Red Rooms and help the FBI crack Red Room software, so that it can crack down on the deepest corners of the dark web. Reunited with his girlfriend, Rita, Levee discovers how much as changed.  Does he really know what he is getting into?

THE LOWDOWN:  I don't have much to say about Red Room #3.  Of course, it is a damn good comic book, and I've already made this clear in reviews of previous issues.  The Red Room isn't dystopian science fiction; I believe that it is actually prescient – if not now, sooner than we would like to believe.

Ed Piskor does also offer a nice change of pace with Red Room #3.  Thus far, he has proven quite skilled and deft in creating interesting characters that are cogs in the Red Room gore-covered wheels, such as issue #1's David Fairfield and issue #2's Doctor Daniels.  It would be great to see Levee Turks and Rita again … before they're chopped up.  It is funny that they are both clueless and in deeper than they could ever imagine.

Red Room #3 proves that Red Room was both one of the best debuts of 2021 and one of the best comic books of the year.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Ed Piskor's work and of alternative comics as science fiction will want to read Red Room.

A

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


Buy and/or subscribe to Red Room here: https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/red-room

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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: NEW MASTERS #1 - Something Old, Something New

NEW MASTERS #1
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Shobo
ART: Shof
COLORS: Shof with Julmae Kristoffer
COVER: Shof
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Shof
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated: “T+/ Teen Plus”

New Masters created by Shobo Coker & Shof Coker

New Masters is a new six-issue miniseries from brothers, writer Shobo Coker and artist Shof Coker.  New Masters is set in a version of West Africa that is under the control of alien invaders, particularly the Jovians.  The series focuses on a band of misfits and outcasts who become caught up in the struggle to control an immensely powerful ancient artifact that could rid Earth of its alien colonizers.

New Masters #1 opens in the distant future.  In the early part of the twenty-first century, the “Jovian Naviculae” slammed into Earth, spreading exotic fuels and destroying many great cities.  A thousand years later, deep in the Eko Exclusion Zone (E-Zone), a young female scavenger, Ola, hunts for a cache of Obsidium, an alien mineral.  Elsewhere, in the sinking slums of Makoko on the coast of Eko City, a couple offers the suffering residents a device that could change their lives.  Meanwhile, a high-ranking politician and her alien lover discuss The Eye of Òrùnmìlá, an ancient alien artifact that could change the fate of Earth.

THE LOWDOWN:  The wider interest in Afrofuturism, a cultural aesthetic and philosophy about the intersection of Africa, the Diaspora, the future, and technology, has been increasing for some time.  For some, their most memorable experience with Afrofuturism is the 2018 Disney/Marvel Studios film, Black Panther.  Perhaps, one of the most prominent expressions of Afrofuturism in comic books is LaGuardia (Dark Horse Comics/Berger Books), the 2019, award-winning miniseries from writer Nnedi Okorafor and artist Tana Ford.

New Masters shares a few ideas with LaGuardia.  All of it infused with (as the creators say) “...African experience, philosophy, and culture...”  I suspect that many American comic book readers will find New Masters exotic because so many of them have been exposed to science fiction that is White male, White American, and White people in general.  For some of them, anything with more than two characters that are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) must seem like a comic from another land or an foreign artifact of some kind.

As my tastes are varied and diverse, New Masters seems only a little exotic to me, but some of it feels quite familiar.  To me, some of it looks like the wild and weird alien futures that readers could find in an issue of the seminal science fiction comics magazine, Heavy Metal.  In fact, Shof's art and colors, in terms of visuals and narrative, remind me of the work of the late French comics master, Moebius.  Overall, the visuals and the narratives of New Masters is familiar from old masters.

Shobo Coker & Shof Coker spend New Masters #1 introducing characters and settings, giving tastes of the story's overall plot and subplots.  There is a lot to take in, and so much of it piques my interest.  Truthfully, I think that this first issue would have been better served as a double-sized first issue.  The 32 pages of narrative that comprises this first issue is strained to bursting with all the beautiful story elements contained inside the covers.

New Masters #1 intrigues me too much not to come back again, and it is so fresh and inviting.  New Masters could be something special and could inject what American comic books really needs – actual new creative blood.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of science fiction comic books and of Afrofuturist fiction will want to read New Masters.

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


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Respawn Entertainment to Develop New "Star Wars" Game Titles

Electronic Arts and Lucasfilm Games Announce New Star Wars Titles in Development From Respawn Entertainment

Upcoming Titles Include the Next Game in the Star Wars Jedi Franchise, a new Star Wars FPS from Peter Hirschmann and a Strategy Game via a Publishing Collaboration Between Respawn and Bit Reactor

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) and Lucasfilm Games are joining forces to continue delivering all-new, world-class gaming experiences set within the beloved Star Wars galaxy.

“They have demonstrated excellence in telling epic Star Wars stories along with best-in-class gameplay across different genres and we are looking forward to bringing more amazing experiences to the galaxy far, far away.”

Respawn Entertainment, best known for their work on Apex Legends™, Titanfall™ and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™, is leading the development and production of these new projects. Vince Zampella, Group GM and Founder of Respawn, will oversee this new phase of EA’s relationship with Lucasfilm, building on Respawn’s award-winning history in game development and expertise in telling compelling Star Wars stories.

Game Director Stig Asmussen and his team at the studio are already working on the next game in the action adventure Star Wars Jedi series, and are joined by two new teams working to deliver additional unique Star Wars gameplay experiences across multiple genres. Leading the development of Respawn’s all-new Star Wars first-person shooter game is Peter Hirschmann, Game Director at Respawn, who has a long and accomplished history with the Star Wars franchise. The third title is a Star Wars strategy game developed through a production collaboration with the newly formed studio Bit Reactor, helmed by games industry veteran Greg Foerstch. Respawn will produce the new Star Wars strategy game while Bit Reactor leads on the development of the title.

“We are excited to continue working with the superbly talented developers at Respawn,” said Douglas Reilly, VP, Lucasfilm Games. “They have demonstrated excellence in telling epic Star Wars stories along with best-in-class gameplay across different genres and we are looking forward to bringing more amazing experiences to the galaxy far, far away.”

“Building on the previous successes of our EA relationship, this new collaboration highlights the trust and mutual respect shared between the world-class teams at EA, Respawn and Lucasfilm Games,” said Sean Shoptaw, SVP, Walt Disney Games. “Fostered by the expertise and passion within each team, we will create thrilling original games for diverse audiences across the Star Wars galaxy.”

“Working with Lucasfilm Games on a new FPS in the Star Wars galaxy is a dream come true for me, as this is a story I have always wanted to tell,” said Peter Hirschmann, game director at Respawn. Peter previously worked as VP of development at LucasArts, and was executive producer on the original Star Wars Battlefront games. Hirschmann and the team at Respawn have just begun work on the title.

Work has already begun on all three of these projects, and Respawn is looking for talent to join the teams. Additional information on available job openings can be found at Respawn Careers.

“We are huge fans of Star Wars here at Respawn and we’re thrilled to work with Lucasfilm Games on new titles that we have wanted to make for years,” said Zampella. “If you want to make great Star Wars games, you should come join us on our journey.”

About Electronic Arts:

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2021, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and F1™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Ultimate Team, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims and Titanfall are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & ™ 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Review: "HALLOWEEN KILLS" is the Best "Halloween" Sequel in Decades

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 of 2022 (No. 1815) by Leroy Douresseaux

Halloween Kills (2021)
Running time:  105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence throughout, grisly images, language and some drug use
DIRECTOR:  David Gordon Green
WRITERS:  David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Scott Teems (based on the characters created by John Carpenter and Debra Hill)
PRODUCERS:  Malek Akkad, Bill Block, and Jason Blum
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Michael Simmonds (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Tim Alverson
COMPOSERS:  Cody Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Daniel Davies

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring:  Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, Jim Cummings, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, Anthony Michael Hall, Charles Cyphers, Scott MacArthur, Michael McDonald, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Diva Tyler, Lenny Clarke, Brian Mays, Sr., Michael Smallwood, Carmela McNeal, Jibrail Nantambu, and Omar Dorsey

Halloween Kills is a 2021 slasher-horror film from director David Gordon Green.  It is the twelfth installment in the Halloween film series and is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Halloween, and to the original Halloween, the 1978 film that was the first in the series.  

Halloween Kills opens on October 31, 1978 in Haddonfield just after the events depicted in the original Halloween (1978) film.  Michael Myers failed to kill Laurie Strode, but he survived being shot by Dr. Samuel Loomis.  Now, the sheriff's department is desperately searching for Michael.  While searching for him in the ruins of his childhood home, Deputy Frank Hawkins (Thomas Mann) accidentally shoots his partner, Peter McCabe (Jim Cummings), dead while trying to save him from Michael.  Hawkins also prevents Dr. Loomis from executing Michael.

Forty years later, on October 31, 2018, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis); her adult daughter, Karen Nelson (Judy Greer), and Karen's daughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), have escaped Laurie's fortified house.  They believe that they have defeated Michael Myers who had returned to do what he had not forty years earlier – kill Laurie Strode.  They believe that Michael will die in Laurie's now-burning house, even as they see firefighters responding to the blaze.

While the medical staff of Haddonfield Memorial Hospital try to save the badly injured Laurie's life, survivors of Michael original rampage celebrate the 40th anniversary of Michael's imprisonment.  Two of them are the adult Tommy Doyle (Michael Anthony Hall) and the adult Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), the two children Laurie Strode was babysitting back in 1978 the night Michael attacked.   When Tommy learns that Michael Myers has returned to Haddonfield, Tommy forms an every-growing mob of vengeful Haddonfield residents to hunt down and kill Michael.  Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Laurie and an older Deputy Frank Hawkins (Will Patton) wonder if Michael can really every be stopped.

Halloween Kills is the sequel to Halloween 2018, which is both a direct sequel to Halloween 1978 and a reboot of the entire franchise.  Halloween 2018 literally made all the sequel films to the 1978 film irrelevant.  Halloween Kills, however, takes elements from one of those sequels, the excellent Halloween II (1980), and rewrites them to explain what happened to Michael immediately after the events of the 1978 film.  In Halloween II, Michael escapes the police and stalks Laurie to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital.  In Halloween Kills, the sheriff and his deputies and Dr. Loomis capture Michael before he ever makes his way to the hospital to attack Laurie again.

In fact, Halloween Kills pretty much keeps the now-elderly Laurie Strode in the hospital and out of the fight this time around.  Halloween Kills is the first Halloween film that pits Michael Myers against the residents of Haddonfield rather than having him stalk Laurie Strode, a version of her, or a descendant, while killing anyone who happens to be connected directly or indirectly to his target.

I like that.  It refreshes the franchise in a way that Halloween 2018 did not.  Halloween Kills is honest, in a way.  Michael Myers won't be killed off because, as a movie character and as intellectual property, he is a cash cow.  In the world of the film, Michael suffered injuries in Halloween 1978 and 2018 that should have caused his death.  The very nature of his violence creates the atmosphere and conditions that keep him alive and returning to kill more.  Michael can't be killed, even in the world of these films.

I like Halloween Kills much more than I liked Halloween 2018.  The inventive script and David Gordon Green's aggressive and confrontational directing style result in two good things.  First, the actors' performances are individualized, so no one is the same.  Thus, when Michael kills a character, it feels like he is killing a real resident of Haddonfield rather than a generic victim in a horror film's typically high body count.  Let's be honest, dear readers, the main problem with the Friday the 13th horror film franchise is that the vast majority of the victims seem like the same people.

Secondly, Green and company offer some of the most creatively brutal kills that the audience will find in a slasher horror film.  No one killing is the same, and they all seem well thought out even when they happen quickly.  I really enjoyed Halloween Kills, and several times, I caught myself cheering and whooping it up.  I will say that Halloween Kills is a near-masterpiece of the genre, and it is a more worthy successor to Halloween 1978 that Halloween 2018 is.

8 of 10
A

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


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.

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