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Monday, November 14, 2022
Marvel Comics Shipping from Diamond Distributors for November 16, 2022
Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for November 16, 2022
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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for November 15, 2022
Arkham City The Order Of The World TP, $16.99
Batman And The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 (Of 7)(Cover G Marc Silvestri Signed Edition), AR
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Matteo Scalera), $7.99
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Jim Lee/Scott Williams/Alex Sinclair), $7.99
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Sweeney Boo Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Cully Hamner Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Brian Bolland Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman One Bad Day Mr. Freeze #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Giuseppe Camuncoli Premium Card Stock Variant), $7.99
Batman Spawn The Classic Collection HC, $19.99
Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99
Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (Cover B Paolo Rivera Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (Cover C Chip Zdarsky ’90s Cover Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (Cover D Steve Beach Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (Cover E Afua Richardson Card Stock Variant), AR
Black Adam #6 (Cover A Irvin Rodriguez), $3.99
Black Adam #6 (Cover B Rafa Sandoval Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Black Adam #6 (Cover C David Lapham Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Black Adam #6 (Cover D Carlo Barberi ’90s Cover Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Black Adam #6 (Cover E Brandon Peterson Card Stock Variant), AR
Catwoman #49 (Cover A Jeff Dekal), $3.99
Catwoman #49 (Cover B Sozomaika Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Catwoman #49 (Cover C Jim Balent ’90s Cover Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Catwoman #49 (Cover D Tula Lotay Card Stock Variant), AR
Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Ryan Sook), $4.99
Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Ryan Sook), $4.99
Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Ariel Colon), AR
Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Ryan Sook Foil Variant), AR
Dark Crisis Young Justice #6 (Of 6)(Cover A Max Dunbar), $3.99
Dark Crisis Young Justice #6 (Of 6)(Cover B Todd Nauck Card Stock Variant), $4.99
DC Vs. Vampires All-Out War #5 (Of 6)(Cover A Alan Quah), $3.99
DC Vs. Vampires All-Out War #5 (Of 6)(Cover B Lesley Leirix Li Card Stock Variant), $4.99
DC Vs. Vampires All-Out War #5 (Of 6)(Cover C James Stokoe Card Stock Variant), AR
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover A Howard Porter), $3.99
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover B Dan Mora Homage Card Stock Variant), $4.99
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover C Kael Ngu Acetate Card Stock Variant), $4.99
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover D Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), AR
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover E Sun Khamunaki Card Stock Variant), AR
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8)(Cover F Dan Mora Homage Gatefold Variant), AR
Flash #788 (Cover A Taurin Clarke), $3.99
Flash #788 (Cover B George Kambadais Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Flash #788 (Cover C Todd Nauck ’90s Cover Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
G.C.P.D. The Blue Wall #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Reiko Murakami), $3.99
G.C.P.D. The Blue Wall #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Sebastian Fiumara Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Grayson The Superspy Omnibus HC (2022 Edition), $100.00
Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion Of Bats #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Yoshi Yoshitani), $3.99
Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion Of Bats #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Dan Hipp Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion Of Bats #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Jon Sommariva Card Stock Variant), AR
Looney Tunes #269 (Cover A Derek Fridolfs), $2.99
Nightwing #98 (Cover A Bruno Redondo), $3.99
Nightwing #98 (Cover B Jamal Campbell Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Nightwing #98 (Cover C Brian Stelfreeze ’90s Cover Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Nightwing #98 (Cover D Dan Hipp Card Stock Variant), AR
Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6)(Cover A Todd Nauck), $3.99
Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6)(Cover B Crystal Kung Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6)(Cover C Mayo Sen Naito Card Stock Variant), AR
Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6)(Cover D Todd Nauck Foil Card Stock Variant), AR
Titans United Bloodpact #3 (Of 6)(Cover A Eddy Barrows), $3.99
Titans United Bloodpact #3 (Of 6)(Cover B Derrick Chew Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Titans United Bloodpact #3 (Of 6)(Cover C Fico Ossio Card Stock Variant), AR
Wonder Woman #204 (Facsimile Edition), $3.99
Wonder Woman Earth One Complete Collection TP, $39.99
Young Justice Volume 6 TP, $34.99
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Book Review: "THE SACRED BRIDGE" Offers Murder Most Foul x 2
Friday, November 11, 2022
Review: "BLACK PANTHER: Wakanda Forever" is the Best Marvel Movie in Years
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 69 of 2022 (No. 1881) by Leroy Douresseaux
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Running time: 161 minutes
MPA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language
DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler
WRITERS: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole; from a story by Ryan Coogler (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige and Nate Moore
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Autumn Durald Arkapaw (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Kelley Dixon, Jennifer Lame, and Michael P. Shawver
COMPOSER: Ludwig Göransson
SUPERHERO/ACTION/SCI-FI/DRAMA
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Cole, Alex Livinalli, Mabel Cadena, Richard Schiff, Robert John Burke, Lake Bell, Manuel Chavez, Maria Mercedes Coroy, Divine Love Konadu-Sun, Trevor Noah (voice), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael B. Jordan
[Emotionally super-charged and possessing some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest battles, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is Marvel Studios' best film in over three years.]
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 superhero, fantasy-drama, science fiction, and action movie directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Marvel Studios. The film is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Black Panther, and is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is based on the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther, that first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Wakanda Forever finds Wakanda in mourning following the death of its king while also facing a threatening world and a mysterious new adversary.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in the African nation of Wakanda as King T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) dies from a mysterious illness. One year later, his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), must face the United Nations, as world powers demand access to Wakanda's most precious resource, the metal Vibranium. One particular nation even hires mercenaries to invade a Wakandan outpost in order to steal its vibranium, but they are foiled by Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje, the King of Wakanda's personal guard.
However, the American CIA's attempt to find vibranium on its own draws the attention of a mysterious new adversary, known by many names, but is called “Namor” (Tenoch Huerta) by his enemies. Namor leads the forces of his kingdom, Talokan, in a strike against the Americans. He confronts Ramonda and Shuri (Letitia Wright), Ramonda's daughter and T'Challa's younger sister, as they grieve. He demands that they find the scientist who created the Americans' vibranium detecting device and kill him. The him turns out to be a her, a Chicago-based teen named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). Now, Shuri and Ramonda must gather allies, including T'Challa's ex-lover, Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), and M'Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the Wakandan border tribe, the Jibari, in order to fight off the forces of Namor, which are more than capable of destroying Wakanda and perhaps, the world. Can Wakanda survive without its champion, the Black Panther, or must another arise?...
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a triumphant – a poignant triumphant and a superhero action movie triumph. It is much better than I expected and that I could have hoped for. Wakanda Forever is the most emotionally honest, genuine, and heartfelt Marvel Studios film since Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The fight scenes are some of the best outside of martial arts films, and the action and battles scenes are Avengers-level.
Angela Bassett stands astride this film, which is both a eulogy to Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa/Black Panther and also a powerful and successful attempt to forge ahead with the franchise. Bassett, as regal and as dramatically potent as she has ever been, is glorious, and it time for her to receive the Oscar win she should have had ages ago. She exemplifies the grief in the film for half its narrative.
Letitia Wright exemplifies that grief the rest of the way. Wright also shows impressive range – playing Shuri as obstinate and angry in the face of her brother's death. [That death is depicted in Wakanda Forever's opening moments, and the audience with which I saw this film was stunned into silence.] Wright plays Shuri's turn to the “dark side” with the depth of performance that usually earns actors some award season notice. She is truly the lead in Wakanda Forever, and she carries it with the flair of a veteran, accomplished actor.
I also had high hopes for Tenoch Huerta as Namor, and he easily surpasses them. Huerta makes Namor seem so real that his murderous inclinations come across as entirely appropriate for that which Namor is fighting and defending. Huerta's performance also works to uplift the other actors playing denizens of the kingdom of Talokan.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is filled so much good stuff. The costumes, art direction, make-up and hair, cinematography, and editing are all … well, Oscar-worthy. Ludwig Göransson's score is a masterpiece of tones both subtle and tremendous and is easily on the level of Hans Zimmer's award-winning score for Dune: Part One (2021).
I don't want this review to run-on too long... If I could speak to Ryan Coogler, I would tell him that already loved him for his film, Fruitvale Station, and that he made me love him even more after the first Black Panther. I don't have the words to describe how great an accomplishment Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is. Coogler honored his friend and partner, Chadwick Boseman, as well as he could, and he made a truly great and magnificent film. It honors Boseman and reveals how much respect Coogler has for his audience via the film art he creates. I am giving Black Panther: Wakanda Forever my highest recommendation.
10 of 10
Friday, November 11, 2022
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 6th to 12th, 2022 - Update #6
by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
TELEVISION - From Deadline: Actress Ellen Pompeo will depart ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" as a full-time cast member on the episode that airs Feb. 23rd, 2023.
SCANDAL - From Deadline: A New York jury today found Oscar-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis ("Crash"), liable on all three counts of rape and sexual abuse in his treatment of Haleigh Breest, who left a party in Manhattan with him in 2013 and then, sued him in 2017, claiming he repeatedly forced sex on her in his apartment that night.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: Nexstar, new owner of The CW television networks, says that The CW will shed most content from Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, the former owners, after the 2023-24 broadcast season. Some things may remain, but Nexstar is looking for better financial deals going forward.
CELEBRITY - From YahooLife: In the last weeks of her life, the late Queen Elizabeth reportedly became close to movie star/icon, Tom Cruise.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 11/4 to 11/6/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros. Pictures' "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 18.5 million dollars.
From Here: Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Adam."
SCANDAL - From Deadline: I'm not a rapist says Oscar-winner Paul Haggis.
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BRITTNEY GRINER:
From NBCNews: Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.
From NBCNews: A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.
From Reuters: Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.
From TheDailyBeast: Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.
From Vox: Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.
From ESPN: A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th. Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.
From ESPN: The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
From RSN: "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack
From ESPN: Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.
From CBSSports: The Brittney Griner situation explained.
From RSN: According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."
Thursday, November 10, 2022
Review: "NEXT AVENGERS: Heroes of Tomorrow" - Average Story; Really Good Characters
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 68 of 2022 (No. 1880) by Leroy Douresseaux
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008) – video/animation
Running time: 78 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some mild language
DIRECTORS: Jay Oliva and Gary Hartle
WRITERS: Christopher Yost; from a screen story by Greg Johnson and Craig Kyle (based on the Marvel Comics characters)
PRODUCER: Gary Hartle
EDITOR: George P. Rizkallah
COMPOSER: Guy Michaelmore
ANIMATION STUDIO: The Answerstudio Col, Ltd.
ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION with elements of drama
Starring: (voices) Noah Crawford, Brenna O'Brien, Aidan Drummond, Dempsey Pappion, Adrian Petriw, Tom Kane, Shawn Macdonald, Ken Kramer, Nicole Oliver, Michael Adamthwaite, and Fred Tatasciore
“Marvel Animated Features” was a line of eight direct-to-DVD animated superhero films made by MLG Productions. MLG was a joint venture between Marvel Animation (then called Marvel Studios) and Lions Gate Entertainment to produce direct-to-DVD animated films for the home entertainment market. The first film in the series was Ultimate Avengers: The Movie, which was released to DVD in February 2006.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is a 2008 straight-to-video animated superhero film directed by Jay Oliva and Gary Hartle. It was the fifth entry in the “Marvel Animated Features” line. The film is based on the classic Marvel Comics franchise, the Avengers, which debuted in 1963 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Next Avengers focuses on the children of the Avengers as they hone their powers and face the enemy that was responsible for their parents' demise.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is set on a world in which its mightiest superheroes: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant Man, Wasp, Black Panther, Hawkeye, and Vision came together to protect Earth from its greatest threats. They were “The Avengers.” But one day, the Avengers fell before the might of the maniacal, mechanical foe, Ultron (Tom Kane), a robot.
Before they were defeated, the Avengers sent billionaire bachelor Tony Stark (Tom Kane) into hiding their children. Twelve years later, at a hidden location, the son of Steve Rogers/Captain America, James Rogers (Noah Crawford); the daughter of Thor, Torunn (Brenna O'Brien); the son of Black Panther, Azari (Dempsey Pappion); and the son of Giant Man and the Wasp, Pym (Aidan Drummond); train under the tutelage of Tony. The children, however, are growing restless, and their curiosity causes them to do something that brings them to Ultron's attention.
With their new ally, Hawkeye/Francis Baron (Adrian Petriw), the son of the original Hawkeye, these children of the Avengers will take on their parents' greatest adversary. But will the children fall before this robot menace as their parents did?
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is an entertaining superhero action-fantasy. The action is engaging, and the plot is good, although it is not as well executed as it could be. The resolution undersells the potential of the characters, as if the main purpose of this movie is just to quickly as possible wrap up the story even if it wastes the potential of both the children and the story.
The animation is good, not great. The character design, especially the children, looks good and recalls the work of animation legends such as Bruce Timm and Don Bluth. Not all the character are well designed; for instance, the Hulk (Fred Tatasciore) looks awful. The environments are well designed, especially Ultron's city, “Ultra City.”
The best things about Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow are the children, the “Next Avengers.” They are especially well written and their personalities, doubts, struggles, conflicts, desires, and goals all seem genuine. James Rogers' desire to know his father, Captain America, and Torunn's prayerful pleas for the return of her father, Thor, are powerful and poignant. Azari's cautiousness belies the fierce fighting spirit that dwells within him, and Pym's playful nature provides good comic relief. Hawkeye is brave and bold and witty; he could carry his own film. Obviously, the voice actors sell the dimensions of the character drama, and like the young characters, the actors keep Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow from being mediocre.
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow isn't great, but the children of the Avengers are great characters. Thus, it is a shame that this animated film is, after 14 years (as of this writing), the only film in which they appear. I recommend that fans of animated superhero films and television series that feature Marvel Comics characters try Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow.
6 of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).