The final trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dropped on Monday, and everyone has an opinion about it.
The first and second trailers each had that money shot moment with the reveals of Emperor Palpatine and Dark Rey. This trailer didn’t have that holy s— moment; however, it still gave me that epic feel of something special. Gorgeous imagery, powerful music, and what could be a sad goodbye from C-3PO latched on to the heartstrings like a vice grip.
One of the big questions surrounding the film was answered in the trailer as it was confirmed that it is the ruins of the second Death Star that will be explored in the movie.
Spaceships, spaceships, and more spaceships filled out the trailer, which hinted towards the space battle to end all space battles. I was delighted to see this because if this film is the end of the Skywalker saga, the climactic battle needs to be bigger than what we saw in Return of the Jedi.
It was kind of a bummer that absolutely nothing about the plot was revealed. Besides 3PO, there is no exchange of dialog between any of the characters. In fact, there was nothing revealed about the new characters and no footage of the much talked about Sith Troopers and Knights of Ren. There are a lot of quick cuts throughout the trailer, which leads me to believe Disney is keeping their cards close to their chest.
It’s risky move to hold back necessary information from a marketing perspective. Especially since The Last Jedi was incredibly divisive. Director JJ Abrams said the film will answer as many questions as possible. If that is true, the studio doesn’t want any of those answers revealed until the movie is released.
Overall, I liked the trailer. There were some missed opportunities, but it still got me super excited and counting down the days until December 20th. I really wanted to learn SOMETHING about the story. However, Star Wars is the only franchise in cinema that can release an all imagery trailer and still get people more excited than they were going in.
Last Friday, the Star Wars marketing machine turned on the ignition with ‘Triple Force Friday.’ This marked the initial release of merchandise for the upcoming Disney + show The Mandalorian, the video game, Jedi: Fallen Order, and of course, The Rise of Skywalker. The popular Black Series figures with special “carbonized” packaging were among the most anticipated items.
This was the fourth installment of Force Friday. However, there was a lack of participation from retail stores this time around. Walmart only held a handful of midnight release events, and Target didn’t have any at all. Those who went to a participating store during regular business hours discovered there weren’t that many items made available.
Reports indicate Disney held back nearly “70%” of the merchandise to avoid spoilers for Episode 9. Plus, the divineness of The Last Jedi some retailers cautious.
Unfortunately, Triple Force Friday might represent how far the franchise has fallen since 2015. Still, even with some hiccups along the way, I had a fun time hunting for the newest goods from a galaxy far, far away. I hope you enjoy my video, and may the Force be with you.
Mera: Tidebreaker is the initial offering from DC Comics’ young adult readers imprint, DC Ink. New York Times bestselling author, Danielle Paige, and animator Stephen Byrne collaborate on this tale featuring the future queen of Atlantis.
Yearning for a life that is truly her own, Mera sets out to bring peace between Atlantis and her home of Xebel.
She has to kill an unsuspecting Arthur Curry to accomplish her goals.
The reimagining of the Aquaman mythos doesn’t stop there. Arthur is sans the blonde hair, the inhabitants of the Trench are no longer monstrous creatures, and the beginning of a particular origin story underwent some minor alterations.
However, every change that was introduced is in service to the journey of the titular character.
Not to be stereotypical of the YA genre, but Mera and Arthur’s blossoming kinship was a given before the first turn of the page.
Strong character building by Danielle Paige established clear motivations that made the antagonists and protagonists earn every narrative inch. Obviously, Mera wasn’t going to kill Arthur; however, her observation of his kindness slowly chipped away at her cold murderous intent.
Make no mistake about it, Mera oozes teenage royalty. Still, while another princess might be overly concerned with their ensemble for the next big gala, Mera makes it clear that she is more than just a pretty dress. Light comedy sprinkled throughout the book such as Atlantean vernacular, “You got to be sharking me,” will bring about a few smiles along with some fish out of water hijinks.
It would have been easy for Mera to get lost in her own story, but Paige gives the multitude of subplots plenty of time to breathe and marinate. The final act is chock-full of revelations, but it is beautifully synchronized with the main story.
Stephen Byrne’s artwork exhibits a submersible pallet serving as a constant reminder of the books oceanic backdrop. Mera’s hair stands out like a red rose in a black and white portrait. This creative choice augments her presence, especially if the reader remembers nothing about Mera’s heroism and convictions.
Despite Aquaman being massively popular right now, producing a Mera-centric story was a gamble. Mera is a secondary character who doesn’t have a celebrated story such as Supergirl, Catwoman or even Black Canary. Geoff Johns made Mera an essential part of Aquaman’s New 52 run. However, no one has ever talked their favorite Mera moments on the playground.
Danielle Paige’s story is a big leap in that direction. The exploration of duty, love, valor, and liberty through the eyes of underwater royalty works exceptionally well. If the goal of this graphic novel is to make the reader a bigger Mera fan than they were going in, mission accomplished.
The UFC unveiled their new Legacy Championship belt, which will be awarded to those who win title bouts and used for the duration of their career inside the octagon. The belt is customized for each individual champion by the athlete’s country and weight class. The red stones on the side plates represent each title defense.
The women’s championship belt will be slightly smaller. However, identical to the men’s belt in every other detail. Each belt comes with a plate on the backside with a unique serial number assigned to the specific champion. UFC President Dana White’s engraved signature is also included for authenticity.
The first eight countries that were home to UFC champions will represent flag iconography on the belt. USA, Canada, Brazil, Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, UK, and Ireland. Mark Coleman (USA) was the inaugural heavyweight champion.
The first belt will be presented at the UFC’s debut on ESPN+ streaming service when Henry Cejudo defends the flyweight title (125 lbs.) against bantamweight king (135 lbs.) T.J. Dillashaw. Both fighters will enter the octagon with the proceeding title belt, which the new legacy design and awarded to the winner.
The global motif of the belt is representative of a true world championship. The belt actually says “world champion,” unlike the previous incarnation. The center plate looks clunky and lacks a certain sleekness.
Overall, the new title looks very 2019 and carries an ambitious exhibit of accomplishment and celebration.
Written for and published by Forces of Geek October 2018
Green Lantern/Huckleberry Hound Special #1 | Writer: Mark Russell | Artist: Rick Leonardi | Publisher: DC Comics
An image of the KKK waving hello to Huckleberry Hound as they drive by his house on a Mississippi evening utterly conveys the edgier settings of the critically acclaimed Hanna-Barbera/DC Comics one-shot crossovers.
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the early 1970’s, John Stewart, a rookie in the Green Lantern Corps goes home to Earth where the political upheaval of the Vietnam War and the violence of the Civil Rights movement confronts him at every turn.
Many of us have probably wished at some point in our lives for a superhero to leap out of the comics and fix the world’s problems.
Russell examines the pros and cons of this real-world scenario as for whether Stewart, who wields the most powerful weapon in the universe should use it to stop racial atrocities.
The narrative uses a struggling Huckleberry Hound as the voice that is begging for the power ring to be used, while other plot elements argue the opposite.
Stewart’s struggle to resist smacking down those who worship evil’s might is what brings everything together to produce an entertaining and provocative story. Artwork checks all of the boxes and makes excellent use of expressive character work to convey what word balloons can’t.
It can be hard to take these one-shot comics seriously because the Hanna-Barbera side of things is a far cry from what we used to know. Putting that aside makes a pairing such as Green Lantern and Huckleberry Hound an exceptional way to approach serious issues without trivializing them while using a unique hook to provide enough of the escapism readers look for in comic books.
Written for and published by Forces of Geek September 2018
BORDER TOWN #1 | Writer: Eric M. Esquivel Illustrations: Ramon Villalobos | Publisher: Vertigo
What if your town has a problem with otherworldly monsters, only to bring upon its victims a most gruesome death?
Think about it long and hard.
Now, imagine the cause of that problem being blamed on those “dang illegals” because isn’t everything their fault?
Racial tensions with a supernatural twist ushers in the ongoing weirdness that ensues in Border Town’s setting of Devil’s Fork, AZ.
Part social commentary and part horror story leaves the subtlety at home as writer Eric Esquivel delivers a hyperbolic memoir of his teenage years in Arizona.
The story is told primarily through the lens of a bi-racial Mexican/Irish teen, Francisco Dominguez, who goes by Frank.
Frank is the new kid in school and finds himself in trouble rather quickly due to the complicated relationship he has with his ethnicity.
Being biracial is not as simple as some may believe. Speaking as a biracial African/Irish person, some might feel consumed by the world at large. Society will look at someone in one light while the individual will see themselves in another. Along with his straight hair, Frank’s completion is light enough where he passes as Caucasian until the other half of his ethnicity is revealed.
From there on, his confrontation with a skinhead automatically makes him one hundred percent Mexican. Socially speaking, it’s hard not to have a say in your own ethnicity. In this maiden voyage, however, Frank seems to take it in stride. We meet Frank’s new friends including…well, imagine if Sloth from The Goonies was a masked luchador.
Political themes woven with the narrative’s eerie setting is unapologetic with its staunch conveyance. “Make America Great Again” is vigorously uttered by some Alt-right types while the tear in space and time that allows the monsters to invade our world is literally on the Mexican/American border.
That is the kind of irony that slaps you right in the face.
“What kind of Mexican is that?” asks a border patrol agent, in reaction to a sombrero-wearing, green hulking monster, which encapsulates Ramon Villalobos’ esthetic throughout the book. The style of illustration perfectly matches the story. The color palette of warm orange skies and peaceful desert landscapes highlights the beauty atop the abhorrent nature of things. Some would say this is the perfect way to describe Arizona today considering the state’s political climate.
Vertigo titles tend to make readers think more than your average cape and cowl book. Eric M. Esquivel’s script is as thought-provoking as it is ludicrous.
Observations, winks, nods, bloody imagery along with fun and insightful character development serves as a reminder that everyone has their fight in these politically charged times. Despite the very real message, it’s the ridiculous chronicle of events in this first issue that takes center stage. A skeleton monster demonically screaming, “…you fucked up!” made me wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into…and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
When I was seven years old, I had a heartfelt conversation with my Mom at the dinner table. I told her I didn’t want to grow up with tears in my eyes and that I always wanted to be a kid. The idea of not being able to play anymore made me sad.
Disney’s newest entry into their live-action adaptations, Christopher Robin is a 104-minute reminder that growing up is hard; however, taking time to smell the roses is necessary. Continue reading “Christopher Robin: Review”→
Christmas of 1985 is one of my fondest childhood memories. Not only is it the first holiday that I can remember, but the cornucopia of presents under the tree was comprised of Masters of the Universe toys. Man-E-Faces, Hordak, Roboto, Mantenna, Leech, Mekaneck, Beast Man, Horde Trooper, Grizzlor, Spikor, and my Dad’s favorite, Stinkor. Even with the overwhelming roster of bad guys in the collection, Santa Claus had oriented me on all things, He-Man. So I naturally gravitated towards the first ever feature-length documentary on the most pivotal aspects of the He-Man franchise.
When watching Toy Masters, it’s apparent right from the start that the subject matter is a labor of love for filmmakers Roger Lay Jr. and Corey Landis. Their experience with the Power of Grayskull inspired the journey to document the origin of the phenomenon that inspired a generation. However, this fun-filled childhood adventure that generated billions of dollars comes with a 30-year battle for credit over He-Man’s creation.
Right off the bat, there is no simple answer to who deserves the credit for creating He-Man. That doesn’t stop Lay and Landis from digging to find one clear answer. Most documentaries eventually discover the mastermind behind the curtain. However, every comment, explanation, denial, and/or exhibit of proof to substantiate a particular claim of creation makes a strong case that the sum of its parts is greater than the whole.
This revelation forces the film to shift its exploratory tone from finding the creator to discovering who fashioned each facet of the operation that made the franchise a massive success. Of course, all while holding out hope that a sole proprietor will be revealed.
Preliminary designer Roger Sweet believes his creation of the initial prototype figures birthed all things Eternia, while production design artist Mark Taylor believes his He-Man style drawing four years before the toy line was launched spawned Masters of the Universe. Paul Cleveland, a former vice president of marketing at Mattel, believes that what he brought to the table makes him the inventor of the property.
Roger Sweet
Everyone who lays claim to the sword of power makes a good case for themselves. Then you have Roger Sweet, who presents solid facts woven with what sounds to be head-scratching fiction. The documentary doesn’t immediately jump on what was probably a tempting opportunity to cast Roger as the film’s villain/outcast.
Roger was given every opportunity to respond to any claims against him and clear up contradictions in his story. Unfortunately, he goes down the rabbit hole of negativity while making some crazy demands that make it impossible not to look at him as a quack that rules him out as the man responsible for the Thunder Punch He-Man I got for my 7th birthday.
The original 80’s Filmation cartoon, the critically panned 1987 motion picture starring Dolph Lundgren, the loathed and short-lived The New Adventures of He-Man animated series, and the acclaimed 2002 reboot are all examined with everyone pointing to one principal antagonist…Mattel. Their final say over all forms of production being driven by toy sales revealed a permeating stench of greed, inevitably dooming the franchise at every turn.
The Filmation crew really had a passion for creating a quality show and believed MOTU was that show. However, being forced to put more emphasis on the Bashasaurus toy vehicle being released as opposed to the story ultimately produced a lack of quality control on all fronts. Mattel doesn’t comment on the matter, and wisely so on their part. Any carefully crafted statement could inadvertently open the door to a fleet of lawsuits and massive payouts.
Despite the enormous ground that the film covers, Toy Masters is aptly named because it was the toys that drove all things, He-Man. Lay and Landis do an efficient job of detailing the facts and accounts while never losing sight of the task of discovering a creator, even with some detours along the way. While we don’t get one definitive answer, we do get several admissions of contribution that takes the viewer on a journey within a journey, which is equally as satisfying. Truth tends to be stranger than the fictional adventures of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
***Reportedly, problems behind the scenes along with the release of the Netflix series The Toys That Made Us, has stalled out the release of Toy Masters. The movie was sporadically screened at various film festivals and pop culture conventions, beginning in 2012, with the intent of hyping a future full release.
I saw the movie a year ago, and my review was shelved since the release of the film was pushed back once again. After making some of my inquiries on the matter, all roads point to the Toy Masters being locked in the toy box, permanently.
Speaking as a lifelong Masters of the Universe fan, it’s a real shame that Toy Masters will apparently never get the audience and recognition it deserves. Publishing my review is my own small way of paying tribute to a lost labor of love.***
Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of a young Han Solo who finds his footing as a smuggler in the midst of a journey that includes friendship, betrayal, and adventure. Solo is a fun ride that connects outside cannon material (books, animated series, and comics) more than any other Star Wars film to date. Still, despite all the positives, the negatives weigh the movie down past the point of no return. Continue reading “Solo: A Star Wars Story – Review”→
Over the last couple of years, I have found MMA, specifically the UFC, to be a complete bore. The lack of stars and divisional relevance, along with the oversaturation of events, has made most fights a standard affair instead of something special. That all changes, at least for one night, as UFC 225 from the United Center in Chicago produced meaningful fights from top to bottom. Continue reading “UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero II Review”→
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