#Aleta’s reviews

[taybatwo2]

Monster High IDW Comics Review: Part 1 of ?: Free Comic Book Day 2024 Issue 

A late review, but I wanted to review this and the Pride Comic together.

Comic Overview: The Free Comic Book Day MH IDW preview has an almost completely different staff to the Pride Issue; the writer is Jacque Aye (she/her, writer who has her own series of novels and likes to “spin tales about woeful women with a surrealist, magical touch.” I don’t feel like that necessarily fits with MH, but her novels look good).

She is interviewed in the back of this preview and it sounds like she has about 40 dolls from various toy lines, and loves her Skullector Series Beetlejuice and Lydia (she used to be afraid of them).

She says that the comic “is YA and inspired by the darkness Wednesday and the drama of Gossip Girl.” Aaaaaand the only thing people need to know about the comic beforehand is to watch the G1 animated webisodes, read the new Once Bitten, Twice Dead novel (it comes out in mid-July) and “to buy a few dolls for your collection ;)”  The artist is Siobhan Keenan (she/her, also did “Summer Fangout” in the MH Pride Comic and has a ton of GORGEOUS art on -Twitter- “x” and Instagram: @ siobhanchiffon).

The colorist is Rebecca Nalty (she/her, also worked on “Summer Fangout,” and has beautiful artwork on her own website and Instagram: @ sharkberri). The cover artist (and the MonsterNet artist) is Luciannys Camacho (she/her, again, BEAUTIFUL artwork -including some G3 Venus- on Instagram: @ opal_lines).

Lettered and design is Kielamel Sibal (she/her, another artist on Instagram @ labis_lemaleik). The editor is Riley Farmer (she/her, I think, I can’t access her LinkedIn profile), with the production done by Johanna Nattalie (she/her and has worked on a lot of IDW Sonic titles). They are the same team that also worked on the Pride Comic Issue).

The full series will be rated “T” for teen.

In the back of the preview, it lists a “schedule” for the upcoming releases in the IDW New Scaremester” G1 comic series (I assume they didn’t want to call it Boo Scaremester due to the G1 doll line of the same name).

The floppies will be releasing every month starting in August-May and all 10 copies will probably be collected in the listed “Monster High Fearbook 2024-2025” also in May. ….I assume.

There are three more One Offs: Halloween 2024 (in “Fangtober”), Snow Ball (in December 2024…only October gets a pun), and Spring Break (in April 2025). I don’t know if these will be collected in the Fearbook too, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. 

The “2025-2026 Scaremester” will start its new set of floppies in August of 2025. If this schedule is followed to the “t.” 

Some information on the G1 canon to date, because G1’s canon is kinda a mess that contradicts itself EVERWHERE (unlike the EAH books, which all kinda mesh pretty well with another and a pretty good read) and can be broken down into several categories:

The Doll’s Diaries 2010-2022 (I consider these to be the most important as they delve into the characters internal feelings and we get a deeper look at them and their relationships with one another. I wish they continued making them, but not everyone has read them). You can lump UK’s MH Figurine Collection Mini-Diaries, and Nessi Monstrata’s MH Diary Series in with these as they follow the same premise.

The Monster High G1 Animated Webisodes (175 webisodes, 2010-15)/Commercials/New Ghoul at School (these seem to be what most people still imagine the G1 characters acting and sounding like. It’s kinda a mixed bag of episodes -especially the first and ending seasons- and I feel like the diaries do a better job at characterization, but I have a nostalgic soft spot for these webisodes. It does sometimes contradict itself and the diaries). 

Monster High Supplemental Books/Web Stuff: Books that mostly just repeated facts/pictures from the Webisodes and Diaries (such as the MH Annuals 2014-2016, 2013’s MH Fearbook, 2013’s MH My Monster Life, 2013’s MH Meet the Monsters, and the 2014’s MH Collection) or LIGHTLY built-off the canon that was mostly explored in the webisodes and diaries. (For some reason the movies were not mentioned quite as often). These include 2015’s Scare-ific Secrets (this one was a great read for a G1 fan), the Monster High website’s 2012 Boo Year’s Eve Countdown, 2012’s-2013’s Freaky Fab 13, and the 2014 Dance the Night Away: A Night in Scare-adise Prom. 

The 13 G1 CGI Monster High Movies (these would contradict themselves. Like MH’s Ghoul’s Rule involving a lot of more of New Salem/Salem’s normies, or the Great Scarrier Reef forgetting a lot of Lagoona’s characterization. They do have some of my favorite MH moments in them).

Could MOSTLY fit into the lore. These are stories that can technically fit into the main timeline, but may not be mentioned again by other characters (the Ghoulfriend’s Book series -has a whole new villain, some new side characters, and MH dorms, and the two Graphic Novels: “I Only Have Eye for You” -it is mentioned off handedly in Kieran’s Diary, but doesn’t fit in chronologically- and “Hopes and Screams” -basically a collection of original webisodes in comic form, and Shannon Hale’s EAH/MH crossover: “The Legend of Shadow High,” EAH is hinted at in “13 Wishes” and “Boo York, Boo York”). Or they are just slightly off from the main canon (2011’s MH Ghoul Spirit and New Ghoul in School games have in-game only main characters). 

Information given by the creators (such as Garrett Sander’s Q and A’s and Instagram doll breakdowns). They’re really fun and interesting but teeeechnically not canon.

Their own thing (the Lisi Harrison novels were MH in name only and the Monster High Anime: Scary Cool Ghouls, a fun watch, but their own continuity). I’m also going to guess that the just announced Universal Live Action G1 movie will hang out here too.

I’m going to assume (after my breakdown of the FCBD IDW preview that the main IDW comics and Once Bitten will be in the last category…oh…joy…)

Okay, that was a lot of information. Time for my personal thoughts/review and more pictures under the cut!!!!

First off …I don’t have much confidence that I will like it due to:

1. Being out of the age range of “YA” (I still like some of it, but it’s not guaranteed).

2. The writer comparing it to two shows I didn’t personally care for.

3. It sounds like it will be in the same G1 continuity as the Once Bitten, Twice Dead novel and that novel screams NOT FOR ME (it honestly sounds like my least favorite YA fiction tropes: overly angsty and dark…and in a cringy way to try and make it sound more adult. Like CW shows! Or that cancer live action Power Puffs reboot/ continuation). It’s not continuing the G1 MH canon I was personally connected to.

4. Despite all the artists having great looking artwork in their instas, I personally do not care for the artwork….or maybe the layout…both…(?) in the comic. I think it looks a bit generic looking (where is Frankie’s boxier head, Clawdeen’s larger nose, Cleo’s sharp angles?!). Like, it’s not necessarily bad, but the art style just doesn’t grab my attention in this comic (maybe it was rushed…?).

I will probably check out the first full floppy volume for this run, but otherwise I don’t collect floppies (single issue released comics) because they’re so fragile and it’s more affordable for me to get their collected versions. 

5. I am not the biggest western-comics fan and generally prefer independent graphic novels or manga/manhwa due to their stories feeling more cohesive (I generally don’t have to worry about different runs being picked up or dropped by different artists and writers) and I like knowing the inside/panel art will look very similar to the quality of the cover art (generally different artists will work on ongoing western comic series and I find it disappointing to pick up a comic with a beautiful cover to only be met with a different art style inside -like this comic-). 

Soooo taking that all into consideration, let’s delve in:

The opening letter is from Headmistress Bloodgood (using her original G1 signature, what a fun detail). Remember how Bloodgood would fight for her students and was a fair, but lightly strict Headmaster? Maybe the school board gave her absolutely no choice.

Speaking of Bloodgood, is she a reanimated normie? Or does she come from a long line of headless monsters….ghosts?? I’m pretty sure Hexiciah is mostly human (besides the little bit of fairy blood in him), and Victor Frankstein is most definitely human….

I would be surprised if Jackson/Holt are going to be in this continuity. Their mom definitely broke the “no romance with normies claws” to have made them and Jackson is often considered a normie. I’m guessing the Ghouls Rule movie didn’t happen in this continuity either…

This letter is alluding to a bunch of fuuuuuun (aka dark angsty shit with normies) that went down in Once Bitten and that this comic series is going to be dealing with the blowback from that.

Geeze, for being the most “inclusive and accepting school for monsters” it is hardcore against the real monsters….THE normies. DUN! Dun! DUUNN!

I feel like these “no normie rules” are influenced by G3’s NO NORMIE policy; or the Lisi Harrison books. I’m getting a whole lot of vibes reminiscent of the Lisi Harrison books. Woof…

“”The School Board has voted to more stringently uphold these claws moving forward.”” I do find it funny that the Monster High Universe seems to be run by Monster High’s school board.

If the artwork in the corner is anything to go by, it looks like the G1 CGI movie version of the school will be used for this iteration. 

I might have to re-upload the comic pages without the speech bubbles for copyright reasons, but since this one was a free issue, I thought it would slide:

Page 1:

The actual comic starts off with a very distraught Frankie wanting to spend time with her dad this summer, but he declines. He’s too busy with his research into trying to make a perfect reanimating process….?

Whoaaa buddy I’ve got some bad news for you. I think you are a bit late to the party.

G1’s Victor Frankenstein reanimated you and your wife, I believe you guys both made Watzie for Frankie, Frankie created Hoodude and the gingerbread boy and that’s just the Steins. Hexiciah Steam created Robecca, and I’m sure some of Monster High’s Zombies were reanimated and not born naturally!! Another change in this comic, they decided to call Viktor Stein (Frankie’s dad) just Frankenstein. Aaaand make him both conventionally attractive and constantly in partial shadow (is he going to be super broody in this??). I remember him being a lot more playful towards Frankie in the diaries and liking dumb puns.

And, I mean, I’m not against more dilfs in MH (Hexiciah *cough cough* and G2’s Dracula *cough cough*), but I was kinda hoping for a more interesting/fun-take on the monster-y design.

MH already has these designs kicking around!

A small nitpick: they used a distractingly large/thick brush to ink-in the black parts of his hair, and I don’t like how it messily covers the finer lines of hair.

““The day I sewed your parts together and zapped you to life was the best day of MY life.””

From this line, it sounds like G1’s Viveka Stein is going to be MIA in this series as he doesn’t mention her at all in creating Frankie. This man is either taking all the credit here or Viveka was taking a snooze or something…

Pros: Frankie looks very cute in the second panel (except for the fingers which look a bit off) and Siobhan can draw hot older men VERY well.

Page 2:

“Frankenstein” explains to Frankie that he’s too busy trying to get his (redundant) research ready for the “World’s Scare Science Exhibition.” Frankie interrupts and sees that her ghouls need her. Frankenstein once again alludes to this version of G1 being a melodrama “let me know how they’re faring.”

I find Frankenstein’s: “I could never create another you my dear. You’re one of a kind.” Kinda silly.

Alivia has entered the chat (shhh I know she’s G2).

“What I am doing here is something different. Something that’s never been done before.” Again -Vik- Frankenstein, you’re a bit late to the party there.

Personal Nitpick: Why use “Scare Science Exhibition,” when you’ve been using the “Mad Science” pun in G1 already. IMO, I think it also sounds better.

Pro: Frankenstein’s face looks well drawn (especially in the fourth panel-ignoring his blotchy, black hair streaked- look at his cute little bolt eye-glasses).

so does his armchair in the first panel,

and Frankie’s face in the first and second panel.

Con: I think all of their hands look off (especially the fingers). I don’t know if it’s the line work or the coloring, but they all read as awkward and oddly sharp (Frankie’s thumb in the first panel, and whole left hand in the third panel).

Page 3:

Sounds like the ghouls are fighting again, Frankie is caught in the middle, and Draculaura is dealing with the brunt of the shit show from the “Once Bitten” book.

Personal Nitpick: Draculaura is drawn REALLY tall in this photo (in the webisodes and CGI movies, she is teeny).

Pro: Frankie looks great in the first panel, I like her and Clawdeen’s smile in the photo, and her expression in the fourth panel. Con: Frankie’s hands look janky in the first panel.

Page 4:

Apparently Frankenstein remembered electricity being vital to reanimation, and rushes to find his notes (that were apparently not on his desk). But his notes are missing. Dun! Dun!! I wonder who the brains in the jar belong to?? Perhaps Vivika and Victor Frankenstein are in this version of G1 after all…

Pro: I liked his exclamation: “by Mary Shelly’s ghost.”

I really liked how Frankenstein is drawn in the third panel and how he breaks out of the frame of the panel too. It just feels a lot more “alive” and energetic.

The lightning bolt is drawn well and the toppled mug of coffee in the background of the fourth panel is a nice addition. Page 5 (the last of the paneled comic in this preview):

A super eeeevillll person suddenly sprouts up from nowhere (was this guy squatting down in the corner of the room; waiting for Frankenstein to figure out the key to reanimating life) and grabs Frankenstein’s “life’s work;” threatening to destroy it, unless he agrees to work with him. Frankie-boy agrees. Meanwhile, Frankie is still talking to her boos, while flipping through her photo album.

I also wonder if the ghouls are not allowed to fang out during summer break and can only see each other during the school season?? Otherwise, why can’t they all fang out. :/ Personal Nitpick: how did that burglar get into that room?? Was he there the whole time (pretending to be a table) or did he sneak in after Frankie left?

Frankenstein’s “life’s work” is entirely made up of a two whole envelopes(?) and two spiral notebook pages. That’s it Frank?!? That’s all?!? And is Lagoona not part of the main squad in this version of G1 (maybe she WAS actually boiled alive in the previous book)?

Pro: Frankenstein’s hand (once again breaking the panel’s outline) looks very well drawn. Frankie mostly looks great in the last two panels (I love her pose in the fourth panel

and her cute smile in the last one). Con: Cleo’s face doesn’t look like herself in the last panel (where did all of her sharp facial angles go)??

They gave Frankie yaoi-sized hands in the fourth panel. Haha! They’re huge!

This is the last “comic page” in this FCBD preview. There are four Monster Net profiles of the main ghoul, a Schedule (I covered this earlier), an interview with the author (also covered earlier), and another picture of the cover art. The Monster Net is a clever G1 upgrade, I like these and the details that went into them (even if I don’t like the implication of what written here). The artwork is done by the cover artist: Luciannys Camacho, and looks great.

In Frankie’s her dad is confirmed to be her only parent… :/ Boooo!!!

Draculaura’s profile is just…very sad. The poor ghoul apparently has had a bad year with her dad (who may or may not be dead) making her drink blood (to save her life…? Was it a ritual..? He was begrudgingly okay with her vegan life style beforehand) and going to meetings (is she taking over a business, is she being called in to testify what happened the last year at MH)? I am so not looking forward to what’s going down in “Once Bitten”….

I guess that her new step mom from the Diaries Series (Ramoanah) is also not a thing in this either (none of these ghouls get moms). Draculaura also looks super cute in this artwork!!

Clawdeen’s bio really plays up her being a fashion influencer and I think that perfectly works for her. Her bio is also hinting at everyone being sad, distant, and off. It confirms she has a girlfriend: Toralei….which I have mixed feelings on. I really like G3 Clawdeen and Toralei and I have seen REALLY cute artwork for G1 Clawdeen and Toralei. But that’s about it. Besides their dog/cat theme, I haven’t been swayed to ship them just yet (Toralei did some horrendous things to the ghouls and while I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers they haven’t done enough flirting with each other for me to hop on board yet). I assume they will have their relationship built up in “Once Bitten” and not just “Summer Fangout” (because that still just felt like it was skimming the surface).

Her artwork also looks great (her outfit especially looks well drawn).

Cleo’s profile is also fine. But WHY did the newest Monster High Diaries (from the Haunt Couture line) and THIS comic want to break up G1 Cleo and Deuce?!? They are a great power couple and have already gone through so many ups and downs in G1 to prove that they love each other. Since when does Cleo care about who Nefera has dated (apparently Nefera has dated someone in another dimension….is she dipping into the fairy tales and dating someone at Ever After High or the Barbie verse? Is this what happened to Blaine after Barbie dumped him to be with Ken again?!?).

Final Thoughts:

Well, that was certainly a preview of what’s to come and I’m super wary of it. :/ Again, I might’ve just aged out of G1’s YA melodrama that they’re leaning into. But I was hoping for a semi-proper continuation of the MH G1 continuity. Maybe see the ghouls graduate (after following them around their senior year) and head to college…? See some of their family members start MH…? G1 Monster High has some good bones and ideas to play around with (it’s far from perfect-I already mentioned how confusing the lore is). Plus, writers now can be inspired (or know what to avoid) by what’s happened in G2 and G3.

I already stated that this fits into the last category of MH G1 Lore “It’s Own Thing,” and this IS just a peak into it, and MAYBE I’ll be swayed, but so far, I’m just not super impressed. I give this preview a 5.8/10. The artwork is mostly pretty good, the paneling is not groundbreaking, but also not bad, it flows well. The story is what’s holding me back (but it is a free issue and it got me to finally go into our local comic book shop for Free Comic Book day).

Anyways, those are just my thoughts. What do you think of the story so far? Are you excited about “Once Bitten”/IDW MH comics living their best alternate G1 lives? Are all of my takes awful? Let me know!

Part 2 of this series of reviews will be part one of (hopefully four posts of) MH’s Pride Issue’s Comic: “Summer Fangout.”

[littlealeta]

Abigail Review (Spoilers)

LONG BLOG! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THIS BLOG, SCROLL DOWN TO THE OVERALL SECTION FOR A TL;DR and ALETA REWRITES

We haven’t had an evil child film since uh… Annabelle Creation? So, I was excited to see how this movie would play out.

Unfortunately, it’s like every other evil child film.

So… the positives?

The actors are excellent. They fit seamlessly into their roles. Their comedic timing and wits are great. Abigail’s actress is adorably sweet and innocent and portrays her manipulative split personality naturally. Everyone looked like they were having fun and were really into their roles, which was always entertaining to see.

Some of the scenes are entertainingly quirky. Like Abigail using Sammy as a puppet, while cliched, was humorous and fun with the intercut shots while this wildly unfitting song is playing. The scene is melodramatic but it somehow comes off as ironically humorous (in a good way). Abigail dancing to classical music with Dean’s beheaded body is another moment of good creepiness. And the entire scene with Puppet Frank was interestingly disturbing and sometimes funny. It was crazy.

Rickle was a likeable character who the film, unfortunately, had the misfortune to kill off early on because… I guess they didn’t know what to do with his character.

And… that’s about it.

Story

Like I said, the story, besides a few scenes, doesn’t really do anything special with its concept. It had a good concept (ballerina who just wants to play and can turn people into her slaves), but it never really goes that far with it. Instead, it’s just another horror film where a group of people are being chased by a monster.

The ending is a total wtf mess. Joey gets her heart stabbed and twisted and somehow survives because the protagonist's gotta have plot armor. Abigail turns a 180 and starts protecting Joey for some reason. Lazaar appears and…we don’t know what he’s about, besides the fact that he’s creepy. He and Abigail let Joey out because the movie has to end.

Characters

The cast is an entire mixed bag. The only one I liked was Rickle because he seemed like the most decent in the cast. But instead, they write him off, leaving us with a group of ignorant scumbags for the rest of the hour. We don’t even really get much time to know Rickle because he was killed off so soon. I feel Dean had more personality than him. I don’t remember much about Rickle other than he was the nice guy. And Dean has the same problem. The film fucks him over too early so we don’t have time to find a reason why we should care about these two characters.

Besides Rickle, the cast are all unsympathetic people. Luckily, some of their actors are good enough to make them appealing. And they DO have their moments where they are funny and badass, but when they’re being serious and/or trying to make a decision, they’re just your average dumb horror movie character. Some of the dialogue that they make is on the nose, notably right before they die, they do the cliche “I will always be there for you” kind of shit. 

Joey (seemingly our protagonist) is revealed to have been a deadbeat mother who dabbled in drugs and a life of crime. One poor decision she made was betraying the group over killing Abigail despite knowing she was Valdez! She is also apparently psychic (as she can read other people), but is never said to be so because the film is too lazy to. Dean is the dumb horror character who somehow just has no brains. Implicitly, he seems to be on drugs, but they don’t do anything to make his character likeable, nor do I believe it was stated that he WAS on drugs.

Sammy is my least favorite. Not only do I hate the way her character is designed, but she’s just a total whiny bitch who often has something annoyingly smug to say. Or she just gets pissed off for no fucking reason, like when she finds Dean’s body.

Peter and Frank? They’re on the more likeable side, but they’re not too great either. Peter, for example, makes the dumb decision to kill Abigail before knowing she was Valdez and almost released her from her cage at the expense of his group. Frank is the only sane man, I probably tolerated him the most, considering he was the only one with a brain. However, he can often be harsh and insensitive (like about Joey's troubled life) and, he too, threatens Abigail, screaming at her when for all he knew at the time, she was just an innocent little girl. And then, he just turns completely against the group because the writers LOVE making these characters impossible to care about. He has a similar past to Joey because the writers couldn’t come up with something different.

Last but not least is the titular character Abigail, who apparently has some dark past, but still manages to be a bland villain. She’s your typical horror movie character out for revenge and to kill the main characters. Her ballerina moves can hardly make up for it. Despite having a backstory, her development still feels shallow. There’s a whole slow ass scene where she monologues about how everyone came to be the way that they are. Number 1. How do you know who anyone is? Number 2. SHOW DON’T TELL, MOVIE.

Overall

Abigail gets 3.4 bells out of 10

Actors feel natural in their roles and are hilarious with their humor. The concept is a tad quirky, and there are some scenes where they run with that, but they are few and far in between. Plot feels mostly like your average horror film and is slow at some parts, especially at the beginning. Characters tend to make some horrible and appallingly dumb decisions with Rickle being the only nice guy in the group. If the characters are not horrible, they are shallow, like unfortunately our almost one-note villain. Dialogue sometimes feel so obvious, it’s unnatural. Ending feels very lazy due to the shallowness of the characters and their development.

Aleta Rewrites: I would make Abigail a playfully eerie child, like a Chucky kind of situation. Like, obviously, I think the movie tried to make her out to be this playful, quirky ballerina kid. So, I would lean into that more. So, it doesn’t seem like she’s just some generic character hell bent on revenge, but rather a lunatic with a morbid fascination with gore and death. So, the only reason she’s bodying people is so that she can play and mess with them, like in the scene where she’s dancing with Dean’s beheaded body. Maybe she can kill her victims while she’s dancing/playing, that would be funny. Lean in more into the horror comedy instead of making it a gritty drama about corrupt people.

I would also develop Lazaar more. Maybe make him the final boss of the film. Or preferably, do a twist where it shows that HE was the one possessing Abigail and everyone in the film, so when he's killed off or his magic is wrecked, Abigail will be free and THEN will team up to fight Valdez.

[beardedmrbean]

A federal judge in Tennessee has ordered the FBI to hand over the "manifesto" left behind by a transgender killer who gunned down three adults and three children at the Covenant Christian School in Nashville last year before responding officers put an end to the mayhem.

Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who police said identified as a trans male and went by Aiden, shot her way into the school in March 2023, killing Mike Hill, 61, Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and three 9-year-olds, Hallie Scruggs, Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake told reporters that officers recovered a "manifesto" from Hale's car as well as other documents, including a hand-drawn map of the school. He said last year it would be released, but it has not been.

NASHVILLE AUTHORITIES ‘AWARE' OF PURPORTED LEAK OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SHOOTER'S MANIFESTO

Even though police shot the suspect dead on the school's second floor, the FBI has repeatedly refused to release the manifesto, arguing that doing so "could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings."

The parent company of the Tennessee Star, a local newspaper, sued the FBI after the bureau denied its public records request under the Freedom of Information Act.

NASHVILLE KILLER AUDREY HALE SLEPT WITH JOURNALS ON SCHOOL SHOOTINGS UNDER BED, COURT DOCS REVEAL

"It has been long enough, and the public has an urgent right to know why this tragedy happened, how future events may be prevented, and what policies should be in place to address this and other similar tragedies," lawyers for the newspaper wrote in a federal complaint. "[The] FBI has no right to retain a monopoly on this information."

The FBI sought to have the complaint dismissed, but Judge Aleta Trauger of the Middle District of Tennessee said the bureau had failed to support its position "with sufficient clarity or detail" and ordered it to submit the manifesto to the court, so she could review the materials.

"The FBI is ORDERED to produce ex parte all documents that are potentially responsive to the defendants’ Freedom of Information Act request for in camera review, with the exception that, based on the plaintiffs’ concessions in this litigation, the FBI need not produce any documents that could not reasonably be construed to bear on Audrey Hale’s motives," Trauger wrote.

In November, portions of what appeared to be crime scene photographs of a couple of pages leaked, however authorities refused to confirm their authenticity.

The FBI, which has previously declined to comment due to pending litigation, did not immediately respond to questions from Fox News Digital.

When Hale burst in, the first victim, Hill, sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the process. According to city officials, Koonce heard the first shots while on a Zoom call, hung up and confronted the attacker. Police found her dead in the hallway outside her office.

Drake said investigators had not immediately determined a motive but that they believed Hale, a former student, had targeted the school and its affiliated church. One of the child victims, Hallie, was the pastor's daughter. 

The manifesto is expected to reveal more about the killer's motive and rage. Critics have questioned the motive behind continued delays in its release.

The National Police Association is also suing the city of Nashville for the same documents.

[ragingphantom666]

Which 5 members should be in Marvel Worlds' Guardians of the Galaxy of volume 1?

Guardians of the Galaxy will be a large team like in the Al Ewing comics. The plan so far is for each volume to focus on a smaller group consisting of 5 random members. I'd like to see who all of you want on the team. Choose well and use the Marvel Database for any characters in that roster you don't know, except Var-Gas who is mostly an original character.

Full Roster

Peter Quill/Star-Lord

Richard Rider/Nova

Rocket Raccoon

Yondu Udonta

Var-Gas

Gamora

Nebula

Beta Ray Bill

Adam Warlock

Eros/Starfox

Chris Powell/Darkhawk

Stakar Ogord/Starhawk

Aleta Ogord

Groot

Cosmo

Drax

Killraven

Replika

Talon

Bug

Mantis

Martinex

Phyla-Vell

Kamaria/Moondragon

Glah-Ree/Captain Glory

Lunatik

Deathcry

Kraglin

[moviereviews101web]

Lolo and the Kid (2024) Movie Review

Lolo and the Kid – Movie Review Director: Benedict Mique Writer: Benedict Mique (Screenplay) Cast Euwenn Mikael Aleta Nico Antonio Joem Bascon Iza Calzado Juan Karlos Labajo Plot: A hustler and the child he took in routinely con the wealthy – but a life-changing opportunity could end their inseparable bond. Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes There may be spoilers in the rest of the…

[sidama-ipdc]

Sidama National Regional Government Industrial Parks Development Corporation conducted a plan implementation review for the first quarter of 2015 fiscal year.

The corporation held a performance evaluation forum at Yergalem Industrial Park with the employees, and the forum was chaired by the CEO of the corporation Mr. Memru Moke and the Deputy CEO and Director of Parks Operations Management Mr. Hailu Yetera. At the forum, the performance report of the first quarter was presented by the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Mr. Belay Bekele, and most of the activities were performed encouragingly as motivational signs to carry out the activities planned by all the directorates during the quarter. However, due to the fact that the budget was not allocated on time, especially the construction works did not perform well.

Therefore, when looking at the activities performed in each sector, the corporation was able to collect 25 million birr in the fiscal year and 6 million birr in the quarter, and it was planned to collect 4 million birr in shed rent, arable land rent, income from cluster centers and various services. In terms of park development works, existing construction projects (shed, road, water, electricity, and Bensa Daye middle park construction) are being monitored to be completed within the scheduled time limit, and new projects (waste treatment and recycling, construction of Aleta Wondo Gowadamo and Morocho rural transformation centers) are being tendered to start. As these projects are in progress, they will create job opportunities for many citizens. From the point of view of park management and operational activities, the service of one center can work properly. In addition to this, according to the plan to buy 2 fire fighting vehicles, payment has been made and the vehicles are in the process of arriving.

In terms of attracting investors and promotion activities, in the quarter, investors are presenting many requests to enter Yergalem Park, and existing factories are preparing to start working with better activity. Another thing is that the work of promoting the park adequately using mainstream media is being done, but preparations are being made to prepare an investment forum in cooperation with stakeholders to promote it more. A detailed evaluation of the performance of these and other major tasks was conducted and the employees of the corporation held a wide discussion giving various opinions and a consensus was reached for the future work.

Finally, after identifying the problems encountered, special strategies should be designed and put into action as soon as possible, and the forum was completed.

[rabbittstewcomics]

Episode 355

Comic Reviews:

DC

Aquaman: Andromeda 1 by Ram V, Christian Ward

Dark Crisis 1 by Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sanchez

DC Pride 2022 by Devin Grayson, Ivan Cohen, Tini Howard, Greg Lockard, Alyssa Wong, Stephanie Phillips, Danny Lore, Stephanie Williams, Jadzia Axelrod, Dani Fernandez, Kevin Conroy, Travis Moore, Ted Brandt, Ro Stein, Nicole Maines, Lovern Kindzierski, W. Scott Forbes, J. Bone, P. Craig Russell, Lynne Yoshii, J.J. Kirby, Meghan Hetrick, Nick Robles, Brittney Williams, Jess Taylor, Evan Cagle, Zoe Thorogood, Samantha Dodge, Giulio Macaione, Rye Hickman, Tamra Bonvillain, Marissa Louise, Jeremy Lawson, Triona Farrell, Enrica Angiolini

Multiversity: Teen Justice 1 by 

Nubia: Queen of the Amazons 1 by Stephanie Williams, Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, John Livesay, Alex Guimares

Poison Ivy 1 by G. Willow Wilson, Marcio Takara, Arif Prianto

Earth Prime Flash by Emily Palizzi, Jess Carson, David Lafuente, Pablo Collar, John Kalisz, Miquel Muerto

Marvel

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War 1 by Christos Gage, Donald Mustard, Sergio Fernandez Davila, Sean Parsons, Edgar Delgado

Jane Foster and the Mighty Thor 1 by Torunn Gronbekk, Michael Dowling, J.P. Mayer, Jesus Aburtov, Marte Gracia, Matt Wilson, Nolan Woodard

Love Unlimited: Red Dagger and Ms. Marvel by Nadia Shammas, Natacha Bustos, Ian Herring

Marvel Meow 8 by Nao Fuji

Image

Skybound Presents: Afterschool 1 by Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Greg Hinkle, Giovanna Niro

Dark Horse

Ward 1 by Cavan Scott, Andres Ponce

AfterShock

Astronaut Down 1 by James Patrick, Rubine, Valentina Briski

Where Starships Go To Die 1 by Mark Sable, Alberto Locatelli, Juancho

Ahoy

Justice Warriors 1 by Matt Bors, Ben Clarkson, Felipe Sobreiro

ComiXology

The Very Final Last Girls by Josh Eiserike, Z Crockett, Andres Barrero

Scout

Code 45 1 by Benjamin Hunting, Joe Ng

Archie

Archie and Friends: Summer Loving

Titan

Doctor Who Origins 1 by Jody Houser, Roberta Ingranata, Warnia Sahadewa

Dynamite

Elivira: Wrath of Con by David Avallone, Elvira, Dave Acosta

OGNs

Motherbridge: Seeds of Change by George Mann, Aleta Vidal

Grip of the Kombinat by Damon Gentry, Simon Roy

Girl and the Glim by India Swift, Michael Doig

Secrets of Camp Whatever v2: The Doors to Nowhere by Chris Grine

Slip by Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya

Additional Reviews: Obi-Wan ep4, Ms. Marvel, American Horror Stories s1, Chip n Dale, Jurassic World Dominion, Many Deaths of Laila Starr

News: Joker 2, Ghostbusters animated series, Ezra Miller, Arcane series of prequel shorts on YouTube, more Kevin Smith He-Man, McKeever back at Marvel, Junji Ito anthology series on Netflix, Love Unlimited, Bruce Campbell Evil Dead/Sgt Rock crossover, Thunderbolts movie confirmed, Spot in Spider-Verse 2, Dark Horse gets Ghostbusters comic license, George Stacy cast for Spider-Verse 2

Am It Glenn?

Glenn meets Ram V

Trailers: Spiderhead, Prey, Sea Beast, Black Adam

Comics Countdown:

Oblivion Song 36 by Robert Kirkman Lorenzo De Felici, Annnalisa Leoni

Slip OGN by Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya

Aquaman: Andromeda 1 by Ram V, Christian Ward

DC Pride 2022 by 

Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol 2: The Door to Nowhere by Chris Grine

Time Before Time 13 by Rory McConville, Ron Salas, Chris O'Halloran

Dark Knights of Steel 7 by Tom Taylor, Nathan Gooden, Arif Prianto

Twig 2 by Skottie Young, Kyle Strahm, Jean-Francois Beaulieu

That Texas Blood 14 by Chris Condon, Jacob Phillips, Pip Martin

Batman: Killing Time 4 by Tom King, David Marquez, Alejandro Sanchez

Check out this episode!

[brandeas]

<pdf> ?DOWNLOAD?~ Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 BY : Hal Foster

[*EPUB]-> Read/Download Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 BY Hal Foster Book

Read and download book Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 in PDF, EPub, Mobi, Kindle online. Free book Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 by Hal Foster.

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Read/Download => https://ijenberkah654.blogspot.com/?jenn=1683964276

 Descriptions :

Read and Download Hal Foster book Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982.Renowned painter and graphic novelist George Pratt (Batman, Sandman) introduces the volume. In these full-page, gorgeously illustrated newspaper strips, Prince Valiant journeys from the upper regions of the Alps to the bowels of the Earth on an allegorical quest for humility involving the mysterious Wanderer, a curse on the kingdom, monstrous imps, and a mystical casket. York, Lincoln, Colchester, and Londinium are sacked as Mordred leads an invasion across Britain, culminating in the siege of Camelot. Aleta?s pregnancy promises to bring a new child into the family, but the newly crowned Emperor Justinian plots to have the infant stolen at birth. Arn begins a dangerous courtship of the huntress maiden Maeve and embarks on quests to obtain the Sacred Ring of India and to find his lost newborn brother.? . 

 Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 by Hal Foster

Tags: Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 by Hal Foster Free download, PDF, epub, docs, New York Times, ppt, audio books, Bloomberg, #NYT, books to read, good books to read, cheap books, good books,online books, books online, book reviews, read books online, books to read online, online library, greatbooks to read, best books to read, top books to read Prince Valiant Vol. 23: 1981-1982 BY Hal Foster books to read online.

[taybatwo2]

Monster High Skullector Nightmare Before Christmas Review Part 2 of 2

In my last review, I covered the box and most of Sally’s doll, until I ran out of pictures. In this one, I’ll cover Sally’s sculpt and all of Jack.

She has really cute and tiny ears hiding under her soft hair. I feel like most Skullectors’ face molds’ prior use are quickly found by the fandom, but I did not see much for Sally’s head mold, except for a Reddit thread pointing out that she probably used a modified version of the Bee CAM girl (the head does have a 2022 copyright on it).

I can see it, but if so, it was really modified. Bee CAM has a pointier chin, but does have the narrower/pointy nose, similar curving cheeks, and small puckered lips -they’re just over painted on her doll).

If they did use the Bee CAM as a base, they would have had her nose looks better defined, her chin shaved down, her lips look more inline with each other, and she received tiny round ears when/if they did use this sculpt.

They look juuuuust different enough that she might have a new sculpt or someone else’s. Does anyone else think she might resemble another character? I really should take some acetone to clean off those shiny spots on my Bee CAM’s forehead.

Okay, now for the main dish: JACK the Pump-kin KING

More under the cut:

He is seriously SO CUTE! I love his round vinyl head, his sculpted in mouth, his upturned nose, his subtle brow ridges, and blacked out eyes (thank GOD they did not genderswap him and make him look like someone doing a cosplay of Jack- like I have seen some AWESOME artwork of a more “Monster High” Jack and I think they are all playing it too safe or off model for it to be Jack). I mean these were all background characters for G1 Monster High:

He looks like another version of Eyera and would fit right into the Monster High universe in my opinion.

Okay, let’s get a close up of his shoes. They are very intricate (perfectly Monster High, and have the Spiral Hill as the heel and a teeny tiny skullete on the front of his shoes). His outfit is, unfortunately, just the two pieces and that printed, thin, satin fabric (probably to cut costs on Jack’s new head and body sculpt).

Here is his jacket. I like the print of his jacket. It is just different enough from his original movie look without looking garish.

Yup, one piece. I can understand attaching his pants and shirt together (so his pants don’t fall down…although some spiffy Pumpkin King Suspenders would have looked cool too), but it would have been nice if the vest was removable.

Hexiciah has three separate pieces…..and his set was cheaper than this set (but I suppose they need to charge more for the license….does anyone else wish they’d make older characters that were never turned into dolls again???). The shirt has real metal buttons on it though. Also, his vest reminds me of his prequel version in the graphic novel: Battle for the Pumpkin King:

Jack compared to other Monster High Manster body types (minus G3 and Finnegan). But, this comparison is a bit unfair…..Frankenstein’s Monster has lifts, and Jack is wearing heels…

Hexiciah is towering over all of them. He is actually about the same height as the buffer manster body and the default G1 body. He fits right on in. He’s also very fun to pose, but his elbow joints are bit stiff and (I’m going to assume) delicate. They also come off fairly easily.

His stand is taller than most of the Monster High characters (even Hexiciah’s) because his little stand needs to sit up higher in his ribs to hold him. His clip is also the exact same as Sally’s.

With Jack’s rectangle plastic piece under his clothing, it was hard for the stand clip to grip him, so I just tossed it for the rest of the review. No regrets.

Jack and the other skeleton girls: Skelita and her almost trial run: Skeleton CAM (and Skelita’s Re-Ment dog).

His three fingers versus Skelita and CAM (the same mold). The thumbs look pretty similar besides the size. I might paint the joints of his fingers black, but otherwise, they look great.

A close up of his tiny, but VERY detailed feet (I assume they wanted them about the same size so his pants go on easier).

Skelita’s feet dwarfs his.

His leg bones are fused together like Skelita’s, while his arm bones are separated like Skeleton CAM’s.

A comparison of Jack’s and Skelita’s back (Skelton CAM just has a regular one). I like how they still simplified his neck to resemble his simplified vertebrae seen in the film. His sculpting is JUST SO GOOD!!

This set is near perfect to me. I adore it and I really wish that Mattel made it easier for everyone to get one that wanted one.

[littlealeta]

Telltale's The Walking Dead Season 2 Review

Long post! Scroll down for a TL;DR and Aleta Rewrites Version!

I had a lot of thoughts after watching a LP of this season, but I decided to go back to the first season to see how it holds up against this one. I always felt this season was a little off, but I wasn't sure. While the first one isn't amazing, it was still a lot better than whatever this season was. But even without playing the first one, this season Is still badly written in general so I'm not going to compare the two much.

Story

To start with the positives, there are some good ideas in here. Seeing how Clementine has grown since the first season and the themes of figuring out who to trust and side with are good themes to explore. However, the execution of these things are horrible. The game doesn't actually explore the trust theme much, your choices do not have much impact on the theme of your story or the characters, the trust theme gets thrown out the window by the time Carver is introduced and you are forced to stick with this group of shady people, and Clementine is treated like an adult and forced to babysit all the pathetic adults around her.

First of all, the intro tells you all you need to know. A random b!tch comes in to bully and threaten our 10-year-old protagonist (who has never even met her in the first place), Omid and Christa are both written out of the story, and a dog dies, all happened 30 minutes in. Jeez, relax, story. Spoiler alert, yes, Christa does not come back. And Clementine just decides to forget about her. The beginning of the game does a good job of showing you how pointless and melodramatic the rest of the story will be.

The next episode has Clementine seeking help for her dog bite. No one believes her and decides to lock her in the shed. God, this season is mean-spirited. Even I think Lee was treated better in season 1 than Clementine A FUCKING CHILD. I get being worried about it being a walker bite, but why lock a literal child in a shed, like have some mercy, man.

I will explain more about the story in the character section. But what I will say is that overall, there are a lot of quick deaths and characters getting written off, so don't get too attached to these characters, because you won't get to bond with them too much. None of the characters really get much time to grow or shine due to the story writing them off 1-2 episodes in. There was potential for Nick and Luke to grow, but they both die before that can happen.

After Carver dies, the story seems to struggle with figuring out where to go. As terrible of a villain Carver is, at least he has some point to the story unlike a certain Russian guy who comes out of nowhere and the story wants you to sympathize with despite trying to kill you TWICE. Oh, and Kenny comes back... somehow.... and the story makes him out to be a bad guy all because he was trying to whip all the manbabies up into shape and protect everyone from the russian b!tch who ambushed them. In no way am I saying Kenny is a saint or that the way he approaches situations are always healthy, but the game makes him out to be a madman and everyone else is morally correct or sympathetic when everyone in the group are fucking manbabies except for Clem.

The ending is a mixed bag. I would say the choice between leaving Kenny for Wellington (due to overpopulation) or staying with him is one of the few times where I think the game makes actual sense. But the fight with him and Jane before that just feels so forced. It's just again, the game trying to prove to you through this annoyingly cynical woman that Kenny is a bad man and shouldn't be around Clem. So she does something completely heartless to try to prove that to Clem, when I'm sure many (especially a hothead like Kenny) who found out their baby was left to die would probably react that way or close to it. Why couldn't this b!tch have stayed gone? Why am I supposed to like these characters?

Characters

Nearly every character here is just unlikeable, forgettable and dumb. They are so dumb that they literally make Clementine do all the dirty work while they sit there with a thumb up their asses. I even forgot to write a couple characters into this section because they were just that unmemorable. Even the characters that I liked have their own problems.

For example, Pete is probably one of the characters that I liked more, he's one of the more rational adults and has one of the few deaths that made sense. I also like Alvin too, his love and commitment to raising the baby that may or may not be his is admirable and his death at least serves a purpose. Luke is perhaps the most rational adult in the group, but he can make some dirty coward decisions (like for example, running away from the group twice (yeah another way the story tries to keep you from bonding with these characters) and refusing to shoot Carver) and he acts out of character in episode 4. Thankfully, he mellows out in episode 5 and we get to see more of his personality as he pities himself for not doing more for the group. But then he dies, so goodbye character development.

Kenny is still the same, sometimes an asshole but also loveable and kind. Clementine is still Clementine, with a bit more sass and edge which is to be expected. I personally would've liked more done with her, but I'll explain more in an Aleta Rewrites version.

I'm in the minority when I say that Sarah (Aka Futaba) is a good character. A lot of people call her useless, but I think she's a worthwhile example of what would happen if you shelter someone in an apocalypse and she can make for some good back and forth with Clementine. I would've liked to see how she grows, but she also becomes an annoying burden and then just dies. I understand she's coping with PTSD and her father dying, I have no problem with that. But girl, you are in a zombie apocalypse and you're just sitting there letting yourself die in a house. Come on, now.

Now, for the problematic characters. Nick is just Ben 2.0 but more hotheaded and less likeable. His whole deal with Matthew made no sense because he claims that he shot Matthew for allegedly pointing a gun at his friends, but HE was the one who drew the gun first before Matthew so why he shot him, I don't understand. I think there could've been a better way to keep this storyline intact without having him going insane thinking Matthew was going to kill Clementine and Luke.

Carlos and Rebecca are just straight up assholes to Clem in the beginning and Carlos treats Clementine like she's his own FUCKING ANXIETY RIDDEN DAUGHTER, WHAT?!?!?! Like I said, I think it's interesting to show the ramifications of sheltering someone in an apocalypse but I just can't get over these two being the ones to push the bright idea of letting a little girl suffer in a shed. I would say Rebecca's story with the baby is cute, though.

Sarita... doesn't really have much personality. She's a pretty likeable character, but I think there could've been more to do with her (see the Aleta Rewrites version).

Mike was ok until he started whiteknighting Arvo. Bonnie was a weird character. At first, she sides with Carver, but then she joins the group and is on their side while also making some dumb decisions like *coughs* Getting Luke killed on the lake *coughs* and also whiteknighting Arvo.

Jane just gave off so many red flags. She's cynical, always telling Clementine the worst that could happen like Sarah being dead after losing her glasses and Kenny being a bad person. She has a hidden evil side (willing to leave a baby in the car out in the cold). She gets involved with Luke for whatever reason. And she just seems like an extremely twisted character overall while trying to keep up the cool, nice girl act.

Carver and especially Arvo are both horrible villains. I felt like something interesting could've been done with Carver, he wants to raise the baby that may or may not be his, but he was such a confusing character. On one hand, his motivations seem clear, he wants to get rid of Alvin and help Rebecca raise the baby. But then he has another motivation is that he is a ruthless Karen who wants everyone to work with him and will hurt them if they make even the tiniest mistake. Arvo just feels completely out of the blue. Even if you didn't make the choice to steal the supplies, you still get ambushed by his group. He's clearly a villain yet the game wants you to sympathize with him at the same time. Also a confusing mess of a character.

Gameplay/Animation/Voice Acting

What about the gameplay? Well, besides me not liking the QTE events, the gameplay is still relatively the same and I don't have much to complain about it. Overall, the gameplay and the technical aspects such as the animation and voice acting are still competent. But I'm a writer first and foremost so I focus on the writing more and don't have much to say about anything else.

Overall/TL;DR

I give The Walking Dead Season 2 5.5 bells out of 10.

It was pretty hard to rate. I mean, I have so many mixed feelings about this season and I don't think it's an awful season, but it does so much wrong in terms of writing. I don't want to be too mean to it because I think it's playable at best, it didn't make me want to rip my hair out. The gameplay is competent and there are a few characters to like here (though, it really doesn't help that pretty much every likeable character is killed off and have issues of their own).

But overall, the story rarely makes sense and is just overall mean-spirited and melodramatic, filled with pointless deaths, dumb character decisions, and characters being assholes. One character from the first season gets treated like a villain despite being one of the more rational characters in the group. Characters die before they have much time to develop. Clementine is an 11 year old who's either treated like the only sane adult or treated like a clueless child. Story throws in a bunch of random conflict that throws off the pacing and consistency. Both Carver and Arvo yo-yo between being somewhat sympathetic characters (at least in how the story portrays them) to completely ruthless classic villains. Even the more likeable characters have their own problems, usually as a result of dying off too soon. Or even just other things like Luke being out of character in episode 4 and Sarah becoming an empty husk before her death. Sarita is an anomaly in that she's not an asshole, but pretty much a blank slate.

Aleta Rewrites

Clementine has no character development whatsoever and is somehow a cold, blood-thirsty killer and wise way beyond her years after only two years. Instead of being this static Mary-Sue, why not give her a coming of age story? Show her as a still sensitive, naive little girl losing her innocence as she makes some big choices and sacrifices. Make her hesitate a bit and freak out over the stuff she is doing and going through. Show a major breakdown over everything she's going through. She doesn't need to be a Sarah, but she does still need to have some vulnerability. This could make her bond with the adults (especially Luke and Kenny) much more dynamic and emotional. And THEN by season 3, we can see a cold, cynical, blood-thirsty Clementine, hardened by everything she had to go through, especially in season 2.

Luke. He should've survived at least up until season 3. I could see him having a more heroic death where he sacrifices himself for Clem. If he was able to survive longer, I think he would've had some great character development. Either it's going to be him making less stupid choices, or having to make more morally grey choices in order to survive.

Sarah (aka Futaba). They at least should've kept her until season 3 as well. Maybe season 3 would be the development of Sarah struggling to become more of a badass.

Nick, like I said, the guilt about a huge mistake he made is a good concept to explore. It was just the way it was done didn't make sense. They could've done the simple thing of having Matthew pull out his gun on him first, being suspicious about the group, which then causes Nick to shoot him. Nick could've survived a little bit longer as he tries to make up for his misdeeds, and maybe he dies while doing so.

Sarita, how about having some drama come with being a replacement goldfish for Katjaa? Since Kenny is an emotionally unstable character, maybe he and Sarita don't really get along that much and he's only using her as a rebound. But Sarita doesn't want to break up because she kinda loves him and she wants to keep him happy, it's a codependent issue.

Jane, I think is one of the characters that possibly could've been written out in this season. She's a strong and smart character, so after teaching the group all her skills, having her die instead of Luke maybe during an all is lost moment for the characters would be emotional and would cause the group to go frantic, if only she was a more likeable and loyal character.

Carver. Focus more on his motivation of trying to raise the baby. Considering that the story tries to make him sympathetic at some points, maybe don't imply he r@ped Rebecca in his backstory? I just feel like having that kind of topic even for a villain makes a character instantly unsympathetic and irredeemable. Maybe he was an old fling or flame and she used Alvin as a rebound or another fling that became a relationship or something, idk. Maybe Carver is someone who constantly steals from the group or is an assassin working for someone to kill someone or two in Carlos's group in order to make enough dough to raise the baby.

I could see Arvo being a minor villain to the story if you choose to steal the supplies, but he overstays his welcome. Instead of Arvo, BONNIE should've been the secondary antagonist after Carver. Actually, have HER turn out to be the one who wanted Carver to work for her in assassinating someone. She was initially allied with Carver when the group first talked to her so it'd make sense she'd want revenge after his death. We don't have to have that whole lake bullshit. We don't have to have Bonnie blaming Clementine for someone's death and then turning her back on her while allowing someone to point a damn gun at Clem. JUST MAKE HER WANT VENGEANCE! Seriously, how hard is it to make her be the one to shoot Luke in the leg and Clementine causing her near-death experience? Or idk, that would conflict with Arvo. Maybe don't have him in the story at all. Unless maybe Arvo gets one of your allies killed (maybe Mike, who probably lets himself die in order to make up for stealing the supplies, But also, Mike doesn't do anything so maybe he should die at some point in the story anyway by either Bonnie or Arvo).

Kenny and Luke already had tension built up for episodes and with Kenny gradually losing more and more of his sanity, it would make sense for HIM to be the one to attack Luke because their tension reached a breaking point and Luke did something that he strongly disagreed with. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it got someone killed. Maybe it was Sarita? She was the closest to Kenny.

[mundo-misterio]

Finding Dory Movie Review & Movie Summary (2016)

Finding Dory Movie Review & Movie Summary (2016)

Lo que su cerebro podría no aceptar, sin embargo, su corazón podría hacerlo. “Buscando a Nemo” fue impulsada por su perspicaz descripción de la abrumadora necesidad de un padre soltero de proteger a un niño, especialmente uno con una aleta de tamaño insuficiente, en lugar de dejar que se las arregle por sí mismo y adquiera un sentido de independencia. Aquí, Stanton apela al mismo tipo de instinto…

[humanoid-lovers]

Way Better Than A Movie I am so happy to have found this; what a great way to pass the cold, wet, winter days than to cozy up on the couch with the cat and one of these books. Go to Amazon

Full colored strips with the full original text of Prince Valiant by Hal Foster! Hal Foster's glorious saga has been captured here in full color - together with his full text. Arthurian lore is wed together with a heroic quest across the expanse of much of the known world of olden days. Go to Amazon

Fabulous artwork and storytelling The fifth volume of Hal Foster's saga of the civilized world teetering on the edge of the Dark Ages, with his hero Valiant, delivers a heartfelt payoff as Aleta takes the stage in a role that presents her instantly likeable and admirable. Although today's newspaper strips have several series that are well done ("B.C." comes to mind) the quality of the artwork and story here in this volume contrasts sharply with the poor and shrunken strips of today. These panels covering Sundays 1945-6 are vividly printed with the craftsmanship of Foster evident on every page. Go to Amazon

Wonderful Series We own all of the volumes in this series and Vol. 15 is a wonderful addition with beautiful color and illustrations. Reading it is a step back in time to when we read these comics as youngsters. The book makes a wonderful gift. Go to Amazon

Great stuff! Though I am not old enough to have started with the 1937 comic strips, I used to read about Prince Valiant every week in our local paper. When these archive volumes caught my eye last year I knew I would eventually have to purchase one. Well, I guess I'll be collecting the whole series! Volume One was great, I can't wait to see what happens next! Go to Amazon

Graphic Artist genius One review for all of Hal Fosters work is sufficient. Genius artist and story teller, and as a graphic artist/cartoonist for dozens of years there was no one better. I am aiming to own his complete collection. Go to Amazon

Love it! I have always loved the historically based high adventure stories of Prince Valiant and these Hard cover Fantagraphics volumes are even better than the original Sunday comic strips! The exquisitely drawn illustrations by Hal Foster bring to life the entire historical era right in your living room! I often find myself lingering over them as they really transport you into another time. Better than watching a movie! Shipping was prompt, always came securely packaged before the anticipated arrival date, and I simply felt like a kid opening a present on Christmas morning! Go to Amazon

Another Fine Prince Valiant Volume Hal Foster's "Prince Valiant" is one of the best and longest-appearing syndicated strips. The artwork is splendid, the historical research admirable, and the stories always entertaining. Volume 6 of Fantagraphics' gorgeous hardcover reprint series is no exception. The stories in this book mostly occur in America, many centuries prior to the Jamestown settlement. It's fun to see Val and Aleta interacting with the Indians and traipsing around Niagara. If you like the other volumes, or the work of Hal Foster, you'll probably like this. Go to Amazon

Highly recommended Beautiful book. Great detail in reprinting Five Stars Prince Valiant never ceased to amaze me. These hardcover editions are superb Five Stars I have bought all the volumes, PAC Five Stars Working on the set. Books are well made, ... Five Stars Five Stars

[juniperpublishers-jdvs]

Reproductive Performance and Wastage in Large Ruminant (Cattle) in Ethiopia-Review- Juniper Publishers

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to review the reproductive performance and wastage in large ruminants (cow) in Ethiopia. Though the number of female cattle in Ethiopia is high (55.38% (32.0 million)), the production and reproductive performance (crucial factor) needs to be improved. For modern dairy industry, reproductive performance is the most important to determine the efficiency of dairy cattle. Even though, age at first service, age at first calving, day’s open, calving interval and number of services per conception are the most factors; management and cow-level factors also determine the reproductive performance of dairy cow. The indigenous cattle of age at first service, age at first calving and calving interval is 34.4±2.28 to 56.16±7.56 months, 33.9 to 57.69±1.11months and 13.59±0.26 to 26.04 months, respectively. There is wastage of reproductive due to environmental, genetic, disease and management factors. So, to improve the productivity and production of native breeds, detail understanding of current performance, identifying challenges and opportunities with the causal factors is very important.

Keywords: Indigenous cattle; Reproductive performance; Wastage

Abbreviations: DMY: Daily Milk Yield; AFS: Age at First Service; AFC: Age at First Calving; CI: Calving Interval; NSC: Number of Services per Conception; DO: Days Open; BCS: Body Condition Score; RFM: Retained Fetal Membrane

Introduction

Ethiopia holds the largest livestock population in Africa. The estimated cattle population in Ethiopia is about 57.83 million, 28.04 million sheep, 28.61 million goats, 1.23 million camel and 60.51 million poultry. Out of 57.83 million cattle the female cattle constitute about 55.38% (32.0 million) and the remaining 44.55% (25.8 million) are male cattle. From the total cattle in the country 98.59% (57.01million) are local breeds and remaining are hybrid and exotic breeds that accounted for about 1.19% (706,793) and 0.14% (109,733), respectively. Smallholder dairy farms in Ethiopia particularly in regional and zonal cities are alarmingly increasing because of high demand of milk and milk product from resident. However, the existing farming system which holds maximum of 10 or 15 cows per individual is not satisfactory to fulfill the demand. In addition, farming system has a major problem with regards to feed source, feed supply and the amount given per animal below the minimum standard, which entails in reduction in production and reproduction in the farms [1].

Productive and reproductive traits are crucial factors determining the profitability of dairy production [2], and poor reproductive performance, exposed as prolonged calving intervals, can result in reduced milk yield and increased culling rates and replacement cost [3]. The most common reproductive performance is age at first service, age at first calving, day’s open, calving interval and number of services per conception [1,4]. In addition, major reproductive performance factors encompass both management factors (such as methods of husbandry, feeding, estrus detection, semen handling and transition cow management) and cow-level factors (such as age, BCS, post parturient problem, disease, milk yield, and genetics) [5]. Hammoud [6] also proposed, maximum rates of breeding efficiency in dairy cattle are attained through regular calving of one viable offspring per breeding cow in the herd in a year.

Reproductive health problems cause considerable economic loss to the dairy industry [7] due to slower uterine involution, prolonged inter conception and calving interval, negative effect on fertility, drop in milk production and early depreciation of potentially useful cows [8]. Reproductive wastage is normally considered to cover all losses from mating to the first breeding of the offspring or death of a foetus, calf or cow between confirmed pregnancy diagnosis and weaning, and calculated as a percentage of pregnant cows. Reproductive wastage is caused by environmental, genetic, disease and management factors which operate with different severities and in different combinations. These factors interfere with ovulation, fertilization or implantation and during gestation and parturition [9]. Thus, reproductive disorders are one of the most important problems that affect the production and productivity of dairy cows [10]. Therefore, the objective of this review is documenting the reproductive performance and wastage in large ruminants (cow) in Ethiopia.

Milk Yield and Lactation Length Performance of Ethiopian Cows

The main parameter that is used to gauge the efficiency of production in dairy farm is milk. According to CSA reported, the average milk yield per cow per day is about 1.37 liters. Milk production in Ethiopian zebu produces an average range of 2-4 liters with minimum of 1 liters and maximum of 6 liters [1]. The average daily milk yield (DMY) performances of indigenous cows in PLWs was 1.85 litres/day and ranged from 1.24 litres in rural lowland agro-pastoral system of Mieso to 2.31 litres in rural highland dairy production system of Fogera [11]. In addition, the mean daily milk yield/liters for local cow in western Oromiya is 2.2 ±0.6 [12]. According to Mustefa & Adebabay [13] stated, the yield of milk for local cows is 1.96 ± 0.8193 and 1.82 liters/day in Wolmera areas and Bure district, respectively.

There is a variation in daily milk yield performances of cattle (local) due to agro-ecology effect. For example, the value of average daily milk yield was higher in mid land (2.127 ± 0.094) than low land (1.861 ± 0.084) [14]. Also, the average milk yields for the different stages of lactation in Mecha and Bahir Dar Zuria Districts was 2.0, 1.2 and 0.6 litres for the first, second and third lactations, respectively with an overall average milk yield of 1.2 litres for local cows [15]. Moreover, the average milk yield of local cows per day are 2.73±0.82, 2.01±0.73 and 0.85±0.35 litres for the first, second and third stage of lactations, respectively with an overall average of 1.86±0.63 litres per day [16]. In general, the lower average daily milk yield per cow can be attributed by poor management practice (housing, feeding system and feed nutritional value), stage of lactation and poor genetic potential of the sample population and disease (mastitis which contribute to the low milk production) prevalence.

Lactation length is the time, through which a cow continues giving milk in one parturition. The average lactation period per cow at country level is estimated to be about six months. The average lactation length in North Showa zone showed for local breeds is 273.9 days [17]. Beriso [18] also reported, the lactation length in Aleta Chukko District was 9.93 ± 0.2 months. Kedija & Adebabay [19] stated, the average lactation length of local cows was 7.29 months at Meiso 9.8 months at Bure District, respectively.

The overall average lactation length 324.06 ± 15.09 days (10.802 ± 0.503 months) and it varies between agro-ecologies, in midland areas the local dairy cattle can be milking for longer period (11.875±0.748) than lowland areas (9.82±0.66 years). This might be related with, in midland areas by nature there is exceptional longer rainfall period besides, normal rainfall as result there would be forage availability for milking cows for some extent. Tadesse [20] noted that lactation milk yield is influenced by period of calving and parity number, but no by season of calving. Genotype has own effect on yield performance for lactation milk yield, when variation among genotypes in milk production potential is attributed to genetic potential of each genotypes and poor management (housing, feeding system and feed nutritional value) and disease (mastitis) resistance [21].

Reproductive Performance of Ethiopian Dairy Cows

Reproductive performance is one of the most important concerns of the modern dairy industry worldwide, and it is characteristic of outstanding importance in dairy cattle business and often a major determinant of biological and economic efficiency of livestock production in tropics [22]. The reproductive performance of the breeding female is probably the single most important factor that is a prerequisite for sustainable dairy production system and influencing the productivity [23,24]. The causes of decreasing fertility in dairy cattle are multifactorial origin, and the relevance of different factors varies depending on the geographical areas and the herd [25]. Many factors such as management, nutrition, and genetics are among the reasons for deterioration of reproductive performance [26]. There is a relatively better reproductive performance of dairy cows at Bishoftu because of better feed availability, better AI services in bigger towns, and educational status and farming experience of dairy owners [27].

Age at first service (AFS)

Age at first service (AFS) is the age at which heifers attain body condition and sexual maturity for accepting service for the first time. Age at first service in Ethiopia highland Zebu and Horro cattle were 53 and 55months, respectively. Sisay & Assemu [28] also reported for Horro and Fogera cows are 46.79±1.03 and 42.24±0.05 months, respectively. In addition, the mean age at first service of local heifer reported by Adebabay is 42.48 months in Bure district. AFS in selected Gojam zone varies for different production system reported by Melku are 56.16±7.56, 45.00±2.28 and 39.00±5.40 in rural, peri-urban and urban production system, respectively; because there is good management practice (feeding health care and housing sys-tem) in urban production system. The average age at first service for Ogaden heifers at Haramaya University is 34.4±2.28 months, with minimum and maximum values of 22.6 and 51.5 months, respectively. However, 26% of Ogaden heifers the age at first service is below 24 months. Heifers are considered ready for mating from about 24 months of age or about 200kg body weight [29].

The average AFS of local heifers was 42.48 months Adebabay and Beriso reported, 51.24 ± 0.55 in Aleta Chukko District. AFS is influenced by genotype, nutrition and other environmental factors. First calving marks, the beginning of a cow’s productive life and influences both the productive and reproductive life of the female, directly through its effect on her lifetime calf crop and milk production and indirectly through its influence on the cost invested for up-bringing. Also, a substantial delay in the attainment of sexual maturity may lead a serious economic loss, due to additional, non-lactating, unproductive period of the cow over several months [30] (Table 1).

Age at first calving (AFC)

Age at first calving is the age at which heifers calve for the first time. The beginning of productive life the heifer is called age at first calving. The AFC several studies carried out for local cows are varying. The desirable age at first calving in local breeds is 3 years, even if the recommended heifers calve between 23 and 25 months of age, which is considered as optimum that increase profitability of the dairy business. AFC is one of the important factors contributing to economic return and is determined partially by farmer policy. AFC is affected by different factors like breed, nutritional status and management differences of dairy cows. For example, AFC in selected Gojam zone is higher in urban (66.48±7.68) than peri-urban (49.92±7.08) and urban (49.80±5.40) production system because of poor management. First calving marks, the beginning of a cow’s productive life and influences both the productive and reproductive life of the female, directly through its effect on her lifetime calf crop and milk production and indirectly through its influence on the cost invested for upbringing.

Under controlled breeding, heifers are usually mated when they are mature enough to withstand the stress of parturition and lactation. This increases the likelihood of early conception after parturition. In traditional production systems, however, breeding is often uncontrolled, and heifers are bred at the first opportunity. This frequently results in longer subsequent calving intervals. Researchers have indicated in Ethiopia that of highland zebu had 53 months [1]. In general, earlier calving increases lifetime productivity of cows. AFC influences both the reproductive and productive life of the female directly through its effect on her life time, calf crop and milk production and indirectly upon cost invested for her upbringing and the magnitude of genetic progress. Prolonged age at first calving will have high production in the first lactation but the life time production will be decreased due to less no of calving. If the age at first calving is below optimum, the calves born are weak, difficulty in calving and less milk production in first lactation.

Calving Interval (CI)

CI is the gap between two successive calving or a time elapsed between two consecutive successive parturitions, and ideally should be 12 to 13 months. CI probably the best index of a cattle herd’s reproductive Efficiency. The calving interval can be divided into three periods: gestation, postpartum anestrus (from calving to first estrus) and service period (first postpartum estrus to conception) (Table 2).

Calving interval (CI) is one of the major components of reproductive performance that influences livestock production system [31]. Tadesse noted that longer CI may mainly be attributed to the result of longer CFSI and DO obtained which could be related to environmental factors, mismanagement practices like poor housing, poor nutrition or failure to detect heat by the farmer. For example, CI in selected Gojam zone is higher in urban (26.72±6.55) than peri-urban (20.52±3.78) and urban (19.20±2.33) production system because of poor management. Though, calving interval is the best indicator of reproductive efficiency, extended calving interval is one of the major problems that reduce lifetime productivity of dairy herds [32]. Poor reproductive performance, manifested as prolonged calving intervals, can result in reduced milk yield and increased culling rates and replacement cost.

Number of services per conception (NSC)

The number of services per conception (NSC) depends largely on the breeding system used. It is higher under uncontrolled natural breeding and low where hand-mating or artificial insemination is used. The average number of services per conception of local cows was 1.59. Number of services per conception reported around Mekelle, Bako research center, the overall least squares means in the Maksegnit town [33] and Fogera cows [34] are 2.1±0.1, 1.34±0.11 2.0±0.65 and 1.42±0.05, respectively. Also, the number of service per conception reported by Melku for rural peri-urban and urban production system are 2.51±0.73, 1.37±0.71 and 1.13±0.40, respectively.

NSC values greater than 2.0 should be regarded as poor [35] natural service conception has 1.18 whereas artificial insemination users (1.5 up to 2.3). This might indicate that there are problems in using AI methods due to various reasons, of these factors feed availability, time of insemination and heat detection plays a major role. Higher NSC results from either failure to conceive at a given service and/or failure to maintain pregnancy, thus requiring repeated services. Habtamu & Hammoud [36] also reported that year of calving and parity number exerted a significant effect on conception rate to first service.

Days Open (DO)

Days open refers the interval from calving to conception (i.e. the number of days between parturition and the insemination that resulted in a pregnancy). According to Niraj and Sisay stated, the DO is 185.8± 51.2 (Mekelle) and 88.13 ±2.03 (Horro) days for dairy cows, respectively. Due to good management practice in urban production system (233.40±57.60) DO is good than rural (346.80±33.60) and peri-urban (303.60±38.40). In addition, the overall least squares mean for DO in indigenous dairy cows in Maksegnit town is 86.5±4.5 estimated to be days [33]. Year of calving has significant effect on DO but season of calving did not affected DO. However, there is significant effect of parity number, summer season and season of calving has significant effect on DO. A herd average of less than 85 open days indicates that cows are being breed early, 85 to 115days considered as optimum for dairy herd, 116 to 130 indicate slight problem, 131 to 145 moderate problems, while more than 145 open days considered as sever reproductive problem in the dairy herd.

Birth and Weaning Weight

The overall mean birth weight of Fogera cattle breed calves is 21.4±0.09 kg, but the mean birth weight of Fogera calves is lower (20.7 ± 0.11 kg) reported by Addisu. Birth weight affected by sex of calf, season of birth and year of birth while parity of dam exerted non-significant effect. Male calves are heavier than their female counterparts (21.3±0.08 kg vs. 20.5±0.08 kg). Moreover, the overall least squares mean of birth weight is 21.50±0.29 kg, with 20.98±0.31 kg for females and 22.03±0.33 kg for males. Calves born during the dry season is heavier than those born during the short rainy season. This might be because dams calved in the dry season would have better nutrition during the previous season therefore be in a better body condition during calving. In general, birth weight declines as year advances might be because the deterioration of the grazing lands due to over grazing and variability in birth weight across years implies inconsistency of management level of the farm and variability of natural pasture between years. Researchers reported that year (season) of birth a significant effect on birth weight of calves [37].

The overall mean of weaning weight at eight months (mean weaning age of calves at ALRC) of Fogera calves are 102.2±0.77kg Assemu and Aynalem reported 79.0±1.51kg for Ethiopian Boran breed. But Almaz [38] reported for Fogera cattle breed calves at ALRC is lower (88.6±0.33kg) compared to than Assemu. Getinet also reported for Ogaden breed at six months of age is 91.7±1.67kg, this is might be due to the weaning age and production objective difference of the breeds. Weaning weight of Fogera calves is 88.6±1.3kg. The least squares means of live weights of calves at weaning and 9 months are 91.65±1.67kg and 111.1±2.16kg, respectively, with 95.42±1.92kg and 116.64±2.49kg for males and 87.88±1.95 kg and 105.50±2.37 kg for females and the overall least square means weight at 24 and 30 months of ages are 200.7±3.43, and 234.79±3.67 kg, respectively, which meet the minimum weight for the age of export beef animals. Calves born during wet season has additional weight over calves born during dry season.

Calves born in the short rainy season were heavier than those born in the main rainy season (90.2kg vs. 86.7kg), which might be due to the fact that dams calved during the short rainy season would get better available forage in the main rainy season thus produce better milk for the calves while those calved in the main rainy season immediately gets in the dry season. Less milk production by younger and older cows can bring a calf with lower weaning weight. This might be due to the availability of optional feed resource during wet season, which are palatable and digestible for the calves. Season has significant effect on weaning weight of calves for Fogera cattle breed [39]. The trend of birth weight and weaning weight of Fogera cattle breed at the research center had shown a considerable decrement across the advancement of year. The decreasing trend might be due to deterioration of the production environments (feed quality and seasonality; and disease prevalence), lack of care and facility improvement for the center, unavailability of continuous concentrate feed supply for dams and poor recording system. Additionally, the shift of the ranch to the research center without any facility and feeding strategy, increasing the cattle population trend and invasion of the grazing land by unpalatable weeds, and absence of strategic selection mechanism favors for the declining trend.

Factors Affecting Reproductive and Productive Performance of Dairy Cattle

Factors affecting reproductive performance are associated to either to the management factors (such as methods of husbandry, feeding, estrus detection, semen handling and transition cow management) or to the cow factors (such as age, body condition score (BCS), post-parturient problem, disease events, milk yield, and genetics). The performance of animals depends not only on their genetic merits, but also on other factors such as nutrition, management, health, and environment. Genetic factors are likely to explain only a small proportion of variation in fertility within a population of cows and suggests the strong influence of environmental factors such as management decisions on the reproductive efficiency of dairy cows. There is strong evidence that reproductive performance has a negative relationship with milk production.

Report on delay on postpartum resumption of ovarian activity due to longer CFSI, poor expression of estrus by the cow, failure to detect estrus by herd attendant or both are also the major causes for poor reproduction performance. Absence of heat detection aids, improper AI technique, shortage of experienced inseminators, poor management (feeding, housing, and heat detection) of dairy cows and heifers and early embryonic mortality are the implicated factors on reproductive performance and poor AI efficiency of smallholder dairy cows and heifers [40]. The effect of year of calving and birth on reproductive performance of dairy cows could be attributed change in climatic condition during different seasons.

Nutrition has the major limiting impact on productive and reproductive performance in all animals. It also plays a major role on enhancing reproductive efficiency of dairy cows. Energy and protein are the major nutrients required in the greatest amounts and should be in the topmost priority to optimize reproduction in dairy cattle; but also, minerals and vitamins can’t be neglected and must be optimum in the diet [41]. Hammoud stated, changes in feeding systems which occurred from year to another as well as to differences between years in the quantity and quality of forage availability have a significant effect in year of calving or birth on reproductive performance of dairy cows. Proper heat detection, feeding and postpartum reproduction management may reduce NSC, and hence there is a possibility of reduction in day’s open and calving interval. The incidence dystocia retained foetal membranes clinical and subclinical metabolic disease, mastitis and abnormal displacement can have a significant impact on resumption of ovulation in dairy herds through their effects on uterine involution. Changes in management and environmental condition from year to another year delays age at first service and calving.

Reproductive Wastage and Reproductive Health Problem

Reproductive Wastage

Reproductive wastage is normally considered to cover all losses from mating to the first breeding of the offspring or death of a foetus, calf or cow between confirmed pregnancy diagnosis and weaning, and calculated as a percentage of pregnant cows. Reproductive wastage is caused by environmental, genetic, disease and management factors which operate with different severities and in different combinations. These factors interfere with ovulation, fertilization or implantation and during gestation and parturition. According to Amuanmuta reported for Fogera cattle, the overall mortality rate of 4.9 ± 1.3, 6.8 ± 1.4, 7.3 ± 1.7 and 10.1 ± 2.0 at the end of 30 days (neonatal period) 180, 240 (pre-weaning) and 360 days, respectively. Of the 640 total female cattle reproductive tracts examined in Sululta slaughterhouse, 28.9% uterus are found pregnant, 66.6% (426) are cyclic ovarian activities. Of the cycling cows, 7.5% are pregnants. 65.4% of the fetuses are at early (< 3 months), 30.3% are mid (3-6 months) and the rest 4.3% are at late (6 months) ages of pregnancies [42]. Also, the total number of pregnant cows slaughtered during the Hawassa municipality abattoir and Tula slaughter house is 92. Of the total pregnancies, 45.65% are found with early (first trimester), 30.43% are mid (second trimesters) and 23.91% are late stages (third trimesters). It is also found that the right ovaries have the highest physiological activities than the left ovaries and their percentage are 65.45% and 34.55% on the right and left, respectively [43].

Reproductive health problem

The effects of the disease on reproductive tract causing retained fetal membrane that usually leads to uterine infection and hence poor conception rate. The number of services per conception increases when cattle are repeatedly experience abortion, retained fetal membrane, dystocia and other reproductive health problems [44]. High prevalence of reproductive health problems is mastitis, abortion, repeat breeder, anestrus and RFM are the most prevalent problems of dairy cows in Borena zone [45]. In different parts of Ethiopia indicated that 26.5% of cows examined has at least one of reproductive problems in and around Bedelle south west Ethiopia [46], and retrospective analysis of clinical data in central Ethiopia showed 44.3% of the cows has major prepartum and postpartum reproductive problems [47]. According to Bahlibi [48] reported, 51 (19.3%) affected with the major reproductive problems, of which repeat breeding (9.1%), anoestrus (4.2%) and abortion (3.8%) are the major reproductive problems in selected Tigray region. Also, the occurrence of reproductive problems in the same study areas are 26.7% repeat breeding, 20% anoestrus, 5.8% retained fetal membranes, 5.8% uterine prolapsed, 28.3% abortion and 26.7% testicular swelling (Figure 1). Gashaw [49] and Dawit and Ahmed also reported the prevalence of 33.59% and 40.25% of reproductive health problems of cows in Jimma town, south-west Ethiopia and Kombolcha, north-east Ethiopia, respectively.

Reproductive problems like retained placenta, uterine prolapse, milk fever, calf mortality, still birth, abortion, infection, dystocia and others. Calf mortality (34%) and abortion case (16%) receive high proportion among the reported problems followed by infectious diseases like blackleg, foot and mouth, foot abscess. Calves within 1-3 months of age showed relatively high proportion of mortality (42.3%), less than month (30.9%) and above 3 months (26.8%). Abebaw [50] reported, from the total of 396 dairy cows in-Jimma town, 33.59% (133) affected either with one or more reproductive health problems. Retained Fetal Membrane (RFM), mixed problems, dystocia and endometritis are found to be the major reproductive health problem. According to calf morbidity and mortality have short-term and longterm detrimental effects on performance of a dairy farm [51]. Moreover, according to Adane [52] in Hossana and peri-urban farms, repeat breeder, anoestrus, Retained Fetal membrane (RFM), and dystocia are the major reproductive health problems containing 13.08%, 12.06%, 7.18% and 5.9% prevalence rate respectively and other reproductive health problems observed with lower prevalence include vaginal prolapsed, abortion, mixed and uterine prolapsed having 3.44%, 2.56%, 1.03%, and 0.76% respectively.

Females mortality peaked at the end of the big rainy season (August-September) animals, 37%), in the opposite of bulls which peaked during the end of the dry season between April and June (1 out of 22 animals, 45%). Mortality peaked in calves aged 5 to 7 months (45%) and the main mortality peak is during the dry season (April-June) 45% followed by a second peak in September at the end of the dry season (15%) and a third in December [53]. Higher morbidity (77.8 %) and mortality (22.2 %,) is registered in calves below three months of age compared to 50 % and 16.7 %, respectively in calves above three months of age [54]. Among the diarrheic dairy calves, 68.4 % affected at the age of less than two months, followed by 26.3 % at the age of 2–4 months, and 5.3 % at the age of 4–6 months. Delayed first colostrum feeding led to increased morbidity and mortality (80.0 % and 40.0 %, respectively) compared to early colostrum consumption (60.0 % and 10.0 %, respectively. The major reproductive health problems for Borana are mastitis (21.3%), abortion (12.2%), repeat breeder (10.3%), anestrus (10.3%) and retained fetal membrane (RFM; 7.6%; n=31/409). The rate of abortion increased with the increase in the stage of gestation.

Reproductive Performance Improvement in Dairy cattle

Improving reproductive performance of dairy cows requires understanding of current performance, identifying challenges and opportunities with the causal factors, and subsequently creating sustainable options for overcoming the problems. In Ethiopia, there are extreme variations in livestock production systems, climate and access to services; success in breed improvement depends on flexibility. Therefore, breeding programs should be somehow flexible to be responsive to variable scenarios for future needs of the programs. For example, demands for the product type and quality can change with time and hence the program must respond to such changes. Management practices affect pregnancy success and reproductive performance of smallholder dairy cows. Apart from the conventional methods of evaluating reproductive performance, the introduction of evaluation parameters such as submission to service at the right time post-partum, pregnancy by day 200 and non-pregnancy by day 300 provide which are directly influenced by the management practices provide a useful evaluation alternative.

Effect of Climate Change on Large Ruminant Production and Productivity

Climate change is a long-term shift in the statistics of the weather such as temperature, radiation, wind and rainfall characteristics of a region. Climate change has profound effect on livestock. The anticipated rise in temperature due to climate change is likely to aggravate the heat stress in livestock, adversely affecting their productive and reproductive performance. The predicted negative impact of climate change on agriculture would also adversely affect livestock production by aggravating the feed and fodder shortages. The livestock sector which will be a sufferer of climate change is itself a large source of methane emissions, an important greenhouse gas. The paper mainly reviews the contribution of livestock to climate change and impacts of climate change on livestock milk production, reproduction, livestock diseases and mitigation strategies to counteract climate change effects [55]. Livestock systems in developing countries are characterized by rapid change, driven by factors such as population growth, increases in the demand for livestock products as incomes rise, and urbanization [56]. Climate related hazards in Ethiopia include drought, floods, heavy rains, strong winds, frost, heat waves (high temperatures) and lightning [57]. Rainfall variability greatly influenced herd dynamics in terms of herd die-offs and lower birth rates, which also considerably affected milk production for household consumption [58].

Climate change and variability can severely constrain the productivity of pastoral herds by reducing water availability, forage production and quality, and hence the carrying capacity of rangelands. The risk of heavy livestock losses suffered during recurrent severe droughts associated with climate change and variability presents one of the most serious threats to pastoral livestock keepers [59]. On average, global temperatures will likely increase worldwide by 0.2 degrees per decade. There will be fluctuation in precipitation, increase in droughts and floods [60]. Livestock production systems may be affected in various ways, and changes in productivity are inevitable [61]. climate change affects the sector directly through temperature increases and shifts in rainfall amounts and patterns and through ecosystem changes, changes in crop yield, quality, and types, alter the distribution of animal diseases, and increased competition for resources indirectly. In Borana, Ethiopia showed that rainfall variability greatly influenced herd dynamics under the communal and ranch management in terms of herd die-offs and lower birth rates, which also considerably affected milk production for household consumption.

Droughts of the 1980s and 1990s caused 49% herd losses under the communal land use, while 57% of the cattle mortality under ranch management was attributed to droughts of the 1990 [62-65]. Cattle herd dynamics is strongly determined by rainfall variability in southern Ethiopia. Hygienic condition, feeding, housing and health management should be improved to minimize the occurrence of these problems and associated economic losses in the dairy farms. The reproductive problems according to their relative importance in and around Bedelle were Metritis 51 (16.9%), abortion 42 (13.9%), Retained Fetal Membrane (RFM) 26 (8.6%), dystocia 20 (6.6%), repeat breeding 9 (3%), anoestrous 5 (1.7%), prolapse (vaginal and uterine) 3 (1%) and 2 (0.65%), respectively [66,67].

Conclusion and Recommendation

Conclusion

98.59% (57.01million) of country cattle are local breeds and remaining are hybrid (1.19%) and exotic (0.14%) breed. Even though, Ethiopia has a huge livestock from the Africa, because of several problem like feed source shortage, high cost of concentrate feed, genetic potential, policy disease prevalence and lack of infrastructure, the productivity is too low. Reproductive performance of the breeding female is the single most important factor that is a prerequisite for sustainable dairy production system and influencing the productivity. In dairy sector, age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval, day’s open, and number of services per conception are a crucial factor and influenced by management. The indigenous cattle of age at first service, age at first calving and calving interval is 34.4±2.28 to 56.16±7.56 months, 33.9 to 57.69±1.11months and 13.59±0.26 to 26.04 months, respectively. There is wastage of reproductive due to environmental, genetic, disease and management factors. So, to improve the productivity and production of native breeds, detail understanding of current performance, identifying challenges and opportunities with the causal factors is important.

Recommendation

a. Should be improve genetic potential of native breeds though selection or breeding.

b. Awareness creation training for producers on heat detection, feeding and feed ration formulation, housing, record keeping and health care.

c. Creating linkage with Universities, Research Institutes Center, extension service, dairy cooperatives and NGOs for training, technology adoption transfer and dissemination.

d. Should be improve hygienic of dairy house and control those reproductive disease or economic importance disease particularly mastitis.

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Congress moves closer to ban single-use plastics; address waste, flooding

#PHinfo: Congress moves closer to ban single-use plastics; address waste, flooding

Contributed photo of single-use plastics

QUEZON CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- Sixty one bills in the House of Representatives seeking to phase-out or regulate single-use plastics were tackled recently in a technical working group chaired by Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Benitez under the House of Representatives Committee on Ecology..

"This legislation is a critical, concrete step towards a circular economy. There are products that we can immediately ban. But for products that are not easily replaceable, we must give manufacturers time to produce alternatives and diversify," Benitez said.

The lawmaker emphasized the need to consult all stakeholders from the sectors that will be affected, in view of the wide range of products to be covered by the bills such as plastic straws for drinks, plastic coffee stirrers, plastic bags of thickness below 50 microns, plastic cups and cutlery, containers of polystyrene, balloons and candy sticks, buntings, and confetti.

Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, for her part as co-author, also expressed strong support for the immediate passage of the legislative measure regulating and prohibiting single-use plastics.

“We have seen with our own eyes and we have known for some time that single-use plastics have a negative impact on the environment. This is even more problematic in our flood-prone areas, where plastic wastes clog our sewerage systems. The issue isn’t just that plastic bags take forever to disintegrate, it is the massive number of plastics Filipinos use and quickly throw away. These plastics are choking the life out of our oceans and forests and polluting our communities,” Legarda said.

Legarda, a three-term Senator and representative of the Lone District of Antique, said that the complete eradication of single-use plastics, a term commonly referring to disposable plastic items that are thrown after one-time use, must be supported as an environmentally-conscious solution to the plastic crisis.

Among the principal authors of various House bills that seek to regulate the use of plastics are House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, Deputy Speakers  Legarda and Rufus Rodriguez, Representatives Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Bienvenido Abante Jr., Lorenz Defensor, Ria Christian Fariñas, Rudys Caesar Fariñas Farinas I, Kristine Alexie Tutor, Manuel Cabochan III,  Lawrence Fortun, Geraldine Roman, Robert Ace Barbers, Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Greg Gasataya, Luis Raymond Villafuerte Jr., Estrellita Suansing, Horacio Suansing Jr., Jumel Anthony Espino,  Precious Castelo, Joy Myra Tambunting, Angelo Marcos Barba, Jose Teves Jr., Florencio Noel, Rodrigo Abellanosa, Eric Yap, Paolo Z. Duterte, Josefina Tallado, Ramon Guico III, Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, Alberto Pacquiao, Francisco Jose Matugas II, John Marvin Nieto, Aleta Suarez, Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez, Frederick Siao, and Mark Go.

As the principal author of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law of 2000, Legarda suggested that instead of "disposable" plastics, ready alternatives can be in the form of reusable ecobags, bamboo or wood utensils, or glass-based containers in homes. She added that companies must change their economic mindset, wasteful production processes and packaging methods, from the use of seemingly cost-effective plastics into investing in reusable and recyclable products which are more sustainable in the long run.

The Climate Change Commission (CCC), led by its Chairperson-designate Department of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, supports the nationwide ban on single-use plastics as a vital component of a low-carbon economy and to advance sustainability, promote biodiversity, ensure food security, and curb pollution.

The climate body stressed that the passage of a legislative measure on this subject matter will further push policymakers to proactively review the implementation of existing environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act (Republic Act or RA No. 8749), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), Clean Water Act (RA 9275), and the Climate Change Act (9729) to ensure a more holistic, sustainable, and inclusive recovery of our communities and the environment. (PIA NCR)

***

References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "Congress moves closer to ban single-use plastics; address waste, flooding." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1066766 (accessed February 13, 2021 at 10:46AM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "Congress moves closer to ban single-use plastics; address waste, flooding." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1066766 (archived).

[taybatwo2]

Monster High IDW Comics Review: Part 2 of ?: Monster High Pride 2024 Issue (“Summer Fangout”)

This is taking forever for me to get out, but I had stopped in at my local comic book shop and picked up the single issue MH Pride when it first released.

This is the first release in the MH IDW run (the Free Comic Book Day is a preview to the actual series). It is 37 pages long (30 of actual story) and was 5.99. Mattel hired several people from the LGBTQIA+ community to work on the artwork of this comic too (a great addition). 

It has two stories “Summer Fangout” and “I Put a Spell on You.” I will explore the second short story in my next post.

“Summer Fangout” by Hannah Templer (she/her - has a HUGE comic art portfolio and a graphic novel series called Cosmoknights and her own website).

Art by Siobhan Keenan (she/her, also did the artwork in the FCBD issue and has a ton of GORGEOUS art on -Twitter- “x” and Instagram: @ siobhanchiffon).

Colored by Rebecca Nalty (she/her, also worked on the FCBD Issue, and has beautiful artwork on her own website and Instagram: @ sharkberri).

The front cover’s art was by Betsy Cola (she/her, she shows off her lovely art on Instagram: @ betsy.cola). I also kept reading her name as: Batsy Claro. Ha!

I like how they are wearing each other’s traditional claw-polish, the pride flag in the scratch in the background and the stenciled hearts. Toralei has a little lesbian pin (I would have thought she was bi-sexual due to dating Rocko and even going to prom with Jackson in the Monster High Website Prom’s Night In Scare-adise). I do really wish Toralei’s nose was colored in.

Both shorts had Kielamel Sibal as the letterer (she/her, her lovely artwork is on Instagram @ labis_lemaleik), Riley Farmer as the editor (she/her, I think, I can’t access her LinkedIn profile), and production/design done by Johanna Nattalie (she/her and has worked on a lot of IDW Sonic titles). All three had worked previously on the FCBD issue.

It is 20 pages long (double that of the second short story).

My comic book shop had 3 volumes when I got there (an hour after opening) and I bought the only Spelldon/Valentine cover Variant there (the artwork for all three variants are in the back of the issue -apparently there was a black and white IDW Exclusive done by Rose Bousamra and I especially like how Cleo and Clawdeen were drawn here).

I am curious as to how they were stocked at other comic book shops.

I am generally not a floppies collector, but I wanted to make an exception for MH G1’s pride comic (I assume it will be in the collected series, but it is a one shot and I wanted to support pride, AND get a good look at the official Spelldon). My Spelldon really wanted to compare himself with the official version…which I might do in another post because I think those kinds of things are fun.

Synopsis: “Summer Fangout” shows Clawdeen and Toralei trying to build a summer fangout for their ghouls; they meet two new ghouls to help them out, and gremlins get in the way of building it. All the while, Ghoulia is gaming and talking favorite characters with Kjersti.

My personal opinions/review of the comic is under the cut:

To try and prevent copyright infringement, I whited out the speech bubbles in this issue.

page 1:

“Summer Fangout” starts off with Clawdeen painting Toralei’s claws in the Wolf family backyard, which I could have sworn was said to be huge in other media (as they were always having HUGE family BBQ’s there), but here it is so crowded that the ghoulfriends are thinking about different ways to get away.   Lagoona is mentioned (so maybe she didn’t get “boiled alive” in “Once Bitten”), so is Purrsephone (not her sister though), and Cleo (who just redid their pool in solid gold but apparently didn’t want to invite all her ghoulfriends over to celebrate it -big missed opportunity for a pool party Cleo).

Their beverages are lemonade and….gingerbread cookies….oh…what a tasty combination. Clawdeen and Toralei look really pretty in the first panel (Toralei and Clawdeen’s nails are their traditional shades here, which is a shame, I would have liked them to have it switched like the alternate cover). Clawdeen continues to be gorgeous in the second and third panel too.

And Toralei looks perfect here:

But she is still looking a bit off….

Her nose! It’s too pointy!!!

They didn’t give Toralei her little cat nose! Even when it wasn’t colored in on the doll, she still had a little, blunt cat nose!!! 

Also, seeing Clawdeen’s siblings (and one mystery brother) is cute! Look at little Howleen just vibing and Clawdia chilling. 

The clawwwww. Their hands still look a bit off, and I’ve already mentioned in my FCBD post that this artist’s hands just look a bit off in these comics.

page 2:

Toralei complements her ghoulfriend on her maniclaw (ha!), the two ghouls complain that none of their friends have a secret base/lair, and they decide to make their own space out in the woods (away from other monsters) a “Purrfect Summer Fangout!”

Well, I’m pretty sure Cleo and Draculaura have huge homes that everyone can fangout in and the catacombs were usually the go-to place to find killer fangouts, but to the haunted woods we go!!

What if they had made this short comic all about camping instead…? Clawdeen would have had more experience camping with her Family/pack, Toralei could have bemoaned not having a great eye-coffin signal for a whole weekend! They could have butted heads about setting up camp (on every family camping trip I’ve been on this has been the case), or someone forgot something, they could get lost in the woods and Toralei could climb a tree to see where to go/Clawdeen could help track down some of her friends that also came along, Toralei could go fishing!!! Maybe they find a misunderstood monster in the woods?? They could have DESIGNED them new little CAMPING outfits…. *cries*

Human-nosed Toralei looks very lovely and has a very cat-like posture in the first panel that really captures her (but her spikes are missing in her jacket and her pointer finger still looks a bit off). I think Clawdeen looks good in all these panels, with the fourth being a standout due to her canines being actually visible outside of her lips. I think the artist captures Clawdeen pretty well (her wavy hair especially) but her nose still looks both too small and oddly straight and pointy.

Also, Toralei’s glove is not outlined in the last panel and her jacket’s spikes have the outline of her collar running through them.

Just my opinion, but I feel the paneling in this short jumps around instead of flowing well together. For example, on just this page, it starts off with Clawdeen kneeling down beside Toralei (cute), then the camera shifts behind Clawdeen and Toralei is holding a gingerbread cookie, next Clawdeen is standing up BEHIND Toralei, and the cookie is not shown again in any of the panels (like this one could have had Toralei holding up the cookie with a bite taken out of it and taking with her mouth full to just show some continuation), the next panel has Clawdeen back on the ground/in front of Toralei and hing her hands (cute, but this would have been less jumpy if she just would have stayed kneeling next to her ghoulfriend), and then in the final panel of the page, they are both standing up BUT THE FIRST PANEL of page 3 they are once again sitting together (with Clawd standing over them). It’s like they’re afraid of just having these characters sit (or stand) still and talk. That can still be intriguing!

page 3:

Clawd overhears the two ghouls getting excited about something. Toralei is excited to share their “secret lair,” while Clawdeen is more than happy to tell Clawd their “SECRET FANGOUT” is for fiends only, no brothers. Clawd mentions the woods are cursed, and one time his casketball went over their fence and climbed a tree on its own. Clawdeen is done hearing her brother talk and takes her ghoulfriend to get her dad’s toolbox and take her into the woods -to make out- to decorate. Clawd yells after them that he warned them.

I missed snarky Clawdeen so much. This is now my favorite drawing of Clawdeen in this whole comic. I can hear her Brooklyn accent seeping off the page!!

But Clawd, oh poor Clawd. I like seeing him appear and his facial expression is good in the first panel, but why is his nose so small and pointy in some of these panels?! Also, his hands look so stiff in the last panel…

I assume the artist was working off of pictures of his Forbitten Love doll, because he is missing his killer cheek bones he has in the animated show/movies and artwork.

Another couple of nitpicks…is their backyard connected to the woods because we already see glowing eyes in the third panel? Also, Clawd’s flashback of losing his casketball could be conveyed clearer to the reader (like lighter colors or any lines separating the speaker from the action) otherwise it looks like his casketball he just had in the crook of his arm in the first panel has also JUST ran up the tree too. Also in the fifth panel, Clawd’s right ear is intersected with the outline of his cap.

page 4:

Meanwhile Ghoulia and Kjersti are gaming together and talking about their favorite “Skulltimate Creep Fighters” characters (“Barb E. Rian” (HA) is Kjersti’s and “Nika Románcer” (whose name I don’t think has a doll pun to it, but it might have gone right over my head) is Ghoulia’s). Kjersti claims Barb is the best, even the pros know it, and the hits on her Barb fangfic solidify ”prove it.” She inadvertently dunks on how unpopular Ghoulia’s Nika fangfic is (and begrudgingly admits that it isn’t bad BUT Nika’s stats are still inferior).

Kjersti looks really cute in the fourth panel and really cute in her Chibi-fied sixth panel. Ghoulia looks nice in the first panel. Her and Ghoulia’s hands still look poorly traced (it really reminds me of G3’s original doll box artwork looking really off and the reason was Mattel took the early design work done by Anna Cattish -a really good artist- and either poorly traced it, or had another artist poorly copy it). Ghoulia’s hand outline is SUPER light blue in the fifth panel (maybe to show that is being lit up, but it’s not seen anywhere else). However, I am missing Ghoulia’s sunken in cheek, and Kjersti’s more rounded features/HUGE ears in this art style. They all kinda have the same face shape (including noses, eyes and lips).

Something a bit distracting was Kjersti insisting that Barb has the best stats was partially due to her Rotpad fic has more attention, and I don’t think that’s how game was“STATS” work. I feel like Kjersti should have just been talking about how Barb is best because all the pros agree she has the best stats AND her fangfic get the most hits on Rotpad. Then she shows off how well her fangfic is doing. Then Kjersti could say: Niki isn’t well liked, because she only has a few fics with only a few hits -THEN she can notice that Ghoulia’s handle wrote most of those and apologizes for putting her foot in her mouth - OR Ghoulia sees that Niki doesn’t have many fangfics and decides to start writing some/challenges Kjersti to a fangfic writing competition…? Either way, this could be a learning opportunity that even smaller character have their own fans too, fitting for Monster High and their myriad of characters. This is a good time to bring up the HEAVY USE of puns in this. It’s not unusually for G1 MH, but a bit of them in this comic are a bit forced or miss the mark: “Skulltimate Creep Fighter….?” Eh. How about “Skulltimate Street Biter??” “Spider-Hammock” is fine, but what about “web-hammock?” “Rotpad” instead of “Watpad,” “Fangfiction” instead of “Fanfiction” and “Howlware store” instead of “Hardware Store” are all good though.

page 5:

Kjersti still claims that Barb is the “beast” due to her numbers and “claw-culations,” and that’s she’s still beating Ghoulia. Ghoulia is saddened by Kjersti being dismissive of her feelings, again, and says it’s on (oh, Ghoulia still speaks in moans and groans in this and, oh how I’ve missed it). Also, Ghoulia sits like “L” from Death Note when she games (which is cute) and has posters/figurines all over her wall of this new character and Deadfast (yesssss). 

Looking at the last panel on this page, you can kinda see more of Barb’s design and see that the reason she has some odd looking legs in page 4 is due to her pants being incorrectly colored to look like skin.

page 6:

The Ghoulfriends come across a clearing and start putting decorations up, but Clawdeen is annoyed how Toralei doesn’t stick with a project/is moving too fast and her stuff is starting to go missing.

The top panel has a lot of nice energy to it. Clawdeen’s expression in the last panel is good (I kinda wish the whole “gremlin” was not yet shown, and maybe we see just a sneak peak of a foot or claw reaching into the tool box). Toralei looks really nice in most of these panels too and Clawdeen’s nose looks more accurate in the first, fourth and fifth panels (wahoo), but her right ears are placed a bit too far on her head on the first and third panel. Her teeth are partially colored red in the fourth panel, and her ear is drawn through her left gold hoops in the fifth panel.

Clawdeen calls Toralei “kitten” and that is so cute.

page 7:

Clawdeen is concerned about the missing tools, while Toralei tells her she probably just misplaced it (even if they haven’t used it yet), and Toralei keeps jumping from project to project while Clawdeen gets stuck moving the rock by herself, stuck in the “spider-hammock” and getting frustrated, but Toralei doesn’t seem to notice or hear her. Toralei ends the page by telling Clawdeen not to stand around. I liked that Toralei called Clawdeen “poochie and climbed the tree with the lights stuck in her mouth (that’s very on brand for her). Toralei’a and Clawdeen expressions were pretty good on this page, but Clawdeen in panel five had a very low right ear, super pointed nose and weird hand. In panel three, above Clawdeen’s left ear, it should be colored dark green as it’s the rest of the forest, not another rock.

page 8:

Okay. By a writing standpoint, this page is kinda confusing, so I’m going to do a panel, by panel breakdown to see if this makes sense to anyone else. Toralei asks Clawdeen where their stuff is at and Clawdeen asks her the same thing and that’s she’s been running around “like a freshblood at fearleading tryouts.” (Toralei, your ghoulfriend has been asking you were her tools are this whole time, and Clawdeen, Toralei went everywhere but the tools- this exchange would have worked better if the tools were already out of the toolbox before they went missing). Toralei answers that her “creativity can’t be tamed”and if Clawdeen wasn’t hung up on every little detail they’d be farther along. (Clawdeen didn’t mention anything about creativity, and wasn’t slowed down by focusing on something for too long, she was busy finishing Toralei’s projects and looking for her tools). Clawdeen says she thinks aesthetics are really important too (WHAT AESTHETICS?!?) and Toralei responds that she has learned the only way to get things done is to do things herself (????? But she hasn’t done everything herself, Clawdeen put the other side of the “spider-hammock” up, moved your rock for you and was trying to get you a hammer and some rope for the lights).

Toralei trips? Falls?? I THINK is startled by the parasoul opening up and falls to the ground (understandable cat reaction it’s just not the clearest here). Clawdeen asks (before Toralei falls) how that was going for her (this one makes more sense because things are falling apart so far). Suddenly Clawdeen looks apologetic and kneels down to Toralei. She tells Toralei that she thought couples were supposed to be good at these things and they should be able to work together. Torelai angrily spats that they are working together Clawdeen just needs TO KEEP UP (the mood shift is really sudden and I think this is what should have been the focus on this page because this was the actual issue they were having as a couple: how to work together!! Like maybe Toralei should have said Clawdeen’s line and Clawdeen should have said Toralei needs to wait until they’re done working on something before moving on, otherwise she gets overwhelmed. Because the next panel would have flowed better into that!).

Clawdeen and Toralei stand up and look at the empty toolbox and Toralei (whose mouth is CLOSED - it looks like Clawdeen should have been speaking since her mouth is parted and why did they put the speech bubble covering them both up! They could have moved it over so Clawdeen is speaking, and you can actually see these ghouls closeness) says that they need to get more tools if they want to get anything done (I guess neither apologize to each other for their earlier outbursts, and Clawdeen is going to ignore the fact that Toralei is putting the blame on Clawdeen for not keeping up).

Clawdeen pulls Toralei to the Howlware store to get more tools and maybe get someone to help them get organized (organization might be part of the problem, but I don’t think a Howlware employee is going to help walk you guys through learning to listen to what the other person needs and teach you to slow down if your partner is getting left behind).

I also thought Clawdeen was more of a go-getter/self starter and Toralei was a stand-back and work on the most entertaining/fun parts of a project. Besides those critiques, these are all great panels of Clawdeen, and Toralei looks good in the sixth panel. I like that they mention they ARE a couple, Clawdeen and Toralei holding each other’s hands is really sweet and I love them standing together in the sixth panel. The spider-hammock is continually something that Clawdeen is messing with in panels 1-3, and that’s a nice sense of continuity. Toralei’s ear is lightly over colored in the third panel and grey was randomly added to her right ear in the fourth panel. The parasoul looks like it has a bit of the top of Clawdeen’s right ear drawn on it.

WHY?!?!

page 9:

Cut back to Ghoulia and Kjersti (Kjersti has her large ears again - yay). Kjersti (I guess can sense) Ghoulia has been writing more fics for her character and Kjersti can’t help but brag about how much better her brand boo fangfic is doing (that has a Barb Vs Nika angle…I mean…I think Kjersti is pulling in the readers who want the enemies to lovers for this pairing, but that’s just me). I assume they are taking this angle because she’s soft core “trolling” Ghoulia. Ghoulia throws her iCoffin over her shoulder (I would have just hung up on her), uploads her newest chapter to her fangfic and stomps out of her room.

But again, this just seems so odd? If they were having a fangfic writing competition (like I mentioned on their last appearance) it would make more sense to me why they are suddenly so interested in the fangfic side of their favorite characters, and why Kjersti would be bragging about it…or soft-core trolling Ghoulia. OR what if she still didn’t know that Ghoulia had written the few fangfics for Nika and decided to write more of a smear fic about Nika (to prove to Ghoulia that not many people like Nika). Then she brags to Ghoulia about doing huge numbers on this smear fic is. Ghoulia still hangs up on her, posts her Nika fangfic and storms off as fast as her Zombie legs will let he, to go dish to Cleo.

I like seeing more of Ghoulia’s room, I like the detail on Kjersti’s hat, seeing her large ears, and Ghoulia’s facial expressions. Nitpicks: In the fifth panel, half of Kjersti’s glasses were flipped to make the other side (that’s why their perspective is off). In the third panel, the writing on Ghoulia’s iCoffin does not lay correctly on the perspective of her phone. In the first panel, the stand that holds the monitor also should have had another line on its left side to make its perspective match the monitor’s and keyboards.

Why would you want to make Ghoulia sad…or angry?? She is smart enough to hack into a space laser or nuclear facility and aim it at your house.

Well, we are about half way through the first short comic in the Pride issue and I’ve maxed out my picture capacity. Hopefully I’ll have the second one out shortly…gosh I really hope so, I want to work on something else (Toralei’s work ethic is very relatable to me!!!).

But what were your guys’ thoughts? Did you like it more than me so far? Less?? Did I misinterpret the message and the relationships?? Am I wrong about the artwork and pacing?? Do you agree? Have any favorite panels?? Let me know your thoughts. :) 

[littlealeta]

IF Review [Spoilers]

Long post! Scroll down for a TL;DR and Aleta Rewrites Version!

Story

The film has a creative premise and a heartwarming theme going for it and while it does have some heartfelt scenes, the script itself is a bit less than magical to say the least. The theme of imagination mixed with a story about growing up is a good message to explore, but it doesn't feel as solid as it could be. Despite some heartwarming and some entertainingly imaginative scenes (like the opening and the music sequence), it doesn't feel like the script does much with its theme or even enough with its concept. The film doesn't really get interesting until about an hour into the film. The first hour is more of a family drama that doesn't really fit into the story IMO. I think, personally, it seemed more like a normal coming-of-age story and it should've stayed that way instead of trying to make it depressing. Like, losing interest in imaginative play is normal pre-teen behavior, I don't think they necessarily should give her a backstory to make her more sympathetic.

I also think that maybe this story would've worked better as a tv series about Bea and Calvin helping these IFs find their friends.

Characters

While a few of the IFs like Blue, Mr. Enter, and Keith have funny and charming personas, everyone else just range from a little more than two-dimensional to one-dimensional.

Cal is such a loser. He has no personality, he pussies out over everything, like why is he the protagonist? Why can’t we just have one which is Bea? Like ok, he’s one of the long-running agencies of the IFs but he doesn’t really do much in the film that Bea couldn’t do. At best, make him a minor character or something. Why does he need to enlist a little girl’s help to reunite these IFs instead of doing it himself?

And Bea, while not near as bad of a character as Calvin, still felt like something was missing with her. After some thinking, I feel like that what she was missing was a solid character arc. Sure, they hinted at it in the beginning where she claims she’s not a kid anymore and that she’s not interested in play and fun anymore, but after she met the IFs, I feel like that whole arc was thrown out the window. I mean, it was a theme in the film, but I didn’t feel like she was going through the process of changing from that. It just kinda happened and the film pretended that her rejection of imagination and play just never happened.

The movie also never explains why Bea could see the IFs when spoiler alert, she actually had her own IF that she somehow couldn’t see at the end of the movie but she can throughout most of the movie.

As for some of the more likeable characters such as Blue and Keith, even they have some flaws that I should point out. Both Blue and Keith have annoying running jokes that got old after once.

Most of the jokes and dialogues also didn't land for me. Most of them felt like they were more aimed toward kids and just didn't have enough substance to resonate with adults. Like, a lot of the dialogue just feels pandering. And the jokes sometimes just feel drawn out or random.

I also need to point out that the L-O-V-E song with Bea and the teddy bear came off a bit sus to me. I guess it was supposed to be innocent, but the fact that they had a love song playing while they were holding hands made it come off a little sus and completely unnecessary in every way.

For added positives, the different animation styles used for the IFs are cool and the actors feel sincere and natural in their performances.

Overall/TL;DR

IF gets 5.5 bells out of 10.

On the surface, it's very well-acted and animated. Story-wise, it had some things going for it, but also felt like something was missing. It was marketed as a fun family-friendly film, but a lot of it meanders and includes some things that are unnecessarily melodramatic. It has its heart in the right place, but the characters didn't feel dynamic enough and the story was not tight enough for the themes to really hit as well as they should have. Some of the jokes are repetitive and the dialogue feels very dumbed down to its target audience. There was no explanation as to why Bea could see the IFs.

In an Aleta Rewrites version, a major thing I would fix is Bea's character arc and the beginning. I would’ve liked to see Bea at the beginning rejecting the IFs more and thinking they're just illusions. The film hints at her pushing people away, but it didn't feel like she actually was pushing anyone away, just was dismissive about the idea of being treated like a kid. Throughout the film, Bea becomes her more goofy, playful, imaginative self again like she was as a child. I would also make Bea's conflict at the beginning feel more tense, rather than just a vague hint toward her father having surgery that doesn't really hit until toward the end of the film. Why not make it less depressing and make it a light coming of age story about Bea struggling with school and her parents trying to cheer her up through imaginative play like they once did, which Bea rebuffs. It's nothing groundbreaking, sure, but I don't think they needed all this Wonder Park shit.