#he has his own series now and it's my favourite current ongoing comic

[ask-clint-barton-blog]

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

We are in an interesting point in time when the three major Spidey love interests each have solo books.

Amazing Mary Jane by Leah Williams, which is currently up to issue #6

Gwen Stacy by Christos Gage, which is currently up to issue #2

And Black Cat by Jed MacKay, which is currently up to issue #10

In the case of Gwen Stacy it could be argued she in fact has two titles if we include Ghost-Spider by Seanen Maguire, which is currently up to issue #9

I’ve finally caught up with all 4 titles so I thought I’d sort of evaluate them.

In terms of artwork all the titles have decent-great art. Gwen Stacy is the clear winner here but she’s only had two issues so there hasn’t yet been time for new artists to do fill-in issues or pages. Black Cat’s art was serviceable at best at first but between the annual and the artist on the latest storyline it’s stepped up big time. In ontrast I feel Ghost-Spider’s art is perhaps the weakest exempting Black Cat’s initial artist. I can rarely call out art as good or bad so this is 100% subjective. But for my money Todd Nauck’s work is my absolute favourite closely followed by Carlos Gomez on AMJ. Cover art is a whole other kettle of fish. Black Cat and Gwen Stacy win this for me because Adam Hughs is a god-tier artist and J. Scott Campbell is a guilty pleasure for me.

In terms of writing things are far more clear cut.

Black Cat is by leagues and bounds the best title. Once it warmed up in the first 5 issues it’s slapped hard. It’s characterization of Felicia is superb. She’s fun, flirty, confident, but fully capable of making mistakes. She’s well rounded when all is said and done. Maybe she could be moreso, but it’s absolutely a-okay for now. The book’s concept is fun and has a real direction that allows for variety in the storytelling. We can be at the Baxter Building, the Sanctum Sanctorum or Madirpoor and it will never feel jarring. And honestly Felicia was long overdue a spin-off. She is simply the most obvious character to be spun-off from Spider-Man.

In second place I’d put Gwen Stacy and no one is more surprised by that than me. The plotting of the book has thus far been good exempting one kind of major detail. It uses continuity well and does add detail to Gwen and George Stacy and gives us a rare chance to glimpse Jean DeWolff back in action. It’s so far proved to be an intriguing police/crime story. Where it falters is in it’s characterization and it’s relevance. I know I just said the book adds detail to Gwen and George but let me explain what I mean. This book doesn’t go into Gwen’s head, it fills in details we didn’t know about her. How and when did she meet Harry and Norman Osborn? When did her Dad get injured? Who was her boyfriend in high school? When did her mother die? Oh and I guess she cooked for her Dad which I always presumed but I guess it’s nice to have that confirmed.

And whilst it’s…nice I suppose to find this stuff out…it just doesn’t matter. At all. Whilst not as problematic, this book has one of the major problems Sins Past had. Sins Past actually made Gwen Stacy a better character retroactively (and also kind of a worse character but that’s another discussion). But there was simply no point in doing that. She was dead. She wasn’t coming back. Nobody wanted her to come back. Her role was defined  through the fact that she died and would always be like that so long as she remained dead. Sins Past in developing Gwen retroactively at least had a little bearing upon the then-present stories.

Gwen’s affair in theory could’ve been an emotional scar for Peter to bear and add an extra layer to his duels with the Goblin. Not that we needed anymore of those, but theoretically it could’ve served that purpose. This absolutely doesn’t. It doesn’t matter what Gwen was like before she met Peter because Peter himself never knew her back then. Fleshing out MJ in this manner or Mysterio or even the Shocker would hold relevance because those characters appear alive in the present, they interact with Spider-Man. Similarly Untold Tales of Spider-Man gave Peter more villains he could duel in the future, plug in plot holes of his continuous narrative and flesh him out a bit more. That matters because again…he’s not dead.  Even fleshing out Uncle Ben could possibly have a purpose as he’s Peter’s role model and enduring motivation. Peter strives to be Ben as a man so knowing who Ben Parker the man was can add substance to those moments. But knowing when George Stacy injured his leg or that Gwen ran for class President just doesn’t. It retroactively adds slightly more substance to like 3 issues from 1971. Maybe that’d be an okay back-up story…but a solo-title dedicated to that shit? It’s just pointless, there is no creatively justifiable reason for it to exist.

And that’s before you get to the problem of characterization. As I expected, Gage’s Gwen is total revisionism of the character. Maybe no one is explicitly putting her on a pedestal but literally the only people who don’t think she’s wholly likable are two creepy football players and the explicit villains of the story. Gwen herself beyond this is flawless. Even things we might argue as flaws (her endangering of herself and her friends) is never framed as a flaw, but instead a mark of her bravery and her desire to seek out justice.

It doesn’t help that this is a comic obviously made by and for the Cult of Gwen that never needed to be fed anything else at this point. Their precious Martyr Princess is the star of her own title, she is the super hero in it, the guy she died to motivate instead died to motivate her. Then that version got to appear in 2 cartoons and a movie. THEY WON already, what more do they really need? So whilst the plot is good, the characterization has problems and just on principle the book shouldn’t exist.

Ghost-Spider is similar yet different, ironically mirroring the protagonists of the titles. Ghost-Spider in concept was always very strong. I never disagreed with the title existing. It’s just that Latour and Maguire’s execution is problem riddled. Continuity and characterization is borked. And the current status quo moronic. Gwen visits 616 for school…why? How is that relevant? How is anything she learns going to qualify her for a job in her universe. Even if the skills are practical there would never be any proof of her qualifications, no records. And that’s not even considering how a character who doesn’t goddam live in 616 is embroiled in a 616 event crossover.

Finally there is Amazing Mary Jane. I’ve spoken far too much about this title. I never had a problem with this as a mini-series…but as an ongoing it removes MJ from Peter’s narrative which is asinine. Why remove the best supporting character from Peter’s story? It’s not like she didn’t have subplots of her own when that wasn’t the case. So on principle this shouldn’t have been an ongoing. And in terms of execution…holy shit.

It’s aggressively bad. The plot is nonsense. The characterization is inconsistent within itself let alone when you consider the history of the characters. The best way I can sum this up is that issue #6 is about MJ going into witness protection because she’s a valuable witness to a murder case…where the guy wore a mask…so she couldn’t ID him no matter what…And the guy knows  that.

It’s just so bad I want this book to be put out of it’s misery.

What upsets me most is that Marvel CLEARLY put more effort into Gwen’s solo than MJ’s or Felicia’s. The superior characters get less effort (and one of them gets a far worse title) than the worse character who instead gets more effort and 2 titles just to herself.

Can you see why I hate the cult of Gwen?

[hellyeahheroes]

Hi, thanks to your introduction post on Strange Academy I am getting back into comics for the first time in years! Now I have two questions. One of which is dumb so I'll ask that first. What time are new comic issues (for DC and Marvel) released? Every two weeks? A month? Two months? And my second question, a bit hefty, what are some of your all time favourite comics that you'd recommend to a 'beginner' comic reader? Thanks for getting me back into comics!!

Sorry it took me so long to get into this, needed some time to consider good entry points for various franchises. New issues of a specific comic book come out every month usually. While not unheard of, it is rare to have a bi-monthly, bi-weekly or weekly series.

For some good comics for a beginner reader:

Marvel:

All-New Ghost Rider - 2014 series introducing new Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes

Ares: God of War and Dark Avengers: Ares - a miniseries about my favorite asshole in Marvel.

Annihilation - Marvel big cosmic event that shaken up that corner of cosmos for a while. Had a sequel Annihilation: Conquest and two series spinning out of it, Nova vol.4 and Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2, all worth a read.

The immortal Hulk - Current Hulk series, more in the horror vein.

The Incredible Hercules - a more humorous book on exploits of Hercules and Amadeus Cho, 7th smartest man on Earth.

Journey Into Mystery - 2011 series by Kieron Gillen focuses on Loki after he died and was brought back to life. It happens somewhat in “behind the scenes” of events taking place in other parts of Marvel Universe at the time. 2013 Young Avengers series and Al Ewing’s excellent Loki: Agent of Asgard are good follow-ups to the book and Loki’s saga.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man: I don’t know if it is a good jumping-in point on Miles, but his current series by Saladin Ahmed is absolutely excellent. 

Moon Knight by Warren Ellis and Decan Shavley - six issues, 

Ms. Marvel - Kamala Khan comics starting with 2014 series, 2015 relaunch and current Magnificent Ms. Marvel series.

New X-Men: Academy X - I’m not big on X-Men, but this book is mostly focused on doing its own thing and dealing with new students.

Runaways from 2003 to now, benefits greatly from being a bit removed from rest of Marvel Universe.

Superior Foes of Spider-Man - a humorous series about Spider-Man’s low-level enemies trying to put on a heist.

X-Men: Legacy vol.2 - Was recently collected as Legion: Son of X. It focuses on Legion Charles Xavier’s son.

X-23 - miniseries Innocence Lost and Target X, followed by Majorie Liu X-23 ongoing and Tom Taylor’s All-New Wolverine, it tells a pretty damn good saga of Laura Kinney and her journey. 

Young Avengers - classic series is a good new start for new readers, introducing new characters to the wider MU and easily lending into introducing some concepts from the rest of Marvel to new readers.

DC

American Vampire - an out of continuity horror series.

Animal Man - an old series by Grant Morrison, but it still holds up great, it is equal parts eco-concious and mind-screwy

Batgirl from 2000 - starring Cassandra Cain, a great solo series, has somewhat os a slump in the middle, but the book still holds up great to this day.

Batwoman - Greg Rucka’s Batwoman stories in Detective Comics (collected as Batwoman: Elegy), 2011 series (before the creative team leaves) and Margueritte Bennet’s series are each very solid.

Gotham Academy - a mystery series set in Gotham’s most prestigious school, can be easily read without much of the knowledge of the rest of DC.

Gotham Central - a police procedural set in Gotham City, more regular-people view on Batman’s corner of the world.

Green Lanterns - follows two rookie Green Lantern Corps members, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz.

New Super-Man - a Chinese government tries to create their own Superman. Much, much better than one may expect from the premise itself.

The Sandman - an all-times classic, tale of Dream of Endless, master of dreams. Has a lot of spinoffs also worth considering.

Superman Rebirth - 2016 series which reinvents Superman as a father and husband, it is a good entry point for Superman

Planetary - set in Wildstorm universe, a team of super archeologists discovers lost history of the world.

The Terrifics - a new team forming from classic characters, with its own spin on some well-known franchise.

Transmetropolitan - one of my favorite books, entirely out of continuity., a quintessential post-cyberpunk that, to Warren Ellis amusement, seems to be coming true

Wild Storm - the reboot of the Wildstorm Universe, still holds up as a standalone title.

Young Animal Titles - a number of excellent books from imprint made by Gerard Way. While flagship title Doom Patrol may require knowledge of Grant Morrison’s old run on the title, books like Mother Panic, Far Sector, Cave Carson or Shade, the Changing Girl can be read without prior knowledge

- Admin

[meant-to-be-a-hero]

What about your favorite characters in the Marvel 'big three' families. Do Thor, Cap, and Iron Man even have 'families' in the same way the DC ones do? Oh, what about the Hulks? Thanks for your answers they are always fun!

I think they do, but they’re less recognizable than the Big Three over at DC maybe?

Like for example Cap has Bucky, and Falcon, and Sharon Carter and such, but they’re not as quantifiable as ‘Captain America characters’ so much as the BatFam are at DC, at least not to me. Maybe it’s because they’ve been on various Avengers teams and such so they’ve branched out beyond their umbrella character, whereas a lot of the Super/Bat/Wonder characters don’t tend to get involved in team stuff outside of their own families bar like the Justice League and Teen Titans?

Or maybe it’s because the Super/Bat/Wonder characters feel more like a family, whereas the Marvel ones are more like ‘we work together so we’re friends’. Even like the Spider-Verse characters, most of them don’t really feel like family as opposed to Spidey at the head, and everyone else falling in line around him. Which isn’t a bad thing, but compare it to like the Flash Family at DC where everyone’s got equal say (even if Barry’s the technical head of the team), and there’s definitely a difference.

Or it could be me making things up, who knows.

Either way, back to the initial question (I’m glad you enjoy my answers!)

Thor’s family is basically everyone who lives in Asgard plus Beta Ray Bill I guess? And while I’m tempted to pick one of the various animal characters like Frog Thor or Thori the hellhound, I think it’s gotta be Loki for me.

He’d always been a fun villain, but it was his run in Journey Into Mystery as Kid Loki that really got me into the character, how he was fighting his own fate and trying to change (something that he has kind of managed to do recently, which is nice). He’s not really had a bad series - JiM was grand, Agent Of Asgard was awesome, and I liked how Jason Aaron used him in his big Thor epic as well while still letting him breathe as his own characer. It’s just a shame that his most recent ongoing died a death after 5 issues because that had a LOT of potential.

Iron Man’s easier, since his inner circle’s much smaller. Pepper Potts is definitely my favourite. She’s always there when he needs her, but she’s definitely come into her own as a more independent character over the years and doesn’t take Tony’s shit any more which I like. Plus the idea of Rescue, this suit of armour that could be just as destructive as Iron Man or War Machine, only being used for non-lethal combat and saving people? What a way to break the mould, Ms. Potts.

Same with Cap, really - not as many characters to choose from, but Bucky’s my favourite. He‘s come a hell of a long way since he came back, and that initial run of Ed Brubaker’s Cap which brought him back is downright perfectly done. Buck’s been a secret agent, been the Man On The Wall against outer space threats, and atoned for all the bad stuff he did as the Winter Soldier more than once, but he’s still out there fighting the good fight, because he’s a good dude even after all the crap the world has thrown at him.

Hulk’s definitely the one with the most ‘family’ type of feeling to DC, although most of his side characters have faded away in the last few years. I really love Amadeus Cho though, right through from his stuff with Hercules through to his current role as head of Atlas and member of the Champions. He’s almost always unerringly cheerful, and even though he’s part-Hulk now, he’s still using his brain before he throws the first punch. Another good dude.

I think I can see the theme here tbh; characters who are actually allowed to grow and change rather than just stagnate like most comics characters do. Whodathunk.

[themagiciansreccenter]

Author Spotlight @cldfiredrgn

Every week we are going to be interviewing a writer from The Magicians fandom. If you would like to be interviewed or you want to nominate a writer, get in touch via our ask box.

First things first, tell us a little about yourself.

I’m cldfiredrgn on Tumblr, Coldfiredragon on ao3

Well, I’m in my early-thirties. College consisted of a combination of political science, english, and psychology. (not a combination I’d recommend unless you want to take it to grad level or beyond), though it is useful for writing. I’m a gamer who grew up on comics and anime. I’m an all around geek who listens to EDM, electro industrial, jazz, electro-swing, and punk. We have 2 cats, no kids, and a spare bedroom dedicated to our toy collection.

How long have you been writing for?

I started posting fic in high school. I wrote a few original pieces for 4-H projects, because mom wanted me to participate but I wasn’t the ‘get dirty/hands on’ kind of kid. I made it to state one year for my writing. I floored the regional judges with something that was more anime inspired and adult, they loved it.

What inspired you to start writing for The Magicians?

Watching the first episode, shortly before season 2 premiered, and my jaw hitting the floor that Quentin and Eliot seemed to be flirting! I was hooked from the first episode. I hadn’t written anything in a couple of years. It was so nice to have a fandom again.

Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write? What it is about them that makes them your favourite?

Eliot and Quentin, but Eliot is the character that hooked me. I kinda share his backstory. I’m the rural farm kid from a heavily Christian family who got out. Thankfully I still have a good relationship with my parents.

Do you have a preference for a particular season/point in time to write about?

I prefer either season 1, or season 3. I’m absolutely dreading when ‘Shoulder to Shoulder With You’ reaches season 2 material and having to fit Eliot’s season 2 arc into that universe.

Are you working on anything right now? Care to give us an idea about it?

I’m also working on ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ (StS). It’s my monster and my baby! We crossed 100,000 words together 2 chapters ago. Hmm, an idea about it? Well, I hate to give too much away, but a few things are coming up.

My version of the Virgo blade storyline is just a few chapters away! The resolution of that will be the end of the current ‘Fall’ arc….

Wait? You still want a Spoiler? I can I can give you one… Arc 3 is titled ‘The Chatwins’ and will focus on the group finding out about the time-loops and the roles that Jane and Martin play in their lives. Then they are off to Fillory!

How long is your “to do list”?

I have a lot of ideas on the back burner. Officially though:

The next chapter of my Queliot soulmate AU -- ‘My Hands Pass Through’

Never Ending StS chapters

My Trials project, which I’m not 100% decided on yet.

What is your favourite fic that you’ve written for The Magicians? Why?

“Shoulder to Shoulder With You’ is the story I’ve put the most work into ever. It has to be my favorite or I couldn’t continue it. I love the universe. I love how it’s already diverged from canon, I love where it goes and how I’ve been able to put my own spin on the arcs from the show so they will be fresh for readers of my story. Quentin and Eliot, the whole group, they continue to surprise me as the story evolves.

Many writers have a fic that they are passionate about that doesn’t get the reception from the fandom that they hoped for. Do you have a fic you would like more people to read and appreciate?

‘All Part of the Deal’ The summary doesn’t do it justice. The fic started as a response to a kink meme but truly is an exploration of Eliot’s relationship to his telekinesis. It explores how he quietly hates his powers even as he clings to them because they’ve given him the only family and home he’s ever had. It’s also a subtle commentary on his addiction and how he’s sought out this thing that he thinks he needs, even if inherently destructive.

What is your writing process like? Do you have any traditions or superstitions that you like to stick to when you’re writing?

Once I write something it tends to be written. I edit and tweak it once its on paper, but the majority of major edits are mental. I’ll think through a series of events a dozen times but the version that gets typed is usually the version I adhere to.

If something gets deleted on accident it tends to be gone. I’m never as happy with a document I have to recreate from scratch as I was with the original.

Do you write while the seasons are airing or do you prefer to wait for hiatus? How does the ongoing development of the canon influence and inspire your writing process?

I write during the season and all through the hiatus. With ‘StS’ I watched season 3 while constantly editing how the events would shift the story. StS is at its core an alternate 40th loop, so the general rule of thumb has been ‘if it happens in the show, then some version of it will happen in StS’

What has been the most challenging fic for you to write?

“Shoulder to Shoulder’ because it has so many moving parts now. Every change I make to canon is a domino effect. Penny and Alice dating now effects Penny’s arc with Kady and Julia later, Eliot dating Quentin before Fillory impacts his ‘marriage’ arc(s). I had to completely change what happens with Loria because he and Idri would never end up engaged. I had to re-arrange who found certain keys because certain people are in different places. It’s a never ending cycle of cause and effect.

Are there any themes or tropes that you like particularly like to explore in your writing?

I like to use music when I can. I have a weird relationship to water and rain. I love the theme of soul-mates and chosen family. Exploring emotion is something I embrace, as most of you know I’m a great lover of angst.

Are there any writers that inspire your work? Fanfiction or otherwise?

Lev obviously inspired me. He gave me my current fandom, but he’s inspired my personal writing too. I love how he can breeze through large amounts of time in a few paragraphs. Herman Wouk is inspirational because of his scale. ‘The Winds of War’ and “War and Remembrance’ managed to put the reader into every phase and conflict of World War II.

J.K. Rowling, I was a huge Harry Potter fan writer for a long time.

Alan Moore for ‘Watchmen’ Dozens of comic writers

C.S. Friedman’s ‘Coldfire Trilogy’ (where my main username draws influence)

Fanfic writers: EdgarAllanCat ( @goddessjuliawicker) Lexalicious70 ( @all-hale-eliot) , Rays ( @under-the-shady-tree) @gwendolynflight, @oneeyeddestroyer, Sullyandlulu ( @highestkingbambi) , LadySilviana, @highkingfen , @echomoon , dozens of others. This has been the best fandom I’ve ever been part of, all of you make it amazing!

What are you currently reading? Fanfiction or otherwise?

I devour fanfic! I’m finishing ‘The Magicians Land’ I follow real world news despite how depressing it is.

What is the most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

That my whole body of work was horrible. I wrote for a comics fandom for several years, and found a rant post on a blog site that tore a lot of what I did to shreds, but ultimately at lot of points they made were valid. I wrote volume instead of quality, to fill challenge tables with poorly executed AU scenarios. They weren’t good, they were dark for the sake of the challenge prompts. It made me stop for a while, and get back into writing with focused projects.

Cringe time:

Are there any words or phrases you worry about over using in your work?

I’m sure there are, and you guys probably know them better than I do.

What was the first fanfic that you wrote? Do you still have access to it?

It was a Gundam Wing fic, and I don’t.

Rapid Fire Round:

Self-edit or Beta? -- Self-edit with an editing program

Comments or Kudos/Reblogs or Likes? -- Comments

Smut, Fluff or Angst? -- Angst

Quick & Dirty or Slow Burn? -- Slow Burn

Favourite season? -- 3

Favourite episode? -- ‘A Life In a Day’’

Favourite book(The Magicians Books)? - 'The Magicians'

Three favourite words? ‘Symmetry, cacophony, sisyphean

Anything you want to add?

My ask box is always open, I love to talk about my writing, and I love user feedback

Want to be interviewed for our author spotlight? Get in touch here.

[muthur9000]

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As part of our creatives series, Wayne Haag answers some questions on Science fiction and fantasy, also giving us some insight into his work.

Clara Fei-Fei: My first encounter with your work was for The Fifth Element (which I LOVE). I always wondered what sort of design requirements did you have to meet for the movie? Did you speak to Luc Besson about what he wanted?

Wayne Haag: As a matte painter I didn’t have to meet any design requirements, that was all taken care of by the concept designers.. who were Jean-Claude Mézières and Moebius, among others. I just had to paint to their designs. Within the scope of the matte painting itself, there are mini design problems or choices and those I discussed with my supervisors and Luc a few times for the various matte painting shots I worked on.

CF: What’s your favourite Scifi movie? 

WH: Alien with Empire Strikes Back a very very close second. I know Star Wars isn’t strictly science fiction, more fantasy but for me, it’s about a sense of wonder and they both have it. I still have every Marvel Star Wars comic btw.

CF: Wow awesome! And who is your favourite character from any Scifi movie/comic/game?

Favourite character… I don’t have a favourite actually… If pushed I’d have to say Luke Skywalker, he’s the archetypal hero we all relate to.

CF: If you could enhance your body using robotics, what abilities would you choose?

WH: Eyes… Mine are going! Visibility into a much larger part of the EM spectrum – IR, UV, X-ray etc, zoom capability, heads-up display – data overlay, distance measurement, image capture…

CF: What inspired you to pursue work in concept art? For anyone wanting to pursue the same line of work, where do you suggest they start?

WH: I had always wanted to be an artist, always wanted to make images. It was never an option to not be an artist. This has encompassed professional photography, matte painting, illustration for publishing, concept art, mural painting, oil painting. Start drawing and painting, nothing more to it than that. Learn what you need to be a competent illustrator and the rest will follow.

CF: Could you give me an idea of what it’s like during production? What sort of guidelines you are given and what’s your average turn around time for the work you have done?

WH: That’s a large question. Every production is different, the vibe is different, some are relaxed some are stressful. It’s why I prefer to work from home mostly. Gigs like Alien you have to be there every day in house which is fine, can’t be a hermit all the time! Guidelines are simple – make this scene/shot look awesome – There’s the script, here’s the director’s brief now paint something that fulfils that brief. Don’t care how you do it, just get there.

Turn around time can vary from several (6 to 8) quick paintings in an afternoon to an evolving painting over several weeks. Not continuous of course, but bigger paintings I might have 3 or 4 days, it may sit around for a bit when you finally get feedback and you jump back onto that painting and off it goes into the cycle again. Some finish quickly and get approved just as quickly and you never see it again. Some hang around like bad smells!

CF: What is your favourite piece you ever created?

WH: One of my oil paintings, titled Sky Burial #2. It encapsulated everything I love about sci-fi, sense of wonder, mystery, story, history, spaceship wrecks, the desert.

SKY BURIAL #2

CF: What variant of the Xenomorph is your favourite? 

WH: The original.. because you didn’t see much of it. It was the implied cold-blooded violence that was scary, not so much the beast itself – which was scary as hell in its own right, I just preferred the implicit horror.

CF: I really loved Daniels cabin in the Covenant, what work did you do on that?

WH: The design for Daniel’s cabin evolved quite a lot for many months. A couple of concept artists had started the process, set designers etc, all working towards the final. My contribution was to bring the design language in from the other interior sets Steve Burg had designed and made it feel more modular like you would find on a ship. Then it was a matter of painting a couple of frames that illustrated the lighting and mood, which is my main area of interest.

  Daniels Cabin on the Covenant

White Room

CF: I read that the white room is inspired by 2001, what aspects of the movie did you consider when creating this set?

WH: Firstly, no one concept artists create ‘the set’, it really is an army of people that have some contribution at some point along the way, from top to bottom. The overall layout was inspired by a physical location in Sydney that they wanted to use but could not, so the decision was made to build the set at Fox. I had plans for the location and built that in 3D to scale. Then as I mentioned above, I paint the scene up for lighting, mood and composition, ie. camera position and lens choice. (which was used by Ridley on the day of the shoot).

No references to 2001 were used, not by me anyway. I approach each painting/set as a real place and try to work out how I would shoot it if I were really there, what kind of lighting situation, time of day, weather, season etc etc. Unless the director specifically references another movie, I go with my own references and ideas that I think to fulfil the script/story.

  Before

After

CF: What work did you do on the mothership in The Crossing and Alien: Covenant? What other aspects of the engineer city did you work on?

WH: I didn’t do any design work on the Mother Juggernaut, that was all Steve Messing. As we all have access to the 3D resources, I used the model he built simply as a prop within the greater scene. Again, setting up composition, lighting, mood. Although I did build the city and surrounds in 3D as one big model to scale so that everyone could see how shots would look if you were standing in the plaza. The 3D allows me to place human figures in the correct relative scale to a known real-world camera and the renders provide a basis with which to paint on.

My model of the plaza was based on Steve Messing’s original plaza layout. As the set designers finalised buildings and sets, I would incorporate them into my huge Maya file, kind of like a master file. Then I’d place 3D cameras around matching pov’s Ridley wanted.

Like all film designs, they grow, evolve and change. The final city you see in the film is quite a bit different from the city I built, so the VFX guys had further developed the city layout as per Ridley’s ongoing massaging.

  Image converted using ifftoany

Image converted using ifftoany

CF: What was the inspiration for the shower scene?

WH: T&A as far as I can tell…

CF: (lol)

CF: Do you have a list of the art pieces you infused into the movie?

WH: Not really, when you’re working on a film you don’t have time to immerse yourself in the art references and meaning, least I don’t anyway. All art choices are Ridley’s, I just create the scene as if it were really there and I shot it with a camera. The decision to not use the Francis Bacon triptych in the white room was solely due to licensing costs, nothing more than that. The Bacon estate wanted too much money. The Bugatti chair was also a licensed design and the prop was to be destroyed in front of lawyers once shooting wrapped.

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CF: What pieces of yours made it the final film? Was there anything that didn’t?

WH: What pieces had an influence you should ask, concept art never makes it into the film per se, it is a tool for solving creative visual, technical, financial problems. How will this set look? How big will it be? How much VFX will be needed for that shot, how will the DP light the set etc?

It’s an internal document that hopefully answers the director’s, art director’s and production designer’s questions. If not, try something else, or remove things from the artwork. For example, I had two statues out front of the Cathedral and was asked to remove them from the piece. If that artwork had been disseminated throughout the production, someone may have assumed those statues were to be made and start spending money making them!

There are several paintings I did that you can see as shots in the film, they aren’t exact, but the overall compositions had been faithfully translated.

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CF: What would you say has been your favourite project to work on?

WH: Fifth Element, The Wolverine, Alien Covenant, three best projects of my career.

CF: What is it like working on a large scale production such as Alien compared to smaller scale ones?

WH: Depends on who you’re working with and answering to directly, i.e. production designer. Some large-scale projects are overly corporate and anal, smaller ones are creatively easy going. It can also be the reverse too! Alien was super creative, very easy going (hard work, long hours but no BS!). Great people all around. Some tv commercial gigs can be a giant PITA, some smaller directors can sometimes want to prove themselves by having too much attitude and want to override your ideas, big directors like Ridley don’t have those insecurities and are therefore great to work with.

CF: Congratulations on winning the award for your work on Alien: Covenant.

WH: Thank you!

CF: Is there anything you are working on currently?

WH: I just finished working on a pitch project for Pixar and as I write this, doing concepts for a Chinese comedy film shot here in Australia.

CF: In future what sort of opportunities would you like to be involved in?

WH: Well I currently work freelance, for the most part, I teach part-time (at Production Art Department PAD http://www.productionartdepartment.com ), I’m starting to put out video tutorials of how to paint etc and I need to get my arse into gear and get back to oil painting my own project. As far as the future is concerned, I’d like more time to paint my own work.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, I look forward to having you on Yutani Podcast soon.

  Creatives: Wayne Haag As part of our creatives series, Wayne Haag answers some questions on Science fiction and fantasy, also giving us some insight into his work.

[charleecat-bat]

Fandom Meme

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Uuuh, well, lemme think, for fantoms that aren’t sonic stuff, I enjoy Retsuko and Haida because adorable. Angus and Gregg from NITW is too adorable for it’s own good. 

Sonic wise, well, I’m not strong on my ships but they’re are some I do think about or do think are matching, I think Shade and Knuckles are a good match, I enjoy Espio and Tikal, especially in my canon. 

I do love Locke and Luger a lot though, since I can see them working in my canon, but other then that, I’m not huge on ships so eh. 

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

Locke and Luger, mainly because they were related but then with some fanart and talking with friends of mine, especially @terraqua111, I started to like it and my friends had a point that they were too distantly related for it to matter anymore. She also showed me Lien-Da and Xenin which I liked. 

I also didn’t consider Locke to be paired with anyone else before Luger, then I saw @lockewat‘s ship, Chuck and Locke... and I thought it was quite suiting as well. 

Two other ones are Vanilla and Big because that was so adorable and that would be such a peaceful relationship good god it’s what they’d both need, so many picnics for dates. and @motobugg did some work on Rouge and Wave which I have never considered and I immediately thought... damn that would actually work a lot. XD Also Shadamy at some points due to a friends artwork and Shadow would be balanced from Amy’s personality that he would need.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. I’ve never been big on Julie-Su and Knuckles, in the comics it felt kind of forced to me, same with Sonic and Sally, that I don’t see them suiting each other at all. 

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

Ummm, I don’t know, I can’t think of one. 

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh, I don’t know. 

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

Sonic fandom. XDD Been in that for around 8-9 years. Since I was 9 or 10 years old. 

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

I think it would’ve just been Shade and Knuckles. lol Again ships aren’t my life. 

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

Mainly ongoing stuff, I know it started with games, so I guess games? But I enjoy shows/series as well. 

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

Ummmm... not that I know of. 

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

Animal Crossing? I didn’t start playing the phone game until I saw people talking and reblogging stuff about it, then I tried it. 

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Well, in Steven Universe, a lot of the character have great arcs, that who their true opinions and colours, like how Amethyst had self-hating habits, Pearl didn’t think she was worth much, and seeing Peridot’s growing into a whole different gem, it’s really cool.

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

I’ll go with um... Lars from Steven Universe, I didn’t like him much as a character at first, but I could understand his insecurity and being unsure on how to act and how to show himself, and being scared to show his true colours... but now he’s showing his own worth and letting himself be who he is with the Off-colours, which I can genuinely appreciate about him, he’s much better as a character now. 

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

Can I say the entire brotherhood? XD I would love that like you wouldn’t believe. 

N - Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

Just more Brotherhood content in general, uuuummm more monster-related AU’s? I don’t know, maybe more merchandise too? I don’t know I’m not all that demanding about content. o-o I’m terrible at this. 

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

All the Way (Jacksepticeye fan song) is the one that came up on shuffle, and it reminded me of Hawking, at least my version. I could imagine he would listen to this to motivate himself or something like that. 

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

...Trying not to say Monster AU for any sort of fandom CRAP TOO LATE-

But what about a Shape of Water-esque AU? 

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

I haven’t really abandoned any fandom? o-O R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

When they’re not a couple and they’re just best friends, Locke and Luger I guess, they act like big dorks. I don't know, I don’t think about relationships much besides family ones. 

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

Hmm, well, I feel while Locke doesn’t know what his main sexuality is right now, he’d feel he’d be in writing (sexuality)/Asexual, as he never really had sexual feelings, he only had sex in order to have his son, and he honestly never liked it all that much. 

I also have a head canon that Steppenwolf is afraid of humiliation, or just making a fool of himself in social situations (he’s got a very well hidden social anxiety), so if he saw a bunch of people staring at him and whispering to each other, he’d instantly become worried about what he did. 

Another head canon is that I love to imagine Sabre can swordfight very well, and the person who taught him is surprisingly Tobor. As he was very good with a sword and shield combo back in the day (before his injuries). 

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? 

That Steppenwolf is a werewolf okay not really, I’m not really about strong head canons that I would ‘die defending’. I just like the thought of him being one because it’d be ironic for his name... and it’s just with me for so long man. 

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Steppenwolf (Sonic Fandom I guess)- I still don't fully understand why I liked him, I simply did but nowadays I just find the character I made him an extremely interesting character and every time I’ve wrote something or drawn something to try and cheer myself up, it made me feel he’d be a very strong, protective and oddly supportive in his own way. I’m not sure. I’m weird. 

Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe Fandom)- I just want her to be happy, I find her really interesting, her powers are really cool and I just want to know how things turn out for her, it just sucks that she tends to disappear for long periods of time. 

Angus (Night in the Woods)-He’s a bit underrated but he’s just so cute to me, especially with how others draw him, I love his character and I feel bad for him when he takes about his abusive childhood and issues growing up that made him who he is today, made me want to give him a big hug. 

V - Which character do you relate to most?

Well, I feel I can relate to Angus at a few points, always feeling like I have to be the responsible one, being usually quiet and wanting to hide in corners in parties (and your friend that you stick to is your corner in those situations), 

I also feel I can relate to Retsuko from Aggretsuko, always trying to keep calm and from losing my temper, also Mister Ton kind of reminds me of my dad at some points... and he can piss me off just as much as he does with Retsuko so yeah. 

Part of me also feels like I relate to my version of Rembrandt, he’s an artist, he deals with a lot of emotional issues, he’s insecure about his body size/weight, very motherly/fatherly and protective. 

I dunno. 

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

Annoying characters that think they’re full of themselves and practically perfect while thinking everyone else is below them and everyone is unworthy of their ‘greatness’... or mary-sues. 

Or just a needlessly dramatic moments or moments of anger and arguments that don’t need to happen. 

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

Kind of the big strong protective one with a heart of gold and is very loving whether they show it or not, or big ass ones who are strong as hell but are really just gentle giants.

And probably monsters stuff like werewolves or stuff but sometimes that can backfire and become annoying. 

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Team Fortress 2 is one, have a few friends who like that game while I don’t like it much anymore for personal reasons, some horror fandoms like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Little Nightmares all of that. Idk

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

Umm... I always strive to make my Guardians unique in different situations, hell, I imagined they were in certain AU’s or in certain video game situations, like a fighting game, I’d like imagining like ‘finishing moves’ they’d have or the type of weapons they’d have, or even simple stuff like hobbies or favourite foods. Just stuff like that... and I will try everything in my power to be unique, like in my Gem AU, wanted all the gems to be different and at the least unique, and the same with the Monster AU, only Thunder and Steppe’s are the same but they have a difference. 

Okay that’s enough. ^^; This was really difficult surprisingly. 

[oosteven-universe]

High Heaven #02

High Heaven #02 Ahoy Comics 2018 Written by Tom Peyer Illustrated by Greg Scott Coloured by Andy Troy Lettered by Rob Steen      David Weathers dies and goes to heaven. Unfortunately, heaven is just as depressing as the fate that led him there. Disappointed by the cold reception of angry bullies, miserable caseworkers, and long-forgotten relatives, David desperately searches for a way out.      Second verse same as the first, no Herman’s Hermits are not involved here nor is it true because damnation this one is so much better than the first. If this series continues to move forward this way it may become one of my top five current ongoing books. Tom has taken me to a place that I didn’t know was possible. The writing here is utterly exceptional and the dialogue is inspired and I have to say the whole ebb & flow that has been created here showcases such talent and Chutzpah!       The opening is to die for! Ben his best friend or just co-worker who has this thing about him yeah he opens up and admit to Heather that David going to lunch to her was his doing. The funny thing about him is try that I might I cannot find him not likeable. There is just that something about him that reminds me of Don Draper though let’s face nowhere near as successful but then who really is. Still that rapscallion quality that surrounds him as well has his good looks yeah that's there.       I do very much enjoy the way that we get Ben and David’s stories being told side by side as things in Ben’s life come to light. Of course David whose infernal whining is getting not just on everyone else’s nerves but the reader’s as well. I know it’s a part of who David is, at least right now but the blokes got a serious case of woe is me. I know people like him and even when things are going well they cannot help but complain and they are toxic. Toxic to the extent that th4ey can’t even recognise their own behaviour and any attempt to help them or point it out automatically makes you a villain. Such is the extent of Tom’s writing though that he’s able to bring David to life the way he has and as much through others as his own actions.      Greg is one of my all time favourite artists. Seriously the best and most underrated man working to day slinging the pencil and inks. What he is capable of doing continues to amaze me each and every time I see his work and it always seems to be getting better and better. God knows if I could afford it I’d send him my sketchbook and ask for the entire cover be done by him that is how talented I believe him to be. His linework and the way that the varying weights are manipulated to show subtlety is gorgeous and then balancing that against some really bold moments blows me away. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels showcases a magnificent eye for storytelling. Then there is the way that backgrounds are being utilised to expand the moment and show us the size and scope of the book.      The one thing I can say about this is that nothing is straight up what it seems to be. Sure David’s a total wanker but hey that’s okay we all need someone we love to hate. So I am anxious to see what Tom has in store for him because there has to be some redeeming qualities to him, ones that we don’t see or at least he should find redemption in his quest to either leave heaven or ascend to a place that lets you have genitals. ​     This will become a Magnificent Obsession if you let it. With such strong stellar writing and stunning interiors this is a must have book.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 4 September 2017

Three comics made the favourites list this week. Made Men #1 from Paul Tobin and Arjuna Susini, Seven to Eternity #9 by Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña, and Star Wars: Captain Phasma #1 by Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto. Published by Oni Press, Image, and Marvel respectively.

Made Men #1 is a mix of a crime drama and horror, introducing us to the world of Jutte Shelley (nee Frankenstein), a cop who tried to leave behind a world of monsters.

While the story did grab me, what really made this book stand out was the artwork by Arjuna Susini. He has a style I’ve been seeing pop up more again recently, that shows a certain influence by Bernie Wrightson, but also artists like Richard Case, Bill Sienkiewicz, Sam Kieth, and Kelley Jones, and it’s just wonderful. Dark and evocative with nice use of cross-hatching and some hard angles, Susini probably veers closer to the Richard Case end of the spectrum. Still realistic and not nearly as stylized as Kieth or Jones. It’s very impressive work.

The introductory narrative from Paul Tobin, gives us a first-person narration by Jutte that is fairly direct, clinical, and visceral in its description of what’s going on and allows for a distinct window into the procedural way her mind works. It really aids in driving home the cop drama aspect to the story and provides an interesting lens to perceive the carnage.

Needs more talking cats, though.

Seven to Eternity #9 concludes the second story-arc of the series. And hoo, is it a doozy.

In many ways, this series has been telling the story of the fall of a hero. Or at least someone who sets out in the first issue on what seems like a hero’s journey. What Rick Remender really seems to be writing about is how the protagonist, Adam Osidis, has become potentially compromised and has begun a spiral into selfishness over the steadfastness of his father. 

Especially as a large part of this issue is a discussion on the nature of good and evil, and of how whispers and rumours--the weapons of Adam’s antagonist and current travelling companion/hostage, the Mud King--and thereby perception shape the reality of an individual. And then, of course, there’s a climactic magic battle.

All of it made beautiful by Jerome Opeña and Matt Hollingsworth. It’s nice to see Opeña back after a couple issues by James Harren--to his credit knocked it out of the park as well--as this series remains what’s probably the best looking book on the shelves.

The only downside to this issue is that we now have to wait until February 2018 before the series starts up again.

Star Wars: Captain Phasma #1, or more accurately the unwieldy title of Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Star Wars: Captain Phasma, is a direct continuation from Star Wars: The Force Awakens chronicling what happened to Captain Phasma, the First Order Stormtrooper played by Gwendoline Christie in the film, in the destruction of the Starkiller Base. Wacky hijinks ensue.

Okay, maybe not.

Although certainly a matter of coincidence in timing, Kelly Thompson’s narration for Captain Phasma serves as an interesting comparison to Tobin’s in Made Men. It too is clinical and succinct, but where Jutte is no nonsense and direct in her observations, Phasma is cold and emotionless. Both characters adhere to a certain type of ruthlessness, but one is seeking vengeance for a wrong-doing and the other is taking a pathological approach to covering her tracks. It’s interesting to see the difference in a similar narrative approach in how it relates to ostensibly a hero (Jutte) and a villain (Phasma). 

Beyond just that comparison, this first issue is compelling in its own right. There’s a nice bit of humour in juxtaposition of Phasma’s log recording of the events of the destruction of Starkiller Base and what was actually going on, deadpanning much of the explosions.

This issue also features what is probably the most gorgeous art in one of Marvel’s Star Wars titles yet. And that’s saying a bit since they’ve had artists such as Kev Walker, Phil Noto, and Salvador Larroca working on them. The art here from Marco Checchetto and Andres Mossa is just breathtaking. 

Quick Bits:

All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #9 begins telling the story of what exactly happened to Groot to make him into Baby Groot at the beginning of this volume. Aside from corporate synergy with the second Guardians of the Galaxy film that also saw the rest of the team more reflect their cinema brethren. The answer Gerry Duggan gives in the story is interesting, adding a new wrinkle to the Guardians’ tapestry.

| Published by Marvel

Astonishing X-Men #3 continues the Shadow King’s game with the X-Men trapped in the Astral Plane, this time focusing mainly on Old Man Logan. Ed McGuinness tackles the art this issue and I’m still wondering about how the overall arc will read in one go. Unlike the past two issues, though, this one doesn’t necessarily play to McGuinness’ strengths. The art is still good, but I would have expected something more bombastic or action-oriented from the story.

| Published by Marvel

Black Bolt #5, like every issue preceding it, features some excellence in storytelling from Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward. There’s also a nice four-page sequence illustrated by Frazer Irving that gives a summary of Lockjaw’s relationship with Black Bolt. 

| Published by Marvel

Daredevil #26 kicks off the three-part Land of the Blind story-arc with the return of Ron Garney on art, delivering some absolutely gorgeous work.

| Published by Marvel

Elsewhere #2 continues Amelia’s Adventures in Wonderland, with the revelation that she’s apparently going to end this world and summarily sent to be executed. Jay Faerber’s story is still a bit of a slow burn in introducing this world, its people, and what exactly is going on, but it remains interesting.

| Published by Image

Giant Days #30 deals with the fallout of Ingrid and Daisy’s relationship. It’s a funny, but sometimes accurate, look at how a first love--or even just a new love--can affect a broader friendship dynamic.

| Published by BOOM! Entertainment / Boom! Box

Hawkeye #10 reminds you that you should be reading the series if just for Leonardo Romero’s artwork. Even if the story from Kelly Thompson wasn’t entertaining in its own right, Romero’s visual storytelling from page layouts to character work to panel transitions is just a visual treat. But the overall story is entertaining too, with some fun dialogue, humour, and an interesting take to see Madame Masque as Not-Kate.

| Published by Marvel

Iron Fist #7...just look at this spread from Mike Perkins with colours by Andy Troy. This issue is a feast.

| Published by Marvel

Royals #7 continues Al Ewing’s trip through obscure(ish) Marvel cosmic and Inhuman continuity, deftly weaving past tales into his ongoing narrative that seems to be his signature. Not to mention some great character moments and development.

| Published by Marvel

Scales & Scoundrels #1 was very nearly my fourth favourite book of the week, it’s a damn impressive debut. Sebastian Girner has offered up another winner after his Shirtless Bear-Fighter a scant few week ago. As its title suggests, this is a fantasy book taking after traditional Dungeons & Dragons tropes, but like other recent series like Night’s Dominion and Ladycastle, it seems primed to turn some of those conventions on their ear. This issue is full of humour, action, and an interesting protagonist in the titular scoundrel, Luvander.

The art by Galaad is also magical. It’s deceptively simple, reminding me of a more abstract Albert Uderzo, and it propels the story nicely.

| Published by Image  

Star Wars: Darth Vader #5 is Charles Soule’s third book this week, after Astonishing X-Men and Daredevil, and it’s another solid read. There’s an interesting missed path What If...? in the issue as Vader works to construct his lightsaber. Giuseppe Camuncoli’s artwork is fantastic as usual.

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars Adventures #1 is good all-ages fun. There are two stories here, both written by Cavan Scott. One focusing on a young Rey on Jakku as a continuing story and the other a “Tales from Wild Space” tale of Obi-Wan one and done. If you like Star Wars and want to share with your kids, this isn’t a bad choice.

| Published by IDW

Thor vs. Hulk: Champions of the Universe #1 is a digital original on Comixology and Kindle from Jeremy Whitley and Simone Buonfantino. I’d consider it more light-hearted, out-of-continuity, all ages fun, probably meant to be collected in time for the Thor: Ragnarok release. It features Thor Odinson and Bruce Banner, so if you’re missing the classics, this is a good get.

| Published by Marvel

Venomverse #1 is every bit as good as the preceding Edge of Venomverse mini-series of one-and-done stories introducing some of the players in this event. Cullen Bunn and Iban Coello deliver an entertaining first chapter here, setting up not just a playground for alternate Venoms, but also a series of adversaries in ever more alternate Poisons.

| Published by Marvel 

The Woods #35 has all of the chickens coming home to roost. This penultimate issue of James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas’ series is epic. After this, I can’t wait for the conclusion.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Other Highlights: 4 Kids Walk into a Bank #5, Ab Irato #5, Animosity: The Rise #3, The Greatest Adventure #5, Harbinger Renegade #7, Inhumans: Once & Future Kings #2, Jessica Jones #12, Kingsman: The Red Diamond #1, Lazaretto #1, Millennium: The Girl Who Played with Fire #1, Motor Crush #6, Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #6, No World #5, Outcast #30, Postal #22, Rocket Girl #9, Spider-Man #20, Spider-Man/Deadpool #21, Usagi Yojimbo #161, Venomverse: War Stories #1, The Wicked & The Divine #31, World Reader #6

Recommended Collections: Black Beetle: Kara Bocek, Extremity - Vol. 1, Iron Fist - Vol. 1: Trial of the Seven Masters, Kong of Skull Island - Vol. 2, Manifest Destiny - Vol. 5: Mnemophobia & Chronophobia, Pathfinder - Vol. 1: Dark Waters Rising, Throwaways - Vol. 2

d. emerson eddy knows where the bodies are buried. Which bodies? The ones that hit the floor in 2001.

[doctorwhonews]

Ninth Doctor Issue 5 - The Transformed (Part 2 of 2)

Latest Review: WRITER - Cavan Scott ARTIST - Adriana Melo COLORIST - Matheus Lopes LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS AND COMICRAFT’S JIMMY BETANCOURT SENIOR DESIGNER -  ANDREW LEUNG SENIOR EDITOR -  ANDREW JAMES ASSISTANT EDITORS - JESSICA BURTON & AMOONA SAOHIN Published - September 7th 2016 - TITAN COMICS The Ninth Doctor, and a Mickey Smith that knows a thing or two about quantum leaps (and had been saved from sniper fire by a dying Tenth Doctor), must somehow halt the grim threat to various innocent humans, who face becoming anonymous (and grotesque) alien monstrosities. --- The story continues to look diverting and full of incident, and there is now a tangible antagonist that the time travelling regulars need to overcome, who played a role back in the 2015 mini-series. Whilst strikingly alien in appearance, he is not the brightest crayon in the set, and comes equipped with fellow non-humanoid henchmen that seem a bit dim. Rose is given again some decent moments here as her concern for her new friends is made believable, (and the reader’s belief in her avoiding a permanent change of appearance and identity is kept somewhat in suspense). Jack has a reasonable plot contribution here too - although he still inevitably is 'second fiddle' to Mickey. There is further reminder of the former Time Agent's tenuous friendship with this Doctor, when Rose's exposure to danger is laid starkly at his door. The art is no less captivating, but notably for this concluding half of the story Adriana Melo is once again assigned with the relevant responsibilities. She is a confident contributor of visual stories, and manages to continue the overall look of 'Part One', without compromising her own distinctive visual style. And the pace which already had enough ‘oomph’ to it in Issue 4, is tweaked to a higher notch, and the story manages to develop plus introduce some fine revelations and solutions to make the current situation have some resolution. However, Jack, Rose and the (incumbent) Doctor are all just realising the weight of responsibility resting on them. It is just as well the Doctor can control his ship as well as he does, as they are forced to pursue the ongoing danger across time and space... It has been interesting to have Mickey return- albeit briefly - with Noel Clarke nowadays being esteemed somewhat more for being a writer/producer than an actor. However his turn as the first Earthbound relationship figure for a companion, in the modern era, is still one that bears reminiscing.  Martha does not affect proceedings all that much as perhaps hoped, and whilst her fortunes improve here, there simply is not enough panel 'time' for her to actually appear on this occasion. The Ninth Doctor is certainly not my personal favourite, but has grown in my affections over time, and certainly The 50th Anniversary Special, and various War Doctor material has given his anger and frustration further weight and meaning. When he feigns slapstick and silliness, it is clear it is both a front for his many regrets and bad memories, and sometimes also can be an awkward way to try and integrate with the ‘simplistic’ humans he cares so much for. These new comic adventures do a fine job of conveying the 'image versus inner reality' struggle quite well. There is always pressure for this Doctor to avoid genocide and destruction of civilisation, whereas other versions took it on as a big responsibility, but could at times truly enjoy their intellectual strengths during the troubles at hand. --- There are no easy answers in this concluding half of the story. The Doctor and his friends do their best with ‘damage control’ as they can. However, the threat of disturbances to a given person’s physiology is set up as a potential problem in more than one time zone, and so a longer story arc is commencing. To my tastes at the very least, it is pleasing that the story now will encompass the Doctor's long-standing allies; UNIT. Not only looking to honour allies of the doctor from recent times in 21st Century, but also some popular characters that last had onscreen appearances in the mid 1970s (come the well-executed final panel), this edition has a bit of everything for most dedicated fans of this great sci-fi phenomenon. --- BONUS The main cover, by Blair Shedd, is one of the better ones - applying to both this ongoing range, as well as Titan's monthly output in general. However, should readers wish, they can pick up the comic in person with an alternate image - either by Will Brooks or Simon Myers. If opting for the digital download, then both covers 'B' and 'C' are afforded full-page detail at the end of the comic.  Smaller previews of Issue 6 are also on view. These once again look presentable, but contribute next to nothing in terms of explaining what the actual story content involves. However, there is a full page preview of Melo's black-and-white artwork, which encompasses five panels, and which gives some clearer hints. http://reviews.doctorwhonews.net/2017/04/ninth_doctor_issue_5_the_transformed_part_2_of_2.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr