#tangled before ever after graphic novel/comic

[bananaphone---t]

I love that he's so in love with her. 🥹🫶💕

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Bonus Marathon - Adventure Is Calling (Tangled: the Series Comic)

Introduction

Here we go... This is the spin-off stuff I wanted to read the most; the IDW comics.

Disney commissioned IDW for a couple of mini-series based off the show. These lasted through the first season before coming to an end. Afterwards, IDW collected all of the the issues into four graphic novels. These not only included the original miniseries, but also a few short stories made for the Tangled Magazine that ran along side it, and yes, I will be talking about the magazine later in this marathon.

For now though, I’m going to be focusing on the first graphic novel Adventure is Calling, Which actually kicked off the mini-series.

The Content

I’m just going to go through reach story on it’s own really quickly and give a brake down for them.

Before Ever After

A heavily abridged comic adaptation of the pilot. It hits all the important beats, but then rushes on to the next plot point as quickly as it can without giving things time to settle. The biggest consequence of this is that some of the heavier emotional moments from the show doesn’t hit the same way. There’s less tension and less payoff. However the art is nice, and I like the framing/staging of certain scenes. Lady Caine also gets a more dignified end. She’s still captured, but she’s not squashed flat like a loony tunes character at least.

Hair Today

Perhaps the weakest offering on hand. This barely qualifies as a story. Rapunzel is getting ready for the day, but forgets to brush her hair. Cassandra gathers all of the handmaidens, plus Eugene, to help. And that’s it. There’s hardly a conflict to resolve, there no jokes to be had, and the characterization is practically non-existent. At only two pages long, I have wonder what was even the point? I mean, helping the princess get ready for the day is like a handmaiden's main job anyways. 

Princess Cassandra

However, following from that, we get the best story in the collection.

Rapunzel wants to skip out on her princess duties in order to hang out with her friends the Pub Thugs. They’re holding a talent contest at the Snugly Duckling and she’s agreed to be the judge. Rather than just informing people about her conflicting engagements and rescheduling with someone, she instead convinces Cassandra to pretend to be her and take her place at the royal banquet that evening.

There’s a couple of things here that really help this story to stand out. First off the premise doesn’t sound too far off from an actual episode from the show. Secondly, there’s a lot of attention to detail, like Cassandra needing to keep her face hidden because Rapunzel’s parents would instantly recognize her for who she really is. Then there’s a lot of Easter eggs and hints of dialogue that add more to the story, especially if you’ve already seen the show.

For instance, Hookhand shows up to compete. In the series he’s usually on tour, so this would have been a rare chance for Rapunzel to see her friend again before he leaves. While never stated outright, this context gives weight to why the talent show means so much to her. 

There’s also hints towards the wider arc, what with Rapunzel’s fear of confronting her father and simply telling him what’s going on. Which plays both into her agency arc and Frederic being a shitty dad and ruler. I mean all she’s blowing off is an unveiling of a giant statue of herself, which is a complete waste of the tax payers money.   

Most importantly however, is that this story managed to make me care about about Cassandra. She’s a complete victim to the royals competing demands and for once I was actually concerned for her well being. Trust me, in this series, getting me to give a shit about Cass is one of the greatest achievements a spin-off story can do. 

Greetings

This is another two paged story that doesn’t really have much plot. Yet it fares better than Hair Today because it’s more character driven. Rapunzel learns that not everyone wants to hear her infodump on them randomly every time they meet, and so she puts in more of an effort into having better social skills. She succeeds, but doesn’t really enjoy it. That is until Faith genuinely asks about her day and they bond while chatting. 

Why wasn’t Faith allowed to be one of Rapunzel’s actual friends in the series? Why?   

Anyways, it was cute, but pretty disposable. 

The Perfect Joke 

Eugene teaches Rapunzel how to tell a joke. The End. 

Once again, it’s cute enough, but at only two pages it feels really inconsequential. I would rather have had a longer six page adventure than all of these mini-episodes quite frankly.  

A Hero’s Reputation 

Now this story is a full paged comic, clocking in at 20 pages... which has become the standard in recent years. It’s okay. For the most part it’s a well constructed story, but it does have one glaring flaw and that’s how out of character Eugene feels. 

In the comic, Rapunzel keeps saving Eugene from accidents and mishaps through out the day. Cassandra starts to tease him for it, and he feels embarrassed when Frederic witnesses one of his rescues because he desperately wants to impress his future father-in-law. After an argument with Rapunzel, Eugene decides to stage a fake rescue with Shorty, only to cause a real accident and needs Rapunzel to save him again. Where a upon, he learns a lesson in humility. 

So you see the problem here, right? Why on earth would Eugene be embarrassed at being rescued by Rapunzel? She’s saved him several times before already and that is precisely why he loves her so much! I don't think even Cassandra’s heckling could knock him out of his own personal hero worship for his girlfriend. Eugene has an ego sure, but not once has his insecurities ever been about his bride-to-be being awesome in her own right. 

However, if you can get over such a forced conflict, the story proceeds at a nice pace, with some fun scenes here and there. 

Caution: Wet Hair 

So this is a four page story rather than a two paged one, but it’s still more pointless fluff. 

After washing her hair, Rapunzel has a full hour to herself before needing to meet some important dignitaries. Promising Cassandra that she won’t get dirty, Rapunzel decides to play outside. There she spots a rabbit in distress and decides to rescue it, but in doing so she muddies her dress and ruins her hair.  

The most interesting thing about this comic comes right the end when she confesses to Cassandra what happened. Rapunzel filches away from her while repeatedly saying ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again. Cassandra reassures her that it’s alright and says, quote: ‘You’re not coming home to Mother Gothel anymore.’ 

This brief exchange, especially in light of season three, is perhaps the most fascinating Cassandra and Rapunzel interaction I’ve ever witnessed in this series, and it’s just over and done with in three panels. 

Man, the comics are a trip! 

Lost

The last story is another two paged affair, but it’s possibly the strongest of the mini-episodes. 

Rapunzel gets lost in the castle trying to find the kitchen. She returns to her room after failing to obtain the glass of water that she was wanting. Only to find her mother there waiting for her to tell her goodnight. She also happens to have the glass of water that Rapunzel has been questing for. 

Why didn’t we get more mother and daughter interaction like this in the show? Why? 

Presentation 

All of the art work in the comic is really well done and easily the highlight of the book. Everything is consistent, dynamic, and flows really well. There’s also some interesting panel layouts and staging to keep things from stagnating.  

I just really like it. All of it, and all of the artists involved should be applauded. Not just the pencils here, but the colors, inks, and even words all come together nicely. 

Would I Recommend It 

Yeah, I would. Most of the book is pointless filler, and the Before Ever After adaptation is kind of weak. To the point where I would recommend the novelization over it alone. But, there’s enough here collectively to recommend laying down a few bucks to get the full graphic novel. Especially, if you’re a Tangled fan. 

Next Up

It’ll be a short review next week. I’ll be looking at the actual journal replica that came with the Before Ever After DVD. 

Also, the salt stream will be happening tomorrow night on the discord. 

[tangledbea]

Wait, there's tangled /books/?

Yep! when Season One was out, Disney actually made an effort to publicise the series, and there were several books that came out:

Before Ever After by Stacia Deutsch - a junior novelization of the pilot movie

Tales of Rapunzel 1: Secrets Unlocked - a junior novelization of “What the Hair?!” and “Great Expotations”

Tales of Rapunzel 2: Opposites Attract - a junior novelization of “Cassandra v. Eugene” and “In Like Flynn”

Tales of Rapunzel 3: Friends and Enemies - a junior novelization of “Max’s Enemy” and “Pascal’s Tale”

Queen For a Day by Brandi Dougherty - a junior novelization of the Season One mid-season

Tales of Rapunzel 4: The Search for the Sundrop - a junior novelization of “The Quest for Varian” and “The Alchemist Returns”

Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon by Leila Howland - an original story that takes place before and during Season One (not technically canon to the series)

Rapunzel and the Vanishing Village by Leila Howland - an original story that takes place between Season One and Season Two (not technically canon to the series)

Rapunzel’s Guide to All Things Brave, Creative & Fun by Suzanne Francis - a fully-illustrated book filled to the brim with a huge variety of activities, from arts and crafts to outdoor sports

My First Year as a Princess - a fully-illustrated pseudo-journal that loosely covers the events of Season One. (Not a replica of Rapunzel’s journal)

The Friendship Mix-Up by Jimmy Gownley - an original story graphic novel (not technically canon to the series)

The Write Story by Jimmy Gownley - an original story graphic novel (not technically canon to the series)

And all of these are not including the plethora of coloring and activity books, nor the comic book series.

[imagitory]

D-Views: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Bonjour, mes amies! Welcome, bienvenue, to another installment of D-Views, my written review series for films produced or inspired by the Walt Disney company! For more reviews for films like Enchanted, Star Wars Episode III, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, feel free to consult my “Disney reviews” tag, and please, if you enjoy this review or any of the others, please consider liking and reblogging! I look forward to writing more of these in the future for films like Wreck-It Ralph and Halloweentown, as well as Non-Disney films like Charlotte’s Web.

I recently put out a poll suggesting three Disney Renaissance films for possible review subjects, and although The Little Mermaid won that poll, this film ended up not far behind. (Thank you, @schifty-al and @mygeekcorner for your votes!) It’s one of my personal favorite Disney films of all time...The Hunchback of Notre Dame!

Victor Hugo’s classic novel Notre Dame du Paris, called The Hunchback of Notre Dame in English, seems like a very odd inspiration for a Disney animated family film, and that’s because...yeah, it is! When the Disney animators first brought Hunchback to the table, they were less inspired by the original Hugo novel glamorizing the architecture of Notre Dame cathedral, and more inspired by a graphic novel adaptation of the story, which was likewise much more influenced by the 1939 Hollywood film adaptation. Because of the historical context that 1939 adaptation was made in (premiering at Cannes during the rise of the Third Reich), themes of social justice were added to a story that originally was about how the “edifice” can outlast the flaws and sins of mankind. The “social justice” element is something that Hugo interestingly put more in his follow-up to Notre Dame du Paris, the epic brick book Les Miserables, but has since been similarly tied in the public consciousness to The Hunchback of Notre Dame, despite not existing in the original book.

The project was already an odd choice for Disney to take on thanks to the darkness of the book, but the political themes also were unique for a Disney picture as well. It clearly was a more “adult” endeavor, even though thanks to the success of previous projects like Aladdin and The Lion King, there were studio mandates demanding more comic relief, and even the marketing team was reluctant to advertise Hunchback as anything other than a family film. Rather than showing the artistry and darker scenes, the marketing almost entirely focused on the Feast of Fools and the gargoyles, highlighting the “Ugly Duckling” aspect added to the story and downplaying the more adult themes. In the end, it’s likely thanks to those poor marketing choices and the inconsistent tone of the picture that this movie failed to find its audience on first run. It only earned $21 million worldwide, compared to Pocahontas’s $29 million and The Little Mermaid’s $84 million, with mixed critical and audience reaction. Although it was nominated for an Academy Award for its music and won several others, it was noticeably less successful than other installments in the Disney Renaissance, and even now, Disney often doesn’t give Hunchback that much attention. Like Quasimodo, the film has been sort of locked up in its own tower...but now, today, I aim to bring The Hunchback of Notre Dame out of the shadows and give it the appreciation it deserves.

Our film begins in complete darkness, accompanied by resounding church bells and the amazing vocalizations of the English Opera Company, and from the very beginning, I’m just enveloped by the embrace of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s unbelievable score. Choral music in general has always been something special in my family. My mum and dad were in choirs a lot of their lives: they even first met when they joined the San Diego Master Chorale in the 80′s. Choral music remains one of my mother’s greatest loves and passions, and when I saw Hunchback, it made the choral music my parents loved so much, which focused around a faith I hadn’t been raised with and didn’t believe in, that bit more accessible to me as a child. Mum, who studied Latin in college, went on to teach me about all of the chants and phrases Menken and Schwartz added to each song so that I could more appropriately sing along. It remains one of those Disney soundtracks that cemented our close bond, and I’ll always treasure being able to see the La Jolla Playhouse production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with my mum and getting to hear the amazing choir and instruments live.

The Bells of Notre Dame, as an opening number, cannot be matched in how it introduces us all to the story, characters, themes, and tone of the piece. In just a few minutes, the music and lyrics perfectly showcases our setting, the theme of what makes a man, the atmosphere of fear and injustice, our villain, and our hero. Menken and Schwartz previously worked together on Pocahontas, but Hunchback in my opinion easily outstrips their previous collaboration. The use of church bells of all sizes to convey the solemnity, mystery, and grandeur of the cathedral at the center of the proceedings, and the clever use of Latin phrases -- it’s just unbelievable! As one example, in the sequence where Frollo (a judge in this version, as opposed to the Archdeacon) chases Quasimodo’s mother up to the stairs of Notre Dame and she pounds on the door, crying for help, the choir sings “Quantus tremor est futurus quando Judex est venturus,” which means, “What trembling is to be when the Judge comes.” And sure enough, the line comes to a horrible, horrified halt when Judge Frollo snatches the woman’s child away and throws her to the ground.

After one of the most epic musical introductions in a Disney film, we meet our sweet, gentle hero, Quasimodo, voiced by Tom Hulce, who is just such a ray of sunshine. Although I loved hearing Michael Arden as Quasimodo on stage, Tom Hulce will always be my Quasimodo. When I was a teenager, I went through a horrible “hating the world” phase where I only ever saw pain and suffering and felt not only powerless to make anything better, but worthless as well. During that time, I turned my back on a lot of the things that had brought me joy, feeling almost unable to enjoy them anymore. One of the very few exceptions, however, was this movie and especially the character of Quasimodo. When I was at my darkest points, Quasimodo never failed to bring me some light, not because he was particularly funny, but because for all of the misery in his circumstances, he never faltered in being gentle, creative, and kind. Looking back on how I’d been, I wish I’d had just a shred of Quasimodo’s grace back then. I wish I hadn’t allowed myself to fall into despair and resentment. Since I can’t go back, however, I keep Quasimodo in my mind sometimes whenever I’m going through something difficult. He’s kind of become a guardian angel of sorts to me, reminding me that my life is a precious gift and I shouldn’t take anything for granted. And really, I couldn’t do that if not for Tom Hulce and Quasimodo’s supervising animator, James Baxter. I truly am grateful to both of them for giving me a character that even now can be a symbol of everything I wish I could be.

Unfortunately along with Quasimodo, we also meet the gargoyles, Hugo, Victor, and Laverne. As a kid, I actually liked the gargoyles all right, but as an adult...yeah, they really break the mood. Badly. The worst offender is easily Hugo, which is a shame because I like Jason Alexander as a performer, but he just goes way too over-the-top-obnoxious. It would admittedly not be as bad if it were clear that the gargoyles were all in Quasimodo’s head, but Djali sees Hugo come to life at one point and they later help Quasimodo fight off the guards. I greatly prefer the way the gargoyles are handled in the stage production, where all of the saintly statues have their own voices that nonetheless reflect what Quasimodo is thinking and when Quasimodo hits his lowest point before Esmeralda’s execution, he forcefully banishes them out of his head.

Even though the comic relief is handled poorly, I certainly cannot say the same for the villain. Judge Claude Frollo is easily one of the most evil villains in Disney history. Tony Jay’s vocal performance is just chillingly resonant, commanding your attention and making you subconsciously shrink in on yourself whenever he speaks. It makes for a despicable, cold, cruel man -- the antithesis of a father, the true embodiment of a monster. Frollo is often compared to Mother Gothel from Tangled in how they both lie to, control, and emotionally abuse their charges (Quasimodo and Rapunzel, respectively), but I personally find Frollo so much worse than Gothel, because he not only cuts Quasimodo off from everyone, but he indoctrinates a gentle, kind soul like Quasimodo in his racism and intolerance against those different from him -- including Quasimodo’s own people, the Romani. Mother Gothel hoards Rapunzel away like a dragon hoarding treasure -- Frollo treats Quasimodo like a burden, beating into him that no one else would want him and that Frollo was such a “good man” to take him in. It’s just vile.

And now we come to my single favorite Disney song of all time -- Quasimodo’s aria, Out There. From the time I was little, this song spoke to me like few others did. Growing up, I was an only child with a huge imagination surrounded almost entirely by adults and who had a lot of difficulty relating to kids my age. I often liked being on my own, but it didn’t change how I often felt different and detached from the people around me, and as I got older, that feeling only increased. I moved a lot in my childhood, making it difficult for me to plant roots, and I rarely followed trends or popular norms, so I constantly stayed in the fringes of the crowd, enviously looking on at those who could fit in more easily than I could. I always tried to hide my insecurities, but they were still there, and when those insecurities took hold, I would often imagine the world being a place where I could be myself, just like Quasi does. Quasimodo’s longing to be “part of them” and lamentation of people being “heedless of the gift it is to be them” has always resonated with me, and even though it’s hard for me to sing Out There without shifting octaves, my heart swells every time I hear it.

The Captain of the Guard, Phoebus, is easily the biggest liberty that Hunchback adaptations have made with the original novel. The book version of Phoebus was more like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast than how he’s portrayed here, but I frankly have no complaints. Kevin Kline is wonderfully dry and witty in the role -- he’s more than a match for Esmeralda, being brave, noble, and sarcastic with seemingly no prejudice for those different from him. And then yeah, as for Esmeralda herself...as Phoebus says later, “what a woman!” Esmeralda was one of my very favorite Disney heroines as a kid, and she still is. The character of Esmeralda is often rather saint-like in her incarnations, but here we see both the “angelic” and “demonic” sides of her -- she’s fiery, but kind; rebellious, yet noble; anti-authority, but patient; distrustful, yet loyal. In the musical adaptation, when Esmeralda is first revealed, we hear Frollo, Phoebus, and Quasimodo sing this about her --

Frollo: She dances like the Devil!

Phoebus: She dances like an angel --

Quasimodo: An angel!

Phoebus: -- but with such fire!

Frollo: Such fire!

All Three: Who is she?

This is Esmeralda’s characterization and her relationship to the three male main characters in a nutshell. Quasimodo only sees the best of Esmeralda; Frollo only sees the worst of her; and Phoebus sees her for everything she is...as a person. And this is why she ultimately chooses Phoebus, unlike in the book where she solely chooses Phoebus because of his looks.

When we reach the Palace of Justice, I’m reminded that I have yet to accent how absolutely stunning every single background is in this movie. Yes, the animation overall is wonderful, whether in the character animation or otherwise, but there are few Disney films that have more atmospheric and beautiful backgrounds than this. It serves to give the movie such a wonderful depth and makes the setting feel that much richer and deeper. Admittedly one weaker aspect of the animation is the now-slightly-outdated CG background characters. They were made by taking a handful of templates and then mixing up their clothes and colors, so as to multiply them ad infinitum and make the crowds of Paris look bigger and more colorful. Even with that, though, you do sort of have to look carefully at the background crowds to notice, as there are lots of hand-drawn characters sprinkled in in front of those CG models that help obscure their repetition and awkwardness. Those CG crowds also make the city of Paris look appropriately overcrowded and huge, so I’m glad that they used the technology even if it was still so in-progress at the time.

Even though Topsy Turvy starts off so fun and festive, however, it soon devolves into a terrible riot where Quasimodo is bound and tormented by the crowd. I admit, the transition is a little abrupt, but it still works for me, as people can be so easily swept away by mob mentality and those in power -- namely, Frollo’s guards -- sometimes flaunt their authority by putting down others. Fortunately Esmeralda is there to save Quasimodo and give Frollo a much-deserved verbal smackdown. The following scene, though, is another example of the mismatched tone, stretching out Esmeralda’s escape with a lot of comic “hijinks” that don’t really add anything to the film and kind of serve as a big time waster, especially after it abruptly cuts off and turns much more solemn and sad as Frollo silently confronts Quasimodo and Quasi returns to Notre Dame in shame.

Hunchback’s focus on religion is, in my opinion, one of the things that made producing an adaptation of Hugo’s novel such a bold decision. I’m not a religious person at all (Agnostic and proud), but it was still really meaningful to me to see both the good and bad associated with religion, represented by the Archdeacon and Frollo respectively. Frollo, along with Pharaoh Seti from The Prince of Egypt, taught me as a kid that evil is not always self-aware and, more importantly, how much more dangerous evil is when it garbs itself in godliness and righteousness. That’s a valuable lesson, regardless of your religious faith. God Help the Outcasts may invoke God’s name, but it could just as easily be a prayer to the world, or even just to you as an individual. The Christian faith preaches that we are made in God’s image...so when Esmeralda asks God to help her people, maybe she’s in truth asking you to try to be the loving God they need.

Something unique about Hunchback is the wonderful friendship that develops between Esmeralda and Quasimodo. From the time I was very little, I made friends with both boys and girls, so it was so wonderfully refreshing to see a story where a girl and a boy became such close friends and supported each other so much. Yes, admittedly, Quasimodo is romantically interested in Esmeralda, but when he sees how much she loves Phoebus, he both accepts their relationship and treasures Esmeralda’s friendship all the same. He doesn’t wallow in bitterness upon Esmeralda not choosing him; he loves her all the same as the first real friend he’s ever had. Esmeralda truly loves Quasimodo and treasures their friendship too -- her choosing Phoebus romantically is never framed as her teasing Quasimodo or leading him on; she simply loves Phoebus and Quasimodo in different ways. And that I find so unbelievably cool. I also like that in Esmeralda’s and Quasimodo’s conversation on the roof, there are some strains of the deleted song Someday in the instrumental accompanying the scene -- you can hear a R&B variation of Someday in the film’s credits, but originally it was meant to replace the more religious God Help the Outcasts, only for God Help the Outcasts to be chosen over it. I agree with the filmmakers’ decision, but I still like Someday too. Quasimodo’s helping Esmeralda and Djali escape Notre Dame by climbing down the towers also beautifully foreshadows Quasimodo’s dexterity in climbing down to save Esmeralda at the end of the film.

Quasimodo and Frollo are both enthralled with Esmeralda, but as mentioned previously, they each only see the angelic and demonic sides of her, which is best encapsulated by the dual numbers Heaven’s Light and Hellfire. Heaven’s Light is appropriately sweet and pure, but I can’t beat around the bush here: Hellfire steals the show, not just from Heaven’s Light but from all other villain songs in Disney history. The song starts with a choral chant praying for forgiveness, which then segways into Frollo’s demented, mad raving about his lust, fear, and hatred for Esmeralda. The words are almost terrifying in their level of conviction and paranoia, which then devolves into vindictive, destructive mania, framed by the mournful echoes for “mercy” from the choir.

Right after Hellfire, we get one of my favorite instrumentals on the soundtrack called Paris Burning. The choir’s bustling, dramatic cries trimmed by the tense strings and horns of the orchestra just evokes fear and horror as Frollo terrorizes Paris. Then Phoebus finally takes a stand, refusing to set fire to the miller’s house and then, after Frollo does it himself, leaping in to save the family from the flames. In the musical, this whole sequence is accompanied by the amazing musical number Esmeralda (which honestly, every fan of this movie should listen to, it’s really worth it), but the film handles it unbelievably well with only a short scene and an instrumental that sears the final “Kyrie Eleison” into the audience’s ears like a fire brand.

Sadly, after this amazing, epic sequence, we once again are subjected to tonal whiplash when we return to the bell tower and the gargoyles decide to sing Quasimodo a song to cheer him up. Although I maintain Hunchback has one of the best soundtracks ever recorded, what stops it from being flawless is this song. A Guy Like You is not an inherently bad song on its own, but when combined with the rest of the soundtrack, its melody, tone, and out-of-place pop cultural references are just ridiculously jarring. It’s like we’ve been transported into a completely different movie, one less inspired by a classic French novel and a critically acclaimed film about social justice and one more inspired by Disney hits of the day like Aladdin and later projects like Hercules. As sad as it is, it’s kind of a relief when it’s over and we’re brought back down to earth by Esmeralda carrying a close-to-death Phoebus into Quasimodo’s tower.

Frollo’s arrival after Quasimodo agrees to hide Phoebus is excellent in its suspense. We can sense Frollo’s suspicion, and all the while, we’re so worried for Phoebus hiding under the very table he and Quasimodo are sitting at. Then Frollo, who we’ve only ever seen as cold, conniving, and controlled, bursts into a rage the kind of which we’ve never seen before, and for a second, he’s a demon himself. After his rage is spent, he sets his cruelest, most terrible trap yet: using Quasimodo’s feelings for Esmeralda so that he can capture her and the rest of the Romani. And at first, Quasimodo almost doesn’t take the bait, thanks to a short-lived pang of self-pity. At first he’s bitter about his heart being broken and considers not helping Esmeralda, as there’d seemingly be no “reward” in him doing so...but the feeling is quelled in seconds by the memory of Esmeralda and how much her friendship means to him. Quasimodo’s selflessness and goodness wins out in its struggle with his more selfish instincts...and this, in the end, is what makes Quasimodo a hero in my eyes.

All right, I guess with our entrance into the Court of Miracles, I should address the elephant in the room. I’ve called Esmeralda’s people “the Romani” in this review, but throughout the entire film, the term is substituted for the admittedly-period-appropriate slur “Gypsy.” I knew nothing about the Romani culture when I first saw this film and I profess no intimate knowledge of it now, but even with that, I have to acknowledge that this movie doesn’t always showcase the Romani in the best light. Although Quasimodo’s parents, Esmeralda, and (to a degree) Clopin are given relative sympathy, the sequence in the Court of Miracles doesn’t do much to endear them to the audience. These victims of persecution are not really given the focus they deserve: we never learn much about their culture or about why they’re persecuted, and we don’t really get to see how they live their lives as ordinary people. To someone who doesn’t know anything about the Romani, I don’t think this film would be the best introduction to their culture and heritage.

Our climax is accompanied by the best instrumental track in the film, Sanctuary! Whenever I hear this piece, I have to stay completely silent, drinking in every single line and note, so as to properly absorb its brilliance. The track has accompanied a lot of my writing in the past: it’s always helped me when I was writing a powerful, emotional climax, whether through the emotion it wrought from me or just from wanting to write a new scene to the music. This entire sequence, from a musical, writing, animation, and character point of view, is I think what made Disney decide to make this film in the first place. The pacing -- the character animation of Quasimodo tearing down the pillars -- the drawn backgrounds of Notre Dame -- the camera whirling over the never-ending crowd’s heads and up onto the cathedral as Quasimodo hoists Esmeralda over his head -- this is the heart of why the movie was made and what the entire film was building up to. This resistance against injustice and the protection of our sacred, historical institutions from hatred and cruelty is what Hunchback is and should be all about. Occasionally this battle scene is inter-spliced with comic bits that once again aren’t really necessary and kind of stick out (Laverne’s Wizard of Oz reference and Hugo’s impression of a fighter plane in particular are out of place), but it doesn’t ruin anything for me. Fortunately as the climax grows darker with the arrival of Frollo and the transition from Sanctuary! into And He Shall Smite the Wicked, the gargoyles take a backseat, and we get focus where we should’ve always had it: on Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Frollo. Thanks to his love for his friend Esmeralda and the realization of his own self-worth, Quasimodo finally stands up to Frollo and breaks free of his poisonous influence once and for all. This line of Quasi’s has always stuck with me --

“All my life you’ve taught me the world is a dark, cruel place...but now I see the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you!”

Even now this line is just so powerful. There was a point where all I saw of the world was its cruelties and injustices...but like Quasimodo, I’ve come to see that those cruelties are not inherent to the world or even to mankind as a whole. Humans are capable of both great evil and great good, but as long as the evil people of the world are allowed to seize control and exert their toxic influence over everyone else, the world and mankind overall will never become better. Like Quasimodo, we must stand against those who’ve embraced cruelty and hatred over acceptance and love. We must protect the brighter parts of the world that evil so wishes to snuff out. It’s a moral I think has only become more relevant and important over time.

Unlike in the book and musical, Esmeralda survives, and as much as I’ve heard people try to argue Esmeralda living is not true to the spirit of the original novel, I think it really suits the story being told and really feels just for both characters. Quasimodo deserved happiness; Esmeralda deserved happiness; and most importantly, this all the more highlights how different Quasimodo is from Frollo. Frollo says to Esmeralda, “Choose me or the fire” -- basically, if he can’t have her, he doesn’t want anyone else to...but Quasimodo doesn’t think that way. He cherishes Esmeralda and her friendship without any caveats or conditions: therefore him losing Esmeralda, whether to Phoebus or to death, doesn’t prompt him to commit suicide like he did in the novel. It’s not only a more uplifting ending, but I think a lesson in the selflessness of love, even if it’s just platonic love. And because Esmeralda loves Quasimodo just as much as a friend, she leads him out into the sun, where he finds even more of the love he deserves from the city he wished so much to belong in. Quasimodo doesn’t get the girl, but that was never what he wanted in the first place: it was merely to be accepted as he was.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was one of the most formative films of my childhood, right up there with Beauty and the Beast, The Prince of Egypt, and Anastasia, and it remains my second favorite Disney animated film of all time. With time, I’ve seen more and more of its flaws, but those flaws don’t ruin what in the end is one of the most daring, revolutionary projects Disney Animation has ever tackled. Its artistry, from the backgrounds to the character animation, is exceptional; all of its major human characters are multi-faceted, complex, and real; its themes are eternally relevant and powerful; and its score and nearly all of its songs are just through the stratosphere in their quality. Hunchback, along with Beauty and the Beast, made me fall in love with France from afar as a child, a love affair that has only become more and more intense through the years, and Quasimodo and Esmeralda even now are so close to my heart. I wish so much to be as kind and gentle as Quasimodo and as brave and noble as Esmeralda, and I can only hope that at some point, if I ever visit Disneyland Paris, I might finally meet them. The Hunchback of Notre Dame may not have gotten the appreciation it deserved when it first came to theaters, but I’ll always be happy to hear Disney fans remembering it as fondly as I do. Who knows? Maybe someday, the world will be wiser and will give this film its time in the sun at long last.

[thecartoonuniverse]

Currently Airing Cartoons to Watch: 2019 Edition Part 1

You may remember my list of upcoming cartoons to look out for last year, but this time around I would like to do something different! I am personally recommending cartoons that are currently airing (or are confirmed to get more seasons) and give my opinions on each of them. There may be other good cartoons out there, but if they are not on the list, it means I was not a huge fan of it, it’s a super popular show like Steven Universe or Star vs. the Forces of Evil, or I have yet to watch it. If you are looking for something to watch, this is the list!

Currently Airing:

The Dragon Prince

Summary: The Dragon Prince is an epic fantasy series by the head writer and director of Avatar: the Last Airbender. In the magical land of Xadia, magic comes from six primal sources. But when human mages create a seventh kind of magic, Dark Magic — they begin capturing and harvesting the unique magical creatures they need as ingredients. This sparks a catastrophic war between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms. Three kids from opposite sides of the conflict — two human princes, and the elven assassin who was sent to kill them — discover a secret that could change everything. They decide to join forces and go on an epic journey that may be their only hope of ending the war, and restoring peace to both their worlds.

Opinion: This is probably my favorite currently airing show right now, mostly since I am a huge fan of fantasy shows. Dragons, extremely hot elves, and magic- what more could you ask for? Every one of the characters is complex and likable (well most, depending on who you ask). But even the antagonists are compelling at there are always shades of gray present. Season 2 truly blew me away with how much the stakes were raised and the number of surprises that occurred. There is even going to be a AAA cross-platform video game coming soon set in the same world! The company that creates The Dragon Prince, is doing a fantastic job on their social media (it’s hilarious, trust me), and I cannot wait to see what else they create. A quick warning, the animation from season 1 will take a little while to get used to, but for the most part, it has been improved for Season 2.

Also, there a lot of memes, so get ready for that.

gen:LOCK

Summary: In gen:LOCK, Earth’s last free society is on the losing side of a global war, and recruits a diverse team of young pilots to control the next generation of mecha—giant, weaponized robot bodies. These daring recruits will find, however, that their newfound abilities come at no small cost. As Julian Chase leaves behind his life as a fighter pilot to become the first candidate for the program, he finds his endurance, as well as his very identity, will be tested beyond anything he ever imagined.

Opinion: For any current/past fans of Voltron: Legendary Defender- WATCH THIS SHOW! If you are a fan of mechas, you will surely enjoy this. But if you were more a fan of the character interactions from VLD, this show also has you covered. It has an amazingly diverse cast and even has a canon genderfluid character. It is a show made for adults, so the stakes are real and dark subjects are treated seriously. Even the romance is done very well with the characters acting like adults instead of arguing over each other like teenagers. Even from the first episode, you can tell that the show is willing to take risks and is sure to become one of the greatest shows of the decade. The animation is also beautiful, and is definitely the best looking show Rooster Teeth has created. The fan base is super small right now since the first season just aired and is RT First exclusive. But trust me, it is worth a watch.

Carmen Sandiego

Summary: Carmen is a modern day Robin Hood traveling the globe and stealing from V.I.L.E. and giving back to its victims. Carmen is publicly perceived as a criminal by most law enforcement agencies – correction, make that a master criminal due to the sheer scale and theatricality of her heists. We will follow her escapades and get to determine not only where but WHO in the world is Carmen Sandiego?  

Opinion: This show really caught me by surprise- I was fully expecting a kiddy edutainment show, but what I got was something much more complex and intriguing. Carmen this time around, as the summary suggests, is an anti-hero, and not an antagonist or villain like she was in the past. While some may not want to watch it due to this, I think this take on her is done very well, and once you get past the two-episode backstory, you will find the show is fun with a diverse cast of characters from all over the world. This GIF doesn’t quite do it justice but trust me when I say this show has some one of the best looking art styles I have ever seen. Surprisingly the weakest aspect of the show is the educational factor, which is puzzling as it was very much promoted as a show to teach children geography. In some cases, I have seen posts/tweets pointing out factual errors the show made! Normally it wouldn’t be the biggest deal, but this is a show that prides itself for its educational value. Also, some of the characters have pretty flat personalities or are just straight up incompetent, but hopefully that will change as the show progresses further. The finale was amazing, and I am patiently waiting for the next season!

Tangled: The Series/ Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure

Summary: Set between the events of the feature film and the start of the 2012 CGI short film, Tangled Ever After, the animated series unfolds as Rapunzel acquaints herself with her parents, her kingdom and the people of Corona. Her irrepressible spirit and natural curiosity about the world drives her to the realization that there is so much more she needs to learn before she can truly accept her royal destiny. She boldly puts her crown and impending marriage on hold to seek out epic adventures, much to the dismay of the King who, after missing out on Rapunzel's childhood, must accept that his daughter is now an independent young woman. Accompanying Rapunzel on her journey will be Eugene Fitzherbert; the plucky chameleon sidekick, Pascal; the no-nonsense horse, Maximus; most of The Snuggly Duckling's pub thugs; and newcomer Cassandra, a tough-as-nails handmaiden, who becomes Rapunzel's confidant.

Opinion: This series is truly a delight, and definitely exceeded my expectations for a television series based off a Disney show (I did not expect much as most of those types of shows from my childhood weren’t the best). But I was truly wowed, and this is a must see for any Disney fan.The series does not ignore anything that happened in the movie, far from it. Events that occurred in the movie still impact Rapunzel and are treated seriously. The cartoon mixes comedy, adventure, lore, and mystery quite well. It is also very beautiful, much like Carmen Sandiego (both have similar styles but I like CS’s lighting a bit more). The show can even get quite dark, as is evident with the season 1 finale. This show deserves a much biggest fanbase, so give it a watch!

Hilda

Summary: Hilda follows the journey of a fearless blue-haired girl as she travels from her home in a vast magical wilderness full of elves and giants to the bustling city of Trolberg, where she makes new friends and discovers mysterious creatures who are stranger –and sometimes more dangerous– than she ever expected. Based on graphic novels by Luke Pearson, who storyboarded for Adventure Time.

Opinion: Hilda is definitely a comfort show, and if you liked Gravity Falls there is a good chance you will also like this show! The art style is simply adorable, and Hilda is a delight to get to know. I love the way that the show not only has magical creatures, but it goes in depth into how these creatures live and survive in a modern world. Having read all the comics, I personally enjoyed the addition of Hilda getting some human friends. I know some people did not like this, but she seemed quite lonely once she moved to the city, and I liked seeing her interact with children her age. Season 2 is coming out next year, so there is plenty of time to watch the first season! If you love a feel-good show with mystery and magic, this is the show for you!

Star Wars Resistance

Summary: The series is set between the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, in a time when the Resistance is still learning about the growing threat of the First Order. It centers on the character of Kazuda Xiono, a young pilot in General Leia Organa's Resistance who is tasked with spying on the growing threat of the First Order.

Opinion: This show was one I was not expecting anything from at all, but as the show has progressed throughout the first season I have begun to enjoy it more and more. This show, like many on this list, features a very diverse cast (including some aliens, of course). Probably the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that the main character, Kaz, is 20 years old! I feel like that is not something you see with action shows these days, as they usually make the protagonist 16 or 17 years old. I really like the animation style, as I always felt that without the big budget, the Clone Wars style just didn’t look that good in Rebels. Resistance is so... shiny! As for the plot itself, it is sad that most of my favorite aspects of Star Wars are missing, namely the Force, Jedi, and Light Sabers. But since it may eventually tie in more with the sequels, there is hope to see more of that eventually! It’s definitely not at Clone Wars level of good, but I am finding it more enjoyable than Rebels (excluding a few episodes and the season finales). It may never end up being as serious as Rebels, but I am sure it will get darker as time goes on and the stakes get higher.

Young Justice: Outsiders

Summary: Young Justice: Outsiders is the third season of Young Justice. The backdrop for the season is one that will touch on “all corners of the DC universe,” and this time the team is tasked with stopping a metahuman trafficking ring, as well as dealing with the “intergalactic arms race for control of these super-powered youths.” You can also count on new heroes Arrowette, Spoiler, Thirteen, Halo, and many more joining in the fight.

(^I can’t recall if this is the exact line from the show but this whole episode is the best)

Opinion: If you loved the first two seasons of Young Justice, it is easy to say that you should give this one a watch. But now that it is on DC’s streaming platform, DC Universe, IT IS DARK. Seriously, this is no longer a show for children. And that’s pretty great. I truly love that the show can now explore darker themes and have some adult jokes from time to time. However, unlike the first two seasons, I feel constantly confused about new characters or things that have happened to returning characters offscreen. Unless you are very knowledgable about DC characters, there is a good chance you will feel this way. So, it is sadly a bit more unwelcoming to those unfamiliar with the comics. I still love the show’s characters and superhero stuff, in general, is always a lot of fun. There’s also LGBT characters apparently already in the show (and some that were LGBT in the comics have appeared, but nothing in-show is confirmed), so hopefully, there is also that to look forward to in the second half of the season when it airs in June.

Big Hero 6 The Series

Summary: The series continues the adventures of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro and his robot pal Baymax. Joining the pair on their journey is control freak Wasabi, scientist Honey Lemon, fanboy Fred, and no-nonsense Go Go Tomago, whom together form the Big Hero 6 superhero team. As the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, Hiro faces daunting academic challenges, not to mention the social trials of being the little man on campus. The stakes are also raised for the high-tech heroes when they must protect their city from an array of scientifically enhanced villains.

Opinion: Another very well made series based off a Disney movie. Once again, this show stays faithful to the source material. The art style is very interesting, and while not my favorite gives the show a very cool feel. Once the main villain is introduced, I was glad to report that he became a major threat very fast. And the season 1 finale was pretty great as well. My biggest issue concerning this series so far is that is still really hasn’t developed the side characters at all, despite them being in almost every episode. These are college students, so their families should still be quite important to them. But besides Fred, we have yet to really learn about them, and with that, a potentially important part of who they are as a person is missing. After a movie and a whole season, these characters should not seem as flat as they are, so I hope we learn more about them too. But we also get flashbacks of Tadashi, so for that alone the show may be worth a watch.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Summary: Deep in the sewers of New York City, four mutant turtle brothers lurk. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo are in their early teen years, and the brothers go on new and exciting adventures. They tap into their mystic ninja powers to learn to work together as a cohesive unit and become a team of heroes as they navigate the modern world and other hidden realms. The brothers get a whole new look, new weapons, and new powers as they discover the hidden city beneath New York and find time for a slice of their favorite pizza.

Opinion: Okay I will admit this is one I haven’t actually seen all of yet. But the art style is just so cool I had to include it and will likely update this entry when I catch up. This show may be a worthy successor to the 2012 series, which I know a lot of people loved.

So that’s the end of my list. If I remember any other good shows airing, I may update it. But, if I got you to watch any, let me know and tell me your thoughts!

Shows to Look Foward to: Glitch Techs, Amphibia, Owl House, Twelve Forever, Hazbin Hotel, Villainous, Infinity Train, 101 Dalmatian Street

Shows Omitted due to being super popular already: Steven Universe, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, RWBY, Bojack Horseman, OK KO, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Duck Tales

Join my Cartoon Themed Discord: https://discord.gg/cartoonuv

And give us a follow if you enjoyed the post! We talk about cartoon related stuff a lot! I will probably do a part 2 later in the year when more of the cartoons to look forward to have aired. And I might even add some shows omitted or other shows I may have forgotten!

[addictedforbooksquad]

P I C K (S)  O F  T H E  M O N T H: J U L Y

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

The Gentelman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Filthy Gods by R. Scarlett

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Adult

Links: goodreads | bookdepository

Synopsis:

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed--and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold. But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth--especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

Why we love it:

amazing, complex and captivating female characters

interesting and unusual story

beautifuuuul prose!

subtle romance plots are present but it focuses more on these women being smart, sneaky and dealing with everything

Trigger warnings: antisemitism, descriptions of violence

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Faeries

Links: goodreads | bookdepository

Synopsis:

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Why we love it:

SO GOOD that we’ve actually reread it only 5 months after reading it the first time

a vast array of wonderfully morally-grey characters

THE SHIP IS TOO DIE FOR

Holly Black and the amazing way she writes Fae

Trigger warnings: descriptions of violence

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

Genres: Young Adult, Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes

Links: goodreads | bookdepository

Synopsis:

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City — until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear? Kamala has no idea, either. But she's comin' for you, Jersey!

Why we love it:

POC rep

the main character is Muslim Pakistani

tackles important issues like Islamophobia

as well as issues within brown community 

Trigger warnings: Islamophobia

The Gentelman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Romance

Links: goodreads | bookdepository

Synopsis:

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Why we love it:

historical M/M romance

action and adventure with comedic relief

a grand tour of Europe serves as an exciting backdrop

hilarious narration

not your typical historical fiction which was GREAT

Trigger warnings: racism, homophobia, abuse, ableism

Filthy Gods by R. Scarlett

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Novella

Links: goodreads | amazon

Synopsis:

Young. Wealthy. Elite. Attractive. The gentlemen’s secret society at Yale was filled with them. And Nathaniel Radcliffe, the bane of my existence, was one of them. As the right hand of the American Gods, he was conceited and arrogant. A dangerously handsome man in a tailored custom suit and shiny black oxford loafers. The classroom was our battlefield. We made a sport out of arguing and debating, ready to do anything in order to win over the other. Deadly opponents, deadlier minds. I'd sworn I'd never give him the upper hand, until... The secret I’ve been hiding for the last three years? He just discovered it… and now he has all the power.

Why we love it:

MAJOR COBALLOWAY VIBES!

enemies to lovers trope

sizzling hot

interesting introduction to the series

Trigger warnings: sexual assault

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Regency

Links: goodreads | bookdepository

Synopsis:

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better... —Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1814 But this time, the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams... Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister—but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony's lips touch hers, she's suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself...

Why we love it:

some A+ banter between Kate and Anthonyas well as sparks flying left and right

they have this love/hate thing going on and we love it

Bridgertons are a delightful family - very entertaining dynamic

comical family moments (see point above)

[mondofunnybooks]

MONDO FunnyBooks: 'SLAB THEM CAKES!'

As might have been hinted at previously, here at The Mondo Mansion, we are huge wrestling marks. Love it in all of it's forms, whether Wrestlemania, G.L.O.W, Japanese Deathmatches, Hour-long matches between Ric Flair and Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat, Sting* and Robocop teaming up to fight the evil of The Four Horsemen, The Shockmaster, Vader destroying Antonio Inoki in 30 seconds, Antonio Inoki's fascinating match with Muhammed Ali, the Meltzer ratings destruction that was the Okada/Omega trilogy, a ludicrous obsession with collecting consoles in order to run obtuse Japanese only games released in the 90's or the Sunny/Sable Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament. We once sold a hundred pounds worth of graphic novels in two minutes for Humanoids based solely on the fact that we were wearing a Bullet Club T-Shirt and a fellow Young Bucks fan came over, hit us with the 'Too Sweet' hand gesture and asked us what was good.

So, as this last week has featured: The American release of the Greatest Wrestling Engine Ever Created Except Possibly The Aki One in Fire Pro Wrestling World for the PS4, The Starcast Festival happening as we type, R.D Reynolds is running riot at said event by way of Katie Vick and The Gobbledygooker, Us explaining Rey Mysterio Jr and The Blue Demon comics to one of the more respectable members of the comics ambassador community in a chip shop while buying Russian Porn Comics (More on this in the future.) and All In being broadcast on the NJPW network, our brain is basically pyro and superkicks at the moment. We intend to calm down roughly around Tuesday.

Given that we would rather read a ridiculous comic than one designated by The Grand Poobahs to be 'worthy' any day of the week, it is only destiny that we would find ourselves drawn to the wonderful world that is the wrestling comic. Naturally, there have been quite a few attempts to blend these two elements, and since both wrestling and superhero comics run on the 'Soap Operas But With Spandex.' model, it should have been an easier fit than actually has happened. There are far too many comics to recount here but here are a few of our favourites.

Tiger Mask:

Started in 1968 in Japan and serialized in 'Bokura'. Tiger Mask recounts the adventures of an Evil Heel Wrestler who strikes fear into the hearts of cowardly American Gaijin Wrestlers, but calms down a bit when he returns to America. This series has taken many forms of comics, movies and anime with the character of Tiger Mask being played by some of the greatest wrestlers ever such as Koji Kanemoto, Mitshua Misawa, Ultimo Dragon and the current incarnation Tiger Mask W is performed by Kota Ibushi, one half of the amazing tag team with some obscure guy called Kenny Omega when performed at live wrestling shows. His main baddie is The Black Tiger, most notably played by a young Eddie Guerrero. Just looking through the live history of Tiger Mask is a crash course in some of the most fantastic wrestling shows ever recorded and current anime 'Tiger Mask W' ought to be getting the sort of recognition that 'Attack On Titan' currently receives. The comics boast stunning covers far ahead stylistically and in graphic design terms to their western counterparts. A bit tricky to find legally in physical form but well worth tracking down.

Notable Mention 1: 'Warrior'. Not the worst thing The Ultimate Warrior had a hand in (See The THINGS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION DEPT.) but certainly up there in all-out abuse of the English Language, comics art, paragraphing, terrible concepts and unintentional homo-eroticism. Covered in far too many comic blogs to be worth going into here.

Notable Mention 2: The WWE comic from Titan. There's a good story involved with the creation of this. Given that Vince McMahon has apparently never heard of the 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' films, one I'm quite willing to believe. Literally, all we can tell you is that Triple H is actually Cain. From The Bible. As in 'And Abel'. Which is a bit odd given The WWE had a wrestler called 'Kane' knocking about whose whole schtick was that he was an evil brother, but there you go.

Spider-Man: Tangled Web 14.

SMTW was the last really interesting Spider-Man comic, for our money. An ongoing series featuring more adult or idiosyncratic takes on the world of Spider-Man from comic creators who probably wouldn't suit the on model published Amazing Spider-Man book but could be counted on to deliver a memorable story in an issue or two. The title kicked off poorly with one of Garth Ennis's less interesting tales, but quickly found itself redeemed with the'100 Bullets' team of Brian Azzallero and Eduardo Risso delivering the story of one of The Kingpin's henchmen that blew away everything else on the shelves and nominated for Eisners that year. Later issues also ran the heartbreaking by 'Flowers For Rhino' by the 'Enigma' pairing of Pete Milligan and Duncan Fegredo, one-off strips by the likes of Paul Pope, Darwyn Cooke and Kaare Andrews and the chilling 'Double Shots' by Sean Phillips and Ron Zimmerman.

Issue 14 would see Azzallero return to co-write a story with Scott Levy, better known to the world as ECW/WCW/WWF performer 'Raven'. 'The Last Shoot' concerns a New York-based promotion (roughly based on Philly's ECW.) down on its luck until one of their top stars decides to use a bit of old school promotion to turn their fortunes around. It's VERY Eisner/Dropsie Avenue in its approach, which isn't the worst influence to take on at all. The final page will alter your memory of one of the most iconic moments of Spider-Man history forever. Notably better than CM Punk's comics, although those are quite good as well.

Notable Mention 3: Marvel's W.C.W S.L.A.M. Force 'What if a drunk tried to lightbox Bryan Hitch's art in order to draw a comic where WCW wrestlers of the Goldberg/NWO era were superheroes who took their look from the worst of Image Comic's excesses?' The piece of 'Rabid Wolverine' Chris Benoit art did depict him with claws, though. So those two seconds of research into character design are recognized here.

Notable Mention 4: The 10th Muse by Image Comics. The September 1999 issue of Playboy featured then WWF Top Star Sable in a nude photoset and was one of the best selling issues of the magazine ever published. The November 2000 launching 10th Muse used Sable as a model and only had the accolade of 'Best selling comic called "10th Muse" published in November 2000!' to boast about. The inability of American men to draw realistic blonde women with large breasts that don't look like they're made from bubblegum continues to confuse us.

Finally.

The best crossover in the history of comics..

Obviously, there are some contenders for this title: Archie/Ramones. Flaming Carrot/Turtles. Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck. Archie/Punisher. Spawn/Batman. Cerebus/Bacchus. Archie/Sharknado. Superman/Hulk by Steve Rude. Batman/Scooby Doo.

However, there is simply nothing on a scale with the December 1991 combination of Spider-Man Creator Steve Ditko drawing a strip for WWF's Battlemania that starred The Enduring Legend Of Wrestling that is...The Undertaker. It was Ditko's belief that the only stories worth working on were the ones that depicted Good Vs Evil and since this was before the infamous kayfabe breaking speech by Vince McMahon on the Dec 15th airing episode of Raw where Vince declared that fans were smart enough to recognize there were no good guys or bad guys, the simple tale of The Big Boss Man (Literal embodiment of Law and Order.) versus The Undertaker who, well, if you don't know by now, you probably didn't make it this far anyway. He's been nicknamed 'Big Evil' in the past and might have killed his parents. Let his best mate Paul Bearer be murdered in a perspex box filled with cement so he wouldn't have any weaknesses. Once tried to marry Vince McMahon's daughter after tying her to a 'symbol'. (Totally not a crucifix or a cross. Totally not that at all.)

The story is er, Paul Bearer trying to entice a lady into the Funeral Parlour. Luckily The Big Boss Man has been watching via surveillance truck and smashes through the wall to save the day from the whims of The Evil Undertaker. It doesn't really deserve the art of Ditko but is still light years ahead of their Hell In A Cell match which ended with, um, the death of The Big Boss Man via hanging. Possibly. Taker would go onto better things including an incredible run of matches at Wrestlemania involving Shawn Michaels, CM Punk, Triple H and Brock Lesnar. The Big Boss Man probably peaked somewhere between stealing the corpse of The Big Show's Dad at a funeral and feeding Al Snow his dog. All things considered, this might be a nicer way to remember Steve Ditko than how Marvel chose to treat his last creation for them. The effect of the 1st Marvel Civil War on Speedball is a tale for another time. (Also, Ditko drew an amazing Sensational Sherri Martel, who we still regard as one of the top ten workers of the 1980s.)

Just time as we settle down to download all of the performers from All In to Fire Pro World to plug the fantastic work of Erik Hodson, who drew a number of Wrestling/Comic cover mashups currently on display at Starcast. We fell utterly in love with them so here's a few examples of his fine work. Shout out to R.D. Reynolds of Wrestlecrap fame for drawing them to our attention. Check out more at www.Erik Hodson.com or donate to his patron: https://www.patreon.com/heymelby

See You ALL IN The FunnyPages.

*All jokes involving the concept  'What, the bloke out of The Police?' will be charged £9;99. Payments to the usual address.

[comic-watch]

In Case You Missed It: The Quest of Ewilan gets a gorgeous adaption! Image and Top Cow Present Aphrodite V! Shannon Wheeler reveals the MEMOIRS OF A VERY STABLE GENIUS! IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Scout’s Stabbity Bunny Sell Out! WIN a Trip to San Diego Comic Con! and Lion Forge continues to make a difference! 

News from the World of Indie Comics you might have missed this week!

  IDW EuroComics Begins a new Quest

The Bestselling Pierre Bottero Novels THE QUEST OF EWILAN are being adapted to Gorgeous Graphic Novels, Providing First Visuals of the World of Gwendalavir Before Feature Film

IDW EuroComics proudly presents the English-language debut of The Quest of Ewilan, Vol. 1: From One World to Another, the first chapter in the sequential adaption of Pierre Bottero’s bestselling novel series and a whimsical adventure featuring strong female characters, in the tradition of Lewis’ Narnia and L’Engle’s Time Quartet. Scripted by Lylian and illustrated by Laurence Baldetti, The Quest of Ewilan, Vol. 1 will be available in stores in September.

  The Quest for Ewilan, Vol. 1: From One World to Another 8.5″ x 11″ | Hardcover | Full color | 64 pages | $14.99 | 978-1-68405-325-4

Image Comics and TopCow’s APHRODITE V—A NEW ENTRY IN THE APHRODITE MYTHOS—ARRIVES THIS JULY

Writer Bryan Hill (POSTAL, BONEHEAD) and artist Jeff Spokes will launch APHRODITE V this July from Image/Top Cow.

In the near future, Los Angeles is a city on the brink of evolution, struggling with a new wave of terror fueled by black-market technology. Enter Aphrodite V: a fugitive from her masters, seeking individuality and purpose. She is the bleeding edge of biomechanics and L.A.’s best hope against a new enemy—one that seeks to become a god among machines.

“This is a great way for people unfamiliar with this side of the Top Cow universe to jump into a story about the intersection of technology, humanity, and justice,” said Hill.

One machine wants to destroy the city. Another has come to save it. Only one will survive. APHRODITE V #1 hits comic book shops Wednesday, July 18th.

  Image Comics MEMOIRS OF A VERY STABLE GENIUS—an irreverent and entertaining new book from the creator of Sh*t My President Says

New Yorker cartoonist and multiple Eisner Award-winner Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man, Sh*t My President Says, God is Disappointed in You) debuts MEMOIRS OF A VERY STABLE GENIUS this July from Image/Shadowline Comics.

MEMOIRS OF A VERY STABLE GENIUS is an irreverent book of personal short stories and gags featuring Shannon Wheeler’s critically acclaimed humor, pathos, and honesty—including a 40-page full-color section!

“Books are like children. It’s with pride I send this one out into the world to fend for itself, have its heart broken, take a job that will slowly erode all self-respect,” said Wheeler. “That said, this is the best book I’ve ever done.”

MEMOIRS OF A VERY STABLE GENIUS TP hits comic book stores Wednesday, July 11th and bookstores Tuesday, July 17th. The final order cutoff deadline for comics retailers is Monday, June 4th and it can be pre-ordered via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, Indigo, and Books-A-Million.

  SONIC THE HEDGEHOG COMIC BOOKS CONTINUE TO SELL OUT

IDW Publishing is proud to announce that the first three issues of the new Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series has sold out at the Distributor level and will receive further printings. In addition to the complete sell-out of issue #2 and #3, each within a week of their release, issue #1’s second printing sold out only six days after its announcement. To satisfy fans and retailers, IDW will make Sonic the Hedgehog #1 Third Printing and Sonic the Hedgehog #2 Second Printing available in stores on Wednesday, May 16th, with Sonic the Hedgehog #3 Second Printing slated for release on May 23rd.

The heat on Sonic the Hedgehog marks a huge success for IDW Publishing, who is launching their first-ever Sonic series with weekly releases throughout the month of April. Each of the first four issues of Sonic the Hedgehog — written by longtime Sonic scribe Ian Flynn and illustrated by rotating artists Tracy Yardley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Jennifer Hernandez, and Evan Stanley — focuses on a different guest star (Tails in issue #1, Amy Rose in #2, and Knuckles in #3, leading into the debut of the hotly anticipated new character Tangle in issue #4).

 STABBITY BUNNY #3 FROM SCOUT COMICS GOES BACK FOR SECOND PRINTING!

SCOUT COMICS AND ENTERTAINMENT announces that Scout’s break-out hit for 2018, STABBIY BUNNY by Richard Rivera and Dwayne Biddix, has continued its trend of selling out and issue #3 has gone back to a second printing.

STABBITY BUNNY could take place at the intersection of Sesame Street and Nightmare on Elm Street, where a 100-year-old plush bunny and seven-year-old Grace must combat evil in all its forms. Horror and mystery combine in this captivating series. Stabbity Bunny is published monthly by Scout Comics. Please visit us at  www.ScoutComics.com! 

Traveling Stories & IDW Present the Ultimate San Diego Comic-Con® Sweepstakes

Traveling Stories and IDW are proud to launch the annual San Diego Comic-Con® sweepstakes, a contest which will last through June 13th at 3:00pm PT.

Those who enter have a chance of winning the following ultimate experience package: ● Two 4-day passes to sold-out Comic-Con® ● Airfare for 2 within the continental U.S. ● Four nights stay at the Wyndham Bayside in San Diego Gaslamp district ● An exclusive tour of the San Diego Comic Art Gallery with Ted Adams, CEO of IDW ● Airport pickup and shuttle to the gallery, and then to the hotel

Anyone in the world can enter! $10 gives you 10 chances to win. Each additional $1 is another chance – the math is simple. Every dollar is a donation to Traveling Stories, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that empowers kid to outsmart poverty by helping them fall in love with reading by the 4th grade.

“I’ve always been an avid reader, even when I was little. I’m excited that through this sweepstakes we’re able to raise the funds needed to give kids in underprivileged areas the same literary experience I was lucky enough to have,” said Ted Adams, Founder & CEO of IDW Publishing.

How to snag entries in the sweepstakes is easy, fast, and secure via: bit.ly/comic-con-sweeps. Just follow the steps from there!

“Anyone who does not have tickets to San Diego Comic-Con® would be crazy to not enter this sweepstakes! It’s a full and complete package including a cool tour of the Comic Art Gallery with me,” said Emily Moberly, Founder, and CEO of Traveling Stories.

To learn more about Traveling Stories and its programs, please visit travelingstories.org.

 LION FORGE JOINS THE CBLDF AS A CORPORATE MEMBER

Lion Forge is proud to join the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund as the organization’s newest Corporate Member! Lion Forge is a trans-media studio with a focus on comics publishing across all age groups. A company committed to “Comics for Everyone,” Lion Forge strives to publish titles that reflect the diversity of our world in the characters, the creators, and the Lion Forge team, creating content that is just as original.

Lion Forge founder and CEO, David Steward II says, “We truly believe we are bringing the brightest and most diverse talent in the industry into the conversation, while creating the most awesome new comics and graphic novels that we — as fans — want to see in the world.”

CBLDF provides legal and educational resources to protect the freedom to read comics. The organization is a partner in Banned Books Week, the Kids’ Right to Read Project, Free Comic Book Day, and other national institutions that support intellectual freedom and literacy. CBLDF’s work extends from courtrooms to classrooms to conventions, where CBLDF defends the freedom to read by providing legal aid, letters of support in book challenges, challenges to unconstitutional legislation, and a robust schedule of programs about current and historical censorship to audiences all over the world.

Lion Forge stands beside Abrams, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, BOOM! Studios, comiXology, Dark Horse Comics, DC Entertainment, DCBS, Diamond Comic Distributors, Fakku!, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, Lion Forge, Oni Press, Neverwear, Penguin Random House, Rebellion, ReedPOP, Scholastic, SPX, TFAW.com, Valiant, Viz Media, and the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation as a corporate member supporting CBLDF’s important work.

Until the next installment of ICYMI,  WE’LL BE WATCHING!

Ross Hutchinson was a contributing editor to ICYMI this week. Thanks, Ross! 

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ICYMI: INDIE NEWS ROUNDUP for the WEEK ENDING 4-22-2018 #comicwatch #iamawatcher #ICYMI In Case You Missed It: The Quest of Ewilan gets a gorgeous adaption! Image and Top Cow Present…

[sanoiro]

Sinnerman: A not so Mini meta post anymore...

Due to my time restrictions but my desire to write this I decided that a quick meta post was in order before the weekend and certainly before 3x02. Yet be warned that this might turn a bit longer that I expect to myself...  We have several clues on who Sinnerman might be and the good thing is that we can think outside the box with Lucifer the show. This is not Supernatural and so we have a mythos to rely on which comes from 150(!) comic-book/graphic novels! 

So let’s begin with the clues from the interviews: 

What makes the Sinnerman a different kind of antagonist than ones we’ve seen before?

Modrovich: He’s a badass. But what you also find is that he does have a hidden history with some characters in our show that come out and Lucifer has to face off against.

Henderson: We look at him like a bizarre reflection of Lucifer. We learn in an upcoming episode that he also gives out favors, but his are a little bit more nefarious. When this guy gives out favors, you’re really dreading the payment that you’ll have to give. So it’s sort of the Devil facing a dark reflection of himself.

What can you say about the Sinnerman’s intentions in kidnapping Lucifer?

Henderson: The Sinnerman’s the kind of person who knows that putting angel wings on the Devil will only drive him deeper in the other direction. So Lucifer, whether he likes it or not, is being manipulated.

Modrovich: And that Sinnerman has a motivation in taking Lucifer into the desert that’s other than the wings. He has this specific motivation that we will reveal to you throughout the entire season. He has a personal reason.

“Our friend Lieutenant Pierce suggests to Lucifer that he knows about the Sinnerman and they start to collaborate together in this tangled web that we weave in Season 3,” Ellis reveals to TV Guide.

HENDERSON: Yeah, and at the end of the first episode, we get this first clue as to who this person might be, and realizing it might be a darker force than he’s encountered previously.

To Summarise the above Sinnerman: 

1) Has hidden history with some characters in our show - Meaning more than one. Pierce for sure but also Lucifer apparently. 

2) We look at him like a bizarre (dark) reflection of Lucifer - Is that even possible to be darker than Lucifer himself I will say yes because I have a few theories on that but you will have to scroll further down for them.  3) He gives out nefarious favours with high stake payments - This alone gives us a hint on what or who we are looking for.  4) Sinnerman knew how to give Lucifer his wings and that it would cause Lucifer to act in a certain way - Meaning not only he has the knowledge of how to handle and manipulate divinity but also knows Lucifer... Really knows Lucifer...

5) Sinnerman gave Lucifer his wings for a certain reason which Henderson might have revealed above. He has a personal reason to do that... - This info again limits the suspects quite a lot but never ever forget that this is not a show based on the angels we know but its foundations are in a mythos woven by Sandman and Lucifer the comics...  6) Finally, Marcus Pierce will have to admit that he knows about Sinnerman which will lead to a weird partnership with different agendas between Lucifer and Marcus. 

7) It is given by Henderson as a darker force Lucifer has ever faced before...

What we know from the show and most importantly 3x01: 

(At this point of the post I realised it was never meant to be a small one *sigh*)

He was just a routine gig.I was gonna swap him for you, but when I went to pull you out of the van, you you had friggin' wings, man!

What we know from the kidnapper is that he just had to get him out of the van not that he actually kidnapped him! So that means that we may have a three-act play. 

Lucifer when he is contemplating how he was kidnapped he says “...-how were they able to render me unconscious? Either they used some kind of celestial weapon, or the detective was nearby.” He never thinks that there might have been a celestial being but we saw the weapon they used so we should at this point leave out Chloe’s presence near the hospital out of the picture and focus on that the kidnapper might have indeed used something of celestial origin... As we know from the piece celestial toys were left on earth along with a Summerian (Assyrian really...) manual...  The second is how did he get his wings? Well, here we have again Lucifer’s reasoning to play with although I don’t agree with that much it gives me again hint: “Did my Father give you some kind of totem? A talisman? - What?”

At this point, the writers through Lucifer give us another good hint and it is closely connected to the next quote but seriously think about it... In Lucifer’s reasoning, an object can hold mystical powers enough to give him back his wings. In not so many words, magic is getting into the Lucifer (Tv Show) mythology finally... Divine power is one thing but infused and transportable as magic can be a complicated notion to conceive and handle yet... 

And I don't know your dad. Unless, is your, is your dad the Sinnerman?

I was rewatching that scene but I wonder if the guy had made the connection with Lucifer’s insistence that some kind of dark magic for the lack of better word was in the mix. Funny... because why would a man who knew Sinnerman assume so easily that a feathered Lucifer could be the son of Sinnerman if Sinnerman did not hold a certain unearthly charisma himself? Of course that’s just speculation. 

Finally, in 3x01 even Lucifer acknowledges that: 

At first, I thought it was a an emissary on Earth working on Dad's behalf, but then, the more I think about it, the more I think maybe this isn't our Father who art in Heaven at all. But something much, much darker.

The above is actually a pretty good connection link to the comics... But anyway  Lucifer says this is something much, much darker and Amenadiel’s expression was giving away something the first time I watched the episode but I cannot be sure. Still, Amenadiel’s not so obvious reaction had me thinking that as the firstborn in the show he preceded Lucifer and knew quite a few things from an era before the light aka Lucifer was born... Although we do know that Mum had the same power aka to illuminate the universe... 

A clue from Twitter yesterday from Ildy had me thinking again of the usual suspects but you have to be aware of something. I can only speculate on comic characters or characters that may be based on the comics. Certain elements from the show appear on and off in the tv series like the “space vagina” That was actually taken from the first issues of Lucifer and is shown near the end as well. 

So Ildy says that something might have indeed escaped Hell... Hmmm... What we can also speculate is that as Marcus is hunting down Sinnerman, this season’s bad guy only recently found his way to L.A. but the second season would have been enough for him to grow out of favours and establish a mob persona strong enough to get to L.A. and target Lucifer when Mum was gone... We might even suspect that Mum was but a diversion for Lucifer, Sinnerman created for him to make sure he was safe before he started plotting.... Of course, we cannot speculate everything. I’m sure that the writers have come up with some crazy and absurd details I cannot speculate about but that’s the thing, I can get to the comics and try to see who the usual suspects might be...  Right now I have two comic book, inspired perhaps than transferred from the comic book universe to the show, characters that might be Sinnerman. And then a third speculation...  The first but not the best candidate for Sinnerman’s real identity is Dumas. I’ll just copy paste his info here: 

Duma is a fallen angel from the DC Vertigo series The Sandman. Before The Sandman

Duma's name means "silence", and he is based on the angel Duma from Jewish mythology. In those tales, he is the angel of silence and death's stillness. According to these same stories, he is the guardian of Egypt and the prince of vindication. Based on this, one could speculate that he was the angel who killed the firstborn Egyptians in Moses' time. Some sources also name him a "Prince of Hell".

The Zohar, a book of Jewish mysticism, describes his position in Hell as such that he had "tens of thousands of angels of destruction" under him, and that he was "chief of demons in Gehinnon with 12,000 myriads of attendants, all charged with the punishment of the souls of sinners."

Dumah is also the name given to the guardian of the 14th gate, through which the goddess Ishtar passed on her journey to the underworld in Babylonian mythology. Dumah may or may not be related to Duma.

In The Sandman

In Season of Mists, we find that Lucifer has closed down Hell in frustration, and given the key to Dream. Eventually, after much squabbling between various gods, Duma and Remiel are assigned to assume control of Hell, and Duma accepts this.

After The Sandman

Following the end of The Sandman series, Remiel and Duma lose ownership of Hell in the Lucifer spin-off series. Duma eventually allies with Lucifer and Elaine Belloc to save creation, and persuades Hell's new ruler Christopher Rudd to bring his army to Heaven's aid at the Battle of Armageddon.

The second and the one I’m rooting more than Duma is The Silk Man...

Appearing for the first time in Lucifer: Nirvana, The Silk Man is an immortal sorcerer, described by Lucifer as

"..a fossil remnant from an earlier, cruder creation. His body is a weaving that has to be renewed constantly. His spirit too, come to that. A messy form of immortality, but it seems to do the job." In earlier days he was the leader of the Arao Jinn. He appears as a mercenary, hired by the angel Perdissa to kill Lucifer. He seems to need to consume living things to stay alive, weaving them into himself. He is severely damaged by Perdissa and eventually killed by Lucifer.

The Silk Man seems to be closely connected to my third speculation and as such it might be a merge of the two... In the comics, God admits that he was created by an external force and we do know that darker things lying around the cosmos and outside The Creation... Darker, twisted and defeated by Dad... Still, where would all these defeated “things” go? In Hell I suppose... 

Following a mythology of Zeus and how he enprisoned the Titans under the Earth, we can say that this is a popular mythos to follow with one crucial flow. What precedes you have the knowledge of how to overpower you in time... Amenadiel might have been around at that point and might had to help Him to get rid some of them Sinnerman included.....  Now The Silk Man was killed by Perdissa... But I suspect that Lucifer’s light bringing power which freed Mum might come back for that task... If you need more info about that just read Lucifer: Nirvana. Lucifer Issue 75 also has a good interaction of our hero with The Sillk Man as well though....

Anyway to finish this post... I do not believe that Sinnerman is a mere human but at the same time I cannot believe he is a celestial being at least not in the sense we have known them to be in the tv series so far. So perhaps an external force whch we know they exist from the comics? Perhaps... Let’s not forget that the Sinnerman as a casting role is new so I doubt we will see for example Malcolm back or anything of that nature in our screens soon but to the ones who want to learn more about the external forces I’ll just leave you with Carey’s two answers on that matter on Twitter...

The Dream of a Thousand Cats is a darkish one... The allegory in that story where cats once ruled over people only for the past to change goes beyond your usual comic book standards (even for Sandman in my opinion) and the fourth wall sometimes shutters but it is what it is.... 

As the episodes come rolling I’ll probably change my conviction over who Sinnerman is but until then this post will have to do... I apologise for its length :P 

[readingsanctuary]

This months haul is a little out of control. I knew it would possibly be higher than normal because I always buy books while I’m on holiday, but this time it’s worse because I started panic buying books to take with me, because it felt like a good way to fix my reading slump. It only sort of worked, in that I managed to read a few graphic novels. I didn’t do so well with full length books.

Giant Days – volumes 2 & 3

Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. But in the face of handwringing boys, “personal experimentation,” influenza, mystery-mold, nu-chauvinism, and the willful, unwanted intrusion of “academia,” they may be lucky just to make it to spring alive. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

I’ve been kicking myself for only buying the first volume for months, so when I finally had the chance, I picked up these from one of my favourite indie comic book stores. I’ve already read both of these and I really enjoyed them. I love the episodic, slice of life format, and the humour that works really well with the fun art style.

The Backstagers – volume 1

All the world’s a stage . . . but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic literally! 

When Jory transfers to an all-boys private high school, he’s taken in by the only ones who don’t treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. Not only does he gain great, lifetime friends, Jory is also introduced to an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain. With the unpredictable twists and turns of the underground world, the Backstagers venture into the unknown, determined to put together the best play their high school has ever seen. 

I’ve been wanting to pick this up ever since I read and reviewed the first issue from Netgalley, and loved it. The only reason it’s taken me so long to get to it is that I’ve struggled to find a copy in stores, and I prefer to support physical stores wherever I can. I’ve already read this and I’m in love with the series. I need to get my hands on the second volume soon.

The Ancient Magus Bride volumes 2, 3, 5, 6, & 7

Her name is Chise Hatori, a penniless orphan troubled by visions. Sold as a slave to an inhuman mage, she is about to begin a strange new life, filled with magic, fairies, and other beings of a fantastical nature.

So, I clearly have a problem. This series has sucked me in, in a big way. I loved the anime, and I’m planning on slowly making my way through the manga. I’m having slight difficulty locating volume four in stores, so I might have to order it online.

Bruja Born – by Zoraida Cordova

Three sisters. One spell. Countless dead.

Lula Mortiz feels like an outsider. Her sister’s newfound Encantrix powers have wounded her in ways that Lula’s bruja healing powers can’t fix, and she longs for the comfort her family once brought her. Thank the Deos for Maks, her sweet, steady boyfriend who sees the beauty within her and brings light to her life.

Then a bus crash turns Lula’s world upside down. Her classmates are all dead, including Maks. But Lula was born to heal, to fix. She can bring Maks back, even if it means seeking help from her sisters and defying Death herself. But magic that defies the laws of the deos is dangerous. Unpredictable. And when the dust settles, Maks isn’t the only one who’s been brought back…

This was a last-minute purchase before I went on holiday because I started panicking about what books to take with me, due to my reading slump making me ridiculously fickle. I mean, I was planning to wait and put it on my birthday wishlist, but I am glad to have this in my hands, even if I haven’t managed to read it just yet.

Lumberjanes: volume 1

FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX!

At Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together… And they’re not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! The mystery keeps getting bigger, and it all begins here. 

Collects Lumberjanes No. 1-4.

I am always seeing this series recommended, and have been meaning to check it out for a while now. Since I’ve been reading more graphic novels this month, I decided to pick this first volume up and see why so many people love it. I have already started reading this and so far I’m enjoying it. Hopefully this becomes a series that I love, and want to continue on with.

Spinning Silver – by Naomi Novik

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders… but her father isn’t a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife’s dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers’ pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed–and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it’s worth–especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

I simply could not resist this stunning hardcover when I saw a signed copy in the bookstore. I’ve seen so many glowing reviews, that I’m confident I’ll enjoy it. I’m even more excited to get to it now that I’ve finally read (and adored) Uprooted. I just hope I don’t wait another three years before reading this one.

The Accident Season – by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

A bewitching, dark and beautiful debut novel about a girl living in the shadow of a mysterious curse.

It’s the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.

The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara’s life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara’s family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items – but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

I’ve been intrigued by the idea of the book for years, so when I saw it in a second-hand book store while I was on holiday, I didn’t think twice. I feel like this is a very autumnal book, so I’m hoping to read it in a few months time, possibly in October, since that’s when this book takes place.

Love Letters to the Dead – by Ava Dellaira

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more — though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was — lovely and amazing and deeply flawed — can she begin to discover her own path in this stunning debut from Ava Dellaira, Love Letters to the Dead.

This was another second hand book store find, it was more of an impulse purchase than the other books I’ve bouhgt this month. I don’t know too much about it, but it caught my eye, and after reading the first few lines, I was interested enough to want to keep reading. I have no idea what to expect from this, or how I’ll feel about it, and if I’m honest, I’m quite looking forward to going in to it blind.

S.T.A.G.S. – by M.A. Bennett

Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin’ shootin’ fishin’. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S., she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry’s parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports – hunting, shooting and fishing – become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school…

This book I bought out of curiosity. I’ve seen some quite mixed reviews that have only made me more intrigued about this book. I’m not sure I would have paid full price to try this book out, but since it was cheap in a second hand book store, I decided to give it a go.

Record of a Spaceborn Few – by Becky Chambers

From the ground, we stand. From our ship, we live. By the stars, we hope

The incredible new novel by Becky Chambers, author of the belovedThe Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, a place many are from but few outsiders have seen. Humanity has finally been accepted into the galactic community, but while this has opened doors for many, those who have not yet left for alien cities fear that their carefully cultivated way of life is under threat.

Tessa chose to stay home when her brother Ashby left for the stars, but has to question that decision when her position in the Fleet is threatened.

Kip, a reluctant young apprentice, itches for change but doesn’t know where to find it.

Sawyer, a lost and lonely newcomer, is just looking for a place to belong.

When a disaster rocks this already fragile community, those Exodans who still call the Fleet their home can no longer avoid the inescapable question:

What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination?

I finally have this book in my hands! I can’t even tell you how happy I am that I finally have a copy of this book. It is my most anticipated book of the entire year, and I am so excited to read it, although I do feel compelled to take things slow and savour it. I’m just so very, very happy that this book is in my life!

So, that’s my excessive book haul for the month. I have no idea where most of these books are going to live, I’m kind of overrun by books at the moment. What books are you excited about this month? Have you read any of the books that I’ve hauled this month? What did you think of them? I love hearing from you in the comments! 

Want to chat, about books or anything else, here are some other places you can find me:

Twitter @reading_escape

Instagram: @readingsanctuary

Goodreads

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July Book Haul This months haul is a little out of control. I knew it would possibly be higher than normal because I always buy books while I'm on holiday, but this time it's worse because I started panic buying books to take with me, because it felt like a good way to fix my reading slump.

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Bonus Marathon - Tangled: the Manga

Introduction

So I have a couple of reasons to include this particular Tangled adaptation in the review series. For starters, I’ll be covering both the novelization and the comic adaptation of Before Ever After, so it only felt right to cover both the book adaptation and the graphic novel of the original film, seeing as how it kicked off everything.

Also, I just thought it’d be an interesting and unique thing to talk about, since there’s nothing else quite like it in the franchise. And finally, it was free. I got it with my three month free trial that came with my new kindle. So really there was no reason not to include it. Especially, given how short a read it is.

The Content

It’s a manga adaptation of the original Tangled movie. At only five chapters long, the graphic novel speed runs through the first film at a peppy jaunt, using the conventional manga layout. Which is really just a black and white comic that you read from right to left instead of left to right.

This can trip up some first time readers if your not use to reading such things, but I think the author had this in mind when creating the manga. The layout of the panels is simple and action packed, with dialogue kept to a minimum on each individual panel. If you’ve never read a manga before then this can be a good starting point to get you use to the format.

However, one could argue it’s too simple. Any subtlety is lost in this adaptation. Dialogue and atmospheric scenes from the film are hacked to pieces to fit the smaller format of the comic. However, the action is good, and the comedy bits do land, mostly.   

The Presentation

Keep in mind, this is a manga. That means all of the usual conventional manga tropes are present, for better or for worse. Like minimal backgrounds and getting weird wallpaper patterns instead in some panels, sound effects that aren’t really sound effects and say things like ‘smile’ or ‘jerk’ to indicate action rather than sound, and of course everything is in black in white because there usually is no dedicated ink and paint team available and the poor author is forced to do 90% of the work themselves.

This also includes redesigning the characters to fit the traditional anime style, and what we get is a mixed bag.

The more cartoony characters, like the pub thugs and the animal sidekicks, fair fairly well. They have an almost Studio Ghibli like quality to them, and can be very charming at times. However, Rapunzel and Eugene are bland. Now, I don’t care for Rapunzel’s film design to begin with, but just turning her into ‘generic anime protagonist #10,961′ does nothing to endear her to me. While Eugene, and his bishōnen makeover leaves me feeling cold.

Mother Gothel, however, looks absolutely stunning this style. If the tv series has the only good Rapunzel design but the worst Gothel look, then the reverse is true of the manga. She looks gorgeous here, as if she had stepped out of an old school 80′s anime; even if her evilness is dialed up to eleven just through framing her in the most sus light as possible.

Would I Recommend It

I mean if you can get it for free, like I did, then sure, why not?

However, weather or not I would recommend you buy a physical copy to place upon your bookshelf, all depends on how big of an manga fan you are, and how big of Tangled fan you are.

For my money, I just feel like there’s better manga out there to read, both original stories and adaptations. Especially if you’re not a hardcore fan of the format; which I am not. And as for the Tangled side of things, you have both the original movie and the better prose adaptation of the story.

This is really only for the most hardcore collector. One that has a very specific niche to fill with manga adaptations of Disney properties. And such people no doubt exist, as evidenced by the many, many Disney manga to date. However, I am not one of these people, and this only got on the review list because the stars a lined just right for it to do so.

What’s Next 

Next review will be our first ‘original’ novel of the series and the first official AU for the franchise. We’ll be looking at the fifth book in the Disney Villain series, Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch.

In the meantime, I’ll be hosting another stream on the discord this coming Thursday at April 7th, 9am EST. We’ll be showing Before Ever After, What the Hair, Rapunzel’s Enemy, and Fitzherbert PI. 

https://discord.gg/bt6KCaPDVN

[rachelbethhines]

Tangled Bonus Marathon - Introduction

By popular demand, I'll be conducting a "bonus" marathon of selected spin off material connected to the show and movie. Now this is not everything, obviously, but I'll be touching upon some of the highlights and doing brief reviews of some of the more out there things.

This will be a far shorter review series, both in terms of the amount of stuff I'll be covering and the length of the reviews themselves.

It'll also be a far less salt filled review series as well. I'll be discovering most of this material for the first time and just giving my general thoughts and impressions. I'll also be sharing a few surprise 'gifts' for the fandom at large as we go along.

Now here is the working list so far, and can be subject to change.

1. Tangled (Novelization)

2. Villians: Mother Knows Best (Novel/E-book)

3. Before Ever After (Novelization)

4. The Lost Lagoon (Novel)

5. Adventure is Calling (Comic Collection)

6. Tales of Rapunzel - Secrets Unlocked (Novelization)

7. Let Down Your Hair (Comic Collection)

8. Tales of Rapunzel - Opposites Attract (Novelization)

9. Hair-Raising Adventures (Comic Collection)

10. Lost Legends: The Rise of Flynn Rider (Novel/Audiobook)

11. Hair & Now (Comic Collection)

12. Queen for a Day (Novelization)

13. Rapunzel's Guide to All Things Creative and Fun (Activity book)

14. Tales of Rapunzel - Friends and Enemies (Novelization)

15. Friendship Mix-Up (Graphic Novel)

16. The Way of the Willow (Novelization/Audiobook)

17. How To Write A Story (Graphic Novel)

18. The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth (Novelization/Audiobook)

19. Inside the Journal (Shorts)

20. Mixed Up Moods (Novelization/Audiobook)

21. Tales of Rapunzel - Search for the Sundrop (Novelization)

22. My First Year As A Princess (Journal Recreation)

23. Secrect of the Sundrop (The Unofficial Novelization)

24. Art and Adventures (Coloring Book)

25. The Vanishing Village (novel)

26. The Official Tangled Art Book (and the unofficial series art book, if I can)

27. Rapunzel's Royal Wedding: Best Wedding Day Ever (Novelization/E-book)

28. Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Outline & Pitch)

29. Twisted Tales - What Once Was Mine (Novel/Audiobook)

30. The Unofficial Tangled Cook Book (Recipe Collection)

Now this is subject to change, I may add or delete things as I go along, but this is the working list for now.

Think I'm missing something? Add a comment.

In the meantime I'll be hosting a streaming marathon over on the discord every Thursday day night at 9PM EST while the review marathon is going so fill free to check that out as well.

[tangledbea]

How many books are there, and do you know a good place to get them from? Thank you!

Are you just talking story books, or the totality of all Tangled the Series books that were published, including coloring/activity books? Because I assure you, I don’t know the answer to that, since there are coloring/activity books that were published in other countries that never made it to the US.

As for story books, there’s six that are the junior novelizations of episodes (”Tangled Before Ever After,” “Queen For a Day,” and the four-book “Tales of Rapunzel” series. Each book has two episodes in it), two YA novels by Leila Howland (”Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon” and “Rapunzel and the Vanishing Village”), two graphic novels (”The Friendship Mix-Up” and “The Write Story”), and then a handful of books that are informational (though not always correct) about the series, or chalk full of unique illustrations. I’m particularly fond of “Rapunzel’s Guide to All Things Brave, Creative & Fun” and “My First Year As a Princess.”

For more info on other books, check my Books tag, because I didn’t buy every book as they came out (too repetitive), and some things may no longer be in publication.

Also, there’s the comic series.

As for buying them, look at various book sellers online. (I personally steer away from Amazon, because Jeff Bezos doesn’t need my money), like Barnes and Noble, or any local shops you may have. Also, see if your local library has them, and if not, request them!

[tangledbea]

Are you excited for the graphic novel of the series? I wonder if there's an expanded adaptation of the pilot. If there is, I wonder what the difference is between the pilot film and the graphic novel adaptaion? More scenes, I presume.

I am! I really enjoy seeing other people’s take on art, and from the few frames we’ve seen, I love the art style. It still looks like brush strokes, and the panel shapes are so whimsical!

I have no idea if there’s going to be an extended plot or anything, but I presume the comic will covers stories that aren’t in the series once it’s done Tangled Before Ever After.