Film Review: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Adventure, plot twists, and emotional depth in a much needed reminder of why we love superhero stories.

On the continuum of superhero films, the many iterations of Spiderman are generally on the lighter side of adventure storytelling. But the last live action movie Spider-man: No Way Home ended with high school superhero Peter Parker sacrificing his closest relationships to save the world. Losing everything and starting over alone sounds like a bleak premise for our friendly neighborhood Spiderman. However, Spider-man: Brand New Day, lives up to its title with a fresh start, a well-paced new adventure, and plenty of unexpected plot twists which make the story fun from start to finish.

The story begins with Spiderman / Peter Parker (Tom Holland) living a loner life as a full time superhero. He no longer has his beloved parental figure Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). And, his besties MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) don’t remember him due to the memory wipe caused by No Way Home’s mind-bending cosmic reset. Although Peter and MJ were deeply in love and he promised to come back and find them in the new reality, he loses his nerve and decides to remain alone in his continuing protection of the city as Spiderman. MJ and Ned go on to their successful college lives at MIT, complete with parties and another love interest for MJ. Although Spiderman is an elusive and well liked superhero, the human being Peter Parker is non-existent to those he once loved. His only emotional connections in his new reality are a tough (but somewhat motherly) police detective Jean (Liza Colon-Zayas) who partners with him on crime fighting and his antagonist / frenemy Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) aka the Punisher. However, Peter’s hybrid spider DNA is evolving and his internalized stress from his traumatic loss is adversely affecting him physically as he struggles to make peace within himself. He turns to Professor Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) for advice on suppressing his animal side and Bruce questions whether that is always the right thing to do although he concedes he must do it to control the Hulk creature inside him. But no superhero film is complete without a villain. Adding to the complications is an invisible creature who is taking control of other villains (and sometimes civilians) in an attempt to steal a mysterious item from the government entity known as Damage Control. Peter has to battle this unknowable enemy with an equally unknown goal while battling to keep his own evolving powers in check and dealing with the unbearable grief of losing everything.

It’s been a while since a superhero film delivered the perfect combination of what we love in hero stories: adventure, emotion, and thoughtful messaging. Spider-man: Brand New Day is a delight to watch from start to finish because it delivers in all of these areas. In a period of often excessively bloated run times, Brand New Day, doesn’t waste time with unnecessary content. Every scene is solid, entertaining, and moves the ever twisting plot forward. The acting is effortlessly excellent with three of the leads, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal, fresh from their equally impressive (and somewhat similar) roles in The Odyssey. They are joined by television powerhouses Liza Colon-Zayas of the multi-Emmy winning series The Bear and Emmy winner Trammell Tillman of Severance.  We also have Sadie Sink of Stranger Things who is an unexpected treat. Liza Colon-Zayas is excellent as a tough, pragmatic detective who becomes a substitute parental figure for Peter. She is the only one who checks in on Peter as a person and she is the only one who is both strong and sensitive enough to speak truth to him, even when he doesn’t want to hear it. Trammell Tillman’s Emmy winning performance on Severance transitions perfectly to his role in Brand New Day, where he delivers the same corporate bureaucracy with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Sadie Sink provides both power and vulnerability in her role. The film initially seems like it will be a story of regaining a lost love and defeating the villain. But it turns into a much more meaningful story about community, compassion, and family in all its definitions.

Despite being two hours and twenty-five minutes long, Brand New Day swings through the adventure with refreshing intensity, as well as thoughtful, twisty storytelling. In recent years, many films drag themselves through a nearly three hour presentation in a way that can leave viewers repeatedly checking their watches rather than being truly immersed. In Brand New Day the story is taut, focused, and well-paced. There is no long exposition on how Peter is earning a living or who all of the side villains or shadowy government agencies are. It’s clear this film is trying to tell a different type of story. Of course, the big action scenes are present and are over the top with plenty of explosions, flipped cars, and near death moments that require a willing suspension of disbelief regarding the controlled amount of carnage, casualties, and not completely toppled buildings. However, the usual trope of the McGuffin / “magic thing” that needs to be captured to win all the power is inverted and reimagined in a way that is so well done. As a result, the film asks some unexpected questions about power, identity, and exploitation that lead back to a meaningful exploration of larger social themes. Spider-man: Brand New Day balances all of the adventure elements without sacrificing thoughtful storytelling and emotional connection. And, by the last act of the film, viewers will be rethinking everything. In a good way.

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The Math

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10

Highlights:

• Excellent characters and acting
• Well-paced, meaningful storytelling
• Entertaining and satisfying

POSTED BY: Ann Michelle Harris – Multitasking, fiction writing Trekkie currently dreaming of her next beach vacation.

Microreview [Video Game]: Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered by Insomniac Games

A Thwipping good time.

It took the impending release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 to make me realize that I hadn’t played the original in five years. The original release was my favorite game in the superhero genre and I was delighted to brush up on the story while also getting into the downloadable story content that I never got a chance to try. With a fresh coat of paint and new content to explore, I was excited to pick up the controller and give it another go.

Marvel’s Spider-Man games, developed by Insomniac Games, provide one of the two best superhero offerings on the market now (the other being the Batman Arkham games, of course). While Rocksteady’s Batman games have more grit to them, Insomniac’s Spider-Man follows a more balanced path, much in line with the superhero himself. And, thank the comic book heavens, we don’t have to watch Uncle Ben die for the hundredth time. Marvel’s Spider-Man takes place eight years after Peter’s initial meeting with a radioactive spider, and the story is all the better for it.

Spider-Man is tasked with taking down Mister Negative (Martin Li) who is causing chaos around New York. Peter is playing the part of a genius lab partner with a man named Otto Octavius. All the while Norman Osborn hides his secrets as he runs for reelection. Personalities and superpowers clash in a tightly threaded superhero tale. While some things are inevitable due to the history of the comics, others leave the door open for interpretation. All the while J. Jonah Jameson critiques Spidey’s every action from his aggressively fueled podcast.

Crafting a narrative that walks the fine line between the comic relief of Spider-Man and the seriousness of the predicaments in the main story is something that Insomniac handles well. There are moments here and there that come across as tawdry, but when the punches need to land, they hit hard. Both tense and tender moments between MJ and Peter and handled with punctilious effort, while Aunt May keeps Peter honest. All of the main players feel true to themselves and don’t bend to serve the narrative. Despite all the chaos that surrounds our heroes, they are the stars of the show.

The weakest gameplay segments occur when the perspective shifts from Spider-Man to MJ or Miles. They aren’t bad per se, but the juxtaposition between someone who can do it all and someone who can temporarily hack a machine to make a distracting noise is rather tame by comparison. Despite this, the Miles/Rhino scene has its moments, and it's nice to get to know the other characters a bit better.

Marvel’s Spider-Man has achieved something that no other game matches; traversal mechanics. Now, I’m not saying it’s not fun to get around in other games, but this game does it better (and with style). Going around Manhattan at high speed, then nose-diving to increase momentum, only to swing back up and release at the right time to increase velocity even further deserves a proper chef’s kiss. Swinging between narrow alleys, missing oncoming subways by a mere foot, pulling off a perfect point launch… all these things and more add to the excitement of moving around New York City. With the remastered version of this game, you can fast-travel to any point on the map in less than two seconds, but I barely used the option. Instead, I opted to swing almost everywhere I went. I can think of no other game where I forewent fast travel to enjoy a game’s traversal mechanics.

In addition to his web-slinging, Spider-Man can pack a punch. Insomniac once again brings the hero to life with an enjoyable combat system reminiscent of the modern Batman’s Arkham games (which in turn is inspired by the old Spider-Man 2 game on PS2). I feel that the combat system makes more sense for Spider-Man as the incoming attack indicator looks like his Spidey-sense is activating. A mix of standard hits, web attacks, launch attacks, aerial combos, dodges, and gadget attacks make up the bulk of Spider-Man’s combat options. When used together, the combat is frenetic and riveting. Taking notes from their other quirky franchises (Ratchet & Clank, Sunset Overdrive, etc.), Insomniac gave Spidey some cool tools with which he could dispatch enemies either in the middle of combat or stealthily. One of these seemed a bit farfetched (gravity well, yes you), but all the gadgets are useful and fun and very much blend Insomniac’s DNA with Spider-Man’s.

Marvel’s Spider-Man’s approach to the open world follows in the footsteps of Ubisoft’s finest; find a tower, and unlock part of the map. It’s all basic and uninspired but takes up very little time to reveal the entire map. Once you have visibility of the whole map, you are free to look for Pete’s old backpacks (which are great for finding out what he’s been up to these last eight years), take pictures of monuments and buildings, along with other activities. As the game progresses other options will be open to the player. Taking down enemy strongholds, beefy side-missions, chasing down escaped pigeons… I’m still not sure how I felt about this last one, but at least it was fun. At any given time, a crime will occur and it’s up to Manhattan’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to tackle the situation. They can range from a car chase to a kidnapping to breaking up a drug deal. The downloadable content adds an extra range of crimes to dive into.

Speaking of the downloadable content, this was my first experience with the additional story. Entitled The City that Never Sleeps, this DLC follows a three-part arc that sees Spider-Man attempt to take down the mob boss Hammerhead who is trying to fill the vacuum left by Fisk and Li. The overall storyline was enjoyable, even if it dips a bit in the middle. It adds extra story development for Yuri Watanabe and her inevitable turn to vigilante justice. Though I liked the overall story, the character changes happen a bit too quickly, especially in Yuri’s case. A decent extra tidbit to pad onto the game, though not quite as great as the main game.

It must be noted that as a remastered version of 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, visual fidelity has increased. The bells and whistles that the PS5 grants are immediately recognizable. Nearly instant load times, ray-traced reflections, higher frame rates and quicker movement are all included in this build. The game looks a bit better, but the original game looked great already. The switch in character model for Peter (also available in an update for the original version of the game) was an interesting choice and I’m not sure whether it was necessary, but the model looks good and all animations in the game are fantastic. It’s not the biggest overhaul I’ve seen in a remaster, but it’s definitely the best version of a great game.

By the end of Spider-Man, I had run the full gamut of gamer emotions. I laughed, teared up, felt tense, excited, worried. Spider-Man manages to tell a great story within the confines of a superhero suit. And in the end, tasks our hero with being greater not just by doing difficult things, but by having to make difficult choices as well. In Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac has created my favorite superhero game and one of my favorite all-time action games.

[Though I didn’t review the Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales expansion here, it’s worth noting that many of the mechanics are similar and even improved upon. The story is separate and exclusively follows Miles as he comes to terms with being Spider-Man and what that means to him. If you haven’t played either, they’re both worth the price of admission.]

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The Math

Objective Assessment: 8.5/10

Bonus: +.5 JJJ. +1 for creating my favorite traversal mechanics.

Penalties: -1 for Ubisoft cut and paste open world exploration.

Nerd Coefficient: 9/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review

Across the Spider-Verse is exactly what a sequel should be

The follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2018 hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse swings into theaters with a heavy burden to bear: simply live up to the expectations set up by its predecessor. Not an easy task considering the previous film topped the long-awaited The Incredibles 2 for the best animated film Oscar at the Academy Awards. Despite the burden, Across the Spider-Verse not only succeeds in this but exceeds its predecessor in some ways. This film is a treat not only for the eyes but for the heart as well.

Without his old spider-friends, Miles Morales hits a low. Having made friends that understand him, his struggles, and his view of the world, all the rest becomes a bit dull. Luckily for us, through unintended (yet at times hysterical) consequences, our hero finds himself on a multi-dimensional romp that extends its web beyond Miles’s world and into those of many other spider-people. The primary villain is introduced early and seems to be a one-off intro to the film. A quick, easily discarded “villain-of-the-week.” But as the film progresses, we see the horrifying possibilities of the Spot. The introductory battle is comical, action-packed, and only a taste of what Across the Spider-Verse has in store for its viewers.

The writing is brilliant, with almost every comical quip hitting its mark. Considering every spider-person in every universe has some sense of humor, it’s impressive to see each of them aptly apply their humor in specific situations that succeed within the narrative framework. With so many moving pieces, it’s commendable that the writers rarely stumble with any of their spider-folk. This extends to the serious moments too. The frustration of being a parent is palpable (especially the parents of Spider-Man), the desire to do the right thing despite negative repercussions weighs heavy, and the conflicting anxiety of choosing to help a friend or save the multiverse pulls at the heartstrings. Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and David Callaham nailed it.

Miles’s Afro-Latino heritage plays a large part in who he is and how he is accepted in not only his world but in the entire multiverse. I found the storyline within the spider-people's HQ to be an allegorical exploration of Miles’s entire existence. Being a minority in a place where people don’t think you should exist (or that one should “go back to where you came from”) hits home for many, and seeing Miles’s solution to the problem play out on screen is both rewarding and inspiring. Ensuring Miles never forgets who he is and where he comes from does the character, and in turn the film, a great service.

On the other side of the emotional coin, Gwen’s personal issues are explored. Again her side is allegorical, but in this case in regards to trans acceptance. Struggling with her father’s denial of who she is and the choices inherent to her is reflected by the bleeding watercolors that sink ever down. The despair she feels at losing the person she trusts most to protect her is on full display with the dialogue and reinforced by the beautiful animations that represent the mood. The brilliance is in the obvious yet subtle implementation and spot-on delivery. The film doesn’t outright mention Gwen being trans, but the trans symbols surrounding her are quite apparent. A trans flag can be seen on her father’s police officer uniform, a “Protect Trans Kids” sign hangs above the door of her bedroom, the colors primarily used in her world share the same color with the trans flag, and the lighting used when displaying her are frequently blue, white, and pink. Easy to glance over if you were not paying attention, but the repetitive use caught my eye.

While comedy and drama are on an equal balance, the third element of any great superhero film is here in full force: the action. The smooth yet stop-motion-like animations flow so perfectly. Each combat or escape scene plays out with a precision that complements each character. Each spider-person and villain has a unique take on combat, regardless of how similar many of their ability sets are. Renaissance Vulture fighting three different spider-people is an amazing intro that sets the pace of the film. Watching the combat scenes kept me engaged throughout, and the escape scenes felt like I had a web shot stuck to my chest as I was yanked along for the ride. This is where the animation style flexes its biggest muscle, as up to six different styles come together in the harmonic cacophony that never lets up. This movie is worth it for the action alone, but I’m glad it’s so much more.

With quips, web thwips, and feeling trips all in beautiful equilibrium, one would think the setting would seem to be somewhat of an afterthought. Luckily for us, this is yet another visual treat. Each world is beautiful and distinct. Even when representing many different New Yorks, the artists and animators ensure that the viewer can not only see a difference but feel it. Gwen’s world has a more watercolor feel. Earth-616 boasts a more lively atmosphere, while Earth-42 contains heavy shadows, indicative of its more oppressive environment. The seedy underworld of Spider-Man 2099 contrasts with the pristine skylines of the technologically advanced society up above (anyone for a quick trip to the moon?). The fusion of Mumbai and New York City makes for the comical Mumbhattan, the world where Pavitr Prabhakar is Spider-Man. I can go on and on about how well they’ve represented each Earth, but it’s better to use one’s own eyes because what we have here is an absolute delight.

The VO performances here boost the film into the stratosphere. I can list every major voice actor here, but it would do a disservice to all the people who deliver only a few short lines. Each character is important and it’s frequently the smaller characters that deliver memorable lines, each one placed with a purpose (usually comical). One could say that much of it is fan service, but it isn’t there for the sake of being fan service. It serves the narrative, the world, and the characters, and almost every performer has a stellar performance here.

At the beginning of the film, I had a bit of trouble hearing the dialogue. I wasn't sure if it was my specific theatre or the sound itself. Upon doing some research, I discovered others had similar issues, though at different parts of the film. If there had been no one else in the theatre, it may have been less noticeable, but as it was, it hampered the opening moments of the film for me, if only slightly. My only other major negative criticism of the film comes at the end. Though I knew it was coming, it’s still a bit annoying to see a “To Be Continued…” with a wait time of a year. Most of the plot points aren't wrapped up when all is through.

Despite a major cliffhanger that introduces a new plot line in the film’s last ten minutes, the themes that the film set out to explore are done well and reach great heights with satisfying exploration and discovery, the allegory is subtle and accurate, and the characters all grow in unique ways. This is the continuation of Into the Spider-Verse and an amazing setup for Beyond the Spider-Verse (coming March 2024). Exhilarating action scenes, tender character sequences, and near-flawless humor put Across the Spider-Verse among the best films of this year, and definitely above many other superhero films. Every person who worked on this film should be proud of what they’ve accomplished. Not only do I want to see this again in theaters, but I look forward to having it in my BluRay collection so I can share it with friends for years to come. This isn't just a great animated film; it's a great film, period. It's an example of what this specific medium can achieve with the proper vision.

March 2024 can’t come soon enough.

The Math

Objective Assessment: 9/10

Bonus: +1 for phenomenal animation and writing, +1 for living up to the first film.

Penalties: −1 for audio issues, −1 for the cliffhanger ending.

Nerd Coefficient: 9/10

Posted by: Joe DelFranco - Fiction writer and lover of most things video games. On most days you can find him writing at his favorite spot in the little state of Rhode Island.

Ghost of Movies Yet-to-Come: A Letter to 1997

Twenty years ago this week, I graduated from high school and began preparing to head off into the wilds of film school. I was in love with Alfred Hitchcock and Ingmar Bergman and Sam Raimi, and the recent huge successes of completely independent, micro-budget films like El Mariachi and Clerks made the idea of heading off to Austin and then onto exciting, indie film success seem like a genuine possibility...to an 18-year-old. I had no idea that the film industry was about to start going through a massive revolution, many seeds of which were being planted right there in 1997. So I thought I'd write 1997-me a letter, giving a glimpse of what lies ahead. I'm reminded of Doc Brown's incredulity when Marty McFly tells him Ronald Reagan is president of the United States in 1985. I assume 1997-me would be equally incredulous about much of I have to tell him. Yet off I go, into the Wayback Machine...

Hey, 1997-me.

What's up? It's me. 2017-you. This is the future where I am, and I've got some future-news for you. Might help out as you get ready to embark on a journey in an industry you fundamentally do not understand at all. But that's cool — but that's cool. Even if you understood it perfectly at this very moment, some stuff's about to go down that's going to completely change all the ground rules. So I want to help out.

Here's my advice. Skip the sad indie film scripts you're about to start writing. Just forget them. Skip ahead to the time travel one. I'm not sure if you've thought of that one yet, but that one's fun. When you do think of it, call up Cameron, your friend who can draw super-good, and make it as a comic book. Don't try to shoot it. Don't drive around in the countryside and find an Old West town and drag your friends out there when it's 115 degrees and try to shoot it. Stop. Just make the comic.

Because something weird's about to happen: nerds are about to become big, big business. And comics are about to become the one medium to rule them all, the one medium to find them; the one medium to bring them all, and in the box office, bind them.

I know you're scoffing at this. I don't blame you. Because you're right, George Clooney just killed Batman. Batman and Robin will be the last of the Batman movies...for, almost, ten years. Then they're going to do this thing called "rebooting," where they're going to take a Mulligan on Keaton-Kilmer-Clooney, and start over with a British guy directing, another British guy playing Bruce Wayne, and playing Batman like Chris Barnes from Cannibal Corpse. The voice is going to be weird. You'll like it, because metal, but other people...not so much. They're going to make fun of it a lot on the internet.

Oh yeah. The internet. That's going to be...there isn't time.

Then, after those guys make three really good Batman movies, they're going to stop, and then new people are going to come in immediately after, reboot it again, and start making way more Batman movies. Seriously, right away. With the guy from Good Will Hunting. The dumb one, in that movie. I should tell you, though...no, I can't. I don't have the heart to tell you what happens to Robin Williams.

Remember, a couple of months ago, how you were so excited because Star Wars was back in theaters, but then you left those movies all sort of confused inside? Well, I got some good news and some bad news for you, buddy. George Lucas is going to make three more, brand new Star Wars movies. And man, they're going to blow. Remember how cool "The Clone Wars" sounded when Obi-Wan talked about them? Turns out they were super goddamn lame. Until we got to see them in cartoon form, and then they were pretty cool. But then, Disney of all people, will pay George Lucas more money than God to literally never touch Star Wars ever again, and then shit's going to get real. New Star Wars ever year, from now on. We're still riding the wave, and so far it's pretty cool. We'll see what happens, though. 2037-me may have some bad news for both of us.

Right about the time you're getting out of film school, the Big Thing is going to happen. And the big thing is this: Hollywood will finally understand that Sam Raimi is the best, and they will give him money, and he will make Spider-Man. It will break all the records. It will be badass. They will let him make Spider-Man 2 and it will be equally badass. Spider-Man 3 will really, really suck, and they'll reboot it. And that'll suck, and they'll reboot it again. We're waiting to see how that goes.

Here's why this is important: When 1997 comes to a close, and your mom is doing all your laundry over Christmas break, 16 movies will have made $100 million or more at the domestic box office. That's a lot, right? Total domestic box office of over $6 billion — Billion! 2016 just ended over here and it was...come on present-me, stick to movies, stick to movies...so I've got the numbers right here, and 30 movies crossed $100 million domestically. Total domestic box office? Over $11 billion. Six of those movies will be comic book movies, and most of the rest are cartoons.

Those David Mamet movies you like so much? The ones where people talk and stuff? What I want you to do is not watch those anymore. Just go read comics. Then make comics. Then, maybe learn to draw and start animating your comics. I'm telling you.

Oh...last thing. Don't worry about it. You will, I promise, eventually have sex. I promise.

Signing off, 
Vance K — cult film reviewer and co-editor of nerds of a feather, flock together since 2012 (it's an internet thing, just trust me), Emmy-winning producer (I know, it surprised me, too), and folk musician (really...but I still play drums, too, so don't freak out too much).

Review: Captain America: Civil War

Captain, my Captain

Hype is a heck of a thing. And short of The Force Awakens, I don't remember a movie having more hype around it. By the time the actual movie came out, I am reasonably certain you could splice the entire movie together from the myriad TV spots and trailers. But does Civil War live up to all that hype?

The answer is: Kinda? Like, mostly? It's a lot to live up to, ya know? It's really good, but there was a LOT of hype. Ya know?

Not all of it was even the fault of Marvel/Disney. Once praise from critics started pouring in, it reached a fever pitch. And that praise is warranted! But, man, I honestly will remember the hype more than I will the movie.

So let's talk about the movie itself, even though you have already seen it. On the off chance you have not, I will try my very best to avoid spoilers.

Civil War did a LOT really, really well. I loved that it was actually a better Avengers movie than any of the ones that SAY 'Avengers' in the title. I loved that even with all those people in there, no one really felt left out, yet it was still a Cap movie.

I loved the villains. Again, avoiding spoilers, it did this much more gracefully than any other Marvel movie to date. And it didn't do it by just making Tony/Iron Man the bad guy. He was actually relatable and understandable, save for one early scene that felt like it was trying just a little too hard.

On the whole, it was a very, very good movie. Cap's character gets even deeper and more interesting, and really, so does the rest of the crew. There were, however, several small things that bugged me. Time/location jumps are really, really bad. That, or our heroes can literally teleport places, which I don't remember really being anyone's skillset. There was one part, in particular, where it killed two very impactful scenes for me because I was trying to figure out, how and when, exactly, two characters who were somewhere else entirely were suddenly in a very different place.

There have been a lot of complaints about the lack of stakes in this - someone should have died, no one was ever in any really danger, and I honestly disagree. The stakes were not absent, but they were different. I am treading on dangerously spoilery ground here, but the stakes was not the death of Cap, Iron Man or even Bucky. It was their trust and reliance on each other - and that died, and died hard. I liked it, because the movie was at least being honest with us. In, say, my least favorite Marvel movie, Thor: The Dark World, they beat you over the head with the universe is going to die and not once do you even care or feel suspense. Civil War never lies like that, instead telling you no one is going to die, but they might not trust each other again.

The airport fight scene, which in another movie would have been either a dour affair with lots of grimacing, or one where the heroes effortlessly trample the Bad Guys, was instead filled with friendly quips punctuated by punches, or vice versa. There were actual stakes there, too- it was the part I worried about the most coming in, but in execution, no one was trying to kill each other- just stop [CHARACTER] from  [DOING A THING]. So no one needed to die in order for the scene to work - and it made the emotional climax of the scene that much more powerful, as all the quips and jokes turned serious and everyone realized they now had to live with the consequences of their actions.

Also, Black Panther and Spider-Man are worth the price of admission alone.

The Math:

Baseline assessment: 8/10. Holy crap, this is a great movie. It's just the right mix of fun-popcorn flick and actual statement. The Russo brothers have outdone themselves, and I feel really bad that two Infinity Wars movies will probably break them like Avengers broke Joss.

Bonuses:
+1 for actually doing service to the 739 superheroes who are in this movie (count is approximate)
+1 for not doing another Spider-Man origin. Or even talking about it. Seriously. Thank you.

Penalties:
-1 for weird time/location jumps
-1 for not possibly being able to live up to all the hype
-1 for all the hype

Conclusion: 7/10: an enjoyable experience, but not without its flaws. Which is actually the best description of the MCU. (Reviews policy here)

Thursday Morning Superhero

I am excited to say that Villain Month is a thing of the past and that this week marks the return to the DC we know and love.  In addition, Matt Kindt takes a stab at Spider-Man, Andy Diggle brings us a Captain America arc, and issue #3 of Trillium drops.  It feels good to be reading comics in October.

Pick of the Week:

Trillium #3 - We start issue #3 with Nika in quarantine after consuming the trillium flower and venturing into the past.  When she comes to she learns that Pohl is moving forward with an all out attack on the Atabithian folk in order to extract the trillium in order to fend off the Caul.  Lemire engages the reader in a playful manner again as you have to flip the comic upside down to catch up with Billy.  The drama is intense in this issue as Clayton tries to get Billy to return home and Nike attempts to flee so she can warn the Atabithian about the invasion. It all comes to a boil when Clayton uses dynamite to blow a hole in the temple at the same time the Pohl fleet arrives to extract the trillium.  Issue 4 has been dubbed "The end of the universe" so I can't imagine things will slow down.  Lemire remains unique in his ability to create emotional bonds between his characters and the reader in his character renderings.  Nike and Billy simply draw you in every time you peer into their eyes.  It is almost like you know them and empathize with them by looking at a single panel.  Great, great series.

The Rest:

Captain America: Living Legend #1 - I was very excited to learn that Andy Diggle would be penning an arc of Captain America.  One of my favorite men in tights, I have struggled getting into the current Captain America relaunch.  This, on the other hand, is a return to class Captain America.  With flashbacks to WWII, nods to the space race, and a mysterious Russian soldier named Volkov, it has a Brubaker feel to it that I gladly welcome.  Definitely on board for this one.

Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #1 - Matt Kindt delivers one of the most trippy comic books I have read in some time.  The art from Marco Rudy is simply stunning and does an amazing job keeping up with the drug induced story.  Spider-Man ventures into a haunted house for a photo shoot and is greeted by Madame Web.  From what I gather, it was a little confusing with all the hallucinating and flashbacks, Spidey has to take down 99 bad guys in order to survive.  Possibly all of them while suffering the effects of Jack O' Lanterns's poison gas.  It's Matt Kindt and Spider-Man so I will check out issue #2. 

Forever Evil #2 - Ultraman and the Injustice League continue to wreak total havoc on earth.  To be more precise, they are plotting while the super villains are taking advantage of the supposed death of the Justice League to break stuff and hurt people.  I enjoyed seeing Robin step up and attempt to lead the Teen Titans in the absence of the Justice League, but these mega-events all seem to blur together.  All hope looks lost and then something amazing happens.  Not thinking I will continue this one.

What I should have read:

Earth 2 #16 - In his final issue, James Robinson unleashes Apokolips' stranded forces in a battle that is sure to end Steppenwolf.  I have not kept up with this series, but apparently the twist at the end of the issue is of epic proportion and may present a problem to the new creative team taking the helm.  This is a series I have always wanted to go back and read.  From the reviews I have read on this issue, that time might be soon.

Thursday Morning Superhero

For your viewing pleasure this week I tackled the conclusion of the epic Infinite Vacation, another installment of the Detective Comics, The Walking Dead and Negan, and a Star Wars comic that was quite enjoyable.  I love reading comics.

The Best:

Infinite Vacation #5 - It took 2 years, but the payoff was astounding.  Nick Spencer and Christian Ward created a beautiful book and a stunning conclusion to Infinite Vacation.  In this epic finale we learn of Mark's plan, which involved many other Marks, and his narrow escape to set things right.  What happens between him and Claire?  You should really pick up all of these books (only 5 issues!) and enjoy this twisted story with loads and loads of heart.  The design of this book alone warrants the purchase of a physical copy.  Ward outdoes himself and really delivered a stunning final book.  Click here to read my thoughts on the first 4 issues if you so desire.

Runner-up:

Star Wars #1 - Dark Horse has started a new ongoing Star Wars comic penned by Brian Wood.  If you are a fan of the original trilogy then I think you will be pleased with this debut.  Taking place following the conclusion of Episode IV, the rebellion is looking for a new location to establish a rebel base, but fear a spy is among them.  Meanwhile, the Emperor is displeased with Vader's failure and sets some things in motion that do not please Vader.  Very happy with the start of this series and I look forward to what happens next.

The not so good:
Repossessed #1 - I gave this title a shot in the dark in the hopes of discovering a new surprise book and was not successful.  The premise is an agency that, for a fee, will repossess demons from loved ones.  They are sent to pursue a client they don't feel is truly possessed and accept as it pays well.  Turns out, the demons are trying to trap them and they are in a hairy situation.  While the premise is OK, I can't say that the art or story did anything to draw me in.

The Rest:

Walking Dead #106 - Not a whole lot happened in this issue, but Kirkman is the master of delivering a final panel that leaves you begging for the next issue.  Rick finally finds where Negan's camp is and plans on finding out if Carl is there.   Some good zombie action and Carl continues to impress in a good issue, but one that left me wanting more.

Superior Spider-man #1 - After the events of Spider-man #700 I was intrigued enough to pick up this issue.  We get to experience Octavius at the helm of Parker and Spider-man and I found it quite enjoyable.  While creepy at times, when he is with Mary Jane, the internal struggle and the increase in intellect really breathed some fresh air into this franchise.  Definitely a good start to a series that I imagine a lot of people have issue with.

Detective Comics #16 - The Death of the Family event continues in this issue as Batman is trying to clean up the streets of copycat Joker gangs.  The difficulty lies in stopping the ones that are an actual threat and simply scaring the ones that are not legitimate.  This book shines in the second story in which we learn of the exploits of the new Penguin, the Emperor Penguin.  Clearly Ignatius Ogilvy is going to be a villain who will see a rise in power while Gotham is distracted by the Joker.  Well done Layman.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Time for a special week of Thursday Morning Superhero.  With limited comics out this week due to the holidays, I decided to focus on the big comic of the week, Amazing Spider-man #700.  I will warn you that this will contain spoilers so if you do not want to be spoiled then now is the time to leave.

To be honest it has been a while since I read an Amazing Spider-man story, but with the big announcement and the conclusion of the series I wanted to give it a read.  The over 90-page conclusion to the series includes some nice bonus stories at the end, but that isn't why readers are picking up this book so we will leave that alone today.

First some backstory to get you caught up.  Doctor Octopus is not in the best of health and only has a few days to live.  In a desperate move to grant him new life and kill Peter Parker he utilizes a robot to swap memories with Parker, thus trapping his mind in Parker and Parker's mind in the ailing body of Doc Oc.  Parker (Doc Oc) is settling into his new life and learning all of the secrets of Parker's past (one of the side effects of swapping memories is that you also gain the memories of who you swapped memories with).

In a last ditch plan to attempt to swap memories back, effectively killing Doc Oc and saving himself, Parker, as Doc Oc, escapes from prison and steals the last remaining robot that can swap memories back.  Doc Oc, as Parker, meanwhile, is up to his own plan to punish Parker and ensure that many of his loved ones suffer.  

What ensues then is a series of events that demonstrate the intelectual superiority of Doc Oc as Parker, as Doc Oc, is one step behind.  It all culminates with the two plummeting from the top of the Avengers Tower to the ground below.  Parker as Doc Oc finally has his moment to swap memories back before the body of Doc Oc finally succumbs.  As we learned from this issue, Doc Oc is always one step ahead and has a special plate on the back of his neck that block the robot.  It appears that all is lost until Parker's life flashes before his eyes.  Both Parker and Doc Oc are privy to the series of events that made Spider-man and Peter Parker such strong characters. 

Through this flashback Doc Oc, as Parker, realizes that life is valuable and that he must protect those who he loves.  In essence, this series of flashbacks has truly transformed Doc Oc into Spider-man and we are now left with the next chapter for Spider-man, the Superior Spider-man.  I guess with Doc Oc's brain and Spider-man's past the new iteration could be interesting, but I am not completely sold on the idea.  I think I will pick up some of the issues that led to the monumental Amazing Spider-man #700.  I am guessing that the memory of both individuals will play a pivotal role in the series and we may see a darker Spider-man.  Intriguing development, but not sure if I will be drinking the Marvel Kool-aid on this one.  Hopefully they have good plans for the new Spider-man.