TV Review: X-Men '97

A nostalgic return to the addictive X-Men adventures of the '90s

Back in the '90s—before iPhones and streaming apps—a long week of work or school would be rewarded with a lazy Saturday morning of sugary breakfast cereal and X-Men cartoons. The original X-Men: The Animated Series stood out from the other Saturday morning entertainment because of its diverse characters, edgy storylines, heavy social justice commentary, and soap-opera-level romantic entanglements. Although X-Men comics had been around for decades, the weekly episodes brought the adventures of billionaire mentor Charles Xavier and his team of sarcastic, imperfect, stressed-out superheroes to a wider audience.

The original Saturday morning animated series ran from 1992 to 1996. Eventually, three feature films were made, followed by other animated X-Men shows and even more feature films. However, after all the expansions in film, television, and comics, Disney+’s X-Men '97 instead returns to the retro format of the 1990s series and picks up where the '90s show left off. X-Men '97 is not a reboot, adaptation, or sequel. It is a continuation. Watching it feels like stepping back in time. X-Men '97 assumes viewers know the entire previous backstory of the characters, so viewers who have never consumed X-Men in any form may need to skim a few episodes of the original show (also conveniently available on Disney+).

Here’s a quick refresher: Charles Xavier is a powerful telepath who runs a school for “gifted” children in an era when humanity is evolving to a new level of superhuman capabilities. “Gifted” means mutated into having some sort of superpower. (Younger viewers can think of the story as a precursor to My Hero Academia.) Contrary to other superhero stories, in X-Men those with special powers (mutants) are hated and feared by the rest of humanity. As a result, they often hide their true nature or must face overt racism and abuse. Xavier builds a school where young mutants can learn in safety and hone their special powers. As the students grow up, they become X-Men, a team of superbeings who act as guardians and protectors from various villains while still trying to live their day-to-day lives. Each member of the team has their own terrifying power, tragic backstory, and complicated emotional baggage to navigate as they learn to trust each other while battling powerful villains. A primary antagonist in the show is Xavier’s lifelong best friend/frenemy, Erik Lehnsherr a/k/a Magnus (a/k/a Magneto). Magnus wants to violently confront the oppression mutants face from humans while Xavier wants to pursue peaceful co-existence. The struggle is a general allegory of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Throughout the series, the two philosophies battle as Magneto wreaks havoc and Xavier tries to save and protect. In the finale of the first series, a critically injured Charles Xavier says an emotional goodbye to his young students, leaving original X-Man, Scott (Cyclops) as de facto leader.

X-Men '97 opens in the post-Xavier era. A well-armed hate group, the Friends of Humanity, is using newly acquired weapons to hunt down, neutralize, and kill those with special powers. Scott struggles to lead the team in Xavier’s absence while also dealing with the rise in hate crimes against mutants and dealing with his wife Jean’s pregnancy. Telepath Jean wants Scott to abandon the X-Men so they can raise their child in peace. But things take a turn when long-time adversary Magneto appears with a startling message from Xavier.

As in the original series, the core members of the team are the focus of the show. The new show particularly focuses on Scott, Jean Grey, and Storm/Ororo, who can manipulate the weather. Also featured is Rogue, a southerner who debilitatingly absorbs the powers and memories of anyone she touches, so she spends her life avoiding direct contact with others. This complicates her romantic entanglement with Remy (Gambit), a Louisiana native who can charge objects with energy and use them as weapons. Additional returning characters are fan-favorite Wolverine, Beast, Jubilee, Bishop, and Morph.

Despite the advances in animation since 1996, X-Men '97 maintains the old, slightly stiff animation style of the '90s show. The show also maintains the original visual design and voice style of the characters, which further draws viewers into the retro effect. Many of the characters, including Rogue, Storm, and Wolverine, have the same voice actors from the original series. For those looking for nostalgia, this will be a welcome surprise. Although the character design for most of the X-Men remains the same, a few are slightly changed. Jubilee’s face and eye design is updated; and Morph, the shapeshifter, now has a pale, helmet-like head versus the regular, average human face he had in the original series. Morph is also used as a gateway to brief visuals of other X-Men when he momentarily shapeshifts into offscreen heroes, including Colossus, Angel, and Psylock. His flash transformations into familiar old characters are a fun surprise each time.

The initial episodes of X-Men '97 each end with great plot twists to hook viewers, especially if they’ve never read the comics. Wild plot twists and mature themes were a defining element of the original series, making it a gateway for future animated stories like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Naruto, and other animated series that move beyond surface fights and adventures and dig into emotions and relationships. X-Men '97 continues to lean into that original storytelling strategy, and will fill a nostalgic place in the hearts of long-time viewers. And, with the intense and expansive source material to draw from, X-Men '97 should have plenty of complicated and emotional plot twists to maintain the new show for as long as needed.

Nerd Coefficient: 7/10.

Highlights

• Lots of nerdy nostalgia
• Old-fashioned art design and animation
• Strong social commentary and great plot twists

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

Microreview [comic]: X-Men: Grand Design by Ed Piskor

New, shining translation of the Old X-Testament

It is debatable whether the mainstream superhero comics by major publishers have managed to do anything super-exciting lately, but there is still one subject only a Marvel comic can do justice to – the convoluted, messy, contradictory continuity of Marvel comics themselves. X-Men: Grand Design by cartoonist Ed Piskor takes a closer look at the mutants who Stan Lee and Jack Kirby turned loose in 1963.

In the beginning, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast and Marvel Girl were teens in the shadow of Cuban missile crisis. You'd think that 55 years later they should have received their X-pensions already, but that's not how it works in their line of business, and most of them are still running around in spandex in 2018. A lot has went down since then, however – Beast is now blue and furry, Iceman is gay, Angel has lost his wings and Marvel Girl has died several times – and cataloguing all that is Piskor's mission in Grand Design.

It's a fascinating project, and part of what makes it so fascinating is how utterly unlikely it is. The alternative comics creator Piskor – probably best known for the hip hop culture documentary Hip Hop Family Tree and his work for Harvey Pekar's American Splendor – is certainly not among the people you'd guess Marvel would hire to document X-History, but here we are. It's a weird hybrid: the subject matter of X-Men: Grand Design is as mainstream as it gets, but the look and feel are definitely alt comics.

The series is published as individual comics issues but it probably makes more sense to dive into it with the big-page paperbacks that are scheduled to come out after every second issue. The first of them collects X-Men: Grand Design issues 1 and 2 as well as Lee and Kirby's X-Men #1, recolored by Piskor. Toning down the garish colors gives a nice touch to Kirby's art and makes its atmosphere suprisingly close to Piskor's own strips.

The first two issues of Grand Design that are collected here cram between their covers most of what happened in the first 66 X-Men comic books – that's every notable X-Incident between 1963 and 1970 when X-Sales were so bad that Marvel turned X-Men into a reprint comic book for years. In the mid-70s, Len Wein, Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum would kickstart the title and it would finally become one of Marvel's (and Disney's) major properties, but the first book deals with those 66 issues.

Some of them are summarized with one panel, others with several pages, but Piskor mostly manages to make the fragmentary narrative smooth for the reader. Wolverine, Storm, Phoenix Force and other later additions were not yet present in the comics that are Piskor's source material here, but he goes through everything chronologically, so they make small appearances in addition to the actual, original X-Men. Also present are Banshee, Polaris, Havok and nowadays mostly forgotten Mimic who were all members or at least semi-members of the group at some point in the 60s.

The X-Men have slowly accumulated a gigantic backstory during the last 55 years, so it actually takes Piskor the entirety of his first issue to get us where we are at the beginning of the original X-Men #1 – if we get there at all, that is. It is interestingly a bit unclear if Lee and Kirby's first adventure (which is summarized on the second page of Grand Design #2) is compatible with Piskor's rendition despite it being included in the collection, because all of it doesn't add up if you look at the details too hard. For some readers, that may be a disappointment, but I'm fairly sure that with a project like this, the result is more enjoyable if your approach is that of an artist with a vision as opposed to that of a biblical scholar.

In that holiest of holy X-texts Professor Xavier's teenage mutant superhero boys meet Jean Grey for the first time and fight off Magneto who makes his supervillain debut hijacking some missiles. In this adventure, Jean Grey does not have her psychic powers yet (just as Superman could only take long leaps in his first adventures), and so she can only throw some missiles into the sea telekinetically.

In Piskor's retelling, conversely, she is already there when Henry Soon-To-Be-Beast McCoy is kidnapped by supervillain Conquistador and his henchmen. When Cyclops, Iceman and Angel run into trouble freeing McCoy, Xavier sends in Jean Grey to help them. Upon arrival, she turns Conquistador and his minions into drooling vegetables and makes it clear from the first appearance that she is a force to be taken seriously, not only a token female X-Man with a little softer superpower than his male colleagues.

This is one example of the creative freedoms Piskor has taken, and the book is probably stronger because of them. Still, the project is not about surface detail but the grand design, and reading the comic is a peculiar experience. On some level, you understand that the details and specifics of how exactly something happened are unimportant in a work such as this, even though the things Piskor played around with more or less unorthodoxically are probably going to draw most attention.

Diplomatically speaking, some of the original material that Piskor is covering here is not among the most memorable in X-History. I'm sure that most readers are waiting for the following volumes where we get to some of the juicier storylines, like Dark Phoenix Saga, Inferno, Mutant Massacre and what have you. Part of the attraction, I guess, is seeing how Piskor is going to get some of the more massive and significant events of the Claremont era compressed into their essence and fitted into the overarching narrative – I have absolutely no idea how that can ever be pulled off.

The Math

Base Score: 9/10

Bonuses: +1 for visionary storytelling mindset

Penalties: -1 occasionally, there's just too much to take in at once. -1 for weaker source than the forthcoming parts of the series

Nerd Coefficient: 8/10 – "Well worth your time and attention"

Reference: Piskor, Ed. X-Men: Grand Design 1 [Marvel 2018]

***

POSTED BY: Spacefaring Kitten, an extradimensional enthusiast of speculative fiction, comics, and general weirdness. Contributor since 2018.

Thursday Morning Superhero

While July still might be a long ways off, San Diego Comic Con plans are starting to come together and I couldn't be more excited.  My group survived the Hotelpocalypse, ended up with a room not too far, and have already began to line up the off-site fun.  Looking forward to seeing my fellow nerds in San Diego and providing coverage of the con for those who can't attend.

Pick of the Week:
Old Man Logan #23 - After waiting a couple of issues, we finally return to Logan's body where Asmodeus is attempting to auction off its remains to the highest bidder. With Logan lost in the time stream, his vacant body could fetch quite the price.  Meanwhile Logan continues to travel through his own past in attempt to return to his body when something changes at the end of this issue.  It saddens me that Jeff Lemire is wrapping up his run with this series when he finishes this arc in issue #24, but it has been one hell of a ride.  I really questioned how this series would work as an ongoing, but Lemire had no issue writing a compelling story about the human element of Logan and the suffering he has had to endure.

The Rest:
X-Men Blue #3 - I have to admit that it feels good to be reading an X-Men series again.  It has been too long and Cullen Bunn is doing a great job dropping in little Easter Eggs for the fans, while creating something that feels new and fresh.  The original X-Men (Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Angel, Beast, and Iceman) have been displaced in the time continuum and find themselves in a future where their very existence is threatened.  Not sure who to trust, the team is working with Magneto, but it appears that he is hiding his true motives.  The latest twist in this series has the X-Men dealing with a group of Sentinels that refer to themselves as "fellow mutants".  I won't spoil why the Sentinels seem friendly, but rest assured that Bunn has a firm grip on what fans want and is a master of keeping the reader guessing.  Really enjoying this series.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mother Entropy #2 - After riding the high of watching Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I decided that it was time for me to revisit the comic book world of this dysfunctional team.  I enjoyed the Free Comic Book Day issue and decided to give this odd book a go.  The Mother Stone, a sacred relic of great power, transported the Guardians and Pip the Troll to another dimension in which they must pass a series of tests to determine who dimension's Mother Entropy.  It is a bizarre issue that has the Guardians reliving their past, facing their deepest fears, and switching bodies.  Despite how odd this book was, it was fun and does a good job highlighting the quirks of the heroes and what sets them apart from your standard superhero.

Star Wars: Screaming Citadel #1 - After enjoying the Doctor Aphra spin-off I am happy to report that she is teaming up with Luke Skywalker for this miniseries.  If you recall, Aphra has a valuable artifact from the Jedi Temple that she needs help unlocking.  Luke desires to train in the ways of the Force and together they might be able to work something out.  Aphra continues to be a much more complex character then when we first met her working with Vader.  Luke's trip with Aphra has caught the attention of his friends and the person they are dealing with to help them with the artifact is highly suspect.  There is going to be a lot of drama in the next few issues and I can't wait!



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

If you are in the same boat as I am then you probably felt that yesterday's San Diego Comic Con Hotelpocalypse went off without a hitch.  This year the hotel sale mimicked that of the badge sale in that individuals waited in a virtual waiting room and were then sorted at a random order to the "sale" page.  Instead of racing to fill out the form as fast as possible, forms will be accepted based on the time stamp from when the person had access to the form.  It was low stress and seemed to be a much better system.  Now we wait.

Pick of the Week:
Old Man Logan #22 - Jeff Lemire is one cruel dude.  In case you forgot, Logan is lost in the time stream per Asmodeus' trap.  This forces Wolverine to relive his past in his attempt to locate the amulet at each stop in an insane attempt to return to the present time.  Er, uh, present time after the initial shift that took him away from the wastelands that he had partnered up with Asmodeus in an attempt to return to save Baby Hulk.  Anyhoo, the first stop for Logan is his first encounter with Hulk, which isn't too bad and pretty entertaining, but that is when Lemire decides to turn on Wolverine and write this book to force Logan to witness Jean Grey's death yet again.  Ouch.  Lemire does reward Wolverine in the last stop in this book, but I won't spoil what happens.  This is must read material for any Wolverine fan and has been a lot of fun.

The Rest:
Darth Maul #3 - I have really enjoyed Cullen Bunn's take on Darth Maul, and this issue sets the stage for what should be a brutal issue #4.  This series has been a nice balance of Maul attempting to assert himself, but it is clear he has much to learn and respects the power that Darth Sidious possesses. Maul, despite being ordered to remain low by Darth Sidious, is planning on seizing a Padawan who is up for auction.  His goal is to satiate his desire to kill by having a duel with the Padawan.  Lacking the funds to outright purchase the Padawan and wanting to keep a low profile, he enlists the help of Cad Bane and Aurra Sing.  What could possibly go wrong?


X-Men Blue #2 - It is a good week when I get to read multiple titles penned by Mr. Bunn and X-Men Blue continues to be a lot of fun.  After getting sent forward in time, the original X-Men pair up Magneto, which is a surprising ally for this group.  In order to gain their trust, Magneto allows Jean Grey to read his mind to ensure that he is honest when he says he wants to help them pursue Professor X's dream of man and mutant living in peace. Things seem to be off to a good start, but as the X-Men are on a mission against Sentinels in Spain, it seems that Magneto might be up to something a bit shady.  This would be enough of a story to keep my interest, but when the Sentinels are confronted they refer to the X-men as fellow mutants.  Fellow?  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  I don't want to wait for the next issue to find out what this means.  Well played Mr. Bunn.

POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Last weekend, with the help of my team, we were able to secure SDCC passes for the whole group!  Thinking about another lovely week in San Diego this summer makes me realize that there are a lot of other conventions that I hope to attend one day.  Today marks the first day of Star Wars Celebration and I look forward to enjoying this convention from afar and hope to one day dive into four days of Star Wars fandom.  In the meantime I will continue to read the new ongoing Star Wars comics from Marvel.

Pick of the Week:
X-Men Blue #1 - This week we were treated to a new X-Men book penned by no other than Cullen Bunn!  In this series, the original X-Men (Beast, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel, and Iceman) have been brought forward through time to protect them from a war among mutants.  The first issue features an epic battle on a yacht and establishes the premise for why the X-Men were patrolling for other mutants.  Toss in a Wolverine side story and a preview of what is to come establishes this as the X-Men title to read going forward.  This series looks like a lot of fun and it looks like Bunn is going to pay homage to classic X-Men story-lines throughout the years.

The Rest:
Old Man Logan #21 - Logan learned not to trust someone as nefarious as Asmodeus to help set things right.  Instead of returning to the wastelands, Logan was sent back in time and quickly learns that he must try to figure out a way to return back to Asmodeus.  Jeff Lemire plans on sending Wolverine back to some of the important milestones in his life in the latest arc entitled Past Lives.  This issues is effective in setting up the new arc and outlines what Wolverine is going to have to overcome to return home.  I won't spoil what Asmodeus has planned for Logan in the current time, but I hope that he is able to make his journey through his past lives quickly!


The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #19 - When we last left the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, she had just learned her mentor Melissa Morbeck had microchipped an army of animals so she could control them with her thoughts.  This issue solidifies why I enjoy this book so much.  It includes the hashtag #ChefBear, has multiple species of bears and a variety of professions, is full of bear puns, and is setting up what is likely to be a hilariously epic finale to this story.  Packed with whimsy and fun, I still cannot recommend this one enough.  If you aren't interested in bear butlers or how Doctor Bear helps implant microchips for Ms. Morbeck, then I am not sure what is wrong with you.

Doctor Aphra #6 - The first arc of this series reached a satisfying end as Aphra and her father were able to make peace with themselves and their understanding of the Lost Citadel of Ordu Aspectu.  It may have come at the expense of the preserved memories of Rur, but the pair made off with an incredibly powerful artifact that made the trip worthwhile.  It was nice to explore a different side of Aprha and good to see her make peace with her father.  Hopefully she will get her doctorate back and continue questing for rare artifacts in order to profit along with the help of Krrsantan, BT01, and 000.



POSTED BY MIKE N. aka Victor Domashev -- comic guy, proudly raising nerdy kids, and Nerds of a Feather contributor since 2012.

Best Cinematic Comic Adaptation Tournament (Round 1)

The field is set, thanks to everyone who participated in the play-in round voting.

Are there any upsets waiting to happen? How many Batmen are too many Batmen? Have any of the box office bombs made enough fans since to bump a bigger hit?

Click to Expand

To recap: We invited all 13 of our writers to nominate their favorite big-screen comics adaptations in the Marvel, DC, Indie or Imprint, and International Regions. For the International Region, our requirement was that the source material originate outside of the U.S., even if the adaptation did not. From there, based on a point system built on the number of mentions for each movie and literally hundreds of emails between the team, we narrowed down the field. In the end, we got the field set and seeded based on everybody's input, and the public voting in the play-in round set the final spot in each Region.

Vote as many times as you like, and spread the word. Argue with everyone! We will post the final results of Round 1 and open Round 2 for voting next Monday.

Marvel Region

DC Region

Indie/Imprint Region

International Region

Thursday Morning Superhero

There is no better way to recover from Gen Con then sitting down with some good comics.  I found this week to be a little slow, but enjoyed the books I picked up.  On a side note, I learned from meeting Cullen Bunn at Gen Con this weekend that there is a planned end to the Sixth Gun.  It made me happy and sad at the same time.  I often feel comics go on too long and that titles with planned endings are much more enjoyable, but I am not ready to say goodbye to Drake or Becky just yet.

Pick of the Week:

Sixth Gun #33 - Becky's Ghost Dance continues as she joins General Hume in a world he created.  Drake is dead in this world, Hume remains in possession of his gun, and his mother explains how this is the reality that Hume would have created had he opened the seal. Meanwhile, Gord, Kirby, and Asher attempt to rescue Becky from the real world by stopping the widow Hume and her group of skinwalkers.  In an issue that features stunning magic and a issue ending twist that I want to spoil so bad.

The Rest:
Daredevil #30 - Silver Surfer pays Daredevil a visit in a fun issue that felt like a standalone until a last panel that spoke volumes.  Kirsten McDuffie is helping out in Foggy's absence and a Ru'ach seeks Murdock's help when Silver Surfer spoils the party.  We learn that the Ru'ach are unable of telling lies and use their power of persuasion to influence others.  The simple truth that it speaks to Murdock is worth the purchase alone.  Mark Waid's run on Daredevil is simply fantastic.

Fables #132 - I am on the fence with each new issue of Fables, but am happy I picked up this issue.  Rose is assembling her own Knights of the Roundtable in preparation of an upcoming battle and Prince Brandish, whose story I missed and I assume is not the nicest of individuals, has risen from the dead due to an operation in which he keeps his heart safe somewhere else.   An intriguing character is found in the cloud kingdom and recruited to join Red and she takes a break to visit Prince Brandish. Bill Willingham has my attention again.

X-Men #4 - In a nice standalone issue, Wolverine accompanies Jubilee and her newly adopted son, Shogu, in as she revisits her youth and prepares to take on her new role of a mother.  The X-Men are facing some internal tension as the majority don't agree with Storm's decision to consider killing Karima in order to end the threat that was Sublime.  While Karima was spared, it causes the other members to question her as she tries to assume the role of leader of the X-Men.  Good drama and tension in this enjoyable series.

What I Should have Read:
Thief of Thieves #16 - Andy Diggle is at the helm of this title and somehow that slipped by me.  I have enjoyed what I read of Thief of Thieves and enjoy almost everything from Diggle.  In a book that got great reviews and sets the stage for the Venice heist.

Comic Con from Afar -- Second Annual Lamentation

I'll spare you the boo-hooing. If you're trolling the various #sdcc tags on Tumblr like me, you've had it up to here with the drama of a million geek girls virtually howling to a geek moon. SDCC 2013 is so packed with hot dudes in nerdy shows and geeky reboos, the fanfiction practically writes itself. I will try to contain myself.

Sure, it'd have been totally awesome to have run into a scrawny dude in a Bart Simpson mask only to later realize I missed my chance at running away with The Doctor (or at least copping a feel), but I think I'm having more fun experiencing the San Diego Comic Con from the comfort of my own iPhone. There are no lines, the photos make it look like everyone is dressed up instead of just the hardcore geeks, and I get the pleasure of immediate gif-gratification for every priceless moment.

Without further ado, here goes my yearly SQUEE over AWESOME THINGS AT COMIC CON.


FIREFLY ONLINE
No, I will not let go of Firefly; you can pry this orange hat out of my cold, dead hands... after I relapse into a MMORPG coma when Firefly Online is released next summer. It's not much of a trailer, but it still gets my blood pumping.


KORRA: BOOK TWO
If you haven't watched The Legend of Korra yet, you're seriously missing out. Not all of the episodes are available on nick.com, so do yourself the favor of torrenting Book One (the first season). Check out how sweet Book Two looks! I can hardly wait until September.

(Remember that time I went to the Mall of America to ride the Avatar rollercoaster?!)

ALL THE PANELS
Holy cow, and big ones too. Simpsons 25th Anniversary, X-Files 20th Anniversary, BSG 35th Anniversary... So much nerdery. Here's a good collection to get you started.


MARVEL v. DC MOVIES

... Ready.... Fight!

I think I'm obligated to state that it's been confirmed that Batman will appear in the Man of Steel sequel, and that seems pretty cool, I guess. But the announcement that The Avengers sequel will be subtitled Age of Ultron and that Karen Gillam (Amy Pond on Doctor Who) shaved her freaking head for a role as a bad guy in Guardians of the Galaxy is even cooler. 

HOW SHERLOCK SURVIVED

Here's Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock) and newly crowned King of the Geeks, Benedict Cumberbatch (The Hobbit, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Sherlock), doing funny things and melting hearts:

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeee. That's all I can muster. Sorry.

VIKINGS

I'm not even sure if they did anything but show up to SDCC, but this dude (Travis Fimmel) and this chick (Katheryn Winnick) are two of the hottest people on TV and I was happy to see them.

OTHER NOTABLE CELEB SPOTTINGS

John Barrowman (Good ol' Captain Jack from Doctor Who, Torchwood) & Misha Collins (Supernatural)

Stephen FREAKING Hawking introducing the Big Bang Theory panel

Katee Sackhoff (BSG), being B.A. like usual 

Weinery Prince of Nerds Wil Wheaton (TNG) & Zachary Levi (uhhh, Chuck?)

And while we're on Next Gen, here's another fangirl aneurysm/the sandwich I want in on: James McEvoy & Patrick Stewart

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovnyyyyyyy 

And, bestill my heart, Nathan Fillion and Matt Smith, together at last




And finally this: Evan Peters (that kid from American Horror Story), Nicholas Hoult (that kid from Warm Bodies, Jack the Giant Slayer, About a Boy), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), James McAvoy & Michael Fassbender (Prometheus)

THE BEST COSPLAY EVER

No, really, EVARRRRRR

There were a lot of great costumes! Here are some of my favorites: Link, Poison Ivy & Two Face, Classic Transformers, hot-ass Lady Loki, hot-ass Lady Loki 2, Deadpool, Mrs. Captain America and Business Clone Trooper, Gandalf, Darth Maul, hot-ass Lady Cap, OMG T'challa the Black Panther, Space Balls, Galactus, Predator, Hit Girl, TARDIS, Tenth Doctor and Captain Jack doppelgangers, etc, etc

But nobody ain't got nothing on the best cosplay ever, Tom Hiddleston as Loki IRL--

  The day Tumblr broke.

Thursday Morning Superhero

In this installment of Thursday Morning Superhero I will be writing on the road in my old stomping grounds of Austin, TX.  Like most of my fellow comic bloggers, I am attending an academic conference on the study of sport this week.  Maybe it's just me.  Well on to the comics!

Pick of the Week:
X-Men #1 - Brian Wood has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.  From the success of the Massive (which is great) to his ability to appease finicky fans (ie, Star Wars fans), this is a creator that you can trust.  I had my doubts that this book, featuring an all female cast, would read like a gimmick.  I am pleased to report that this title breathes new life into a franchise that, in my opinion, has been spread a little thin in recent memory.  Jubilee returns to earth with a mysterious infant.  When the two are brought into custody, there are major concerns as there is no record of the infant. There is concern that this is some sort of trap that the X-Men have willingly allowed into their custody.  Fast paced, well written, and great potential.  Very nice debut issue.

The Rest:
The Wake #1 - When I saw that Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy were working on a title together I could hardly contain myself.  A creative duo like this working on a new project is reason to be excited.  While I wasn't completely hooked with issue one, the intrigue built in the world they have created will keep me on board.  Whatever creature is being secured underwater in this post apocalyptic future gives me the heebie geebies!

Chew #34 - This feels like classic Chew.  We are introduced to a series of characters with special food related skills, Savoy asserts himself again akin to the early arcs, and Tony Chu makes a bold move hell bent on revenge.  For a series that I was still enjoying, but without the same passion as the early issues, this one served as a springboard to bring me back in.

Morning Glories #27 - Nick Spencer and crew really know how to provide the most bang-for-buck in comics.  The bridge between season one and season two was only $1, and the first issue in season 2 is a double-sized issue that explains a lot, and creates more questions.  The tone is set that we will finally understand some of the secrets of Morning Glories Academy, but I find myself confused with the overlapping timelines, etc.  

Mobile: Zen Pinball HD

small ball

If it wasn't obvious from the title, we're going small this week in the gaming sector. Handheld, to be specific. Zen Pinball HD is a mobile game available for free in both the Apple and Android Play Stores. Pinball is a game that is tailor-made for mobile control schemes. It's easy because there are only two buttons, left and right. There's no getting shot to death while you try to find the 'right' button with your thumb. Tap the screen in the bottom left corner, the left flipper(s) go off. Tap the screen in the bottom right corner, the right flipper(s) go off. Simple, right?

freebie

Zen Pinball HD comes free with a pretty fun game called Sorcerer's Lair (seen above). If you manage to get a ball up to the sorcerer, he vaporizes it with, I'm assuming, sorcery. There are multi-ball portions once you've plugged enough balls into a particular hole (I know, I know, but you think of a better way to say it!). Ghosts appear at one point that you must defeat in a period of time for a bonus by rolling them over with the pinball. There are even some mini-games that I only half understand. Something about gears and a green ball? Anyway, for a free game, I haven't played a better mobile pinball app. 

this is how they getcha!

Although I'm sure it came as a great shock to you, dear readers, they also offer add-on tables for $1.99 each. I'm a Star Wars nut and I was unable to withstand the Dark Side. I was born the same week Star Wars Episode IV came out so I really didn't have a choice in the matter. I'm the definition of a Star Wars baby. Short story long, I bought the Episode V: Empire Strikes Back table and the Boba Fett table. All I've done is play these games for the last two weeks. I've turned off my 360 just to play this game, which is rare for me with mobile apps. Zen Pinball also offers Star Wars: The Clone Wars for fans of the newer movies. I probably enjoyed them more than most people, but even a die-hard fan like me knows the first three movies were better.

They also boast several tables based on Marvel characters including Thor, Wolverine, the Hulk (or the Credible In-Honk as I referred to him at the tender age of 3), X-Men, Avengers, Captain America, Ghost Rider, and then a few others I didn't recognize. My point is, you could end up blowing almost fifty dollars on tables if your habit is bad enough. I may end up grabbing Wolverine and Hulk once I've mastered Empire and Boba Fett.

episode V: the empire strikes back

The Empire Strikes Back table has tons of references to the consensus best of the Star Wars films. If you manage to put the pinball through a door in the middle of the table five times, one for each letter (V-A-D-E-R), Darth will rise up out of the table and roll off quotes from the movie. "Join me, and together we can rule the universe as father and son." If you hit the pinball at him, he quickly dispatches it with his light saber. 

If you manage to hit certain spots enough times, you're offered six different story lines that bring up memorable parts of the movie. One scene brings out asteroids and two tie fighters that fly around shooting at your pinball. Another has Yoda training Luke by doing a handstand while lifting rocks with the Force. A third brings out a storm trooper who fires at your ball with a blaster. For fans of the movie, each one brings back fond memories of George Lucas' classic film. On top of that, it's a top-notch pinball game that's as good as any real-world table that I've played. 

boba fett

The Boba Fett table could also be called Return of the Jedi, although there are a few quotes sampled from Episodes I-III. At the top of the table is the Sarlacc pit. Shooting three balls into Slave I, Boba Fett's ship, will bring on multi-ball. You start the game with one missile, but by increasing your score you can gain more. These are fired by Boba Fett at one of the "job" spots. By hitting these you take on a bounty and have to hit specific spots to complete the job. 

Boba constantly flies around the table using his jetpack. He does his best to avoid being hit by the pinballs. He also fires at your ball as it rolls around the table, but unlike Vader's light saber, it doesn't destroy the balls. As you can see above, one of the "spinners" on the table is Han Solo frozen in carbonite as he appeared as Jabba's finest decoration in his palace. Jabba sits in the upper-right corner of the table and also appears in a cutscene when you're given a bounty job, again drawing direct connections with Return of the Jedi. I still haven't managed to get the Sarlacc pit to pull Fett down as it is doing in the above picture, but I'm not going to stop until I get it to happen! 

the breakdown

I'm not the biggest mobile gamer in the world. I usually prefer my Xbox 360 to my GS3 for gaming, for obvious reasons. The Samsung has a nice, big screen, but it pales in comparison to my 50-inch HDTV, nevermind the difference in controller abilities. However, every once in a while a mobile title grabs a hold of me and won't let go. Zen Pinball HD, especially the Star Wars tables, have done just that. I'm a big fan of real-world pinball and I plan to have several tables in my house once I'm rich and famous. Until that day comes, Zen Pinball HD is a pretty good substitute. If you're looking for a fun mobile option other than Angry Birds and Temple Run, try out the Zen Pinball HD free table. But don't come crying to me if you end up spending a bunch of money on their other 22 pay tables. That's on you. 

the math

Objective score: 7/10

Bonuses: +1 for the realistic physics that recreate the experience of playing real-world pinball tables very well. +1 for such a large number of table options, especially the multiple Star Wars tables.

Penalties: -1 for charging two bucks for each new table. It's not that I don't think they're worth it. It's just a bit high when compared to the average price of most mobile titles, especially when you consider you can spend nearly $50 to buy all the available tables. I could see some mad parents out there reprimanding their kids when they get the phone bill.

Nerd coefficient: 8/10. Well worth your time and attention. 

Thursday Morning Superhero

 Feel free to call me out for not picking a book that was not as good, but this week in comics was simply too good to be true.  This week included The Walking Dead, Saga, Punk Rock Jesus, Mind MGMT, and the return of Locke and Key.  Throw that in with another installment of Batman from Scott Snyder and a new X-Men book headed by Brian Michael Bendis and you can't go wrong.  I really struggled narrowing it down to the top two books this week.  I feel good in my selection, but you could make an argument for any of this week's releases.  Hit me up at @newhousebailey on Twitter if you want to chime in with your take.

Pick of the Week:

Locke and Key: Omega #1 - This week is bittersweet for many Locke and Key fans, including myself.  If you have read any of the interviews with Joe Hill about this chapter in the story, then you know that even he doesn't know how things will end.  This unknown is both terrifying and exciting at the same time.  The book starts out with Bode, under control of Dodge, securing the shadow key before heading down into the cave.  Meanwhile, Scot Kavanaugh embarks on a senior project making a film about reflection.  Kinsey, even though she isn't a senior, and Tyler participate and shed even more light on their past and the events that have transpired to this point.  The juxtaposition of the sheer terror of a Dodge possessed Bode threatening to open the black door and the seniors preparing for an end of the year party really put the reader in an awkward position.  On one side it is refreshing to see the Locke children begin to come to grips with their haunting past and seem to reach a point of peace and happiness that hasn't been seen in the book.  On the other side, the ultimate destruction of everything is imminent and it doesn't appear that much will stand in Dodge's way.  The final panel is a chilling image of just how dire the situation is.  I sure hope that issue #2 comes out quick!  Time for another re-read of the entire series!  This issue also featured some fun cameos from both Joe Hill and Gabe Rodriguez.

Saga #7 - I struggle when I try to convey how brilliant this book is.  The humor and heart that Brian K. Vaughan is able to impart in his books is astounding.  This issue opens with an awkward confrontation between Alana and Marko's parents that ends with Alana left humiliated in a towel alone with her father-in-law. Marko and his mother leave the spaceship to save Izabel (who was banished by Marko's mother) and we learn a jaw-dropping secret about Marko's father.  I don't think I will ever have the ability to state how beautiful, funny, and suspense filled this book is.  Coupled with Fiona Staple's art, this is one of the must have titles of the year.


The Rest:

All-New X-men #1 - Brian Michael Bendis has been tasked with tackling the X-Men arc following the aftermath of the Phoenix incident.  With the rebirth of mutant-kind from Phoenix, Scott Summers, Magneto and Emma Frost are rounding up new mutants before the human authorities can get their hands on them.  The one downside, his exploits are being televised and there is concern this will impact human-mutant relations.  Hank McCoy is afraid that his next mutation is going to kill him and he wants to complete one more good deed before he dies.  This deed, travel back in time and bring the Scott Summers of the original X-Men to the present day for a pep talk with his new self.  Intriguing story line and solid first issue.  I'm in.

Batman #14 - As long as Scott Snyder is writing Batman I will be reading it.  The Court of Owls was amazing and Death in the Family is off to a fast and furious start.  Batman finally learns that Alfred is kidnapped, Commissioner Gordon is poisoned, and the Joker has vowed to kill the rest of the family using Batman himself.  This is going to be one hell of a ride.

Hoax Hunters #5 - As someone new to this title I found this book very enjoyable.  A simple, but fun story that introduces the reader to the Hoax Hunters world and what it entails.  We are provided the story of the Jersey Devil and how the Hoax Hunters team not only successfully swept that under the rug, but provided some back story on how Jack Lawson was really part of this team before he knew it.  Seems like a great starting point for new readers like myself.

Punk Rock Jesus #5 - With only one more issue left to go in Sean Murphy's epic tale of the second coming of Jesus, J2 is reunited with Thomas and the two begin to plot how to take down Slate and his cronies.   J2 and his punk band, the Flak Jackets won a Nobel Peace prize for their efforts furthering science and helping the poor.  Through a chilling flashback we learn why Thomas left the IRA and has such a soft spot for children.  This issue ends with the Flak Jackets embarking on a final show at Jerusalem.  Can't wait to see how this one ends!

Walking Dead #104 - Wow does Kirkman know how to keep the reader hooked.  Negan and his men drive triumphantly home and Rick is left with his group disappointed in his apparent surrender.  I don't know if anyone is as disappointed as Carl who attempts to take things into his own hands.  One thing is clear, this current arc is not going to end pretty. 

Mind MGMT #0 -In this one-shot, we are treated to Meru's investigation of Mind Management and we learn about past agents spanning all the way back to World War I.  There are whispers of Henry and the usual Mind Management psychic techniques.  Not my favorite issue of the bunch, but a fun issue nonetheless.  Matt Kindt continues to deliver a physical comic that is worth your money.  The watercolor format is simply stunning.  I can't wait for arc #2.

Jean Grey cannot be killed (for long)

Apparently Jean Grey will be coming back to life. Again. I've lost count on how many times this will make it. I really don't care either.

Jean Grey's new old costume

Granted, she's one of my favorite X-Men. But you know who else I liked? Ned Stark. And I'm cool with him being dead. I've accepted it. I've moved on.

Now, if it turns out that Jon Snow is actually dead I might barricade myself in my room with a few gallons of rocky road and many bottles of Jameson.