Comic Book Reviews for December 23, 2015
The holidays may be upon us, but the comic book industry certainly didn't take the week off. This week both Marvel and DC launched several new series (including Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Last Gang in Town and Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat!) while also giving us new chapters of The Dark Knight III and the Star Wars: Vader Down crossover. Meanwhile, IDW kicked off a new Rocketeer comic while Dark Horse's Fight Club sequel wowed us once again.
Just a note - because of the holidays we'll be publishing a lighter review load this week and next, but we'll be back in full force in January.
DC COMICS
10 Coolest Star Wars: The Force Awakens Easter Eggs
The new Star Wars movie is here and it’s packed with tons of Easter eggs, references and cameos. Here are the 10 coolest things we found in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens!
On the Millennium Falcon, there’s a few throwbacks to A New Hope.
Rey and Finn hide under the floor just like the crew did when the ship was captured by the Death Star.
Dark Horse to Publish Fire Emblem: Awakening Art Book
Darkhouse Comics has announced that it will publish The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening in August 2016. This comes years after Darkhorse published The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, another collector's book dedicated to a Nintendo title.
In this behind the scenes book, you'll find illustrated renditions of Fire Emblem characters, storyboards for in-game events, character designs, weapon designs, character profiles, and the whole script, with all possible dialogue branches.
Fire Emblem: Awakening was released in 2013, and its follow up, Fire Emblem: Fates, will be released in the US on February 4. The newest in the series will be available with three playable campaigns. We learned in November that a special collector's edition with all three will cost $80 USD, and include an art book and a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch adorned with game art.
Johnny Depp Tagged as Most Overpaid in Hollywood
Johnny Depp has been named the most overpaid actor of 2015 by Forbes.
The Hollywood film star took the number one spot on Forbes' list, thanks to his roles in a pair of box office flops, having played Lord Charlie in the underwhelming comedy Mortdecai and Dr. Will Caster in Transcendence. In fact, the Depp's latest films returned only $1.20 for every $1 he earned.
Behind Depp is Denzel Washington, who returned $6.50 for every $1 he was paid. Following closely thereafter in third is Will Ferrell whose return wasn't much better, generating $6.80 for each $1 he earned.
Deadpool: New Colossus Actor on Playing Iconic Role
Deadpool has a new Colossus and actor Stefan Kapicic recently talked to Entertainment Weekly about playing the iconic Russian X-Man.
Kapicic, who has starred in several TV roles, including 24 and The Event, was a late replacement for actor Andre Tricoteux. The self-professed “big comic book geek” told EW he didn’t know the role he was auditioning for in Deadpool, a role he couldn’t tell anyone about.
“It was such a top secret project from the beginning that I didn’t even know what I was auditioning for. It was only after the second round of casting that some of the names were revealed and I figured it out immediately, so it was a much bigger deal for me because I am such a huge fan,” the actor said. “I was reeling with excitement from that last week in L.A., but I couldn’t tell anyone about Colossus!”
All the DC Movies Heroes and Villains
The DC Extended Universe is about to get a whole lot bigger. What started simply enough with a few Easter eggs in Man of Steel referencing Wayne Enterprises, LexCorp and (possibly) Supergirl will soon expand to include a new version of Batman played by Ben Affleck and a whole host of other heroes and villains.
The next movie up is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which will introduce Affleck's caped crusader, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and a giant CG Doomsday. Then in August Suicide Squad will blow the doors off the DCEU, adding Jared Leto's Joker, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Will Smith as Deadshot and many, many more.
10 Great Netflix Stand-Up Comedy Specials
Stand-up comedy is one of life’s greatest gifts. There is always an abundance of it and there is a comedian that speaks to everyone. Whether your sense of humor is broad or specific, high-brow or low-brow, there’s a stand-up special out there that will grab you and stay in your quotable vernacular for years.
While Comedy Central and HBO have long been known for breaking new comedians with their stand-up specials, Netflix has recently entered the arena alongside their scripted programming. With less of a need to appeal to a large audience, the Netflix Original Stand-Up Specials are today’s best comedians being 100% themselves.
Here are 10 worth checking out...
Chris Tucker’s 2015 Netflix special isn’t the most ground breaking piece of stand-up that we’ve ever seen – nor is it even Tucker’s best – but Chris Tucker Live earns a spot on this list simply for bringing Tucker back into our lives after a long absence. Save for a couple of movies and hosting gigs since 2001’s Rush Hour 2, Tucker has scarcely appeared with new material.
The Dark Knight III’s ‘Master Race’ Revealed
Today's new issue of The Dark Knight III shed more light on the overarching conflict of the series and what the titular "Master Race" actually is.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #2!
This issue opens with Commissioner Yindel interrogating Carrie Kelly, who briefly took up the mantle of Batman in issue #1 before being taken down by an army of cops. Carrie followed up on the surprising revelation that Bruce Wayne is dead, relating to Yindel the sad story of Bruce Wayne's final days.
Sinister’s Plan Revealed in Extraordinary X-Men
Today's new issue of Extraordinary X-Men revealed more about what role Mister Sinister has to play in the growing conflict between mutants and Inhumans.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Extraordinary X-Men #4!
Previous issue of the series have dealt with the fact that the mutant race is once again facing extinction thanks to the effects of the Terrigen Mist cloud circling the globe. Ever the geneticist, Sinister is busy tinkering away with new mutant specimens. The villain revealed to a captive Colossus that his goal is to help the mutant race win its genetic war against the Inhumans by creating mutants immune to the effects of the Terrigen Mists. In effect, he's created a new race of mutant/Inhuman hybrids.
Destiny Players to Get Free Gifts for the New Year
The year is coming to an end, and in celebration, Bungie is giving away free loot to Destiny players.
Come January 7, all players will receive 15 strange coins and 15 motes of light. You can use these coins like currency in Destiny, and as Bungie writes, "buy something nice from Xûr with those coins, but don’t spend all your motes to upgrade one item." Visit the postmaster after January 7 and he'll have your packages for you. Bungie will provide an update in January to remind you about the gifts.
The company is also encouraging Destiny fans to play after the new year, offering an exclusive emblem to players who log on from January 7 to January 10. Bungie notes that you should "complete a playable activity" so that you'll be tracked. The emblems will be distributed on January 12 to those who've participated.