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By: Hess Sahlollbey
Since it began in 2010, Young Justice has been critically acclaimed and has garnered a passionate following. However, it wasn’t until Young Justice was added to Netflix at the start of February that the fandom has set the internet ablaze in a bid to push for a third season. When series creator Greg Weisman tweeted that Netflix was looking at viewing numbers to create a third season, I decided to pitch in and marathon it myself to help out with the campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMs6_QOV10g
The show aired on Cartoon Network until it was cancelled in 2013. The main characters of the show are a group of sidekicks attempting to separate from their mentors and prove themselves as superheroes. In the first season, Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, Artemis and Aqualad come together to form the eponymous team with Zatanna and Rocket joining them later on. The team works together under the authority of the Justice League to battle a team of super villains known only as “The Light.” In the second season, the series jumps forward five years as we’re introduced to an even larger and more diverse cast of heroes and villains.
While grounded somewhat in reality, the show still keeps things consistent with the traditional DC Universe continuity. If you’re not well versed in the rich history of DC Comics, the show will ease you into this world gently with plenty of explanations as well as thorough introductions to characters. Young Justice is also not afraid to explore the subjects that terrify adults. Whether it’s a father’s inability to protect his daughter from super villains, the terrors of parents being separated from their children, or a darker storyline of child abduction that involves non-consensual experimentation.
In addition to beautiful graphics, the show has a strong soundtrack that fits perfectly with the tone of the storyline. In fact, it won an Emmy for animation not long after its initial premiere.
It should be mentioned that the show is not without its controversies. In 2013, Paul Dini appeared on Kevin Smith’s podcast Fatman on Batman where he claimed that network executives cancelled it due to too many girls watching the show.
However, Greg Weiseman has stated on multiple occasions since then that the show was cancelled due to toy sales being too low to fund additional seasons. Whatever the reason may be, if there ever was a television show that could benefit from one more season, it’s Young Justice.
[UPDATE] : Almost nine months to the date after this article went live a third season was officially confirmed. WB Animation also announced that original producers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti have both returned and that production has already begun with a premiere date to be announced later.
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By: Joe Jodoin
This movie isn’t a groundbreaking artwork. It doesn’t subvert the audience’s perceptions of superhero archetype. It doesn’t even have a clever sense of humour or any breathtaking special effects. However, a Deadpool movie doesn’t have to have any of these qualities to be a success because that’s not why we love Deadpool. Deadpool is a foul-mouthed, juvenile sociopath, who takes nothing seriously and constantly breaks the fourth wall to let us know he is perfectly aware of what the audience is thinking. In that respect, Deadpool is exactly the kind of movie the character deserves.
I was first introduced to Deadpool just over 10 years ago, when I began reading X-Men comic books. He was never my favorite character, but he was the kind of character that provided essential comic relief through the use of meta-humor that I found myself craving when the drama of the more serious superhero epics got overwhelming. Right now we live in an age of Hollywood cinema where most audience members consider dark and grounded to be essential characteristics of a good superhero movie. The miracle of Deadpool is that it has arrived at the perfect time; not only to provide much needed counter programing from your typical superhero movies that take themselves so seriously, but it reminds audiences that superheroes also have a fun side, providing escapism through high entertainment.
Deadpool’s character has always been someone people either love or hate and it has been largely due to this controversial sense of humor.
Deadpool has received a generally positive response from film critics, but occasionally gets criticized for being the exact film that it ridicules. It has one of the most typical superhero origin stories ever conceived, with an upbeat but tormented protagonist, and a one-dimensional villain with no character development. There is the standard love interest, standard comic relief and sidekick characters, and standard cameos from other superheroes that some fans will recognize from other movies.
The storylines shows that this typical narrative is so overused because it works. The villain is underdeveloped so the lovable hero can get more screen time; the love interest gives the film heart; the comic relief calms you down after a brutal torture scene or a draining action scene. It reminds us that the reason superheroes exist is to provide escapism from daily life, and Deadpool is its ultimate manifestation.
The actors all do a fantastic job, espectially Ryan Reynolds, who was born to play Deadpool. He has previously tried to play other comic book characters such as Hannibal King or Green Lantern and has been perfectly serviceable, but his performance as Deadpool ranks among the greats such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, or Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Stefan Kapicic as Colossus was another major standout of the film. The character of Colossus has already been featured in three other X-Men movies, but on none of those occasions was he ever done justice. In Deadpool, he is portrayed as a big brother-like figure to the other X-men, who also has a heart under his shiny metal exterior.
The movie’s lewd sense of humour is another defining aspect, although whether it is a good or bad thing will be up to the individual viewer. Deadpool’s character has always been someone people either love or hate and it has been largely due to this controversial sense of humor.
Overall, this movie isn’t perfect, but I loved every single scene. You can pick apart this movie for things like its cheap special effects, countless dick jokes, or lack of originality, but those are exactly what make this the perfect Deadpool movie.
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
While we might still be over a month away from seeing Superman and Batman together for the first time on the big screen, a team-up of more epic proportions is already playing out in the pages of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 on the verge of release later this year, the recently released six-part monthly miniseries also figures as an excellent appetizer to whet your appetite on.
The story begins in Gotham City where evil ninjas from the Foot Clan have been committing raids on scientists and researchers. Somehow they’ve crossed over to another dimension and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are hot on their trail. The Batman of Gotham might not be able to get along with the TMNT, but they’re all going to have to work together if they’re going to stop Shredder, Killer Croc and a host of other villains who have also teamed up to threaten the fabric of reality.
Written by long-time Batman scribe James Tynion IV, I knew that the properties were in the hands of a more than talented writer. The same can also be said of star artist Freddie Williams II. While I’m personally not a fan of his writing, his work in Robin, Captain Atom and authoring the phenomenal DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics meant that the project was in competent hands. However, I was still sceptical and feared that I wouldn’t enjoy the serious; fortunately, I was wrong on both fronts. Not only is the characterization fully intact for the Dark Knight, but the wacky antics of the Ninja Turtles allows the two groups to have excellent chemistry as their conflicts progress.
Seeing the serious and gritty Batman deal with the immature Michelangelo, the temperamental Raphael or even the nerdy Donatello more than validates the cost of admission for this series. Freddie Williams II style of art makes this series fall perfectly in line with the 1980’s TMNT TV series and James Tynion IV keeps thing simple with a plot that’s not too convoluted. The Sci-Fi elements of how the Turtles ended up in Batman’s universe is played down to ensure a more fun book with witty dialogue.
The plot however is not without its faults. Too often, James IV takes his time and far too frequently bogs down the narrative by having overly long segments of narration and inner-monologue. This is in stark contrast to the sense of urgency that the Turtles have to return to their own world and creates a very choppy pace.
On the surface, this crossover seems like the kind of fantasy we all had growing up. Reading this story instantly created a sense of nostalgia, taking me back to elementary school where Batman and the Ninja Turtles reigned supreme in the thoughts and dialogues of my friends. I could never have imagined how well the crossover could be done, especially since I can vividly remember the TMNT/Power Rangers TV Special from 18 years ago.
This a golden age to be a fan of comics. We have the privilege of seeing the characters we loved as children reach greater and greater heights in contemporary pop culture. So far, three issues have been released with a trade paperback containing the whole story scheduled for mid-July.
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
Mired in controversy from the moment it was first announced, including a petition from “One Million Moms” to have the series removed from television, Lucifer is finally here. And while it’s not the first crime procedural to feature the occult, it’s definitely the most stylish thanks in large part to its title character.
Fox’s new series Lucifer is based off Mike Carey’s comic-book series, Lucifer. The Lucifer comic, a spinoff of Neil Gaiman’s depiction of the devil in The Sandman, was published under DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. Much like Netflix’s Jessica Jones, Lucifer is inspired by the source material and isn’t a direct adaptation à la Walking Dead.
What if the devil got tired of reigning over all of hell and damnation and decided to take a vacation? That’s the basic premise of the show as we get to see how things unfold for him. Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) decides to relocate to the City of Angels and open his own piano bar called Lux. However everything changes for Lucifer when a friend from his past gets gunned down in his arms outside of his night club. He then teams up with Detective Chloe Dancer (Lauren German) to solve crimes and bring criminals to justice by using his supernatural powers.
If this all seems ridiculous, it’s because it is.
They managed to pull it all off by perfectly casting Welsh actor Tom Ellis in the title role. The writing of this character, combined with Ellis’ devilishly charming performance is what makes this series so great. Viewers begin to sympathize with the devil as his character slowly evolves and faces an existential crisis. He just oozes swagger and charisma and right away we learn that the big skill that’s helped him become such a success in our realm: he’s able to make people confess their darkest desires. This adds a fun motif to the show as people blurt out what they want or are thinking to him.
Lucifer is also a very stylish show. The direction is awesome and so is the soundtrack selection and set design. The opening shot of Lucifer in his convertible was perfectly set to Cage the Elephant’s devil-themed “Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked.” Combined with scenes of Lucifer in his bar drinking and playing the piano, the whole presentation really gives the viewer a good sense of who Lucifer is. It’s also very effective at setting the series’ mischievous tone.
However, as bold as Fox was to raise a little hell and have a series with Satan as the main character, I’m disappointed that they stuck to the case-of-the-week crime procedural format. The first case Lucifer solves is enjoyable, but the mystery was still paper-thin.
While it’s fun to see Lucifer use his supernatural powers to get what he wants, the secondary characters are shallow. Detective Chloe Dancer is still your typical no-nonsense tightwad who’s been paired up with a more eccentric character. Chloe may have a fun and unconventional back story, but I fear that her relationship with Lucifer may be played too safely as the series continues. Also bogging down the series is Archangel Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) who occasionally pops up trying to convince Lucifer to go back to hell. His performance is stiff and a real detriment to the narrative. I can’t help but wonder if the show would have been better by simply having Lucifer gallivant in L.A. without all of the police work.
Taking into consideration the ongoing success of DC’s other comic-book shows, it’s safe to assume that they’re going to continue adapting more comics to TV. Lucifer proves that there is room for not just one more comic book—based show, but for an occult mystery show that is accessible to viewers. However the success of this show boils down to whether or not Ellis’ Lucifer can bring some light to the tired crime procedural genre and be a hit.
Photo Credit: John Fleenor/ FOX
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By: Hess Sahlollbey
If Aziz Ansari’s specialty is discussing the problems facing millennials then Sina Grace proves to be the absolute master of drawing them out in his new graphic novel, Self-Obsessed. This especially rings true in the amazing way technology has transformed the way we, as a society, communicate with one another. We live in a world where, more often than not, rather than speak openly about what’s bothering us we would rather text about our problems. We communicate through short messages with our friends instead of talking about our problems with them in person. Sina Grace, however, bucks that trend completely. He doesn’t want to write or talk about his problems because, in his own words, he’d much rather draw them.
Taking more than a decade’s worth of doodles, drawings, essays and some new strips, Self-Obsessed by Grace is an unfiltered look at his psyche and insecurities. What truly makes his graphic novel striking is inclusion of his old work, in chronological order, with his new strips. The juxtaposition between the works he did early in his adolescence with the new material that he created for this graphic novel allows readers to effectively see not just Sina’s journey as a cartoonist, but also his coming of age.
And while some of his problems may have been difficult for this heterosexual reader to relate to, particularly the ones relating to Grace’s sex life, there was plenty that also echoed true for me. Self-Obsessed captures the emotional angst and turmoils that we’ll face at some point or another while we continue on this never ending process of “growing up.” This can best be seen in the way Grace’s art evolves in Self-Obsessed. I have to commend Grace for having the courage to open up, create and share this intimate work of art with us.
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