Writer: John Ridley Artist: Laura Braga Publisher: DC Comics I am pleased to report that issue #2 seems to have right the wrongs of the debut issue in virtually every way. It opens up like something you would expect from a “Year One” or “Year Two” graphic novel....
Fabian Wood
Fabian Wood
Hailing from the eastern-most Caribbean island of Barbados, Fabian Wood has long since been fascinated by the power of storytelling to inspire and invoke emotions – whether in film, comics or videogames. No longer content to be just an avid comic book reader and videogamer, he’s eager to exercise his literary acumen as an aspiring writer and reviewer.
Review: Future State- Green Lantern
Publisher: DC Comics The biggest problem with the “Green Lantern” mythos overall is that they just have too many concurrent members. At last count there are nine active human Green Lanterns. As such, unless you are in the Hal Jordan or John Stewart fan club, odds are...
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 15/ The Book of the Apocalypse (Chapter 1) – The Alpha
Episode 15: The Book of the Apocalypse (Chapter 1) – The AlphaDirected by: Salim AkilWritten by: Jan Nash As the penultimate episode of season 2, “The Alpha” leaves much to be desired, especially when compared to its superior predecessor in season one. One of its...
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 14/ The Book of Secrets (Chapter 4) – Original Sin
Episode 14: The Book of Secrets (Chapter 4) – Original SinDirected by: Oz ScottWritten by: Pat Charles & Keli Goff It’s hard not to spoil the big reveal at the opening of Original Sin, as it plays heavily into the first act of the final chapter of Book of Secrets....
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 13/ The Book of Secrets (Chapter 3) – Pillar of Fire
Episode 13: The Book of Secrets (Chapter 3) – Pillar of Fire Directed by: Robert Townsend Written by: Lamont Magee While “Pillar of Fire” does not technically leave much to be desired, I could not help but feel disappointed and underwhelmed. The episode busies itself...
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 12/ The Book of Secrets (Chapter 2) – Just and Unjust
Episode 12: The Book of Secrets (Chapter 2) – Just and UnjustDirected by: Jeff ByrdWritten by: Charles D Holland There are a lot of plates spinning in the penultimate episode of Black Lightning season 2. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem rushed or crowded in its execution;...
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 11/ The Book of Secrets (Chapter 1) – Prodigal Son
Episode 11: The Book of Secrets (Chapter 1) – Prodigal SonDirected by: Rob HardyWritten by: Pat Charles Functioning more as an epilogue to the previous episode, “Prodigal Son” opens with a lengthy monologue from Rev Jeremiah Holt (Clifton Powell) once again voicing...
Review-Black Lightning, S2, EP 10/ The Book of Rebellion (Chapter 3) – Angelitos Negros
Episode 10: The Book of Rebellion (Chapter 3) – Angelitos NegrosDirected by: Salim AkilWritten by: Jan Nash & J Allen Brown While the end of “Book of Rebellion” was inevitable, it was still a curiosity as to how effectively it would wrap up the arc, while setting...
Reign Of The Black Supermen
While not the first comic book character, Superman is unequivocally the father of and quintessential embodiment of the superhero. The innovation of writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster published in Action Comics #1 in 1938, fewer figures of fiction have had...
“Where’s my Black Shepherd?”
With the recent release of the crowdfunded beat’em up Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn on all major gaming platforms, itself a complete and satirical remake of the infamously terrible (ranked one of the worst video games of all time) Shaq Fu released decades ago in 1994...
Cloak & Dagger: Season One Recap Review
Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger is a maverick amongst its contemporaries. Rather than focus or relish on the surreal aspects and nuances of a superhero property, whether through a gritty and dark filter or through the vein of campy and upbeat – both bathed in elevated...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 10, Colony Collapse
Episode 10: Colony Collapse Directed by: Wayne Yip Written by: Joe Pokaski As predicted in my last review, our protagonists drastically reverse emotional gears from their destructive self-loathing to become the heroes they are meant to be; albeit spurred by the...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 9, Back Breaker
Episode 9: Back Breaker Directed by: Jeff Woolnough Written by: Niceole R Levy & Peter Calloway If there were two words to summarize the feeling and tone of “Back Breaker” it would be hopelessness and futility, which are deliberate choices here. Tandy quickly spirals...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 8, Ghost Stories
Episode 8: Ghost Stories Directed by: Alex Garcia Lopez Written by: Christine Boylan & Jenny Klein “Ghost Stories” focuses on the eight-year anniversary of the tragic Roxxon off-shore platform explosion that took Tandy’s father and Tyrone’s older brother. Naturally,...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 7, Lotus Eater
Episode 7: Lotus Eater Directed by: Paul Edwards Written by: Joe Pokaski & Peter Calloway This may not be the team up we have been anticipating from this series’ inception, but the fact it happens at all is satisfactory enough. And while the immediate stakes are a...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 6, Funhouse Mirrors
Episode 6: Funhouse Mirrors Directed by: Jennifer Phang Written by: J Holtham & Jenny Klein Not taking the episode’s name for granted, Tyrone and Tandy get a glimpse – through those they primarily interact with here – of how their lives may have turned out had it not...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 5, Princeton Offense
Episode 5: Princeton Offense Directed by: Ry Russo-Young Written by: Niceole R Levy & Koe Pokaski Whatever microbial progress gleaned from “Princeton Offense” is drowned out by a tortuous plot that saps any enthusiasm or intrigue out of this series and its main...
Review/ Harbinger Wars 2 #2
Written By: Matt Kindt Art By: Tomas Giorello with Renato Guedes Colors By: Diego Rodriguez Letters By: Dave Sharpe Publisher: Valiant Entertainment Rating: 12+ Only The power players in the Valiant Universe begin to move like chess pieces in the opening game, as...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 4, Call/Response
Episode 4: Call/Response Directed by: Ami Canaan Mann Written by: Christine Boylan & Marcus J. Guillory It would be easy to write off “Call/Response” as jarringly fragmented in its overall momentum, as the entire episode is split throughout between three different...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 3-Stained Glass
Episode 3: Stained Glass Directed by: Peter Hoar Written by: Ariella Blejer & Dawn Kamoche (story) / Peter Calloway (teleplay) Three episodes in and to say that Cloak & Dagger is unorthodox in their interpretation of this superhero property remains an understatement....
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 2/ Suicide Sprints
Episode 2: Suicide Sprints Directed by: Alex Garcia Lopez Written by: Joe Pokaski Episode two transitions immediately after the revelation of Cloak and Dagger’s once dormant dark and light powers. While the pacing has not much improved over the premier episode, that...
Review-Cloak and Dagger, Episode 1/ First Light
Episode 1: First Light Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood Written by: Joe Pokaski Having been inundated with comic book-based and superhero-themed TV shows within the last decade, it is incredible that there seems to be no end to this seeming inexhaustible well of...