Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – The Fall of Asgard

“And while all of those warriors so vainly defended Odin, they never considered the unthinkable. What if he never woke up again?”

While the first set of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes episodes knocked my socks off, I have to be honest in saying that the seconds half of the first season has left me somewhat cold. Lackluster stories and a lack of momentum have kept these few installments from having the same impact as the previous ones. However, all of that is forgiven now that we have the finale to the first season upon us.

The Avengers cartoon debuted with a strong connection to the comic book source along with a few touches of inventiveness. While Iron Man battled a steady stream of super villains and evil organizations bent on world domination, Thor’s brother Loki wove a brilliant scheme. Upsetting the balance of power and stirring the tensions between Odin and Thor, Loki was exiled from Asgard just as his brother was sent to Midgard. Once on Earth, Thor was wrapped up in the task of rounding up the escaped criminals of the many super max prisons all over the world. Through the conflict a super team was assembled, dubbed the Avengers and devoted to defending the planet from threats that no single member could handle.

But Loki was never one to do anything without much forethought. Using the Enchantress to assemble a group of super powered villains, the newly founded Avengers found a suitable opposing force in the Masters of Evil. All the while, Loki’s plot to steal the power from his step-father Odin bore fruit. Thor and the Avengers attempted to travel to Asgard to wrest control from Loki, but far too late. Separated from his hammer Mjolnir, Thor is forced to watch as Loki achieves the unthinkable and mighty Asgard falls around them.

The first part of a two hour story, The Fall of Asgard is simply wonderful. Brimming over with action sequences, the brisk thirty minute episode separates the team into six distinct stories; Hawkeye fights the wolves of Loki, the Hulk battles trolls with a mystical axe, the Black Panther is threatened by unearthly spirits, Giant Man battles Frost Giants while Wasp lies wounded, Captain America finds himself confronted by ghosts from the past urging him to accept death and Iron Man faces Ulik with only a single malfunctioning repulsor blaster.

Like the best of the last set of episodes, The Fall of Asgard feels just like an epic comic book adventure a full year in the making. For the uninitiated, this is exactly how stories like Secret Invasion, Siege and Fear Itself are like for comic book readers. An adventure full of side stories, some great character moments (Cap’s confrontation with the dead of Hel along with Hawkeye’s determination against the wolves are good examples), over the top action, heroes out of their depth facing impossible odds (Tony Stark’s battle with Ulik is just epic)… it’s just great stuff.

All of the action comes to a head this Sunday, so set your DVR’s accordingly.

This Sunday, the first season of “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!” reaches its epic climax with a special 90-minute event! It’s all led to this as the Avengers face Loki for the fate of Earth in their biggest battle yet. Don’t miss the 90-minute “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!” event beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Disney XD this Sunday, June 26, and check back to Marvel.com every day this week for more Avengers goodies!

Captain America's shield... shattered!

Available for purchase:

Marvel The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Vol. 1

Marvel The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Vol. 2

Avengers Prime

Avengers, Vol. 1

Secret Avengers, Vol. 1: Mission to Mars

Avengers Assemble, Vol. 1

First look at Robin in Batman: Arkham City

Robin's First Appearance

Created back in 1939, Batman was a dark lone avenger of the night, a brooding detective and crime fighter dueling with twisted criminals and evil geniuses. About a year later, Dick Grayson debuted as Robin. The surviving member of a family trapeze act in the circus, Grayson was taken in by Bruce Wayne and trained to focus his rage into as weapon as Robin, the Boy Wonder.

The character of Robin was seen as a through-line for kids reading the comic books at the time. The publisher felt that playboy Bruce Wayne was too adult for young readers and that a younger side-kick might cause them to closely associate with Robin and imagine fighting alongside their hero, Batman. Fans are understandably split on the opinion, but Robin is as much a part of the Batman mythos as the Joker and Two-Face. When Grayson grew older, he split from his mentor to lead the Teen Titans. Looking to develop his own identity, he took on the name Nightwing and a newly designed costume.

A family member and partner gone, Batman recruited a new Robin, the wild and rebellious Jason Todd. A self-destructive and stubborn young punk, Todd was very different from Grayson and his actions led to his death at the hands of the Joker. Reeling out of control, Batman attempted to go on without a Robin, but was watched in his mental decline by Tim Drake, an aspiring detective and acrobat. Drake presented himself to Batman as a necessary replacement for Todd’s Robin and much to his own chagrin, the dark knight took yet another protege. Drake is a far more disciplined and cool-headed crime-fighter in comparison to Jason Todd and has been very successful as both Robin and his later moniker, the Red Robin.

News of Robin’s inclusion in the hotly anticipated Batman: Arkham City comes via MTV Multiplayer:

Robin from the upcoming Batman: Arkham City video game

We already know that Catwoman is a playable character in “Batman: Arkham City.” Now, it looks like The Boy Wonder himself is set to make an appearance in Rocksteady’s follow-up to their fantastic 2009 game, “Batman: Arkham Asylum.” While Catwoman is built right into the game, there’s a bit of a catch if you want to play as Robin right away: you’re going to have to pre-order the game from Best Buy. Holy retailer incentives, Batman.Retailer incentives – store-exclusive game features and characters – have become a bit of the norm these days. Of course, a lot of those exclusives are eventually put up for sale on your digital marketplace of choice, and Shack News has confirmed through Warner Bros. that Robin will eventually be available to everyone.

I should probably mention that this particular Robin is the Tim Drake version of the sidekick. For those of you who may be less familiar with Batman comic lore, Drake was the third boy to fill the red and green costume. The first Robin, Dick Grayson, grew up to become his own superhero, Nightwing. The second Robin, Jason Todd, was killed by the Joker after DC Comics held a telephone poll allowing readers to decide his fate (seriously, people hated Jason Todd). He eventually was resurrected – what do you want, it’s a comic book – and became the Red Hood. That leads us to Tim Drake, who remained as Robin for nearly 20 years before breaking out on his own as Red Robin in 2009.

Batman: Arkham City – trailer

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The “Arkham City” Robin package – you’ll get a download code with your Best Buy pre-ordered game – also includes a Red Robin skin. While I haven’t seen the Red Robin skin in particular, if it sticks close to the comic it will look a bit closer to Batman’s suit (black cowel, cape, and a red suit underneath with the Red Robin logo on the chest). Robin is playable in two challenge modes, Black Mask Hideout and Freight Train Escape. Both levels are available to everyone, but only playable as Robin with the Best Buy pre-order.

Paul McGann stars in Doctor Who spin-off The Minister of Chance

A character first introduced in the 2001 streaming multimedia project Doctor Who – Death Comes to Time, the Minister of Chance, rival Time Lord played by Stephen Fry stole the show from both Sylvester McCoy and John Sessions. One of the few survivors from The Second War in Heaven (a conflict between the Time Lords and the Great Vampires/Yssgaroth), The Minister of Chance gained a strong support base from Whovians in hope of seeing or hearing from the character again.

Almost eleven years later, the follow up is here and has received roaring support and glowingly positive early reviews.

The accolades are many and from the most popular of cult sources:

“Ambitious and innovative…excellent production that creates vivid, evocative soundscapes that drive forward the mood and suspense….gripping.”
Elisabeth Mahoney The Guardian

“…terrific…put me in mind somehow of Iain M Banks’ science fiction. The acting was great… a wonderful cast…the production values were inventive and pin-sharp.”
Warren Ellis Writer, The Authority / Planetary / Red

“…is there even a way to begin describing the quality of the soundtrack? Every review of The Minister of Chance works out the same: it’s fantastic… the actors are brilliant…the story is gripping…this pioneering radiophonic drama has us spellbound.”
10th Planet, Life the Universe and…

The Minister of Chance is a new form of entertainment – a radiophonic drama – made using a combination of film and radio techniques and delivered by podcast. It is the first, but we hope not last, of its kind. By painstakingly constructing soundscapes we create worlds that you can drift into wherever you are.

The production is funded entirely by you. By buying the episodes and merchandise you are actively allowing us to complete the series.

The series will run in seasons of six episodes. The first two episodes and a prologue have been made and the remaining episodes and seasons will be created when we have enough sales to allow us to make them.

The production stars accomplished actor Julian Wadham as the lead character, and several luminaries of cult science fiction including Paul McGann (The Eighth Doctor) as ambassador Durian, Sylvester McCoy (The Seventh Doctor) as Witch Prime, Paul Darrow (Avon from Blake’s 7) as General Lord Rathen and Jenny Agutter (Logan’s Run) as Professor Cantha.

Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann in the studio

But don’t take my word for how great this project is, give the prologue a listen.
Prologue- Ambassador Durian of Sezuan (Paul McGann) is despatched to the primitive backwater of Tanto to engage in diplomacy with The King (Mark Lewis). However, The King is unimpressed by Durian’s offers of friendship, and things take an altogether sinister turn.

For more information, please visit the official site of The Minister of Chance.

Howard Chaykin takes the Avengers back to 1959

Recently referred to as ‘the Jewish rick god of comics’ by Brian Michael Bendis, Howard Chaykin is one of the modern masters of the medium. From American Flagg to Blade to the Shadow and Black Kiss, he has dipped his pen into various genres, but retained that distinctive style each time. When Bendis and Chaykin teamed up to present readers with an alternate Avengers team assembled by Nick Fury in 1959, readers were confused but excited nonetheless. It was unclear how the flashback story fit into modern continuity, but damn if it wasn’t fun!

This October Chaykin will deliver the goods once again as he turns back the clock to a different era before the Avengers formed at Stark Mansion and instead operated as a covert ops team consisting of the unlikeliest of characters.

Avengers 1959

Marvel Comics fans know the original “Avengers” line-up first assembled on a day unlike any other. Readers of “New Avengers” know that fateful day may have come much earlier than anyone originally believed. In the series’ recently completed “Infinity” arc writer Brian Michael Bendis told a story set in the present with the book’s present day members illustrated by Mike Deodato, and a story set in the past featuring art by Howard Chaykin. The story set in the past took place in 1959, and in it the U.S. President tasked war hero Nick Fury with creating a special “Avengers Initiative,” a team of highly skilled and super powered operatives that would take on secret missions. Over the course of the five-issue storyline, Fury assembled his team and led them on their first assignment, to shut down a secret Nazi cabal attempting to create their own Captain America.

This fall, Fury and his team return for another action-packed, top-secret mission in the five-issue “Avengers 1959” miniseries written and drawn by Chaykin. CBR News spoke with him about the project beginning in October.

“Infinity” originally came about because Chaykin approached Bendis with the idea of doing a Nick Fury story in a context similar to the AMC television series “Mad Men.” The idea grew and eventually became part of a “New Avengers” arc, but Chaykin felt the story worked out beautifully. It featured a large cast of interesting characters, and Nick Fury was still front and center for all the action. That suited Chaykin just fine because the writer/artist is a longtime fan of the character. His past Nick Fury stories include books like 1976’s “Marvel Spotlight” #31 where Chaykin teamed with writer Jim Starlin to tell a story that introduced the concept of the Infinity Formula, the secret chemical concoction that keeps Fury young. There is also 1989’s “Wolverine/Nick Fury,” an original graphic novel by Chaykin and writer Archie Goodwin that brought Fury face to face with Mikel, the son he never knew he had.

It comes as no surprise that Chaykin is very excited to be writing Nick Fury again, especially the 1959 incarnation of the character. “I was born in 1950. My older relatives were all vets of either the Second World War and or Korea. It really did inform the life we lived. I was nine years old in 1959 and aware and reading comics. So to a certain extent I’ve kind of become the go-to guy in comics in general for period material because I seem to have a pretty good handle on conveying visually and textually a sensibility that’s markedly different from contemporary senses,” Chaykin told CBR News. “What it is about Fury that I like, is that he really is a guy who is old enough to have genuinely experienced the horror of the Second World War and young enough to still be active and vital at this point. And for me it wasn’t just because he looked like him, but my backstory in my head for Fury, because of where he was born and raised, is that in another universe he would have been Burt Lancaster.

“Lancaster was a guy who was born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan who became an acrobat in a circus and ultimately moved from that into heroic movie roles and then became a great character actor. Fury is a guy who is a product of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He’s a Yancy Street guy in the most basic way. I really like that aspect of this guy. He’s a New Yorker born and bred whose seen the world and has a world view that’s both global and local,” Chaykin continued. “The story that Brian and I told took place before Fury became a super spy. In that story, and in this one as well, you’re seeing Nick Fury stepping up to the plate to become the guy we know he’s going to become.”

Nick Fury isn’t the only member of the 1959 Avengers with a special place in Chaykin’s heart. Chaykin created Dominic Fortune and introduced him in in the pages of the black and white Marvel Magazine “Marvel Preview” #2 in 1975. Before his most recent return to the character with “Infinity,” Chaykin wrote and drew a four-issue “Dominic Fortune” miniseries for Marvel’s MAX imprint.

“I always figured that Fortune was a couple years older than Fury. In my head, Fortune served in the Spanish Civil War. If I ever get a chance to do another Fortune miniseries I’d love to show his experiences during that conflict,” Chaykin remarked. ” And again, like Fury, he’s a New Yorker. Unlike Fury though, he fled New York and built a new life and identity for himself in California. So by the time we meet him again in ’59 he’s a bit more weathered, a bit more cautious than he would have been in the ’30s and ’40s, and has a more sanguine view of life. Perhaps he’s more fatalistic.”

In “Infinity” Fortune was the second person Nick Fury recruited for his Avengers team. His first was Wolverine’s savage arch-enemy, Sabretooth, and Sabretooth wouldn’t be the only recruit with a primal edge. The team also included Spider-Man’s foe Kraven the Hunter and his girlfriend at the time, Namora of the “Agents of Atlas.” In “Avengers 1959” Chaykin will explore the dynamic between these three fierce characters.

“These were the characters that were handed to me, and in that first story we hinted at some bad blood between Kraven and Sabretooth. As we speak I’m working on the panel break downs for issue #4. I did a sequence that directly addresses some of that,” Chaykin explained. “It was one of those moments where I’m flying by the seat of my pants and wondering how I’m going to solve this problem and it was like ‘O’Brien to Ryan to Goldberg.’ It’s like a triple play. It started with this, goes here, and then boom! The tag line is sort of Namora’s dismissive, ‘Whatever, he’ll get over it.’ So there is that. You’ve got those three characters who are barely contained by civilization.”

—————-

“Avengers 1959” picks up a few weeks after the end of the “Infinity” arc in “New Avengers” and finds the titular team pursuing a different target. “They’re not after the Red Skull this time. Basically they’re up against that nascent network of post-World War II fascist villains that’s slowly coming together,” Chaykin said. “There’s also a third party, which I will not go into, that is instrumental in stirring up a storm between our heroes and those villains. That sort of complicates things radically.”

Chaykin ultimately wants “Avengers 1959” to be a project where the story and art combine to deliver an epic, action-packed, character-driven, tale. “For me it’s basically punching, killing, and explosions. People always assume I’m a huge pulp fan and I’m really not. My familiarity with pulp stuff is actually limited. I have to do research on that as much as anything else,” the writer/artist remarked. “I’d certainly say there’s no dearth of action. If you found that atmosphere from the ‘New Avengers’ story appealing, there’s plenty of that too because this is what I like to do; character moments and action. What could be better?”

(full article at CBR.com)

Everything changes in October with X-Men Regenesis

From Messiah CompleX to Nation X to Schism, the X-Men have not had an easy time of things. After establishing a new home on the fallen Asteroid M called Utopia, the team has become a haven for lost mutants and an uneasy one at that. After kicking his former mentor off of the island, Scott Summers has taken the weight of the entire mutant race on his shoulders. Magneto, returned from space and again possessing his mastery of magnetism has joined the team much to the chagrin of many members. The loss of Nightcrawler has hit them hard, but not as much as the uncertainty of their future.

It appears that the next stage will be a civil war between Wolverine and Cyclops (that’s been a long time coming) resulting in two distinct titles, taking the place of Uncanny X-Men and X-Men Legacy. Currently, the road to Schism is being paved that will lead to an all out civil war. Uncanny X-Men #1 by Kieron Gillen and Wolverine and the X-Men #1 by Jason Aaron will both debut in October.

Editor Nick Lowe was interviewed by ABC News about the upcoming changes and had a lot to say about the responsibility to dedicated readers and the reasoning behind the double reboot.

The Uncanny X-Men, soon to end in just a few more issues, won’t be gone for long. Two new titles will replace Marvel Comics’ longest-running current series in November as it draws a 48-year run to a close with issue No. 544.

Nick Lowe, who has edited the current series and Marvel’s X-Men related titles, said the logic of dividing the teams will become readily apparent as the divide between longtime leader Cyclops, aka Scott Summers, and his comrade but less than friend, Wolverine, aka Logan, see what’s left of their tenuous partnership shatter in the upcoming mini-series “X-Men: Schism.” It is being written by Jason Aaron.

“The best thing about this split is that the two books hit two very different chords. One is hardcore super hero action and the other is something else entirely that I can’t go too deep into without spoiling ‘Schism,'” Lowe said. “The best way I can describe it is a return to a structure that made the X-Men what it was.”

Kieron Gillen, who is writing the current “Uncanny X-Men” and will do the same for the new series, said much of what is to come will be laid out in the five-issue “Schism” story that comes out next month.

Though details of the story have been kept under wraps, Marvel has made no secret of the impact it will have on the X-Men and their friends.

“”The events in ‘Schism’ will cause a huge rift in the X-Men, the ripple effects of which will be felt in Marvel Universe,” Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso said. “In the course of this story, Cyclops and Logan will realize that there is no way for them to continue on the course they’ve been going — or, indeed, to even co-exist.”

Gillen said that “there’s no hope for a united team as long as they hold the beliefs they do. There’s also the chance the schism will make the individuals involved (never) look each other in the eye again.”

But readers may question the logic of ending the original series only to restart it a month later.

Alonso said it was not a decision taken lightly.

“Our long-time fans are very passionate — and we love them for it. To them, we promise that this is a story-based reason for ‘Uncanny’ to come to a close,” he said. “We promise that there will be a reason for each and every new issue No. 1 that hits stores in the near-future.”

Lowe called the move wholly rooted in the stories being told and those that are coming.

“Our reason for doing this is because this new ‘Uncanny X-Men’ series is a departure. It is no longer what ‘Uncanny X-Men’ was at its core,” he said. “It’s not your father’s ‘Uncanny X-Men.’ We are redefining what this book is and it necessitated this big of a statement.”

Alonso said it was not a hasty decision to end the current series and make room for two new ones.

“For five years, we’ve been getting our ducks in a row to prepare for ‘Schism,’ just as ‘Schism’ sets up a 2012 event that will have all eyes focused on the X-Men,” he said.

Ultimately, when “Schism” concludes, Alonso said that the survivors —whomever they may be — “will stare at each other across a philosophical chasm the size of the Grand Canyon. This is a war for the heart of the X-Men.”

This week at your comic shop – 6/22/2011

For the complete list of this week’s comics, click here.

Not sure where your local comic shop is? Try comicshoplocator.com!

(note: all information including ad copy is from the publisher)
If you can’t make it to the shop, just click on any of the images below to be taken to an online retailer. I don’t get any referrals for these sales, I’m just doing my bit to spread the word on some neat products

Moon Knight #1 (2nd Printing)

Moon Knight #1 (2nd Printing)
By: Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev
The wait is over! Moon Knight is here…like you’ve never seen him before!And we mean NEVER! The Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev tear into the mythos of Moon Knight with the same verve and derring-do they brought to Daredevil.

A MARVELOUS reinterpretation of one of the most enigmatic characters in Marvel history starts right here!

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John Byrne Next Men HC Vol. 01

John Byrne Next Men HC Vol. 01
By: John Byrne
A new chapter begins in the lives of the survivors of Project Next Men. New friends, new foes, and a tale that literally twists time itself out of joint.

When the thirty-issue story took a “time out” 15 years ago, it looked like John Byrne may never conclude his infectious tale. But now, after a long wait, we’ll learn what happened that fateful night when Santhana’s master plan took shape within the walls of the White House.
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X-Men Age Of X HC

X-Men Age Of X HC
By: Mike Carey, Simon Spurrier, Leinil Yu
In a world where the X-Men never existed and mutantkind has been hunted to extinction, the few remaining mutants have banded together to make their last stand. They spend each day securing the walls of their stronghold, Fortress X, beating back the anti-mutant forces who would see them wiped out. But when a conspiracy is discovered within Fortress X itself, could it be that mutantkind’s last bastion will crumble from the inside out? And when the dust settles? No one will be left unscathed.

Plus: The Avengers, a team of heroes and heroines united against the mutant threat, have been ordered to hunt down Magneto and his army of fugitive mutants. But when the team is given a license to kill, not every member is up to the task. Who will kill, and who will be killed? You may just be surprised. Also featuring untold tales from the Age of X!

This title collects
Collecting AGE OF X ALPHA, X-MEN LEGACY #245-247, NEW MUTANTS #22-24, AGE OF X UNIVERSE #1-2 and the AGE OF X HISTORICAL LOGS.
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First Wave HC

First Wave HC
By: Brian Azzarello, Rags Morales, Phil Noto, J. G. Jones
Doc Savage, struggling with the loss of his father, has been blind to the advances of an evil cabal bent on world domination – until now. Central City’s mysterious Spirit has caught wind of their plans as well. But whose side have the Blackhawks chosen? What is the Red Right Hand? And where is The Batman?

This title collects
FIRST WAVE #1-6 and BATMAN/DOC SAVAGE #1
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Thing Prem HC Liberty Legion

Thing Prem HC Liberty Legion
By: Roy Thomas, Jack Kirby
Move over Invaders: It’s the Liberty Legion, America’s home-front super heroes of World War II! Miss America! The Whizzer! Thin Man! Red Raven! And more! But when things get tough, they may need some help from the future in the form of the Thing and the Fantastic Four! When Nazis threaten to rule the world, the heroes scramble to save the day! Featuring the villainy of the Red Skull, Brain Drain, U-Man and more!

This title collects
INVADERS (1975) #5-6, MARVEL PREMIERE #29-30, FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #11, and MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #20 and ANNUAL #1

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Cousin Eerie Statue

Cousin Eerie Statue
We are shambling forward from our musty crypt with a fabulous companion piece to the Uncle Creepy statue–none other than his good pal Cousin Eerie. Is he a handsome guy or what?

Crafted by master sculptor Tony Cipriano, who coincidentally is often mistaken for Cousin Eerie when he makes convention appearances, this sinister–but–engaging statue is a genuine labor of love.

Be warned! No detail was suppressed. The statue captures Cousin Eerie warts and all!
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Secret Avengers #14

Secret Avengers #14
By: Nick Spencer, Scot Eaton, Adi Granov
I AM CAPTAIN AMERICA Variant by MIKE PERKINS FEAR ITSELF TIE-IN!

She is Brunhilde of Asgard, The Valkyrie–once charged by Odin himself with carrying mankind’s bravest souls to their resting place in Valhalla.

But when the Norse Gods take up arms against humanity, she must choose which side to fight for–and with war raging all around her, the fate of Midgard may be hers to decide!
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Blackbeard Legend Of The Pyrate King TPB

Blackbeard Legend Of The Pyrate King TPB
By: Mario Guevara, John Cassady
Producers Eduardo (writer of The Blair Witch Project) Sanchez and Gregg (Producer of The Blair Witch Project) Hale are joined by Robert Napton and Jamie Nash to present the ultimate adventure tale of a bygone age, when pyrates ruled the waters!

Beginning with his childhood through to his bitter end, Blackbeard’s legacy has never been explored as deeply and illustrated as beautifully by Mario Guevara than now! Also contains biographical information on Blackbeard and a complete cover gallery.
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New Mutants #26

New Mutants #26
By: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, Leandro Fernandez, Marko Djurdjevic
In the wake of the devastating events of ‘Age of X’, the New Mutants embark on a new chapter with a new M.O. and new line-up. Who’s on the team and who’s out?

Find out with new writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning as they are joined by New artist extraordinaire, Leandro Fernandez.

Did we mention, it’s all-NEW?!!

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Freaky Monsters Magazine #2

Freaky Monsters Magazine #2
Freaky Monsters recaptures the spirit and fun of the original monster-madness boom of the1 960s Each issue features a wide selection of rare vintage stills from classic horror films with entertaining and informative articles, reviews and commentary.

This issue features ‘The Werewolf & the Movies: What Makes Him Horrorwood’s Second Class Citizen?,’ Lon Chaney’s make-up secrets, ‘When Dracula Haunted New York,’ ultra rare photos, and a pull-out poster!

Freaky Monsters is 100% kid friendly, with no graphic violence, gore, or nudity.
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Captain America #619

Captain America #619
By: Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice, Marko Djurdjevic
The events of Fear Itself collide as our two stories reach their stunning conclusion. From his cold Russian prison cell, Bucky makes a decision that will change his life forever.

And in the Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier back-up, the first repercussions of Bucky’s actions may destroy everything Steve has worked so hard for. It’s the stunning conclusion you won’t believe!
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Rocketeer Adventures #2 (of 4)

Rocketeer Adventures #2 (of 4)
By: Cooke, Francis, Waid, Alex Ross, Dave Stevens
This issue of ROCKETEER ADVENTURES continues to soar with a trio of stories crafted by masterful comics creators.

Mark Waid and Chris Weston provide a pulse-pounding story of revenge set to a colorful backdrop of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, Lowell Francis and Gene Ha put Cliff through his paces in an-all action extravaganza that has him fighting tooth and nail for his very survival-plus a special guest star!

Finally, Darwyn Cooke delivers the goods (as always!) with a tale that we won’t say one word about-it’s too good to even hint at and ruin the surprise! Plus, a pair of pin-ups, BOTH by Geof Darrow-his incredible piece was just too massive to be held to the confines of a single page, so he’s supplying a gorgeous TWO-PAGE pin-up!
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Secret Avengers Prem HC Vol. 02 Eyes Of Dragon

Secret Avengers Prem HC Vol. 02 Eyes Of Dragon
By: Ed Brubaker, Mike Deodato Jr

Written by ED BRUBAKER Penciled by MIKE DEODATO JR., WILL CONRAD & ROBERTO DE LA TORRE Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR. Dark forces are at work to reincarnate a great evil, but the Secret Avengers and that great evil’s son – Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu – are doing everything in their power to prevent it! As is a new secret member of Marvel’s hottest covert Avengers team! Will Shang Chi’s father return? And now that their enigmatic enemy’s involvement in his resurrection has been exposed, what will Steve Rogers and his team do to take on the Shadow Council? Plus: The secrets of John Steele and his link to the Shadow Council are revealed in a World War II espionage adventure! Also starring Captain America and the Prince of Orphans, deep behind enemy lines!

Collecting SECRET AVENGERS #6-12.
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Creepy Comics Volume 1 TPB

Creepy Comics Volume 1 TPB
By: Joe R. Lansdale, Doug Moench, Joe Harris, Dan Braun, Michael Woods, Nicola Cuti, Bill Morrison,, Jason Shawn Alexander, Greg Ruth, Angel Torres, Rahsan Ekedal, Hilary Barta, Michael Kaluta, Eric Powell
Creepy Comics Volume 1 gathers all of the new material from the first two years of Dark Horse’s celebrated new Creepy series and collects it into one gargantuan book! This 184-page monstrosity features a spellbinding assortment of gory stories about all your favorite terror-inducing topics, including cannibals, lurking demons, werewolves, zombies, and psychotic murderers, illustrated in glorious black and white, following the great tradition of classic Creepy, with twenty bonus pages in full color!

* Collects Creepy #1-#4 and the two full-color stories from MySpace Dark Horse Presents.
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Mighty Thor #3

Mighty Thor #3
By: Matt Fraction, Olivier Coipel
The fate of the world lies in the hands of the Asgardians, for Galactus is coming…and he hungers!

Thor and the Silver Surfer must determine what to do with the Galactus Seed, the artifact with the potential to end the entire universe.

And what deal is being struck between Odin and Galactus himself, behind closed doors?
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Dr. Strange Prem HC Into Dark Dimension

Dr. Strange Prem HC Into Dark Dimension
By: Roger Stern, P Smith, B Blevins & M Badger, Bret Blevins & Paul Smith
Dr. Strange, the Master of the Mystic Arts, starts his day by curing a mystically cursed sword and ends it by overthrowing a dimensional dictator! The Sorcerer Supreme faces threats on cruise ships, military bases and alien planets – seeking to restore the cosmic balance! And as the origins of the Dark Dimension stand revealed, Strange’s true love, Clea,?heads the rebellion against her evil mother, Umar! Featuring the Black Knight and the Beyonder!

This title collects
DR. STRANGE (1974) #68-74

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Incredible Hulks #631

Incredible Hulks #631
By: Greg Pak, Tom Grummett, Frank Cho
‘HEART OF THE MONSTER,’ Part 1 (of 6)

Planet Hulk’ and ‘World War Hulk’ writer Greg Pak ends his legendary ‘Incredible Hulk’ run — and he’s taking the Green Goliath down with him! To protect his beloved family, Bruce Banner has spent the last year sacrificing himself in titanic clashes with monsters, demons, and the gods themselves.

But what happens when the furious monster inside Bruce Banner says ENOUGH? Every wish comes true — and every curse is unleashed — as the angriest, strongest one there is finally seizes what HE wants. The Hulk’s greatest love, most powerful villains, and ultimate triumph converge… in what just might be the end of the Incredible Hulk.
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Saga Of The Swamp Thing HC Book 05

Saga Of The Swamp Thing HC Book 05
By: Allan Moore, Rick Veitch, John Totleben
Continuing the hardcover collection of master comics writer Alan Moore’s award-winning run on SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING, this volume begins as Swamp Thing returns from his journey to hell, only to learn that his girlfriend Abby is being persecuted for their ‘unnatural relations.’

When she skips town for Gotham City, he follows and runs afoul of Batman, Lex Luthor and the Gotham City Police Department.

This title collects
#51-56

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Heroes Of The DCU Series 2 Swamp Thing Bust

Heroes Of The DCU Series 2 Swamp Thing Bust
DESIGNED BY GARY FRANK and SCULPTED BY JEAN ST. JEAN

Guardian of the Green!

Swamp Thing rises again, as seen in the unforgettable final issue of BRIGHTEST DAY! Summoner of life, this Elemental possesses super strength and can manipulate all forms of plant life – even those alien to earth.

The cold-cast porcelain bust measures approximately 5.75″ high x 3.5″ wide x 5.75″ deep and is packaged in a 4-color box.
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Metal Hurlant Collection HC Vol. 01

Metal Hurlant Collection HC Vol. 01
By: Varioius, Ryan Sook
The first in a 2 volume hardcover collection, this volume collects the short stories featured in the Metal Hurlant anthology that debuted in 2002.
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Lees Toy Review #218

Lees Toy Review #218
New products for spring 2011 will be reviewed, along with market reports to keep you updated on the latest toy trends.

Plus, new action figures and die-cast toys for the 2011 spring season and Lee’s Guide to Collecting covers Vintage Star Wars Micro Series, complete with unreleased items, prototypes, and more.
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Doctor Who action figures -The Third Doctor

Doctor Who action figure reviews – The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)

Perhaps the most popular of the classic Doctors after Tom Baker is Jon Pertwee. Reigning in the role of the time traveling hero for five successful years, Pertwee’s Doctor was a departure from the character as depicted by his predecessors William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. When actor Jon Pertwee was hired to play the Doctor he was most familiar to the British public for being a song and dance man and comedian, equally talented with a guitar and making silly voices. But after he first appeared as the dashing dandy on screen, all of that changed.

Despite its praises today for being one of the best periods of the program’s history, the three year run of Patrick Troughton saw a devastating crash in viewing figures with around 4 million tuning in for the last few parts of his last story, the War Games. The BBC figured that Doctor Who had enjoyed a good run but was finally finished. This led to plans for a follow up program to fill its slot, presumably something in the vein of Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass series. When Kneale was approached by Doctor Who producer and former script editor Derrick Sherwin, however, it became apparent that this was not in the cards. Nevertheless, Sherwin was a big fan of Kneale’s work and took on board that influence in reshaping Doctor who for a new generation (and far cheaper than the previous three years).

Revived in full color with a new leading man and supporting cast, Doctor Who was a terrific hit with viewers, regaining its place in the top viewed programs at the time. Exiled to the Earth, the Doctor was the scientific adviser to U.N.I.T., a special group assembled to deal with unusual threats to the planet such as Cybermen.

The look of the Third Doctor was originally going to be a very staid affair as proposed by Pertwee with a simple grey business suit as his costume. But when the actor appeared for his first photo call in an outlandish frilly shirt, bow tie and Inverness cape, the production team realized that they had found their ideal design. Based in part on the costume of Adam Adamant, the look would hint at a dashing and heroic character as well as possessing a magical quality.

A much taller man and grander actor that his predecessor, Patrick Troughton, Pertwee was encouraged to draw from his own personality and heighten specific elements for his incarnation of the Doctor. Thus the Third Doctor was charming, eccentric, a bit forceful and over-bearing at times with a love for fine wine, fast cars and gadgets. Even in the 1980’s, Pertwee’s version of The Doctor had retained a very strong following from the general public.

Character Options has (to date) released five different versions of the Third Doctor in action figure form. I have also purchased an excellent custom figure from a talented designer on ebay, bringing my own collection to six distinct versions of the character.

The first two releases of the Third Doctor were released in 2009 as exclusive products through  sold exclusively at Forbidden Planet stores in the UK and premiered at the San Diego Comic Con in the US  through Underground Toys.

Based on his appearance on the Sea Devils, the Doctor is dressed in a dark blue crushed velvet coat, a scarlet-lined Inverness cape draped over his shoulders. Packaged with his sonic screwdriver and a Sea Devil, this could be my absolute favorite version of the character in toy form as it maintains a kind of dignity along with an air of eccentricity. The sculpt is re-used throughout the remaining six variants with minor tweaks. Pertwee’s curly locks are wonderfully sculpted as is his distinctive facial features.

The Death to the Daleks set was of course more popular as it came packaged with the silver and black version of the Dalek sculpted with the redesigned gun arm used in that story. A much darker suit is accented with red piping and a dicky bow tie. A dark pair of boots worn over the Doctor’s slacks was far more sensible for the story set in the muddy quarry and is recreated excellently here. For most fans of classic Doctor Who, these first two releases remain the best for presenting the most iconic version of the Third Doctor and including two memorable monsters.

Pertwee as he appeared in the Sea Devils and Death to the Daleks

The next release of the Third Doctor was what is called a ‘kit bash’ of the first two releases, combining the slacks from the Sea Devils figure with the jacket and dicky bow tie from the Death to the Daleks design to recreate the Doctor’s look from the Green Death. A very conservative look for the normally fashionable dandy, this is also a very nice look for the character.

Packaged with a set of three giant maggots from the Green Death, this version of the Doctor was another exclusive sold through Forbidden Planet in the UK and at the San Diego Comic Con in the US via Underground Toys.

The fourth release of the Third Doctor was a more colorful design as seen in the classic story Carnival of Monsters.

The reviewer Batmanmarch has pointed out that numerous sculpting issues prevented the previous three releases from being 100% screen accurate which were finally resolved here. The design used for the basic sculpt of the jacket, shirt and bow tie was based on the Third Doctor’s appearance as seen in Carnival of Monsters. The cut of the jacket collar and the trim matches the outfit worn in this story perfectly. The odd greenish blue shirt, sage green jacket and red-lined brown Inverness cape along with the already seen high boots make this the most unusual and outlandish of all the Third Doctor action figures.

Pertwee as he appeared in the Green Death and Carnival of Monsters

The latest official release of the Third Doctor comes from 1974’s Time Warrior. The same sage green jacket is paired with a solid white dress shirt and dark dicky bow tie. The slacks and shoes have been strangely muddied as part of Character Options’ artistic license (similar to the grass staining on the Fourth Doctor’s overcoat from Logopolis in the Fifth Doctor regeneration figure). I have to admit to being a bit let down from this variant as it was less visually interesting than many of the other possibilities and also failed to really capture the earthy look of the costume from this story.

Pertwee as he appeared in the Mutants and the Time Warrior

The final action figure of the Third Doctor in my collection is a one of a kind custom based on the character’s appearance from The Mutants. I was hesitant to purchase this figure as I was unsure how it would look on the shelf but in the end I am very glad that I took the risk. The dark red jacket along with the lighter red neckerchief and purple-lined Inverness cape is complimented by a pair of black driving gloves and tall boots. An outstanding paint job even depicted the slim black piping on Pertwee’s jacket from this story.

Pertwee as he appeared in The Mutants (custom)

Even though five variants have been released, there are so many more versions of the Third Doctor yet to be released in action figure form. The Third Doctor wore so many uniquely hued suit jackets that the possibilities are varied as to what could be released next.

The red jacket and blue-trimmed Inverness cape from the Three Doctors is a strong contender.

The white shirt (sans bow tie) and red jacket along with the tartan designed Inverness cape from Day of the Daleks (due for DVD release in September) is another favorite.

The blue crushed velvet jacket with matching shirt and dicky bow tie from Planet of the Spiders is another possibility… but there are so many more.

Personally I am hoping for the custom cut-away coat that Pertwee wore in Planet of the Daleks to be released. This would require a re-sculpt of the character, the first real redesign since 2009.

What would you like to see Character Options release for their next Third Doctor action figure?

Them! (1954)

In 1954, Them! was the debut of the atomic monsters for American cinema, something that became all too familiar in the years to come. The only foray into science fiction/horror by director Gordon Douglas (better known for hos work on the Hal Roach Our Gang films and later such diverse films as Robin and the 7 Hoods and They Call Me Mister Tibbs!), this remains one of the most important movies of the 20th Century in my opinion. It paved the way for lesser films that would either ride on its coat tails or vainly attempt to top what Them! so excellently executed. Screenwriter George Worthing Yates went on to pen many similar films from the Amazing Colossal Man, Earth vs. the Spider, and even Godzilla Vs. King Kong, but he really hit the sweet spot with this one. Cinematographer Sid Hickox excels here and he too was a newcomer to the material, being more familiar with swashbuckling Errol Flynn pictures and gangster movies such as White Heat.

It’s a combination of a great script, superb camera direction and out of this world monsters designed with no stingy limitations from the studio.

Set in the desert of New Mexico, the film opens with the haunting discovery of a little girl wandering alone through the desolate landscape. Unable to talk, she can offer no clues to what caused the devastation that transformed her home into a shell of wood and plaster. When a pair of specialists from Washington DC are sent in to take over the investigation, things get even more interesting.

An aged etymologist Doctor Harold Medford (played by Miracle on 34th Street’s Edmund Gwenn) strikes a very imposing figure over the film simply because he can appreciate the problem from a unique perspective. I know readers of this blog will think that I have a one-track mind, but he reminded me in certain aspects of Doctor Who in the way that he could analyse a seemingly inexplicable problem, come up with the answer and realize that it could mean the end of humanity without losing his mind. This was also from the days when you couldn’t make a sci-fi film without an old guy, as my buddy Greg Moutafis loves to point out. The aged genius was the Megan Fox of the 50’s. Speaking of foxes, Dr. Medford’s daughter (played by Joan Weldon) is a smart and brave little philly who looks great in a kerchief and isn’t shy about risking her life against any danger. Yeah… it’s a lot like Doctor Who, really.

When Dr. Medford (senior) finally gets the little girl to talk, she managed to emit a bloodcurdling scream of just one word, THEM! This, along with the proximity to the atomic experiments in Los Alamos, confirms Medford’s suspicions that this is not just a dangerous man on the loose causing havoc.

Sandy Descher evokes the titular title

It’s giant ants.

In subsequent films, giant monsters would be represented by a zoom in on an actual lizard or spider presented on the screen through camera trickery. But with Them! the giant ants are on the silver screen in fill force as real working props. The impact is so intense that even today it stands up well. These days CGi would be used and no real impact would be felt but as a fan of science fiction on TV and film I could appreciate that this was a giant freaking prop that was constructed and placed in action, shot at and even set afire in some instances.

Vintage trailer

Overkill? They're giant ants!!

The etymologists from Washington take the lead on the case and after many investigations, realize that they must use the knowledge of the insect’s behavior as a model to attack the problem. This causes a double pronged problem as the area of infestation could be immense but the public at large must be kept in the dark about the creatures.

Ironically it’s a town drunk who provides the most useful piece of information when he tells the investigators that he saw the massive ants in the river bed… oh and he wants to join the military on the provision that he is made a sergeant and put in charge of ‘the booze.’

The most strangely memorable scene

As the military becomes involved, the situation is more dire. All of the efforts of the armed forces from machine guns to flame throwers and pesticide are useless unless the queen is found. The hunt is on, but the further the search extends the more difficult it becomes to keep the situation secret and the more innocents are placed in danger, including two young boys who are missing in the sewers. As their mother looks on, a convoy of jeeps are sent in to find the giant killer insects, but will they find the kids in time? This is the kind of tension that Spielberg is so sure of presenting but overshoots so often.

Them! was the most profitable film that Warner Brothers released in 1954 and is a contemporary of other sci-fi classics such as The Day the Earth Stood Still. A startling yet intelligent film that addresses the dangers of mankind’s meddling with the forces of nature in much the same way that Godzilla had in Japan, Them! is an absolutely astounding classic.

It’s also one of my dad’s favorite movies, so this blog entry is dedicated to him.

Happy father’s day.

John Carter, Warlord of Mars movie news

The Summer of 2011 is in full swing with two hits and a miss for fans of science fiction and comic books adapted for the big screen. Many have said all along that this season was a bloated mess of films all vying for the same audience, but next year looks to be an even more crowded affair with Spider-Man, Batman, Star Trek and the Avengers all competing for the almighty dollar.

Concept art from the upcoming John Carter film

But alongside those films is a project that has been in development for some time and is the inspiration for many of the ideas that you’ll see in those cinematic affairs. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation, the big screen adaptation of John Carter, Warlord of Mars could be the most important of them all. Michael Chabon (author of the best-selling novel The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay) and the writer of Wall-E Andrew Stanton have combined their talents for the most ambitious Disney film in decades. With the elements of John Carter being an action-filled epic with a breath-taking setting, strange aliens and a heroic lead character it reads like a textbook case for success.

So get ready for what could be the kind of film that many of you may have been waiting for.

Geoff Boucher of the LA Times interviewed Andrew Stanton about his approach to the project, his love for Terry Gilliam and why you will not see the John Carter movie promoted at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con.

Long before “Star Wars,” “Dune,” or “Avatar,” there was “John Carter of Mars” and his epic adventures on the Red Planet, which the natives call Barsoom. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Edgar Rice Burroughs fantasy-adventure character that deeply influenced generations of authors, filmmakers and artists, among them George Lucas and James Cameron, who found plenty to like in the stories of outsider heroes and alien princesses.

Now filmmaker Andrew Stanton (the writer-director of “Wall-E” and “Finding Nemo”) is on a quest to bring the vintage hero to a 21st century audience with the Disney live-action epic that arrives in theaters in March with stars Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church and Mark Strong and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon as part of the writing team.

Our Geoff Boucher caught up with Stanton to talk about the history, the hopes and the surprising Disney decision to skip Comic-Con International, which seemed like a natural stop on the project’s path to the public.

GB: This source material has such history and such a legacy, but all of that is lost on most people today. You’re not going to have a chance — at least not with the movie posters or television commercials — to really communicate the fact that this is the Rosetta stone for decades of off-world fantasies like “Star Wars” and “Avatar.”

AS: No, that’s true, but I don’t want to explain it. Hmm, how can I put it? The fact that I became infected with it as a kid and then sort of put it aside and then didn’t read it again until I was in my 20s — at which point I had become more serious about following a career in film – I was able to recognize the fact that [the book] was not as solid in the material as I had remembered. At the same time I put a lot of value on the fact that I had remembered it and that I couldn’t ever stop thinking about it. The bones of it were strong, the sediment, the soil of it, was really fertile and ready to have built from it. I felt like the more history I delved into, too, informed my view of the material; that first book was really episodic chapters he did for a magazine and then put together in book form, so it really was like a serial with a cliffhanger on each chapter. It was more like putting train cars together instead of something with a grand design. I feel like looking for that grand design was the next logical step, the thing that maybe never got done by the original author. So then the question became: How do you find the one big conceit that has a beginning, middle and end instead of these little individual train cars of episodes.

GB: That must have been a very liberating realization for you.

AS: Oh yeah. If it had been a perfect piece of literature I would have been a little too intimidated to tweak it. I had every desire to make it feel on the screen like how it made me feel reading the book, and to me that’s the most important thing. And I thought the only way to get there honestly was to read the book, come up with a bunch of ideas and never look at the book again. And from there just to look at what organically came together. What was really fascinating: I finally let myself read the book after the script was green-lit and all of these things that, in my mind, I was starting to give myself credit for coming up with were in there. [Laughs] But it made me feel very confident that we took it apart and put it back together and it held.

GB: In the story, John Carter is a Civil War veteran who finds himself mysteriously transported to Mars, where due to the gravity he is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, so to speak, a conceit that would pop up in the 1930s in Superman. A battered, hardened solider, he learns of the alien culture and falls in love with a brightly hued princess, not unlike “Avatar.” In the Burroughs tales, leaders are called Jeddak, there are beasts called Banths, there’s a warrior rank of padwar — all of those seem to echo in the Lucas universe, as do key concepts and themes. Does any of that present a problem? Does it box you in or create the risk that “John Carter” will feel derivative to audiences that don’t know or don’t care about the chronology of the heritage?

AS: I’m just as much a fan of all that stuff as anyone, so I didn’t want to repeat anything and I didn’t want to go exactly to where other people had gone. And I certainly recognize the influences coming directly or indirectly from people like Edgar Rice Burroughs. But I haven’t felt the satisfaction [from the other works] that the thumbprint or the identity of the Barsoom books … [gave me] as a kid. I still felt like there was a flavor or a shading or a color that could still feel fresh or special. None of this is in reaction to those other movies. I want to come to everything honestly. If at the end of the day the dust settles and it’s very similar to another movie, then I can live with that if it came there honestly. But my big thing is this: There were so many personal fantasies that were fulfilled or cathartically found by fans through those books — in other words, they used the books as a conduit to their own fantasies and the things in their own head. I’ve never had to answer this before so I’m stumbling around a bit, but the thing is that because I know this book was so much the source material, directly or indirectly, for so many things, I got intrigued by the idea of treating it as if it really was the source material in the historical sense of the term. What if this really happened? That kind of opened my eyes. I suddenly had a fresh way to see it. And it goes back, in a way, to the way we take things in when [we were young readers]. When I was a kid I really wanted to imagine it as if it was a real sequence of events that took place on the surface of Mars in another century.

(More here)

John Carter, Warlord of Mars stars Taylor Kitsch (Gambit) as the title character, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Thomas Haden Church, James Purefoy, Dominic West and Samantha Morton.

John Carter, Warlord of Mars has a March 9, 2012 release date.

Recommended reading:

John Carter of Mars: The Collection

John Carter of Mars: Warlord of Mars

Doctor Who Big Finish- Seasons of Fear

Seasons of Fear

“How would it be if everything was always the same? If you never got too big for your dresses? If you never got to pass them on to your sister? If the rainy Autumn lasted forever and Spring never came? At least I change. I’m stumbling my way through bodies like I own a particularly dangerous bicycle.”

Story 30
Written by Paul Cornell and Caroline Symcox
Released March 2002

The Doctor finally gets his companion Charley to Singapore as he had promised long ago. While the Doctor checks to see the news coverage of the wreckage of the R-101, Charley runs off to meet her friend Alex. The Doctor is interrupted by a man who not only knows him but despises him, Sebastian Grail. Grail establishes that he has already won in his little battle with the Doctor that has extended throughout time and has devised this manufactured version of reality to shame the Doctor one last time. Perplexed, the Doctor is nonetheless convinced that Grail is genuine and uses the genetic connection to Charley’s friend Alex to track his foe to his family lair. This leads them to ancient Rome where they find a strange young Roman taking a ritual in a different direction for his own ends.

Grail may appear to be of a kinder personality, but he clearly has access to alien technology and is hell bent on achieving a goal that sets him apart from his fellow Romans who are frustrated as their empire slips between their fingers. The Doctor is reluctant to take too direct an approach (Charley simply suggests that they catapult him into the sky and be rid of him), but falters as he does not have all the details yet. A plot wrapped around time, it is difficult for the Time Lord to ascertain how Grail is getting his power and from whom. The tech looks familiar, but when you’ve traveled around as much as the Doctor, that is hardly any help.

An army of Daleks shows up, attacking the Romans as they vocally ask the same question I was wondering, what has this to do with anything? The plot is nonsensical that it actually points this out to itself several times. Aside from the attacking Daleks, there’s the reason behind Sebastian Grail’s thirst for power. Even the Doctor cannot see why Grail would put the entirety of the world in jeopardy just to get at the family fortune. The fact that this is then easily achievable with the assistance of his mysterious benefactors barely registers and Grail simply moves on to having aspirations toward immortality. After it becomes clear that Grail’s masters will need him around to assist in their transference, requiring that his life be prolonged, he forgets that ambition as well and simply becomes driven by his hatred of the Doctor.

Squashing Grail’s attempt to sacrifice the Roman camp to appease his masters, the Doctor becomes a blood enemy. The plot of Seasons of Fear takes on a comical tone as the Doctor flits along Grail’s time line only to see the near immortal’s convoluted grabs at power toward a repetition of the ritual fall apart at the last minute. Grail fluctuates from cool indifference to maddened rage on each occasion and still the Doctor is mostly detached from the action, simply undoing the cats cradle that Grail had so carefully constructed before flying off again. All along, the story is interrupted by sequences where the Doctor is providing unnecessary linking narration to an unknown party in an unknown location (is it the Matrix? It sounds like it).

When it is finally revealed who is behind Grail’s power, I have to admit that I audibly groaned. It became clear that nearly the entire story was the set up for a gag referencing a somewhat obscure classic story renowned for its camp monsters (thankfully that doesn’t give anything away). I wouldn’t have minded if the story was decent but as it was the whole adventure hinged on this one detail that seemed to be yanked out of a list of possible bad monsters written on bits of paper and thrown across Paul Cornell’s office. It’s such a let down that it taints the rest of the story.

Look at it this way, the character of Grail makes no real sense (why did he need to gloat over the Doctor in the first place? If he hadn’t, he would have won to such a degree that the Time Lords themselves would have been powerless), his purpose is as shifting as the wind and the only hope that the story has lay in the revelation of the big bad monster hiding behind the intergalactic radio. Too much importance was placed on this plot point for it to just be a joke, but that’s exactly what it is… and it’s a bad one.

I don’t wish to take too much wind out of the sails of this one since it is still enjoyable, has some fantastic performances and a thrilling sound track. McGann again shows that he is Doctor Who for the 21st Century with his air of romantic spirit and madcap style tempered by a soulful dedication to the cause of what is good and ‘right.’ This is something that Colin Baker touched upon in 1984 when he picked up the part. To him, the Doctor wasn’t necessarily about righting wrongs for the good guys but more setting things straight as he saw them. This fits with the Doctor’s insistance that saving Charley from the R-101 crash doesn’t threaten the ‘web of time’ simply because he can’t accept that saving one life would cause so much bother.

Of course the R-101 crash and Charley’s fate are very much a problem that will soon take precedence over everything else. But that’s for another time.

Doctor Who – Seasons of Fear can be purchased at local retailers such as Mike’s Comics and online from Big Finish.

Read other Big Finish reviews at the Daily P.O.P. here.