Reviews...
Feb. 4th, 2007 02:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matt_zimmerReviews of the latest episodes of Legion of Superheroes, The Batman, The Stephen King/ Peter Straub novel Black House, and Uncle Scrooge 361.
Legion Of Super Heroes "Brain Drain"
This was a rather exciting episode. The characters are still a bit dull but it was action packed and unpredictable.
I loved the subplot of Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad having to chase around Brainy's body. Funny stuff.
I thought it was interesting at how at the end Brainiac Five told Superman about how his power comes from the yellow sun. I am VERY interested in seeing what will happen when Superman learns of his connection with Brainy's ancestor. I liked the episode a lot. ****.
The Batman "Artifacts"
I can tell the writers wanted this episode to be mind blowing and it certainly WAS well put together and exciting. But at the same time I'm a little bummed they made Batman go all Frank Miller in the future and Barbara having to be crippled by The Killing Joke. REALLY depressing future for the characters and as a one off episode we WON'T be getting any closure a la Batman Beyond. About the best thing I can say about the scenario is that at least it doesn't affect the DCAU.
Freeze was FINALLY an interesting villain here. SO creepy. Was it still Clancy Brown voicing him? His name wasn't in the end credits.
I love how in the future all of the archeologists got all of the little details of Batman's life wrong. REALLY nice touch.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the network wouldn't have let the producers do this kind of episode in the first couple of seasons. I'm thinking that like Batman Beyond's third season, the producers know the writing is on the 52 episode wall and they just decided to throw the works into this season, renewal or no. And it's DANGED impressive.
All in all this episode is technically outstanding and REALLY great. But I just don't like the fact that they gave all of the characters such bleak futures ESPECIALLY given the fact that there almost certainly won't be a follow up. ***** for execution and **** for how much I actually liked it. Average: ****1/2.
Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I think I have a new favorite Stephen King novel.
This novel easily has my favorite characters of any King novel. I also really liked how they tied this sequel to "The Talisman" in with King's Dark Tower series and the richness Mid-World adds to the already exciting world of the Territories. References to Roland, Blaine, AND the Crimson King? Coolness!
But my absolute favorite thing about the book is Jack Sawyer. Writers of horror and fantasy usually make their returning hero REALLY damaged from the journey of the previous story either mentally or physically. They are usually mentally unhinged from going through the trials of the previous story and their lives are messed up.
Not Jack Sawyer. Jack is livin' RIGHT, has a wonderful life, and is actually the best person in the world as a detective. He's so smart and on the ball that I'm just thrilled that they didn't take the predictable route of giving him a crappy life. He EARNED that happy ending in The Talisman and he got it.
I loved the concept of Black House and that the kidnapped kid, Tyler Marshall, was a Breaker for the Dark Tower. The Fisherman was SUCH a creepy and nasty villain. And I loved Jack's blind friend Henry Leyton who is just about the coolest cat in the world and the intellectual biker gang who were as well read as they were tough. I LOVED Beezer and Doc. I also loved Fred and Judy Marshall and I fell in love with Judy's Twinner Sophie when Jack did. Dale Gilbertson is a cop you can route for. And I was pleasantly surprised that Speedy "Parkus" Parker was in the book even though he was an old man in The Talisman. Coolness. MAN, I loved the characters in this book.
The ending of the book punched me in my gut and was a surprising but normal Stephen King double bluff. I loved it and what it set up for a future book although I hope King and Straub don't wait 17 years to start on the sequel (STILL waiting for that Eyes of the Dragon sequel, Stephen). Wonderful ending.
Any quibbles? Only that the obnoxious reporter Wendell Green never got what was coming to him. I hated him with the intensity of 100,000 white hot suns and he didn't get killed off. Bummer.
This is the best Stephen King book I'v read although I have a strong feeling the dialogue was so improved and realistic from most of King's books because of the presence of Peter Straub. This is also now one of my top four books EVER along with Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, A Wrinkle in Time and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Perfect. *****.
Uncle Scrooge 361:
Uncle Scrooge in "Oddball Odyssey," by Carl Barks: One of the better Magica tales. I think the thing I like best of it is the nightmare scenario of Donald and the nephews being transformed into animals and how Magica's threat against them brings out the best in Scrooge. The ending wasn't very satisfying but the character stuff was just great. ****.
Gyro Gearloose in "Funworld," by Tony Isabella: Oh, I didn't care for this story AT ALL. I didn't like the fact that the person responsible for making all of those kids rides so dangerous was completely let off the hook at the end. Bad moral. **.
Uncle Scrooge in "Filthy Rich!" by John Lustig: Not my favorite story ever because it was SO forumlaic. Basic plot: Scrooge is FRANTIC over some top secret treasure he has to transport; The Beagle Boys almost get away with said treasure; the treasure turns out to be something that MOST people would find worthless (in this case dirt). We seem to have at least one of these per issue and I'm kind of sick of it. **1/2.
"The Fowl is Fair,": Completely forgettable and dumb story about snowballs and top hats. **1/2.
The Blazing Trail's Tale!": I liked this story a lot for some reason. I think I liked it because I always really like it when Scrooge's nemesises turn out to be decent fellows and Scrooge and he get closer by the end of the story through a shared hardship. I also thought the resolution of the story was priceless. Fun. ****.
Legion Of Super Heroes "Brain Drain"
This was a rather exciting episode. The characters are still a bit dull but it was action packed and unpredictable.
I loved the subplot of Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad having to chase around Brainy's body. Funny stuff.
I thought it was interesting at how at the end Brainiac Five told Superman about how his power comes from the yellow sun. I am VERY interested in seeing what will happen when Superman learns of his connection with Brainy's ancestor. I liked the episode a lot. ****.
The Batman "Artifacts"
I can tell the writers wanted this episode to be mind blowing and it certainly WAS well put together and exciting. But at the same time I'm a little bummed they made Batman go all Frank Miller in the future and Barbara having to be crippled by The Killing Joke. REALLY depressing future for the characters and as a one off episode we WON'T be getting any closure a la Batman Beyond. About the best thing I can say about the scenario is that at least it doesn't affect the DCAU.
Freeze was FINALLY an interesting villain here. SO creepy. Was it still Clancy Brown voicing him? His name wasn't in the end credits.
I love how in the future all of the archeologists got all of the little details of Batman's life wrong. REALLY nice touch.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the network wouldn't have let the producers do this kind of episode in the first couple of seasons. I'm thinking that like Batman Beyond's third season, the producers know the writing is on the 52 episode wall and they just decided to throw the works into this season, renewal or no. And it's DANGED impressive.
All in all this episode is technically outstanding and REALLY great. But I just don't like the fact that they gave all of the characters such bleak futures ESPECIALLY given the fact that there almost certainly won't be a follow up. ***** for execution and **** for how much I actually liked it. Average: ****1/2.
Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I think I have a new favorite Stephen King novel.
This novel easily has my favorite characters of any King novel. I also really liked how they tied this sequel to "The Talisman" in with King's Dark Tower series and the richness Mid-World adds to the already exciting world of the Territories. References to Roland, Blaine, AND the Crimson King? Coolness!
But my absolute favorite thing about the book is Jack Sawyer. Writers of horror and fantasy usually make their returning hero REALLY damaged from the journey of the previous story either mentally or physically. They are usually mentally unhinged from going through the trials of the previous story and their lives are messed up.
Not Jack Sawyer. Jack is livin' RIGHT, has a wonderful life, and is actually the best person in the world as a detective. He's so smart and on the ball that I'm just thrilled that they didn't take the predictable route of giving him a crappy life. He EARNED that happy ending in The Talisman and he got it.
I loved the concept of Black House and that the kidnapped kid, Tyler Marshall, was a Breaker for the Dark Tower. The Fisherman was SUCH a creepy and nasty villain. And I loved Jack's blind friend Henry Leyton who is just about the coolest cat in the world and the intellectual biker gang who were as well read as they were tough. I LOVED Beezer and Doc. I also loved Fred and Judy Marshall and I fell in love with Judy's Twinner Sophie when Jack did. Dale Gilbertson is a cop you can route for. And I was pleasantly surprised that Speedy "Parkus" Parker was in the book even though he was an old man in The Talisman. Coolness. MAN, I loved the characters in this book.
The ending of the book punched me in my gut and was a surprising but normal Stephen King double bluff. I loved it and what it set up for a future book although I hope King and Straub don't wait 17 years to start on the sequel (STILL waiting for that Eyes of the Dragon sequel, Stephen). Wonderful ending.
Any quibbles? Only that the obnoxious reporter Wendell Green never got what was coming to him. I hated him with the intensity of 100,000 white hot suns and he didn't get killed off. Bummer.
This is the best Stephen King book I'v read although I have a strong feeling the dialogue was so improved and realistic from most of King's books because of the presence of Peter Straub. This is also now one of my top four books EVER along with Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, A Wrinkle in Time and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Perfect. *****.
Uncle Scrooge 361:
Uncle Scrooge in "Oddball Odyssey," by Carl Barks: One of the better Magica tales. I think the thing I like best of it is the nightmare scenario of Donald and the nephews being transformed into animals and how Magica's threat against them brings out the best in Scrooge. The ending wasn't very satisfying but the character stuff was just great. ****.
Gyro Gearloose in "Funworld," by Tony Isabella: Oh, I didn't care for this story AT ALL. I didn't like the fact that the person responsible for making all of those kids rides so dangerous was completely let off the hook at the end. Bad moral. **.
Uncle Scrooge in "Filthy Rich!" by John Lustig: Not my favorite story ever because it was SO forumlaic. Basic plot: Scrooge is FRANTIC over some top secret treasure he has to transport; The Beagle Boys almost get away with said treasure; the treasure turns out to be something that MOST people would find worthless (in this case dirt). We seem to have at least one of these per issue and I'm kind of sick of it. **1/2.
"The Fowl is Fair,": Completely forgettable and dumb story about snowballs and top hats. **1/2.
The Blazing Trail's Tale!": I liked this story a lot for some reason. I think I liked it because I always really like it when Scrooge's nemesises turn out to be decent fellows and Scrooge and he get closer by the end of the story through a shared hardship. I also thought the resolution of the story was priceless. Fun. ****.
