Aquaman #20

 

The Others first introduced in Aquaman #7 have been asked by Aquaman to search out a Atlantean glove that has the power to punch through rock, the glove is one of many weapons that were lost during the resent Atlantis war with the surface world. The atlanteans are searching out any weapon's left on the sea bed but the glove has managed to find its way to the middle of the desert, and as its pointed out the desert is not the best environment for water dwellers.

 

The Others consist of military style man know as The Operative, Ya’Wara the animal woman and the Prisoner of War also added to the mix is a young Indian girl called Sky Alchesay, Sky walks between the land of the living and the dead and talks to her dead mother Kahina, who was previously a member of the Others prior to her death at the hands of Black Mantra?

 

The hunt for the glove begins once every gets to meet up via the will of the lightening gods, who bringing down the Others plane in the exact spot where Sky is standing waiting for them (I will point them in the direction of Ryanair Air they can give them some tips).

The glove is been used by a skin walker who is trying to free a lost group of skin walkers buried deep in a cave underground, the skin walker with the power glove turns out to be Sky's uncle Carl (poor name for a villain) who was briefly introduced earlier in the story trying to recruit Sky over protective brother. Having released the trapped skin walkers Carl plans to do whatever skin walkers do, however he didn’t count on the Others coming to thwart him and take away his glove trapping both him and the briefly freed skin walkers in a cave beneath ground, so plan thwarted then.

The issue ends with the Others leaving presumably to take the glove back to Aquaman and when Sky is asked if they (Others) will see her again, Sky replies that if they need her they know where she is then turns and walks back into the desert, man you have got to love an enigmatic ending, well I do.

Issue 20 is a fill in issue which takes you away from the excellent Death of a King story line that has been running in this book, not only is it a fill in but resident scribe Geoff Johns who has done so much to revive the fortunes of Aquaman is not writing it. Add to that very little Aquaman presence as the story revolves mainly around the team know as The Others, who are at best a rag bag team that Aquaman used to run with in his younger pre Justice League days and you would think it had the makings for a for disaster of an issue. However your thinking like mine would be wrong because the issue is so much more than a fill in book, writer John Ostrander does a wonderful job telling a story that is both entertaining and interesting, while dropping little hints and subplots that will surly play out in future Aquaman issues to come.

I did have a few minor points with the book one is that it felt a little rushed especially at the end as the team battled against the skin walkers, and why did Aquaman ask the Others to find the glove why not ask someone of his present team to find it. Surly Wonder Woman, Superman or the Flash could have done the job a lot quicker, but as I said these were minor points and didn’t detract from or spoil the story for me.

I will go as far to say that I would be happy to buy a monthly comic that featured the Others as they proved to be a very interesting group of characters, and to be honest DC have given worse characters their own books since rebooting the Universe so the Others are surly worth taking a chance on.

Come on DC you know you want too

Doctor Who Prisoners of Time #2

Now I'm a bit behind with this one but there's a good reason for it, I have been trying to get copy's of this comic without having to pay through the nose for it. The crazy situation is that this comic which is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of this great Si-Fi show ever made is not readily available in the UK, IDW do not have the rights to distribute Doctor Who comics over here a problem the Doctor himself would find puzzling. So having finally given up trying to buy a floppy (not a word I like) copy of this comic, I finally gave up and went for the digital download hence my late review so after a long winded explanation on with the review.

The Second Doctor my Doctor (showing my age) has landed the Tardis in the intergalactic trading post known as the Frenko Bazar, along with his current companions Jamie and Zoe the Doctor decides to have a look around. Its during their walk around that they come into contact with a alligator type race known a Voraxx known for dealing in slavery. Its no surprise that the Doctor decides to visit the shop of the slave traders to see what they are up too, and inadvertently or perhaps deliberately put Jamie in danger when he is recognised as a valuable commodity by the slave traders.

When Jamie is kidnapped the Doctor reveals he put a tracking device on Jamie and with the help of a trans-mat device transport Star Trek style to a space ship orbiting the planet. Once there he finds hundreds of species all waiting to be sold into slavery, the Doctor begins to free them but not all want to be freed as they fear the reprisals they could suffer, fortunately the Doctor finds a couple of Ice Warriors who prove the perfect tool to lead a revolution against the slavers. Having saved the day the Doctor and his companions transport back to the Bazar but the Doctor arrives alone, with no idea what has happened to his two companions.

Now I was looking forward to this issue more than any of the others as the second Doctor is my Doctor, the Doctor I used to watch from behind the settee with my dad saying I will turn it over if you don't come out ( I never did).  For the most part the book was everything I had hoped for and Troughtons Doctor was captured perfectly on each page he appeared both physically and in his character. There were enough Easter eggs for fans of the show both old and new peppered thought the bazar scenes, my favourite was the glimpse amongst the crowds of  Alpha Centauri from the Peledon story's.  The inclusion of the Ice Worriers was also welcome as they made a lasting impression on me when they appeared on the show all those years ago, a classic monster for a classic Doctor I am one happy fan boy.

As I said for the most part the comic was everything I had hoped for but I do have a few issues with the overall feel of the book, if I didn't already know that this was part of an overall story ark I would never have know. There is nothing that connects this story to the previous one, yes the companions disappear at the end of the book like they did in the first issue, but that's just it they disappear the villain trying to ruin the Doctors life's never makes an appearance. So we are left in a kind of limbo which leaves the book with a slight disjointed feel to it, to me it felt more of a one shot than a continuing story.

That been said if your a Doctor Who fan then this is a must buy comic, as I suspect as will issue three which will feature Jon Pertwee's Doctor.




 

The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #3

Firstly let me say I have been loving this book and the previous minis that IDW have been publishing, unfortunately this issue is a slight let down on what has gone before.

We have the Rocketeer hitchhiking due to loosing his jet pack to a couple of comedy goons at the end of the last issue, Betty been the worst undercover operative ever on behalf of two PI's who seem to have all the answers before Betty finds them so why they need her help is beyond me.

The whole issue feels a bit disjointed and seems to amble along which is a pity as the story has been topnotch up until this issue, at least the final panel gave me hope for the next issue as an out of control Rocketter comes crashing down into what appears to be a giant octopus or squid (never sure which is which)

I say appears due to the fact that the villain of the story one Otto Rune used to make his living on the stage doing an hypnotic act, so all my not be as it seems then again given the last story had a pterodactyl in it the squid thing could be real.

There are some good moments in the book like Cliff (Rocketeer) trying to use a new jet pack his friend Peevy had made him, you just know it wasn't going to go well hence the crashing into the octopus thing (hedging my bets).

The art work by J Bone is very cartoon in style but it fits the tone of the story, and more than helps give the book its pulp feel.

As I said slight disappointment but given what Ive read before I have high hopes for a big finish in next months final issue.

The Random 10 Interview No:3 with Jevocas Green.

My guest for this edition of The Random 10 is writer Jevocas Green.

Jevocas (Java) has kindly agreed to do the Random 10 interview but before he does that, here is a little bit of information about Java in his own words.

HI all! I'm Jevocas Green - "Java" to my friends. I'm an Atlanta native, born and raised. Into all forms of performing arts and martial arts. I'm also an Entertainer (Acting/singing/Dancing etc) and the Co-Owner and Executive Producer of my own production company, Jymeni Productions, LLC. I'm always busy doing something. I'm always off somewhere doing or trying to do a movie or play lol. I'm also a big ol dork! lol i love Power Rangers... yes... Power Rangers... and Doctor Who. I have a big inner child. I think its what keeps me young lol. I also loves my cartoons and anime and such! So YAY! I'm a convention goer, so Dragon Con is where i LIVE! lol. Its my passion. Plus i've been a reoccurring guest at Outlanta Con and for the first time TimeGate this year!

The Random 10 Questions

 How did you first get into writing and producing fan films?

Well, the first fanseries Studioz. We sought out to do a series that was as true to the actual comics as possible. I was given the task to write and adapt some of the comics into script form and it was really cool to do. It gave me quite the inspiration to do this and be able to recreate something i was passionate about while still honouring the original. And at the same time giving it something fresh and new. https://www.youtube.com/user/ThrowbackStudioz. After the first season of X-Men was completed, my good friend Richard Hempton and I decided to try our hand at "Doctor Who." Being that we were both HUGE Whovians, we decided that we weren't going to treat this lightly. We assembled an amazing story team and we began work on the series.

Who or what were your early influences?

With Doctor Who, one thing that has always compelled me is their ability to tell a great story in a very simple way. They take the most simplest of scenarios and add this whole other WORLD to it and its now something epic! One of my FAVOURITE couple series writers for Doctor Who are Steven Moffat and Neil Gaiman. They know how to give you a story you'd think you'd figure out and completely change gears to keep it interesting. Plus, Moffat has the innate ability to make you fall in LOVE with the characters and then RIP them from you lol. Well done sir. lol. Going into the writing of 'Doctor Who The Forgotten Doctor,' We knew that our stories would have to match the current dynamic of the show in order to make a mark.

Where do you draw your ideas for your stories from?

Well as i said, there was a TEAM of us doing writing. Richard Hempton, our head writer, then Adam Smith, Sean Boyce and Myself. We all sat around and conceptualized the entire storyline of the series. One thing about doing a show like this is knowing where its going to end, because ultimately it HAS to. Having a point to build towards gives you this amazing device to create an intense story that you'll just want to watch to try and find out. We didn't leave that first writers meeting until we knew for a FACT where we were ending this story. Then we decided to find the middle point and slice it in half to make two seasons. We drew the ideas for stories for the series from what we all individually loved from the show. The adventuring, the Aliens, the intergalactic travel. We're all true geeks and this is just the medium to express it lol. We knew we wanted to keep some original content from the actual BBC series, but we had a AMAZING opportunity to create something brand new and exciting by taking on the story of the 'Last Great Time War,' which has only since been mentioned in passing or briefly acknowledged on the show. To quote Neil Gaiman "You don’t know what it’s like to be God… Until that very first moment when you get to sit down and type the words in your script: INTERIOR. TARDIS."

You write, produce and star in your own productions, firstly how do you approach each job and secondly how do you find the time?

LOL. I knew I'd eventually get that question. LOL. Well, its not true that I Write, Produce, and Star, in ALL my productions. My first Short Film to work on from my production company, 'Last Will andTestament'
(https://www.youtube.com/watchv=QkMQEkJxwlU&list=PLC22047D3C4857959) I was only one of the Executive Producers, and I didn't act, OR Direct that one. Same with Uncanny X-Men and a few other productions I've done. The way this came about with Doctor Who, with no pretence, is mainly because I said to myself, 'Man, I'd love to play the Doctor.' But I had NO idea it would become this. It took lots of convincing from my fellow producers and now staff to move forward with this because I was nervous about it and didn't think the fans would accept me as the Doctor because A) I'm American doing an British accent. B) The First Doctor of Color and C) Figuring out where in the Timeline I would fit. So it really all just happened for this one. lol.

I suppose with each duty I try and approach then in separate mediums. Richard and I decided early on that I wouldn't have my hand in EVERY pot seeing as I'm playing the DOCTOR. He wanted me to just focus on the Acting. So I did that as much as I could. When its the Writing, I knew I didn't want to write EVERY episode. So I picked the least amount of stories to put my name on and let my team to the rest. When producing, I try my best to keep what I do outside of being on set and let my other two producers, Richard Hempton and Robert Vardaros, handle the reins. The only difficult time I have is when I have to Direct and Act in an episode. Its hard bouncing back and forth on that one lol.

And how do I find the time? .... I don't lolol I do have a full-time job on top of this series along with duties to other projects as well. I suppose I try and take my leisure time where I can. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love everything we're doing here. And I can sleep when we're done lolol

If you could write or produce a film using any character who would you choose?

Cliché cause it's been done before and to death, but Batman. I've been incredibly infatuated with Batman since I was a wee tike. I was a HUGE fan of the Christopher Nolan franchise, but I feel I could bring a level of realism to the series that would still be able to stay pretty congruent to storyline.

I'm also, as of late, REALLY compelled to do a proper WONDER WOMAN story. It seems that so many people have tried and tried and for some reason or another, it just fails. I don't know what it is. Growing up, her and Batman, and Green Hornet and lots of others were my IDOLS. I knew I couldn't be Wonder Woman, of course, but as into Batman's story I was, the same was for her! But I would love to just try my hand at giving Wonder Woman the go she deserves.

You use Facebook and other social media to connect to fans about your work. Do you consider this to be an important part of your film promotion?

On an independent Fan project, yes. A big part of promotions comes from the ability to pay for advertising. Seeing as we cant always do that, We have to really push on Facebook and Twitter to get the attention on our project and make it known. Facebook has proven to be the NUMBER ONE source of our promotion. And is where we reach the most fans.

Your current project is The Forgotten Doctor. Can you tell us a all about it?

Well, Doctor Who: The Forgotten Doctor is an original Story of Doctor Who. We pick up where the 8th Doctor Comics leave off, where the Doctor and Destrii go on their last adventure together defeating the Cybermen (DWM: The Flood). After doing so the Doctor is mysteriously summoned back to Gallifrey and is met with an old foe. He is fatally injured in his escape, much before his Fixed Point in Time, and regenerates into an Alternate 9th incarnation. With his new body, he now has to gain his barrings and figure out what is happening on Gallifrey. He meets up with a young Girl street rat named Sasha Princeton upon coming to Earth and she forces her way into the TARDIS. Thus the adventures begin. There are lots of NEW stories and returning faces, such as the Weeping Angels, The Daleks (of course), The Cybermen, and a fantastic 4 Doctor's 2 parter featuring the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctor trying to figure out an evil plot alongside the Forgotten Doctor. Lots of surprises and reach backs to never before seen characters, such as Marnal, the Doctor's former Mentor and the original owner of the TARDIS, and we finally see the story of Corsair which takes place back in 1954 Mississippi. (Yes... black Doctor... in Old Miss.... fun!) We cant wait to show you this EPIC 15 episode adventure!

Where can people find out more about The Forgotten Doctor and is there anything they can do to help support the project?

The first thing is spreading the word. Telling people about us and directing them to our facebook page and Twitter. Our biggest snag on doing a show to this scale is always funding. Being a Fan series, all of the people working on this show are 100% volunteer. And so its mainly us coming out of pocket to put this on for you. And DOCTOR WHO AIN'T CHEAP! lol. We have been running indiegogo campaigns trying to raise the funds to finalize this season and we need all the help we get to make this Adventure a Reality. Our most recent just ended, but we're gearing up for another in a couple of weeks. But for now, you can donate on our paypal at jymeniproductions@gmail.com and make sure you write "Doctor Who: The Forgotten Doctor" in the subject line.

When do you hope to release The Forgotten Doctor?

The best way to answer that is when it is done. lol. We've put a lot of work into this and we want to make it the best we can. Its much anticipated, so we definitely don't want to half ass it. We hope for a late May release, in time for the TIMEGATE convention, which we are guests for alongside veteran Doctor Colin Baker. And that's gonna take place May 24th - the 26th (www.timegatecon.org for more info) So here's hoping we can see you all there.
Where can you be found for anyone who wants to check either your past and present work?
You can check me out on IMDb to see just about everything I've worked on: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2191608/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 Otherwise follow me on Facebook and Twitter, I'm always up to something lol

Cheers
Jevocas "Java" Green
"THE DOCTOR" / Exec Producer
DWTFD

I would finally like to add my thanks to Java for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview,and I wish him all the best with his current Doctor project and any future projects he may undertake.

Rob McIntyre 

Batman Beyond Unlimited #12

Once again Batman takes a back seat as the main story focuses on Superman Beyond where new fire fighter Clarke Kent meets up with his old JLA friend Martian Manhunter, it seems that an alien race called the Trillians have come to Earth looking for Superman. They want him to answer for what they believe are crimes against their world,  crimes that have led to a war between themselves and a cat like race called the Mangals a war that has almost brought their planet to destruction. In truth the Mangals were slaves to the Trillans and Superman freed them an act which led to the plant wide war, as the Manhunter points out it was a bold decision swooping in and turning their lives upside-down.

The Trillians have tried to take Superman down and failed, (issue #11) and have now called in help in the form of interstellar bounty hunter Lobo. What follows is a good old fashioned no holds bard battle between Lobo, Superman and the Manhunter its not subtle but boy is it fun. In the end Lobo is victorious over our two heroes,which enables the Trillians take Superman off world to stand trial for crimes against their society.



War Crimes is an interesting story as it asks should someone impose their sensibility's onto another race or people and also shows the consequences of the actions of doing so, something that we could debate on for hours and never reach an agreement so I will keep my thoughts to myself on that one.

The story is by JT Krul and its a credit to him that I find this version of Superman far more interesting than the one who is running or flying around the current DC Universe, and the inclusion of Lobo in the Beyond Universe was good to see although he is a one dimensional character when used right he is a joy to read.

Batman is one of the back-up story's as his continual fight with the Joker King nears its conclusion, as New Gotham burns the Joker King is preparing to kill Batman but as you would expect it doesn't go entirely his way. as the badly injured Batman struggles to fully come round while asking the question is this the life I want (hell yes), Dick Grayson is swinging to the rescue in true Knightwing style if you discount the fact he only has one eye and he has a bullet in his spine. Meanwhile the new age Catwoman and Vigilante are handing over the last of the Jokez to Commissioner Gordon before making their getaway, the story ends with a now fully conscious Batman fully focused and flying off to take down the Joker King. For me this story seems to have been going on for a bit too long and I am keen to see more Batman Beyond stories, its not a bad story I feel it could have been wrapped up a bit sooner but then I'm not a writer so what do I know.

The third story in the book is the origin of Micron the Beyond version of the Atom and as far as origin story's go it is very good one shot story, the artwork is by Fiona Staples who is doing fantastic work on the book Saga another book that is well worth picking up.


Batman Beyond is still one of my top reads of the month and I would recommend it to anyone, and it doesn't mater to me if Batman or Superman have the lead story as I see it as one big universe.

The award winning Bobby Nash

Writer Bobby Nash has been announced as the winner of the best author in the 2013 Pulp Ark Awards, and if that wasn't enough Bobby also was involved in two other winning categories.

Best Collection/Anthology- The Green Hornet: Still at Large by Various published by Moonstone Books which features Bobby's story, “The Gauntlet”

Best New Pulp Character- Rick Ruby created by Bobby Nash and Sean Taylor Rick Ruby is featured in The Ruby Files Volume 1 Published by Airship 27 Productions.

Bobby has posted his thoughts on been named best author at www.bobbynash.com where he had this to say, ''It is rare to find me at a loss for words, but that’s exactly what happened after the list of winners of the 2013 Pulp Ark Awards was posted at All Pulp earlier tonight. It took a while for the news to sink in, and even now I don’t think it’s really hit me. After years as a working writer I can now add the title “Award Winning” before my name, which is pretty darn cool, let me tell you''.

I had the honour of doing an interview with Bobby in the early months of my blog after becoming a fan of his work, and I am glad to say I have kept in contact with Bobby since then via social media. 

So from a personal note it gives me great pleasure to say congratulations Bobby its an award that is richly deserved.

Zombie Run 2013

Zombies will be invading the town of Barnsley on Saturday 19th October all in the name of charity, the exact location will be at the Worsbrough Mill and Country Park. It is all in aid of raising money for the Barnsley Hospital charity a worthy cause, details on how you can participate are below and on the attached poster.

There is also a link to a short film showing the zombie runs promotional video, have a look and if your interested give it a go it should be fun.

Promo video: Zombie run

Face book Page: Zombie Run