Avengers Academy #19

Story:

The Avengers Academy students must decide whether they can make the sacrifice to save the world, while Titania and Absorbing Man continue to cause havoc. Infinite Mansion is thrown into chaos, hurdling the students to a likely demise. Avengers Academy is changed forever as the team loses one of its own.

Review:

Avengers Academy #19 returns to its rightful throne of exciting and enthralling work, Tom Raney and Scott Hanna drive the artwork into some unknown territory and bring out something new and invigorating, while Christos Gage continues to show us why he is so well respected.

Tom Raney and Scott Hanna take a rightful place upon great artwork that has marked this series, and they do nothing less than impress us with their magic. Raney comes on board this issue as the talented penciller behind the artwork, and he does some magnificent work to bring out the conflicting emotions and emotional baggage that is weighing these children down.

Scott Hanna builds upon the artwork as this issue’s inker, and he takes shows an attention to detail and takes care to explore the emotional layers like the worry, fear and the helplessness in the Avengers Academy team, but as well, with Titania and Absorbing Man, the viciousness and eagerness for power and vengeance, that comes without remorse.

Jeromy Cox raises the bar just a little more with this issue, given a new platform to work with in the issue’s acting inker and penciller Raney and Hanna. Approaching the art much in the same way, it is his working eye for shapes and shades upon his canvas that has made this comic take a noticeable leap toward.

Christos Gage is a man with a vision, and he shows us exactly how you write a memorable story and one that shocks you and leaves you in awe. The Avengers Academy team is in utter despair, Giant-Man is hardly living and now the team must make a sacrifice that will have catastrophic repercussions. Even though they seem to make it out of the woods intact, one revelation will change the team dynamic altogether. Gage leaves us always wondering what will come next, but it is the dramatic suspense that he handles so well that keeps us coming back for more.

Rating: 9.5/10

Avengers Academy #18

Story:

The Avengers Academy students find themselves trapped in Infinite Mansion with no escape. Now with only one option left in their arsenal, will the students be forced into doing the unthinkable and sacrifice themselves to save the world.

Review:

Avengers Academy #18 is an issue that is vividly portrayed by artist Andrea Di Vito and coloured well by Jeremy Cox, it portrays the team in turmoil and running out of time as Titania and Absorbing Man close in.

Artist Andrea Di Vito seems to have a good understanding of Avengers Academy, because he shows a great sense of control over the art in this issue, they are cleverly illustrated to keep that lively and energetic feel, and the suspense within the story is definitely helped by choice of vivid colours and smartly drawn expressive frames.

Jeromy Cox, the colourist behind the issue, gives it a really dynamic feel and the textual layers are something that haven’t been explored nearly as well as they have in this issue. Cox demonstrates to us that he can play well with the tonal qualities of the artwork, he does so with a finesse that was not so obvious in the last issue, it shows off his skill in a more complex manner but while still having that amazing quality that he prides himself in with his work.

Christos Gage delivers an exciting story with a climactic end, but it seems to miss something that sets this apart. What I had become accustomed to was the self-reflective frames and sense behind each of them, knowing and seeing the tug towards good or evil. It was left out in this issue for the most part, and I couldn’t help wondering what they all thought behind the calm façade. Veil particularly is thrown into a time-stressed situation, but we don’t see the workings as much as we had before, I kind of liked that element. Arguably, it could be said it shows the maturity in the characters, that they have stopped dwelling and started fighting, taking charge of their situations and being heroes for themselves.

Avengers Academy #18 is a sustainable read but I wanted to see less destruction and more feeling behind the characters, give us a keener sense and more concentrated look into the characters, not just what we see expressed externally.

RATING: 7.6/10

X-Men Legacy #249

Story:

X-Men Legacy #249 takes a hard look at the characters following their time in Fortress X. Magneto, Frenzy and Legion all take us on a introspective journey that leads them all to amend the deeds they have done and set a new path to righteousness. For Legion, it proves a harder habit to curve.

Review:

X-Men Legacy #249 takes a look at the haunting memories that many share, following the return to life in Utopia.  Some try to find ways to amend their misgivings and misguided lives, taking a chance on something they had had in the other world. All look towards more noble lives and work on making this a reality in the real world.

Black, red and a taste like screaming, these are the tones that are established in the issue by writer Mike Carey, speaking about the darkness that has taken over Magneto, the rushing feeling of red felt by Frenzy, namely passion and love, and then a closer look at Legacy, who mouths the ominous omission to a taste of screaming. Legion starts to lose control over his personalities that team against him, and Rogue is pained by a memory of Magneto in the other world. Carey portrays it as a pivotal in all respects but one that it is motivated by something each has experienced separately.

Carey opens Magneto to us, as well as Rogue, to see the world that shaped him, and his eagerness to learn about and move past his mistakes and leave his solemn world behind. Frenzy is spoken for as a woman that is motivated to try and do good, but Carey takes us into her warped perception that leads her down this path and corrects her actions, aiming her towards a healthy outcome. Carey makes an untimely moment occur with Magneto and Rogue, and through this, tells us that the other world still has a part to play in the way they think and can change.

Rafa Sandoval in X-Men Legacy #249 paints the story magnificently, he is able to get all the anguish and the hurt felt by Magneto and all the haunting events that transpire in memories to resonate so powerfully. Frenzy has a delicate psyche as we have seen, and it is a commendable job what Sandoval has done in showing the visceral energy behind her but as well giving us a sympathetic view to her, showing the sadness and regret she feels which provides an avenue into her mind and the change that is happening within her.

X-Men Legacy #249 was a moving read in portraying Magneto as having remorse, and maybe a little guilt. Frenzy has some guilt but a good heart that she is trying to be lead by, and Rogue’s heart leads her to an unlikely kiss with Magneto, that we see as resonating all aspects tackled within this issue.

RATING: 7.9

The Getaway Plan: Other Voices, Other Rooms

Other Voices, Other Rooms, the 2008 debut album by Melbourne band The Getaway Plan is one that weaves these tales of heartbreak, about lose and immense sadness into its music, with an energy and dynamic that has made it an enjoyable listen many times over. It is an album that I listen to often.

The Getaway Plan takes the listener on a wild and exciting ride in many of its album’s songs, particularly Streetlight and Where The City Meets The Sea that evoke an intense mood from within us, and it brings out this lively quality that only a harmonious blend of lyric and music can do.

Songs in the album like A Lover’s Complaint and Transmission have done more than just provoke us to feel, they have aimed to really show the vibrancy of the band. At times they are slow and solemn but then they grow wild, loud and roaring. It builds this world that is exciting but sometimes sad, slow and emotional, then gritty, raw and booming.

Sleep Spindles, a song I am partial to in the album, is haunting but tantalizing, it has this sensational sound that blows you away the moment you hear it, it just reverberates around your body and feels amazing; it is like a full scale riot and marching band rolled into one. Sleep Spindles makes great use to varying sound qualities; it starts slow and then rips into this dynamic song that blasts out from below.

Shadows takes a likewise mood to Sleep Spindles, it is really dark and haunting, and the lyrics tell you about a world crumbling apart, about trying to outrun your shadows and not to get sucked in. Grim but moving, it is one that shows the moods that shapes this album, exposing these metaphoric alleyways full of life’s pain and agony, with melancholic melodies and sparse lyrics.

Other Voices, Other Rooms has much more to offer you than an emotional junkyard, it is a racy and enigmatic album too, and that shakes the very walls of your world and excites you. Songs like Streetlight and Transmission start out as slow songs and the music is a delicate and playful thing to listen to, but then it jumps and evolves into these instantly hard-hitting and thrusting tunes that are almost electric in sensation, a metamorphosis in our ears.

RATING: 7.4

The Inbetweeners Movie

Story: 

The boys head to Malia, Crete for a much needed holiday together, but all is not as expected. Love flourishes for the four boys, meeting a group of young girls who take a liking to them, but things don’t initially go down smoothly. It all finds its resolve in the end and each of the boys finds love, but these happen in the most unexpected ways you could ever imagine.

Review:

The Inbetweeners Movie is a surprisingly good watch; there are lots of laughs, plenty of crude jokes and a happy ending to an eventful trip for the boys, but there are some things I found to be quite poor for me and that stuck out in the film.

Will, Simon, Jay and Neil are charming as ever in The Inbetweeners Movie, cracking witty jokes left, right and centre they never miss a beat when it comes to the humour, always on the ball and frightfully funny.

Will is as annoying and frank as always in the movie, but he hits it up marvelously with Alison whom seems to see past the awkward speech and attitude and the chemistry between the two finds its suitable conclusion, with Alison giving Will the chance to be her boyfriend.

Jay, the sex nut, drops as many crude jokes as can ‘fit’ in the movie, and it is a hilarious sight to see him in action. Sex crazed and misguided, he leads himself into more trouble then he deserves, and this breaks him at least once in the film. Fruitless attempts to blend in as a normal guy see Jay stick more so to the outskirts then epicentre, but it is his attitude that causes him this strife. Jane, a larger than ordinary girl is brought into the movie to show Jay that although a girl may not be fit in his eyes, she can be exactly what he needs and wants. Jane is played perfectly, wild and alive, giving Jay a run for his money, but also, she brings out the sensitive side to him, and gets him out of his stereotypical habits and bad attitude.

Neil is a spirit without bounds, nothing holds him back and in The Inbetweeners Movie it is no exception, he is just plain funny. Neil takes things in his own stride; he shags some nanas, blasts everyone away with his horrendous dance moves and uses fake-tan on his face, all adding to and making it a ridiculously hilarious experience and a memorable trip to say the least.

Simon, the most normal one in the group is the one that seems to be the one most alone, he loses Carli his girlfriend just before their trip and can’t get over her, but a chance opportunity has presented itself with cringe worthy moments, as he tries to win her back, only to be saddened and embarrassed. Simon plays it so realistically as he puts himself on the line to have Carli, and he feel some sympathy for him. But Lucy, one of the four girls the boys partner with, takes a liking to Simon, having to take the brunt of his callousness and at times Simon just pushes her aside. Lucy stands by him though, and there are moments that shone through that show the connection felt and the truly deep feelings that they have for each other. Simon comes to see this, and as hilarious as the result is, it is sweet what he does for Lucy to prove his worth and rectify the situation, redeeming himself.

The Inbetweeners Movie is a good movie to watch, but I cannot fathom why they had to take such an approach to make Jane look like a fat undesirable woman, when in fact she is gorgeous and has a well-shaped figure. It is so redundant to take this view of larger girls, and seemed a bit of a step back for me in the film. Crude jokes on her behalf seemed a bit too surreal, not all people act like that. James too seemed too false for me too, men are indeed piggish like that but he was just nauseating at times, and too much of a blokes bloke. Besides these things, I found the movie to be good and filled to the brim with laughter. Beats a lot of movies out there now, go see it.

RATING: 7.5

All The President’s Men

Story: 

All The President’s Men takes a pivotal moment in political history, The Watergate Scandal, and teaches us about the incredible courage and dedication in two reporters to uncover a government conspiracy like none that had ever occurred.

Review:

Woodward and Bernstein, played by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, are the two men behind the investigation that tackle opposition from all directions to expose the truth and to bring those to justice as the threads begin to unravel and a nation-wide conspiracy is found.

Alan Palukaworks his craft into a story about government cover-up, beautifully enriching all the dark corners and eccentricities that make it so enticing and so gripping.

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford take the helm with a force that cannot be stopped, the persistence and value for journalism some of the strong points that are explicitly shown in the film.

Jason Robards, playing the Washington Post’s editor Ben Bradlee is just marvelous and who is not to be reckoned with in the film. He is a man who prides himself on virtue, value and persistence for truth, and Robards does him a great justice in the film to articulate the true nature that is behind journalism practice.

Detailed with all characters and personifying the book All The President’s Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, All The Presidents Men takes a critical but yet crucial look into American government, conspiracy and cover-ups, speaking honestly but fairly in all accounts and never sensationalizing anything.

All The President’s Men takes no shortcuts to show us the final result, it builds up gradually the hardship and fatigue, the tired and disheveled looks, ways they lose hope, the human failures that strike back at them and the humiliation that they feel when they almost miss the mark.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein  are told and portrayed as almost polar opposites, Woodward is smart and ingenious, he plays the system strategically but Bernstein is not this, he is hard hitting and abrupt, pushing the envelope and stepping on toes to shake people up. Neither is told to be better, they are told just to be dedicated men that do what is necessary, but we see that both learn to adopt a median that has both approaches and this happens subconsciously. Bernstein’s phone call near the end shows us this, as does Woodward pressuring Deep Throat at the end too.

All The President’s Men is great piece of cinema that is timeless, it tells a story about adversity above all, and how the dedication and perseverance of two men revolutionised not just a way of life for journalists, but provided inspiration to those that followed.

RATING: 9.5/10

X-Men Legacy #248

Story:

X-Men Legacy #248 sees a return to the real world but all is not normal, some are haunted and others look to grapple with their imagined lives, rather than just moving on; some even unwilling to leave that life behind.

Review: 

Legion absorbs Moira taking all power that she possessed on the world and all are set free; back into the lives that they once lived, but there are those who cannot handle this.

Emma Frost is called upon to suppress and take out the memories of the other world, too painstaking for a lot to handle in cases, but then there are those like Pixie that have found it empowering, choosing to hold on to these parts.

Legion, with the aid of Dr. Nemesis and Professor X is given a chance to integrate his personalities for a greater purpose, to find a control and balance, harnessing the powers and ways to mastering all abilities he holds.

Cyclops is haunted by the man he was but Frenzy sees it as the man he is, one that loved Frenzy, and she wants that to be true even in the real world. Cyclops dismisses it all calling it an illusion and nothing more.

Rogue and Gambit speak intimately about leading their double life, one that had Rogue take a role as a brutal monster. Gambit tells Rogue that having a true trust and belief in their love is the only means for them to move on.

Rogue in revealing her solemn thoughts tells Gambit how their love seemed fake and Gambit takes this to heart and is broken by her words.

Gambit retreats away from her telling Rogue only to come to him when she is ready and no longer doubts them; when love is enough for her.

Cyclops works in the labs with Dr. Rao, learning about how Hellion’s artificial hands have been mastered and how he’s developed a telekinetic link that helps control them.

Dr. Rao takes Cyclops to his daughter Summer, that has been left living as a phantom without a physical body.

Summer suffers from faltering memories and is unable to pinpoint where her body is exactly, but Cyclops vows to get her body back, telling her not to worry.

Magneto drops in on Rogue, telling her that he needs her and wants the life that he had lived with Rogue, but Rogue is unwilling to easily forget Magneto’s heinous crimes committed in the real world.

Magneto whisks her away to talk, held closely in a loving embrace in his arms, flying over the sunset with a wide grin.

RATING: 7.8/10

Avengers Academy #17

Story:

The Avengers Academy students are left without mentors and direction as Tigra leaves to help save Giant Man who has been left badly wounded from battle. Absorbing Man and Titania break into the academy and the students fail to hold them back and must run for cover.

Review:

Avengers Academy #17 shapes itself into a thought provoking and moving piece that has its heroes question exactly what it is to take a human life, and the regrets some have in doing so.

Washington D.C.  is saved from harm by the Avengers Academy students but the human carnage leaves something to be desired from within the team.

Feeling vulnerable and downhearted, the Avengers Academy students are now left by Tigra in the hands of Jocasta, the long and solemn faces telling us that everything is but “Good”, the painstaking and aching expressions reaching out without any luck.

Absorbing Man and Titania wielding the mystic hammers lay siege to Giant Man’s research station but when proving worthless they forge a portal to escape.

Mettle and Hazmat take some downtime and Mettle picks her brain about whether any of the men Hazmat hurt had died as a result. Hazmat tells him he did a heroes duty today and should be proud of himself, but Mettle is pained by his actions.

Hazmat worried for him seeks Veil, telling her to speak to him as only she knows how it felt to have taken a life,Veil having to come to terms with this in herself too.

Veil opens up to Mettle about how she had took a man’s life in spite, wanting him to die. Veil speaks about the necessity to do harm in saving a life, killed or be killed, but how difficult that choice is to make.

Absorbing Man and Titania make their way into Underspace, finding a world of dimensional doors that will lead them to the Avengers Academy, motivated to break them together.

Reptil and Finesse sit and speak candidly about what the feeling is to kill somebody; joined then by Striker whom Finesse forcibly asks about the man he killed. Striker interjects about how it shook him but made him stronger, and how he has no remorse for the Nazi men he killed.

Striker stands his ground about abandoning the team against Korvac, about it being no business of his, but then making a point of seeing people at harm and reasoning that that was worth fighting for.

Absorbing Man abruptly barge through the room and Reptil holds them while Striker and Finesse can escape.

Reptil is locked in battle with Absorbing Man, taking his leave last minute as a small insect; Absorbing Man and Titania left stewing.

Striker almost plummets to his death trying to escape and the team suddenly becomes aware they are stuck with no communication.

Absorbing Man and Titania corners them all and there is no hope to escape for the team. Titania takes her hammer and levels the building with all inside, and there seems like little chance of survival.

RATING: 8.4

X-Men Legacy #247

Story:

Moira exerts control on Fortress X, taking control over Legion and throwing the rest into turmoil. Professor X makes the truth known to all that they are living in an alternate reality inside of Legion’s mind but all does not bode well for him and the end might not be as close as it seems.

Review: 

X-Men Legacy #247 blows you away with its ingenuity and fast-paced action, pulling at the threads of the world desperately trying to expose it for what is really is.

Magneto is overthrown and the Force Warriors take dictatorship over Fortress X, Danielle Moonstar taking a stance against the rights to exterminate all that oppose his ruling and reason.

Rogue and Gambit uncover a shocking discovery that will untangle all the webs of deceit, but the creature known as Moira McTaggart prevents this, taking control of the situation and asserting her omnipresent governance once more.

Basilisk/Cyclops sees through the thin veil Moira has weaved and he convinces almost all to follow him as he goes on a search for answers.

Legion’s mind is opened up to him by Professor X and the story falls into place as to why they have no knowledge of their previous existences and a world outside the fortress.

Basilisk leads his group unbeknownst to where Professor X stands waiting, Professor X speaking out in hope they finally see through the cloak Moira has placed on them.

Professor X appeals to all to seek truth in their memories that although faded are still much alive inside them all.

He shows them all how they’ve come to be here, trapped in the dark mind of Legion, living a false and plagued existence in a world built entirely for Legion that would service all his needs.

Deafening, all seem taken back by Professor X’s revelation, but Legion does not take to it, seeing it as a deception, Moira calling Professor X out as the one who has distorted the truth and poisoned their minds with his telepathy.

Moira venomously places the world in a state of jeopardy to take her power back, throwing them into darkness.

Walls break down around Fortress X; Moira pushing them perilously into danger, the outcome not at all looking good for them as the world is thrown into a sense of despair.

RATING: 9. 4/10

Avengers Academy #16

Story:

The Avengers Academy team battle to protect the city from destruction and death, Giant-Man is incapacitated in his fight with Absorbing Man and Titania, and the Avengers Academy students look to have sought a clear victory finally but this is short lived as it is marked and strained with unnecessary blood.

Review:

Avengers Academy #16 is by far one of the most enjoyable and solid comic books I have had the chance to read this year, utterly gripping and riveting.

Giant Man and Quicksilver battle Titania and Absorbing Man, fear serving a great part in the combat and doubt that arises in them, especially Giant Man, as he is easily outwitted and outdone.

Absorbing Man puts the moves on Giant Man, and he is momentarily incapacitates him causing harm to the city.

Giant Man fights to gain back control but Absorbing Man whimsically causes thousands of deaths before Giant Man can do so.

Justice fends off Titania but his defense is breached and Quicksilver smartly intervening but is too outmatched in brute force of the hammer.

Wielding these Thor-like hammers, Giant Man and the others do not seem to have the capacity to beat them, and although Giant Man outsmarts them finally and stops them for the meantime, a looming fear is gathering about how they can be beaten.

The Avengers Academy students are left alone in the city  and have to work under the strain. Veil is put to the test in being the hero that is asked of her, as opposed to the fear of the villain she may become.

Falling boulders and crumbling buildings almost toppled onto a young girl but Veil is able to vaporise and phase through all this to push the girl out of danger.

The girl’s mother is found to have been knocked out when the building collapsed and the support is about to give way so Veil devises a way to get her out, and with coaxing and some luck there is a good outcome.

Veil prevails against all that could be humanly managed getting the mother to her child, but tragedy strikes and all is lost in an instance. Anger blows out of Veil and she succumbs to vengeance, taking a life at the cost of another.

Kneeling broken in the rubble, Veil breaks down in anguish and in seeing the fear in the girls eyes Veil is shown how monstrous she can become.

RATING: 9.1/10