[Book Review] The Deep: Here Be Dragons by Tom Taylor & James Brouwer

December 6, 2011

It wasn’t long ago that I celebrated another birthday, and that date happened to fall on the day that Gestalt Comics were having a book launch at the awesome All-Star Comics. Spending my birthday at a comic book store, with a launch of some awesome new titles, could that have worked out any better? It was the perfect way to spend the day, and I picked up a little present for myself, The Deep: Here By Dragons by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer.

I met Tom some two and a half years ago at Melbourne Supanova, where he introduced me to his work. Back then it was a short comic called The Example that he had written, with Colin Wilson having done the artwork. It was this little comic that sold me on Tom’s writing talents. I enjoyed it so much that I reviewed it on Amazon, and I even went to the launch party along with another Gestalt title called Flinch. So yes, I have been a fan of Tom’s for almost three years going, and honestly he just does not disappoint. No matter what he is writing (Star Wars: Invasion has been amazing fyi), he just sucks me right in and I have a fantastic time. The Deep is no different. This really stands as one of the most fun reads that I’ve had for a long time.

The story is an adventure. An underwater adventure! A family of explorers discover something deep down in the ocean, and we are reminded that our planet has so much to yet to be uncovered. The family sort of reminded me of The Incredibles with their dynamic, yet they remain a unique family unit with their own individual traits. Once we are introduced to them, the mystery of the deep and the adventure is on! The story is fun and it has a huge heart. The different elements at play blend together perfectly. This is a beautifully written piece, and it’s an honest reminder of certain truths that are out there with regards to how we treat our planet and the creatures that inhabit it. The message within is a strong one, one you can’t ignore and honestly one that you will feel strongly about.

But the joys of this book do not end there. James Brouwer’s artwork is stunning, and compliments the story perfectly. The characters are fully realised, each with their own visual quirks and memorable faces. The locations and (of course) the deep look fantastic, with some of the pages containing awe-inspiring beauty that I found myself unable to tear myself away. In short, Tom and James make for a great combination, and both should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished.
Overall, The Deep is an intelligent and fun ride. Age be no barrier in reading this one. Pick it up. You won’t regret it!

Rating:

Purchase THE DEEP: HERE BE DRAGONS directly from Gestalt Comics or you can get it from Amazon

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Posted by supermarcey

Comic Review: (The New 52) Supergirl #1 & #2

November 23, 2011

Written By: Michael Green & Mike Johnson
Penciller: Mahmud Asrar
Inkers: Dan Green with Mahmud Asrar
Colourer: Dave McCaig
Letterer: John J. Hill
Issue #1/#2 Cover: Madmud Asrar and Dave McCaig

Review: It should come as no surprise to people that Supergirl is one of my favourite comic book characters and heroines. In fact the name ‘SuperMarcey’ comes from my love of Supergirl/Superman and Super Mario Bros. It should also be no surprise that when DC decided to reboot their titles that Supergirl was first on my list of comics to get. I had no idea what to expect or what we would be in for. How was DC handling the character, would she still be the same or were we going to get a new Supergirl?

This initial story arc appears to be an introduction to this rebooted character and serve as a bit of an origin story. Rather than just introduce her casually (the way Superman was handled in both Action Comics #1 and Superman #1) the story begins with Kara Zor-El crashing to Earth, she doesn’t know what is going on or where she is. She quickly learns she has these incredible powers, but at the same time she finds herself under attack. The first issue serves as an introduction to her as well as her newfound situation. She has just come to Earth, she doesn’t know why or where she even is. Her discovery of powers comes at the right time as she finds herself under attack and begins to learn how to fend off enemies.

The second issue shows Kara remembering her last moments on Krypton and she is babysitting her baby cousin Kal-El. Unable to comprehend that just days ago he was a baby and now he is fully-grown right before her, the mystery of what has happened to her is deepened. She does not believe this man in front of her is Kal-El and the two naturally battle. Her self-discovery is continued and we progress with this story.

The stage is set for Supergirl, and this story arc should be able to wrap up her origin and introduction fairly quickly. It is handled quite well and it certainly holds interest through these two issues. Supergirl is not quite the same as we had seen more recently, this is all new to her and things are clearly going to change. Speaking of change, her appearance has been altered quite significantly. At first I wasn’t a fan of the new costume or hairstyle, but as I opened the first issue it quickly grew on me and I really like the look. The costume is more of a bodysuit, with no skirt and the cape is quite large. The boots have changed slightly and perhaps they were going for a more practical look. Her shorter hair is nice and I really like this new make over.

The series is definitely ones for fans of Supergirl like me, but it also serves as the perfect entry point for her character. If you have ever wanted to discover Supergirl this would be the place to start. The story is handled well; the art is quite fantastic, with Asrar handling both Supergirl and the scenery and fights around her expertly. It is quite a clean art, with hints of ‘messy’ but it just overall works and blends together with the story.

Issue #1 Rating: 4/5

Issue #2 Rating: 4/5

Issue #3 will get reviewed soon!

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Posted by supermarcey

Music Review: Bad As Me – Tom Waits

November 22, 2011
Certainly Tom Waits is a well-known musician and one that is almost a bit of an acquired taste. I love the guy and his music; I welcomed this 20th studio album without any real expectations. Music is one thing that I go into with no expectations, I am either going to enjoy it or it’ll feel like nails on a chalkboard. It will click with me or I will ultimately think it is rubbish. Bad As Me is an album that was just an instant click and I highly enjoyed it.
I haven’t had a chance to listen to it through as much as I wanted to before writing anything down, but I might as well get my feelings out, as I don’t think they are going to change. Bad As Me was intended to be something a little more simplistic, as advised by Waits’ musical collaborator and wife Kathleen Brennan, and in many ways it kind of is. It isn’t really over complicated and the collaborators are welcome additions to the album (including Flea, Keith Richards, Ben Jaffe ect).
This really took me back to such albums as Rain Dogs; they kind of share a strange similarity. My reaction to Bad As Me honestly reminded me of my own first impressions of Rain Dogs when I listened to that for the first time many years ago. For me this is easy listening, I don’t need to be in a specific mood or anything to listen to Bad As Me. I can just put it on, sit back and do whatever and listen to it. It can be somewhat of an annoyance when you feel like listening to something in particular but you just can’t because the mood isn’t right. There are no frustrations here, it plays so well and right now I can’t get enough.
This is not the best thing Waits has done, nor is it the worst, I don’t tend to rank albums as best/worst. More along the lines of how they make me feel and how much the musician/s have managed to connect with me and what stories they are telling. There are singers out there who might not be as fine turned as other, but the emotions behind what they are playing/singing is there. For me this is how Waits really reaches me, and Bad As Me certainly did that for me.
If I have to name any standout tracks, I’ll go with ‘Face To The Highway’, which is a little mellower. The lyrics are strangely beautiful and the music really compliments it. ‘Bad As Me’ is quite an interesting title track, the performance by Waits is phenomenal and a really great choice over all.
Simply put if you are a fan of Waits this is a must, I was impressed and certainly not let down. If you are a casual fan of Waits you should enjoy this as well, it feels in tone with as I said the Rain Dogs stuff. If you aren’t too familiar with Waits this is a great introduction and it should lead you to check out his earlier stuff.
The album is out now and comes as a regular release and as a deluxe edition. The deluxe edition comes with a lyrical book including photography by Waits and a bonus CD.
| Purchase the audio CD here | Purchase the deluxe edition here |

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Posted by supermarcey

Book Review – Dropping Fear by Mike Catalano

October 18, 2011

So way back over a year ago, we had a little podcast. An interview with then new author Mike Catalano on his debut Dropping Fear. Mike is a good friend; we met through Arrow In The Head when he was a news editor. I was very excited to chat to him about his book, I picked up a copy and away I went. Unfortunately life can be crazy, and my life has been insane this past year. I read Mike’s book but I kept putting this review on the backburner. Well I recently picked it up again and gave it a second read through. So as part of 31 Days Of Horror, I present you this write up.

Dropping Fear is without question a horror novel, but not the typical kind. This is far different than anything else I have read, it touches upon all sorts of issues that aren’t tackled enough within the genre and medium if you ask me. The story centers on Will, a young man with a wife Kerri. The couple are desperately trying to conceive, and when all else fails a miracle of sorts suddenly falls into their lap. A new doctor promises he has the answers and assures them that Kerri will get pregnant. Sure enough it happens, after a procedure but Kerri isn’t quite right. In fact she has crazy homicidal urgers. Does this have anything to do with Will’s past? His father locked away for a bunch of murders, is it in the genes or is there something else at play? Well you’ll need to read this to find out!

From the get go with the violent and shocking start this book aims to grab the audience and pull them in. It works; I was in such shock that I couldn’t wait to read more. The sequence is something that I could picture so easily; just so wonderfully written I was impressed. The set up to introduce the characters and scenario was well done; I liked them instantly and become sympathetic to their problems. They are real problems, and there was something very person laid within the lines. Write what you know and write it well, that is what Catalano has done with this. It did not feel silly or anything of the sort, it was just handled with such care. The fears of not being able to conceive and the doubts that follow are very real for a lot of people. It made for an interesting premise, but it also played to some very scary fears.

Once the pregnancy is set up, the feel that something is not quite right rings so loudly. Once Kerri begins to show signs of not being herself, it is obvious this is more than just out of control hormones. Certainly a metaphor for the changes women under go as well as all the emotions that goes with it. I liked that about this book, and I was impressed with how well it came across. Of course the metaphors don’t stop there, you have the fear of parenthood, fear of how to raise the child and so forth. The blend of all this with the horror was great; it was a scary but awesome ride.

The conclusion was a good one, and Catalano certainly knows how to build suspense and keep things interesting. The influences for certain things here are very much apparent and a nice homage as well. I would rather not spoil those things; they are fun to pick up. In all this was a great read and just a fabulous piece for a debut. Well done Mike, I am so proud of what you have accomplished my friend!

Rating:

Do yourself a favour and buy Dropping Fear! You can purchase it for the Kindle right here or Paperback right here.

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Posted by supermarcey

A Live Blog Commentating on The ‘Entourage’ Finale by G-Funk

September 14, 2011

**Booting up the episode.**

Man, the writing in this show has gotten sloppy during the past two seasons. I am SO tired of the E/Sloan romance. It’s been off and on again so many times it is completely beyond believable. Dropping the pregnancy sub-plot is not only obvious but lazy. Obviously they’re all going to pack in Hollywood and move back to New York at the end, thus negating everything they have worked for during the past eight years.

Drama and Vince have completely run their potential character arcs into the ground already, Turtle has had a fairy tale ending, only Ari has anything interesting left to watch. His story could go different ways.

This new love interest for Vince is the laziest thing they have ever bothered casting. She’s got no personality traits AT ALL, the only defining feature she has is that she doesn’t fall for Vince’s charms. Obviously he’ll win her over in the last episode, but who’s going to care? She’s nothing more than a concept.

**Opening Credits**

Surprise wedding in Paris, what the fuck? When did I start watching the umpteenth season of ‘Friends’. Man, that couldn’t have been introduced any worse. It’s almost like they had a 20 episode arc planned out, then just skipped the middle dozen.

Ok, so Ari’s hit rock bottom, that’s interesting at least. Now that he’s done that we can see his redemption. Now who the fuck are these guys? Random cameos, are they just churning out everyone who was on the waiting list for guest appearances? It must be embarrassing NOT to have been on ‘Entourage’ at this point.

Man, this is badly written, they’re just rushing through the plot resolutions. Feels like they have a list of boxes to tick off and they’re working through them. So both E and Ari forgot to shave, what deep thought they put into showing their emotional states.

Why the hell did they think that sending Drama and Turtle round to Sloane’s house would make any sense at all? They really are just making this up as they’re going along.

So where is Vince’s girl? At this point I’m half expecting her to turn out bound and gagged in the trunk of his car as he talks about their ‘wedding’. Why hasn’t she been seen yet? Odd.

So I guess a few people had one last episode left in their contracts, they seem to be dragging out as many bit parts as humanly possible. Pretty sure Terrance, Billy and Scott Caan have nothing to contribute today.

Bloody hell, did Lloyd get shafted in this episode. At the last minute they cobbled together a story for his final scene but were too busy snorting coke to write any dialogue for him, so they gave his the brief and just had him read it out loud. Poor Lloyd.

So Ari has redeemed himself. I like that his daughter was the catalyst in that, since he’s the only character they seem to bother writing these days.

Now they’re at the airport, and overplaying the emotion. Could you have crow-barred in the ‘hug it out’ line any more awkwardly? It’s only been six years since you last heard it, seems perfectly natural they’d say it now. Then suddenly it ended. Not even a decent closing shot of the planes exiting down the runway? Maybe just everyone sitting in the cabin in quiet contentment? Hollywood fading into the distance behind them? Something?

Back to the earlier point – so they’re just packing it all in and moving back to New York? Why did their sudden desire to make movies dry up? Why did the writers bother having Vince and Drama overcome their career problems in the final episodes (something, I remind you, the show is ABOUT) for them to pack it in now? All the career goals that we’ve seen them strive towards over the past eight seasons have just been rendered moot. Especially since they used to tout the return to New York as being synonymous with their failure in L.A. Suddenly it’s an act of redemption for them to give up on the movie industry, and the TV show Drama had worked so hard for, and go home.

Sure, it was for love, but as I’ve already said this new love interest is NOT a character beyond being a girl who Vince cannot charm. Normally in these circumstances the character would have to undergo a change to become a better person for them (much like Ari just did), but that didn’t happen. Vince acted like a total nutbag and showed her a video compilation of all the girls he’s banged (you can be in the next version!) which somehow won her over. Wait, what?

Now a cutesy little end-credit gag where Ari is tempted to the dark side. Amusing, yes, but totally negates the redemption that the character has been building up to this entire season. Good job, assholes.

Final message to the ‘Entourage’ writers: fuck you. You couldn’t have done that worse without making it a clip show.

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Posted by gfunk101

Check out the fantastic Novie – Funk 3 (Get Next To You) Official Music Video

August 17, 2011

I love Music Videos, yet I feel like in this modern age they are lacking true substance and talent. It was by a lucky coincidence that I happened to stumble across this new Music Video for Novie’s Funk 3 (Get Next To You) song. The song is great, the kind of smooth tune I could easily use as a muse for writing. The video is a visual delight, with a gorgeous animation. It actually tells a story, and it is entertaining. Best of all the animation and the music fit together perfectly. There is a great blend here, and I really miss this with Music Videos. Check it out, you’re sure to enjoy both the music and visuals.

Rating:

BUY on iTunes here http://goo.gl/Vrb0i

Animation & Script – Gavin C Reed
Concept & Story – Novie, Gavin C Reed & Andrew ‘Andy T’ Thompson
Kenjutsu Choreography – Phil Fisher
Songwriters – Novie, Max ‘School Boy’ Roach & Andrew ‘Andy T’ Thompson
Track producers – Novie & Andrew ‘Andy T’ Thompson
Mixing & Mastering – SEOK

© 2011 Novie. All rights reserved.

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Posted by supermarcey

Superman: Secret Origin

January 24, 2011

Rating: 5/5

‘This is awesome’ is what I kept repeating to myself as I was reading Superman: Secret Origin. Obviously Superman is a character that has been done so many times, over and over. He is an icon that is known so well, and even if you’re a person who doesn’t read comics, you’ll know the basics about the character. This is why reading this was so refreshing; yes I know the story but this was told in such a great way that it felt new. The overall story is told in different chapters, starting from a young Clark Kent still in school finding out the truth about himself. This leads us to see him as Superboy, and his contact with the Legion of Superheroes from the future. A parallel story is also being told about a Smallville resident called Lex Luthor, we see him as a poor young man who has clear scientific aspirations. The story then continues to show us Clark Kent going to Metropolis, and getting a job as a reporter. Lex Luthor also now rules the city, and the Daily Planet Newspaper is on his black list. Naturally Clark Kent ends up introducing the world to his alter-ego Superman, and Lex Luthor has found himself an enemy.

The story does give us the main points to Superman, being this is an origin story. It gives depth to each of the main characters, we actually get to known Clark as Clark. Lex Luthor is also fleshed out a little bit, and given actual motivations and he doesn’t feel like some one-dimensional villain. Lois Lane is a foxy woman, getting herself into all sorts of trouble but she isn’t really one who needs saving. She is a strong woman, and it’s nice to see a character like that. I really have to give it to Geoff Johns, he is a genius! The artwork by Gary Frank is truly stunning, he brings something new to something we’ve already seen, while still giving it a taste of stuff we are familiar with. Superman: Secret Origin is a story that anyone can get into, you don’t have to be a Superman fan to enjoy this. It is something that can be picked up by anyone, and understood without any kind of confusion to other story lines or realities. I really can’t recommend this enough, both for the story and the artwork.

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Posted by supermarcey

Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

October 21, 2010
4.5/5
Living Dead In Dallas is a fantastic follow up to the first of the Sookie Stackhouse novels Dead Until Dark. It picks up pretty much where the first book left off and before long we’re thrown into more chaos and mystery. The story is told from Sookie’s point of view, she is a telepath and happens to be dating a vampire. Her special gift is of great importance to the vampire’s, as this time around they need her to find out what has happened to a missing vampire. Meanwhile, back in her hometown of Bon Temps, another murder has taken place and as a friend Sookie wants to find out what happened. So the story here has two main arc’s, and they are both exciting and interesting!
I love Sookie, from the first book she was a character I just fell in love with. It is a pleasure to join her again as she gets into more trouble while trying to solve several mysteries. Of course there is the vampire Bill Compton, he’s a strange one, but at the same time striking and attractive. Much like with the TV show however, my attentions always turned to Eric Northman, he’s just as great in the novels as he is in the TV show. Charlaine Harris has created some interesting and quirky characters, they all mix together in the most entertaining of ways.
While the book focuses more on Sookie and the TV show fleshes out the characters, it doesn’t really take away anything from the book. After all it is told from Sookie’s point of view, and we see them how she sees them. We join her on her journey, and I enjoy doing this with Sookie. Charlaine took an interesting concept of having the vampire’s known to the world, yet other supernatural creatures are not. Sookie learns about all of this, as do we as the reader. We get introduced to new beings, unaware of what dangers they might impose on Sookie and the town in general. I was so riveted by this book, despite having seen the TV show, there is a lot that is different and I still wasn’t sure what surprises would be thrown at me. Highly recommended reading, and now on to book 3 and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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Posted by supermarcey

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

July 16, 2010
4.5/5
Dead Until Dark is the first of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, or as others might know it as the books to the True Blood TV series. Dead Until Dark is what they based the events of Season 1 of the TV show on. Being a huge fan of the TV show, I was curious to read the books and see how they differ. I was also curious to see what sort of an author Charlaine Harris is. I am happy to report that both the book and author are fabulous! I really enjoyed reading Dead Until Dark, it does differ quite a lot from the TV show, and I can understand the changes they made for the TV show. Characters like Tara aren’t even in the book, and other characters not introduced into the TV show are in the book. I quite enjoyed those differences, the premise was the same though and knowing the outcome didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.
The character of Sookie is well written, we see everything from her perspective, she is telling the story. Sookie is a very likable character, we get hooked into her story right away, and the strange group of characters around her. Sookie is a telepath, she can read the thoughts of everyone around her, except those of vampires. In this world vampires are known to the public, they have ‘come out of the coffin’. Sookie meets her first vampire at the bar that she works out, Bill Compton. Of course as you’d expect they fall in love, but like every couple they have their ups and downs. However in the small town that they live in, a killer lurks. This mystery is the center of the story, having a great affect on all the characters, from Sookie’s brother and her gran to her co-workers and of course Bill.
Much like I did with the TV show, I fell in  love with so many of the characters. Sookie, Bill and Sam mostly, we meet Eric but he isn’t featured as much. Charlaine has a great writing style and she really makes you like these characters and get completely wrapped up in their world. None of the characters feel bland at all, they all have their quirks. Sookie especially is quirkly, but the kind of girl you’d love to be friends with. A credit to those who cast the TV series, Anna Paquin is just perfect. Reading the book I pictured her all the way and it felt so right. I really would highly recommend this book, even if you don’t watch the TV series it is a great read.

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Posted by supermarcey

Battlestar Galactica

March 22, 2010

5/5
Over the past few months I finally got my bum in gear and got a hold of the re-imaged Battlestar Galactica series which premiered as a mini-series back in 2003. It is loosely based on the series from the 70′s which I hardly remember now. Until recently all I had seen was little bits and pieces of the show and it looked like something I wanted to watch, and now I finally have.
Sci-fi this certainly is, and it goes much deeper then that too. There is so much meaning and so many metaphors present through out the entire four seasons of the show. This is a strong, character driven show, you care about people, even if you aren’t really meant to. It has its twists and turns, and some really hit hard, while others not so much but it still makes more compelling viewing. One thing which really made this show was the cast, they are all phenomenal! I loved everyone even if I didn’t much like their character, I think everyone just played their parts to perfection.
The story itself is about humans creating the robotic entities the Cylon’s who turned on them and disappeared for 40 years suddenly coming back and destroying their colonies and leaving a band of survivors behind to find a new home. You feel for the humans, all their loss and the tragic situation they are left in. The Cylon’s are interesting as well, they have the centurians and the human models, which as you might guess they are slowly revealed through out the series.
The show lasted I think the right amount of time, it did not drag itself out and I think overall it came to a satisfactory conclusion and one I think was rather smart a clever in a way. I would highly recommend this to anyone, it has something on offer for everyone even if sci-fi isn’t your thing. I struggle to think anyone disliking this show, it has so much to offer and you can easily re-watch it and enjoy it again.

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Posted by supermarcey

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