Superman '78 #1

 Writer: Robert Vinditti

Artist: Wilfredo Torres

Rating: 6 of 8

Superman '78 #1

They say nothing lasts forever - but what if something could? With time, will and effort, even the strangest things can happen. So who's to say that some things can't last forever? Throughout his lives, that's exactly what Brainiac tries to do, but on a much grander scale. He travels throughout the galaxy, capturing planet after planet, shrinking them down to bottle them.

As bizarre as this sounds, he's actually doing it for a good reason, even if it isn't justified. You see, he's only capturing worlds that seem to be nearing extinction and he does this in order to save them and to preserve their history. Given that this doesn't kill the planet's people, I'm not fully sure why it's a bad thing - though, it might come down to the age old question: is it better to have freedom, or safety?

Wilfredo Torres does a fantastic job in recreating just how various characters looked in the Superman films. Whether it's Chris Reeve's Superman, Margot Kidder's Lois, or even Jackie Cooper's Perry White, you're sure to be pleased with what he does here. He also perfectly recreates the period, down to the clothes, which is a great attention to detail. There are a few shortcomings to his art, though, as often he removes the full detail of a character's eyes, instead only showing their pupils and it's because of this that Jimmy Olsen gets shortchanged.

Aside from that, though, this is a wonderful comic, that has a lot more going for it than against it. Lois is just as intrepid as ever, while the lead has a perfect sense of duality. As Clark, he's just as bumbling and awkward as you'd expect, but as Superman, he's incredibly resolute in his quest to protect Earth and it's people. Meanwhile, Perry pushes Clark to do better than he is, knowing that in this job, there are risks he has to take. 

Overall, this is a fantastic debut, that's one of the best Superman comics I've read in a long time. Whether you're a fan of him, or of the Richard Donner films, I heartily recommend it.

Superman: The Movie

 Directed by: Richard Donner

Starring: Christopher Reeve,

Margot Kidder

and Gene Hackman

Rating: 6 of 8

Superman: The Movie

''You'll believe a man can fly''. That was the promise of 1978's Superman: The Movie and even though later iterations were much better at that, one thing this absolutely aces is it's hero's humanity. It's one of the most imporant parts of any Man of Steel and it's something both Jeff East (the teenage Clark Kent) and Christopher Reeve easily realize.

Though even before that, the young Clark's already showing a remarkable degree of it, by saving his adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (filled with warmth and faith by Glenn Ford). It's here I can't help but wonder if being heroic isn't less down to how he was raised and more just who he is. 

But, despite all his incredible feats of strength, he couldn't save his father. Not from a tornado, or a bullet, but a heart attack. It perfectly illustrates just how fallible he really is. But for every hero, there must come a villain to match him. Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) proves to be that foe and what he lacks in brawn, he certainly makes up for in brains.

But instead of using it to help humanity, he only uses it to his own twisted ends. Despite having such a talented actor playing him, though, Luthor's lacking a few of his most defining characteristics. Instead of being fueled by a desire to prove himself Superman's better, he's fueled simply by greed - and though that's often one of his motivations, it's not the only one. 

Besides that, he's not bald for most of the film, which is disappointing, as that, too, is one of his most memorable characteristics. He's also surrounded by too many comic sidekicks for me to find believable of someone like him. 

Other than Reeve, Margot Kidder is easily one of the best parts of the film. She fills Lois Lane with the exact amount of vim and vigour that you'd expect, while also instilling her with some touching vulnerability. Around Superman, she brims with an awkwardness that you rarely get to see and she fills the Can You Read My Mind? scene with the right amount of sweetness and sincerity.

In other hands, it could've come off as saccharine, but thanks to her, Donner and a few others, it was just right. It's around here that we get to see just how Clark really feels about her, which is shown both through their flight and it's playfullness and when he considers telling her who he really is.

Though there are a multitude of memorable characters, there's few quite as memorable as the ones Superman encounters on his first night out. Between a wall climbing thief that he mischievously trounces, a man who praises his ''bad outfit!'' and a pilot who urges his partner to ''just fly'', there's no shortage of colourful characters to make the film all the better for having them.

Overall, this is just a fantastic film that, despite it's flaws, delivers one of the greatest renditions of the Man of Steel. Filled with pathos and emotional sincerity, this a film that will last forever.

The Suicide Squad Review

* Be sure to stick around 'till after the credits 😉 

Directed by: James Gunn

Starring: Idris Elba, John Cena,

Sylvester Stallone and

Daniela Melchior

Rating: 6 of 8

The Suicide Squad

There's nothing quite like a little insanity. Too much can lead to all sorts of messes. But when you get it just right, you can really create something special. James Gunn certainly does that, as he unleashes his special brand of insanity onto the Suicide Squad.

Five years ago, WB released the first Suicide Squad and though it certainly had a mixed reception, it was a big success at the box office. Though I certainly liked a couple things about it, - like Smith and Robbie's performances - there was a lot more bad about it than good. Thankfully, in many ways, this is a significant improvement.

Unlike the 1st film, which had very little stakes because barely anyone died, this one has no problem with killing people off, which it makes very clear. It gets to the point where you think anyone could be killed off - and when a mainstream film manages to create stakes like those, it's doing very well.

The trailers do it very little justice as, though the film's laced with a generous amount of humour, they made it look like it was almost nothing but. Thankfully, that isn't the case and there's actually a number of scenes where it slows down and we get a very welcome insight into different characters.

Very early on, we gain some insight into Bloodsport, (Idris Elba) whose situation is almost an inverse of Deadshot's. Like Deadshot, he's an expert marksman and he gets plenty of opportunities to show that off. Throughout, we get to see him embark on two kinds of journeys and it's a pleasure to see him walk them.

In a very touching sequence, we learn just why Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) has such an affinity for rats. It's a remarkably sweet tale, which probably fits, despite her love of such creatures. As odd as it may sound, there's a dark tragedy to Polka-Dot Man, whose given a constant sense of melancholy from David Dastmalchian.

Though he isn't as charming as Groot, Gunn's other amicable creature, King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) is better than I expected. He's definitely not as talkative as he is in the comics, but he's still pretty bloodthirsty. Peacemaker spills almost as much, though his philosophy lets him justify every drop.

As Amanda Waller, Viola Davis is just as incredible as ever. She crackles with a ferocity that lets you see exactly why she's in charge. She also has some great moments to show just how hard she can be and she's all the better for it. Finally, Harley's just as charming as she was in Suicide Squad, though much better here than in Birds of Prey.

Overall, this is just a fantastic film, laced with incredible action and some out of this world moments that really make the film stand out. It's not without it's flaws, though, as some of the jokes don't land, it underutilizes Peter Capaldi and it's a little overlong. Other than that, though, it's a great film, that I definitely recommend.

False Guard #1 Review

 Writer and

 artist: Merwan

Rating: 6 of 8

False Guard #1

There's nothing quite like a tournament. It offers a unique opportunity to get an insight into both the fighters' personalities and the skills that set them apart. In False Guard, though the world's bursting with personality and the tournament's popping with frenetic force, the issue's still got problems.

As Mané enters the city, he already faces an uphill battle as, having been guided there, he enters penniless and, because he had such a scarce amount to give, lost his steed to boot. Then, when he tries to enter a restaurant to fill his canteen and get a few leftovers, he's very promptly refused even that.

He's afforded very little kindness, until one man steps in and wows him, not only with his skills, but his kindness. We don't get much of him here, but what we do get shows that he's brimming with skill and crackling with personality. Right now, though, Mané's main focus is on the pankat tournament, with a round of clashes almost as relentless as the fighters themselves.

Though Merwan did well in keeping the action fierce and frenetic, he definitely could've made it easier to distinguish a lot of the fighters. Some, like the pale skinned Stone Man, easily stand out from the rest, but a lot of them look too similar, which makes it a bit harder to tell who's getting the upper hand.

My only other criticism was that it was unclear it had ended when it did and that either Merwan or the editor could've made it clearer, either through text, or imagery. Other than that, though, it was a pretty good issue, packed with thrills, intrigue, desperation and hope.