Kill Shakespeare: A Geek Girl Review

KILL SHAKESPEARE: A GEEK GIRL REVIEW
By Courtney Lockhart

The weekend before last I attended Montreal Comiccon. While my main goal for the weekend was to stalk meet Stephen Amell, I was also on the lookout for something new and exciting to recharge the nerd batteries.

While my primary goal was completed  Saturday thanks to the Q&A, Photo Op and  Meet and Greet opportunities, by Sunday afternoon I was starting to think my secondary goal was not going to be accomplished. There was tons of beautiful art and the vendors were well stocked with interesting wares, but I wasn’t getting that ‘zing’.  I define the zing as that feeling  where your radar has been pinged and you are now hyper-aware of the presence of something awesome.  I was just about to turn to my con-buddy and tell him I was going to call it a day when I saw it:

ZING!

This shirt literally stopped me in my tracks. I’ve been a Shakespeare nut since I was about 12 years old. I spend more time at the movie theatre watching National Theatre Live performances than I do actual films and I was gifted a lovely Complete Works of Shakespeare from my aunt and uncle  when I was in university.   The shirt was so genius I didn’t even notice the rest of the table until the gentleman behind the table asked “Have you heard of Kill Shakespeare?” 

That gentleman was Connor McCreery co-creator of  the Kill Shakespeare comic series.  He walked me through the basics: Hamlet is transported to a mythical land which is either cursed or protected, depending on what side of the argument you side with, by a wizard named Will Shakespeare.  The lord of the land, Richard III wants Hamlet to find and kill the powerful wizard. However a rebellion, lead by Juliet Capulet, is calling Richard a tyrant and asking for Hamlet’s help to find Shakespeare and overthrow the king.  The T-shirts were a tie-in and even more clever once you understood the context.  I picked up the first volume of the graphic novel, A Sea of Troubles, and resolved to read it on the bus back to Ottawa.

You don’t have to be a Shakespeare fan to like this book. While there are winks, and references, the authors make sure that the uninitiated have enough information to not be lost. The story is epic in every sense of the word with twists and turns that keep the audiences guessing just as much as the characters. I honestly have no idea what will happen next and I love that.  

With great art by , well rounded characters and an excellent story I’m looking forward to picking up the next instalment.  Of course by next instalment I mean everything that’s currently published. Once I pick it up I know I’m not going to want to put it down until it’s done. 

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Geek Girl Review: Harley Quinn Invades Comic-Con

HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL SAN DIEGO #1 BY AMANDA CONNER AND JIMMY PALMIOTTI, AMANDA CONNER AND PAUL MOUNTS- COVER ART, VARIOUS ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE COMIC

 By Thea Nikolic

So it's that time of year again. The one and only San Diego Comic-Con and Harley Quinn decides that she will attend this year's convention. First off, the creators treated this comic like the #0 one in the fact that there were multiple writers and artists creating the whole story. And it works as it matches Harley's crazy personality. Also, it was an extremely fun and entertaining read. She gets into all sorts of trouble, including getting kicked out a couple of times and finding herself in a room full of Joker cosplayers, which she proceeds to test to see if her 'real' puddin' in amongst them. And on top of everything, Harley is looking to show her art to top comic artists to see if she could make it in the comic art world, and there are some big names in DC that are drawn and talked with some nice surprises.

Definitely worth picking up even if you don't collect the regular series as it is a complete story without talking about the rest of her continuity. So if you weren't able to make it SDCC this year, you can still live it through Harley's eyes.

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe. 

How to Become a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent: Avengers in Times Square

HOW TO BECOME A S.H.E.I.L.D AGENT: AVENGERS IN TIMES SQUARE

By Jenn Kelly

I'm a huge 'Avengers' fan. Not ridiculously huge, like, I have mementos all over my house, but I love the show and the movies. So when the boys and I found out they were having a wickedly-cool exhibit at the Discovery Times Square, we knew we had to visit. I just want to clarify that we were already in Manhattan. We didn't make a special trip.

The exhibit opened at the end of May, and Stan Lee, yes THE Stan Lee, loved it. We bought our tickets in advance (about $80 with a discount) and arrived there 10 minutes before opening. They have 'timed' visits by the way. 

We were allowed to take one photo outside. Unfortunately there were no photos allowed in the actual exhibit. 

Upon arrival, you were instructed to create your own 'badge'. My child calls me, 'Bad Mommy'. Don't ask.

Then you were brought into a room where you were debriefed about the situation. All employees were dressed as S.H.I.E.L.D team and they even saluted. Which of course, the kids loved. And me. I saluted right back. Because I'm awesome like that.

Testing room where you complete 4 tests. Strength test in hand-squeezing a lever; arm strength test in rotating a wheel as fast possible; reflex test in tapping on the 'bad guys' on the computer screen; and the fourth was your weight (thanks). Your results were compared to Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America. Of course, you failed. It had glass cabinets filled with Captain America trading cards, his shield, his costume and his gorgeous leather jacket.

They had a 'Hulk Room', where the computers took your thumbprint sample and showed how your DNA exposure to simulated radiation would result in you too, becoming like the Hulk. It allowed you to use the special ipad to 'control' the Hulk's movements in punching, jumping up and down and banging your hands together loudly to create a sonic boom.  They had the 'Ironman' room where you could 'become' like Ironman with special eye-sensors to blow up planes attacking you; or you could watch yourself be clothed in his costume and try out the thrusters. They had Thor and Loki costumes and even Loki's staff! And when asked where Mjölnir was, we were informed that it was not on loan from Asgard. I was skeptical about the costumes, asking if they were actually used, and I was told yes. But hubby said they winked at him later, so I'm slightly doubtful. They had a write-up on each Avenger - Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, Howard Stark, Margaret Carter..

At the end of the two hour tour, we could have stayed an extra hour, playing with the computers that searched space for life and for other planets, there was the gift shop with their $35 t-shirts, of which I'm regretting not purchasing. And of course, you can also pay anywhere between $15-$75 for your group photo with the Avengers. We chose the cheaper version. At least I look all bad-ass. For a mom wearing a skirt.

Worth it? Absolutely. Even with the four 'games' not working. 

Jenn Kelly is a mom. And wife. And is currently devouring 'X-Men' novels.

Geek Girl Review: Avengers Vs X-Men

CLASH OF THE TITANS – REVIEW OF AVENGERS VS X-MEN
By Lee A. Farruga

Most of my exposure to superheroes is via television and movies. I have seen all the X-men movies, the Avengers movies, Spiderman, Wolverine, the first season of S.H.I.E.L.D. etc. etc. You get the picture. The graphic novels I've read lately have been horror, scifi and real life story based. So when I received this latest graphic novel to review I actually did a double take. Not only is it the first superhero based comic or graphic novel I've gotten to read in a very long time, it's also jam packed with an incredible array of old and new characters, some I'd never before heard of.

Scott Summers aka Cyclops is bound and determined to make sure the “mutant messiah”, a young teen named Hope, fulfills her destiny as host to the cosmic Phoenix. The same one that destroyed Jean Grey. He believes it will save the mutant race and create a new world for them. The Avengers don't agree with Scott's vision and vow to stop Hope, Scott and any other X-Men who get in their way as they try to save the world from ultimate destruction.

That's really all of the story I can tell you without giving away important plotlines. Of course, I can also tell you that the story is much more complicated, that, as the title implies, it involves a battle of epic proportions, that you will never see this many superheroes in action in one story ever again, that the story is also brutal and there are a few surprise deaths, YES, I said deaths. On the lighter side, the illustrations are gorgeous. They range from retro 1950's colouring and style to ultra modern. Basically, the whole thing is brilliant and explosive.

I can also tell you that this graphic novel is the gateway to a new Marvel universe that I'm very excited about. I do believe I'm about to start reading a lot more comic books in the future. If you would like to get your hands on a copy of Avengers vs X-Men, you can find it at the Comic Book Shoppe on Bank Street.

Lee A. Farruga is known as everyone's Geeky Godmother. She has many talents, lots of energy, and loves to help people achieve their goals, whatever that might be. She can also be found reviewing books, games, movies and more at geekygodmother.ca. Also known internationally as the Canadian Queen of Steampunk, Lee created and manages Steampunk Canada. When she finds spare time, Lee does background acting for television and movies, and enjoys geeky activities with family and friends.

Ode to a Nightcrawler

NIGHTCRAWLER: WHY WE SHOULD ALL WANT TO BE BLUE SKINNED ELVES

By Emily Towsley

What do you think of when someone asks you about your favourite superhero? Superman, Batman, Wolverine, maybe even a few people in the Wonder Woman camp, or even the HULK comes to mind. But no one expects Nightcrawler to be at the top of someone’s list. Kurt Wagner, more commonly known as Nightcrawler has always been my favourite superhero. When anyone asks what superpowers I could want, I always pick his teleportation. I also consider his zippy sense of humour part of a package deal.  I could go into a long, convoluted history of the character, but instead I will give you a short run down of all the reasons Nightcrawler should BAMF up to the top of your list, and into your heart. 

BAMF

Not the acronym we’ve all become accustomed to, though I do think of Kurt as a BAMF. I will admit, I do have a bit of a man-crush on ol’elf-ears,  but BAMF in the Marvel world is the sound of Nightcrawler’s teleportations. See, Kurt doesn’t just appear then re-appear, as the son of Azazel, the demon lord, Kurt has the ability to “port” in and out of the demon world, which does not share the same space and time as our world. By doing so, he can appear in one place in our world, then seconds later in another, leaving a trace of the otherworldy smoke and the shocking sound of air closing behind him. BAMF: The onomatopoeia of champions. 

THE FUZZY ELF

Just as impish as Wolverine’s nickname for him, Nightcrawler is my favourite comic relief. Not only is he a kick ass superhero that can hold his own in a fight, with incredible acrobatic skills he learned in his years in the circus, he can give the enemy’s ego a thorough beat down, while literally BAMFing in circles around them. Kurt is probably every class clown’s idol – not only does he get to say all the funny and insulting things he wants, he gets to disappear right before the enemy’s punch lands. Double Score. 

FREAKOZOID- IN THE BEST WAY

As a blue skinned, three fingered (and toed), German speaking, Catholic, demon-spawn acrobat, Nightcrawler doesn’t fit in even with the misfit group of X-Men. Here is a group of superheroes that do not fit in with their fellow man, and Kurt Wagner stands out even amongst this ragtag group of mutants. Growing up in an industrial city, with strongly liberal views, in a catholic school, I had found my own bunch of ragtag misfits to band together as a super friend group. However even amongst my fellows I felt different. Alas, the plight of the teenager. Thusly, Nightcrawler also embodies the outcast feelings of every pubescent who doesn’t own the high school hallways. Sidenote, it’s also just super awesome to read Marvel’s “German style” speech bubbles for Nightcrawler. Just the best. –fangirl swoon-

In conclusion, Nightcrawler is the mutant for whom every geek should long. The ability to teleport at will, incredible flexibility and acrobatic skill, a razor sharp wit, and a delicious German accent all just adds to the fine, fine package that is the blue skinned elf man named Kurt Wagner. 

Plus, as a teleporter, you’d never be late again. CASE DISMISSED. 

Emily Towsley, can be found either teasing her cat, or philosophizing with a customer over coffee in her second-life as a barista. Messages of support regarding her addiction to Netflix, and news of vintage teacup sales can be left on her twitter.  Her spare time is spent reading copious amounts of books, or working on her latest blog. 

Geek Girl Review: Elektra

ELEkTRA #1 BY W. HADEN BLACKMAN, MICHAEL DEL MUNDO - ART & COVER ART, MARCO D'ALFONSO - COLOUR ART
By Thea Nikolic

So here I am again furthering my Marvel education with the new Elektra restarted in June 2014 edition. First of all, Elektra was actually one of the first characters I ever cosplayed at Halloween, not because I knew a lot about her but because she looked awesome and was a ninja assassin. Being a martial artist myself, I was drawn to her (no pun intended) Years later, I find myself wanting to read more about her and her story.

This reboot did not disappoint. The art is stunning and unique, Del Mundo has a water colour style that leaves me wanting to see more and enjoy the next issue. The story starts at a point when Electra has suffered from various traumas, and she is lost and needs something to focus her energy on. She visits the Matchmaker (a character which I loved the moment I saw her for her vintage feel) for a contract. She is on the hunt again for someone equally skilled at killing as her. Meanwhile you find out someone who was previously thought dead is alive and held in secret by S.H.I.E.L.D. (I presume dead, I have to read further to find out). I can't wait to keep going and find out what happens.

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe. 

Flash Forward: Hopes For CW's The Flash

Spoiler Alert: There are some very mild spoilers for season two of  Arrow in this article. You have been warned.

FLASH FORWARD: HOPES FOR CW’S THE FLASH

By Courtney Lockhart

If you caught the season finale of Arrow on regular broadcast television, You were given a sneak peak of Grant Gustin in his full Flash ensemble.  However, if you were like me and watched through Itunes or one of the authorized apps, then the extended trailer The CW released the next day  made up for missing out.   Check out the videos below:

Other than the fact that the show was happening and Gustin’s casting, until these clips Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg  had kept somewhat tight lipped about  what would be going on in Central City this fall.  The lengthy first look helped, but  still left a lot of room for interpretation.  Based on  the few interactions Team Flash and Team Arrow had this season and the previews above here's what I'm hoping to find on Tuesday nights.

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE:

Back when a new Star Trek series every few years was more of a thing, I used to joke that if you wanted an extra season of Next Generation just watch the first six months of Deep Space Nine. There tends to be a learning curve on any new television show. The writers need to get to know the actors, the actors need to understand their characters. Spin offs have a secondary problem. They also have to find their own unique voice separate from the product they spun off from. 

The Flash can’t try to be Arrow. It needs to be The Flash. The dark, militaristic, survivor viewpoint of Oliver, Diggle and Roy is going to look pretty misplaced on Barry and company.  Likewise, if the tall broody crew tried to be too awkward and up the humour quotient, it would look fake and disingenuous to the characters we care about.  I’m hoping the rookie show will learn from its older brother’s mistakes and we’ll see a cohesive product far before mid-season.

PROCEDURAL IS NOT A DIRTY WORD

While long elaborate story arcs are rewarding for long term viewers, there is something to be said for some straight forward bad guy of the week action. Especially in the early days, when drop-in viewers are most likely. I’m hoping they will take advantage of Barry’s day job in forensics to take us on some good old fashioned whodunit cases. It has already been established that he has a habit of dropping everything to follow strange and unusual cases, that is how he got to Starling City in the first place. Which brings me to my final wish:

REALISTIC CROSSOVERS

Felicity is already buddy-buddy with the S.T.A.R Labs crew and the extended trailer shows Barry asking Oliver for some advice on life under the mask. Obviously, this means they are planning on a certain level of fluidity between the two shows. Which I love, as long as it makes sense.  Some programs dutifully squeeze in a crossover every sweeps to the point where you can almost predict when that story will happen. 

What I would like to see is smaller, more appropriate swaps.  Is A.R.G.U.S going to decide that Flash is a threat to national security?  Without handy access to Queen Consolidated Applied Sciences division is Oliver going to need to ask Caitlin and Cisco to help him synthesize some pit viper venom or anti-toxin herbs? There is a fine line between acknowledging you are occupying the same space and relying on it. 

Even if I don't get everything on my wish list, given the cast and  production team I am very excited to add The Flash to my viewing list. Serious question though: Do you think it will download faster from iTunes than the other shows? 

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Confessions of a Comic Book Destroyer: why my comics are destroyed

by Jordan Danger

CONFESSIONS OF A COMIC BOOK DESTROYER: WHY THE SORRY STATE OF MY COMICS IS A REFLECTION OF MY GENUINE GEEKHOOD

My poor comic books.

Let me talk to you about my comic book collection.

It started when I was about ten years old. Dad began bringing them home one by one, starting with X-Men, meandering into Batman and Spiderman, and then at my request, back to X-Men. Any title under the X-Men banner was welcome. Later when my brother and I became more possessive of the comics, he brought home Wolverines for me, and something else for Mike. I had the Rogue miniseries. I had every book from the Age of Apocalypse storyline. I loved them.

You wouldn’t know it from looking at them now, stashed haphazardly in an old tomato box, covers torn and pages water damaged. You’d think they were something that was never taken seriously, never truly appreciated.

I tell you, that isn’t so.

COMICS WEREN'T A COLLECTION

Why are my comic books in terrible shape? Because I never thought of them as collector’s items. When I say I read those comics, I mean I read them through and through.

I examined every detail of every drawing, noting the difference between each artist. I studied the poses, the costumes, the backgrounds, the artistic renderings of what super powers like telekinesis look like. I read each line in my head like it was actually being said. If I had trouble following the order of the panels on a particular page, I would reread it, again and again, until I got it perfectly right…down to the pauses, the tone, the inflections.

I dragged my comics to the cottage and back more times than I can possibly recount. I read them in the musty damp bunk beds in our trailer, and I stuffed them into backpacks for sleepovers. My comic books were loved to death the way our first teddy bears meet the same fate: dragged through the mud, our constant companion, we are never without them.

COMICS BECAME AN ACTIVITY

Not long after we started collecting, there was a power outage at my grandparents’ house in the woods and we were stuck there, in the dark—something I didn’t do well with as a child. Desperate for a distraction, I grabbed a candle and some paper, and began drawing. What did I draw? Super heroes, of course.

So naturally, then comic books became something to study and trace over, as well. I knew which artists I liked and which ones I hated. I designed my own characters based off all my favourite attributes and personality quirks of the pre-existing characters. I created new super powers. I stuffed those comics into the pages of my sketchbooks, and I dragged those around with me to every family outing, every trip, and every place with a corner where I could curl up and draw.

I cried when Wolverine lost his Adamantium. I cheered when Sabretooth turned out not to be lobotomized by Logan’s claw, and I gasped when he eviscerated Psylocke. I read with fearful eyes when the Phalanx began assimilating the young mutants, and I then added Generation X to my reading roster.

Always, there were comic books in my bag, in my locker, under my pillow, by the bathtub.

MY COMICS BECAME ME

So when I hear the occasional geek gasp in dismay when they see my tomato box of the favourites that have stayed with me for over twenty years, I just smile. They think that the state of my comics suggests a lack of love for these volumes. I know that in reality, I loved these comic books to their very deaths. Yes, some of them could have been worth some money; but they were worth far more to me, read by candlelight in the middle of the woods in a rain-soaked sleeping bag with my pencil and sketchbook by my side. I savaged these books, devoured them whole, and left behind nothing but staples and spines. They are a part of me in a way that few other things ever have been.

My comic books are in terrible shape because they helped shape me.

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor of CapitalGeekGirls.com. Jordan blogs at GirlCrafted.com, a lifestyle blog about crafting life both literally and figuratively. She loves DIY projects, her dog, and Oxford commas.

Cosplay Double Trouble: Tank Girl and Jet Girl at Ottawa Comiccon '14

by Jordan Danger
COSPLAY DOUBLE TROUBLE: JORDAN AND MJ DO TANK GIRL AND JET GIRL

For Ottawa Comiccon 2014, CGG contributor MJ Baker and I did a very special cosplay. Special, because in all our years as besties, and all our years as Tank Girl fans, we have never done a Tank Girl duo cosplay. So, after a lot of planning and hard work, we did the con this year as Tank (MJ) and Jet (me)...and it rocked. Oh yes, it rocked.

MJ spent hours on her helmet, and for a point of reference for other DIY cosplayers, about $60 in materials. It was a huge undertaking and it was worth every penny and every minute.

We both agreed, it was a) almost too easy to put together our outfits from existing clothing we owned, and b) we felt way more ass-kicky dressed up this way than on a regular day. I proposed we just dress like this all the time. It could be our new signature looks in our day jobs. No? Yes, I say.

Anyway, it was a ton of fun and a great bonding experience. It gave a special pageantry to the entire weekend, and it was a wonderful conversation starter. If you haven't cosplayed, girls, I suggest you get out there and try it. Every time I do, I find more things to love about it.

Geek Girl Review: Captain Marvel #1

Captain Marvel #1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick,  David Lopez - Art & Cover Art, Lee Loughridge - Colour Art

By Thea Nikolic

So I have mentioned before that I am definitely a DC girl, cosplaying as many Harley Quinn versions as possible, but lately I have been on a Marvel kick, reading a bunch of different titles. My newest addition is the new Captain Marvel featuring Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel. She has moved up in superhero ranks and so have women in comics. We are seeing more and more writers, artists, editors, you name it. The new Harley Quinn New 52 title, Transformers Wingblade and the new Ms. Marvel to name a few.

This first issue starts off with Carol and her team on an assignment on some other world in the galaxy, and then we get a what my husband and I call a "J.J. Abrams" with a "Six Weeks Ago". At this point, you get a touch of action, Carol's personal life including her relationship with Jim Rhodes aka Iron Patriot and why she might not feel like her life is going the way she wants it to. 

This is definitely a set up book for the series however the art is clean and I am excited to read further. 

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe. 

Geek Girl Review: Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore

STRANGERS IN PARADISE – 20 YEARS LATER AND STILL A CLASSIC
by Lee A. Farruga

When the original comic first came out, author Neil Gaiman himself had nothing but praise for this story about love, sex, and relationships with other human beings.

In 2004, Strangers in Paradise was put together into its first Pocket Edition. The series continued until 2007 when its story concluded. However, as recently as 2012 there has been talk of another story being written as a novel.  

Although it's been over 10 years since the first Pocket Edition, and over 20 years since the first story with main characters Katchoo, Francine and David, this series is still relevant to readers today.

Human nature, and our connection to others, is the backbone of these ageless stories. Katchoo provides a little mystery and Francine a little humour, but mainly there is a lot of tears and questions about who and what they really want. These black and white tales of inner discovery are drawn and written by Terry Moore. He has done a wonderful job of keeping the characters true to life, in both the situations in which they find themselves, and also their individual attibutes. Each character has physical features you'll see walking down your street. In other words, your average person. A reader can get close to these characters because you can believe they are real. They are not barbie dolls, action figures or superheroes.

The Pocket Edition books are still available today, and if you like real people and everyday love stories, with a wonderful visual component, then take a look at Strangers in Paradise.

You can find it at The Comic Book Shoppe on Bank Street.

Lee A. Farruga is known as everyone's Geeky Godmother. She has many talents, lots of energy, and loves to help people achieve their goals, whatever that might be. She can also be found reviewing books, games, movies and more. Also known internationally as the Canadian Queen of Steampunk, Lee created and manages Steampunk Canada. When she finds spare time, Lee does background acting for television and movies, and enjoys geeky activities with family and friends.

Captain America: The Winter Solider- Geek Girls Movie Review

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER REVIEW
by Courtney Lockhart

"Falcon: How do we know the good guys from the bad? 
Captain America: If they are shooting at you, they’re bad."

If you want to really simplify things, that line from the trailer sums up Captain America: The Winter Soldier almost perfectly. The movie presents that concept with great action, wonderful performances and all the hallmarks of a Marvel movie you expect and long for.

Before being tossed into yet another international crisis, the audience gets a taste for Steve Rogers day to day life in the 21st century. He works out, going on missions for S.H.I.E.L.D and tries to catch up on everything he’s missed in 70 years. As a side note, I will never complain about being behind on my television watching after seeing his cultural to do list. We get one of the best meet-cutes I've seen in a long time when he runs into, or more accurately past,  Sam Wilson a.k.a Falcon.  Anthony Mackie gives a breakout performance. He falls into a great rhythm of being supportive without looking like he is blindly following along because the script says so. 

This movie also accomplished something that I didn't think would happen: I finally understand the appeal of Black Widow. I enjoyed Scarlett Johansson's work in Avengers but I did not get why people were pushing so hard to get Natasha her own movie.  After her significantly beefed up role in The Winter Solider, I see so much potential.  I really hope that Marvel doesn’t drop the ball.

I liked the first Captain America because it was as much a story of personal growth as it was about saving the world.  The Winter Solider stays true to this spirit. We get to see Rogers’ mature as he realizes that it isn’t a simple matter of S.H.I.E.L.D good, everyone else bad. The heroes and villains all want the same thing: a better world, it’s how they go about trying to achieve it that is the problem. 

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

A Hellboy Tribute: 20 Years of The Right Hand of Doom

by Marie Victoria Robertson

A HELLBOY TRIBUTE: 20 YEARS OF THE RIGHT HAND OF DOOM

The first Hellboy comic arc, Seed of Destruction, was released twenty years ago on March 22^nd. The world was introduced to Mike Mignola’s iconic creation: the big, red, demonic, Right-Hand-of-Doom-wielding paranormal investigator. 

In its 20 years, Hellboy has had successful comic spin-offs such as BPRD, Abe Sapien and Lobster Johnson, has spawned two live-action movies (opinions differ, though I personally love them), two animated movies (I heartily recommend Blood and Iron), two video games and several tie-in novels of varying quality (though the Odd Jobs anthologies are absolute must-reads!)  

As a character, Hellboy boasts a superhero’s typically far-out origin story: he is the child of a witch and a demon prince, summoned to Earth by WWII-era Nazis led by Rasputin in an attempt to change the course of the war. This failed, and Hellboy was adopted and raised by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, becoming an agent of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). If this seems weird, bear in mind that weirdness is mundane for a Hellboy reader. We tend to shrug, smile, and go, “Yes, cyborg apes and jellyfish monsters! Of course!”

Hellboy’s supernatural origin is combined with the relatability and nonchalance of a typical blue-collar schlub. To put it mildly, Hellboy isn’t crazy about who he is (and what he’s meant to be) or what he does, but hey, it’s his job. 

It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes Hellboy so unique. Mignola’s art is arguably the most distinctive style in modern comics. The characters are swathed in shadows and feel fluid, yet still sharp, as though they were carved out of stone. The art duties have been passed to different artists over the years, with Guy Davis taking over a large part of BPRD’s run and other notable artists such as Duncan Fegredo and Richard Corben taking over art duties for some of Hellboy’s run (Mignola is currently back at the art helm.)

It could be the art, and it could be the writing. There’s an inexplicable charm, humour, and humanity to it, leading to the creation of some amazing characters: Hellboy’s notable teammates include fish-man Abe Sapien, pyrokinetic Liz Sherman, adorably naïve homunculus Roger, disembodied-medium-in-a-diving-suit Johann Kraus, and badass intellectual Dr. Kate Corrigan. 

Speaking of characters, Mignola has forever earned my respect for portraying female characters who are competent, slightly chubby, noticeably aging, and dressed comfortably for their job. It can be done, folks!

The Hellboy universe, unlike some of the worlds of DC and Marvel with their multiverses, has been tightly-woven and has followed a solid story arc since day one. The stakes have always been high and there is no reset button; when mayhem and destruction happens, the characters often struggle to pick up the pieces. Death is not cheap in this world; when characters die, they stay dead—as much as it broke my heart, as a reader, to see my beloved favourite character be killed all those years ago!  

Ultimately, we don’t know where the story is headed, where Hellboy’s destiny will lead him, whether the Earth will meet its end, or which characters will even survive to see the end. But we know-- with a faith I wouldn’t personally reserve for any comic series but Hellboy—that wherever it’s going, it’s going to make us weep and curse and smile. And it’ll be worth every minute, and every penny spent on the series.

Happy 20^th anniversary, Hellboy! 

Marie Victoria Robertson is a speculative fiction writer and playwright, as well as the board president of Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (www.jersvision.org). When all the other girls wanted to marry Johnny Depp, she wanted to run away with Worf on the Enterprise. She enjoys giant robots, time-travel paradoxes, and forcing her son to watch Futurama.