Lenni Reviews: "Tea Dragon Society" by Katie O'Neil

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

When she finds an injured tea dragon in the marketplace, young Greta - who is a blacksmith's apprentice - returns the magical creature to its owner and learns the nearly forgotten art of crafting tea from the delicate leaves growing from the tea dragon's bodies.

I found this to be the most refreshing fantasy comic I have read in a long time. The story Greta through 4 seasons as she meets Minette; a seer who has lost her memory, Hesekiel; one of the last remaining tea masters, and his partner Erik; a former adventurer who is now a paraplegic.

There are no grand adventures, no epic battles; just a little girl who finds a dragon and makes some friends. A delightfully progressive slice of life story with simple and beautiful art, about the only thing I can legitimately complain about is there isn't enough of this. If this was a webcomic or a series, I would be reading it all the time. It's very rare for me to find something so lighthearted yet well done and I find it perfect. 5 out of 5.

The Hard Place #1 (Review)

Reviewed By Justin D Williams

After five years in prison, AJ Gurney, a legendary wheelman in Detroit, has decided it’s time to go straight. He returns home to work in his father’s garage and disappear into anonymity. But during a visit to the bank, AJ is recognized by two violent bank robbers, and they demand AJ be their getaway driver. To ensure his compliance, they take a young female hostage; unfortunately, she happens to be the daughter of a Russian crime lord. AJ now finds himself pursued by a bitter police department and hunted by every asset of the Russian mob. Without a doubt, he’s in a very hard place. 

The Hard Place was a pleasant surprise from start to finish. It is a comic book grounded in reality and this could literally be anybody who has taken the wrong side of the law. One thing I like about The Hard Place is the main character AJ Gurney. AJ has just finished serving a five year sentence and is really trying to get his life in order. He feels regret and remorse about his decisions and really wants out of the life. Issue 1 gives enough characterization on AJ for you to actually cheer for him. He is a likable guy who just made some really poor decisions and is trying to own up to them. However the life is a very hard thing to avoid as he is thrown back into by unfortunate circumstances. Issue 1 was an enjoyable read with some great character moments. The art style fits the tone and I like the use of color. One thing that has me waiting for issue 2 is the gangster that AJ owe a debt too. We don't get much of him but the what we do see is he is vicious and wants respect. I'm curious to see where this arc will lead.

Final Grade 4 out 5 Stars. 

Fathom Events Batman And Harley Review

Hey O&G fans, we got a chance to check out fathom eventsscreening Batman and Harley Quinn with a Harley Featurette after the movie. The NYC 14th Street Regal Union Square was packed with both Batman and Harley Quinn fans.

There are legions of DC Animated movie fans and Batman and Harley Quinn did not disappoint! The film features a stellar cast with  The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch voicing Harley Quinn for the first time. THE VOICE of Batman, Kevin Conroy  reprising his role from Batman the animated series and Loren Lester as Nightwing rounding out our cast of heroes. Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) and Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) provide the voices of the villainous duo of Poison Ivy & Jason Woodrue. Sam Liu (Batman: The Killing Joke) directed the film from an original story by Bruce Timm (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) with a teleplay written by Timm & Jim Krieg (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox). Co-Producer is Alan Burnett (The Batman). Executive Producers are Sam Register and Bruce Timm. Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.

FILM REVIEW

This was a more comedic take on DC Animated movies and for me it was done very well. Melissa Raunch was an awesome Harley Quinn! She really bought out the Brooklyn in Harley's voice while keeping true to the character. Batman is always voiced brilliantly by Kevin Conroy, but this film showed more of his comedic side while still trying to be the normal serious brooding Batman.

The story centers on Poison Ivy (Paget Brewster) and the Floronic Man (Kevin Michael Richardson) teaming up to transform all life on Earth into plant hybrids by using the research that Alec Holland created before he became Swamp Thing. This is more of film about Harley trying to change her life and be a bit more heroic. It also reinstates the deep friendship that Harley and PIOSON IVY have. The film if filled with a lot of crude humor and fart jokes (and literal farts). We also get a musical number from Harley in what looks like a Batman 1966 hideout with villain henchman included.

Over all the movie was pretty good with a few bumps in the story, but definitely a film true Batman and Harley fans should go see. I want to again thanks Fathom Events for the Invite and a Chance to see this DC animated movie.

by Sean Tucker

Lenni Reviews: "Lost Boys" vol 1 by Tim Seeley

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is best for mature audiences

In the follow up to the 1987 movie, we meet the Emmerson Brothers Sam and Michael. After defeating the vampire monster, Max and his buddied, the brothers thought their lives would go back to normal. But a coven of female vampires calling themselves the Blood Belles targets them for revenge and their lives are once again overturned with blood and violence.

Before we get into it, I have to admit I was not the biggest fan of the original movie. I didn't dislike it but I didn't feel the need to watch it more than once; which always shocks people who learn I write vampire fiction. After refreshing my memory, I found this book enjoyable. It picks up right where the movie left off, ups the stakes (no pun intended) and tells an entertaining story. The color palette and art are perfect for this genre to keep the mood haunting and dark. The character Believer had me rolling my eyes with his over the top speeches but otherwise, this book is cool. If you like vampires and love the movie, I think this is worth the read. I give it a solid 3.8 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Great Divide" by Ben Fisher and Adam Markiewicz

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

A fragmented human race struggles to live because a mysterious condition has made it so any skin to skin contact will cause one of those people to die an agonizing death. Whoever survives the encounter absorbs the memories of the dead person. While fumbling a heist, Maria and Paul stumble first upon each other then later upon a possible cure.

This comic is a mix of Walking Dead, Crossed, and Y the Last Man (without what made me so uncomfortable about Crossed). It has a unique take on an apocalyptic world with all the darkness that entails while still managing to maintain some humor. I'm glad it's not zombies for once...

The characters and world building here are well thought out and some really original implications of whatever sort of virus like this can do or be used are played with. Thankfully the cast members we're following around play off each other well despite the fact Paul's jokes can get tiresome. I give this a 4 out of 5 for being blessedly original in a genre that sorely needs it.

Black Optioned For The Big screen

Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith 3, and Jamal Igle's creator-owned title Black has been optioned for film by Studio 8, according to Deadline. Recently published by Black Mask Studios after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Black Mask concerns a world where only black people possess superpowers.

Studio 8's Jon Silk will produce the film, alonside Osajyefo, Smith, and Black Mask's Matt Pizzolo.

No further details or projected release date for Black were reported.

INFO ON THE COMIC.

Last February A new series titled Black explores the science fiction superhero paradigm and delves headlong into issues of race and also simply being an everyday person. Created by former DC editor Kwanza Osajyefo and artist/designer Tim Smith III, Black will be a six-issue series beginning later this year illustrated by Jamal Igle with covers by Khary Randolph.

Lenni Reviews: "Batman The Dark Knight: Master Race" by Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert, Klaus Jansen, and Brad Anderson

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*This comic was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated mature for violence

This collection continues Frank Miller's Dark Knight saga with Batman dead after the defeat of Lex Luthor. Superman is on ice and Wonder Woman has returned to Themyscira. But when a cult of insane Kryptonians lead by Quar attack the Earth and demand humanity worship them as gods, who will rise up and stop them?

This is set in a not far future where our heroes have children. Frank Miller's signature gritty, dark, and scratchy style is in full glory and perfectly sets the tone for what is a rather dismal look at the future of the heroes we know and love.

The writing and art are expertly done and I love the nostalgic feeling the art gives me I get since I read Dark Knight years ago. There are mini-comics, which are interesting supplements to the main story but aren't necessary and I found myself skipping them on my first read through so I could get back to the main plot.

There are a few confusing character motivations, I'm not really happy with the Wonder Woman here and if you have to SAY a costume is too colorful for crime fighting, perhaps it should have been designed better in the first place but, I digress...

Compelling, entertaining, but depressing, I give this a 4 out of 5 since it was a downer. A great way to end this series, though. The release date for this book is September 19th, 2017.

Lenni Reviews: "Don't Be Cruel" vol 5 by Yonezou Nekota

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Maya and Nemugasa have grown since the first volume and now are at the point in their relationship where they even wear couples rings. But Maya is getting some interesting networking contacts and Nemugasa finds himself getting jealous. At the same time, Shimakawa, who knew Maya as a child, sees an opportunity to make a move on Nemugasa behind Maya's back.

Our main pair is a cute couple trying to figure out how their relationship is going now that they're in college and if you forget how they started out, they are a couple you root for and want to see happy. The art is soft and flowy and I have to admit they toned down the sex scenes as compared to the first volume. It's still explicit but more time is spent about their thoughts and search for jobs than boning. It's still an ok series, though! 3.7 .out of 5

Iron Fist and Luke Cage: Secret Empire #2 Preview

Danny Rand and Luke Cage take on a hoard of demons - and blame Doctor Strange - in this preview of next week's Secret Empire #2 (via CBR).

SECRET EMPIRE #2 (of 9)

NICK SPENCER (W) • ANDREA SORRENTINO (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS

Villain Variant Cover by Dan Mora

ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

VARIANT COVER BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Hydra Hero VARIANT Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

Enshrouded in darkness, plagued by the minions of Baron Mordo and cut off from all assistance, The Defenders and Doctor Strange struggle to save the lives of the innocent people consigned to this hell on Earth. Will Dagger prove to be the key to stopping this nightmare? Meanwhile, will the appearance of a new hero provide Iron Man with the key to Captain America’s startling change? THE SECRET EMPIRE WILL DEFEND YOU!

48 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Netfix Defenders Trailer

Hey O&G fans, Today Netflix released the first official trailer for the defenders, featuring the revival of Elodie Yung's Elektra and the first video of Sigourney Weaver's Alexandria.

Here is a look at the Trailer:

Marvel's The Defenders follows Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). A quartet of singular heroes with one common goal - to save New York City. This is the story of four solitary figures, burdened with their own personal challenges, who realize they just might be stronger when teamed together.

Defenders is scheduled to premiere August 18 on Netflix.

X-Men Gold and Blue Preview

X-Men: Gold will be written by Marc Guggenheim with art by Ardian Syaf. The phase-shifting Kitty Pryde at long-last will become an X-Men team leader, whose squad includes Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Old Man Logan, and Rachel Grey.

“Kitty is the right person to bring the X-Men into the future, to herald in the next era of the X-Men,” Guggenheim told us in a phone interview. “We are post the war with the Inhumans. The X-Men are sort of at a crossroads. They're at a point where they are trying to decide, is there a future for the X-Men?

X-MEN GOLD #1
MARC GUGGENHEIM (W) • ARDIAN SYAF (A/C)
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY ANDRE LEROY DAVIS
VARIANT COVER BY David Marquez
CORNER BOX VARIANT COVER BY LEONARD KIRK
VARIANT COVER BY BILLY MARTIN
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
FROM THE ASHES OF INHUMANS VS X-MEN, AN ALL-NEW TEAM OF X-MEN RISES! Xavier’s dream comes full circle as KITTY PRYDE takes the reins and assembles a squad of the most iconic X-Men to fight at her side. STORM. COLOSSUS. NIGHTCRAWLER. OLD MAN LOGAN. PRESTIGE. They are X-MEN GOLD! And they’re on a mission to be Earth’s finest heroes, even when that means defending those who hate and fear them. Brought to you by an all-star creative team of Marc Guggenheim (X-MEN, S.H.I.E.L.D., television’s Arrow) and Ardian Syaf (BATGIRL, SUPERMAN/BATMAN, BRIGHTEST DAY), a new beginning for the strangest heroes of all starts here!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

X-MEN BLUE #1

Written by CULLEN BUNN

Art by JORGE MOLINA & MATTEO BUFFAGNI

Cover by ART ADAMS

Corner Box Variant by LEONARD KIRK

Variant Covers by JIM LEE, BILLY MARTIN

SKOTTIE YOUNG and NEAL ADAMS

Hip-Hop Variant by RAMON VILLALOBOS 

Kirby 100th Variant by JACK KIRBY 

On-Sale – 04/12/17

CW releases first images of Black Lightning

image credit: CW

Hey O&G fans, CW has released the first image of Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce, the network's next DC TV show, Black Lightning.

The suit was designed by Laura Jean Shannon, who has also created costumes for other comic-based properties such as Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Iron Man.

Along with the image was an official synopsis for the show: "The first African-American DC Super Hero to have his own stand-alone comic title, Black Lightning is based on the character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden in 1977. Jefferson Pierce made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with one daughter hell-bent on justice and the other a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend — Black Lightning."

Black Lightning is currently in production in Atlanta.

Exclusive IRON FIST Clip on the CHIVE

Hey O&G fans,  theCHIVE is giving Marvel fans an extra peak at the upcoming Netflix Original – Iron Fist with an exclusive clip only available on the site. The clip can only be accessed through a secret code and here’s how you can do it.

Visitors to theCHIVE can check out the clip by entering the “Up, Up, Down, Down, left, right, left, right, a, b”..................... Hmmmm this code sounds familiar. Well if you are not Video Game savvy or are all thumds, just enter  Danny Rand, into theCHIVE’s search function to reach the content. Enjoy the content exclusively from the CHIVE.

Domino is cast for Deadpool Sequel

Hey O&G fans, after all the rumors and cast correction, Deadpoolhas finally cast Domino. Atlanta breakout Zazie Beetz will play Domino in the upcoming Deadpool sequel. Ryan Reynolds, made the announcement Thursday via Twitter, with the caption "Domino Effect." 

Producers were looking to specifically cast a black or Latina actress in the role of Domino, testing a variety of actresses, an finally chose Beetz. Deadpool 2 will be directed by John Wick filmmaker David Leitch, with original Deadpool scripters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning to pen the follow-up for Fox, along with The Martian writer Drew Goddard. Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner and Reynolds are set to produce.

Lenni Reviews: "Sweet Lullaby" 1-4 by Al Scherkenback and J. Briscoe Allison

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Lullaby is an assassin working for an organization run by her father. To get to their targets, they go deep undercover; calling the operations 'dreams.' Lullaby is swift and precise but also in love. She wonders if a normal life is even possible and is torn between her loyalty to her father and the possibility of a civilian life.

The story is told by jumping back and forth between Lullaby's childhood and her present day assignments. We get to see why she decided to become a killer, how she works, and what her usual targets are like. The entire organization uses sleep terms as monikers (Catnap, Z, Forty Winks, and the like), which I'm still on the fence about if that's clever or silly. But it wasn't enough to be distracting to the story. As for the art style, it kinda reminded me of Gen 13 in style and the lines, color, and lettering are well done and fun to look at.

The way the narrative is structured, I found it hard to really sink into the story. The moment I felt engaged, the timeline switched again. Not to say the story is bad at all. Interesting if a bit scattered; I give this a 3.5 out of 5.

Justice League Dark Review

Hey O&G fans, DC has released another animation in the Justice League series. Justice League Dark is the continuation in the Justice League series (JL War, JL battle for Atlantis, and.....) Here is a bit about the story: All over the world, people suddenly begin panicking as they start to see everyone around them as demonic monsters and end up killing a good number of innocents before the members of the Justice League can stop them. Deliberating about this strange outbreak, most of the League's members come to the conclusion that magic must be involved in this. Despite his own past experiences with magic, Batman expresses his skepticism and walks out; but as he returns to Wayne Manor to rest, he is temporarily possessed by Deadman, before he regains consciousness and finds the word "Constantine" written all over the walls.

Note: The Justice League Dark originally featured John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade, the Changing Man and Zatanna. The team consists of the more supernatural members of the DC Universe, handling situations deemed unfit for the traditional Justice League.

REVIEW

First thing fans can get excited about is the return of everyone's favorite occult investigator Matt Ryan as John Constantine ( well atleast his voice ). This is perfect since the CW announced they'll be continuing his adventures as animated shorts. JL Dark is one of the few R-rated animated movies (don't know why it rated R not much other than language), which it hopes to gain more viewers. The Title is Justice League , but other than a few appearances, the only member throughout the movie is Batman.

The story opens when some really horrific crimes start happening in Gotham City and Metropolis. A woman mows down innocent pedestrians with her car. A guy holds his wife and children at gunpoint. A woman is about to toss her baby off a building. The thing is, all of them swear up and down that the things they’re mowing down, holding at gunpoint, and about to chuck off a roof are demons. The Movie is as dark as the title suggest, with mood, actions and back stories about the characters. That said, there’s also plenty of humor in the film, too. This is about John Constantine, after all, who never met a wisecrack he didn’t like.

One thing I really loved about the movie is you find out how powerful Zatana really is! I'm trying not to give too much away, but damn! The introduction of characters like Deadman and swampthing shows fans DC is really expanding and not just using the same heroes and villians. The voice acting is always on point. Matt Ryan is just as brilliant voicing Constantine as he is playing him live action with Jason O'Mara reprising his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne.

Overall this 115 min movie is worth the watch. The story and action  will keep you entertained through out, It does justice to the main cast of characters by telling their tragic origin stories and showing off their quirky personalities. I'm giving Justice League Dark4 stars out of 5.

by Sean Tucker

Marvel has cast the live action Runaways series on Hulu

Marvel was moving forward on an adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan’s comic series Runaways as a TV show for Hulu. Gossip Girl creators and showrunners Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage would be handling the series, which is about a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are a cadre of supervillains known as “The Pride” and runaway only to discover their unusual birthrights.

Rhenzy Felix (Teen Wolf, Casual) as Alex Wilder, "a loud-and-proud nerd. Admittedly a bit of a loner, Alex spends much of his free-time playing video games, but deep down, what he wants most is to reunite his childhood group of friends."

Lyrica Okano (The Affair, Unforgettable) as Nico Minoru. "[She]–tough, intelligent, and independent–embodies teenage angst. A budding 'Wiccan,' Nico’s carefully crafted goth appearance isolates her from her peers and family, but maybe what she really needs is someone to talk to."

Virginia Gardner (Goat, Little Bitches) as Karolina Dean, described as "model-perfect exterior with a lot going on behind her professionally whitened smile, is burdened by the lofty expectations and responsibilities put upon her by her parents. Underneath her veneer of privilege and perfection, Karolina is experiencing a newfound eagerness to explore her identity and pursue her own desires."

Ariela Barer (New Girl, One Day At A Time) as Gert Yorkes. "[Gert] is a purple-haired, bespectacled, contemporary riot grrrl. Never passing up a moment to stand on a soapbox, Gert sometimes wields her persona as a brash social justice warrior to mask her true feelings."

Gregg Sulkin (Faking It, Don't Hang Up, Anti Social) as Chase Stein, a "lacrosse-playing, high school heartthrob. "While many write him off as a dumb jock, Chase exhibits flashes of untapped brilliance in engineering, not unlike his wildly successful father’s."

Allegra Acosta (100 Things To Do Before High School, Just Add Magic) as Molly Hernandez (not Molly Hayes, as in the comic books), "the youngest and most innocent member of her friend group, is known for her peppy positivity and a deep yearning to belong."

"Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were?  Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe–their parents."

source: Newsarama