Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction Review

In the underground Diamond Domain, where many Carbink live, the Mythical Pokemon Diancie serves as ruler. The Heart Diamond that sustains the land is beginning to fall apart, and Diancie is not yet strong enough to create a new one. While seeking help from the Legendary Pokemon Xerneas, Diancie encounters a group of thieves who want to take control of it's diamond-producing power- and who awaken the Legendary Pokemon Yveltal from its cocoon in the process!

I will be the first to admit I haven't watch Pokemon in along time. It's just one of those things I just grew out of. When I sat down to watch the new movie I must admit I was hit with nostaglia. e movie starts off with the introduction of Diancie. You get a background on her and her Poke friends and the environment. As always trouble is brewing and some evil human is trying to use Pokemon for their own plans. As usual it's up to Ash and his friends to save the day. If you're use to the Pokemon setup there will be nothing new under the sun with this film. However I will say that the Pokemon in this film were awesome. Pokemon is at it's best when the storyline focuses on the legendary Pokemon. This film focuses on the legendary Pokemon Xerneas who has the power to restore life to heart diamond that Diancie needs to save her domain. However standing in their path is the Pokemon of destruction Yveltal.  Yveltal in ancient times stole all the life force from the Kalos Region.  Ash and his friends must protect Diancie and the world, while fending off Team Rocket and a gang of thieves trying to use Diancie to make diamonds.

Pokemon Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction doesn't really add to much to the Pokemon lore. The film follows the basic format you're use to seeing in a Pokemon medium. The visual are enhanced a bit giving it a really polish look compared to the XY tv show. The action is improved and the music production is enjoyable. I grinned like a child when I heard the original Pokemon theme in the opening scene. If you're a Pokemon fan you will enjoy this film it has action, legendary Pokemon and some pretty funny moments with Team Rocket. My only grip with  the film is some of the pacing and character development on supporting characters. I felt it wasn't flushed out enough for me to care for them. Also why is Team Rocket still after Pikachu? It' s been decades I think that plot has run it's course. Overall this film knows who it' s for and that is for Pokemon fans. Check it out if you're fan.

Final Grade C+/7.5

Spider-Man's Marriage and Child Return in Secret Wars

Credit Marvel Comics

"Happily Ever After" may be hard to come by for comic superheroes by and large, but that old "Parker Luck" is turning around -- for a moment.

Marvel announced Monday via Entertainment Weekly their latest Secret Wars-associated series, Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows. Teased in late 2014 with an on the nose illustration of Peter Parker standing happily with his one-time wife Mary-Jane Parker (nee Watson) and their child, this new series by Dan Slott and Adam Kubert explores that untold story beginning June 3.

“There are legions of Spider-Man fans that are passionate about changes that have happened to Spider-Man continuity,” says Slott. "They are upset that the baby went missing, that the marriage went away. Spider-Man has been around for fifty years, and the marriage was around for twenty-five. So now [with Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows] we’re seven or eight years into a world without a married Spider-Man. It’s a big itch that people want scratched.”

Although Slott has written Spider-Man for over seven years, the storylines which nixed Spider-Man's marriage and his child were well before his time, but as a fan and a creator he's thought through what having those aspects to Peter Parker would do to the character.

“Spider-Man, when you get down to it, is a character about responsibility. And the second he’s a father and a husband—he has a responsibility to share his powers with the world, but suddenly he has two people that are his whole world. That changes everything, the complete dynamic of what it means to have great power and great responsibility,” says Slott. “You need to be there for your daughter, you need there for your wife—in a way that he hasn’t had to be there for anyone else. And that drastically changes what it means to be Spider-Man.”

Set as part of the "Last Days" umbrella branding under Secret Wars, Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows is being positioned as a theoretical "last story" for Spider-Man, and it's something Slott is keying into heavily for the adversities and adversaries Peter Parker will face.

"You haven’t seen Spider-Man’s classic villains the way you know and love—I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eddie Brock as Venom in this story. Or Sergei Kravinoff as Kraven the Hunter in this story. There’s going to be a lot of bullets in the gun for things you wanted to see in a Spider-Man story that you haven’t seen in a while. This is the ultimate classic feel. This is the last Eddie Brock story," says Sott. "The stakes have never been higher for Peter Parker because he’s never had so much to lose. So he has never been this close to the edge. And these are the Last Days.”

At the heart of it all, however, is a new villain called the Regent -- from which this Battleworld domain of the Regency takes its name. EW says that the Regent has "a plan in place" for Spider-Man, and when this series starts will have already crossed paths with Daredevil and Moon Knight.

Here is a first look at uncolored pages from Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows by Adam Kubert.

Source: Newsarama.com and Entertainment Weekly
 

5 Great Songs from Supercar

Supercar is one of my favorite J-Pop bands. Like many otakus I usually hear about a band through anime. I was first introduce to Supercar when they did a song "Storywriter" for Eureka Seven. After listening to that song I was hooked. I decided to give you guys and gals my favorite top five songs from Supercar. You can check out the player below and here is a brief history on Supercar.

Hailing from Aomori Prefecture, Supercar was formed in 1995 when bassist Miki Furukawa placed an advertisement in a local magazine seeking fellow musicians. Junji Ishiwatari responded and convinced childhood friend Kōji Nakamura to join as well. Junji and Kōji soon recruited drummer Kōdai Tazawa, an acquaintance from middle school. After writing songs and recording demo tapes, they received a record contract. In 1997 they released their debut album, Three Out Change, and their second album, Jump Up, in 1999. This album was followed by Ooyeah and Ookeah, both also released in 1999. With the 2000 album Futurama, electronic experimentation took a larger role that would characterize the band's sound for the rest of their career. The 2002 release Highvision continued the electronic development, and the single Strobolights did not even contain a guitar. They released their last album, Answer in 2004. Perhaps their most experimental album,Answer contained balance of both rock and electronica.

They are famous for their 2005 song featured in the anime Eureka Seven, "Storywriter".

In 2005, Supercar broke up following a final concert, released under DVD as Last Live. Following the breakup, Furukawa and Nakamura have pursued successful solo careers.

Despite the break-up, Supercar released two remix albums named RE:SUPERCAR 1 and RE:SUPERCAR 2 in 2011. The albums are redesigned version of some of their tracks throughout their career together with never before heard songs. The limited edition of these albums sported a different CD jacket and bonus CD containing some of their untitled tracks and demos.

Comic News: Red Hood And The Out- Laws Say Good-Bye in Issue #40

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #40
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art by TOM DERENICK and SEAN PARSONS
Cover by R.B. SILVA and WAYNE FAUCHER
On sale MARCH 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
After months of turmoil, Red Hood, Starfire, and Arsenal are facing their inner demons! But what they find could lead to the end of their partnership – especially if Blackfire kills them first!

Red Hood and the Outlaws gives way to Red Hood and Arsenal later this year. Check out this preview of the final 'Outlaws' issue.

Comic News: 90's X-Men Animated Series to Join The Marvel Universe in Secret Wars

Marvel has announced via Polygon a new digital first series based on the hugely popular '90's X-Men cartoon. X-Men: '92 brings the team from the iconic animated series back to the battle as part of Secret Wars.

X-Men: '92 is co-written by Chad Bowers and Chris Sims, with art by Scott Koblish. It premieres digitally in May, and will see print in June.

Photos from Hello, My Name is Doris Dinner Party (SXSW)

SXSW is happening right now in the heart of Austin, Texas. A lot of events and parties are happening. Hello, My Name is Doris which is currently great reviews from SXSW critics, had a dinner party to celebrate the film and we have pictures of the event. The event took place at Supper Suite by STK with Maestro Dobel® Tequila and Blue Moon.  The guests sipped on Maestro Dobel® Tequila specialty cocktails including its signature “Black Diamond Margarita” and “Dobel Agave Julep,” as well as official SXSW sponsor, Miller-Coors Brewing which featured beer pairings across its Blue Moon Brewing beers.

Guests at the dinner for HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS dined on a whipped burrata salad with pistachio-truffle pesto, wild baby arugula and crispy shallots, followed by a Creekstone Farms Prime NY Steak dressed with potatoes parisienne, tinker peppers, grilled oyster mushroom and foie gras butter, rounded off by a Coconut Almond Genoise, with rhubarb compote, pineapple coulis, coconut ice cream.

(Photo Credit: Sarah Jaye Weiss, Startraks