The crazy success of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has created the market for a slew of similarly themed books starring historical or fictional characters versus the Occult. The first of these to hit the big screen will be Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, ahead of the proto-generator Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which isn’t scheduled to come out until 2013. Well, the trailer is out and the first thing that’s apparent is that AL:VH is swinging for the fences.
After trying to catch up with the Star Wars comic scene over the last month, I’ve come to the conclusion that Agent of the Empire: Iron Eclipse may be one of, if not the best one out there. Sure, Knights of the Old Republic is excellent so far and Dark Times is cool and very…dark. But Agent of the Empire is an awesome blend of Star Wars and James Bond.
Star Wars has been delving into different sub genres with it’s books and comics as of late, starting with the successful Joel Schrieber written Death Troopers and Red Harvest in the horror department. Shadow Games by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff is a mystery of sorts involving Dash Rendar and a famous ‘holo star’. Agent of the Empire is an espionage tale in the galaxy far, far away that succeeds at almost every level. It’s almost what the Knights of the Old Republic: The Lost Suns wanted to be but just sort of fell flat. In my opinion, as much as I love them, it’s a story that doesn’t have to rely on Jedi and Sith constantly being in the picture. There actually hasn’t been one in the first three issues and I doubt that there will be since it takes place after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and at the height of Imperial power in the galaxy.
The story follows Jahan Cross, a no-nonsense undercover Imperial Agent who is busy at the beginning investigating a fellow Imperial who turns him onto a lead involving a project called Iron Eclipse. The project just so happens to be a project started by ex-pirate and veteran of the self titled Stark Hyperspace War, Iaco Stark. At this point in the Star Wars universe, Iaco is now dead and his business and fortune tended to by his son Iaclyn. Jahan falls into a web of treachery and deceit that with any luck will lead him to the Iron Eclipse, which we as a reader are still not close to figuring out by the end of issue three. However, by the end of the issue we are promised that it shall be revealed in the next issue. Jahan is in dangerous territory as his investigation takes him to Iaco Stark’s surviving family’s home in the Corporate Sector where they deal with their own problems without Imperial intervention.
Agent of the Empire is just an altogether fun ride for any Star Wars enthusiast and even for those only a little into Star Wars. It has some familiar faces in it, but none that you as a reader have to know much back story on to enjoy the series. Aside from Han and Chewie showing up, die-hard fans will notice Armand Isard is the head man in charge of Imperial Security at this point. And for those who remember Iaco Stark, I myself don’t believe that he is actually dead. His “widower” Dah’lis mentioned that he was decapitated working on his Eclipse project but the head was never found. Could it be that Iaco just lives on in a different way such as Darth Vader and General Grievous did? Or is his brain being used for some other reason? I may be wrong, but I don’t count anyone out in Star Wars unless there is a body present and accounted for. Or in Iaco’s case, a whole body.
I was surprised at one point where Jahan is trying to get in good with Iaco’s widower Dah’lis and obtain information about Eclipse, not because there is the mere mention of sex, but because it was one of the most revealing scenes in Star Wars that I’ve seen in all of the years. Not that I am complaining, more power to them just as long as they don’t go into full-blown porno-mode. This is Star Wars after all. But then again, maybe that is the next genre they’ll make the foray into…
I give Agent of the Empire a five out of five grizzlies, whether it’s single issues or the first three issues together.
The series has a great storyline going, multiple intriguing characters throughout it besides Han and Chewie, not to mention some great action scenes. I honestly can’t wait until issue four and the reveal of Iron Eclipse, whatever the hell it is.
These five issues were a fairly fast read and they were quite excellent. In this limited series we are treated to quite the introspection of one of Batman’s more prominent rogues; Oswald Cobblepot A.K.A The Penguin. The whole thing almost read like a non-crappy version of Tim Burton’s Batman Returns movie, showing us bits and pieces of Penguin’s birth and childhood intermingled with some of his more ruthless crimes against the people of Gotham, all for the sake of a piece of Oswald’s past that I wasn’t even aware was still around. Yes in this series, Penguin had not only a mother and a father, but three older brothers as well. Oswald was born a bit ugly for his father’s taste, but his mother treated him like her spoiled baby until the day she died, which is much later than you’d think.
Oswald Cobblepot is shown as a ruthless Gotham crimelord in the series and one who takes great pleasure in taking away the things closest to those who slight him. And by slight I mean slight. He completely ruins the lives of a couple people just for saying the wrong thing to him. He is a far cry from the information source to Batman that he has been portrayed as over probably the past decade. Oswald is essentially a bully, taking his aggression out on others just because he has the means in some twisted way of paying back the world for his brothers and others picking on him as a child. He’s one sick puppy this time around, save for the biggest bully of all who Oswald still fears and hates with a passion… Batman. It’s not clear if the Batman in this series is Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson but it almost doesn’t matter. To almost the degree of the Gotham Central series, Batman is more of a plot device and background character that anything.
Most of the story focuses on Oswald’s past and his present with a certain woman named Cassandra who is, wouldn’t you believe it, totally blind. Who else could legitimately get with the Penguin besides a blind woman? Cassandra thinks the world of Oswald in this book and it’s actually a little tragic how the whole thing ends up.
Oswald’s mother was also a very interesting part of the story, as several of Penguins brutal crimes in the story revolve around getting his dying mother gifts of jewelry. The art and story of the series were both brilliantly executed, though sometimes I had to look hard at what was drawn in a couple panels. Some of the art like the subject matter itself was very dark. I can’t actually believe I’m saying this, but is it possible that a Batman story be too dark? Though this was a great character study of the Penguin through his own eyes, it was ultimately depressing and a little sick at times. Like in Batman Returns, Penguin targets children with his rocket weapons and has multiple people executed for world famous jewelry. The flashback scenes where it was revealed what really happened to the other three Cobblepot brothers was just downright twisted, but made for a damn good bit of story telling.
I guarantee that you’ll never look at the Penguin the same again when you read a Batman comic. I give Penguin: Pain and Prejudice a 4.5 out of 5 grizzlies and recommend it to any bat fans out there. As long as your old enough to handle the violence. Maybe the younglings can stick to Batman animated comics. I would have given it a 5 out of 5 but it was just way too dark, even for a Batman comic.
So, I cannot stand Jar Jar Binks. It’s honestly just something you really can’t even get used to by being exposed to it over and over again on the screen. It’s like someone forcing you to watch 2 Girls, 1 Cup repeatedly; you will never be able to watch it without feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed or just completely nauseated.
Who wants a massive spoiler, possibly for this season of Spartacus? It was just too tempting for me not to read who from the show was just announced by Deadline to be signed on for the newest season of True Blood. I actually didn’t know whether or not to make this a Spartacus article or a True Blood article, but I figured I hate the hell out of True Blood, so BAM! After you read about the actor leaving, it’s not really all that big a spoiler considering that escaped slave-gladiators are not really long for this world. And if you read up on your history you’ll definitely know that the slave rebellion was ultimately put down. Here’s a little slice of IGN’s report regarding the news from Deadline:
Now Deadline is reporting news of a prominent Spartacus: Vengeance star being cast in the new upcoming season of HBO’s True Blood. Which probably means, since one show is filmed in LA and the other is filmed in New Zealand, that this person’s character is probably going to be killed off on Spartacus. Probably. Nothing’s certain, but it doesn’t look good.
Now if you dare to be spoiled you can read after the jump. I’ll let you know its one of the people pictured above who is leaving the show….
And the winner is: OENOMAUS!
Played by Peter Mensah, who according to Deadline will play a Vampire Authority character on the fifth season of True Blood. Ah it’s a sad day that we lose a Spartacus cast member to the fang-bangers. (Yes you Megan) But that being said I’m sure he’ll have a glorious death that he always deserved, possibly in the arena. I can see Gannicus being the one giving him this death given all of the craziness destined to go down between them. Them having to fight one another was always something Gannicus laughed off in ‘Gods of the Arena’. Seems like this time the only way out will be to kill his greatest friend. I’ll be sad to see Oenomaus go, because we’ve seen much of him revealed slowly over the three seasons of Spartacus. He’s had some of the best character development in the show if you ask me. God speed Peter Mensah!
After the three-month hiatus, Nebraska was a much-anticipated episode, and it began where the last episode left off – Rick had just shot zombie Sophia. As we know, Shane let all of the walkers out from the barn. He and Andrea began shooting them one by one. This further pissed Dale off, although Dale hated Shane already, this simply adds fuel to the discontent between them. What I liked about this though, is that everyone else – including Carl – agreed with what Shane did. It really was the right thing to do, even if it wasn’t the best way to do it.
Aside from Sophia, Hershel’s wife was also in the barn. When the Greene family saw her zombie body lying in the heap amongst the others, it caused a lot of heartbreak. Beth (one of Hershel’s daughters) was crying when her not quite dead Zombie-Mommy began reaching for her. Beth escaped only to watch her mother’s skull be penetrated by a farming tool. This sent Beth sent into a state of shock – and where was Hershel?
After making it very clear that everyone but his own family was to immediately leave the farm, Hershel discovered an old flask in his dresser drawer. From there he then went to town to his favorite bar from the old days, and promptly Rick and Glenn go out after him. During this bar adventure, two more characters were introduced: Dave and Tony – a couple of guys who are clearly bad news. Their inquisitive about where Rick and the others are staying, and this is the first time that we really see that the dangers to the group are far more vast than just dodging walkers. With Rick’s refusal to pony up any info, the strangers get increasingly hostile, until one of them draws his gun on Rick. Rick very quickly shoots both of the men.
R.I.P. Tony – ‘The Scrawny Douchebag’
Best scene ever!
Back at the farm, Dale tells Lori that he is pretty sure Shane sacrificed Otis to escape the walkers when they went to the school a few episodes back. Dale explains that although he has no proof, Shane all but admitted it to him. This is a telling factor, as Shane at one point asks Dale ‘What it is you actually do around here?’, it would appear Dale’s most recent job is to see through the bullshit that everyone else appears blind to.
When Beth’s condition seems to get worse, Lori tries to send Daryl to get the guys. Daryl is still very upset about the Sophia situation, and refuses to go. Lori then grabs a gun that I am not entirely convinced she knows how to use at all, and gets in a car to go get the guys from town. She is pregnant and has a son at the farm, but… who cares? The 90 pound woman is going to bring back the three grown men. Only she gets spooked by a zombie …and flips her car. Women drivers… pshh.
I thought that this was a pretty great episode. There were parts of this episode that I thought were slow, but as I was reminded, they are trying to show how desensitized everyone is becoming to the world around them.
I would give Nebraska a 4/5. The scene in the saloon really made this episode.
Oh, I forgot to mention that Carol cried a lot. Huge shocker.
[Editor’s Note: The scene where Tony and Dave arrive at the bar, which lasted roughly 8 minutes, was for me, the most intensely enjoyable scene in the history of the show. That is largely thanks to a mostly still unknown, and surely under-appreciated actor named Michael Raymond James, who many people will recognize as ‘Rene Lenier’ from the first season of True Blood, but who will forever be known to me as ‘Britt Pollack’ from Terriers. There was something about him and his interactions with Rick, as if he is the ‘Rick’ of the other group, and he wasn’t always a bad guy, he was just handling things much differently. He seemed to channel almost a ‘John McClane’ type of edgy-swagger about him and the way he talked. I was sad to see him killed off so quick, but I suppose it just makes Rick that much cooler in the way he handled it. Kudos to the casting department on that one.]
Grizzly Bomb 