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Captain Marvel Review: Why It’s Still the Ultimate 90s MCU Origin Story (Essential Watch)

3rd January 2026

Is Captain Marvel worth watching in 2026? From the killer 90s soundtrack to the chemistry between Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson, here is our positive review of the MCU’s most powerful origin story. ⚠️ Affiliate Disclaimer This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Verdict at a Glance Why Captain Marvel Still Soars In the vast timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Captain Marvel occupies a unique spot. Sandwiched between the devastation of Infinity War and the triumph of Endgame, this film serves as a blast from the past—literally. Set in 1995, it introduces us to Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), a Kree warrior with no memory of her past life on Earth. While the movie was a massive box office hit upon release, it has become an even better watch today as a standalone sci-fi adventure. Here is why you need to add this to your MCU marathon or pick it up on 4K Blu-ray. The “Buddy Cop” Chemistry is Unmatched Forget the superpowers for a second. The heart of this movie is the relationship between Carol Danvers and a young, two-eyed Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Thanks to incredible de-aging technology that still holds up in 2026, we get to see a looser, funnier, and less cynical Fury. Their road-trip dynamic drives the film, offering witty banter that feels distinct from the rest of the Avengers movies. Peak 90s Nostalgia If you grew up in the 90s, this movie is a love letter to your childhood. From crashing into a Blockbuster Video to waiting for a CD-ROM to load, the setting is a character in itself. The soundtrack is a curated playlist of bangers—Nirvana, No Doubt, R.E.M., and TLC. It gives the film a grunge-rock texture that separates it from the polished tech of Iron Man or the fantasy of Thor. It Redefined the “Origin Story” Most superhero movies follow a linear path: Hero gets powers, Hero trains, Hero fights villain. Captain Marvel flips the script. Carol starts the movie powerful but restrained. The story isn’t about her gaining strength; it’s about her realizing she always had it and breaking the shackles (literally and metaphorically) that were holding her back. The “I have nothing to prove to you” moment remains one of the most satisfying scenes in the entire MCU. Goose the Cat We cannot write a review without mentioning the real MVP. Goose, the orange tabby cat who is… well, more than a cat, steals every scene he is in. If you want a fun movie night with the family, Goose provides the best laughs. How to Watch: The Best Editions To get the full experience—especially the vibrant colors of the Kree homeworld and the Skrull prosthetics—physical media is the way to go. Streaming bitrates often compress the darker scenes, but the 4K disc handles them perfectly. ? The Best Viewing Experience: 4K Ultra HD This edition features HDR10, which makes Carol’s photon blasts pop off the screen with blinding brightness. It also includes the director’s commentary and deleted scenes. ? For the Collector: The “Life of Captain Marvel” Comic If you liked the movie, the source material is even better. This trade paperback re-tells Carol’s origin in a way that aligns closely with the modern MCU and features stunning art. ? For the Super Fan: Marvel Legends Figure Captain Marvel has had many looks, but her red, blue and gold costume is coolest. This is a great shelf piece for collectors. Final Thoughts Captain Marvel is an energetic, visually spectacular ride that offers a crucial piece of the MCU puzzle. It explains where the Avengers initiative name came from, how Nick Fury lost his eye, and introduces the most powerful hero in the galaxy. Whether you are doing a chronological re-watch or just want a fun sci-fi action flick, Carol Danvers delivers. Where to watch next in the Timeline: Once the credits roll (and you’ve watched the post-credits scene!), you are ready to jump ahead to Avengers: Endgame to see Carol take the fight to Thanos.

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Review – Doomsday Clock

3rd January 2026

SUMMARY Doomsday Clock is a 12 issue comic series from DC Comics (oh my god I just realised DC stands for Doomsday Clock in this context, don’t tell me I’m wrong.) featuring an all-star cast of your favourite DC characters such as Batman, Joker, Superman and Lex Luthor, but what’s that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the Watchmen! Crashing into the unfamiliar yet familiar territory of Gotham City. Once initial pleasantries are made between both sides, the race is on to beat the clock and save this world from itself and in turn save everyone. DOOMSDAY CLOCK ART It’s only when you see both worlds and characters of The Watchmen and Batman & Superman that you see the similarities in their dark and gritty yet colourful and classic design. The pencil art by Gary Frank and use of colour by Brad Anderson seamlessly synergises with the exciting yet tragic story of a group of superheroes in charge of saving a doomed world. The covers of the collection alone are stunning to look at, each with its own unique and poetic nuances. It’s hard to choose a favourite and that speaks volumes as several of the comics have alternate cover art, I don’t even think Frank and Brad could decide on the best fit for each issue so why not have both? Covers aside, there are some truly incredible panels of art within these comics. Some are bombastic and badass whereas others are subtle and seductive but like seductive in a how a director lines up a shot perfectly to tell a story and then takes it to the bedroom…to hang up on his wall because it’s ART! DOOMSDAY CLOCK WRITING Do you know what’s harder to keep track of than a multiverse in comics? A world! Let me explain, a multiverse knows it’s a huge thing so it only gives you the prime details you need to know about. A world however, is small enough that it decides to give you every detail It has about it in the hopes that it’ll be easy to follow because it’s not as big as a multiverse. this series has 3 worlds, time travelling and a multiverse! Despite the subject matter and level of events going on, Doomsday Clock is surprisingly easy to read. Fully grasping and reciting the subject matter and events however – especially when trying to review it (little meta-humour for you dear reader), is gonna require some quiet reflecting and a déjà vu ridden reread of the series. Even if you do understand what’s happening, the series deserves the reread in order to engross yourself in the foreshadowing throughout. With the use of real-life figures, global news broadcasts and an extensive lore of the worlds provided in everyday formats like newspapers, letters and photographs, you often forget you are reading a work of fiction. With the year we’ve just had, even the outrageous and supernatural events don’t seem to break the illusion. Not to mention this serves as additional immersive context for the reader who perhaps isn’t as familiar with the universe and its characters. As mentioned, the collection features an all-star cast of DC favourites. Seeing those characters interact and pair with each other makes for some interesting developments and fun internal commentaries. Batman and Rorschach trying to out-brood each other is a comic book fans’ vigilante fantasy…vigilantasy if you will! As well as those favourites we also get meta glimpses into the more obscure characters of DCs history such as various incarnations of the Justice League and international superheroes yet to make their mark. The cherry on top is the promise of new fan favourites in the near future and the promise of an ever-expanding story that will kick down the forbidden comic book doors. We recently reviewed the Classic Watchmen book, check it out here OVERALL REVIEW Move over MCU with your Infinity Wars, Endgames and maybe even some of your Wandavision. THIS is the most gripping and mind-blowing collection of comics I have ever read. Doomsday Clock demands a film adaptation whether it be live action or probably for the best, an animated trilogy of films. This is what the DCEU films should be working towards; A truly visceral and ingenious experience with a web of suspense and tragedy that is a thank you series to the diehard fans of DC. Any comic book fan should add this series to their collection as it is a masterclass in effective storytelling and artwork. Let us know in the comments your thoughts on our review of Doomsday Clock, your favourite DC Characters and what you’d like to see from an adaptation!

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Review – The Last Of Us Part 2 (2020)

22nd December 2025

Review – The Last Of Us Part 2 Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Starring: Ashley Johnson & Troy Baker Director: Neil Druckmann Release Date: June 19th 2020 The Last Of Us Part 2 was my biggest disappointment of 2020. Let me provide you with some context, I wanted to like this game more than anyone. The first Last Of Us is one of my favourite games of all time and because of the spectacular writing and performances in that first game, I was really excited to see what would happen to these characters. The Last Of Us part 2 was definitely one of my most anticipated releases in recent years and I’m genuinely in awe at how much of a let down it was, especially after the 10/10 reviews I had been reading leading up to the game’s release. Spoilers will follow from this point on as it’s pretty difficult to discuss my reasoning for being let down by the game without getting in depth, so please tread carefully if you have yet to play through the game. The game opens slowly, juxtaposing the intense opening of the first game. However these slow opening few hours really allow you to drink in the breathtaking visuals and fantastic sound design. These elements really help to sell the cinematic nature of the game, along with consistently stellar performances. Then we are shown the main conflict that will propel the story for the sequel. Joel is unceremoniosly murdered by Abby, a new character that we know nothing about at this point. Now I don’t have a problem with main characters being killed off in a story, in fact as a Tarantino fan, I relish it when it’s done properly. The problem with Joel’s death is the way that it was executed. First off, Joel and Tommy would never in a million years have blindly trusted this random faction that they’ve just bumped into enough to give them their names so quickly. They’ve both survived 25 years in the apocalypse and yet the writers still expect you to believe that they would be this naïve and stupid. Then, there’s the fact that this is how they choose to introduce this new group that you are later expected to sympathise with and this character that they will later force you to play as for half the game. Why would anyone who is a fan of this world and these characters want to play and learn about this random ruthless killer? Now, what you might be asking is “aren’t Joel and Ellie also ruthless killers at this point?” And you would be right, they are. However the point is that we were already invested in these characters before we seen them ruthlessly murdering infected and humans alike and therefore are able to put it down to them having to do what they had to in order to survive. With Abby you are introduced to her killing a beloved character from the first game for the sake of pure shock value. The first game came out during an oversaturation period of zombie stories across media and yet because of it’s stellar writing, it managed to stand out from the crowd and actually become one of the most unique games of the last generation in terms of the story it told. The story in The Last Of Us 2 feels so generic by comparison. I remember watching interviews with Neil Druckman in the lead up to the game’s release where he would talk about how the main hurdle of writing this game was justifying it’s existence after the first one ended so well. Really? You had seven years and another generic revenge plot was the best thing that you could come up with? Another highlight from the first game was the fleshed out side characters that all felt deep and like they really existed in the world. Characters like Tess, Bill and Marlene all naturally fitted into the plot and felt necessary to the overall story being told. The same cannot be said for the side characters in this The Last Of Us 2. I have already mentioned how it is made impossible to sympathize with Abby and her crew after seeing what they did to Joel. There are two other new characters introduced called Yara and Lev. They are siblings, which put me in mind of Henry and Sam from the first game, but where Henry and Sam felt layered and genuine, Yara and Lev feel shallow and shoehorned in to give Abby’s plotline some narrative weight. Then there is the strange pacing of the story. I feel like I must reiterate, they introduce a character that murders the beloved protagonist from the first game and later expect you to sympathize with her. Then there is the fact that you play as Ellie for the next 8 hours or so before they present you with a shocking cliffhanger, only to then force you to play as Abby for the next 10 hours. Not only are they making you play as the character that murdered Joel and Jessie in cold blood, but every extra hour that they unsuccessfully attempt to make you feel sorry for Abby is another hour before you can get back to see how the cliffhanger, (that was introduced 10 hours ago,) is resolved. And then, they bafflingly make you fight Ellie while playing as Abby. Why would the game expect me to want to hurt this character that I care about as this brand new random stranger? You are then eventually given control back as Ellie and the game lulls you into a false sense of thinking that you are finally done playing as Abby. Then Ellie makes the totally nonsensical decision to abandon a nice, cushty, quiet farm life that she’s carved out for herself, to go after Abby yet again. After that, you guessed it! You are forced to play as Abby yet again. Thankfully it’s only briefly as

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Review- JLA- Earth 2 A Tale of Dark Reflections

3rd January 2026

Review – JLA: Earth 2 Publisher: DC Comics Writers: Grant Morrison Artists: Frank Quitely Colourists: Laura DePuy Letterer: Kenny Lopez Release Date: 2000 Intro When you think of the Justice league, you think capes, cowls and most importantly heroes. So what happens when you take these beloved characters and twist them into something different, perverted even? You get Grant Morrison’s and Frank Quitely’s ‘JLA: Earth 2’. The premise of the book by the incomparable Scottish duo sees the Justice League face their greatest threat. Their own reflections. Morrison offers up a deliciously interesting take on what it means to be good or Evil. As no matter how good you are you will always have a perverted reflection that is worse. Plot ‘JLA: Earth 2’ tells the tale of an earth not dissimilar to our own except ruled by the Tyrannical ‘Crime Syndicate’. Composed of Ultraman, Owlman, Power Ring, Johnny Quick and Superwoman they rule their ‘Antimatter’ Earth unopposed. That is until the arrival of Superman, Batman and most of the Justice League. Who sent on a mission by an unlikely Ally, attempt to free the world from these villains forever. Writing The opening for ‘JLA: Earth 2’ starts as you would expect many early 2000’s Justice League story’s to begin. With a sweeping full-page splash of the JLA’s Moon base the ‘Watch Tower’. However, from within the first two pages it is established that something isn’t right. With a group of Shadowy figures discussing the situation of an escaped prisoner. The final panel of the second page is a close up of a familiar cape bearing a giant ‘U’. This sets up the book within the first view pages establishing the unfamiliar nature of the world and its inhabitants. Morrison is an expert storyteller, creating a world that is uniquely identifiable but still built on the normal DC universe. The concepts used in this book such as a Lex Luthor being a hero or an evil force invading from another Earth have become part of some of the best DC stories. Morrison’s version of the Crime Syndicate has also gone on to influence other itterations of the villians including in the brand new Crime Syndicate Book spinning out of Infinite Frontier. CSA Vs JSA I’m going to spoil some key character moments in this section so spoilers ahead. Morrison does an expert job extracting the key aspects of each hero and contorting them into darkness. First up Is Owlman who is the ‘dark reflection’ of Batman. It’s fair to say he is psychotic.The fact he’s Bruce Wayne’s brother on ‘The Antimatter’ Earth who witnessed his brother and mother be shot dead, probably doesn’t help his mental state. In his first appearance he murders a bunch of Gotham policemen all in the spirt of tormenting his father who is commissioner of GCPD on this earth. Owlman is intelligent and manipulative, being the brains behind the syndicate and the first one to figure out what is going on with the Justice League. He is also having an affair with Superwoman as its revealed later on he has black mail on Ultraman. Speaking of Ultarman, he is the pumped-up jock in comparison to Superman’s Small town boy. Ultraman is basically what would happen if you gave the bully at school superpowers. Whilst Superman understands the weight and responsibility of his power, Ultraman Revels in it saying, ‘There is no such thing as partial success’. Soon after annihilating a Civilian who speaks out against him. Ultraman is greedy and the reference I made to being a pumped-up jock is not me being hyperbole. His powers isn’t from his alien physiology like Superman but Anti-Kryptonite, a drug he takes in order as Wonder Woman says it: ‘The stuff you need to Keep you Ultra’. Morrison shows how Greed and power corrupts, and that the antithesis of a character like Superman, is in all honesty a whiney bitch, which makes him a villain you love to hate. Superwoman is arguably the most reasonable of all the villains, being the one that is closest to their counterpart. Taking the alias Lois Lane, Superwoman is an Amazon by birth, and has risen through the ranks to become the chief editor of the Daily Planet This disguise resembles Wonder Woman’s secret identity of Diana Prince, whereas her hero costume in turn resembles that of a ‘dominatrix’. Even her version of the ‘Lasso of truth’ is perverted being named the ‘Lasso of Submission’. Jimmy Olsen is the only civilian who knows of Superwoman’s secret identity. The depiction of the Plant’s staff photographer is as a compliant sexual deviant, he does what she tells him in exchange for the favour of watching when she changes her outfit and receiving pieces of it for his “disguise kit”. Morrison does not shy away from the kinkier origin of Wonder Woman as a character, showing what would happen if the Themyscira Princess had embraced her darker side. The other Members of the society who appear in the book with less important roles are Johnny Quick and Power Ring. Quick is a drug addict who similarly to Ultraman must shoot up with a speed serum to retain his powers. Power Ring closely resembles the golden age Green Lantern Alan Scott but that’s where the similarities stop. With him being a meat head who doesn’t understand how his powers actually work. Political Satire The overall tone of ‘JLA: Earth 2’ is darkly funny, pressing a fine line between a superhero story and referencing the political Zeitgeist of the year 2000. Morrison makes a point of criticizing the capitalistic nature of US politics of the time, with the brief appearance of the president of the United States on the ‘Antimatter’ Earth. Morrison shows him as a coward keeling over to whoever is the most powerful force in the world at the time. Thusly, there is no coincidence that Quitley’s drawings bare a striking resemblance to a mixture of former presidents. Morrison also pokes fun at British media

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Review – Fallout 76 (2018)

22nd December 2025

Review – Fallout 76 Developer: Bethesda Game Studios Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Genre: Action Role-Playing Director: Jeff Gardiner Release Date: November 14th 2018 When I first wrote my review for Fallout 76 after the first time I played it, I called the game, “a grotesque atrocity of modern gaming and an abhorrent insult to its audience.” Three years and multiple updates on from when I first played it, I took a look back at the game to see if my thoughts had changed any since that time. I remember when Fallout 76 was announced in summer 2017 and it initially intrigued me. Not knowing anything about it, I was surprised that we were getting another Fallout game before Starfield, (which wasn’t announced at the time but was already heavily rumoured,) or the next entry in the Elder Scrolls series. In hindsight this is hilarious since we are now into a new generation of gaming and still haven’t seen anything significant from either Starfield or The Elder Scrolls VI. At the time, I naively hoped it would be on par with the Fallout series last fantastic interim game; New Vegas. Then at Bethesda’s E3 conference that year, we were given the bad news that this was going to be an always online experience with an open world online hub and some light PvP elements. Fast forward to November 2018 and the game launches to hugely negative reviews. The majority of online reviewers are pounding the thing into the ground and criticising the barrage of issues present in the game. Connection issues, sub par graphics, a vast assortment of glitches, a distinct lack of human NPC’s, weird lighting and pop in and so on and so forth. I am quite happily playing through Red Dead Redemption 2 at this point and leaving Fallout 76 indefinitely on the backburner. The following week, the game is on sale for half of it’s RRP, then as the weeks go on the price continues to drop. Then, at the start of February 2019, I am looking for a new game to sink my teeth into and I see a copy of Fallout 76 on sale for only 20 quid. I think to myself, what the hell and give it a go. I had heard that a few patches had been put out to fix various issues and so I thought how bad can it be? I have been playing video games for the last 20 years and I don’t think that I have ever seen a more egregious assault on my principles as a consumer. There wasn’t even a game there. If you have played any of the other Fallout games since 3, you will know that you suffer through the more grindy RPG elements of the game because the progression mechanics are married well enough with the game’s other systems that they aren’t too noticeable or invasive. The characters, the locations, the quests and the story elements make up for the lacking gameplay and overall the games are enjoyable enough that the dated gameplay systems usually aren’t penalised too hard in reviews. Well imagine any of the other previous Fallout games, but with all of the reasons to play through it that I mentioned above stripped away, leaving only the annoying grindy nonsense that you normally put up with. Except here, there is simply no reason to put up with it. I came to this realisation after putting about 7 hours into the game, after which I decided to switch it off and never picked it up again. There is no plot, there are no characters, there is absolutely nothing to see that you haven’t already seen in previous Fallout games with more meat to them and therefore, there is simply no reason to play this game. If past Fallout games are a big meaty, juicy leg of lamb, then this is nothing but the dry bone that is left after all of the good stuff has been ripped away. In hindsight, it is abundantly clear that Fallout 76 was nothing but a quick cash grab. I’m not even talking specifically about the disgusting micro-transactions present in the game such as making players pay £10+ to change the colour of their power armour. No, I’m just talking about the game as a whole as there was absolutely no other merit to it or reason for it to exist or be played other than to make Bethesda some easy money. This thing shouldn’t exist and the fact that it does is a huge slap on the face to the consumer and it pretty much encapsulates everything that is wrong with the mind-set of modern publishers. At the time, I remember hearing a few industry experts saying that this was going to be the game that ends Bethesda, the final nail in the coffin after the let-downs of Fallout 4 and ESO. Although the Microsoft acquisition of Bethesda seems to have thrown them a lifeline. In September 2020, in the midst of the launch hype for the two consoles, Microsoft made one of the most industry-shaking power moves of the past decade. This paradigm shift happened when MS announced that they were purchasing Zenimax Media and by extension all of the studios under that umbrella, including Bethesda Softworks, Arkane Studios, id Software, Machine Games and Tango Gameworks. We have yet to see the true effects of this acquisition unfold, however, Microsoft did spend 7.5 billion dollars on the acquisition and you can bet on the fact they are going to want something for their money. If they can manage to claim the next Fallout game as a Microsoft exclusive, it could shift a lot of the market back to Xbox and could earn Bethesda some goodwill back due to some gamer’s brand loyalty to Microsoft. It does somewhat feel like two companies that were on the backfoot in comparison to their competitors helping each other back to their feet. However, I did really appreciate Xbox making a

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Review- Green Lantern: Earth One Volume One

22nd December 2025

Review – Green Lantern: Earth One Volume One Written by: Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman Art by: Gabriel Hardman Lettered by: Simon Bowland Colors by: Jordan Boyd Cover by: Gabriel Hardman & Jordan Boyd Release Date: March 20, 2018 Introduction DC’s Earth One line is a series of original graphic novels that aims to reboot and modernize their iconic heroes. Not tied to continuity or the monthly format, these original graphic novels are able to truly take the characters in different directions. Finally, in 2018, Green Lantern was given the treatment in Green Lantern: Earth One Volume 1. Gone is the thrill-chasing fighter pilot, the brightly colored comic art, and the flashy comic suit. In its place is Harold Jordan, a dour space miner for Ferris Galactic. Green Lantern: Earth One establishes itself early on as a more grounded science fiction story. Littered with classic sci-fi elements, we enter a familiar yet slightly strange world. With a troubled past and a desire to never return to Earth, our hero begins his journey. Story At its core, this is a good book. They take a well worn origin story and update into a very modern sci-fi story. These updated concepts are all strong and well implemented. The changes are fresh enough to keep me interested as I compare them to the origins we’ve gotten before. I really do love the plot here. I actually think the first act of the story is the strongest. Opening the story on a disgruntled space crew mining for metals is pretty fun. I absolutely loved this version of finding the ring and the first one interactions with a Manhunter. It all felt like an excellent start to a mid-budget sci-fi movie your friend told you about. Instead of Hal being thrust into a strange world of the Lantern Corp, we follow Harold trying to find any information on a defunct Corp few have heard of. This gives us not only mystery but a refreshing change of pace. We still see some familiar faces pop up, but the writers also take the opportunity to give them new twists too. Heck, the updated way Oa & the Guardians are used feels so natural that I might prefer it to the core continuity version. I love the changes they gave to the powers too. There’s more of a focus on concentration. They need to keep recharging the rings. Naturally following that, we get to see the ring fail from time to time. These changes grounded the book and were a welcome shift from the all-powerful plot armor rings we’ve gotten used to. My biggest complaint with the story is how jumpy it feels. That inconsistency is frustrating in a story that’s otherwise really engaging. It feels like a page or two is missing from certain arcs. Multiple times I flipped back to make sure I hadn’t missed them. Our characters will be in one place, mid-conversation, but on the next page we’re on another planet talking about another thing. Even in one of the bigger battles, a character is like “I’ve got a better plan!” Followed by them doing a thing that looks an awful lot like the first plan, with no real explanation about why it’s different. Art The art in Green Lantern: Earth One has a rougher edge to it, a darker look. It fits the sci-fi feel, and almost feels like it belongs in an early 2000s Vertigo title. Now that I’ve connected those dots, the story itself feels like it could have been a Vertigo title too, but I digress. The artists uses lots of shadows and black space, up close shots, and an almost sketched look to a lot of the art. These elements contrast nicely at times. The intimate moments between characters feel nice but even more important set against the vast space pieces or large groups of aliens. Especially early on, this art really helps sell the “astronaut in a strange world” feel. Understanding that this is a reboot and it’s its own thing, I do wish there was more of an iconic look to the character. Everyone wearing real clothes instead of magic superhero fabric isn’t a bad touch . I don’t mind the muted colors either. The costume just never stands out and our Green Lantern never looks as cool as he does on the cover. You wouldn’t buy an action figure of this look. It’s a sci-fi story, not a superhero book, but it’s still possible to craft a unique or iconic look while staying true to the feel. I hate to double down on the point, but the art gets to be a little hard to follow too. There’s some pretty shots and nice contrast, but the panel layout and pacing doesn’t do the book many favors. In the aforementioned bigger battle, I repeatedly had to backtrack to figure out who I was following or what was happening to who. Overall I’ll reiterate though, I really like this book. I don’t want my negatives to come across too heavy. My story complaints are more about writing details than plot. My art complaints might be more about my expectations of a Green Lantern book than what was on the page. Maybe they kept the art more muted and the designs more subtle on purpose, as part of the story, I just wanted more of a fusion. This is a good book. You should read it. I plan on tracking down Vol 2 shortly, so I can see what unique spin is put on this universe next. It’s honestly the most memorable Green Lantern comic I’ve read in quite a few years. If we didn’t know Warner Bros had plans to immediately jump into Corp related stories, I would be rooting for this origin to be what they based their movie properties going forward. If you enjoyed our review of Green Lantern: Earth One then leave a comment or leave your own rating below.

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Review – HAPPY!

22nd December 2025

Review – HAPPY! Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Darick Robertson Colourist: Richard P. Clark Letterer: Simon Bowland Release Date: September 2012 Happy! tells the oddball story of Nick Sax, an ex detective who is now a burnt out hitman who spends his days drinking and his nights killing mobsters. When one of those nights takes a wrong turn and Sax almost dies, his daughter Hailey’s imaginary friend Happy The Horse, appears to him and tells him that Hailey needs his help. Getting to revisit Happy! for review was a treat as I have always been a fan of Grant Morrison’s work outside of The Big Two. I remember reading this book for the first time a few years ago and absolutely loving the eccentricity of it all. I also enjoyed the first season of the TV adaptation of this book and thought that Chris Meloni absolutely nailed every facet of the character of Nick Sax. I love the way that Morrison opens the book with the two mobsters talking about Sax whilst on their way to kill him. Hearing someone else’s perspective on a character before meeting them is always an interesting technique for a writer to employ. It allows reader to pre-emptively form an opinion on the character based on their reputation and it’s always interesting to see if they live up to that reputation after they are eventually introduced. Nick Sax lives up to his reputation and then some as he is like a barely functional Punisher allegory, except for the fact that Sax has a better sense of humour. Some of his lines are hilarious in this volume and really give you an idea on how Sax sees the world. One particular highlight of mine from his dialogue is; “My eczema flares up in the presence of sanctimonious assholes.” Something that I also really found unique when I first read the book, was the distinctive amalgamation of juxtaposed themes that Morrison uses to tell this story. In what other example can you say that the plot takes elements from mob movies in the vein of Scorsese and elements of kids cartoons such as Barney the Dinosaur? Another thing that I enjoy is the setting that this volume takes place in. The decision to set the story at Christmas is an interesting one and although Happy! is not exactly as wholesome as It’s A Wonderful Life, the fact that it takes place at Christmas and features a jaded, bitter protagonist that learns to turn his life around through the help of an imaginary friend, means that Morrison’s homage to the Christmas classic is not lost on me. Then again, I don’t remember George Bailey swearing quite as much as this. Darick Robertson’s artwork is phenomenal in the volume and really helps to emphasise the juxtaposed elements featured in the plot. As soon as Happy shows up in the issue, the reader can immediately tell that he is out of place in this world, simply due to his character design in comparison with everyone else on the page. There are also a few examples of striking splash pages where Robertson’s pencils and inks really get a chance to shine. Something else I appreciated was Richard P. Clark’s approach to colouring the artwork. The world of Nick Sax is a cold and dreary one, devoid of masses of colour, instead consisting of mostly greys and blacks, – that is until Happy shows up in dazzling, vibrant blue, standing out unmistakably from all of the other elements on the page. It was an absolute joy getting to go back and review Happy! as it still stood up as a phenomenal example of Grant Morrison’s seemingly endless creativity and is still a brilliantly original concept. The excellent artwork in the book also helps to make this a must read for anyone looking for an oddball story that follows an unlikely partnership and is full of heart.

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Review – BRZRKR #1 (2021)

22nd December 2025

Review – BRZRKR #1 Publisher: Boom! Studios Writers: Keanu Reeves & Matt Kindt Artist: Ron Garney Colourist: Bill Crabtree Letterer: Clem Robins Release Date: February 2021 I was excited to review BRZRKR #1 as I have been looking forward to its release since it was announced. I mean, how could you not at least be curious about an original comic book written by and starring everyone’s favourite person, Keanu Reeves? Admittedly, it may be somewhat of a morbid curiosity as many consider the series to be nothing more than a marketing gimmick by Boom! Studios in order to cash in on the, “wholesome Keanu,” meme. However, upon reading the issue, you may be pleasantly surprised. As long as you don’t go in expecting something cerebral here, then Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt’s writing is totally serviceable. As expected, we are treated to an incredibly formulaic opening that even features the classic cliché of the hero jumping out of an aircraft without a parachute and managing to land totally unscathed. The ensuing over-the-top action scene lets the reader know exactly why he is called BRZRKR as we see him ripping off arms and stabbing a henchman with another guy’s spine. The sequence is a lot of fun and discloses to the reader exactly the type of series we are in for going forward. This scene takes up roughly the first two thirds of the issue and features a good number of pages with hardly any text. Unfortunately this means that a good portion of the pages in the issue are almost devoid of any text bar a few voiceover lines from a conversation happening in the aftermath of the opening sequence. This is something that may change going forward as more issues are released, but in the first issue at least, I found the character of BRZRKR very hard to relate to. This is most likely down to the fact that he is a predominately mute killing machine for the vast majority of this first issue. Hopefully, this is something that Keanu and Matt Kindt will expand on as the series progresses. The concept of the character is also far from original. There were several times in the issue where I was reminded of Wolverine and the characters from The Old Guard, but the property it is most similar to is Bloodshot. In saying that though, originality isn’t everything and this is a remarkably fun take on the concept of an immortal soldier. Rob Garney’s artwork in the issue has a scraggly, rough aesthetic to it that I really enjoyed. I felt that the unpolished style suited the story being told and the character at the centre of it. There are also some striking 3 panel pages and splash pages that are awesome to look at. Something else I enjoyed the depiction of gore in the book, which had a certain fluidity to it whenever it was on display. Also it was nice to see a brief homage to the “sad Keanu,” meme. I also thought that Garney captured the likeness of Keanu Reeves really well and although it was unmistakably Keanu, the character’s look never detracted from the plot in any sort of detrimental way. The environmental artwork also allowed the reader to keep up with all off the fluid action and fighting happening on the page. At no point did I feel confused as to where we were in the environment. The one aspect of the artwork that I felt there was room for improvement in was the colouring. Bill Crabtree uses a lot of reds and other hot colours here. This would be fine as it adds a certain intensity to the artwork, but it is used in an overabundance to the point where it becomes difficult to discern what is happening in certain panels. There are certain objects that just don’t stand out and end up blending into the background due to some of the choices made by Crabtree. Overall, I enjoyed getting to review BRZRKR #1. It is a fun first issue that any fan of over-the-top action comics will thoroughly enjoy. It is not going to deliver a highbrow look at what it means to be mortal in the way that Watchmen does, but at the same time it is not trying to. It is trying to be an in-your-face action comic full of fun and it totally delivers on this front.

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Review – Joker (2019)

22nd December 2025

Review – Joker (2019) Directed by: Todd Phillips Produced by: Todd Phillips & Bradley Cooper Written by: Todd Phillips & Scott Silver Starring: Joaquin Pheonix, Robert De Niro & Zazie Beetz Release Date: October 4th 2019 A couple of years ago Joaquin Phoenix starred in a movie called You Were Never Really Here. It was directed by Lynne Ramsay and from the trailers, it looked like it could turn out to be something pretty great. Unfortunately when I saw the movie, I felt that it was nothing more than a poor man’s Taxi Driver, with the same regurgitated ideas and not much more to say. Then I saw 2019’s Joker. Let’s forget about the incredibly engaging performances and solid technical filmmaking elements in this movie for a minute. And let’s forget all of the baggage and background lore that comes with the huge pop culture characters of the Joker, the Wayne family and Gotham City. Instead, ask yourself this; if this you removed all of the DC elements from this movie, for example Gotham is just NYC, Thomas Wayne is just a rich powerful man running for office and Arthur Fleck is just a random loner with a screw loose, would this movie still be as remarkable? I enjoyed getting to revisit Joker for review. I appreciate the fact that it portrays a version of my favourite fictional character that I hadn’t seen before, but it wasn’t a story that I haven’t seen before outside of a Joker story. One of my favourite things about Joker is how much it reminds me of Taxi Driver, but when all is said and done, I still prefer Taxi Driver. I can’t review Joker too negatively because it is clearly well made by a bunch of very talented people and I did enjoy my time with it, but after reading the intensely positive reviews this thing got at the film festivals before its release I was looking for something more than a story I have seen done better decades ago. At the same time though, it is undoubtedly a film that demands multiple viewings. I hardly stopped thinking about the movie after the first time I saw it, wanting to discuss it with anybody that would listen. It has also led to so much online speculation regarding its deeper meaning and subtext since its release, so there is certainly something to be said about that element of it. My rating changed after the second time I saw it and it has changed again whilst re-watching it for review. Joker is a very enjoyable re-tread of a story that we have seen before told several times over. The question is, just because you throw a popular comic book character’s name over the top of it, is that enough to make it more worthwhile than all of the other Taxi Driver homages we have gotten over the years?

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Review – The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank

22nd December 2025

Review – The Punisher: Welcome Back Frank Publisher: Marvel Comics/Marvel Knights Writer: Garth Ennis Penciller: Steve Dillon Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti Colourist: Chris Sotomayor Letterer: Wes Abbott & Richard Starkings Release Date: April 2000 – March 2001 The very first time that Garth Ennis wrote Punisher in Punisher Kills The Marvel Universe, some of his dialogue was changed in editing without his consultation. This led to Ennis not wanting to write for Marvel going forward, until they offered him the chance to write Punisher again, but this time under the Marvel Knights umbrella. This meant that Ennis would have more creative control and wouldn’t have to worry as much about including more explicit content. Punisher: Welcome Back Frank is the result of that offer. Something I realised upon revisiting Welcome Back Frank for review was that this is probably the most fun that a Punisher comic has ever been. Don’t get me wrong, – I also love the classic version of the Punisher as well as the more sombre version of the character that we got in Garth Ennis’ Punisher Max run, but those versions didn’t have Frank punching a polar bear in the face. This book also contains my favourite depiction of Lieutenant Martin Soap ever committed to print. Ennis also writes this version of the character with a surprising amount of humanity. It’s not exactly as if Frank is super social and has a group of friends, but there are people featured throughout the story that he does seem to care about. This isn’t something that can be said about most other iterations of the character. I am also a fan of how Ennis writes Frank’s inner monologue in this run. As he is a man of few words, the use of inner monologue allows readers to get a glimpse into Frank’s mind without betraying his badass demeanour. Something that I also find fascinating when comparing this run to Ennis’ later run on Punisher Max is their respective approaches to how they handle violence. His Marvel Knights run takes a much more comedic, light approach to the extreme violence that takes place, whereas in Punisher Max the violence seems to carry much more weight and has a more sinister feel to it. It is also interesting to consider when the books were written and released. The American attitude to violence changed drastically between the release of the two runs due to the 9/11 attacks. This seemingly also affected the way that Garth Ennis saw violence and in turn changed the tone of how he chose to portray it in his work. Steve Dillon’s pencils are a huge part of what makes this run so much fun. If you have witnessed his work in Preacher, you will know that he had the unique ability to illustrate somewhat taboo scenes of violence and yet still manage to keep them light, never drifting into showing excessive depictions of gore. I have also always loved the way that Dillon was able to capture a character’s expression and this story allows for many examples of that. There are also several gorgeous splash pages in this book that really demonstrate Dillon’s abilities as an artist. He chose to conclude the first issue with an iconic silhouette of Frank overlooking the Southside of New York and it really captures the love that Dillon clearly has for the city. Ennis and Dillon both lived and worked together in NYC for many years, so the city clearly holds a special place in the artist’s heart. Steve Dillon sadly passed away suddenly back in October 2016 due to a ruptured appendix. It was a devastating loss to the comic book industry that is still felt today, but his legacy continues to live on through his work. Overall, getting to review Welcome Back Frank really solidifies it as an all-time classic for me. It is a phenomenal starting point for the character due to Garth Ennis’ masterful writing and Steve Dillon’s glorious artwork. I would recommend anyone to pick up this book and read it through, – whether they happen to be a fan of Punisher or not, – as this book is a great time for any reader that decides to give it a go.

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