Category Archives: tv

Pokémon’s popularity due to simple escapism

It’s the second-most successful video game franchise in history. It’s spawned a television show, toys, over a dozen movies, toys, trading cards, toys, and more and more games. But the success of this juggernaut comes from something incredibly simple.

Why has Pokémon caught on so much with each new generation, and why do some of its original fans still play the games nearly 20 years after their introduction? Because the games offer a simple, magical tale that every kid and kid-at-heart loves to experience. And with two new games coming out this week, the franchise remains just as good as it has ever been.

The first generation of American Pokémon fans experienced the game in its simplest form: on the original Game Boy or Game Boy Pocket, with simple graphics and a game engine that strained itself to the point that glitches were inevitable and considered a normal part of the game. The feeling today’s 20-somethings experienced as children entering into this magical world of special creatures is impossible to relate to anyone who never experienced it.

Imagine you are between the ages of 5 and 12 and you are told about a mystical land, resembling our own but inhabited by creatures called Pocket Monsters — or Pokémon, for short. You are now being given a license to travel the world and befriend these unique monsters. You will raise these animals as pets and help them unlock their fighting potential. Success means the monsters will evolve into stronger and fiercer fighters, but their loyalty to you will remain strong.

And you can capture and raise as many as you want. In fact, finding many monsters is encouraged, because you are also on a scientific mission to gather information on these creatures. That’s right, at age 10, you are being sent out into the world, alone, to train monsters with superpowers to fight each other. For science.

Fans of the game will never forget that first agonizing choice. Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Grass, fire, or water. Most kids I knew picked Charmander, probably because he evolved into a freaking dragon, but my choice was always between the grass and water Pokémon. Ultimately, being the hipster that I am, I chose Bulbasaur, and despite my awareness that he is only a fictional monster, I’ve always felt a strange defensiveness toward the toad with a plant in his back. Other players of the Pokémon games could relate the same feelings.

We were told back in the last century that there were only 150 of these monsters, and it was our journey to capture them all. But soon, rumors grew that there were secretly more Pokémon out there that we’d never heard of. As a 10-year-old boy, this was like finding out there was a second day of the year when Santa Claus would deliver presents. We would scour the grass outside of Viridian City or Lavender Town, hoping to spot a Pokémon not mentioned in the official lists. Sadly, the only unlisted monster we could ever find was the MissingNo., the Pokémon created by a freak glitch in the game and now a legend in its own right.

As it turned out, the rumors of new monsters were simply a brilliant marketing ploy. The success of the original Pokémon Red and Blue (Green in Japan) versions of the game guaranteed sequels. First, there was Pokémon Yellow, which acted as a direct tie-in to the television series and eliminated the agonizing first decision by forcing you to take Pikachu as an initial Pokémon, but this game offered no new creatures. Following Yellow version, however, GameFreak and Nintendo released Pokémon Gold and Silver, featuring 100 new Pocket Monsters. In order to complete your mission to catch ’em all, you would need access to at least four versions of the Pokémon game. And so it goes.

Today, the games still require several versions in order to capture every Pokémon, which is an admittedly diabolical, business-savvy move. But despite the obvious money grab in the overall scheme, the games remain popular and, perhaps more importantly, they remain fun.

Nearly 20 years after Red and Blue’s introduction, those of us who have stuck around have come to accept that we will never again experience the feelings we had when first encountering Articuno or Mewtwo. Nothing about the games feels as mystical as it once did, and many longtime players have turned the games into math tests. But we continue to play, perhaps chasing that high that we can never again attain. Or perhaps we simply enjoy the games in a new way now.

The newer games work hard to add new levels of depth to the games’ story lines, whether through legends on the origin of Pokémon, or by adding moral ambiguity to the villainous factions’ intentions. This week, Nintendo will be releasing remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire versions, which were the first games to add this small layer of depth to the story.

Whereas Gold and Silver were direct sequels to Red and Blue, Ruby and Sapphire were fresh starts — and the first Pokémon games to a new generation of fans. For the older fans like myself, the games’ villains were an odd addition. Unlike Team Rocket, who sought only world domination, Teams Aqua and Magma appeared to be fighting for more noble goals: Team Aqua aimed to expand the oceans, while Team Magma aimed to expand the world’s landmass, both supposedly driven to better the world for life. Though their ideas were ultimately poor, and their methods atrocious, their intentions at least seemed pure.

But more importantly for the older fan base, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire were the games that truly added new levels of strategy to competitive battling. No longer were victories determined strictly by levels and the rock-paper-scissors game of elemental types. Special abilities and character traits guaranteed that each Pokémon was unique, and the traditional ways of battling were no longer valid. Double battles, introduced in this generation, also required much more strategy. Battles were no longer simply fire versus water, but fire and electricity versus water and grass. In succeeding generations of Pokémon games, strategy became even more important to competitive battling, leading to the creation of an entire subculture devoted to Pokémon breeding. Yes, it’s as exciting as it sounds.

But investing in strategy and learning the proper methods of Pokémon breeding are not necessary to complete the games. At their core, Pokémon games are still about simple myth and unending fun. The game can be mature for those who want it that way, but for kids picking up the game for the first time, that magic is still there. Only now, in order to catch ’em all, players must find 721 different species of Pokémon. That’s not even mentioning mega evolutions and different forms of other Pokémon.

I can only imagine the magic kids feel when they first experience Pokémon through these new games. The heart of it is still there, the mystery of it is still profound, and the level of fun the games brings about will never disappear.

Chesnaught, Fennekin, and Froakie will never replace Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, but to a new generation of fans, they are their first Pokémon. In 10 years, Pokémon X and Y may be remade for a new generation of fans, and today’s new fans will look at the new game with a sense of nostalgia, remembering the day when they took their first step into the grass with their very first Pokémon.

Meeting Constantine through Hellblazer comics, NBC series

I’ve been reading a lot of comics lately. When I got home from New York Comic Con, I was in the mood to do more comic reading, so I signed up for Marvel Unlimited to read through much of their back catalog. I’m in the middle of Civil War and plan to tackle the “Infinity” story lines next. My plan is to work my way through the stories Marvel is planning on adapting to film first, then go back to as many other titles as I can.

I also took advantage of a sale DC Comics was recently having on their John Constantine titles and bought several collections of the early Hellblazer comics that established the Constantine character. Prior to watching the pilot of NBC’s Constantine, my knowledge of the character was limited to his appearances in Neil Gaiman‘s Sandman comics and the movie starring Keanu Reeves, which I’m sure many true Constantine fans would rather forget.

While I had never read any of the Hellblazer comics, I’ve always been intrigued by the character — especially once I started hearing about the new series. Before the Constantine screening at NYCC, one of the emcees asked the audience what they liked about Constantine. The girl who answered the question described him as being a “selfish coward,” which intrigued me even more, as that wasn’t an image I had associated with him up to this point. Clearly, there was a lot about Constantine I did not know.

When I found out about the DC sale on the comics, I couldn’t resist buying some to get an idea of what Constantine is really like. I was also curious to see how the show would compare to the comics — though I wouldn’t be nearly as critical as any of the fans who have been reading the comics for years. I have recently finished reading the first collection of Hellblazer, which includes Hellblazer #1-9 and Swamp Thing #76-77. So, here are some thoughts on Constantine and the Hellblazer comics coming from a first-time reader.

By the time the Hellblazer comics debuted in 1988, Constantine was already an established character, having made several appearances in the Swamp Thing, beginning with Swamp Thing #37 in 1983. I know even less about Swamp Thing than I do Constantine, so the overall arc of those two issues and how they fit in with Constantine’s arc at that point was a little lost on me — I didn’t put all the pieces together until I started the second volume of Constantine comics — but I learned a lot about Constantine just within the first issues of his series.

What I learned in reading the first nine issues of Hellblazer was that the girl at NYCC was right on target with her description of Constantine. He is a selfish coward — and a few other things I won’t put into print. Yet, oddly, I can’t help but like him. He has a certain “irresistible charm,” as Constantine himself puts it.

The first few issues of Hellblazer appear to be standalone stories. It isn’t until about halfway through the collection that the reader starts to notice the pattern and the thread that ties them all together. The last few issues are one continuous story, as Constantine tries to outmaneuver forces of heaven and hell in order to maintain balance on earth.

The nature of Constantine’s character becomes fairly apparent right from the first issue, as he willingly sacrifices the life of a man who has been his friend since childhood in order to stop a demon. It’s clear Constantine feels guilt over his choice, but he doesn’t hesitate in making the difficult decision. Constantine lives in a world where he is forced to frequently make choices between what’s best for one versus what’s good for everyone. This can make him seem callous and cold, but these are decisions that must be made, and he shows he is capable of making them.

However, not all Constantine’s decisions are for the good of the many. Constantine’s cowardice is more apparent in the fifth issue, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” which adds a supernatural twist to post-traumatic stress. Constantine hides and watches as a man caught up in a war flashback rapes and murders his own wife. Instead of stepping in to save the woman, Constantine maintains his cover.

“No way I can go charging into their movie,” Constantine said. “It’s too bloody dangerous.”

Later, he acknowledges his own weakness, as he watches the woman’s attempt to defend herself.

“I should help her do the bastard, but I still can’t move — at least that’s what I tell myself.”

These very different aspects to his personality help to make Constantine a fascinating character. I can’t wait to learn more as I continue through the comics.

The Hellblazer comics are pretty dark — lots of demonic activity and mutilation, murder, and more. According to series star Matt Ryan at NYCC, the series has not been cleansed for television — this is the Constantine fans have been reading about. It will be interesting to see how closely the show follows the comics, and what NBC will let them get away with. I’m even more excited about the show now that I’ve been reading the comics.

Ryan as Constantine was a terrific casting choice. He seems to understand the character and really embodies Constantine’s attitude well. Even the way he walked out on stage at NYCC reminded me of Constantine. The success of the series really hinges on whether fans can accept the actor as their beloved comic book character, and I think they found the right man with Ryan.

After reading the first issues of Hellblazer, I started to pick up on the elements of the comics that are making their way into the series. I was particularly amused to discover Constantine’s response to where he came from: “The sordid passions of my parents” was taken directly from the comic — though in the comic, the line belongs to Zed, one of Constantine’s associates and an occasional lover. We caught a glimpse of Zed and one of her talents at the very end of the pilot episode, then had more of an introduction last week.

Looking closely at the artwork scattered around Zed’s room, you’ll find multiple familiar images if you’re a fan of the comics. Even I was able to recognize several, and I’m only up to Hellblazer #12. But I saw the cover of Hellblazer volume 1, as well as the grotesque form of the four British Boys the demon Nergal molded together and sent after Constantine in one of the early issues. It’s these little Easter eggs and attention to detail that make the show fun to watch.

Constantine’s history with Newcastle and young Astra was a large plot point in the first episode of the series, but I’ve only just begun to learn more about what happened in Newcastle in the second volume of the comics. It appears NBC has tamed down Astra’s story a little — they seem to have left out the abuse and her involvement in creating the original demon — though more could be revealed as the series progresses.

Another great piece of casting was Jeremy Davies as Ritchie Simpson. I loved that I immediately recognized Ritchie when I was reading the comics. I couldn’t remember his name from the series (despite having watched the pilot three times), but Davies’ look was so much like Ritchie in the comics that I had no doubt this was the right character. I read all Ritchie’s lines in the comics in Davies’ voice, and really do think he was a great choice. This week we’ll see the introduction of another character from the comics; I’m looking forward to seeing what the show does with Papa Midnite.

It’s still early to say that NBC’s Constantine won’t disappoint fans — and I’m probably biased since I watched the pilot before reading the comics — but I believe the cast and creators are at least trying to create a faithful adaptation of comics, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming, both on television and in the comics.

History of The Flash, Part II: The Silver Age and Beyond

This is part 2 of a two-part exploration of the history of The Flash, a comic book character brought to life on television screens this season on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on The CW. Read part 1 here.

Perhaps it’s his ability to travel through time, or maybe it’s because he’s so fast, but The Flash always manages to be miles ahead of superhero trends. During the Golden Age of Comic Books, the first man to bear the title of The Flash, Jay Garrick, set the standard for specialized superheroes, helped build the first superhero crossover team, and raced to astounding heights of popularity. But as the business faded, so did The Flash.

The end of World War II precipitated a decline in the popularity of superhero comic books. The medium switched its focus from superheroes and profited off of romance, horror, and other genres. Unfortunately for the industry, the increased popularity of horror comics gave ammunition to Fredric Wertham, who began a crusade against the industry. His book The Seduction of the Innocent accused the comic books of creating juvenile delinquents.

To combat the charges, the comic book industry needed heroes. But with superheroes fading into oblivion, the genre needed a bolt of lightning to revive it. Luckily for superhero fans, that bolt of lighting struck, hitting Barry Allen, and creating the second Flash.

It was 1956 and editor extraordinaire Julius Schwartz set out to revitalize the dying superhero genre. He tasked writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino with recreating The Flash as a more contemporary hero. The team, along with writer John Broome, created a much sleeker hero, sporting a bright red spandex suit accented with lightning bolts.

Introduced in Showcase #4, the new Flash was Barry Allen, a reputedly slow and deliberate police scientist. In his origin story, Allen is struck by a bolt of lightning and doused with chemicals, with the combination somehow giving him super speed. Allen dons a red costume and takes to the streets of Central City to fight crime. Interestingly, Allen chooses his name by taking it from his favorite comic book superhero, Jay Garrick. In establishing Garrick’s run as the Fastest Man Alive as fictional within the fictional world, DC marked a new beginning for comic books. In time, the introduction of Barry Allen came to be seen as the beginning of the Silver Age of Comics.

The origin story for the new Flash changed the formula of superhero stories. A stronger emphasis was placed on scientific explanations for superpowers and supernatural events, though very few of these explanations could survive professional scientific scrutiny. The pseudoscientific stories led to the creation of items such as a ring containing The Flash’s costume and a cosmic treadmill that allows Allen to travel through time.

Real science, however, is never far from a Flash comic. Allen is a scientist after all, and he often uses his scientific mind to defeat his opponents. Soon, a laundry list of superheroes, mainly created during the Silver Age, would be able to list their profession as “scientist.”

The popularity of The Flash and the increased attention being paid to superheroes led to Schwartz’s edict to revive the Justice Society of America. Since the original JSA included Garrick’s Flash, it was inevitable that Allen would be a member of the new team. Gardner Fox, the creator of the Garrick incarnation of The Flash, was assigned the task of reviving the team, and he renamed it the Justice League of America. Flash joined the A-list team of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter, debuting in Brave and the Bold #28 in 1960.

The Justice League team proved a hit, quickly gaining their own title that sold incredibly well. DC publisher Jack Liebowitz bragged to Marvel owner Martin Goodman about the JLA’s success, leading to Goodman assigning his editor, Stan Lee, to create his own team of superheroes. Marvel’s subsequent creation, the Fantastic Four, introduced in 1961, followed the examples of the Justice League in its team format and The Flash in its emphasis on pseudoscience. With the Fantastic Four, The Flash, and the Justice League, superhero comics were on the rise again.

Also in 1961, Allen took part in an historic story, meeting up with Garrick, the Flash of the Golden Age, who, it was explained, existed on Earth 2, a parallel world to that which was home to Allen. The comic introduced to audiences the now-popular idea of a multiverse.

The following years in the comic book industry saw a lot of changes, including a shift to darker, more realistic comics. For Allen, the shift was evident in the apparent death of his wife, Iris West, at the hands of the Reverse-Flash. When Reverse-Flash attempted to duplicate his actions with Allen’s new girlfriend, The Flash appeared to kill his rival, crossing the line that superheroes were supposed to respect.

DC’s continued attempt at fostering realism raised questions about complicated continuity issues. The company decided to make a bold move by rebooting the combined universe. The idea was to streamline the characters’ histories and form a more coherent world that would compete with Marvel. Part of that new world would be a sense of history, legacy, and real stakes. To reach all of these goals, the company needed to make a bold move. It needed to kill Barry Allen.

Crisis on Infinite Earths is perhaps the biggest event in comic book history. The Crisis is brought about as the Anti-Monitor sets out to destroy alternate world after world. The Anti-Monitor specifically targets The Flash, believing him to be the greatest threat to his plans due to his ability to travel between dimensions at will. Anti-Monitor’s fears prove valid, and Allen is able to stop the monster’s antimatter cannon, but the hero seemingly dies in the process.

The end result of the Crisis is a singular world and continuity, changing Garrick from an alternate world Flash to the original Flash from the 1940s, whose heroic actions inspired a young Allen to adopt his name. Now, with Allen gone, his heroism would inspire a new generation’s hero to adopt the moniker of The Flash.

Wally West, Allen’s nephew, was introduced as The Flash’s sidekick in 1961. Dubbed the Kid Flash, West gained his powers in the same convoluted process as his uncle. West was a founding member of the Teen Titans at a time when teen superheroes were growing in popularity. In the wake of his mentor’s death, West took up the mantel of the Scarlet Speedster, becoming the new Flash.

West’s ascension to a top spot on DC’s roster of heroes set a new precedent for comic books. Due to the incredible popularity of the men behind the masks, the big two of superhero publishing made a point to never allow their protagonists to age. By establishing “The Flash” as a legacy name, and Garrick and Allen as history, DC Comics made a major shift in superhero storytelling. In the coming years, other heroes would be replaced as well. Kyle Rayner would become the new Green Lantern, Dick Grayson would become Batman, and even Marvel would replace Steve Rogers with Bucky Barnes and, more recently, Sam Wilson as Captain America.

West’s two-decade run as the Fastest Man Alive also introduced a new concept to the DC Universe: the Speed Force. The Speed Force is an extradimensional power that is used as a shorthand answer to explain away the physics-defying powers of DC’s speedsters. West’s connection with the Speed Force gives the hero new powers, including the ability to take away and share speed itself with others, and it led to West finally being able to achieve the high speeds of his predecessor.

For a brief period following DC’s Infinite Crisis, a fourth man took up the mantle of The Flash. Bart Allen is a hero from the 30th century with an incredibly confusing back story that exemplifies the worst of comic book writing. His time as the Scarlet Speedster was short, as the character was killed off after 13 issues and replaced by the returning West. But West’s new run would be short as well.

Under the direction of Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison, DC decided to revive the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen. Barry returned during DC’s third Crisis event, Final Crisis, and played a major role in the company’s biggest subsequent events, Blackest Night, and Flashpoint. These three enormous event stories shook the foundations of DC Comics, with Flashpoint effectively rebooting the entire DC canon.

The reboot, though unpopular with purists, has proven to be a big success for DC, with the “New 52” brand outselling its predecessors in many cases. The decision to reboot DC’s entire lineup came as a result of the enormous success of superhero movies around the world — though, ironically, that success is primarily thanks to Marvel Studios.

But with The Flash joining Arrow on The CW, in addition to Fox’s Gotham and NBC’s debuting Constantine, it is clear that DC is beating Marvel on the small screen. The new small-screen Flash follows Allen as he learns to become a hero in a world of super-powered criminals. The series promises to be the first true superhero show in the era of good visual effects, and it will change the perception of heroes on television.

In addition to his new show, The Flash will finally make the jump to the big screen, with a solo movie starring Ezra Miller coming in 2018. The Flash’s first movie represents a rare time when the hero has been behind the curve of the superhero industry. However, The Flash’s new TV series is likely to prove that the Fastest Man Alive is still the trendsetter of the superhero genre.

Watching Walking Dead while hating blood, guts, gore

I am not a fan of entertainment that is excessively gory, bloody, or anything along those lines. I’ve never seen any of the Saw movies, and I have absolutely no desire to watch them. I like scary movies in general, but I draw the line when people start getting hacked to pieces. I’m too squeamish for all that gore.

But I love The Walking Dead.

A couple years ago, I was watching an episode — I can’t remember which one, but it wasn’t long after they reached the prison — and my mom and my brother were just watching me watch it. I had to keep hiding my eyes and turning away from all the nasty, gory stuff. Eventually, this conversation took place:

My mom and brother, in unison: “Why do you even watch this show?”
Me: “Because it’s awesome, and I love it! I just don’t like the blood and gore.”
Mom: “But that’s all this show is about!”
Me: “No it’s not! It’s about the people and their relationships with each other and surviving!”

That’s the short answer to their question, but it touches on the heart of why this show is so good, and why it’s become so popular with such a wide audience. It isn’t a show about zombies. (In fact, if you pay attention, they never even refer to the undead as “zombies” at any time in the series.) The Walking Dead has some of the most compelling story lines and characters on television, and if it were just about the zombies, 17 million people wouldn’t have watched the fifth season premiere, where the main threat was another group of humans.

One of the taglines for The Walking Dead is, “Fight the dead, fear the living.” If you’re a fan of the series or the graphic novels it is based on, you know this statement is absolutely true. The “walkers” (as the don’t-call-them-zombies are termed) are just background for the story of the people who are surviving — or, in some unfortunate cases, aren’t. In the last couple of seasons, especially with the introduction of the Governor, we’ve really started to see just how much more dangerous other humans can be.

The walkers just want to eat you, but humans can plan and strategize and manipulate. Humans can move faster, drive vehicles (and tanks), and use weapons. They can deceive and lay traps. Compared to the human threats on this series, the walkers are easy to take care of — a headshot is all it takes.

The other day, a friend was telling me that some of her friends were getting frustrated with the show because they have deviated from the zombie part of the story. In my opinion, those viewers are missing the entire point of the series. Even in the comics, the greatest threat the survivors face is not the undead but the other human survivors. I don’t think this show would be nearly as compelling if the primary threat was always the walkers. Sure, I get worried when there’s a chance someone’s going to be killed or bitten, but it’s so much more interesting when they’re facing an enemy that can think and plan — someone who is also fighting for a cause and has more motivation to win.

This is what I love most about The Walking Dead: the fact that it is about the humans — the survivors. Despite my love for genre television, I wasn’t a big fan of zombies before the series began — mostly because of my issues with blood and gore — but the previews made the show look intriguing, so I thought I’d check it out. I was hooked almost immediately — despite the scene where the walkers tear into that poor horse.

The characters on The Walking Dead are probably some of the most well-written on television. Some series can go an entire run without their characters showing any evidence of change or growth. However, not one of the characters in The Walking Dead is the same person he or she was prior to the zombie apocalypse — and, more importantly, who they were when the series began. One of the best examples would be Carol. When we first met her, she was a mother married to an abusive husband, and now she’s the bad-ass who single-handedly engineered the escape from Terminus.

At New York Comic Con earlier this month, the cast was asked to talk about the journeys their characters have taken to this point. Melissa McBride, the actress who portrays Carol, teared up describing Carol’s path “because I love her so much.” Of all the characters in the series, Carol has come the farthest — and is one of the best, in my opinion.

Another one of the reasons I love The Walking Dead is because I can never predict where the story is going or what is going to happen next. I’m the kind of person who is always trying to solve the mystery first, or guess what’s going to happen next, but I just can’t do that with this series. I haven’t read all the comics — I’m slowly working my way through them — but even if I had, I still wouldn’t be able to predict everything, because the show doesn’t always follow the comics. This is one of those times when I am completely OK with that. I love that I can enjoy the comics and series separately, and one isn’t necessarily going to spoil the other.

For those who wish they would follow the comics more closely, this is your season. According to the Walking Dead panel I attended at NYCC, this season will follow the comics more closely than they have in the past.

Lastly, I love that this show is so real. I don’t mean real as in “I expect the dead to rise up any day now,” but the tone of the show and the way the characters behave and react to situations (even the “villains” of the show) are all extremely realistic. This is exactly how you would expect human beings to act when faced with a world where the living are quickly becoming outnumbered by the dead, and you have to fight to survive. People will go to any length they see necessary to survive. Some of those methods may seem horrifying to outsiders — and the audience — but to them, their actions are imperative to their own survival.

Even the horrors committed by the people in Terminus, which makes me shudder just to think about, are justified to them. These people didn’t start out that way; they were once kind and welcoming — until they were treated as prey and forced to become hunters. Every character on the show, good or evil, is a product of his or her environment. Even Rick Grimes, our good-hearted protagonist, has made questionable decisions that he felt were key to the group’s survival or to protect his family. This struggle is what makes this show so raw and so real.

I recently read an article from Entertainment Weekly that posed the question, “Are we all numb to the atrocities of The Walking Dead?” The article was referring particularly to the final moments of Sunday’s episode, which was pretty horrifying — and we’re only two episodes into the season. But it also called to mind the scene from last season, when Rick ripped out a guy’s throat — with his teeth! — after the guy and his gang of humans threatened to violate Rick’s son, Carl.

I’m not entirely sure I would even agree that Sunday’s episode was more shocking than seeing Rick tear a guy’s throat out; both scenes were stunning and horrifying, and both demonstrated how far the survivors have come from civilized society. They are horrifying because they break our expectations of how people should behave, but one isn’t necessarily worse or more shocking than the other; they simply portray different aspects of the depravity that comes with the world they are now living in.

It is true that the series does feel the need to up its game and be more shocking with each new twist. Every series has to fight inertia and tries to build on the drama, or the action, or whatever it is that people like about that series. However, I don’t feel like I’ve become numb to the horrors The Walking Dead is portraying on screen. I still flinch and close my eyes when we see a particularly disgusting walker death, just as I would have in season 1. The Well Walker would probably shock and gross me out just as much now as it did back in season 2; in fact, I was having traumatic flashbacks to that episode during the food bank scenes this past week.

If we were all truly becoming numb to the atrocities in The Walking Dead, I think the smaller, more human moments that are still prevalent within the series would have less of an effect on us. However, the reaction to the reunions at the end of the fifth season premiere proves we still feel. Sophia walking out of that barn will break my heart each time I see it, and I will always cry every time Daryl cries. As long as we’re still affected by these small human moments — and as long as they still exist within the series to remind us the survivors are still human — I don’t think we’ve become numb to anything.

At the NYCC panel, season 5 was described as “kickass” and “relentless” but also “heartbreaking” and “devastating.” The fact that this show can bring out those more tragic emotions in its fans proves they are anything but numb to what goes on in this show.

And honestly, if we were become numb to the horrors we’re seeing in The Walking Dead, then we’re missing the lesson of the series. In the season premiere, Rick didn’t want to worry about freeing any other prisoners in Terminus, but Glenn insisted, saying, “That’s still who we are, it’s got to be.”

Despite all the horrors they’ve faced — and Glenn had just come within seconds of having his head bashed in and throat slit by the Terminus people — Glenn understands that the survivors can’t let their enemies change them. They can’t become numb. They still have to hold on to some of their morals. And if we’re becoming too numb to the atrocities on The Walking Dead, aren’t we taking Rick’s path more than Glenn’s?

The mere fact that we can have long, deep discussions about topics such as this in relation to a television series like The Walking Dead proves that there is so much more to this show than zombies, blood, and gore. And that is why I watch The Walking Dead.

Star Wars Rebels promises to fulfill Lucas’ original vision

Star Wars Rebels is the latest entry in the expanding Star Wars universe and is on track to be another Lucasfilm hit. The animated series was introduced on the Disney Channel this summer with a collection of shorts, leading up to a television movie pilot that aired October 3. Audiences got to preview an episode of the first 16-episode season October 11 at New York Comic Con.

The series, which began October 13 on Disney XD, is set five years before Luke Skywalker leaves Tattooine and documents the rise of the Rebellion while focusing on the ragtag crew of the spaceship The Ghost. Rebels is guaranteed to be another strong chapter in the overarching saga, and while the Star Wars universe has been greatly expanded in books and comics before, Rebels has the unique opportunity to fulfill George Lucas’ original vision for the Star Wars movies.

When Lucas first conceived of the Star Wars world, he had planned to create a series of movies that would pay homage to the adventure comic strips of his youth — namely, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. Lucas’ small group of heroes would face easily defined villains and take part in swashbuckling adventures across unknown worlds, full of alien species and languages incomprehensible to viewers. Each story, brought to life in either nine or 12 films, would be unique, with only a common threat binding the episodes together.

But as the films evolved, their premise did as well. As explained in The Secret History of Star Wars by Michael Kaminski, the movies changed from a collection of unique adventures into a larger epic about a single family, with only casual glimpses of the original, episodic nature Lucas had planned. Specifically, the movies became The Ballad of Anakin Skywalker, as he grew into a hero, fell to the Dark Side, and was redeemed in his final hours.

While the original Star Wars can still be viewed as a simple adventure movie, the release of Empire Strikes Back and the prequel trilogy changed the tone of the movies into one defined by moral ambiguities, political intrigue, and an interconnected world. Each installment had to have meaning in the larger story, rather than be like Lucas’ other creation, Indiana Jones, whose adventures are all distinct.

In order to create his grand epic, Lucas made the decision to abandon his strictly serial premise, and his original stories were left to history. Until recently.

With the recent acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney, it was only a matter of time before the series’ publishing license for comic books was moved from Dark Horse to another Disney subsidiary, Marvel. Before losing the license, however, Dark Horse paid homage to the man who had built the galaxy far, far away with a new graphic novel.

The Star Wars is an adaptation of Lucas’ original 1970s screenplay — a story much more in line with the adventure serial Lucas originally hoped to film. The comic feels like what would happen if all six Star Wars movies so far were squashed into one, nearly incoherent, story. All of the signature traits of the movies are there, but it feels as though the entire story is just a single, complex mission, with many more to come later.

The Star Wars, however, is a one-off story, and the adventures won’t continue, despite the comic’s final page claiming otherwise. The exploits of Annikin Starkiller, General Luke Skywalker, and the six-foot-tall lizard, Han Solo, are finished.

Nonetheless, Star Wars comics have existed for decades and will continue next year at Marvel, with titles following Darth Vader and Rebels’ protagonist Kanan.

Comics did a lot to inspire Lucas to create the world he did, but he was a filmmaker above all else. It was always his dream to bring the excitement and intrigue he experienced on the pages of comics to the screen.

The Clone Wars cartoon series came closest to fulfilling Lucas’ vision. The successful show, which followed the heroes of the Galactic Republic as they faced the forces of the Separatists, utilized numerous characters and told as many stories. Some were complex, political thrillers, while others were classic, swashbuckling missions. Every story, however, felt like part of the larger whole; each entry mattered to the progression of the Clone Wars.

The new series, Rebels, however, follows Lucas’ original concept much more closely and delivers a satisfying, episodic ride that doesn’t always have to feed the larger story. Conceptually, Rebels is meant to bridge the gap between film Episodes III and IV by showing the strengthening of the Empire and the rise of the Rebellion. But the show is undoubtedly more in line with the spirit of the original trilogy. Rebels does not focus on politics like Clone Wars, but it revisits the philosophy of the Force, the nature of loneliness and teamwork, the tragedy of losing an entire culture, and the heroism of the unlikely. Whereas the prequels and Clone Wars brought to life villains whose motives could be seen as just, the original trilogy — and now Rebels — emphasizes flawed heroes whose actions are questionable but whose end goal is usually noble.

The spirit of Lucas’ original vision goes deeper than just antiheroism and the serial nature. The visuals and the individual characters or Rebels closely mirror early work on the Star Wars movies as well. The look of Rebels is based on the original concept art of Ralph McQuarrie. This includes protocol droids that more closely resemble the robots of Metropolis than C-3PO, and Zeb, the alien companion, whose species, the Lasat, is based on the original design for Wookiees.

Kanan leaps straight off of the pages of Lucas’ original screenplay. Halfway between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, Kanan is identified as a cowboy Jedi, a man who was trained as a peacekeeper but finds himself on the other side of an open rebellion. His uncertainty in his abilities, coupled with his unconvincing brashness, makes him eerily similar to Annikin Starkiller and the movies’ Luke Skywalker.

Joining Kanan is the pilot of The Ghost, Hera, whose voice actress, Vanessa Marshall, said at NYCC that Hera is second only to Han Solo as the best pilot in the galaxy. Marshall sees Hera as the cross between Han and Princess Leia: she’s brash, powerful, and extremely dedicated to her crew and her mission.

Rounding out the cast are the younglings, Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren. Ezra will fulfill the role that the Skywalkers held in the movies: the young student working to get past his arrogance and become something greater. Sabine, however, appears to be unique to Rebels. She is a Mandalorian artist who uses her skills to paint anti-Empire propaganda across the galaxy. Where Sabine goes in the future will be one of the show’s most intriguing questions.

Rebels has infinite potential to be something special in the Star Wars galaxy. It will be the first on-screen story not to focus on the Skywalker family but on the regular folks who have been impacted by the Empire’s tightening grip. It will feature swashbuckling excitement and flawed heroes, and it will examine what it takes to turn quiet dissent into open rebellion.

But, perhaps most importantly of all, the show will be a fun adventure that can stoke the imagination of child and adult alike — which is what Lucas has wanted out of his creation all along.

Exclusive: Librarians cast previews series, with photos

TNT is expanding a successful television movie trilogy into a weekly episodic TV series this winter. The cast and executive producer of The Librarians appeared at New York Comic Con last Sunday to preview the series for eager fans and speak with press including Curiata.com.

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, an original, made-for-TV, action/adventure film, debuted on TNT in December 2004. The movie introduced Flynn Carsen, played by ER veteran Noah Wyle, as the man chosen to be the librarian of a secret archive of powerful objects. Wyle himself has described the films as Indiana Jones — if the role of Jones were played by Don Knotts.

The film was a big success for TNT and was ranked as the No. 1 movie of the year on basic cable. It spawned two sequels, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines, which premiered as cable’s No. 1 movie sequel of all time in 2006, and The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice in 2008.

This December, a decade after the premiere of the first Librarian film, TNT is bringing the Library back with an all-new, 10-episode series. Wyle will return as Flynn, albeit in a reduced, recurring role. John Larroquette stars as the reluctant caretaker of a new cast of Library workers, similar to Bob Newhart‘s role in the movies. The series will feature appearances from Newhart and Jane Curtin, reprising their roles from the films.

Lindy Booth, Christian Kane, John Kim, and Rebecca Romijn round out the cast as characters who work for the Library but — importantly — are not Librarians. The Librarian is a position similar to that of the Slayer in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in that there is only ever one at a time.

Those four cast members were joined by executive producer John Rogers at NYCC to explain a bit about the series.

“When the show starts, we’re not librarians,” Kane said of his, Booth’s, and Kim’s characters. “We’re next in line.”

If anything were to happen to Wyle’s Librarian, one of their characters could be the next to step into the role. And when the series starts, the lives of all the potential Librarians are in jeopardy.

According to Rogers, you don’t need to have seen any of The Librarian films in order to enjoy the series; everything you need to know will be recapped in the opening.

“We went back and looked at the Eccleston Doctor Who reboot,” Rogers said, referring to the relaunch of the classic British sci-fi series in 2005, nearly 16 years after its last episode. “The trick is don’t explain it: show it. Audiences are smart; genre audiences, in particular, have been watching variations of these things for a long time — they’re smarter than you, they’ll figure it out, you don’t have to spoon-feed them.”

Rogers believes that, at least with the first couple of seasons, a series should be primarily standalone so fans can jump on board at any point without feeling out of the loop.

“It’s cool if you watch one or intermittently, but you’re rewarded if you watch all of them,” Rogers said.

The Librarians was filmed in a relatively short period of time in order to work around Wyle’s schedule and ensure he would be a part of the series. According to Rogers, there was never a question of Wyle’s involvement.

When he first heard of the series, Wyle’s initial reaction was, “But I’m the Librarian,” Rogers told fans.

Wyle won’t appear in every episode, but his absences are a plot point: he’s out on a mission that runs parallel to the main story line of the show.

Romijn plays a counterterrorism agent who is recruited to protect the potential librarians. Romijn describes Eve Baird as a skeptic who was very reluctant to join the team.

“I get invited to work at the library, I don’t know why; I don’t necessarily want the job, but I’ve received this mysterious invitation,” Romijn said. “I am the guardian of the Librarian — he doesn’t want me either.”

Before long, Eve’s job expands beyond protecting the Librarian.

“We discover that the Librarian and the Librarians-in-training are all in danger, and so I become the guardian to the Librarians-in-training as well,” Romijn said. “Early on, I’m in charge of them, and they’re not prepared for the danger out there, and I have to train them … we really become a family.”

Playing the protector of the group wasn’t too difficult for Romijn, as she has portrayed several physically commanding characters in the past — perhaps most famously that of Mystique in the X-Men movies. Last year, Romijn also did a lot of weapons and mixed martial arts training for her role as Michelle Maxwell on TNT’s King & Maxwell.

“Our job is to run around the world and collect dangerous magical artifacts to keep them out of the wrong hands, and there are all these people chasing us and in pursuit,” Romijn said. “I am sort of there to fight them off.”

Romijn’s two favorite episodes of the season are an episode involving fairy tales, which the entire cast seems excited about, and the Christmas episode, featuring guest star Bruce Campbell.

“But the one I can’t wait for the fans to see the most is the finale, because there’s a huge payoff in the finale,” Romijn said.

Romijn is joined in the Library by Kane, who plays Jake Stone, an Oklahoma oil worker with a high IQ and an extensive knowledge of art history. Kane has worked with Rogers, the executive producer, before in his previous role on Leverage. In that series, Rogers tailored the role to include many of Kane’s own interests. Kane acknowledged Rogers did the same for the character of Jake.

“John Rogers wrote the role as an art history major and I was — at the University of Oklahoma, I was an art history major,” Kane said. “So he kind of incorporated that into the character. And the guy’s from Oklahoma, which I am, and my dad is a hard-working, blue-collar oil man. … So he almost started me right there as Christian Kane.”

When he’s not acting, Kane is also a singer and songwriter who has showcased his musical talents on the small screen in the past. So will fans of Kane’s music get to hear him sing on The Librarians as well?

At NYCC, Kane looked around to where Rogers was sitting before answering with a definite “Yes.” Not this season, Kane said, but if the show continues, he is positive viewers will get to hear him sing.

In his previous role as Eliot on Leverage, Kane played the “hitter” of the team — the guy who was always ready for a fight. But while Jake can hold his own in a bar fight, he doesn’t have the technical combat knowledge Eliot had.

“It’s tough for me, because I have to unlearn everything I did for five years on Leverage,” Kane said. However, he’s been enjoying the change of pace. “It’s been fun to walk in someone else’s shoes.”

But that doesn’t mean you won’t ever see Kane fight.

“I told John … why would you fix something that ain’t broke?” Kane said. “Let me just throw punches, man, that’s what I do.”

Rogers assured Kane he’d get to do some fighting, but warned Jake’s skills would need to grow over time.

“So you see me get better at certain things, and you see me picking up things along the way,” Kane said. “I’m sure that, as time goes on, my character will progress.”

Kane compared his character’s potential progress to that of Wyle’s throughout the course of the Librarian movies.

“When the first Librarian came out, Noah Wyle was a dork … now he’s Indiana Jones,” Kane said, concurring with Wyle’s own characterization. “And it was fun to watch Noah progress along that way; now he’s just a badass.”

The cast of TNT’s upcoming series The Librarians spoke with Curiata.com and posed for photographs at New York Comic Con last Sunday.

Another character with a special skill set is Cassandra, played by Booth. Cassandra is a synesthete: she has sensory hallucinations related to certain actions.

“All of her senses are sort of cross-wired in her brain: sees numbers as colors, science is music, math smells like breakfast,” Booth said.

Synesthesia is a real phenomenon, and Booth said she did a lot of research on it before playing Cassandra.

“Cassandra does have a very extraordinary version of it. Hers is much more extreme because it’s television, and we do things like that,” Booth said. “It’s a cool thing to play with because it lets me play, lets me express things in different ways that you wouldn’t get to do with a character who sees things through normal eyes.”

According to Booth, Cassandra is probably the “most psyched” to be joining the Library team. Prior to meeting Wyle’s Flynn, she viewed her ability as a curse, but he teaches her that it can be a gift. Because of this, Cassandra quickly forms a bond with Flynn.

“But, weirdly, she really does bond with Jacob Stone,” Booth said. “He’s able to understand her family situation and no one’s really been able to do that for her. And he sees her gift and he tries to understand it, and, again, no one’s ever tried to understand Cassandra.”

Even though Cassandra and Jake form a bond, the actors behind the characters seem to be on opposite ends of the physicality spectrum.

“There was a lot of resentment that I seemed the least physical person on the set, and yet, somehow, I have all of the fight scenes in the first season, allegedly,” Booth joked.

However, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, Cassandra has a lot more to learn than Jake does.

“Cassandra fights like a girl,” Booth said. “She fights like me. It’s not good. Sometimes she wins, but it’s mostly by accident when she does. … I think a lot of the comedy from Cassandra comes from these weird physical situations she manages to get herself into and tries to get herself out of.”

Fans of Booth’s quirky character from the short-lived October Road, take heart.

“There’s an awful lot of Pizza Girl still inside me, and I think that Cassandra is just like her weirder, smarter sister in some way,” Booth said.

The final member of the team is played by Kim, who has acted in his native Australia but is a newcomer to stateside television. Luckily for him, a very supportive cast has guided him through the process of filming for American TV.

“I feel like Noah took everyone under [his] wing, but me more so just because I was the new face,” Kim said. “I got a lot of advice from him on set. Christian was amazing. … The entire cast — coming into a cast where everyone’s … more experienced than I am … was an advantage.”

Kim dealt with a certain amount of hazing on set, being the rookie as well as the youngest cast member. He recounted one story involving Kane in particular.

“In the library, there’s a rotary phone, and I was just kind of checking it out, I hadn’t really seen or used one of those ones,” Kim said. “Christian comes over and Christian goes, ‘Yeah, we used to have cords on phones. We used to have wires.'”

Kim feels especially privileged to get to work with an actor like Larroquette in his first big role.

“You’ll get to see later on in the season, I have a very fun scene with John Larroquette, and to get to work with an actor of that caliber — they’re all amazing actors, the entire cast — but to get to work with him day in, day out, for an entire week was … amazing,” Kim said. “So that particular episode was one of my favorites.”

According to Kim, his character, Ezekiel Jones, is “too curious for his own good.”

“When he sees something that interests him, he’ll do everything he can to get involved in that,” Kim said.

Ezekiel is very loosely based on a real thief in Europe who stole a jewel just to prove there were holes in the museum’s security. Kim keeps that aspect of his character in mind while he’s acting.

Fans of Leverage may recall Rogers’ extensive blog posts and Q&As after each episode. He is hoping to do something similar with this series, as well.

“We’ve already recorded a series of video logs with each of the writers that talk about the episode coming up,” Rogers said. “Hopefully … after every episode, we’ll be able to do a podcast … [and/or] we’ll be answering questions on the website again.”

“I like the dialogue with the fans,” Rogers added. “It means people are watching.”

The Librarians premieres December 7 on TNT.

Marvel, DC showcase divergent strategies, old habits

New York Comic Con is an annual festival for fans of nerd and geek media. At its epicenter are the two giants of the comic book world: DC and Marvel. This year, both companies showed up to promote their brands, but one came prepared for the future while the other simply talked about the past.

Marvel has undertaken numerous changes in the past year. As CEO Axel Alonso said several times this weekend, Thor is a woman, Captain America is black, and a nonhuman, Rocket Raccoon, is arguably the most popular superhero in the world. Things are changing at Marvel.

But at DC, the company seems content to stay on its current track.

To be fair, DC is on the rise. Having fallen years behind Marvel in movie production, DC can now look to a long list of release dates dedicated exclusively to its superhero properties. Superman and Batman will return to the big screen and will be joined by Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Shazam, Aquaman, and the Suicide Squad. DC’s heroes also have live-action television series on three broadcast networks with all of them drawing strong ratings and showing infinite potential.

It’s a bit understandable that DC would use this convention to take a bit of a victory lap. After all, the company seems to be taking over broadcast television. The Constantine premiere was well-received, and simply acknowledging Arrow, The Flash, or Gotham caused rapturous applause. But the company’s focus on Gotham specifically seemed to represent a microcosm of the company’s overall philosophy: focus on Batman.

The complete reliance on the Dark Knight may actually be the company’s biggest problem. As an avid, noted fan of the Caped Crusader, I was certainly happy to enjoy the Batman 75th Anniversary panel — a long look back at the hero’s storied career with a star-studded guest list. But when attending the DC Essentials Panel, I at least expected to hear more about the company’s other plans — whether they be about the Justice League, Teen Titans, or anyone else — and less about my favorite hero.

In Marvel’s equivalent panels, Alonso and chief creative officer Joe Quesada announced several new comic titles, including Gamora, centered on the Guardians of the Galaxy character; a new Ant-Man, featuring Scott Lang; and Star Wars titles, such as Kanan, following the early adventures of the new Star Wars Rebels character. Marvel also announced a new creative team for Hawkeye, Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez, and a new version of the classic comic book crossover Secret Wars. In addition, Marvel screened an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., announced a new Guardians of the Galaxy cartoon, introduced the cast of Daredevil, and hosted a panel on the future of Marvel Comics following the death of Wolverine.

When asked why the company would kill off such a popular character, the answer, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, was, “So you would stop complaining that he’s overexposed.”

Perhaps DC should learn that lesson — though killing off either Batman or Wolverine is a ridiculous idea. The Dark Knight is an incredible character; the star power of his panel and the sheer number of people in the conference room proved that. But the emphasis on the Bat is hurting DC’s other franchises. During the DC Essentials panel, the company discussed Gotham, Batman issue #35, Batgirl, Batman Earth One, and its new comics, including Gotham Academy and Arkham Manor. No other franchise was given any time during a panel that promised to discuss the essential news about DC’s future.

On the flip side, Marvel’s entire panel focused on change. The biggest change? The Marvel women’s movement. Last year, a new Ms. Marvel was introduced, and she quickly became a sensation. The new hero, Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani Muslim girl from New Jersey who gains super powers. According to Alonso, she is the spiritual heir to Peter Parker as the most relatable superhero in their lineup. Gamora will be getting her own series, as will Angela, an Asgardian spy. They will be joining the new female Thor. In addition, Marvel will introduce its first young adult novel, starring Black Widow, soon.

An entire panel was dedicated to the women working at Marvel, who inspired a great deal of the young ladies in the room to fight for their dreams of working in the comic book industry. The room was enamored by the strong, intelligent women on stage and even managed to start a worldwide Twitter trend: #WomenofMarvel.

That’s not to say that Marvel is perfect, however. Though they were more accessible and progressive, the company has also proven to be set in its ways. Earth-shattering events and the death and inevitable rebirth of major characters have become regular occurrences in the Marvel world. Wolverine’s demise will lead to a spike in comic book sales, but as soon as they dip again, Logan will inevitably be revived. Fantastic Four’s comics will cease production, but only until they can feel “new” again. Cataclysmic events like Secret Wars are being pushed as the biggest in the company’s history, but it takes its name from a comic book event written in the 1980s. The Marvel world has seen so many resurrections, alien invasions, and time-altering battles that there is no longer any sense of scale to the company’s story lines.

But despite the criticism, the future of both companies looks bright. DC’s animated movies have hit an incredible stride, and their next release, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, promises to be another strong work. Arrow has proven to be a remarkably strong show, and its good will has been passed on to The Flash, which saw impressive numbers in its debut. Critics are also excited for both Gotham and Constantine. In the comics world, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run with Batman has consistently spawned the highest-selling comic book in the country, and its stories going forward offer intriguing potential.

Marvel is on top of the world and can afford to take some bigger risks. The stage has been set for a major shakeup in the Marvel comic book continuity with Secret Wars and the recently announced relaunch of the Civil War. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing well, but Netflix’s Daredevil promises to be a game changer. In the comics, Hawkeye is an award-winning piece of work, Ms. Marvel has showcased the company as a beacon of progressive characters, and the new Star Wars line is a guaranteed hit under Marvel creative, especially with Lucasfilm’s promise of a larger canon moving forward.

It has been said for some time now that nerd culture has taken over popular culture, but it was never more evident than at this weekend’s NYCC, which was even larger than this year’s San Diego International Comic Con. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of superheroes, comic books, and action-adventure, even if the Big Two’s quirks may sometimes be frustrating.

Inconceivable pleasures of NYCC come to end on Sunday

Day 4. I can’t believe my very first Comic Con is nearly over already! It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend, but I have had so many great experiences and am taking away some really great memories.

I’m usually the kind of person who avoids crowds as much as possible, so one would think New York Comic Con is a place I shouldn’t go near, but it didn’t bother me to be surrounded by thousands of people all day. Sure, there were times when I really needed to just seek out the quieter atmosphere of the press area, but being in the crowd of NYCC was much easier than I anticipated. Maybe it’s because these people are all like me. In this crowd, a nerdy fangirl doesn’t have to worry about being judged; everyone is accepted here (except maybe Hydra — no one likes those guys).

I took my time getting to the Javits Center this morning, knowing the line wouldn’t be as crazy as it had been yesterday with The Walking Dead panel happening. I was right, as it was easy to walk in and get in line for this afternoon’s Sleepy Hollow panel. Then, my morning of waiting in lines began.

As soon as I had my wristband for Sleepy Hollow, I went over to the autograph hall and purchased a copy of Cary Elwes‘ new book, As You Wish, which chronicles the making of The Princess Bride. I then got in line to have Elwes sign the book.

The line seemed long but moved quickly and, before long, I was face-to-face with a man whose image I’ve known my entire life. I was young when The Princess Bride was released in 1987, and I honestly can’t remember a time before its existence. It has been my favorite movie my entire life. I still can’t believe I’ve now met Westley in person.

Following my brief encounter with Elwes, it was time to prepare for several great hours of Sleepy Hollow scoop. First up was interviews with several cast members and writers of the show, then the actual Sleepy Hollow panel. Everyone was tight-lipped on details of what to expect in the rest of season 2, but they promised they’re doing everything they can to build on the success of the first season. The panel included a screening of the first half of Monday’s episode, featuring a Sleepy Hollow version of the Pied Piper, which, from what we’ve seen so far, looks super creepy.

After the Sleepy Hollow panel, it was time to get in line for not only my last panel of the day, but the last panel of New York Comic Con 2014. I decided seeing Elwes was a good way for me to both start and end the day. The actor took the stage to enormous applause and regaled the audience for an hour with stories from the set of The Princess Bride, most involving Andre the Giant. Elwes was emotional discussing the professional-wrestler-turned-actor who died in 1993.

Elwes shared many humorous anecdotes and was a great storyteller, performing voices for each person he talked about: from the gruff voice of Andre, to the New York accent of Rob Reiner. Elwes had the audience roaring in laughter with a story of how Andre unexpectedly (and loudly) broke wind during their very first scene together, the scene where they give Westley the pill they procured from Miracle Max. Elwes was wonderful to listen to, and I can’t wait to sit down and read his book, which contains even more reminiscences from the filming of The Princess Bride.

And then, all too soon, it was over. The long weekend seems like it flew by too quickly. But I would say my first every Comic Con was definitely a success: I was able to see and do everything I had set out to, and to experience as many aspects of the Con as possible. I was able to meet people I’ve admired for years, and I even managed to control my fangirl urges while doing so.

I had no idea what to expect going into this weekend. I have friends who go to San Diego Comic Con every year, but I didn’t know how this would compare to their experiences. I still don’t, but the weekend was even more fun that I had hoped it would be. I already have my calendar marked for next year!

Jason David Frank lives life like Power Ranger would

He’s the best one ever. He’s worn Green, White, Red, and Black. He’s Tommy Oliver, the original Green Ranger. His real name is Jason David Frank, and he’s as good of a person as his starring role would make you believe.

All of us who have seen Power Rangers have questioned the characterization of the Rangers. There’s no real conflict among them. They’re all perfect, wonderful human beings, who always do the right thing in the end, while still living an incredibly eventful, action-packed life even when they aren’t fighting evil space aliens. They are, in a word, unbelievable.

But this weekend at New York Comic Con, I was fortunate enough to meet Frank, who has been a personal hero of mine for most of my life. He proved himself to me and every other fan there that he is just as good as the character he made famous, albeit much funnier. The Tommy Oliver character could always be relied on to use his fighting prowess to save the day, even when the other Rangers were down. And Frank’s incredible martial arts skills were often on full display, inspiring me and many others to take lessons. My years in martial arts — learning not only how to defend myself, but how to live — shaped who I am today. Frank himself teaches martial arts at his Rising Sun Karate school and helps to shape hundreds of young martial artists.

But Frank understands he isn’t known for being a martial arts black belt. He gets that Power Rangers is what made him famous, and he counts it as a blessing.

There is no resentment from Frank about his career being defined by the Power Rangers. In fact, he embraces it, wearing a white tiger power coin as a necklace and often putting a green streak in his hair to symbolize his character’s most famous incarnation. Frank has even returned to the show several times, including an anniversary episode, “Forever Red,” on Power Rangers Wild Force, and in a regular turn as a mentor on Power Rangers Dino Thunder, where he gained new powers as the Black Dino Ranger. In fact, Frank is set to return to the show again in the finale of its current season, Super Megaforce, this time as the Green Ranger. The actor is well aware of his status as the face of the franchise, and he loves the responsibility. Frank has even been pushing to be more involved in Saban’s Golden Goose going forward.

Frank has hinted in the past that he and Saban were working together on a series exclusively following the Green Ranger. In his NYCC panel Friday, Frank announced that these talks were on hold until Lionsgate determines how to handle the cinematic reboot of the series. But Frank also admitted that discussions were ongoing about further involvement in Power Rangers projects. With the next season’s theme, Dino Charge, being a return to dinosaurs, could Tommy Oliver return as a series regular? Devoted fans will remember that Tommy received his doctorate in paleontology and has a history of working alongside dino-themed Ranger teams.

The man known as Tommy has even been utilizing his fame as a Power Ranger to run a show on YouTube, hosted by Bat in the Sun, that follows his everyday life. My Morphin Life takes fans into the day-to-day activities of everybody’s favorite Ranger as he teaches his martial arts classes, sets world records, and travels the world to attend conventions.

Like we would expect from Tommy Oliver, Frank lives his life fearlessly, fighting in mixed martial arts matches and skydiving regularly. In My Morphin Life, Frank admits he fears two things: clowns and, believe it or not, hot air balloons. And as if the episode were written by the good people at Saban, Frank confronted his fears in an incredible way: by diving out of a hot air balloon, dressed as a clown.

Everywhere he goes, Frank is greeted as a hero, and he treats his fans with complete respect. In his YouTube show, Frank travels to Brazil and attends a convention, where he is blown away by the love he receives. It’s not just an act for a show either; in New York last week, Tommy Oliver’s kind personality was hard to miss.

The Green Ranger’s autograph line appeared to be the longest in the room, despite hefty competition from William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, and the voice of Batman himself, Kevin Conroy. The wait was worth it. Meeting my hero for the first time, I was profusely thankful to the man and told him how much his simple role in a kids’ show influenced by life. He was incredibly respectful and thankful in return, which is to be expected, but he rose above and beyond soon after.

I was on my way out of the convention center when I heard my name being shouted. It was Frank, who followed me to give me the autographs I had forgotten on my way out. It was an incredible moment that felt like it came straight out of an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Frank explained during his panel the next day his philosophy on life. Simply put: treat everyone equally, and treat them all well. As a celebrity, he thinks every interview has value, whether it’s on CNN or with an upstart website. Frank doesn’t expect appearance fees and isn’t looking for a big studio to produce My Morphin Life. He simply wants to have fun and keep his fans updated.

Jason David Frank is a man who loves his fans, loves his craft, and enjoys sharing it all. His autograph lines were long and the audience for his panel was huge, but he made sure that everybody got his or her money’s worth. He is thankful for his fame and will continue to give his heart and soul in everything he does. I know this fan looks forward to seeing him on television again.

Marvel expands universe with more Agents, Daredevil

Marvel brought a lot of surprises to New York Comic Con, and I’m not just talking about announcing the return of Secret Wars. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe received a few treats as well.

The Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel took place Friday afternoon in a packed Main Hall. Marvel’s director of television, Jeph Loeb, greeted the audience and, after a few minutes of small talk, he reminded the crowd of one lesson we learned last season: trust no one. At that point, he revealed the Hydra T-shirt he was wearing under a fleece jacket.

A shocked and offended Clark Gregg appeared on stage, greeted by a standing ovation. Gregg told Loeb that the only way to make it up to him would be to show us all something we had never seen before — an all new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And so, this week’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was screened in its entirety four days ahead of time for the fans at NYCC.

The fourth episode of season 2 features a return to more of the lighthearted, witty banter we grew accustomed to last year while not letting us forget things are much darker than they had appeared then. There are some great moments between Gregg’s Director Phil Coulson and team member Melinda May, played by Ming-Na Wen, as well as a really touching scene with Fitz, who is struggling to overcome head trauma. The episode features a neat tie-in to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, though I doubt viewers see it coming. There are lots of twists and turns in this episode, and it’s probably the best of season 2 so far.

Following the screening of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Gregg begged Loeb, on behalf of the audience, to show us something from Marvel’s new series, Agent Carter, set to premiere in January. The series had begun filming the week before, but Loeb had a cut of one scene that had been shot just four days earlier. The clip featured Hayley Atwell as Carter, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, and James D’Arcy as Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis. Stark is in embarking on an important mission and leaves Jarvis to help look after Carter. The clip wasn’t long enough to really judge what the series will be like, but it piqued my curiosity.

Saturday at NYCC, Marvel unveiled the first footage from its upcoming Netflix original series Daredevil. The series, which will debut next year, stars Charlie Cox as the blind-lawyer-by-day/hero-by-night Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil. Vincent D’Onofrio plays Daredevil’s adversary, Wilson Fisk, aka “The Kingpin.” The series also stars Rosario Dawson, Elden Henson, Bob Gunton, Toby Moore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ayelet Zurer, and Deborah Ann Woll.

Loeb introduced Cox by telling a story of how Marvel Comics writer Joe Quesada, a big Daredevil fan, called him two years ago — before there was even a possibility of producing a Daredevil series — and told him he had found his Murdock. Quesada was confident the Daredevil rights would eventually return to Marvel, and he wanted Cox in that role. Even Loeb admitted to having a bit of a man-crush on the actor who was indeed hired to play Daredevil.

Executive producer Steven DeKnight, also a Daredevil fan, talked of his love for the character; while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he and Loeb would discuss how “we’re gonna do that show one day.”

DeKnight cited both the Frank Miller and Brian Bendis runs of the comics as the main inspirations for the series. In fact, Daredevil’s costume in the clips shown at NYCC bring to mind the outfit drawn by John Romita Jr. in The Man Without Fear. Fans will see these influences reflected in the darker, grittier tone of the show as compared to other Marvel properties.

Cox later confirmed the influence of The Man Without Fear: “Tonally, it suits our show really well.”

“What I love about this show is the moral gray area inherent within,” DeKnight said. “There will be times when you’re not quite sure who to root for.”

As DeKnight phrased it, Murdock is “one bad day away from becoming Frank Castle,” the vigilante antihero also known as the Punisher. Sometimes, the audience will be rooting for Murdock; other times, they may sympathize with the Kingpin.

D’Onofrio seems to enjoy delving into the character of the Kingpin and Fisk, describing him as “a child and … a monster.”

He went on to say that everything Fisk does comes from his own foundation of morality within, and we’ll get to see what aspects of that morality Fisk’s relationship with his wife, Vanessa (played by Zurer), brings out. NYCC attendees got to see the scene of Fisk and Vanessa’s first meeting. It takes place in an art gallery and gives a truly revealing look into Fisk’s personality.

Cox contrasted the creative process of a streaming show like Daredevil to more traditional series, like his work on Boardwalk Empire. Cox identified one of the biggest benefits of being on Netflix to be that there won’t be a week between each episode, so the narrative doesn’t need to remind viewers of everything that has happened — they probably just saw it. Cliffhangers become pointless because viewers can just skip to the next episode. Directors and writers can spend more time on developing a real story without having to worry about recapping anything.

“It’s going to feel like a 13-hour movie,” Cox said of Daredevil.

Three more clips from Daredevil were shown during Saturday’s panel. We saw Karen Page (Woll), known as Dardevil’s long-running love interest in the comics, attacked in her darkened apartment and Daredevil, in a black suit, coming to her aid. The hero’s fight against the assailant escalates, and Daredevil ends up on the street in the rain. There, Murdock flashes back to a conversation with his father, who he tells his son to “get to work.” Daredevil rejoins the fight and takes down the attacker.

Another clip introduced Dawson as Claire Temple, whom Loeb described as a “nurse, who works at night,” strongly hinting at the character of Night Nurse. Temple has discovered a bruised and battered Murdock on the street and brings him to her apartment to help him. Murdock is concerned that she has removed his mask and has now seen his face.

In the third clip, Page thanks Murdock and his best friend and law partner, Foggy Nelson (Harden), for winning her case by supplying them with dinner. She then volunteers to help them around the office and clean for free — which prompts a moment of levity when Murdock asks if their office is messy.

Just from these clips, it is clear that Daredevil has a darker and more serious tone than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, that doesn’t mean it’s taking place separate from the rest of the MCU. When asked at NYCC about its relationship to the other Marvel properties, Loeb stoked the fires of fans everywhere with a smile and Marvel’s latest catchphrase:

“It’s all connected.”

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