WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #2 (MARVEL COMICS)

Jack Russell is no stranger to the supernatural. Due to the events of Blood Hunt, the beast within has changed. Following the violent deaths of two neighbors, Russell and Elsa Bloodstone search for answers. Their quest looks to have a roadblock in front of it via Death Watch and The Hood!

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #2 by Jason Loo , Sergio Fernández Dávila , Jay Leisten, Aurie Jimenez and Joe Sabino brings the violence and drama in its’ follow-up chapter.

Let’s see where the night brings Russell and co. now.

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #2 by Jason Loo , Sergio Fernández Dávila , Jay Leisten, Aurie Jimenez and Joe Sabino (Marvel Comics)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Loo brings in a character synonymous with Russell for this chapter: Moon Knight. The build towards his involvement delves into Russell’s mistrust and Bloodstone’s blind faith. Elsa’s refusal to quit on Russell gives flashes of hope amongst the chaotic scenario they find themselves in. Once that is cemented, the guest star makes his grand entrance.

Readers become locked in as the world of Khonshu gives some clarity. It comes at a peak moment. The plans of The Hood swing into an ancient evil. Loo’s writing sets a unique set-in to acquire it. This leads to a solid mid act filled with action. The story takes full advantage of the Red Band label. It is not one for the squeamish by any means. The epilogue lays a surprising twist onto readers before departing. It is playing the long game on the challenge and that’s nothing but a win for readers.

Dávila, Leisten, and Jimenez bring Russell’s guilt to life with a haunting panel. Seeing the dead ghosts of his “victims” leaves quite the impression. Prior to this, the panels reflect the emotional toll on both Russell and Moonstone. With their history, it adds to the drastic call for help.

The Moon Knight pages steal the show. A near full image ushers Khonshu into the spotlight. This is complimented by a full page shot of Russell vs. Deathwatch and his minions. From here, the pages show no mercy as the chaos breaks loose. It concludes with a more subdued full page image that questions who won this round other than readers.

FINAL POINT: 8.2

With The Hood making the first move, Jack Russell gets some familiar back-up for his latest chapter. Loo crafts a fast paced journey with a haunting feel. Dávila and the team let loose with the fighting for a highly enjoyable tale. Brace for impact cause things are only going to get wilder from here.

ACTION COMICS #1069 (DC COMICS)

Is the Man of Steel breaking down? Used as a gladiator for sport, Superman must fight to save the Earth through a gauntlet of danger. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are his back-up against true alien threats. Will they be able to help or is the deadly game too much for Clark Kent to handle in its’ final round?

ACTION COMICS #1069 by Gail Simone, Eddy Barrows, Danny Miki, Rex Lokus and Dave Sharpe (Back-up by Rainbow Rowell, Cian Tormey, and Romulo Fajardo jr.) concludes its’ throwback story with a timeless conclusion.

Let’s not wait any longer and dive into the finale!

ACTION COMICS #1069 by Gail Simone, Eddy Barrows, Danny Miki, Rex Lokus and Dave Sharpe (Back-up by Rainbow Rowell, Cian Tormey, and Romulo Fajardo jr.) DC COMICS

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Simone gives this classic tale a superb ending with the close. Lord Grunhar is a traditional villain who hits all the key points. Cheating the game to ultimately win is a perfect ploy. However, this chapter casts a big spotlight on what makes Superman so great. The writing reflects how he refuses to accept defeat. Even with his body breaking down, the drive for Truth, justice ad a Better Tomorrow remains unphased.

This leads into some creative plays from Lois and Jimmy. The conversation between Lois and Hux-Ur adds to the already hostile situation. Heading into the big battle, events play out as fans would hope. There is big action before the crafty ending. Once at this stage, events wind down with a well-timed landing and epilogue that remains excellent no matter what year you read it in.

Barrows and the art team never fall off from exemplifying the grand stage of events. The opening shot of Superman being helped off is gifted a full page splash. This leads to a great panel sequence of Lois and Hux-Ur. How the gladiator never acknowledges Lois drives him his disregard for her pleas, adding to the drama. Once the fight begins, the art gives a full page splash worthy of the epic confrontation. Imagery brings forth the brutality of Superman’s survival. This is matched by a striking image of Supes dropping a hammer fist onto his attacker. The final pages tie up loose ends and departs with a light hearted moment that is 100% Superman storytelling.

The side story of Rowell and Tormey concludes with a deep dive into the conflict of professional and personal lives. It is a solid conclusion to a perspective that fans might not have registered. This was a great companion tale that shows Clark and Lois and their best.

FINAL POINT: 9

The Man Of Steel’s trip back in time nails the landing in its’ concluding chapter. Simone’s phenomenal writing brings the finest out of the Superman mythos. Barrows and the art team construct a throwdown for the ages with the strong imagery. This is a fantastic read that adds another highspot in the legendary legacy of Superman.

Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on Action Comics #1069. Thanks for reading.

BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER SEASON ONE (AMAZON STUDIOS/PRIME VIDEO)

Welcome to a very special edition of Parlay Points!

For this entry, DC Comics’ iconic vigilante returns to a familiar realm. From various incarnations with the Justice League to the legendary “Batman: The Animated Series (1992)”, fans have been drawn to the animated escapades of Bruce Wayne. Breaking into this arena has allowed for many creative opportunities. Some have hit. Others have not.

2014 was the last solo Batman series with “Beware The Batman”. Since then, pop culture witnessed his monster return to the big screen with Matt Reeves’ 2022 film, “The Batman”. The back to basics feel won over the fandom. Spawning from that is an upcoming sequel. It also created an opportunity to return to this universe in an animated form.

At a 2021 WarnerMedia event, “BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER” was announced. JJ Abrams (Bad Robot), Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) and Reeves were the three lead exec. producers for the new project. In 2022, the series was picked up by Amazon Studios for Prime Video after Warner Bros. Discovery opted out of the project.

The series is slated to debut its’ first season on August 1st, 2024. Amazon Studios for Prime Video allowed the ODPH podcast early access to the new animated Batman series.

Let’s take a closer look at how this new entry fares. Note : This will be a SPOILER FREE review.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season One (Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video/Amazon Studios/Amazon Content Services LLC)

Knowing the trio of powerhouse creators producing, expectations are high. Add in Ed Brubaker, James Tucker, Daniel Pipski, Rachel Rusch Rich
and Sam Register into the exec. producer mix and it only raises the bar higher. Much to fans’ delight, they don’t miss giving a fresh take to Gotham City’s favorite citizen.

The series carries a vintage feel to its’ surroundings. From the cars to the architecture, it brings the audience back to a simpler time. There will be instant comparisons to Batman: TAS. However, the series quickly breaks away from that correlation with its’ more mature and grounded themes.

The complex dynamic between the Dark Knight and notable amoral characters (and their devious actions) leans heavy into the "real world" aspect of recent storytelling. It is a perfect compliment to Reeves’ movie vision.

“Crusader” delves into the best of Batman’s early years with precision writing and voice acting. Not everything is perfect but the series nails the key points when mattered most.

Hamish Linklater (Batman/Bruce Wayne) delivers a strong performance with his take of the Dark Knight. There is a noticeable aura of an inexperienced Batman throughout the series. This plays well to the audience. It allows them to connect to the brand new landscape and evolving dangers it brings.

Linklater distinguishes Wayne’s calm demeanor with Batman’s gruff persona very well. By the time of the finale, it is very well cemented that Batman is really the hero the city deserves.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season One (Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video/Amazon Studios/Amazon Content Services LLC)

The series also dives and re-imagines some of Batman’s greatest rogues to much success. The Penguin (Oswalda Cobbelpot - voiced by Minnie Driver) and Harley Quinn (Harleen Quinzel- Voiced by Jamie Chung) are two magnificent character performances that steal the episodes that they are in.

Both give new creative directions that play up to their well known statuses. I really enjoyed the Quinn take because it comes across as a multi-layered approach that is rarely showcased on this level.

Not everything is all new takes concerning the rouges. Christina Ricci’s Catwoman performance is as classic as it comes. It leaves a lasting impression that holds its’ own with the great company it keeps. The same can be said for Diedrich Bader’s Harvey Dent/Two-Face. With Dent’s evolution from start to the spectacular finale, fans will have much to rave about with the tragic rogue.

The only times the series steps back are when they dabble in the supernatural. While entertaining, the two episodes (“Night Ride” and “Nocturne”) that center around this theme seem to stray too far from the grounded epicenter. They still are quality viewings never the less.

There are also standout performances from Michelle C. Bonilla (Renee Montoya), Krystal Joy Brown (Barbara Gordon) and Jason Watkins (Alfred Pennyworth) stretching into each episode. They reflect the corrupt world of Gotham and the challenge to find its’ redemption.

Two episodes that bring this theme to the forefront are “Moving Target” and “The Night of The Hunters”. The latter, imo, defines what this series is all about: grounded, realistic struggles to fight the good fight. Isn’t that what Batman’s all about?

FINAL POINT: 9.7

The Bat is Back in animation in a big way. “Crusader” presents an innovative version of the Dark Night that fans won’t want to stop watching. With excellent voice acting, the world of Gotham flourishes with new visions. Favorite characters get revived with takes that mesh solidly with images that are sure to please new and seasoned fans alike. This one has all the makings to carve its’ own spot in the Batman mythos for seasons to come.

Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on Batman: Caped Crusader Season one by Prime Video. Thanks for reading.

LUCHAVERSE: CATALYST #1 (MASKED REPUBLIC/MASSIVE PUBLISHING)

Welcome to an all-new edition of Parlay points!

For this entry, the worlds of comics and pro-wrestling mark a new chapter in their vast joint history. From WWE adaptations, Do a Powerbomb to most recently Hard Style Juice, the two mediums have crossed paths to give fans of both something to remember. There are more similarities in the fandoms and creativity that most might not realize.

The latest entry into the cross-medium looks poised to carve its’ own place into that history. Mixing in the wrestling culture of Lucha Libre into a shared comic universe, Masked Republic and Massive Publishing present a fresh new concept for readers to jump on board with.

LUCHAVERSE: CATALYST #1 by Marco Lopez, Ivan Plaza, Ben Harvey, Bryan Arfel Magnaye, Diego Simone and Micah Myers sets the card for a main event debut!

Let’s see how things kick off for the Luchaverse!

LUCHAVERSE: CATALYST #1 by Marco Lopez, Ivan Plaza, Ben Harvey, Bryan Arfel Magnaye, Diego Simone and Micah Myers (Masked Republic/Massive Publishing)

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Right from the start, the new Luchaverse gives multiple genres & wrestlers a new reader friendly spotlight. Rey Mysterio and Tinieblas Jr. are the featured leads for this issue. Each story gets a synopsis page before diving into their chapters.

Mysterio’s story is centered in adventure and mystery. The writing mixes in key flashbacks while walking readers through the big action. Anyone looking for in-ring action will get a very small dose. This makes for a better play to separate Rey the wrestler from Rey the Action Hero.

Mysterio being paired with “The Ambassadors” gives off “Expendables” vibes. Their mission appears very straight forward. Once the flashbacks start happening, the story becomes much wide-scale in danger and depth. The closing act speeds into a new stat quo for Rey and the Luchaverse as a whole. It plays into its’ strength: big Hollywood-esque action. With a impactful parting image, events are passed off to the next story.

The writing for Tinieblas Jr. carries a different feel than Rey’s story. Heading into a more supernatural detective feel, Plaza and Lopez puts the protagonist on an ever-twisting journey. Tinieblas Jr. comes across as a captivating enigma. This is raised up a few levels by the creatures he encounters.

Combining the fantasy aspect with some combat made this portion stand out. It’s something readers won’t be expecting as things progress forward. That said, it makes complete sense to the legacy it crosses with. The ending shifts gears yet again to a puzzling stop. Readers will have some theories forming before the next time they see Tinieblas Jr. but that’s always how you want to leave the audience: wanting more.

Harvey and Magnaye handle art duties for Mysterio’s chapter. They waste no time launching Rey into action with the opening page. Leading in with a strong start, the flashback sequences play into the youthful days of a hero in training. As previously said, there is a touch of pro-wrestling added in the adventure.

However, the chase of the first Mysterio mask locks readers in. The feel is tense as one wrong move could destroy everything. This builds into a direct full page splash redefining the lead’s role. Its’ fallout slowly reveals Rey’s new stat quo. Readers will be pleased with the action and the final image kickstarting the new era of hero in the Luchaverse.

Diego Simone gives Tinieblas Jr. a more eerie tone as he descends Las Vegas. Within a few panels, the unsettling feel quickly grows as Tinieblas Jr. begins his hunt. The full page image of his discovery of creatures jumps off the page. The art moves things swiftly into another flashback before quickly resuming.

Simone’s vision of Koreshan City is filled with despair and trouble. Solid fighting is thrown into the panels before a switch of direction. The final act is short but leaves readers with a full page close that will have them talking.

FINAL POINT: 8.7

With elements of adventure and mystery abound, the Luchaverse debuts on a strong foundation that will only grow forward from here. Solid writing and energetic art keep readers engaged as their combination of wrestling and heroes delivers a monster win. This universe has all the makings for becoming a new showcase of the immortals at the LCS and beyond.

Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on Luchaverse: Catalyst #1. Thanks for reading.