The Flash – Recap and Review

First off, it might have been a week or two, but – whoa – the finale rocked my world. It most certainly made my head spin. Let’s deal with the awesomeness that is John Wesley Shipp donning the suit as ‘the’ Jay Garrick. A little trippy, but way cool. For those who missed the earlier television series (90s), John Wesley Shipp played Barry Allen. Maybe you saw it coming, all the hints at the man behind the iron mask, but I certainly didn’t expect to see a version of Barry’s father – The Flash in his own reality/dimension.

The Flash – Season 2 Recap and Review

First off, it might have been a week or two, but – whoa – the finale rocked my world. It most certainly made my head spin. Let’s deal with the awesomeness that is John Wesley Shipp donning the suit as ‘the’ Jay Garrick. A little trippy, but way cool. For those who missed the earlier television series (90s), John Wesley Shipp played Barry Allen. Maybe you saw it coming, all the hints at the man behind the iron mask, but I certainly didn’t expect to see a version of Barry’s father – The Flash in his own reality/dimension.

Minority Report: Pilot Episode Review

Note: Minority Report aired in the UK before the US, so here is Melissa’s review of the pilot – which airs tonight in the US!

Minority Report is one of my favourite movies, so when I learned there was to be a television programme I was understandably intrigued. If you haven’t had the pleasure, the movie is set in the future. Basically, thanks to three siblings (Agatha, Arthur and Dash) – precognitives who can predict the future, a special police unit known as Precrime is able to arrest murderers before they commit the crime.

The pilot episode, set ten years after the end of Precrime, focuses on Dash, one of the three precogs. Dash is alone in the city, and tormented by his premonitions of murder. Without his siblings, these visions are unclear. He only gets bits and pieces of the crime (mainly faces), which he draws compulsively in a notebook.

Stark Sands as Dash.

Understandably, Dash becomes obsessed with preventing the murders and, until he meets Det. Lara Vega, all his attempts at intervention fail. Miserably.

I enjoyed Stark Sands’ portrayal of Dash; a man tortured by his abilities, and his past. Since he’s spent most of his life in isolation, his social skills are underdeveloped and this makes for some awkward, and often amusing interactions. It was refreshing to get to know one of the brothers, especially as the movie focused on Agatha.

Meagan Good as Det. Lara Vega.

It’s an interesting twist too, the fact that his abilities are more of a hindrance than a blessing. As his visions are incomplete, he has no choice but to fumble through and try to fit the pieces together. This makes for a great dynamic between Dash and Vega. She’s an experienced detective with technology on her side, and together they can solve the crime before it even happens. In theory.

Review of Ant-Man: Second-Chance Man – A Graphic Novel

Marvel timed the release of Second-Chance Man beautifully, especially for those who were unfamiliar with the character. The audience’s curiosity was already piqued, people were curious about a superhero who shrinks to (roughly) the size of an ant (yes, there was much scepticism). It gave readers a chance to explore Scott Lang before the release of the Ant-Man movie.

There is a quote on the front cover by ComicVine.com, and I found it particularly apt ‘Get ready to be able to say you are now an Ant-Man fan.’ So many people have told me how much they love the character, granted that’s mainly because of the fantastic movie, but there is a lot of truth in the quote. You will certainly become a fan if you pick up a copy of Second-Chance Man.

You don’t need the backstory to know that Scott Lang is down on his luck, and seeking a way to turn his life around – to make his daughter proud. He got a second chance, was brought back from the dead, and now he’s looking for a fresh start and a new job. It’s where the graphic novel begins. Though in usual Scott fashion, he has an unorthodox way of going about things.

His unique style makes him perfect for the job of security advisor for Tony Stark, but even with a job offer from Iron Man himself, things don’t go according to plan. When Scott discovers his ex-wife is moving to Miami, he makes the decision to follow his daughter. Once there he establishes Ant-Man Security Solutions, runs into and old foe, the Taskmaster, takes on two employees and finds himself smack bang in the middle of a trouble – again. Worse, his daughter’s life is in danger.

It’s a fun adventure, and the action never stops. Here are a few of the reasons I loved Ant-Man: Second-Chance Man.

Character Study: Scott Lang (Ant-Man)

Real Name: Scott Lang

Powers: Thanks to Pym Particles, Scott (Ant-Man) can shrink to the size of an ant. He can also communicate telepathically with insects. When he shrinks, he retains his human strength.

Abilities: Scott has expertise in electronics.

Background

Scott Lang is the current Ant-Man, though he achieved the title by unorthodox means. He stole the Ant-Man suit from Dr. Henry (Hank) Pym, in order to save his daughter’s life. Not the first time Scott stole in order to support his family. He turned to crime when he was no longer able to support his wife and daughter, and became a skilled thief as a way to make ends meet. Of course this path didn’t end well, and Scott spent a time in prison.

After his release, he worked in the design department at Stark International; trying to turn over a new leaf. When he discovered his daughter had a fatal heart condition, he decided to call on the help of Dr. Erica Sondheim. It turned out she had been kidnapped by Darren Cross of Cross Technological Enterprises, who had a heart condition of his own. Scott stole Hank’s suit to rescue Dr. Sondheim and save his little girl. The mission was a success, and Hank allowed him to keep the suit – as long as he continued to use it for good.