Category: Comic Books

R.I.P. The Mummy (1999-2008) Retrospective

the_mummyBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Before Stephen Sommers version of The Mummy gets fully buried in the wake of the upcoming 2017 film next month, I have to fondly recall the elements that I enjoyed from this past iteration. The 1999 film was heavily inspired by the pulps. Although its star, Rick O’Connell (played by Brendan Fraser) would gladly let his son Alex keep the world at peace, I do not think a consortium existed to help develop the continuity needed for the spin-off material.

If that was the case, I imagine the character of Anubis would play an important role throughout the entire saga instead of being a background character for the first two movies. He is the god of death, and before Osiris landed in the Underworld and succeeded to the role, was in control of many a person’s fate should anyone die within his domain, the land of Egypt.

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There’s Sid-Nerdary by the Sea Starting This Month!

Sidney by the SeaBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

During the month of May to June, the township of Sidney, BC will be the destination for many a superhero and fans hoping for a sighting. From fun activities to exhibits to guest lectures, no stone is going to be left unturned, and most of the work is being done without the assistance from the Incredible Hulk. Both Marvel and DC heroes are represented in a look at close to 80 years of comic book history. The Sidney Museum is leading the charge with an exhibit that will span the two months. Most of the township is involved, and the following calendar shows where events will take place.

Up, Up and Away!
Comic Books & Our Culture
Sidney Museum
2423 Beacon Ave
May 3 – June 27
10pm-4pm

This exhibit promises to show a history of the medium with displays of classic works and show the evolution of many of today’s favourite heroes. The big three from DC will certainly be there, but will there be more? Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman are the trailblazers from this company, but for Marvel Comics, is it just Spider-Man? Or has Wolverine finally been put out to pasture because of this year’s movie, Logan? Hard to say, but maybe this exhibit might offer clues as to who the next generation of heroes will be.

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The 2017 Comic Arts Festival at Camosun College Grows! Recap & Gallery

Sidney by the Sea

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The 2017 Camosun Comic Arts Festival (CCAF) is growing and for most, it has the feel of wanting to become bigger. As one vendor told me, it has everything people expect from such a larger show. As an event to spotlight local talent, everyone is here, including showing the next generation is ready. Gareth Gaudin‘s (of Legends Comics & Books and creator of the Perogy Cat) daughters are ready as father and his children have teamed up. Enid Jupiter and Lyra Gotham, the Monster Sisters, is an original comic which shows them facing off against the dark threats hiding in the fair city of Victoria, BC.

On April 15th, the third floor of the Young Building at the Lansdowne Campus was completely taken over by local talents (to name a few: Paul Chadwick, Nelson Dewey and Janine Johnston) and the graduates of this year’s Comics & Graphic Novels Program. Photos of some members of this class are offered in the gallery as seen below.

Plenty of range can be found, which includes me spotting a few reps from local gaming firms perhaps looking at talent to hire (I saw one person sporting a KANO/APPs shirt) and Codename Entertainment giving out bonus content pass-keys for their latest game Crusaders of the Lost Idols for people walking by.

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What Else is in the Future for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow other than Kamandi?

legends-of-tomorrow-poster

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

After one massive binge watch of the last few episodes of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, “Aruba” is a satisfying end to the season. I was more interested in Rory’s story than Sara’s. The former rogue offered more to like because he slowly started to care for his teammates and learned to think for himself; that’s a tale to enjoy. Sara’s story is just as important, but most of her saga would be lost if fans did not see how she developed as a character in CW’s Arrow. Although her problems were recapped in Legends, to understand it did not feel the same as seeing Rory and Snart thrust into roles they initially did not like.

I am disappointed in the fact the Legion of Doom is a small group. Instead of a large organization and handing out parts of the world to fellow criminals (Black Mantis can own the sea and Grodd own the jungle), I did have to wonder why other time sensitive individuals did not show up to fix this aberration. The Legends can not be completely alone in this massive universe. Although the heroes who could do something were killed after the alteration by Eobard Thawne, surely someone from out of time can help. Even the villain Epoch, Lord of Time, should have taken notice and say, “You can’t do that!” as he wanted to rule all of reality.

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When 2 Worlds Collide (Again): TMNT Meets Usagi Yojimbo!

coverBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

To those comic book readers who missed reading about the meeting of two of the greatest anthropomorphic warriors, a group of agile reptiles and a rabbit (and those issues are hard to find) there’s no need to fret. Coming this summer is a reunion of sorts. After twenty long years, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are hopping into Usagi Yojimbo‘s world in a special one-shot comic by Dark Horse Comics!

Crossing over to other dimensions or realms is nothing new in either franchise properties. When considering a lot of time have passed since the two last interacted, something is bound to change. I’m wondering if the two even really remember each other.

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Where are the Ties that Bind the “Fellowship of the Lance” in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow?

Sidney by the Sea

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

There are times DC’s Legends of Tommorrow is simply coasting on a riptide of fun bits for geeks to take interest in. Tried as I might, to see if there was anything great about the last two episodes “Land of the Lost” and “Moonshot,” there was not much to truly write about as special. All it did was show how the team still needs to figure themselves out, spotlight Victor Garber’s musical talent in more than one episode and retrieve parts of a mystical weapon. The latest had something which spoke to me since I am a King Arthur enthusiast and I wondered who would play J.R.R. Tolkien. Jack Turner (Stitchers) does a great job at bringing to life an interpretation of this author whom I’ve admired since reading Lord of the Rings in high school.

Like the seminal books, some series require a Deux et Machina to give a saga a particular focus. After a slow start, the season unveiled an item to focus on. In the aptly titled, “Fellowship of the Spear,” the team is still divided like the fragmentary weapon and there’s more development in seeing what Rory (Heat Wave) is going through. I love his backstory and the obvious parallels he has with Gollum/Sméagol is a huge easter egg I’m sure many have picked up on. The way it is being handled suggests he has it in control in one episode and others, there’s not enough to see he is still struggling with it. Is his hallucination real? Apparently so, and I’m wondering at which point in history did the Legion of Doom take Snart from? My guess is that it was sometime in the past, before he and Rory joined the Legends. He’s all snark, pardoning the pun.

Also, the pieces of how each episode ties in (aside from searching for the spear) as a whole looks better when seen in sequence than left to viewers to wait week after week. I’m looking forward to seeing how the final two episodes are going to play out in the next two weeks. “Doomworld” will obviously look at a remade world but is “Aruba” in reference to a particular island in the Caribbean or something else?

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