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What’s Next after Rasputin, Voice of the Dragon #5?

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Dark Horse Comics’ Rasputin, The Voice of the Dragon is a fantastic read. If I had to make comparisons, this work takes cues from Young Sherlock Holmes. I spoke with Chris Roberson during Emerald City Comic-Con 2018 and he said this mad monk is not even at full power. More stories are planned.

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and co-writer Roberson are a great team to extend this universe in new ways I highly approve of. They brought everything I adore about Ancient Egypt as a mystery religion in a post-Victorian age to life. The art by Christopher Mitten is consistency fantastic and the color tones by Dave Stewart gives this work a look of early cinema.

This latest issue takes on a vibe from Raiders of the Lost Ark and I love it! Trevor Bruttenholm is literally putting his head in the mouth of the lion. After figuring out who Albert Mayhew is and ascertaining his afterlife, his ghost leads him to France. The following spoilers recap the story so far:

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My Little Pony: The Movie Delights and is All-Star

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The toy company Hasbro will most likely have a hit with their theatrical relaunch of the My Little Pony franchise. The simply named film My Little Pony the Movie debuts October 6th and it will have enough humour to appeal to young fans and old. Newcomers might be at a loss to understand what the hubbub is about; all anyone needs to know is that these talking animals are an embodiment of the best virtues of knighthood. But this club is not exclusive. The ponies do their best to teach to the world (and each other) how to be a better person. In this film, we meet Capper, a cat who can easily challenge Puss in Boots (DreamWorks) for the title of which animated feline to love and a team of parrot pirates who embody the true romance of sailing the seven seas. Well, in their case, it’s the skies over Equestria.

The story sees Princess Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) and her friends prepare for a festival. Moments before any fun can take place, a very familiar if not generically evil Storm King (Liev Schreiber) — I was reminded of how alike he is to The Emporer in LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — and his assistant Tempest Shadow (Emily Blunt) raid the kingdom. Sparkle’s sisters are captured and she barely escapes. and attempt to capture her too. This unicorn gone bad and the wolf-like conquerer teamed up because Shadow believed the king can restore her broken horn. Between all the various types of horses believed to roam this world, I think more unicorns types exist because they are inherently more magical than ponies and pegasi. This stems from their mythical origins. While the toy company may have never considered making this connection since the introduction of this product line in 1981, some newer and older fans may well wonder.

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All Revved Up for the Fate of the Furious

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The ride is not over for the gang in The Fate of the Furious (F8). This franchise is still going strong since its beginnings in 2001 and even though it hit bumps along the way, I was thrown off and did not want to necessarily continue following until word of mouth coaxed me back.

Director F. Gary Gray keeps the visual action moving at a steady pace. There was never a dull moment and I had to whoop at the introduction fondly recalling how this film franchise started — all about racing — before dealing with heist scenarios and counter-espionage. While some knowledge of all the films is helpful before going to see this latest entry, at least I still remembered the basics:

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Legend of Korra: Book 4 Trailer Revealed!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Legend of Korra

Avatar: The Legend of Korra will be seen on Nick.com beginning October 3, and the trailer indicates series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are not holding back in deciding the fate of the world. That’s going to be a week away and to see what will happen next looks like this final chapter picks up days after the events from the last season. With the Air Nation swiftly back in full swing, they have a lot more to deal with as the world gets ready for another war. This time, the Earth Nation is the antagonist.

The future is looking grim as Korra embarks on a new quest. She may well be looking to mend the lacerations that has severed her from accessing her past, to speak with the avatars from long ago. The symbolic cutting of her hair indicates that. And in who she finds in her travels certainly makes this coming season perhaps just as equally exciting. Lord Zuko is back and so is another character from this series’ past as the last moments of this trailer indicates:

The Penguins of Madagascar gets an Adorably Cute Second Trailer

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

penguinsofmadagascar1

More cute details are being unveiled in this new second trailer for DreamWork’s Penguins of Madagascar. Not only do fans get to see Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, and Private as adorable little chicks in a segment revealing their humble beginnings, but also this tease may no doubt be a set up for more squeals of delight to come. Perhaps new merchandise will arise for children who want an adorable stuffed doll of their favourite penguin. If Happy Feet did not succeed in getting children to seek out those dancing toy novelties, this film will certainly do a better job at creating a marketing bonanza with its vast cast of Arctic and aquatic oddities.

Although approximately half of the trailer shows new material, the rest is recycled to help round out what the movie is about. Dave, a mad octopus, is on the rampage and he is intent on destroying the Penguins’ reputation. The trailer suggests that what they will do is going to cement them as legends in the spy world.

Two more trailers may get released when Thanksgiving Day in the States nears. Perhaps its best that the only thing served during this holiday weekend is Dave’s thirst for revenge.

The Legend of Korra’s Trailer for Book 3: Change

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The next season of The Legend of Korra is most likely going to get a September release on Nickelodeon if the past year’s schedule and yesterday’s debut trailer is any indication.

The first trailer for Book 3: Change teases at what may be a blending of themes that the previous two seasons have focussed on. This time around, the adventure may rest upon a tale of two cities. One set looks heavily inspired with its massive bridge that may well mirror that of San Francisco’s own Golden Gate, and the other seems to be taking its cue from Sazan Eyes, especially with a mysterious three-eyed vixen casting her spell upon someone. And this time around, the Air Benders may be more involved in a plot that will send Korra to different ends of the earth to prevent a new war from happening. More can be seen from the trailer below:

Fans can get caught up in the Legend of Korra by ordering The Legend of Korra – Book One: Air and pre-ordering Book Two: Spirits (due July 1st) on Amazon.