Deadpool & Wolverine Review

I'm just as surprised as you that I didn't see this movie, day one. I can explain that. Life stuff was happening and I couldn't find he time, so I had to wait a whole WEEK to finally see it. That is a lifetime in trying to avoid spoilers on the internet talking about the numerous amount of cameos in this movie. I finally did and let me tell you, I enjoyed it and thought it was great.*

You may be thinking, he put a * , what does that mean? I put this as a qualifier because I'm going to be real about something. My level of enjoyment was raised because of the massive amount of meta commentary that was throughout the movie. Unfortunately, a lot of that is built on whether or not you have read comic books in the last twenty years as a more than a casual fan, kept up with all the studio nonsense behind all these characters, watched the first two Deadpool movies, Logan, both seasons of the Loki series, any of the X-Men movies and some of the other Fox/Marvel movies that you forgot existed before Disney bought their whole catalog. Then there's stuff about movies that never were, jokes about comic book creators, obscure characters, actors that appeared in other movies. There is a LOT of homework that goes into fully appreciating some of this movie and I feel sorry for the normies. You basically need to have a PhD in Marvel of the last 28 years. So the target audience is nerdy 44 year olds. Oh wait, that's ME. This movie does nothing to explain any of what I just said, so you either know or you don't. Unfortunately, my brain is a factory of useless facts that serve no one except M-E. 

High level, if you liked the first two Deadpool movies, you will like this because it is more of that. With a bigger budget and more toys in the toybox to play with. You know the level of violence to expect and the kind of jokes you will see. If you aren't prepared for that, you're in for a rough ride.

Also, outside of the movie, "Logan", this is far and away the best Wolverine we've ever gotten. Look at that, it only took 24 years to get here, but we here.

Now, I'm going to take a different tact and start with things I really liked about this movie, that does not involve the cameos and the humor. What really got me in the feels as I thought about it was watching two tortured heroes that come together on two different paths. Deadpool realizes that for all his joking and antics, all he really wants is to matter. He wants to matter to his friends and he doesn't want to let them down, which is amazing given how he started out in that first movie. He's in a sad place when we find him and I think his mission is well meaning, despite how we get there.

On the other hand, we have Wolverine. He's been racked with guilt for his inability to stop what happens in his timeline and it's what turns him into a full on alcoholic wanting to live out the rest of his days. His gruff exterior is extra gruff in this movie and the more you find out, the more you see what makes him tick. I think his arc is fascinating, brought to life by Hugh Jackman who is really putting in great work here. That might be lost with all the antics happening around him, but I want you to really focus on him when you see this movie.

So you take this unstoppable force with an unmovable object and you get the kind of buddy cop film that I eat up. Wolverine is clearly playing the Murtaugh to Deadpool's Riggs. If I lost you on this reference, you might get lost on this review. I may stray into more pop culture references like this movie does. What I'm taking a long time to say is I loved their dynamic here and how they push each other to be better.

This movie moves fairly quickly and has jokes going at the rate of a Naked Gun movie. Just sight gags, quips, bits and other things to keep you distracted from what a serious movie it might actually be if they would let you sit with it instead of undercutting everything with a joke. For me, most of the jokes land and that is because the way the actors deliver them. Ryan Reynolds joking with people through out the movie makes everyone up their comedy game. 

Unlike the internet, I'm not going to spoil the cameos you see here, but there are a lot. All of them fulfilling in their own ways. It shows the magnetic pull Ryan Reynolds has behind the scenes to get all the people that he did. I enjoyed every last one of them and I so badly want to reveal them here, but I won't.

I will say, the main villains in this movie are merely a means to an end and never REALLY feel like a threat. Cassandra Nova joins a long line of Marvel villains that were mostly one note. To her credit, she just enjoys chaos and I think that's all you need to know. There is some really creepy body horror stuff that goes on when she uses her powers, that is unsettling in a good way.

I'll wrap up by saying the fight choreography is off the charts for a Marvel film. There's some quick camera work for some scenes that's very distracting, but for others, there are some close quarters fighting that shows the amount of effort they put into practicing to make it look good. Also, the Wolverine costume looks pretty good.

Would I recommend people seeing it? Yeah, but with all the caveats I listed. Most of you were already going to see it anyway, so I'm only validating your opinion. For others that are on the fence, I would recommend waiting till it comes to streaming because you might get overwhelmed with the amount of homework you will feel like you need to keep up. Better to save your money.

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have undeniable chemistry. I hope this is the last Deadpool movie, but I want to see them in other movies together. 

State of the Union: Black Panther

This year, 2024, I'm rolling out a new series of posts in this here blog. I'm not keeping up with it like I should and as a man in his mid-40's, I have lots of old man opinion on things. Why not channel that old man anger into my favorite thing...comic books!

This is my chance to focus on something that I like or don't like in a single post. If you know me, it will be a vehicle for my incessant bitching about said topic. Maybe it will be entertaining, maybe it won't. We'll see if the State of the Union is really strong!

The first thing I want to tackle is the Black Panther. Specifically within the comic books. He's been my favorite character for nearly 20 years now, so I've read practically every series he's starred in. I may not remember all of it, but I have a good enough sample size to have an informed opinion. Why am I talking about him right now? Simple. His comic book series have been mid to outright bad the past few years. If you read any of my thoughts last year, I railed against this book and did a think piece on why having an American black writer on the book is not enough.

My true problem is that Marvel editorial keeps throwing prose writers at a comic book. The reason I think this is a bad idea will be fleshed out more below. Just stay with me. It's a formula that doesn't normally breed success and it's especially egregious with this book. Marvel has it in their mind that getting someone outside of comics will bring new eyes and make new fans. I would love to think that is true, but comics are so intimidating and often impenetrable to new readers that I don't blame them for taking a hard pass.

Back to my problem. So the last couple of writers have been Ta-Nehisi Coates, John Ridley and Eve Ewing. All accomplished writers in their own rights, but not comic book writers. The reason prose writers don't work out in comics is because they treat comic books like they're prose books. They're not. The art does the heavy lifting so you don't have to explain every detail via overwrought dialogue, but these kind of writers tend to do that. It is a slog to get through and that is not how modern day comics work. 

Also, these writers couch their stories in more high concept themes that don't fit Black Panther. You want to talk about the downfall of a sovereign nation-state, espionage, living at the ground level as your people, that's fine. Each writer is socially conscious and know how they want to relay their message. Unfortunately, that gets lost because the stories are overwrought with extraneous dialogue that is either clunky or overly verbose. There's a pace within a comic book where the art has to mesh with the words. If I'm spending too much time reading the dialogue, my eyes get tired and I don't take in the art. I power through just so I can be done. You've failed.

Given that editing comics is their JOB, you would think the editors of Black Panther would have a better eye for talent. They especially know that it takes a love of comic books and understanding of how the medium works to be successful at it. This is why I keep harping on why prose writers are not the proper course of action. I still stand by my thought that the Black Panther is a character that needs to have a person of color writing it and there are a dearth of writers out there that Marvel can find. 

These last few writers have made me question myself. I've had to ask, "Do I enjoy this or am I making myself enjoy this because it's my favorite character?" Generally, that answer has been no, I'm not enjoying it at all. I have been hate reading for a few years now.

This is where we find Black Panther. He's had creative changes and new directions every volume, so much that it is making my head spin. Each writer wants to put their own stamp on things, but it doesn't tie back into the overall narrative of the character and has NO impact on the rest of the Marvel Universe, so why even bother? It's further worsened by the fact that he's a chair person on the Avengers and doing super hero stuff, while not being in his country and nothing in his own title affects that.

I've been reading comics enough to know that traditionally, Black Panther series do not sell well. It's a fact that is not lost on me. That is why they keep rebooting them because some complicated metrics show that #1 issues sell well. When the movie came out and turned him into an A-List character, I thought the quality of the books would follow. Marvel's typical penchant for synergy with their movie franchises never materialized. There was a real moment for Marvel to capitalize on. They could have ushered in an era of Afro-futurism on a grand scale and they fumbled it. 

I have not heard news of a new creative team and that's worrisome to me. It means that no one has volunteered up a pitch that Marvel wants to get behind. Maybe it's just a cursed book. There is an Ultimate Black Panther title that is written by an author I like, Bryan Hill. I've always felt the Ultimate universe and any multi-verse story is a cowardly way to do something new with your characters. However, that book has been very good, so I have hope.

Who would I like to see take over? It's hard to gauge. In an ideal world, I would want someone who is from Africa that would be able to tell a tale with some nuisance that an American born person just could not convey. I don't want Black Panther cozying up with any other teams in his solo title. He needs to primarily stay in Wakanda and deal with issues there because that is the space to explore that. It's also the ONLY book we can even find out about this fictional nation, so why not spend more time fleshing that out.

Will I keep reading? Yes. I've suffered worse than this. If nothing else, my blind loyalty can help sales in some miniscule way. 

State of the Union: Not Strong.

X-Men '97 Season 1 Review

Even after my blistering review of X-Men the Animated series, I was still excited for this show. I just didn't want it to be ANYTHING like the previous one that was fraught with so many issues. My feelings were relieved after the first episode, but then I thought, "Can they sustain this though?" The answer to that is an unequivocal yes. I will have specific thoughts at the last part of this review, but I wanted to give my quick thoughts on each episode.

Episode 1 - "To Me, My X-Men" - This episode went out of it's way to establish how a bitch-ass like Cyclops could lead the X-Men. He answered the call and I like how this show isn't trying to make you hate him like the previous one did. The action was top notch and did things in animation the old show could never dare to do. Peep Cyclops super hero landing and the team take downs of sentinels. The action here gives you hope that this show is not going to be playing around.

Episode 2 - "Mutant Liberation Begins" - In the first of many episodes that will hurt your soul, we have this episode. They ratcheted up the drama. This show is quickly establishing that it is not for kids. It's not afraid to tackle the theme of racism head on and it doesn't feel like it is bashing you in the face. My heart hurt for Storm, as she details her connection to the weather and how much it means when it is lost. Also, Magento was dropping bars.

Episode 3 - "Fire Made Flesh" - What I'm starting to really appreciate with this show is that each episode is self contained in that you get the beginning, middle and end of a story with no lollygagging. They took a years long plot of the Goblin Queen and condensed it down to ONE episode. I'm not a fan of that era and it really made Cyclops look like a heel. Here they humanize him. What is he supposed to do? Things get resolved and we move on. They don't draw it out for a few more episodes.

Episode 4 - "Motendo; Lifedeath Part 1" - This felt like a filler episode and in retrospect, the weakest episode of the season. I like the pairing of Roberto DiCosta and Jubilee, but I tepidly enjoyed this. They just threw away the rest of the team for a solo adventure with the youngest characters. Furthermore, they were caught in a video game created by Mojo. I would have loved to see everyone go against Mojo again, but it is what it is. Cool touch to have the original Jubilee voice actor appear. The other part of the episode let's us check in on Storm and Forge. After episode 2, I thought we wouldn't see Storm again until the finale.

Episode 5 - "Remember It" - This is the episode when shit got real. I was wrecked after this. There is so much drama and tension packed into one episode and it is masterfully done. We see the mutant dream of mutant Utopia in Genosha realized and the mounting drama in the unexpected love triangle of Gambit/Rogue/Magneto that comes to the most tragic of ends. I don't want to spoil it, but there will be tears shed. The destruction that happens is truly heartbreaking.

Episode 6 - "Lifedeath Part 2" - Interlude as we join the Shi'ar. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Mild spoiler, we find out that Professor Xavier isn't really dead. He's just been chilling with his alien girlfriend on her planet. Seeing Charles' anguish over his "children" and choosing between them and the love of his life was heartbreaking. You also find out that the Shi'ar are not as benevolent as you thought. We also get the other half of Storm's story. I'm glad they broke it up because it wasn't as interesting as I was hoping it would be.

Episode 7 - "Bright Eyes" - We finally see Rogue dealing with her grief and she is coming in hot on everyone. Her encounter with Cap was everything. It was good to see Rogue cut loose and then the moment when she lets herself feel her grief is also heartbreaking. I'm also so glad they properly brought Nightcrawler into this show.

Episode 8 - "Tolerance is Extinction, Part 1" - The start of the final three eps and it is a doozy. Once again, we get more great action and the threats are now real. The villain, Bastion, was revealed a few episodes ago and we're now seeing the fruits of his labor with his human sentinel hybrids. I was delighted by the tag team of Wolverine/Nightcrawler duo on the screen. The Wolverine POV of how Nightcrawler teleports was masterfully done. The return of a character we thought was dead makes a huge impact here. Now it's on.

Episode 9 - "Tolerance is Extinction, Part 2" - If you didn't think shit was getting real before, it is now. I read that the former showrunner referenced the Fatal Attractions storyline from the 90's in reference to this show. I knew exactly what that meant, but still wanted to see how they get there. One thing this show has that the previous one didn't? Balls. I hate that I'm trying not to be spoiler-y, but I will say that Xavier has returned (not who I mean in the previous episode that returned) and we now see a division in the team as it truly becomes Xavier vs. Magneto. This has been building all season and there is no shortage of fireworks. The battle becomes deadly.

Episode 10 - "Tolerance is Extinction, Part 3" - Thankfully, this show stuck the landing. This episode tied up a few threads from throughout the season and from the old show, while also bringing in something new. There was tension all over the place as the Xavier vs. Magneto rivalry took center stage once more. I love how complicated their relationship is and they explore that more here. Also, there were cameos aplenty! At the end of this episode, I was left wanting more. This means the show has done it's job. I finished my plate and I wanted seconds.

Now to get into my overall thoughts of the show. It exceeded all my expectations and is legitimately the best thing Marvel has put out in cartoons for years, except for one Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Nostalgia is what pulled people like me in, but they KEPT me here with intricate, well thought out storylines that doesn't shy away from realistic issues. This show was not treated as something for kids and it was the best representation of the X-Men comics we have ever seen on TV or in the movies. I don't say this lightly.

I also want to get on my soapbox and address a few things. First off, Morph. When it was revealed that they were non-binary and using they/them pronouns, certain neckbeardy comic people took umbrage and talked about how being "woke" was ruining the X-Men. Number one, they're a shape shifter going between genders all the time, so this only makes sense if you think about it. How this was never a thing before blows my mind. Oh, I know why. Cowardice. Years ago they didn't want to offend people, but we're past that now. This only makes sense for their character and it's never an issue in the show. It's blown way out of proportion. 

Another thing I want to speak on: the issue of X-Men now being too "woke." Anyone saying this has never read an X-Men comic in their lives and it shows. Since Chris Claremont began writing them, that's all they've ever been. They were a diverse teams with different backgrounds dealing with prejudice against their ethnicities and layered on top of that, being a mutant. That has only been more enriched over the years. If you're wondering why I didn't credit Stan Lee, his original creations were five white people with powers and he said he made them mutants so he didn't have to explain how someone else got doused in radioactive waste or bitten by radioactive spiders. He created the X-Men, but he's not the reason they became who they are.

Anyway, complaints about the X-Men being socially conscious is both dumb, ignorant and dumb again. Shut the hell up. Moving on to another fake controversy. Gambit. In an early episode he is seen hanging out in the kitchen in a crop top and pony tail. Again, cries rang out that they were making Gambit, "gay". I guess those people never saw how people dressed in the 90's. Also, I don't think it matters if he was gay. Doesn't diminish his character in any way. Just more fake outrage that I wanted to address.

The voice acting is top notch and I was happy for the returning voice actors that still got it after 30 years. Beast sounded older, but mostly the same. That goes for the voice actors for Rogue, Nightcrawler, Storm and Wolverine. Special shout out to Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm. She is THE definitive voice of Storm. No one brings the gravitas and compassion that she does. It's that voice acting that made what happens in episode 2 so damn sad.

Matthew Waterson as Magneto is especially fantastic and about every line he delivers carries weight. Let's say it together y'all, Magneto was right.

There were a lot of cool little things that this show did to go that extra mile in making it great. If you're paying attention, the cast in the title sequence changes almost every episode depending on who is still around and who has left us. It's a small nod, but the fact they did it is amazing. Also, I read this and didn't realize it, but if you hear one of the character's voice actors read the "Previously, on X-Men" something bad is about to happen to them. So buckle up.

When I saw the initial character designs, I thought they were too simplistic. As I read, this was done to help make the animation smoother and I have never been more wrong in my life. The style was perfect, allowing for some top notch animation while also keeping the look of the 90's version. Even when the characters don their older costumes, they look amazing as hell. The fight scenes are also top notch and inventive.

Look, we all hated Cyclops in the original series and that series is a big reason we all hated him for decades. I'm here to tell you, I've come around on Cyclops the last few years and this show almost breaks it's back making you do the same. Some will argue with me, but I think they succeed. In the original series, he was the boy scout in the worst way. That arrogance is what made you hate him. Here, they explain the heavy burden he carries as a leader and WHY he acts the way he does. He thinks that's what Xavier would want and he doesn't want to fail in carrying on the dream. Then he gets thrown a curveball with Jean Grey and Madalyn Pryor. In the books, he handled it poorly and made you hate him. Here, you feel for the guy because what in the world would you do in this case? They also give him a lot of cool fight scenes and ups his competency with them. Now you get why they would follow him.

I loved the true sisterhood we see between Jean Grey and Storm. In the original series, it's like they didn't interact at all. The fact that they confide in each other and support each other was truly beautiful to see. Also, their exchange they before their last battle is fantastic. Jean: "Make them mind your weather." Storm: "And make them weather your mind."

I was surprised at how little we see Wolverine in this show. He's my favorite X-Man, followed by Storm, so it sucked to see him used so little. I also think the show figured out that in a show full of people that have ranged powers, having one brawler with a long claws isn't very useful from long distances. I was relieved that he wasn't getting beat up all the damn time like the old show, so I can forgive this. He gets a few moments here and there, but I feel like season 2 will spend more time with him given what happened at the end of this season.

This show was an absolute emotional rollercoaster and I'm sad that it is over already. I'm also glad they stuck to 10 episodes so that they don't overstay their welcome. It also keeps the storytellers locked into their story without straying too much. It kept things tighter for sure. 

I would recommend the original X-Men series to no one. I would recommend X-Men '97 to anyone. It's that great. Those high scores you may have seen with reviews are valid. This show went above and beyond and it's disheartening to know that Marvel fired the showrunner before this aired. He at least mapped out the second season, but we'll see what happens from there. I better start seeing a lot more X-Men merch and Marvel better get their asses in gear to bring them to the movie. The world is ready to embrace them again.

X-Men: The Animated Series

Like many of you, I grew up with the X-Men cartoon in the 90's. Well, technically I was 12 when the show started, but those were my formative nerd years. Surprisingly it was THIS show and not Batman: The Animated Series that was the full blown start of my relationship with comic books. I had dabbled before but it was X-Men that birthed the interests I still have to day. I saw the premier "Night of the Sentinels" in the US, just before we moved to Germany, where I lived for the majority of the show's run. I watched the first two seasons via the color coded VHS tapes I bought from the BX or by watching them on British cable. My relatives proved unreliable in recording me anything, so when we had a brief return to the US, I made sure to record a few episodes on tape.

Those first two seasons, I watched multiple times and I can quote most of them and remember very specific musical cues and scenes. I was all in on this show and have nothing but fond memories.

When Disney Plus started, I started a slow rewatch of the series. When X-Men 97' was announced and with it coming out tomorrow, I accelerated my consumption of the show's five seasons. It was then I was met with a harsh truth... this show is bad. Real bad. Our collective childhood have warped this show into something that it isn't. Good.

Let me elaborate. This show had a particular style that worked when it wasn't moving. Everything was covered in shadows, even when they are standing in the light of day. Batman: The Animated series came out a year before this and looks so much better by leaps and bounds. They clearly had the money that X-Men did not have. There are so many animation gaffes and while the characters move okay some of the time, the backgrounds are laughable. In later seasons (ALL of season 5), the animation is downright offensive. I didn't do any research, but they clearly started using other studios of lesser quality for the animation and it is painfully obvious. Our first exposure to this is the first two episodes of Season 3, "Out of the Past" that features Lady Deathstrike. Another example is "Cold Comfort" that is a clunky episode that introduces us to Iceman. There are so many more misses than hits in the last three seasons. 

The X-Men had a rich history up to this point and I understand why they would want to adapt so many of their stories, including the grand daddy of them all, the Phoenix Saga. The problem is they have to sanitize it so much for a kids show that it feels hollow. This is the same for any other major story that they had to adapt. I know this is a kids show, but even though you are lowering the violence, you don't have to insult our intelligence. I hate to compare back to Batman, but that show had smart storytelling and they did not box themselves into adapting every Batman story under the sun.

I want to take a quick pause from pouring out my disgust by offering some praise. The voice acting on this show is top notch. The performances here set in our minds how these characters actually sounded and they did a remarkable job matching up everyone. With all the bad things that I will lay out about this show, the acting is a saving grace. If you close your eyes, you can be introduced to a wonderful radio drama. Maybe that's the way you should watch this show, honestly.

Now, back on my soapbox. This show is guilty of single handedly ruining our perception of Cyclops for at least twenty years. Before this show, in the comics, Cyclops could stand toe to toe with Captain America as a battle strategist and tactician. In this show, he is whiny with the most punchable face you've ever seen. Wolverine especially punks him and dismisses him so much, you wonder how he could ever lead anyone. This show also makes the mistake of giving us numerous solo episodes featuring Cyclops. Taking the least interesting character and devoting entire episodes to him was a bad move. On the flip side, I think the solo episodes with Wolverine is when the show was at its best.

Speaking of uninteresting characters, I like Beast. But I don't LOVE him. He also gets a lot of solo episodes and he is probably the second least interesting character. That's not fair. Morph is the second least interesting character. So Beast is the third. Every team needs the smart guy though, so he fits the bill. Unfortunately for us, when they pair the team down for some episodes, he seems to always find his way in. In later seasons, they give him a deus ex machina backpack and then that is when the fun truly begins. To be fair, I don't think they knew what to do with him.

By the way, Jean Grey. The most useless character in this show. She is an omega level threat in the comic books, but she's relegated to being the object of affection between Scott and Wolverine. And a daughter figure to Professor X. The Phoenix Saga doesn't really work because we're not invested in her at all, so when she does a heel turn, we don't care. We know how it goes in the comics, but if you're watching this show without knowing any of the comics, it feels strange and that's the lens I'm viewing this through.

My final gripe with the show and my biggest one, is Wolverine. They have to nerf him so bad that whenever he acts like a threat, you don't believe him. In the comic books, he was FEARED. He was the prototypical loose cannon that could go off the rails at any moment. With that, he also got respect because he was willing to do what no one else would. Given his power set, he is the character that constantly gets dunked on, because he can take it. But by being the punching bag, as a viewer, you can't take him seriously. I get it. A dude with metal claws that cut through everything can't be slicing up people. So he only truly unleashes when he has to fight robots or chop up weapons.

I know you may have fond memories of this show. I did. You may think, "But Kevin, there are a lot of great episodes that I love, what are you TALKING about. You're such a hater." Yeah, I thought that too. And yes, I am. There is way more bad than good. Do yourself a favor. Remember this show how it was cause if you watch it now, the warts on this thing are going to show. If you ARE going to watch it, stop after season two.