That's A Wrap!

Monday, May 25, 2009

We've Been Targeted For Termination...

That's right, we've been targeted for termination and only YOU can save us. This could quite possibly be the final episode of the That's a Wrap! podcast. I know, I know, it's pretty sad. Thankfully there is an easy way to save us, download the show and pass it along to a friend!

Join us for quite possibly the final show as Jim and Billy discuss the Terminator franchise past present and future. We promise that there are no spoilers for Terminator Salvation, so no worries if you have not seen the new movie.

So click away and join us as That's a Wrap is Talkin' Terminators this week! (1:38:24)

Intro: The Terminator theme -Brad Fiedel
Outro: Todd the T-1000 - Jonathan Coulton

Thanks to our few dedicated listeners, we really do appreciate your support...just pass it along, please!

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

No Fate

The Terminator has always been a compelling series for me. I'll admit that I didn't see the first film until after I'd seen Terminator 2: Judgment Day but the ideas, the concepts and drama that drive this series were extremely exciting from the moment I'd first seen the trailers for T2. Even my parents were excited by the trailers. People who to this day probably can't name a single film as their "favorite." But here they were hyped for a film about killer robots from the future and consequently I became excited as well.

It's a pretty common joke around That's a Wrap! that I will like anything with killer robots in it and while that is a little broad of a generalization--I do adore stories about robots...oh and time travel too.

I had quite the love/hate affair with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles(which I'm sad to say was canceled way before its time) and it's willy-nilly timeline and age changes(not to mention the blatant canon broken in the first episode with the T-800 head going through the time portal) before I gave in and enjoyed the series for what it was, warts and all.

The Terminator franchise for me has always been sort of like a horror story. Honestly the first movie is the only one that can really even be likened to a horror film, but the basic story is somewhat endemic to horror movies: Evil thing hunts an innocent and cannot be stopped. Without all the sci-fi trappings that plot description could fit any number of horror movies. The Terminator could be a proxy for The Mummy. They share the same basic conceit Not to mention the Terminator Endoskeleton--fucking frightening.

Now, of course, the Terminator films have always been about action(T2 and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines more so than The Terminator but the idea of an unstoppable metallic horror from the future hunting someone is just a frightening proposition. One of the things that worried me about Terminator Salvation was that it was set in the future.

Yes, it's set in the time period that we've all wanted to see since the first time we viewed The Terminator and saw those tantalizing glimpses of the future war. But can Terminator stay frightening if it's about a war with hundreds of thousands of endoskeletons? Thankfully, the answer is yes--at least when it needs to be.

Everyone worried when McG was announced as the director of this film. Truth be told, I've never seen one of his films. I know that his take on Charlie's Angels was well received if not well reviewed and I knew that he was an action focused director. I tried to give the man the benefit of the doubt and I'm glad I did, because aside from a very few nitpicks Terminator Salvation is a very fun and exciting summer movie.

It is the year 2019(a good ten years before John Connor "smashed SkyNet's defense grid," won the war and sent his father back in time) and things aren't looking good for the human race. SkyNet is ramping up to something big--the T-800, and the human resistance(not yet lead by John Connor) is looking to find a way to end the war for good.

Marcus Wright(Sam Worthington) a death row inmate from 2003 wakes up in the aftermath of a Connor-led infiltration of a SkyNet facility. Though nearly fifteen years have passed since his "death." The big question is, who is Marcus and is he what he seems to be?

The big difference between the past Terminator films and this movie is that this isn't a road/chase picture. The past Terminator movies have all had the main characters running from a terminator until the inevitable showdown at the end. Salvation shirks this format and is truly a different film. Look, I'll admit it doesn't have the heart or mind of The Terminator or T2, but what it does have is a competent story with some great set-pieces that never overstay their welcome.

The main problem with this film is that McG splits the time between Marcus and Connor. We never really get to spend enough time with either of them and the film never seems to know who the main character is. Is it John Connor(Christian Bale), the most important person in the Terminator franchise or Marcus Wright, the random dude we've never heard of before and truth be told--is kind of a dick. Because we split our time between the two stories there are things that get left by the wayside such as the relationship between Kate Connor(Bryce Dallas Howard) and John. Ideally this should be the emotional core of the film but it never really goes anywhere.

In addition to this, some of the acting is shoddy at best. Christian Bale...well, he's Christian Bale. This guy could read the phone book and make it at least worth paying attention. Howard is serviceable in what is sadly a marginal role. Worthington as Marcus is downright awful. The guy can't say a line without waffling between his American and native Australian accents. Worthington's character is also a total ass making me want to follow Connor again whenever he's on the screen. Thankfully most of Marcus's screen time is shared with Anton Yelchin's Kyle Reese. Now, I had major issues with Yelchin in Star Trek but here he's an absolute joy(aside from his attempt to replicate Michael Biehn's voice) to watch.

The special effects are fairly well done, though there are a few places where they look incomplete or just lame(wait till you see Marcus hanging out at the Hollywood sign). Though the Hunter/Killer effects look nice enough, they don't have the same impact as the model work from the earlier films. Computer graphics are an incredible tool for filmmakers but they seem to have become a crutch in recent years. Model work doesn't always look convincing but combined with convincing CG it can look amazing. More directors should look to Peter Jackson's work in The Lord of the Rings for an idea of how to make models and CG work together. McG does have some excellent traditional effects peppered throughout with some of the T-600 endoskeletons and again, most of the CG looks impressive enough(the giant terminator Harvester immediately comes to mind).

Where this movie bests T3 is in the humor department. One of the only complaints I really had with T3 was the pathetic attempts at humor. Salvation(written by the same people who wrote T3) thankfully does not have this problem. There are humorous portions written into the script, but they are mostly understated and will probably only be noticed by Terminator die-hards. The requisite "I'll be back" moment is probably handled the best since the original film and doesn't come off as cheesy like it did in T3.

And finally, the terminators are still scary. The first time we meet a T-600 endoskeleton it is gripping and frightening. There are moments later that continue this tension. I am glad that McG was able to keep these moments scary while still portraying the future war with the machines.

All in all Terminator Salvation is a worthy addition to the Terminator franchise. Though not nearly as gripping as the first two films it is a compelling action movie and the first summer movie that I've genuinely loved. You can't and shouldn't compare it to the first two Terminator films. If you can do that then you will probably love this flawed but fun film.

Plus it's got killer robots IN the future. Can't go wrong there!

3.5 Polymemetic alloys out of 5!

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Killin' Time With 24

24: 6:00A.M.-7:00A.M.,7:00A.M.-8:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 23&24

Welcome to "Killin' Time With 24." A weekly morning-after 24 discussion hosted by your faithful That's A Wrap! editors, Billy and Jim.

Every Tuesday morning we get together to discuss the previous evening's episode of 24. What we liked, disliked and where we would like to see the series go while avoiding any real work. It's like a virtual coffee break.

Sit back and let us do the complaining for you.

(22:03:21) Jim: hey
(22:03:22) Billy: Wow. Uh. Wow.
(22:03:51) Billy: The first wow was for the good, and the second wow was for the awful
(22:04:39) Jim: Nick and I were warring down to the final seconds if Jack was going to live or die.
(22:04:55) Jim: I was the correct one, obviously
(22:05:02) Jim: because I rule.
(22:05:06) Billy: It certainly wasn't on par with Jack walking Incredible Hulk-style into the sunset, but it was...well, pretty dramatically moving. And yeah, I was questioning whether Jack would pull through.
(22:05:13) Jim: As did Renee's final scene
(22:05:36) Billy: I KNEW he would, but credit goes to the producers for making me question it.
(22:06:09) Billy: Let's get one thing straight first: Kim Bauer OWNED the 23rd episode.
(22:06:47) Billy: That episode was almost a complete wash except for damned near everything with Kim...I was frankly stunned.
(22:07:10) Billy: I especially loved the look Renee gave Kim when she started talking computers.
(22:07:45) Jim: Indeed, Elisha Cuthbert rose to the occassion like never before. Well, the key was not having Kim waiting there waiting with the cure when Jack arrived at the hospital - and the scene with the... what's the name for a Muslim priest?
(22:08:02) Billy: I don't know his name.
(22:08:12) Billy: But I fucking LOVED that scene
(22:08:34) Jim: Indeed... considering how many members of his faith Jack has aced over the years
(22:09:02) Billy: It was so goddamn moving, especially when taken in conjunction with Jack's earlier scene with Renee when he explained his motivation.
(22:09:33) Jim: the Jack-Renee "What should I do?" scene was Jack's highlight of all the pre-hospital scenes
(22:10:02) Billy: For the first time in almost a decade I believed that the Jack Bauer from season One was the same guy we were watching this season
(22:10:07) Jim: Keifer actually went to a place at the end there... he's been doing this so long, I just didn't think he could surprise me anymore.
(22:11:06) Billy: If you stop and think about it for a moment, how DOES the most straight-laced dude in CTU end up where Jack is now.
(22:11:32) Jim: the Presidential stuff and Olivia stuff was just painful to get through and distracting us from a pretty impressive conclusion.
(22:11:33) Billy: He only got pick by Walsh to head the Palmer case because he was the cleanest CTU agent.
(22:11:46) Jim: Excluding those scenes we were golden with everything post-Tony.
(22:12:03) Billy: The white house shit was deadly painful
(22:12:17) Billy: Thankfully Pierce didn't go down.
(22:12:55) Billy: But that last scene with Canin and the Prez just went on TOO long...I kept looking at the clock hoping to get back to Jack and the Imam.
(22:13:11) Jim: Tony on the other hand... just utterly bad. His motivations were so tacked on and unbelievable (in revisiting the Logan affair). And its like Bernard agreed and went the Voight-scene chewing rout.
(22:13:49) Billy: I dunno...I bought it more this way than him just going evil because of Michelle being dyed.
(22:14:45) Jim: ?Michelle being dyed? - that's the point I think the whole text conversation adventure went too far down the gramatical sliding scale. I suppose we're lucky this is our last episode.
(22:14:52) Billy: I particularly loved how the scene where Jack and Renee stop Tony from killing whatshisface bad guy completely paralleled the final moments of season one.
(22:15:26) Billy: It's sort of an inside joke from the 24 fox message boards
(22:15:58) Billy: back in season one after Teri died some illiterate motherfucker asked if "Teri was dyed"
(22:16:54) Billy: It lived in infamy for years, and yes, I am (or was, rather, since I have not been to the boards since I swore off spoilers a few years back) a huge 24 geek...
(22:17:08) Jim: indeed.
(22:17:57) Jim: I know we mentioned it before, but I can't get over Elisha Cuthbert practically stealing the show... only Renee might have been more consistently impressive
(22:19:16) Billy: I know, I totally threw that up on my twitter in the middle of the show: What kind of topsy turvy world do we live in where Kim Bauer is the best part of a 24 season finale??
(22:20:07) Jim: At least we're in the alternate reality without the zombies
(22:20:25) Jim: I suppose that's a plus... although I can't promise we aren't... haven't been outside yet
(22:20:40) Billy: So, I guess the big question now is: Good enough to buy on Blu-Ray?
(22:21:16) Jim: I think it's possible... especially when considering only $10 more than DVD... (22:21:35) Jim: your thoughts on releasing a season dvd set the day after the finale?
(22:21:37) Billy: I know, right. Can't beat the price.
(22:21:42) Billy: I don't like it.
(22:22:06) Billy: It's giving me enough distance to really want to spend the dough on it. (22:22:15) Billy: even though I liked the finale
(22:22:45) Jim: Yeah... hardcore fans have to justify buying something they JUST saw. And by not releasing it leading up the new season, you're pretty much conceding that your audience will never grow again.
(22:23:43) Billy: Right...or it'll be heavily discounted by xmas.
(22:24:09) Billy: Though I've gotta admit $45 for a BD is quite the impressive pricetag
(22:24:48) Jim: yeah, just a year ago it would have been $55 or $60 on sale.
(22:24:54) Jim: It's a brave new world
(22:25:39) Jim: hopes for next year?
(22:25:49) Billy: Fuck man, I remember picking up season one on DVD for $50 brand new.
(22:25:55) Jim: obviously Jack is back in the lead. where is he? what is he doing?
(22:25:58) Billy: Oh jeez...next year?
(22:26:07) Jim: what better time to speculate?
(22:26:14) Billy: Jack is obviously back.
(22:26:54) Billy: He'll take Tony's "You ran away, Teri would be ashamed" shit to heart and dedicate himself to the Govt again.
(22:27:26) Billy: I hope to see Renee and Jack together....their scenes were just breathtaking. (22:27:49) Billy: And God help me, I'll probably regret this later...but...more Kim.
(22:28:01) Jim: I see Jack-Renee-Kim back... in some kind of recreated CTU. Maybe Garafalo over Chloe back. As the voice of liberal reason.
(22:28:39) Billy: Being set in NYC, I've gotta hope the crazy terrorist attack angle will be softened.
(22:29:17) Billy: I always hope for a smaller story and keep getting disappointed. If it sucks, the series is done at eight anyways...
(22:30:01) Jim: yeah, still too soon... I'd honestly prefer more of a mystery investigation than a violent action fest. The action scenes stood out so much better when there were only four or five each year... instead of something huge every hour... or 18 out of 24 hours.
(22:31:02) Billy: I'll go out on a limb and say Tony will be back in some capacity.
(22:31:15) Jim: But for all the problems we've ragged on endlessly on these posts... it's been a substantive step back towards decency from last season. Agreed?
(22:31:40) Billy: Oh, for sure. Compared to season six....well, anything is gold.
(22:32:00) Billy: But I've got a question for you. Big question.
(22:32:13) Billy: Do you actually really like 24 anymore?
(22:32:23) Billy: Like, really, really like 24.
(22:32:34) Jim: or do I watch it out of habit as much as anything else?
(22:32:41) Billy: RIGHT!
(22:33:09) Billy: Like, it's not bad, but it's not even the same show I fell in love with back in 2001.
(22:33:32) Jim: It's really sad how close to a "yes" I am. Especially since I still buy every season and the REdemption movie and devote an hour of my life to it every week without interruption. It's one of the VERY few shows I NEVER wait a day to watch.
(22:34:48) Jim: I will go for a very close "No" Season Six crossed into "Yes" but the Redemption and this year at least pulled it back to "Like" I don't see any circumstance where I'll love it again. To quote the man... "I've come too far... too fucking far."
(22:35:39) Billy: I think it got so much good will from me for the spectacular first season and great season two. But it's not the same show anymore.
(22:35:57) Jim: At this point it's like asking me if I don't like my brother anymore.
(22:36:56) Jim: Sometimes I downright loathe the show/my brother, but at the end of every day you still can't distinguish fully the early years.
(22:37:09) Jim: Or in the case of Nick that he gives me money.
(22:37:13) Billy: But I just realized the other day that I don't really love the show anymore. It's not bad, it's not like me watching Heroes out of stubbornness...
(22:37:24) Jim: It's the Ties That Bind to bring Springsteen into the mix
(22:38:01) Jim: no, no, no... it's still worlds better than Heroes... But the days its even my favorite show of the night are long gone
(22:38:28) Billy: there was a time when I considered 24 my favorite show
(22:38:36) Jim: Speaking of which... I gots to get me some HIMYM before bed... any last thoughts on 24 Season 7?
(22:39:14) Billy: Not if it's going to delay me watching How I Met Your Mother!
(22:39:38) Billy: Just a quick one...have we really done 20 of these??
(22:39:41) Billy: Jesus.
(22:39:52) Jim: To wrap up - Better than six, but you made some good points there at the end. In the end I stick by my Midnight Run quote to describe me and this season.
(22:40:20) Billy: Oh and Dr. Becket from Stargate Atlantis gave Jack Bauer a spinal tap...
(22:40:33) Jim: See you again next year... or when we talk tomorrow... whichever comes first.

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

An Ode To Giant Feet and H-Bombs

Lost: The Incident
Season 5, Episode 16&17

Wow. Well, there you go. The fifth season of Lost, arguably the series' most consistent outing, goes out literally with a bang. But enough with potential spoilers...for now at least. I know I've been slacking my duties as the That's a Wrap! Lost reviewer, but I've just been too enamored with this season to want to really dissect it for criticism. So what I'd like to do today is not really break down everything that happened in the finale, but rather just mull over where Lost is, has been and seems to be going.

I've given the producers of the show a lot of shit in the past for being obnoxious about getting to the Goddamn point. It's not that I have a problem with a show being full of mysteries. Of course, I don't have a problem with a show being all mysterious-like. I was an avid fan of The X-Files for ALL nine years, so trust me I can handle cock-tease television. What I can't handle is BORING cock-tease television. I loathed the season one Lost finale because it pretty much boiled down to "people launch and sail a boat/other people blow up the hatch that we've been dicking around with for TWELVE Goddamn episodes." Sure, Waaaaaaaaalt got kidnapped, but that wasn't even the season cliffhanger! No, instead we get to see people looking down the hatch.

Seriously? Yeah. It's a HATCH! We could reasonably assume that there was a DUDE inside the damned thing...why leave THAT for the season opener? Now, I still contend that the best that Lost has EVER been was the first eight episodes. Back before JJ Abrams left to pursue other endeavors(like ruining Star Trek), the show was good on both "freaky shit" and "jungle surviving" accounts. It had so much potential that it was electric watching the show weekly. But then it just started to lose it. Part of that is just my fault. I was thinking about Lost constantly. I lurked on Lost message boards. Hell, I dreamed about the show(Let's just say my "Alien ship on the island" dream thankfully hasn't come true just yet)! I was obsessed with the show. Understandably it would be hard to come up with something that I, and all the other fans, would appreciate and no be disappointed with.

In some ways, the series has never, and can never overcome the sheer expectations that the fans have.

I say this(and mention the first season finale) because in a lot of ways it felt like the first season finale. Let's be honest, most of the finale was people trying to get to the Swan Station site. Shit, they were trying to blow up the fucking hatch...AGAIN...only thirty years earlier. Yeah...so, why wasn't I disappointed? Well, part of me was. I had two major gripes with the finale and I'd like to get them out of the way right now:

1. Juliet's flip-flop back and forth over Jack's plan. It payed off in the end with Juliet and Sawyer sharing a final scene together that literally had me on the verge of tears(those two were so good with each other that I feel like punching Cuse and Lindelof for "killing" Juliet), but every time Juliet changed her mind on whether or not they should blow up the island or not, I cringed.

2. Just as I suspected(I attempted to temper my co-worker's excitement over the finale by telling them to expect this) the episode ended with the bomb going off and presumably the time-traveling castaways causing the incident.

That's it. Those are my only two genuine gripes. So how come I liked this finale when it so closely mirrors the season one finale? Well, things happened...that's one reason. In this case, Cuse and Lindelof were able to balance the mythological happenings with the dramatic character moments and in some cases tie them into one another. See: Hurley's introduction to Jacob.

A lot of things happened in this episode, and I feel that just listing them out would be a disservice to the great season. I want to say that I am overall elated with the season, it was the first season that felt like it knew where it was going from start to finish. This was the strongest group of episodes that Lost has produced back to back. Maybe not the greatest episodes, but in tandem the strongest.

I was upset to see Sayid(easily one of the best and under-utilized characters on the show) gut shot in a Dharma bus and I hated seeing Juliet laying at the bottom of the hatch banging on an H-bomb. Both of their fates seem written, but I'm holding out hope at least for Juliet. It stands to reason that exploding the bomb is what causes "the incident." And if the incident sends the Lostaways back to 2007, I don't see why Juliet can't go back as well. Sure, she was right next to the bomb when it exploded, but Sawyer, Jack, Kate and the rest were only a good hundred yards above ground when the Jughead detonated. If THEY don't die(and there wouldn't be much of a sixth season without our cast) can we really assume that Juliet died? I suspect that she will be missing for most of the final season, but I do feel strongly that she will return.

I hesitate to speculate too much on the 2007 shenanigans, but I was elated to finally get a clear villain for the show. Nameless-guy-posing-as-Locke-who-may-or-may-not-be-the-smoke-monster certainly does seem like a total prick(not many people can totally CON BEN LINUS like he/it did), kicking poor defenseless tapestry-weaving Jacob into a fire pit was a downright despicable thing to do, even if I don't know if Jacob is a good guy or not...

Of course, the first time we meet Jacob he's wearing white and his angry possibly-fake-Locke buddy is wearing black. Possibly-fake-Locke says something about the cycle repeating itself on the island that sounded just a BIT too much like Battlestar Galactica's, "This has all happened before..." mantra. I swear to Christ, I'll scream if Jacob and fake-Locke end up being angels or God and the devil.

I was worried that the final season of this show wouldn't have any surprises for us, aside from tying up loose myth threads. I am not worried about that now. Hell, I'm even glad that they waiting almost four years to show us the significance of the four-toed statue. Can we assume that Jacob and the real Locke are dead? What does this mean for the island? Many questions. The most pressing question among them:

Is it January yet?

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

It's Comic Time (5/14/09)!

After a week layoff, it is once again the eponymous "comic" time. Hopefully, I can renew my efforts to get these issues turned around quicker in the future. In that effort, our reviews will take a little less time. It generally gets boring after month upon month of saying the same artists suck and the some storylines continue to impress. So we need to kick it up a notch fellas! Read on for two weeks of reviews.

Comics Reviews for the Weeks of 05/06 and 13/2009

ACTION COMICS #877 - "The Sleepers: Part 3"
Written by Greg Rucka, Art by Sidney Teles

Besides the cover art which doesn't relate to the actual issue content, it's another strong week, if a far less eventful one that last month's near pornographic levels of blood lust and violence. Rucka's latest story involves Conner getting medical attention for his partner, Thara. The subtle development of General Lane's mission to observe and build up forces against the Kryptonians continues to threaten to hurt and expose Nightwing and Flamebird. The great attitude of the book is how all the ancillary character's actions are meant to directly effect the main characters. Given the limited amount of time for this arc, it seems a better approach than James Robinson's scattergun approach in Superman.

The artwork's still strong with one unique exception. The embrace between Lois and Chris is just way awkward. Her expression seems halfway between relief and pleasure. And it's honestly a little too much pleasure with her comic-standard mini-skirt riding way too high on her thigh. This is supposed to be her son, not a younger version of Clark. The ambiguous nature of the scene is a little more discomforting than the bloody battle between Thara and Ursa last issue. Of course, that's probably due to my near complete desensitization to violence in almost any medium. Thanks, Jack Bauer!

Final score: B-

BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #25 - "Living Doll"
Written by Doug Petrie, Art by Georges Jeanty

The latest of the Buffy one-shots ends the constant state of flux Dawn has found herself in throughout the eighth season's run. And while her transformation from giant to centaur to Pinocchio hasn't exactly been seemless... in fact her stint battling a giant mecha version of herself in Tokyo was just plain painful... this issue's resolution is deftly handled. Most of the writing is standard fare for the title, but Petrie takes the trademark witticism of the title a little too far. Every other line of the book doesn't have to be some weak attempt at a joke or pop culture reference. In the books as well as on the show, this trick only worked in measured quantities. Too much takes us out of the reality of the book. And yes, I do exercise a limit to the suspension of disbelief even in a book featuring a jelly-fish man's magical revenge on his college sweetheart.

Rereading this series, Jeanty continues to improve and the panels where he rushes and practically draws block figures have severely decreased in their frequency. Since I was going to read this title regardless, I like the decision to place a more unproven quantity that had the talent to mature his work over time. It certainly beats a veteran superstar name that might plague the title with delays or even worse one that tried to draw the actors every time out, a fault Jeanty has avoided significantly the last four or five issues he's drawn.

Final score: B

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #2 (of 5) - "Dead Run"
Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Ethan Van Sciver

At what point do we move into the realm of calling this a disappointing title? The return of Hal Jordan was a grand slam of a series that got off to a great running start. This latest rebirth is coming across as DC's worst attempt to reintegrate a character in more than a decade. And since there are only three issues left, we're officially running out of time for a rebound. And amazingly enough, it's veteran Flash writer and my own personal hero Johns that has seemingly dropped the ball. There is no great sense of urgency to the action and most painful, nothing has really been done to develop Barry Allen as the reality-changing and definitive hero that he is.

Even with other Lanterns around, every moment of GL: Rebirth reinforced the idea that Hal was the greatest and that something has been missing since his fall. Perhaps Johns doesn't want to take any shots at Wally West, who he wrote for several years, but Barry hasn't been be doing anything special. If there isn't anything wrong or limiting with Wally, then why is Barry's return crucial. His flashback sequences are nearly on the same level of Hal's, but everything set in present time seems entirely unspectacular. This seems to be more a simple reintroduction of a character that a revitalization of a major portion of the DCU. Perhaps this is kharma at work. Barry got the greatest send-off in the history of comics and has been remembered for decades as the standard to which all other speedsters should aspire. Hal was ruined and turned into a villain, a storyline demanding a proper reintegration and redemption. Given how masterfully they motivated the latter, why can't they make the former seem like anything special? It's Barry freaking Allen!!

Final score: C-

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 - "Some King of the World"
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Salvador Larroca

Six issues after the hierarchy of the Marvel Universe was thrown into complete upheaval, Fraction has seemingly utterly redeemed Tony Stark. By putting him on his own against the world with a clear and completely emphatic mission (keep the identities revealed to the Initiative out of Osborne's hand), Stark has made a 180 degree change. And yeah, maybe it does feel perversely nice when he suffers. I mean this guy turned America against Cap, sided with a totalitarian government movement over the cause of individual liberty... yeah, he's been a dick for a long time now.

With Larocca continuing to do a serviceable effort, Fraction has improved here month after month. It seems like while his Iron Fist book is losing steam, he's been redirecting it over here. But by this point as long as Tony keeps taking his lumps, the Golden Avenger is worth following again.

Final score: B

X-FACTOR #43 - "Timely Events"
Written by Peter David, Art by Marco Santucci and Valentine De Landro

Can I trade in my Joss Whedon fan-boy love for some of the Peter David variety? At least when it comes to comics, David suffered through months caught up in the Messiah Complex cross-over and then months of atrocious art and had every reason to quit on this book. Instead he carefully saved his A-game and for five issues and counting has written some of the best issues of a superhero book in a couple of years. And the greatest part of it is excluding a Sentinel or two that met its end Cyclops-style, there's been almost no action sequence or big bad to defeat.

I'm still not entirely sure how he's done it. Our lead detective is only now getting a mystery to solve, but has still already been through a super heroic, noir-laced ringer for the ages.

On one last note, it's kind of a nice change of pace to follow months of hidden revelations by throwing the biggest moment of the issue on the cover. The seeds have already been laid for the entire crew eventually getting back together and I honestly can't see anything on the immediate horizon (excluding another, god forbid it, artistic change) that could knock this title down a place or two.

Final score: A-

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Killin' Time With 24

24: 5:00A.M.-4:00A.M.
Season 7, Episode 22

Sunday, May 10, 2009

That's A Wrap! Podcast - Star Trek Edition

We're back, sorta. Down one member on this fine mother's day, Jim and Billy do their best to soldier on and not completely screw the pooch in the latest episode of the That's a Wrap! podcast. Witness the true levels of geekiness that exist inside Billy and Jim.

We promise that this episode is mostly spoiler free. Jim totally tried to give away something huge but got bleeped out. Dedication to our reader, that's what we're all about here at TaW!

Please download and enjoy The Ongoing Mission (1:05:53)

We'll be back for another podcast featuring Terminator Salvation in just a few weeks. We can all hope that Garrett is returned safely to TaW! headquarters to keep our shit in line.
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That's A Wrap!

Monday, May 25, 2009

We've Been Targeted For Termination...

Sunday, May 24, 2009

No Fate

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Killin' Time With 24

Sunday, May 17, 2009

An Ode To Giant Feet and H-Bombs

Thursday, May 14, 2009

It's Comic Time (5/14/09)!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Killin' Time With 24

Sunday, May 10, 2009

That's A Wrap! Podcast - Star Trek Edition

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