The Flash SN 2 EP 10 – ‘Potential Energy’

So the second half of season 2 got under way in the UK last night and in the opening sequence we see Barry turn up to a date with Patty with a bunch of flowers on fire. (Has Barry told Patty about his secret identity) only for Zoom to turn up mid conversation and kidnap Patty cue a quick chase to the top of a building where Zoom politely drops Patty off we then see  Barry waking up from this nightmare.

In this episode we see Barry struggle to be open with Patty about what is going on with him and he is weighing up the cost of telling Patty that he is the flash. After a discussion between Iris and Patty, Isris convinces Barry that telling Patty who he really is may be the best course of action. Barry runs this past the team and all of them are behind Barry’s decision well all except for Dr Wells who advises Barry that if he does this he opens Patty up to becoming a target.

Wells’s point is proved that evening when the turtle makes an appearance to steal a valuable painting and Patty who can handle herself just fine pulls a gun on him. Barry disappears to try and gain the element of surprise on the turtle. As Barrys turns up time is slowed down and the Turtle attempts to drop a chandelier on Patty the flash makes it to her in time to push her out of the way but is in turn crushed under the chandelier instead and dragged away by Jay.

After an argument with Barry about leaving Patty at the party, Patty is then kidnapped by the Turtle and taken to an art storage warehouse owned by the turtles former wife who we find out wanted to leave him and he has her preserved behind some glass as a trophy and plans on doing the same to Patty. The flash manages to make it to Patty in time and break through the turtle’s time barrier in order to stop him and save Patty and trap the turtle in the prison at Star labs.

The episode is coming to a close and Barry goes to see Patty of the police station to see if she is alright cue Patty advising Barry that she is leaving to train as a forensic investigator and that there relationship is over. We also see what kind of lengths Harrison Wells from Earth 2 is willing to go to in order to get his daughter back by appearing to kill the turtle in his cell. This all comes down to the fact that Barry and the team were planning on using the turtle’s powers to slow Zoom down and as Wells appears to be helping Zoom in order to get his daughter back he cant allow that.

We do also see Wally West appear again in this episode and that the only reason he has come to Central city is to drag race and earn money in order to pay his mums hospital bills and not to have a relationship with Joe as he feels he abandoned him. They do make up at the end of the episode and sit down to enjoy some takeout food.

The biggest shock at the end of the episode is the return of the reverse flash but not as Dr Wells this incarnation of the reverse flash is Eobard Thawne and he asks Gideon where he is and the episode comes to a close.

For more reviews on the Scarlett speedster check back next week in another review by Deadpool_1984 but be careful if you blink you may miss it.

 

Arrow SN 4 EP 10 – ‘Blood Debts’

So the second half of Arrow season 2 started back up again this week in the UK you can see my review of the episode below.

So at the end of the first part of season 2 we see a very angry Damian Darhk look on as Oliver unveils his plans to redevelop the waterfront in Star city and propose to Felcity. Oliver and Felicity leave in a limo only to be ambushed by the ghosts and Felicity ends up being shot under a barrage of bullets, Oliver is then seen stood at a grave with Barry Allen and declaring he has to kill Darhk.

This episode revolves around team Arrow and their pursuit of Damian Darhk the only link they have to Darhk is Andy, Diggles brother who is also one of the ghosts. We see Diggle attempt two types of tactics to get information from his brother the first is to beat it out of him the second is to try and ask him as his brother after advice from Lyla which works and Andy mentions that Darhk used to talk about the trees in Stonehaven.

We also find out that the grave at the mid season break does not belong to Felicity as she is in the hospital receiving surgery for the nerves damage she sustained from the gun shot wound. But all is not well as we find out that the damage caused is not curable and she will never walk again.

We also see the return of Machin AKA Anarchy the first clue we know he is back is when Oliver finds out where Darhk’s base of operation is through Captain Lance. Oliver arrives to find some dead ghosts and upon opening a chest he sees the Anarchy symbol. The team eventually track Machin down at his foster parents home and after a brief fight scene they capture him and take him for interrogation to find out what he knows about Darhk. After the police capture Machin and are transferring him Oliver intervenes and sets him free with one mission to kill Darhk not knowing that Oliver has fitted him with a tracker.

The team track Machin until his signal disappears, Laurel manages to triangulate his last know location and it’s Stonehaven the place Andy told Diggle that Darhk had mentioned before. The team arrives and Machin has Darhk’s wife and daughter tied up, they manage to rescue them before Machin disappears.

Oliver comes face to face with Darhk while chasing after Machin and the two start to fight after which Oliver advises Darhk that he saved his family and Darhk advises Oliver that he has brought himself a few weeks with his family before he comes after him and them.

We also see flashbacks to Oliver’s time on the island as he is brought back to the camp by Conklin to reveal that Oliver did not kill a Taiana as he told them. His punishment is lashes at the hands of Conklin until the Reiter notices some symbols on Oliver’s stomach glowing and sends him to the prison.

Thea also reveals to Laurel about her run in with Darhk and that she felt that her blood lust completely went when he touched her and that his magic did not affect her.

We end the episode back at the cemetery 4 months have passed since the encounter with Darhk and Oliver is getting into a town car and Felicity is in there waiting so we know this much it isn’t her grave as some may have thought. But she is looking very upset and says to Oliver “You know what you have to do right, you have to kill the son of a bitch.

The wait to see whose grave it actually is continues.

 To find out who next fails the city stick with Deadpool_1984

The Rose Society by Marie Lu

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all…

The Rose Society by Marie Lu is the sequel to the highly acclaimed and really damn awesome The Young Elites, the story of children who are stricken with a blood fever and come out the other side maimed, but gifted with incredible powers.

The story picks up where we last left Adelina Amouteru, now known and feared as the White Wolf – and she’s got her heart set on revenge. Gathering her own team of Young Elites, she moves to strike down the Inquisition Axis who tried to kill her in the past.

But there is a darkness inside her that keeps growing – and it’s so hard to cling to the good when your very existence roots itself in evil.

The Rose Society is absolutely awesome. Everyone and their mother by now knows that I loved The Young Elites. Very much. And it is always such a delight when a sequel is everything you wanted and more.

Somehow, The Rose Society manages to be darker than The Young Elites – which is extremely impressive.

The emotive and incredibly descriptive narrative follows Adelina into her incredible troubled head space, as she slowly becomes more and more twisted due to her abilities. You feel Adelina’s pain and despair throughout the entire novel, and although you’re troubled by her decisions, Marie Lu’s incredible writing lets you sympathise and understand her entirely.

Your morals and emotions are constantly pushed, torn between despairing for Adelina and how the Daggers have cast her out, to being so frustrated that her anger and darkness are only making matters worse. You feel genuinely as torn as she does about turning against them and fighting them, about her glimmer of hope that things could be okay again – but knowing deep down they won’t be.

This book also explores more of this incredible world Lu has built – there are more Young Elites in this book joining Adelina, all of whom are absolutely wonderful, shelled out characters who are rich and full of life and story without engulfing the main plot. They have these absolutely fascinating, unique personas and these fantastic new powers – everything is just so original and wonderfully crafted.

I’m so excited to see more of these new Elites and explore their relationships – and of course, I’m always excited to see the old Elites and the Daggers – even if I’m so utterly torn in how I feel about them.

And, finally, the end revelation is absolutely damn perfect for a middle arc in a series – it doesn’t leave on an irritating cliffhanger – but it has left us with an intense revelation which makes us desperate for the next part.

Overall, The Rose Society is perfect. It’s dark, gritty, edge-of-your-seat action and drama throughout most of the novel. This beautiful fantasy world is built with incredible narrative and wonderful characters that are put together masterfully by Marie Lu. It pulls no punches, with a narrative that makes you flinch and yet yearn for more of this action filled world. Watching the main character descend into a dark, villainous headspace, feeding the darkness in her is troubling, and yet you feel desperate for more, unable to turn away from what Adelina is becoming.

I honestly could not recommend this series enough, and I am beyond excited for the release of “The Midnight Star.”

Fare thee well,

Fran

‘Captain America: Civil War’ New Details Emerge

Captain America: Civil War will have major repercussions for the cinematic universe with many speculating that Cap (Chris Evans) himself may meet his end. Certainly if Crossbones has anything to say about it.

In Empire’s upcoming issue, fans will get an official glance at the HYDRA bad-guy whose known to comic-book fans as the villain who killed Captain America in the 2007 arc The Death of Captain America.

Fans will be familiar with the man-behind-the-mask as Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014) actor Frank Grillo, whose Brock Rumlow returns to get some sweet revenge against our straight-laced superhero.

The returns don’t stop there however with TheWrap revealing that fan-favourite Pepper Potts will return in a “small yet key” role in the film, once again played by Academy Award winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Pepper was last seen in Iron Man 3 (2013) with Extremis-enthused powers that proved helpful in kicking Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian’s ass.

Empire also finally revealed Martin Freeman’s role in the upcoming superhero-mash up as Everett Ross a supporter of debuting Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). With Potts proving to be a formidable businesswomen, its likely that the two could face off on screen as Marvel traverse the political landscape within the MCU as the American government legislate for Superhero Registration.

With Captain America: Civil War hitting theatres on May 6, 2016. We will have to wait and see how the Marvel landscape will change coming out of the movie.

 

For all your Straight-Laced-Superhero-News, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

DC’s ‘Justice League: Part 1’ Announces Shooting Date

With Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hitting out screens on March 25. The anticipation for DC’s fast-forward universe-builder has gathered pace with Warner Bros showing no sign of slowing down just yet, announcing that the first Justice League film will begin shooting this year.

Sources out of Entertainment Weekly reveal that DC’s superhero team-up will begin filming on April 11 at Harry Potter’s old stomping ground in the UK, Leavesden Studios. Additional locations throughout London and Iceland will also be used for Justice League: Part 1 while Part 2 will shoot at a later date.

Dawn of Justice will mark the first time that Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) will meet on screen. With Director Zack Snyder teasing recently on the Hall of Justice Podcast that rumours of Ezra Miller’s Flash and Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman cameos in the film are nothing but “whispers they exist.“

Justice League: Part 1 is currently slated for November 17, 2017, with Part 2 scheduled for 2019.

For all your DC-Team-Up-News, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

 

Martin Freeman’s Role Announced for ‘Captain America: Civil War’

Martin Freeman’s role in Captain America: Civil War has finally been announced to eager fans everywhere!

Ever since the announcement of Martin Freeman joining the cast for Marvel’s next highly anticipated blockbuster, the internet has been in mass speculation about who he could be – wonder no longer internet, we finally have a reveal!

Freeman will be taking on the role of Everett Ross.

Everrett K. Ross worked for theU.S. State Department; his job was to escort foreign diplomats on American soil. One of his duties was to escort T’Challa during his visit to New York City – so this can more than likely fit him beautifully into Black Panther and lead him to a broader contract in the future.

It’s also been revealed that in Civil War, he will feature as a member of  Joint Counter Terrorist Centre in Germany – the Russo’s say that this return to Germany for Cap will bring him full circle and be one of his most challenging moments yet – rough.

It’s set to be that Captain America: Civil War is going to be the heart-breaker of the year from Marvel comics – and it hits cinemas in April. Catch the trailer below:

 

Deadpool & His Red Suited Booty

(Alternative title: Why Deadpool and His Red Suited Booty Deserve Everything)

It’s safe to say that Deadpool is one of the highest anticipated movies of 2016, and with damn good cause.

The Deadpool movie has been in the works for over 11 years now – work on the movie began in 2004. 2004. That is an insane amount of time for a movie to remain in development hell, especially a movie that was so wanted and begged for by the fandom.

There were multiple issues with Deadpool and the studios that were interested – could we make it an R-Rating? How do we not repeat the same mistakes? How do we introduce all these elements from the Deadpool comics, namely his fourth-wall breaking? Over and over again, Deadpool seemed to hit a brick wall. IMDB would tease dates, at one point reading 2014 before resorting back to those Godawful “????” they put in the place when nothing is decided. It honestly looked like fans were never going to get this damn movie, and they seemed to accept it bitterly.

Until that faithful day in July 2014. When some sweet, beautiful, adonis of a human being leaked the Deadpool test footage online. You know the one I mean.

That’s right. And try as they might to get it off the internet (and oh, they did try.) no one seemed to be able to stop it – this awesome two minute long piece of everything fans have been begging for. So Blur Studio did what anyone would do in that situation – they said “fuckit.” and released this footage officially.

And thus, from there, the high demand, the excitement and the now renewed desire of the fans became too much to ignore, and little more than a month later it was announced that Deadpool was officially in production.

And now here we are. It’s February 2016. And Deadpool has broken a tonne of Box Office Records in North America, including 20th Century Fox opening weekend (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith held it before then, let’s just all think about that.), R-Rated Opening Weekend, and R-Rated Opening Weekend (last held by The Matrix: Reloaded). And let me tell you: it goddamn deserves it.

It’s not just the sheer amount of time it took to even get this movie made (11 years. Most pets don’t live that long. I was twelve for Christ’s sake.) but the marketing strategies were pretty damn great.

You already knew from the go that Deadpool was not going to be like other superhero movies – it was going to be a lot cruder. From the moment they revealed the costume in a photoshoot which involved Ryan Reynolds lying on a bearskin rug to the 12 Days of Deadpool, to awesome PSA’s like this;

I can safely say Deadpool had a solid, clear marketing strategy from day one. It was so perfectly executed, and because of that, and because of the sheer perfection of the film itself – it deserves every record it broke upon release.

And hey, if you want to know exactly how awesome the film is, my lovely friend wrote a pretty sick review here.

Fare thee well,

Fran

(All images were taken from the official Deadpool Facebook Page!)

Playlist Book Tag

What happens when our resident vlogger The Little Librarian plays Book Tag ? Find out below!

‘Deadpool Vs. Gambit’ Comic Book Series Announced

As Wade Wilson continues to dominate the Silver screen, X-Men mainstay Remy LeBeau looks to rain on his comic-book parade as Marvel announces Deadpool Vs. Gambit comic book mini-series coming this Summer.

The news was revealed at the recent ComicsPRO comic book submit explaining that the five-issue series will explore Deadpool and Gambits “secret, shared history”, with ComicBook.com elaborating that the two conmen worked together “just long enough to stab each other in the back.“

Celebrated She-Hulk artist Kevin Wada will bring his talent to the covers with Danilo Beyruth providing the artwork across the pages. Thunderbolt writers Ben Acker and Ben Blacker will script the story as the Merc-with-the-Mouth takes on the Cajun-sensation when the first issue debuts this June.

Marvel looks to capitalise on 20th Century Fox’s record breaking success with Deadpool’s solo movie and are surely hoping that Channing Tatum’s Gambit film will do the same when it is released in 2017. With Deadpool 2 having already been green-light however, expect more R-Rated 4th-wall breaking shenanigans to come.

For all your Comic-Book-Showdown-News, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

February Recommendations : Not Another Love Story

It’s time for this months recommendations from our resident vlogger ‘The Little Librarian’, find out what everyone should be reading this month!