COMIC BOOK COVER OF THE WEEK

COMIC BOOK COVER OF THE WEEK


Hey, hey, hey, kids!  It's Professor Mike once again with yet another comic book cover of the week.  This week, we go back to 1983 and visit our favorite Wall Crawler, as he discovers a new, devious fiend to enter his life called the Hobgoblin!  This was the beginning of the Hobgoblin saga, which was steered by writer Roger Stern, who had come over from Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, to breath some life into Spidey's main title, and BOY DID HE.  The Hobgoblin was a mysterious new villain who came onto the scene, and seemed to be more improved than Spidey's arch nemesis, the Green Goblin.  This story arc was the beginning of what would become one of THE most drawn out, overcomplicated origins ever---and it took various writers to tell the tale, as well as editorial directions, which made Hobby's ID a mess to figure out.  And even THEN...fans weren't satisfied.  It finally took original scribe Roger Stern to settle the story once and for all in an arc called Hobgoblin Lives.  






THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #238

COVER:  John Romita, Jr., John Romita, Sr.
WRITER:  Roger Stern
ARTIST:  John Romita, Jr.
INKS:  John Romita, Sr.
COLORS:  Andy Yanchus
LETTERS:  Joe Rosen
EDITOR:  Tom DeFalco
COVER DATE:  March 1983
PUBLISHER:  Marvel Comics


TAGLINE:  From the shadows of evil's past


STORY TITLE:  "Shadow of Demons Past"


Amazing Spider-Man #238 was one of the big turning points of Spidey's illustrious career.  After the death of the Green Goblin (and sadly---for many fans--the death of Gwen Stacy), Spidey didn't have a villian that had really come onto the scene and shaken the title up.  That all changed when writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita, Jr. brought the Hobgoblin into the title.  A new villian who had raided all of Norman Osborn's secret caches of Green Goblin equipment.  Hobby was a mysterious villain, who was tactful, intelligent, and played his hand well.  This arc would last until issue #251, where--after a battle with the Wall Crawler that ended up in the Hudson River, Spidey emerged with Hobgoblin's mask...but we still had no idea WHO the new villian in Spidey's life had been.  Stern was taken off the book, and replaced by Tom DeFalco, who, from whatever notes Stern left behind, tried to finish the Hobgoblin story with his own ideas, and---due to editorial mandate, and a different writer---the Hobgoblin mystery became a huge mess.  It wasn't until Roger Stern had come BACK to the Spidey titles with a mini-series called Hobgoblin Lives, where we learn the true identity of the villain to be businessman Roderick Kingsley, who ran a modeling agency that Mary Jane Watson had worked for, and Spidey had run-ins with.  Many speculated that it was Peter's rival/friend from the Daily Bugle Ned Leeds, who then was promptly killed in the one-shot Spider-Man vs. Wolverine comic.  Then, former merecenary Jack-O-Lantern Jason Macendale took over the role, and totally botched it, prompting Kingsley's return.  


THE STORY:  After committing a crime and being thrown from the getaway car after nearly hitting Peter Parker, his Aunt May, and her boyfriend Nathan Lubenski, small time thief George Hill is on the run to avoid a pursuing Spider-Man.  He manages to hide, only to discover one of the Green Goblin's  secret hideouts, loaded with the Goblin's equipment.  George then takes this information to a mysterious figure, who is very interested in the findings. Hill would not survive the issue, as he his promptly killed by this mystery man, after giving him the Goblin's equipment.  Peter is panicked that someone may know who HE is as Spider-Man, since Norman knew his secret, as well as them having access to the Goblin's equipment.


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I have to hand it to Roger Stern.  He crafted a well thought out story, and came out swinging with having poor little Georgie the Thug not only find the Goblin's hideout, but ended up being victim #1 of the Hobgoblin's master plan.  Stern made sure to keep Hobby's ID a secret.  He was introducing the character, and he had big plans for him once he got the Goblin equipment.  We get to see Peter's panic, because of the discovery, it means that it's possible this new villain has his secret ID figured out.  He deftly lays the groundwork for the mystery, and Romita's pencils are fantastic.  He was really beginng to find his way as an artist,  He began to really develop his own style that was sparate from his father.  Overall, a fantastic issue that they developed.  I enjoyed this issue  If you want Hobby's long story, this is the place to start.

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 5.1

REVIEW:  DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 5, EP: 1:  "Meet The Legends"


Hey, kids!  We are BACK for another calamity filled, racous, wild, crazy roller coaster ride with our time travellling friends, the Legends!  When we left our rambunctious group of misfits, they had just saved the Earth from the menace of Neron.  Zari had faded away into what was to become her brother, Behrad, and now our intrepied time masters are now famous celebrities!  So, without further ado, let's check back in with our kitschy kids, and see what has transpired with them since their last battle, and the fallout from Crisis.


We begin our 5th season with documentary filmmaker Kevin Harris, following Team Legends, as they discuss themselves and their newfound celebrity.  Ava Sharpe discusses helping a Senator from last year from being turned into a monster, and how they saved him, but he's not thrilled with them, and is looking to get the Waverider impounded.  The Time Bureau is now defunt, and the team needs money, hence why she authorized this documentary.  Nate discusses being left out of the crossover, how he had died for all of 2 minutes, loves being able to be a historian, time traveller, and owner of Heyworld---but he feels something is missing in his life.  We get the "new" guy, Behrad Tomaz, who is the brother of Zari, talks about his journey to become part of the Legends. Charlie is very carefree about the whole ordeal.  Says she only stayed around until she got her powers back, but kind of liked this group, so she's stuck it out. but then decides to take off for who knows where.  We get Mona Wu, who has lycanthrope, and turns into a werewolf, is now Mick Rory's agent, and looking to better market his Rebecca Silver novels.  She's quite aggressive in negotiations..causing her wolf side to emerge when angry.

Gary Green, the resdient klutz and stooge, talks about the year he had, what with trying to impress Ava at the Time Bureau, to assisting the Legends, and becoming possessed by Neron.  He's now joining John Constantine on his missions, to which Constantine tells himn to get his rear in gear, and he's also not sure WHY he's dragged Gary OR the documentary crew with him. 

Kevin then asks Ava about Sara and her response to the documentary crew.  Ava admits that she hasn't discussed that with Sara yet.  And she's going to spring it on her, as they prepare a party to welcome Sara, Ray, and Mick back from the latest crossover.  She arrives, and they are happy to see her, but Sara isn't thrilled, and neither is Mick, who pushes the camera away from his face.  Everyone is trying to put on a brave face for Sara.

They are talking to Ray Palmer, who goes over his past year, what with being possessed by Neron, and the negative stigma it has had on him.  We see how the pubic has treated him since his return, which is avoidance.  He then discusses Nora Dhark, and what she's been up to...making public appearances at parties for kids, as we see her looking less than thrilled in her Fairy Godmother outfit, as she fulfills her duties.  Then, out of nowhere, they feel the Waverider shake.  The team belives it to be a timequake, and asks Gideon the source of the disturbance, but she isn't very responsive.  It seems she' has a virus in her system,  They do manage to pinpoint the source of the disturbance:  1917 Russia.  Sara preps the team, and wants the film crew gone, but they're staying, much to Sara's disapproval.  Gideon speeds them on their way without much notice.  

They land in 1917 Russia, and disguise themselves in order to witness the funeral of Rasputin...who, according to history, was killed by a jealous Czar over his affair with his wife.  With the film crew in tow, they come upon the funeral, only to witness Rasputin rise from the dead and freak out the gatherers.  It turns out, Rasputin is the cause for the timequake, and they need to fix it.  Sara is trying to get the team focused on the task at hand, instead of them worrying about the documentary crew.  She starts barking out orders as to resolving the issue, while she and Behrad try to fix Gideon.  Ava pulls Ray aside and asks how she's really doing, and Ray says she's taking Ollie's death pretty hard.  

As they begin to go through the motions of getting ready to solve the Rasputin mess, Mona, Ray, and Nate argue about what to call their time "villains".  

Back in 2020, Constantine and Gary are going "soul" searching.  They got a lead about a young boy being possessed, and the mother called for help.  John and Gary enter the home, and they see the possessed boy crawling up the wall.  The possessed boy then calls John by name, once John uses a cross to subdue him.  John recognizes the demon called Masur (I think), and wants to talk about what's going on down in hell with Astra.  John decides to take the possessed boy out for drinks, and Gary follows.  

Sara and Behrad are busy trying to repair Gideon, when she wonders why it is he isn't in business school, and he replies that he likes what's going on with the team.  He then brings up Ollie to Sara, and she says she's dealing with it.  Ava, who had decided to get Sara a "feel better" or "get well soon" type card, stumbles upon B (as Sara calls him), and her conversation about Ollie.  B says he has something for her, and gives her a drawing he made of her, Laurel ,and Ollie.  He figured that would make her feel better, and it actually does.  Ava sees this, a little saddened, and walks away.  We see her talking to the filmmakers about getting Sara a Condolence card, that regarded Ollie's loss as "friend who you lost that slept with you and your sister", which was completely inappropriate.  She then feels that she needs to resolve this Rasputin issue before the team totally screws it up.

Mona talks about the digging into Rasputin's back story, about how he had cured the Czarvina's son, and the two fell in love.  Her husband found out about it, and had him killed.  They know what they need to do in order to stop Rasputin taking revenge.  They also find out that the person behind the assassination was a man named Yousabov.  Each of the team begins to prepare.  Nate is going with Ray in order to try and talk to him, Mona is going to write him a love letter, hoping it will soften him up, and Ava is getting a gun ready to kill him, to which Mick is on board with.  

Nate, Ray, and the doc crew make their way to the castle, and meet with Rasputin.  Natie himself tries to talk to him, and makes Rasputin understand the purpose of the film crew.  Rasputin goes on about how he is a magician,a mystic, and how he has risen from the dead.  He sense something missing from Nate, and wants to hypnotize him to get to the problem.  Nate actually agrees, and Rasputin puts him into a trance, and senses that something is very much missing from Nate's life.  Up on the balcony, Ava is aimed at Rasputin, and ready to shoot him, but Ray shrinks and enters the barrell of her gun, thus preventing her from taking the shot.  Mona then shows up with the love letter, but Mick stops her.  He takes it out and reads it...he's actually impressed with her.  

Back in 2020 again, and we see Constantine thrown out of the bar with Gary and the kid.  John asks the possessed boy about why Astra released all the demons from Hell.  He says she wants to break the glass ceiling, create havoc on Earth.  Constantine then exorcises the demon from the boy, and tells Gary to get the boy a cab.  He needs to get to the rest of the team...Hell is brewing something nasty!

The film crew spots Sara having a moment alone, but she sense them.  She calls them out, and asks them if they want a true confessional, so she gives them one.  She blatantly admits her annoyance with the documentary crew AND this movie they're making.  She's about to say more, but B shows up, and tells her the reason Gideon has been acting weird, is that she has a "phantom data" problem, which is causing the distruptions in her.  In her frustration, she asks if B and everyone else wants to stick around and get lit, and B asks if he should break out the good stuff.  She's all for it.  As they begin to drink, Constantine manages to get a signal through, and tells Sara that bad things are happening in Hell.  

Back in Russia, Rasputin has Nate hypnotized, and Nate is describing that missing element as a woman, which WE know is Zari.  While that's happening, we see Mick going over Mona's love letter, and helping her embellish it more.  Ava has had enough, and finally takes her shot at Gideon (since Ray has now been shot out of her gun as well), and she hits him dead in the heart.  But, he manages to spit back up the bullet.  Ava's been made, and she's taken captive.  Mick and Mona finally get it together to go rescue her, and try to break through Rasputin's shield, but his magic is too powerful for the both of them.  Ray goes to wake up Nate, hoping Sara isn't watching or listening to any of this, only to have his com open, and Sara is seeing the whole ordeal on Ray's camera.  She downs her drink in frustration.

Once the team arrives back on the ship, Sara rips into them about going on this mission without her.  They felt she needed a break, and didn't want to overload her since she got back.  She says they can't stop Rasputin because his soul is in Hell.  She comments that she has has lost one friend already, she doesn't need to lose more.  They ask her what she saw out there, and she says she saw multiple Earths die, a universe reborn.  All she wanted to do was come home and talk to her friends about it, not have to deal with a documentary crew.  She storms off.  

Nate and Behrad talk about what Nate saw in his hypnosis, and he describes this woman he saw, but can't remember her name or anything about her.  Behrad then realizes that Gideon doesn't have any "phantom data", she has data from another universe.  During their dealings in the time stream, and quite possibly with Crisis, they have "fractured time".  He goes to relay this message to Sara.

We catch up with Ava, who's cleaning the kitchen, upset that she doesn't know how to comfort Sara, or make her feel better.  She's not used to dealing with emotional issues.  

Rasputin has planned a lethal surprise for the Czar and his family---teacakes laced with cyanide.  He gripes to one of his servants about having clean goblets.  He wants this night to be perfect.  Sara has put the plan to stop him into effect, with her and Behrad in disguise...her as a servant, and him impersonating a guard.  The Czar arrives with his family, and he inquires as to how Rasputin survived. The teacakes get served to them, and Sara realizes they're poisoned.  She manages to knock one out of the Czar's hands, and her cover is blown.  Behrad takes another one from their son.  Back on the ship, Mona realizes that they left the camera crew back in the castle.  

The team knows they need to help Sara out, but Ava doesn't think Sara wants them there, but obviously, they don't listen.

Sara and Behrad are fighting off the guards, when Rasputin possesses Behrad, and attacks Sara.  Ava shows up in disguise, and the team arrives to help out their fearless leader.  They get the Czar and his family to safety.  While in the heat of the battle, Ava confesses to Sara that she wants to be the one she tells everything to, and to be there for her.  Ray interrupts their brief moment to inform them that Rasputin has possessed the rest of the guards.  They are holding them off best they can, when Ava grabs Ray, and throws him at Rasputin, who--in turn--swallows Ray since he's shrunk.  They then tell Ray to enlarge from his Atom size, and he does, thus obliterating Rasputin in the process.  Kevin takes one in the arm, but he survives.  Sara says there's only one thing missing, and immediately grabs Ava, plants a huge kiss on her, and lets her go, giving a thumbs up to the camera as Ava passes out.  

Kevin finishes up his documentary by explaining what the Legends did with Rasputin's remains, putting bits of him in different condomint jars.  He talks about them finding more questions as they team rebonds once again.  In the theater audience, the crowd roars with applause at the movie.  Kevin is backstage with them before they go out for a post movie Q & A, Kevin wants them to go out there and be "bigger", and more boisterous, bigger personality, and really sell the movie.  The team then goes out and immediately disavows ANY of these events happened, and that is was made up and a sham, and that time travel is impossible.  The fans then boo, and turn on them, but they feel it's for the best.  Kevin, however, sees it real differently.  They arrive back on the Waverider, still troubled about finances, and Mick shows then a fabrage' egg he lifted.  It's worth a lot of money, and he said he's a thief, it's what he does.  

John shows up with Gary, having caught the show, and needs a bit of Rasputin to conjure a spell to get to Hell.  Much to Sara's dismay, John drinks one of the jars of Rasputin, then tells Sara that Astra released all these evil souls from Hell, and he's going down there to stop it.  Sara tells him to be careful, and he casts the spell and he's gone.  

Mick talks to Mona, and tells her that she's got great talent as a writer.  Therefore, he is turning over "Rebecca Silver" to Mona, because it interferes with his love for being a thief.  Mona is overwhelmed, but says she'll do him proud, considering his world saving work distracted him from having better novels the last few times.  Therefore, she is leaving the team to go and write.  She needs to be elsewhere for inspiration, wheras Mick has lost his here on the ship.  

Hank is with Gideon, going over what she knows, when she shows him an anomaly that happened during the Heyworld inicident.  He sees Behrad, but it also switches to Zari (which he still doesn't know by name).  The system shuts down, and a video recording from Zari shows up.  A message she left Nate before she vanished.  She says that if he's gotten this message, she is gone.  And she wanted him to know that she loves him.  With that, the message ends.  Gideon reboots, and says that the memory scrub is complete.  But Nate wants Gideon to replay the message, but he can't get it back.  


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Once again, we jump back into the hijinks, and this was a pretty solid episode for the Legends.  We got to get the typical mixture of humor, drama, and slapstick comedy.  This episode, like everyone else in the Arrowverse, deals with the fallout of Crisis, as well as picking up where they left off after Neron's reign of terror.  

First and foremost---Sara.  She returns after having lost her best friend in Oliver, watching multiple Earths die, and being the Paragon of Destiny.  She's in mourning and dealing with a lot on her plate.  It doesn't help that the team has invited a documentary crew on board to film their everyday lives on board the ship, and what it's like to be a Legend.  She isn't ready for this kind of exposure.  She just needs to be able to get out what she saw, and have friends there to be supportive as she grieves Ollie.  Instead, for her, it's like a circus.  Not what she wants at this time.  She's got to find her groove again, and--as usual--the rest of the team muck it up, and she's got to clean it up.  Credit Caity Lotz for carrying this episode with her range of emotions and typical fiery presence and humor.  We see Sara lighten up a little more as the episode ends.  

The rest of the team is all but too excited to ham it up for the camera in order to cash in on their newfound fame.  It causes issues, of course, and distracts them from really helping Sara when she needs it, and in their zeal to impress the filmmakers, they get overzealous, and their mission goes awry.  Charlie took off, and she wasn't available, and as we saw at the end of this episode, Mona is going off to write, so we won't really be seeing her much this season (the actress is only recurring this season).  So, this frees Mick to go back to what he does best--being a thief, a smartass, and a cranky, reluctant hero.  

It seems that the big issue this season will be the souls of all the evil people from the past have been released by Astra, and will cause problems with the time stream.  Constantine has gone down to Hell to fight off what's coming, but only he can hold out for so long.  It will soon come a time when these souls reanimate, and cause issues for the Legends on Earth.  

Nate's story is one that they decided to pick up after the season finale.  His memories of Zari are there, but he doesn't know her by name, and is the one event that was unaffected by Crisis.  He lost the memory of her after he died oh so briefly, but never forgot her.  Gideon's issues with retaining past data, but having it cause viral issues, forces them to reboot her system, but in the process, the video Zari left, professing her love to him, is now gone.  I wonder how long it will be before we see Zari again.  Nate's journey to rediscover her will also be a big story as the season progresses.

We mentioned Charlie leaving, Mona is going to write as Rebecca Silver now, and we're still wondering when Nora Dhark will manage to get back with the team, since she's stuck being the Fairy Godmother---which doesn't seem like a fun job to her.  How she gets out of that to help the team is anyone's guess.  

And, with no Time Bureau to answer to, the Legends are pretty much independent and on their own to pursue their destiny---to repair time.  

That's it for this week, and remember the usual:  subscribe, pass the word along, and leave some comments below.  What did YOU think?  

Until next time...

ARROW - SEASON 8.9

REVIEW:  ARROW - SEASON 8, EP. 9:  "Green Arrow & The Canaries"


Here it is, everybody!  The penultimate chapter in the story of Green Arrow.  The Emerald Archer has had many a story to tell on his journey through these 8 years.  We are now close to the end, and we now take a peek at the next story of Oliver Queen's story - as his daughter Mia now takes up the bow and quiver to fulfill her father's legacy.  With the help of Laurel Lance and Dinah Drake, we now head to 2040 to see the rebirth, of sorts, to Mia's story.

It's 2040 as we begin this brand new tale with Laurel speeding through the city on her bike.  She arrives at a place called Club V, where she is looking for a young lady named Bianca Bertinelli.  Bianca is a party girl, having a good time, when Laurel approaches her, and tells her she is in danger.  Bianca brushes her off, and then moves deeper onto the dance floor and into the crowd.  Laurel tries to work her way through, but two men approach Bianca, and grab her.  They make off with her, and Laurel is too late to save her.  

We then find ourselves at the Queen Estate, where Mia has just woken up, and goes to check the news of the day.  There's talk about Mayor Ramirez running for a 3rd term, and him deeming Star City the safest place in the country.  There's also a story about Victor and Mary Bertinelli donating a substantial seven figure sum to the Vigilante Musem.  Mia's bedmate has awoken, and she is startled by him.  It's JJ, and the two are obviously in love.  There's some candoodling between the two, as they discuss her graduation from college, and needing to write her speech for said ceremony.  He then proposes to her, and--after a brief pause--she accepts

Laurel has found her way to a bar in town, and she walks in, listening to the woman at the piano sing. She's got a great voice.  It turns out, the singer is Dinah Drake.  Dinah is shocked to see Laurel.  She finishes her song and they head upstairs to talk.  Apparently, Dinah owns the bar, as well as being the police captain of the Star City PD.  She takes up residence above the bar.  They discuss what happened after Ollie's funeral in 2020, and Dinah remarks that she just woke up there, and had no idea how.  She also found out that she's been wiped from existence.  There's no trace of Dinah Drake to be found.  So, she's been living with anonymity.  Laurel tells her she came there, because there's a problem.  She informs her of Bianca Bertinelli's kidnapping.  Bianca is the adopted daughter of Helena Bertinelli.  Helena has disappeared with no trace.  Dinah knows that back then, the Bertinellis were one of the biggest crime families.  Laurel shows Dinah a news feed from 2041, where Star City is in chaos, and it's because Bianca was murdered.  The city goes to hell.  Dinah agrees to help, but Laurel knows they need one more person.

Mia arrives in style for her post-graduation soiree', where she's met by a press corps, who ask her what she's gonna do, and whether or not Oliver would be proud of her.  She says her father sacrificed a lot for her to graduate collge, something he didn't do, but she feels he would be proud of her, and she goes inside.  

She's enjoying herself, as she's spending time with JJ, when William shows up with Zoe.  She's happy to see him, and he's happy to be the Groom of Honor at her wedding.  He talks to her about having a job at Smoak Tech now that she's out in the world, and she says she's not really the tech type for that kind of job.  Through the crowd, Mia spots Connor, who just happned to get out of rehab (apparent violent attacks), and he's just there to wish Mia well, and JJ is trying to keep the peace.  A young man named Trevor is also at the party, and is then approached by Dinah and Laurel, dressed for the occaision.  They interrogate him about Bianca's disappearance, and he balks at the accusations he had anything to do with it.  He walks off, when Mia approaches Dinah and Laurel.  She says she doesn't know EITHER of them, and she's calling security to dispatch of them.  Laurel then takes the initiative, and uses a ring that glows, and touches Mia with it.  All of the sudden, all the events Mia went through from her previous life before Crsis flow back into her.  It's enough to overwhelm her and she passes out.  

She eventually awakes, and looks at Dinah and Laurel, still a little freaked out.  Laurel explains to Dinah that Cisco Ramon had managed to recreate J'Onn J'Onzz's powers in order to tap into people's minds that were aware of Crisis, and restore their memories.  Mia ends up believing them.

They head back to Dinah's, where Laurel starts filling in the gaps about what's going on.  Apparently, since Oliver's death, Star City has remained crime free for 20 years.  Dinah tells her that things aren't as they seem, and that there is a problem.  Laurel comments to Mia that she used to be the Green Arrow, but Mia says she isn't sure she can do anything like that anymore.  Laurel throws a glass straight at her, which Mia catches instinctively.  Laurel then informs Mia about Bianca's disappearance.  Let's her know that Bianca was adopted by the Bertinellis, and how the family used to be one of the big crime families.  Mia is apprehensive about Laurel's story, so she decides she's going to go ask about it herself.

Mia sits down with Bianca's family, and she inquires as to whether or not they have heard from her, since she hasn't posted on social media in awhile.  Her brother (or cousin, unsure about that one), said that mabye she's vacationing on Corto Maltese.  Her family tries to assure Mia that everything is fine, is just like Bianca to go off somewhere.  While Mia is inquiring about Bianca, Laurel and Dinah are busy planting electronic bugs in the house, so they can get more info.  They managed to complete their mission, and they take off, Mia saying that if they hear from Bianca to let her know, playing the role.  Mia decides to go pay a visit to Bianca's friends.

Laurel and Dinah are at Dinah's monitoring anything coming from the Bertinelli house, as Dinah explains why she has kept a low profile at this time.  Dinah feels happy with her life right now, but Laurel thinks she's gun shy about getting back into the world.  They get a hit on the computer about Bianca.  They tell Mia, and Laurel has Mia's Green Arrow suit ready to go, but Mia refuses to wear it.  The older women suit up, and they all head out on bikes to stop a van in transit, presumably holding Bianca.  They stop the truck by shutting down the vehicle itself.  Guards get out, and start fighting Both Canaries, who promptly use their Canary Cries to stop the armed guards.  Mia ends up taking out the last guard, and opens the back of the truck, only to discover large vials of green liquid.  Bianca's brother (and/or cousin), comes out, giving himself up.  It's at that sudden moment that a huge greneade type device is thrown near Mia, and everyone scatters.  The bomb goes off, and they're left wondering who their attacker is.  Through the smoke and flames, Mia sees someone in a Deathstroke mask.  

At Dinah's again, and Mia is upset that she was left unprotected while out in the field, and Laurel assured Mia that she had it, and Mia took care of it.  They also question whether or not it was JJ in the Deathstroke mask.  Mia doesn't want to believe it, but Laurel presses her about it.  Laurel tells her to prove it.

They head to a work function for JJ, and the three scheme to get into his office and get some information off his computer.  Laurel tries to do it at first, but she's not as subtle, and is met with resistance by the guard.  Mia then decides to handle it, and gets through, and gets into his office.  Dinah asks if Mia is okay, and Mia responds that, despite all her memories, she doesn't want it to be him.  All this time, Laurel continues to dig into Mia about her lovelife, dating her dad and so on, while Dinah tries to keep the peace.  Mia tries to acces JJ's computer when she finds out it's encrypted, and she can't get in.  Security then responds to the break in, and Dinah tells Mia to get out of there, but it's too late.  JJ and his security catches her.  She then talks about Bianca's disappearance, and accuses JJ of being behind it.  He denies it, and shows her what's on his computer---plans for their honeymoon.  Mia is embarrassed, and JJ is quite upset with her, and takes off, but not before he shows her a video message he got from Bianca, saying that she's okay and on vacation.

Dinah and Laurel are looking at the message, and thinking it's fake, and need to get it analyzed.  Mia has had enough, though, and Laurel once again gets on Mia about her life, and what Oliver sacrificed, and Mia throws it right back into her face.  She says her life has been good, and she didn't want any of this superhero stuff, because it just makes you miserable.  With that, Mia storms off.  

It doesn't get better for Mia, because after she gets home, she tries desperately to plead with JJ about her mistake, and apologizing for it, but he's not really having it.  He says over the last couple of days, she's been distant, and for the most part, directionless.  Her brother offered her a job, and she didn't want to take it.  She seems to shirk any kind of commitment, and feels they need a break.  

Dinah manages to crack the message, and discover that, indeed, it's a fake.  They manage to take down the false face of the message, and see that Bianca is in trouble.  Laurel wonders how Dinah got to be so good at the technological stuff like Felicity, and Dinah says that she's a cop...she has secrets too.  She then wonders about Laurel's life, and why she's pressing Mia so hard.  She knows Laurel had a really hard time reconciling her life.  Dinah DOES know that the Canaries are needed, and Laurel agrees---but she says they also need the Green Arrow.  

Laurel goes to see Mia at home, and Mia is looking up at a picture of her father.  Laurel tells her about her own bad choices, and making the wrong decisions in life, and struggling to find her own identity.  Mia says she looks up at that picture of her dad, and knowing what he did, she feels she can never live up to his legacy.  Laurel says that she woke Mia up to give her a purpose, a reason in life...to be the Green Arrow.

Mia joins Laurel back at Dinah's, and with the technological help, Mia manages to find out where Bianca is located.  They suit up.  The team then is atop a botanical garden building and they break in, and grab Bianca, rescuing her.  Just as they're about to bail, they are met by Bianca's kidnapper---her ex Trevor.  He's holding the Deathstroke mask.  He dispatches his army of guards against them, and the battle commences.  Since the building has metahuman power dampners, neither Dinah nor Laurel can use their sonic cry.  But that doesn't mean they're not capable of dealing with the guards, as they take them down, while getting Bianca to safety.  They get to the roof, where they plants up there are treated, and are flammable.  Trevor breaks a gas line, ensuring that if he sets it off, the whole roof will go, and they will all go with him.  They try to reason with him, but Mia notices a symbol on Trevor's wrist.  He says that his boss, she can't let them live.  With that, he sets the roof ablaze, and the women all use their grappling hook lines to scale down to the street at the roof explodes.  Everyone's okay, and Bianca is curious as to who the thell these women are.

Bianca is now safe with her family, and Laurel feels that she's going to stick around to ensure the events of 2041 never happen.  Dinah feels like she'll do the hero thing part time, and maybe use her pad as a base of operations.  Mia comes in and says that Trevor was pushed into his dirty dealings by someone.  Laurel apologizes to her, and Mia is okay.  She says that she has found her purpose, and the Green Arrow is here to stay.  She said putting back on the suit felt good.  

She eventually reconnects with JJ, and assures him that she's just been trying to figure out her life, and what to do with it.  She loves him and wants to be with him.  He seems okay with that, and they kiss, seemingly reconciled.  

Dinah and Laurel still chat, and Dinah wants to figure out just WHY she was erased from existence.  She also feels that maybe they should start up their plan about the Canaries again, which intrigues Laurel.  Laurel also informs Dinah as to WHY she came back...showing Dinah about a newspaper article about the city falling apart, and the Green Arrow is to blame, with Mia's picture in the article.  The article reads "The Woman Who Failed Star City".  Laurel is here to prevent that story from happening.

Mia and William are at the statue honoring their father.  They talk about the press wondering who the new Green Arrow is, and discussing their father.  William pulls out the rock that he kept from their dad when he was younger.  Mia teases him about it until she sees the markings on it.  The Mark of Four...which she instantly recognizes was on Trevor's wrist.  However, at that moment, but her and William are hit with tranq darts, and as Mia begins to fade out, she sees a group of dark clad individuals make off with William.  She calls out, but passes out in front of her father's statue.  

JJ arrives at home, looking for Mia, but she's not there.  He is then jumped by a group of dark clad individuals himself, one of which has the ring Cisco made, and tells him to remember.  He's tapped with it, and instantly, his memories as the leader of the Deathstrokes floods back into his head.  He then gets up, his demeanor changed, and recognizes his past as we end the episode.


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We have a bit to unpack here, but I do have to say, it was a pretty good backdoor pilot for the spinoff series, which WILL be called Green Arrow & The Canaires.  It was a pretty good set up, I felt, to get us going when the series actually begins, which I'm sure won't be until the fall of next year...that is, unless, they plan on doing a "soft" short 1st season to see how it goes over with audiences.  That being said, let's break down some things from this next to last episode of Arrow:  

We KNEW we were going to get a different Mia when this episode began.  We now know that she goes by the name Mia Queen, having taken her father's last name, and she's a wealthy socialite...much like her ather was back in the day.  But THIS version of Mia is not into the superhero thing.  Star City has been a peaceful place,and there has been no need for her to suit up.  She's a recent college grad, but seems to have little to no direction in life, other than just being a socialite.  We get the ironic twist that her and Diggle's son JJ are actually dating, and now engaged--though after the events of this episode, I doubt that lasts.  But after Laurel zaps her with the ring, Mia's memories come back, and she spends the episode reconciling with them, as well as still struggling to find her own identity as well as wanting to live up to her father's legacy.  So, I understood Laurel egging her on the whole episode---it was to wake Mia up, and embreace the person she truly is...the Green Arrow.  

It was great to see William, and him being the head of a billion dollar tech company is also not changed.  The only difference is that he and Mia are very close, and very happy to be a part of each other's lives.  They have a tight bond, which we saw grow pre-Crisis.  Now, I surmized that at the end of this episode, prior to his abduction, he knew his sister put on the suit and was back in action.  His abduction by this myserty villain will be interesting as we kick off Mia's story in full swing.  I do believe, however, that he will be right there fillling in Felcity's shoes once the team gets more assembled once the series starts.  

JJ and Connor:  This was intriguing.  JJ being the peacemaker, and lovable fiance and overall good guy, while Connor had just gotten out of rehab.  It's a switch of sorts, seeing as how Connor is the troublemaker it seems.  I wonder how long it will be before Laurel has to zap him, and get him caught up before he's back in action.  I can't see Connor as a villain, it won't work.  However, as we have seen...SOMEBODY with the same ring Laurel had, definitely woke up JJ....and that's gonna spell trouble down the road for Mia.  Someone wanted him woke, and I have NO idea who it might be.  But there IS a wild card to think about:  Bianca's ex Trevor said that his boss was a SHE.  Now...I HAVE to ask this:  We've seen William, Zoe, Connor, JJ, and Mia----where's JJ and Connor's SISTER?  As we saw at the end of CRISIS, John and Lyla got their daughter Sara back.  Now---I had assumed that SHE replaced JJ---but apparently that's NOT the case.  So, I'm wondering---where IS dear little sister?  Could SHE be behind this?  I wonder...

Laurel coming with not only tech Cisco created to get everyone's mind right, but also with news of the future she got from Sarah Lance...about Mia being called out for failing Star City.  It's just like the newspaper article about the Flash disappearing in Crisis...something that had been at the very heart of that show, NOW we have one for the heart of this new show, only now with Mia as the main story.  It's an interesting set up as to how they got Laurel into this, and she's the catalyst for everything that happens this episode.  It's also nice to know that she is still Earth 2 Laurel---not good with feelings, and carries a chip on her shoulder.  But, in pressing hard on Mia, she also seems to have softened up on Ollie, considering she wasn't exactly his biggest fan.  But nonetheless, she made a promise to him and Felicity, and she has kept it.  It's also great to see the bonding that her and Dinah did a few episodes (and 20 years ago), still there.  They have a great dynamic.  Dinah is the den mother of sorts, Mia the hero out front, and Laurel is the smartass with an edge.  

Speaking of Dinah....it seems Crisis corrected ONE thing:  No more scar on her neck ,and she has her Canary Cry back.  I'll say this about Julia Harkavy---great singing voice.  It's a new spin on Dinah, and I like it.  However---what I'm confused about is WHY has Dinah Drake been wiped from existence for the most part?  No trace of her found anywhere.  Dinah's operating with a clean slate and a new lease on life in a way.  But I'm curious as to why there is no trace of her.  She clearly exists, and she was at Ollie's funeral with Laurel and everyone else.  She didn't need a memory reboot, so it comes as a surpise that she's off the map, so to speak.  I'm looking forward to having the gaps in HER story filled out.  

We got mention of Rene as mayor, and we got a Zoe appearance, though we DON'T know if SHE will be zapped by Laurel at some point.  We know Dinah trained Zoe to be a Canary, so I'm wondering if it's only a matter of time.  So, in all of the CRISIS fallout that happens 20 years later, we had a J'Onn J'Onzz reference as Supergirl's friend, and Cisco Ramon, who developed this ring that Laurel and the mystery person used on Mia and JJ, respectively.  Not sure William got it, though.  

Biance Bertinelli---the damsel of distress of this episode.  She is the adopted daughter of Helena Bertinelli--whom we all know as The Huntress, who had been something of a thorn in Ollie's side early on in the series' run.  She's been pretty absent since (I guess it has to do PARTLY with the fact that the DCEU is using Huntress for the Birds of Prey movie, and thus--off limits to the TV series now), is raised by her grandparents I suppose.  But we also know that the Bertinellis were a major crime family in Star City. Seems they're in good standing in this reality, what with donating big bucks to the Vigilante Musem...which I'm VERY curious to see in this show.  Who's in it?  

We certainly got some questions we will need to have answered when the series begins.  But we are set up with a story, and it will be fun to go from there.  

As it stands---we have one final episode of our Emerald Archer...and we're done.

That's it for this next to final installment of our Arrow reviews.  Thanks for checking it out.  Be sure to subscribe, pass the good word, and comment below!

Until our final episode....keep your sights on the bullseye!

BLACK LIGHTING - SEASON 3.10

REVIEW:  BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3, EP. 10:  "The Book of Markovia - Chapter One:  Blessings And Curses Reborn"


Welcome back to Freeland!  It seems that it has not taken long for Jefferson Pierce to get back into the thick of things since his absence with CRISIS.  Since he is about the only one who truly knows what's happened, he's now going to have to adapt to changes that have occurred while he was gone.  The other issue is Jennifer, who had vanished herself prior to the antimatter wave sweeping through their universe.  But now, we're on Earth Prime, and Jefferson is making his way back from the Hall of Justice in Central City (yeah, it's not called that...YET, but I'm calling it NOW), and looking to resolve the mess that has torn his family apart.  

Jefferson is flying home to Freeland as we pick this episode up.  He's trying to contact Gambi, but it's a no-go.  He keeps trying to contact him, and let him know what went on in regards to Crisis.  Meanwhile, Jennifer is trapped in some alternate dimension, shouting out for help, with no one answering.  Jefferson finally gives up on contacting Gambi, and flies through the ASA shield to get home and find out what's going on.  Jen, at this time, tells anyone who may be able to hear that Odell is rotten, and has been using her and her family for his own nefarious means.  She also says that she wants them to know that she loves her family, especially Anissa.  

Jennifer then, somehow, rematerizlies at home, safe and sound.  Just a heartbeat later, her father arrives.  They reconcile, and she tells her dad that he was right about Odell, and that she wants to go and kill him.  Jefferson wants her to slow her roll, and figure out what happened to her sister and her mother.  They go inside, and can't find them.  Jen then wants to go after Odell immediately, but Jefferson reminds her that she has Odell's version of her suit on, and who's to say he hasn't rigged it.  She agrees to go and find her own suit, and Jefferson says they can go after Odell AFTER they have found Lynn and Anissa.  She needs to learn patience.

They finally head to Gambi's, and Jefferson tries to explain that he was in a Crisis, and the multiverse was destroyed and replaced by a new universe.  He said that Jennifer was trapped in an alternate dimension.  Gambi, of course, doesn't believe this, until he scans their outfits, and discovers pieces of antimatter.  However, the conversation gets tabled because an alert comes onto Gambi's coms, and it's Anissa.  She's in the tunnels, and the ASA is closing in on her.  Jefferson opts to go and help her, and tells Jen to go and find her mother, then they'll worry about Odell.  

Speaking of Odell, he's back at the ASA Compound, extremely upset with Major Gray, as to WHY the process of chipping the pod kids in the Pit is going slow. He inquires about Major Williams, and she said he's almost healed from his battle with Black Lightning. She says they're having trouble adapting the kids to the chip, and he's also ticked off about Jennifer's whereabouts.  He wants her found immediately, and wants Gray to speed up the process.  He wants NO excuses.

At the lab Lynn is at, she is trying desperately to synthesize more Green Light to feed her out of control addiction.  She has one final sample in her hand, when Jen walks in.  Startled, Lynn drops the sample, and it shatters on the floor, the sample now lost.  Lynn immediatley rips into Jennifer for causing her to lose the sample.  Jen is obviously concerned.

Blackbird is in the tunnels when she is met by a squad of ASA troops.  She manages to handle most of them, with some blows taken, but she's alright.  Just as she gets up, she has two more guards with her in their laser sights, ready to kill, when they get blasted by lightning.  Black Lightning has arrived to save the day, and he's happy to see her.  When she asks where he's been at, he says it's a long story for later.  She says they need to head to Garfield, because the Resistance is rallying.  

Major Gray goes to see Doctor Blair, Lynn's former assitant until she went missing.  Gray is pressing him to get the serum ready for the pod kids, but he says that Lynn left no notes on how to get them ready, and it wasn't as simple as getting the marrow out of Tobias and synthesizing a serum. And that they're only able to stabalize at about 60 or so percent.  Gray tells him to if he can get it up to 80%, that will be fine.  He says that's 20% that could die---for which Major Gray considers acceptable losses.

TC is in town, trying to find Gambi.  He manages to use his powers to find they key to get into Gambi's shop, and then his powers tell him--since he has control and can "talk" to technology, to where Gambi's hideout is once he gets into the shop.  He manages to find the secret passage, hacks the code, and heads down into the bunker.  There, he sees Gambi's set up.  He's also looking over Gambi's files, to see what he's up to.  

Jen and her mother are catching up in the lab, where Lynn apologizes for snapping at her.  Jen is about to tell her what's going on, when they feel and earthquake.  Lynn wonders where it comes from, and Jen reminds here that there are no fault lines where they're at.  So, Lynn wonders who it is, and Jen figures out that it's Brandon, and tells her mother that her friend is causing it.  Lynn gives her a serum to calm his powers down, and wants her mom to deliver it, but Lynn says she must stay behind to work on this serum.  Jen takes off to go help Brandon.

Jefferson and Anissa are in the tunnels when they feel the earthquake.  Both are confused as to what's going on, and think it's either the ASA or the Markovians, and agree to split up to find out, wanting each to be careful and safe. Jen calls in to her dad, and says she's going to stop the earthquake, Jefferson worries about her, but she tells him she'll be fine, he needs to go and check on Lynn, because she's acting weird.

Jennifer arrives at Brandon's apartment, as the town is shaking, and is tryting to get into the door, when she gets yet another call from Odell on her cell phone.  She ignores it, and manages to get inside.  We then see an unconscious Brandon, his powers going off.  Jen manages to administer the serum her mother had for her, and he mellows out, thus the situation is averted.  Meanwhile, Jeff checks in on Lynn at the lab she was at, and she's not there, but he DOES notice the broken bottle that had Green Light in it, and his visor's scans verify it as such.  Jefferson then calls Gambi to locate Lynn, and he says she's at the house.

Gambi and TC talk about how he managed to find him, and TC said that Gambi left some mechanical devices there, and they led him here.  He also says that the ASA was closing in, and he didn't want to go back into the pod again.  It's here that TC starts to have an anxiety attack, for which Gambi calms him down through a breathing exercise.  Gambi tells him he's got an apartment upstairs that he can use, that the ASA can't find him.  TC is grateful for the generosity.

Lynn is back at home, ransacking the room, desperately trying to find any trace of Green Light left that she can take and/or synthesize and make more.  Jefferson arrives home, and wonders what's going on, and sees that she's going through withdrawls.  She tries to play it off, but he knows better,  He wants to know what she's on, and she says that it's nothing.  She then flips it around as to what HE is supposedly addicted to ...his life as Black Lightning.  He knows a drug addict when he sees one, and wants to get her help but she pushes him away, and locks herself in the bathroom.  He manages to see what she's doing beyond the door with his new vision powers, and breaks the door open, steals what Green Light she has left, and flushes it down the toilet.  She then slaps him.  He stands there, and does not retaliate.  Just then, Henderson calls, and wants him, because they're about to plan the attack on the Pit tonight.  He says he's on his way, but Lynn then darts out.  He tries to go after her, but Henderson calls again and wants him there NOW.

At the ASA, Major Gray is prepping her team to move the pod kids from the Pit, and tells Sgt. Grayle to go and locate Jennifer.  He says he needs more men, and she says his subordinate, Travis, will go with him.  Grayle is curious as to how he has healed so quickly, and Major Gray tells him it doesn't matter.  They take off, and Major Gray chastises Dr. Blair for admiring his handiwork, because he put a chip in Travis' neck.  She also wants Travis programmed to kill Jennifer in case she resists.  

We meet up with the Resistance, who is formulating their battle plan to rescue the pod kids, when Henderson asks Black Lightning for advice, thus undermining Blackbird's plan.  Blackbird and Black Lightning have a private sidebar, and Anissa goes off on her dad for undermining her leadership.  He merely states that Henderson ASKED for his advice, and then she goes off on a feminist diatribe about him not believing in her because she's a woman.  He comments that he questions some of the decisions she's made lately, like taking gang money and upgrading her apartment into a secret hideout.  She feels this is HER thing, and that she CAN lead, and he says he's not looking to stand her way.  She wants his support, and he'll give it, though he may question her motives.  But he reminds her that everyone is counting on her.

TC is still in the bunker, when Gambi's system begins speaking with him again.  He follows the system's advice to search the bunker more, when he discovers Gambi's arsenal, as well as the suits for Black Lightning, Lightning and Thunder.  Gambi comes upon him, and tells him he shouldn't see this.  TC says that the system wanted him to find it, for which Gambi states that it likes TC more than it does HIM.  TC would like a suit of his own, and Gambi says maybe one day, when he's ready.  TC also promises to keep the secret,  He asks Gambi who tried to kill him, and Gambi has had trouble finding out, because all of the information is encrypted andthe money paid off was done through bitcoin, and he can't get a trace.  TC says he can do that all day, so Gambi takes him up on it.

Back at Brandon's, Jennifer gets yet another call from Odell, and she tosses her phone as Brandon wakes up.  He asks what's wrong, and she just says she's dealing with some issues.  He presses her for more information, and she is about to tell him about everything going on, when they are both tranqued by the ASA and taken into custody.

Blackbird is giving a very fiery speech to the Resistance about it being the time to take back Freeland, to stop the ASA once and for all, and to rescue the pod kids.  She says that NO ONE will be left behind.  Everyone's into it and ready, and it's time to head into action.  Jefferson looks on approvingly.

Jennifer and Brandon are in the back of a security van, with power dampeners on, being taken to the ASA.  Jen wakes up, and tries to get the binders off.  Meanwhile, we see that Sgt. Grayle and his soldier Travis are riding up front.  Grayle inquires about why Travis is so quiet.  Travis just stares ahead.  In the back, Jen manages to use her powers enough to break the dampener off, and frees Brandon as well.  Grayle notices that Travis has a control chip in his head, and immediately slams the breaks, stopping the vehicle, and tossing Jen and Brandon around.  They break out of the back, just as an ASA vehicle pulls up and agents get out with weapons drawn.  Jen and Brandon use thier powers to beat them back.  Travis, now in kill mode, tries to take down Jen, but Sgt. Grayle knocks him out, and ends the threat.  

At the Pit, we see the ASA moving the pod kids out, ready to transport them elsewhere.  One of the Resistance members is disguised as an electrician, and alerts the group that the time is now to move.  He hops into the truck, and busts through the gate, causing a distraction, and allowing the team access to the Pit.  The agents quickly start ushering the pod kids back inside, and Blackbird arrives on the scene, punching a hole in the wall, and beginning to take down agents, as the team outside does battle with the rest of the guards on site.  Black Lightning shows up to provide backup, and they manage to disable the guards.  Blackbird and Black Lightning begin ushering the kids out in a hurry.  They come to a fork in the hallway, where it's either left or right.  Black Lightning suggests left, Blackbird suggests right.  He takes her lead, and they end up confronted by more guards.  Black Lightning provides cover long enough for her to get the kids out, and then they shut the power down, ending the threat.  

TC is continuing to find out who ordered Gambi killed, when he starts to fade a little.  He's getting weaker and exerting himself.  Gambi advises him that he needs a break from technology.  To be more interactive with humans.  To tap into the humanity part of being human.  That inclues eating.  Gambi goes to make him a sandwich, as TC continues to work. 

We check back in with Black Lightning and Blackbird, and she admits her mistake.  But Jefferson reminds her that a good leader admits to their mistake.  They make up, and Henderson jokes with them about it.  

TC has finally gotten traction, and seems to have found out who wanted Gambi dead, but before he can inform Gambi, he passes out.  Gambi comes in and sees him on the floor.  Gambi says for him to rest, and he knows who to call for help.  We also see the end result of TC's search as to who hired the hit on Gambi---Lady Eve!

Jefferson returns home, and there's no Lynn there.  He sees the entire room just tossed to pieces.  Knowing she has an issue, but she's nowhere to be found.

We get to Jennifer and Brandon again, who are hiding out near the ASA.  Jennifer is looking to end this whole situation tonight.  She comes across a car, and the window rolls down, where we see Odell.  She says she isn't working for him anymore, and he warns her that's a bad idea.  She goes to blast him, but it's nothing more than a hologram.  He says they'll meet again, and the car speeds off.  When Brandon asks who that was, Jennifer replies "The Devil" as the episode ends.


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Well...as I stated at the top synopsis, it did NOT take us long to get right back into the thick of things once Jefferson got back from Central City.  While there are STILL some questions in regard to CRISIS that have happened that were not addressed, we KNOW there will be some effects that are shown down the road.  But for the most part, Jefferson is right back into the thick of his mess with the ASA, the Markovians, and even his own family...mostly Lynn.  


We DO know the usual things about post-Crisis:  The world at large as NO IDEA there was a multiverse, and even Gambi found it hard to believe until he discovered the particles of antimatter on both Jefferson AND Jennifer.  Outside of that, it seems like nothing has really changed.  The war between the ASA and the Markovians for the pod kids is still an issue, Freeland is under martial law, and Odell is running everything.  What we DO know is that Jennifer was trapped in an alternate dimension while Crisis was happening, so while she seemed "destroyed" by the antimatter, she wasn't.  She seemed outside the realm of the Anti-Monitor's reach.  She just managed to pop back onto Earth.  So, it only looks like Jennifer and Jefferson are the only ones who knew of any alternate Earths.  Though I DO admit it was kind of funny how Jefferson was trying to talk to Gambi, and he said the "whole Superman thing is real".  Having met the actual Man of Steel himself.  

Jennifer finally found some direction, and understood after her nightmare scenario with the alternate Jens, that Odell had been corrupting her.  She is now on a hellbent mission to destroy him.  And while Jefferson preached patience to her, she ended up having to fend off his goons anyway when they captured her and Brandon.  She has now made her mission to end Odell personal.  And I feel Brandon's going to be part of the fight...whether he likes it or not.

Sgt. Grayle from the episode where they had the showdown at the apartment building, returned, and found out that his own soldier was given Green Light and a chip modifier, thus making him a threat.  Not something he signed on board for.  So, kudos to him for stopping his own soldier before he killed Jen.  I feel that Sgt. Grayle himself has now switched sides in this conflict.  He'll come in handy, seeing as he knows ASA protocol.  

Anissa and Jefferson's conflicts continued this episode, with her feeling like he's undermining her ability to lead the Resistance.  He just questions the various methods she's used to win over the city.  But, he steps aside to let her inspire and lead the Resistance.  She appreciates the support, and she shows he's proud of her at the end.  Which allows the healing bond to happen.  They need to be a united front.  Jefferson now has his daughters back on his side...he just needs to save Lynn.

As we see, Lynn is now in the grips of Green Light, and her actions are a reflection of it.  While it has enhanced her intelligence, it's made her a full blown addict.  And she acts as any addict would...especially while going through withdrawls.  Desperation, anxiety, anger, nervousness...and they all come out to play this episode.  She's fidgety and desperate to get the serum made, she shows anger at Jen when Jen surprises her, and she drops the bottle with the serum in it.  She shows even MORE anger and deflects her addiction back into Jefferson's face, calling him out on his "addiction" to play superhero.  She's got anxiety because she craves more, and she's desperate when she can't seem to find more of the pills.  She took off before Jefferson could get her help, and now we have NO idea where she is.  

I think that, despite his calm demeanor at the end of the episode towads Jen...the cracks in Odell's armor is showing.  For someone with little to no emotional stake, he's visibly upset because his plan is beginning to fall apart.  Major Gray (whom I've called Grace a couple of times, my bad), has been the recipient of that anger.  I am VERY curious to see what Odell's breaking point will be.  But the facade is coming down, and he's none too happy.  

One question that DOES get me, though:  TC found out that Lady Eve put the hit out on Gambi.  Now...last I checked, Lady Eve was dead.  Has CRISIS reset things, and she's alive, or was this a hit on him some time ago, and was only recently carried out?  I'm very curious to have them answer this one.  I wouldn't mind Lady Eve back...she's a good villain to have for the show outside of Odell and Tobias.

Lots of action in this one, lots of plot movement forward.  I feel this story is beginning to pick up pace, and we haven't even seen a Tattoo Man sighting in awhile, and Tobias was noticably absent from this episode.  Guess he wasn't needed at this time.  Either way, it was a nice balance, and this show continues to deliver on the goods.  I'm really impressed with the pacing and storytelling.  Everyone's hitting it out of the park in their roles.  Now...I wonder how long before we get another superhero from the League (yeah, I'm calling it the League, sue me!), to show up in Freeland?  Jefferson's got teammates now...so it's only a matter of time.

And welcome to the Arrowverse, Black Lightning!  It's about damn time!

That's it for this week.  Remember to subscribe and pass the word along about my little home on the web here.  And feel free to leave comments...DYING to hear from you all!

Until next week...the power is OUT!

SUPERGIRL - SEASON 5.10

REVIEW:  SUPERGIRL - SEASON 5, EP. 10:  "The Bottle Episode"


Things are most certainly different Post-CRISIS.  We just experienced that on Batwoman, and now we dive into the Girl of Steel's side of things, to see what's going on in National City since the creation of Earth Prime.  We DO know that Lex is now running Luthorcorp once again, and just won the Nobel Peace Prize.  But, let's face it, when is a villain NOT a villain?  He's also now in control of the DEO.  Kara is now trying to fit back into her life since the Crisis---knowing everything that happened.  She has serious adjustments to make, and how will she make them.  It's a strange new world, so let's see how the Maid of Might fares out...


We open up with a voiceover of Lex, talking about the threats to the world, and how the DEO battles it.  We see Supergirl standing with Lex in a commercial spot, promoting the organization.  Then we see Kara and Alex strolling through National City, and Kara is openly disgusted with the ad, as is Alex, since J'Onn restored her memories of everything Pre-Crisis.  Most all of the heroes have had their memories restored, and know Lex is not playing on the level.  The conversation then turns to Lena, whom Kara still needs to tell the truth about her double life to.  Alex feels that in this Earth-Prime, her and Supergirl are friends, so she thinks Kara shouldn't rock the boat.

Speaking of Lena, we see her wake up in her office at Luthorcorp.  She remembers everything that had happened in the Crisis, and Lex says that they have a fresh start to work together.  Since Lex is now the "good guy", no one cant touch them, and they can work together.  She is still working off the shock that he is alive, and he says that he could have killed her, but didn't.  Lena isn't buying into it, though.  He then mentions Miryad and her failure of a plan.  He says no matter what she does, she'll meet resistance from Kara.  She isn't your friend.  Lena responds to his failures, and that Leviathan had him on a string.  Lex then says he has no idea who or what Leviathan is.

We head back into town, where Nia and Brainy are out for a couple's stroll, and they are chatting when Brainy goes to get yogurt for Nia.  He hears the vendor call out his name, But the man in front of him takes it, and Brainy goes to stop him, and as he turns theman around...it's a nother version of him!  Brainy then wrestles with this doppleganger, until Nia stops them.  

Supergirl takes a trip to Luthorcorp to try to appeal to Lena, but Lena is quick to inform her that she remembers everything that happened pre-Crisis, and she STILL hasn't forgiven Kara for betraying her.  Kara says that she knows Lena is a good person, and trying to do right by the world, and if they worked together, they could do some real good.  Lena snidely responds that Lex sold her the same bill of goods.  Kara warns Lena to be careful when it comes to Lex, and she flies off.

Both Brainys arrive at the DEO, and Alex is trying to figure out what's going on. Then, out of nowhere, MORE Brainiacs show up, including a female.  It appears that they came from a wormhole in space. One of them, strangely enough, starts looking like he's fading out, in pain, and telling them to NOT open the bottle.  Once things get settled, they're all in the lab, and one of them has fallen dead to something called the Anti-Life Equation, for which one of the Brainys explain is a techno-organic virus.  As they continue to figure out HOW they arrived on Earth-Prime, Lex calls Alex and Supergirl into his office.  He says that he wants a "peaceful" co-existence.  He sells them on the idea that they all can have what they want.  But Supergirl is wise to Lex, as is Alex.  Lex, however, says that they can essentially work with him  and co-exist in a peaceful manner, or things are gonna get ugly.  He asks about the whereabouts of the Anti-Monitor, to which Alex says that there has been no trace of him.  They also have no idea of the whereabouts of Leviathan, either--as he asked.  

Andrea Rojas is at CatCo, talking to her Obsidian employees about the new VR Lenses, and how they can better increase sales, when the woman from Leviathan shows up.  Andrea introduces her as Jemma Cooper, her mentor.  After the employees, including Kelly, are dismissed, Andrea and Jemma have a talk about how they can increase the lenses by offering complete virtual reality.  Being able to travel the world, and do things without leaving your home.  Andrea is excited about the idea.  

Back at the DEO, another Brainy has become afflicted with the Anti-Life Equation, and the one Brainy manages to ease his pain.  Brainy-Prime, however, can't seem to do much about it, because he's limited by what he can do.  One of the other Brainys manages to figure out where they came out of the wormhole to.  A bar named Al's.  Supergirl, Brainy-Prime, and another Brainy head over there to get some answers. They know the multiverse is gone, but someone is apparently out there trying to kill them.  Once there, Supergirl bumps into the 3 witches that had created Reign, but they're from a different Earth.  They ask to read the palms of Brainy and of Supergirl, but she's defensive about it.  The witches go on elsewhere in the bar, and Supergirl and the Brainys split up to find the clues as to how they got there.

Lena visits her mom at the Luthor Foundation.  She drops the deal about what Lex said, and actually wants to enlist her mother for help.  Her mother says she's got a good thing here, why change it up.  She goes on to tell Lena that with Supergirl, she allows herself to get emotional, and she gets hurt.  She says with Lex, however, you know you can't trust him, but she doesn't have to have an emotional attatchment to it.

While all of this is going down, Alex has taken the time to have a sit down with J'Onn about her status with the DEO.  She knows that Lex is pulling something, and she feels it's a huge conflict of interest.  She doesn't know what to do.  J'Onn simply tells her that while things change, she can still folllow her heart and do what SHE feels is right.

At the DEO, Lex's leaves his office for something, and the Female Brainy sneaks in, and starts looking over his laptop.  She discovers he's looking into Leviathan.  She then locates Brainy-Prime, and asks him about why he wears the inhibtors.  He talks of when he was younger, and he loved the snow, so his mother shrunk a whole world of snow for him.  His father was terrified at what she had done, so, he took the world away from Brainy, and he was upset.  Fearing the worst, his father put inhibitors on him to prevent him from committing an evil act.  She responds that it disconnects him from the Big Brain, and that it's limiting his potential.  He says he wears it to protect the ones he loves.  She says that she had someone she loved once, but she died.  However, she's a part of the Big Brain, and this Brainy feels like she's never gone from her.  

Nia discovers the emotional Brainy in  the lab looking for something, when he finds a world in a bottle.  She then realizes that everything was a ruse, and that this was HIS ultimate goal.  He said he bottled his world before the antimatter wave hit it, and it wound up here.  He wants the key to open it, but Nia isn't about to let him get away.  They end up fighting, and Dreamer goes down.  She manages to contact Supergirl and Brainy-Prime, and they head back to the DEO just in time to rescue her, but the Evil Brainy escapes through a portal.  They know he was looking for the key to open it, but Supergirl had destroyed it some time ago.  

Nia is getting looked over, when the Female Brainy says that Evil Brainy piggybacked off Brainy-Prime in order to hide his true inentions from everyone.  He wanted to get the key to open it, but without it, he's looking for alternate means.  They all realize that he's going to use the witches to open up the bottle, and they race back to Al's Bar.

Jemma continues to discuss her plans with Andrea about creating a complete VR world for everyone, where literally, they live in the VR environment.  Bringing the homes into Obsidianm, as to the other way around, according to Jemma.  She says it will increase the stock of the company, to which Andrea is quite pleased at the notion.  They feel they can change the world.

Supergirl has a 1 on 1 with Brainy, and he recounts his life to her in regards to his mother shrinking a world for him, and his father terrified that he might turn out like her.  Supergirl says that even if the took the inhibitors off, they would still love him, and fight for him regardless.  He's about to go to Al's Bar alone, but Supergirl insists on coming with him.

At the bar, the witches are working their magic to try and open the seal on the bottle, thus releasing the world inside.  Supergirl, Brainy Prime, and Dreamer arrive so spoil the party.  As the ladies battle the witches, Brainy Prime goes after Evil Brainy.  Evil Brainy feels that his world should survive but if he opens the bottle, his world and Earth would be destroyed.  He wants to know why this world lives, and his world dies.  Brainy Prime gets knocked away into a wall, and one of his inhibitors breaks.  Dreamer goes to see him, and lets him know that it's okay.  Just be himself.  He removes the inhibitors, while Supergirl is busy trying to crack the magical shield they put up, while they continue to try and open the bottle.  Brainy is now back to his green self, and he breaks through the magic wall, and takes them down.  He looks upon his doppleganger, and says that he doesn't have to lose his world.  They will find someplace where it can be relocated, then expanded.  The witches, realzing that a possibility exists for then to get back to THEIR home world, agree to go with this not so evil Brainy into the bottle where his world is, until they can bring it back to the world.  

The remaining two Brainys converse with Brainy Prime.  They said that their devices on them keep them in contact with the Big Brain, as he too will now be able to live up to his potential.  The female Brainy says that they will be in the devices, and always be with him.  But the only reason she stayed behind was to warn him about Lex finding out about Leviathan.  She says that in order for this world to be saved, Brainy MUST work WITH Lex.  She also advises him that he has to break it off with Nia.  She then wishes him well, and dissolves into the devices that now make up Brainy's new outfit.  

Lex returns to Luthorcorp in a last ditch effort to get Lena to his side.  To show he's being sincere in his plan, he takes the alien that makes you tell the truth, and confesses that he wants Lena to be on his team, and she says only until he has no use for her, and he answers truthfully, "yes".  But he says that he doesn't want to be alone, and he wants to share her plans, and his, together.  She shakes his hand and agrees.

Brainy shows up at Nia's, and he says he feels whole now, more like himself.  But he says things need to change.  He informs her that he cannot see her anymore.  She wonders just who he is, and he replies that he is himself.

At a press conference announcing Lena's partnership with Lex, Kara sees William, and they have a chat.  Turns out, William is NOT on board the Lex Train.  He says Lex made an offer to his best friend for his comnpany, and his friend refused.  Next thing he found out, was that his friend was killed.  Kara wonders if he has proof, and he doesn't.  He said that's why he is undercover at CatCo, to get the truth.  He says the Luthors MUST be stopped, but Kara tells him that Lena is the good one...and that she has no idea what she's getting into.  Over on the other side of the gathering, Lex and his mother are conversing, saying how good it was to get Lena on their side.  Lex said it was easy.  She remarks that it was so easy to take over the last world, why should they have a problem taking over this one.

At the DEO, Brainiac 5 visits Lex, and lets him know that Supergirl, Alex, and the others will betray him.  But he will work WITH him.  Lex wants to know all about Leviathan, but it seems the information is with somebody from the future.  He holds up a picture, and it's Winn.  

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Welcome back yet again to our Post-Crisis installment of Supergirl.  I will admit, this episode had some interesting twists in it, and a fascinating plot moving forward.  Guggenheim said that there was going to be some serious fallout from Crisis.  He wasn't kidding.  It was one thing to have the Beth from (supposedly, maybe?), and alternate world, show up at Kate's office in Gotham, but having Brainiac 5 fulfill his full potential, become the more familiar green skinned Brianiac 5 we all know is cool, but I also fear that he can become THE Brainiac...the evil version that has battled Superman many, many times.  I wonder if this is where we're going with him.  It's certainly something to thing about as the season pushes forward.  His teaming up WITH Lex is going to create QUITE a stir with Team Supergirl.  I have a feeling that Kara, Alex, and Nia are now on an island against Lex.  At some point, I expect Kelly to be involved as well, because she's with Alex.  

Speaking of Alex, she only had a non speaking part in this episode, but did anyone notice how they specifically focused on HER, as Andrea was talking to Jemma Cooper?  I think Kelly smells something fishy in the water.  I look forward to HER putting the clues together.  And FINALLY---after all this time, we get Leviathan's lady friend's name:  Jemma Cooper.  Took them long enough.  Her idea for bringing the world into VR plays right into Leviathan's plans on eliminating the human element from the planet---sort of.  If humanity is stuck in a perpetual VR reality, they can't harm the planet---I think that's where this plan is going.  

Brainy was the focus this episode, as it dives into his past, what and why he got the inhibitors on his head, and his eventual growth as a character---with this shocking new twist.  As I said---what if he becomes the true Brainiac that will go on to plague Superman time and again?  Him working with Lex feels that way.  Especially a good nod to their team up in the comics.  Our Kryptonians will have to tread carefully (yes, I'm going to include Superman here, because I have a STRONG feeling he's going to get involved before it's all said and done.  Plus...good way to backdoor pilot HIS show, like their doing on Arrow with Green Arrow & The Canaries.  But Brainiac 5 looked cool in his new duds and look.  I dig it.  

One thing that HASN'T changed:  Kara's relationship with Lena.  Still ice cold, and no chance of reconciliation.  But yet---despite Lena pushing her away, and expressing her literal disgust with her, Kara refuses to give up on her.  Again, it goes back to what they said about this season:  it's a battle for Lena's soul.  Lena felt lured into a false sense of trust by Team Supergirl, before that Andrea.  She feels she can trust no one other than herself.  But she still has family - Lex and their mother.  And both of THEM are doing a good job of pulling HER strings.  Or is it the other way around?  There is ZERO trust among the Luthor clan, and I feel that it will be their eventual undoing.  I see a huge chess game being played between them subtlely.  I know Lex is always two steps ahead of everyone else, but I won't count out Lena yet.  At the end, as Lena accepted her brother's agreement, and had the press conference, it was interesting to see that William wasn't too keen on Lex.  That got Kara's attention, and I feel we're going to see them two team up in order to take Lex down.  So, don't be surprised to see more Kara Danvers, ace reporter segments on the show with William.  

I felt so bad for Nia this episode.  My heart breaks for her, and should the time come at the end of the season where she must fight Brainiac 5, she's going to have a difficult road doing it.  But I'm hoping she'll bounce back and pull through.  She's tougher than she looks.

Who here found it NO surprise when Lex was discussing info about Leviathan, he shows a picture of Finn as the one who has all the answers?  I was a tiny bit.  But what version of Finn IS this?  Is this our same Finn, or is he radically different.  Either way, Lex wants to tap his brain of his big time.  But happy for ANY time we get with Finn.  

Finally...Alex's quiery about her status with the DEO, working for Lex, and so on.  Her going to J'Onn is like watching Barry go to Joe with advice.  J'Onn has been that father figure to Alex that she has needed since Jeremiah had disappeared.  He IS the wizened sage of the team.  But I don't know if Alex will continue to work on the inside and help Kara out, or she'll quit altogether.  Will be curious to see what her decision is.  

It was a good episode to get us jumpstarted into the 2nd half of the season.  Business looks to be picking up, and I don't think Earth Prime will be the same.  Also...don't be surprised if we get more quasi-crossover goodness with a Justice League appearance.  I'm on board for that!

Oh, and your "Easter Egg" this week:  This episode name is from a story from the Superman books, where Brainiac has shrunk the Kryptonian city of Kandor, when he was going around collecting things for his knowledge.  Whether or not Kandor will ever appear or be mentioned, I am not sure.  

Okay, gang, that's all for this week.  Just remember to subscribe, pass the word along, leave a comment or two, and don't forget to check back next week for my thoughts on the upcoming episode.

Until next week...Up, up, and away!