Damien's Shadow #3 Update

What's up, my metal mages? I know it has been a minute since Issue 2 dropped. I want to thank everyone that helped contribute to our kickstarter to make it a success. With your help, I was able to spread my darkness into 5 countries across the world!

After a mental break and clearing up some technical issues; (my computer crashed after a hurricane last Fall) we are diving into Issue 3. If you thought things were starting to get weird in issue 2, just wait until you see the chaos that I have planned. The world of Damien's Shadow is a shrapnel bomb which is about to explode. We are going to ramp up the tension, make some shocking revelations and take some unexpected, twisting turns.

Issue 3 picks up right where 2 left off. The demonic prison Riot at Brickview Penitentiary serves as the front line of civilization. Implications of impending doom cloud the air and The Omega Crown is trying to keep things from spiraling out of control.

Marc Olivent is going to continue his run of fantastic, stylized art for the series and we couldn't be more excited. He's coming fresh off of another awesome book and is ready to get his hands bloody with your favorite D.S. characters.

As always, if you are an Artist/Writer/Creator/Colorist looking to showcase your work with Atomic Rotation or just provide some insight or exposure; feel free to reach out to us through our contact page.

Keep evolving,

A. Bones

Why Humans Swear Part 2

Hello again my fellow companions. Matthew Thomas here, I will now continue where I left off in my tale. Where was I? Oh yes! I know, we got to the part where the word "Crap" was invented, a most splendid story indeed. We talked about the fearsome shrimp boat captain Matthew Thomaa's Schnidlerson and his boat The Clamm. Well it all started in the middle of the summer of 1487, Captain Schnidlerson, (we'll go by his nickname "Fearless") walked out onto the poop deck of his shrimp boat. It was 8:05 am, and the sea was calm. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight. He saw one of his fellow shrimp mates slacking off, not doing his job. Fearless walked over to Niles "Stumpy" Rutherson and blew up his spot. Stumpy had a tendency to not do what he was told, so Fearless always had to give him a talking to. Fearless caught him playing Rocks and Twigs, a game that was banned on The Clamm, he immediately picked Stumpy up and yelled at him. What happened at this point is very vague, there are so many varieties of stories about this situation that it is almost impossible to interpret which one is the real one. I'll explain it the way I was told it instead.

Fearless walked over to Stumpy and demanded to know why he was playing Rocks And Twigs, an exchange of words occurred. Stumpy got fed up and started to pick up his rocks and looked at Fearless in a very evil manner. Fearless knew something was going on with Stumpy, for he was foaming at the mouth. Stumpy retreated to the crow’s nest and immediately looked down at Fearless while screaming gibberish. Now what happened next is true, for it is in every rendition of this story. Fearless, looking up at Stumpy in the Crows Nest noticed he was about ready to unleash his first barrage of rocks onto his face. Fearless, seeing the first rock released from Stumpy’s hand immediately blurted out the first thing he could think of:

"Craaaaaaaap!!!!!!!" Fearless screamed!

It was at that point in time, that a storm came over The Clamm on the Atlantic Ocean. The crew of The Clamm was in trouble as they realized they might have to be subject to a disaster at sea with the boat sinking, this storm was way too powerful for the boat to handle...

Why Humans Swear Part 1

It has recently come to my attention that 95% of the American population has a case of Trucker Mouth. That's alright, I have potty mouth too, and if you don't you're probably a very boring individual. In my travels around the world, I've noticed that the only real people that ever swear are us Americans, and why is that? Well the answer is simple my friends. Swearing makes us feel empowered, because the word "Poop" isn't quite as powerful as the word "Shit". I personally like using the word Sentence Enhancer to describe a swear word, as thanks to Spongebob Squarepants. Anyway, when I was down in Texas last week I visited the international Museum Of Curse Words. I learned the entire history of swear words, dating back to the year 1487. The first swear word invented was the word "Crap". Yes, you probably think that is rubbish. It is not. Back in the day, "Crap" was the equivalent of the word we like using today by the name of "Fuck". If you were a kid back in the late 1400's and said the word "Crap", you were expected to enjoy a nice beating from your parents. Mothers would slap their kids mouths, while fathers would beat them with a belt. Sure "Crap" doesn't sound like much today. It's better than using the word "Fuck", where you would probably expect a spanking nowadays. Maybe not quite to the extent of a beating. Hell, I remember when I was a wee lad and I said the word "Ass" in front of my dad, he had no problem making my anus a punching bag.

Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering how the word "Crap" got invented. Well that is quite the tale my friend, a tale that I will most certainly tell. It all started in the middle of the Atlantic ocean on a shrimp boat named The Clamm during the summer of 1487. It's captain was a fierce leader. A leader no man would ever dare go up against. A leader who was feared among all the other shrimp boat captains in that day. He went by the name Matthew Thomaa's "Fearless" Schnidlerson. It all started July 22nd 1487, Captain Schnidlerson was having a rough day fishing, his frustration levels hit a new peak.

Am I boring you yet? I better not be, for there is much to tell. I will stop for now, we'll take break and I will continue this story sometime soon.

Highly Recommended: Orphan Black by T. S. Jones

Imagine walking around downtown on your way to a subway platform ready to go home and the craziest thing you could ever think of happens. Being half a foot away from the mirror image of yourself who proceeds to jump in front of a moving train.

That happened to Sarah Manning…

This is how the BBC Original Series begins the journey we take with the con artist who only wanted to return to her daughter’s life and start fresh. What she would soon find out is her world is much bigger than she thought. Noticing that this mystery woman left her belongings on the platform, Sarah takes it upon herself to assume her identity. On the surface what harm could it be right? Not really, if there was an identity NOT to steal; it would be this woman’s.

It turns out that the woman who chose to take the train in a more unconventional way, is a woman named Beth Childs who was a cop for the for the city of East York in Toronto, Canada. She came upon a discovery that she wasn’t the person she grew to become. One could imagine that Beth felt overwhelmed with the information she obtained and didn’t want to process it any longer. Sarah, through the contents in Beth’s purse, learns about her doppelganger’s life; including a fabulous home & a hot boyfriend. Sarah on the other hand, comes from a life of being a foster child to Siobhan along with her foster brother/best friend Felix who she lovingly nicknamed Fe (or Fee, depending on the how the viewer interprets this).

Felix is an artist who is beyond comfortable with this sexuality. Ever the expressive, he has no filters and makes sure everyone around him is aware of it. That’s a part of his charm, not to mention the big heart he has for those he cares about the most. Thankfully for Sarah, he has no problem in helping her get Kira back and start a new life as well as finding out more about this newfound, yet strangely unique, extended circle of friends. Despite this being a shock to her system, Sarah seems rather well adjusted in processing the fact that there may be others who look like her. While working on assuming the identity of Beth Childs, Sarah & Fe would learn that Beth is the beginning of one of the craziest webs of deception brought upon in the name of science.

I present to you…The Clone Club!

Allison Hendrix

Allison is a suburban soccer mom, Allison can be considered the mother hen of the doppelgangers. She’s a strong type A person – a place for everything and everything in it’s place. Allison is more wound up than a pocket watch. As much as she hated to process the fact that she was a clone, Allison would become the resourceful one in the group. While it wasn’t expressed as much, it would be easy to say that she was more relatable to Beth; the closest to a real sister she could possibly have. Beth may have also taken Allison more seriously than Cosima did. And yet, she has a wild side that not only humanizes her; her husband Donnie seems to rock with it.

Finest Moment: During her campaign speech for school trustee, Allison lets her guard down and truly speaks from her heart & won over the audience in the end. It seems that the growing bond within the sister circle has been an empowering influence on her personality.

Cosima Nichaus

The super geek of Clone Club, Cosima has a scientific mind that would impress Stephen Hawkins & Nikola Tesla. Despite her quick intellectual thinking, she does know how to have fun and let loose. She crosses paths with a fellow intellect name Delphine who she became very drawn to. They connect while going to a speaking engagement featuring a popular scientist Dr. Aldous Leekie – there’s an interesting subplot with that one. Sensing a possible opening to becoming more than friends, Cosima gives a surprising kiss to Delphine. To put it plainly, Cosima is out and proud of her sexuality. Her best friend is Scott, another student who later became her right hand; he had her back no matter what.

Finest Moment: Getting her grove on at Felix’s art show dancing on a portrait of Rachel Duncan, the Queen Bitch of the Dyad Institute. She brought up a couple of drag queens & Scott to join in. It really exudes the beautiful spirit she has. Besides, who wouldn’t want to party with Cosima, yeah?

Helena

Having grown up at a church orphanage in the Ukraine, Helena is not actually a clone; she’s Sarah’s biological twin sister. Their initial meeting is not one to tell friends at dinner parties that’s for sure. She has the mannerisms of a highly skilled assassin and a heart full of love. She, it would come as a surprise to her other “sestras”, is excellent with children; they really do take to her. She had quite a terrible upbringing in the orphanage; primarily due to catching a nun in the act of loving herself. She was put in solitude and this same nun bleached her hair with actual bleach. Hence the blonde hair and the frigid look that continued when an opposition of science named Tomas took her under his wing. That’s something to check out for sure.

Finest Moment: While impersonating Donnie’s wife Allison, Helena wasn’t too pleased to hear drug supplier Pouchy’s niece threaten the Hendrix’s children; not to mention holding the cannister with her harvested eggs as collateral. The result, Helena took matters in her own hands ensuring they wouldn’t be bothered by him or his people again. It was an epic moment.

And then there’s…

Rachel Duncan

While not a member of the Clone Club, Rachel was presented as a cold calculating bitch; that’s putting it lightly to be honest. She would eat, sleep and breathe the Dyad Institute from when she was a young girl having been raised primarily by Dr. Aldous Leekie. She began to take much interest in the clones upon finding out that Sarah had Kira naturally. Rachel may come across as someone who runs the entire ship at Dyad but that’s not entirely accurate. She does conduct much business for the organization, but she has her limits and there are people behind the curtain to make sure she doesn’t forget that. She protected her heart so much that she failed to understand real understanding. She wanted order and nothing else; unless it were to raise her arousing level behind closed doors.

Finest Moment: All I can say about Rachel’s finest moment is that it’s one where it was out of pure empathy. A chance to do a good deed if you will. Unfortunately, it was too little too late.

There were some other clones in Canada that Beth either reached out to or were found by Cosima with the help of Scott. I like to call them Honorary Clone Members. The following is a brief description of said members:

Krystal Goderitch

A self-proclaimed fashionista with a large following on her YouTube channel, Krystal is not just a pretty face. She, along with her friend Brie, use their YouTube platform to tell their subscribers some of the dangers in various cosmetic products. While she is made aware of the cloning situation, Krystal can still be on the oblivious side that shows her as someone who is loving her life while masking her intelligence with the self-confident beauty; her attitude has bite as well.

Tony Sawicki

Formally known as Antoinette, Tony is a transgender male who is a career thief and was one of the first people Beth reached out to after discovering she was one of the clones. He didn’t stick around after meeting Felix and Sarah; they insisted that he moves out of the city for his safety.

MK

Perceived to be a hardcore conspiracy theorist, MK had her finger on the pulse of this madness that became their lives. She was careful with whom to trust when it came to the girls. Sarah was someone since Beth that she felt comfortable enough to talk with…eventually. MK helped to piece a lot of things together for the girls; giving them a broader understanding of Dyad Institute as well as the Leda and Prometheus clones.

Along with the clones from around the world, there were some other great and yet interesting supporting characters. For instance, Detective Arthur “Art” Bell who was Beth’s partner that was woven into the Clone Club and discovered he gained an extended family. Siobhan aka Mrs. S wasn’t just a foster mother to Sarah & Felix as stated earlier, she was a resistance fighter in her day and stayed in contact with some who were still active while under the radar so to speak. Donnie, Allison’s very supportive husband whose genuine love for his wife extended to her growing family. And Delphine, who started out at as a mole for Neolution who eventually fell for Cosima while in grad school at the University of Minnesota.

And we cannot forget Vic….

Known properly as Victor Schmidt, Vic is Sarah’s annoying ex and former con partner who was beyond the borderline of being obsessed with her. So much so that he was willing to go against some of the most dangerous people who on the surface wouldn’t seem like much of a challenge. Case in point – Vic thought he could take on Paul and get Sarah back; think again Vic. There are a lot of comical moments in this series and Vic had many of them.

These clones (Project Leda) were impressively played by Tatiana Maslany and has presented what could be called one of the greatest jobs to have as an actor. In saying that I mean that in one show she has shown she can play various personalities. So, should the question of whether she can play a certain part or not, the answer is found in this show. She rightfully won a Leading Actress Emmy in 2016 for her work on this hit Sci-fi/Drama that I found to be not only entertaining; innovating as well.

This show has developed a strong following that’s very comparable to that of The Walking Dead. So much so, it spanned a limited comic book series published by IDW Publishing as part of their "Deviations" series. Meaning they put a spin on the detailed back stories on the clones as well as the events at Helsinki; you’ll have to check out the show to find out more on that.

Orphan Black is a who’s-who’s show for Sci-fi fans as there are many familiar faces from other shows seen over the years in this long-standing genre. You can find the series on Amazon Prime (Seasons 1-4 are available with a Prime Membership – Season 5 is available for purchase), Google Play, iTunes, other streaming providers for purchase or you can add the complete series to your DVD/Blu-Ray library. If you consider yourself a true Sci-fi fan and love seeing a visual story being told in a way that it leaves a lasting impression worthy to be part of a nerdom conversations, I highly recommend the BBC Original Series Orphan Black.

That’s my opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

DC Brings Justice to the Big Screen by T. S. Jones

*SPOILER ALERT* – If you haven’t seen the Justice League film yet, you may want to wait until you have before reading this article. Should you choose to proceed, understand there are some telling details from the feature.

Just in time for the holiday season, DCEU brings together some of their legendary heroes together from the page of the iconic comic to the movie theaters in Justice League. Gal Gadot & Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill reprises their roles as Wonder Woman, Batman & Superman respectively. The film takes place after Superman dies and how everyone has moved on with their lives. Bruce Wayne is still defending the city of Gotham, Diana continues her work at the museum in Paris and Lois Lane is doing puff pieces at the Daily Planet.

They go up against a foe that to me, is more menacing than Ares was in Wonder Woman. He is a deadly alien named Steppenwolf who is hellbent on dominating the universe by obtaining the Mother Boxes that have been hidden and protected throughout the world. When Bruce & Diana start to notice different signs of the common problem, they join forces and he decides to venture out and gather together a few more extraordinary people to join the cause which is saving the world of someone who claims to bring death to all mankind.

The newest movie from DC Films brought about a great mix of action, drama and comedy; the latter coming mostly from Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash. Speaking of The Flash, there is some mention of his back story regarding his father Henry being in prison for the murder of his wife; a crime Barry knows he didn’t commit. He has devoted his life to proving Henry’s innocence and refuses to give up despite his father’s wishes to do so.

Jason Momoa comes on the screen basically larger than life as Arthur Curry aka Aquaman when Bruce Wayne makes a pilgrimage to Iceland in the search for the underwater King who Bruce claims “can talk to fish”. While the aquatic royal isn’t convinced to join the cause lead by a man who “dresses like a bat”, a catastrophic event in his underwater kingdom changes his mind and is, like Barry, taken by the beauty of the leading lady of the league. For those who loved his look as King Drogo on Game of Thrones, they will certainly love his look in this film. It would be safe to say there are moments meant for the ladies.

There are some familiar faces throughout the film. Diane Lane returns as Martha Kent, mother of Clark Kent/Superman and Amy Adams appears in the film as Lois Lane, the love of the Kyptonian’s life. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as well, portraying Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyta; she’s also a protector of one of the Mother Boxes. Her Amazonian army naturally had her back when Steppenwolf invaded their homeland; a definite sight to see on the big screen.

Another standout actor is the one and only Joe Morton, who despite his role as Olivia Pope’s father Rowan, can be perceived as the go-to actor to portray a scientific genius with his caliber of talent (can’t forget Terminator 2 & Syfy’s Eureka). He is Dr. Slias Stone, father of the college football star Victor Stone now known as Cyborg. We find out how he came to be the cybernetic hero with a passion to do the right thing and protect his father from evil as well as the world.

No stranger to the comic book film genre, J. K. Simmons joins the DCEU as Gotham City Police Department’s Commissioner James Gordon, a role that’s a bit calmer than J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man films. It’s minimal at best but with Simmons being the 4th actor to take on the part, he’s made it memorable. Can’t forget the iconic actor Jeremey Irons as Bruce’s right-hand Alfred Pennyworth being as the protective father figure with the voice of reason. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that this version of Alfred lives a little vicariously through the cape crusader he raised after Bruce’s parents were murdered.

As stated earlier there are some lighthearted and comedic moments in Justice League, several came from Barry Allen and there was one that stood out for me. Barry may have the speed force and proved to be a great asset to the group of superfriends, he was also like how Ant-Man was when he met Captain America in The Avengers; you couldn’t help but to laugh. The big laugh however came from the King of Atlantis aboard one of Bruce’s many aircraft toys. Apparently, it seems that he was compelled to express himself to the group and was quite open. Bruce noticed Diana holding in the laughter and in turned lets Arthur know that it wasn’t his choice; he was on Diana’s lasso of truth – classic.

Award-winning composer Danny Elfman (The Simpsons, Spider-Man, Fifty Shades Darker) utilized his skills with the film score. During a couple of scenes where we saw Henry Cavill was featured, Elfman used some of John Williams’ iconic composition from the Superman films Christopher Reeve starred in. No offense but unless you were a true fan of the Reeve films and had the score embedded in your head, you just didn’t get it. It was even used in the first episode of Smallville he guest starred in.

For some reason, when it came to this movie, critics had nothing on social media…nothing. There was so much negativity towards this film you would think that rotten tomatoes had a negative scale; it unfortunately got 41% on the popular site. It could be due to the notion that Marvel films are presented like halftime shows at the Super Bowl; they expect DC to bring it in the same way. Therein lies the beauty of individual creativeness; you can’t please everyone with it.

Zack Snyder directed some great live action comic book films such as Watchmen, 300 and Man of Steel. He directed this film and did a wonderful job at it. It would be safe to say that his track record in this genre is incredible. I see him as one of those filmmakers that will take the good with the bad, the positive with the negative and come back hard with something that will draw the masses to the theater seats knowing he will not disappoint.

This is another great step for the DC Extended Universe and some will agree, some will disagree. There is always going to be opinions on both ends of the spectrum and that is going to make for some great promotion for the film. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. To be honest, I wasn’t too convinced that Ben Affleck could pull off being Batman only to see that he’s been pretty good at it; I can admit when I’m wrong.

At the end of the day, Justice League has shown that despite some of it’s previous films (except for Wonder Woman of course), they understand the phrase room for improvement. This is putting them in that direction, it can only get better from here. I for one look forward to seeing it. Up next – Aquaman in 2018!

That’s my opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

Runaways will be Marvel-ous for Hulu By T. S. Jones

Aside from having Marvel’s Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. on their roster of shows (it’s an ABC Network show), Hulu has officially joined the Marvel family with its original series – Marvel’s Runaways. Based on the comic book series created by Brian K. Vaughan & Adrian Alphona, Runaways tells the story of a group of childhood friends reuniting after the passing of one at the request of Alex Wilder. While this would come across as an opportunity to reconnect with the ones who made you happy, accepted you for who you are – this isn’t one of those times. Don’t misunderstand, there is joy in Alex’s face when he sees his friends at his front door, but the moment is short lived when they discover there’s more to their parents lives than they ever wanted to know.

From what is seen in the promotional trailer (5.4 million views on YouTube so far) the group of teenagers find a secret room in Alex’s home where they find their parents wearing monk-like robes and performing a ceremony where a young woman is being sacrificed. This is the beginning of change in the relationship between child and parent where breaking curfew is nowhere near the equation.

Over time, we’ll find out more about the parents who are a collectively secret organized group called PRIDE. This group is comprised of power couples – emphasis on the word power – who basically own all of Malibu, California. They each has a set of skills that when coming together is one that is literally out of this world. This will be presented in a broader sense on the show for sure. It’s not going to be some subplot; especially considering that they are now formidable foes to their children.

For some, this is an exciting moment to see yet another comic book series in live-action form; not so much for others. This would bring about strong opposing opinions, including my own. I recently purchased the first volume of Runaways (the original Vaughan/Alphona creation) which consists of the first six issues and I must say it was a great page turner and makes for an interesting story. In comparison with the trailer that is currently promoting the show, it is honoring the look of the characters that is the teenage supergroup; taken right from the pages of the book. Not to mention it sets a foundation on what to possibly expect in the series. I say possibly because like most everything involving live-action comic book films and television shows, there’s always opportunity to spin the story in one way shape or form.

Kevin Melrose of Comic Book Resources raved about the new series saying the show is “Smartly written and tightly paced” and feels the “it very well may be the most faithful television adaptations of a comic book yet – in spirit, in any case.” That’s is fitting for the high regard department. On the other end of the spectrum is Matt Goldberg of collider.com, he seems to have a very displeasing opinion about how the characters are being portrayed. For example, he doesn’t seem open to how show creators Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage are putting their spin on the newest live-action Marvel project – “Arguably the biggest change from the comics is that Schwartz and Savage decide to make the parents a much bigger part of the story. Rather than malevolent antagonists who have the city on lockdown, the show very slowly tries to tease out their end game…despite trying to give us the perspective of the parents, it ends up depriving the show of a strong central viewpoint.”

What I find intriguing is how some people who are hardcore comic books heads – maybe more than I – who it seems have no room for something called creative licensing. This is a broader interpretation of telling a story. What needs to be understood is that Schwartz & Savage are bringing this story to another medium which is television. This format allows the creators, including the cast & crew, to tell the broad story as it’s meant to be told. This can also be taken as a testament to the series bringing inspiration to the creators of the show who like many of us who have picked up a comic book and wondered what if there was more to the story than what’s being told; that’s what this series will provide.

It should also be understood that the first season of any show is the foundation of the series. These characters are being introduced to viewers who may not have read the comics and reintroduced to those who did. As expressed earlier, the casting was made very well by the casting department and I do believe that those who have read the books will agree they paid attention to detail when it came to bringing these young superheroes to life.

Runaways

Alex Wilder – Rhenzy Feliz (Casual, Teen Wolf)

Alex is the resident nerd of the group who longs for the days where he was part of a group of kids – teenagers – that despite the different personalities, there was some common ground. It’s his discovery that starts the adventure that they can’t walk away from even if they wanted to.

Nico Minoru/Sister Grimm – Lyrica Okano (The Affair, Ikenhisu: To Kill with One Blow)

Nico is perceived as an outsider at her school primarily due to her gothic look. She comes from a line of Wiccans who discovers her abilities in quite surprising way. For the most part she hasn’t been the same since her sister passed away. Maybe reuniting with her friends will bring her out of her shell.

Karolina Dean/Lucy in the Sky – Virginia Gardner (Zoo, Project Almanac)

The daughter of Hollywood actors, Karolina is a young model who wants to break free and have a more conventional life and be a normal teenager. She discovers not only more about herself but her parents as well. It is something truly not of this world.

Gert Yokes/Arsenic – Ariela Barer (Atypical, One Day at a Time)

Gert is just as much of a nerd as Alex is; she has a more of a logistical angle to it. She is described as the riot grrrl with an empathetic heart. Her abilities are associated with something in the animalistic sense. Except the animal is quite historic.

Chase Stein/Talkback – Gregg Sulkin (Don’t Hang Up, Anti-Social)

Chase is the cliché athletic high school student. He has arrogance and a rollercoaster relationship with his father who is an engineer genius. He may have a tongue in cheek sense of humor, but he will come to learn that his friends are the truest people in his life.

Molly Hernandez/Princess Powerful – Allegra Acosta (One Halloween, American Girl)

Molly is the youngest of the super friends circle who is trying to process how powerful she could be as well as how her parents can be part of The Pride. The group tries to protect her but ultimately, they accept that she needs to know as much as they already do. Side Note: Molly’s last name in the comics is Hayes

There has always been the fight between good and evil. When it comes to being in that battle with your parents, the people you saw as your strongest ally in life, it makes for a harder fight to participate in. Especially when your parents are part of a menacing group such as…

The Pride

The Pride is described as a sinister group of people consisting of mob bosses, time-travelers, dark wizards, mad scientists, alien invaders and telepathic mutants. For years, they have been known as pillars in their city for such things as their charitable contributions and property developments; this was all their children knew as well. When they find out the truth it’s like a can of worms they wished they never opened.

This group has a few familiar faces that should strike more interests in the show. To name a few, James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, New Life), Ever Carradine (Major Crimes, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Adolescence) and Kip Pardue (Agent X, Ray Donovan, NCIS: Los Angeles) are a part of this evil parental syndicate. They have a firm belief that what they do is for the greater good for their children and the world; maybe even the universe. That remains the be seen and as far as their children are concerned – they must be brought down. They will receive some help from another member of the Marvel Cinematic family – Julian McMahon. The actor known as portraying Dr. Doom in the Fantastic Four films (2005 & 2007 respectively) will be making a guest appearance as Jonah; he aids the teenagers in fighting against their parents.

Keep in mind, the reviews that you may have seen during the promotion of Runaways is based on the first four episodes that were viewed by them. This one on the other hand is based on seeing the trailer and reading the comics. At the end of the day the appreciation that this new series will bring is on the individual who views it. I for one am looking forward to seeing the premiere and how this story unfolds over time. I highly recommend giving this series a try and seeing the imagination of other comic book aficionados come to the small screen.

As part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity with both the television shows & films, Marvel’s Runaways premieres on November 21st with the first three episodes with new episodes to follow every Tuesday.

That’s my opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

Marvel’s ‘Gift’ to the Fox Network

True Blood star Stephen Moyer leads a talented cast as Reed Strucker in Fox’s newest hit series The Gifted. Created by Matt Nix (Burn Notice, The Comedians), this series is in line with the X-Men film series and take place in an alternate universe where the famous group of mutants and The Brotherhood still existing is being questioned.

Told through the experiences of the Strucker family after discovering the children carry the X-gene; an indication they are superhuman beings known as mutants. The dilemma with this realization is that the patriarch Reed is a District Attorney who happens to prosecute these superhumans with special powers. He’s now in the position where he’s on the other end of the situation; protecting his children from the perils his office puts on mutants every day.

Even though this is the first season and we’re halfway through the first season, there is much potential for longevity. The story is honoring the long legacy Marvel has built.

The story takes place in Atlanta where the Struckers live a seemingly normal life; until the unexpected happens. What could be considered typical teenage angst at a high school dance, Lauren is having fun with her boyfriend while her younger brother Andy is victimized by a group of bullies; unbeknownst to her. It’s at that traumatic moment that causes his powers, which he wasn’t aware of, became surprisingly evident. His powers can be compared to Havoc & Jean Grey.

The powers that Lauren possess would be viewed as controlling air and water; she produces air bubbles that look aquatic what gives a shielding purpose which was on display at the high school dance. While trying to process the newfound discovery of their children being mutants, Reed & his family find help in the form of The Mutant Underground. He reaches out to Marcos aka Eclipse who is the boyfriend of Lorna; she was imprisoned in the mutant wing of the Garland Detention Center. (Side Note: Marcos’ ringtone is the theme music from the X-Men animated series from the 1990’s.)

Which brings us to another story plot..

Not only will The Mutant Underground help the Strucker family & continue the fight for mutant civil rights from local law enforcement, they are also going against a federal task force known as Sentinel Services. If you are familiar with the history of X-Men, then you know the Sentinels are the size of skyscrapers that were created by Bolivar Trask.

These government agents are led by Jace Turner (Coby Bell – The Game, Third Watch) who has his own story to tell. While interrogating Reed, he expressed how he lost his wife & daughter during the July 15th incident; presenting very personal stake in harnessing the control of the mutant community. The incident he is speaking of is regarding a battle between the infamous X-Men and The Brotherhood. There’s no logic in why your family would be considered collateral damage when you’re an agent for Sentinel Services.

Like most incidents in this world, an entire community is found guilty on site for the faults of a few. Due to the acts of a select few of mutants who wish to and intentionally cause harm to humans, all who are in the mutant community are subject to being guilty until proven innocent; the latter will purposely take longer than the former. The Mutant Registration Act remains, no matter the timeline, in effect. If only Xavier was still around to balance out the peace with the government. Some forget how much of a history he has with those on the hill.

The Mutant Underground is the civil rights movement consisting of mutants resisting to the command of a society that by many means refuse to embrace them, accept them and learn about them. They would rather attack what they are afraid to understand and ask questions later. Despite having knowledge of this, they have a belief that there are humans who don’t feel threatened and would be willing to live in harmony with said individuals. The problem with that would of course be peer pressure; the fear of feeling ostracized from people you have known for years.

Allow me to introduce you to some of the interesting members of The Mutant Underground:

John Proudstar aka Thunderbird – Blair Redford

The Switched at Birth actor portrays the leader of the group as the mutant who has to ability to search and find other mutants as well as sense danger close by that proves to be helpful in the tightest of situations. He has a relationship with a mutant known as…

Dreamer – Elena Satine

Dreamer (Beautiful Dreamer in the comics) has the power to take away memories as well as give them to humans and mutants alike. She took her power to task to save the man she loves (Thunderbird) with the newest member of the resistance group…

Clarice Fong aka Blink – Jamie Chung

The reality star (Real Word: San Diego) turned successful actress (Once Upon a Time, Gotham) is the second actress to play the mutant who can teleport but not like Nightcrawler; she can produce portals. She has come to terms with her powers and yet she still working on controlling them better. She was found by Thunderbird and two other mutants…

Marcos Diaz aka Eclipse – Sean Teale

Remembered for his role as Louis de Condé in Reign, Sean is the mutant who was a former drug smuggler with abilities to control solar power. It’s so powerful it shoots out of his arms upon injury such as bullet he took for the magnetic love of his life…

Lorna Dane aka Polaris – Emma Dumont

The Pretty Little Liars alum has been cast as the character known as Magneto’s daughter. Although it hasn’t been expressed in the show yet, a true comic book head would know who she is. The question now is whether we will see some rendition of Professor Xavier’s best frenemy come in and fight alongside his baby girl. They compatibility of Lorna and Marcos is so strong; their powers together can mimic the northern lights of Alaska.

The Gifted has the potential to introduce an array of characters to fresh eyes. Bringing about curiosity and a spike in comic book sales due to the interest of backstories of the characters. Now like most shows of this magnitude, there is a character or two created for the series such as Marcos (the same can be said for Daryl Dixon of The Walking Dead), but there is that strong possibility of being brought into the medium of comic books. Especially when the interest grows more for that character.

I feel confident in feeling that I’m not alone in feeling that Lauren is one to watch for as someone who has come into her own as a mutant while still learning something new when it comes to her abilities. She’s also helping her brother Andy long the way as he’s coming to accepting being part of a society he didn’t have much regard for. Their mother Caitlin (Amy Acker – Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D., Suits) has stepped up to the plate and the go to for medical assistance; she’s even surprised herself with what she’s been able to do despite her limited skills. Her knowledge however, makes up for it.

You’ll find that the brother/sister bond between Lauren & Andy will grow stronger as the show progresses due to the former guiding the latter in the matter of sharpening the skills of their newfound powers. Yet like many storylines like this in comics – there’s that strong possibility of getting to the point of opposing sides. Remember when Pyro went from Team Xavier to Team Magneto in X2: X-Men United?

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Chairman Emeritus himself – Stan Lee. The former editor-in-chief mad a cameo appearance in the pilot episode. Thus, adding a stamp to his cameo book on projects that he co-created in comics and executive produced on either film or television. It’s almost like his appearance makes things official so to speak.

Another inquiry comes to mind. With much mention of both the X-Men and the Brotherhood, one would wonder if there’s a possible cameo made by Stephen’s wife Anna Paquin who was Rogue in the X-Men film series? She was after all a member of both groups. Not only would that be cool on a comic book standpoint, it would also be cool for True Blood fans to see these working together again.

The Gifted premiered on October 2 and had since received critical praises from both fans and entertainment critics. It would be safe to say there is going to be a strong following to this series and a grand fan base to go along with it. This show is another great chapter to the continuing success that Marvel has accumulated for decades. It’s highly recommended that those who claim to have a lifelong love of comics to check out this series. It’s a great live action story told very well by the actors telling it.

You can catch up on Fox OnDemand or the Fox Now app.

That’s my opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

The Walking Dead Crossover is Going Down

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the wait is finally over! Robert Kirkman and Company are going to fulfill the imaginative idea their Walking Dead fans have dreamed up. The show, based off the graphic comics of the same name and its prequel-esqe Fear the Walking Dead, are going to cross paths.

Confirmed and well received at this year’s New York Comic Con, as well as Twitter, news of the television event was presented with a photo and the following message from the official Twiter page of the AMC Network (AMC_TV):

"This is real. #crossover #TWD #FearTWD"

Not long after the announcement was released, the fan theories came flooding in. A popular the possibility of Madison Clarke being Carol’s sister. Kim Dickens, who plays Madison on Fear the Walking Dead, shared her own theory at the San Diego Comic Con this past July saying, “I think Madison is, probably, might be related to Daryl Dixon.” Now that would be an interesting family connection. Come to think about it, that wouldn’t be too farfetched.

If remember last season on ‘Fear’, Madison shared with her children how abusive her father was and she took matters into her own hands putting an end to it; then there’s Daryl. In 'Still' (Season 4, Episode 12), while sippin on some pure moonshine, Daryl opened up to Beth about his home life with his father (which was triggered by the sight of the pink bra ashtray) and his big brother Merle; whom we all remember well.

Robert told the audience the NYCC "I think that we've finally gotten to a place with Fear the Walking Dead where it has its own identity where we can play with some things. So what I'm going to say, and this is all I'm going to say, is that there are two Walking Dead shows. I'm not going to name them. But there are two. There's one character that is going to go from one show that I will not name and appear in the other show, which I will not name." Just by that statement alone it would be safe to say he’s enjoying the anticipation of this finally coming to fruition.

Early on, the executive producers including Kirkman, shot down the possibility of the two shows meeting in the middle somehow. I feel that the fans inspired them to change their minds and decided to go ahead and make this happen. And happen it will.

While I’m more than certain that with the crossover officially happening, there will be a plethora of fan theories; it’s to be more than expected. As a fellow fan, I have a few theories of my own…

Morales & his family

The last time we saw Morales and his family was in the first season shortly after Rick joined the Atlanta group & reunited with his wife Lori & son Carl. He chose to leave with his family and head towards Birmingham, Alabama instead of going to the CDC with the group; they have family in the Yellowhammer State. Considering we never saw their demise, there is a strong possibility they found other family members and made the best of the apocalyptic situation; surviving one day at a time.

Sergeant Abraham Ford & Rosita Espinosa

Abraham was one of the many fan favorites of The Walking Dead and it would great to see him again for an episode or three on ‘Fear’. This will give us the opportunity to see his role as a husband and father at the start of the infection trying to keep them safe. It can then jump forward to him meeting up with Rosita on his way to taking Eugene to Washington. She could be part of a group associated with Strand before he was taken to the military cells.

Dwight, Sherry & Tina

His status may be on the fence with many viewers but we have been recently shown there is a softer side to Dwight. He was a man who had love and enjoyment in his life with his wife Sherry as well as being a great big brother-in-law to his sister Tina. It would be interesting to see at what point did he lose his light and decided to give his life to Negan.

Speaking of which…

Negan

It may be hard to believe that Negan didn’t start out as the lovable villain we see in TWD, but that is a strong possibility. If you followed the comic book series then you know that while was a blunt as he is on the show, he was a pretty laid back of guy. You’d be surprise how something as catastrophic as the apocalypse can change some people.

Heath

We only had little time with Heath from his first appearance on the show as a part of the Alexandria group. His role there was a supplier; he goes on runs for food and all things that will contribute to the continuous survival in the new world. I think he and Strand could have crossed paths somehow. Afterall, Strand seems to have the ability to get through to someone. He has that kind of confidence. Also, it would be nice to see Heath again.

Ok, so that was more than several…

Regardless of who we will see in the crossover event, it will be a big deal. This person will in some way answer some questions about that character’s past as well as bring more interest to both shows. I for one look forward to seeing how this all plays out and keep in the continuation of TWD & FWD. One thing’s for certain; it won’t be a let down by any means. Not if Robert Kirkman has anything to say about it.

In the meantime, be prepared for the All Out War with the season 8 premiere of The Walking Dead that has begun on October 22.

D Defends Superman: Man of Steel

I think Man of Steel gets a lot of undeserved flack. I don’t think Zack Snyder was trying to re-invent Superman, but to explain him. I think a lot of the reason that people started to think that superman was out dated, was because he was un-relatable. He’s this super powerful, perfectly moral guy and people can’t relate to that. Nobody’s that perfect. I don’t think he was trying to change the character, but show why he is that character by giving him actual reasons why he became so moral and protective by showing the journey of how got there. First off, he was completely new to the superhero game and didn’t fully know what he was doing or how to do it. Second, the earth was being attacked by a very brutal alien armada that was just as strong as him. It’s not like they were polite and like, hey let’s only fight over here so no one gets hurt. And they weren’t just focused on him. There was no realistic way he could fight all of them and simultaneously protect everyone. I think by both idly standing by while his father died in front of him, as well as seeing all the people who were hurt during his fight with the kryptonians, this gives him actual understandable motivations as to why he’s so obsessed with saving and protecting people in the future. People always complain about how superheroes never kill the villains, and how they always escape and just keep returning to do the same crimes over and over again. I think Snyder gave an actual reason why Superman has such a high moral code against killing. Because he did kill once and it was the worst feeling he ever had in his life.

He wasn’t cold after he killed Zod, he immediately screamed in agony. I don’t think Snyder was saying that Superman is no longer the hero we know. I think he’s telling a more realistic and modern Sci Fi story of how the world would really react if some strange alien suddenly showed up on earth. It’s not automatically “YaY!! We love this superhero,   but a story about a hard fought and slowly earned trust from the public and a Clark that doesn’t automatically know how to be the perfect hero, but learns along the way. The reason people dig Batman is because they understand and relate to his motivations. We didn’t really have that with Superman before, he was just perfect and moral. When they gave us the old school corny version in Superman Returns, it wasn’t received well because it was out dated and un-relatable. I don’t think Zack’s saying you can’t have a moral or protective character anymore, but it’s a journey to get there. I think he’s saying nobody’s born perfect, but we can learn from our mistakes and tragedies and use those lessons to aspire to become our best selves. I think in the end, we’ll not only get the moral and responsible Superman we know and love, but we’ll understand and relate to him more than we ever did before. Stories and characters can’t be told as simply as they used to be, comics have grown up since the days of Super friends and so should you. 

Damien's Shadow Update

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Original Damien's Shadow Poster I made in 2006

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Damien's Shadow Poster I created in 2015.

For the better part of the last decade, I have been creating, writing, and drawing characters, worlds, creatures and panels for my brain child "Damien's Shadow".  All the while, I have been working 40+ hours at various day jobs to pay the bills. I have come to the realization that if I am going to be able to give the best presentation of my book that it is about time to make alliances with more professional level artists. That is why I am pleased to announce the addition of New York based comic artist/ illustrator, Roger Henges. In the next week or so we will be presenting some of Roger's amazing promo work on Damien's Shadow.

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Roger's first run at Damien Darknite

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Roger's Work In Progress of Damien as Overcast.

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Roger's Inked version of Crazy Mike Bobo with colors by yours truly, Andy Bonesteel.

Keep checking in for updates to know when Damien's Shadow will be available for order. If you are an artist looking for some original sequential comic work, feel free to contact us. We are always looking for new members of the Atomic Rotation Galaxy.