If you want military SciFi you need to look no further than the Warp Marines! As you probably know by this time, this genre is one of my favorites and I’ve written quite a few posts about the books that I’ve enjoyed over the years – some of them are below:
- THE EMBER WAR – RICHARD FOX
- EMPIRE OF BONES – TERRY MIXON (planning a re-read of this one soon)
- SPACE BATTLE GOODNESS! – DISCOVERY OF THE SAIPH
- MY TOP 9 KINDLE UNLIMITED MILITARY SCIFI PICKS
While I’ve yet to make my top 10 list of recent Military SciFi titles, the Warp Marines are fast moving up to the top of that list & book 1 – Decisively Engaged – gets you hooked right from the beginning. There is no slow build up like Weber prefers with his Honor Harrington series, this one gets down and dirty right from the beginning and the action only gets more frantic as time goes on.
Story in a nutshell
Warp Marines takes us to a universe not too dissimilar to our own. First contact, however, is not something we’d want to repeat as our initial exposure to the universe at large can only be described as cataclysmic. When one group of aliens (the “Puppies”) escaping from a battle inadvertently leads the other to Earth, the “Snakes” decide to introduce humanity to Starfarer culture by bombing them back to the stone age. Clean bombs & not nuclear, simply mean that the targets are surrounded by a globe of force while the temperature gradually increases within that globe – hot enough to melt steel. Fortunately for the survivors – less than half of Earth’s remaining population – the Puppies are able to defeat the Snakes before they can complete their destruction & feeling guilty for leading these hostile aliens here, they decide to help bootstrap humanity so that they are able to survive any further incursions from the Snakes or any of the other hostile races in their galactic neighborhood.
While the remnants of humanity might be few, they are not idle or indecisive. The new American president institutes a program to rapidly build a space-based presence to ensure that any future alien attacks are stopped and while he’s not able to build a fleet of sufficient size to fully protect and englobe the Earth, what he is able to build is a fleet with defences that are new to the galactic scene. One that has the rest of the spiral arm start referring to humans as … Warp Demons.
Sounds pretty cool right? Well, that’s actually just the prologue … the rest of the book contains significantly more in the way of small unit tactics and advanced weaponry and it just continues to build up in terms of tone and tempo.
Characters
All of the characters are quite well conceived and written and their motivations are really well described and delivered. The aliens, however, are a bit cardboard and one sided. They are basically bad and we’re good and there is no gray area in between. The Queen of the planet our hero finds himself on is very much based on the Empress Dowager Cixi and the whole Boxer rebellion-esque story is prevalent and annoying as its not really new or unique. In fact another military scifi book did it earlier and it was very similar.
What I liked and didn’t like
The similarity to the boxer rebellion is definitely something I didn’t like. I would have liked some more interaction with the different groups of aliens also as only one side of a story gets tedious and monotonous. I also would have liked more space battles and especially those with larger fleets. However the small unit tactics and overall grit within the story itself was really well done. You could feel the fear and pain the Marines were going through and you lived it with them. It was really well done!
Terry has written a couple of books that I’m quite fond of (namely his Empire of Bones saga, reviewed here, and here) so I thought this one was worth a try too – and while it’s not perfect, there is enough in it that I’m probably going to pick up book 2 when it’s eventually released.
Now if you recall from some previous posts, I have been using Kindle Unlimited – well that changed earlier this month so this was a full cash purchase. The question I’m sure that’s uppermost in your mind is was it worth the $6.50? Well, without being too wishy-washy … Yes and No. 🙂
See the idea here is that the Earth is about to be bombarded by high-intensity solar radiation … this will act somewhat like an EMP and short circuit a significant percentage of our non-hardened electrical and computing equipment. Unfortunately, seconds prior to the bombardment a rogue nation state decides to attack the US. The US in retaliation shoots some nukes at them, which sets off a chain of events with nukes flying all over the world and destroying any remaining infrastructure that the solar radiation doesn’t get! Basically, the whole world is screwed!
Our hero and main protagonist (Tom) however just happens to be a bit of a gun nut (lucky right?) and while he’s not a survivalist, he happens also to be a (successful) author of post-apocalyptic fiction which not only ensures that he always knows the right thing to do, it gives him more than enough liquid capital to buy his way out of a few troublesome spots. Also fortunately for Tom his contacts at the gun show he’s attending include an ex-army sniper and a retired member (Moshe) of the IDF (Israel Defence Force) and his daughter. Tom is again really “lucky” as not only is Moshe someone that knows their way around weaponry – he owns a gun shop and is able to outfit the expedition that Tom is building to return to his home. Moshe also happens to know a doctor! Isn’t Tom lucky?
Sorry, I know that I’m laying it on a bit thick there, and while that is intended, it’s frustrating when everything is lining up in such a perfect manner for our main character. You’d expect some troublesome issues to raise their head, but aside from the fact that he had a bit of a case of the shakes after killing his first looter, Tom and almost everyone else seems perfectly willing and able to gun down anyone that gets in their way. While it’s an admirable attitude and probably something that would develop over time – the fact that Tom is able to do it in the first 15min – 1/2 hr after the bomb’s start dropping pushes the bounds of belief a little. In addition, his ability to persuade everyone else to go along with him also doesn’t help! Finally and probably the thing that annoyed me the most was the fact that Tom ALWAYS seems to know exactly the right thing to do. He never seems to get surprised by someone else’s actions and can always plan around what they are going to do.
Now that the negative is out of the way – let’s talk a little bit about the positives. The overall idea itself is quite interesting and while it feels a bit rushed the whole thing does work. The action sequences though are definitely standouts in my opinion and make this book. While the minutiae of the different types of guns are a bit boring, their capabilities are quite interesting. I’m interested in seeing where Terry goes with book 2 and beyond and while I’m not expecting Tom and crew to be decimated, I would like there to be a bit more realism to their struggles.
Today we examine the beauty of the single issue, but for DC comics. If you enjoyed my last article exploring some of Marvel’s best one shots, then I hope you stick around for this entry. DC has no shortage of excellent one shots as well.
Much like Marvel, I’m sure I forgot to add, or simply haven’t read many other great single issues that are out there, so don’t be mad if I miss a few of your favorites.
This list will be focusing on stories that do not require a vast amount of background to be ale to enjoy. That’s what makes the one shot so easy and accessible to read. Let’s proceed.
Sandman Mystery Theatre: by Matt Wagner, Stephen T. Seagle & various artists
Many fans, and perhaps non fans, are aware of Neil Gaiman’s critically lauded series, Sandman. Too many people are not as aware of the other Sandman series that was going on for much of the same time, Sandman Mystery Theatre. It ran for 70 issues and had a small, but devoted fan base.
The series is a period piece set mainly during the depression era . It follows the exploits of Wesley Dodds, the golden age Sandman. Neil Gaiman’s Sandman had nothing to do with this version. Gaiman touched on the golden age Sandman briefly, but that’s about it. Wesley Dodds was just a mild mannered detective with a costume and a gas gun, very pulpy. The stories were always praised for its historical accuracy, mature tone and compelling characters. It’s exploration of relationships was rather interesting and unique as well.
This annual is a perfect mix of everything that made this series so good, and it’s all done on one issue. It’s about a mysterious central park attacker that is on the loose and terrorizing the citizens of New York. The other problem is that this mugger bares a striking resemblance to Sandman. Sandman is forced to try and stop this attacker while evading capture from the police himself.
It’s a great mystery story that really knows how to keep the audience engaged. It’s also notable for having a few recognizable guest artists for this issue, like Alex Ross! If you want to sink your teeth into a really good noir styled mystery, check this out. You just might crave more and jump into the actual series.
Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special: by Geoff Johns, Brett Booth & Art Baltazar
If you want something that’s a little lighter in tone than try this out. It’s one of the funniest comics I’ve ever read. It centers mostly around the Orange Lantern, Larfleeze. ( Orange Lantern’s are powered by avarice.) Larfleeze is essentially a powerful alien hoarder. He wants anything and everything, so when Christmas comes rolling around, he’s intrigued. Naturally, Larfleeze attempts to take Christmas for himself no matter what. Green Lantern must intervene and hilarity ensues thereafter. The art is dynamic and matches the chaotic tone of the comic. Not only is it funny, but it’s also endearing at times. Geoff Johns makes you care about this selfish pain in the ass of an alien. You just want to see more of him and that’s a credit to the writing.
It even comes with a recipe to bake Larfleeze cookies! My girlfriend was kind enough to try the recipe out, which put a smile on my nerdy face. Yum yum, nothing like frosty orange colored cookies.
Gotham Knights # 32- by Devin Grayson & Roger Robinson
Honestly Batman could have his own one shots list but for now, here we are. Gotham Knights # 32 is a less well known issue that really deserves more attention. This issue happens to be Devin Grayson’s last issue on the series, and it’s quite a nice send off. It really encapsulates what makes Batman who he is. Not a flashy issue, the aptly titled ” 24/7″ is just a day in the life for Bruce Wayne and Batman. In the morning Bruce Wayne takes meetings, attends dedication ceremonies, visits a friend in the hospital and has dinner with the Foxes. Bruce manages to squeeze every minute of time from these endeavors to do some good, however small it may be.
When night falls, Batman takes part in a more direct approach. He stops crimes, saves lives, keeps an eye on Robin and visits Barbara. There’s more, but you get the idea.
For me, this issue shines a light on two very important aspects of Batman/Bruce Wayne, which are his obsessively dogged determination and his unyielding desire to help people. In many ways these are the things that make Batman so special. It’s that, coupled with the fact that he’s only a man, not Superman or Green Lantern or even Spider-man. He has to work twice as hard as them and still have enough juice left in the tank to get it all done and make it to the next day and do it all again. But the Batman will never quit or complain will he?
Look out for this wonderfully character driven issue of our favorite Dark Knight.
Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year 4 Annual #1- by Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo
Injustice takes place in an alternate reality where Superman has snapped and become a tyrant. Batman, and a small group of resistance fighters attempt to fight his tyranny and take back the world. During Superman’s quest for power he creates a super-max prison where he has imprisoned every super villain you can name. Superman has also imprisoned anybody who stands against him, like the Green Lantern Corps.
This annual marks the return of fan favorite writer, Tom Taylor’s to the series he started, and boy does he deliver. It’s a story about escaping the super-max prison, while also serving as an excellent character piece. The character on full display in this issue is Plastic Man. That’s right, Plastic Man. Usually considered the butt end of many jokes and mostly forgotten over the years, Plastic Man has not had many “great” or defining stories. He’s always been thrown in for laughs, not much else. That all changes in this thrilling tale about a father trying to save his son. Plastic Man surfaces so that he can help bust his son out the super-max prison and start a new life away from the madness around him.
The story moves so fast, simply because you can’t wait to see what happens next. The emotional component proved to be the most surprising thing throughout this issue. I really felt for Plastic Man and actually rooted for him more than ever. How many times can you say that about Plastic Man?
it’s an awesome comic that is definitely the highlight of a rather mediocre for Injustice: Year 4 . Seek it out.
Action Comics # 775 – by Joe Kelly & various artists
This issue gives us the Superman we all know and love, for better or for worse. There was a DC animated movie that was based on this issue titled “Superman vs The Elite”, which I’ve always said is the perfect movie for any Superman hater to watch. The same goes for this issue. It’s won a few awards and has been loved by many fans over the years that it was first published.
One of the best things about the comic is that it touches on many of the things Superman haters gripe most about, Superman’s unwillingness to kill. In the issue, a new superhero team called The Elite show up to Metropolis very much willing to kill bad guys and clean up the world. At first they try to get Superman on board but eventually they give him an ultimatum. ” Do it our way or be destroyed.” The funny thing is that most of the public like The Elite and even agree with their harsher stance on criminals.
This leads to many more questions like, is Superman relevant? Does the world need heroes like this? It packs a punch and does not shy away from the hard truth. Superman is faced with the decision of succumbing to public pressure and opinion or doing the right thing and staying true to himself. I love this comic because it paints the picture as to why Superman exists and what he really represents, not only in the world of the DC universe, but what he represents to the society we live in today. A society that is maybe, a bit to eager for bloodshed. A bit too quick to anger and ultimately, too quick to hate.
Superman is meant to embody an ideal and NOT succumb to the anger and fear many of us could have. This is what this comic illustrates so eloquently. Superman fans and non-fans, I urge you to read this. Just trying out this one issue may give you a respect and understanding of the character, and above all, the importance of having a Superman in a world full of antiheroes.
Nightwing (vol 2) # 25 – by Chuck Dixon & Scott McDaniel
This comic has the distinction of being ranked #67 in Wizard Magazine’s list of “100 Best Single Issue Comics Since You Were Born”. It’s a thoughtful and touching issue about legacy and brotherhood. The simple premise of this story finds Nightwing and Robin( Tim Drake) on a night out training. They go through this self made gauntlet evading obstacles, fighting crime and bonding together.
Sharing a few personal stories ends up leading to several nice moments and one big revelation. They are able to trust each other and open up in a way that they can’t with Batman. Nightwing certainly takes a big brother role in this story. He gives Robin advice and listens to Robin without needing to judge him. It’s really a treat to read these two characters just being human and dare I say, normal but without being boring, that’s the beauty of this issue. It marries text and visual well enough to really showcase what the comic medium can do when it’s at it’s best. It’s a bit of a search to find this issue but well worth it.
Final Crisis: Requiem #1 – by Peter Tomasi & Doug Mahnke
There’s two things here that are important to note. I love Martian Manhunter and he loves Oreo cookies. For those unaware, Martian Manhunter was killed off rather unceremoniously in the pages of the major event series,” Final Crisis”.
This comic book acts as a eulogy for one of the most beloved members of the Justice League. it’s really a heartfelt sendoff that really makes you feel the grief that all the characters feel for their fallen friend. Far too many times the superheroes of these stories never get to deal with death. Not really anyway. They don’t have time to mourn, reminisce or have a ceremonies for their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. Sometimes they don’t even have a body to bury at all. That’s why it’s so refreshing to read an entire issue of superheroes going through the grieving process because, let’s not forget that superheroes are ultimately people too. And we as people, will encounter death and we’ll need to deal with it too. I’m not saying that the magnitude of loss will be the same in the real world… No, not at all. I’m just saying that seeing these characters go through these complex emotions humanizes them and allows them to relate to us just a bit more. It may even help some readers cope with things, even just a bit, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone deals with loss differently, which the comic touches on too. It’s a nice script with some solid and emotive art to boot.
The ending is my favorite part. Read it and you’ll find out why.
Batman Adventures ( vol 2) # 17 – by Ty Templeton & Rick Burchett
Batman Adventures #17 is a comic that has had plenty of accolades and awards thrown it’s way. It’s a fantastic issue that addresses something that hasn’t been explored too often in the Batman mythos. What happened to Joe Chill?
Joe Chill is responsible for the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents, the defining moment of Batman. This makes Joe Chill almost as important a villain as The Joker or Two Face, now just imagine a reunion between he and Batman? It’s an issue done by the creative team of Templeton & Burchett, who had been putting out quality work on Batman Adventures for a number of years already. Many fans and critics have said it’s one of the best Batman comic series of all time, and it’s hard to argue with that once you see the quality of this issue. It’s got a hell of a story and it doesn’t skimp out characterization either. It gives us a rare look at things from the view point of Joe Chill.
The story begins with Chill in the present day. He’s worn down and constantly lives in fear and regret. Fear of ever being discovered as the murderer of billionaire Bruce Wayne’s parents, and in regret of not having finished the job on Wayne himself. He can’t sleep, and it’s even gotten so bad that Chill sees Bruce Wayne’s face everywhere, on everyone. Things get worse when a detective from the GCPD, decides to reopen the Wayne’s unsolved murder case. The story only gets better from there. If that’s not enough to hook you in I don’t know what is.
It’s a masterclass in storytelling, short form or otherwise. The story is tight tight tight. Every page has a purpose and every moment ties into the next moment. It’s truly a great issue with a great payoff. There are times where you might find yourself turning pages and gasping, and then smiling quickly afterwards. We all know how Bruce Wayne dealt with his parents murder, so it was intriguing to see what life has been like for the man who actually committed the crime. Complex themes of guilt, remorse and trauma are explored in a comic that was supposed to be dismissed as a kiddie comic. That’s perspective for you.
Nightwing ( vol 2.) Annual #2 – by Marc Andreyko & Joe Bennett
Nightwing makes another appearance on my list, this time with Batgirl by his side. To be honest it’s a story about her as much as it is about him. This annual tells that tale of Nightwing and Batgirl’s rather complicated romantic relationship over the years.
The comic starts with Nightwing injured and lying in bed with Barbara Gordon at his bedside. She tends to his wounds and lets him know that he’s been in a coma for weeks. The comic then jumps from the past to the present.
We see Dick and Barbara’s rather embarrassing first encounter.( A rather awkward and hilarious way to meet) We see their first date, the reason they broke up and even the moment in time where Dick finds out that Barbara has been paralyzed. It’s equal parts sad, funny and charming. It’s even fairly romantic, but not in a sappy way. Marc Andreyko really writes the hell out of these two characters. He manages to give them a chemistry that practically leaps off the page. He also does such a masterful job of weaving the convoluted comics history of these two characters. Joe Bennett is no slouch. His artwork keeps right up with the quality of the writing.
I remember I picked this up on a whim and started reading it on the subway ride home. Before I knew it, I was completely focused in on the story and was hoping I wouldn’t get home before finishing it.
Everyone has either been, or knows someone who has been in a complicated relationship like Dick and Barbara’s. Again, moments and themes like these manage to humanize the characters and make us care and relate to them more. I found the ending surprisingly mature and realistic, for a comic especially. It’s certainly my favorite Nightwing issue of all time. Track it down.
Brave & The Bold ( vol 2.) #33 – by J. Michael Straczynski & Cliff Chiang
We end the list with, probably my favorite issue out of the bunch. It’s a story titled ” Ladies Night” and it tells the story of Wonder Woman and Zatanna deciding to take Batgirl out for one night of pure fun.
From the beginning of the story we see that doing this for Batgirl is important to both Wonder Woman and Zatanna, we find out why later. Batgirl takes some convincing, but ultimately gives in. The result is a carefree night on the town for 3 women that don’t often get that luxury. It’s really great to see these three iconic superheroes just kickback and have fun like regular women. On the surface it’s just a fun story but by the end it’s so much more than that. It’s a tale of sorrow, trauma, acceptance, consequences and most importantly friendship. Saying anything more about the story directly is a disservice to it. The art is just as good as the script. I’ve never seen Cliff Chiang eclipse the work he did on this issue. His run on Wonder Woman comes close, but this issue still reigns supreme for me.
Much like a suggestion I made on the Marvel list of one shots, if you read just one issue of all the issues on this list, make it this one. Tracking it down for a decent price will be a task, let me tell you, so I would suggest to pick up the trade.( Team-Ups of the Brave & the Bold) It’s totally worth it, plus you get a lot of other quality stories in there as well.
That does it for my DC one shot recommendations. Stay tuned for more in the future!
It took a long time but Marvel’s sorcerer supreme finally got his own movie. As you may or may not have expected, the fanfare going into this movie was decent at best and tepid at worst. Still, this being a Marvel movie, it made a killing at the box office. I’ve always been a fan of he chracter, Doctor Strange. I wouldn’t call him an A list hero but he certainly stood out as being original. Having Steve Ditko as his first artist gave Doctor Strange his unique psychedelic look that would become somewhat of a trademark. The movie offers this and a whole lot more in terms of its visual aesthetic. Let’s take a closer look…
Story:
The plot unfolds in typical Marvel form. A reluctant hero who needs to learn the error of his ways so he may join in the battle of good vs evil and become… ” the one.” It’s sort of like Iron Man, except with a whole lot of magic. Now, I don’t want to diminish this because while it is a common road to take, the route is quite stellar. The execution proved to be masterful because it took the familiar and made it feel fresh even if it wasn’t remotely so. Now, I’ve said before that there are almost no original ideas left, and that’s okay. It’s all in the execution.
Not once did I feel bored or taken out of this movie. Instead, I was hooked in and eager to see how things would unfold, almost as if it was the first time I had ever seen a movie of this nature, and that’s a testament to the writing. There are several clever story points within the main story that help to add to that uniqueness. The climax of the movie has a particularly smart moment that gives us a great example of attention to detail in a script. Obviously the spectacular visuals are a large reason why the film is as entertaining as it is but the strong characters, sharp dialogue and general inventiveness make the story as strong as it is.
Action:
Excellent. Some of the most eye catching action scenes I’ve seen in a superhero movie in a long time. I worried that having a bunch of mystics fight each other might translate as boring on screen but my fears were squashed within the first 5 minutes of the movie. Things unfold like a James Bond film with mind ending magic in it, really setting the tone for the action to come. Any mystical movie that proceeds Doctor Strange will have a lot to live up to in the action department. It is reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s Inception but even more crazy.
Villain:
As a fan, I was hoping that Dormamu would end up being the main baddie in this movie( SPOILERS) and he sort of is but instead we get Kaecilius, whom I knew nothing about prior to this movie. Kaecilius serves his purpose and is helped by the caliber of Mads Mikkelsen’s acting, yet he falls into the long list of Marvel’s underwhelming villain’s list. He’s not terribly interesting, and the parts of him that are interesting aren’t explored enough. I did find his motivations to be satisfying, so there’s that.
Acting:
Outstanding. One of the best ensemble casts Marvel ever put together. Everyone was good, and each had their moment to shine. I must admit I had my doubts about Benedict Cumberbatch playing the titular hero but I was thankfully wrong, he was wonderful. He plays Strange like a lite version of his Sherlock Holmes. You might say that it’s easier to like him here. Benedict Cumberbatch looks the part and acts the part, what more can you ask for as a fan or moviegoer.
I would’ve liked to have seen more from Rachel McAdams’s character, Dr. Christine Palmer. She essentially plays his love interest but McAdams makes the most of the role. Ditto for Mads Mikkelsen. Tilda Swinton really works as The Ancient One. She already has a unique look to her and that really helps for this role, but more importantly than that was that I believed her in the role. Benedict Wong provides an enjoyable take on the stalwart Wong from the Doctor Strange comics but my favorite of the cast had to be Chiwetel Ejiofor’s portrayal of another classic Doctor Strange character, Baron Mordo. I found him to e utterly compelling to watch. The scenes between he and Cumberbatch really stand out for me. I look forward to see what Marvel does with him( SPOILERS) because for those unfamiliar, Baron Mordo is one of Doctor Strange’s greatest adversaries.
Conclusion:
At this point I am still leaning on the idea that superhero fatigue has hit but Marvel continues to put out quality work, it’s only fair to recognize it. It’s one of it’s strongest entries to date. Far better than Ant-man, Iron Man 2 & 3, Thor 2 and more memorable than Avengers 2. I was entertained and invested from the beginning to the end, there’s no other way to put it. I appreciated that while it had humor, it didn’t rely on it. Doctor Strange is a serious character that should treated as such, and he was.
I keep wondering when there will be fatigue from the audience out there but if Marvel continues it’s dedication to quality I can’t see their reign ending anytime soon. It’s a fun movie that’s beautiful to look at and it should be seen on the big screen.
On the night of its season premiere, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. scored 3.44 million viewers overall, up from it season three finale that raked in just 3.03 million. However, the second episode the season didn’t fare as well, with a score of just 2.95 million viewers. That said, this time last year ABC was struggling to make anything happen at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, with Wicked City dipping all the way to 1.69 million viewers in episode three before being cancelled.
Moving S.H.I.E.L.D. to 10 p.m. may have been a form of getting it out of the way, but it can’t be denied that, so far, it’s giving ABC a boost in what has been a very troubled time slot recently.On Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 Episode 3, titled “Uprising,” a series of blackouts caused by EMPs made cities around the world vulnerable to vigilantes trying to hunt down Inhumans. The downside to this was that all of the awesome fight sequences in this episode took place in the dark. However, the upside was that one of the blackouts took place in Miami, where Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez was attending a bachelorette party. And I am always in favor of more scenes with Yo-Yo.
But not many people want anything to do with Inhumans, especially with the blackout. One of the most powerful moments of this new episode involves Yo Yo. She’s at a bachelorette party when the blackout hits and all of a sudden, a group of Watchdogs arrive to weed out any Inhuman presence. Soon, Yo Yo must use her powers to save an amateur magician believed to be an Inhuman and her friends turn on her faster than the GOP turned on Trump.
The first two episodes of the season were Ghost Rider-heavy, but they kind of had to be. With the third episode, Ghost Rider, or more accurately Robbie Reyes, became a part of the show rather than being the show. In fact, this week, Reyes doesn’t even transform into his demonic alter ego, instead, we get to know the man behind the leather and chains (that didn’t sound like I wanted it to sound).
The whole episode focuses on an EMP-caused blackout in Los Angeles. It seems that the blackout is caused by a group of rogue Inhumans fighting the Sokovia accords. So it looks like we have a sort of Brotherhood of Evil Inhumans up in here… but not so fast. When the blackout hits, Reyes’ brother is in a wheelchair and on a subway in a bad part of town, so Daisy and Reyes race to his rescue.
My initial feelings of wariness about Jeffrey are already starting to wear off. He might be a shiny stuffed suit, but I don’t think he’s an evil one. (Though, as someone who works in public relations – Jeffrey’s favorite buzzword – I may be more sympathetic to his cause than I should be!) Jeffrey has different priorities than Coulson and the rest of the team. This is guaranteed to keep causing friction throughout the season, but I don’t see him as a full-out villain – at least, not yet.
Instead, in this episode we got a good look at another villain – Senator Rota Nadeer, the anti-Inhuman talking head featured in numerous television broadcasts surrounding the blackouts. Played by Parminder Nagra, a thin layer of ice coats every hateful word that comes out of her mouth. It’s worth noting (though in an ideal world, it wouldn’t be) that the addition of Nagra adds another actress of color to one of the most diverse casts on television. It’s also a bit of a twist to see a person of color playing a character persecuting others for being different. Senator Nadeer is clearly covering up some secrets of her own, as we saw in the last scene of this episode, and I can’t wait to discover more about what drives her actions.
I did enjoy the moment when Radcliffe addressed the myth of humans only using ten percent of their brains as just that: a myth. It is used as a crutch in so much science-fiction, from Lucy to Limitless and beyond, so it was refreshing to see a show like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. debunk it.
For too long, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rest of Marvel Television has been forced to be the reactor to the events seen in Iron Man, Captain America, The Avengers and more. Never do the films deal with the repercussions of what’s happening on the shows, even when S.H.I.E.L.D.unleashed the Inhumans onto the world at the end of season two. However, there’s hope the end of this week’s episode is going to change that. It’s funny, Agents Of SHIELD always felt like an addition to the MCU, not an essential cog, but somewhere, perhaps this week, the agents we have been thrilling to these past three seasons have become truly likable heroes.
For the first time since Captain America: The Winter Soldier, S.H.I.E.L.D. is being recognized as an official organization. There’s no way for this not to have major implications within the MCU (though it’s clear Coulson wasn’t left in charge so that when the announcement was made, the secret of him being alive would still be just that to The Avengers). Even if it’s just Tony Stark acknowledging its existence in the next Spider-Man movie, the world at large can’t let this change in mythology sit unacknowledged. Yet something tells me the Ghost Rider/Momentum Labs storyline won’t gain any…well, momentum, until after Doctor Strange is released. It’s one of those things that makes you curse the interconnectedness (what little of it there is) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.