April 7, 2021

BW Pilot Review: United States Of Al

Everything now has to speak to our times and sitcoms are usually pretty good at it. Through comedy they can explore the various interpersonal relationships of people in a way folks can relate to, using humor and shared experiences to bring us together rather than tear us apart. Yeah, remember when we were about coming together instead of being put into individual groups? I don’t but it seems worse today. My Transformers are less divided than the human race right now and I separate them by series and sometimes size.

United States Of Al is a sitcom that debuted on CBS last week and I’m only now able to discuss due to last week being…well, last week. The show follows an interpreter during the war in Afghanistan who is able to come to America and live with the Marine he befriended. While the show doesn’t seem to be inspired by any particular event I did find that this actually happens, and there is an act called the “Afghan Allies Protection Act”, which was designed to rescue these interpreters and their families given that they are often targeted by remaining Taliban supporters. Can you make comedy out of a serious situation like this?

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Posted by on April 7, 2021 in Television Spotlight and tagged , , , .

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April 7, 2021

“Yesterday’s” Comic> Star Trek: Operation Assimilation

At least she doesn’t need a flashlight anymore.

Star Trek: Operation Assimilation

Marvel/Paramount Comics (December, 1996)

WRITER: Paul Jenkins

LAYOUTS: Steve Erwin

FINISHES: Terry Pallot

COLORIST: Moose Baumann

COVER ART: Hajime Soayama

LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos

EDITOR: Mark Paniccia

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Posted by on April 7, 2021 in Television Spotlight, Yesterday's Comics and tagged , , , , .

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April 7, 2021

BW’s Daily Article: 12 Facts About Star Trek: The Animated Series

Count me among those who consider Star Trek: The Animated Series canon to the Classic Timeline. Many of the same people were involved in the writing, certain elements were treated as canon by novels and comics as well as the show itself, and the stories are as good and bad as the original series as filtered through the limitation of Saturday morning standards and practices. Here are some interesting facts about the series you may or may not know.

(Besides, I’d rather watch this than Lower Decks or that Prodigy thing any day. One only has Starfleet dressing and the other doesn’t appear at this time to even have that much.)

Posted by on April 7, 2021 in Animation Spotlight, Television Spotlight and tagged , .

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April 6, 2021

BW Pilot Review: The Barbarian And The Troll

Who doesn’t love puppets? Sad, depressing people, that’s who.

Unless it stars a Muppet there aren’t a whole lot of puppet shows on TV right now outside of characters in preschool shows. The Barbarian And The Troll is not for preschoolers. The show opens with a serpent getting pulled in half like one of those party snappers. Created by Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey, the show focuses on a barbarian on a quest for her brother and a troll on a quest to live life so he can be a better musician. Formerly titled Brendar The Barbarian (and EVERY site I looked this show up on had to mention that), I’m guessing they decided both characters have a strong enough character arc to share the title. Frankly I like it. It sounds a bit more epic and we’ve had so many sword and sorcery hero stories that are their name and title it’s at least a little different.

I also really like the logo, but I’m mentioning that for a decent intro to this article on the home page. The show also kind of reminded me of a web series Karl “Uncle Yo” Custer made called Dungeon Crawlers but only in that it’s a puppet show in a sword-and-sorcery world. How does this show stack up?

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Posted by on April 6, 2021 in Television Spotlight and tagged , , , , .

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April 6, 2021

“Yesterday’s” Comic> Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #23

My favorite Spidey costume…when it isn’t the one trying to eat brains.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #23

Marvel Comics (October, 2007)

“Fighting Words”

WRITER: Peter David

PENCILER: Tod Nauck

INKER: Robert Campanella

COLORIST: John Kalisz

COVER ART: Todd Nauck & Rob Stull

LETTERER: Cory Petit

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Thomas Brennan

EDITOR: Stephen Wacker

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Posted by on April 6, 2021 in Marvel Spotlight, Yesterday's Comics and tagged , , , , .

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April 6, 2021

BW’s Daily Video: When Marvel Could Laugh At Itself

Catch more Comics By Perch on his YouTube channel.

Posted by on April 6, 2021 in Marvel Spotlight and tagged , , , .

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April 5, 2021

Chapter By Chapter> BattleTech: I Am Jade Falcon chapter 31

Chapter By Chapter features me reading one chapter of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.

We’re on the penultimate chapter, but not the penultimate installment. While the epilogue is only eight pages long the final “official” chapter is regular chapter length just like tonight’s and last week’s so I’m going to give the epilogue its own post. So we are on the second to last chapter but the third to last installment of this book’s review. Let’s see if I can stay healthy long enough to finish this without another sick leave break.

Last week our heroes learned that at least two of their rivals are traitors to the Clan, which they are really angry about but I would think also a bit relieved since it means they have an opening to kick their butts. First however I assume they need to be exposed and I’m curious to see if that happens before our big battle. A battle that better hurry up with only two chapters left.

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Posted by on April 5, 2021 in BattleTech: I Am Jade Falcon and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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