GUNN GONE: WHAT NOW?

People ask me what I think of James Gunn and Peter Safran's departure (firing) from the DCU. You got me. I'm no Nostradamus, let alone the Phantom Stranger or Sandman, but I suppose I can offer some reflections. 

I mean, if Man of Tomorrow does hit big at the box office, Gunn's thread could continue. On the other hand, by the time Man of Tomorrow premieres, everyone under the sun will know Gunn and Safran have skipped town, which may give some cause to ignore a cinema visit to a saga that won't proceed. (Perhaps that's one of the reasons why The Flash and Aquaman 2 fizzled at theatres.) 

I think DC (now as it stands in the Paramount/WB pool) should stick to exploratory pieces. If the movies should be one-shots, so be it. Clayface, for example, may be the most obvious case in point: an unintentional trendsetter, in that regard, though Matt Reeves' Batman continuation would go against that trend. Even so, its Serpico-steered content seems confined to its own noir-ish niche. 

From my perspective, the necessity of shoehorning comic-book elements to build franchises (whether for DC or Marvel) has run its course, but the interest in superhero storytelling prevails. A passion for such modern, mythical adventures has existed for decades, whether on the page, the theatrical screen or television. It has no choice but to thrive. It's just a matter of how, and there's no shame in scaling it back, no matter who departs or takes charge. 

FOR THE FUN OF IT:

 

WEISELBERRY ON GODZILLA MINUS ZERO

Jerome Weiselberry is an extraordinary reviewer: in my estimation, one of the best going today. 

She's fashioned a couple of insightful assessments on Takashi Yamazaki's  Godzilla Minus Zero, which I feel compelled to share: one being a non-spoiler warmup and the other an unabashed, spoiler-filled rundown. Her comments, in particular on the depiction of the U.S. military in the movie, are worthy of contemplation. 

Non-Spoiler, Lead-in Review: 

Spoiler Review:

Listen, learn & enjoy!

FOR THE FUN OF IT:

SO LONG, DONNIE DUNAGAN

You gave Bambi his sweet, innocent voice, but to Universal fans, you'll always be little Peter, the wide-eyed, gracious lad who befriended the Monster in Rowland V. Lee's Son of Frankenstein. 

You reteamed with Rowland and your Son of ... costars, Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, for the historical thriller, Tower of London, but also had a tender turn in the heartwarming Mother Carey's Chickens (your big debut) and shared your inimitable cuteness in Meet the Chump, The Forgotten Woman and Vigil in the Night.    

Without question, you were one of the few child stars with whom I felt a connection. In other words, you represented me (and so many other kids) so well on the silver screen. Nevertheless, on a more significant note, you came to serve your country by becoming a U.S. Marine. For that, you deserve an eternal salute, Major Dunagan. 

Have faith that your legacy--the fruits of your lifelong labors--shall continue to reap the respect and admiration that only great men achieve. 

ROCK BAKER'S CARTOON CUTIES #11: LAUGHS! ACTION! ROMANCE!

Artist/writer Rock Baker, in conjunction with CB International Publications, has released the highly anticipated Cartoon Cuties #11.

The cuteness factor sure does overflow in this one, with Creek Bend adventures that include Yvette Pond discovering an amazing, "magic eye" lens (Minerva Mallen and Mel are featured); the Baxter Twins stumbling upon a peculiar passage beneath a closet panel; Minerva's parachute stunt and how it inspires a spiritual turn for her friend, Angie; Daisy Poise pushing pretty Patty into full-throttle improvisation for a U.S.O. show; Crissy Carrots and Roger Ralphwit (with some sprightly help from Minerva) embarking on a Creek Bend Bikini Company gamble; and Misty Carter and her gent, Ed, whose big heart aids a traveling salesman.

Once again, Baker's storytelling blends classic, cartoon hijinks with identifiable, sitcom sentiments. His artwork matches the cunning combination, with colors that pop and invigorate, abetted by crisp lettering from Jim Ludwig and Chris Wayne Stagg and a sterling production design from Michael Jensen. 

That Baker's creation continues to gain momentum pleases me to no end. It shows that there are still folks out there who appreciate wholesome, fun material, and Baker deserves a mighty big pat on the back for his insightful efforts. In my estimation, thanks to Cartoon Cuties (and the splendors of Creek Bend), our otherwise strenuous world has become a far better place.  

Cartoon Cuties #11 is available for purchase (along with its pleasing, prior issues) at Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HQ3CK2LQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawVV48lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWJyaWQRMXJBaG5tTW1YM1YyUUF2MERzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEfSEUXg9QahQUNt7-Maw27znUqoDKcoklsPB2iHIFfsKOFKwkuEy4M7F5X128_aem_Df_eKOByyW2fd8JBUpMqRA

HAROLD NONO'S THE GURNEY SHAKES

The trailblazing Harold Nono returns with a far-reaching, Bearsuit Records EP: The Gurney Shakes. 

The EP's sounds are unique and therefore exquisite, if not unstable, but in such comes an audio experience that celebrates all things unpolished, broken and fixed. To rephrase, it builds a story of repair over despair. 

The titular track (snatched from Nono's saturating We're Almost Home) is memorable in its neurosis. One's ears are strapped in, pushed along, but all the while the exotic whistles screech, scoot and sway. Will one be rescued or fall? Ah, how the journey thrills and enthralls! 

"Recut, Reframed, Resumed, Undone" answers with bells and bangs that insinuate plans for reassembly. It's a Frankenstein blueprint, intended for a mad machine that will stitch part to part, ambient note to ambient note. 

"These Fins Don't Fit," on the other hand, recalls the deep-rooted damage, sounding an urgency for greater scrutiny. A quacking trill infiltrates, like wheels skidding straight off the track. Maybe one has landed in the wrong surgical hands, and if so, what will be salvaged (if anything) in the end?  

"Gunter - Reluctant Gun" intervenes: a masquerading, lipsticked pig, if one will, wearing an Eastwood-ian facade. Will the swine-slinger shoot from the hip to set things straight? Nono's heavy echo hints that the dusty savior will, but to confirm the matter, one must first look to the sky.

"Nacreous Cloud Over the Western G" rips a hopeful palette that breaks one's bubble of discord to pacify and rectify. Soon one's worries melt in a wide, rushing hush. 

"Banjo Dimmer Switch" stands as its android accompaniment, where one's appendages are entwined with wires charged by Vangelis' Blade Runner vibe. One's veins are recircuited, plucked, picked and pricked, so that by the time the electrical dust dissipates, one is full-fledged bionic.

"Sing So Long to Singing" is the EP's sigh-of-relief farewell: a high-tech hymn that recalls one's shattered state but also one's refurbished outcome. It signals praise and gratitude, of life through death, of all the rattling platforms that came to break one, only to make one whole again. 

Listening to Nono's The Gurney Shakes is, indeed, the epitome of trial and error, of subtraction and addition, and if one's ears accept it, renewal becomes one's unequivocal fate. 

https://bearsuitrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-gurney-shakes