MISC. MANGA, *Namesake

Inspired by classic literature, Namesake is an ongoing webcomic series done with a compelling manga style, and implementing elements of various isekai anime. Creators Megan Lavey-Heaton and Isabelle Melancon started this in 2012 as a more fleshed out story featuring characters from The Wizard Of Oz, and then made this into a study of fairytale main characters as they reflect on the real world, as well as the imaginary worlds they inhabit.

After an encounter trying to pick up her younger sister Elaine at a library, Emma Crewe is transported to the magical land of Oz, and mistaken for the current incarnation of "Dorothy" by the troubled residents. A rogue wizard has seized control of the Emerald City, and Emma has to help a collection of Ozians find true heir to the throne. Meanwhile, Elaine along with Emma's friend Ben make contact with an organization called Calliope where those who are the namesakes of their own story that try to maintain balance between the mundane world and the storybook realms. Run by Wonderland's Alice and Neverland's Wendy, Calliope is constantly crossing swords with their arch-enemies, the Rippers, selfish seekers of namesakes and the powers that they can wield.

Fans of works like Kingdom Hearts, Once Upon A Time, or Fables will more than likely find the idea of several children's story worlds intermingling with each other to be inviting. Although it does tend to place entire story arcs in one set magical land at a time, which is something very similar to ongoing anime titles. The webcomic is available free online, and the first chapters are also in print from Fairylogue Press. Its worth looking into for the inviting art style, as well as the world building that the cast experience, plus the deep character development their relationships have through each saga.

Batman gets high...

ANI-MOVIES, *Reign Of The Supermen

Serving as a sequel to The Death Of Superman remake, Reign Of The Supermen covers the other half of the 90s comic book saga where Superman was killed off by a monster called Doomsday. This takes a few liberties with the original story arc by bringing it into modern day, and as part of the "New 52" line up of DC Universe animated movies.

A half a year after Superman's demise, and Metropolis has had four separate heroes showing up, each wearing the S-shield. This includes a shades-wearing lookalike, a tall guy in power armor, a fame-seeking teenager, and a dark-looking cyborg. Lex Luthor holds a press conference revealing that the superteen works for him, but a battle with all four Supermen results in the teenage-super is a clone. Lois figures out that the guy in armor is John Irons, a former employee of Luthor's, and the two of them figure out that the cyborg is the reportedly dead astronaut, Hank Henshaw. During the launching of the Justice League's new watchtower, "Superboy" and the Cyborg help secure the President as she gives a speech during the event. But a random boom tube opens up with a Parademon raid, leading to the Cyborg saving the President, and the League getting stuck in another dimension, although most everyone thinks that they are now dead as well. The President leaves America's defense up to Cyborg Superman, believing him to be the true Superman. Irons as "Steel" follows the specs-wearing Superman known as Eradicator to a structure in the Arctic where it's shown that the real Superman was taken to by the ship that brought him to Earth as a chld, and formed a fortress to shield him while his body recuperated. The Eradicator was really a hard light hologram programmed by his ship's computer to fill in for Superman during his regeneration. Superboy joins Superman and Steel to stop Hank Henshaw from opening a boom tube for Darkseid's forces to take over the Earth, and accomplishes this with some Metropolis residents he sweet talked into wearing cybernetic super-suits. Luthor manages to free the Justice League from their exile to take care of Henshaw's flunkies, but the Henshaw himself betrays Darkseid(who originally sent Doomsday in the first place)when he finds out that Superman is still alive so he can kill him on his own. Taking Lois captive, Henshaw launches the League's watchtower into orbit, but genuine Superman arrives to shove Eradicator's program into his cybernetic skull which...eradicates him. The League reforms in their new space station, with Luthor apparently joining their ranks.

The finale to this two-parter works out still as its own film, although its pretty important to have watched the prior one. The changes in the story from the comic book arc are acceptable, although the idea of the President allowing a sinister-looking cyborg to create his own volunteer super-human army is a little hard to swallow. The dub is good too, most notedly Cameron Monaghan(Gotham's "Joker")as the 90s-heavy caricature of Superboy. The fights between the various Supermen pans out great too. It's unknown at this point what the post-Flashpoint animated DC Universe, but with new solo movies involving Batman or Wonder Woman might continue the current timeline.

Trump before they put his makeup on the in the morning...

Dude, you've watched the Avengers Super Bowl trailer enough times!

MISC. MANGA, *Cutey Bunny

Well before a certain quartet of pizza-eating turtles made the scene, one of the first anthropomorphic superheroes among the underground comics scene was this bodacious bunnygirl. Taking inspiration from anime such as Cutey Honey, as well as other leading lady titles like Dirty Pair, Cutey Buney(or "QT Bunny")was created by Joshus Quagmire in the early 80s.

An African-American rabbit lady who received a powerful amulet from ancient Egypt that gives her the ability to change into 4-5 different outfits, each with their own separate powers or abilities. Kelly O'Hare(no relation to Bucky)now uses her superhero status as Cutey Bunny, working as a special agent answering directly to a cartoonish version of President Reagan. QT's super threads provide her with super-strength, jet boots, hyperspeed skates, ninja skills, and limited magic, depending on which outfit she switches to. Usually her enemies included her one-again/off-again adversary Vicky who usually tries to make out with her when she's tied up, as well as German mad scientist Gelving Shavinsky. Cutey Bunny is often assisted in her heroic endeavors by Fatty Tubins in his alter-ego of Astro Cat, the Space Gophers(who also have their own backup features in each issue), and Capt. Huey who is a farcical fusion of Captain America and Baby Huey. The original 5-issue mini-series usually poked fun at comedy staples like Road movies, superhero crossovers, space travel, and the Loch-Ness Monster. A one-shot special created a decade later sees Cutey Bunny teamed up with her British counterpart, "Cutie Bunny", who later appeared with her in two swimsuit specials.

The art-style Joshua Quagmire leant itself to manga style, seeing as each issue was done in black and white, but has a distinct back-and-forth using the more humanoid funny animals like Cutey Bunny, and the cartoony Space Gophers. The original 5-issue series from the 80s is difficult to come across, although the one-shot Uncle Joe's Commie Book starring QT and her friends is slightly more accessible, as well as two pin-up books. Cutey Bunny also had short stories done in anthology comics like Critters, Airlock, and Launch, but so far no collected edition exists of her past works. The initial series is worth gathering for a look at the dawn of what was labeled "furry comics", and its correlation with mid-80s American anime fandom.

ANI-MOVIES, *Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

After several animated movies based on Marvel Comics(either made-for-TV or OVA), their biggest solo-star finally gets his own full-length cartoon feature! Being the also the first animated Marvel movie to be initially released in theatres, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse takes a fairly recent story arc from the Spider-Man comic series, and narrows it down reducing the amount of dozens of Spider-heroes shown in the original crossover. Another thing to bear in mind is that none of the other non-Spider-Man heroes in it, so don't expect to see any Avengers or X-Men show up.

Beginning in reality based on the Ultimates Universe, teenage Mile Morales is feeling the pressure of attending an upper class academy instead of expressing himself as a graffiti artist, much to dismay of his police officer father. His uncle Aaron encourages him to pursue his inspiration, which Miles does in subways, and just happens to get bit by a stray radioactive spider. Another trip underground leads him to witnessing Spider-Man fighting Green Goblin(who here is more like the Hulk)in the middle of a particle accelerator experiment, scrupulously hidden by the Kingpin. Spider-Man gets killed during the battle after discovering Miles similar powers, but Miles escapes with a special flash drive designed to take down Kingpin's infernal contraption. People morn the Spider-Man's death, publicly revealed as Peter Parker, however and older and out of shape Peter Parker encounters Miles. Turns out, this Peter is from another universe, but one that has been at the superhero act for a decade longer, and has paid for the keeping of the "great responsibility" with his life having one setback after the other. Turns out when the Spider-Man of that universe made contact with the particle accelerator, it ended up pulling other Spider-persons from other realities. This includes a Spider-version of Miles classmate Gwen, a Shadow-inspired Spidey, a Japanese schoolgirl with a spider-robot, and the anthropomorphic pig Spider-Ham from a cartoon world. The Spider-Family converges on Kingpin's hideout, leaving Miles behind believing his inexperience might get him killed. Miles however manages to master his new powers, gets a leftover suit from May Parker, and joins the Spider-Persons mission to stop Kingpin, whose efforts to bring versions of his dead family into his universe might be sympathetic, but could ultimately destroy the city.

The animation produced for this film gives off the feel of a comic book in motion, but not in the way Ang Lee's Hulk tried to do, although the only drawback is the motion isn't exactly as fluid as other CGI pictures, and at times looks like a 3-D movie without using the glasses. The adaptation of most of the characters is spot on, even though the older Peter Parker is somewhat more original, as if he's a Spider-Man that had been around since the 90s with no reboots or faustian bargains resetting his timeline. The other Spider-heroes represent their comic counterparts well, specifically Nicholas Cage voicing the noir Spidey, also check the end of the movie for two other Spider-Man cameos! Into The Spider-Verse is setting up for sequel, hopefully leading to other Marvel characters being included, but also possibly bleeding into the live-action MCU.