Comic Years |
- Review: Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Series Is All Heart And Humour In A Successful Adaptation
- GTA Trilogy Refunds Flood Rockstar Games After Buggy Launch
- Disney+ Day 2021 Gives Star Wars Fans Crumbs WIth Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaser
- Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Premiere Episode Sets The Tone For A Very Faithful Anime Adaptation
- Warwick Davis Introduces The Willow Cast In New Video For Disney+ Day
- Could Disney+ Make an Eternals Prequel? The Writers Hope So
| Review: Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Series Is All Heart And Humour In A Successful Adaptation Posted: 15 Nov 2021 10:05 AM PST Netflix's Cowboy Bebop is the epitome of stories featuring the whole ragtag group of unheroic heroes that come together as a newfound family. It's a formula we've seen over and over, namely in shows like Firefly. But this anime-turned-live-action show does it very well. And sticks to it, despite the obligatory warm-and-fuzzy that all characters usually revert to by the end. I'm being intentionally vague as this is a non-spoiler Cowboy Bebop review. However, there's a lot to love in this new show that I can be very explicit about with complete details. So read on for my Cowboy Bebop review of the entirety of its first season, coming soon on Netflix. OK. What Is Cowboy Bebop Really About? Dead man walking! | Image via Netflix. As mentioned in my review of the Cowboy Bebop premiere episode, the show is about bounty hunters that come together for convenience, but seemingly end up becoming much more. The opening sees Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir) and Spike Spiegel (John Cho) as two very different bounty hunters, together on Jet's ship, the Bebop. Bounty Hunters in this chaotic future are Cowboys, hence, the name of the show. It's a future where Earth became uninhabitable, so humans had to colonize the rest of the solar system. But with crime on the rise, the authorities devised a bounty system, so regular mercenaries can help catch the worst of the bad criminals. Jet himself is a former cop, who, due to a blemish in his past, is now relegated to herding bounties for a living. While Spike has a more insidious and mysterious past, which might just cause friction between the two. Along with the ride, later on, is Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda), another bounty hunter who uses con-artist skills to get her bounty. When she's left without much of her resources, and after teaming up with the boys a few times, Faye ends up forced to hang out with these two on the Bebop, with hilarious consequences. Add a genetically modified and cute as a button Welsh Corgie to the mix, and we've got our very own dysfunctional family of Space Cowboys. The Character Dynamics Of Cowboy Bebop Are Awesome! The keeper of secrets. | Image via Netflix. The chemistry between these characters is one of the founding pillars of why Cowboy Bebop is so good. And that's the thesis of this review, by the way. Spike and Jet are wildly differing characters. While Spike is seemingly carefree and aloof, Jet is very much the dad of the group; keeping the ship together, maintaining their finances, and bound by a strict cop-like code, which makes sense given his past. He's also doing whatever he can to be in the life of his young daughter, whose mom he is estranged with. Spike, on the other hand, was part of the Syndicate, which is the biggest criminal organization in this universe, responsible for most of the criminal activities. Thought to be dead, an accidental encounter with the Syndicate in the premiere episode puts Spike back on their radar. Namely, one of the head honchos, a man named Vicious (Alex Hassell). The majority of the show is about Spike's past and how it comes back to haunt him. Also about how he has to hide his former criminal nature from his current former cop partner. And as we all know, secrets are the undoing of relationships. Cowboy Bebop Does The Found Family Aspect Really Well Face! | Image via Netflix. When they add the third member of this group, Faye Valentine into the mix, the show really hits its stride. Faye's story arc is a bit of a spoiler, so we'll navigate around it in this review of Cowboy Bebop. But she's more of an even wilder card among the three; untrusting, starts off by double-crossing the boys constantly, but eventually finds common ground out of necessity. Spike and her dynamic are super cute, as they spend an entire episode's B-story trying to figure out which bounty to catch, and comparing war stories. At the end of which, Spike respects her, ending their bickering, while also learning something about shower-bath-showers from Faye. It's honestly, life-changing. It's this found family trope that, to me, is the backbone of Cowboy Bebop. The anime did it really well, and the live-action show expands and compounds it that much more. While it's not as dark and grisly as the characters in Firefly, it's still very tongue in cheek and when they do eventually begin to care about each other, it's not a cheesy or trite display of feelings, but a more organic progression of their relationships. All building to an ending that, leaves the audience kind of heavy-hearted. Spoiler-Free Review Of Cowboy Bebop Cinematic to the end! | Image via Netflix. Netflix's Cowboy Bebop series takes a lot of liberties with adapting the anime story. And I for one, am completely okay with it. Over 26 episodes, the anime has a lot of filler. The live-action version trims all the fat to focus the stories on Spike and his past while adding a lot of layers to Faye and Jet's storylines. Certain events happen out of sequence, but the spirit of the characters' journeys in the anime, are mimicked and reached by the end. The live-action show does imbue everything about the anime that made it so amazing; the tone, the mash-up of genres, the incredible music, the laugh-out-loud humour, are all intact, and at times, improved. While the series doesn't deal with the grander themes of existentialism, identity and other high concept ideas, it's picks a lane and sticks with it. Overall, the show is much more lighter and has a larger emphasis on fun, than the anime. The anime was able to experiment and play certain aspects very seriously. Being a live-action series, it feels like this version didn't have those freedoms. They had to pick light and easygoing, over dark and grisly. Even though there are still many heartwarming moments and emotionally significant sequences to satisfy the need for good storytelling. I've welled up in plenty of scenes if we're being transparent. The Action, The Story, The Noir-Esque MomentsDead man walking! | Image via Netflix. Ultimately, Cowboy Bebop is a pretty great adaptation of the anime. Like I mentioned in the premiere episode review, the show knows what to adapt and what to leave behind. The story is heavily modified to fit this new world. The anime series director Shinichirō Watanabe, who also consulted on the Netflix show, intentionally ended the anime series after 1 season, refusing to do any continuation. However, being a show on Netflix, in this day and age, franchise aspirations is always a driving factor. For that reason, much of Cowboy Bebop is changed to fit in with audience sensibilities today, and more importantly, the studio's sensibilities. Not to say that that takes away from the show at all. This is by no means a cash grab situation. Instead, it's a great way to tell a new story using an existing IP, and take it to new avenues that the original didn't or couldn't go down. The performances by all involved are flawless. Pineda as Faye is a lot of fun, and definitely my favourite. While Shakir's Jet is the perfect blend of grumpy but caring, and Cho embodies Spike by emoting more with his eyes and demeanour than dialogue or exposition. There's tragedy, humour, betrayal and depth here that many adaptations, or even original shows in general, miss out on. How Every Character's Motivations Make Sense A pretty ‘vicious’ villain. | Image via Netflix. Another part of why Cowboy Bebop is so good is because of its focus on all the characters, not just the protagonists. Hassell's Vicious gets a lot to do, and he does it so well. From being the cruel-hearted villain to someone with his own tragic backstory that makes him so, is amazing to watch. How Haskell can make Vicious a true villain in one scene, but also make you feel (kind of) sympathetic in another, speaks to his skill. And in many ways, Vicious's motivations in the show make a lot more sense than Spike's, and the object of both their affections, Julia (Elena Satine). Even the supporting characters like Ana (Tamara Tunie) and Gren (Mason Alexander Park) in their small appearances make you want to know more about them in the future. So here's hoping that there is a season 2 of the live-action Cowboy Bebop. Cowboy Bebop premieres on Netflix on November 19.What did you think of this new anime adaptation? Not to mention the liberties it takes with its story from the original? Let me know in the comments below. Featured image via Netflix. Review: Netflix's Cowboy Bebop Series Is All Heart And Humour In A Successful Adaptation |
| GTA Trilogy Refunds Flood Rockstar Games After Buggy Launch Posted: 15 Nov 2021 07:11 AM PST There didn’t seem to be much to lose in releasing the new GTA Trilogy remaster. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition truly seemed set up for success. Flashforward just a few days, and fans of the popular series are furious with the state of the games included. Here’s the thing about a remaster; it doesn’t always reinvent the wheel. Oftentimes, they tend to simply put a fresh coat of paint on an old classic. It’s like remodeling a vintage car, seeing as the core value is still in the original product. That said, Rockstar Games is receiving numerous requests for GTA Trilogy refunds after numerous bugs hinder the player experience. Here’s what some players are finding in the messy re-releases. Why are Players Requesting GTA Trilogy Refunds? Image Credit: Rockstar Games Originally, the announcement regarding a Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remaster seemed like a dream come true. Three classic games from one of the most illustrious series of all time? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it seemed concerning that a few red flags ahead of launch dampened my excitement. Firstly, Rockstar Games delisted the old ports of these games on PC. Additionally, review codes didn’t go out to major games industry publications. Add in the post-launch discoveries that controversial formerly removed content, including the infamous Hot Coffee content in San Andreas, and multiple bugs, and people got mad very quickly. While some haven’t seen too many issues with their experiences, there’s no denying the lack of fine-tuning these remasters feature. Something like the Mass Effect Legendary Edition included quality of life updates. It’s about more than just modernizing your game, it’s quite literally a second chance to make a good game even greater. Rockstar didn’t appear to have an interest in this; in fact, some have more insidious claims than this. Grove Street Games, a development studio in Florida, handled the remastered games. With issues in everything from performance and graphics, some are speculating that these versions are actually based on mobile device ports of the games. That would certainly explain why the frame rate and performance on consoles are so rough. Even worse for PC players, some of the games hardly work at all without crashing. Rockstar Games Support went so far as to remove the games from PC digital storefronts, explaining “we’re sorry for the disruption.” Keep an Eye Out for GTA Trilogy Fixes Coming Soon Image Credit: Rockstar Games For now, we know that fixes are on the way for these games. Unfortunately, we also know that these things can take time. It’s hard to not think about the infamous Cyberpunk 2077 fiasco. While that situation is a little different, it’s still leading to many requesting refunds for the GTA Trilogy. It might be awhile before the bugs are addressed, especially if the issue here is the base files for these remastered experiences. While we wait for the updates to the new GTA Trilogy, we want to hear if you’re hoping to get refunds for the games. If you purchased Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition, then let us know what your experience has been like. Of course, we’ll keep you up to date here on the site if patches and fixes come to these games. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition is available at your preferred games retailer.Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture. Featured Image Credit: Rockstar Games GTA Trilogy Refunds Flood Rockstar Games After Buggy Launch |
| Disney+ Day 2021 Gives Star Wars Fans Crumbs WIth Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaser Posted: 15 Nov 2021 04:10 AM PST As a virtual or social-media event, Disney+ Day 2021 isn’t exactly DC FanDome, but we did get a small teaser about the forthcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Marvel fans were treated to a 14-minute video for their Disney+ Day announcements, half of which consisted of new material for shows yet to release. There wasn't much given to fans starving for looks at She-Hulk or Ms. Marvel or Moon Knight. Yet, they got something. For fans of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Disney+ Day 2021 offered very little in the way of a first look or teaser. Still, they did give us a few morsels, including some pretty incredible concept art. Of all the future Star Wars projects, both for film and Disney+, Obi-Wan Kenobi is easily the most anticipated. It also may be the project that's been in development the longest. What the Disney+ Day 2021 Teaser Tells Us About Obi-Wan Kenobi Image via Disney+ The one-minute-and-fourteen-second clip begins ironically for me. Director Deborah Chow opens it by saying that fans are most excited to see Ewan McGregor reprise his role as our first Jedi Master. Yet, that she is the director of this series is what excites me the most, at least as a fan of Star Wars and cinema. I first saw her directorial work in Jessica Jones and Iron Fist, but her two episodes in the first season of The Mandalorian really stood out to me. Chow directed "The Sin" and "The Reckoning," two episodes which combined action, Star Wars lore, and quiet human moments in perfect balance. (As all things, except the Force, should be.) Honestly, as a Star Wars fan, I am not all that interested in Obi-Wan Kenobi's Tatooine exile. Of course, I am not one of the fans who needs every backstory told or reference put in context. In fact, I was initially resistant to the idea that we'd visit Old Ben in Star Wars Rebels, but we ultimately got one of the classic lightsaber battles between him and Darth Maul. Thus, I remain cautiously optimistic about what kind of story this series will tell. However, the Disney+ Day 2021 teaser for Obi Wan Kenobi has me more cautious than optimistic. As a longtime prequel defender, I am elated that this show will bring Hayden Christensen back to play Anakin Skywalker. Yet, I am less hyped about Obi-Wan and Darth Vader facing off between episodes III and IV. In fact, some folks might call it a cheat, but I'd be happy if the lightsaber fight hinted at in the Obi Wan Kenobi Disney+ Day 2021 teaser is just some kind of Force vision or a straight-up hallucination. Living Up to and Subverting Expectations Is Where Star Wars Can Live or Die With Fans Image via Disney+ Much of the (still ongoing) backlash to The Last Jedi, came from the fact that Rian Johnson did not give fans the story they expected. (Lucas often did this, too.) Obi Wan Kenobi has the unfortunate position of being probably the most anticipated Star Wars property of all the new stories in the works. Even the biggest prequel hater can't justifiably say a bad word about Ewan McGregor's performance. (At least, not that I’ve encountered.) Kids who grew up with the prequels as their Star Wars love him like we Original Trilogy-heads love Luke Skywalker. This kind of anticipation can be a double-bladed lightsaber, though. Some Star Wars fans' whole fan experience is talking about how disappointed they are with whatever new thing is out. This problem is only exacerbated by outrage grifters who turn toxic fandom into a YouTube audience. Part of what The Mandalorian such a sensation is that people didn't know what to expect. Fans have a lot of strong opinions about what Ben Kenobi did and did not do on Tatooine, and that can be a tough space-needle for the storytellers to thread. Hopefully, we can just enjoy what Deborah Chow and company give us when Obi Wan Kenobi finally debuts. Obi Wan Kenobi is expected to hit Disney+ sometime in 2022.What did you think of the Disney+ Day 2021 Obi Wan Kenobi teaser? Was it enough for you or should they have shown us a little bit more? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Featured image via Disney+ Disney+ Day 2021 Gives Star Wars Fans Crumbs WIth Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaser |
| Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Premiere Episode Sets The Tone For A Very Faithful Anime Adaptation Posted: 15 Nov 2021 12:01 AM PST The Cowboy Bebop anime has wildly varying tones, set in a hybrid of multiple genres all lassoed together with a Western vibe throughout. It's noir, it's science fiction, it's a crime drama, all rolled into an awesome extravaganza of pulpy, high-energy storytelling. And the new Netflix live-action adaptation is no different, in a wonderful twist of anime meets real life. And I'm glad to say in this Cowboy Bebop premiere episode review, that the live-action absolutely lives up to the anime, in wonderfully surprising ways. Read on for my completely non-spoiler review of the Cowboy Bebop premiere episode. Why The Cowboy Bebop Anime Is So Beloved The anime crew. | Image via Netflix. Unlike most anime, Cowboy Bebop was a very short-lived series that didn't go on for multiple seasons. Despite that, the series had enough of an impact to become one of the greatest anime of all time. All-time, you guys! And having finally seen the anime, it's plain and clear as day to see why. The anime's opening credits convey a sense of pulpy 1970's action dramas like The Mod Squad. The blaring music, the bright colours, the split screens, hard cuts and moving silhouettes are absolutely pulp 70's. But as the first episode opens, it becomes a much more subtle, 50's noir story. The contemplative hero, the tragic shoot-out, a single black and white rose— it's genius! The series continues with Jazz and orchestral music throughout, further cementing the vibe of a noir film. But the actual setting of the show is in the future, in space, on a ship. The juxtaposition of these wildly contradicting elements somehow works. Seeing one of the main characters, Jet, in a trench coat and Fedora, while sporting an entirely metal arm, in a sci-fi world, is not as jarring as you would think. It's mostly because the atmospheric nature of the story fits with the characters and the world we're in. It's a future with no Earth, so cultures, periods and the cyclical nature of society are all in flux and all over the place. So the tonal shifts actually work towards telling a story that is, similarly, all over the place in terms its homage to genres. The World Of Cowboy Bebop Premiere Episode Is Diverse And Without Limitations |
| Warwick Davis Introduces The Willow Cast In New Video For Disney+ Day Posted: 14 Nov 2021 05:06 PM PST Disney+ day delivered a ton of upcoming release dates for new shows this week in the Marvel and Star Wars cinematic universes. But that is not all that is coming to the streaming service in the near future. In a short video, we also got to meet the cast of the upcoming Willow series, introduced by Warwick Davis himself. Meet The Cast of Willow On Disney+We already knew that Erin Kellyman would be one of the leads for the series, reuniting with Davis after they appeared in Solo together. Joining these two actors is an ensemble cast of younger actors including Ruby Cruz (Mare of Easttown); Ellie Bamber (The Serpent), Tony Revolori (Spider-Man: Far From Home), Amar Chadha Patel (The Third Day) and Dempsey Bryk (The Birch). In the video, Davis questions the Willow cast about where they have appeared before (“Instastories, Tik-Tok, and the like…”). He also answers a few questions as well, including the fact that the showrunners will not “Irishman” his face for the new Willow series. Davis also workshops a few potential names for the Willow fandom, I personally prefer the “Willow-Mongers.” A Sequel 30 Years In The Making Erin Kellyman (and Warwick Davis!) in Solo: A Star Wars Story | Image via Lucasfilm The upcoming Willow series for Disney+ will pick up years after the original movie – so it’s okay for Davis to look a bit older than he did 30 years ago. The series acts as a sequel to the original film. It focuses on a princess (Cruz) who sets out on a journey to rescue her twin brother. Bryk will presumably be playing the brother in question. Kellyman plays a servant turned warrior named Jade who joins the princess on her quest. Rounding out the party is Bamber’s character of Dove. And Chadha-Patel’s thief character who gets a chance at freedom in exchange for his help. Davis will reprise his role as Willow Ufgood, the dwarf sorcerer who featured so prominently in the original film.  Image via Lucasfilm Jonathan Entwistle will direct the Willow series, after John M. Chu stepped down last year due to scheduling conflicts. Ron Howard – who directed the original Willow – returns as executive producer on the series. Willow is set to air on Disney+ in 2022, although no specific release date has been announced yet. To stay up to date on all of the latest genre news and reviews, be sure to follow Comic Years on Facebook and Twitter today. Warwick Davis Introduces The Willow Cast In New Video For Disney+ Day |
| Could Disney+ Make an Eternals Prequel? The Writers Hope So Posted: 14 Nov 2021 02:05 PM PST Eternals, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, took the franchise to whole new worlds with its centuries-spanning storyline. Our group of immortal main characters has been around for longer than the wheel, and their list of adventures is unbeatable. While the film hints at some of their antics, we’re still left wondering what they spent their downtime doing. Could Disney+ ever create an Eternals prequel series? We like to think so, and the film’s writers are on board, too. Beware that this post may contain mild spoilers for Eternals. If you haven’t seen it, then bookmark this page for after you have. And if you were at the front of the line like we were, then head over to our review after you’re done here! Eternals Writers Wish For A Disney+ PrequelKaz and Ryan Firpo are young cousins without a list of films under their belt. However, what they do have is innovative ideas and a fire underneath them to create something magical. So, when Marvel Studios hired them back in 2018 to create a story that is arguably one of their largest in scope, our hopes were high that they could bring something new to the table. And that is precisely what they did, along with Patrick Burleigh and the film’s director, Chloé Zhao. A recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter gave the Firpos an opportunity to discuss dream projects. Among them is an Eternals prequel for streaming services. Nothing is officially in the works, and it remains more of a joke to the writers than something that could become a reality, but anything is possible at Marvel. Some of their ideas for episodes include following the backstory of Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo, watching as he juggles “his life as a movie star, dealing with Gandhi’s peaceful dissolution of the British empire in India.” Another idea includes following Thena in Greece as she battles her way through the city.  Image via Marvel Studios. Could This Project Really Land On Our Screens?Marvel Studios is famous for its ability to keep secrets locked under heavy keys. Rarely do we know what is coming before we get it, other than the rare occurrence where people sneak spoilers off of sets. The exciting idea about an Eternals prequel on Disney+ seems perfect for the franchise and the platform, but it’s almost too good to be true. Plus, if they’re talking about it this early on, the odds are that it’s not in the works. Otherwise, we’d be in spoiler territory. But let’s pretend that the studio pushes forward with the idea. It’s almost a perfect opportunity for them. The characters of the Eternals have already been fleshed out in their film, so audiences are attached to the characters and have enough reason to want to push play. There are also illusions to what has happened in their past. We could have episodes filled with Phastos’ romance, Sprite’s challenges with her immortal appearance, or Makkari’s runs around the world. You could place these characters at any event in history, and a story could come from it.  Image via Marvel Studios An Eternals prequel on Disney+ is no guarantee, but it’s a great idea for the studio. Keep your eyes peeled for any hints that it’s coming.Readers, let us know what stories you’d like to be told in an episode if Eternals comes to the small screen. Are there any tales you’d want to see their take on? Or relationships you’d want retroactively explored? Let us know your ideas in the comments! Featured image via Marvel Studios. Could Disney+ Make an Eternals Prequel? The Writers Hope So |
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