Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Nostalgia

By Brandon T. McClure

As soon as Anson Mount swaggered off the transporter pad of the USS Discovery, fans fell in love with his portrayal of Captain Pike. Portraying the second captain of the Enterprise, Mount took on the legacy role originally held by the late Jefferey Hunter throughout the second season of Star Trek: Discovery. Fans immediately began a social media campaign for a spin off show centered around Mount’s Captain Pike and his crew of the USS Enterprise. Paramount heard their pleas and announced Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in 2020 to the cheers of Star Trek fans around the world. However, the show that many were hoping for was not the one they got. Instead, the show seems less interested in telling the story of Captain Christopher Pike, and more interested in setting up his replacement, the nostalgic Captain James T. Kirk. A character who casts a very large shadow over the franchise.

Despite what the general consensus of the internet would have you believe, there's nothing inherently wrong with prequels. They offer a unique opportunity to shed light on characters in ways that could fundamentally change the audience's understanding of said characters. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds found itself in a great position. It was far enough away from the events of Star Trek: The Original Series (I know it’s just Star Trek, but for the sake of my sanity it’s going to be called Star Trek: The Original Series in this piece), which gave it enough room to tell new stories in a familiar setting. Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck would reprise their roles as Una Chin-Riley (originally just referred to as Number One) and Spock from Star Trek: Discovery, but there was room to fill the bridge crew with brand new characters for fans to fall in love with. Nevertheless, it didn’t really work out that way.

Number One (Rebecca Romijn), Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

While there were new characters introduced like Christina Chong’s La'an Noonien-Singh and Melissa Navia’s Erica Ortegas, most of the principal cast is made up of legacy characters. Jess Bush plays Nurse Christine Chapel, a part originally played by the first lady of Star Trek Majel Barrett, Celia Rose Gooding plays Nyota Uhura, a part originally played by Nichelle Nichols, and Babs Olusanmokun plays Dr. M’Benga, a part originally played by Booker Bradshaw. Like it was mentioned above, seeing these familiar characters isn’t inherently a problem. Afterall, M’Benga only showed up in two episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series and is therefore just as much of a blank slate for the writers as Lt. Ortegas. But after two seasons, the problem lies in how the characters have been used.

For example, Majell Barrett is considered the first lady of Star Trek, not only for her relationship to the “great bird of the galaxy” Gene Roddenberry, but due to the fact that she played three characters in Star Trek including Una Chin-Riley, Nurse Chapel, and Lwaxana Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation, and then voiced the ship's computer until her death in 2008 (she has a brief vocal cameo in 2009's Star Trek that she recorded beforehand). Although, not many people would consider her Nurse Chapel a well rounded and engaging character. Most of her appearances in Star Trek: The Original Series sees her as Dr. McCoy’s sidekick or fawning over Spock due to her one-sided attraction to him. There’s room for “improvement” so to speak, and a prequel series with her as a lead could lead to a re-contextualization of her character. Even though the first season began to paint Nurse Chapel as a complicated, yet intelligent character, the second season reframed her entire character around her love of Spock. Bringing her back to square one. That’s the real problem, Chapel’s character in the original series centers entirely around other people, namely men. Season two of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds sees Chapel’s entire character arc revolve around other people again, the same men. There is plenty of time for this to course correct, but now that the writers sloppily got her through a relationship with Spock, they’re introducing her future husband Dr. Roger Korby (played by Cillian O'Sullivan). Hell, Chapel’s bisexuality was all but erased in a concerning trend within the once progressive franchise.

In contrast, Dr. M’Benga got some much needed character development in the first season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. His arc, especially in season one, is a good example of how this prequel series can positively develop a legacy character that enhances his appearance in Star Trek: The Original Series. In fairness, the writers fumbled his story in season two by forgetting that he was a doctor and focusing on Babs Olusanmokun’s martial arts training. While it’s cool that Dr. M’Benga has another side to him, it was frustrating that the second season focused so heavily on this side that it neglected the important side of him. But regardless, Dr. M’Benga is a step in the right direction for what this show can achieve when it focuses on its own cast of characters. Similarly, Una Chin-Riley has also benefited from being a featured member on this show.

But then, there’s the biggest legacy character of all. The one that the entire franchise revolves around. The future captain of the USS Enterprise, James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds surprised audiences in the final episode of the first season by revealing that Paul Wesley had been cast in the role, making him the third actor to play Kirk. So far Wesley has shown up in four episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but only two as Lt. Kirk (time travel and alternate universes account for the other two appearances) and will definitely show up more and more as the show progresses through its final three seasons. Frankly, the question of whether or not Kirk needed to be in this show has to be asked constantly. Sure, his brother Sam Kirk, played by Dan Jeannotte is part of the crew of Pike’s Enterprise, but Akiva Goldsman (co-showrunner) and his team of writers don’t seem interested in developing Sam and Jim’s brotherly relationship, but do seem very interested in setting Jim Kirk up to take command of the Enterprise.

Captian James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley), Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Christine Chapel (Jess Bush)

Recently, during an interview for season three, Akiva Goldsman spoke about how the final episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will show Kirk’s first day as captain of the Enterprise, saying “We will take the show to Kirk’s first day of command.” As if the show only exists to set up the events and characters of Star Trek: The Original Series. Which means this show will never be able to stand on its own. Much has been said about Star Trek: Enterprise, but at least it’s able to stand on its own as a Star Trek show first and a prequel show second. Of course nothing exists in a vacuum. Audiences have the original series in mind when watching Strange New Worlds, and it will be compared to it whenever it tries to do something new or different. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can’t magically come out first. Perhaps in another world where the shows came out in reverse order, an episode like “The Menagerie” would be considered “fan service” and writers would be trying to find ways to shoe horn in Captain Pike every three episodes.

Remember when WB decided that The Hobbit should be three movies and Peter Jackson wrote in a ton of references to The Lord of the Rings films? Legolas isn’t in The Hobbit but he’s all over the film adaptation. His arc ends when his father says he needs to go and find Aragorn. Legolas only exists in that movie to set up his appearance in The Lord of the Rings. He serves no other purpose and is arguably wasting space and taking the attention away from the story being told. That’s what Paul Wesley’s Kirk is doing to the cast and characters of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. From 1963 to 1994, Captain Kirk dominated Star Trek in both television and film, and then again in 2009 to 2016 when JJ Abrams rebooted the franchise around Kirk and the original series crew. There’s plenty of Captain Kirk. Like Legolas in The Hobbit, it’s fair to ask “why is he here?” In this instance, he overstayed his welcome before he even got there.

It’s only going to get worse. Now that the show has an expiration date, the writers want to “set up” the original series. Scotty, originally played by James Doohan, now played by Martin Quinn (the first Scottish actor to play the character) has now joined the main cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Rather than developing the resident Chief Engineer, Pelia, the writers have decided in their infinite wisdom that they need to set up Scotty and his relationship to the Enterprise and his future captain. Introducing a legacy character will always take away from the new characters. Always. It almost feels like the writers would have rather have written a reboot of Star Trek: The Original Series and consider this show a back door pilot to that. Which has been all but confirmed in every interview for the new season. It would not be a surprise if Dr. McCoy or Sulu were to show up by the end of season three or four.

The writers of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds seem to be of the opinion that the show's only value comes from how it can set up and lead directly into the original series. As if every story only serves to set up the next. The next story is the only one of value, so every story has to center around it. Rather, the opposite is true. It’s established canon that Kirk and Pike didn’t meet until Kirk took over the Enterprise, but in a world where Kirk’s story is the only one that matters and Pikes only exists to set up Kirk, then that needed to be retconned. This course devalues Pike's story. His crew doesn’t deserve to have a story of their own, rather their story only exists to set up or enhance what came before. It’s a shame, because Star Trek: Strange New Worlds should be able to stand on its own and not be beholden to a show that came out 60 years ago. We aren’t learning about new adventures that Pike went on, we’re learning about a footnote in the history of the Enterprise while Pike kept the seat warm for Kirk. Pike was in command of the Enterprise for 15 years, so surely there should be more reverence put on his tenure. Strange New Worlds should put its value on its crew, and not the set up of a crew that audiences are more than familiar with.

Streaming shows don’t have the real estate that network shows used to have. At the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ five season run, it will have fewer episodes than Star Trek: The Original Series did in three. The higher production budget that streaming shows get, demands less episodes, which is why serialized television thrives in the streaming era. Episodic television like Star Trek has a harder time. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was born out of a desire to go back to the episodic nature that the franchise was known for. The benefits of that meant that audiences would be able to spend more time with the characters and get to know them without the writers having to worry about some looming threat or mystery that needs to be set up in every episode. While some characters have benefited from this, like Una Chin-Riley and M’Benga, others have not been so lucky. In 20 episodes, all audiences know about Lt. Ortega is that she “flies the ship.” Perhaps the writers could have cut a Jim Kirk (who’s a guest star at best) episode in favor of an Ortega's (who’s a credited lead) one. But maybe that will change in season three.

The problem is that nostalgia is a hell of a drug. Franchises have made billions on nostalgia, but that’s not what Star Trek is. Star Trek is a franchise about moving forward, learning from the mistakes of the past, actively building a better future for those that will come after you, and the hope that things can get better. It’s about looking to the future, and nostalgia is about looking to the past. Even though Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel, it can still carry those ideas and forge a new path with new and old characters. Telling stories that are progressive and relevant to today, and not be so focused on setting up a status quo that is, frankly, outdated. A 21st century Nurse Chapel shouldn't look or feel the same as a 20th century idea of Nurse Chapel. Ideas change all the time as we improve ourselves. Star Trek: The Original Series is progressive for its time, but it’s not perfect and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds shouldn’t be actively trying to emulate it. It should be forging a new path so that the characters of Ortegas, La’An, Una, M’Benga, Chapel, and even Pike can stand shoulder to shoulder with Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and Archer. Star Trek: Discovery understood this, and while that show was also not perfect, it remains the most bold and progressive Star Trek show to date. 

All that said, there’s ways that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can use its nostalgia to its strength. If the writers are so insistent that Jim Kirk be a regular guest star, then they should do more to set up his relationship with his brother Sam. That’s a character that was introduced as a dead body in the original series, so there’s plenty of room to form that relationship that can recontextualize the moment in the original show. Season one introduced the beloved Captain Angel, who was working with Spock's brother Sybock. This was a much maligned character when he was introduced in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, but Strange New Worlds could build a relationship with Spock. Audiences have seen Kirk, they’ve seen Spock wrestle with his emotions, they’ve seen Chapel fawn over a man who doesn’t love her back. But there are still plenty of things they haven’t seen and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds should be focusing on those. It’s not too late either, they have three seasons left to course correct.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds isn’t a bad show, and it’s certainly not a bad Star Trek show. It’s weirdly regressive, overly reliant on nostalgia and it’s starting to feel like a set up for a show Akiva Goldsman would rather write, and that’s just after two seasons. But it’s not a bad show. Its first season is one of the strongest in the franchise's history, and it’s incredibly well cast with loveable actors that make you forget the writers aren’t interested in developing them. It’s also got some of the most fun episodes the franchise has ever produced, with a crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks and the franchise’s first musical episode. It just needs to dial up the progressiveness, and dial down the nostalgia. Focus on this cast, this crew, and stop focusing on setting up a 60 year old show.

BOOK REVIEW/ "Lucky Day" by Chuck Tingle

Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

Release date: 8/12/25

Published by Tor Publishing Group

By Matt Spaulding

Lucky Day is the third mainstream horror novel by internet sensation Chuck Tingle, and it’s easily his most bonkers. Though not as scary as Camp Damascus and last year’s incredible Bury Your Gays, this novel is still packed with plenty of strange and gross moments while still exploring the more existential horrors of the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life and the randomness of the universe, all while ultimately proving Chuck’s mantra: “love is real.”

The book opens with Vera, a statistics and probability professor, living through the horrors of a worldwide disaster of ridiculous events that comes to be known as The-Low Probability Event. It’s one of the most bizarre scenes I have ever read. Fish rain from the sky. A monkey attacks people. It’s like the part in Ghostbusters where Venkman yells “dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!” It’s a wild ride.

Jumping ahead in time, we find Vera has decided everything is meaningless. She’s practically shut into her apartment waiting to die. That’s when Special Agent Layne enters her life. Layne works for an unchecked government agency investigating the LPE, and he’s maybe tracked its cause to a casino in Las Vegas where the odds are, somehow, in the players’ favor. Yet the house somehow still makes money. That shouldn’t be possible. And the casino is owned by a shady organization that Vera had been working to bring down before the LPE. With her fire (kind of) relit, Vera and Layne head off to Vegas.

Tingle’s imagination has yet to fail to amaze me. The Low-Probability Event, the events that take place later, and the reasons behind all of it, are all incredibly creative and entertaining. On top of that, the attention to statistics, probability, and other things I can’t reveal because they give away certain things, it’s all so well researched and thought out. I don’t know if Tingle was interested in these topics before writing this novel or if he dove into them just for this, but, either way, I commend him. I always love and appreciate when an author knows (or at least seems to know) their stuff when tackling deep subjects.

Lucky Day also explores what it means to live and love in a world that exists in a godless universe full of pain (my words, not Tingle’s). Vera’s crisis after living through the LPE when she thought everything in the universe was based on rules and order is something I think a lot of people go through, especially in the modern age when everything we see on the news and on social media seems to be awful all the time. But, Tingle believes that love is real. It’s written on the pink sack he wears to stay anonymous. And, personally, I agree with him. And that belief comes through by the end of the novel, leading to a very satisfying character arc.

Lucky Day is yet another winning read from Tingle. And I can’t wait to read it again while I wait for what he puts out next.

MOVIE REVIEW: How To Train Your Dragon (2025)

By Brandon T. McClure

Released in 2010, the original How to Train Your Dragon launched a new and more confident era for Dreamworks Animation. With a new theme park in tow, Universal Studios has now remade the classic adventure of Hiccup and Toothless, this time for a live-action audience. While it feels like Universal has adopted at the end of its life cycle, they are no doubt hoping to cash in on Disney’s trend that has plagued much of the 21st century. Directed by the original’s co-director, Dean Deblois, How To Train Your Dragon, sports the tagline “the legend becomes real” but falls short of the original's greatness. While there is fun to be had, the film can’t get away from the cynical nature of the very style it’s cashing in on.

Once again, audiences are introduced to Hiccup, the scrawniest Viking in Berk. His desire to prove himself leads to him taking down a Night Fury, the most dreaded dragon the Vikings of Berk have ever faced. At this point, you know the story. Hiccup couldn’t kill the Dragon and the two form an unlikely bond that allows Hiccup to learn more about Dragons and change his world for the better. All the while his stubborn father has to be dragged kicking and screaming away from his Ahab-like hatred for Dragons in order to finally see his son. If you’ve seen the animated version, then there’s nothing on a macro scale that’s entirely new. But there’s a lot of tiny changes that both add and subtract to the overall theme of the film.

Much criticism has been lobbied at Disney for making unnecessary changes to their animated films when remaking them into live-action. Truthfully, it’s a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. If you keep the film exactly as it is, then it feels unnecessary, but if you change little things, then it still feels unnecessary. At the same time, with little changes they to try and trick the audience into thinking they’re watching a different version. For example, it’s never explained in the original Beauty and the Beast how the village that Belle lives in could forget about a castle right next door to them. The live-action version explains it by saying it was part of the curse that befell the inhabitants of that castle. No one who watched the original film ever had that question in mind, however, and having it answered doesn’t change the movie for the worse. It just feels like an unnecessary detail that was added for the sake of it. How To Train Your Dragon is no different, but there is one change that does help this live-action film stand-out from its animated counterpart in a positive way. That is the character arc of Astrid. 

Hiccup (Mason Thames) and Astrid (Nico Parker) in How to Train Your Dragon

While the original film sees Astrid as the object of Hiccup’s affection, she doesn’t get much of a character arc in the film. She’s strong and dogmatic in her desire to be the best dragon hunter in Berk, but she serves the story as an extension of Hiccup and only comes into her own in the sequels. Here, director Dean Deblois attempts to give Astrid more motivation and character throughout the story. Since the cast of the new film is far more diverse than the original, Deblois feels the need to explain where all these Vikings came from, in a long monologue from Gerard Butler’s Stoic. In this film, the Vikings came from far and wide to settle in Berk with the hopes of defeating the dragons at the very source of where they came from. This iteration of Astrid, who is from one of these far off viking clans, feels like Hiccup has had everything handed to him as the son of the chief and resents him due to her family not being as privileged as the other Vikings on Berk. However, while it’s great to give Astrid more of a character, following it to its natural conclusion robs Hiccup of the climax of his.

In the original film, HIccup leads the other viking children into battle with The Red Death (the Queen on the island) while riding Stormfly with Astrid. He barks out orders to the other children as Stoic looks up in awe at his son as he finally sees Hiccup as the chief he will one day become. In the live-action version, Hiccups and Astrid's roles in the scene are reversed. While Hiccup and Astrid are still riding Stormfly into the battle, it’s Astrid who is leading the charge. A seemingly small change but does stop Hiccup's character arc in its tracks in favor of Astrids. In some ways it’s refreshing that Dean Deblois committed to following Astrids new character arc to its natural conclusion but it will be a change that will likely be debated in fandom circles for years to come.

Outside of that, much of the film plays out the same way as the original with very little cut out or changed. In fact, many of the actors feel like they’re trying to copy the performances of their animated counterparts and other times they feel like they’re deliberately trying to avoid copying them. This creates an identity crisis for the film in both design and performance. This has the unfortunate issue of making the film far less charming and even less funny than the original. Almost every single joke is left in the script, but the deliveries rob them of their charm. Hiccup is a far more depressing main character then he was in the original. To be fair though, if you took out Jay Baruchel’s charming performance, then the character probably reads just as sad. But there does seem to be a concerted effort to take out the inherent charm of the original Dreamworks classic in order to be taken more seriously as a film. Sadly, it has the opposite effect.

One of the biggest unfortunate side effects of the shift to live-action is that change in cinematographer. One of the reasons why the animated How To Train Your Dragon looks so striking and impressive all these years later is because Roger Deakins consulted on all three films. This was revolutionary for the time because it gave the film a far more cinematic look that truly changed the game. Now for the live-action film, Bill Pope steps into the cinematographer seat. Pope is an incredibly prolific cinematographer who has worked on films such as The Matrix, Chang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Baby Driver, but he’s not Roger Deakins. Without Deakins' eye, the film feels flat and lifeless as all the color has been stripped from Berk.

The cast is a mixed bag. Nico Parker and Gerard Butler are the strongest in the cast by miles. Parker is wonderful as Astrid and perfectly captures America Ferrera’s performance while merging the new aspects of the character introduced in this film. Butler, the only returning cast member from the animated film, is a veteran of this story so it should be no surprise at how well he’s able to bring Stoic from animation to live-action. He hits most of the same beats, this time without much of the humor, and still manages to capture what the animators were able to bring to his vocal performance. Mason Thames as Hiccup often feels miscast but still plays a decent enough Hiccup that proves he’ll likely be better in the sequel. The rest of the main cast is fine. They get similar moments to their animated counterparts, and Snotlout gets a new subplot that’s, frankly useless. Finally, Nick Frost is the weakest link in the cast. His Gobber, originally played by Craig Ferguson is a boring and pale imitation of Stoic’s loveable friend and sidekick.

Ruffnut (Bronwyn James), Tuffnut (Harry Trevaldwyn), Snotlout (Gabriel Howell), and Fishlegs (Julian Dennison) in How to Train Your Dragon

John Powell, who scored the original trilogy, returns to score the live-action film. The animated score can be argued as one of the best film soundtracks ever composed, and now that Powell has a bigger budget, he’s able to make an even grander version of the original. It frankly makes the entire film worth it. All the themes are present and in the exact same places but bigger and more grand this time around. Powell even sneaks in a track from How To Train Your Dragon 2 that eagle eared listeners will delight in. The only mark against it is that he makes a truly baffling change to the iconic “Test Drive” that will leave many fans scratching their heads. 

Speaking of scratching their heads, fans will likely forget about this scene until the very end, but a (once again baffling) change to the story happens after the test drive scene. See, in the original, Hiccup learns much about the true nature of dragons, such as their weaknesses through his relationship with Toothless. The final thing he learns is that dragons aren’t fireproof on the inside of their bodies, through a cute little encounter with a couple of Terrible Terrors. This scene leads to Hiccup being able to defeat the Red Death by igniting a fire inside her that forces her to crash and explode. This scene is removed from the film but the way that Hiccup defeats the Red Death is not changed. It may seem like a small change on paper but audiences will be left wondering how Hiccup knew that would work in this new version of the story. This highlights one of the issues with these live-action remakes. While a change could seem small in the moment, it has the potential to dramatically change the outcome of the film and if you don’t follow that change to a new conclusion, but rather force the story to reach the same conclusion, then you end up hurting the film rather than helping it.

A more apt analogy of this idea would be if you were remaking a murder mystery. The audience already knows the outcome of the story so you decide to change all the clues so they point to a different murderer. The only problem is that the reveal in the original is so good and fans will be expecting to see that moment play out again, so at the last moment you reveal the murder to be the same person it was in the original. Except this time, it doesn’t make any sense because you robbed the audience of all the set up that was necessary for everything to pay off and didn’t follow the new clues set up to their natural conclusion. This is a much grander example than a bunch of animated films being made into live-action, but it gets the point across. 

If you’re a longtime fan of the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, then you’ll delight in seeing the same scenes play out in live-action. As remakes go, it could have gone way worse. It’s honestly one of the better attempts at this trend and the financial success of the film means that Universal Studios will likely be looking at Dreamworks' library to see what else they can try and remake. But you’ll never be able to shake off the idea that it feels unnecessary. While director Dean Deblois clearly has immense love for the story he helped bring to life 15 years ago, even he can’t wipe away the stench of a cash grab. He referred to this film as a “second draft” and if it is, then it’s an unnecessary one. The original is a classic that will be remembered for decades, and this will simply be a footnote in its memory.

BOOK REVIEW/ "Felony Juggler" by Penn Jillette

Felony Juggler by Penn Jillette

Release Date: 5/6/25

Publisher: Akashic Books

By Matt Spaulding

Felony Juggler, the third novel by Penn Jillette, the bigger, louder half of famed magic duo Penn & Teller, is a funny, semi-autobiographical novel in which Jillette images what his life would have been like had he fallen prey to peer pressure and made a choice that would have altered his path forever.

I have been a big fan of Penn & Teller, specifically Penn, for a huge chunk of my life. I have been a weekly listener to Penn’s podcast, Penn’s Sunday School, since it first debuted in 2012. Because of that, I recognized the first several chapters of this book as being absolutely true, having heard Penn recount these same stories multiple times over the past thirteen years. It’s told exactly in his own voice, just as if he were really writing a straight autobiography. And that alone is incredibly entertaining, given the life Jillette lead from the time he “got out of high school on a plea deal” through his years hitchhiking around the country and street performing.

But, at a certain point, the “crime novel” part kicks in. The fictional Penn, named Poe in this story, makes a choice to get involved in a bank heist, and that changes his life forever. The rest of the novel is Poe on the run, he moves to Hibbing, Minnesota (because that’s where Bob Dylan is from) and begins a new life as “Tiny”. From here, we get to spend time with Tiny as he starts a new life and falls in love. That is, until his past catches up with him.

The fun part of the book is picking out what parts of the novel are being made up vs what parts of the story probably still reflect the life and thoughts of the real life Penn Jillette. As a Penn fan, I managed it pretty easily. But folks not as familiar with the man himself can still enjoy the meta, faux autobiographical nature of this tale.

Jillette’s voice is funny, unique, philosophical, and raunchy. He delights with stories about juggling, sex, hitchhiking, music, and clown college. He often takes tangents to poke fun at himself and at the reader. The novel is written almost, but not quite, stream of consciousness, like it was dictated as a bunch of stories and thoughts taken down word for word and not edited. Almost. It’s more readable than that. But it gives that vibe, and that’s part of the entertainment and charm. It also makes the pacing very brisk, as Jillette doesn’t get bogged down in language and descriptions. He’s telling a story on the page as if he’s telling it orally. He shares only the necessary details. And as much as I love rich, descriptive, incredibly detailed writing like in a Stephen King novel, there’s something wonderful about a story that’s in the vein of the oral tradition of storytelling. You can practically hear Jillette in the room with you telling this instead of you reading words on the page. It makes me want to revisit it with the audiobook (which Jillette reads himself).

If you thought a magician couldn’t be a good novelist, guess again. Pick up Felony Juggler and enjoy.

A More Ambitious Attempt - A Review of Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II

By Brandon T. McClure

With Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers having been such a successful, if underwhelming, crossover event, a sequel was inevitable. Now Boom! Studios and IDW Publishing have teamed up once again for the aptly named Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II. But does this crossover offer more than the surface level thrills of the first volume? In some ways, the same problems still persist, but this is a more ambitious entry and offers more thrills, however slight they might be.

Like the first volume, Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II opens in medias res (starting in the middle of the action for those who don’t know) with an action sequence. Readers are introduced to a parallel reality version of the White Ranger who finds himself fighting Rita’s monsters in the Godzilla universe the last volume was set in. It’s revealed that, shortly after the events of the last volume, Rita teamed up with Astronema to steal parallel universe versions of the Power Rangers and amass their powers to take over the multiverse. Turns out, this White Ranger, who we never learn the identity of, though most likely a version of Tommy, has a piece of the Multiversal Focus and has been using it to find a way to stop Rita. Of course, Godzilla gets in the way, and the King of the Monsters and the White Ranger end up in the “prime timeline” where they team up with the “prime” Power Rangers.

Cullen Bunn returns to pen the story, but this time he’s joined by Baldemar Rivas on art, replacing Freddie Williams III who drew the first volume. Rivas brings a new energy to the book that feels far more cartoonish than the first volume, which isn’t meant to be a bad thing. More cartoonish art works better for a crossover event of this magnitude. The action and movement doesn’t feel as stiff or static. There’s a fluidity to the art this time around that helps the comic feel more fun to look at. However, Rivas is not the same detail oriented artist as Freddie Williams III, and that hinders what should be the biggest strength of the comic. The cool new and original designs that Rivas created for the book, such as the Kaiju Rangers, don’t get any moments to show off.

The Kaiju Rangers is a good indicator that Bunn is taking more swings this time around and attempts to create a more ambitious story than the first volume. He and Rivas use the two properties in unique ways that justifies this crossover. It happens very late in the story, but the Power Rangers need to amass more power, so Zordon, with the help of the Shobijin (Mothra twins), creates new power coins for the Rangers based on various Kaiju allies. These Kaiju Rangers are very cool, and the designs are great. There’s even Zords that go along with them. They are, by far, the best part of this story. That said, the story never slows down to get a good enough look at these cool new designs, and the action scenes are so stylized that you lose the detail entirely. It would have been nice to get just one good splash page with them.

The biggest problem with the first volume persists with this one. The characterizations are just not there. Constructive criticism, but Cullen Bunn is not a good Power Rangers writer. Every line of dialogue becomes very generic and could be spoken by any one of them. He loses the identities of the rangers in ways that previous Power Rangers writers, Kyle Higgins, Ryan Parott, Melissa Flores (currently writing Power Rangers Prime), and even Tom Taylor (shout out to Justice League vs. Power Rangers) never did. He doesn’t have a grasp on them as individual characters and only cares about them as generic heroes. The only exceptions are Rita and the White Ranger. Since the White Ranger spends most of the story explaining the experience, it’s pretty easy to differentiate when he’s talking, especially when he’s vaguely foreshadowing Tommy’s future. In Rita’s case, she’s so over the top that it would be difficult to get her characterization wrong. Even if it’s a cartoonishly over the top version, it’s at least in line with the TV show. On a personal note: Rita’s monsters are BEYOND annoying.

The other villains of the book are also non-entities. Astronema and her Psycho Rangers are devoid of personality to the point where you wonder why they’re even there in the first place. It’s a shame too, because the Psycho Rangers are using the powers of Godzilla enemies which is a very cool use of both properties. Like the Kaiju rangers, there isn’t a good look at them, however. But the biggest issue is that there are so many other Rita monsters taking up space, that the Psycho Rangers end up being blank slates that don’t offer the story much outside of a concept. Take out Rita and her monsters, and give the Psycho Rangers personalities, and they could (should) have been the main villains of Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II. With both them and the Power Rangers powered by Kaiju, it could have created a fun and unique take on the classic monster brawls of the Godzilla franchise. 

Like the first book, Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II is not without some positives. There are some very fun and cool surprises along the way for Godzilla fans, like the aforementioned Kaiju Rangers and their Zords. Fan favorite Godzilla character Jet Jaguar is a prominent character as well as his creator Goro Ibuki. Jet becomes little more than a plot device to move the story from one parallel world to the next, but he gets so little attention in the media, that he’s a welcome addition. While they go by very fast, seeing more parallel worlds, including a few familiar ones, is also cool. There’s also a moment where Godzilla merges with the DragonZord, that personifies some of the cool ideas that should have littered the original book. It’s something that can only happen in a comic like this and it’s nice to see Bunn take the opportunity finally. It would have been nice if the story was able to linger on any of these though, or utilized at least one flashy splash page.

For a crossover, that feels like it should be a slam dunk of a story, there’s precious little to latch on to. The Power Rangers aren’t interesting, the villains aren’t interesting, and the book moves so fast you’ll likely forget about it in a week or so. But there’s more ambition in Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II than there was in the first volume, and because of that, there’s more fun to be had. This story just cannot sustain itself on concept alone and if there is a third crossover event, then Cullen Bunn needs to let the story breathe and work on his characters.

Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers II and Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are available now on Amazon or your local book and comic book store.

MOVIE REVIEW & INTERVIEW / Netflix HAVOC with Luis Guzmán

After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician's estranged son, while unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city. 

Join Jenny as she reviews Netflix’s new release HAVOC and sits down to chat with the one-and-only Luis Guzmán about his role in the film.

For audio, please check out the Atomic Geekdom Podcast to listen in.

By Jenny Robinson

HAVOC premiered on Netflix April 25th, 2025. I made myself a cocktail, sat down and got ready for a fun shoot’em up flick. Less than five minutes in I was yelling at the television “WHAT THE ABSOLUTE F! JUST HAPPENED?!?” It holds nothing back in the intro and proves to be one of the most exciting chase scenes I’ve seen in years. 10 minutes in, I had already lost count of how many bullets were shot and cars destroyed.
It’s fast and A LOT!

Written and directed by Gareth Evans, the tone and grittiness of the film leans into his talent and world building for chaos and (of course) havoc. His portfolio for action and interesting crime (Gangs of London and The Raid to name a few) helps bring this world to life. Each character balances a fine line between unscrupulousness and agreeableness. You find yourself liking some of the not-so-good guys and then really despising the ones that fall over that line. Walker (Tom Hardy) is a prime example of the first one. You shouldn’t like him, yet you still cheer for him every moment as the story is unfolding. He’s paired perfectly with Vincent (Timothy Olyphant) who also exudes confidence, whether justified or not.

Timothy Olyphant in HAVOC

Supporting cast secures this film as a perfect movie night. Forest Whitaker’s Beumount is a complex crooked politician, criminal and father. His son Charlie (Justin Cornwell) and this girlfriend Mia (Quelin Sepulveda) bite off more than they can chew. And Mia’s uncle Raul (Luis Guzmán) round out the team of those not-so-good guys that you find yourself relating to and routing for.

The gangs in this movie have endless bullets but also complexity. Lead by a grieving mother (Yann Yann Yeo), justice blurs the line with vengeance and compliments Whitaker’s. And Michelle Waterson plays an absolute badass assassin that every fight scene had me on the edge of my seat.

Luis Guzmán in HAVOC

This movie is non-stop. In addition to the opening chase scene, we see a guy folded through a door, an epic butcher knife fight, interesting use of a spear gun, battles on 2nd story glass floors and so much more. Seriously - someone please do a bullet/body count. I am guessing 20K bullets and at least 120 deaths, and that’s a conservative count. But despite that, it didn’t feel gratuitous, it felt more like a crazy dance.

Michelle Waterson in HAVOC

Corrupt cops and family love stories. Foreign gangs and redemption. Survival and surrender.

The perfect recipe for an awesome movie night.

I would like to thank Luis Guzmán for taking time out of his schedule to chat with us. Stellar actor and guest. We’re excited to help promote his (and his son Cemi Guzmán’s) Tribeca 2025 Festival short “A West Side Story Story” about a Puerto Rican director who struggles to hold together her “cultural authentic” version of West Side Story. (Premiers June 8th, 2025).

Familiar and Fresh - A Review of Universal Monsters: Dracula

By Brandon T. McClure

Universal Monsters: Dracula is the first in a line of new horror comics from Skybound Entertainment, a subsidiary of Image Comics owned by Robert Kirkman, that aim to reimagine some of cinema’s most famous monsters. Released in 2023, Universal Monsters: Dracula was collected in hardcover format in 2024 and written by James Tynion IV with art by Martin Simmonds. It reimagines the original 1931 Universal Studios film starring Bela Lugosi. Dracula has to be one of the most adapted works of fiction in the world, so finding new and interesting ways to tell this story can be difficult for a creator. But Tynion and Simmonds are more than capable of retelling this story in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. 

Unlike other adaptations of Dracula, this comic does not readapt the 1897 Bram Stoker novel of the same name. It squarely sets itself up as a retelling of the 1931 film which immediately sets it apart from any other comic, film, or television adaptation. The biggest twist, however, is how it chooses to center the events of the film and its titular monster. Count Dracula is not a character, but a monstrous force of nature. Everything the reader learns of Dracula is through other people recounting events that the mysterious count was part of. Tynion frames him in the background, and only ever says one line of dialogue. 

Tynion decides to focus the action around the human characters of the story, most notably Dr. Seward and Renfield. On paper, retelling the story of the film but removing the title character doesn’t seem like it should work. However, rather than causing the reader to question where the monster is, the reader is able to share in the dread that each character is feeling. The characters become more sympathetic as you watch them hopelessly try to fight something they don’t understand. The arcs of both Seward and Renfield are standouts with incredible payoffs, but the likes of Mina, Harker and Van Helsing also get plenty of moments that add depth to the story being thrust upon them.

The ending benefits from this change in perspective more than anything else in the book. The original 1931 film has a rather anticlimactic ending that ends with Van Helsing killing Dracula off screen in his sleep. It’s a fine ending, but it’s not the thing people remember about the film. But here, that same ending is filled with emotions ranging from dread to relief to sadness. It’s incredible how the same narrative beats can elicit a different emotional reaction.

Martin Simmonds is the true hero of Universal Monsters: Dracula, however. While Tynion frames Dracula as a force of nature, Simmonds brings that force of nature to the realm of dreams. His brush strokes create an ethereal effect that evokes the fluidity of a half remembered nightmare. His splash pages deserve to be framed as singular works of art. Some of the characters that are possessed by Dracula have haunting pale white faces, an effect that adds to the evocation of said nightmare.

The “Universal Monsters” are some of the most iconic in all of film history and none are more iconic than Dracula. Creating a story based on the original film that feels fresh is a daunting task, but this book makes it seem easy. It’s exactly the type of story that long time fans of monster movies, and new fans, would absolutely love. It’s a strong start to a new line of exciting comics that might have set the bar a little too high.

Universal Monsters: Dracula is available at your local comic and book story or at any online retailer.

When Kathleen Kennedy Leaves, Who Takes Over Lucasfilm?

By Brandon T. McClure

Last month, Puck news jumped the gun by claiming that longtime Lucasfilm president was going to retire at the end of 2025. Those rumors proved to be false, when Lucasfilm representatives for Kennedy released a statement. However, those same representatives said that Kennedy is beginning to look for a successor. So while she may not leave at the end of this year, she is not going to be President of Lucasfilm forever. Truthfully, she’s earned her retirement. Having been with Lucasfilm since 2012, and taking over as President later that same year, she has earned the now Disney-owned company billions in revenue. So while she looks to a well-earned retirement from Lucasfilm, the question becomes, who takes over?

Kathleen Kennedy was in the film industry for many years before becoming a producer on E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in 1982. It was this film that cemented her relationship as Steven Spielberg's go-to producer. She would produce all his films for the next 30 years and co-create Amblin Entertainment with Spielberg and her husband, Frank Marshall. Through her long career, she’s produced films like Back to the Future, Twister, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The latter of which is how she met George Lucas. Through more than 70 producer credits and 8 Academy Awards, her largest strength as a producer was realizing the director's vision.

In 2012, she stepped down from her other company, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, leaving her husband, Frank Marshall, to run the company on his own. After that, she became the co-chair of Lucasfilm alongside George Lucas. That was short lived, as Lucas would sell Lucasfilm to Disney that same year, for $4 billion, with the stipulation that Kathleen Kennedy become the President of the company. Her time as President under Disney has seen the company gross $6.3 billion, with her only theatrical flops being Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Both of which grossed under $400 million worldwide. 

Under Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm has produced 14 Star Wars projects, and 2 non-Star Wars projects, including Willow and the aforementioned Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Of the Star Wars projects, most of them have been for Disney+. Some of those projects continued Lucasfilm’s long history with Star Wars animation, but most of them were live-action as she finally realized George Lucas’ dream of bringing big budget live-action Star Wars to the small screen. Since the end of the sequel trilogy with 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm has had various plans for more films outside of the five already made (4 of which grossed over $1 billion) with only one making it to production, The Mandalorian & Grogu. While this should be seen as Kennedy making sure the Star Wars brand is strong, refusing to put out a movie before its ready (something many have criticized Marvel of doing), this has been used by bad faith actors to “prove” her “incompetence” behind the scenes.

Through her entire run as President, there has been a very vocal contingent of fans (re: outrage merchants) that have called for Disney to fire her. This call is mostly coming from people who feel like she has mishandled the Star Wars IP. More than that, these people feel personally offended at how she’s handled Star Wars. They cite bad writing in the sequel trilogy, or an over-reliance on political messaging. All of these are smokescreens, of course, to hide behind their own bigotry and vitriol (the same people screaming about “DEI”). Many people online have made a career on YouTube claiming that “inside sources” have told them that Disney is upset that Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi made $1.3 billion and not $2.3 billion. A ridiculous statement that makes it difficult to have any sort of good faith discussion around the sequel trilogy. The fallacy of these outrage merchants is that if they don’t like something, it’s Kennedy’s fault, but if they do, then it was made in spite of her (an ideology that sounds all too familiar these days). So in the court of public opinion, she’s already lost.

The numbers don’t lie and Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, likes her enough to have extended her contract, not once, but twice. But at 71 years of age, it does look like she’s looking to step down as president of Lucasfilm. Perhaps to go back to producing non-Star Wars films. She at one time tried to bring a non-Star Wars IP to Lucasfilm, an adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, but couldn’t get it off the ground. Paramount is now adapting that series after Lucasfilm decided to stick to the IP they already had. Staying in one galaxy for 13 years has got to weigh on her on some level. Afterall, this isn't a world that she created. She just became the steward of it after those same outrage merchants drove George Lucas into retirement. So this brings it all back to… who could come in to replace her?

Well if you ask the internet, there is only one answer: Dave Filoni. Having joined Lucasfilm in 2005 as an animator to help George Lucas create Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he’s often seen as Lucas’ true successor. He’s currently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm, as well as writer/director for Star Wars: Heir To The Empire and writer for Ahsoka season 2. In many ways, he’s already filling the role he’s perfect at. He’s a natural born storyteller who knows more about Star Wars then almost anyone alive. He’s clearly very happy to live in the galaxy far, far away for as long as Lucasfilm will have him. And why shouldn’t he? He’s the only universally liked creator that this franchise has ever seen. But he shouldn’t take over as President. To do this would take him away from the job he’s shown nothing but love for (maybe get a second writer on Ahsoka buddy).

The answer to “who should take over” is actually incredibly simple. But it would require a complete restructure of the power dynamic in the company. The answer lies in Disney’s competitor studio, Warner Bros. Discovery. More accurately DC Studios. This is not to say that Disney and Lucasfilm need to poach James Gunn and Peter Safran, but the model implemented in DC Studios is a shockingly simple, yet effective one. One creative producer and one “business” producer. Admittedly, as of this writing, DC Studios has only released Creature Commandos (Penguin was adopted by them), so it’s hard to tell if this model is going to work in the long run, but it’s a model that should probably become the standard for these companies that specialize in these niche franchises. 

For example, It’s likely that Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment, is looking towards retirement. Feige is such a successful producer that every studio has either tried to poach him from Marvel or copy his success. But they haven’t been able to, since he’s a rare producer who is business savvy and creatively inclined. He’s frankly the perfect person to run a niche like Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, or DC Studios. Many have even said that he should move to Lucasfilm when Kennedy retires. Perhaps he should, but even though he’s been running the company since 2008, it doesn’t seem likely that he’s planning on leaving anytime soon. Warner Bros, before Discovery bought it, found out the hard way that you can’t just call up a random director/producer and expect them to be like Kevin Feige (they tried three times).

While Lucasfilm has been under Disney, Kathleen Kennedy has had to act a lot like Kevin Feige. She’s had to go out on stage and list a bunch of movies and shows that are in development, just like he does. The problem with that, is that she’s not that kind of producer. While Feige is the kind of producer that will collaborate with creatives to realize a shared vision for the MCU, Kennedy is the kind of producer that will help creatives realize their own vision. Frankly, this is actually good for Star Wars since it lets those creatives play in the sandbox far, far away. But it’s also not what many fans seem to want. Now, there is no pleasing the outrage merchants. They have built their livelihoods on hatred, so you’ll never make them happy. It’s also not to say that Lucasfilm should just start giving fans what they think they want, that’s where their biggest creative mistakes have been. But the general audience seems to have soured on Star Wars, with both The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, and even Andor not getting the viewership numbers that were expected of them. This could be for a number of reasons, but Star Wars doesn’t have a singular creative vision anymore, and that could be what people want from the IP.

So who takes over? Honestly, who knows. The answer may lie in the DC Studios model. One creative producer to envision a direction and guide the creatives through that vision, and one business producer to help them refine it. Star Wars has some exciting productions on the way, but they’re scattered through a timeline that only nerds understand and it’s overwhelmed the general audience. Star Wars will never feel as special as it did before Disney oversaturated the market with it (remember to blame Iger and not Kennedy for that one), but a singular and clear direction for the franchise could really help when Kathleen Kennedy takes her well deserved retirement. 

BOOK REVIEW/ "The Cut" by C.J. Dotson

By Matt Spaulding

The Cut by C.J. Dotson is the story of Sadie Miles, who with her young daughter, is escaping an abusive relationship. Having no money and barely any opportunities, Sadie takes a job as a housekeeper for the historic L’Arpin Hotel. With having no current place to live, they also take a room in the hotel. The plot picks up speed the first night as Sadie realizes that strange and terrifying things happen at L’Arpin Hotel. Yet no one seems to notice, or do they?

I’m not going to bury the lead here, I have mixed feelings about this book. It begins very intriguing and intense. The mystery of L’Arpin starts in a way that pulled me in quickly and made me want to know more. Sadie starts out as a character I really was rooting for. Her background as a woman running from a situation that’s dangerous for her, her toddler and her unborn child, she’s someone relatable. Unfortunately she is someone that almost everyone knows in real life.

The problem I personally found as a reader was that Sadie quickly becomes unfairly unbearable (which I hate saying). The signature elements in her character development became repetitive. Some examples of this is that she distrusts everyone, she is overly sure everyone is hiding something from her, is lying and/or pretty much judging her. This is noted with most of her interactions throughout the book. I had to step out of this character that I was struggling to relate to in order to discover that everything noted is actually very true-to-life when it comes to some real people in similar situations. I lost that as I read, in the same way as loosing the forest for the trees.

Parents in horror stories are naturally insufferable. It’s a thought I had multiple times reading this book, and it made me think back on the horror genre in general that feature children. It makes the parents in the story less complex. They fall into the trope where they have just one goal. An understandable goal - to save their kid. True to the genre, it also makes them do some admittedly dumb stuff. In this book, Sadies does all sorts of things that aren’t well thought out, simply because she thinks that maybe something could put her child in danger. This happens before she even really has any concrete proof!

On a lighter note without my critique on kids in horror, the mystery of L’Arpin Hotel offers a pleasant source of fascination. First, Sadie sees someone drowning in a pool that isn’t really there. Then, there are mysterious creatures that appear (not a spoiler, I think it’s pretty obvious from the cove that this an interesting creature feature). To top it all off, the other staff at the hotel seem to surprisingly not know anything. Or rather, the staff seem to not want to acknowledge anything. This awkward mystery is really what carried most of the novel for me.

I’m left constantly considering the big reveal at the end of this book. A reveal that has lasted way past the last page. I’m still not entirely sure what the creatures are or where they even came from. There’s a hint of an explanation, but only just enough to keep me on the edge for more. I like how it teeters on the Lovecraftian “unknowable horror” thing, assuming so.

All in all, I found The Cut tense and mysterious in some places despite being tedious and repetitive in others.

Star Trek: Legacy Exists. You Just Have To Read It

By Brandon T. McClure

As season three of Star Trek: Picard was coming to an end, showrunner Terry Matalas began talking about how he was using the season to set up a new show titled Star Trek: Legacy. This hypothetical spin off series would follow Seven of Nine as the new Captain of the Enterprise G and her crew, which consisted of various children of the Star Trek: The Next Generation characters. This idea resonated with many Star Trek fans who were watching the show so much that they launched various online campaigns to try and convince Paramount to greenlight Star Trek: Legacy. Since the almost 2 years since Star Trek: Picard season 3 ended, Paramount has cancelled Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and only produced Star Trek: Section 31 and the upcoming Starfleet Academy. Despite the continued online desire for Star Trek: Legacy, Paramount doesn’t seem interested. But in a surprising twist of fate, Star Trek: Legacy does exist, just not in the way most fans would probably accept.

Comics are an often overlooked piece of media, Star Trek comics even more so. But with that said, IDW Publishing has been going strong with the Star Trek IP since 2007. They’ve published mini-series’ consisting of lost stories set in the Star Trek: The Original Series timeline, Terry Matalas has even written a Borg mini-series that was very reminiscent of his story in Star Trek: Picard season 3, they’ve explored the Mirror Universe of the TNG timeline, and even explored stories set in the Kelvin timeline. But since 2022, IDW Publishing has been publishing an even more special ongoing series set in the perfect spot of the expansive Star Trek timeline.

Simply titled Star Trek, written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, collectively known as The Hivemind, along with tons of incredible artists, the series follows Benjamin Sisko having returned from the Celestial Temple because the Prophets believe he’s the only one who can stop a Godkiller. It takes some convincing, but Sisko convinces Starfleet to reinstate him with a ship and a crew and he goes out in search of whoever has decided to kill the gods of the universe. His crew consists of many familiar faces to the Trek timeline, including Data, Beverly Crusher, Scotty, and Tom Paris, as well as newcomers like Ensigns T'Lir and Lily Sato (herself a descendant of Hoshi Sato from Star Trek: Enterprise).

The series has also spawned a spin off called Star Trek: Defiant which is written by Christopher Cantwell and features a crew consisting of Worf, Spock, Ro Laren, B'Elanna and newcomer Nymira, an Orion doctor with a troubling past. This series sees Worf and his crew uncover the shadier elements of the Star Trek universe and sees them act more like bounty hunters than Starfleet officers. Both titles compliment each other while exploring different aspects of the Star Trek universe. They also never stray too far from established canon or themes. In fact, they play with them in a way that should delight old and new fans alike. Characters jump in and out like Harry Kim, Kathryn Janeway, or Shax from Star Trek: Lower Decks. But most excitedly, both series pick up characters and plot elements that the shows left behind due to their episodic nature.

Prior to the “Latinum Era” (or streaming era if you want to be boring about it), Star Trek was primarily an episodic show. There were attempts to move away from this with the final seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space 9 or Star Trek: Enterprise season 3, but the mandate for television was different in the late 80s to the early 00s. Viewers weren’t expected to follow a show week to week, they were expected to tune in and be able to jump into a new adventure without any baggage from the previous week. Serialization was very risky for television and only happened when networks were absolutely certain they had “appointment TV” on their hands. Even as popular as Star Trek: The Next Generation was, the show never went further than a two-parter. But a comic book doesn’t need to worry about that. A comic book can continue to build for 20, 30, or even 40 issues without concern for losing the audience. So Star Trek: Defiant, for example, is in a unique position to bring back characters like Berlinghoff Rasmussen (there’s a deep cut for the Trekkies), or the parasitic aliens from Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1. There’s a very cool revelation about those parasites in the pages of Star Trek: Defiant for example. 

Even the main plot of Star Trek centers around a plot thread from Star Trek: The Next Generation that no show ever picked up. Something that should have been a much bigger deal to the universe: what happened to Kahless II after he was made a puppet emperor of the Klingon Empire. The answer is that he formed the Red Path and went on a killing spree across the cosmos. Something that makes perfect sense when you remember that Klingon mythology states that Klingons killed their gods. Well there are more gods in the universe, and Kahless has a problem with that. This backdrop sets the stage of uniting the edges of the Star Trek universe in a surprising organic way. With deep cuts and obvious references weaving in and out of every issue. At the very least it creates an incredible father/son story between Worf and Alexander.

All these characters returning can only happen in a comic book. When you really sit down to think about it, the Star Trek: Legacy that fans want is frankly impossible. The budget needed to bring back so many characters from these shows would be way too much for Paramount+, especially right now. Not to mention, you’ll never get Avery Brooks back as Captain Sisko, he’s very happy in retirement. But comics don’t have the same budget restriction. That’s not to say there aren’t restrictions on what a comic can do, but the difference between filming a story where Captain Sisko, Worf, Spock, Data, Shax, and whoever else fighting Kahless II and drawing it is astronomical. Not to mention, it’s actually impossible to get Spock and Scotty together. Who among us hasn't wondered if Scotty and Spock reunited after Scotty turned up in the 24th century?

Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant are set in a kind of “Goldilocks” moment in the Trek timeline. A perfect moment in time between Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis when every character is on the table and could conceivably show up. This moment organically allows the writers and artists of these two ongoing comics to pay tribute to every era of Star Trek, and have even managed to throw in references to Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Enterprise, and something special that won’t be spoiled here. From characters, to locations, to surprise cameos, these comics combine these eras in a way that makes it feel more cohesive than the shows can sometimes feel. Due to the very different production budgets of the various eras of Star Trek, the shows can often feel disconnected from each other. While fans can (mostly) accept that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: The Original Series are set within the same decade for example, it helps to have a story that makes it easier to digest. 

Now, a big question posed by fans is the nature of canon. Whether or not a book, comic, video game or even a show, is canon is hotly debated in internet spaces. But the creator himself, Gene Roddenbery didn’t accept anything in print as canon (he also didn’t accept Star Trek: The Animated Series as canon). So comics, in this case, are considered non-canon (or Beta-Canon) and can be easily contradicted by current or future shows. But he’s dead and, while this won’t change the debate (many consider the entire Latinum Era non-canon), the only canon that matters is the canon that is important to you, the reader/watcher. The Force Center Podcast calls it your “emotional canon.” What this means is, basically, canon is what you decide it is for yourself. If you love a book, even if a show or movie contradicts it, then the only thing that matters is that you get value out of it, so it’s your canon. So who’s to say that a comic book can’t be canon? When your creators care as much about Star Trek as these, then it’s easy to accept this as, not just a love letter to every show and movie, but as canon. Just make sure you’re not a dick about it.

Currently, Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant are in their second crossover event, titled “Lore War.” This event sees Data’s infamous brother Lore rewrite the Star Trek universe in his image. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have called it Star Trek’s “Secret Wars,” referencing the reality altering Marvel crossover, many times. Sadly, IDW Publishing has announced that “Lore War” will be the end of Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant. Both titles will converge into Star Trek: Omega, an oversized one-shot that will serve as a conclusion to both books as the comic’s timeline catches up with the infamous events of Star Trek: Nemesis. As Q states in the final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “all good things must come to an end.” These kinds of comic book series are not the kind that can go for years and years, but it’s been almost three years since the launch of the Theseus with Sisko in the big chair, which is as good a run as any series can hope to get.

With 36 issues collected in 4 volumes and counting for Star Trek, and 28 collected in 5 volumes and counting, not to mention the “Day of Blood” and “Lore War” crossover events, there’s plenty here for Star Trek fans to enjoy. Every issue is better than the last and filled with more surprises then you could think was possible. Yes, it’s almost over, but the journey is still there for any old and new Star Trek fan to pick up and enjoy. Like coming to a TV show after the fact (be honest: not many of you reading this watched TOS as it aired), these comics will be there waiting for you to pick them up. If you’re still out there begging Paramount+ to give you Star Trek: Legacy, even though Terry Matalas has moved on, then you’re missing the Star Trek: Legacy that is right under your nose. 

Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant are the stories that Star Trek fans are demanding. They’re big, bold, fun, and can only be told in a comic book format. Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Christopher Cantwell, and their wonderful artists, are weaving their story through the canon of Star Trek like the Enterprise D flying through the bowels of a giant Borg Cube. It’s truly one of the best books on the market, not just for Star Trek. But many fans will overlook it because it’s “Beta-canon”, or not know it exists at all because it’s a comic book and not a TV show. Sure, it’s not the Star Trek: Legacy that fans were demanding Terry Matalas and Paramount+ make. It’s better.

BOOK REVIEW/ "The Buffalo Hunter Hunter" by Stephen Graham Jones

By Matt Spaulding

In his most recent novel, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Stephen Graham Jones has crafted a chilling vampire story only he could tell. Set in the old west in the Blackfeet Nation, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a deeply American tale of Native American culture and pride, and its struggle to survive the encroachment of white settlers.

Jones has become one of my favorite horror authors in the last few years because of his ability to weave captivating narratives full of bone-chilling horror. And, Jones, a Blackfeet Native himself, also brings his culture into all of his work, which is a welcoming thing in the horror genre, which is, historically, painfully white. I’ve said a whole lot over the years that, as a straight, cis-het, white male, I know the story of people like me so well it’s boring. People like me is all I have ever seen in art and it’s so uninteresting to me at this point. Jones’ characters and their views of the world are so interesting and enriching and, dare I say, educational.

This is no less true in this book. Set mostly in the years between roughly 1862 and 1912 (with wrap-arounds at the beginning and end set in 2013), The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is the story of Good Stab, a Blackfeet who, in a tussle with white soldiers, encounters a vampire and ultimately becomes one himself. Good Stab, in the year 1912, comes to the church of Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutheran preacher Good Stab calls “Three Persons” after the Holy Trinity, to “confess” to him, to tell the story of his life. Through Good Stab, we get an incredible, beautifully written, often sad tale of a man desperate to maintain his identity despite what he has become.

Ultimately, that is what the story is about, identity. Good Stab wants to stay Blackfeet, Pikuni in his native language, but he also wants to try to save his people from settlers. We follow the story of Good Stab as he struggles not just with being a vampire, but with a world that is becoming more and more the property of white settlers and less the world of the Native People. Drawing attention to Native culture and its place in the modern world is something Jones has done so well in other novels of his like Mongrels and The Only Good Indians, but the historical nature of this novel really elevates it to another level.

In Good Stab and the vampire that created him, The Cat Man, Jones has also created a type of vampire entirely his own, introducing powers and weaknesses never before seen in vampire lore to great effect. He creates a whole new breed of monster, one that is incredibly cinematic and sparks the imagination. That’s really all I can say without giving it away.

As for Arthur Beaucarne, the second lead character, he is mostly uninteresting, that is until we learn why Good Stab has chosen to tell his story to this specific preacher. It’s an amazing twist. For most of the novel, Beaucarne is the vessel through which we experience Good Stab’s story and little else. Not that he’s a bad character, just a rather plain one. But when the twist comes, suddenly the entire story takes another turn. It’s pretty brilliant on Jone's’ part.

My only complaint with the novel, and it’s a small one, is that I reached a point where I felt like it was too long. The length of a book is a criticism I typically hate, be it to say “it’s too long” or “it’s too short.” But, unfortunately, I have to say it here. And it’s made worse because I honestly don’t know what I would take out of the story to change that. But, around 75% through, I started to feel myself going “I can’t believe there’s so much left.” I didn’t even not enjoy the final 25%. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it could have been a bit shorter. In the end, though, that didn’t change the fact that I found the book incredible.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a vampire story for the ages and deserves to sit up there with Dracula and Interview With The Vampire as a defining novel of the vampire genre.

MOVIE REVIEW & INTERVIEW / Locked (a film by David Yarovesky)

From producer Sam Raimi, this horror-thriller follows a petty thief (Bill Skarsgård) who breaks into the wrong car and becomes prey to its vengeful owner (Anthony Hopkins). Eddie faces a deadly game of survival, where escape is an illusion, and justice shifts into high gear.

Jenny sits down with the director of Locked, David Yarovesky to chat about horror icons, closed spaces and embracing the inspiring challenges of independent movies. Join the conversation in the comments and on social media.

For audio, please check out the Atomic Geekdom Podcast to listen in.

By Jenny Robinson

We are in a splendid time for indie movies right now. When movies like Anora can take home the Oscar, and historic art house theaters are becoming the hot spot for entertainment.

Locked (released in theaters March 21st, 2025 ) hasn’t seen a lot of hype on socials despite having two of the most acclaimed horror actors today. So far it has been a quiet backseat thriller, hidden behind the hype of the larger budget Steven Soderbergh Black Bag and the family friendly live-action, Snow White. Regardless of the constantly unpredictable market, this movie has the potential to out shine them all.

The direction style of Yarovesky works seamlessly with this story. Many times, as a theatergoer, I felt as if I was apart of this horror, a spectator on the outside, looking in. This feeling is driven home by how each camera and angle is applied. It holds our hand in how we view both inside and outside of the Dolus (the weaponized luxury SUV), by adding a layer of claustrophobic anxiety.

Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of the central character Eddie, allows the audience to both feel annoyed with and identify you’re also on his side . Even his pink hoodie has costume design importance. A hoodie is synonymous in security cam footages to burglars and thieves. Having his shirt be pink to soften away from the black, makes him feel more amateur, a screw up. Every scene is master class in acting for a character full of stubbornness, determination, and atonement.

The movie brings you in full force, once William’s (Sir Anthony Hopkins) voice is audible in the car. Flashbacks of Hopkin’s calm, soothing and unsettling voice from his vast portfolio of films, took this role up an impressive notch. The way he can deliver lines that make you feel both empathy for the antagonist and fear is an example of his excellence.

The scenes when both of them are together, are exemplary, with the plot blurred between necessity, remorse, justice, revenge, all told through a clever lens torture. Where the rich can eat the poor, but the less advantage has street smarts the privileged could never understand.

This movie was one hell of a ride. Open the door, and see it on a big screen.

BOOK REVIEW/ "The Haunting of Room 904"

By Matt Spaulding

The Haunting of Room 904 is a tale of generational trauma that is focused on one room in one hotel. It’s an interesting look at how the sins of the past still affect the world decades and decades later.

Olivia Becente is a paranormal investigator with a gift for seeing spirits, a gift that previously belonged to her sister, Naiche. But, a few years back, Naiche died by suicide in the notorious Room 904, a room in which deaths happen every five years. Always a woman. Always in 904. Whether that woman was checked into 904 or not. Spooky, right?

That’s what I was expecting when I went into this book. Unfortunately, I wasn’t greeted with as much horror as I felt I was promised. Though there are certainly horror elements like ghosts and cults and, of course, the curse of the titular room. But this is much less horrific than I was expecting. Instead, this is more of a mystery. What’s going on with the room? Why? How is it tied to the historical Sand Creek Massacre? Why is this random bitchy, vindictive journalist trying to take down our protagonist?

This isn’t to say that the story is bad. It’s just not at all what I was expecting. And maybe it’s because my horror sensibilities are so hardened, but I did find the spooky elements lacking. This may be for someone who is horror-curious rather than die-hards like myself.

I also, unfortunately, did not connect to any of these characters, so I found it hard to care what happened to them. This has nothing to do with the way they are written, I just found them all to be not to my taste. Which is a hard thing to write about now that I’m here trying to do it, because it’s not something concrete. I can just as easily see other people liking them a lot.

But that doesn’t mean Wurth is a bad writer. Indeed, her descriptions are vivid and her mystery was compelling. And, as a fan of horror, I’m a big fan of any writer that’s bringing diversity into the genre. Wurth includes Native American elements that I was super into. I’ve said many times in the past that, as a cis-het white male, I’m SO tired of stories about people exactly like me. I know that story inside and out. There are so many more stories out there that are worth telling, and Wurth is bringing that to the table.

Ultimately, Room 904 fell flat for me. It’s difficult for me to articulate exactly why it did, though, because everything that didn’t work for me is so subjective. As I said before, the horror wasn’t there for me. The characters were not interesting to me. But if you’re not a super horror fan but appreciate it fine, or if you’re horror-curious, then this book is a great launch pad.

MOVIE REVIEW/ "Novocaine"

By Anthony Caruso

Novocaine is a thrilling action-comedy that delivers a unique blend of humor, over-the-top violence, and charismatic performances. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, the film offers a fresh take on the action genre, reminiscent of superhero narratives but with a distinctive twist.

The story centers on Nathan Caine, a mild-mannered bank executive with congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP), a rare disorder that prevents him from feeling physical pain. Nathan leads a cautious life, avoiding any potential harm due to his condition. His monotonous existence takes a turn when his colleague, Sherry, expresses romantic interest, introducing him to new experiences and emotions. Their budding relationship faces a dire challenge when a group of bank robbers, led by the enigmatic Simon, takes Sherry hostage during a heist. Nathan must harness his unique condition to rescue her, embarking on a perilous journey filled with action and self-discovery.

Jack Quaid shines as Nathan Caine, bringing a blend of vulnerability and determination to the role. His portrayal captures the nuances of a man disconnected from physical sensations yet deeply in touch with his emotions. Amber Midthunder, meanwhile, delivers a captivating performance as Sherry, balancing strength and sensitivity, making her chemistry with Quaid both believable and engaging. Plus, she's sexy as hell!

Then there's Ray Nicholson, who stands out as Simon, the film's antagonist. His portrayal adds complexity to the character, making him more than a typical villain. Nicholson's performance brings a certain charm to Simon, creating a dynamic where audiences might find themselves conflicted about who to root for. 

The film excels in its action sequences, creatively utilizing Nathan's inability to feel pain. This unique trait leads to inventive fight scenes where Nathan endures extreme physical punishment, often resulting in over-the-top and grotesque scenarios played for laughs. The choreography leans into the absurdity of his condition, providing a fresh perspective on action tropes. One standout sequence is a high-octane car chase that combines thrilling stunts with comedic elements, showcasing the film's ability to balance tension and humor effectively.

Novocaine successfully balances a playful tone with its action-packed narrative. The directors, Berk and Olsen, maintain a pace that keeps audiences engaged, blending elements of superhero storytelling with a grounded, character-driven plot. The film doesn't shy away from the grotesque aspects of Nathan's condition, but it presents them in a manner that aligns with the film's comedic undertone.

When you boil it down, Novocaine hits all the beats audiences love: a captivating romantic subplot, exhilarating action set pieces, and well-developed characters. It's a legitimately fun and hilarious movie that offers a fresh perspective on the action-comedy genre and one that I think is worth seeing in theaters. I highly recommend it and can't wait to watch it again myself!

MOVIE REVIEW/ "Mickey 17"

By Anthony Caruso

Bong Joon-ho's Mickey 17 is a cinematic marvel that masterfully intertwines dark comedy and science fiction, delivering a narrative both timely and emotionally resonant. Based on Edward Ashton's novel "Mickey7," the film explores themes of identity, exploitation, and survival, set against the backdrop of a dystopian future.

The story follows Mickey Barnes, an "Expendable" crew member on a mission to colonize the icy planet Niflheim. Tasked with perilous assignments, Mickey is cloned and "reprinted" after each death, embodying the expendability of lower-class workers in a capitalist society. Pattinson's portrayal of Mickey is both sincere and scrappy, capturing the character's resilience and vulnerability. Not only that though! His dual performance as multiple iterations of Mickey showcases his versatility as an actor, for he brings distinct nuances to each clone. This duality adds depth to the narrative, emphasizing the psychological toll of Mickey's existence.

The supporting cast enhances the film's satirical edge. Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette deliver standout performances as over-the-top figures reminiscent of Trump-era excess, embodying the grotesque nature of unchecked power and greed. Their portrayals add a layer of dark humor, highlighting the absurdity of their characters' moral corruption. And, in my opinion, they steal every scene they're in. Then there's Naomi Ackie, who shines as Nasha Barridge, a security agent and Mickey's romantic interest. Ackie brings warmth and complexity to her role. Meanwhile, Anamaria Vartolomei's character - Kai - is a fun addition to the movie, though she feels underutilized, and leaves the audience yearning for more of her presence and backstory. (She's also so beautiful, it's nearly criminal how distracting she is whenever she's on-screen!) Steven Yeun rounds out our main cast, delivering a compelling performance as a completely awful character who is sure to draw your ire. His portrayal adds tension to the narrative, reflecting the complexities of human nature in survival scenarios, and is sure to be a revelation to those who only know him as the kind-hearted Glenn on The Walking Dead.

Visually, Mickey 17 is stunning. The set design immerses viewers in a meticulously crafted dystopian world, while the sound mixing and musical score enhance the film's atmospheric tension. The special effects are seamless, bringing the alien environment and its inhabitants to life. Indeed, the film's design of the "Creepers" is noteworthy. Initially presented as alien and repulsive, they gradually reveal endearing qualities and become - dare I say - "cute", challenging viewers' preconceived notions and evoking empathy. This transformation underscores Bong's talent for subverting expectations and humanizing the other.

Despite its many strengths, the film's pacing falters in the final act. At 137 minutes, certain scenes feel protracted, and a more concise runtime could have heightened the narrative's impact. Nevertheless, Mickey 17 is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged film that showcases Bong Joon-ho's directorial prowess. Its timely themes and stellar performances make it a must-see, particularly on the big screen where its visual and auditory elements can be fully appreciated. Despite minor pacing issues, the film stands as a testament to the power of science fiction to reflect and critique societal issues.

MOVIE REVIEW/ "Riff Raff"

By Anthony Caruso

Riff Raff, directed by Dito Montiel, is a darkly comedic crime thriller that blends family dysfunction, past transgressions, and the complexities of redemption. Set against the backdrop of the holiday season, the film delivers a unique mix of humor and tension, making it a standout indie comedy of 2025.

The story follows Vincent a reformed ex-contractor who has built a peaceful life in a secluded Maine cabin with his wife, Sandy, and stepson, D.J. Their tranquility is shattered when Vincent’s estranged son, Rocco, unexpectedly arrives with his pregnant girlfriend, Marina, and his chaotic mother, Ruth. As tensions rise and long-buried secrets begin to surface, the family is forced to confront the ghosts of their past.

The film boasts an all-star cast, each delivering performances that elevate the material. Ed Harris is compelling as Vincent, portraying a man desperately seeking redemption while wrestling with his past mistakes. Jennifer Coolidge steals scenes as Ruth, injecting the film with her signature comedic timing while adding surprising emotional depth. Gabrielle Union serves as the film’s emotional anchor, grounding the chaos with a resilient and compassionate performance. Lewis Pullman shines as the troubled Rocco, whose journey to reconnect with his father is layered with both tension and vulnerability. And of course, there's Bill Murray, as the mysterious hitman Lefty, brings his signature deadpan humor to the role, balancing menace and absurdity with ease. Pete Davidson is also a revelation here in a more subdued turn, playing Lonnie, adding an understated but effective presence to the mix. Meanwhile, Miles J. Harvey delivers a strong performance as D.J., offering an outsider’s perspective on the family’s dysfunction.

Dito Montiel masterfully balances dark humor with genuine emotional moments, ensuring the story remains engaging throughout. The holiday setting provides an ironic contrast to the family’s escalating turmoil, heightening the absurdity while maintaining a strong emotional core. The film’s pacing keeps viewers hooked, with well-timed reveals and character developments that build to a satisfying climax.

Riff Raff stands out as a uniquely entertaining film that skillfully intertwines the chaos of a dysfunctional family with the intrigue of old gangster narratives. The stellar ensemble cast fires on all cylinders, making it an engaging and hilarious experience. The holiday setting adds an extra layer of charm, making this a film worth revisiting. With its all-star cast and sharp writing, it’s a great time at the theater and a film I can’t wait to watch again when it hits streaming.

MINI SERIES REVIEW/ "Zero Day"

By Anthony Caruso

Zero Day, Netflix's 2025 political thriller miniseries, delivers a gripping narrative that resonates with contemporary societal concerns. Created by Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt, and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, the six-episode series stands out as a compelling addition to the genre.

The series centers on Robert De Niro's George Mullen, a former U.S. president who is called out of retirement to lead an investigation into a catastrophic cyberattack that cripples the nation's infrastructure. As Mullen delves deeper, he confronts complex issues of national security, personal ethics, and the pervasive influence of misinformation. The narrative intricately weaves themes of political intrigue and personal sacrifice, reflecting the precarious balance between civil liberties and national safety.

Robert De Niro's portrayal of George Mullen is both commanding and nuanced, capturing the internal and external struggles of a leader facing unprecedented challenges. The ensemble cast, featuring Lizzy Caplan as Mullen's estranged daughter Alexandra, Jesse Plemons as the dedicated aide Roger Carlson, Joan Allen as former First Lady Sheila Mullen, and Angela Bassett as President Evelyn Mitchell, delivers exceptional performances that enrich the series' depth and emotional resonance. Each actor brings a distinct presence, contributing to the show's dynamic and engaging character interactions.

Zero Day excels in presenting a tense, action-packed narrative that mirrors current global anxieties surrounding cyber warfare and political instability. The series effectively explores the fragility of modern infrastructures and the potential chaos stemming from their disruption. Its timely subject matter and realistic portrayal of a nation in crisis offer a chilling reminder of contemporary vulnerabilities. Its excellent execution provides a thought-provoking experience that challenges viewers to consider the complexities of truth, power, and governance in the digital age.

Zero Day stands as a testament to the potency of well-crafted political thrillers in today's entertainment landscape. Its combination of a stellar cast, timely themes, and engaging plotlines makes it a standout series that prompts reflection on the delicate balance between security and liberty. For viewers seeking a thought-provoking. exhilarating, and downright entertaining experience, Zero Day is a commendable choice.

MOVIE REVIEW/ "Captain America: Brave New World"

By Anthony Caruso

Captain America: Brave New World, directed by Julius Onah, is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It features Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America. The film attempts to explore themes of legacy, political intrigue, and personal identity but ultimately delivers a lackluster experience that fails to resonate.

The narrative follows Sam Wilson grappling with the mantle of Captain America amidst a politically charged environment. President Thaddeus Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, introduces complex dynamics as both an ally and antagonist. While the premise holds potential for a deep exploration of contemporary issues, the film skims the surface, offering a disjointed storyline that lacks coherence and depth. 

Anthony Mackie's portrayal of Sam Wilson is earnest but falls short of capturing the gravitas associated with the Captain America persona because Mackie is just not a good actor; earnestness does not equal talented. His performance is hindered by a script that provides little room for character development, rendering his journey unconvincing and emotionally flat. Harrison Ford's role as President Ross, while initially promising, devolves into over-the-top theatrics that undermine the character's credibility. The anticipated transformation into Red Hulk is underutilized, serving more as a marketing hook than a pivotal plot element. And then there's Carl Lumbly's portrayal of Isaiah Bradley, who stands out as a missed opportunity. His character's rich backstory and emotional depth could have provided a compelling narrative, yet the film sidelines him in favor of less engaging plotlines and even less engaging and likable characters. The inclusion of other characters - such as Sebastian Stan's Bucky - feels perfunctory, serving more as fan service than contributing meaningfully to the story. 

The film's visual effects are notably subpar, with CGI sequences that appear rushed and unpolished. Action scenes, though abundant, lack innovation and fail to deliver the excitement expected from a blockbuster of this scale. The costume design, particularly for Captain America himself, is unappealing, with comparisons drawn to Ant-Man's helmet, detracting from the iconic image of the character. 

The screenplay, meanwhile, is riddled with clichés and contrived dialogue, offering little in terms of originality or emotional resonance. Director Julius Onah's approach seems unfocused, attempting to juggle multiple subplots without providing adequate attention to any, resulting in a fragmented narrative. The film aspires to be both a sequel to The Incredible Hulk and a standalone Captain America story but fails to excel in either domain, leading to an unsatisfactory amalgamation that doesn't honor the legacy of either of its predecessors. 

While the film hints at addressing significant themes such as race, national identity, and global politics, it lacks the nuance and depth required to engage with these topics meaningfully. The potential to provide insightful commentary is overshadowed by a superficial treatment that leaves these critical issues under-explored and unresolved. And the post-credits scene, traditionally a platform for exciting teases of future developments, falls flat, offering a moment that is both forgettable and inconsequential. It fails to generate anticipation or provide meaningful context for upcoming installments, marking a low point in the MCU's history of post-credits sequences.

Captain America: Brave New World epitomizes mediocrity within the superhero genre. It is neither overtly bad nor notably good, settling into a forgettable middle ground that contributes to the growing sentiment of superhero fatigue among audiences. The MCU's tendency to prioritize quantity over quality is evident here, as the film offers little beyond its commercial intent, lacking the creative spark that once defined the franchise. With upcoming projects like Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four, Marvel Studios faces the critical task of reinvigorating its storytelling to recapture both critical acclaim and audience interest. As it stands, Captain America: Brave New World is a film that fails to leave a lasting impression and does little to advance the legacy of its titular hero. It's also a movie that, in short, I will never revisit again.

Doctor Who: Why We May Never Get A New Multi-Doctor Adventure

By Brandon T. McClure

In 2023, Doctor Who celebrated its 60th anniversary with three specials simulcasted around the world through the BBC and Disney+. These specials brought back David Tennant, not as his previous 10th Doctor but as a new 14th Doctor. He reteamed with Catherine Tate’s, Donna Noble, and together they stopped an invasion, went to the edge of the universe, fought Neil Patrick Harris’ The Toymaker and introduced the world to the new 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. It was a big celebration of the show's 60 years. But for the first time in the show's history, the anniversary was not marked with a multi-Doctor adventure.

Every milestone anniversary that Doctor Who has celebrated has been marked with a multi-Doctor story. These stories are excuses for the creators of the show to bring back former Doctors and have them team up with the current Doctor for an epic adventure. Now, in fairness, Russell T. Davies did use a loophole in the third special, “The Giggle.” Due to some unknown reason, the 14th Doctor was able to “bi-generate” into the 15th Doctor. This controversial decision, allowed both the 14th and 15th Doctor’s to exist at the same time, so he was able to have a multi-Doctor storyline in a way. While he gets away with it on a technicality, it’s not entirely the same thing. 

The first true multi-Doctor story was the 1973 episode, aptly titled “The Three Doctors.” Within the universe of Doctor Who, it’s impossible for the Doctor to cross his own timeline. This is a handy explanation for why he doesn’t meet himself all the time. But for this episode, one Doctor wasn’t going to be good enough. The current Doctor at the time, Jon Pertwee’s 3rd Doctor, teamed up with Patrick Troughton’s 2nd Doctor, and William Hartnell’s 1st Doctor (who was rather ill at the time and couldn’t physically be there). Together, through much bickering, they solved the problem and went on their way.

Patrick Troughton as the 2nd Doctor, Jon Pertwee the 3rd Doctor, and William Hartnell the 1st Doctor

Ten years later, the BBC would air “The Five Doctors”, which saw the aforementioned Doctors, with Richard Hurndall stepping in for William Hartnell who had passed away, team up with the current Doctor at the time, Peter Davidson’s 5th Doctor. Interestingly, while it’s called “The Five Doctors,” Tom Baker’s 4th Doctor does not appear (only in archived footage) due to the actor declining to return, a decision he later regretted.

Richard Hurndall, Peter Davison, Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton

Since the show went off the air in 1989, there was no reason for a 30 anniversary celebration in 1993. However, one still happened. Doctor Who was still popular and in 1993, the annual charity telethon, Children In Need, aired a special mini-series titled Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time. This low budget, non-canon, and absurd crossover with the popular soap opera, EastEnders, saw every living Doctor, 3-7, return. The next anniversary special would come in the form of 2003’s Big Finish, the producer of many audio dramas starring former Doctors, audio drama, Zagreus. This story saw versions of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Doctors team up with the 8th Doctor. Big Finish would go on to release many multi-Doctor stories, including ones for the subsequent 50th and 60th anniversaries. But the next major anniversary special came in the form of the 50th anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor.”

Matt Smith (11th Doctor), David Tennant (10th Doctor) and John Hurt (War Doctor)

Serving as Matt Smith’s penultimate episode as the 11th Doctor, the story sees him team up with the returning David Tennant as the 10th Doctor, and the newly revealed John Hurt as the War Doctor, a secret regeneration between 8 and 9 that was unknown to audiences at the time. Interestingly enough, this was the second multi-Doctor adventure that Steven Moffat would write. Of the three modern Doctor Who showrunners, Steven Moffat has written the most classic style multi-Doctor adventures. His only competition is Chris Chibnall, who wrote one of them. The final episode of Chibnall’s tenure on Doctor Who, “The Power of the Doctor,” saw Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor get some advice from many of the classic Doctors, 1st (David Bradley’s second turn in the role), 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Chris Chibnall also wrote an episode that introduced a previously unrevealed Doctor, Jo Martin’s the Fugitive Doctor, but this falls under the same loophole that “The Giggle” falls under. Supposedly Russell T. Davies had an idea for the 50th anniversary, but he left the show before he could put his money where his mouth was.

While Steven Moffat was a staff writer under Russell T. Davies’ first turn as showrunner of Doctor Who, Moffat wrote a special called “Time Crash,” where the 10th Doctor met the 5th Doctor (David Tennant’s real life future father-in-law). When Moffat became showrunner, he wrote two multi-Doctor episodes: The aforementioned “Day of the Doctor” 50th anniversary special, and “Twice Upon A Time,” the final episode of Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor in which he teamed up with the 1st Doctor, played by David Bradley (His first time playing the actual 1st Doctor). Steven Moffat is pretty positive on multi-Doctor adventures. Considering he’s made three of them, it’s not hard to believe that either. He’s stated a few times how much he likes the differing personalities clashing with each other, finding it fun to write. A sentiment other showrunners don’t seem to share.

Peter Capaldi (12th Doctor) and David Bradley (First Doctor)

When asked about why a multi-Doctor adventure wasn’t in the cards for the 60th anniversary, former and current showrunner, Russell T. Davies stated that “The Power of the Doctor” was the major reason why. “The Power of the Doctor” and the 60th anniversary are only 11 months apart, and it would have been overwhelming as a creator to do it back to back. This makes perfect sense, even if it ignores sixty years of tradition. Now the 20th anniversary of the show's return in 2005 is just around the corner. With the anniversary of the modern version of the show, Davies could have taken the opportunity to reunite the modern Doctors (and the 8th because I’m a fan) in an exciting new multi-Doctor adventure for this generation of fans. It’s alright though, because Davies has already shut down the talk of a multi-Doctor adventure. Citing the same issue as too many anniversaries in a row saying “no. Sorry. I don’t think that’s wise.”

He’s not the only one to show disinterest in a new multi-Doctor crossover, even though he’s created multiple ways for it to happen since returning. While the classic Doctors, including Paul McGann’s 8th Doctor have expressed enthusiasm to a potential return, most of the modern generations Doctors have outright declined this idea. Since his exit from the show, 9th Doctor actor Christopher Eccleston has been very outspoken about the abuse he received on the show and his disinterest (to put it kindly) in returning. He’s since softened this position and returned to the role through Big Finish audio adventures, including an upcoming season where he’ll return with Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, but he is still very against returning to the show. Steven Moffat reportedly approached him for the role of the War Doctor, who became John Hurt, but he obviously declined. Last year he stated his terms to return to the show by saying "Sack Russell T Davies, sack Jane Tranter, sack Phil Collinson, sack Julie Gardner, and I'll come back.” So he’s out.

Having returned twice to Doctor Who, as the 10th Doctor in “The Day of the Doctor,” and recently as the 14th Doctor, it almost seems inevitable that David Tennant would return for another multi-Doctor adventure. At one point, he was very eager to return, even going so far as to assume he would for the 50th anniversary. But when asked if he would return since the 14th Doctor is living on Earth in the same timeline as the 15th Doctor, Russell T. Davies said that he is “retired” from the role. Even though he, stupidly, opened the door for this return, Davies is now growing frustrated by the ask saying that "I think he died. I’m going to start saying that.” These are not David Tennant’s words but Davies seems uninterested in another appearance by the most popular actor to play the Doctor since Tom Baker. Perhaps he’s regretting the bi-generation (as he should).

Being the youngest actor to ever play the Doctor, Matt Smith has been historically uninterested in returning to Doctor Who. Understandably, he was more interested in building his post-Doctor Who career and not looking back. But recently, he’s changed his tune. Last year he was asked if he was open to returning and he said “never say never.” He’s never closed the door entirely, but this was the most he’s expressed interest in a possible return. It’s gotten long enough now that he misses the show.

Like Christopher Eccleston, the 12th Doctor’s Peter Capaldi is also not interested in returning. But for very different reasons. Capaldi, like David Tennant, was a lifelong Doctor Who fan and considered it a dream come true to become the Doctor. But when asked if he would return, he seems to be happy leaving well enough alone, stating that if he never comes back, then his Doctor is still out there, and that “there comes a time when you have to leave things alone.” He also said in 2021, that he feels “the more multi-Doctor stories you have the less effective they are, really,” and that he wouldn’t “really fancy” returning for one. He has no animosity towards returning, he just doesn’t want to diminish his experience.

Then there’s the unfairly maligned 13th Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, the first female actress to play the role of the Doctor. Of the modern Doctors, she’s the only one who has answered with an enthusiastic “yes”. Her enthusiasm for returning, and the fact that she’s already returned to do Big Finish dramas, something that Smith and Capaldi haven’t done yet, almost paints a picture that she didn’t want to leave in the first place. Considering the reception she had during her tenure, it’s heartwarming to see her enthusiasm hasn’t dwindled. Interestingly, she’s got the shortest time between leaving the show and returning for Big Finish audio dramas. However, while she’s incredibly enthusiastic about returning, as stated above, her former selves aren’t. Enough have claimed that they don’t want to return at all. So this paints a rather disappointing picture when considering a multi-Doctor special. But maybe a team up with the 13th and 15th Doctor would be enough.

There’s a lot of hurdles to overcome when creating a multi-Doctor story. Big Finish producers talked about the daunting task of doing them when they were developing the 60th anniversary special Once & Future. Even with the benefit of being able to record voices at different times and locations, it’s hard to not turn the story into pure fan-fiction. The same is true when it comes to the show. There are 12 living Doctors (not counting Jo Martin), and getting them all together would be a daunting task, especially with many of the advanced ages of the classic Doctors. Which is why a 20th anniversary celebrating the modern generation of the show would be an ideal compromise. But it wouldn’t be worth it if they all weren’t interested in returning. Especially if Russell T. Davies doesn’t want to write it.

What’s a little strange, is that Davies has actually written in a few ways to make a multi-Doctor story even easier to write. For the Tales of the TARDIS minisodes on the BBC iPlayer, he had the classic Doctors reunite with their companions to reminisce over the adventures they had. Admittedly, it was just an excuse to write a clip show, but he created an in-universe explanation for why the classic Doctors would look so much older then the last time fans saw them. Then he went on to introduce the idea of a bi-generation, a mythological variant of the regeneration trick that allowed multiple actors to play the Doctor. Sure, this explanation would only benefit David Tennant, but Davies decided that “he died.”

While Doctor Who writers, creators, and actors seem uninterested in multi-Doctor stories, fans are incredibly enthusiastic about them. The reason is very simple: Doctor Who is a very long running science fiction show that spans multiple generations. Each Doctor has a generation of fans who grew up with them and consider them “their Doctor.” A multi-Doctor adventure is tailor made for a show like Doctor Who, and personifies the very nature of why anniversaries are so special. Anniversaries are times for looking back at the journey that brought you to that point in your life. For Doctor Who, it gives fans a chance to look back at the past, reminisce with an old friend (Doctor), and look to new horizons. But it didn’t happen for the 60th, and it won’t happen for the 20th, so it looks like we’ll all have to wait for the 70th, if at all. But it’s not worth asking for it if their heart(s) isn’t in it.

BOOK REVIEW + INTERVIEW / Burn to Shine (A Joe Ledger & RTI Novel) by Jonathan Maberry

Matt and Jenny were joined again by one of Atomic Geekdom’s favorite authors Jonathan Maberry to discuss his March 4th, 2025 release of his 4th book to the Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International series - BURN TO SHINE (14th Ledger novel).

Join the conversation in the comments and on social media.

For a recap of our previous coverage of Cave 13 visit our AG Book Club post of the 3rd in the series: Cave 13.

For audio, please check out the Atomic Geekdom Podcast to listen in.

Burn To Shine by Jonathan Maberry

Release Date: 03/04/2025

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Matt Spaulding

** POTIENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL Series **

With the latest installment in the Joe Ledger series, Jonathan Maberry has once again crafted a tense, scary, action-packed tale that, this time, really makes the reader take a hard look at the state of the real world as well.

While new readers to Joe Ledger will be able to read, understand and appreciate this novel, it’s also the one in the series that most rewards people who have been with this series from the beginning, and even readers of Maberry’s other, non-Ledger novels including the Pine Deep trilogy that began Maberry’s career. Even I, a Maberry super fan, didn’t catch all the references to other works. It will be fun to reread this some day and try again to catch every little detail.

Detail is the word with Maberry as a writer, and his attention to everything really pays off in this book. The book is peppered with flashbacks to events that lead up to the main plot, but the flashbacks aren’t in chronological order. Maberry has expertly laid them out in a manner that reveals information that is only important to know right then, as it relates to what our characters are finding out in “real time” in the main plot, or to give the reader a hint at what’s next. This means that something that happened “six months ago” can be revealed before something that happened “two years ago” because it’s more important to “right now.” It’s incredibly smart and clever and really helps keep the mystery alive. Especially to someone like me, a “mark” who is not necessarily trying to figure things out in advance, happy to go where the story takes me as it unfolds.

At the heart of Maberry’s writing, though, are his characters. Nothing that unfolds in any of his books would be tense or exciting or scary without being deeply connected to his characters. And that’s especially true here. The title of the book, Burn to Shine, is a reference to an earlier novel, Code Zero, and relates to one of the most dangerous villains in the series, so I knew right from the jump there was plenty of reason to be worried about my favorite heroes. Not that there isn’t always in these books (Joe Ledger and Co. have been through some horrible things along the way), but knowing the origin of the title of the book added to that feeling of unease. And, through the character work on the villains in this story, Maberry builds that feeling of unease pretty much right to the very end. I honestly found myself, close to the end of the novel, wondering just how on Earth everyone was going to escape the various awful situations they all found themselves in, terrified that someone (or someones) wouldn’t escape.

Conspicuously mostly absent from this novel is Mr. Church, the enigmatic leader of Rogue Team International. Church typically has a prominent role in these books, but he takes somewhat of a backseat. However, right in the last few paragraphs something major happens with Church that will leave anyone who reads it ready for the next book, Red Empire, which Maberry has said is mostly about Church and his origin, to be here now instead of next year.

One other thing this novel does really well is address the all-too-real problems of misinformation, conspiracies and radical militia groups. There were parts of the book I found myself getting uncomfortable just from how real it all was. Though this novel is not explicitly political (none of Maberry’s works are), it does address problems that exist in the real world that affect everyone, regardless of their political leanings, that could, sadly, be construed as political. But, misinformation, something that really drives the plot, is something that can come from anywhere and affect anyone, and is undoubtedly being used in real life to nefarious ends, just like in the book.

Burn To Shine is a novel that will make longtime fans of the Joe Ledger books and the rest of Maberry’s works very happy. But it is also a book that can serve very well as a primer for anyone who may read it without ever having read a Jonathan Maberry novel before, and open doors for them they didn’t know were there.