In the DC Universe, there is an afterlife. That's not a philosophical debate, it's an actual thing, and it presents a number of sticky problems that the players have to deal with, not always in a fashion consistent with the ramifications of there being a Heaven and a Hell. It's the focal point of this latest DC Animated Universe release, SUICIDE SQUAD: HELL TO PAY.

Spring has sprung! The flowers are blooming, and we kick off the month with the Easter celebration! And what an Easter egg we have for our readers this month, as we introduce to you our latest cosplay master.

And with Easter on everybody's mind, what better and cuter way to hop right into things than with Judy Hopps, the feisty police bunny from Disney's ZOOTOPIA? Sure, it's not Peter Cottontail, but nobody among our peeps have been complaining.

Gentle readers, it is with great pleasure and delight that we introduce to you our...

Critical Blast Bombshell, April 2018

RavenGlitch

Judy Hopps (ZOOTOPIA)
photographer: Roberto Fioravanti

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Reviews

GOTHAM is getting its groove back in this trailing half of the fourth season. With a breakout at Arkham, we don't have time to think about the fallout of Sophia Falcone's shooting or Lee Thompkins' role in it. We don't care where Solomon Grundy is, or what Oswald and Nygma are up to. No, because three of the most dangerous lunatics ever to grace the Gotham streets have busted out, and brought hell riding with them: Jonanthan Crane (DAVID W. THOMPSON), Jerome Tetch (BENEDICT SAMUEL), and Jerome Valeska (CAMERON MONAGHAN).

Is there a proper escape from reality? Wouldn't it be wonderful to live a life of dreams rather than face the consequences of life's choices? If only the technology existed to find a way to gratify the desires of the flesh, or to discover enjoyment in safely pursuing a hobby, alter-ego, or living a lifestyle exceeding our own personal potential.

The creation of a true virtual reality, where anyone could do or be anything limited only by the imagination, seems like a syfy movie or television series. But wouldn't the existence of this technology be a great advancement, for all mankind? Science focusing on the betterment of our human existence controlled by corporate greed. Can you only imagine!

Escape from Reality: Enter the Oasis. 

I'll admit up front that I have not watched a lot of SUPERNATURAL. And by "not a lot" I mean I've seen perhaps two episodes.It's not a taste or preference thing, I just haven't added it to my overwhelming list of things to watch. But when I learned they were doing a team-up with Scooby-Doo and the gang, I made watching this special episode, "Scoobynatural," a priority.

Sam and Dean (JARED PADALECKI and JENSEN ACKLES, not the musical duo) Winchester are fighting a giant stuffed dinosaur when the episode opens, setting the tone for the silliness that is to follow. In payment for saving his life, the grateful toy store owner gives Dean the widescreen television off his wall, which Dean uses open up "The Deancave." But it turns out the television is also a cursed object, like the toy dinosaur, and almost instantly the brothers are sucked into the screen and animated.

Brainiac and Phantom Zone and Rao...oh my! Episode 2 titled "House of El" hits the ground running by picking up right where the pilot ended.

The pilot established the world and society of Krypton, as well as laid the foundation for the characters. This allowed episode 2 to breathe. Krypton doesn't talk down to its viewers by feeling like it needs to explain every minute detail. But when its necessary to set up a significant plot point, it does a very good job doing so.

From Marvel:

Four heroes. One team. They’re back.

Reed, Sue, Ben, Johnny: welcome home.

After a spacefaring foray into the unknown, Marvel’s First Family returns this August with FANTASTIC FOUR #1.

Written by Dan Slott with art by Sara Pichelli, Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Thing, and the Human Torch reunite this summer.

From the "Oh Yeah, They're Still Doing That" Department: DC Comics DOOMSDAY CLOCK #4 continues the story that brings the universe of WATCHMEN into that of the DCU proper, as the hunt for Dr. Manhattan continues. Slowly.

I appreciate that Geoff Johns is going for the "slow burn" in storytelling, but the slow burn only works well when the story overall is fast paced in terms of overall delivery and production. Having to wait two months between issues lets the burn fizzle out. 

What we do get this issue is the origin of the new Rorschach, as he muddles his way through life in Arkham Asylum. And no, I still haven't processed the fact that Batman has admitting privilieges to Arkham to the point that he can commit an inmate there without trial or even a psychological exam from a licensed psychiatrist. That's probably his scariest non-super power to date!

The melodrama of RIVERDALE continues, as some of our story threads draw together -- fitting, as the episode is titled "The Noose Tightens."

The plans of Hiram Lodge (MARK CONSUELOS) are threatened when two of his mobster associates show up in town. They're concerned about Hermione (MARISOL NICHOLS) running for mayor, as it puts too much of a public profile on the business. But like all good businessmen, they'll overlook it -- for a 25% take of the private prison Lodge is funding to be built in Riverdale. Archie (KJ APA) has to summon his inner capo to stand up for Mr. Lodge when it is determined that all his allies have left him to work for other men, including "Agent Adams" who appears wearing a very triggering black hood.

From Marvel

The reach of INFINITY COUNTDOWN has expanded to every corner of the multiverse, but the question remains…Countdown to what?

This July, writer Gerry Duggan, artist Mike Deodato Jr., and colorist Frank Martin answer that query with one word that resounds throughout infinity: War.

ROSEANNE begins its tenth season after a twenty-year hiatus, and there's a lot of the original feeling wrapped up in its return. As with the original, the middle-America family sitcom tries to touch on all the issues everyday folks deal with every day. And perhaps, to its detriment, it may be trying to take too big a bite at once.

From CNet:

20th Century Fox is changing around its movie release dates for the X-Men sequel "Dark Phoenix" and the X-Men character film "The New Mutants." 

...

Both comic book films are delayed until 2019, so "Bohemian Rhapsody," a biopic on the band Queen, can hit theaters on Nov. 2 instead of its original Dec. 25 opening date. 

It's all about Mazikeen (LESLEY-ANN BRANDT), and it's about damned time.

As the demon Mazikeen continues to fall apart, she decides to move out of the apartment she shares with Chloe (LAUREN GERMAN), and she doesn't go quietly into that good night. She demands that Lucifer (TOM ELLIS) "wing up" and take her back to Hell where she's happier, but he refuses and tells her to go blow off some steam.

Apparently she does this by murdering a man. It's on video. She turns herself in, complete with murder weapon and confession. There's only one problem: she didn't do it. But who would go to such lengths to frame Mazikeen? Is it a celestial thing, or is it something far more basic and human?

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

Lot of big anniversary issues this week, and the return of my favorite Valiant series!

From Hollywood Reporter:

Captain Marvel is going to be a blast from the past in more ways than one. The '90s-set film will not only see Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) back, but also a number of familiar faces, Marvel Studios revealed Monday.

From CBR:

Spinning out of the Justice League: No Justice four-issue miniseries, DC Comics will launch two new Justice League titles with all-new rosters. Justice League Dark will be written by James Tynion IV with art by Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson, and Justice League Odyssey with writer Joshua Williamson and art by Stjepan Sejic. Both titles will launch in June.

From Deadline:

American Gods producer FremantleMedia North America has acquired the rights to Astro City superhero comic book series to develop as a live-action TV drama series.

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Astro City made its debut in 1995 with Image Comics and is currently published by DC Comics.

Despite the fact that the comic books’ current publisher, DC Comics, is owned by Warner Bros., Busiek owns all of the rights to Astro City, which he will now exploit in TV with FMNA.