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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 110 Review

Episode 110,"Who is the World’s Greatest?! A Battle Royal Match to Decide!!
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Kaioshin is perplexed and dismayed by the behavior of the three Saiyans, who all relish the prospect of fighting strong opponents. Dabura volunteers to be the next stage opponent, and goes into a room to meditate to be at full power. However, Gohan, whose turn it is next, becomes impatient waiting for him. At the Tenkaichi Budoukai, the officials are having trouble deciding what to do now that many of the fights have dropped out. Mr. Satan, high on confidence, suggests having a Battle Royal, where all remaining fighters battle at once. However, Mr. Satan begins to lose his nerve when faced with the reality of having to take on four opponents who will likely team up on him as the champion. Killa tries to team up with Mighty Mask (Goten and Trunks), while Jewel attempts to broker a deal with 18, but Goten, Trunks, and 18 have no interest in the offers. Angry, Killa and Jewel attack their respective deniers and are immediately knocked out of the ring. Mr. Satan thinks himself lucky to only have two opponents, but that attitude fades when he sees Mighty Mask and 18 exchange blows above the ring.
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Batman Eternal #11 Review

 

It must be Father’s Day in Gotham, because while Julia nurses her wounds, Alfred cleans rooms, and Steph watches her daddy fume, Barbara fights off a costumed goon in a country far south of Cancun. This is issue #11 of Batman Eternal and it guest stars little Red not so riding Hood and has bizarre imagery that’s eerily reminiscent of Grant Morrison’s Bat-run, of which I am not a big fan.

 

Yes, people talk like this, all right, in convenient exposition.

 

Let’s talk a little bit about Ian Bertram’s art. I can see why some people might enjoy the strangely stylized, distorted character designs that emphasize skin and cloth texture, but it doesn’t appeal to me whatsoever, and it ends up being about as cringeworthy as Riccardo Burchielli’s work in the previous issue. Obviously Bertram graduated from the Frank Quitely/Chris Burnham school of drawing, because most of the characters look like beaten leather bags that have been warped in the heat. It’s often very grotesque and off-putting, and not in a good way.
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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 109 Review

Episode 109,"Don’t Underestimate a Super Saiyan! Vegeta and Goku’s Full Throttle Power!"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Pui Pui can’t land a blow on Vegeta due to his speed. Vegeta lands blow after blow on the hapless opponent. Babidi uses his magic so that the room is teleported to Pui Pui’s high gravity home planet. Pui Pui is confident in a win, but Vegeta is not impressed, as he trains in high gravity environments constantly. The Saiyan prince easily puts Pui Pui away. The room returns to the ship and the passage to the lower level opens. On the next stage, Goku awaits his opponent, who is a large monster named Yakon. Despite his size, Yakon proves to be swift, and manages to cut Goku’s gi. Kaioshin wants them all to team up against him, but Gohan says his father will be fine. To ensure victory, Babidi transports them to Yakon’s home planet, which is shrouded in darkness. Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan to see, but Yakon feeds on the light of his aura. At first Yakon is confident this will win him the fight, as he will continue to drain energy from Goku. However, Goku simply turns him his power to such a level that Yakon explodes. The passage to the next level of the ship opens and the Super Saiyans descend, leaving Kaioshin shocked.
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Batman Eternal #10 Review

 

I haven’t commented on the artwork of this series yet, as varied as it is. Mostly because, for the most part, it’s been pretty good. It started off strong with Jason Fabok, who has done a few issues. Dustin Nguyen’s unique style made issue #4 more interesting. Gillieum March has sort of a David Finch-ish quality to his work, which isn’t a bad thing. Anybody else who’s worked on this weekly has done a fair job, up until this issue.

 

Until Riccardo Burchielli. read more

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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 108 Review

Episode 108, "The Heinous Mage Babidi and the King of the Underworld Dabura’s Trap"
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Kaioshin and Kibito are shocked that Babidi has the King of the Demon Realm, Dabura, under his thrall. Having outlived their purpose, Babidi and his henchman Pui Pui disposes of Spopovich and Yamu, respectively. Unknown to Goku and the group, Babidi and Dabura are aware of their presence, and after Babidi and Pui Pui enter the ship, Dabura attacks, killing Kibito. Then he transforms Kuririn and Piccolo into stone, which can only be undone with his death. Confident, the three Saiyans follow Dabura into the ship. A reluctant Kaioshin follows as well. They find themselves in a round room in the ship. Pui Pui is sent to fight them, and he explains that there are several levels on which they will face a different opponent before they can get to Babidi. Babidi adds Gohan’s stolen energy to the Buu egg and finds it was a lot more than he expected. Vegeta wins a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who fights Pui Pui. Pui Pui says that any energy used in fighting him will be collected for Buu, but Vegeta reasons he just won’t take any damage.
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Batman Eternal #9 Review

 

Falcone’s after a cat, there’s a canary and two bats, a guy who’s Kingpin fat, and we’re introduced to somebody’s brat. Welcome to issue 9 of Batman Eternal, where all Asians are obviously the same kind of Asian, a super villain wants to make some craaaaaaaaaazy money, and women fill out leather suits like Bechdel never even existed. A quick DC wikia search will tell you why this issue is super special, folks.

First, I have to plead ignorance on this, but I’m not super familiar with the villain Roadrunner. I know he was in Snyder’s Black Mirror storyline but he didn’t leave a huge impression on me. Apparently he’s got a tricked out taxi, though, which he uses to get Commissioner Forbes to a rendezvous with our suit-on-top-of-wifebeater-wearing crime boss villain dejour. I wonder if this guy just parks in random places throughout Gotham from time to time, waiting for somebody to mistake his cab for a real lone, and then just blasts off with them. It’s sort of like that cash cab, but with horrible whiplash. I wonder how many people got into that cab before Forbes finally did, and if they had to pay for the ride at the end. read more

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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 107 Review

Episode 107, "Secrets of the Terrible Majin; The Man Behind the Curtain Appears!!
 

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Vegeta is angered by Goku’s desire to follow Kaioshin, as he was anticipating their battle in the tournament, but Goku assures him they can find time to do it later. Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo fly off, leaving Gohan in Kibito’s hands. Kuririn follows suit after telling 18. Kibito uses healing powers to revive Gohan, who follows him off, along with Videl. Kaioshin and Kibito reveal that they came to Earth to prevent an evil magician, Babidi, from reviving his father’s powerful creation, a monster named Majin Buu, who can destroy planets and even kill gods. It’s explained that Spopovich and Yamu were collecting energy to help Babidi release Majin Buu from his containment, and thus their entering the tournament and ultimately targeting Gohan. Kaioshin and Kibito allowed this to happen so they can follow the enthralled minions back to their master and stop him. Gohan notices that Videl, having only learned to fly recently, is having difficulty keeping up. He advises her to return to the tournament grounds. She agrees and flies back, telling him she’ll be waiting for him. Gohan and Kibito pick up speed and meet up with the others. Yamu and Spopovich finally reach the area where Babidi’s base of operations is. A short, green man with a large head and a very tall red demon with yellow eyes emerge from the entrance.
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Batman Eternal #8 Review

 

After the brazen murder of an innocent penguin (RIP, Commander Wilhelm) and the destruction of the Iceberg Casino, Carmine “The Roman” Falcone feels the force of Batman’s rage in this issue which begins with him pummeling some gangland scum. Of course, this doesn’t help any with Comissioner Forbes at the helm of the police, and Batman acts shockingly naive while Falcone’s puppet completely craps the bed at both police work and criminal activity. FFS, if you’re going to be corrupt, you don’t just let the criminals go right away, you have to at least pretend you’re processing them or the state will get sued up the ass by victims. read more

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Dragon Ball Kai – Episode 106 Review

Episode 106, "Videl, Worn Ragged! Gohan’s Anger at its Limits!!"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Spopovich’s unrelenting assault on Videl continues, with her powerless to resist. Gohan seethes with anger over the merciless onslaught, transforming into a Super Saiyan. However, before he can interfere with the match, Spopovich’s companion to the tournament, Yamu, instructs him to finish the fight. Spopovich kicks Videl out of the ring and she loses. Goku retrieves some Senzu beans from Karin while Gohan takes Videl to the infirmary. Mr. Satan is dismayed that Videl is "dating" a "weak-looking boy" and doesn’t want her eating the offered Senzu. Videl eats the Senzu and recovers immediately. Gohan’s match with Kibito is next. Gohan’s classmates spot him without most of his disguise and figure Gohan simply entered the contest with Great Saiyaman’s name as a front. Kibito requests that Gohan transform again into a Super Saiyan. Kaioshin asks if Goku and the rest will allow them to use Gohan for something, with Piccolo revealing who he is. Gohan decides to go into his Super Saiyan 2 form, which astonishes the crowd, including Videl. Suddenly, Yamu and Spopovich fly into the ring and take hold of Gohan, who is doubly paralyzed by Kaioshin’s power, and steal energy from him. The pair then flee the arena and Kaioshin follows them, suggesting that Goku and his group do likewise. Goku finds the happenings interesting.
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Batman Eternal #7 Review

 

This issue sees the feathers really hit the fan in the Gotham City gang war, especially for poor Ozzie, who seems to lose everything in a matter of pages. But this Noah’s ark of an installment also includes a cat, a pig, a tiger shark, an orca, and for a short flash, a bat. Old MacDonald would be all hot and bothered by this issue, friends. This is Batman Eternal #7, and an empire crumbles into the deeps of Gotham harbor here.
 

“It was either you or Captain Stingaree. I couldn’t afford him.” read more

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