Category: Lashaan’s Corner

Upcoming Superhero Movies and How to Prepare For Them (Chapter 2)

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HELLO WONDERFUL PEOPLE!

I really hope everyone is enjoying their summer to the fullest! Personally it has been pretty hectic with work as free time became quite a luxury! Nothing to worry about though. Come July, the world will still keep on spinning and superhero movies will keep on coming out by the dozen! 😀

Way back in November, I started this feature with the very first chapter and had a feeling that it would be nice to help compile a list of upcoming superhero movies that are soon going to hit the theaters (first trailers are already launched) and get people psyched for all the superhero goodies that both DC Comics and Marvel have in store for us! Continue reading →

Batman/The Flash: The Button (Rebirth) by Tom King

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“And the moment I saw you… I knew every choice I’d ever made had been the right ones… Because they led to you.”

— Tom King, Batman/The Flash: The Button

    The crossover events are back with Batman and The Flash teaming up to pursue one of the greatest mystery to hit the DC Universe in the Rebirth era. With Batman/The Flash: The Button, fans are presented with a highly anticipated story that continues things right where DC Universe: Rebirth #1 by Geoff Johns left off. This four-part crossover, collecting Batman #21-22 and Flash #21-22, presents us with a couple of fantastic cameos of classic DC characters as well as a thorough recapitulation of one of the most important event that took place in the DC Universe: Flashpoint by Geoff Johns. With the hunting yellow smile button and its little smudge of blood, both the World’s Greatest Detective and the World’s Fastest Man look to decipher its eerie origin and meaning. This storyarc kicks things off with the arrival of another character who sees something devastating in this enigmatic button and propels our favourite heroes on an adventure through time that will surely leave lasting scars, both physically and mentally.
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The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

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“It’s only when the dream is over that you see how odd it all was, how it actually didn’t make sense at all.”

— Shari Lapena, The Couple Next Door

    The Couple Next Door is one of the most wildest story that occurs within just a couple of days. This debut thriller by Shari Lapena offers fans a captivating yet highly insane whodunit featuring a couple and their infant. On the night where both Anne and Marco go over to their neighbours for a little dinner party, the two of them decide to leave their child in its crib while bringing with them a baby monitor to keep an eye out for trouble. It’s by keeping in mind that the neighbours really wanted a baby-free night, that our married couple leave themselves open for a nice little disaster that will cunningly sneak its way into the dark and into their house. Past midnight, our highly confident couple decides to return home only to realize that their worst nightmare has come to life: their baby is gone. As this marks the end of chapter 1, The Couple Next Door will promise you with a paradise of twists and turns to satisfy the most gluttonous of thriller fans in this undeniable page-turner.
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The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

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“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

— Isaac Asimov, Foundation

    Mind games at their finest! In The Foundation Trilogy, comprised of Foundation (Book 1), Foundation and Empire (Book 2), and Second Foundation (Book 3), you’ll quickly find yourself in front of an author whose grasp on science-fiction is beyond belief. Far more idea-driven than character-driven, Isaac Asimov crafts the rise and fall of civilization in an intricate and astonishing prose. Tackling subjects ranging from religion to politics, this story will challenge your comprehension of individuals, but especially of collectives. Spanning over centuries, the Foundation series is nothing like you’ve ever seen before. Foundation propels us in a time period where the Galactic Empire has thrived for over 12000 years. Psychohistorian Hari Seldon however shocks the world by announcing an impending Dark Age where the Empire will fall and dwell in barbarism for almost thirty millennia unless the Empire’s Commission of Public Safety permits him to establish a back-up plan that will guarantee a much more shorter age of barbarism and the promise of rebirth. It is on this premise that resides the adventures to come and thus leaves us with the torturous question: Will Hari Seldon’s plan bear fruit?

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The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

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“How to tell a shattered story? By slowly becoming everybody. No. By slowly becoming everything.”

— Arundhati Roy, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

    20 years after the release of the classic Booker Prize winner The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy releases her second work of fiction, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Although I have yet to read the former—I do plan on doing so in the near future—my first experience of Roy’s writing wasn’t exactly a very compelling one. Tackling the social climate and various taboo subjects in India and its proximity, Arundhati Roy brings readers the story of multiple different characters who will all have their lives connect together at an unlikely juncture. Focusing greatly on these characters and the unbelievable misery that clouds their lives, Arundhati Roy does the impossible and presents us with the relativity of happiness and the rarity of normality. She does so by embracing the Indian culture in all its forms and shows us in different forms the problems that people are submerged in for countless years.
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Our Little Secret by Roz Nay [+GIVEAWAY]

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“Do you really want to know what happened?”

— Roz Nay, Our Little Secret

    This is one of those rare thrillers that actually succeeds in telling a fast-paced, completely immersive and strongly manipulative story in the most concise and addictive way possible. I’d mention that I’m slightly exaggerating, but I’m really not. In under 230 pages, Roz Nay will initially make you feel things towards certain characters and later compel you to embrace polar opposite emotions as the story unfolds. Her writing is brilliant and draws you into the story like none other. Expect time to fly and emotions to be played around with. But what is Our Little Secret about? This psychological thriller focuses on the disappearance of a woman and a love triangle that is in the midst of it all. The whole tale is our protagonist, also the narrator, who’s being interviewed by a detective who’s trying to figure out what happened to this missing woman. What comes next is our lead character telling us the story of her teenage days as she builds the intrigue in an completely addictive and manipulative fashion. For a thriller this short, this one delivers its story brilliantly!
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Cinedote Review – Wonder Woman (2017)

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Summary: Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.

Director: Patty Jenkins

Writers: Allan Heinberg (screenplay and story), Scott Snyder (story), Jason Fuchs (story) and William Moulton Marston (created Wonder Woman)

Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielson, Robin Wright, and more!

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   Directed by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman (2017) presents us with the most successful female-lead superhero movie to date. While the DCEU has been bullied since its debut with Man of Steel (2013) and has known nothing but hate from countless viewers and critics, Gal Gadot (known for her role in the Fast & Furious series) pummels her way to triumph with a well-crafted story, well-rounded characters, adequate setting and a memorable and timely message to leave the theaters with. Wonder Woman (2017) is an origin story told right after the events of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Born and raised on the island of Themyscira where all the Amazons live, Diana Prince is raised under the guidance of her mother Hippolyta (played by Gladiator‘s Connie Nielson) and aunt Antiope (played by House of Card‘s Robin Wright).  While her mother tells her stories about her father Zeus and the evil of Ares, she also forbids her daughter to embrace the life of an Amazonian warrior. Antiope however believes that Diana’s destiny is much bigger than what other’s want for her and offers guidance and training. High-spirited, hope-filled and driven, this is how a little girl fights for what she believes in.
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The Long Drop by Denise Mina

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“He knows too much to be an honest man but says he wants to help.”

— Denise Mina, The Long Drop

    Denise Mina delivers a true crime story infused with fiction as she tells the story behind Scotland’s very first serial killer. Deemed to be the trial of the century in 1950’s Glasglow, The Long Drop recounts the fight for innocence for the accused father, William Watt, and the denial of guilt by the known liar and murderer, Peter Manuel. While the outcome of this story is well-known, Denise Mina offers readers the opportunity to read about a trial—thanks to her access to transcriptions—interspersed with her own reimagining of the mysterious night that both William Watt and Peter Manuel spent together trying to bargain for freedom in their own particular ways. While William Watt only wishes to find the gun that was used to kill three members of his family, Peter Manuel attempts to play with an innocent man’s emotions and thoughts and secure his way to a win-win situation. In The Long Drop, the author proposes an exploration of the capital punishment, as well as the darkness within everyone, innocent or guilty.
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The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

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“No, darling! To die it’s easy… But you have to struggle for life!”

— Art Spiegelman, The Complete Maus

    This is a dreadfully moving narrative that shines through the many dichotomies of life. The Complete Maus is not like anything you’ve read before. Containing both Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History as well as Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began, this volume recounts the story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife’s perseverance and ruthless ordeal through one of the darkest times in history: the Holocaust. Art Spiegelman also interweaves his own story as the son of a survivor and the impact of a dark and twisted historical event on his generation. While exploring the comic medium in all its subtleties, The Complete Maus dives deep into the struggles of every day life and sheds light on the complexity of trust, of survival, of fear and of guilt. It is a inter-generational look into the heart-wrenching and horrendous events pertaining to World War II and the weight that individuals carry since its end.
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Skullsworn by Brian Staveley

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“Give to the god the one who made your mind and body sing with love.”

— Brian Staveley, Skullsworn

    Skullsworn is a stand-alone story set in the same universe as The Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne written by Brian Staveley. Although having failed to get around to read the original trilogy that laid the foundation to Staveley’s popularity, I can still confidently confirm that Skullsworn remains a beautiful introduction to a great talent in the fantasy world and can easily be read without worrying about the potential references it could have to The Emperor’s Blades, The Providence of Fire or The Last Mortal Bond. This new tale features Pyrre as the main protagonist and recounts her Trial to officially arise as a priestess of Ananshael, God of Death. Presented with a song that unveils the very requirements to become a priestess, Pyrre embarks on an adventure in her hometown of Dombâng in hopes of completing the challenge under the eyes of two Witnesses, long time priestess and priest of Ananshael: Ela and Kossal. While the song instructs Pyrre to bestow death upon seven specific individuals, Skullsworn exposes us to the ramifications of love, and the deadly edge to it.
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Ill Will by Dan Chaon

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“What do you call it when someone can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not real?”

— Dan Chaon, Ill Will

    Get ready for one of the most infuriating thrillers this year as Ill Will will come tugging at every single inch of your patience. Focused around the nebulous and erratic nature of memories, as well as the sensational Satanic cult phenomenon in the 1980s, Dan Chaon delivers two mysteries from two different times and their inevitable connection that will propel readers down a rocky and ruthless road of self-deception and self-destruction. Dustin Tillman is the main protagonist of this story; a middle-age psychologist who thrives in the art of hypnosis. It’s upon hearing the news about the prison release of his adopted brother that his life is suddenly pushed to the edge. Young, his adopted brother Rusty received a life sentence for the murder of Dustin’s parents, uncle and aunt. His release through the Innocence Project reopens old wounds and dips Dustin’s whole life into a sea of confusion. Around the same time, one of Dustin’s patient, Aqil Ozorowski, an ex-police officer, investigates the drowning of collegiate boys over the past couple of years and presents a wild theory that will initially seem impossible, only to later drag Dustin onto an irresistible path in search for the truth.
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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood | Read-Along

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“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”

— Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

    Margaret Atwood wrote a devastating and greatly depressing dystopian world that begs to be taken seriously with its unprecedented ability to depict a possible and near future. Written through the eyes of a protagonist who goes by the name of Offred, The Handmaid’s Tale depicts a bleak, colourless and entrapped reality where women only have one purpose: to breed. In this totalitarian society where women are stripped of their most basic rights, individuals revert to traditional values in order to keep every single women in check. Offred, severed of her husband and child, adapts into a community where she deceptively pretends to be perfectly submissive, while her thoughts beg to differ. It is what goes on in her own mind that brings great depth and insight into this story that revolves not only around the political atmosphere of this vile reality, but the total control of sexuality. The Handmaid’s Tale easily goes down as a classic dystopian story that can be seen as being in the same vein as 1984 or Brave New World. This is a story of survival and a hunt for freedom and power, one that will jolt the dead back to life and one that will greatly touch the hearts of many, especially women.
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Batman (Volume 3) I Am Bane (Rebirth) by Tom King

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“I am Bane.”

— Tom King, Batman (Volume 3) I Am Bane

    I really wanted to love this volume. I thought this would be the moment where Tom King finally has a decent grasp on how to write a Batman story arc through a bi-weekly 25-page-long comic issue business structure. With the way things have been getting better (yet always flawed), I thought volume 3, I Am Bane, would be a game-changer. In fact, the way Bane was introduced in volume 2, I Am Suicide, I could only imagine that the Bane-centric story to come would blow things out of the water, or in this case, out of Gotham.

I guess I was wrong.

    This volume contains issues #16 to 20 as well as #23 and #24.
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The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood

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“A dragon handler with her head in the clouds is cursed. Those were my mother’s last words to me.”

— Todd Lockwood, The Summer Dragon

    Illustrator Todd Lockwood has decided to jump into the story-telling business with this debut novel featuring the one thing he’ll never fail to draw magnificently: dragons. Known for his artistic talent and his artwork in The Memoirs of Lady Trent series, The Summer Dragon is his first venture in the fantasy world. This novel is marketed as a a high fantasy novel with dragons and deadly politics but I’d rectify that and say it felt a lot more like a young adult fantasy novel with dragons and a discourse on the foundation of religion. There’s nothing wrong with that, as even adults can find this debut novel engrossing, but a warning beforehand would definitely have been highly welcome! Todd Lockwood delivers a very fluid, straight-forward and easy-to-picture story that puts Maia, a young women who will do anything for what she believes is right for her aerie, in the center stage. The plot develops very smoothly and never falters, diving here and then in questions of belief and faith with a unique dragon lore/mythology to envelop Todd Lockwood’s world.
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Batman: Detective Comics (Volume 2) The Victim Syndicate (Rebirth) by James Tynion IV

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“You destroyed my life. You destroyed all of our lives. We are the victim syndicate. We’re here to return the favor.”

— James Tynion IV, Batman: Detective Comics (Volume 2) The Victim Syndicate

    James Tynion IV continues his unexpectedly entertaining run of Detective Comics with volume 2, The Victim Syndicate. Taking place directly after the unfortunate events in Detective Comics (Volume 1) Rise of the Batmen, the story starts off by serving us an aftermath assessment for each character in the newly formed squad under Batman and Batwoman’s wings. Inevitably, the events that lead to the loss of a comrade have taken a huge toll on every one—some more than others—and things seem to be a lot more fragile for everyone. Questions about their purposes in life and their motivations on a daily basis are put through the blender and mixed in with a hefty amount of doubt. There’s nothing like a new group of freaky and shady characters to make matters a bit more dark and complicated. This story arc introduces fans to a brand new set of villains who have had a grudge for quite some time and are ready to react in order to see change in Gotham.
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Legion Season 1 Episode 1 First Impressions

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Summary: A troubled young man battling mental illness wonders if the visions he experiences are real following a strange encounter with a fellow patient.

Director: Noah Hawley (for this episode)

Writers: Noah Hawley (creator and writer for this episode), Chris Claremont (based on the Marvel comics by) and Bill Sienkiewicz (based on the Marvel comics by)

Stars: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, and more.

    Mind-bending, unconventional and absolutely stylish, Legion (2017-) is every X-Men fan’s dream come true. For those of you who didn’t know, Legion is the first X-Men live-action TV series aired on FX. Based on David Haller, also known as Legion, and created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, the show explores the character’s mental struggles as he tries to understand his own mind. While the show isn’t in continuity with the X-Men movies, Legion still shares the same universe, but lives and breaths in a parallel reality. There is but one element that connects these two worlds and it lies in David Haller’s parents, a secret well-kept throughout the show. Finding out who that is is only half the fun. However, the show will brilliantly clue you in to the big revelation, but fans of X-Men will already know the answer and binge this show for its mere masterful story-telling and visual craftiness.
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The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

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    After reading All the Missing Girls, it was only a question of time before I got my hands on Megan Miranda’s latest thriller. The Perfect Stranger is her second psychological suspense novel and had the unlucky fate to surpass its predecessor. While both stories are stand-alone novels, it is the originality and the masterful story-telling of All the Missing Girls that set the bar high for this new story. All the Missing Girls was a completely new and mind-baffling story that will probably always be used as a reference when authors will deliver their stories backwards, but Megan Miranda’s newest release is still a brilliantly-crafted, character-oriented mystery story that will keep you guessing till the end. This is the story of Leah Stevens as she leaves her reporter life in Boston due to a horrible incident in order to embrace a fresh new start in a small town alongside her trusted roommate, Emmy Grey. Things however don’t go as planned as Emmy disappears out of the blue and Leah starts to wonder how much she truly knew about her friend.
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Ragdoll by Daniel Cole

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    While I haven’t been on a lot of roller coasters in my life, I can assure you that this was one ride that never wanted to slow down! Daniel Cole’s debut thriller is the story of Detective William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes and it is action-packed from cover to cover. Reinstated to his post after a controversial case surrounding the Cremation Killer, Wolf returns to duty with a case that will leave anyone completely baffled. It is upon arriving at a crime scene featuring one body, but six different victims, that the ride reaches its peak. This is the beginning of a deranged individual that will forever be known as the Ragdoll Killer. Things however doesn’t stop getting weirder from there. It’s one thing to find pieces of different bodies sewn together, but it’s another thing when Wolf’s reporter ex-wife arrives with photographs of a yet-to-be released crime scene and a list of names with dates on which the so-called Ragdoll Killer plans to take their lives. Ragdoll is a fantastic debut that promises to deliver fans of crime novels and thriller a brand new detective to follow in his adventures.
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Batman: Night of the Monster Men (Rebirth) by Steve Orlando

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“People need to see we’re all in this together. No matter what uniform we wear.”

— Steve Orlando, Batman: Night of the Monster Men

    You know what I despise the most about these crossover events nowadays? It’s this tingling feeling that I get every time I jump into them. That feeling that screams that one of their biggest intentions isn’t to deliver a series-wide major event that remains solid both in story and artwork, but a cash-grab attempt to get people to check out the other series that they might not be following. Night of the Monster Men is a crossover event that has its repercussions felt throughout Detective Comics (Rebirth) , Nightwing (Rebirth) and Batman (Rebirth) runs. Being the first crossover event part of the Rebirth era of DC Comics, hope for amelioration in regards of quality was much expected, yet failure was all that rose from this chaos.

    It was unquestionably scheduled to be spread around Halloween to get people in that childish horror vibe, but it also remains a retelling of the original Matt Wagner story of the Monster Men. This crossover event takes place between Batman: I am Gotham (Volume 1) and Batman: I am Suicide (Volume 2), between Detective Comics: Rise of the Batmen (Volume 1) and Detective Comics: The Victim Syndicate (Volume 2), and between Nightwing: Better Than Batman (Volume 1) and Nightwing: Bludhaven (Volume 2). Stretching over 6 issues, two from each of these series, Batman: Night of the Monster Men brings Batman, his friends and Gotham together in a fight against the supernatural.
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Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

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“It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.”

— Mark Lawrence, Red Sister

    Dear Mr. Lawrence—can I call you Mark? I’ve heard a lot about you and the books you’ve written. The Broken Empire trilogy as well as the Red Queen’s War trilogy have known nothing but praise. It’s hard for someone to look away from something that shine’s like a diamond on a sunny day, even if it’s miles away. While I’m itching to dive right into them, I also managed to get my hands on your latest masterpiece. Yes, I must say it is a masterpiece. I’m not one to boost the ego of people just because I can, but Red Sister is the beginning of something extraordinary. I might not have read everything you’ve written yet, but boy can you write. Your book has the power to steal a reader’s soul and compel it to follow a path filled with peace, patience and serenity. It brings readers to transcend time and space in order to live a whole new life through the eyes of a child. This isn’t just a story that offers you the choice to go somewhere far and beyond our imagination. This is a story that imposes you to welcome its world and all of its elegance. Walking into the worlds you write makes us glow with bliss and forget about our own stresses, problems and responsibilities. This is a story that makes you feel warm, invited and belonging to a convent. Mark, you’ve given us an epic fantasy story that will enthrall its readers to characters, settings and a lore that have never been done so meticulously, and with so much perfection. Red Sister is the next book that anyone and everyone should read.
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