All posts by La Cracha Handy

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About La Cracha Handy

My name is La Cracha Handy. I started blogging 7 years ago. I am currently building my brand as an independent author-publisher of nonfiction books on relationships and parenting. My first book, Leaving the Hidden Path: Motivational Guidance for Women with Young Children Considering Divorce, will be released in the spring of 2022. I am also a pop culture geek. I read and collect comic books, play Pokemon Go, and build model rockets. I love Star Trek: The Next Generation and Doctor Who. My name is prounced "Lacrisha."

Demon Knights Review

DC Comics, , ,

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If you like magic, mysticism, and monsters then you should be reading Demon Knights, a New 52 title by DC Comics. The series is currently on issue #17.

The Demon Knights is a team created and written by Paul Cornell. The members are:

Etrigan – Demon from Hell. Hates everyone. Tried to overturn Lucifer and his army. Wants to put an end to Merlin and Jason Blood.

Jason Blood – Former apprentice of Merlin. Soul bound to Etrigan’s by Merlin during the destruction of Camelot. They share bodies and can change at will.

Madame Xanadu – Magician trained by Merlin. Lover of Jason Blood and Etrigan.

Exoristos – An Amazon living in exile.

Shining Knight (aka Sir Ystin) – Transgendered knight.

Horsewoman – Mysterious. Skilled archer. Ability to communicate with horses. She can’t walk but can ride a horse, supported by the magic in her saddle.

Al Jabr – Has advanced scientific knowledge. Inventor. Little is known about him but he can build war machines and electrocute people.

Vandal Savage – Barbarian. Rowdy, deceitful.

The series takes place in the medieval times within the DC Universe. The team happened to meet by chance in a small village. They joined forces to stop the Questing Queen and her horde from destroying the village.

The series is well-written by Cornell. There’s plenty of jokes and all the characters are compelling. I love the interactions among all the characters. It’s hard for me to have a favorite because each character is different and have their own quirks.

The artwork, by Diogenes Neves and Oclair Albert, is excellent. Finely detailed. These two artists are great at visual storytelling. Flawlessly flowing panels.

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Robert Venditti took over as writer beginning with issue #16, where he begins his story 30 years later. Venditti’s writing is that of Cornell’s. Well written. Bernard Chang did a great job with the art.

The Demon Knights went their separate ways after the Battle at Avalon. Al Jabr has summoned the knights to stop a plague that is quickly spreading by a man known only known as Cain. Cain and his guide, an Amazon, infects people through their bites. Yes they are VAMPIRES. Al Jabr is unable to join the team because of his aging body. He’s not immortal like the rest of the team. Horsewoman, Exoristos and Shining Knight agree to stop Cain and his recruits. Needing Etrigan for his strength, the trio must first free him from Vandal Savage’s imprisonment.

Demon Knights is a must read series. It’s full of sorcery, dark magic, witches, monsters, and demons.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

Oops, I told my verdict two sentences up, didn’t I? Oh well I’ll say it again. DEMON KNIGHTS IS A MUST READ SERIES.

Age of Ultron #1 Review

Marvel Comics, ,

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Ultron has arrived in the Marvel NOW! Universe.  If you don’t believe me, take a look at the nice Age of Ultron #1 foil cover.  Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Age of Ultron #1 is the first of a 10-issue limited series.

For those who may not know, Ultron is one of the baddest super-villains in the Marvel Universe.  Dr. Hank Pym created this criminally minded artificial intelligence.  Ultron’s goal has always been to destroy humanity.

The story begins with the destruction of humanity already taken place.  The Marvel Universe has been destroyed by Ultron.  New York City, where this issue takes place, is covered under what appears to be a blue dome-shaped structure.  It’s obvious that survival and trust are themes in this series.  After Hawkeye rescued Spider-Man, they received a cold welcome by some of the surviving superheroes.  The cold welcome stems from Hawkeye being told not to return if he left to search for surviving heroes.  The way Hawkeye and Spider-Man were rough-housed by Luke Cage and She-Hulk, I’d say the policy is strictly enforced.

This is one Marvel NOW! title that I’m sure I’ll enjoy throughout the entire series.  It’s gripping and eye-popping from page one.  The dialogue is well written.  The interactions among the characters are realistic.  Bendis did a great job with the set-up for this story.  He dived right in and started after Ultron’s destruction of humanity.  I laughed at a couple of panels at the beginning, but I cried on the last page.

The artwork is great.  Bryan Hitch (penciler), Paul Neary (inker) and Paul Mounts (colors).  Well detailed.  There’s a few earth-shaking panels.  Literally.  You can actually see it in the panels.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.  I really like that technique.  The colors are outstanding, thanks to Mounts.  I especially like the explosive panels.  One of the blasts is so bright, I felt as if I was in that panel!  The art team did a superb job with visual storytelling.

I enjoyed the first issue and I definitely plan to read the entire series, especially with Bendis being the writer.  I want to know who’s going to survive this apocalypse.  Iron Man?  Wolverine?  Emma Frost?  WHO is going to survive?  And HOW?

VERDICT

If you like action then you will definitely want to read Age of Ultron.  I have a feeling the creative team will not let us down.

Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 Review

Marvel Comics, , , ,

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I don’t know what made me want to read Guardians of the Galaxy the most; Gamora and Rocket Raccoon or Star-Lord and Tony Stark.  But I do know that I enjoyed reading the debut issue.  I was in tears by page 7.  However, by the end of the story I was ready to jump into the comic book and commit to being a part of the team.

The story detailed how Peter Quill became Star-Lord.  Peter was a typical school-aged kid, being raised by a single parent.  Living a life of normalcy.  That is, until life changing events took place.

I was sparked with emotions from page one.  Definite page turners.  Every page is gripping and eye-popping.  The superb dialogue is written by Brian Michael Bendis.  Peter’s character is so realistic.  He’s good kid with his share of rebellion against his mother.  I like that.  There’s a panel where I laughed out loud.  Peter lashed out at his mother and his face had the most annoyed look on it.  For a moment I thought my tween son was in a comic!

Bendis did a superb job with this one.  The set-up for the story is perfect, and the scenes are not rushed.

I love the artwork.  Steve McNiven, John Dell and Justin Ponsor did a great job.  Finely detailed.  The colors are great (Ponsor).  I especially like the scenes in front of the fireplace.  SO ROMANTIC.

I have a feeling this Marvel NOW! title will be around for a very long time.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I highly recommend Guardians of the Galaxy.

Young Avengers #2 Review

Marvel Comics, , , , , ,

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I didn’t like Young Avengers #1 at all, so I didn’t make any plans to read this issue.  I gave in and read it on the 2nd day of its’ release.  I have to admit that I like it better than the debut issue.

Wiccan cast a spell and summoned Hulkling’s mother from another dimension, but strange things start to happen shortly after her arrival.  Wiccan, Hulkling and Loki appear to be the only ones that can see things are not right.

Again, I liked this issue much better than the first.  Just as with issue #1, this issue also focused mainly on Wiccan and Hulkling.  Hawkeye, Miss America Chavez and Noh-Varr are not in this issue.

The dialogue is well written and has great pacing.  I would like the interactions between the characters even more if Kieron Gillen make the Young Avengers more like typical teenagers.  Rebellious.  Attitude.  There’s too much happy-go-lucky talking going on in the story.  Throw in some smart aleck or snide comments here and there.  I think Kid Loki is funny.  He makes the perfect mischiveous tween.

Jamie McKelvie, Mike Norton and Mattew Wilson did a great job with the artwork.  I like the detailed facial expressions, especially those of Hulking’s mother.  And I love that big and scary picture of (I won’t spoil it) on the last page.

Young Avengers is reader friendly for all ages.  Although I don’t know for sure how long I’ll be reading this Marvel NOW! title, I can definitely say I will finish the story arc.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I recommend Young Avengers if you like teen and young adult comics.  Or if you’re looking for a story that’s reader friendly for all ages.

Django #1 and #2 Review: Hardest Blog Ever

Vertigo Comics, , , , ,

django1

THIS MAY BE THE HARDEST BLOG EVER FOR ME TO WRITE.

The first time I watched the movie trailer, I thought “Hmmm, that should be interesting. A black man getting paid to kill the white man.” I immediately said I couldn’t wait to see the movie. But each time I watched the trailer, the less excited I became. A white man, writing a screenplay about a slave that was offered freedom, for assisting a white bounty hunter. Doesn’t sound too bad. But it’s bad for me.

I was called a nigger for the first time (I’m sure I’ve been called that many times, but that was the first time I actually heard it said to me) about 3-4 years ago in my own home. I joined a game of Uno on Xbox Live. I wasn’t in the game 1 minute when a man with a white avatar called me that. More than once.

I was attacked on my job 2 1/2 years ago. I’m 5’1 and was sitting at my desk behind the counter when a white man about 6’3, 300 pounds jumped over the counter, without warning, and tried to choke me. He managed to knock me upside my head with his fist before he was taken down. He yelled “I hate you, you fucking nigger” and “nigger bitch” and other derogatory names and threats to me so many times.

This is why I didn’t want to see the movie. Because of the above paragraph. I knew I would hear those words and watch scenes that would trigger flashbacks of a racist committing a hate crime. Truthfully I still have those flashbacks. And nightmares. Often. Watching the movie would only add fuel to the fire.

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Not only am I appalled that Quentin Tarantino won an Oscar Award for Best Original Screenplay, I am also appalled the film was adapted into a comic book. It took some time for me to decide to read the comic. Django Unchained comic book is published by Vertigo Comics.

In the Foreward section of Django Unchained #1, Tarantino stated the comic book is the entire script. The first draft of the script. This means there are parts in the comic book that was cut from the film. I decided to read the comic because I want to know EVERYTHING that’s in the script.

Of all the names in the world, Tarantino named the bounty hunter King Schultz. Dr. King Schultz. Of course when I read the comic all I saw was Dr. King. As in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (I won’t mention this screenplay just had to win an award during the month of February. Black History Month.)

There is no bars hold in the dialogue. I know the setting is in the deep south during slavery, but Tarantino didn’t hold back at all on the language. He had the audacity to call black females horse faces and gummy mouth bitches (see picture below). I also can’t believe the scene where two overseers pulled a female slave’s dress down to her waist, tied her to a tree and pulled out a whip to beat her. I seriously don’t believe it. THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO READ THE COMIC. I want to know every word and action that was meant for the screen but didn’t make the cut due to time constraints. I want to know what made this story stand out so well that it was awarded an Oscar.

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I chuckled while reading the KKK scenes. Actually I read those panels twice. They talked and acted ignorant. But that just shows you didn’t have to be an educated, wealthy white man to be a slave owner. As long as you was white and had the money to buy your slaves, you was good to go.

I don’t like the art at all. The artwork is by R.M. Guera, Jason Latour (flashback scenes), and Giulia Brusco. All the slaves have big noses and big lips. Even after a haircut and a new set of clothes, Django was still depicted as an ugly being in a lot of the panels.

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Female slave with big lips and a big nose. I'm sure if this was a full shot, she'd be a heavyset woman possessing all the stereotypical features of a mammy.
Female slave with big lips and a big nose. I’m sure if this was a full shot, she’d be depicted as a mammy.

I feel the Django Unchained comic is a disgrace. My fingers tremble as I type this blog. How in the world can something like this receive so much praise and honor? Oh yeah, never mind. I just answered my own question. RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION STILL EXISTS. And now it’s being pushed into our comic books.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

As always, I have given my honest review. I am going to finish the series because as an aspiring screenwriter, I want to read the script in its’ entirety. Comics tell stories of heroes and villains, fantasy, kid friendly, and other categories Django Unchained don’t fit into. I cannot recommend this comic.

Deadpool Killustrated #2 Review

Marvel Comics, , ,

deadpoolkill2

There is still no bars hold in Deadpool Killustrated #2 as he continues to butcher his way though the Ideaverse to find and kill the creators of fictional characters.  If you recall from my blog on Deadpool Killustrated #1, after realizing he’s a fictional character, Deadpool travels through fictional worlds of classic literature to try to find its creators.  He believes that he can set all fictional characters (heroes and villains) free if he destroys their creators.

Deadpool also believes that killing all the characters from classic literature will eventually lead him to their creators.  From Count Dracula to Little Women, Deadpool has no plans on stopping until his mission is complete.

Deadpool is definitely himself in this issue.  Sociopathic, witty and violent.  Speaking of violence, there is a PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNING on the front cover.  For those of you that don’t already know, if Deadpool is involved, violence will be a definite.  I am talking about butcher, slaughter, slice and dice with no remorse.  I am still loving this story and can’t wait until the next issue is released.

The story is well scripted with sharp dialogue.  I especially love the Headless Horseman panels.  That was so funny!  But this story is also VERY GORY.  But that is how it’s supposed to be.  Why?  Because it’s Deadpool.  Cullen Bunn did superb a job with this issue.

Matteo Lolli, Sean Parsons and Veronic Gandini did a fine job with the artwork.  The panels on page 2 gave me the chills.  But it’s Deadpool.  And I love the Merc with a mouth!

VERDICT

If you would like to see our beloved classic stories get butchered, then Deadpool Killusrated is definitely for you.