"Last Son" Re-Watch: "Target" & "Mxyzpixilated"

 Superman The Animated Series

A pair of interesting episodes this time. We meet an imp from the fifth dimension and a famous writer from "Batman: The Animated Series" writes one of the episodes we are looking at in this post. It's a good time so let's get started.

"Big Shots" Re-Watch: "Asteroid Blues," "Stray Dog Strut" & "Honkey Tonk Women"

 Cowboy Bebop

I've really wanted to incorporate anime into my blog and I figured why not bring in one of my all-time favorite anime and one of the best animated series of the past 25 years. I remember watching "Cowboy Bebop" for the first time on Toonami in late 2001. It was shortly after the September 11 attacks and it comforted me in a weird way for someone who wasn't into anime really at the time. It was cool to immerse myself in the future world of these misfits that was different but very familiar at the same time.

"Cowboy Bebop" was created by the production team of director Shinichiro Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane and composer Yoko Kanno, collectively known as Hajime Yatate. The series pulls heavily from noir, futurism and jazz. Each episode is referred to as a session and it maybe has the best theme song of all time. In the next few months, we'll check out each session, the movie and cap it off with the Netflix's live-action, one season adaptation. Give Tank's impeccable them a listen to get yourself pumped and then dive in to the first three sessions.

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-Watch: "Our Town" & "Anasazi"

 The X-Files

We have reached the end of season 2. Truly a fantastic season of "The X-Files" and a fantastic season of television. And season 3 is even better. So let's get right into these final two episodes.

"SuperDad" Superman & Lois Recap: "Heritage" & "The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower"

 Superman & Lois

One thing I forgot to mention in my recap of the pilot was the amazing performances by Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch. I was a fan of Hoechlin from the moment he appeared on "Supergirl" and he continues to be great on this show, giving different shades of Superman. Tulloch is the perfect Lois Lane, headstrong and bullheaded, but loving and maternal. Neither really has made a misstep yet portraying these classic characters and that is saying something.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "The Phoenix Saga" Parts 1 & 2: "Sacrifice" & "The Dark Shroud"

 X-Men

It's finally here. The moment I've been waiting on since I began these recaps. We are finally to "The Phoenix Saga," a five-parter that finally gives Jean Grey her animated due. The animated series offers a brief take on Jean Grey's initial transformation into the Phoenix. In the comics, Jean became the Phoenix in Uncanny X-Men #101. She remains Phoenix until she transforms into Dark Phoenix and sacrifices herself to save the X-Men in Uncanny X-Men #137. Er... 50 plus year spoiler alert. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let's take a look at the first two parts of "The Phoenix Saga."

Watching With the Watcher "What If...?" Recaps: "...Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?," "...Zombies?!" & "...Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?"

 What If...?

A couple of weekends ago, Marvel had their big Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con and made a lot of announcements. There had been a lot of hemming and hawing from some fans about how Phase 4 had somehow seemed directionless when compared to the Infinity Saga. I don't agree, but MCU mastermind announced that Phases 4-6 will be cumulatively referred to as the Multiverse Saga, to which I said, Duh. But let's head back into the multiverse to find out what if...?

Into the DC Murderverse: "The Suicide Squad"

 "The Suicide Squad" (2021)

"Suicide Squad" was a pretty terrible movie. It was not good. Have I mentioned it was real bad? Quality doesn't stop movies from getting sequels though and a second "Suicide Squad" movie was greenlit soon after the first movies opening weekend. The first movie came out in 2016 and a five. year wait between sequels is not super common in out pump em out fast movie climate. In this case though, the time taken was worth it. They jettisoned first director, David Ayer, and scooped up "Guardians of the Galaxy" auteur, James Gunn, when he was briefly on the outs with Disney/Marvel, to write and direct. "Suicide Squad" fans breathed a sigh of relief with this news. If anyone understands how the Suicide Squad works, its James Gunn.

Principal photography on "The Suicide Squad" began in September 2019 and ended in February 2020. The film stars Margot Robbie as Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, Idris Elba as Robert Dubois/Bloodsport, John Cena as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker, Joel Kinnaman as Col. Rick Flag, Sylvester Stallone as the voice of Nanaue/King Shark, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, David Dastmalchian as Abner Krill/Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Cleo Cazo/Ratcatcher 2, Michael Rooker as Brian Durlin/Savant, Jai Courtney as Digger Harkness/Captain Boomerang, Peter Capaldi as Gaius Grieves/The Thinker, Alice Braga as Sol Soria and Pete Davidson as Richard "Dick" Hertz/Blackguard. The film was written and directed by James Gunn. "The Suicide Squad" was released on August 5, 2021.