Comics, and some media reviews:

[skywaterblue]

Girl Comics!

The Beat had the exclusive this morning.

I think this is a really cool project. In an industry that has frequently had sexism issues, it's nice that Marvel decided to celebrate the women who are currently making comics with these one shots. I'm looking forward to buying this. Shame about the title, though.

The ONTD_P comment thread on this made me want to tear my hair out, however.

Merlin: Meh. I guess the recent events were supposed to feel epic and groundchanging, but they don't for me, partially because I suspect this season will end with some sort of reboot. Show is far, far too attracted to its monster-of-the-week format. Also, I increasingly dislike the choices Merlin is making. Major Kira would call him a collaborator.

Princess and the Frog: Enjoyed this a lot! Lovely animation, especially in Tiana's dream sequences and surrounding the baddie. I did feel it was a tad long for the material - the frog adventures in the bayou seemed to stretch on FOREEEVER. I desperately wanted them to get back to New Orleans and to be human because it seemed as though those earlier sequences were far more interesting to me. And the songs are very slight.



Also, I'm not sure I completely buy the end conclusion of Tiana's journey. It felt like they couldn't decide if her flaw was work-a-holism or that she didn't have a place in her life for family and looove. In making Tiana a more reasonably real character - with a goal outside the usual princess-ism, I guess I found it hard to believe that she'd REALLY have picked that guy as the one. I suppose she's the first Disney Princess I could see realistically having a divorce?

I was really shocked that Ray, the firefly character, died. There was a body and everything! Despite being kind of leery of that character from the trailer, he was really very sweet and I was totally moved.

I also inexplicably liked Tiana's rich white girl bestie, Charlotte. She had all the makings of an obnoxious person, but inner heart of gold wins out.



In conclusion: there was no real race or genderfail in this that I saw, and I enjoyed it, but it is a slighter work than their previous offerings. I hope that Disney continues its newfound commitment to 2D animation, though, as this is a promising start.

Comments

[sarken]

I'm glad you liked the new Disney movie! Until now, the only person I know who saw it said it was awful and full of race and gender fail, which absolutely destroyed my desire to see it. However, now that you and someone else on Twitter said it was good, I'm thinking I might give it a shot.

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

I think that they went for overkill because there was no way to develop Morgana's story slowly, and also because they can't really move on the further, more epic, development the other characters until she's gone.

If they do a reboot of ANYTHING then I am totally quitting the show. I don't think they will do that, but now you've put the thought into my head. Curse you.

I think Merlin, while not being a collaborator, actually can't see good from evil yet. Or he can't see the shades of gray to be able to easily make choices that are for the greater good.

[ionlylurkhere.livejournal.com]

Also, I increasingly dislike the choices Merlin is making. Major Kira would call him a collaborator.

Yeah; I only watch it patchily but what I've caught of it recently has had me veering between "Wait, why are we supposed to like him again?" and "Oh, wow, this is very brave of them, making it a show about an anti-hero type who increasingly inhabits not so much moral grey areas as the completely covered in shadow bits of the map" and I suppose it's possible they're going for something like that (Merlin's very much in the mould of Who and we did just have WoM) but it feels to me more like "he knows there is a prophecy and thus everything he does is justified if it helps it come to pass", which is one of the main reasons I hate 95% of all prophecy plotting.

[sio.livejournal.com]

i took the niece to see Princess and the Frog and LOVED it. i was confused too by the indecision of what her flaw was. maybe combine them? i.e. her work-a-holism was what she was using to substitute for her lack of personal happiness? if that makes sense :P

Ray's death...oh man. Gabi went "awwww" in a pouty voice next to me. i was silently boohoo-ing.

i also adored the fact that they did NOT use Charlotte as a token villainness, which i feared when the whole "omg i like him too" light bulb went off over Tiana-the-frog's head. it was neat to see at the end that she wasn't even pouting...just dancing with Naveen's little brother and going "well, i guess i'll just have to wait some more!"

i too hope they make more like this. i'm sick of them depending on Pixar to make EVERYTHING, which IMO, is not what Walt intended Disney to do.

btw i actually preordered the first issue of the DS9 comic. it's so weird knowing i have a COMIC on pre-order. XD

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

Rather tangential, but I love She-Hulk so much I can't even begin to describe it. <3

[thebratqueen.livejournal.com]

How were the songs for Princess and the Frog? I want to see it but - ugh - Randy Newman. Is his influence at least Toy Story levels of tolerable?

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