The Road to Spawn 300 was littered with pot holes and detours. However, we are finally here. And, I have to say, it was worth the wait. Both Chris and I were obviously excited when we heard that Greg Capullo was going to be back for this issue. We both grew up with him as the main artist.
We were both subsequently disappointed because we had somehow convinced ourselves that he was going to be the artist for longer than just the one issue. When we learned that wasn’t going to be the case, I think I suggested that Uncle Todd should sell his McGwire baseball to hire Capullo back as artist.
At least we get him for the next issue, too. Also, he is doing variant covers for the next two. Maybe there is now an open invitation to to covers whenever he wants. As I said to Chris, hope abounds. Now, for my review of Spawn 300. It isn’t exactly like the DC 1000 issues from last year. He invited some other big names to join him. However, the issue followed continuity instead of shorter vignettes. Even so, I will review each story individually like I did with those books.
Chapter 1 (Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo)
The Spawn meter is back. What’s up with that? Oh well, like Chris said, Capullo’s art is going to ruin me for the return to the regular artist. Aside from McFarlane, Capullo’s art is the iconic style for Spawn. The story is just more creepy little girl kills her family nonsense, But, Violator shows up and there’s some gratuitous ultra violence at the end to remind us what Spawn’s all about.
Chapter 2 (Scott Snyder and Todd McFarlane)
I enjoyed the story from this chapter much more than the first one. It called back to a previous battle between the two antagonists and what happened when they “disappeared” from sight and into the shadows. This was probably my favorite story from the whole issue. Scott Snyder definitely shows that he’s a more seasoned writer than Uncle Todd in this one.
Chapter 3 (Todd McFarlane and Jason Shawn Alexander)
Another story that attempts to fill some of the gaps. This one is about the former Spawn enemies that he reanimated to fight on his side. As Chris texted, and I agree, the art style of Jason Shawn Alexander just doesn’t fit Spawn as much as we’d like. But, the story was decent and, unlike Chris, I’m going to keep collecting until the book isn’t produced anymore. In spite of being almost 30 years old under essentially the same creative control that whole time, it is still surprisingly fresh. I want to see where Uncle Todd takes us next.
Chapter 4 (Todd McFarlane and J. Scott Campbell)
The art of this chapter is great. J. Scott Campbell really nails the Spawn style. However, the story is lackluster. I just don’t give a crap about She-Spawn or her story. Alas, it looks like she is here to stay, at least for the next couple of issues, so I’ll have to get over that.
Chapter 5 (Todd McFarlane and Jerome Opena)
A teaser that does exactly that. No idea what it is or means, but I’m intrigued to learn more.
The Verdict
I like what Uncle Todd did with Spawn 300. It is a “historic” issue in that it tied the longest running creator owned comic book. It is also a nice round number that comic book nerds love. Instead of choosing to tell small vignettes as Detective and Action did with their historic 1000 issues, he continued continuity while also setting up future stories.
Overall, the strength of the writing is what we’ve come to expect from Spawn all these years. It is disheartening to be going back to Jason Shawn Alexander’s art after seeing the other interpretations of the Spawn style. Again, I like JSA’s art and I actually really enjoyed it for the Dark Horror storyline. However, it just doesn’t look like the Spawn that I remember from my reckless youth. Oh well, put it in the “get over it” bucket with She-Spawn and enjoy the ride. Here’s to another 300!
For the first time in (forever? singing yet?) a long time, DC Comics August 2024 finishes up our week of comic reviews. I make no secret about my status as a Marvel zombie. And, because I purchased Spawn as my first non-Marvel comic book, the new Spawniverse books came in second. Now, have I saved the best for last? Let’s see.
Action Comics 1067
Writer: Gail Simone, Artist: Danny Miki. And, so begins the Gail Simone era on Action Comics. One of my favorite writers of all time taking over for what has been one of the best books of recent months. Two great tastes that taste great together? Or, too much of a good thing? I’m happy to report that it’s the former. Ms Simone gives it all to us. Great conversation, excellent action sequences, and all of it wrapped up in her signature sense of humor. My verdict: Great. PS – We lost Rainbow Rowell on She-Hulk, but she writes this installment of Lois and Clark.
Batman 150
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Denys Cowan and Jorge Jimenez. I wasn’t a fan of the last story in the book. It wasn’t bad necessarily, it just didn’t hit with me. This one is an Absolute Power Tie-In, something that I have no interest in. However, the book and story itself is fun. So, maybe they’ll accomplish their goal and sucker me into buying into the Absolute line of comics when the time comes. My verdict: Good.
Catwoman 67
Writer: Tini Howard, Artist: Carmine di Giandomenico. I love everything about this story. Ms Howard brought a much needed new perspective to the character that’s been missing since Joelle Jones left after killing it with the reboot of the title. In this issue, alone you can feel Selina’s love for her team, desperation to keep them and her legacy in Gotham alive, and then the abject horror after the final reveal. The final issue of this story promises to be explosive when Howard’s reign ends and Grønbekk takes over. My verdict: Great.
Superman 16
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Jamal Campbell. Okay, well, damn. You get to see my famous change of opinion based on new information in real time. This book (plus some quick research) piqued my interest for the Absolute Power story. Damn you, Joshua Williamson. And, damn you, DC Comics. Why must you always eventually make sense with your decisions. My verdict: Great. PS – Still not interested in the “Absolute” line of books at all. Those things always end up going off the rails.
Wonder Woman 11
Writer: Tom King, Artist: Tony S. Daniel. The Tom King era in Wonder Woman took some time to reach its fullest potential, but I believe it finally has. One of the reasons that Absolute Power interests me is that the fallout in these books have made for strange bedfellows. I won’t spoil them for you because part of the joy this time is in the surprise. Trust me, you’ll enjoy the ride. My verdict: Good.
The Verdict
DC Comics August 2024 were the most enjoyable group of books this month. I said in the Marvel Comics article that this might be the best time in comics in quite a while. All of the marquee books have great teams on them. That is because there are so many great creators out there. The independent books show that. I know some of the success is being driven by speculators, but in this case I don’t care. If they keep the medium alive, that’s okay by me.
We decided to mix things up this week for a couple of reasons. One, the entire family (minus Quinn and plus Aiden’s girlfriend) went to and loved Deadpool and Wolverine. Also, because of anther soft reboot, a mix up in ordering, and shelving the issues related to Blood Hunt, that left only two Marvel comics to review. Even with the TMNT and the main title missing this month, I received three books for Spawniverse August 2024.
Gunslinger 33
Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Carlo Barbieri. ONe of my favorite teams in the Uncle Todd stable, Uncle Todd and Barbieri deliver a well told and beautiful story. This must be what Chris meant when he said that he liked this one the best out of the Spawniverse. I saw some of this when I came on a little over a year ago. Then, the entire franchise started to become messy and disjointed. For whatever reason (I take some of the credit), Uncle Todd decided to shake things up and I’m glad he did. I enjoyed this book for the first time in months and look forward to the next few. My verdict: Good bordering on Great.
King Spawn 36
Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander and Yildiray Cinar. I felt like King Spawn suffered the most from the lag in quality in the franchise. When I came in, the story followed one of my favorite Spawn arcs in the last ten years, Dark Horror, and it hit hard. Then, all books got caught up in the war between Heaven and Hell for far too long in my opinion. But, the fallout is good. All Spawn are now human and the stakes are higher. Al finds this out the hard way and needs to go to his old buddy The Tinkerer in order to even the odds with the vamps. He also recruits an old “friend” that shows up in the final reveal. My verdict: Good. As an aside, when searching to see when I picked up Gunslinger, I found a comment from Chris about Jason Shawn Alexander’s art. He’s not a fan. I must say that I love the aesthetic for stories like this one. I think he’d also work on a Sam and Twitch title.
The Scorched 31
Writer: Layman with Uncle Todd on “Additional Script”, Artist: Dtephen Segovia. For my money, The Scorched kept its quality the best throughout. Granted, it dipped some, but for whatever reason, I love the dysfunctional adopted family that Uncle Todd put together for this title. Then, he brought Layman on to help out with this one and I completely geeked. In this one, Jessica works alone to try to take Jason Wynn out. In the process, she also finds an old “friend” and ends up running into the team again. I can’t wait to see how this pays off. My verdict: Good.
The Verdict
Spawniverse August 2024 continues the upward trend of the last few months since the reboot and restructuring of the teams. Uncle Todd took more of a central role in all of the books, which should have theoretically reduced the quality of the books. However, the time off for him and the fact that the books always echo his voice on some level, they actually improved for now. Hopefully he can keep this up for a bit.
On a high after seeing Deadpool/Wolverine, I decided to keep the Marvel love going with Marvel Comics August 2024. Unfortunately, after taking out the offending Amazing Spider-Man (ironic because Zeb Wells, and all) and the Blood Hunt tie in, it leaves me with only two books. I also apparently missed the X-Men number ones and they killed off She-Hulk. Okay, you have the actual truth. I just can’t help myself.
As you know, I usually start with independent or the Spawniverse. However, they outnumber the Marvel books this week. So, this week gets shuffled. Marvel, then Spawniverse, then DC. I also wanted to branch out finally again into YouTube with some videos to accompany. They may still happen. Right now, all I can think about it my colonoscopy tomorrow. Get your butt checked, folks.
Captain America 11 (Legacy 761)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski, Artist: Jesus Saiz. To add some insult to injury, this issue feels like one big set up. Steve and Sharon start the story on the phone where Steve tells her he will just be a few more days. It then goes to talk about the struggle that he’s working through. It’s not a new dilemma, but JMS works his magic on it to get us through to the end of the issue. The reason I call it set up is that reveal is pretty massive. Can’t wait to see what he does next. My verdict: Good and possibly about to be great.
The Incredible Hulk 14 (Legacy 795)
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein. Speaking of tough choices, this issue ends with one as well. The set up for this issue gives us more action, though, which is fitting considering the characters involved. As you all know, I loved Al Ewing’s run on Hulk. Almost as much as the Planet Hulk run by Greg Pak. I must say that we are spoiled because this story nearly rivals the both of them as well. I’m enjoying it so much that I didn’t even mention the art this time around. My verdict: Great.
The Verdict
I read (again) somewhere about the slow, painful death of the comic book medium. As you know, both Chris and I discuss this eventuality a couple of times a year. I think as long as aging nerds like us continue to buy into it, though, it won’t happen in our lifetime. Even though I only read two books for Marvel Comics August 204, they both impressed me. This might actually be the best time for comics overall in a long time.
I texted my family last week with plenty of time to get them together to watch the new Deadpool movie on the day of the premiere. Since we all have lives, it took until yesterday to actually make and keep the plans. I thought we arrived 10 minutes late, but then realized that we actually showed up almost 20 minutes early. None of this makes any difference. And, it probably isn’t all that exciting. But, I’m simply painting a picture before giving my Deadpool/Wolverine thoughts.
Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I usually like or love much of what I read, see, and hear. I can find the good in almost everything, except Zeb Wells recent run on Spider-Man. Funny enough, when I saw his name on the credits as a co-writer, I nearly gave up right there and then. But, without knowing what he contributed, I can only assume that he writes Deadpool well and not Spider-Man.
Besides, I have a saying. It starts like a familiar saying and then becomes my own (I hope). Those who can, do. Those who can’t, become critics. Furthermore, those who can’t do even that bitch about shit on the internet. While I’ve written (obviously) and made podcasts and videos, I don’t think of myself as one who does, so to speak. Even so, I don’t want to be lumped in with critics or bitches.
The Bad
I just got the idea to write this article as a response to some of the things I saw on the internet as a reaction to the movie. It feels like the most honest way to approach it after what i just said about critics and bitches. And, I always start with the bad to leave on a good note.
Self-Aware Twitter Thread: One of the articles I read said something along these lines of the movie felt like watching a Twitter (X? Whatever) thread that thinks that it is more clever than it actually is. All I can say in response is, “Tell me you don’t understand Deadpool without telling me.”
Nostalgia Trip: While not usually a part of the Deadpool repertoire, Ryan Reynolds must have made a deal with Disney to allow all of the actors to be able to say good-bye to a universe that they created and built over 20 years. Hell, they deserve at least that much. Plus, comic book nerds, you can’t simultaneously piss and moan about nostalgia and then piss and moan when they refuse to give into that nostalgia.
The Ugly
Hugh Jackman/RDJ Proves that Nothing Since Endgame Worked. Remember when I said that I like almost everything, I mean it. I loved WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier (in spite of its warts, it brought us The Thunderbolts), Black Widow, Shang Chi, Loki, Dr. Strange, Thor, and What If?. Hell, I even enjoyed She-Hulk, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye. I haven’t seen all of Moon Knight, but it looked good. I purposely left out Guardians of the Galaxy 3 because it exists on a whole nother plane from everything else so far. Obviously, I don’t agree with this assessment.
Let’s say that you do, though. Focus on Eternals, and the Marvels, Wakanda Forever, Secret Invasion, and whatever other projects that you felt didn’t live up to your expectations. If it is the end of a 10 year run that saw the studio rise to great heights and shatter box office records, then so be it. But, a few mediocre movies and TV shows don’t signal the end of the entire Marvel empire.
I will confess, though, that in reaction to the joke of Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine until he’s 90, I said “Forget that, Bob Iger will be CEO until he dies.” Then, when I debriefed with Chris this morning, I added, “They fucked everything up when he left and he came back to put it all together.” I know that puts way too much on one man and that’s not usually how I roll. But, I’m allowed to ignore nuance every now and then.
The Good
As part of the debrief this morning, I texted, “Movie was great. Everyone had a ball.” Chris replied, “It was the best Deadpool movie so far.” I can’t find a counterargument. The kill sequence during the credits to “Bye, Bye, Bye” complete with the dance a couple of times. When Wade travels to find another Wolverine and it becomes an excuse to simply rattle off knowing winks to the comic book nerds in the crowd. A “no cocaine” joke that became a string of hilarious “cocaine” jokes. More kick ass fight scenes. My favorite X-Men character, Gambit. More kick ass fight scenes, including one between Deadpool/Wolverine and 100 Deadpool variants. And, behind it all, the sincere beating heart of family and friends that keep us all going in spite of everything else.
The Verdict
I gave more Deadpool/Wolverine thoughts than expected. But, I think I covered most of what I wanted to say. I won’t fall into the nuance trap again and say that it will “save the MCU“, but I loved the movie and everything about it. Like the first two, I anticipate watching it several more times and at least once more in the theaters. Let’s fucking go.
This article took much longer than anticipated. I expected to write it Friday (or Saturday at the latest) of last week and then pushed it off more and more. We were supposed to go see an Alanis Morrissette concert tonight, but we made the plans before securing summer school jobs this week. Plus, the traffic promises to be a nightmare and I don’t relish sitting in this swampy weather with a sold out concert crowd. Sorry, Alanis. Next time. Instead, I figured, why not finally write about Marvel Comics July 2024.
Temporary Category: I don’t Care About Blood Hunt
The funny part about this month is that four titles have the Blood Hunt tie in. I care nothing about this event or any of the supporting materials and, so, read none of them. Vampires were only my thing for a brief period in high school. Then, Twilight ruined the lore for me.
Temporary Category: Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Good-Bye
I saw an article that they’re moving on and changing creative teams for this title. I sent the article to Chris and he replied, “Not a fan?” I think we all know the answer to that one. My Verdict: Thank goodness.
Captain America 10 (Legacy 760)
Writer: JMS, Artist: Jesus Saiz. Some writers are timeless. Some are products of their time. I started to think that maybe JMS fit into the second category. I love his Amazing Spider-Man. Sure, he and Joey Q brought us One More Day, but honestly, I forgive him for that one because his work on Civil War blew me away and that’s my impression of his run. So far on Cap, he hasn’t quite reached that same standard. But, I think he just needed some time to find his voice in the character. Even in this one, we get too much of the Spidey silliness and the start of the issue is very talky. But, the end makes up for it and I want to see where he goes next. My verdict: Good.
The Immortal Thor 12 (Legacy 773)
Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Valentina Pinti. Likewise, Ewing took some big swings in his first Thor story. Most of them hit, but some missed big time in my opinion. This issue reads more like the Norse lore Thor. Wow, that’s a possible tongue twister there. I prefer the modern interpretation of the character, but Ewing makes this work for me for the issue at least. My verdict: Good.
The Incredible Hulk 13 (Legacy 794)
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein. Speaking of Ewing, he brought back the horror element to Hulk with Immortal Hulk and shot the title into the stratosphere, in my opinion. Surprisingly, after a lackluster run with Donny Cates (though I enjoyed his introduction), Phillip Kennedy Johnson picks up the horror mantle and I think his stuff might even be better than Ewing. I can’t get over the art, but it’s less offensive to me, so maybe I’m just coming to terms with the fact that it’s not changing. My verdict: Great.
The Sensational She-Hulk 9 (Legacy 187)
Writer: Rainbow Rowell, Artist: Andres Genolet. I never expected to enjoy Rowell’s She-Hulk as much as I have. Throughout the duration, I consistently called it my favorite Marvel book. Now I hear that Marvel’s killing the book. This absolutely guts me, but I have a new era of X-Men to finally jump into that maelstrom next month. My verdict: The end of an absolute sensational era. Thanks for the memories.
The Verdict
Marvel Comics July 2024 brings 4 ignored books because of a passionate disinterest in the evnt tie-ins, more Spider-Man disappointment, two absolute Hulk bombs (in the good way) and a couple of good to almost very good other issues. The She-Hulk announcement destroyed me. I’m gonna need some time.
Note: Maybe it’s Marvel Math. Maybe it’s genuine. But the latest issue of Uncanny X-Men reads #700 and has a bunch of talent on the cover. I’ll review that one like I do all the milestone issues in the next article.
Well, it seems as if Deadpool really killed 2 Generations Gaming, as I went into a 3 day unintentional hibernation. But, I’m back and ready to bring the usual articles, start up the Poppy War for Noob’s Book Club, and pilot a new version of the daily RPG calendar next week. The funny thing is that I read the issues for DC Comics July 2024 on Tuesday and just kept putting off the article for some reason. Well, no more.
The Flash 9 and 10
Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez. I received these books in this shipmment, but didn’t read them. I’m having trouble getting into Spurrier’s Flash. To be honest, I haven’t liked Flash since Joshua Williamson wrote for the book. More on him in a bit.
Detective Comics 1085 and 1086
Writer: Ram V, Artist: Various. Look, you all know that I like Ram V and his writing style. And, I respect him for the chocie he made on this story. It just hasn’t hit for me like some of his other stories on other books. Maybe he style just isn’t right for what I want from Batman and Detective Comics. My verdict: Decent
Batman 148 and 149
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez and Michele Bandini. The Zur story was good for what it is, but I personally didn’t enjoy it all that much. Now that it’s over, after the next issue that gets super sized for 150, I want to see what Zdarsky does with the Dark Knight. My verdict: Decent.
Catwoman 66 and Wonder Woman 10
Catwoman and Wonder Woman Writers: Tini Howard and Tom King. Artist: Various on both titles. Catwoman, on the other hand, is very good and bordering on great during the 9 Lives story. It’s cliche, but Howard handles it with a deft touch and makes it less so. I’m going to be sad to see this story go. It took me a while to warm up to Tom King on Wonder Woman, but now that he has his feet under him, I think that good things are on the horizon for the book. My verdict: Good.
House of Braniac (Action Comics 1066 and Superman 15)
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. I’ve said a few times before that I always hated Superman growing up. His character just never worked in my rebelious teenage brain. A few years ago, BMB made me care about the character again and more recently, Joshua Williamson made me love the character. He is at the height of his powers on this mini event with Braniac and Lobo joining the Super Family for an adventure that just zips by. I read both of these books so quickly because the pacing works so well. Bravo. My verdict: Great.
The Verdict
Similar to recent months, none of the books in DC Comics July 2024 offended me outright. I’m just not a huge fan of The Flash as a rule, so don’t take my putting that book to the side the wrong way. It looks like they are gearing up for a larger event in the form of Absolute Power, so we’ll see how that goes. For now, I like what I’m seeing from DC.
After a successful Fallout from the end of School last month, we come to another celebration on the page. Deadpool and Wolverine releases at the end of the month. That gave me the bright idea to feature Deadpool and Marvel comics. Before we get to all of that, though, naturally, I need to write my comics reviews first. With the TMNT hiatus, that means this month is Spawniverse July 2024.
Gunslinger 32
Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Carlo Barberi. A few months ago, Uncle Todd promised new creative teams and new directions for the books. I won’t take direct credit for that, but I will say that I wrote numerous times that the books seemed to have lost their way. He alludes to this during one of the conversations in this issue. I won’t say that the book is all the way back. But, the intro scene with he and Linda made me laugh and I expect more out of the finale because that was far too easy. My verdict: Good
King Spawn 34 and 35
Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander. When he said new creative teams, apparently that meant taking over writing duties instead of “additional plot”. At the very least, that brings some consistency to the stories. In this one, Al rescues Nana or Grannie or Auntie or whatever and finds her a vampire (the only supernaturals with powers right now) as a guard. However, this king doesn’t stay ascendent for long. Then, he runs into some trouble in the alley. A gang jumps him. Without his powers, they fuck him up pretty good. I want to see where this is going. Additionally, I know JSA’s art isn’t for everyone. It took a while to grow on me, but I like it. Especially for this title. Lends it an ethereal vibe that’s almost dreamline. My verdict: Good
The Scorched 30
Writer: Layman with Uncle Todd on Additional Script, Artist: Stephen Segovia. I thought this one maintained the most consistency quality wise during the “lull”. I liked the characters and the stories the best out of all of the Spawniverse. Then, when Layman (one of my favorite comics writers) came on, I knew good things were on the horizon. Sure enough, it started to pay off here. The Scorched, even without Jessica (who spends more time dead or unconscious that most team leaders) cripple Winn’s agency by freeing Overt-Kill and allowing for the escape of Haunt and Redeemer. That all sets up quite a payoff next issue with Winn visiting Jessica and the team trying to get to the bottom of the cloning mystery. My verdict: Good, bordering on Great.
Spawn 354
Writer: Rory McConville with Uncle Todd on Additonal Script, Artist: Brett Booth. I think the main title suffered the most during the “lull”. Just an inconsistency in tone and story telling. You can blame that on the dilusion due to the new titles, but I disagree. I think they just focused too much on the heaven and hell angle and ignored the other parts of what makes the book fun. And, if you think about it, they removed al l of the powers from the characters, so that forces them to focus more on the “real world” and the boots on the ground, so to speak. Call me in a few months when I miss the supernatural part of the story. For now, though, I like what they’re doing. My verdict: Good.
The Verdict
They continue the upward trend with Spawniverse July 2024. Thankfully, because as I wrote, they changed teams on TMNT, so I won’t get another one of those for a month or so when it starts back up again. I like Jason Aaron and I trust him, but Chris makes a good point. They need to change the tone big time to fit his style.
As I wrote in the plot summary, we arrive at the end of Fallout From the End of School 2024 with the Fallout episode 8, last episode of the first season. I say first season because they greenlit the second season. Now, we wait 2 or 3 years for them to write, film, edit, and release. Thankfully, you all have Fallout Final Fridays to keep you through. A lot in this episode, so let’s get started.
Cooper gets blind sided. He finally hears what his wife thinks of the end of the world, the vaults, and the aftermath. They pull the old rope-a-dope with her talking initially about her children and the future of the kids before pulling out the rug and ensuring that while their future will be okay, the same can’t be said for countless others. Because, after all, what kind of world is it when the cheap suits are in charge. Hint: Take a look around you.
Lucy, too, learns that everything she knew was a lie. Her father is a monster who nuked an entire town out of existence because his wife decided that she was happier without him and his insistence to live in a sardine can. Her mother is ghoulified, but kept alive out of Moldaver’s loyalty to her and their dreams of bringing unlimited power to the poor dregs who live in the Wasteland.
Norm mirrors his sister’s journey with Bud the Brain Roomba as his guide. He learns about Bud’s dumb ass idea to save the world and then gets trapped in Vault 31 with the psychotic micro manager. Perhaps for centuries? I doubt that. Norm will find a way.
Max uses the Brotherhood to bring him back to Lucy before discovering that what Dane says might just be true. Nowhere is safe, not even the idyllic vault where he and Lucy will live happily ever after. The Ghoul comes very close to finally getting the answer he’s been waiting 200 years for before Hank gives him the slip once again.
Cold fusion fires up the lights in the Wasteland. The Brotherhood salute Max as a conquering hero. Lucy finds herself again with The Ghoul and Dogmeat. And Hank stands before the town of New Vegas. What awaits them all? We just have to wait and see.
Character Profiles
Every single character saw some part of their life upended in this episode. In many cases, everything they thought they knew was a lie. Lucy reacts with her usual kindness and forces her father to give Moldaver the code. Hank lashes out at Moldaver, calling her a liar and just as bad as him. Max still wants to spend his life with Lucy and stupidly tries to fight off armored Hank
Norm, bad ass that he is, immediately goes to tell the rest of the dwellers about Bud’s Buds. Everything he suspected was true and, yet, he’s still shocked by the sheer madness of it all. Only The Ghoul escapes unscathed, but that’s only because his reality shattered 200 years ago with the revelation that his wife and her cohorts planned the entire thing to bring their insane plans to life through the glory of capitalism.
World Building and Setting
We finally get an answer to “What happened to Shady Sands?” Actually we get the answer to the question, “Who…?” For those who haven’t played the games, they get a glimpse into the behind the scenes machinations that brought the horrors of the vaults to life. At the end of the show, numerous viewers no doubt ran to one Wiki or another to verify the location at the end of the episode.
However, the star of the episode is Moldaver’s encampment that grew out of the destruction of Shady Sands. It represents everything that I hope out of a post apocalyptic civilization. I just hope that we learn from our mistakes and work together. A pipe dream, I know, but more likely with less people in that society. Not that I advocate for the end of society. Simply that I’ve thought about it. And, I have ideas.
Themes and Social Commentary
Wow, they put it all out there in this episode. The greed of corporations vs. the benign scientists. Less heavy on the communism vs. capitalism this time. But, they laid out that argument in the last episode quite nicely. Besides, it’s not communism vs. capitalism. It’s regulated vs. unregulated. When there are no guard rails, the capitalists will drive us all off a cliff.
When there’s nobody left to fight, who will fight? The answer, everyone. You think that if the Nazis actually succeeded in wiping out the Jews, they’d stop there? No. They’d keep going, getting more and more specific until two guys left just stabbing each other because of eye color or some other nonsense. The utopia, on either side, is simply not sustainable.
Is anywhere truly safe? Yes, you can make your area safe. My house is safe for me and my family. Also, for anyone else who wants to visit and doesn’t cause a ruckus. Does that mean violence cannot happen here? Of course not. But, the violence will come from outside and it will be dealt with. I can promise you that.
What would you do with unlimited power? They wrap it in the concept of cold fusion, but it represents the power to rule and control. Moldaver handed it off to the people. Whoever gets it next won’t be so giving, I promise you that.
Narrative Structure, Pacing, and Soundtrack
They opted for much shorter scenes this time around and more rapid transitions. This allowed them to drop bomb after bomb (pun intended) and each of them hit just as hard. Consequently, the pacing felt quick but manageable. Again, since only one reveal happened each time, you can catch your breath before the next.
Allowing the story to tell itself, they leaned less on the soundtrack this time. Only two actual songs in the whole episode. One to emphasize Max’s efforts to get to Lucy. The other told the story of The Ghoul, DogMeat, and Lucy striking off to find her father again. Another understated but good choice by the production team.
The Verdict
All I have to say is, Wow. This is how you do a season finale. Everything that they built up over the season gets resolved. Not only that, but they keep just enough loose ends open that you want to come back for more. I have often said that a poor ending can otherwise derail a great effort. That isn’t the case here. They stuck this landing. Fallout episode 8 goes down as one of the best episodes in recent memory.
I already wrote in the plot summary that I watched Fallout episode 7 on Sunday. But, I also spent the better part of those days recovering from a nasty “summer cold”. I put that in quotes because my son Liam, in response to my thought that it could be Covid, said, “Who gets a cold in summer?” I don’t know how accurate that statement is, but I always grew up with the concept of a “summer cold” and many other things that I grew up with have been proven plainly incorrect.
Fallout episode 7 finally starts to weave together some of the stories in anticipation of the final episode. After killing a kid in front of his father to continue his reign of terror in the Wasteland, The Ghoul flashes back a couple of times to his pre-war life. This both provides comparison and contrast to his current attitude and missions that drive him. Scroll down to the character discussion for more.
In that past, Cooper reacts initially with horror and distrust of the philosophy espoused by Miss Williams. However, to his credit, he takes the bug and then later retrieves it after throwing it in the trash. He may trust his wife, but he has deep suspicions of the rest of the Vault-Tec “family”.
Likewise, Lucy learns more about the vaults that she ever hoped to know. As a result, she and Max end up leaving Vault 4. Thaddeus locks Dogmeat in a cooler before continuing to try to find a radio tower. Max and Lucy later meet up with Thaddeus at DJ Carl’s. After a tense stand off, Max comes up with a solution that gets Lucy the head. It also allows Thaddeus to escape certain torture at the hands of The Brotherhood.
Some 33ers become 32ers. Norm follows his suspicions into Vault 31 and finds that one empty, too. I nobody or nothing as it seems in this show? Hopefully, the final answers at least some of that question.
Character Profiles
The Ghoul: Morally complex is the best way I can describe him. He kills without mercy. He also saves Dogmeat from a certain death and lets the mutt tag along with him again. Then again, maybe I just can’t see his moral compass because it’s so at odds with my own. He clearly sees these events as both indicative of his “goodness”, but we are all the heroes in our own story, right?
Cooper: His former life gives some insight into the ghoul he became, as I wrote earlier. He despises Williams and the theory that she espouses. Nevertheless, he is open to bugging his wife partly in the name of dogs everywhere who are denied access to the vaults. The thing about his reticence to listen to Williams that I wonder is, is it how he truly feels or because he’s a good old boy brainwashed by his government controlled by corporate interests. More on that later.
Lucy: Ever the optimist, she continues to believe that people are good in the face of overwhelming evidence against it. Like The Ghoul, I have a tough time analyzing Lucy, but for different reasons. She’s very much like me. I continue to hold out hope that humanity will figure it out even as they hurtle us towards our own demise. Like, yeah, the initial people of Vault 4 might have been shitty, but the current residents only banished her from the vault, with supplies for two weeks. To paraphrase Men in Black, “A person is good. People are mean, vindictive demons and you know it.”
Max: I can’t tell if Max reacted to the comfort of the vault and that’s why he acted so weird or if they kept him drugged in some way. I suspect the latter because of the overall “theme” of Vault 4, but he very quickly snapped out of it when he noticed that Lucy was in trouble. His love for this woman overcame even the manipulation of drugs (?) and a comfortable lifestyle to save her.
Thaddeus: He pissed me off by locking the dog in the cooler. Now, I know that’s not a controversial take. But, I want put it out there. He almost made up for it by apologizing to Max and letting them take the head from him. Almost. Because, ultimately, that was just a selfish decision, too.
Minor characters: DJ Carl, played by Fred Armisen, is amazing. Mr. Armisen always makes me laugh no matter what he does. Moreover, he brings a humanity to his characters that makes them feel alive. The “Snake Oil Salesman” as he’s called, finally gets his hero turn. Sort of. He saves Thaddeus, but at what cost?
World Building and Setting
They dedicate most of this Fallout episode 7 to building the lore behind the vaults and some more about Vault-Tec, the company behind them. Initially, you might think that they’re earnest in their mission and built the vaults to help people survive the blasts and fallout. Then, maybe, they just got lucky. But, as more comes out, you learn that they are behind the nuclear “incidents” and that hides even more sinister objectives. Spoiler Alert: Some of these stories are awful.
Also, finally, on some level, they start to question the supposition that living in the vault is preferable to living on the surface. When they banish Lucy from the vault, she reacts with suspicion. “Really? That’s all?” Surely, she’s thinking, I just spent two weeks on the surface. And, while it might be “safer” here in the vault, one can get along just fine up there. Me? I choose the reckless life of a Wastelander any day.
Themes and Social Commentary
They pull back the curtain and put it all out there in Fallout episode 7. Part of this story is the ages old capitalism vs. communism. I’m sure some Yankee Doodle Dipshits have plenty to say about how “woke” the show is because of that. But, I appreciate Miss Williams coming out and saying, “Communism is a dirty word they use to describe people who aren’t completely insane.” And, the more you look into it, the more it makes sense.
As I’ve always said, I have no problem with someone trying to make a buck. Hell, try to make all the bucks you want. What I have a problem with is when you try to trade my or my children’s or my grandchildren’s future to make that buck. Maybe you can make a few less bucks and we can all live together on this planet? What do you think?
Yeah, I thought that’s what you’d say.
Additionally, I wrote earlier in my introduction of the plot summary, “Can anyone in this show be trusted?” You saw some of that in my character descriptions. Any time one of them seems to be “good” or “bad”, they inevitably do something to make you question that label. I get that humans are messy and we’re all a mixture of “good” and “bad”, but rarely do you get a show that so starkly and, honestly, naturally explores that dichotomy. It’s one of the reasons I watched it twice now and will again before Season 2 releases.
Narrative Pacing, Structure, and Soundtrack
The pacing still feels good. Every episode they release just a little more of the “truth” and what that truth means for our world and our characters. They’ve used flashbacks a good amount to that end, as well. The one thing that I noticed is that as the episodes advanced, the opening sequences became longer and longer. Surely that’s intentional, but I can’t figure out the intent behind it.
The soundtrack, as always, serves to enhance the mood and story. They deftly weave the oldies into the story to both cue events and also remind us of what happened previously. I also read online that they probably used the fiddle music to troll fans of one of the games because, as gamers do, they bitched about the music. If so, bravo to you all!
The Verdict
Fallout episode 7, the penultimate episode, sets things up nicely for a potentially explosive finale. Lucy has the head, Max is going to face the Brotherhood, The Ghoul has a reliable lead on Moldaver. And, back in the past, Cooper holds the potential key to blowing it all up. Yes, that pun was fully intended.
