Sunday at San Diego Comic Con Brings the Familiar and the New!

Jeri Jacquin

Here it is, the final day, the day that I long for and at the same time the saddest day that it’s all ending. There is mileage on these feet to be sure and a case of uncomfortable seat-itis but at the same time knowing that all the people I only see once a year will again be gone.

This year was a little more enjoyable for me at a grandparent because I made time to see my dressed up in costume Batman (don’t say Batgirl – she doesn’t like it!) granddaughter seeing all her hero’s and the characters she adores. That would include the mixture of Peppa Pig and the awestruck when seeing her beloved PJ Masks in person. What totally wigged her out was seeing Batman again, and again, and again.

But, Naynay has a job to do so let’s jump in!

In Hall H, there is a feeling of crazy anticipation because it is Sunday at San Diego Comic Con 2018 and that can only mean one thing – Supernatural! There is something very special when the panel consisting of Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, and Alexander Calvert along with executive producer Andrew Dabb talking about their 14^th season of the show and reaching the historic 300^th episode.

What makes the Supernatural panel so much fun is the obvious chemistry between Ackles, Padalecki and Collins and the way they have also taken Calvert into their exclusive and humorous group. It is almost like watching brothers just rag on each other in the most biting and loving way possible. Of course this delights the 6,999 people that are in Hall H with cheers and even some egging on.

It’s going to get even darker (is that even possible?) in this season as fans are treated to a very eerie look at Jensen Ackles character Dean and his – well – transformation. There will also be a return of Kim Rhodes character of Jodi Mills and the Wayward Sisters. Is there more to the Rowena and Cas hint given?

Find out when Supernatural returns to the CW on October 11^th.

Riverdale comes to Hall H with a huge panel including Luke Perry, Skeet Ulrich, Camila Mendes, Casey Cott, Cole Sprouse, KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Madelaine Petsch Marisol Nichols, Mark Consuelos, Vanesa Morgan, Ashleigh Murray, Madchen Amick and executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and producers Jon Goldwater and Sarah Schehter. Moderated by Mrs. Mark Consuelos (aka Kelly Ripa), fans were teased with what is to come.

Ripa talks about her husband’s character and asks what is in store for his character. “His character is into everything. Right now he is focused in being a thorn in his daughter’s side. She is just as stubborn as he is so I think they are going to butt heads”.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled to see the next panel in Hall H – Mayans M.C. is the much anticipated spin off of the FX beloved series Sons of Anarchy. The panel started off with an ear splitting cheer for the shows creator Kurt Sutter (who I actually saw smile and it threw me off!) along with co-creator Elgin James.

The panel was filled with the new Mayan motorcycle club including JD Pardo as Ezekiel EZ Reyes, Clayton Cardenas, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Antonio Jaramillo, Raoul Max Truillo, Danny Pino, Richard Cabral and the beloved Edward James Olmos.

The premise of the series is in the three year aftermath of Jax Teller and the Sons when EZ Reyes is released from prison and becomes a prospect for the Mayan MC. His older brother is already a member and shows his brother the ropes with a charter that is located on the California-Mexico border. Olmos is their father who owns a business and knows that the club is a difficult life.

JD Pardo may have a familiar face to some, but to Twilight fans he forever engrained in their hearts as part of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: Breaking Dawn Part 2. He has also done his time in television with the series S.W.A.T., The Messengers as well as Blood & Oil.

Another familiar cast member is that of Richard Cabral who most recently played the psychotic burglar Duncan in the film BREAKING IN. He has also had his share of television roles including the outstanding characters of Hector Tonz/Isaac Castillo/ Sebastian De La Torre in the absolutely excellent series American Crime.

The one actor on that panel who needs no introduction because the sound of the fans cheering drowns out hearing his name is that of Edward James Olmos. Playing the role of Felipe Reyes in Mayans M.C., this actor is never far from the big screen or small. He has produced, directed and starred in some of the most beloved shows and memorable movies. I am excited to see the life he brings to this character.

Sutter also talks about the loose language and explains that the f-word is part of the world we live in now. “I’m not quite sure where the shift happened, but there is a lot more freedom in terms of language and we will be able to say ‘f**k’ on FX.” He also tells the fans with humor, “I always do a ‘f**k’ inventory at the end of every script and go, ‘oh, that’s way too much.’”

The creator was also asked if there would be any cross over between Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C. (you could hear a pin drop in that room waiting for the answer). “I’m really protective of that mythology and the way it ended and letting fans, whether they enjoyed it or not, to have that experience and for that idea of how that club continued. I really want to leave in the minds of the fans. Right now there’s no intersecting stories that will interfere with that, but Sons is a big world and there was a lot of peripheral players so there will be those kind of intersections.” I take that as an answer non-answer which can always be found with the cryptic Sutter.

Thank you FX from the bottom of this fans heart for bringing the anticipation for the new series which is set to premier Tuesday September 4^th at 10 p.m. on FX.

Finally in Hall H, FX is hardly done with us as the break out his series by creator Noah Hawley LEGION bringing its panel of stars including Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza who plays Lenny, Navid Negahban as Farouk, writer/producer Nathaniel Halpern and executive producer John Cameron.

The panel started out quickly when Halpern was asked if he could tell the fans anything about Season 3. A quick and decisive ‘no’ was heard and that was that. Stevens, who plays David Haller, admitted to the audience, “I know that Lenny is obviously gonna have a part to play in it. We’re off together in some form. Syd’s a bit mad. But I don’t know very much at this stage.”   

Then added, “If you know the comics at all, you know there’s the potential for this guy you have sympathy for to turn into one of the greatest villains in the universe!” It is Negahban who says, “I have never played a villain in my life. I think every villain looks at himself as a hero.”

It seems what the panel could agree upon is that they are confused and that, to me, is an amazing way to keep the fans guessing about the upcoming third season which returns to FX in 2019. Until then, keep the theories coming because I’m always interested to discover whether or not others see the series as I do and if they don’t, well, that can be fun too!

And with that, my reader friends, comes the end of the panels for me at San Diego Comic Con 2018. It is time for me to put the recorder, camera, pencil, pen, paper and anything else work related into my awesome Edna Mode bag and leave the hallowed room also known as Hall H.

It is time for me to go out and enjoy the rest of the day seeing Comic Con 2019 through the eyes of my granddaughter who can not get enough. I love what I do to be sure but it is also good to get a fresh perspective and see it all through the excited eyes of a kid in a Batman outfit with flashing tennis shoes and a cape that reads, “I’m Batman – not Batgirl!”

So until next year Comic-Con’ers – I hope your journey home was a safe one and that TSA didn’t give you too much trouble with the tons of goodie bags I know you left San Diego with!

LEGION Takes us on an Unexpected Trip on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from creator Noah Hawley from the Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment comes an intense series on the search for what is truly real when part of the LEGION.

David Haller (Dan Stevens) has had problems most of his life. Hearing things and feeling out of control has landed him in the psychiatric ward. The problem is, Haller also has psychic abilities yet no one believes him. Haller also has a friend in another patient Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) and tries to help him stay together. Keeping him sane is when he falls for another patient Sydney Barrett (Rachel Keller). The difficulty in their relationship is that Sydney doesn't like to be touched. When it does happen, she has the ability to change places with that person.

 When Sydney is discharged from the hospital, Haller kisses her and that's when things get even more out of control. The minds of Haller and Sydney change places and no one believes them. That becomes even more problematic when Syd can't control Haller's reactions and hospital staff are hurt and his only recourse is to escape. The switch between the two is only temporary and Haller wants Sydney back.

Going to his sister Amy (Katie Aselton) for help it actually sets her up to be hurt by those who want Haller for themselves. Quickly enough Ptonomy Wallace (Jeremie Harris) and Kerry Loudermilk (Amber Midthunder) help Haller escape with the help of Melanie Bird (Jean Smart). He is taken to Summerland and discovers there are more people who have abilities. Bird explains that Haller isn't ill at all and that they need to go into his past to understand where he is now. While in an MRI, he sees that the group called Division III has taken Amy and his anger does something that shocks everyone at Summerland. Wanting to save her, Amy tells him that he has to control his power first before he can help anyone.

Working with Ptonomy on memories of a time when he did drugs, Haller is still plagued by the figure called the World's Angriest Boy in the World from a childhood book. Unable to control his powers again, Haller and Sydney end up at Division III where he sees someone called the Eye (Mackenzie Gray). Bird has to explain that his name is Walter who was one of the founders of Summerland. Everything gets so out of control that Haller has to be sedated enough so that Bird, Ptonomy and Sydney can get a better look inside his head but he is too strong for them.

When Haller doesn't wake up, Bird has to find out what happened to him before he ended up in the hospital and the only person that might have a clue is his ex-girlfriend Philly. Ptonomy gets a chance to see inside Philly's memory and learns that Haller attacked his previous therapist named Poole. Haller is on a journey of his own but Lenny comes to him to escape.

As Haller is dealing with problems in the astral plane, Cary believes that Haller's brain has been infected by something he calls the gruesome Devil with Yellow Eyes. The creature isn't at all done with Haller when it attacks Sydney but worst of all; the entire group at Summerland is now at Clockworks with Lenny as their caregiver!

Now under her control, Lenny takes on each of them and their issues but it is Sydney that notices something is different which costs her. Lenny isn't about to let any of them get the upper hand, especially when she knows things about Haller and has no problem demonstrating her control over his mind. Cary Loudermilk (Bill Irwin) thinks they've had it all wrong and that it is actually the powerful mutant Shadow King Amahl Farouk who is messing with Haller.

Haller believes that Farouk and his real father might have had issues that led to an altercation and that was the reason he was put up for adoption. Finding Haller as a kid, Farouk managed to place a device in his mind which is what has caused all the havoc. Trying to get back to Summerland, the group is intercepted by Division III!

In the finale, Haller manages to break free of Division III but it should have been seen as all too easy. Clark (Hamish Linklater), his interrogator, wants to get in on the action and goes with the soldiers to Summerland. Haller believes that Clark is their hostage but what they don't know is that Division III can see and hear everything happening. It’s a chance for some serious body exchanging to happen, Clark changes sides and Haller becomes doesn't see something little coming his way.

Stevens as Haller is truly doing some serious acting! This is a role that keeps the viewer guessing as to where Haller actually is in the grand scheme of things. What is trippy about this whole thing is that I like it! Stevens first caught my attention in the role of Matthew Crawley in the amazing series Downton Abbey followed by Sir Lancelot in NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB and more recently the role of Charles Dickens in THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS. The role of Haller is so complex and original that LEGION is the perfect place for Stevens to just let loose and explore all the avenues.

Keller as Sydney is a girl with her own set of powers that is equally as frightening as Haller's. He learns quickly that touching her can transform and change their situations. This also means that she is detached out of fear and can not allow her emotions to get any deeper for Haller. Smart as Bird is a woman who seemingly wants to help those with powers at Summerland. Jumping into the memories of the group has her unraveling the mysteries and Haller is proving to be her most difficult case.

Plaza as Lenny is just out and out creepy and I love it. You can never tell from one appearance to the next whether she is going to be on Haller's side or just messing with his memories. Aselton as Amy thought Haller was just dealing with serious mental issues, imagine her surprise to discover that those mental issues were nothing like she was raised to believe.

Harris and Midthunder still have their roles to play knowing that there are mysteries about Haller that are going to take digging and it seems it is harder than they have ever explored before. Gray as the Eye is another character that creeped me out because I was never quite sure what he was up to or what is place was in it all. Linklater still has a part to play but will it be for the good of those in Summerland? We shall see, we shall definitely see.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

The Bluray includes the Special Features of Fractured Reality: A Different Kind of Hero, Uncanny Romance, Production Design, Powers, Make-Up (Making The Devil with the Yellow Eyes), Visual Effects, Costume Design, Locations and Deleted Scenes. Also included in the 2-disc Set are Episodes Chapters One Through Eight.

LEGION has definitely been on the radar with nominations for awards and wins like TVLine's Performer of the Week going to Aubrey Plaza, Best Sound Editing given by the Golden Trailer Awards, and tied for Runner Up for Best Action Series by the IGN's Best of 2017 Awards and the People's Choice for Best New Series.

If you want to watch the most interesting and twisted trip you'll every take, then LEGION is exactly the show you want to watch. From twists and turns in the story line to singing and dancing trips, this series isn't about to give you one little hint about the direction it plans to go.

I am going to be thrilled when Season Two begins but let's be clear, I had to watch Season One of LEGION twice because there is so much to take in I wanted to be prepared for what is to come. This is definitely a series that needs to continue to think out of the box and go places no one expects the story to go and don't ever put on the brakes!

In the end - there is no door to this rubber room!