A Hidden Gem in Silver Age Comics by guest writer Kevin Davis

Justice League of America # 114: A Hidden Gem
By Kevin N. Davis

One of my greatest delights is finding an issue that has no special distinction other than just being a terrific issue. Not a key issue. Not the first appearance of a major character. Not an industry-altering event. Nope, just a great stand-alone issue. Justice League of America # 114 (Dec. 1974) is just that sort of an issue. There is so much fun packed into this issue that I hardly know where to begin.

I guess the cover is as good a place as any to start. As you can see, my copy is pretty worn out… a testament to how often I go back and reread it. Anyway, the cover is emblazoned with all sorts of tag lines describing the awesomeness inside, and believe me, it doesn’t exaggerate. This issue boasts 100 pages chock full with three stories, puzzles, games, quizzes, and even a mystery villain!

The main feature is a Justice League story called ‘The Return of Anakronus’. Of the three stories in this issue, it is the only one that is an original. In it, the members of the Justice League are hosting a telethon for some undisclosed charity. Throughout the story, the heroes are heard mentioning how tired they are from answering phones for hours on end. It’s great. Just imagining these powerhouses who have gone toe-to-toe with Despero, Starro, and Darkseid being fatigued from taking phone calls is… well, it’s just great.

Meanwhile, a villain from their past takes Snapper Carr hostage in an attempt to extort the donation money the JL had collected. (For those who may not know, Snapper Carr was a non-powered kid who hung out with the Justice League in sort of a mascot role, a la Rick Jones or Jimmy Olsen.) This ray-gun wielding baddie calls himself Anakronus and tells Snapper a story of how he singlehandedly defeated the League years ago. Apparently Anakronus has fallen on hard times, however, because he needs money. To this end, he forces Snapper to call the telethon’s pledge line and relay the message of his demands to the Justice League. Snapper uses a clever trick to warn the phone-weary Green Lantern of his peril and the League quickly arrives to save the day. There is a twist of an ending regarding the true identity of Anakronus. I won’t spoil it here, though, because I encourage everyone to track this issue down and read it for themselves.

The second story in this issue is a real treat. I’m not going to write a lot about it because I simply can’t do it justice (pun intended). However, I will say without hesitation that this nine page story alone is worth tracking the issue down. It’s called ‘Just a Story’ and was written and drawn by Howard Purcell. It features no super heroes, but is a great example of American noir in comics. Its dark tone and array of interesting characters always reminds me of Will Eisner’s The Spirit and even of late pulp fiction.

Let me give you a little background. In the 1940s, DC (or more accurately DC’s sister company, All-American Publications) published a title called Comic Cavalcade. This was an anthology style book featuring reprinted and original stories of various Golden Age heroes (especially Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and The Flash). There was also original non-super hero material in Comic Cavalcade, usually funnies, westerns, science fiction, and crime stories. In 1946, artist and writer Howard Purcell began a series in Comic Cavalcade called ‘Just a Story’. This series was a delightful potpourri of sci-fi, historical fiction, and crime noir. If these are genres that interest you, I can’t recommend Howard Purcell’s work enough. These books can be a little pricey these days, but the stories are worth their weight in gold. Fortunately, this issue of Justice League of America usually goes for less than five bucks. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to Purcell’s work, and the little story featured in this issue is absolutely one of his best.

The third story is a true classic. It’s a reprint of Justice League of America # 29-30 (Aug. – Sept. 1964) called ‘Crisis on Earth-Three’. Looking at the splash page above, you can see that it features the Justice League of Earth-One and the Justice Society of Earth-Two. As villains of the story, a troupe of villains from Earth-Three are introduced, aptly named the Crime Syndicate of America. The rogues are Superwoman (complete with her own golden lasso), Owlman, Ultraman, Johnny Quick, and Power Ring. I’m sure that even the most casual comic reader will quickly deduce who they are evil versions of.

Like in previous multiverse stories, Earth-Three is an almost exact copy of Earth-One except that history has unfolded slightly differently. On Earth-Three, Columbus discovered Europe, England won independence from the United States, and President John Wilkes Booth was assassinated by an actor named Abraham Lincoln. Naturally, the heroes that we know on Earth-One grew to be villains on this backward world. They attack and easily defeat the Justice League and then head off to Earth-Two to tackle the Justice Society. After imprisoning the JS, the League takes another crack at the Crime Syndicate, this time edging out a victory. There is also little twist at the end of this story, as well as a true Silver Age resolution involving the heroes deciding the best fate for the captured villains. It’s awkward, it’s hokey, it’s brilliant.

Three solid stories should be more than enough for one issue, right? Nope. Peppered throughout this issue are even more goodies. There’s a Justice League crossword puzzle. There are trivia games (see the picture above). There is a gallery of JLA members of the past. There is even a matching game about the boots worn by various members of the League (this one is trickier than you might think).

Taken altogether, this is a fantastic issue. It’s entirely self-contained, so even if this was the first comic you ever read, you wouldn’t be lost. It’s appropriate for readers of all ages. It is a wealth of information regarding Silver Age DC characters. And the stories are all great. It’s an issue you can – and probably will – go back and enjoy time and again. What can I say? Get thee to the back issue bins and track down this treasure. I promise you won’t regret it.

A Closer Look at the Awesomeness of The Flash # 123 by guest writer KEVIN DAVIS!

I'm happy to introduce to you, a friend of mine who shares a passion for comic books as well as great storytelling. Here we have an excellent example of why we love our comics so much. Thanks to Kevin Davis for this addition, I hope to have more from him soon! Enjoy! -Mike



An Examination of The Flash # 123
By Kevin N. Davis

There is something special - something magical - about those old-time comics. The pre-Crisis stories from the Gold and Silver Ages of comics boasted a simplicity and creativity that just isn’t duplicated in modern-day comic storytelling. While the far-out pseudo-science, logical gaps, and often formulaic plots in even the greatest of those stories don’t hold up well to critical scrutiny, they still show undeniable charm and even complexity when measured through the lenses of modern storytelling standards. Even more than that, many of these stories proved to be the very foundation upon which modern comics were built. Nowhere is this last point more evident than in Flash of Two Worlds (The Flash # 123, September 1961). Written and illustrated by the legendary Gardener Fox and Carmine Infantino, what could have been a simple one-off story became arguably the most important moment in comics since Superman leapt his first tall building.

The notion of other dimensions and alternate realities was certainly nothing new in 1961, but Flash of Two Worlds introduced the concept of Earth-One and Earth-Two (parallel Earths on which history has developed slightly differently, resulting in slightly different heroes, villains, and supporting characters) to DC Comics, laying the groundwork for the first Crisis story two years later and culminating in the industry-shattering Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985. This allowed DC Comics to bring back the Golden Age Justice Society to be featured in all-new stories, often crossing over with the current roster of the Justice League. Although far more grounded in “real world” similarities, Marvel Comics would adopt this concept years later when Earth-616 was introduced (first in 1983, and then popularized beginning in 2004). Needless to say, the landscape of modern comic books would look very different if it hadn’t been for Flash of Two Worlds.

Also, historical significance aside, it’s just a really great story. If you’ve never read the story before, do yourself a favor and read it immediately. (It’s been reprinted and collected countless times.) For those of you who have experienced the magic, let’s take a look at the story and examine some of the things that make it a masterpiece.

First off, just look at that cover. Infantino’s dynamic shot of Gardener Fox’s original scarlet speedster of the 1940s dashing into action alongside his current namesake must have stirred the delight of both children and adult readers in 1961. Notice the emphasis placed on the word “I’m” in Jay Garrick’s speech balloon as well as how Garrick appears slightly closer to the foreground than Barry Allen. Look at how the falling girder seems to be pointing directly at Garrick and almost overshadowing Allen. (Sidenote: This is a visual trick that artists use to guide the reader’s eyes. Many comic pages employ a linear pattern called “The Lazy Z” to facilitate the reader’s natural visual tendencies. Google it.) Even the poor guy who can’t seem to get out of the way of the falling girder (while somehow finding time to call for help) is facing Garrick, with his raised arm blocking Allen from his view. These subtle distinctions give the guest star a level of equal – and possibly even greater – importance than the book’s actual star.

 The splash page once again elevates the guest star’s importance as Jay Garrick is placed front and center and talking down to the sidelined Barry Allen. Also, the yellow caption boxes feature two opposing hands emerging from the top of each one. This certainly drives home the theme of duality that the reader can expect in the upcoming story.

 The story is simple enough. While performing super feats for a group of orphans, The Flash (Barry Allen) vibrates at such an incredible rate of speed that he breaks through a barrier separating our world from that of a parallel world (later to be named Earth-Two). After some initial confusion, Barry determines that he has somehow crossed over into the fictional Keystone City, home of his boyhood hero… Jay Garrick! It turns out the Barry had grown up reading Flash Comics written by Gardener Fox (a delightful little break in the fourth wall) who claimed that the adventures of The Flash came to him in his dreams. Barry surmises that Fox must have been “tuned in” to the vibrations of Earth-Two while sleeping and would wake up mistakenly believing that he had dreamed the adventures of Jay Garrick. After finding and introducing himself to the now-retired Garrick, it turns out that a recent spree of bizarre crimes has prompted Garrick to consider coming out of retirement. Agreeing to team up to solve the case, the two Flashes set out.

Here we meet the trio of super villains responsible for the aforementioned crimes, and we come across one of the most puzzling aspects of Silver Age super villainy. The rogues in question are The Thinker with his mental hat that allows anything he can think of to happen, The Fiddler whose fiddle emits mind-controlling musical notes, and The Shade who brandishes a cane that can plunge his surrounding area into pitch blackness. They are sitting amongst a horde of purloined treasures and planning various capers worth millions of dollars, as well as exacting revenge on The Flash (Jay Garrick). Here’s the puzzle: with these three having so recently escaped from prison and being well off enough to acquire costumes, technologically advanced weapons, and millions of dollars’ worth of treasures, what exactly is their motivation to continue with lives of crime? These guys are clearly set for life, yet they returned to Keystone City just to pick a fight with the guy who has beaten them so often in the past. I mean, The Fiddler even has a self-driving car in the shape of a giant fiddle. Seriously, a fiddle car. Here, check it out.

This is a pretty common theme among Silver Age villains. They have massive hideouts, gadgets, an endless supply of henchmen, and sooo much money stashed away. By any stretch of the imagination, they should hang their tights up and retire to an island somewhere, yet they never do. No, they just keep coming back to Gotham or Metropolis or Keystone City and starting elaborate quarrels that they have no hope in winning. Ah well, it’s amusing but easy to overlook.

Moving right along, the trio begin to execute their crime spree while the two Flashes split up to search for the culprit or culprits of their mysterious mission. Jay Garrick encounters The Thinker and, being out of practice, is quickly thwarted by the menace of the mental hat. Barry Allen doesn’t fare much better against The Shade. He manages to whirl The Shade’s dark shroud into a black twister, but is soon stymied when the director of darkness mixes oil into his ebon cloud, causing The Flash to slip and fall. Yes, that’s true.

After licking their wounds, the two Flashes decide to work together to defeat their enemies. After all, if they were so easily defeated individually, it stands to reason that the bad guys won’t stand a chance against their combined might. Right?

Meanwhile, The Thinker and The Shade discuss their two different encounters with The Flash and quickly deduce that there are, in fact, two Flashes meddling in their schemes. Concerned for the safety of their partner, the two super criminals run off to warn The Fiddler. They find him in the middle of a jewelry heist, but he doesn’t seem worried about the possibility of two scarlet speedsters. In fact, he’s already met them, hypnotized them with his fiddle, and has them now loading his bag with jewels and dancing like marionettes. Unfortunately for The Fiddler, although he had instructed the two Flashes to aid him in the robbery, he had neglected to order them not to try to escape. And, of course, they do. By stuffing their ears with small jewels, the two Flashes release themselves from The Fiddler’s control. Catching the villains off guard, they make short work of them and haul them off to jail.

The story closes with the two Flashes shaking hands and promising to visit each other in their respective worlds. After vibrating back to his own world, Barry Allen notes that he should look up Gardener Fox and tell him the story. Maybe the adventure will one day make it into a comic book!

Again, it’s a simple story. There are no real plot twists, and the action and tension fits in perfectly with the self-contained storytelling formula of the time. But that’s not why we read old stories, is it? No, I think that, at least on some level, we read those old-time stories for much the same reason that we study history… to see where our comic books of today came from. Carmine Infantino’s artwork is brilliant in its succinctness and its purity. A close look at his work in this story, and it’s very easy to see where future artists drew their inspiration. And the story? Well, the importance of this story should speak for itself. We look at Flash of Two Worlds and realize that it is the genesis of Crisis on Infinite Earths and – by extension – virtually everything that has taken place in a DC comic since 1985.

Movie Recommendations

Looking for something to watch, but don't want to get into a TV show at the moment, here are some movie recommendations.

The Magnificent 7 - This remake is so well done and enjoyable that I was looking forward to a second viewing while still watching it the first time through! Even if you're not a fan of Westerns; the performances, story, and action make this one of best movies of 2016! Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke, plus MANY more.

Spotlight - the Best Picture Winner of 2016 really does earn it. Mark Ruffalo, as always, is terrific and the rest of the cast (Michael Keaton, John Slatterly, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber) are at the top of their game in a movie that talks about a topic no one wants to believe is true. Yet, sadly, it is. Good luck getting through this one without feeling disgusted and angry.

The Big Short - Another 2016 Best Picture Nominee. I really like this movie even if it scared the bejeezus out of me. Seriously, it's terrifying just how our banking industry successfully took advantage of the American people. Directed by Adam McKay (director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) brings a comedy feel to a very serious situation. Ryan Gosling steals the show! Steve Carrell gives one of the best performances I have ever seen him do, and I'm a HUGE Michael Scott fan!

Ip Man - Ever wonder how Bruce Lee got so good? Well, he was trained in Wing Chung by Master Ip Man. Donnie Yen shines in this biopic about the man who introduced China to Wing Chun. When the invading Japanese' General challenges the Masters of Chines Martial Arts, Ip Man refuses to fight at first. But when he does...oh boy!

Also check out Ip Man 2, where Ip Man must prove the greatness of Wing Chun to the other Masters of Chinese Martial Arts! Some of the most amazing fight scenes I have ever seen. Ip Man vs. Master Hung Chun-Nam on top of a table without all it's legs is just one highlight!

TV Shows Worth A Watch

Need a new show? Here are a few suggestions that I really enjoyed:

The OA - First episode hooks you right away. Then each preceding episode answers questions while making you ask new ones immediately after!

Mozart in the Jungle - Enjoy music? Even a little? Cute and fun show about the fictional New York Symphony and their new eccentric conductor. I laughed out loud every episode, and the music is wonderful!

The Man in the High Castle - Espionage! Intrigue! REVOLUTION! What if Germany and Japan won World War 2? Only most of the way through season 1, can't wait for season 2.

Luther - Idris Elba with a badge and some anger issues, solving crimes like Batman. Seriously, this show is just like a Batman series.

Also check out Black Mirror if you want to get freaked out. And I just saw Moonrise Kingdom last night, like every other Wes Anderson movie, it is quirky but good. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.

Don't you DARE BRING BACK WOLVERINE!

A friend asked me if I would go back to buying Marvel comics if they brought back the 616 Wolverine.

I answered by saying that if Marvel did that this year, I'd punch somebody.

Marvel killed my all-time favorite character (my collection of his entire life is nearly complete) 2 years ago and they've kept him dead.

In order to re-invent the character a bit, they brought in a different version of him from another reality. Comic fans know who I mean. He's the older Wolverine from the Old Man Logan mini-series. Decent idea, and I bought into it for the firs 12 issues or so and then lost interest as they were just putting Old Wolverine into old storylines. Yes, he faced some of my favorites of his rogues, but it wasn't enough to keep me interested.

The ultimate problem with Wolverine is that writers didn't know what to do with him anymore. After his past was revealed and his mysteries cleared up, he just became every hero's friend and joined a bunch of teams. Well...really just the X-Men and the Avengers. While I kind of enjoyed the stories he was involved in during this time, there was definitely something missing that had made me love him in the 80's and 90's.

I have this sneaking suspicion that Marvel has plans to bring him back this year. Comic fans know that his return is inevitable, I just hope (seriously, with fingers crossed) that they wait just a little longer and then bring him back in a great way.

Sigh...we'll just have to wait and see.

Anyone else have some complaints about current comic runs? Let me know in the comments.

Final Thoughts on Marvel's Civil War 2

What can I say? I'm really disappointed here. 8 issues of ANOTHER major Marvel Crossover Event. ANOTHER delayed release that pushed the final 2 issues back a month. ANOTHER direct lead in to yet ANOTHER major Marvel Crossover Event.

I closed #8 yesterday and threw the book on my coffee table. I wasn't disgusted or angry, just disappointed. I had another feeling too. Like I was done with this. I spent $5 a pop on 8 issues of a very disappointing story. I watched as some of my all time favorite characters were killed off, and tried real hard to get into the new Marvel that took over for the old 616 Universe that I had grown up with.

I'm here today to tell you that I'm done with buying monthly Marvel Comics. It's not because Civil War 2 sucked, cause it didn't "suck". I really enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other, and I liked that underlying social commentary. But I can't stand the constant splash pages, the killing off of so many characters that I know won't stick, and I especially did not like how it ended. So we got to see a man transform from human to Inhuman to Celestial and transcend from one plane of existence to another. Cool, but who cares? We met that character 7 issues ago, he barely had time to make an impact on me and now I'm supposed to care that he disappeared into the universe? Nah, I'm good.

So I'm done for a while. I have way too many comics on my "To Read" pile that have been denied attention for too long. Especially since I know the next crossover event is Monsters Unleashed and I never wanted anything to do with that.

It's weird, because I feel bad about this. I LOVE Marvel Comics, always have. They've just disappointed me for the last time (at least for a while). Only thing worth reading over there (in my own personal opinion) is Dan Slott's Clone Conspiracy (Slott has been killing it on Spider-Man, one of my favorite writers) and the Star Wars line. I'm also disappointed that I spent time and money on the last several Marvel events and didn't get into DC'S Rebirth which, from what I've heard, has been nothing short of terrific.

Anyone else find this with Civil War? Let me know in the comments.

GoT Episode Investigation S3 Ep 8 - 10

SEASON 3 EPISODE 8 - SECOND SONS

Synopsis from HBO GO: King's Landing hosts a wedding, and Tyrion and Sansa spend the night together. Dany meets the Titan's Bastard. Davos demands proof from Melisandre. Sam and Gilly meet an older gentleman.

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Arya & the Hound - she's been learning a LOT since leaving King's Landing. This relationship teaches her what she is capable of, and shows gives her that powerful feeling she learns of from Jaqen back in Harrenhal. Sweet revenge.

- Davos learns to read. How long did he really think he could make it as Hand of the King to Stannis if he's illiterate? What a weirdo.

- Tyrion promises to never hurt Sansa. He continues to be good to her. This has to play a part in the future. They're separated from each other so quickly that things between them are left open. Does their marriage still count? Probably not, but they have a connection. Tyrion's past relationship with both Sansa AND Jon must prove useful to Daenarys next season.

- I love when Tyrion talks back to Joffrey. He openly threatens the King in front of EV-ERYBODY! Drunk or not, it was awesome!

- Sam & Gilly make camp in an abandoned cabin next to a weirwood tree. A bunch of ravens show up and seem to be watching them. Then an Other shows up. Were the crows there to warn them? What was the deal there? We've seen the ravens around before the Others show up before. Are they the eyes of the Children of the Forest?

- Sam kills the White Walker and we see the power of Dragonglass.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 9 - THE RAINS OF CASTAMERE

Synopsis from HBOGo: Robb presents himself to Walder Frey, and Edmure meets his bide. Jon faces his harshest test yet. Bran discovers a new gift. Daario and Jorah debate how to take Yunkai. House Frey joins with House Tully.

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Robb plans to take Casterly Rock. If he lived he would have learned that the Rock was dry. I wonder what he would have done with that information.

- Sam plans to enter the Wall via the Nightfort. I forgot about this scene, but I remember the part in the book. It's much better and magical in the book.

- Gilly says Sam is a wizard, which is what he always wanted to be when he was a kid. His maester training could make him into a wizard of sorts, if he's allowed or decides to study magic.  He sees magic happen, so I'm sure the interest he had has only grown.

- Arya staring at the Twins! It's heartbreaking! She's so damn close!

- Bran learns how to control his warning. This is the first time he wargs into Hodor and purposefully wargs into Summer.

- I remember the first time watching the Red Wedding. It was the first time I yelled out loud at my television. My wife and I were completely shocked by what we had just seen. Now I watch it and all I think about is how I can't wait til I get to the Mountain vs. the Viper, the battle at the Wall, the battle at Hardhome, and the battle of the bastards! So much great stuff to look forward to in a re-watch! WHAT ARE WE GONNA SEE IN SEASON 7???!!!!!! I'll tell you what I think tomorrow!

SEASON 3 EPISODE 10 - MHYSA

Synopsis from HBOGo: Joffrey challenges Tywin. Bran tells a ghost story. In Dragonstone, mercy comes from strange quarters. Dany waits to see if she is a conqueror or a liberator.

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Arya becomes No One to lure a Frey soldier in and expose a vulnerable spot. It's quite brilliant actually and really shows how much she's learned. No wonder Jaqen invited her to Braavos.

- We learn that Aegon I carved and painted that awesome table at Dragonstone. If I meet a some dude named Aegon who does woodworking, I'm totally hiring him.

- Davos helps Gendry escape. Where does he go? King's Landing? North? Hmmm....

- Melisandre throws Aemon's message into the fire and seems to get a vision. What she says just confirms her talk about the coming of the Long Night. Then she tells Stannis only he can stop it. Is she seeing a vision of Azor Ahai that she thinks is Stannis? Like a shadowed person fighting with a flaming sword? DAMMIT I WANT ANSWERS ALREADY! JUNE CAN'T GET HERE FAST ENOUGH!!!

- Stannis says something about Davos being saved by the "fire god you like to mock." and then, "you're a part of his army now." He's right, but not in the way that he thinks. I really think Davos is tied tight to R'hllor. A lot of his power depends on faith, and Davos is a man full of it.

GoT Episode Investigation Season 3 Episode 2 - 7

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I've got a lot to get to so I'm just going to dive in.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 2 - DARK WINGS DARK WORDS
Synopsis: Bran and company meet Jojen and Meera Reed. Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie meet the Brotherhood. Jaime travels through the wilderness with Brienne. Sansa confesses her true feelings about Joffery to Margaery.

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Bran hears Ned's voice in the wind (during a green dream), just like Ned hears Bran's voice in the wind at the Tower of Joy.

- Robb and Teleesa are interrupted by Roose Bolton this time. Good. Seriously, if I were one of Robb's bannermen, or specifically Roose himself, I'd be pissed about how often this lady interrupted or kept my King from doing his duty. No wonder people thought he lost the war when he married Teleesa. Sheesh.

- This is the episode where Theon meets Ramsay and the men of the Dreadfort. I remember I hadn't read the books yet, nor had I remembered the talk between Roose and Robb about Ramsay taking care of Theon for him. So I had no idea what was happening to Theon my first time around, now I see right away, how Ramsay is. He likes to play.

- Sansa meets Lady Olenna, the Queen of Thorns. It's hard to tell how exactly the Tyrells would continue to treat Sansa. I mean, they're honorable people, so I'm certain she'd be well taken care of. BUT, their use of her seems to be for information only. Sansa is obviously an important person in Westeros, so wouldn't it be smart for them to keep her close rather than let her escape? Unless, of course, that was part of a deal that was made with Littlefinger, which seems the most logical route.

- Catelyn tells a story about how she's a shitty mom and couldn't come to love the bastard that Ned brought home. She uses an interesting string of words to describe the events. She says that the baby was sick with pox and had to SURVIVE THE LONG NIGHT. Probably nothing, but just interesting word use.

- Jon learns about wargs and warging in this episode. So when he meets Bran, he'll have some understanding of what Bran has experienced. Can't wait for that!

- Bad ass quote: "Tarley, I forbid you to die. D'you hear me?" - Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. Sam just looks at him and nods, not necessarily convinced but at least he's committed to following orders.

- We meet a faction of the Brotherhood Without Banners led by Thoros of Myr. Thoros is a very interesting character. He is proof that Melisandre's power is legit.

- Bran learns about green dreams and warging from Jojen Reed, who also mentions that his father (Howland Reed) wouldn't tell him about Robert's Rebellion and wept when he learned of Ned's death. I can't wait to meet Howland Reed. If he didn't tell Jojen about the rebellion, it tells me that he didn't tell ANYONE about the Tower of Joy and Jon's true birth.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 3 - WALK OF PUNISHMENT
Synopsis: Robb and Catelyn arrive at Riverrun for Lord Hoster Tully's funeral. Tywin names Tyrion the new Master of Coin. Arya says goodbye to Hot Pie. The Night's Watch returns to Craster's. Brienne and Jamie are taken prisoner.   

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- The opening scene of Edmure Tully trying to light his father's pyre before it disappears around a river bend is brilliant visual storytelling! Love this scene so much.

- Same with the scene with the King's Small Council choosing their seats around Tywin. Varys, Littlefinger, and Pycelle race to sit as close to Tywin as possible despite all of the chairs on one side. Cersei simply pulls a chair over to the other side, sitting right beside her father, while Tyrion pulls a chair around to sit at the opposite end of the table from Tywin. Very telling about all of these characters.

- We get another look at what the Others like to do with their victims. We will later discover that the Children of the Forest did the same thing. The difference is that the Children use natural objects, like trees and stones, but the Others use dead things like people and horses. The symbol in this scene is that of a spiraling star, infinitely spiraling outward. They symbolism suggests the spread of the Night King's reach. Very interesting.

- Interesting word useage here: Melisandre calls Stannis "the song of fire". She's obviously wrong, but if that's the term she's using to describe the reborn Azor Ahai, I'm wondering if she heard it spoken from the her flames. If I'm remembering correctly, the only actual person to coin that phrase was Rhaegar, when his son Aegon was born.

- Jorah and Ser Barristan trade advice over the purchase of the Unsullied. It's a veiled argument of fighting with honor and fighting to win. A running theme throughout the show, I love how it's woven in throughout. I just hope Jon learns the lessons that Dany is learning. Perhaps that's what he'll learn in Season 7?

- Our first look at Ramsay's love of games involving his arrows. Not necessarily foreshadowing, but definitely evidence to make us worry for Rickon later on.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 4 - AND NOW HIS WATCH IS ENDED
Synopsis: Jamie mopes over his lost hand. Cersei is growing uncomfortable with the Tyrells. The Night's Watch is growing impatient with Craster. Daenerys buys the Unsullied.   

- Jamie hits rock bottom when he loses his hand. His entire attitude changes, and Brienne is there to pick up the pieces. No wonder he cares so much for her, she's more supportive of him than Cersei ever was.

- THEORY SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE!!!: There's a theory about who Varys actually is (no, not the one about him being a Merman, that's just too much for me) the one that says Varys has Targaryan blood or more specifically, Blackfyre

- Interesting conversation between Littlefinger and Varys. It seems like Varys is trying to get Baelish interested in Sansa. I wonder how that might play out in season 7?

- Watching Margaery tour the Great Sept of Baelor with Joffrey is ironic considering this is where she dies. But what is more telling is her obvious attempts to manipulate Joffrey. She's moderately successful, and later, will be even more so with Tommen. Margaery really is a one trick pony though, who keeps showing us how easily she's used by Lady Olenna.

- Jeez louise Theon is a real chatty Cathy when he's feeling vulnerable! He pours his heart out to Ramsay when he thinks he's being helped. All he has is his regrets, and as pathetic as he is now, he's still got a long way to go before I feel bad for him.

- Cersei desperately wants Tywin to see her as he would a man. The difference (that she can't see herself) isn't that she's not a man, but because she's NOT as smart as she thinks she is. Tywin calls her out on that straight up, but she dismisses it. Which is, of course, more evidence to support Tywin and also lends support to the idea that she can't hold the Iron Throne for long.

- Varys starts to speculate about Littlefinger. He seems to be able to see Baelish's long game and offers Olenna help in solving the problem of Sansa. This could be the moment that Varys presents a plan to kill Joffrey, with Littlefinger's help as the means of escape, Olenna as the trigger and Ser Dontos as the patsy. I'm almost certain Varys and Littlefinger both helped each other here. Even if I'm wrong about that, this scene also totally opens the door for the reveal of a future alliance between Dany's forces and the Tyrells. The only thing I'm left wondering is if Baelish also has a little finger in that pie as well. See what I did there?

- Margaery starts to fill Sansa's head with false hopes about her marrying Loras and moving to Highgarden. Why? Is it because she likes Sansa and wants her to be hopeful, or is she fucking around, or is she just dumb? I'm leaning towards dumb.

- Craster asks Jeor about Jorah, then goes on to mention how he's had 99 sons. 99 sons given over to the Others! 99! THINK ABOUT THAT! 99 boys made into Whites, that's not even the army! That's the leadership!

- I feel bad whenever I watch the death of Jeor Mormont. Such a terrible way for a great man to die, stabbed in the back by a mutinous brother of the Watch. RIP Lord Commander Mormont.

- Beric Dondarrion = a physical manifestation of R'hllor's power. He opens the door for Jon's future resurrection. Also shows us here and now that the Lord of Light has plans for the Hound, as Dondarrion sentences Sandor Clegane to a Trial by Combat. This scene isn't just to show us how Thoros' power works, but also that the Hound has a big role to play and I don't just mean in helping Arya.

- This is one of my favorite Daenarys scenes. She finally reveals to the Great Masters that she can speak Old Valyrian and has understood them the whole time! I for serious get goosebumbs. Jorah and Barristan look at her differently too. Before it was like they would a child that they care for and are protective of and saw potential in; now it's a look of awe as they see her strength, power, and greatness.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 5 - KISSED BY FIRE
Synopsis: Robb's army is falling apart. Jamie reveals a story, to Brienne, that he has never told anyone. Jon breaks his vows. The Hound is granted his freedom. The Lannisters hatch a new plan.   

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Beric rubs his sword with his own blood and sets it ablaze. Nice touch, also it means that the Lord of Light's power is literally running through his veins.

- Jon breaks his vows and punches his V card. Way to go, bud. You're almost a full grown man now.

- The "Kissed By Fire" title refers to Igritt telling Jon about her first time and how it was with a Wildling that had hair like hers. "Kissed by fire" is meant to be taken as Jon being kissed by the fire and now a fire has awakened inside him. Jon is a different guy after their romp in the cave.

- There does seem to be some romantic feelings between Gendry and Arya. A reunion is absolutely possible I'll admit, but I still don't know why it would be necessary and still believe that IF a reunion does happen that it will be because fans want it and not for plot purposes. We'll see, I like when I'm wrong.

- Arya speaks her list into the flames as she's next to Thoros dot dot dot...

- It's revealed her that Beric Dondarrion has died and been brought back SIX times! He says that each time he's brought back, HE is a bit less. I wonder what that means for Jon?

- I just noticed that Princess Shireen is singing the song that Patchface the Fool is always singing in the books. Patchface is an interesting a mysterious character in the books, it's a shame he's not in the show although, I understand why he's not.

- Jamie tells the his side of the story of how King Aerys died. It puts him in a much more sympathetic light. It's obvious why we didn't hear about this until now. Jamie didn't care what people thought before, but now with Brienne he finally does. Excellent character development, "Help! The Kingslayer!" as he slumps into the mud, "Jamie. My name is Jamie." That one line says so much.

- Davos' relationship with Shireen is wonderful and adorable and is yet another test of faith for him. The parallels between Job and Davos are pretty clear. Constantly tested by his God. Cool stuff. We know it leads to a resurrection, I wonder where else it will lead.

- More of the running theme about honor - Honorable men teach good lessons but do not survive.

- I am really starting to think that Littlefinger charm is doing quite a number on young Sansa Stark. I am feeling more and more like she will be turning her back on Jon next season in support of Baelish.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 6 - THE CLIMB
Synopsis: Jon and the wildlings scale The Wall. The Brotherhood sells Gendry to Melisandre. Robb does what he can to win back the Freys. Tyrion tells Sansa about their engagement.   

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts -

- Sam shows Gilly the "treasure" he found. He shows off the dragon glass, but NOT the horn. Obviously, the dragon glass has more of an impact on the immediate plot, but leaving out the horn is interesting in itself.

- The scene where Melisandre meets Thoros and Beric if VERY interesting. Mel learns that R'hllor's power can be dormant in someone, with their faith all but gone and STILL perform a miracle. Thoros talks about how he is just a drunk and asks the Lord of Light for help and it's given. When he first did this, he hadn't been an active Red Priest in many years and his faith was gone. Then he gave Beric the breath of life and his faith was restored.

- Mel's meeting with Arya is also very interesting. She looks Arya deep in her eyes and tells her that she sees a darkness in her, and different colored eyes staring back. Eyes that she has closed forever. If you are a first time watcher then you know that she's killed a couple of times already, but also references her future as an assassin.

- The Wildlings and Jon make their climb up the Wall. I couldn't do that. No thank you. They'd have to kill me and I'd probably welcome that if given the choice.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 7 - THE BEAR AND MAIDEN FAIR
Synopsis: Jon and the wildlings travel south of The Wall. Talisa tells Robb that she's pregnant. Arya runs away from the Brotherhood. Daenerys arrives at Yunkai. Jamie leaves Brienne behind at Harrenhal.

Clues/Evidence/Thoughts:

- Tywin tells Joffrey that Dany and her dragons are nothing for him to worry about. He's right, but not for the reasons he thinks. Ha!

- Dany vs. the Wise Masters of Yunkai. At times she sounds arrogant, but in the end she is confident and strong and the people can see it.

- We meet Qyburn for the first time at Harrenhal. I think he's very interesting. A disgraced Maester who was kicked out because he wanted to learn about stuff the Citadel didn't want him to learn. I can appreciate that. Also, he teaches himself about healing and sickness and human anatomy the same way Leonardo Da Vinci did. Well, kind of.

- When Jamie jumps into the Bear Pit to save Brienne, my brain flashed to that scene in Anchorman, when Ron Burgundy did the same thing to save Veronica Corningstone. "Oh...I immediately regret this decision..." hahahaha

*****
That's it for now. I finished Season 3 a couple of weeks ago, and have all of my notes ready to go. So maybe I'll post the rest later today. If not, for def tomorrow along with most of Season 4. Stay tuned!

Also, if you have any questions or want to leave any comments, all are welcome! You can leave a comment here, or tweet me @Supernerdynews or find my page(s) on Facebook (please like it too!) and leave a comment there! Also, you can email me at Supernerdynews@gmail.com thanks for reading!