The Ricochet Reviewer: Books, Movies, and Comics

by David Alexander When nuclear Armageddon ravages the world, Vietnam vet Magnus Trench, AKA Phoenix, rises from the ashes of San Francisco and sets out to search for his wife and son on the East Coast. Along the way, he contends with mutated Contams, predatory bikers, and the forces of SCORF (Special Commando Retaliatory Force). These soldiers work for Luther Enoch, the dark messiah of the National Church of the Second Coming, who orchestrated the end of civilization while positioning himself to rule among the ruins. It doesn’t take long for the two to become archenemies. David Alexander’s gory action scenes sometimes read like the fever dreams of a frustrated cookbook writer. David Alexander On the menu: “human Swiss cheese,” “bloody hamburger,” intestines “like a coil of pink sausages in a sauce of blood garnished with skeletal fragments,” and brains served in a variety of manners—“red cauliflower salad,” “steaming brain salad,” “strawberry thickshake,” and “yellow matter custard” ...

Writer/Director: Mark Johnson Harris Featuring: Morgan Freeman, Israel Lau, Livia Shacter, Abraham Klausner, Winston Churchill, Ernest Bevin, Harry S. Truman, Clement Attlee, Dwight D. Eisenhower Much has been said of the Holocaust, but these stories usually end with the liberation of the Jews from the concentration camps.   This remarkable documentary fills in the missing piece between this period and the creation of the state of Israel.  It was an excruciatingly difficult transition.  From the concentration camps, the Jews went to displaced persons camps because they could not return to their old ways of life.  These camps were scarcely an improvement.  As one survivor states, "The Nazis killed us, but the Allies do not let us live."  Anti-Semitic feelings remained strong among the people of surrounding countries as well as the ranks of the Allies themselves. The Jews began to work toward a homeland and many survivors made the difficult journey to Palesti...

Author: Gerry Conway Artist: Ross Andru Inkers: F. Giacoia & D. Hunt Spider-Man has a lot on his mind: He is understandably distressed that he seems to have caught another glimpse of the recently departed Gwen Stacey. In addition, Jonah Jameson, whom Peter suspects of having sicced Mysterio on him, has mysteriously departed for overseas. A meeting with Robbie Robertson reveals that there may be trouble afoot. It’s a bad idea to raise the possibility that Gwen has somehow returned from the dead, but it’s a nice touch to juxtapose it with a deepening of his relationship with MJ. Later in France, Spider-Man trails Robbie until it becomes apparent that a hero is needed. Kind of an odd structure here as the reason for Robbie’s attack is told in flashback. Just in case you forgot we were in Paris, Robbie takes an evasive route past all the sightseeing highlights. Or maybe it wasn’t Robbie’s idea after all. Anyway, it’s better if he doesn’t see that Spider-Man also happens to be in Paris,...

Directors:  Andrew Stanton ,  Lee Unkrich Writers: Andrew Stanton & Bob Peterson & David Reynolds, story by Andrew Stanton Stars: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Stephen Root When a clownfish named Nemo (Alexander Gould) is captured by scuba divers, his neurotic father (Albert Brooks), aided by a blue tang with memory problems (Ellen DeGeneres), must overcome his fears to find his son.  While Marlin and Dory follow his trail, Nemo becomes acquainted with the other fish in a dentist's office tank and learns that he is destined to become a gift for the dreaded "fish-killer" Darla, the dentist's niece.  Though ostensibly a children's film, there is plenty here to engage adults as well.  The early computer animation is magnificent; the colors and textures of the seascape and its inhabitants are gorgeous.  The story itself is rather touching and includes many jokes and re...