CassaSeries Tour, It: Chapter Two Review, And Superhero Love

CassaSeries Tour

Silver Dagger Tours is hosting a month-long tour for me that includes a giveaway for an Amazon gift card and swag.
A full list of the tour is posted at the Silver Dagger Tours site. Here are the stops this week:

Guest post last Saturday at Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor - Where Did the Character’s Names Come From?

Monday – Guest post about music at Writer's Gambit and stops at Just Jemi and The Story of a Writer

Tuesday – Guest posts at Mars Occupation Force - Press Office and Sandra Cox plus a stop at Blog of Author Jacey Holbrand

Wednesday - Guest posts at Elizabeth Seckman and Angela Brown plus stops at Keep on Booking and Authors and Readers Book Corner

Thursday – Guest post at Readeropolis and stops at Antrim Cycle and Java John Z’s

Friday – Stops at Book Review Virginia Lee, Literary Gold, and 2 Chicks and a Book

For the Love of Superheroes

Aquaman. I just love that movie! Have you watched it yet? If not, go watch it first and then come back and read this post. It will blow your mind.

I grew up with DC. The animated version of Superman, Batman and weird cross-overs where Green Arrow looked like Robin Hood and Wonder Woman didn’t look like she could do much. Honestly, I can only remember Superman and Batman as being the heroes whose stories I followed, even though I watched it all.

Which is why this new Aquaman movie is so awesome. He isn’t the last guy you call when you are in trouble…

Back to what I grew up with:

Superman was this goody-goody with only two weaknesses: kryptonite and Lois Lane. He had a best friend named Lex Luthor who wanted to thwart him at every opportunity. Batman was this weirdo obsessed with bats, Alfred and bad guys. He made friends with scary women like Poison Ivy and Cat Woman. Both of these heroes knew every hero that came along – like Green Arrow, the Flash, Hawk Man and every other DC hero. (Don’t get on your high horse: it’s how I saw it as a six-year-old.)

And if you break it down like that, you know exactly what the stories should be about, and what is important to the hero. They even call for help – from everyone except Aquaman.

Then Smallville came to TV and things became even weirder, though Aquaman did get a bit more credit for being a hero. Until they decided that he was only an environmentalist blowing things up… (I haven’t watched it in a while, so forgive me for remembering it like that.)

And until recently, I didn’t think that Green Arrow could do much more than be a glorified Robin Hood. (Blame the animation.) But then Arrow came to our screens along with Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. While things were good, I thought that they should make a series about Aquaman, too. And when everything except Legends fell apart, I was relieved they hadn’t.

As for the movies… The recent series is rather good. I’m not a fan of Man of Steel, I just didn’t relate to their Lois and Clark, and Batman versus Superman has too much politics – though the action scenes are really good. Wonder Woman is an amazing movie that will leave you in tears. Justice League is something you can watch over-and-over again just for fun (or when you are ill and have to stay in bed).

And Aquaman… The worldbuilding, the drama, the humour, the villains and antagonists, the blind spots of the main characters – it is absolutely amazing. Each time I watch it, I see something new to admire about how they have taken Aquaman from being the last guy the Justice League would call for help, to the first guy you’ll run to for safety.

These are characters and worlds we all know and love. Each time a new writer (or group of writers) takes on the challenge of recreating it for a modern audience, they have to keep the essence and add what the audience needs. Which is why, when the Flash asks Batman what his superpower is, he answers: “I’m rich”, and why the Flash and Cyborg believe that they are the accidents. Because a modern audience needs heroes – the accidental ones and those who take the resources they have and use it for good.

I did something similar with my latest book “Magic at Midnight”. I took a girl and put her in an impossible situation to save everyone she loves – and she finds her “superpowers” in the process. Some call it Cinderella meets Miss Congeniality. (DragonSpireUK) Some call it a Cinderella reboot with a twist on the reality show, The Bachelor. (Lee Lowery) Others call it a delightful mix of Pretty Woman and Cinderella. (Word Dreams) While others are in awe of the pegasi and her dedication to them. (Sandra Cox)

But truth be told, it was my love of DC that inspired a lot of what happens in this princess fantasy adventure.

Any stories that have been retold so many times that you know exactly what will happen, but you’re still surprised when the writers come up with something awesome? Do you love DC? Have you watched the new Justice League, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and other movies?

Award-winning author Ronel Janse van Vuuren mainly writes for teens and tweens, though she is known to write mythology-filled short stories for anthologies aimed at older readers. Her dark fantasy works, usually full of folklore, can be viewed on her website and on Goodreads. All of her books are available for purchase from major online retailers.
Sign up to be notified of new releases, giveaways and pre-release specials – plus get a free eBook – when you join Ronel’s newsletter.
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It: Chapter Two Review

Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.
You do need to see the first chapter before seeing this one and I wish we’d rewatched it to refresh our memories. They reference a lot from the first movie that I didn’t remember.
The cast is excellent – they found great actors not only for the roles but who had good chemistry together. They also interspersed the adult versions with the kid versions. (Which helped to figure out who was who.)
I’ve not read the book, so not sure how closely the movie follow it, but overall the storyline was very familiar horror trope. When the film worked, it was effective – when it didn’t, it was derivative of other horror films.
It’s also close to three hours long. While I never felt bored or looked at the time, it could have been trimmed a bit more.
There’s a direct line from John Carpenter’s The Thing in relation to a similar creature. (Not sure if it’s a nod or if King stole it.) Speaking of whom, Stephen King also has a cameo role in the film.
I will say Pennywise’s origins was a bit disappointing.
Overall I liked it but not as much as the first one.


We also watched Godzilla: King of the Monsters again this past weekend. Even better the second time!

Anyone else catch It: Chapter Two? Who’s your favorite DC superhero?

Hope you get to visit some of the tour sites this week and sign up to win the giveaway!