Bonus Episode 3 - 7 Highlander: The American Dream Review Part 2
Hey, Rewatchers! This week's episode is brought to you by the Highlander 25th Gathering Convention in Los Angeles, in celebration of the unique and enduring legacy of the Highlander television series! The convention will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 20th through the 22nd at the LAX Crowne Plaza on West Century Boulevard in Los Angeles. We here at Highlander Rewatched could not be more excited about this convention, which will feature guests such as the Highlander himself: Adrian Paul! Elizabeth Gracen, Jim Byrnes, Stan Kirsch, Peter Wingfield, David Abramowitz, F Braun McAsh, Anthony De Longis, and James Horan (whom you may remember from his turn as Grayson in Season One's "Band of Brothers"). Not only will you be able to meet the immortal swashbuckling stars of our favorite television series, but there will be amazing interactive classes offered as well. Sharpen your skills with the blade in Adrian Paul's Sword Experience! Go toe-to-toe with F Braun McAsh in his Knife Combat Class! Experience super-sonic speeds with Whip-master to the Stars Anthony De Longis! And find inner peace and tranquility in Elizabeth Gracen's Fan Kata Class! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us mortals, so make sure to head over to highlanderworldwide.com for details, tickets, and hotel booking info! We can't wait to see everybody at the Highlander 25th Anniversary Convention: Friday, October 20th through Sunday, October 22nd. Head on over to highlanderworldwide.com--again, that's highlanderworldwide.com--today, to get your tickets!
Kyle: It's Highlander Re-Read!
Keith: Re-read, oh boy!
Eamon: Re-read.
I'm one of your Rewatchers--Re-readers, I'm Keith!
I'm Re-reader Kyle!
This is Eamon, re-reading!
Keith: *laughs* And this week, yeah, we have a special bonus episode. Over the summer a comic book came out from IDW Publishing, called Highlander: The American Dream! And it was a five-issue comic series!
Eamon: That's right!
Keith: And so, we're gonna be talking about all five issues now that they've all come out, in detail! So if you don't wanna be spoiled on this comic, cuz it IS pretty new, unlike the show which is twenty-you know, twenty-five years old--*Eamon: Yeah.*--You know, maybe... don't listen to this episode. Maybe listen to it later! You should definitely listen to it.
Keith: You know what you should do? You should PLAY it, on silent! *Keith laughs* So that we get the stats, baby!
Eamon: Yeah!
Keith: Yeah! We get the stats. You get to feel good 'cuz it shows that you've listened to EVERY single one of our episodes, there's not one with that little blue dot sitting out there.
Eamon: That's right.
Kyle: Yeah. If you're a completionist, that's what you can do.
Eamon: That's right.
Keith: If you are fine with being spoiled, or want to know if you should get this comic, or not... that sort of thing, uh, go right ahead and listen, and we'll be giving you our thoughts and feelings on this.
Kyle: Yeah. We have thoughts!
Keith: And feelings. Uh...
Kyle: I don't have feelings.
Keith: *laughing* Okay.
Eamon: Just thoughts.
Kyle: Only thoughts.
3:27 Keith: This comic was illustrated by... Andrea Mutti. He's an Italian-born illustrator, and he's done like some Star Wars comics, Rebels... uh... The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo...?
Kyle: Th... There's a comic of that?
Keith: Yeah! Uh, Iron Man, in which--my notes it's auto-corrected as Icon Man--
Eamon: Oooh!
Keith: --which I'm assuming is some sort of desktop-themed superhero.
Kyle: I'm just uh--I'm pretty sure there is a... DC superhero called Icon.
Keith: Nerd!
Eamon: Ohhhh....
Keith: Go 'head! *Keith laughs*
Eamon: Nerd!
3:53 Keith: Uh, and this episode--And this comic was written by... Scottish fantasy author *with Eamon* Brian Ruckley *no Eamon* with an R!
Kyle: *laughs* You guys did a little bit on that, was there some confusion?
Keith: Nope! No confusion as to the spelling, or person this was!
Eamon: No confusion. No.
Kyle: Is there a, perhaps, famous person with a similar name that... has some accomplishments that you were confused about?
Keith: None that we were talking about, but YOU might be thinking of Bryan Buckley, the King of Superbowl ads--*Eamon: Oh!*--that everyone's probably really familiar with, and I wouldn't know that without doing a ton of research, clearly, about who this person and their career, what that was.
Kyle: Or isn't. *laughs* Or isn't, as the case may be!
Keith: But regardless! That's not what we werev'er--What we were EVER talking about, or even thinking about! We're talking about fantasy Scottish writer Brian *all together* RUCKLEY. *laughter*
Kyle: With an R!
4:40 Keith: Alright, SO! Let's do a little comic description, uh, before we kick things off! 4:45 "The cult-classic franchise makes its triumphant return! In thirty years since its release, Highlander has inspired a cult-following and numerous spinoffs with its epic clashes between powerful immortals. Now, The American Dream follows Scottish swordsman, Connor MacLeod, as he navigates through the American Civil War and the 1950s Manhattan, towards The Gathering in 1986. Reunite with familiar faces, such as Connor’s secretary, Rachel, *laughters* and meet new immortals, such as Osta... Vazilek! But remember… There can be only one!"
Eamon: "Familiar faces, like Rachel."
Keith: Rachel, the secretary.
Eamon: That's what everybody was... holding their breath for. Rachel.
Keith: Rachel.
Kyle: Rachel!
Keith: What... what... What famous character will make a reappearance in this? Will it be The Kurgan or--
Kyle: Yes!
Keith: --Ramirez?
Kyle: No.
Keith: No.
Eamon: Rachel!
Keith: Maybe a little Kurgan.
Eamon: Kastagir?
Kyle and Keith: No. *Keith is laughing*
Eamon: Oh, no?
Keith: No.
Eamon: Oh. That's disappointing.
5:37 Keith: *laughs* Okay. So, we're gonna talk about this, kind of just like we talk about every one of our episodes, we're just gonna go kind of beat-by-beat, what happens. We'll talk about the art, when it's kind of suitable, the covers, as well... And uh, yeah. We'll go issue-by-issue and break it all down for you. So you guys ready to jump into issue Number One?
Eamon: Le's do iiiii'!
5:55 Keith: Alright! So... First let's talk about the cover of... Issue One here. This is like, a variant cover. There's like--seems to be like four covers for the first issue, I think.
Kyle: *dry* Really.
Eamon: Yeah. There's a... standard cover with art by Francesco Francavilla, who's a very good comic book artist. He does a lot of covers 'n posters 'nd... Right now he's doing a Spirit mini-series. Will Eisner's The Spirit.
Keith: That's a good movie.
Eamon: Yeah. Wait...
Kyle: Is it? No! *laughter* You are wrong about that!
6:21 Eamon: You tricked me! Then there's a subscription cover. An incentive cover. *Kyle: Ooh!* And an "There can be only one" variant cover.
Kyle: But there's four.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Yeah. Like the movie, this goes way beyond one. *Kyle echoes, laughing*
Eamon: But uh, this Francesco Francavilla art was actually... re-used... This was like, a mondo, steelbook... 3D cover...?
Keith: Yeah. I think it even shows the date on the cover! It says like, 2015 on the bottom! It's a cool piece of art!
Eamon: It's a nice cover.
Keith: Yeah!
Kyle: It has NO connection to this... story.
Eamon: No.
Keith: I think it's kind of funny that they re-used this cover, because they seem to have hired people to do other covers. *Eamon: Yeah.* It's like, why did they spend some other money to license this? Unless they ow--
Eamon: Well this is the STANDARD cover.
Keith: I don't know!
Eamon: They had to pay for this.
Keith: Right!
Eamon: I have no idea.
Keith: Why did they spend the extra money if they've already got three other covers?
Eamon: I don't know!
Keith: Maybe they thought people would be really into that cover.
Kyle: And buy all four?
Keith: And buy all four!
Kyle: And buy all four of them? But what are the other covers, Eamon? *Eamon: Um...* So the... the...standard cover--if you haven't seen it--IS actually a cool piece of art. It's like uh, *Eamon: Yeah!* the MacLeod sword dividing good and evil, basically; and on the left we've got MacLeod in blue receiving a Quickening, and on the right we've got this huge Kurgan head in all red like, on a throne of skulls! *Eamon: Yeah.* On a mountain of pain! *laughs* *with Keith* "He sits on a throne of blood!"
Eamon: On a throne of blood.
7:34 *****Kyle: Guys, it's the season of evil. This is a Ghostbusters II bit. Anyway...
Eamon: *sings* Meow, mew, mew...
Keith: Vigo the Butcher...
Eamon: The other covers we have a Connor with a bloody shirt, running...
Keith: That's like the Civil War--
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: --thing.
Eamon: And we just have a... like, MacLeod sword hilt on a black field--
Kyle: That's boring. That one is REAL boring.
Eamon: ... I don't know WHAT the Hell... *Keith laughs*... this other one is.
Keith: Isn't there another black and white one?
Eamon: There's one where it's like, a muscle-y MacLeod with a shield--*Keith: Oh, yeah!*--and it says "AN IMMORTAL WHO... BECAME THE IMMORTAL". It's really weird.
Keith: Yeah, that's like a... weird romance-y novel-looking one, right? *Eamon: Yeah.* Not a fan.
Kyle: Oh, yeah. He's like, all buff, with sword and shield? Like, we never see him with a shield, ever. It's kind of like--
Keith: We're gonna have some comments on these... *snickers* covers!
Kyle: And a... a weird head in the background. Like there's a Zordon-head--*laughter* *Eamon: Yeah.*--above MacLeod's head. Yeah. It's weird, man. He looks like Conan the Barbarian.
Eamon: Yeah. I don't get it.
8:30 Kyle: And the *****tions of the women!
Keith: Are these covers meant to trick people? Is that what's going on here?
Eamon: I think they're trying to trick people.
Keith: Like, THAT cover, if I'm into like, swords and sorcery comics--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and fantasy novels, I see that and go, "Huh!" *Eamon: Hmm!* Is that what the point of this is? For all the variant covers? For our first issue?
Eamon: I guess.
Keith: I don't know!
Eamon: I mean, I feel like this is just a thing that comics does, is they have these weird variant covers.
8:53 Keith: Yeah. Who knows! Alright, well let's hop into the story here! So! The comic opens on Hudson Street, Manhattan, 1985. I guess... Cool on them that they set the story in 1985, considering like... most people assume that the movie takes place in '86--*Eamon: Yeah.*--cuz that's the year it came out, but like... There's only very subtle hints--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--in the movie that it's '85, so, that's a nice little tidbit. *Eamon: Yeah.* And, so this is where Mac's antiques store is, on Hudson Street. And so, a dark-haired figure comes in to talk to Rachel. He's looking for Mac and... he knows he's not there cuz he can't feel him.
Kyle: And he's fingering a scale--
Keith: Right!
Kyle: --he's playing with it, just giving it a little tickle. *Eamon? tiny voice* tickle tickle
Keith: Right! And, so this will become a theme throughout this comic--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--this idea of scales--*Eamon: Right.*--we'll see come back, over and over again. And Rachel like, under the desk, has like her hand on a gun, just in case. So she knows some shit could be up. Uh--
Eamon: Yup! And I really hate the drawing of her holding the little gun--
Keith: Tell us about it.
Eamon: I just don't like how her hand looks.
Keith: You had some thoughts on hands in this.
Eamon: I don't like how this artist draws hands, holding things, ever. I feel like he didn't, like, take some reference photos of how hands actually hold anything... *cough* *Keith: Hm.* *laughs*... in his drawings. And th--well there's a lot of tiny hands--
Keith: I did notice that.
Eamon: A lot of like, little, small...
Kyle: Little Trump-hands?
Eamon: ... Trump-hands.
Keith: Presidential hands?
Eamon: Yeah. *Kyle chuckles* Presidential hands.
Kyle: SO Presidential.
Eamon: So basically, they're just discussing, you know, Connor and how he's changed over the years--*Keith: Right.*--and if he's still actually a good person, or not.
Keith: And she, she thinks she knows this person from long a--*Eamon: Yeah.*--like, from like thirty years ago, and... So, he's not there, and Rachel says like, "He's preparing himself for the end." At this moment I was like, HUH! Like, Connor never struck me as a person who was "training" for the Gathering. He doesn't strike me as a person that trains at all! *chuckling*
Kyle: Yeah, he just seems like a rumpled guy.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Yeah! Like he's tired, he's sick of it, he's like... He's the reluctant warrior! ... I think it's shown that way in the, the movie...
Kyle: Yeah, it's weird. It definitely doesn't seem like he's training.
Keith: There, there's a lot of these sort of like--
Kyle: Or maybe she means like, mentally preparing himself, like. *Eamon: Yeah.* The I'm gonna die. *snickers*
10:46 Keith: Sure! Hahah! So anyway, this guy wants to talk on the bridge, and R--*Kyle: So--*--This is like some odd dialogue too, like, Rachel's like, "Connor's always been a good man." And this like mysterious figure's like, "Always?" He's like, "I've known him for a lot longer than you!" And it's like, What? Is this some cue to like, Mac's dark past? Which I was kind of like, interested in. I was like, "Oh! Is there a period where like, Mac wasn't so savory?"
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Uh... Doesn't seem that way. I don't, like, get the opinion that he was like, a bad dude.
Eamon: No.
Kyle: No, but he was like... apathetic--*Eamon: Yeah.*--I think is the main--
Keith: *amused* Which seems also to be the way he is in the movie!
Eamon: Yeah.
11:15 Kyle: Yeah, that's true.*****
Keith: Like again this like, this seems to like, I feel like, retcon some like, motivational stuff, 'n like, some deep character things about Connor. *Eamon: Mmhm.* *Kyle: Yeah.* Which is strange, maybe?
Kyle: Also, just side-note: Chekhov's Gun! *laughing* It's literal! *Eamon: Yeah.* This gun will come back, apparently! *Keith laughs* *Eamon: Yeah. Heheh.*
11:33 Keith: So, we cut to a little later on the Brooklyn Bridge, and Mac and this dude are talking. And they say there's about six of them left--*Eamon: Mmhm!*--which, I guess kind of checks out with the movie. There, there's definitely six left in the movie.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Yeah. Which actually... are there definitely six left in the movie? Cuz the... Yung Dol--
Keith: I mean there might be THOUSANDS left Kyle: Yung Dol Kim doesn't make it into the movie, and we never hear about him.
Eamon: Yeah. Yung Dol Kim...
Keith: It's true, but I think if you KNEW that story, you'd assume there're six.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: I would just say that there's STILL six, in this version. It's just that his character--
Keith: Yung Dol Kim doesn't exist.
Kyle: --doesn't exist. *Eamon: Mmmm!* But we're about to be introduced to a NEW Immortal--*Eamon: Ahhh!*--a new villain Immortal--*Keith: Right.*--HOOK! *Keith laughs* He's a kkkkkk--I, Di'ja, do you know he's a crook, Captain Hooke?
Keith: That's right.
12:12 Kyle: ***** throw the book at the pirate?
12:14 Keith: *laughs* So anyway, this guy says that the humans have no idea that their world will go light or dark in the coming days, and he's like, "The scales will be tipped," so there is arrr-'nother reference to the scale action. *Eamon: Ooh!* So anyway but then there's this like, gray-haired man in glasses checking them out. And, when I was reading this I was like, "Oh! Like, this is cool, like, they're bringing the Watchers into this mythology!"
Eamon: Nope!
Keith: Yeah. Very true! And do we--
Kyle: Nope. Un... Incorrect.
Keith: Are my notes in this? Cuz I took notes as I was writing.
Eamon: Yeah. As you were reading?
Keith: And I refer to this guy as 'Watcher' for a number of issues, because I assumed that's the only thing this guy could be.
Eamon: Yeah. Mmhm. Is this character gonna payoff in any way? *Kyle laughs* NO!
Keith: No!
Kyle: 'Payoff' s a strong word for what he does.
Eamon: Yeah. *Keith makes noise*
Kyle: Also, I just wanna say: This was the beginning of my prob--You had a problem with hands in this--*Eamon: Yeah.*--My problem was with FACES. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like, the faces really warp, in this, like? *Eamon: Oh yeah.* And they have like, these kind of ill-defined, lumpy faces... *Eamon: Yeah.* *Keith: YESSS.* And especially here, Osta Vazilek. You see him in one frame, and his face is like relatively smooth and stream-lined, and then you see him in the... like two frames later, and his face kind of looks like Mickey Rourke--*Eamon: *laughs* Yeah!*--in Sin City! And it's like, What is happening? And like, it just is wildly inconsistent! I find it really jarring, like, I don't know what the intention is, but I just keep thinking it's off-model.
Eamon and Keith: Yeah.
Keith: I have a hard-core note about that in like, issue 3--*Eamon: Yeah.*--it is ridiculous, and we'll get to that. *amused*
Eamon: Well, yeah, I don't know if this is the right pa-place to talk on that. But if we--If we have an overall discussion about the art, I just wanna talk about like, the crowd scenes in this book.
Keith: Sure!
Eamon: Because there are problems--*Keith laughs*--with them.
13:50 Keith: Alright. So, Mac wants to talk this whole thing out over drinks, which Osta says nope! And then he was like, Hey like, wrestling? he's like, n--it's like WRESTLING? *Eamon: Yeah!* Like Mac li... In this comic, Mac--
Kyle: Mac LOVES loves wrest--! Wrestling!
Eamon: He loves wrestling!
Keith: And it's like, "Oh!"
Kyle: And it's like, "Is this gonna be the ONLY wrestling reference?"
Eamon: Nope. Nope!
Keith: Nope. There's a lot more to come, and it's again, like, one of those things that re-contextualizes, I think... Some of you have heard our podcasts on that, if you haven't, go back and listen to...
Kyle: Our eight-part retrospective on the first movie?
Keith: Right! But I think we all kind of agreed that Mac probably is not there for the wrestling. Right? *Eamon: Right.* Like, he's there for some other reason. And it's--
Kyle: He's there to fight Iman Fasil.
Eamon: Just like a public place!
Keith: A public place. Or he was drawn there for some reason! *Eamon: Yeah.* Like he certainly doesn't look like he's having a good time there at all, like...! *Eamon: Yeah!*
Kyle: With this like, fat guy screaming in his face! He looks so BORED, right?
Eamon: He looks like he's gonna barf. Hahah! Yeah.
Keith: But in THIS universe Mac seems to be pretty into wrestling. *Eamon: Mmhm.* So, we get our--
Kyle: Also he's just like, "You wanna take in, just like, spur of the moment wrestling?" *laughter*
Eamon: Is that how it works? *Kyle: Yeah!* Like, "Oh! Let's just go to the--"
Keith: Catch a match.
Eamon: "--wrestling match!" *all three* Yeah.
14:47 Keith: So we get our first flashback to the Civil War in Pennsylvania 1863, ten days after the Battle of Gettysburg! *Eamon: Hmm!* And so, Mac is running down a stream and gets shot through the chest, and that's one of those variant covers that we--*Eamon: Yeah.*--were talking about earlier. Um, and so then there's this long blond-haired Confederate general chasing after him: This is Hooke, we'll eventually find out. *Eamon: Hooke.* Uh, so Mac runs through the woods; he makes his way to a church, and the monks let him in. And then Mac says, "Ahh, like, Holy Ground. I know that cold, unforgiving feeling anywhere." ... Here's a new bit of... stuff, which I'm not sure if I MIND, but this is certainly new--*Eamon: Yeah.*--That the Immortals can sense Holy Ground.
Kyle: *amused* And that it's cold and unforgiving!
Keith: Yeah! Like, what is THAT?
Kyle: I don't know what that--or is that--
Keith: Or is that just Mac's personal religious beliefs?
Eamon: I feel like that's his personal beliefs. I'm basing that on absolutely nothing. *Keith laughs* I guess it fits his character a little bit. But wouldn't Holy Ground be seen as, like, forgiving or... redemptive or something?
Keith: You'd think!
Eamon: Cuz it's--
Kyle: Or warm?
Keith: Yeah! Safe!
Eamon: --the one place you are safe? *Keith: Yup!* Or... NOT safe, as we're about to find out? *Keith laughs*
15:49 Keith: Okay! So... the general, and his troops like, they wanna pursue this guy on Holy Ground--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and so then they like start FIGHTING on Holy Ground!! It's like, what is happening?!
Eamon: Yeah the--Hooke just runs in!
Keith: And they get right to it!
Kyle: This is what he says: The very next frame after you just said "Holy Ground, I'd know that cold feeling anywhere," and like, Mac's like, strewn out on the ground and like, people with lanterns are coming to see him... Then there's this silhouette of the guy chasing him, and it says *gruffly* "This one's yellow to the bone, my bloody boys! Thinks some fool tradition'll keep me from him!"
Keith: So... Again I guess we have this mish-mosh of... In the series, it's definitely like a RULE... *Eamon: Right.* And, in the movie it IS referred to as a tradition, I guess. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Kyle: It IS.
Keith: So... *Kyle: But--* I guess this guy's cool with breaking it.
Kyle: But even the Kurgan wasn't cool with breaking it! So--
Keith: So this guy's what? Worse than the Kurgan? *laughs*
Eamon: I guess. Yeah.
Kyle: Well they do, they do try to make him out to be worse than the Kurgan in this, which is just like, eugh. Okay, fine. Whatever. *Eamon: Yeah.*
16:46 Keith: While they're fighting, the general says: He smells another. Like, fuckin' Logan-style, like! *laughing* *Kyle laughs* *Eamon: Yeah.* Anyway, the monk (the guy from 1985) busts in, and he's like, *harshly* "NEVER ON HOLY GROUND!" And so, the monk says the only thing keeping the general alive is that he's ON Holy Ground. But the only--The general says the only reason he's not gonna fight anymore is because now the odds are two on one. *Eamon: Right.* And again, that's another... thing. At least in the series, that is, that's not allowed. But I guess in THIS universe... two-on-one IS allowed.
Kyle: Maybe...
Eamon: Yeah. Do they ever talk about that in the movie?
Keith: I don't think they ever discuss that in the movie. So I guess you can give it a pass, for being like, yeah, I guess it's okay. It's not a rule, in the movie. *Eamon: Huh.* But it's all like, new stuff. And that's, I think, one of the strange things about this comic is: there IS, like, a Highlander mythology out there. And, I guess this whole time I was left a little confused about like, WHICH mythology am I dealing with? Cuz... Having KNOWN all of it, every time it introduces one of these concepts, it kind of pulls me out of the, the comic a little? Because I like, just start second-guessing everything I know. It's like, "Oh! I gotta re-evaluate my opinion of--or, like my view on this, cuz it doesn't exist like that."
Eamon: Yeah. Throughout this whole sequence there's... like... mist? But in one of the panels, when... Hooke senses Vazilek, there's a weird line of mist, and for a second I was like, "Is this a representation of the Buzz?"
Keith: Ohhh! Interesting.
Eamon: But I don't think it IS--*Keith: Huh.*--cuz while they're--while they're fighting there's just mist all over the place. Like, IN this church-yard.
Keith: Yeah, I guess it's supposed to be like, foggy out cuz...
Eamon: I guess... *Keith: Yeah.* I dunno.
18:15 Keith: Also just, I--I just want to make another note like: Just, about this idea of kind of getting confused about like what mythology we're in? I have a note here--again cuz I wrote these notes AS I read every panel--And so my NEXT note says, I was like: "THIS is weird! The comic introduces concepts from the show; like Watchers, but then ignores other things like the Holy Ground and no two on one." *Eamon: Right.* And it's because, like... Knowing the mythology, and having a guy like... secretly spying on Mac, I was like: "This guy HAS to be a Watcher! Like, it seems very clear." So I think like, the comic would have done itself a, a favor, by... making a distinction at the very beginning that: it's not a Watcher. Because I think EVERY Highlander fan that read this--maybe I'm wrong!--might have assumed that person's a Watcher.
Kyle: I know I did! *Keith: Ah-ah?*
Eamon: Yeah. Me too.
Keith: So if it'd just said up front that this is--that's not what this is--*Kyle: Yeah.*--I think I'd be okay. Cuz I go for... issue after issue, thinking this person's a Watcher. *chuckles*
Eamon and Kyle: Yeah.
19:03 Kyle: So how do we feel--This is our first like, action-beat... our first sword-fight. How did people feel about the way this was presented?
Eamon: Mmm, it's okay.
Kyle: Yea, I liked a couple of the frames... *Keith: So--* I like the frame of him like, bearing down on Mac, like this one with him like... Op, it's like kind of, got a lot of dynamic movement, it's cool. *Keith: Yeah!* But, it's okay.
19:20 Keith: Uh. So, after this we cut uh, to later in the monastery. Mac's lying in a bed. The monk says Mac smells like booze? That's another thing that gets fleshed out a little in this comic, is that Mac is a drunk. *Eamon: Hmm.* Quite a bit. Okay--*Eamon: Yeah.* I don't know if I... DISbelieve that, based on the movie. It's something that is not explored in the movie. I'm not... necessarily opposed to it...
Eamon: Yeah...
Kyle: Did-I mean, do they even SAY he's a drunk? Kkkheh. *rising pitch*
Keith: In the comic?
Kyle: Yeah!
Keith: I think it hints at it a couple times.
19:44 Kyle: *****I think we'll see later that he-- Overlap Keith and Kyle's dialogue. Keith: *****I think we'll see later that they're like, he, you know... doesn't drink as much as he used to... and all these sort of things. Like, Mac seems to always wanna get a drink, in this. *Eamon and Kyle: Yeah.* So, finally we learn this guy's name, it's John Hooke. And... there's scales on the table, again. Another echo of that theme. And apparently Hooke arrived on the Mayflower, and discovered his imr--immortality soon after that. The monk says he's heard of Connor, and he takes interest in anyone who might win the Prize. And he says it's better to prepare for the Prize than to drink your life away. So, again Mac IS a drunk.
Kyle: So... He arrived on the Mayflower. Does that mean he's like a Puritan? Like, how did he get, like, what's... what's going on?
Keith: Well I think--I mean, another theme in this is that like, you can choose who you wanna be. Like, this idea of like, coming to the New World and reinventing yourself or whatever... *Kyle: Yeah.*... is a theme... So I think that was kind of just what they were going for--*Kyle: Mmhm.* Like, this guy came to America with a--for a reason. *Kyle: Yeah.* And also, the monk uh, talks about the power, and the winner will have tipped the scales, again or whatever it is, and or he puts his hand on the scales, so... The scale-thing keeps coming back!
Kyle: *sings* Baby come back...
20:38 Keith: *laughs* Uh, so then we find out more about the monk, in a fairly I thought boring flashback *laughing* It's like a--
Kyle: It's a flashback withIN a flashback!
Keith: Yeah!
Eamon: Oh!
Keith: And they kind of do it like, in the style of like... to use like, movie or TV-making terms, like oh it's like a voiceover. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like, we get a flashback and he's describing... the scene.
Eamon: There's a few panels. He was in Estonia? And he's uh...
Keith: Right. In 1190?
Eamon: Fighting off Crusaders.
Keith: Right. But he did not like bloodshed, so he like, wandered the Earth.
Eamon: Walked the Earf, like Caine from Kung Fu!
Keith: There we go. *Kyle laughs*
Eamon: And then he became a monk.
Keith: And then he became a monk, and his goal, I guess, is to win the Pr--Like, the Prize is the most important thing for this gu. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like protecting the world from the bad person winning it. And he says only--two people could doom humanity; and it's The Kurgan, and Hooke. Uh, and I have a note here I said, I guess that means Fasil isn't so bad.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Right? Like, he fights Mac, but we don't--we know nothing abou--
Keith: I guess, but we never know anything--We know nothing about Fasil, but based on this I guess, he's definitely not as bad as the Kurgan and Hooke.
Kyle: He does wear Aviators indoors, and that... *Eamon laughs* That like betrays a certain dark soul! *Keith laughs* A certain corruption and douche-baggery. But I guess that is not the same as being a... evil killer.
Keith: Right.
Eamon: Yeah.
21:46 Keith: *strangled voice* MacLeod!
*****Keith: You could also even read into this--
Kyle: Is that the only word he says?
Keith: Yes.
*****MacLeod!
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: You could also even read into that a little more, like, if we... assume now, based on this, that maybe Fasil was NOT a bad guy... Either a little bit bad or not bad at all, you could maybe understand when MacLeod says "No," to him. Because I think that's the only word Mac says, when they fight--
Kyle: He says "Wait."
Keith: Oh, he says "Wait."
Eamon: "Wait." Yeah.
Keith: I... You could even wonder... Were they friends? Or, you know what I mean, like? Or, is Fasil playing the Game out, because he has to.
Eamon: Hmm. I don't know!
Kyle: Good question.
Keith: Cuz this may give you a clue that he's not a bad guy. And if he's NOT a bad guy, then why are they fighting? And it's...
Eamon: Right.
Ke: You know. So, it opens up--I think that's MAYBE interesting, although... that's hardly in there. This is what we're bringing into this shit!
Eamon: Well I, I--
Kyle: Yeah! Yeah! We just read a whole lot into that sentence! *Keith laughs*
Eamon: Yeah. I think it's kind of weird that, like, since the Civil War, the only two bad Immortals are like, the same. It--that just seems weird to me.
Kyle: Oh that's right! Cuz he's making this comment in the 1860s! *amused*
Keith: Right. That these are the two--
Kyle: There weren't more evil guys around.
Keith: Right! That we're getting picked off, since--
Eamon: Seems like a missed opportunity. *Keith: Yeah!* Like, so we're not gonna get prequel Highlander comics in this universe where there are other bad Immortals--
Keith: *laughing* Right! Yeah!
Eamon: Cuz these are the only two bad Immortals!
Keith: *laughing more* Right! Hahahah!
Eamon: That we know about, anyway.
Kyle: Well, I guess the question is: There could be bad Immortals, but are they bad enough to...
Keith: Doom humanity?
Kyle: DOOM humanity. Right.
22:56 Keith: So, there's some smoke, and fire in the distance. *Eamon: Mmhm.* And, the little village or town nearby is burning. Um...
Eamon: The village that we never see.
Keith: Yeah. So, Hooke is there screaming like, "Come out you rats!"
Kyle: *laughing* Is--is that town Gettysburg? What is--like--
Keith: I guess!
Kyle: I don't know!
Keith: Who knows?
Kyle: Also like, ten days after Gettysburg is a long time for these guys to still be around.
23:14 Keith: I don't know enough about the way that all shook out afterwards to know who's there and who's not.
Kyle: Yeah. I don't know. *Keith: Huh!* It just seems like they wouldn't still be there.
Keith: So anyway, he's off in the distance. He's got like some townspeople or whatever captured, and he's like: "See how I pass my time?" and he fucking head-shots some dude! This is violent! Like, this is fucking brutal!
Kyle: It's real violent. At which point, Osta Vazilek *laughing* gives him like the*Eamon: The Horns.*--Devil Horns--or some... He's like, he's like, YO!
23:38 Keith: Uh, so he asks Mac to like help fight him against it. He's like, "YOU brought this evil upon us!" which isn't, I don't think, really true at all--
Eamon: Isn't true. Yeah.
Keith: --and he's like, "You'll have to stand with me against it." And then Mac, a little quip, he's like, "Oh after all, who wants to live forever?" 23:52 ***** Mac. *amused noises from Eamon and Kyle sings the song* And that's the end of Issue One. So, let's talk about our thoughts on... this. My--I'll start off. Maybe.
Eamon: Sure.
Keith: My thoughts are: This is completely... okay. Like I am... completely not invested in the story... and I don't HATE it, necessarily, either. It's just kind of blech. I really don't like that they fight on Holy Ground, I don't know what the point of that is..?
Kyle: There's none. There's... it doesn't help.
Keith: Like... it doesn't change the story...
Kyle: Why don't they just do it outside?
Keith: Right.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: It's just a device to show that the bad guy's... bad, I guess? Cuz you can have the--
Kyle: Which in MY mind all they needed to do was have him in that Confederate uniform. Heyo!
Eamon: Yeah! Oh!
Keith: Yeah! But also I mean like, this could just play out like that Mac goes on Holy Ground, so he can't follow, then he sets the town on fire--
Eamon: Then he burns the thing! Yeah.
Keith: And he says "Come fucking out!" *Eamon: Yeah.* Like, that's his goal! Like, you know... *Kyle: Yeah.* It's like this extra bullshit that's in there that makes it confusing and weird!
Eamon: And for like, Highlander fans, it's just like, an immediate like, "What?! This kinda stinks."
Keith: Yeah!
Kyle: And like, I guess it's good that they're introducing a new... Immortal enemy, like that's... *Eamon: Yeah.*... fun. And he seems evil. Like, he seems convincingly evil so far.
Keith: Yeah.
Eamon: Sure.
Keith: I like that Rachel is, maybe, at least, introduced in this as like, a little more bad-ass. I mean, we'll see she's kind of more bad-ass as the--*Eamon: Yeah.*--thing goes on, but like: she's got a gun, like she must have seen bad Immortals before like--*Eamon: Right.*--that she's a little bit more caught up in this than you might think from the movie. So I mean, that's something new!
Eamon: Yeah. Right! She's a classic character that's returned!
Keith: "Classic character." The secretary!
Eamon: Yeah! *laughs*
Keith: Uh, so that's Issue One!
Kyle: *snidely* Classic!
♫Princes of the Universe!♫
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26:41 Keith: Shall we talk about...
Eamon: Issue TWO!
Keith: Issue Two.
Kyle: Alright. So we should start with--
Keith: Do th--Do these issues... they don't have names, do they?
Eamon: No.
Keith: No. So let's talk about the cover!
Eamon: It's Connor, holding a sword... his sword. And Rachel's standing behind him. It's at night. She's holding a book for some reason.
Keith: I think she's supposed to be in s... a college student, at this point? *Eamon: Ahh.* So this is, like... that's a picture--like... it's got like a 50s style sort of thing, right? Yeah.
Eamon: Yeah. He has, like, a fedora.
Keith: It's alright.
Eamon: In front of a bridge. Yeah, it's alright.
Kyle: The Fedora-Mac.
Eamon: Yeah. The Variant cover... or the Subscription cover...
Keith: I didn't realize there was another one for this.
Eamon: ... is Mac fighting Hooke, in a similar style to the...
Keith: Oh, yeah!
Eamon: ... Mac-running-through-the-woods, 27:22*****.
Keith: Right. Those are more like painting-looking things. Yeah.
Eamon: Yeah. They're probably like, digital paintings, or something. All the same people worked on... all the issues. There's no change in artist of letterer or colorist.
Keith: Right. Alright, shall we hop into THIS issue?!
Eamon: Let's do it!
27:34 Keith: Alright!
Kyle: It is worth noting that this looks SO completely different, though, that... This cover looks completely different--*Eamon: Yeah.*--than any of the--*Eamon: other...*--oth--the covers from last time. *Eamon and Keith agree* Like, it looks like a different kind of thing entirely--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and this cover does not resemble at all... what lies within. *Eamon: Nope!*
Keith: That's something we'll definitely see--*Eamon: Yeah!*--as we see more of these covers. Okay, so...! The Opening! We're back in Pennsylvania, uh, in 1863 ten days after The Battle of Gettysburg. Hooke is still fucking there blasting people in the head. Um--
Kyle: And just to sh-prove he's really evil, when he... RUNS out of... Well, he doesn't run out of bullets. When his guh--When his revolver misfires, he decides to BASH--*Keith: Yup!*--this guy's head in--!
Eamon: With like the butt.
Kyle: --with the butt of his revolver!
Keith: This comic is, like... I give it, I guess, some props for being like, kind of violent and gory. *Eamon laughs* It IS!
Kyle: You give it PROPS for that?
Keith: Well, it--
Kyle: Why does it get PROPS?!
Keith: I don't know!
Kyle: It IS violent and gory. I don't know if--*Eamon is laughing*
Keith: The movie's violent and gory!
Kyle: Is it? ... It's violent, it's not gory.
Keith: I don't know. They rip people's heads off.
Kyle: They don't RIP 'em off. *with Keith*They cut 'em off! *alone* And they look campy!
Keith: Alright! Fine! *laughs*
Kyle: Also, I just wanna point out, the irony of a guy in a Confederate uniform calling his gun "traitorous." *Eamon hoots* NEXT page!
Keith: *laughing* Alright! So we cut inside to the monastery, and Osta is telling Mac that he will NOT take the life of any mortal. Osta says: if he wins the Prize, he will not start that path by killing mortals. Um, and he also says he's gonna follow the rules of the Game. And he will only fight one-on-one. And then it's like, "Wait a minute! But in the LAST issue, THAT did not seem to be a rule!" Because--
Eamon: Well he... yeah.
Keith: --the reason Hooke fled was he was like, "I don't like these odds." And it's like, that seemed to imply that you COULD fight two-to-one. Now they're saying it's a rule... *Eamon: Yeah.*... that you can't fight that way? Unless they g--he was implying that after one of them was defeated, the other one could jump in.
Eamon: I guess.
Keith: Maybe. Who knows?
Eamon: I dunno.
Keith: Very confusing! *Eamon: Yup.* Just... not clear! *Eamon: No.* Guys! Come on! So, then Mac says: he doesn't think Hooke is concerned about the rules. So I guess again in this universe there is no repercussions for breaking those rules--*Eamon: Yeah.*--if, you don't have to be concerned. As we'll see later in the TV series, there ARE some repercussions for breaking the rules! *Eamon: MmMm!* Including in... Highlander Three! We'll see that, too!
Kyle: There's BIG repercussions!
Keith: That's right!
Kyle: It's so much more convenient if it's just a rule. *Eamon: Yeah.* No one thinks about it that hard if it's just a rule. *Keith: Right.* You say it's a rule and it's done!
Keith: Yup. Moving on.
Kyle: Moving on! *Keith: Alright--* And there don't need to be repercussions! It just never needs to come up! *Eamon: Yeah.* *Keith laughs*
29:51 Keith: Alright. So we cut uh, back to this like, battlefield or village. One of Hooke's soldiers wants to leave, but Hooke's like, "There's a reason we gotta stay."
Eamon: And he's like, "I'm lucky! Don't you wanna stick by me?"
Keith: Yeah. They've called him like, like Hooke's Luck?" *Eamon: Mmhm.*
Kyle: Well I guess it's just highlighting that: he uses his immortality on the battlefield--
Keith: Ohhh, right, that's right, that's right.
Kyle: --and like isn't afraid to show it. *Keith and Eamon: Yeah.* Cuz he shrugs off wounds that would have killed another man...
30:12 Keith: Right. So, Osta comes charging at them, and they start shooting at him, and like, Osta does NOT get taken down by these bullets and--*Eamon: Yeah.* I actually think this is maybe more in line with the FILM, because--
Kyle: Because they're so much more durable in the film. *Eamon and Keith: Yeah.*
Keith: Yeah, like, and then like the Nazi scene when Mac gets shot, like, it doesn't seem like... Like in the TV show like, where if they get shot, they die, and then somehow revive later? *Eamon: Yeah.* In some period of time like... Mac gets like, blown down by the Nazi, and then is like, instantly awake and just gets right back up. *Eamon: Yeah.* So, I think that's kind of what this is. It's like, you just kind of can't get hurt.
Kyle: He just--Yeah. He just kind of... walks through the bullets. *Keith: Right.* It's wild.
Keith: Uh, so Mac is--
Kyle: It's kind of cool! I mean--
30:49 Keith: Yeah! No! I'm into it! Mac sneaks up while this is all happening and like, comes up from behind; and then there's like an all-out fight!
Eamon: Yeah. Mac is fighting the... soldiers, and gets bayoneted! *amused*
Keith: *laughing* Yeah!
Kyle: Through the chest! Yeah, it's brutal! He gets like, impaled!
Keith: But then--Hooke takes out Osta, cuz Osta is really out of practice, and not a good fighter, and when... Hooke is about to take his head, Mac shoots him.
Eamon: He like shoots him in the FACE.
Kyle: He shoots him through the back of the head, out through his eye.
Keith: *happily* Yesssss!
Eamon: Woof!
Kyle: HAHA!
Keith: Yeah. That is, again, very violent. *Eamon: Yeah.* Props.
Eamon: Pro... *laughing with Keith* And props to the violence!
Kyle: And Osss, and Osta's again like, "You are careless with the rules!" he says!
Keith: *amused* So does that mean that guns are against the rules?
Eamon: Ohhhh!
Kyle: No, I think it was a two-on-one violation.
Keith: WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING? See, I'm confused again! I thought that was a GUN-reference!
Eamon: Yeah, I dunno.
Keith: I dunno either!
Kyle: But hell of a shot, Mac! *Eamon: Yeah!* That was a real, good shot!
Eamon: Hats--Uh, Mac's a sharp-shooter.
Keith: Yeah. I did have a note here, that I was like: Is this whole comic about breaking the rules? If so, I may be irritated, but okay with it. *Eamon: Hm.* That's NOT what it seems like this comic is about. *Eamon: No.* So I was like: Maybe that's the twist this is gonna be. It's like this whole series is all gonna be just breaking rules.
Eamon: Breaking the rules; breaking the rules!
32:02 Keith: So... Mac walks off covered in blood and Hooke has escaped.
Kyle: And like Mac doesn't wanna stay, and like, try to help the town. *Eamon: Yeah.* He's just like, it's just gonna burn down anyway. If not now, it's gonna get destroyed later, like. I'm out.
Keith: Yeah. And Mac wants to head off back to Europe. He says "At least I can--I understand the madness there." *Eamon: Yeah.* 32:20 So! We cut back--
Kyle: So Mac's a deserter. *Keith bursts out laughing* Right? *Eamon: Yeah?* Yeah! Also, I'm just surprised he's fighting in the American Civil War, but--
32:27 Eamon: Yeah. That's what he said.*****
Keith: We know from the movie he's been here since the Revolution, so like, Mac's been like, an American for a while.
Eamon: Not no more!
Keith: Not no more.
Eamon: Or he's taking a little break.
32:35 Keith: Taking a li--Yeah! We cut back to New York, 1985. And so there's like, a bunch of like, Goth kids walking down the street. *Eamon: Yeah.* Osta's talking about how things have changed...
Kyle: *Osta-voice?* "I knew a Goth..."
Keith: Yeah. Right!
Kyle: "She lived fifteen hundred years, and she never once looked like that!" *Eamon: HOooo!* *Kyle snickers*
Keith: But she's not around anymore because the Kurgan took her out in the Congo in the sixties.
Eamon: Ooh, my favorite movie!
Keith: Yeah, with uh, Bruce Campbell? My favorite Bruce Campbell movie?
Eamon: Is that a Bruce Campbell movie? *Keith: Yeah.*
Kyle: Is it your favorite Tim Curry movie, too?
Keith: That's right, Tim Curry's in it!
Kyle: And certainly my--Well, not my favorite Ernie Hudson movie. *Eamon: Yeah!* *Keith laughs* Actually, I LOVED--
Keith: It's a star-studded cast! *Eamon: Yeah.*
Kyle: Actually, I LOVE Ernie Hudson in that movie. I would watch a spin-off movie of Ernie Hudson's character IN Congo. He's amazing.
Eamon: Let's do it!
Kyle: He's like their local fixer, and it's great! Anyway.
Keith: That's great!
Eamon: *whispers* Congo! Michael Crichton! *Keith: Uh...*
Kyle: Hyper-intelligent apes! City of Diamonds!
Keith: Satellite-plot.
Kyle: For reasons.
33:26 Keith: Goddamnit. Alright, so...
Eamon: They talk about the Kurgan a little bit.
Keith: Yeah. And Osta says he hopes it's not vengeance that's driving Mac. There's like, more at stake. And again it's about this Prize-thing, like Osta's really into the Prize.
Eamon: Yeah. Meanwhile, this strange guy is watching them from afar, also.
Keith: A-watching?
Kyle: Is "watching" them from afar? This old dude--
Eamon: Is looking at them from afar.
Keith: Really. I wonder what THAT implies! *Eamon: Hmm!* Uh, also there's another interesting thing here, like they--The-g-they... the scale-thing comes back, again. And Mac wonders which side of the scale he's ON. And I'm like: Ooh! I kinda like that! Like is... there some deal where he's like, tempted by the dark side, or do we not know something about Mac's past? I'm definitely like, into this like, nebulous thing.
Kyle: Like, leaning into the ambiguity surrounding Mac's character?
Keith: Yeah! But, again, that's NOT what this comic ever... explores? *Eamon: Nope.* It actually--Let's just riff on this: Like, THAT seems like a really interesting plot. We don't really EVER know much about Mac in the movie, AT all. *Kyle: He's jss--* He's reluctant; he's quiet; we know nothing about him! What if Mac doesn't WANT to win the prize, because of this: "What if I'm tempted? And what if, when I win the prize... Like I'm not good enough? Like I would turn bad, and ruin humanity?"
Kyle: Yeah. If I had absolute power, if I could do anything I wanted, that might not be a good thing.
Keith: Right! That's interesting!
Kyle: That IS interesting!
Keith: Explore that a little bit! Like, that might be some neat stuff to flesh out!
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Well they introduced the concept, but, like really it's just a go-get-'em story about this... *Keith: Right.*... cartoonishly evil neo-Confederate.
34:47 Keith: *laughing* Alright! So we get another flashback to New York City 1955, as seen on the cover, kind of. Uh...
Kyle: *singsongs* Kind of.
Keith: I do have a note here: This is something I do like. I like that all the time periods have their own like, color-palette. Like the Civil War is like, dark purple and blue... 1985 is very like, red, orange and brown; and 1955 is white, black and light blue... with some like, yellow in there and stuff. I think that's... kind of cool. It's good that the, the comic has a color palette for each of these time periods.
Eamon: YYyyyyeah.
Keith: *amused* Eamon's unconvinced. Yeah, alright.
Eamon: I don't think it's--
Kyle: Yeah, Eamon. What are your thoughts?
Eamon: I don't think it's taken far enough. Like, the whole book looks... kind of bland, in terms of its... color.
Keith: I wish the style changed more.
Kyle: And flavor! *Eamon: Yeah.* Very papery! *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: I wish it was more than the color palette. I wish it was just different art.
Eamon: Yeah! *Keith laughs*
Kyle: Sorry. We weren't supposed to eat them?
Keith: No! Sorry.
Kyle: Oh. Okay.
Eamon: No. No, no.
35:35 Keith: Okay. So Mac is walking with Rachel. She's like, flirting with some boys...
Eamon: Yeah! And Mac's like, "Don't talk to them!" *Keith laughing: Yeah!* "They're always boys, they're never men!" But then he's like, "Oh, no! Go and talk to them! Get a milkshake!"
Keith: Right. Because--
Kyle: Go bang those guys! I'll be back!
Keith: Because he's like, he gets the Buzz, he's like, "Well now I guess you can be... You know, do whatever you want, I won't control your body."
Eamon: *laughs* Yeah.
Kyle: Yeah-hahah! Anymore.
Keith: Yeah. Well at least it hits on THAT Highlander-theme. Controlling women's bodies.
Eamon: Yeah. There you go.
Kyle: *laughs* Also, just side-note. They don't do much to... age Rachel in the future? She looks the same age--
Eamon: Exactly the same, yeah.
Kyle: --in 1955 as in 1985.
Eamon: That's a good point.
36:09 Keith: So, Osta i--shows up, in the fifties, and... Mac make some crack that he's le--been let out of the monastery to wash his robe or whatever--*Eamon: Yeah.* So they talk about how Mac stayed in Europe for eighty years... That actually kind of makes sense. I did the math on that, so that's like, right after the Civil War--*Eamon: Hm!*--or in the... 1863, when he said he was done, leading up until like 1945-ish. So, he was there for World War II, and then came back to America. *Eamon: Yeah.* Uh, Mac says he's gonna walk Rachel home, but he wants to see some wrestling later!
Eamon: "The wrestling," he says.
Keith: "The wrestling." And I have in my notes: OMG, this fucking wrestling-thing. *laughter* So dumb! *laughs* Why did they latch onto this?! I mean like... It's like they had a cursory knowledge of what the movie was, and they were like, "He went to wrestling." Like, I guess, it's like... What is there to call back in the movie? There's wrestling... You know what I mean? It's like, taking these random things that are in the movie...
Kyle: And bringing it up like four times.
Keith and Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Making it far more important than it needs to be! Like, the wrestling-thing, is... not important in the movie. I mean it's kind of an important scene but like, the fact that he's AT a wrestling match is like, "Who cares?!"
Kyle: No, and--
Keith: I dunno. I don't care, at least.
Kyle: And like the original idea of it being a hockey match... is way better! *snickers* *Eamon: Yeah!*
Keith: I mean the whole point of that scene is just that it like, triggers this flashback--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--and it's like, THAT'S what's important--*Eamon: Yeah.*--is that Mac has this like, violent past or whatever, it's like--*Eamon: Right!* What I'm... My takeaway from that scene is not that Mac likes WRESTLING!! *Eamon: Yeah.* I DON'T CARE!! Like--
Kyle: It's kind of that Mac HATES wrestling--*Eamon: Yeah.* *agreeing laughter*--cuz it makes him think of this shit in his past.
Eamon: Yeah. "It makes me think of my awful, long life that I hate."
37:31 Keith: Alright, well let's lean into that more, and cut to the wrestling match! *Eamon: Yeah.* So, him and Osta are there, and Osta's like, "I do not like wrestling." And Mac I guess makes an interesting comment, cuz he's like, "Oh, it's kind of fun, cuz it's like a game where no one really dies." *Eamon: Yeah.* It's like, I guess interesting.
Eamon: And also not true.
Kyle: *laughs* Cuz sometimes they do die? *laughter*
Eamon: Yes. Like, many wrestlers die prematurely, because of their... career choice. But I get what he's saying.
Keith: Osta makes some comment that he's glad Mac is looking to the future, but Mac is like, "I'm the same old guy." He's like, "I haven't put down like, steel or bottle." So again, this drunk Mac-thing is... *Eamon: Mm, yeah.*... a thing in this comic. Interesting! Oh, also, the idea of like, "Put down the steel..." Again... I've never been sure if he's like, a warrior. Like, he seems like a reluctant warrior. So the idea that he'd like, put down the steel, is... maybe a little odd. It's like, you don't seem like a guy that really picked it up, much. *laughs*
Kyle: Yeah. You just kinda seem like you went with it. *Eamon and Keith: Yeah.* But we never really get a sense from the movie. Not really.
Keith: No. Although they do, that's a... we talked about it in our very first episode. They kind of recontextualize that in The Gathering episode, where...
Kyle: He's a SUPER HERO!
Keith: ... Connor shows up and he's like, "I'm hunting for heads!" *Eamon: Yeah.* It's like "You are? What are you doing?" *Eamon: What?!*
Kyle: He's a super-hero!
Eamon: *Connor-voice* Super-hero! I like to do things like... In real life you couldn't ride on top of an elevator.
Keith: *laughing* Right! That's what I did in the movie!
38:44 *****Kyle: *Connor-voice* Only a super-hero can do that!
38:45 Keith: Alright. So, Osta's in town because he hears John Hooke is here, and he's never left America.
Eamon: And there's all these, like, panels of Hooke, prepping his murder-victims. *Keith: YES.* So he's like, a serial killer, now. Or always was. *Keith: Right.* Or something.
Keith: So, now we get some of Hooke's story.
Kyle: Just like for fun, like. *Eamon: Yeah.* For no reason, he kills people. Also, this line... I went "Eugh," when I read this... "Hunting. If the Kurgan is a wolf, Hooke is a rabid dog." *tchk*
Keith: I have a HUGE problem with that! *Eamon: Yeah.* Here's MY note! Well it says, "I have a huge problem with that." *laughs* Uh, but it's like... Kurgan is NOT a fuckin' wolf! He's a DRAGON! That's made EXPLICITY CLEAR in the movie!! He's a DRAGON!
Kyle: He's got the dragon-helm-thing--*Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: NO! I mean like, this is like a weird bit of like, I don' know! It's like... Why are you comparing him to a wolf? *Eamon: Yeah.* He DEFINITELY is a dragon, right?
Kyle: Cuz they wanna compare Hooke to a rabid dog. *amused*
39:40 Keith: So we get a little backstory on Hooke...
Kyle: Calling it back-story is a little strong.
Keith: Yeah, but I mean again this is kind of like done in voice-over, I think, like? It's like, "Oh, he helps damsels in distress; he's like... in aluminum siding; like, in business now..." This sort of thing and like... We see kind of him, with different people, with some sailors I think, some women--
Kyle: D'you think he's actually in aluminum siding?! *amused* I thought that was just his excuse to go murder that person. Or was your theory--
Keith: Oh yeah, it is!
Kyle: Oh okay! I thou--I thought your theory--
Keith: No I think that's what they're saying. That's his deal. Uh--
Kyle: Okay. I thou--I thought you were saying that he actually had an aluminum siding business! *laughing*
Keith: Yeah, that's it. *Eamon: Yeah!* The American Dream!
Kyle: That's riveting shit!
Keith: Um, and then he pulls out a sword! It's like, "Uh-oh!" and that's the end of... this issue. What do we guys think? I dunno. It feels like, well as we'll see in the next issue, we'll end up seeing him murdering all these people. *Eamon: Yeah.* But it felt like, this is like a weird edit, like... *Eamon: Yeah.* This--I guess they wanted to make it like a cliffhanger, but this is like, two pages of setup--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--for all these murders, and then it... you don't SEE it. It's like, this is a setup for a montage of him killing all these people, but they cut it short.
Kyle: But also, you didn't... Well so you didn't... they didn't need it. You know he kills them.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Well, true.
Kyle: *amused* Were you... were you... Was there a question in your mind? That he didn't wish them ill? Like...
Keith: No, no! It's not THAT question, but it just seems like, the way the, the comic panels are structured it's like: We see him helping a couple different people, and it's like: Oh, this is his game. And THEN it seems like the next panels are him killing all those people. And it's like--It's just like a visual thing. It's like, "Here's before, and here's after!" But they kind of lea--Like, they leave the if-after part to the next issue--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and I feel like it takes out a lot of the, like... like the momentum of this...
Eamon: If you're reading this like, every month...
Keith: RIGHT!
Eamon: ... you're like, "Oh, uh... Okay."
Keith: So anyway--
Kyle: Also it's like, I don't know why they brought back those other panels. Like if they wanted to just leave it as, like, "Oh, he probably hurt those people," that's fine.
Keith: That's fine! Yeah!
Kyle: Why show it later?
Keith: That's my--That's my point of like, those panels should be here, because there's some momentum to like, I think, the visual storytelling of like, "Oh I'm gonna help you! And now I kill you." And they lose that by the edit, here. Anyway! Any other thoughts on this issue, guys?
Eamon: Uhhhhhhhhh... Noooo.
Keith: No. We don't really learn anything about John Hooke, other than he kills people. Which is, like you said, we know he's a bad dude.
Kyle: *low whisper* He's been gnawing on the underbelly of America! *lip-smacking noises*
Keith: What else do we find out? This--Nothing happens in this. Like, we see Osta in 1955--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and find that he--out that he wants--is looking for Hooke. Okay. *Eamon: Mmhm.* None of this ma--None of this is... I don't know. This is... This is a huge...
Eamon: Nothing that big happens in this.
Keith: Yeah. This is ALL setup for... nothing. And it's like--
Kyle: There's no action-beats in this, right?
Eamon and Keith: No.
Keith: And no interesting conversation, like... If I was like "Meh," on the first issue being like, "Well, this could go interesting places..." THIS issue, I'm done. Like, I think this is like... this is so boring. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like, what is this?
Keith and Kyle: Nothing happens!
Keith: Nothing HAPPENS!
Eamon: Yeah. Nope.
Keith: Nothing--Nothing happens that I even wanna like, keep rea--like, I dunno!
Kyle: Oh, you're not into the Mac-Wrestling fanfic? *Eamon laughs*
42:25 Keith: *****Who wons that match! Maybe that's-The whole next issue is all about the wrestling. *Eamon laughs* Alright, Re-readers! That brings us to the end of Issue Number Two! *Eamon: Ohhh!* We've--We've talked for a while about these first two issues--*Eamon: Yeah.*
Kyle: A lot longer than I thought we were going to.
Keith and Eamon: Yeah!
Eamon: We were like, this is gonna be 45 minutes at...
Keith: TOTAL. *Eamon: Yeah!* *laughing* And now we're like clocking around there right now. Anyway, what we're gonna do is, we're gonna take a little break, and you're gonna join us next week... "You're GONNA join us." I've gotta say it like that.
Eamon: You are!
Keith: You HAVE to! We're leaving you at a cl--a cliffhanger much like--
Eamon: Much like the comic book!
Keith: --these comics leave us, uh... in which you say, "Eh," at the end. *Eamon: Yeah.* Yeah. *Kyle laughs*
Kyle: That--THIS podcast was "Meh!"
Keith: Yeah. Exactly. So anyway, join us next week when we're gonna be discussing... the exciting three-part conclusion of Highlander: The American Dream comic from ID dub yoo Publishing!
Eamon: ID Dubyoo!
Keith: IDdubyoo!
Kyle: Who also puts out the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic comic, apparently.
Eamon: Ooooh!
Keith: Do you think there's a crossover? Gonna happen?
Kyle: YES!
Eamon: I hope so!
Kyle: O, Osta Vazilek is gonna ride... I don't actually know the names of any of My Little Pony, but he's gonna RIDE one of them--
Eamon: Rain-Rainbow Twinkle? Is that one? *giggling* I don't know!
Keith: Maybe, maybe Hooke shows up and head-shots some of 'em!
Kyle: Yeah-hah! Yeh, yep! Actually the uh...
Keith: And burns their village to the ground?
Kyle: Yeah, one of these unicorn ones puts out his other eye! *laughter*
Eamon: Starlight Cupcake? *Keith laughs* Glitter Zamboni?
Kyle: *laughing* "Glitter Zamboni!"
Keith: Guys, we've always said this wouldn't be a sexual podcast. And sadly, we're going down that road right now, so Eamon can you cool it--
Eamon: Yeah!
Kyle: Can you play us out?
Keith: --cuz I'm getting a little... phhh... it's My Little Ponies! *laughter*
Eamon: Keith getting a little Bronie?
Keith: *laughing* Yep, I'm getting a little Bronied-up!
Eamon: Yeah, okay.
Kyle: Starting to sweat, uh... Alright! Well we've been your Rewatchers! *Eamon: Hahah!* I'm Kyle!
Eamon: This is Twinkle... *Keith snickers*... Rainbow, I don't know.
Keith: Alright, Twinkle Rainbow! And this is Keith. Uh, join us next week, for the exciting conclusion. BYE!
Eamon: Bye.
Kyle: See ya!
Keith: Anyway! And then this was written by Brian Buckley! Um--
Eamon: Ruckley.
Keith: What?
Eamon: Ruckley.
Keith: I have Buckley.
Eamon: It's not Buckley.
Kyle: William F. Buckley?
Eamon: It's Ruckley.
Keith: Is that an, is that an auto-correct?
Eamon: I... dunno.
Keith: Or did I, when I Googled this director...
Eamon: Yeah. It's Ruckley.
Keith: Is his name Buckley and I was Googling Ruckley?
Eamon: I think so.
Kyle: It's definitely Ruckley.
Eamon: It's Ruckley.
Keith: Hold on. I DO have to Google this. *Eamon laughs* Cuz if I'm going to give any information about this...
Kyle: *laughing* It's gonna be very wrong! Hahahahaaa!
Keith: It's gonna be very wrong!
Kyle: That's amazing!
Hey, Rewatchers! This week's episode is brought to you by the Highlander 25th Gathering Convention in Los Angeles, in celebration of the unique and enduring legacy of the Highlander television series! The convention will take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 20th through the 22nd at the LAX Crowne Plaza on West Century Boulevard in Los Angeles. We here at Highlander Rewatched could not be more excited about this convention, which will feature guests such as the Highlander himself: Adrian Paul! Elizabeth Gracen, Jim Byrnes, Stan Kirsch, Peter Wingfield, David Abramowitz, F Braun McAsh, Anthony De Longis, and James Horan (whom you may remember from his turn as Grayson in Season One's "Band of Brothers"). Also appearing will be: Highlander Script Supervisor Gillian Horvath; Highlander Writer Donna Lettow; Visual Effects Wizard Don Paonessa; Writer Morrie Ruvinsky, who penned classics such as The Fighter and Not To Be; and Joe Pearson, who produced the anime Highlander: The Search For Vengeance. The Highlander WorldWide Gathering is a star-studded event, and a Who's-Who of the of the people that have shaped the world of Highlander over the years. Not only will you be able to meet the immortal swashbuckling stars of our favorite television series, but there will be amazing interactive classes offered as well. Sharpen your skills with the blade in Adrian Paul's Sword Experience! Go toe-to-toe with F Braun McAsh in his Knife Combat Class! Experience super-sonic speeds with Whip-master to the Stars Anthony De Longis! And find inner peace and tranquility in Elizabeth Gracen's Fan Kata Class! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us mortals, so make sure to head over to highlanderworldwide.com for details, tickets, and hotel booking info! We can't wait to see everybody at the Highlander 25th Anniversary Convention: Friday, October 20th through Sunday, October 22nd. Head on over to highlanderworldwide.com--again, that's highlanderworldwide.com--today, to get your tickets!
This is Kyle.
This is Eamon!
Keith: Alright--
Kyle: Delving deeper than we have any business delving.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Yeah, we didn't think we'd delve this deep but, things have gotten away from us. *laughs*
Eamon: We delving!
Kyle: Very quickly.
Keith: That's right! So, just a re-cap--
Kyle: Highlander Re-Read!
Keith: That's right. We're re-reading this--
Eamon: Delvis-deep. D-T-D!
Keith: So this is--This uh, comic is a five-part comic, came out this summer, summer of 2017. It was written by--or illustrated by Andrea Mutti, and it was written by Brian Ruckley!
Eamon: That's right.
Keith: Uh, if you haven't heard out... first part of it, go back and listen. We discuss issues One and Two, and this episode is gonna cover episodes Three--er, issues Three Four and Five.
Kyle: It's worth re-issuing the Serious Spoiler Warning on this one. We are gonna be talking about this comic book. It is relatively new; a lot of people might not have looked at it yet. So... you know. Bear that in mind. Maybe you wanna go back and just listen to the rest of our back-catalogue; all of the episodes, if you're gonna skip this one.
Eamon: That's right. Or you could listen to our extensive Highlander: The Movie batch of episodes, cuz this is related to the movie.
Keith: That's right!
Eamon: Mmm!
Kyle: -Ish.
Eamon: -Ish.
3:48 Keith: -Ish, indeed. Okay guys, so we're talking about Issue Three! So let's talk about the cover on this issue.
Eamon: So the cover is like, almost thematically identical to the cover of Issue Two. Where it's--*Keith: Yes.*--Mac in a fedora, holding his sword--*Keith: With Rachel?*--with Rachel in a dress.
Kyle: Holding like a book.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: I kind of like the look of this one more--*Eamon: Yeah.*--I think. Like I think it's a neat-looking illustration. Though, there might be a little--
Eamon: This is by Andrew Griffith.
Keith: There might be a little weird thing about the sword he's holding.
Eamon: Oh it's--
Keith: Kyle, you wanna tell us about that?
Kyle: Yeah. It is just different. It is just straight up a different sword than he wields throughout the entire thing. Like, the hilt is completely different. Like it's not--
Keith: It's not a dragon-head!
Kyle: --It's not a dragon-head! It just looks like a generic katana. And, I have no idea why. Like, the curvature is different. Just--Everything about it! It just looks completely... OTHER.
Eamon: Right.
Keith: So, before I read this I thought: Hey! Does he use a different sword in this issue, or the fifties, for some reason? No. *Kyle: No!* This is incorrect. This--He uses the dragon-head katana in every issue, in this comic. WHY is it different on the cover?
Kyle: It's puzzling. It's very puzzling.
Eamon: Yeah, I think the--the artist just didn't know... *laughs*
Keith: Is there any sort of review on this sort of shit? Like, I mean, Eamon... you might know more than I would know. Like, let's say I get hired as an artist to illustrate a comic cover. Right? *Eamon: Mmhm.* Are they delivering finalized pieces of art, or are they shipping anything off, like a sketch to an editor?
Eamon: They should be showing sketches and thumbnails, and--
Keith: I would think so! And at what point do they say: "HEY! We love the cover. Just to let you know, here's a picture of the katana. Just change the handle! Take your--"
Eamon: You'd think... right away? *laughing*
5:14 *****Keith: Right away! Maybe that would happen.
Eamon: In the--In the sketch? *amused* Who knows.
Keith: Just seems like a problem that would be solved early! But, I'm guessing no one who made this comic knew too much about Highlander.
Eamon: Yeah, I guess not.
Keith: Which is probably a bummer.
Eamon: Yeah.
5:24 Kyle: It's so weird! *****That's so odd!
Keith: But also you would think that they wouldn't have no... I mean, having not--maybe they don't know a lot about Highlander, but you'd think they'd wonder like, "Hey, the sword he's holding on the other two issues are different, like..."
Eamon: It's just like a weird de--It's just like, you wouldn't have a Superman cover where his like cape was green. *Kyle laughs* You know what I mean? Like, the sword is an important part of this character's--*Keith: Oh yeah!*--mythology and identity. So it's like: To just have... a wrong sword--*Keith: Right!*--just seems lazy!
Keith: It, it's honestly like, maybe THE most de.... I like... What defines Connor MacLeod? I mean, he's like, schlubby...
Eamon: The bags under his eyes... *Kyle laughs*
Keith: Yeah like, I think he's like... He's not like the most distinctive-looking guy, which is part of it, like. *Eamon: Yeah.* It's like, he's a dude that wears jeans and a trench coat.
Kyle: And tennis shoes. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: And tennis shoes! Like, yeah maybe the white tennis shoes. But like, the sword is like a BIG identifier for... that character.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: You'd think you'd want to nail it. The alternate cover is just Mac in like a darker outfit; same basic schtick, with a katana, but you can't see the hilt. Maybe it's the same one. *Keith starts laughing, Eamon and Kyle, too.* It's very red... like, he's like standing in the rain, and it's like a very moody, dark rain. I think I like the other cover better, personally.
Eamon: Yeah, it looks better. I--I didn't see any of these in stores; any of the alternate covers, maybe because I don't have a subscription, or something? These are the ones they gave me. The folks at Brave New Worlds in Philadelphia! Brian and Rob. Hi guys! *laughter*
Kyle: Give you some advertising! ... Dollars.
6:45 Keith: Alright! So! Let's talk about the opening of this comic! We open in... the New York City suburbs, in 19... Must be '85. I have written '95. *Eamon: Huh.* That's probably a typo, I'm thinking right now.
Eamon: No, this is uh--
Kyle: This is 1955.
Eamon: --'55, yeah. *Kyle: Kids!*
Keith: Whoops, that's what it is! 1955!
Eamon: Fifty-five!
7:02 Keith: Alright, so we've... uh, are introduced to Special Agent Edward Highsmith. Uh, he arrives at the house, uh... This is the, like, aluminum siding house that we were introduced to earlier, where he was like, pretending to be a salesman. Um--
Kyle: Hooke was pretending to be a salesman.
Keith: Right.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: And also, I have a note that says: This must be the Watcher-guy from the future!
Eamon: Ayuh. *Keith: Yeah!* You're right.
Keith: I--I'm still thinking this is--
Kyle: I mean, right guy. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: Right! Cuz, again, now I'm thinking, "Okay, he's like an agent! He probably investigates whatever this murder is, through his investigation finds out the guy's immortal, and gets recruited by the Watchers!"
Eamon: There you go!
Keith: In this very first frame, that's what I'm assuming is happening.
Eamon: *gruffly* You are assuming wrong.
7:32 Keith: Thank you, sir. He's investigating this crime, and he says this is the sort of thing that like, interests him. So he's got a special connection to this case in some way, we'll find out. And so we cut to Madison Square Garden in 1955, uh, where I guess, they're still having wrestling matches?
Kyle: They're... they're on their way out of the wrestling match.
Keith: Madison Square Garden is very big. Were they having wrestling matches in Madison Square Garden in the FIFTIES?
Kyle: I have NO idea.
Keith: I'm thinkin' no, but...
Eamon: Yeah, I don't know.
Kyle: MmmMMmm.
7:57 ***** Madison... Square... Garden.
7:58 Keith: *wheezelaughs* So anyway, Osta's telling Mac that Hooke... takes people's eyes. *Eamon: Mmm.* That's like, his crazy serial killer thing.
Kyle: That's his schtick? Which, like, he--
Keith: Right. And it's because he lost an eye, I guess.
Kyle: I guess. It's so weird. Like, I would say he was a bad guy in the past. Like he was... very cruel. But now he just seems like literally nuts!
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: *laughing* Right!
Kyle: Right? Like, all we see him doing in the past is--he's obviously being like, brutal, and like, horrifying, but it's cuz he's--Like, he's got a purpose. He's like, trying to kill Mac. He's like, trying to pull Mac and Osta out of the church so he can kill them. *Eamon: Right.* There's at least a direction. Here now, he's just... become a serial killer, and TAKING people's eyes, like... *Eamon: Yeah.* *laughter* He's 8:39 ***** become a horror movie villain, for why? I doh--Iglargh--
Keith: I dunno.
Kyle: I dunno! I don't get it.
Eamon: Me neither.
8:46 Keith: So anyway. I guess Osta's not even sure that he's lost his eye, but he assumes he has. Right? *Eamon: Yeah.* And he says that like, "This happens to wounds from the neck up." Apparently.
Kyle: Sometimes.
Keith: *laughing* Sometimes. So what do we think about this? Is this okay?
Eamon: Euuuhhh... I guess.
Kyle: I think so. I think they're trying to explain the throat cut on the Kurgan. I think that's what they're doing.
Keith: Right. I think everyone--I think everyone was okay with the throat-cut, assuming it was "Oh, it was a neck injury. They lose their heads." *Eamon: Sure.* So this is an extension of that? *Kyle: Yeah...* That you can get like, face damage? *Kyle: Yeah..* Yes?
Kyle: I guess. Whatever. I don't need it. *Keith laughs* I wasn't gonna question it--*Eamon: Yeah.*--if his eye was messed up. *****9:16 I just was gonna go on with it.
Eamon: Well if your eye pops out, and you're an Immortal, does like... the eye grow back? Or do little legs pop out, and the eye runs up your body--*Kyle makes noises*--and jumps back into your eye socket?
Keith: Well hopefully they keep--Well hopefully they get--
Kyle: Yeah, I don't think--I don't think it's THAT!
Keith: Well hopefully they keep making Highlander comics--*Eamon: Yeah!* *laughs*--and we'll find out one day! *amused* 9:36 *****As they explore this rich mythology. Uh... So anyway, then they go to a bar. I couldn't tell. Is this supposed to be the same bar from the first movie? Unsure. Maybe.
Eamon: I just assumed it was, but...
Keith: Yeah, I did too.
Eamon: ... there's no reason for me to do that. But he does order a "Glenmorangie"!
Keith: But I think if the--True! Uh... He g--uh, gets called Mr. Wallingford! So he has a different alias. I--
Eamon: Mr. Wallingford...
Keith: --did some looking--
Eamon: Did you look at the movie?
Keith: I did! This checks out!
Eamon: Nice!
Keith: Yeah! So, on that computer screen, when Brenda's doing like her weird hacking, like, the weird, uh, signature analysis? Mr. Wallingford is... *Eamon: Nice!* correct.
Kyle: One of the people? *Keith: Mmhm!* *Eamon: Does it say Mr.?*
Eamon: Or does it just say Wallingford? Does it say "Mister" in the movie, or just Wallingford?
Keith: Uh it's Rupert Wallingford.
Eamon: Rupe't!
Kyle: RUper'!
Eamon: Interesting!
Keith: Yes! Uh we find out that--
10:14 Eamon: Interesting.
Kyle: I like that!
Keith: How 'bout that!
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: That's actually, like, a good bit of attention to detail!
Keith: Surprisingly!
Eamon: Cuz that means Mr. Ruckley had to possibly pause the movie and look at them, or they just gave him the names.
Keith: Or looked it up on Wikipedia, cuz it's also on Wikipedia.
Eamon: Oh, is that where you l--*Keith: Yeah.*
Kyle: Heyo!
Eamon: The Internet! *laughter*
10:30 Keith: Alright. SO! We cut to the crime scene! Or to A crime scene.
Eamon: There's a crime scene photographer.
Keith: They're like, "Oh, this guy didn't know there was a dog," I guess there was like a, skirmish with some--
Eamon: THIS bugged me! Like, the dog waited until after... *Keith snickers* I feel like the timeline is, like, wrong. If the dog heard the wife being murdered, why would it wait... to attack? *Keith snickers again*
Kyle: Well I assume he murdered her, and then the dog arrived. *Eamon: Uhhh.*
Keith: Maybe.
Eamon: That doesn't... track with me, with dogs.
Kyle: Yeah, I know you have a deep connection with dogs...
Eamon: Well you know when, like, somebody knocks at the door, and the dog... the dog'll like run up to the door. *Keith: Typically.* I'm over-thinking it. *laughs* *Kyle: Yes!* *laughter*
11:10 Keith: Alright! So--
Kyle: Even for us!
Eamon: Yeah!
Keith: The agent asks about the eyes, and the detective's surprised that, like, he even knows anything about the eyes. So now we're getting a hint that like, this has happened before--*Eamon: Yeah.*--this agent is looking into this, but he finds a business card, there, that has some like, blood on it. It's for "Drake's Books".
Eamon: Drake's Books!
Keith: Um, so... that's our clue and then we're like, "Oh! Did Mac have a bookstore, maybe, before the antiques store?" *Eamon: Hmm!* We'll find out! So we cut back to the bar... Osta says the church kinda knows his deal! *amused* And he's like, "Yeah, I'm like a monk with a sword. They know what I am, essentially, and they've let me, like--" This is, to me, a weird detail to put in the story. Like, one of those things like, WHY did they bring this up? Like, was that a concern for the writers, to be like, "Oh, man! How did he get away being a monk so long? We'd better address this!" *Eamon: Yeah.* It's like, ignore it! Like--*Eamon: Yeah.*--strange dialogue!
Eamon: Why, why would... him being a monk with a sword have any rena--resonance with monks? *Kyle: Yeah.*
Keith: *laughing* I don't know!
Kyle: He's a, I guess, cuz he's a monk who's lived for centuries. *Keith: Yeah.* *Eamon: True.* I think that's the operative part.
12:02 Keith: Then, we get one of my LEAST favorite bits of dialogue in this comic because: Osta asks if Rachel knows what Mac is. And Mac is like, "She knows there's some magic in me!" Wah! It's like, UGH! God! Come on!
Eamon: I mean at the very least that connects with the movie. Like--
Keith: SURE! But like, it's a--
Eamon: He said that--He says that to her, in the movie.
Keith: TWICE!
Eamon: Yeah. *chuckles*
Keith: Like, it's one of those things that's like, fishing for things that are maybe iconic in the movie--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--and just throwing them in. *Eamon: Mm.* And it's like, this is a silly... fan-service call-back. *Kyle: Mm.* You know what I mean? Like, I don't appreciate this really, as a fan. So I'm not like, "Oh, cool! He said that line from the movie!" *Eamon agrees laughing* Like WHAT? No! Who cares?!
Kyle: He said that line from that Queen song!
Keith: Right!
Eamon: Yeah!
Keith: I don't know. That's how I feel about it. Maybe I'm over-thinking it now. I dunno.
Eamon: It's a little eye-rolly.
Keith: Yeah.
Kyle: Well then, shit's about to get real with this FBI agent, cuz the FBI agent and like, his cop-lackey, show up to the bookstore, and who is there, but Rachel? She is sweeping up.
Eamon: And they start grillin' her. It's a very like, nondescript bookstore. I guess because the owner's gone away. Or died.
13:03 Keith: *dialogue buried beneath Kyle's, except for the raspberry*
Kyle: I am looking--I am looking at the frames right now. I do not see...
Keith: Look how BORING--Look how boring this is to look at!
Kyle: I do not see a single... There is not a single book--*Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: It's so... boring!
Kyle: --in the bookstore! *Keith starts laughing* There are NO books! It is EMPTY, and bare!
Keith: Just look at--There's no backgrounds...
Eamon: There's not even like, an empty bookshelf! The bookstore owner died.
13:23 Keith: It turns out if would seem that Drake, the bookstore owner, is a real person. *Eamon: Yeah.* Not an alias. *Eamon: Right.* I was assuming that's what was going o--going to be going on here, is that, like... Oh Mister Drake was one of MacLeod's old aliases, and he's... changing over, or something.
Kyle: Or why isn't is just Wallingford's Books? *Keith: Yeah!* Does that just not fit on the business card? I don't know. *Keith laughs*
Eamon: Yeah! Wh--Why is that a problem?
Keith: Yeah! Why do they need to have a tenant for this? I don't understand that.
Eamon: They don't! Right? *laughs*
Keith: It's another added bit of detail...
Eamon: Yeah, I guess.
Keith: It adds to the character: Mac's a landlord, guys! *Eamon laughs*
Kyle: Mac's--Mac's a slumlord? *Eamon: Yeah!*
13:59 Keith: There's also some strange dialogue about like, nothing ever good comes from Estonia. And I'm like, what is this about, like?
Kyle: Suck it, Estonians! *Keith laughs: Yeah!* I hear they have great beaches.
Eamon: Really?
Kyle: Yeah! *Keith: Huh!* I'm not kidding.
Eamon: Estonian beaches... You Estonian beaches!! *long laughter* I don't know.
14:15 Kyle: Uh... Son of a beach! Uh...
14:17 Keith: Anyway! So Osta... is a--
Eamon: Osta steps in and the FBI agent recognize him!
Keith: That's right!
Eamon: And he's like, "All monks look alike."
Keith: Right.
Kyle: Yeah. He's like... He feels like he saw this guy ten years ago at the murder scene of a bunch of sailors...
Keith: Yes.
Eamon: Which we saw in the last issue.
Kyle: ... whose eyes had been plucked out. *Keith: Right.* We saw that as one of like the--part of that little montage of... potential murder victims for Hooke.
14:39 Keith: So the police leave, and Osta introduces himself to Rachel. Osta says he didn't know that detective, but he's been to a bunch of Hooke's murder scenes in the past. And then Mac is pissed. He asks like, what the Hell was like the--his business card or whatever doing there, at like the murder scene. Maybe this is where I was like, "So the tenant's REAL?" Like, this is insane!
Kyle: So the business card is at the murder scene, and the implication is that Hooke has been... sniffing around... *Eamon: Yeah.* *Keith: Right.*... Mac. Maybe because he got the Buzz. Maybe because he knows it's Mac. I don't know. *Eamon: Yeah.*
15:05 Keith: So then, Hooke--er, Osta's like, I think I might know where Hooke is. So, uh, across the street uh, in the car, there's two detectives sitting there, and like, they're kind of, I guess, spying on Mac and Osta saying they've got a lot to talk about; he says how he remembers this guy from his past. Mac is gonna now put Rachel in a hotel to keep her safe because now he thinks that Hooke has been to the book store and knows what's going on, and then... Mac and Osta are gonna find Hooke and kill him together. Very good.
Eamon: Very good.
Keith: So, that night, Mac and Osta are in an alley, and Osta says uh, a church contact keeps tabs on the place, and saw a light on the--
Eamon: WHAT?
Keith: It's like wait! There's no mystery, at all. *Eamon: Yeah.* This is, "Oh, we know exactly where he is," *Eamon: Yeah.* "-somebody told us. So now let's go get him!" *Eamon: Yeah.* What is THIS? There's no mystery! Why, why, why, why, why!
Eamon: And he's like, "Oh! I--If, you know... If I came here first, I could have saved that woman from being murdered." *Keith: Right!* It's like: Well then, you also might have gotten killed cuz you don't know how to fight. *Keith laughing: Also true.* So it's like, ugh.
16:03 Keith: Uh, so we cut to the hotel room that Rachel's staying in. Um, the detectives have stopped by to talk to her. They show her a bunch of like, gruesome pictures, all that sort of stuff.
Kyle: But then it starts getting weird, cuz he starts busting out like, wanted posters, *amused* from like, the Old West! 'n stuff, of John Hooke!
Eamon: And also, he has the ACTUAL wanted poster. *Keith laughing: Right!* It's not like, a facsimile or a copy, or something. It's just like--
Keith: It should be, like, disintegrated.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: And like, this other detective is like, "What are you talking about?" Like--
Keith: This is where he starts going off the rails.
Kyle: Yeah. He's like, "WWWWhat is this?!"
Keith: He starts flipping out. He's like, "I know she knows something, like, something's up with this!" And they have to like, escort him out of there.
Eamon: "Tell me who the monk is!" and he HITS her?
Kyle: Yeah. He gives her like aaaaa... like a backhand! It's... What the fuck?! This guy's a huge asshole all of a sudden, like! He's like, a little brusque before, but he's like a BAD guy.
Keith: Bad guy. Bad hombre.
Kyle: Also, his theory was that SHE knows something. Right? *Keith: Right.* And if they went back and talked to her, without Mac and the monk around, she would talk. But he doesn't ask her like, the conventional questions. *Eamon: Mmhm.* He just ramps straight to "Hey, uh, is magic real?"
Eamon: *laughing* Yeah.
Kyle: "Do you wanna tell me magic is real please?"
Eamon: Do you wanna tell me about this immortal monk-guy? *Laughs*
Kyle: Yeah! And this... evil serial killer who's killing people through time? If you don't agree with me, I'm gonna hit you! *Keith laughs*
Keith: Okay, so... Bear with me, guys. I'm gonna talk about the next scene just a little bit, *Eamon: Okay...* cuz I want you to follow along with my logic. Cuz again, wanna make this clear that I was writing notes--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--as I was reading every panel. 17:36 So! We cut and we're back outside the--the monk is snooping around the apartment they think Hooke's in, and then CRAM! appears on the panel, and a sword comes through the door, and then the door gets kicked down. Hooke comes running out, uh, and then he runs through a fucking wall, which is crazy. Then in my notes, it says: "Then he stabs some dude through the chest. Who IS this guy? I forget. He has a sword too? Oh! It's Mac!" I had no fucking clue who that character was. To speak to your point about character models: Who's that guy's face? He also has super-dark hair. Look at him and Osta next to each o--Like, who the fu--These characters, at some point, look all the same! There's nothing interesting about their faces, or anything! I literally didn't know what was happening! *laughing with Eamon* I didn't know who that character was. I thought there was a new character.
Kyle: I mean, IN its defense, like two pages before we see Mac climb up the fire escape, and stand next to that window, in that outfit.
Keith: I don't remember. *laughing* *Eamon: Hahah!* Either way, I was lost--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and I was like: Who is this person?!
Keith: I'm not in love with the art, on this whole thing. This is like among my favorite frames. This is at least like, action-packed. *Keith: Yeah!* Like, I liked... this sequence. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: I'm okay with it. I just didn't like the face-thing! I think Osta and Mac sometimes--
Eamon: They look too similar.
Keith: --they look VERY similar.
Eamon: Yeah. Especially depending on the panel you look at.
Kyle: Both of their faces just look like silly-putty.
Eamon: Yes! *Keith laughs* But yeah. He stabs the fuck out of Mac, and then they FLY off the fire escape!
Keith: I think this is cool!
Kyle: And smash down onto a car! I agree that it's cool!
Keith: I like the--
Eamon: Yeah. They--
Kyle: Stuff's actually happening now, so that's good!
Eamon: --explode onto this car.
Keith: Yeah. For being a visual medium, it's good that they're doing this and not having a... four-page discussion in an empty bookstore that has no--no--
Eamon: Yeah! No bookshelves!
Keith: Nothing in it! Literally, tan backgrounds, most of the time. So. That's good. 19:22 So, there's some sword-fighting; Hooke punches Mac in the gut; there's like some cars screeching around which is cool. *Eamon: Yeah.* And then Mac and Hooke flee.
Eamon: What is the last bit of dialogue, in this issue?
Kyle: "Huh! That job you turned down in Albany is looking pretty good right now, don't you think?"
Keith: And that's said by some on--like, some...
Eamon: Like onlookers.
Keith: ... a family that's seeing this. Right?
Kyle: Yeah.
Keith: Okay.
Eamon: Great. *Keith laughs* That's the last line of the comic, is like a throwaway joke. It just bugs me. *wheezelaugh* So that was issue Three of Highlander: The American Dream.
Keith: Yup! *Eamon: Mmm!* My note at the end of this... just says, "This is some lazy shit." *laughs with Eamon*
Eamon: Yeah!
Kyle: Yeah... I don't know. I liked the... action beats, in this one. But the rest of it; whatever. Like...
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: And also, like, I'm left scratching my head on this entire cop-plot. *Eamon: Yeah.* I'm sitting there going: What the hell is this? Like, why is ANY of this here?
Keith: You know what's telling? I've read some of those crazy Highlander fanfics. Like, not the normal ones. Like the ones with the--
Eamon: Fanfic? What's that?
Keith: That's what two characters from a beloved franchise have sex with each other. *Eamon laughs* But that's literally what I'm talking about! I have read fanfics, about Highlander, where... these characters just bang the whole time, and it feels like that's more grounded in the mythology than this--*laughter*--than this comic series!
Kyle: Well cuz of course--
Keith: And like, I think the person that wrote this has seen the show; or rea--seen the movies.
Kyle: Yeah, well I mean like, the MacLeods do bang everything, so that's accurate.
Eamon: That's true. Is there a fanfic where Hooke and Vazilek and Connor have like, a threesome?
Kyle: Yes!
Keith: We can write it!
Kyle: There is now. *Keith laughs* I'm sure it can come together.
Eamon: *laughing* Instead of fighting in the monastery, they all fuck!
Keith: Yeah! They're like, "Oh, we can't fight here. But you know what we can do..." *laughter*
Kyle: "Hooke let out a rebel yell, as he unleashed his manhood!" *laughter*
Keith: "A rebel yell!"
Eamon: *amused* "This is a two-on-one I CAN get behind!" *laughter*
Kyle: WOW! *still laughing*
Eamon: "I'll desecrate YOUR Holy Ground!" *laughter*
Kyle: Okay. Wow!
Eamon: Oh, I'm gonna--I'm gonna write this! *laughter*
Kyle: Is it getting hot in here, guys? *groans*
Keith: It's kinda hot in here.
Kyle: *laughing* It's actually a little bit hot.
Keith: Okay...!
Kyle: Alright! *still laughing* Well that was one of our weirder...
Eamon: Mmhm! Issue Four!
Keith: The American Wet Dream!
Kyle: Yeah! Wowzers!
21:39 *****Keith: Okay. Let's go into Issue Four, guys?
Kyle: Yeah. Good deal.
Keith: Alright. So let's talk about THIS cover! This one's VERY different than, I'd say, all the other ones.
Eamon: Is it?
Kyle: Ah, no. It's not!
Keith: *laughing a lot* It's kind of the same ki--
Kyle: Sorry, it's just that it's... It's identi--It's identical in theme...
Eamon: This is THREE of the SAME cover! 21:51***** *Keith laughing so hard I can't make out words*
Kyle: Of Mac with a sword... and Rachel...
Keith: But this one's like, a little Japanese, so...
Kyle: For some reason, both Mac and Rachel look distinctly Asian! *Eamon: Yeah.* And it is unclear why.
Eamon: I actually like this drawing the most out of the three. *Keith: Hmm.* Personally.
Keith: I like it.
Kyle: It's clean. *Eamon: Yeah.* It's snazzy!
Eamon: They don't look like the characters they're supposed to be.
Kyle: Not even a little bit.
Eamon: No.
Kyle: Like not even close!
Eamon: Connor looks Asian in this.
Kyle: Straight up!
Eamon: Like, I was like, "Oh, is this a new character?" *laughter* "In this issue?"
Kyle: You didn't think that! You knew that it was Connor!
Eamon: No. Yeah, I was like...
Kyle: Just like Keith, you KNEW that was Connor!
Keith: I didn't! I didn't know! I was so confused! *chuckling*
Eamon: He's holding the right sword!
Keith: That's a--*with Kyle* that's a plus!
Kyle: This artist looked ONLY at the sword, and NOT at his face.
Eamon: But his car's like pulled up on the sidewalk! What's THAT all about? He's from the Richie-driving school.
Keith: That's right!
Kyle: And Rachel's a smoker. *Eamon: Yeah.* She smokes one of those Cruella De Vil... *Keith: Smokin'!*... Penguin cigarette holders!
Keith: That's right! *Eamon makes penguin noises*
Eamon: The subscription cover by Claudia Geroni, though, has... it's a portrait of Christophe Lambert with a fedora!
Kyle: Yeah, like, it is straight-up Christopher Lambert. *Eamon: Yeah.* Is what it is, and it's like a very zoomed in, detailed look at his face. Which is also puzzling. For other reasons.
Keith: Good covers...
Eamon: Good covers.
23:12 Keith: Alright! So, let's hop into this! We open in 1955 in Manhattan. The monk is running through the streets, he gets hit by a car--*Kyle: Why?!*--Um, by the way, also at some point while I was writing these notes, I start referring to Osta as "the monk" because... I feel like they don't say his name for like, almost two issues, and I was like, I fucking forget his name! I don't know who this person is, so it's just the monk! I'm not joking! I don't think they mention his name in... for two issues. *Eamon: Hmm!* Augh! So anyway, he gets hit by a car. The driver they killed a priest. The monk gets up and makes some quip about how no one can tell the difference between a priest and a monk these days... *laughing*
Eamon: I... actually liked that line.
Keith: I... have the same note! I said, "I think this is really funny!" *Kyle: Yeah!*
Eamon: Cuz in every--in every issue, somebody, like... In all three issues leading up to this issue, somebody calls him a priest, and he's like, "Well actually I'm a monk." *Keith: Right!* So, I... This was... That was a funny... that's a funny, funny... good job!
Keith: That's good! That's funny! That's the one positive take-away. *Eamon: Yeah. Hahah!
Kyle: But! They make it to the Brooklyn Bridge! So I kind of like these... three frames of this chase here. Cuz, like, it's Hooke, running towards Brooklyn Bridge straight on, and you see the bridge in the background, then one of him up front, and then I really like the third frame, which is like Hooke looking over his shoulder, and Mac in like the, far background like lll--bounding over the wall to like catch up with him. I don't know! It's like, better than a lot of the... other... art, I think.
Eamon:Yeah-yuh!
24:24 Keith: Hooke says him and Mac haven't like actually been properly introduced. He doesn't even know his name, so Mac introduces himself in typical MacLeod fashion: Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod; and Hooke like teases him for saying he's part of like the Clan MacLeod he's like, "Do you really think there's like, any more of your clan out there?" And I don't know if that was like, supposed to be a reference to Duncan? Like an insidey joke? I don't think so!
Kyle: No, I don't think it is. I think it's just about like this theme of reinventing yourself, that--
Keith: Right. *Eamon: Yeah.* Cuz then it's like: Does it matter who you were before? Or whatever.
Kyle: Also, it should be noted that they both have bloody swords, and they are surROUNded by people. *Eamon: Yeah.* *Keith laughs* There are people EVERYwhere. *Eamon: Yep.* And they're just gonna do it. Like, they don't give a SHIT!
25:00 Keith: *laughing* Nope! Ah, so Mac cuts Hooke's sword in half. And it looks like it was cracked, earlier, anyway? I wasn't sure, cuz I was like, "Is this his normal sword for fighting, or is this like... doesn't he have like a butchering sword?"
Eamon: This is his sword that he uses to kill people.
Keith: Oh, okay.
Kyle: This is like--Cuz it's more like a big knife. It's like a little... *Keith: Yeah, okay.*... something real short that he can carry around.
Eamon: So this isn't his main... main sword.
25:22 Keith: Gotcha. So anyway, then Hooke jumps over the bridge, and Mac jumps in after him. And there we go! *Eamon: Yep!* But it's exciting, I guess! There's some fighting.
Eamon: Yeah, it's like a fun... sequence. Osta follows up, and says, "MacLeod!" *Keith: Yeah!* And then just decides to go home!
Keith: Just go home! That's Mac's style! *Eamon: Yeah.* Leaving Charlie in the Zone.
Kyle: Leaving Charlie underwater, looking for him?
Eamon: Yeah!
Keith: Yeah! Hahah! 25:41 Alright so we're uh, we cut, and we're with the monk and Rachel at Mac's place? Question mark? Or the hotel? I wasn't quite sure where we were. I think it's the ho... tel?
Kyle: Yeah, and she's got a shiner.
Eamon: No I think it's... I think it's Mac's place.
Keith: See? I don't fuckin' know, cuz--
Eamon: Cuz it has all the--
Keith: Cuz the backgrounds are tan and white! *Eamon: Yeah.* There's NO distinctive location here.
Eamon: Cuz I think she's scared to be at her ap--hotel, because the cops found her there.
Keith: Gotcha.
Eamon: Yeah.
26:03 Keith: So the monk's reassuring--I keep calling him the monk now. Osta, I definitely know his name. Osta..! *laughing*... is reassuring, uh, Rachel Mac is gonna be back, and they talk about how he met Mac, all that sort of stuff. Then he says like, the war might have been a good... thing for everybody in the end? Because like, you get to start over? So there's this theme again of like... starting over. *Eamon: Hmm.* Which is, I think, interesting... *Kyle: Yeah!* And Rachel, Rachel of course disagrees. She's like, "You wouldn't feel that way if you were there."
Eamon: Right.
Kyle: Right. Osta seems to think that like, finding her was good for Mac. That that was a... grounding, significant moment for him, to make him care about life again.
Keith: Mmhm. Mac says he lost Hooke in the river. He says the river's too polluted to see anything! *laughing*
Eamon: *amused* Somebody should clean it!
Keith: Rachel has like a bruise on her face that Mac sees and is like, fuckin' pissed about, so now he wants to go after Highsmith. But, Osta says don't do that. Because, he's like, "There's more important things to do. That's not our concern, our concern is the Game, and the Prize."
Kyle: Not going and beating up an FBI agent. *Keith: Yeah!* Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: And then--Oh, and Mac then hugs Rachel, cuz he's glad to see her, and he says, "I'm sorry, I'm getting you wet." *wheezelaugh* That's what he said!
Kyle: We're getting back into fanfic territory! *Keith cackles* I was... concerned for like, thirty seconds here they were gonna kiss or something--*Eamon: Ohhhh.* And I was like, please don't.
Keith: That would be VERY bad.
Kyle: That would be SO gross.
Eamon: That would be--
Kyle: That does not happen, and I was SO happy with that.
Eamon: --so naughty! *laughter*
27:25 Keith: Uh, also Osta has left the scales of justice there, for Mac.
Eamon: Yeah. Which I guess he had tucked away--*Keith: Right.*--in his robes, or something.
Keith: Yeah! Sure. He's been--That thing's been rattling around in there.
Kyle: His road--He brings his--He brought his "road scales"!
Eamon: Yeah! Hahah!
Keith: Alright! So we, we cut to 1985, lower Manhattan! Mac and Osta are walking around. They're talking about the Gathering being close at hand. Osta says Hooke is there, and he actually sent him a train ticket to an old abandoned New Jersey railway station? So at this point I was like, "Hold on! New Jersey Railway Station? Like, who's the person that died in Jersey--"
Eamon: Oouh! In the movie!
Keith: "--in the movie?" I was like, "Is it THIS guy?" *Eamon: Oouh!* Oouh! But I don't think it is!
Eamon: Did they say "the New Jersey person" in the movie?
Keith: I think they do say his... d'they... Or do they not say the name?
Kyle: No. They said: *imitates news voice* "A head which at THIS time, has NO name!"
Eamon: Hmm. A head with no name!
Keith: So is this some hint, that it's... this person? Maybe...?
Kyle: *Kurgan-voice* I know his name!
Eamon: So if the train station is out of commission...
Keith: How do you get a ticket?
Eamon: ... how did he get a ticket to it? He saved it?
Keith: *laughs* I dunno! Maybe it had a note to like, hop off--*Eamon: Yeah!*--hop off mid-ride?
Kyle: He get the stop--Hop off at the stop before and then jump on the tracks--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and wa--and walk.
28:26 Keith: Okay. But now we definitely need to talk about the next frame. And who's... making a cameo in this fucking comic..!
Eamon: Wait. What?
Kyle: What?
Keith: Anybody notice THIS cameo?
Eamon: I might have missed it.
Kyle: ... Is that Marty McFly? *laughing*
Keith: That's correct! Marty McFly is in this, because it's 1985!
Eamon: Whaaat?
Keith: And IDW has published Back To The Future comics, so...
Eamon: Wow...
Kyle: Wait. Oh! That does look like Marty McFly!
Keith: This is... nonsense. It is Marty Mc--
Kyle: In the top-right panel.
Keith: Yup!
Eamon: Holy shit!
Keith: He's just fuckin' there!
Eamon: I was really distracted by this figure, when I read that panel I was like, "Who's that?" I did NOT--
Keith: Like it--it--Like... it's jarring! Like it's... It's HARDLY in the background, right? Like it's RIGHT fucking there! It's like looking at you! It's like--
29:00 Kyle: No, he's as in the ground--as foreground *****
Keith: --get the fuck out of here, Marty!
Eamon: Also he doesn't look... Like, the drawing of him doesn't look like any of the other drawings. Like he's drawn in a... different style.
Keith: *lauging* This comic! *laughs with Eamon*
Kyle: Like, a completely different style. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like his face is kind of like, washed...
Eamon: He almost looks like a photograph, like collaged into the panel. *Kyle laughs*
Keith: Like they cut him out of the comic--*Eamon:Yeah!*--that he was in, and just pasted it right here. "Wouldn't THIS be fun?"
Eamon: Woooow. I didn't even put that together that that's who that was. *Keith: Mmhm!* *voice* "Marty McFly could take the time machine and influence the Game!" *Keith laughs*
29:32 Kyle: ******whose voice* "I guess anyone with a time machine is sort of immortal."
Eamon: *voice* Nyaaaaaaah. *Kyle and Keith laugh*
Keith: Uh, so anyway--
Kyle: There's so many fanfic opportunities here, I'm glad we're not taking them all.
Eamon: Marty McFly can cut off Immortals' heads by like, busting open the DeLorean door and like, *laughs with Kyle* chops the Kurgan's head off!
Keith: Alright! *moment* *Eamon chuckles* Fuck.
Kyle: The flux capacitor glistened wetly... *snickers*
Eamon: Yeah.
29:55 Keith: *chuckles* Okay. So, um... Osta reveals that he's only killed TWO people, in his whole life. *Eamon: Yeah.* And so Mac is like, you're gonna blow this. You do not have, like, the spirit or experience...
Kyle: The fighting chops!
Keith: Right. So! In the distance we see an old Highsmith. He's there, he's talking on the phone, and he said he found monk and the Mac! He wants more eyes on this situation like. Alright! Get those Watchers out there, right? *Eamon: Yeah.* And... he says you used to be a washed-up FBI agent. Again it's like, that's a former career; he's a Watcher. But then we find out that like, somebody's like, funded his investigations and this is, like... WHAT is this?! Like so now, now, suddenly--
Kyle: On a lark?
Keith: --this is... This is the first second I'm like, "He's NOT a Watcher?!" *Eamon: Yeah.* Whuhuh?
Eamon: Also: This is never resolved. We--
Kyle: Who's on the other end of this phone call?
Keith: Hooke!
Eamon: Oh, it's Hooke?
Keith: No wait!
Kyle and Eamon: No...
Keith: I though--I think it's Hooke!
Kyle: Why is it Hooke?
Eamon: Because HE wants...
Eamon: He's keeping tabs on Mac through... this guy?
Keith: I think so. I think that's what I've got written down.
Kyle: Why's he saying all this stuff about, like, "You do not understand. I found YOU, Mr. Highsmith. You're just a hobby. An amusement." What is it, like... What IS all this?
Keith: I--I dunno!
Eamon: Yeah. I dunno either.
Keith: Alright, so maybe I'm confused.
Eamon: I didn't put that together, either. But I mean, on the next page, Hooke IS on the phone...
Keith: Right!
Kyle: Yeah, but he's on the phone, talking to the Kurgan.
Keith: It's like a walkie-talkie thing.
Eamon: Right.
Kyle: Yeah. It's not a phone.
Keith: Kurgan ends up--So now, the--g--so--so, now--*Kyle: But like--*--the way this ends, this-this issue ends is... Hooke now walkie-talkies the Kurgan, who's like on a roof.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: And he's telling him where he can find Mac, presumably? That seems to be what's going on.
Eamon: Mmhm.
Kyle: Yeah, he's like, "I know where MacLeod'll be in the next couple nights, like, if you want a piece of him." Cuz he wants to separate MacLeod and Osta Vazilek. *Eamon and Keith: Right.* I guess. ... Alright. Two things: All of a sudden Hooke is like, wearing a suit, and looks all proper, now? Which is weird. I dunno why that is. But then, second: What'd you guys think of this Kurgan-frame that we finally get? *snickers*
Eamon: Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh...
Keith: It looks tsss... not good.
Eamon: Yeah I don't know. He's gray, for some reason?
Kyle: Yeah, his skin is a little bit gray.
Eamon: Yeah, like, the gray Hulk, or something?
Keith: Like a wolf.
Eamon: Like a wolf!
Keith: *laughing* Like a wolf!
Kyle: Yeah, like a wolf.
Eamon: It's... doesn't look right, yeah.
Keith: Everyone's faces doesn't--everyone is like silly-putty, like! No one has defining features, at all, in these books. ... Can I see that, Kyle? The comic. We're passing the comic around. Cuz I'm a little confused about who's on this phone here.
Kyle: I don't think, from looking at these frames, we're supposed to assume it's Hooke on the other end of that phone call with Highsmith.
Keith: I... absolutely think it is. He's got the phone, and the walkie-talkie up to his... head at the same time.
Kyle: No. He's got binoculars. *Keith: Ohhh!* Those are binoculars, cuz he's looking at where the Kurgan is through binoculars. Also! That's a silly image! *Eamon: Yeah.* A pho--A phone, and walkie-talkie on either--either side?
Keith: You're right. I... I initially assumed it was Hooke, but then--
Eamon: But then who is it?
Keith: Who IS it?
Eamon: If it's Hooke, at least it makes some kind of... sense.
Keith: IS it the Watchers? *Eamon makes exasperated noise* Funding this guy because they're like--
Kyle: As an amusement and being a dick to him? *Keith makes exasperated sigh* But also not telling him what's going on?
Keith: Readers, out there. Te--you, uh, I know a lot of you have read this comic. This is definitely the most puzzling thing in this comic that we've come across. *Eamon: Yeah.* Three of us have read it and we're all--I thought I had a feel on it, and...
Eamon: I was just confused. I was like, "Huh?!" *Keith: Fuck!* Yeah.
Kyle: Yeah! Exactly!
Keith: Well, that's THAT issue. Any thoughts on this one?
Eamon: It's cool that the Kurgan is in it.
Keith: Sure!
Kyle: Sort of.
Keith: I guess...
33:12 Kyle: Like, I g*****
Keith: At least stuff happened in this... issue I think. *Kyle: Yeah.* There was some movement, people ran around and fought. That's cool!
Kyle: That IS cool! And like, I--
Keith: *laughing* We're like, talking about basic story-telling techniques! *Eamon laughs* Like: Things happen in this, so that's cool! Like...
Kyle: We're the worst! *laughing* I was not a fan of the Kurgan really being in this. Cuz he's like, in it for a half-second. He's in the next one for... two seconds. It... doesn't really grab me. To me, he looks so nuts, in this, like... This putty thing does not jive well.
Keith: It's all this like, fan-service stuff. I don't need every little bit of the original Highlander movie to be in this.
Kyle: Well, and it's in it in such a perfunctory kind of way. *Keith: Yeah.* It just kinda... comes and goes. It just pops in, and then it's gone.
♫Princes of the Universe!♫
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♫Princes of the Universe!♫
35:54 Keith: Let's talk about the final issue, guys! Issue Five. Let's talk about THIS cover. I have thoughts. I hate this one more than anything in the world! This is like an airbrushed nightmare! *Eamon laughs* Really, really don't like this. If there was a unicorn, an airbrushed unicorn flying around in the background, that wouldn't be out of place in the style of this cover. *Laughing* I really don't like this cover!
Kyle: It would go with the giant skull in the back, but... *Keith laughs* No, so there's like the Kurgan helmet in the background, and then... present-day Connor... and a weird hybrid version of Osta Vazilek is there. Cuz like, he's in his monk robes, but in 1985 we never see him in his monk robes! He's also wielding a sword that is different than the sword he wields, *Keith howls* and is carrying a... dagger? which I don't think we ever see him using a sword and dagger at the same time.
Eamon: He does in the first issue.
Kyle: In the first issue?
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Oh, I forgot about that. He certainly doesn't in this issue. *Keith huh-huh-huhs*
Eamon: No. It's, uh...
Keith: There we go! Is there a variant cover for this one?
Eamon: There is! And it's: Connor, Rachel, and then the face of... Hooke, like, looming over them.
Keith: There we go!
Eamon: Yeah. Looks okay.
Kyle: At least is--Mac isn't in a fedora, in this one.
Eamon: Yeah.
36:56 Keith: *laughs* Alright! So let's talk about this comic!
Eamon: He does have the dagger in this one, too. *Keith: Ohhh!*
Kyle: Oh he does? I was wrong. Okay! I feel better about that.
Keith: Alright. So 1985, Manhattan! Mac wants to help out Vazilek. I have a note: "Hey! There's his name again! I forho--forgot because they didn't mention it for TWO issues!" *Eamon's amused noise* So anyway, Mac leaves, but Highsmith is there watching, and... Rachel sees Highsmith and recognizes him!
Eamon: From like, however--
Keith: Like a million years ago.
Eamon: Yeah. Like, thirty years go or something.
Keith: Yeah. So, we cut and Mac arrives at this train station. The Jersey place. And... Mac screams he's like, "Show yourself, Hooke!" which I thought was kind of cool.
Kyle: Is it?
Keith: I dunno. That's what my note said.
Kyle: Well also, Mac is showing up early, so that Osta doesn't have to deal with this noise.
Keith: Right. So Hooke is there, and he says he had a new mae--new blade made, uh, after he saw Mac. And then, this is my note: "Wait! I thought that sword he used before was just his butchery sword!" Cuz we just talked about that! You were--Eamon, you were like, "Oh this is like, his like, more like a knife/machete-thing, that he kills people with." *Eamon: Yeah.* Not his normal sword. *Eamon: Right.* But now THIS makes it sound like it IS his normal sword-- Eamon: His sword, yeah.
Keith: --cuz he had to get a new one made! Not sure!
Eamon: Yeah. Who knows? The nose knows.
Kyle: The Shadow knows.
Eamon: The Shadow knows.
38:00 Keith: So they fight. And then we cut to a... park? I'm not exactly sure where we are. And a motorcycle drives in, uh, and the monk, Osta, gets punched off by the Kurgan.
Eamon: Yeah. I guess that's a moment we forgot to mention.
Keith: The motorcycle-thing.
Eamon: Yeah. Osta hops on a motorcyle and Mac's like, "Whaaat?"
Keith: It's just like an odd little tidbit. He's like, "I've always wanted to ride one," and it's like, "Okay!" and he rides off! *laughing*
Eamon: Yeah. I kind of like that.
Kyle: Motorcycle priest! "I'm not a priest. I'm a monk."
Eamon: "I'm a monk."
Keith: Right.
Eamon: So the Kurgan fuckin' clotheslines--*Keith: Yeah!*--Osta off his motorcyle.
Keith: But that's not who he was expecting to see. *Eamon: Right.* The Kurgan's here to fight Mac. *Eamon: Yeah.* Buuut Osta stabs him with the knife. KaBAM! Then we cut back to the trainyard, more fighting. *Kyle: And Mac--* I, I hear "TANG" in quotes. *Eamon: "Tang."* Some of the sound-effects that are bouncing around on the screen. 38:43 ***** Batman style.
Kyle: They're j--They're actually just drinking Tang. *Keith: Tang!* But Mac barehands this sword like a pro!
Keith: Yup! And then cuts his head off! That's kind of cool, I guess.
Eamon: CHOP.
Kyle: The wor--the sound effect that's used for cutting off Hooke's head is *with Keith* ZACK! *Keith laughs*
Eamon: Zack-O!
Kyle: Z-A-C-K, zack!
Eamon: And he gets his Quickening.
39:03 Keith: Yup! And then we cut to--back to the park, and like we see the Quickening in the distance.
Kyle: Like going on over like, the Bay, or something. *Keith: Right.*
Eamon: And Osta is like, "Oh! MacLeod!"
Keith: Right. So Osta's not sure who's won or lost over there. Back in New Jersey, at this train station, Highsmith is there with a gun. And he says he's been waiting for this day, and he shoots Mac in the shoulder! Aaand, Highsmith says he wants Mac to come clean, so he can get his like, reputation back? Like with the FBI or whatever? And again, I'm like: "Okay! So he's no--" I'm STILL at this point, in my notes, "Oh he's--Okay, definitely not a Watcher!" But like, I'm still a little confused, I think! God damnit. I even questioned: I was like, "So maybe there's another fakeout!" I like, I was flabbergasted that he wasn't a Watcher! This really did me in.
Kyle: *groans* I dunno. I was just, so puzzled by the point of this guy, by now. *Eamon: Yeah.* I was like, "What are you doing here?" *Keith chuckles*
Eamon: There is no point, right? *Keith: Yeah.*
Kyle: Well there--I guess the point is to give Rachel something to do. *Keith: Sure.* *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: The return of the famous character...
Eamon: The secretary.
Keith: The Secretary!
Kyle: Rachel!
39:56 Keith: Uh, so anyway! Then Highsmith shoots Mac in the leg! But then there's a Quickening across the river, so Mac now sees that, uh-oh. Some shit happened!
Eamon: He's like, "NOOO!"
Keith: Right. So Mac says he has to go, and then, POP! Who did the shot?
Eamon: RA-chel!
Keith: Bet it was Rachel!
Kyle: RACHEL! *Keith laughs* Chekhov's Gun! Yeah. Shoots him in the neck! It's really brutal, and this guy just... is toast, I guess! Also, like, Mac might have been able to convince this guy to let him go... *Eamon: Yeah.* I'm not sure...
Keith: Also, Rachel--
Eamon: Rachel knows that he can't kill Mac. Or no?
Keith: Yeah. I don't think this guy knows about... I mean, he knows that there's something up; that these people have lived for a long time, maybe... But he doesn't know that about Mac. *Kyle: Yeeah.* He o--All he thinks is that Hooke is some weird thing. I don't think he knows--thinks--
Kyle: May--Maybe he knows Mac, cuz he's met Mac before.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Oh, that's true.
Kyle: As Mr. Wallingford.
Eamon: *nasally* Wallingford.
Keith: That's possible. But I don't think he knows that you have to cut their heads off. Who knows, though?
Eamon: No.
Keith: But anyway, Rachel then says, she's like, "I know the difference between friends and enemies a long time ago, and he was NO friend." And it's like: Actually, he was a cop, and he was doing his job, and it seems like he was actually doing a very good job. *Kyle: No...* Like, he figured out this murder plot... when no one else could figure out what the hell this was.
Kyle: He also slapped her in the face--
Keith: Also true!
Kyle: --and was an obsessive asshole!
Keith: Also true! But, SHE SHOOTS THIS GUY!
Kyle: In the th--I'm not saying this guy deserves to get shot in the neck! *Keith: Right!* I'm saying that--41:12 ****I mean, he's a jerk.
Eamon: He's not a... friend.
Keith: He's not the most savory guy. But also, he just, like... He's tracking down people that are murdering each other. Right?
Kyle: Yes. And he just saw Mac murder someone. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: Yeah! I mean so his--this guy's response to someone... seeing someone murder someone else... I don't think this guy's completely like, out of line. Right? *Eamon: Yeah. Yeah!* I mean, he thinks--these people are all like, serial killers or something. *Eamon: Yeah.* So I mean, to be like--*41:32 Kyle: ***** bar.* *Eamon: Yeah.* To be like: This guy's an enemy... It's like, well... not really. He just doesn't know what the fuck's going on, and... I don't agree with him slapping her or anything like that--*Eamon: Right.*--but I don't think he's like... I don't get the impression he's EVIL, or... like an ene--I don't know! Something... This--! She should not have been shooting this guy! *laughs* Kyle: You heard it here first! *chuckles* He was... She... He was right to slap Rachel! *laughter*
Eamon: So uh, R--Rachel's just like, "Oh I'll just kick these bodies into the... river."
Keith: This is in 1985! This is the Rachel we see in the movie, like. *Eamon: Yeah.* So can you imagine days before we see her--*Eamon laughs*--that she's like, rolling bloody *with Kyle* corpses into the river? Ugh!
Kyle: Woof! Then Mac is gonna go investigate what happened to Osta, and finds the bike, and assumably his body, and says the following: "Ack. No!"
Eamon: Yeah. *Keith laughs* Ack. No. Ack, no, baby!
Keith: He also finds a piece... of the Kurgan's coat, and KNOWS it's his?
Eamon: Yeah. I mean... *exasperated sound*
Keith: Why would a little piece of like, leather jacket inform him that it's the Kurgan?
Eamon: I have no idea. *Keith: I--Is--* *Kyle: There's only--* Cuz the Kurgan is one of the only ones left I guess? I dunno.
Keith: I dunno!
Kyle: The Kurgan's the only one who likes leather. 42:41 The leather guy.*****
Eamon: Yeah. Kastagir... *Keith laughs*
Keith: Also, I think this is just as... Like, storytelling-wise goes? Like, I wish they'd kept this a mystery. I think it's more interesting if Mac doesn't know who killed him! Like WHO the fuck else is in town? *Eamon: Yeah.* We all know that it's the fucking baddest guy around, the Kurgan, but Mac is like: "I dunno what else is out there that killed Osta." That's--
Kyle: Yeah, but it's not like they've got enough real estate left in here to figure out who did it.
Keith: No! I'm not--I'm not into them finding out at all! I mean, I think that's just a cliffhanger for the character Mac, that will... you know, in the movie gets resolved! It's like, "Oh! Kurgan's in town." *Eamon: Right* *Kyle: Gotcha.* I just think it should just be left open. I don't know why he has to be like, "Kurgan's here!" Also--
Eamon: In the movie does MacLeod know that the Kurgan's in town?
Keith: I was gonna say this, as well. Like, in... the timeline of the movie, Mac fights Fasil, in Madison Square Garden, probably about the same time it would seem, the Kurgan kills... I think it's pretty... it's assumed that the Kurgan kills the person--somebody in New Jersey.
43:28 *****Kyle: po at ceasingly kills Osta Vazilek, like. *Eamon: Right.*
Keith: Exactly! But like uh, in the movie when we are introduced to the Kurgan, we hear the news report, that somebody in New Jersey's lost their head and we don't know its name, the Kurgan is LEAVING--They show him driving--from New Jersey, like there's a sign for the bridge--*Kyle: Mmhm.*--to get into New York, and he's like, "I know his name." It's like, I think it's implied pretty clearly that like, "I just got done killing the guy in New Jersey, now I'm driving to New York." But, in THIS timeline, it's: I guess he went to New York; killed Osta; then drove back across the river--
Kyle: No they were--
Eamon: No, they were in... Osta was in New Jersey. Right?
Keith: No! Mac is the one at the abandoned train station in New Jersey. *Eamon: Hm.* Right? *Eamon: Uohh.* Yeah.
Kyle: So... the person who died in New Jersey... *Keith and Eamon: Is Hooke!*... is Hooke. So Mac had a very busy, like, forty-eight hours--*Keith: Right!*--of killing people. *Eamon then Keith: Yeah.* Like he's gonna kill Iman Fasil, like tomorrow.
Keith: Maybe. I don't know what the timeline on this is. Again, because I'm assuming that then, the Kurgan goes back to New Jersey to kill someone else, and THEN comes back. *Kyle: Hhhhhhhhh!*
Eamon: Uhheeiiiuh! *Keith laughs*
44:29 Keith: Alright. *amused* So let's talk about the denouement of this comic. AKA like the last page. Mac says he never wanted Rachel to be involved, even though she's fucking dumping bodies--*Eamon: Yeah.*--she's got a gun all the time, and he says the story's gonna end as it will. Mac goes into like, his living room. The scales are on the table; they're even, still, which I guess is... interesting. I dunno. They seem to always be even in this comic. *Eamon: Yeah.* He's got a bottle of Scotch and he's sharpening his sword. THE END.
Kyle: *Batman voice* I'm ready!
Eamon: *Kurgan voice?* I'm ready!
Keith: That's, that's the end. *Eamon: Yep!* That's the five issues, everybody! *Eamon: Mmhm.* So now let's talk about our final thoughts on this whole shebang.
Kyle: So you guys both loved this, right?
Eamon: It was my favorite. I like this more... *Kyle snickers* than the original Highlander movie. *snorting*
Kyle: So we didn't like this one.
Eamon: No.
Keith: There is basically no story...
Kyle: There's very little story. The villain has no punch. He's just a serial killer, for no reason, who Mac happened to have a chance encounter with, once in the past. *Eamon: Yeah.* I dunno. What do you guys think about Osta Vazilek? Like, I think the most interesting thing in this entire schtick is... Osta introducing the concept that like, who knows if Mac is really, like, that good of a guy. *Eamon: Yeah.* *Keith: I agree!* That's the ooo--that's like... That might be the only interesting--like truly interesting thing in this... entire series.
Keith: I wish that was what the whole book was about.
Eamon: But then I think--
Kyle: It isn't! *Eamon: Yeah.* But they get to watch some wrestling, and talk in an abandoned bookstore.
Eamon: Yeah. Like, Osta like, I kind of think like, is HE gonna end up being the ringleader of all this, maybe...? Or like, is he like, judging Mac and if he sees Mac isn't worthy is he gonna like, try to kill HIM, or something? Or like... what? And it just kind of fizzles out.
Keith: That might have been an interesting story! That Osta being like, maybe secluded for so long, has a maybe weird misconception of... just everyone's humanity! Like because, Osta's... like, M.O. seems to be like, "No one bad can win this Game." And... maybe every time he sees Mac, he, he fi... Maybe those flashbacks are Mac doing some questionable things. Or maybe we see those flashbacks from two points of view. Mac has to... maybe kill somebody for... what he thinks is a good reason, and Osta... learns of this and 46:30 ***** sees it, and sees it in a very different light and, through time, that now Osta thinks that Mac is not deserving of the Prize.
Kyle: Right. Or maybe--
Keith: That's interesting! *laughs*
Kyle: Yeah. Or maybe he sees Mac's... do something... not great... in the past. Unbeknownst to him, Mac is... That was an isolated incident, or Mac has gotten better over time. He's now concerned. He's like "I can't RISK you winning the Game." *Keith: Right.* "Cuz I don't know which way these scaaales tip!" *Eamon: Mmm!*
Keith: That sounds good to me, too!
Kyle: And then, either Mac has to fight him and beat him, or proves that he's... on the good side! *Eamon: Yeah.* Or some shiz. I dunno. The interesting--
Keith: These are all--These are like, scratching the surface of like, an interesting story. Like--
Kyle: Yeah I'm not gonna--I've read the same-
Keith: This is not inter--The story that was presented to us is... hardly interesting, I think.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: And Eamon, I know you had thoughts on the artwork that you... kept to yourself earlier. I don't know if you have--*Eamon: Oh yeah.*--a more holistic thing to share. *Eamon: Uh....* As resident artist.
Eamon: Resident artist. We--
Kyle: Our emeritus!
Eamon: I mean I read a lot of comics, that doesn't make me an expert. But--and I'm an artist, but--*Kyle snort-laughs*
Kyle: And you're also a comic artist!
Keith: That's the part that makes you an expert: That you're an artist!
Eamon: The big thing that like distracted me through all this is--aside from the characters looking inconsistent panel-to-panel--like, all the crowd scenes! There are like, a million crowd scenes in this. And like, the crowds are really distracting. And I kept on being like, "Is this a character? Why is this person so prominent in the foreground?" It just, really distracted me through the whole book.
Kyle: Well we know one of them. The reason for one of them, is cuz it was Marty McFly! *laughing*
Eamon: Yeah. Really bizarre.
Keith: Here's one of my thoughts on just like, this book, and books like this in general, or... sometimes TV shows, or any sort of medium that... tries to tackle these sort of like, prequel... sort of stories? Is... they... try to do some backstory, but they... wanna make sure they don't disturb the current mythology. Like... Highlander One exists. And it's like: "So we need to do another story that like, fits into that story, in some way." Uh, but as a result, they just fill that in with a series of events! *wheezelaugh* This feels like an illustrated timeline, more than like, a good Highlander story? Nothing really happens of consequence. Like, I don't learn anything about the character. Like... I dunno! I'm not even concerned with that, like, Oh, there was some Immortal named Hooke that died. Like, who cares? Like, noth-none--Nothing in this story mattered to me at all.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Maybe you're just becoming a nihilist.
Eamon: Well the other thing--Like why is this a COMIC?
Kyle: Or is the better question what-- why isn't it a trilogy of movies?
Keith: You mean why isn't it an anything?
Eamon: Yeah, why is it an anything?
Kyle: Why is it a thing?
Eamon: It's, like, it doesn't use the medium in like an interesting way. People like comics, I guess! There no like, inventive use of... the medium of comics to like tell this Highlander story. *Keith: Yeah.* I kind of am disappointed by that.
Kyle: Mmpmm.
Keith: More flashbacks would've been nice. I mean it's shor--it's short, so, you know--
Kyle: It IS very short.
Keith: --it can only take, it can only do so much--*Eamon: Yeah.*--and I get that about comics like: They have to be fairly simple stories... That being said, there's plenty of AMAzing comics out there, that are, like, masterpieces--*Eamon: Right.*--in the way they can tell a story, and the way it's illustrated--
Eamon: Well it's like they could have done interesting stuff with the flashbacks, to like change the visual style; they could have flashed back to different times, aside from what we were given, like... There's no interesting way to like, illustrate a Quickening, or illustrate, uh... the-the Immortal Buzz. *Keith: Right.* No risks... were taken.
Kyle: I mean, the fact that we got three covers of Mac in a fedora holding a sword--*Eamon: Yeah!* *laughter* That was THREE separate covers: the same two characters, in roughly similar poses--*Keith laughs*--in similar costuming. It's like, Wwwwwhy?!
Eamon: Yeah. Yeah.
Kyle: Whyeee?!
Eamon: I dunno. I feel like this is, maybe a uh... cash-grab opportunity.
Keith: Something tells me not a lot of cash was grabbed *laughing* during this comic book!
Kyle: Well I'm sure everyone who listens to this is gonna go buy it. *Eamon: Yeah.*
Keith: I mean, if you wanna go get this, they're not--they're comic books. They're not, like, crazy expensive.
Eamon: Each issue's $3.99. You can get them digitally for 1.99 on Comixology.
Keith: Maybe get a digi, digi issue.
Eamon: Yeah. Get a digi.
Kyle: I dunno. I guess the fundamental question is: Would you have spent twenty dollars for this?
Eamon: No...
Kyle: Alright.
Keith: And, if I was NOT a Highlander fan, I wouldn't touch it.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: With a ten-foot pole.
Keith: No.
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: And I'd be confused, as well. It doesn't do a good job of setting up Highlander, that's for sure.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Again, I--
Eamon: Yeah, I was wondering who this was for. I mean, I guess it's for Highlander fans. Because, if I wasn't a Highlander fan, when the Kurgan's revealed, I wouldn't care.
Keith: Like I said about them trying to trick people, a little? Like, I feel like these covers in some ways are a little telling. Like, the variant ones, like, there's one that's like a Sword & Sorcery cover, like: Hey! Maybe people that like this will pick this one up! *Eamon: Mmhm.* I especially think the original cover with the Kurgan on it--this is the one from the DVD box-art thing? *Eamon: Yeah.* I think that's to trick casual Highlander people into getting this comic. Because you see the cover, and you're like, "Oh! Fuckin' Highlander? It's got the Kurgan, it's got this, like this is an illustrated version of the movie, or like..." *Eamon: Yeah.* I feel like, seeing that cover implies heavily that this is a first movie sort of comic. Which it kind of is, but not really. I dunno. That's my very cynical take on these covers! *Eamon: Hmm!*
Kyle: I would like to point out--*Keith laughs*--that IDW publishes a comic called The X-Files: Origins--*Keith: Oh, yeah."--"Before the X-Files, they were two teenagers in search of the truth."
Eamon: THIS bugs the crap out of me.
Kyle: And it's got--And it's got kid Fox and Mulder--*Keith: Yup! *laughs** It's right next to Old Man Judge Dredd. *Keith howls* So there's all kinds of age play going on here!
Keith: "Age play?" *laughing*
Eamon: Age play... Is that a thing? *Kyle: YES!* That's gonna get you thrown in jail! *laughter* "Age play."
Kyle: One last thought, and then maybe we'll play a game. Why is it called "The American Dream"?
Keith: Well... I think this is a... one of these things that's lost in the shuffle, here. Like we--The-the two main themes of this comic seem to be the scale-thing, like tipping the scales, good or evil...
Kyle: So that's like the main visual theme, like.
Keith: Right. Which I was not opposed to! Like, I was okay with these scale-images kind of popping up, although I--It seemed a little obvious, and I wish there was like, some more subtlety to it, but whatever.
Kyle: Yeah. I mean, even the first cover has like, this bifurcated look to it. *Keith: Hmm?*
Eamon: yeah.
Keith: But then the other thing I s--I think is about this like, "Reinventing yourself." And... Like Hooke came to America, cuz he wanted a new life... Although he like, contradicts that like, because he says like... At some point, I don't think we discussed this, Hooke has never changed his name--*Eamon: Mmhm.*--like everyone else has. *Eamon: Right.* and Osta says like, he sees that as a concession. Like, he is Hooke and will always be Hooke. And it's like, "Oh! Well that doesn't really jive with the like, reinventing yourself--*Eamon: Yeah.*--thing. Whereas like Connor has invented himself many times over again. Uh, so I dunno. I think that's mostly what The American Dream is referring to...?
Kyle: I just honestly don't know.
Keith: And also there's, there's mention of uh... I think Connor... Mac says at some point, "America has a better time with its future than it does with its past." Like America has a hard time coping with its past--referring to like, the Civil War and these sort of things, as it does to like looking ahead 'n... doing the next thing.
Kyle: Yeah. I dunno.
Eamon: Is the future the American Dream?
Keith: I guess.
Kyle: Is The Prize the American Dream?
Kyle then Eamon: MmmMMMMMmmm!
Keith: Won by a Frenchman?
Kyle: Won by a Frenchman... *Eamon laughs* who's playing a Scotman.
Eamon: *laughing* Yeah. A Sctoman.
Kyle: "A scotman." OOoh, wanna play a game, guys?
Keith: Sure! Gametime!
GAMESHOW MUSIC
53:29 Kyle: Alright, guys! You ready to play this game? *Eamon: Yeah-yuh!* We are actually gonna play a special COMICS themed version of 3 & 5! *Eamon: Oooooooh!* For those of you who don't recall the rules, that means that I'm going to give a topic, you need to name three examples that fit within that topic in five seconds. You get one point for each one you successfully name, and if you get all three, you get a bonus point!
Eamon: *sings* Bonus!
*****53:52 Keith?: Point!
Kyle: You guys ready to do this thing?
Eamon: I'm ready!
Kyle: It's gonna be Keith V Eamon! Dawn of Justice!
Eamon: Oooooooooh!
Keith: Tip the scales!
Eamon: Tip my scale.
Kyle: First round! Let's DO it! 54:03 Keith!
Eamon: Keith.
Kyle: Name me three members of the Justice League of America withOUT superpowers.
Eamon: *whispers* Damn.
Keith: Uh... the dog? Chimcham. 54:14 *****(Chimcham?!) Uhhhhh...
Kyle: ZERO! Zero points. *Keith: Oh! Oh oh oh!*
Eamon: The DOG?!
Kyle: I would have accepted *with Keith* Batman! *laughter*
Keith: Batman! Oops, oops!
Kyle: Or--
Eamon: CHIM CHAM?
Keith: *laughing* Isn't he the monkey from the Superfriends? *soft laughter*
Eamon: That's a different team.
Kyle: Superfriends is a slightly different team! I almost went with Superfriends.
Keith: *laughing* I completely blanked out!
Kyle: Also, you're thinking of Chim Ch--You're... I think you're thinking of *with Eamon* Chim Chim from Speed Racer! *just Kyle*--is what you're thinking of.
Eamon: Chim Cham...
Kyle: The monkey from Superfriends I'm pretty sure is Bleek. *Keith: Bleek!* Or Gleek? I'm not sure, it's one or the other
Eamon: Oh, I don't know.
Kyle: That's the Wonder Twins' pet monkey. *Eamon and Kyle: Yeah.* Eaugh. This is gonna--
Eamon: "The dog!"
Keith: I was--I went to the--I went to TWO animals
Eamon: WHAT dog?! Krypto? *Keith: Uh, no.*
Kyle: He's the superdog! He's got powers! Ace? Ace the Bat-Dog?
Keith: No! I was not thinking of that either! I also went back to the Superfriends again! When it was--
Eamon: *breaks off laughing* They have a DOG?
Keith: Not--When it was not the Wonder Twins. Do you remember the OTHER two teenagers that were their pals.
Kyle: *laughing* Shaggy and... *Eamon: Scooby?*
Keith: No, no! *****55:08
Kyle: They looked like Shaggy and Scooby.
Keith: Yeah! They--There were two, it was like a teenage couple, or, like brother--I don't know if they were brother and sister. Whatever they were, and they had--
Kyle: Yeah. And they had a dog.
Keith: They had a dog.
Eamon: Wow. I have to look that up.
Kyle: I don't remember who that is. *Keith: Yeah.* Yeah. So you were trying to name THEM. So that's cool.
Keith: Those are the people I thought of without superpowers.
Eamon: Good job!
Keith: *laughing* I'm a fucking idiot!
55:25 Kyle: Alright! Eamon? *Eamon: Yes?* Name me three members of the Legion of Doom!
Eamon: Oh! Uh, uh... Lex Luthor, Black Manta, uh, uh, Gorilla Grodd!
Kyle: Yeah! I will take those!
Eamon: *relieved* Euoof!
Keith: You get the easy question!
Eamon: The easy question.
Kyle: Keith! *Keith: Yes.* Name me three members of The Defenders!
Keith: Uh, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Nick Cage? Daredevil?
Kyle: *laughing* Alright, I'll give you on Daredevil. *Eamon: Nick Cage...* Even if you said "Nick Cage" instead of LUKE Cage!
Keith: Oh shit! SHIT! *laughing*
Eamon: Nick Cage.
Kyle: So you're on fire, here!
Eamon: The bees! Ah, the bees
55:57 Keith: Not the bird! *****
Kyle: NOT THE BEES!
Keith: How'd it get burned, how'd it get get burned, how'd it get burned?!
Eamon: That's what the, uh... the Human Torch says. *laughter*
Kyle: Eamon! Name me three Captain American villains!
Eamon: Oh! The Red Skull. Baron Zemo and... shit. Uh... uh, uh, uh... DAMN!--
Kyle: That's it.
Keith: Glad you got that one.
Eamon: Eaugh... How can I not think of another one? Who's another one?
Kyle: Crossbones?
Eamon: Crossbones!
Kyle: He was a... probably also would have accepted Madame Hydra, or... what's-his-name, uh... von Stryker? Who's that guy?
Eamon: Baron von Strucker.
Kyle: Strucker. There it is.
Eamon: I think that IS Zemo.
Keith: Struckers?
Eamon: Or no. That's a different guy.
Kyle: No, Zemo's different. Cuz he's Helmut Zemo.
Eamon: Yeah. Yeah.
Kyle: Anyway!
Keith: I don't know who any of this is! *laughs*
Eamon: Zemo!
Kyle: Well Keith, I pro-rated these questions a little bit--
Keith: Did we have that--that... uh, Alcopop drink the other week?
Kyle: Zima?
Eamon: Zimo?
Kyle: Baron Zima?
Eamon: Zimo. Hahah!
56:46 Kyle: Keith! Name me the alter-egos, not the hero versions, of three Avengers!
Keith: Uh... Stark... uh, Bruce Banner, and... tchk. Oh. Dammit!
Kyle: Alright, that's two!
Keith: Alright.
Eamon: That's good!
Kyle: I would have accepted Clint Barton...
Eamon: Natasha Romanoff.
Keith: Oh, that's right!
Kyle: Steve Rogers...
Keith: Steve Rogers!
Kyle: Would've accepted a... a lot of things.
Keith: I... I at some point forgot who was on the Avengers. *laughing* That's where I got tripped up!
Eamon: THE Vision...
Keith: *laughing* That's right!
Kyle: "THE Vision!" *Keith laughs* 57:16 Eamon! Name me the alter-egos, not super-villain name, of three Batman villains!
Eamon: Oh, shoot. Harvey Dent, uh, Victor Fries, uh, Oswald Cobblepot.
Kyle: Yeah! Well done!
Keith: Very good!
Eamon: Heyohhh!
Kyle: Have you guys picked up the theme yet? *Eamon: No.* Alright. 57:31 Keith! Name me three actors who have played Batman, before the year 1997!
Eamon: Ohhhhhhh!
Keith: WHAT uh... So, Michael Keaton, um... Adam West, and, uh... Clooney? D-Val Kilmer? Dammit! Uh--
Kyle: Alright, I'll give you--You actually snuck Val Kilmer in under the wire! So before ninety--
Eamon: Nice!
Keith: So is, is... Is Clooney AFTER '97?
Kyle: He's IN '97. You had to be beFORE '97.
Eamon: Ooooooooh!
Keith: Oh! Okay okay okay.
Kyle: But you got it, cuz you snuck in Val Kilmer. So well done.
Eamon: Good job! George Clooney say he wanted his Batman toy to breakdance.
Keith: *hoot-laughing* WHAT?
Kyle: What? Is that a real thing?
Eamon: Yup. It's a real quote.
Kyle: WHY?
Eamon: I don't know.
Kyle: That's insane.
Keith: I mean, now that I hear that, I kind of want his Batman toy to breakdance, too!
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: It'd be the best thing his Batman toy did!
Eamon: Yeah! "His Batman toy." *laughs*
Kyle: The--It comes with this--with the uh, the iconic gadget: The Batman Black Card. *Eamon: Yeah!* 58:21 Eamon! *Eamon: Yessss?* Name me four actors who've played--*Keith: FOUR?*--Excuse me. Name me--It's question Four. *Keith: Okay!* Name me three actors who've played The Joker!
Eamon: Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, and um, shit! Cesar Romero.
Keith: *admiring* Nice!
Eamon: Whew!
Kyle: Nicely done!
Keith: I'm glad you went for Cesar Romero.
Eamon: Oh, and Mark Hamill.
Keith: That's true!
Kyle: That would have been a perfectly acceptable answer. Nicely done!
Keith: You didn't go for your favorite, Jared Leto?
Eamon: Yeah, Jared Leto. Awe he's so good! *laughter*
Kyle: Well originally, Keith, you were getting all hero questions. And Eamon was getting all villain questions. *Eamon and Keith: Ohhhhhh!*
Keith: I thought the theme was threes! The questions were threes!
Kyle: The game is called 3 & 5! *Eamon laughs*
Eamon: Liev Schreiber? *snickering*
Keith: Oh that's good!
Kyle: Wow! I like it! I like it, *with Eamon* I like it! *alone* Alright! *Eamon: Hooke!* Another thing in threes! *Eamon: Yeah.* ... Yeah, Hooke! *laughing* From the comic we just read! *Eamon: Yeah!* Alright, but this one breaks that theme. So don't be confused. *Eamon: Hmm.* 59:18 Keith. Name me three directors of comic book movies.
Keith: Oh! Uh, Russell Mulcahy. Uhhhhm... Warren Beatty. And Tim Burton?
Eamon: Wow!
Keith: Why did I pull THOSE names?!
Eamon: You've read polls!
Keith: Two like, pulp things, and Tim Burton! Wow. Weird.
Eamon: Good job.
Kyle: Fascinating!
Eamon: Fucking Warren Beatty?!
Kyle: Warren Beatty! *Keith laughs* I mean, I like the movie Dick Tracy as well as the next guy--
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: I love that movie!
Eamon: It's a good movie.
Kyle: --BUT--
Eamon: It's a little long.
Keith, then Eamon, then Kyle: Alright.
Keith: It's got good music! *Kyle: Eamon!* The great Stephen Sondheim! *Eamon: Hmm!* And Danny Elfman!
Eamon: Danny Sondheim.
Kyle: Eamon.
Eamon: Yes?
Kyle: Name me three comic book artists.
Eamon: Oh! Frank Miller, Geof Darrow, Bruce Timm!
Keith and Kyle: Very good!
Eamon: There we go.
Kyle: Alright! Eamon! You pulled this one out by four points. *Eamon: Ooooh!* I'm actually just tallying up the actual totals. Keith, you got fourteen points to Eamon's eighteen points!
Keith: Heyohhhh!
Kyle: Yay!
Eamon: Yay! I won a game!
Keith: Nice job, Eamon!
Kyle: Congratulations, Eamon!
Eamon: Thank you!
Kyle: Keith, the reason you lost is because you couldn't name three members of The Justice League without powers.
Keith: Can I try that now?
Kyle: Yes!
Keith: Cuz I still feel like I'm having a little bit of a problem with it. So, let's see. We got Batman...
Eamon: Batman!
Keith: Does Robin count?
Kyle: If you had said Robin, I probably would have given it to you, but with a wink and a nod.
Keith: Oh I guess... can we... I yu... Do we count like Cyborg?
Kyle: No.
Keith: I mean, he doesn't really have powers. He's got like a suit-thing.
Kyle: It's not a suit, it's his body.
Eamon: He's a robot. A cyborg, if you will.
Keith: Yeah...
Kyle: He's a robot, yeah.
Keith: I know, but...
Keith: I would have accepted Green Arrow...
Keith and Eamon: Oh yeah!
Kyle: I would have accepted The Question.
Eamon: Mmm!
Keith: Alright.
Kyle: Or, in some of the expanded things, I would have accepted The Vigilante! *Keith: Alright.* The Huntress.
Keith: This is hard, man!
Kyle: The...
Eamon: Like my weiner.
Keith: Very good. And that's how you play... *with Kyle* 3 & 5!
GAME MUSIC
1:01:07 Keith: Congratulations, Eamon!
Eamon: Yay!
Keith: You're the... hero we deserve! *Eamon: Thank you.* Or, for your set of questions: *with Eamon* The Villain!
Eamon and Keith: OoooooOOOOOOOooh!
Kyle: Bleh, bleh!
Keith: Alright guys! To wrap this up: Here's a final thought I think we should maybe discuss. This is the first, like, new Highlander thing we've tackled on our show. *Eamon: Mmhm.* And j--I was just mulling this over in my head like. Our show typically is... high on irreverence, we'll say. Like for... The original series, like, we don't treat it too seriously. We make fun of it when it... deserves to be made fun of...
Kyle: And even when it doesn't!
Keith: Yeah! *Eamon: Yeah.* Like, that's part of the fun of... what we like about--I mean, what we do here, I guess, like. *Kyle: Cuz--* But we all do love Highlander, a bunch, like! *Kyle: Yeah!* We think it's great--
Kyle: Cuz--And we're assholes. So...
Keith: And we're assholes. *Eamon: Yeah.* But we're just trying to have a fun time with it. *Eamon: Sure!* Uh, part of me just feels a little weird like, *laughing* kinda shitting all over this thing that's like, new! I don't want it to sound like we just BASH things. Like that's not what we DO on this sho--Like, you know wh--is this ringing any bells for anybody? Like, is like--
Kyle: I--I--
Keith: THAT being said: this is not good. Like--
Eamon: Yeah.
Kyle: Yeah, that's the hard--
Keith: That's, that's... you know...
Eamon: Hey you know what? I shelled out... however much... money for all of these? Annnnnd... you know!
Kyle: They got your cash. *Eamon: Yeah.* They're getting... well it's not good press, but it's press off of this.
Eamon: Yeah. I wish--
Keith: Everyone can hate-read it.
Eamon: --it was a little better.
Keith: I do, too!
Eamon: I haven't read any of the other Highlander comics. I wonder how this stacks up.
Keith: Uh, it's been years since I've read the... Uh... who did the other ones? Image, maybe?
Eamon: Dynamite.
Keith: Dynamite! That was it.
Kyle: Well maybe we'll do another Highlander Re-read, at some point.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: Yeah! Well we should maybe... That should be maybe a task... in a few months or something from now. We'll do those comics as well and talk about them. But yeah! I dunno. It's just one of those things that like, I don't wanna seem like we just pooh-pooh Highlander stuff, because, like, Highlander is a cool property--*Eamon: Yeah!*--and I think is deserving of... Like, the idea to do a Highlander comic seems like a great idea. *Eamon: Sure.* I'm all for that. Like, that's a lower budget thing than doing a reboot of the movie, you know like, *Eamon: Yeah.* but it's like, "Hey! Let's sell some Highlander stories!" This was like, pretty lackluster, I think. Um...
Kyle: It just didn't... It had no punch. *Eamon: Yeah.* It didn't stay with me. It made a buncha--It just like, uh, lead with a bunch of puzzling choices as well... Just left me with like, head-scratching. And there was like some weird, like, jury-rigged components at the heart of it. *Eamon: Yeah.* Like this character Highsmith. Like, WHYYYY? *Keith: Yeah.* The fact that it was ostensibly a story about the beloved character of Rachel--*Eamon: Yeahahah!*--when she doesn't DO anything--*Eamon: Yeah!* *Keith: Right!*--except for shoot the other character who, so far as I can tell, was only there so Rachel can shoot him! *Keith: Right!* *Eamon: Yeah!* Like, aeh! I don't.
Keith: Yeah, it's a very puzzling thing. Also like, we were talking about like, WHO is this comic FOR? And I think it's decided that it's like, for Highlander fans.
Kyle: It must be.
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: But to have these... like you said, head-scratching moments in it? is also puzzling. Like, if this was for the general public, it's like, maybe they're gonna play it a little loosey-goosey, maybe not follow every little detail of the show or movie, cuz they're gonna tell an interesting story at least, and get people interested in this again! But like, if this is directed for die-hard fans, that would, again, shell out money every week or every month to buy this, like... You'd think they'd wanna make it like, a little bit more... coherent and accurate, and like... cuz it's like... The people that are reading this are absolutely gonna notice all these things. It's not like a small portion of our readership is gonna be nit-picky. It's like, ALL the readership might be nit-picky about this.
Kyle: And these are pretty big nits! *snickers*
Eamon: Yeah!
Keith: Like the HANDLE of his sword is wrong!!
Eamon: Yeah!
Kyle: Yeah! Like, oh--
Keith: Or they fight on Holy Ground! Kind of! I mean that's a wishy-washy one, but--
Kyle: But everyone's gonna notice it and have questions and be like, "HURH?"
Eamon: Yeah. It's a weird note to begin on. Certainly.
Keith: Yeah, exactly!
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: So, that's Highlander: The American Dream.
Eamon: Yee-haw!
Kyle: Like the actual American Dream... I'm not gonna finish this joke.
Eamon: Yeah, hahah!
Keith: *laughs* Very good. Well, thanks for joining us this week, we'll be back next week with another exciting episode from Highlander Season Three! It's gonna be rad.
Eamon: Radical!
Keith: I've been one of your re-readers, Keith!
This is Kyle!
This is Eamon!
Keith: Bye!
Eamon: Bye!
Kyle: See ya!
1:05:13 Eamon: I just wanna talk about the cup of coffee the cop's holding.
Keith: Sure!
Eamon: This is 1955. And this cup, jus--It looks like a Starbucks cup... to me. Like a paper cup. It's colored gray, so maybe it's supposed to be, like, a thermos? Like, did they had... did they have these kind of cups in 1955?
Kyle: I have NO idea.
1:05:36 Keith: *****Did they have these kind of cups. Yeah, I think we're good. I think we're good on this.
Kyle: I think this is being over-thought!
Keith: Yeah, definitely. I think we're good on this cup!
Kyle: So, Eamon--Eamon loves this comic, except for the reaction time on the dog, and--*Eamon and Keith are laughing*--and the coffee receptacles!
Eamon: Well this kind of stuff is important! Like, when I looked at that cup, I paused.
Keith: Really?
Eamon: Yeah.
Keith: I gave that no thought at all!
Kyle: I gave it exactly zero thought.
Eamon: I was like: What is this? Anyway, maybe I'm just a crazy person. *Keith cackles in the background*
Kyle: It's a cup of coffee, yeah!