It’s been a while since the supernatural-horror-Western Syfy Channel series Wynonna Earp based on the comic book series wrapped filming its fourth and final season filming in Calgary, Canada, after budget issues and pandemic delays, but the last six episodes are finally heading our way in only two weeks. The salty and cocky Western-throwback heroine Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano) is back to pick off the remainder of the 77 “Revenant” demons–the reincarnated victims of her great-great-grandfather Wyatt–circling back like vultures on the town of Purgatory. Once again Wyatt’s magical, legendary Peacemaker is back in Wynonna’s hands. Will she get back with the immortal Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon)? They had one chance to end this, and it’s been said there’s nothing they can do to right the wrongs of the O.K. Corral. Or is there?
Category: Fantasy Realms
In a strange twist to the home video release marketing strategy, IDW Entertainment, the company behind both Wynonna Earp the comic book series and the Syfy Channel television series, is well on its way through what looks to be a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to bring Wynonna Earp Season One directly to its fans. The first season will only be released on Blu-ray–no DVD–and only via the Indiegogo campaign. Discs are expected to ship around September 2017.
Wynonna Earp follows Wyatt Earp’s great-granddaughter as she battles demons and other creatures in a town called Purgatory. With her unique abilities, a demon-killing gun named Peacemaker, and a posse of dysfunctional allies, only she can bring the paranormal to justice.
Although fans and new viewers can also watch each episode of the first season on Netflix, as Wynonna Earp begins its second season (with the premiere episode of the season airing on Friday nights beginning last Friday, June 9), it’s going to be a little bit harder for the new viewer who would otherwise be willing to buy the first season to get caught up, especially if they missed the Syfy Network recap this Memorial Day weekend. But this likely will really only have an effect on the fans of the show who would ordinarily pay to have Season One in-hand closer to the start date of the next season. Will this be the next regular marketing method for shows that would otherwise not justify a home release to still be able to make fans happy?
Review by C.J. Bunce
How many sci-fi and outer space tropes can you pack into one hour of TV? You’ll find out in the first episode of Syfy’s new space fantasy series Vagrant Queen. It’s like Firefly and The Fifth Element as if they were directed by Sam Raimi. Star Wars elements meet Doctor Who aliens with effects that feel a lot like The Last Starfighter. And humor that’s a cross of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Or maybe it’s just sci-fi created by Canadians. Whatever it is you’ll be all-in with the crew of the spaceship Winnipeg as it takes off into adventures in some galaxy out there that is… not ours.
Adriyan Rae (Atlanta) plays the scavenger Elida, a mix of Marvel’s Valkyrie and Rey from Star Wars, who stealthily has masked her former persona as Queen Eldaya, being pursued by the dreaded Republic, led by Commander Lazaro, played by Paul du Toit (remember Gary Oldman’s Zorg in The Fifth Element? He’s like that guy). Tom Rozon (Lost Girl, Wynonna Earp) is Isaac, a frenemy from Elida’s past (part Han Solo or Jack Harkness or Lone Starr from Spaceballs or Bruce Campbell in… anything). They come together with a Kaylee-inspired ship mechanic named Amae, played by Alex McGregor, to save a space station’s bartender, get a ship back, and rescue the queen. And that’s just the first episode.
It’s light-hearted, campy fun a la Xena: Warrior Princess featuring a group of actors who seem to be competing to see who has the most fun. It’s a little bit… everything… that you enjoy about space travel, with a cool lead like Killjoys and alien makeups reminiscent of Farscape. Goofy banter and situations, you’ll find yourself calling out the inspiration from nearly every scene, beginning with an opening rif on The Mandalorian. This is the escapism you’re looking for right now.
Berkeley Breathed, Mike Mignola, Lynn Johnston, Joe Jusko, Kevin Eastman, Freddie Williams III, JK Woodward, Scott and David Tipton, Marc Andreyko, Bobby Moynihan, and cast from Wynonna Earp, are among dozens of comic book and television creators to be featured at signings and panels hosted by IDW Publishing at next week’s 49th annual San Diego Comic-Con.
As you’d expect IDW will also be bringing to Booth #2743 lots of comic book exclusives and special edition hardcover format books. You’ll find Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin, and John Byrne Artist’s Editions, plus comics featuring Star Wars, Star Trek, X-Men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DuckTales, Danger Girl, Judge Dredd, My Little Pony, Sonic, Transformers, Ghostbusters, Sword of Ages, and more, including several exclusive variant covers only available at SDCC 2018.
Get more information on all the SDCC 2018 exclusives from IDW at the publisher’s website here.
Here are the announced exclusives from IDW, followed by IDW’s signings and panels:
Jack Kirby’s Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition, Heroes Convention Variant
Cover by Jack Kirby
$150, Limited to 100 units
15” x 22”
Many of Jack “King” Kirby’s most iconic heroes (Captain America, the X-Men, Ant-Man, and Sgt. Fury) join seven of his best monster stories in this collection, plus a gallery section filled with covers and pin-ups. Debuting at this year’s SDCC is the variant cover featuring Tales of Suspense #98 — Captain America versus Black Panther.
Jack Kirby’s Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition, Monsters Convention Variant
Cover by Jack Kirby
$150, Limited to 100 units
15” x 22”
Jim Starlin’s Marvel Cosmic Artifact Edition, Signed Convention Variant
Cover by Jim Starlin
$150, Limited to 100 units, each with a bound-in signature plate signed by Jim Starlin.
12” x 17”
This Artifact Edition focuses on Jim Starlin’s beloved Warlock, Thanos, and Captain Marvel, stories that shaped the Marvel Universe for decades. Debuting at this year’s SDCC is the variant cover featuring Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 with Thanos fighting Spider-Man and the Thing.
John Byrne’s X-Men Artifact Edition, Signed Convention Variant
Cover by John Byrne
$150, Limited to 100 units, each with a bound-in signature plate signed by John Byrne.
12” x 17”
John Byrne’s run on the X-Men that introduced Alpha Flight and created the near-mythical storylines “The Dark Phoenix Saga” and “Days of Future Past!” Debuting at this year’s SDCC is the variant cover featuring X-Men #133, where Wolverine goes berserker-style on the Hellfire Club.
Joe Jusko’s Marvel Masterpieces Hardcover Convention Variant
Cover by Joe Jusko
$75 each, Limited to 150 units
Joe Jusko’s complete Marvel Masterpieces painted trading card art from the 2016 Upper Deck set is collected in its entirety for the first time — more than 130 never-before-seen masterpieces, including hard-to-find premium cards. Debuting at this year’s SDCC is the variant cover featuring a new painting of the Incredible Hulk.
We at borg.com have been big fans of several recent series on SyFy, notably those coming from Canadian showrunner Emily Andras (Lost Girl, Killjoys). Well, Andras is back with an all-new series that we previewed here that looks to be just as fun, once again with a powerful female lead. Based on the IDW comic of the same name, Wynonna Earp is a paranormal Western, in the tradition of the anthology Dead Man’s Hand, (reviewed here) and borg.com favorite All-Star Western, featuring Jonah Hex (reviewed here).
On her twenty-seventh birthday, Earp family black sheep Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano, Haven, The Listener) returns home to Purgatory (presumably Alberta) to attend her uncle’s funeral, and inherit the family curse: She’s become the Earp Heir, the only person capable of wielding her great-great-granddaddy’s Colt .45 Buntline Special, known as “Peacemaker.” See, Purgatory and the Earps are haunted by the ghosts–or Revenants–of Sherriff Wyatt Earp’s kills. And every generation of Earps must hunt down the undead again, until all 77 have been dispatched for good. The trouble is, Wynonna wasn’t actually the Heir–that dubious honor ought to have belonged to elder sister Willa. But Willa and their father were killed by Revenants when Wynonna was just a kid, leaving Purgatory, Wynonna, and younger sister Waverly unprotected.
The series has just aired its third episode (Episode 4 airs Friday, April 22), and it’s off to a fantastic start. Andras has a great knack for blending excellent worldbuilding, sci-fi and paranormal elements, winning characters, and humor. Scrofano is sharp-tongued and swaggering, a perfect modern-day gunslinger, and she’s backed up with an excellent supporting cast. Shamier Anderson (Defiance) plays Agent Dolls, special agent of the Black Badge Division, a sort of Men in Black-style “cross-border” paranormal task force, and Dominique Provost-Chalkley as overeager little sister Waverly is a funny and delightful sidekick. But the standout is Tim Rozon (Being Human, Lost Girl) as the mysterious Henry, immediately identifiable (though not identified) as the ghost of Doc Holliday, sporting a lazy drawl and unclear motives that make him absolutely captivating–utterly unrecognizable from his vile Lost Girl character.
It’s a supernatural Western from a creator-owned property published by Image Comics and IDW Publishing. Wynonna Earp is a modern-day gunslinger. And demon hunter. She’s the brainchild of comic book writer Beau Smith. Based on his comic books about a present-day, great-granddaughter of the famous lawman Wyatt Earp, Wynonna’s story isn’t your standard Western fare. Think in terms of a dark Wild, Wild West and you’re halfway there.
After years on the run and in juvenile detention, Wynonna Earp is finally coming home. The only problem is no one back home wants her to return. But when she becomes the town’s only hope of eradicating mysterious demons, Wynonna must choose which side of the law she wants to fight on in order to clear the name of her legendary great grandfather Wyatt Earp once and for all.
Wynonna Earp hails from executive producer and showrunner Emily Andras, who created the awesome, kickass woman-focused shows Lost Girl and Killjoys. The 13-episode Canada-produced series stars Melanie Scrofano (Damien, Gangland Undercover) as Wynonna, Tim Rozon (Being Human, Instant Star) as Doc Holliday, and Shamier Anderson (Defiance, Constantine) as Agent Dolls.
Here’s a preview of the TV series: