Author: Kyra

Kyle Kyra (they/them) writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They live in a sleepy Nebraska town. Yes, corn lives outside their back door. They hold a BFA in creative writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and their work has appeared in Menacing Hedge, Spank the Carp, Danse Macabre, The Door is a Jar, The Collidescope, and other journals and anthologies.

The Punisher: One Last Kill Review

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Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with a review/reaction to The Punisher: One Last Kill Special Presentation. This special has an uneven distribution of action and character exploration/backstory, but this imbalance works for The Punisher: One Last Kill. In short, it’s a bloody good time.

I really liked how Jon Bernthal loses himself as Frank Castle. He pulls off a tortured marine well. His ex-platoon members haunt him. The cinematography drives home the claustrophobic nature of these ghosts. Frank can’t escape his former partners or the family he failed to protect. The Punisher has a clear goal (end the crime family that destroyed his family), and at the beginning of The Punisher: One Last Kill, he’s accomplished that goal. No wonder he’s ready to say his final goodbyes while visiting his daughter’s grave. But Frank Castle hasn’t completed his goal. One member of the Gnucci remains. Ma Gnucci.

I love Judith Light’s portrayal of Ma Gnucci. The character makes sense for The Punisher: One Last Kill, and one of Ma Gnucci’s chief storylines echoes a storyline from Daredevil: Born Again. Ma Gnucci creates an Anti-Vigilante Task Force. The Punisher: One Last Kill reworks this into a bunch of goons trying to kill The Punisher on Ma Gnucci’s behalf. That’s a good interpretation. I also like how succinctly The Punisher: One Last Kill introduces Ma Gnucci. Kudos all around.

And getting back to Frank Castle, I liked how disorienting his portrayal of post-traumatic stress was and how he couldn’t tell who was real. He’s not okay. He’ll live with the ghosts of his past. The Punisher: One Last Kill managed to address PTSD well, while still remaining true to the MCU. Not an easy task. It took an appearance by Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) to slap a little sense into the protagonist. Because of Castle’s mental state, I’m still unsure if we actually saw the real Karen Page. Actually, I’m almost eighty-five percent sure Karen’s appearance was in Frank’s head. He could be recalling a previous exchange with Karen, and The Punisher: One Last Kill found the perfect time to pivot toward action.

At first, I thought about taking The Punisher: One Last Kill to task for presenting an uneven story. All psychological drama upfront; a lot of gory action on the backend. But like I said, it works. In the beginning, Frank’s interior sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Just as it enters the realm of too much self-loathing, The Punisher: One Last Kill introduces Ma Gnucci, and we get reprieve from Frank’s inner thoughts. Again, great job setting up Ma Gnucci. Shortly after Gnucci threatens Frank, Karen Page appears, attempting to get through to Frank, and that’s when Ma Gnucci’s goons attack everyone in the neighborhood. Good pacing.

What comes next are a mixed bag of action sequences. There are some hokey visual effects (Castle falling on an air conditioning unit), but the majority of the action is well done and represents some of the better actions sequences in recent MCU history. I especially liked The Punisher taking down a heavily tattooed muscle man with a ballpoint pen. Nice!

The Punisher: One Last Kill offers up as much blood and gore as any Deadpool movie or Logan, and this is in the span of twenty minutes. Wow! Just wow! While several may view this as “overkill”–get it?–these action sequences serve as Frank Castle working through his demons. They feature plenty of character moments, not the least of which is when Frank watches Ma Gnucci make her escape. Frank has the option to hunt her and claim his “last kill” of the Gnucci family, but he doesn’t. Those same goons Gnucci hired to attack Frank Castle cause havoc in The Punisher’s home streets.

After subsequent viewings, I love The Punisher: One Last Kill’s symmetry. In the opening moments, we see the city as its own character, performing its daily routine. Frank seldom interacts with his neighbors. Toward the end, Frank engages. He aids a family not too unlike the one he lost. During the special’s closing moments, he helps a former Marine fight back against a bully. Frank Castle has found a connection with humanity. He’s found purpose. Is it a little spelled out for the viewer? Sure. But it’s effective. The Punisher: One Last Kill offers plenty of blood. It unleashes The Punisher with rated R action. But it also gives Frank Castle his humanity. It gives him hope. It gives The Punisher a reason to live. And that’s beautiful. Bombastic, gory, beauty.

I always thought Jon Bernthal was a good choice as The Punisher, but his moments to shine in the role were spotty at best. The Punisher: One Last Kill showcases what Bernthal can do in the role. Those are my thoughts on The Punisher: One Last Kill. What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly? May 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the last month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading this past month, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been reading this past month.

Kyra’s Reads

I have a Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game session planned at a public event this Saturday (May 16, 2026, at the Bellevue, Nebraska, Public Library), and while I could’ve read one or two core books, I fell down a rabbit hole. I’m sure I read something else this past month. I’ll probably remember it while I’m typing this entry, but picking up four 300-page rulebooks for a tabletop role-playing game is a good reading load. Throw in multiple auxiliary role-playing game books, and it becomes a lot of reading.

One feature I like about the Marvel Multiverse RPG books is that their pages are color-coded. At first, I didn’t care for these color-coded pages. They look garish on the shelf. But those colors help with quickly locating chapters. Rules can be found at the beginning. These page colors may be difficult to spot at first because the chapters are really small (the Marvel Multiverse RPG is a rules-light game), but you’d expect rules to exist at the beginning of a TTRPG book. The larger sections are for Powers, Characters, and World Building. I know to look at the red pages for a character and the purple pages for Powers and so forth. Color-coded pages may look weird on your shelf, but I’ll sacrifice aesthetics for functionality.

I picked up the core rulebook, and you don’t even need to do that if you want to get started playing the Marvel Multiverse RPG. The company uploaded a quick-start book on its website. Just click the “Try Free” button, and a laundry list of content loads. I was surprised by how much content Marvel made available for players. Sure, other sites like Fuzzy on the Details offer copious fan-made content for the game, and you can check them out here if you’re interested. But Marvel gives players everything they need to demo the game before buying.

The Quick-Start Book with a Thunderbolts* Adventure is a great place to begin. The Quick-Start Book offers an abridged version of the rules, everything you need to get playing. And the Thunderbolts* Adventure introduces game elements almost like a video game tutorial. My group is choosing a different starting adventure, the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure.

I talked about the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure in last week’s Whatcha Playing, so I won’t repeat what I said in that post here. But I will say that I like the Adventure’s flexibility. It can be a one-shot or the beginning of a longer campaign if we choose to continue the story. Getting back to the major Expansion books, I picked up Spider-Verse and X-Men. I prefer X-Men to the Spider-Verse because this Expansion adds more powers. More options. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get any new abilities in Spider-Verse. Even so, Spider-Verse is solid.

All Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game’s bigger books have a third to almost half of their pages dedicated to character entries. This could change in the future, but you’ll be seeing a lot of red pages. And that makes the Marvel Multiverse RPG different from many other TTRPGs. With so many choices of pre-constructed characters, why would anyone make their own character? That’s not to say that the Marvel Multiverse RPG doesn’t have a good character creation system. It does. I can easily whip up a compelling character in short order, and I’m in the process of converting the TSR Marvel RPG rolling charts to aid with character creation. After I’m done, I may post those charts here. Let me know if you’d be interested in that. But the Marvel Multiverse RPG lends itself to players assuming the role of established characters.

How you play the Marvel Multiverse RPG will depend on your gaming group. I also picked up The Cataclysm of Kang. This Adventure differs from the others (one-shots) I mentioned earlier. The Cataclysm of Kang requires hundreds of gameplay hours to complete. It’s a massive campaign, and fewer players will have interest or patience for this long a campaign. Note: I picked up The Cataclysm of Kang because it could play out like an alternative MCU Kang storyline. What could’ve happened if the MCU didn’t biff that villain? Just like the other hardbacks in the Marvel Multiverse RPG, The Cataclysm of Kang offers plenty of pre-generated characters. $40-$50 is a lot if you’re only interested in more characters. Fortunately, DriveThruRPG offers $5 deals on just the characters. The site even sells easier-to-print versions of the game’s maps. And while you’re on DriveThruRPG, check out some of the other free content.

You could play the Marvel Multiverse RPG without ever buying the core book or any of the expansions. Or you could drop considerably less money than I have and pick up some essentials and cheaper content on sites like DriveThruRPG and FuzzyOnTheDetails. You also don’t need to be the biggest Marvel buff. No one will quiz you on Marvel lore. You could take a show or movie you liked from anything Marvel, even the stuff that predates the MCU, and ask what if.

I continued with The Game Master’s Book Of series with Random Tables and a handful of other titles. Like I said, I went down a rabbit hole. Send help! Naturally, I’ve been converting some of these random roll tables for the Marvel Multiverse RPG, but if you’re running a high fantasy role-playing game, you shouldn’t need to adapt anything found in this book. I love The Game Master’s Book Of Series. They provide so much for any role-playing game. Sure, they do lean toward Dungeons & Dragons, but most of these books–except for the dragons book, but who doesn’t love dragons?–can be useful for numerous RPGs. I read the Proactive Roleplaying and Collaborative Campaign Design books last month. Those two are paperback, but the hardback books are only $25 or less, and they’re high-quality books. You can’t beat The Game Master’s Book Of series’ value.

I did read something else this month. I started re-reading Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. I read this book so often that I forget to include it in these lists. Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style is a great book to refresh one’s grammar. And I need all the help I can get.

That’s all I have for what I’ve been reading this past month. I’m sure I forgot several other books on my list, but hey, that’ll give me something to talk about next month. And it looks like I’m on my own for this week. We’ll have to check in with Season and Skye next month with their reads. But let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Video Game Villains

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 villains list. Today’s list is none other than video games. Like many narratives, villains drive a video game’s story, so let’s look at some of the greatest video game villains of all time.

5) Andrew Ryan (BioShock)

Nope. I’m not going to spoil BioShock’s Andrew Ryan plot twist. I don’t care that the original BioShock was released in 2007. BioShock is almost twenty years old. Oh, my! Still, I’ll refrain from spoiling BioShock’s ending for the handful of people who don’t know. Seriously, people mention the original BioShock’s plot twist with Andrew Ryan as readily as the plot twist in Soylent Green. Andrew Ryan is people! JK Throughout BioShock’s runtime, Andrew Ryan’s vision for society challenges the player. His charisma and philosophical ideals are why gamers return to BioShock. And his worldview can lead to thought-provoking discussions. What more could you want from a video game villain?

4) GLaDOS (Portal)

BioShock may raise questions about video game narratives (Why do you blindly follow a video game narrator’s directions?), but Portal adds wry humor. GLaDOS is at the center. This sassy AI’s dry wit and passive-aggressive comments promote unique challenges for players as they navigate deadly puzzles. Portal may be a puzzle game, and GLaDOS an AI, but both are unforgettable. GLaDOS may also be the inspiration behind The Stanley Parable’s antagonistic narrator six years later. And I’ve never heard of a game developer bringing in a voice actor at the beginning of a project. Typically, voice actors are invited well into a video game’s development. With Portal 2, Ellen McLain (GLaDOS’s voice actor) was involved from the beginning. Developer Valve only wanted to hear McLain’s voice. No need for a stand-in.

3) Ganon (Legend of Zelda Series)

Demon King Ganon is the embodiment of evil in the Legend of Zelda series. As Link’s main antagonist, Ganon first appeared in The Legend of Zelda (1986), but he can be a touch confusing. Ganondorf made his first appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), and Ganondorf is more or less Ganon as a humanoid, specifically a gerudo. No matter if he’s Ganon or Ganondorf, he is a force to be reckoned with, and his relentless pursuit of power keeps Hyrule in constant peril.

2) Kefka (Final Fantasy VI)

I could go with Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII) for this spot, but let’s face it, Kefka is Sephiroth’s blueprint. Over the course of Final Fantasy VI, players watch the characters descend into madness. And while Sephiroth attempted to destroy the planet with Meteor, Kefka succeeded. Or at least half-succeeded. Sephiroth will always hold a special place, but Kefka’s maniacal laughter lives rent-free in my head. Sometimes, you need to send in the clown.

1) Bowser (Super Mario Bros. Franchise)

We had to go with the King of Koopas, Bowser, claiming the top spot. In short, Bowser’s a classic video game villain. He’s been tormenting Mario for decades. With his massive size and fire-breathing, Bowser remains Mario’s biggest threat. No disrespect, Wario and Waluigi. Whether he’s kidnapping Princess Peach, or ah, kidnapping Princess Peach, or even kidnapping Princess Peach, Bowser is a fan favorite. Maybe, change it up once, Bowser. Sheesh! I’m still waiting for a Bowser solo game. Make it happen, Nintendo.

Did we get the list right? Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again Season Two “The Southern Cross” Review

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Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Southern Cross.” Simply put, I liked Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s finale. It works if Daredevil: Born Again wants to continue with a third season–we already know that Daredevil: Born Again has been picked up for at least a third season–or if the show wants to end with this season. That’s the mark of a good ending. I also love the symmetry between this season’s opening episode title (“The Northern Star”) and its closing episode title (“The Southern Cross”). In the comics, Daredevil has always leaned into religious undertones. “The Southern Cross” works.

Yes. I have some gripes, and they’re ones you’ve heard before in previous episode reviews/reactions, so I’ll continue with what I liked about “The Southern Cross,” for now. Matt Murdock and Kingpin’s showdown in court was inevitable. What occurs in court pays off many of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s story threads. Great! Honestly, I don’t think the original Netflix Daredevil spent much time in the courthouse beyond its first season. The fact that Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s final fight occurs at that same courthouse fits. It’s a little hokey, but I like it. Treating this episode as an extended bottle episode was a good idea. Sure, we see the courthouse’s exterior, and a few shots occur around the courthouse, but “The Southern Cross” is the closest a show like Daredevil: Born Again would ever get to a bottle episode.

Narrowing the final episode to predominantly one location allowed Daredevil: Born Again to focus on its characters. You don’t need to establish another locale if the location of the shot seldom changes. Love. Love. Love. Daredevil: Born Again made the right call. The acting was on point. What else would you expect from Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin)? I’ve mentioned it before, but Daredevil: Born Again is a passion project for Cox and D’Onofrio, and it shows. Like I said, “The Southern Cross” manages to tie up several loose ends. Daredevil and Kingpin receive satisfying/interesting conclusions to this season. BB working at the same newspaper as her father made me smile. Heather Glenn’s descent into the new Muse could be terrifying, and I’m here for it. I don’t want to spoil it here, but Glenn’s closing scene legitimately gave me chills.

Other storylines were touched on. I got a better sense of McDuffie. White Tiger got a decent close to her story. It was rushed (more on that in a minute), but functionally, it worked. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage’s moment near the end was equal parts fan service and earned. I questioned bringing in Jessica Jones more than halfway through the season, but for the most part, she worked. Sure, I enjoyed Netflix’s Jessica Jones series, and that may have blinded me to her character being rushed into the season’s story. But Kristen Ritter knows this character. Jessica Jones may have aged since we last saw her, but she still takes a swig of Scotch before punching faces. And Jones felt less of a distraction than The Punisher last season. She didn’t hijack the narrative in any way. Conversely, The Punisher became the symbol the AVTF (Anti-Vigilante Task Force) wears.

Jones (and by extension, Luke Cage) justifies Matthew Lillard’s character’s existence. Funny how Bullseye takes Luke Cage’s place at the end of “The Southern Cross.” That served as another great development. But I hope Lillard’s Mr. Charles and Bullseye don’t serve a sole purpose of linking Daredevil: Born Again to the larger MCU. Yes. I know Daredevil: Born Again belongs to the greater MCU, but I like that it’s mostly its own thing. And I don’t want a heap of crossovers in Season Three.

I’m sure I mentioned last year that the Born Again title is one of several where Matt Murdock’s secret identity of Daredevil gets discovered. It should come as no surprise that Murdock’s secret identity was revealed, but in classic MCU fashion, Daredevil: Born Again takes liberties. In the comics, Karen Page sells out Daredevil for drugs. That wasn’t going to fly on a Disney+ show. And I liked that Daredevil: Born Again gave Matt Murdock agency over his identity. Daredevil has been incarcerated in the comics before, which is where we leave him at the end of “The Southern Cross.” This should lead to more nods to the comics, which are always appreciated.

I’ve staved off my critiques, but it’s time to discuss them. Daredevil: Born Again rushes its story. This stems from a combination of a few too many characters and a shorter episode tally than the original Netflix Daredevil. Again, I don’t think Daredevil: Born Again seasons need to run 13 episodes, but a couple more would help establish some of these characters. While I liked Heather Glenn’s transformation, her arc was rushed. We hadn’t seen White Tiger in a couple of episodes (rightfully so, as the show developed other characters, but again, too many characters), and suddenly, White Tiger appears. Okay. I’m unsure of Buck’s fate. I think he lived. And many of Kingpin’s cabinet members and aides got lost in the shuffle. And that gets us back to Kingpin.

Wilson Fisk’s ending was jarring, and I don’t understand how it took place. And I watched this sequence multiple times. The attorney general offers Mayor Fisk a deal to exile himself in return for not pressing charges against him. Okay. I don’t think that’s a thing, but perhaps. We’ll go with it. But before Fisk takes the deal, he goes on a rampage in the courthouse. The offer should’ve been for giving Fisk immunity for the crimes he committed as Mayor before he rejected the attorney general’s offer. How can Fisk escape any punishment after killing at least a few New York citizens and hospitalizing a dozen more? Wouldn’t the deal be voided? That’s a nitpick. We got to see Kingpin fight, and that was cool.

Daredevil: Born Again Season Two was miles better than the first season. I enjoyed this season of the show and eagerly await the next season. Daredevil: Born Again is Marvel’s flagship Disney+ series and for good reason. Clearly, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio love playing these characters, and I love watching them. Those are my thoughts. What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.