TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews

Friday, August 14, 2026

Comics Review: "ECTYRON DOUBLE FEATURE" Doubles the Pleasure, Doubles the Fun

ECTYRON DOUBLE FEATURE: SHOWDOWN IN SOUTH DAKOTA and ATOM.I.K.E. AND THE STRUCTURE VS. THE Z-HEMOTHS OF OMAHA

CANDLE LIGHT PRESS/Warning Comics

STORY: Carter Allen

SCRIPT: John Ira Thomas (on “Showdown in South Dakota”)

ART: Carter Allen

COLORS: Carter Allen

LETTERS: John Ira Thomas

MISC. ART: Will Grant; Jeremy Smith

COVER: Carter Allen

32pp, Color, $10.00 U.S. at conventions (2026)

Comic book writer-artist and graphic novelist, Carter Allen, has been publishing a series of comic books and graphic novels featuring a “kaiju” character known as “Ectyron! The Radioactive Chicken!” Candle Light Press and Allen's Warning Comics have previously published several Ectyron comic books, including 2025's Ectyron v Rojo Gallo.

Ectyron is back on the attack in the recently released comic book, Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha. It is written by Allen (story) and John Ira Thomas (script on “Showdown in South Dakota”); drawn and colored by Allen; and lettered by Thomas. Ectyron comics employ particular elements of various Japanese science fiction sub-genres, in particular “Kaiju.” This is a term used to describe the giant monsters and the fiction in which they appear. Godzilla is an example of a kaiju, and Ectyron, a giant-sized chicken, is also a kaiju.

Ectyron Double Feature opens with Showdown in South Dakota. The story is set in the “Badlands” of South Dakota some time in the past. In this sprawling countryside roams a mysterious monster known as “Creature 3.” When people start disappearing in the wake of this monster, it's up to two special agents from “Sustenatione Stabilitas” to find out what is happening.

Aleksandria “Lek” Stal and her partner, Shotaro “Sam” Mifune, arrive in the “Athena 5 Rover.” However, this heavily fortified vehicle cannot protect Lek and Sam from the horrific psychic attack powers of Creature 3. They'll need help from Ectyron, but is the “Marvelous Monster of the Midwest” really a match for Creature 3? Guest-starring Madam Madamn of Sustenatione Stabilitas.

The second feature is Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha. It opens with the arrival of aliens from the “Yohahte Empire,” which are bent on plundering the Earth's resources. To that end, they mutate three ordinary animals, creating the “Z-Hemoths” Soon, the monsters descend on Omaha, Nebraska.

Can Atom.I.K.E. (Herb Mantlo), Atom.A.X. (Jake Johnston), and Atom.A.Y (Iowa Harris), also known as “The Structure,” stop them? Or will it take something... super?

THE LOWDOWN: I have been receiving review copies of Carter Allen's comic books and graphic novels for almost two decades. Carter and I are also collaborators, and that includes collaborating on the 2024 original graphic novel, The Wrath of Karapace: A Big Spirits Epic.

I have previously reviewed the following Ectyron comics: Ectyron Against Lagaxtu (2017), Ectyron: Rise of Nemehiss (2018), and Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula (2019), and Ectyron vs. Des Moines (2023). I also reviewed the Ectyron Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022), which includes a preview story that I co-wrote with Allen.

Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha is not only an old-fashioned double feature comic book, but is also a two-times-the-fun comic book. It is inventive and imaginative and a carnival of Where-the-Monsters-Dwell unusual strangeness. It is a fun, uncanny comic book in the tradition of oddities like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Hellboy, which are fun because they offer the weird, the wild, and the wonderful.

I don't know how the heck writer-artist, Carter Allen, has managed to create a hugely entertaining comic book about a giant chicken, but he has done it several times. If this were a standalone Ectyron comic book, it would still be a winner. The addition of “the Structure” and “the Z-Hemoths” is a cascade of cherries on top of the Ectyron's heavenly dish of comics ice cream.

For as long as I've been reading Allen's comic books, I have seen a lot of unprecedented and foreignness in characters that yield enjoyable comics. Still, Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha seems like a brand new day, in which monsters, aliens, and tokusatsu move and act like old-fashioned superhero comics. I look at this and think Avengers vs Kree or Skrulls, and I'm a happy reader.

Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha is a treasury comic book of endless delights. Dear readers, I think you will want to read it again and again. Find the Candle Light Press gang at a comics or pop culture convention and snag a copy.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of double feature/flip comics, of kaiju, and of Carter Allen's kaiju comic books will want Ectyron Double Feature: Showdown in South Dakota and Atom.I.K.E. and the Structure vs. the Z-Hemoths of Omaha.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Ectyron Double Feature YouTube trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8IVYsmQXMo&t=6s.

From YouTube comes “A brief history of Ectyron”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zevMoxXmHc

http://www.warningcomics.com/

http://candlelightpress.tumblr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@warningcomics

https://x.com/candlelightpres

https://www.facebook.com/Warning-Comics-194471080646766/

https://www.deviantart.com/vectorattila

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Saturday, August 8, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 8th, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel: Although he isn't getting the level of reshoots he wants, Netflix will allow director David Fincher some reshoots for "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," the sequel to director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Brad Pitt, who won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for playing Booth, is reprising the role for Fincher's film.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Joel Coen wrapped up production of his upcoming film, "Jack of Spades" in November 2025. The film, which is a "gothic mystery" is set in Scotland of the 1880s, has been moved to a 2027 release.

BOX OFFFICE - From THR: "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has scored the biggest first week in domestic box office history with a total of crossing the 500-milllion dollar mark in seven days. 2019's Avengers: Endgame crossed that mark after eight days.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Numan Acar ("Young Sherlock) has signed to join on the next installment of Universal Pictures' "The Mummy" film franchise. Franchise veterans, Kevin J. O'Connor and Oded Fehr, has also signed on for the next film.

AMAZON - From Deadline: Jaafar Jackson is hot off playing his late uncle, "King of Pop" Michael Jackson is the one billion dollar-plus hit, "Michael" (Lionsgate). Now, Jafar takes his next big step with Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb in Amazon MGM Studios' action-thriller, "Supermax."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 7/31 to 8/2/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 355 million dollars.

From Variety: "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey" power the weekend of 7/31 to 8/2/2026 into being the biggest weekend in domestic box office history. Across all movies, the record setting gross is 430 million dollars. This surpasses the 2019 weekend that the debut of "Avengers: Endgame" led.

MOVIES - From GQ: In an interview about writer-director Bassam Tariq's upcoming film, "Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother," the film's star, Mahershala Ali, talks about why he is no longer involved with Marvel Studios' "Blade" film. Tariq was also once attached to the film. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is due Sept, 25, 2026.

OBITS:

From Deadline: American film and television actor and U.S. Navy veteran, Vincent Pastore, has died at the age of 80, July 2026. Pastore was often cast as Italian mobster characters. He is best known for playing "Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero" on the former HBO mob drama, "The Sopranos" (1999-2007). He made notable appearances in the TV film, "Gotti" (HBO), the romantic comedy film, "Mickey Blue Eyes" (1999), and DreamWorks Animation's "Shark Tale" (2004).

From Deadline: American producer and studio executive, Richard L. O'Connor, has died at the age of 96, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. O'Connor was an "executive in charge of production" for such films as "On Golden Pond" (1981), "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" (1981), and "The Muppet Movie" (1979); and on such television movies as "The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd" (1980) and "Friendly Fire" (1979). He was a producer on a number of TV movies and series, including "Fatal Vision" (1984), "Amerika" (1987), and "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," (1993). O'Connor was a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, and winning in 1990 the Primetime Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" for "A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story" (1989).

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Saturday, August 1, 2026

A Negromancer August 2026

Welcome to August 2026. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0. This is the rebirth of the Negromancer, the former movie review site, as a movie review and entertainment and culture news blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademarks of their respective owners.

While you're at it, have AnotherCookie.

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Also, my first original graphic novel, THE WRATH OF KARAPACE: A BIG SPIRITS EPIC, which is published by Candle Light Press. Co-created by Carter J. Allen, (Warning Comics), The Wrath of Karapace is now on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.

Other online shops that are selling "The Wrath of Karapace" include the following:

- AmazonUK;

- Bookshop.org;

- ElmStreetBooks;

- the German book shop, OrrellFussli;

- Powells.com;

- Russell Books.com;

- SuperBookDeals.com;

- Walmart online.

Of note, The Wrath of Karapace is also available on eBay from a few different sellers.

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"The Wrath of Karapace" also a "Google Books" listing.

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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Friday, July 31, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 26th to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #5

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

DISNEY - From WorldofReel: The planned sequel to the Oscar-nominated 2024 hit, "Alien: Romulus," is not happening. And franchise director, Ridley Scott ("Alien," "Prometheus"), may have something to do with that.

NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix has announced "Women Like Us," a new comedy from Charles D. King’s "Macro Film Studios" and Barack and Michelle Obama's "Higher Ground." It will star Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis, Vanessa Williams, and Vivica A. Fox. The director is Tasha Smith, who has TV credits for such series as "Bel-Air" and "Harlem."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 7/24 to 7/26/2026 weekend box office is Universal Pictures' "The Odyssey" with an estimated take of 87 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety: Jonathan Goldstein, the co-writer and director of "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" (2023), said that a sequel to the film has been written. However, he says that it may never be filmed for "financial" reasons.

OBITS:

From Deadline: Irish singer-songwriter and actor, Glen Hansard, has died at the age of 56, July 29, 2026 in a motorcycle crash in Dublin, Ireland. Hansard won an Oscar with co-writer, Marketa Irglova, in the category of "Best Original Song" for "Falling Slowly" from "Once" (2007). He won a Grammy Award and was nominated three other times.

From Deadline: French costume designer, Jean-Pierre Dorleac, has died at the age of 83, Thursday, July 23, 2026. His work appeared in film, television, theater, opera, variety, and burlesque. Dorleac received 11 Primetime Emmy nominations for his work in TV. He won an Emmy in 1979 for his work on the original "Battlestar Galactica" (ABC, 1978-79) and was nominated for his work on "Galactica 1980" (ABC, 1980). His second Emmy win was for his work on the former AMC comedy-drama, "The Lot" (1999-2001). Dorleac received a "Best Costume Design" Oscar nomination for his work on the 1980 film, "Somewhere in Time."

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Saturday, July 25, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 19th to 25th, 2026 - UPDATE #8

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: 81-year-old Danny DeVito wants to direct one final film, an adaptation of the 1899 novel, "McTeague," by author Frank Norris. DeVito has not directed a film since "Duplex" (2003), which was not well-received.

VIDEO GAMES - From Deadline: Universal Pictures, Atari, and Entertainment 360 have joined in a deal in which Universal will develop 10 classic Atari properties for film. Those 10 properties are reportedly "Asteroids," "Adventure," "Berserk," "Breakout," "Centipede," "Crystal Castle," "Millipede," "Missile Command," "Pong," and "Yars' Revenge."

DISNEY - From Variety: Pixar Animation Studios suffered the brunt of the latest round (July 21st, 2026) of Disney layoffs. Hundreds of Pixar staffers, mostly in operations and production, have lost their jobs.

BUSINESS - From Variety: Federal Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin of the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California in Oakland has issued a 14-day restraining order on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. He made this move after hearing arguments from a 12-state coalition that is also seeking a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger until the judge rules on the merits of the states' lawsuit.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 7/17 to 7/19/2026 weekend box office is Universal's "The Odyssey" with an estimated take of 124.5 million dollars.

DISNEY - From Disney: Actor Colman Domingo is looking to co-write an original live-action feature film about "Princess Tiana" inspired by Disney‘s Oscar-nominated animated 2009 feature, "The Princess and the Frog." He would write the screenplay with 2020 Tony-nominated, "Slave Play" director, Robert O’Hara. The project is currently in early development. "The Princess and the Frog" was the last hand-drawn animated feature from Disney. It focused on a waitress, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), who dreams of opening her own restaurant, but is transformed into a frog.

OBITS:

From Variety: American screenwriter, film director, and producer, Chuck Russell, has died at the age of 74, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. As a director, Russell's best known works includes "A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Warriors" (1987), "The Blog" (1988), "The Mask" (1994), "Eraser" (1996), and "The Scorpion King" (2002). He co-wrote such films as "Dreamscape" (1984), and "Dream Warriors," and "The Blog." Russell recently, directed, co-wrotee, and co-produced "Witchboard" (2024), a remake of the 1986 film, "Witchboard."

From Variety: American deaf actress, Kaylee Hottle, has died at the age of 18, Tuesday, July 21, 2026 in a single-vehicle car accident. Hottle is best known for the role of "Jia Andrews" in "Godzilla vs. Kong" (2021) and "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" (2024).

From MovieWeb: American screenwriter, William Wisher, Jr., has died at the age of 71, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Wisher is best known for his work on "The Terminator" films with his friend, James Cameron. Wisher wrote "additional dialogue" for "The Terminator" (1984) and he co-wrote the screenplay for "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" with Cameron. Among his other screenwork are the films "Judge Dredd" (1995), "The 13th Warrior" (1999), "Exorcist: The Beginning," (2004), and "Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist" (2005). Wisher was also a "script doctor" doing work on films for which he did not received a writing credit. That includes "Pumpkinhead" (1998), "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" (1989), and "Eraser" (1996), to name a few. With Randall Frakes, Wisher wrote one of the two novelizations of "The Terminator." The Wisher-Frakes book was published by Bantam/Spectra, in 1985.

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Marvel Releases First Official Trailer for "AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY"

Marvel Entertainment has just released the first official trailer (July 20th) for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY. The film is set for release December 18, 2026.

From Marvel.com:

Avengers: Doomsday follows beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.

Producers: Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Jonathan Schwartz

Directors: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejia

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Saturday, July 18, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 12th to 18th, 2026 - UPDATE #12

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?: There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From Deadline: A year after it began it record-setting run on Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters, is currently the fourth most-viewed film on Netflix for 2026.

MOVIES - From Variety: Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham ("Ted Lasso") has joined star Jason Statham in director David Leitch's meta action-comedy, "Jason Statham Stole My Bike."

MOVIES - From THR: Paramount Pictures is developing a new version of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984). The film will be released on Paramount's new genre label, "Paramount Primal." Paramount has secured the U.S. rights to the screenplay for the 1984 film from the estate of the late director, Wes Craven, who created the franchise.

AMAZON - From EW: Prime Video has offered a first look at showrunner Mike Flanagan's new miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel, "Carrie" (1974). Flanagan's take has been described as a "modern reinterpretation." The novel was most famously adapted by director Brian De Palma in 1976.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 7/10 to 7/12/2026 weekend box office is Disney's live-action "Moana" with an estimated take of 43 million dollars.

MUSIC - From RollingStone: Two-time Oscar-winning actor, Anthony Hopkins, has signed a deal with Decca Records. Hopkins' release is "Life is a Dream," a project based on original classical music compositions that Hopkins wrote over a six-decade period. The tracks have been recorded by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Gustave Dudamel.

OBITS:

From Variety: American songwriter, recording artist, and rock 'n' roll singer, Freddy Cannon, has died at the age of 89, Friday, July 17, 2026. Sometimes performing as Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, he was best known for his international hit singles, "Tallahassee Lassie" (1960), "Way Down Younder in New Orleans" (1960), and "Palisades Park" (1962). Cannon was a pioneer in the early rock and roll music scene, and he influenced such rock and roll icons as Mick Jagger and Robert Plant. His songs appeared in numerous films, including "Palisades Park," which was featured in the 2011 film, "X-Men: First Class."

From BBC: Irish actress, Branda Fricker, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, July 16, 2026. Fricker as the "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar for in "My Left Food." She was the first Irish actress to win an Oscar. Fricker may be best remembered for her role as the "Central Park Pigeon Woman" in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York." Fricker's television work includes the British TV series, "Coronation Street" (1977) and "Casuality" (beginning in 1986), to name a few.

From Variety: American film and television actor, Hal Williams, has died at the age of 91, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Williams is best known for several roles. The first is as "Officer Smith ('Smitty')," on NBC former sitcom, "Sanford and Son." He was "Harley Foster" on CBS's former historical drama, "The Waltons" (1973-80). He was a series regular and family patriarch, "Lester Jenkins," on the former NBC sitcom, "227" (1985-90). Williams was "Drill Sergeant L.C. Ross" in the 1980 film, "Private Benjamin," and he played Sgt Ross in the short-lived CBS sitcom version of the film, "Private Benjamin" (1981-83). Williams recently appeared on two episodes of the CBS legal drama, "Matlock."

From Variety: New Zealand film and television actor, Sam Neill, has died at the age of 78, Monday, July 13, 2026. Neill was best known for his work in the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World film franchises, beginning with 1993's "Jurassic Park." His other well-known film work including "Omen III: The Final Conflict" (1981), "Dead Calm" (1989), "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), "The Piano" (1993), "Event Horizno" (1997), "Jurassic Park III" (2001), and "Jurassic World: Dominion" (2022), to name a few. Neill was also a two-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee.

From YahooEntertainment: Joseph Mazzello (42) and Ariana Richards (46) played the siblings Tim and Lex Murphy in the blockbuster hit, "Jurassic Park" (1993). They paid tribute to their late costar, Sam Neill, after he died at the age of 78 on Monday (July 13th).

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From THR: German-born, British-American actress, Antoinette Bowers, has died at the age of 93, Thursday, April 30, 2026. Bowers had a prolific career guest-starring in numerous television series. Her best known TV appearances where in the original versions of "The Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek." Bowers was "Eve Norda" in the Season 5 Adam-and-Eve episode, "Probe 7, Over and Out," of The Twilight Zone. She was the alien villain, "Sylvia" in the Season 2 episode, "Catspaw," of Star Trek. Bowers also played the mother of Jamie Lee Curtis' character, "Kim Hammond," in the classic horror film, "Prom Night" (1980).

From THR: American film production designer, Barbara Ling, has died at the age of 73, Thursday, July 9, 2026. Ling and set decorator, Nancy Haigh, won the Oscar for "Best Production Design" for director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019). Ling also worked did production design on three films for the late director Joel Schumacher: "Falling Down" (1993), "Batman Forever" (1995), and "Batman and Robin" (1997). She was the production designer on the recent box office smash, "Michael" (2026).