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Movie News Reviews

John Tripi’s Fantasy Draft: Robot Jox: Lucas, Lincoln, Takei, Norris

(Editor’s Note: The following is part of The First Cosmic Book News Fantasy Hollywood Draft; keyword being “fantasy”)

“It is fifty years since the nuclear holocaust almost destroyed mankind, war is now outlawed, and all territorial disputes between the two great alliances are settled by single combat.  A battle rages between two gigantic fighting machines piloted by their nations’ champions: The Robot Jox.”

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That is just part of the opening for my choice in the First Cosmic Book News Fantasy Draft; my choice is rebooting the (1989) sci-fi movie Robot Jox.  Sci-fi gamers out there might remember 1989 as the year the very first MechWarrior game from Activision came out, and exactly ten years after the first Gundam.  The whole decade was alive with Mechs from both America and Japan.  I remember watching this even before anything to do with Star Wars or Star Trek making it probably the first sci-fi I ever watched.

Robot Jox centers on giant mechs that fight wars instead of entire armies because humanity has been devastated by nuclear fallout from World War 3 and the people don’t want another nuclear war breaking out fearing total extinction. This puts all of the pressure of war essentially on the shoulders of the two Alliance factions: one being Alexander a merciless jock with a stereotypical Russian Block accent and the other being Achilles, the ‘Pretty boy’ egotistical American who is his Alliance’s last hope after Alexander kills the other remaining team member. (No spoilers it literally happens right after the intro.)

My interpretation of the movie could be carried with a strong PG-13 or very light R since the movie doesn’t need any gore or human on human bloody violence, there also isn’t any sex and while there is developing romance the movie doesn’t have the feeling that anything like that would belong.  The only thing that would bump the rating up in my opinion would be language.  Robot Jox carried a PG rating itself, but times change and I feel released now it would carry a higher rating and would benefit from a more dialogue as in many parts the movie feels overly-scripted.

On that note here are my picks for Director and cast:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2084:]]Director: George Lucas

I picked George first because he has a lot of experience not only writing but also directing sci-fi movies.  The father of Star Wars with his finger in every project that comes out base in the Universe along with several of his own companies (ILM, Lucas Arts, Skywalker Sound, Lucas Film to name a few) he could bring all of that production might to the project and make it shine in ways other directors might not be able to because they wouldn’t have such ready access to his resources for such a sci-fi production (virtually all other movies come to at least one of his companies).  Yes, I accept he hasn’t made the biggest splash of late but the original movie was B-list at best and yet I still enjoy it a lot so if it just met that level I think it would be a success.

Achilles: Andrew Lincoln

For the title character I picked Andrew Lincoln.  Many of this site’s readers might recognize him as Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead on AMC.  I picked Andrew because of his recent performance in that show and how the range of personality he showed made a big impact on me.  I think he was perfect for the last remaining US Alliance member in Robot Jox.  I also chose him because I felt the film needed someone a bit less American since it’s supposed to be about alliances so the main group should have a bit more diversity.  In the original movie the whole team all seemed American which didn’t make it feel like an Alliance just ‘The USA against Russia.’  Not only that but as of 2012, he is the same age as Gary Graham, the actor who played the original Achilles which is an odd coincidence

Athena: Gina Torres

A veteran of many sci-fi productions including Firefly, Serenity, Cleopatra 2525, The Matrix 2 and 3 going even into games like DC Universe Online, she has a lot of experience in the genre and working with different directors.  Her experience will be an asset bringing her own flair to the role originally brought to life by Anne-Marie Johnson.  I also feel she would fit well against Andrew Lincoln both being more than capable of holding the audience’s attention.  While the mech battles center mostly on Achilles and Alexander, the relationship between Athena and Achilles was also important to show that women can hold her own in this world as well.

Alexander: Karl Urban

I was hoping to make Alexander a more imposing enemy than the original effort put forth by Paul Koslo in the original which seemed to be trying too hard.  This may have been the writers’ fault trying to up-play his origins rather than focusing on his actions.  I picked Karl Urban for this role because he can act rough and tough, has a great voice for the title antagonist and would do the role justice.  It would also be a bit of a departure from his ‘Good Guy’ persona from Lord of the Rings, Doom, Star Trek and more in line with the Vaako character from the Chronicles of Riddick series.

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Guess who’s next Achilles?

Doctor Matsumoto: George Takei

This one I picked for my own amusement and because I am a George Takei fan.  I did keep my pick in line with the original characters Asian ethnicity.  George also has experience with sci-fi and many other genres, but I’ve never seen him play a mentor role like Matsumoto so I think it would be something a little different for him.

Commissioner Jameson: Jeffery Combs

My reasons for picking for Jeffery are not only his work on several Star Trek series, but also his connection to the original movie.  In the original he was 1st Prole, a very minor part but I moved him up because his current age and experience make him perfect to play the Commissioner.  I also like him as an actor.  He’s shown an ability to play various roles well but I would like to see him in more things aside from Star Trek.

Professor Laplace: Amy Adams

In the original movie, Professor Laplace was in her twilight years; experienced and well respected.  In the new film I picked someone much younger but old enough to have experience and respect.  I also tried to keep from having too many A-list people on the film because of its B-list nature.  I felt I needed at least well known actress so I picked Amy.

Tex Conway: Chuck Norris.

For the role of Texan Tex Conway I picked none other than Chuck Norris: famous in part for his role as Walker, Texas Ranger.  To my knowledge he has yet to do anything related to sci-fi, and while he has done movies, I picked him not because of that, but simply because I wanted too.  His following has become kind of a cult culture what with all the Chuck Norris quips and sayings, which to his credit even he has even spoken lightly of during interviews.  I think he is a great pick for the role of the over-the-top Tex Conway.

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Crash and burn, baby!

So those are all my picks for the CBN First Hollywood Draft and for the reboot of Robot Jox.  There might be better picks for the roles, but I tried to keep things in line, not only with the original roles, but also the feel I got from watching the original.  I got all my original picks in the draft so I didn’t have to sub anyone in at the last moment except the director.  So these are my purest list of choices.  Would you pick someone else?  Comment on your choice!

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Movie News Reviews

Movie Review: Prometheus (2012)

This Was Ridley Scott’s Return to Sci-Fi?

A Film Review of Prometheus

By: Lawrence Napoli

            The second, most concerning ailment in Hollywood behind “adaptation fever” is “prequel-itis” and for the franchise that would not die, Ridley Scott decided to revisit his original foray into space horror with Prometheus.  I didn’t quite know what to think about this film when it first hit the rumor mill, but I really enjoyed the first two Alien films, so any return to that level of greatness would make for an exciting proposition.  Then, a curious promotional blitz via web and TV was engaged by Ridley Scott and his production team to state, and restate and RESTATE how Prometheus is a film not exactly linked to the Alien films, but is “set in the same universe.”  What?!?  You are devoting a new film (and possible new franchise) to developing a key plot point that was the inciting incident for all Alien films and there’s no connection?  For the record, there are several key elements within Prometheus that connects it to the Alien franchise: hyper-sleep, flame throwers, androids, evil corporations and high body counts.  So I ask, “Why the big need to disconnect?”  The answer is quite evident once the final credits roll and whether this is a good thing or not, I’ll leave to you, but bear this in mind.  Not only is this film marginally connected to the Alien fiction, it is also a very different type of film from them all and I believe that was the biggest surprise in this entire film.

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This is what you get for not casting ME!!!

            The story of Prometheus is an intriguing exploration into the possibility of human civilization interacting with alien life forms as a result of scientific research and discovery on Earth.  It certainly sounds nice, but if human beings were to actually encounter an alien organism, the results would probably be ugly and dirty; ergo the Alien films.  Don’t worry, everything goes to hell in a hand-basket soon enough but the first act of Prometheus seems awfully cerebral considering the common bloodbath the plot intends to take the audience in the end.  I’d liken it to taking a limousine ride to a demolition derby. 

I was extremely intrigued to learn more about “The Engineers” a.k.a. the alien race that owned that derelict spaceship on LV-426 back in Alien and certainly the script does much to build the wonder and fascination about them despite the crew knowing little more than their “home” address.  I was as disappointed in the Engineers as much as Liara T’Soni was in encountering an actual Prothean in Mass Effect 3.  For being so far advanced in terms of intelligence and technology, the Engineers curiously take a crush first, ask questions never approach to confrontations and so as visually dynamic and impressive as they are, I was unimpressed by being presented yet another alien species with a one track mind that murders anything in its way. 

I found the parts of the script that centered on the crew of the Prometheus and their various interactions to be much more satisfying, particularly the android, David.  Ever wonder what happens on a spaceship when everyone’s in hyper-sleep?  Apparently even androids get bored as David partakes in some interesting activities to pass the time.  I liked being introduced to the human protagonists and I would have loved to see more, but their character development was cut short to start accumulating the aforementioned “body count.”  This brings me to the ultimate reason why I feel this script doesn’t quite measure up.  There is no element of suspense, stalking, or evading in Prometheus.  Sure, the trailers did a great job making it seem like this film would be one heck of a thriller, but that is simply not true.  There are plenty of gore and gross-out moments but there is NO fear and that was a huge disappointment.

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Where did we lose the story?

Many people left the premier night of Prometheus on the IMAX screen scratching their heads at what they saw.  I know this because literally one person applauded at the end and it wasn’t me.  People were expecting some questions to be answered such as who are the Engineers and what do they want, how/why did they get to LV-426, why were they transporting face-hugger eggs in their ship and how does ANY of this connect to human beings.  Guess what ladies and gents, nothing gets answered!  Again, this was another big disappointment but the reason for it is no more complicated than reviewing who the writers are and in Hollywood Land, a writer rarely proves him or herself to be more than the one type of writing that got them jobs in the first place.  Damon Lindelof is a veteran writer of the quintessential IP notorious for answering questions with more questions: Lost, ‘nuff said!

The real reason to see Prometheus is for the visual style.  Every second of this film looks gorgeous from its framing to the CG, to the costume design, set design, makeup, special effects; heck even the color palate is pure genius.  I believe we can attribute this to Ridley Scott’s acumen as an auteur (just wished he gave the script the same level of polish), but like all great filmmakers, he didn’t do it alone.  Cinematographer Dariuz Wolski, production designer Arthur Max, set decorator Sonja Klaus and costume designer Janty Yates all deserve singular recognition for their contributions to this film.  There is not one aspect of the Prometheus spaceship that presents itself as anything less than pristine, luxury living in the future.  The Engineers look as elegant as they do threatening, the desolate planet is a perfect example of a techno version of Egyptian ruins and human beings being stomped, ripped apart or being eaten from the inside is all stomach turning.  In this regard, Prometheus is like The Matrix; you have to see it for yourself.

Although some sci-fi, action/adventure, blockbuster films feature some standout performances that contribute greatly to their success, Prometheus is not one of them.  The main character Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace (you’ll remember her from Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) does an adequate job being the starry eyed scientist with hopes of being acknowledged by her fictional alien creators like a good little girl.  The problem I have is less with her actual performance and more with the fact that the character is required to take a back seat to others in addition to being completely reactionary as opposed to being proactive.  I’m used to Sigourney Weaver taping a machine gun to a flamethrower to take on a nest of Aliens by herself.  Perhaps this is the type of character Noomi will be asked to generate for the sequel because Lord knows, her character has plenty of motivation to start kicking ass at the end of this film.

Charlize Theron plays the Weyland Corporation rep, Meredith Vickers who carries over her “take no BS despite looking like a goddess” charm from Snow White and the Huntsman.  Her character is meant to keep the mission on task, funny I thought that would be the captain’s job, but I guess that’s the privilege that comes from private enterprise funding a trillion dollar voyage into space.  Regardless, Charlize is compelling in her cold yet amicable portrayal of a woman with a purpose.  Part of the mystery of this film is learning what that purpose is, but the manner in which Charlize plays it could be for or against the protagonists all the way to the climax.  All in all, Charlize shows that she’s a true leading lady that can produce a solid performance in ANY film rooted in ANY genre.

The true star of Prometheus is yet another inspired performance by Michael Fassbender as the android David.  His performance mirrors Charlize’s in many respects save one, he never breaks from being deadpan in all scenes whether he’s being helpful, scheming, deductive, destructive or pragmatic.  For a human being to produce a distinguished performance as a robot, a certain level of elitism is necessary for the actor to generate, for which Fassbender easily flips the switch.  It’s his dedication to keeping that switch on that is truly impressive as he seems to relish in characters the audience loves to hate or hates to love.

Prometheusis a film that I will forever recognize as not meeting the great expectations set before it.  Even if Ridley Scott wanted to distance this new film franchise from the Alien films, he didn’t necessarily have to make so many conscience choices to turn it into a film that only alludes to horror in space.  Even if he did, he still could have made choices to at least make that kind of film stand on its own merit.  The way I see it, without the Alien films, Prometheus would have nothing going for it because at the end of the day people want to see the moment that explains why human beings are the ideal host body for the most feared alien predator the universe has come to know and guess what?  This film implies exactly that at the very end so get your tents packed up to wait outside the theater for the sequel because it’s going to happen and maybe Ridley can hand the franchise off to James Cameron like last time in order to take it up a notch or two.

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Movie News Reviews

Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Original Fairy Tales Are Quite Grimm

A Film Review of Snow White and the Huntsman

By: Lawrence Napoli

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2054:]]             The trend of infusing fairy tales with grown up grit and special effects continues in La-La Land with Snow White and the Huntsman.  Let’s make no mistake about the reason for this trend as it’s the same reason why so many comic book licenses have been adapted recently.  Corporate greed and its need to ensure predictable profits have facilitated an unholy alliance with a lack of original creativity from screenwriters; thus the adaptation fever.  It is a tad perplexing how we all continue to find entertainment value in the same stories being told in the same ways, but most of that sentiment comes from the intrigue of seeing timeless pieces of fiction brought to life on the silver screen.  Snow White and the Huntsman is a fine experiment in generating this same feeling of nostalgia, but really doesn’t bring anything new to the table beyond this generation’s visual effects and 1 major twist that isn’t developed in ANY way which gets swept under the rug by the script like some common expository detail.  I am uncertain if the reason for this is simply bad writing or conspiracy to turn Snow White into a sequel machine.  Still, this film is one of the better movies of the summer of 2012 and if you enjoy fantasy, there are plenty of visual goodies to feast your eyes upon.

            A cursory examination of any trailer clearly identifies this film as yet another “girl power” type of film regardless of anything Kristen Stewart says to the contrary.  Never before have we seen Snow White: Warrior Princess, but we certainly have now.  By the way, this element of the story is not the aforementioned “twist” in the script and thus screenwriters Evan Daugherty and John Lee Hancock took a fairly predictable approach to a female protagonist in this day of feminine empowerment.  The evil queen is still an alpha ego you don’t want to mess with, Snow White is still kind hearted and the dwarves are still eccentric, but what about that Huntsman?  Well, he certainly has a much more prominent role in this story and that’s the “twist.”  I’ve always known this character to be the evil queen’s mercenary, but this film makes him much more sympathetic as well as personally important to Snow White.  Unfortunately this is where the script takes a dive like Sonny Liston.  The Huntsman is a character that is given a decent amount of exposition, development and screen time, but his subplot sets the audience up for a payoff of zero.  This is an extremely disappointing resolution after this film’s climax is executed and amounts to one of the worst endings I have seen on celluloid in recent memory.  Just about everything else about this script is excellent: establishing Snow White’s history, explaining the rise of the evil queen and identifying the enchanted nature of this fictional world.  The quality of the story is impressive up to the end and I wonder if the reason for this inexplicable drop was a last-minute push by Universal Pictures to turn this film into a franchise?  A sequel would not only clear things up, but shamelessly turn 1 movie into 2 to ultimately learn Snow White’s fate.

            The action and visual effects in this film are actually quite satisfying.  Lots of sword play, horse charges, arrow volleys and fights with monsters keeps a fairly active and dynamic screen for a good portion of the film.  Chris Hemsworth takes the combat lead here and shows an impressive level of dexterity wielding various short blades and hatchets with few cutaways to stunt actors.  As for those visual effects, the evil Queen’s sorcery translates quite well from her Shang Tseung life-sucking powers to her ability to create creatures of cobalt glass.  What was neat about these effects was that they seem out of the ordinary for even a fictional “period piece” such as this.  In fact, the one segment of the film that did seem a bit much was the enchanted forest of the pixies which looked like it was all but carbon copied from an amalgam of cheerful forests from various Disney films.  I understand the need for contrast, but perhaps the pixies themselves didn’t have to be so creepily adorable.  And speaking of creepy, the seven dwarves are most definitely not as quaint as Sleepy, Bashful and Doc as it looks like the same head swapping, travelling matte software that was used in Captain America: The First Avenger were used in this film because Bob Hoskins, Eddie Marsan and Toby Jones are not little people.  This effect looked a little better here than in Cap because 1) Chris Evans’ head on an un-buff body is too difficult to visualize, 2) the dwarves’ heads were scaled to the body actors’ actual stature much better and 3) their costumes helped mask the neck area where it’s easier for the audience to see any visual inconsistency.  

            Count Snow White as another film that pushes Chris Hemsworth to the forefront of Hollywood’s leading men.  Clearly, his not so humble beginnings in the action/adventure genre have vaulted him to the A-List, but it is in the quality of his various performances that proves he is levels beyond the proverbial meatheads of Stallone and Schwarzenegger.  His character is designed as a victim of tragic circumstance relayed to the audience by all manners of drunk and disorderly conduct.  Hemsworth sells likeability in all of his characters that even a roughneck like this huntsman should, theoretically, be a little less charismatic.  It is his combination of facial sincerity with flawless line delivery as well as that triple A smile that makes an audience buy in every time.  Of course, this works for just about any actor that strictly plays heroic protagonists so the true test for Hemsworth will be when he rides out this initial wave of positively charged success to transition to some darker roles while still selling his patented genuine savvy. 

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I am here to save you from yourself.

            Of course, the movie is still called “Snow White” and the Huntsman so the young princess was bound to make an appearance.  Thus, rookie director Rupert Sanders (whose imdb.com’s photo is eerily reminiscent of a mug shot) was saddled with Kristen Stewart who perhaps IS the best actress of all time for convincing the entirety of Hollywood that she is, in fact, a good actress and not some wannabe emo-girl who’s only mastered one expression: vacant disinterest.  All right, perhaps I’m poking a little too much fun at Kristen, but I was truly disturbed to find out that she is currently commanding the biggest bucks, per picture, for Hollywood leading ladies these days.  That’s really interesting information considering Stewart played the title character in this film while producing a forgettable performance that was easily third fiddle behind Hemsworth and Theron.  Each scene featuring Stewart seemed carbon copied from Twilight.  Her face rarely emotes; her voice rarely fluctuates and let’s just say any attempt to generate some sort of accent leaves much to be desired.  But, she’s still a popular, trendy actress.  I can’t begrudge Stewart too much because the fact of the matter is that she’s a flavor of the week much like Megan Fox was and Channing Tatum is.  Casting director Lucy Bevan probably thought she hit one out of the park by casting Kristen Stewart for a literary character known for true beauty inside and out as “the fairest of them all.”  In no world: real, imaginary or Matrix-y is Kristen Stewart superior to Charlize Theron in any conceivable way one could classify a human being.  This is the fundamental flaw of this production and no, it’s not fair to expect Stewart to measure up to Theron.  So yes, it was utter folly set up these expectations in the first place. 

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Can’t you tell how excited I am for being a Hollywood director?

            As for Charlize Theron, she is beautiful, in every single way; bad characters won’t bring her down.  Yes, I rooted for the evil queen to win despite her implied creepy relationship to her on screen brother.  Despite that, she was quite menacing and intimidating even to the likes of the huntsman, but since she wielded magic, she was not called upon to engage in any combat.  I can’t say she played this role in such a way as to stand out from every other interpretation.  “The Evil Queen” is about as generic as villains come so, so Charlize’s performance seemed more of an amalgam with a twist of her own patented sultry glare.  Overall, Charlize delivered a solid performance that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it would have been nice to see her character really unleash some serious, rage infused, hell on everyone.  Alas, her character simply hovers in between narcissism and elitism for the entire film.  

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Guess what?  I’m pretty hot.

            This was a very good film to watch and is quite ideal for a “date night,” as there’s enough girly things happening to keep the ladies interested with plenty of action and effects to satisfy explosion-seeking men without geek-ing out on the utter dork-dem of comic book adaptations.  Make no mistake, this is no AAA blockbuster, but there are only 2 (maybe 3 if you count the Spider-Man reboot) super blockbusters this summer.  Come for Snow White, stay for the huntsman.

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Comic Book News

“DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for June 27th, 2012

 

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

( A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER! )

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these five titles to your list of goodies! Forget that “apple a day” nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five books of the week!

 

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1.  Hit-Girl #1 : The Millarworld just keeps turning, and finally — Mindy Macready gets her own book! Taking place between Kick-Ass Vol. 1 & 2, Hit-Girl gets to make a man out of Kick-Ass — just like her father would have wanted! This blood bath of a book is all you need to get you through the week!

2.  Hypernaturals #1  : Fan favorites, DnA, are finally loose from the confines of editorial shackles and years of confusing continuity. Now they can unleash their TRUE cosmic power in the form of — Hypernaturals! This star spanning story will get you over all the Marvel cosmic mediocrity!

3.  The New Deadwardians #4  :  Not to be outdone by himself, Dan Abnett, continues to create one of the best Alt. History books on the racks today! Part murder mystery, part social commentary, this book about the “Young” and the “Restless” is amazing! And no, I do not mean the soap opera! Wait, how would I know that? Umm… move on to number four, please! 

4.  Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1 (0f 6)  :  JMS, CBN E.I.C. Matt McGloin’s favorite sparring partner, tells an in depth tale of when old and new Owls meet. Weaving in scenes from Watchmen, makes this issue feel like a true homage to the Alan Moore classic!

5.  American Vampire #28  :  Scott Snyder changes the status quo for the entire series in this issue! When Pearl and her husband are attacked, there is only one thing left to do — kill ’em all! Awesome first issue of the new “The Blacklist” arc!

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: Avengers Vs. X-Men #6

After the shocking- and some what confusing- ending to issue five, this series could have gone anywhere. Fortunately for fans, Jonathan Hickman took up the reigns with this issue and created the best single story of this series yet!

Along with fan favorite, Olivier Coipel, Hickman has crafted something that is worthy of the word “classic”! The pacing of the tale is perfect, luring the reader into a world that has begun to change in the blink of an eye. We can see the awe and wonder on the characters faces, and the same emotions are dredged up in the reader as well, as something new lay before us!

War, famine, and drought have all been removed from the planet by five individuals, and the status quo has begun to shift to the meek from the mighty. So, why then is there still opposition by the Avengers, and more importantly — the government — to stop the X-Men from changing the world for the better? One word — FEAR! Fear of the unknown, fear of a power struggle, but mostly, a fear of losing an upper hand on those seen as lower class citizens.

In a time of great political unrest in our country, Hickman’s tale is sure to strike a cord with all who have ever felt that they will never get a fair shake in life. At it’s core, it is a tale of striving to not only better oneself but the world around you as well. It is about the struggle to achieve power enough to make that change and yet, when you do, you are still shunned for not doing it the way certain parties preceive to be right. What can you do when all you have achieved is still not good enough for those you have sworn to protect? You lash out, destroying the thin membrane of peace between you and hope someone will finally appreciate you in the future. 

With only a single issue, Hickman has given me new hope for this series. He has given it a new life, one that will hopefully be cared for and evolved with the next writer into something even better than it is now! He has created a memoir to classic tales while crafting his own! That , my friends, is something to be proud of! 

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Comic Book News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for June 20th, 2012

 

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

( A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER! )

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these five titles to your list of goodies! Forget that “apple a day” nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five books of the week!

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1.  Green Lantern Corps #10 : Peter J. Tomasi has created quite an amazing run with this series and it only continues here! What are the plans of the Guardians? What is the Third Army? You’ll just have to wait and see because this issue is all about John Stewart being sentenced to DEATH!

2.  The Grim Leaper #2 : An amalgam of Final Destination and Quantum Leap, this quirky series is definitely worth your time! What would you do, if you woke up in a different body and died every day? Look for love of course! Great book!

3.  Avengers Vs. X-Men #6 : Finally, this is the issue that the series should have been all along! Great art and an even better story, the Marvel U. is changing and it’s at the hands of the Phoenix Five! Awesome!

4.  Before The Watchmen: The Comedian #1 : Brian Azarrello is the best he is at what he does — and that’s make great comics! This period piece about the Comedian and the Kennedy’s, is a TRUE testament to what comics can be if handled correctly! Burt, we all know Alan Moore will still complain!

5.  B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth: The Devil’s Engine #2 :  Fennix can see the future in sporadic glimpses and what she sees — is the end of the world! Mike Mignola has this train running at full speed down a track that ends in tragedy! Brilliant stuff!

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Movie News

Hail To The King!: A Father’s Day List Of Comicdom’s Most Famous And Infamous Fathers!

“You Need A License To Catch A Fish …”

By Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

With Father’s Day just a few days away, and my daughter snuggly sleeping in her bed, I began to ponder all the fathers and father figures brought to us each month in the pages of comics. The parallels between our favorite art form and real life are staggering, a true mirror of the vast facets of fatherdom we see everyday! From the fathers that would give everything for their children, to the delinquent dad that never taught his child right from wrong, the media darlings that have no time to gaze upon the angelic faces they have sired, to the ones that have chosen to be a “father” to those who need it the most.

Comics are at their best when they make us feel a connection, whether good or bad! The following list of fathers is not a group of the worst or best, but rather, a myriad of both. They are fathers that have made us reflect on how we raise our children, ones we can strive to be more like or those we never wish to become. Whether you agree or disagree, all of these characters have definitively made a connection to the readers — if not their children!

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Batman/Damien:  The father that never knew he was one! DC finally recognized the great Son of The Demon story as cannon, and we got to see Bruce Wayne deal with his true heir! Though a father figure to all the previous Robins, it was the son that hated him that finally made him question what kind of person he was. A great dynamic of a frustrated father and the son who loves to do the frustrating!

 

 

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Wally West/Iris and Jai West:  The dad who broke time to save his children! When his wife, Linda Park, was attacked by Professor Zoom, her pregnancy was terminated. Distraught by the loss of his twins, the Flash asked the Spectre to erase Wally West and Linda Park from the minds of the world. Too bad he and Linda forgot, too! Eventually, they both remembered and Wally fought Zoom again. This time the battle created a fissure in time and saved Linda’s pregnancy! He is the man that would turn back time for his children!

 

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Alan Scott/Jade and Obsidian: The father figure to all, the dad to none! Alan Scott may have been one of the most patriarchal figures to young heroes, but his own children were always second best. Though Jade and Obsidian finally worked on a strained relationship with their father, the early years of abandonment took its toll on Obsidian. He became a villain on more than one occasion, fighting against the very team his father beloved so much — the JSA! You can be loved by the public all you want, but it’s the love you receive at home that will sustain you forever!

 

 

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Rick Grimes/Carl: The dad who will never give up! Not a coma, dismemberment, torture, loss of a wife and baby, nor hordes of zombies can ever keep Rick from doing all he can to save his only son! He is the primal rage inside all fathers that will make us protect our children no matter what the circumstance! He is driven, almost to a fault, and when the dust settles — you will be damn sure he and his son emerge together!

 

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Scott Summers/Cable: The dad that wasn’t there! Literally! The only way to save his newborn from certain death, was to send him into the future! Eventually, Scott and Jean Grey got the chance to travel to the future and help a young Cable under the guise of “Slim and Red.” But, no matter how that time spent with his son may have helped Scott feel better about abandoning him, Cable never truly forgave his dad. To this day, their relationship is more as teammates than family!

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Magneto/Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Polaris: Thrice the sire, never the father! Wow, talk about daddy issues! When all of your children start out abandoned, turn to a life of crime and eventually all turn against you — you know you did something wrong! Even now, as an X-Man, his children fight on the side of his enemies. Manipulating your children to get what you want, will only give you manipulative children!

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James Gordon/Batgirl, James Gordon Jr.: The everyman! Different continuity will give you different scenarios about who his children are or are not. But, whether he sired Barbara Gordon or not, he always tried to do right by his family! A single dad and the Commissioner to the most crime filled city in all of DC, “Jimmy” does all he can to be there for his children and teach them the difference between right and wrong. But even the best intentions can not stop pure evil as James Jr. has become a maniacal murderer! You try your best, but sometimes you fail!

 

 

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Wolverine/Dakken: Like father, like son! Wolverine never knew that his son was born after his wife Itsu was slain. If he had, would it have changed the horrible events of his son’s life? Or are we only made to pay for the sins of our father? Either way, Dakken swore to destroy his father’s life at every turn! He would do anything to antagonize his father, including becoming “Wolverine” on Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers. In the end, Dakken left his father with nothing but scars as a memory of his son. A father fueled by rage will only burn his own future!

 

 

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Professor Bruttenholm/Hellboy: The father that didn’t have to be! When Nazi’s called a demon to earth, they never expected it to be an infant! Abandoned, Hellboy was “adopted” by Professor Bruttenholm and treated like a son. He was taught compassion, an appreciation for the arts and acquired a love of pancakes! Not even of the same species, the Professor should more compassion for Hellboy than most biological fathers on this list! It just goes to show that good men can help mold great “sons,” even if they are not their own!

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Reed Richards/Franklin and Valeria Richards: Father fantastic! The scientist, the adventurer, the hero — the father! Say what you will about Mr. Fantastic, there is no question that he can balance it all! A hero to the universe, doting husband and loving father — he is the epitome of what a father can be. Through it all, at the end of the day, his children can look upon their father and be proud to know how much they are loved. And to all of us fathers out there — that’s all that really matters!

Happy Father’s Day!

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Movie News Reviews

Kevin’s Fantasy Draft: Command and Conquer: Liesbesman, Renner, Beckinsale, Hiddleston

(Editor’s Note: The following is part of The First Cosmic Book News Fantasy Hollywood Draft; keyword being “fantasy”)

 

Command and Conquer: First Strike

 

by: Kevin Faltisco

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2006:]]My fantasy Hollywood movie is a Command and Conquer adaptation that could potentially span somewhere around four movies. I would not want a simple rehashing of the events that take place in the games themselves, but rather, a side story of sorts that takes place during the same timeframe. Jonathan Liesbesman will direct all the movies as he has experience with war films that feature very intelligent aliens using a traditional chain of command (for when the alien race of The Scrin get involved).

The Picks and extras:

Jonathan Liesbesman – The director of Battle: LA is capable of portraying combat between humans and aliens which will be the main focus as the command and conquer story starts to unfold and the Scrin are introduced. He also was able to capture large scale battles as well as follow a small group of soldiers on the ground and make it all seem relevant and connected which would be pivotal to the success of a Command and Conquer movie.

Jeremy Renner – Well versed in the role of playing a slightly egotistical badass, will fit very well into the role of a Commando from the world of Command and Conquer. Commandos are the elite soldiers of GDI forces whom in the game were able to one-shot-kill any infantry and plant C4 on any building destroying it immediately upon detonation. There will be plenty of room for ego with this role, and he will most certainly be able to be a hardcore badass.

Kate Beckinsale – Jeremy’s female commando partner — who was picked as a little nod towards Tanya from the Command and Conquer: Red Alert series. Tanya was a dual pistol wielding chick who tore apart anyone in her path without breaking a sweat. Sound like another role we have already seen her in?!

Michelle Rodriguez – A staple in most humans vs aliens movies who has proven herself as an actress capable of pulling of a grizzled infantrymen or pilot on numerous occasions.

Charles Dance as Commander Sheppard – With his recent work in Game of Thrones playing Tywin Lannister, he should have absolutely no problem playing the leader of GDI’s military forces. His voice is also naturally strong and commanding, which was how Commander Sheppard was depicted in C&C.

Judi Dench – Her role in several James Bond films sets her up perfectly to play a high ranking GDI officer who is willing to pull some string to get what she wants, even if it meant she would have to attempt to save face afterwards. She, too, has a very commanding voice and is not afraid to raise it while acting, which when dealing with commandos you will almost always have to do, seeing as they tend to let weapons do the talking…

John Cleese – The man who has been portraying Q in James Bond films since the passing of Desmond Llewelyn is the perfect choice to play the head of GDI’s scientific division tasked with exploring the potentials of tiberium and tiberium harvesting.

Joseph D. Kucan – The man who has pulled off the iconic role of Kane in every C&C game featuring Kane is the only choice to play this role because putting anyone else in the role would be pure blasphemy.

Tom Hiddleston – His work with the Loki character is absolutely astounding and makes him the perfect choice for a main character in Nod’s army. The slightly psychotic undertone that he gave his character will serve him well in the role of the head of The Black Hand, and will synergize with Kane’s very well.

Cillian Murphy – Yet another actor who can pull off psychotic villains and also has played a crazy scientist, which he will do again. Playing the head of Nod’s research and development team it will allow viewers to see the intentions of Nod more clearly and far faster than it was in the games.


The Movie:

A meteorite smashes into the earth near the Tiber river in Italy, leaving behind a substance dubbed Tiberium that has peculiar properties. It is [[wysiwyg_imageupload:2007:]]able to absorb minerals from the soil and crystallize them; however, this process causes extremely toxic gases to be expelled. The scientific community is quick to respond to this new resource and it rapidly becomes the most sought after resource with trade markets opening up almost immediately. Meanwhile the quasi-religious secret society of The Brotherhood of Nod has somehow foreseen the capabilities of Tiberium and has already made ways to harvest it.

 

The Global Defense Initiative (GDI) has been protecting the majority of the free world with the help of the UN from any and all adversaries. GDI combines armies from America, and Europe mostly, with a few other smaller countries contributing resources to the defensive effort. Sensing an eventual war with GDI, Nod massacres the inhabitants of a village and quickly runs a smear campaign that declares GDI as the perpetrators. As a result, GDI’s loyalty and discipline is called into question and their funding is cut. They must now work to protect the free world from Nod’s forces with limited supplies and strive to keep the greatest minds of the world safe, as it has become clear that Nod is targeting leading scientists around the world.

 

While the majority of GDI’s forces race around the world to gather up the scientists and secure vital assets to Tiberium research and defensive strong points, an elite task force of GDI commandos and support units are sent on a classified mission to acquire the location of Nod’s main base of operations and find its headquarters. It is also believed that Nod is working toward putting a much grander plan in motion to dissolve GDI entirely.

 

Since the games allowed for you to play through the campaign for both GDI and Nod, there is potential for the series to swing both ways in terms of who “wins” at the end of each movie allowing for a series that follows in the footsteps of Star Wars where certain movies are more focused on a particular side coming out on top.

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Comic Book News

Hope’s Not The Chosen One: Look Out For The Phoenix Force Five! Wait! What?!

Just What The Doc Ordered

“1,2,3,4 — 5 Against One!”

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2022:]]Well, the message boards are blowing up regarding the end of Avengers Vs. X-Men #5. The scene in question, has the Phoenix Force entering five X-Men instead of Hope. As Hope lay unconscious, Cyclops, Colossus, Namor, Emma Frost and Magick, are chosen as the recipients of one of the most powerful cosmic energies in the universe! Shocking? Yes. Foreseen by readers? Hell, no! But what could have been an interesting idea – the first of the A vs. X series – turned out to have an already less than thrilled readership — become completely irate!

So, your personal X-pert – me – is here to set a level playing field for all readers to see if we can’t clarify the situation!

I will not delve into all the little nuances leading up to the point in question. I will however, try to give as much knowledge about the events leading up to it so everyone fully understands how we got there.

To begin, “Who is Hope?”

Hope was the first, and only, mutant birth after the events of M Day; in which the Scarlet Witch declared, “No more Mutants,” and made it so! An anomaly, she was hunted by friend and foe, and eventually was taken by Cable into the future in order to be raised away from Bishop, who blamed her for the dystopian era he came from and swore to kill her. Cable raised her from infancy to her teenage years, training her in all methods of combat and survival techniques just to survive the harsh environment they lived in. A few years ago, both Cable and Hope “time jumped” to the current Marvel U. and set off the amazing “Second Coming” storyline that ran through all the X titles! Hope was then, and is now, seen as the “Mutant Messiah” that will eventually bring forth a mutant birth resurgence. Her powers are vast, being able to manipulate all powers anywhere near her for as long as needed. But her TRUE power, is the ability to “calm” the awakening powers in the “five lights.” The “lights” are the five mutants that had latent powers manifest after Hope returned to our time. Without Hope’s guidance, their powers would have driven them insane or worse yet — killed them! Hope and her “five lights” are bonded together emotionally — whether they like it or not!

Hope has also been privy to “flare-ups” of the Phoenix Force. Though at first only Emma Frost was able to see them, now all of the X-Men have seen these glaringly scary flashes of power! Cyclops may preach that she is the Messiah of their species, but some see her as a complete terror. First among them — the Avengers!

Tony Stark and the Avengers set up a power signature tracking system that would warn them if the Phoenix Force was to enter anywhere near Earth’s atmosphere (again). Learning from the horrors Jean Grey went through with her bonding of the Phoenix Force, the Avengers will do anything to keep the cosmic entity away from Earth at all costs. That being said, when the tracking system picked up a reading, Wolverine tells Captain America exactly where the Phoenix will be heading — Utopia! 

With the recent “Schism” of the X-Men, Utopia is now inhabited by what Cyclops calls his “Extinction Team.” Consisting mainly of the most powerful mutants: Namor, Magneto, Juggernaut/Colossus, Storm, Emma Frost, Hope. And led by Cyclops, these “powerhouses” make a safe haven for any mutant that seeks sanctuary. But, Cyclops hand picked this team in order to send an imposing message to all who threaten the mutant race, a message that says, “We will not be targets anymore! If you hit us — we will hit back harder!” That is exactly the message the Avengers got when they tried to take Hope from Utopia, thus started — Avengers vs. X-Men!

The battle over Hope has led to Marvel’s biggest franchises slugging it out on Earth, in space and on the moon. As most of the battle rages on Earth, the Secret Avengers are sent to space in order to stop the Phoenix Force from ever arriving. Without going into all the cosmic zaniness and team betrayals going on in this series, let’s focus on the main point —Mjolnir can hurt the Phoenix! As the team gets trounced by the Phoenix, Tony Stark and Henry Pym use the information about Thor’s hammer to create a Mech unit that can replicate Mjolnir’s power signature. It will be a last ditch effort to destroy the Phoenix, but Iron Man is ready to fly the machine into the belly of the beast.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2018:]]On Earth, a diabolical alien machine named Unit (from Kieron Gillen’s short lived S.W.O.R.D. series), was captured by the X-Men and placed in the prison block of Utopia. But he is not there against his will, in fact, Unit’s entire plan is to manipulate Hope’s bonding with the Phoenix! You see, Unit has been alive for quite some time and has seen the power of the Phoenix before on a distant planet. As he cons Hope’s “five lights” into listening to his story, and we see threads as to why the five X-Men receive the Phoenix Force unfold! According to Unit, in Uncanny X-Men #13, once there was a planet that was ruled by a lineage of demon princes. They would do everything to oppress the eventual evolution of any species in order to remain the dominant one. Eventually, a Messiah emerged and she found five acolytes that became bonded to her spiritually. She then called out to the Phoenix Force, causing the complete destruction of their oppressors and the eventual evolution of the planet. After the tale, Unit and a manipulated Danger, decimate the “five lights,” leaving Hope alone to receive the power of the Phoenix.

Hope eventually teams with Wolverine, who then calls his Avengers buddies — which is weird because Cap and Giant Man just beat the hell out of him, and they go to the moon to face the Phoenix. Lo and behold, the Avengers, Secret Avengers and Cyclops’ core “Extinction Team” all converge on the moon to deal with the Phoenix. Hope can feel its presence taking her over and screams for Wolverine to kill her; she no longer wants to be one with such a powerful creature! In the meantime, Tony Stark flies his Mech into the heart of the Phoenix causing a massive explosion that rocks everyone! As the dust settles, Hope is found unconscious, but the Phoenix has chosen its vessel anyway. Without the Messiah and her “five lights,” the Phoenix has chosen to bond with the oppressed mutants that are on the brink of extinction. Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Magick and – a now Juggernaut free – Colossus hover above all as the combined might of the Phoenix! 

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We have already begun to see what this new Phoenix Force Five’s mission is in X-Men Legacy #268. Cyclops has traveled to Narobia and has outlawed war, disarming all militias, rebels and even the government’s army! So far, it looks as though the leader of the X-Men is trying to bring true utopia to the world at large. But can one who posses some of the most unstable cosmic power, ever truly see the world as more than a spec that needs to be cleansed? I guess we will just have to wait and see, but this preview page from Avengers vs. X-Men #6 doesn’t bode well for humanity!

So, if you made it through this lengthy article, I hope you have some clarity as to why there are five Phoenix wielders. Not that Marvel has really given us a great reason to begin with, but at least I try! So hang in there, this may just turn out to be something completely fantastic in the long run!

Oh, who am I kidding? It’s horrible!

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Reviews TV News Video Game News

Where is Episode 2 of The Walking Dead Videogame (PS3)? Telltale!

Where is Episode 2 of The Walking Dead Video Game?

(TBA)

By: Lawrence Napoli

The dog days of the summer months continue to roll on by with some fairly weak releases for video games (Doctor Who comes to mind! – EIC Matt), but there was one title that I thought was going to do a great job keeping me occupied: Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead videogame.  I enjoyed Episode 1 immensely as I gave it quite a generous review.  I’ve proceeded to play through Episode 1 at least 6 different times to see how many different ways I can have Lee Everett survive while pissing off/making friends with as many or as few people as possible.  There are two reasons why I have done this: 1) Because it was quite enjoyable to have a few “screw up” runs to purposely run my character into the dirt and 2) BECAUSE EPISODE 2 STILL HASN’T BEEN RELEASED YET TO PROGRESS IN THE GAME!

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(Take THAT Telltale Games!)

The three most hated letters that gamers ever want to see or hear are “TBA” or “To Be Announced” in regards to release date information.  In many ways, it’s worse than a game that you’ve seen teaser trailers and maybe even game play for, but clearly no promises have been made for release info because that project is nowhere close to being finished.  “TBA” after a stated date is the biggest and most unsatisfying tease when attached to games because what it really does is get consumers to cough up dollars when the developers don’t have to produce jack.  Release date information used to be solid gold, and if things transpired that caused that time to be altered in any way, the fallout, embarrassment and consumer backlash had much harsher consequences to the violators of that trust.  Today, blowing off release dates is the norm (for movies too, see G.I. Joe 2) and developers couldn’t care less for consumers that prepay in advance for reserved copies that we will eventually see in our hands sometime “TBA.”

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2010:]]Telltale Games released Episode 1 of The Walking Dead on April 24th of this year, and according to the season pass as designated on the Playstation Network ($19.99 for all 5 episodes), episodes will be released “monthly.”  Today is June 13th and not only has Episode 2 NOT been released, but there has been ZIP from Telltale about not following through with their previously stated information let alone an actual date that we can count on.  Type in “Where is Episode 2: Starved For Help” and “Walking Dead” into any search engine and all you get is a litany of websites with previews and promises for reviews once it gets released, and a whole lot of forums with irate people sounding off on Telltale for being dishonest and not having any consideration for their customers.  Although I didn’t participate in the forums’ curb-stomping sessions, I am one of the suckers that forked over money in advance for a fraction of a game and so I too, am righteously ticked off.

Here are the facts:  #1: PSN clearly states “monthly” in regards to episode release timing.  The legalize of the term “monthly” is non-specific enough to avoid being liable for any lawsuits that may be hatching in some gamer’s head who also happens to be an attorney.  But it also gives potential customers what would be considered a fair and simple expectation for content.  Is this the perfect lure for consumers with zero risk for developers?  Think about it.  If the trend in the gaming industry is headed for the digital distribution of episodic content, how can the consumer trust developers to actually release the content when delays are inevitable (and in some cases indefinite; thank you Blizzard)?  What if we take that scenario a step further and, for some reason or another, the developer goes out of business before even finishing the game?  Can we rely on angel investors to swoop in and hire new programmers to finish the job?  Accountability is the name of the game; so if Borderlands 2 gets pushed back to 2014, everyone can head back to GameStop and get their money back, but not so for digital transactions.  The pre-order and pre-purchase business is just like insurance.  Customers give you money and you hand back absolutely nothing other than a promise for some return, sometime in the future.  What good is a transaction like this if the other party has a track record for breaking promises?

Fact #2: Despite the general sense of anger over Telltale’s shenanigans, they have made a lot of money off of just this first episode.  As of May 17th, 1 million episodes have been sold, and at $5 a piece per episode, this seems like a decent score thus far.  I’d like to know how many season passes Telltale has sold because it quadruples their profit for the same amount of content currently available. 

Fact #3: A lack of information by Telltale led to speculative misinformation on various websites, further fueling the fire of disharmony.  Throughout this whole process, the one website a reasonable person would think would get you definitive answers as to the progress of the game would be telltalegames.com.  WRONG!  The whole website is little more than a well presented commercial for how awesome every Telltale project is as well as plenty of support for making purchases.  The last information update concerning The Walking Dead game was posted on the 22nd of May.  This lack of support from the developer led to a few people taking to YouTube, so as to make some calculated guesses as to when the next episode would get released.  Perhaps the worst speculation was from playstationlifestyle.net which clearly indicated Episode 2 would release on the PSN (dated May 29th, 2012).  The only useful information I was able to track down was from Telltale’s Walking Dead: The Game Facebook page which states that the reps from the company recently got back from E3 and they are ready to submit to Sony and Microsoft — and “if everything goes well, episode 2 will be available before the end of the month.”  THE[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2012:]] END OF THE MONTH?!?  In the interest of keeping this article rated PG-13, I’ll refrain from the expletives that ought to accompany such gall.

I don’t like how Telltale Games is running their business.  Normally I’d call for all interested parties to flood their website with complaints, but there is no link to reach them.  If anyone out there knows a web based means of letting this company know first-hand at how disappointed its own customers are, let us know because this just isn’t right.  All of this negativity could have been avoided if Telltale was simply honest from the beginning.  I’m looking for statements like: “Episodes to be released periodically,” “Game is in progressive development,” “An incomplete game still undergoing refinement,” “We took a time-out so we could parade content that everybody and their mother already knows about at E3.”  Of course, such honesty also would have avoided the most important thing: all of Telltale’s filthy profits! 

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Comic Book News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for June 13th, 2012

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

( A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER! )

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these five titles to your list of goodies! Forget that “apple a day” nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five books of the week!

 

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1.  American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1 :  Scott Snyder starts to destroy Agent Hobbes’ whole world, in this follow up to the “Survival Of The Fittest” storyline! If you pick up only one book this week —  this is it! The future of American Vampire begins here!

2.  Batman #10 :  This is the book that will divide Bat fans! Shocking revelations abound, as Scott Snyder changes the status quo of the Bat mythos yet again! Plus, the back-up story about Alfred’s father, Jarvis, brings the Wayne family’s dark secrets to the surface! Check out M.E., Byron Brewer’s full review here!

3.  The Ravagers #2 : Howard Mackie has changed my mind about this book in a single issue! But, it’s not the “heroes” that are the selling point of this book — it’s the villains! Sadistic and cunning, these characters are well worth the price of admission! Read my full review here!

4.  Uncanny X-Force #26 : Rick Remender has finally reminded us as to why this is THE X book to read every month! After a few sub par issues, this one is completely outstanding! Believe the hype, and check out my review here!

5.  Before The Watchmen: Silk Spectre #1 : Do I really need to tell you why this one is on the list? Watchmen prequel, folks! ‘Nuff said! Plus, the amazing, Amanda Conner is on art chores! That’s enough to get anyone running to the local shop! Right, Mr. Napoli?

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Comic Book News Marvel

Advanced Review: Uncanny X-Force #26

Phil Noto is back! Omega Red is back! Sabretooth is back! Mystique is back! The Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants is back! And the Rick Remender, that we all know and love — is back! For the first time in awhile, Uncanny X-Force brings back all the excitement, craziness, wittiness and brutality —  that made this THE best X book around! If you aren’t salivating by the end of this book — you are dead inside!

The team is fractured! Betsy has quit, Fantomex has had his heart crushed by Psylocke and wallows in depravity, Deadpool no longer has a healing factor, and Nightcrawler and Wolverine are finding it hard to breathe with the Omega Clan pumping them full of toxins! Needless to say, the have seen better days! Especially, since there are even worse things lurking in the shadows, manipulating the course of X-Force’s future with every passing minute! There is a storm coming, one that will burn X-Force to the ground —  if they can survive that long!

I have to say that I am so excited this book is finally back on track! Too many art changes, too many “out there” storylines; it seemed that the fanbase just became burnt out with all the changes —  me included! But now, after trudging through the “Otherworld” storyline, we are rewarded with this issue! Amazing art and Remender at the top of his game, we are privileged with greatness yet again! Weaving past, current and future storylines together, this issue paves the way for the future of X-Force. They have made too many enemies in the past, and now they will have to contend with the ramifications that people actually know they exist!

Remender brings all the things that has made this book so great in the past — back to the table. The suspense, the characterization and – of course – Deadpool’s witty banter, is all there — making for one hell of a twisted ride! The viscous attacks, the personal struggles, the suspense — truly outstanding! Greatness is just waiting inside, ready for you to devour and let your hunger for great comics be satiated!

Remender and Noto have made this book outstanding! You shouldn’t just get this book, you should be knocking people over and standing in triumph as you grab it off the shelves! Now — get to it!

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Comic Book News

Advanced Review: The Ravagers #2

Coming off a mediocre first issue, The Ravagers #2 is a book that will hook you instantly — leaving any qualms you had about how good this series could be by the wayside!

Howard Mackie has done a full three sixty with only two issues out on the shelves. The Ravagers #1 was a mish-mash of concepts that never struck a cord with readers and left another “Second Wave” book teetering on a precipice to oblivion. But this issue is a TRUE page turner that ensnares a reader, creating a new core “teen” title that is on par with Teen Titans!

Issue two finds our rag tag group of survivors trying to refocus after an attack by Warblade and Rose Wilson. Though not fully trusting one another, they manage to keep each other alive long enough to encounter the most heinous Ravager yet — Shadow Walker! This sadistic menace has tortured Thunder, Lightning and Ridge before, and it is their fear that feeds his insatiable thirst. Can Fairchild teach this group enough about their own humanity to save them, or are they already too far gone?

Ian Churchill’s art is outstanding and his correlation with Mackie’s script — makes one beautiful book! The odd thing about this series, is that the “heroes” of the book are not the main reason why it is so good! It is the perfectly honed villains that push this book beyond its limits! They are pure evil, a sadistic cornucopia of horror and “super villain” that creates a perfect suspense filled ride! The “heroes” almost seem like an afterthought when it comes to their development; they are there, but not as thoroughly fleshed out as the villains seem to be. And for now, I am completely okay with that! Especially after seeing what is coming up next for Caitlin Fairchild and her runaways! They say every hero is only made better by the caliber of their villains, if that is so, then The Ravagers will become some of the best heroes ever created!

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Movie News Reviews

Lawrence’s Fantasy Draft: Robotech: Nolan, Fassbender, McAvoy, Neeson

(Editor’s Note: The following is part of The First Cosmic Book News Fantasy Hollywood Draft; keyword being “fantasy”)

 

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Macross City

By: Lawrence Napoli

My fantasy Hollywood film is a live action adaptation of Robotech.  This film is a sci-fi/action/war genre hybrid that I would prefer to be rated R for adult content, but PG-13 is negotiable.  There has been so many rumors concerning a live action adaptation of Harmony Gold’s IP for years, and none of them have produced didley-squat in terms of real commitments and actual production.  For some odd reason, the rumored adaptation was tied to one Tobey Maguire because somebody got it in their head that he is “the perfect Rick Hunter.”  That statement couldn’t be less accurate unless it was compared to something like “Tobey Maguire is the perfect Shaft.”  Long story short, Maguire is not right for the Macross Saga done correctly: Namely taking it seriously, making social commentary about the human condition in regards to racism, war, and genetic manipulation and being able to distinguish true evolution from technological advancement. 

I only envision two films to get Robotech: Macross City to end with the events that culminate within the Force of Arms episode of the series (a massive invasion of Earth, the destruction of 90% of it, while the SDF-1 and allies survive).  The only circumstance I’d consider a trilogy for is if we take Hunter, Hayes and the original crew on the SDF-3 to depict their expedition to find the Robotech Masters on their home turf.

I love the story of Robotech because despite all the great action, technology and transforming robots, the story is rooted in heavy drama, deep character development and is driven forward by intense emotions like love, despair, rage, serenity and loyalty.  It’s also a story about the bubbles humanity chooses to live in various degrees because of our professions, our acquaintances, our gender and every other possible way we divide ourselves.  This irony is ultimately defeated in Robotech because the humanity contained within the SDF-1 sets aside its collective BS amongst themselves and those considered “aliens” which allows them to succeed.    

Here’s the breakdown for my draft picks as well as my supplemental cast:

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Chris Nolan (Director) #3 overall pick

This man is arguably, the best director in the game right now not just because he directs critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, but because he also writes them.  Nolan is known for edgy grit and anchoring even fantastic scenarios in the real world with real consequences (see his Batman trilogy).  He is the most important addition to this production because the stakes will be even higher (the survival of the human species) and with all the transforming mecha running around in space, the tone of this film needs to stay disciplined in drama.  Nolan can insure that happens and I would think he would be interested in helming a production that goes to space.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1874:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1876:]]Rick Hunter played by James McAvoy, #26 overall pick

Rick is the main character of the Macross Saga and James McAvoy has considerably more impressive acting chops than Tobey Maguire.  The original animation goes out of its way to present Rick as a naive boy in the beginning and this is something I’d like to tone down in my vision for Rick.  Yes he’s still a rookie, yes he loves to fly, yes he’s not too keen on killing, but his need to protect (specifically Minmei) allows him to overcome his ignorance/apathy of the Zentraedi invasion that evolves into his own personal sense of duty to his mentor Roy Fokker, his Vermillion squadron, the women he loves (Lisa and Minmei) and the SDF-1 in general.  McAvoy is on the extremely short list of actors that can turn vulnerability into strength, plus he’s got those baby blue eyes.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1877:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1878:]]Roy Fokker played by Michael Fassbender, #31 overall pick

Yes, I realize I have transplanted the 2 main characters from X-Men: First Class, but the relationship between McAvoy and Fassbender’s characters is reversed in this adaptation.  Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker is the best pilot in the RDF; a real hot shot when it comes to killing proficiency and style while doing it.  He also has personal history with Rick having flown in Hunter’s aerial circus in his younger days.  It is the reason Rick refers to Roy as “big brother” throughout the saga as Roy acts as a guiding mentor for the talented young pilot.  Roy is 50% hubris and 50% disciplined duty and that’s exactly how I’d classify Fassbender’s acting prowess and general demeanor.  Roy knows he’s the best, but that is not what drives his sense of duty.  Being able to temper arrogance with responsibility is Fassbender’s calling card.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1879:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1882:]]Lisa Hayes played by Sasha Alexander, supplemental pick

Commander Hayes is the first officer on the bridge of the SDF-1 and is the third person in a love triangle with Rick Hunter and Lynn Minmei.  A career military woman and quite beautiful to boot requires an actress that has more than a pretty face.  Thus I present Rizzoli and Isles Sasha Alexander (you’ll remember her as Pacey’s hot sister from Dawson’s Creek).  The scientific and procedural demeanor she displays on Rizzoli and Isles proves she can carry herself in an equally disciplined, military manner while the softer side she showed on Dawson’s proves she can open up an insecurity in an attempt to pursue the younger Rick Hunter with whom she has become attracted to for his intense bravery and skill in defending the SDF-1.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1883:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1885:]]Lynn Minmei played by Hikaru Utada, supplemental pick

Minmei is easily the most complex character to cast for because as one of the few civilians featured prominently in Robotech, her contributions to the war effort are derived from the character’s ability as a singer and actress.  A better known actress having her singing sequences dubbed over simply will not do.  Thus, I present Hikaru Utada (the signature voice behind the Kingdom Hearts theme songs) and quite a lovely Asian flower with whom Rick Hunter could easily be enamored with as another character in the love triangle.  Minmei represents an immature, yet extremely attractive budding pop star that becomes the SDF-1’s number one celebrity, but her singing ability introduces the Zentraedi race to the concept of true beauty (non-physical) which is so foreign, shocking and upsetting to them as individuals, their ability to assault the SDF-1 is severely diminished.  Hikaru may need additional support from Nolan with her acting performance (as it gets intimate with Rick), but her focus must remain within song.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1886:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1887:]]Breetai played by Liam Neeson, #12 overall pick

Breetai is the commander of the invading Zentraedi armada who is known for his ruthlessness as well as a somewhat honorable dissection of the enemy in combat.  As I projected the kinds of actors for my cast, Neeson seemed to fit this violent combination quite well, but he was also the biggest “name” on my list, so I took a bit of a gamble by drafting him before my main characters.  Like all Zentraedi, Breetai is a hard man shut off from most of his emotions, but the song of Minmei eventually turns him into a believer that the Micronians (Earthlings) must control “the proto-culture” or the combined genetic, technological and behavioral means to evolve life to a higher plane of existence.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1888:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1889:]]Captain Henry Gloval played by Gary Oldman, #17 overall pick

Veteran actors seemed to be going like hotcakes early in the draft so I was compelled to go after my first choice for the captain of the SDF-1 earlier rather than later. Oldman, a veteran actor capable of producing a satisfactory Russian accent seemed the obvious choice for the leader of the isolated slice of human civilization aboard the SDF-1. Gloval’s distinguished military record designates him as a warrior but his priorities shift to more of a statesman when simply surviving the relentless Zentraedi pursuit is the only course of action. Oldman has a commanding presence making him an appropriate foil to Breetai, but his ability to pull back on the intimidation makes him an ideal actor to portray Gloval as also a man of peace.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1890:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1891:]]Maximillion Sterling played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, #40 overall pick

Max is an up-and-coming ace pilot under the command of Rick Hunter who demonstrates nerves of steel, but is uncharacteristically polite and well-mannered for a soldier of his caliber. Although he’s become a seasoned actor, Gordon-Levitt can still sell a boyish charm vital for Max as a character. His somewhat receding hairline is somewhat of a concern for me seeing how I’d need his hair to be closer to what it was during his Third Rock from the Sun days. His hair would look fine in a shade of blue.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1892:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1893:]]Miriya Parina played by Olivia Wilde, #45 overall pick

Miriya is the stone-cold ace pilot of the Zentraedi fleet who puts Roy Fokker’s arrogance to shame. Unbridled confidence is the name of the game for Miriya and Olivia Wilde has got that all over! She must also demonstrate an ability to shift to humility as Miriya is bested on the battlefield by Max with whom she becomes obsessed with assassinating for the only defeat she has suffered in life. This humiliated obsession turns into attraction when she infiltrates the SDF-1 looking for Max. Miriya then becomes adorable for her desire to fit in on the SDF-1 despite her ignorance of Micronian culture. I’m pretty sure Olivia pulls off “adorable” quite well (see Tron: Legacy).

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1894:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1895:]]Exedore played by Tim Roth, #54 overall pick

Exedore is the quirky Minister of Affairs for the Zentraedi fleet and is Breetai’s chief consultant who has an intimate knowledge of the concept of “proto-culture,” the understood ultimate goal for all Zentraedi third to war and conquest. Tim Roth has got “quirky” in the bag, but his past roles called for combining that with extreme violence (Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Hulk). The challenge for Roth will be to substitute the violence with a scientific, deductive paranoia that allows Exedore to be constantly questioning Micronian tactics to the point that he too becomes a believer in Earthling “proto-culture” and a proponent for peace. Roth will have to tap into the same kind of charm he demonstrated as “Pumpkin” in Pulp Fiction.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1896:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1897:]]Khyron played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, supplemental pick

Khyron is yet another arrogant leader within the Zentraedi armada who gets called up as the first wave of reinforcements to capture the SDF-1. Rhys Meyers has all but perfected the art of ruthless arrogance (see his work on The Tudors), but he’ll have to work in a little incompetence to his performance because Khyron’s ability as a commander and combatant is not what one would classify as “marquee.”

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1898:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1899:]]Claudia Grant played by Zoë Saldana, supplemental pick

Claudia is the second bridge officer of the SDF-1, best friend of Lisa Hayes and current lover tied to Roy Fokker. Ms. Saldana is strictly playing a support role that exists to provide a more mature counter-point to the opinions expressed by Lisa and Roy so confidence tied with casual friendliness is the order of the day for Claudia.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1900:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1901:]]Azonia played by Vera Farmiga, supplemental pick

Azonia is the leader of the female battalion of the Zentraedi forces who gets called up by Breetai as additional reinforcements and as a means of getting Khyron’s shenanigans under control. If Vera could duplicate the same level of commanding indifference she displayed in Source Code, she nails this support role.

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1902:]][[wysiwyg_imageupload:1903:]]Ben Dixon played by Jason Segel, supplemental pick

For some reason, everyone on the internet sees Ben Dixon as the token funny fat guy of Robotech, so naturally everyone wants Seth Rogen to play this role. WRONG! Sure, Ben is a big lug that has many cheesy lines, but that needs to be reined in a bit and Jason Segel is the man for the job. Segel can be as loud and obnoxious as the rest, but Ben is a character that puts up that front to mask his genuine fear of the overwhelming odds the SDF-1 faces. Scaling back the absurdity to a degree of seriousness is something I see Segel doing quite well, plus his tall stature in relation to Rick Hunter (McAvoy) and Max Sterling (Gordon-Levitt) makes him more physically appropriate for the role.

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Movie News Reviews

The First Cosmic Book News Fantasy Hollywood Draft

The First Ever Fantasy Hollywood Draft

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1906:]]Every entertainment website has fun with “casting calls” for movies we’d all like to see get made by Hollywood.  But what if we turned this process into a bit of a competition by placing limitations on who could be chosen and then compared each respective production based on the strength of the general idea, vision and cast alone?  Well, ladies and gentlemen, what you get is the first ever, Fantasy Hollywood Draft, and the principles of this game operate along the same lines as fantasy sport leagues. 

Seven of CosmicBookNews.com’s contributors got together to put our unique perspectives to the test to see if any and/or all of us have what it takes (more likely, more than what it takes) to lay the groundwork for true Hollywood magic in lieu of the drivel it seems more concerned with outputting in general, year after year.  Our EIC, Matt McGloin, Chris Bushley, Brian Amey, Kevin Faltisco, Casey Gordon, John Tripi and yours truly, Lawrence Napoli conducted a round by round drafting of Hollywood talent to build our fantasy productions. 

As for the rules, we each drafted one director and seven featured actors with the stipulation that no individual talent that was chosen with a draft pick could be used simultaneously with another person’s production.  This reproduces the effect of an actor’s availability provided all of these productions would get made around the same time frame.  Of course, few casts are comprised of just seven actors, and so each theoretical production was allowed any number of supplemental cast members that could be drawn from the remaining talent pool.  For instance, if nobody drafted William Shatner â€” and every one of us figured he’d be a great addition after the draft, we could all include him in our casts.

None of us knew what kind of film any of the others were individually drafting for.  That information will only be revealed when each of us write an article presenting our fantasy films to the online community.  Then we leave it to you, the readers, to determine who constructed the best “fantasy film” and if any one of them could/should be something Hollywood ought to look into.  Everyone seems to have clear ideas for their films as some interesting choices were made that are atypical of “who’s hot right now.”  Greater risk taking in casting is something Hollywood has clearly lost touch with, so perhaps some of our selections will be eye-opening if given a moment or two to percolate.    

Draft order was determined by names drawn from a hat, and what follows is the round by round, overall order of our actual draft picks. 

 

[Round 1]

1) Kevin – Tom Hiddleston

2) Chris – Frank Daranbont (director) 

3) Lawrence – Christopher Nolan (director)

4) Matt – Joss Whedon (director)

5) Brian – Quentin Tarantino (director)

6) Casey – James Cameron (director)

7) John – George Lucas (director)

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[Round 2]

8) John – Karl Urban

9) Casey – Patrick Stewart

10) Brian – John Malkovich

11) Matt – Robert Pattison

12) Lawrence – Liam Neeson

13) Chris – Zach Mills

14) Kevin – Jonathan Liebesman (director)

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[Round 3]

15) Kevin – Cillian Murphy

16) Chris – Rhys Ifans

17) Lawrence – Gary Oldman

18) Matt – Viggo Mortenson

19) Brian – Jospeh Parsons

20) Casey – Chris Hemsworth

21) John – Jeffrey Combs

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[Round 4]

22) John – Chuck Norris

23) Casey – Sean Connery

24) Brian – Anthony Hopkins

25) Matt – Steven Strait                                  

26) Lawrence – James McAvoy

27) Chris – Willow Shields

28) Kevin – “Dane” Judi Dench

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[Round 5]

29) Kevin – Jeremy Renner

30) Chris – Gene Hackman

31) Lawrence – Michael Fassbender

32) Matt – Christina Ricci

33) Brian – John Goodman

34) Casey – Jack Nicholson

35) John – Gina Torres                                

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[Round 6]

36) John – Andrew Lincoln

37) Casey – Tom Felton

38) Brian – Leonard Nimoy                                   

39) Matt – John Cho                                        

40) Lawrence – Joseph Gordon Levitt                                         

41) Chris – Rachael McAdams                                          

42) Kevin – Kate Beckinsale                                                

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[Round 7]

43) Kevin – Charles Dance                                             

44) Chris – Julie Andrews                                      

45) Lawrence – Olivia Wilde                                         

46) Matt – Carlie Casey                                                  

47) Brian – Sean Penn                                              

48) Casey – Cate Blanchett                                          

49) John – Amy Adams                                                  

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[Round 8]

50) John – George Takei                                               

51) Casey – Josh Hutcherson                                       

52) Brian – Robin Williams                         

53) Matt – Christoph Waltz                                       

54) Lawrence – Tim Roth                                   

55) Chris – Riley Griffiths                                        

56) Kevin – Joseph D. Kucan

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Comic Book News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for June 6th, 2012

 

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

 

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

(A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. In no particular order!)

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these books to your list of goodies! Forget that “apple a day” nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five titles of the week!

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1. Harbinger #1:  Valiant’s second series comes out today, and it surpasses the original series in every way! Great characterization, coupled with a cool premise — makes for one amazing book! Read my full review here!

2.  Earth 2 #2:  Though we have all seen the hype this book is getting for the sexual orientation of one Alan Scott, this book is bigger than just that! Here we finally see the return of Mr. Terrific, a winged warrior’s first appearance to the New 52 and Jay Garrick become the Flash! They might not be the J.S.A. of old â€”  but it’s awesome just the same! Read my full review here!

3.  Before the Watchmen: Minutemen #1 (of 6):  Do I really need to explain why this is on my list?! One of comics “Holy Grails” has a prequel, ya know you’re going to get it â€”  if you can find it! ‘Nuff said!

4.  Fairest #4:  This great series from the pages of Fables, continues on with it’s amazing retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty story! But will Jonah betray Ali Baba and Briar Rose to the Ice Queen before the tale is even finished? Great book with spectacular art by the one and only Phil Jimenez!

5.  The Mighty Thor: Annual #1: So I hear that people are sick of Marvel not doing cosmic correctly anymore. Well, this ones for you! Taking place before The Mighty Thor #1, this tale has Uatu, Scrier, one thousand Thors, one thousand Silver Surfers and the cosmic granddaddy of them all â€” Galactus! This ones a throw down for the ages, folks!

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Comic Book News

Review: Earth 2 #2

I must say that I have been a JSA fan for many a year, and I was quite disappointed when DC announced that those characters would not be arriving in the New 52 amongst their peers. And once it was announced that the JSA characters would be arriving in the “Second Wave” as “new”versions of themselves — I was taken aback for a second time. So, when Earth 2 #1 came out, and I wasn’t blown away, it didn’t shock me! But today, as I read Earth 2 #2 â€” I was completely shocked!

This issue was fantastic, THIS is why I read comics!

Now, don’t think I was shocked by what you have all heard in the media regarding this book. Yes, DC has made the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, gay. That’s great, we need more diversified characters – and readers for that matter – in the genre. When has ones’ sexual preference ever determined how great of a hero they will be? Never! 

No, I was shocked at how well James Robinson channeled classic DC storytelling to create new origins for some of the oldest characters in the DCU! This is great storytelling personified! Not only do we get Mr. Terrific back into the swing of things, we get Jay Garrick back as the Flash! And the fumbling, self critical Jay Garrick is a refreshing look at how an everyman would act if thrown into an incredible situation such as his! Robinson’s story was fluid, touching on all characters without diverging from the overall story and creating intriguing situations and – even a new villain – along the way! A new villain that will strike a cord with old JSA fans to say the least! By book’s end there were four old JSA teammates together again in the same book – for the first time – and it just felt exiting! Robinson made this book feel like home again for old JSA fans — a classic for future generations!

Now I do have one complaint, what is up with Jay Garrick’s helmet? I thought I was watching an old Buck Rogers episode and Twiggy was running around! Seriously, Nicola Scott is a great artist, but that thing has to go!

Okay, now go get this book!

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Comic Book News

Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #5

Well, this is it! Issue five of the story that was supposed to rock the world of comics to the ground — has hit the stands.

And I am still waiting for this book to “WOW” me in any fashion at all!

The Phoenix Force has arrived on the moon to greet the combined mass of the X-Men and the Avengers. There are slight fisticuffs, a giant robot and a pretty significant twist for an ending, but yet again — nothing REALLY happens!

There are panel after panel of heroes gawking at one another, gawking at Hope, gawking at computer screens and gawking at the heavens as the Phoenix Force approaches! If you think I am over exaggerating, you will be sorely mistaken! This story is extremely bland, it’s as if Marvel is too afraid to actually make any significant changes in the status quo of their beloved franchises to make this series the thing it was supposed to be. This was the tale that was going to be Marvel’s epic crossover between its biggest franchises, something that would usher in a new era of greatness to Marvel. Instead we get pathetic skirmishes that take place in a completely different series and a lot of name calling and finger waving! Even the shock and awe that should be felt by the coming of the Phoenix, is lost due to the poor execution of the overall tale!

This issue is supposedly the game changer for what comes next. And the ending we see in this issue, was definitely not one I saw coming! So, maybe – just maybe – this series will take an upswing next issue. At least I hope so, I was really looking forward to this series and so far it has been a total disappointment! I guess we will all find out in two weeks when there will be — “No More Avengers!”

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Comic Book News

Advanced Review: X-O Manowar #2

Valiant is exploding on the scene this week! Not only does the amazing Harbinger #1 hit the shelves at your local comic shop this Wednesday, but the second installment of Robert Venditti and Cary Nord’s — X-O Manowar does as well!

Issue two of Valiant’s flagship series begins directly after Aric and his most trusted ally, Gafti, are captured during an escape attempt. Though they are beaten and thrown into a slave pit by the alien race known as the Vine, Aric cannot help but dwell on the artifact they saw while they looked for an exit. The suit of armor, that seemed almost alive, will steel Aric’s heart and strengthen his resolve to one day escape the horror that has become his life! If he cannot choose how he will live, he most certainly will choose how to die — fighting!

Venditti and Nord have created another classic issue that will stoke the fires in any man’s belly to live free and fight against oppression! This is a rallying tale about rising yourself up from bleak circumstances and choosing to die under foot or become master of your own fate! It is a story that will leave Aric scarred, broken, and beaten physically, but it will also solidify him as a leader of men and a warrior king! One that will wait, planning his precise moment to strike a blow against his captors — claiming freedom as his ultimate prize! 

Visually stunning and conceptually brilliant, this testosterone infused tale will send any adrenaline junkie into an euphoric state! The build up and characterization of Aric as a TRUE leader of men — is pure, classic storytelling at its finest. If you are a fan of heroes that will not falter in the face of extreme odds, than you need look no further to find your new favorite book — X-O Manowar is the one for you!

With only three books under their collective belts, Valiant, has become a breath of fresh air in the comic world! If you are looking for amazing books that will give you a truly satisfying read this Wednesday – be bold, be adventurous – be Valiant!

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Comic Book News

Advanced Review: Harbinger #1

I have to admit, I never read the original Harbinger series! My favorite Valiant book had always been Shadowman, ask me anything about Jack Dominique Boniface — and you will have my undivided attention. Harbinger however, never had enough characterization for me. It didn’t have enough “meat on its bones” to pique my interest. 

Well, just like the nineties — those days are over! This new Harbinger series is what great comics are made of!

From page one, you cannot help but be captivated by the richness of the world both Joshua Dysart (B.P.R.D., Unknown Soldier) and Khari Evans (Carbon Grey) have created. It is fantastic in nature, yet so realistic that these characters could be living in your own neighborhood. But it is the juxtaposition of characters, Toyo Harada and Peter Stancheck, that is the most captivating factor! Both harbor amazing gifts, but it is their use of them – or lack there of – that set them apart. While Harada is trying to save the world the best he can, Stancheck is just trying to escape the voices in his head! 

Joshua Dysart has created an amazing character that is so hard to like, I actually couldn’t put this book down! The character of Peter Stancheck is a disheartened, pathetic junkie that uses his telepathy to rob pharmacies in order to stop hearing the thoughts of all the people around him. Teamed with his Zyprexa popping best friend, Joe Irons, they travel the East Coast — staying one step ahead of the mysterious Mr. Tull. You want to pass on Peter as not just a hero but as a human being. But there is something about him, a lost innocence, a quest for normalcy, a broken soul — that makes you want to continually read on and engulf all there is to know. It is a thrill ride of discovery, even if you think he’s despicable!

Harbinger is a stunning character piece, infused with mystery, intrigue and top notch art! Comic fans should stand up and take notice — Valiant is churning out some amazing books! First there was X-O Manowar, now Harbinger! They have created a solid foundation for their resurgence — let’s see how high they can build this new vision!

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Movie News Reviews

Men In Black 3 (2012): Movie Review

Back (Again) in Black

A Film Review of Men in Black III

By: Lawrence Napoli 

 

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It’s been a long time since we’ve heard any word from Agents K and J (exactly 10 years to be precise), so it’s somewhat curious to see another installment to this franchise after so long especially when considering the advanced age of Tommy Lee Jones (65) and the ever-ripening status of Will Smith (43).  That’s not to suggest that either of these actors cannot hack the action/sci-fi genre due to the implied physicality their roles would naturally demand, but a time travel story as a convenient means of easing the load on Mr. Jones is perhaps the least surprising plot device of the decade.  Still, 10 years is a LONG time between sequels.  The fact that MIB II fell off way short in terms of story and quality from its predecessor, I’m sure, had something to do with its hiatus.  As for MIB III the somewhat interested viewer may ask “Why this?” “Why now?”  I guess the only appropriate response is “Why not?” (or is it “Why ask why?)

Just about the entire gang is coming back for the same old MIB fun and games from executive producer Steven Spielberg, to director Barry Sonnenfeld, to Tommy Lee and of course “Big Willy Style.”  The one noticeable absence is of Rip Torn who added a very unique blend of respectable demeanor and quirky comedy that came to be this franchise’s calling card.  Thankfully, his character was not recast outright, but whose absence was explained away in the plot in a rather droll and uninspired fashion (oh, well).  Another chink in the armor is exposed as new-to-the-franchise Etan Cohen penned a script that at best could be described as merely emulating the original and at worst as an unassuming adventure into the amazing.  Lowell Cunningham (creator of the comic series for Malibu Comics) probably could have come up with something better.  Using time travel as the major angle for this story would have been fine had the tone of the film escalated beyond the status of “been there, done that.”  The characters may be different (Boris The Animal, Agent O, Griffin) and the faces have changed (Old/Young Agents K and O), but Will Smith is still getting taught lessons from everyone older than him (despite his tenure at MIB), Tommy Lee is still crotchety and evil aliens conquering the world/universe/multi-verse couldn’t have been displayed in a less threatening fashion.  If you’ve seen one or both of the previous MIB films, it won’t be long before any of you recognize this entire plot as “old hat.”  For those new to the franchise you may be asking why the explosions aren’t as big, the action isn’t as intense and the stakes aren’t as high as the standard sci-fi/action/adventure film these days (thank you Avengers).  Perhaps what we need in all things fiction is less “backwards is forward” (the prequel-itis Hollywood has contracted) to reestablish forwards as forward.

The visual style of this film is a huge win.  All of the production design elements that envisioned the MIB of the present and of the 60s were truly inspired as it not only seemed appropriate, but enhanced the comedic undertone of the adventure.  Job well done, Bo Welch!  The same can be said of the special effects by Cinovation Studios and visual effects by The Third Floor, Prime Focus VFX and several other contributing companies.  Lasers are crisp, explosions are neat and aliens are slimy.  Sure, it’s not Star Wars, but that level of plasticity isn’t required for this film to look effective. 

Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor and although his performance as Agent K was fine for what it was (a reduced feature capacity), it was by no means as great as his initial work 15 years ago.  [Side note: shame on the makeup people for making a 65 year old man look like he’s 85!]  Tommy’s one liners didn’t have the energized ZING.  His staccato attitude didn’t have that abruptness.  And his presence didn’t illicit “the most feared human in the galaxy” as expressed by Frank the pug in MIB II.  I couldn’t tell if he was mailing it in because I’ve never noticed that in any of his previous performances for any film, but he didn’t look physically well for the production and it had an impact on his performance.

Will Smith is still a solid Hollywood personality that can sell a film and do you know what makes his character work for any of these MIB movies?  It’s the fact that it’s “the Fresh Prince” working for a secret government alien-control organization.  Smith brings some manner of street savoir fare to handle situations that don’t really need it and he either eats crow or makes the bad guys eat it: either way, comedy ensues.  The problem is Will Smith ain’t the Fresh Prince no more.  He, like his character, is older now and trying to pull the same old gags in the same old way is almost as awkward as Courtney Cox trying to sell sexy.  It would have been kind of neat to see Agent J as someone who has been picking up on the habits and mannerisms of his older, quick-puns-now ask questions never, partner.  But alas, Agent J is immune to the effects of K, space and time as he’s apparently too cool to afford maturation. 

I also enjoyed the performances from the cast.  For instance, Bill Hader as Agent Andy Warhol was pretty friggin’ hilarious, but I’m sure anyone in the audience with a background in art history probably would not have appreciated his routine.  Michael Stuhlbarg as Griffin blended a perfect mix of childish innocence and compassion with other worldly randomness that made me crack genuine smiles of amusement.  Jemaine Clement was channeling too much Christian Bale as Batman in Boris the Animal’s voice, but produced a decent villain.  As hot as Alice Eve is, her impact on the film is trivial as was Emma Thompson playing the same role as Agent O (the elder).  Women didn’t have a strong showing in this film.

The real (and only) reason to see this film is for Josh Brolin’s performance as young Agent K.  He embodies every element that Tommy Lee Jones made awesome in the original MIB.  Everything from the mannerisms, to the stoic look, to the attitude is simply owned by Brolin.  The performance is so good that it stops being about an impression of young Agent K and more about being a young Tommy Lee Jones.  It’s the kind of uncanny connection that would have made a shared scene between their characters in No Country For Old Men simply unforgettable.  I realize that Mr. Brolin would never get top billing over Jones and Smith, but his performance drives this film.

I can’t give this film an endorsement as a “must see” regardless of the fact there’s The Avengers and precious little else to check out at the movies at this instant (Snow White and the Huntsman may change that).  MIB III is a fairly kid-friendly film that won’t put parents to sleep, but it would have been so much better had this production not catered to children all together.    Short attention spans and those who only require modest amusement are all welcome here as it’s a nice movie, but doesn’t deliver the impact of a true blockbuster.

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Comic Book News

Review: The Ravagers #1

I was anticipating another great “teencentric” book from the company that does them so well. But Ravagers is a hit and run of fantastic art and nothing more!

If you have not been reading the “Culling” storyline – the crossover that has been going through Teen Titans, Legion Lost and Superboy – you will find yourself lost in a quagmire of action and a befuddling storyline! Even if you have been reading the crossover, this issue does nothing to engage the reader with the cast of characters that have escaped the clutches of N.O.W.H.E.R.E.! There is no time to flesh out the core characters, besides what you have seen in other books, and the reader has no vested interest in them when everything goes from bad to worse. You will be privy to brutal slayings and a sheer lack of respect for human life, as the escapees take out their fear and anger on surrendering guards and each other in order to live free.

New characters like Ridge, Thunder and Lightning, do little to make the reader feel anything for their plight and background characters, Bright Eyes and Windshear, come off more interesting. Caitlin Fairchild, the scientist that worked for N.O.W.H.E.R.E., is placed as the central character that tries her best to form this rag tag group into something more, but her plight is laughable and she comes off more whiny than Luke Skywalker in “A New Hope!” Any chance of reconnecting with characters that longtime Titans fans will recognize, Beast Boy and Terra, are doused as they leave the book by page five! My only hope for this book was when Warblade and Rose Wilson were unleashed upon the masses and a true culling began. Unfortunately, they didn’t wipe out the entire cast!

I will give this book a second chance to draw me in , but if issue two follows the same formula as the first one — it will be staying on the racks. So far, DC’s “Second Wave” has been mired in mediocrity, and The Ravagers is no different! Besides Worlds’ Finest, “Second Wave” doesn’t stand a second chance!

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Comic Book News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for May 30th, 2012

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

 

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

(A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. In no particular order!)

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these books to your list of goodies! Forget that “apple a day nonsense”, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five titles of the week!

 

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1. The Walking Dead #98  : If I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times, when Kirkman uses red covers â€” bad things happen! This is a biggie, folks! Do not miss this issue or YOU will have “Something To Fear”! Check out my review here!

2.  Supercrooks #3  : Mark Millar’s homage to Ocean’s Eleven — with a twist, continues here! Just as the team gets back together, they find out who their “mark” is. This ones going to be waaaay tougher than they thought! Great book!

3.  Batman Annual #1  : You think Scott Snyder has created an amazing version of Batman, wait till you get a load of his Mr. Freeze! Completely twisted with a shocking ending, Snyder throws out all you thought you knew and carves a new niche for himself in the Batman mythos! Amazing! Check out my full review here!

4.  Animal Man Annual #1  :  This is a great “down time” issue, that lets us see the first battle that teamed a Swamp Thing and an Avatar of the Red together! Creepy and engrossing, this one paves the way for the war with the Rot!

5.  X-Men Legacy #267  :   An Avengers Vs. X-Men tale that actually has a complete battle set up in a single issue â€” without roping you into buying more books! This is a great Rogue-centric tale that is all about control and when to lose it! One phrase can sum up this book â€” Rogue Smash Puny Avengers! Fantastic stuff! Don’t believe me, check out my review here!

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: X-Men Legacy #267

Christos Gage has been writing some of the best X stories out there right now, and X-Men Legacy #267 is the best yet!

A complete Avengers Vs. X-Men tie-in, and what I mean by complete is that you don’t need to read anything else in order to understand exactly what is going on in this issue! Falcon, Moon Knight, She-Hulk and their secret weapon – Iron Man – have come to the Jean Grey School to “check-up” on our mutants. But when Moon Knight strikes Frenzy in a fit of rage, Rogue takes the gloves off — literally! 

Starting right where last issue left us, the school has become a battle ground and Rogue must keep the students as safe as possible while trying to deal with the intense situation. But it’s not the exterior battle that is the must pressing one, Rogue must overcome her inner demons in order to save her friends and herself from utter destruction!

Cristos Gage makes an all out slugfest into a compelling tale of a person trying to overcome their faults in order to grow, not only as a person, but someone that others can look up to. It is a tough situation to put such a personal, and character driven piece, directly within the chaos of a battle — but Gage pulls it off flawlessly. He has developed Rogue into strong character that can finally rely on herself without having to worry about the trappings of her past failures. Making her one of my new favorite X characters! But don’t get me wrong, This book isn’t solely a soul searching character piece, there are plenty of things getting destroyed to whet the appetite of any action junkie fanboy! Especially,when Moon Knight pulls a fast one on the X-Men — can anyone say “Rogue Smash?”

Amazing art by Rafa Sandoval solidifies this tale as the best X book on the shelves this week! You want great storytelling focused on character development and utter destruction through fisticuffs — all mixed in a single book? Than you have to pick this one up!

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Comic Book News

Review: Batman Annual #1

This may not be the first time you have seen Mr. Freeze in the New 52, but this is the issue that you will remember him from!

Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV have given this “cool” villain a definitive origin and this is the only place that you will be seeing it! And oh, what a twist they have in store for all the loyal Bat readers! This is not the Mr. Freeze that you all remember from days gone by, this is a man that is far removed from just a second rate villain that pines for his lost love. This character has a depth to him that has never been touched upon before, bringing the emotional and mental states of Dr. Victor Fries both to the forefront and into question. There is a ruthlessness about him that makes him on par with the sadistic Joker, making this “fill-in” villain a major force to be reckoned with! 

Through flashback sequences, we are privy to not only the first encounter between Bruce Wayne and Victor Fries, but his childhood memories and the eventual evolution of the Mr. Freeze persona. It is a thorough tale that makes you feel the true torment of a character and his reasoning behind what he does. A perfect character piece that will have you forever change your outlook on just how great this villain can be in the right hands. The symbolism of Mr. Freeze’s goggles and the revelation at the end sequence, is enough to solidify Scott Snyder as my favorite writer of the year! And let’s not forget Jason Fabok’s amazing job on art chores! He gives Mr. Freeze an aura of subtle viciousness that is beyond compare. And his eerie, icy images have a beauty to them that is oddly alarming! 

If you call yourself a Bat fan than you must get this book! Even if you are not but want to read an amazing story that can be thoroughly enjoyed in a single book — you must pick this one up! The new Mr. Freeze is here and you won’t believe how fantastic he can be!

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Comic Book News

Review: The Walking Dead #98

(Editor’s Note: Extreme Spoilers Dead Ahead!)

 

The signs were on the wall. The ominous 100th issue looming in the distance, the happiness that has befallen numerous characters lately, but it is the covers that have given it all away! I told you all last time — when Robert Kirkman and crew decide to churn out the infamous “RED” covers, bad things happen to our favorite band of survivors! And I’ve never lied to you, have I? Well, only that one time, but we made it out of that Mexican prison pretty much unscathed — so it was worth it! 

Here’s a gentlemanly tip: If you do not want to know any spoilers — stop now! If you are itching to see what Kirkman has done to all the characters we hold so dear, read on. But I warn you, once you know you can never go back!

Issue #98 begins with Abraham and Eugene walking to find supplies in order to manufacture bullets. But all is not what it seems, danger awaits them in the darkness, and it will change the status quo of The Walking Dead forever! Meanwhile back home, Rick and Andrea are working on their new relationship as machine gun fire rings out in the distance! It’s all hands on deck as our band of survivors rush to the gates to see what is happening. Negan has sent a retaliation squad to their very doorstep and everything changes in the blink of an eye! One character does all he can in order to survive, but survival is not in the cards for everyone — as a major character dies! 

Now, I will not tell you exactly who dies — where’s the fun in that? But, if you read carefully, I have given you all the clues you need to piece it together! I for one, was completely shocked at how Robert Kirkman completely makes a reader feel numb as they watch these characters die. You cannot even catch your breath as you are thrown through a whirlwind of chaos, let alone have time to fully process what has just happened! And the most gut wrenching part, is that you know things are just going to get worse from here. There is no stopping it, the juggernaut of fear will roll over everyone until there is nothing left! In the end, as our survivors try to deal with what just happened, there is an overwhelming sense of bewilderment. Their confidence is gone, their bravado is gone, their ammo is almost gone and the worst part is — their attackers are gone! Nothing will ever be the same, and I thank Robert Kirkman for giving us these characters to get so emotionally attached to. Comics are suppose to make you feel something, this one certainly will. Issue 100 is coming — I just hope there is anyone left for issue 101!

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Movie News

The Dark Knight Rises, Amazing Spider-Man, MIB3, G.I. Joe Toys Arrive Today! (Images)

That’s right folks, as of today at 8 a.m., all your favorite retailers will be filling their shelves with a bevy of blockbuster movie toys!

You want your Dark Knight Rises toys? Well, now you got ’em!

Looking for a few Andrew Garfield as Spidey figures from the Amazing Spider-Man movie? Check!

What about a little Will Smith donning his Men In Black 3 duds? Oh, yeah! 

They’ll even have the now delayed – G.I.Joe: Retaliation – toys that no one will care about for another nine months!

So, get there early before all the “collectors” get the good figures and sell them on EBay! The summer just got a whole lot hotter!

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Comic Book News Marvel

What’s Your Angle On The Tesseract?

Just What The “DOC” Ordered

 

“What’s Your Angle On The Tesseract?”

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

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Ever since Marvel Comics decided to unveil their most powerful weapon in Iron Man 2, the cosmic cube – renamed the Tesseract – has been causing fanboys to drool and movie goers to ponder, “What is a Tesseract?” That’s the million dollar question, I suppose! And it all depends on what company, field or genre you support!

A tesseract, first used in the book A New Era of Thought by Charles Howard Hintin in 1888, means the four lines from each vertex to other vertices, or the four-dimensional analog of the cube. The tesseract is one of the six convex regular polytopes. Even in geometry, there are numerous names and ideas as to the different functions of a tesseract. There is no definitive idea of the tesseract that does not open itself to other possibilities.

Take for instance, the use of the tesseract in the great work of fiction, A Wrinkle In Time, by Madeleine L’Engle in 1962. Here it is used more as a wormhole, a portal that sends Meg Murray and her friends through time and space by literally bending the space-time continuum. This seems more in line with the “cosmic cube” that was created by Marvel Comics in July 1966. Is it a possibility that good ol‘ Stan and Jack loved A Wrinkle In Time so much that they created a homage to it in Tales Of Suspense #79? Possibly, but Stan will probably never admit to hearing of the book and claim sole creative control!

Though there have been three different versions of the “tesseract” in various Marvel comics over the years, there has been one constant about them. They have all had the potential to be the most powerful cosmic device ever created! They can alter reality, transfer the essence of one individual to another, make any wish come true regardless of the consequences and — it has even become a sentient life form! Its powers, creators, users and destroyers have all been linked to cosmic energies in some shape or form. And just like Avengers the movie, I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of what destruction can be wrought by its power!

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But now there is a new version of the tesseract that is completely different than all other versions. While previous incarnations have all been birthed in true science, geometric shapes and cosmic fundamentals — this new version is birthed in magic! Found on the last page of Justice League Dark #9, DC Comics has entered into the fan frenzy of the tesseract movement. Jeff Lemire has wasted no time amping up this book in only one issue, and it will only get better from here! DC’s version of the tesseract is said to be The Eighth-Dimensional Map, not just a map but â€” THE map to the four most powerful artifacts in the DCnU! Locked inside the tesseract is the hidden locations to the Four Pillars Of Existence, the source of all magic on earth — The Books Of Magic! As astounding as that revelation is, it is a comment that is made by a character named Dr. Mist that has piqued my interest more. He not only calls the box the tesseract but the FIRST tesseract! Does that mean there are more? Maybe a total of three? More? Remember folks, during the Avengers/JLA crossover a cube was seen in the DCU! Could this be it? Who knows? All I know, is that I am extremely excited to see where this is going!

To wrap up, “What is a Tesseract?” I guess you can choose your own answer. A scientific theory, a portal to save your father, the Cosmic Cube or a map to The Books Of Magic! Hell, there’s even a band! So, pick what best suits you and run with it! No matter who Marvel and DC’s characters are getting married to, comics’ real buzzword is — Tesseract! 

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Reviews TV News Video Game News

Video Game Review of The Walking Dead game [Episode 1]

When the Dead Can’t Stop Walking

A Video Game Review of The Walking Dead [Episode 1 “A New Day”]

By: Lawrence Napoli

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1756:]]I am drawn to anything that involves zombies.  Zombie stories entice such an adrenaline rush because of the intense amount of thought it provokes within me considering that such a fantastic scenario is merely one fictional circumstance away from becoming reality.  How would I respond?  How would I cope?  How would the rest of the world?  How would you?  When the world literally goes to hell most people probably wouldn’t don some makeshift superhero costume and become impromptu vigilantes to wipe out the zombie threat from the streets.  Most people would track down as much family as possible, find the safest place available to hunker down in and wait it out, until waiting just wasn’t safe anymore.  The realism, drama and raw emotion that is extracted from plain people surviving the end of the world has a universal appeal to humanity because (to a much lesser, dramatic and danger-filled extent) we are all surviving the challenge of life every day when we wake up.  This explains why Robert Kirkman and The Walking Dead franchise continues to reach new outlets for its brand and finding plenty of success (and dollar bills) in every iteration.  I won’t extrapolate on the intrigue of the comic book or the intensity of the TV series, but suffice it to say, the video game world of The Walking Dead carries over everything that makes it work from its previous manifestations while keeping the experience fresh even for the most dedicated veterans of the franchise.

 

Gameplay

 

The Walking Dead videogame is an interactive drama that was developed and published by Telltale Games.  This is the company that was also responsible for creating Back to the Future: The Game, Jurassic Park: The Game and Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse (the game).  All of these games are presented in episodic fashion and employ a very similar visual interface in addition to game play mechanics.  This is exactly the type of game that anyone can pick up and play because it doesn’t require pinpoint reflexes nor does it demand rigorous repetition to master.  If you can navigate an analog stick, you too can complete this game with relative ease (as is reflected in its trophy/achievement list – all of which are accomplished by completing each chapter).  The interface involves a third person, cel-shaded, fixed camera that harkens back to Resident Evils 1, 2 and 3.  The challenge to progressing in the story is investigating each scene for objects you can interact with in the environment or by speaking to other characters to reveal that vital piece of information that unlocks options for surviving the zombie apocalypse.  Anyone who is a veteran of Myst and is a fan of Mass Effect 2’s (not 3’s) dialogue system will find The Walking Dead very comfortable. 

If poking around static environments and flirting with digital people is not what you consider to be “entertaining” in a game, then rest assured, there is a significant element of combat in the game because zombies just aren’t going to let you walk away from them.  The first episode of The Walking Dead requires the player’s avatar to dispatch several zombies in quite brutal fashion at point blank range, and doing so requires a very easy to maneuver targeting reticule combined with quick-time button mashing challenges to fend off the various undead opposition.  The gameplay is not nearly as challenging as Heavy Rain, but it is still active enough to not bore the player.

This game’s main source of fun is generated from simply participating in this expanded fiction set within the world of The Walking Dead.  As such, talking is a large part of progressing in the story.  The dialogue sequences blend seamlessly with the cut and action scenes which does much to aid in the suspension of disbelief.  Choosing a speaking option, however, is not always as easy as leisurely pressing a button.  Some contextual conversations have very brief windows for the player to make a decision before the option to respond in any way passes all together.  Likewise, there will be similar decisions the player must make in emergency situations that can determine life and death for you or any other survivors you pick up along your journey.  If the player is actively engaged in the story, making the decisions you really want with little to no time is a breeze.  Also, the relationships you build with certain characters are not without consequence as key characters will remember how the player handled previous confrontations or details mentioned in prior conversations that may help or harm the player at a later point in the story.

 

Story

The story of The Walking Dead videogame is set the day of the zombie outbreak in the state of Georgia.  The player assumes the role of Lee Everett, a black man in his 30s-40s that begins his zombie survival journey under less than optimum circumstances.  What’s interesting to note in this “Choose your own adventure” style of video game story is that the player doesn’t know any back story about Lee until conversation windows later on during the game present these options for the kind of information Lee is willing to divulge.  Some players may be put off by this because they won’t know “the right response to give,” but that’s exactly the point.  Not knowing the details beforehand requires the player to mold the type of Lee, he or she wants him to be so if you want him to be a Rick-style knight in shining armor or a Shane-style psycho, the options are in your dialogue choices.  Heck, there’s even a neutral option to give no response in just about every scenario.  Overall, the story begins as very prototypical in presenting desperate people attempting to survive dire circumstances, but what has set The Walking Dead apart from other zombie franchises is its focus on character and relationships and that theme clearly carries over to the video game as Lee is not only the type of character I want to see survive and flourish, I believe he is a character that could easily matriculate over to the comic books or even AMC’s TV series.  One of the best parts of the story is the “ending” the player gets to see at the end of each episode which teases the player as to the scenarios that await him or her in the next episode.  Having played Lee in three distinct ways, I have found various different reveals at the end of episode 1 in terms of different sources of conflict, enemies within the group and who my most loyal friends may turn out to be.  The story looks to play out in several different ways, all of which are very compelling, and I’ve only completed 1/5 of the game.

 

Presentation

I know a lot of people who are instantly turned off by cel-shaded graphics in video games.  I will never claim to be the biggest fan of it either; however, I will note that this rather cartoonish style doesn’t take any of the gravity away from The Walking Dead game.  As a less demanding graphical style, cel-shading allows for more programming power to be put into proficient gameplay, dialogue options and environment interactions.  Besides, who’s really interested in sitting through hours of load screens?

The game asks the player in the beginning whether he or she wishes to play with or without hints which basically highlights items in the environment that can be interacted with as well as suggesting whom to speak to and where to go next.  Turning the help option off does present a greater challenge, but it may involve too much time investigating each and every scene for the player to acquire that which is necessary to progress. 

The voice over acting is superb.  Distinct sounds tied with naturally written conversation plays very well in establishing a serious and dramatic tone to this game.  Cel-shaded graphics don’t allow for the most revealing facial expressions, but combined with this VO talent, every character that the player is introduced to becomes one that he or she genuinely cares about. 

 

Conclusion

The Walking Dead fans have no excuse for not already owning this game for the PC or PS3.  It is not available for Xbox 360 yet (there’s a first) probably because Telltale is still working on a conversion code to allow the game to use Kinect control.  The story is great because I get to play a role in building a significant survivor in this zombie apocalypse.  The only bad part about this game is that I have to wait an additional month for the next part of the game to be playable and by the end of episode 1, believe me; you too will be demanding an expedient continuation.  Non-fans of the franchise or zombie stories in general may not find too much fun here because it doesn’t present enough generalized video-gaming enjoyment to be worthwhile otherwise.  Despite its cel-shaded look, this is not a game for kids as the gore factor is high, adult situations are plenty and characters can’t seem to hold back from dropping F-bombs left and right.  At $19.99 for the entire 5 episode package on the PSN network, I cannot recommend a better bang for your video gaming buck than The Walking Dead.

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