Originally Published: April 19, 2011, on Comicvine.com
I had a chance to talk with Sean Miller, the Game Director of Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Video Game from Activision and High Moon Studios.
DUE TO PLAYER COMPATIBILITY ISSUES, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO OPEN THE VIDEO IN A NEW WINDOW.
Originally Published: April 18, 2011, on Comicvine.com
I normally would have a “Comics to Video Games” article ready for you folks right about now (and don’t worry I’m working on the next one), but I was reading an interview the other day with Ian Flynn, a writer best known for his current run on the Sonic the Hedgehog series published by Archie Comics, and found out he’s going to be the main writer behind a new monthly Mega Man comic book series.
This latest video game series from Archie Comics comes out in the beginning of May and it will chronicle the Blue Bomber’s run through his nearly dozen games, starting with Mega Man 1 playing out across the first four issues, and will answer the big questions, like how no one was able to figure out when Dr. Wily was up to no good. It’s not like he had ten giant skull shaped fortresses built. Oh, wait. Hmmm. Also, I wonder if there will be any mention of Mega Man Soccer in an annual or something.
Anyway, this got me thinking about the flood of both monthly and limited series comic books we’ve seen in recent years based on video games. City of Heroes, Halo, inFamous, Gears of War, Prototype, and even DCU Online, which of course is a comic based off a video game based off of comics. So what’s with this sudden influx of video game based comics at our local retailers?
Now, comics based off of video games are nothing new. After all, Sonic, has had his own ongoing series for nearly twenty years now. But to see so many new comics based on games is a little off putting. An idealist might say comics are simply being used as tools to help flesh out stories that can’t be fully told in a 15-hour game. But what if they are really being used just as promotional items to bolster game sales instead? Or are comic companies trying to jump on the bandwagon of a popular game franchise in the hopes of making a profit, knowing that the key comic book and video game demographics are one in the same? Or maybe it is a little of all of the above?
Can ongoing video game comics also hurt the base franchise as there could be unintentional limits placed on the game developers? There would have to be constant communication between both the game developers and the comic book writing and editorial teams in order to ensure that what is being done in the comics isn’t radically different from what is happening or going to happen in sequel video games upon their release.
If Josh Ortega kills off someone in the Gears of War comic, he had better let Cliff Bleszinski and Karen Traviss know so that person doesn’t show up in Gears of War 3, otherwise there are going to be some mighty ticked off Gearheads out there. And what if Cliff had planned on making that character a major player in the Gears universe? How much say does the original game creators have when it comes to forwarding the plot of a comic that is being looked at as canon? It just seems that adding more moving parts to such a complex and detailed story might come off as limiting from a creative standpoint, especially while the main series is still really ongoing and even while just trying to flesh out previously mentioned references from the original property (like the Pendulum Wars for Gears).
And this brings us back to my inspiration. Mega Man. Does doing a comic that follows, for the most part, a story we already know lessen the mass appeal of a comic? Why should I read something I’ve already played through several hundred times? Can you really flesh out a character that much with a few thought bubbles while it’s blasting another foe into oblivion? If anything, it might take away from those original gaming experiences, especially from the old NES days, where the player was left to their own devices to fill in gaps in a protagonist’s personality and whatnot. So are original stories that add to and build on top of already existing canon the only real option in that case to ensure a profit will be made and to protect a property?
Despite this, does every new video game need a comic book? I read the six-issue limited series for Prototype and I felt what I got from that comic was not worth the price I paid as a lead in to the actual game. In fact, the comic ruined the game experience some as it spoiled a lot of the game’s surprises. The same goes for the Gears of War comic. Some issues have been great, but I didn’t need a one-issue back-story on Tai. I don’t need a character that is dead to be fleshed out. It just reeks of trying to turn a quick buck if you ask me. It dilutes the potential of building the franchise naturally and feels very forced in some cases.
But I really don’t mind franchises diversifying, and actually enjoy seeing new adventures with my favorite characters that continue the story beyond the original product (you should see my Star Wars expanded universe novel collection). I do feel that there should be some sort of criteria before a franchise is expanded though like with a game based comic. Wait until the main story, in most cases nowadays the story being a trilogy, is complete before you start filling in the gaps. Imagine if a comic or novel like Shadows of the Empire in Star Wars, which takes places between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, had been released in 1981, right between Empire and Jedi. I think that it coming after the fact made it much more powerful and interesting. Similar to the games Halo: Reach and Halo 3: ODST. They were better stories because the universe had already been fully established and then writers went back to fill in the blanks.
So what do you guys think? Are you fans of video game based comics? Are there too many out there flooding the market? What should be the criteria for a game based comic to be published? And how much creative freedom should the writing and editorial teams have with long established characters like Mega Man? Will you buy the Mega Man monthly upon its release? Let us know with comments below!
Originally Published: April 13, 2011, on Comicvine.com
All seems well at the moment on Utopia until Cyclops gets a message from Abigail Brand, agent of SWORD, that a Breakworld armada flagship has appeared on the edges of the solar system. Considering their previous dealings with the people of Breakworld and that Colossus is technically their Powerlord still, she figured they would be best suited to see exactly what that ship is up to.
The Good
I could read Kieron Gillen written X-Men comics all day. The subtle humor inserted into each scene was a joy to read. Whether it was Namor and Colossus, Doctor Nemesis and Magneto, or Cyclops and Wolverine, the banter back and forth was a thing of beauty.
And since this is the first issue of a new arc, Gillen made sure to make it action heavy in the front in order to use the rest of the comic to build up the plot of why exactly there is a Breakworld ship heading for Earth. Not to mention it is nice to see the Abigail Brand and the Breakworlders come back after a decent length hiatus as this is shaping up to be a pretty interesting story centering on Colossus.
The Bad
Kitty Pryde is still intangible. We get it. Her and Colossus can’t hold each other. Fine. Either fix her already or put her back on the damn giant bullet. I’m tired of every issue of X-Men comics I read that isn’t taking place in an alternate universe having to devote 2-4 pages to “How do we fix Kitty?”
Also, I get that it is his catch phrase, but can we put a hold on the “Imperius Rex” stuff with Namor. It just comes off as cheesy for the king of the seas to have a catch phrase that doesn’t have any meaning. You want him to come off as regal and elite? Get rid of the catch phrase. The Thing and Wolverine have catch phrases. Namor doesn’t need one especially when it wastes several panels per comic usually where we get a close up of his smug face exclaiming it.
The Verdict
This is looking like the launching point for a great story arc revolving around Colossus and it is good to see the Breakworlders returning to the comics. The dialogue is very well written and helps keep the comic light and enjoyable even though here go the X-Men saving the Earth from an unimaginable threat once again.
I wish they would wrap up the entire Kitty Pryde intangibility problem though because it is just becoming redundant at this point. Aside from this, Uncanny X-Men #535 is a great read with a perfect balance of action and plot development. Add in this is the start of a new arc and it is a good time to get back into things if you’ve fallen off the X-wagon recently.
Originally Published: April 13, 2011, on Comicvine.com
Cletus Kasady is still alive and the Carnage symbiote has left a trail of destruction in its wake in order to reunite with its former host. Can even the combined might of Spider-Man and Iron Man be enough to quell this reborn menace?
The Good
The action and writing for this issue is simply top notch. From the opening flashback of when the Hall Industries doctors originally found what was left of the symbiote and Kasady to the banter that Kasady has going back and forth with both the symbiote and Spider-Man and you are quickly reminded that Kasady isn’t your run of the mill homicidal maniac, he has a sinister streak in him that puts him on par with some of the all-time great villains.
Combine this with making him more powerful than ever by merging himself with some of the armor that was powered by pieces of the symbiote to create a techno-organic super-Carnage and Zeb Wells does a brilliant job of actually making you believe that the heroes might not pull this one out in the end.
The Bad
There is a huge downside to having a limited series released every two months in that it can be hard to remember everything that is happening. So when Shriek and Doppelganger showed up midway through the comic, I was taken aback because I had forgotten how big a role they played in setting up this current situation and should have been re-introduced much sooner in the book.
Also, it seems that while being used as bio-fuel for Hall Industries’ powered armor suits that Carnage had another baby. It’s always risky to introduce new symbiotes into the fold because aside from Venom and Carnage, when was the last time a new symbiote has had any lasting effect on the Marvel Universe. When was the last time someone heard from Toxin? It should be interesting to see what happens with this new symbiote considering whom it has now bonded to, but the odds of it sticking around and having any real significance is unlikely and seemed unnecessary.
The Verdict
Carnage fans will be jumping for joy after reading this book as he is being brought back around in a big way and this could help set up a lot of potential storylines in the future. How will Carnage deal with Flash Thompson’s Venom and Anti-Venom? Or a better question, will Flash Thomson be able to control the Venom symbiote if he happens across Carnage?
No matter what happens in the future, if you are a fan of Carnage then this comic is a must have. With so many Maximum Carnage undertones, the nostalgia factor alone should pull people in for this amazing limited series. The only real downfall with this book is that you have to wait two months again for what is shaping up to be an epic and thrilling conclusion.
Originally Published: April 13, 2011, on Comicvine.com
Part 2 of the Judgment on Gotham crossover arc for the Bat-Family comics. Azrael is on a supposed holy mission to judge Gotham along with his new sidekick, The Crusader, and will only spare the city if he can find one of its guardians pure of spirit. And so Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, and Selina Kyle of all people will be tested and judged with all of Gotham riding on the line. Is someone more earthly bound though pulling Azrael’s strings as Red Robin begins his challenge?
The Good
You really see how Red Robin’s mind works in this comic and are reminded of just how much tragedy he has overcome in his life, again reminding us that when his character is old enough, he would make a much better Batman because he thinks like Batman.
The gauntlet he has to run through in order to complete his challenge in order to be judged by Azrael also reaffirms his resourcefulness as he seems to always be thrown headfirst into challenges that would have been daunting even for Bruce Wayne in his heyday and insures us an action packed adventure.
The Bad
Azrael and this new Crusader just are not cutting it for me as the villains of this arc as they seem more like rejects from the video game Assassin’s Creed 1 instead of characters that belong in the DC Universe.
And that leads into the entire faith-based storyline, which also rubs me the wrong way. With all these characters have been through over the years, for some “holy” test of faith to be the Bat-Family’s next great challenge just seems like a waste of time. Then again, it is hinted at being part of a much larger scheme with the villain reveal at the end of the comic and this could save what is a very slow developing plot so far for this crossover arc.
The Verdict
This book is packed with some great action sequences as Tim overcomes the obstacles thrown in his path, but a very slow developing plot overshadows this. A villain reveal at the end of the comic gives me hope this crossover arc can kick it up a notch in future issues, but as of right now Azrael and the Crusader just are not doing it for me in terms of playing the villain role for an arc that was deemed worthy of crossing over multiple titles.
If you are a fan of the Bat-Family books and picked up Part 1 of this arc in Batman #708 then whether you usually pick up Red Robin or not, you should pick up this issue. If you aren’t into the Bat-Family, then this is not an issue to try to start trying to familiarize yourself with them.
Originally Published: April 13, 2011, on Screened.com
I remember growing up painting with watercolors and I always used to love mixing my favorite colors to make new ones. There was one time though when I tried to mix all my colors and all that ended up doing was make black. No color. Devoid of the vibrancy and energy that you could get when mixing just a red with a blue or a red and yellow. So I couldn’t blame Zack Snyder when I heard Sucker Punch was going to be a movie that combined zombie Nazis, killer robots, fire-breathing dragons, and half-naked hot chicks (only trumped of course by fully naked hot chicks). But knowing all this, I also knew that it was going to take some real move magic to keep this from just becoming a bland, boring experience that happens when you combine too many elements and stray too far from the basics like plot and character development.
A 20-year old girl simply known as “Baby Doll” (Emily Browning) is institutionalized in an insane asylum after accidentally shooting her sister in an attempt to prevent her from being molested by their step-father. In the hopes of collecting the inheritance the girls were to receive after their mother’s passing, the step-father greases some palms in order to have a doctor (Jon Hamm) rush to the asylum and perform a lobotomy on the grief stricken Baby Doll. In order to help cope with her gruesome fate, Dr. Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino) helps Baby Doll to retreat to a fantasy world where she is able to open up and begin to lay out a master plan of escape for herself and four other girls she befriends in the asylum, Rocket (Jena Malone), Amber (Jamie Chung), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish).
Unfortunately, even with this more than capable cast, Zack Snyder’s first foray into film with a completely original script is exactly what I feared, a hodgepodge of great elements and pieces that simply don’t mesh well when mixed altogether and ends up becoming bland and predictable. In fact, after the first ten minutes I was able to piece together exactly how the rest of the movie would go and this made the remaining 99 minutes a bore-fest that pushed the limits of my digital watch’s battery as I kept checking it on average every five minutes to see how much more of this poor attempt at sensory overload I had to endure.
After Baby Doll creates her alternate world in order to cope with her situation, the plan she comes up with gives the film a hint of a cheap heist movie as her and her sexy cohorts must go around and collect certain items from the asylum in order to orchestrate their escape. While doing this, Baby Doll creates a new world within her coping mechanism world each time and so her quest for fire pits her against fire-breathing dragons and her quest for a map puts her in some twisted WWII trenches against Nazi zombies. Although each sequence is action-packed and cinematically beautiful, they feel more like prolonged video game cut scenes and the fact that Baby Doll must do this repeatedly makes the movie as a whole feel like you’re watching someone play one long fetch-quest in a crappy RPG.
On top of this, the tragic fate that comes for some of the characters falls on an uncaring audience because it seems that in taking the time to make sure his use of licensed music fit with the action scenes he was creating, Snyder neglected to develop any of his characters. In fact, there seems to be such little connection with the audience to these characters that there are points in the movie where you don’t know if you should be hoping for the half-naked heroines success or actually rooting for them to fail just to liven up this one dimensional film foray.
There are some small positives to Sucker Punch though. Sucker Punch could be a prime example in a college film editing class of how to do things properly as I won’t deny that Snyder’s signature cinematography, special effects, and use of licensed music were again well implemented throughout the film, but at this juncture these technical points have almost become an industry standard and so shouldn’t blow you away by any means.
Aside from this, Sucker Punch really just falls flat. What was supposed to be a movie that kept you guessing and came at you from various angles, much like the maneuver for which the movie takes its name, is nothing more than a predictable waste of time that tries to distract you with bright lights and beautiful women in order to cover up its glaring lack of plot, character development, and originality.
Originally Published: April 12, 2011, on Youtube.com/RCars4885
I come to you once again with your weekly geek fix. This week’s episode sees me review Brightest Day #23 from DC Comics, my new Nintendo 3DS, and Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition for the 3DS. My hot chick pick of the week is Jessica Burciaga and this week’s theme is Ryu’s Theme from Street Fighter IV.
Originally Published: April 12, 2011, on Comicvine.com
It has become a very popular argument by Batman’s rogues’ gallery, especially the Joker, in recent years. The villains taunt Batman with the idea that if he weren’t around, most, if not all of them, would never have come into existence and that he is just as much to blame for their brand of chaos as he is. It is all an attempt to throw Batman off his game, but there is clearly some truth behind their words. Without Batman there surely would be no Joker venom, giant penny, or trick umbrellas. There definitely would be no “Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel”. And there would be no Boy Wonder, Oracle, or Batman, Inc.
And speaking of Batman, Inc., the basis of this new idea is that there is supposed to be Batmen all over the world that will be supported by Bruce Wayne. But what if Bruce’s next logical step on his unending war on crime does the exact opposite though of his intent and escalates it instead? Could all these new Batmen, in an attempt to quell crime around the world, be the launching point for more villains worldwide, much like Bruce theoretically was for some of his in Gotham? The world has enough trouble staying together what with the threats the JLA, JSA, Green Lantern Corps, and others are constantly having to snuff out. I’m sure that exactly what the world wants is three new Jokers, two new Two-Faces, and a Penguin from Sicily.
Already the Batman of Japan, the former Mr. Unknown Jiro Osamu, has an arch-nemesis it would seem in Lord Death Man who re-emerged after a long hiatus in the launching of the Batman, Inc. series. What is it to say that this could not be the jumping off point now for Jiro’s own cavalcade of themed villains that could feature crazed samurai, ninja, or dragons that wish to take down Batman, Inc. and its representatives? And we all know how much Japanese people love dressing up in costumes (just check out the entire cosplay section of Anime Vice here).
Then there is Bilal Asselah, the Nightrunner, and currently the Batman of France. He truly lacks any sort of a rogues’ gallery, but that just sets him up for any number of possibilities. Bilal was last seen dealing with the difficulty of not being accepted by the Muslim people of France as they see him as an extension of an unnecessary American system. This leaves the door open for some extremist to come up with a gimmick to take him down. Or how about that France is home for many of the most evil and twisted group of clowns (even though they originated in Ancient Greece): mimes. It’s only a matter of time before one decides to become the French Joker that traps people in real invisible shrinking boxes that crushes them to death or hangs them from invisible ropes.
Of course, this is all dependent on these new Batmen at some point popping back up in the DC Universe and being fleshed out some more. Otherwise, are all these new Batmen simply tools to forward a current concept and never to be heard from again except as future fodder for another Crisis? Should the more popular ones come back as recurring characters in Batman, Inc. or get their own limited series or monthly spin-offs to expand the roster of DC rogues as a whole? Or will we start seeing more global inspired plots for Bruce Wayne’s villains in order to features these new Batmen more often?
And just how many Batmen are destined for Batman, Inc.? There are nearly 200 countries in the world. Will each one have a Batman? As interesting as it might be to see Batmen all around the world, and it would probably take several hundred issues to get to them all, the gimmick would definitely burn itself out at some point without adding some twists to the creation of dynamic, recurring, new villains with unique stories for these new Batmen or some huge event that features a lot of them all at once. Because right now Batman, Inc. seems like a drawn out version of an Elseworlds I read when I was a kid called Brotherhood of the Bat and in the end of that, “Damian” kicks the snot out of all the imitation Batmen.
So what do you guys think? If there were not a spike in the villain population caused by these new Batmen and some epic storyline that results from it, would this just be a waste of time? If new villains don’t start appearing all over the world, will Bruce Wayne’s rogues’ gallery have to give up the “Batman is the reason why we exist” argument? If the concept of Batman, Inc. doesn’t fail in the comics, does it mean the story will dry up and fail on newsstands instead if nothing radical happens? Let us know what you think with comments below!
Originally Published: April 6, 2011, on Comicvine.com
After the Chaos War, Hercules is left powerless and now stands before us a mere mortal. But this Champion of Olympus is out to prove there is a lot more to being a hero than superpowers.
The Good
From the opening pages, Hercules reminds us that even without powers, he can be a formidable hero as he still wields many of the weapons he used in his Greek heyday like the Sword of Peleus and the Shield of Perseus. And just how he implements them is something you have to see to truly appreciate.
After opening by saving a girl on the subway in Brooklyn from a street gang, Herc continues to wander around his new mortal home, just kicking bad guy butt all along the way, until he happens onto a restaurant owner who is trying to be strong armed by goons working for the Kingpin. Herc steps in and saves the day once more and foreshadows that this won’t be the last time he hears from the Kingpin, already establishing a clear villain base as Herc looks to settle into Brooklyn of all places and find a real job, very reminiscent of Ares when he was trying to live a mortal life with his son.
Very well-written as Herc still has his infamous sense of humor about him, full of non-stop action, the foreshadowing of much larger things to come, and the surprise return of a villain who has been killed off more times than I count, this first issue is a very strong foundation for this new series.
The Bad
If you haven’t been following Herc or the Chaos War, you might want to research a little to get yourself caught up to speed on everything and just why this once demi-god turned full god is now just a mortal.
Also, with the revelation of the Kingpin trying to buy up property that Herc is staying in and the return of a classic villain at the end of the issue, the conflict is very clear and feels almost like an old-school Daredevil or Spider-Man comic instead of Hercules’ own unique adventure.
The Verdict
If you have been following Herc up to this point and enjoying it then you are going to love what happens to him in this first issue of his own monthly. Full of lots of action that already paints a vivid picture of how Herc will find himself caught in the middle of a struggle between man and god, Herc #1 is one of the most fun and entertaining first issues for a comic I’ve read in a while. If issue two is as good as this first one, I’m definitely putting this in the pull box.
RayCarsilloWrites.com 
