Comic Booked

Crimson Blur Saves The Super Bowl

Michael Wirth — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:57:42 +0000

Who says super heroes can't enjoy sports?When Bruce Balbowski's Super Bowl party is in danger of being ruined, only one hero can save the day. However, despite his good intentions, the forces of evil and a string of bad luck try to prevent the Crimson Blur from fulfilling his promise to a friend. Will our hero persevere and right the wrongs of dull festivities, or will the boys be able to celebrate the Super Bowl in style?Brought to you by the creative minds at Crimson Vision Studios and Team Comic Booked, Crimson Blur is the newest hero to grace the internet. Featured in a regular video series at http://crimsonvisionstudios.com/, Blur must use his powers of intense speed and quick-thinking to deal with a number of mysterious characters, like Flare, Mysteria, and The Detective.The first season of the adventures of the Crimson Blur has recently come to an end, but season two is just getting underway. You can bet that the dangers will be harsher, the enemies fiercer, and the adventure more exciting as Blur explores the depths of his powers, pushing himself to take down his nemeses and save the innocents of San Diego.On behalf of Crimson Vision Studios, we here at Comic Booked hope all of our readers have a fun and safe Super Bowl Sunday.

My Pick of the Week (Week Six)

CGC Lee — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:00:11 +0000

If I spend less than $20 on new comic books, it is a light week. I passed on the new Star Wars book by Dark Horse because it is only an introductory issue (I can’t wait for #1). I decided to drop Uncanny X-Force after a dismal issue last month and I felt this month’s issue’s artwork was so disappointing that I decided the title becomes one to junk.The four books I did get made my “Save Nest for Last” policy very difficult. In week one I picked a comic book, week two had me admiring a statue; the third week went back to comic books with New Avengers #20. I finished a novel to make Darth Plagueis my fourth pick for the year and week five had me admit that my favorite comic to read (that week anyway) was from DC and not Marvel. Being week six I am once again going to pick something obscure and choose a graded copy of Daredevil #190.This issue originally came out in January if 1983. I picked up this particular copy through eBay. After three years of collecting graded comic books by sending in my own and purchasing through various dealers I am slowly approaching 300 encapsulated treasures of art. The Daredevil #190 is a 9.8 with white pages just happens to be my latest purchase. My goal is to eventually have a full daredevil set between issues #158 and #191, especially my fabled grail, issue #168. I warn you that collecting these can be highly addicting. As for my runner up I have to go with Joe Hill’s Locke & Key. His story keeps me waiting for more. His books are something I have read a few times which is something I haven’t done again till recently.As for my digital pick, I decided to reminisce and chose Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 Thanks for Reading CGC Lee

The Week In Comics: Party Like It’s 1985

T Campbell — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:01:39 +0000

WatchmenThe week's top story was the impending Watchmen prequels, which dominated coverage on Wednesday as DC deployed five contributors to interview with eight major outlets. Intense debate about the rights and wrongs of the project was inevitable, and Alan Moore's response was predictable, but there's one group of people definitely happy about the development-- retailers.ChronicleA low-budget, original take on superpowers by director Josh Trank and screenwriter Max Landis, Chronicle opened to generally positive reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes, the best score of any film opening that week). Our own Nick Furious agrees.GeneralComic Booked has pubished a study of the best-selling comic-book brands, using data from the entirety of Diamond Comics Distributors' 2011 output.SupermanLandis also directed this comical rant about the "Death of Superman" storyline... starring Simon Pegg, Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, Ron Howard and others.This week saw the tragic loss of conceptual artist Mike Kelley, who among other achievements was known for provocative work exploring the iconography of Superman.The AvengersPromotion for the Avengers movie is so advanced, even its teasers have teasers. Several members of the film team, including director Joss Whedon, took to Twitter to field questions about the project, while Marvel released a 10-second clip of its upcoming 30-second Super Bowl commercial.Also to be released on Super Bowl Sunday is a free digital comic set in the movie's story universe, Fury's Big Day.eFX has announced some upcoming Avengers memorabilia for sale, including headgear for the Avengers' "big three," and Captain America shield and Thor hammer, all life-size. Nerf has released a customized Hawkeye bow. Marvel will also be offering customized 3-D glasses representing Cap, Thor, Iron Man and the Hulk.Finally, Acura revealed that it has helped develop a special concept car for the film, loaded with the cool accessories you'd expect, since it's driven by Tony Stark.Justice LeagueDC Entertainment's "We Can Be Heroes" campaign is using the Justice League to raise awareness of the worst hunger crisis in 60 years.Comixology announces a 3-day "Flashpoint" sale that concludes on the 5th.Spider-ManPreviews for the upcoming story "The Ends of the Earth" saw Peter Parker donning a new costume, and a cryptic announcement revealed that a summer project would feature "Spider-Men."Inexplicably, the Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark musical now has its own app.BatmanMark Towle, the owner of Gotham Garage, has been found guilty of copyright violation with his replica Batmobile “modification kits” for automobiles.This student-made credit sequence for The Dark Knight Rises could easily be mistaken for the real thing.Christian Bale did an interview with Style Magazine, describing his view of Batman as an "anarchist" and his thoughts on Heath Ledger.Image ComicsImage celebrated its 20th anniversary this week, a very different company than the one founded in 1992.Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane settled a decade-long dispute over ownership of three Spawn characters conceived and created during Gaiman's work for McFarlane. Terms of the agreement are confidential.~~Captain Marvel~~He's known as "Shazam" now. And according to previews for an upcoming series, he's under some kind of curse.Green LanternActor Ian Abercrombie, the voice of Ganthet on the new Green Lantern cartoon (the last of his many, many roles) passed away. He was 77.Green ArrowStephen Arnell will be playing Oliver Queen in the upcoming TV pilotCaptain AmericaA more brutal version of Cap stars in this fan-made Lego film. (Not for kids or safe for work.)ThorA copy of Thor's first appearance, the second-most pristine in existence, just sold for a whopping $222,000.ArchieNo longer content merely to take Archie into two alternate futures where he's married to breathtaking beauties, Archie Comics recently introduced a third: a marriage to Josie and the Pussycats' Valerie Brown, with a child. Not the first interracial marriage or baby in mainstream comic books, but still a quiet message of hope for a "post-racial" America. Not that Archie and Valerie, in this story, are interested in making a "statement." They're simply in love.WebcomicsRecommended by Cory Doctorow and seemingly everyone else, this 24-hour comic produced at Angouleme is making waves and sparking further interest in the work of its creator, Boulet. "The Darkness" is a cute, funny and amazingly well-drawn comic, clearly in the European tradition but very relatable no matter what country you live in. (It took 26 hours to complete, but we won't be a stickler about that.)Also noted by Doctorow is The First Word, a not-safe-for-work tale of early humans and the invention of language by one of webcomics' earliest and most revolutionary artists, Patrick Farley. (Not safe for work, but generally surprisingly sweet.)Another loss this week: "good girl" artist Al Rio, a recent arrival to the world of webcomics whose earlier career spanned DC, Marvel and Image.Rich Burlew's extremely popular Order of the Stick series has seen a huge boost to its efforts to get early volumes back in print, as its Kickstarter drive became the most-funded comics project... and one of the ten most-funded projects... in Kickstarter's entire history.Comics CultureA Portland bar saw a "Ladies' Night Drink and Draw" celebration, featuring seven women well plugged into the comics scene.Pioneering Toronto retail store Dragon Lady Comics is closing its doors after 33 years. The store was once a regular meeting place for future DC Comics artists Darwyn Cooke, Cameron Stewart and Francis Manapul.The Pirate Bay, major distribution center for many comics (some legally, most illegally downloaded), has lost its battle with the Swedish Supreme Court, placing its future existence in doubt. The site has changed its address from an .org to an .se, a measure against shutdown similar to that taken by Wikileaks last year.E-Reader ComicsTerry Moore of Strangers in Paradise and Echo is the latest creator to embrace digital distribution.Comixology has named digital comics veteran Ron Perrazza with the cumbersome title "Vice President/General Manager of Publisher and Creator Success."

Action Comics #6 Review

Suuperman — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:31:29 +0000

The Superman from 5 years in the future has traveled to the past with the help of the Legion of Superheroes, to face a threat to the Man of Steels origins. Who are the K-men and what did they take from the rocket ship that brought baby Kal-EL to Earth?

The breakneck pace of Grant Morrison's run on ACTION COMICS continues as the Superman of the present day must team up with suspiciously different versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes to save the jeans-wearing Superman of five years ago! Whose hand is that on the cover? Why, the leader of the Anti-Superman Army, of course! Plus, a backup by Sholly Fisch and ChrisCross that spins directly out of the lead story!”

Time travel stories make my head hurt normally, and I have to say this one in particular bothered me. The whole issue you are following the Superman of 5 years in the future. We learn a lot about his past through him. My problem with that is that a lot of what was said hasn’t happened yet, so this felt almost like a spoiler issue. We find out that Superman of Action Comics does in fact get a Fortress Of Solitude, except that its actually a satellite station, and we can expect this to happen during or after the mentioned Terminaut Invasion. I swear every few panels I felt like I missed an issue or a story in some other book.We also learn about the types of Kryptonite the New 52 has to offer, which are the kind you’d expect to find, except for the ways they affect Superman. The K-Men in fact have Kryptonite abilities, all varying in color. I wonder why then would they have to travel to the past and steal more Kryptonite in order to kill Superman. You would think they have that kind of power already.Which brings me to my next issue with this... issue. The Legion of Super-Heroes are with Superman for this adventure, and with them come new aspects of Superman’s origin. We get a peek back at Superman’s memory, growing up on the farm, and meeting the Legion for the first time. Although it's never made clear if this was something he was just now remembering or something even the younger Action Comics, jeans and t-shirt Superman remembers. We also learn about Tesseracts, a dimensional storage space introduced to DC Comics in the past, but this is the first time mentioned or used since the relaunch.It’s a convenient plot device to use; I just do not like how they used it in this issue. The villains actually are inside a lead shielded one…. that was shot into Superman’s brain, using a “Teleport Rifle”. So the Kryptonite-engine-stealing slash Kryptonite-powered-villains are hanging out in Superman’s brain…and it is up the The Legion to go in and stop them.That is just the major plot point that I find weird, there is conflict before that at the satellite Fortress of Solitude. The way it is talked about, Superman is supposed to know this villain, yet I haven’t read about him before. So either I missed something or it’s something else that hasn’t happened yet. This is whom they find the location of the villains from.By the end of the issue, The Legion faces off with the K-Men and we see Superman nearly die from Kryptonite poisoning. He somehow knows that because he is radiating Kryptonite he can use that to save his rocket ship.Which is the whole reason this is all so important. Apparently if that ship shuts down, the earth will die and something called the Collector will reboot. Interesting, yes, but moreso frustrating because you just can't tell what you should know about already and what hasn’t happened yet. I feel sorry for the new readers who pick up this issue. I also feel sorry for the people who read Action Comics and not Superman, you will think that maybe these plot points are coming from there (like I did, since I’m not all caught up with Superman)My conclusion is it was a bad decision to tell this kind of story so early in Action Comics. I was very happy with issues 1 through 5 and felt like this was a huge departure in all ways from those. It is nice to see that the Legion and Superman part of the origin is still in place, however I feel like it could have been done much better. Grant Morrison may have let me down with this issue but I’ll be back next month in hopes it picks back up where it should be, in the present…. or past, as it is actually. My point is please no more time travel; let's get to the present one step at a time.Written by GRANT MORRISON ; Backup story written by SHOLLY FISCH; Art by ANDY KUBERT and JESSE DELPERDANG; Backup story art by CHRISCROSS; Cover by ANDY KUBERT; Variant cover by RAGS MORALES; 1:200 B&W Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT

Story Mode: Justice League Alternates, Part Two

R. B. LeMoyne — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:04:07 +0000

It started with a delivery. The package was nothing special. The brown packing paper was the same kind you’d find at any post office, along with the tape used to seal it. The recipient’s address was written on it with a permanent marker that could be found at any office supply store. It was the same with the box that was wrapped and addressed. All in all, the components that made up the package were as common and ordinary as one could find. It was the item within the package that was extraordinary. Getting the package to its intended recipient proved tricky. It couldn’t be sent through the post office or standard delivery routes for the same reasons there was no return address added to the package. Foremost among them, it’d be too easy for the wrong people to track the delivery back to the source if there was a paper trail. There was no shortage of bad people who would do anything to get their hands on the item within if given half a chance. No, this had to be done with great care… and a couple of special favors. The end result? One non-descript package arrived at the doorstep of Jason Suave. A slacker by nature, a low-level telepath and teleporter by birth, Jason was the kind of guy who could have joined the Justice League, if only he had the ambition to lift a finger in the name of justice. However, the luxury of sitting on the sidelines ended when a communicator badge from the Justice League arrived along with a typed note: When you’re ready, activate the badge.” Packages just like that one were sent out to other would-be heroes: To Jonathan Ells, an up-and-coming genius inventor; to Zue, a space-faring alien on a mission to find his father; to Gilbert Summer, a small-time hero that the Detroit newspapers had dubbed The Traveler; and Star City’s newest arrival, the alien Hyper Hamster. After activating their respective badges, each recipient was engulfed in a bright bluish light, momentarily blinding them. When they blinked the spots out of their eyes, they were greeted with a panoramic view of planet Earth from the Justice League satellite. “Welcome to the Watchtower,” a computerized voice announced. “I am ORACLE, and I need your help.”

As I mentioned last week, DC Adventures is set up to let you play the iconic DC Comics characters or create your own home-brewed heroes and villains. Since so many of my players were concerned with accurately portraying an established DC Comics character, they opted to make their own original heroes and see how they fared in the DCU.Creating original heroes is not as easy as you’d think.Never mind the fact that all the good superhero names are taken. When you get right down to it, it’s hard to come up with an original superpower set that isn’t occupied by some other hero. Taking that into account, I advised my players not to define themselves by their powers so much as by their personalities, and to use the iconic characters as inspiration rather than viewing them as road blocks. Daniel could have a super-strong character without making him a clone of the multitude of other super-strong DC characters. Chris could play a “jack of all trades” in the skill department without being Batman. Ted could make a genius-level inventor with a flying base of operations without being pidgeon-holed as Ted Kord, and his lovely assistant/crime-fighting partner is definitely not Booster Gold. Alien heroes like Jeff’s hamster aren’t limited to the worlds that have been introduced into the DCU over the years. And Mark’s teleporter is a far cry from Major Bummer.The end result is an eclectic mix of would-be superheroes, pictured below, that were hardly a blip on the Justice League’s radar. When a global catastrophe eliminates every member of the League from the planet, however, even the D-listers have to step up their game to fill those very large shoes.For the record, the heroes in the team picture (and the players who created them) from left to right are Hyper Hamster (Jeff), The Traveler (Chris), Jonathan Ells and Ms. Vostrom (Ted), Zue (Daniel) and Jason Suave (Mark). Special thanks to Daniel for the original art!I’ve introduced you to our heroes, but which version of the DCU do they inhabit? Find out in next week’s Story Mode!

Skyrim Creation Kit launching Tuesday alongside DLC rumors

Joshua Otis — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:01:07 +0000

Fans of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout series have long appreciated support from the company when it comes to allowing modification of the game world through the Construction Sets that existed for both Morrowind, Oblivion, and Fallout. Well this Tuesday, Bethesda is launching the Skyrim Creation Kit for PC through Steam. To coincide with this launch, Valve and Bethesda are also launching the Skyrim Workshop where users of the Creation Kit can share and rate mods. According to Production Direction Ashley Cheng over at Bethesda Blog , the company has no interest in allowing what may be the most robust modding community in the gaming environment down anytime soon.

With each game we release — Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and now Skyrim — modders continue to use our worlds as a canvas to build the most incredibly creative and fun mods in gaming. The fact that Morrowind’s modding community is still going strong 10 years after its release is a testament to how essential our community is to the success of our games. We’re big believers that if we go the extra mile and make our games as moddable as possible, the game will only be better for it. So the gameplay of “do whatever you want” extends to “make the game do whatever you want.” As we were building Skyrim and its tools, we made it a goal to try and keep the transition from our previous titles to Skyrim as smooth as possible for modders. More importantly, we want to make it easier for more people to enjoy mods. So we teamed up with Valve and created the Skyrim Workshop. We couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s turning out. Mods are a big part of what makes our games special, so we urge everyone to try it out. We’re going to keep looking for ways to get mods to more people, and hopefully one day to our console audience.

I'd also like to point out that last sentence where she mentions the "console audience". I sincerely hope that someday we see the Creation Kit's contents available over Live and the PSN. Anyone with any experience with the ES modding community will attest to the genius that exists within the scene itself and how much replayability is added to these titles. On top of the launch of the Workshop and Creation Kit, Bethesda's Pete Hines tweeted

For our Skyrim PC fans, the Creation Kit is on track for release on Tuesday. And, we also have a special surprise with it. #whatcoulditbe!?

Which has most of the net speculating that Bethesda is going to announce the first DLC for Skyrim, which are timed 360 exclusives. What say you guys? Bethesda's Todd Howard has already been quoted as saying that all future DLC for Skyrim will be more "meaty" then past DLC for Oblivion and Fallout. I just hope we don't see more horse armor.

Review: Josh Trank’s “Chronicle”

Nick Furious — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:43:15 +0000

There really is no way to properly start this without going into how excited I was to see this movie. The marketing team behind Chronicle was nothing short of remarkable as the buzz captured my full and undivided attention instantly. Such a simple concept, three teens get super powers but eventually they get drunk with power. That is originally what I thought this movie was about. I could not have been more wrong.Directed by: Josh TrankStarring: Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, and Alex RussellIt is no easy task reviewing this movie. It is pretty short, running approx 83 minutes and I don't want to give anything away so I will do my best to make this thing spoiler free. Ok, so everyone knows that these three kids get powers. Even after seeing the movie I'm not entirely sure what all their powers were, but you just need to understand they are extremely powerful. But boys getting powers is not what this movie is about. It is about three boys on separate journeys, who learn to come together due to these powers. Like I said I won't go too in depth as I don't want to spoil anything, but this is one of those stories where you know things are not headed in a good direction regardless of how much these guys value each other's friendship.

The real reason why this concept works so well is due to the incredibly emotional story Max Landis and Josh Trank were able to come up with. A story about three super-powered boys and things getting a little out of hand, well that's one story. Then there is the story that they came up with, and I assure you its a hundred times better than the latter of the two. I think this is a fantastic stand alone movie, but if anyone could come up with a decent sequel, it's these two guys.

The special effects were very cool, but not as over the top as I thought they would be, which in some strange way made it better. I still fell into the belief that there were kids flying and moving objects with their mind, though I didn't feel like it was the greatest CGI ever, but for some reason it worked! I don't know if it felt more real that way, or if I was just so lost in the story that the CGI didn't really matter. Don't get me wrong it still looks good, it just doesn't look like a summer blockbuster good.

Comedic elements to the movie were really well done. I laughed just as much as I gasped. I gasped just as much as I dropped my jaw. It was a found footage film but it did not feel like a found footage film. The acting was very well done. The star is most certainly Dane DeHaan as the story is told from his perspective but the other two actors (Michael B. Jordan, Alex Russell) were just as good. I had never seen Michael B. Jordan in anything before but with the way he brings a kind of charisma that not a lot of actors can pull off in this day and age I was very impressed. The stars of the movie aren't the only ones who show some acting chops as Michael Kelly plays Dane DeHaan's dad who is a drunk ex-firefighter. He brings some serious heat to this film(pun intended) as he and DeHaan have some truly disturbing scenes together that made me almost cringe, but I was completely enthralled with the chemistry.

In closing, this movie is everything I had hoped for. Not the greatest super hero movie of all time, but most certainly not the worst (I'm looking at you X-Men: The Last Stand). Go see it for the story, go see it for the incredibly clever use of powers, go see it for the characters, but most of all go see it because it's a good movie. It takes a disturbing turn out of nowhere and never apologizes. Go see this movie!

Super Bowl XLVI Prediction

Jorgie — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:12:26 +0000

Super Bowl XLVI is upon us with a rematch of the Giants vs. Patriots of just four years ago. Super Bowl predictions seem to always favor the team that has the biggest band wagon in the weeks leading up to the big game, and no one is toting a bigger wagon than the Giants; couple that with the Patriots being one of America’s most hated teams and you have what seems to be 99% of the nation bleeding blue.However, as game time approaches cooler heads prevail and the votes seem to even themselves out as the “professionals” have had two weeks (no games were played!) to analyze each team. I honestly feel that this year you cannot go wrong with any pick. Both teams go into the championship game on a hot streak, and with exceptionally impressive resumes. So you must be wondering, “With such an evenly contested match up, who do I pick?”That is where good ol’ Madden 2012 comes in to play. It has become somewhat of a tradition for EA Sports to release their predictions via a simulation of its current title. I personally simulated 21 games of Giants vs. Patriots using Madden 2012’s most current rosters and the results were very tight as the Patriots took the 12 out of 21 with an average point differential of less than a touchdown.But the games aren’t played in the Matrix that is video game consoles, and I am sure if someone else were to run a similar simulation we would get different results every time. So let’s break down the real teams, with real players, who will leave it all out on the field come tomorrow night.New York Giants:Back in August, Quarterback of the Giants – Eli Manning – was on the Michael Kay Show and confirmed that he considers himself to be as elite a Quarterback as his opponent this weekend, Tom Brady. The results of that comment have lived with Eli throughout the entire season and after a mid-season slump by the Giants, many doubted Manning.Now Eli has the chance to silence those critics, and despite his team’s rough patch he personally has put together the finest NFL season of his career. Strapped with a high powered offense led by Wide-Receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, and a rejuvenated defense carried by Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, the G-Men look to show the world why you cannot spell Elite without Eli!New England Patriots:2001. 2003. 2004. 2007. 2011. Those are the years, since Tom Brady took over, that the Patriots have won the AFC Championship. As Brady tries to go 4-1 in Super Bowl appearances, it is the opinion of most that none will be sweeter than winning XLVI, as the Eli & Co. are the only team that were able to hand the “golden boy” his only Super Bowl lost. Four years later these teams meet again and the Pats are clicking as expected come this time of year.Brady has gotten some new weapons since we last saw him in a Super Bowl. Gone is Randy Moss and in are two of the most dynamic Tight Ends we have ever seen, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Though Gronkowski has a bad wheel, with a high ankle sprain and will be a game time decision, I fully expect that animal to be on the field and have an impact.The Patriots often get no credit for their defense even with Bill Belichick at the helm who came into the league as a defense coordinator. But their volatile offense allows their defense to give up big plays and still keep them in the game. Despite their rank of 31^st in the league they are by no means a “D” to sleep on. The Patriots have forced a turnover in 28 of their last 30 games and play lockdown defense in crunch time (just ask the Ravens).Pick:My J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS! (I had to do it!) Disappointed yet again this season and with both my division rivals and cross-town rivals making it to the big game for the second time in 4 years, this will definitely be a hard one to watch. However I do have to give credit where credit is due. Both of the teams really turned it up down the stretch, and I truly believe that the best teams in the league (talent-wise) are playing each other tomorrow night.With that being said, the New York Football Giants (that’s for you Mike!) seem to be firing on all cylinders. They are playing with a defense that seems possessed and with a Quarterback who has been able to step from out under of his brother’s shadow, and prove that there is a lot more talent in that family then they are given credit for. I look for the G-Men to take this game by a field goal.Disagree with me? Let me hear about it the comments below or in the forums before, during, and after the game. Kick-off is at 6:29 PM est. (not 6:30!?)I leave you with the video of EA Sports official Madden 2012 Super Bowl XLVI Prediction!

Infestation 2: Transformers #1 REVIEW

Skott Jimenez — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:03:22 +0000

Having escaped in Infestation 2 #1 the Elder Gods begin to make their presence felt in the different realities that make up the IDW Universe, and their first stop is Transformers: Hearts Of Steel!Quick recap: Hearts Of Steel is an alternate reality where the Transformers had their fist contact with humans in the late 1800's. John Henry, Jules, Verne and Mark Twain are featured in the story as well.Infestation 2, written by Chuck Dixon with art by Guido Guidi, picks up after the events in Hearts Of Steel as the Elder Gods, through creatures under their control, locate some Decepticons in the ocean. After reactivating them they are used to further the Elder Gods' domination of this reality. The first Autobot to realize something not of this world is going on (and it doesn't involve Decepticons directly) is Ironhide, who does some investigating and ends up in a very bad situation when confronted with the Elder God-controlled Bonecrusher! We see how the Elder Gods are using the Decepticons to spread their influence over the humans starting in a small port town and, we can assume, spreading across the world.Bumblebee contacts Tobias Muldoon, the human he befriended in the original mini-series, and explains this new threat is worse than any they've faced before and it's more than they can handle on their own. They are going to have to reactivate Optimus Prime! Problem number one is getting the electric power needed to awaken the Autobot leader: one million watts! Something near impossible in this day and age, and Thomas Edison refuses to even try. Fortunately, Tobias happens upon Nikola Tesla who believes he can accomplish this task.The two accompany Trailbreaker, Ratched, Hound and Wheeljack to the Canadian wilderness and locate the body of Prime. Now comes that challenge of powering him up and hoping he can figure out a way to defeat the Elder Gods!I had a lot of fun with this! I know it's still early, but I honestly think this is going to be better than the original Infestation! This Transformers book it's having more of an impact than the Undermind/zombie attack from last year, because it was difficult to take that threat seriously considering the size and power of the Transformers; but in this story the Autobots don't have the technology they have in modern times and they are facing a threat that could more easily destroy them and everything else in its path! Adding to this threat is the fact that since this isn't in the current main continuity, well, we could actually have some main characters die in this. Dixon is spot on in this reality, most likely due to the fact he wrote the original mini-series, and seems to more than have a handle on this version of the "Robots in Disguise." This is a rare great example of taking an alternate version of an established line of characters and working them, seamlessly, into a much larger story.I also want to applaud Guidi's artwork. It's a perfect blend of this world and the dark, moodiness that the Elder Gods bring to the table. I don't think many people could have blended two fairly different concepts as well as Guidi. I have to admit, I was really excited about Infestation: Transformers last year and, as much as I hate saying it, I was disappointed. There just didn't seem to be enough story and certainly not enough of a threat to make it massively interesting. Infestation 2: Transformers, however, is a well constructed wild ride where the threat is massive and the danger feels more real than before.It's going to be a long two weeks of waiting to find out if the Autobots can actually defeat this menace, in the meantime, however, we get to enter the world of Dungeons & Dragons next week and see if myth and magic has any defense against this ancient evil!

PRESS RELEASE – FREE Online Comic Convention

Jacques Nyemb — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:42:47 +0000

Free "Online Comic Convention" announced for this weekend, focuses on webcomics and digital comicsFOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA -- Webcomics creators, readers and fans are invited to an online meetup this weekend. WEBReeF stands for “WEBcomics, Readers and Fans” and aims to behave much like a “virtual comic convention.”The event offers 100% free registration and allows attendees the ability to attend virtual panels, Q&A sessions and drawing demonstrations via a variety of video conferencing and social media tools. An “artists alley” is available on the site’s forums, where small press artists are encouraged to post links to their portfolios and merchandise.Comic book and webcomics creators are encouraged to attend, but the event is open to the public with the hope of bringing in readers and casual fans as well. This is the first such meetup and another is planned for later this year.The event officially kicks off Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12 Noon EST and ends at the stroke of midnight on Monday, February 6, 2012. If you are interested in hosting a panel of your own, space is still available. Please use the provided contact form on the ‘Events Schedule’ page.

On the web: http://WEBReeF.net

This WEBReeF event is sponsored by Clownfish Media and currently hosted by the Shadowbinders webcomic (http://www.shadowbinders.com)

Drawing Dead: A Requiem For The Image Comics That Was

T Campbell — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:07:42 +0000

Image Comics celebrated its 20^th anniversary this week, but the “Image Era of Comics” died quietly in its sleep long ago.Let's be clear about that. The comic-book world is generally a better one for having had Image in it. And it is still a part of that world. But for a few years, it was possible to believe that Image was going to dominate that world. The company's commitment to creators' rights lives on-- it'll be celebrating "the independent spirit" at a special show this year.But in the last decade of the 20^th century, Image Comics meant more than that. It meant an aesthetic, an approach, which shook the comics world as thoroughly as the Cubists shook the art world. And just like cubism today, the superficial elements can still be found when Rob Liefeld draws Hawk and Dove for DC, but the meaning is difficult to recapture, unless we can cast our minds into the past.Creator’s RightsAs the Eighties became the Nineties, the comics market saw a shift in creative emphasis. If the Eighties had been driven chiefly by writers like Alan Moore, Chris Claremont, Peter David and Marv Wolfman, the early Nineties saw more commercial and creative emphasis placed on the artist.At Marvel, those star artists became something of a dream team: X-Force artist Rob Liefeld, X-Men artist Jim Lee, Spider-Man artists Todd McFarlane and Eric Larsen. Yes, there was a time when Rob Liefeld’s art style was more celebrated than mocked.One fine day, key members of that dream team walked into the office of Marvel president Terry Stewart with a take-it-or-leave-it proposal: they wanted to produce a new line called Image Comics through the Marvel offices, and they wanted creative control and 75 percent of the profit. Otherwise, they would leave and do Image as an independent company. Stewart made a counteroffer, but a deal could not be made, and Marvel’s dream team became its strongest new competitor.Even the founders today aren’t quite sure whether they expected Marvel to take this offer. Many comics superstars had left the “Big Two” publishers before, from Jack Kirby to Alan Moore, and their work afterwards didn’t represent any serious commercial threat to DC or Marvel.But Image definitely did. Its top-selling books competed openly on the charts with the very properties that its founders had gathered their fame while working on. Image was founded on two theses—creative freedom, and creative ownership—which it has never betrayed. Image the company doesn’t own any “Image Comics characters,” and no one at Image tells a creator what they can or can’t put in their work.This was a symbolic victory for creators who'd been lobbying for better rights for decades, and during Image's early period of rapid growth, it really seemed possible that it might seize a majority of market share. At times, according to Diamond's reports, its revenues exceeded DC's.No “Team” in “i”The united front that led to Image's foundation was only possible for two reasons: the collector-focused market of the early Nineties had made its key figures into stars, and comic-book companies’ treatment of its talent was so restrictive that even wildly disparate personalities were compelled to unite against it.Wildly disparate, the founders clearly were. Certain aesthetic themes ran through the work of Image’s most prominent members: bigger and fewer panels, angsty, furious linework, and more exaggerated and angular anatomy. (Critics joked that at Image, women and men looked like they’d been bred from gazelles and elephants, respectively.) Even how many Image founders really “count” is somewhat controversial. Whilce Portacio and Chris Claremont were part of the group in the beginning, but contributed little to it that’s well-remembered today. Marc Silvestri's Witchblade is still a part of the company today, and has seen several adaptations-- but Silvestri still doesn't get mentioned as much as Lee, Liefeld, Larsen or McFarlane. Jim Valentino had a large role in the company’s ultimate destiny, but McFarlane considered him a weak artist and unworthy of peer status.Virtually no other issue of the day could get the artists to retain this united front. Some were very much in favor of expanding their work into the realm of television and movies, some against. Some were interested in pushing their product beyond the superhero genre, others never wanted to do anything but superheroes. Some weren’t even sure they wanted Image’s “i” logo on all of the books.One issue that dogged Image in its early years was its approach to writing. Certain Image founders-- particularly Larsen and McFarlane-- seemed to regard writers the same way they regarded publishers, as one more person telling them what they could and couldn't do. There were a few scriptwriters McFarlane considered exceptional, most of whom got a Spawn assignment or two in his early Image days.(Alan Moore, the scriptwriter's scriptwriter, seemed to regard Image's splashier aesthetic as a fresh challenge, and did extensive work with McFarlane, Lee and Liefeld... though when speaking of his Liefeld work, he did mention the need to "artist-proof" his scripts.)Still, the exceptional were exceptional. Disdain for writers was the rule at Image, and it filtered through much of the business. When I attended comic-book classes at the end of the decade, there was only one writing class, and most of my peers were artists who treated the writing of comics as an afterthought.Yet I have to admit that many comics scripts were over-written in the 1980s, especially in imitation of Moore's earlier work. A little creative power struggle isn't always a bad thing. It would be terrible for art today to consist of nothing but cubism, but a little cubist influence has helped art grow. Still, the cubists, and the Image founders, fostered the belief that the way they were doing things was simply the way things would be done, from here on out, by anyone who wasn't afraid of the future.Old Image TodayThe "writing as an afterthought" issue didn't seem to trouble comics buyers much, especially in the heady early 1990s, when comics were more often treated as financial investments than entertainment. This lack of sympathy troubled writers all the more.But more damaging to Image’s brand, in the end, was treating the production of comics as an afterthought. The early days of Image saw many moneymaking opportunities, and what the company was supposed to be about—making comics—began to get lost in the shuffle. Deadline issues plagued the company almost immediately, and for a time not only Image, but the entire industry, seemed to shift from a monthly to a “whenever” schedule. Schisms between the members became more frequent. Liefeld was ousted. Retailers began to lose patience.The company’s "open" structure finally rescued it. Under Valentino's direction, and later Larsen's, it invested more heavily in hands-off publishing arrangements with new creators, who were generally far more deadline-friendly. These creators retained virtually all rights not absolutely necessary for any publishing arrangement. The result was closer to the practices in the book publishing industry than the traditional practices of the comic-book field. It’s under such an arrangement that Invincible and The Walking Dead are published today. (And there has been some “unbending” of those practices at Marvel in recent years, and especially at DC, though perhaps not enough.)However, the market went through changes that challenged the relevance of a single "independent publishing" imprint. The bookstore market for comics began to draw in book publishers, and the online market was far better-equipped to introduce new cartooning talents than was Image, with its roots in the comic-book marketplace. Even in the realm of comic books, Image found itself competing with newer players as the superstar status of its founders faded. Still, fads fade no matter what. Better to still be in the game, or to leave on your own terms, than to be discarded by your employer for the next big thing.Today, four Image founders are still producing comics for the imprint, but their approaches couldn’t be more different. Jim Valentino produces original work under the Shadowline imprint, not tying himself too tightly to any one property. Marc Silvestri manages the Top Cow imprint, centered upon his own Witchblade and The Darkness properties but not exclusive to them (this imprint also produced Wanted). Erik Larsen continues to write and draw Savage Dragon himself. Todd McFarlane lessened his involvement over time and now merely supervises each new issue of Spawn, concentrating many of his energies on toy design.McFarlane has often called DC and Marvel “the Plantation,” but critics have fired back that his own practices have made him just another plantation owner. A long-running legal dispute between McFarlane and the first outside contributor he worked with, “exceptional” scriptwriter Neil Gaiman, underscored this debate. (The case was settled early this week.) It's difficult to take sides on this one without knowing exactly what McFarlane promised Gaiman. But when creators get the power and freedom to do anything, there are no guarantees they will share that power and freedom with others.Lee and Liefeld, meanwhile, are back at work for DC, Lee as a co-publisher, but both as artists. Their work hasn’t changed much since the Image days, but those distinctive “Image traits” have been integrated with, and in some cases subsumed by, the full range of the company’s aesthetic offerings.The Image founders’ ideas about the supremacy of artists have been largely discredited and discarded, too. And the current trend is toward increased production schedules: some books are now released multiple times a month, rather than "whenever."Revolutions are important; some of the changes that they bring do stick.But the world keeps turning.

Soul Calibur V: Still Burning Bright

Thomas Schley — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:37:35 +0000

It’s been three and a half years since Soul Calibur IV was released, and since then fighting fanatics have witnessed the resurrection of Street Fighter, Marvel vs Capcom, and Mortal Kombat—three behemoths that dominate the genre here in the United States. As terrifying as that may sound for the folks at Project Soul, they've returned in 2012 with their most impressive offering to date; Soul Calibur V boasts the best online play I've ever experienced in a fighting game, a roster full of new faces, and a perfect balance of combat tweaks and additions that feel new and exciting, yet minimal enough to preserve the sense of nostalgia that has transcended the series since Soul Edge.Plot and Characters The opening scene of Soul Calibur V feels familiar as soon as it begins; Nightmare and Siegfried are locked in their eternal battle that has spanned four games without resolution. Light refracts brilliantly through the gem inlaid in the hilt of Siegfried’s Soul Calibur while Nightmare’s Soul Edge is looking just as meaty as ever, grinning a mouthful of fangs as it collides headfirst with its rival. Elsewhere, Patroklos—the son of Sophitia—embarks on a misguided quest to rescue his sister Pyrrha from Tira.And yeah, their names totally rhyme.Story mode relies on Soul Calibur’s signature inexplicable flip-flop between animated cutscenes and narrated storyboards to convey why you’re fighting, but even after paying close attention I’m not entirely sure what happened. I will say this though: throughout the course of the story (which lasts about three hours without skipping any cutscenes), you will travel through time once or twice, and wield a weapon that is also a goddess. It's like Bionic Commando’s wife arm ridiculousness all over again, and it's totally oedipal; I'm stoked on it. Although slightly convoluted, the story is definitely enjoyable—I hope you like fighting as Sophitia and Cassandra though, because they’re essentially your only options, save for one or two levels where the perspective changes.Since Soul Calibur V is set some twenty-odd years after the previous entry in the series, a few of the veterans were actually scrapped in favor of more youthful fighters who practice the same techniques as their predecessors. Kilik, Xianghua, Cassandra and Sophitia, and Taki have been replaced with newcomers, while Yung Sung, Sueng Mina, Zasalamel, Amy, Setsuka, and Talim are nowhere to be found at the start of the game. Don’t get too worried though; after playing through the story and unlocking a few characters, you'll start to fill those empty slots on the roster screen with familiar faces. All of the new characters are enjoyable in their own rights, and the new fighting styles Project Soul has introduced seem very fun and challenging. I'm anxious to see if the online community embraces Z.W.E.I., who wields a short sword and is accompanied by a floating mechanical werewolf, or the mysterious Viola, who favors her mystical orb and slightly creepy claw-glove.Character creation makes its triumphant return as well, sporting a new layering feature that lets you personalize your armor by placing patterns and decals on each piece. It’s a welcome addition that I'm hoping will fill the online lobbies to the brim with unique fighters—one of my favorite aspects of the game. While I adore the entire cast of Soul Calibur (even Voldo), I’ve always been more interested in what other people come up with and parade around in player matches. My only complaint so far is that most of the weapons and armor are seemingly pulled straight from Soul Calibur IV; it feels like Project Soul left it up to the players to make character customization more robust, like they just left us with a new tool and figured we’d find a way to get the most out of it. Challenge accepted.Sound My friends and I have a little tradition we’ve been practicing since Soul Calibur II: every time a new iteration of the game releases, we head into the options menu and change the voice language from English to Japanese before we even make it to the character select screen to battle. To preserve the integrity of this review though, I decided to keep it on English for my first experience, and I'm actually proud of myself—I made it maybe two or three whole hours. As funny as it is to hear Maxi yell, “You gotta be kidding me!” or Siegfried cry, “You planned this!” as they’re ring-outed, it eventually starts to feel too silly for me. Voice acting has never been Soul Calibur’s strong suit, and Five is no different; while it’s certainly not game-ruining, I prefer the language setting on Japanese because it creates a stronger sense of immersion.The soundtrack, however, completely makes up for the voice acting. I’ve always really enjoyed the background music Soul Calibur provides as I battle my friends and computers alike, and Five definitely delivers more of the same…caliber that I’ve come to expect from the series. Each level has its own distinct song that starts as the competitors make their opening remarks, but the stage select screen also includes a new song select option that allows you to pair your favorite arena with your favorite instrumental. Day one DLC even includes a handful of music packs that can bolster the already large collection, if you choose to purchase any—they're a dollar each. What's more, there's a free download that allows you to preview the premium songs from within the game, so you can sample what you'll potentially be paying for.Graphics Soul Calibur V is beautiful—that being said though, it’s only marginally more beautiful than Four. Character models don’t look as improved as I imagine they could (or should, given that it’s been three and a half years), but the clothing and backgrounds are definitely more embellished than in the previous edition. When things get moving though, Soul Calibur V is like a visual symphony of stunning, vibrant color and highly stylized movement lines that follow weapons and characters as they dance elegantly across the gorgeous battlefields. I find that you can’t truly appreciate the game's visuals unless you’re watching other competitors engaged in battle, so you can dedicate all your senses to seeing, hearing, and feeling what SCV has to offer.Gameplay Surprisingly, the online mode sports the best lobby and spectator system I’ve ever seen in a fighting game, and the netcode feels rock solid, even during release week when there’s a high amount of traffic. Created rooms for player and ranked matches can hold up to six people, four of whom can watch the battle and talk amongst themselves or comment via a text-chat box that has my friends and me way too excited. Seriously though, I was happy when I discovered Soul Calibur V even had spectator mode, but when I realized that I had the option to either watch the fight between my friends in all its full-screen glory, or windowed so that I could check who was in the lobby and converse with them, I was overcome with joy. Every other fighting game needs to take notes from Project Soul on this one, because they totally nailed it; this system really needs to become a new genre standard.And finally, I’ve been saving the best for last: the actual combat.If you've never played Soul Calibur before, it's unique in that it's a three-dimensional fighter, meaning up and down movements result in sidesteps instead of jumping and ducking. Blocking is performed by holding a face button rather than tilting the stick away from your opponents, and there is far less reliance on quarter-circle and charge movements than you may be used to. Instead, combat is focused more on flow, chaining attacks together based on timing rather than input. Learning to alternate between high, mid, and low attacks plays a very important role in Soul Calibur, as does knowing when it's safe to attack. Even the slowest characters have a few quick jabs that will inevitibly catch you off-guard and open you up for some major punishment, especially when you're lying on the ground. Unblockable attacks, forecast by wrapping flames and a sudden eclipse over the battlefield, are also prevalent in combat.Upon picking it up myself and jumping straight into arcade mode as Mitsurugi, an awesome combination of muscle memory and nostalgia took over for me and I destroyed the first couple of AI combatants I faced--great news for those of you thinking about getting back into the series. Not much has changed beneath the hood aside from movesets (they’re different characters with the same weapons, mind you), but there are a couple of additions that add elements of familiar accessibility and much deeper strategy than the series has never seen.Fighters now each have a gauge at the end of their health bars that charges as you complete special moves and combos, and as you receive damage. There are five or six sections to the bar that allow you to supercharge certain moves—think Street Fighter’s ex-moves—or perform guard impacts, flashy green parries that were previously performed by pressing block and any direction the instant your opponent landed a blow. It kind of sucks that you need to use portions of your meter to effectively counter your opponent now, but to account for this, Project Soul implemented another parry called a “just counter” which is performed essentially in the exact same way as guard impacts were in the previous games. You just need to time your block perfectly (and I mean perfectly, because I’ve only ever gotten it to work once or twice in maybe nine or ten hours of play) and you’ll deflect your opponent’s attack while looking and feeling like the coolest dude ever.Gauges can also be utilized to perform “critical edges”, another new addition that functions like a hyper combo in Street Fighter or the x-ray attack in Mortal Kombat, in that they slow the flow of combat so the user may perform a flashy combo. At first, I was very hesitant about the idea because it seemed too Street Fighter-y, but after no more than an hour my mind was completely changed and the borrowed mechanics assimilated seamlessly into the combat I so desperately missed over the past few years. Overall: While this newest iteration of Soul Calibur plays better than all the rest, it feels slightly incomplete. Story mode is short and offers no replayability; arcade mode, as always, can be blown through in about ten minutes; and quick battle is meant to offer bouts one at a time, so as to appease the casual fighter who is only looking to go one or two rounds before throwing in the towel. Gone are the tower ascent challenges and the tower descent survival mode from Four—two of my favorite parts of the game—and the gold system has been abandoned in favor of a new “player points” system, which rewards you for every fight in which you take part...except for two-player local versus. When will developers stop punishing players who enjoy battling against their friends in their own homes?Accumulated points eventually lead players to level up and unlock everything from new stages and background music, to new custom creation pieces, to new titles for their player cards. With a plethora of rewards to reap, each level feels satisfying and keeps you excited to hit that next ding. By scrapping the gold system, however, Project Soul has taken away the ability to select exactly what you want to unlock once you've saved up. In fact, you can't even see locked items in the creation mode; while that does make it more exciting when you receive a new piece, it would be nice to be able to select and purchase a couple appealing pieces instead of hoping and waiting.Honestly though, these are mere gripes that hardly detract from the overall experience. Soul Calibur V offers a unique change in core gameplay that a stagnating fighting genre has needed for about a year now. Project Soul has always been really good about keeping their games shoto-kan free, choosing instead to focus their combat on feats of finesse. Five isn’t completely ignorant of the playing field, however; multiple additions have been included to keep the multiplayer component of their game on par with its Capcom competition, and in quite a few cases it feels like they've even done some things better.

Atlus’ SMT: Devil Survivor 2 Summons New Full Trailer and Official Website Launch

InfaPlat — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Aha! Just what I've been waiting for. Atlus' Devil Survivor 2,set to release on February 28th just announced the launch of a new 'full' trailor, along side its official website. The trailer, as per Atlus standard looks incredibly amazing, with its signature mix of anime derived cut scenes, and adorable DS game play predominantly featured. Devil Survivor 2 , in usual Shin Megami Tensei form, will feature classic RPG/'Dating Sim' elements, allowing you to create 'bonds' with your party members. Folks, if you've been waiting for something to tie you over until the release of Persona 5 , and have already beaten Catherine more times then you can count, look no further. This is going to be it.

UPCOMING NINTENDO DS STRATEGY RPG SMT: DEVIL SURVIVOR 2, OUT FEBRUARY 28, SUMMONS NEW FULL TRAILER AND OFFICIAL WEBSITE LAUNCH
[youtube width="300" height="300"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffAQK9ISyew[/youtube]
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA -- FEBRUARY 3, 2012 -- ATLUS today released the full trailer and official website for the upcoming Nintendo DS™ strategy RPG Shin Megami Tensei®: Devil Survivor 2, the sequel to the award-winning Devil Survivor.
The full trailer, aptly named due to it being completely packed with exciting footage, stylishly sets up the game's story and main conflict. It also gives a great glimpse into how the hybrid RPG/SRPG mechanics work, better demonstrates the players ability to interact with, level up, and grow closer to their party members, and lastly shows the Demon Auction in action.
Launching alongside the full trailer is the equally aptly named full Devil Survivor 2 official website. Fans can read up on the history of the series and its developers, learn more about the story in Devil Survivor 2, browse character profiles for the game's protagonists, and better appreciate the title's unique mix of strategy RPG tactics and first-person RPG battles. Both the trailer and website arrive with less than a month before the game hits shelves, coming to North America after releasing to critical acclaim and strong sales in Japan.
SMT: Devil Survivor 2 for Nintendo DS is currently scheduled to release on February 28, 2012. For more info, visit the official website at http://www.atlus.com/devilsurvivor2.
About SMT: Devil Survivor 2 When a new website that shows the manner of people's deaths in advance makes the rounds amongst Japanese high schoolers, a trio of students is shocked to witness their own deaths in a terrible subway accident just minutes away. They narrowly escape the carnage, only to find themselves in a worse situation--facing otherworldly demons. Desperate to survive, they fend off the demons and flee, but the destruction at the station is only the beginning... Key Features
What if You Could See People's Deaths Before They Happened? -- The spread of a mysterious website that offers a preview of people's deaths, and the great calamity that suddenly strikes Japan-mere coincidence, or part of something larger? A band of high school students must use the website to avert their own deaths, as well as others', amidst the unprecedented nationwide chaos.
Recruit Your Party, Build Bonds -- Adding tons of dimension to traditional party mechanics, players recruit new members to their team and then invest time into developing relationships with them. The closer the connection, the more effective they'll be in battle. Every party member is mortal and susceptible to death, however, making it essential that every decision be weighed carefully lest they be lost to the user forever.
Collect, Customize, Barter and Fuse Every Last Demon! -- Endlessly addicting, the task of discovering and enlisting new demons to aid you in battle is a staple of the Shin Megami Tensei universe. With nearly twice as many demons to find and unlock as in the original game, there's no shortage of work to be done in assembling and managing an army of demons for battle.
About ATLUS
Video game publisher ATLUS has established itself as one of its industry's most consistent, celebrated companies. With proven success across a variety of genres and platforms, including enthusiast-oriented games like the Shin Megami Tensei® franchise of award-winning, fan beloved roleplaying games (including the hit Persona® sub-series of games and the prestigious Nocturne), the groundbreaking, genre-defying Catherine™, Demon's Souls™, and the upcoming official video game adaptation of Game of Thrones (releasing May 15, 2012), ATLUS provides quality critically acclaimed interactive entertainment to a wide spectrum of customers. ATLUS is a brand of Index Corporation and its privately held subsidiary Index Digital Media, Inc.For breaking news, special promotions, insider info, and more, visit http://www.atlus.com/faithful to join the ranks of the ATLUS Faithful!Twitter: www.twitter.com/AtlusUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/AtlusUSA

Robert Kirkman Gives Rick Grimes Something To Fear (UPDATED)

Skott Jimenez — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:22:15 +0000

UPDATE:Earlier today Robert Kirkman released the following teaser:

Another glimpse of what's to come.Check back Monday for another look at what’s in store for Rick and his people.- Robert Kirkman

ORIGINAL STORYI suppose we can say 'In the tradition of Marvel Comics...' writer/creator/genius Robert Kirkman has released a teaser for his series The Walking Dead.Recently Rick Grimes and the leaders of our group of survivors found themselves in the walled up Community trying to make a life for themselves. It hasn't been without trouble, however, during the 'No Way Out' story we lost some companions and Rick's young son Carl was gravely injured. Since then they have worked on solidifying their area and look towards expanding.Things were going fairly smoothly, even with the failed attempted coup by one of the less trusting members of the Community, when a man calling himself Jesus appeared with news that changed Rick's world view entirely: They weren't the only community set up in the area. Jesus explained to them that there are others and they have open communication and trade lines set to to help each other and themselves.Rick and his group have found themselves part of 'A Larger World', the name of the story that recently began in the series. It has Rick trying to decide if they will join the Larger World or stay on their own. Trust is very much an issue here because in this world if something is too good to be true, it may very well kill you. The Walking Dead is currently covered in our weekly Bullet Reviews column as it shambles towards the historic 100th issue.So today, on the Skybound website, Robert Kirkman posted a teaser along with a very vague description, which promises more news tomorrow!

After Rick and the other survivors are brought into a larger world, they are given something to fear.Check back tomorrow for another glimpse of what’s in store for Rick and his people.- Robert Kirkman

Something to fear? Stay tuned to Comic Booked for updates on The Walking Dead!

Throwback Thursday – Pokemon Red & Blue

Kyle Black — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:23:02 +0000

I had a startling revelation last night: I played Pokémon Blue for the first time almost thirteen years ago. I also found out that this month marks the 16th anniversary of the Japanese release of Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, the two games that launched the series. I'm willing to wager that a good majority of you have played at least one of the main series titles at some point in your lives. Pokémon is one of the games that defines my generation of gamers, but the magic of Pokémon is that titles have lived on well past their progenitors. We're currently in the fifth generation of Pokémon titles, and there's no sign to indicate that Nintendo will be putting the franchise to rest anytime soon. I've been along for the ride at the launch of every single generation (though I usually skip the various spin-offs and non-adventure titles). The Pokédex currently includes 649 different Pokémon, but today I'd like to focus on the titles that gave us the original 151.Plot & CharactersThe story behind Pokémon is simple: you control a Pokémon trainer who is tasked by the famous Pokémon researcher, Professor Samuel Oak, to fill up the Pokédex, an electronic encyclopedia that will catalog every Pokémon in the world. Along the way, you take the Pokémon League Challenge, which requires that you defeat the eight Gym Leaders and head off to the Indigo Plateau, a battle complex that is home to the Elite Four and the current Pokémon Champion (i.e., the best trainers in the world). You accomplish these goals with a team of Pokémon that you raise and use in battle against other Trainers.I'll "get all mushy" for a second. I remember playing this game, as a ten year-old boy, and just being in love with every aspect of it. Think about it: I was playing the role of a kid who was out on his own in the world - it was everything I could ever hope for. I'm an only child, so I usually had to make my own fun. Pokémon is one of the games I remember most fondly from my childhood. There was a fun, engaging battle system, a leveling system, puzzles, and challenges abound. Are today's Pokémon titles doing anything groundbreaking in the gaming world? Not really. Hell, even Red and Blue were rehashed of a lot of different ideas that gamers of the 1990s were already familiar with, but this game was empowering to play as a young kid. I had responsibility, and I was challenged to complete the Pokédex and become the Champion. I can still remember the first time I beat my Rival clearly: it came down to my Charizard versus his Blastoise. After a rather intense match, his Blastoise's Surf failed to make contact with my Charizard, who returned and clinched the match. I can vividly recall the excitement I felt when I had completed what I considered to be the ultimate challenge of the game (I was, and continue to be, more interested in battling and training than Pokédex completion). I was also one of the first people I knew to finish the game - I was feared by all of my friends.Is it lame now? Probably. Was it awesome then? Hell yes.SoundLike most Nintendo franchises, Pokémon Red and Blue had an insanely catchy (if not slightly repetitive) soundtrack. I can still recall, on demand, a good chunk of the soundtrack to this day. The ideas that Junichi Masuda used for this game would be embraced by every composer in every subsequent game: intense battle themes, moody music that reflected each unique zone, and a welcoming melody for hero's hometown. Red and Blue's soundtracks have a lot of love in the fan community. It's not hard to find symphonic arrangements or fan covers of the songs from these games. While the music was mostly beeps and boops, they're beeps and boops that I'll remember for a good, long time.GraphicsWhat can I say about the game's visuals? I always felt like the overworld's graphics were a bit on the low-end for a 1998 Gameboy game. The creature sprites, crudely drawn as they were, definitely added to the game's unique visual style. Later games would really refine the original 151's sprites (even Gold and Silver offered massive improvements over Red and Blue's "blob-ish" characters). The environments were blocky and boring, and most character sprites didn't really stand out from the rest. But, judging a Pokémon game for its visuals is a bit like judging a Mario title for its story. The real reason we play Pokémon is for...GameplayMuch like most other RPGs from the 1990s, there are two basic "modes" of gameplay: overworld adventure and battle scene. Let's talk overworld. As a trainer, you have to navigate the oddly rectangular landscape of Kanto. There are some caves, dungeons, and tall buildings. You needed to solve the occasional puzzle, and there were plenty of items to collect, but that's pretty much it for the overworld experience. Of course, when you happen to meet eyes with another trainer in the overworld, you transition to...

...the battle scene! While the battles in the first portion of the game are mind-numbingly easy, you can expect a challenge from most of the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion. You pit one of your Pokémon against an opponents'. You each select an attack, which are executed based on which creature has the highest Speed stat. Rinse and repeat, and you've basically got the whole battle thing done. There's some complexity to Pokémon battling - you need to make sure your Pokémon isn't weak against the type of your opponent's. There are also plenty of strategies and movesets that can be employed in order to ensure victory. As the games have matured, so too has the battle system (it's now way more complex than it was back in 1998). If you don't believe me, head over to Smogon, the largest competitive Pokémon battle hub on the 'net. While a lot of this complexity wasn't introduced until later titles, it's important to remember that this is where it all started.OverallAnd, really, that's the most important thing I can stress here. Are Red and Blue the best entries in the franchise? I would say no (Gold and Silver for life, yo) - but this is where the series started. Red and Blue were solid first entries in what would go on to be one of the best-selling franchises in the world (second in sales only to Mario). These two killer apps were something that most Gameboy owners would experience once in their life. Everything that has come out of the franchise started here. For helping to build a gaming dynasty, and for being pretty darn fun about it, I can't help but remember Red and Blue in the fondest of lights.

The Cost of…A Grade

CGC Lee — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Note. This was previously written. I figured I would have to post this to explain my desire to own a Daredevil #168 in a 9.8. Read forward my friends.The cost of… A grade One of the books I desire in a high grade, higher than the one I already have, is Daredevil #168. The current graded copy I have is a 9.2. This was the same back issue I bought as a teen in the eighties. However I would like a copy of this issue in a 9.8. Recently, one sold on E-bay for a little over $500.00. With annual price guides stagnant, I was looking for a better solution. A few people recommended CBAnalysis.com to me; enough to make me part with my money to use the site for a month. I joined because I hoped this would give me a better understanding of how to bid and win the book of my choice, or at the very least not to bid more than what other people think it is worth.I had to scroll down to the issue number in question. It was easy. I don’t think they could have made it simpler. The records went back quite a few years. It was more than enough to compile an average for my needs. I was able to see the highs and lows for the book each year it sold. The years available showed the most I could have paid… and the least. So let’s find out the cost of a grade.I decided to look over the three grades above mine. They are a 9.4, a 9.6, and my ultimate desire a 9.8. I am still trying to understand GPAnalysis.com and what better way to investigate the website than with a book I want, so I apologize if the following math is wrong. Any and all advice/feedback would be appreciated because this journal is long and I wanted to know if it would be better in parts. The GPA updates their information every month.I would love to find a raw copy at a comic shop, local convention, or even at a Wizard World and send it to CGC for grading, but to be honest I don’t think I am that good at grading by CGC’s standards, whatever they may be. I might be able to find a 9.4 (pretty sure), or even a 9.6 (partially sure) but I am not confident (not yet) that I can pick out a diamond in the rough and have a guaranteed 9.8. I would have to haggle to get the price I want because I will not pay a CGC graded premium price on a raw book. So I’ll take the easy way and look for a book that is already graded. I wanted to break this down grade by grade, please be patient.In 2002 the first recorded Universal 9.4 ( all the prices I’ll be mentioning are all universal grades, no pedigrees, no signature series, no qualified, no restored…and so on) sold June 30th for $405.00. The same day a second one sold for $251.00. That is around a 60% difference for the same grade (page color is not reported.) The high price of that year was $500. The low was $176. I believe that is a difference of 184%. There were 24 copies sold this year. This number more than doubled in 2003.2003/ 51 Sold (High): $306.00 and (Low): $153.00 2004/ 38 Sold (High): $295.00 and (Low): $183.00 2005/ 35 Sold (High): $278.00 and (Low): $134.00 2006/ 27 Sold (High): $262.00 and (Low): $128.00After five years the high price of this book dropped about 48% and the low price dropped about 25%. And the last four years are as follows:2007/ 25 Sold (High): $210.00 and (Low): $119.00 2008/ 31 Sold (High): $253.00 and (Low): $120.00 2009/ 22 Sold (High): $225.00 and (Low): $87.00 2010/ 20 Sold (High): $224.00 and (Low): $115.00So far (as of this writing) only one sold for the year (recorded) at $133.00. 284 copies sold to date. $500 is the highest price registered which sold in July of 2002. This grade has never reached higher and I don’t believe it ever will. So far the lowest price paid for this book occurred June 2009 ($87). That’s about 82.5% off the highest price paid. If I saw a comic book shop with a sign outside saying 82.5% off I would definitely stop in. I think low price matches the CMV(Current Market Value) for this book in this grade. Although if I agree that this price matches the FMV(Fair Market Value) then I have to admit my 9.2 is worth less. I have always considered an off the rack near mint should equal a 9.4. From 2003, which had the most copies sell in a 9.4 compared to 2010 when only twenty copies sold, a decrease of sixty percent.The fist registered 9.6 also sold in 2002. Only two sold that year. The first one was at $660. And the second one was for $710. If we take the highest price recorded for a 9.4 and we already have an increase of $160, but what about the following years.2003/ 18 Sold (High): $760.00 and (Low): $427.00 2004/ 18 Sold (High): $700.00 and (Low): $500.00 2005/ 15 Sold (High): $625.00 and (Low): $386.00 2006/ 12 Sold (High): $520.00 and (Low): $280.00After five years the high price of a 9.6 dropped 32% and the low price dropped about 35% from the 2003 ales year. This is a much closer percentage then it was for the 9.42007/ 16 Sold (High): $508.00 and (Low): $285.00 2008/ 22 Sold (High): $799.00 and (Low): $225.00 2009/ 28 Sold (High): $375.00 and (Low): $202.00 2010/ 25 Sold (High): $330.00 and (Low): $150.00So far this year only three were registered as sold. I thought it very unusual that the highest grade sold in 2008, six years after its first sale. It seemed someone really wanted that book almost as much as when I wanted the New Mutants #1 in a 9.9 a while back.159 copies of Daredevil #168 sold in a 9.6. $799 as the high, and most recently a $150.00 low. Amazing enough that is also above the 80% range between initial sales prices and current sales prices. I would figure this book will settle at the $125 price mark. At least that is how much I can see myself purchasing the book without second thoughts.But, if the cost of a 9.6 is going down to such acquirable prices for my budget range, has the same thing happened to this book in a 9.8 grade? And if so can I afford it, provided another one can be found? We looked over a 9.4 and a 9.6...so how about we continue with a 9.8?Only one sold in 2004 at a whopping $3,305. There are no previous years for this book as there are from the previous two grades, and as with those let’s list them out.2005/ 5 Sold (High): $3000.00 and (Low): $1725.00 2006/ 2 Sold (High): $1925.00 and (Low): $1525.00 2007/ 3 Sold (High): $1912.00 and (Low): $1700.00 2008/ 8 Sold (High): $1575.00 and (Low): $1016.00 2009/ 12 Sold (High): $1024.00 and (Low): $595.00 2010/ 14 Sold (High): $1250.00 and (Low): $515.00With a significant drop between the first 9.8 selling at over $3000, and at the 2010 low price you could purchase six of them. I predict this to drop a bit more, but why are there more 9.8’s appearing recently? Are more people becoming aware of the subtle differences between the grades and only sending in what they feel is a 9.8 or is the 9.8 pre-screen allowing more 9.6’s to pass as a 9.8? Is the possibility of CGC’s grading standards becoming lax or maybe are more people hearing about astronomical prices for comic books (remember the Action comics #1 found in an attic) and what will happen to Daredevil #168 when the first 9.9 is graded (if there is).Going back the past two years the average price for a 9.4 in 2009 was $155.00, this average increase by only a $1 to $156.00 in 2010. Although the low price of $87.00 is a great amount for this book, it seems to have stabilized well. The average in 2009 for a 9.6 was $266.00 and decreased to $237.00 in 2010. Even the average of $841.00 paid for a 9.8 dropped to $702.00 from 2009 to 2010. Between all three grades it seems the only grade retaining its value is the 9.4. I wonder how the person feels who bought the first 9.8 for over $3000.00. How much would you pay for a book and a grade of your choice? Will this year be the year the 9.8 averages at $500.00, and will I be able to own one by the end of the year? Of course if it does average $500, shouldn’t I then wait and hope in 2012 it lows at $400.00? Now here it is a year after I wrote this post. The new low for a copy of Daredevil #168 is $450, somehow I missed the auction that was in. The two that I bid on finalized at $576 and $709. Fourteen of them sold in 2011. The low sale was $525 and the high sale was $1150. Apparently the book still shows a strong desire. I didn't bid on the book last year at all since I was too busy buying many other CGC graded comic books. I tell you these things add up. Only 3 sold this year (so far) and 67 to date. This might be the year I get one and when I do I will let you know all about it.Thanks for Reading. CGC Lee

Review: The Woman In Black

Ben F. Silverio — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:58:39 +0000

It can be hard for a child actor to break out into roles of substance, but this doesn’t seem to be a problem for Daniel Radcliffe. After starring as the title character of the Harry Potter franchise, we’ve seen (or more likely, heard about) him command the role of J. Pierrepont Finch in the Broadway revival of How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying before passing the part over to Glee’s Darren Criss. However, we have yet to see him escape the Potter character on the silver screen… Until now.In his first outing without the lightning bolt scar, Radcliffe stars in The Woman In Black as Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer from who is sent to a small village to settle the legal affairs of the recently deceased Alice Drablow. While in the village, he learns of a chain of child deaths that have taken place in the village, and the tale of The Woman in Black, the vengeful spirit that is behind all of it.Written by Jane Goldman, of Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class fame, and directed by James Watkins, this adaptation of the Susan Hill novel was nothing short of frightening. Watkins masterfully weaved together many beautiful and chilling shots that added to the menacing tone of the film. For example, there was a scene where Kipps walks into the nursery of the Drablow house. The room is dark except for the candle he is holding and the moonlight coming though the window. Watkins’ camera follows Kipps as he walks in, but then cuts to shots of the toys in the room. The camera catches the light of the candle reflecting off of the glass eyes of the wind up toys, creating the haunting illusion that the eyes were moving. A really clever move by the director, I must say. I’ve never been more afraid of wind up toys in my life.The camera shots weren’t the only scary aspects of the film. The back-story of the Woman in Black and her son were freaky as well. The story was an interesting puzzle that the audience pieces together as Kipps pieces them together as well. Unlike the fantastical slasher films that tend to crowd the horror genre, this one made it’s audience think as it injected the fear of the situation into your imaginations. Of course, there are a few cheap scares scattered throughout, much like some of those slasher flicks I mentioned, but the overall scare tactics were a bit more cerebral. I, for one, had some weird dreams after sitting though this movie. (But note that I’m a crazy writer, so that sort of thing tends to happen.)Moving on to Daniel’s performance, I found that he had great chemistry with his co-stars and his surroundings, especially with Misha Handley, the little boy who played Arthur’s son, Joseph. I’m sure that it helped that Misha is Daniel’s real life godson, but regardless, the chemistry was there. In the scenes when it was just Daniel and the spirits, he used his facial expressions and his eyes as great storytelling tools. You could really tell that the character was broken, yet determined to set things right, and the audience wanted to see him do just that. It may take some time for the public to accept Daniel Radcliffe as more than just Harry Potter (I know that I cracked a magic joke at one point), but this role was a good step in the right direction.

Overall, I found The Woman In Black to be an interesting and engaging movie. As someone who doesn’t typically enjoy horror movies, I was fully engulfed in the story and enjoyed getting freaked out a little bit. On my five star scale, I give this movie a 3.5. In fact, this is probably my favorite movie of the year so far. Of course, the only other new movie I saw this year was Joyful Noise, and that was scary in an entirely different way.

Nerf Brings Fans Hawkeye’s Bow

Michael Wirth — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:29:39 +0000

We have a bit of news that will excite fans of foam projectiles and Marvel Comics. Nerf, a division of Hasbro and makers of a multitude of foam-based playthings, will be releasing a new blaster based on Hawkeye’s bow from the upcoming Avengers movie. The image, released on the official Nerf Facebook page yesterday, will showcase a similar design to the bow briefly shown in Hawkeye’s cameo in the Thor movie from last year.The idea behind the release is slightly more exciting than the details. Looking at the bow, Nerf connoisseurs will recognize the design as the Big Bad Bow, which has gone through a number of incarnations since first being introduced in 1998. The BBB (as it’s affectionately called) emulates the pulley system seen on many high-tech hunting bows on the market and fires uniquely shaped foam darts. So unique that the BBB is the only Nerf gun to use that style of ammo. So, to cash-in on the hype surrounding the Avengers movie, Nerf dusted off the BBB mold, painted the body of it purple, slapped an Avengers sticker on the side and proclaimed it “The Official Movie Tie-In”.I realize that sounds extremely critical, but I think it’s a great move. If a company can make some money on a product that’s over a decade old, then more power to them. I like the new paintjob and plan on picking one up for myself, despite already owning two BBBs (they were Buy One, Get One Free at Toys R Us).Now, one thing worth noting is that this is not the first Nerf/Marvel product. For the release of Iron Man, Nerf restyled their Magstrike model blaster to introduce the “Stark Industries N.R.F. 425”. It was a quick, 10-dart weapon that lasted on the store shelves for about as long as Iron Man was in theaters. Again, it was another good marketing blitz, and one that I hope paid off for them.Meanwhile, between Iron Man and Avengers, we’ve heard nearly nothing from Nerf in regards to Marvel. What about Thor or Captain America? Can you honestly tell me that you wouldn’t want to own a life-sized foam replica of Cap’s shield?I know most people will probably direct me to this, and yes, I am aware of the Nerf hammer. However, given the entire N-Force line of swords, axes, and even a mace, that hammer is a joke. At barely over a foot, it’s clearly made for children and not the subset of grown-ups who enjoy a healthy obsession of Nerf products. While Thor’s hammer is extremely well made, its small stature doesn’t do it justice.All in all, I’m happy to see more Marvel-themed toys on the market, and ecstatic that those toys include Nerf products. As a Nerf enthusiast, I’m always looking to expand my arsenal. I didn’t jump on the N-Force line quickly enough and missed out on a few of their cooler sword designs. But I’m hoping the future brings more Marvel-themed blasters, whether they’re repaints or not. Be sure to be on the lookout for Hawkeye’s bow, which hits stores in February.

comiXology Present a Flashpoint 3-Day Sale

Michael Wirth — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:50:15 +0000

After last week’s announcement of adding over a hundred new series to their digital collection, comiXology gives DC Comics the royal treatment. For three days starting on February 3, the Flashpoint story-arc, the precursor to the New 52, will be on sale for just 99 cents an issue. You can download the entire story in all its glory directly to your iPad, iPhone and Android device, directly through the comiXology app, allowing you to read the story that redefined a universe and set the stage for a company-wide reboot.Personally, I never read Flashpoint. As a Marvel guy, it went mostly under my radar for so long that when I finally did recognize it, it was too far in to the story for me to want to catch up, and too close to the high publicized reboot to even bother with. However, the more I hear about the story, and the more I realize just how closely it ties into the reboot, the more I regret not reading it. So this comiXology sale comes at a good time for me. I can pick up the core books of the crossover and really delve into it.

Superbowl Smackdown: Marvel vs. DC

Brien Gorham — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:14:10 +0000

In a repeat of events from four years ago, this year's Super Bowl features a showdown between "Comeback Kids" the New York Giants and perennial juggernauts, the New England Patriots. In some ways, this contest mirrors the ongoing battle between rival powerhouse comic book publishers DC and Marvel, whose decades long back and forth quest for dominance took an interesting turn when DC lobbed a Hail Mary with their "New 52" reboot and took the lead from Marvel.But what if both companies could duke it out on the grid iron? What if each company were to field an ultimate fantasy football team and play each other in a winner take all pigskin brawl? For the sake of this hypothetical challenge, we will use a typical "Fantasy" format, with each team recruiting a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, a kicker, and a defense. Plus, each team will also have a small three-person coaching staff.

Team Marvel

COACHING STAFF

Dr. Doom believes that a strong team is one ruled by an iron fist, which is why he overthrew Reed Richards to lead them. While many initially preferred Mr. Fantastic's "player friendly" style, most now agree that Doom's "win or die (literally)" motivation techniques have been quite effective. Plus, with an near unlimited supply of Doom-bots, there's no shortage of assistant coaches.Doom recognizes the value of a worthy adversary, which is why he chose Nick Fury, who has decades of tactical assault experience to be his offensive coordinator. He also recognizes the value of a defensive coordinator who can literally read the mind of a quarterback, which is why he chose Charles Xavier to fill that position.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: As the premiere marksman of the Marvel Universe, who better to manage the ball than Hawkeye. Plus with his advanced acrobatics, he can easily move out of the pocket and carry the ball himself if necessary.Running Backs: Team Excelsior likes to hit the line hard with a one-two punch. First, they soften that line with the literally unstoppable Juggernaut. Then, when they need a little finesse, they put in the agile Spider-Man, who can cut on a dime and somehow always seems to know when a hit is coming.Wide Receivers: As long as Quicksilver isn't matched up with the Flash, he's a lock to beat anyone in a down field sprint. The fearless Daredevil is perfect when they need to send someone out over the middle and he always knows exactly where the ball is going. Rounding out the receiving corps is Deadpool, whose incessant trash talking to distract opponents more than makes up for his lack of focus on the field.Tight End: Captain America can do it all. Need an extra body to protect the quarterback? Done. Need a short yardage gain? Done. Need a lead blocker for a run play? Done. Plus his natural leadership skills are sure to keep the team motivated when things look grim.Kicker: A master of Savate and possessing the self proclaimed "best foot in ze Marvel Universe," Batroc the Leaper is Doom's choice for kicker. The Thing, the team's original center, openly mocked the coach for this pick; he hasn't been heard from since and The Hulk, initially kept off the team for anger management issues, has quietly taken his place at center.

DEFENSE

With Xavier running the defense, it should come as no surprise that he has chosen his X-Men to man the field. And who can blame him? Colossus and Wolverine make for one of the most controversial and effective pass rush strategies ever seen on a football field. And good luck trying to hit a field goal when Storm is on the field - that's some serious wind to have to kick into. The Scarlet Witch is the ultimate safety: dropped passes, fumbled hand-offs, tripped up quarterbacks - the other team will think they're cursed!

TEAM DC

COACHING STAFF

Love him or hate him, Lex Luthor knows how to win. That first choice Jim Gordon suffered a chemically induced anxiety attack just days beforethe game and that the Scarecrow is now vacationing in Brazil on Lexcorp's dime is strictly a coincidence. With Martian Manhunter's experience at tactical offensive coordination and Ganthet's firm belief that the best offense is a good defense, Team DC surely has three of the best strategists in the universe leading the charge.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: To counter Marvel's QB, Team DC has chosen their own superior marksman to helm the team. Green Arrow not only has the accuracy, but he's as rugged as they come and he doesn't know how to stay down.Running Backs: More powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall linebackers in a single bound, Superman is a power running back with almost unmatched speed. Sticking with power over speed, Superman will be backed up by Cyborg, whose former football experience should come in handy. [Captain Marvel was asked to back up Superman, but was unable to get his permission slip signed.]Wide Receivers: Being the Fast Man Alive makes the Flash one of the most dangerous deep threats ever. Wonder Woman, as tough as she is fast, is perfect for those crossing routes over the middle, while the Joker's unpredictability makes him dangerous for a whole different set of reasons.Tight End: Batman is Team DC's secret weapon. If he can't block a lineman, there's a good chance something in his belt will do the trick. Though not as inspiring as Captain America, his ability to strike fear into his teammates is highly regarded by Coach Luthor.Kicker: Aquaman, because nobody else wanted the job. Initially relegated to water boy, Aquaman pestered the coaching staff so much that they eventually caved and made him the kicker, hoping that his years of swimming the ocean deeps have given him a decent kicking leg.

DEFENSE

Ganthet will rely on the might of his Green Lantern Corps to form a wall against Team Marvel's might. Much to the chagrin of Hal Jordan, Ganthet has chosen Sinestro to be the field general of the defense. The team, however, is resting its hopes on Kilowog to smash through Marvel's front Fantastic Four and put pressure on the QB.Oatu the Watcher and The Monitor will officiate the game, with Howard the Duck and Bat-Mite providing color commentary. Want to provide your own commentary? Head over to our COMICBOOKED FORUMS and debate away!Game on!

Live from Amazon – The Velvet Elvis!

Brien Gorham — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:50:59 +0000

How does a black Elvis impersonator make ends meet in LA? By hunting demons, of course. That's the premise of Jeff Stewart's new feature, The Velvet Elvis, which is being distributed exclusively by Amazon Studios. Velvet Elvis tells the tale of Velvis, the aforementioned demon hunting wanna-be star. Velvis is a man with nothing: no money, no respect, no love - only a mysterious debt he pays off by hunting down evil. Samael, Velvis's agent and cohort, is his only connection to the world. It's Samael who brings Velvis an opportunity to be free of his debt once and for all so he pursue the life of a famous singer, but Velvis quickly learns just how dangerous this path will be.The script is a deft blend of comedy, horror and action. Blended genre films are difficult to master. Roger Corman films like A Bucket of Blood (1959) and The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) inject horrific elements into an otherwise comedic premise. In the case of both these films, the stories involve nobodies who want to be noticed, especially by the ladies. Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987), however, flips that device by taking a wholly horrific concept like demon possession and infusing it with absurdist humor. Velvet Elvis takes its cue from both styles. Velvis is a sympathetic character - he just wants to be noticed, so we relate to him as an audience, yet the horror of Velvis's world is genuinely unsettling.Velvis's world is equally contradictory. Like predecessors Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, the overall setting is familiar and mundane, yet within this banal flow of life live monsters and demons, some of whom are living ordinary lives and some who are plotting the destruction of all mankind. Seth and Lamia, the primary villains of the film, fall into the latter category. The contrast of these disparate elements creates tension and humor in equal parts.In a recent interview with C.O.T.U.S. Radio, Jeff Stewart talked about working with Amazon to bring this film to life. In speaking of the challenges of making a feature length film on a tiny budget, he says, "We lucked out in every aspect... every problem we ran into there was a solution right there in front of us that made the movie better than what we had planned. From the casting to the last warehouse scene... we lucked out with that location because every other location fell through and through a friend of a friend we were able to get this old flooded out storage unit-slash-thrift shop. After [Hurricane] Irene, it was just... destroyed and nobody wanted to do anything with it, so we were able to shoot there uninterrupted with full permission and it looks great on camera." He also credits co-producers Lawrence Greenberg and Marti Davis, who also produce Zombie Etiquette, with helping him to "hustle up" anything the film needed.Stewart also speaks highly of his cast. Kirk Ponton, who plays title character Velvis, and Michael Markiewicz (Seth) worked with Stewart on The Reunion, a zombie feature set to be released this summer. Stewart says, "I try to bring back as many of the people from my previous films as possible because we have a rapport; I know how they work and what they can give me, so I try to keep a tight knit team like that together. I actually call these people my family because they're more than actors to me; they're actually friends." He describes finding co-stars Kacie Marie (Jane) and Kevin Ridgeway (Samael) as "kismet," meeting the first through a Craigslist ad and the second through an associate.The release of this film also represents a significant moment in movie history. Director Jeff Stewart, working from a story by Brenton Lonkey, was one of two finalists to be awarded a $50,000 budget from Amazon Studios. Stewart used that money to shoot this micro-budget film in quick fashion: "We started shooting in October [2011]. This was a very, very quick shoot. Unheard of for a feature length -- anything." Visit Amazon Studios now and you can watch what Amazon dubs a "rough draft" of the film for free. Amazon wants to invest a little now to see how audiences respond to the low budget test film. Should the film receive a positive response, Amazon will then put more money into producing a more polished version of the film, hopefully with Jeff Stewart still at the helm.Though Amazon Studios now owns the rights the Velvet Elvis property, Stewart sees a big future for the character. If the given the chance to do a sequel, Stewart says, "I would love to take him to Japan... I would love to do comic books with the character. It's ripe for all sorts of cross media. When I pitched it to them in my written proposal, I told them this has the potential to be the next Buffy the Vampire Slayer." But for now, the fate of Velvis lies in the hands of the viewer. Head over to Amazon Studios, watch The Velvet Elvis, and become part of film history, as your feedback will help decide what happens to this fledgling franchise. Also be sure to keep an eye out for The Reunion, Jeff Stewart's zombie thriller, due out this summer.It's an exciting time to be a movie fan. Head over to the Comicbooked Forums and discuss: Does Amazon Studios sound like a promising avenue for indie film? Would you like to see more of Velvis, either in film or comics?

Preview — Penguin: Pain and Prejudice Final Issue

Suuperman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:49:20 +0000

DC Announced that the writer for the mini-series, Gregg Hurwitz, will be taking over Batman: The Dark Knight starting with issue #10. However don’t miss his final issue of the mini-series Penguin: Pain and Prejudice #5. Below you will find The Source provides us with a sneak peek with art by Szymon Kudranski.It’s up to the Batman to stop Oswald Cobblepot’s plan for revenge and save the children of Gotham City. Throughout the series we got to grow up with Oswald, seeing him as a child, perhaps even beginning to empathize with the villain a little. The Source sat down with Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski to get their thoughts.

Gregg Hurwitz “Living with Oswald Cobblepot for five months—you’d think it’d be an unappealing proposition,” Hurwitz exclusively told THE SOURCE. “But it was the most fun I’ve had in comics. I hope you enjoyed my and Szymon’s dark little tale of the dark little man. I can promise you this: it’s about to get even darker, so buckle up!”

Szymon Kudranski “Gregg’s story was a perfect match for my art. He had very clear and detailed visions for each panel,” continued series artist Szymon Kudranski. “There doesn’t necessarily need to be dialogue or narration in every scene/panel. Artwork should speak for itself and I hope that showed in this miniseries. Sometimes silent panels have bigger impacts and can replace 1000 words. Mostly, I try to operate with shadows and catch the mood. My biggest challenge was to draw Penguin as a child – how to make him scary without gore and blood, but also in a way that would make him sympathetic at the same time. I was also very happy with John Kalisz on board as the series’ colorist. It’s not easy to color my art but John always found the perfect colors to not ‘destroy’ the greyscaled art. His palette for Penguin is exactly how I envisioned it.”

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice will be in stores next Wednesday. What did you think about a mini-series that focuses on the villain? Should DC embrace more series like this? Finally does Gregg Hurwitz’s work on this series make you more or less excited that he will be taking over Batman: The Dark Knight? Let us know!

Humor: Reactions To Captain Marv– Er, Shazam

T Campbell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:43:11 +0000

"So they're bringing back Captain Marvel.""Yeah, and it's about time. The thirty-somethings who read superhero comics are demanding a more innocent hero, the kind we can tell ourselves that eight-year-olds want to read comics about.""But he's not called Captain Marvel.""There is, in case you were unaware, another comics publisher and major media empire also called 'Marvel.' They have three characters that have been named Captain Marvel. One of them is really famous for dying of cancer. Sometimes you just have to realize you're not going to win the fight, you know? Sometimes you have to cut your losses, and get out of Vietnam.""So he's called Shazam. After the acronym that gives him his powers whenever he says it.""Right.""So how is that going to work, exactly?""What do you mean?""Say he saves some people from a burning building, and the firemen are standing around saying, 'Gee, thanks, mister! Who the heck are you? We want to get your name in the newspaper!' So he says, 'I'm Shazam.' But HE JUST SAID THE MAGIC WORD "SHAZAM," SO LIGHTNING FLASHES DOWN AND TURNS HIM BACK INTO BILLY BATSON. AND KILLS EVERYONE HE JUST SAVED." "I seem to remember the lightning being pretty targeted. It didn't hit anyone other than Billy, unless he moved really fast away from it. In those cases, it usually hit Superman instead, like in Kingdom Come and Justice League Unlimited. I always pictured the lightning sort of getting confused, and continuing to hit Superman at random intervals even when Captain Marv-- uh, Shazam was in a different city.""Okay, fine. He's still a superhero who can't say his OWN NAME without giving away his identity, and making himself vulnerable to his enemies.""Like Captain Marvel, Junior.""...Wait. What.""It's true! Captain Marvel's magic word was 'Shazam,' and so was Mary Marvel's, but Captain Marvel, Junior's magic phrase was 'Captain Marvel.' So he couldn't say his own name, but that was okay because the Marvel family was getting pretty crowded by the time he came along. I mean, he didn't get to say much anyway.""But Shazam is an acronym. It stands for Solomon's wisdom, Hercules' strength, Atlas' stamina, Zeus' power, Achilles' invulnerability and Mercury's speed. What is CAPTAIN MARVEL supposed to stand for?""The C is for 'Captain Marvel powers,' the A is for 'Acronyms are overrated,' the P is for 'Play outside already,' and the other letters are just letters.""It still seems like this 'I can't name myself' thing would be kind of awkward at social events.""Well, the Shazam family of superheroes didn't really mingle much.""Maybe that's why.""Maybe they won't keep the 'say Shazam to transform' rule. Maybe he'll say 'Shazam' to turn into Shazam, and 'Billy' to turn into Billy. Nice, simple, easy.""Sure, until the first time he has to tell concerned friends how he got saved from a tornado by a superhero. 'I got rescued by ol' Lightning Bolt-Tummy.' He'll sound like kind of a jerk, you know? Why can't he call this noble hero by his proper name?""He's a kid. He's allowed to be a jerk.""Is he? I mean, based on these preview pages, he looks about twenty-five.""What I want to know is, if his name is Shazam now, what about the wizard formerly known as Shazam?""That's right! He needs a name now. Something mystical and mentory, like 'Dumbledalf Kenobi.'""The D is for 'Destiny.' As in, 'It is your destinyyyyy to learn the power of the magic lightning! But not the Flash's lightning. And not Black Lightning's lightning. The otherrrrr physics-defying lightningggggg...' The other D is also for 'Destiny.'""Well, of course."

Sarcastic Justice #8

Trey Buffington — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:35:02 +0000

Meanwhile, Superman takes down the Joker....

Classy.

‘The Hunger Games’ Reveals New Trailer

Supergirlove — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:26:48 +0000

The countdown continues with only 50 days left before “The Hunger Games” hits theaters. Fans have been salivating over every new detail of Suzanne Collin’s bestselling novel being adapted onto the big screen. Including the new recently revealed trailer, that will be airing during the Super Bowl pre-game show this Sunday.

Along with the new trailer, to celebrate only 50 days left until “The Hunger Games” hits theaters everywhere, 50 websites will be giving away world premiere tickets for the film. March 12 at Los Angeles’s Nokia Theater the stars from the movie will be walking the carpet and you could be there to witness it all. I’ve included a list of the major websites that will be participating, to find them all you can search hash tag #HungerGames50 on Twitter. Each website has a different entry rule so check them out and may the odds ever be in your favor!

Yahoo! Movies
Fandango
NextMovie
Seventeen Magazine
Break.com
E! Online
MTV
Cinema Blend
Shockya
J-14
Movieline
Access Hollywood
Hitfix

What are your thoughts on the new trailer? Will you be participating in the Hunger Games contest? Lets us know in the comments below! Keep checking back with Comic Booked for your up to date coverage.