Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
- Friday, March 7, 2014
Hello again, Fan-people! If you've been following my posts, you've probably been expecting this to come about. My pal and fellow Fanboys Anonymous writer Dan Ashley broke the news back in December about the All-New Marvel NOW! Moon Knight comic book series written by Warren Ellis, drawn by Declan Shalvey, and colored by Jordie Bellaire, so he beat me to that. Then we both collaborated on a three-part "Gearing Up" article series to prepare you guys and gals for the new series by reviewing Moon Knight's past appearances in comics and video games and demystified the hero's longstanding stereotype of being a Batman copycat. Today, however, I draw first blood in Dan and my lunar legionnaire lunacy by being the first between us to review the new series! (Take THAT, Dan!)
I've been giddy about getting my hands on issue #1 since December, and let me tell you: the wait was totally worth it! Now, I'm not too familiar with Ellis' fame in the comic book medium, but I did read his work on Thunderbolts (Vol. 2) and Secret Avengers (Vol. 1) and enjoyed the heck out of those stories. I took it at face value when I read all of the positive reviews about Ellis' work and felt confident that, coming into this new Moon Knight series, I would enjoy it at the least. He ensured us that he's going to respect the character's rich history when he carves his own path with this book. After reading issue #1, I am extremely satisfied with his work and respect.
 |
| We call this the "Mr. Knight Strut." |
Ellis set out to accomplish four major goals, it seems, and has successfully done so. First, he delivered a book chock-full of references to past Moon Knight series. Continuity-wise, this series picks up right after Marc Spector's misadventures in Los Angeles from Brian Michael Bendis' 2012 Moon Knight limited series (volume 4). Additionally, Ellis heavily references Moon Knight's true origin story (see the "Gearing Up" articles if you're confused about what I mean by "true") and his first case with Detective Flint from Moon Knight #2 (volume 1). Second, Ellis made this book accessible, informative, and fun enough for new readers. Even if you haven't read the "Gearing Up" articles, Ellis does a stellar job getting us up to speed on who Moon Knight is and what he's all about.
 |
| DID means "Dissociative Identity Disorder," if you're wondering. |
Third, Ellis is finally straightening out what exactly is mentally wrong with Marc. Moon Knight has laid claim to being Marvel's "crazy Avenger," and past writers have done a great job at reminding us of how far over the cuckoo's nest Marc has flown. There have been different interpretations of his madness, all of which share a common theme, but I feel that none of them quite compares with the mystifying definition Ellis has created. He doesn't give us the whole answer yet, which really hooks the reader into picking up the next issue to find out more. I love the new explanation of Marc's madness, and I hope this really sticks as Moon Knight's indisputable canon and serves as a jumping-off/reference point for future writers to expand upon.
 |
| Mr. Knight is so suave with his fancy dance moves. |
Finally, Ellis delivered the weird crime story he promised. Moon Knight's essence has been tied to street-level weird crime ever since his debut in 1975, and although he has often strayed from the genre into more mystical and superheroic realms, Ellis managed to bring him back to basics. The villain of the story is no one big or well-known—in fact, this new Slasher who the story is titled after is a brand new, albeit short-lived character. As much as I've touted Moon Knight's A-list quality, his strengths are as a C-lister fighting other C- or D-listers, which is exactly the kind of villain the new and old Slashers were. Moon Knight deals with criminals and cases that are way beneath the Avengers' priorities but are still a significant and relevant threat to ordinary citizens and the police. Also, Ellis seems to be setting up the series' new format with this first issue: serialized weird crime one-offs with an overarching plot exploring Marc's psyche. I feel that this new series is going to read like one of those popular crime drama TV shows, and that may fit Moon Knight's style perfectly.
 |
| This is quickly becoming readers' favorite quote from the book. |
What really drew me into this new series outside of my fanaticism for all things Moon Knight, though, was the power couple of an art team. Shalvey and Bellaire are two of the hottest (international) comic book artists in the business right now, and for good reason. I became a fan of Shalvey's back during his "Toxic" story arc in the pages of Venom (volume 2), and now he's drawing my second-favorite Marvel character. Pair him up with Bellaire, and you've got your new master and mistress of the comic book art world. Shalvey has mastered his storytelling abilities, creating seamless transitions from panel to panel, and Bellaire's colors really pop with atmosphere and emotion, using primary colors as the dominant colors for full pages and scenes. Shalvey and Bellaire's choice to leave Moon Knight's character stark black-and-white with no gray wash or color shading gives the character his artistic edge over other superheroes and is probably one of the greatest artistic choices ever made in redefining a superhero's visual impact.
 |
| Yeah, I know. That's how I felt, too, when I got to the end. |
I had only one small gripe with this book, and that was its abrupt and cryptic ending. I get that Ellis was attempting to leave the reader wondering what the heck was going on, but without a typed-out "The End" or "To Be Continued" on the last panel and the sudden appearance of the "Going Postal" letters column at the turn of the page, it left me rather confused. I feel this may have been a failure mostly on the writer's part rather than the artist's, but nothing is perfect, and even the editor (Nick Lowe) can miss an opportunity for improvement.
This was a stellar start to what is sure to be a successful Moon Knight and All-New Marvel NOW! comic book series. With an all-star team at the helm for an undetermined length of time (hopefully for a few trades' worth of issues!), Moon Knight may finally get the attention and notoriety he's been waiting for and deserves. Oh, and Lowe's idea for the "Going Postal" letters column is novel and nostalgic: instead of emailing letters for print in future Moon Knight issues, fans are being asked to hand write their letters and send them to the editorial offices via postal mail. You can bet your firstborn I'll be writing in!
Moon Knight #1 gets 4.5 stars out of 5 for the truly epic writing and storytelling, and 5 stars out of 5 for the equally superior artwork. This is a definite must-buy for Moon Knight fans and casual/new readers alike. Look forward to another review with next month's issue.
Oh, and before I forget: if you can't get enough of Moon Knight, I highly recommend playing Marvel Heroes, Marvel's Free-to-Play MMOARPG. Gazillion Entertainment and Secret Identity Studios just released a playable Moon Knight character last Friday, and I've been progressing him through the story and levels. This video game version of him is the best yet. His power sets are perfect for the character (short of cutting off the faces of his enemies, which I wanted to do so much!), he's great at crowd control, and Troy Baker does a superb job at voice acting for both Moon Knight and Khonshu, whose eerie presence sometimes chimes in during a fight. You can purchase Moon Knight in his "Classic Costume" or get his Hero Pack for the additional "Secret Avengers" costume, a special storage box for the character, a Retcon Device, and a few Fortune Cards. If you've been playing Marvel Heroes and have been accumulating Eternity Splinters, you can also purchase him in-game for 400 Eternity Splinters.
Liked the new and improved Mr. Knight? What did you like most about this issue, and what are you looking forward to from this series? Will you be mailing in to "Going Postal"? Let us know in the comments section below!
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Thursday, March 6, 2014
Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Franktastic Nation! Check out Episode 37 of The Dace Man Show A Franktastic Adventure! because Frank Ward has taken over! He introduces an all-new panel and gives a fresh look at sports, weird, and celebrity news. Join him, Kelly Lightbody, Travis Sullivan, and Jefferson Brown, and even some surprise call-in guests!
Join Franktastic Frank and crew this week as they break down the following:
::SPORTS NEWS:
::WEIRD NEWS with Gibby Kelly::
- You ready for something that's not Huffington Post?!
::FRANK'S CORNER::
- Where he gives you Dace Man Facts!
::CELEB NEWS with Travis and Jefferson::
Plus the High Five: Top 5 Badasses, and The Douche Bag of The Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show…er, we mean A Franktastic Adventure!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | I Got Game Play | Geek Speak | Rose Colored Reviews | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
2014 INTERNET GODDESS AWARD
Posted by
Travis Goss
- Wednesday, March 5, 2014
My name is Travis. I am 34 years old (one of the oldest members of Fanboys Anonymous). I have been a gamer since I was old enough to hold a controller. I have played nearly every single video gaming console that has ever come into existence.
One game series that has been near and dear to me all throughout my life has been Castlevania. I will never forget my first time playing the very first game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I was over at my late brother's apartment one weekend, and he had rented the game from a local video store. I was about 9 years old at the time. Although this was around the time when Castlevania II: Simon's Quest was available, you have to start at the beginning in order to get the full story.
It was from this moment on that I fell in love with the series. From its sometimes frustrating challenges to its incredible music, Castlevania has become one of the most beloved gaming franchises, sitting alongside Mario and Sonic as an icon.
Another aspect of Castlevania is the gorgeous visuals. Things have drastically improved through the years and have come a long way since the first NES game. As years and consoles have come and gone, this series has always found ways to trump the previous entry. Although the early games looked more colorful when compared with later titles, it always gives you a creepy feeling as you traverse through different parts of Dracula's castle.
Recently, I have had the pleasure of checking out an art book published by Titan Books that provides an extensive look into the various characters and locales for Konami's 2010 video game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Written by former content editor from the UK offices for IGN.com, Martin Robinson, The Art of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is an excellent companion to the game. It gives fans a deeper look into what it took to create some of the most incredible visuals in any Castlevania game ever.
 |
| Courtesy of Titan Books |
Admittedly, I have not played this game, which is a shame because, as I have mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of the franchise. That being said, I will say that after looking at each page of this book, I am even more motivated to go out and buy a copy.
According to the press release which I had received when I got the copy I have reviewed for this article, the book starts "from the very beginning with an in-depth look at the game's development art and moving through a wealth of concept art and detailed creator commentary, this lavish book takes readers on a thrilling journey through the ethereal world of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
 |
| Courtesy of Titan Books |
"With stunning images from both Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and [the sequal] Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 – plus the chilling side story, Mirror of Fate – the book offers an exclusive look at Gabriel, and the rest of the Belmont family's everlasting struggle against demonic forces and supernatural terrors."
This book goes into tremendous detail in terms of the characters' designs. From simple sketches of each character to their finalized 3D form, this book shows you the process on how characters are designed and how they are crafted into becoming the Belmonts and all of the various enemies and allies.
One of my favorite characters from the series is, undoubtedly, Simon Belmont. Truthfully, I am still kind of intrigued how his recent design made him into a redhead. Remember, I have been following the games from the beginning. At the time, I had always seen him with blonde hair. But, he did go through a change with the release of Castlevania Chronicles for the PlayStation. Even then, I was kind of taken away seeing him with long-flowing red hair.
 |
| Courtesy of Titan Books |
All minor issues aside, I really enjoyed looking at his design for the game. He looks like a total badass!
In fact, all of the more popular characters from the series have gone through a major overhaul while also retaining some of their familiarities. Although, Alucard really looks nightmarishly freaky. But, in an awesome way. Satan looks really cool, too.
In addition to all of the character designs, there are pages of hand-painted backgrounds which were used in the game itself. The artists have done such a mind-blowing job.
 |
| Courtesy of Titan Books |
Any words I have written would not do this book justice. I could go on to say this book would be a must-buy for ANY Castlevania fan; especially for those who have Lords of Shadow (and, its recently released sequel) and love it. Even if you are not a fan of the series or this game in particular and just love looking at jaw-dropping visuals, this book is still an amazing collector's item.
Speaking of which, for those die-hard fans out there, Titan Books has also released a special slipcased edition, limited to 500 copies, which includes an exclusive Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 concept art print, signed by the whole MercurySteam art team.
Now, we want to hear from you. What do you think about this book and the video games? Would this be a nice addition to your art book library? Tell us what you think in the comments down below.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Tuesday, March 4, 2014
After the most recent episode of How I Met Your Mother, entitled "Vesuvius," many fans are calling it a guarantee that one of the longest-running theories about the show has been confirmed: that The Mother, Ted's wife, is dead.
Speculation about this has run rampant almost since the show's inception, and it makes sense to an extent. Many television shows kill off major characters in the finale, and this show has made a habit out of not just sticking to the laughs but hitting the emotional notes as well.
Until now, this theory has always had some moments that support it, but others that appeared to invalidate it. For example, in "The Time Travelers," Ted imagines a scenario in which his past self could have an extra 45 days with his wife. Immediately, fans jumped to the conclusion that that must have meant that The Mother was dead, but that's not a confirmation, and Ted referring to The Mother in the present tense several times negated it. Cobie Smulders has said that reading the finale's script made her cry, and the creators of the show (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) have repeatedly said that it will end with something bittersweet, further teasing the fans that something like this could happen.
With "Vesuvius," there is more evidence to this than ever, and all because of one line of dialogue: "What kind of mother wouldn't be at her daughter's wedding?"
In the episode, this line immediately causes Ted to start crying. Obviously, this has struck a nerve. The Mother apologizes and tries to clarify that she didn't mean to bring up whatever the sore subject is, and Ted knows, so they brush it off and continue on, telling happy stories about Barney stealing his scuba suit.
Instantly, I felt sick to my stomach. This can't possibly mean what I think it means, can it? The Mother can't really be dying from some kind of a terminal illness?! With that, the super-fan in me that identifies greatly with the Ted Mosby character began trying to unravel the mystery and sooth my uneasiness. Sure, it now made sense why she tells Ted that she wants him to not live in the past and that life moves on. Sure, it lines up with how we've never seen The Mother in the 2030 timeline when Ted is telling this story. Yet this show has hinted toward things and given us twists so many times before, and this has to be another. After all, Barney and Robin split up and he was going to marry someone else, yet we're at the wedding now. Marshall may have lost his dad on the same episode everyone was expecting to be an announcement about Lily's pregnancy, but they eventually had baby Marvin, and things weren't as bleak as they could have been. Robin may not be able to have children, but that was already a huge blow and we can't take another like that.
So I present to you an alternative theory, just in case this turns out to be another red herring. The Mother isn't dying at the time of this conversation, nor has she died when Ted is telling his kids the story. This is in reference to Ted's mother, Virginia Mosby.
Luke and Penny at the very least know of Ted's stepfather, Clint, whom Virginia marries in "Home Wreckers"—the episode that also revolves around Ted's future house. Not much is spoken about Virginia in the future, and it could easily be assumed that she's passed on purely due to her age. Ted was born in 1978, making him in his 50s when he begins telling the story. His mother would be in her 70s or older, which doesn't mean that she necessarily has to have died by then, but it's very understandable, and all we know is that she's still alive by Robin and Barney's wedding day. She could very well die the day after the reception.
Ted isn't an only child, as he has a younger sister named Heather. She has only been in one episode of the series so far, "Little Minnesota," where she moves to New York City and Ted becomes overprotective of her. To the best of my knowledge (although if you know otherwise, please indicate so in the comments below), nothing has been thrown out there about Heather being married. In "Single Stamina," he says she once got married for five days, but that's about it, and that really doesn't seem to qualify.
When The Mother asks "what kind of mother wouldn't be at her daughter's wedding?" it is Ted that gets upset, not her. You can write my theory off by saying that The Mother is just self-actualized enough to have come to terms with her impending death more so than Ted and that is why she wasn't upset over going to her daughter's wedding, but that would be playing into the writers' game. Instead, let's say Virginia died before Heather got married. That would be something that naturally meant more to Ted than The Mother, as her mentioning this could make him remember how much he misses his own mom. Maybe this even applies to Virginia dying before Ted marries The Mother and he's simply putting "son" in place of "daughter" in reference to the quote.
Is it a stretch? Possibly. But everything is up for grabs until the finale, "Last Forever," airs March 31, 2014. Even I don't believe it—if I'm honest with myself—but until the show rips my heart out and stomps all over it, I'm going to cling onto hope that I'm not proven wrong. Can someone hand Future Tony a tissue, please?
DO YOU THINK THE MOTHER IS DYING IN THE FINALE?
LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!
I've been giddy about getting my hands on issue #1 since December, and let me tell you: the wait was totally worth it! Now, I'm not too familiar with Ellis' fame in the comic book medium, but I did read his work on Thunderbolts (Vol. 2) and Secret Avengers (Vol. 1) and enjoyed the heck out of those stories. I took it at face value when I read all of the positive reviews about Ellis' work and felt confident that, coming into this new Moon Knight series, I would enjoy it at the least. He ensured us that he's going to respect the character's rich history when he carves his own path with this book. After reading issue #1, I am extremely satisfied with his work and respect.
