Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Monday, January 12, 2015
Men of Wrath #4 cover
by Ron Garney and Matt Milla
My father's house.
The future is the key to the survival of the Rath men.
Seeking to be finally redeemed from the curse of the Rath family men, Rueben and Ira go toe-to-toe as their worlds collide in a series of violent acts that will leave blood spilled over the floor.
Issue #4 of Men of Wrath is extremely focused. Writer Jason Aaron brings together Ira and Rueben Rath again, following their showdown at the church in the previous issue. Rueben is in the driver's seat, in a type of role reversal that lets readers solidify an understanding of the central character's motives as we move toward the final issue.
This has been such a phenomenally dark series so far, strikingly different from what Aaron is producing in more family friendly titles for Marvel. It is a return to the Aaron of Scalped ilk, and we are fortunate to experience his unfettered nature here, where he is showing a truly diverse range of writing abilities.
A young Rueben Rath
wants his momma back home
Men of Wrath #4 examines the personal restraints of Ira Rath. Thus far we have seen Rath men killing members of their family mercilessly, yet here we get a glimpse of a man at a crossroads. Much of this is also to do with Rueben and the next stage of the Rath generations. In a move that I had hoped to see, yet wasn't guaranteed, both men strike out to save their children, but the consequences of their actions leave a lasting cliffhanger for the final issue. I love how Aaron is displaying the core theme of family as important to the story, yet he has flipped it on its head. Conflicting with a notion of the importance of family, Aaron is debunking a central tenant of this argument as the family being responsible for how a person turns out, but upholding the fact that the family is an important influence on how members can be driven from childhood to adulthood.
Ira Rath takes care of family business
Ron Garney and Matt Milla's art remains consistently gripping as the previous issues. Garney is instrumental to the pacing and tense action in this issue. It is easy to be drawn in by the panel work Garney employs to keep readers in a constant state of tension. The dramatic and bold ink work is heavy to match the tone of the drama. The thick lines provide an emphasis for the boldness of the characters, with their gnarly and at times grizzled lives.
Aaron and Garney provide a brutally fantastic experience. Men of Wrath is a gripping story that is emotionally dark, violently honest, and brilliantly delivered by creators at the top of their game. As we look to the final issue next month, this will leave a big hole in my pull list. One positive of this will be the opportunity to sit back and read the entire series from the first issue to the last.
I have enjoyed this series, but we want to hear what you think so far. How have you enjoyed Men of Wrath? What do you think about it now compared to the first issue? How good is Garney's art? Make sure you leave a comment below and come back next time for the final issue of Men of Wrath.
Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Sunday, January 11, 2015
Storm #7 cover by Stephanie Hans
Ororo Munro, aka Storm, is caught in a whirlwind of trouble.
Storm #7 jumps straight into the consequences of Storm's actions from the previous issue, where she saved a plane of VIPs. Having been set up by the nefarious Eaglestar corporation, Storm was physically spent as she carried the broken plane back to safety, collapsing shortly after landing the craft. The tension has been ramped up, with Storm's enemies closing in on her. Her past actions have made her a target and now branded her a public enemy.
With the current issue, writer Greg Pak is showing readers that he can carry an ongoing arc with the same emotional weight and dynamic storytelling as the earlier stand-alone issues in this series. Truth be told, it is a strong series, a model of what a solo series for an X-Men character should be like.
This issue has lifted my already raised hopes from the previous issue. As mentioned in the review for Storm #6, I anticipated that the story was developing across issues, with the setup issue being a wait-and-see. Well, we have done just that, and we weren't disappointed. The creative team has hit its mark in issue #7.
Storm has a lot of support
In this issue, Pak enlarges the supporting character base, drawing on the staff from the Jean Grey School to help Storm in her plight. What is also great to see is the bridging of earlier issues from the series with a full page dedicated to glimpses of characters from issues 1–4. Pak's style in bringing out the story has been methodical and deliberate. The pace has been building steadily but is punctuated with anticipation at the end of each issue.
The art by Al Barrionuevo and Tom Palmer feels as though it has matured in this issue compared to the last. The line style is tighter, magnified by more focused inking from Palmer. The cleaner lines allow a smoother reading experience.
Barrionuevo's depiction of the supporting X-Men characters—Rachel Grey, Beats, and Nightcrawler—are great. Rachel is full of relaxed confidence, Nightcrawler is mischievous looking and even a little proud, and Beast remains fraternally concerned yet supportive of Storm's rogue actions.
The choice of shots is a lot more varied in Storm #7. This is a lift from the previous issue, and we see a lot more panel work, which is a direct result of the new setting for this issue. The confidence of the artists is refreshing.
Storm is interrogated for her
part in mid-air incident
Ruth Redmond's colors are the stalwart of the artistic team. The colors enhance the pages with subtlety, yet are dramatic when called for, such as when representing Storm's ferocious powers. Redmond's consistency in this series provides a great ongoing sense of familiarity; however, if a new reader to the series were to pick up any issue, the colors would feel as natural to the series as Pak's writing and dialogue are.
Pak and the artistic team have set up an ongoing solo series for a dynamic character that has been a constant source of enjoyment. This is one of the strongest X-Men comic series currently being offered by Marvel.
It is coincidental that at this point a social media campaign is running to #SaveStorm when in this issue the best person to do this is the character herself. As a series and character Storm has the ability to reach out to others and lift them up, and more awareness can bring this campaign to a positive conclusion. I highly recommend this series, and if you want to help #SaveStorm, see your local comic book shop today.
We want to hear what you thought of this issue, Fanboys and Fangirls, so leave us a comment below. Do you like this ongoing solo series, or do you prefer to see Storm in the other team X-Men books? What do you think of the artistic team on Storm? Hit us up with your thoughts, or head over to Twitter or Facebook and leave your mark there.
Assisted suicide was a hot topic in 2014. Last November Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old terminal brain cancer patient, ended her life under Oregon's "Death with Dignity Act," and the video explaining her choice amassed more than 9 million views on social media. Today, according to the Death with Dignity National Center, mentally competent, terminally-ill adult residents of Oregon, Washington, and Vermont can "request and receive medication to hasten their death, [which] is one of many end-of-life care options available." Among these options, however, one would never consider using an amusement park ride to do the deed.
Model of the Euthanasia Coaster.
Julijonas Urbonas, a Ph.D. student in Design Interactions at the Royal College of Art in London, designed a plan for a roller coaster that "humanely—with elegance and euphoria—takes the life of a human being."
Named the "Euthanasia Coaster," the hypothetical rides uses concepts in mechanical engineering, airspace medicine, and gravity to create intense motion that ultimately would deprive the brain of oxygen, causing the rider to expire. Before meeting his or her death, however, the rider would experience a range of sensations "from euphoria to thrill, and from tunnel vision to loss of consciousness,"which is commonly known as G-LOC, or acceleration gravitationally induced loss of consciousness, and often affects fighter pilots of high performance or aerobatic aircraft and astronauts.
Urbonas, who has worked in amusement parks since his childhood, explains the whole experience in great detail:
Seated, harnessed with a health monitoring system, and strapped to the seat of a single-seat coaster vehicle, you are slowly towed to the top of the drop-tower. It takes a while, as the ride is about half a kilometre long! Hence, you have a few minutes to contemplate your decision and your life in retrospect. You even find enough time to adapt to the height and get through a series of imaginary fatal falls, while realising that the objects on the ground are getting smaller. Slow lift is an important illusion that intensifies the perception of height. The slightest movement of the car triggers drumming heartbeats and tests your decision (...) If this test has not changed your mind yet, then at this point you have no choice but to submit yourself to the very last fall. Yet you still have a few minutes for the last words and goodbyes, or just enjoying the exhilarating bird’s-eye view of the surroundings. You relax and press the FALL button (...) Your body spins around the heart while you fall (...)The scooting gust of wind, goose bumps, suspension of breath, and vertigo — a set of experiences comprising a sort of fairground anesthesia. (...) You feel your body as if supported by an air pillow. Just after this point, the track smoothly straightens forward, entering the first loop of the coaster, a continuously upward-sloping section of the track that eventually results in a complete 360-degree circle, completely inverting the riders at the topmost part (...) Breathing requires more effort, as the ribs and the rest of the internal organs are pulled down, which empties air from the lungs. But most probably you are already unconscious, as this force rushes the blood to the lower extremities of the body, thereby causing oxygen deficiency in the brain. It is exactly this cerebral suffocation, also known as cerebral hypoxia, that is going to kill you.
If you are still conscious, you are more resistant to the high g-forces than the majority of people, but don’t worry (...) the second loop will definitely do its job. In the meantime, if you are lucky, or, rather, g-force-resistant enough to be awake, your vision may blur, lose colour (greyout) and peripheral sight (tunnel vision), or even disappear completely (blackout), together with hearing. Eventually, this experience—accompanied with disorientation, anxiety, confusion, and, most importantly, euphoria—is crowned with G-LOC (g-force induced loss of consciousness), during which the body is completely limp, and vivid bizarre dreams occur, such as being in a maze and unable to get out, or floating in a white space, not knowing who you are, why you are here, etc.
(...) The rest of the ride, six or five loops, proceeds with your body being numb, ensuring that the trip ends your life. You die, or, more accurately put, your brain dies of complete oxygen deprivation, a legal indicator of death in many jurisdictions. The biomonitoring suit double-checks if there is a need for the second round, which is extremely unlikely, as the result is guaranteed by seven-fold repetition.
Interested in seeing what this G-LOC deal actually looks like? Take a look at this compilation of pilots going through their G-force training.
Though this might look scary, most people describe feeling euphoric afterward. Maybe this coaster would really be the most humane way to go...
What do you think? Would ever see this becoming a reality in a near future? Let me know by leaving your comments below!
Wow, what an issue. What a great start to a new series.
I'll backtrack slightly. I was at my local comic book shop (great people by the way—check out yours now, if you haven't already) picking up my weekly pull list. On the counter is a stand for notable new comics the shop wants to make everyone aware of (and try to sell more of). This week's spot light was none other than Ant-Man #1. While my pile of books was scanned for purchase, I quickly flicked through a copy, I had heard good things anyway. Seeing me do this, the owner remarked how funny it was and highly recommended the read. So there I was, cash in hand, just a little bit left to splurge, it wasn't going to break the bank, so why not? On a whim, I got the book.
Best decision this week!
I digress, let's get back to the task at hand, there is so much more that can be said of Ant-Man #1.
From the start writer Nick Spencer makes bold, decisive choices about characterization. The setup is smoothly achieved, all the while presenting a rough-hewn Scott Lang as Ant-Man. Ultimately, though, this is a story about personal redemption.
The job he didn't know he
wanted, but needed.
While reading this comic, I couldn't help but smile like a Cheshire cat. It has such a good feeling to it. There is real accessibility to the story, despite the audience seeming to be a matured readership, as they would understandably relate to the central character's plight more easily than younger readers. Spencer has taken a tongue-in-cheek approach to Ant-Man. He is self-deprecating, sarcastic, yet heartfelt and down to Earth.
There are pure moments of loveliness here. The relationships explored of Lang's immediate family are a fantastic touch to the narrative and only enhance this book. In this regard, Ant-Man #1 has the feeling of being Hawkeye-esque. Following in the award-winning style of Matt Fraction and David Aja, Marvel may be onto a winner here.
The book has a familiar superhero feeling, but places the central characters squarely in reality, akin to what we would expect from today's New York setting. The modern pop culture references and down-on-your-luck tone combined with a narrative style and artwork that is dramatic in an incredibly accessible way are a recipe for a hit series.
Ant-Man shows why its size that matters
Ramon Rosanas provides great art in Ant-Man. While there is a lot of panel work, this made the issue seem longer; I kept feeling like I got a lot for my money. It just didn't stop. The choice of panel-by-panel transitions and the angles and shots has a balanced finish. What this means for readers is that they are taken deeper into the story in a more seamless manner, helping the story's effective points get across without undue interruption. The honesty of the story not only transcends the lettering, colors, and art in a graceful way but is completely supported by the artistic approaches utilized by the creative team.
Acknowledgement must go to the letterer, Travis Lanham, for allowing the story to flow. Given the scope of the narrative, backstory, and setup involved in a first issue, there was a lot of work here for Lanham, which he pulled off superbly. Mention should also go out to colorist Jordan Boyd on this issue. The colors of any comic have a profound effect on the final book, and with Ant-Man #1, the right approach has been utilized. The colors are not grabbing for attention. They are grounded: soft and subdued, supporting the final product, not clamoring for showmanship. Please understand is a skill from any colorist. The tone and feel Boyd provides is spot-on.
Ant-Man takes on Iron Man
All-in-all, if you haven't read this comic yet, you must. It was a highlight of the week for me. It is clear from the work involved that a lot of thought, planning, and attention to detail has gone into the final product. I genuinely look forward to the next issue (I just added this to my pull list) and hope this is the start of something great.
As always, if you have read Ant-Man #1, please tell us what you thought. We want to hear your thoughts and opinion, so leave a comment below or head on over to the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter depots and make your mark there. Make sure you come back this way next next month for issue #2.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Thursday, January 8, 2015
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 81 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, Nicholas Andrew, and the return of the immortal Frank Ward.
::SPORTS NEWS::
NHL Rankings
NFL WildCard is in the books!
Chris Christie in hot water?
Plus more
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
He was all whiny.
::FRANK'S CORNER::
Frank is back! And he has new laws in 2015.
::CELEB NEWS::
DareDevilto debut in April and Puss In Boots in January on Netflix.
Movies being greenlit left and right.
Bill Cosby is touching way too many people.
Plus more…
::Who Said It::
VS
All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
The first official trailer for Ant-Man is here. The movie hits the big screen on July 17th as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Two. The movie stars Paul Rudd who plays Hank Pym, a thief who can use secret technology to shrink down to ant size. Corey Stoll also costars as the film's villain, Darren Cross, also known as Yellowjacket.
The trailer originally premiered during Marvel's Agent Carter, but you can view it below.
I originally thought the movie sounded ridiculous, but the trailer doesn't look half-bad. I'm also a huge Paul Rudd fan and am kind of excited to see what type of humor he will bring to the movie.
What do you think of the trailer? Will Paul Rudd play a good superhero? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.
Ant-Man will be released in theaters July 17, 2015.
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Written by: Adam McKay (screenplay), Paul Rudd (screenplay), Edgar Wright (story), Joe Cornish (story), Jack Kirby (comic book), Stan Lee (comic book), Larry Lieber (comic book)
Starring: Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym), Corey Stoll (Darren Cross / Yellowjacket), Judy Greer (Maggie), Bobby Cannavale (Paxton), Wood Harris (Gale), Michael Peña (Luis) and Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter)
What is up Dacetacular fan nation? The Dace Man is here to bring you some more movie news! FOX has been mighty busy this week, first releasing the new Peanuts trailer, and now word from the X-Men franchise.
Twentieth Century FOX made the announcement today that everyone's favorite Ragin' Cajun, Gambit, will make his solo appearance on October 7, 2016. This announcement now racks up more comic book movie releases in 2016 than Marvel, DC, and those sad sacks at Sony.
Channing Tatum is set to fill the shoes of Remy LeBeau in a script currently being penned by Joshua Zetumer, the dude who did the RoboCop reboot.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a cybernetic implant—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
2015 began on a rather interesting note when Neill Blomkamp, District 9 and Elysium director, added more than a handful of gorgeous pictures to his Instagram and Twitter accounts. The pictures seemed to be concept art for a secret Alien sequel, which Blomkamp was allegedly working on without any studio's knowledge or approval.
The images depict Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Corporal Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn) working together again, a look at the mysterious Weyland Corporation, innovative takes on the infamous Xenomorph, the Alien Queen, and more.
Though it is not completely clear if the project, referred to as Alien Xeno, was indeed intended to be developed as a film, Blomkamp is a confirmed fan of the Alien franchise. Back in 2013, he told Comingsoon.net:
"My favorite film of all time is Aliens. Period. James Cameron’s Aliens. What Elysium doesn’t have that I’d like to put into the next film is slime and eggs. It’s missing slime and eggs."
What is up Dacetacular ones? Fresh off the Hollywood news presses, The Dace Man has some movie news for you Fanboys and Fangirls!
After months of speculation, Variety is reporting that Scarlett Johansson has agreed to star in the Japanese Manga adaption of Ghost In The Shell! Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders is also slated to be part of the project as the director.
Dreamworks head Steven Spielberg is rumored to be a huge fan of the series and is hoping with the addition of Johansson that it will fast track the green lighting process. Johansson is vastly becoming recognized as one of Hollywood's premiere female action stars with her recent rolls in The Avengers, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and Lucy.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a cybernetic implant—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Can't stop, won't stop, Dacetacular nation! The Dace Man is back and bringing you some video game news. Imagine if Netflix charged you a monthly fee to access your favorite video games from the past. Well Sony did, and it's launching January 13th!
In a world where past gen. video games are not compatible with your current $400 video game console with two games, Sony is coming to your rescue. If you've been hesitant about picking up a PS4, Sony has just given you a hundred reasons why to pick one up this January.
Sony is launching the PlayStation Now program where video game enthusiasts can pay a monthly fee to have access to classic Sony titles to play when ever they want. When they launch on Jan. 13, over a hundred PS3 titles will be available on your PS4 console for a low price of twenty dollars a month, or a three month subscription for forty-five dollars. Check out the ad released by Sony this morning!
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy chair cause you got some gaming to do—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Can't stop, won't stop! The Dace Man is back bringing you some more news, this time in a galaxy far, far away.
It is being reported by Twitch that lead actors from The Raid—Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, and Cecep Arif Rahman—have suited up and will be making an appearance in the J.J. Abram's installment of Star Wars. Currently, not much is known about their roles or the amount of film time the trio will see, but it seems to be a good sign that Abrams is sticking to his more traditional filming philosophy by casting these three men. All three men are accomplished and well known martial arts experts with the ability to wield just about any weapon—say like a lightsaber, perhaps?
Stay tuned to Fanboys Anonymous as we get more information on this developing story. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is set to open December 18th 2015.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a Martial Arts Expert—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
How is it hanging, Dacetacular fan nation? The Dace Man is back and this time he's bringing you some TV...er...Internet, well whatever the hell Netflix is, news.
On January 16, DreamWorks Animation is pairing up with streaming media juggernaut Netflix to deliver The Adventures of Puss In Boots. The first of five 25-minute episodes will drop on that specific Friday in the following territories: US, Canada, Latin America, UK, Ireland, the Nordics, Benelux, and France.
The fan favorite cat will be voiced by Eric Bauza and follow the feline to the mystic city of San Lorenzo. After unveiling the city, Puss must fight off invaders to protect the inhabitants he so rudely outed. Check out a clip from the upcoming NetFlix Series.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a pair of boots—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
What is up Dacetacular Nation? New Year, new me? Nah, same ol' Chris "The Dace Man" Dace here bringing you the latest trailer on the market in 2015.
With a year packed with mega blockbusters such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and Star Wars Episode VII, there are a few little guys that may fall through the cracks when it comes to theatrical releases, and no I'm not talking about Ant-Man.
In November of this year, we get to jump in the way back machine while leaping forward in the world of animation with The Peanuts Movie. Charles Schultz's beloved comic strip takes its first crack at CGI on the big screen during the 2015 Holiday season and the inner kid in yours truly can not wait. Check out the latest trailer releases by FOX Family Entertainment.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a a sturdy dog house to fight the Red Baron—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Peanuts will be released in theaters November 6, 2015.
Directed by: Steve Martino
Written by: Bryan Schulz, Charles M. Schulz (comic strip), Craig Schulz, and Cornelius Uliano
Starring: Noah Schnapp (Charlie Brown), Bill Melendez (Snoopy / Woodstock), Mariel Sheets (Sally Brown), Venus Schultheis (Peppermint Patty), Noah Johnston (Schroeder), Hadley Belle Miller (Lucy van Pelt), Madisyn Shipman (Violet Gray), A.J. Tecce (Pig-Pen), Alexander Garfin (Linus), Rebecca Bloom (Marcie) and Francesca Capaldi (Little Red-Haired Girl)
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular Nation! Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is back and kicking a little Westros and Estros behind! Winter is coming bitches! When you read that sentence you clearly need to drag out the word bitches. Any who, moving on!
Today yours truly is bringing you a Dacetacular view—whether that is a good thing or bad thing you decided—on Telltale's latest venture. Now if you've played the previous Telltale Games, A Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead, you pretty much know you're in to make some tough decisions that will impact the rest of your game play. This writer's opinion is that there is never enough time to make a decision and I always regret the one I make!
Telltale has finally made their way to the George R.R. Martin universe and gives us a look into some other Houses within The Game of Thrones universe. Now I'm not the biggest Game of Thrones fan—if you want the biggest fans you should check out the Sand & Snow Podcast here on Fanboys Anonymous—but I thoroughly enjoy the show and the lure. To actually jump into the show via video game and make decisions for characters, it really pulls you back a bit after spending four seasons yelling at your television, "Why did you do that?"
With most Telltale video games, I prefer to wait until all episodes are released because they always leave you on cliff hangers and itching to play some more. They did not disappoint. It is exactly what they did in episode one. You play as three characters all tied to the House Forrester beginning at the events of The Red Wedding we all saw on the show. All three characters' main goal is to preserve the house after their Lord has fallen and their enemies look to pounce on them in their weakened state. The game is filled with "Holy shit" moments and lots of tough decisions as you try so hard to preserve Lord Forrester house and seemingly the last allies of the Stark family.
The game is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of Game of Thrones, and it does not disappoint if you're a fan of Telltale's line of work. I recommend it with five Dacetacular stars out of five, if that's a thing, but would recommend waiting until all episodes are out because I really hate cliffhangers.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a thinking cap because you got some tough decisions to make—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
The Uncanny X-Men Annual was a great story, as we followed the adventure of the young time-displaced X-Man Eva Bell. The art from Andrea Sorretino and Marcelo Maiolo was fantastic. We were tempted, by the end, with a delicious cliffhanger ending, to be picked up in writer Brian Michael Bendis' other X-Men flagship title.
When we left the trail of Eva Bell, the young mutant had just landed in prehistoric times, a charging triceratops bearing down on her. Eva had traversed multiple time periods, established a young family in the future and witnessed the demise of her mentor, the Sorcerer Supreme Ilyana Rasputin. Bendis continues the journey in the All-New X-Men Annual.
Bendis makes his readers feel the emotional weight of Eva's personal anguish as she attempts to find her family in the year 2099. An early surprise in this issue is the appearance of Morgana Le Fey, who had been banished to the prehistory during the Dark Reign storyline from Marvel. Le Fey tries to manipulate Eva to help both of them escape the past.
Following Eva's escape through a picturesque time-scape, she winds up back in 2099, yet due to the butterfly effect and an accessible explanation about the impact of time travel from a new Sorceror Supreme, it is a different one from the time passage she left. It is during this passage that Bendis shows wider audiences just how broken the time spectrum is for Marvel, which could be a speculative lead in to upcoming events in the Marvel calendar this year.
Eva Bell jumps back to prehistoric times
Carefully reading between the lines, a clue is deposited here for the earnest observer. Bendis explains that by Eva traveling back and forth through time, her family does not now exist; the effect of time travel negated her previous time spent in 2099. If this is extrapolated to other Marvel characters and storylines, e.g., the original X-Men in the regular All-New X-Men series, it is possible that at some point their adventures may be held up to the same butterfly effect and consequences by Marvel. It will be interesting to see how this plays into the Secret Wars event later this year.
Sorrentino's art is just as good as it was in the previous part of this story. As with most Bendis-written stories, there is a lot of panel work, but this is pulled off superbly by Sorrentino. The panel arrangements are mostly conventional, but mixed up every 4–5 pages by some some original Sorrentino flair. There is a great feel and tone emanating from the artwork, brought to life by the colors of Maiolo. The dreary future in dark yellow and brown hues is a nice contrast to the prehistoric greens. Of special mention for both artists are the double-page spreads of Eva's epic time travel journey back to the year 2099 and the butterfly effect explanation pages. These both have a lot of time and effort in the spreads and are truly magnificent to take in, each requiring some extra time to appreciate the extent of the art involved.
Eva Bell traverses time
The collaboration across both X-Men annuals for the artists mentioned above has been a great way to cap off 2014 for the X-Men series. The story of Eva Bell has a certain satisfaction to filling in the missing parts regarding her role in Uncanny X-Men. This had been played up by both Marvel and Bendis to build up to the release of these annuals and has been pulled off well. This is largely due to the artistic talents of Sorrentino and Maiolo.
While this may have ticked the boxes for us, let us know what you think about the All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men annuals. What do you think of the art? Did the story live up to your expectations? Leave your thoughts below or post a comment on Facebook or Twitter.
Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Saturday, January 3, 2015
Magneto 13 cover
by Dan Panosian
The "Protector of Mutantkind" is looking to the future on Genosha.
AXIS has come and gone, but the effects will be felt for some time with Magneto. Writer Cullen Bunn is back to his psychological best with Magneto #13.
Anyone coming to this issue or series expecting a rambunctious adventure about mutants will be sorely disappointed. This is not that sort of comic. It is a thriller, taking its time to build suspense and story, both of which Bunn has shown adept skill with in this series so far.
With this issue we delve more into the character of Briar Raleigh, in fact, Magneto is really only seen in the closing pages. Yet his presence is felt everywhere in the story. For a man such as Magneto, his reputation breeds mystery, intrigue, and despair. Above all else, the master of magnetism induces fear of what could be done, should he wish to unleash his vengeance. It is this threat that is the underlying glue of the issue.
It is great to see Bunn shift the focus to Raleigh in this issue; readers were anticipating seeing more on her relationship with Magneto prior to the events of the previous AXIS tie-in issues. We get to see some of Raleigh's motivations and history in issue #13. The slow, methodical pace set by Bunn here is superbly enhanced by the art of Javier Fernandez (pencils and inks) and Dan Brown (colors).
Magneto during a flashback
Feel Magneto's self-righteous indignation
Fernandez's approach to storytelling in his art is a great match for the feel Bunn is effecting on readers in Magneto. The choice of shots to string out the back and forth narrative between Briar and Henry during the exchange in the underground mutant memorabilia market illustrates this. The seediness of the setting is given a gritty tone by Brown, who also plays up well the fake personas of the Magneto groupies in Magneto #13 by giving them a contrasting color arrangement in candy pink. Brown does well with the variety of scenes drawn, using contrasting color palettes throughout the story. This is carried over with the variances on each flashback to distinguish the different characters' memories being retold.
The artistic team continues to set a great standard in this series. With a few more series coming to an end in the Marvel library, it is great to see this one continue. The uniqueness of a comic like Magneto needs to be celebrated more than the industry media has allowed for so far. It is time to trumpet this series and send home a message that this type of book is worth the effort and difference.
What do you think about Magneto #13, Fanboys and Fangirls? What about the series as a whole? Do you love the approach and feel? Make sure you leave your thoughts below and continue to pick up this little gem.
As 2014 came to an end, so did many well-loved shows. The finale of a show can sometimes be heartbreaking, especially if you are emotionally invested in the characters. Sometimes the writers give the fans what they want, but many times they, such as in the case of the Dexter finale, do whatever they want. I tried my best to leave our major spoilers for those of you who have not seen the endings, but be aware that there are some spoilers.
Being Human
Modeled after the UK version, this supernatural Syfy show lasted only four seasons. The cancellation came as a shock for many fans that'd been waiting patiently for Sally to find "her door" and for Josh to accept his curse. The show followed two best friends, Aiden (a vampire) and Josh (a werewolf), as they move into a house haunted by a ghost named Sally. Throw in a little bit of vampire monarchy, rogue wolves, and witchcraft, and you have one of the most unique supernatural shows ever written. Hands down, this show takes first place for being the best series finale ever written. In all, I was satisfied with the end game. I didn't throw any objects at my TV or mope around in my pajamas for a week. Everyone ended up with the right people and all the loose story lines were tied up.
How I Met Your Mother
This show continued well past its expiration date, and while I trailed off for the final few seasons, I tuned in for the finale in hopes that I would finally get to see who the mother was. As that last scene played on my TV, I threw my hands up in the air and screamed in frustration. I waited all these years and rooted for certain couples, only to never to meet the mother? While I won't give away any major spoilers, we can conclude that it was one of the worst endings to a show I've ever watched.
Star-Crossed
I know, I know. I had to have been one of the only people who watched this show, but I really enjoyed this short-lived CW series. It was a science-fiction version of Romeo and Juliet that was both heartbreaking and enjoyable. The only annoying thing about this show was the fact that the finale held too many cliffhangers, and fans will never find out what happened after that massive explosion. It's like Firefly all over again. Who lived? Who died? Guess we will never know.
True Blood
Many people say not to compare books to their TV counterpart, but fans couldn't help but complain about this unsatisfying ending. While the Sookie and Eric romance became a big part of the novel series, we never got to see this play out on the small screen. Instead, we see Sookie hook up with every male on the show except her brother, thank God! The last season was filled with untimely deaths, twisted storylines, and crazy hookups. Just like the book, the ending fell short and had me stomping around like a crazed woman for days.
Warehouse 13
To me, this show was perfection. We had funny characters with super sleuth story lines, and after following the government agents around for 5 years, it was sad to see them go. The last season wrapped up too quickly, and we could tell they weren't expecting a cancellation. We never got to fully explore new agent Steve Jinx. Even the romance between main characters Pete and Myka took a backseat to Claudia finally becoming the warehouse caretaker. While the vibe of the show ended on a good note, fans had to use their imagination to really figure out what happened.
There were many other shows that ended in 2014 that I don't watch but that I know fans were sad to see go, such as Sons of Anarchy and The Legend of Korra. What shows were you sad to see end? Do you think any of these shows should have been renewed? Please leave a comment and let us know.
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 80 of The Dace Man Show with host Chris "The Dace Man" Dace as he and his friends ring in 2015!
Happy New Year to all the Dacetacular listeners out there in our Fanboys Nation! Chris "The Dace Man" Dace along with his co-hosts ring in the New Year with friends and family! Join them as they partake in one of the rowdiest episodes of the year, we promise episode 81 will bring the return of sanity or the usual amount of insanity they bring.
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Download The Graduate by our friend Mike Neuse FREE by clicking the picture below!
-0.jpg "Men of Wrath #4 cover by Ron Garney and Matt Milla")
-1.jpg "Men of Wrath #4 interior art by Garney and Milla")
-2.jpg "Men of Wrath #4 interior art by Garney and Milla")
