Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Wednesday, March 25, 2015
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All-New X-Men #38 cover
by Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo |
"The Black Vortex" (part 4)
As we pick up the story from the last issue, things were progressing, albeit slowly, among the vast cast of characters involved in this sprawling crossover event. It needed a slight injection, a little top up, to boost the reading experience.
Bam!
Prepare to be dazzled as this chapter, in All-New X-Men, delivers just what this story needed.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis hits his stride here, providing a much better experience than his first part of the crossover in Guardians of the Galaxy #24. This is superbly enhanced by the art in the issue, but some more on that in a bit. Bendis makes way for his artistic compatriots in this issue with good reason; their art needs to tell the story much more than his usual dialogue-heavy scripts can do. Don't get me wrong: the presence of Bendis's wit still shines through, and the rapport between characters has been restored, most notably Kitty Pryde and Peter Quill, but the focus isn't as much as what is spoken as what is seen.
Sorrentino's and Maiolo's space... ...is beautiful to behold
The art combination of Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo is utterly breathtaking. I realize this is a comic book, but the art inside this issue was so very good, I struggled not to rip the pages out and hang them on my wall. Having been stunned by the work of Sorrentino on the All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men annuals late last year, it was so pleasing to see him back in an X-book again. The panels are spot-on for pacing; we are sped through the story, gripped by the panel to panel and page to page transitions. Bendis and Sorrentino are both at the top of their game with this issue.
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| Beast, Gamora and Angel cosmically enhanced by The Black Vortex |
The tone and emotions invoked from the colors by Maiolo are mesmerizing. They work in concert with Sorrentino's pencils to produce a reading experience that is cosmic in scope and epic in nature. A great example of this comes from the first few panels featuring Storm. Sorrentino's depiction of an utterly barren, ravaged landscape on the Moon of Spartax is mirrored on Storm's face. This is then given a new level as Maiolo brings out the sense of Storm almost crying on the last panel of the page. All this on a page that contains 10 words, nearly half of which are just a location caption.
I cannot do justice to the actual imagery on the page; hopefully you get the sense of what these meager words can convey. If not, go and get the issue; it is fabulous to read.
We really want to hear what did you think of this issue? Did it change "The Black Vortex" for you? Does it meet your expectations of the talent on board for it? Tell us below or head over to the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment. Make sure you come back for the next part of the event with All-New X-Men #39.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Saturday, March 21, 2015
On episode 17 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about the Star Wars franchise spinoffs that will be coming up and our ideas about how Disney can take the series in different directions.
Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Sam Lascio, Shaun Walker, Josephh Stahlman, Calen Bruce, and Mike Paden.
Some topics we address:
- Rogue One
- Knights of the Old Republic
- Filling in the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope
- Star Wars television show ideas like American Pickers
- and more!
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
Guest Writer
- Friday, March 20, 2015
The internet is arguably the one thing to ever be created that has ultimately revolutionized the way we live, interact and communicate with one another in day to day life.
Since its inception back in 1962 as a humble data sharing network, the internet has flourished into this all-encompassing thing that spans all sorts of fields and genres. It's perhaps the single greatest invention since our caveman ancestors chiseled a large stone into a circle and stuck it to a wagon.
To commemorate how far the digital age has come here's a brief bit of history of the internet:
The Origin of the Internet
As mentioned above, the internet was initially established in America back in the '60s as a form of sharing information through data packets across a secure network. It was initially used by university professors to stay in contact with one another or share information.
From there it moved to big businesses that also used it for sharing information before it was adopted by the Department of Defense and then distributed to the national public. It was given to the public in 1983 through a system that created a new communications protocol called Transfer Control Protocol or Internetwork Protocol, TCP and IP for those who might be a bit lost.
Example – http://www.nethistory.info/History%20of%20the%20Internet/origins.html
The Creation of Search Engines
Although it initially appeared in the 60's the first search engine didn't appear until 1993, a full 30 years after the conception of a sharing network. The first search engine was MOSAIC, which later became Netscape and this was incredibly popular with early users of the internet.
Unfortunately it's not around anymore as the search engine market has been dominated by the likes of Mozilla and Google over the last couple of years as the commercialization of the internet really took off.
Example – http://www.searchenginehistory.com/
The Appearance of Custom Sites
The 90's was where the internet really took off, moving into a digital age we saw the creation of custom websites from 1995 onwards that provided users with all sorts of things. These new sites like AuctionWeb (later rebranded into eBay) allowed us to order items online or even game on gambling or other flash based sites.
In 1996 Hotmail appeared and provided this new generation of users with personalized email accounts they could access anywhere and anytime they liked. It was a development that reportedly landed Microsoft $400 million.
Example - pgbingo.com/new-bingo-sites-2015
The Move into Social Media
Moving into the early 2000s the internet began to expand into social media and how we interacted with one another. No longer did we have to phone or email our friends, we could instant message them or show them our holiday photos all online on specialized sites like Facebook and Myspace.
Example – http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/
The Current Internet
Fast forward to present day and you can see how far the internet has come in such a short space of time. What was once a system that was purely used for sharing data on a network has grown to encompass almost every facet of our life.
Thanks to improvements in the technology we can enjoy faster connections to download and upload large amounts of data. We can even connect to the internet without having to be directly plugged into a phone line or router since it's all wireless now.
There's also a whole new platform to browse the internet with since mobile and tablet technology has come along in leaps and bounds.
Example- http://www.gamesradar.com/best-android-games/
The internet has single-handedly improved our lives for the better as it's lead to the creation of better technology, a wider platform to communicate with each other on and a general improvement to our day to day lives.
With new technology constantly improving the way we surf this digital sea it's certainly going to be very exciting to see what the future holds for the internet and how we will interact with it.
Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Thursday, March 19, 2015
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| Ant-Man #3 cover by Mark Brooks |
Smart, witty, sutble, Ant-Man is bringing new life to this classic character.
The series continues to be a serenely humorous story, with some real laugh-out-loud moments from writer Nick Spencer. I couldn't help but smile as I read this issue. In a recent interview, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Alexo Alonso called Ant-Man a dramedy, highlighting it as among a new wave of comics that take serious superhero stories from a new or different lighthearted approach and are reaching audiences through this unique style.
The strong family related motives of Scott Lang continue to help center the story and plot, giving readers a reason to care about the central characters. Spencer weaves his magic as he strives to convince us of the relevance of Ant-Man. In achieving this, Spencer is practically stating that the characters and this book are central to the B-List underdog roster that Marvel is peddling as their hip and new dynamically diverse universe. Don't take this for an understatement; this approach matters and is proving successful.
Spencer is exceptional at story setup and closure. With each issue, and especially apparent in this one, he introduces readers to the story's subplot at the outset and brings it back to the fore in the close. While the main plot is a rollicking fun read, the seeds for an ongoing story and a hook to the next issue have been well planted. This continuity will help pull audiences back time and again to Ant-Man.
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| A cross purposes set-up, this could get messy... |
Taking a road less traveled, Spencer make his antagonists very chummy in terms of their relationship with the central character. We have yet to see a real villain rise to challenge Lang, but this might not be too far away. In this fashion it is great to see characters like Grizzly and Taskmaster really take a new lease on life in the Marvel experience.
With Spencer returning to the core tenants of humor and family for Scott Lang, the consistency of writing helps Ant-Man stake a claim for any willing pull list. A worthwhile read at any point, this issue was a highlight because of the witticisms between Lang and his "arch-enemy" Taskmaster. The quick rapport between the villain and hero was classic and simply a joy to read, matched by the supreme artistic talents of Ramon Rosanas and Jordan Boyd.
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| A deal hard to refuse... |
Rosanas showcases a clean style, ensuring the pencils with a consistent ink line that brings everything to the fore on the pages. The approach isn't in-your-face exploding art but matches Spencer's story beats well. On top of this, Boyd's colors are flexible enough to set the tone and feel with what that art depicts in each panel.
To maximize the sense of space, both on the page and in the issue, the creative team uses a well tried and tested convention of comics and motion. The panel-to-panel transition for action scenes skips steps to speed the story along, sometimes showing awkward character poses, but making the reading experience more efficient. To offset this the choice of angle or shot by the artists ensures a dynamic pace is achieved without forgoing the overall feel of the story.
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| New city, new start, new boss... |
So Fan-person, if you want a sit down, laugh-your-socks-off, modern and self deprecating comic, look no further than Ant-Man. This is a great start to the series and well worth picking up now; it's only three issues in. We will see how "Secret Wars" affects the flow of the series, but get in now while the going is good. Then come right back here and and tell us what you thought of the book, by leaving a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter and make sure you come back next time for the next installment of Ant-Man.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Nearly seven years since it's inception , The staff at Parks and Recreation are finally saying goodbye to America. Join Chris "The Dace Man" Dace and his sister Randi Dace as they discuss seven season of NBC's hit show Parks and Recreation!
The series stars Nick Offerman, Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt and on Tuesday February 24th they signed off for one final time. With a long list of cameos and plots they all had to over come the crew had one final show, showcasing what would happen to the gang after the final goodby was said. Join Randi and Chris as they discuss the final episode and the entire series here!
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 so you can treat yo self!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Fanboys Anonymous
With sale figures recently showing that the PS4 is selling faster than the PS2, the best-selling console of all time, we decided to dust off the old PlayStation and once again stick a lead into the back of the television.
The PS2 kept us entertained for hours. Never before, and perhaps never again, will we see a console of this magnitude. It changed everything. It created gamers and it created life-long memories.
We fished out some old games to let rip on. And, believe it or not, they still satisfy.
Star Wars: Battlefront II - 2005
It is only fitting to replay Star Wars: Battlefront II right now. This year sees the new Star Wars movie arrive at cinemas and a third installment of Battlefront will be available for our next generation consoles.
For those unfamiliar with Battlefront, the main goal of most of the missions is to destroy the enemy faction in both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil Ears. You can fight as a Wookie or Bothan Spy for the Rebellion, The Officer and The Dark Trooper for the Empire, the Commander and Jet Trooper for the Republic, or the Magnaguard and the Droideka of the CIS. You can also unlock iconic characters, such as Yoda, throughout the game.
The campaign mode, Rise of the Empire, sees you play a veteran of the 501st Legion, colloquially known as Vader’s First. With 18 missions spread out from the Clone Wars to the destruction of Hoth, it is a pleasantly extensive campaign mode.
This is very much a game with something to offer. The enjoyment of playing the game certainly counter balances the outdated graphics.
Frankie Dettori Racing - 2006
Racing games seemed to enjoy a far larger market share back on the PlayStation 2. Gran Turismo 3 was the racing games of all racing games. However, we are not going to talk about it as it is an accepted classic and the franchise lives on today.
Instead, we have gone to the world of horse racing, where we play Frankie Dettori Racing.
Right off the bat we have a critique, albeit an unfair critique as there is nothing the game can do about it. Dettori is a jockey who races on the flat and therefore does not partake in jump racing, which you can’t help but feel would be a more entertaining game. Imagine the thrill of racing in the Grand National. Millions of people bet on the Grand National in the UK, for example, each year and so there would be a target market. But despite that slight fall-back Frankie Dettori Racing still suffices.
The movement of the horses may seem a little robotic but there is a certain sense of excitement that is devoid in racing games. You have to manage this horse all the way round. You need use a strategy to ensure that you do not burn your horse out, lose too much ground or miss out on drafting opportunities. Playing a racing game like this does require a different skill set to the racing norms.
The Getaway - 2002
At one time, Grand Theft Auto had a gritty London rival. When The Getaway burst onto the scene back in 2002 we were all extremely impressed by the storyline and the graphics.
Going back on it after playing GTA V is certainly a weird experience, but you still have a certain appreciation for the licensed cars and the recognisable London backdrop.
The driving is extremely erratic, far worse than that of any of the early Grand Theft Auto games, but the story mode is awesome. The storyline can hold its own against that of many games today. The Getaway’s cut scenes did more for the video game world than those in GTA III.
However, it is not all peaches for the game. The gameplay can be a little shallow at times while the overall length of the game is criminally short.
Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Saturday, March 14, 2015
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| Howard The Duck #1 cover by Joe Quinones |
Howard the Duck—once the considered a nasty ripoff of Disney-owned properties, now ironically has come full circle as the feisty feathered feature of a comic book series of his own.
At the helm is Chip Zdarksy, the other half of the duo that brought you the amazing Sex Criminals, who now takes writing duties. On art is the talent of Joe Quinones with colors by Rico Renzi.
This is a good start to a book that looks like it could pull in some decent numbers with the first issue. With the hype surrounding the end credit scenes of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Howard was fast-tracked back to the printed medium and under the careful guidance of this creative team, makes an audacious start.
The script is punctuated with some quick wit and the humor has a modern sarcastic approach, which fits right in with Zdarsky's personality. An earnest attempt has been made to give Howard a real voice of his own again, a sense of something different that could mature over the next few coming issues.
For a first issue in an ongoing series, Howard the Duck #1 settles in very quickly to a comfortable rhythm. We are introduced to the titular character and his supporting cast member Tara as they are being released from the local police station. As the story progresses, Howard's private investigation practice becomes the center for an unfolding missing persons/lost heirloom case. There are a couple of great cameo appearances from some wider New York–based Marvel superheroes during the course of the issue.
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| Howard's on the case... |
Zdarsky doesn't waste time setting up for issue #2, which promises more even cameos from popular characters. A complementary sense of pace and storytelling ability come through in the art from Joe Quinones. The creators work in tandem to move us through Howard's world, one "Waugh" at a time.
Quinones art gives Howard the Duck a distinctness all its own. The clean, unfettered line and inking style provides an ease of access for readers that seems necessary for new readers who want to be drawn into the story. The experience Quinones brings from his time in the industry lends itself well in this venture. The choice of angles for panels and their arrangements shows a good grasp of craft that plays well for pacing and the progression of the story generally.
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| Its the Amazing Duck!? |
Joining the artistic team, colorist Rico Renzi brings a sense of mood and dramatic flair that feels in tune with the intent of the story and art. Renzi seems to be making a quick splash with recent work at Marvel, as he is also colorist for the recently launched Spider-Gwen series.
Like Quinones, Renzi employs a very clear sense of direction with his color arrangement for this series. There is a nice subtlety to the backgrounds, yet the changing settings from cosmic to earthly realms lets Renzi expand the range on display. The stand-out page for colors is definitely the montage page, where Renzi drops a bomb of color to match Zdarsky's script.
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| Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Duck |
It will be interesting to see what is in store for Howard in the coming issues. With "Secret Wars" on the horizon, how will this series fit into the wider Marvel-wide event? For now Howard is back with a quack and fitting into the swing of things.
As always, we want to hear what you thought about this issue. Make sure you leave a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter and come back next time for issue two of Howard the Duck.
