After months of radio silence, The Pokémon Company's once again dropping all the hottest news in their annual press conference. Between this and the upcoming Sword & Shield Direct next week, it's just in time to drum up hype for E3 season. As of this writing, the press conference isn't on Pokémon's YouTube channel, so here's a link to the Twitch VOD: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/431350217 Let's go through each of the announcements:
In terms of games, they revealed some pretty interesting stuff, though they're all clearly in very early stages of development. The highlights for me are definitely Pokémon Home (because that means I can transfer my Pokémon from my high school days to my Switch) and Pokémon Sleep (which just seems like one of those "so crazy, it just might work" off-the-wall ideas). Sadly, there weren't any groundbreaking spinoff announcements for the Switch (other than Detective Pikachu 2), and I wish Pokémon could ease off the mobile stuff to give us shit like a new Pokémon Ranger or whatever.
Once again, I'm excited for the future of Pokémon, but right now, most of that excitement is because of the upcoming Sword & Shield Direct. This press conference was fine, but it's only the appetizer. Look forward to my blog post on the Direct next week. - end -
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Dark Phoenix premieres next week, and while very few people seem to care at this point, I'm still cautiously optimistic that the almost 20-year legacy of the X-Men movie franchise will end with a bang. With that in mind, my reads for this week are of the more mutant persuasion. THE THEME: I picked out five X-Men comics from across its more than 50 years of existence. Though you won't get many of the big story arcs in my selection (stuff like Days of Future Past, etc.), I'd like to think the titles I picked have some historical significance to the X-Men franchise regardless. Fun fact: the theme title "X-Men: Legacy" was a title the series once went by. None of them are featured today, unfortunately. THE COMICS: ![]() ASTONISHING X-MEN (2004–2013) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Joss Whedon Artist: John Cassaday - Astonishing X-Men was the X-Men comic of the 2000s, and while many writers have contributed to the series, it is Whedon's run that is most remembered fondly. This issue is the beginning of the critically acclaimed "Gifted" arc, where the mutant cure is introduced (a plot then used as the basis of X-Men: The Last Stand, which I don't want to talk about), and Cyclops puts together a new team of X-Men. - Comixology link ![]() GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Len Wein Artist: Dave Cockrum - After several years of X-Men comics with (mostly) the same core team (more on that in the next entry), this comic came around in 1975 and shook things up with an all-new, much more diverse team of mutants (many of which are now household names, including Wolverine, who was the breakout star of the team). This issue saw Professor X put together this new team in order to rescue the old team, and with that, helped usher in a golden age of X-Men (brought upon by the legendary Chris Claremont). - Comixology link ![]() THE X-MEN (1963–2011) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Stan Lee Artist: Jack Kirby - This is the one that started it all. The original five (Cyclops, pre-hairy Beast, shitty snowball Iceman, Angel, and Jean Grey, known then as Marvel Girl) are called upon by Professor X to take out Magneto. Compared to the stories that follow, this first issue isn't much, but the legacy had to start somewhere. - Comixology link ![]() UNCANNY X-MEN (1963–2011) #281 Publisher: Marvel Writer: John Byrne Artist: Whilce Portacio - Here's some '90s X-Men for ya. In this one, the team of Jean Grey, Storm, Iceman, and Colossus begrudgingly team with the Hellfire Club (led by Emma Frost) to take down a larger threat. Features a lot of Sentinels. - Comixology link ![]() X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Frank Cho - This comic came around right at the 50th anniversary of the X-Men. It features the original team from the '60s, who time traveled to the present, while the current X-Men are divided into two factions: one led by Cyclops, and the other by Wolverine. Like most time travel stories, there's a temporal twist that comes around to bite everyone in the ass. - Comixology link If we count Deadpool and the solo Wolverine movies, there are 11 X-Men movies. Counting Dark Phoenix and the recently cancelled TV show The Gifted (which had two seasons), that's a lot of mutant stories to go around. I assure you, however, that when it comes to the comics, the adaptations barely scratch the surface. Go explore on your own and find out just how deep the well goes. Spoilers for next week: the next Five Comics entry will also be X-Men related. Barring any interruptions, expect that to go up on the usual Monday. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
SteamWorld Quest came out a little over a month ago, but before I even consider buying that, I have one more stop in the SteamWorld series. BACKGROUND:
After hearing a lot about the games, but never buying them on the 3DS, I bought SteamWorld Dig 1 and 2 last year for my Switch during a sale, and I ended up enjoying both games immensely. Since I beat those games before this blog came into existence, I feel like I have to preface this with a short review. SteamWorld Dig 1 and 2 are Metroidvania games with a bit of Minecraft mixed in, where the usual Metroidvania tropes (traversal upgrades, large maps, backtracking) are paired seamlessly with the ore collecting aspect of Minecraft. Both these elements are complemented by the ability to sell your haul to obtain money, which allows you to buy upgrades, which then allows you to open up more of the world and find more shit to dig up and sell. It's a very satisfying gameplay loop. Even after finding out that SteamWorld Heist is nothing like the previous games, the little gameplay I did see of it was still interesting enough to me. It took me over a year later, but I finally got around to picking up the game on another sale. PLOT: The events of SteamWorld Heist occur several years after SteamWorld Dig 2 (probably centuries after, if not more). The steambots (the main beings in the SteamWorld universe) are now a spacefaring race, traveling across the stars collecting water in order to survive. You step in the shoes of Captain Piper Faraday, the leader of a ragtag team of mercenaries struggling to survive in the cosmos. Throughout the game, you take control of her team as they face off against the many villainous elements terrorizing the steambots, like the vicious Scrappers (i.e. space pirates), the tyrannical Royal Space Force, and a mysterious alien entity known as Vectron. It's not the most engaging story ("ragtag team in space coming together against bigger threat" isn't exactly breaking new ground in the screenplay department), but the game makes up for it with a cast of quirky and eccentric characters. Everyone from your party members to NPCs has some charm to them, and their dialogue helps make an otherwise basic story feel more interesting. PRESENTATION: SteamWorld Heist is a nice-looking game with clean visuals, but if you've played SteamWorld Dig 2, the art style won't stand out to you all that much. That said, the steampunk/space opera vibe is a distinct and charming aesthetic, and is a little more exciting than the steampunk/Wild West hybrid of the previous games (not that it was bad; I'm just not big on Westerns). Of all the games in the series (barring Quest, which I haven't played yet), Heist probably has the best music out of the bunch. The highlights are by far all the vocal tracks, which you hear at the bars you can visit throughout the game's world. The few cutscenes in the game are great, and have this old-timey voiceover work paired with "vintage" stills in sepia tone. It lends itself well to the overall steampunk aesthetic the game is going for. GAMEPLAY: SteamWorld Heist is a cross between a turn-based strategy game and a side-scrolling platformer. You control a party of 1-4 members (the number varies depending on the mission) on a 2D plane, where each member can move a certain number of spaces/perform a certain number of actions. Actions range from regular movement, sprinting (which allows you to move farther at the cost of performing any additional action), attacking with your equipped weapon, and other auxiliary actions you can acquire later in the game. Managing your actions legitimately spells the difference between success and failure; for example, if you stay in one spot when you should have moved, that might cost you a party member. Attacking involves manually aiming your gun at enemies and pressing fire. Aiming at certain body parts can cause various effects (going for headshots increases critical chance, going for the legs can paralyze enemies). Depending on the weapon type, you can even ricochet bullets against walls or ceilings to get awesome trick shots. If you've ever played a Worms game, this is pretty much that, but in a more closed environment. And just like in Worms, making seemingly impossible shots/kills possible is the most fun to be had in this game. If you're next to an enemy, you can perform a melee attack. This is not great, because barring any stat modifiers, the melee attack is probably your weakest attack. What's worse is that if you're next to an enemy, you can only attack with melee (i.e. you can't switch to your weapon), which can really limit your options if you're in a bind. It's an additional variable I had to consider when positioning my party members. Speaking of weapon types, you have a good variety to choose from. You have regular handguns, sharpshooters (which have laser sights that allow you to aim more accurately), assault weapons (shotguns and SMGs), and heavy weapons (grenade launchers, RPGs, piercing laser weapons). Some have special properties or buffs, so it's not a bad idea to experiment with your loadouts. Your party is composed of a rather diverse roster, each with their own set of character-specific abilities (e.g. damage buffs, unique actions, and other passives), which they acquire as they level up. They also have character classes, which dictate what weapon types you can equip them with. As with weapons, it's best to mix and match party members depending on the mission. It's also a good idea when it comes to levelling up your characters, as only characters who participate in a given mission earn XP upon completion. In addition to weapons, you can equip your party members with two utilities. Utilities range from items that add stats (more health, more movement, higher critical hit), add unique passive abilities (a high jump that grants access to unreachable terrain, a chance to dodge melee attacks), or add new actions you can perform in a turn (a grenade attack, the ability to heal). In particular, healing is a must, because few characters have their own healing actions, and it's very easy to take unnecessary damage in a mission. Missions are spread out in a Mario 3-esque map of the cosmos, where you move the ship around to select missions. There's a good variety of mission types (kill everything, reach the goal, grab the items, etc.), and a lot of the map layouts are procedurally generated, so it'll take a while before things start feeling repetitive. There's also a good variety of enemies for you to kill, and as you progress through the game, the amount of enemies with annoying mechanics starts to increase. Couple that with all sorts of hazards (including, but not limited to an anxiety-inducing alarm mechanic that spawns countless reinforcements), and you're in for a challenging time. Completing missions also rewards you with Reputation, which is essentially another way of saying that missions have star ratings. Collecting these stars grant you access to new areas and allow you to acquire special items in shops. As somebody who perfected every map (even the ones that aren't required to beat the game), getting the perfect rating in every mission isn't all that worth it. Unless you pick one of the easier difficulties, failing a mission has some severe consequences, as you lose half your total currency in the process. Even aborting a mission is ill-advised, as you're forced to pay up if you do so. Quitting the game doesn't work, either, as the game autosaves very frequently. If you go into a mission, you better be prepared to lose. Even losing just one member of your party can screw you over. You lose out on Reputation and XP for every party member you lose, adding to the pressure of getting things just perfect. Each map has all sorts of elements to them. You've got doors (which can cost you a turn just opening), explosive barrels, cover you can hide behind, and more. Strewn about the map are collectible bags of "swag", which can have all sorts of goodies (currency, weapons, and utilities) in them once you beat the mission. Getting all the items is usually worth it, though depending on the mission, taking your time to collect everything can get your entire party killed. My biggest gripe about this game is its inventory system. You can only have so many items at a given time, and if you happen to collect more after beating a mission, you have to sell some of your shit to stay within the limit. Even when I buy extra inventory slots, I find myself having to sell shit after every mission anyway. It's a little annoying, as the game encourages you to collect as much shit in each mission as you can, only to have you sell half the shit you get at the end. It also discouraged me from buying shit at the shop. I wish they had just done away with this idea entirely. Oh, you can also get your party members to wear all sorts of hats. The hats don't do anything, but they look cool! Once you beat the game, you unlock New Game+, which is what it is. If you're wondering what sets the Ultimate Edition apart from the normal game, this edition comes with The Outsider DLC. This DLC features an all-new character (one with a significant connection to the previous games, and is probably the best character in the game), and a bunch of new missions that I didn't even realize was DLC, as they were seamlessly peppered throughout the game. VERDICT: Despite the issues I have with the inventory system and the punishment for failure/death, SteamWorld Heist is still an engaging strategy experience that has challenge, variety, and charm. While there is no reward for completing every mission, the fact that I went out of my way to perfect every single one regardless should speak to how much I enjoyed the game's combat. It's perfectly fine to play this without touching the previous SteamWorld games. Don't worry about lacking context for the story. You can buy SteamWorld Heist on Steam (heh) here, and the corresponding Outsider DLC here. Here's the game's soundtrack on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7Bv9cf8hkZgs0oJ69j0Pyz - end - If you were expecting my usual Monday upload, I apologize, but I wasn't feeling well enough that day to do anything. Allow me to make it up to you by showing you more comics that you can download and read for free! THE THEME: This is the continuation of a previous entry in this blog series where I talked about some FCBD 2019 comics. Well, here's some more. Remember that you can read these for yourself via the links I provided (disclaimer: you need a Comixology account to read them). THE COMICS: ![]() MINECRAFT/INCREDIBLES 2 (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Writers: Hope Larson (Minecraft), Cavan Scott (Incredibles 2) Artists: Meredith Gran (Minecraft), various artists from Kawaii Creative Studio (Incredibles 2) - This is Dark Horse's all-ages offering for FCBD 2019, so compared to their other FCBD comic (which I talked about previously), expect a more light-hearted affair with its two stories. The Minecraft story is an unrealistic scenario where a griefer (basically some asshole who busts into Minecraft servers and ruins your shit) feels bad for their actions. The Incredibles 2 comics is a wholesome family tale where the Parr kids try and keep villains from ruining their parents' date night. - FREE on Comixology ![]() SPIDER-MAN/VENOM (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Saladin Ahmed, Tom Taylor (Spider-Man), Donny Cates (Venom) Artists: Cort Smith (Spider-Man), Ryan Stegman (Venom) - Here's another FCBD 2019 double feature from Marvel. The first story sets up the big story for this year's Venom comic, which is the return of Carnage. The second story features Miles Morales and Peter Parker arguing about the best pizza in New York City (they also fight Shocker, but that's less important). - FREE on Comixology ![]() THE DARK AGE (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Red 5 Comics Writer: Don Handfield Artist: Leonard Rodrigues - Another dystopian offering from Red 5, but the premise is different. In this one, an inexplicable phenomenon causes all metals on Earth to turn to dust, and given the ubiquity of metal in the modern age, society falls apart. From the ashes rises a feudal system with knights, cannibals, and all sorts of violence (hence The Dark Age). I really like the premise, though I'm not sure how more unique one could make the setting. - FREE on Comixology ![]() DEADLY CLASS: KILLER SET (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Rick Remender Artist: Wes Craig - I've actually read a little bit of Deadly Class, so I'm familiar with its premise (a group of students training at a school that grooms assassins, all set in 1987). This comic is a one-shot featuring the main cast having a good time/having some philosophical musings in a rock concert. And yes, someone gets assassinated. If you're interested at all in the show based on this comic (which I haven't watched yet), this is a decent enough jumping-in point to help yourself get familiar. - FREE on Comixology ![]() OUR FAVORITE THING IS: MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Fantagraphics Books Writer: Emil Ferris Artist: Emil Ferris - I've also seen a little bit of Emil Ferris's My Favorite Thing is Monsters graphic novel. If you haven't, oh boy, you're in for a treat. In addition to a short story set in the My Favorite Thing is Monsters universe, this comic features an autobiography comic and a cute "how to draw monsters" comic originally published in a kids' magazine. All these feature Ferris's bizarre yet astounding ballpoint pen art and her off-kilter (in a good way) storytelling method. She's a fantastic artist, and I can't recommend this comic enough. - FREE on Comixology Like I said before, FCBD comics are one the best ways to discover new publishers, artists, and writers within the very diverse medium of comic books. I encourage you to take a chance with the unfamiliar-looking titles here (or in any of my previous entries to this series); who knows, maybe you'll find the comic for you? And if it doesn't work out, don't worry; I'll be more than happy to assist you with seeking comics that fit your preferences (if you ask nicely). PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
The NES Online update came a little late this month (it usually comes out on the second Wednesday), but nevertheless, we've got more games to look at! THE GAMES: ![]() CLU CLU LAND: - A peculiar game where you play as this balloonfish named Bubbles and swim in a maze to uncover gold bars (which then uncover a pattern in the maze when you collect them all), all while avoiding sea urchins. A little hard to control, but otherwise fun. ![]() DONKEY KONG JR. - The sequel to the acclaimed arcade hit Donkey Kong. Here, you play as the junior to free the original DK from the clutches of apparent animal abuser Mario (who is still known as Jumpman at this point). Very "of the time" when it comes to its controls (i.e. it controls like ass, though not as bad as the original Donkey Kong, and there's fall damage). Still good. ![]() VS. EXCITEBIKE - It's ExciteBike, except versus. That's not even a joke. It's got the original ExciteBike game, plus a two-player competitive mode (hence the "vs."), and a neat racetrack creator. Pretty solid enhanced version, all things considered. We also get one SP game this month: ![]() STAR SOLDIER SP - It's another one of those save states that drops you off further into the game (in this case, at the halfway point) with some power-ups. Nothing revolutionary when it comes to the current roster of SP games. Just when I thought they've run out of games to add, Nintendo pulls three more out of their ass. I genuinely don't know how long they can keep this going past E3. Unless they start throwing out third-party titles (which they won't), localize Japan-only releases (again, they won't; you'll have to grit your teeth and play it on Famicom Online), or release shit like Mother 1/Earthbound Beginnings (I hope so), I don't know what else is coming to this library that people can consider worthwhile. I mean, even the SP games aren't quite living up to their "special" moniker.
People have long since soured on this aspect of Switch Online's service, and as much as I love checking out these old games, the novelty is honestly starting to wear thin. I can only hope Nintendo has a surprise in store for us at E3 in this regard (GB/GBA emulator, please?). - end - A year ago, I went "fuck it" and started this blog. I thought I'd give up on it after a month or so (either because life would get in the way, or I run out of things to say), yet lo and behold, the blog still stands. I'm gonna try and write this retrospective without repeating points from the Six Months Later update post. Here goes.... I've managed to maintain my "one entry a week" promise from the very beginning to this very day somehow. I have been struggling to pick myself back up after a recent personal tragedy (it happened only a few weeks after I started the blog), and this has been my way of coaxing myself to get out of bed and do something on off days. Things are a bit better (though not by much), and I'd like to think that the sense of routine and normalcy this blog provided helped with that. Having a goal to strive for (even if that goal is something dumb like "ramble about Iron Man 3") may have kept me from completely shutting down. At first, I didn't know what the fuck to talk about, but as the months went on, I slowly found more and more shit to discuss at length. From the games I played, to the shit I watched, to the comics I've read, and even the Lego builds I've worked on.... I guess I underestimated myself. My set of interests is weird to most people, and having a place to talk about them was liberating. I really hope that between all the games/movies/shows/comics/books I've covered, there's at least one in there that piqued your interest. Even from the start, my goal has been to discuss the entertainment I consume in a positive (but still critical) light, in hopes that readers will check them out for themselves. In particular, I felt the need to exert greater effort when it comes to comics (which, while the characters are mainstream, is still a niche medium) and games (to encourage others to step out of their usual comfort zone in terms of game genre/get more eyes on indie-developed games), because I have a strong connection to these media. For stuff like movies, TV, and wrestling events, I wasn't too confident if I could discuss that stuff in a satisfactory manner, but I'd like to think I've gotten better at it over time. The big issue I have is properly summarizing the collection of "points of interest" (i.e. shit that I found notable about the show/movie) into something that vaguely resembles a coherent discussion. I'm not fucking Harper Lee/George Orwell/[other notable writer] or anything, so forgive me if there's a talking point I may have overlooked or I just word bad in general. This blog has made me doubly excited for certain games/movies/etc., because not only am I hyped to experience those things, I'm now also hyped to talk about them afterward. Expect more "Derryck [insert verb for consuming specific entertainment]" entries in the future, because I'm sure there'll be more games to play, books and comics to read, and movies/shows to watch. To those who check out my Lego builds on Instagram, I hope the blog posts on the history of some of my creations is interesting to read. Looking back on how certain build projects have evolved has been some of the most fun I've had writing for this blog, and has actually helped me push a few new build ideas forward. Making shit with Lego has been my lifelong passion, and I'm elated to have found a way to share that passion in a way that isn't just showing you pictures of builds. I've even managed to branch out in terms of blog content as time went on. From the Five Comics format (which is a delight to do on a almost-weekly basis), to a blow-by-blow coverage of a personal project in Project Monarch (which has been on hiatus, but it'll be back once I resupply on some materials), to the MCU Rewatch (a fun look back on what's arguably my favorite movie franchise, complete with comic recommendations), and even the rare but serious Mask of Truth series (when I'm in the mood to do one of those, I'm usually in a bad mood), I have found all sorts of ways to express myself. Again, it's a liberating feeling. I'm gonna try and think of more weird and wacky blog series to keep things fresh! In general, my mindset when writing these things (especially with the review-type entries) is to maintain a sense of positivity, without sacrificing criticism when necessary. The Internet's already full of cynical rage that subsists on conflict and is devoid of nuance (i.e. people act like everything operates in this unrealistic dichotomy of "this is the greatest thing ever and everything else is garbage by comparison" or "this is a radioactive dumpster fire that spreads malaria and kills babies"), and this blog has been an effort to move away from that. I'm not saying there's no room for picking things apart; rather, I'm saying that there's no need to be overly aggressive and adversarial about it, and that there's definitely more than enough room for more nuanced evaluations beyond "fantastic" or "dogshit terrible". Why can't something just be "eh, it's all right", you know? As much as possible, I also try to substantiate my stances or sentiments towards things. One of the things that frustrates me when reading people's takes on whatever-the-fuck is the lack of a proper explanation. It's always "here's a hot take", with no goddamn explanation on why they feel/think that way (or the "explanation" is half-assed, or it's based on something erroneous or idiotic). Plus, there's also plenty of incidents when something well-meaning is taken out of context. I do my best to make sure that I am as unambiguous as possible, that I provide a basis for my thoughts/feelings, and that my basis for feeling/thinking certain things is at the very least sensible, if not rational. I'm not the master of articulating my thoughts, however, so I may miss the mark on this aspect more often than I would like. Additionally, the way people talk online often has this sense of "I'm right, everyone else is wrong", or "you can't change my mind, fuck you" — basically, there's this holier-than-thou vibe, and I really hope that I don't give off that impression with my blog entries (or in general). Especially since a lot of my interests have their corresponding toxic fandoms, I worry that I may give off the impression that I'm like them. I try my damn best not to fall prey to the same shithead mentality or horrendous behavior that those vocal douchebags indulge in. I'm already my own brand of hate-driven, cynical, vitriolic asshole with a short fuse and a motor mouth, and this blog has been an attempt to be less... that. I know I won't always get it right (when do I ever get anything right, for that matter?), but I hope it's clear that I'm trying to break the mold, at least on here. Heaven knows I'm a work in progress across the board... Most of all, what amazes me a year on is you: the reader. At the start, I was pretty adamant that nobody was gonna read this shit. However, as the months passed, the website analytics for this blog consistently proved me otherwise. Sure, it's not Pewdiepie numbers (I assure you, it is substantially less), but what blows my goddamn mind is the consistency. Since about July of last year, there has been constant, nonzero daily page views for this blog, even on days when I haven't put out anything new. I genuinely cannot fathom the idea that people are interested in what I have to say (let alone interested in my thoughts on the most arbitrary set of things). In contrast, I get virtually zero reader engagement apart from views (I can count the times on one hand that someone personally and explicitly told me that they read my blog), which I feel a little ambivalent about. On one hand, I value (reasonable, not vitriolic) discussion and feedback, and I'm kind of interested to know what people like to see out of the blog, or what they feel/think about a specific blog post/ blog series. On the other, I quite enjoy the freedom this provides. I get to write at my leisure about the shit I want to talk about, and not what other people tell me to talk about. Nobody tells me to fuck off when they disagree even slightly, and no one gets upset at how bad I am at writing. That said, I still welcome your feedback, if you have any. You know where to leave it. Either way, even if you're just passing through, I appreciate you all the same. I know I talk about a lot of weird shit, and the fact that you're spending time better spent elsewhere reading my ramblings is a tremendous honor. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I'm not the most gregarious individual, and it feels great to break away from my usually reserved self (even if it's just in writing, and even if the conversation is one-sided). Anyway, that's enough reminiscing and melodrama for one blog entry. Here's to another year (maybe more?) of my incoherent babble!
- end - The latest trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home came out last week, and I wanted to celebrate that. Better late than never, right? THE THEME: Since the Far From Home trailer shows us that Mysterio is a good guy (allegedly) and will be teaming up with our favorite web-slinger, I thought it'd be cool to check out a few comics where Spider-Man teams up with other heroes. I went a little beyond the usual "dynamic duo", erm, dynamic, and decided to cover a few larger team-ups (barring stuff like Avengers). THE COMICS: ![]() AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS (2016–2018) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writers: Gerry Conway, Anthony Holden, Kate Leth Artists: Ryan Stegman, Anthony Holden, Marguerite Sauvage - Not only does Peter share married life (and a child) with MJ in this one, he shares the superheroics with his family. You get three stories for the price of one featuring this Spider-Family in this issue, each with varying tones and art styles. I love the third story's art a lot. - Comixology link ![]() MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972–1985) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Roy Thomas Artist: Ross Andru - Whereas DC had The Brave and The Bold for twofold heroic action, Marvel had, well, Marvel Team-Up (which almost always features Spider-Man as the main dude). Here, he teams up with FF's Human Torch to beat up Sandman. It's also set on Christmas for some reason. It's some fun, retro comic action with a wholesome twist at the end. - Comixology link ![]() SPIDER-GEDDON #1 Publisher: Marvel Writers: Christos Gage, Dan Slott Artist: Jorge Molina - Remember Spider-Verse? Well, hold onto your butts, because now you've got Spider-Geddon, the sequel to the blockbuster comic event. It's another massive Spidey crossover of epic proportions; so epic, in fact, that it features the Spider-Man from the PS4 game (he's not in this issue, but there he is on the cover)! - Comixology link ![]() SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL (2016—) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Joe Kelly Artist: Ed McGuinness - One of the most beloved Marvel team-ups ever is that of Spidey and Deadpool, and this series is dedicated to that duo. This first issue features the two in a wacky adventure where Deadpool and Spidey team up to take down Dormammu, then Hydro-Man. Deadpool, in his special, fucked up way, is trying to get Spidey to team up with him, but Spidey is not having it. This book also features a sneak peek at the 2016 Vision comic (the one where he lives in the suburbs with his family of synthezoids). - Comixology link ![]() SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL (2016—) #40 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Robbie Thompson Artist: Matt Horak - Spidey and Deadpool's adventures continue! In this issue, they try to make sure Master Matrix (a "young" Life Model Decoy) doesn't cause any more chaos. Mockingbird and her team are not happy about this, and are trying to bring down the LMD (who Spidey and Deadpool have become rather attached to). - Comixology link Spider-Man is pretty much Marvel's flagship hero, so it's no surprise to see him team up with other heroes over the decades. We may well see that come to life in Far From Home, but I'm convinced that Mysterio is a lying sack of shit. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
We may be almost a week removed from this year's Free Comic Book Day, but I'm far from done talking about it. Some of the FCBD 2019 titles have gone up on digital platforms, which means there's more reading for me to do! THE THEME: We've got a pretty straightforward one this time: all the comics here are FCBD 2019 titles. That means you, lucky reader, can download these and read them for yourself, free of charge! THE COMICS: ![]() AFTERBURN: MAYHEM IN MOSCOW Publisher: Red 5 Comics Writer: Scott Chitwood Artist: Rod Thornton - Years ago, half of the Earth was fried by a solar flare, leaving the Eastern Hemisphere a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Treasure hunters from the West make the dangerous journey to these barren lands to acquire forgotten riches. In this one, Jake and his team try to fight their way out of Moscow with the Fabergé Eggs. It's a neat spin on the ol' dystopia angle; I'm interested in reading more. - FREE on Comixology ![]() THE AVENGERS/SAVAGE AVENGERS (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Jason Aaron (Avengers), Gerry Duggan (Savage Avengers) Artists: Stefano Caselli (Avengers), Mike Deodato Jr. (Savage Avengers) - As the name suggests, this comic features two stories. One involves the Earth's Mightiest heroes (now featuring Blade) on separate missions, with the highlights being Iron Man stranded in time (and meeting the Avengers of 1000000 BC), and the Squadron Supreme of America (Marvel's Justice League parody) fighting against Namor. The second sows the seeds for the new Savage Avengers team to come together (a team that features Wolverine, Elektra, Punisher, Venom, Doctor Voodoo, and — get this — Conan the Barbarian). - FREE on Comixology ![]() STRANGER THINGS/BLACK HAMMER (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Writers: Jody Houser (Stranger Things), Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes (Black Hammer) Artists: Ibrahim Moustafa (Stranger Things), David Rubin (Black Hammer) - Another double-feature comic, this time from Dark Horse. The first is a Stranger Things story that I have little context on because I haven't watched the show, and the other story involves other heroes who have carried the name of Black Hammer (again, another thing I'm not familiar with). I must know more. - FREE on Comixology ![]() GHOST HOG (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Oni Press Writer: Joey Weiser Artist: Joey Weiser - Contains two stories featuring Truff (who is the titular character) going on supernatural, all-ages adventures with her friends. I really like the art, and the humor is solid. - FREE on Comixology ![]() STARBURNS PRESENTS (FCBD 2019) Publisher: Starburns Industries Press Writers: various Artists: various - A 40+ page collection of short stories from various talents, featuring the likes of: Nasquatch (a hilarious comic about a Sasquatch with a need for speed), Invasion from the Planet Wrestletopia (a comic suggested to me in the past due to my interest in pro wrestling, and one that I'm completely sold on now), Hellicious (which seems to be an interactive graphic novel), B-Squad (a completely bizarre riff on the A-Team), Gryffen (a sci-fi outing featuring a lot of swearing), and A Whole New Set of Problems (which makes no sense). All interesting stuff. - FREE on Comixology Free Comic Book Day is about more than just getting free shit; it's about exploring new works from a massive medium chock-full of talented creators. Don't be afraid to look past the usual Marvel and DC titles, because there's so much the world of comics has to offer than just superheroes. Oh, there's also a good chance that this episode of Five Comics will have a sequel. There's a few FCBD comics I haven't read yet, and there are others still that aren't even on digital platforms. Keep your eyes peeled for that. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
FCBD 2019 was last Saturday, and for the sixth year in a row, I picked up a free comic. This week, I'll be talking all about it. I recognize that an entire blog post for just one comic is a little much, but fret not, I'll balance things out later in the week with another one of these things (probably another Five Comics entry). BACKGROUND:
It's a yearly dilemma of mine to stress over which FCBD title to pick up when I get to the store. Do I pick Marvel for the third year in a row? Do I pick up DC because the Marvel ones will be gone when I get there? Do I pick something from other publishers because I feel bad for always picking from the Big Two? It's a stupid problem to have, and it's more asinine to even consider it a problem. This year, the decision was a bit easier. See, early last year, DC Comics revealed an entirely new comic label aimed at young adults called DC Ink. Acclaimed YA novelists try their hand at writing new stories for established DC characters, accompanied with art. I think it's DC's way of introducing comics to an entirely new generation, since comics these days are kinda aimed at longtime fans (who are already adults by this point), and most kids know comic characters primarily from adaptations. One of DC's FCBD offerings this year is a preview for an upcoming DC Ink title called Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale. I had already heard wonderful praise for an earlier DC Ink comic (Mera: Tidebreaker), so I really wanted to get a sense of what the label has to offer. As such, I picked this comic without hesitation during FCBD itself. SYNOPSIS: The preview gives readers a glimpse into young Selina Kyle's life. For the most part, she has a shitty family life, and she lives in envy of other kids who have better parents. One day, she finds a stray cat while taking out the trash, and suddenly there's one spark of joy in her otherwise dreary life. Taking care of the cat brought out a happier version of herself, which gave her a pep in her step throughout her day in school. Of course, her shitty father finds a way to ruin this, and the resulting trauma leads her to a bleak outlook on life, one that may dictate her future. THE ART: There is some impressive, highly detailed art here, with hair, faces, and certain background elements being exemplary of said attention to detail. I especially like the choice of sticking to shades of blue for everything against white for everything else; it gives the comic a distinct visual identity. OTHER THINGS: This FCBD title also comes with a short(er) preview of another DC Ink title called Teen Titans: Raven (written by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo). It's not much to go on story-wise, as it's just Raven taking a trip to a tarot card reader, who then hints at the darkness within Raven. The highlight of the sneak peek is definitely the art; the lines are bold and striking, there's a solid amount of detail, and the selective use of color against the typically grayscale panels is a unique touch. I'm quite interested in this book. VERDICT: Young adult titles sometimes have a negative connotation associated to them, but judging from the two previews in this comic, I feel that DC Ink has more than enough to work with to at least avoid being looked at with that same stigma. The stories here seem to highlight characters more than superhero action, and seeing how the Marvel Studios built a billion-dollar franchise on that philosophy, DC Ink may have itself a winning formula. Couple that with some impressive art, and we may have ourselves a recipe for success (and maybe a fuckton of Eisner awards). This preview has completely sold me on the DC Ink label, and I can't wait to see what other DC characters get stories within said label. - end - Physical copies of the Switch version of MK11 arrived an entire week after the game's release in this country, so I had to wait a while until I was able to buy (and subsequently play) it. As such, this blog entry is a little late to the party. BACKGROUND:
Mortal Kombat has been in my life for as far as I can remember. MK4 on the PS1 was one of the first games I ever played, I got MK Advanced for the GBA on my birthday, and one of the first games I bought for the PS3 was MK9. As fucked up as it sounds, I grew up with this excessively violent fighting game franchise. Naturally, I was hyped when MK11 was announced at last year's Game Awards, but was sad because I thought it wasn't coming to Switch. Later that day, it was confirmed that the game was indeed coming to Switch, which brought my excitement back up. I missed out on MKX because I didn't have a console to play it on (and my PC is a piece of shit), so I was thrilled that I actually have a chance of playing this game. STORY MODE: MK11's story begins immediately after MKX, where Shinnok was defeated, and Raiden became evil shithead Raiden from Deception. Before this game was announced, I thought the plot would have Raiden as the main villain. It was then revealed that the villain is Kronika, who is the master of time in the MK Universe, and is a being above the Elder Gods (Elder Titan?). She's not happy about how Raiden's actions have fucked up her plans for the timeline, so she merges the present timeline with the past, and sets in motion her quest to completely reset the timeline. The time travel shit leads to some fun shit, by bringing back classic versions of some characters (Raiden, Liu Kang, etc.), and even bringing a few characters back from the dead (Shao Kahn, for example). Seeing the current roster interact with their past selves made for some fun and interesting moments. In addition to everyone's favorite characters, MK11 also introduces a couple of brand new characters in Cetrion, Kollector, and Geras. I didn't find them as interesting as Kronika, however. Overall, I thought the story was great. The cutscenes looked amazing, and it was clear they put a ton of work crafting the visuals. We get badass action, funny jokes, a sprinkle of emotional moments, and even some mind-blowing reveals. The ending is also fascinating, because compared to MK9 and MKX, there's a sense of finality to the overall story of Mortal Kombat. It's exciting, because for the first time in a while, I have no idea where MK would be going in a potential sequel. THE ROSTER: A lot of the classics are back! You've got fan favorites like Scorpion and Sub-Zero, legacy characters like Kano and Liu Kang, and a few veterans making a return after being MIA in the previous game (like Kabal). There are a few notable absences (Mileena, Reptile, Ermac, to name a few), but for the most part, you have a solid assortment of classic characters to mess around with. Also making a return are a few characters from MKX, like Cassie Cage, D'Vorah, Kotal Kahn, and more. As somebody who didn't get to play MKX, I'm glad some of these characters came back, and I'm even happier they brought back the ones I would've loved to play as. As mentioned, we have a couple of brand new characters, and while they aren't all that interesting story-wise, they're pretty interesting in terms of gameplay. Geras is equal parts Sandman and time manipulator, Kolllector has so much weird shit, and Cetrion is pretty much Captain Planet. DLC for this game is inevitable, and if MKX's assortment of guest characters is any indication, we might have some surprises headed our way in the future. PRESENTATION: The Switch version obviously doesn't look as amazing as the other versions, but ignoring that, the visuals in this game don't look shabby at all. While it's noticeable that the graphics take a hit, I wouldn't call it terrible. The only time the visuals get really rough is in the Krypt, but we'll talk about that later. Character designs look as fantastic as ever here, but what's most impressive is the quality of the every character's face. No one has an uncanny valley look, and the facial expressions are on point (to the point that hitting Fatalities is extra upsetting due to the sheer horror and pain on the recipient's face). Other character shit like intros, victory animations and poses are also polished as hell. The greatest improvement are probably in the Fatal Blows and Fatalities, which dials up the cinematic gore and violence to 11. Fatalities in particular are fantastic across the board, with each character having at least one really cool Fatality. The Fatalities also end in an awesome slow-mo shot kinda like the victory animations, unlike previous games which leaves you with a shot of the victor posing awkwardly (or worse, an unflattering shot of the corpse). Voice acting is pretty solid across the board, except perhaps for Rousey's Sonya. I'm not saying she did a terrible job (she does fine, as far as I'm concerned), but in the same way as her promo delivery in WWE, it's evident that her forte doesn't lie in speaking roles. All this said, the fact that this game is on a less powerful console can take its toll in certain instances. In story mode, the transition from cutscene to fight is incredibly jarring, because the former looks way better than the latter. Lighting problems happen on occasion, and it usually happens when you perform a brutality. Sometimes textures and colors don't load immediately (e.g. someone's hair looks weirdly gray), but this usually resolves itself quickly. The worst case comes in the infrequent frame drops (usually due to blood and other effects), and the one or two times the screen completely whacked out on me when a) I played a match on Dragon Grotto, and b) I performed a Fatal Blow. KOMBAT: The main game is the combat you know and love from older games, but there have been a few (yet major) changes. For one, the overall flow of the game has changed. Dashes aren't as prominent as they were in previous games, and movement in general is slower. As I observed watching high-level play, this leads to the overall game being more focused on the neutral game (controlling space, poking, finding openings) as opposed to running a motherfucker down and giving them the touch of death. Compared to something like Dragon Ball FighterZ (which features frenetic combat, fast movement, and ridiculous combos that seem to last forever), MK11 is on the slower side. You don't have access to any lengthy combo strings in your move list (most of what you're given are short strings that are around three to five inputs), but you can come up with some insane shit by canceling moves into specials, and/or Amplifying specials to create more combo opportunities. Wacky 30%+ combos aren't nonexistent, but that there's less of them in general lends itself well to the overall slower pace of the game. Meter works differently than it does from MK9 or MKX. Instead of one meter for everything, meters are split into offensive and defensive meter. Offensive meter is your traditional meter burn, which enhances special moves, while defensive meter is tied to escape options (getup rolls, getup attacks, and the all-new Breakaway, which is for escaping juggle combos). And instead of hitting/getting hit building meter, the meters regenerate over time. I was worried this would lead to combat being overly campy/defensive (not unlike fighting Cloud in Smash Bros.), but the meters regenerate slowly enough that camping people out isn't viable. X-Ray Moves from the previous games are also gone, instead replaced by Fatal Blows. They still work as the "super move" of the game, but instead of a move you can do with a full meter, you get access to Fatal Blows when you're below 30% health. This gives the person who's behind a fighting chance, but you can only use it once per match if you land it (i.e. if you land it in the first round, it's gone for the rest of the match). If you whiff or the move is blocked, you get the chance to throw out the Fatal Blow again if you wait, but if your opponent knows what they're doing, you'll be long dead by then. The fact that X-Rays were tied to meter in the previous games made seeing them in tournament play extremely rare (because you had better things to spend meter on), but the fact that Fatal Blows are completely separate from that ought to make spectating this game a little more exciting. The cool X-Ray effects live on in MK11 as Krushing Blows. These are sort of "critical hits" for certain attacks, combo strings, or special moves that activate if you meet a specific condition. For example, if you hit down-back punch as a punish, you get a Krushing Blow that deals extra damage, as well as pops up your opponent high enough for a follow-up. This adds a whole new layer of strategy to combat, because now you can plan combos around Krushing Blows. Additionally, you have to watch out for what Krushing Blows your opponent has access to. Fatalities are back (obviously), and Brutalities work the same way they do in MKX. A surprising finisher that came back for this game is Mercy from MK3, which gives your opponent a sliver of health back and continues the round. Depending on how good you are, this could either be an act of hubris, or maximum disrespect to your opponent. TUTORIAL: All this shit sounds daunting, especially if you're new to/terrible at fighting games. Worry not, as MK11 has an impressively comprehensive tutorial. It teaches everything from the very basic (hit buttons to do stuff!), to more advanced techniques (special canceling, reversals, etc.), to important fundamentals for high-level play in nearly every fighting game (frame data, zoning, hit confirms, etc.). There are even tutorials for individual characters that teach you each of their specials and some of their strings. You won't come out of these tutorials as an EVO-level competitor, but I'm confident that anyone who puts in the time to do the tutorial will come out as a player who doesn't just mash buttons like a maniac and actually has a decent understanding of what to do (even if they're not too good at executing what they learned). CUSTOMIZATION: Taking a page out of Injustice 2, MK11 adds character costumes and custom gear to the mix. You can give characters all sorts of neat skins, and mix and match certain parts of their outfit (e.g. masks, weapons, etc.). I'm sure many people will be spending a lot of time messing around with this aspect. I know I have. In addition, you can also create custom variations of characters. Unlike MKX (which had three set-in-stone variations that all have a specific set of special moves), you can mix and match special moves for each character to create a variation that completely suits your playstyle. What's even more fun is that you can give all these custom variations unique names (e.g. one of my Noob Saibot variations is named "Blackest Night"). You can also swap out cinematic elements (like intros and victory animations), augment gear (adding special buffs in certain modes), and even something simple like variation icons. It's an unprecedented level of customization for a fighting game. It's great! THE KRYPT: Where do you get all those extra customization options, you may ask? One source for all these goodies is The Krypt, which is has been a staple of MK games since the PS2 era. Unlike the Krypts from the PS2 games, you can explore the area (in this case, it's a derelict version of Shang Tsung's island from MK1) freely in third person. There are chests littered nearly everywhere, which requires various amounts of coins to open, each giving out a random set of rewards (ranging from consumable items, concept art, skins, and more). Some chests require special kinds of currency to open. Specific chests (like the Shao Kahn chests) don't have random rewards, and are instead contain the same rewards for every player. Unfortunately, these other currency types are a little harder to acquire (more on that later). You can't explore the entirety of the Krypt at the start. You'll need to acquire some key items that allow you to open certain doors, solve puzzles, and find hidden paths. It feels like a 3D Zelda game, except more violent. The Krypt is a treasure trove of references and Easter eggs for longtime Mortal Kombat fans. Keep your eyes peeled for cool shit in the background. GAME MODES: You have your classic arcade ladders (where you fight a series of opponents to unlock character endings), the story mode (obviously), practice mode (of course), online matches (ranging from casual, ranked, King of the Hill, and private lobbies), AI Battle (where you deploy a trio of AI fighters to fight other people's AI fighters for some CPU-on-CPU action), and Towers of Time. TOWERS OF TIME: This is the mode that provides MK11 most of its replay value (aside from online PvP matches). At a given time, there are an assortment of towers available for you to play, each for a limited time. Once the time for a tower has elapsed, you can't play it anymore, and it's replaced by a completely different tower. Each tower has a series of ladders (not unlike arcade ladders) for you to complete. Completing each individual ladder rewards you with stuff, but completing every ladder in a tower nets you even better rewards. A lot of cool skins/gear/etc. are only available in this mode, so you'll want to keep an eye out for towers that award you skins for the character you like. What makes Towers of Time challenging is all the match modifiers. Each match in a given ladder may have an assortment of modifiers, ranging from mildly annoying (random projectiles coming at you from outta nowhere), challenging but not that bad (2-on-1 handicap battles), to downright oppressive (approaching your opponent slows you down). You can use consumables to turn the tide of the battle (ranging from free heals and the like), but for the harder towers, it may not be enough. CURRENCY: You earn currency by completing matches (anything from local versus to Towers of Time will do), but the problem is how slow you earn them. Coins aren't too problematic (but it's still a grind), but it gets real rough when you start talking about the other currency types: Soul Fragments and Hearts. You get Soul Fragments by winning matches. The catch is you only earn ten at a time. Stuff in the Krypt that requires Soul Fragments require at least 100 of the damn things to open. There's even stuff that requires more than 1000 Soul Fragments to open. That's no good. Hearts are even worse. You can primarily get them by performing finishers (Fatalities, Brutalities, Mercy). The problem? You get them in single digit increments, and the chests that need Hearts to open (which often have the best shit in them) cost 250 fucking hearts. There's no guarantee you'll land a Brutality, Mercies can cost you a match, and Fatalities (as cool as they are) waste a ton of time, and it just isn't worth it. Completing towers in Towers of Time seems to be the best way to get more of these currencies, but the payout vs. the difficulty/length of towers may not be worth it unless you're like SonicFox and you're a god at this game. What's even worse is that you can't even grind offline. I played this game in handheld when I was out waiting in line for something and the game explicitly tells you that you can't earn rewards playing offline modes. There's also a premium currency called Time Crystals, which you can purchase more of via microtransactions. You earn very little of them just by playing, which I suppose is the point. You spend them in the Premium Shop, where you can acquire certain items (skins and the like) that can be unlocked elsewhere (mostly the Krypt or Towers of Time). It's a good way to avoid the grind, but the caveat is shit costs way too much, and the available items are random (i.e. you'll be lucky to find a skin that you actually want). VERDICT: MK11 is a fantastic continuation of the storied franchise, with its fun story, great gameplay, a plethora of customization options, and a good assortment of stuff to do. Apart from the currency issues (a massive barrier to progression in the Krypt and unlocking shit), I have nothing but good things to say about this game. Even if the Switch version doesn't look as good as the PC version, I'm still happy that I get to play a Mortal Kombat game after a six-year hiatus. If anyone asks, I'll be practicing some Kitana combos. They made my waifu incredibly badass in this game, so I feel like I have to be good with her. Play MK11 on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/976310/Mortal_Kombat11/ - end - |
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