I've built up quite a bit of a backlog of PC games over the past year. To that end, I'm getting a head start on my 2022 New Year's resolutions by knocking a few games off the list. BACKGROUND:
I heard about this game via some friends, who were quite enthusiastic about it. Having enjoyed Limbo (a game quite similar in genre), I was interested in trying it out. Through a stroke of luck, I was able to snag a free copy of the game, but it took me more than six months to finally get around to playing it. PLOT: For the most part, the game doesn't explain what's going on at all, and it's up to the player to piece together what's happening. The most I can glean is that there's a girl trapped in some sort of nautical vessel filled with all sorts of grotesque, supernatural creatures. I suppose the mystique adds to the horror factor, but with how things became increasingly disturbing with regards to the protagonist, I do wish some elements of the story were explored more or at least clarified, because the gradual twist really stuck in my mind as one of the more memorable ones I've seen in games. PRESENTATION: This is by far the game's strongest aspect. The visuals look fantastic in terms of fidelity, the semi-cartoony art style features horrific, borderline disgusting creatures, the overall setting and atmosphere is dark and creepy, and the modestly-sized 3D environments feel massive thanks to how the game manipulates the camera to give you a sense of scale and depth. Not only does the game look great, it incorporates a lot of elements to give the player a sense of unease and make them feel helpless. Equally important in establishing an atmospheric horror game is audio design, and Little Nightmares does that quite well, too. The game leans more towards ambient sound effects, majority of which are unsettling and complement the often low-visibility visuals. When there is music, the tracks are just as unsettling, with sparse but haunting instrumentals and the occasional creepy humming. Everything here comes together to deliver a rather distinct horror experience. At first glance, the game could pass for one of those whimsical kids' stories, with its tiny protagonist navigating a larger-scale world. However, the combination of the gloomy lighting, unsettling visual elements, and creepy sounds do quite well to assure you that this is a horror game. I'd compare it to something like Coraline, where it looks like it could pass as something for kids but is more disturbing than it initially lets on. GAMEPLAY: Little Nightmares is a puzzle platformer with a 2.5D perspective. While the view is ostensibly like your traditional side-scroller, your movement is not restricted to two axes, and you can move to and from the foreground and background like you would a typical 3D game. The game doesn't make it obvious from the start that this is the case, which may lead to some confusion in the early rooms. Controls are mostly standard: you can walk, jump, sprint (but not very quickly), and grab items. Don't expect much in the way of mobility; as with Limbo, you move just fast enough to narrowly avoid danger and your jump is only good for small gaps. Perhaps the only issue you may have in terms of movement are narrow corridors where you can fall off; the game technically being 3D could lead you to accidentally walk off the edge. As with any puzzle platformer, the main way to progress is to solve puzzles using what you have in the environment. In this regard, I'd say the game is mostly decent, as many of the puzzles simply involve scanning the environment and interacting with the right set of objects. There are plenty of neat physics-based puzzles and clever ways to evade danger, but apart from that, I wouldn't call the puzzles in this game particularly difficult or mind-blowingly innovative. While the game's visuals are excellent, in gameplay, they can be a little too excellent. Most times, the way forward blends into the rest of the scenery, and sometimes, interactables aren't immediately noticeable for a similar reason. The 2.5D perspective can also fuck with you in a similar sense, as certain elements are too far back in the background to be immediately noticeable, or the camera is positioned such that important objects in the foreground are obfuscated. I didn't spend too long stuck in puzzles, but there were definitely moments where these issues were quite apparent. This is a horror game, so unfortunately, you're not alone. Even more unfortunate for you, you're virtually defenseless. Your options are limited to hiding or running. The former features a bunch of neat stealth sections where you use the environment to stay undetected, while the latter features initially jarring but ultimately thrilling chase sequences. The only thing remotely close to combat is the final boss encounter, which was a fun change of pace. Although the game's structure is mostly linear, it gives the illusion of backtracking by having the path take you on a detour to activate a thing that unlocks the previously inaccessible entryway you spotted earlier. In addition to that, there are a smattering of various collectibles off the beaten path, but these are mostly for achievements and don't net any big rewards. If you care about that, there's a convenient chapter select screen where you can go back for stuff. Speaking of chapters, this is a pretty short game, as the five levels in the main story add up to a little over three hours (at least for me playing casually without worrying about collecting stuff). If that's not enough, there's apparently a couple of DLC levels you can buy, but I didn't buy those. VERDICT: Little Nightmares is the epitome of a short but sweet horror-puzzle game: it's got amazing visuals (almost to a fault) and excellent sound design for an atmosphere that's unsettling but somehow still kind of cutesy in some respects. Despite some gripes with the gameplay, I thought the puzzle platforming was a net positive, as it really took advantage of how the environments are laid out and there were some really cool gameplay moments (like the bits where you avoid danger, plus some of the more involved puzzles). I also found the story's turn by the second half to be memorable in a chilling way, and the narrative being up to the player to piece together left me wanting more. I think I want to have a go at the second game now. If you're looking for a horror game that's a slightly different flavor from what's popular in the genre currently, I think Little Nightmares can scratch that itch well. It doesn't rely heavily on jump scares and lets its presentation do the heavy lifting for the feeling of dread, the gameplay leans more on puzzle solving than action (though there's still a good amount of stealth and running away), and the art style isn't overtly grotesque. If you can get past the occasional hiccup in how the presentation gets in the way of gameplay, and/or are comfortable with the game being as short as it is, I think one would enjoy this game. So here it is on Steam: Little Nightmares on Steam (steampowered.com) - end -
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Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable Christmas weekend. I got just the comics for the occasion for people still in the holiday mood. THE THEME: Once again, I have selected five holiday-themed comics to read. THE COMICS: THE MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI: A VERY WHITE BOLT CHRISTMAS Publisher: Top Shelf Digital Writer: Chris Sheridan Artist: Chris Sheridan This is a twist on the classic Santa tale, as Saint Niq is actually the leader of the bike gang known as the Reindeer Gang. Instead of leaving presents, they loot the homes of the townsfolk. Unfortunately for them, the mysterious White Bolt is here to stop them. - FREE on Comixology THE MOTORCYCLE SAMURAI: THE ALL-STAR HANUKKAH SPECIAL Production: Top Shelf Digital Writer: Chris Sheridan Artist: Chris Sheridan Here's a short adventure where the heroes All-Star and The Smasher face off against a robotic creature that's guarding the Neutron Nine, a hero team trapped in an overtly Menorah-shaped prison. - FREE on Comixology SCOOBY-DOO (1997-2010) #43 Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Joe Edkin Artists: Joe Staton, Dave Hunt, Erik Doescher, Mike DeCarlo This comic is a double feature. First, Mystery Inc. is in New York during the holidays, but they're here to investigate a ballet performance of A Christmas Carol haunted by.... the Nutcracker Ghost? It's your standard Scooby-Doo story, with the added novelty of Daphne becoming a one-time ballerina. In the second, Shaggy enters an art contest to redesign a high school mascot, but the mascot itself haunts the awarding ceremony. I found this one hilarious due to the fact that Shaggy could only be arsed to win second place for a very Shaggy reason. - Comixology link SCOOBY-DOO (1997-2010) #67 Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Frank Strom Artists: Joe Staton, Dave Hunt, Anthony Williams, Jeff Albrecht The first story sees a Russian figure skater haunted by Father Frost, an appropriately ice-themed ghost. I half-expected some Tonya Harding nonsense going into this one, but thankfully the circumstances are less violent than that. The second story is more overtly Christmas-themed, as it's a twist on A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge gets haunted by the three ghosts like in the original, except this time, he calls in Mystery Inc. to investigate. I quite enjoyed the culprit reveal for this one. - Comixology link THE WASTED SPACE HOLIDAY SPECIAL Publisher: Vault Comics Writer: Michael Moreci Artist: Hayden Sherman This is a spin of the classic holiday problem of rushing until the last minute to get a gift for a loved one, only to find out the supply is limited. Plus, it's also a twist on that classic story where a couple gets a gift for their significant other with one of their possessions in mind, but they each part with the very possession to get the gift. All of this is framed in a more silly tone. - FREE on Comixology This has honestly been a shit year for me, but as I look back, there's still stuff I think of fondly that happened or became a thing in 2021. No matter how bad things get, I'll always look forward to spending time with friends, making time for my hobbies, and sharing my ramblings on this blog. I hope readers have a wonderful, or at least better new year. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
There's been a staggering amount of new MCU stuff this year, but the last piece of MCU media for 2021 is finally complete. Let's talk about the Hawkeye Disney+ series. Like before, I'm splitting this into non-spoiler and spoiler sections. Warnings will be placed throughout. The series starts off with Clint Barton spending some pre-Christmas quality time with his kids, but due to the antics of a young woman named Kate Bishop, he's dragged back into the dark chapter of his life when he was Ronin. Now, he has to clean up Kate's mess and hopefully get home in time for Christmas.
Up to this point, Hawkeye's been mostly a secondary character in the movies, getting only bits and pieces of a character in the occasional ensemble movie. Here, you get to see more layers to him, as his love for his family is reaffirmed throughout the series. You also see quite a bit of his remorse for the time he spent as Ronin (though I feel like the show could have done more with that), as well as him dealing with the grief that comes with losing Natasha. In the physical sense, you get to see Hawkeye be substantially more human than his fellow Avengers, as the ass-whoopings he takes have a profound effect on him. Most notably, they've also incorporated a detail from the comics version of the character into the MCU: Hawkeye is hard of hearing and needs a hearing aid, something that I've observed has resonated with a lot of fans who deal with or know someone in a similar situation. Although Clint is the titular hero, this is just as much Kate Bishop's show, as we get pretty much her full story in the series. Her origin is straightforward but meaningful (and connects her to Hawkeye in a cool way), she's super entertaining personality-wise, and she serves as an excellent foil to Clint's more level-headed demeanor. I was delighted to see my favorite Young Avenger in live action portrayed pretty much as I remember her in the comics, and her dynamic with Clint here was more or less everything I could hope for. As Ronin, Clint slaughtered quite a lot of organized crime members, and here, he must face off against one group he's encountered before. Enter the Tracksuit Mafia, who are Russian mobsters.... who wear tracksuits. They're as goofy as they are on the show as they were in the original comics, which, again, was exactly what I wanted. The otherwise lovable henchmen are led by another debuting character in the MCU: Maya Lopez. In the comics, she's a hero named Echo, but in the series, she's yet to become that character. I was quite intrigued by her introduction in the show, as she's a character I mostly see in Daredevil comics, but not only does her backstory in the MCU mesh well with established lore, it's compelling and ties in perfectly within the context of this continuity. This series is mostly just her starting point as a character, but she gets more than enough to justify the Disney+ spinoff she's getting in the future (I was equally shocked to learn of that show at first, but it makes perfect sense after finishing this series). [Spoiler section incoming: it's five paragraphs down] It's also important to note that, like the comics character she's based on, Echo is Native American and deaf. The latter is a big focal point of the character when she's introduced, which is nice. We're also introduced to a bunch of other characters, like Eleanor Bishop (Kate's mom, and her relationship with her daughter is a big focus of the show), "Jack" Duquesne (who is Swordsman in the comics, but doesn't get to do much here other than be comic relief), and Kazi (Maya's right hand man). With the focus being on the main duo, we don't get as much from these folks in terms of character until the latter half of the series when certain revelations come to light. In terms of action, I'd say this show was pretty solid, with a bunch of exciting hand-to-hand sequences in multiple episodes. The personal highlight for me in this respect is when both Hawkeyes get to brandish their bows, as the trick arrow sequences (one of which is a nod to the spectacular car chase in the first volume of Matt Fraction's Hawkeye comic) are a delight to watch. Coming into the show, my one wish was a bunch of ridiculous trick arrow action scenes, and I got exactly what I wanted, so I'm quite happy. As for tie-ins to other MCU stuff, there's a healthy amount of them to go around, from cute nods, small but meaningful references, new perspectives on established MCU events, and one big "holy fucking shit, movie stuff is actually paying off in the TV shows" moment. And if that's not enough, this show does something that I did not foresee it doing, and made me lose my mind in excitement as a result. More on all this in the spoiler section. Overall, I enjoyed the Hawkeye series. It's grounded and smaller-scale compared to other MCU adventures, Clint got to shine as a character, Kate Bishop was fantastic (more of her in the MCU, please), and the show satisfied a lot of what I was looking for in terms of MCU world-building, adaptations of comic elements, and action. I certainly have my gripes, like more exploration of Clint's chapter as Ronin (I personally just wish there were more of it), and some clunky elements of the earlier episodes, but I think this show was a net positive in my mind. [All right, this is the spoiler section. You've been warned.] In order to cope with the pain of realizing that Spider-Man: No Way Home doesn't premiere in this godforsaken country until January, I've gone and read a big Spider-Man comic collection. BACKGROUND:
I've probably gone over the fact that Spider-Man was one of my childhood favorites before, so I won't repeat myself on that front. I suppose the only thing I'll note is that I've only read a few of these super early Spidey comics, so it'll be neat to read some of these in order. THE WRITING: Before we get to the comics, this collection features an intro written by the late, great Stan Lee in 1987, detailing how Spider-Man almost never came to be, and how his character defied all conventions for comic books at the time. With the character reaching his 60th anniversary next year, it's awesome to get a small glimpse of how Marvel's flagship hero got off the ground. To start off the book, you'll read Amazing Fantasy #15, the very issue Spider-Man debuts in. It's pretty much the origin story everyone's familiar with, from the radioactive spider, Uncle Ben dying, and Peter Parker discovering that with great power, comes great responsibility. Compared to adaptations of the story that have come since, the original origin story is short and sweet, so don't expect any deep world-building with regards to the radioactive spider or anything of the sort. That said, Uncle Ben's death (partly caused by Spider-Man's inaction) still hits hard despite the comic being as short as it is. The rest of the book collects the first ten issues of the original Amazing Spider-Man series. Most of them are straightforward episodic stories of Spider-Man dealing with villains and trying to make ends meet by working for J. Jonah Jameson. Like I said before, these stories are much simpler than what's come since and thus may not feature as much lore or nuance as one coming from later stories may expect. Despite this, I still largely enjoyed what I've read here, because the simplicity lets the core of the Spider-Man story (a broke teenager trying to juggle his double life, using his smarts to defeat foes) be the real focus. These ten issues also feature the origins and debuts of many now-iconic Spider-Man villains, from Chameleon, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Sandman, and Electro. Again, their origins here are simple, too (or in some cases, not even explained at all), though obviously decades of retcons have since expanded upon or changed certain details outright. I definitely don't recall the Tinkerer being an alien.... Aside from all that, a lot of classic Spider-Man elements were established this early on into the character's publication history. This includes stuff like Peter going to Midtown High with bully Flash Thompson and one-sided love interest Liz Allen, him working for J. Jonah Jameson as the Daily Bugle photographer (and meeting Betty Brant), and now-iconic aspects of Spider-Man's repertoire like the web shooters and the Spider Sense. Some stuff has definitely changed over the years, like the disappearance of the "Spider-Signal" (a light with Spidey's face on it that he uses to signal his arrival), and how exactly the Spider Sense works. There was some weird shit where villains can somehow "contact" Peter by honing in on the so-called "spider frequency", which is... bizarre, to say the least. This being the early days of the Silver Age of Comics, there weren't a lot of crossovers with other Marvel characters yet, but the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom do get to pop up in a few issues to duke it out with Spider-Man. It's not a big deal to me now since I've seen my fair share of Spidey/Human Torch team-ups, but it might have been monumental at the time to see two of Marvel's biggest comics cross over like that. Included at the very end is a showcase of the original artwork used for Amazing Fantasy #15, the history behind it being found and eventually stored in the Library of Congress, and a quick glance at how the preservation of such original artwork was never a top priority for publishers. It's interesting stuff, and the original artwork provides some rarely-seen behind-the-scenes at how the creative process for comics played out in the '60s. As with a lot of comics of this time period, the writing style features a good bit of narration and characters conveying a lot of information that'd otherwise be obvious through the visuals through speech/thought bubbles. I think there's a certain charm to how Stan Lee sets the scene or tries to get the readers excited by hyping up the story at the beginning, though I can see how it can be irksome to people who prefer the "show, don't tell" approach. Personally, I just love how Lee goes out of his way to sell you on the idea that the comic you're about to read is the most fun adventure ever (even if it probably isn't); even in text form, the enthusiasm comes across. THE ART: Steve Ditko is a legend in the comics industry, and his work here in the original Spidey comics is a big reason why. Though arguably less intricate than what you see visually in comics these days, the art here still does a great job of capturing the dynamic movements of Spider-Man, who is largely remembered for his acrobatic prowess. The scenery also captures the rather urban setting of NYC really well, with lots going on in the background and the sense of scale captured well when Spidey swings or fights atop skyscrapers. Plus, a lot of the character designs are so memorable to the point that certain elements are still called back to in later comics and even adaptations. Everything from Spidey's iconic costume, Doc Ock's four robotic arms, and Electro's wacky mask all first came to life on the page in these comics. Arguably better costumes have come for a lot of these characters since, but the fact that I can only picture Sandman with that striped shirt, or still have Vulture's wrinkly old man look burned into my memory speaks to how iconic these designs have become. VERDICT: The first dozen or so Spider-Man comics are very much a product of their time: much simpler stories with simple art. That said, the legacy of an iconic character had to start somewhere, and I think for as dated as some elements may seem, these original comics still have a lot to offer apart from the fact that they're the origin point for a lot of classic Spider-Man story elements. The essence of Peter Parker as a character still comes across despite the episodic nature of the comics, and for as relatively simple as the art style may seem, stuff like the action and the costume designs still stick out in my memory. I've been a fan of Spidey pretty much my whole life, and it's awesome to see the humble beginnings of one of the most beloved comic book characters ever. Although there are more interesting Spider-Man stories out there from later eras (both narrative-wise and in terms of visual style), any fan of the character owes it to themselves to see how it all began through this collection. Not only would I argue that the original Lee/Ditko run is an essential read for anyone exploring historically significant works in the comic book industry, it's a fun exercise to compare and contrast what you read here with, say, the Spider-Man movies. Here's the collection on Comixology: Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks Vol. 1 - Comics by comiXology - end - This is presumably Nintendo's last online presentation, and it's an indie-focused one. Let's see what we have here.
Standard sizzle reel segment go!
The last announcement reveals that Omori is coming to Switch. I've seen brief snippets of the game's opening minutes, and it seems like one of those off-the-wall RPG experiences. I definitely have to try it now. I doubt the announcements in this presentation blew that many minds, but personally, I was satisfied by this Indie World Showcase. Nearly everything that was shown here had something about it that captured my interest, and that's good news for my game-exploring self, and bad news for my wallet.
- end - I've been doing my best to follow through on my resolution to read more manga, so here's the perfect theme to do so. THE THEME: This is another iteration of a theme where I read five manga. Nothing too wild. The only thing I'll note is that I'm reading singular chapters as opposed to full volumes, so I'm only getting a small taste of the stories. Additionally, these single chapters are free to download on Comixology, so if you have an account, you can read these for yourself. THE COMICS: THE AMALFI BRIDE Publisher: Harlequin Comics Writers: Marito Ai, Ann Major Artist: Marito Ai This chapter of the manga establishes the premise: it's a woman trying to seduce a... gigolo? It's explicitly stated that the main character lusts for the man, and the gigolo is shown to have multiple relationships. I don't think this one's for me. - FREE on Comixology BAKI (CHAPTER 1) Publisher: Akitashoten Comics Writer: Keisuke Itagaki Artist: Keisuke Itagaki This series follows young Baki Hanma, a high school student who happens to be the most formidable fighter in Tokyo's underground arena. This first chapter is more of a teaser of things to come, but I was sufficiently intrigued by the fact that this beat-up kid continues going to class, strikes fear into his schoolmates, and the reveal that there's a death row inmate on the other side of the world looking for a fight. I want to read more. - FREE on Comixology CREATURE (CHAPTER 1) Publisher: Akitashoten Comics Writer: Shingo Honda Artist: Shingo Honda Creature follows Akira Takashiro, a high school sophomore who plays a lot of basketball. He's got a bit of a rivalry with his close friend Eiji going, but all that changes when a massive earthquake strikes. Akira regains consciousness and finds himself in a horrific situation: there are dead bodies everywhere and there are grotesque creatures on the loose. It's all super intense and I want to read more. - FREE on Comixology FIRE-HOT AUNT (CHAPTER 1) Publisher: Akitashoten Comics Writer: Katsuki Izumi Artist: Katsuki Izumi Toru Sawada is fresh into high school, but he's found himself in a troublesome situation right off the bat: Sugako Ataka's now going to school with him. What's weird about that? Well, technically, Sugako's his aunt... who's somehow the same age as him.... and her doting on him borders on obsessive. Oh god. Weird as it is, there's something akin to a morbid curiosity that makes me want to read more, just to see how shit escalates. Other than that, this feels a bit uncomfortable for me to read. - FREE on Comixology TOPPU GP (CHAPTER 1) Publisher: Kodansha Comics Writer: Kosuke Fujishima Artist: Kosuke Fujishima Toppu GP is so named for the protagonist Toppu Uno, a young man looking to win the biggest motorcycle racing event in the world: MotoGP. In this first chapter, we get a glimpse of his early life, as he goes on his first motorcycle ride. With the inspiration of his sister and his seemingly savant-level instinct for the sport, Toppu's potential is clear. I'm definitely down to read more to see how his journey plays out. - FREE on Comixology My selection here was mostly random (I picked out five books out of a list of fifteen on a whim), but most of what I read here was intriguing or engaging in one way or another. I can easily see myself reading more of these titles (well, most of them, anyway). PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
More Black Panther books, because why not? BACKGROUND:
This seemed like a comic targeted at young kids, which probably explains why I've never heard of it. THE WRITING: Volume 1 is a three-part story that sees T'Challa and Shuri investigate meteorological anomalies in Wakanda that are wreaking havoc and spreading a dangerous form of malaria. While the siblings race to figure things out and keep citizens safe, their mother Ramonda along with the Dora Milaje stumble upon the cause of the disasters. This feels more or less like a Saturday morning cartoon in comic form, as it's the hero in a self-contained adventure facing off against a generic villain of the week. It's not going to blow any minds if you've read more iconic or more complex Black Panther stories, but it's simple enough that the kids this book is meant for can follow the story, and the heroes do sufficiently cool shit and have some humor to them that they'll be entertained. The most I'll say is that the way that Shuri deals with the malaria problem is up there as one of the most absurd things I've ever seen, which I found quite amusing. On that note, don't expect any grand world-building for Wakanda or any crossover with other Marvel characters. You're getting the one adventure with T'Challa and co. and that's it. THE ART: Though the overall style leans more towards the cartoony (especially with the facial expressions), there's still a decent amount of detail and shading to most elements like the characters. I also found the palette notable, as while it's certainly vibrant in some panels, it leans more toward realistic shades and tones for the most part. Some of the designs here appear to be based on the Black Panther movie, as costumes like that of T'Challa's and the Dora Milaje look pretty close to what you've seen on the big screen. I'm personally a big fan of how the Black Panther suit looks here, as it's pretty close to the Captain America: Civil War design. VERDICT: I'm not exactly the target audience for this comic, but I still found stuff to enjoy about Vol. 1 of Marvel Action: Black Panther. I think it's cool that a kids' comic shows the hero do something other than beat the shit out of villains, as T'Challa spends most of the book helping his citizens and trying to solve the crisis in his country. Seems like a good story for kids to get into. As I said, this comic is more aimed towards kids, so I wouldn't point to this book as a recommendation for older readers looking for substantial Black Panther stories. That said, if you've got a young comic book reader in your life, or if you're simply looking for a light read to kill an hour of time, this is worth considering. Visit the Comixology store page below: Marvel Action Black Panther Vol. 1: Stormy Weather - Comics by comiXology - end - Ever since NXT was rebranded earlier this year, I've since felt a strange sense of ambivalence towards the brand. Sure, it's still building a bunch of new stars (many of whom look quite promising to me, mind), but I've yet to find the same level of enthusiasm I had for the brand back in its black-and-gold days. Coupled with the fact that WWE's direction in general has been nothing short of bizarre (what with the mass exodus of wrestlers who really deserved better), it seemed like NXT 2.0's always had a dark cloud looming above it for me.
Hell, even this NXT event I'll be talking about no longer has the term "Takeover" attached to it. It's as if there's been a great effort to distance the brand from the very things that fans think fondly of it for. There's nothing wrong with change, of course, and perhaps it was bound to happen at some point, but even months after the rebrand, it still feels jarring to me. In any case, I aimed to get past this weird feeling of apprehension and watched the latest WarGames event. You know the drill by this point. I have quite a surplus of Black Panther comics in my backlog, and since the next movie isn't anywhere near close to premiering, I'm doing my best to clear a few out in the meantime. Publisher: Marvel | Writers: Nnedi Okorafor, Christopher Priest, Don McGregor, Reginald Hudlin | Artists: Alberto Alburquerque, Ray Anthony-Height, Juan Vlasco, Keith Champagne, Oleg Okunev, Mike Perkins, Daniel Acuña, Ken Lashley | Contains: Amazing Spider-Man: Wakanda Forever, X-Men: Wakanda Forever, Avengers: Wakanda Forever, Black Panther (2016-2018) Annual #1 BACKGROUND:
I didn't know that this miniseries was a thing until I was able to acquire it for my digital library. It looked like a Wakanda-centric adventure that didn't necessarily star T'Challa, and it has a few interesting crossovers, so it seemed rather interesting to me. THE WRITING: Wakanda Forever is a three-part story starring three Dora Milaje warriors: Okoye, Ayo, and Aneka. They're come to New York to stop Nakia, a former Dora Milaje who's gone mad and unleashed a Wakandan superweapon on the city, and the three warriors must stop it before it causes untold destruction. Along the way, they'll meet up with other heroes who'll help them out. Turns out, Nakia has an unhealthy obsession with T'Challa, and has reacquired the weapon from the possession of AIM in an attempt to get the Black Panther's attention. The chaos she causes catches the attention of Spider-Man (who assists the Dora Milaje in the first issue), and she then uses the weapon to attack Storm (T'Challa's lover and former Queen of Wakanda), which draws the ire of Rogue and Nightcrawler. In the final part, Nakia's weapon spirals out of control to the point that T'Challa (with fellow Avengers She-Hulk and Captain America) shows up to intervene. As far as the main story goes, I thought it was pretty straightforward. Though Nakia's actions are a tad extreme, I kind of get her motivations once the side effects of her shenanigans are made clear and we see a bit of her backstory. She also gets a bit of a redeeming moment by the end, which doesn't really absolve her of what happens in the book, but shows that there's still a good person underneath her obsessive exterior. Our main characters are pretty focused on the task at hand, so they don't really get to showcase their personality apart from brief dialogue moments (like when they belittle American architecture or find Spider-Man's vernacular weird). Their sense of duty does come across really well, as the weapon Nakia uses is tied to the Dora Milaje's heritage, and the three make it their personal responsibility to stop it (and to bring Nakia, a former Dora herself, to justice). The other characters feel like they're just kinda there, as the likes of Spider-Man and Captain America only really show up to assist briefly. The only heroes who are pivotal to the story are Storm (who mostly just fights throughout the story) and T'Challa himself (who gets only one key dialogue moment, but it's still pretty important). If you're hoping for a full-on crossover story here, don't get too excited. This collection also contains the Black Panther Annual from 2018, which has three short stories. The first is set in the present, as Everett Ross is interviewed over a diplomatic incident that involves an attack by Nakia. The second is a sort of a look back into older Black Panther stories, as T'Challa makes a treacherous journey to honor a former love's memory. The last is an alternate future that sees an old T'Challa regale his grandchild of how Wakanda became a global power. All interesting stuff if you're a longtime reader of Black Panther comics. THE ART: Each issue in this collection has different artists, so it's hard to pin down the overall style of the book. The issues that stood out to me were Amazing Spider-Man: Wakanda Forever (which has Nakia look proper unhinged in the art) and the Black Panther Annual (the Everett Ross story vaguely reminded me of The Client both in terms of narrative and style, and the story set in the past also had an art style that looked like the old comics, but with more muted colors). VERDICT: Wakanda Forever is a serviceable story that sees the Dora Milaje in action alongside a couple of established Marvel heroes. While it didn't really blow me away, I appreciated Okoye and co. being the main characters and kicking ass alongside the likes of Spider-Man and Storm. It's also an interesting look at Nakia's character, whose transformation into Malice I now look forward to reading in full. This might be up your alley if you want to read more Wakanda-centric stories that aren't just about Black Panther, though my personal recommendation is that it's most worth reading if you're intrigued to see how completely different Nakia is from the movie version. Here's the collection on Comixology: Wakanda Forever - Comics by comiXology - end - |
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