2010, the begining of what should be a great year of comics!
From the Ending of Blackest Night and Captain America Reborn looming over the horizon to the Begining of SIEGE and Brightest Day.
a Few new things for those of you social networkers out there.
you can now follow us on facebook and twitter.
as well as more updates on here about upcoming release, reviews, sales, and events.
we're looking forward to seeing lots of old faces and new ones at the shop!
- Grant
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Push and other things
I saw the new movie 'Push' last night and I really liked it.
After reading reviews for it, I was worried that it would be terrible, but I nevertheless got a group of friends together to go see the movie. Afterwards, all of us agreed that it was well done (particularly with how special effects were used tp portray different powers) with an intriguing plot.
Push is the story of people with special abilities and the government organization that's tasked with either keeping them in line (often by training them as agents) or locking them up if they are a potential threat. There are several different abilities shown in the movie: Pushers who can make people believe certain things (you really need to watch the movie to know just how effective this ability can be), Movers that move things telekinetically with their minds, Watchers who can see potential futures, and half a dozen others that are mentioned.
Comic book fans will recognize themes in Push similar to recent comics like 'Civil War' and television shows like 'Heroes' but it's a good story in it's own right. It doesn't try to copy or adapt a previous work, but create something new using elements of other popular fiction.
As far as acting goes, the movie lacks a huge star (unless you have an inflated opinion of Dakota Fanning or Chris Evans), but the cast does an excellent job with the characters they play. Even though most of the characters aren't elaborated on, the actors seem to have fun playing their parts, which is good for a minor movie like this.
So, if you like comic books or action movies or just want something to watch for two hours, go see Push. It might not be in theatres for very long.
Also, I watched the entire Star Wars Trilogy last weekend (the original, not the prequels) and they still hold up. I think everyone should watch the original Star Wars movies once every six months.
Lost is getting good. I had a problem with some of the episodes in season 3 and 4, but it's getting back into a nice groove.
That's about it. I'll try to write again soon.
Megacon next week and Watchmen the week after that.
After reading reviews for it, I was worried that it would be terrible, but I nevertheless got a group of friends together to go see the movie. Afterwards, all of us agreed that it was well done (particularly with how special effects were used tp portray different powers) with an intriguing plot.
Push is the story of people with special abilities and the government organization that's tasked with either keeping them in line (often by training them as agents) or locking them up if they are a potential threat. There are several different abilities shown in the movie: Pushers who can make people believe certain things (you really need to watch the movie to know just how effective this ability can be), Movers that move things telekinetically with their minds, Watchers who can see potential futures, and half a dozen others that are mentioned.
Comic book fans will recognize themes in Push similar to recent comics like 'Civil War' and television shows like 'Heroes' but it's a good story in it's own right. It doesn't try to copy or adapt a previous work, but create something new using elements of other popular fiction.
As far as acting goes, the movie lacks a huge star (unless you have an inflated opinion of Dakota Fanning or Chris Evans), but the cast does an excellent job with the characters they play. Even though most of the characters aren't elaborated on, the actors seem to have fun playing their parts, which is good for a minor movie like this.
So, if you like comic books or action movies or just want something to watch for two hours, go see Push. It might not be in theatres for very long.
Also, I watched the entire Star Wars Trilogy last weekend (the original, not the prequels) and they still hold up. I think everyone should watch the original Star Wars movies once every six months.
Lost is getting good. I had a problem with some of the episodes in season 3 and 4, but it's getting back into a nice groove.
That's about it. I'll try to write again soon.
Megacon next week and Watchmen the week after that.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Friday, November 7, 2008
Rage of the Red Lanterns, Fallout, Bender's Game
Okay, here's an update on some things that I've been really excited about the last couple of weeks.
1) Rage of the Red Lanterns
For anyone currently reading Green Lantern, 'Rage' is just the latest chapter in the GL epic that writer Geoff Johns has been crafting for over three years. It's amazing how much thought he must have put into this story. The idea of each color in the rainbow (green = willpower, yellow = fear) having a different ability associated with it may seem hokey, but each different 'corps' introduced so far is distinct enough that we can't really confuse one for the other (except for the inevitable problem when the blue and indigo lanterns start appearing side by side).
Green Lantern is the kind of big space saga that's only been mildly used in past Green lantern stories. Geoff Johns takes advantage of the diverse population of the universe and (with the help of others) crafts different and unique aliens to populate the different corps that are coming out the woodwork. I really like the different alien designs that appeared in the previous 'Sinestro Corps War', and if the little cat Red Lantern is any indication, there should be plenty of new and interesting aliens showing up in future issues.
If anyone wants to give Green lantern a try, I am more than willing to loan one of my collections out, so long as I can trust you to return it.
2) Fallout 3
For the last week and a half, I have spent FAR too much time playing Fallout 3. It is a very exhaustive game with a huge world to explore and hundreds (if not thousands) of things to do. Like in the first falout game (for the PC), you play a survivor of a 200-year old nuclear holocaust who has spent all of his (or her) life living in a 'vault', underground fallout shelters the size of a small town. You venture forth to find your father who mysteriously disappeared for some unknown reason.
Fortunately, this is just one possible story you can follow. Don't want to find the dad that left you back at the Vault without so much as a good-bye? Then take out your aggression on over-sized mole rats that populate the immediate area as soon as emerge from the Vault. After that, maybe you could pop into the nearest trader haven called Megaton and chat up some of the locals. Several offer you odd jobs that you can do for them, including defusing an undetonated nuclear warhead lying in the center of town. What's better, is that you could choose to detonate the warhead (from a safe distance) providing you find the recent visitor that would like to see Megaton wiped off the map.
After you've run a few errands for the Megaton citizenry (or celebrated the destruction of the small town with the wicked folk of Tenpenny Tower), feel free to explore the abandoned metro tunnels that run through most of the Capitol Wasteland (the ruins of Washington D.C. are the setting for the game). Of course, the tunnels aren't necessarilly abandoned. Many are populated by Ghouls (fast zombies), Raiders, Mole Rats, and Radroaches to name a few, and they all have gear that you can pick off their corpses and keep for yourself (or sell to a merchant for other goods).
After the subways get a little boring (or you run out of ammo or things to kill), pop on over to Rivet City, an abandoned aircraft carrier that's been converted into a bustling township for a clue to your father's whereabouts.
Almost everyone you encounter has some kind of background that makes the world a little bit more interesting. The entire wasteland is filled with interesting folk to talk, trade with, or help. Several people have a job or two you could do for them to make your way in the world, whether their intentions are good or bad. Don't like running errands for people you just met? Whip out a shotgun and put a load of buckshot between their eyes, but be prepared for any 'witnesses' in the immediate area.
Suffice it to say, there is a ton to do in this game. I can get enough of it and I'm worried I might have a bit of a problem. This game is too good. Don't buy it unless you are prepared to be entranced by this masterpiece of post-apocalyptic storytelling. You control everything you do, so have fun
3) Bender's Game
Bender's Game is the latest direct-to-dvd movie for the hilarious sci-fi animated comedy Futurama. Futurama was much better than the Simpsons because it went with a different setting and actually allowed it's characters to grow with each year. Bender's Game brings the classic game Dungeons and Dragons into the Futurama world by having the drunk robot Bender Bending Rodrigeuz learn the game. I don't want to say any more than that because it might ruin some of the surprises in store for you.
I'll try to update this again soon.
I'm going to write a blog about some of the books (real books, not comics) that I've been reading recently.
1) Rage of the Red Lanterns
For anyone currently reading Green Lantern, 'Rage' is just the latest chapter in the GL epic that writer Geoff Johns has been crafting for over three years. It's amazing how much thought he must have put into this story. The idea of each color in the rainbow (green = willpower, yellow = fear) having a different ability associated with it may seem hokey, but each different 'corps' introduced so far is distinct enough that we can't really confuse one for the other (except for the inevitable problem when the blue and indigo lanterns start appearing side by side).
Green Lantern is the kind of big space saga that's only been mildly used in past Green lantern stories. Geoff Johns takes advantage of the diverse population of the universe and (with the help of others) crafts different and unique aliens to populate the different corps that are coming out the woodwork. I really like the different alien designs that appeared in the previous 'Sinestro Corps War', and if the little cat Red Lantern is any indication, there should be plenty of new and interesting aliens showing up in future issues.
If anyone wants to give Green lantern a try, I am more than willing to loan one of my collections out, so long as I can trust you to return it.
2) Fallout 3
For the last week and a half, I have spent FAR too much time playing Fallout 3. It is a very exhaustive game with a huge world to explore and hundreds (if not thousands) of things to do. Like in the first falout game (for the PC), you play a survivor of a 200-year old nuclear holocaust who has spent all of his (or her) life living in a 'vault', underground fallout shelters the size of a small town. You venture forth to find your father who mysteriously disappeared for some unknown reason.
Fortunately, this is just one possible story you can follow. Don't want to find the dad that left you back at the Vault without so much as a good-bye? Then take out your aggression on over-sized mole rats that populate the immediate area as soon as emerge from the Vault. After that, maybe you could pop into the nearest trader haven called Megaton and chat up some of the locals. Several offer you odd jobs that you can do for them, including defusing an undetonated nuclear warhead lying in the center of town. What's better, is that you could choose to detonate the warhead (from a safe distance) providing you find the recent visitor that would like to see Megaton wiped off the map.
After you've run a few errands for the Megaton citizenry (or celebrated the destruction of the small town with the wicked folk of Tenpenny Tower), feel free to explore the abandoned metro tunnels that run through most of the Capitol Wasteland (the ruins of Washington D.C. are the setting for the game). Of course, the tunnels aren't necessarilly abandoned. Many are populated by Ghouls (fast zombies), Raiders, Mole Rats, and Radroaches to name a few, and they all have gear that you can pick off their corpses and keep for yourself (or sell to a merchant for other goods).
After the subways get a little boring (or you run out of ammo or things to kill), pop on over to Rivet City, an abandoned aircraft carrier that's been converted into a bustling township for a clue to your father's whereabouts.
Almost everyone you encounter has some kind of background that makes the world a little bit more interesting. The entire wasteland is filled with interesting folk to talk, trade with, or help. Several people have a job or two you could do for them to make your way in the world, whether their intentions are good or bad. Don't like running errands for people you just met? Whip out a shotgun and put a load of buckshot between their eyes, but be prepared for any 'witnesses' in the immediate area.
Suffice it to say, there is a ton to do in this game. I can get enough of it and I'm worried I might have a bit of a problem. This game is too good. Don't buy it unless you are prepared to be entranced by this masterpiece of post-apocalyptic storytelling. You control everything you do, so have fun
3) Bender's Game
Bender's Game is the latest direct-to-dvd movie for the hilarious sci-fi animated comedy Futurama. Futurama was much better than the Simpsons because it went with a different setting and actually allowed it's characters to grow with each year. Bender's Game brings the classic game Dungeons and Dragons into the Futurama world by having the drunk robot Bender Bending Rodrigeuz learn the game. I don't want to say any more than that because it might ruin some of the surprises in store for you.
I'll try to update this again soon.
I'm going to write a blog about some of the books (real books, not comics) that I've been reading recently.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
In Space, No One Can Hear You Die
In the last two days, I have become both fascinated and terrified by a new video game called 'Dead Space'.
This story actually begins several months ago when I read about Dead Space in an issue of game Informer. I've been a fan of survival horror games for a long time, and I like it even more when game developers mess with the genre.
Rather than find yourself in the remains of a top secret lab, island infested with dinosaurs, or even a city swarming with the living dead, you are transported to a derelict space ship which has sent off a distress call for aid. The hero isn't your typical paramilitary action hero, but an engineer simply sent to repair a disabled ship.
The story caught my interest, so I was enthusiastic when I read that there were be a comic book released as a prequel to the game. The 6-issue mini-series with the same name as the game was published by Image Comics with art by unique artist Ben Templesmith, a man that's captured a loyal audience with books like the original 30 Days of Night, Wormwood Gentlemen Corpse, and Fell.
The mini-series and Templesmith's art captured the dark look expected for a story of survival horror, but the story felt a little flat. The comic tells the tale of a colony that discovers an unknown obelisk, which results in numerous violent acts occurring at the hands of either the excavation team or religious fanatics. The main protagonists do little more than react to the problems caused by the obelisk before meeting the same fate that befalls many secondary characters in horror stories. The main information we gain from the comic is that the captain of the Ishimura (the ship the player goes to in Dead Space) brought aboard the corpses of some of the colonists and followed the same faith as a Church that worships 'Markers' similar to the obelisk which was discovered. This is reason why the Ishimura was left derelit and required emergency assistance by a team of engineers led by the player character in the main game.
The comic honestly didn't do much for me, but when I finally got the game this past Thursday, I was enthralled. It plays with light and shadows to heighten your gaming experience, along with the terror you feel from being left in the dark surrounded by undead humalien life-forms. Sound is another big factor in capturing the atomosphere. Creatures skuttle about everywhere, so you need to be on your guard whenever you hear something unusual.
Similar to another game I love, Bioshock, you have a few limited 'special powers' that are effects created by the suit you wear. You don't have a lot of variability, but you do have the power to slow down enemies (where you still get to move normally, so it's not like Max Payne's bullet-time) and move objects out of the way with telekinesis.
The weapons are unique, because most are actual tools rather than the assortment of pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles that you find in other genre games. Fortunately, there is one, a Plasma Rifle which I make good use of when confronted by a swarm of 'necromorphs'. There's nothing like being able to unload a clip of plasma rounds into an undead baddie to make you feel safe and sound. Unfortunately, you can run out of ammo due to the rifle's autofire, which is not a problem with the other weapons.
I know this sounds like a review, but I am just really enjoying the game and wanted to let anyone who reads this to know. Check out Dead Space. It's on PS3 and Xbox 360, so if you're a fan of survival horror or just sci-fi action games, you need to give it a try.
I recommend it for fans of Bioshock and Resident Evil.
This story actually begins several months ago when I read about Dead Space in an issue of game Informer. I've been a fan of survival horror games for a long time, and I like it even more when game developers mess with the genre.
Rather than find yourself in the remains of a top secret lab, island infested with dinosaurs, or even a city swarming with the living dead, you are transported to a derelict space ship which has sent off a distress call for aid. The hero isn't your typical paramilitary action hero, but an engineer simply sent to repair a disabled ship.
The story caught my interest, so I was enthusiastic when I read that there were be a comic book released as a prequel to the game. The 6-issue mini-series with the same name as the game was published by Image Comics with art by unique artist Ben Templesmith, a man that's captured a loyal audience with books like the original 30 Days of Night, Wormwood Gentlemen Corpse, and Fell.
The mini-series and Templesmith's art captured the dark look expected for a story of survival horror, but the story felt a little flat. The comic tells the tale of a colony that discovers an unknown obelisk, which results in numerous violent acts occurring at the hands of either the excavation team or religious fanatics. The main protagonists do little more than react to the problems caused by the obelisk before meeting the same fate that befalls many secondary characters in horror stories. The main information we gain from the comic is that the captain of the Ishimura (the ship the player goes to in Dead Space) brought aboard the corpses of some of the colonists and followed the same faith as a Church that worships 'Markers' similar to the obelisk which was discovered. This is reason why the Ishimura was left derelit and required emergency assistance by a team of engineers led by the player character in the main game.
The comic honestly didn't do much for me, but when I finally got the game this past Thursday, I was enthralled. It plays with light and shadows to heighten your gaming experience, along with the terror you feel from being left in the dark surrounded by undead humalien life-forms. Sound is another big factor in capturing the atomosphere. Creatures skuttle about everywhere, so you need to be on your guard whenever you hear something unusual.
Similar to another game I love, Bioshock, you have a few limited 'special powers' that are effects created by the suit you wear. You don't have a lot of variability, but you do have the power to slow down enemies (where you still get to move normally, so it's not like Max Payne's bullet-time) and move objects out of the way with telekinesis.
The weapons are unique, because most are actual tools rather than the assortment of pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles that you find in other genre games. Fortunately, there is one, a Plasma Rifle which I make good use of when confronted by a swarm of 'necromorphs'. There's nothing like being able to unload a clip of plasma rounds into an undead baddie to make you feel safe and sound. Unfortunately, you can run out of ammo due to the rifle's autofire, which is not a problem with the other weapons.
I know this sounds like a review, but I am just really enjoying the game and wanted to let anyone who reads this to know. Check out Dead Space. It's on PS3 and Xbox 360, so if you're a fan of survival horror or just sci-fi action games, you need to give it a try.
I recommend it for fans of Bioshock and Resident Evil.
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