#glad you guys are liking my saturday morning cartoon character villain

[hollowsart]

Here are my thoughts on all the Doc Ock, and for the most part their voices, mainly.

If there are any doc ock I missed who have talking parts that I missed, feel free to let me know and I will edit this accordingly after checking them out:

60s: Doc Ock sounds like such an old man. It looks 30s-40s at best but he sounds 70-80 dhdnfnrjd I love him tho. He's so stupid (affectionate)

70s: sounds like he could have been a character on Batman 66 tbh... and that would be a compliment.

80s: SO WHINY. Baby rage. Sounds almost like an old lady. Poor dude, puberty did you no justice. 😔

90s: ..ah. This is the German Otto. My man. Your outfit is so... yikes. And your poor hair. My guy.. My dude.. plz.

The Sinister Six, game: oh.. oh this voice gives me Humongous Entertainment Games vibes.. the visuals are absolutely absurd tho LOL

2004: Hi Mr.Molina, sir. Hi. Where's your shirt? Awfully drafty scuttling around like that.. with your whole chest out.. like that.. easier and breezier? I can respect that.

2000 game: I think he needs to clear his throat and maybe take a nap. Not too many German Doc Ock's. Fascinating.

Enter Electro: holy crud, Doc. Very gruff and a little gravelly. Dang.

Spiderman 2 game: I didn't know you did 1920s Detective Noir villain voices. Sounding a little more unhinged here.. you good, Alfred?

Friend or Foe: Have you considered going into voice work as the narrator for movie trailers? I think it would be a better occupation.

2008: MARSHMALLOW BABY MAN BELOVED. YES. KILL. VIOLENCE. YOU WERE NEVER WEAK 💕

Shattered Dimensions: Ma'am..? Have we not learned from the past?

Total Mayhem: Hm. I uh. I don't know what to say, really.

Edge Of Time: Oh. Oh someone save this poor guy. It's ok Otto, you will get out of this safely and be able to take a nice long and well deserved vacation (I hope?? Is this man okay?? Someone tell me he's alright, I worry--)

Lego Marvel Superheroes: wow. Just. Wow. Saturday morning cartoon guy.

Ultimate, and Lego: Hi Tom Kenny. Hi. The heck are you doing here, my good sir?

PS4: Oh hey gramps. Sick arms. Love the wicked glow and the glowy claw tips

Ultimate Alliance: Nice voice. Maybe.. tone down the anger? I feel you get a lot of headaches from all the rage.. need a vacation, buddy?

Marvel's Spidey: Oh gosh. Oh gosh no. Hi uhh.. Hi Robin from Teen Titans? I... I don't... I don't like this.

Marvel Superhero Adventures: Oh my gosh. ...Oh.. My gosh. His voice. I love it. It's so stupid. Like a dumb stereotypical nasally high pitched German mad scientist. My word. I need more.

Spiderverse: OLIVIA. HI. HI OLIVIA. HEY GIRL. HOW ARE YOU? LOOKING GOOD, MA'AM!

Spidey and his amazing friends: ...Girl what. #girl ???

No Way Home: HI ALFRED. HI. WELCOME BACK, SIR. Glad to see you warmed up with a sweater! Love it! Looks cozy! Gotta stay comfy and classy when committing crimes against your will and better judgement! Are those transition lenses? Awesome! Very convenient!

#ghostie mumbles #//long post #doc ock

[game-boy-pocket]

So... Nintendo Direct thoughts I guess.

I joined a little late, so honestly, I just fast forwarded through all the games I didn't care about. Kinda the way to go tbh.

I still don't know about pokemon man. Everyone is saying "Yeah it's poorly made but it's one of their better games in a long time" but like I don't know how much I trust a pokemon fan's opinion on that that... you know I preordered Violet, after Legends Arceus left a good impression on me. But I cancelled it after some financial harships started happening and now I feel like I dodged a bullet.

Sonic Super Stars is looking pretty good, I really... really wish Fang was playable... I know he's a bad guy but I love him so much and have always wanted him to be playable... I'm just glad he's back at all, and his 3D model looks decent.

That "Saturday Morning Cartoon" inspired game intrigues me but like they shouldn't have had the boring Nintendo Direct narrator talking over the trailer and let the game speak for itself, show it's personality a little... does it have cheesy filmation style dialogue?? Also their villain looks kind of lame compared to like, Skeletor or Prime Evil.

Still not sure about Splatoon 3. It just looks like more of the same to me, I am kind of curious, but at the same time, it feels too late to start now... then again, if the game really is as samey as it looks, I could probably just coast on what I know from Splatoon 1 and 2.

I have no interest in Detective Pikachu as a franchise and the fact that his personality just seems to be "I love coffee" does not endear me to the character.

Super Mario RPG

Holy Fucking Shit

I didn't think the maniacs would do it.

When I heard the rumors I was like "Yeah right... this does not fit in line with the current corporate image of Mario, they're not gonna do it, and if they do, they'll butcher the art style"

I was so fucking wrong, it looks amazing. They even made Mario all squat and pudgy like the original game, I love it so much, and it looks like there are new cinematics... possibly even entirely new sections of the game what with Bowser riding his Clown car with the others.... that or they're new special attacks. I can't fucking wait you guys it looks so fucking good, I hope they consider making it a franchise again. I still have the original game but I am going to buy this day one.

We even saw Boshi briefly, and the spines still have their weird shapes. I have no reason to believe they'll change Terrapins into standard looking Koopa Troopas now. Literally all my fears are gone.

Don't know what to think about the Peach game. I make it no secret, I'm kind of over the whole arts and crafts aesthetic in games and a game that's just a stage play seems no different. I'm not even sure what kind of game it is. I just would have wanted another platformer. I guess I have to see more.

Luigi's Mansion 2 coming to Switch is a pleasant surprise. I wonder if we're going to enter an age of 3DS ports, because I can think of several 3DS games I want to see on Switch. Kid Icarus and A Link Between Worlds chief among them Luigi's Mansion 2 is my least favorite in the series, but it's still a good time. It not being on handheld makes me more likely to replay it. I do think they could have enhanced the visuals a little more though.

Too little too late with Batman. I already bought it on PC. I would have bought the Arkham Trilogy day one if it launched earlier in the Switch's life. But i'm glad the option is there for people.

I'll be honest I thought Dragon Quest Monsters looked pretty "meh", and I don't know if it's just a bad trailer or what, but the fact that the Solo, the Hero from DQIV shows up, immediately got my interest, he hs my fave hero design, and I was happy he was a skin in Smash Bros... still, man, this looks like a 3DS game... How can they be releasing this after Dragon Quest XI?? Also, is the playable character the bad guy from DQIV? I played the NES version so I didn't really see his human form.

Not much to say about Pikmin. It looks like Pikmin. Which is a good thing. But I don't know how eager I am to play it. Not a day one purchase, but an eventual purchase.

I am tempted by the Metal Gear Solid collection but it has so much extra shit that I don't really need which probably jacks up the price and I think I might prefer playing MGS1 on a CRT anyway. But man it's jsut been so long since I played Metal Gear that I don't even care I just want a way to play it. I'm just glad it's not a fucking Cloud game.

Penny's Big Breakaway had my attention just from the character designs, it screams Playstation 1 platformer. Like Mega Man Legends or Tail Concerto or something. And it's a 3D platformer... but when I heard the Sonic Mania team is working on this, i'm all in. I just wish the enemies weren't just a bunch of dopey looking birds, I want a least some kind of cool factor in the game. But yes I will be keeping my eye on this one.

Mario Kart 8 DLC looking okay. I expected Petey. He's cool I guess but i'm not gonna play as him. I'll be happy to see him on the track though. He was kind of a big part of Mario History in the Gamecube and Wii era.... Wiggler though? Meh... and KAMEK. He should have been in the base game imo, he should be a mainstay in every spinoff, he should have been introduced with the Yoshi's Island course... I'm very happy to have Kamek here. The course looks interesting too. Glad it appears to be another new course.

The new Wario Ware....... looks like Smooth Moves 2. Was the boring Nintendo Direct Narrator doing a Wario voice or did Wario get a new voice actor?? Anyway. I'll keep an eye on this. Smooth Moves was my 2nd Fave Wario Ware game, so this shows potential.

I was pretty bummed out when they mentioned Tears of the Knigdom, and it was only to announce some Amiibos... I still can't even find the Link Amiibo. They look nice though. It will be nice to have a Ganondorf Amiibo that doesn't look like shit. ( No offense to TP Ganondorf fans, but you gotta admit, the first wave f Smash Bros Amiibos is kind of rough ) ...I hope this isn't a deconfirmation of DLC. I really want more of this game, now that the main story is done and my list of side quests is rapidly shrinking, I'm getting sad about the inevitable end of one of my fave Zeldas.

And the big one

Super Mario Wonder

I'll admit I was disappointed that it was doing 3D again instead of a hand drawn style...

But the characters look so good now. They actually look more like 3D models of Koichi Kotabe's artwork. Mario and co are so expressive, their stances are not nearly as boring as the New Super Mario Bros games, their animations are so good, calling back to Mario 3 and Mario World with the blurry feet and airplane run, Mario actually HAS facial expressions now... and holy shit is fucking DAISY playable? Without sacrificing Toad? This is pretty huge! The enemies are looking really cool and stylized too, they all seem to have gotten model upgrades!

I will say... this is reminding me a little bit of Kirby Return to Dreamland, which... is worrying to me. That "wonder Flower" reeks of a Kirby gimmick, and I honestly find that Kirby's gimmicks lately just kind of slow the flow of the game, and often times just feel like all flash and no substance. "ooh I destroyed a hole room of enemies with a really big sword that I was forced to pick up" like I don't actually feel like I accomplished anything with that... I hope I'm wrong.

Also, I heard the rumor that there would be elephants... I don't like elephants. I thought I'd hate Elephant Mario... but you know what, he makes me smile.

I am so excited for this game.

This was definitely one of the better Nintendo Directs in a while, it won't top the back to back Banjo in Smash and Tears of the Kingdom reveal for me, but i'm pretty happy with what's on the horizon.

[chocodile]

Hyden responds to (alleged) accusations about (alleged) war crimes.

#furry #ask #furry art #what to tag this... #my ocs #hyden #still figuring out how to draw his head #amused that war crimes got brought up when I technically did not mention anything about them in that post #he has a lot of backstory. a lot. a whole lot. #a.... lot #glad you guys are liking my saturday morning cartoon character villain #verse: amaranthine

[corpus-chorus]

Why are you mad about tfatws?

Oh god, okay, so this is a super subjective gripe over one specific thing and, please, if you enjoyed The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, I'm glad and I hope you continue enjoying it! But boy howdy did it jimmy my jams.

Because I really liked Zemo as a villain in Civil War. Mostly because he was presented as just a guy. A person who went through an incredible tragedy, and looked on the people he blamed for it and realized they were also just . . . people.

He didn't have any superpowers, and the way everything was presented in CW, it was just that he was smart and determined enough to hunt down enough pieces to put together a plan to bring down the Avengers like people, not like superheroes.

And then we get to TFATWS and it's like! Surprise! He was actually a super-rich baron who's got all kinds of connections and resources!

And literally, every bit of goodwill I had for the character-building they did in CW just zipped right outta me because . . . okay, cool. So he wasn't just a guy. He had all this shit to help him. He's literally born into money and wealth and privilege, and suddenly his determined fight to bring down the Avengers before felt more like a Saturday morning cartoon villain rather than a haunted man mourning the loss of his family.

I know Baron Zemo is from the comics, and this version is closer to the original, and I know a lot of people really like this version. But I loved what they did with him first, where he helped flesh out the idea that the Avengers were just people too, and a normal person could break them just as well as some grand supervillain scheme.

I don't know, man, it just really unwatered my crops.

#tfatws #tfatws critical #i was really enjoying tfatws up to that point #really liked what they were doing with the characters and the problems they were dealing with #characterization was a bit weird at times but I was into it #and then we hit that moment and I was just so #so so so angry #and seriously if you enjoyed it more power to you!! #i'm glad they made something you could have fun with! #but it's just #not for me #if you'd asked me before that one episode came out I woulda told you I didn't really care about zemo at all #probably would have said i had kinda a bad opinion of him #but then they did that and i realized how much I liked how they'd used him #and now i'll never be able to watch civil war the same again #ryo rambles

[fizzingwizard]

I was curious if rewatching Kizuna after not having seen it since it released in late February would change my opinion of it any. It has a little bit. Not a lot, but a little. Spoiler warning!

To recap, I didn’t hate it or anything, it just didn’t amaze me. As far as grown up nostalgia movies based off anime go, it’s pretty solid, I think.

I felt that I enjoyed it more this time around, and I think there are a couple reasons why: first, I’m having a good day, whereas when I saw it in the theater I was in the worst mood ever. :P So there’s that factor that’s totally unrelated to anyone to but me.

Second, we’re now so distant from both Tri and Kizuna that I’m not so inclined to compare them. They really shouldn’t be compared anyway for billions of reasons, but before Kizuna came out it was a natural thing to be doing. There was lots of weird hearsay about Kizuna on the net before the release too, like that a long time Digimon producer had walked on the project etc...

(I guess if you waited till the DVD release/overseas release, it hasn’t been out that long for you... but for those of us who saw it last spring, we’ve got some distance now xP)

So here's how I feel about it now:

I still just don’t enjoy the whole “you grow up and lose your endless potential so your partner disappears” thing. And it’s not even like it doesn’t make sense. In the Adventure universe, what’s always been clear is that wishes, strong belief, passion, are the energy that fuels creation. It was a fun kid’s concept that has grown a lot and reaches I suppose its inevitable grown up meaning in Kizuna. If your view of the future narrows and becomes something like “I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing as an adult,” it’s easy to see how that would result in a decrease of that energy. And it CAN be renewed. They explain the entire movie in that one blurb at the very beginning (which I actually missed the first time since I got to the theater late) that talks about how change is inevitable and there’s always a new adventure.

It’s a fleshed out idea. Much more well-rounded than those old fanfics that treated Digimon like parental replacements and their disappearance in adulthood was synonymous with growth. I always hated that idea because, like, I get that some fans only really like the kids, but I always loved the Digimon. I think probably the majority of us do? And reducing them like that... it just takes away the fun and the emotional impact of the story. I hate to be hit over the head with metaphor, especially when the metaphor is grossly obvious.

But because of that idea that was so popular while I was growing up, I can’t help but clench my teeth through Kizuna’s interpretation of it, even though it’s so much better developed. Kizuna’s concept makes sense and doesn’t diminish the Digimon partners, not really... but I just don’t want it. The underlying theme that it’s up to the Chosen to continue to choose to be Chosen, in their own way, and continue to try to unlock their unending potential as adults, and then presumably they’ll be reunited with their partners... like it’s good, really, I should like it. I just never wanted it and still don’t.

The way the movie focuses so heavily on Taichi and Yamato bothers me less than it did on first viewing. It helps that I like those two characters a lot. I will always wish we got more of everyone, of course. I’m glad Koushirou was still indispensable. Takeru and Hikari got to be really cool in the opening scene. Seeing Angemon and Angewomon fight together rocked. Sora’s abscene was tough, but makes sense with the theme of the movie and her chosen role. All the characters still seemed like themselves. I’m always going to want more, but I’m grateful for that.

Also on initial viewing, I was underwhelmed by the 02 kids’ role, but now I think they got a pretty good slice of the pie, all things considered. Especially Daisuke and Miyako, who were awesome. I’m still whatever about Ken’s part though and wish they’d picked ANY OTHER HAIRSTYLE.

The pace of the movie is really good. It doesn’t feel rushed or jerky the way parts of Tri did. The first 30-45 min I really do think are stellar - it’s starting with the reveal that Menoa is the bad guy (big surprise, not) that I start to be less interested. It leads to the big battle scene, which is elevated by the emotional and mental trauma that powers Menoa and even powers the Chosen Children she abducts. I definitely would not have preferred a standard Big Bad with no relatable motivations. But I still don’t like Menoa, as a person or a villain. I kind of wonder if Menoa is the result of plans for Himekawa in Tri that never made it...

There’s that bit where the other Chosen are brainwashed, and yet not, because it’s their own wish for things to not have to change that powers them... I get it, I do, but I still wish there were less brainwashing. Menoa really had to reach to pull out that wish so that it was at the forefront of their hearts to the point that they’d attack Taichi and Yamato. So it wasn’t really their decision, unless it’s a sin simply to have conflicting desires. I’m not saying I would have preferred Hikari, for example, to have said completely by her own will “I’m with Menoa and I’m going to attack my brother!” because that would be dumb. Rather, I just find the whole child abduction to Neverland concept boring. The long and short of it I guess is I didn’t enjoy the battle scene that much. Regardless of the story around it, it’s still just an anime battle that ends with yet another new evolution.

We could totally have had interesting stuff for the other characters to do if there weren’t such a requirement that there be a big long battle. Some battle? sure. It’s Digimon. But does it have to be that long? Really? Kizuna’s not being shown to eight year olds during Saturday morning cartoons. It was adult fans in the theater after work. For a story that’s all about unlimited potential, I wonder did Kizuna itself really reach the unlimited potential for Digimon stories? lol.

So those are things I just can’t get around. However, at least we got an enjoyable movie out of it.

I still vastly prefer Tri. Kizuna has better animation, steadier pacing, and a more tied up storyline. But to me, Tri is better partly because of the amount of time it had (six movies to one), the huge risks it took, the great character moments everyone got, and the nontraditional plot. Of course, as I said at the start, it really doesn’t make sense to compare Tri and Kizuna for the simple reason that Tri is a series and Kizuna is a movie. That’s not to say a movie can’t kick a series out of the water - it absolutely can, quality over quantity folks - but in this case I’d argue the amount of time makes a difference. Digimon is a show about 8 individual kids who were all nearly equal in terms of how much they mattered in 99 Adventure. That’s why the extreme focus on Taichi and Yamato in the reboot and in Kizuna bugs me. Tri had time to take on all eight and we still complained that we didn’t also get the four from 02. Kizuna has all 12 of the kids in the main cast for just 90 minutes total, that’s it. For fans whose priorities, like mine, are face time with the characters, getting to know them again, see how they change, and enjoy a mix of the familiar and the different, I just don’t think Kizuna can fulfill all that.

Pretty much, if we had Kizuna without Tri, I’d probably hate it for that reason. But because we got Tri before Kizuna, I feel free to enjoy Kizuna for what it is. Which is overall pretty good if just not my personal desire.

lol how come I just can’t write anything short. xP All that being said, there were tons of things in Kizuna that I loved, the art, the snapshots of the adult relationships between characters, esp Taichi/Yamato, Taichi/Koushirou, Takeru/Hikari. And more than anything, the relationships between children and Digimon. Also loved cool spy Yamato of course. And the whistle. I said all this back in Feb so I’m gonna end now but I did just want to sum up my thoughts after they changed a bit.

#kizuna spoilers #digimon adventure #kizuna #digimon

[dcarevu]

DCAU #11: Two-Face (Part 1)

“All men have something to hide. The brighter the picture, the darker the negative.”

We’ve made it, guys! We’ve made it past the developmental/establishment stage of Batman the Animated Series for the most part, and from here on out, the show elevates to a whole other level. Like virtually all tv shows, there will still be ups and downs, and a few bumps on the road, but it is pretty well known that not only does Two-Face mark the true start of the masterpiece that is this series, but is also one of the absolute greatest episodes.

Villain: Rupert Thorne Robin: No Writers: Randy Rogel (teleplay), Alan Burnett (story) Director: Kevin Altieri Animator: TMS Airdate: September 25, 1992 Episode Grade: A

Oh man, so what do I say about this one that hasn’t been said already? Probably not a whole lot. While not a lot of people set themselves up to look at, analyze, and write about every episode of the DCAU, doing just Batman is more common. And granted, I don’t allow myself to read any reviews of any episodes until after my posts on them are written, I am still for the most part aware of what people’s opinions are with some of these high-profile episodes. So I think the best thing to do is continue just like I intended. Not caring about necessarily writing something that people haven’t heard before, but instead just writing whatever is on my mind for reactions, and also expressing Char’s thoughts as someone who has never seen the series before. After all, most reviews of this show come from people who have seen it prior!

This is Alan Burnett’s first episode of the series, and once he and Dini were both activated, oh man. It is clear that they saw eye-to-eye with Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and it was a collection of the right people joining forces at just the right time. Both Dini and Burnett had worked on some pretty basic Saturday Morning Cartoons prior (along with some higher quality stuff), and writing for those types of shows must have felt like interning and doing nothing but pouring coffee for those that hold the job you truly want. They could use their creativity, sure, but knowing their visions for this show, it is apparent how stifled they must have been. Which is fine, they were still doing what they loved for a living, and getting very necessary experience. Maybe without these formative years and working on these cheesy cartoons from the 80’s, they wouldn’t have had the jobs to come up with the beautiful stories that they did. Creativity and writing is something that can get worse without practice and training, and sometimes that training truly does need to work much like it did in The Karate Kid, not being apparent until after it is completed. But while I’m not a fan of everything that Alan Burnett contributed to the DCAU, there is no denying what a valuable member to the team he was. Welcome aboard, Alan. But now let’s talk about the episode itself.

Two of the things mentioned in the series bible are as follows: the villains were to much of the time be human and have motivations, and the show was to be a noir crime drama, sometimes focusing more on everyday mobsters than colorful super villains, and not necessarily being a “monster of the week” type of show. And while Harvey Dent/Two-Face is very much a monster when it comes to appearance, this episode falls right in line with these rules. I had to think a little bit when I wrote who the villain would be for this episode, because yeah, Two-Face is a well known member of Batman’s rogues gallery, but Rupert Thorne is the real monster here. And goodness, what a cool villain he is. His voice actor, his lines, even his motivation, while not as sympathetic as Harvey’s, makes a lot of sense! He’s a mobster trying to do mobster things, and Harvey Dent is a real problem for him. But you also totally wanna see the creep get creamed by Harvey, because damn, you feel Harvey Dent’s pain tenfold. Leave the guy alone, he’s going through enough!

And throughout the episode, things just go further and further downhill for Harvey Dent, exponentially. He lashes out in public. Okay, that’s bad and gets a lot of press. But it’s nothing he can’t recover from. Then we find out it’s a recurring thing that he’s seeking professional help for, and just now getting worse. Then Rupert Thorne gets involved and severely threatens Harvey’s career as a politician. Then we have that god damn explosion, and at that point, you just know that there is no recovery, particularly as he flees the hospital, abandoning any hope for treatment. You feel the pain at the pit of your stomach as you watch, and let me tell you, even though I have seen this episode before (albeit only once), my heart was beating during certain scenes, particularly when he is talking with his psychiatrist and when he is at the “meeting” with Rupert Thorne and his goons. A couple times I heard Char gasp, and when that explosion happened, she had her mouth covered for a good while, hardly able to believe that Harvey Dent, one of Bruce Wayne’s best friends, a surprisingly clean-cut, honest politician, and someone we have seen a couple times now, is the villainous Two-Face that she has heard about before.

It’s not even just his character. It’s the fact that the episodes of this show so far have been good, but not this level. This is a serious, adult episode that I think would actually be pretty intense for children. I made a joke to Char when we were discussing the episode, and I said, “But it’s just a little kid’s cartoon!” and she responded with, “No it is not.” We deal with politics in a way that’s actually engaging. We deal with the struggle of a severe mental disorder and childhood trauma. Gosh jesus, the way this episode handles the mental disorder! Char and I both applauded it. Bruce Wayne telling Harvey how proud he is that he’s seeking mental help just warms your heart, and looking back after watching the episode (along with part 2, which has been watched, but we’ll discuss that next time), it almost brings a tear to your eye. Especially since all that could have been done was done. Harvey was getting help. His finance, who is a great character by the way, gave him all the love and support she could have. Bruce Wayne encouraged him to get better and even stepped in as Batman to try to save his friend. But sometimes with life, you can do everything right and it’s never enough. That is what makes this story a genius tragedy. Much better than what they were originally planning with the character, where they would have had him get acid thrown in his face like his traditional origin, and then develop the episodes. Him struggling with these mental problems for longer than his scars have existed feels so much more real, and adds to what makes this character so complex.

Then we have the style and animation, and it does nothing but enhance everything. Director Kevin Altieri outdid himself here. Some of the shots, including one of the most iconic images ever of his other face being revealed for a second when the lightning strikes, are simply beautiful. There were a lot of other little things like the rain on the window at night, which Char specifically noted. There was a specific close-up shot as well when Harvey was bandaged in the hospital that was extra stylized, but it standing out and being different than the other animation worked in its favor. It fit the mood so well. A different animation studio would do Part 2, which is a bit of a shame, as it didn’t end up looking nearly as good as this one, but I’m glad they blew their load on this one at the same time and made the visuals match the episode concept so well. Animation similar to some of the first episodes of the series would have killed the vibes which they were going for. It was a mini horror movie, lacking any amount of camp (something that Nothing to Fear didn’t do nearly as well). Also, TMS is very well known for being a studio of amazing quality and detail.

Something cool that Char noticed was that Grace, Dent’s fiancé, didn't touch him when it came to calming him down and forcing “Big Bad Harv” away, and it’s evident at another section of the episode that touching him in this state tends to set him off a lot more. This is a cool subtlety, and it shows that Grace is very in tune and familia with Harvey, and is definitely the closest thing to a safe-haven that he has. When he is with Grace, it gives you hope, when he is with almost anyone else, well, Char put it best, you could cut the tension with a knife. I think this is what leaves your heart beating throughout the episode, and what makes it so suspenseful. That tension. But while watching, you hope that the pressure is relieved. Instead, it ends with quite literally an explosion. We’ll see how things resolve next time.

Char’s grade: A Major firsts: Rupert Thorne, Two-Face, a two-part episode

Next time: Two-Face (Part 2)

Full episode list here!

#batman tas #batman the animated series #two-face #dc animated universe #dcau #harvey dent #rupert thorne #two face #twoface

[acehotel]

Serving America in the Right Direction: A Conversation with LAND Gallery artist Carlo Daleo

Carlo Daleo is a maestro extraordinaire of all trades — a painter, writer and animator, he’s been with LAND Gallery since their inception in 2005. His pieces often incorporate both text and image, drawing from his own storyboards and musical influences. The work, sensitive and graphic, is an in-depth investigation on how daily objects and an imaginative spirit can be the source of immense inspiration and connectivity. As part of Inside Job, a monthly artists’ profile series led by LAND Gallery’s Sophia Cosmadopoulos, Daleo discusses the weekly rituals that serve as part of his artistic practice, his ultimate New Yorker status and why he goes on annual Frank Sinatra pilgrimages.

LAND Gallery is a nonprofit art studio celebrating and supporting the work of adults living with intellectual disabilities.

Sophia Cosmadopoulos: Carlo, how are you?

Carlo Daleo: Hello Sophia, how do you do?

S: Would you like to introduce yourself?

C: Hello New York, my name is Carlo Daleo and I am sure you know me from the LAND Gallery and website and I am very glad to see that I am having this interview over there for the Ace Hotel and I am very glad to talk all about myself and what’s been going on with me recently as well as in the past.

S: Carlo, I have always considered you the ultimate New Yorker, why do you think you’ve earned that title?

C: Well, I am finally getting to the understanding that I have been around New York City all my life. I was born in Elmhurst, Queens in 1961. To tell you the actual truth is, that I was born and raised in Elmhurst but was educated in Brooklyn and I learned a lot of things in Brooklyn as well. But the true life of it is, Elmhurst Queens is my hometown. Then I lived in Bushwick, then Bayridge for 18 years, this is where the filming of Saturday Night Fever took place long before I came there. And now I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

S: You spend so much of your time exploring this city and you really seem to love it. My friends text me all the time with “Carlo sightings.” Where are some of your favorite places to visit?

C: Well to be honest with you, the places I usually go to is the Saint Francis Xavier Church right there on 16th street as well as the Flushing bank, the Starbucks in various locations including Brooklyn, New York, The Bronx and so much more. I go to 2 Brothers Pizza, because I know a lot of people there and they became my friends. I spend a lot of time eating sandwiches and salads on the weekend, absolutely.

S: What was it like growing up in New York?

C: Well, my childhood wasn’t always perfect, as a matter of fact. It was kind of almost a little bit difficult as it was then. I was a little bit too small to go around New York City by myself as a small child in the very beginning. Until decades later I finally grew up and I finally got around by myself, and I enjoyed it very very much, and I enjoy what I missed, and I have made up for my past misbehavior of what I was not allowed to do as a small child back then.

S: Right, I think that’s why you love New York so much, because it makes you feel free, right? You get to take yourself wherever you want to go?

C: Yeah, that’s what I have been doing all along, and I will continue to do for many more years to come.

S: And when did you first start making your art?

C: In 1966. Following the death of Walt Disney. That’s when I started drawing.

S: Ah ha. So you wanted to carry on Walt Disney’s legacy after his death by making your own work? C: That’s correct.

S: How long have you been attending LAND?

C: Well, about exactly 15 years.

S: Except LAND opened in 2005, so more like 13 years.

C: Right, 13 years.

S: What was LAND like when you first started?

C: Well it was when I started doing artwork on a regular basis. It looked like a real gallery and it looked like a real studio. I could do artwork all the time. It was different because they gave me a lot of things that I could do, of which most of my old treatment centers couldn’t give me.

S: Can you tell us about your artwork?

C: Well, my artwork is so important to me, as a matter of fact. And all these ideas came from my parts from the albums and the hosiery designs and the past and present and the cartoon characters I created and new ideas and things like that. In more recent times, I got my own ideas and they’re finally coming out of my head, and I’m going to try to see if I can deliver, if I have a chance.

S: So, maybe you could explain your process a little bit, for people that don’t know.

C: Well, I work on a regular, strict basis. And I don’t take the time very much to listen to these musics, but I usually take my time to listen to somebody else’s music while I’m working on my own art drawings. That’s the only way I’ll be able to concentrate, and succeed later.

S: Right, you are “strict” about how you spend your day at LAND. You come in, pour yourself a black coffee and set up your desk. You make work in the morning, rest with your head down listening to music, eat lunch, and then work again until you leave. I love how closely you pay attention to time. On the back of each of your drawings you have recorded the exact minute you started and finished your drawing!

C: That’s right.

S:  Will you tell us about how your paintings begin? You usually start with a storyboard on a large piece of paper, right?

C: Yes.

S: And then you pull out specific windows of your storyboard, and you make larger paintings of them?

C: Absolutely, because they’re based on my stories.

S: And what are some of your favorite things to draw in those storyboards?

C: Well to be honest, I draw skateboards, sometimes cell phones to be exact. CD players, UFOs, remote controls…

S: That’s right, and often times these objects are talking to you, congratulating you on your accomplishments, really. They tell you they love you. Do you consider these inanimate objects your friends or fans?

C: I believe they are my fans.

S: Can you tell us about some of your characters that you’ve created? Who are some of the people that reoccur in your stories?

 C: Well, Melissa Sue’s an example. Melissa Sue comes from the planet Selmar, and she has what nobody else has, she has a lot that none of us have, no pain, no suffering, no problems with her body or any stuff like that. She never has any of these problems, because over there on the planet Selmar, everybody was perfect. That was very unusual for a person like this, because over there her parents were the same as she is. And when she eats the food it dissolves, it disappears into the body. It never comes out of the person.

S: Oh, interesting. I love how wild your stories get.

C: But you know what, I just wanna say, she does have her pet characters. Two of them have been Selmar the dog, who talks as well and does incredible things. And Tweedles the cat, as well as incredible things like that.

S: And what about the Gonkies?

C: The Gonkies are unknown creatures that live out west on planet earth. Sometimes they wear space suits, no problem with that. The Gonkies are always being tortured by a bad villain cowboy named Buffalo Bull who wants to eat them for breakfast. 

S: Who are some of your heroes, Carlo?

C: Well, everyone I’ve ever been influenced by is still living, and some have passed away. The Fab Four, the Beatles —, all influenced me as well. And pretty much Jan Berry. But the most important guy is even Elvis Presley, of Tupelo, Mississippi, and the cartoon characters Alvin & the Chipmunks, and the Chipettes.

S: Right, Jan Berry! Tell us about that.

C: Jan Berry, who was doing surf music at the time, had an accident in 1966 when I was a kid at that time. Jan did. Because, later on when I realized it happened, it affected me. It changed my life forever, as I didn’t know. When he was an automobile accident, he became one of us disabled people.

S: That’s right, it had a big impact on you. I think maybe because you got to see one of your heroes in a similar position to you.

C: That’s correct.

S: Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, your biggest hero.

C: The man I know, who changed my life forever, and has been with me ever since, and he always will be in my spirit no matter what happens, is the chairman of the board, Mr. Frank Sinatra.

S: What do you love about Frank?

C: He’s one of the best entertainers in the world. He’s the best there is. I own more of his stuff than anybody else in the entire world.

S: And you do a lot of artwork about Frank Sinatra, right?

C: Yeah, I’ve been doing it in recent years.

S: And you like to listen to Frank when you’re drawing? On your Discman?

C: Well, yes. But not all the time. And I do get to listen to his records at Starbucks every single Saturday morning. Around ten o’clock you know, at the Starbucks place in Park Avenue South. I understand that Frank Sinatra’s had that same problem that I’ve had when I was a child, and he wanted to be a star, he wanted to be a star as what we like today. But his parents would insist on that. But he did it anyway. He struggled very hard as he could to be one, and guess what, he did a very great job being a star even after his death, he’ll always live in our hearts, no matter what we do, no matter how much time we listen to his records.

S: And every year you go visit his house, is that right?

C: In Hoboken New Jersey, which is Frank Sinatra’s birthplace.

S: Right. You go for his birthday?

C: Absolutely. And I go for his passing as well, after he dies.

S: Oh, so you go twice a year?

C: That’s right.

S: Would you consider that a pilgrimage?

C: I did consider it as a pilgrimage, absolutely.

S: You’ve met some of your favorite celebrities before. Tell us who some of those people are.

C: Nancy Sinatra. An Elvis impersonator as well, at Starbucks. And I met Frank Sinatra Jr. And I met Louise Lasser, of Mary Hartman fame, and I also met one of the heroes like Batman, I’ve met Spiderman, I met Wonder Woman, I even met the Flash. But there was one superhero that I didn’t get to meet.

S: Who was that?

A: Superman. But I’m gonna meet him one day, before I die. Hopefully I will. But all I’ll say is I don’t know when, but maybe some time in the future, hopefully I’ll tell him my fears and things like that.

S: What are your goals as an artist?

C: My goal as an artist is to be an animator, and to try to create my own characters so I can get them to be animated, and hopefully they will be distributed by those main studios, even the distributors like Nick or Cartoon Network or Time Warner or Disney, well you name it, even Teletoons as well.

S: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

C: In ten years I’m seeing myself the way I am, and there might be more to come. And one of the worst things that’s going to happen next year is the L train shutdown. It’s just like I’m facing a wildfire. The L train shutdown is actually my worst wildfire. My nightmare.

S: I hope you don’t have to face that wildfire, Carlo.

C: Well, no problem with that. But I want to thank you very much for letting me come and talk to my American public. I think I have served America in the right direction. And to everybody, I just wanna say, stay well, and the best of luck to you. And that is the way it is. God bless you all.

#LAND gallery #ace hotel new york #nyc #ace new york #carlo daleo #sophia #cosmadopoulos #inside job #artist #painter #l train #yes

[thatguyandy-02]

Justice League - Review

Growing up, one of my favorite cartoons to watch every Saturday morning was the Justice League cartoon. Looking back, I can honestly say that is where my love for these modern day mythological heroes began. Whether it was a story detailing where one’s devotion truly lies, their heart or their duty, or a story about trying to relax for the holidays, ‘Justice League’ taught me that it is possible to come from different walks of life, want different things, go down separate paths, but still come out a better person. Also, it was just a cool thing to watch! Presently the DC Cinematic Universe has had a bit of a stubble with their movies. I loved ‘Man of Steel’, loathed ‘Batman v. Superman’, try my best to forget ‘Suicide Squad’, and loved ‘Wonder Woman’. So walking into this one, I kept my expectations like I have learned to have them: low to the ground. And having just seen the movie I can confidently say that I had...fun watching it.

The most important aspect of this movie are of course the league themselves and the chemistry they have with one another; which I’m glad to report the cast knocked out of the park. Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot continue to fit into their roles perfectly; from Batman’s stoic demeanor, to Wonder Woman radiating fun and hope. Jason Momoa meanwhile brings a humor to Aquaman that I didn’t know he needed. While making me grin with his look being a nod to the early 2000’s grizzled war king, his attitude as the pessimistic too-cool-for-school jock clashed so well with Batman’s previously said cold demeanor. Newcomer Ray Fisher somehow pulls off the task of being the straight laced tech guy of the group with Cyborg, and manages to balance that with his ongoing feelings of being cursed with his new body. And finally Ezra Miller will make you smile from ear to ear as The Flash. It seems the producers told him to infuse a bit of Peter Parker into his performance as the Barry Allen Flash, which did throw me off at first, but seeing the innocence of his youth and the start of his character become the heart of the group, course corrected any doubts I had. And for as little as their roles were, J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Gordon), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth), don't overstay their welcome and play well off of the heroes.

One good constant in the DC films that has continued onto this movie is the score, composed nicely by Danny Elfman. I am a sucker for the scores he produced for ‘Spider-Man 2’, ‘Hulk’, and of course ‘Hellboy 2’. But what tickled my fancy was his inclusion of the main themes from the 1989 Batman film, the Richard Donner Superman movie, as well as bringing back Wonder Woman’s theme. Somehow, someway, Elfman managed to blend it all smoothly with his new music; I in particular love the track “The Final Battle”. I also need to thank ‘Wonder Woman’ the film for finally getting it through DC’s head to not be afraid of color, sunlight, and laughs. Never once during this film did I ever complain about the monochrome color palette, because save for a few night exterior shots, there never was! People actually crack a joke here! And without spoiling moments, specific character quirks end up playing very well against huge fights that happen. It is also known that Zack Snyder’s daughter tragically committed suicide during the filming of ‘Justice League’, hence Joss Whedon stepping up to finish the other half. For a movie under the direction of two people, this movie’s tone is MUCH more consistent than ‘Rogue One’ or ‘Suicide Squad’. It didn’t feel like a clunky mess.

However, where the film stumbles and nearly crashes is with its villain, Steppenwolf, and his motivations for showing up and wrecking shop. Holy geez, they must have taken all the monochrome originally made for the scenery, jacked it up by five, and injected it all into the design of Steppenwolf. Nevermind the green oracle look made by the legend Jack Kirby, and forget the warrior red/black scheme he had going on for him during the early 2010’s: let’s make him grey. Just 100% grey. And just because we like rehashing old stories (from 4 years ago) let’s give him Zodd’s desires! There are times where you feel like his teleportation powers are such a crutch because he will quite seriously show up, and then leave. He never feels like a presence and thus I never really cared about him. That all being said, his introduction and the ensuing battle is one of the best to ever come out of a DC film and I feel does establish SOME threat he represents. Going back to the story, being under two hours long it will feel very rushed at some points. Things just sort of...happen. Luckily there is a through line and an end goal that are solid enough to hold it scotch taped together, but this does affect the connections with some characters; particularly Cyborg. As a comics fan, I know his backstory, but not everyone is me. So at times his past will feel very murky, and his choices might seem to flip flop, though not as egregiously as some people in ‘Suicide Squad’.

All in all, ‘Justice League’ is a fun watch. While not the course correction Warner Bros. might be hoping for, it is a step in the right direction. See this as the love child between ‘Man of Steel’ & ‘Wonder Woman’ and what we can only hope will be better films to see. It is not one glaring flaw, but just a bit messy with its execution. The camaraderie and dedication of its cast push it past the finish line, and I can honestly say that I will go see it again.

Overall recommendation: catch a matinee in IMAX.

#justice league #movie #review #zack snyder #joss whedon #batman #wonder woman #cyborg #aquaman #the flash #superman

[the-desolated-quill]

The Tick - Quill’s Quickies

Hello and welcome to this subtle rebranding, Remember my Reaction blogs? My short, spoiler free mini reviews I write after I’ve watched a movie in a cinema. Well I’ve never been particularly fond of ‘Reaction blogs,’ so I thought I’d change it. Hence the rebranding. Quill’s Quickies. It’s basically the same as my Reaction blogs except the title is now a hysterical innuendo.

…

Well I thought it was funny! Honestly, I don’t know why I bother with you lot sometimes!

Before this show came out, I honestly had never even heard of the Tick. I didn’t realise there was a whole comic book series or a cartoon or that there was a live action show starring Patrick Warburton. So when this showed up in my Amazon Prime recommendations, I was somewhat bemused. At first glance it looked like a really stupid superhero parody. The kind you’d expect from those idiots that made Epic Movie and Meet The Spartans and all those other shitty parodies. But eventually curiosity got the better of me and I watched it, and I tell you what. I’m so glad I did because The Tick has got to be one of the funniest and smartest comedies I’ve ever seen.

The Tick is set in a world similar to ours except superheroes are commonplace. A traumatised, working class nobody called Arthur believes that evil supervillain the Terror (who everyone believes to be dead) is still alive, and is trying to prove his existence. His actions draws the attention of the mysterious superhero known as the Tick. A man who’s nigh invulnerable and a complete doofus. The Tick is determined to find the Terror and make Arthur his sidekick, but Arthur is reluctant because he’s afraid of getting hurt or killed. The series follows Arthur’s attempts to try and help the Tick whilst trying to maintain a normal life.

The shows plays out as a very surreal satire, but it focuses less on jokes and one liners, and more on telling a compelling and engaging narrative with a more comedic twist. The world of The Tick is clearly meant to reflect the way current superhero movies have gone. Dark, gritty, tragic and ultra serious. But there’s not a hint of pretentiousness about it. There’s a very tongue in cheek, self awareness to it, which is amplified by the Tick himself.

Peter Serafinowicz plays the Tick, and he’s simply magnificent. His performance is very reminiscent of Adam West’s Batman as well as Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies. The Tick is clearly supposed to represent old school heroics, and most of the comedy comes from these two clashes in styles. The villains talk and act as though they’re in an Alan Moore comic whereas the Tick behaves like the kind of superhero you’d find in Saturday morning cartoon in the 60s. The villains often resort to foul language and strong violence, but the Tick never sinks to that level. He’s just this symbol of pure goodness and boundless optimism in the face of adversity. While he is a total moron and says some very weird things, you never get the sense that he’s being mocked or ridiculed. In fact quite the opposite. The Tick feels like a tribute to the ‘old fashioned’ superheroes of yesteryear. He’s immensely likeable, clearly has a heart of pure gold and you can’t help but smile whenever he appears on screen.

The co protagonist of the show is of course Arthur, played by Griffin Newman. Arthur has the staple traumatic past, but unlike say Batman or Daredevil, Arthur reacts the same way I think most of us would react to trauma. He’s tentative, apprehensive, paranoid and lacking in confidence. He knows the Terror is alive and wants to prove it, but is too scared to take action himself. It’s only through his interactions with the Tick when he starts to come out of his shell and accept his destiny as a superhero.

The growing friendship between the Tick and Arthur is easily the highlight of the show. It’s extremely funny and surprisingly touching at points (particularly in the last episode). Arthur is initially annoyed by the Tick’s constant intrusions into his life, but you can tell he clearly likes and begrudgingly admires the guy. And the Tick clearly likes Arthur selflessly and unconditionally. He wants Arthur to be his sidekick because Arthur makes up for his own limited intelligence, and also because he recognises the potential within Arthur and wants to see him reach that full potential. While the show is called The Tick, the story is really about Arthur and his development. He’s the emotional bedrock of the entire show who grows and evolves the most.

The Tick is a superhero story first and a satire second. By getting us to feel a strong emotional attachment to the main characters, the weird and surreal situations they find themselves actually become even funnier. There are a number of other recurring characters in the show with their own arcs and gags. There’s the Terror obviously, played by Jackie Earle Haley, who’s kind of a cross between General Zod and the Joker. You’ve got his henchwoman Ms Lint, played by Yara Martinez, who bares some resemblance to Harley Quinn. Valorie Curry plays Arthur’s overprotective sister Dot. Brendan Hines plays the arrogant, image conscious Superian, who’s clearly a parody of Superman. Michael Cerveris plays Ramses IV, who’s an obvious pisstake on gimmicky crime lords like the Penguin. And finally there’s Scott Speiser who plays Overkill. A character that’s clearly supposed to parody the more violent, R rated superheroes to have come out in recent memory, such as Daredevil and the Punisher.

The first half of season one, consisting of six half an hour episodes, was released on 25th August on Amazon Prime with the second half due to be released in early 2018. If you haven’t already, I urge you to watch The Tick. It’s a shiny orb of joy that everyone should experience.

#the tick #amazon prime #quill's quickies #no spoilers

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1156

Monday, March 20, 2017

 It's the first day of spring but you would still think it's the dead of winter here in Ottawa. I hear it snowed in Vancouver recently too. I don't consider spring starting until I can't see anymore snow on the ground around our neighbourhood. I figure that will be the middle of April this year. I've already seen a robin at our house though. We put up a bird feeder last fall and it attracts many birds. Mostly house sparrows but we see finches, juncos, nuthatches, chickadee-dee-dees and our favourites the cardinals and woodpeckers. The male cardinals are bright red-orange and the females are a mocha coffee colour. We have had downy, hairy and pileated woodpeckers come and feed. Watching the birds outside our window is like watching fish swim around an aquarium. Very calming. Until the undesirables show up. Starlings and squirrels snark up a lot of feed and scare away the little birdies. The squirrels have gotten so brazen now that I have to go outside to shoo them off the feeder. I used to be able to do that just by banging on the window. Stupid squirrels.

 We lost one of the greatest comic book artists on March 18 when Bernie Wrightson succumbed to cancer and passed away. I have always been a bigger fan of the art side of our hobby and Bernie's art gave me goosebumps. His pen and ink work was stunning. Rest in peace Mr. Wrightson.

 Punisher #10 - Becky Cloonan (writer) Matt Horak (art) Frank Martin with Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I'm disappointed in Matt. This whole issue takes place at a sea port in Newfoundland and he didn't put one Canadian flag in any of the panels. Even a little one would have been nice. It looks like another dire situation for Frank but the bad guys screwed themselves. You'll see the obvious giveaway, but maybe I'm wrong.

 Uncanny Avengers #21 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Kevin Libranda (art) Dono Sanchez Almara with Protobunker (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). If there's a fill-in artist who makes me just as happy to read this book as when regular artist Pepe Larraz draws it, then it's Kevin Libranda. I liked how Deadpool found a way to defeat the Red Skull's Professor X powers. I wonder if they're going to bring back old Charles.

 Batman #19 - Tom King (writer) David Finch (pencils) Danny Miki, Trevor Scott & Sandra Hope (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). The art in this issue is pretty awesome. Part 4 of "I Am Bane" has the big bad guy wading through Batman's rogues gallery one by one. Almost every Bat villain you can think of get's his licks in. odd that there are no women. I was also bothered by the fact that they're all loose inside Arkham asylum. How are they going to be get back in custody? The last page leads into the inevitable final battle between Bane and Batman and I want to see who wins. Like I couldn't guess.

 American Gods #1 - Neil Gaiman (writer) P. Craig Russell (script & layouts) Scott Hampton (art) Rick Parker (letters). I started a list of books I want to read after the Snail closed because I found myself with a lot of extra time. American Gods by Neil Gaiman is on that list. I've been told what the premise of the book is so I had a bit of background going into reading this first issue of the comic book adaptation. Reading the comic book is going to enhance my reading of the novel when I get around to it because I will visualize Scott's depictions of the characters in my head and they are very nice ones. The back-up story "Somewhere in America" by P. Craig Russell (script & art) and Lovern Kindzierski (colours) was a hot piece of erotica about unsafe sex. This gets added to my "must read" list.

 Totally Awesome Hulk #17 - Greg Pak (writer) Mahmud Asrar (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) Cory Petit (letters). This hasn't been a solo book for the last few issues with Amadeus hanging out with his friends but I am still enjoying it. This issue is a good place to start as the team has to figure out a way to save themselves and some civilians from being eaten by aliens. You could call these guys the Asian Avengers because what happens in this issue gives them something to avenge. If you jump on here you won't want to jump off until you read the next issue.

 Batwoman #1 - Marguerite Bennett & James Tynion IV (writers) Steve Epting (art) Jeromy Cox (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). Kate chases after a mystery woman from her past after dealing with a terrorist in Istanbul. I like how she's teamed up with Julia Pennyworth.

 Kill or be Killed #7 - Ed Brubaker (writer) Sean Phillips (art) Elizabeth Breitweiser (colours). This issue features Dylan's ex-girlfriend Kira, now with purple hair instead of red. I'm glad she's still hanging around because boy does she have problems. We start off during a session with her therapist and get a lot of background. I love this kind of stuff because it makes the characters more engaging. Kira might need an emergency session after she decides to do something stupid at Dylan's place.

 Monsters Unleashed #5 - Cullen Bunn (writer) Adam Kubert (art) David Curiel & Michael Garland (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Okay, Kid Kaiju comes through to save the world from the Leviathon Mother, showing up all the Marvel super heroes. I guess that's why he's getting his own book. Look for it to hit the racks on April 19. Unless it's drawn by an artist that I really like I will take a pass. The Kid's creations are more suited to fans of action figures or Saturday morning cartoons than an old coot like me.

 Super Sons #2 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Jorge Jimenez (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). This is great. I don't know why but I love really well written comics about young super heroes like this and Champions. Maybe it's because I can't let go of being a kid. Damian and Jonathan have to deal with Super Lex in order to get a lead on Kid Amazo, the very bad boy they're after. Everything doesn't go smoothly and then, uh-oh, their dads find out about what they're doing. I can't wait to see what happens next.

 Wild Storm #2 - Warren Ellis (writer) John Davis-Hunt (art) Steve Buccellato (colours) Simon Bowland (letters). This 24 issue series is very ambitious and there are a lot of players involved. If I was a new reader I would be wondering who are these people? Some people work for International Operations (IO) and some people work for Halo. The two organisations don't like each other and they're both after Angela Spica, the Engineer. I hope that helps with getting into this story. One of my favourite things from the old series was the Door which could transport people to different places. I think we're introduced to a new Door this issue and she's a lot better looking than Lockjaw.

 Ms. Marvel #16 - G. Willow Wilson (writer) Takeshi Miyazawa (art) Ian Herring (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I like this story about a malevolent computer virus and it looks like Kamala can't defeat it. That is until she gets a clue from her old pal Bruno. I can't wait to find out how Doc.x gets deleted.

 Superman #19 - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason (writers) Patrick Gleason (pencils) Mick Gray (inks) John Kalisz (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Part 3 of "Superman Reborn" looks like it might resurrect the pre-New 52 Lois and Clark. I hope not. That would confuse me to no end and then I would get annoyed and stop reading these amazing Superman books. Patrick draws the creepiest Mr. Mxyzptlk ever. I wonder if they're going to do the saying the imp's name backwards thing?

 Guardians of the Galaxy #18 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Valerio Schiti (art) Richard Isanove (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I love these issues featuring one team member. Angela's up this time around and it's a beautifully drawn fight scene between her and some alien bounty hunter. The issue ends with a major threat heading for Earth. It starts with Th and rhymes with anus.

 Spider-Man #14 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Sara Pichelli (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Nothing serious between Miles and Gwen despite what the cover shows. This is one of those issues that annoy Bendis detractors because nothing really happens. The heroes hop from one dimension to another and each wind up in different ones by the end of this issue. I can easily forgive because of Sara's art.

 Mighty Thor #17 - Jason Aaron (writer) Russell Dauterman (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The gods of Asgard and the Imperial Guard of the Shi'Ar finally come to blows in part 3 of "The Asgard/Shi'Ar War". Meanwhile Thor can't seem to win much in the challenge of the gads against the Shi'Ar gods Sharra and K'ythri. Mjolnir is sure getting a workout though. This book is not only chock full of action but it's visually stunning as well.

 Amazing Spider-Man #25 - Dan Slott (writer) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I wish you didn't have to pay $9.99 US for this one issue starting off "The Osborn Identity" story. That's a bit much for one comic book don't you think? Sure you get a bunch of back-up stories but none of those really matter to the main story. You do get 40 pages of Stuart and Wade goodness though, so why couldn't they have printed just that and charged $4.99 US? As you can probably tell Norman Osborn is back so the Green Goblin can't be far behind. I did like the team-up with Mockingbird with a hint of Peter and Bobbi possibly becoming more than friends. Here are the other stories that pad this issue. A fight with Clash by Christos Gage (writer) Todd Nauck (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters) which has the old "it's not what you think" twist at the end. A silly Tsum-Tsum story for the younger readers by Jacob Chabot (writer) Ray-Anthony Height (pencils) Walden Wong (inks) Jim Campbell (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Thank Thor that was a blessedly short 6 pages. A Parker Industries mishap at their Shanghai facility by James Asmus (writer) Tana Ford (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). A young Spider-Man story about a boy and his dog by Hannah Blumenreich (writer & pencils) Jordan Gibson (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Some Aunt May gags by Cale Atkinson which were even sillier than the Tsum-Tsum story. And finally to ease the pain of having to buy an overpriced comic book, the return of another Spider-Man nemesis. One thing that "The Clone Conspiracy" did was bring back Otto Octavius, Doc Ock. He now has a youthful body thanks to Miles Warren's cloning process. So meet The Superior Octopus by Dan Slott (writer) Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils) Cam Smith (inks) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). He's bad-ass now plus he's got Hydra backing. Here's a prediction: Somewhere in the future Peter and Norman have to team up to fight Otto and Hydra.

 Archie #18 - Mark Waid (writer) Pete Woods (art & colours) Jack Morelli (letters). This issue proves that love is blind. Archie and Veronica have nothing in common and should not be together. Betty and Dilton Doiley are more compatible. I wish I was Dilton Doiley.

[pippingamer]

Time Traveling & Tummy Troubles

Hair bands, popped collars, leg warmers, neon colors and Miami, FL: this is your “I just woke up in the 80′s” starter kit. As a survivor of the Great War Against Common Sense also known as “the 80′s,” I can honestly say that I don’t miss it (although, tight-rolled blue jeans were legit.) I did my duty for Queen and country, though. Wile Reganomics and the Yuppies did there best to make everyone in a suit look like an 80′s rogue-cop movie bad guy, I was doing my best not to fit in. It wasn’t very hard, seeing as how people of my size and demeanor were not easily understood, nor accepted, unlike now when it is actually cool to be a nerd.

I call hacks! That’s bull! I took my lumps, wedgies, butt-kickings, and verbal thrashings all for the sake of my interests, and kids today will, thankfully, never have to endure such horrors just for wearing a Marvel character on their shirt. But I digress. The 80′s were a grand old time of cocaine, corporate subterfuge, and white-collar villains paraded in front of the world via news coverage. The rich got richer, the poor got promises, and the guy who made neon dyes and paint got insanely wealthy. 

But what does this all have to do with this week in weight loss, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you. What do January 1st, 1990, and I both have in common? We have BOTH SEEN THE END OF THE 80′s!! Yes indeed, my first personal milestone of dreamland proportions has come and gone, and I could not be more thrilled. I seriously find it hard to remember a time when I weighed less than 280 pounds, and that’s saying something because I can remember what I got for my 10th birthday, which also may be the last time I weighed less than 280 pounds, but I doubt it. My best guess at a time is when I took a trip to England in 1998. It’s hard to narrow it down to when I first gained over 280, because I stayed in the 280′s for so long. From before my high school graduation in 1996 to starting at the Daily Leader in 2004, I hovered around the 280′s like a fat kid at a bake sale (I can use that analogy because, yes, I DO have a point of reference.) After I started doing Graphic Design as a career choice, I packed on the pounds. 

But look at me now! I’m back in 44 pants, 2XL shirts, and I now weigh 278 pounds! That’s almost 80 pounds lost so far! If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would lose 80 pounds, I would have asked you which leg I had had amputated. Looking back to where I was when I weighed this much, brings back old memories, and while some of those memories are on the “Hey Fatso!” side, there is a difference this time around being this size: I have more hope. My health is so much better, my prospects and life expectancy increase with every lost pound, and my happiness grows as I shrink. 

Speaking of health ... I was not a happy camper this week. Something got a hold of my belly and decided to remodel. It held a Fire Sale in my tummy, and “EVERYTHING MUST GO!” was enforced. I was not well. It only lasted a day and a half, but I think I may have caught it soon enough to stop it from blooming further. Whatever it was left me with a sour taste in my mouth and a fever blister on my lip (sounds like a bad prom date.) Either way, it’s passed now, and I feel better! 

Now I can continue with my weekend plans of listening to Huey Lewis and the News, bouncing on my Pogo-Ball, watching Saturday Morning Cartoons, and playing my NES. Boy, I’m glad the 80′s are over!

Highest Weight: 356 lbs.

Surgery Weight: 346 lbs.

Current Weight: 278 lbs.

Total Weight Lost: 78 lbs.

Goal: The Nintendo Powerfest 94 T-shirt Photo

#weight loss #gastric sleeve #Nintendo #1980's #80's #Powerfest 94 #Miami Vice #nerd