Comic review – Page 7 – Savior Gaming

Green Lantern: Earth One (V2)

Image result for green lantern earth one vol 2

A few years have passed since the events of Green Lantern: Earth One(V 1) and the Green Lantern Corp is struggling to maintain order. Beside ridding the universe of the Manhunters, a new power emerges from a old threat when new, yellow lanterns appear. Proclaimed saviors armed with power rings far stronger than those of the Green Lanterns, it isn’t long before the last Guardian emerges as their creator, offering amends for follies and offering to adopt the Green Lanterns under his stronger new regime. The offer causes discourse amongst the Green Lanterns and a divide. If things weren’t dire as it were, Earth’s first contact with alien life has gone terribly wrong as it appears Earth attacks them war is on the horizon where Jordan discovers the Yellow Lanterns at the scene. Can Hal Jordan stop the oncoming war as well as refuse a greater power?

I loved the first volume of this Earth One series and awaited the second hungrily. While not quite as good as the first, the second book goes into some interesting directions I really liked. I really liked the design of the Yellow Lanterns and how they were portrayed as well as the questions around power they present. Hal’s story is continued pretty well and I like how his story plays out. I wish Jon Stewart was a bit more flushed out and he joined the Green side at the end. The art continues to be gritty but colorful. The only minor complaints I have is how the plots are juggled, getting a bit hard to follow at times and the lack of construct play in this series- the Lantern’s basically pretty much rely on forcefields and lasers which seems kind of bland after a while. In the end this is a damn good follow up to the first book and I’m pretty excited to see what Book 3 could be. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

JLA Snyder Cut trailer 2

Ok, I’m nervous as hell for this movie but also painfully optimistic here. Do I think it’s perfect? Hell no. Do I even think it’s a step in the right direction- to be determined but can’t be worse than the other version. I want a good Justice League movie and this looks more promising than before, so cross my fingers and hope. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Green Lantern: The Animated series

It’s no secret the Green Lantern movie is one of the most hated superhero movie of all time and with some pretty damn good reasons. I didn’t have much faith in the animated series when it debuted on Cartoon Network around the same time, more than likely to cash in on the movie. I’ve never been a fan of this kind of CGI animation style, especially as I got older, but I decided to give the series a chance, a decade after the awful movie.

Wow. Just wow. My surprise at this show is pretty damn unmeasurable. First of all, I have to stay the best part is the writing. In the series entirety, there are 2 main storylines that are well executed, both with fantastic endgames that have some pretty deep impact. I cared about the characters. Essentially we follow Hal Jordan, Killowog, Razor- a Red Lantern turned good, and AYE- their ship’s A.I turned into sentient Lantern. The show has a good blend of classic style sci-fi adventure, epic fights, emotional moments and dark themes at times but with humor that works. Pretty much this series has everything I pretty much wanted from a Green Lantern anything. The voice acting is really good with some really cool cameos sprinkled through. The show has sadly 2 things that bugged me but the first I can’t really really pin on them. The show teases some really awesome characters and story threads: Sinestro’s dark turn, Krona ( Green Lantern: Brightest Day ), a Black Lantern symbol, and Alan Scott. I can’t tell you how much I would’ve loved to see these stories unfold and see Jon Stewart, the Alpha Lanterns, Dr. Polaris, and Hector Hammond as well. The overall story ends well on its own but it does leave you wanting at least another season. The other mild complaint I have is some of the character designs look wonky because of the animation style, namely Atrocitus and Larfleeze who looked really off in my opinion. In the end, the show is a great piece of Green Lantern that’s short but sweet I recommend to DC fans. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Silver Surfer: Black

Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer, has both been a beacon of hope throughout the cosmos with his incredible powers but also a signal of terror under his former master, the all powerful Galactus. Separated from the Guardians of the Galaxy after a battle with Thanos, lost in a black hole, Norrin finds a another massive threat: Knull, the King in black. Strained, using a dangerous amount of power he manages to escape Knull’s grasp, but not without getting wound. His shell damaging, blackening, and his power bleeding he is guided to safety by a young Ego, the living planet, who is dying from a cancerous asteroid. Norrin discovers his greatest fear inside of Ego, but it may be the only key to stopping Knull and defeating the darkness.

I love the crazy cosmic side of Marvel: Guardians, Fantastic Four, Inhumans, and now Surfer. I really enjoyed this book more than most Marvel stories in a long time and that’s a huge compliment. There are a lot of cool fights and Norrin is a sympathetic hero fighting to redeem himself at any cost. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, I love the psychedelic nature and coloring. The only issue I have is the action can be hard to follow and if you aren’t up to speed with the King in Black you may find parts of the story tough to follow. I honestly want to know more and read more into the character and his adventures; I highly recommend for a different Marvel reading experience. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Wonder Woman: 1984

Wonder Woman was quite honestly a superhero movie I think did not only DC a service but superhero movies in general. It had good characters, was serious but broke the mold of edgy DC films, and had a unique and beautiful color pallet. I had concerns over the sequel; I think we all did. Cheetah looked funky, the comparison to the MCU vibes were getting heavy, and early reviews weren’t really kind to say the least. So I wondered what was in store for me…oh boy.

It’s 1984 and Diana Prince is kicking ass as a curator for the Smithsonian while being Wonder Woman in her spare time. She’s mourned over Steve Trevor since WWI and the pain lingers beneath her caring smile. During a routine mall robbery, an artifact is discovered. To help uncover the artifact is Barbara Minerva, a hapless nerd who quickly befriends Diana and envies her outer beauty and the life she perceives. With this artifact comes Maxwell Lord, a failing con man who desires riches, wealth, and success.. Lord understands the relic grants wishes and wishes to become the embodiment of it. Barbara wishes to be like Diana, surprised at her newfound strength, speed, and agility. And suddenly Diana is reunited with Steve, but at what cost are these wishes coming?

Ok, I’m pretty at odds here. First of all, I give the cast credit because they gave it there all; that I can say for sure. The cinematography looks great and I appreciate the color of the film. Hans Zimmer adds a solid score that sadly maybe his weakest but still more solid than most. And the final fight with Cheetah was pretty cool as was the end credit cameo. And that’s the good; the rest of this movie is a fucking mess. The CGI looks goofy and a lot of the movie feels painfully retro in a bad way. I got a cheese vibe circa the classic Wonder Woman show, some of the action scenes, especially the flying scenes felt like modern Chris Reeves Superman, and the humor felt like runoffs trying to copy Thor: Ragnarok which comes off harsh. The ending falls flat and the action scenes aren’t too impressive or believable. In the end, I don’t hate this movie but I sure don’t recommend it unless you want to laugh and have a cheesy superhero romp. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Inhumans

Of all the strange corners of the Marvel universe, the Inhumans of Attilian are some of the most mysterious, powerful, and dangerous. A city devised of superpowered beings granted power from the mythic Terrigen Mists, every citizen is genetically unique and given a place under the royal family led by the silent king, Black Bolt. There is peace and prosperity until they misjudge a young Inhuman at changing ceremony named Woz, enslaving him with the unfortunate Alpha Primitives, despite his hidden powers to transit through reflective surfaces. Its soon after that Woz is drawn unto Maximus, the greatest threat Attilian has ever faced who plans to revolt the city, start a war and usurp his brother, Black Bolt. Can a overwhelming conflict from inside and out be avoided without coming to devastation and full fledged war?

So I want to say I love Marvel Knights productions, which cover the grittier stuff in Marvel, and this book is a Marvel Knight’s production. The art steals the show with some truly memorable and frankly imaginative designs. The writing is really good too and there is a really good story here that isn’t your typical superhero romp. That point however is where I feel people will get divided. This book sure as hell isn’t for everyone. While most comics balance between action and world building, this book is about plot and character rather than Blockbuster action. Between the heavy exposition and world building combined with the length a lot of people will find this book bloated and boring. Since I’m a Marvel fan, a sci-fi fan, and a Lit nerd I think it’s a really good tale from one of the weirdest corners of the Marvel universe. I recommend this story if you are a Marvel fan or like deep sci-fi. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Green Arrow: The Kill Machine (New 52 vol 4)

Product Details: Green Arrow Vol 4 The Kill Machine TPB

Oliver Queen is about to learn not to take being ok for granted. It begins with having Queen Enterprises swept from under his feet by the man meant to take charge until Ollie was ready, and if that wasn’t a shock enough, Ollie is on the run after he’s murdered in front of him by a skilled archer- enter Komodo. With no money, wanted by the the feds, and his friends kidnapped by Komodo, Ollie is left having to face a superior foe who not only tests his skills but everything he believed in about himself, his origins, and his destiny as he must hunt for a fabled weapon sand face the ancient Outsiders…

I’d heard of all the new 52 this was some of the best Green Arrow had to offer and with Jeff Lemire taking over the writing, I’m inclined to agree. The story feels like a revenge take on a Uncharted game or old school Indy movie and I really dug that. While Green Arrow is pretty cool, I admit I like the sadistic take on Count Vertigo in this book. While the story is really good, the art, while cool to look at can be jarring and make certain scenes hard to follow. For the 4th book of DC’s New 52, it’s pretty accessible. In the end, if you ever wanted to pick up some Green Arrow, this book wouldn’t be a bad place to start. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren

Ben Solo, the apprentice and nephew of legendary hero Luke Skywalker as well as the son of legends Han Solo and Leia Organa, as well as the grandson to the incomparable Darth Vader, one of the galaxy’s greatest villains. Ben is a talented young Padawan born of legacy with all choices taken from him, or as he feels. For years, a voice named Snoake has been been guiding him alongside Luke, rather against Luke, telling him his fate isn’t as a Jedi but rather with his grandfather in the dark where his true freedom lies. After coming into contact with the Knights of Ren, a cult worshipping the dark side of the Force, Ben decides to join them after Luke’s betrayal, beginning a new age of infamy as Kylo Ren begins.

So I was really anticipating this comic after my liking of the sequel trilogy crash and burned for me. Kylo was one of my favorite characters and after reading this, I still find myself loving and hating him as a character. The Knights of Ren are interesting adversaries that I really think could’ve made for great villains if written better. Luke is great in this book and his fight against the cult is badass. The art is great and the writing is pretty good. My biggest issue is the book feels rushed as hell and I feel like more time could’ve been spent of Ben’s character and his time with Luke. In the end, it’s a solid book but not great and adds some depth to a lackluster triloy. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Marvel Spider-man: Miles Morales

Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales (PS4): Amazon.co.uk: PC & Video Games

Six months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-man (PS4) , Peter Parker has taken young Miles Morales as his protégé in web-slinging after demonstrating his new powers. When Peter and MJ go on a job overseas, Miles is left alone as Spiderman, developing new abilities unlike Peter’s, bio-electricity and camouflage. The young hero is quickly drawn into a conflict between the diabolical Roxxon Corporation led by corrupt hipster Simon Krieger and the extremist high tech group The Underground led by the Tinkerer. Can this young hero handle the forces looming against him as well as his new powers as well as trying to be a good friend and son?

I was excited for this game mainly just to learn about Miles Morales. I don’t really know much about him. This game is well written and Miles is a cool character to follow. Gameplay, while similar to the first game, is addictive as hell with Mile’s new powers and gadgets. Honestly, I appreciated the old/new ratio when it came to the gameplay and it stands solid on its own. While the villain roster is way smaller than the first game, the last 2 boss battles are intense both personally and game wise. While the game isn’t overly long and surely I don’t recommend buying it at full price, it’s a lot more satisfying experience than Resident Evil 3 (2020) was. The only huge drawback I had was the glitches- people would randomly appear on the street and rooftops, guys would get stuck in car doors, the textures would get muddy and once my web zip went nuts. While nothing game breaking, these issues do subtract from the experience. In the end, it was a damn good follow up with some small bugs but well worth playing. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Joker

Of all of Batman’s enemies, many legends, none reaches the intrigue and villainy as the Joker. With dozens of incarnations across mediums, it was pretty interesting that he would get his own solo movie- without the Dark Knight. This movie came through controversary and struggles, winning plenty of awards but was it all worth it?

Arthur Fleck is a mentally ill man racing towards a breaking point. Beaten down, alone, and struggling to care for his ailing mother, all he ever wanted was to bring joy to the world. After a series of personal tragedies and getting humiliated by is idol, Murray Franklin on live TV, Arthur finds a thrill after killing three people who made his bad day worse. On the brink of suicide, Arthur finds his purpose not only spreading joy to the world but changing the climate of Gotham forever.

At first I didn’t want to believe the hype over this movie but honestly I loved this movie. Phoenix is superb as Fleck and honestly is a damn good Joker in the final act of the film; the acting all around is really damn good. The cinematography and soundtrack is great. I can say the movie stands out amongst films of the genre, being really sincere and character focused which is a huge breath of fresh air in a culture of popcorn fluff. If you want a feel good, action packed superhero romp- there are a dozens. If you want a brilliant character piece full of chilling moments and social satire, check this movie out. May the gaming gods bring you glory.