Saturday, June 30, 2012

Campfire Comic's The Invisible Man Review







































---SPOILER WARNING. HOWEVER IT'S FOR A BOOK OVER 100 YEARS OLD---

I found this while looking through books at a book store last October. Since it was around Halloween I decided to check it out. This is an comic adaptation of the 1897 book the Invisible Man written by H.G. Wells. So let's see if this is a good adaptation.

























The comic is about Griffin, a young medical student that invents a formula that turns him invisible. He goes to an inn to find a way to reverse his experiment in peace however he is eventually driven insane due to his failure to find a cure. He starts to get delusions of grandeur, and he starts to kill people. However he is outsmarted by the police, and is eventually killed by a mob. His invisibility then wears off due to his death.
























This is a pretty good adaptation of the novel. It follows the same story and doesn't diverge much if at all. The character's are good, and it would be ridiculous to say I didn't like the story since it is classic literature. The art is pretty good to though it does try to be to realistic at times.

This book does however get pretty violent for something that is for children. I mean at one point Griffin strangles a guy to death, and another point it shows a cat who's fur and skin have become transparent due to the formula so all you can see is muscle. Other then that it's still a great book I recommend it if you can find it. Plus it's pretty cheap.

Rating: 5/5

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Amazing Spider-Man #658 Review




































---SPOILER WARNING---

Wow it's almost been a year since the Death of Ultimate Spider-Man, and so far he hasn't been brought back. Which is more the I can say for most of the characters in Ultimate X-men. However we do have a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Who's story's have been good from what I've read. But I bet there are still some people that miss good old Peter Parker. But since he's still alive in the Main Marvel Universe I don't really know why. Anyway this is a special issue since it is a celebration issue of the 50th Anniversary of the Fantastic Four. So let's check it out.
























The comic open's with Peter and Carlie about to spend the night together when Peter see's a Fantastic Four flare, like the one from Fantastic Four #1. Right before he can think of an excuse to leave, Carlie get's a call, and has to go on investigate a Superhero/villain related crime. When she leave's Peter goes to Horizon Labs to get his Fantastic Four costume. But when he get's to the Baxter Building Ben and Sue get angry at the costume since they stopped calling themselves the Fantastic Four when Johnny Storm "sacrificed" himself to save them. They go by the Future Foundation now, and they give Peter an new costume.
























They all go on Silver Age like adventures, like helping a Living Atom to stabilize herself before she explodes and tear into the dimension there from. Meanwhile Carlie is investigating a crime that has something to do with Wraith when Peter call's her and tells her that Horizon Labs is sending him on a business trip. The team go to the future to figure out what's causing all the problems, and Mr.Fantastic tells Peter not to use any of the information he see's here for personal gain. The comic ends with Carlie going to Horizon to figure out where Peter went, and the secretary tells her that they didn't send him anywhere. There is also a back up story about Spider-man teaming up with Ghost Rider.














This comic is good. I love the Silver Age feel to the comic, and art really helps with that. It's the way a Fantastic Four book should be. There's a bit of character development, and despite what happened to get her I like Carlie. Overall it's not a bad book, and I recommend it to any fans of the Fantastic Four.

Rating: 4/5

Monday, June 18, 2012

"The Megas: History Repeating Blue" First Thoughts




















If you couldn't tell from my review of the comics I'm a pretty big Megaman fan. As such I also like the Megas, which are a Rock-band that cover and add lyrics to some of the songs from the games. This is their latest CD that is based off Megaman 3 and it came out yesterday. I'm not the biggest music guy so I'm kind of out of my element here. But I'll try to give my opinions the best I can.

I thought it was pretty good. I like most of the songs. But their are some problems. It kind of feels to short but then again there is going to be a second part released. Then there is the fact most of the Robot Master song with some exception really don't have a lot to do with the overall story. Especially Magnetman's song which was him singing about a girl who I guess was Roll?

Sorry if I sound negative. I just can't describe what I like about it. I guess this is why I don't review music. Overall this is a good CD that I recommend any Megaman fan checkout. I'm not going to give this a rating since music is harder to rate since everyone has different tastes, and I'm not qualified to.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Ghostbusters #1 Review































---SPOILER WARNING---

I actually wasn't a big fan of the Ghostbusters when I was a kid. I can't really recall seeing the movies until I was a teenager, and I don't remember a whole lot about "The Real Ghostbusters" cartoon I watched when I was really young. So that might be why, but after I watched the movie I became a fan. So I picked this up around Halloween last year because I like reading these kind of comics in Fall to get me in the mood. So let's see if this is any good.

The comic open's with a dream sequence where the Ghostbusters are on a talk show and the host is there secretary Janine. Gozer is in the crowd and asks Ray the same question that it asked him in the movie but this time he say's the opposite of what he said in the movie and Gozer call's him a lier, and blasts him threw a wall.

















Ray climbs back up, but we are suddenly at the roof of building from the first movie, and Gozer takes the form the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man again but this time it has Ray's face. Ray has no idea what's going on, and he is then greeted by the ghost of Jake Blues from the Blues Brothers who calls him his brother. I see what they did there but that just blows my mind. Does that mean the Blues Brother's is in continuity with the Ghostbusters or is it a reference. Anyway Ray wakes up, and the next day he get's Egon to check to see if he's okay.

Meanwhile a representative of F.Z. Foods (which owns Stay Puft Marshmallow) is in his bathroom shaving when a ghost named Indulas posses him. Later Winston and Janine are talking when a kid comes, and tells them about a ghost haunting the apartment building he's in. Winston get's Venkman and they go investigate. They find the place covered in slime, and the comic ends with the ghost being revealed to be a really pissed off Slimer.
























This comic was actually pretty good. It did a good job at introducing us to all of the Ghostbusters, and they all have good character moments. The art is amazing, and it captures the tone of the movies perfectly. Overall it's a great book and I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5/5

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Nintendo Power's Super Metroid Comic Review






























---SPOILER WARNING. FOR THE COMIC AND THE GAME---

I've been thinking about video games a lot lately. Mostly because of E3 and the fact I finally got around to playing Super Metroid. So I think you know where I'm going with this. But before we get into today's comic let look back at the history of the Metroid Series. The first Metroid game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (Or Famicom Disk System in Japan) on August 6, 1986. The game was wildly successful despite it's incredible difficulty, and non-linear style gameplay. It eventually got a sequel on the Gameboy.

But on March 19, 1994 another sequel was released. This time on the 16-bit system the SNES. The game I'm talking about is of course Super Metroid. I'm not going to lie. This is a great game. It has a bit of a learning curve to it but it was enjoyable, and goes to show how well you can do cutscenes with out dialogue. But still feel the emotion to it. It is in every sense of the word a classic.



















As it is with other popular titles they eventually made a comic. This is loosely based off the game, and I mean loosely. The comic was a five-part series that was released in the pages of Nintendo Power. So does it hold up? Let's find out.

The comic starts the same way the game does with the Ceres Space Colony being attacked by Ridley. Samus goes to investigate, and Ridley escaping with the Baby Metroid that Samus found in Metroid 2. This is where the comic diverges from the game. We are introduced to new characters like an annoying guy named Houston and the incompetent leader of the Galactic Federation. Samus goes to Zebes like she does in the game, but in this Houston goes along with her.
























Houston keep's getting in the way, and Samus get's hurt by a spear. So they have to leave the planet to go get her some help. They arrive on a different planet called the Nest where they are greeted by a Chozo named Old Bird. Real original. Anyway while Samus rests Old Bird tells Houston about Samus' tragic past. Anyway Samus decides that the only way she can heal is by using the experimental medical treatment of a Power Bomb. These are the things that Adam Malcovich orders you not to use in Metroid Other M because it will vaporize all living things on the bottle ship instantly. I know she's using the Crystal Flash but still, and besides the Crystal Flash doesn't create a large explosion like it does in this comic. Houston and Old Bird should of been vaporized since they were so close to the blast.

Anyway she goes back to Zebes, and confronts Mother Brain. But when she finds out that the Baby Metroid was killed she thinks that Mother Brain killed it, and destroys Mother Brain. But unknown to Samus the Baby Metroid was accidentally killed by the leader of the Galactic Federation because he thought it was just another Metroid. His incompetence knows no bounds. The comic ends with them escaping Zebes before it explodes and Houston trying to become Samus' partner.
Sadly Beta Ray Bill isn't in this comic. But it would of made it a lot more awesome.















This comic isn't very good. It changes a lot from the game, and adds a lot of unnecessary unwanted characters. It also completely destroys the sacrifice of the Baby Metroid, since in the game it dies trying to save you from Mother Brain. The only good thing I can say was that the art is good, for the most part.Overall I can't recommend this unless your a die hard Metroid fan. But even then I would suggest you just play the game, and if you haven't already go get it. It's on the Wii Virtual Console for 800 Wii point or $8.00  to be technical.

Rating: 2/5

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Comic Panel of the Week: Superman vs. Robots





















(NOTE: If it takes more then two minutes after looking at this picture to figure out who sent those robots to attack the city. Seek help.)

Friday, June 1, 2012

1st Anniversary: Young Justice #5 Review







































---SPOILER WARNING---

Wow it's been a year since I started this blog already. So let us look back and reflect. The end of Flashpoint ushered in the New DC Universe. Which gave us some good comics, some bad comics, and some amazing comics. After 4 or so years of build up The Avengers was finally released, and was great. Finally Ian Flynn's work on STH has caused mixed reactions from fans, but overall it's been pretty good. Except for Sonic Genesis. That sucked.

Anyway what better way to celebrate my first year as a reviewer then to review an issue of Young Justice. Some of you may remember my very first comic I review was of a Young Justice comic so let's take a look. The comic starts with Wally West (Kid Flash) watching TV, and not being able find anything to watch. He notices M'gann(Miss Martian), and starts to flirt with her. He asks her to go camping, and she's says okay. While he's gone to get supplies, she invites the rest of the team. Much to Wally's aggravation.
























While there Robin suggest that they should tell some story's. Aqualad and Wally both tell the team how they got started being heroes. M'gann asks Robin how he got started but Wally points out that Batman won't even let him tell them his real name. He then says that they would probably get a better story from Superboy.

 M'gann then informs him that she already knows how he got started since they told her that Superboy was a clone of Superman that Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Robin saved from Cadmus. She then asks Superboy if he can remember anything before they rescued him, and the comic ends with him telling her that all he remembers was that he was meant to destroy Superman.

This comic isn't that bad but it has some problems. First of all like JLU #7 and Sonic X #15 this comic try's to emulate the art style of the show but it fails. Plus there isn't really a story, only an excuse to get some origins. However the coloring is pretty good, and we have good character development. Overall not that bad.

Rating: 3/5

So Year One is over. Let's see what Year Two holds.