Sunday, July 23, 2006

Mad Monkey Sunday: Monkeys Conquer Heroclix!

Remember the Super Apes from this post way back when?

Here is a shot from a booster box of the next Marvel Heroclix set, Supernova. Look what name is partially obscured by black tape above Silver Surfer:


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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Saturday, July 22, 2006

Dancing Robot Double Feature

Alrighty, I'm very, very late on these (both were viewed/read last week), but I'm sure you're dying to hear what I think of them. So, without further ado, my reviews of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Warren Ellis' Nextwave.
***
I've never actually seen the first Pirates in it's entirety, but still felt confident enough that I could view the much hyped sequel without being confused. I was right, I had enough exposure to the basics of the characters and the world that I really wasn't lost at all. I even got an enjoyable flick, too.

And that's what Pirates does very well, be enjoyable. All the action scenes are fairly creative, as are the absolutely wonderful cast of villains. Although some people may complain that it is too long, I never felt that way. There were no scenes wasted or longer than they should be. I was enthralled every moment, which is an absolute must for action films.

Of course, this being an action movie, you can't expect much from the story or characters. However, I think it actually delivers above-average in both. Johnny Depp is still a great presence in the movie and brings in most of the humor(the rest belongs to the two other recurring pirates whose names I do not know. I love those guys.) I was rooting for Will and Elizabeth, as well. Back to those villains, they were also delightfully evil, and even scary. I guess, comparisons to Star Wars are apt, as it's basically that same kind of movie when it comes to the deeper things(as in, good in a myth-sorta-way, but not amazing).

I wouldn't call Dead Man's Chest spectacular, but it is very good and worth your money in the crowded Summer season. Go for the Kraken, stay for the Undead Monkey.
***

Warren "Internet Jesus" Ellis is a crazy man. But he knows how to write comic book comedy, apparently. Nextwave is basically another superhero parody book like Great Lakes Avengers, She-Hulk, Defenders and X-Statix, and like those comics, it's one of the Marvel's very best.

I've always wondered how Family Guy-style humor would work in comic form, and Nextwave is how. The flashback scenes are hilarious, but the best part are the characters. Obviously, the funniest characters are the ones who get the most panels devoted to comedy (that would be The Captain and H.A.T.E. director Dirk Anger), but all of them get moments of gut bustery.

It's the visuals and dialogue combined that rocket this comic into greatness, though. And it also is a little less reference-heavy than some of the other Marvel comedy books (although they are in there, and they are great.) So, if you're a fan of bizarre humor, or enjoyment of life, pick up Nextwave, or Fin Fang Foom's heart will be broken...moreso.

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Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Some More Stuff

Yes, I've become more acquainted with the bizarre computer make-your-own-Street Fighter-program known as MUGEN. Good ol' buddy Youtube has given me lots of entertainment, as well as glimpse at what MUGEN is capable of. Guile vs. Killer Whale, Mega Man vs. the guy from Doom, and even Duck Dodgers taking on DBZ's Broly.

This one is my current favorite, it's one of the most bizarre spectacles I've ever seen.

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Monday, July 17, 2006

Some Stuff

Heroclix stuff. You may may not care, but here it is anyway.





I, for one, welcome our Green Lantern Squirrel overlords.

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Thursday, July 13, 2006

The Amazing Screw-On Head


Today, I watched the premier episode of the animated version of Mike Mignola's one-shot comic via Sci-Fi Channel's website. Apparently, the reaction to this online pilot will decide whether the series is picked up. After viewing the episode, I really hope it does.

Basically, Screw-On Head is a bizarre robot/spy that fights paranormal creatures for the United States under Abraham Lincoln. He has two sidekicks, a living stuffed dog that is constantly getting shot at, and his butler, who spends much of the episode paranoid because he learns that all of SOH's previous butlers have been systematically knocked off. The plot involves the villain of the piece, Emperor Zombie(who was Screw-On Head's first partner, and is responsible for the fate of his successors), attempting to find the lost power of an ancient conqueror(which is hidden in a turnip). Zombie is one of the highlights of the show, as his dialogue and unending cheeriness is great fun.

I've always wanted to see Mignola's excellent art translated into motion, and that is what Amazing Screw-On Head delivered. Much like another animated favorite, Invader Zim, the comic book design really adds to the crispness of the animation. And, as anyone familiar with Mike Mignola's work knows, it greatly improves on the Lovecraftian atmosphere that the themes of the stories exude.

So, what we have is a beautiful looking, fun, and bizarre cartoon. Oh, did I mention that Paul Giamatti is in the lead role? I think you should support The Amazing Screw-On Head, if not only for the reasons I stated above, but also because it has a monkey. With a gun.

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Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Short story: The Salamander

I wrote this a while back, and tonight decided to edit it and rewrite it on the computer. Here be the fruits of labor. Enjoy.
**********************************************************************************
Deep within unnamed woodland in a generally unexciting part of the world, marked with moss-laden trees and fallen, rotting logs and teeming with all kinds of wildlife of varying interest, there lived a member of this menagerie of forest life. This particular creature happened to be a salamander; a red salamander with a pattern of black spots along its back. It’s not the world’s most unique salamander.
This salamander is basking near a rotting log, and as it does so, we wonder: What does this lowly amphibian know of the world around it? Does it even recognize the vastness of space, the constant rate of all time, and the difficulties of basic existence? Or does it simply wallow in its ignorance, enjoying not having to feel for or about the rest of the world?
“What makes you think that?” Said the Salamander. “I could be just as full of deep philosophical thought concerning life, death, space, reality or anything else of that nature as anyone else, Mr. Disembodied voice!”
I know, for I am the narrator and I have omniscience.
“Really? Who made you narrator? I know I wasn’t asked to give my opinions on the matter, nor anyone else I know. I would think that whoever makes these decisions would desire to gain the input of those directly affected by it.” Posed the Salamander.
Is it wrong for me, the narrator, to be taken aback by all this? Here I am, making the best attempt to tell a story, and I have my position challenged by a salamander of all things! Every minute of every day and further along the timeframe I describe the lives of countless people, places, and things all over the space-time continuum in painfully articulated detail! And do I get anything in return? No, nothing but the general satisfaction of helping people visualize places and creatures they could never see before in their pathetically limited lives! I do the work nobody wants to do, but everyone needs, and I think I deserve some respect.
“I’m very sorry. It was just an inquiry. I guess I was taking what you were saying too seriously.” Apologized the Salamander.
No, it was me. I shouldn’t have blown up like that. If you felt that my narration was demeaning, you had every right to question it.
“Well…on second thought, what you we’re saying was more rhetorical, and I shouldn’t have been taking it to heart as much as I did. I mean, as far anybody who listens to you knows, maybe it was all true. They don’t affect me, so maybe I shouldn’t care.” The Salamander said. “Besides, it’s not really you that is saying those things, right? It is whoever your boss it, right?”
It is pretty hard to describe how I do what I do. I can say that I act independently, yet I am guided by someone else. Maybe I am actually that someone else, so am I guiding myself? Am I fictional construct who works under them? Or am I them? But if I am them, wouldn’t I know? Maybe I’m questioning myself to keep my or their presence unknown to everyone? But by acknowledging my own existence, and the existence of them, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of that?
“I see what you mean.” Quipped the Salamander.
Indeed, I don’t even know if I can explain it to myself.
“One last question…” Said the Salamander. “Who would want to read about the lack of philosophy in the life of a salamander?”
***********************************************************************************

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Saturday, July 08, 2006

I don't know like Miss Piggy knows

From Wikipedia:

One of the series' writers, Jeffrey Scott, spoke of how he incorporated a Scientology belief into a Muppet Babies episode [1]:
"Hubbard discovered that the number one barrier to study was the
MISUNDERSTOOD WORD. He found that the moment a student went past a word he/she didn't understand the rest of the material became more or less 'blank'. [...] So in a 'Muppet Goose' episode I wrote Piggy was reading Little Miss Muffet, and when she read 'sat on a tuffet,' her imagination went blank until she cleared up her misunderstood word."

Pretty kooky.

And you'll be happy to know that I did absolutely nothing today.

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Favorite Random Video of the Day

Classic Genesis beat-'em-up Streets of Rage recreated in Lego:

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Sunday, July 02, 2006

Uh-Oh

We're all screwed.

On a more important note, I actually plan to spend next weekend artistically, probably going to go see a movie of some sort, maybe A Scanner Darkly, or how about Pirates?

Until then, I must get through the games I have purchased. First, Wario World, and then Viewtiful Joe, then I'll either restart Skies of Arcadia, or continue n00bing my way through Virtua Fighter 4.

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Saturday, July 01, 2006

Happy Canadia day!

And now, instead of writing anything new, I will link you to a 'classic': my stupid-ass review of a Spider-Man comic where he fights Electro and GT the the Drug-Peddling Thug in Winnipeg!

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