Advanced Gungeons and Draguns Expansion Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2016, A team called "Dodge Roll" developed and Devolver Digital published a game called Enter the Gungeon. Originally released for the Xbox One, it also managed to make its way to the Nintendo Switch. Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell roguelike video game in which you play as one of six adventurers, each with their own unique special ability, as you make your way through a randomly-generated dungeon to find a special gun that would allow them to defeat their pasts.

I have it for the Switch, and it is a fun game, with many different weapons to choose from, and enemies all having a gun theme, from walking bullets to a Rambo-esque bird boss. That's as far as I tend to get before I get my butt kicked. This game is hard.

Recently, it has been announced that an expansion for the game has come out called Advanced Gungeons and Draguns, a play on Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The expansion is meant to bring in new weapons, bosses, and enemies, as well as some adjustments for new and experienced players alike. They've released a trailer for it, so for my final blog entry of July 2018, let's take a look!

Hey, cool animation! It's funny seeing a medieval-style knight toting a gun.

Heh heh, boxing glove gun. Eddie Valiant would be proud.

I hate it when enemies disguise themselves as walls. Seems inherently unsporting to me.

Hey! That rat just stole all those weapons! Get it! Kill it with fire!

Well, all's fair in love and war, cloak guy. At least, I think that's a guy.

Well, rat! You reached a dead end! Whatcha gonna do? Oh yeah, he's got the guns.

Wait, I think this part is going to show some of the new features of the expansion. Creating barriers would be handy if you end up in a room without any tables to flip over.

Combining weapons, too? That's another awesome feature. Imagine the combinations one could make from the guns in the game, even better if different combinations have different effects.

And you can shoot from cover now? Oh, that'll save me from a hit or two.

Hey, Cloak Guy is okay!

Oh, I like this! I really do! I enjoy Enter the Gungeon, so I will definitely get this expansion! I like the new features, and the idea of more weapons to fight the monsters of the Gungeon appeals to me. I hope this game will get more expansions in the future.

Text Play: Pokemon Mega Adventure #11

Welcome back to the Akiba Region, as we enter the eleventh entry in my Text Play of Pokémon Mega Adventure!

Last time, we liberated the Sunnyvall City Power Plant from Team Prime, so now we have to get ready to face the Sunnyvall Gym.

It's here that I realized a bit of a problem. You see, this Gym is an Electric-themed Gym. Which does make sense. The Power Plant is the big feature of this town, which attracts a ton of Electric-type Pokémon. Naturally, the big strategy to counter Electric-type Pokémon is to use Ground-type Pokémon, as Ground-type attacks are super-effective against Electric-type Pokémon, and Electric-type attacks have literally no effect on Ground-type Pokémon. Yeah, lightning ain't going to fry a Diglett or a Geodude any time soon.

Which leads me to my little problem. You see...I don't have many Ground-type Pokémon at my disposal right now. Just Drillbur and Geodude. And my Geodude evolved into Graveler. And since I can't trade so I can evolve it further into Golem...yeah.

Ahhh, I really could use you right now, buddy.

And most of the Pokémon I caught around the Power Plant area are Electric type...which makes sense, as Power Plants tend to attract them. I wonder if the workers give them batteries...

So, I'm forced to research other options. Thanks to Bulbapedia, I learned that Electric-type Pokémon are resistant to Electric attacks, so that's handy. Got plenty to choose from there. Also, Grass and Dragon are resistant to Electric-attacks. I would have loved to bring Rowlet out here, but it's also Flying, so I can't really take that chance. God, I wish I could have a Golem right now...

Well, happily, I do have plenty of Grass and Dragon Pokémon to pick from, so it's not a complete loss. I'm hoping Deino can learn better Dragon attacks than Dragon Rage, as Dragon Rage always does only 40 HP in damage. Great for early on in the game, but grows more useless with time. I can bring back my Grovyle. He could be useful. Also, my Aron knows Mud-Slap, which is a Ground-type attack...but it's also part-Steel, which makes it weak to Electric...

It's one thing I do have to give this game credit for. It's making me actually have to put some real thought into building teams for taking on Gyms. In the end, I decided to go with this.

I could have sworn I had a Gible. And I am still rather mixed about keeping Butterfree on board. Butterfree is a Flying type, which makes her vulnerable to electricity, but her moveset is really helpful, she's fast, and she's been one of my team powerhouses. And I am going to have to do a LOT of grinding to catch up Deino with the rest of the team.  Good thing I have an Exp Share!

The thing is, it's an older-style Exp Share. In Sun and Moon, the Exp Share is given early on, and it allows one to grind up your whole team much quicker. I'm guessing that's where some of the criticism of those games being "too easy" comes from. I found that handy as anything myself. Made preparing new teams for doing the trials so much easier.

Considering I still had a ways to go before I was ready to take on the Gym, I decided to check out that shortcut between Floroma Town and Sunnyvall City. The entrances are guarded by cops, who could have been helpful at the Power Plant. This leads me to a complaint. The Floroma Town end of the Underground Path is blocked by rocks. You can use Rock Smash to smash them. That's not the problem. The problem is, these rocks constantly respawn. You HAVE to bring a Pokémon that knows Rock Smash with you on the Path so you can use it.

I do get that the game is trying to get you to use Rock Smash, but this really would have been better if either we were given an item like a pickaxe, or there was instead another barrier that was permanently removed when we got far enough into the game. It feels less like a convenient shortcut and more like a choice between having to go the long way with lots of wild Pokémon battles or the short way, which needs a Pokémon who knows a specific move. Which way do you want to be inconvenienced? It's kind of annoying. It feels wasteful to me.

The cops told me that bad things can happen in the Underground Path. I think they're bored. Only thing I found there was a Gengarite.

The inside of the Sunnyvall Gym is really cool-looking, with laser barriers and the like. There's a cop near the entrance, saying that Gym Leaders have been threatened by terrorists. Is he talking about Team Prime? I can see them threatening Gym Leaders, considering their antics at the Power Plant.

I decided to try and take on one of the trainers at the Gym, a scientist named Max. My Drillbur wrecked most of his Pokémon, but his Dedenne turned out to be a real pain. Fortunately, my Bulbasaur's combo of Leech Seed and Poison Powder helped beat that. After I won, he explained that if I wanted to face Volkner, I had to find the switch that turned off the laser barriers in one of the bins next to him.

The next Trainer I faced was an Engineer named "Cyber". Yes, Cyber. I bet his parents were really into cyberpunk. My Drilbur wrecked most of his Pokémon, but his Pikachu proved to be pretty tough thanks to its Double Team and Electro Ball. Managed to hurt Thundra, my Shinx, pretty good.

After some grinding, I went back to the Gym. The third Trainer I faces was a Super Nerd named Dentis. I'm guessing his name was supposed to be Dennis. My Drillbur took care of his Electrike, and my Grovyle and Bulbasaur took care of his Helioptile. They also took down his Stunfisk.

The fourth Trainer I faced was a Scientist named Kaiber. ...where do these names come from? He starts out with a Tynamo. Tynamo has the ability Levitate, which allows this Electric-type Pokémon immunity to Ground-type attacks. Luckily, Drillbur also knows Rock Smash. Took a beating, but Drillbur was able to take it down. Next was Elekid. A bit of a challenge, but I was able to beat it. And then there was Electrode. But I had that handled. After that, I managed to find the second switch to shut off the second laser barrier.

I figured I had better do some more grinding if I want to face Volkner. I also decided to look through my boxes for any more Pokémon that could help me face him. And much to my shock, I remembered I caught one of these babies.

Yes, a Sandshrew! I had a Sandshrew! Sandshrews are Ground-type, so Electric attacks will be useless against her! But I have to grind her up to make her any sort of threat to whatever Volkner is packing. So, I have to work on that. And that's where I think I'll end this entry. Next time, I should be ready to take on Volkner! Wish me luck!

Mega Man X Legacy Collection Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in April, I gave my thoughts on the Mega Man X Legacy Collection coming to Nintendo Switch. My own experience with the X series is rather limited. I do remember playing the first X game and enjoying it despite being very hard. But now, the collection is out! So, let's take a look at the launch trailer!

It may not be 2017 anymore, but we're still celebrating Mega Man hitting the big 3-0, baby!

Mega Man X and Zero tend to be the main two protagonists of the series. In fact, Zero was intended to be the main character of this series. But the design was far too different from the classic version of Mega Man, so he was made to be the secondary protagonist. I think that was a smart move. It would have been too shocking to see Zero as the main character of this game series that was supposed to be a future version of Mega Man's world.

Axl first appeared in Mega Man X7, which came out in 2003 for Japan and the US, 2004 in Europe. It got...mixed reviews. The fact that X had to be unlocked to play as him and the issues with the 2D and 3D playing styles meshing had something to do with it.

Sigma is the big bad. And he had been pretty much the major if not only big bad of the X series. He's this series' Dr. Wily...if Dr. Wily was a robot corrupted by a virus that made you evil.

Vile is basically Sigma's flunky. He got to appear in that 1990s Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon alongside Mega Man X boss Spark Mandrill.

The X-Hunters appeared in Mega Man X2. They were the main villains of that game.

Dr. Doppler is from Mega Man X3. He was a robot that supposedly found a cure for robots going wild, or "Maverick". He was possessed by a viral Sigma.

Iris went crazy and tried to kill Zero after her brother Colonel, who led an army of Maverick Hunters, tried to create a nation of robots. It was supposed to be tragic, as she and Zero had feelings for each other, but only became a meme. "WHAT AM I FIGHTING FOOOOOORRRRRR?!"

Dynamo was a mercenary. That's pretty much it.

Gate tried to use a  virus to create his own utopia. Pretty much your standard "build a new world on the ashes of the old" villain.

Red was the leader of a group of vigilantes who lost it when fellow member Axl got fed up with his going too far and quit. Yeah. That's his motivation.

Lumine? I have no idea what her deal is. I really do not.

X Challenge mode seems like a fun way to challenge yourself. It's really funny seeing the early X games' Mavericks fighting alongside the later X games' ones, considering how the graphics advanced over the course of the series.

So this collection has X7 and X8 being given HD remasters? That's pretty neat.

Yeah, I'm going to have the most fun with Museum Mode. I love looking at concept art and listening to music.

I hope that the "Day of Sigma" film is fun to watch.

Oh, commercials! That's awesome! And Trailers! That is sweet!

I can imagine the X series got a surprising amount of collectibles.

Well, this sounds awesome! I love it when companies release game collections like this, and I have been wanting to play Mega Man X again, so I think I'll add this to my game collection.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (October 1985)

The Crisis on Infinite Earths rages on! Five Earths have been saved, but at great cost. Villains are vanishing, the heroes are overwhelmed, and chaos reigns supreme!

When it comes to a big event like this, there will be blood shed. We've seen some heroes give their lives over the course of this miniseries, like Kid Psycho and Nighthawk. But this would be the first time we saw a major superhero fall in the line of duty. So with that, let's take a look at Crisis on Infinite Earths #7!

The cover has become one of the most iconic covers of the miniseries, even though it was a giant spoiler at the time. Like many other famous covers, it has been parodied and homaged by other comics from other companies. There have been comics beforehand that depicted someone holding another person's body before, but I think it was this that made it really famous. I'm guessing it was the crowd of mourning heroes in the background.

"Beyond the Silent Night!"
Writers: Marv Wolfman, Robert Greenberger
Penciler: George Perez
Inkers: Dick Giordano, Jerry Ordway
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Letterer: John Constanza
Editors: Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Robert Greenberger

The story begins with Lyla and Alexander Luthor...right where they were in the last issue, floating on a rock in space, watching the five Earths.

However, they would not be alone. Pariah appears, and he wants some answers. He wants to know why he's involved in this. He's witnessed so much death, and he feels he's atoned for his own sins. That will be explained, I promise you. He believes that the Monitor must have known a way for him to get some peace after all he's been through. Lyla tells him if he takes her and Alex to Earth, all will be explained.

On Earth-S, Dr. Sivana and Ibac are plotting some conquering, but Captain Marvel spots them. However, before he can do anything, the two villains vanish. In a little funny moment, Dr. Sivana taunts the Big Red Cheese by saying goodbye, even though he admittedly had no idea what is happening. He's joined by Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel Jr, Beast Boy, and Tawky Tawny, who are just as confused as he is. It's revealed they were transported to Brainiac's Skull Ship.

The heroes are joined by Kole, Mary Marvel, and Uncle Marvel. And in an another small funny moment, Beast Boy grumbles about the many different Marvels. I could only imagine him flipping a table in frustration if at that moment, Mar-Vell, Monica Rambeau, and Carol Danvers showed up, ha ha. So many Marvels...a-hem. Back to the story.

Lyla appears to the heroes and explains they must talk. She explains that the Psycho-Pirate's emotion-manipulating powers were why he seemingly went crazy and attacked Supergirl and the other heroes last issue. She needs his help, and the good Captain Marvel tells her she has the entire Marvel Family at her back. But Lyla needs one representative of each of the various surviving Earths.

On Earth-2, the new Wildcat approaches the Earth-2 Green Arrow, Atom, and Liberty Belle. She has some nerves about introducing herself, as they are legendary heroes, and she is a rookie. She hears Atom talking about Ted, and it convinces Yolanda that maybe she should show herself when she feels she is worthy.

On Earth-4, Pariah is talking to the heroes there. The Ted Kord Blue Beetle (RIP Steve Ditko) agrees to go with the mysterious interdimensional traveler. On Earth-X, Starfire recruits the Freedom Fighters to help save the remaining Earths. Lady Quark is on another Earth, watching the chronal chaos and listening to the Supermen of Earths 1 and 2 talking to Alex Luthor. We also see the Enemy Ace facing a pterodactyl. Later, Lyla, Alex, and Pariah have gathered a group of heroes from the five Earths together on a asteroid in space.

Lady Quark of Earth-6, the Supermen of Earths 1 and 2, Uncle Sam of Earth-X (Originally from Earth-2), Captain Marvel of Earth-S, and Blue Beetle of Earth-4. Considering where they're going, you'd think they'd have picked Captain Atom instead. Lady Quark is burning from some revenge on the enemy for the destruction of her world and family. Earth-2 Superman reminds her that they're fighting for what is right, not for revenge. Quark snaps that the elder Superman has no idea what it's like to be the sole survivor of a world.

Superman tells her they need to talk. Uncle Sam notices Pariah and tries to talk to him. He asks if he needs any help, but Pariah says there can be no help for him. Uncle Sam tells him that everyone's been down on occasion, but a good man will always rise up. Lyla explains that this Crisis began ten billion years ago, on a little planet known...as Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe, the bosses of the Green Lantern Corps.

They were immortal beings who lived in what could be described as a Utopia. Their world was a paradise. They strove to improve themselves and innovate. But even the Oans were not immune to the darker nature of the soul. One in particular...was Krona. Krona was obsessed with learning the origins of the universe. There was a legend that to find the beginning of the universe would doom it because reasons. Uncaring of the warnings of his fellow Oans, Krona continued his work.

But then an explosion, and something evil was unleashed, which was chronicled in Green Lantern #40 (October 1965). This event gave birth to the anti-matter universe...and the multiverse. Oa was the only planet to not have counterparts in the multiverse, but it does have a sister planet in the anti-matter universe: Qward.

The Oans punished Krona by turning him into energy, Krona vowing his revenge on Oa. Out of guilt for Krona's actions, they wanted to create a force for good to protect the universe. Their first attempt was the Manhunter robots, but that did not go so well. Their next attempt was more successful: The Green Lantern Corps.

A group of Oans felt that the Corps did not go far enough in stopping evil, feeling evil should be exterminated. Those Oans would go on to become the Controllers. Lyla reveals that Oa and Qward both have moons, and on those moons, life sprung. On Qward's moon, the cybernetic monstronsity known as the Anti-Monitor arose. On Oa, the Monitor spawned. The Anti-Monitor took control of Qward and created the Thunderers. The very elite of the Thunderers, the best of the best, were remade into his Shadow Demons. The Anti-Monitor ruled the anti-matter universe, but he wanted more.

The Monitor and Anti-Monitor became aware of each other, and they ended up battling for a million years. The battle ended in a stalemate, as they were of equal power.

The two would end up literally knocking each other out, and they stayed out for nine million years. Both of them ended up immobile, unable to move or react. The Earth-2 Superman asks a question. If the Anti-Monitor was in this state for so long...what woke him up? Pariah admits that the Anti-Monitor's waking up, and all the carnage he's caused since...is his fault. He's the reason for it. And it was all because of his pride. Before he was the Pariah, he was a scientist. A brilliant one. One that was practically a miracle worker.

Much like Krona on Earth-1, Pariah wanted to learn the origins of the universe. However, this Earth also believed in the legend that if one managed to learn the origins of the universe, it would end up destroying everything, because reasons. Not happy with that explanation? Too bad. Yes, the universe is that paranoid about people discovering what created it. Pariah's assistant Sondra thinks he's gone a bit crazy, that he's lost his humanity in the process of making his discoveries.

Pariah goes on to perform his experiments and research anyway. And one can guess what happens next.

Pariah sees the hand holding the universe in it. And true to the prophecy, a wall of white appears and starts consuming everything. Only Pariah himself survives, thanks to his being in an anti-matter chamber. With his universe destroyed, anti-matter filled the void, which allowed the Anti-Monitor to not only wake up from his slumber, but also grow stronger.

This event also woke the Monitor. Determined to protect what remained of the matter worlds, The Monitor found Pariah, who had been floating alone in his chamber for millions of years. The Monitor then fashioned his satellite, and used it to follow Pariah around wherever he went. With every matter universe destroyed, the Anti-Monitor grew stronger, while the Monitor grew weaker.

Superman wonders where Lyla fits into this. She explains her story. While the Monitor was looking for heroes to help him stop his evil counterpart, he saw her floating on a piece of a ship that had sunk. He took her in, and raised her as if she was his own daughter. She laments that after all he had done for her, she murdered him. The Earth-2 Superman comforts her by reminding her she was under the Anti-Monitor's control. He is curious about Alex's origins.

A furious Lady Quark vows to kill Pariah, but Uncle Sam tries to calm her down. As far as the Spirit of America is concerned, the man has already suffered enough. Later on, as Earths grow closer to merging, we have some character moments as a team of heroes are brought together to attack the Anti-Monitor right where he lives.

Deadman tries to recruit the Spectre and Phantom Stranger, but they can't help because their magical abilities will be useless in the anti-matter universe. Power Girl laments that she wasn't chosen to help, but Huntress assures her that if the group of heroes fail, they'll be able to fight. Firebrand, Doll Man, and the Human Bomb decide to pray for them. Peacemaker doesn't like the mission, feeling he should have been chosen in the place of Captain Atom. Nightshade reminds him he was chosen because Atom was the most powerful hero on their Earth. Beetle agrees, but wishes they could help, too. Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, Uncle Marvel, and Beast Boy worry for them.

The chosen superhero strike team are waiting in space. Lady Quark wants to know how they're going to reach the Anti-Monitor. Pariah explains that he and Alex Luthor are going to combine their powers to open a portal. In a bit of a plot hole, Pariah warns that he can transport to wherever danger or evil lurks, but cannot take people with him...despite his rescuing Lady Quark in an earlier issue. I'm going to assume that means he can't take everyone all at the same time.

Alex, using his unique physiology, opens the portal.

Pariah leads the heroes through the portal. Once they reach the antimatter universe, there's now one question. Where is the Anti-Monitor residing? Pariah spots a glowing asteroid, sensing the evil of the Anti-Monitor there. They fly ahead to find that the Anti-Monitor's home...is a fortress.

The Anti-Monitor spots them, and demands the Psycho-Pirate use his powers to make them his slaves. Problem, though. When the Anti-Monitor amplified his powers to emotionally attack three of the surviving Earths earlier...he ended up burning them out. He needs time to recharge them, but until then, the Psycho-Pirate is powerless. Infuriated, the Anti-Monitor gives the Psycho-Pirate the back of his hand, then goes to deal with the heroes himself.

In the fortress, the heroes are separated. Supergirl notices her X-Ray vision isn't working right, which Superman think may be due to the different physical laws of the anti-matter universe. This leads Captain Atom to wonder if his powers will work. Firestorm remarks to the Ray that he's frightened, and Ray tells him they all are. Lady Quark remarks it was far too easy to get into the fortress, and Earth-2 Superman agrees. Quark's suspicion proves to be dead on as Pariah gets grabbed by a statue.

Pariah insists E-2 Supes and Lay Quark go on without him, as he is invulnerable to harm, but the heroes refuse. A rock monster punches the elder Superman, and the elder hero discovers that not only did it actually hurt him...it managed to make the Kryptonian bleed. The Anti-Monitor sends more rock monsters to fight the heroes. Captain Atom's powers are more effective in this universe, but the monsters can reassemble themselves if they are blown apart. Supergirl is able to deal with the monster by shattering it and using her super-breath to blow the pieces away from each other.

The rock monsters have all the other heroes tied up, but the Earth-1 Superman is able to barge through. He tries to catch up with Dr. Light and Pariah, who managed to go ahead. They had to hurry, because the five Earths only have hours left before they begin their fatal merging. A piece of rock falls on Pariah, much to Dr. Light's horror. This is where Superman catches up. Dr. Light tells him Pariah is dead...and she intends to avenge him. Superman tries to tell her that Pariah cannot be killed, but she charges ahead, not hearing him. The Man of Steel pursues the Japanese scientist, as he doesn't want her to face the Anti-Monitor alone. He manages to catch up to her, and she's found a machine.

The Anti-Monitor has one sweet entertainment center. But in all seriousness, Light believes this is what the Anti-Monitor is using the reduce the vibrational rates of the Earths. Superman asks if she's sure, and she's like, "Back off, Superman. I'm a scientist." Kimiyo wants to study the machine, seeing the tech is something that could help Earth. Superman insists on destroying the machine, as it's too dangerous to keep functioning. But he gets ambushed by the Anti-Monitor. Supergirl hears his scream and flies to help.

The Anti-Monitor knocks the Man of Steel aside, and Dr. Light tries to engage the evil menace. The scientist admits that she did not want to be a part of this at first, but now...things have changed. She tells the Anti-Monitor his now-deceased "brother" created her to destroy him. And she's going to make that happen. However, the Anti-Monitor is in his own domain, and here...he is supreme. He blasts Dr. Light, and hands the Metropolis Marvel the mother of all beatdowns as Supergirl rushes towards him. She nails the Anti-Monitor with a super-powerful Mighty Punch that would make any boxer anywhere shed a tear of pride.

Doctor Light is in awe of Supergirl's fearlessly charging in and laying a beating on the Anti-Monitor. The two have a brawl, and Supergirl is actually doing some damage, smashing and badly damaging the Anti-Monitor's cybernetic body. Supergirl gives Doctor Light some instructions: Get Superman, gather the other heroes, and get the heck out of the antimatter universe as fast as possible. She'll hold off the Anti-Monitor. The Girl of Steel smashes the Anti-Monitor into his vibration machine, completely wrecking it. She continues to wail on the villain, and you get the idea that she could take him down completely on her own.

Doctor Light wants to help, but Supergirl yells at her to get out. And she pays for the distraction.

He manages to hit the Maid of Might with an energy blast that mortally wounds her. But Supergirl managed to beat the Anti-Monitor so badly that he actually needs to back off and heal up for a while. His body had been destroyed, so he flees into a rock and...yeah, this is NOT intentional...rockets away, crowing that he will stand triumphant at the dawn of time. A little bit of foreshadowing there...

With the Anti-Monitor gone, the fortress is starting to crumble apart. The heroes find and gather around the wounded Superman, who is desperately trying to keep the dying Supergirl awake. But Supergirl has accepted her fate, happy that her beloved cousin and the Earths are safe. Her final words are telling Superman she loves him. And with that, the Maid of Might takes her final breath. Superman is heartbroken and furious. He wants to kill the Anti-Monitor, but his elder Earth-2 Superman calms him down by reminding him that Kara gave her life for a chance for the Multiverse to be saved, and that must not be wasted. The heroes flee the collapsing fortress, returning to the positive matter universe.

A memorial eulogy is held for the Maid of Might in Chicago. Continuing the thread of their conversation in issue 4, Batgirl talks about it not being superpowers that make a hero, but their courage and their desire to do some good. She also says that Kara Zor-El will not be forgotten. Yeah, when this all ends, Supergirl will be erased from continuity. And seeing Batgirl speak publicly at a funeral is interesting. I don't think modern DC writers would ever write a member of the Bat-Family doing something like this.

At the Fortress of Solitude, Superman sits with Kara's body, wrapped in what I am presuming is her cape. He reminisces about her arrival on Earth as a teenager, secretly practicing her powers every night (and having her own adventures as Supergirl before her "debut"). The Man of Steel is hurt, and he grieves, but he will live on. The story ends with Superman saying he will miss her forever, and takes Kara Zor-El's body to the sun, her epitaph being an excerpt from Robert G. Ingersoll's "Declaration of the Free".

This issue is powerful, and probably the best single issue of the miniseries. There is a massive exposition dump, but it's worth going through. The highlight is obviously, the final battle and death of Supergirl. Her death is considered the gold standard of superhero deaths for a reason. We see at her funeral that she was beloved by many, and Superman's private service for her is touching. It's even more tragic from a meta perspective when you keep something in mind: DC wanted her dead because they saw her as redundant.

At this point, it seemed that much of Krypton survived with Superman, like Supergirl, the Phantom Zone criminals, the Bottle City of Kandor, and even Beppo the Super-Monkey. Considering the job of Crisis was to essentially "houseclean" the DC canon, DC saw it as an opportunity to make Superman the sole survivor of the destruction of Krypton. Dick Giordano, executive editor of DC at the time, was the one who proposed Supergirl dying. He felt the character was poorly conceived, and despite the near-thirty years of stories about her at the time, he still felt she was unimportant. Some blame for her death was also put on the critical and box office failure of Kara's live action film debut in 1984. Personally, I don't think that film's bombing was completely the reason, but I can imagine it at the very least contributed to the idea that Kara was redundant.

I have said I had a bit of a theory regarding this in an earlier issue's review. Well, here's what I think: I think Lady Quark was meant to die here. Think about it. She made her debut in this miniseries. She had been wanting revenge against the being who destroyed her world and killed her family. As such, she had nothing to lose fighting the Anti-Monitor at this point. The only problem with the theory admittedly is that well...we don't really know much about her or her world. As a result, her death would not be given as emotional a reception as Supergirl's was.

Kara Zor-El would not stay gone forever, though. Over the next couple of decades, DC tried to introduce new Supergirls [some I did talk about in my reviews of Action Comics #644 (August 1989) and Supergirl #1 (September 1996)], but in Superman/Batman #8 (May 2004), Kara Zor-El would be reintroduced into DC canon. She's managed to stick around, despite DC half-booting their universe twice over again. The pre-Crisis Kara would appear a couple more times: In Christmas with the Super-Heroes (1989) as a ghost counseling Deadman, and the Many Happy Returns storyline during Linda Danvers' time as Supergirl.

In Convergence, the original Kara Zor-El appeared again, helping stop the Anti-Monitor and saving the multiverse. She, alongside the Pre-Crisis Barry Allen and Hal Jordan as Parallax, went off to find a place in the universe for themselves. If you are confused, I do not blame you. DC has been making canon confusing since 1985.

Despite the behind-the-scenes stuff, this is regarded as the best Supergirl story ever written by many people. And Marv Wolfman has gone on to say he misses Kara, too. He certainly had her go out on a high note.

Next time, in honor of the passing of Steve Ditko, we take a look at the debut of Spider-Man...

Shazam! Trailer, My Thoughts

The DC Extended Universe is rolling on. We looked at the trailer for its sixth film, Aquaman, but now we're also getting the trailer for its seventh film, and this one is focusing on a boy given the power of a god. That's right, the original Captain Marvel, aka Shazam is coming to the DCEU! Let's take a look at the trailer!

The trailer begins with a view of the city. I'm assuming its Fawcett City.

Oh, he's going to be the jerky Billy Batson of the New 52, isn't he?

Hey, Freddy Freeman is wearing an Aquaman shirt. ...does Arthur authorize those? Like, is he involved in the making of them?

Heh heh, an actual joke. I think DC may finally be learning from their screw-ups.

I'm guessing Freddy Freeman is going to be the big superhero fanboy. Nice.

And we got some bullies. And some hinting as to why Billy Batson gets to have the Power of Shazam.

Looks like they're keeping his origin true to the comics. Good.

Man, Zachary Levi looks so awesome as the World's Mightiest Mortal! This is good! My hopes are going up!

Shazam dancing is hilarious! And so is that bit with him trying to fly. Don't worry, Cap. You'll get it. Just listen to the wisdom of Solomon.

Yep, the bullies getting some karma.

Yeah, I'd wait a while before you launch the Shazam Phone Charging Service.

Hey, Dr. Sivana! Can't have the World's Mightiest Mortal without his archnemesis, the World's Wickedest Scientist.

"I'm bulletproof. You're dead." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, this is spectacular! I'm loving this! Between this, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, I think the DCEU is finally taking some steps in the right direction. I'm loving that they're keeping in mind that he's still a kid. Shazam should be unabashed fun, and I think this film may understand that. I can't wait for this one! Bring on 2019!

Aquaman Trailer, My Thoughts

Aquaman. In the DC Universe, the man born Orin, but named Arthur Curry by humanity is the King of the Seven Seas. He was among the many iconic superheroes that first appeared during the Golden Age of Comics [More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941)]. Since then, Aquaman has become one of DC's most stalwart superheroes. He's appeared in various media, including cartoons and now...his own live action movie.

Jason Momoa has portrayed the King of the Seas in Batman v Superman and Justice League, but now gets to shine on his own in his first solo live-action adventure. The trailer is out, so let's take a look!

It was a dark and stormy night...typical night in the DCEU if Batman v Superman indicated anything.

With Aquaman's dad being a lighthouse keeper, one could argue that Arthur Curry's life could embody the phrase "Started from the bottom, now I'm here".

I'm guessing the woman is Aquaman's mom. Aquamom. Yes, she was the Queen of Atlantis, but I'm still calling her Aquamom.

Yeah, don't mess with Arthur. It makes sharks angry. Angry sharks are nothing to mess with.

Sudden submarine.

You know guys, when Jason Momoa busts into your submarine asking permission to come aboard, the proper response is, "Yeah, sure. Want some snacks?" And they learn this the hard way.

Hi, Mera. Hopefully you'll get to do more in this movie than just be a fanservice moment like in Justice League. Seriously, I think she was only in that movie so there would be some cleavage. God, Justice League could have been so much better...

Orm wants to declare war on the surface world again, huh? Well, I get his anger. If I was named Orm, I'd be angry at the world too.

HOLY TOLEDO, ATLANTIS LOOKS SO AWESOME!

ARTHUR CURRY LIFTING A SUBMARINE TO THE SURFACE. THIS IS ALSO AWESOME!

Hey, Black Manta! How's it going, pal?

Hey, I actually laughed at that bit with Mera and the parachute.

Well, I have to admit, this looks like it could actually be fun. The DCEU has been getting a lot of criticism for being overly dark and gray, but between this and Wonder Woman, it looks like they may finally be learning from their mistakes and being willing to let their films have some fun and color in them. I just wish they did this film before Justice League. Would have helped establish Aquaman and his world so Justice League didn't have to do it. Ah well, what's done is done. I'll give this a shot.

Dragon Ball Super Broly Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1984, Japanese manga writer/artist Akira Toriyama created Dragon Ball, a manga (Japanese comic) series inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. It told the tale of Son Goku, a young monkey-tailed martial artist who was searching for seven magical artifacts called the Dragon Balls. When put together, they could summon a dragon that could grant a single wish, making them very attractive to various villainous people and monsters.

Dragon Ball would go on to be one of the world's most popular manga franchises, selling 142 million copies in Japan alone, and another 250 million worldwide. Many in the manga industry credit Dragon Ball for them for becoming part of it, and its anime adaptation helped popularize Japanese animation in the United States. I myself was among them. I was a big fan of the series (thanks to Toonami airing it), and it made me a fan of anime.

Like many a franchise, it has been brought to video games, merchandise, and even movies. Dragon Ball has had many animated films, and this newest one, based on the newest incarnation of the anime (Dragon Ball Super), is bringing back a beloved character. Let's take a look!

That's our Son Goku. Eating his way out of house and home and always looking to fight someone stronger. I wonder what happens when he finally runs out of people to fight?

In case you are wondering, a "Saiyan" is an alien being in the Dragon Ball universe that have a thing for fighting. They're supposedly extinct, but a couple have survived. Goku is one.

Ooh, boy. They're bringing in Broly. Broly is canon. Goku is in for a night of pain. Who is Broly? Well, Broly first appeared in the 1993 animated movie Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan. He was a Saiyan that was born rather insane, and had a real hatred for Goku. Why did he hate Goku? Well...to paraphrase Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z Abridged, his reason is "so dumb...but he's so cool! BUT IT'S SO DUMB!" He hated Goku because when they were in baby ward together, Goku cried. A lot. Broly was a baby, too. Yeah, it's dumb.

Broly would be a popular character despite his dumb motivation and his non-canon status. But now, he's a canon character. Gotta admit, I like his spiffy uniform.

Love that smirk from Vegeta when he blocks that punch. The Prince of All Saiyans is in a fightin' mood.

Broly is going to wreck everybody. Just like his non-canon counterpart did.

OHHH, THAT BROLY POWERING UP EFFECT IS SO COOL! LET'S HOPE HE GOT A NEW ORIGIN THAT ISN'T DUMB.

Well, I'm hyped. I can't wait to see this! Please give Broly an origin that doesn't suck. This is a second chance, writers. Do it right this time.

Godzilla, King of the Monsters Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1954, a Japanese science-fiction film was brought into the world. It was the ultimate expression of the fears of the nuclear bomb. The bomb created a giant dinosaur/dragon-esque monster that stomped Tokyo to the ground. That monster's name? In his homeland, he's called Gojira, but you may know him...as Godzilla.

After 64 years, Godzilla has become an international film icon. He presides over the longest-running film series in history (33 and counting), has appeared in various other media including comic books and cartoons, and has played a variety of roles from force of nature to anti-hero to outright heroic character. He spawned a franchise full of monsters about as iconic as he is, including allies like Mothra, Rodan, and Anguirus, and arguably his arch-nemesis King Ghidora.

The United States has embraced the King of the Monsters with their own films: A 1996 movie that was not received very well, a 2014 reboot that was critically and commercially acclaimed...and a sequel.

That's right! Legendary Pictures is bringing the King of the Monsters back to American shores with a follow up to 2014's Godzilla (Which is a great movie). He's also bringing a couple of old friends with him...and an old enemy. So, let's take a look at this trailer!

Hey, it's Millie Bobby Brown, from Stanger Things! I heard that was good.

Mass extinction event, huh? Eh, nothing the Earth has been through before.

Oh my God, those clouds are angry...and quite hungry.

So, basically, the Earth is tired of humanity's foolishness, and decides to send up some monsters to break our stuff. Gotta admit, that's a twist.

Oh, that dragon head looks familiar...if it lets out a bell-like laugh, I'm out of here.

What as that, a giant turtle? That can't be Gamera. He's not even a Toho monster!

You know that was Godzilla saying "I'M BACK, MOTHATRUCKAS!" He looks good, must've been hitting the gym.

HOLY COW, THAT WAS MOTHRA! THAT WAS MOTHRA! WE GOT MOTHRA! Yeah, that turtle-head thing may have been a Mothra larva.

AND RODAN! THAT WAS RODAN! After this movie, Godzilla must've called them and said, "Hey guys, I'm doin' a sequel! Get over here and you guys can be in it!"

Screw your planes, that's Rodan!

Oh God, that's King Ghidorah. If there is any kaiju in Toho's monster zoo that could be considered truly evil, it's this golden-plated three-headed destroyer. I would not be surprised if he was the villain in this movie.

Long Live the King, indeed.

I love that final shot with Godzilla and the fighter jets streaking through the sky alongside him. Really gives the impression that he and the humans are working together against a bigger threat.

I have to admit, I am hyped for this. I loved the 2014 Legendary Godzilla, and I think this one will be a ton of fun. Especially since we'll be seeing more monsters from Toho in this.

I'm only worried about one thing with this movie. Four monsters in this movie might be too much. Justice League showed the dangers of having a film packed with famous characters without proper buildup, so I worry that this film will suffer because it won't have enough room to give the monsters their due. Otherwise that, I am so looking forward to this film!

Captain America #255 (March 1981)

Captain America. The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan. One of the Marvel Universe's most respected superheroes.

But how did Captain America come to be? What happened to remake frail Steve Rogers into the Sentinel of Liberty? Well, his origins were told in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941). In 1981, for Cap's 40th Anniversary, Roger Stern and John Byrne would re-tell the origin, giving it more depth. According to Stern himself, he and Byrne wanted to streamline the origin, as there were several takes on it at the time.

Issue #255 would end up being the final issue of their nine-issue run. Work was started on issue number ten, but I believe they both got booted off the book before work was completed. I have talked about Stern and Byrne's run before in my reviews of Captain America #248 (August 1980) and Captain America #250 (October 1980). It's one of my favorite runs on Cap's book, so it's always fun to return to it.

So, with that out of the way, let's take a look at Captain America #255!

The cover is pretty awesome. It's the perfect way to celebrate an anniversary like this. You have Cap and Bucky front and center, in front of Cap's first shield. The images of the planes dropping bombs and him punching Nazis are a reminder of just how long Cap has truly been around, both in and out of universe. It is a callback to Cap's roots as one of the many superheroes of the Golden Age. I just love this cover so much.

"The Living Legend"
Writer: Roger Stern
Artist: John Byrne
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Jim Salicrup
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with a trip to the White House. The time: June, 1941. A courier from G-2 (The US Army's intelligence arm) has come to the White House to deliver something to the then-president: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. What is the item?

It's a dossier. A complete dossier on Operation: Rebirth. Roosevelt takes the dossier and starts looking through it. He learns about Operation: Rebirth's one success: a young man from the Lower East Side of New York City named Steve Rogers. Rogers grew up during the Depression, his father dying when Rogers was young. His mother? She had to struggle to keep a roof over their head. Despite this, the future Captain America was able to keep up with his schooling. Perhaps due to his need for some sort of escape, Steve Rogers became a fan of fantasy novels.

Rogers would also develop another talent: Art. Yup, in the comics, Steve Rogers is a talented artist, even had a job drawing a comic book for a while. It was homaged in Captain America: The First Avenger with a scene of Steve drawing himself as a dancing monkey. However, kids can be cruel, so he kept this talent hidden. The Depression wore on, and Sarah Rogers worked hard to provide for herself and her son. However, pneumonia would claim her life.

On his own, Rogers supported himself by finding a job as a delivery boy. One day, he went to a theater to watch a movie. During that time, theaters would play newsreels before a movie, and Rogers would see a newsreel showing the Nazis rampaging through Europe. The sight lights a fire in the young man. Inspired by his newfound desire to stop the Nazis, Steve tries to volunteer for military service, but is found too frail to serve. Rogers begs the doctor to pass him, and a general overhears this.

He introduces himself as General Chester Phillips, whom you may know from Captain America: The First Avenger, portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones. Phillips asks Steve if he really is serious about wanting to help his country. Steve confirms he is. In a short time, the young man is on his way to Washington, D.C., where he is taken to a small curio shop in town.

An old lady demands that the group identify themselves. You see, the curio shop is a front, a way to hide a little project called "Operation: Rebirth". And the old lady...is not an old lady.

Underground, Steve Rogers is introduced to a Professor Reinstein...in reality, the biochemist Abraham Erskine. It was believed he died in a car crash last year, but it turns out that it was obviously faked, so he could work for the American government in secret. The doctor and his assistant warn Steve about this little experiment here. It could give Rogers the strong body he needs to help stop the Nazis...but it could also kill him. Steve is willing to take that risk.

Over the next few weeks, Steve is subjected to testing, while Erskine refines his serum. Eventually, the serum is ready to go. A group of men are invited to watch the experiment, including General Phillips, and a man known as Special Agent Clemson. Erskine injects Steve with some of the serum, and then he gives Steve a big test tube filled with an oral form of the compound. Steve is intended to he the first of a new breed of super-soldier, a new group of fighting men that will defend the world from the Nazi menace!

Finally, Erskine uses a machine to blast Rogers with "vita-rays". Steve's body undergoes an incredible transformation.

From zero to hero in seconds! Charles Atlas would be proud. I think the "millions of cells" line also came from the original Golden Age comic. Kudos to Stern and Byrne for finding a way to incorporate it. Steve is in awe of his change. He's gained the power to match his convictions. The diginitaries are amazed and delighted by this...except for one.

The dignitary, revealed to be Nazi spy Heinz Kruger, shoots into the chamber, killing Dr. Erskine. Erskine left no backups or notes on how to recreate the super-soldier serum because reasons. Erskine dies in Steve's arms, and the enraged Rogers grabs the spy. Kruger taunts Rogers, and gets knocked into some machinery, shocking him to death. But thanks to Kruger, Steve Rogers is now the only Super Soldier. The comics have established that over the years since Operation: Rebirth, there were attempts to recreate the Erskine serum, but the results were...let's just say it never ended well.

Since Rogers was the only Super Soldier, they had to change their plans. For the next three months, Steve Rogers would be trained by some of the finest athletes and martial artists the world had to offer, while also being taught the finer points of military tactics and strategy. This would mold the young man into one of the world's greatest fighters and strategists.

There's a very special mission for Rogers. Colonel Phillips explains to him that over in Europe, there is a special agent wreaking havoc and terror. His name? His actual name was unknown, but he is referred to as the Red Skull. Some in the Nazi high command fear him even more than Adolf Hitler himself. What Phillips wants Rogers to be is the counter to the Skull, a figure that will inspire hope and the fight for liberty. The colonel gives Rogers a package. What's in the package? A special uniform made just for him.

Three nights pass. A car is driving a colonel to a top-secret location out in the back roads of Maryland. The car gets a flat. The driver investigates and finds that someone has put a bunch of spiked barbs on the road. A group of fifth columnists ambush the car, planning to kidnap the colonel. But the colonel has a Star-Spangled guardian angel.

CAPTAIN AMERICA LEAPS IN ON A MOTORCYCLE AND SMACKS SOME FIFTH COLUMNISTS WITH IT! AWESOME! Cap easily beats the holy tar out of the kidnappers, even foreshadowing his getting a throwable shield in the process. He introduces himself, and rides away. The next night, a group of Nazi Bund leaders are meeting in a New York warehouse. They're discussing the rumors they heard of some new government super-agent. Cap bursts in, conforming the rumors. He easily beats the men down, allowing FBI agents to take the Bundists in.

The leader of the Bund escapes, but Cap pursues him. He is able to chase the man to an alley's end. The Bundist leader grabs a pipe and takes a swing at Cap. The Sentinel of Liberty is able to dodge the pipe, but it catches the wings on Cap's mask, and knocks it ajar. A newspaper man nearby manages to get a picture, but Cap's secret identity is thankfully still intact.

As Cap knocks out the Bund leader, he thinks he's going to have to get his mask redesigned to prevent this happening again. That adventure would help deal a severe blow to Fifth Columnist activities in the US.

The dossier than recounts an adventure in which Cap foiled an attempt to steal a new bomb-sight from the Grumman aircraft plant. The thieves were Axis agents posing as US Armed Forces personnel. Two weeks later, Cap foiled an attempt to bomb some shipyards. And last week, Captain America foiled one incredible plot: An attempt to destroy Hoover Dam, back then known as Boulder Dam. The nation owes a great debt to the good Captain.

Roosevelt is eager to meet Cap, and the man himself arrives. The President notices that Cap's costume has changed. The mask is now connected to the rest of the suit. Which makes Cap happy, as 1) He won't have to worry about his mask being knocked ajar anymore, and 2) he has some protection for his neck. Roosevelt also has one more new gift for the Captain.

Yup, a brand new shield! It's his iconic round shield. A better, stronger shield, created in an accident with unique properties. Roosevelt tells Cap that the Army has devised a way for him to move about secretly, while still being available for special missions. What's the plan? Well, it involves the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan to go to Camp Lehigh...

Basically, Steve is undercover as a Gomer Pyle-esque private, clumsy and unrefined. A young man tells his drill sergeant, Sgt. Duffy, that a 'Colonel Feeney' wants to see him. But the recruit is playing a prank. There is no Colonel Feeney, like there is no spoon. He and Rogers become friends. Who is this guy? One James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes. Yup, the future Winter Soldier himself.

Bucky would eventually go on to discover Cap's identity, and become his sidekick. The story skims over his adventures with The Invaders, his battles with various supervillains and super-Nazis, the supposed death of Bucky and his falling to cryogenic suspension. And finally, his discovery by the Avengers and becoming one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

I got that scan from Google because as I have said before, my tablet scanner hates double-page spreads, and would murder me if I tried another one. The time: Today. At an apartment building in Brooklyn Heights, a red-gloved hand opens a window. Captain America has returned home. He's tired, but he has some ad storyboarding work to get done. He turns on the TV for some background noise, and he listens to some news.

As the broadcaster rattles out the headlines, Steve Rogers thinks about how tired he is. He wonders if this double life thing is really worth it. The newscaster then makes another announcement: Captain America saved 5,000 lives at MSG by calming down a panic of some kind. With the network's broadcasting day concluded, the TV starts blaring the national anthem. The story ends with Cap deciding it's worth it.

This issue is actually really good. It manages to expand on Captain America's Golden Age origins, and basically gives us a look at Cap's early days as the Sentinel of Liberty. The story is really just a big flashback, so I would not expect any "current-day" action from Cap. However, this origin retelling provides plenty of action in the form of seeing some of his early adventures. It feels a little like a Golden Age comic, with several stories. Also, it's fun seeing Cap beat up Nazis. John Byrne does some great artwork here.

I love Roger Stern and John Byrne's run on Cap's book, and its a real shame that it was so short at only nine issues. But there's some fun stories in that short run, and I highly recommend it. I you want to read it, I recommend tracking down the trade paperback Captain America: War and Remembrance. The run was originally collected under that name in 1990, but it was reprinted in 2007, I believe. If you love Cap, you'll enjoy this run.

Next time, we return to the DC Universe as the Crisis on Infinite Earths rages on, and we see our first major casualty...

Titans Trailer, My Thoughts

In April 2017, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Digital Networks announced that they were creating a streaming service called "DC Universe". This streaming service would broadcast some of the media content focusing on DC's characters over the years, including Batman: The Animated Series, Static Shock, Teen Titans, and the Superman quadrilogy starring the late Christopher Reeve.

Also, the service will have original series focusing on various characters like Swamp Thing, Harley Quinn, and the Teen Titans. And there's a trailer out for the Titans series. Let's take a look. I cannot believe I am typing this, but this trailer is a bit NSFW. I know, I can't believe it either. You have been warned.

Ah, so this series, focusing on characters that are popular with children, is going to be for mature audiences only. I cannot see how this won't be a disaster.

So, we have what I am presuming is Raven, going...somewhere. She looks like she fell into a Hot Topic.

The Flying Graysons. Yeah, this Robin is going to be Dick Grayson.

Flashback to Robin's origin. Just because. Emo music in the background. Just because.

Robin just...shot some dudes. Are the creators confusing Dick Grayson with Jason Todd?! JASON TODD is the gun-toter! And he stepped on a dude's neck. Because that is something that Dick Grayson would totally do.

And Robin cursing. This show is going to try way too hard to be "mature" and "adult", isn't it?

I've seen set photos, and Beast Boy wasn't green in them. Did they correct that?

Starfire just immolating dudes. Remember, these characters? They are popular with children. Children love these characters.

I'm all for Hawk and Dove getting exposure, but Hawk is supposed to be the brutal one, not Dove. Dove is the peaceful one. That's how it works. And I get why they're using the Hank Hall/Dawn Granger combo. While the original team was Hank and his brother Don as Dove, Hank and Dawn were the longest-lasting incarnation of the "Hawk and Dove" duo.

Raven's getting tempted...

Why do we see Robin, Hawk and Dove having proper superhero costumes, but Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven don't have those? I'm hoping it's a story reason.

Man, this trailer is making me facepalm so hard. Don't get me wrong, there can be times when the Titans' adventures can be darker, and even outright scary (Trigon, anyone?), but this...this just seems so...overboard with it. It feels like it's trying to imitate the Nolan Batman trilogy, but lack any levity. It feels so...edgy for the sake of being edgy. It's ridiculous. I wish DC well with their streaming service, but if this is a preview of their original stuff to come...they're shooting themselves in the foot.



And Starfire just immolated those dudes.

Pocket Rumble Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Fighting games have been a popular genre since the 1990s, but the first one was Sega's Heavyweight Champ in 1976. These games have gone through many a change and evolution in their over 40 years of existence, and even spawned some iconic series, like Capcom's Street Fighter, NetherRealm Studios' Mortal Kombat, and SNK's King of Fighters.

With that, let's take a look at the launch trailer for a new game for the Switch that promises a run little rumble for players. A little rumble, indeed. A...pocket rumble.

This game makes me think of what a fighting game port may look like for the Game Boy Color.

A character named Tenchi. As someone who spent his teenage years watching Toonami, I can't help but think of Tenchi Muyo.

That girl just summoned a tentacle monster. I can imagine she has some...unusual tastes.

Did Naomi just pay homage to Hulk wrecking Loki in the first Avengers movie?

So, Tenchi has fire antlers. Is he related to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

AGENT SMITH WILL SLAP YOU SILLY. HE'S GONE SLAP-HAPPY!

KA-ME-HA-ME-HAAAAAAAA!

June is creepy.

Sub 11 is packing a Green Lantern ring. Somebody call the Green Lantern Corps! I found that ring they were missing!

Ah, simple controls, eh? Reminds me of Super Smash Bros. with its goal of making fighting games more accessible to people. I like that. Games like Street Fighter with their button combinations can be intimidating to new players. I also like that you can use either the Joy-Cons or a controller. Find the play style that makes you comfortable.

Hey Quinn, Lady Deathstrike called. She wants her claws back.

Training mode is always handy. More games should have that.

ZOMBIE!

Despite all my snarking, I think the characters and attacks do look cool. This game does sound like a lot of fun. I love the idea of a simplified fighting game. If someone has never played one and feels a bit intimidated by stuff like King of Fighters or Killer Instinct, they should give this a shot. It's a great way to get people into fighting games. I myself have only ever really played the Smash Bros. series, so I'll give this a shot.

Movie Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

The Merry Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on! The Astonishing Ant-Man shrinks his way back into action in the MCU's 20th movie! And this time, he is not alone as he is joined by The Wonderous Wasp! So, did Ant-Man and the Wasp prove to be a worthy sequel to the first Ant-Man movie, or should it be banished to the Quantum Realm and forgotten? Let's find out!

Scott Lang, the ex-con turned shrinking superhero, Ant-Man has been in a bit in a bit of pickle since the events of Captain America: Civil War. Now confined to house arrest, he's called back into action to help stop the threat of the mysterious Ghost, who is after a device that Hank and Hope Pym have developed to rescue Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm.

One of the film's biggest strong points in my opinion is, well...the humor. MCU fans really needed some cheering up after the emotional wrecking ball that was Avengers: Infinity War, and this film filled that bill perfectly. Character interactions are hilarious, and I was laughing at certain points in the movie. And there was a cameo that I loved seeing. It wasn't the Stan Lee cameo, but I did enjoy that one too.

Evangeline Lilly is clearly having a blast as the Wasp, and her fight scenes are awesome to watch. One of the things I liked about this movie and its predecessor is that there seemed to be a bit of an optimistic tone to it, and the ending lets that optimism shine through. Paul Rudd also turns in a great performance as Scott Lang. Michael Douglas's Henry Pym was fun to watch, as we got to see him be a grumpy old man. Lawrence Fishburne turns in a very sympathetic performance, and so does Hannah John-Kamen. Michael Pena is the underrated MVP, as Luis is as fun as ever. Tip "T.I." Harris and David Dastmalchian don't get a lot of screen time, but they make the most of it. Randall Park plays Jimmy Woo, and his take on him is very fun.

A personal issue I had with the film was its take on the Ghost. You see, in the comics, the Ghost was a mysterious anti-corporation supervillain who specialized in corporate sabotage. But considering the story, the alterations made sense. So, I was able to get over it. This take on the Ghost is surprisingly sympathetic, and she continues the trend the MCU has been doing of addressing the desire for more interesting and complex villains. In fact, I could argue that Ghost is not the most outright "evil" character in the movie.

The film does have quite a bit of subplots, but I think it managed to juggle them rather well. It didn't feel awkward to me at all.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is not a major film in the franchise, but I still recommend watching it. If Infinity War put you through the emotional wringer, this film will perk you right up.

Action Comics #858 (December 2007)

When it comes to Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes, the two have had a very strong connection. In the Silver and Bronze Ages of Comics, Clark Kent's superhero career started in his teens as Superboy. He would find peers and friends in the Legion of Super-Heroes, a group of teenage superheroes from a thousand years in the future. There was a very full-circle feel to it, as Superman was one of the inspirations behind the Legion in the first place.

In the mid-1980s, Crisis on Infinite Earths hit, and it allowed DC to make changes to their history. One of those changes was that Superman started his heroic career as an adult, and never became Superboy. Naturally, this caused problems for the Legion as they were tied to Superboy. John Byrne and Paul Levitz tried to patch it up by saying the Superboy the Legion knew was actually one from a pocket universe. Despite this, the 1994 story Zero Hour would cause the Legion's history to be rebooted, and they would get another reboot in 2004.

Then, Infinite Crisis hit. Much like CoIE, it made alterations to the DC Universe's history. One of them was restoring Superman's time in the Legion as Superboy to canon, and restoring his place as the hero that inspired the Legion to form in the first place. Yeah, DC loves messing with its own history.

Geoff Johns had been writing Action Comics on and off for a couple of years at this point, having written Superman tales alongside Kurt Busiek and Richard Donner. Yes, that Richard Donner. The man who directed the 1977 Superman movie. In fact, Johns was an assistant of his in the 1990s. This storyline would be his first solo work on the Man of Steel, and was also part of a plan to reinvigorate and bring back the original Legion, who were restored to canon in "The Lightning Saga", a crossover between the Justice League and the Justice Society.

So, with all of that setup out of the way, let's take a look at Action Comics #858!

The cover is really cool. It's a simple cover, Superman flying over a futuristic city-scape and showing his fist, which has the Legion ring on it. But the simplicity here works, because the message of the cover is simple. Superman's ties with the Legion are being re-established.

"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes Part I (of VI) - Alien World"
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciler: Gary Frank
Inker: Jon Sibal
Colorist: Dave McCaig
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editors: Nachie Castro, Matt Idelson
Executive Editor: Dan Didio

The year is 3008. An alien world is ravaged by civil war. Destruction and death are everywhere, and the warring factions are getting ready to unleash their full arsenals. But there is hope. A couple is putting their baby in a rocket ship, hoping to reach the world known as Earth. Sound familiar?

The male outright states that he was inspired by the legend of Superman. The last survivor of a doomed world taken in by Earth and becoming its greatest hero, his legend even living on a thousand years later. He hopes his baby will continue that tradition. The mother loads the baby into the ship and it lifts off as the planet explodes.

The baby's ship rockets through space, heading on course to Earth. Much like Superman himself, the rocket heads towards the fields of 31st century Kansas, landing near Smallville. Two people driving nearby in their hover pickup truck nearly get knocked off the road by the ship's backwash, and they go check it out, assuming the ship is some sort of meteor or crashed satellite. Much to their surprise, it's a rocket with a baby in it. The woman asks what they should do, and the man responds they do what all good law-abiding citizens do.

Yeah, there's a point to this. But I do like this scene as it's a really twisted take on Superman's arrival. We go back in time to the modern day, at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Clark Kent is rushing to catch the elevator, but he's unable to make it. Jimmy Olsen tells him that it happens to him all the time, and asks if he wants to grab a soda with him. But Perry White has other plans.

You see, Perry is a bit annoyed with Jimmy. He wants those pictures of General Zod that Jimmy took, and Jimmy reminds him they were on his desk. But Perry's none too happy with the photos.

Yeah, that take on Zod is from the Superman: Last Son storyline, that was co-written by Richard Donner. That storyline introduced not just a Kryptonian Zod, but also Ursa and Non from Superman II. As can be seen in the panel, the picture has a big white line through it, so it's useless as a cover photo. Jimmy explains that Non broke his camera when he threw a building at Superman. Perry just growls at Jimmy to get him a coffee, two sugars. Hopefully Jimmy will not screw THAT up.

Perry also had a problem with Clark today, but it's not about his work. Clark thinks that maybe there's some mustard on his tie. Perry notes that he and Jimmy had lunch again that day. Clark explains that he had cheeseburgers, with no onions in his. They give him indigestion. Perry thinks Clark needs to make some friends his own age. Clark has been with the Planet for ten years, and according to Perry, Clark hasn't made any real friends there. Yeah, keep in mind, at this point, Clark was married to Lois Lane, who was one of his co-workers.

Perry thinks that Clark lacks self-confidence. As he rants, Clark's super senses pick up what looks like Brainiac on the rampage. Clark excuses himself, and leaps out a window, changing into Superman. The Brainiac robot stomps on some trees, which annoys the Man of Steel as he had just planted them. The Man of Tomorrow gives the giant Brainiac robot a Mighty Punch, rips off its face, and he gets a surprise.

Inside the robot is a screen that has a green-skinned blond man who insists he means no harm. He just wanted to get Superman's attention, because he needs his help. He calculated that Superman is the only one who can help stop this big problem the man has, despite the "others" saying that it was too dangerous. The Man of Steel is confused. Who is this guy?

The man explains that he's a friend. The robot zaps Superman with a rainbow beam, and it causes him to have a flashback. We see a young Clark Kent in Smallville, his Kryptonian powers starting to come in. He can hear the other kids whispering about him clear as a bell despite his being some distance away. A big football player is taunting him, but spots the future Superman. He asks loudly if Clark has a problem. Clark quietly says no and walks away, feeling dejected and lonely.

As he walks away, he sees a bird flying, and he grins. The boy takes a running start and leaps into the air. "Guess it's just you and me, huh?" He asks the bird. As he lands, the bird joins a flock. He then hears some people talking a strange language. He turns his head.

Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad in their original Silver Age outfits, greeting the future Man of Steel. Clark is amazed. The three Legionnaires introduce themselves, and they wanted to thank him. Clark is confused by this, as he hasn't done anything for them. Saturn Girl hints at his future greatness by telling him that things may seem rough now, but it does get better. The world will accept him eventually. The three give the future hero a little gift.

A Legion Flight Ring. Saturn Girl gives him some last bit of encouragement, and the three get ready to leave. They have to go home in their Time Sphere. Clark asks to come along with the future. Cosmic Boy is reluctant, as they have already broken the rules by meeting Clark like this. Lightning Lad convinces Cosmic Boy to let him come, as the kid could use a laugh. Cosmic Boy relents, and agrees, much to Clark's joy. And from this, the future's greatest superhero team is born.

I love that spread. The flashback ends, and Superman remembers again. When he was a teenager, he and the Legion had adventures together. With his move to Metropolis and the Crisis on Infinite Earths hitting, he never saw them again...until about a month previous. Several Legionnaires came back in time during The Lightning Saga, but didn't say anything about why they were there.

Brainiac 5 reminds that the Legion did agree not to get Superman involved, but now...there's no choice. They need him. The Brainiac robot has a Time Sphere inside, the coordinates to the future pre-programmed. Superman is also given a Legion Flight Ring. Brainiac 5 warns that there are some new dangers in the future, but Superman won't turn his old friends away. If they need him, he'll be there. As Superman heads to the future, with Brainiac 5 briefing him, the Brainiac robot explodes.

Superman arrives in the future, but Brainiac 5 is not there to greet him. He wonders what is going on, and sees a defaced stature of the Legion. A group of Science Police officers spot the Man of Steel and demand his surrender. At this point, Colossal Boy smashes his way in.

He announces he's got the Flight Rings, and he's surprised to see Superman there. Superman wants to know what is going on. Dawnstar and Wildfire arrive, and are shocked by Supes' being here. Superman explains Brainiac 5 brought him here, as he said the Legion needed his help. Dawnstar explains that the Legion haven't seen or heard from Brainiac 5 in six months. Superman explains that he met several Legionnaires back in his own time, but they didn't tell him anything. According to Dawnstar, it was because they didn't want the Metropolis Marvel to follow them back to the 31st century.

Wildfire moves to take Superman back to the Time Sphere, but a blast from a Science Police officer destroys the time-travelling device. The SP officers call for backup. One of them notices Superman with them, and screams that it's blasphemous. He says they need the Justice League. Superman overhears it, and holds out his hand to stop a blast to prove his identity. However...

Superman is shocked, likely too shocked to even feel the pain of the blast going through his hand. Dawnstar tells him to activate his Flight Ring, reiterating it's too dangerous for him here. His symbol has been warped and twisted. And as for his powers, well...

Earth's sun has been turned red. And under a red sun...Superman is powerless.

This comic is really good. It does have a bit of a old-school feel, with Brainiac 5's dialogue towards Superman in Metropolis, and Clark Kent's portrayal here. We also get a bit more depth regarding young Clark Kent's joining the Legion in the post-Infinite Crisis DCU, learning that as a boy, Superman felt like an outcast due to his developing fantastic powers beyond mortal men while still a child. Meeting peers like him helped him feel less alone, and in a brilliant bit of full circle, it can be argued the Legion inspired Clark Kent to become Superman...who would in turn, inspire the Legion to form a thousand years into the future. I think this idea of Clark only being Superboy in the future was an attempt to establish a compromise between the Silver/Bronze Age Superboy mythos and the Post-Crisis take on Superman's teenage years established in John Byrne's Man of Steel. It's a nice compromise, allowing Superman to maintain his teenage connection to the Legion while not "officially" starting his superhero career until his adulthood.

I love Gary Frank's art in this issue and storyline. Admittedly, his smiles can seem a bit wonky, but it's not a dealbreaker. Also, during this storyline, there are times when Frank's take on Superman strongly resembles Christopher Reeve. That's not a complaint, I actually think it's really cool. I also liked his redesigns of many of the Legion's costumes. He really did a great job taking the Silver/Bronze Age-era costumes and updating many of them in a way that still makes them recognizable.

Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes is one of my favorite Superman storylines, and I highly recommend it. Some things in it are sadly reflective of our current times, and I would recommend giving it a read. I got the trade for about 15 dollars, so it's a good deal.

Next time, it's July, the month of America's birth, so what better way to celebrate it by looking at t he birth of Captain America...