Starlink: Battle for Atlas - Crimson Moon

Back in September of last year, I talked about a game from Ubisoft called Starlink: Battle for Atlas. It was a space opera game that told the tale of a crew from the Atlas system that fought an evil warlord named Grax and his Forgotten Legion. The Nintendo Switch version of the game would also cross over with the Starfox franchise.

The game has what is called a "toys-to-life" gimmick. Basically, you can buy these little toy spaceships, as well as attachments for the ships. You put the ships on your controller, and you can play the ships in the game, as well as use the toy weapons. Thankfully, from what I understand, the gimmick is optional. The game got favorable reviews on the Xbox One, but the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 version got a more mixed reception.

Well, it turns out that the Nintendo Switch version is getting a special mission pack called Crimson Moon. Let's look at the announcement trailer!

Because a game expansion/update called Crimson Moon has to be set on a red satellite. It only makes sense, after all.

Fortune, huh? I wonder if he's related to Amos Fortune.

I can't help but wonder if Ubisoft was inspired by Canto Bight from The Last Jedi. I just watched that film again on Netflix recently. It was a good movie.

The Outlaw Games, huh? I can imagine some of the events. 100m Dine-and-Dash! Heavy Loot Lifting! Speed Pickpocketing!

Ooh, racing! I like racing! Speaking of racing, I've gotten Road Redemption for my Switch, and it's a ton of fun.

Ohhh, arena combat too, huh? That's neat.

Reminds me of that scene in Return of the Jedi where the Millennium Falcon flies into the Death Star to blow up its power core.

Hmm...some puzzle-solving elements, perhaps? Would make sense if the goal of this expansion is to find a treasure...

Ooh, new characters. I wonder if that means new ships and weapons, too.

Yup, I think we're getting new ships!

And there's Star Wolf. Makes sense, the Star Fox team is helping the good guys deal with the Forgotten Legion, so they would be causing trouble here.

I wonder if each of the Star Fox team's Arwings have individual abilities? That would make sense from a character perspective, and would increase replayability.

Well, color me intrigued. I do remember being excited for this game when it was announced. I certainly do hope Crimson Moon is not the only expansion/update this game will get. I like that Crimson Moon is going to add some new characters as well as add some extra things to do. I do hope that it's at a reasonable price.

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The 'Nam #53 (February 1991)

Last time, we looked at The 'Nam #52 (January 1991), which was the first part of a two-part story that depicted some of Frank Castle's pre-Punisher days, when he was a soldier serving his country in the Vietnam War. I suggest you look at that review if you want to learn more about The 'Nam as a comic book, and Frank Castle's incorporation into it. So, let's dig into the follow-up issue: The 'Nam #53!

 

WAR IS HELL! HELL, I TELL YOU!

The cover is a Jorge Zaffino piece. It's a basic cover, depicting what we can presume is Frank Castle in Vietnam-era Marine gear. I have no idea about the facial expression. The coloring is the big feature of the cover. It is wild and chaotic, perhaps foreshadowing Frank's future? The skull in the background didn't stick out to me at first. Is it more foreshadowing? Also, the words on the cover: "The Mark of the Executioner". I think it references Castle himself, considering his role in the story. It makes sense, as that's not the title of the story itself. And like the last issue, I am again amused by the corner box logo of the Punisher skull logo wearing the lopsided Vietnam-era Army helmet. Seriously, I have no idea why it amuses me. Also, the words "Mark of the Executioner". Was that the original title of this story?

"The Long Sticks Part Two"
Writer: Roger Salick
Penciler: Mike Harris
Inker: James Palmiotti
Colorist: Ed Lazerllari
Letterer: Jade Moede
Editor: Don Daley
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with the guard unlocking the cage to take a closer look at the hanging Frank Castle. However, he is in for a nasty surprise. Turns out ol' Frankie...isn't quite dead. He springs back to life, wraps his legs around the guard's head, and snaps his neck.

Oh my God, Frank is an Immortal. Cue the Queen! Naw, he just did a bit of trickery. Thankfully, the guard was not too bright, or he would have seen the length of cloth at Frank's back. The future vigilante tied a length of cloth between his belt and the noose, which presumably helped prevent Frank from choking to death. With the guard now a corpse, Frank grabs his rifle. Not like the guard needs it anymore. The rifle also has a fixed bayonet on it, which is handy as Frank can use that as a silent weapon.

He uses the bayonet to take out another guard. He then uses the rifle's sling as an improvised garrote wire to take out a third guard. The soldier then discovers his own sniper rifle...which he described as a Winchester. That's funny because in the last issue, Frank used a M-2 Browning as a sniper rifle. Oopsie. He also finds explosives...which will come in handy. He makes off with his gear and Morris's spotting scope. He then spots a can of paint...which inspires another wicked idea.

Frank wires the explosives to blow...and he drags out one of the bodies of the guards he killed. Frank Castle then gives the cave system his own idea of renovation.

Castle Renovations. Renovation with a bang.

The Monkey and some of his men are heading for the camp where Captain James resides, when they see the explosion. Must have been a ton of C-4 in that cave. The men all head back, realizing that all their ammo's just gotten blown to smithereens. The Monkey realized that Castle has escaped, because the Marine has left a message.

"Dear Monkey, You Smell. Sincerely, Frank Castle."

That's why he took that guard's corpse with him. The Monkey sees the skull painted on the dead guard's chest as some of his men work to bring the corpse down, and sees it as Frank mocking him with his own symbol. Remember, the Monkey wears a small skull around his neck. The men notice their dead comrade is strung up with det cord...which triggers a booby trap. The explosion leaves two of the Monkey's men dead. The sniper believes Castle is heading back to his base, probably halfway back by now. The Monkey witnesses one of his men getting a bullet to the neck, alerting him that Castle is still in the area.

The Monkey and his remaining two men flee into the smoke of the smoldering crater that was their home base. They use the smoke cloud as cover to get out into the jungle. One of the Monkey's men spots a white skull painted on a tree.

"That skull's teeth are uneven, and missing a lower jaw. Castle needs more practice!"

The Monkey thinks that it's just Castle trying to be intimidating, and orders his men to ignore it. However, one of the men hits a tripwire, making a tree fall on him. That leaves only one soldier and The Monkey left. The soldier starts freaking out, screaming and ranting that Castle is not human. That he's something else. He is...a Punisher. Obvious foreshadowing is obvious...

The Monkey is disgusted and gives the soldier some Boot to the Head. He tells him this is just Castle playing mind games, using the Viet Cong's own tricks against them. Castle is a man. And he can be killed. Castle is watching the nervous soldier walking out onto a field. He's out in the open, where he can easily be sniped. The Viet Cong man knows that on this field of grass, he is merely a pawn. A pawn in a bigger game between two snipers. A game that result in death for the loser.

"These two should NEVER be allowed to play Laser Tag ever again!"

Castle snipes the soldier. The Monkey spots the flash of the Punisher's gun as it fired. He swings around his Dragunov sniper rifle. The Viet Cong sniper spots a gleaming spot of light, like it's reflecting off glass...the glass of a sniper's scope. The Monkey takes the shot...and hits Morris's spotting scope. He realizes this too late, and gets a bullet from Castle. The big Marine races over to see if he got him...and is satisfied. Castle made a one-in-a-million shot. The Monkey is dead. Frank collects a trophy from the man: his little necklace with the monkey skull, the one The Monkey kissed for luck before taking every shot.

The story ends with Frank Castle deciding to leave The Monkey's corpse for the Viet Cong to find. As a bit of a message: Don't Mess with the Marines.

"Why this is cloud forming a skull? Hope that's not some weird omen..."

...why did Frank paint a skull on his chest? I get the other times that he painted the skulls, and I also get that they're trying to foreshadow his eventually becoming the Punisher, but it was a bit obvious. There is also a backup tale, but the trade paperback I used to review this did not collect it, so I could not review it.

This comic was really good. In fact, I really enjoy this story in general. As I said in my review of the last issue, I really liked seeing a bit of Frank Castle's life before he would become known for wearing a skull on his chest and shooting gangsters. This story shows Frank's skills as a sniper. My favorite scene in the comic was the face-off with Castle and the Monkey. There was a nice symmetry to the panel layout and angles of it. I also liked Frank setting the traps for the Viet Cong ad using improvisation to deal with the guards. It shows that he has a brain, that he's not just some dumb musclehead who is also a good shot. The art has a bit of a gritty vibe, which fits the story, in my opinion.

If you want to read this one for yourself, like the last issue, it can be found in the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher Invades The 'Nam. It collects all of his appearances in the title, as well as a couple follow-up issues from the Punisher's own books at the time. Thanks for reading this review! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! It would be greatly appreciated! See you next time, where we take a look a toy tie-in comic...

My Time in Portia Launch Trailer

In 1990, a game studio called Team17 was formed in Great Britain. Over the next thirty years, the studio would develop and publish numerous games for a variety of consoles and home computers. In fact, Team17 is most famous for the Worms series, which has over 20 games under its belt, not to mention various spinoffs. I played one of them quite a bit as a kid.

Like many other game developers, they're bringing games to the Nintendo Switch. One of them is a farm simulation game called My Time in Portia. Let's take a look at the launch trailer!

I like the art style for the game. It's very cute. Hard to believe that this is from the same company known for a bunch of games about worms blowing each other up.

Catch that...unusually large chick!

Cut down trees, mine the rocks, gather the resources. This game is already making me think of Stardew Valley. I gotta pick that game up again sometime.

Gotta build up the farm! Work work work!

From what I understand, in this game, you inherit a workshop, and you have to use it to help people build things and restore a rundown town. Neat. Reminds me a bit of Stardew Valley. But I guess such comparisons are unavoidable in games like this.

Ah, nothing like going fishing with your fellow townspeople. Great way to bond and get some food.

If you have dreams of being the next Karate Kid, this game has you in mind! There's no mercy in this dojo!

Blimps are making a comeback, I see.

Enjoy the Night of the Dancing Happy Ghosts!

Sounds like there's a lot you can do in this game.

Alright, fighting monsters! That's my jam! The RPG fam in me is pleased!

Hoo boy, when this place has rat problems, it really has rat problems.

Heh heh, funny butler robot.

Don't let the snail-crab pinch you!

Just when you thought it was safe to stay out of the water...the piranha have learned to walk.

Makes sense in a game like this, there'd be an opportunity to form romances and get married. I like that there appears to be same-sex options, too. Good on you, Team17!

I have heard the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world. Kudos to them for averting the Mad Max aesthetic.

Well, as someone who played Stardew Valley, I have to say this game reminds me of that one a lot. I did enjoy Stardew, but felt a bit...overwhelmed at it sometimes. Hopefully, this'll have a slower pace. I also liked the general look of the game. I think I'll give this one a try. Hope there's a demo!

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Text Play: Pokemon Mega Adventure #21

Welcome back to the Akiba Region! It is entry number 21 in my Text Play journey through Pokémon Mega Adventure!

With Sabrina beaten and the seventh Gym conquered, it's time to move on. I traveled a bit through Route 14, which is a very short route. The route leads to the base of Mt. Snarlet. There's quite an interesting variety of Pokémon in the grass patches here. There's an item right in the screenshot, and a Berry Patch.

The item is a Full Restore. Aguav and Babiri berries are growing in that patch in the screenshot. There's another Berry Patch nearby.

This patch has Chilan and Sitrus berries growing in it. A trainer nearby informs me that Mt. Snarlet is swarming with Team Prime. It does make sense they'd retreat after Sabrina and I sent them packing. And it looks like they did not get very far. We battled. Nearby, there was this house.

The man inside tells me never to eat salt, as you'll feel saltish. Okay...

Near the house was a cave. Upon entering the cave, I seemingly get challenged by a trainer. But he actually had a favor to ask of me. He tried to take on the Team Prime grunts in the cave, evidently the cave is crawling with them, but he got his butt kicked. He makes me an offer: if I beat them all, he'll give me a Mega Stone. My player character agrees to do so. Eh, why not? They could use another whuppin'.

It does make a bizarre form of sense that Team Prime would still be here. They just got driven away from Synchrone City, so they could not have gotten very far. Also, I can imagine they would hide out in a cave until they can flee further away. I can't imagine them wanting a rematch. Anyway, my journey through the cave ended suddenly, as there was a big creek/lake going through the mountain.

Yeah, I'm going to need a Pokémon that knows Surf to get further. Ugh. Gotta go back and go grab my Poliwag. God's sake, I miss Ride Pokémon. After adding Poliwag to my team and teaching it Surf, I thought I'd grind it up a bit using my EXP share. I managed to get it to evolve into Poliwhirl. Yay. While grinding, I noticed that Mt. Snarlet has a bridge nearby.

Don't take this bridge. It does not lead anywhere. It's pointless. I call it the Appendix Bridge. It's useless, and its removal would not affect anything. Walking on the bridge makes the Pokémon following you go completely bonkers. It glitches out. I'm guessing there was some goof-up in the coding, I have no idea.

Back inside the cave! As I said earlier, to get further ahead, you have to have a Pokémon that knows Surf. While Surfing the waterway inside the cave, I found this area here.

I got a Dragon Fang there. You give it to a Pokémon, and it boosts the power of Dragon-type moves. Maybe I can give it to my Garchomp. Swimming further ahead, I found an inlet where there are a couple of Team Prime grunts that needed a beating. There's also a Max Revive here.

I suggest you pick that up. Max Revives are very helpful. Surfing through the area, I found a cave. Once I entered, I got into a Double Battle with a pair of Team Prime grunts. Thundra the Luxray and Moguera the Garchomp easily took care of them. Funny enough, after beating them, one of them wonders why I'm so strong. Because I spend time training my Pokémon, dude. To the right of the entrance was an alley, with an item at the end.

It's a jar of Calcium. Also, keep something in mind before coming to this cave...get Repels. Trust me. Repels are invaluable here. From the entrance, I headed to the left, and upwards. Encountered a Team Prime grunt, and beat him. I further headed right, and found a ladder. How big is this cave?

From the ladder, the cave becomes a bit of a maze. Exploring around, I did find some things.

Here's a Dragon Gem. After some running around, I found another item and a ladder.

That's a PP Up! The ladder leads to another floor. Nearby, there's another item.

Get it. It's a Max Ether. Eventually, I found a way out of the cave...I think. This cave is a very long maze, with Team Prime everywhere. My Pokémon are at level 60 or near it, but I think I may need to do even more grinding. Lovely. This cave is a maze. I found a ladder, but it lead to what was essentially a circle. There is an item and a Team Prime Ace nearby.

The item is a  Nugget. Free money! The Ace had a Roserade and a Sceptile...which could Mega Evolve. My Incineroar took care of them easily. I found another item.

It's a Max Potion. I did manage to find my way back, but this cave is long and complicated. I should have bought more supplies, especially Revives. Eh, who am I kidding? Revives are expensive.

I should have also bought Escape Ropes, as well. Butterfree can't learn Fly, so I can't get out of here. I continued on, battled another Team Prime Ace, who had another Mega Pokémon. There's another item here.

It's a Muscle Band. Geez, I hate this cave. I hate it so much. I am attempting to backtrack, but it's long and there's a lot of Pokémon encounters. In an attempt to backtrack, I found some more items.

Here's a Heart Scale.

Here's a Dusk Stone.

Here's TM82: Dragon Tail. Funny enough, I beat a Team Prime grunt before finding that, and she said that she didn't care if I stopped them or not. Must be about as fed up with this cave as I am. Eventually, I did manage to make my way back to the Pokémon Center. I did some grinding, and decided to tackle this blasted Cave once and for all. I found a Rare Candy and Rocky Helmet over my exploration. I hate this cave. I also found a Muscle Band. Lot of items here, and lots of Pokémon to catch. about the only two positives of this place.

I hate this cave. I hate this cave so much. I REALLY hate this cave. I did seriously consider giving up on this game because of this stupid overly-long cave...until I found a YouTube video playlist of a Let's Play of this game. Maybe it can help me get through this cave. Hopefully in the next entry, I will have found a way out of this blasted place. I really don't want to give up on this game and end this here. I am real close to the end, and I'd hate to have to stop it because of this cruddy cave.

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Pokémon Obtained
Route 14
- Nidorina
- Carbink
- Ursaring
- Pangoro
- Miltank
- Poliwhirl (evolved from Poliwag)

Mt. Snarlet
- Magnezone
- Exploud
- Nidoking
- Pupitar
- Braviary
- Encountered Rockruff, couldn't catch
- Encountered Carbink
- Encountered Druddigon

Mt .Snarlet Cave
- Barbaracle
- Seadra
- Machoke
- Gyarados
- Basculin
- Skrelp
- Dragonair
- Flygon
- Swoobat
- Probopass
- Encountered Steelix
- Encountered Sliggoo
- Encountered Golbat
- Encountered Mawile
- Encountered Excadrill
- Encountered Graveler
- Encountered Lairon
- Encountered Aggron
- Encountered Haxorus
- Encountered Ferrothorn
- Encountered Shelgon
- Encountered Digglesby
- Encountered Jangmo-o
- Encountered Onix

Godzilla: King of the Monsters Final Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in July of last year, I gave my thoughts on the first trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Legendary Pictures' sequel to the 2014 film Godzilla. This is the third film in Legendary's MonsterVerse franchise, and it will be the 35th film in the Godzilla franchise. I remember being pretty excited for this movie when it was announced. I really liked the 2014 Godzilla movie. I also own Kong: Skull Island, and I have to watch it sometime. Anyway, let's look at this trailer!

Ah, an average day on an oil field. Nothing bad could possibly happen here.

Oh look, they struck oil! ...in a field that's already harvesting oil.

See? Even giant monsters agree! We need to support green power!

Ooh, look at Mothra! She looks awesome!

...is that supposed to be Anguirus?

And here we see Rodan enjoying his regular volcano bath. They're very relaxing for him. They loosen the tense wing muscles.

That looks like a Mothra larva. I'm guessing that Millie Bobby Brown's character will have a bond of sorts with it.

I like the shot of King Ghidorah with the cross. If any of Toho's kaiju can be considered the Devil, it's King Ghidorah. It is often the villain of the Godzilla films.

Godzilla's like "ALRIGHT! I'M AWAKE! WHADDAYA WANT?!"

Oh hey, Dr. Serizawa! How you doing?

Something really cool about seeing Godzilla march into battle being flanked by jet fighters.

Alright, we're seeing some tag-team action with this movie! I'm also hoping that we see Godzilla and the other monsters team up to fight Ghidorah. After all, they've done it before.

I like the action going to the beat of the music.

BOOM.

OUCH. THAT HAS TO HURT.

Ghidorah puts the shock in "Shock and Awe".

I have to admit, I never thought I'd see "Over the Rainbow" used like this.

They're right. This is Godzilla's world.

I am really excited for this movie! It looks like it will be a real blast. As I have said, I enjoyed the last Godzilla movie that Legendary put out, so I can't wait to see their takes on the other classic Toho monsters. They all look spectacular, and this trailer has gotten me so excited for this movie!

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Cuphead Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in March, I gave my thoughts on the announcement of the run-and-gun game Cuphead coming to the Nintendo Switch. I thought it was really cool that this game can be played on the go now thanks to the Switch. Well, now the launch trailer is here! Let's take a look!

I don't think I'm going to have a lot to say about this. This trailer is pretty short.

Heh heh. Cuphead playing Cuphead. Cuphead-ception.

The music is really neat.

I have to admit, I love the bosses in this game, like the twin frogs. Those are neat.

The queen bee robot thing is freaky.

So is the rollercoaster.

The pirate ship captain kind of reminds me of Bluto from the old Popeye cartoons.

See? Put him in pirate gear! I loved those old Popeye cartoons.

Okay, so there's a dragon whose fire breath takes the form of a marching band? That's crazy.

And a boss who is a candy house? I think that's the home of the witch that tormented Hansel and Gretel.

As I said before, I hope there is a demo, because I want to give this game a try. I heard that this game was hard, but still...I want to try it. The bosses and music all look so unique and interesting, and the music is so cool. I can see why it's so beloved.

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Happy Easter!

Hello, to all my blog readers! I just want to wish you all a happy and wonderful Easter Day today!

Easter is basically the day that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after he got crucified. Here in the United States, where I live, the holiday often falls on a Sunday, so it has not been declared a federal or public holiday. State and federal employees don't work on Sundays anyway, that's why. And many cities hold Easter parades. You can read more about Easter, it's history, and it's traditions here.

One of the symbols of Easter is the Easter egg. The egg is meant to symbolize rebirth and new life, which makes sense, considering what Easter is supposed to represent. Another Easter symbol is of course, the Easter Bunny. Originating among German Lutherans, the Bunny is a Santa Claus-like figure who gives colored eggs (and originally toys) to good children. You can read more about the bunny here.
Hope it was a wonderful day for you all! Sorry for the cut-and-paste, I wasn't able to come up with anything better to say. Thanks for reading!

The 'Nam #52 (January 1991)

The 'Nam. A war series, it told tales of soldiers fighting in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973. The 'Nam actually got its start as story called The 5th of the 1st. The story was published in Savage Tales #1 (October 1985), an anthology magazine that told historical adventure tales. It was written by Vietnam veteran Doug Murray, and penciled by Michael Golden. At the time, the magazine was edited by another man who knew the jungles of Vietnam well: Mr. Larry Hama. He included this story as he wanted to incorporate more Vietnam-era war stories in the titles.

The story was well-received, and it inspired Marvel's then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter to greenlight a comic based on stories of soldiers in Vietnam in 1986. According to Larry Hama, Jim Shooter approached him with a mock-up of a comic book cover made from a G.I. Joe cover, with 'The 'Nam' as a title and basically said, "Make a comic out of this." Hama then asked Doug Murray to put together a pitch. Murray himself has said that he was surprised Shooter decided to make this comic a thing, but felt maybe he wanted to experiment a bit.

Murray would be reunited with Michael Golden for this new war comic. At the time, Golden was due to start work on Batman for DC Comics. However, Golden had grown kind of bored with drawing superheroes. Naturally, he was very receptive to the idea of doing something different.

The 'Nam would actually go on to be quite successful. In fact, the first issue of the book outsold X-Men. Yeah. Think about that. The X-Men. They were arguable Marvel's most popular superteam at the time, if not their most popular characters...and their book got outsold...by a book about soldiers in the Vietnam War. That's crazy. Even crazier? The book would last seven years, going from 1986 to 1993. The series would put out 84 out of an intended 100 issues. The book would get critical acclaim, and even be honored by a veterans' organization called The Bravos. The 'Nam was also unique as unlike many other titles produced by Marvel, it was not intended to be part of the Marvel Universe. Many issues would show soldiers owning Marvel comic books, explicitly establishing that various Marvel mainstays like Captain America, Spider-Man, and Iron Man were fictional in that book's world.

Under Murray's pen, the book's tales would be told in real-time. Basically, for every month between issues, a month would pass in the book. He did this to convey the soldiers waiting to return home from Southeast Asia. According to him, every soldier there had a calendar to keep track of how long they had left in Vietnam. His run told the tale of Private First Class Edward Marks as he witnessed real events during the war. Doug Murray would leave the book after twelve issues due to editorial changes. If his run wasn't cut short, Murray intended Marks to return to Vietnam as a reporter, witnessing the usage of Agent Orange.

By the 1990s, sales of the book were struggling. The writer at the time, Don Lomax (himself also a Vietnam veteran) and editor Don Daley decided to have the Punisher appear in the title. This made some sense. Punisher was popular at the time, and it was established that the character himself served in Vietnam. Despite this, the title would conclude in 1993, with issue #84. Issues #85 and #86 were still made, though. However, they would not go unpublished. They would be released as part of a Punisher special: The Punisher in the 'Nam: Final Invasion in 1994. The appearance of the Punisher in the book surprised readers as The 'Nam was, as I said earlier, not intended to be set in the Marvel Universe.

The comic that we're going to look at is the first time Frank Castle appeared in the title, showing his days serving his country before he would don his black outfit with the skull logo on the chest. This is The 'Nam #52!

The cover is a Jorge Zaffino piece. It's basically a man screaming at me. I'm assuming that it's Frank Castle. What is he screaming? A vow of vengeance? An epic battle cry? His pizza order? The coloring and the pencils give the cover a gritty look, and I think it gives the impression that Frank is going a little nuts. I have to admit, the corner box logo amuses me. It's the Punisher's skull logo wearing a lopsided Vietnam-era Army helmet. I have no idea why it amuses me, it just does.

"The Long Sticks"
Writer: Roger Salick
Penciler: Mike Harris
Inker: James Palmiotti
Colorist: Ed Lazellari
Letterers: Phil Felix (pages 1-5), Jade Moede (pages 6-20)
Editor: Don Daley
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The time: Somewhere between 1965 and 1973. The place: Duc Pho, South Vietnam. A helicopter touches down in a Marine Corps base. 800 yards away, a Vietnamese sniper watches the landing through the scope of a sniper rifle. The sniper is camouflaged by the trees and foliage.

A general emerges from the helicopter, and the sniper takes aim. As the unsuspecting Marine salutes and talks to the lieutenant sent to greet him, the sniper kisses a small monkey skull hung around his neck, like he's hoping for some luck. He takes aim with his Soviet sniper rifle, the SVD Dragunov...and fires.

The 7.62 mm round hits its target: the general's neck. The sniper smiles proudly at his work, then slips away to perform another mission. Three days pass. At Hill 55, the news is brought to Captain James. James figures that the Colonel was killed by a sniper known only as The Monkey. He points out a map that has several pins on it. Each pin represents a man that the Monkey has killed. The Monkey has become such a problem that the brass is sending a man to brief him on it. The Monkey may be a good sniper, but the Marine Corps got a man who is no slouch himself behind a sniper's scope: One Sergeant Frank Castle.

So, where is our resident future criminal killer at? Well, he and his friend Corporal Morris are doing a bit of sniping.

They spot a Viet Cong sniper using an improvised outhouse. Frank's got a bead on him. The outhouse was about 2500 yards away. The rifle of Frank's choice? An M-2 .50 cal Browning. He liked the gun as its bullets allowed for a stable trajectory for about 3000 yards. Frank makes the shot and takes out the sniper...and sets a new sniping record.

He's brought to Captain James's office. James asks him what he knows about The Monkey. Frank's knowledge is little, but he does know he's probably the very best sniper the Viet Cong have got. As such, James wants Frank to take a classified, and very dangerous mission: Take out The Monkey. As for why this mission is classified? Well, The Monkey's home has been found. It's an NVA headquarters...in Laos. I'm guessing that there's potential for an international incident here if something goes wrong.

Soon, Castle and Morris are on their way to Laos. Morris is to keep an eye on Castle, and they are to avoid the Viet Cong at all costs. The helicopter can wait three days. After that, they're gone. Castle assures them not to worry. If they're not back in time...they're likely not coming back.

The two men find the base. The only way Castle can get a shot is by doing some crawling on the grass for about a thousand yards. He'll scout the area tonight, then shoot The Monkey tomorrow. Morris thinks he's crazy. Frank tells Morris to meet him on the treeline. Castle then begins the slow crawl. It's a tough job. Castle can't leave any evidence he is there, or he'll get spotted. This had led him to take five hours to crawl 800 yards. The future Punisher encounters a bit of a problem.

A bamboo viper. Venomous snakes native to Southeast Asia. And the Viet Cong will be the least of Frank's worries if that gets its fangs into him. He and the snake engage in a staring contest. It seems like an eternity that the two stare at each other...ultimately, the snake gives up and slithers away. I kind of liked Frank being a bit freaked out by the snake. For all of his grit and toughness, he's still only human. Also, he hasn't reached Punisher levels of crazy yet. Frank is able to sneak his way towards the compound, where he encounters The Monkey, who is busy cleaning his sniper rifle.

Frank tries to sneak in closer, but a Viet Cong patrol is right near by. The future Punisher silently hopes that they don't look in his direction...but decides against it. After all, as Castle himself said, "Nobody listens to a soldier's prayers". As such, he takes out his silenced .45 pistol and shoots them. The camp is still quiet. It's like nobody noticed the soldier's actions. Castle takes the shot with his sniper rifle at The Monkey.

The camp goes into battle stations, and Castle flees into the trees. Heh. I'm a poet and I don't know it. Castle finds Morris, seemingly asleep. The soldier is understandably angry about it. He just took out The Monkey, the NVA are firing more rounds at him than at a target at a redneck's shooting range, and he's sleeping?! But Morris is not in Dreamland, he's in the afterlife. Got impaled by a bamboo shoot. Castle feels a gun at his back.

Wait...if The Monkey's right there, then...who did Frank shoot?! How?! Is The Monkey like Wolverine or something?! Is he an Immortal?! Castle shares my confusion, but the answer is actually pretty simple: A double. Castle sniped a body double. The Monkey uses doubles to confuse American snipers that hunt for him. The Monkey and his men lead Castle to a cave that they use as they use as a home base. The big Marine is well aware that they will likely torture him for any info they can get about his mission and all that. They enlarged the cave and stocked it with weapons and equipment likely stolen from the American troops. They take the future Punisher to a cage which is going to be his new home.

The Monkey decides to taunt Castle a little bit by asking if he wants to know his next target. Who is it?

Yes, The Monkey plans to put a bullet in the neck of Captain James. You see, James had been like a father to the future vigilante, and it understandably angers the man. Frank refuses to hear The Monkey's bragging and boasting. He takes off his shirt and tears it up. A guard comes by to check on Castle...and he's shocked by what he has found.  The story ends with Frank Castle having seemingly hung himself, possibly out of despair over being unable to save his mentor.

This comic was pretty good. It's pretty cool seeing Frank Castle's military days before he became the Punisher. It's a great opportunity to see what could have helped form the Punisher...or at the very least, see where he picked up the skills he uses as the Punisher. We get the idea that Frank is already a very deadly and very effective man when he's got a gun in his hand. The Monkey is a bit of a one-dimensional character, but the usage of a body double is actually rather clever. Also, it's a Punisher story, those don't need overly-complex bad guys.

I think the ending was kind of obvious as a fakeout. I mean, yeah, we all know ol' Frankie isn't the type give up and die easily, so there's got to be a trick to it. Also, I would have liked a bit more exploration of the relationship between Castle and James. The story hints that James mentored Castle, so I would have liked to have seen more interaction between them.

I had no complaints about the art. One detail I liked was that some panels that showed snipers aiming made it look like we were looking right down the sniper's scope. It was a cool detail that I really liked.

If you want to read this for yourself, I suggest you hunt down the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher Invades 'The Nam. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! See you next time, where we find out if Frank Castel truly did die in 'The Nam...

Hobbs and Shaw Trailer #2, My Thoughts

Back in February, I gave my thoughts on the first trailer for the spin-off of the Fast and the Furious series known as Hobbs and Shaw. I thought it looked like a ton of fun, and seemed to be delightfully insane. But there's a second trailer out! Let's take a look!

I get the feeling this whole film is just going to be Hobbs and Shaw engaging in a metaphorical contest over which one is "manlier" or some other silliness.

I get the feeling Hobbs knew those men were behind the door, and put them there to troll Shaw.

Has Hobbs been spending time on TV Tropes?

That is a big dude. With a big wrench. Reminds me of this giant wrench I saw when I went to the Hoover Dam back in 2012.

Neat, ain't it? It's a Big Dam Wrench. I made a funny. I enjoyed seeing the dam. I saw it again when I went to Nevada for my sister's wedding. I wish I brought my camera.

ONE PUNCH! ONE PUNCH! A bit anti-climactic, but it was funny, so I'll allow it.

Clever way to use a bulletproof vest, I'll give Shaw that.

Yeah, these two will be in a manhood-measuring contest throughout the whole movie.

I think Shaw grabbed the wrong guard.

Is Brixton advertising a reality show?

Wait, why would anyone develop a virus that can do that?! Oh wait, crazy people.

Brixton needs to work on his Falcon Punch.

I bet Shaw's entire family has buttkicker in their DNA.

Ow.

Is that Helen Mirren?

Heh heh, he ejected early.

That's a lot of dudes with guns. Cue the Conservation of Ninjutsu!

Black Superman, huh? Hey, Brixton! I'd like to introduce you to Val-Zod. I am a NERD.

OUCH.

Aww, Hobbs's mom is sweet. And hey, it's Roman Reigns!

I get the feeling this kind of madness is normal for the Hobbs family.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA Hobbs and Shaw are in trouble.

So, let's see what he got here. We got a family of angry Samoans armed with ancient weapons made of wood and shark teeth...versus mercs armed with modern armor and guns. Yeah, the Samoans are going to win this.

WHEEEEE, WE'RE GOING OFF A RAMP IN A TURBOCHARGED TRUCK! YEEE-HAW! Doin' the Duke boys proud!

Yeah, Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson totally saw that scene from Captain America: Civil War where Captain America holds off a helicopter with one hand and was like "I can do better".

Well, as I said, this film looks like it will be delightfully insane. I get the impression that this film is not taking itself too seriously. It knows it's a goofy action flick, and it's having fun with it. I got some laughs from this trailer like I did the last one, and this is one I'm looking forward to seeing. Adding that to the list alongside Shazam! and Avengers: Endgame...

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate New Content Announcement, My Thoughts

On December 7, 2018, Nintendo released the newest game in their popular Smash Bros. fighting game franchise was released. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The game's big thing was that every single playable character in the Smash Bros. series would be in this game, from Wolf of the Star Fox series to Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series to Ryu from the Street Fighter series. Over 70 fighters would be in the game. A 71st character came along in the form of the Piranha Plant...and five more characters are coming as DLC, one already revealed.

The game was given practically universal acclaim, and is the fastest-selling game for the Switch. It sold nearly 13 million copies in a month. I got a copy for Christmas. It is so much fun.

As the trend is with games these days, there will be DLC and updates. And Nintendo has announced that SSBU is getting such a big update, to version 3.0. It comes with new features! Let's take a look!

Say hello to Joker from Persona 5! He's the game's newest fighter, and is one of 5 special DLC characters coming to the game! I can't wait to see who comes next! Since Microsoft and Nintendo have been getting chummy lately, maybe Banjo-Kazooie will appear next? I loved their N64 adventures.

Joker subscribes to the "just shoot 'em" idea. No need for fancy powers, just bullets. And having a big knife also helps. Makes sense, guns and knives are his weapon of choice in the game.

It appears one of his combat outfits is his civilian school uniform. Makes sense, considering how deep into games' lore the Smash Bros. series likes to get into.

Hey, Joker has his own power meter like Little Mac does!

I love that the other characters from the game are doing commentary. Nice little touch.

Of course with a new fighter comes a new stage. I love that it changes based on the background music.

Joker's Final Smash is kind of like Shulk's. Just call in his friends and they all hand out a beating.

Cool guys don't look at sparkle explosions...

That's the attention to detail right there. Joker has his own unique win screen. Another nice touch? Look at the opponents Joker has beaten. Link in his "Dark Link" costume, and Dark Samus. Shadows of the heroes. It also makes sense. They're the dark mirrors of Nintendo heroes, and Joker's whole thing is changing the malevolent nature of people's hearts using his Persona powers.

Joker just making off with everyone's stuff! Mario better hide Cappy. Link, hide your weapons, too.

...I really oughta get that Fighters Pass.

Joker looks very graceful. I might enjoy playing as him.

"He wields a gun." I don't know why, but the delivery of that made me laugh.

The grappling hook looks neat.

Considering all the damage that Joker can do, I can bet that to balance it out, he's a bit lacking in the ability to take a hit.

Rebel's Guard and the Rebellion meter makes me think of Cloud and his Limit Break meter. Even can be charged the same way.

So, I think the whole point is to get Joker to the point where he can unleash Arsene, and that's when you go all out. Arsene is one dapper Persona. Which is appropriate for a Persona named after a legendary gentleman thief.

In the Persona series, there's a place called the Metaverse. It basically contains the physical manifestations of people's subconscious desires. So basically, someone subconsciously desired this series for Joker.

Heh, looks like the other Phantom Thieves want to take a closer look at the action.

As I said, I like that the Mementos stage's colors change based on the background music. The game will use music from three games in the series, and each color represents a game. Red for Persona 5, yellow for Persona 4, and blue for Persona 3.

I can't wait to find out who the other four DLC fighters are. The possibilities are endless!

Considering that a character from the Persona series is playable in the game, makes sense there'd be Mii costumes paying homage to the series, too. The Tails and Knuckles costumes are neat, too. And at only 75 cents each? That's a bargain!

A stage builder?! We're getting a stage builder?! THAT IS SO COOL! I love stage builders! I'm going to mess with that thing so much...it does look like it'll be better than previous ones...

There will also be a video editor, too? Hey, that's neat! Any gamers that are also budding filmmakers will love this feature, I bet.

Looks like I'll have to get the Switch Online service if I want to upload my custom stages. I get why, but that is a real shame.

Don't really care much about Smash World.

This new update is awesome! I love the new features, and Joker sounds like a fun new character to play as. He comes off as a bit overpowered to me, but maybe I'll have to actually play as the guy to be sure. He might end up being a personal favorite. I am very excited for the stage builder and the video editor modes. I can't wait to mess with those. I'll have to remember to grab the Fighters Pass. I also love the new stage. It's so funky. This new update is spectacular.

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Final Fantasy X/X-2 Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Last month, I gave my thoughts on the "Your Story Begins" trailer for Final Fantasy X and X-2 coming to the Nintendo Switch. I thought it looked neat and was interested in giving X a shot. I also thought it was great seeing Final Fantasy games coming to Nintendo consoles again. Feels like the old days in a way. And speaking of Final Fantasy, I've been listening to the Retro RPG podcast's episodes about Final Fantasy V, and I want to try that game. I know it was ported to the Game Boy Advance, and I want that cartridge.

Anyway, the Launch trailer is here! That's right! The games are out! So, let's take a look at this thing!

Ahh, nothing like hanging out with your friends around the campfire on a nice night. Not too warm, not too cold. Just comfortable enough for everyone.

Heh. Tidus wanted a friend. Well, coming from what I understand about the character, I don't blame him.

Look at those graphics. They are incredible.

What a bunch of wacky-looking soldiers. How do they see with those helmets? Do they use the Force?

Dance Time with Yuna!

Mighty Punch to the face!

Na na na na na na na na na, Cat man!

That must be one tough bubble if it can't be popped that easily.

Hey, Xbox One players can enjoy this remaster, too! Awesome for them!

The battle animations look neat.

As I have said in the past, I have wanted to give this game a shot. I certainly do hope there's a demo out on the Switch eShop. It always annoys me when there's a game I want to try out, but there's no demo. I get that these are nearly twenty-year-old games, but how hard can it be to prepare a quick demo? I don't know. I hope that there is, because I want to try X and X-2 out.

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Movie Review: Hellboy (2019)

When an ancient queen returns and is intent on wiping out humanity, the only way to stop her is to raise a little hell. And who better than Hellboy to do said hell-raising? Well, the live-action Hellboy reboot is out! Did it hit harder than the Right Hand of Doom, or was it a fizzling failure? Let's find out! I do want to warn that I will try to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, but there may be some minor stuff.

The first thing I had noticed was that this film took full advantage of its being rated R. Seriously. There is a ton of blood, violence, and f-bombs in the movie. I did feel the language was a bit excessive at times.

I did enjoy the cast. David Harbour of Stranger Things fame takes up the Right Hand of Doom, and his Hellboy is a bit more emotional and rougher-edged take, like he was a younger version of the character. He displayed some nice moments of humor in his performance, and there is a scene with him and Ian McShane's Trevor Bruttenholm that made me tear up a little. Daniel Dae Kim was also really good as Ben Daimio. His and Hellboy's interactions were fun. I also thought Sasha Lane's Alice Monaghan was great, too. I liked her evolution into a butt-kicker in her own right.

One of the flaws I felt the film had was the villain, Nimue. I felt she did come off as a bit wooden. Like they didn't let her emote. I also felt that her trying to tempt Hellboy to the dark side was kind of thin as we did not get a lot of Hellboy interacting with regular people to show that he was as 'hated and feared' as she claimed. I also was not completely into Ian McShane's performance as Trevor Bruttenholm. His Bruttenholm was a bit harsher and meaner than the portrayal by the late John Hurt in the GDT Hellboy films, and I think it would not have hurt for him to show some sympathy and kindness towards his son on occasion.

I have seen a lot of reviews saying this film was terrible. I do agree on one thing: This film is not as good as the Guillermo Del Toro films. I think that the film did not quite have the heart those did, mainly thanks to Del Toro's fondness for making monsters more human. However, I don't think the film was completely terrible. There were some cool visuals, and if you like bloody fights, this film would be right up your alley. This Hellboy is more of a straight-up action film than a character piece. And hey, the GDT films still exist, so they can still be enjoyed. Heck, if you have Netflix, the first one is there.

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Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #4 (August 1984)

The Secret Wars rage on! Last time, the villains launched an attack that wrecked the heroes' homebase and basically blasted it to Hades and back. We also saw the rise of two brand new villains in Titania and Volcana, and Ben Grimm seemingly lost his Thing powers and became human again. Not to mention Thor and Enchantress went off to...talk the talk of immortals. Oh, and the X-Men decided to go their own way and hang with Magneto, which resulted in a brawl with Spider-Man. Yeah, quite a bit happened. So, let's see the heroes pick the pieces up in the latest issue of Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars!

The cover is really awesome! Why? Look at it! HULK HOLDING UP A MOUNTAIN. That is all. The boxes on the cover really say it all, really. "Beneath one hundred and fifty-billion tons stands The Hulk--and he's not happy!" Well, yeah. Hulk is not known for being jovial in general, and well...if I had to hold up a hundred-fifty billion ton mountain, I'd be pretty ornery, too.

"Situation: Hopeless"
Writer: Jim Shooter
Penciler: Bob Layton
Inker: John Beatty
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with the heroes' home exploding.

"You know, Owen Reese would make a mint in the demolition business."

Yeah, they're not getting the deposit back on that. The villains then check the ruins, hoping to find some bodies, but the heroes managed to escape. Volcana is awe of the Molecule Man, considering he was able to destroy the headquarters with a wave of his hands. He is touched by this and asks her to call him Owen.

Doctor Octopus spots the heroes regrouping some miles away. Octopus hopes they can salvage a big weapon to finish them off. However, Titania is basically "Screw that! I don't need a weapon like some wimp! I got muscles!" Which she demonstrates.

"DO ANY OF YOU BOYS EVEN LIFT, BRO?! HUH?! DO YA?!"

Yeah. She tosses that giant piece of debris five miles. Impressive. The Wrecking Crew join in with smaller bits of debris, but Absorbing Man convinces them to go after the heroes. However, the Molecule Man has a...bigger way to solve the hero problem.

"Bit...overkill, huh Owen?"

Yup, he's going to drop a mountain range on them. Never say Molecule Man didn't ever go big in life. The heroes see Titania's piece of rubble coming down. Hulk can't get it because he's carrying a bunch of people. Hawkeye uses an explosive arrow to split the piece of debris. Iron Man is then able to break it up further with his repulsors. The heroes are seemingly in the clear...but then again, Molecule Man did create a mountain range just for the purpose of dropping it on their heads.

"...Ouch."

SPLAT. The villains are naturally in a celebratory mood. Meanwhile, Thor and Enchantress are just hanging out somewhere. The two Asgardians discuss...love of all things. Thor is curious as to what the Enchantress wants. She simply wants one thing: The Thunder God's heart. She's had a thing for him for millennia...she's so lucky Skurge isn't there right now. She has tried to force him to love her, but Thor tries to explain to her that it doesn't work that way, that love is something that is given, not taken. Amora points out that they're immortal. As such, they have to occupy their time with crazy quests, or else they'll go mad...if they're not already insane.

She asks Thor if he could ever love her. Thor admits that he's unsure. She asks him if she is beautiful. Thor states that she is, but true beauty comes from the spirit. He thinks that is the quest Amora should undertake, try to be a better person. She basically tells Thor she'll try...if she give him a kiss as a sign that there's hope. However, an earthquake shows up to interrupt things. The two return to the heroes' citadel...what's left of it. Yeah, they find themselves surrounded by Enchantress's fellow villains.

Thor demands to know where the heroes are, and Dr. Doom basically tells him "we squished them with a mountain range WHO DA MAN NOW RICHARDS LOL." He demands Thor's surrender, but Thor decides he'd rather break all their jaws with Mjolnir.

Titania tries to wallop the God of Thunder, bragging about how famous she'll be. Thor just sends her flying with a backhand. The villains try to dogpile him, but he's able to fight them off, too. Doom reveals he fitted Ultron with a new weapon. Basically, it's a disintegration ray...and the weapon is tested on the Avenger of Thunder. It seemingly disintegrates him, leaving only his helmet and scrapes of cape. The Enchantress is shocked to the point of tears. Doc Ock thinks the villains have won, but Doom reminds him the X-Men and Magneto are still out there.

Doom then remembers that Kang tried to kill him in issue 1, and he has Ultron disintegrate the time traveler. The villains head back to their base...but there's one problem.

"I lived, varlet."

Thor is still alive. Doom did mention the X-Men were still out there, so let's check in on them, shall we? They're flying towards Magneto's magnet-shaped home base. In the plane, each of the X-Men have their own private reveries going. Piotr "Colossus" Rasputin is missing Kitty Pryde. Rogue thinks about her past as a member of the villainous Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Wolverine vows to not hold back anymore, as they are at war. Xavier is troubled by his wiping Spider-Man's mind.

Meanwhile, in Magneto's home, the Master of Magnetism is calling upon his great power. Power that can shake mountains. Power that can raze cities. What does he use that incredible power for?

"All this effort to make a simple grooming device...By God, I'm getting old."

He makes a comb for the Wasp. There is something oddly hilarious about this. The two talk about the place Magneto is residing in, and he believes that it was created by previous occupants. This...makes a bizarre form of sense. We can assume that the Beyonder created the citadels intended for the heroes and villains so they could have a place to stay while they're fighting it out, but it's unlikely that he'd create separate place for Magneto. It's also unlikely that the Beyonder would make a separate place for Magneto...and I highly doubt Mags could have built this place himself.

Anyway, the X-Men arrive, with Wolverine hoping there's beer here. He's going to be quite disappointed. Magneto explains that he was discussing with Janet about the Beyonder...no he wasn't! He was being a dirty old man! Don't lie, Mags! You wanted to get your old self into Jan's jumpsuit! Anyway, Mags tries to cover himself by suggesting the X-Men take a more aggressive stance against Doom and his forces. Thing is, Mags also suggests that if Captain America and the non-mutant heroes have any problem with it...they should kick their butts, too.

Mags's stance is not surprising, considering his character. This is a guy who survived one of the most horrific events in human history, and it clearly scarred him. It led him to view humanity in general as no different than the Nazis that killed his family. It's something that has made Magneto one of Marvel's more complex and interesting villains. He's done some bad stuff, but it's understandable why he does it. He fears a second Holocaust, and he wants to use the Beyonder's power to create a golden age for mutantkind.

Jan then reveals that she's been playing Magneto all along. She wanted to know what she was up to. And now she knows, it's time to take her leave. But she not inconsiderate, she does give Magneto a nice parting gift, in the form of a sting blast. She easily fights her way through the X-Men, and flees in a flying craft. She felt the planet quake a while back, and she fears something terrible has happened. Yeah, she's unaware that the heroes' headquarters was destroyed by the villains.

Magneto tries to use his magnetic powers to force her back, but Xavier convinces him not to. He feels a bit of regret over using his telepathic powers on Spider-Man, and tells the Master of Magnetism that if he and the X-Men are to be allies, they will not use their powers in ignoble ways...this scene is weird.

It seems that the Wasp is the last hero standing. After all, the others were crushed by a mountain range, right? Nope.

If that's not bad enough, Hulk REALLY needs to use the bathroom.

Yup, just like the cover. The only thing keeping the heroes from being crushed is the Incredible Hulk. And even he can only hold it up for so long. It can be assumed that because he's got Banner's mind, he lacks the ability to reach the levels of rage, and therefore power, the classic savage green Hulk can reach. The heroes seem doomed...or maybe not.

They're able to revive the unconscious Reed Richards. Using Hawkeye's arrows, Iron Man's armors, and Spider-Man's web-shooters, he builds a device. He then has the Human Torch and the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel use the device to channel all their power into Iron Man's armor. Then, the Golden Avenger fires his repulsors at the mountain.

Undoing millions of years of growth in a microsecond. We humans are a destructive bunch.

FREEDOM! Yup, the heroes are now free...and Thor is waiting for them on the other side. Cap sends Monica to find some supplies. She flies all over the planet at lightspeed, and manages to find a village. There's just one little problem.

Welcome to Galactusville, home of the World-Eaters!

The village is right near Galactus himself. Sure, the World-Eater is not exactly doing anything, but if he decides to take a step in the wrong direction...splat. The heroes meet the natives of the village, and they're understandably nervous. However, one of the villagers, a woman, argues in their favor. She is able to convince her fellow villagers to help the heroes out.

Turns out, the woman has the ability to heal injuries, and she's able to get She-Hulk and the Human Torch back in fighting condition. The Torch tries to lay on the charm, naturally. Ben Grimm points out that Galactus is right on the village's doorstep, but Reed isn't worried. Galactus doesn't seem to care at the moment, so this place is safe. He then suddenly changes back into the Thing, leaving him very confused. Why does this keep happening to him?!

Reed tells him he'll try to find out, but he's already got suspicions. He then notices something odd.

"HE'S GOING TO PUT HIS HANDS IN THE AIR! AND WAVE 'EM LIKE HE JUST DON'T CARE!"

The story ends with Galactus raising his arms, presumably to summon the equipment he uses to convert planets into the energy that he consumes for sustenance.

This story was enjoyable. As I have said, I am not a big fan of the X-Men's portrayal in this miniseries here because it seems to make no sense to me. Yeah, I get the X-Men's big gimmick, don't get me wrong. Fighting for a world that hates and fears them, I get it. I just think that this could have been done better. Maybe if the idea was that the X-Men are growing fed up with the lack of progress in the whole mutant-human peace thing, or they had gotten so used to being persecuted against that they have become rather paranoid... I'm just saying, this could have been done better.

Wasp turning on Mags was pretty darn funny, and I think fit her character. It was also neat seeing her get one up on the X-Men. I also liked Thor getting one up on the villains he's fighting. It's easy to show him as a big bruiser, so it's nice to show that he's got a brain under his winged helmet.

Bob Layton takes over the penciling here from Mike Zeck. I enjoyed Layton's work on Iron Man, and it's very good here, too.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, please spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! It would be greatly appreciated! See you next time, as we join the Punisher with a look back on his days in Vietnam...