Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #9

Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw Region! This is the ninth entry in my Text Play of Pokemon Xenoverse!

Now, before we begin, as is tradition, I'd like to warn you that I will be spoiling this game.

So, I would recommend you download the game and play it for yourself before reading this thing. You can do so right here. Now with that out of the way, let's go!

Last time, we got the fishing rod we needed to perform the second trial. So, let's get on with that, shall we?

The second trial sees us standing on a dock in what looks like an artificial pond.

Lurch here's attempt to explain the trial is interrupted by Vanilla throwing a tantrum over the tumbling jester nearby. She's not too fond of his dance. Everyone's a critic. This trial requires you to basically play the mini-game from Stellato Town again. You have to fish for an item at the bottom of the lake. The thing is, the lake has lots of Pokemon called Honchen. And they can be vicious little creatures.

Just like in the Stellato Town version of the fishing mini-game, you don't just have to dodge Honchen, you also have to dodge rocks and seaweed as well. If you can get your sinker to the bottom of the pond, you win a Golden Spoon. It doesn't really do anything, it's just a nice little conversation piece. And with that, the second trial is complete. 

That was...not bad. I caught the spoon on my second try. To me, the trial didn't seem that challenging. Just need a bit of thinking...and a bit of luck wouldn't hurt, either. I can imagine you have infinite attempts. This trail really wasn't that difficult. You'd think such a gym challenge would be. Maybe in-universe, it's adjustable based on the challenger's experience? 

Anyway, we should get ready for the third trial: The Trial of Grass. After that, we battle Vanilla herself.

During my preparation for the third trial, I decided to give fishing in a lake nearby the entrance of Milkiway City a try. Considering Stellato Town and the Trial of Water, I think the mini-game is evidently how fishing is handled in this game. And I've grown to like the game, as you can get treasure if your rod's sinker makes it to the bottom of the lake. Yup, the little thing that sinks downward? That's a sinker. And now you've learned something new.

So far, I got a Dive Ball (a Pokeball that's more effective when you want to catch Pokémon that live underwater), a Shell Bell (a held item that restores a little HP every turn), and another Damp Rock (an item that lengthens the effects of Rain Dance). Fishing in this game can be a bit addictive. You want to find what Pokémon are in the water, as well as what treasures you can find on the bottom. I had to remind myself to get back to grinding.

Right, right, right. After doing some grinding, I was ready to tackle the third trial: The Trial of Grass. And I think that's where we'll stop for now. I do apologize for this entry being rather short, but I didn't get to have a lot of time to play this game this month. And I still have quite a bit of grinding to do before I take on the third trial! Wish me luck! 

Pokemon Obtained:
(Milkiway City)
- Swirlix
- Arbok (evolved from Ekans)

Hocus Pocus 2 Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1993, Walt Disney Pictures released the film Hocus Pocus. It starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as (respectively), Winnie, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson. The Sanderson sisters were a trio of evil witches who sought revenge on the town of Salem for hanging them after they drained a child's life force to regain their youth. The film was a flop at the box office, and it received mixed to negative reviews from critics. 

In the years since, the film would become a cult classic. Mainly thanks to broadcasts on television during the month of October. In 2019, a sequel was announced for the streaming service Disney+, with Midler, Parker, and Najimy reprising their roles as the Sandersons. Let's look at the trailer!

You wouldn't believe this, but they actually got banished for stealing the town's waffles. They took their waffles very seriously.

"It also has a way of making you very drunk, so be careful. No spellcasting before driving."

 It's true. Just ask Wanda Maximoff. At 16, she first discovered she was a witch when she accidentally turned Pietro into a mouse. Took a week for her to figure out how to change him back.

Yeah, nothing bad could possibly happen because of this ritual.

Say what you will about the Sanderson sisters, they got a knack for making an entrance.

Hey, they got hoverboards!

Wait until they discover smartphones. Those witches' minds will be blown.

"I said spread out, not do a split!" 

Yeah, good zombies can talk. Evil zombies can't. Them's the rules. 

I remember seeing the first Hocus Pocus when I was a kid. I remember enjoying it, but it was a very long time ago. I think I'll give this sequel a shot. Looks like it'll be a fun Halloween viewing. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Secret Invasion Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2008, Marvel Comics released the crossover story called Secret Invasion. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu, it revealed that the shape-shifting aliens known as the Skrulls have been secretly posing as various characters over the years as a prelude to a massive invasion of Earth. Elements of the story would be used in various adaptations of the Marvel Universe, like in the animated series Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the video games Marvel Heroes, Avengers: Battle for Earth, and most recently...the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, coming in 2023, Secret Invasion is being adapted into a six-issue television miniseries set in the MCU. Let's look at the trailer!

"Where have you been, Nick?!"
"I'm just getting the Skrulls some milkshakes. They love milkshakes."
Mmm, milkshakes...

Yup, if there's one thing that Fury has been consistent about, no matter what the canon, is that he can be a jerk.

JAMES RHODES!

I'm happy to see Don Cheadle here. I know that Armor Wars is still in the works, so I am curious as to how they link together. 

Glad to see Everett Ross has been doing well since Black Panther. I wonder if he's aware of events in Wakanda at this point.

"Oh good, my gun's here! You can get anything on Amazon these days." 

That is an awesome effect.

BOOM!

Hmm, I have heard there was an idea pitched around in development that revealed that James Rhodes served as Vice President during the five years between Infinity War and Endgame. Maybe that idea was used here. 

This looks like it'll be an awesome show! The Skrulls infiltrating Earth is prime material for a tense thriller filled with paranoia and twists. It has a strong cast, and I've generally enjoyed a lot of what the MCU has made, so I think this'll be another fun one. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Giant-Size Invaders #1 (June 1975)

The Marvel Universe has a long history of supervillains and superheroes. Many stories have unfurled and revealed this long history. One of the first major superhero teams in the Marvel Universe was forged in the fires of World War II: The Invaders. Funny thing is, the Invaders actually existed because of a retcon.

The core five members of the Invaders [Captain America (Steve Rogers), Bucky Barnes, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Toro, and Namor] did actually have stories published during the 1930s and 1940s, but no comic of the era actually had them all team-up together. In Avengers #71 (December 1969), writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema revealed that yes, they did have adventures together during WWII. It was appropriate that Thomas be the creative mind behind the Invaders. After all, as has been discussed before when talking about his work on the Justice Society, Thomas loves Golden Age-era superheroes.

From there, the Invaders would have their own series. This series lasted from 1975-1979, 41 issues and 2 annuals. The comic we're going to be looking at here was essentially a "try-out" story, a way of testing the waters. Fans clearly wanted more Nazi-punching action, hence the first series. Let's look at Giant-Size Invaders #1!

The cover is a Frank Robbins, John Romita, and Gaspar Saladino piece. It's really cool. Yes, it is a bit basic, depicting our five Invaders, but it does work here. It feels like a Golden Age-era comic cover, which actually fits, considering the time period it's set in.

"The Coming of the Invaders!"
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciler: Frank Robbins
Inker: Vince Colletta
Colorist: Petra Goldberg
Letterer: John Costanza
Editor: Roy Thomas
Editor-in-Chief: Len Wein

The story begins in an unrevealed city. The date: December 22, 1941. The time: 3:00 AM. Captain America and Bucky are handing a traitorous bund an early Christmas present: A good old-fashioned beating. After the beatdown, the two are approached by a group of FBI agents. They ask if Cap is familiar with a man named Dr. Anderson.

"THE NAMES! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"

The name gets Captain America's brain working. You see, Dr. Anderson was the man who was the head of projects in the US Government...including Project: Rebirth, the very operation that transformed the sickly Steve Rogers into the Sentinel of Liberty. We get a retelling of the origins of Captain America. So, why are they asking about him? Well, Anderson is staying at Walter Reed Hospital...because he may be dead.

Cap goes to the medical center, and thankfully, Anderson is still alive.

"They...kicked me in the boys...fifteen times..."

Where had Anderson been since the fateful experiment that created the Star-Spangled Man with the Plan? Well, in the time since, the Pearl Harbor attack happened, and the United States formally entered World War II as a result. Two nights earlier, Anderson was kidnapped by a Nazi spy dressed as a military policeman and taken to a farm in Virginia.

"They said something about milking me. I think they're very stupid."

The farm had been turned into a hidden Nazi lab. Run by a Colonel Krieghund ("War Hound" in German), he wanted Anderson to work on a little project for them: Master Man.

Hydrotherapy in the 40s was weird...

The Master Man here is Wihelm Lohmer, the original. He made his debut here. There have been a couple other Master Men in the comics since, both connected to Lohmer. The most recent Master Man (the third) was Lohmer's grandnephew Max, who debuted in Captain America #18 (July 2006). 

You see, seeing the success of Captain America, the Nazis naturally tried to duplicate him and create such a super-soldier of their own. However, they've not been able to get the formula exactly right, as Erskine died without ever writing it down. Anderson pointed out to Krieghund that the Americans also have failed to perfectly replicate the formula themselves (Captain America was intended to be the first of many super-soldiers, after all). Krieghund believes that since Erskine confided in him, he may know it himself. He places the scientist in a brain-reading machine.

"This is the ugliest hat ever!"

The Psyphon is able to extract the formula from Anderson's mind, very painfully. The Nazis then use it to awaken Master Man. The Nazi super-soldier is clearly not morning person, as he starts trashing the lab. Krieghund literally whips him into shape. They are then alerted to two objects flying towards them. 

The Torch and Toro were on their way to see a movie.

Jim Hammond, the Original Human Torch, is heading towards the farm. Naturally, at this time, he is accompanied by his trusty young sidekick, Thomas "Toro" Raymond. They came to rescue Anderson. Master Man is easily able to take down the two heroes. Krieghund tries to shoot them, but Anderson knocks him aside, causing him to accidentally shoot the lab equipment that Master Man previously damaged. This causes a fire, and Kreighund gives Anderson a bullet. Master Man and Krieghund escape. Hammond puts out the fire by absorbing it. And then he and Toro get Anderson to the hospital. And that's how he got here.

Torch and Toro are also at the hospital. Cap recalls he and Torch first met in Young Allies #1 (1941). Anderson realizes there was a reason why Krieghund wanted Master Man activated, and he tells the FBI agents to get the heroes to Chesapeake Bay. What is he up to? Well, it turns out that a British battleship is on its way to the inlet's naval base. Who knows why.

A Nazi U-Boat pops up nearby, with Master Man on board. The Nazi super-soldier stars wreaking havoc on the ship. However, one of the sailors on the ship is a disguised Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Atlantean king decides to treat the Nazi to a Mighty Punch.

"Ha! Your fishy fist cannot break THIS jaw!"

...which Master Man no-sells. Master Man knocks Namor into the water, but thanks to his Atlantean physiology, Mr. Imperius Rex is recharged. However, a fire on the ship makes him dry out quickly, weakening him again. 

However, Cap, Bucky, and the Torches arrive to back Namor up. Despite their help, Master Man proves himself to be a real powerhouse, easily taking them all on. Krieghund reminds the self-proclaimed Ubermensch that he has a mission. And his priority is getting it done and getting out of there. Master Man refuses, until he feels himself start to weaken. Realizing his power is temporary, he leaps away, his way of running for it.

Torch and Toro use their fire to heat up the sub and melt it, but the sub is able to fire a pair of torpedoes. Namor got those handled, though. He takes the torpedoes and sends them back to the sub, blowing it up.

The British ship is safe, chugging along on its way. But what of Master Man himself? Despite his fading power, he's able to make his way to shore, battling his way across traffic. Cap and Bucky pursue him. The chase ends quickly. Master Man's power runs out, causing him to shrink down into the smaller, skinnier Wilhelm Lohmer. 

Aren't the clothes supposed to shrink if you wash them wrong?

He underwent the Master Man empowerment as he was the physically smallest and weakest man in his local bund. And with that power gone, he was small and weak again. He is easily knocked out by Bucky Barnes.

With Lohmer no longer a problem, there still is one question remaining: why was Namor on that British ship? Well, he was there on a mission at the quest of the ship's very special passenger.

It was said after seeing this, Churchill really needed to get drunk.

Great Britain's then-Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He was here to confer with then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt on how to deal with their common foe in the Nazis. He asks the five heroes to basically join forces to help take them down. The quintet of heroes agree to do so...and the Invaders are born. 

I enjoyed this story. It felt a bit like a Golden Age comic book, which I imagine was the point. It had plenty of action. I never realized this, but Master Man is very much the anti-Captain America. Which, considering his origins, is kind of the point. This story was action-packed, and all the Invaders get to do something cool. Frank Springer's art has a very rough style that very much fits this particular comic. It gives a Golden Age vibe, which fits a comic set in the 1940s starring a bunch of heroes from the time.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2014 trade paperback Invaders: The Complete Collection Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time!

21st of September!

Hey there, everyone!

Hope your 21st of September was a good one!

Justice #9 (February 2007)

It's that time again! It's time to rejoin the Justice League as they engage in their greatest battle against the Legion of Doom. Last time, the heroes started to recover from their assaults on the Legion of Doom. So, how will they fight back? Let's find out in Justice #9!

The cover is an Alex Ross piece, and it's pretty good. It depicts Black Adam and the Marvel Family beating up on Captain Marvel. The angle and the usage of the clouds and lightning give a mythic quality, almost like we're glancing into a battle of gods. 

"Chapter Nine"
Writers: Jim Krueger, Alex Ross
Penciler: Doug Braithwaite
Inker: Alex Ross
Colorist: Alex Ross
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editors: Joey Cavalieri, Michael Wright
Executive Editor: Dan DiDio

The story begins with Captain Marvel contemplating at the Fortress of Solitude. He thinks about the power. The power...of words. Words are magical. They can inform, they can conceal. Words can also be like keys. He says a word, and he can access the power of the Gods. Names are also words. And the power of words is how the Legion of Doom unlocked the secret identities of their long-time enemies, the Justice League of America. 

Hal Jordan points out nobody tried to kill him, but that was because of how his ring works. If he died, the ring would go to someone else. So, Brainiac had to get the ring itself far away from Earth, hence his being Boom-Tubed across the universe. His ring detected Brainiac's mind-controlling nanites in Captain Cold. Metamorpho is understandably confused. Why would Brainiac use the nanites on him? Aren't they allies?

Captain Marvel points out that super-villains can't form and maintain alliances like the Justice League. Presumably because they are too obsessive and selfish in nature. This highlights a massive problem: How can the Justice League fight back if Brainiac can just infect them with his little worms? Will Magnus has a solution.

Yup. Armor. Some nice tough armor. Ray Palmer, Niles Caulder, Will Magnus, and the Metal Men get to work making some. Hal uses his ring to trace the transmissions of the worms in Captain Cold. It's a location in Africa, hidden using the same technology Gorilla City uses to hide from humanity's detection. The League will bait the Legion here. However, Grodd has figured they'd do that.

He appears to the heroes using a duplicate of Sinestro's power ring. Black Adam tricks Captain Marvel into an ambush. And a fight breaks out.

Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. fight Captain Marvel in the air. Black Adam orders Mary to say her magic word, and she does. As plain ol' Mary, she plummets to the ground...and Billy is forced to watch, being held back by Black Adam and Marvel Jr.

Back in Gotham, Bruce Wayne takes Clark Kent to meet a woman: Leslie Thompkins.

Leslie takes them to meet some of the children in her clinic. Some of them were healed by Brainiac. Clark uses his vision powers to examine the child and realizes that Brainiac is turning the people being "healed" into organic machinery. Kind of like Dr. Robotnik's robotization devices from the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons.

We get a brief aside of Luthor examining Brainiac's robots, and then back to the Marvel Brawl. Captain Marvel manages to catch Mary, but it was a trick.

She transforms back into Mary Marvel and tosses Billy into the ground. Captain Marvel rises from the ground, the narration implying he's now under Brainiac's control.

We get a brief aside of Batman, Atom, and Doc Magnus discussing the League's armors, then back to the battle in the Arctic. Members of the League are able to beat Grodd, but he gets rescued by Sinestro. However, Metamorpho was able to get Grodd's duplicate ring.

Captain Marvel tries to bust his way into the Fortress of Solitude, but Superman intercepts him, and Green Lantern is able to get the nanites out of him. After he recovers, he joins Green Lantern on a trip to Arkham Asylum. It's here that the Big Red Cheese finds his greatest enemy.

Meet Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, the World's Wickedest Scientist. Sivana appears to be in pain. Realizing he's got the nanites inside him, Captain Marvel tearfully asks Green Lantern to remove them. Hal does so. Captain Marvel asks him what Brainiac has planned. Sivana explains it has to do with something the mad scientist invented...and Brainiac had envied. You see, Sivana had created the nanites, which he called "Mr. Mind". Brainiac took the device, mass produced them, and shrunk them to microscopic level. Presumably with the same tech he used to shrink cities, as per his Silver Age/Bronze Age gimmick. 

These nanites cannot just manipulate minds, they can also manipulate bodies. They can make you have dreams (explaining the mutual dream the Legion of Doom had) and affect the way you think and act (explaining why they're suddenly helping people and working together, despite their villainous natures). And it was all controlled by Brainiac.  And it's all Brainiac. Luthor would have hated the idea of Brainiac turning half of humanity into machines and killing the rest. Which makes sense. Luthor is an egomaniac. He sees himself as the greatest man in the world, and everyone should be subservient to him. As such, the plan was that instead of half of humanity being destroyed, it would go to Luthor. For him to rule. 

The Justice League armors up, and heads into action. 

The story ends with Luthor teleporting in to pick up Captain Cold and commenting that everything is going very well...

This was a fine issue. The ending was awesome, seeing the League in their suits of armor, and Lex at the end made for some nice foreboding vibes. Make me wonder what he could be up to, considering there's only three issues left. What I liked about this issue was there was a little bit of everything here. We got some action scenes and we got some character stuff. Captain Marvel is the main focus of this issue, as a lot of stuff centers around him here. It's pretty clear the creators not only are very fond of Captain Marvel, but clearly understand his character. It's nice to see.

I don't know what else I can say about Doug Braithwaite's art that I haven't already. It's fantastic stuff. 

If you want to read this for yourself (and you should), I recommend checking out the 2011 trade paperback Justice. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccination/booster! See you next time!

Tower Princess Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Save the princess, beat the bad guy, finish the game. It's a formula that works when it comes to video games. Heck, that formula made the Super Mario Bros. series one of the most popular and iconic video game series of all time. But what if after you saved the princess, she helped you out in fighting the bad guys? Or what if saving princesses wasn't your thing? What if you preferred saving princes? Well, Tower Princess has you covered! Let's look at the trailer!

I like the look of this game. It's cheerful.

I can imagine that there are days that a knight's life that are not that exciting. I mean, we all have days where we just have some downtime and dedicate ourselves to some nice self-care. At least, we should.

Princesses and princes? Hey, something for everyone!

The Kobold Princess reminds me of an alligator. 

You don't want to know where those bags came from. Let's just say...she ate a lot of protein.

The Kobold Princess seems to be a good companion if you're swarmed by enemies and want to do a lot of damage to them at one.

Yeah, the Human Princess is sweet, alright. Sweet as a lemon. 

Considering her talent is for sniffing out treasure, I bet she's a real gold-digger.

I can imagine the Vampire Prince has a real...biting sense of humor.

Yeah, sorry. He seems handy if you need a little extra help to kill your foes.

Well, that makes sense the Mermaid Princess needs to stay in a barrel of water. She likely needs that to live. She's not Namora or Namorita here. She's likely someone for those who like to hit hard.

The Zombie Princess seems to be a good choice for beginners. Help keep you from dying so much. 

So, Sunder is...a sword?

Well, this looks like a fun little game. I hope it has a demo, because I'd love to give it a shot. I have developed a bit of a fondness for roguelike games thanks to that fanmade DOOM roguelike I played back in the day, so this seems like a fun one, if a bit hack-and-slashy. And I do like the idea of saving princess and princes. A little something for everyone is always good.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Saty safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!