Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day.

On this day, we think about and mourn those who served our country who never got to return home. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

Text Play: Pokémon Zeta #21

Hello, and welcome back to the Vesryn region! This is the 21st entry in my Text Play of Pokémon Zeta!

Now, as usual, I want to warn you. I will be spoiling the whole game.

So, if you want to play this game for yourself, I recommend downloading it at the game's wiki here. And with that out of the way, let's go!

I have to admit, I am rather nervous about this whole thing. I have never felt nervous before a big battle against anyone before. I have no idea why. Maybe it was because of the amount of grinding I've had to do in this game so far? I mean, I get the point of grinding. I understand it, I don't mind it. But it does mess with your head when you need to do a ton of grinding just so you can feel confident enough to face an upcoming threat.

As intimidating as this is, we can't put it off forever. We have to face Zeus to go ahead in this game. Although I will admit, I find it interesting that we're facing the big boss of the bad guy team here instead of...say, around the time we have to go up against this team's Elite Four. It does kind of feel like the game wants to try and get the Team Olympus storyline out of the way. 

Despite this, I doubt that beating Zeus here will mean that it will be the end of our troubles with them. I highly doubt that my beating Zeus will stop them from trying to collect legendary Pokémon so they can take over the world. After all, they managed to get Shaymin. And I doubt he's the only legendary Pokémon in this game. 

Anyway, we last left off meeting up with a second nurse. 

Jokes about her not having any sort of station aside, I do like that this mountain does have a couple of nurses here. Mt. Press is quite a long journey, and having a couple of nurses around like this really is a helpful anti-frustration feature. Saves on buying and using healing items.

In the screenshot, you may have noticed the bunch of Team Olympus goons near the nurse. Don't worry about them, you don't have to battle them. In fact, they allow you to pass by them because they want to see Zeus clobber us.

They're going to regret that. I hope. Anyway, we head past them, and we meet Team Olympus's resident twin terrors: Apollo and Artemis.

I think we've met these two clowns before. But from where? *snaps fingers* Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Back at the Ladoga Shrine! We encountered them in entry #12! They were trying to summon something called "Divaevus". Naturally, since their mythological counterparts were twins, it was a double battle. In the Shrine, we had gotten a surprise tag partner in Morgan, one of the game's Elite Four. Unfortunately, she's...not here with us right now. 

Presumably she's out doing...some Elite Four stuff. What do the Elite Four do when they are not fighting off future champions? Do they have side businesses? I mean, I can imagine they get government funding. But do they also have side gigs? For example, does one of the Elite Four run a restaurant? Does one of them also run a dance studio? 

Yeah, I get that gameplay-wise, the Elite Four are basically meant to be more obstacles. I just think it would be really neat to see a Pokemon game explore them a bit more, make them come off more as actual characters. Do a bit more worldbuilding with them. Just a thought.

It seems that their boss has lost a bit of faith in them. After all, it's not hard to see why. They don't exactly have the best of track records against us. 

But, back to the task at hand. I'm going to need a partner to fight Apollo and Artemis. Who's going to back me up?

Oh, great. Him.

Ohhhhhh, I am screwed. I am so screwed. Jake is an overcompensating jackwagon, and you can bet he's here because he only cares about showing how "great" he is. Did I do something to royally anger Arceus to get stuck with this royal clown? *sigh* Well, I do need a partner, and I guess I have to work with what I got. Apollo and Artemis have claimed that they had trouble against him, too. So maybe it won't be all bad.

...and then Jake has to be the overcompensating dimwit he is and say we're "Team Yoloswag". ...you are so lucky that we have bigger fish to fry here, Jake. Because you need your nose broken for that. It's here that we get a twist. Zeus expects Apollo and Artemis to lose. He basically wants them to soften up our Pokemon so he can have an easier time finishing them off. ...I take it he is completely unaware that there's a Nurse Joy hanging around nearby. 

Being the overcompensating jerk he is, Jake decides to call our team "Team Yoloswag". Team Yoloswag. Screw you, Jake. 

1st Pokemon: Electivire (Apollo) and Sableye (Artemis). Jake sends out Charizard and I sent out Moguera the Garchomp. Charizard and Garchomp easily defeated Electivire. 
2nd Pokemon: Sharpedo (Apollo). Artemis's Sableye turned out to be a Zoroark casting an illusion. Sharpedo defeated Charizard with Surf, forcing jake to bring out Scrafty. Zoroark was defeated by Sharpedo's Surf attack.
3rd Pokemon: Banette (Artemis). Luxray defeats Sharpedo.
4th Pokemon: Luxray (Apollo). Artemis withdrew Banette and brought in her (presuambly real) Sableye. Moguera defeated Apollo's Luxray. This Pokemon is such a beast here.
5th Pokemon: Tyranitar (Apollo). This Pokemon has the ability Sand Stream, which causes a sandstorm that hurts your Pokemon a little every turn. I switched out for Victreebel. Tyrnaitar defeated Scrafty, and Jake brought out Lairon. Victreebel defeated Tyranitar. Lairon defeated Sableye. Artemis brought out her Bannette. I brought out Butterfree. Bannette was able to paralyze Lairon with Thunder Wave. Butterfree put Banette to sleep with Sleep Powder, and Lairon was able to finish it with Iron Tail. 

And with that, Apollo and Artemis are beaten. They tell us that only one of us can ascend to the top. Jake decides that he'll let me do it because he's got "too much swag" for that. Jackoff, Team Olympus is trying to capture Legendary Pokemon so they can conquer the world. That's more important that your stupid "swag"! And the boss only wants to talk to me anyway. Ha ha, you suck, Jake.

After this battle, the game automatically heals up your Pokémon for you. You do not have to go and face Zeus right away. I saved the game here because, well...for obvious reasons. I don't want to face the big boss here unless I am absolutely ready to face him. After all, his Pokémon are nearly at level 60. I want to be ready for him.

I STRONGLY URGE you to save the game here if you make it to this point. This is the last chance you have to do some more grinding before you face Zeus.

And here is where I think we'll stop for this month. Next time, hopefully we'll get to face Zeus and hand him a whuppin'. Wish me luck! 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 vaccinated! See you next time!

Eternals #1 (July 1976)

The Marvel Universe is full of wonders. Mystical beings, gods, superhumans, the works. Thus, 

In 1970, Jack Kirby had departed from DC Comics, where he had been working on the New Gods saga. He had been planning for the New Gods to be a high-concept science fiction epic with a definitive ending. Sadly, the New Gods books were all cancelled. Kirby continued playing with those ideas when he returned to Marvel. He also drew inspiration from Arthur C. Clarke's 1953 book Childhood's End and Erich von Daniken's 1968 book Chariots of the Gods. Childhood's End contributed the idea of "Overlords" controlling Earth's fate, and Chariots of the Gods helped popularize the idea of "ancient astronauts" influencing ancient civilizations. 

Like the New Gods, the Eternals' saga was cancelled before the story could be completed. Roy Thomas and Mark Gruenwald would tie up the loose ends in Thor's comic, also bringing the Eternals into the Marvel Universe proper. The group would continue to appear in various comics over the years (Sersi became an Avenger in the 90s for a while), and most recently, got their own book again. So, let's take a look at how it all started with Eternals #1! 

The cover is a Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia piece. It's really good. The statue does look a bit derpy, though. Maybe it's the angle. 

"The Day of the Gods"
Writer: Jack Kirby
Penciler: Jack Kirby
Inker: John Verpoorten
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editors: Jack Kirby, Marv Wolfman
Editor-in-Chief: Marv Wolfman

The story beings with a group of people making...one incredible discovery.

Page 5, Full Page

The group had been exploring the Andes Mountains, hoping to find some interesting ruins. And boy, did they. They discovered that these ruins seem to depict some from of alien technology. The party's cameraman, an Ike Harris, claims these ruins prove that humanity is sharing the world with another species. The other two members of this party, a Doctor Damian and his daughter Margo, think he's a bit...bananas.

In the Pacific Ocean near South America, a plane flies by, its pilot confused and lost. The plane encounters a wall of energy. The pilot tries to eject, but the wall of energy consumes pilot and plane alike. The source was a disrupter device deployed in the style of a submarine's periscope. And who is behind this deadly device?

Page 11, Panel 6

Meet Warlord Kro. And his awesome shades. I like his shades. I want those shades. His mission? To find a beacon before a mysterious group known as the "Eternals" do and make sure it's never activated. Back at the temple, Margo admits to her father that she finds this "Ike Harris" fellow rather creepy.

He explores these ruins like he's been there before. Dr. Damian and Margo have had enough of this, and demand to know who their guide really is. He...actually agrees to explain. You see, "Ike Harris" is a bit of world play on his part. His real name is simply Ikaris. He is not strictly "human" per se, but his kind is sort of a relative of humans. 

Millions of years ago, a spacecraft came to Earth, attracted by the growing life on the world. The beings on these ships discovered ape-like creatures that would eventually become man. The inhabitants of the craft captured one of these beings and experimented on it. That being would become the common ancestor of three branching evolutionary paths.

Page 15, Panel 3

The genetically unstable Deviants would go underground and create weapons to wage endless wars. The Eternals would isolate themselves, devoting themselves to mental enlightenment and developing powers that were unto gods. Man would continue on its way, its genetic cousins seen as myths. These ruins indicate that the creators of the Eternals and Deviants had come to basically check on the results of their genetic meddling during the time of the Incas. According to Ikaris, the Incans are not the only ancient people to have encountered the Eternals. 

One of the ruins is an ancient monitor, which shows a ship is on the way. Kro is on his way to the ruins as well. He and his Deviant forces arrive at the ruins, but hear a noise. The cosmic beacon has been activated. They are seemingly too late. But Kro is a determined Deviant. He and his forces attack the beacon, but Ikaris is able to fight them off.

Page 20, Panel 1

REKT. One of the Deviants is able to disable Ikaris with a shroud. Despite the Deviants' efforts, a large ship appears in the sky over the ruins.

Page 21, Panel 1.

The gods are here. 

Wave Break Release Date Trailer, My Thoughts

Sometimes, you play a video game to go on an epic journey. Sometimes, you play a video game for the thrill of sport victory. And sometimes, you just want to be an anthropomorphic bear on a motorboat. And if that's what you want, then Wave Break is for you. Let's look at the trailer! 

Man, this new DLC for Animal Crossing is WEEEEEIRD...

This reminds me of my time playing Vice City on my PS2 back in the day. I love that game. I would love to see an enhanced remake of it, be given the whole GTA V treatment. That would be epic.

Otters tend to be cowboy cops. They get the job done. They crush crime like a shellfish on their tummies!

TANK TOP CROCODILE! NOOOOOOOO!

HOW COULD YOU?! HE HAD A FAMILY!

Silly Bear Mob Boss, motorboats don't work on land.

...never mind.

Oh, this looks FUN.

Ooh, customization of characters and making your own motorboat parks. Nice. 

Hey, you get points for doing tricks?! Takes me back to Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.

This looks like a very fun game. It reminds me of so many other games I enjoyed. I think I will pick this up! 

Eternals Teaser, My Thoughts

The Mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on! In April 2018, it was announced that the Eternals would get their own film, which would be the MCU's 26th movie. Created by Jack Kirby and first appearing in Eternals #1 (July 1976), the Eternals are an offshoot of humanity given godlike power to protect the Earth. 

Written by Ryan and Matthew K. Firpo, and directed by Chloe Zhao (Zhao and Patrick Burleigh had re-written the script), the film was originally intended to have released in November 2020, but got delayed to this upcoming November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, we finally got the long-anticipated teaser for this movie. Let's take a look! 

A good day for a bit of spear fishin'.

Man, the prototype for the B-2 Bomber was weird.

"...Sersi, there's sand here!"

I like that shot of the hand in the plants. It's paralleling the shot of Thanos's hand in the farm. Also, the water coming from that hand looks like beer. I'm gonna pretend it's beer. The Eternals are DRINKING TONIGHT!

From what I understand, that dagger in that shot is meant to resemble the Ceremonial Golden Dagger, an artifact that was found in the tombs of royalty in the ancient city of Ur. Ur is, I think, one of the world's first ever major cities, so it's a nice nod here. 

That city...could it be Atlantis, pre-sinking? People have joked about the narration saying the Eternals "never interfering", but a shot showing one handing someone a knife. Maybe they did try to guide humanity more directly in the past, but it led to disaster. As such, they decided to be "hands off". Would also help explain why they weren't around to help deal with Thanos. Heck, maybe this is the reason why Atlantis is underwater in the MCU. 

Also, I would not be surprised if this film draws on the 2006 Eternals miniseries written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by John Romita Jr to help explain why the Eternals are emerging now. In that miniseries, they were rendered amnesiac and believed that they were regular people. 

There's a new Fastest Woman Alive in the MCU!

I will laugh so hard if we get a full-on Bollywood musical number in this flick.

Sprite is legendary at karaoke. And the old Captain America shield in the background!

I think a certain man named Sam and a certain woman named Carol would disagree with you there, Ikaris.

This teaser doesn't really reveal much, but...I kind of liked that. I like the mystery of what this film is about. We know the Deviants will be involved. After all, can't have the Eternals without Deviants for them to fight. I admit, the film looks rather unique compared to the rest of the MCU. Likely due to Zhao using more naturalistic lighting. It's an MCU film, so you bet I want to see this. 

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 vaccinated! See you next time!

Psi-Force #1 (November 1986)

Welcome to the New Universe! We've visited this 80s imprint in the past with a look at D.P. 7 #1. Now, we're going to look at another one of the imprint's launch titles, Psi-Force.

Psi-Force told the tale of a group of teenagers given psychic abilities thanks to the "White Event", the mass-empowering event that created most of the superhuman characters in the New Universe. Psi-Force was one of the longer lasting and more popular series, lasting 32 issues and getting one Annual. It also debuted the work of writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Ron Lim. 

The cover is a Mark Texiera piece, and it's pretty good. It's a bit basic, but it works for a first issue. You basically get to meet the members of the Psi-Force, and it also give a hint of their powers. High in the back is the Psi-Hawk itself. It looks neat, but it is a bit...stereotypical.

"Hour of the Wolf!"
Writer: Steve Perry 
Penciler: Mark Texiera
Inker: Kyle Baker
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Bob Budiansky
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins on a dark night in Mendocino, California. A pair of agents are pursuing a man and a teenage girl.

Page 3, Full Page.

They are pursing a Native American CIA man named Emmett Proudhawk and a Soviet girl named Anastasia Inyushin. This is a comic from the 80s, after all. Why are they after these two? Well, you see, our little Miss Inyushin has...a gift.

Page 4, Panels 4-5

She has the power to heal with a touch. However, it can be draining on her to do it repeatedly. The two get cornered, and it's revealed that Proudhawk had smuggled Inyushin into the United States from her native USSR. And naturally, considering her powers, the USSR wants her back. The agents are presumably KGB men. The lead of this group, a Sergei Vladmiroff, implores Proudhawk to give Inyushin up. After all, the US has disavowed his actions, so it won't be like they'll help him.

Inyushin suggests that they surrender, but Proudhawk refuses. After all, if the cops get involved, the Soviets will have to use official channels to get Inyushin back. And bureaucracy being what it is, that could take years. They'd rather just snatch her up, as it would be quicker.

Proudhawk then reveals that like Inyushin, he himself has a gift. He takes a medallion he wore under his shirt. Using it to focus his own mental powers, he tries to get Vladmiroff to back off. But his powers are not at full strength, and Vladmiroff is able to shake it off. The two get caught under fire, and this is witnessed by what looks like a ghost who heads for a nearby boat.

Page 7, Panels 1-2

Meet Tyrone Jessup and Kathy Ling. Like Proudhawk and Inyushin, these two have psychic abilities of their own. Tyrone has astral projection, and Kathy has telekinesis. Ling has some issues with Tyrone's powers, calling them "gross". She uses her own telekinesis to break up the dock the KGB men are on, leaving them sputtering and hoping they were trained in the fine art of swimming. 

(smirk)

It's here we get a bit of detail on Inyushin and Proudhawk's backstories. Growing up in the USSR, Inyushin was shown to have a bit of a "green thumb", an almost superhuman ability to tend plants. Fearing that she had an actual superpower, her parents sent her to live in Kansas with her Uncle Yakob and Aunt Masha. Things were fine for a while, until a car accident killed her aunt and uncle, forcing her to return home. There, she was met by Sergei Vladmiroff, who informed her that her parents are also dead.

(Coincidence? I think not)

Anyway, she ended up in a lab where her abilities were tested. Thanks to (presumably) the White Event, her powers grew to the point where she could heal, and Sergei felt she suddenly became a great asset to the state...

(shudder)

No wonder Proudhawk grabbed her. As for our man himself, well...growing up, his Apache grandmother was the first to notice his psychic gifts. She saw it as his being able to channel spirits, but he thought it was nonsense. His assignment at the CIA was to find and catalogue people with potential psychic abilities. One day, he discovered that someone had leaked his list of potential psychics...and was hunting them down. He went rogue to find them and gather the remaining ones, fearing for their lives. One he could not find, two were dead already. 

He did manage to find four of them, though. And he brought them to this little house.

Page 13, Panel 2

This is Sanctuary, a little hostel and safe space for runaway teenagers. And considering that the psychics that Proudhawk found were teenagers...yeah. Inyushin is introduced to Colby Shaw, the woman who runs the place. Shaw is having a bit of trouble wrangling one of Proudhawk's psychics. And here he is now.

Page 14, Panel 3

Meet Wayne Tucker, the resident calm optimistic happy guy of this little Psi-Force. I kid, he's the resident angry kid of the bunch. He angrily rants and says he's leaving. We also meet Michael "Creepy" Crawley. The youngest of the bunch, he can make things explode with his mind. 

(explosion)

Hawk gathers the five kids and explains why he brought them together. A year ago, he had a dream. The dream was of a bright white light, and then five rabbits being menaced by a pack of wolves. A hawk swooped down to protect the rabbits, but the wolves took down the hawk. The rabbits then seemingly merged into a larger, stronger, more powerful hawk, able to easily fight the wolves off. Proudhawk is convinced that the dream was a vision, especially when the White Event hit. The five teenagers can't survive on their own. There are powerful forces after them. But if they stay together, they can handle anything. 

The kids...find it rather silly. That night, Stasia makes a phone call, fearing that she'll put the others in danger thanks to the KGB pursuing her. She calls Vladmiroff, saying she wants to meet with him. Proudhawk and the other psychics discover the meeting. 

The Native American agent has a mental faceoff with Mindwolf, a psychic KGB agent. The battle does not end well for Proudhawk.

Page 22, Panel 1

Tucker grabs Proudhawk's medallion. He, Jessup, Ling, and Crawley put their hands on it...and a miracle seemingly occurs.

Page 24, Full Page.

The Psi-Hawk is the full totality of all the kids' psychic power. It engages Mindwolf, but the Russian is able to get the upper hand. The others realize that Inyushin is not grabbing the medallion with them. Remember, the dream had five rabbits making one hawk. The Russian girl puts her hand on the medallion. And like Popeye eating spinach, the Psi-Hawk suddenly gets a massive boost in power, and is able to wreck Mindwolf. 

Tucker wants to split, but Crawley's like "No way! You gotta help us take Hawk's corpse back to Sanctuary!" And that's where our story ends.

I enjoyed the comic, but I admit something. I did think it dragged a bit at times. I also think it would have been nice to have Proudhawk stick around a little longer. I would have liked to have seen him play mentor to the kids, considering their situation. We do get some basic ideas of the kids' personalities. Like with the New Mutants, their characters at this point are a bit basic. Tucker's the angry kid, Inyushin is the shy girl, Ling is the bratty rich girl, Jessup is the team player, and Crawley is the little brother. However, it's only the first issue, and we can give them character development over time.

I 

Zombies Ate My Neighbors/Ghoul Patrol Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

Let's look at the trailer!

Normally, when a dead hand bursts out of the ground and shoves a screen of video game footage in your face, that's something to be very nervous about. Regular zombies are bad enough. Ad zombies? Those are the stuff of nightmares.

You know, I never knew ZamN had a sequel. Learn something new every day.

(The more you know)

I know I have played Zombies ate my Neighbors in the past, and I do remember enjoying it. I especially liked the look of the game.

Got a friend you want to beat up zombies with? Well, now you can! Although I think it might be local play only, not online.

(shame)

Achievements, huh? I wonder what achievements could you get in this game? Bounce a certain number of times on a trampoline? Getting through a level without dying?

(Hmmm)

Game saves are convenient, though. I hope you can save anywhere.