Marvel Cosmic Invasion: Silver Surfer and Beta Ray Bill Trailer Reveal, My Thoughts

Back in June, I gave my thoughts on the trailer revealing She-Hulk and Rocket Raccoon as playable characters in the beat-em-up Marvel Cosmic Invasion. We know the game will have 15 playable characters, and we've seen nine. Now let's look at characters number 10 and 11: the Sentinel of the Spaceways, the Silver Surfer. And the Korbinite powerhouse worthy of Mjolnir: Beta Ray Bill! Let's look at the trailer!

I love the music they use in this trailer. I hope it's in the game.

Ooooooh, Stormbreaker to the face!

We're going to Asgard! Which looks like it's going to be eaten by Galactus. For some reason, I can imagine Galactus saying Asgard tastes like a Scandinavian pastry. Mmmm...pastry.

That trick with Stormbreaker is pretty cool. Get a few hits in without letting the opponents get near.

"Let us fight with valor!" I love that line.

I always imagined that the Silver Surfer's physical combat abilities would reflect the cultural view of the likes of aikido and Shaolin monks, being all about redirecting violent energy away from himself. It would fit his whole thing of being a peace-seeker and being rather, well, Zen for lack of a better term. 

I like the voices for Beta Ray and Surfer. I think the VA did a great job.

Beta Ray Bill strikes me as the Mighty Glacier type. He's not quick, but he can hit hard and take a hit.

The Surfer might be more agile. In fact, I think that's the pattern with these reveals: you have a big powerhouse character, and the quicker character. It works when you keep in mind She-Hulk and Rocket in the last trailer.

And HELA? Looks like we got her as a boss here. Makes sense she'd be revealed here, with Bill's connection to Asgard.

I'm so hyped for this game! As I said before, I love that the game's roster is a mix of famous and lesser-known characters. I will be looking forward to playing this! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Seeyou next time!

International Tiger Day

 Happy International Tiger Day!

What is International Tiger Day? Well, this day was first celebrated in 2010 after it was discovered that there were less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild. This day is a day to raise awareness for the need for conservation of these majestic animals. In honor of this day, I want to show off some cool facts about these critters, courtesy of FactRetriever:

1. Tigers are the biggest cats on Earth.

Out of all the species of big cats on Earth, the tiger is the biggest. The Siberian tiger is the largest of all the tigers, and they can weigh up to nearly 700 pounds.

2. Tigers are expert leapers.

An adult male tiger can leap distances up to 9 yards and can also jump up to 5 yards vertically. 

3. Tigers like to sleep.

Tigers in the wild can sleep up to 18 hours a day. They take their naptimes very seriously.

4. Tigers are old.

The earliest tiger fossils are 2 million years old. Yup. The tiger has been with us for a long time.

5. Tigers love swimming.

Tigers are an oddity among cats. Most cats don't like water. But tigers? Love it. They're talented swimmers. The Sumerian tiger is especially talented at swimming, thanks to its webbed feet.

6. Tigers like sharing.

When tigers hunt, they'll share their kills with other tigers, and even take turns eating. 

7. Tiger spit kills germs.

A tiger's saliva has antiseptic properties. Which is handy as tigers treat wounds by licking them.

8. Tiger stripes are'nt just on the fur.

A tiger is known for its stripes. The stripes aren't just on the fur, they're also on the skin. And speaking of tiger stripes...

9. Every tiger's stripe pattern is unique.

You know how humans tend to all have unique fingerprints? Well, the same is true for tigers. No two tigers have the same stripe pattern. And different species of tigers have different amounts of stripes. The South China tiger has the least, and the Sumatran tiger has the most. 

10. Tigers are not African.

For some reason, pop culture likes to say that tigers come from Africa. But that's not true. No species of tiger hails from Africa. Tigers actually hail from Southeast Asia. In fact, India and Bangladesh consider them their national animal. Korean mythology portrays the tiger as a defender against evil spirits and a bringer of good luck. In Chinese mythology, the tiger is one of the animals in its zodiac, and in Imperial China, it was seen as a personification of war. 

And there's some ten interesting facts about the tiger. International Tiger Day is especially important as the tiger is in a lot of danger. All six known tiger species are endangered, mainly because of habitat destruction and poaching. Tigers are beautiful animals, and we should do what we can to help protect them. 

Thor #386 (December 1987)

Since the introduction of the Marvel Universe version of Thor back in the 1960s, he's had many adventures. Served as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, protected both his birth home of Asgard and adopted home of Midgard from many a threat. However, Thor's running around the Marvel Universe has opened up one question: does this mean that other pantheons exist as well besides the Norse one?

The comics' answer to the question has been a resounding "Yes". Most notably, Thor's book saw the introduction of Hercules/Herakles, and from there, the other members of the Greco-Roman pantheon. The comic we're looking at here is also a meeting between gods. This time, Thor is going to say hello to the Celtic pantheon in a Thor run that I consider criminally underrated. How did that meeting go? Let's find out in Thor #386!

The cover is a Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding piece. It's pretty awesome. It depicts Thor clashing with another god (don't worry, you'll get informed about Big Red here). And in a nice Silver Age-style touch, there's a little blurb on the corner saying "When Warriors Clash!" And that's what we'll get here.

"When Warriors Clash!" 
Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Ron Frenz
Inker: Brett Breeding
Colorist: Paul Becton
Letterer: John Workman Jr.
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with a new threat to our Asgardian hero: Targo the Troll. He has a small razor. It's sharp. And he knows how to use it. And how will this troll prove to be such a great threat to our man, a god who has defeated and slain many a monster in his time?

"You're lucky I'm sober today."

Yes, Targo is...a barber!

And his nefarious plan? Shave off Thor's mighty beard!

Ha ha. Well, the Warriors Three have decided that it's time for Thor to get back to his old clean-shaven look. You see, he originally grew it out to cover up some facial scarring that Hela (Norse Goddess of the Underworld) gave him by smacking him with her Hand of Glory. But since his face got healed up in Thor #382, he no longer needs it. Even though the beard makes him look rather dignified, Thor has groused how itchy it is. Targo shaves off Thor's beard...and he looks like his old handsome self again. 

With that done, Thor has to return to Midgard, aka Earth. He is one its sworn protectors, after all. He's been away a while. I can imagine he has a lot of e-mails to catch up on. Fandral asks Thor to stay a little longer. A monster has been rumored to be terrorizing the northern counties of Asgard. He and the other Warriors Three are going to check it out. As long as Thor is here, he can come along as well, if he wants to. Thor's all for it. One last adventure with his pals? He's all for it!

Meanwhile, Balder the Brave, the new ruler of Asgard (that's a whole thing), is alerted to a new danger by his grand vizier. He shows Balder a screen that depicts the remains of the Rainbow Bridge after its destruction in Thor #351. Since then, Asgard's been...drifting through its dimension like driftwood floating on a gentle river. However, that's caused a whole new set of problems for Asgard. 

What kind of problems, you may ask? Oh, just your average bit of geological upheaval caused by Asgard drifting through the universe untethered. Balder doesn't see it as that much of a problem. After all, the vizier's magics have been able to keep them quelled so far. But that's not the biggest problem.

The vizier has also discovered that there are dimensional rifts popping up all over Asgard. These rifts are gateways to alternate universes. Something could end up stumbling through them...or an Asgardian may end up lost in another dimension. As if to prove the vizier's point, a strange black cat is seen watching the vizier and Balder converse. The cat then leaves through one of the said portals...and then we learn this cat was no ordinary fuzzy feline.

"The Egyptian pantheon had raging Selina Kyle envy."

I wonder if this character was inspired by Isis. Anyway, she reports to her master that the Asgardians are aware of the rifts, implying they're intentional. And who is her master?

"I deserve to be on a GQ cover. Look at me! I'm beautiful!"

Meet Set (or Seth as he is called here), the Egyptian God of Death. Basically, he's the Goth Kid of the Egyptian pantheon. In real life mythology, he's the god of violence, deserts, disorder, and foreigners. 

Seth is not worried about it. After all, as far as he's concerned, that knowledge won't help the Asgardians. Egyptian Catwoman did a good job, so Seth rewards her by...turning her to dust.

Dude, I get that death is your purview and all, but you had a cat woman who used as a spy. I think she would have been handy to keep around. I mean, nothing indicated that she was incompetent or bad at her job. Heck, based on this, we can say she was good at her job. Why dispose of a perfectly useful minion like that?!

This is Thor's book, so let's look in on him and the Warriors Three, shall we? They find a wrecked farmhouse, indicating a monster was in the area. The three hear a scream, and Thor flies off with his hammer to check it out. And he finds the monster.

"WHERE MY MONEY, WOMAN?!"

Boy, that is an ugly mothertrucker. But Thor is not intimidated by ugliness. He tries to give the monster a taste of hammer time, but it's as tough as it is ugly. The monster leaps at Thor, only to vanish in a mystic portal. With that out of the way, Thor checks on the young woman the monster was attacking. Unfortunately, her injuries are too severe, and she dies in his arms, calling for Thor to avenge her and her family.

Thor intends to do that, following the creature into the portal on his own.

Thor finds that the portal has led him to Avalon, home of the Celtic Gods. They and the Asgardians have had a long-standing feud. He finds another wrecked village, and more death and destruction greet him. This makes Thor more determined to bring the beast down. After all, these villagers may have been of Avalon, but they were still innocent people. It's then that he encounters a group of angry Celts.

"Boy, Celtic tax collectors are pushy."

Naturally, they think Thor did this. Thor is innocent, but he's not willing to let these men execute him for a crime he did not commit. He knocks the Celts away, and one of their gods has come to intervene.

"My name is Leir! And I love to fight!"

Meet Leir, the Lord of Lightning and the God of the Spear. He's presumably based on the Celtic mythological sea god Lir. Leir thinks Thor butchered this village, which is not true. The two Thunder Gods end up fighting. Thor has no real desire to do so, as Leir is just defending his people. However, Thor is aware that the Celts have a reputation for treachery, so the monster that attacked Asgard could have been sent by them, and this is all just a fake-out on Leir's part. 

However, during the fight, Leir himself also questions if Thor really did destroy the Avalon village and slaughter its inhabitants. After all, he seems to come off as a noble warrior. But he is still Asgardian, and Leir cannot take Thor's word completely seriously because of that. The two continue their brawl. 

Back in Asgard, the Warriors Three argue over what do to next. Fandral sees the portal closing and wants to warn Thor. Volstagg refuses as he said Thor told them to wait here. Hogun is all basically "Screw this, I'm going in!" and leaps into the portal. 

It takes him to Avalon, where he sees Thor and Leir duking it out. He spots the monster and calls out to them about it. Leir doesn't believe it at first until he sees it attack more villagers. The three then go attack the monster. They manage to badly wound it, and it flees through the closing portal. Hogun and Thor go in hot pursuit, Leir telling them he and Thor can finish their fight another time. Thor and Leir are left having a sort of mutual respect for each other. The two Asgardians emerge from the portal, finding that Fandral and Volstagg have taken care of the beast.

A few hours later, Thor prepares to finally return to Earth. Balder bids him farewell. Asgard will miss him, but Earth still needs its God of Thunder. Thor uses his hammer to create a magic vortex that will take him back to Earth. He vanishes as the vizier screams to stop him. He's discovered that Asgard and Earth are no longer in contact. As such, Thor's just sent himself...into space.

"Why didn't I bring my spacesuit?!"

Thor is mighty, but even he still needs to breathe. Could this be the end of our man? Well, not really. But we'll have to wait until the next issue to find out how he survives this.

I enjoyed this issue. It's always fun seeing Marvel tackle other pantheons beyond the Norse ones. Leir and Thor's meeting uses the classic formula of "two characters fight then team-up against another threat", but it works. Tropes Are Not Bad, after all. I also enjoyed the interplay between the Warriors Three and Thor. You really get the impression that these guys have been friends for a very long time. I also like Ron Frenz's art. While at this point, he's not quite channeling Jack Kirby like he will later on, this is still great to look at. 

If you want to read this story for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2013 trade paperback Thor Epic Collection Vol. 16: War of the Pantheons. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time! 

World Whale and Dolphin Day

 Happy World Whale and Dolphin Day!

What is World Whale and Dolphin Day? Well, on July 23, 1986, this day was declared by the International Whaling Commission. This declaration also came with an international ban on whaling, helping end two centuries of the killing of whales. Whales still do face threats in this day and age, on this day, I thought to help raise awareness of whales and dolphins by showing some cool facts courtesy of NOAA: 

1. Blue whales have the biggest hearts of any known animal.

Blue whales are among the biggest animals on Earth. As such, it makes sense that they would have rather large organs. A blue whale's heart can weigh over 1,000 pounds. Yeah, try lifting one of those blood-pumpers!

2. Dolphins can swim very fast.

Dall's porpoises are among the fastest swimmers among their fellow cetaceans. They can reach speeds of 34 miles per hour for small distances. They are potentially to sea creatures what cheetahs are to land animals. Pretty cool.

3. Dolphins are intelligent.

Dolphins are among the most intelligent species of animals on Earth. Various species of dolphins and whales have been observed coming up with strategies to help catch their prey for lunch. One example is some bottlenose dolphins living in Australia use basket sponges to protect their beaks while they forage on the seabed. Humpback whales corral plankton and small fish near the surface of the water using a trick called "Bubble net feeding". This trick lets them swallow a whole lot of their prey whole.

4. Whales and Dolphins once lived on land.

Fossil records have shown that in the distant past, whales and dolphins once lived on land, before evolving into the aquatic creatures we know today. It's why whales and dolphins have blowholes. You see, like humans, whales and dolphins can't breathe underwater. When they move through the water, they're holding their breath. Blowholes allow them to take breaths. 

5. Whales could help combat climate change.

How? Well, during a great whale's life, their bodies accumulate carbon. When a whale dies, its body sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Depending on the whale's lifespan, it can accumulate as much as 33 tons of carbon on average. And when it sinks, it keeps the carbon out of the atmosphere for centuries. Great whales' bodies are better than trees at absorbing carbon. It's one reason why preserving these creatures is so important. 

6. Dolphins swallow their prey whole.

Dolphins do have teeth, but unlike humans, they don't use them to chew their food. The teeth are actually used to help grip prey so that dolphins can swallow them whole safely. 

So, yeah! Dolphins and whales are fascinating and important critters. 

World Brain Day

 Happy World Brain Day, everyone!

This day was established by the World Federation of Neurology, as it was founded on this day in 1957. It's an organization comprised of various neurologists from around the world. The Federation is dedicated to research and education about the importance of keeping your brain healthy. After all, the brain is the body's control center.

It's the most important organ in the human body, as without it, the body cannot do anything. The heart can't pump blood. The lungs can't take in air. The brain encapsulates who and what we are. So yeah, take good care of your brain, and enjoy this Brain Day! See you next time!

All-Star Superman #7 (June 2007)

It's that time again! It's time to join the Man of Steel on his grandest, and possibly his last adventures! Last time, we got a nice little heartwarming tale of Superman getting to see his father, the late Jonathan Kent, for one last time. We also got a tie-to DC One Million, so that was nice for those who have read it. I haven't, but I want to. So, where do we go from here? How about a new take on a classic Superman rogue? Let's look at All-Star Superman #7!

The cover is a Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant piece. I like it. It depicts Superman and Bizarro brawling in the streets of Metropolis. It gives the impression that we are in for a fight, and I am excited for it!

"Being Bizarro"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciler: Frank Quitely
Inker: Jamie Grant
Colorist: Jamie Grant
Letterer: Phil Balsman
Editors: Bob Schreck, Brandon Montclare
Executive Editor: Dan Didio

The story begins...somewhere very yellow. Leo Quintum and one of his assistants are looking for a missing Bizarro technician. They're near a micro-singularity. A little too close to one for comfort. They manage to flee, but something managed to follow them. Something alive, and it's growing.

"Alright! About time I got an arm!"

Elsewhere in the cosmos, Superman is dealing with this alien tentacled squid-like creature.

"For the love of GOD, stay far away from Japan!"

This creature is a Sun-Eater, presumably the very same one that we saw Superman feed in issue #2. The little guy is getting a bit big, and he's ready to go out on his own...and potentially go Galactus on some alien race's sun. 

But that aside, Superman finds himself getting attacked by...Clayfaces?

"Wait, I owe you guys money, too?!"

Well, not quite. They're sending Superman towards what looks like another Earth. One that is shaped like a cube.

Over at the Daily Planet, there's a Christmas party going. Jimmy Olsen spots the "Clayfaces" crashing into Metropolis. And then they attack the party, claiming one expendable staffer who talked a lot.

"Bizarro hate you face! Bizarro not take you face!"

The staffer rants that that she is Bizarro and attacks the others, but Steve Lombard sends her out the window like she was Axel Foley after meeting Victor Maitland.

Lombard didn't change when touched, and he's amazed by it. The Daily Planet gang flee to the roof, hoping Superman will come to save them. Over at a library, Bizarro arrives. Superman then arrives and tells the people to get inside. Bizarro blasts at the Man of Tomorrow with his fire breath, but our man responds with a new trick.

Superman showing why he's DC's Most Electrifying Superhero.

Superman notices that this is new. The Bizarros of Htrae ("Earth" backwards, if you don't get the joke) have never been this hostile before. What is going on? Bizarro, in his own way, explains that he wants everyone to become Bizarros like him. Meanwhile, the Daily Planet crew is boarding a futuristic blimp. Superman knocks Bizarro into orbit. Jimmy contacts P.R.O.J.E.C.T. with his signal watch, and Leo Quintum gives some exposition.

What they're dealing with right now is a planet-eater. I wonder if it's related to Galactus?  Anyway, it crudely disguised itself as Earth as a way of appearing less threatening. As for the Bizarros and what happened to that poor Daily Planet employee? Well, that's part of the planet consumption process. There is good news and bad news, though. Good news? They're sickened by sunlight. Bad news? In Metropolis right now, it's 9:30 PM. In December. WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET SUNLIGHT?!

Perry White points out to Superman that Steve Lombard is immune to the Bizarro infection. Superman examines him and it's discovered that he takes certain...performance pills. 

Since sunlight weakens them, Jimmy has an idea.

He suggests that a giant space mirror could be used to reflect sunlight to Metropolis. He admits that it's a nutty idea, and in the real world...he would be laughed off the roof. But this is a world homaging Silver/Bronze Age-era Superman, so it'll work here. But where can we get said big mirror from? Why, Htrae, of course!

Bizarro World has big oceans. If Superman could move the planet in the right position, the oceans can be used as a mirror. Supes is going to have to be fast. Bizarro World's presence is also causing further problems. Its position is affecting tides and the weather due to its gravity field. Bizarro World is a basically a big organism. Lois hopes Superman comes back to her, and he assures her he will as soon as he's done on Htrae. He gives her a card that contains an experimental formula for a Bizarro repellent. He gives her a little kiss on the head, wishes her a Merry Christmas, and flies off. 

The Metropolis Marvel heads towards the cubic planet and smashes a large mountain on it. A red light starts to appear over the planet. Olsen explains that Superman hurt it, so it's going back to the Underverse to lick its wounds. Superman tells Bizarro it's over and not to bother Earth again. Bizarro, in his own Bizarro way, says he doesn't want to go back to the Underverse, back into the cold and darkness of it. Superman notices that the gravitational pull of the planet is increasing as Htrae heads back, and the sunlight is turning red. The conditions of this world are becoming...like Krypton. Which means Superman...has lost his powers.

Superman is going to die here, and his world will be left in danger without him. Yeah, Supes, you mentioned Batman in one issue, and I think we can assume that other superheroes do exist here, even if it's only the classic Justice League roster. 

A new voice tells Superman that Bizarro will be no help. But he can, as he is a flaw. He's something that appears in every 5 billion copies of Bizarro. He's unique, self-aware, and suffers in a world that nothing is right to him. He introduces himself as...Zibarro. 

"...I am not cut out for architecture."

I enjoyed this issue, even though it is primarily set-up. It's one of those issues that is best read as part of All-Star Superman as a whole instead of on its own. That's something I have seen plenty of in my experience looking at 12-issue maxi-series like these. That is not a bad thing. This was still a good read. Morrison and Quitely provide a rather interesting, unique, and a terrifying take on the Bizarro concept, a giant organism that basically wants to make everything just like it. And the reveal of Zibarro being a "flawed copy" makes a, well...bizarre bit of sense. If so many copies get made at once, flaws are going to pop up. I also got a good laugh out of how Steve Lombard ended up immune to the Bizarro infection. 

I have talked about Quitely's art in the past, and my views of it. I think his style does work for the Bizarros, though. 

World Chimpanzee Day

Today is World Chimpanzee Day!

Chimpanzees are mammals native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. They are great apes, and they are the closest living relatives to humans. 

Chimpanzees are social animals, living in male-dominated groups that can range from about 15 to 150 members. The word "chimpanzee" first was recorded in 1738. One possible origin of it comes from the African Tshiluba word "chimpenze", meaning "ape" or "mockman". 

Chimpanzees are omnivorous (meaning they eat both meat and plants), but they are frugivores, which means they prefer fruit. But they have been known to supplement their fruit diet with things like honey, insects, birds (and bird eggs), small mammals, and even other primates. In the wild, chimpanzees tend to live less than 15 years. In captivity, male chimps tend to live around 31, and females around 38-39. The oldest known chimpanzee, Little Mama, nearly reached 80.

Chimpanzees are also known for being rather intelligent. They've been observed making tools for helping to catch prey, like using sticks to get ants out of anthills, and cracking open nuts with rocks. They are able to cooperate with each other, and various troops have even been observed passing down techniques for tool-making down the generations. That's pretty neat.

Sadly, chimps are an endangered species, mainly thanks to habitat loss, poaching, and disease. There are efforts at conservation, and they are protected in national parks. 

These are fascinating critters, and may be the closest we ever get to seeing an actual pre-evolution of man. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! See you next time!