Thursday, May 4, 2017
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Trailer, My Thoughts!
In honor of one of the most popular games on the Wii U coming to the Switch, Mario Kart 8, let's take a look at the overview trailer for the Switch edition!
First of all, I do have to say, I have rather...limited experience with the Mario Kart series. I have played the very first SNES game, LOVED the N64 game, played Double Dash!! for the GameCube, and I own Super Circuit for the GBA. The game does look like a real treat for the eyes.
You know, with Link as a racer, as well as characters from Animal Crossing and Splatoon, I can't help but wonder if maybe they should just outright make a Super Smash Racing game. It'd be a great spin-off to the Smash Bros. franchise. Would be nice to see Captain Falcon in a racing game again. Probably the closest we'll get to a new F-Zero game.
40 characters, and 48 tracks. Wow. That is awesome. And it's neat that they brought back the whole "can hold two items" thing from Double Dash!!
Hey, the Balloon Battle! I remember that from Mario Kart 64! I wonder if they'll include a map from that game for this. Older tracks do tend to reappear in these games. Renegade Round-Up and Bob-Omb Blast also seem like tons of fun.
The Battle Courses look amazing! I really liked that they included one from the original SNES Mario Kart. And one from Splatoon!
Hope this game has good online battling. And is that F-Zero music I hear in the background?!
This is an awesome trailer! I've got a Wii U, maybe I should pick this game up...
First of all, I do have to say, I have rather...limited experience with the Mario Kart series. I have played the very first SNES game, LOVED the N64 game, played Double Dash!! for the GameCube, and I own Super Circuit for the GBA. The game does look like a real treat for the eyes.
You know, with Link as a racer, as well as characters from Animal Crossing and Splatoon, I can't help but wonder if maybe they should just outright make a Super Smash Racing game. It'd be a great spin-off to the Smash Bros. franchise. Would be nice to see Captain Falcon in a racing game again. Probably the closest we'll get to a new F-Zero game.
40 characters, and 48 tracks. Wow. That is awesome. And it's neat that they brought back the whole "can hold two items" thing from Double Dash!!
Hey, the Balloon Battle! I remember that from Mario Kart 64! I wonder if they'll include a map from that game for this. Older tracks do tend to reappear in these games. Renegade Round-Up and Bob-Omb Blast also seem like tons of fun.
The Battle Courses look amazing! I really liked that they included one from the original SNES Mario Kart. And one from Splatoon!
Hope this game has good online battling. And is that F-Zero music I hear in the background?!
This is an awesome trailer! I've got a Wii U, maybe I should pick this game up...
Friday, April 28, 2017
New Nintendo 2DS XL Reveal Trailer, My Thoughts
Nintendo is at it again! They've released the Nintendo Switch, and now...a new addition to the 3DS portable gaming family. Say hello to the New Nintendo 2DS XL!
First thing is first, what is a New Nintendo 2DS XL? Well, like the original 2DS, it's essentially a New Nintendo 3DS with a slimmer build and lacking the 3D capacity. It's meant to be for those who wanted a New Nintendo 3DS, but were turned off by the price (It was pretty expensive). It's essentially a more affordable model.
As for me, I wanted to get one because I wanted to play Xenoblade Chronicles 3D for it. However, I was turned away by the price. It was REALLY expensive. So, I was forced to wait.
First of all, I love that it folds up, keeps the clamshell design. I own a 2DS, and my only real complaint about it is that it didn't fold up, so I couldn't put it in my pocket and walk around. Keeping the clamshell design was really smart.
The Amiibo functionality didn't really get much out of me. I only have one of them, and I got it because I got a Wii U with Super Mario Maker pre-loaded in it. It's a nice-looking Amiibo though.
I can imagine it would have backwards compatibility with DS games. The original NN3DS has it, so I can't see this version not having that.
I have heard that the original NN3DS had some criticism for the placement of its SD Card slot placement. It would be nice if Nintendo took the opportunity to address those criticisms.
I also have heard some people have said the black-and-blue color scheme makes it look a little ugly. I don't mind it. Besides, probably by the time this thing comes out, there probably will be other color choices.
This thing looks pretty cool. I'll have to save up some money for it.
First thing is first, what is a New Nintendo 2DS XL? Well, like the original 2DS, it's essentially a New Nintendo 3DS with a slimmer build and lacking the 3D capacity. It's meant to be for those who wanted a New Nintendo 3DS, but were turned off by the price (It was pretty expensive). It's essentially a more affordable model.
As for me, I wanted to get one because I wanted to play Xenoblade Chronicles 3D for it. However, I was turned away by the price. It was REALLY expensive. So, I was forced to wait.
First of all, I love that it folds up, keeps the clamshell design. I own a 2DS, and my only real complaint about it is that it didn't fold up, so I couldn't put it in my pocket and walk around. Keeping the clamshell design was really smart.
The Amiibo functionality didn't really get much out of me. I only have one of them, and I got it because I got a Wii U with Super Mario Maker pre-loaded in it. It's a nice-looking Amiibo though.
I can imagine it would have backwards compatibility with DS games. The original NN3DS has it, so I can't see this version not having that.
I have heard that the original NN3DS had some criticism for the placement of its SD Card slot placement. It would be nice if Nintendo took the opportunity to address those criticisms.
I also have heard some people have said the black-and-blue color scheme makes it look a little ugly. I don't mind it. Besides, probably by the time this thing comes out, there probably will be other color choices.
This thing looks pretty cool. I'll have to save up some money for it.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #64 (March 1982)
Cloak and Dagger. Born from the mind of Bill Mantlo and the pencils of Ed Hannigan, the two vigilantes were inspired by a visit Mantlo made to Ellis Island. According to Mantlo himself, they first appeared in his head practically fully formed in his head as he was haunted by the misery and loneliness of the island.
So, who are Cloak and Dagger? Well, you know the Runaways? Cloak and Dagger were the original Runaways, in a sense. A pair of teenagers who fled rough lives. Cloak was once Tyrone "Ty" Johnson, an African-American youth from Boston. Dagger was once Tandy Bowen, a ballet dancer from upper-class roots from Shaker Heights, Ohio. They came to New York, only to run into trouble. They ended up being test subjects for an experimental new drug being developed for the Mob.
The drug ended up giving them strange new powers. Johnson's body was transformed into a living portal into a dimension of endless darkness, and Bowen became a generator of light, which she can throw in the form of small dagger-like projectiles that can paralyze and kill people, and even cure drug addiction. Their new powers came with a caveat, however. Cloak's darkness had a hunger for people's "light", whatever that meant. Dagger's body could only hold so much light before becoming overcharged. Dagger's light powers could relieve Cloak's hunger, as well as keep her from overloading. As a result, the two of them were basically stuck together.
Over the past three decades, Cloak and Dagger have had mini-series, their own series, and many guest appearances in other titles. They've also gone through many a crazy change in their careers, with Cloak losing his powers for a while, Dagger going blind for a while, and even the two of them recently getting their powers switched. Despite this, Cloak and Dagger have maintained a presence in the MU, so much so, they have appeared in cartoons, and are getting a live-action TV series.
The cover is actually pretty neat, it has that Eisner Spirit-esque feel to it, thanks to the words on the buildings. There is one thing about the cover that does bother me, though...but it's not the cover's fault. It's the title of the comic itself. Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man. The title does come off as a bit overly long. And why mention that Peter Parker is Spider-Man here? At the time, he was the only active Spider-Man. This was many years before Miguel O'Hara and Miles Morales came into existence, and shared the Spider-Man identity with Peter.
"Cloak and Dagger"
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciller: Ed Hannigan
Inker: Al Milgrom (The issue mistakenly credits Jim Mooney)
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
The story begins with Spider-Man swinging through the city.
He hears a cry for help, and decides to investigate it. He finds a man, who is terrified for his life. Spidey jokes that if the man needs change, he himself is a bit short. The man explains that money's not his problem.
The man's problem is drugs. You see, the man used to be a pharmacist, but he fell into some bad debt. However, he was offered some debt relief by some people performing experiments. What they needed was for him to procure some substances that were...not exactly liked by the law, let's just say. He pleads with Spidey to take him to the District Attorney so he can confess. Spidey's Spider-Sense goes into overdrive, and the man's pursuers make themselves known.
The man, Simon Marshall, tries to flee. Spider-Man tries to protect him, but Cloak traps him in his...well, cloak. The cloak contains an endless dimension of darkness that Spidey can't seem to find a way out of. Worse, it somehow weakens his Spider-Sense. Marshall flees for his life, but Dagger, using some acrobatics, manages to catch up to him. Marshall pleads for his life, even saying he's going to turn himself in, and even apologizes to her. Dagger is hearing none of it.
Her light daggers cause a shock to Marshall's system, and the dying man falls into a pigeon cage. Spider-Man is able to escape Cloak by punching him in his still-solid jaw. Spider-Man discovers Marshall's body, and Dagger states that she did kill him. Yeah, in their early appearances, Cloak and Dagger had no issue using lethal force, especially against people involved in the drug industry.
Spider-Man is furious with them, stating that they had no right to execute Marshall, but Cloak and Dagger thinks otherwise, and Dagger throws her light daggers at Spidey. However, unlike Marshall, Spidey is in better shape, and has spider-like speed and agility.
However, Dagger can mentally control her light projectiles, and as a result, they can follow Spidey around. Spidey is able to neutralize two of them by making them hit a water tower, but he's still got two after him.
Spidey gets ambushed by Cloak, who immobilizes him long enough for Dagger's light daggers to hit him. Spidey's body is wracked by pain, but he sees the two superpowered Punishers. He tries to leap at them, but Cloak wraps Dagger in his namesake, and they vanish. The Webhead is left curled up on the roof in pain, and he is found by a couple of cops.
The cops find the deceased Simon Marshall and want Spidey to come in for questioning. They've been looking for Marshall for some time, and the Wall-Crawler takes his leave, still feeling the effects of Dagger's light projectiles. He's actually so messed up by them, he had to take the subway home.
The next day, Peter Parker goes to the Daily Bugle to find out more information about Simon Marshall, hoping to learn more about Cloak and Dagger. Peter learns that Marshall was developing some new drugs, so new that medical journals didn't know about them. The police discovered him working out of Ellis Island. When they launched a raid on the place, they found bodies.
Marshall had used many young people as test subjects for his new creations. The test subjects were runaways, whom the Mob would meet and make lofty promises to them before taking them to Ellis Island.
Spidey goes down to Ellis Island, wondering about Cloak and Dagger's connection to the place. He wonders if maybe they were hired by the Mob to silence Marshall, or could they have a connection to the lost runaways. Creating a glider out of webs, Spidey floats down to Ellis Island itself.
This is an aspect of Spidey's webbing we hardly ever see nowadays. I love it when Spidey makes things out of webs. Yeah, it doesn't make a ton of sense, but it's still cool. Peter floats down to the island and starts getting a chill down his spine.
These panels are great. You almost get the feeling that Spidey is being haunted by the ghosts of those who came through the island in an attempt to make a new life for themselves in America, and considering this is the Marvel Universe, which houses heroes like Doctor Strange and Blade, who deal with the supernatural...who's to say there aren't any there? Also, considering how Bill Mantlo got inspired to create Cloak and Dagger, I think this scene may have been a nod to the visit that led to their appearing in his head, almost like he is giving thanks to Ellis Island for inspiration.
Spidey's imagination haunting him comes to an end when he hears a scream. The Wall-Crawler follows it and finds that one of the windows in the buildings is lit up. Parker deduces that Cloak and Dagger must be in the area, and he checks his webshooters. Inside the building, Cloak and Dagger have gotten a group of men all rolled up in one room. One of the men, Joey Tartaglione, realizes that the two vigilantes are one of "the kids". But he states that's impossible, because they're all dead.
From here, we get to learn about Cloak and Dagger's origins. Basically, they were a pair of runaways who were used as test subjects for a new drug developed by Simon Marshall.
Is it just me, or does Marshall look different here than earlier in the comic? I'm not sure, the face feels...off. The mob men notice that two of the runaways, despite being injected with the new drug, manage to escape. Marshall's drug killed all the other runaways, so the Mob consider it a bust. Marshall suggests they wash their hands of the whole thing, as the drug will kill the escaped runaways anyway.
Thing is, earlier in the story, Peter found out from the Bugle's researcher that the cops know about the new drug. Which basically means that when they found the runaways' bodies, they were given autopsies, which is how the cops likely discovered it. Marshall couldn't cover it up. It never occurred to the mob to...you know, destroy the bodies somehow?
Anyway, the two survivors didn't only just live, they were changed. Ty Johnson and Tandy Bowen were transformed into Cloak and Dagger. The comics have wavered back and forth over the years on whether the two were mutants whose powers were activated by the drug, or enhanced humans, but it was recently established that they were humans that were enhanced.
Spider-Man bursts in, screaming that if they had told him why they were doing what they were doing, he would have helped them stop the dealers and bring them to justice. Cloak and Dagger are more interested in getting revenge, and Spider tries to convince them to abandon that mission, as it'll make them no better than the drug dealers that killed their fellow runaways. The three scuffle, which allows one of the bound mob men to free himself with a glass shard. The mob man then ambushes Dagger, knocking her out.
He takes her hostage, and the Mob men try to flee. Spider-Man tries to pursue them, but Cloak teleports ahead. He uses his powers to surround the men in darkness, so thick they can barely see each other. Spider-Man comes out of nowhere, and is able to free Dagger unharmed. The Mob men run for it...into Cloak's...well, cloak. The men panic, but find a light and flee towards it.
However, the light was the moon shining through the window. The men fall through it, five stories they plunge, and they splat on the ground.
Cloak and Dagger, satisfied with what they have done, teleport away, leaving the Web-Head alone in the dark building. The Wall-Crawler is left confused, dazzled, and perhaps...a little frightened.
This was a pretty enjoyable comic. We get a good idea of Cloak and Dagger's motivations and origins, which would get expanded further in future appearances and their first mini-series later on. It's a standard revenge story, and Cloak and Dagger do come off as a bit one-dimensional, but the two characters do get expanded further upon, so it's forgivable. If you're a fan of the characters, this comic is a must-get.
If the upcoming TV show has got you interested in the characters, I recommend picking up the trade paperback Shadows and Light. It collects their early appearances, including this comic, and their first mini-series, which did expand further on their origin. They also encounter the likes of the Kingpin, Silvermane, the Punisher, and even the New Mutants.
Next time, in honor of a certain Marvel movie featuring a certain Thunder God, we'll take a look at an issue of Thor...
So, who are Cloak and Dagger? Well, you know the Runaways? Cloak and Dagger were the original Runaways, in a sense. A pair of teenagers who fled rough lives. Cloak was once Tyrone "Ty" Johnson, an African-American youth from Boston. Dagger was once Tandy Bowen, a ballet dancer from upper-class roots from Shaker Heights, Ohio. They came to New York, only to run into trouble. They ended up being test subjects for an experimental new drug being developed for the Mob.
The drug ended up giving them strange new powers. Johnson's body was transformed into a living portal into a dimension of endless darkness, and Bowen became a generator of light, which she can throw in the form of small dagger-like projectiles that can paralyze and kill people, and even cure drug addiction. Their new powers came with a caveat, however. Cloak's darkness had a hunger for people's "light", whatever that meant. Dagger's body could only hold so much light before becoming overcharged. Dagger's light powers could relieve Cloak's hunger, as well as keep her from overloading. As a result, the two of them were basically stuck together.
Over the past three decades, Cloak and Dagger have had mini-series, their own series, and many guest appearances in other titles. They've also gone through many a crazy change in their careers, with Cloak losing his powers for a while, Dagger going blind for a while, and even the two of them recently getting their powers switched. Despite this, Cloak and Dagger have maintained a presence in the MU, so much so, they have appeared in cartoons, and are getting a live-action TV series.
The cover is actually pretty neat, it has that Eisner Spirit-esque feel to it, thanks to the words on the buildings. There is one thing about the cover that does bother me, though...but it's not the cover's fault. It's the title of the comic itself. Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man. The title does come off as a bit overly long. And why mention that Peter Parker is Spider-Man here? At the time, he was the only active Spider-Man. This was many years before Miguel O'Hara and Miles Morales came into existence, and shared the Spider-Man identity with Peter.
"Cloak and Dagger"
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciller: Ed Hannigan
Inker: Al Milgrom (The issue mistakenly credits Jim Mooney)
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
The story begins with Spider-Man swinging through the city.
He hears a cry for help, and decides to investigate it. He finds a man, who is terrified for his life. Spidey jokes that if the man needs change, he himself is a bit short. The man explains that money's not his problem.
The man's problem is drugs. You see, the man used to be a pharmacist, but he fell into some bad debt. However, he was offered some debt relief by some people performing experiments. What they needed was for him to procure some substances that were...not exactly liked by the law, let's just say. He pleads with Spidey to take him to the District Attorney so he can confess. Spidey's Spider-Sense goes into overdrive, and the man's pursuers make themselves known.
The man, Simon Marshall, tries to flee. Spider-Man tries to protect him, but Cloak traps him in his...well, cloak. The cloak contains an endless dimension of darkness that Spidey can't seem to find a way out of. Worse, it somehow weakens his Spider-Sense. Marshall flees for his life, but Dagger, using some acrobatics, manages to catch up to him. Marshall pleads for his life, even saying he's going to turn himself in, and even apologizes to her. Dagger is hearing none of it.
Her light daggers cause a shock to Marshall's system, and the dying man falls into a pigeon cage. Spider-Man is able to escape Cloak by punching him in his still-solid jaw. Spider-Man discovers Marshall's body, and Dagger states that she did kill him. Yeah, in their early appearances, Cloak and Dagger had no issue using lethal force, especially against people involved in the drug industry.
Spider-Man is furious with them, stating that they had no right to execute Marshall, but Cloak and Dagger thinks otherwise, and Dagger throws her light daggers at Spidey. However, unlike Marshall, Spidey is in better shape, and has spider-like speed and agility.
However, Dagger can mentally control her light projectiles, and as a result, they can follow Spidey around. Spidey is able to neutralize two of them by making them hit a water tower, but he's still got two after him.
Spidey gets ambushed by Cloak, who immobilizes him long enough for Dagger's light daggers to hit him. Spidey's body is wracked by pain, but he sees the two superpowered Punishers. He tries to leap at them, but Cloak wraps Dagger in his namesake, and they vanish. The Webhead is left curled up on the roof in pain, and he is found by a couple of cops.
The cops find the deceased Simon Marshall and want Spidey to come in for questioning. They've been looking for Marshall for some time, and the Wall-Crawler takes his leave, still feeling the effects of Dagger's light projectiles. He's actually so messed up by them, he had to take the subway home.
The next day, Peter Parker goes to the Daily Bugle to find out more information about Simon Marshall, hoping to learn more about Cloak and Dagger. Peter learns that Marshall was developing some new drugs, so new that medical journals didn't know about them. The police discovered him working out of Ellis Island. When they launched a raid on the place, they found bodies.
Marshall had used many young people as test subjects for his new creations. The test subjects were runaways, whom the Mob would meet and make lofty promises to them before taking them to Ellis Island.
Spidey goes down to Ellis Island, wondering about Cloak and Dagger's connection to the place. He wonders if maybe they were hired by the Mob to silence Marshall, or could they have a connection to the lost runaways. Creating a glider out of webs, Spidey floats down to Ellis Island itself.
This is an aspect of Spidey's webbing we hardly ever see nowadays. I love it when Spidey makes things out of webs. Yeah, it doesn't make a ton of sense, but it's still cool. Peter floats down to the island and starts getting a chill down his spine.
These panels are great. You almost get the feeling that Spidey is being haunted by the ghosts of those who came through the island in an attempt to make a new life for themselves in America, and considering this is the Marvel Universe, which houses heroes like Doctor Strange and Blade, who deal with the supernatural...who's to say there aren't any there? Also, considering how Bill Mantlo got inspired to create Cloak and Dagger, I think this scene may have been a nod to the visit that led to their appearing in his head, almost like he is giving thanks to Ellis Island for inspiration.
Spidey's imagination haunting him comes to an end when he hears a scream. The Wall-Crawler follows it and finds that one of the windows in the buildings is lit up. Parker deduces that Cloak and Dagger must be in the area, and he checks his webshooters. Inside the building, Cloak and Dagger have gotten a group of men all rolled up in one room. One of the men, Joey Tartaglione, realizes that the two vigilantes are one of "the kids". But he states that's impossible, because they're all dead.
From here, we get to learn about Cloak and Dagger's origins. Basically, they were a pair of runaways who were used as test subjects for a new drug developed by Simon Marshall.
Is it just me, or does Marshall look different here than earlier in the comic? I'm not sure, the face feels...off. The mob men notice that two of the runaways, despite being injected with the new drug, manage to escape. Marshall's drug killed all the other runaways, so the Mob consider it a bust. Marshall suggests they wash their hands of the whole thing, as the drug will kill the escaped runaways anyway.
Thing is, earlier in the story, Peter found out from the Bugle's researcher that the cops know about the new drug. Which basically means that when they found the runaways' bodies, they were given autopsies, which is how the cops likely discovered it. Marshall couldn't cover it up. It never occurred to the mob to...you know, destroy the bodies somehow?
Anyway, the two survivors didn't only just live, they were changed. Ty Johnson and Tandy Bowen were transformed into Cloak and Dagger. The comics have wavered back and forth over the years on whether the two were mutants whose powers were activated by the drug, or enhanced humans, but it was recently established that they were humans that were enhanced.
Spider-Man bursts in, screaming that if they had told him why they were doing what they were doing, he would have helped them stop the dealers and bring them to justice. Cloak and Dagger are more interested in getting revenge, and Spider tries to convince them to abandon that mission, as it'll make them no better than the drug dealers that killed their fellow runaways. The three scuffle, which allows one of the bound mob men to free himself with a glass shard. The mob man then ambushes Dagger, knocking her out.
He takes her hostage, and the Mob men try to flee. Spider-Man tries to pursue them, but Cloak teleports ahead. He uses his powers to surround the men in darkness, so thick they can barely see each other. Spider-Man comes out of nowhere, and is able to free Dagger unharmed. The Mob men run for it...into Cloak's...well, cloak. The men panic, but find a light and flee towards it.
However, the light was the moon shining through the window. The men fall through it, five stories they plunge, and they splat on the ground.
Cloak and Dagger, satisfied with what they have done, teleport away, leaving the Web-Head alone in the dark building. The Wall-Crawler is left confused, dazzled, and perhaps...a little frightened.
This was a pretty enjoyable comic. We get a good idea of Cloak and Dagger's motivations and origins, which would get expanded further in future appearances and their first mini-series later on. It's a standard revenge story, and Cloak and Dagger do come off as a bit one-dimensional, but the two characters do get expanded further upon, so it's forgivable. If you're a fan of the characters, this comic is a must-get.
If the upcoming TV show has got you interested in the characters, I recommend picking up the trade paperback Shadows and Light. It collects their early appearances, including this comic, and their first mini-series, which did expand further on their origin. They also encounter the likes of the Kingpin, Silvermane, the Punisher, and even the New Mutants.
Next time, in honor of a certain Marvel movie featuring a certain Thunder God, we'll take a look at an issue of Thor...
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Marvel vs. Capcom Story Trailer, My Thoughts
Well, a little treat has come today! It's been a while since we heard anything about Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, the latest in the classic Marvel vs. Capcom series. And the game is going to have a campaign mode! Here's the trailer for it!
The trailer begins with Ultron and Sigma facing off. Ultron states that all organic life must be exterminated. Based on the next combined narration, I think we can guess the plot here: Ultron and Sigma somehow get the Infinity Gems, which causes them to merge into a new form that actually looks pretty cool. I think they intend to use the gems to create a new universe.
We next then see what looks like Asgard, with the combined Ultron/Sigma being sitting on Odin's throne, the Asgardians under his control. They look like they're partially roboticized. I'm guessing Sigma got the tech from Dr. Robotnik/Eggman somehow.
We then see some heroes fighting Ultron drones. There's Strider, the Hulk, Chris Redfield, Thor, Captain America, Mega Man X, the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel, Chun-Li with the kicks, Hawkeye shooting arrows...the bit with Hawkeye shooting arrows at Ultron Sigma has to be a nod to the first Avengers movie, the bit with Hawkeye firing an arrow at Loki during the final battle.
It's neat to see some characters returning from the last game, but I have to admit, I was kind of hoping to see more new characters in this scene. Yeah, Captain Marvel and Mega Man X are new, but I was hoping to see a couple more. I do hope the roster is massive, though. Marvel and Capcom got big character libraries, dig deep, guys! Go big!
There's a nice scene with Rocket and Mega Man X, that gave me a chuckle. I noticed he has his MCU appearance. That actually makes a lot of sense. That's the look the mainstream will be familiar with thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Evidently there's a Deluxe Edition that can be pre-ordered. Comes with six all-new DLC characters, probably three Marvel and three Capcom, and six premium costumes. Maybe they're more...old-school outfits? It says Sigma is featured. Is he one of the six DLC characters, or is he separate? The Deluxe Edition comes with some NICE-looking statues, too.
This game looks like it'll be a LOT of fun! I hope they bring it to the Switch!
The trailer begins with Ultron and Sigma facing off. Ultron states that all organic life must be exterminated. Based on the next combined narration, I think we can guess the plot here: Ultron and Sigma somehow get the Infinity Gems, which causes them to merge into a new form that actually looks pretty cool. I think they intend to use the gems to create a new universe.
We next then see what looks like Asgard, with the combined Ultron/Sigma being sitting on Odin's throne, the Asgardians under his control. They look like they're partially roboticized. I'm guessing Sigma got the tech from Dr. Robotnik/Eggman somehow.
We then see some heroes fighting Ultron drones. There's Strider, the Hulk, Chris Redfield, Thor, Captain America, Mega Man X, the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel, Chun-Li with the kicks, Hawkeye shooting arrows...the bit with Hawkeye shooting arrows at Ultron Sigma has to be a nod to the first Avengers movie, the bit with Hawkeye firing an arrow at Loki during the final battle.
It's neat to see some characters returning from the last game, but I have to admit, I was kind of hoping to see more new characters in this scene. Yeah, Captain Marvel and Mega Man X are new, but I was hoping to see a couple more. I do hope the roster is massive, though. Marvel and Capcom got big character libraries, dig deep, guys! Go big!
There's a nice scene with Rocket and Mega Man X, that gave me a chuckle. I noticed he has his MCU appearance. That actually makes a lot of sense. That's the look the mainstream will be familiar with thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Evidently there's a Deluxe Edition that can be pre-ordered. Comes with six all-new DLC characters, probably three Marvel and three Capcom, and six premium costumes. Maybe they're more...old-school outfits? It says Sigma is featured. Is he one of the six DLC characters, or is he separate? The Deluxe Edition comes with some NICE-looking statues, too.
This game looks like it'll be a LOT of fun! I hope they bring it to the Switch!
Friday, April 21, 2017
Squadron Supreme #4 (December 1985)
Welcome back to Earth-712! That's right, we're now going to take a look at another issue of Squadron Supreme's 1980s mini-series. This month, we'll take a look at issue number four. Dark times are coming ahead for the Squadron Supreme, if they aren't here already. Let's take a look.
Previously on Squadron Supreme: Doctor Spectrum played a bad prank on Power Princess, and got warned he'd get what was coming to him. Arcanna, Amphibian, and Whizzer dealt with an armed insurrection, who acted out of fear of the Squadron's tyranny. Doctor Spectrum went to investigate where the missing Nuke went off to, only to end up battling him after the radioactive young man went insane with rage and grief. During the battle, Doctor Spectrum went to form an energy bubble around Nuke in an attempt to stop him, but accidentally suffocates and kills him.
The cover is definitely an attention-grabber. It depicts Lady Lark sitting limply in a B-Mod machine, and the rest of the Squadron being shocked and horrified about it...except for one. Yeah, the cover does make it slightly obvious who did it. As for why...well, that's what the book will explain.
"Change of Heart"
Writer: Mark Gruenwald
Penciller: Bob Hall
Inker: Sam De La Rosa
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Mark Phillips
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter
This issue begins with a bang.
Yup, Blue Eagle literally crashes a party held by a bunch of gunmen in pink berets...it was 1985, folks. He's got a new suit, a new codename, and a fancy new shield. The Pink Beret Militiamen shoot at Eagle's shield, but it's bulletproof. One of the men notes that Blue Eagle is carrying an odd device, possibly a bomb.
A door blasts open, revealing Lady Lark. The men shoot at her, too, but...
It turns out the lady's packing a personal protective forcefield, generated by a special belt invented by Tom Thumb. You know, I can't help but wonder why he didn't come up with something like this earlier. It would be such a useful tool for a superhero.
Anyway, while Lark is thrashing the men with her sonics, Blue Eagle is placing his gadget on the ground. He gives the signal, and Lady Lark screams into the gadget.
The gadget, the Ultravox Modulator, takes the sounic screams she puts out and turns it into a special tone to stimulate the sleep centers of the men's brains. Lark and Eagle are able to fly out before it could affect them. Eagle has to fetch his shield, and Lark chastises herself for not doing a good job hiding her growing crush on the Blue Eagle. Ooh, superhero soap opera intrigue.
She notices a yellow blur on the ground, and it's the Whizzer, taking care of his share of commandos. Power Princess and Amphibian engage a tank. The tank blasts Princess, but her shield saves her. I think I can assume that Eagle had shield envy. She then tosses her shield and uses it to plug up the tank's cannon. Amphibian is then able to bend the tank's cannon in an angle, rendering it useless. He and Power Princess are then able to flip the tank on its side.
Power Princess and Amphibian then next go to the main armory.
We then next switch to Arcanna and Golden Archer. The two are facing some men on a rooftop. Archer gripes that they're being attacked by men who want to kill them in cold blood, but they can only, in his own words, "send 'em to Dreamland!". Arcanna teases the Archer by stating that he's enjoying the target practice. One of the men has a bazooka, and uses it to shoot them down.
Arcanna is able to save herself with her magic, but barely manages to save Archer. She takes down the men with her magic, and Archer tumbles to the ground. Archer grumbles that Tom Thumb needed to make the forcefields a bit hardier. Can't blame him, you'd think Tom Thumb would think of something like this. Archer notes people are firing on him, but he feels the impacts of the bullets. Fearing that the forcefield is on the fritz, he fires a smoke arrow to cover an escape. He notes his back is hurting, and he will take sick leave after this.
He runs into one of the soldiers, losing his bow in the process. The gunman has the Golden Archer dead to rights, and to Archer's horror, the forcefield belt's completely busted, meaning he's unprotected. The gunman lets rip.
Whizzer to the rescue! Yup, the Whizzer managed to rip the bullets out of the air and the gun out of the soldier's hands. Archer finishes the man with a punch to the jaw. In the base's command center, Power Princess manages to reach the base's commander and tries to get him to order the men to surrender. However, he states that his men will fight to the bitter end, regardless of his order. The rebellion is finally put down by Hyperion himself making a big entrance.
Hyperion apologizes for the delay, as he was escorting some foreign spyplanes back to their homeland. Power Princess explains that the ringleader, General Chapman, and his men were not too fond of the idea of disarming the military. Yeah, this is an indication of the creeping tyranny the Squadron were putting the country under with their programs. After the Squadron gather up the men's weapons, Whizzer states he wants to visit Dr. Spectrum, and Hyperion gives the okay.
Hyperion and Archer fly off in an air car, and Archer thanks Whizzer for saving his life. The two arrive as at what I think is a factory or a foundry of some kind. There, Dr. Spectrum is using his Power Prism to help melt down the confiscated guns. Archer remarks that Spectrum's powers would have been really helpful in the battle earlier, but Spectrum is still struggling over accidentally killing Nuke, and feels too uncomfortable using his prism for anything beyond minor stuff again. Spectrum and Archer go visit Nuke's grave, and we get a glimpse into Spectrum's origin story.
Appropriate that the Hal Jordan Green Lantern ersatz has a Hal Jordan-esque origin. Before becoming Dr. Spectrum, Joseph "Joe" Ledger was a fearless astronaut, a man who lived for danger and excitement. He never considered something going wrong in his years of fighting super-crime, and Nuke was the first time some died in his attempt to stop them, and it's hit him hard. Archer reassures him that he'll get over this, and wherever Nuke is, he understands and wants him to forgive himself.
Archer tells Spectrum that his brush with death has got him realizing something. He's not going to be around forever, and he has decided to ask his beloved Lady Lark to marry him. Spectrum is overjoyed to hear this, and eagerly accepts Archer's offer to be his best man.
That night, the Squadron holds a meeting. They discuss the gun confiscation programs, stating that the local and state police forces will have more of a problem with giving up the guns than the military. Tom Thumb then reveals a new invention he had been working on.
It's called the Behavior Modification Device, or B-Mod for short. When a person is put under the machine, it alters their brain cells, replacing negative tendencies with positive ones. In a bit of a funny moment, Tom admits he used it on himself to cure his nail-biting habit. Hyperion is happy about this, but Amphibian objects to the device. He's concerned about whether such a device is ethical to use.
Amphibian feels such a device is wrong to use, as it alters a person's mind and a part of who they are. Taking guns is fine to him, as they are chunks of metal designed to only kill. But to him, this is too far. Tom argues that the B-Mod machine doesn't alter the mind, just adds the desire to be a good person to it. Amphibian states that still is altering a person's mind. Blue Eagle stands by Tom Thumb, stating that to him, a convicted criminal has lost the right to their mind's sanctity.
Amphibian states that the B-Mod could be abused by using it to mess with the minds of people who commit minor crimes like being a litterbug. Arcanna agrees, stating it's unnatural. She also fears these questions surrounding the B-Mod could hurt their credibility. Power Princess argues the B-Mod is a humane way to help the criminals. Spectrum suggests a compromise, making it voluntary and offering immediate parole to those who go under it. Archer stays out of it, his mind consumed by his plans to propose. The Squadron votes, favoring the use of the machine. Amphibian angrily storms off, reconsidering his membership in the Squadron.
Archer then well, proposes to her as he can.
Lady Lark is clearly surprised by this. Archer tells her he didn't expect an immediate answer, and to think about it. Lark decides she has to go, and Archer is overjoyed, shooting some firework arrows into the air to celebrate. Lark passes by Tom Thumb, who is talking about the B-Mod device to Hyperion. Interestingly, Tom remarks that he wished he came up with it a month earlier, as such a device could've saved Nuke. I like to think that Nuke's death was partial inspiration for the B-Mod, perhaps Tom feeling guilty about Nuke's death and wanting to prevent it from happening again.
Lark passes by Blue Eagle and Dr. Spectrum, who are watching TV, and Whizzer, who is talking to his daughter.
Lark finds Arcanna, who was asleep. Lark explains to Arcanna that she's in a bit of a predicament. You see...Lark's kind of moved on from the Golden Archer, as it were. She no longer has the feelings for him that she once had, and his sudden proposal has her flummoxed. Arcanna has a sympathetic ear, advising her that she should tell him how she feels gently, but firmly. Also, not to take too long on it. Lark thanks her for the advice. Arcanna wants to tell her something, but decides it can wait.
Yup, Arcanna's pregnant again! Keep in mind she already had three kids. It's pretty clear that she and her husband Phillip really enjoy their intimate time, and do not believe in birth control.
Lark waits outside, and an overjoyed Archer greets her, awaiting her answer.
Look at this sequence here. You can actually see the Golden Archer going through the shock and heartbreak of his proposal being turned down. Lark says her piece, and Archer...he takes it well.
We do see Lark and Eagle working together a couple times in the series, and based on the timeframes these issues cover, it can be implied the two of them have worked together quite a bit over the past couple of months. It was hinted earlier that Lark may be developing feelings for Eagle, so that would also further explain why she turned down Archer's proposal.
A saddened Lark goes back into the headquarters, and a heartbroken and enraged Archer breaks his bow. Spectrum notices Archer marching angrily into the HQ. Archer is convinced that Lark has been seeing Blue Eagle (We had seen them work together previously in Issue #2, and considering the length of time these issues cover, we can assume they have spent quite a bit of time together), and he wants to give Eagle a jaw adjustment. You know, back in the day with the JLA, Green Arrow and Hawkman didn't get along very well, either.
Spectrum tries to convince Archer that punching Eagle won't help, and they should go for a walk together and talk it out. Spectrum tell him that if he wants to hit someone so bad, Archer can punch him, as he won't fight back. Archer initially agrees, but stops himself. He doesn't want to punch his friend, as Spectrum didn't deserve it, and he's just letting his anger overcome him. Spectrum takes Archer out for a walk so Archer can talk and vent.
A couple hours later, Archer thanks Spectrum for letting him vent and talking to him about it. Spectrum plans to turn in for the night, as they have an early morning coming. Archer says he just has to get something to eat. But filling an empty stomach is not something he has in mind.
Instead, he goes to Tom Thumb's lab, curious about how the B-Mod machine works.
Yup, nothing good is going to come of this. Anyway, Archer waits until the rest of the Squadron are asleep, and then goes to visit Lady Lark while she is slumbering. He cracks a capsule open, which contains a gas that keeps her in dreamland. Archer then takes Lark to Thumb's B-Mod machine, and...
Yup. Golden Archer uses the B-Mod to make Lady Lark fall in love with him again. He justifies it as since their love in the past was a good thing, there's nothing wrong with bringing it back. Yup, this is something that Amphibian and Arcanna feared. The next morning, a bouncy and bushy-tailed Lady Lark runs up to Archer and gives him a big ol' kiss.
I love the details in this panel. Spectrum is...happy? Arcanna is shocked, and Blue Eagle is suspicious.
This issue was really good. The B-Mod machine and Archer's actions really show the problems with the Squadron taking over the world like this, the misusing of the power that the Squadron has in their hands. It always starts off rather small. The B-Mod device grants extraordinary power, and in this series, it was only a matter of time before it got misused. I'm sure some would wonder why Tom Thumb didn't put in better security in case of something like this, but I like to think it was because he probably never imagined a fellow Squadron member would use his invention in such a terrible manner.
Bob Hall really has upped his art game for this issue, and I do kind of wish his art looked like this throughout his whole run on the series.
Next time, I originally intended to look at an underrated Captain America story, but since their TV show trailer has dropped, I decided instead we should look at the first appearance of Cloak and Dagger...
Previously on Squadron Supreme: Doctor Spectrum played a bad prank on Power Princess, and got warned he'd get what was coming to him. Arcanna, Amphibian, and Whizzer dealt with an armed insurrection, who acted out of fear of the Squadron's tyranny. Doctor Spectrum went to investigate where the missing Nuke went off to, only to end up battling him after the radioactive young man went insane with rage and grief. During the battle, Doctor Spectrum went to form an energy bubble around Nuke in an attempt to stop him, but accidentally suffocates and kills him.
The cover is definitely an attention-grabber. It depicts Lady Lark sitting limply in a B-Mod machine, and the rest of the Squadron being shocked and horrified about it...except for one. Yeah, the cover does make it slightly obvious who did it. As for why...well, that's what the book will explain.
"Change of Heart"
Writer: Mark Gruenwald
Penciller: Bob Hall
Inker: Sam De La Rosa
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Mark Phillips
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter
This issue begins with a bang.
Yup, Blue Eagle literally crashes a party held by a bunch of gunmen in pink berets...it was 1985, folks. He's got a new suit, a new codename, and a fancy new shield. The Pink Beret Militiamen shoot at Eagle's shield, but it's bulletproof. One of the men notes that Blue Eagle is carrying an odd device, possibly a bomb.
A door blasts open, revealing Lady Lark. The men shoot at her, too, but...
It turns out the lady's packing a personal protective forcefield, generated by a special belt invented by Tom Thumb. You know, I can't help but wonder why he didn't come up with something like this earlier. It would be such a useful tool for a superhero.
Anyway, while Lark is thrashing the men with her sonics, Blue Eagle is placing his gadget on the ground. He gives the signal, and Lady Lark screams into the gadget.
The gadget, the Ultravox Modulator, takes the sounic screams she puts out and turns it into a special tone to stimulate the sleep centers of the men's brains. Lark and Eagle are able to fly out before it could affect them. Eagle has to fetch his shield, and Lark chastises herself for not doing a good job hiding her growing crush on the Blue Eagle. Ooh, superhero soap opera intrigue.
She notices a yellow blur on the ground, and it's the Whizzer, taking care of his share of commandos. Power Princess and Amphibian engage a tank. The tank blasts Princess, but her shield saves her. I think I can assume that Eagle had shield envy. She then tosses her shield and uses it to plug up the tank's cannon. Amphibian is then able to bend the tank's cannon in an angle, rendering it useless. He and Power Princess are then able to flip the tank on its side.
Power Princess and Amphibian then next go to the main armory.
We then next switch to Arcanna and Golden Archer. The two are facing some men on a rooftop. Archer gripes that they're being attacked by men who want to kill them in cold blood, but they can only, in his own words, "send 'em to Dreamland!". Arcanna teases the Archer by stating that he's enjoying the target practice. One of the men has a bazooka, and uses it to shoot them down.
Arcanna is able to save herself with her magic, but barely manages to save Archer. She takes down the men with her magic, and Archer tumbles to the ground. Archer grumbles that Tom Thumb needed to make the forcefields a bit hardier. Can't blame him, you'd think Tom Thumb would think of something like this. Archer notes people are firing on him, but he feels the impacts of the bullets. Fearing that the forcefield is on the fritz, he fires a smoke arrow to cover an escape. He notes his back is hurting, and he will take sick leave after this.
He runs into one of the soldiers, losing his bow in the process. The gunman has the Golden Archer dead to rights, and to Archer's horror, the forcefield belt's completely busted, meaning he's unprotected. The gunman lets rip.
Whizzer to the rescue! Yup, the Whizzer managed to rip the bullets out of the air and the gun out of the soldier's hands. Archer finishes the man with a punch to the jaw. In the base's command center, Power Princess manages to reach the base's commander and tries to get him to order the men to surrender. However, he states that his men will fight to the bitter end, regardless of his order. The rebellion is finally put down by Hyperion himself making a big entrance.
Hyperion apologizes for the delay, as he was escorting some foreign spyplanes back to their homeland. Power Princess explains that the ringleader, General Chapman, and his men were not too fond of the idea of disarming the military. Yeah, this is an indication of the creeping tyranny the Squadron were putting the country under with their programs. After the Squadron gather up the men's weapons, Whizzer states he wants to visit Dr. Spectrum, and Hyperion gives the okay.
Hyperion and Archer fly off in an air car, and Archer thanks Whizzer for saving his life. The two arrive as at what I think is a factory or a foundry of some kind. There, Dr. Spectrum is using his Power Prism to help melt down the confiscated guns. Archer remarks that Spectrum's powers would have been really helpful in the battle earlier, but Spectrum is still struggling over accidentally killing Nuke, and feels too uncomfortable using his prism for anything beyond minor stuff again. Spectrum and Archer go visit Nuke's grave, and we get a glimpse into Spectrum's origin story.
Appropriate that the Hal Jordan Green Lantern ersatz has a Hal Jordan-esque origin. Before becoming Dr. Spectrum, Joseph "Joe" Ledger was a fearless astronaut, a man who lived for danger and excitement. He never considered something going wrong in his years of fighting super-crime, and Nuke was the first time some died in his attempt to stop them, and it's hit him hard. Archer reassures him that he'll get over this, and wherever Nuke is, he understands and wants him to forgive himself.
Archer tells Spectrum that his brush with death has got him realizing something. He's not going to be around forever, and he has decided to ask his beloved Lady Lark to marry him. Spectrum is overjoyed to hear this, and eagerly accepts Archer's offer to be his best man.
That night, the Squadron holds a meeting. They discuss the gun confiscation programs, stating that the local and state police forces will have more of a problem with giving up the guns than the military. Tom Thumb then reveals a new invention he had been working on.
It's called the Behavior Modification Device, or B-Mod for short. When a person is put under the machine, it alters their brain cells, replacing negative tendencies with positive ones. In a bit of a funny moment, Tom admits he used it on himself to cure his nail-biting habit. Hyperion is happy about this, but Amphibian objects to the device. He's concerned about whether such a device is ethical to use.
Amphibian feels such a device is wrong to use, as it alters a person's mind and a part of who they are. Taking guns is fine to him, as they are chunks of metal designed to only kill. But to him, this is too far. Tom argues that the B-Mod machine doesn't alter the mind, just adds the desire to be a good person to it. Amphibian states that still is altering a person's mind. Blue Eagle stands by Tom Thumb, stating that to him, a convicted criminal has lost the right to their mind's sanctity.
Amphibian states that the B-Mod could be abused by using it to mess with the minds of people who commit minor crimes like being a litterbug. Arcanna agrees, stating it's unnatural. She also fears these questions surrounding the B-Mod could hurt their credibility. Power Princess argues the B-Mod is a humane way to help the criminals. Spectrum suggests a compromise, making it voluntary and offering immediate parole to those who go under it. Archer stays out of it, his mind consumed by his plans to propose. The Squadron votes, favoring the use of the machine. Amphibian angrily storms off, reconsidering his membership in the Squadron.
Archer then well, proposes to her as he can.
Lady Lark is clearly surprised by this. Archer tells her he didn't expect an immediate answer, and to think about it. Lark decides she has to go, and Archer is overjoyed, shooting some firework arrows into the air to celebrate. Lark passes by Tom Thumb, who is talking about the B-Mod device to Hyperion. Interestingly, Tom remarks that he wished he came up with it a month earlier, as such a device could've saved Nuke. I like to think that Nuke's death was partial inspiration for the B-Mod, perhaps Tom feeling guilty about Nuke's death and wanting to prevent it from happening again.
Lark passes by Blue Eagle and Dr. Spectrum, who are watching TV, and Whizzer, who is talking to his daughter.
Lark finds Arcanna, who was asleep. Lark explains to Arcanna that she's in a bit of a predicament. You see...Lark's kind of moved on from the Golden Archer, as it were. She no longer has the feelings for him that she once had, and his sudden proposal has her flummoxed. Arcanna has a sympathetic ear, advising her that she should tell him how she feels gently, but firmly. Also, not to take too long on it. Lark thanks her for the advice. Arcanna wants to tell her something, but decides it can wait.
Yup, Arcanna's pregnant again! Keep in mind she already had three kids. It's pretty clear that she and her husband Phillip really enjoy their intimate time, and do not believe in birth control.
Lark waits outside, and an overjoyed Archer greets her, awaiting her answer.
Look at this sequence here. You can actually see the Golden Archer going through the shock and heartbreak of his proposal being turned down. Lark says her piece, and Archer...he takes it well.
We do see Lark and Eagle working together a couple times in the series, and based on the timeframes these issues cover, it can be implied the two of them have worked together quite a bit over the past couple of months. It was hinted earlier that Lark may be developing feelings for Eagle, so that would also further explain why she turned down Archer's proposal.
A saddened Lark goes back into the headquarters, and a heartbroken and enraged Archer breaks his bow. Spectrum notices Archer marching angrily into the HQ. Archer is convinced that Lark has been seeing Blue Eagle (We had seen them work together previously in Issue #2, and considering the length of time these issues cover, we can assume they have spent quite a bit of time together), and he wants to give Eagle a jaw adjustment. You know, back in the day with the JLA, Green Arrow and Hawkman didn't get along very well, either.
Spectrum tries to convince Archer that punching Eagle won't help, and they should go for a walk together and talk it out. Spectrum tell him that if he wants to hit someone so bad, Archer can punch him, as he won't fight back. Archer initially agrees, but stops himself. He doesn't want to punch his friend, as Spectrum didn't deserve it, and he's just letting his anger overcome him. Spectrum takes Archer out for a walk so Archer can talk and vent.
A couple hours later, Archer thanks Spectrum for letting him vent and talking to him about it. Spectrum plans to turn in for the night, as they have an early morning coming. Archer says he just has to get something to eat. But filling an empty stomach is not something he has in mind.
Instead, he goes to Tom Thumb's lab, curious about how the B-Mod machine works.
Yup, nothing good is going to come of this. Anyway, Archer waits until the rest of the Squadron are asleep, and then goes to visit Lady Lark while she is slumbering. He cracks a capsule open, which contains a gas that keeps her in dreamland. Archer then takes Lark to Thumb's B-Mod machine, and...
Yup. Golden Archer uses the B-Mod to make Lady Lark fall in love with him again. He justifies it as since their love in the past was a good thing, there's nothing wrong with bringing it back. Yup, this is something that Amphibian and Arcanna feared. The next morning, a bouncy and bushy-tailed Lady Lark runs up to Archer and gives him a big ol' kiss.
I love the details in this panel. Spectrum is...happy? Arcanna is shocked, and Blue Eagle is suspicious.
This issue was really good. The B-Mod machine and Archer's actions really show the problems with the Squadron taking over the world like this, the misusing of the power that the Squadron has in their hands. It always starts off rather small. The B-Mod device grants extraordinary power, and in this series, it was only a matter of time before it got misused. I'm sure some would wonder why Tom Thumb didn't put in better security in case of something like this, but I like to think it was because he probably never imagined a fellow Squadron member would use his invention in such a terrible manner.
Bob Hall really has upped his art game for this issue, and I do kind of wish his art looked like this throughout his whole run on the series.
Next time, I originally intended to look at an underrated Captain America story, but since their TV show trailer has dropped, I decided instead we should look at the first appearance of Cloak and Dagger...
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Cloak and Dagger Trailer, My Thoughts
It has been known for a while that a television series based on the adventures of Marvel's original Runaways, Cloak and Dagger, was in the works. And in a pleasant surprise, a trailer has been revealed. And here it is!
The trailer begins with a pair of people running, only to encounter a pair of cops. A brief shot of a young boy in a black hoodie, which then transitions to a young man looking at his face. I think this young man is our Tyrone Johnson.
Then there's a ship, I think. A truck, and then a shot of a young girl in ballet class. I think this is our Tandy Bowen.
Based on what we see in these shots, I'm guessing that Tyrone rescues Tandy from drowning in a car, and they probably start their friendship then, or maybe it's just the first time they encounter each other.
The scene with Tandy and Tyrone meeting each other was sweet. My only complaint was that Tyrone didn't have his stutter. You see, in the comics, before he became Cloak, Tyrone Johnson had a very bad stutter. It's what prevented him from speaking up and saving a friend from being killed, which made him run away in the first place.
It is neat to see that this series remembers that Tandy Bowen was a ballet dancer. That's good.
We do get to see brief glimpses of Dagger using her powers, including one of her light daggers. It looks like a crystal. I don't think we really see Cloak's powers in action, just some darkness around his hand in one scene. In a clever nod, we do see that Tyrone does wrap himself in a black cloak. There is a shot of him on a roof, which has a Roxxon sign on it. Could Roxxon be the ones behind Cloak and Dagger getting their powers here? They have empowered people in the comics.
This looks really interesting. I'll give it a looksee when it comes out.
The trailer begins with a pair of people running, only to encounter a pair of cops. A brief shot of a young boy in a black hoodie, which then transitions to a young man looking at his face. I think this young man is our Tyrone Johnson.
Then there's a ship, I think. A truck, and then a shot of a young girl in ballet class. I think this is our Tandy Bowen.
Based on what we see in these shots, I'm guessing that Tyrone rescues Tandy from drowning in a car, and they probably start their friendship then, or maybe it's just the first time they encounter each other.
The scene with Tandy and Tyrone meeting each other was sweet. My only complaint was that Tyrone didn't have his stutter. You see, in the comics, before he became Cloak, Tyrone Johnson had a very bad stutter. It's what prevented him from speaking up and saving a friend from being killed, which made him run away in the first place.
It is neat to see that this series remembers that Tandy Bowen was a ballet dancer. That's good.
We do get to see brief glimpses of Dagger using her powers, including one of her light daggers. It looks like a crystal. I don't think we really see Cloak's powers in action, just some darkness around his hand in one scene. In a clever nod, we do see that Tyrone does wrap himself in a black cloak. There is a shot of him on a roof, which has a Roxxon sign on it. Could Roxxon be the ones behind Cloak and Dagger getting their powers here? They have empowered people in the comics.
This looks really interesting. I'll give it a looksee when it comes out.
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