Pokemon Sword/Shield, Meet Sirfetch'd Trailer, My Thoughts

We've been given quite a bit of information about the newest games in the long-running Pokémon franchise: Pokémon Sword and Shield. Among the things we learned was that one old Pokémon is getting a Galar-unique variant and a further evolution. Well, we are learning that another classic Pokémon has an evolved form unique to the Galar region.

Farfetch'd is a duck-like Pokémon that first appeared in Red and Blue. It was a Pokémon that was only obtainable by trading a Spearow in Vermillion City. In Pokémon Yellow, the little bird can be found on Routes 12 and 13. Pokédex entries in the various games over the years have established that the little bird is often found in areas reedy plants grow, and likes to use these plant stalks as swords.

It's also regarded as rare and possibly endangered because...people eat them. Yeah, people eat them. The Pokémon was inspired by a Japanese saying: "a duck comes bearing bunching onions". It basically means "something surprising but convenient". In the Galar region, this Pokémon is getting an evolution. Let's say hello to the Sword-exclusive Sirfetch'd!

Farfetch'd is a Normal/Flying type. So it's strange that Sirfetch'd is a Fighting-type. I mean, it does make a form of sense in a way, as this is a line of Pokémon that is known for fighting with various items, but I'd have expected to still be Flying, either primary or secondary. I can imagine it still being able to learn Flying-type attacks.

I've heard some people draw the giant stalk it holds like a big sword. I think it's supposed to be a lance. Like knights use in jousting. I do wonder about the shield it holds. Is it made from leaves? Looks like it's made from leaves.

I don't know why, but his face looks kind of smug to me. I don't know why.

...yeah, you don't mess with Sirfetch'd. It can go Super Saiyan.

"Onward, for honor and glory! Quack Quack!"

Sirfetch'd is not amused by your toy, sir. He shall have your head!

Well, this was a short little trailer. But it was neat. It's awesome seeing an old Pokémon get a new evolution. I heard there was a cult demand for this Pokémon to get an evolution, so it's great that it happened. Sirfetch'd looks awesome!

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Link's Awakening Accolades Trailer, My Thoughts

I was excited when it was announced that a remake for one of my favorite Game Boy games was coming to the Switch, I was so excited. I loved Link's Awakening so much, it was one of my favorite games to play on the old gray brick, right alongside Super Mario Land, DuckTales, and Pokémon.

Well, the game is out, and the reviews are in! As such, Nintendo released a special accolades trailer showing off the critical praise this game has got! Let's take a look!

It's not surprising a Zelda game gets such high praise. They tend to be some of the best games Nintendo puts out.

...is that witch having a stroke?

Aw, look! Link's got his sword!

Heh heh, that raccoon's going insane.

Man, I love the look of this game.

Malon singing to a walrus. I wonder if she's singing a certain Beatles song to it...Koo koo ka-choo.

I was surprised by the sudden bit of Super Mario gameplay in this game.

I love this version of Tal Tal Heights.

Man, I hate that floor face boss.

This game looks so wonderful. It's quite the upgrade from the old Game Boy.

Not a lot to say about this trailer, because it was short and it basically said "Yeah, this game is good." I want this game so much. I really do. This game was a favorite of mine as a kid, and I'm so happy it got this Switch remake. And I'm so happy it was received well.

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NWA Powerrr Episode 1, My Thoughts.

In 1948, a group of smaller wrestling promotions came together to form the National Wrestling Alliance. The idea was all these promotions, originally having their own champions, would consolidate them into having one world heavyweight champion, recognized everywhere. Wrestler and promoter Orville Brown would get the honor of being recognized as the NWA's first world heavyweight champion.

The NWA's champion would travel to each of the member promotions' "territories" and work with their top wrestlers. The promotions' heads would also agree to stick to their "territories" and not hold shows outside of them. For example, if your wrestling "territory" was say, New England, you would agree not to hold wrestling shows outside of New England...unless special arrangements were made.

The NWA's decline began in the 1980s thanks to the rise of cable television, Vince McMahon taking the then-World Wresting Federation national, and Ted Turner buying what would become World Championship Wrestling and taking that national as well. Several other promotions would secede from the NWA, including the Mexico-based EMLL, and the Japan-based NJPW. The NWA continued on, but it was a pale shadow of the days of Harley Race and Ric Flair.

In 2017, Billy Corgan (Yes, the same Billy Corgan who sings for the Smashing Pumpkins. He's a big wrestling fan) bought the National Wrestling Alliance. In August 2019, it was announced the NWA would begin tapings for a new online show called NWA Power (or NWA Powerrr), which will stream every Tuesday on YouTube and Facebook. And since the first episode came out last Tuesday, I thought I'd give my thoughts on it.

What's with the countdown?

I like the theme song choice. Dokken's "Into the Fire" is a good song. And it fits the old-school vibe they're going for here. The modern take on the old-school graphics is a nice touch.

Nick Aldis looks like a champion. Love his talking about the other champions. Gives the idea they're just as important as he is. Kamille is pretty.

The studio setup is very novel to someone who is used to watching wrestling shows being held in large arenas. It feels more intimate, like we're being let into a special exclusive event.

First match! The Dawsons vs. Sal Rinauro and Billy Buck. Dawsons defeat Rinauro and Buck in a short little tag squash.

I want to see the Dawsons order food at a McDonalds. "WE WANT THE BIG MACS, AND WE DO NOT CARE HOW WE'LL GET THEM!"

Heh heh, Austin Idol sounds like a used car salesman. I wonder if I can train to be a manager. I always wanted to be a wrestling manager.

It's so weird to see wrestlers come out with no entrance music. I get that it's a studio setup, but it feels less grand to see the wrestlers come out to no music. I hope we get music in the future.

Eli Drake kind of reminds me of the Rock with his promo style.

To be fair Eli, we all have to start somewhere.

Second Match! Eli Drake vs. Caleb Konley! Fun little match with Drake getting the win. And Jim Cornette showing his age again. Whining about "cosplayers" in wrestling. Sheesh. How dare wrestlers be fans of things like comic books. It's not the 80s anymore, Jim.

18:50 Is that guy drunk?! Someone tell him Storm is a fictional character! ...oh, he meant James Storm. I remember him from TNA.

He wanted James Storm, he got him! James Storm's National Championship belt is kind of goofy-looking to me. Yeah, I get that it's the classic design, but just because it looked like that in the past doesn't mean it needs to still look that way, guys.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Third match is a tag team match. Current NWA Tag Team Champions the Wild Cards vs. Danny White and Mims. The tag belts are not on the line. I admit, I like the look of the Wild Cards, especially the one with the kilt. He's like a metalhead Scotsman.

"GIVE US OUR BELTS!"

Yup, with the Yankees cap and accent, it's obvious Eddie Kingston is definitely a New Yorker.

They should bolt that podium down if they don't want wrestlers tossing it around again.

Kingston has backup! It's Homicide! I know him from TNA back in the day!

Were those two brawling the entire time?

Nice to see a heel (bad guy) acting like a coward.

And that's what happens when you mess with an angry cowboy.

Good promo package there. Tells the story effectively. Tim Storm is desperate to get that NWA title back around his waist, desperate enough that'd he agree to this one last shot.

Main event time! NWA Champion Nick Aldis vs. Tim Storm, title on the line! If Storm loses, he can never get another NWA Championship shot again. This was a great main event, and I felt so bad for Storm at the end.

All in all, this was a fun episode. A great start to the rebirth of the NWA. I do wish they could have fit in a women's match, though. Show they have a women's division ready to go. Also, I know the studio setup may make that difficult, but I would like it if they somehow incorporated entrance music in. Entrance music is a great way to help make wrestlers memorable and give character. And I'm sure it would make the show a bit more modern. Still, I liked this show. The hour went by fast, had some good wrestling and character work. I will be tuning in next week.

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The Flash #62 (Early May 1992)

Two of the big themes of the Flash are family and legacy, especially during the years Wally West wore the Flash suit. With the Crisis on Infinite Earths having passed, Barry Allen's mantle as the Flash had passed to West, who was Allen's nephew and former sidekick as Kid Flash.

In 1990, Mark Waid made his formal debut in the realm of comic scribing. He had sold a couple of Superman stories to DC in 1985, and it led to him getting a staff editor job at DC Comics a couple years later. His time in the position did not last long, but it did result in him forming a friendship with the editor of the Flash's book at the time: Brian Augustyn.

Waid was a fan of the Flash, and knew even then, the character was about legacy. It made perfect sense. Jay Garrick was the very first Flash, debuting in 1941. In 1955, Barry Allen took up the suit. And in 1986, Wally West became the third Flash.

Also at the time, CBS debuted a live-action TV series focusing on the Flash, with John Wesley Shipp playing the role of the Barry Allen Flash. Yeah, they used the Flash that had been dead for four years in the comics beforehand. Go figure. The series lasted one season, but it would be referenced in the 2014 Flash TV series. Shipp even reprised his role as Barry Allen in that series. The comic did get a sales bump from the TV show, but it was not to last. In fact, some editors felt the book should have been cancelled.

Waid's actual Flash debut was on Flash Special #1 (1990), a generational tale that linked the three Flashes (as well as a far-future Flash) in one story. Flash #62, the comic were going to look at here, was Waid's first debut on the regular Flash book. He would stay on the title for eight years. The first story he would tackle in his run? A retelling of the origins of Wally West. How he gained his powers and his adventures as Kid Flash. And with that out of the way, let's dig in!

The cover is a Greg LaRocque piece, depicting Wally West presumably being struck by lightning. The facial expression is amusing to me, as it looks like Wally just got mildly spooked instead of taking a lightning strike to the face. I do like the nod to AC/DC. "Thunderstruck is an awesome song."

"Flash: Year One - Born to Run!, Chapter 1: Thunder Struck"
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciler: Greg LaRocque
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Letterer: Tim Harkins
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with Wally West racing into action as the Scarlet Speedster.

He runs into an airport. He's in a bit of a crisis. You see, two captured terrorists were in a jail cell after committing a series of local bombings. However, they had one last bomb ready to blow at midnight. But the terrorist in charge of setting the timer screwed up. He set the bomb to explode at noon. This happened at 11:42 AM. Whoops.

Wally himself didn't learn about it until 11:55 AM. The terrorists refused to reveal the bomb's location, so Wally West has less than five minutes to find and defuse the bomb. Wally may be the Fastest Man Alive, but even he needs time. He's able to find the bomb with seconds to spare...but he has no time to defuse it. He races to the airport's tarmac as the bomb starts to explode.

This leads Wally to reminisce about a game he used to play on the Fourth of July as a kid. He would light a firecracker and hold on to it as long as he dared to before throwing it. He was good at it. And yes, he does admit it was pretty stupid. His dad tanned his hide good for it. Wally pitches the bomb in the air.

With the crisis over, Wally can change back into his civilian clothes and rest a bit. He goes to a restaurant and orders a lot of food. Yeah, being super-fast comes with super-metabolism. As a result, Wally needs to eat a lot of food. Gotta consume those caolries! It's there he runs into his beloved grandfather, Ira West. A Nobel Prize-winning professor and lecturer, West is a bit of an absent-minded man. Wally is feeling a bit guilty. You see, the old man lives about twelve miles away from him...and he never comes to visit. It feels even worse because Wally could literally zip over there in seconds. To be fair, life can consume people...even if they're the Fastest People Alive. The two agree to have lunch together.

It's then that Wally starts thinking about his family.

Ira West had three children: Charlotte, Rudolph, and Iris. Charlotte was the oldest, and she always talked down to Wally. I don't think we've seen her much in the comics. She may not even exist anymore in the current comics. Current DC canon is a giant fustercluck. Rudolph was Wally's dad, and the middle kid. He never was close to anyone. Finally, there was Iris. Wally worshipped Iris. She was married to Barry Allen, the previous Flash before she passed away in The Flash #275 (July 1979). She was killed by Professor Zoom.

Wally is then at Ira's home, looking through Iris's old personal effects. Ira had forgotten he had them. You know, Wally, maybe you should consider the possibility that the old man has dementia or something. Wally finds Iris's scrapbooks detailing Barry's career as the Flash. It leads him to wonder if Iris knew he wanted her to be proud of him. He worshipped her, and he hopes that she knew how much he loved her.

Iris had kept a scrapbook of him during his Kid Flash days. Turns out was pretty darn proud of her little nephew after all. Aww. It leads the new Scarlet Speedster to reminisce about his childhood. When he was ten years old, he was living in Blue Valley, Nebraska. His parents constantly fought. Iris had called and offered to let Wally stay with her in Central City for the summer. Naturally, Wally was all too eager to go. Central City was home of the Flash, the coolest hero ever!

After a long bus ride, the young Wally arrives at Central, where Iris was waiting for him. The two get ready to check out the Flash Museum when he gets to see the Scarlet Speedster himself. The Flash was stopping a bank robbery. He managed to take down two of the robbers, but ended up tripping on some jewelry the third robber dropped. Wally comes up with a plan to save the Flash. He grabs a wrench from a worker, and goes to a nearby fire hydrant.

"HAVE A DRINK ON ME!"

In the hot Midwest, fire hydrants can be very useful. It buys the Fastest Man Alive a few extra seconds...which is all he needs. He's able to easily take down the robbers. The Flash then makes Wally's day by thanking him for the help and saying he's his hero.

It's then Wally gets introduced to Barry Allen, Iris's fiancé. He was also operating as the Flash at the time. The three have lunch, and Barry tries to explain to Wally his job as a forensic scientist, but the young boy finds it dull. He couldn't find Barry Allen more dull if he tired. It's like he intentionally tries to be boring.

Heh heh, a young boy would really not have a lot of patience. Barry then takes Wally to his home. He claims he's a friend of the Flash, and he's coming to visit. Wally's like, "Yeah, right. The Flash. Friends with you. Quit pulling my leg, Allen!" But Allen isn't pulling any legs.

Naturally, Wally is amazed. He's taking to the Flash in the flesh. But why is here? Well, Barry lets the Flash use his lab to crack cases. He lets Wally ask anything about him...except who he is under that mask. Got to protect that secret identity, after all. Wally then asks how he got his powers. Well, that one's alright. The Flash was standing in front of a cabinet of chemicals. A thunderstorm had erupted...and a bolt of lightning smashed through the window, causing the man who would become The Flash to be doused in electrified chemicals. And the Fastest Man Alive was born!

As if fate is having itself a bit of a laugh, there's a thunderstorm outside. And Wally is standing in front of a cabinet full of chemicals. You can guess what happens next.

Yup. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but that turns out to be bull.

This comic was really good. I really like that Waid gave much more depth and development to the early years of Wally West. It really does help explain why Wally became the man he is, and why he held Iris and Barry so highly in his life. I like the idea that he was a fanboy growing up. For Wally West, becoming a superhero was a dream come true, getting to fight crime and colorful villains alongside his favorite superhero. I also liked the scene with him using the fire hydrant to help save the Flash from the bank robbers. It showed that Wally already was a hero at heart, even before getting superspeed.

I love Greg Laroque's art here. It's very clean and has a bit of a cartoony vibe to it. There was good art in 90s comics, you just had to look beyond Image and the X-Books. If you want to read this yourself, I recommend picking up the 2016 trade paperback The Flash by Mark Waid Book One. It's a good trade, worth the money.

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Jungle Cruise Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1955, Disney Parks debuted Jungle Cruise. The ride is located in the Adventureland area of many of the Disney Parks, like Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Florida. The attraction is a simulation of a 1930s riverboat ride through various rivers in Asia, Africa, and South America. One of the inspirations behind the ride was the 1951 Humphrey Bogart film The African Queen.

The ride is still active today, having undergone many refurbishments over the years. And like Pirates of the Caribbean, it's getting a feature film adaptation. Yup. Helmed by Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt. The upcoming film Jungle Cruise tells the tale of a riverboat captain taking a scientist and her brother on a journey through the jungle to find a magical tree. Let's take a look at the trailer!

Ah, even in the 1930s, London was a busy city.

Emily Blunt has a nice hat.

I wonder if this Amazon tree is a cousin of Yggdrasil?

I've heard of parkour, but this is ridiculous.

This was how superhero landings were done in the 30s.

Heh heh, the play on the noir cliché line is great. That steamer does look cheap as heck, I'll give him that.

WHEEEEEE!

I bet epic entrances were in The Rock's contract for this movie. And the Rock also has a nice hat.

Heh heh, he's paying them off.

Backside of Water. HA!

Cockatoo! Or is that a parakeet?

Money. It makes the world go 'round.

Can't have a film like this without an explosion or two. Hope we get a Raiders of the Lost Ark homage. I want to see Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt outrun a giant round boulder.

To be fair, he does have a point. Corpses aren't exactly easy to transport through hot, sweaty, steamy jungles.

Gotta respect a good Mighty Punch. Even if you're on the receiving end.

I take it we just got a glimpse of the bad guy.

This film looks like it will be a ton of fun. I got a good chuckle from the trailer. I like that they're clearly paying homage to The African Queen like the ride originally did. I also hope we get some nice nods to some other classic adventure stories. It seems like one of those films that you can just sit back and enjoy. I can't wait!

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Star Trek: Picard SDCC Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in May, I gave my thoughts on the teaser for the upcoming CBS All-Access series Star Trek: Picard. I remember being very excited for it, but I was saddened that it would be on CBS All-Access. I wished it would be on Netflix. After all, it has all the rest of the Star Trek series. I've been watching a lot of Next Generation and Deep Space Nine recently. I love those shows.

Well, a couple months ago, the San Diego Comic-Con had revealed a new trailer for the series. There's also one from the New York Comic-Con, but since the San Diego one came out first, I want to look at the SDCC one before the NYCC one. Let's jump back into the stars with Jean-Luc Picard!

Wow. Is that Jean-Luc's home? Fancy. But then again, he is a legend.

Data sacrificed his life in the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. But he did download his mind into another android named B-4. So, who is that Soong-Type Android in pieces there? Is that B-4? If it is...how did he end up like that?

Cool gardening robot.

I think in a way, Picard misses the stars. Makes me remember the advice James Kirk gave him in Star Trek: Generations: Don't give up your command.

Hmmm, I wonder why this woman would come to Picard for help. Maybe it's something he knows about? The man has had a long Starfleet career, after all. I have heard theories that she may be a relative. Maybe she was a former drone Picard knew during his time as Locutus in the Borg Collective? That's my theory.

I hope he's mellowed out on the "Captain Picard Day" thing.

What is that, some kind of prison facility?

Hey, it's Jonathan Del Arco! That means Hugh is back!

And Michelle Hurd! I know her from Law and Order: SVU.

And a Vulcan swordsman. That actually sounds awesome.

Picard's coming back to space, and he's got a new crew!

Holy cow, Seven of Nine! I love that this show is digging up old characters. And having Seven and Hugh here makes sense, considering they and Picard were all connected to the Borg.

Yeah, this definitely has something to do with the Borg.

...HOLY COW, IT'S DATA.

Well, I am excited for this. I still wish it would come to Netflix. It's really cool to see some old Trek characters come back, some well-known, a couple more obscure. I like that the trailer is keeping some things hidden. Allows for some surprises and speculation. Here's hoping it becomes available on other platforms in the future...or at the very least, on DVD.

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Overwatch Legendary Edition Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

In May 2016, Blizzard Entertainment (the company behind games like World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, and The Lost Vikings) released a game called Overwatch for Microsoft Windows,

Overwatch was a game set 60 years in the future of an alternate Earth. This Earth was in a golden age of peace and prosperity. Until all the artificial intelligences of that world went all Skynet and decided to give humanity the Terminator treatment. A group called Overwatch was created to stop this "Omnic Crisis". Overwatch kept the peace for years, until a falling out between the group's leaders and an explosion at their Swiss headquarters led to the UN disbanding them. Six years later, the world is in a bad place. Corporations are taking over, and a second "Omnic Crisis" is brewing in Russia. A former member of Overwatch decides the team must be reformed to save the world.

Overwatch is a first-person shooter multiplayer game, which has become known for its lore (There are over thirty playable characters in the game, each with their own strengths and weaknesses). Upon release, the game was given much critical acclaim. It even lead to the formation of its own esports league.

Naturally, it makes sense such an acclaimed game would come to the Nintendo Switch. Let's take a look at the trailer for it!

Bring out a sword, summon a dragon. Nice.

"Get your fix! On Route 66!"

Classy robot. I like classy robots.

I've always found the characters of Overwatch fascinating. It's why I find Overwatch being a multiplayer-only game to be so annoying. I mean, the characters and lore are there! You could do some great single-player campaigns with them! How can they not do that?!

Single-player campaigns would be a great way for players to practice a character they like without the intimidation of playing with other people.

Over 100 Game of the Year awards. Yeah, this game was a big hit with critics and fans.

Heh, Zen robot. That's awesome.

HOLY ELECTRONIC WIPEOUT, BATMAN!

Death from above!

Mighty Punch!

Overwatch on the go. That's the main reason it's coming to the Switch this month, in my opinion. The Switch is a console designed to be played both with a TV and on the go. That, and everybody's putting games on the Switch these days. :)

You're likely wondering why the game is referred to as the "Legendary Edition". Well, it's going to have some adjustments to certain characters to take advantage of the Switch's gyroscopic controls, and will have everything all the other ports have. Like skins and maps and such.

It also comes with three free months of Nintendo Switch Online? Well, that's a nice incentive! I might get this for that alone! They just put SNES games on it, and I want to play them!

Well, I do hope Overwatch players are happy with it coming to the Switch. I'm hoping that they do add single-player campaigns to the game at some point, as it would be fun to play with these characters in something in the style of Doom. I always liked the game's aesthetic, so I may give it a try.

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